On 13 May, GreenED hosted ‘Creating Nature Connections: Biophilia for Google’. In this session, Parabola Architecture’s co-founders Kevin Burke and Carrie Meinberg Burke, highlighted the goals, insights and regenerative outcomes from the application of a biophilia framework at Google’s headquarters at 1212 Bordeaux in California. Among the project’s numerous awards were recognition as a Kellert Biophilia Design Award 2018 Finalist (ILFI) and Architectural Record’s ‘Good Design is Good Business’ Award 2018.

Biophilia is the concept that humans have an innate desire to connect with nature and natural systems. Even more significant than improving the environmental performance of a building is the ability of biophilia to enhance the life of the occupants, promoting better health, job satisfaction and productivity.

The brief for Google’s first completed ground-up building was for an adaptable high-performance “living lab” workplace, which required using a streamlined design process, to allow decision latency to be reduced in order to meet a very tight schedule and budget. Says Carrie Meinberg Burke, “Biophilia was not an add-on or luxury. It emerged from the team’s decisions on how to spend resources – money, time and physical materials. It wasn’t a checklist approach but rather the idea of infusing sustainability and biophilia into the design.”

View this webinar here.

Realigning Buildings with Nature

On 27 May, the Living Future Collaborative (LFCSA) presented ‘Realigning Buildings with Nature’ sponsored by ecoSolv Technologies, which focussed on the aim of the Living Building Challenge Place Petal to restore a healthy relationship between nature, place and community.

The LBC Place Petal imperatives articulate how to integrate ecology and community into architecture; include the generation of local, fresh and seasonal food; and encourage the creation of communities around pedestrianisation. The first speaker, Marc Sherratt (founder of Marc Sherratt Sustainability Architects and Net Zero Accredited Professional) spoke about the ‘Ecology of Place’. After setting the scene in terms of global ecological scenarios, Sherrat then explained the steps required to achieve the ‘Ecology of Place’ imperative, and explored Johannesburg’s unique social and ecological context through case studies.

Our second speaker Brendon Martens (managing director of Martens Impact Advisory) then spoke about ‘Urban Agriculture in the Inner City: A Case Study of Johannesburg’ – and looked at integrating urban agriculture into the built environment and how this can be done successfully and sustainably. He introduced the Urban Agriculture Initiative (UAI) and its aims of creating a commercial model for urban farming and developing a sustainable food security model; and presented initiatives throughout Johannesburg – highlighting how the UAI aligns with the 2030 National Development Plan (NDP) Impact Areas and UN Sustainable Development Goals.

View this webinar here.

 For more courses on green buildings, sustainable and regenerative design, visit GreenED.

The post Two webinars: Re-connecting our Cities with Nature appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

In her presentation, Gardner explained the measures that should be put in place to achieve Net Zero – through both operational carbon and embodied carbon.

We envision a world of carbon-positive buildings with carbon-positive products that actively reverse the effects of climate change and help local economies thrive.

Strategies for reducing Operational Carbon are reducing site energy consumption and eliminating new combustion (in new buildings); and offsetting with installed or procured renewable energy. Strategies put forward for reducing Embodied Carbon are reducing carbon in primary materials; disclosing reduction strategies and the total embodied carbon of materials; and offsetting sequestering materials or carbon offsets.

Case studies discussed were the Catalyst Project in Spokane, an institutional and laboratory pilot project; 6 Pancras Square in London, a commercial office fit-out; and 303 Battery Street in Seattle, a multifamily residential and retail development.

‘Sustainability Leapfrogging: Net Zero Energy Buildings’, presented by Chilufya Lombe, looked at the Energy Efficiency Gap – that is, the difference between what a building uses and what it is able to generate. Lombe emphasised that attaining Net Zero Carbon involves a process driven approach – setting targets; investigating climate; reducing loads; selecting appropriate technology; optimising building operation; and, finally, considering alternative power and synergies.

Chilu discussed two precedents: 78 Corlett Drive, developed by Legaro Properties, which has received to date Green Star Design and As-Built Office v1.1 certifications, as well as Net Zero Pilot Design and As-Built certifications; and the Rugby Road residential development in Oranjezicht, Cape Town.

‘Getting to Zero’, presented by Francois Retief, identified the following factors for success in targeting Net Positive:

• Efficiency First – Aiming for a Target
• Thermal Comfort is Critical
• Building Simulations (energy modelling, artificial lighting quality, daylighting & glare, solar performance, thermal comfort)
• Passive Strategies
• Active Strategies
• Renewable Energy

Retief then discussed how people and relationships are critical to success in driving sector-leading initiatives, which are underpinned by developing the right culture and mindset; collaborating and iterating; actively pursuing a target; hiring the right team; prioritising commissioning; and educating the building/precinct occupants.

Next event

Join the Living Future Collaborative South Africa for a webinar on how to design our built environment for Net Positive Water!

Date: 19 November

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/net-positive-water-buildings-tickets-127831123331

The post LFCSA Event: NET POSITIVE ENERGY appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Guest speakers are:

• Climate Reality Leader: Adrie Fourie on ‘Setting the Scene – Climate Reality’
• Living Building Challenge Ambassador: Marloes Reinink on ‘Living Buildings for a Living Future’
• Denise Mall ‘Taking Action – from Sustainable to Regenerative’.

There will be three short presentations, 3x 20min and an hour discussion time afterwards. Drinks and snacks will be provided and the event is for free.  One tree will be planted for every person who attends these events, with thanks to our friends at One Tree Planted.

Please extend the invite to your colleagues or anyone that would be interested to have a discussion on how climate change is affecting our industry and what we can do to change.

The event is free, and CPD available for SACAP & ECSA.

Register here.

The post 24 Hours of Reality: Truth in Action appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Click this picture of the Biophilic map to visit the interactive version.

Solid Green’s office in Rosebank (see images above), Johannesburg, was awarded a prestigious LEED Platinum certification for Commercial interiors and the first 6-Star Green Star SA Interiors v1 certification in 2016; and won the Highest Rated Building category at the Green Star SA Leadership Awards in July of the same year.

The office refurbishment was primarily aimed at improving the indoor environmental quality for employees, which was achieved by implementing both Green Star SA and LEED interior principles. According to Solid Green’s founder and director, Marloes Reinink:

We wanted to create a space which is energy and water efficient, but more importantly, a space where our staff can thrive and enjoy what they are doing. Our offices are filled with natural daylight and natural ventilation, and incorporate elements of biophilic design, all critical elements to a healthy indoor environment.

The post Solid Green’s Offices on the Biophilic Map appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.