International Journal of Engineering Sciences, 2(8) August 2013, Pages: 368-372

TI Journals

International Journal of Engineering Sciences

ISSN
2306-6474

www.tijournals.com

Sustecture Contemporary Architecture and

Water Resources Management
Mohammadjavad Mahdavinejad *1, Mahmoud Abedi 2
1
2

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IRAN.
M.A. In Architecture, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IRAN.

AR TIC LE INF O

AB STR AC T

Keywords:

This study provides insight into the efficiency of Water Resources Management as well as the
relative strengths and limitations of the rating system, LEED, sustainability and improves the
Water Resources Management. The fundamental research questions are: What are the most one of
the most important strategies in Water Resources Management and Contemporary Sus-Tech
Architecture? What are the opportunities to aggregate many best practices into a larger whole that
moves toward environmental, economic and social sustainability? To answer these questions, in
field theory the research methodology: logical argumentation and in field analysis samples; the
research methodology descriptive analytical method are used. Studies show that incentives
should be based on the triple bottom line and not only economic factors. In addition, it is important
to develop technologies for the assessment of environmental impacts of contemporary buildings in
terms of the entire life cycle of the building.

Sustecture Architecture
Water Resources
Contemporary architecture

2013 Int. j. eng. sci. All rights reserved for TI Journals.

1.

Introduction

Available quantities of the naturally renewable fresh waters are being exhausted in many parts of the world, and the problem of
international water resources is becoming more acute [10]. According to the FAO, a great challenge for the coming decades will be the task
of increasing food production to ensure food security for the steadily growing world population. Most of that increase will have to come
from intensified agriculture, supported by irrigation. Where irrigated agriculture is developed, water used for irrigation can represent more
than 90% of water consumption. In an increasing number of countries existing resources are fully exploited [6]. Where water is plentiful,
water demand for other purposes increases and can become a source of conflict between different components of society [5]. In recent
years, there have been attempts to relate to water in terms of values. They are based on the fact that water is valuable good and not only
essential for human life, but it is scarce. This study considers Contemporary Sus-Tech buildings best water management practices through
an examination of ten case studies: (1) California Academy of Sciences; (2) Firma Casa Store; (3) Great Barrier House; (4) NASA
Sustainability Base; (5) Eco Modern Flats; (6) Van Dusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre; (7) Edgeland House; (8) Bilbao Arena; (9)
1315 Peachtree; and (10) Hotchkiss Biomass Power Plant. These practices have been built within the last ten years and each has
incorporated innovative solutions to water management and use, the focus of this paper. This study evaluates these buildings in two ways.
First, it attempts to gauge their impacts within their attempts to quantify the benefits of Economic, Sociological, and Environmental
Considerations of Water Resources. Secondly, it evaluates these case studies in the context of green building rating system: Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for New Construction.
This study provides insight into the efficiency of water management practices as well as the relative strengths and limitations of the rating
system, LEED, sustainability and improves the water consumption. This study includes a summary of the water management practices
encouraged by LEED; How the ranking system as well as water management practices; and Challenges and potential constraints to
effective water management related to capital expenditures, standards and local building codes. This study Evaluate each practice to
identify the goals, limitations, and challenges associated with water use and management;

Impact assessment beyond its borders, the green building practices of connection to the site;
To investigate the association between green building practices, green building rating standards, and the cumulative impact of
these practices on the environment; and
Identify barriers that programs and local codes and green building efforts to better manage water resources to overcome.

* Corresponding author.
Email address: mahdavinejad@modares.ac.ir

Sustecture Contemporary Architecture and Water Resources Management

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Internat ional Jour nal of Engineeri ng Science s, 2(8) Au gust 2013

2.

Materials and methods

There are many standards and codes being applied to water efficiency in green building. The most popular of these is the Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. This system is developed and maintained by the U.S. Green
Building Council. The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system intended to develop
high performance, sustainable buildings. LEED addresses strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy
efficiency, materials and resources selection and indoor environmental quality... Water sustainability is addressed through several aspects in
the LEED system, for example, in the LEED for Homes point system the Sustainable Sites rating includes consideration of landscaping to
reduce water usage and surface water management to minimize erosion and runoff. The Water Efficiency rating includes water reuse, the
irrigation system and indoor water use... For existing buildings, the LEED checklist for sustainable sites includes storm water management,
where water efficiency credits are given for indoor plumbing fixture and fitting efficiency, water performance measurement, water efficient
landscaping, cooling tower water chemical management and use of non-potable water source [7].
This study examines a sample of 10 water conservation practices in the past ten years a number of techniques that showcase innovative
sustainable water management. First, it describes the design process that led to water management strategies implemented in each practice,
focusing on motivations and barriers to implementing documents. This surprised to unforeseen problems in the design and construction
process. The study goes beyond construction to evaluate how these buildings fare in operation and in what respects they perform differently
than originally envisioned. Second, this study environmental impact of water management technologies used in the study sites, in relation
to the impact of green building practices for the environment. Third, this study examined the association between green building practices,
green building rating standards, and the cumulative impact of these practices on the sustainable management of water. This study examines
the strengths and weaknesses of commonly used rating system for each practice. Fourth, the study Identifies barriers in programs and codes
efforts to green building and water resource sustainability. Finally the study identifies possible changes in green building rating system and
regulatory review processes for overcoming existing limitations. Information for 10 practices was obtained through: A site visit conducted
on May 1, 2013, e-mail interviews, publicly available information, and Building and LEED documentation.

