SILVIA MEEHAN
C.V.
08/12/1988
Personal Details: Objective: Seeking a Position as an Intern Architect
Maiden Name: Silvia Zheleva Status in Canada: Permanent Resident Nationality: Bulgarian & South African Languages: Fluent English, Fluent Bulgarian & Intermediate French
Education: Graphic Skills:
Autodesk AutoCAD & Revit Graphisoft ArchiCAD Bentley Microstation SketchUp Rhino 3D Maxwell Render Artlantis Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator & Dreamweaver EDSL TAS IES VE Passive House Institute PHPP Autodesk Ecotect ARUP PDA Athena Impact Estimator Microsoft Word, Excel & Powerpoint Model Making Hand drafting & Sketching Digital Photography
silvia.meehan@gmail.com
MSc. Built Environment: Environmental Design and Engineering (2012 - 2013) Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London, U.K. (Graduated with Honours & Merit) Bachelor of Architecture in Architecture (2006 - 2011) Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Limerick, Ireland (Graduated with Honours) Erasmus Mundus Exchange Programme, MSc. Architecture (2009- 2010) School of Architecture and the Built Environment, K.T.H. Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden I had the opportunity to spend the 4th year of my 5 year architectural degree on an international student exchange, gaining exposure to different methods of design and new cultures. Secondary School - Leaving Certificate (2003 - 2006) Castletroy College Secondary School, Limerick, Ireland (Graduated with full Honours)
Short Courses:
Certificate in Building CAD with Revit Architecture (January - May 2014) Limerick Institute of Technology, Ireland Web Design Evening Course (January - May 2012) Limerick College of Further Education, Ireland Bauhaus International Summer School (August 2010) Bauhaus Foundation, Dessau, Germany I participated in a collaborative design workshop for students of architecture, design, art and urban planning. I worked in a team of 9 students that produced a short film investigating solutions to the substantial stock of disused concrete paneled apartment blocks (Plattenbau) in Dessau.
Other Skills:
Excellent Presentation, Communication & Public Speaking Skills Excellent Team Work, Research and Report Writing Skills Fully Lisenced Driver
Referees: Peter Carroll MRIAI A2 Architects Dublin, Course Director and Tutor, University of Limerick, Ireland +353 (0)1 8727393 pcarroll@a2.ie Maria Donoghue RIAI, RIBA Donoghue Corbett Architects, Limerick Tutor at the University of Limerick,Ireland +353 (0)61 40 99 57 maria.donoghue@limerick.ie Dr Teresa Domenech Research Associate & MSc EDE Lecturer UCL&ISR Institute for Sustainable Resources, University College London Faculty of the Built Environment +44 20 3108 9011 t.domenech@ucl.ac.uk
silvia.meehan@gmail.com
Work Experience:
Taylor Woodrow (VINCI) - Bam Nuttall Joint Project, London, England (July 2013) I worked as an intern assisting with tasks related to the expansion of Tottenham Court Road Tube Station, located in central London. I had the opportunity to gain an insight into the workings of a large scale construction site in one of the busiest cities in the world, whilst working with the architecture team on the fit out of the new scheme and with the environmental department on minimising onsite noise levels and waste production. ASBP, Bangor University, Ecobond Cymru & Edward Cullinan Architects (April - July 2013) I worked as a researcher with a large team of specialists on the TSB Re-Fab House Feasibility Study, assessing the viability of a residential project aiming to demonstrate new forms of construction, based on the priciples of design for deconstruction and re-use. I researched suitable key performance indicators and metrics that could be used to evaluate the performance of the project at various stages. I also participated in an ideas workshop between the project collaborators at the University of Bangor, where I presented my findings. I subsequently continued this research within my MSc Dissertation, ‘An Investigation into the Barriers to Design for Deconstruction and Re-Use and Methods of Incentivising its practice within the UK Construction Industry’. Leyden Hassett Associates, Limerick, Ireland (February - July 2012) I worked as an assistant architect on a domestic house extension, creating presentation drawings and 3D models for the clients, preparing drawings for planning applications and tender packages (in accordance with Irish building regulations), attending site meetings and negotiating with clients and builders. Atelier DRNH, Brno, Czech Republic (Summer 2007) I worked as an intern producing architectural models and hand drawings for clients. Whilst working in the Atelier, I gained my first exposure to the daily workings of an architecture practice, which greatly inspired me going forth with my studies.
Awards and Achievements:
- I was offered a work placement within the Taylor Woodrow-Bam Nuttal Joint Project for Tottenham Court Road Station due to recieving the top grades in my class for my MSc Industrial Symbiosis Elective Module (2013) - Member of the winning team for Art and City Competition, Hamburg, Germany (2010) - Member of the winning team for the Locum inter class competition for the design of a new Ophthalmic Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden (2010) - I recieved a scholarship from the European Comission for the Erasmus Mundus Exchange Programme (2009 - 2010)
Personal Profile:
I am an outgoing, enthusiastic, proactive and dedicated individual with an eye for detail and a passion for design and the environment. My greatest strengths are my communication and problem solving skills, my optimism and my drive to succeed in all of my endeavors.
Preamble: In the big picture, architecture is the art and science of making sure that our cities and buildings fit with the way we want to live our lives. - Bjarke Ingels I believe that architecture is both an art and a science that utilizes human ingenuity to solve problems of a social, functional, technical, aesthetic and environmental nature. Architecture has the power to provide opportunities to enhance our experiences of life, to provide us with comfort and to create connections between us and our environment. My architectural degree provided me with a solid foundation in design and problem solving where I had the opportunity to begin to test and synthesize the above philosophies into a variety of architectural proposals of different typologies and scales. During my masters in environmental design I had the opportunity to build upon the skills obtained during my architectural education and work experience by gaining an understanding of the scientific techniques that can be used to increase the energy performance of buildings, minimize their impact on the environment and provide thermal comfort for their occupants. I feel that my education and work experience has provided me with a holistic approach to the design of the built environment that I wish to continue to build upon and develop.
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Contents: |A|
ARCHITECTURE
| E&R | ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN & RESEARCH
Architecture Thesis: The inFORUM Limerick, Ireland | Urban Farming Pg.1
Naturally Ventilated Sports Complex, London, UK | Sporting and Leisure Pg.47
Pg.-
Pg. -
Pg.33
Pg.97
An Energy Efficient, Mechanically Ventilated Information Center, London, England | Commercial
Pg.75
International Mock Firms Skyscraper Competition Mexico City, Mexico | Residential and Mixed Use Pg. -
Model Making
Hand Drafting and Sketching Pg.99
MSc Thesis: Barriers and Incentives to Design for Deconstruction and Reuse | Lifecycle Analysis Research
St. Erik’s Ophthalmic Hospital Stockholm, Sweden | Healthcare
Pg.85
Photography Pg.101
Architecture Thesis: The inFORUM Limerick, Ireland | Energy Monitoring Research
Scenography: Short film produced at the Bauhaus Summer Scool about the German Plattenbau Pg.-
The Effects of an Economic Downturn on Society and Architecture | Architectural Research
The Addolorata Piazzas Ragusa, Sicily | Libray, Hotel & Sports Complex Pg.-
Pg.93
Pg.67
Cold Storage Units Shannon, Ireland | Commercial & Industrial
Pg.-
SKILLS & INTERESTS
Detailing and Construction Drawing using Revit Architecture
Passive Solar House Washington D.C., USA | Residential
Art &City Competition Hamburg, Germany | Leisure & Recreation Pg.21
| S&I |
Thank you! Pg.103
Typology:
Urban Regeneration Project. A forum for informal knowledge exchange through an urban farming initiative.
No. of Floors | Height: 3 | 11.5m.
Gross Floor Area: 3800 sqm
Construction Materials:
Laminated timber, polycarbonate, aluminium, structural insulated panels and rammed earth
Software Used:
Autocad, Sketchup, Maxwell Render, Photoshop and Indesign
Undertaken by: Silvia Meehan
Thesis Title: ‘The Design of Environments that are Responsive to Time and Change’ Brief description
This project entailed a year long research and design effort that required students to choose an area of research, create a thesis argument and then select a site and a brief to test their idea through an architectural proposal.
|1A|
The inFORUM | Architectural Thesis Project | 2011 | University of Limerick | Ireland |
Architecture Project Outline:
The Site:
My architectural thesis was about the facilitation of change within architecture with an emphasis on the element of time. Moments of transition within the use cycles of the built environment were researched as instigators of experimentation and transformation. At the centre of the research was a process based method of design, that could enable and respond to the inevitable variations within the cycles of spatial use.
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In order to test my thesis, I chose a site that had become obsolete in recent years within a socially challenged neighbourhood located in Limerick City, Ireland. The site consists of pieces of disused land connected to a series of seldom used sports fields. These sports fields are locked up and access to them for the local community and children is restricted due to anti-social activity. Some people leave their horses to wander freely on the sports fields. Many houses within the neighbourhood remain burnt out or boarded up due to similar anti-social activity. The site is bisected by a disused rail line.
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40/41 01/02
Map of Limerick City displaying amenities in proximity to site Bus Routes Sports Fields and Parks Tertiary Education Facilities Schools Supermarkets Cultural Facilities
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Existing Site Context: In the Amenities map, the site can be viewed in relation to the entire city. It can be seen that there are many sports facilities in the city and near the site but far fewer cultural facilities. The site is bisected by a disused rail road. From the census maps it is visible that on the Western side of the tracks the neighbourhood of Caledonian Park has some of the highest rates of early school leavers, local authority rented housing, unemployment and households without internet access within the city. On the Eastern side of the tracks the neighbourhood of Janesboro has comparatively lower rates of all of the social challenges faced by Caledonian Park. It is important to note that although there are many educational facilities in the area, as can be seen in the amenities map, the highest rates of early school leavers are from the homes surrounding the site.
Caledonian Park
Caledonian Park
Janesboro
Above: Early School Leavers
Below: Unemployment Rate
38.5-55.5%
31.6-42.6%
36-46.1%
54.8-66.4%
24.8-38.5%
19.2-31.6%
18.2-36%
46.3-54.8%
14.8-24.8%
14-19.2%
10.6-18.2%
37.4-46.3%
8.4-14.8%
8.1-14%
3.6-10.6%
22-37.4%
8.4-14.8%
3.9-8.1%
0-3.6%
8.7-22%
Caledonian Park
Above: Social Housing
Janesboro
Below: Homes with Internet Access
Caledonian Park Janesboro
Janesboro
03/04
Historical Context Map of Caledonian Park / Janesboro (1829 -1841) Historically the site was found just outside the Limerick City boundary and was used for agricultural purposes. There were also three nurseries for trees at the perimeter of the site. 1. The edge of Limerick City 2. Nurseries for trees 3. Agricultural Land
North
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Map of Caledonian Park / Janesboro (1897-1913) At the turn of the century the use of the site had changed to accomodate rail infrastructure, storage, train repair and a turn wheel for the trains. A new train line connecting Limerick to the town of Foynes now bisected the site. 1. Cattle Pens 2. Goods Sheds 3. Train Turn Wheel 4. Rail Workers’ Club House 5. Rail Road 6. Colbert Train Station
Roche’s Hanging Gardens, Limerick, Ireland (1808-1850)
World War 2 Alottment Scheme UK and Ireland (1938- 1942)
In the early 19th Century one of the greatest attractions in Limerick City were the terraced roof gardens of a building on Henry Street, in the city center. Exotic fruits and vegetables were grown here within hot houses and many people came from afar to enjoy the cultural spectacle of these gardens.
