Manit Rastogi encourages architects, designers and urban planners to put the environment at the fore front when planning cities for the Global Indian.

The urban scape of the modern day city is little understood and a largely neglected space today. Shifting economic paradigms over the last few decades have left it a result of financial dynamics and not a response to human habitat needs. Today in many so-called boom towns, the surreal visual of inanimate cranes loom large over the city skyline and halfcomplete, abandoned building sites are an increasingly common sight. Whilst Dubai may be dismissed as an extreme event, in modern day India too, urban development does not seem insulated from the economic dynamics of the last decade. Read more on Indian Architecture: A Paradigm shift…

Manit Rastogi encourages architects, designers and urban planners to put the environment at the fore front when planning cities for the Global Indian.

The urban scape of the modern day city is little understood and a largely neglected space today. Shifting economic paradigms over the last few decades have left it a result of financial dynamics and not a response to human habitat needs. Today in many so-called boom towns, the surreal visual of inanimate cranes loom large over the city skyline and halfcomplete, abandoned building sites are an increasingly common sight. Whilst Dubai may be dismissed as an extreme event, in modern day India too, urban development does not seem insulated from the economic dynamics of the last decade.

Indian architecture has had radical shifts twice in the recent past; one in 1947 with the emergence of a post independence architectural language and more recently in 1991 when the economy was thrown open. Both these moments propelled a boom in building activity, development of cities as socio-economic centres and have given modern India its share of contemporary building icons. The years 2008-2009 shall however serve as grim reminders of the susceptibility of the Indian architecture industry to the modern day market forces. The lessons learnt have shown us the scarcity of resources, and hence judicious utilisation of existing resources is now a given.

The excesses of the last few years manifest by way of numerous failed, largely speculative, initiatives and building projects. They were ephemeral in sustainable ideology as well as intellectual content vis-a-vis architecture. To further compound the problem, this rapid supply of architecture pandered to perceived visuals of mass consumption, giving rise to a brand of ‘mickey mouse’ architecture.

Whilst, the recession may have brought forth the failures of these excesses, ecological disasters waiting to happen are still largely ignored. Sustainable Urbanism in India is a far fetched thought and today, India is hardpressed to find a model of sustainable urbanism, architecture, and design. Provision of infrastructure is an issue, and yet than preservation of values, craft, and cultures becomes a challenge. Hence, a critical position needs to be established that is or will be embedded intrinsically in contemporary Indian architecture. Indian  architecture needs to reflect its sociocultural sensibilities and regional values along with reminding us of ancient times when Architecture of this land has
been symbiotic with its environment. It must deal with all issues unique to our economics, sociology, history, diversity, and of course our “Indianness”. Our cities must create an impetus to redefine the way we tend to live as modern Indians; To define that which is Indian, yet global. An architecture that embodies the Global Indian.

Crucial today is finding appropriate sustainable urban, industrial and rural models for the Indian subcontinent– not something imported from the Industrialised nations, not exclusively dependent on globalisation, but those that render themselves suitable for our lifestyles – sustainable, socially and culturally engaged, alive! Masterplans for the cities must be masterplans for the environment, with all our material requirements as a subset of the larger environmental vision. To progressively bring about a strategic and sustainable change within our cities, we should restore and re-amalgamate the environment as a fundamental constituent of our approach. Environmental strategy should not be a chapter, but a preamble thereby defining the spirit of all existence in the city. This needs to be the mainstay of our thinking and consciousness. The fundamental issue to be addressed instantaneously in order to bridge this gap is that of discourse. Architects, designers, urbanists and planners need to engage in order to institute a stance to consolidate our position as Global Indians today; Thoughts, methodologies, and processes need to be exchanged and discussed to generate a vision for our cities.

This need is being recognized across the thinking masses. One Initiative is“ manthan’ (www.imanthan.org). Another is the ‘Delhi Nullahs’ project (www.delhinullahs.org) instituted by Morphogenesis.

Post-globalisation, design has repositioned itself endlessly and a fundamental shift in approach is now imperative. In emergent India, social, cultural and economic values are changing at an unprecedented pace. Architecture as a design process needs to be in step with this radical shift, if not two steps ahead of it. In this context, architecture is a strategic weapon to bridge boundaries and, through discourse, sets the ground for evolution and innovation.

It is within this milieu that the practice of Morphogenesis was set up. To date, the practice works as an architectural laboratory, looking to expand the boundaries of architecture and environmental design in India. This becomes especially relevant to emergent Asian cultures in transformation. As the communication era continues to define the global Indian citizen in inextricably linked technological ways, existing and emergent technologies and systems designs are considered and integrated with the indigenous and emergent construction industry in India. It is this inclusive nature of design that, we believe, will define the new emergent Indian architecture.

