Precedents in Zero-Energy Design

Architecture and Passive Design in the 2007 Solar Decathlon

Michael Zaretsky

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2009
• ISBN:
  9781135234652
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture générale

'Michael Zaretsky's Precedents in Zero-Energy Desig n is such an important book … it will help readers recognize that design comes before technology – and renewable energy systems alone can't solve the problems we face' – John D. Quale, Assistant Professor of Architecture and ecoMOD Project Director, University of Virginia

The world is currently facing an environmental crisis and as anyone interested in sustainable or zero-energy design knows the design and building industries have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the globe.

The Solar Decathlon is an international event in which universities from around the world compete in the design and construction of a one-bedroom, zero-energy house. This book provides an in-depth, yet accessible analysis of the architecture and passive design strategies of the houses in the 2007 Solar Decathlon. These houses are the result of thousands of hours of research and development from twenty universities around the world. Divided into three parts, the book provides:

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• an initial section investigating the architecture, passive design and systems layout of the twenty houses;

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• a diagrammatic comparison of the architecture and passive design characteristics of each of the twenty houses in order of ranking by the Architecture, Comfort Zone and overall scores received in the competition;

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• a deep analysis of the relationship between architecture, passive design and mechanical systems design as compared to the rankings received in the various contests. This analysis considers the decisions made by the competing teams and highlights the success of the design strategies employed.

Students, educators, practitioners and researchers of architecture, design and engineering will find this an informative and inspirational book. It examines the relationship between design and environmental principles and provides invaluable insight into some of the most innovative, off-the-grid and zero-energy houses in the world.

With a Foreword by John D. Quale, Assistant Professor of Architecture and ecoMOD Project Director, University of Virginia

Precedents in Zero-Energy Design: Part 1: Drawings and Diagrams

Part 1: Drawings and Diagrams

Introduction

2007 Solar Decathlon Competition Overall Rankings

1. Technische Univershat Darmstadt

2. University of Maryland

3. Santa Clara University

4. The Pennsylvania State University

5. Universidad Politecnica de Madrid

6. Georgia Institute of Technology

7. University of Colorado at Boulder

8. Team Montreal

9. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

10. University of Texas at Austin

11. University of Missouri-Rolla

12. New York Institute of Technology

13. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

14. Carnegie Mellon University

15. University of Cincinnati

16. Universidad de Puerto Rico

17. Texas ASM University

18. Kansas Stale University and The University of Kansas

19. Cornell University

20. Lawrence Technological University

Introduction to Drawings and Diagrams

Drawings

The first step towards developing an understanding of a building is to draw it. The students enrolled in the winter 2008 seminar class, in which this original analysis began, were asked to study the construction drawings, photos and images of their two adopted houses and then produce a series of hand-drawn orthographic drawings. This included site plan and floor plans, transverse and longitudinal sections and a typical wall section.

This project would have been more efficient and consistent if all drawings had been done on a computer. However, the goals of this project were pedagogical. I feel strongly that students gain a greater understanding of a project by hand drawing.

There are discrepancies in the drawings as a result of having ten students’ hands at work. As a result, the drawings reflect a variety of line weight, material hatches and other drawing conventions.

Following the completion of the orthographic drawings, students began an analysis of various aspects of the architectural characteristics of the houses. These were pinned up and discu...