What is Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and Why is it Important?

Cities inhabit more than half the world population and contributes to three quarters of total carbon emissions. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must be cut down by at least 80% by the end of the century. To tackle the problem of global warming, and aggressively work towards zero-carbon future, in June 2014 in Copenhagen, major global cities came together to form an alliance to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Who They Are:

CNCA – Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance – is a collaboration between 20 leading cities across globe (including Vancouver, as shown in the figure above), to combat global warming by aggressively cutting down their carbon emissions; with the target to attain 80-100% reduction by mid-century or sooner. The aim is to work together and find innovative solutions to offset the carbon emissions by the cities and set a standards & guidelines for other cities to follow.

What They Do:

The five main working principles of CNCA are:

Developing Carbon Neutrality Planning and Implementation Standards: The principle promotes the idea of developing innovative ideas and approaches to support carbon neutrality, by standardizing measurements and verifying methods for tracking purposes.
Supporting Deep Decarbonization Innovations: Investing in city-wide projects to develop, test, implement & amplify deep decarbonization practices and ideas.
Advancing Transformative Change in Key Urban Sectors: Sharing and implementing best practices amongst each other, in the field of transportation, energy use and waste systems, to accomplish the deep decarbonization in the cities.
Speaking with a Common Voice: The alliance deems important to have a common voice in all local and international platforms and advocate for policies at different levels of government in order to reduce emission sources not controlled directly by cities and engage with other stakeholders that are important for the success.
Advancing a “Next Wave” of Carbon Neutral Cities: Providing a benchmark for other cities to follow and attain carbon neutrality is the most important principle of the alliance. They aim at creating innovative solutions and methodologies as standards that can be used as a guideline in future.

Each city in the alliance has individual goals, but all of them are committed to achieving at least 80% carbon neutrality by 2050. The figure below shows the targets of each city and their timeline for the same.

What They Have Achieved (So Far):

To date, the Alliance has invested $2.4 million in 27 early-stage innovation projects targeting transportation, energy-supply, buildings, and waste systems. Cities are moving forward and increasing their economy while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions. The table below gives an update on the performance of 16 of the 20 cities till date.

	Baseline Year	Emissions Reduction	Economic Growth
Adelaide	2006	15%	35%
Berlin	1990	32%	32%
Boston	2005	13%	20%
Boulder	2005	16%	57%
Copenhagen	2005	42%	24%
Melbourne	2006	3%	42%
Minneapolis	2006	18%	30%
New York City	2005	14%	23%
Portland	1990	21%	24%
San Francisco	1990	30%	110%
Seattle	2008	6%	22%
Stockholm	2005	25%	37%
Sydney	2006	19%	37%
Toronto	1990	24%	36%
Vancouver	2006	11%	26%
Washington DC	2008	24%	14%

Why Are They Important:

Avoiding the most destructive effects of climate change requires reimagining and reinventing urban centers to put them on the path of zero carbon future. CNCA is designed as a space for cities to work together in practical & mutually beneficial ways to address challenges faced to achieve decarbonization. By sharing resources and collaborating, they are trying to accelerate the progress in meeting their individual goals, have consistency in planning across nations, and inspire other cities to attain similarly aggressive goals by setting baseline standards for them to follow.

References:

Cygler, C. (2017), For Carbon Neutral Cities, LeLab Ouisharex C:ronos. Report for a LeLab Member.

USDN, https://www.usdn.org/public/page/13/CNCA

Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance, https://carbonneutralcities.org/

CNCA, http://climateinitiativesplatform.org/index.php/Carbon_Neutral_Cities_Alliance

Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance – Framework Report

December 16, 2018December 16, 2018

How Bhutan Became The Only Carbon Negative Country In The World

Bhutan: The Only Carbon Negative Country

Bhutan, a small country that lies deep within the Himalayas between India and China, is often overlooked by the international community because of its low global GDP and political impact. It has a small population of about 750,000 and but a vast forest region. Despite economic challenges, Bhutan has put up a great effort to mitigate the climate change and become the only carbon negative country in the world with per capita emissions of just 0.8 annual metric tons and have kept their promise made at the 2009 Copenhagen climate conference to go carbon neutral. Even though the forest reserves act as mega carbon sinks and the rivers provide the country an emission-free power source but it’s the commitment of the people towards the environment which is helping them to achieve beyond their strength.

Gross National Happiness

Bhutan refuses to judge their success on GDP, instead believes that their national progress is well defined through the index Gross National Happiness. This index measures the prosperity by giving equal importance to non-economic aspects of well being instead of just focusing solely on economic indicators. In 2015, based on a survey it was estimated that 91% of its citizens are narrow, extensively or deeply happy. Hence Bhutan gives utmost importance to the forestry and its constitution requires forest to be maintained above 60% of its original cover. In 2015 they created a world record by planting nearly 50,000 trees in one hour. The country is also increasing its share of renewables, by exploring wind, biogas and solar. Also, the country is working hard through ‘Green Bhutan’ and ‘Clean Bhutan’ campaign to enhance their GNH index.

