A PROPOSED HIGH RISE MIXED-USED BUILDING WITH

A 4 LEVEL PODIUM
I. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY/PROPOSAL

Naga City is known as the regional center of Bicol Region. It is also Camarines
Sur's most populous city. The city’s population is estimated to be more than 170,000 and
is expected to increase in the coming years. Naga’s demographics show that it has a
fairly young population, with 55.39 percent of the whole population being comprised by
residents 24 years old and below. Naga is a secondary city in the Philippines not spared
from a common trend besieging emerging cities that is, developing rapidly to meet the
demands of economic activities which can eventually lead to disruption of other systems
within the city.

As the city continue to grow, the way construction and management of buildings
has never been more critical to its economic and social development. High-rise Building
are product of our time and temporary solutions for the problems they create. Land is
scarce and expensive particularly in cities, where tall buildings represents the best
solution for solving the problem, as a product of need. The rising population in cities has
also meant that mixed-use buildings are gaining greater importance and high-rise
construction is no longer restricted to the financial and business sectors. High-rise
construction can also be beneficial to the environment, not only because it takes up less
space but because systems like water, heating, cooling and waste are more cost-efficient
when they are being managed across a smaller area, with less distance to travel.

The proponent gathers data, information and related studies which aim to satisfy
and give solution to this study. The absorbing of variable ideas and prospective solutions
such as architectural design theories and concepts and architectural innovations will take
part as the study progresses.
II. ARCHITECTURAL THEORIES AND CONCEPTS

 DESIGN THEORIES AND PRINCIPLES

FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION

‘Form follows function’ is a principle that proposes a building’s purpose should be the
starting point for its design rather than its aesthetics. As an axiom, it is associated with
modernist architects in the early-20th century, and can be termed 'functionalism'.

The phrase (which was actually 'form ever follows function'), was first coined by the
American architect Louis Sullivan who helped develop the first steel skyscrapers in late-
19th century Chicago. This period was a transformative one for architecture, as the new
technologies and construction methods that developed during the Industrial Age meant
that old and established styles could be adapted or replaced.

The principle suggested that, rather than buildings being designed in accordance with
past precedents or stylistic trends, the purpose of the building would determine its form.
The axiom became a touchstone for modernist architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright
(who was an apprentice of Sullivan), who held that ‘form and function are one’, and
rendered decorative elements as ‘ornamental’ and ‘superfluous’.

Many high-profile contemporary architects, such as Renzo Piano and Zaha Hadid, and
designers of post-modern, high-tech buildings, have been criticised for their overt focus
on form as opposed to practicality and functionality.

Application in Architecture

The phrase "form (ever) follows function" became a battle cry of Modernist architects after
the 1930s. The credo was taken to imply that decorative elements, which architects call
"ornament", were superfluous in modern buildings. However, Sullivan himself neither
thought nor designed along such lines at the peak of his career. Indeed, while his
buildings could be spare and crisp in their principal masses, he often punctuated their
plain surfaces with eruptions of lush art nouveau and celtic revival decorations, usually
cast in iron or terracotta, and ranging from organic forms like vines and ivy, to more
geometric designs, and interlace, inspired by his Irish design heritage. Probably the most
famous example is the writhing green ironwork that covers the entrance canopies of the
Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building on South State Street in Chicago. These
ornaments, often executed by the talented younger draftsman in Sullivan's employ, would
eventually become Sullivan's trademark; to students of architecture, they are his instantly
recognizable signature.

 DESIGN CONCEPTS

BIOMIMETIC ARCHITECTURE

Biomimetic architecture is a contemporary philosophy of architecture that seeks solutions for

sustainability in nature, not by replicating the natural forms, but by understanding the rules governing
those forms. It is a multi-disciplinary approach to sustainable design that follows a set of principles
rather than stylistic codes. It is part of a larger movement known as biomimicry, which is the
examination of nature, its models, systems, and processes for the purpose of gaining inspiration in
order to solve man-made problems.

Biomimicry an Approach toward Sustainability of High-Rise Buildings

With the population growth and the scarcity of land in the inner cities, the average building
height is increasing. Separating living or working places from the ground and placing them
in height, solves the scarcity of land in the big cities; but it also separates people from
nature and ground. On the other hand, high-rise buildings have destructive environmental
impacts such as carbon dioxide emission and high-energy consumption. One innovative
approach to achieve harmonious coexistence between human society and nature is
biomimicry. Architects have considered nature as a great source of inspiration for
centuries. Nature provides creative solutions for human problems. Biomimicry claims that
nature is the most effective source of innovation for designers. Biomimicry is an
inspiration for intelligent and innovative engineering for minimizing or eliminating the
negative impact of the construction industry on the environment and reaching overall
sustainability of the buildings. The growing international research on biomimicry in the
building sector reveals various obstacles in the path of this method. One of them is the
lack of a clear approach that architects can employ [1]. In this regard, this paper studies
different approaches and levels of biomimicry that have evolved during recent years,
exemplifies, and discusses three tall buildings that biomimicry principles are applied in
their design. The case studies show that employing different levels of biomimicry might
result in various effects in high-rises sustainability.

The term Biomimicry derives from two words, Bio means life and mimicry means imitating.
Some scientists preferred to use the term Biomimicry and the others preferred to use the
term Bionic.The main aim of biomimicry is the creation of great designs by imitating
various living organisms that they have evolved during the 3.8 billion years [2]. Benyus J
defined Biomimicry as "a new discipline that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates
the designs and processes to solve human problems [3]"

Background of Biomimicry

Biomimicry invented and published by Prof. Benyus Janine in her book (Innovation
Inspired by Nature) in 1997. She proposed biomimicry as a new science that studies the
models of nature and imitates their designs for solving human problems. Biomimicry is
nothing new; people have been inspired by nature for a long time. However, Leonardo da
Vinci conducted the first scientific study in this field in 1482. He tried to invent flying
machines by studying the mechanism of the birds flying. Although he was not successful
with his flying machine but his idea was an inspiration for the Wright Brothers to invent
the first airplane in 1948 that is the best-known biomimicry invention.