Manit Rastogi is a Principal at Morphogenesis, an Indian based architectural studio.

Manit Rastogi encourages architects, designers and urban planners to put the environment at the fore front when planning cities for the Global Indian.

The urban scape of the modern day city is little understood and a largely neglected space today. Shifting economic paradigms over the last few decades have left it a result of financial dynamics and not a response to human habitat needs. Today in many so-called boom towns, the surreal visual of inanimate cranes loom large over the city skyline and halfcomplete, abandoned building sites are an increasingly common sight. Whilst Dubai may be dismissed as an extreme event, in modern day India too, urban development does not seem insulated from the economic dynamics of the last decade.

Indian architecture has had radical shifts twice in the recent past; one in 1947 with the emergence of a post independence architectural language and more recently in 1991 when the economy was thrown open. Both these moments propelled a boom in building activity, development of cities as socio-economic centres and have given modern India its share of contemporary building icons. The years 2008-2009 shall however serve as grim reminders of the susceptibility of the Indian architecture industry to the modern day market forces. The lessons learnt have shown us the scarcity of resources, and hence judicious utilisation of existing resources is now a given.

The excesses of the last few years manifest by way of numerous failed, largely speculative, initiatives and building projects. They were ephemeral in sustainable ideology as well as intellectual content vis-a-vis architecture. To further compound the problem, this rapid supply of architecture pandered to perceived visuals of mass consumption, giving rise to a brand of ‘mickey mouse’ architecture.

Whilst, the recession may have brought forth the failures of these excesses, ecological disasters waiting to happen are still largely ignored. Sustainable Urbanism in India is a far fetched thought and today, India is hardpressed to find a model of sustainable urbanism, architecture, and design. Provision of infrastructure is an issue, and yet than preservation of values, craft, and cultures becomes a challenge. Hence, a critical position needs to be established that is or will be embedded intrinsically in contemporary Indian architecture. Indian  architecture needs to reflect its sociocultural sensibilities and regional values along with reminding us of ancient times when Architecture of this land has
been symbiotic with its environment. It must deal with all issues unique to our economics, sociology, history, diversity, and of course our “Indianness”. Our cities must create an impetus to redefine the way we tend to live as modern Indians; To define that which is Indian, yet global. An architecture that embodies the Global Indian.

Crucial today is finding appropriate sustainable urban, industrial and rural models for the Indian subcontinent– not something imported from the Industrialised nations, not exclusively dependent on globalisation, but those that render themselves suitable for our lifestyles – sustainable, socially and culturally engaged, alive! Masterplans for the cities must be masterplans for the environment, with all our material requirements as a subset of the larger environmental vision. To progressively bring about a strategic and sustainable change within our cities, we should restore and re-amalgamate the environment as a fundamental constituent of our approach. Environmental strategy should not be a chapter, but a preamble thereby defining the spirit of all existence in the city. This needs to be the mainstay of our thinking and consciousness. The fundamental issue to be addressed instantaneously in order to bridge this gap is that of discourse. Architects, designers, urbanists and planners need to engage in order to institute a stance to consolidate our position as Global Indians today; Thoughts, methodologies, and processes need to be exchanged and discussed to generate a vision for our cities.

This need is being recognized across the thinking masses. One Initiative is“ manthan’ (www.imanthan.org). Another is the ‘Delhi Nullahs’ project (www.delhinullahs.org) instituted by Morphogenesis.

Post-globalisation, design has repositioned itself endlessly and a fundamental shift in approach is now imperative. In emergent India, social, cultural and economic values are changing at an unprecedented pace. Architecture as a design process needs to be in step with this radical shift, if not two steps ahead of it. In this context, architecture is a strategic weapon to bridge boundaries and, through discourse, sets the ground for evolution and innovation.

It is within this milieu that the practice of Morphogenesis was set up. To date, the practice works as an architectural laboratory, looking to expand the boundaries of architecture and environmental design in India. This becomes especially relevant to emergent Asian cultures in transformation. As the communication era continues to define the global Indian citizen in inextricably linked technological ways, existing and emergent technologies and systems designs are considered and integrated with the indigenous and emergent construction industry in India. It is this inclusive nature of design that, we believe, will define the new emergent Indian architecture.

Manit Rastogi is a Principal at Morphogenesis, an Indian based architectural studio.

In one of Asia’s greenest developments sits Solaris; less of a building, more like a walk in the park.

