Green Building Illustrated E-Book

Francis D. K. Ching

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 588

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

FULLY ILLUSTRATED, UPDATED GUIDE TO THE STRATEGIC DESIGN OF GREEN BUILDINGS In the tradition of Building Construction Illustrated, Francis D.K. Ching and Ian M. Shapiro offer a fully illustrated guide to the theory and practice of sustainable design. This guide provides architects, designers, and builders in the green design professional community a framework and detailed strategies for designing substantively green buildings. With a focus on sustainable sites, approaching and reaching net-zero energy, low and zero-water usage, minimum-impact materials and superior indoor environmental quality, this guide explains why we need to build green, as well as green building theory and advancements in the industry. This Second Edition includes: * All-new case studies featuring geographically diverse buildings with proven zero energy performance * Expanded coverage of zero energy building design, as well as zero water and zero waste buildings * Practical guidance for the schematic design of high-performance buildings, heating and hot water system selection, building envelope details, and integrating renewable energy * Advanced strategies, such as the concept of shape efficiency, and the optimal location for stairwells in buildings * Additional strategies for affordability in green design and construction * Updated references to the latest codes and standards This Second Edition of Green Building Illustrated is an excellent resource for professionals, students and those interested in the design and construction of sustainable buildings.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Disclaimer

Preface

1 Introduction

Facing Environmental Challenges

New Information, New Risks, New Opportunities

What Is a Green Building?

Green Building Goals

Approaches to Green Building

2 First Principles

Relative and Absolute Green

Loads and Layers

Continuity

Holistic Design

Integrated Design

Affordability

Energy Modeling

Required Versus Elective Green

Green Building Policy

3 Codes and Standards

Codes

Standards

Guidelines

The 2030 Challenge

Net-Zero Standards

Net-Zero Design Versus Performance

Net-Zero with Fossil Fuels

Source Versus Site Energy Accounting

Carbon Accounting and Carbon Physics

Other Aspects of Net-Zero Standards

Risks of Net-Zero Buildings

Affordability of Net-Zero Buildings

Moving Forward

4 Community, Climate, and Site

Community and Site Selection

Place and Green Buildings

Climate

Impact of Climate Change on Building Design

Owner's Requirements and Values Clarification

Protection of Sensitive Sites

Preservation and Restoration

Protection of Natural Features

Heat Island Reduction

Site Waste Management

Transportation Issues

Minimizing Light Pollution

Site Strategies and Energy Use

Site Water Conservation, Management, and Quality Enhancement

Quantity of Storm Water Runoff

Quality of Storm Water Runoff

Transported Water

Impact of Outdoor Water on Indoor Environmental Quality

Other Site Issues

Site and Renewable Energy

5 Building Shape and Biomimicry

Floor Area

Surface Area

Shape Efficiency

Orientation

Green Building Standards and Building Shape

Core Spaces versus Perimeter Spaces

Biomimicry

6 Near-Building Features

Overhangs and Awnings

Solar Panels

Balconies

The Building Facade

Rainwater Harvesting

Use of the Roof

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Building/Site Design Considerations

Electrical Requirements

EV Charger Quantity per Building

7 Outer Envelope

Inner and Outer Envelopes

Infiltration

Thermal Bridging

Continuity and Discontinuities

Walls

Choosing Between Wall Systems

Ensuring Continuity

Moving Forward

Windows

Daylighting

Views

Window Losses

Reducing Window Losses

Doors

Roofs

Floors

8 Unconditioned Spaces

Basements

Attics

Crawlspaces

Garages

Unrecognized Unconditioned Spaces

Corridors, Stairwells, and Other Spaces

Further Removing Conditioning from Rooms

Locating Storage

Controlling Temperatures in Unconditioned Spaces

Throttling Heat Loss Through Unconditioned Spaces

Unconditioned Spaces—Summary

9 Inner Envelope

Vulnerabilities

Solutions

Thermal Mass

Finishes

10 Thermal Zoning and Compartmentalization

Thermal Zoning

Compartmentalization

Thermosiphon Airflow

Interior Microclimates

11 Lighting, Plug, and Process Loads

Lighting

Plug Loads

Large Electric Loads

A New Role for the Design Professional

12 Hot and Cold Water

Reducing Use

Hot Water

Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heaters

Split System Heat Pump Water Heaters

Ground Source Heat Pumps

Best Practices

New Water and Heat Sources

Zero-Water Buildings

Solar Energy

Cost of Water Improvements

Water Summary

13 Indoor Environmental Quality

Indoor Air Quality

Ventilation Challenges

Indoor Air Quality Solutions

Indoor Air Quality during Construction and Preceding Occupancy

Thermal Comfort

Water Quality

Acoustics

14 Heating and Cooling

System Types

System Vulnerabilities

Guidance from the Outside In

Heat Pump Types

System Efficiency

Fuel Selection

Other Systems

System Integration

Putting it All Together

Affordability and Heating/Cooling

15 Renewable Energy

Solar Energy

Wind Energy

Renewable System Risks

Available Solar Photovoltaic Energy for Different Climates

Remote Renewables

Building-Scale Energy Storage

16 Net-Zero Energy Design and Case Studies

Schematic Design of Net-Zero Energy Buildings

Different Net-Zero Energy Approaches

Carbon Absorption/Sequestration

Calculating Carbon Emissions

Cautions

Discussion of Case Studies

17 Materials

Using Less Material

Reused Materials

Materials with Recycled Content

Selection of Previously Unused Materials

Designing for Reduced Postconstruction Material Impacts

Zero Waste

Transparency and Declarations

Material Physics

18 Schedules, Sequences, and Affordability

Schedules and Sequences

Affordability

Construction Cost and Energy Trade-Offs

Life Cycle Costing Analysis

19 Quality in Green Design and Construction

Designed-In Quality

Approaches to Quality in Design and Construction

Energy Modeling

Commissioning

Metering and Metrics

Values and Trade-Offs

20 Conclusion

Green Buildings and Beauty

Green Buildings and Nature

Closing

Glossary

Bibliography

Index

End User License Agreement

List of Illustrations

Chapter 1

1.01 The fragility of life on Earth has been emphasized through views of the...

1.02 Variations in the Earth's surface temperature from the year 1000 to 210...

1.03 The greenhouse effect.

1.04 Atmospheric samples contained in ice cores and more recent direct measu...

1.05 Share of global energy-related CO

2

emissions by sector. (Source: 2018 G...

