In late 2011, Portland State University faculty were awarded the largest NCARB Grant for the Integration of Practice and Education in the Academy to date in order to generate translational building science research in collaboration with firms in Portland, Oregon. This grant, along with the resources of the Green Building Research Laboratory (GBRL), transformed traditional lecture-based building science and technology courses into a series of on-going, graduate level seminars that revolve around two primary activities: (1) students conduct building science research of relevance to a project currently under design in a firm and (2) students are embedded in project teams where they attend all interdisciplinary meetings for the course of a term to witness and document interdisciplinary collaboration.
In this unique way, students became contributing members of a design team and building science experts on issues relevant to current practice. For the architecture firms involved, working with universities allows practicing architects the ability to utilize a deeper level of research expertise in the design process and access resources not typically available in practice. One of the most exciting outcomes of this collaboration have been the semi-annual research symposiums where students present their work to representatives from all of the participating firms, creating a dialog around pressing building science issues with students, faculty and practitioners.
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CLT Parking Garage Tally Analysis
Ashwaq Al Khalil, Janna Ferguson, Austin Zeitz, Nicholas Papaefthimiou, Corey T. Griffin, Tucker Jones, and SRG Partnership
The goal of this research project is divided into three components. First, utilize Tally to calculate the embodied energy and carbon of the CLT structural system of the Glenwood Parking Garage. Second, the embodied energy and carbon values will be compared against values found in a previous study for different structural systems in parking garages (pre-cast concrete, cellular steel, post-tensioned concrete). Finally, the subsequent dataset and process entailed in its ... Read More
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Daylight Analysis: Analayzing Daylight Autonomy in the Early Phases of Design on an Adaptive Reuse Project
Lauren Sanchez, Nick Vipond, Nicholas Papaefthimiou, Mike Manzi, Josh Brandt, Sarah Weber, Jacob Peel, and Bora Architects
This research investigates methods for increasing the area of daylight autonomy in an adaptive reuse project with deep floorplates. The research employs DIVA simulation tool to assess daylight performance the early phases of design, quantified as Daylight Autonomy (DA), Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) and Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE). Findings from DIVA analysis reveal that light shelves decrease daylight autonomy but help to reduce glare.
Effective daylight design is critical in ... Read More
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Daylight & Glare
Sergio Palleroni, David Posada, Tucker Jones, Alyssa Brook, Jennifer Moran, Chad Wallace, and BORA Architects
We conducted a daylighting and glare study for Bora Architects within their Portland business office space. The project was to examine the quality of daylight, consider the effectiveness of borrowed light, and strive to discover what LEED-compliant daylight autonomy really looks like. In addition we were tasked with running computer simulations to measure excess glare and look for ways to combat its effect. We were able to explore the effects ... Read More
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Daylighting Analysis of Neuberger Hall
Heather LaRose, Rachel Sairio, Conner Scher, and Hacker Architects
With the renovation of Neuberger Hall. one of the most highly used academic buildings on the PSU campus. it is crucial to balance the need for maximizing daylighting potential with the long term costs. With various design elements being considered it is necessary to understand the existing daylighting conditions to better enable us to provide effective and efficient design recommendations. Daylighting design plays a critical role in the quality of ... Read More
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Daylighting Analysis: Yost Grube Hall
L. Patterson and C. Hardman
The goal of this research is to produce a daylight and energy analysis of the Yost Grube Hall Ankeny ‘Net Zero’ Multi-Family Housing project.The examination of current daylight levels provides information on what is gained or lost in regards to daylighting and net-zero goals. A focus on the progression of the surrounding neighbourhood development will guide the different daylight studies. This combined with the other strategies employed by YGH in ... Read More
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Exploring Building Energy Use Modeling
Alyssa Brook, Kathleen Mitchell, and ZGF Architecture
OBJECTIVE: The project objective was to analyze and test building energy use modeling software programs to find a quick and easy to use tool that can be implemented in the early stages of design. A list of programs was developed and narrowed down based on criteria important to architects in early design stages. Programs were tested and rated using a weighted criteria formula. Recommendations for capabilities and user interface of ... Read More
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Extending the Season for the New White Salmon Pool
Chris Jones, Matt Stockstill, and Yost Grube Hall Architecture
