LEED(TM) for schools was introduced in response to research that showed the influence of classroom environment on energy savings and students’ performance. There is however a need to investigate the relationship between credits achieved by the LEED(TM) for schools rating system and its impact on building performance. This study quantifies and analyzes resource consumption and indoor comfort of two LEED(TM) certified elementary schools in Houston, Texas by comparing them to their conventional counterparts. Year-long metered data for 2015 was analyzed for resource consumption. Indoor comfort was analyzed by recording visual and thermal comfort metrics for a north and south oriented classroom in each school. Both LEED(TM) schools had greater energy savings and better visual comfort as compared to the non-LEED schools. However, the water consumption savings and thermal comfort varied by school. Also, the LEED(TM) Gold School didn’t exhibit higher energy and water consumption savings than the LEED(TM) Silver School. / 10000-01-01

College campuses, with significant numbers of older facilities, have the opportunity to lead the green building movement while reaping economic, health, environmental, educational, and marketing benefits. This project assessed the current status of green building programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), the costs and benefits of building green, and the costs and benefits of LEED certification to make the business case for LEED-certified buildings. This project also proposed a strategic plan for green building programs at WPI to promote and measure green building improvements to new and existing facilities. Lastly, this project assessed the feasibility of certifying existing facilities with the LEED Existing Building rating system. By evaluating all of the costs and the major benefits, the results of this project demonstrate that the benefits of building green and LEED certification outweigh the costs and that through strategic planning WPI can become a leader among colleges implementing green building programs.

O aumento da produção de habitações de interesse social traz consigo a problemática da qualidade de unidades habitacionais construídas a baixo custo e em um curto espaço de tempo. Aliadas a essas preocupações de caráter qualitativo e quantitativo, surgem também as exigências de caráter ambiental para edifícios, as quais deram origem à criação de dezenas de sistemas de certificação de desempenho ambiental de edifícios, de caráter internacional, que vêm sendo usadas no cenário brasileiro, indiferentemente às suas especificidades e carências. Com isso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi promover uma análise comparativa desses sistemas de certificação, realizando uma discussão de suas inadequações ao contexto brasileiro. A partir da análise comparativa e balizamento de itens avaliativos das certificações estudadas pelos critérios preestabelecidos neste trabalho, pudemos notar que as ferramentas estudadas demonstram uma série de itens avaliativos plenamente aplicáveis a edifícios residenciais situados no cenário brasileiro e outros que ainda necessitam de adaptações. Portanto, esta análise deverá servir como embasamento para um trabalho futuro de criação de diretrizes para o desenvolvimento de um sistema de certificação ambiental de edificações habitacionais brasileiras. / The increased production of social housing brings the issue of the quality of housing units built at low cost. Combined to these concerns, those are qualitative and quantitative, are also the character of environmental requirements for buildings which led to the creation of dozens of buildings environmental performance certification systems, with international character, which have been used in the Brazilian scene, regardless of their specificities and needs. Therefore, the objective of this work is to promote an analysis of these certification systems and conducting a discussion of their inadequacies to the Brazilian context. From the comparative analysis and marking of the certification evaluation items by the established criteria studied in this work, we noted that the studied tools show several evaluative items fully applicable to residential buildings located in Brazil and others ones that still need to be adapted. Therefore, this analysis should serve as a basis for a future work to establish guidelines for the development of an environmental certification system for residential buildings in Brazil.

The administrations of several universities have developed strategies to reduce the negative environmental effects created by their institutions. Because no single, comprehensive methodology to guide institutions to sustainability exists, these strategies range widely in scope. As well, the definition of "sustainability" differs for these various institutions, resulting in strategies ranging from small-scale recycling programs to major initiatives to incorporate green building and revamping curricula. This study attempts to create the first comprehensive methodology to guide university campuses and processes to become regenerative. Regenerative systems "produce more resources than needed, provide resources for other projects, and enhance [the] environment" (Bernheim 2003), and are synonymous with the "triple top line" of sustainability presented by Braungart and McDonough (2002). Sustainability plans of other universities were reviewed to determine what strategies have been successful for these institutions. These data were synthesized to create the comprehensive methodology. The methodology is incremental to allow time for institutions to adjust their financial plans and facilities management practices. Subsequently, the University of South Florida's Tampa campus (USF) served as a case study. Buildings and other infrastructure were reviewed, as were the curricula, buying practices, food service, and other university processes. Finally, a survey was presented to the primary decision-makers for USF to identify obstacles to implementation of the sustainability methodology. Recommendations for overcoming these obstacles were then be devised, incorporating solutions developed at other institutions as well as novel ideas.

