With Sustainable Design as the most important issue in
Architecture today, designers are not only focusing on
environmentally friendly materials but also educating their
clients on the benefits of their design approach, their use
of materials and their method of construction for reaching
"Green" status.
The essential aim of Sustainable Design is to produce
places, products and services in a way that reduces the use
of non-renewable resources, minimizes environmental impact,
and relates people to the natural environment.
Architectural Fabric Structures have been in use since
first introduced by Frei Otto in the early 1960's for
temporary expositions. The major benefits were its minimal
impact on the environment, its ability to enclose large
spaces with little material and, of course, its aesthetic
quality. Essentially, these early structures were fine
examples of Sustainable Design. Over time, these structures
have proven themselves as a permanent building material
having been used in retail malls, airports, and sports
facilities to name a few.
Everyone (Owner, Designer, Consultant, and Contractor) has
an opinion on sustainability and when it comes to fabric
structures one could argue that these view points can be
broken down into three major components: Design, Materials
and Construction.
When it comes to design, it is very important to understand
why one wants to be sustainable. Some times it can be a
philosophical approach from the owner's point of view, it
could be mandated by market segment or there could be
financial implications (banks, energy, etc.). I always like
to say Design takes time and Green Design takes more time.
Make sure your client realizes that too. Current design
benefits of fabric structures directed at clients include:
day lighting which reduces the need for artificial
lighting, UV protection which reduces the risk of skin
cancer, water collection which is then used for irrigating
plants and other services, solar shading which reduces
energy on a building's mechanical system and rarely
considered but a growing trend of incorporating a fabric
structure as an educational tool that teaches people about
UV protection, recyclability, etc.
When it comes to materials and fabric structures, designers
look to the three basic components: the structural members,
the membrane and the perimeter tensioning system. The
structural system is primarily made of steel but aluminum
and wood are being considered more often. These materials
all have many recyclable attributes and can be specified to
be manufactured locally to the site. However, the most
important factor in looking to be more sustainable with the
structural members is in documenting your work. Saying
something is recyclable and having the certified documents
to prove it are two different things. It is hard to go back
to the origins of the material if you intend to go for a
LEED certification or need it for rebates and tax cuts. The
perimeter tensioning system which includes tie downs and
catenaries can be made with webbing belts, ropes of
different compositions or wire rope depending on the load
imposed on the structure. The membrane can come from all
over the world and fabrication shops varying depending on
the material chosen. Some materials have short life spans
while others are made of recyclable materials. You can also
find materials with 20 to 30 years life spans and are more
environmentally friendly than ever before. The same can be
said for the membrane as it is for the structural members;
document your work and certify its origins. More research
needs to be done on the amount of energy required to both
make the material and fabricate the finished membrane. I
think one will find another added benefit to fabric
structures and sustainable design.
Lastly, construction benefits and fabric structures vary
from location, place where components were manufactured and
what is required to install these structures. Most
tensioned fabric structures are designed, engineered and
fabricated by "form finding" which means they are designed
to be not only structurally efficient but manufactured and
installed with little to no waste and energy. Architectural
fabric is considered one of the lightest building materials
and can create the largest building envelope. The result
can have significant impact from plant to site. Less weight
and packed to move, membrane, structural steel and
components can be shipped to site with fewer trucks and
erected with lighter equipment. Properly designed fabric
structures may have little impact on the ground with
smaller concrete foundations for compression loads and the
use of utility cable anchor technology for tension loads.
These efforts can have significant saving when the site is
being used for temporary structures or deployable
structures where reuse is inevitable.
Remember, sustainable design and the use of fabric
structures is most successful when ALL three components are
considered just keep in mind the views of others.
----------------------------------------------------
Samuel J. Armijos, AIA, is Architect and Vice President of
FabriTec Structures, a brand of USA Shade and Fabric
Structures. He is author of Fabric Architecture: Creative
resources for Shade, Signage and Shelter. He resides in
Fairfield, NJ. http://www.fabricarchitect.com
No comments:
Post a Comment