GB & SS Magazine Fall 2013

Green BuildinG BUILDING Green & SuStainable StrategieS

& SuStainable Sustainable StrategieS Strategies FALL 2013

NORTH STAR HOMES

Practising what they preach

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MOE LEED Platinum Reno

The Light of Glory

LHBA Green House

NSP LEED Platinum HQ

RICHARD’S ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN - GRAND CANCUN

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GreenBuildinG GreenBuildinG

CONTENTS

& SuStainable StrategieS

From the Publisher’s Desk

& SuStainable StrategieS

Volume 2, Number 3, Fall 2013

FALL 2013

www.gbssmag.com PUBLISHER: Giulio Marinescu 416-250-0664 publisher@gbssmag.com

World’s first algae-based bioreactive façade

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eveloped by three partners: SSC Strategic Science Consult of Germany (Bioreactor Technology and process automation); the international design consultant, Arup (Concept Design, Coordination and Engineering); and Colt International (Reactor Design), the BIQ house is the world’s first pilot project to showcase a bioreactive façade at the International Building Exhibition (IBA) in Hamburg. With 200m² of integrated photo-bioreactors, this passive-energy house generates biomass and heat as renewable energy resources. At the same time, the system integrates additional functionalities such as dynamic shading, thermal insulation and noise abatement, highlighting the full potential of this technology.

The microalgae used in the facades are cultivated in flat panel glass bioreactors measuring 2,5m x 0,7m. In total, 129 bioreactors have been installed on the south-west and south-east faces of the four-storey residential building.

The heart of the system is the fully automated energy management centre where solar thermal heat and algae are harvested in a closed loop to be stored and used to generate hot water.

Arup’s Europe Research Leader, Jan Wurm, said, “Using bio-chemical processes in the façade of a building to create shade and energy is a really innovative concept. It might well become a sustainable solution for energy production in urban areas, so it is great to see it being tested in a real-life scenario.”

How it works: The façade of bioreactors uses photosynthesis to generate micro-algae that are harvested and converted to biomass for energy generation.

The process creates a shimmering green façade for the building, as well as generating the fuel used to generate sustainable, renewable energy.

The bioreactor façade is integrated into a holistic energy concept for the BIQ house, which allows it to use the energy produced at the façade for heating and warm water production.

At the same time, the façade acts as a carbon sink for CO2 from flue gas.

To find out more please read our Solarleaf article inside the magazine.

Giulio Marinescu Publisher

2109-256 Doris Ave. Toronto, ON M2N 6X8 MANAGING EDITOR: Greg McMillan editor@gbssmag.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tony Lomuto Graphic Designs Unlimited LTONY@sympatico.ca Photo credits: GG Imaging, Tom Arbon, Greg Richardson, 5d+ 5 domensions, Barreca & LaVarra, Colt International, Arup Deutschland, SSC GmbH, Ben Rahm/A-Frame Inc., Vincent Callebaut Architect, Fraunhofer, Green Apple Photography, Grant Kernan, Matthew Lavoie, Christof Erban Contributors: Greg McMillan • Andrew Horsman 5d+ 5 domensions • Colt International Arup Deutschland SSC GmbH Vincent Callebaut Architect Boeri Studio (Stefano Boeri, Gianandrea Barreca, Giovanni La Varra) • Fraunhofer Submit articles, event, news to Giulio Marinescu publisher@gbssmag.com

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On the cover: Frank Dodaro, President of North Star Homes

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FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK - World’s First Algae-Based Bioreactive Facade

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Grand Cancun - Eco Resort, Energy Power Farm And Water Recycling Plant In A Marine Platform Complex

14 COVER STORY - Practising what they preach - North Star Homes Is

Committed To Building Energy Efficient Homes And A Perfect Example Is

Leed Silver-designated Pacific Villas Project In Markham

Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement number 42332013 Undeliverable mail return to: 2109-256 Doris Ave. Toronto, ON M2N 6X8

22 SOLARLEAF - Bioreactor Façade

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No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any means, in any form, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the respective authors and not necessarily those of this publication.

Green Building & Sustainable Strategies does not specifically endorse the editorial, products or services presented in this magazine.

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26 Forward Thinking Pays Off - MOE Reaps The Benefits Of Completing

A Green Reno By Taking Home Leed Platinum Award 30 The World’s First Vertical Forest - Bringing Nature Back To

The Milan’s Concrete Jungle 32 The light of Glory - A World First: Cathedral’s Stained Glass Windows

Generate Solar Power 36 THE SWALLOW’S NEST - Taichung City Cultural Center / Public Library

And Fine Arts Museum 38 RICHARD’S ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN - Wind Tower: Radical Innovation 42 Building for a cause - London’s Greenest Home Is A Model

Of Inspiration 46 Bringing Color to Solar Façades 48 Nova Scotia Power Corporate Headquarter First LEED Platinum Building in Atlantic Canada 53 Innovations with Old Tires Transforming Green Building Design

38 © Colt International, Arup Deutschland, SSC GmbH

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Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

Grand Cancun

Eco resort, energy power farm and water recycling plant in a marine platform complex

Concept and Design: Arch. Richard Moreta Castillo (Richard’s Architecture+Design) Ilustración and gral. contribution: Art. Dir. John Michael Silvers Godoy (5d+ 05 Dimensions) Intl. Developer: Qatar Developer Group

I

t will undoubtedly be one of the most dynamic 50th anniversary celebrations of all time.

How else would one begin to describe what is being planned for Cancun, Mexico, in 2020?

Architect Richard Moreta Castillo envisions a selfsufficient eco-resort, called Grand Cancun, which will ostensibly generate renewable energy as well as clean up the ocean around it.

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This floating island, a grand offshore marine platform to be built on stilts, will include all the usual luxury components, plus loads of shopping and underwater dining. But it’s the sustainable touches that set this project apart.

Solar panels will cover the surface of the offshore platform, providing energy for the resort and the city of Cancun’s grid. Even more clean energy will be produced by underwater tidal wave energy collectors and vertical wind turbines. Making the complex completely self-sufficient will be a rainwater collections system that will tie into a mini desalination plant.

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Grand Cancun will also improve the environment by filtering out pollutants and hydrocarbons in the water, thereby reducing fossil fuel consumption, ideally creating a zero carbon footprint.

Of special note is the centerpiece of the design. The shape of the structure’s main building is snake-like. Originally, the Mayan name Kaan Kun, or Nest of Snakes, evolved

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into the present-day Cancun, hence the tie-in to the Mayan snake myth. “This awesome eco architecture contributes to the myth and raises the serpent from water to infinity, a great representation of exceptional harmony between Mayan people and their new metropolis,� according to promotional literature for Grand Cancun.

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Conceived to fight global warming, the Grand Cancun design will not simply address the energy crisis and local fossil fuel dependency, organizers says, but also address other problems such as scarcity and depletion of its groundwater table and drinking water, the pollution of coastal shores, and alleviating construction space limitations due to an overdeveloped coastal area.

“Grand Cancun will be the first marine platform designed to help recover the environment instead of exploiting it,” organizers say. “There are 3,850 oil rigs in the Mexican Gulf. Using the platform concept instead of an artificial island, it creates more space and minimizes the impact in the marine ecosystem.

“But the most interesting thing is that it will clean the seas. The technology planned will separate the water from floating solids and hydrocarbons.”

(Project Grand Cancun was singled out from among 70 entrants for the Radical Innovation in Hospitality Award and won first prize in the National Architecture Awards of Dominican Republic in 2012.)

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COVER STORY

Practising what they preach North Star Homes is committed to building energy efficient homes and a perfect example is LEED Silver-designated Pacific Villas project in Markham

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t North Star Homes, they practise what they preach.

Staunchly aligned with green initiatives, North Star’s latest coup is the Pacific Villas project, which has achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes Silver classification – one of the first of its kind in Markham.