Biomimicry in Architecture

Nature is everywhere and affects everything; it initiates life in the creatures. One of the
important solutions for design, whether in architecture or other arts and sciences has
been modeling and imitating nature [4]. Solving several problems in architecture is only
through the innovative solutions; the models inspired by nature can cause creativity and
innovation in the architect's mind. The transition from nature to architecture is a logical
process because the natural models have provided the best type of adaptation under a
variety of conditions over the years.

Biomimicry Approaches

Approaches to biomimicry as a design process fall into two categories

Design looking to biology

In this approach, designers identify a human need or design problem and they seek the
solutions in nature and organisms. This approach is used when designers are confident
about the aims of their designs. This approach is also called ‘‘Top-down Approach” and
‘‘Problem-Driven Biologically Inspired Design”.

Biology influencing design

When designers have the knowledge of biological research and it influences human
designs rather than first determining human design problems. This approach is also called
‘‘Bottom-Up Approach” and ‘‘Solution-Driven Biologically Inspired Design”.Biomimicry
approaches illustrates these two approaches (Figure 1).

Biomimicry Levels

In addition to these two approaches, three levels of biomimicry that can be applied in
design problems are form, process, and ecosystem [5]. Through each level, there are
five possible dimensions to
imitate (Table 1)
Table 1: A Framework for the Application of Biomimicry

Although these levels may have some overlap, they are necessary for completing
biomimicry approaches.
Sustainable Architecture

Sustainable buildings are “causing as little environmental interference as possible, such

as, the use of friendly environmental materials that do not constitute a health hazard, low
energy requirements, renewable energy use, high-quality and longevity as a guideline for
construction, and last but not least, an economical operation” . The benefit of sustainable
construction to the natural environment and human health is undeniable. It has been
shown that increasing about 2% in the initial investment cost (in order to support
sustainable design) leads to nearly 20% saving in overall building cost. As Kim JJ, Rigdon
B stated there are three fundamental levels of sustainability in architecture: reducing
resource consumption that deals with reusing and recycling natural resources used in
construction, designing based on life cycle which presents a way to analyze construction
process and its impact on environment, and finally human design that focuses on the
interaction between human and the natural world.

The basic principles of sustainable architecture

• Locational, functional, and structural solutions need to be selected in harmony with the
local conditions, such as topography, microclimate, soil composition, water surfaces, flora
etc.

• Size must be limited, including the footprint, i.e. the reduction of used green areas.

• Natural features must be enhanced and it is advisable to use renewable energy

resources such as solar energy, wind, biomass etc.

• The daily use must be carefully planned and organized, otherwise the building cannot
be considered ecological.

• Building structures, sanitary engineering systems, alternative ways of construction are

to employ environment-friendly building materials and consider ecological construction
theories.
• Environment-conscious ventilation, energy, material consumption must be observed in
the functioning of the building as well.

• Recycling materials, conserving water in different ways such as harvesting rainwater,

and recycling gray water.

Biomimicry to increase sustainability

Built environment is held responsible for environmental and social problems like
excessive waste production, energy, and material use, and greenhouse gas emission
attributed to the habitats humans have created for themselves. With this rapid
development of urban construction, a mechanism should be applied to reduce these
harmful effects. Biomimicry suggests innovative and eco-friendly approaches that can
provide compatible and flexible solutions.

High-rise Buildings

Tall or high-rise building is a type of building with a small footprint and roof area in
comparison with its huge façade surface. Tall buildings construction is the result of the
scarcity of land and the urban population growth.

Tall buildings are classified into three types (Figure 2):

Figure 2: Classification of buildings based on height.

• Tall buildings with the average height of 50 to 300 meters. This building type constitutes
90% of the total tall buildings worldwide.

• Supertall buildings with the average height of 300 to 600 meters. This building type
constitutes 10% of the total tall buildings.

• Megatall buildings with the average height of 50 to 300 meters. This building type
constitutes 0.05% of the total tall buildings around the world.

Living in tall buildings has its own advantages. It can offer accommodation for a wide
range of people close to their workplace that causes fewer work trips and less fuel
consumption. The modern high-rises provide amenities such as shopping centers, pools,
gyms, and public spaces for social interaction so that residents do not need to find other
places for these activities. Residents of upper floors often enjoy the pleasant view. On the
other hand, there are disadvantages that may cause people resistance to live in high-
rises. Some people feel isolated from the surroundings in tall buildings. Although there
might be private balconies for each floor, they are not functional most of the time either
for their small size or for strong winds. Living adjacent to many strange neighbors might
be difficult and sometimes troublesome.

Biomimicry to Increase Sustainability of tall Buildings

High rises are an unavoidable part of our modern world. The necessity of tall buildings is
increasing as a result of land scarcity and its rising prices. Because of tall buildings’ large
scale and high consumption of energy and materials, their sustainability is more crucial
than any other types of building. Buildings are responsible for nearly half of CO2
emissions and they consume nearly half of all the energy produced (Figures 3 and 4).
The energy consumption is increasingly growing all over the world. The environmental
impact of energy production and consumption has become a main concern. Therefore,
the efficient use of energy in the building sector is essential (Figure 5). Despite the
disadvantages mentioned, construction of highrise buildings is a necessity because of
optimum use of the land and sometimes the need for an urban landmark. Solving
environmental, socio-cultural, and economic problems that these high-rise buildings
impose, leads the architects towards biomimicry architecture with a sustainable approach

DESIGN CONCEPT (BIOMIMICRY)

Exoskeleton

An exoskeleton is the external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in
contrast to the internal skeleton (endoskeleton) of, for example, a human. In usage, some
of the larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as "shells". Examples of animals with
exoskeletons include insects such as grasshoppers and cockroaches, and crustaceans
such as crabs and lobsters. The shells of certain sponges and the various groups of
shelled molluscs, including those of snails, clams, tusk
shells, chitons and nautilus, are also exoskeletons.
Some animals, such as the tortoise, have both an
endoskeleton and an exoskeleton.

Exoskeletons contain rigid and resistant components

that fulfill a set of functional roles in many animals
including protection, excretion, sensing, support, The discarded exoskeleton (exuviae)
of dragonfly nymph
feeding and acting as a barrier against desiccation in
terrestrial organisms. Exoskeletons have a role in defense from pests and predators,
support, and in providing an attachment framework for musculature.

