In short I came up with the idea that the architecture profession is shifting, just like it has been shifting for hundreds of years. But unlike the last hundred years which has seen the role of the architect gradually diminishing (engineering, building, project managing, ect. being broken off), I think that sustainable technologies represent an excellent opportunity for us as architects to step into the role of systems designers. As systems designers we would ensure that every aspect of a buildings sustainable ecology was working efficiently and harmoniously.
After the jump I shall digress into what the building ecology could entail.
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There are two examples that I have found that I would like to share; an office that utilizes the anabatic wind effect to passively cool the interior space, and a seawater greenhouse that utilises the natural elements to convert arid coastal areas into fertile productive land.
The Anabatic Office
The anabatic office is a project by Betillion / Dorval Bory Architecture Office in Coasta Rica. It uses the sun to heat a courtyard of air which rises drawing fresh cool air through the office to replace it, and the process repeats.
This manufactured wind is completely passive in terms of energy use, it could even be harnessed to generate energy from this movement of air, although doing so might hinder the ideas primary function.
Above is One idea that could be quite effectively integrated into this situation is if the black courtyard area was of a low thermal mass and slightly sloped to a collection point. then as night fell the thermal mass would radiate heat to the night air becoming slightly cooler than it's surroundings, this would in turn cause any moisture in the air to condense on its surface and when the amounts formed large enough droplets they would roll down to the collection point.
The Seawater Greenhouse
The seawater greenhouse uses seawater and ocean breezes to create a cool humid environment to grow plants and also produces fresh water and phosphates to feed the plants.
In the example of this idea I found the greenhouse was actually producing more freshwater than it required for the plants inside. So it was set-up to distribute the excess water to the surrounding landscapes, and one year after it's construction, the baron land that surrounded the greenhouse was littered with small plants and shrubs (shown below, unfortunately I couldn't find the before picture).
These two technologies are examples of building design that requires a great deal of integration and planning that is only really achievable if everyone is managed and on the same page. And it's this service that I think architects are in the prime position to provide.
Sources: [Original Works, Betillon Dorval Bory, Seawater Greenhouse]
Images: [Original Works, Seawater Greenhouse]
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