| Summary: | This paper combines two research publications working toward the development of an
integrated framework for commercial sustainable building design. Current
methodologies utilize a traditional architectural top-down approach to sustainable
building design practices that consumes financial and temporal resources early in the
design process. By identifying the array mechanical subsystems required to meet modern
building standards such as net-zero energy and water, and recognizing the importance of
these interactions, designers can mitigate this resource consumption. The first paper
presents an anthropological case study of the schematic design process of the Oregon
Sustainability Center, a net-zero building slated for construction in Portland, Oregon.
This research outlines the complexity of mechanical subsystems required to achieve net-zero
standards and how project stakeholders affect the design process. The second paper
further explores this concept by analyzing building subsystems in the context of a
traditional complex system (airplane, automobile, etc.), and uses optimization techniques
to understand significant system interactions. A computer model is created that
optimizes lighting availability for a commercial workspace incorporating cost, building
standards, and user environment. By considering post construction building usage, each
subsystem can be designed for maximum user productivity, reducing costs associated
with sustainable design practices. === Graduation date: 2012
|
|---|
