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Architecture, Ideas, Style, Technology, Trends

Delta-Rae Homes

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Luxury and sustainability

Delta-Rae Homes maintains a delicate balance between industry standards, emerging ideas and green trends

Carmen Calabrese has been ahead of the curve for years – and the president and owner of Delta-Rae Homes constantly challenges himself to continue that trend.

He recognized the shift to green building before it became an industry status quo, and he makes sure Delta-Rae is providing options and standards to keep on the same evolutionary path.

“We are always looking for innovative ways to make our future homes even more sustainable,” says Calabrese, with over 24 years in home building to his credit. “This is the way of the future.

“We take great pride in the workmanship that goes into our homes and we have the finest tradespeople to thank for that. Their expertise and awareness in greener practices have brought our company to the next level.”

Well known in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) for creating innovative singular homes with a custom approach, Delta-Rae has been recognized with the highest design award in the GTHBA (Greater Toronto Home Builders’ Association).

The company’s success has grown to include communities across the Region of Durham in Whitby and Oshawa, while making an impact, as well, in Cobourg, on Balsam Lake in Rosedale, Ontario, and Bowmanville.

Historically, Delta-Rae has built award-winning high-end custom homes, but over the past six years that same standard has been transitioned to include mid-sized homes and townhomes.

With over 700 homes built in the Durham region, Calabrese continues to deliver a product with unparalleled attention to detail, coupled with high-quality finishings. And years before Energy Star regulations were put in place, he recognized that green packages would be a Delta-Rae standard.

“What’s important to me, as a builder, is to find the balance between industry standards, emerging ideas and trends,” he says. “To focus, not only on quality and fine details, but on a more practical approach for the buyer. And greener materials have been a cost-effective alternative.

“Greener materials have been an advantage for our purchasers, in that the long-term maintenance and operational costs will incur significant energy savings.”

Calabrese takes pride in saying that, in a Delta-Rae home, you will not only find stunning architectural nuances, outstanding interiors and impeccable craftsmanship, but also a luxury dwelling high on efficiency and sustainability.

Working closely with sustainability experts, Delta-Rae is now offering upgraded green options, as an efficient alternative for purchasers. They include indoor and outdoor LED lighting, quartz countertops and greener cabinetry.

Already available with Delta-Rae homes were high-efficiency furnaces, state-of-the-art (HRV) air exchangers, high R-value insulation materials, power-vented hot water tanks, Tyvek air barriers, fibreglass front doors, efficient lighting options, outstanding exterior finishes and upgraded low-e windows.


Calabrese points out that Delta-Rae recognizes that these types of options are “a way of life today” and not simply novelties.

“More and more customers are concerned with much more than the interior finishes and space,” he says.  “They are also attuned to what lies within the walls of their home and cost-measuring energy savings.”

Helping Calabrese – in his quest to maintain progressive standards as newer technologies come along – are his daughter, Amanda, and son, Anthony, whose enthusiasm is taking the company “up a notch.” He says they are extremely passionate about delivering a product of quality, efficiency and distinction.

“Quality has been learned from an early age, and this newer generation aims to bring innovative designs and technologies to their homebuyers.”

Calabrese says implementing sustainable values in Delta-Rae homes is extremely important for his company.

“The savings alone, in maintenance costs, supersedes the cost of implementing these newer technologies for our buyers,” he adds. “We also understand that the buyers today are now aware of these technologies and we strive to respond to this and still maintain the quality and caliber of our homes.”

Web: www.delta-rae.com

Green Energy, Ideas, Sustainability, Technology, Trends

GREEN GLOBES

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Green Globes – the little green building rating system that could…

Jiri Skopek  AA Dip., OAA, MCIP, RIBA

Green certifications help to ensure that buildings are energy and resource efficient, achieve operational efficiencies and savings, and are healthier to work or live in. Whereas LEED has been the platform for “leadership” in green buildings, another lesser-known system, called Green Globes, has, since its inception a decade ago, aimed to bring green buildings into the mainstream by offering an affordable, user-friendly system. Now that green buildings are no longer just limited to “leaders” but are generally considered mainstream, the need for an affordable approach, transparency and benchmarking is greater than ever. And while Green Globes may not be as well-known as LEED, it has demonstrated that it is “the little green building rating system that could”.

