Amazing Architecture for November 10, 2009

There has been quite a crop of wonderful posts across the web related to interesting and amazing buildings and architecture this week. Everything from an apartment building that floats to what happens to your house as the result of a nuclear bomb!

I would like to start with a personal preference a post on Spotcoolstuff.com (http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/shopping/worlds-best-bookstores) which is all about the world’s coolest looking bookstores.

Next we go from one religion (books certainly count!) to another where we have some amazing churches in a post on Neatorama.com (http://www.neatorama.com/2007/05/07/10-divinely-designed-churches/)

St. Basil’s Cathedral at night (Image Credit: rwike77 [Flickr])

Now from a new site to me, Boredpanda.com( http://www.boredpanda.com/top-33-worlds-strangest-buildings/) we have a collection of some oldies but goodies as far as weird and wonderful buildings go as well as a few new ones.  I especially like the Lotus Temple in Delphi India!

We also have a concept project potentially to be built in the Netherlands that is a floating apartment building.  The information comes from Designboom.com (http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/7316/waterstudio-nl-the-citadel-water-apartment-complex.html) and the concept looks pretty neat.  I can imagine a usefulness in a country that is below sea level where floating buildings might someday be very necessary!

Lastly tonight we have from a favorite site of mine, Weburbanist (http://weburbanist.com/2009/11/08/blown-to-smithereens-the-secret-story-of-survival-town/) we have the story of Survival town or what happens to your building in the face of a nuclear attack!  A single picture can’t do the sight justice so I really encourage you to click the link above and go through the entire post.

As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com

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Building Technology Update for Oct. 18, 2009

It has been a busy week for Building Technology. Commercial buildings consume a disproportionate amount of electricity and other resources so anything we as building owners or managers can make great strides toward reducing our carbon footprint and our overall impact on both our local environment as well as the planet as a whole.

First up we have a new “green” concrete product call “Megacrete” that uses come of the waste by-products of petroleum and water treatment plants in conjunction with a concrete product made from flyash also a byproduct of coal fired power plants.  The story is here on Ecofriend (http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-tech-mad-scientist-proposes-megacrete-for-greener-buildings-of-tomorrow/) and it seems like this should be a slam dunk for adoption.

Next on Environmental Leader (http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/16/intelligent-lighting-controls-deliver-roi-in-3-years/) is an interesting story about the return on investment (ROI) for technology that has been around for some time, building automation systems specifically about interior lighting control.  The story maintains that the ROI is about 3 years, pretty much the gold standard on that type of analysis.  I personally am confident to present for approval this sort of project if the time frame is 3 years or less.

Also on Environmental Leader (http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/15/roof-tiles-would-save-energy-by-turning-color/) is a neat report on roof tiles that are color changeable in response to outside temperature.  Great idea, my building has a mood ring fro a roof!  Seriously I think that this is a great idea and very practical if they can make the next step where it is a spray on coating.

On Sustainable Business they are asking, “Why not green walls as well as green roofs?” (http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/19050). I am not sure that this is a great idea as it sounds very resource intensive to take care of from a building management and maintenance perspective. The original article on MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33294221/ns/us_news-environment/) shows a great picture of the installation and it would give me nightmares if I was the manager of the building and had to take care of it.  Can you imagine doing a request for proposal where a part of the description is that the garden to be taken care of is on a vertical surface 75 feet in the air?  I can hear the laughter now.  I also predict that these will be gone in a year due to the high cost of maintenance.

Lastly tonight I am including the story about James Dyson’s latest neat trick.  The story on Treehugger (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/10/dyson-air-multiplier-bladeless-cooling-machine-fan.php?dcitc=th_rss_design) has great pictures.  He has come up with what he call an air multiplier, or what looks to me like a blade less fan.  I can think of a great many applications for this, preschools anyone?  My wife was a teacher of young children for quite a while and I can remember the near misses stories even now.  I can see schools and teachers lining up for these.  Also you could place it in font of a window and still be able to see out with little blocking the view.

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Can going Green make our Buildings Sick?