Agriculture

More than half of the population are involved in agriculture and forestry department and it is aiming to develop organic agriculture by 2020 and zero-waste agriculture by 2030. Developing these practices is Bhutan is relatively easier because of already existing practices of using fewer agrochemicals and more of natural fertilizers. To reach their goals it is offering many free training sessions to farmers on organic farming practices, encouraging low waste farming and use of compost.

Hydro-Power

Along with a vast forest region, Bhutan is also blessed with glaciers and rivers. Hydropower is the country’s major source for renewable energy and wealth. Bhutan has the potential to develop 30,000 MW of power out of which only 5% is utilized. The government plans to develop 10,000 MW of power by 2020 and export 80% of it to India.

Transportation

Although the emissions from industrial and transport sector are very low in Bhutan, currently it is seeing an increasing trend. Hence, instead of just relying on the forest for sequestration of carbons the country is adopting many measures such as:

Raising the vehicle and fuel price to lower the number of vehicles on the road.
Applying tax waivers to eco-friendly and fuel-efficient buses and taxis.
Encouraging the use of private electrical vehicles.
Providing electric trains in the cities.
Improving pedestrians’ facilities such as cycling and walking ways.

Climate Change

Even though the country is working very hard in preventing CO2 emissions, but unfortunately it is still one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. These climate change impacts can potentially derail Bhutan from the path of sustainable development. Some of the key resources, like agricultural and forest lands, mountains are also very vulnerable to threats causing flash floods, windstorms, forest fires etc., Its regenerative water supply which is pivotal to the country’s economy is also under threat of global warming. But sadly, they have done nothing to be affected like this. Hence it is the responsibility of every country to fight against the climate change so that the countries like Bhutan won’t have to pay for it.

References

Arvid Kiran. (2018, July 12). Retrieved from India Today: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/bhutan-worlds-only-carbon-negative-country-1261119-2018-07-12

Mark Tutton. (2018, October 11). CNN. Retrieved from CNN Website: https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/11/asia/bhutan-carbon-negative/index.html

Mellino, C. (2016, March 19). Eco Watch. Retrieved from Eco Watch Website: https://www.ecowatch.com/this-country-isnt-just-carbon-neutral-its-carbon-negative-1882195367.html

Munawar, S. (2016, July). Bhutan Improves Economic Development as a Net Carbon Sink.

December 7, 2018

How We Get to Low-Carbon Neighbourhoods

What are Low-Carbon Neighbourhoods?

A Low-carbon neighbourhood, sometimes referred to as climate positive development, contributes to the alleviation of stresses and challenges associated with climate change and urban population growth. Low-carbon neighbourhoods help to provide the supporting fabric that leads to the development of low-carbon cities. The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group loosely defines climate positive development as a means to supplying sustainable net-carbon negative communities for future generations (C40 Cities 2016). Arguably, one of the best ways to achieve low-carbon neighbourhoods is through a collaborative, forward-thinking, and integrated approach to planning, design, and development. It also requires taking an incremental approach to achieving a net-carbon negative result (Connolly 2018). We can begin to understand how we get to low carbon neighbourhoods in cities by asking ourselves the following questions – which are presented in no particular rank or order (C40 Cities 2016):

Does the neighbourhood prioritize walkability and cyclability?
Does the neighbourhood contain highly efficient buildings?
Is the energy supplying the neighbourhood a low-carbon source?
Does the neighbourhood recycle, and use landfill diversion programs, or use waste as a resource?
Is the neighbourhood located within close proximity (~10 min) to high quality mass-transit?
Is the neighbourhood a compact and mixed-use development?
Does the neighbourhood exemplify positive effects for the neighbouring communities?

If the answer to each one of these questions is Yes, then we can safely say with some confidence that we have arrived at a sustainable and low-carbon solution to neighbourhood development. If the answer is No, then we need to take a deeper look at how we get to net-carbon negative neighbourhoods.

The Six Characteristics of Low-Carbon Neighbourhoods

There are six characteristics that contribute to the overall development of low-carbon neighbourhoods (C40 Cities 2016). These six areas include:

Walkability and Access to Alternative Transportation Modes
Density and Mixed-Use
Building Efficiency
Renewable and District-Scale Energy Supply
Waste Disposal, Recycle, and Potential Reuse
Positive Social and Cultural Impacts

Walkability and Access to Alternative Transportation Modes

Neighbourhoods that highlight alternative transportation modes, such as walking, cycling, ride-sharing, and mass-transit, contribute to fewer emissions overall and promote a decrease in our reliance on single-occupancy vehicle use (Centre for Sustainable Energy 2018). This way of thinking about development is sometimes referred to as transit-oriented development. Low-carbon neighbourhoods prioritize pedestrian-oriented transportation modes over traditional car-oriented transportation modes, in addition to also prioritizing mass-transit. It is the action of building connections between the walking and cycling paths within neighbourhoods and connecting them with major transit routes that helps decrease our dependence on vehicle mobility. It is essential that low-carbon neighbourhoods foster this type of development.