3.

Literature Review

3.1. Sustecture Architecture

Sustainable construction refers to circulatory building that reduces environmental loads and improves quality of life through symbiotic
construction practices that surpass past consumption-oriented closed production activities [8]. Sustainable management of natural resources
involves decisions on complex issues encompassing not only ecological values but also economic and social considerations. Often
significant trade-offs must be taken into account [2]. Development of sustainable building, urban planning, and scientific technology is
necessary. From the perspective of green growth, it is necessary to re-establish existing concepts and directions of construction
technologies, and to develop technologies that encompass ecological and environmental concerns. In addition, it is important to develop
technologies for the evaluation of building and urban environmental impacts from the perspective of the entire building lifecycle [8].
3.1.1 Sustainable energy technologies
Major new and renewable energy sources include photovoltaic/solar energy, geo-thermal energy, wind power, biomass, and water.
Photovoltaic power generation does not result in pollution such as gas emissions, waste heat or noise, and is less limited in terms of
resource preservation or feasible location than energy sources such as wind or water. In addition, photovoltaic energy is applicable over a
wide range of generation capacities and facility sizes, can be operated in unmanned automated mode, and is characterized by low operation
costs [8].
3.1.2 Sustainable super tall building technologies
Sustainable super tall buildings reduce global environmental loads by emitting reduced levels of environmental pollutants. Recent urban
design concepts are transitioning to a sustainable urban model that incorporates existing industrial structures in large cities. The
incorporation of sustainable super tall buildings produces outstanding environmental, social and economical effects, and many countries are
already following such courses of action [8].
3.2. Water Resources Management
Despite increased density, the city could still contain small urban gardens for recreation or even food supply, in combination with green
roofs to collect the rainwater for irrigation of those gardens. The installation of rainwater tanks, the development of more effective
recycling water programs (grey water usage), recycled sewage, and the ability to harvest the storm water runoff, all need to be part of an
urban water strategy [3]. Water management includes planning (with decisions on a multi-year time scale, such as building dams), strategic
management (seasonal decisions with possible adjustment during the season, such as determining the total water volume used for irrigation)
and tactical management (daily decisions, such as releasing water from particular dams) [9]. Developing tools by integrating knowledge in
models may be of some help for planners. However, modeling water management is complex because it concerns different scales (scale of
decision, scale of action, scale of planning, scale of management) and different actors (water users including farmers, factory managers and
general public, policy makers and water manager) [1].

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Int ernational Journal of Engi neering Sc iences, 2(8) Au gust 2013

4.

Theoretical Framework

When applying the precautionary approach in groundwater protection, the role of uncertainty is vital: the higher it is, the lower the
pressures allowed from various non-point and point pollution sources should be. In addition, recent paradigms for risk-informed decisionmaking call for a participatory procedure in which the various stakeholders become involved early on in the risk assessment process to
characterize risks even before a formal assessment of them is made. This does not diminish the role of modeling and quantification, but is
aimed at eliciting the values and the perspectives of the community involved so that the multiple dimensions of risk can be taken into
account early in the assessment [2]. The programme outlined, especially in Communication, Education and Governance, will move beyond
simple opposition of social development and environmental degradation. The role of the social sciences is not seen solely as a means to
promote environmental protection measures and determine their effectiveness. The programme will investigate social policy and
institutional structures enabling social and environmental sustainability to be complementary and mutually supporting rather than requiring
a series of tradeoffs [2]. Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable development has three aspects:
1.
2.
3.

Social (people).
Environmental (planet).
Economic (profits)/prosperity

All development affects all three aspects. All three aspects are interdependent. Thus, being mindful of these interdependencies in
management and leadership decisions will result in the best overall solutiona win winwin solution that maximizes success and
minimizes any negative social, environmental, and economic costs. This is called managing the triple bottom line of people, planet, and
profits. This is also called whole systems thinking [4].