During the war, the Irish government decided to set up an alottment scheme to help feed the poorest in the nation. They were provided with land, seed and equipment. From a document in the Limerick City Archives, it is evident that a parcel of land within Janesboro was utilised as part of this alottment scheme.
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Map of Caledonian Park / Janesboro (1970 - 1995) Towards the end of the 20th Century the area surrounding the site became used for low density housing, with many residents living in local authority rented housing. A bus depot existed on a portion of the site while the remainder of the site was used as soccer fields..
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Map of Caledonian Park/Janesboro (2005 - 2010)
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Presently, much of the site and the old rail road are derelict. The sports fields to the East of the rail line are well maintained whilst those to the West are only used sporadically. The bus depot site has also become derelict. A wholesale foods warehouse now exists on the North West portion of the site.
1. Low Density Housing 2. Bus Depot 3. Soccer Fields
1. Derelict Portions of Site 2. Wholesale Foods Warehouse
Photograph of Prohibited Access to Fields in Caledonian Park (1995 - 2010)
Call for the Re-Use of derelict sites within Limerick as Allotments (2010)
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Due to anti-social behaviour, such as the burning out of stolen cars in the sports fields, entry to the fields became prohibited for the residents of Caledonian Park, with the exception of seldom sporting events. This means that children living in the area are left to play on the streets and that the site is highly under utilised.
In an article within the Limerick Post Newspaper 23/04/2010, several Councillors made a call for allotment gardens to be set up within the city’s derelict sites, as response to growing demand by numerous Limerick citizens. This was proposed as a method of regenerating obsolete sites within the city and bolstering local economy.
05/06
Design Concept:
North
The architectural proposal aims to address the social issues outlined previously, through the employment of the historical land use of horticulture on the site as a stimulus for its intensification and regeneration. This objective is achieved through the creation of an infrastructure that connects members of the adjacent communities and the city itself. Within the infrastructure spaces for urban farming are provided such as allotment gardens along with cultural spaces for interaction and edification. A central element of the proposal is the implementation of a process based system that can physically stitch the presently obsolete site back into the fabric of the city. It is proposed that a public, mixed use building will house a cultural program for a decentralised method of learning. The building, the allotments and a new sense of community would all grow over time with a sensibility to change.
Map of Limerick City (2011)
Concept Map
Concept Model
The site is considered within the city limits, however there is a clear breakdown of density within it that needs to be addressed when compared to the city centre.
The city grid can be used as inspiration for site organisation. Within the site the grain of the grid is made finer, to suit its scale. It follows the lines of the existing walls separating the properties on either side.
A model was used to test the concept of the grid being used to create an infrastructure that could also transform into a building. The infrastructure consists of a series of low, wide walls that seperate the allotmet gardens.
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Building a Community
Wall Construction Sequence:
The walls separating the allotments are made of rammed earth. The construction of the walls is time and labour intensive, however it is a method of informally beginning to build a new, mixed community through the volunteer work of all people interested in obtaining an allotment from the city. The walls are constructed out of sand, gravel and clay sourced from the site along with a little cement stabiliser.
Form work is built and the first layer of moist earth is added. 2 The earth is compressed using a pneumatic backfill tamper. 3/4 More layers of moist earth are added and compressed. 5 The formwork is then removed leaving the completed wall.
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Above: Rain water is collected in large elevated tanks from the roof of the building and is used for the irrigation of the allotments.
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8m
1m
Right: Section through an allotment garden
0.5m
07/08
Allotment Sizes During World War 2 the allotment plots provided in Ireland were around 400sqm in order to help feed large families of 6-8. Some plots of this size will be provided onsite for keen urban famers. Plots of 250sqm can feed a family of 4 if properly husbanded. Many such plots will be offered on site.
North 50m 400sqm
8m
31m 8m
250sqm
Smaller starter plots will also be provided for less experienced individuals. The total number of allotments on site are 180. Families living in houses with gardens that back onto the site will be given the opportunity to extend the size of their gardens as an incentive for them to take part in the urban farming initiative.
15m 8m
120sqm
Site Plan
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0m
50m
The Building as an Extension of Landscape and Infrastucture
Functional program: Identifying and Quantifying Uses
The concept follows a building within a building logic.
The Teen and Adult Pod (1)
The Kids Pod (2)
The Food Pod (3)
Music Room Recording Studio Art Room Course Room Employment Info Office Computer & Internet Area Book & Magazine Area Store room Deliveries Sorting Room Employee Offices Stair and Lift Core Toilets
Crèche and Kitchen Story Time Area Children’s Books Hobbies and Games Area Toilets
Cookery School Cold Storage Fresh Produce Cafe Kitchen Horticulture & Cookery Books Area Stair and Lift Core Toilets
Total Area: 970 sqm
Total Area: 720 sqm
Total Area: 217 sqm
The outer structure acts as a hot-house or greenhouse, that extends the growing season for fruits and vegetables onsite into the winter months. This green house space is also utilized as an educational tool in order to teach people about horticulture through practice in the winter months, before the planting season begins in the spring. Its structure follows the grid of the allotments, with columns in the position of the rammed earth walls, spaced 8m apart. A series of 3 inner buildings or pods are then constructed within the outer structure over time, offering further cultural and educational activities.
8m
09/10
Plans of Proposed Building
North 1
Ground Floor 1 Car Park 2 Main Entrance Space with overhang canopy 3 Pod 1- Deliveries Sorting Room, Music Room, Recording Studio, Course Room & Employment Info Office 4 Pod 2- Crèche 5 Pod 3- Cookery School Cold Storage, Cafe Kitchen, Toilets 6 Growing Space 7 Cafe 8 Back Entrance- Utilized as a Picnic Area 9 Sheds and Workshops 10 Train Stop 11 Allotment Gardens
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6 10 14
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1st Floor 12 Pod 1- Adult Books & Computer Space 13 Pod 2- Children’s Books and Story Time 14 Pod 3- Cookery Books 2nd Floor 15 Pod 1- Offices & Book Storage 16 Pod 2- Games & Activity Space
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Ground Floor Plan
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0m
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20m
1st Floor Plan
2nd Floor Plan
11/12
Above: West elevation of INFOrum Building Below: North- South section through INFOrum building and site
0m
Below: Environmental Diagram
The vegetation provides shade within the green house structure
Fresh, cool air enters building through window openings
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Hot air rises and escapes through openings in roof
Photovoltaic Cells on roof capture solar energy
20m
Photographs of 1: 200 scale model of building and site
13/14
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Construction of Outer Structure:
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Lightweight, transparent, polycarbonate roofing sheet with flexible building integrated, photovoltaic, laminated ,crystalline cells 16mm, connected to a power inverter
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Galvanized steel gutter connected to rain water collection system with water storage tanks placed in between roof trusses and above pod structures
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Facade Glazing: 40mm twin wall polycarbonate panels fixed onto 160 x 60mm glulam facade posts
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Steel
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Facade Opening for daily ventilation, integrated into fixed facade elements through a double waterproof joint and a horizontally pivoted opening with upper hinges
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Timber trigonit lattice roof beam
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Timber lattice beam facade post
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Glulam facade rail
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Above: Drawing displaying position of facade detail within building
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B 8
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Section of junction between ground, facade, columns and roof of outer structure
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0m
base
1m
to
facade
post
Construction of Inner Structures: The Kids Pod
C
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Two way steel frame made from structural hollow section columns which allow for beams to be connected at any height, allowing for structure to expand modularly if so desired
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Fixed Base of columns with threaded bars cast in place
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SIPs roof and interior floor panels
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SIPs wall panels 2700 x 1200 x 150
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Polycarbonate twin wall panels 2700 x 1200 x 16mm
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Single glazing window panels
G Sliding doors C F
A G
E B
D Above and Left: Exploded Axonometric drawings detailing the prefabricated component systems of the inner pod structures.
15/16
Project Development Sequence
Development of site +2 Years
Development of site +3 Years North
Year 1 1. The establishment of public ideas workshops for the allotment scheme, to create a design vision and plan of action for the development. 2. Presentation of the project’s design concept to public. Changes are made to the design based on feedback from the public and council. 3. Planning application and approval. Year 2 1. Construction of the outer structure of the building with materials brought onsite via rail. The facade of the building is made out of polycarbonate panels that can be cheaply and easily replaced if vandalism occurs. 2. The completion of the outer building in the autumn allows for horticultural courses to begin in the winter within the green house space.
Construction of Outer Greenhouse Building
Year 3 1. The first 16 trial allotment gardens are set up and planted in the spring. 2. The first inner building pod is constructed in the summer. A variety of teen and adult courses and activities commence in the autumn.
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Construction of first inner structure-Pod 1
Development of site +5 Years
Development of site +7 Years
Year 4 1. At the beginning of the year 100 new Allotments are offered to the public. 2. In the summer all allotment holders work together to construct the rammed earth walls separating the allotments, with aid from local Architecture students. Rammed earth primary paths are also constructed. These along with the walls form the site’s infrastructure. Year 5 1. In the spring the planting of the new allotments begins. 2. In the summer the second internal pod is constructed. In parallel the first harvest of the new allotments occurs.
Construction of second inner structure- Pod 2
Construction of third inner structure- Pod 3
3. In the autumn the new crèche opens its doors to local children. Year 6 1. In the spring the third internal pod is constructed. 2. In the summer cookery courses begin with harvest produce. Year 7 1. At the beginning of the year 64 new Allotments are offered to the public and the cycle begins anew.
17/18
Project Development + 20 Years
Below: Map depicting the rail road connecting the site to the town of Foynes
The model used for the Inforum project can expand to be used in other Irish towns along the rail route, connecting the site to Foynes. In the late spring, summer and autumn the rail can be used to bring produce from the site to markets in other towns. In turn local produce from those towns can be be brought to a market onsite.