Exoskeletons contain chitin; the addition of calcium carbonate makes them harder and
stronger. Ingrowths of the arthropod exoskeleton known as apodemes serve as
attachment sites for muscles. These structures are composed of chitin, and are
approximately six times as strong and twice as stiff as vertebrate tendons. Similar to
tendons, apodemes can stretch to store elastic energy for jumping, notably in locusts.

Growth
Since exoskeletons are rigid, they present
some limits to growth. Organisms with open
shells can grow by adding new material to the
aperture of their shell, as is the case in snails,
bivalves and other molluscans. A true
exoskeleton, like that found in arthropods, must
be shed (moulted) when it is outgrown. A new
borings in exoskeletons can provide evidence of animal
exoskeleton is produced beneath the old one. behavior. In this case, boring sponges attacked this hard
clam shell after the death of the clam, producing the trace
fossil Entobia.
As the old one is shed, the new skeleton is soft
and pliable. The animal will pump itself up[ambiguous] to expand the new shell to maximal
size, then let it harden. When the shell has set, the empty space inside the new skeleton
can be filled up as the animal eats. Failure to shed the exoskeleton once outgrown can
result in the animal being suffocated within its own shell, and will stop subadults from
reaching maturity, thus preventing them from reproducing. This is the mechanism behind
some insect pesticides, such as Azadirachtin.

Paleontological significance

Exoskeletons, as hard parts of organisms, are greatly useful in assisting preservation of

organisms, whose soft parts usually rot before they can be fossilized. Mineralized
exoskeletons can be preserved "as is", as shell fragments, for example. The possession
of an exoskeleton also permits a couple of other routes to fossilization. For instance, the
tough layer can resist compaction, allowing a mold of the organism to be formed
underneath the skeleton, which may later decay. Alternatively, exceptional preservation
may result in chitin being mineralized, as in the Burgess Shale, or transformed to the
resistant polymer keratin, which can resist decay and be recovered.

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

Vernacular architecture is an architectural style that is designed based on local needs,

availability of construction materials and reflecting local traditions. Traditionally,
vernacular architecture did not use formally-schooled architects, but relied on the design
skills and tradition of local builders, who were rarely given any attribution for the work.
However, since the late 19th century many professional architects have worked in this
style and interest in vernacular architecture now forms part of a broader interest in
sustainable design.

Vernacular architecture can be contrasted against polite architecture which is

characterized by stylistic elements of design intentionally incorporated for aesthetic
purposes which go beyond a building's functional requirements. This article also covers
the term traditional architecture, which exists somewhere between the two extremes yet
still is based upon authentic themes.

Vernacular and the architect

Architecture designed by professional architects is usually not considered to be

vernacular. Indeed, it can be argued that the very process of consciously designing a
building makes it not vernacular. Paul Oliver, in his book Dwellings, states: "...it is
contended that 'popular architecture' designed by professional architects or commercial
builders for popular use, does not come within the compass of the vernacular".Oliver also
offers the following simple definition of vernacular architecture: "the architecture of the
people, and by the people, but not for the people."

Frank Lloyd Wright described vernacular architecture as "Folk building growing in

response to actual needs, fitted into environment by people who knew no better than to
fit them with native feeling" suggesting that it is a primitive form of design, lacking
intelligent thought, but he also stated that it was "for us better worth study than all the
highly self-conscious academic attempts at the beautiful throughout Europe".

 PASSIVE SOLAR ARCHITECTURE

Passive Solar Architecture is a way of designing buildings that takes advantage of the
benefits of the local environment (such as sunlight), while minimising the adverse impacts
of the climate (such as cold night time temperatures) on the comfort level of the building.
The human body has an interior temperature of 37o C. If our body temperature falls we
feel cold, and if it rises we feel hot. We keep our body temperature at the point where we
feel comfortable in a number of ways. These include eating food, wearing clothing, and
by heating our homes. The comfort level of a building is the interior temperature at which
you feel comfortable without needing lots of extra clothing or blankets to maintain your
temperature. Providing additional heating from a stove or a heater is one way of
increasing the comfort level of a house or building.

Domestic and Industrial buildings currently use around 50% of all the energy used in the
world. Some of the energy is used in processing raw materials into construction materials
like bricks and glass, but most is used in heating, cooling and lighting buildings once they
are constructed. In cold climates, the amount of energy required to heat buildings is far
greater than in buildings located in warmer parts of the world. In the Himalayas, energy
for heating usually comes from biomass fuels. These include wood, bushes and dried
animal dung. In many areas, including Ladakh and Mustang, these fuels are becoming
increasingly difficult to find, and collecting fuel takes up a lot of time each day, as well as
degrading the local environment.

Alternative sources of energy can also be used for heating. These are usually fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels are so-called because they are essentially ‘stored sunlight’ that has been
converted into another form by deep burial in the earths crust. High temperatures and
pressures under the surface of the earth convert organic materials like wood and other
organic material into coal, natural gas, and oil. Coal and gas can be burnt directly to
provide heat, but oil is usually refined into different forms, including petrol, diesel, and
kerosene. Fossil fuels such as kerosene are often used in mountain areas, but they are
expensive, and require special stoves and lanterns to use the fuel efficiently. Biomass
and fossil fuels all release gasses and particulates when they burn. Gasses are usually
invisible, and include carbon dioxide, which has impacts on the global environment by
accelerating global warming. Other gasses, like carbon monoxide, have impacts within
the home, by affecting breathing and reducing the oxygen content of the blood.
Particulates, like smoke and soot, make homes dirty, but most importantly give people
very bad coughs and sore eyes.
Passive Solar Concepts

There are four inter-related components in passive solar buildings, which work together
to make the buildings efficient utilisers of energy:

 Collection and absorption of the maximum amount of solar radiation during the day
 Storage of the heat collected from the suns radiation during the day
 Release of this heat into the interior of the building during the night
 Insulation of the whole building to retain as much of the heat as possible inside the
 Building

Bioclimatic Design

The passive solar concepts described above all

work in conjunction, and are themselves
influenced by a wide variety of external factors.
The term bioclimatic design refers to the
interrelationship between the four concepts
above, and the rest of the environment. Bioclimatic influences are complex, and are
summarised below:

The Greenhouse

Effect This important characteristic of glass makes it a basic material for the majority of
solar systems. The majority of incident solar radiation is transmitted through a pane of
glass. This radiation heats the inside surfaces of the glazed room. The inside temperature
rises because the radiative heat losses from the inner surfaces to the outside environment
are re-reflected into the room by the glass. Therefore, once solar radiation has been
transmitted through the glass it cannot be transmitted back through the glass. This is
because the wavelength of the radiation is changed during its passage through the glass.
The greenhouse effect works with polythene, but the process is 50 % less efficient than
with a glass cover.