1.06 Well-sited and energy-efficient buildings could reduce carbon emissions...

1.07 Each year new approaches, new tools, and new products become available,...

1.08 Symbols for green materials, processes, and practices.

1.09 Mitigating environmental degradation through conservation, reduction of...

1.10 Improving environmental and economic health.

1.11 Meeting social and societal goals.

1.12 Global CO

2

emissions reductions by technology area: RTS* to 2DS

†

....

1.13 Designing from the outside by incrementally adding layers of shelter.

1.14 We can trace a building's energy use through its utility bills.

Chapter 2

2.01 How should we gauge the greenness of a building?

2.02 Relative versus absolute greenness.

2.03 Types of loads.

2.04 Examples of layers of shelter.

2.05 Sheltering against wind and air infiltration.

2.06 Prioritizing the layers of shelter.

2.07 A weak layer of shelter is one that has many discontinuities, whether t...

2.08 Unprotected thermal insulation can weaken a layer of shelter.

2.09 While walls normally are robust layers, the sheltering layer of doors c...

2.10 Comparison of an apartment complex with interior corridors providing ac...

2.11 Like solving a three-dimensional puzzle, effective green design involve...

2.12 The integrated design process involves and engages diverse stakeholders...

2.13 A hypothetical view of how the higher initial construction costs of ene...

2.14 VA Mental Health and Research Complex, Seattle, Washington, Stantec Arc...

2.15 Variety of approaches to implementing green building policies.

Chapter 3

3.01 Typical categories of green building provisions.

3.02 Energy and Atmosphere, one of the environmental impact categories that ...

3.03 The

International Building Code

as a Green Building Code.

3.04 Core requirement areas of the LEED Green Building Certification Program...

3.05 Categories of compliance for the BREEAM Rating System.

3.06 Trademarked logo of the Green Globes online environmental rating and ce...

3.07 Passive House requirements and recommendations.

3.08 HERS rating system requirements.

3.09 Goals of the Living Building Challenge.

3.10 Entities using customized green building guidelines.

3.11 Strategies for slowing and eventually reversing the growth rate of gree...

3.12 Targets set by the 2030 Challenge.

3.13 Advancing net-zero is the World Green Building Council's global project...

3.14 Schematic of renewable energy system.

3.15 Key Components of Canada Green Building Council's Zero Carbon Building ...

3.16 Components contributing to the affordability of net-zero buildings.

3.16 The need for better-than-code certifications should persist well into t...

Chapter 4

4.01 Relevant boundary definitions to be considered when discussing sites.

4.02 Approaching the design of a building from the outside in—with a view of...

4.03 A single larger building having multiple occupants, whether residential...

4.04 Energy is expended for transportation—for both commuting and deliveries...

4.05 Providing and maintaining access to urban amenities and resources are i...

4.06 In building design, we should consider the latitude, geography, and pre...

4.07 Example calculation of the annual heating degree days for a hypothetica...

4.08 World climate zone map. Source: ASHRAE Standard 169.

4.09 Climate zone map for the United States. Source: ASHRAE Standard 169.

4.10 Climate zones as a function of heating and cooling degree days. Source:...

4.11 Global annual change in mean surface temperature for the 2006–2100 peri...

4.12 The client for a project often has representatives, including facilitie...

4.13 The LEED rating system for Neighborhood Development integrates principl...

4.14 Areas that qualify as sensitive sites.

4.15 Exceptions may allow the housing of teaching, interpretive, or conserva...

4.16 Classification of development sites.

4.17 Limiting site disturbances on greenfield sites.

4.18 Heat islands are created by the elevated temperatures from buildings an...

4.19 Some ways to mitigate the heat island effect include using light-colore...

4.20 Managing site construction waste.

4.22 Means of encouraging less-polluting modes of transportation.

4.23 Night lighting can impact the outdoor environment in several ways.

4.24 Design options for mitigating the effects of night lighting.

4.25 Ways to reduce the spillage of light from the interior spaces of a buil...

4.26 Trees, structures, fencing, and other forms of shielding help reduce wi...

4.27 Vegetation, walls, and other obstructions to airflow around heat pumps ...

4.28 Heat pumps and air-conditioner condensing units should not be located w...

4.29 Changes in water cycle associated with urbanization. Source: Environmen...

4.30 Reducing the quantity of storm water runoff through harvesting and reus...

4.31 Strategies to improve the quality of storm water runoff.

4.32 Ways to reduce transported water for site use.

4.33 Strategies to prevent the intrusion of water into buildings.

4.34 A buffer zone between a building and the surrounding vegetation is advi...

4.35 Reducing tracked-in dirt through the development of effective barrier s...

4.36 Alternatives to traditional lawns.

4.37 Site considerations for wind turbines and ground-mounted solar panels....

Chapter 5

5.01 Average home sizes.

5.02 Potential carbon emissions savings in buildings, 2030. Source: UNEP

Emi

...

5.03 Filling a deeper need for abundance through design.

5.04 Area ratio = Surface area / Floor area.

5.05 Area ratio as a function of ceiling height.

5.06 Area ratio as a function of footprint shapes.

5.07 Area ratio for an L-shaped building.

5.08 Area ratio for a courtyard building.

5.09 Area ratio for a C-shaped building.

5.10 Area ratios for row buildings.

5.11 Building elements that increase the area ratio.

5.12 Area ratios for ceiling types.

5.13 Optimal area ratio for a 2,500 sf (232 m

2

) building.

