Mary-Joe Daccache Portfolio by Mary-Joe Daccache

MARY-JOE DACCACHE ARCHITECT AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGNER

PORTFOLIO 2020

CONTENT Masters of Science in Architecture & Environmental Design Projects ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUIDLINGS DUBAI - 2020

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DESIGNING OUR WORK ENVIRONMENTS: 15-20 TOWER BRIDGE BUSINESS INCUBATOR LONDON - 2020 EVALUATION OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT CASE STUDY: A-ZERO ARCHITECTS OFFICE LONDON - 2019

21-24

ENHANCING WORKING CAPACITIES AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS: BOTROS DOURAH PUBLIC SCHOOL TRIPOLI - 2017

25-26

Closed Competition Commissioned by GIZ

Bachelor of Architecture Projects DE-EDGING THE HORSE: BEIRUT HIPPODROME BEIRUT - SENIOR PROJECT - 2016

27-36

FREE THE PUBLIC SPACE: WORKSHOP INDUSTRY BEIRUT - 2015

37-41

MIXED USE TOWER WITH PODIUM 43-48 BEIRUT - 2014

ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS DUBAI - 2020

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - DUBAI - 2020 Dubai’s subtropical desert climate has long been challenging to achieve indoor comfort passively. The abundance of oil and cheap electricity resulted in high consumption of energy for cooling. Therefore, commercial buildings did not require operable facades to achieve indoor comfort from outdoor conditions. In 2006, Dubai set out a goal to have the smallest carbon footprint in the world by 2050 demanding it to change its environmental strategies (Kunzig, 2017).

• How can we design the façade to respond to the indoor conditions of the office’s typology, geometry and gains and to respond to the outdoor conditions of obstruction, orientation, noise pollution and air quality? • What is the effective method needed to design facades to ensure comfortable indoor conditions of useful daylight, natural ventilation, thermal comfort and obstruction of solar gains in an office?

The government’s regulations, crisis of climate change, population growth, commercial building’s energy consumption and their inoperable facades acting as barriers between the indoor and outdoor conditions are all problematic issues that will result in an increase in energy demand, uncomfortable conditions for users and deterioration of the environmental performance of buildings.

Responding to Climate Responsive Facades

The design study focuses on multicriteria analysis to prove a parametric method of work offering guidelines to achieve adaptive and climate responsive facades. Using critical observation of literature review and occupant satisfaction survey, an environmental assessment of built precedents is done to deduce and implement useful envelope strategies on a shoebox model where analytic work is done including parameters of the outdoor, indoor and envelope conditions. The outcome is a series of parametric studies with varying results of energy and daylight responding to the variable input conditions. The proposed study will respond to orientation, obstruction, air quality and noise pollution in the future climate of Dubai to achieve useful daylight, solar control, natural ventilation, and thermal comfort in commercial buildings. The parametric design offers solutions to commercial buildings’ envelopes to ensure comfortable indoor conditions in relation to the outdoor microclimate and the conflicting requirements of Dubai’s hot dry climate. The design study is done in collaboration with Hilson Moran for their future use as design recommendations and to potentially influence the architectural practice in Dubai and similar climatic regions.

• How can facades be climate responsive to outdoor conditions in hot dry regions? • What are the principle strategies to be adopted to meet the seasonal and daytime/night time variations? • How can facade design improve the environmental performance of buildings resulting in lower energy consumption and a smaller carbon footprint? Aims and Objectives In order to answer these research questions, a methodological process of work is done using parametric study focusing on multicriteria analysis. The outcome of this thesis research project is a series of design solutions with varying outputs of energy and daylight considering different input variables of the indoor, outdoor and envelope conditions. The objective is to provide environmental recommendations to design climate responsive and adaptive facades to ensure a satisfactory indoor thermal comfort level for occupants in commercial buildings in Dubai. The study for the future of commercial buildings’ envelope aims to be an environmental and humancentric design focusing on climatic variables and occupants’ thermal comfort. The façade’s design intends to address the indoor variables, outdoor context and envelope conditions in the future climate to achieve comfortable indoor conditions. It aims to allow users to benefit from outdoor conditions, when possible, to maintain indoor thermal comfort, natural ventilation and useful daylight through the effective design of the building envelope.

Research Questions This thesis covers two scopes for different aspects of the façade treatment of commercial buildings: adaptive and climate responsive. The term ‘adaptive’ addresses the occupants’ behaviour towards the indoor conditions and quality of space. The aim of adaptive facades is to be designed in a humancentric manner in order to be operable by occupants to meet their comfort levels. ‘Climate responsive’ facades are adaptable to climate change and the outdoor microclimate to meet comfortable indoor conditions. The aim of climate responsive facades is to use the outdoor conditions to influence the environmental performance of the building in a passive mode. This reduces energy consumption which thereby reduces carbon emissions allowing the building to have a positive impact on the environment. Having this thesis address the two factors ‘adaptive’ and ‘climate responsive’ allows the façade design to have a positive impact on the indoor quality of space and the outdoor environment while maintaining occupant comfort. In order to complete the methodological process of the parametric design of the future buildings’ envelope typology, research questions are set out responding to both scopes.