“We are committed to building energy efficient homes,” says Frank Dodaro, President,

Tony Priori, Project Manager; Frank Dodaro, President and Nino Bosco, Construction Manager of North Star Homes

North Star Homes Inc. “Our sustainability consultant has been recommending the best methods to deliver greener homes to keep us on the leading edge of the best homebuilders.”

Recognized as Home Builder of the Year by the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) in both 2004 and 2008, North Star was founded in 1990 and prides itself on being on the cutting edge of industry changes, so that buyers know they will be getting the

latest in “design and finishes that deliver a high quality home at a good price.”

Phase 1 of Pacific Villas – to be followed by Phase 2, which will be an apartment building with commercial uses on the ground floor, also built to achieve LEED Silver – has a whole world of shopping, services and restaurants right on its doorstep.

This vibrant community is a private enclave of beautiful bungalows and two-storey

townhomes, walking distance from Pacific Mall, Splendid China Tower Mall and Market Village Mall. But there’s more, just down the road are Aldergrove School, Milliken Mills High School and Town Centre Montessori Private School.

All the amenities of Milliken Mills Community Centre, Aldergrove Park and the playing fields of Kennedy Reservoir Park are minutes away. Also, the Milliken GO Train Station is within walking distance.

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Pacific Villas streetscape LEED is a rating system which awards points for construction, design and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED’s Silver rating is one of the highest in the industry and is

verified with independent third party testing.

Designing to LEED for Homes Silver rating transforms the way homes are built. It promotes waste diversion of construction materials, soil

erosion controls, use of recycled construction materials, advanced framing, water conservation, and many other environmental advances that other programs do not cover.

Pacific Villas incorporate a number of energy saving features that led to LEED Silver designation.

The list of additional features, both inside and out, is thorough and impressive. Some of those include: • Insulation: Roof R50, walls R24, basement wall R20 and exposed floors R31; • Ice and water shield (six feet) from edge of eaves, 30 gauge steel at all valleys, and rubber flashing at all penetrations; • Complete air barrier between attic and conditioned space and all penetrations sealed; • Energy efficient windows and doors; • Pest management control features; • Low flow water consumption plumbing fixtures; • Drain water heat recovery pipe with insulation; • Individually controlled, hi-velocity fan coil unit (with ECM motor and MERV 10 filter) integrated with EnviroSense gas fired hot water heater provides heating, cooling and domestic hot water at 90 per cent efficiency; • Energy recovery ventilator (ERV) to provide fresh air with dehumidification control; • Install drain pans to capture leaks under water heaters; • Refrigerant type: R-410a (Eco Friendly); • Air seal ventilation ductwork; • Energy Star ® appliances; • Energy Star ® compact fluorescent light bulbs

throughout; • Surface water management system – final grade tamped and sloped away from foundation; • And drought-tolerant plants and turf.

North Star Homes continues its focus on green and sustainable building with the following project examples: Canyon Hill Gardens A prestigious development of 74 luxury detached homes is now underway in Richmond Hill and being built to meet Energuide 82

standards that are above the current Ontario Building Code levels.

The notable sustainability features include: • R31 half-pound spray foam insulation to exposed floors; • R22 batt insulation + R4 Insulsheathing for exterior wall; • R20 for walls below grade; • Two-stage gas furnaces with ECM motor rated at 95 per cent efficiency along with an HRV (heat recovery ventilator) rated at 74 per cent efficiency;

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Canyon Hill Gardens

King’s Crossing The final phase of the King’s Crossing development in Richmond Hill consists of townhomes and semi-detached homes. For this site, North Star has chosen the Energuide 82 standard to exceed the minimum building code level. These homes will also be individually evaluated and tested to receive the official label for Energuide 82.

Silvia LaTorre, VP Sales and Dina Vona, Marketing Director • Hot water heater with 86 per cent efficiency; • Drain water heat recovery – five-foot pipe mounted on drain stack;

• And maximum 2.5 air change per hour.

All homes are evaluated and undergo a blower door test by a third party rater to verify

Pacific Villas

Bayview Gardens An infill development of 70 townhomes featuring open space floor plans and distinctively modern exteriors is coming soon to Richmond Hill. North Star is targeting a sustainability package of construction features that will achieve a 20 per cent better than code rating.

the program requirements of Energuide 82 are met. Additionally, top soil depth will be at three feet, to foster tree health.

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PHOTOS: GG IMAGING

From left to right: Marisa Ortega, Design Consultant, Silvia LaTorre, V.P. Sales and Ivana Marcelli, Controller

For many years, North Star Homes has been a beacon of quality for the new home buyer in communities across Metro Toronto and beyond.

The North Star name has been proudly displayed in Barrie, Brampton, Markham, North York, Scarborough, Richmond Hill, Milton and more, and in each area home buyers have been offered an exceptional selection of homes, innovative designs, all reflecting superb craftsmanship. “Everyone needs to have a professional approach to their business today.

Having craftsmen, trades and a hardworking staff who are dedicated to the end-user the homeowner, is what makes North Star special.�

Says Frank Dodaro with pride. “And builders must be up-to-date with what buyers are looking for in design and finishes and deliver a high quality home at a good price.�

North Star Homes will be bringing its commitment to build green and sustainable buildings to future developments such as the 43-storey residential tower in the heart of the Mississauga city centre.

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T

SOLARLEAF

he vertical glass louvres are filled with water containing nutrients which convert daylight and to algal biomass through the bio-chemical process of photosynthesis; at the same time the water is heated up by solarthermal effects. The biomass and heat generated by the façade elements are transported by a closed loop system to the plant room, where both forms of energy are exchanged by a separator and a heat exchanger respectively. The temperature levels of the heat generated can be increased by using a hot water pump for the supply of hot water and for heating the building. Excess heat can be stored by use of a geothermal system.

The biomass has high energy content, and can therefore not only be used for generating energy but also processed and used by the food and pharmaceutical industries.

To be able to benefit from the synergies of the system, a holistic and comprehensive design approach is required right from the beginning.

From 2020 onwards, zero-energy houses will be obligatory in Germany and in some other European countries. Every new building will need to produce the same amount of energy as it consumes. In 2012, the energy generated by photovoltaic systems and solar thermal systems in Germany provided 1.5% of the total energy supply, while biomass as a renewable energy source provided 8%.

The advantage of biomass compared to photovoltaic is that it is a form of solar energy that can be easily stored and therefore doesn’t require expensive storage technologies like batteries. The bioreactor façade is the first building integrated

BIOREACTOR FAçADE

“

Purpose of this product: Bioreactor Façade – A dynamic façade system for the production of renewable energy using algal biomass and solar thermal heat.

Building Integration: The system is suitable for both new buildings and existing buildings, and for industrial, commercial, residential and public buildings.

Features and benefits: Full integration of low energy design for energy efficient buildings with a Passivhaus standard; conversion of natural light to biomass and heat; local storage and use of solar thermal energy; sustainable energy design – near to CO2 neutral; dynamic and adaptive shading, since with the increasing intensity of solar radiation the transparency and the degree of total energy transmission (g-value) decrease; living and dynamic user experience created by the emerging air bubbles and the variations of colour of the SolarLeaf elements; also applicable as a primary façade system with additional benefits in terms of high thermal and acoustic insulation.

The “SolarLeaf” bioreactor façade is pointing the way ahead for the future of the façade and low energy engineering for Green Buildings

BIQ - The World´s first SolarLeaf-Building in Hamburg, Germany with 200 m2 of active SolarLeaf area system to generate biomass. The conversion of light to heat is a well known physical process used in solar thermal design. In contrast, the conversion of light to biomass is a biochemical process facilitated by microscopically small algae, called microalgae. Microalgae, like other higher level plants, use sunlight for the photosynthetic process and this is linked to the process of conversion of CO2 to organic matter. In fact, microalgae are much more efficient in the conversion of light to biomass than higher-level plants, because

they consist only of single cells, each of which is capable of photosynthesis. Microalgae can divide themselves up to two times a day and thus increase their biomass by a factor of four.