SOLARIS is located in the research and business park in central Singapore’s onenorth community, the groundbreaking green work, live community . The building is a flagship project in the second phase of this locality. Fusionopolis is an R&D hub for Infocomm Technology, Media, Physical Sciences & Engineering industries which is intended to facilitate innovation and entrepreneurship in these fields. This masterplan for the visionary mixed-use development was prepared by Zaha Hadid Architects.

With a BCA Green Mark Platinum rating already under its belt, the building’s overall energy consumption represents a reduction of over 36 persent compared to local precedents and the high performance façade has an Envelope Thermal Transfer Value (ETTV) of 39 W/m2. With over 8,000 m2 of landscaping, Solaris also introduces vegetation, which exceeds the area of the building’s original site this and the vertical green concept are examples of how. This project looks to enhance its site’s existing ecosystems, rather than replace them.

Ecological Design Features: Read more on The Living Office…

In one of Asia’s greenest developments sits Solaris; less of a building, more like a walk in the park.

SOLARIS is located in the research and business park in central Singapore’s onenorth community, the groundbreaking green work, live community . The building is a flagship project in the second phase of this locality. Fusionopolis is an R&D hub for Infocomm Technology, Media, Physical Sciences & Engineering industries which is intended to facilitate innovation and entrepreneurship in these fields. This masterplan for the visionary mixed-use development was prepared by Zaha Hadid Architects.

With a BCA Green Mark Platinum rating already under its belt, the building’s overall energy consumption represents a reduction of over 36 persent compared to local precedents and the high performance façade has an Envelope Thermal Transfer Value (ETTV) of 39 W/m2. With over 8,000 m2 of landscaping, Solaris also introduces vegetation, which exceeds the area of the building’s original site this and the vertical green concept are examples of how. This project looks to enhance its site’s existing ecosystems, rather than replace them.

Ecological Design Features:
Continuous Perimeter Landscaped Ramp — An uninterrupted 1.5 km three metre wide ramp spiralling around the building in a trademark Ken Yeang fashion is maintained via a parallel pathway without requiring access from internal tenanted spaces. The continuity of the landscaping is a key component of the project’s ecological design concept as it allows for fluid movement of organisms and plant species between all vegetated areas within the building, enhancing biodiversity and contributing to the overall health of these ecosystems. The ramp, with its deep overhangs and large concentrations of shade plants, is also one element in a comprehensive strategy for the ambient cooling of the building facade. This ecoinfrastructure provides social, interactive and creative environments for the occupants of the building’s upper floors while balancing the inherent inorganicness of the built-form with a more organic mass. The path expands into deep terraces on each floor.

Solar Shaft — A diagonal shaft that cuts through the upper floors of Tower A allows day light to penetrate deep into the building’s interior. Internal lighting operates on a system of sensors, which reduces energy use by automatically turning-off lights when adequate day-lighting is available. Landscaped Terraces within the solar shaft bring added quality to adjacent spaces and enhance views up into the building from the street below.

Eco-cell— Located at the building’s north-east corner where the spiral ramp meets the ground, the Eco-cell allows vegetation, daylight and natural ventilation to extend into the car-park levels below. The lowest level of the Eco-cell contains the storage tank and pump room of the rainwater recycling system.

Naturally Ventilated and Day Lit Grand Atrium— A public plaza between the two tower blocks provides a space for communal activities and creative performances. This naturally-ventilated ground floor operates as a mixed-mode (non-air conditioned) zone with an operable glass-louvered roof over the atrium providing protection from the elements while enabling full ventilation when needed. CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations were used to analyse thermal conditions and wind-speed within the atrium. The results of these studies were used to optimise the atrium facade design to improve air flow and enhance comfort levels.

Pocket Park / Plaza— Ground level landscaping, linking to one-north Park across the street, allows for cross ventilation of the ground-floor plaza and provides a venue for social/interactive events.

Extensive Sun-Shading Louvres — The project’s climate-responsive façade design originated with analysis of the local sun-path. Almost right on top of the equator, Singapore’s sun-path is almost exactly east-west. Studies of this determined the shape and depth of the sunshade louvers, which also double as light-shelves. This solar shading strategy further reduces heat transfer across the building’s low-e double-glazed perimeter facade, contributing to an extremely low ETTV of 39 W/m2. In conjunction with the spiral landscaped ramp, sky gardens, and deep overhangs, the sunshade louvres also assist in establishing comfortable microclimates in habitable spaces along the building’s exterior.