This is a very serious potential situation.  We have had several episodes of “sick building syndrome” and if we aren’t careful the trend in building tighter, more efficient buildings may get us there again.

Let’s start with an excellent article on bnet (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3811/is_199904/ai_n8834877/) that goes into the history of sick buildings.  It has aa great definition of sick building syndrome from the World Health Organization:

Excerpt: “The classification is made based on the symptoms involved, the number of people having such symptoms, and the duration of the symptoms.5 The World Health Organization has classified the following complaints, or symptoms, under the category of sick building syndrome: (1) mucus membrane irritation – eyes, nose and throat; (2) toxic symptoms – headache, fatigue and irritability; (3) asthma and asthma-like symptoms – chest tightness and wheezing; (4) skin dryness; and (5) gastrointestinal complaints.6 The classification requires that more than twenty percent of the building occupants complain of such problems and that symptoms abate soon after the occupants leave the building.“

The point that the article makes very elegantly is that we have tightened up the building envelope to create greater overall efficiency in regards to the heating and cooling of the spaces, but have neglected the additional sometime complex mechanical ventilation required to make these space livable and even viable long term. As a consultant I have seen many buildings with mold or other problems that can be directly attributed to poor air exchange.

As the article on Green Building Law Update(http://www.greenbuildinglawupdate.com/2009/09/articles/legal-developments/can-green-buildings-cause-sick-building-syndrome/) we seem to be heading down this road again. Only this time it may be from a slightly different cause, that of the off-gassing chemicals found in some building materials, especially formaldehyde. The above article is asking the question and I believe that the answer is probably yes, unfortunately.

This presents real problems, liabilities and dangers for building owners and those who live and work in them.  One site MedicineNet.com (http://www.medicinenet.com/sick_building_syndrome/article.htm) has an extensive page on multiple chemical sensitivity where you develop allergies and other medical problems from a sick building. I am sure you can all imagine the nightmare of worker comp claims, law suits and just the lost productivity in your business.

Certainly there are solutions to this problem, but they will all probably involve increased costs, longer return on investment scenarios because in order to do these more efficient, green buildings right requires experienced architects and engineers. It isn’t just the handyman with the caulk gun this time.

As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com

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Building Technology Update for August 16, 2009

Tonight we have a crop of new and potential products for your building to make it more efficient and more environmentally friendly.

Our first story is vis the Treehugger.com site (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/kirei-board-radical-material-big-impact.php?dcitc=th_rss_design).  This product is from a Japanese company by the name of Kirei.  This board is a wonderfully designed product that makes use of otherwise discarded material and that also provides additional income to the farmers of sorghum.

Excerpt: “Sorghum stalks used in the manufacture of Kirei Board are a rapidly renewable resource left after the edible portion of the plant is harvested. They are currently using the plant in the United States to create syrup. The potential to also use Sweet Sorghum as a viable biofuel has been a big topic in the news. In a Reuters interview with Mark Winslow, an agriculture expert at the International Crops Research Institute:

“The plant has the potential to produce a ’smart’ biofuel that won’t cut into world food supplies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture studies show corn-based ethanol produces one and a half times as much fuel as the energy used to make it. Sweet sorghum on the other hand, produces 8 units of fuel for every 1 unit of fuel used to make it in developing countries. Even in the United States, where mechanized production uses more fuel, sweet sorghum ethanol should still have 4 times the energy yield of corn-based ethanol.”"

Next we have a kitchen designed and manufactured out of what I think of kitchen waste, anyway at least yogurt pots and discarded coffee cups!  The story is on Ecofriend (http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-homes-milestone-shows-uk-s-first-kitchen-made-from-yogurt-pots-and-coffee-cups/) and really represents what is possible if a little forethought and planning are employed into the design of where we live and work.

Our remaining items are very water centric, something that is increasingly on the mind of folks where I live in Southern California!

First we have Surestop and device that brings to your water supply what those systems said to allow you to turn off all of your unnecessary electrical items as you leave. The story on Cleantechnica  (http://cleantechnica.com/2009/07/23/surestop-device-could-give-major-boost-to-water-conservation/) speaks glowingly about the device.  However I see it as a somewhat limited device as it seems to primarily to target the control of leaking appliances and faucets and potential damage prevention due to burst pipes.  Its convenience is wonderful and if I owned a summer cabin in the mountains I would buy one immediately as it would solve that situation excellently.