Their biomass contains 23-27 kJ of energy per gram dry weight. This biomass can be used as raw material for cosmetic and pharmaceutical products or is used for animal food or dietary supplements.

By varying the cell density in the culture medium the transparency can be varied between 10 and 80%

”

© Colt International, Arup Deutschland, SSC GmbH 22

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HOW DOES SOLARLEAF WORK? When used as a secondary façade the bioreactor elements form a rainscreen system of the outer layer of a double-skin façade. The vertical elements have a size of 2.5m x 0.7m and can span across a full storey if required. In addition they can rotate along its vertical axis to track the position of the sun.

When fully closed the SolarLeaf forms a continuous outer skin providing a thermal buffer.

Each SolarLeaf element features a multiple glass assembly, designed to meet the latest performance criteria of modern façade engineering. The two inner layers form an 18mm wide cavity with a capacity of 24 litres for the circulation of water and growth of algae. For safety and thermal insulation the photobioreactor is clad on both sides with laminated safety glass.

Compressed air is introduced to the bottom of each bioreactor at certain time intervals. The gas emerges as large air bubbles and generates an upstream water flow and turbulence to stimulate the intake of CO2 and light by the algae. At the same time, the inner surfaces of the panels are washed by the mixture of water and air that is visible to the naked eye. The flat photobioreactors are thus very efficient for algal growth and need minimal maintenance. All servicing pipes for the inflow and outflow of the culture medium and the air are integrated into the substructure of the SolarLeaf elements. At the BIQ pilot project in Hamburg 32 elements are combined into a closed loop system and connected to the plant room.

A central building management system controls all the processes necessary to operate the bioreactor façade and to fully integrate it with the energy management system of the building. This includes the control of the algal cell density and the temperature in the culture medium.

The heat obtained from the façade has a temperature of about 40°C and is either used directly to heat water or is stored in the ground by use of a geothermal system. The system can be operated all year long.

The efficiency of the conversion of light to biomass is 10% and to heat 38%. For comparison, photovoltaic systems have an efficiency of 12-15% and solar thermal systems 60-65%.

So the bioreactor façade is competitive relative to these other technologies. In addition, bioreactor façades remove CO2 from flue gas at quantities equivalent to the build-up of biomass and thus reduce the CO2 emissions from buildings and help to improve the overall CO2 balance.

In the plant room the heat is removed from the culture medium by a heat exchanger and either directly used in the building or stored. The generated biomass is harvested by a separator from the culture medium automatically. Besides controlling all parameters affecting the bio-chemical processes, the building automation system can alter the orientation of the elements towards the sun so as to control the production of biomass and heat as well as the shading and sound absorbing capacities. A Rockwell SPS system manages the whole process.

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Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

The Beauty of Bioreactive façades

By Jan Wurm

D

esigners and engineers dream of creating highly responsive building façades that mimic nature and change in response to their environment. Like flowers, they would open up and close In relation the the light. This is a new field of research but façades that make use of natural processes are already here.

Over the last two years, I’ve been part of an Arup team developing bioreactive façades that cultivate microalgae as an energy source – making use of waste carbon and generating solar thermal energy in the process. In response to German competition seeking smart façade materials, we developed a system that uses transparent containers known as flat panel photobioreactors (PBRs) to facilitate photosynthesis in a controlled environment.

By the end of 2013, the system will be installed as an external shading device on a four-storey residential building in Hamburg Wilhelmsburg – the first application of integrated PBR in the world. It works by taking advantage of the simple, unicellular structure of the microalgae to produce biomass rapidly. Not all cells in larger plants contribute to photosynthesis, but the single-cell structure of microalgae means it puts all its effort into photosynthesising.

This means it grows around ten times faster than larger plants.

The microalgae circulate through the panels with water and nutrients, absorbing light and carbon and producing biomass. The part of the solar spectrum that isn’t absorbed by the algae heats the water, and this solar thermal heat is removed so it can be used in the building or stored for when it’s needed. The PBRs are linked in a closed loop to the building’s plant room where they are fed with carbon from combustion processes in the neighbourhood. The algae is harvested and transformed into methane, with the heat generated taken out of the system by heat exchangers. It’s then either stored geothermally or fed straight back into the building using a heat pump for heating and hot water supply. Harvesting the algae controls the amount of light that gets through the PBRs and into the building. So in the sunny part of the day you can leave the algae to reproduce and reduce solar gain, before harvesting the algae in the cooler part of the day and allowing more light through. Because it relies on a complex, optimized system, this technology is ideal for use on a larger scale. But even on our small pilot project we hope to make a small net energy gain.

We expect to produce around 15g of dried biomass per m2 per day, with solar energy converted into heat at an efficiency of 30-50%. But I think it’s the visual nature of the system that will be a key if this approach is to be more widely adopted. Watching microalgae grow before your eyes is a sensual and direct experience whether you see it from inside or outside a building. And these façades don’t have to be green in colour. By treating the surfaces of the PBRs or including a coloured layer you could create different effects.

You could even integrate LED lighting that operates in the spectrum microalgae need to grow, so they would continue to reproduce overnight.

The possibilities are exciting and the key to implementing PBRs on a wider scale will be cooperation; it’s a technology that combines lots of different systems and skills – including façades, simulations, mechanical and structural engineering and control systems.

By monitoring how people perceive and interact with the Hamburg installation we hope to evolve the bioreactive façade into a key system for zero-energy and zero-carbon buildings.

SOLARLEAF in OVERVIEW A Solarleaf bioreactor façade: - produces high value biomass (10% ECS*) - produces solar thermal heat (38% ECS*) - provides dynamic shading - increases the thermal and acoustic performance Optimal conditions for building integration: - Production of a constant flue gas or source of carbon - Production of heat throughout the year - Ideal for south facing façades (>200 m²) * ECS = energy conversion efficiency ratio, which indicates the percentage of the incoming light energy converted to biomass or heat.

Courtesy of: Colt International GmbH – www.coltgroup.com ARUP Deutschland GmbH – www.arup.com SSC Strategic Science Consult GmbH – www.ssc-hamburg.de www.colt-info.de/solarleaf.html

Jan Wurm is an architect with a passion for architectural engineering. He is currently based in Arup’s Berlin office where he leads the materials consulting group in Europe.

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Forward Thinking Pays Off MOE reaps the benefits of completing a green reno by taking home LEED Platinum award

Working with Enermodal Engineering and Freeman + Freeman Design Inc., she said the MOE renovation was completed at a cost that was less, on a square foot basis, than other comparable projects undertaken around that time.

David Freeman, Principal, Freeman + Freeman Design Inc., says the MOE took a lead position on working toward obtaining LEED Platinum certification, right from the start.

“The project was expected to be 15 per cent more costly than a typical office build out,” he explained, “however, with reusable wall panels, furniture that could easily be reconfigured, built-in energy and water savings, enhanced air quality testing and monitoring, the additional up front costs will be recouped in 7-8 years and the project will actually produce cost savings over the life cycle on the 10-year lease, from that of a typical office build out.”

To begin with, Musso says, the project achieved a 92 per cent waste diversion rate during the reno process, through the extensive training of tradespeople, a litterless workspace, separate diversion room on site, and extensive monitoring of input materials.

By GREG McMILLAN

S

ometimes it’s a good thing to put the cart before the horse.

Case in point: Prior to relocating about 150 staff members back in 2009, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) decided to complete a renovation to the specifications of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum for Commercial Interiors rating system.

And the MOE’s forward thinking ended up reaping benefits still being felt today.

Not only did the MOE project on the 10th and 11th floors of the Ferguson Block at 77 Wellesley Street in Toronto receive Platinum certification in 2012, but it was also the highest level achievable and the first in the Ontario Public Service, according to Eva Musso, the MOE’s Project Green Team Lead.

