IES Blog

If I was a betting woman…

I’d bet on clean energy.

Las Vegas hosted the National Clean Energy Summit 4.0 last month, and none other than Vice President Joe Biden himself was there to pledge allegiance to green cars, photovoltaics and wind turbines. He seemed sincerely passionate about the need for a renewable energy revolution. The event was held at the LEED Gold-certified Aria CityCenter, which looks like any other casino resort, but is far from it. What you can’t see is the waste heat co-generation facility, the water conservation efforts, the fresh air circulation or the electric vehicle charging station. Yes, at a casino. In Las Vegas. CityCenter’s commitment to the environment remarkably demonstrates that a community can be both beautiful and sustainable.

“Imagine if the U.S. was the first country able to make solar power that is cheaper than coal. Imagine lithium-ion batteries made here that are capable of carrying an electric car 300 miles or more. Imagine being able to capture waste power from factories and vehicles and convert it to electricity. I think we’re going to see stunning breakthroughs.”
-Joe Biden

These innovations will help the U.S. by spending less on imported oil from other nations, focusing our efforts to continue pushing the envelope when it comes to clean technologies.

There was also a panel presentation. Newly elected Nevada governor Brian Sandoval said that the state has made a commitment to use 20 percent renewable energy by 2020. If other states would piggy back off Nevada’s commitment, we would be on our way to a more sustainable America. (And well before the Architecture 2030 deadline, too!)

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Tags:Environment, event, Las Vegas, LEED, Renewables, Sustainability

Now that Green Building Week has drawn to a close I thought I’d take this opportunity to reflect on the event we held last Monday – Environmental Modelling for a Low Carbon Scotland.  Our ‘thought trees’ certainly got the discussion started (I’ll go into the feedback received later on) and the after seminar question & answer session was fierce.  But what was clear, was the huge interest in better understanding how computer modelling (or building performance simulation) can deliver more sustainable buildings, and even cities.

We started the evening with a kind introduction from Lori McElroy Sust. Programme Director for Architecture+Design Scotland, followed by a short presentation from Dr Don McLean Founder and MD of IES.  Covering the current state of play in the use of simulation for low-carbon design, Don started by celebrating the world leading status of the UK – “From recent trips to the US I’d say they are at least 5-10 years behind us in terms of thinking and they certainly turn to those companies with a UK presence for experience.”  Then looking to the future he explored some of the research areas IES is currently involved.

David McNeill, Technical Director of Buro Happold gave the main presentation of the evening.  Kick started with a look at how Victorian design techniques used many passive elements such as central circular openings high up to vent heat and introduce daylight.  He then took us an a whistle stop tour around the Riverside Museum, the Burns Museum, Queens University Belfast and Saudi Arabia, looking at how different areas of simulation were used on each project to prove or disprove concepts and stretch design boundaries.

Quote of the night from him “Sometimes you do a model and it proves things don’t work but better to do it then than find out when you build it in real life.”

A lively question and answer session followed the presentations which we eventually had to wind down in order to give us some time to enjoy the wine and canapés.  The interest in where the future of performance analysis could take us was exciting; with concepts around analysis for eco-cities being discussed through to how to effectively bring design and operational modelling closer together and integrate this with FM process and building controls.

The prize for controversial question of the evening goes to Colin Donald of the Glasgow Herald.   Referring to the Riverside Museum he asked; “So did Zaha Hadid have any kind of idea the impact a 30m high glass wall would have?”  The answer?  In essence, shortening a long response down, the clear vision and understanding of the curators regarding the internal conditions required and computer modelling allowed the design vision to be effectively created to perform well.

You can watch a video of the seminars here and review some of the tweets from the evening using the event hashtag #lowCO2scot11.

So that just leaves us the ‘Thought Trees’ which were dotted around the venue asking key questions about sustainability in Scotland.  A big thanks to Urban Realm which supplied one of the questions.  A selection of the responses received are below.  What are your thoughts?  Please add your comments below and keep the discussion going.

