Mechanical engineer prepares per architect’s plans… Mandatory 1. Windows, doors, fenestration must be rated for leakage 2. All window, door, fenestration U-factor and Solar Heat Gain information must come from either default tables, appendix table (< 100,000 sf), or NFRC rating procedure 3. Building products must be labeled 4. Minimum R-13 on residential walls Prescriptive [...]
Archive for December, 2008
Building Envelope
Dec 22
Community benefits 1. Increased sensitivity to resource use 2. Sensitivity to pedestrian and mass transit opportunities 3. Local materials equals local economic investment
Financial benefits 1. Energy savings 2. Last longer 3. Higher quality 4. Greater occupant satisfaction and productivity 5. Rebate incentives 6. Pays for itself in just a few years
Sustainability Green design
Dec 22
Green design 1. Reduce exposure to noxious chemicals 2. Conserve non-renewable energy and scarce materials 3. Minimize life-cycle ecological impact of energy and materials 4. Protect and restore local air, water, soils, flora and fauna 5. Support pedestrians, bicyclists, mass-transit, and other alternatives to fossil fuels
1. Wildlife corridors 2. Wetlands 3. Endangered species 4. Lakes and stream beds (Dept. of Fish and Game)
Climatic conditions
Dec 22
Wind 1. affects structural requirements, building orientation, types of spaces Solar Orientation 2. Affects daylighting strategies, mechanical design Temperature and Humidity 3. Affects ventilation requirements, building envelope, mechanical systems Precipitation 4. Affects roof slope, drainage strategies
Soils report 1. Bearing capacity, depth to bedrock, water table, expansive nature, soil type, moisture content 2. affects the foundation and structural system, drainage, and building form
Health issues 1. Mold 2. VOC off-gassing 3. “Sick building syndrome” 4. Psychological effects (disorientation, glare, daylight deprivation)