Based on historical precedence, rammed earth is becoming a widely accepted practice. Dave Nedrow, who was interviewed for the article Maximizing the Sun's Heat, is a freelance designer formally educated in architecture and is currently pursuing licensure. He offers us some of his research about a highly insulative wall construction with low embodied energy.
Architects and builders are often challenged to look for innovative and cutting edge building technology when considering their choices for materials and types of construction. This investigation often produces interesting and stunning results, and the Modern period in architecture could be partially defined by this. However, let us not forget about historical vernacular styles and methods of construction, specifically that of rammed earth. The continents of Africa and Asia have both housed civilizations utilizing rammed earth as a building material, dating as far back as 2000 BC, and it has continued to be used through to today. Although arguably less technologically advanced, and possibly once considered “low brow”, rammed earth construction offers us new possibilities. As society advances, our use of materials continues to evolve. Historically, earthen bricks were made and stacked to generate the walls.
Joshua Lloyd, LEED AP and blogger of Symbiotic Home, explains a bit of the process by which he selects green building materials.
As a working architect with several years of experience of project management for green buildings, I believe that the sooner you can draw a line in the sand that defines your green objectives, the more likely your building will achieve sustainability success. Let's take materials for an example. While materials are the most visible features of a green building, they are often the most publicized features of green buildings as well. When choosing green materials, we should research the data and then be able to answer why we chose this material and how it fits into the sustainability of the project.
(As previously published in Modern Contractor Solutions.) Pervious pavement is a green, sustainable strategy that can assist in lowering stormwater runoff, naturally decreasing automobile pollutants, recharging the water table supply and moderating the heat island effect. Similar to other complex construction systems, in order for the sustainable pavement to perform as it was designed, it needs to be installed with precision and maintained with diligence. To drain water effectively on any given site, different geographical areas require special adjustments to the technology as well.
Eco-friendly inventions now enable elevators to operate with much less energy, use less building square footage by eliminating traditional elevator utility rooms, and incorporate eco-sensitive finish materials. Likewise, green strategies for eco-modernizations are also available to renovate traditional elevators. Yet beyond new green technologies and renovations, an elevator itself is an important green tool.
Principles and Components of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems
Written by Robert Klar Wed Dec 02 2009 9:20pmWhat does geothermal mean? Geo simply means "earth", while thermal means “of, relating to, or caused by heat.” For example: hot springs = thermal waters, stress due to heat = thermal stress, and insulation retarding the flow of heat = thermal insulation.
Selecting the proper floor finish can be a difficult task for any project, especially educational facilities. Almost every school you enter today has a cafeteria or multipurpose room that functions as an eating area. The eating area is usually equipped with cafeteria tables that have attached seating. These tables are large, can weigh several hundred pounds, and can contribute to damaging the selected flooring material. If sheet vinyl flooring was selected, the vinyl would become dented and/or compressed at each table leg location. Sheet vinyl does not have the have compressive strength to withstand such high point loads. In just a short period of time, the entire floor would become visibly scared and unattractive. Vinyl composite tiles would have the compressive strength to withstand the weight of the tables. However, over an extended period of time, the tiles expand and contract, allowing dirt and grease to accumulate in the joints. Virtually impossible to remove, the dirt and grease quickly become noticeable. Ceramic tile is another viable option, but can become a slip hazard when wet. Also, the grout will stain with repeated exposure to liquid, dirt and food.