Shannon Estuary
Furthermore the rail line can be used to bring courses, books and activities offered on the site to other towns along the rail route. This could instigate a transformation and regeneration of all train station sites along the currenty disused rail line.
0 km
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5 km
Above: Perspective Render of the South entrance to INFOrum building
0m
6m
Below: East- West section through building
19/20
Typology:
Series of public leisure and recreational spaces
No. of Floors: N/A
Site Area: 2.2 km²
Construction Materials:
Concrete, Steel, Timber, and Vegetation
Software Used:
Sketchup, Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign
Undertaken By:
Team of 9 students Silvia Zheleva-Meehan, Naomi Panter, Carthage Murphy, Clare Reidy, Omar Guidi, Shane Barriscale, Arwen Cusack, Sinead Jennings and Ronan Farrel Tasks Within Group: The overarching theme of the proposal dealt with the water’s edge and encompassed the creation of a new public realm. Each team member created an individual proposal which either physiscally or conceptually connected with other team members’ proposals within the large site.
|2A|
Art and City International Competition | 2010 | Hamburg | Germany |
Architecture Project Outline: This competition project was organised by the Hafen City University in collaboration with Hamburg City Council. It was run as an ideas workshop between a number of participating international universities. A jury of 5, including Hamburg’s chief architect and city planner, chose the winning project. The brief required participants to imagine new methods of creating public space, such that would generate strong connections between the city and the currently redeveloping area of Hamburg’s harbour known as Hafen City. The Hafen City development is one of the largest regeneration projects in Europe, with buildings designed by a multitude of internationally renowned architects including the Elbe Philharmonic Hall by Herzog and DeMeuron Architects. The 10 day competition workshop took place within the Hafen City district. On the final day several members of each team were required to present their team’s ideas to an audience of over 100 spectators. The following project is the winning entry competition, designed by a team of students from the University of Limerick.
21/22
Site Analysis: Due to the size of the site and the short duration of the competition the decision was made to undertake a site analysis in a more unconventional manner. The site was parcelled out on a map into 9 segments. Each team member created an abstract model of their chosen segment, based on their physical experience of that portion of the site. The model described their interpretation of the most significant factors at play within that space. All individual models connected both physically and conceptually in a logical manner to create an overall picture of the driving forces within the site. For example I determined that within my segment of the site, there were many interesting new commercial buildings. However, I felt that these were static and created void areas in tems of public space, as they were predominantly privately occupied. I felt that the river provided much greater fluidity of movement that could be exploited to create novel public paths and spaces. 200m
Above: Map of the Hafen City site partitioned into 9 equal segments
Above: Photographs of my segment within the group abstract model.
Above: Photograph of the group model
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Design Strategy: The design process was commenced by re-imagining Hamburg’s relationship to the river, which historically produced extraordinary feats of engineering, provided trade and business and brought wealth to the city. The overarching theme of the group proposal was to connect the harbour and the city by extending the Art and Park ring, which currently circumnavigates the city. Our team’s cumulative design work took place predominantly within the negative spaces of the given site. It was determined that there was great potential in re-emphasizing the Elbe as a socially significant resource, by designing novel civic and recreational spaces within the edges and waterways permeating the Hafen City land mass. Similarly to the abstract group model strategy, each team member chose an area of the site to work within. The individual proposals connected to one another under the common philosophy described above, to form a cumulative proposal. As per the brief, each individual proposal was designed under the titles of ‘Art and Context’, ‘Art and Park’ and ‘Art and Trial’. Above: Map, depicting the ‘Art and Park’ ring surrounding the city in relation to the site
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Above: Photograph of the group model
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Above: Diagram, describing our team’s chosen site locations
23/24
Urban Marshland | Silvia Meehan
Photograph of the silting harbour site
“When water meets land a particular intensity is encountered. The physical properties of the edge as a meeting point between both land and water creates a sense of unceasing mobility, nothing is static.”
Art and Trial
- Dr. Anna Ryan, “Edge Horizon,” (Unpublished PHD Paper)
Plan view of the site
This proposal was intended as primer for my impending architecture thesis. The concept for my proposal was to create an informal recreation space for both the inner city of Hamburg and the Hafen City district. This new urban break out space would be located in the Oberhafen, an area of the existing river which was already naturally silting up. The site was currently a space rapidly becoming obsolete, emphasized by the fact that the city’s chief rail line passed through its perimeter, cutting it off from the city and the remainder of the harbour region. In contrast to the fast paced development of the Hafen City, this intervention would be highly dependant on the passage of time and the processes of nature, stimulated by the subject of cycles of use within my thesis research.
1: 1000 Scale model of the proposal
The proposal consists of a long pontoon, which would dip down into the water’s edge and be dependent on the tide for its positioning throughout the day, allowing for people to have an awareness of and interaction with the water and its tidal movements. This idea was extended through the creation of a forest of walls of different widths and heights which would speed up the silting process. Such walls could be accessed only at low tide and would be used as sentinels through this urban marshland, encouraging and directing the activity of mud walking and bird watching, whilst also creating micro-climates where reeds could grow and in time become parkland. At high tide the walls would disappear beneath the water, the pontoon would remain floating, a free public space that could be used all year round.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | Art and City Competition | Hamburg, Germany |
1: 1000 Scale model of the proposal (grey card, foam board and tracing paper)
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Cycles of use within site:
High tide: The walls begin to disappear beneath the water, the pontoon remains floating, a free public space to be used all year round. Low tide / Site partially silted up: The walls can be accessed and used as sentinels through the urban marshland, directing the activity of mud walking and bird watching.
| 2A | Art and City Competition | Hamburg, Germany |
Site fully silted up: The space is transformed into a marshland park with an urban beach, the pontoon is now used as an access platform and for casual sports activities.
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Shane Barriscale | The Baakenhafen Tidal Pools
Carthage Murphy and Omar Guidi | The Elbe Baths
The Elbe Baths offer an opportunity for people to not only access the water’s edge, but also to get submerged within the water. Furthermore, due to their location at the edge of the HafenCity, they allow for an exciting juxtaposition between the scales of the working harbour’s large tankers and the swimmers within the baths. The Baakenhafen Tidal Pools conceptually connect to the Urban Marshland proposal. They were designed to extend the public space between the new residential developments on either side of the Baakenhafen. They comprise of a tidal courtyard with pools that create a sculptural component within the canal. At low tide the pools can be used as a public amenity, whilst at high tide they offer unique, reflective vistas.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | Art and City Competition | Hamburg, Germany |
Clare Reidy | Speicherstadt Pathway Art and Context
Ronan Farrel | Pocket Public Spaces
The Speicherstadt Pathway is a proposed network of routes and trails within the harbour canals that take on a very sculptural form. The proposed paths connect Hamburg’s historic trade district to the remainder of the city, whilst also bringing the public to the water’s edge. The Pocket Public Spaces are a series of public spaces set in a variety of sites around the Hafen City. Each space is finely tuned to its location and surroundings, both utilizing and emphasizing the existing acoustics of its site to create a pocket musical and performance space.
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Arwen Cusack | Hafen Focal Point Art and Park
The Focal Point project aims to create a new cultural centre for the Hafen area, as it was determined that the existing development lacked a point of focus. The building was to reflect the role of the Hamburg Handelskammer (the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce) within the Hafen City. The Hard Surface Beach contrasts with the above proposal by creating a large informal outdoor meeting point for the public. People are brought to the edge of the water through a series of varied and sloped hard surfaces. These surfaces are suitable for numerous activities such as biking, skateboarding and rollerblading. The Green Canal proposal was designed as a formal recreational area and parkland that would offer a variety of sporting amenities including outdoor tennis and basketball courts. The proposed development is located within an existing, disused waterway.
Naomi Panter | Hafen City Hard Surface Beach
Sinead Jennings | The Green Canal
Above: Photograph of the group model, displaying the cumulative proposal
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Typology:
Healthcare building with mixed use campus
No. of Floors | Height:
Building 1 (New): 6 | 20.8m Building 2 (Re-used): 7 | 18m
Gross Floor Area:
Building 1 (New): 13702 sqm Building 2 (Re-used): 18181sqm
Construction Materials:
Cast insitu concrete, reinforcing steel, opaque and translucent glass
Software Used:
Autocad, Rhino 4D, Maxwell Render, Photoshop and Indesign
Undertaken By:
International team of 4 students Silvia Zheleva-Meehan, Floor Kokke, Kayrokh Moattar, Katrin Haraldsson Tasks Within Group: 1. Contributed to overall design concept and architectural development. 2. Created proposal for the conversion of the old hospital building to new mixed purpose uses. 3. Aided in the production of plan and section drawings. 4.Created 1:1000 and 1:200 scale models of medical campus
|3A|
Saint Erik’s Ophthalmic Hospital Competition | 2010 | Stockholm | Sweden |
Architecture Project Outline:
The Site:
This project was organised by Locum in collaboration with the K.T.H Architecture School’s Masters Program, Practice Based Studio. Locum is one of Sweden’s largest property managers and developers of healthcare facilities. The company hosted an inter-class competition for the design of a new Ophthalmic Hospital in Kungsholmen, Stockholm to replace the existing premises of St. Eric’s Ogonsjukhus. Entrants were required to follow the same planning process as required of all architecture practices working with Locum and involved the following: 1. Needs Analysis 2. Preliminary Study- Investigating alternatives & selecting most appropriate solution 3. Concept & Programatic Design 4. Design Realisation 5. Delivery and Evaluation The final step entailed a presentation to the Board of Directors within Locum’s Premises. The following proposal was the winning entry to the competition.
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Preliminary Study: Alternatives for the positioning of the new hospital premises
Opportunities / Constraints:
Proposal 1
Proposal 2
Proposal 3
Proposal 4
+
Sustainable
+
+
+
-
The buildings to be reatined are unsuitable for required functions Lack of flexibility in use
-
+ -
New building is easily accessed from main street, Flemminggatan Greater flexibility in use Un- sustainable as large, stucturally sound building is to be fully demolished
+ + -
Hospital can remain functional during new construction Greater flexibility in use More Sustainable Hospital not as visible from main street
+ -
More efficient use of the site Greater flexibility in use Un- sustainable Hospital not as visible from main street
The selected position of the new hospital: Proposal 3 was selected as it would allow the existing hospital to function as normal during the construction of the new building. The old building would be converted into research facilities, retail units and a hotel, providing added revenue for the developer.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | St. Erik’s Hospital | Stockholm, Sweden |
Below: Photograph of 1:1000 Scale model of proposed new hospital campus. (Laser cut MDF, machine cut MDF, white card and plastic)
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Needs Analysis: What are the problems with the existing hospital premises? 1.
The existing premises were designed to be an eye hospital difficulties arise in their effective
2.
