Select Environmental Design Works of
Sur yakiran JP University of Pennsylvania, Weitzman School of Design Master of Science in Environmental Building Design, Dec 2020
571 435 1115 | suryajp@upenn.edu
CONTENTS 01 DESIGN
02 RESEARCH
03 DAYLIGHT
04 SYSTEMS
05 ECOLOGY
06 GEOSPATIAL
Sanctuary of Datum...................3 Window and Sleep......................7 Arched Stories.............................10 Breathing Wall.............................13 Move-Stick-Change....................14 Truck vs Drone Emissions........15
Sanctuary of Datum BIO-CLIMATIC STUDIO
Spring 2020 Instructors: Dorit Aviv, Zherui Wang Author: Suryakiran, Abinayaa, Di Sung
The “clouds of information” behind endless scrolling in Instagram, streaming Netflix, and operating any institution or corporate data has a physical presence – hundreds of giant, mostly windowless, featureless boxes scattered across the globe, taking a growing toll on the warming planet. The 21st century digital era relies on enormous data centers which regrettably consume vast amounts of electricity, water and emit as much CO2 as the aviation industry. How can we ensure that the digital preeminence has minimal environmental impacts? Can local climates be used to our advantage to power these energy hogs? Phoenix experiences a hot and dry climate, meaning the range between dry bulb and dew point temperature is wide enough to incorporate evaporative cooling. Extensively investigated solar radiation and night flushing effects on our building geometry. From a modular cone-shaped geometry inspired by the case studies, by aggregating the modular geometries in various sizes and orientation, we minimize the solar heat gain on the building envelope. Further re-examination of surface exposure to clear sky led to the iterations for optimal night flushing potential, thanks to the earthen material property.
@40m
Spring
@20m
Summer
@10m
Fall
@3m
Winter
Bottom Opening
Side Opening
Evaporative cooling tower on high Surface Area/Radiation side
Evaporative cooling tower on less Surface Area/Radiation side - CFD Analysis -
Top Opening
Passive Strategy focused on shading
Passive Strategy focused on Evaporative Cooling
Singular Iterations - Solar Radiation Study -
- Night Cooling Potential -
Aggregated iterations
- Summer UTCI -
- Winter UTCI -
Sand Dunes Trees Cluster
Cactus Cluster
Winter Garden
Bio-Swale
Site evolution
Window and Sleep Quality ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDING DESIGN RESEARCH STUDIO
Fall 2020 Critic: Billie Faircloth Author: Suryakiran
Premise: The 2020 EBD Research Studio explores the demands on a window, and the total potential there-in for it to do and be more both environmentally and culturally. Studio teams make one proposal demonstrating the comprehensive rethinking of a window informed by a program of research, assessment, design, and prototyping. To develop a comprehensive understanding of a selected, real window in-situ. The studio then develops a framework, informed by Literature review, for conducting a post-occupancy evaluation (POE). The POE collects both quantitative and qualitative data. We amplify our understanding of this data by modeling and simulating the behavior of the window across a longer timescale. We also perform targeted analysis and simulation through selected study questions and performance criteria.
Research question: How does my window have an influence over my night-time sleep quality? Research areas: Ambient Light at Night & Environmental Noise Find detailed analysis here https://suryajp.myportfolio.com/msd-ebd
Window What it is?
What it does?
Relationships
1
Analyzing the urban environment
How can
and identifying the sources such
we identify
as street lamps and traffic signals
the cause
using ray tracing.
of night light pollution or illustrate the sources for ambient light at night?
2
Capturing human photoreceptoral
How
inputs from night-time lights using
can we
RGB imaging photometry.
monitor physiological effects of night light pollution in the urban environment?
3
Studying early morning daylight
Does early
levels at 2 points in the room.
morning light levels affect my daily rhythms of sleepwake cycle?
HOBO placed on window sill HOBO placed on bedside table
Recorded Data Analysis Early morning light levels (6.15am to 8:30am) was recorded with hobo placed on the bedside table. This is compared with the light levels recorded on the window sill for five consecutive days.
Measuring noise levels in the room
What are
when window is closed/ open and
the noise
identifying types of noise sources.
levels inside the room when the window is open/ closed?
Equipment : Phone microphone. Method: amr files are converted to wav file and imported into adobe audition to visualize the waveform and spectral frequency. Waveforms are visual representation of sound waves. Spectral display shows a waveform by its frequency components. Brighter colors represent greater amplitude components.
