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GREEN NEIGHBORHOODS - SUPER STUDIO RESEARCH 1
Green Neighborhoods - Super Studio Research
Local Materials Sourcing in Contemporary Architecture
Rob Hollis
University of Colorado Boulder - Spring 2014
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Abstract
This research report is a review of two leading scoring systems in environmental design and
their relationship to strong environmental ethics in materials sourcing ; LEED 2009 for New
Construction Regional Materials Sourcing Credits 5.1 & 5.2and the Living Building Challenge
Appropriate Materials Sourcing Petal. The goal of this research is to to better comprehend how to
ethically and appropriately source materials for building on a multi-family residential and commercial
scale. The primary focus of this research will be on precedent projects both historical and
contemporary that successfully incorporated environmentally sound materials into a lasting design. The
result will be a overview of a concept to completion understanding of how, as an architect, to
appropriately locate, process, transport and implement a material in a way that maximizes factors
outlined by a contemporary understanding of sustainable building development.
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Introduction
This research begins with a look at two of the building industrys most prominent green building
scoring systems and their relationship to ethical material sourcing especially concerning local trade and
commerce. These scoring systems will include LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
and the LBC (Living Building Challenge).
Developed by the United States Green Building Council
(USGBC), LEED is a set of rating systems for the design,
construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings, homes
and neighborhoods. The LEED Regional Materials Sourcing Creditis
intended to increase demand for building materials and products
that are extracted and manufactured within the region, thereby
supporting the use of indigenous resources and reducing the
environmental impacts resulting from transportation (USGBC).
This requires that projects use building materials that have been
harvested, extracted, manufactured or recovered within 500 miles of the project site for a minimum of
10% (based on cost) of the total materials value. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing components are
not considered in this calculation, furniture may be included.
Administered by the International Living Future Institute, the
Living Building Challenge is a green building certification program that
defines the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built
environment possible today and acts to diminish the gap between current
limits and ideal solutions. (ILFI) The challenge claims; projects that
achieve this level of performance can claim to be the greenest
anywhere, and will serve as role models for others that
follow. (ILFI)
The Living Building ChallengeAppropriate Materials
Sourcing Petalinsists that the project must incorporate place-based
solutions and contribute to the expansion of a regional economy rooted in sustainable practices,
products and services. (ILFI) This system identifies seven distinct radial distances where building
LEED is a certification system for
green building developed by the U.S
Green Building Council
The Living Building Challenge is a
green building challenge
administered by the Living Future
Institute
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goods can be sourced; from 500km for heavy or high density materials, to 15,000km for renewable
technologies and 20,000km for ideas.
Both the LEED and LBC scoring systems are committed to complete solutions for architecture
and development. With statues relating to all aspects of a project from concept to completion, these
scoring systems act as guides for the design and construction process. Not to develop a polemic on
which metric system is better or more effective. The end goal of this research is to better understand
how to effectively use responsible material sourcing for sustainable building and design.
Historical Context
Local material sourcing has provided a vernacular language of architecture for centuries before
the industrial revolution. As the times changed, physical boundaries that prohibited large scale
material trade became negotiable and more materials became available to more architects. In times of
luxury and prosperity it was, and remains to be, common to source materials from halfway across the
globe. Vernacular architecture design is driven by material availability, unlike polite architecture which
goes beyond functional requirements of design and into aesthetic qualities. Vernacular design is often
characterized by the absence of institutional professionals associated with the project, in other words,
vernacular design is propagated by tradition and craft. On the other hand, polite architecture is more
often associated with institutions of knowledge and professional licensure.
Historic Precedents
Historically most cultures built in a vernacular archetype because of a limited ability to
transport material over long distances. For example, in ancient Japanese architecture wood was an
important material because the volcanic nature of the stone made it impractical for most brick types.
The volatile nature of typhoons and volcanoes required the rebuilding of traditional Japanese
structures to be replaced more often than their more economically advanced countries, also major
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Japanese temples were often torn down and completely rebuilt every decade or two to maintain
pristine qualities of the space. Before liberalization of Japanese timber import in 1960 Japan had a
wood self-sufficiency rate of 86.7%, in 1999 it was recorded as 19.2%, this shows a direct relationship
between local material sourcing and ethics of the environment.