Rainwater Harvesting/Recycling — The building’s extensive landscaped areas are irrigated via a large-scale rainwater recycling system. Rainwater is collected from the drainage downpipes of the perimeter landscaped ramp and from the roof of tower B via siphonic drainage. It is stored in rooftop tanks and at the lowest basement level, beneath the Eco-cell. A storage capacity of over 700 m3 allows for over five days of irrigation via recycled water between rainfalls.

In one of Asia’s greenest developments sits Solaris; less of a building, more like a walk in the park.

SOLARIS is located in the research and business park in central Singapore’s onenorth community, the groundbreaking green work, live community . The building is a flagship project in the second phase of this locality. Fusionopolis is an R&D hub for Infocomm Technology, Media, Physical Sciences & Engineering industries which is intended to facilitate innovation and entrepreneurship in these fields. This masterplan for the visionary mixed-use development was prepared by Zaha Hadid Architects.

With a BCA Green Mark Platinum rating already under its belt, the building’s overall energy consumption represents a reduction of over 36 persent compared to local precedents and the high performance façade has an Envelope Thermal Transfer Value (ETTV) of 39 W/m2. With over 8,000 m2 of landscaping, Solaris also introduces vegetation, which exceeds the area of the building’s original site this and the vertical green concept are examples of how. This project looks to enhance its site’s existing ecosystems, rather than replace them.

Ecological Design Features:
Continuous Perimeter Landscaped Ramp — An uninterrupted 1.5 km three metre wide ramp spiralling around the building in a trademark Ken Yeang fashion is maintained via a parallel pathway without requiring access from internal tenanted spaces. The continuity of the landscaping is a key component of the project’s ecological design concept as it allows for fluid movement of organisms and plant species between all vegetated areas within the building, enhancing biodiversity and contributing to the overall health of these ecosystems. The ramp, with its deep overhangs and large concentrations of shade plants, is also one element in a comprehensive strategy for the ambient cooling of the building facade. This ecoinfrastructure provides social, interactive and creative environments for the occupants of the building’s upper floors while balancing the inherent inorganicness of the built-form with a more organic mass. The path expands into deep terraces on each floor.

Solar Shaft — A diagonal shaft that cuts through the upper floors of Tower A allows day light to penetrate deep into the building’s interior. Internal lighting operates on a system of sensors, which reduces energy use by automatically turning-off lights when adequate day-lighting is available. Landscaped Terraces within the solar shaft bring added quality to adjacent spaces and enhance views up into the building from the street below.

Eco-cell— Located at the building’s north-east corner where the spiral ramp meets the ground, the Eco-cell allows vegetation, daylight and natural ventilation to extend into the car-park levels below. The lowest level of the Eco-cell contains the storage tank and pump room of the rainwater recycling system.

Naturally Ventilated and Day Lit Grand Atrium— A public plaza between the two tower blocks provides a space for communal activities and creative performances. This naturally-ventilated ground floor operates as a mixed-mode (non-air conditioned) zone with an operable glass-louvered roof over the atrium providing protection from the elements while enabling full ventilation when needed. CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations were used to analyse thermal conditions and wind-speed within the atrium. The results of these studies were used to optimise the atrium facade design to improve air flow and enhance comfort levels.

Pocket Park / Plaza— Ground level landscaping, linking to one-north Park across the street, allows for cross ventilation of the ground-floor plaza and provides a venue for social/interactive events.

Extensive Sun-Shading Louvres — The project’s climate-responsive façade design originated with analysis of the local sun-path. Almost right on top of the equator, Singapore’s sun-path is almost exactly east-west. Studies of this determined the shape and depth of the sunshade louvers, which also double as light-shelves. This solar shading strategy further reduces heat transfer across the building’s low-e double-glazed perimeter facade, contributing to an extremely low ETTV of 39 W/m2. In conjunction with the spiral landscaped ramp, sky gardens, and deep overhangs, the sunshade louvres also assist in establishing comfortable microclimates in habitable spaces along the building’s exterior.

Rainwater Harvesting/Recycling — The building’s extensive landscaped areas are irrigated via a large-scale rainwater recycling system. Rainwater is collected from the drainage downpipes of the perimeter landscaped ramp and from the roof of tower B via siphonic drainage. It is stored in rooftop tanks and at the lowest basement level, beneath the Eco-cell. A storage capacity of over 700 m3 allows for over five days of irrigation via recycled water between rainfalls.

How the Vancouver Winter Olympics site proved that consultants are not at the mercy of their clients. {jcomments off}

Roger Bayley, Founder, Merrick Architecture was lucky enough to be involved in a project that made a difference. The project was Vancouver’s Olympic Village at Southeast False Creek: Millennium Water. Working on government initiated or public projects can be characterised by unproductive debate, controversy, bureaucracy and stifling financial and traditionalist constraints. Not this one. This one, with Bayley’s and many other inspired consultants’ advice, pushed boundaries of what can be possible in terms of innovation and sustainability in a large scale development. This project is proof that all architects, engineers, contractors and everyone else with expertise in making urban spaces need to make difference is an open mind.