How does it vary across day and night?
2mins Db
Windows Closed 12noon Friday Decibel range 38 - 62db Average - 46db
Amplitude
Duration - 10mins
Waveform
Frequency
4
Spectral frequency Time Large vehicle stops at signal and accelerate
Series of cars passing by
Cars stop at signal and accelerate
Loud motor-vehicles
Arched Stories PART 1: SCIENCE CENTER DESIGN
December, 2017 Author: Suryakiran, Yamini Kumar The Science Center at Vijayapura project was proposed by Karnataka Science and Technology Promotion Society for science to reach out to young minds in sub-urban areas. The mission was to provide access to information and inspire the youngest generation to pursue an education in science-related fields.
PART 2: DAYLIGHTING STUDY
Fall 2019 Instructor: Jessica Zofchak Author: Suryakiran, Madonna Lighting plays an integral role in situating the function and aesthetics of a gallery. Especially, when the true beauty lies in the careful details of daylight in the spaces to illuminate the information. This project aims at doing so by meticulously identifying corners that could be over-lit, under-lit or even cause glare. Galleries usually require illuminance levels ranging between 300-500lux for optimum viewing. Over-lit spaces could cause visual discomfort and obstruction in viewing. Potential Glare in the spaces is identified by simulating Point in Time Illuminance using DIVA. The issues are addressed by introducing vertical louvers, decreasing U-Value for windows and adding opaque surfaces. These strategies could be further detailed along with architectural features to address the occupants visual comfort.
N
thematic galleries
E activity room
W
S auditorium 01.floor plates
max heat
02.brick walls
03.ventilation through open arches
04. exterior arcade
05. fenestrations
06. wind flow diagram through wind catchers
9am
12noon
3pm
Jan 01
Daylight Autonomy
May 01
Nov 01 Point in time Illuminance to check for over-lit spaces.
Daylight Factor
Glare Analysis
Daylight Autonomy
Gallery B South facing Facade
Gallery A East facing facade
Daylight Factor
Breathing Wall ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDING DESIGN RESEARCH SEMINAR
Fall 2019 Instructor: William Braham Author: Suryakiran Breathing walls are building envelopes that are designed to operate as air-permeable heat-exchanger rather than air-tight insulators. (Craig and Grinham 2017) “The incoming fresh air is tempered with low-grade heat while conduction losses are kept to a minimum.” This heat transfer mechanism is called ‘counter-flex’ or ‘contra-flux’ heat exchange. Currently, the technology is not adapted in the construction industry but rests in the mind of curious researchers which is yet to make an impact. (Moe 2014) Craig postulates that the operational energy can be minimized if “energy cost of pulling air through the porous material be modest, conduction energy used to preheat incoming fresh air be recovered downstream before it escapes through the exhaust and a high ratio of surface area to volume.” This typology of building envelope proposes a potential to advance the interaction between the building and the built environment, rather than amplifying the state of isolation. Utilizing Odum’s diagramming principles, the thermodynamics of an insulated wall is compared to that of a breathing wall.
Truck vs Drone Emissions GEO SPATIAL DATA SCIENCE IN PYTHON
Fall 2020 Instructor: Nick Hand Author: Suryakiran, Atharva The project is drawn from a research paper published by author, Anne et al. at the University of Washington, titled– “Delivery by drone: An evaluation of unmanned aerial vehicle technology in reducing CO2 emissions in the delivery service industry”. The paper studies CO2 emissions caused by mid-size delivery trucks for deliveries between warehouses and households, contrasts the findings with average energy required (translated to emissions) if replaced with drone deliveries. The study draws out scenarios based on proximity to deliveries within incremental radius from one point. Our final project seeks to conduct a similar analysis on two sites, Manhattan NYC was chosen as a dense urban condition and Yonker’s county was chosen for studying a suburban condition. The project seeks to establish connections, correlations and premise for further research. Although, there are various limitations to the scope of this study, we have tried to match the spatial scenarios to realistic conditions. We also did not get access to a dataset which provided actual delivery information on number of deliveries made or distances traveled by UPS trucks. Hence the analysis is limited by many assumptions. Find detailed study HERE!
Move-Stick-Change URBAN ECOLOGY LEAD CONTAMINATION OF SOIL DUE TO ANTHROPOGENIC ACTIVITIES Fall 2019 Instructor: Stephanie Carlisle Author: Suryakiran, Mrinalini