Absorption

The amount of solar energy absorbed by a material is linked with its colour. The colour
white reflects most of the suns radiation, while black absorbs most of it. The proportion of
the sun radiation absorbed by a specific colour is called absorbivity.

 GREEN ARCHITECTURE

GREEN ARCHITECTURE: A CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is comprehensive therefore a complex subject. It is of vital importance to all

because it deals with the survival of human species and almost every living creature on
the planet. Sustainable and eco-friendly architecture is one of the main aims that humans
for creating a better life have made as the ultimate model for all their activities. For this
reason, moving towards a greener architecture is well-thought-out the main goal of the
present architecture of our time (Mahdavinejad, 2014)

Green Architecture Green architecture, or green design, is an approach to building that

minimizes harmful effects on human health and the environment. The "green" architect
or designer attempts to safeguard air, water, and earth by choosing eco-friendly building
materials and construction practices (Roy,2008).

Green Architecture and Green Design Green architecture defines an understanding of

environment-friendly architecture under all classifications, and contains some universal
consent (Burcu, 2015), It may have many of these characteristics:

 Ventilation systems designed for efficient heating and cooling

 Energy-efficient lighting and appliances
 Water-saving plumbing fixtures
 Landscapes planned to maximize passive solar energy
 Minimal harm to the natural habitat
 Alternate power sources such as solar power or wind power
 Non-synthetic, non-toxic materials
 Locally-obtained woods and stone
 Responsibly-harvested woods
 Adaptive reuse of older buildings
 Use of recycled architectural salvage
 Efficient use of space

While most green buildings do not have all of these features, the highest goal of green
architecture is to be fully sustainable. Also Known As: Sustainable development, eco-
design, eco-friendly architecture, earth-friendly architecture, environmental architecture,
natural architecture.

CONSIDERATION FOR GREEN BUILDING

Green building involves consideration in four main areas: site development, material
selection and minimization, energy efficiency, and indoor air quality

• Consider site development to reduce the impact of development on the natural

environment. For example, orient the buildings to take advantage of solar access, shading
and wind patterns that will lessen heating and cooling loads.

• Carefully select materials that are durable, contain recycled content, and are locally
manufactured to reduce negative environmental impacts. A growing market exists of
quality recycled products at affordable prices.

• Incorporate energy-efficient design into buildings to create an efficient and comfortable

environment. Take advantage of the natural elements and technologies to conserve
resources and increase occupant comfort/productivity while lowering long-term
operational costs and pollutants.

• Design for high indoor air quality to promote occupant health and productivity.

• Minimize the waste in construction and demolition processes by recovering materials

and reusing or recycling those.

THE PRINCIPLES OF GREEN BUILDING DESIGN

The green building design process begins with an intimate understanding of the site in all
its beauties and complexities. An ecological approach to design aims to integrate the
systems being introduced with the existing on-site ecological functions performed by
Mother Nature. These ecological functions provide habitat, respond to the movements of
the sun, purify the air as well as catch, filter and store water. Designers can create
features in their buildings that mimic the functions of particular eco-systems. Species that
thrive in natural ecosystems may also utilize habitats created in man-made structures.
Creating new habitat on structures in urbanized areas is especially important to support
bio-diversity and a healthy ecosystem (Thomas, 2009). The following points summarize
key principles, strategies and technologies which are associated with the five major
elements of green building design which are:
Sustainable Site Design;

Water Conservation and Quality;

Energy and Environment;

Indoor Environmental Quality;

Conservation of Materials and Resources.

This information supports of the use of the USGBC LEED Green Building Rating System,
but focuses on principles and strategies rather than specific solutions or technologies,
which are often site specific and will vary from project to project (USGBC). Fig.1: Elements
of green building design by author (USGBC).

Water Systems Water - often called the source of life - can be captured, stored, filtered,
and reused. It provides a valuable resource to be celebrated in the process of green
building design. According to Art Ludwig in Create an Oasis out of Greywater, only about
6% of the water we use is for drinking. There is no need to use potable water for irrigation
or sewage. The Green Building Design course introduces methods of rainwater
harvesting, grey water systems, and living pools . The protection and conservation of
water throughout the life of a building may be accomplished by designing for dual
plumbing that recycles water in toilet flushing or by using water for washing of the cars.
Waste-water may be minimized by utilizing water conserving fixtures such as ultra-low
flush toilets and low-flow shower heads. Bidets help eliminate the use of toilet paper,
reducing sewer traffic and increasing possibilities of re-using water on-site. Point of use
water treatment (fig5) and heating improves both water quality and energy efficiency while
reducing the amount of water in circulation. The use of non-sewage and greywater for on-
site use such as site-irrigation will minimize demands on the local aquifer (Stephen &
Harrell, 2008).

Passive Solar Design Passive solar design refers to the use of the sun’s energy for the
heating and cooling of living spaces. The building itself or some element of it takes
advantage of natural energy characteristics in its materials to absorb and radiate the heat
created by exposure to the sun. Passive systems are simple, have few moving parts and
no mechanical systems, require minimal maintenance and can decrease, or even
eliminate, heating and cooling costs.

Passive solar design uses that to capture the sun’s energy:

Solar passive features

Shape and form of buildings.

Orientation of the facades.

Design of Building plan and section.

Thermal insulation and thermal storage of roof.

Thermal Insulation and thermal storage of the exterior walls.

Homes in any climate can take advantage of solar energy by incorporating passive solar
design features and decreasing carbon dioxide emissions. Even in cold winters, passive
solar design can help cut heating costs and increase comfort. Solar buildings are
designed to keep environment comfortable in all seasons without much expenditure on
electricity 30 to 40% savings with additional 5 to 10% cost towards passive features. Major
Components: Orientation, double glazed windows, window overhangs, thermal storage
walls roof, roof painting, Ventilation, evaporation, day lighting, construction material etc.
Designs depend on direction & intensity of Sun & wind, ambient temp., humidity etc.
Different designs for different climatic zones.

