Category: Sustainable Snippets

Scoop-Channel-Reduce

CapitaGreen is a 82,000 sq.m., 43-floor skyscraper in the Central Business District of Singapore1. The Video looks at its design for Sustainable Ventilation.

45 m1 tall Wind-Catchers atop the skyscraper are oriented towards the prevailing wind direction2. Designed to scoop winds at this elevation, they channel air down a core known as the ‘Cool Void’3. Air from the cool void spreads horizontally through the levels, reducing Air-Conditioning loads.

Read the whole article here–

Video Source:

The Architecture Gazette | Sustꓥinꓥble Snippets

Music Source:

“My Best Melody” catatau5 | Link

Data Sources:

  1. CTBUH. CapitaGreen – The Skyscraper Center. http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/capitagreen/13978. Accessed July 8, 2018.
  2. GreenA Consultants. Capitagreen:: GreenA Consultants. http://www.greenaconsultants.com/our-work/capitagreen/. Accessed July 8, 2018.
  3. CapitaLand Commercial Trust. CapitaGreen | CapitaLand Commercial Trust. http://www.cct.com.sg/our-properties/singapore/capitagreen/. Accessed July 8, 2018.

Building with Nature

 

“The harmony of natural law reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection.”

-Albert Einstein

Contemplating this powerful quote by Einstein could send chills down your spine. Our insignificance in the face of Nature’s power, begs us to show more humility. Nature doesn’t fear our walls, and everyday Climate related calamities should teach us better. It is ultimately in all of our favor, to Build with Nature, instead of withstanding it!

Following this chain of thought, today we look at Integration of Built with Water. Such a synergy with Water has positive effects on Micro-Climate and Energy Loads.

However, insects can be attracted to areas of vegetation and water. While all insects are not harmful they may not always be welcome in an urban setting.

Let’s look at some ways to address this issue-

1) Deeper water could prevent mosquitoes, since larvae prefer shallow water bodies of less than 2 feet

2) Natural pest Predators like Dragonflies are garden heroes

3) Select Plant Species that repel pests – Lavender, Citronella Grass, Marigolds

Read more here.

 

Video Source: 

The Architecture Gazette | Sustꓥinꓥble Snippets

Music Source:

“Almost New” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Data Sources:

 

 

What’s the ‘Zone’ Plan?

Akshay Urja

Building functions can be zoned according to ventilation strategy for effective management and energy conservation. This is seen in Akshay Urja Bhavan, New Delhi where spaces are divided into zones according to setpoints– Apex, Controlled and Passive. Only around 12% of the area is air-conditioned. Mist cooling systems are used for the Controlled and Passive zones1.

Read the whole article here –

Graphic Source:

The Architecture Gazette | Sustꓥinꓥble Snippets

Data Source:

  1. BEE, USAID, PACE-D. Case Studies – Akshay Urja Bhawan. NZEB. http://www.nzeb.in/case-studies/detailed-case-studies-2/akshay-urja-bhawan-case-study/.

Passively Battling 50oC!

Sustꓥinꓥble Snippets

NEEMrana

A 16 km (once the campus is completed) tunnel network of Air Earth tunnels, will be running 4 m below the ground in NIIT University, Neemrana Campus. Surface temperature and seasonal variations do not penetrate below this depth, keeping air temperature constant throughout the year. Fans will pull cool air through these tunnels. This would then be taken through precipitators to eliminate dust and would be supplied to the building through ducts. The result! – Pleasant 25oC temperatures indoors, without the use of air-conditioning, when temperatures outside are nearing 50oC1.

Read the whole article here –

Graphic Source:

The Architecture Gazette | Sustꓥinꓥble Snippets

Data Source:

  1. Bhandari P. Let buildings breathe. Times of India Jaipur. https://bit.ly/2MH0kzV. Published 2009.

 

What are Sustꓥinꓥble Snippets?

Sustainable Snippets

Addressing East and West Facades

Sustainable Snippets

These faces of the building are difficult to shade, as they receive low angle rays from the rising and setting sun. Common shading features such as horizontal projections, usually fail in such situations. Our 3 case-studies explain methods to address these tricky areas of the building.

ss1
Addressing East, West Facades; Graphics: Credits below
  1. Park Royal – The East, West facades are shaded using self-shading, achieved due to the E-shape projections from the Plan.
  2. CapitaGreen – Of all the vertical green on the facade, larger amount of greenery is provided on the East, West facades to shade them.
  3. Cleantech One – Sky gardens and planters on these facades help cool the labs and create pleasant breakout spaces.

Credits:
Graphics : All graphics are produced as part of a team project for M.Sc. Integrated Sustainable Design at National University of Singapore (Building Semester – Stage 1 – Complex Living Systems). Group Members – Gajender Kumar Sharma, Aditi Bisen, Huang Hongbo, Zhao Yanming
Text: Aditi Bisen