2019
Professional Work
Natural Ventilation
Sustainable Materials
Daylight and Visual Comfort
Facade Embodied Carbon
Life Cycle Analysis
Water Reuse Potential
Benchmarking Administration
Graduate Coursework
Heat Vulnerability
Envelope Optimization
Indoor Air Quality Prototype
Wastewater Treatment Vulnerability
Analyzed passive cooling potential for an aviation manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, NM minimizing the use of air conditioning in peak summer conditions
Owned analysis to illustrate the effectiveness of natural ventilation for occupant comfort and space cooling, in large assembly spaces. Heavy manufacturing equipment presented the challenge of very high internal gains, thus making natural ventilation critical to save energy for space cooling.
• The analysis indicated that operable windows have the potential to provide passive cooling for up to 47% of the year, particularly in the shoulder season and cooler months.
• Spaces utilized the effect of thermal mass in the floor to absorb heat during the day, and reject it back during the night when outdoor temperatures were low.
• Added benefit was realized by increasing operable area of north clerestory windows and west facing ribbon windows that allow indoor heat gains to be exhausted during the warmer months.
• The use of operable skylights and wall louvres also enhanced passive cooling potential throughout the year, in the warehouse space.
• Natural ventilation is also beneficial for thermal resiliency and occupant connection to the outdoors.
Collaborated across teams and developed a sustainable materials strategy for a luxury hospitality project in Los Angeles, CA, maximizing material health, and minimizing environmental and social impacts
Developed a practice wide sustainable materials strategy and goals framework, and implementation. Recommended a simplified yet luxurious material palette that exemplifies ‘less is more’ and creates experientially rich spaces that invoke a sense of curiosity.
• Three main goals identified: Healthier materials, Low embodied carbon, Social equity
• Framework encourages material ingredient optimization and market change, as well as prioritizing toxic material reduction and third party verification.
• Identified detailed requirements for each product category such as structure, enclosure and finishes
• Focus on high-touch product categories to achieve healthier materials goals, and high-volume materials to lower embodied carbon.
• Supplemented with a detailed concrete optimization strategy, particularly for multi level basement construction, that was closely coordinated with the structural engineers, general contractor and ready mix supplier.
Assessed facade design and exterior shading, optimizing visual comfort and reducing direct sun to interior spaces in several institutional and commercial projects across locations
Studied solar exposure of building design and recommended specific shading solutions for each window location. Quantified the reduction of direct sun hours and illustrated different shading geometries that achieve increased visual comfort
• Tested several exterior shading scenarios to evaluate their effectiveness in blocking direct sun throughout the year using the cutoff angle (also called horizontal/vertical shadow angle) as the design parameter and direct sun hours as the performance metric.
• South facade benefits from either deepening or lowering horizontal overhangs to block direct sun for additional hours during peak summer and shoulder seasons, making them effective when needed most.
• Visualized the impact of different cut-off angles on the South facade during the spring equinox, and the likelihood of direct sun leading to occupants drawing the blinds when seated for extended periods.
Compared facade assembly alternatives for renovating an existing academic building in New York, NY, minimizing embodied carbon across material types and identifying opportunities for responsible sourcing
Identified various facade cladding material alternatives to upgrade facade performance in a historical renovation project. Shortlisted alternatives were determined by similar aesthetic finish, however varied greatly in total embodied carbon of the materials
• Natural stone materials had overall lower embodied carbon per square foot, compared to composite materials.
• Found it was insufficient to compare only cladding panel material, the overall facade assembly had a significant impact when assessed for a given thermal performance.
• Column and window framing elements were the biggest contributors to increasing GWP intensity.
• Accounting for transportation emissions from the manufacturing facility provides a more holistic picture.
• Even among Limestone alternatives, panel thickness impacted weight, thereby increasing steel framing material required to support.
glass. This assumes that the glass will be replaced once in the buildings’ lifespan. IRMs that optimize upfront emissions are proposed in the optimized case – such as concrete mix design and steel procurement.
This assumes that the glass will be replaced once in the buildings’ lifespan. IRMs that optimize upfront emissions proposed in the optimized case – such as concrete mix design and steel procurement.
Specifically, the structural slab used in the building structure has the largest individual volume of any concrete component and consequently accounts for roughly 20% of the total GWP. Wide flanges used in the superstructure account for roughly 14% of the GWP In addition, glass and metals used in the building enclosures are significant contributors. Glazing represents a significant source of GWP due to its large volume and lifespan Studs alone contribute around 7% to the total GWP.
1. Rebar Procurement
1. Rebar Procurement
Evaluated building life cycle impact identifying measures to reduce the materials’ Global Warming Potential (GWP) by 15%, in a core & shell laboratory building in Boulder, CO
completed using OneClick LCA.