Figure 1: Prioritization of Pedestrian and Bicycle Oriented Transit in Vancouver, BC, Source: Dandyhorsemagazine.com

Density and Mixed-Use Amenities

Low-carbon neighbourhoods prioritize density over sprawl and mixed-use over single-use developments so that they contribute to an overall reduction in GHG emissions. These two development practices grant citizens the opportunity to make better decisions regarding where they work, shop, and play, and how they ultimately choose to get to a chosen destination. It does this in two ways: density and mixed-use. Density contributes significantly to the efficiency of both transportation and waste management systems by providing greater access to these services while also decreasing the distances that are needed to travel between destinations. Mixed-use developments support better access to a greater number of shops, schools, parks, and places of work, which provides a greater choice. It also provides a greater variety in the types of housing, jobs, and businesses within a given community. Combined, these areas work to promote walkability within and between neighbourhoods and enable the connectivity of individuals, amenities, and services.

Figure 2: PCI’s Crossroads Mixed-Use Development Project at Cambie and Broadway, Source: PCI Group

Building Efficiency

In Vancouver, the built environment contributes to 55% of the regions GHG emissions (Crowe 2012). One of the ways that we increase energy efficiency in our cities and in our neighbourhoods is through performance-based building design. In performance-based design, clear performance targets are established at the beginning of a project, such as targets that achieve net-zero energy or indoor air quality. This gives developers, contractors, and designers greater freedom to choose the materials and methods that help them to achieve a given performance target. With a performance-based design approach, the final performance targets for a given building are prioritized over the methods and materials needed to get the job done. This is a result focused methodology, and the sustainability of the means and the methods used to achieve these targets should not be neglected. With performance-based design, a greater emphasis is also placed on the comfort, health, and affordability, which includes initial costs and operational and maintenance costs of the building for occupants (Canadian Architect 2018). In British Columbia, the new BC Energy Step Code is intended to shift the industry away from the traditional prescriptive code requirements and towards a performance-based code environment that is more effective at incorporating energy efficiency into our built environment (Government of British Columbia 2018). Adoption of performance-based criteria in building design and construction is integral to achieving low-carbon neighbourhoods.

Figure 3: Example of a Zero Emission Building, Source: City of Vancouver

Renewable and District-Scale Energy Supply

District energy systems centralize the production of heating and cooling for a neighbourhood and can take advantage of the differing energy demand patterns of residential, commercial, and industrial users. They also enable the use of local renewable energy sources and places less demand on gas as a heating source. District energy systems are an effective component of low-carbon neighbourhoods – especially when considered within a dense and diverse urban context. When combined with a supply of renewable energy, their use quickly becomes essential. The City of Vancouver establishes guidelines for district energy that establish five key areas for achieving a successful district energy project, these areas include:

Climate Protection
Air Quality
Neighbourhood Fit
Sustainability of Fuel Sources
Community Engagement

When implemented successfully, district energy systems have the potential to reduce infrastructure needs, emissions, and costs (Crowe 2012). An example of the successful implementation of a district energy system is at the LEED platinum neighbourhood development of Dockside Green in Victoria, BC. The energy system at Dockside Green is being phased out over the life of the neighbourhood as it grows. Currently, the system uses natural gas to heat water delivered at the district scale for residential, commercial, and industrial clients. As the size of the neighbourhood increases over time, the system will incorporate a wood gasification process in addition to a sewer waste heat recovery process (Dockside Green Energy LLP 2008). Renewable and district-scale energy systems are an important component that is worthy of consideration as we shift towards low-carbon neighbourhoods.

Figure 4: Southeast False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Untility, Source: AME Group

Waste Disposal, Recycle, and Reuse

Low-carbon neighbourhoods work to reduce their carbon footprint resulting from waste. This includes determining sustainable solutions to how the waste is disposed, how and if it is recycled, and in exemplary cases, how and if it can be captured and reused as an energy source. Covanta Burnaby is Metro Vancouver’s answer to providing energy-from-waste. The Covanta Burnaby project takes 25% of Metro Vancouver’s post-recycled waste and converts it to energy that is supplied back to local customers. The system is capable of processing 850 tons of waste per day and generating 170,000 MWh of electrical energy (Covanta Holding Corporation 2018). Not only is waste reuse contributing to renewable energy sources in the community, but it also reduces the amount of waste headed to local landfills.

Figure 5: Metro Vancouver’s Waste-to-Energy Facility in Burnaby, Source: Hiveminer.com

Positive Social and Cultural Impacts

Low-carbon neighbourhoods contribute to job creation, public health, social inclusion, and improved accessibility within their own communities as well as neighbouring communities. To effectively fit within a sustainability framework, low-carbon neighbourhoods must prioritize, in addition to the other five categories, the social and cultural implications of the development as a whole. According to Gouldson et. al., opportunity to increase the social and cultural benefits of neighbourhoods exists within the building, transportation, and waste management sectors. Research by Gouldson et. al. shows that the energy-efficient residential and commercial building sector is capable of increasing human health through improved air quality and improved productivity for occupants. Their research also shows that the energy-efficient transportation sector contributes to job creation, productivity, and an increase in overall human health. Further, the research shows that green waste management significantly contributes to increased human health and well-being through reduced pollution while also contributing to job growth and employment opportunity (Gouldson, et al. 2018).

