The Architect’s Role in Sustainable Design (and How to Use Technology and Innovation to Advance Building Performance) #ilmaBlog #green #design #architecture #greenbuildings
Posted: November 27, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, Design Thinking, Green, More FC3 | Tags: BIM, Green Architect, Innovation, Sustainability, Sustainable, Technology Leave a commentBackground
In the design and construction field, there are two major categories of resources: renewable and non-renewable. As opposed to non-renewable resources, which are depleted with their constant use, renewable resources are not. If not managed properly Non-renewable resources might become non-existent when the rate at which they are used is much higher than the rate at which they are replaced. Renewable resources include water, geothermal energy and wind energy. Non-renewable resources include coal, natural gas and oil. The demand for new construction is on the rise as the world’s population increases and the demand for newer, more efficient modern buildings also increase.
Architect’s Role
Because buildings account for so much energy to build and maintain, architects and designers have become very conscious about our role in minimizing our environmental footprint when we design buildings. The American Institute of Architects, the largest organization of architects world-wide has a committee called the Committee on the Environment (COTE), which works to advance, disseminate, and advocate—to the profession, the building industry, the academy, and the public—design practices that integrate built and natural systems and enhance both the design quality and environmental performance of the built environment. COTE serves as the community and voice on behalf of AIA architects regarding sustainable design and building science and performance.

Renewable Resources
In green construction processes, there is an emphasis on the use of renewable resources. In many cases, this natural source becomes depleted much faster than it is able to replenish itself, therefore, it has become important that buildings make use of alternative water sources for heating, hot water and sewerage disposal throughout their life cycles, to reduce use and conserve water supplies.
Architects and designers specify rapidly renewable materials are those that regenerate more quickly than their level of demand. Our goal is to reduce the use and depletion of finite raw materials and long-cycle renewable materials by replacing them with rapidly renewable ones. Some commonly specified rapidly renewable materials include cork, bamboo, cotton batt insulation, linoleum flooring, sunflower seed board panels, wheat-board cabinetry, wool carpeting, cork flooring, bio-based paints, geotextile fabrics such as coir and jute, soy-based insulation and form-release agent and straw bales. Some green building materials products are made of a merger of rapidly renewable materials and recycled content such as newsprint, cotton, soy-based materials, seed husks, etc.
Check out this ILMA article about “Materiality and Green Architecture: The Effect of Building Materials on Sustainability and Design” for more information on this topic.
Responsibility of Architects
Architects and designers who align with AIA’s COTE objectives, (1) recognize the value of their role in environmental leadership to advance the importance of sustainable design to the general public while incorporating sustainable design into their daily practice, (2) influence the direction of architectural education to place more emphasis on ecological literacy, sustainable design and building science, (3) communicate the AIA’s environmental and energy-related concerns to the public and private sectors and influence the decisions of the public, professionals, clients, and public officials on the impact of their environmental and energy-related decisions, (4) educate other architects on regulatory, performance, technical and building science issues and how those issues influence architecture, (5) educate the architectural profession on programming, designing, and managing building performance, (6) investigate and disseminate information regarding building performance best practices, criteria, measurement methods, planning tools, occupant-comfort, heat/air/moisture interfaces between the interior and exterior of buildings, (7) promote a more integrated practice in order to achieve environmentally and economically efficient buildings. One of the tools we will plan to promote to achieve this integration is Building Information Technology (BIM).

The Role of Technology & Innovation – A Case Study (“The Edge”)
PLP Architecture and the Developer OVG Real Estate, built “The Edge” is a 430,556 SF (40,000m²) office building in the Zuidas business district in Amsterdam. It was designed for the global financial firm and main tenant, Deloitte. The project aimed to consolidate Deloitte’s employees from multiple buildings throughout the city into a single environment, and to create a ‘smart building’ to act as a catalyst for Deloitte’s transition into the digital age.