Roger Bayley, professional engineer and founding partner of Merrick Architecture, stepped into the role of design manager, responsible for coordinating a consultant team of roughly 150 people. Here is an example of how in this role Bayley was able to impact the development. At an early stage Bayley was faced with a design brief that forbid the use of water for irrigation. Now Bayley points out that would have really limited the landscaping options during the three warm dry months of Vancouver’s summer. So he began a process of negotiation that would keep within the water usage and reusage targets without acrificing the verdant environment that would ensure the development’s popularity. As Graham McGarvin, VIA Architecture said “We wanted to change the entire way that urban planning was done.” And they were in a position to do so. Everyone on the project learnt so much that Bayley decided to produce a book. It is available for free subscription online at  www.thechallengeseries.ca

Great things happened in this project because of the combined will and force of the team, says Bayley. The “intent” then fostered a commitment amongst all the consultants to work towards that intent. One of the first ways that that common committment cemented was through being locked up together for two days. But in fairly nice surroundings, sponsored by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Association. Right at the beginning a two day integrated design process kick-off meeting brought together around 100 consultants, stakeholders and interest groups to discuss issues relating to sustainable design. After going through the overall goals and brief people split into groups to discuss particular areas of interest. Diversity and passion of opinion characterised the groups’ make up. “There were people in the groups who thought air-conditioning was immoral” says Bayley. But living, working and eating together for two days both empowered and energised participants giving a “general sense of collaboration not just within the consulting team or developer but with the city of Vancouver”.

One failing however, and it was a significant failing, said Bayley, was that all the middle management participants went back to their offices with fully engaged and constructive states of mind to be faced by their strict and staid principals. Next time senior management will also need to participate. For example one idea generated during the charette was to create a street that had no gutters separating pavement and road but rather drained in the middle. The engineers required that’s just not how it’s done. This slowed the process, because in order for the consultant to educate the client they first need to believe in the solution themselves.

Private sector
Bayley got involved in the project after being part of a team, headed by first time green developer, Millenium, that won the RFP to develop the site after Vancouver had won the bid for the Olympics. As a prime location private developers had been wanting to get their hands on this waterfront site for some time. Now the government offered up the site on the condition that it not only conform to stringent environmental standards but that it would also incorporate the temporary use as an Olympic facility, retain heritage buildings and include a significant proportion of mid range and public housing. In some respects the constraints were bound to foster innovation. Bayley says, the “developers needed financially rewarding options, we couldn’t just say, ‘we need a rainwater collection system, here’s the bill’”. In this environment all parties have to be flexible. And governments and developers need to recognise their own contribution. A developer will typically say no to things such as thicker walls (that provide much enhanced thermal protection) or shading (for reduced air conditioning) because it will encroach on the salable area, and the financial returns. But when the design team is able to explain this to a receptive regulator then, floor area restrictions can be waived. In this case the City granted exclusions to ensure passive design requirements were met.

In order to push through an idea or to inspire a different level of thinking means knowing where to start. And having just that little bit more knowledge combined with a talent for lateral thinking will make the difference. For example, there was a determination that the city would be zero net energy. So the team were pushed to find energy any where they could. Then they realised, said Bayley that they were sitting on a great renewable pool of heat energy – the residents sewerage. By moving water from the houses past the sewage, next to, never mixed with, and then on through another heat exchanger the residents have very low carbon hot water.

Educating for the future
Some of the genius of this development comes through not just the education of the architect, developer and the City about what is possible for this development but through the little touches that will also educate and engage the occupants. For example Hinge Park is a wet land stormwater treatment plant, it doesn’t look like one at all and if you didn’t know you would not guess. It is a place for “kids to play in the mud – like we used to” says Bayley. In addition to serving the needs of the designers, city and communitee it serves needs of educators with educational displays explaining this innovative solution to an engineering requirement in the park itself.

The impact this project had on the lives of the people working on it was significant. They learnt, and sometimes the hard way, how they are contributing to a community. They are educators in many senses however. Looking beyond their own staff Millenium have also provided training to innercity jobseekers in related industries. And now through www.thechallengeseries.ca website, set up by Bayley and sponsored by a raft of project participants they are sharing their process, battles and innovations with the world. Lets hope this inspires an other generation of green building stake holders to educate and share honestly their own trials, tribulations and successes.