What’s the biggest sustainably challenge you’re facing?
-    The gap between design and operational targets and modelling.  Although IES can do operational modelling, Building Standards still claim that they specify all assets, whereas they only specify elements of the assets - the specification gap arises.  The emphasis of all those talking about projects they have done should be to discuss the actual energy in operation, not the design targets; I have yet to see an architect quote actual energy consumption.  Bring on DECs.
-    The expectations of the people within them.  We have seen a dramatic inflation in people’s expectations of the environment in a building.  While the demands are for 23-25 C so that people can walk in their shorts at home at any time of year is excessive.  Halogen lights on everywhere, a fridge in the kitchen and beer fridge in the garage and so on.

What’s your top sustainability goal?
-    Educate your building users to operate buildings efficiency and to take ownership and interact
-    To have buildings designed and built to last – not just low energy or sustainable for the current day

Tell us something about Scotland which you think makes it easier achieve energy reductions in buildings?
-    Our temperate environment
-    We wear jumpers inside
-    Wind power

Urban Realm Question: How best can Scotland’s existing buildings be retro-fitted to meet 21st century environmental standards?

-    I see lots of new/refurbished buildings consuming more energy than before due to: dark ceilings or ceilings not lit so people increase light levels to make it feel brighter; higher light levels than needed; daylighting not being used to optimally offset artificial lighting requirements (floor to ceiling)- leading to higher heat losses in winter and solar gains in summer; high solar gains in summer leading to air conditioning; high external light levels; high distribution heat losses and standing losses of boilers; underfloor heating designed to operate at too high a temperature and without heavy weight building; controls that do not allow a deadband – so it’s either heating or cooling; no means of heat escape at high level, with windows opening lower down, leading to A/C requirements; server rooms having A/C as standard and so on.  These are all asset issues, not due to occupation.

-    The challenge for refurbishment is understanding the whole building. We need to learn the lessons across the new build to understand the limitations of a refurbishment.

Here’s looking forward to next year’s event…

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Tags:Building, education, event, IES, Modeling, Scotland, Sustainability, sustainable

Just adding a few LED lightbulbs and a low flow toilet does not a sustainable building make. Yes, you will save energy and money over the course of time with these eco-friendly choices, but the most important choices are the ones you make before you even break ground on the building.

Consider this:
During the lifetime of a building, the initial investment of construction represents 20 percent of overall cost. A company will incur the heft of the building’s expense — 80 percent — through its operating cost, says Cary Gampher, of AIA and principal architect with The Architects Alliance. To minimize the weight of that 80 percent, utilizing sustainable design for a commercial remodel or construction is about more than making a few environmentally friendly choices.

{Taken from Jefferson City Magazine}

Looking at these numbers, it’s clear that the actual cost to construct a building is small compared to the lifetime of expenses a building owner will incur. Take, for example, natural light within a building. The impact of lighting on energy usage is enormous. Visual comfort, glare, solar irradiance – these are all factors to consider when positioning a building.

Using an early-stage analysis tool such as our VE-Pro can show you the results of positioning at different times of the year, at different times of day under multiple conditions. Looking at daylighting is also an important consideration to LEED requirements (EQc8.1).

Using advanced simulation and incorporating energy analysis into the entire design process, changes to the design of the building can be made early and often. And that’s how building owners will save on the 80% of the building expenses over the lifetime of the building. But you’ve got to do it from the very beginning.

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Tags:Building, daylighting, design, Sustainability, VE-Pro

It is now only 3 days until the first and only World Green Building Week event taking place in Scotland this year. If you have been following IES across any of our social media then you will know that we have been hard at work preparing for the “Environmental Modelling for a Low Carbon Scotland” event. Well now the programme has been finalised, the wine has been ordered and the thought trees have been built (don’t worry, we’ll get to that later).

We have also started to receive feedback from the questions posted in our previous blog that previewed our event taking place next Monday (16th Sep). One delegate believes the main challenge facing sustainable building in Scotland is “the gap between design and operational targets and modelling.  Although IES can do operational modelling, Building Standards still claim that they specify all assets, whereas they only specify elements of the assets - the specification gap arises.  The emphasis of all those talking about projects they have done should be to discuss the actual energy in operation, not the design targets, I have yet to see an architect quote actual energy consumption.  Bring on DECs”

When responding to the question put forward by Urban Realm (How best can Scotland’s existing buildings be retro-fitted to meet 21st century environmental standards), the delegate answered - “The challenge for refurbishment is understanding the whole building. We need to learn the lessons across the new build to understand the limitations of a refurbishment”.