They key features of this building include the following innovations which address the environmental impact of building such a large edifice:
- Each facade is uniquely detailed according to its orientation and purpose.
- Load bearing walls to the south, east and west have smaller openings to provide thermal mass and shading, and solid openable panels for ventilation.
- Louvers on the south facades are designed according to sun angles and provide additional shading for the office spaces, reducing solar heat gain.
- Solar panels on the south facade provide enough sustainable electricity to power all smartphones, laptops and electric cars.
- The North facades are highly transparent and use thicker glass to dampen noise from the motorway.
- The Atrium façade is totally transparent, allowing views out over the dyke, and steady north light in.
- The building’s Ethernet-powered LED lighting system is integrated with 30,000 sensors to continuously measure occupancy, movement, lighting levels, humidity and temperature, allowing it to automatically adjust energy use.
- 65,000 SF of solar panels are located on the facades and roof, and remotely on the roofs of buildings of the University of Amsterdam – thereby making use of neighborhood level energy sourcing.
- The atrium acts as a buffer between the workspace and the external environment. Excess ventilation air from the offices is used again to air condition the atrium space. The air is then ventilated back out through the top of the atrium where it passes through a heat exchanger to make use of any warmth.
- Rain water is collected on the roof and used to flush toilets and irrigate the green terraces in the atrium and other garden areas surrounding the building.
- Two thermal energy wells reach down to an aquifer, allowing thermal energy differentials to be stored deep underground.
- In The Edge a new LED-lighting system has been co-developed with Philips. The Light over Ethernet (LoE) LED system is powered by Ethernet and 100% IP based. This makes the system (i.e. each luminaire individually) computer controllable, so that changes can be implemented quickly and easily without opening suspended ceilings. The luminaires are furthermore equipped with Philips’ ‘coded-light’ system allowing for a highly precise localization via smartphone down to 8 inches (20 cm) accuracy, much more precise than known WiFi or beacon systems.
- Around 6,000 of these luminaires were placed in The Edge with every second luminaire being equipped with an additional multi-sensor to detect movement, light, infrared and temperature.
- The Philips LoE LED system was used in all office spaces to reduce the energy requirement by around 50% compared to conventional TL-5 Lighting. Via the LoE system daily building use can be monitored. This data is fed to facility managers via the BMS allowing:
- Remote insight into the presence of people in the building (anonymous). Heating, cooling, fresh air and lighting are fully IoT (Internet of Things) integrated and BMS controlled per 200 sqft based on occupancy – with zero occupancy there is next-to-zero energy use.
- Predictions of occupancy at lunchtime based on real time historical data and traffic and weather information to avoid food-waste.
- Unused rooms to be skipped for cleaning.
- Managers to be alerted to lights that need replacing.
- Notification of printers needing paper.
- Every employee is connected to the building via an app on their smartphone. Using the app they can find parking spaces, free desks or other colleagues, report issues to the facilities team, or even navigate within the building.
- Employees can customize the temperature and light levels anywhere they choose to work in the building via the mobile app. The app remembers how they like their coffee, and tracks their energy use so they’re aware of it.
- The vast amount of data generated by the building’s digital systems and the mobile app on everything from energy use to working patterns, has huge potential for informing not only Deloitte’s own operations, but also our understanding of working environments as a whole. Discussions are currently ongoing regarding the future of this data and its use for research and knowledge transfer.
- The green space that separates the building from the nearby motorway acts as an ecological corridor, allowing animals and insects cross the site safely.

Conclusion
Because buildings account for nearly 40 percent of global energy consumption, architects and designers have been working to impact the built environment in a positive way. Although not every project can be as green as The Edge, by selecting materials that are renewable while reducing energy are two big contributions we can make to help ease the increasing demand for construction.
Technology can play a big part in our role to design more sustainable buildings through the use of building information modeling, energy management software, building management software, online sustainability calculators, energy modeling software, new lighting innovations, new techniques to capture and deliver energy and clean water while reducing waste, and mobile applications utilizing IoT.
