Building System Integration

Assignment No. 2
Submitted By: Zain Ul Abidin
Roll Number: 2020-MSCM-121 (Weekend)
Submitted to: Dr. Sabahat Arif

Architectural Engineering &

Design Department
University of Engineering & Technology
Lahore
 INTRODUCTION
Buildings that are resource and energy efficient, ecologically friendly to the environment and made through
recyclable or biodegradable construction materials and renewable energy resources and have zero net cost
are known as green buildings or sustainable buildings. Green buildings have many environmental,
economic and societal benefits and economic, market and educational barriers towards its development as
well. The site planning for a green building should be done very discerningly keeping in mind certain
factors like accessibility of materials, pre-built infrastructure, compacted landscape and local climate,
orientation and massing and collision of adjacent buildings and existing landscapes.

The criteria for building materials should also be decided very efficiently that meet the economic needs as
well e.g. structural insulated panels and insulated concrete forms should be used in foundations and
Autoclaved cellular concrete should be used in walls and columns as it is a lightweight precast concrete.
Fiber glass windows along with CO2 sensors should be used that maintains the necessity and level of air in
the building. Sisal wall covering green flooring and wallpapers from recycled pulp are the better options for
interior finishing.

Recycling grey water is the best option for water efficiency in the buildings. Rain water can also be utilized
for various purposes e.g. for green roofs and washing, toilet flushing and other ray water uses. Water
efficient plumbing fixtures e.g. ultra low flow toilets, waterless urinals and low flow shower heads are best
solutions for preserving water. Instead of using separate gazers combine solar heating system can be used
and sufficient for whole building.

Utilizing solar energy in the form of photovoltaic cells and wind energy and using HVAC system are very
beneficial for energy efficiency. Using VAV and DCV technologies for ventilation systems, chillers and
absorption chillers for Air conditioning system and using daylight for lighting are found very effective
source of energy efficiency.

Filtration, exhaust system and smoking control are the strategies that are used to promote acceptable indoor
air quality. Proper lighting, thermal comfort and acoustic quality also refer to indoor air quality.

Green roofs are not just only aesthetically beneficial but they are also a great source of energy reduction.
Green roofs can significantly reduce cooling costs by 25%. Reducing, recycling and reusing are the
strategies that should be applied for waste minimization. Construction and demolition waste is the largest
most bulky waste that is produced by the building and it can be reused for the construction of roads,
buildings and drainage system.
 Green Building:
“Healthy facilities designed and built in a resource-efficient

Manner, using ecologically based principles.”

According to environmental protection agency

“Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes

that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a
building’s lifecycle.” figure 1.1 show sustainability targets for green
building"
FIGURE 1.1

Principles of Sustainable construction:

According to living building challenge seven petals of green construction
- Location - Water balance

-Energy production - Eco friendly Materials

- Aesthetically good - Focus on quality

Why we need green building?

Buildings have a huge role to play in addressing environmental concerns. They contribute around 40% of
global greenhouse gas emissions and the same proportion of waste.
120
100
80
60
40
20 ordinary building
0 green building

BENEFITS OF GREEN CONSTRUCTION AS COMPARED TO ORDINARY CONSTRUCTION

BENEFITS:

Enhance and protect biodiversity and ecosystems

ENVIRONMENTAL Improve air and water quality
Conserve and restore natural resources

Enhance occupant health and comfort

SOCIAL Minimize strain on local utility infrastructure
Improve overall quality of life

Reduce operating costs

Improve occupant productivity
ECONOMICAL
Enhance asset value and profits

Barriers to green building:

The uptake of Green building technologies is not as apparent as it should have been.
Following are the Barriers Affecting the Adoption of Green Building Technologies
 PARAMETERS OF GREEN BUILDING

Following are some of the parameters of Green Building

1. Ideal Orientation:

North orientation is generally ideal orientation for the building having the primary or main axis of the
building should be in east-west direction to avail maximum sunlight, always consider solar north not
magnetic north and longer walls and maximum windows of a building should face north.

2. Layout:

The layout of the building should be design in such a way that the rooms, living areas, outdoor spaces and
offices are in the northern side of the building and the parking areas , laundries ,garages and bathrooms are
in the southern side of the building.