The existing building is dated and unable to cope with the advances in new treatments which cause increases in patients.
3.
There is a need for greater flexiblility in arrangements of treatment rooms.
4.
Patients aren’t aware of their waiting times or reasons for them.
5.
Lack of natural light, building heavily relies on artificial lighting.
6.
Due to lack of space waiting rooms are often in dark, overcrowded corridors.
7.
Patients often get dissorientated and lost within building and are guided by ineffective orange and white lines on the ground.
8.
There is a clash in the flows of patients coming in for consultations and emergency patients.
9.
Large clinic areas and numerous rooms create a sense of polarisation and separation between public and private spaces.
Photograph displaying problem 7 & 8.
Photograph displaying problem 1,5 & 6.
Photograph displaying problems 5 & 6.
Hospital plan descibing problem 8 & 9.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | St. Erik’s Hospital | Stockholm, Sweden |
not thus use.
Design Concept:
The concept for the new premises is a play on the building’s function as a hospital for eyes. It is based around the idea of varying degrees of vision represented through the careful use of materials and light. The building is to act as a physical filter of light and shadow allowing people different levels of sight within a variety of spaces, depending on their function. For example a person whose vision is impaired can see a blurred image, which is represented by the use of the translucent glass that acts as a partition between the waiting areas and the examination rooms. Just as people who are blind can detect differences in shadows and light, so too patients waiting to be examined can see the movements and shadows cast by the doctors and patients within the examination rooms. However privacy within the rooms is retained.
Functional Arrangement Diagram:
Outside
Staff Circulation/ Doctor’s Office Doctor’s Work Station
Examination Room
Examination Room
Public Circulation
Outside
Waiting Room and circulation space 37/38
Left: Paper models used to test different shapes and options for the plan of the building
The shape of the building plan is based around the functional arrangement diagram.
Hospital lobby with views to outdoor courtyard space
Several different options for the plan were tested. Each allowed for central courtyard spaces which could be used to bring natural light into the depth of the structure, whilst also creating view points to help guide patients through the building. Furthermore, the provision of courtyards created a connection to nature and encouraged a calming atmosphere for healing. The model on the bottom displays the shape chosen for the building’s plans.
Outdoor courtyard space 1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | St. Erik’s Hospital | Stockholm, Sweden |
Scale Model of the Proposed New Hospital Building:
Above, Below & Right: Photographs of 1:200 scale model of proposed hospital building (Lasercut MDF, plexi-glass and white card)
22/23 39/40
Form, Structure and Access:
Open structure allowing for flexible use of building and future changes
Structural grid
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | St. Erik’s Hospital | Stockholm, Sweden |
Vertical Access
0m
6m
Functional Arrangement
North
Plan of ground floor
0m
6m
Staff changing rooms, janitor room, storage rooms Offices, meeting rooms and labs Ward Surgery and recovery Examination and treatment rooms Emergency Entrance, information desk, waiting rooms, cafeteria and shop
Exploded Axonometric Drawing
Plan of 1st floor
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Refurbishment of Old Hospital Into New Mixed Use Building
The existing hospital building consists of a flexible column and slab structure.
North
Above: Structural section of existing hospital building
A portion of the top two floors is proposed to be removed in order to bring natural light into the deep plan of the existing building. The old, double glazed facade is replaced with a new high performance, triple glazed, low emissivity facade with vertical fins that regulate glare.
Above: Structural section describing proposed interventions
New partitions, fixtures and fittings are added in order to repurpose the building into multiple new functions.
Above: Section describing proposed functional arrangement
Gym
Auditorium
Hotel
Retail Units
Optician Training & Research
Parking
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | St. Erik’s Hospital | Stockholm, Sweden |
Above: Basement plan of existing building’s structure
Plans of Proposed Refurbishment of Hospital Building 1. Basement Parking 2. Auditorium 3. Meeting Rooms/ Exhibition Space 4. Storage and Mechanical rooms 5. Hotel Lobby & Restaurant 6. Service Kitchen & Storage
4 3 4
7. Employee Changing Rooms 8. Retail Units 9. Optician Training & Reserch 10. Hotel Rooms 11. Conference Room 12. Gym and Changing Facilities
2
11
9
3
9
6
1
3
10
9
12
5 7
8
8
8
0m
Above: Basement Plan
Above: Ground Floor Plan
Above: 1st Floor Plan
4m
Above: 2nd Floor Plan
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Sections and Elevations of Proposed New Hospital Campus
Above: West Elevation of the proposed new hospital building and the newly repurposed existing building
Below: North-South section through the new hospital premises and the newly repurposed existing building
| 3A | St. Erik’s Hospital | Stockholm, Sweden |
0m
6m
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Typology
Mixed Use Sports Building and Offices
No. of Floors | Height 3 | 8.5m
Gross Floor Area 2218sqm
Construction Materials:
Brick, steel, low-e double glazing and timber
Software Used:
Autocad, Sketchup, Photoshop, Indesign, Microsoft Excel, EDSL Tas and CIBSE AM10
Undertaken By:
International team of 4 students: Silvia Zheleva-Meehan, Monique Fouche, Alexandros Kyrkopoulos and Maria Chatzinota Tasks within Group: 1. Contributed to overall design concept and development. 2. Aided in production of site analysis drawings. 3. Aided in the development of the environmental strategy and produced all environmental strategy drawings. 4. Contributed to the thermal simulation and analysis process. 5. Produced plans, sections, elevations and renders.
|1E|
The City Road Basin Naturally Ventilated Sports Complex | 2012 | London | England |
Environmental Design Project Outline:
The Site:
This project was organised by the Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London as part of the MSc Environmental Design and Engineering Program. The aim of the project was to design a naturally ventilated building within central London, based on passive thermal design and engineering principles. The project required teams of four students: two with architectural backgrounds and two with engineering backgrounds, to work together to fulfil the aims of the brief. Each team was to select a site within London and develop an architectural program based on the characteristics of the site. It was required for the program to include at least two different spaces with varying environmental and thermal comfort specifications. The environmental performance of these spaces would then be tested and analysed through the use of thermal simulation modelling software, such as TAS.
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Site Context: The city road basin was constructed in 1820, becoming the premier commercial canal basin in London. The basin fell into decline in the 1950s and in the 80s the portion south of City Road was filled in to provide more land for the city. Presently, the area is under major redevelopment, however our site consists of a derelict warehouse that is as of yet disused. A significant advantage for the site is the fact that it falls within a master plan for the broader area of Islington.
1890 Historic Map of the Site
2012 Map of the Site displaying its position within the City Road Basin, Islington
2012 Map of Strategic Redevelopment Plan for the Borough of Islington
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The City Road Basin Sports Complex | London, England |
The site fits within the City Road Basin Master Plan which aims to upgrade an area lacking in prominence.
Site Opportunities: The Islington boat club is an integral part of the city road basin. However, apart from the fact that there are no indoor leisure facilities in the basin, all games and outdoor activities are prohibited around the green areas in front of the residential blocks near the site. The proximity between the boat house and the selected site, along with the need for further leisure and sport facilities within the area, creates an opportunity to create a link between the East and West sides of the basin and the area as a whole. A sports facility could counteract public areas that prohibit the play of games near site. Furthermore, since there is no sports hall in the school nearest to the site, a new sports facility could also be used to provide physical education classes for school pupils during the day. Such a facility would not only serve the local community but also make it more desirable for visitors to come to the basin district.
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Design Concept: The presence of the existing warehouse on site inspired the robust, yet simple, architectural aesthetic of the sports complex. The massing of the program was split up into 3 entities to allow for permeability, easy access, utilization of views, maximization of sunlight and the inclusion of a sports field adjacent to the basin. These 3 entities informed the concept of the 3 sheds, each with their own distinct and individual character, program and environmental targets.
The 3 Sheds:
Above: Existing warehouse buildings onsite Below and Right: Concept Sketches
A large hall is designed to be used daily as an indoor sports space and in the evening or on weekends as a multipurpose community gathering space. A reception, open market and cafĂŠ provide additional public facilities. Separate, private administrative offices are also provided in the scheme, located above the market and cafĂŠ area.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The City Road Basin Sports Complex | London, England |
Site Strategy: Massing The overall size of the sports complex is appropriate for the scale of the site and the surrounding residential buildings. Care has been taken to minimise the effect of over shading onto the nearby social housing.
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Design Development: Right 1: Render describing the South West facade of the proposed building and the new outdoor sports grounds in front of the building. Below Right: Render describing how the sports hall offers views into the building in order to engage passers by and encourage participation in sports activities. Below Left: Render describing how the sports hall building cantilevers over the street to provide shelter from the rain for people entering, exiting or passing by.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The City Road Basin Sports Complex | London, England |
Above: Rendered view of the Sports Complex as seen from accross the City Road Basin pedestrian paths.
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Plans of the Proposed Building: North
0m Ground Floor Plan
1st Floor Plan
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The City Road Basin Sports Complex | London, England |
5m
Construction Details: The construction details were designed to suit and enhance the bioclimatic design of the building. For example, the thermally massive wall construction (b) is implemented on the South East wall of Sheds 2 & 3 and the South West wall of Shed 1, as these walls will receive the most direct sunlight during the day, and therefore will have the capacity to absorb the heat from the sunlight and release it slowly during the night. With night cooling this feature can minimise overheating during summer days. The ground floor and office floor slabs are designed to prevent heat loss during the winter months through the floors. The construction materials reflect the industrial nature of the site, with the predominant use of brick, corrugated aluminium, concrete and steel.
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Environmental Strategy: Summer Day 1. Fresh air enters Sports Hall through windows on the South West Façade. 2. Sliding doors in sports hall open completely during warm summer days for cooling purposes.
1
3. Louvers provide shading against direct sunlight, with the option of closing completely to prevent the worst glare and overheating.
3 2
Above: North-East Section Below: South-West Section 60°
4. Stack ventilation is utilised during sports practice. 5. Stack ventilation is also used in the offices along with single sided ventilation during working hours. 6. Walls in the offices act as thermal mass, absorbing heat during the day and delaying maximum internal heat gains
4 5
7. Sliding doors in the maket area are open 6
7 1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The City Road Basin Sports Complex | London, England |
Environmental Strategy: Summer Night 1. Top 3 windows of the sports hall open during the night (on canal side and street side) for night cooling. 2. Bottom windows and doors closed for security purposes.
1
3. Louvers completely open to allow for maximum fresh air intake
3 2
Above: North-East Section
4. Roof windows open at night for both the offices and sports hall to get rid of heat gains and odours (from the day).
Below: South-West Section
5. Office windows open during the night in order to allow in fresh cool night air (for night cooling and cooling of thermal mass). 6. Sliding doors in market are closed for security purposes.