December 2013 marks the launch of the updated Green Globes for New Construction, which is largely based on the ANSI/GBI 01-2010 standard. Improved energy modelling, life cycle assessments and product environmental performance declarations (EPDs) are just a few of the tools that are available to the building industry. With these advances, Green Globes for New Construction Version 2 puts greater emphasis on quantifiable criteria. Version 2 also includes innovation criteria, which, similarly to the Living Building Challenge, focus on positive contributions of the building to the environment rather than just reduction of its environmental impact. And yet, notwithstanding the updates, Green Globes is still as user-friendly and affordable as ever.

Green Globes differs from other systems primarily with respect to its streamlined format and submission requirements. The assessment is in the format of an online questionnaire that produces automated reporting.  Submission requirements consist of actual working documents, most of which are normally produced in the course of doing any green project.  For example, the required documentation for a new construction project would include the actual drawings and specifications, modelling studies, records of integrated design sessions and evidence of required studies and plans such an Acoustic Plan, an Erosion Control Plan, a Commissioning Plans and so forth.  Because there are no additional requirements other than documents which should normally be produced anyway, this greatly reduces the time and cost of producing a submission.

Green Globes for New Construction and Significant Renovation, in addition to being a rating and certification tool also helps design teams address integrated green design principles. This is done through (optional) plain-language questionnaires, which are designed to facilitate discussion at the goal setting and concept design stages. Since ninety percent of design decisions are typically made during the first ten percent of the design process, using this integrated approach can help to ensure that sustainability goals are established before design decisions have been made, and that these are monitored throughout each stage of the project.

Today, the Green Globes system is used by large developers and property management companies, including, the Canadian federal government, which has adopted the program for its entire real estate portfolio.

In Canada, the version for existing buildings is operated by BOMA Canada under the brand name ‘BOMA BESt’. All other Green Globes products in Canada are owned and operated by ECD Energy and Environment Canada Ltd.

A large part of the Green Globes success is its simplicity.  Because it provides an all-in-one self-assessment, reporting tool and integrated design guide, this makes it possible to develop and assess sustainable designs in-house at a fraction of the time and cost of other assessment methodologies.

Jiri Skopek, Managing Director, Sustainability with ECD Jones Lang LaSalle, is an architect and planner with over 30 years of experience in sustainable development. He is best known for developing the suite of Green Globes environmental assessment tools.  

 

Architecture, Building Envelope, Green Energy, HVAC, Ideas, Style, Sustainability, Technology, Trends

Hualien Beach Resort

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Dramatic transformation

Industrial backwater in Taiwan set to become destination/tourist health spa

Once upon a time, not that long ago, a prominent section of land in Taipei, Taiwan, was home to a dreary, rundown industrial and factory region.

But through a top-to-bottom green game plan conceived by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), architects based in Copehagen, all that grime and grit will soon be a distant memory. BIG, working with the Taiwan Land Development Corporation (TLDC), will be creating a world-class beach resort with a lengthy checklist of sustainable features.

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Located on the northern coast of Taiwan, fronting the East China Sea, near the confluence of two rivers, the Hualien Beach Resort definitely has a picturesque, and prominent, location.

A low-energy master plan has been devised to block low-angle/high-glare morning and evening sun. And the resort will have green landscape stripes incorporated to create a mountain terrain of commercial and residential development that mirrors the natural mountains off in the distance.

