Also shown on the plan in blue is the area the storm water storage will be located. The tank is located in the lowest part of the site so it can be gravity fed and pumped back up for toilets and irrigation.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Week 4 - Site Environmental Study
I will be using a geo-themal heat pump mechanical system for BAC Learning Center's heating and cooling. Below is a sketch showing areas the well fields, in green, can be located. The actual amount of area will be dependant on the FTC (Formation Thermal Conductivity) test to determine how many wells are required, distance between wells and depth of wells. Wells should be located under parking, yards and/or garden areas, never under a structure in case undergrade repairs are ever required. 
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8 comments:
David,
Nice diagram. I am wondering if this might be a prime opportunity to study your site landscaping. This diagram lays out some specific areas that can create a flow through your site if you study them further. A combination of this diagram and the thoughts you presented during the intensive could really move you in the right direction. Have you investigated the water tank? Is the size accurate for that? Will you only be utilizing the storm water for utilities or are you also including a water element? I don’t think you are but I wanted to be clear on that. Do you have any visions for this water collection other than the underground tank? How will it get there will this path be celebrated or hidden? Keep moving right along!
David,
I can honestly say I learned something about your site I never expected. The geo-thermal well locations around the main structure of your building is a great diagram of sustainability. Spacing these out far enough to be effecient and I feel, shape your landscaping.
Like Jaclyn said above, I am very interested in how you access your site. This is something I am evaluating also and has great importance in my entrance progression. What kind of vegitation are you planning on using? Natural, Ornamental, tall, short... this can be a very revealing or concealing experience.
As is Jaclyn, I'm interested to see if you employ water as use for decorative purposes.
Have you had a chance to look futher at the connector between the main building and exhibit hall? How is Revit coming along?
Nice work thus far!
Please see my comments to you on my blog
Gus
David, I have thought of using a similar strategy for the geothermal site pump. I guess my question is Vertical or horizontal?
Looking at how much pipe is needed for any heat transfer, absolutely blows my mind. 400-600 lineal feet of pipe for one ton of heating / cooling.
Couple to that the huge swings in the heating / cooling degree days for a site like Boston, and the system gets real big, real fast.
It also has to be accessible because it wears out every 30-50 years or so.
On a small urban site this tight, can we expect to get much more than 3 or 4 tons of cooling with the space provided?
Alternatively, if we go vertical we need to excavate to a significant depth.
I know that we aren't expected to look at cost, (for which I am thankful), but the extreme lengths required for cooling / heating may be prohibitive for a site this small.
At least the water table is relatively high.
Steve,
My system will be veritcal. It is not un-common to go depths of 250'-300' and more. I am currently putting in a geothermal system and the depth is 300' on a 15' grid (100 bores total). Your analysis is good, but until a FTC is completed on the site we are only using experience and guess-tamates. I feel we have enough space on the site to get the required loop field, however the engineer may need to add supplemental systems for peak loads (both heat and cool).
Charge on!
It looks like it can work after all, I stand corrected, this could be a great system for reduced heating / cooling costs. Perhaps the remainder of your focus is on reducing the heating and cooling loads, by reducing the lighting needed per sf of building.
Steve,
It is one of the most efficient systems, especially when you think about it moving heat and cooling around the building as needed, besides taking it out of the ground. Say one side of the building is hot and another is cold, it will actually move the hot and cold between those spaces as needed. There are other great systems, but this seems to be very efficient and well known for easy construction.
Feb 2
Geothermal great idea.
Terracing good idea for plants (retains water). Why not incorporate some kind of bern/higher terrace wall at the top(?) to deal with the terrific noise issue? Also here and earlier (“Site Environmental Study”) it might be useful to examine “microclimates”. Plants especially need to be chosen according to their exposure: windy freezing northern exposure, drying western sun exposure, protected morning sun garden, souther people garden, etc.
Jan 21
Even in the massing model I think the towers add effective place making and suggest more than one entry or function. Should they be more “towery” in the development? (The east tower might be more solid to anchor that end?)
View from interior corridor/porch has great context in the back (is it real?).
I notice in the “from the NW to SE” that you have created a road facing court? Noisy?
Axon has a more “tectonic” (sculptural/built/architectural) feel than the perspectives – perhaps it’s the color?.
Long spans: might there be evidence of vertical support at the exterior walls? Dorms on top: perhaps if it is mostly dark there is less need for glazing at this level? Could bring some articulation to the façade?
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