Discussion:

Systems Thinking
and the Built Environment
SDN-602 Adaptive Design

Professor Fryer
MSSD Program
Philadelphia University
 2 different kinds of systems thinking
models to use:

Heat output from

AC unit Air conditioning
+
R
Gap B +
+ - Indoor microclimate

+
Evaporation Reproduction Catch cumulative catch
Available thermal Fish Stock
Desired thermal fishing consumption
comfort
comfort regeneration
+
B rate
-
+ background
Outdoor Air Temp Outdoor
Latitude + microclimate mortality rate mortality
+ K
+
- yield per unit fishing effort
Available Sun effort
-
Outdoor Radiant
+ Temp
Cloud cover + Thermal capacity of
- exterior building
materials
Shading

Causal Loop Stock & Flow

For exploring For making
interrelationships numerical calcs,
and general predictions and
systems behavior “what if” scenarios
How these can be applied to
The Built Environment

1. Thermal Comfort & Adaptive Opportunities

2. Indoor & Outdoor Thermal Comfort
3. Urban Heat Island Effect
4. Student Work
 Thermal Comfort
&
Adaptive Opportunities
 Adaptive Opporunity to
change the situation

Gap

Desired thermal Available thermal

comfort comfort
 Adaptive Opporunity to
change the situation

Gap

Desired thermal Available thermal

comfort comfort
 Adaptive Opporunity to
+ change the situation

Gap
+
-

Desired thermal Available thermal +

comfort comfort
 Adaptive Opporunity to
+ change the situation

Gap
+ B
-

Desired thermal Available thermal +

comfort comfort
 Adaptive Opportunity
+ to change the situation

Gap
+ B
-

Desired thermal Available thermal +

comfort comfort

microclimate individual actions

 Adaptive Opportunity
+ to change the situation

Gap
+ B
-

Desired thermal Available thermal +

comfort comfort

microclimate individual actions

outside air temp

Activity (met)
outside radiant temp
Clothing (clo)
outside wind speed

outside RH
Indoor & Outdoor
Thermal Comfort
 Gap

Desired thermal Note: scale change

comfort Available thermal indoor microclimate From individual to
comfort
Individual + building
outdoor microclimate individual actions
 Indoor Adaptive
+ Opportunities

Gap
- B
+

+
Desired thermal
comfort Available thermal indoor microclimate
comfort +

outdoor microclimate individual actions

 + Indoor Adaptive
+ Opportunities
Outdoor Adpative
Opportunities

B Gap
+ - B

+
Desired thermal
comfort Available thermal indoor microclimate
comfort +
+

outdoor microclimate individual actions

+
We use systems thinking
1. To clarify our thinking (mental model)
2. To understand a topic
3. To explore a topic
4. To understand the system behavior beyond the obvious
5. To learn how to change the behavior of a system
6. Make predictions or “what if” scenarios

*note: modeling thermodynamics is really difficult and non-trivial

Urban Heat Island Effect
 Indoor Adaptive
+ Opportunities

B +
Gap
+ - Indoor microclimate

Desired thermal Available thermal

comfort comfort
 Air conditioning
+

Gap B +
+ - Indoor microclimate

Desired thermal Available thermal

comfort comfort
 Air conditioning
+

Gap B +
+ - Indoor microclimate

Desired thermal Available thermal

comfort comfort
+

Outdoor Air Temp Outdoor

+ microclimate
 Heat output from +
Gap B
AC unit R Air conditioning
+ + - Indoor microclimate
Gap B +
R -
+ Indoor microclimate
Available
+ thermal
+ Gap Desired thermal B
R - comfort comfort
Desired thermal Available thermal
+ Indoor microclimate
+
Heat output from
comfort
comfort
AC unit + + Air conditioning

Desired thermal Available thermal

+
+ Outdoor
Outdoor Air Temp comfort
comfort
Latitude + + microclimate
Outdoor Air Temp Outdoor+ +
Gap B +
ude ++ microclimate +
+ R -
- + Indoor microclimate
Indoor microclimate
+
- Outdoor Air
Available SunTemp Outdoor
Latitude - + microclimate
Available Sun + Available thermal
Desired thermalOutdoor Radiant
- + comfort
- comfort+ Temp
Cloud cover Outdoor Radiant ++ Thermal capacity of
Available Sun + Temp - exterior building
over ++ Thermal capacity of
- - materials
exterior building
Outdoor Radiant Shading
Outdoor
Outdoor Air Temp materials
+ Temp
Cloud cover Latitude Shading + + microclimate
Thermal capacity of
+ -
+ exterior building
- materials
Available Sun Shading
-
Outdoor Radiant
+ Temp
Cloud cover + Thermal capacity of
- exterior building
materials
Shading
One way to change the
behavior:
Add another loop that +
decreases the effect of
Heat output from
the Outdoor Air Temp AC unit Air conditioning
+

Gap B +
R -
+ Indoor microclimate

Desired thermal Available thermal

comfort comfort
+

Outdoor Air Temp Outdoor

Latitude + microclimate
+
+
-
Available Sun
-
Outdoor Radiant
+ Temp
Cloud cover + Thermal capacity of
- exterior building
materials
Shading
One way to change the
behavior:
Add another loop that +
decreases the effect of Heat output from
the Outdoor Air Temp AC unit Air conditioning
+
R
This is using the Gap B +
leverage point called: + - Indoor microclimate
Reinforcing or Balance +
Evaporation
Loop Available thermal
Desired thermal
comfort comfort
+
B

-
+
Outdoor Air Temp Outdoor
Latitude + microclimate
+
+
-
Available Sun
-
Outdoor Radiant
+ Temp
Cloud cover + Thermal capacity of
- exterior building
materials
Shading
Examples of Student Work
Design for a Refugee Shelter at the Zataari Camp (Thesis)
By Shady Ramsis 2016
Urban Parks and Quality of Life (Thesis) In progess
By Melissa Lin 2016
Revisions to PhilaU Climate Action Plan (Thesis)
By Anastaasia Savchenko 2015
Thank You