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These stripes are positioned in an east-to-west direction to frame the most dramatic views, while providing for the best shading system to offset Taiwan’s hot and humid tropical climate. With the primary harshness of the sun’s rays blocked out, more favourable north-south light will be allowed to flow into the units. Further discouraging heat gain will be a tangle of green roofs.

Upon completion, the resort will be promoted as a residential, commercial destination/tourist health spa. Three programmatic rings will intersect onsite to create three courtyards, with a shared community area at the intersection. With a network of pedestrian/bike paths weaving through the ground-level commercial space, car traffic on the site will be virtually eliminated.

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The BIG design pays careful attention to green living and its benefits. The green roofs will provide shade and help to remove heat from the air through evapotranspiration. Through photosynthesis, the plants will help manufacture a healthy, oxygen-enhanced air.

The inner courtyard will be surrounded by inclining green walls as the roof meets the ground. Indoors, residents will be living next door to nature as the sloping roof gardens sweep past windows and balconies, bringing lush vegetation within reach of apartment interiors. These types of features were attained by utilizing various forms of engineering analysis conducted. Extensive wire mesh planting and rainwater collection systems were also incorporated.

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All in all, BIG believes the seamless combination of architecture and nature will provide a quintessential environment for communal facilities and sustainable living … leading to a healthy and happy lifestyle.


Web: www.big.dk

Building Envelope, Ideas, Sustainability, Technology

Urbandale’s Proud Foundations

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How an Ottawa builder is using exterior foundation insulation to build better basements.

Drive through a new Urbandale community in Ottawa, and you may notice something different about the houses.  With most houses built in Canada, the brick overhangs the foundation by a couple of inches. In new homes built by Urbandale, the foundation actually extends past the brick, hence their name for this new approach, Proud Foundations.

“What we’ve done is moved the insulation from the interior of the foundation to the exterior” says Matthew Sachs, General Manager of Urbandale Construction. “This keeps the concrete foundation from freezing, which has a number of benefits, including eliminating the chance of moisture problems due to condensation, and reducing the chance of foundation cracks.”

Exterior foundation insulation has been standard practice in commercial construction for years, but is rarely used in residential construction due to the higher cost and attention to detail needed to install it correctly. Urbandale has come up with an innovative way to install exterior insulation that’s cost effective and easy to replicate.

In order to ensure that condensation doesn’t occur on the inside face of the foundation, you need to have the correct ratio of internal and exterior insulation.  Urbandale studied the design criteria for building in Ottawa’s climate and determined that if two thirds of the insulation is placed on the exterior, then the inner face of the foundation wall will never be cold enough to experience condensation. All houses in Canada experience some condensation in the wall assembly throughout the year. In most cases the condensation will evaporate without causing problems, but in some cases, and especially in new homes with large amounts of moisture in the concrete, the condensation can build up which can easily lead to mould. “A poured concrete foundation holds literally thousands of liters of water and can take up to a year to fully dry out”, explains Sachs. “During the first year it’s critical to ensure that condensation doesn’t build up inside the wall assembly, and with our Proud Foundations the conditions are never there for condensation to occur.”

Urbandale’s approach also makes basements more comfortable.  A concrete foundation that is allowed to freeze in the winter will make the basement feel clammy and damp. If the concrete is never allowed to freeze, then it’s easier to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature in the basement. Urbandale also installs insulation underneath the slab, so that heat can’t escape through the floors and the floors are more comfortable to walk on.

Proud Foundation Close-Up

Cracks can occur in concrete foundations when the foundation is subject to repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Concrete is porous which means that the foundation can soak up water like a sponge. When the concrete freezes the water turns to ice and expands, putting extra internal pressures on the concrete. This process of freezing and thawing can make a small crack expand as the pressure literally rips the concrete from the inside out. If the concrete is never allowed to freeze, then this process cannot occur, which reduces the chance of foundation cracks. Urbandale’s approach to exterior insulation also includes a waterproof elastomeric coating on the outside of the insulation, further reducing the chance of moisture getting into the house through foundation cracks.

