Environmetal considerations

sustainablity being the key backgourd theme in this design project careful consideration on the building interaction with nature and its self sustainability is required, and what i have aimed to fulfil.

Lighting:

a school predominantly being used between 8am and 4pm daylighting is a viable option for the comple lighting within the space.



from the images above i researched and looked at numerous options, but ones that seem to stand out are a celestory roof, atriums and light ducts. with the incorporation of this and prismatic glazing (glazing made from triangular prisms designed to spread the light as it travels through) and low e double glasing systems, any harsh direct light can be softened and daylighting becomes a logical solution

Heating and Cooling:

with split system air conditioning unit and heaters completely out of the quesition, i looked at utilising the strong winds on the site(as mentioned in previous posts) whilst also looking into a radient heat and cooling system.

a radient tube system, is a series of tubes that can run within walls and floors and have either hot water (serviced from a central boiler system) or cool water (refrigerator coolent added) running through, having a similar effect that either a fridge or oven has where when the boundries of a space are at a temperature thet subsequant space within it changes.

http://advancedhydronics.com/technical.htm#Radiant%20Floor%20Heating


Electrics:

with the continuous reliance on technology and students becoming more and more technilogically savvy, schools must reflect this and be able to provide students with the services to cater for this, and subsequantly need electricity to run such services.

numerous electric options can be used, firstly and most obviously- photvoltaics which can be utilised as a cladding or typical solar panels, while then there are newer options:

- steam generated turbines, which can be connected to our radient heating central boiler

and

- peizo electrics: a generally simple concept, and reasonably new it aims at utilising the kinetic energy people generate in their day to day activities, such as walking. it is a spring based system which as compressed (by people walking in the above surface) generates electricity and stores it a batery for useage much like solar energy.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article4087518.ece

the article above notes the features of the system and its use in 'Spinnaker Tower' portmouth and its potential for greater development, yes it definatly has its flaws but is something that with greater interest and research can become a fantastic sustainable electricity option for commerical buildings.