The energy used to operate buildings is one of the most significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions. To lessen the human impact on climate, it is necessary to reduce these building-related emissions. New legislation, as well as market and financial pressures, are driving architects and developers to create low-carbon buildings. While it is possible to achieve many of these reductions through appropriate climate-responsive design, many architects are not trained to do this. Filling an urgent need for a design reference in this emerging field, Carbon-Neutral Architectural Design describes how to reduce building-related greenhouse gas emissions through appropriate design techniques. This full-color book presents strategies and methods to achieve CO2 reductions, with an emphasis on control of energy flows through the building envelope and passive heating and cooling strategies. Strategies for Designing Buildings with a Smaller Carbon Footprint Examining climate change and its relationship with buildings, the book begins with a look at the sources of emissions and how these are produced as a result of interactions between buildings and the surrounding environment. It then introduces a carbon-neutral architectural design process (CNDP) and a roadmap that can be adjusted for different types of projects. Discussing climate analysis and solar geometry, the book explores how understanding the climate where a building is located helps to identify the design strategies that are best suited to that location—whether warm and humid, warm and dry, temperate, or cold. It looks at psychrometrics and how to achieve thermal comfort with minimum emissions. The book also explains how building fabric can be used to control energy flows by conduction, radiation, and convection—helping to reduce overheating and overcooling—and how to incorporate passive cooling and heating systems through appropriate design. The book includes useful references, equations, and illustrations, as well as a comparison of free carbon counting tools that can be used for residential building design. Drawing on the author’s extensive experience in teaching and practice, this is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. Find more study resources at the American Institute of Architects’ Carbon Neutral Design Project web site. What’s next for green building? See what Dr. La Roche has to say in this video on the HMC Architects blog.

Updated throughout, and adds a chapter on building simulations Presents strategies for new construction and also offers those that can be implemented for existing buildings to improve their energy performance and reduce emissions Explains the origins of CO2 emissions associated with the operation and fabrication of buildings: supplying water, disposing of waste from the building, etc. Covers air-flow analysis and radiation impact surveys, solar heating options, daylighting and window options Examines a building's siting/location within a community, local/regional planning issues, and transportation considerations

A comprehensive approach to design that integrates sustainable principles and design strategies for decarbonized construction Representing an international collaboration between academics and architects in the United States and Europe, Carbon: A Field Manual for Designers and Builders offers professionals in the field an approach to sustainable design that embraces building science principles, life-cycle analysis, and design strategies in carbon neutral construction. The book also contains background information on carbon in construction materials and in the building design process. This book is filled with illustrative diagrams and drawings that help evaluate the potential impact of design decisions for creating carbon emissions. Written by and for designers and builders, the book includes a compelling pair of case studies that explore carbon-reducing strategies, suggests steps for assessing a building's carbon footprint, and reviews carbon storages and circulation of materials. The guidelines detailed in the book can be adopted, replicated, and deployed to reduce carbon emissions and create more sustainable buildings. This important book: Offers an effective approach to sustainable design in construction Integrates building science principles, life-cycle analysis, and design strategies in carbon neutral construction Describes a methodology for quantifying the flow of carbon in the built environment Provides an analysis of carbon-reducing strategies based on a case study of a building designed by the authors Written for practicing professionals in architecture and construction, Carbon: A Field Guide for Designers and Builders is a must-have resource for professionals who are dedicated to creating sustainable projects.

"It's time to move past green buildings, which alone aren't enough to halt climate change. The New Carbon Architecture explores how biomimicry-inspired innovations in architecture and construction - from cities made of wood to insulation grown from straw and mycelium - will pull carbon from the atmosphere, heal the climate, and produce safer, healthier, and more beautiful buildings."--

Providing a complete and in-depth overview of the available knowledge in the area of low energy and low carbon architecture. The scope of this edited book includes several important topics ranging from chapters giving a broad view of the progressing models in ecologically responsible environments to other chapters focussing on recent advances in design strategies and building technologies in low energy heating, cooling, daylighting, materials, and building sustainable systems. The book will give the readers insight to the future of low energy and low carbon architecture in the beyond-green era and discussed in the broader context of the progressing theories of regenerative design.

What do we mean by net zero energy? Zero operating energy? Zero energy costs? Zero emissions? There is no one answer: approaches to net zero building vary widely across the globe and are influenced by different environmental and cultural contexts. Net Zero Energy Building: Predicted and Unintended Consequences presents a comprehensive overview of variations in 'net zero' building practices. Drawing on examples from countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, and China, Ming Hu examines diverse approaches to net zero and reveals their intended and unintended consequences. Existing approaches often focus on operating energy: how to make buildings more efficient by reducing the energy consumed by climate control, lighting, and appliances. Hu goes beyond this by analyzing overall energy consumption and environmental impact across the entire life cycle of a building—ranging from the manufacture of building materials to transportation, renovation, and demolition. Is net zero building still achievable once we look at these factors? With clear implications for future practice, this is key reading for professionals in building design, architecture, and construction, as well as students on sustainable and green architecture courses.

Energy Modeling in Architectural Design demonstrates how design elements can lead to energy savings, to help you reduce the energy footprint of your buildings. In addition to identifying climate opportunities, you’ll also learn fundamental passive design elements for software-agnostic energy modeling of your projects from conception. Using parametric models and testing each element during design will lead you to create beautiful and high-performance buildings. Illustrated with more than 100 color images, this book also includes a pattern guide for high-performance buildings, discusses energy and daylighting optimization, and has a glossary for easy reference.