Table 2 outlines the major material assumptions made as part of this LCA, sorted by scope, building element, and design case. The baseline is based on the IFC design and assumes industry-average materials. The optimized case reflects material substitutions or specific procurement cases that led to reductions in GWP. Figure 7 graphically breaks down the GWP impact by optimization for rebar, structural steel, and concrete.
2 outlines the major material assumptions made as part of this LCA, sorted by scope, building element, and design The baseline is based on the IFC design and assumes industry-average materials. The optimized case reflects material substitutions or specific procurement cases that led to reductions in GWP. Figure 7 graphically breaks down the impact by optimization for rebar, structural steel, and concrete.
To understand the critical factors that contribute to the embodied carbon of the project, it is necessary to look at the results through multiple lenses. One lens is the life-cycle stage of the building when emissions are occurring.
5505 CENTRAL LCA ASSUMPTIONS TABLE
5505 CENTRAL LCA ASSUMPTIONS TABLE
SCOPE ELEMENT BASELINE OPTIMIZED
SCOPE ELEMENT BASELINE OPTIMIZED
Concrete reinforcing accounts for 5.6% of the total embodied carbon of the baselines. The IRM incorporated uses rebar procured from Commercial Metals Company (CMC), one of the leading electric arc furnace (EAF) steel manufacturers in the world. CMC is committed to producing steel from 100% recycled scrap metal. By using recycled scrap as raw material rather than virgin natural resources, the CMC (Mesa, AZ plant) is reducing the need for mining of natural resources and reducing CO2 emissions by 58%. While the industry standard recycled content for basic oxygen furnace rebar is 28%, electric arc furnace rebar is 72% and CMC (Mesa, AZ) rebar has 100% recycled content. The rebar optimization results in a 1% reduction in GWP from the baseline. Rebar used on 5505 Central came from CMC Plants in Mesa, AZ, Durant, OK, Seguin, TX, and Knoxville, TN.
Concrete reinforcing accounts for 5.6% of the total embodied carbon of the baselines. The IRM incorporated uses rebar procured from Commercial Metals Company (CMC), one of the leading electric arc furnace (EAF) steel manufacturers in the world. CMC is committed to producing steel from 100% recycled scrap metal. By using recycled scrap as raw material rather than virgin natural resources, the CMC (Mesa, AZ plant) is reducing the need for mining of natural resources and reducing CO2 emissions by 58%. While the industry standard recycled content for basic oxygen furnace rebar is 28%, electric arc furnace rebar is 72% and CMC (Mesa, AZ) rebar has 100% recycled content. The rebar optimization results in a 1% reduction in GWP from the baseline. Rebar used on 5505 Central came from CMC Plants in Mesa, AZ, Durant, OK, Seguin, TX, and Knoxville, TN.
2 Structural Steel
2 Structural Steel
Foundation & Superstructure Rebar
Reinforcement Steel Industry Average (CRSI)
Foundation & Superstructure Rebar Reinforcement Steel Industry Average (CRSI)
Hot-rolled Structural Steel Industry Average (AISC)
Hot-rolled Structural Steel Industry Average (AISC)
Superstructure
Superstructure Structural Steel Framing
Structural Steel Framing
CMC Reinforcement Steel
CMC Reinforcement Steel
Gerdau (Petersburg) Hot Rolled Steel; CMC Merchant Bar & Light Structural Shapes; Gerdau (Cartersville) Hot Rolled Steel; Gerdau (Whitby) Hot Rolled Steel
HSS Industry Average (AISC & Steel Tube Institute)
Gerdau (Petersburg) Hot Rolled Steel; CMC Merchant Bar & Light Structural Shapes; Gerdau (Cartersville) Hot Rolled Steel; Gerdau (Whitby) Hot Rolled Steel
HSS Industry Average (AISC & Steel Tube Institute) Searing Industries HSS Atlas Tube HSS
Searing Industries HSS; Atlas Tube HSS
Steel Plate Industry Average (AISC) SSAB (Iowa) Structural Steel Plates
Steel Plate Industry Average (AISC) SSAB (Iowa) Structural Steel Plates
Cold-formed Steel Industry Average (SFIA)
Cold-formed Steel Industry Average (SFIA)
Gerdau (Cartersville) Hot Rolled Steel
Gerdau (Cartersville) Hot Rolled Steel
Foundation & Superstructure Concrete Mix Design NRMCA (2020) Baseline - Pacific SW Low-GWP Concrete from Burnco (Denver) and Holcim (Bannock)
Foundation & Superstructure Concrete Mix Design NRMCA (2020) Baseline - Pacific SW Low-GWP Concrete from Burnco (Denver) and Holcim (Bannock)
Table 2 : LEED LCA Assumptions: Baseline and Proposed
Conducted a whole building life cycle assessment (WBLCA) assessing global warming potential (GWP) and determining the embodied carbon reductions achieved through various impact reduction measures (IRMs) tested for concrete, rebar, and structural steel.