Climate Change

Population Growth

Government Regulations

Commercial Buildings

The thesis is divided into five main chapters: Theoretical Background The evolution of envelope typologies is researched and existing building envelopes are analysed in the context. To further strengthen the study, the theoretical data is extended to include quantitative research by carrying out an occupant satisfaction survey to understand the user’s adaptability and comfort. Context The future climate of the context is analysed to derive environmental guidelines to be adopted in the future design of environmental building envelopes. Bioclimatic strategies are deduced from the environmental principles for a preliminary understanding of cooling strategies and solar control for different seasons. Parametric Study: Parameters and Model Development The input variables are set for the parametric study based on the indoor, outdoor and envelope conditions. These multicriteria variables are to be analysed to prove the parametric method of work on a shoebox model. The model, depicting an open office space, is designed based on principles of natural ventilation. Parametric Study: Tool Development and Optimization The multicriteria input parameters are chosen by applying basic principles of rules of thumb to have a valuable synergy with expected environmentally friendly outputs. The parametric tool is developed by creating a script to run iterations of different variable inputs to test their corresponding energy and daylight outputs. Optimizing the Optimization A first and second run of the script is done to achieve the best design solutions. By having suitable input parameters for the indoor, outdoor and envelope conditions, the results will achieve environmentally friendly energy and daylight levels while maintaining occupant comfort. The design solutions form a matrix which filters through each iteration’s result showing every aspect of its input conditions and its corresponding outputs of energy, daylight and comfort levels; thus, proving the performance of the parametric design to achieve adaptive and climate responsive facades.

Building Envelope

Graphical representation of the problematic issues

Responding to Adaptive Facades • What are the variable parameters to be assessed to design adaptive and humancentric facades to achieve occupant comfort? MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

Diagram for the methodological process of the thesis study

Illustrations of the matrix’s design solutions

ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - DUBAI - 2020 Theoretical Background Literature review was done to extract environmental strategies from existing case studies to implement in the futuristic design of the building envelope. More beneficial strategies are deduced from vernacular buildings than modern ones as their design is more inclined to respect the environment, culture and climate of the context. The key elements of the envelope typology deduced from vernacular architecture are the material properties, window area, thermal mass and solar control. Also, passive strategies are gathered to be adopted for natural ventilation and passive cooling using stack effect and night time ventilation. What is deduced from modern envelope typologies is the importance of respecting the climatic influence of orientation and its relative façade treatment in regards to window-to-wall ratio, material properties, external shading devices and height-to-depth ratio. It is more mechanically oriented consuming high energy loads and less focus on occupant comfort. The significance of the façade treatment with respect to amount of useful daylight entering the space and solar gains resulting in varying cooling loads is also highlighted. The online survey further backs up the hypothesis of this thesis project that facades nowadays are designed to be inoperable and inadaptable by users. More than 50% of users in different commercial buildings find the offices to be cool and prefer to open windows to naturally ventilate making use of passive cooling and benefitting from natural daylight. However, they don’t have operable windows to adapt based on their comfort levels. Neither passive strategies nor climate oriented nor operable apertures are adopted in modern building envelopes. This signifies the need to improve the futuristic design of facades and implement environmental principles of vernacular architecture to achieve more environmental design solutions.

Environmental strategies used in built precedent cases

Survey results for office’s temperature during the day

Survey results for the need to naturally ventilate

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

Survey results for opening apertures during the day in winter

Survey results for opening/ closing apertures based on occupant comfort

Survey results for switching off artificial light and using natural daylight

ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - DUBAI - 2020 Context Dubai is known to have a dry desert - hot arid climate (Konya and Vandenberg, 2011). To be able to derive climate responsive strategies for the future of the façade design, climate analysis of 2050 is done. Monthly average dry bulb temperature shows that the cooler period is between December and March where the temperature can be as low as 15oC; the warm period is from May till October where the temperature can get as high as 45oC. Mid-season includes the months of April and November where the average monthly temperature is between 25oC and 29oC. There is a high diurnal range throughout the year and mostly higher during the warmer period reaching 20oC difference between day and night. This shows that at night, external temperature is cool enough with a prospect of night time ventilation to dissipate indoor stored heat in commercial buildings. Monthly average global vertical radiation is highest on the East & West facades in summer reaching 3.5kWh/m2 and higher on the South in winter at 3.8kWh/m2. Based on climate analysis, bioclimatic strategies are done for a preliminary understanding of cooling strategies and solar control on an open office space.

Monthly average dry bulb temperature

Bioclimatic strategies for summer season

South

North

West

East Daily temperature variations

Convective Cooling

Night-time Ventilation

Bioclimatic strategies for the midseason South

North

Monthly average global vertical radiation

West

East

Passive Solar Heating

comfort zone

passive solar heating

Annual psychrometric chart study

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

Night-time Ventilation

Evaporative Cooling

As the building envelope controls and regulates the heat, light, air and sound entering the space, its material properties are fundamental to its environmental design approach. The opaque material needs to be porous to be a poor heat conductor, such as concrete. The choice of transparent material is delicate to avoid creating a greenhouse effect. Using double glazing transmits less sound from the outside as well as less solar gains which influence the internal temperatures (Saini, 1973). Adequate internal conditions are required for an environmentally friendly space where, for instance, a high ceiling is more effective for air stratification for warm air to rise. A good insulation value (K-value) and low thermal transmittance value (U-value) help in isolating the indoor temperature from the outdoor. Moreover, an overall high heat storage capacity is considered to be a reliable environmental strategy (Saini, 1973).