5.14 The optimum number of stories varies slightly depending on the floor-to-...

5.15 For a fixed footprint, the area ratio decreases as the number of storie...

5.16 Limiting factors for the height of a green building.

5.17 Buildings with double-loaded corridors have a lower area ratio than sim...

5.18 By using a greater perimeter depth, a building has a lower area ratio, ...

5.19 Ways to minimize the area ratio of a building.

5.20 Surface-to-volume ratio.

5.21 Enhancing a highly efficient underlying shape with exterior features. 2...

5.22 Buildings having windows on only one wall should have them facing south...

5.23 Buildings having similar-sized windows on opposing sides should orient ...

5.24 Buildings having windows on adjacent sides should orient them south and...

5.25 Rectangular buildings having windows evenly distributed on all four sid...

5.26 A LEED-rated building gets points for the projected or modeled energy u...

5.27 An extreme example: A tall, thin building having only a single room cou...

5.28 An extreme example: A large, low, flat building with a low energy use p...

5.29 Large buildings often have a core of interior space that has no exterio...

5.30 Garden of the Orquideorama, Medellín, Colombian, Plan B Architects + JP...

5.31 An example of biomorphic design: Sydney Opera House, Jørn Utzon, 1973. ...

5.32 The Eden Project, the world's largest greenhouse, covers an area of 5.4...

Chapter 6

6.01 Shading devices shield windows and other glazed areas from direct sunli...

6.02 Trellises and other exterior structures can provide shade depending on ...

6.03 Obstructions that may interfere with the most effective locations for s...

6.04 Relative receptivity of various roof forms to solar panels.

6.05 Making roofs receptive to solar panels.

6.06 Impact of tilt on solar panel output.

6.07 Impact of orientation on solar panel output.

6.08 Solar panels on single-ridge and flat roofs.

6.09 Balconies can wick heat out of buildings.

6.10 Balcony doors.

6.11 Elements of a building facade that can contribute to or reduce energy e...

6.12 Rainwater harvesting.

6.13 Green and nongreen elements that compete for space on a roof.

6.14 Electric vehicle charging station.

6.15 EV charging plugs.

Chapter 7

7.01 Inner and outer envelopes.

7.02 Thermal boundary of a building.

7.03 Blower door test.

7.04 Airflow from the stack effect in winter.

7.05 Types of joints that require air sealing.

7.06 Common infiltration sites at the floor level of attics.

7.07 Purposeful openings in the building envelope.

7.08 Heat loss and infiltration through room air-conditioners.

7.09 Thermal bridging at the stud locations of a frame wall.

7.10 If we imagine a section through a building, drawn on a piece of paper, ...

7.11 Heat loss and infiltration paths through a window.

7.12 Potential locations of discontinuities at chimney locations.

7.13 A topology of challenges in providing continuity of the thermal envelop...

7.14 Ways to reduce or eliminate thermal bridging in masonry walls.

7.15 Insulating a masonry bearing wall.

7.16 Improving the thermal insulation of concrete sandwich panel buildings....

7.17 Insulated concrete form (ICF) construction.

7.18 Conventional light-wood frame wall.

7.19 Advanced light-wood frame wall.

7.20 Energy-efficient variations for wood-frame walls.

7.21 Metal-frame wall detail.

7.22 Energy losses through curtain walls.

7.23 Embodied energy of exterior walls in the U.S.

7.24 Ways to minimize the effects of infiltration and thermal bridging.

7.25 The R.20 Tstud™ is an engineered building product consisting of two lum...

7.26 Thermally efficient steel stud framing. Openings reduce the heat conduc...

7.27 Windows open up to views and breezes, welcome natural light into buildi...

7.28 Numbering of surfaces in multipaned windows.

7.29 Daylighting options.

7.30 Toplighting is largely limited to single-story buildings or the top flo...

7.31 Sidelighting windows should be located high enough on a wall to cast li...

7.32 Example of a global illumination technique that uses sophisticated algo...

7.33 Example of optimizing window sizes for daylighting.

7.34 Reflectance values of a room's surface affect the daylighting strategy ...

7.35 Example for estimating illumination at a work surface

7.36 Rules of thumb for skylight daylighting.

7.37 Daylight harvesting diagram.

7.38 Window heights for viewing.

7.39 Additional strategies for enhancing viewing from within rooms.

7.40 Energy loss through windows.

7.41 Comfort issues related to windows.

7.42 Minimize or eliminate windows in utility and service spaces.

7.43 A comparison of window sizes and areas.

7.44 Relative effectiveness of window types for ventilation.

7.45 The larger a window, the lower its perimeter infiltration and conductio...

7.46 Heat loss and infiltration paths through a door.

7.47 Two challenges in sealing double doors.

7.48 Weatherstripping the bottom edge of an exterior door.

7.49 Sliding glass doors.

7.50 Best practices for doors.

7.51 The required ventilation of attic spaces can lead to unintended problem...

7.52 Creation of ice dams.

7.53 Green benefits of flat roofs.

7.54 Heat loss through slab-on-grade floors.

7.55 Providing thermal continuity for slab-on-grade floors.

7.56 Radiant heat system.

7.57 Ways to prevent migration of moisture through slab-on-grade floors.

Chapter 8

8.01 Unconditioned spaces.

8.02 Heat loss through unconditioned spaces.

8.03 Distribution system losses.

8.04 Putting unconditioned spaces to use to reduce energy consumption.

8.05 Environmental quality issues in basement spaces.

8.06 Energy losses in basement spaces.

8.07 Reducing energy losses in basement spaces.

8.08 Eliminating basement losses.

8.09 Energy losses in attic spaces.

8.10 Reducing energy losses in attic spaces.

8.11 Problems with crawlspaces.

8.12 Reducing losses in crawlspaces.

8.13 Problems with garages.

8.14 Reducing losses in garages.

8.15 Unrecognized unheated spaces.

8.16 Reducing losses in ceiling plenums.

8.17 Spaces that are sometimes conditioned but may not need to be.

8.18 Exterior stairways can sometimes be a viable option.

8.19 Trade-offs for energy, construction cost, and comfort depend on where t...

8.20 A roof hatch may be a viable option to a penthouse.

8.21 Other rooms that may not need to be heated.

8.22 An attached shed, if insulated and sealed, can act as an additional lay...

8.23 Storage spaces that can act as additional layers of shelter.

8.24 Throttling heat loss by insulating the smaller surface areas.

8.25 Avoiding losses through unconditioned spaces.

Chapter 9

9.01 The inner envelope.

9.02 Inner envelope in a low-rise building.

9.03 Layers varying from strong to very weak.

9.04 Common sites for air leakage at attic floors.

9.05 Hatchway doors.