Upfront embodied carbon emissions, emissions that occur prior to building occupancy (life cycle stages A1-A5), account for the majority of lifetime emissions, as illustrated in Figure 6. This underlines the importance of building design and product selection, as most of a project’s embodied carbon emissions are decided before the building is occupied. The B1-B5 Use Stage also represents a significant source of emissions due to the assumed 30-year lifespan of enclosure
Steel used in 5505 Central’s foundation and structure constitutes 26% of the baseline building’s total GWP The four types of structural steel framing modeled in the baseline are hot rolled steel, hollow structural sections (HSS), cold-formed steel, and steel plate. The IRMs tested use hot rolled steel procured from Gerdau (Petersburg, Cartersville, and Whitby Plants) and CMC, HSS procured from Searing Industries and Atlas Tube, and steel plate from SSAB (Iowa Plant). Low GWP structural steel is typically achieved by using electric arc furnaces and high levels of recycled content. Calcon Constructors has targeted the GWP limits listed below to reduce the project’s overall embodied carbon. Due to concerns of single sourcing, these GWP requirements can be met on aggregate instead of each mill.
• Concrete and steel in the superstructure and foundation are the dominant drivers of embodied carbon.
Steel used in 5505 Central’s foundation and structure constitutes 26% of the baseline building’s total GWP The four types of structural steel framing modeled in the baseline are hot rolled steel, hollow structural sections (HSS), cold-formed steel, and steel plate. The IRMs tested use hot rolled steel procured from Gerdau (Petersburg, Cartersville, and Whitby Plants) and CMC, HSS procured from Searing Industries and Atlas Tube, and steel plate from SSAB (Iowa Plant). Low GWP structural steel is typically achieved by using electric arc furnaces and high levels of recycled content. Calcon Constructors has targeted the GWP limits listed below to reduce the project’s overall embodied carbon. Due to concerns of single sourcing, these GWP requirements can be met on aggregate instead of each mill.
• Upfront embodied carbon emissions that occur prior to building occupancy (life cycle stages A1-A5), accounted for the majority of lifetime emissions, underlining importance of building design and product selection.
1. Hot Rolled Structural Steel – Provide product specific EPDs demonstrating GWP of 0.84 kgCO2e/kg or less.
1. Hot Rolled Structural Steel – Provide product specific EPDs demonstrating GWP of 0.84 kgCO2e/kg or less.
2. HSS – Provide product specific EPDs demonstrating GWP of 0.70 kgCO2e/kg or less.
2. HSS – Provide product specific EPDs demonstrating GWP of 0.70 kgCO2e/kg or less.
3. Steel Plate - Provide product specific EPDs demonstrating GWP of 1.18 kgCO2e/kg or less.
3. Steel Plate - Provide product specific EPDs demonstrating GWP of 1.18 kgCO2e/kg or less.
• Procured rebar and structural steel from manufacturers using electric arc furnace (EAF) using 100% recycled scrap metal.
• Concrete presented the greatest opportunity to achieve embodied carbon savings. Minimized cement in concrete mix designs through pozzolans and high-quality aggregate.
5505 CENTRAL - CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS WHOLE BUILDING LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS 7
• Additional strategies for reducing embodied carbon in concrete include cement replacement with slag or fly-ash, implementing concrete technologies such as CO2 injection, and cement optimizations such as clinker reduction.
Concrete reinforcing accounts for 5.6% of the total embodied carbon of the baselines. The IRM incorporated uses rebar
Concrete reinforcing accounts for 5.6% of the total embodied carbon of the baselines. The IRM incorporated uses rebar
Quantified potential to reuse blackwater and greywater on site, minimizing demand for potable water, leading to Zero Water Waste in a high-rise residential tower in Toronto, ON, Canada
Analyzed different water scenarios reducing potable water demand with conservation and reuse. Scenarios first prioritized fixture and irrigation efficiency and then reuse opportunities.
• Assessed monthly water demand and supply through potential reuse, throughout the year.
• Grey water reuse system would offset landscape water demand of adapted vegetation entirely, resulting in a 68% reduction in annual total water demand.
• 100% of the site’s non-potable water demand could be met through blackwater reuse, resulting in 76% savings from the baseline, saving over 7.8 million gallons of potable water annually.
• Recommended using efficient fixtures exceeding Toronto Green Standard Version 3 and reducing landscape irrigation demand as much as possible.
• On-site blackwater reuse could eliminate the use of potable water for non-potable uses, resulting in Zero Water Waste.