4 4
5 6 57/58
Environmental Strategy: Winter Day 1. Lower windows kept open to introduce fresh air into the sports hall. 2. Louvers angled to maximize solar gain to heat the sports hall. However during times of glare, due to low winter sun angles, louvers can be positioned to diffuse light.
2 1
Above: North-East Section Below: South-West Section
15째
3. Stack windows and side windows closed in the sports hall and offices. They can be opened at users discretion if overheating occurs. 4. Heat loss is decreased through well insulated walls. 5. Sliding doors for market closed during the day to keep heat inside.
3 3 3
4
5 1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The City Road Basin Sports Complex | London, England |
Environmental Strategy: Winter Night 1. Top windows are opened for two hours after the users leave to get rid of odours and pollutants.
1
Above: North-East Section Below: South-West Section
2. Stack ventilation closed during the night in the sports hall and offices. 3. All office windows also opened for two hours after the users leave to get rid of odours and pollutants. 4. Sliding doors in market are closed for security purposes. 2
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Simulations: Methodology Internal Heat Gain Calculations: An occupancy schedule was created to calculate the occupancy density of each space. The total heat gains from people were then calculated. These values were added to lighting and equipment gains (obtained from CIBSE Guide A). Flow Rate Calculations: The next step was to calculate the flow rate required to prevent overheating and to maintain indoor air quality using the following formulas: F (m³/s) = Q/(ρ x Cp x ΔT) F’ (AC/H)= F (m³/s) x 3600 x V (m³)
Below: 3D image of the TAS base case simulation model
Simulation model: The environmental strategy, was tested using the EDSL TAS modeling software. A simulation model was created and values from the above calculations were inputted into the software to assess and improve the environmental conditions provided by the sports complex throughout the year.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The City Road Basin Sports Complex | London, England |
Below: Plan of TAS model describing zones that were tested during the simulations
Simulations: Description and Results Case 1: Base Case It was discovered that the basketball court was rather cold through the winter and autumn. Conditions were quite comfortable during the spring and summer, with overheating occuring only for a few hours during the hottest days.
Case 2: Base case with increased insulation and high performance glazing The temperature range increased during the winter by 1°C both in the sports hall and offices. Overall, overheating occured on much fewer occasions.
Case 3: Base case with reduced window area This intervention did not cause any significant change. Decreased heat losses through the fabric, were balanced by reduced solar heat gains.
Case 4: Base case with double skin facade and increased insulation The glass façade preheats the air that enters the buildings in the winter. As a result, internal temperature on the coldest day rose by 3°C. Additional stack ventilation in the summer prevented any further overheating.
Case 5: The same as case 4 with maximum occupancy in the sports hall The environmental targets for the winter are mostly met even on the coldest day, due to the increased internal heat gains. However in the summer greater overheating occured. Case 6: The same as case 4 with the addition of a shading device The amount of hours when summer overheating occurs have been significantly reduced, however temperature in the winter has decreased by 1°C.
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Analysis of Sports Hall Results:
The sports hall requires cooling during the summer, however the addition of a shading device can reduce cooling loads significantly, as seen in the results of Case 6 compared to Case 4. Resultantly, Case 6 is also less carbon intensive than Case 4.
Hours / Year (%)
Overall, it was discovered that the sports hall’s large volume is difficult to naturally condition during winter. It can be said that Case 5 is the most comfortable, however since maximum occupancy is to be expected only on rare occasions, during concerts and events, Case 4 provides the greatest comfort conditions.
Hours within the set comfort targets, annually
case 1
case 2
case 3
case 4
Annual heating and cooling loads
case 5
case 6
Cooling Loads Heating Loads
Loads (KWh / m²)
A comparison was made between the comfort hours achieved by each test case. By repeating the simulations with the thermostat set to the environmental targets, a comparison was also made between the heating and cooling loads and carbon intensity of each case.
Energy Benchmarking:
case 1
From the above analysis it was determined that the optimum design solution would be to retain the double skin façade of Case 4, but to provide additional shading during the summer as in Case 6.
case 2
case 3
case 4
case 5
case 6
case 5
case 6
kgCO2 / m²
Annual average CO2 emissions
case 1
case 2
case 3
case 4
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The City Road Basin Sports Complex | London, England |
In the UK all public buildings require a display energy certificate. Resultantly, this system was used to benchmark the Sports Hall’s environmental performace (CIBSE TM46 was used for calculations). It was discovered that the optimum design solution for the Sports Hall achieved a rating of 13 and an ‘A’ grade.
Analysis of Office Results:
It was discovered that Case 4 provides the greatest comfort and is the most energy efficient. However it can be seen that Case 6 requires no cooling in the summer time compared to Case 4. Furthermore, Case 6 only has a marginally higher carbon intensity.
Hours / Year (%)
However, the space performs really well during the summer, even when external temperature is quite high, as can be seen from the small amount of cooling loads required by all test cases.
Hours within the set comfort targets, annually
case 1
case 2
case 3
case 4
Annual heating and cooling loads
case 5
From the CIBSE TM46 calculations it was discovered that the previously determined optimum environmental solution for the typical office achieved a rating of 18. This falls within the highest ‘A’ category of the Display Energy Certificates, thus performing simialrly to the Sports Hall.
case 6
Cooling Loads Heating Loads
Loads (KWh / m²)
Overall, it can be said that the typical office is quite a cold space during the wintertime when naturally conditioned. Despite being a high occupancy space, the internal gains do not suffice to provide a thermally comfortable environment.
Energy Benchmarking:
Similarly to the sports hall, it was determined that the optimum solution would be to keep the additional glass façade, but to also provide shading during the summer as in Case 6.
case 1
case 2
case 3
case 4
case 5
Annual average CO2 emissions
case 6
kgCO2 / m²
Fossil Fuels Electricity
case 1
case 2
case 3
case 4
case 5
case 6
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Design Synthesis:
Above: Render of the South Westerly double skin faรงade during the Winter without any shading mechanism.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The City Road Basin Sports Complex | London, England |
Above: Render displaying the addition of shading louvers and outdoor spectator seating to the South Westerly faรงade during the Summer.
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Typology
Residential
No. of Floors | Height 1 | 4m
Gross Floor Area 74sqm
Construction Materials:
Prefabricated Timber and Clay Panels, Structural Steel, Concrete and Low -E High Performance Glazing
Software Used:
Autocad, Sketchup, Photoshop, Indesign, Microsoft Excel, EDSL TAS, Parametric Energy Calculator
Undertaken By:
International team of 4 students: Silvia Zheleva Meehan, Monique Fouche, Alexandros Kyrkopoulos and Maria Chatzinota Tasks within Group: 1. Contributed to overall design concept and development. 2. Produced plans and sections. 3. Aided in the development of the environmental strategy and produced all environmental strategy drawings. 4. Contributed to the thermal simulation and analysis process. 5. Developed and produced construction details..
|2E|
Passive Solar House based on the Solar Decathlon Competiton | 2013 | Washington DC | USA |
Environmental Design Project Outline:
The Site:
Writer 2 Kids
The dwelling, which sets out to house a young family of four (two children and two adults, one of whom works at home), was to be located in the Washington DC, USA. In addition to employing passive solar design strategies and optimizing building energy performance, our team’s specific architectural approach aimed to create a dwelling that is affordable and flexible. Modular and prefabricated components were chosen in order to decrease price and time of construction, making it suitable for a young family possibly of limited financial means. Furthermore the proposal created an opportunity for the structure to grow and dismantle over time according to the users needs. Our approach ultimately set out to create a humble and simplistic solution that would not only satisfy human comfort needs but also maximize on the potential for creating a functional and pleasant solar orientated home.
Teacher
This project was organized by the Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London with a brief based on the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Competition. The project required teams of four students, two with architectural backgrounds and two with engineering backgrounds, to work together to fulfill the aims of the brief.
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Design Concept:
Orientation and Placement Logic: 20m²
The concept for this building is one of pre-fabricated modular design. The separate functions within the domestic environment would fit into a framework allowing for change and flexibility, corresponding to the ever changing needs of a family as it develops over time. The brief required the building to have a 74m² footprint. The decision was made to keep the dwelling as a single story residence in order for it to be suitable for the disabled and elderly and to allow for changing patterns of use. A further advantage of creating a single story dwelling was lowering costs through a simplified construction process. The functions were spatially arranged to best facilitate the family’s lifestyle whilst also maximizing solar gains and employing passive design principles. In parallel, consideration was made of how the building could be built up over time, as a generic model for future housing developments. It was decided that the kitchen and bathroom would be grouped together with the circulation space to create a service core for the building. Each other functional element could then ‘plug in’ to this core. The core would be made out of heavier, thermally massive components whilst the plug in functions would encompass light weight construction elements.
6m²
Winter: 19°C Summer: 24°C
6m²
W: 18°C S: 26°C
6m²
W: 18°C S: 26°C
5m²
W 18°C S: 26°C
W 19°C S: 25°C
12m²
W 19°C S: 26°C
15m²
Winter: 19°C Summer: 24°C
Master Bedroom: Located at the back of the house for privacy with windows to the North for diffused light and a small Southerly aspect to obtain some solar heat gains
Home Office: Located to the North to take advantage of diffused Northern light and to be far from the kids’ bedroom for privacy Living/Dining: Located to the South to take advantage of light/solar heat gains and to be close to the kitchen Service Core: Kitchen, circulation and bathroom combine to create a thermally massive core, with the kitchen located to the south to maximize daylight
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | Passive Solar House | Washington, D.C., USA |
Kids’ Bedroom: Located to the South West to maximize on daylight throughout the day and in the evenings after the kids come home from school
Construction Phases:
Phase 1: The core, which houses the main services (kitchen and bathroom) with the addition of a bedroom component can be used as a starter home for a couple or a single person.
Phase 2: As the users needs evolve over time, a living room unit can be attached to the core.
Phase 3: Once the family starts growing, the parents can acquire an additional sleeping unit to house the children.
Phase 4: An additional ‘working’ station can be attached to the core, creating a space for a parent to possibly work from home.
Phase 5: Once all required function rooms have been attached to the core, the family can place micro-generation ‘add-ons’. Thus making the house more self-sufficient and saving energy for the users.
Phase 5: When the family no longer requires certain functions (for example when the children move out of the house), the ‘plug in’ units can be dismantled, sold off and reused by neighboring houses.