9.06 Heat losses at stairways leading to attics.

9.07 Typical problems with recessed light fixtures.

9.08 Maintaining the thermal boundary where an unheated garage is attached t...

9.09 Heat transfer through stud or joist framing members.

9.10 Heat transfer from warm interior space to colder chase.

9.11 Energy losses through hollow masonry party walls.

9.12 Energy losses at ceilings of basement spaces.

9.13 Sites of air leakage at ceilings of basements and crawlspaces.

9.14 Reducing infiltration in and out of unconditioned spaces also reduces c...

9.15 Establishing a strong layer at the attic floor.

9.16 Preventing heat losses at attic stairways.

9.17 Green benefits of eliminating attics.

9.18 Green benefits of eliminating basements and crawlspaces.

9.19 Thermal mass schematics.

9.20 Options for locating thermal mass.

9.21 Finishes as a layer of shelter.

9.22 Benefits of reflective finishes.

9.23 Measuring reflectance.

9.25 Ceiling reflectance strategies.

9.26 Wall reflectance strategies.

9.27 Floor reflectance strategies. Because lighting is usually designed for ...

Chapter 10

10.01 Thermal zoning incorporates separate temperature controls for differen...

10.02 Preventing overheating of spaces receiving heat from other sources.

10.03 Allowing conditioned spaces to be left unconditioned at appropriate ti...

10.04 Locating occasionally unconditioned spaces.

10.05 Three levels of thermal zoning.

10.06 Thermal zoning diagram.

10.07 Zoning ventilation systems.

10.08 The benefit of compartmentalization.

10.09 Vertical pathways in a building.

10.10 The neutral pressure plane.

10.11 Movement of air through a building due to stack effect.

10.12 Preventing air from entering a mechanical shaft from the ductwork or c...

10.13 Compartmentalization strategies.

10.14 Example of thermosiphon airflow.

10.15 Temperature stratification.

Chapter 11

11.01 Percentage of commercial building energy use attributable to lighting....

11.02 Space design to minimize artificial lighting.

11.05 Lighting power density.

11.06 Integrated strategies for lighting design.

11.07 Task lighting strategies.

11.08 Using more efficient lamps and fixtures.

11.09 Table of approximate luminous efficacies.

11.10 Efficient exterior lighting strategies.

11.11 Four types of lighting control.

11.12 Inboard/outboard control of lighting.

11.13 Passive infrared and ultrasonic sensors.

11.14 Motion sensor control.

11.15 Manual-on motion sensors.

11.16 Greener options for controlling exterior lights.

11.17 Greener options for controlling exterior lighting.

11.19 Results when the photosensor set points for light level are too high....

11.20 Decorative lighting for buildings.

11.21 Renderings often emphasize the exterior lighting scheme for buildings ...

11.22 Reduced lighting results in reduced loads on air-conditioning systems....

11.23 The growth in plug loads.

11.24 Strategies for reducing appliance plug loads.

11.25 Strategies for reducing plug loads from power supplies.

11.26 Plug and process energy savings strategies.

11.27 Strategies for reducing lighting plug loads.

11.28 Strategies for reducing the energy use of large motors.

11.29 Elevators and escalators account for a significant portion of a buildi...

11.29 The design professional can take an active role in reducing plug and p...

Chapter 12

12.01 Efficient appliances and fixtures.

12.03 Control flow duration as a strategy for reducing water demand.

12.04 Faucet aerator with a temporary shutoff lever can retain the mix of ho...

12.05 Conventional and leakproof bathtub faucets and diverter valves.

12.06 Types of heat pump water heaters.

12.08 Annual Coefficient of Performance (COP) for water heaters in cold, int...

12.09 Hybrid heat pump water heater.

12.10 Hybrid heat pump water heater configurations.

12.11 Lowering the water temperature and increasing the insulation of pipes ...

12.12 Minimizing the distance from the hot water heater to points of use can...

12.13 Consider supplying only cold water to the sink in half-bathrooms.

12.14 Toilet-lid sink.

12.15 Heat recovery from gray water.

12.16 Condensate water recovery.

12.17 Rainwater harvesting: Collection and filtration.

12.18 Rainwater harvesting: Storage and distribution.

12.19 Solar water heaters.

Chapter 13

13.01 Airborne contaminants originate not only from outside a building but f...

13.02 Approaches to providing good indoor air quality.

13.03 The distinction between exhaust fans and intakes for ventilation with ...

13.04 The interaction between ventilation and air leakage.

13.05 Energy requirements for ventilation.

13.06 Ventilation air does not always reach the people for whom it is intend...

13.07 Ventilation can bypass the breathing zone of occupants.

13.08 Ventilation openings break the continuity of the thermal boundary.

13.09 Ventilation can introduce contaminants into a building if air intake o...

13.10 Community strategies to prevent indoor air quality problems.

13.11 Site strategies to prevent indoor air quality problems.

13.12 Precautions to take with loading docks.

13.13 Near-building features to prevent indoor air quality problems.

13.14 Preferred location of ventilation air intakes.

13.15 Strengthening the outer envelope against water intrusion.

13.16 Vapor barrier details at foundation wall.

13.17 Strengthening layers of shelter with attached sheds.

13.18 Minimize use of chemicals in interior finishes and furnishing to promo...

13.19 Use exhaust ventilation to capture sources of contamination.

13.20 Filters in air handlers can help control sources of contamination.

13.21 Sources of moisture contributing to indoor humidity.

13.22 Means of controlling moisture.

13.23 Heat recovery ventilation.

13.24 Best practices for ventilation.

13.25 Achieving effective ventilation through proper placement of supply and...

13.26 Controlling ventilation.

13.27 Hood ventilation.

13.28 Separating the ventilation system from the heating and cooling systems...

13.29 Natural ventilation options.

13.30 Effective natural ventilation.

13.31 Means of preventing contamination during construction.

13.32 Factors affecting thermal comfort.

13.33 Effects of humidity on thermal comfort.

13.34 Advantages of green buildings in addressing thermal comfort.

13.35 Having operable windows enables occupants to better adjust and adapt t...

13.36 An important question: Which spaces will have temperature control?

13.37 A comparison of ducted and fan-coil systems.

13.38 For comfort, provide operable window…but not more than necessary.

13.39 Managing the water temperature of hot water heaters.

13.40 An inventory of outdoor noise sources.

13.41 Isolating acoustically sensitive spaces from noise sources.

13.42 Reducing the noise level from airflow through ductwork and out of gril...

Chapter 14