Sources:
- COTE https://network.aia.org/committeeontheenvironment/home/new-item2
- The Edge https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2015-the-edge-the-worlds-greenest-building
We would love to hear from you about what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends.
Feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Top 20: Technology & Innovation Ideas For Architects
Posted: July 21, 2018 Filed under: Architectist, Architecture, Design, More FC3, Science & Technology | Tags: 3d, 3D Printing, AIA West Jersey Photo Competition, AR, Architect, Architecture, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, BIG DATA, BIM, Connected Spaces, Design, Designer, Digital Twins, Drones, high-performance, IDP, Innovation, Integrative Design Process, revit, Smart Cities, Sustainable, Technology, technology and innovation, Virtual Reality, VR 1 CommentThank you for all the support and encouragement over the years. Here are some of our favorite blog posts about technology and innovation related to the field of Architecture:
- High Performance Building Design
- 3-D Printing
- Connected Spaces
- Benefits of Using Digital Twins for Construction
- Digital Twins
- Drone Technology
- Artificial Intelligence
- Immersive Experience in Architecture
- Smart Cities
- Big Data in Architecture
- Creating High Performance Buildings through Integrative Design Process
- Forget Blueprints, Now You Can Print the Building
- The 7 Dimensions of Building Information Modeling
- Parametric Architecture and Generative Design System
- Architecture Robots
- Internet of Spaces
- Sustainable Design Elements to Consider While Designing a Project
- What is a High Performance School?
- What is BIM? Should Your Firm Upgrade? by @FrankCunhaIII
- Renewable Wave Power Energy
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Benefits of Using Digital Twins for Construction
Posted: July 13, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, More FC3, Science & Technology | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Architecture of the Future, ArchyTechy, BIG DATA, BIM, BIM model, Building Information Model, CAD, Connectivity, Construction, Contractors, Design, Design Build, Design Builders, Designer, Designining, Devices, Digital Twins, fc3 tech, Geek, General Construction, HVAC, HVAC systems, Information, Information Architect, Innovation, Internet of Things, IoS, IoT, Space, Systems, Tech, Technology, Technology Trends, Techy, Trends, Wearables 1 CommentTechnologies like augmented reality in construction are emerging to digitalize the construction industry, making it significantly more effective.
What if we could have instant access to all the information about a construction site, down to smallest details about every person, tool, and bolt? What if we could always be sure about the final measurements of a beam or that soil volumes in the cuts are close to those of the fills? What if we could always track how fast the supply of materials runs out, and re-order supplies automatically?
All this is achievable with a digital twin — a concept of having a real-time digital representation of a physical object.
The following are some real-time digital twins applications on construction sites.
Automated Progress Monitoring
Progress monitoring verifies that the completed work is consistent with plans and specifications. A physical site observation is needed in order to verify the reported percentage of work done and determine the stage of the project.
By reconstructing an as-built state of a building or structure we can compare it with an as-planned execution in BIM and take corresponding actions to correct any deviations. This is usually done by reconstructing geometry of a building and registering it to the model coordinate systems, which is later compared to an as-planned model on a shape and object level.
Often data for progress monitoring is collected through the field personnel and can be hugely subjective. For example, the reported percentage of work done can be faster in the beginning and much slower close to the end of the project. People are often initially more optimistic about their progress and the time needed to finish the job.
Hence, having automated means of data collection and comparison means that the resulting model to as-designed BIM models is less liable to human error. Digital twins solve the common construction process problems.
As-Built vs As-Designed Models
With a real-time digital twins, it is possible to track changes in an as-built model — daily and hourly. Early detection of any discrepancies can lead to a detailed analysis of historical modeling data, which adds an additional layer of information for any further decision-making processes.
The project manager can then reconstruct the steps that led to the error and make changes in the future work schedule in order to prevent any similar mistakes from occurring. They can also detect under-performers and try to fix the cause of the problem earlier in the project or plan the necessary changes to the budget and timescale of the whole project.