Figure 6: Davie Street Community Garden in Vancouver BC, Source: Vancouver Community Garden (Wikipedia)

How We Get to Low-Caron Neighbourhoods

We get to low-carbon neighbourhoods by considering the many parts that make up a neighbourhood. We can take this a step further and include the component parts that make up the six characteristics described above. I believe that we get to low-carbon neighbourhoods by asking ourselves the seven questions identified at the beginning of this article. I also believe that if we can start to achieve low-carbon neighbourhoods that we are well on our way to achieving low-carbon cities.

Sources

BC Climate Action Toolkit. 2018. District Energy Systems. https://www.toolkit.bc.ca/tool/district-energy-systems.

C40 Cities. 2016. Good Practice Guide: Climate Positive Development. London; New York; Rio de Janeiro: C40 Cities: Climate Leadership Group.

C40 Cities: Climate Leadership Group. 2017. How sustainable neighbourhoods are the building blocks of green, climate-safe cities. 07 11. https://www.c40.org/blog_posts/sustainable-neighborhoods-july.

Canadian Architect. 2018. Green Building coalition pushes for performance-based building codes. 07 26. https://www.canadianarchitect.com/sustainability/green-building-coalition-pushes-for-performance-based-building-codes/1003743695/.

Centre for Sustainable Energy. 2018. Low-carbon neighbourhood planning: A guide to creating happier, healthier, greener communities. Bristol: Centre for Sustainable Energy.

Connolly, Joannah. 2018. Q&A: Is building low-carbon neighbourhoods sustainable? 09 28. Accessed 11 2018. https://www.vancourier.com/real-estate/q-a-is-building-low-carbon-neighbourhoods-sustainable-1.23446235.

Covanta Holding Corporation. 2018. Covanta Burnaby. https://www.covanta.com/Our-Facilities/Covanta-Burnaby.

Crowe, Brian. 2012. Vancouver Neighbourhood Energy Strategy and Energy Centre Guidelines. Policy, Vancouver: City of Vancouver.

Dockside Green Energy LLP. 2008. Renewable Energy and a Zero Carbon Footprint. http://docksidegreenenergy.com/carbon_footprint.html.

Gouldson, Andy, Andrew Sudmant, Haneen Khreis, and Effie Papargyropoulou. 2018. The Economic and Social Benefits of Low-Carbon Cities: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. Review, London and Washington: Coalition for Urban Transitions.

Government of British Columbia. 2018. How the BC Energy Step Code Works. https://energystepcode.ca/how-it-works/.

November 27, 2018November 28, 2018

Adapting to Climate Change: Flexibility in Resilient Cities

With pressures of climate change becoming a major global issue, the idea of resilient cities has become somewhat of a buzzword. I would like to focus on one overarching theme in resilient city literature and solutions: flexibility. 100 Resilient Cities defines urban resilience as “the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses, and systems within a city to survive, adapt, and grow no matter what kinds of chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience.” This is achieved “By strengthening the underlying fabric of a city and better understanding the potential shocks and stresses it may face.”

Change is inevitable, so our cities must be able to absorb impacts, react and adapt accordingly. However, infrastructure is usually something seen as permanent and lasting (de Haan). In mechanics, one learns that brittle fracture is much more dangerous than ductile fracture. It acts as a warning of the damage to come, and can absorb more energy prior to fracture, resulting in a stronger and more resilient structure. Why not apply this at a city scale?

In general, flexibility means the possibility to introduce certain options with the assumption of changing configuration of system parameters or system components in time (Kośmieja and Pasławski). De Haan points out that “the complexity of, especially nowadays, infrastructure systems suggests that we step away from attempts to control circumstances and prepare for their consequences.” My interpretation of flexible infrastructure lies in understanding that there are different possible outcomes and acknowledging that cites (and environments) change.

Flexibility can come in different scales. For example, buildings can be designed to be more seismically sound by including literal flexible materials within them, such as timber. This can be seen in Tūranga, the new central library in Christchurch, New Zealand, designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen of Denmark. The building includes a “seismic force-resisting system [that] is made up of a series of massive concrete walls that can rock and shift to isolate the building from peak accelerations during an earthquake.” Along with the use of pre-tensioned steel cables that stretch and flex, allowing the building to right-itself in the event of swaying, this structure is virtually earthquake-proof.