Green Building Materials

Green building materials are generally composed of renewable rather than non-
renewable resources and are environmentally responsible because their impacts are
considered over the life of the product. In addition, green building materials generally
result in reduced maintenance and replacement costs over the life of the building,
conserve energy, and improve occupant health and productivity. Green building materials
can be selected by evaluating characteristics such as reused and recycled content, zero
or low off-gassing of harmful air emissions, zero or low toxicity, sustainably and rapidly
renewable harvested materials, high recyclability, durability, longevity, and local
production.

The materials common to many types of natural building are clay and sand. When mixed
with water and, usually, straw or another fiber, the mixture may form cob or adobe (clay
blocks). Other materials commonly used in natural building are: earth (as rammed earth
or earth bag), wood (cordwood or timber frame/post-and-beam), straw, rice-hulls, bamboo
and stone. A wide variety of reused or recycled non-toxic materials are common in natural
building, including urbanite (salvaged chunks of used concrete), vehicle windscreens and
other recycled glass (Woolley , 2006). One-half of the world’s population lives or works in
buildings constructed of earth. Straw bale construction is now gaining in popularity and
Many jurisdictions in California have adopted the Straw bale Building Code.

Green Building Design favors natural building for its local availability, ease of use, lack of
toxic ingredients, increased energy efficiency, and aesthetic appeal (NAOHB, 1998).
Several other materials are increasingly avoided by many practitioners of this building
approach, due to their major negative environmental or health impacts. These include
unsustainably harvested wood, toxic wood-preservatives, Portland cement-based mixes,
paints and other coatings that off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and some
plastics, particularly polyvinyl chloride (PVC or "vinyl") and those containing harmful
plasticizers or hormone-mimicking formulations.

Living Architecture

The environment like our bodies can metabolize nutrients and waste. Living Architecture
focuses on these processes, integrating ecological functions into the buildings to catch,
store, and filter water, purify air, and process other nutrients. Living Architecture also
addresses biophilia, the documented health benefits associated with being in touch with
living systems in the built environment. Throughout history greening of outside walls and
roofs of buildings has taken place. Reasons for doing so were the increase of insulation
(keep cool in summer and keep cold out in winter), improved aesthetics, improved indoor
and outdoor climate, reduce the greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2),
Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) as well as increasing ecological
values by creating habitats for birds and insects.

Green roofs serve several purposes for a building, such as absorbing rainwater, providing
insulation, creating a habitat for wildlife, increasing benevolence and decreasing stress
of the people around the roof by providing a more aesthetically pleasing landscape, and
helping to lower urban air temperatures and mitigate the heat island effect. There are two
types of green roof:

1. Intensive roofs, which are thicker, with a minimum depth of 12.8 cm, and can support
a wider variety of plants but are heavier and require more maintenance.

2. Extensive roofs, which are shallow, ranging in depth from 2 cm to 12.7 cm, lighter than
intensive green roofs, and require minimal maintenance.The term green roof may also be
used to indicate roofs that use some form of green technology, such as a cool roof, a roof
with solar thermal collectors or photovoltaic panels. Green roofs are also referred to as
eco-roofs, vegetated roofs, living roofs, green roofs and VCPH.

Green Walls

Also known as vertical greenery is actually introducing plants onto the building façade.
Comparing to green roof, green walls can cover more exposed hard surfaces in the built
environment where skyscrapers are the predominant building style. According to Ken
(Ken,2008), if a skyscraper has a plant ratio of one to seven, and then the façade area is
equivalent to almost three times the area. So, if the building is covered two thirds of the
façade, this have contributed to doubling the extend of vegetation on site. So a skyscraper
can become green, thus increasing the organic mass on the site. There are three types
of Green Walls: The green walls can be divided into three fundamental types according
to the species of the plants; types of growing media and construction method.

1. Wall-climbing Green wall is the very common and traditional green walls method.
Although it is a time consuming process, climbing plants can cover the walls of building
naturally. Sometimes they are grown upwards with the help of a trellis or other supporting
systems (Wilmers, 1990).

2. Hanging-down Green Wall is also another popular approach for green walls. It can
easily form a complete vertical green belt on a multi-story building through planting at
every story compare to the wall-climbing type.

3. Module Green Wall is the latest concept compared to the previous two types. It
requires more complicated design and planning considerations before a vertical system
can come to place. It is also probably the most expensive green walls method.

GREEN BUILDING BENEFITS

Green building is not a simple development trend; it is an approach to building suited to

the demands of its time, whose relevance and importance will only continue to increase
(USGBC)

Comfort. Because a well-designed passive solar home or building is highly energy

efficient, it is free of drafts. Extra sunlight from the south windows makes it more cheerful
and pleasant in the winter than a conventional house

•Economy. If addressed at the design stage, passive solar construction doesn’t have to
cost more than conventional construction, and it can save money on fuel bills.

•Aesthetics. Passive solar buildings can have a conventional appearance on the outside,
and the passive solar features make them bright and pleasant inside.

•Environmentally responsible. Passive solar homes can significantly cut use of heating
fuel and electricity used for lighting. If passive cooling strategies are used in the design,
summer air conditioning costs can be reduced as well.

III. RELATED LITERATURES/STUDIES

FOREIGN

A CASE STUDY : ENTISAR TOWER

Entisar is a super tall tower located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Currently under
construction, the completion date is scheduled for 2020. When finished, Entisar will be
the second tallest tower in the city measuring 525 meters (1700 feet). It is a mixed-use
complex comprised of residential, hospitality, and retail located along Sheikh Zayed Road
in the Dubai World Trade District. This paper will examine the development of the building
envelope in relation to the project design principles, programmatic uses, functionality and
thermal performance. As a central focus, the paper will underscore the importance and
responsibility of developing an enclosure system to satisfy the human comfort, needs,
and experience for inhabitants residing 500 meters (1640 feet) above sea level.