Photos by Ben Rahn / A-Frame Inc. 26

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Interior Design + Project Management

Freeman + Freeman Design Inc. 20 Maud St. Suite 402 Toronto, ON M5V 2M5 tel: 416 340 1338 Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

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She described green building features found throughout the space that reflect the MOE mission: • Each floor is organized into four themes represented by panels – water, air, earth and energy. Features of the space include the use of reclaimed and local materials, such as

“Since the project’s completion the MOE has adhered to the LEED principles and undertaken renovations to the space to maintain the Platinum rating,” Freeman says. “Walls and furniture workstations have been relocated with no waste, the water and energy savings, through monitoring and controls, have been confirmed, and the staff enjoy the access to daylight and views.

“With a defined goal and commitment, the MOE demonstrated it is possible to achieve the highest standards of green building and sustainability.”

salvaged wood beams and flooring from 1860s farmhouses.

A living wall designed and created in Brantford.

Countertops containing 80-100 per cent recycled content, including concrete, glass and shells.

ALGAL

ALGAL

• Real time tracking of energy use for carbon footprint – space is metered throughout with Energy Star equipment.

• Heating and cooling provided by deep lake water cooling, and electricity.

• 100 per cent EcoLogo certified alternative electricity.

• Provisions for bicycle parking.

• A kiosk providing interactive information about the space for visitors and staff.

• 90 per cent of all occupants have access to daylight and views.

• Low cubicle walls and daylighting control sensors and low wattage lighting which adjusts to the amount of light outside – lowers the demand for electricity as well.

• CO2 sensors installed throughout to monitor carbon dioxide levels and communicate with air handling unit to bring in more fresh air from the outside if the levels are high.

Musso added that economic savings have been realized through improved use of natural light, sensor lighting, Energy Star appliances, and low flow and aerated faucets and washroom fixtures.

Freeman stresses that the MOE saw an opportunity to lead by example when it came to the construction of new offices.

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Boeri Studio (Stefano Boeri, Gianandrea Barreca, Giovanni La Varra)

mitigations Vertical Forest helps to build a micro-climate and to filter dust particles which are present in the urban environment. The diversity of the plants helps to create humidity, and absorb CO2 and dust, produces oxygen, protects people and houses from the suns rays and from acoustic pollution. anti-sprawl Vertical Forest is an anti-sprawl measure which aims to control and reduce urban expansion. If we think of them in terms of urban densification, each tower of the Vertical Forest is equivalent to an area of urban sprawl of family houses and buildings of up to 50,000 square metres. trees are a key element in understanding architectural projects and garden systems. In this case the choice of the types of trees was made to fit with their positioning on the facades and in terms of their height, and took two years to conclude alongside a group of botanists. The plants used in this project will be grown specifically for this purpose and will be pre-cultivated.

Over this period these plants slowly got used to the conditions they will be placed in on the building. ecology billboards Vertical Forest is a landmark in the city which is able to release new kinds of variable landscapes which can change their form in each season depending on the types of plants involved. The vertical forests will offer a changing view of the metropolitan city below.

Bosco verticale/Vertical Forest: The World’s First Vertical Forest

management the management of the trees’ pots is under building regulation, as well as the upkeep of the greenery and the number of plants for each pot.

Bringing Nature Back to the Milan’s Concrete Jungle

T

he Vertical Forest project aims to build high-density tower blocks with trees within the city. The first example of a Vertical Forest is currently under construction in Milan in Porta Nuova Isola area, part of a larger redevelopment project developed by Hines Italia with two towers which are 80 metres and 112 metres tall respectively, and which will be able to hold 480 big and medium size trees, 250 small size trees, 11.000 groundcover plants and 5.000 shrubs (the equivalent of a hectare of forest). The Vertical Forest has at its heart an 30 Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

concept of architecture which demineralises urban areas and uses the changing shape and form of leaves for its facades, and thus which hands over to vegetation itself the task of absorbing the dust in the air, and of creating an adequate micro-climate in order to filter out the sunlight. This is a kind of biological architecture which refuses to adopt a strictly technological and mechanical approach to environmental sustainability. biological habitats Vertical Forest increases biodiversity. It helps to set up an

irrigation in order to understand the need for water the plan for these buildings took into account the distribution of plants across various floors and their positioning.

urban ecosystem where different kinds of vegetation create a vertical environment which can also be colonised by birds and insects, and thus becomes both a magnet for and a symbol of the spontaneous recolonisation of the city by vegetation and by animal life. The creation of a number of vertical forests in the city will be able to create a network of environmental corridors which will give life to the main parks in the city, bringing the green space of avenues and gardens and connecting various spaces of spontaneous vegetation growth. fall 2013

CREDITS Architectural project Boeri Studio (Stefano Boeri, Gianandrea Barreca, Giovanni La Varra) Bosco Verticale Landscape Design: Emanuela Borio and Laura Gatti Developer: Hines Italia Courtesy of Boeri Studio (Stefano Boeri, Gianandrea Barreca, Giovanni La Varra)

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Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

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The light of Glory

Photo by Grant Kernan

A world first: Cathedral’s stained glass windows generate solar power

By Greg McMillan

F

or Canadian artist Sarah Hall the challenge was straightforward.

Simply put, she was asked to design stained glass windows that generate solar power for the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon.

“The intention of the project is to demonstrate that beauty, art, and renewable energy can work together,” says Hall.

A world first, the cathedral project, called Lux Gloria (The Light of Glory), features an embedded array of 1,113 silver solar cells and is connected to Saskatoon Light and Power’s grid through SaskPower.

According to Kevin Hudson, manager of metering and sustainable electricity for Saskatoon Light and Power, the solar panels are expected to produce about 2,500 kilowatt hours annually.

Conventional, roof-mounted solar panels were originally considered, but the cathedral group decided they’d be difficult to integrate visually, so a solar element was brought into the mix for the art glass windows.

It was pointed out that Lux Gloria was inspired by the beauty of God’s

creation expressed in Saskatchewan’s vast prairie skies by day and the northern lights by night.

Within the silver-hued solar array are 12 dichroic glass crosses, sigGreen Building & Sustainable Strategies Magazine nifying 1/4 the Apostles.

There is also a circle, representing a prayer for unity.

Page Vertical (3.5” x 4.8125”) The windows were fabricated by Glasmalerei Peters GmbH in Paderborn, Germany, while the new windows were engineered by solar expert Christof Erban, of Aachen, Germany.

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“This project was particularly challenging,” says Hall. “In terms of size, the panels were large, shaped and heavy, making them difficult to handle.

“The largest window is 37 feet high by 12 feet wide and the two others are only slightly smaller. There are 18 panels in each window, totalling 54 with solar cells embedded in each one.

“Each of the 54 panels was a different in shape and dimension so everything was custom made.”

She says accessing the windows was also very demanding, as they needed to be installed and wired from the exterior by crane and cage starting 107 feet up in the air – with the crane operator doing his work “blind” because of the overhanging canopy.

“Not for the faint-hearted,” Hall says.

From an artist’s perspective, designing stained glass windows that generate energy is a far cry from traditional techniques.

“Designing stained glass windows that generate energy, versus the traditional technique of painted and leaded windows is a significant artistic leap,” Hall says. “It has been a steep learning curve.

“For a thousand years our goal as artists and artisans has been to add beauty, meaning and

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mystery to buildings. The experience of colour and light can be transformational. What we do have in common with solar is an absolute dependence on sunlight. The crystalline structure of solar cells relates well to glass art.

“The primary difference is that the artist has to bring a grid of cells into the design – and that it has to be functional from a solar viewpoint,” Hall says. “An artist also needs to collaborate with experts in solar technology right from the inception of the project.

“Since my work has always been part of architecture and set within a building it was not a difficult transition to consider adding building integrated photovoltaics. I have also always liked the juxtaposition of nature and geometry in my artwork, so solar cells immediately provided the geometry.“ Hall says she thinks there is now a lot of interest in solar art glass façades.