14.01 Heating and cooling from the outer edges of buildings, where much ener...

14.02 Classification of heating and cooling systems.

14.03 Historic development of heating systems.

14.04 Historical preferences for heating system selection. With increasingly...

14.05 Types of cooling systems.

14.06 Vulnerabilities of heating and cooling systems.

14.07 Application problems for heating and cooling systems.

14.08 Locations within the thermal envelope for the heating and cooling deli...

14.09 Heat pump nomenclature: “Outdoor-to-indoor” examples.

14.10 Ground source (geothermal) heat pump system.

14.11 Air-source heat pump locations.

14.12 Ductless split system heat pumps.

14.13 Rooftop system vulnerabilities.

14.14 Vulnerabilities of large air handlers and mechanical rooms.

14.15 Water-based fan-coil unit.

14.16 Boiler-tower loop heat pump system.

14.17 Biomass boiler system.

14.18 Locating fan-coil units within rooms.

14.19 Higher-efficiency systems save energy but cost more to install.

14.20 A simple formula for estimating energy costs.

14.21 Designing for greater efficiency.

14.22 Designing distribution systems for greater efficiency.

14.23 Free cooling.

14.24 The selection of heating fuel often impacts the fuel selection for suc...

14.25 Heat pump system.

14.26 Natural gas burns relatively cleanly but is a finite resource with sub...

14.27 Biomass products are rapidly renewable sources of combustible fuel and...

14.28 Electricity can be generated either from renewable sources, such as hy...

14.29 Absorption cooling.

14.30 District heating and cooling.

14.31 Evaporative cooling.

14.32 Integrated systems.

14.33 In green building design, it is likely prudent to separate functions l...

14.34 Heat pump options, based on efficiency for different types of buildngs...

14.36 Louvereed recessed balconies for air source heat pumps in high-rise bu...

14.37 Opportunities for cost savings with heating and cooling systems.

14.38 Using small, high-efficiency, distributed heating and cooling systems ...

Chapter 15

15.01 Alternative energy sources.

15.02 Renewable energy sources.

15.03 Solar photovoltaic system.

15.04 Passive solar hot water system.

15.05 Types of liquid solar collectors.

15.06 Solar transpiration system.

15.07 Passive solar energy system.

15.08 Wind power system.

15.09 Mapping wind conditions for wind power systems.

15.10 Wind flow over hills and obstacles.

15.11 Solar resource map. The grayscale values are only approximations of th...

Chapter 16

16.01 Akshay Urja Bhawan, 2012.Location: Panchkula, Haryana, IndiaArchit...

16.02 Willowbrook House, 2012.Location: Austin, Texas, U.S.A.Architect: ...

16.03 Painters Hall, 2010.Location: Pringle Creek, Salem, Oregon, U.S.A....

16.04 231 Main Street, 2013.Location: New Paltz, New York, U.S.A.Archite...

16.05 Mosaic Centre for Conscious Community and Commerce, 2015.Location: E...

16.06 2938 Madrona Street, 2013.Location: Bellingham, Washington, U.S.A....

16.07 zHomes, 2011.Location: Issaquah, Washington, U.S.A.Architect: Davi...

16.08 Energy-Plus Primary School, 2011.Location: Hohen Neuendorf, Germany...

Chapter 17

17.01 Processing of building materials has environmental impacts.

17.02 Shared infrastructure, such as roads and utilities, reduces the impact...

17.03 Reduced floor and surface areas significantly reduce material use.

17.04 Examples of material conservation through advanced construction techni...

17.05 Example of maximizing structural efficiencies to reduce material use....

17.06 Exposing the structure to serve as finish.

17.07 Planning and designing to reduce material waste.

17.08 Optimizing systems to reduce material waste.

17.09 Salvaging materials for reuse in construction.

17.10 Material conservation through best practices.

17.11 Deconstructing older buildings to supply materials for new constructio...

17.12 Examples of salvageable building materials.

17.13 Many factors go into the decision whether to reuse salvaged energy-con...

17.14 If a nonhistoric existing building has a window-to-wall ratio of 30% a...

17.15 Restoring, retrofitting, and rehabbing existing buildings.

17.16 Life-cycle analysis should be used to evaluate whether or not to reuse...

17.17 Types of recycled content.

17.18 Previously used materials, such as concrete and steel, can be sorted a...

17.19 Interior gypsum board can contain up to 90% recycled content. When fac...

17.20 Embodied energy is the total amount of energy used to harvest, manufac...

17.21 Green building projects emphasize the value of using locally or region...

17.22 Examples of rapidly renewable materials.

17.23 Wood is relatively low in embodied energy, has no hazardous chemical e...

17.24 Copyrighted logo of the Forest Stewardship Council.

17.25 Structural cross-laminated timber panel.

17.26 Straw bale construction.

17.27 Rammed earth construction.

17.28 Adobe construction.

17.29 Not only do we seek to avoid hazardous materials, we seek to actively ...

17.30 Trademark for Green Seal, a nonprofit organization that establishes li...

17.31 Avoiding even low-toxicity materials by using mechanical fastenings in...

17.32 Rot-resistant species of wood.

17.34 Provision should be made for the collection and storage of recyclables...

17.35 Planning and designing to facilitate deconstruction and reuse.

17.36 Schematic representation of zero waste options.

Chapter 18

18.01 Designing from the outside in, from site to envelope to interior, para...

18.02 Sequence of approvals.

18.03 Green design should begin before relevant approvals are issued.

18.04 Integrated design involves all stakeholders in the planning, design, a...

18.05 Reducing carbon emissions by paying attention to green aspects from th...

18.06 Critical junctures in green construction inspections.

18.07 A metaphor for comparing traditional and more robust construction.

18.08 Group I improvements: Cost saving.

18.09 Group II improvements: Cost-neutral.

18.10 Group III improvements: Increased cost.

18.11 A building using improvements from Group I and II will cost less to bu...

18.12 Cost savings from improvements in Group I could be used to offset the ...

18.13 Construction costs and various energy loads relate to different areas ...

18.14 Life cycle costing analysis: Using present value of future savings to ...

18.15 The construction cost of green improvements is far smaller for a new b...

Chapter 19

19.01 Indicators of inadequate building quality.

19.02 Basic principles for achieving quality.

19.03 Obstacles to quality in design and construction.

19.04 Design quality into a building.

19.05 Examples of designed-in quality.

19.07 The language of quality applied to construction.

19.06 The language of quality applied to design.

19.08 Envelope inspections. VITAL acronym:

V

oids,

I

nsulation R-value,

T

herma...

