This design explores an alternative approach to New England home construction which emphasizes construction efficiency as well as ease of maintenance, renovation, and reconfiguration throughout the structure’s lifetime. The structure’s efficiency and flexibility is achieved by using the Bosch-Rexroth framing system and strategic placement of building systems. The reconfigurable structure paired with a changeable cladding system anticipates necessary seasonal and programmatic changes. The buildings systems are concentrated together for increased accessibility and serviceability. The design proposes a house that is inexpensive and easily maintained and adapted by the occupants throughout its lifetime.

This research compares the energy performance of a code-built residential building within the moist climate zone classification in Canada, Europe, and the Northeastern United States. The primary objectives are to reveal how specific differences in code requirements in similar climates influence a building’s energy profile, offer a means to quantify and evaluate the extent of energy savings as a result of each requirement, and provide a comparison of each location’s building culture and how this affects the standards in place. Using the building energy simulation tool, DesignBuilder EnergyPlus Simulation, a model single-family home was created and input energy code requirements for each location. An evaluation of each location’s building culture is examined through such factors as the training of building professionals, commonly used materials and products, energy reduction goals, and cultural attitudes. The results of this study point to the need for more advanced building practices, stricter code mandates, and higher performing products based on energy savings achieved from buildings built to different standards in equivalent climate zones. This has the potential to drive the development and use of better performing building materials and assemblies in the future.

Exploratory research into a fresh concept, building integrated aquaculture, has found new information on the topic. Motives indicating building integrated aquaculture is important for sustainable development were identified. A review of the literature found relatively little in the way of experiments, aquaculture operations, and case studies which documented or demonstrated a deep understanding of the interactions between building and aquaculture systems. A simple experiment was conducted observing thermal energy and moisture interactions in simulated aquaculture facilities, some with tank covers and insulation. Two different retrofit programs were developed in a case study of building integrated aquaculture for an existing structure on the campus of the University of Massachusetts.

The intent of this thesis is to challenge our society’s existing options for the care and processing of the deceased, and to design a space and a ritual which are both deeply meaningful and ecologically beneficial. The community for whom this architecture is designed currently lacks the religious or cultural rituals which would otherwise guide them through the process of laying of their loved ones to rest. For this community, both traditional burial and cremation are devoid of meaning and culturally irrelevant ways of dealing with the deceased, in addition to being unnecessarily wasteful processes. Likewise, the community for which I am designing is decidedly urban, and made up of people for whom the city is the chosen site for living. This city dweller loves the bustling, complicated, concrete and steel metropolis reality. I posit they would find a deep comfort in becoming part of the city after dying. However, it is my position that a deep connection to the cycles of nature is critical in order for the dead to rest peacefully, and for the living to properly grieve. Therefore, I propose that the space I am designing – and its processes within - will be deeply rooted in the cycles of nature, for it is only by truly comprehending our part in these cycles that we can grieve and heal.

The concept of my thesis is to employ architectural intervention in residual urban space as a catalyst for transformation. The goal is design of a building and environment that could be used for any combination of purposes, be used freely by all members of the community, be designed so that the art and architecture is interactive, and could be transformed by the users of the space. The project makes use of a residual urban space that would otherwise remain largely inaccessible. The project explores how the space could be designed to give a sense of ownership of it to the community, and how it could be designed to reunify areas of the city that have been severed by urban renewal. The site I have chosen is the Franklin Arterial in Portland, Maine, a four-lane divided surface highway surrounded by parking lots vacant lots, industrial sites and housing projects. Design interventions include a centrally located public market building, which would have a variety of uses throughout any given time period, a bicycle pedestrian path which reconnects the surrounding neighborhoods, and designated sites for art and performance throughout the area.