The rooms that you use the most should place on one side of the building so that you can
close off the other part of the house which you do not use, this will reduce the energy bills of
the house.
 The rooms that you use more than other rooms receives more natural light and hence it
reduce your light bills
3. Material Selection:

Building material is an essential constituent in sustainable building design and with the smart design and
technical innovation they can be helpful for providing heating, cooling and lightening for efficient indoor
environment. It also leads to saves the energy consumption by the building.

4. Windows/Doors for Sustainable Construction:

To use the window for sustainable building we should have the a suitable size and perfect orientation of the
window like the windows should be large because they are capable of gaining and losing more energy than
smaller ones and the window should be south oriented.

The CO2 sensor in the windows is the most innovative and effective thing that we should use for a
sustainable building. The windows open automatically when CO2 sensor detects the need of air inside the
room.

5. Interior finishing of sustainable design:

Interior finishing is a critical component in a sustainable building design. Interior finishes includes walls
paints and coating, flooring, roof ceiling, cabinets.

Environmentally- friendly, non-toxic, and made from sustainably harvested recycled sources should be the
ideal characteristics of the green flooring.

Reduction in air and water pollution by 73% and 34% and deduction in water consumption by 59% and
energy use by 40% respectively, as compared to production of virgin are the characteristics that are
achieved from manufacturing wallpaper from recycled pulp.
 6. Energy efficiency:

Following are the thumb rule for selecting energy sources:

Renewable
energy

Enhanced Optimize energy

commissioning performance

Cost Effective

Photovoltaic cells are semiconductor devices that convert solar energy in electricity. PV panels are totally
silent producing no noise at all and no harmful gases emitted during its phenomena. It can produce enough
energy that can be efficient for whole building.

They can be used on integrated roofs, windows, shading and facades.

 Life span 30-40 years

 Generate up to 5 to 10 watts of power per square feet.
7. HVAC System Technology:

HVAC system includes three discipline heating, cooling and air conditioning system. HVAC consume 30%
or more of a buildings total energy use.

By efficiently design we can reduce energy consumption up to 30-40%.

8. Lighting:

Electric lighting accounts for 35 to 50% of electrical energy consumption. So we have paid attention on this
area to reduces the energy usage that help us in making sustainable building

9. Design of staircase/elevators:

To reduce energy consumption, building should have stairways and elevators that are easily accessible and
inviting. Near the stairs there should be ADA-compliant elevators that include regenerative braking, this
thing make the elevators 60% more efficient than standard elevators.

10. Water Efficiency:

LEED standards explains that potable water is basic meeting quality in sustainable structure or building.
Water which is provided by municipality will be used as drinking water after filtration from own filtration
plant of building.
 11. Water efficient plumbing fixtures:

Reducing the use of indoor water in the building increases the water efficiency and this can be done by
using water efficient plumbing fixtures.

12. Indoor Air Quality:

A place with healthy indoor air quality is one that is low in contaminants, toxins, and odors because most of
the people spend their 90% of the time indoor. Levels of pollutants may be 200% to 500% higher indoors
than outdoor. . So indoor air quality should be perfect. Pollutants that effect indoor air quality are

 Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

  Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
 Particulates
 Tobacco Smoke

Following strategies are used to promote acceptable indoor air quality by eliminating these
pollutants.
 Eliminate the source
 Filter
 Exhaust system
 Smoking control

HOW TO REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINT IN CONSTRCUTION

With recent news that the concentration of carbon dioxide emitted has now reached 400 parts per million, it
has become increasingly important for construction workers to reduce their carbon footprint and provide
buildings which are not only economical, but sustainable in their designs.

We take a look at some tips to reduce carbon footprints within the construction industry:

Use of materials:

When designing or renovating buildings, it is always important to plan which type of materials will be
utilised, but there is now an increased focus on implementing materials which are not solely cost effective,
but sustainable and energy efficient in order to provide long-term benefits and lower carbon levels. This can
impact on the overall design of builds, where they are going to be built and the logistics surrounding
construction work.