West

East

Based on the climate analysis and its application on bioclimatic strategies, some environmental guidelines are deduced to construct a safe zone shoebox model where the façade strategies are to be tested on. The guidelines include: orientation, material properties, apertures and internal conditions. With respect to orientation, the glazing ratio on the east and west facades should be less than the ratio on the south façade; also, a big window-to-wall ratio is useful on the North to benefit from natural daylight due to radiation levels. Therefore, the climatic influence of orientation impacts window-to-wall ratio, glazing properties and shading.

South

North

evaporative cooling

Stored Heat

night time ventilation & thermal mass

Bioclimatic strategies for winter season

ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - DUBAI - 2020 Parametric Study: Parameters and Model Development

Outdoor parameters are influenced by the surrounding context, general climate and microclimatic conditions. Four factors determine the outdoor conditions: orientation, obstruction, noise pollution and air quality. The climatic influence of orientation impacts the amount of useful daylight entering and the requirements for solar control. The presence or absence of the surrounding urban context affects the level of obstruction on the facades, thus influencing the amount of daylight and radiation entering the space as well as the level of indoor wind speed resulting from open apertures during natural ventilation. If the office plan occupies a low floor level, it is then overshadowed by the adjacent buildings; this effectively reduces solar gains but also natural daylight. The level that the office occupies also influences the amount of noise pollution entering the space. On the low floor level, the adjacency to the street increases the disturbance from the high sound frequencies such as traffic. Air quality is also a key element to consider in the parametric study influencing the openable aperture area. When air quality is good, natural ventilation and passive cooling is applicable; however, when air quality is poor or when there is a sandstorm with dust and sand particles in the air, the openable aperture area is decreased. Indoor parameters are influenced by the office layout, use and configuration. Three factors determine the indoor conditions: office’s typology, geometry and internal gains. The office is chosen to have an open floor layout similar to 72% of the survey’s results representing the majority of office layouts in Dubai. Variable conditions of the office geometry influence the parametric study such as ceiling height, window-to-wall ratio and room depth. Ceiling height influences the air stratification and the height of the façade; varying window-to-wall ratios of different glazed area affect the amount of solar gains, daylight and heat gain/loss based on principles. Internal gains affect the cooling loads needed to compensate for the generated heat gains. Gains are calculated for equipment, occupancy and lighting. Envelope parameters are influenced by the façade’s configuration of material properties and shading devices. The elements determining the envelope conditions are the fixed part, adaptable part and shading. The properties of opaque and transparent materials are influential to the façade configuration. The opaque material’s conductivity and thermal absorptance are chosen carefully to construct a safe zone model to test variable parameters on. Similarly, are the transparent material properties, such as solar transmittance and glazing ratio, used for the different window-to-wall ratios. Shading devices are defined based on the different orientation parameters which require different values of shading fins.

The outdoor conditions of the study

Shoebox modelling based on ventilation strategy

The indoor conditions of the study

An open office typology is considered for the shoebox where the safe-zone shoebox is modelled to represent a typical office space taken from a floor plan. The office is considered to have a single façade in order to concentrate the study on a single orientation at a time; therefore, a single-sided ventilation strategy is considered. In order to ensure effective natural ventilation from a single-sided exposed façade, rules of thumb for room dimensions need to be met where the room length should be equal to or less than its height if a single aperture is installed (Optivent, 2015). However, both length and height of the shoebox model are not fixed; they are variables to be tested.

The environmental strategies to be tested in the study

The envelope conditions of the study

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - DUBAI - 2020 Parametric Study: Tool Development and Optimization The multicriteria input variables are chosen for the parametric design study based on the indoor, outdoor and envelope parameters identified earlier. The varying parameters to be tested on the shoebox model include orientation, depth, height, floor levels, window-to-wall ratios, aperture areas and shading devices. From these inputs, the expected resultant outputs to be derived are annual cooling, heating and lighting loads, daylight autonomy (DA), useful daylight illuminance (UDI), spatial daylight autonomy (SDA), indoor wind speed and annual hours of comfort. The cooling, heating and lighting loads are calculated in kWh/m2 for a yearly analysis period. DA provides the percentage of annual daytime hours where illuminance levels are greater than 300lux; whereas, UDI is set to analyse the percentage of annual hours receiving between 100-2000lux. SDA is obtained to calculate the fraction of the office area where daylight autonomy exceeds 300lux to understand the effectiveness of the façade on the depth of the plan. The tool is developed using the software Rhinoceros and its plugin of Grasshopper. A script is written with Ladybug and Honeybee components and their plugins of EnergyPlus and Radiance to test thermal performance and daylight. In order to achieve design solutions for several iterations with variable parameters, the algorithmic tool of Grasshopper was chosen as the suitable tool for this thesis study.

