Building Blocks

Green integrated design approach

MANILA, Philippines – At the rate we are spending the Earth’s natural capital, we are compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs.

Is this due to overpopulation in the planet? Consider the following: The Earth’s population of 6.7 billion if placed in the United State’s Texas with a land area of 691,000 square kilometer will have a population density of 21 percent over that of Singapore.

As we know, Singapore has only one-half of Metro Manila’s population density of 16,000 per sq km. Metro Manila’s population density is similar to that of Jakarta, Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, and Seoul. And yet the second most densely populated region in the Philippines next to Metro Manila, Calabarzon has a population density of hardly 600 people per sq km.

If the cause of the Earth’s degradation of natural resources is not overpopulation, this writer believes it is this present generation’s high consumerism. Our tremendous appetite for material goods has indeed put a big strain on the natural functions of our planet. To achieve a sustainable society is therefore an important goal of each responsible citizen.

Buildings are the source of 40 percent of waste worldwide, and use 40 percent of the world’s raw materials. This puts building industry practitioners in a good position to put forward the sustainability imperative.

Integrated design approach

A sustainable way to design, construct and operate a building that is gaining momentum is the integrated design process or IDP.

In a recent workshop, BCI Asia speaker Dr. Nirmal Kishnani, editor in chief of FuturArc Magazine, said IDP puts emphasis on a fundamental change in thinking and in ways of operating. It brings all design and construction disciplines together with the owner and end user, to formulate a shared vision about the building to be put up.

The IDP is a whole-systems way of thinking that gets all concerned to spend a good amount of time up front for integrated planning and design. It is all about teamwork, and the principal architect is not seen as the one who gives form to the project. He is only an active participant in exploring alternative ideas among team experts who play active roles at the start of the process.

This approach is also termed front-loaded design because it is costly in terms of time and money in the beginning of the design process. But the mistakes avoided, life cycle cost savings made, and environmental integrity of the project far outweighs initial costs.

Failures of typical design program

In the traditional design program, the team members think in compartments. Hardly does each discipline think in relation to the total project.

Big picture goals and targets are not discussed. Team members do not feel committed to a shared vision and are comfortable with compliance with their own area targets.

Cost is fragmented in the different areas of the work. Estimates made are not arrived at after thorough study of building optimization. A piece of design tends to be the basis for value-engineering individual components. Optimizing components in isolation tends to work against the idea of achieving synergies. For example, choosing cheaper glass with lower thermal performance results in upsizing the mechanical systems.

Costs are seen as up front expenditure, and rarely as total cost across the life of the building.

Lastly, professionals are paid according to the cost of the building, not on how the building will perform.

Achieve integrated design process

First it is important to appoint a project team early and to treat the process as a collaborative effort.

Second, a schedule of periodic review workshops with the whole team present must be made.

Third, benchmarks for the project are established.

Fourth, use benchmarks to set few clear, simple targets.

Fifth, set aside a part of the budget for greening.

Sixth, as the project progresses from conceptual to developed design, test ideas along green principles.

Seventh, see the project across its life when choosing a material.

Last, reward the team for long-term performance.

Holistic design and planning uses the interconnection between disciplines. Solutions are arrived at that address multiple problems at the same time. For example, a residential community designed with narrower streets results in less storm water runoff, enabling simpler site detention basins to handle storm water, with no need for storm sewers. A bigger area left for trees improves ambient air and reduces the need for air conditioning.

Up front goals should be set early in the conceptual process. They should be quantifiable, such as, we want 50 percent energy saving.”

These goals can be reversed, changed at each stage of the project. But we know that the greatest opportunity for making changes in the design at the least cost happens at the early part.

Other green considerations would include reduced energy and water consumption, improved indoor quality, recycling and material reuse, improved durability, longevity and low maintenance.

For comments or inquiries, e-mail amadodejesus@gmail.com.

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