Next we have a German product called Envii that purports to allow you to turn off the water on your urinals!  This will be truly a boon if it works.  The product is in the traditional cake shape, although green in color familiar to men world wide.  The differnce however is that this cake is made of urine eating bacteria. The full story is on Greenbang (http://www.greenbang.com/a-tablet-to-make-urinals-turn-green-with-envii_10649.html).

Lastly we have another entry in the efficient shower category. This system, called Smart Shower seems to try and be all things to all people at once. Its main selling point from my perspective is the heat exchanger and internalized water heating system.  My experience with these heat on demand systems is less than wonderful. The heat exchanger is a nice though and certainly makes the choice of an electric heater more efficient.  The other features mentioned including the built in basin for washing a baby are simply too much in my opinion but you should read the story and watch the video and judge for yourself. The story is on Ecofriend (http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-gadgets-smart-shower-saves-water-and-harnesses-waste-heat/).

As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com

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Sad State of Housing for July 31,2009

Today I am unsure whether to be sad or mad with the state of housing in this country.  We have a city in the United States that is celebrating tearing down low income housing! I guess this is just another case of short sited city leadership.

The story is on MSNBC.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32176690/ns/us_news-life/) speaks specifically to large low income housing projects. I agree that these sites have often been a crime ridden mess, however tearing down any low income housing without a concerted and coherent plan for replacing it with smaller more manageable sites is nothing short of criminal.

In another article on Treehugger.com (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/enough-empty-houses.php?dcitc=th_rss_design) we come up with an interesting statistic that we in the US have enough empty houses to hold the entire population of Britain! That’s 18.7 million houses.  Why do we have a homeless population problem in this country?  To get serious I am sure that there is certainly a mismatch in the population of homeless versus the location of a large part of the homes. Also I am sure that a significant portion of them are currently not up to any kind of habitable standard.

That being said I certainly wonder why the resource hasn’t even been seriously talked about as part of the overall solution. I wonder if there is a template for Google Earth that could be put together to graphically represent the inventory…hmmm?  Maybe then an enterprising person or three might start trying to match the resource to the problem.

As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com

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Huge Earthquake Test Validates Performance Based Seismic Design

As someone who lives on a very active part of the Pacific Ring of Fire ( Southern California) the advances that are occurring in design to withstand this potential disaster are extremely exciting!

Yesterday in Japan some scientists tested this design process by subjecting a 6 story condominium structure to a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and the structure survived with little damage!  The piece on NPR’s All Things Considered is here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106611639.

Here is a video about the lab in Japan where the test took place.  While not the video of the actual event it is very well done and present the topic with great clarity. Courtesy of National Geographic (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/09/080922-quake-video-ap.html)

The field has advanced to the point where annual conferences are being organized and learned papers being presented like at this recent conference (http://www.ctbuh.org/EventsReferencePage/090430_ASCEStructures/tabid/680/Default.aspx).

It is looking like the old rule about earthquake building code where it is only there to make the building stand up long enough for you to get out before it falls down a thing of the past.

As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com

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Green Cooling Stratagies for July 5, 2009

It has started getting up there in temperature, at least in Southern California and it has got me wondering what improvements there might be on the cooling front.

In my searches I found several things for architectural solutions to technology.  It seems I am not alone in wondering how to keep cool and do it in a sustainable and less expensive way.  Here is one architect’s working vision via Green Building Elements (http://greenbuildingelements.com/2009/06/21/california-architect-thinks-about-white-roofs/).  It is a beautiful house and I like many of the thoughts, I just wish I could afford it.

Next we have another architect’s vision and it looks into our future and is trying to come up sith methods to deal with a generally hotter climate that we may all be facing.  The story is via Green Building Elements again (http://greenbuildingelements.com/2009/06/25/a-roof-designed-for-our-hotter-future/) and it is certainly the most practical vision I have seen.  By simply building and additional roof structure over even an existing house you could attain significant benefits!  If you considered all of the ideas and built a complete structure from scratch the end result is even better. It is ideas like this that give me hope that technology may still be the answer to the global warming crisis.