Native American architecture, especially in the western plains, was very heavily influenced by
climatic conditions, heavy clothing complimented thin envelope materials such as raw hide during the
winters. The indian teepee, as a design response, dealt more
with wind conditions than insulation, teepees are designed
with and updraft system and a smoke flap on the top so that
fires can be built inside to stay warm. The American teepee is
a great example of vernacular architecture because it is a
product of evolution, sourced with local materials and passed
down from generation to generation.
In 1851, the United States Congress passed the Indian Appropriations Act in which allowed the
executive order of the formation of indian reservations in the West beginning in Oklahoma. Historically,
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provided needed housing on this land in the
form of box-homes for a very low cost. Today, Native Americans continue to practice traditional
architecture on the reservations in the form of community rooms and auxiliary buildings. Showing a
longing for traditional practice, indian nations across the country have recruited architects to help
build in a new-old way, using 18-inch straw-bales rather than plastic sheeting, radiant-floor heating
that is much cheaper than the typical propane or electric and a frost-protected shallow foundation that
inhibits mold and is more energy-efficient than the damp basements common here (Seltenrich).
Additionally, the open floor-plan allows for multi-generational living that reflects traditional cultural
values, and all of this is being done for $45,000 less than a HUD home of a simile size.
The native American teepee is an example or
performative vernacular architecture.
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Overview of Key Literature
In Cradle to CradleRemaking the Way We Make Things by
William McDonough & Michael Braungart there are more
examples of how designing something and being more cognizant
of its materials past and future life-spans can improve product
services, enhance ecological services and stimulate local
sustainability. The most obvious example is the book itself, the
introduction states, This Book is Not a Tree. The book is made from a synthetic paper that does
not use and wood pulp or cotton fillers and is considered a technical nutrient by the authors because
of the books ability to be broken down and circulated infinitely in industrials cycles.
In reference to the book as a physical object, the authors, after reaching out to numerous firms
across the world had found that it was incredibly risky in contemporary industry to create something
new i.e. their book with no paper. Finally, Charlie Melcher of Melcher Media accepted the challenge
while he was working on a label for detergent bottles that could be recycled with the bottle rather
than burned off. Charlie developed a paper material that could be waterproof and off-gassed similarly
to a conventional book, but the new paper material had the potential to be up-cycled or creating a
product of even greater value.
Contemporary Precedents
In contemporary architecture green design is becoming common practice if not already a
standard, it becomes harder and harder to find projects that are not making a environmental concern
or awareness a foundation for the sale and implementation of a project. Looking at two stand-out
projects from each of the leading green building scoring systems is to better understand how
contemporary projects are utilizing responsible material sourcing according to their separate sets of
guidelines.
TheUniversity of Colorado Campus maintains a vernacular design with colorado red sandstone,
native landscaping and more. Recently the university undertook a project that sought to unify the
CRADLE TO CRADLE: Remaking the Way We Make
Things.
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campus community in the Center for Community or C4C. The C4C came after a deal was struck
between campus administrators and the student body, where in exchange for a student capital
construction fee all new buildings would have to reach the USBBC LEED Silver rating at a minimum.
Centerbrook Architects with Davis Partnership Architects achieved and exceeded this new requirement
and the $84.4 million dollar project is slated for LEED gold.
Moe Tabrizi, Campus Associate Director of Engineering and
Sustainability (who is retiring this year), states that A large amount of
recycled materials are included in the construction materials of the
project including steel, fly-ash, plastic, and glass. More than 50% of the
materials supplied for the construction come from local sources,
reducing associated transportation energy usage. Taking a very
pragmatic approach to building design administration, Moes team and
staff was required to concentrate on sections which have a longer
lasting payback. While public reports and research in reference to the
project are surprisingly thin, ArchDaily, an online architecture journal
notes The use of local materials, regional colors and organic patterns serve to connect the indoors
with the spectacular environment outside. While the C4C is a great example of local materials
sourcing, this case study shows the need for an educational component and exposure of these
sustainable concepts and ideas.