How the Vancouver Winter Olympics site proved that consultants are not at the mercy of their clients. {jcomments off}

Roger Bayley, Founder, Merrick Architecture was lucky enough to be involved in a project that made a difference. The project was Vancouver’s Olympic Village at Southeast False Creek: Millennium Water. Working on government initiated or public projects can be characterised by unproductive debate, controversy, bureaucracy and stifling financial and traditionalist constraints. Not this one. This one, with Bayley’s and many other inspired consultants’ advice, pushed boundaries of what can be possible in terms of innovation and sustainability in a large scale development. This project is proof that all architects, engineers, contractors and everyone else with expertise in making urban spaces need to make difference is an open mind.

Roger Bayley, professional engineer and founding partner of Merrick Architecture, stepped into the role of design manager, responsible for coordinating a consultant team of roughly 150 people. Here is an example of how in this role Bayley was able to impact the development. At an early stage Bayley was faced with a design brief that forbid the use of water for irrigation. Now Bayley points out that would have really limited the landscaping options during the three warm dry months of Vancouver’s summer. So he began a process of negotiation that would keep within the water usage and reusage targets without acrificing the verdant environment that would ensure the development’s popularity. As Graham McGarvin, VIA Architecture said “We wanted to change the entire way that urban planning was done.” And they were in a position to do so. Everyone on the project learnt so much that Bayley decided to produce a book. It is available for free subscription online at  www.thechallengeseries.ca

Great things happened in this project because of the combined will and force of the team, says Bayley. The “intent” then fostered a commitment amongst all the consultants to work towards that intent. One of the first ways that that common committment cemented was through being locked up together for two days. But in fairly nice surroundings, sponsored by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Association. Right at the beginning a two day integrated design process kick-off meeting brought together around 100 consultants, stakeholders and interest groups to discuss issues relating to sustainable design. After going through the overall goals and brief people split into groups to discuss particular areas of interest. Diversity and passion of opinion characterised the groups’ make up. “There were people in the groups who thought air-conditioning was immoral” says Bayley. But living, working and eating together for two days both empowered and energised participants giving a “general sense of collaboration not just within the consulting team or developer but with the city of Vancouver”.

One failing however, and it was a significant failing, said Bayley, was that all the middle management participants went back to their offices with fully engaged and constructive states of mind to be faced by their strict and staid principals. Next time senior management will also need to participate. For example one idea generated during the charette was to create a street that had no gutters separating pavement and road but rather drained in the middle. The engineers required that’s just not how it’s done. This slowed the process, because in order for the consultant to educate the client they first need to believe in the solution themselves.

Private sector
Bayley got involved in the project after being part of a team, headed by first time green developer, Millenium, that won the RFP to develop the site after Vancouver had won the bid for the Olympics. As a prime location private developers had been wanting to get their hands on this waterfront site for some time. Now the government offered up the site on the condition that it not only conform to stringent environmental standards but that it would also incorporate the temporary use as an Olympic facility, retain heritage buildings and include a significant proportion of mid range and public housing. In some respects the constraints were bound to foster innovation. Bayley says, the “developers needed financially rewarding options, we couldn’t just say, ‘we need a rainwater collection system, here’s the bill’”. In this environment all parties have to be flexible. And governments and developers need to recognise their own contribution. A developer will typically say no to things such as thicker walls (that provide much enhanced thermal protection) or shading (for reduced air conditioning) because it will encroach on the salable area, and the financial returns. But when the design team is able to explain this to a receptive regulator then, floor area restrictions can be waived. In this case the City granted exclusions to ensure passive design requirements were met.

In order to push through an idea or to inspire a different level of thinking means knowing where to start. And having just that little bit more knowledge combined with a talent for lateral thinking will make the difference. For example, there was a determination that the city would be zero net energy. So the team were pushed to find energy any where they could. Then they realised, said Bayley that they were sitting on a great renewable pool of heat energy – the residents sewerage. By moving water from the houses past the sewage, next to, never mixed with, and then on through another heat exchanger the residents have very low carbon hot water.

Educating for the future
Some of the genius of this development comes through not just the education of the architect, developer and the City about what is possible for this development but through the little touches that will also educate and engage the occupants. For example Hinge Park is a wet land stormwater treatment plant, it doesn’t look like one at all and if you didn’t know you would not guess. It is a place for “kids to play in the mud – like we used to” says Bayley. In addition to serving the needs of the designers, city and communitee it serves needs of educators with educational displays explaining this innovative solution to an engineering requirement in the park itself.

