.

.

SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT


SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE AND BIOLOGY

GOALS FOR THIS UNIT
To learn how architecture can support biological functions and also how biological design can result in creative
architecture. Design a sustainable learning environment with a focus on WATER.
TIMELINE for the project:

Week 1:
Meet Stanley King, an architect who uses biology to help design spaces. He engages citizens to use theirECOLOGICAL NICHE to provide input in the design of spaces. He uses a DAY IN THE LIFE and he uses PERSONAL PERCEPTION. We will lead the grade 8s using these methods to help them design their
sustainable learning environment.

Week 2:
Class Visit: study a place that is sustainably designed: CIRS building and Van Dusen Garden building

Create a model:
READING in the topic of your choice and create a model of a sustainable learning environment taking into
account YOUR CHOSEN TOPIC sustainability: TOPICS

Energy:
1. Some buildings are now considered to be “carbon neutral”. The energy, measured in
greenhouse gases, used to create and operate the building is equal to the energy it gives
off. How does your learning environment get its energy?

CIRS building:
http://cirs.ubc.ca/building

2. Passive Energy generation: solar, geotherma and Energy efficiency and retention
techniques such as PASSIV HAUS, and counter current water flow to save heat.
Passive solar strategies: a 6 part summary of solar techniques
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prx6rJPZFIE
Passiv Haus: http://www.passivhaus.org.uk/
Heat pump: this blog gives a simplified summary:
http://gogreencyclopedia.blogspot.ca/2012/03/geothermal-energy-in-home.html

Movement and Circulation:
most learning environments are incredibly passive. (you are sitting most of the day). What if
your learning environment involved movement for much of the day (hiking, walking, climbing).
What environment will support such activity?
How do people arrive to and leave the learning environment using sustainable methods: are
there paths for walking, bicycling, skateboarding, is it accessible to transit? Bike friendly cities:

Before automobiles were used as transportation, bicycles, light rail and buses were the most
common forms of transport. In some areas of the world, this bicycle culture continues:
A North American perspective of the cycle culture in Europe:
Examples:

Denmark:
http://www.cycling-embassy.dk/

Netherlands:
http://www.ski-epic.com/amsterdam_bicycles/

New forms of transport may include other wheels such as longboards and skateboards:
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/North+Vancouver+longboard+debate+draws+huge+crow
d/6259059/story.html

Water:
1. How is water collected? Where does it go?
2. Storm water management and wastewater systems
3. Examples: Vancouver Aquarium: water collected for flushing toilets, CK Choi building,
storm water is diverted to ground, CIRS building
Case study: CK Choi building

http://legacy.cascadiagbc.org/resources/case-studies/ckchoicasestudy.pdfK-Choi-Building.pdf

Food:
1. Can food be grown at this learning environment? How? City Farmer
http://www.cityfarmer.info/

Waste systems:
1. Where does the waste go? Food waste, human waste, school waste.
2. How to reduce waste at a learning environment? Compost systems for organic waste,
including human waste. Recycling strategies, zero garbage
Metro Vancouver Zero Waste Challenge:
http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/solidwaste/Residents/zerowaste/Pages/default.aspx
Case study: CK Choi building



Garden and Landscape.
1. How do Roof gardens and green walls create
a sustainable learning environment?
Green walls, Roof gardens.
Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, landscape architect: http://www.corneliaoberlander.ca/

Building Materials
1. In nature, all building materials may be recycled. What are some examples of sustainable
Building Materials?
Case study: CK Choi building


Week 3:

Teach grade 8s
Lesson A:
City on the Wall
Day in the Life and Personal Perception
Show them your model
Lesson B:
Tour of the CIRS building and CK Choi building

EVALUATION
Prepare one of the following to demonstrate your learning: a one page lesson for a grade 8 student including a
model of a sustainable school made of any material. The model will have features the topic of your choice as a
primary focus but will show at least 3 other topics. Create a work cited list
Prepare a tour of the Choi building and the CIRS building. Each tour will last 30 minutes.
Students share their projects for evaluation from the teacher the peers for self-evaluation.
Grade 8 lessons:
We will conduct a tour of the CIRS building and CK Choi building

EXAMPLES OF SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS
Van dusen is LEED certified:
http://vancouver.ca/parks/news/2011/pdf/vandusenbackgrounder.pdf

CIRS building is carbon neutral:
http://cirs.ubc.ca/building

CK Choi building

Evaluation: /90


Visit a place that exhibits sustainable design. Class visit /20 marks
Make a one page summary of all the sustainable features of the  building during our class
visit
Summary describes the key characteristics (10 marks) that makes this building a
sustainable place. It includes photos ( 5 marks) of the sustainable features with your
group members in the photo. Summary is neatly typed and handed in on time (5 marks):
hand in on April 18.

Homework: site visit
Visit a place that exhibits characteristics of your sustainable topic: for homework
/15 marks

Photograph and analyze the sustainable features at the is place. (5 marks) Do a PEP analysis
with your senses on this place (5 marks). Analyze how to make it better (5 marks)
Visit any place that exhibits the characteristics of your sustainable topic.
Visit this place on your own time: Places are: Van Dusen building. Beaty Museum.
City Farmer. A skytrain station, Canadaline. A dedicated bike lane in Vancouver or cycle
a bike route. Green wall. A Passiv haus (Whistler) (photos may be from a previous visit
for passivhaus.

Make a model /40
Make a model of a sustainable learning environment to show the grade 8s. Prepare a
one page summary of your sustainable learning environment. Your summary should include
aspects of your own topic or topics. Make only one model even if you are choosing multiple
topics/40 marks
Your model is an asthetically pleasing design /10
Your model clearly illustrates sustainable features /20
Your model shows excellence in presentation: it is neat, tidy and not messy /10

Lead students on a tour of the CK Choi Building and the CIRS building. /10 marks

Draw a pie graph illustrating who did what in your group and agree on a percentate done by
each group member /5