The design principle that guides the development of the overall enclosure system is to
enhance the experience of high-rise living for the tower inhabitants. This design principle
touches every aspect of the enclosure system and at times was at odds with thermal
performance requirements and energy goals. The design of the enclosure system was
the resolution of these diametrically opposite demands. The design implements several
means to satisfy these requirements including glass coatings, IGU inserts, unique
interlayer laminations as well as unitized unit sizes. This paper will retrace the challenges
of enhancing occupant experience while satisfying performance requirements of the
enclosure system.

Tower Organization

From its inception, Entisar Tower was based on the idea of a vertical organization of
communities, providing various residential types combined with a diversity of services and
amenities catered to the needs of the residents. This model stems from garden type
developments that are typical in the region. These developments are comprised of
diverse communities based on a variety of housing types that include garden style
apartments, single-family townhouses and mid-rise apartments each of which appeal to
various demographic groups ranging from single professionals, to couples to young
families. Each individual community is served by an array of amenities that include
recreational, leisure and communal activities. Services that complete these developments
consist of a central retail and professional services hub that include cafes, grocery stores,
health care and similar services. Entisar takes this model as a basis and reorganizes it
into a vertical format to create communities for vertical living.

Entisar is divided vertically into six

components: (1) Podium; (2) Serviced
Apartments; (3) Residential (R); (4)
Residential One (R1); (5) Residential Two
(R2); and (6) Penthouses. Except for the
podium, each of these components
creates a self-sufficient community with
the retail podium providing services to the
tower as a whole. As in the garden
community model, Entisar offers different
residential types to attract a diverse
residential population. The five residential
and hospitality components create six
distinct communities each served by its
own set of amenity floors. The amenity
floors are located at the base of each
community and constitute outdoor gardens
and pools, cafes, juice bars, gyms, spas,
Figure 2. Vertical organization of Entisar Tower; vertically organized
community rooms, yoga, daycare, libraries communities

and other leisure, recreational and

communal activities. The formal
articulation of Entisar tower clearly
expresses the organization of these
individual communities subdividing the
tower into a composition of neighborhood
zones.

IV. ARCHITECTURAL INNOVATIONS

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

DOMOTIC CONTROL OF HVAC SYSTEM

DOMOTIC - Demonstration Of Models for Optimisation of Technologies for Intelligent

Construction

The environment and health problems associated with the emission of greenhouse gases
(GHG) into the atmosphere are one of the main concerns of the EU. Atmospheric pollution
is the primary cause of environment-related disease in Europe and is the principal cause
of global climate change. European environmental regulations and strategies are
dedicated to combating climate change and to meeting international objectives for
reducing GHG emissions (such as the Kyoto agreement). Heating and lighting in buildings
consumes more than 40% of the total energy used in the EU. To meet the objective of a
20% reduction in GHG emissions in the EU by 2020, it is therefore essential to promote
policies that maximise the energy efficiency of buildings.

‘Domotics’ is a term used to describe home automation or the automation of household

appliances. It is an emerging technology that uses automated or semi-automated control
of features such as lighting, heating and ventilation systems in the home. Its intelligent
use can also improve the efficiency of energy consumption of these household features.

The DOMOTIC project showed how CO2 emissions can be reduced by using smart
technologies such as Domotics and Inmotics in high-occupancy buildings that consume
large amounts of energy. The project introduced three models of the latest generation of
house automation into three demonstration buildings: a training centre (FSV) more than
20 years old located in Zaragoza; a new university (USJ) located in Villanueva de Gállego
(Zaragoza); and a museum/interpretative centre (PRAE) located in Valladolid. These
buildings were chosen to provide a range in terms of year of construction and structure
type. Isolated home devices, such as motion detectors, were used in all three building,
while action systems and integrated control of lighting, heating and HVAC (KNX Standard
in FSV and USJ) were also used. A building management system (BMS) for consumption
control and management, and renewable energy production systems (Sedical and
DEXCell) operate on the PRAE premises.

In the experimental period, and in the whole project, a reduction of 43.65% in electricity
consumption and 39.71% in diesel consumption (912 MWh of electricity and of natural
gas) was achieved, generating savings of more than €275 000. In terms of primary
energy, the project prevented the consumption of 297.14 toe (tonnes of oil equivalent)
and the emission of 1 090 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

Taking into account the replacement of fossil fuel with renewable energy (solar thermal
and biomass) at the PRAE premises, the consumption of 427.39 toe and the emission of
1 511 t of CO2 was avoided. This equates to savings of €365 000. On average, the three
actions undertaken were shown to have the potential for reducing energy consumption
by 41.3% (2 140 MWh).

Moreover, all actions resulted in savings in electricity consumption of more than 40%. The
performance of lighting in FSV was particularly notable. It was shown that, by combining
a change of the lighting system with an integrated regulation through KNX, savings of
over 50% (52.25%) can be achieved.

It was also demonstrated that, even without a change of the lighting system, carrying out
a thorough control of consumption at the highest possible level of disaggregation through
BMS and acting on the detected critical points can generate savings of more than 40%
(USJ: 44.33% and FPN: 42.37%).

This potential of BMS taken to reduce fossil fuel or even biomass consumption (referred
to as savings in “equivalent fuel”) was shown by the nearly 50% savings achieved by FPN
in the PRAE premises (49.22%). However, it is difficult to achieve similar savings in older
buildings due to the amount of investment needed to optimise efficiency. It is sometimes
necessary to carry out a full renovation of the whole system. Nevertheless, in the FSV
building (the older one) the power consumption was reduced by 20.38% through the
application of the implemented KNX control system, which takes into account the outdoor
and indoor temperature in order to regulate the flow and return water temperature from
the boiler room. Of the total avoided emissions (1 511 tonnes of CO2), 72.14% came
directly from the reduction in energy consumption achieved by applying home automation
solutions; the remaining 27.86% came from using renewable energy generated in the
PRAE premises in Valladolid.

Overall, the implemented home automation solutions have led to a 63.9% annual
improvement in terms of energy efficiency and use of renewable energies, an emissions
reduction of 680 t CO2/year, an economic benefit of €162 000/year, and an average return
on investment of 4 years.

