Monday, December 9, 2013

Changes to DPD Priority Green permitting process

As the 2012 building and energy codes are adopted in Seattle, DPD is changing some of the requirements for the Priority Green permit process. See more about the planned changes and get involved with any comments you have by visiting DPD's blog at: http://buildingconnections.seattle.gov/2013/12/04/changes-to-priority-green-expedited-thresholds/

Comments on the proposed changes are due by February 1, 2014.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Cross-Laminated Timber at University of North British Columbia

 At the SEFW annual forum, Michael Green and and J. Eric Karsh presented on a variety of wood-panel buildings, including the UNBC engineering building. The building will spotlight CLT construction with an innovative floor system and walls. You can watch construction at the UNBC website, link below.

http://www.unbc.ca/engineering/watch-construction-future-home-engineering-live#!

Monday, December 2, 2013

December Committee Meeting and Past Minutes



Our upcoming meeting is Wednesday December 4th at KPFF.  Since our usual meeting time of the 4th Wednesday of the month conflicts with Thanksgiving this month, we are moving to December 4th.  This will be our last meeting this year.  We are looking for someone willing to host meetings at a Seattle office in the new year.

Our December meeting will continue our series on the sustainability of cross-laminated timber and wood design.  We will feature Myer Harrell and Kirsten Clemens from Weber Thompson to discuss the architectural considerations for tall CLT buildings.    
Image courtesy of Weber Thompson


We have the availability for web and audio conference at the meeting if requested.  

Last month’s meeting minutes here.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Athena Releases Update to its Impact Estimator for Buildings Software




Athena Sustainable Materials Institute has released an update to it's Impact Estimator software for environmental life cycle assessments.
The Impact Estimator is a free and compliant whole building LCA software for those seeking the LCA credits in Green Globes® and LEED® (v4 and MR pilot credit 63). The update is available for download from Athena's LCA Tools site, calculatelca.com

Enhancements and updates captured in this version: 
  • New and updated cradle-to-grave North American steel product data;
  • New GAF TPO roofing membrane data;
  • Supports new user defined concrete mix designs and blended cements;
  • Includes latest CORRIM US regional wood product data;
  • New Canadian wood products data (LVL, I-joists and CLT);
  • Updated end-of-life landfill process data;
  • New bio-products carbon accounting scenarios including end-of-life effects;
  • Updated metal building systems LCI data and assembly quantity take-offs;
  • Full compatibility with US EPA's TRACI v2.1 characterization method; and
  • New software "Auto Update" capability.
One interesting development is the end-of-life effects. As we have discussed in our meetings, wood can have varying impacts to the air (greenhouse gas release) if it is burned or decomposes at the end of its life.  More about the treatment of biogenic carbon is discussed here: http://structureandsustainability.blogspot.com/2011/12/q5-lca-tools-and-data-collection.html

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Wood for Jet Fuel?

Here is the woody biomass jet fuel initiative Hans-Erik Blomgren mentioned at the October committee meeting.

www.nararenewables.org

NARA Works to Harness Woody Biomass for Aviation Biofuel

Featuring a broad alliance of private industry and educational institutions, the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) takes a holistic approach to building a supply chain for aviation biofuel with the goal of increasing efficiency in everything from forestry operations to conversion processes. Using a large variety of feedstocks, from construction waste to forest residues, the project aims to create a sustainable industry to produce aviation biofuels and important co-products.
WSU and others have been getting large grants off of this.

And like pretty much anything these days, you can follow NARA on Twitter:

Thanks, Hans-Erik!

Clash of the green giants

Our newest committee member, Sean Augustino, wanted to share a Portland Tribune article about the battle between LEED and Green Globes:

Clash of the green giants
Only a handful of local buildings have used Green Building Initiative’s rival Green Globes rating system, Rekow concedes, because “this has been a very LEED-centric city.” But the number of Green Globes-certified building projects around the country doubled in the past two years, she says, and now totals 850.

LEED, by contrast, has been used in more than 55,000 projects around the world.

But Green Globes could take a leap forward after a recent review by the U.S. General Services Administration elevated it to near-equal status with LEED, which had been the exclusive green-rating system used for federal building projects.
http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/198549-clash-of-the-green-giants
Thanks, Sean!