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Plans, Sections and Details: The details of how each module fits in with the next in the modular construction process became integral to the success of the design. The main challenge was to correctly detail the junctures between the various modules in order to minimize heat losses. In plan the faรงade modules were designed to slot into one another with the aid of inter connecting splines and slot around the steel box section columns. It was decided that insulation would be placed on the outer end of the panels forming a layer around the outside of the steel structure in order to create an air tight seal. Below: Plan view of a corner junction between two clay wall panels (thermal mass) and two lightweight timber panels. The insulation within the clay panels was staggered away from the junctures in order to decrease heat loss. steel box section
inter connecting spline Insulation staggered away from junction
| 2E | Passive Solar House | Washington, D.C., USA |
e
e
b
b
e
e
e
e
c
c
f
c
c
c
c
e
c
c
c
c
c
c
f c f a
f
f
c f
f
f
Initial Environmental Concept:
Revised Environmental Concept (from thermal simulations) :
71/72
Thermal Simulations:
Base Case: Internal and external temperature during competition week
The building’s energy performance was evaluated on a yearly basis, but also during a specific week (6th -12th of October 2013), called the Decathlon Competition Week. In contrast to the annual environmental targets set for each room, the temperature targets during the competition week, were defined by the project brief to be 22-24 °C for all the rooms. In both cases, the building was assumed to be on a free-running mode. The internal temperature was plotted against the external temperature during the competition week for the living room both for the base case and final design. Despite the fact that there was a significant fluctuation in the external temperature during the week, the internal temperature fell within the defined limits, 53% of the time for the base case and 93% of the time for the final design case, underlining the major improvements achieved in energy performance. Subsequently the thermostat was set in order to calculate the annual heating and cooling loads. As a final step the Parametric Energy Calculator, a simplified method of SAP calculations, was used to estimate the house’s carbon footprint with respect to various interventions regarding the building fabric, renewable energy sources and active systems for heating and cooling.
Final Case: Internal and external temperature during competition week
The Proposal’s Carbon Footprint
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | Passive Solar House | Washington, D.C., USA |
Design Synthesis:
Above: Exploded Axonometric drawing of the final proposal
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Typology:
Masters thesis in part fulfillment of the MSc Built Environment: Environmental Design and Engineering Degree
Software Used:
Autocad, Indesign, Microsoft Excel, UK Environmental Agency Carbon Calculator, Athena Impact Estimator, Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) Enviro-Impact Module
Undertaken by: Silvia Meehan
Description: A focused study of the thermal comfort conditions within the Bentham B01 Lecture Theatre (Bentham House, University College London) and a comparison between these and the conditions within 36 other UCL lecture theatres.
|1R|
An Investigation of the Barriers to Design for Deconstruction and Methods of Incentivizing its Practice | MSc Thesis | 2013 | University College London | England
Research Project Outline: A method that can be used to minimize waste and aid the retrieval of materials is called Design for Deconstruction. This method promotes the design of buildings that facilitate ease of disassembly at the end of their life cycle in order for the materials and components to be reused. The reuse of materials evades the embodied impacts generated by the manufacture of new materials. However currently there is still no real drive from the construction industry to shift its attention from recycling to reuse (Charlson, 2013). Thus the aim of this research was to investigate the existing barriers to DfD&R and to identify methods that can be used to incentivize its practice within the UK construction industry. It was discovered that the main barriers included a lack of industry consensus on what the focus of DfD&R efforts should be, the absence of unanimity about what KPI’s should be used to benchmark its performance, the necessity for a high demand for salvaged materials and the fact that there is no immediate financial reward for clients to invest in DfD&R as the gains only become available at the end of a building’s life. It was determined that ultimately legislation would carry the greatest pull within the construction sector to incentivize DfD&R. Subsequently, the proposed ‘Embodied Carbon Initiatives’ platform within the ‘Allowable Solutions’ option of the UK’s ‘Zero Carbon Policy’ was identified as a possible method of achieving the above. Two case study buildings were chosen through which the ability for DfD&R to meet the ‘Allowable Solutions’ criteria of measurability, flexibility, simplicity and transparency was evaluated. The first case study was Larch House, by Bere Architects. It was chosen as an example of a highly operationally efficient, low embodied energy building. The second case study was 42 Wolfe Crescent by Levitt Bernstein. Although this project was designed as a retrofit solution, it can be noted that the completed building is representative of many new build homes around the UK in terms of construction and materials. For the purposes of this analysis, a decision was made to consider this project as a new build design.
Above: Diagram describing Design for Deconstruction and Reuse Concept Below: The Evaluation Criteria for all proposed Allowable Solutions (Zero Carbon Hub and NHBC Foundation, 2013) Viability
Does the option represent a ‘cost effective’ investment from a carbon abatement perspective?
Measurability
How easy is it for the performance of this option to be measured?
Flexibility
Can this option be deployed in a variety of scenarios and at a variety of scales?
Simplicity
Is this option straightforward for home owners to understand and suppliers to deploy?
Transparency
Avoiding ‘double counting’- what level of support could (and should) this option access?
75/76
Case Studies: Description
Larch House
42 Wolfe Crescent
Location
Ebbw Vale, Wales
Greenwich, London, England
Date of completion
August 2010
September 2010
Architects
Bere Architects
Levitt Bernstein
Gross Internal Floor Area (m²)
87
108.4
Property Type
Detached
Semi - Detached
Building Sector
Public- Residential
Public- Residential
Number of Bedrooms
3
5
External Wall Construction
Welsh larch timber cladding, Cement and sand render, wood fiber board external phenolic insulation, solid brick insulation, DWD board, prefab. wall, gypsum plastering timber frame, glass mineral wool insulation between studs, OSB board, additional layer of flexible wood fiber insulation and plasterboard
Partitions
Plasterboard, OSB board, timber studs and Knauf frame therm insulation
Type 1: brick and gypsum plaster Type 2: plasterboard and timber studs
Ground Floor Construction
EPS insulation, GGBS Concrete, screed, linoleum
EPS insulation, concrete slab, timber floor boards
1st Floor Construction
Chipboard, Ecojoists, loose fill insulation, plasterboard
Timber floor boards, timber joists and plasterboard
Roof Construction
Redland Cambrian slate tiles, timber battens, Veltitech underlay, timber roof trusses, glass mineral wool insulation, vapour barrier
Clay tiles, timber rafters, vapor membrane, EPS insulation
Primary Energy Requirement (kWh/m²/yr)
82
84
CO2 Equivalent (kgCO2/m²/yr)
17
19.7
Fuel Use (kWh/yr)
Electricity - 1644 Natural gas - 2662
Electricity - 1845
Certification
Passivhaus Standard
Enterphit Standard
Photograph of Larch House, courtesy of Bere Architects
Photograph of Wolfe Crescent (http://retrofitforthefuture.org)
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The Barriers and Incentives to DfD&R | MSc Thesis |
Case Studies: Construction Drawings
Larch House ground floor plan
Larch House 1st floor plan
Larch House East-West section
42 Wolfe Crescent ground floor plan
42 Wolfe Crescent 1st floor plan
42 Wolfe Crescent East-West section
77/78
Measurability: Data Collection From a review of literature it was revealed that there are no universally recognized approaches to benchmark the performance of DfD&R. Nevertheless, it was discovered that the embodied impact savings from implementing DfD&R would be a suitable indicator. Accordingly, the lifecycle impacts of the case studies were calculated to demonstrate the extent of embodied impact savings that could be achieved. The calculations were undertaken using a formula identified within the literature review from a paper by Thomark (2001). From the equation it was possible to quantify the impact savings that could be achieved by implementing DfD&R in the case studies. Two different tools/software were compared in order to discover which could optimally be used for such calculations to accomplish the greatest ease of measurability in the UK context. The tools included the UK Environmental Agency Carbon Calculator (EA CC) and the IES Enviro-Impact module (IES EIM) which was just newly released. Both were assessed qualitatively for accessibility, ease of use, data range and results display. CO2 equivalent was used as an indicator for environmental impact and the case studies were assessed for both a 60-year and 30 year lifecycle period.
Life Cycle Analysis Boundaries: Energy Input
Materials Extraction
Emissions Output Materials Output
Energy Input
Transport
Emissions Output
Energy Input
Manufacture
Waste Output Emissions Output Product Output
Energy Input
Transport to Site
Emissions Output
Data obtained from the EA CC
Energy Input
Construction
Waste Output Emissions Output
Data obtained from the EA CC and the IES EIM
Energy Input
Operational Use
Emissions Output
Data obtained from the Case Studies’ Architects
Maintentance/Repair
Emissions Output
Data obtained from the IES EIM
Deconstruction/ Demolition
Emissions Output
Energy Input Materials Input Energy Input
Energy Input
Transport
Emissions Output
End of Life Fates
Re-Use Embodied Carbon Savings
Recycling Embodied Carbon Savings
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The Barriers and Incentives to DfD&R | MSc Thesis |
Landfill Waste Output Emissions Output
Information obtained from EA CC and IES EIM data sets
It was not possible to obtain data for this lifecycle stage thus this stage was not included Assumptions were made for travel distances and inputted into the EA CC to the test impact of transport Data obtained from IES EIM Embodied carbon savings from Re-Use calculated using Recycling Potential Formula
Formula: Describes the Recycling Potential (Rpot) that can be used to determine the
savings that can be achieved at the end of a building’s service life (Thomark, 2001)
i=1 where, n is the number of materials i is the material numbers Ipw is the environmental impact due to production of the material and waste treatment for which the recycled product will be a substitute. Lt is the remaining lifetime of the recycled material as a percentage of the predicted lifetime of the material or which the recycled material will be a substitute. Irec.proc is the environmental impact from all recycling processes, and transport.
Above: Screen shot of Larch House modelled in the IES EIM
Above: Screen shot of the EA CC spreadsheet tool
Above: Screen shot of 42 Wolfe Crescent modelled in the IES EIM
79/80
Results Analysis: As expected, the operational emissions comprised the greatest impact proportions. However, the total embodied impacts only comprised 9% within Larch House and 8% within Wolfe Crescent for a 60 year lifecycle. This was much lower than expected, especially in comparison to the graphs outlined by the ASBP and data from ICE that suggest that embodied impacts should constitute over half of the total impacts for highly operationally efficient buildings. These results challenge existing literature by questioning whether primary energy was taken into account in the studies. Nevertheless, since the two case studies were built to current ‘best case’ operational standards, then the embodied energy proportions of their lifecycles are the only remaining areas within which impact savings can still be achieved. Through the use of DfD&R savings can only be achieved within the production and disposal proportions of the lifecycle. These impacts correspond to around 6% of the total impacts for each case study respectively. Yet it can be seen that such proportions almost double when a shorter life cycle of 30 years is tested. Thus it can be said that greater savings can be achieved through DFD&R for buildings with shorter service lives.