The replication potential of the project is quite high due to the technological maturity of
the implanted devices and their availability on the market, the modularity of systems,
equipment and components used, the versatility and adaptability of the three models
tested, the excellent cost/benefit ratios and the short payback periods, and the significant
environmental benefits. Furthermore, the beneficiaries signed an agreement with the
Archdiocese of Zaragoza for the effective transfer of the models validated during the
project to two singular buildings in Zaragoza: the Diocesan Museum of Zaragoza and La
Magdalena Parish Church.

GREENERY

SKYCOURT AND SKYGARDEN

Population increase, advances in technology, and the continued trend towards inner city
migration through economic progress has transformed the traditional city of spaces into
the modern, high rise city of objects. This has necessitated alternative spatial and
technological solutions to replenish those environments that were once so intrinsic to our
day‐to‐day interactions and communal activities. This paper considers the skycourt and
skygarden in terms of their social, economic, environmental and spatial benefits that they
provide to the urban habitat. The paper argues that they have the potential to be
‘alternative’ social spaces that can form part of a broader multi‐level open space
infrastructure that seeks to replenish the loss of open space within the urban habitat. It
starts to illustrate how semi‐ public spaces can be incorporated into high‐rise structures,
and be suitably placed into a hierarchy of open spaces that supports the primary figurative
spaces on the ground or, in their absence, create them in the sky. It also advocates for a
new hybrid that harness the social characteristics of the public domain, but placed within
buildings as an alternative social space for the 21st century.

The skycourt and skygarden: spatial morphology and perceived density

In urban terms, ‘density’ often carries the negative spatial and social connotation of the
close proximity of buildings in one constrained location, or of cramped living conditions
where there is a heightened proximity between individuals. According to the academic
Vicky Cheng, perceived density refers to ‘the interaction between the individual and the
space, and between individuals in the space’, which requires the concepts of spatial
density (‘the perception of density with respect to the relationship among spatial
elements’) and social density (‘the interaction between people’) to distinguish between
the two different aspects of the former (Cheng, 2010). She points out that these definitions
demonstrate how perceived densities straddle different disciplines under different
contexts and how urban density is intrinsically associated with the shaping and
densification of urban morphology. Societies aversion to urban density given pre‐
conceived notions that such environments lack space for interaction, or are homogenous
environments that lack character, therefore requires careful consideration – particularly
as there are a myriad of case studies of high‐density environments that embody such
attributes but are celebrated urban settings for its inhabitants and visitors alike (OECD,
2012). Hong Kong and Paris demonstrate this, and also how high‐density urban habitats
need not relate to just high‐rise.

A skycourt can be initially defined in terms of their spatial morphology and how they can
reduce the perceived densities of a tall building, or high‐density development, by breaking
the mass and potential monotony of repetitive floorplates by the juxtaposition of solid and
void (Pomeroy, 2005; 2007). They have the ability to evoke the human scale and
proportion of the traditional street by presenting themselves within high‐density urban
habitats and tall buildings as interstitial open or enclosed spaces that balance the
figurative (semi‐public) void within the solid of the (private) object. As the word ‘court’
suggests, a sense of enclosure can be created by the void space being bordered by other
buildings within the immediate urban context, or formed by its own internal facades.

Skycourts are often located to the perimeter of buildings and are commonly 3 stories or
more to allow the benefit of greater light and ventilation to penetrate deeper into the
structure – thus enhancing the internal environment. Such proportions also permit,
depending on orientation and climatic factors, the incorporation and growth of trees or
extensive landscaping to further enhance their aesthetic, socio‐physiological and
environmental properties of these social spaces.

A rooftop garden has been defined as a landscaped environment built on the roof of a
building that is strong enough to support the load, and is ideally suited to reinforced
concrete and steel structures (Osmundson, 1999).

A skygarden, on the other hand, tends to refer to an open or enclosed landscaped open
space that can be dispersed through the higher levels of the urban habitat or tall building,
and has become a generic term that occasionally substitutes the terms skycourt and
rooftop garden. As the name suggests, emphasis is often placed on the aesthetic qualities
of the garden setting and its appeal to occupants. Just as one normally finds a proportion
of open space to built‐up area in ground scraping mixed‐use developments, skycourts
and skygardens start to vertically balance open space to built‐up area ratios within the tall
building (Pomeroy, 2010). Stephen Holl’s Linked Hybrid, in Beijing, explores the de‐
densification of urban centres by the incorporation of skycourts, skygardens and
skybridges and acknowledges Beijing’s change of urban morphology (figure 04). The
Linked Hybrid conceptually seeks to reconcile the city of objects with a city of spaces by
interlinking 8 towers via a 20th storey ring of skybridges that include sports facilities,
education, bookshops, cafes, exhibition space, healthcare, postal and management
services. The typically repetitive nature of the high‐density residential development in the
region is discarded in favour for a diversity of apartment configurations and sizes that are
further spatially deconstructed by the presence of the skycourts that help reduce the
perceived densities.

The skycourt and skygarden as a social space

The skycourt and skygarden can act as social spaces in the sky that help replenish the
loss of open space potentially surrendered through urban densification. Like its public
space counterpart, these skyrise spaces can permit communal group’s to form and
disband, and in so doing potentially present the contestation of its space amongst social
groups as to its function that meet regularly. For instance, students may gather within
such spaces outside of school hours to share notes before disbanding; office workers
may meet with fellow workers from different departments for coffee or lunch breaks,
before returning to their respective departments within a working day; residents may
populate these spaces during the weekend and / or in evenings to meet with neighbours
and friends before retiring to their home, and tourist groups may gather to observe a
panoramic view but will similarly disband upon closing time. It’s continual use by a
dominant individual; group or association can imprint an element of informal territoriality
on a place that may implicitly restrict the use of the space by others.

WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTEWATER AND STORMWATER TREATMENT

The treatment of wastewater and stormwater means the reduction and removal of
pollutants from the water. The first principle to bear in mind therefore is to prevent
pollutants from entering the water in the first place. In the case of stormwater we need to
ensure that surfaces through which stormwater run-off passes over should as far as
possible be free from solids and other wastes. Thus the collection of solid wastes is an
important part of stormwater treatment as is the separate collection of wastewater and
stormwater. The treatment of industrial wastewaters before discharge to the sewer is also
extremely important in preventing pollutants from entering the wastewater and stormwater
systems.
In the case of wastewater, separating blackwater and greywater can mean less energy is
required in treatment. This is because blackwater contains most of the solids, which
during treatment have to be removed from the mixture. Further separating urine and
faecal materials may also mean that the urine can be reused without much treatment and
the faecal materials can be more simply treated. The use of water to convey toilet wastes
may be questioned based on this principle, because treatment means separating these
wastes from the water.