“I think we are just at the beginning of a new way of building – where our façades generate energy and the field of stained glass can add a beautiful dimension to solar and our buildings. My hope is to soften hearts about renewable energy and provoke interest and conversation.”

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Taichung 2013, Taiwan Project Title: Taichung City Cultural Center Planning, Design and Construction Supervision Service Project Surface Area: 62.720 m_ Budget: NT$ 2.410.000.000 Team: Vincent Callebaut, Frederique Beck, Julien Combes, Benoit Patterlini

THE SWALLOW’S NEST TAICHUNG CITY CULTURAL CENTER / PUBLIC LIBRARY AND FINE ARTS MUSEUM

1. A MÖBIUS’ RING OFFERED TO THE FINE ARTS AND LITERATURE OPENED TOWARDS THE GATEWAY PARK

A

t the North end of the new « Gateway Park » located on the site of the old airport of Taichung city, the “Swallow’s Nest” project is a true entrance door to the new urban ecosystem. Actually, the project develops itself under the shape of a three-dimensional Möbius’ ring that extrudes its triangular section around an elliptic path.

This organic building is thus created by the simple repetition of a standardised section that turns eighty times clockwise by 4.5 degrees to make a full revolution of 360 degrees around a huge central patio, the “Endless Patio”. The architecture is inspired by the nature and seems to grow harmoniously such as a plant from the earth to the sky. This pure shape in horizontal spiral enables to create three huge vaults, true connexion hubs between the central patio and the cultural centre, the city and the park.

Like a dynamic and innovative cultural center dedicated to the Fine Arts and Literature, the Swallow’s Nest is thus a new icon of spatial transversality and cultural transdisciplinarity!

It is a raw diamond cut into the crystal whose sharp voluptuousness magnetizes the site from its spiral curves.

2. BUILDING ENVELOPE Intelligent façades of e-low glass pixelated by the photovoltaic solar cells assuring an energetic autonomy The Swallow’s Nest is the future landmark of the Gateway Park. The project is thus crystalline assuring a maximum of transparency and lighting effects by the treatment of façades, from the integration of renewable energies, intelligent glasses and effects of progressive translucency.

Actually, the glittering skin is made of E-Low glass with high rate of thermal isolation. Like a musical score opening out along the glass ribbons, pixels of photovoltaic solar cells and panels of translucent glass and stainless steel assure 50% of opaque façades in order to avoid greenhouse effect on the one hand and to protect the exhibited works on the other hand.

From the Endless Patio, the Gateway Park or the Gateway Park Avenue 2, the facades create mirror effects by reflecting the rustles and the vibrations of the city and of the surrounding nature. These façades question us by transforming 36

Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

themselves in mirror of our society and act as a spectre for the creation of the contemporary art and for the protection of the knowledge. At daytime, the adjusted surfaces of the façades degrade the azure blue towards the tender greens of the luxuriant vegetation of the park.

Whereas during the night, the Klein blue of the stars reverses progressively to gold colour of the dawn and the lights of the urban lighting 3. A POETIC GREEN LANDMARK The new centre of Taichung has been transformed into a nest of preservation and cultural creation that sees the birth of history

in real time, the sensitivities and the Taiwanese philosophies mixed worldwide. In this sustainable architecture dedicated to the biodiversity and the right balance of the action of Human being on Nature, the museum intertwines in the library, the plant embraces the mineral, and the shadow mixes up with the light. The swallow’s nest is a glittering landmark which expresses with elegance the swirling of the imagination.

Like the Möbius’ ring, it is a cultural centre without end which will constantly question, intrigue and attract the attention of its visitors.

One swallow made a spring!

Courtesy of © Vincent Callebaut Architect fall 2013

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DESIGN-TECHNICAL he Wind Tower is destined to become the most recognizable landmark in any city it could be located in. The most remarkable attribute about the design is that it goes hand-in-hand with a far-reaching commitment to energy-efficiency. Through the use of artful design and some smart technology, The Wind Tower will offer both intensive functions and an attractive natural environment and it is expected to consume less energy than a comparable conventional hotel building. In short, The Wind Tower envisions design development that exists in harmony with the natural environment.

T

VERTICAL MASTER PLANNING The Wind Tower complex responds to the urgent need to remedy the ecological and social challenges caused by uncontrolled sprawl in the cities. The Wind Tower proposes that a viable alternative is to go up…that is, to build in such a way as to minimize the “footprint” of our human-made environments while we maximize the sense of openness and close proximity to our natural surroundings. Given the technology and know-how we now have in the construction of large, tall structures that is not beyond our means.

Extreme vertical structures such as The Wind tower offer the opportunity to bring nature upward within a reduced architectural footprint in order to preserve the natural surroundings at ground level while adding other natural elements within a controlled vertical environment.

The structure itself acts like a living organism with its wind and atmospheric energy conversion systems and photovoltaic exterior sheathing that allow natural air into the interior without mechanical intervention. The lobular arch shape of The Wind Tower meanwhile can easily dispel loads from top to bottom. The design offers the stability and aerodynamic properties necessary for structures of such heights.

Gardens are situated on the podium and at ground level and transition floors at the tower can be thought of as an upward extension of the earth, complete with layers of growing vegetation. Large bodies of water are placed at various levels in, on, and around the podiums and serve multiple functions: as fire barriers and fire sprinkler system reservoirs, as recycled water catch basins, as recreational lakes, rivers, waterfalls and streams, and as decorative aquatic features.

The top decks of the podiums have a strong emphasis on open garden balconies and expansive park areas. At the forest levels, biological technology plants use sunlight to break down human waste and compost for recycling back into the soil. The podiums are like great expanses of natural land turned upward with ten large forest, lake and stream sanctuaries brought up into the sky. Ground level and decktop pedestrian walkways are easily accessible 38

Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

RICHARD’S ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN

WIND TOWER: RADICAL INNOVATION

from any area and skyway pedestrian bridges connect the buildings at the tops of the podiums.

ECO-DESIGN Most people are used to thinking of large buildings as vast, energy-consuming machines.

Therefore, making buildings more energy-efficient could have a significant impact on energy policy. That is a key goal of the “green architecture” movement, which is changing the

way buildings are designed, built and run. In the case of large commercial and office structures, the combination of green design techniques and clever technology can not only reduce energy consumption and environmental impact, but also reduce running costs, create a more pleasant living, recreation, and working environment, improve peoples’ health and productivity, reduce legal liability, and boost property values and rental returns. fall 2013

That’s why The Wind Tower complex to be as much an ecosystems design as an architectural habitation design. The structures provide a basis for architectural development upon which ecological diversity can flourish. For The Wind Tower feature resource-conserving technologies such as the use of recycled building materials and nature-based water cleansing systems for all buildings. The plan also includes the use of plant- and water-based ecosystems. Like other fall 2013

green buildings, The Wind tower will rely on natural light and ventilation, and energy-efficient lighting.

Construction materials will include highstrength steel, high-strength concrete, stainless steel panels, anodized aluminum, acrylic, patina copper, self-shading glass, composite ceramics, and tempered glass. Special window glass will allow daylight in to reduce the need for interior lighting, keeping heat and ultraviolet rays out,

and minimizing heat loss in the morning and night.

Everything in the buildings will be hydrogen gas, solar/electric or hydro-powered. Plants and trees will play a major role in regulating the heating and cooling. Aside from personal vehicles entering and exiting the parking facilities, no internal combustion engines or toxic pollutants will exist within the confines of The Wind Tower complex. A pool of photovoltaic panels on the buildings’ uppermost levels will provide enough kilowatts of electricity to reduce the buildings expected demand. Inside the buildings, motion sensors will control fans and automatically switch off lights in seldom-occupied areas such as stairwells. The result: the energy consumption of The Wind Tower building will be lower than that of comparable conventional buildings.