Resource Planning and Logistics
According to the Construction Industry Institute, about 25% of productive time is wasted on unnecessary movement and handling of materials.
Digital twin technology provides automatic resource allocation monitoring and waste tracking, allowing for a predictive and lean approach to resource management. With digital twin technology companies would avoid over-allocation and dynamically predict resource requirements on construction sites, thus avoiding the need to move resources over long distances and improving time management.
Safety Monitoring
The construction industry is one of the most dangerous sectors in the world. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the United States, more than four thousand construction workers died on-site between 2008 and 2012.
The real-time site reconstruction feature digital twins allows the industry’s companies to track people and hazardous places on a site, so as to prevent inappropriate behavior, usage of unsafe materials, and activity in hazardous zones. A company can develop a system of early notification, letting a construction manager know when a field worker is located in dangerous proximity to working equipment and sending a notification about nearby danger to a worker’s wearable device.
Microsoft recently shared a great vision of how AI combined with video cameras and mobile devices can be used to build an extensive safety net for the workplace.
Quality Assessment
Image-processing algorithms make it possible to check the condition of concrete through a video or photographic image. It is also possible to check for cracks on columns or any material displacement at a construction site. This would trigger additional inspections and thus help to detect possible problems early on.
See an example of how 2D images using 3D scene reconstruction can be used for concrete crack assessments.
Optimization of Equipment Usage
Equipment utilization is an important metric that construction firms always want to maximize. Unused machines should be released earlier to the pool so others can use them on other sites where they are needed. With advanced imaging and automatic tracking, it is possible to know how many times each piece of machinery has been used, at what part of the construction site, and on what type of the job.
Monitoring and Tracking of Workers
Some countries impose tough regulations on how to monitor people presence on a construction site. This includes having a digital record of all personnel and their location within the site, so that this information could be used by rescue teams in case of emergency. This monitoring is another digital twins application. Still, it is better to integrate digital twin-based monitoring with an automatic entry and exit registration system, to have a multi-modal data fused into a single analytics system.
Getting Data for Digital Twins
Some ways to gather data to be used for digital twins includes the following:
- Smartphone Cameras
- Time-Lapse Cameras
- Autonomous UAV and Robots
- Video Surveillance Cameras
- Head-mounted Cameras and Body Cameras
Image data processing algorithms for digital twins can be created with the following methods:
- 3D Reconstruction: Conventional Photogrammetry
- 3D Reconstruction: Structure from Motion
- Object Detection and Recognition
- Localization
- Object Tracking
(Source: https://www.intellectsoft.net/blog/advanced-imaging-algorithms-for-digital-twin-reconstruction)
From an Investor’s Viewpoint
On projects to date, this approach has proven to save time, reduce waste and increase efficiencies.
From a Standardization Proponent’s Viewpoint
Open, sharable information unlocks more efficient, transparent and collaborative ways of working throughout the entire life-cycle of buildings and infrastructure.
From a Solution Provider’s Viewpoint
While the digital twin is needed initially for planning and construction, it’s also intended to provide the basis for building operations moving forward.
(Source: https://www.siemens.com/customer-magazine/en/home/buildings/three-perspectives-on-digital-twins.html)
The vision of “construction 4.0” refers to the 4th industrial revolution and is a fundamental challenge for the construction industry. In terms of automated production and level of digitalization, the construction industry is still significantly behind other industries. Nevertheless, the mega-trends like Big Data or the Internet of Things offer great opportunities for the future development of the construction sector. Prerequisite for the successful Construction 4.0 is the creation of a digital twin of a building. Building Information Modeling (BIM) with a consistent and structured data management is the key to generate such a digital building whose dynamic performance can be studied by building simulation tools for a variety of different boundary conditions.
Along the total life cycle from design to construction, operation and maintenance towards remodeling or demolition, the digital twin follows all modifications of the real building and dynamically readjusts itself in case of recorded performance differences.