19.09 Thermal bridging on a flat roof.

19.10 Timing the inspection of air-sealing details.

19.11 Types of energy models.

19.12 Specialty energy models.

19.13 Environmental and energy goals for a green building.

19.14 Example of occupancy requirements.

19.22 Example basis of design elements.

19.23 Commissioning responsibilities.

19.24 Commissioning tests.

19.25 Metering of a building's energy and water use.

19.26 Metering options.

19.27 Metering of solar photovoltaic systems.

19.28 The split incentive.

19.29 Batch-delivered fuels.

19.30 Source and site energy.

19.31 Calculating heating use.

19.32 Prioritizing improvements.

Chapter 20

20.01 Beauty: The quality or combination of qualities that pleases the aesth...

20.02 Beauty for buildings should be more than skin deep.

20.03 Add form to function rather than function to form.

20.04 Connect with the natural world.

20.04 Choose contact with the natural world.

Guide

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Green Building Illustrated

Second Edition

Francis D. K. Ching

Ian M. Shapiro

Copyright © 2021 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom.

For general information about our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at [phone], outside the United States at [phone] or fax [phone].

Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Ching, Francis D. K., 1943- author. | Shapiro, Ian M., author.

Title: Green building illustrated / Francis D.K. Ching, Ian M. Shapiro.

Description: Second edition. | Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2021] | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020024262 (print) | LCCN 2020024263 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119653967 (paperback) | ISBN 9781119653974 (adobe pdf) | ISBN 9781119653950 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Sustainable buildings--Design and construction. | Building--Details.

Classification: LCC TH880 .C48 2021 (print) | LCC TH880 (ebook) | DDC 720/.47--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020024262

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020024263

Cover Design: Wiley

Cover Image: © Frank Ching

Disclaimer

While this publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information regarding the subject matter covered, it is sold with the understanding that neither the publisher nor the authors are engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

Preface

Green building is a relatively new field. Its goal is to substantially reduce the environmental impact of buildings, while providing a healthy environment within buildings. This book seeks to introduce the field of green building, explore a variety of fundamental concepts in green design and construction, and provide guidance to professionals engaged in the field.

This second edition of Green Building Illustrated includes expanded discussion and exemplary case studies of zero energy and zero carbon buildings, as well as increased coverage of international building design and construction. There is also added guidance for the schematic design of high-performance buildings and additional material in the area of construction costs and affordability. Specific attention is directed to approaches that simultaneously lower construction costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as the strategic design of building shape, right-lighting, and more. This second edition also includes a new section on biomimicry and biophilic design; updates to codes and standards; and more information on building electrification through technologies such as heat pumps. Finally, there is increased discussion of place as it relates to green design, and an expanded discussion of climate-specific green design for different regions.

Despite these changes, designing and constructing buildings remains about making choices. It is the creation of choices at the beginning of a project, the evaluation of choices during the design process, the making of choices with the owner, the documentation of choices on drawings, and the implementation of choices through construction. In this book, we have attempted to provide a variety of choices for the design and construction of green buildings.

The book begins by exploring the goals of green buildings and by defining green buildings. It is strongly contextualized within the goal of reducing building-related carbon emissions to counter the increasing impacts of climate change. Various codes, standards, and guidelines are introduced, each of which sets forth requirements to give green buildings further definition.

A methodical exploration of green design is structured by working “from the outside in,” from the community and site, through various layers of the building envelope, and proceeding to examination of the green aspects of lighting, heating, and cooling. Related topics are explored, including water conservation, safeguarding indoor environmental quality, material conservation, and renewable energy.

For energy-related discussions, a variety of first principles of physics are invoked, the combination of which is increasingly referred to as “building science.” For example, first principles of heat transfer are applied to heat loss, and to reducing such loss. We explore aspects of illumination, relating to lighting energy use, and the human interaction and ergonomics of lighting. First principles of fluid dynamics lie behind a discussion of such building-related phenomena as “stack effect” buoyant airflow through buildings. First principles of thermodynamics are applied to the efficient generation and delivery of heat, the transport of heat away from buildings for cooling, and how to increase associated efficiencies in order to reduce energy use.

Detailed illustrations translate these principles and discussions into specific guidance for green building design and construction. A variety of best practices are offered, which are intended to be flexible enough for practitioners to design and construct the green building of the owner's dreams. The illustrations are also intended to be expansive, to offer a wide array of choices possible for green buildings.

Finally, a discussion of the practice of quality is used to explore how design and construction may most effectively deliver the goals sought for green design and construction.

The reader is advised to treat the methods covered in the book as tools. A building does not need to incorporate all the approaches suggested in this book in order to be green. The book is also a broad brush. It would be difficult to cover all the many emerging green building improvements, methods, and products. The focus is instead on underlying tools and strategies, from which professionals can create the choices necessary to design and construct high-performing green buildings.

Acknowledgments

For this second edition, thanks go to Luna Oiwa for research into a wide number of specialty topics; to Evan Hallas for insight into green building inspections, especially thermal bridging; to Tamar Shapiro-Tamir for work on net-zero case studies; and to Noa Shapiro-Tamir for research on case studies and weather data maps.

For the original edition of this book, thanks to Florence Baveye for research and concept drawings and to Marina Itaborai Servino for checking of facts and calculations. Further checking was done by Zac Hess and Daniel Clark. Double thanks to Roger Beck, for encouraging me to write 40 years ago, and for reviewing the manuscript 40 years later. Thanks go to Mona Azarbayjani of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and to Jonathan Angier of EPA/Office of Water for reviewing the manuscript. Invaluable reviews and comments were also provided by my wife, Dalya Tamir, my daughter Shoshana Shapiro, Susan Galbraith, Deirdre Waywell, Theresa Ryan, Jan Schwartzberg, Daniel Rosen, Shira Nayman, Ben Myers, Bridget Meeds, and Courtney Royal. Thanks to Lou Vogel and Nate Goodell for information on commissioning, to Javier Rosa and Yossi Bronsnick for information on structural design, and to Umit Sirt for information on modeling. Thanks to Nicole Ceci for energy analysis in the early going. Thanks to all my colleagues at Taitem Engineering for the research, observations, and discussions that are behind so much that is in this book. Thanks to Sue Schwartz for use of her apartment on Cayuga Lake, where I wrote. Thanks to my family – Dalya, Shoshana, Tamar, and Noa, for their support throughout. Thanks to my mother, Elsa Shapiro, for being a sounding board each day, about the day's progress, over tea.

