Residential Project:

Concrete Masonry Affords Opportunities for Building Green
on Infill Sites

Infill sites are neglected public spaces and clusters of vacant or nearly-empty buildings and land in either urban or suburban communities. Concrete masonry units (CMU) are an ideal building material for infill projects because there is often no adjacent space available for large equipment or staging areas. And because these projects tend to be tall, thin, and closely situated to property lines, the inherent strength, fire resistance, and noise abatement of CMUs provide an economical solution.

Design: A recently constructed eco-friendly residence in southern California boasts a small carbon footprint in balance with lifestyle common in the area, but functions as a high-performance building. The single family home is designed to maximize volume, light, sustainability, and privacy on a narrow 43 x 132 ft (13 x 40 m) urban infill lot. Strong, tall walls on the narrow lot allow the building to create three private garden courtyards that wrap around three 80-year-old trees. Extensive use of operable glass doors permit the living area to be transformed into an airy pavilion. Visually and functionally, the house dissolves barriers between indoors and out, creating flexible spaces that take advantage of the mild climate.

Materials: Building materials for the project were carefully selected for their durable, low maintenance characteristics, significant recycled content, and recyclable potential: concrete masonry units (CMU), synthetic reinforced stucco, corrosion-retarding steel, composite decking, and copper. In particular, concrete masonry is prominently featured in the home. The interior back wall of CMU is grouted for improved structural performance; simply shot-blasting its white surface allows it to serve as a dramatic backdrop for artwork.

Performance and Benefits: Outside, finishes that weather naturally eliminate the use of paints and sealants. Inside, pumice-aggregated CMU and other surfaces are left unpainted. As a result, there are practically no VOC emissions, which means enhanced indoor health for occupants. The building envelope is highly efficient in part due to concrete masonry walls and concrete floors that provide thermal mass. Radiant floors and solar thermal energy are utilized for space heating and domestic hot water heating. And despite the large glazing areas, mechanical cooling can be eliminated through a combination of natural ventilation and operable shading. Because the ultra-efficient appliances and lighting have minimal energy requirements, and solar electric power is able to satisfy the remaining loads, the house achieves its goal for a net zero energy home.

Click here for more on 700 Palms Residence in Venice, California

Low-Rise Buildings

Twenhofel Middle School: Benefits Add Up in Classroom Settings

Located near Cincinnati, Twenhofel Middle School was one of Kentucky’s first schools to incorporate sustainable building principles and energy conservation measures. In 2004, these ideas were not necessarily revolutionary, but neither had they been the focus of school administrators prior to that time. The excellent results achieved with Twenhofel have only increased the district’s efforts to do more of the same.

The backbone of this school is concrete masonry. Generally, one reason concrete masonry has been so popular in schools is its durability. Hard surfaces stand up to wear and tear that is so common in schools and other high usage areas. The walls of Twenhofel are double-wythe masonry, consisting of CMU backup and an exterior clay brick finish with 1-1/2 in. of insulation in between for an R-15 rating. Like most walls with thermal mass, these masonry sections perform better than their apparent R-value. This construction, along with many other energy-efficient features, results in 31% less energy usage than an average Kentucky school. That’s good for the environment and is a direct savings to the school’s bottom line.

Beyond the energy efficient envelope, this school is designed with a whole array of features that focus on performance. There is a geothermal HVAC system, increased glazing to improve daylighting and minimize artificial lighting, collection of solar power via a photovoltaic system, and reduced water usage.

Benefits of building high performance schools include:

• Better student performance


• Increased average daily attendance


• Increased teacher satisfaction and retention


• Reduced energy and operating costs


• Positive influence on the environment

As one of the first schools in Kentucky to accomplish these achievements, Twenhofel has been a model and a learning tool. The building itself has monitors and transparent panels as a way to place a focus on building operations and teach about sustainability and energy efficient design and operation. The ability to use the facility as a teaching tool encourages conservation among occupants, teachers, administrators, and students alike.

 
Careers | Sitemap | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | © 2013 Portland Cement Association - All Rights Reserved