Benchmarking LCA Results:
Operating Energy Consumption Embodied Energy Consumption
Above: Projected Lifetime CO2 emissions proportions of new European buildings before and after the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (ASBP, 2013) (No absolute figures were available)
Larch House 60 Year Lifecycle Impact Proportions
42 Wolfe Crescent 60 Year Lifecycle Impact Proportions
Larch House 30 Year Lifecycle Impact Proportions
42 Wolfe Crescent 30 Year Lifecycle Impact Proportions
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The Barriers and Incentives to DfD&R | MSc Thesis |
Recycling Potential Calculation Results for a 60 year lifecycle:
Σ Ipw (Ip+Iw) (kgCO2 eq./sq. m) Σ Ipw x LT (kgCO2 eq./sq. m) Transport Distance (km) Σ Irecproc (transport) (kgCO2 eq./sq. m) (Ipw x LT) -‐ Irecproc (kg CO2 eq./sq. m) (Ipw x LT) -‐ Irecproc (kg CO2 eq./sq. m/year) Lifecycle Impact (kgCO2 eq/ sq. m/ year) % saving Embodied Impact (kgCO2 eq/ sq. m/ year) % saving Operational Impact (kgCO2 eq/ sq. m/ year) % saving
Wolfe Crescent
Larch House
358.23
220.07
79.49
46.64
300
60
300
60
50.66
10.14
42.466
7.48
28.83
69.35
4.17
39.16
0.48
1.16
0.07
0.65
31.8 1.50%
21.35 3.60%
5.67 8.04%
3.04%
3.15 20.45%
26.13 1.80%
0.03%
2.22%
20.63%
18.2 4.44%
0.40%
3.60%
Since reusing materials means that no additional recycling or reprocessing is required, the value of Irecproc only represents the impacts from transportation. However, it was impossible to predict how far the materials would travel to a new site at the end of a building’s life. The most probable scenario would be that some would be transported locally and some nationally. However, in order to gain an understanding of the impact of transport distances on the savings that could be achieved, two simple assumptions were made: 1. If all the materials for reuse were transported nationally by road, this would correspond to a rough distance of 300km. 2. If all the materials for reuse were transported locally by road, then this would correspond to an approximate distance of 60km.
Through the use of Recycling Potential calculations, it was discovered that the distances that materials would travel from a deconstruction site to a new site were a determining factor in the amount of impact savings that could be achieved and that it would be recommendable for materials to be reused locally. However an issue that arose is that it is impossible to predict the transportation distances that the materials would travel at the end of a building’s life, thus it is impossible to accurately quantify the embodied savings that could be obtained through DfD&R at the end of life stages. A solution to quantifying and prescribing a minimum savings value that must be achieved if DfD&R was to be incentivized as an ‘Embodied Carbon Initiative’, would instead be to set a base line value for Ipw x LT. However, a further problem is that it would also be difficult to guarantee the actual materials quantities that would be reused at the end of a building’s life. It was also found that although savings of roughly 20% of the embodied impacts could be achieved for both case studies for a 60 year life cycle, this only corresponded to around 1.16kgCO2 eq/ sq.m/year for Wolfe Crescent and 0.65kgCO2 eq./sq.m/year for Larch House. Even if the case studies had a shorter life span of 30 years, these values would still only comprise under 10% of the Allowable Solutions offset target of 11kgCO2 eq./sq. m/ year (Zero Carbon Hub and NHBC Foundation, 2013). Yet, it could be suggested that it is more logical for the savings made through embodied carbon initiatives to be benchmarked against the total embodied carbon impacts of projects, rather than against operational impacts. From this point of view, it is clear that significant savings for both case studies could be achieved through DfD&R.
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1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | The Barriers and Incentives to DfD&R | MSc Thesis |
Under the transparency heading a method was determined to prevent the double counting of the impact savings achieved by DfD&R. From an analysis of the ‘Inventory of Carbon and Energy’ guide by BSRIA (2011) it was established that in order to incentivize the widespread use of DfD&R it would be necessary to award investment in design for deconstruction (enabling) and also the specification of reused materials in buildings. A method that could be used to achieve this is called the ’50:50 method’, where half of the impact savings would be attributed to enabling reuse/recycling at the end of life stages and the other half to specifying the use of recycled/reused materials in a new project (BSRIA, 2011). It was determined that this could used as an incentive for local authorities to invest in DfD&R especially in regards to social housing, as it would be possible for LA’s to obtain the full benefits both from enabling ease of deconstruction and specifying the reuse of materials from one project to another. Additionally, by considering buildings as repositories for materials, it would be possible for local authorities to retain a proportion of the capital invested in the construction of social housing. Under the simplicity and flexibility headings, a prescriptive design methodology was demonstrated that could be simply used by designers and engineers, understood by clients and flexibly deployed on a variety of projects. Previous calculations had assumed that all materials within the case studies would be reused. This would be an ideal scenario, however ultimately it would not be possible for all projects due to site, cost and time constraints etc. Thus, a method was demonstrated, that can be used to focus DfD&R efforts by selecting materials that have a high-embodied energy, for which a market exists to incentivize their end of life recovery and provide clients and investors with the ability to obtain a reasonable salvage value for materials at the end of life (USEPA, 2006). A graph of the embodied impacts from production and transportation was used to express how this could be achieved. Firstly, the embodied impact data obtained from the IES EIM was plotted with the impacts of each building element separated from the total. From this it was conveyed that in Wolfe Crescent the external walls, G.F. foundation and pitched roof have the highest embodied impacts and should be a point of focus. However, it was not clear which components/materials within these elements were the most important to design for deconstruction and reuse. Thus, the EA CC was used to plot the total embodied impacts from production and transportation per
material. From this it was determined that brick, in-situ concrete, clay tiles and windows comprised the highest impact proportions. Within the DfD&R design principles it is noted that mechanical fixings should be used and chemical bonding should be avoided. In the case of brick this was not fully possible. However, to aid ease of dismantling a design action that was recommended was to specify lime mortar instead of cement mortar. The lime mortar would create a weaker bond that would allow for the bricks to be recovered with minimal damage and maximum ease at the end of life stages (Allwood and Cullen, 2011). Furthermore, it was determined that both brick and clay tiles have a good salvage value and there is an already established market for them (Salvo Llp, 2007), thus their recovery would most likely also be financially viable. Resultantly, if these materials were designed for deconstruction and reuse, it would be possible to achieve both carbon savings and a reasonable salvage value at the end of life. It must be noted that a large discrepancy was discovered in the total ‘Carbon to Site’ values obtained from the IES EIM and EACC tools presented, with the values derived from the EACC being almost twice those of the EIM. However, it was not possible to gain a comprehensive understanding of the reasons for the differences in results, as the CO2 emissions multipliers per material could not be accessed within the EIM. This demonstrated the novelty of current lifecycle impact calculation tools for buildings within the UK, and the necessity for much further research to be undertaken in order to be able to easily obtain, compare and verify such data. Furthermore, since the data and functions required to complete the necessary calculations were not consolidated into a single tool or dataset, it was gauged that the undertaking of the necessary embodied impact and recycling potential calculations was neither simple nor straightforward. This was determined as a serious barrier to DfD&R being accepted as an ‘Allowable Solution’. From an analysis of all of the results it was determined that DfD&R only met two out of the four criteria outlined as necessary for it to become an Allowable Solution. Nonetheless, since a limitation of the research was that the sample size was very small and only included two case studies, a recommendation for further research would be to test the ability for DfD&R to become an ‘Allowable Solution’ on a larger and more varied sample size in terms of buildings of different scales and typologies.
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Typology:
Research project in part fulfillment of the MSc Built Environment: Environmental Design and Engineering Degree
No. of Floors | Height 1 | 3.5m
Gross Floor Area: 136sqm
Construction Materials:
Bentham House: Portland Stone
Software Used:
Autocad, Indesign, Microsoft Excel, TAS Ambiens 2D (CFD Modelling Software), HOBOware
Undertaken by: Silvia Meehan
Description: A focused study of the thermal comfort conditions within the Bentham B01 Lecture Theatre (Bentham House, University College London) and a comparison between these and the conditions within 36 other UCL lecture theatres.
|2R|
Environmental Conditions within Lecture Theatres: A Case Study from UCL | 2013 | University College London | England
Research Project Outline: The aim of this study was to attain an understanding of best practice in the provision of thermal comfort in lecture theatres in order to appraise the thermal performance of a case study University College London (UCL) lecture theatre, namely Bentham B01, against this and against other UCL lecture theatres. The Bentham B01 lecture theatre is located in the basement of the Faculty of Law building, Bentham House. The building was completed in 1958, however it was only procured by UCL in 1964 and thus the lecture theatre was retrofitted and not purpose built. ASHRAE defines thermal comfort as, “That condition of mind that expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment”. The ASHRAE standard addresses thermal comfort in a steady state, following Fanger’s model, outlining six primary factors which contribute to thermal comfort. These include air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air speed, humidity, metabolic rate and clothing level. The CIBSE guide recommends thermal comfort conditions specifically for lecture theatres based on these factors (see table below). Through a review of these thermal comfort standards along with the procedures used in other scientific studies, a comprehensive four step method was developed for the thermal comfort analysis of the case study. The first step consisted of a preliminary visual evaluation of the space. The second step included physical monitoring of thermal conditions within the case study and the implementation of an occupant survey. The third step encompassed the modelling of thermal conditions using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the final step assembled and analyzed all data collected through a statistical analysis and by benchmarking the findings against existing comfort standards and data from other lecture theatres.
Winter Operative Recommendations
Summer Operative Recommendations
Other Recommendations
Temp. (°C)
Activity (met)
Clothing (Clo)
Temp. (°C)
Activity (met)
Clothing (Clo)
Air Speed (m/s)
RH (%)
19 - 21
1.4
1
21 - 23
1.4
0.65
0.15 - 0.2
50 (however 30 - 70 is accepted)
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Data Collection: Monitoring A lecture was chosen using the purposive sampling method to assess the thermal comfort conditions within the case study space during close to peak occupancy. The lecture took place on the 15th of February 2013 from 2:10pm to 4:30pm. Conditions such as temperature and relative humidity were monitored using four HOBO data loggers, taking measurements at five minute intervals. Loggers were positioned strategically to ensure representative samples were obtained of the thermal environment. Sampling point one was situated to assess conditions in an area of low occupancy density. Sampling points two and three were positioned to assess the conditions in areas of high occupant density, whilst sampling point four was placed near a door to investigate whether it would cause a change in thermal conditions, such as draught.
