Community Planning from the Kingdom of God's perspective-Part 5

Sustainable Building Technologies

It would be a true tragedy to get to this point in the design process to abandon our organic approach to building development to non-organic support systems.  Now that we have the finger print unique to our site, we make informed decision about the technology we will employ to maintain our environments at a comfortable level.  Some of these technologies involve increased “front end cost,” but reduce the operational cost thru the developments “life cycle.”  Our ultimate litmus test is that of being called by God as steward.  There are some decision we make not based on “mammon” but on stewardship.  Some of these approaches involve the sacrifice of our time or lifestyle. 

We are reconciled to the Father, thru the Son to come into alignment with God’s design intent.  By partnering with God thru sustainable approaches, we allow his creation to “rest” thru order in our lives.  We do not worship creation in any way but we honor God by becoming his Gardner. 

 

 

Geothermal Heating and Cooling systems

 

 

Geothermal, or ground source, heat pumps (GHPs) are electrically powered systems that tap the stored energy of the greatest solar collector in existence: the earth. These systems use the earth's relatively constant temperature to provide heating, cooling, and hot water for homes and commercial buildings.

Geothermal systems can be categorized as having closed or open loops, and those loops can be installed in three ways: horizontally, vertically, or in a pond/lake. The type chosen depends on the available land areas and the soil and rock type at the installation site. These factors will help determine the most economical choice for installation of the ground loop.

For closed loop systems, water or antifreeze solution is circulated through plastic pipes buried beneath the earth's surface. During the winter, the fluid collects heat from the earth and carries it through the system and into the building. During the summer, the system reverses itself to cool the building by pulling heat from the building, carrying it through the system and placing it in the ground. This process creates free hot water in the summer and delivers substantial hot water savings in the winter.

Open loop systems operate on the same principle as closed loop systems and can be installed where an adequate supply of suitable water is available and open discharge is feasible. Benefits similar to the closed loop system are obtained.

 

Heat Recovery

 

A heat recovery ventilator (HRV) can help make mechanical ventilation more cost effective by reclaiming energy from exhaust airflows. HRVs use heat exchangers to heat or cool incoming fresh air, recapturing 60 to 80 percent of the conditioned temperatures that would otherwise be lost. Models that exchange moisture between the two air streams are referred to as Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs). ERVs are especially recommended in climates where cooling loads place strong demands on HVAC systems.

Although some window or wall mounted units are available, HRVs and ERVs are most often designed as ducted whole-building systems. The heat exchanger is the heart of an HRV, usually consisting of a cube-shaped transfer unit made from special conductive materials. Incoming and outgoing airflows pass through different sides of the cube (but are not mixed), allowing conditioned exhaust air to raise or lower the temperature of incoming fresh air. ERVs also allow the exchange of moisture to control humidity.

After passing through the heat exchanger, the warmed or cooled fresh air goes through the HVAC air handler, or may be sent directly to various rooms. Stale air from return ducts pre-conditions the incoming flow before exiting. Systems in various sizes and configurations are available to automatically maintain the required air changes per hour. Many systems include filters to further control contaminants that would otherwise re-circulate through the building.

 

 

 

 

 

Energy Management Systems

 

A Building Management System (BMS) is a computer-based control system installed in buildings that controls and monitors the building’s mechanical and electrical equipment such as ventilation, lighting, power systems, fire systems, and security systems. A BMS consists of software and hardware; the software program, usually configured in a hierarchical manner, can be proprietary using specific protocols or, however, more new vendors are producing BMSs that integrate using Internet protocols and open standards.

A BMS is more typical in a large building. Its core function is to manage the environment temperature, carbon dioxide level and humidity within a building. As a core function in most BMS systems, it controls the production of heating and cooling, manages the systems that distribute this air throughout the building, and then locally controls the mixture of heating and cooling to achieve the desired room temperature. A key secondary function is to monitor the level of human generated CO2, mixing in outside air with waste air to increase the amount of O2 while also minimizing heat/cooling losses.

In addition to maintaining the building climate within a specified range, the BAS can provide lighting based on an occupancy schedule, and monitors system performance and device failures and provides email and/or text notifications to building engineering staff. Systems linked to a BMS typically represent 40% of a building's energy usage; if lighting is included this number approaches 70%. BMS systems are a critical component to managing energy demand. The BAS functionality reduces building energy and maintenance costs when compared to a non-controlled building.