Urbandale is clearly proud of their new approach, and with good reason. With land prices rising, houses are being built on a smaller footprint, and homeowners are trying to get more out of their home. A more comfortable basement, thanks to Urbandale’s Proud Foundations and under-slab insulation, increases the amount of usable space.  Says Sachs, “We feel that the basement shouldn’t be just the space underneath your home, it should be more of your home.”

Urbandale’s Basement Wall Assembly

(Described from the inside-out)

-Drywall

-Batt insulation in stud cavity

-Poured concrete foundation

-Spray-on waterproof membrane/vapour barrier

-Rigid glass fibre insulation

-Elastomeric coating

 

 

Architecture, Building Envelope, Green Energy, Ideas, Sustainability, Technology, Trends

Animated Apertures : Biomimicry in Architecture

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B+U Architects

Mixing Nature and Technology

Biomimicry or biomimetics is the imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems

Los Angeles based B+U Architects, a design office recognized internationally for its digital techniques and use of new technologies and material resources, is once again pushing the boundaries of architecture and urban design with its Animated Apertures Housing Tower project in Lima, Peru. The conceptual framework for the design arose from a “clear interest in emphasizing an architecture that can exist between nature and technology,” inspired by natural patterns, movements and colors with the overarching goal of creating an “interactive and intelligent building organism”. According to the architects, its design aesthetic embraces incongruence, disruption and deformation rather than homogeneity and parametric smoothness – a common solution in many digital designs that the firm wished to avoid.

What makes Animated Apertures so unique is its attempt to rethink and redesign the DNA of the window in terms of function, components, appearance and materiality and then its application to a 20-story tall housing typology. The apertures function as inhabitable spaces or thresholds between interior and exterior that respond to environmental forces such as sun and wind and exploit potential energetic exchanges between the natural and built environments. The exterior of the building is a direct result of the interior spaces and their relationships to specific points in the city, with linear extensions along the window frames that create a soft, blurred building edge that is always in flux rather than a traditionally sharp and rigid one.

Image converted using ifftoany

The building consists of underground parking for 90 cars, a ground floor entry with a cafe and L-shaped living units stacked on top of each other with a North-South orientation. Each unit occupies three levels, giving it a double height living room that is oriented to the San Isidro Golf Club with access to two gardens. Both living room and dining room areas have large foldable glass walls that can be opened to create a continuous indoor-outdoor living experience with plenty of cross-ventilation. The Housing Tower also has a penthouse unit and a rooftop with large pool and garden. The building consists of underground parking for 90 cars, a ground floor entry with a cafe and L-shaped living units stacked on top of each other with a North-South orientation. Each unit occupies three levels, giving it a double height living room that is oriented to the San Isidro Golf Club with access to two gardens. Both living room and dining room areas have large foldable glass walls that can be opened to create a continuous indoor-outdoor living experience with plenty of cross-ventilation. The Housing Tower also has a penthouse unit and a rooftop with large pool and garden.

The overall structure is a cast in place concrete slab and core structure with most of the exterior enclosure made of cast in place concrete. The rough textured concrete shell contrasts sharply with the highly articulated fiberglass composite apertures that are translucent and illuminated with LED’s from within, giving the tower a distinguished colorful glow at night. These apertures will be made out of advanced silicon composites that mix material properties on a molecular level, are able to move without mechanical parts and ultimately mimic systems found in nature. In addition, the new window frames will be coated with thin solar film that produce significant solar energy for the building. B+U’s hope is that with these special technological components, Animated Apertures will help revolutionize and redefine the built environment so that buildings become less invasive and instead become closer to functioning as adaptable organisms.

