Sustainable Architecture in Underdeveloped Countries

S-Archetype is a true believer of sustainable building practices and green architecture, when it comes to our future we see no other way, so it was a pleasure reading this short article on the IMX Green blog, on how under development countries can actually be the ones to make a huge difference on this planet.There are great news in the horizon, we all know we can weatherize our homes and make them more energy efficient. But what is built in outdated CBS blocks is already built, what matters most is the “Shift” from the Middle Ages to the buildings technologies we know and which are already being widely used today.Sustainable architecture is definitely the present and the only future for most Governments of Underdeveloped Countries in Africa and elsewhere. They are in desperate need of low income housing for the poorest people, and have a giant opportunity to build all their new green houses from here on! That is a huge opportunity to make sustainable architecture and green homes a standard.
It is also a great opportunity for them to reduce their energy consumption right off the bat and save 50% to 100% in those green homes energy consumption. Lets hope many other Countries and Continents will follow that lead for a greener future, building net zero houses and homes worldwide.

Unique All Steel Prefab

Innovative architectural design and sustainable architecture can have a powerful impact in the world regardless of size and all initiatives that embrace energy efficient practices needs to be at least be acknowledged, that is why I was pleasantly surprised to read an article by Susan Kraemer, on www.greenbuildingelements.com regarding a unique Steel Prefab Residence, in the middle of the Desert.

Steel is just about the most recyclable building material on earth. You could be well reading this in an office building built with steel originally smelted from iron in Julius Caesars day.

So it makes good green sense to build eco prefab houses with steel…

Steel does not spread fire. Building with steel allows for a lighter load, so it does not require a huge concrete foundation. Making concrete is one of the most carbon intensive building industries there are, producing the heaviest carbon footprint.

And steel framing makes for construction simplicity: these homes are able to be erected by hand and do not require welding, special torque tools or specialized inspections. This allows an entire house to be framed and enclosed in less than five days.

To grade a traditional home pad would have irreparably damaged this beautiful site, instead the house stands above the terrain on legs, which is becoming an increasingly common new eco building vernacular because this allows local wildlife to continue to move freely underneath the house without disturbing the human interlopers in their land. And vice versa.

This part prefab system offers 500 square foot modules that can be combined in any combination to create houses of any horizontal configuration and up to three stories tall. At the center is a factory built “core,” where the bathroom, hot water tank, air handler, washer/dryer and electrical subpanel are all located.

This Blue Sky House is sited 4,000 feet above sea level amid massive weathered boulders and ancient piñon and juniper trees.

Chinatrust Bank Eco Headquarters Breaks Ground

Talking about eco architecture and green design, we recently stumbled upon a great sustainable architecture initiative for Taiwan’s Chinatrust Bank, that has often been referred to as the “Best Bank in Taiwan.”

Designed by NBBJ, a Los Angeles architectural firm along with local Fei & Cheng Associates, the high-profile project, 2.5-million-square-foot headquarters, has broken ground in Taiwan and is estimated to reach completion in 2012.

The Chinatrust Bank development will consist of a 30-story headquarters building, a 21-story commercial office building, a 10-story hotel, and a four-level retail center.

The tower has a series of vertical atriums carved into it creating “centers” or vertical courtyards, like the traditional Chinese house and the building is designed to take advantage of natural site and climate features to optimize the passive heating/cooling design opportunities.

The podium is covered in lush roof gardens, reducing rainwater runoff and urban-heat-island effect. The facades of the office towers will feature the latest in intelligent curtain wall design, optimized for maximum natural daylight through narrow floor plates, with floor-to-ceiling glass and automatic sensors.

All of the above features will dramatically reduce the energy consumption of the overall complex.

Thought this effort Chinatrust is benchmarking with the Taiwanese equivalent of a LEED-NC Gold rating.

Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Illinois

The new synagogue for the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, is the Greenest Synagogue in Illinois and probably in America as well.

From reusing materials from the previous structure, to milling the trees that were displaced during construction into the front doors of the building, the atmosphere of this facility is warm all year long and embraces sustainable design in various ways. Strategically placed environmentally friendly windows allow for day lighting to fill the 32,000 sq. ft. interior with bright, natural, warm sunlight, without all excess heat and glare.