At a larger scale, the Østerbro neighbourhood of Copenhagen is a resilient neighbourhood that incorporates flexibility in rainfall systems. Due to climate change, Copenhagen has dealt with increasing levels of high-intensity rainfall that original systems could not cope with. In the creating of resilient infrastructure, these increased rainwater levels were seen as an opportunity, rather than an issue that needed to be removed. As the old rainwater management systems could not be changed (an example of the rigidity of non-resilient infrastructure), and due to minimal space restrictions, new innovations needed to be implemented locally and in tandem with increases in public green spaces. For example, in Tåsinge Plads, a square in the community, rainwater is diverted away from roofs and squares to keep the water out of sewers, while the storm water is collected in green urban areas to support the incorporation of wild urban nature in the community. In the few paved areas, ‘water parasols’ were created for children as play elements, that double as catchment basins that pump water through small channels to green spots (these are the inverted umbrella-like black structures in the image below). Here, it is important to see that flexibility is not just physical, it is a mindset – and one must bring a systems thinking approach to planning for flexibility.

One of my favourite examples of resilient infrastructure can be seen in Rotterdam. Similar water issues are being dealt with here, where water squares have been created to act as social spaces, but in the event of flooding, can also hold excess water. The flexibility in this site is clear, with multiple functions that addresses urban social living along with sustainable solutions simply, without the need for any advanced technical solutions or materials.

Urban resiliency is a buzzword for a reason: it is vital that cities address issues of our changing environments immediately, as well as do what is possible to prevent further global environmental degradation. A key component to this change is to introduce flexibility in approaching problems and at different scales. The Anthropocene is upon us, human activity is indeed the strongest geo-technical force at this moment, but why not try and make this impact a positive one?

OTHER RESOURCES

Maria Kośmieja, Jerzy Pasławski – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2015.10.013

de Haan – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2011.06.001

http://www.rotterdamclimateinitiative.nl/documents/2015- enouder/Documenten/20121210_RAS_EN_lr_versie_4.pdf

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016328711001352

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-3-319-49730-3.pdf

https://www.curbed.com/2018/5/11/17346550/organic-architecture-infrastructure-green-design

https://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2017/12/01/resilient-cities

https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/11986

https://www.resilientcity.org/index.cfm?id=11900

https://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/CER/article/viewFile/38207/39282

http://www.100resilientcities.org/resources/

November 26, 2018December 11, 2018

New Solution of Urban Energy: Electric vehicles start to replace traditional vehicles in China, from the public transportation system

If you visit Wuhan, one of the largest city in China and you take a bus these days, you may be impressed by the nearly zero-noise experience and the strong feeling of acceleration. That is because 30 percent of public transportation buses have been updated into electric buses. This data is from Changjiang Times, a local newspaper.

According to Government of Wuhan, Wuhan now is trying to build more than 70000 new charging facilities for both electric buses and other electric vehicles by 2022. And with the help of several universities in Wuhan, the government is even more capable to push this trend in the whole province.

The electric vehicle has several environmental and social benefits. Except for the low emission, electric vehicles have multiple advantages not only to the environment but also to the power supply system. With zero emission feature, the electric vehicles would make the city greener, however, the large number of electric vehicles on the road or at home could be a great buffer for the city power supply system. Electricity price could be managed to let the owners charge the vehicles during valley period, also, the electric vehicles could provide additional power to the power grid during peak hours, helping optimize the power system designation! With the support of electric vehicles, the power supply of the grid could be steady and less energy would be lost.

Nowadays, China is encouraging the use of electric vehicles in the whole country by giving the bonus to the electric vehicle manufacturers and consumers. Now over 17.29 million electric vehicles are running on the roads in most mild-climate provinces in China. Yes, the battery couldn’t work at low temperature. But this long mission is faced with many doubts from the EV scholars in China. ‘Though EV seems to be green, it is hard to quantify the impact of the electric vehicles on the energy usage and the environment. ‘Dr. Yuan, Xinmei, an expert of electric vehicles who is also a professor at Jilin University said. However, he is still positive about the future of EV and now he is conducting research to find out the truth of EV.

Another factor that would make it even more tricky to decide the EV’s position in the environment is where the electricity comes from, said Dr. Yuan. In China, the electricity mostly comes from burning coals which could cause serious pollution, making electricity not so green compared with Canada where electricity mostly come from hydropower or wind power. ‘This would be a long journey, from the regulations to the energy structure we all have to make a change, but EV would be the best solution finally. Dr. Yuan told the author.

Though EV is more and more popular in China. This country may go through a period when there might not be great benefit brought by the EV, but finally, with the help of an optimized electric power generation system, the EV could contribute much to a clean environment.

Reference: Yuan, X., Li, L., Gou, H., & Dong, T. (2015). Energy and environmental impact of battery electric vehicle range in China. Applied Energy, 157, 75–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.08.001

October 16, 2018December 1, 2018

LEED: Not just for Residential and Commercial Infrastructure

It may be commonly thought that LEED standards and ratings can be applied exclusively to residential and commercial buildings. As the first LEED Platinum certified sports arena in the world, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta Georgia has proven that large scale sports infrastructure can also meet LEED standards. The arena scored the highest LEED ranking for sports venues in North America, meeting 88 of the 110 LEED rating criteria.

Under LEED criteria, large scale infrastructure projects are judged in the same manner as other infrastructure. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium was judged on seven categories:

Sustainable Sites
Water Efficiency
Energy & Atmosphere
Material & Resources
Indoor Environmental Quality
Innovation
Regional Priority Credits

Its Platinum ranking can be attributed to the many sustainable factors that were implemented into its design.