The analysis results are connected to the Ladybug Recolor Mesh component to visualize the daylight autonomy results. Then, the lighting loads are re-evaluated by dividing it over the area of the space that is receiving less than 300lux. The end result is the load needed to light the deep area of the room that does not benefit from natural daylight. Once the Ladybug Fly component isrun,the outputsare collected for allthe selected iterations. The numerical values of the input parameters and output results are tabulated in an excel sheet to form a spreadsheet with all the parametric variables and their corresponding results of each iteration. The images of the visualized daylight studies are saved in .png format.

The softwares used for the parametric tool development

The design solutions are then imported to be visualized in Design Explorer, an open source web interface allowing to visualize and filter through design solutions for optimization (Tomasetti, 2019). In Design Explorer, the data is graphically displayed having each result be represented by a line connecting points from each input parameter and output value. For each result, a 3D image represents the office geometry with its daylight autonomy analysis. The design solutions can be visualized and filtered through based on any of the input or output parameters by choosing one or more filtering criteria. The filtering process is done by selecting from the ‘sort by’ tab any of the parameters which then displays the results in order. Once a result is chosen, its attributes are displayed on the left with their corresponding image representation. The tab on the left can be used to change one of the parameters while keeping the others constant, illustrating how the output results change. Another scheme to filter the solutions is by selecting the required range in the graph. Consequently, the output results from the script create a matrix of guidelines for the office geometry and its corresponding façade design. Design Explorer is chosen to be an appropriate tool to visualize and filter through the design solutions of the matrix. The recommendations of the parametric study are consequently laid out in a simplified and practical manner using this tool.

The developed script is divided into several parts: input parameters and iterator components, shoebox modelling, materials and internal conditions, energy and daylight simulations and data collection. First part consists of placing the components to create the input parameters sliders to connect them to the LadyBug Fly component which is the iterator that will cycle through the design options. The shoebox zone is built by setting up its six surfaces to create the walls, floor and ceiling. Each surface has itsown group of components to assemble its construction creating a thermal zone to run the energy studies, where glazing and shading components are connected to the honeybee surfaces to create a honeybee zone. The construction material, internal conditions and schedules are then specified. The material properties for the wall, floor, ceiling, glazing and shading are deduced from the environmental guidelines of climate analysis and literature review.

The input variables tested in the parametric study

To run energy simulations, the honeybee zone is connected to the EnergyPlus components along with the epw file for Dubai’s 2050 climate. The calculated outputs are cooling, heating and lighting loads as well as air flow volume from which maximum indoor wind speed is calculated and mean radiant temperature to deduce the hours in comfort. The daylight studies are set up by creating a grid with test points inside the shoebox and connecting the honeybee objects with the analysis recipe to the Run Daylight Simulation component. Minimum thresholds are defined for the annual analysis outputs to generate numerical values for daylight autonomy, UDI and SDA.

The expected outputs to be provided by the study

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - DUBAI - 2020 input parameters & iterator shoebox modelling

thermal zone

construction material

internal conditions

schedules

context & geometry

mechanical heating & cooling

input parameters & iterator

construction material context & office geometry

building a zone from surfaces

schedules for internal gains

thermal zone glazing - shading

Sections 1 & 2 of script: input parameters & iterator + shoebox modelling

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

Section 3 of script: construction material & internal conditions

ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - DUBAI - 2020

data collection

energy simulations

resultant wind speed

saving data in excel

thermal comfort image saving

Section 5 of script: data collection

daylight simulations

energy loads cooling - heating - lighting

Studies for material construction of shoebox model

daylight analysis DA - UDI - SDA

Section 4 of script: energy & daylight simulations

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

Studies for internal conditions of shoebox model: gains + natural ventilation

ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - DUBAI - 2020 selecting parameters to be displayed

input parameters

tool bar

output results

lines representing each iteration

Office parameters Output results

Design solution for East orientation with lowest cooling and heating loads

filtering results method 1

visualization of result

Design Explorer: matrix of the parametric study’s solutions for visualizing and filtering

filtering results method 2

line connecting parameters of iteration

Design solution for East orientation with highest daylight results

changing parameters

attributes of result

Design Explorer: viewing a design solution’s attributes and 3D image

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

3D simulation of daylight autonomy

other results

Parameters for lowest cooling loads and highest daylight results for East orientation

ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - DUBAI - 2020 Optimizing the Optimization After running the script for the previously mentioned input parameters and analysing the data, a next run with other parameter ranges are to be tested based on the conclusions derived from the first set of design solutions of the parametric tool for optimization of results. The new parameters studied are of increased depths of 7m & 9m, window to wall ratios of 0.8%, aperture areas of 0.75% and shading elements of 5. Alongside that, testing the office at a low floor level overshadowed by an urban context is another desired step to be performed. By changing the values of the parameters, the range of energy and daylight outputs are expected to be more efficient. The re-run of the parametric tool with the modified input variables covers 864 design solutions which are imported into Design Explorer to be visualized and filtered through. Filtering through the data, the range for north orientation is selected with cooling load below 120kWh/m2, SDA and daylight autonomy above 80% and highest range of hours in comfort. The attributes of the office that meet these specifications of cooling loads and daylight studies for north orientation is of 7m depth, 3.6m height with a façade of 0.6 window-to-wall ratio, a single shading and 0.5% aperture area on the 40th floor level. This office geometry, with its corresponding façade design, results in 118.55 kWh/m2 cooling, 0.56 kWh/m2 heating, 1.33 kWh/m2 lighting, 84.66% daylight autonomy, 80.54% UDI, 93.65% SDA, 0.12m/s maximum resultant indoor wind speed and 69.18% hours in comfort.