November-December Committee Meeting


Our meeting will continue our series on the sustainability of cross-laminated timber and wood design. We will feature Myer Harrell and Kirsten Clemens from Weber Thompson to discuss the architectural considerations for CLT. We will also recap the TallWood presentation by Michael Green.

Since our usual meeting time of the 4th Wednesday of the month conflicts with Thanksgiving this month, we are moving to December 4th. This will be our last meeting this year. Let me know if you would be willing to host meetings at your office in the new year.

We have the availability for web and audio conference at the meeting, so let me know if you need to connect. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.



Happy Hour for SEFW Fall Forum on Tall Wood

If you haven't read your newest SEAW Equilibrium, This Thursday is the Structural Engineers Foundation Fall Forum.  The presentation is "Tall Wood: How Timber Suddenly Decided to Grow Up." The presenters are architect, Michael Green, and structural engineer, Erik Karsh. Both are leading the international movement for expanded use of heavy timber from nearby Vancouver, British Columbia.
As Michael calls it “the most technologically advanced material grown by the sun,” wood has earned its place alongside steel and concrete in the construction of large institutional and commercial projects such as international airports, municipal halls, university buildings
and yes, high-rises. Wood has gone high tech, and if you are in the building business, you should know about it.
The presentation starts at 6:00pm, this Thursday, November 21 at Benaroya Hall. Admission is free, but registration is required through SEAW.  

One of the reasons wood is gaining attention is its sustainability, made by solar power and absorbing carbon dioxide in the process. The sustainability committee of SEAW has been hosting a series of presentations on sustainability of wood, and this is another opportunity to discuss the topic.

As a primer for the presentation, meet members of the SEAW sustainability committee for happy hour at the Triple Door (next to Benaroya) before the lecture starting at 4:30PM. 

And join us at our next meeting, noon on December 4th at KPFF, to hear more about the state of the art of sustainable wood construction, where architects Myer Harrell and Kirsten Clemens ‎of Weber Thompson will talk about their design to push the height limit of wood buildings in Seattle.‎

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Seattle DPD: Cross-Laminated Timber

Here's an update on the City of Seattle's Code Advisory Committee's study of using cross-laminated timber in buildings taller than currently allowed by code:

In the May meeting, we discussed reconvening in November in order to review the newest information made available through resources such as the Canadian Tall Wood Handbook and the NFPA Arup paper. 

We have since become aware that a stakeholder group is meeting to view the presentation on the NSF/NEES Seismically Resilient Tall Wood Building Grant in January. Because seismic information is pertinent to this discussion and evaluation, it has been suggested we shift our November meeting to January so the groups can merge to participate in both the NSF/NEES and NFPA presentations.  At that time we can also discuss general updates, The Canadian Tall Wood handbook, and share any contacts made since May involving projects where CLT buildings have been allowed by the local jurisdiction.

Our meeting will be either the 3rd or 4th week in January. 
Contact Kathleen Petrie if you are interested in attending the meetings or receiveing meeting minutes.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Generic EPDs for wood

The American Wood Council, in coordination with the Canadian Wood Council, has produced a series of generic EPDs for a variety of commonly-used wood products. These EPDs can be used to aid in a whole-building LCA or to count towards the EPD-related credit in the upcoming LEED v4.

Find more at: http://www.awc.org/greenbuilding/epd.html

Monday, September 16, 2013

Volunteer on USGBC Green Apple Day



The local section of ASCE is continuing their efforts to improve local schools in support of Green Apple Day.  Please join them if you are interested by e-mailing the contact below.
Green Apply Day Rain Barrel Activity with Boys and Girls Club
Friday, September 27th, 3:30pm @ The Boys and Girls Club of Renton

Please join the ASCE Sustainability Committee for our 2nd annual Green Apple Day at the Boys & Girls Club of Renton!  Volunteers are needed to help teach elementary students about sustainability while building rain barrels for Green Apple Day.  Green Apple Day is a global movement to put all children in schools where they have clean and healthy air to breathe, where energy and resources are conserved, and where they can be inspired to dream of a brighter future. 

If you can’t make it on September 27th,  but would like to help. We need volunteers to prepare stencils for the kids to use to paint on the barrels as well as put together a poster educating the kids on the rain collection process. Your creative ideas and artistic ability would be greatly appreciated.

