Author Archives: wfa2cd

The most influential aspect that I took away from this course is that sustainable and efficient design can be accomplished in many ways. We tended to focus on utilizing the ways that a structure itself can capture and dissipate energy, … Continue reading →

As we move closer to the final project, I’ve found myself paying closer attention to the details of the systems we discuss in class as I think about how I might employ them in my studio project. Thus far, the … Continue reading →

Above: Street front facades of the Cooper Union building, on the corner of 3rd Avenue and East 7th Street in NoHo Above: Seasonal high and low average temperatures in New York City, with description of seasonal climate conditions.     … Continue reading →

^Image source: Kwok, The Green Studio Handbook, page 151 To me, the most interesting new method introduced by the Kwok reading was the evaporative cooling tower. This is the first time I have heard of such a system, and the idea … Continue reading →

This past week in systems, we have looked more in-depth into heating mechanisms. Often passive heating and cooling techniques are not enough to create comfortable climates. In these cases, mechanical systems like furnaces, HVAC, fireplaces and refrigerators are necessary to … Continue reading →

Throughout last weeks lessons and readings I found it interesting that the idea of using water to heat and cool a building has only recently become widely popular. Moe discussed at length in “Thermally Active Surfaces” how air is a … Continue reading →

Above: My position on the southern plinth of Fayerweather Hall. It’s Sunday morning at approximately 10:00 AM, and I’m perched on one of the concrete ledges that borders Fayerweather Halls southern stairs. The dry bulb temperature is 65° Fahrenheit and the … Continue reading →

1) Scenario: During the rainy Spring season, a small riverside village in Costa Rica is ravaged by a tropical storm leaving much of the villages structures in disrepair and most of the area submerged in feet of water. The climate … Continue reading →