Building Systems Wk. 1 Ch. 1


Chapter 1 of Sustainable Building Systems and Construction for Designers highlights several important sustainable building and design concepts. We learned several things, including that an architect is a trained professional in building design, while engineers and interior designers specialize in structural and interior elements. BIM (Building Information Modeling) and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) provide frameworks for digital project management and sustainable building certification. BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability) offers lifecycle-based decision-making for energy performance. Green Globes, BREEAM, and Living Building Challenge are assessment tools for sustainable buildings. Other concepts such as biophilic design, biomimicry, and PassiveHaus emphasize nature-inspired design and energy efficiency. Additionally, third-party certifications like Declare labels, ISO standards, and WaterSense focus on transparency, environmental impact, and water efficiency in products and buildings. These tools and frameworks guide environmentally responsible, economically feasible, and human-centric building practices.

The interior space on campus that I chose to evaluate was the Benjamin P. Brown Library in the Harm A. Weber Academic Center (HAWAC). Students have mixed emotions about this space. Some students love doing homework in the library, which makes them feel productive, whereas others think the opposite. I personally feel emotionally stagnant when I am in the library. The warm lighting with the warm colors of everything else makes it feel very monotonous. Physically, I feel unrestricted because of how much space there is. Spiritually, I don't really feel anything, especially since it is not a place that facilitates discussion because you are required to be quiet. In short, I believe several things about the library could be changed.


Comments

  1. Eliana JohnsonSeptember 6, 2024 at 3:43 PM

    I love how you took a different approach and instead of choosing a spot that make you feel comfortable and instead chose to talk about something that you didn't really feel great in.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bethany Huizenga INT270September 7, 2024 at 9:40 PM

    I love your description of the library, i feel the same way. it was really cool that you took a space that you do not necessarily feel things towards to look into. I thin that made it more interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sami FordSeptember 8, 2024 at 7:57 PM

    As someone who has similar feelings about the library, I totally understand. If you were to ever help design a library I wonder how you would do it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Professor VanderNoordaaSeptember 10, 2024 at 6:11 AM

    Katie- Your summary paragraph was good but I prefer you go into more detail and add your personal thoughts. I also require visuals to add to your written work. I did really appreciate your summary on the Library. It is interesting that in a beautiful LEED gold rated building, the chosen aesthetics and furnishings can diminish the desirability of being in this space. I think this observation will help you in your future designs. 50/50 Total Points

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rebeca HerreraSeptember 11, 2024 at 8:01 PM

    It was so interesting to read about you feel about doing homework in the library. It so cool how different people work best in completely different environments!

    ReplyDelete

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