Concrete, brick, and limestone from other local demolition sites were crushed on-site and placed into wire cages to create gabion rubble walls that enclose the edges of gardens and children’s playgrounds. The concrete and brick from the original site was ground and used as engineering fill for the foundation of the new building.
The building also plays host to a storm water detention garden, which lowers the amount of water that filters into the storm sewer from the property by 30%.
On the inside of the building, low flow toilets and energy efficient sinks and appliances compliment the aforementioned garden, bringing the total water savings to about 41% of a comparable structure’s use.
Reclaimed Cypress slats line the walls and many ceilings. These slats serve a multitude of purposes. The slats provide a warm look and great acoustics barrier. Reclaimed dark walnut from fallen or diseased trees from the Chicago Park District was milled for the steps and surface of the raised podium in the sanctuary.
Flooring throughout the building is no more than exposed concrete that has been polished, saving the money and resources required for a new floor. Even the woodwork and cabinets throughout the building are made of pressed sunflower seeds.

Great River Energy Corporate Headquarters, Minnesota

Great River Energy’s new corporate headquarters in Maple Grove, Minneapolis, is a four-storey, 166,000 sq ft building, designed by architects Perkins + Will, located on a 12.5 acre site in Maple Grove’s Arbor Lakes development.Lets see what makes Great River Energy’s new corporate headquarters one of AIA’s Top Green Projects for 2009, as seen in ArchitectureNews:

The building features a number of the latest advancements in energy efficiency technology that help set the new standard for building design and construction. Features include a low-energy HVAC system design featuring under-floor displacement ventilation and a geothermal heating and cooling system that utilizes the adjacent Arbor Lake.

The building also has an on-site 200kW wind turbine that transforms wind energy into electricity and stands at 160 ft tall. Solar panels will provide nearly 15 percent of the building’s total electric use and the building will use 40 percent less energy for lighting than similarly sized buildings using standard technology.

Great River Energy’s new corporate campus adheres to stringent environmental standards and will serve as a model of sustainable practices. It will be used as a tool to educate member cooperatives, contractors, business leaders and other members of the building industry about ways they can conserve energy and practice sustainability.

Gish Apartments, San Jose, California

Designed by OJK Architecture and Planning, Gish Apartments, in downtown San Jose is a 35-unit transit-oriented family apartment complex that provides quality affordable housing for households earning 35%–50% of the area median income.
A groundbreaking development both for its architectural design and in its use of renewable energy technologies, this mixed-use building is a model for the State of California's Multifamily Housing Program for mainstreaming special needs populations – over a third of the apartments are set aside for residents with developmental disabilities.
So let find out what makes Gish Apartments one of the Top Green Projects for 2009:

- Photovoltaic electricity generation for common area use
- High performance insulation in 2x6 exterior walls
- Fluorescent light fixtures
- Low-flow water fixtures
- Linoleum and recycled content carpet
- No VOC/no formaldehyde cabinets
- Low emitting paints, adhesives, sealants
- Non-formaldehyde batt insulation
- Recycled content interior trim and baseboard
- Recycled content metal siding
- Energy-efficient, fiberglass windows
- Engineered structural lumber
- Energy-Star appliances
- Sustainable harvest teak site benches and lobby furniture
- Reflective roof to reduce urban heat island effect
- Transit-oriented location adjacent to bus and light rail

Chartwell, Seaside, California

With a goal of achieving net-zero electrical usage (grid neutral), Chartwell is the 1st LEED platinum K-12 campus and a role model for the State of California´s ambitious initiative to mandate grid neutral schools by 2010.

Founded in 1983 to advance the education of dyslexic children, Chartwell had limited resources when, 20 years later, the need for the creation of a living laboratory that would illuminate how buildings are assembled and make the most of the schools, was born.

Gladly that wasn’t an issue for EHDD architects who worked on Chartwell’s campus and managed to include the best-known practices for energy efficiency and created an optimal learning environment.

So, lets see what makes Chartwell one of the Top Green Projects for 2009:

- Daylighting/lighting controls – incorporates natural light to save electricity, reduce HVAC equipment, and contribute to an enhanced learning environment.- 32kW photovoltaic system – generates onsite electricity that cuts electric bills by more than half, and avoids 54,000 lbs of C02 annually.

- Water saving features – reduces campus water use by 60% by using waterless urinals, dual flush toilets, and an 8,700 gallon rainwater cistern.- Sustainable framing design – Twenty-four inch (rather than 16”) framing reduced wood use by 30%, and the majority of the wood purchased was certified for sustainability by the Forest Stewardship Council.

- Construction waste diversion – Eighty-two percent of construction waste was diverted from landfills and recycled.- Waste reutilization – inclusion of slag (iron-ore byproduct) improved concrete quality while reducing C02 emissions.- Improved indoor air quality - selection of paints, finishes, and furnishings with no VOC content reduced likelihood of irritating or toxic fumes that can trigger allergies or other negative health effects. Indoor CO2 monitors adjust ventilation rates.