U7- Sustainability in architecture

  • concepts
    • three pillars
      • social
        • respect and ask people what they want
        • let people decide
      • environmental
      • economical
        • laws and economy
        • circular economy: resource cycle, based on the reuse of the things, repair, recycling, against the use of new materials
        • green economy: improve human well-being and social equity, reduces economical risk and is resource-efficient
      • how to act in a sustainable way
        • the impact on natural systems should overpass the limit of natural sources
        • the use of renewable resources must not exceed their rate of regeneration ( let nature grow, regenerate with time)
        • non-renewable resources must be compensated by the production of renewable resources, which will eventually have to replace them-compensate
        • emission into the environment must not exceed the absorptive capacity of the receivers.
    • life cycle analysis
      • research that studies the environmental impact of a product from its production to its dismantling. Necessary to know the energy consumption (energic consumption, transport, and the building)
    • ecological footprint
      • analysis that assesses the amount of territory needed to generate the biological resources consumed and to absorb the waste that an activity needs and produces.
      • Ecosia
    • the three R
      • reduce: consumption of scarce materials and non-renewable energy
      • reuse: in the sense of remodeling, rehabilitate, reuse the existing
      • recycle: is to transform materials that allow another use in the production cycle
  • Healthy buildings
    • the connection between human biology and the environment. must allow:
      • a correct evaporation
      • an exchange with thermal radiation
      • with the natural light
    • psychological aspects
      • the proportion of the spaces
      • relation among height, width, and length of rooms
      • the chromatic climate determined by the color of the external and internal surfaces
    • when it is not a healthy building
      • sick building syndrome: a set of symptoms (skin reactions, headaches, nausea...) that can degenerate into a state of chronic illness
      • affect 20 and 30%
  • climate-human being
    • The energy and health of human being depend on the direct effects of the environment in which he lives. The atmospheric conditions simulate or depress the physical and mental work of the man (apathy, stress, grief...) Those conditions are at an optimum point with a range of specific climatic conditions.
    • The main elements of the climate environment that influence human comfort are:
      • the temperature of the air
      • the radiation, thermal emission
      • the movement of the air
      • the relative humidity
      • evaporation
      • conductivity
      • convección
      • irradiation
    • environmental conditions that are fundamental in the interaction of the building
      • temperature
      • sunshine
      • Prevailing winds
      • rainfall
      • snow
      • relative humidity and vapor pressure
    • site analysis
  • sustainable design
    • loss of skills and know-how accumulated over centuries
    • bio-architecture
      • aims to minimize the negative impacts of constructions both on the health of the occupants and on the environment
      • People-centered, energy-efficient buildings with functional and flexible spaces, using safe and recycle materials, respecting the territory and its identity
    • Bioclimatic architecture
      • the working method which starts with preliminary studies of the climatic conditions of the site directs the project to achieve sustainability and bioarchitecture objectives
      • considers the shadows from the buildings surrounding
    • constructive solutions
      • wall of trombe
      • hindering direct solar irradiation through windows
      • the adequate orientation of the building
      • type of building avoring natural cross-ventilation
  • materials
    • traditional materials, experienced over the centuries in traditional architecture, guarantee conditions of greater wholesomeness and well-being compared to synthetic materials
  • let us not be fooled
    • greenwashing
    • Biomorphism is often used as the most consistent project option with bioarchitecture
    • the use of "natural" materials as a decorative resource for an exclusively aesthetic reason