A look at a building done under the guidance of the living building challenge shows a different
approach to similar concepts. Smith College's Bechtel Environmental Classroom in Whately,
Massachusetts is a new, 2,500 S.F. single-story wood-
framed classroom building, acting as a field station for a
233-acre forest and pasture property. The building
encloses two major spaces, one formal classroom and one
informal classroom space. The LBC website has classified
this building as a Certified Project Case Study and has
detailed this projects approach to each of the LBC
Petals of the Challenge.
Moe Tabrizi was instrumental in
CU Boulders last eight capital
projects achieving LEED Silver or
above.
The Smith Colleges Bechtel Environmental Classroom is a
great example of contemporary green building.
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In a summary of the approach to achieving the Materials Petal, the project managers are said
to have done all of the material sourcing themselves rather than distributing that load amongst the
design and construction team, this helped in organizing and ensuring strict compliance with responsible
materials sourcing as defined by the challenge. Likewise and interestingly enough, the team wanted
each member to understand the materials vetting system and how it felt to successfully vet a product,
therefore each member conducted vetting for a couple of products. Furthermore, when looking for
these products the team members would ask for technical support and find the most knowledgeable
representative, then emphasize that this new concept was about consciousness raising not legal
entrapment. This was said to be a very successful approach.
The LBC continues to elaborate the details of the project with a very specific list of Red List
materials and what exactly they used to supplement them. For example in subterranean piping where
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is traditionally used, the team specified HDPE (high-density polyethylene)
which required regulatory approval for a change of a standard practice, but ultimately reduced the
amount of volatile material underground. The report also includes a summary of the product classes
and/or specific products that presented particular challenges. For example of the skylights, finding a
product that had a high performance glazing option (U of 0.2 or lower; SHCG of 0.3 or lower; visible
light transmission of 60% or higher) that did not have PVC components was not possible, so (after
daylight model studies to test
the impact) the team deleted the two skylights from the project (LBC).
The LBC continues with a list of regional products specified, for example the Black Locust
fence posts that were used for lighting bollards were sourced from a local farmer who live only one
mile from the site and the countertop was quarried in southern Vermont less than 30 miles away. The
LBC goes on to note manufacturers who made Proprietary Claims when asked about product
concerns, noted manufactures of FSC certified wood
products, named organizations and individuals that
assisted with timber harvest and lumber seasoning, noted
brokers that assisted in sourcing salvaged materials and
finally a comprehensive Embodied Carbon Footprint
analysis done by GreenFootStep, created by the Rocky
Mountain Institute.
The Rocky Mountain institute is a U.S. organization
dedicated to the research, publication, consulting and
lecturing of general sustainability
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Interviews
Several interviews were conducted for this research, this was done to better understand a
current perspective of responsible material sourcing from that of somebody who may not traditionally
consider the matter. The interviewees included a contractor, an excavator and an industrial designer.
Colton Himmelman from Himmelman Construction in Lakewood, CO, Brady Saylor from Saylor and Sons
Excavation out of Pine Junction, CO, and Kris Arnold an industrial designer and fabricator for The Public
Works in Denver, CO were all kind enough to share their thoughts on the subject.
When asked about green building in general and more specifically what trends they are
seeing in the field; Colton said more and more often, government facilities are taking the chance to
go solar and/or geo-thermal, but we find there are often too many hiccups in getting responsible
materials prepared and on time within
budgetpeople want it, but they are
skeptical, there is no trust in the supplier
too. Kris Arnold said, when we do products
for experiential marketing (trade show
booths, buildouts of grocery stores, furniture
etc.) we find that clients are attracted to
relevant materials, for example beetle kill
pine is very popular right now because of all
the standing dead wood we can get easily.
In terms of trends in green building Brady says there is a shift away from propane and towards
natural gas, especially in the mountains. Really, it seems like a shift towards alternative energies in
general. Also we are seeing more infiltrator septic systems that are dealing with human waste in a a
softer more ecological way.