Project details

Title: Animated Apertures
Architect: Baumgartner+Uriu (B+U)
Location: Lima, Peru
Design Principals: Herwig Baumgartner, Scott Uriu
Project Team: Nema Ashjaee (lead), Aaron Ryan, Jack Gaumer, Ricardo Lledo, Anthony Morey
Type: Housing tower
Size: 5,000 sqm
Material: Advanced silicon composites, ETFE, concrete, glass
Photo credits: B+U, LLP – Herwig Baumgartner, Scott Uriu

 

Architecture, Green Energy, Ideas, Sustainability, Technology, Trends

SUSTAINABLE.TO – RESILIENT HOUSE

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Three in a row

Third major passive house design award in as many years for architects at Sustainable.TO

By GREG McMILLAN

Paul Dowsett is waxing poetic and his passion has a way of jumping out at you.

The principal architect at Sustainable.TO Architecture + Building is discussing ‘green’ house  design, the future, and human impact on the environment; topics dear to him and at the heart of his life and work.

And he is linking them to his firm’s most recent, most high-profile project; the internationally-acclaimed Resilient House, which was designed specifically for the New York region ravaged by Superstorm Sandy.

“The Resilient House is simple to build and even simpler to operate,” Dowsett tells Green Building and Sustainable Strategies magazine. “It is grounded in building science; being passively heated and cooled, built of durable, environmentally-benign materials, and designed to have excellent indoor air quality without sacrificing energy-efficiency or thermal comfort.

“It is [as the name suggests] resilient, and it is a pleasant space to inhabit – both before, and after, an extreme weather event.  And equally importantly, it is a space that families can adapt to suit their changing needs.  In short, it is a home.”

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Sustainable.TO took top prize in a competition launched by the American Institute of Architects; a competition that solicited sustainable housing designs for disaster zones in New York, New Orleans and Joplin, Missouri.

The third major sustainable house design award in as many years for the Toronto-based firm, it follows others for their Low Cost /Low Energy Passive House for New Orleans, plus last year’s CMHC-recognized Willowdale Passive Solar House.

“The intention in entering this [New York] competition was very much to see these houses built,” says Dowsett, noting that an event in October 2013 commemorated the first anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, and initiated the construction of the first Resilient House. “Sustainable.TO is working closely with St. Bernard Project- New York and their affiliate, Friends of Rockaway, to develop a working model for what Sustainable.TO hopes will become the template for how to construct these high quality homes while adhering to a modest budget.”

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The Resilient House design, he says, orients living spaces towards the sun, and minimizes interior partitions.  Structural insulated panels (SIPs) allow for a tightly sealed and highly insulated building enclosure.

It is designed to resist storm surges with a flood-proof foundation and to optimize use of the sun and wind for passive heating and ventilation, both greatly enhancing its everyday energy-efficiency and in the event of power loss – a common problem in post-disaster regions – the house would remain “livable” even without operating utilities. By using tried and true traditional construction materials and methods, Resilient House can be built for less than usual affordable-housing.

“At the core of our philosophy and practice is the belief that design and construction solutions should be simple, sensitive, and sustainable,” says Dowsett. “Green design has always been important to me.  Where it has changed is how important it is to our clients.”

“Awareness about our human impact on the environment is increasing, and people are taking pride in building responsible architecture.  I can only see this trend continuing as resources become more precious, and sustainable building materials become more accessible. “

Web: www.sustainable.to

Architecture, Building Envelope, Green Energy, HVAC, Ideas, Sustainability, Technology, Uncategorized

TD BANK’S NEW CONCEPT BRANCH

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Banking on green

New concept branch in Mississauga showcases TD Bank Group’s commitment to environmental leadership

TD Bank Group customers could be in for a mild, yet pleasant, surprise next time they stop into the new Creditview Road branch in Mississauga.
Bank employees there, in addition to their regular duties, just might go into teaching mode and offer information about the sustainable qualities of the concept branch.

“Educating our customers on what makes this branch unique is very important and we achieve this is a number of ways,” says Scott Hite, head of architecture and design with TD Bank Group. “Employees working in the new branch have all gone through training to not only learn about their new environment, but to enable them to share the story with our customers.”