The impact this project had on the lives of the people working on it was significant. They learnt, and sometimes the hard way, how they are contributing to a community. They are educators in many senses however. Looking beyond their own staff Millenium have also provided training to innercity jobseekers in related industries. And now through www.thechallengeseries.ca website, set up by Bayley and sponsored by a raft of project participants they are sharing their process, battles and innovations with the world. Lets hope this inspires an other generation of green building stake holders to educate and share honestly their own trials, tribulations and successes.

How the Vancouver Winter Olympics site proved that consultants are not at the mercy of their clients. {jcomments off}

Roger Bayley, Founder, Merrick Architecture was lucky enough to be involved in a project that made a difference. The project was Vancouver’s Olympic Village at Southeast False Creek: Millennium Water. Working on government initiated or public projects can be characterised by unproductive debate, controversy, bureaucracy and stifling financial and traditionalist constraints. Not this one. This one, with Bayley’s and many other inspired consultants’ advice, pushed boundaries of what can be possible in terms of innovation and sustainability in a large scale development. This project is proof that all architects, engineers, contractors and everyone else with expertise in making urban spaces need to make difference is an open mind.

Roger Bayley, professional engineer and founding partner of Merrick Architecture, stepped into the role of design manager, responsible for coordinating a consultant team of roughly 150 people. Here is an example of how in this role Bayley was able to impact the development. At an early stage Bayley was faced with a design brief that forbid the use of water for irrigation. Now Bayley points out that would have really limited the landscaping options during the three warm dry months of Vancouver’s summer. So he began a process of negotiation that would keep within the water usage and reusage targets without acrificing the verdant environment that would ensure the development’s popularity. As Graham McGarvin, VIA Architecture said “We wanted to change the entire way that urban planning was done.” And they were in a position to do so. Everyone on the project learnt so much that Bayley decided to produce a book. It is available for free subscription online at  www.thechallengeseries.ca

Great things happened in this project because of the combined will and force of the team, says Bayley. The “intent” then fostered a commitment amongst all the consultants to work towards that intent. One of the first ways that that common committment cemented was through being locked up together for two days. But in fairly nice surroundings, sponsored by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Association. Right at the beginning a two day integrated design process kick-off meeting brought together around 100 consultants, stakeholders and interest groups to discuss issues relating to sustainable design. After going through the overall goals and brief people split into groups to discuss particular areas of interest. Diversity and passion of opinion characterised the groups’ make up. “There were people in the groups who thought air-conditioning was immoral” says Bayley. But living, working and eating together for two days both empowered and energised participants giving a “general sense of collaboration not just within the consulting team or developer but with the city of Vancouver”.

One failing however, and it was a significant failing, said Bayley, was that all the middle management participants went back to their offices with fully engaged and constructive states of mind to be faced by their strict and staid principals. Next time senior management will also need to participate. For example one idea generated during the charette was to create a street that had no gutters separating pavement and road but rather drained in the middle. The engineers required that’s just not how it’s done. This slowed the process, because in order for the consultant to educate the client they first need to believe in the solution themselves.

Private sector
Bayley got involved in the project after being part of a team, headed by first time green developer, Millenium, that won the RFP to develop the site after Vancouver had won the bid for the Olympics. As a prime location private developers had been wanting to get their hands on this waterfront site for some time. Now the government offered up the site on the condition that it not only conform to stringent environmental standards but that it would also incorporate the temporary use as an Olympic facility, retain heritage buildings and include a significant proportion of mid range and public housing. In some respects the constraints were bound to foster innovation. Bayley says, the “developers needed financially rewarding options, we couldn’t just say, ‘we need a rainwater collection system, here’s the bill’”. In this environment all parties have to be flexible. And governments and developers need to recognise their own contribution. A developer will typically say no to things such as thicker walls (that provide much enhanced thermal protection) or shading (for reduced air conditioning) because it will encroach on the salable area, and the financial returns. But when the design team is able to explain this to a receptive regulator then, floor area restrictions can be waived. In this case the City granted exclusions to ensure passive design requirements were met.

In order to push through an idea or to inspire a different level of thinking means knowing where to start. And having just that little bit more knowledge combined with a talent for lateral thinking will make the difference. For example, there was a determination that the city would be zero net energy. So the team were pushed to find energy any where they could. Then they realised, said Bayley that they were sitting on a great renewable pool of heat energy – the residents sewerage. By moving water from the houses past the sewage, next to, never mixed with, and then on through another heat exchanger the residents have very low carbon hot water.