If you have any questions or to volunteer for the event, please contact Bethy Clark at Elizabeth.clark@hdrinc.com.
The Center for Green Schools at USGBC is hosting the second annual Green Apple Day of Service. On one day, advocates around the world, including students, teachers, parents, elected officials and more, will come together in support of healthy, sustainable schools by participating in local service projects.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Reuse of Existing Buildings

Although it can be frustrating, many seemingly clear-cut questions in the sustainability world end up being answered "it depends."

One example of this is the classic concrete vs steel question covered in the SEI Sustainability Committee's excellent FAQ: Which is better, concrete or steel?

Another example is the reuse of existing buildings. Studies have shown that reusing existing buildings can be an excellent way to reduce energy usage since there is no need to replicate the energy expenditure that is already embodied in the existing structure. However, a recent study in New York found that this isn't always the case -- at least for the specific midcentury skyscrapers considered, and for the specific replacement considered.

The study found that the reduced energy usage of a new building would make up for the embodied energy expenditure in 15-30 years, well within the design lifespan. The reduction in energy use is from designing for very high operational energy efficiency, but also from providing a larger structure with more floor area. The larger floor area means that the site can have more occupants than the existing structure.

A key factor in this part of the energy calculation is the consideration of the city as a whole as the unit for analysis. If the analysis only considered the difference in energy use between the new building and the existing building, the calculated energy payback period would be over 100 years. By assuming that all of the new tenants are relocating from buildings that have a similar energy performance to the original building, the savings are amplified and the payback period is reduced significantly.

What does this have to do with structural engineering? One issue raised by the study authors (in this reporting about the study) is that the existing buildings do not have enough capacity to support heavier facade loads from double-glazing or other systems. Keeping future flexibility in mind when designing the structural system allows for these types of retrofits to occur in the future. The potential need for extra capacity must be weighed against material efficiency in the present, so there is plenty of room for engineering judgement.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

LCA Forum

The Carbon Leadership Forum is hosting a forum on Life Cycle Assessment at the University of Washington on Friday, September 13.

Speakers from design firms, contractors, and academia will present on Environmental Product Declarations, Whole Building LCA, and LCA in LEED.

For more information see www.carbonleadershipforum.org

Sustainable Structures Symposium

Portland State University is hosting a Sustainable Structures Symposium, April 7-18, 2014. Abstracts are due August 30. More information on recommended topics and submission guidelines is available at the linked website.


Friday, May 31, 2013

Sustainable Ballard is Hosting a Tour of the Greenfire Campus

The newly constructed Greenfire campus in Ballard includes a five-story apartment building with 18 homes and a four-story, 18,000-sf office building with retail on the ground floor. Where other recent projects in Ballard have maximized the amount of square footage, this developer has built just what was desired and provided large amounts of open space in the form of wetlands and P-patches.
Seattle Greendrinks has announced a tour of the campus on Wednesday, June 5, from 7:00pm-8:30pm

This talk, by architect Ray Johnston, will cover some of the project’s many green features, including ground-source heat pumps, solar panels, rainwater collection, grey water reuse, green roof with edible and native plants, locally sourced recyclable materials, extensive daylighting, hydronic heating and cooling, exterior solar shades, and community recreation spaces.
Don’t miss the chance to tour this cutting-edge, LEED Platinum building. Questions encouraged!
RSVP Required: http://greenfiretour.eventbrite.com/
Sponsored by Sustainable Ballard and Johnston Architects

Location

Greenfire Campus
2034 Northwest 56th Street
Seattle, WA 98107

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

2013 Daniel L. and Irma Evans Lecture

This is short notice, but the University of Washington Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering will be hosting the 2013 Evans Lecture tomorrow evening (Thursday, May 30th). This year's lecture focuses on sustainability and the role engineers can/should play.

From the UW CEE Department:

Please join the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering for the:

2013 Daniel L. and Irma Evans Lecture

Date: Thursday, May 30

Time: 4:30pm

Location: Kane 220
Speaker: Professor Bernard Amadei

Title: “Engineering in Sustainable Human Development: Challenges and Opportunities”

Abstract: In the next two decades, almost two billion additional people are expected to populate the Earth, 95% of them in developing or underdeveloped countries. This growth will create unprecedented demands for energy, food, land, water, transportation, materials, waste disposal, earth moving, health care, environmental cleanup, telecommunication, and infrastructure. The role of engineers will be critical in fulfilling those demands at various scales, ranging from remote small communities to large urban areas, and mostly in the developing world.  In particular, we need to train a new generation of engineers who could better meet the challenges of the developing world and address the needs of the most destitute people on our planet. As we enter the first half of the 21st century, the engineering profession must embrace a new mission statement—to contribute to the building of a more sustainable, stable, and equitable world.
This information (and a bit more) can be found on the UW CEE webpage (here). 

