We have seen the future of buildings in an energy driven
world. Perhaps more accurately we have seen pieces of potential futures. One
possible future is DOE/NREL’s new Research Support Facilities (RSF) project for
the NREL campus. This project by the design-build of
The NREL RSF project shows a zero energy building future where buildings are optimized for multiple climate responsive passive strategies, and then complemented by very efficient mechanical and electrical systems – extending even into the design of the data center and the IT system for the building. This low energy building approach lends itself well to on-site renewable energy applications, which can then be sized as small as possible to offset the energy needs of the building. This approach can yield projects with significantly better energy and carbon reduction results than typical ENERGY STAR, LEED or 2030 Challenge benchmarks. In fact, this approach may even get us to the end game of the 2030 Challenge today.
The NREL RSF project has a very simple and direct form that is driven by energy. It is not very different from common building forms pre-dating air conditioning. The NREL RSF is a letter shaped building – in this case an “H”. This gives the building two long thin wings or “fingers” with the proper solar orientation and a connecting spine. The building was designed in section first to ensure proper daylighting, natural ventilation, thermal mass, transpired solar collection, and photovoltaic energy generation.
In addition to architecture, RNL has a strong urban design and master planning practice. We deal with the same energy and form issues at this scale. A unique emerging benefit of this is the ability to test new architectural and urban design ideas within a master plan. While our master planning approach addresses important sustainability issues such as land use, orientation, solar access, energy and water infrastructure, transportation, microclimates, pedestrian comfort and wind patterns – it doesn’t always have the scope to design the actual architecture. However, populating the urban plan with architecture helps it come to life. The architecture in these test beds is speculation – not unlike the speculative architecture and urban designs of sci-fi film sets. This provides an opportunity to speculate on new forms of energy driven architecture which leads to continued innovation. The speculative architecture on one of RNL’s recent sustainable city master plans in the UAE takes this idea of the “letter” or “finger” building into a more three dimensional, sculptural approach. The building becomes a vessel or body with more surfaces interacting passively with the environment.
There are many emerging design tools that will allow us to design more fluidly around energy. As BIM models become more energy model friendly we have quicker feedback on design decisions early in the process. New design tools are allowing us to automate the manipulation of form in direct response to energy. Tim Meador of RNL has been experimenting with this idea using Rhino 3-D modeling software with a Grasshopper algorithm plug-in using data from an Ecotect model. Surfaces can be scripted to respond to environmental data such as solar radiance which then can automate the free form depth of louver blades for shading or adjust the size of apertures for solar control.
The design of energy systems inside and outside our buildings will also be significantly different in the very near future. Starting on the inside, the occupants of a building have a significant impact on energy use. RNL is finding that in low energy buildings the plug and server loads account for more than half of all the energy use. This is a tremendous opportunity for improvements in occupant behavior, occupant energy feedback and green information technologies. If you have ridden in a Prius you understand the power of feedback on behavior. As you see your instantaneous MPG on the dashboard display you instinctively (or sometimes very purposively) make changes to your driving to move that MPG number up. The same technology is available in buildings.
Outside lies the electrical grid. We have all heard that it
is antiquated and needs to be rebuilt, but apparently the grid is also dumb.
Enter the smart grid. The idea is to run a communication signal on top of the
electrical current on the same power line. With a smart grid the energy
producer will have direct two-way communication with the energy consumers. This
strategy reduces peak demands by managing energy use at the consumer level
(demand side reduction). This opens up a world of possibilities including smart
appliances, building energy interfaces, automation controls, better management
of distributed renewable energy sources, better energy management for consumers,
and better grid and equipment management for the utility. Xcel Energy is
leading the way on smart grid technology and
How will all of these and other energy trends evolve to drive buildings in the future? One of my favorite truisms comes from a computer scientist named Alan Kay who said, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it”. We have the power to invent a clean low-energy sustainable future.
To see the visual slide show on this topic go to: http://www.slideshare.net/tomhootman/how-will-energy-drive-building-in-the-future
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