The interior eco-design is established by the building’s ecological basics. One of the main design attributes is to reduce interior/building materials and waste. Rooms are designed on a 4’foot multiple to conform to standard-sized materials: recycled solid surface materials, glass, and flooring. Another aspect is installed high-efficiency lighting (LED) system with advanced lighting control and high-efficient plumbing systems and fixtures. Low flow showers, dual-flush toilets, and the use of recycled/ recovered rainwater for toilet flushing and irrigation. The rooms will incorporate waste collection units that are connected to a centralized building system. The interiors will also provide modern design and friendly technology- mood pad control unit per room will allow guest to control lighting and to select images from image library that will reflect behind glass walls and ceilings.

The interior material and furnishing will also have sustainable attributes, recycled content, zero off gassing of harmful air emissions, zero toxicity, use of sustainable harvested materials, highly recyclable, durability, longevity, and local production.

To help meet the development’s ecological requirements, The Wind Tower plan preserves the beauty of nature by condensing the environments of living, working, commerce and industry into an upwardly-directed architectural structure. Multi-storied gardens are to be infused with architectural components. The presence of natural sunlight, fresh air, breeze and panoramic views are to be of primary importance. Ease and quickness of vertical transportation (via elevators) and laterally (walkway) are also crucial.

OVERVIEW A comprehensive environment is constructed with a global outlook that can help alleviate land problems and preserve the natural environment.

In The Wind Tower, people exist in harmony with the natural environment. The city can accommodate residents and workers alike. Thus, the workplace can truly be close to home.

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39

AVIONICA

AERODYNAMICS LINES FOR BUILDINGS DESIGN

By Arch. Richard Moreta

A

erodynamics deals with air or gas flow phenomena. It constitutes one of the most important sections of Fluid Dynamics with applications ranging from compressors and turbochargers to vehicles, buildings and environmental flows.

AVIONICA presents the application of aerodynamic design in building as part of one of all the others aspect under the functionality, environmental and cultural variables present in the design problem solving solution.

Green living technologies of vertical vegetation will be applied around the center core of the building interiors, originating from low profile ponds on the lobby level and extending through each level, the vertical gardens will be thought as upward extensions of the earth, complete with layers of growing vegetation that are supported by Recycled water and gray water systems. The benefits of such a system ranges from providing clean air and CO2 fixation from the plants, to good health and wellness, sound insulation, and creating cooler air to reduce A/C usage. The system is unlike any other hydroponics systems -the soil filled 4” metal cells are applied as eco screens that control the flow of water through every cell for even saturation and long lasting vegetation from herbs to long living perennials.

The interiors of the building center are emphasized by convex, concave walls and screens that will provide flow and circulation to the individual spaces. Freestanding walls divide spaces and will give flexibility as spatial layering and overlapping forms.

Note the propellers between the buildings. The two buildings create a “venturi effect” in which the wind speeds up when passing through a confined space. This will add more spin to the propellers which are connected to generators to provide electrical power to the buildings.

At its highest point, the complex will represent the new icon for whatever of the urban context will be located. Part of its allure will be the color-shifting properties of the towers at night—a visually striking form of architectural illumination made possible through the use of LED panel curtain walls.

The technology can also be used to turn the tower after dark into enormous clock, with transitions in the color patterns indicating the progression of time throughout the evening hours. Each hour would be represented by a different color, and every fifteen minutes the LED Panels will change into the representative color of the next hour, from the top floors to the bottom.

The structure is a new type of design concept offering intensive functions that exist in harmony with the natural environment and acts like a living organism.

Courtesy of Richard Architecture + Design 40

Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

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Sun shines mainly in summer while during wintertime there is more wind. Sun and wind are anti cyclic. Photovoltaic sun panels generate electricity during daytime only and the bulk of energy during the summer period. Therefore sun panels and wind turbines are complementary, resulting in a more reliable and constant energy source.

The Venturi principle can be applied to all sizes of turbines.

CONCLUSION The design demonstrates the principle of man harmonizing with his environment. The building is formed by the surrounding context and the local environment. It responds to and optimizes the natural forces of the environment with the goal of achieving balance and harmony with its site.

The design exemplifies an understanding of the local environment and expresses it through new technologies in order to create a modern, intelligent and timely architectural expression.

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When you offer it, they will come.

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Building for a cause

London’s greenest home is a model of inspiration

W

hat began as a charity fundraiser by the London Home Builders’ Association (LHBA) has resulted in something much more.

The LHBA’s Green Home was designed initially to raise money for the completion and maintenance of the association’s 60t h anniversary legacy project – the Cancer Survivors Garden in one of the city’s parks.

“But the more we talked about it, the more possibilities and opportunities we saw – to educate the public on new building materials and construction science and the green achievements of the industry,” says Lois Langdon, LHBA executive officer.

Public education continues to be a critical process as the building industry strives to construct more energy-efficient, eco-friendly and healthier homes. The challenge is that buyers still want 42

Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

luxury upgrades before energy-saving products and materials – things that don’t add to the home’s aesthetics.

The Green Home, built with donations of materials, products and labour from LHBA members, was an opportunity to showcase the benefits of green products and materials, Langdon explains.

To that end, the association conducted open houses over several months, distributed brochures and posted call-outs throughout the house to explain what was behind the walls or a new piece of equipment.

The bottom line is that such a home – which is registered under Energy Star, LEED Canada for Homes and GreenHouse – will provide the owner significant savings and an environment that is free of many of the chemicals found in materials of the past. fall 2013

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The features include: • Low VOC paint and wall coverings; • LED lighting; • PureBond cabinets which are formaldehyde-free and use soy-based adhesives; • Quartz countertops; • Kitchen sink made from 90 per cent recycled stainless steel; • Water-saving faucets – up to 30 per cent less water; • Carpet made from recycled plastic bottles; • Fibreglas entry door that has the appearance of wood but is more resilient; • EcoTouch PINK Fibreglas; • Foamular 150 Rigid Foam Insulation; • And grey-water recovery, which saves as much as 40 percent on the annual water bill.

Playing a key role in the home’s green designation is the Rinnai tankless water heater, which was provided by Reliance Home Comfort. Water is heated only when needed, resulting in energy savings of up to 40 percent. This compact, spacesaving unit packs a major punch in that it can meet many water-use demands such as laundry, dishwasher and hot shower – all at the same time.

And being EnergyStar qualified, it offers up to 97 per cent thermal efficiency.

The Rinnai unit also provides heat for a zoned hydronic air handler, allowing separate tempera-

ture control on each level of the home.

The most cutting-edge feature, according to Toby Stolee, director of housing operations for Sifton Properties and LHBA president when the project was initiated earlier this year, is the grey-water system which collects water from the showers and laundry, filters and sanitizes it and

then pumps it to the toilets for flushing.

“This is one of the first systems of its kind approved by the City of London. I think it is still ahead of its time.”

The home, built in Sifton’s Ballymote Woods development in north London, fits nicely into the company’s green philosophy, Stolee says, adding that the company built London’s first solar home in 1975.

The purchaser of the Green Home will not only have the greenest home in London, but at a bargain price. The $429,900 sticker is well below the home’s value of $600,000. The reason, Langdon says, is to ensure a fast sale and is not a statement about the marketability of green.

The primary reason for the project is completing the Cancer Survivors Garden at the busy intersection of Wonderland Road and Riverside Drive where cancer survivors can find peace, hope and celebrate life.

“We could have contributed to medical research, which is extremely valuable and needed, but we also had come to know, through conversations with [a cancer survivor] that the power of home and a positive mindset can be crucial to survival,” Langdon says. “Our LHBA members have a lengthy history of being generous. Giving back to the community is part of our mission statement and we take that seriously.”

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Paper-thin silicon wafers give color to solar cells FĂźchsel is currently working with his “efficient designâ€? team on the fundamentals of how to make colored solar cells from paper-thin silicon wafers. These will be particularly suited to designs for decorative façades and domestic roofs. The silicon semiconductor material, just a few micrometers thick, absorbs light and turns it into electricity.