Friday, May 17, 2013

May 28 committee meeting

Our next committee meeting will be Tuesday, May 28, at noon at KPFF. Please note the change in date from our regular schedule. The main topic with be carbon sequestration and other wood topics.  An agenda and minutes from last month will be posted at this blog prior to the meeting. Let Adam know if you would like to join by audio/video conference.

Bullitt Center presentation

Today, members of the SEAW Sustainability Committee attended a presentation on the Bullitt Center hosted by Miller Hull and in coordination with ASCE's sustainability committee.

Jim Hanford and Steve Doub of Miller Hull described the building and the process of meeting the imperatives of the Living Building Challenge, focusing on materials, water and energy requirements. The building is designed to be net-zero energy over the course of a year, as well as net-zero water and to have stormwater runoff characteristics similar to the native forests that would have existed on site prior to development.

The Living Building Challenge is performance based, and requires measured performance prior to certification. The design values will have to be verified over a year of full occupancy. The building had its grand opening last month, but the one-year clock has not yet started, although the building is nearly fully leased.

Jim and Steve went into depth on the difficulties faced in terms of zoning, and ongoing regulatory issues with treating potable water on site.

Members of the SEAW and ASCE committees will tour the building next week.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

SEAW Dinner Meeting Mini Seminar on Disaster Resilience

Last night I had the pleasure to present a mini seminar to the SEAW dinner meeting attendees.  The talk was on Disaster Resilience and focused on it from the mindset of a structural engineer.  It was broad based and really tried to convey what disaster resilience is and how structural engineers can contribute to making disaster resilient communities. 

I got a good feeling from talking with several audience members after the talk.  It seems that the content was well taken and fed into the main talk about the Seattle URM ordinance very well.  I was pleased to find that Council Member Richard Conlin mentioned that part of the impetus behind the URM ordinance was to help Seattle be more resilient.  He even did this without seeing my mini seminar presentation!

For those of you wanted to be able to see the slides again I have linked to a pdf of them. 

Disaster Resilience: A Perspective from the Sustainable Mindset of a Structural Engineer

Cheers
Luke

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

April 24 Meeting Agenda


SEAW – Sustainability Committee Meeting Agenda for April 24, 2013
Location: Coughlin Porter Lundeen, 413 Pine St #300, Seattle - noon
 
1.     Introductions (12:00).
2.     Current Work/Old Business (12:05)
a.     Disaster Resilience Mini-Seminar at SEAW recap
b.     Concrete Subcommittee
c.     Solar Ready Roofs
d.     European Green Standards
e.     Guest Speakers
                                  i.    Project Haiti by HOK and USGBC
                                 ii.    Greenroads/Envision rating systems
f.      Tours
                                  i.    Bullitt Center
                                 ii.    Reclaimed Timber
3.     Featured Topic (12:15)
a.     Top 10 LCA FAQ
4.     News & Education (12:45)
a.     Recent Publications/Presentations
                                  i.    HOK’s Thomas Knittel, UW, April 4.
                                 ii.    Preservation Greenlab Report on Building Reuse
                                iii.    Composite Wood-Concrete Floor, April Structure Magazine
b.     Upcoming Events
                                  i.    DECON '13 (Building Materials Reuse Association), Seattle, April 29-May 1
                                 ii.    SEI Structures Congress, Pittsburg, PA, May 2-4
                                iii.    Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Rating System, Rock Salt, May 15
                                iv.    Living Future unConference, Seattle, May 15-17
c.     Liaison Activity
                                  i.    SEI Sustainability Committee
                                 ii.    SEAONC Sustainable Design Committee
                                iii.    Cascade GBC
                                iv.    AIA+2030 Lecture Series
d.     Announcements
5.     Upcoming Events
a.     Open Announcements
6.     Next meeting (12:59)
a.     Wednesday, May 22, at noon
b.     Main Topic: TBD
c.     Location: KPFF
7.     Adjourn (1:00)