 When does green building and designing stop being about merely saving energy, reducing our carbon footprint and start being about how comfortable we are and how few colds we catch?
 The keynote speaker at the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) annual conference in Vancouver addressed these issues in her presentation, “Green Design for a Sustainable & Shared Quality of Life”. Vivian Loftness, FAIA, LEED AP, USGBC Board of Directors, Carnegie Mellon University Center for Building Performance & Diagnostics, is an internationally renowned researcher, author and educator with over 30 years experience in environmental design and sustainability.
As a LEED AP and member of the CaGBC, I had the pleasure of hearing Vivian speak about her research and have prepared this, my 4th article on the 2010 Vancouver conference. (If you missed the earlier articles, all are posted on my blog.) I found her research most valuable as I prepare and deliver interior design sustainability seminars.
We are not using energy for its highest and best purpose,
but frequently wasting it. In 1998, power supply cords (plug loads) overtook refrigerators as the largest consumer of residential electricity. Frigs have become ever increasingly more efficient at the same time as we have added more powered products to our home lives. If a transformer box is warm, it is drawing electrical current. Vivian called this “vampire load”. It is also frequently called "phantom load" or "standby power".
While one should not lose sight of the big picture of where the real energy savings are, and many of these phantom loads are tiny indeed, it is helpful to be aware of the choices we make and to unplug appliances and devices that we are not using regularly. It is also wise to compare the standby power and 'on' power consumption of any products we do buy.
From the statistics Dr. Loftness provided, one could make the following choices if replacing an item:
- LCD computer monitor instead of CRT monitor – flat panel fits better on the desk anyway than the clunky predessor!
- Laptop instead of desktop computer – the portable feature may come in handy if you are not already travelling with one. Beware of the ergonomics of using it regularly without keyboard and mouse!
- Inkjet printer instead of laser printer – use the standby feature to save even more
- DVD instead of VCR – unplug the VCR unless you are regularly using it. Consider converting old tapes you want to keep to DVD disks before they become so brittle they break!
- Plasma TV followed by computer game console have the absolutely largest active standby load of any of the items on her list!
The Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory published the following list standby power using appliances: http://standby.lbl.gov/summary-table.html
 Of much greater significance for power savings, Vivian presented the concept of “environmental coasting” to reduce the dramatic highs of winter heating and summer cooling. For example, passive solar can reduce heating requirements by 20-40%, and shade (trees, overhangs and awnings) and natural cross ventilation can have the same effect on cooling.
Inefficient lighting consumes the most energy in office buildings. Changing to more energy efficient lighting lowers per square foot consumption from 20 watts/day to 15. Adding daylight responsive and occupancy sensors further lowers this to 7 or 8. We can have the largest impact if buildings are built narrower, so that daylight and ventilation can reach the back wall. Then, lighting and air conditioning / heating costs can be seriously lowered. (We don’t have quite the same luxury of achieving this level of saving in residential design since we need the lighting at night during the winter. Using layers of light for task and general illumination can still have an impact on our power bill and level of comfort.)
She challenged us to consider each building as its own power plant and stop dumping heat into the water and air outside! Here are 6 strategies to improve our indoor air quality:
- Separate ventilation and heating/cooling (HVAC) systems (this can be done in new construction and in major renovations)
- Increase natural ventilation from outside air
- Provide individual ventilation controls (windows that work)
- Control pollutant sources (consider toxicity of materials used in the interior furnishings)
- Improve air filtration (install and regularly maintain filters)
- Control humidity and moisture (humidify in winter and dehumidify in summer)
For evidence, Vivian cited a study of 3 office buildings in Boston, where workers’ rhinovirus colds were 6.8% lower when carbon dioxide readings were lower than 100 ppm. Improving ventilation saved money with fewer employee absences, a measureable impact on quality of life. She described a California study showing a 23.5% reduction for employee headaches when individuals were provided with their own ventilation controls. Even more dramatic was a Swedish 2-year study that showed a 69% reduction in asthma when a school installed a new ventilation system after previously being super air-tight!
She said, “Colds are directly linked to our inability to get fresh air to the nose.”
Formaldehyde is a source of pollution in our homes. A 1996 Australian study of 80 homes showed a 60% reduction in asthma and a 63% reduction in allergies in homes with formaldehyde-free composite wood products, compared to children exposed to formaldehyde in home furnishings.
 A supporter of green roofs, like the one on the Conference Centre, Vivian showed evidence that the roof membrane life increases 2-4 times and can last up to 50 years, because median roof temperature swings are reduced from 45C to 6C. Green roofs absorb noise and pollution, improve outdoor air quality, encourage migratory birds, capture storm water, and improve real estate values. A 2003 study showed that green roofs reduced summer heat gain by 95% and lowered winter heat loss by 26%. A California study of call centre employees showed a 6-7% increase in their productivity when workers could see green roofs or views compared to workers with no outdoor views.
Vivian commented on the convenient light rail transit she took from the Vancouver airport to the convention centre. She cited the 1996 Atlantic Olympics where vehicle traffic was lowered by 22.5% and asthma related emergencies dropped by 41.6%. We need diverse transportation choices for our quality of life.
By choosing green in our interior, building and community designs, we can significantly impact our quality of life. What benefits us, also benefits the environment.
If you would like further information or wish to book an educational or motivational seminar for your group, please contact the office at 905-846-3221 or at info@daylelaing.com . |