On the technology front we have two different takes on air conditioning. The first is what is actually asmall chiller type unit called the Ice Bear (http://www.impactlab.com/2009/05/22/ice-bear-can-reduce-air-conditioning-energy-demand-by-95/).  This is an add on system that simply allows you to store cooling using off peak electricity by creating a large block of ice that is then used to chill the refrigerant in your conventional system instead of the compressor. A good idea overall as this is simply scaling exisitng technology and it can easily be retrofitted on many types of systems.

Lastly we go for one that is somewhat more of an evolution from SolCool (http://www.solcool.net/solcool.htm). The Millennial 1.5 Ton unit has the capability to be wired to standard US, EU power or to direct power that might be supplied by a solar array! There is also a version that is portable with onboard batteries that can be run up to 12 hours between charges.  Forget about remote, that option will allow you to run it overnight while the sun is down!

As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com

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Amazing Architecture for May 20, 2009

Tonight I have a wonderful collection of interesting buildings and building projects for your entertainment.

First we have a story via Inhabitat (http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/20/taiwan%E2%80%99s-solar-stadium-100-powered-by-the-sun/) of what is possibly the largest stadium at least if not building to generate 100% of its energy needs from solar power. Pretty amazing!  The stadium is being constructed for the 2009 World Games in Taiwan.

Next we have a building that is interesting as well as educational. The story comes via Oh Gizmo (http://www.ohgizmo.com/2009/05/20/technorama-science-center-facade-educates-about-wind-currents-and-turbulence/) and is about a museum that is an education in and of itself.

Excerpt: “I love me a good science center, but I particularly like it when the actual building manages to educate as much as the exhibits inside do. Case in point, the The Swiss Technorama Science CenterNed Kahn to design a unique facade for the building which consisted of thousands of small aluminum panels that move with the air currents revealing the patterns of turbulence in the winds. Obviously the still shots don’t do it justice, so if you have a few minutes I highly recommend checking out the video below to see it in action, it’s quite hypnotic. in Winterthur, Switzerland. Way back in 2002 they hired “

In Toronto Canada I applaud the next story coming again via Inhabitat (http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/19/torontos-ambitious-tower-renewal-project/) where the city is going to reuse and upgrade existing high rise apartment buildings rather than tear down and build new.  It is not only a far greener option and plan, but it is also far cheaper!  Good Job!

Excerpt: “Much like every big city, Toronto has an aging array of Post WW-II high rise apartment buildings. When they were built in the 1960’s they were considered the height of modernity and dense urban design, but now as they are close to reaching the end of their intended lifespan, they are hugely inefficient and lack the qualities that make a sustainable, viable, urban community. There are no markets or grocery stores, inadequate public transportation, and little retail or local jobs. Rather than tear the towers down to start anew, the Mayor and City of Toronto want to use this vast resource of buildings and revitalize the city to become a more sustainable, walkable, greener community.“

Lastly we have via Dezeen (http://www.dezeen.com/2009/05/21/creative-units-at-aberystwyth-arts-centre-by-thomas-heatherwick/#more-31136) a very innovative solution for creating eight low cost structures for an arts campus in England.  It is amazing to think about the walls of the structure being sheathed in stainless steel cooking foil!

Excerpt: “The
 design
 is
 both
 striking
 and
 considerate
 to
 its
 setting.
 
 The
 simple
 timber‐frame
 buildings
 are
 clad
 with
 a
 bespoke
 crinkled
 stainless
 steel
 system
 that
 creates
 a
 shimmering
 futuristic
 appearance,
 reflecting
 the
 greenery
 of
 their
 site.
 
 Unusually,
 their
 construction
 as
 well
 as
 their
 design
 was
 led
 by
 Heatherwick
 Studio
 whose
 specialist
 team
 worked
 on
 site
 with
 local
 sub‐contractors
 to
 deliver
 the
 project.
 