Les mémoires flash non volatiles - utilisées dans les ordinateurs, téléphones portables ou clés USB - peuvent être constituées de nanocristaux semiconducteurs (SC) insérées dans une matrice isolante. Elles nécessitent l'élaboration d'hétérostructures de type "oxyde/SC/oxyde/Si(00l)" et la maîtrise de chaque interface. Dans ce cadre, nous avons étudié les mécanismes de croissance initiale du Si et du Ge (SC) sur des substrats d'oxyde cristallins LaA1O3(001) à forte permittivité (high-k). Les propriétés chimiques et structurales ont été déterminées in-situ par photoémission X (XPS et XPD) et par diffraction d'électrons (RHEED et LEED) puis ex-situ par microscopies en champ proche (AFM) et en transmission (HRTEM). Le substrat LaAlO3(001) propre présente une reconstruction de surface c(2x2) attribuée à des lacunes d'O en surface. Les croissances de Si et Ge ont été réalisées par épitaxie par jet moléculaire (MBE), soit à température ambiante suivies de recuits, soit à haute température. L'épitaxie requiert des températures de dépôt supérieures à 550°C. Le mode de croissance est de type Volmer Weber caractérisé par la formation d'îlots cristallins de dimensions nanométriques et de forte densité. Ces îlots sont relaxés et présentent une interface abrupte avec le substrat. Quant aux îlots de Ge, ils ont majoritairement des orientations aléatoires avec néanmoins une relation d'épitaxie privilégiée, la même que celle du Si. / Non-volatile flash memory used in computers, mobile phones and USB-keys can be made up of nanocrystals (SC) inserted in an insulating matrix. It requires development of "Oxide/SC/oxide/Si (001)" type hetero-structures and the control of each interface. Within this framework, we studied the initial growth mechanisms of Si and Ge (SC) on LaA1O3(001) crystal oxide substrates with high permittivity (high-k). Chemical and structural properties have been studied in-situ by X-Ray photoemission (XPS and XPD) and electron diffraction (RHEED and LEED) technics and ex­ situ by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high resolution tunneling electron microscopy (HRTEM). Clean LaA1O3(001) substrate contains a c(2x2) surface reconstruction which attributed to gaps of oxygen (O) on the surface. Si and Ge have been deposited by molecular bearn epitaxy (MBE), at room temperature followed by series of annealings at high temperatures. Epitaxy requires temperature more than 550°C for the deposition. Volmer Weber growth mode was characterized by the formation of nanometric densely packed islands. These islands are relaxed and have an abrupt interface with the substrate. Islands of Ge have mostly random orientations with nevertheless epitaxy privileged relationship, same as that of the Si.