Recycling:
It is also imperative to recycle materials such as aluminium within builds, which will effectively reduce the
level of waste products which are currently sent to landfill, providing increased advantages within building.

Insulation & Solar:

In order to reduce CO2 emissions further, ensure builds incorporate cavity wall insulation and double
glazing to ensure heat does not escape, but also ensure the heating is set at certain times whilst also
lowering the thermostat.Burning less fuels to retain warmth in the home will reduce carbon footprints
further.Solar panelling systems have become increasingly installed in both traditional and modern
properties in order to capture as much natural energy as possible to reduce CO2 emissions.

Water :

Having a shower instead of a bath reduces CO2 levels significantly. Designers are increasingly being asked
to build sustainable solutions by utilising and harvesting rainwater, which can be used for irrigation.

Transport:

Although transportation of materials and goods drives a huge increase in CO2 emissions, in order to lower
this, construction companies could source materials locally and provide increased sustainable benefits.
However, if transporting vital resources is necessary, utilising energy efficient vehicles will produce lower
emissions.

Energy Analysis Using Revit

Input BIM Data for Analysis

Project Information
The basic project information needed in your Revit model include Organization name,
Description, Building Name, Author, Project Issue Date, Status, Client Name, Project Address,
Name and Number. In addition to these, Energy Settings need to be adjusted as well.
Energy Settings
 Energy Settings provide the necessary information to ensure proper analysis is
performed on the energy model. Settings such as Building Type, Export Complexity, Sliver
Space Tolerance and Building Envelope play a vital role in producing quality analysis results.
See Step 3 Define Analysis Information for further explanation.
Materials
All the materials contained in a Revit model are not just for showing off the design. The materials
play a key role in how the energy transfers through the building envelope. Materials help define R-
Value within system families such as Walls, Floors, etc.
Input Rooms, Spaces and Zones

Rooms
Room objects within Revit, which are similar to Space objects, help define the name and
number of the area in which it is contained firstly. It provides basic information as to area and
volume as well. Used mainly by the Architects, it helps to facilitate Room finishes,
requirements, area and volume calculations, etc. Although it contains valuable data for the
Architect, space objects are more powerful.
 Spaces
Space objects, which are similar to Room objects, are
even more useful to the MEP
Engineers. They contain not just the name and number of the space, but also hold the area,
volume, CFM rates and Zones needed for proper energy calculations.

Zones
Zones define groups of Spaces within your Revit model. They allow for proper air
Conditioning of the spaces via specific areas of the building.

Common Settings
 Building Type: This defines what type of building you are creating (i.e. Office, Museum,
Police Station, etc.)…define this accordingly.

Location: Define the location using the Internet Mapping Service or Default City List

Ground Plane: This specifies the level that is considered the ground plane for the
project. All elements below this level are considered underground.
Project Phase: Specify the phase of the project for this analysis

Sliver Space Tolerance: Specify the opening size of shafts, etc.

Building Envelope: Specify Use Function Parameter or Identify Exterior Elements

Use Function Parameter: This method uses the Function type parameter of Walls, Floors and
Building Pads to determine the building elements considered to be part of the building envelope.
This is the default and is the legacy option.

Identify Exterior Elements: This method uses a combination of ray-casting and flood-fill
algorithms in order to identify the building elements that are exposed to the outside of the
building, the building envelope.

Analytical Grid Cell Size: Specify the cell size for the uniform cubical grid used when
Building Envelope is set to Identify Exterior Elements. This is the base size of the 3D grid
cells, or cubes, used to divide the building shell bounding box into a uniform cubical 3D grid.

Building Service: Specifies the type of heating and cooling service used in the building
Building Type Settings

The settings of building types can be managed in the Building/Space and Types dialog
box. For each type of building or space you can specify energy analysis information
such as the number of people and expected heat gain per person, schedules and times
the building is occupied as well as running.
Run Heating and Cooling Load Analysis

Review Results
Export to gbXML for GBS
When exporting to gbXML for energy analysis, the process is the same as running the internal
heating and cooling load analysis, except that you create a gbXML file that can then be
imported into Autodesk Green Building Studio analysis software. gbXML stands for Green
Building Extensible Markup Language.
 Steps to Import into Autodesk GBS

The follow are steps needed to follow in order to take your Revit model and data into
Autodesk Green Building Studio for analysis.