Modified parameters to be tested in the re-run of the parametric study for optimization

By varying a single parameter and keeping others constant in the panel of the interface, it filters through the results generated by the parametric script to display its corresponding design solution. This clarifies the correlation between each parameter and the study’s outcomes. Using the previous example to test the strategy on, if the office’s orientation is changed to West keeping other factors constant, additional cooling is required to compensate for the increased levels of solar gains from this orientation so the load rises to 164.44 kWh/m2 and hours of comfort drops to 55.22%. However, improved daylight results are achieved where 91.25% of the annual hours receive illuminance of 300lux (DA) covering a larger area of the room of 99.06%. By only modifying window-to-wall ratio to a higher percentage of 0.8, both cooling loads and daylight results are affected. Cooling increases to 133.02 kWh/m2 as the glazing ratio increases, and so does the daylit space (SDA) increase to 100% with 93.64% of the annual hours receiving 300lux (DA). Lowering the aperture area to 0.25% impacts the cooling load as it drops the amount of fresh air entering which consequently increases cooling loads to 120.44 kWh/m2 and decreases cooling loads to 0.08 kWh/m2. Hence, we can deduce that altering the depth, height and shades impacts the daylight studies with lighting loads mainly. Modifying the aperture area in turn influences the cooling and heating loads. Whereas, orientation, window-to-wall ratio and floor level influence both energy loads and daylight analysis. The parametric study clarifies the relation between the input variables and output results thus further supporting the theories of basic principles. Design solution for North orientation with lowest cooling loads, highest daylight results and highest hours of comfort

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

ADAPTIVE AND CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FACADES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - DUBAI - 2020 Outcome The methodological process of work done using the parametric study focuses on multicriteria analysis. The outcome of this thesis research project is a series of design solutions with varying outputs of energy and daylight considering distinct input variables of the indoor, outdoor and envelope conditions responding to criteria of climate and façade adaptability. The design solutions offer environmental recommendations in the form of a digital matrix. The interface of Design Explorer is an appropriate tool selected to be the matrix of the project. It allows to select, visualize and filter through the results derived from the developed script. The desired office geometry and façade criteria can be specified, based on the input parameters included in the script, and their relative energy, daylight and comfort outputs are displayed. The matrix provides sets for the design of an environmentally friendly office space with an adaptive and climate responsive façade. The parameters of the digital matrix including orientation, office dimensions, façade’s specification and floor level can be chosen from based on the desired characteristics. The design solutions are laid out and categorized based on the parametric variables which can be selected based on the input or output parameters. The matrix is comprehensive to use for students, tutors and pioneers of the environmental field.

Design solution for modified orientation to West

Matrix of guidelines for the environmental design of facades with efficient energy and daylight studies

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

Design solution for modified window-to-wall ratio to 0.8%

DESIGNING OUR WORK ENVIRONMENTS: TOWER BRIDGE BUSINESS INCUBATOR LONDON - 2020

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

DESIGNING OUR WORK ENVIRONMENTS: TOWER BRIDGE BUSINESS INCUBATOR - LONDON - 2020 In order to respond to the climate change crisis, “London 2050 Environmental Strategy” and the reduction of emissions from workplaces in the built environment sector, the aim of this project is to be sustainable with a holistic environmental approach. Taking into account the planning policies drawn out by Southwark Borough and the city of London, the project aims to meet the social, economic and environmental needs of the area. On the social level, based on the strategic development plans for the city of London, the project proposes a Creative Business Incubator concept to host emerging architects and designers. By giving them access to affordable office space, the project thereby offers them support and a chance for professional development. On the economic level, an assessment was done on the existing building of the site to ensure the proposal did not degrade the value of the site. On the environmental level, the project considers the outdoor environmental aspects of the site and its influences on the massing structure. On the indoor level, by studying daylight, material and natural ventilation strategies, a holistic strategy is achieved to ensure a successful environmental performance of the building with a minimal carbon footprint. The following steps were followed in the methodology to reach the final design outcome. City of London Air Quality

Site Location

Environmental Strategy

Site

Concept Studies

Urban Context Planning Policies

Economic Studies Proposed Program

London 2050 Environmental Strategy

Sun Path 2050 for July

London Climate

Microclimate

Present vs Future

Solar Wind Outdoor Air Geometry Analysis Comfort Quality

Conceptual Design

Massing Outcome

Environmental Principles Hourly Global Horizontal Radiation Variation Present vs Future

Outdoor Studies Wind Analysis

Solar Radiation

Indoor Studies Daylight Material Ventilation

Building Performance Energy Loads

Material Building Impact Systems

Design Outcome Building - Program - Environmental Conclusions

London’s future climate for 2050 is expected to become more intense during the summer and winter. It is anticipated that summers will see higher temperatures, while during the winter months; lower temperatures with higher wind speeds are expected. The frequency of cloudy skies will also increase along with the levels of radiation. Future design projects should consider the anticipated fluctuations in outdoor temperatures to be able to utilize passive strategies to achieve effective thermal comfort levels for free-running buildings. With the expected future climatic change, spaces must adapt to avoid overheating in summers and prevent heat loss in winters.

