Building Fabric

Level_HowLevel_DetailedFoundation_MitigationTopic_Passive designTopic_Carbon design
Written By Ioannis Lykouras

PASSIVE RESILIENCE

Recorded by Sofie Pelsmakers, images by Essi Nisonen and Veera Saastamoinen

KEY READINGS 

  • Szokolay, Steven. Introduction to Architectural Science: The Basis of Sustainable Design. London: Routledge

  • Kimpian, J., Hartman, H., Pelsmakers, S. Energy, People Buildings: Making Sustainable Architecture Work, RIBA

  • Christina J. Hopfe, and Robert S. McLeod. The Passivhaus Designer’s Manual: A Technical Guide to Low and Zero Energy Buildings. Taylor and Francis

  • Cotterell, Dadeby, The Passivhaus Handbook: A practical guide to constructing and retrofitting buildings for ultra-low energy performance, Green Books

  • Bere, An Introduction to Passive House, RIBA

  • Pelsmakers, S.  The Environmental Design Pocketbook, RIBA

  • Pelsmakers, S., Donovan, E., Hoggard, A., Kozminska, U., Designing for the climate emergency, a Guide for Architecture Students, RIBA

  • Dollard, T., Designed to Perform: An Illustrated Guide to Delivering Energy Efficient Homes, RIBA

  • Online U-value calculator, for example: http://www.builddesk.co.uk/software/builddesk-u/

  • Building Science Fundamentals additional online lectures  at Toronto University https://edtech.engineering.utoronto.ca/project/building-science-fundamentals

INSPIRATIONAL BUILT EXAMPLES

  • Mole Architects – Cavendish House, Cambridge, United Kingdom 

  • Architype Architects – The Enterprise Centre, Norwich, UK 

  • Milena Karanesheva and Mischa Witzmann, Passive House, Bessancourt, France

  • Allmann Sattler Wappner and Transsolar engineers, Passivhäuser Piusplatz, Munich, Germany

  • Studio Bark, Box House, UK

  • Bere Architects, Mayville Community Centre retrofit, UK

BUILDING FABRIC

Because the design of the building fabric is so important for indoor environmental comfort and reduced energy use, integrating it right at the start of your project is referred to as fabric first principles. This is crucial for passive resilience and low energy design. Understanding the principles of heat transfer (conduction, radiation, convection) aids in designing appropriate climatic design solutions. This talk covers these heat transfer principles and how it affects decision-making about your design in different climates.

Ioannis Lykouras
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