To enable lots of light to reach the silicon substrate, the semiconductor layer is given an optically neutral protective barrier (insulator), onto which a hundred-nanometer-thick oxide layer is applied. This transparent conductive oxide (TCO) conducts electricity, and is there primarily to guide as many light particles as possible to the semiconductor layer below. “TCO has a lower refractive index than silicon, so it works as an anti-reflective coating,â€? FĂźchsel says.

The simple construction of this SIS (semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor) solar cell, with its transparent outer layer, has a further advantage: Not only does it capture more light, it means solar panels can be made in different

colors and shapes. “The color comes from changing the physical thickness of the transparent conductive oxide layer, or modifying its refractive index,â€? FĂźchsel says. The Jena-based researchers have thus managed to combine wafer-based silicon with processes borrowed from thin-film photovoltaics.

They are also pioneering the use of innovative coating materials. Indium tin oxide is the most common material used today, but it is expensive.

The IOF laboratory is working on how to use cheaper zinc oxide with added aluminum. New opportunities in façade design are being opened up not just by SIS solar cells, however, but also by dye solar modules and flexible organic solar cells. But how does color affect the efficiency of these new SIS modules? “Giving solar cells color doesn’t really affect their efficiency. The additional transparent TCO layer has barely any impact on the current yield,â€? FĂźchsel says.

Simulations showed that SIS cells could be up to 20 percent efficient.

In practice, the efficiency depends on the design of the solar panels and the direction the building faces.

But not every color allows you to generate

the same amount of electricity.

There are restrictions for example with certain blends of red, blue and green.

The possibility of multicolored cells To connect several solar cells to create a single module the IOF scientist will use laserbased optical welding processes.

They enable accurate work at a micrometer scale and do not damage the surrounding material. Researchers are also developing an inkjet printing process to contact the conductive TCO later on the silicon wafer. This will make manufacturing faster and allow additional degrees of flexibility in design. SIS solar cells could even be used to make large billboards that produce their own electricity. Patents already cover the production of colored cells, as well as the ability to integrate design elements into solar panels and whole modules. “This opens up numerous possibilities to use a building to communicate information, displaying the name of a company or even artistic pictures,â€? FĂźchsel says.

Article Source: Fraunhofer. www.efficientdesign.de

Bringing Color to Solar Façades

C

overing a roof or a façade with standard solar cells to generate electricity will change a building’s original appearance – and not always for the better. At present only dark solar panels are widely available on the market. “Not enough work has been done so far on combining photovoltaics and design elements to really do the term ‘customized photovoltaics’ justice,â€? says Kevin FĂźchsel, project manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF in Jena.

But things are changing. The IOF physicist

has been focusing for the last four years on nanostructured solar cells suitable for mass production as part of a junior research group funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF).

Together with a Fraunhofer team and scientists from the Friedrich-Schiller University in Jena, the group of optics specialists is looking for cost-effective techniques and manufacturing processes to increase both the efficiency of solar panels and the design flexibility they give architects and designers.

Until now, designers of buildings have no choice but to use black or bluish-gray colored solar panels. With the help of thin-film technologies, researchers have now been able to turn solar cells into colorful creations.

WHEN WOOD REPLACES STEEL AND CONCRETE

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Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

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WZMH Architects

© Greg Richardson

Photos by Tom Arban

Nova Scotia Power Corporate Headquarter First LEED Platinum Building in Atlantic Canada

A

mong the best and most environmentally sustainable new buildings in Halifax is the headquarters for Nova Scotia Power, a contemporary 8-storey office tower. It revitalized a former coal-fired power plant, which closed during the 1970s. The site and structure received a wholesale makeover by WZMH Architects, achieving significant environmental, economic, and community responsibility objectives along the way. The facility houses more than

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Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

500 employees in approximately 18,000 square metres of space.

The LEED Platinum project was recognized with a Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Engineering of a refurbished historic building, two ARIDO awards for interior design and was a finalist for the 2010 international re-skinning award from Zerofootprint. WZMH Architects has successfully incorporated sustainable principles into the majority of its projects

in recent years and has received numerous domestic and international LEED awards.

The building occupies a prominent location with significant frontage on the downtown boardwalk that lines the western edge of the Halifax harbour. An innovative construction strategy acknowledges the memory of the building’s initial use. The original steel structure was retained with additional floors inserted and skylights replaced chimney stacks along the roof.

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The original concrete mass formed a barrier to the waterfront. A portion of this has been transformed into an atrium, which now connects the city to the water, offering spectacular views of the harbour. Public space includes a galleria and indoor street parallel to the boardwalk, and a cafe with outdoor seating. They promote casual interaction between employees and user contact with the waterfront.

DESIGN GOALS WZMH designed the building to meet the strategic goals of Nova Scotia Power (NSP) in the environmental, economic, civic and social realms. As the provincial power authority, NSP sought a visible demonstration of its commitment to environmental responsibility and leadership in energy conservation through the adaptive reuse of the former power plant. Its financial analysis had established that renovation of an existing proprietary property was the optimal solution in terms of space requirements over time. In addition, by redeveloping an urban brownfield, NSP could demonstrate civic responsibility and participate in urban intensification. It did not increase urban sprawl by locating a new building on prime farm, wetland, or forested land; and it promoted the use of existing amenities and infrastructure. It also retained employment within the city, supporting the economic and social fabric of downtown Halifax.

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LIGHT & WATER The Atrium and Galleria provide more than 75% of occupied spaces with natural daylight.

In other areas high efficiency fixtures, occupancy and daylight sensors are used to reduce reliance on artificial light. Annual electricity consumption for lighting is about 22 kWh per square metre, about 10-15% of total electricity consumption of the building.

Solar Facades

Water efficient plumbing fixtures reduce potable water use and a 43 cubic metre cistern collects storm water for toilet flushing.

Landscaping consists of turf grass that is drought-resistant and requires no irrigation.

Water consumption is about 24 litres per person each day, representing an improvement of about 75% over the reference building.

Elegant & Functional

SARAH HALL www.SarahHallStudio.com STUDIO Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

49

Photo by Greg Richardson

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ENERGY Existing piping from the Halifax harbour, originally used to cool power turbines, brings sea-water into titanium heat exchangers, then into a heating-cooling loop. Heat pumps in turn supply chilled beams and perimeter heating.

A bypass for free cooling is also included. The Chilled Beam system uses an induction unit to cool outdoor air and supply it to occupied spaces. It improves thermal comfort while utilizing less fan energy. The system can use rejected heat from cooling the south areas to heat the north side of the building.

A dedicated demand-controlled ventilation system and occupancy sensors provide optimal fresh air, superior indoor air quality and save

energy. CO2 sensors protect occupants from leaks. A tight building envelope, energy recovery ventilators and variable speed drives also help save energy.

Projected annual electrical consumption for the building is 792 mega-joules per square metre (including regulated loads and plug loads).

The use of harbour water for heating and cooling will mean that as fossil fuels are phased out in the future, the entire building will operate using renewable energy.

MATERIAL USE & COMMUTER CONSIDERATIONS At least 25% of total building materials were

extracted and manufactured within 800 km by truck and 2,400 km by rail or sea. Steel was recycled off site and the rubble from window openings in the concrete was used as fill to adjust site grades. In total, 86.9% of waste materials were recycled during construction. At least 85% of all wood-based building components were FSC certified.

The location is near two bus lines and 48 bicycle racks were included along with shower and change facilities. Auto Share high-efficiency vehicles are also provided.

EDUCATION AND INFORMATION SHARING An interactive kiosk in the main lobby show-

cases sustainable design features with actual energy consumption displayed and updated quarterly.

Building performance can be compared to the design stage modeled performance.

WZMH Architects was established in 1961 in Toronto, and has built a reputation for innovative design and technical expertise. It now employs more than 100 people who utilize a collaborative approach to meet client expectations for corporate projects, courthouses, hotels, conference facilities, retail, resorts, entertainment complexes, educational and residential buildings.