Educating for the future
Some of the genius of this development comes through not just the education of the architect, developer and the City about what is possible for this development but through the little touches that will also educate and engage the occupants. For example Hinge Park is a wet land stormwater treatment plant, it doesn’t look like one at all and if you didn’t know you would not guess. It is a place for “kids to play in the mud – like we used to” says Bayley. In addition to serving the needs of the designers, city and communitee it serves needs of educators with educational displays explaining this innovative solution to an engineering requirement in the park itself.

The impact this project had on the lives of the people working on it was significant. They learnt, and sometimes the hard way, how they are contributing to a community. They are educators in many senses however. Looking beyond their own staff Millenium have also provided training to innercity jobseekers in related industries. And now through www.thechallengeseries.ca website, set up by Bayley and sponsored by a raft of project participants they are sharing their process, battles and innovations with the world. Lets hope this inspires an other generation of green building stake holders to educate and share honestly their own trials, tribulations and successes.

With the impact of IT on corporate power consumption being increasingly in the spotlight, founder of the Uptime Institute, Kenneth G Brill points out that moving ‘’bits’’ instead of ‘’atoms’’ is more energy efficient.

City of Lodon will soon begin publishing energy consumption by street address. CIOs will be unflatteringly featured on this list because London is filled with the datacentres of major financial institutions, and these datacentres can consume up to 35 percent of the entire enterprise energy. This conspicuous consumption is likely to prompt picketing by environmental activists and negative news stories. If other cities and countries emulate London in shaming large energy users, CIOs may find themselves regularly spotlighted on the nightly news.

To avoid a public relations nightmare, CIOs, CEOs and boards of directors must start right now to develop arguments and empirical evidence for why the energy consumed by IT is more than offset by energy savings in other parts of the corporation or in society.

One of the critical environmental arguments IT must be able to make is that moving “bits” instead of “atoms” is significantly more energy efficient. What this means is that creating and transferring information digitally (bits) using IT is more energy efficient than physically moving paper or people (atoms). An obvious example is holding a meeting via video conferencing, Skype or GoToMeeting, rather than people traveling to meet in-person. After years of sputtering attempts, this form of energy substitution is now really taking off and makes “virtual officing” anywhere in the world feasible.

While electronically moving bits instead of physically moving atoms intuitively would seem to be much more energy efficient, not much has been done to validate this very important assumption. One reason is the research is not easy. Clear-cut business process or product lifecycle comparisons between bits or atoms alternatives involves uncharted scientific analysis to capture the enterprise or society-wide energy and CO2 cradle-to-grave consequences. Fortunately, one comprehensive study has recently been published by Jonathan Koomey and his colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University entitled “The Energy and Climate Change Impacts of Different Music Delivery Methods.”

While a fairly dry tomb of 23 pages with 39 references to other academic works, “Different Music Delivery Methods” is very important to CIOs and boards of directors because it is the first of what I hope will be a stream of research supporting the thesis that energy spent in the data center is good for our economy and society. Koomey exhaustively looked at all the energy consumed and CO2 created in the process of the electronic delivery of a music album via digital download (bits) vs. the more traditional method of producing and shipping a physical CD (atoms). The conclusions of the research illustrates how energy spent in IT offsets large amounts of unmeasured energy that would have otherwise been spent in the rest of the economy.

Koomey and colleagues looked at a total of six delivery alternatives–three for atoms and three for bits. The atoms choices included a consumer purchasing a CD at a store or online. The bits choices included digital downloading to an iPod or similar device where the music is stored in an electronic file or downloading the file and burning it to a CD. Each alternative was evaluated for consumer travel, last mile delivery, delivery packaging, retail store energy, ground and air freight, warehouse energy, data center energy, customer computer energy, CD case production and CD production.

The most energy-efficient alternative that produced the least carbon emissions was digital downloading to an iPod type device. The most energy inefficient and most CO2 producing by a factor of five was the consumer purchasing the CD at a retail store. Bits wins over atoms!

Despite the energy benefit to society, IT looks like a very conspicuous bad guy because virtually all the energy for the digital alternative is consumed in the data center and Internet where it is very visible and subject to reporting and regulation by street address. In contrast, three times more energy is spent by the consumer physically going to the retail store, but this is invisible and not easily counted.

CIOs and boards of directors must be prepared to effectively argue they are good corporate citisens despite ever-increasing IT energy consumption. Politicians, regulators and the public will need to be educated on how IT saves energy across an enterprise or in society.

Hundreds of scientific studies like Koomeys’ are going to be required. Industry associations, companies, government and academia will need to work together gathering evidence to further validate that bits are more beneficial to society than atoms.

Kenneth G. Brill is the founder and former Executive Director of the Uptime Institute.