Glenn KatzOverview
- Key / Essential / Unique Design Features that you explored in your project.
Like I mentioned in early module reflections, I like buildings with irregular geometry because I find those to be more appealing. Therefore, the levels of my building have different shapes, area, or even orientation. Despite the fact that incorporating irregularity into the design will pose challenges in terms of structural, HVAC, and plumbing systems, overcoming these hurdles is immensely gratifying.
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The green roof on the 4th floor is a key feature in my building because it not only allows less energy to be used for heating/cooling through higher insulation, it also provides a good view to people who are enjoying their meals on the 5th floor cafe area. On the roof of level 5, On the roof of level 5, there are vacant areas suitable for the installation of solar panels. This initiative can help offset a portion of the energy consumed by the building.
- Your Big Successes
I like the energy-saving aspect of my building, such as the green roof that provides heat insulation, or the exterior wall that has low U-factor. These properties are part of my passive design which may cost more initially, but can save more money in the future by reducing energy consumption.
It is extremely fulfilling to see the integration of all of my systems as it signifies the realization of a fully functional building capable of accommodating occupants and ensuring their comfort.
- Your Big Challenges -- what aspects of the project created the biggest challenges and what would you do differently (in hindsight) to avoid or overcome these challenges.
One big challenge I had was to figure out the floor plans in the beginning because that takes a lot of creativity to think about what space types should my building include. I had no background in building design and figuring out this part requires the most amount of design thinking.
The other big challenge I had was the plumbing system because the restrooms on different levels are usually in different locations, and it was really hard to connect the pipes from one level to the other. I had to switch between different section views and the 3D view to determine how should the pipes be connected and that can take a long time.
- Lessons Learned -- what sage words of advice would you share with other students who are embarking on a similar project.
I would recommend other students to not be intimidated in the beginning because I joined class in the 3rd week of the quarter and I am an environmental engineering student who knew nothing about building design at all, not to mention any Autodesk product. I was intimidated at first but I really appreciate the office hours and weekly check-in sessions that helped me with everything I am confused, or concerned about. Also, if anyone doesn’t want to spend a long time trying to figure out how the pipelines of plumbing systems connect between different levels, I would recommend designing the restrooms in the same location on each floor.
Also, when making floor plans, always consider where to place the mechanical room because people tend to focus on exhibition space areas or recreational area that we often go when we are in an exhibition center, and forget about the rarely-visited mechanical rooms. Mechanical rooms are important when designing the HVAC, plumbing and electrical system and it usually requires a lot of work to add a mechanical room because that will often change the layout of the entire floor.
Lastly, it’s also important to choose the building material (U-factor, R-value of the wall, glazing of the windows) because that is crucial in the process of designing the HVAC system.