The city of White Salmon will be home to a new outdoor, public pool in the coming years in hope that the community's identity and participation can continue to grow. While the design in nearly complete, a new challenge has been set to investigate ways in which this new aquatic facility can host an extended season via a temporary enclosing structure. During the past few months, the White Salmon team ... Read More
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Goldilocks Device Design
Mitchell Davis, John Williamson, and SRG Architects
As the use of sustainability techniques in architecture increase more and more firms in the world have started to dive into the possibilities of how to create passive and net zero buildings, but in this exploration or techniques such as materials, solar shading, passive cooling there has been little thought into testing how well these techniques are actually working to improve the habitat and livability for the humans using these ... Read More
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Knight Cancer Research Center
Alesha Evans, Zach Pate, SRG Architects, Catena, and Brightworks
The Knight Cancer Research Building is a continuation of the OHSU campus located on the South Waterfront off Moody Avenue. On the course to LEED Platinum certification, KCRB is pursuing a LEED 4 pilot point that focuses on the influence early design decisions have on the longterm environmental impact of a new building project. Collaborating with team members from SRG, Brightworks Sustainability Consulting, and Catena Structural Engineers, we used Athena ... Read More
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Neuberger Hall Portland State Univesity
Portland State University. School of Architecture
CONCRETE’S CARBON FOOTPRINT:
90% of concrete mix emits a relatively small amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. The other 10%, cement, accounts for the vast majority of concrete’s embodied CO2. Concrete’s embodied CO2 is roughly equivalent to 9% of it’s weight Roughly 40% of the CO2 emitted from calcination will be reabsorbed through carbonation of concrete surfaces over a 100-year life cycle.
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PCC Rock Creek Post Occupancy Evaluations
Ossie Pleasant, Ryan Ngo, and Opsis architecture
The objective of this research is to determine whether the new additions to Building 5 and Building 7 of Portland Community College at Rock Creek Campus fulfill the requirements for the LEED IEQ 7.2: Thermal Comfort-Verification credit for LEEDv2009.
Occupants of the new additions will take an anonymous survey regarding their thermal comfort and other aspects of the new additions via SurveyMonkey.
If the survey results indicate that more than ... Read More
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Source to Site: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon Material Analysis
Portland State University. School of Architecture
The object of this research was to conduct a material analysis of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon Church in Bend, Oregon designed by Hacker Architects (Portland, Oregon). This research produced an infographic narrative depicting the place of origin of the raw form of the primary building materials used in the church: wood, steel, stone, and concrete. An investigation of the project specifications and the material submittals developed the ... Read More
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Unitized Wall Systems
Ossie Pleasant, Lauren Sanchez, Nick Vipond, Sergio Palleroni, David Posada, Tucker Jones, and ZGF Architects
ZGF is working on multiple large towers with short timelines that would benefit from quicker construction, which led us to unitized wall panels from a series of manufacturers. What often makes the construction process difficult is that there are independent organizations with differing priorities that must work together toward a common goal. By decreasing the number of trades, and minimizing construction time, a prefab system might allow earlier occupancy to ... Read More
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Wind Analysis of 11th & Washington Tower
Ashwaq Al Khalil, Meijia Qi, and ZGF Architecture
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
This research focus on how wind impacts on 11W by ZGF architects. Located on SW 12th Ave and 11th Ave to the Washington in the SW side of the river, south of Burnside on downtown Portland, OR. The aim of the study is to find how wind can impact the balconies, 2nd level roof deck, 8th level roof deck, and 26th floor roof deck. The tests were conducted ... Read More
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Baseline Daylight Autonomy and Glare
Portland State University. School of Architecture
With the 2050 Energy Challenge in mind, many institutions are embracing strict policies on energy consumption in order to be at the vangaurd of sustainable practice. The California State Educational System is one such organization, specifying a 25% below code requirements for University buildings. This project specifically involves a retrofit of Cruess Hall, a former shop and storage space on the campus of UC Davis.
Our first task was establishing ... Read More
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Building Performance “What Ifs”
Paul Conrad, Alejandra Ruiz, Genevieve Wasser, and Boora Architects
The “Building Performance What Ifs” project collaborated with Boora Architects to analyze the envelope design performance for three schools in the Portland area. The three selected schools, North Clackamas High School, Rock Creek Middle School, and the Early Learning Center addition to Earl Boyles Elementary School serve as examples of evolving knowledge and strategies in envelope performace design in recent years.
