Originally published on March 7, 2017 by BNP Media through the Building Enclosure Blog. In work as in my personal life, I am often thought of as “a data guy.” Whether it is a personal activity tracker, a vehicle dashboard that provides a breakdown of fuel efficiency, a home energy monitor, or my daily perusal of MLB box scores, I tend to be immersed in numbers constantly. I often like to lean on numbers because they can provide some measure….
Read MoreCategory Archives: Green Building
Stages of Design and Types of Energy Models
Originally published on February 13, 2017 by BNP Media through the Building Enclosure Blog. . The publication An Architect’s Guide to Integrating Energy Modeling in the Design Process is a comprehensive (and free) 86-page document from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) that defines the fundamentals of energy modeling, outlines the current state of various performance and analysis tools, and foretells the direction of an architectural industry increasingly focused on performance-based design. Among other components of the document, the guide….
Read MoreBECx is Coming to a Project Near You
Originally published on January 11, 2017 by BNP Media through the Building Enclosure Blog. . In recent years, a growing demand for high-performance building envelope solutions has been evidenced by the increased attention paid to this topic throughout the building design and construction industry. Building Envelope Council (BEC) initiative Seeing this emerging priority, in 2004 the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) Building Enclosure Technology and Environmental Council (BETEC) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) signed an agreement to….
Read MoreHere is Your Elevator Pitch Against “LEED Equivalent” Projects
Originally published on December 6, 2016 by BNP Media through the Building Enclosure Blog. Have you ever been asked to design or construct a project “to LEED’s standard” without actually submitting for certification? This can initially sound like an attractive idea to a client. After all, as long as the owner knows the project is aligned with LEED, why pay the funds to get a plaque on the wall? Lack of Accountability with LEED Equivalent The problem is, an….
Read MoreSustainability Redefined through Resilient Communities
Originally published on November 7, 2016 by BNP Media through the Building Enclosure Blog. The discourse regarding resilient design is evolving. It has been a year since the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) adopted three LEED pilot credits on resilient design and I am excited to see the discussion expand from coastal urban centers and geographical locations on the front-line of climatic extremes to populations with more nuanced threats emanating from shifting climate. For example, the City of Indianapolis’ Office….
Read MoreUSGBC State of the Climate Event at the Indianapolis Central Library
State of the Climate This year’s USGBC State of the Climate appeared on its surface to be a review of the alphabet. Between LEED, LBC, GBCI, WELL, PHIUS, BABC, BREEAM, and ENERGY STAR, it is clear that the green building industry loves acronyms. After discussing each of these green building rating systems, it was easy to conclude that while they are all attempting to solve the same problem of reducing negative impacts of climate change, they each go about it….
Read MoreIs a Vapor Retarder Necessary in a Low-Slope Roof Assembly?
Originally published on October 7, 2016 by BNP Media through the Building Enclosure Blog. . If you have designed or built a low-slope roof with a single-ply membrane, at some point you will be confronted with this simple question: Is the vapor retarder necessary? With considerable costs at stake, the prospect of omitting a vapor retarder is always a precarious notion and one that merits careful consideration of the project-specific dynamics at play. Consider the Entire Assembly In order to….
Read MoreWhere the Health and Wellness Movement Meets Building Design
Originally published on September 6, 2016 by BNP Media through the Architectural Roofing & Waterproofing Blog. An emerging body of work is showing that our buildings have a profound impact on our health, well-being, happiness and productivity. The built environment can shape our habits and choices, regulate our sleep-wake cycle, drive us toward healthy and unhealthy choices, and passively influence our health through the quality of our surroundings. But how does a project team move decisively toward realizing a building….
Read MoreHow to Find the Target EUI for the 2030 Challenge
Originally published on August 15, 2016 by BNP Media through the Architectural Roofing & Waterproofing Blog. The 2030 Challenge prompts building projects to meet a fossil fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption performance standard of 70% below the regional (or country) average/median for that building type. The metric for the 2030 Challenge is site Energy Use Intensity (EUI), not source EUI. But how can a design team quickly determine the appropriate EUI target for a project? Here are three easy ways. Read more…
Read MoreLighting Impacts on Circadian Rhythms
Originally published on July 11, 2016 by BNP Media through the Architectural Roofing & Waterproofing Blog. With the emergence of human health concerns, wellness, and biophilia as priorities in the building design and construction industry, the lighting profession is shifting its focus toward circadian lighting design. Light is one of the main drivers of circadian rhythms – that is, our internal clock that keeps the body’s hormones and bodily processes on a diurnal cycle, even in continuous darkness. When the….
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