There will also be plenty of opportunity to express your views at the event itself. Dotted around the venue you will see five ‘Thought trees’ which ask key questions to get the debate flowing. It’s easy to get involved – write your views on the tags and hang them on the trees. Each ‘Tree’ poses a different question, with each of your answers forming a crucial part of the post event discussion.

Any other questions or issues you’d like to discuss? Let us know by using our #tag #LowCO2Scot11 or drop us a line at events@iesve.com.

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Tags:Building, DECs, design, Discussion, event, IES, Modeling, Scotland, Sustainability

Following John’s recent blog post about LEED 2012, I wanted to weigh in with my 2 cents. I find anything written about LEED fascinating. Everyone’s got an opinion, and it’s what keeps our industry fresh.

I recently came across this ed+c article - Middle East Architecture — LEEDing nowhere – and found myself applauding the author on multiple occasions.

For example, this particular line really got me.
“Green wants to embrace everything, and everyone wants to embrace green.”

Romi continues, “But when a definition becomes so overarching, it loses all significance. Architects now depend much on intelligent service systems to make up for their folly and neglect in basic building design. It is unfortunate that these rating systems like LEED, BREEAM; have converted architecture into an accounting exercise.”

Is this what architecture and design have become? Merely an accounting exercise? I think that’s taking it to an extreme. I believe that we are now more aware of the orientation of a building or the CO2 output, and can make changes that are positive for the future tenants of the building. Whether or not it is to achieve LEED status is a non-factor. Our awareness when it comes to the way in which we design buildings is what matters.

I thought Romi’s closing brings us to an interesting point.
“The world needs green buildings a lot more than green buildings need LEED certification. If certifications such as LEED, BREEAM continue to cost too much money, time and effort — we will not stop building green projects; we will just stop certifying them.”

What is/was the goal of the USGBC’s LEED program? If it was to increase awareness, well then regardless of whether or not a building is LEED certified, a better building is a better building.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic. I’m always up for a good debate!

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Tags:Architects, BREEAM, Building, design, LEED, sustainable, USGBC

Is LEED outdated? Maybe outdated is the wrong word. But what does it mean to be LEED certified these days? For over a decade, building owners have strived to obtain LEED certification. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in March 2000, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

But recently, there has been chatter that LEED ratings aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Last month, the U.S. District Court in NYC dismissed the $100 million lawsuit brought against the USGBC regarding the rating system. The claim from the plaintiffs was that the USGBC falsely advertises LEED by guaranteeing energy savings and a reduction in carbon emission, among other things, in LEED-certified buildings. The case was dismissed, but the awareness and buzz certainly didn’t seem to fall on deaf ears at the USGBC.

To respond, they are introducing new rules so buildings must continually recertify and measure their energy use against their neighbors.

According to a recent article in Fast Company, “The latest version of the building-rating system, called LEED 2012 – which will launch in November and the go to USGBC members for a vote  next summer –takes advantage of new technology and building practices that make real-time energy and water management commercially viable.”

I found it interesting that on the day I was reading about the new direction of LEED, I read about the 10,000 certified building! In just a few short years, I think this is quite a feat! Regardless, the fact that LEED has encouraged us to reevaluate the way we build buildings is something that can never be taken away, and it’s a positive for the building industry.

Green building expert Rob Watson weighed in with some comments as well, and I agree.
“Milestones like this — 10,000 buildings or the soon-to-be 2 billion square feet of certified floor area or the imminent cumulative 10 billion square feet of projects registered and certified — show the incredible impact that LEED has had on the building market,” Watson said.

What do you think?

PS – The USGBC is hosting a seven-part webinar series on “The Evolution of LEED: Insights into Rating System Updates” and there are still a few sessions left. If nothing else, I think it’s an interesting conversation.

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Tags:Building, design, LEED, USGBC

World Green Building Week is held annually to highlight the importance of sustainable buildings for businesses, communities and individuals across the world. Each year, international Green Building Councils and their members are encouraged to co-ordinate activities and hold events that reflect what sustainability means to them.