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Central City Concern
Benjamin Britt, Cheryl Leontina, Erich Raudebaugh, and Joseph Wilson
Project Overview: Energy assessments for four CCC buildings which represent the array of properties in their portfolio. Method: 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Use thermal imaging, 3D modeling with Sefaira and data sets from WegoWise to create comparative analyses for CCC to utalize in future projects.
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Creating an Eco-District at Lincoln High School
Willy Chandler, Isaac Schultz, Abbey Dacey, Mike Manzi, Corey T. Griffin, and Kalina Vanderpoel
The EcoDistrict protocol is a list of concepts centered around connectivity, sustainability, and resiliency in neighborhoods and urban environments. Initial research consisted of reviewing precedents for EcoDistricts and other high performance neighborhoods and schools. Lincoln High School, Providence Park and the Multnomah Athletic Club were identified as the stakeholders of a potential EcoDistrict due to their location and energy demand. Calculations and estimates were made for the potential employment of ... Read More
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Existing Retrofit for Enhanced Performance
Portland State University. School of Architecture
Hacker is renovating Cruess Hall on the University of California, Davis campus. It is a 22,000 sf structure built in 19 59. Over the years it has had many uses included being a meat processing p lant and is to become a multi-use space which will include an auditorium and wood shop to name a few.
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Healthy Living Environments
Tina Taeb, Ashley Schahfer, and ZGF
Internal Connection: Control Safety Privacy Entry Access Windows Wall thickness Common facilities
Physical Connection: Physical Connection Layout organization Organized complexity Familiarity Ceiling heights Spatial dimensions Hallway proportions Tiering Accessibility
Social Connection: With building residents and the city Auditory Visual Interaction Entry Windows Wall thickness Proximity Common facilities
Environmental Connection: Environmental Connection Air quality Light quality Thermal comfort Windows HVAC Orientation
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Knight Cancer Research Building
Darren Biles, Peter Heibel, and SRG Partnership
The Knight Cancer Research Building (KCRB) will be a 7-story research facility with a proposed site in the South Waterfront district. It will be the first building of a two-phase construction project; the second building, expected for completion in about 10 years, will connect to the KCRB's north facade. Until then, the KCRB north facade will be visually and environmentally exposed.
The north facade will include an atrium flanked by ... Read More
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Living Building Challenge
Emily Jane Bedell, Hayley Nelke, and SRG Architects
The Living Economy Sourcing imperative intends to promote growth of local economic structure while reducing negative transportation related effects on human and environmental health. Requirements for material sourcing distances are presented in this imperative, as seen in the map below, from Portland, OR. The manufacturer location is defined as the place where the final product is fabricated and assembled. A distribution facility does not qualify as a products’ manufacturer location. ... Read More
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Multnomah County Courthouse Day Light Analysis
Angela Van Duzen and SRG Partnership
The projects is a comprehensive day lighting analysis of spatial qualities to maximize daylight autonomy of the courtroom space for the Multnomah County. The courthouse is a new construction designed by SRG architects who are commissioned by Multnomah County. The building is located on 1st and Jefferson adjacent to the Hawthorne Bridge on Portland, OR. The aim of the study is to determine whether a light well in the center ... Read More
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Occupant Usage and Behavior
Zach Baugher, Janna Ferguson, Yukari Kubo, and Erika Colvin
The Metro Building is located at 600 NE Grand Ave in Portland, OR. Occupied by Metro, a regional governmental organization, the building houses roughly 400 employees over a total of 120,000 square feet of office space. The objective of our research, in collaboration with YGH architecture and New Buildings Institute, is to provide Metro with a cumulative plan of action to address energy inefficiencies due to occupant behavior, equipment, and ... Read More
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Optimizing User Comfort and Energy Efficiency at Portland Metro Office
Willy Chander, Yost Grube Hall Architecture, Kevin Chavez, and Abby Cooper
1. Large windows on all aspects result in uncomfortable thermal and lighting conditions
2. A drop ceiling and high cubicle walls reduce daylight in the building