Throughout the last half century of materials science, significant motivations came from, and still do, the industrial applications of these materials. Whether it is electronic, thermal, tribological or chemical in nature, the study of metals, semiconductors and insulators eventually reveals that the surface plays a significant part in the properties of these materials. Understanding metal terminations reveals often that an oxide is the stable state of the metallic surface in an ambient atmosphere and the ability to predict and control these oxides has led to significant strides forward in not just the metallic bulk but the oxide as well. Here we add to the understanding of the class of materials known as transition metal oxides by focusing on the structural and chemical nature of their surfaces. Vanadia, chromia and a new mixed metal oxide, VTiO3, all of which form the corundum structure and have physical properties that need further study. Specifically, Cr2O3 has been at the center of much debate over how oxygen chemical potential influences surface terminations and top layer relaxation. Chromia is a wide band gap (~3.4eV) insulator with substantial ligand field interaction and measurements of the 3d states reveal these states split to t2g and eg– consistent with the distorted octahedral. V2O3 is known to be a Mott insulator and paramagnetic, properties that can be modified through dopants, stoichiometry and strain. In this work, solid solutions of V2O3 and Ti2O3 are studied. VTiO3, has been synthesized in a corundum – like structure by epitaxial growth on an isostructural α-Al2O3 substrate. Section I offers a review of corundum like transition metal oxides and their surface properties and motivations of continued research. In section II we describe in detail, the critical components of PLD thin film growth and in the next section a review of the pertinent characterization techniques utilized in the process. Finally, the results are presented of the study of two transition metal oxide structures namely: 1) Novel VTiO3 in a corundum structure has been grown via Pulsed Laser Deposition – Molecular Beam Epitaxy on a single crystal Al2O3(0001) substrate. The sapphire substrate with modest lattice mismatch was utilized in an effort to compel heteroepitaxial growth of the VTiO3 film. Confirmation of the films structure & chemical state were performed by X-Ray diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR), X-Ray Photo-electron Diffraction, Ultra-Violet Photo-Electron Diffraction and Reflection High Energy Electron expected that the metal ions exist in a 3+ charge state. While XPS clearly points to a V3+ charge state and this suggests that Ti should as well, however there is also a strong Ti4+ component present. EELS spectra support the existence of a mixed state Ti3+ & 4+. Broadening of the valance band edge as revealed by UPS spectra indicate that the 3d orbitals are occupied and that the a1g molecular states are occupied. The conflict in diffraction data supporting corundum and PES/EELS data suggesting a mixed state implies that additional final state effects are present and/or an oxygen rich structure. 2) Additionally, corundum like Chromium(III) Oxide is formed on a Cr(110) surface and characterized with X-Ray Photoelectron Diffraction, Low Energy Electron Diffraction and XPS for the purpose of characterizing surface termination and terminating layer relaxation. Comparison of the XPD diffraction data with known and previously discussed terminations reveal the as grown film does not conform. Consequently, we propose a new, stoichiometric termination with oxygen termination and 1st layer chromium interstitials. Atop this structure was grown an ultra-thin film of V2O3 by vanadium e-beam evaporation in background oxygen. This final structure supports the previously proposed vanadyl structured surface

Sustainability is quickly becoming a “buzz word” in today’s environmentally conscious world from political leaders to building professionals to design experts to consumers as they rethink their impact on current healthy, efficient indoor/outdoor environments as well as long term benefits to future generations. This paper seeks to investigate ways to increase the structural engineer’s influence over the sustainability of the building industry by using integrated design teams. It explores current practices within the building industry, in particular the housing industry and the ways in which the integrated design team differs from most current practices. It strives to promote the positive impact an integrated design team with structural engineers on board from the onset has on the design process as far as time, cost, and environmental concerns are considered. This paper continues by establishing methods for measuring the success of an integrated design team,its effects on sustainability, and how the structural engineer was involved. The focus of this paper is the New Norris House class project: its background and the integrated design team’s process as it differs from the traditional design concept. The results of the project including the LEED and HERS rating and material efficiency and the impact of the structural engineer’s inputs from the onset will be discussed. The paper ends with a discussion on the differences between the educational and professional community and how integrated design teams are an efficient and cost effective way to achieve high levels of sustainability.

With issues such as energy crises, climate change and environmental degradation becoming evermore prevalent on national and international levels, industrialized societies are beginning to take heed of the impact they are having on the natural environment and we are beginning to see movements towards socially and environmentally responsible decision-making. With the impact that buildings have on the environment, it is important to understand what barriers are preventing or slowing investment in socially and environmentally responsible property. The present study was conducted to determine whether LEED certification has a significant impact on the market value of office buildings in Toronto, Ontario – value determined by the average net asking rent for each building. For some 68 subject and control buildings, we matched information on the net asking rent for 16 LEED certified (subject) buildings to 52 otherwise comparable properties (control buildings). Using ordinary least squares (OLS) analysis, we looked to find what relationship exists between net asking rent and the LEED label. Controlling for other variables historically shown to have an impact on property value, we expected the results of this study to determine whether there is a business case for LEED certification in the downtown Toronto office market. The results of the study have shown that LEED certification has had no impact on the market value of the sample of office buildings in Toronto. This is a surprising result, given the growth in the number of LEED buildings in Canada, but interviews with three senior executives in the industry have helped to provide insight into this trend. It seems that with time LEED will likely have an impact in this market, but it hasn‘t arrived yet.