Renewable and efficient energy use through the implementation of LED lighting within the stadium and 4000 solar panels producing energy;
Infrastructure for alternative modes of transportation including biking, electric cars, and public transit;
Rainwater harvesting and flood-controlling infrastructure that can hold 2 million gallons of water;
Community partnerships with organizations to share and reuse captured rainwater for tree irrigation;
Partnerships with local organizations to promote local food production and education;
Green space for parking and cultural events.

The arena is expected to see long-term benefits and savings in both energy use and water consumption due to its sustainable infrastructure, programs, and design. Not only will the building itself benefit, the design’s larger-scale vision benefits the surrounding community through the community programs that have been established to promote health and economic well-being, and from its advanced stormwater management system, which was awarded full points in the LEED certification, that will aid in protecting the surrounding flood prone community.

The Mercedes-Benz stadium can be considered a leader in design and innovation for large-scale sports infrastructure and demonstrates to other sports developments that implementation of sustainable and responsible design and construction is something that can be done for any venue, no matter its purpose, size or scale.

Sources

Atlanta Falcons’ Stadium Scores Top Marks for Sustainability. (2018). Retrieved October 16, 2018, from http://plus.usgbc.org/mercedes-benz-stadium/

H. (2017, November 15). Mercedes-Benz Stadium Becomes North America’s First LEED Platinum Professional Sports Stadium. Retrieved October 16, 2018, from https://www.hok.com/about/news/2017/11/15/mercedes-benz-stadium-becomes-first-professional-sports-stadium-to-receive-leed-platinum-certification/

LEED BD C: New Construction v3 – LEED 2009 Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2018, from https://www.usgbc.org/projects/mercedesbenz-stadium

Sitz, M. (2017, December 20). Green and LEED-Certified Stadium Design. Retrieved October 16, 2018, from https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/13163-green-and-leed-certified-stadium-design

December 5, 2017

Making the Change to Low-Carbon Infrastructure: Masdar, City of the Future

To combat climate change and minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, governments at different levels all around the world have invested in research and new technology to reduce the emissions within their jurisdiction. Since most the GHGs are emitted from dense cities, a lot of attention has been given to reducing emissions from infrastructure within cities such as transportation, buildings, waste treatment and other infrastructures.

Making the change to low carbon infrastructure, an infrastructure that emits less greenhouse gasses than it sequesters or offsets, is deemed difficult and expensive within cities that are already fully developed and populated. With that logic, the idea of building a city from ground up that emits little to zero GHGs seems very appealing. Perhaps in line with Elon Musk’s vision to abandon the civilization that is already created and start a brand new one on Mars!

That is exactly what the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) planned to do in 2006. The city of Masdar, a zero-carbon city that is fuelled completely by renewable energy and will house more than 40,000 residents and accommodate for another 50,000 commuters who will work in the city by 2016. The idea and the design of the city was truly revolutionary. In this post, I will discuss a few of the major features of the city and the current state of this mega development.

Wind Tower

In the centre of the city stands a 45m tall structure that helps in cooling down the city. Heat is a major issue for cities in the middle east. With the help of this tower and other features of the city of Masdar such as narrow and shaded streets, the city is roughly 10 degrees Celsius cooler than the streets of Abu Dhabi, some 17km away. The louvers on each side of the tower open and close automatically, based on the wind direction, and direct the wind down to the streets of the city. A piping system inside the tower mists treated grey water to cool down the air and create a natural air conditioning for the city.

Shams 1 Concentrated Solar Plant

Shams 1 is a 2.5 square km facility utilizing 768 parabolic trough collectors that collect the heat from the sun and heat a water tube in the centre. The heat evaporates the water in the tube and the steam created will drive a turbine to generate electricity. The plant has a capacity of 100 MW and aims to generate power for Masdar and the city of Abu Dhabi. Experiments have been conducted to run this plant in conjunction with an absorption refrigerator (figure below) that would provide cooling for buildings in the city of Masdar.

Solar PV Plant

Supplementing Shams 1, Masdar has a 0.21 square km photovoltaic plant that produces about 17,500 megawatt-hours of electricity annually with a 10 megawatt peak capacity. In addition to the solar plant, buildings in the city of Masdar have solar panels on the roof top, adding another 1 megawatt to the cities solar power capacity.

Personal Rapid Transit (PRT)

The overall layout of the city is designed to be pedestrian friendly and eliminate the need for cars. For travelling long distances in the city, planers designed a PRT system under the city that uses small electric vehicle to transport people to their destination. The vehicles are completely electric and operate without a driver underneath the city streets.

Geothermal Energy

Two 2.5 km deep wells were drilled to be used for thermal cooling and domestic hot water. One well is used for drawing hot water and the other for re-injecting the water after heat extraction. The heat extracted from the earth is sufficient for running an absorption refrigerator to create a cooling system for buildings, but the system has not been implemented yet.

