Models and Mechanisms
Development of a Multiplayer Game to Address Environmental Injustice and Drive Political and Community Action View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Julia De Voy, Leena Gerster
In order to explore questions of sustainability in the constructed environment, we have examined textile pollution as an issue of environmental injustice that disproportionately affects those who are more economically disempowered. Despite the scale of the problem (more than 35 billion pounds of textile waste generated annually in the U.S.), awareness of textile waste as an environmental and public health issue remains low. More importantly, for those who are educated about this issue, it remains unclear how individuals can come together to contribute to meaningful political and community actions that address the environmental injustice of textile pollution and lead to local and systemic changes. Games have previously been used to educate and engage groups on issues of social and economic justice. This led us to ask: how can we leverage game playing to engage individuals on the topics of environmental injustice and textile pollution and spur action? We used design-thinking processes to develop the game and used policy analysis and stakeholder interviews to develop an innovative engagement tool. We produced a conference symposia on structural solutions to textile waste pollution, policy briefs, and a scientific paper leveraging data from our team’s prior research to analyze environmental savings of various policies.
Featured Multicriteria Assessment of End-of-Life Options for Precast Concrete Buildings: Key Criteria in Decision-Making View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Chukwumaobi Ibe
Efficient precast concrete building end-of-life (EOL) management is crucial to sustainable construction. The decisions made during the EOL phase have significant implications for resource utilization, environmental sustainability, and the circular economy. This study presents a comprehensive multicriteria analysis (MCA) framework that aims to assist stakeholders in making informed decisions regarding precast concrete building EOL options. The framework considers various criteria that span economic, environmental, and social dimensions, including cost-effectiveness, environmental impact, resource recovery potential, regulatory compliance, and societal acceptance. It provides a structured approach for evaluating different EOL options, such as demolition, deconstruction, and adaptive reuse. One key aspect highlighted in this research is the role of digital technologies, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and image-based 3D modelling, in enhancing decision-making during the EOL phase. These technologies enable a deeper understanding of building components and their potential for repurposing or recycling. To develop this framework, a comprehensive literature review was conducted, and practical case studies were analysed. The research elucidates the complexities and trade-offs associated with precast concrete building EOL decisions. It sheds light on the interplay between diverse criteria and the evolving construction industry landscape, providing a holistic perspective for sustainable EOL strategies. The outcomes of this research contribute to informed decision-making processes that align with sustainability goals and promote responsible resource management in the construction industry. The MCA framework serves as a valuable tool for stakeholders, including architects, engineers, contractors, and policymakers, who are seeking to make judicious choices in the EOL phase of precast concrete buildings.
The Impact of Emissivity of Cooking Vessels on the Energy Loads of Commercial and Residential Buildings: Informed Material Selection for Sustainable Buildings View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jeff Ramsdell, Carla Ramsdell
Kitchens are a critical component of the opportunity for improved sustainability in the built environment. Residential and commercial kitchens are spaces of high energy use due to the requirements of the cooking and refrigeration equipment. Additionally, a review of the ASHRAE list of typical building heat loads shows that the kitchen is a prominent source of both sensible and latent heat. This study is a continuation of research presented at the Common Ground 11th International Food Studies Conference on the energy impact of external emissivity of cooking vessels. Current data includes an expanded set of vessel materials and their emissivities over a range of cooking temperatures. While the authors’ previous research focused directly on the reduction in cooking energy via the use of low emissivity cooking vessels, this updated study expands the impact by addressing the additional energy savings due to the reduction in radiant heat to the environment. This is important as the energy required by building heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is reduced. Rarely is such a simple modification as proposed here (changing vessel materials) so impactful to the energy loads in the built environment. These data can inform material selection for other built environment functions such as radiators and external building surfaces.
Fully Automated Luxury Architecture?: The Past, Present, and Future of the “Digital Twin”
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Christina Shivers
In 1949, economist William Phillips built a physical model of the entire British economy. Composed of pipes and gears, this “liquid computer” used water to model macroeconomic processes. Phillips’ machine was a perfect physical embodiment of the Keynesian financial system, in which all of a nation’s economic processes were understood as a delicate balance of distribution and control. Although Phillips’ model was built as an economic tool, his work is part of a long history of exchange between the fields of economics and architecture. In a more recent example, increasingly complex “digital twins”—digital models of real-world systems that provide information for how to manipulate said systems—are utilized to model and control buildings, landscapes, and cities. These models are not technically representations of economic processes, but they descend from an historical lineage in which economic thought influenced the design and use of tools in architectural practice. This paper investigates this knowledge exchange between architecture and economics through critically examining the concept of the “digital twin” in architectural and environmental construction today, and examines how—in contrast to Phillips’ model—“digital twins” are a specifically neoliberal tool. Through feedback mechanisms and highly complex transfers of information, “digital twins” tout the ability to circumvent human labor, regulations, and cost in favor of an automated construction and design process. This paper examines how this hope of a fully automated future affects the design professions, the role of labor, and architecture’s role in urban and natural systems.