Moving into greater detail each representative of their field was asked what the greatest
hurdles in sourcing materials from a local marketplace seem to be, Brady says as an excavator we can
use or reuse all of the materials on site, there is no need to import or export materials beside fine
The Supple Collection is a very contemporary look at sustainable design
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finish packs. Often the choice is up to the homeowner, if he wants the trees cut down and hauled away,
thats what we will do. Kris Arnold said that while yeah, people are using tons of reclaimed material
and repurposing or using materials in different ways, up cycling, there are still better materials out
there that better approach sustainability from a pragmatic standpoint. For example in our library
furniture collection, Supple, we use a material called Richlite, its FSC certified and lasts ten times
longer than any beetle kill with any amount of protection.
Colton was asked the same question, the greatest hurdle in local materials right now is lead
times and availability. Getting the materials when you need them, in order to keep a schedule going
fluently and to have them on site early for preparation is critical at this scale. Its hard to incorporate
sustainable practices in a competitive market, it has to make sense
in the overall scope of the work. Colton was also asked where the
role of the architect and the builder come together in terms of
finding the right materials, often the builder will play a primary
role in finding materials, but the project manager of the building
company will work hand in hand with the architect. It will be
important for us to understand this role better and be more aware
of our material choices as we mature and move into the future.
Conclusion of Position
We are fortunate to be in a time when using local materials has become something of a trend.
The practice of local materials sourcing stimulates local economies and contributes to design solutions
that are reflective of their regional and ecological context. The LEED and LBC metric systems both
include statues regarding local materials, by looking at them together and in conduction with historical
and contemporary practices architect and builders can better understand where to find the right
materials, how to get the materials implemented in a project, how to understand and prepare for
there life-cycles, how to manage the specification of materials within a specific budget an on schedule,
how to build relationships with sourcing facilities and finally when to draw the line in terms of returns
on investment.
Himmelman Construction won the 2012
ASA Contractor of the Year Award
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It should also be noted that every example provided by this research experienced a significant
degree of pushback from commonplace industry. In Cradle to Cradlethe authors spent months finding
somebody to take on the challenge of a new paperless book. The entire student body of the University
of Colorado had to inspire, push and pay for the concept of sustainable development to campus
officials. The Bechtel Environmental Classroom experienced significant delays and losses to achieve
their project goals. Finally, from the interviews, it is clear to see the desire for and the obstacles faced
in the pursuit of responsible materials sourcing and sustainable design.
Application to Studio Design Project
The application of this research to the studio project is more theoretical than practical, in
closing, a conclusive theory is as follows; when an architect looks at a project, materials should be in
mind first, materials will guide a project in a way that is reflective of a regional context (both from the
perspective of ecology and industry), the projects that consider a traditional perspective on materials
tend to be more place based and last longer, ultimately sustainability is about time. Place based
solutions stand the test of time and they mean more than architecture, whether intentionally or not,
these building tell about people, about culture, about values.
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CITATIONS
LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations v3. U.S. Green Building Council, 2009. Web. http://
www.usgbc.org/Docs/Archive/General/Docs1095.pdf. public document.
Living Building Challenge. International Living Future Institute, 2012. Web. http://living-future.org/sites/default/files/LBC/LBC_Documents/LBC%202_1%2012-0501.pdf. public document.
"Japan's Timber Trade and Forestry."Japan Tropical Forest Action Network (JATAN). N.p.. Web. 3 May2014. . online.
Seltenrich, Nate. "Building better homes in Indian Country." High Country News. N.p.. Web. 3 May 2014..online.
McDonough, William, and Michael Braungart. Cradle To Cradle, Remaking The Way We Make Things. 1.New York: North Point Pr, 2002. print.
Tabrizi, Moe. "Center for Community Submitting for LEED Gold Certification Fact Sheet." University ofColorado at Boulder. public document.
"Bechtel Environmental Classroom." Living Building Challenge. n. page. Web. 5 May. 2014. .
http://living-future.org/case-study/bechtelenvironmentalclassroom