Customers, Hite says, can learn about the sustainable elements in many ways. Employees, while helping with their banking needs, can have conversations, or conduct tours. Scattered throughout the branch are “green leaves” containing sustainable facts. There are digital displays, including an interactive station providing details about all the green features.

And customers would be well-advised to take advantage of the in-house resources as the sustainable elements are both varied and plentiful.  The open concept and modular design will be immediately noticeable, but there are many more green features that have been incorporated.

TD Branch_2

From the raised floor system, to the geo-exchange heating and cooling, to solar panels to responsibly-sourced materials, attention to sustainable detail is everywhere.

A team from Integral Group – which offers green engineering solutions – provided innovative mechanical and electrical system designs which champion TD’s sustainability goals for the project. To that end, striving to reach a net-zero energy facility standing, the integration of architecture, engineering and operations is a study of aligning art, science and human factors. Turner Construction Company and Green Reason, a sustainable building consulting and project management company, also participated in the project.

A team from Brigholme Interiors Group focused on providing products and services that would allow the branch to be a net-zero energy building.

“Using Haworth’s Integrated Palette of products, manufactured in a zero-waste-to- landfill facility, ensures that the products are sustainable,” says Joe Williams, president of Brigholme Interiors Group.

Targeting LEED gold certification, the branch is an example of TD’s commitment to environmental leadership, Hite says.

“We strive to incorporate sustainable practices into every aspect of our business,” Hite says. “This extends to the spaces we design for our employees, our customers and the community. We’re committed to continuously finding ways to be more sustainable, efficient and reduce our [environmental] footprint. This takes shape through large-scale innovations, all the way to retrofits throughout out network.”

With the Mississauga pilot concept, Hite says TD has leveraged its past experiences to raise the bar.

“We’re taking this opportunity to test and learn from this prototype and really understand how this new design helps us deliver legendary customer service and provide a great workplace for our employees … all the while reducing our footprint.

“With this in mind we are already looking at how we can best utilize and incorporate features of this new concept into our renovation strategy to retrofit our existing network and future builds.”
TD Branch_6
The new TD branch in Mississauga relies on natural lighting and uses solar power to generate electricity. Geothermal systems help heat and cool the branch, while energy efficient LED bulbs and sensors reduce lighting energy. Recycled and recyclable materials have been used in the construction process wherever possible. The wood has been sourced responsibly. Throughout the building low flow fixtures have reduced water use, and low-energy technology has reduced paper use. Rainwater, as much as possible, will irrigate the community garden.

 

Architecture, Ideas, Sustainability, Technology, Trends

VELO TOWERS

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Pushing the envelope

Velo Towers in Seoul offers a glimpse into new design and construction strategies


 

What do the automotive, aerospace and marine industries have in common with a new tower planned for Seoul, South Korea?

In short – design strategies and techniques.

New York-based Asymptote Architecture, which has gained a reputation for pushing design boundaries, is responsible for this futuristic vision for Velo Towers. By merging technologies and new means of production and fabrication into the building’s design, the project offers a glimpse into the future of sustainable building.

 

 

Part of a master plan for the Yongsan District in Seoul, the reconfiguration of the traditional vertical tower form will have a combination of new horizontal and vertical shapes. This hybrid allows for the formation of a socially engaging and dynamic environmental landmark for the city’s commercial district.

There are eight distinct residential components which have been positioned to take full advantage of the building’s location next to the Yongsan Park, which overlooks the Han River.

 

 

The towers were designed by using a strategy of stacking cylindrical volumes, then utilizing rotation of each volume according to views, privacy and environment. The unique faceted façades of the Velo Towers consist of large prefabricated components made of glass (within custom-molded composite shells), finished in cyan-coloured automotive paint.

The stacked clusters are complemented by roof gardens, shared amenities and internal circulation around light-filled open atrium spaces. The goal – to achieve an alternative architectural and urbanity approach.

