Design Journal Entry - Module 3

The four main project goals that I would like to focus on are reducing energy and water use, and increasing sustainable building material usage, and greenfield area on the site. Following are details for each of my design goals:

Goal 1: Reduce Energy Use

• Measure: Energy Use Intensity (total energy consumed by the building in one year/ area of the building)
• Targets:
• minimally acceptable value: Reduces energy by 40% compared to ZERO Code for California.
• desired / target value: Reduces energy by more than 50% compared to ZERO Code for California.
• Strategies:
• Optimal building orientation to maximize daylighting
• PV panels on the roof
• Use energy-efficient appliances
• Use light-coloured paint on walls and ceilings
• Use a Ground-Source Heat Pump (GSHP) system, which uses the constant temperature of the earth as a heat source in the winter and as a heat sink in the summer to provide heating and cooling to the building.
• Use Energy-efficient building materials, such as low-emissivity windows and high R-value insulation to help reduce energy use in a building

Goal 2: Reduce Water Use

• Measure: LEED WE Indoor Water Use Reduction
• Targets:
• minimally acceptable value: Percentage reduction by 35% (3 points)
• desired / target value: Percentage reduction by more than 50% (6 points)

• Strategies:
• Use rainwater harvesting systems
• Reuse greywater
• Use low-flow fixtures
• Use native and drought-tolerant plants landscaping to reduce the need for irrigation and can help conserve water
• Implement water-efficient irrigation systems by installing drip irrigation

Goal 3: Increase Sustainable Building Material Usage

• Measure: LEED MR Credit: Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction
• Targets:
• minimally acceptable value: Percentage of completed project surface area reused by 25% (2 points)
• desired / target value: Percentage of completed project surface area reused by 75% (4 points)

• Strategies:
• Minimize the use of concrete (or eco-friendly concrete that is manufactured using waste or residual materials from different industries).
• Use locally sourced materials to reduce the environmental impact of transportation and also support the local economy
• Use low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, which can reduce the amount of harmful chemicals released into the air and can improve indoor air quality.
• Use renewable materials, such as bamboo, cork, and straw bale
• Use recycled materials to reduce the need for virgin materials and also reduce waste.
• Use sustainable wood that is certified by organizations such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) ensures that the wood comes from responsibly managed forests.

Goal 4: Increase Greenfield Area on the Site

• Measure: LEED SS Credit: Site Development—Protect or Restore Habitat and Open Space
• Targets:
• minimally acceptable value: Using native or adapted vegetation, restore 30% (including the building footprint) of all portions of the site identified as previously disturbed. (2 points)
• desired / target value: Using native or adapted vegetation, restore more than 40% (including the building footprint) of all portions of the site identified as previously disturbed. (2 points)
• Strategies:
• Use green roofs and maximize the area of green roofs to increase greenfield area on the site, improve air quality, reduce the heat island effect, and provide wildlife habitats
• Implement permeable pavement, which allows water to pass through it and reduces the amount of hard surface area.
• Preserve native vegetation around the project site
• Build rooftop gardens
• Create a green wall which is a vertical garden on the exterior or interior of a building. They can help increase greenfield areas on the site and improve indoor air quality.