Net-Zero Energy: What does it really mean?
Framed by Stuart Magruder, VP/ President-elect, AIA Los Angeles and moderated by David Abel - publisher and editor-in-chief of THE PLANNING REPORT, the discussion drew participants from across the Los Angeles architectural and engineering community.
The crux of the discussion seemed to come down to whether as a profession we are pushing or being pulled towards Net-Zero Energy, and how should we deal with the vast existing building stock?
At Buro Happold we have been working on high performance building design for over 30 years, completing our most recent net zero energy building – the Hawaii Preparatory Academy in 2011. In our experience, the way forward has always been exemplified by focused and integrated client/design team leadership, working within a regulatory system that is continually tightening design codes and incentivizing new technologies, and framed by a central energy policy that is reducing the carbon foot print of the electrical supply.
Le Corbusier’s proposition of ‘only one house for all countries, the house of exact breathing’ highlights the detrimental impact that mechanical HVAC had on architectural design; the idea that all a building’s environmental ‘ills’ could be solved by the mechanical systems. Air conditioning systems disconnected the need for architectural design to moderate the external and internal environment. Whatever was designed, HVAC systems and artificial lighting could compensate.
Reduced carbon footprint, improved social experience
Our recent renovation of the courthouse and federal building in Honolulu, a brutalist 1970s building over 200 ft wide, very much demonstrates what happens when designers relied wholly on artificially lighting and HVAC. The project illustrates that through an holistic approach to the problem not only can the carbon footprint of the building be reduced but also the social experience of the building can be significantly improved; in this case this was done by the creation of a nine storey atrium through the building’s center which is optimized through the use of reflection to push natural daylight deep into the building.
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building ©Gensler
In the drive towards a net zero energy life style, buildings should respond to the environmental context of the site to optimize the passive design of the building; integrate hybrid HVAC systems that harness natural ventilation during moderate external temperatures and are mechanically controlled during the extremes; supplied with electricity and hot water from renewable sources forming both part of the architectural response and also integral to the utility company supply strategy.
Our response to the iconic Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) demonstrates this very concept through 100% passive heating and natural ventilation for over 75% of the year, 100% naturally day lit and powered by a 120kW PV array.
Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center ©HOK and Parsons Brinckerhoff
This is the Lean + Mean + Green Approach
Finally squeeze every design solution to obtain the last drops of optimization and benefit. On the Oregon Sustainability Center, we have been working with Lawrence Berkeley Labs and HOK to provide extensive modeling and analysis to achieve net zero energy on the scale of 200,000 square feet.
Oregon Sustainability Center ©Sera
The challenges faced present huge opportunity for our profession to not only respond with respect to the architecture but also to continue to raise awareness of the issue of global warming to our political leaders, for only if fresh direction can be achieved at this level can the ultimate goal be achieved.
Categories: News, Energy, United States
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