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Case studies will help determine the life cycle impacts of high-performance buildings.
A research team based at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University have selected a spectrum of buildings to serve as case studies--new and existing, minimal to robust technology and monitoring, and commercial and residential buildings--with which to develop a culture of evidence and framework for the dynamic life cycle assessment. While they do have a net-zero energy building as a case study, the researchers are particularly interested in existing structures with limited building automation systems. While new green buildings receive attention from the media, designers, and researchers, they represent a small fraction of the existing building stock, which is currently estimated at 4.5 million commercial properties. Given the large number of existing buildings, they represent a greater opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and energy usage.
One such example is the new University of Pittsburgh's Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation's LEED Gold building (pictured above). The Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation (MCSI) was formed in 2003 to serve as a nexus for efforts at UPitt to promote the creation of more sustainable civil infrastructure. MCSI recently moved into a new, 42,000-ft2 green facility, housing associated faculty from all engineering departments; students, common seminar and conference room space, and wet and dry labs. Some of the green features include the following: a reflective thermoplastic polyolefin, or TPO, roof on the center's addition that minimizes heat absorption; green roofs on Benedum auditorium and Benedum plaza; estimated to save 18 percent in energy costs over a similar structure of standard design; sensors that adjust indoor lighting by the level of incoming natural light; and highly efficient LED lights on exterior that contain no mercury and last ten times longer than fluorescent lighting. While this building has some level of sensors (e.g., CO2), additional sensors are needed to fully understand how the building operates.
Credit: University of Pittsburgh
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Related story: Exploring Sustainability for Energy and Buildings