 The
 special
 cladding
 system
 was
 fabricated
 on
 site
 using
 a
 contraption
 akin
 to
 a
 Victorian
 mangle
 that
 deformed
 the
 steel
 into
 its
 irregular
 form.
 The
 studios
 sit
 within
 woodland,
 and
 over
 time 
will 
blend
 further 
into 
the 
maturing 
landscape
 around 
them.“

As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com

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New Building Materials for April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day everyone!  I have several new building materials for discussion tonight from recycled glass to some created by fungus!

We will start off with the most mundane of the group, an innovative 2 way swinging door setup featured on Toxel.com (http://www.toxel.com/tech/2009/04/18/innovative-two-way-doors-by-venetian-celegon/). The ERGON door design allows the door to be opened in either direction of travel with a simple push as well as only requiring 50% of the usual door swing area.

Next we have an article perfect for this Earth Day, X-Board.  This product made from recycled paper waste is designed to take the place of traditional plywood or MDF in furniture.  The story on Treehugger (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/04/recycled-rigid-board-material-furniture-product-design-architecture-x-board.php) covers the product very well and I recommend it as a good green alternative.

Also we have a story via Ecofriend (http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-tech-filterpave-recycled-glass-pavement-captures-rainwater/) where a company called Presto Geosystems has come up with a way to make a paving material using recycled glass that is porous enough to pass water to a collection medium below and also filter it to some extent.

Excerpt: “The glass used in the pavement undergoes a special process that rounds the edges and cuts the particles into specific sizes and shapes. This aggregate glass loses its brittleness and is claimed to be even harder than stone. The final product is strong, safe for use around plants and animals and is 38% porous, which allows it to not only collect runoff water but also filter it before it is finally stored in an underground system.“

Lastly tonight we have a material that can be used as insulation or as packing material that is created by a fungus. The story on Ecogeek (http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2684/) goes on to explain that the fungus grown on various types of agricultural waste that renders the waste into a gooey substance that can then be molded for use.

Excerpt: “Ecovative currently makes two products: “Greensulate” (for insulation) and “Acorn” (for packaging). The insulation seems somewhat unimpressive. The insulating capacity of a piece of insulation is measured by its R-value. Greensulate has an R-value of 3, as opposed to materials such as polyurethane and polystyrene – which are bad for the environment, but have R-values of around 6 or 7.“

My concern for this product is the fairly low R-value which significantly changes the life cycle cost versus benefit scenario.

As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com

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Bike Friendlier Cities – a greener commute?

My own home town, Long Beach California has mad a commitment to become friendlier and certainly more accessible to folks who would like to use their bikes to get around.

While our fair city is far from perfect yet and we still have a long way to go, let’s look at some of the steps already taken in this admirable quest.  First they have a plan and even better it is on public display on a pretty good website (http://bikelongbeach.org/).

The plan includes new bike lanes targeted for specific areas and uses, like schools, the installation of over 400 new bike racks so far, with more coming and a bike sharing plan for city employees to use a pool of bikes to move about the city to meetings and such.

Even more exciting are the support of the Bikestation (http://www.bikestation.com/longbeach/index.asp). Excerpt: “The first facility of its kind in the U.S., Bikestation Long Beach is strategically located on the First Street Transit Mall, a nexus for light rail, buses, pedestrians, and a local shuttle that services neighborhoods and key attractions. Nearby, more than 30 miles of dedicated shoreline and river bicycle paths, as well as Class II paths (routes accommodating both bicycles and cars), connect to other parts of the city.“

In speaking to city officials about this I find it amazing that it isn’t happening elsewhere in Southern California as it hasn’t cost so much that it breaks the bank, even in these challenging times.

I also came across another pretty neat item that I am certainly going to suggest to the city. It is a solar powered bike storage device that stores the bikes 15 feet above the ground and allows access through a smart card system. The story on Ecofriend (http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-gadgets-solar-powered-bike-tree-values-your-green-ride/) tells more about these devices recently showcased by Sanyo.  No word on price but they look of a size and configuration that would be easily deployable around the perimeter of parking lots throughout the city or at the local mall.

As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com

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