Hourly SkyCover Variation Present vs Future

Wind Speed Spot Measurements

Expected Increase in DBT in Future

PM 10

PM 2.5

NO2

Spot Measurements for Pollutant Levels Expected Decrease in DBT in Future

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

DESIGNING OUR WORK ENVIRONMENTS: TOWER BRIDGE BUSINESS INCUBATOR - LONDON - 2020 Many of the existing business incubators operating in London follow a very similar typology which includes public access or commercial spaces on the lower levels. Event space for public and private use, and a mixture of Hot desk or Fixed desk offices throughout. This helped sort out a program for the proposed project. These incubators offer users access to a whole eco-system of spaces which not only allow the development of new and emerging businesses within the creative sector but also encourage growth and economic stability within the local area through job creation and diversification. A principle study of the environmental strategies was produced in the form of bioclimatic sections. The sectional diagrams represent five levels with various functions and different floor typologies. Through these studies, it was defined that natural ventilation strategies could be used to reduce the demand for mechanical cooling through passive strategies. The L-shape configuration of the building allows for cross-ventilation strategies which can yield more effective results than office spaces with deeper plans. The use of garden areas creates transitional spaces that can be utilised to naturally ventilate offices while reducing high wind velocities through apertures placed perpendicular to predominant winds. To create shaded spaces and reduce solar gains, the modular structures can shift horizontally to create protective voids. Adjustable shading devices are implemented to allow and restrict solar gains in winters and summers respectively. Hanging plants are also used to offer small amounts of solar control. The vegetated terraces not only add to the city’s greening strategy but also enhance the aesthetic quality of space. They create accessible outdoor gardens throughout the building while also offering an element of cooling through evapotranspiration before entering the indoor spaces.

Proposed Conceptual Program

Bioclimatic Section

South - South East View

Summer July 2050

Mid-Season March 2050

Further, CFD analysis was done to investigate wind speeds at terraces facing different orientations on different floor levels. These terraces will experience comfortable wind speed of only 0.5 – 1.0 m/s. The building was designed with an exposed structural framework, which should help in reducing solar radiation reaching the building envelope. Another set of simulations were run to better understand the role of the structural framework and quantifying this reduction in solar radiation. This frame is automatically providing shading to the building façade. During summer, the south and east façade benefit the most from the framework. A daylight analysis was undertaken to understand the impact of the structural framework on natural light within the space. The desired levels of daylight illuminance within a typical building are between 100 Lux – 2000 Lux. Results above 2000 Lux might create glare and visual discomfort in the workspace. The simulation shows that the framework reduced this percentage validating the benefits of the exposed structure on the internal environmental conditions. It is evident that along with the structural framework, additional shading would be required to reduce excessive daylight entering the offices.

Radiation Analysis With Exposed Structure

UDI Simulation 100lux - 2000lux

Lifts

Annual Lighting Demands

UDI Simulation above 2000lux

Lifts

CFD Analysis UDI Analysis Showing Impact of Exposed Structure on Indoor Plan

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

DESIGNING OUR WORK ENVIRONMENTS: TOWER BRIDGE BUSINESS INCUBATOR - LONDON - 2020 While the internal dry bulb of the offices was influenced by the thermal mass capabilities of the materials and the solar gains, the ventilation strategy was key to providing thermally comfortable spaces throughout the year. The key to the ventilation strategy was based on the environmental qualities made accessible by the addition of the green spaces adjacent to the transitional areas in the modular plan layout. Connecting the modulated office directly to the green zones allowed for an effective ventilation strategy to be put in place to provide passive cooling in summers and the required air changes in winter, while also maintaining the thermal comfort of the spaces. The bioclimatic sections helped identify various passive seasonal strategies which utilize these areas to achieve comfort. The garden spaces allowed fresh air to enter into the offices from green areas improving its quality throughout the year. During the summers, the windows can be openable to merge the office space with the green space creating an indoor/outdoor relationship and achieving cooling from the lower external temperature. During the winters, to avoid compromising the comfortable internal temperatures and to achieve the air changes required, the trickle vents of the transitional spaces were able to be opened to provide enough airflow to effectively cross ventilate the offices. The fresh air supply entering through the transitional spaces would then warm up while moving from the external temperatures through the warmer transitional zones and reaching the offices. The shading devices proposed by the daylight strategies helped reduce solar gains in summers, thus reducing the risk of overheating, and increased solar heat gains in winter to improve indoor thermal comfort. The ventilation strategies not only helped maintain a comfortable dry bulb temperature in the spaces but reduced the kWh/m² energy demand for heating and cooling within the spaces. The garden spaces, therefore, have proven to be effective in the successful provision of fresh air required for seasonal passive ventilation strategies. As a result, all of the office spaces benefit from a private garden which defines the ventilation strategy, quality of air and the physical and mental health benefits of direct connection to vegetated spaces.