There are three major components which make up the architectural ensemble. At the base, a plinth connects the towers and provides space for parkside condominiums and a covered dropoff area underneath. Then, a second stage has stacked volumes that provide gardens, open-air stacks through the cores, and a discreet sense of community within the larger complex.

Finally, there’s a sky bridge, 30 storeys high, that not only structurally connects the two tower cores, but also provides public viewing access overlooking Seoul. In addition, at that level, there are fitness and recreation centres, lounges, pools, spas and cafes.

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Asymptote Architecture, with principals Lise Anne Couture and Hani Rashid, has been awarded the prestigious Frederick Kiesler Prize for Architecture and the Arts in recognition of exceptional contributions to the progress and merging of art and architecture. They have also been named by TIME magazine as Leaders in Innovation for the 21st Century.

 
Web: www.asymptote.net

 

Architecture, Ideas, Style, Sustainability, Technology

The Horizontal Skyscraper

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Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the Vanke Center in China is first of its kind

By Greg McMillan

What happens when talented architects are given a free rein; when they are unencumbered by creative restrictions?

More often than not, especially in this day and age, when sustainable building is moving rapidly into mainstream development, those architectural freedoms result in a project such as the headquarters of Vanke Center in Shenzhen, China, also known as the Horizontal Skyscraper.

“The project is both a building and a landscape,” says Steven Holl, Principal for Steven Holl Architects, who designed the structure, which is as long as New York’s Empire State Building is tall. “It’s a delicate intertwining of sophisticated engineering and natural environment.”

The structure, which opened in 2009, bills itself as a large-scale, hybrid-use building, combining living cultural, working and commercial uses, augmented by a sprawling public tropical garden. And there are mounds containing a 500-seat auditorium and restaurants. It was also one of the first LEED platinum-rated buildings in Southern China.

Most noticeable, however, is the fact the building seems to actually ‘hover’ above the ground, which in turn allows for free public use and an aggressive eco-system restoration.

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The structure is suspended on eight cores, or ‘legs,’ about 50 metres part. The first of its kind, the Horizontal Skyscraper is a combination of cable-stay bridge technology and high-strength concrete framing, with tension cables carrying a load of 3,280 tons.

Additionally, a spa, conference centre and parking are located under the large public landscape.  Above the 60,000-square metre site, there is a green roof on the main building, which takes up approximately 15,000-square feet.

Several sustainable aspects are apparent. Fed by a greywater system, there is also rainwater harvesting and a micro-climate is created by cooling ponds. As mentioned, the building has a green roof, but there are also solar panels – supplying 12.5 per cent of the building’s total energy needs – and local materials, such as bamboo, are utilized throughout the Vanke headquarters.

“Bamboo is highly renewable,” Holls tells Green Building & Sustainable Strategies magazine,“ and is easily available in China. We used it for doors, floors and furniture throughout the building, instead of using raw materials or exotic woods.”

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Holl also stressed that other renewable materials were incorporated, including a ‘green carpet’ containing recycled content, non-toxic paint, and GreenScreen solar shading fabrics, which do not “off-gas” during their lifetime and are easier to recycle and divert to landfills.

“Interface FLOR carpet tiles are used throughout the open office area,” Holl explains. “This carpet is a cradle-to-cradle product, meaning that it is not only produced from recycled materials, but that the manufacturer agrees to collect any damaged carpet and to recycle it into other carpet or products. This carpet contains a GlasBac RE backing that has an average of 55 per cent total recycled content with a minimum of 18 per cent post-consumer recycled content. It uses recycled vinyl backing from reclaimed carpet tiles and manufacturing waste.”

Seen as tsunami-proof, the building has a glass façade which is protected against the wind and sun by porous, controlled operable louvers.

“Also, by raising the building off the ground, “ Holl says, “an open, publicly-accessible park creates a new social space in an otherwise closed and privatized community.