Above: Photograph of HOBO data logger Sample Point 1- Front middle
Above: Plan of Bentham B01 lecture theatre
Sample Point 2- Middle Left
Position of occupants during lecture
Sample Point 3- Back Middle
Seating Tier 1 - 150mm rise in level
Sample Point 4- Front Right
Seating Tier 2 - A second 150mm rise in level
Below: Section of the case study lecture theatre (in basement)
The loggers were placed on top of desks to measure thermal conditions at the level of seated occupants.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | Environmental Conditions within Lecture Theatres | London, England |
Data Collection: Occupant Survey 600 x 600 mm roof tiles
A questionnaire was employed to survey the perceived thermal comfort of occupants within the space. It was performed during a break in the lecture between 3:00pm and 3:12pm. Out of 83 occupants, 49 responded, with 73% being male and 37% female.
600 x 600 assumed exhaust air grille 600 x 600 assumed supply air diffuser 600 x 1200mm prismatic light diffusers for fluorescent tubes speakers
Above: Ceiling plan of lecture theatre
Data Collection: Visual Evaluation
Below: Plan of the assumed positions of supply and extract vents
From visual inspection it was discovered that the lecture theatre is mechanically ventilated; supply diffusers and extract grilles are located within a suspended ceiling. A ceiling plan of the lecture theatre was drawn up and from this assumptions were made in distinguishing supply and extract vents, as it was not possible to obtain more detailed information about the ventilation system from the University’s building management department.
B12A PLANT B12A ROOM PLANT ROOM
Assumed Extract Vents Assumed Supply Vents
0m
5m
87/88
Data Collection: Modelling
Results Simulation 1:
Four simulations were carried out. The aims of the simulations were : 1. To test whether the assumed positions of supply and extract vents were correct. 2. To discover and accurately simulate the conditions within the lecture theatre at the time of the lecture. 3. To optimize the thermal performance of the lecture theatre. The desired conditions to be achieved were the winter operative conditions outlined by CIBSE.
Inlets x 2
Results Simulation 2: Outlets x1
Inlets x 2
Input temp 째C
Velocity RH m/s %
Velocity m/s
Input temp 째C
Velocity RH m/s %
Velocity m/s
19
0.15
0.3
19
0.15
0.3
30
Temperature
Temperature
Air Speed
Air Speed
Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied
PPD
Heat Gains calculated for a 8mx1m x 3.5m slice of the case study space (Values obtained from CIBSE Guide A) Gains
Sensible Heat
Latent Heat
People (12)
780 W
360W
Lighting (3 luminaires)
32 W
-
Equipment
16 W
-
Values inputted into CFD model of internal conditions at the beginning of the lecture (obtained from monitored and surveyed data) Start Temp (째C)
Start RH (%)
Metabolic Clothing Rate Value (Met) (Clo)
23
27
1
Outlets x1
1.2
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | Environmental Conditions within Lecture Theatres | London, England |
30
Results Simulation 3: Inlets x 2
Analysis: Modelling
Results Simulation 4: Outlets x1
Inlets x 4
Outlets x2
Input temp 째C
Velocity RH m/s %
Velocity m/s
Input temp 째C
Velocity RH m/s %
Velocity m/s
15
0.15
0.3
15
0.15
0.3
Temperature
30
Temperature
30
In simulation 1 it can be seen that the initial assumptions about the positions of inlet and outlet vents was incorrect as temperatures were found to be higher in the front middle than the back middle of the room, in the recorded results the reverse was true. In simulation 2 the inlet and outlet vertices were reversed and it was discovered that this matched the monitored temperature profiles better. Yet it can be seen that some overheating was still occurring due to the high occupancy of the theatre. In simulation 3 the input temperature was reduced and this improved conditions, however a large variation in temperature profiles existed due to poor air distribution.
Air Speed
Air Speed
PPD
PPD
In order to optimize thermal performance, the number of supply inlets were increased on the ceiling and low level outlets were positioned on side walls in simulation 4. The variation in temperature was thus decreased through improved air distribution.
89/90
Data Collection: Benchmarking case study results against 36 other UCL lecture theatres
Results: Benchmarking temperature and relative humidity
Monitoring and survey data from other UCL lecture theatres was obtained from separate studies conducted in parallel to this study. The same type of data loggers and identical surveys were used to assess the perceived thermal comfort of occupants. However the amount and positioning of loggers varied in each study as did the duration of each monitored lecture and the time of day that lectures took place.
Comparison f mean dry bulb temperatures recorded during m onitored lectures Comparison of meanodry bulb temperatures recorded during monitored lectures within within UCL lecture theaters UCL lecture theatres
Case Study
The error bars represent the 95% confidence interval for each lecture theater sample mean
26.0 24.0
Temperature (°C)
It was discovered that the temperature of the majority of lecture theatres was above the winter operative temperature range specified by CIBSE and that the mean temperature of the case study theatre was one of the highest of all. Around 46% of monitored theatres had a temperature in the winter that was higher than the recommended summer operative temperature. Furthermore, roughly 30% of monitored lecture theatres had a mean RH of below the minimum recommended RH of 30%, with the case study lecture theatre being among these. It was thus surprising to note that the mean thermal comfort vote of occupants was close to neutral for the majority of theatres, including the case study space, suggesting that most occupants were satisfied with the thermal conditions in UCL lecture theatres.
28.0
Temperature (Degrees Celsius)
Analysis: Benchmarking
30.0
22.0 20.0 18.0 16.0 14.0 12.0 10.0 8.0 6.0 4.0 2.0 0.0
Comparison of mean rela.ve humidity recorded during monitored lectures within UCL
Comparison of mean RH recorded during monitored lecture theaters lectures within UCL lecture theatres 100.0 90.0
Case Study
Rela1ve Humidity (%)
Relative Humidity (%)
80.0 70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S | 1I | 2I | Environmental Conditions within Lecture Theatres | London, England |
The error bars represent the 95% confidence interval for each lecture theater sample mean
Results: Benchmarking perceived thermal comfort from survey data
Overall Recommendations:
Comparison of the perceived comfort of students within lecture surveyed theatres lecture Comparison of percieved thermal comfortthermal of students within surveyed
1. Since in the case study only monitored conditions at sampling point one were fully within the comfort ranges specified by CIBSE, where there was a much lower occupancy density, it can be inferred that high occupancy heat loads were not carefully considered in the settings for the mechanical ventilation system. It is thus recommended that input air temperature should be lowered from 19°C to 15°C at peak occupancy (as discovered through CFD modelling), in order to prevent overheating. This could also allow for a higher RH, as less humidity would be taken out of the air if it was heated less.
Thermal comfort category
theaters in UCL
Hot
7.0
Warm
6.0
Slightly Warm
5.0
Neutral
4.0
Slightly Cool
3.0
Case Study
Cool
2.0
Cold
1.0
The error bars represent the 95% confidence interval for each lecture theater sample mean
0.0
Limitations of Study: 1. Since monitoring took place only for the duration of one lecture in the case study, it cannot be certain that the results would be the same if study was repeated. In order to verify the results, one would need to monitor the thermal conditions during several lectures on separate days and at different times. 2. Had more data loggers been available a more detailed account and analysis of the space could have taken place, especially in the centre of the room. 3. The accuracy of the study would be improved if it was possible to obtain data from a UCL facilities manager about the mechanical ventilations system. 4. It is uncertain whether the data obtained from the parallel studies of UCL lecture theatres is directly comparable as the size of spaces, their occupancy density, the placement of data loggers and the duration of monitoring all varied.
2. To improve the current distribution of air around the case study lecture theatre it is recommended that the ventilation system be upgraded to increase the amount of supply inlets in the ceiling with outlets positioned low on the front and back walls. This would allow for more air movement preventing the stagnation of warm air. 3. Similarly to the case study, it is recommended that input air temperatures should be reduced in the majority of UCL lecture theatres, since their mean temperatures were above CIBSE recommended ranges. Energy could be saved by using less heating and such measures could reduce the overall carbon footprint of UCL. 4. Since it was discovered that most occupants were satisfied with the thermal conditions provided in surveyed theatres it is unclear whether this would be true if temperatures were lowered. This shows that it is difficult to predict thermal comfort and that some flexibility must be applied when using recommended values from thermal comfort standards as these are clearly not absolute. 5. A recommendation for further research would be to examine how to balance a reduction in supply air temperature, in order to reduce energy consumption in UCL theatres, whilst providing satisfactory thermal comfort conditions.
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Typology: Skill 1: Construction drawing, detailing and rendering using Revit Architecture and Autocad 360. Skill 2: Model making in a variety of mediums Interest 1: Hand drawing and sketching Interest 2: Amateur photography
Undertaken by: Silvia Meehan
|S&I|
Skills and Interests | A Collection of Works | 2010 - 2014 |
S1. Revit Architecture: Construction Drawings & Renders of Commercial Units This is a selection of construction drawings of residential and commercial buildings that I undertook during a 5 month certified course in Revit Architecture.
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S1 Revit Architecture: Construction Drawings of Commercial Units
S1 Revit Architecture: Construction Drawings & Renders of a Detached House
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S2 Model Making: I have always enjoyed working with my hands and have discovered during my studies and practical experience that creating models can be one of the best methods of testing architectural concepts as well as communicating ideas to clients. During my studies I have been able to experiment by making models in a variety of different materials and methods, from card to timber and gypsum, by hand, casting, utilizing woodwork machines, laser cutters and 3D Printers. Here is a selection of my favourite models from over the years.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | S2 | 1I | 2I | Model Making |
Below: Model of a proposal for a mixed use building complex in Ragusa, Sicily including a hotel (right), public library (middle) and sports hall (left). The site was unusual as it was situated on the side of a cliff. Right: Model of a study of the Siza Baths in Porto, Portugal, designed by Alvaro Siza. Far Right: Model of a proposal for a skyscraper in Mexico City with a double skin facade. The outer skin was to be made out of a colourful patchwork of dye sensitized thin film solar panels.
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I1 Hand Drafting and Sketching: From a time long before I began my architectural studies I developed a keen interest in hand drawing and sketching. I had the privilege of developing this interest into a skill during my time at university and it is something that I undertake on a regular basis, especially when visiting works of architecture on my travels. Here is a selection of hand drafted and sketched drawings from previous design projects and analyses of existing buildings and places that I have undertaken.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | 2R | 1S | 2S| 1I | 2I | Hand Drafting and Sketching |
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I2 Photography: During the year I spent in London studying for my masters I immensely enjoyed taking walks around the city and being inspired by the cornucopia of historical and contemporary works of architecture at my doorstep. I swiftly began photographing and documenting my experiences. Here is a selection of my favourite observations from my explorations.
1A | 2A | 3A | 1E | 2E | 1R | S1 | S2 | I1 | I2 | Photography |
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THANK YOU For taking the time to view my portfolio, if you have an inetrest in my work or have any questions I would be delighted to hear from you via email, silvia.meehan@gmail.com