Thus, for the whole life span of the real building, performance predictions generated with the virtual twin represent an accurate basis for well-informed decisions. This helps to develop cost-effective operation modes, e.g. by introducing new cyber-controlled HVAC systems. The digital twin may also analyze the building’s dynamic response to changes in occupation or energy supply; it also indicates the need for building maintenance or upgrades.
The digital twin follows all modifications of the real building and dynamically readjusts itself in case of recorded performance differences.
(Source: https://www.bau.fraunhofer.de/en/fieldsofresearch/smartbuilding/digital-twin.html)
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Digital Twins
Posted: July 12, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, Science & Technology | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Architecture of the Future, ArchyTechy, BIM, Building Information Model, CAD, Connectivity, Design, Designer, Designining, Devices, Digital Twins, fc3 tech, Geek, Information, Information Architect, Innovation, IoS, IoT, Space, Tech, Technology, Technology Trends, Techy, Trends, Wearables 2 CommentsA digital twin refers to the digital representation of a real-world entity or system. Digital twins in the context of IoT projects is particularly promising over the next three to five years and is leading the interest in digital twins today. Well-designed digital twins of assets have the potential to significantly improve enterprise decision making. These digital twins are linked to their real-world counterparts and are used to understand the state of the thing or system, respond to changes, improve operations and add value. Organizations will implement digital twins simply at first, then evolve them over time, improving their ability to collect and visualize the right data, apply the right analytics and rules, and respond effectively to business objectives.
“Over time, digital representations of virtually every aspect of our world will be connected dynamically with their real-world counterpart and with one another and infused with AI-based capabilities to enable advanced simulation, operation and analysis,” said Mr. Cearley. “City planners, digital marketers, healthcare professionals and industrial planners will all benefit from this long-term shift to the integrated digital twin world.” (Source: https://www.gartner.com)
A digital twin is essentially a link between a real world object and its digital representation that is continuously using data from the sensors. All data comes from sensors located on a physical object; this data is used to establish the representation of a virtual object.
For construction, using digital twins means always having access to as-built and as-designed models, which are constantly synced in real-time. This allows companies to continuously monitor progress against the schedule laid out in a 4D BIM model.
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Architects: Know Your Quantities!!!
Posted: September 12, 2012 Filed under: Architecture, JustArch | Tags: Architecture, BIM, Brick, great wall, materials, ming, revit, take offs 5 CommentsBefore BIM Building Information Modeling:
Jiayuguan Pass, in Jiayuguan city, is the largest and most intact pass, or entrance, of the Great Wall. Jiayuguan Pass was built in the early Ming dynasty, somewhere around the year 1372. It was built near an oasis that was then on the extreme western edge of China. Jiayuguan Pass was the first pass on the west end of the great wall so it earned the name “The First And Greatest Pass Under Heaven.”
“The building project was assigned to a military manager and an Architect. The Architect presented the manager with a requisition for the total number of bricks that he would need. When the king found out that the Architect had not asked for any extra bricks, he demanded that the Architect make some provision for unforeseen circumstances. The Architect, taking this as an insult to his planning ability, added a single extra brick to the request. When the gate was finished, the single extra brick was, in fact, extra and was left on the ledge over the gate.”
Today with BIM there are no excuses to “not know” your quantities….
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments.
If you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
FC3 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN, LLC
P.O. Box 335, Hamburg, NJ 07419
e-mail: fcunha@fc3arch.com
mobile: 201.681.3551
direct: 973.970.3551
fax: 973.718.4641
web: http://fc3arch.com
Licensed in NJ, NY, PA, DE, CT.
What is BIM? Should Your Firm Upgrade? by @FrankCunhaIII
Posted: July 18, 2012 Filed under: Architecture | Tags: ArchiCAD, Autodesk REVIT, BIM, Drafting, Free Trials, Vectorworks 6 CommentsWhat is BIM?