 

Sustainable Landscape Planning

 

Landscaping is an integral part of our culture and plays an essential role in the quality of our environment, affecting our economic well-being and our physical and psychological health. Restorative gardens offer an environment for people who are sick, injured, and under stress to recover and regain confidence in themselves. Roger Ulrich showed through a study of hospital patients that those whose rooms overlooked vegetation recovered faster and required less pain medication than did the patients without a view of nature. Such landscapes are also being used by hospices in treatment of Alzheimer and AIDS patients.

Public and commercial landscapes have a major influence in the environment, and on peoples actions and attitudes. Sustainable landscape maintenance techniques can be used to protect the environment, while enhancing economic development. To keep our communities strong and prosperous, responsibility must be taken for our environment. Environmental responsibility is a step beyond awareness, developed only through experience. Through gardens and landscapes personal awareness and responsibility is acquired for the environment while relieving the tensions and frustrations of everyday life. 

Landscaping is one of the most cost effective tools for improving and sustaining the quality of life, whether in the city, the suburbs or the country.

Alternative Paving Solutions

 

Alternative pavement materials, in lieu of traditional asphalt or concrete, may have benefits to the City’s storm-water runoff, the City ecosystem, street, trees and neighborhood aesthetics. By carefully planning the amount of impervious areas created by buildings, parking lots, roads and sidewalks, runoff peaks and volumes can be reduced. This decreases the size and cost of the drainage and storm-water control infrastructure. Alternative means of sealing could be an effective way to lower maintenance requirements.

Concrete alternatives, such as pervious concrete, are similar in appearance to conventional concrete pavement.  Pervious concrete allows infiltration which eliminates the need for costly underground filtration systems and reduces the need for snow plowing and salting. Its non-slip surface prevents potential hazards. It filters just like natural grass and eliminates toxic run-off. Asphalt Alternatives such as, permeable pavers are interlocking blocks with open areas or channels so that water can drain through the surface into a stone recharge bed and infiltrate into the soils beneath.  The bricks support heavy loads and help to maximize groundwater recharge. When properly designed and installed, permeable pavers can provide parking lots with a life span of more than 20 years.

Recyclable paving mats are an option for use with asphalt resurfacing. This material can extend the performance of pavement by up to 500%. It guards against moisture and reflective cracking. Striping alternatives, such as low VOC striping paints, are fast drying, highly durable, dirt resistant and VOC compliant. Bumper block alternatives like, rubber parking curbs will not warp, chip, crack, or rot, effectively eliminating the need for maintenance. These curbs are highly visible at night, reducing the risk of damage to vehicles or personal injury.

 

Building Envelopes

 

Looking at a pie chart of a building’s life-cycle costs, one would find that the biggest piece goes to the building envelope.  This is because the envelope is the surface that separates the climate-controlled interior and a constantly changing exterior climate.  The building envelope sheds rain, provides a wind break, allows sunlight in for daylighting, shades occupants from heat, directs views in and out of the building, dampens undesired external noise and on and on.  Using local materials, proper shading and simple, effective details in the skin leads to solutions that naturally work with a building’s climate, rather than against it.  It is easier to deal with climate extremes external to a building rather than beefing up internal systems to maintain occupant comfort.

Refrigerants

 

In 1987 the Montreal Protocols an international environmental agreement, established requirements that began the worldwide phaseout of ozone-depleting CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). These requirements were later modified, leading to the phaseout in 1996 of CFC production in all developed nations. In addition, a 1992 amendment to the Montreal Protocol established a schedule for the phaseout of HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons). HCFCs are less damaging to the ozone layer than CFCs, but still contain ozone-destroying chlorine. The Montreal Protocol as amended is carried out in the U.S. through, Title VI of the Clean Air Act, which is implemented by EPA. 

An important thing a building owner can do for the environment is to purchase a highly energy-efficient system. Energy-efficient systems result in cost savings for the owner. Today's best air conditioners use much less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid-1970s. Even if an air conditioner is only 10 years old, there can be significant savings on cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model. Products with EPA's Energy Star® label can save 10% to 40% on heating and cooling bills every year. These products are made by most major manufacturers and have the same features as standard products but also incorporate energy saving technology. Both R-22 and R-410A systems may have the Energy Star® label. Equipment that displays the Energy Star® label must have a minimum seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER). The higher the SEER specification, the more efficient the equipment.