And last, but really most of all, thanks to co-author Francis D.K. Ching, whose work is such a gift to the world. My colleague Theresa Ryan put it best: “We want to live in Frank's drawings.” Frank's illustrations, guidance, layout, collaboration, and edits all made this book happen.

—Ian M. Shapiro

Metric Equivalents

The International System of Units is an internationally accepted system of coherent physical units, using the meter, kilogram, second, ampere, Kelvin, and candela as the base units of length, mass, time, electric current, temperature, and luminous intensity. To acquaint the reader with the International System of Units, metric equivalents are provided throughout this book according to the following conventions:

All whole numbers in parentheses indicate millimeters unless otherwise noted.

Dimensions 3 inches and greater are rounded to the nearest multiple of 5 millimeters.

Nominal dimensions are directly converted; for example, a nominal 2 × 4 is converted to 51 × 100 even though its actual 1

1

/

2

" × 3

1

/

2

" dimensions would be converted to 38 × 90.

Note that 3487 mm = 3.487 m.

In all other cases, the metric unit of measurement is specified.

1Introduction

In the span of a few years, the planning, design, and construction fields have been swept up in a dynamic discussion of sustainability and green buildings. In design studios and on construction sites, we are learning to share new goals and new standards and even a new language. For many, our professional lives have been greatly enriched as we learn the meanings and means of this new language. For others, questions swirl: How did this all come about? What is it all about?

Sustainability is about the promises of things that will last—buildings with long and useful lives, forms of energy that are renewable, communities that endure. Green building is about turning the promises of sustainability into reality.

Parallel to the promises of sustainability, and even calling for their fulfillment, is the insistent reminder of scientists who caution about environmental hazards, hazards that are increasingly affirmed by our own observations. However, there is something deeply empowering in not shying away from these hazards, in turning and facing them, in weighing them collectively, and in developing strategies for addressing them. Ultimately, this may be the greatest promise of sustainability—the impetus to consider the environmental challenges we face and to find ways to overcome them.

1.01 The fragility of life on Earth has been emphasized through views of the planet from space, such as the 1990 photograph from the Voyager 1 spacecraft. The astronomer Carl Sagan described Earth as the pale blue dot, “the only home we've ever known.” (Source: NASA)

Facing Environmental Challenges

Several environmental crises are motivating us to reevaluate how we plan, design, and construct buildings. Air and water pollution resulting from fossil fuel use, fallout from nuclear power plant accidents, and the incipient and potential devastation of climate change all point to a critical need to reduce energy use. Human illness resulting from exposure to toxic chemicals compels us to reexamine their intensive use, especially in building materials.

Of particular concern is climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which includes more than 1,300 scientists from the United States and other countries, reports that “warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level.” According to the IPCC, the impacts of climate change have already begun and are expected only to get worse. The consequences of climate change also include such extreme weather events as increased cyclone activity and longer, more frequent, and more intense heat waves; reduced snow cover and greater incidence of coastal and inland flooding; shifting plant and animal ranges and loss of biodiversity; and reduced water availability for human consumption, agriculture, and energy generation.

1.02 Variations in the Earth's surface temperature from the year 1000 to 2100. (Source: IPCC)

This early IPCC projection of temperature increases has turned out to be accurate and even on the low side. From the most recent IPCC report, the globally averaged combined land and ocean surface temperature data show an actual warming of approximately 0.40 °C over the period 1990 to 2010, exceeding the originally projected warming of 0.25°C over that period.

1.03 The greenhouse effect.

The major cause of climate change is the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) produced by human activities, such as deforestation, changes in land use, and especially the burning of fossil fuels. This finding is recognized by the national science academies of all major industrialized nations.

Greenhouse gases, primarily water vapor but including smaller amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), are emissions that rise into the atmosphere and act as a thermal blanket, absorbing heat and reemitting it in all directions. The downward portion of this reradiation is known as the greenhouse effect and serves to warm the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere to a life-supporting average of 59°F (15°C). Without this natural greenhouse effect, life on Earth as we know it would not be possible.

Beginning with the Industrial Revolution, however, the burning of fossil fuels in ever-increasing amounts has contributed to higher concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere, intensifying the natural greenhouse effect and contributing to global warming and climate change.

1.04 Atmospheric samples contained in ice cores and more recent direct measurements provide evidence that atmospheric CO2 has increased since the Industrial Revolution. (Source: NOAA)

1.05 Share of global energy-related CO2 emissions by sector. (Source: 2018 Global ABC Report; IEA)

Data from the International Energy Agency indicates that buildings are responsible for almost 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the building sector's energy consumption is not attributable to the production of materials or the process of construction, but rather to operational processes, such as the heating, cooling, and lighting of buildings. This means that to reduce the energy consumption and GHG emissions generated by the use and maintenance of buildings over their life span, it is necessary to properly design, site, and shape buildings and incorporate efficient heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting strategies. However, as operational energy use is reduced, attention will increasingly also need to be directed to reducing the embodied energy of construction materials.

1.06 Well-sited and energy-efficient buildings could reduce carbon emissions in other sectors as well, by using less energy to produce and transport building materials and for people to be transported to and from buildings. Furthermore, the potential benefit of a future stream of reduced energy costs has been viewed as a way to offset the initial investment required to reduce carbon emissions.

1.07 Each year new approaches, new tools, and new products become available, offering ways to reduce energy and material use in buildings.

New Information, New Risks, New Opportunities

As knowledge of climate change and other environmental risks have been emerging, formal and informal research in buildings during the past few decades has given insights into how buildings work, how they can fail environmentally, and, as importantly, how such failures can be prevented. The converging demands of our multiple environmental crises and the relatively new information about how buildings perform and can be developed more sustainably offer opportunities for approaching the design of buildings in new ways. The field of green buildings is young and infinitely rich. New opportunities abound in design and construction to improve energy and resource efficiencies, to reduce the use of toxic chemicals, and to do so in a more affordable way.

However, there are many potential risks and pitfalls in green building design and construction. It is easy to be drawn to new products or approaches that claim to be green, but are in fact ineffective or are so costly as to prevent balanced investment in other, more cost-effective improvements. Our challenge is to use common sense, to reject token, showy, or ineffective building improvements, all while staying open to new, potentially valid ideas and tools. There is an urgent need both for critical thinking when scrutinizing new ideas and for flexibility when adapting to change that is occurring at a rapid pace.