With issues such as energy crises, climate change and environmental degradation becoming evermore prevalent on national and international levels, industrialized societies are beginning to take heed of the impact they are having on the natural environment and we are beginning to see movements towards socially and environmentally responsible decision-making. With the impact that buildings have on the environment, it is important to understand what barriers are preventing or slowing investment in socially and environmentally responsible property. The present study was conducted to determine whether LEED certification has a significant impact on the market value of office buildings in Toronto, Ontario – value determined by the average net asking rent for each building. For some 68 subject and control buildings, we matched information on the net asking rent for 16 LEED certified (subject) buildings to 52 otherwise comparable properties (control buildings). Using ordinary least squares (OLS) analysis, we looked to find what relationship exists between net asking rent and the LEED label. Controlling for other variables historically shown to have an impact on property value, we expected the results of this study to determine whether there is a business case for LEED certification in the downtown Toronto office market. The results of the study have shown that LEED certification has had no impact on the market value of the sample of office buildings in Toronto. This is a surprising result, given the growth in the number of LEED buildings in Canada, but interviews with three senior executives in the industry have helped to provide insight into this trend. It seems that with time LEED will likely have an impact in this market, but it hasn‘t arrived yet.

The energy consumption of residential buildings in Canada accounts for 17% of national energy use (Trudeau, 2005). Production homes represent a considerable portion of new housing. In an effort to reduce the national energy demand, the energy consumption of these homes must be addressed. Techniques, methods and materials to achieve reductions in residential energy use are readily available. The goal of this thesis is to show that it is possible to build a low-energy home for less total carrying cost than a home built to the 2006 Ontario Building Code. To show how this is possible, a range of cost-effective and practical-to-implement upgrades are identified, and quantitative projections of cost-savings and benefits gained by the homeowner are generated. The interest in, and demand for, greener less energy consumptive homes is increasing. As oil prices rise, climate changes, landfills become overburdened and water restrictions become more frequent, the public pushes harder for change. The residential housing sector has seen increased demand for energy efficient homes that incorporate green features, high efficiency appliances and mechanical systems. Increased environmental concern has put ‘Green’ in demand. This thesis reviews a variety of North American green rating systems and contrasts their energy performance requirements with those of the Ontario Building Code. The Ontario Building Code was considered the baseline. Although the R2000 program was originally developed nearly 30 years ago it has managed to maintain a standard of performance that has always exceeded the OBC. It has a wider range of requirements than either the building code or ENERGY STAR, but falls short of the LEED for homes program in terms of breadth of environmental concerns. The literature review shows that homes that use 75% less heating energy than a standard house could be built in the 1980s for a mere 5% construction cost premium. When care is taken to produce quality designs and specifications, and to ensure that details are properly finished, these types of homes can be built almost anywhere. Some of the most successful technology and strategies of the 80’s have found their way into mainstream Canadian houses. As a result, the average new Canadian home consumes less energy than its predecessors. The Ontario building code has some of the most stringent thermal insulation and energy performance requirements of all provincial codes in Canada. However, significantly more can be done to economically reduce house energy consumption. A parametric analysis of a representative urban house was performed. This analysis suggests that there is significant room for improvement in the minimum Ontario Building Code requirements, especially with regard to the insulation and air tightness specifications. In 2006 the OBC requirements for above grade wall insulation were increased from R17 to R19 whereas this investigation found that R34 could be justified financially. The fenestration requirements in the 2006 OBC require windows to attain at least R2.8, while this investigation shows that a further 25% increase to R3.5 will soon be financially sensible.