 

 

 

 



Construction Pollution Management

 

Many of our goals in reducing our carbon usage is of little or no cost to the owner.  One such issue is the environmentally friendly construction site.  Many of these features and requirements are incorporated into our specifications for construction general conditions.  Some of these green approaches are as follows:

•        Purchase as much of the building components locally (reduction of shipping fuel)

•        Minimizing the engine idle time and movement of construction equipment

•        Maintenance of all construction vehicles to prevent spillage of fuel, oil and hydraulic fluids during construction.

•        Storing and caring for excavation materials to prevent off site runoff

•        Hose down areas for all vehicles leaving the job site

•        Dust and Debris control procedures in place at all times

•        Encouraging car pooling for construction employees by restricted job site parking

•        Recycling of construction debris in lieu of disposal

•        Provide a smoke free site

•        Promote safe disposal of all waste oils, cutting oils and solvents on site.

•        Posting an environmental plan on the job site

Application of these approaches reduces the energy used during construction and promotes health within the community.

 

 

 

Roof Systems

 

Green roof applications are appropriate for residential, farm, industrial, and office buildings.  Typically, a green roof consists of a thin 2 or 3 inch layer of soil and a drainage layer, applied directly to a roofing membrane. Green roof plants are typically short perennials and succulents, including such varieties of Sedum or Delosperma. These plants will quickly cover the soil and prevent erosion, retain rainwater, and provide insulation and respirative cooling. Buildings with green roofs may also receive tax credits or municipal grants and typically will command higher selling and rental prices.

Green roof vegetation helps by cooling the air, slowing air movement and acting as a substrate for pollution to settle out and detoxify the surrounding environment. Succulent green plants, soil, and air trapped in the soil help reduce the risk of fire and are great acoustic absorbers.  The soil in green roof systems acts like a sponge and absorbs excess rain water.  Green roofs reduce the need for on-site storm water management systems.  When combined with an effective rain garden (bioswale), green roofs can make it possible to have zero discharge of rainwater from the site, therefore saving money by not having to connect to the storm sewer system. Green roofs also filter water prior to returning it to the aquifer.  They buffer acid rain and remove nitrate pollution as water slowly percolates through the soil. The evapotranspirative effect of the plants and four inches of growing medium typically reduces indoor temperatures 6 to 8 degrees during warm/hot weather and can reduce air-conditioning costs 25 to 50 percent in single story buildings. 

 



 



Energy Efficient Appliances

 

Selecting energy star rated appliances will dramatically reduce our energy foot print.  These appliances include everything from the kitchen appliance to the commercial side of computer equipment and sound equipment.  If we watch each watt we use then the kilowatts take care of themselves.

 

 

Stormwater Retention Recycling

 

Rainwater harvesting is an innovative alternative water supply approach anyone can use. Rainwater harvesting captures, diverts, and stores rainwater for later use. Captured rainwater is often used in landscaping, because the water is free of salts and other harmful minerals and does not have to be treated. It is also useful in attracting and providing water for wildlife. 

Implementing rainwater harvesting techniques directly benefits our state by reducing demand on the water supply, and reducing run-off, erosion, and contamination of surface water.

In many communities, 30 to 50 percent of the total water is used for landscape irrigation. Capturing rainwater for use in the landscape makes efficient use of a valuable resource, reducing water bills and reducing demand on water supply.

Rainwater harvesting can also help to prevent flooding and erosion, turning stormwater problems into water supply assets by slowing runoff and allowing it to soak into the ground. Reducing run-off also helps to reduce the contamination of surface water with sediments, fertilizers, and pesticides in rainfall run-off.

 

 

 

 

Low Consumption Fixtures

 

In most buildings plumbing fixtures provide essential services to occupants that themselves cannot be reduced: bathing, hand washing, and sewage conveyance. In all of these applications the water consumption depends on two basic variables: usage patterns and consumption per use. Usage patterns are largely a matter of personal preference, and building management can do little to change them. For the most part, lowering your water use in plumbing fixtures means improving your fixture technology to lower the consumption per use. For flow-type fixtures this means lowering the gallons per minute (GPM), and for flush-type fixtures, lowering the gallons per flush (GPF). This is water efficiency: getting the same or better service for less water by using better technology.