BIM stands for Building Information Modeling. It is not a technology but a culmination of different concepts and technologies that come together in one central package.
Architects & Designers:
“Either upgrade from 2-D drawing to BIM now or get left behind.”
How is BIM different than CAD?
Many people who first see the concept of BIM may just shrug it off as nothing more than a different version of CAD software. BIM is to CAD is what CAD was to hand drafting. Because both BIM and CAD are computer based the difference on first glance is not easily recognizable.
In using CAD, we are essentially drawing the same way we did on paper – in two dimensions. The only difference is that now the drawings are electronic and easier to manipulate and reproduce. We can move entire walls with a few clicks of the mouse where as on paper the entire sheet had to be redrawn. This drastically speeds up the process but also creates some challenges as well.
For example:
In CAD, as easy as it is to move a wall, it is also just as easy to move it to the wrong spot – creating its own set of coordination issues.
With BIM, the design team does not draw in 2D and we do not need to draw traditional floor plans, sections, elevations. Instead, you create a full 3D model of your entire building, complete with walls, floors, doors, concrete, steel, etc exactly how you want it to be built in the real world. Then you tell the computer what drawings you want generated from this central Building Information Model. If you want a section, simply draw a section line and the program will understand that you want a section cut at that point. The beauty of this is that when you move walls or change floor to floor dimensions that particular aspect of the building model is automatically updated. If your client wants to know updated square footage totals, you don’t need to add up anything manually – this information is built into the model and is simple to extract. Instead of the contractor estimating how much concrete the building contains you can tell him how much.
How much does BIM cost?
This depends on how your firm decides to implement Building Information Modeling. We actually already have BIM – it is built into Autocad Architecture that we are currently using and have many licenses of. Unfortunately, we are not using the program anywhere near its full capacity, only bits and pieces of BIM functionality. Although we have CAD standards, we don’t have all of the standards put in place for BIM.
Where do we start?
There are a few different ways to implement BIM into our current practices. Many companies have begun to do so with various methods and levels of success.
Method 1 – Software Training.
This would involve people from a consulting company coming in and giving us presentations on how to use the software. In addition, we would have people go through exercises on their own computers.
Recommendation: Because of the nature of BIM, with the multitude of options it provides, this is not the best solution. It is simply too much to take in a few training sessions.
Method 2 – Project Based.
Method two would involve using our current software but picking a project to use it on and make an effort from the start to specifically make that project a complete BIM. There would have to a member of the team that was more adept at the software that would assist in implementing it throughout the process. This person could be a trained employee or an outside consultant.
Recommendation:
Method 3 – New Software.
Ultimately, Autocad Architecture will be phased out over the next few years. Replacing it with true BIM software packages such as Autodesk REVIT, ArchiCAD, Vectorworks or Digital Project (CATIA) will be the next logical step. The choice to move to one of these packages should be analyzed based on the type of work we are doing, the monetary investment we are willing to make, and how we go about phasing in the software. Once one of these software packages are chosen, we can then use a new project as the basis for learning the software similar to Method 2.
Recommendation:
The Firm Model – Doing what is good for the Client, Company, Office, and Employees.
Client
BIM helps the client by producing a more accurate set of construction documents. Estimating is far more accurate and fewer change orders will occur.
Company and Office
BIM has been shown to produce documents that have far less coordination issues than standard CAD drawings, projects have faster turn around time, and design changes are easy to implement at any stage.
Employees
If we want to attract the best people and create effective project teams, having the right tools for the job is important.
Conclusion:
Either upgrade from 2-D drawing to BIM now or get left behind.
Download a free sample by clicking on the links below:
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments.
If you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
FC3 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN, LLC
P.O. Box 335, Hamburg, NJ 07419
e-mail: fcunha@fc3arch.com
mobile: 201.681.3551
direct: 973.970.3551
fax: 973.718.4641
web: http://fc3arch.com
Licensed in NJ, NY, PA, DE, CT.