Current State

The economic crisis of 2008 had a serious impact on implementing the plans for the city of Masdar. Investors were reluctant to invest in the city due to the uncertainty in the economy. Based on statics from 2016, only 2,000 people work in the city of Masdar and less than 300 people live in the city, who are all students at the Masdar Institute of Science and technology with free tuition and accommodation. The completion of the development is now pushed back to 2030.

The expensive PRT system has been completely scrapped. The system is no longer relevant because of the major improvements in the electric vehicle sector. The planners did not predict that electric vehicles, such as Tesla, would be developed and widely available in such short time.

The city has also moved away from being “zero-carbon”. The concept has been found very difficult to achieve. However, the projects in Masdar produce clean energy that is being exported to Abu Dhabi and reducing their footprint. This is where the issue of scale comes into place. Within the boundaries of Masdar, the city is not carbon free, but it is reducing the total carbon footprint of the UAE by providing clean energy to Abu Dhabi.

Masdar might have not been unsuccessful in creating a full scale city so far but, it has been a great opportunity for engineers and scientists to explore new areas and find solutions that would be used all around the world to reduce negative environmental impact. Masdar Institute is a hub for research and experimentation in urban planning and low-carbon infrastructure. The project also illustrates the forward thinking of planners and government officials who understand that the UAE cannot be dependent on fossil fuels for much longer.

This large-scale experiment could be further proof that we would benefit more by reducing the environmental impacts within existing cities rather than building brand new ones.

References

Masdar Institute

The Future Build

Youtube Video 1 by Fully Charged Show

Youtube Video 2 by Fully Charged Show

CNN Article

Guardian Article from 2008

Guardian Article form 2016

Featured Image

Figure 1 – City of Masdar

Figure 2 – Wind Tower

Figure 3 – Shams 1 Solar Plant Heat Exchange

Figure 4 – Shams 1 Concentrates Solar Plant

Figure 5 – Parabolic Trough Collector

Figure 6 – PRT Station

December 2, 2017

IDP: Use of Virtual Reality

The term virtual reality (VR) can be interpreted in different ways depending on the context. In the building industry it is most commonly used for computer mediated systems, environments, and experiences. In other words it is used to create 3D models of projects that are supposed to aid the design process. VR tools are still Very rarely used in practice, despite the fact that many benefits have already been identified.

Advantages

The combination of VR tools and VR immersive display systems can bring real value to the design review, the communication of the design intent, and it can increase the meeting efficiency. The use of this technology enables users to walk through a 3D model of a given project and by doing so helps to understand the aesthetics of the design because it gives the viewer a more direct feel of depth and volume of the space, which is more difficult by just looking at a static layout.

Furthermore meetings and discussions gain a new level of efficiency, because participants are more engaged and act more professional. The use of VR models brings external people up to speed to the current status easier and faster, leveling the expertise and familiarity with the design between different disciplines. This keeps participants more engaged in issues, that not necessarily regard their own discipline. This provides a holistic and diverse input, which then can spark deep questions and lead to unexpected discoveries, that otherwise might not have been detected until building turnover.

Challenges

This is not to say that VR tools do not pose difficulties or challenges. When using VR the appropriate level of detail has to be considered, as too many trivial issues might arose from a too detailed model. Similarly sometimes less is more when it comes to the modeled environment. Often intermediate designs are filled with placeholders, which will be redesigned in a later state of the process. Are those placeholders to detailed they might convey a wrong image of the design and could create a misinterpretation for those not familiar with the design process.

The preparation of VR models requires a significant amount of preparation and coordination effort, a process that usually takes up several days. By the time the model is finished the design might have already changed.

Conclusion

To sum up, VR tools give opportunities to improve the design process by increasing meetings efficiency, and helping to keep all participants engaged, so that maybe even hidden issues can be identified. But at the same time very careful planning in preparing is necessary to avoid misinterpretations due to a unfit level of detail in the model. Today Virtual Reality is still underutilized, but one can hope that as the industry develops and becomes better defined the use those tools will increase and improve the design process.

Sources:

“Virtual Reality to Support the Integrated Design Process: A Retrofit case Study”
Yifan Liu, Jennifer Lather, John Messner, 2014

October 26, 2016

In Detail: The Mosaic Centre

In south Edmonton, you can find Canada’s first net-zero commercial building. The Mosaic Centre is 30,000 square feet and it generates as much energy on site as it consumes in a year. Sustainable practices and technology are showcased in this structure. The project scope has included considerations such as incorporating geo-thermal technology, installing photovoltaic panels and using the framework of Low Impact Development as they marked its place in the public realm. In many ways, this construction project had implemented many of the strategies outlined in this weeks lesson. [Quick Statistics: The Mosaic Centre – Complete in 2015, 10.5 million dollar project, 3 months ahead of schedule and 5% under budget]

Construction Practices – Integrated Design Process. The design team focused on a collaborative approach to execute this project. This is crucial to sustainable design. Intersecting systems can support and accentuate benefits of the technology, and reduce the likelihood that the systems clash with one another.

Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency – To make such a large project come in Net-Zero, substantial amounts of work was put into making affordable, and energy efficient features throughout the building. This allows operations to continue within the building using less power. Both passive and mechanical systems are used to naturally light the space. Rather than feeding off the energy grid, this building produces the necessary energy to run on a daily basis. Since supply and demand of energy fluctuates throughout the year, excess energy produced on site is fed back into the utility grid (described as seasonal storage). This method of storage within the grid eliminates the need for battery banks. Those amounts of energy are fed back to the building when supply is low, but demand exists. This exchange between building and grid is incorporated into the net-zero analysis of the building.

Sustainable Power Supply and Renewable Energy Use – The generation of electricity can often time be very disruptive to the surrounding environment, and overall has a net output of carbon emissions. Carbon emissions from industry and commercial practices hugely contribute to these harmful emissions. The south west exterior wall and a portion of the roof have photovoltaic panels mounted for solar energy collection. This form of renewable energy was chosen after investigation of the multiple forms of renewable energy. Wind energy was not ideal, given the location, and thus solar energy became the single type used in this project.

Geo-thermal Heating and Cooling – Within the mechanical room, connections between external boreholes and the internal pipe system exist to make use of the geo-thermal system. The majority of the northern parking area is a geo-thermal field which helps to regulate the buildings temperature. In colder months, use of a high pressure glycol mixture allows access to available heat energy produced through the soil. Conversely, this same system serves to dissipate warm air during the hot months. Overall, the use of geo-thermal energy greatly decreased the number of solar modules needed for on-site electricity production.

Materials and Natural/Eco-Services – Wood was used as the primary building material for the Mosaic Centre. Wood features are presented well aesthetically and are exposed as architectural features to inspire future sustainable projects. Aside from the looks, use of wood sequesters carbon, reducing what would result in carbon emissions. Natural lighting and heat from the direct sunlight are also used to maintain a comfortable and well lit interior. Rainwater is collected on-site in a 25,000 litre storage tank. The water catchment design is not intended to fully cover the water demand, however it does supplement by contributing to the water supply. The main atrium also has a living wall,

Building Envelope – High performance building design is used to optimize the intersecting systems within the building. A high quality building envelope allows air conditions to remain at the desired temperature. Other strategies, such as targeted shading and the reduction of interior structural loads, are in place to increase occupant comfort.

Education; Precedent Example and Presence in the Community – The structure itself is living proof that sustainable projects can be aesthetically pleasing, economically feasible, and socially conscious. Aims for certification (LEED Platinum and Certified Living Building) and recognition have also increased the visibility and credibility of this remarkable structure. It continues to contribute to environmental efforts while in service by the use of collaborative spaces built right into the structure. These spaces are used to hold and facilitate meetings for integrated teams working on projects with a sustainable focus. Its functionality, and accessibility in terms of transportation also point towards the buildings overall goal; to address sustainability in all design decisions. In analyzing and learning about this project, we can gain wisdom and momentum to initialize and effectively carry out the construction of net-zero commercial buildings.

Sources:
http://themosaiccentre.ca/how-we-did-it/
http://www.greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/first-net-zero-office-building

October 17, 2016

IDP: The Integrated Design Process

The IDP was first used in the early 1990s, by Canada’s C-2000 program (program supporting advanced, energy-efficient commercial building design) and IDEAS Challenge competition (multi-unit residential buildings challenge) to describe a more holistic approach to building design. In profesional practice, IDP has a significant impact on the makeup and role-playing of the initial design team. The client takes a more active role than usual, the architect becomes a team leader rather than the sole form-giver, and the structural, mechanical and electrical engineers take on active roles at early design stages. The team includes an energy specialist (simulator) and possibly a bio-climatic engineer. Depending on the nature of the project, a series of additional consultants may also join the project team from the outset.

Some of the key advantages of the IDP are cited below:

Goal-driven with the primary goal being sustainability, but with explicit subsidiary goals, objectives and targets set as a means to get there.
Facilitated by someone whose primary role is not to produce the building design or parts of it, but to be accountable for the process of design.
Structured to deal with issues and decisions in the right order, to avoid locking in bad performance by making non-reversible decisions with incomplete input or information.
Clear decision-making for a clearly understood methodology for making decisions and resolving critical conflicts.
Inclusive—everyone, from the owner to the operator, has something critical to contribute to the design and everyone must be heard.
Collaborative so that the architect is not simply the form-giver, but more the leader of a broader team collaboration with additional active roles earlier in the process.
Holistic or systemic thinking with the intent of producing something where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and which may even be more economic.
Whole-building budget setting—allows financial trade-offs, so money is spent where it is most beneficial when a holistic solution is found.

Below is a graphic representation of the IDP Process:

2016-10-17

References:

http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/efficiency/buildings/eenb/integrated-design-process/4047

http://iisbe.org/down/gbc2005/Other_presentations/IDP_overview.pdf

http://www.infrastructure.alberta.ca/content/doctype486/production/leed_pd_appendix_7a.pdf