Installing water-efficient plumbing fixtures is a great way to green your building and improve your bottom line. The technology is reliable, affordable, and off-the-shelf, making it a low-risk investment that offers good financial returns.

 

Greywater Recycling

 

Greywater is specifically wash water. That is, bath, dish, and laundry water excluding toilet wastes and free of garbage-grinder residues. When properly managed, greywater can be a valuable resource which horticultural and agricultural growers as well as home gardeners can benefit from. It can also be valuable to landscape planners, builders, developers and contractors because of the design and landscaping advantages of on-site greywater treatment/management. It is, after all, the same phosphorous, potassium and nitrogen making greywater a source of pollution for lakes, rivers and ground water which are excellent nutrient sources for vegetation when this particular form of wastewater is made available for irrigation.

 Greywater irrigation has long been practiced in areas where water is in short supply. However, proper precautions for its use have not always been observed. This has posed a problem for health officials, who contend that there is no good management method for greywater which both balances user needs with public safety considerations. In fact, options for making safe use of greywater as a source for irrigation are many and diverse. The engineering of these systems is still a relatively young technology; but it is one making rapid progress. It also makes sense from both the environmental and "waste" management points of view. As these systems utilize the nutrient (potential pollutant) content in the effluent, they constitute a real solution to the treatment /management of greywater. "Real solution" here means that these greywater treatment/management systems simply do not generate waste products which, by definition, require disposal.

Energy Efficient Fixture Selection

 

The electricity used over the lifetime of a single incandescent bulb costs 5 to 10 times the original purchase price of the bulb itself.

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs have revolutionized energy-efficient lighting.

CFLs are simply miniature versions of full-sized fluorescents. They screw into standard lamp sockets, and give off light that looks just like the common incandescent bulbs - not like the fluorescent lighting we associate with factories and schools.

LEDs are small, solid light bulbs which are extremely energy-efficient. New LED bulbs are grouped in clusters with diffuser lenses which have broadened the applications for LED use.

 

 



 

 

Photovoltaic

 

Photovoltaics, is the field of technology and research related to the application of solar cells for energy by converting sunlight directly into electricity. Photovoltaic technology makes use of the abundant energy in the sun, and it has little impact on our environment. Photovoltaics can be used in a wide range of products, from small consumer items to large commercial solar electric systems.

A photovoltaic (PV) or solar cell is the basic building block of a PV (or solar electric) system. An individual PV cell is usually quite small, typically producing about 1 or 2 watts of power. To boost the power output of PV cells, they are connected together to form larger units called modules. Modules can be connected to form even larger units called arrays, which can be interconnected to produce more power, and so on. In this way, we can build PV systems able to meet almost any electric power need, whether small or large. PV systems can be classified into two general categories: flat-plate systems or concentrator systems. By themselves, modules or arrays do not represent an entire PV system. They require structures to put them on that point them toward the sun, and components that take the direct-current electricity produced by modules and "condition" that electricity, usually by converting it to alternate-current electricity. Electricity may be stored in batteries, for later use. All these items are referred to as the "balance of system" (BOS) components. Combining modules with the BOS components creates an entire PV system. This system is everything needed to meet a particular energy demand, such as powering a water pump, or the appliances and lights in a home, office, or, if the PV system is large enough, all the electrical requirements of a whole community.

 

 

Biomass Conversion

Forest biomass is an abundant, renewable fuel that is often wasted in large quantities. When forests are thinned or cut for timber, large amounts of “slash” or brush, small trees, branches and tops are typically piled and burned in the open air. The State of Montana has a hazard reduction law, known as the “state slash law” that requires slash created through forest management to be treated, either by pile burning or removing the material from the site, within 18 months of the forest management activity. The intent of this law is to minimize the fire danger associated with this material if left on the ground, particularly near structures. About 10 to 30 tons per acre of this kind of material is disposed of in some manner, depending on the site and type of forest management.

