W01 - LEARNING LOOP STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS – (Ching, 2014) Structural system: The purpose of the structural system is to support and transmit applied gravity and lateral loads to the foundations of the building.
The superstructure is the vertical extension of the structure above the foundation The substructure is the underlying foundation of the building Load bearing elements such as columns, beams and load bearing floors are included within this system
Enclosure system: Essentially the shell of the building, its purpose is to shelter the interior from noise, weather, moisture and temperature. Walls allow privacy and security whilst windows allow light into the building.
All exterior walls, windows, doors and roof are included
Interior walls subdivide the internal space and are also a part of this system
Mechanical system: All of the services provided to the building are part of the mechanical system.
This includes; water supply, sewage disposal, heating, ventilating and airconditioning, electrical systems, vertical transport, fire fighting and waste disposal and recycling systems.
ESD – (Newton, 2014) Environmentally Sustainable Design is the practice of including environmentally sustainable elements within structural design. There are many different strategies by which this can be done and features that can be included. These strategies can include:
Using local materials for construction, this reduces the energy and emissions required to transport them.
Material efficiency is the practices of using materials in a way that wastes less. Thermal mass refers to the ability of a material to hold heat, this means that it can retain heat from during the day to provide additional ‘natural’ in the evenings. In areas that suffer from high temperatures ‘night air purging’ is used. Ventilation is closed during the day to prevent heat from entering, this is then opened at night to release any heat and circulate cool night air through the building. Water harvesting is a practice that collects rainfall and then uses it within the building. Cross ventilation is a form of wind ventilation that allows wind to enter a vent on one side which continues across the building to exit on the opposite side, creating natural ventilation.