Application of PV Panels in Large Multi-Story Buildings Feasibility Study Sara Kayal The awareness of global warming along with an ever increasing demand for a new source of energy has brought a strong interest in harnessing natural resources such as solar energy. This thesis evaluates the viability of applying photovoltaic (PV) panels in high-rise commercial buildings of around 20 stories. Specifically, the thesis is intended to provide a pre-planning tool during the early design stage for architects and designers who are considering the deployment of PV panels in new multi-story construction. The first three chapters cover a comprehensive literature review and describe several case studies of the application of PV panels in multi-story buildings. The first chapter serves as an introduction to the objectives and rationale of PV panel research. Chapter 2 explains the physics and characteristics of PV panel technology that is applicable to multi-story buildings. Various PV panel types are explored in this chapter and it is suggested that window-based PV panels are the most suitable type for multi-story buildings in which the available roof area is small in area and limited in flexibility due to competition with other uses. Chapter 3 investigates factors that influence the efficiency of PV panels. These factors reduce the efficiency of PV panels to about 10-15%. In Chapter 4 a study model is presented to validate the results of the previous chapters and to determine the feasibility of PV panel systems with the aid of computer model analysis and simulation. The study model includes a base case of a 20-story building that is surrounded by four adjacent buildings, one adjacent to each orientation. Five configurations of the base model with different arrangements of PV panels were analyzed. First, electrical energy of the base case was calculated without applying any PV panels. The second and third configurations include PV panels on all of the available façade areas on a typical summer and winter day, respectively. The fourth and fifth configurations feature PV panels on only the top 10 floors. The simulation results show that although some savings accrue over a 25-year life-cycle period, these savings pale in comparison with the initial capital cost associated with the purchase and installation of the PV panels. It was also found that although crystalline silicon panels have a higher initial cost, their superior efficiency and performance present them as better candidates for PV panel applications. In addition, as expected, the south orientation provides potentially the largest amount of electricity production. In Chapter 5 the simulation results are summarized. The simulation studies address the application of PV panels from three different perspectives, namely: economics; technical feasibility; and, subjective factors. The first four chapters confirm that PV panels, at the current level of technology, are not an efficient and cost effective solution for multi-story buildings. They can satisfy only a very small portion of the electrical energy demand of the building at a very high initial capital cost. However, some strategies are suggested for mitigating the dual problems of inadequate PV production volume and high initial costs. Subjective factors account for other benefits that are not related to economic considerations. These factors include educational, promotional, and business line promotion benefits that could accrue to the building owner.

A significant portion of a building’s carbon emission comes from the materials used to construct it, primarily through fabrication and assembly. According to the World Green Building Council, this is called embodied carbon, and it makes up to 49% of the total emissions from global construction. Thus, new energy-efficient buildings can take from 10-80 years of time to offset just the carbon used in construction. Combined with such amounts of construction and demolition waste, new construction can be viewed as a wasteful or even destructive practice. Adaptive reuse presents a promising alternative method for creating new space, without the emissions and waste that would be generated by building something new. This thesis identifies challenges in the adaptability of existing buildings and provides instances which show why reuse and mixed-use spaces are significant. A literature review will be used to provide the concepts and strategies of sustainability. ix Case studies will help identify the real world issues and how they are addressed in different ways to show various functional spaces. Adaptive reuse is also being explored as a means to fulfill the socio-cultural, economic and environmental sustainability goals while keeping the character of the city intact.

ABSTRACT Why do we design architecture? How we design it? Why do we design architecture in this way, not in that way? What‘s the most important characteristic for architecture? How we can identity if architecture has realized all ideas we proposed before? With these questions, with the help from kind professors, I found one interesting place - Cao changdi, Beijing, China. Luckily, I found one interesting street and noticed there are some problems here. I needed to figure out what exactly are the problems and try to solve the problems with architecture. I found that relations and connections are missing at this street. They are supposed to be there, but they are invisible. Why not make them visible? I tried to direct this design based on the user’s stories or experiences. My approach was to visualize peoples’ experience in a new architecture through story boards, or ‘frame’ of applying the film director’s skills and design minds to approach architecture. Let peoples’ experience in an architecture become a movie. Applying the film director’s skills and minds to the design of architecture. Space plays an important role in architecture design. What happened in that space is what is important. Of course, stories would happen in that space. Then what’s the story? My thesis project would illustrate how three stories - visitor, villager and artist‘s experience help to direct the design.

This dissertation defines and develops transitional space of housing, which is adaptable to the Chinese environment. It is the integration of community, culture element and sustainable development. Although the lifestyle is changing today, the concept of courtyard which comes from the Chinese vernacular building remains in peoples’ minds. It’s not only a form but also an expression of national culture and a sense of space. There are some attempts for Chinese architects to renovate or reconstruct the “courtyard”, but most of them are low-rise buildings. Facing with the high density, high volume urban living environment, Chinese architects only set vii the first floor yard and roof garden in multi-story or high-rise buildings. To improve the community environment, various levels courtyard space, such as the courtyard among units, community courtyard, are set. These courtyards are regarded as public space which not only plays the role of landscaping but also make people feel comfortable. However, there are still some problems, such as sustainable development, privacy. While there are some good attempts for foreign architects to design courtyard in terms of sustainable technology, the housing they design lack the Chinese culture character. So the design of multi-function transitional space raises the interesting questions for future research and development.

Incrementalism is a growing movement within multiple design disciplines that approaches design with sustainable, social, and resilient aims structured around participatory, infrastructural, and phased approaches to design. Carefully considered structural and independent infrastructural frameworks allow infill and accretion according to the demands and needs of individuals and communities. This paper outlines the theories, case studies, and conditions driving incrementalism. My research has informed my project proposal for an incremental upgrade of a slum located in Jakarta using a phased, soft infrastructural, resident facilitated upgrade and development strategy creating new housing units, productive landscapes, and urban form. Incremental development will foster the social aims of my project, while affordably, equitably, and efficiently upgrading the standards of living for slum dwellers within the Waduk Pluit community.