1. Model your Project

You have already completed this step
2. Export the data to gbXML file format
You have already completed this step
3. Sign into Green Building Studio and Create a Project
4. Import the gbXML into green Building Studio
5. Analysis Processing (automated process…wait for it!)
6. Review Results

Alternatively, you can click the Run Energy Simulation Command within the Energy Analysis Panel of the
Analyze Tab of the R
 Energy Analysis Using Ecotect

Ecotect Software has been used to calculate building’s energy consumption by simulating its context within
the environment. Mostly use by architects and building engineers to enhance their design advancements, the
software is embedded to the main Autodesk CAD architecture, fully compatible with Autodesk REVIT.
Research Studies on many existing buildings have been performed to evaluate its building’s performance. It
is related to its environment, especially on dealing with solar heat, its nature for day-lighting, natural
airflow for ventilation, and its energy consumption for man-made systems such as Air Conditioning and
Lighting.
Following are the steps for Energy Analysis:
Step 1:
Project Page
On the upper most tab on the left side of your screen, you may enter any project information for you own
records. You can also set longitude and latitude and time zone on this page.
Step 2:
User Preferences:
On the top toolbar, there is a little black box through which you can change the user preference. The most
important two tabs are Localization (In which we can set the units) & Modeling (In which Default Zone
Height is provided)
Step 3:
Making a Room as we did in CAD
Step 4:
Materials:
On the right Side tab there is materials library Select materials and then click on the material properties to
define properties of that material.
Step 5:
Visualization and Setting Cameras:
The eye icon on the right side is the visualization setting tab, here you can assign cutting planes so that you
can see inside.
Step 6:
Setting a Weather File:
In the top toolbar, next to a group of time and date dropdown menus is an earth icon, click on this icon and
choose load weather file.
Step 7:
Visualizing Sun Path and Shadows:
The ability to visualize the sun path in 3D is the most powerful tool of ecotect. The sun icon on the right
side indicates the shadow settings menu.
Step 8:
Setting the Analysis Grid:
Next we will create a work-plane grid for numerical analysis. The Analysis Grid Analysis Grid Analysis
Grid menu on the right is indicated by the icon. Click Display Analysis Grid Display Analysis Grid Display
Analysis Grid to bring up the default grid, and to fit the grid within the model, highlight the floor plane and
click Auto-Fit Grid to Objects Fit Grid to Objects Fit Grid to Objects.
Step 9:
Exporting to Radiance
Choosing Surface and/or Point Analysis Surface means that numerical illuminances will be calculated as
well as pictures rendered
Choose Analysis Grid Analysis Grid Analysis Grid so that illuminance will be calculated at points in the
grid we just set up.
Here we have a choice of sky conditions, and we’ve chosen Sunny.
If we pick Use Current Date and Time se Current Date and Time se Current Date and Time, we will be
doing the rendering and calculation for the date and time currently in the top toolbar next to the earth icon.

Step 10:
When Radiance is finished, the renderings will pop up first inside a viewer. You may need to change the
size of the window. By running the mouse over the pictures that appear, you can see the illuminance at each
pixel (in the bottom right hand corner of viewer). You can also record the illuminance on the picture itself
by clicking on different pixels. Different overlays, such as false color (below center) and human sensitivity
(below right) are available. Human sensitivity is a setting that tries to take into account the high range of
brightness that humans can see at once.

References:

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING ORGANISATION RESOURCES

 www.wbdg.org
(whole building design guide)
 https://living-future.org/lbc/
(living building challenge)
 www.breeam.com
(Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method)
 www.epa.gov
(United States Environmental Protection Agency)
 www.usgbc.org
(U.S. Green Building Council)

WEB RESOURCES:

 www.sustainablesources.com
 www.greenbuilding.org
 www.ases.org
 www. concretethinker.com
 www.eren.doe.gov/solarbuildings
 www.nesea.org/buildings/info/solarwater.html Northeast Sustainable Energy Association:
Solar Water Heating
 www.solarboston.org
 www.greenerlives.org