Conducted feasibility studies for sustainability benchmarking systems, helping projects achieve the highest level of certification at asset level (commercial, institutional, residential buildings) and portfolio level
Assessed feasibility of pursuing various benchmarking certifications for several projects, across scales, locations and use types. Studies included identifying a pathway to achieve the highest level of certification.
• Used benchmarking tools as an opportunity to push towards greater sustainability aspirations and identify interesting opportunities for projects.
• Administered multiple building sustainability benchmarking systems including LEED, WELL Building Standard, Fitwel, NetZero Certification and Living Building Challenge.
• Conducted research and calculations needed to solve problems, enabling design teams to achieve target ratings.
• Managed quantitative credit analysis, design and implementation guidance, and coordination of documentation within project team.
Rising temperatures expose large swathes of population in the top 10 cities across India to Heat Vulnerability
Quantified the vulnerability of affordable housing projects in urban India to extreme heat, illustrating the need for a stringent energy code, and minimizing adverse impacts on public heat through overheating
Focussed on indoor occupant comfort and the severity of overheating during summer, in India’s hot and dry climate zone. Study illustrated the vulnerability of current construction techniques to extreme heat, and the need to avoid a long-term lock-in of inefficient, high energy consuming residential buildings.
• Heat vulnerability is a public health and safety concern.
• Minimally code compliant buildings would need air conditioning 90% of the time in summer.
• Addition of insulation on the roof and using thermally efficient blocks in the walls could make indoor conditions comfortable for at least a third of the summer time.
• Existing energy code might be too weak and simplistic to provide comfortable and energy-efficient design guidance in different climate zones, while also accounting for cross ventilation.
• Identified the need for a much stricter, mandatory energy code that is revised periodically.
Published in IOP Science - Journal of Physics: Conference Series, December 2021
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/2069/1/012166
Developed strategies to improve passive survivability of a traditional Pol House in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, enhancing indoor and outdoor thermal comfort at minimal additional cost
Proposed a methodology to analyze climate change adaptation of a traditional dwelling, the Pol House, in the Indian city of Ahmedabad. Studied use of various low carbon strategies to improve passive survivability, and increase indoor and outdoor comfort. Illustrated that passive strategies like increased insulation in walls and roof, a seasonal shading schedule for the windows and courtyard, when coupled with increased air movement using simple fans are very effective.
• Low-carbon emission strategies to improve passive survivability and comfort proposed.
• Increasing air movement using fans is the most effective strategy combined with others.
• Outdoor comfort in the courtyard can also be increased using shading devices.
• Adaptive comfort and wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) used as parameters to analyze climate adaptation.
Co-authored a journal article published in Building and Environment, January 2022.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132321008982
Developed a passive air vent aimed at enhancing indoor environment quality in single family residences, optimizing fresh air circulation and indoor air quality in response to outdoor temperature and humidity
Passively actuated air vent that responds to the outdoor environment and allows fresh air to enter only when outdoor conditions are suitable. Demonstrated the behaviour through a prototype affixed to a real window. Process included inspiration ideation and implementation.
• Addressed unhealthy indoor air quality; air inside homes is up to five times more polluted than the air outside.
• Developed a taxonomy of different materials and their behaviour under different stimuli, mainly focussed on temperature and humidity.
• Product consisted of a series of adaptive layers specially suited to different climatic zones and ease of installation into existing windows.
• Used passive technology that reacts to humidity and temperature, to open vents that allow fresh air in.
• A user override layer allowed users to adjust the vent’s behaviour if needed.
Product featured at the Global Grad Show, Dubai 2020. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14112020/warming-trends-hidden-crisisseeing-forest-virtually-and-new-trick-atmospheric-rivers/
Analyzed the vulnerability of decentralized wastewater treatment systems to sea level rise, in Miami Dade County, FL highlighting inequitable financial burden on low-income communities
Vulnerable to persistent compromise (2018)
Vulnerable to persistent compromise (2030)
More than 90% vulnerable to persistent compromise (2030)
Examined different alternatives and associated expense for neighborhoods to extend the main sewer lines. Highlighted that low income communities more drastically affected and inequitably financially burdened
• Nearly 2 out of 5 residences dependent on individually owned septic tanks, instead of sewer systems (90,000 units, 1.3 million Floridians). 64% septic tanks set to fail by 2040.
• Steady rise in ground water affects low lying area, further exacerbated by intense flooding and rainstorms. Results in partially treated human waste being sent to the porous Biscayne aquifer, posing an immediate public health risk.
• Identified that reliable, long term alternatives to septic tanks are very limited. However, extension of existing sewer lines will unequally burden the residents and must be equitably planned.
• Long term plans must work along with short term solutions to avoid being heavily invested in neighborhoods that may be soon abandoned.
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