Construction Material

Summer

Mid-Season

Winter

Daily Seasonal Strategies for Office Space

Graphical Results for Summer Strategy - 1

Graphical Results for Winter Strategy

Graphical Results for Mid-Season Strategy - 1

CO2 Material Properties - Building Elements - Per Floor Cross Laminated Timber Internal External Walls Floor Ceiling Screed + Insulation CLT Framework Glazing Material Volume (m3) Material Properties (KgCO2e/ m3)

Daytime Location of Openable Windows for Summer Strategy - 1

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

Night time Annual Cooling and Heating Demands

Total (KgCO2e/ m3)

117

109

-600

3590

Total (KgCO2e/ m3)

-70,200

-27,600

1,090

-52,200

104,110

-72,400

Whole Building (9x Floors)

-631,800

-248,400

9810

-469,800

936990

-651,600

Material CO2 Impact

DESIGNING OUR WORK ENVIRONMENTS: TOWER BRIDGE BUSINESS INCUBATOR - LONDON - 2020 This project focused on not just the social and economic influences of the proposal but it utilised the available data through climatic simulations, site surveys and spot measurements to create a project with “Green” at its core. Utilising low impact materials along with a complimentary construction process, the project looks towards a future climate for London and provides a unique design proposal that is not just aesthetically appealing but takes stock of key environmental design principles to create a new office typology for the future. The office spaces provide a light, well-ventilated environment that allows for flexibility and adaptability. The proposal takes into consideration how the project is connected to the local park, the community and its urban setting within the city context. The provision of green spaces throughout the various levels of the project enhances the quality of the space, the provision of cleaner air, and associated physical and mental health benefits. Overall the various strategies employed within the program creates a low energy, low carbon impact, freerunning project that seeks to provide a clean, inspirational working environment for young architects and designers, to help them move towards a more sustainable future London.

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

DESIGNING OUR WORK ENVIRONMENTS: TOWER BRIDGE BUSINESS INCUBATOR - LONDON - 2020

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

EVALUATION OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT CASE STUDY: A-ZERO ARCHITECTS OFFICE LONDON - 2019

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

EVALUATION OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT CASE STUDY: A-ZERO ARCHITECTS OFFICE - LONDON - 2019 The Evaluation of the Built Environment module focused on the analysis of the environmental performance of work environments and office buildings in London. This report presents the case study of A-Zero Architects, an architectural practice with expertise in sustainable design. The study analyses the work space within its urban microclimate, the office’s envelope and occupants’ behaviour. It explores the environmental quality, human comfort and energy consumption levels. The interviews conducted at the first phase of the project conveyed these initial challenges: In summers, inadequate solar control leading to unwanted heat gains, thermal mass traps heat inside, insufficient cooling from natural ventilation, overheating and increase of noise levels from external sources when ventilating. During the research and analytical process, the problematic of the above stated challenges became clearer. Computational studies showed the impact of the conditions also portrayed new issues. The radiation on the façade proved that the existing overhang is insufficient, daylight is inadequate due to high opaque panels near the façade, current apertures do not provide enough wind flow for cooling, ventilation in winters lowers indoor temperatures and heat is lost to the high thermal mass in winter with energy balance studies. Refurbishment proposals were tested to have the best conditions for a free-running environmentally friendly office under the limitations explored including urban context, location, orientation, sky view factor, window to wall and wall to floor ratios, single facade and materiality. The potential solutions included temporary shading device to obstruct radiation in summer, introduction of windows with stack effect for passive cooling, trickle vents for infiltration, lowering opaque panels to increase daylit space and lightweight material covering concrete walls to reduce effect of thermal mass and enhance acoustics.

Material use in office space

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

Graph of outdoor spot measurements of urban context Passive strategies adopted by users in summer

Passive strategies adopted by users in summer

Graph and sections of indoor spot measurements

EVALUATION OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT CASE STUDY: A-ZERO ARCHITECTS OFFICE - LONDON - 2019 During summers, unwanted solar heat gains from the glazing results in increasing indoor temperatures. During hot days, this factor can cause overheating. Temporary shading device will be used to minimize solar heat gains during summer as a potential solution. Taking into consideration two factors: radiation must hit below desk height & sun location must be aligned with the office, the shading was calculated to be 1m deep. Its implementation resulted in 30% reduction in glazed area receiving direct solar radiation. 60%-70% of the office space relies on artificial lighting consuming 7W/m2 of lighting loads. A potential solution would include lowering opaque panels to desk height which achieves a 10% increase in daylit space. Overall, 40% to 50% of the office is well-lit demanding less artificial lighting. Consequently, lighting loads dropped by 10% reaching almost 6W/m2 which is 50% of CIBSE standard for a similar office.