 







Low-Head Hydro Generation

A "Hydrokinetic" turbine is an integrated turbine generator to produce electricity in a free flow environment. It does not need a dam or diversion. Instream Energy Generation Technology or IEGT places turbines in rivers, man made channels, tidal waters, or ocean currents. These turbines use the flow of water to turn them, thus generating electricity for the power grid on nearby land. In effect, IEGT is like planting windmills in the water and is environmentally friendly. While hydrokinetic includes generation from ocean tides, currents and waves, many researchers believe its most practical application in the near term is likely to be in rivers and streams.

A 35 kilowatt hydrokinetic turbine has been installed in the Mississippi River near Hastings, Minnesota. Underwater tidal turbines are propelled by tidal currents. If the viable river and estuary turbine locations are made into hydroelectric power sites “researchers estimat[e] that [the United States’] rivers and estuaries could provide up to 130,000 gigawatt-hours per year — about half the yearly production of the country's dams”

Turbines suitable for use in very low head applications are different from the Francis, propeller, Kaplan,or Pelton types used in more conventional large hydro.

Different types of low head application turbines are:

Axial Flow Rotor Turbine: This type of turbine consists of a concentric hub with radial blades, resembling a wind mill. Either a built in electrical generator or a hydraulic pump which turns an electrical generator on land provides the electricity

Open Center Fan Turbine: These turbines consists of two donut shaped turbines which rotate in the opposite direction of the current. This in turn runs a hydraulic pump that in turn drives a standard electrical generator.

Helical Turbine: This type of turbine has hydrofoil sections that keep the turbine oriented to the flow of the water. The leader edge of the blades turns in the direction of the water

Cycloidic Turbine: The cycloidic turbine resembles a paddle wheel, where the flow of the water turns the wheel with lift and drag being optimized. Lift or flutter vanes looks like a huge Venetian blind

Hydroplane blades: They are made to oscillate by the flowing water, thus generating electricity

FFP Turbine Generator: This type of turbine uses a rim-mounted, permanent magnet, direct-drive generator with front and rear diffusers and one moving part (the rotor) to maximize efficiency.

 

 

 

 

 

Wind Generation

A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or pumping water, the device is called a windmill or wind pump. Developed for over a millennium, today's wind turbines are manufactured in a range of vertical and horizontal axis types. The smallest turbines are used for applications such as battery charging or auxiliary power on sailing boats; while large grid-connected arrays of turbines are becoming an increasingly large source of commercial electric power.


 

 

Daylighting Applications

 

Studies show that electricity used in lighting is one of the biggest power consumers in a building.  Even on a cloudy day, there is often enough ambient sunlight to provide general lighting for a room.  Daylighting design seeks to reduce the need for electrically powered lights by careful admittance and control of available sunlight.  Exterior shading devices or even trees can work to maintain comfortable levels of sunlight without allowing in unwanted heat.  From a health and well being perspective, soft daylight is much more pleasant than light provided by fluorescent fixtures.

Passive Solar

 

How the building is oriented on a site dramatically affects the buildings thermal performance.  During the heating season the southern exposure will accept solar radiation while during the cooling season we want to shade the southern façade.  Conversely the northern exposure will need a higher insulation package during winter months and becomes the orientation of choice for day lighting applications.  Window treatments become of paramount importance depending on their orientation.  Glass Insulation will change with each façade and shading of windows can be a form giver for the overall appearance of the building.  Site landscaping also becomes an important element in either accepting solar radiation or rejecting it depending on the season.

 

Healthy Finish Selections

 

In a desire to see buildings assist us in the health of our bodies, we make an effort to specify interior finishes that will aid rather than deter in our overall well-being.  This involves the awareness of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and products which are recycled.  There are numerous certified interior finish options which support our commitment to protecting our natural resources through a focus on environmental stewardship.

VOCs are gases emitted from certain solids of liquids found in many finishing products, especially paint.  However, many of the leading paint manufactures are now instituting procedures that focus on solid waste reduction, recycling, and the implementation of zero discharge processes.   They are also developing products that use renewable or sustainable raw materials like soy and sunflower oil.

Many flooring surfaces, such as carpet and tile, are constructed of recycled materials that reduce dependency on oil and prevent needlessly filling up our landfills to ensure a healthy environment for future generations.  Also, recycled materials are frequently stronger and longer-lasting than their conventional counterparts, which reduces associated cost of maintenance and replacement.

 

 Conclusion

 

 

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins."   (Mark 2:22)