“And with sky gardens, sunken courtyards, balconies at the ends of each floor, and terraces throughout the building, we create micro-climates that bring the landscape further indoors and create passively cooled tertiary zones.”

Web: www.stevenholl.com

Building Envelope, Green Energy, HVAC, Sustainability, Technology

LEDCOR RENEW

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More than meets the eye

Retrofit of office tower in Toronto’s commercial district generates bonus paybacks

By Greg McMillan

The retrofit of an existing office building in the heart of Toronto’s downtown business district uncovered a treasure trove of savings and new revenue streams.

Much more than a vintage Sixties’ building with a few energy upgrades, the 77 Bloor Street West project is testament to the kinds of bonus paybacks that can often be nurtured with such renewal projects.

Ledcor Renew, which specializes in retrofitting existing structures, started the ball rolling at 77 Bloor Street West, demonstrating to property manager Morguard Realty Holdings that a business case could be made showing how the 21-storey site would be rejuvenated for another 25-plus years.

There was more of an upside, as it turns out – much, much more. Most noticeably, Ledcor Renew was able to create an entirely new level of leasable office space by converting a mechanical plenum floor.

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“We were able to show that the mechanical room was redundant and could be modified to become office space,” said Ledcor Renew’s Project Director David Herlihey.

Discovered when Ledcor Renew did its initial building optimization studies, says Jonathan Westeinde, Ledcor Renew’s Vice President, the found floor serves as an example, of “the reality that no building is the same”.

“The proper analysis is only accurate when focusing on building-specific data and determining the appropriate individual building optimization metrics.”
He says energy, water and general operational efficiencies are the top-line items most clients gravitate to when considering a retrofit, but “generally we end up with at least 50 per cent of our business consisting of savings and 50 per cent from new revenues realized from space optimization.”
At 77 Bloor Street West, there were special challenges – none more obvious than the fact that all the renovations had to be done while the building was fully occupied.

Herlihey says Ledcor Renew met with the client, discussed methodologies and integrated some of the restraints needed regarding tenants and floor availabilities.

“We listened to the client’s wishes,” he explains. “Our program intent was to take a 1969 mechanical system and fully modify it from a constant volume, perimeter-induction and interior system to a VAV (variable air volume) controlled system with new DDC (direct digital controls) and perimeter radiators complete with new punch windows.

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The retrofitters circumvented many of the inconveniences associated with working in an occupied office building by following a night-time regimen.

“We had to work above occupants’ desks at night – open ceiling tiles and remove existing ductwork and install replacements, for example,” says Herlihey. “The mechanical system change was done in sections over eight nights per floor. We staggered the switch over from one area to the next so that at any time, part of the old and new systems were being utilized to maintain temperature. This methodology also had to be adjusted since some floors were completed in winter and others in summer, through the 11-month renovation.”

Ultimately, operating costs were reduced through energy conservation and the project, completed in September, 2013, is now targeting LEED® Gold status. The mechanical and electrical system upgrades and window retrofit improve energy performance and increased tenant comfort. Aesthetic upgrades to the ground floor, including a new canopy, upgraded entrance and dramatic lighting, added architectural interest.

“Morguard was an excellent client to work with,” says Westeinde. “They understood the value of a holistic integrated building retrofit that would deliver the best short, and long, term returns for their investors.”

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This innovative project at 77 Bloor Street West included the renovation and optimization of a 21-storey office building with ground floor retail at the corner of Bay and Bloor Streets, one of Canada’s most prominent retail shopping districts. Amenities included are shopping, entertainment, , banking, professional suites, high-end fashion design studios and two levels of underground parking. The goal was to reposition the building as Class A calibre, improving the overall long-term returns as well as tenant comfort and retention. Ledcor Renew, a Ledcor Group business division that specializes in retrofitting existing structures, was chosen as a partner to help measure, examine, analyze and implement a building retrofit to achieve those goals.

Web: www.ledcor.com/renew