Vertical radiation on the glazed facade in January and July

In summer to achieve 100% of cooling and be within the comfort band, the aperture area must increase. This can be met by introducing bigger windows or by having apertures at different heights creating a stack effect making the cooling process more efficient. In winter, trickle vents can be introduced for limited area of wind flow achieving the air changes needed without changing indoor temperature. In warm months, the main sources for heat gain are solar and equipment at 3.5kWh/ m2. The main source to compensate this gain is by natural ventilation, which consists 75% of the energy sources for heat loss. Consequently, due to wind flow, occupied hours within comfort zone vary between 85%-95%. However, this is not always the case since occupants evade natural ventilation. In cold months, the main source for heat gain is the equipment and it is proportionally lost by the thermal mass at 3.5kWh/m2. This causes around 60% of occupied hours to be outside comfort zone. In summers, the space can overheat due to solar and equipment gains if they are not compensated by proper ventilation. In winters, heat gains that have the potential to warm the space are lost to the thermal mass.

Vertical radiation on glazed facade after applying temporary shading

Optivent proposal simulations for cooling in July and January

Indoor hourly dry bulb temperature

Illuminance levels for proposal Table of percentage of occupied hours within comfort

Tables of loads calculations for equipment, artifical lighting and occupancy

Daily indoor and outdoor temperature variations when door is open / closed

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

EVALUATION OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT CASE STUDY: A-ZERO ARCHITECTS OFFICE - LONDON - 2019 Keeping in mind the suggestion of lowering opaque panels to increase daylight and introducing windows for ventilation, another potential solution is covering the concrete floor with a carpet and the concrete walls with 25mm lightweight gypsum panel board to reduce the thermal mass effect (also enhances acoustics). Adding a 1m width temporary shading can obstruct solar gains in hot months. Total monthly energy gains and losses would drop by 25% in August. Solar gains in warm months and heat lost to thermal mass in cold months are both reduced by 50%. In the warmer period, hours within comfort zone would increase reaching up to 100%. Consequently, less ventilation is needed to cool the space. In the cooler period, 25% increase in occupied hours within comfort band compared to the current office’s condition. Therefore, solar gains are reduced in summers and thermal mass effect is reduced in winters. Energy load per total area needed for heating and cooling in the current office’s condition is 30% higher than the proposal suggested above. Energy required for cooling is reduced by 45% and for heating by 27%. Consequently, the carbon footprint saved from the solution given would be 30% i.e. 70.4kg of CO2e.

Solar Control: In summer, insufficient shading to obstruct radiation and avoid solar heat gains. In winter, urban context obstructs solar radiation preventing it from being a source for passive heating. A temporary shading device can be used to obstruct radiation and avoid solar heat gains during summer. Thermal Mass: In summer, heat released by thermal mass at night is trapped inside leading to tendency of overheating with the lack of windows for night-time cooling. In winter, heat is lost to the thermal mass resulting in low air temperatures requiring more heat to be within comfort zone. A lightweight material can be used to cover exposed concrete walls and a carpet for the concrete floor. This reduces the effect of thermal mass thus preserving warm indoor air temperatures during winter. It also prevents the release of heat from the thermal mass at night overheating the space the next day during summer. Ventilation: In summer, insufficient cooling from natural ventilation due to small aperture areas. Not opening the door enough to avoid noise levels causes overheating. In winter to achieve air changes needed, cold air flow from outside leads to lowering indoor temperatures. Keeping the door closed to preserve indoor temperatures increases CO2 levels making the space uncomfortable. Introduction of windows at different heights increases stack effect for efficient cooling during summer. The use of trickle vents for natural ventilation limits cold wind flow during winter. Daylight: Due to low sky view factor and high panels blocking daylight, a small ratio of about 30% of the office can be naturally lit. Lowering the opaque panels to desk height allows more diffuse light to enter. The use of vegetation as solar control film reflects light inside in a dynamic way as Giles suggested. Acoustics: Opening the door to achieve ventilation increases noise levels inside due to external sources. Exposed concrete surfaces inside are good noise conductors. Covering it with lightweight material absorbs more sound waves conducting less noise.

Current and Proposed daily dry bulb temperature and total energy monthly gains/losses

Key findings of problematics

MSc Architecture & Environmental Design Projects

Potential solutions to problematics

ENHANCING WORKING CAPACITIES AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS: BOTROS DOURAH PUBLIC SCHOOL TRIPOLI - 2017

Closed Competition Commissioned by GIZ

ENHANCING WORKING CAPACITIES AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS: BOTROS DOURAH PUBLIC SCHOOL - TRIPOLI- 2017 Rehabilitation of Lebanese public schools with Syrian refugee children and development of school capacities, including for the disadvantaged Lebanese children. The work involved a minimal cost design to improve conditions of the building envelope. The transformation of the existing school was done through different colors of paint to lift up the spirits of the children and be attractive to the users.

Closed Competition Commissioned by GIZ

DE-EDGING THE HORSE: BEIRUT HIPPODROME BEIRUT - 2016