IES, Buro Happold and Archtecture+Design Scotland have got together and decided it was about time we held such an event in our neck of the woods! So for the first time ever, a WGBW event will take place in Scotland.  “Environmental Modelling for a Low Carbon Scotland” will take place on Monday 19th September at The Lighthouse in Glasgow, from 18.00 – 20.00.

The evening will kick off with a drinks reception and a presentation from Buro Happold on the role of energy & environmental modelling in delivering greener buildings, including insights into a number of Scottish projects including the new Glasgow Riverside Museum and the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum.

The event is not only an excuse to drink wine and eat nibbles (which of course will be provided!). But also an opportunity for the different elements of the building design community to come together and discuss what is happening in our industry.

We will be coming up with questions to get the debate flowing, and we want to hear your views! Try these two on for starters…

What’s the biggest sustainably challenge you’re facing in Scotland?
What’s your top sustainability goal?

Urban Realm have also provided us with a question for you to discuss…

How best can Scotland’s existing buildings be retro-fitted to meet 21st century environmental standards?

If you would like to suggest a question or wish to give a reply to one listed above, just use the #tag - #LowCO2Scot11 or leave a comment on this post.

To register for this exclusive event simply email events@iesve.com with your details and we’ll get back to you with a confirmation.

We look forward to meeting you at The Lighthouse!

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Tags:Building, design, event, IES, Modeling, Scotland, Sustainability, UKGBC

What’s the equivalent of a Prius when it comes to green buildings? Well, the answer might be The Bullitt Center in Seattle, Washington. It just broke ground last week, and aims to be the first commercial building designed to carry its own environmental weight.

What does that mean – “carry its own environmental weight”?

It means that this building is taking sustainable design to the next level. This building is designed to produce as much energy as it consumes. To provide its own water, its own sewage. If you want to drive to work, you’ll have to find an alternate parking lot. Parking at The Bullitt Center will be reserved for bikes only.

You might be scratching your head and thinking this is crazy. But this is what sustainable design is all about!

Denis Hayes, president and CEO of the Bullitt Foundation, was quoted in a Seattle Times feature about the project, saying this is what we should have been doing 5, 10 years ago.

Conventional office buildings are getting greener, Hayes acknowledges. Many developers are designing their projects with green features to qualify for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, then marketing that label prominently.

But change isn’t happening fast enough to respond to climate change and other looming environmental problems, he said: “If the world had three or four centuries to address these challenges, we would be right on track.”

So what does this mean for our industry? This will force programs like LEED to take it to the next level, and for architects and designers to really incorporate sustainable design techniques into projects.

Building owners are going to be asking for these features in their buildings. And it’s possible, we just need to keep at it.

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Tags:Architects, Building, climate, design, leadership, LEED, office, Seattle, Sustainability

Architecture 2030 is somewhat of a “hot topic” around the IES offices. There’s always something new to talk about as it relates to the goal focused of protecting our global environment by using innovation and common sense to develop solutions to the increasing problem of global warming.

I recently came across this article on Daily Commercial News by Wayne DeAngelis. In his article, titled “Time to re-think energy use and production,” he gets to the core of what Architecture 2030 is all about.

When American architect Edward Mazria first pondered the notion of what architecture would be like in the year 2030, he was no doubt well aware of the struggle that lay ahead in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, building waste, brownfields, greenfields and the usurping of this planet’s precious finite resources such as water, land and air. Yet he may not have anticipated the momentum “The 2030 Challenge” would initiate.

We’ve quoted Ed Mazria before. I think this quote from a few years’ ago is worth taking another look.
“We tend to rush toward the complex when trying to solve a daunting problem, but in this case, simplicity wins. Better buildings, responsible energy use and renewable energy choices are all we need to tackle both energy independence and climate change,” said Mazria.

And that’s just the thing. In order to tackle climate change and build sustainable buildings not just now, but for the future, we need to stop and take a step back. Simplicity at its core is something we should practice in many areas of our lives, especially design. Rather than building massive buildings that are underutilized and aren’t energy efficient, we need to take a look at the earliest stages of the design process and ask ourselves, “What is the goal of this building?” Many times, the answer helps guide the design and its ultimate simplicity.

We’ve got just under two decades to get to Architecture 2030. Can we do it?

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Tags:Architects, Architecture 2030, design, Environment, IES, Renewables, Sustainability