Fortunately for me, there is an extreme amount of information left to be learned. I honestly think that I could research even more deeply into anything I have already research and more. There were many things that I wanted to research more, but ran out of time on. I wanted to research more about energy efficient and water efficient appliances, I also wanted to research more about the pricing for all of these endeavors. I really want to do a mentorship, just so I can see the viability of this career that I have in mind. From there, I want to work on a project for the community or some sort of analysis of a building. I want to do something that benefits others, rather than just the experience benefiting me. I spoke to a biologist and environmental scientist for my interview, but I would really like to speak to an actual architect maybe one that specializes in sustainability. Although I quite enjoy sustainability, I would not mind focusing on architecture as a broad topic. I think that architecture can evoke certain emotions, and that would be interesting to research what types of elements trigger feelings. A serious challenge with increasing efficiency is knowledge about the subject. Many people are uneducated on the things that they can do to help, and what they think they can do- they often think is too difficult or expensive. By increasing an education effort, more people would be willing to add certain elements to their designs and everyday lives. This could be as simple as making a website with easy to read and understand information, or making a pamphlet of information to display at architectural firms. I think a mentorship and in-field experience would be the most helpful. To see the design and installation of the things that I've only read and written about on paper would be incredibly instructional. The biggest piece of advice I have for myself is to self-regulate and time manage. By breaking up the research/requirements and giving myself deadlines, the research will be conducted properly and hopefully more expertly.
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Health of occupants is heavily focused on air quality, basically getting rid of that "new building smell" and anything other factors that would cause the building to be above the allowed air quality index, or AQI. This requires the building materials, including paint and finishes, to be free of contaminating chemicals. One source of indoor pollution is from combustion of oils, gases, automobiles in attached garages, and the like. Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide are the major pollutants. http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes/protectingyourhealth.htm
A proper ventilation system can help with this, as well as installing appliances that have sealed combustion features. Another source of pollution is from the building materials, such as old insulation containing asbestos, old paint containing lead, and products containing formaldehyde. Being conscious of the products in the building materials and furnishings is important. Even in remodeling it is important to realize that certain materials are even more so exposed. Health of occupants also includes the safety of the individuals, so things like preventing falls (especially from heights,) slips, and trips are important as well. Anything that can reduce hazards should be taken into consideration. Having the interview with Ms. Dunn was really helpful, because she was able to lead me to 3 main ideas involved in sustainable architecture: water efficiency, energy efficiency, and health of occupants. Water and energy efficiency are things I have already focused on, but health of occupants was a relatively new concept to me. Health of occupants is heavily focused on air quality, basically getting rid of that "new building smell" and anything other factors that would cause the building to be above the allowed AQI. This requires the building materials, including paint and finishes, to be free of contaminating chemicals. Especially things such as lead and asbestos need to be controlled. Health of occupants also includes the safety of the individuals, so things like preventing falls (especially from heights,) slips, and trips are important as well. Anything that can reduce hazards should be taken into consideration. http://www.wbdg.org/design/ensure_health.php
Energy efficiency is something that I have realized is much broader than I previously thought. It involves massing and orientation, energy modeling, and the shapement of the building. I have put research into solar power, but the topic also encompasses HVAC and lighting efficiency. Trying to use as much natural lighting as possible and not using as much energy for HVAC. An example is recycling rainwater for use in the cooling towers as part of the air conditioning system. Water usage is the biggest topic, I believe, in sustainable architecture. I've already written about it, but I think that Ms. Dunn opened my eyes to even more ideas. Things such as using pervious pavement to infiltrate rainwater, and using vegetative roofing to capture stormwater. Also using toilets that flush at about a 1.28 gallon per flush usage, compared to the usual 1.6 gallons per flush. |
Cassie HowardA high school student aspiring to change the world through green technology and sustainability. Archives
April 2015
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