Besides preventing pollutants entering the water, water conservation means that a lower
volume of water has to be treated. Since the size of treatment systems is primarily
governed by the volume of water to be treated rather than the amount of pollutants in the
water, a lower volume means smaller treatment plants and a corresponding capital cost.
Use of less water to flush toilets belongs to this principle.

ON-SITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

On-site treatment relies on decomposition of the organic wastes in human excreta by

bacteria. This can take place in a simple pit in the ground or in specially designed tanks
to promote the bacterial decomposition of the wastes. Unless re-use of the wastewater is
specifically intended (see Section 6 on Wastewater reuse), the overflow from the pit or
tank is allowed to soak into the ground. Further bacteriological decomposition and soil
filtration, absorption and purification processes take place in the soil. The potential for
groundwater pollution, however, exists with on-site treatment and disposal systems,
because not all pollutants (e.g. nitrate) are removed by these processes.

Pit latrine, pour flush latrine, composting toilet, septic tank and two improved on-site
treatment units are described below because they represent major types of on-site
treatment systems. Variations of these exist and are used in different areas of the world.
Some of these are described in greater detail in the Regional Overviews in the Source
Book published by IWA and IETC. The treatment principles are, however, covered under
these major types.

Pit latrine

A pit latrine collects excreta in a pit dug in the ground beneath the toilet structure. If the
soil is loose the pit needs to be lined with, for example, loose bricks to prevent the wall
from collapsing. During storage in the pit decomposition of the organic substances takes
place under anaerobic conditions. The anaerobic decomposition releases gases (carbon
dioxide, methane and sulphuric gases) and reduces the volume of sludge.

Seepage of water into the surrounding soil takes place through the sides and bottom of
the pit. During seepage further decomposition of organic matter by soil bacteria takes
place reducing the BOD of the water. There will also be die-off of bacteria and viruses
during storage and as the water percolates through the soil. Bacteria under these
conditions do generally not remove nutrients, so pollution of groundwater will occur.

Control of odour and insects are important with a

pit latrine. This is achieved by having a vented pit
(Figure 7). The vent acts to draw odour and insects
into the pit and up the vent. Gases (methane and
carbon dioxide) produced by the decomposition of
the excreta also leave through the vent. Ensuring
that the vent protrudes well above the roof of the
housing allows ventilation through natural
convection. Facing the vent towards the sun
(southward in the Northern hemisphere and
northward in the Southern hemisphere) and
painting the vent black to maximise absorption of heat from the sun will help venting by
heat convection. The heated air in the vent rises and draws air from the toilet. Ventilated
improved pit (VIP) toilets are widely used in Africa.

Pit latrines pose problems when groundwater is shallow and the pit is in groundwater or
close to it. There is no soil barrier to protect the water quality of the groundwater, and
mosquitoes may breed inside the pit. A pit is also difficult to dig when the ground is rocky.
Pit latrines should not be used in these cases.

The pit will eventually fill with faecal sludge and needs to be emptied. The period between
emptying depends on the size of the pit and its usage. It is desirable to design the pit to
store at least one year of sludge production. Emptying requires mechanical suction of the
sludge. The sludge requires treatment prior to re-use or disposal. Two adjoining pits can
be used alternately. Further decomposition of sludge in a full pit takes place while the
adjacent pit is in use. Its content after further decomposition can be manually removed.

An alternative way of dealing with a full pit is to dig another pit and relocate the sanitary
platform and toilet housing to the new pit. The full old pit can then be covered with soil,
preferably of greater than 15 cm depth to prevent disease vectors (rodents and insects)
from burrowing into it.

Composting toilet
Rather than the decomposition of the faecal sludge under anaerobic conditions (no
oxygen) in the pit of a pit latrine, decomposition under aerobic conditions (with oxygen)
can be promoted in an above ground (elevated) latrine (Figure 8). Air can be introduced
through an opening to pass through the sludge and exit through the vent, while excess
liquid is allowed to drain for collection or evaporation. With two adjoining composting
chambers or vaults used alternately, the process of composting in an already full chamber
can be allowed to proceed until the chamber is to be used again, and produce mature
compost for direct re-use in the garden.

Pour flush toilet

A pour flush toilet (Figure 9) has a water seal. The problems associated with odour and
insects are avoided by having the
water seal. Excreta deposited in the
latrine pan is flushed by pouring 2
to 3 L of water into it. The mixture is
directed into a pit in the same way
as for a pit latrine. The processes of
biodegradation of the organic
wastes in the pit are exactly the
same. More water percolates
through the soil surrounding the pit,
and the potential for groundwater
pollution is higher. A pour flush
toilet with a pit is therefore not suitable when groundwater table is close to the surface.

Sludge has to be regularly emptied from the pit. The use of two adjoining pits alternately
enables the sludge in a full pit to undergo further decomposition while the other pit is
being used, and enables manual sludge emptying after further sludge decomposition.

With the use of the pit latrine, composting toilet and pour flush latrine, greywater (sullage)
has to be separately treated. Greywater can be reused directly or after treatment (see
Section 6 on Wastewater Reuse).
Disposal of greywater on-site is by use of
a leach pit or trench (See below under
Septic tank). Limitations of disposal of
greywater by leach pit or trench are
similar to those applicable to septic tank.

‘
LINKS

http://www.pomeroystudio.sg/uploads/wysiwyg/The%20skycourt%20and%20skygarden_towards%20a%
20vertical%20urban%20theory.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.dspPage&n_proj_id=3
715

http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/publications/freshwater/sb_summary/7.asp

http://lib.icimod.org/record/10558/files/1156.pdf

https://ae7.com/app/uploads/2016/12/The-Next-Generation-of-Super-Tall-Towers-Entisar-Case-Study.pdf

https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/biomimicry-an-approach-toward-sustainability-of-highrise-
buildings-2168-9717-1000203.php?aid=92856&view=mobile