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  |  Channel: Material Performance, Research Journals

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FLOORING MATERIALS: Environmental and Economic Performance

The environmental impact of flooring materials is the aggregate of impacts of raw material properties and composition across all stages of the product life cycle including extraction, manufacturing, packaging and transportation, use and disposal. In this analysis, linoleum, vinyl composition tile (VCT), nylon carpet tile, composite marble tile, ceramic tile, terrazzo, cork and rubber flooring... Read more »

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  |  Channel: Design Process, Energy, Research Journals

HYGROSCOPIC CLIMATIC MODULATED BOUNDARIES: A Strategy for Differentiated Performance Using a Natural Circulative and Energy Captive Building Envelope in Hot and Moisture Rich Laden Air Environments

The operation and construction of buildings account for almost half of the energy use in the United States. To meet global climate change targets, energy consumption of buildings in the long term must be reduced as well as carbon dioxide emissions. This article explores a theoretical building envelope that generates energy and produces water by... Read more »

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  |  Channel: Energy, Research Journals

THE EFFECT OF HEAT FLOW AND MOISTURE ON THE EXTERIOR ENCLOSURE: Working with Standards and Modeling Software to Make More Intelligent Exterior Enclosure Decisions

This article describes the importance of the effect of heat flow and moisture on the building’s exterior enclosure. It provides a basic understanding of the concerns of why understanding heat flow and moisture is important to the design of exterior walls, its basic physics and traditional, yet obsolete solutions. It provides a technique for making... Read more »

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  |  Channel: Design Process, Energy, Research Journals

CELL WALL: Resolving Geometrical Complexities in the Shanghai Nature Museum Iconic Wall

The “Cell Wall” is the iconic feature of the Shanghai Nature Museum and the main design feature from the initial competition phase. It is comprised of three layers, each with its own unique geometrical pattern and organic form, organized in an elliptical cone shape envelope of the atrium. At the core is the main layer,... Read more »

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  |  Channel: Design Process, Research Journals

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR POOL ENVIRONMENTS: Cold Climates

The natatorium environment is one of the most challenging environments to design and build in northern climates. This is due to the large swings in levels of humidity and temperature between interior and exterior conditions. The challenge remains how to balance the interior pool environment, requiring a consistent temperature and humidity level with the exterior; while taking into... Read more »

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  |  Channel: Design Process, Energy, Research Journals

ENERGY MODELING GUIDANCE: Guidelines for Energy Analysis Integration into an Architectural Environment

Designing energy efficient buildings requires an understanding of the energy impact of design features and how they interact with each other during the design process. This article outlines how and when an energy analysis can be conducted including guidelines for what to expect in an energy modeling analysis and how to interpret and understand the results. Guidance is... Read more »

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  |  Channel: Design Process, Education, Human Experience (Hx), Research Journals

STUDENTS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW: Discovering How and Where They Learn Best

This article explores various educational theories, research and factors that can be correlated to or have an impact on the physical spaces in which learning takes place. As school design and planning becomes more in tune with the influences that affect education, the connection between physical space and the learning process becomes more relevant. Drawing from sources such... Read more »

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  |  Channel: Design Process, Research Journals

EXPLORATION OF COMPLEX CURTAIN WALL SOLUTIONS: Shanghai Fisherman’s Wharf Iconic Tower

This article explores the various curtain wall façade system solutions as developed for the Shanghai Fisherman’s Wharf project’s iconic skyscraper. The high-rise tower comprises a curvilinear nautical shape, nicknamed “The Fish” and is the main iconic identity of the large-scale mixed-use project. Cladding this morphic building shape involved an intense exploration of 2D and 3D curtain wall... Read more »

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  |  Channel: Design Process, Energy, Research Journals

BUILDING PERFORMANCE PREDICTIONS: How Simulations Can Improve Design Decisions

This article discusses relationships between building performance simulations and design decisions and how building performance predictions can improve the design outcomes. The first part of the article discusses why we need to quantify building performance and predict how a building as a whole or its components will function. Then, relationships between Building Information Modeling (BIM) and analysis software... Read more »

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  |  Channel: Research Journals

UNDERSTANDING GLARE: Design Methods for Improving Visual Comfort

Daylight harvesting in architecture is a complicated task as the most prominent characteristic of daylight is its variability. There are many methods of estimating how daylight will benefit spaces, but too often the potential for glare is not properly addressed during design. This is especially prevalent in office space environments. A far too common scene... Read more »

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  |  Channel: Design Process, Energy, Research Journals

PARAMETRIC CONTROL OF BIM ELEMENTS FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN IN REVIT: Linking Design and Analytical Software Applications through Customization

Using analytic data as a driver to control the geometry of BIM elements is currently a promising method for parametric creation of design elements such as sun shades, which respond to environmental constraints such as incident solar radiation or solar angles. This can be done qualitatively, but evaluating multiple options with many variables is time... Read more »