Today we toured BIF. Now I have walked past BIF many times
and the only thing I really notice is that is looks much more modern than the
rest of the buildings on campus. As we toured the building, Professor Hinders
explained how BIF uses many different aspects of its design to make it more
sustainable, or at least make it seem more sustainable.
We
started off our tour with a lecture on sustainability and specifically 3
aspects of sustainability: materials, water, and energy. We talked about the
embedded costs of materials. In order to reduce the cost of construction, most
architects use materials that are very abundant in the relative area of the
structure. The less distance materials have to travel allows for cheaper
transportation prices and less chance of damage of any type. However, some
materials need to be shipped a long distance because they may be very sustainable
and last a very long time.
Another
aspect of sustainability is water. BIF was built on an old parking lot, so to
begin with, it helps reduce runoff just by being there. The roof also has
plants on the top to help soak up the water and put it to use rather than let
it run off continuously. BIF also uses showerheads, faucets, and toilets that
run on a low pressure water system so as to use less water. However, professor
talked to us about the necessity of the bike showers. In order to get a LEED
certification point, the building needed to have a bike changing room and
shower for bikers to get ready after a long bike. However, just across the
parking lot is Huff Hall which has plenty of locker rooms for changing and
showering. Were the showers really necessary? Well they were when it came to
getting LEED certification, but the building would still function the same and
have cost less to construct without them.
The
last aspect of sustainability we discussed was energy. BIF has many great
aspects that help reduce the amount of energy needed to keep it running. For
example, the South wall of the Atrium is made up completely of glass which allows
natural light in, reducing the amount of energy needed to light up the Atrium.
However, the lights are still on in the Atrium 24/7 so it doesn’t actually help
if they don’t let it. But since this wall is fully glass, the heat from the sun
in the summer time can be pretty unbearable. That’s why the roof above the
Atrium juts out about 20 feet past the wall to block the sun from shining
directly into the Atrium. This helps reduce the energy need to cool the
building in the summer. The sunlight also helps heat the building in the winter
reducing the total energy need to ventilate the building year round. One interesting
part of BIF is the solar panels that are placed on the roof of the auditorium. While
they are good in theory, they don’t even provide enough energy for the
electricity needed in the auditorium. Furthermore, the way they are connected
to the roof poses as a threat to water
leakage which could potentially create a greater cost that the money they are
saving at this point.
All in
all, BIF is a fascinating building. While we see that many aspects of it to
help make it a very “green” building that is fairly sustainable, some parts
actually hurt, or could potentially hurt, more than they are helping. The LEED
certification brings a good vibe the university, but it doesn’t always show the
true sustainability of a building.
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