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16 Nixon Road, Bolton, Ontario L7E 1K3 Phone (905) 857 6098 | Toll Free 1 (800) 268 2190 info@stoneworx.com | www.stoneworx.com

Schwartz Levitsky Feldman llp C h a r t e r e d a C C o u n ta n t s

2300 Yonge St., Suite 1500, Toronto, ON, M4P 1E4 Direct Tel: (416) 780-2244 • Fax: (416) 785-5663

Photo by Greg Richardson 50

Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

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www.slf.ca Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

51

Castlemore Electric Ltd

Innovations with Old Tires Transforming Green Building Design

By Andrew Horsman, Executive Director, Ontario Tire Stewardship

T

o create highly functional, award-winning facilities and community spaces, it’s important for builders, architects and designers to understand how users interact with these spaces. But it’s equally important to understand the enhancing role that eco-friendly building materials - such as innovative products made from recycled tires - can play to create industry-leading sustainable facilities.

Tel: 416.678.6574 Fax: 905.303.8313 Email: castlemore@sympatico.ca

Premium Power ServiceS

n.r.

carpentry limited

Sanding & Screwing Subfloors

Specializing in Rough Framing & Renovations 166 Freemont St. Concord, ON L4K 5H6 Tel: 416-738-0472 • 905-553-1144 Email: trinkler@hotmail.com

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Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

103 Clover Leaf Street Woodbridge, ON L4L 5H8 Tel: 905.851.8412 • Fax: 905.851.0264

© Green Apple Photography

n.r.carpentry@hotmail.com fall 2013

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Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

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An increasing number of builders and designers are seeing the value of high performance recycled tire products across all facets of new development projects, from indoor applications to roofing and rooftop patio solutions to surrounding outdoor space design.

Various recycled tire products that are available on the market today are highly regarded as environmentally sustainable ways of managing tire waste, while addressing developer and property management considerations around LEED certification, durability, safety and longterm cost effectiveness.

To bring these sustainable solutions to market, Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) - a

non-profit organization that operates the Used Tires Program in Ontario - works with product manufacturers and members of Ontario’s tire recycling community to convert old tires into high value recycled tire products. To date, OTS has diverted more than 50 million tires in the province and helped the industry transform tire waste into eco-friendly solutions such as landscaping mulch, flooring underlay, brick pavers, patio tiles and more.

Indoor Applications Sound absorption, durability and low maintenance materials are important areas for consideration when selecting quality building

WE ARE PROUD TO SHARE NORTH STAR HOMES’ ONGOING COMMITMENT TO BUILDING EXCELLENCE.

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materials. Old tires are now being recycled into a variety of sustainable flooring solutions to meet these indoor design demands. For example, Toronto’s Corus Entertainment Centre recently incorporated a flooring underlay made from recycled tires to improve sound absorption in the company’s multi-level buildings, soundproof its studios for daily recording purposes, and meet the building guidelines for Impact Insulation Class (IIC) and Sound Transmission Class (STC) requirements to reduce sound that travels between floors and ceilings.

Toronto-based not-for-profit, Earth Rangers Centre for Sustainable Technologies used recycled tire products to serve a completely different purpose. Promoting healthy lifestyle choices for its employees and community members, Earth Rangers re-designed a space within its facility into an accessible gym. Since environmental sustainability was an important element of its organizational culture, work and values, the Pro-Fit athletic flooring provided by manufacturer National Rubber Technologies was a natural fit. The athletic flooring is highly durable to withstand rigorous fitness use, low maintenance and slip resistant, addressing Earth Rangers’ safety standards. It also contributed to the facility’s Platinum status under LEED for Existing Buildings .

Tires on the Roof It seems an unlikely place to house our old tires, but recycled tire products have been used by many residential and commercial builders across North America as roofing shingles and eco-friendly patio tile solutions for green rooftop spaces. High quality composite roof shakes made from recycled tires are far more durable than traditional cedar and other wood shakes.

When applied to an average sized 4,000 sq. ft. roof, recycled rubber shingles can also keep up to 64 scrap tires out of harmful landfills.

Designers of the Residential Energy Efficiency Project (REEP) in Kitchener, Ontario saw great value in using these roof shingles. A winner of the 2011 Minister’s Award for Environmental Excellence in the non-governmental organization category, the REEP House serves as a public learning centre, educating homeowners on ways to make their homes more energy efficient and sustainable.

Consistent with its objectives to be a leading example in sustainable design, REEP House chose Enviroshake’s composite roof shingles made from 95% recycled materials, which features fire and hail resistant qualities, do not decay, blister or peel, and can last more than 50 years without losing its aesthetic appeal when compared to the shorter life span of cedar shakes.

DESIGN ASSOCIATES INC.

As a result of using Enviroshake’s roof shingles, the REEP House not only gained LEED industry rating points, but these points have contributed to its pursuit of a Platinum industry certification under the LEED Canada for Homes program.

Look at the roof of Enviro Gazebo and you’ll see Enviroshake, a composite roofing product made partly from recycled tires. It’s used in place of cedar shingles.

Photo: Ontario Tire Stewardship

Outdoor Applications When designing award-winning buildings, what surrounds them is just as important to creating the desired atmosphere as what is inside the buildings. This includes accessible parking lots, landscaping and pedestrian walkways.

Using recycled tire products in high-traffic pedestrian and vehicle zones is highly beneficial from a design aesthetic, development quality and environmental perspective.

Many of these surfacing solutions are highly durable, safer for pedestrian use from its slip resistant qualities, and easier to maintain as rubber bricks. Meanwhile, pavers are easier to install, remove and re-align if necessary. Due to their recycled rubber composition, rubber pavers and bricks won’t have cracking and warping damages due to extreme Canadian temperature fluctuations in the summer and winter months when compared to traditional alternatives such as concrete and asphalt.

Perfect Balance.

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8966 Woodbine Ave. Markham. ON. L3R 0J7. T 905.737.5133 . F 905.737.7326

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Green Building & Sustainable Strategies

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Kortright Centre for Conservation in Vaughan, Ontario and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) recently partnered with OTS to use recycled tire products in a new way that makes the facility more sustainable, while creatively addressing municipal storm water manage ment issues. TRCA replaced Kortright’s old asphalt parking lot with Eco-Flex Churchill Brick Pavers and IOWAT’s AZEK VAST permeable recycled tire paver systems, to test and showcase a sustainable storm water management solution, reduce the amount of runoff and improve the overall aesthetics and long-term maintenance of its frequently used parking lot.

Highly shock absorbent playground surfacing solutions made from recycled rubber are also being featured in outdoor play areas where builders must adhere to high safety standards.

In North America, playground standards require surfaces to pass a minimum safety performance not exceeding 1000 Head Injury Criteria (HIC).

Recycled tire products, such as those manufactured by SofSurfaces can provide an HIC rating below 570, which is the threshold considered safe for children in an automobile crash.

Since playground surfaces may harden over time, this extremely safe rating ensures the surface remains compliant to the standard for the long-term.

In addition to leading builders and architects, consumers are also showing their support for the use of eco-friendly alternatives. In fact, a recent study conducted by OTS found that 94 per cent of Ontarians felt that commercial and residential developers and builders should be more active in using environmentally sustainable building materials. As this demand for high quality, environmentally sustainable building solutions rises, so too will the relevance and use of innovative recycled tire products to transform everyday spaces into leading examples of the latest in green design.

Building from the ground up.

Open to the public • No membership required • 10,000 sq.ft. Showroom

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d erfor Ruth

1-1748 Creditstone Rd Ph: 905-856-0007

M i c h a e l F i o r i n i : V. P. M u l t i - F a m i l y S a l e s , E a s t Cell: 416-801-6348 • Email: mfiorini@coastappliances.com w w w . c o a s t a p p l i a n c e s . c o m

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100 MacIntosh Blvd. Concord, ON L4K 4P3 • Tel: 905-738-6655 • Fax: 905-738-1995 • www.roniexcavating.com fall 2013

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