Green building design need not focus solely on simply adding features to buildings to make them greener. While increasing thermal insulation values will improve the energy efficiency of a building and adding solar photovoltaic systems will reduce the need for electricity derived from nonrenewable sources, there is also much to be gained through judicious design that is not simply additive but rather more integrated and organic in nature. For example, we could select more reflective surfaces for interior finishes that would require fewer artificial light sources while delivering the same interior light levels. We could select building shapes that have less exposed surface area and so use less energy for the same floor area than more complex building shapes.

Being always mindful of the aesthetic nature of what we design and build, we might also ask: What is the effect of green design on the beauty of the built environment? Fortunately, beauty need not be sacrificed in order for buildings to be green. Green buildings may challenge conventional notions of what is beautiful, but the opportunity arises to reevaluate our notions of beauty, to reexamine how we define beauty in buildings, and to explore beauty in new architectural forms.

1.08 Symbols for green materials, processes, and practices.

What Is a Green Building?

In this book, the question “What is a green building?” is repeatedly posed. This question takes many forms: Is a green building one that is greener than it could have been? Is a green building one that meets a green building standard? Is a green building one that has low or zero negative impact on the environment and on human health? Should all buildings be green? Are green buildings a passing fad? Do green buildings stay green over time?

The answer to “What is a green building?” is still evolving. Some buildings certified as green according to one of the green building standards have been found to be, in fact, high energy users or in some other way polluting. Conversely, many zero-energy or near-zero-energy buildings have been successfully designed and built but have not been certified as green by any rating system. This is not to question the environmental performance of all certified green buildings. Green building standards and certification systems have contributed immeasurably to the advancement of sustainable design and will continue to do so. However, we may still have a way to go before a green building certification guarantees a high level of energy efficiency or low level of pollution.

Parallel to the question “What is a green building?” is a similar but different question, “What is a greener building?” In many specific areas of building design, the relative merits of different approaches can be weighed by asking which of multiple available options is greener. This is not to advocate for small or incremental improvements in green design. The overall goal of a meaningfully green building remains paramount. However, when facing the many design decisions that need to be made in planning a building, “Is this approach greener?” can be a useful question—one that is often worthwhile asking, regardless of compliance with a specific green building code, standard, or guideline.

1.09 Mitigating environmental degradation through conservation, reduction of pollutants, and protection of water and natural resources and habitats.

Green Building Goals

There are many goals that motivate the planning and design of green buildings.

Perhaps the most widely recognized goals address environmental degradation:

Mitigate global warming through energy conservation and resulting reduction of GHG emissions.

Minimize environmental impacts resulting from the extraction of coal, natural gas, and oil, including oil spills; the mountaintop removal mining of coal; and the pollution associated with hydraulic fracturing for natural gas.

Reduce pollution of air, water, and soil.

Protect clean water sources.

Reduce light pollution that can disrupt nocturnal ecosystems.

Protect natural habitats and biological diversity, with specific concern for threatened and endangered species.

Prevent unnecessary and irreversible conversion of farmland to nonagricultural uses.

Protect topsoil and reduce the impacts of flooding.

Reduce use of landfills.

Reduce risk of nuclear contamination.

1.10 Improving environmental and economic health.

1.11 Meeting social and societal goals.

Goals for green buildings include providing for improved human health and comfort:

Improve indoor air quality.

Improve indoor water quality.

Increase thermal comfort.

Reduce noise pollution.

Improve morale.

Some goals might be considered economic in nature:

Reduce energy costs.

Improve productivity.

Create green jobs.

Increase marketing appeal.

Improve public relations.

Some goals might be considered political in nature:

Reduce dependence on foreign sources of fuel.

Increase national competitiveness.

Avoid depletion of nonrenewable fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural gas.

Reduce strain on electric power grids and risk of power outages.

Some people broaden the goals of green buildings to include social or societal goals:

Follow fair labor practices.

Provide access for the disabled.

Protect consumers.

Protect parklands.

Preserve historic structures.

Provide affordable housing.

And some goals reflect the unique needs of the human spirit:

Express deep connection to and love of the Earth and nature.

Be self-reliant.

Satisfy the quest for beauty.

Some goals may not be explicitly stated but represent some of our less nobler needs, such as the quest for status or prestige.

Regardless of how the stated goals are grouped, there is an ongoing and valid conversation to be had about what the goals are and how to prioritize them. In most instances, constructing green buildings supports one or more of the goals in a harmonious way. However, in some cases, conflicts may occur between two or more goals and the reconciliation of these conflicts represents a vital sorting-out of what is important to us as humans.

In the face of almost unanimous agreement among scientists about the consequences of climate change, and with impacts well under way, such as shifting plant and animal ranges, more frequent flooding of low-lying areas, and receding of polar ice, a major focus of the green building field will remain the reduction of energy consumption and associated carbon emissions.

1.12 Global CO2 emissions reductions by technology area: RTS* to 2DS†.

(Source: IAE) Energy-efficient technologies dominate the cumulative CO2 emissions reductions achieved in the industry, buildings, and transport sectors, reinforcing the importance of efficiency as the “first fuel” for achieving the 2DS vision. Therefore, reducing energy consumption and associated carbon emissions remains of paramount importance in the way we plan, design, and construct buildings.

*RTS: Reference technology scenario (‘business as usual’)

†2DS: Scenario to reduce carbon emissions to control global warming to 2°C

‡CCS: Carbon capture and sequestration

1.13 Designing from the outside by incrementally adding layers of shelter.

Approaches to Green Building

In green building design and construction, it often helps to use a commonsense approach. Most of the energy- and water-efficiency trade-offs of different technologies and strategies are readily quantifiable and so can guide decision-making. Hazardous materials are reasonably well-known and identifiable and so can be avoided. Common sense can also be helpful in addressing some of the more complex trade-offs, guiding consideration of new technologies, and preventing design paralysis, which may arise when faced with the many choices and unknowns in green design and construction.

In this book, we offer one approach to designing green buildings: designing from the outside in. A variety of benefits can be realized by designing from the perimeter of a building site, toward the building, through its envelope, and to its core. By incrementally adding layers of shelter