5.

Case Studies

This paper evaluates how high-tech and eco-tech buildings address sustainable water management practices at the community level by
applying three Economic, Sociological, and Environmental Considerations of Water Resources to ten diverse building practices. The case
studies provide insight into the efficacy of high-tech and eco-tech building water management practices and the Strengths and Weaknesses
of this practice with respect to achieving water sustainability by applying three Economic, Sociological, and Environmental Considerations
of Water Resources. The intended case studies for this paper include a list of ten environmentally conscious designs that epitomize the
importance of water conservation.
California Academy of Sciences
The building recovers two and mixes it with a whole new structure, which is actually very transparent, connecting it visually with the
Golden Park, away from the old conception of dark museums. Shade will be provided by a canopy that goes around the building, with solar
panels on it. Sustainability was a key aspect of the design, as this practice is one of the ten pilot green building practices of the San
Francisco Department of Environment, aiming to get platinum LEED certification. Actually, the building will consume 30-35% less energy
than required by code. The practice conserves two limestone walls from the previous building (1934), and houses a planetarium, a rain
forest habitat and an aquarium, and several exhibition spaces to house the several Academy collections. The planetarium and the bubble
that contains the rain forest habitat are the two big spheres that shape the green roof. The roof becomes a landscape with California native
species, that wont need extra maintenance or water, attracting local species to occupy it. Thus, the green roof wont be fully accessible to
visitors, who can only walk through a small path. Sustainability was a key aspect of the design, as this practice is one of the ten pilot green
building practices of the San Francisco Department of Environment, aiming to get platinum LEED certification. Actually, the building
will consume 30-35% less energy than required by code. The practice conserves two limestone walls from the previous building (1934),
and houses a planetarium, a rain forest habitat and an aquarium, and several exhibition spaces to house the several Academy collections.
The planetarium and the bubble that contains the rain forest habitat are the two big spheres that shape the green roof. The roof becomes a
landscape with California native species, that wont need extra maintenance or water, attracting local species to occupy it. Thus, the green
roof wont be fully accessible to visitors, who can only walk through a small path.

By absorbing rainwater, the new Academys living roof will prevent up to 3.6 million gallons of runoff from carrying pollutants
into the ecosystem each year (about 98% of all storm water).
Reclaimed water from the City of San Francisco will be used to flush the toilets, reducing the use of potable water for wastewater
conveyance by 90%.
Due to both low-flow fixtures and the use of reclaimed water, overall potable water use will be 30% less than baseline.

Saltwater for the aquarium will be piped in from the Pacific Ocean, minimizing the use of potable water for aquarium systems. Nitrate
wastes will be purified with natural systems, ensuring that aquarium water can be recycled [11]. Table 1 indicates many common elements
and its description in California Academy of Sciences. Then this classification derived for the ten practice case studies under common
elements defined by the Strengths and Weaknesses established within the respective system. Therefore, while the California Academy of
Sciences may earn all points possible common elements, the other practice earns only 1 of the 5 possible points of Rating System.

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Internat ional Jour nal of Engineeri ng Science s, 2(8) Au gust 2013

Ref. Archdaily.com
Table 1. Summary of impact assessment results for California Academy of Sciences
criteria

Water Management Category

social

Sanitary Supply Shut Off

Construction Site Impacts

Landscape Native Plant Selection

environment

Green Roof

Description

Local materials and products manufactured within 500 miles of the

Academy will account for at least 20% of building materials. This
reduces transportation impacts and supports the regional economy.
The native plants will provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.
The planetarium and the bubble that contains the rain forest habitat
are the two big spheres that shape the green roof. The roof becomes
a landscape with California native species, that wont need extra
maitenance or water, attracting local species to occupy it. Thus, the
green roof wont be fully accesible to visitors, who can only walk
through a small path.

Sewer and Waterway

Contamination from Process Water
Environmental Pollution

By absorbing rainwater, the new Academys living roof will prevent

up to 3.6 million gallons of runoff from carrying pollutants into the
ecosystem each year (about 98% of all storm water).

Stormwater Management: Quantity

Control
Potable %Landscape Irrigation
Water Reduction
Landscape Irrigation No potable
Water
economic

Fixture Water Use Reduction

On-site Wastewater Treatment
(Blackwater,Greywater)

A new link in an ecological corridor for wildlife, the new

Academys living roof is planted with nine native California species
that will not require artificial irrigation.
Due to both low-flow fixtures and the use of reclaimed water,
overall potable water use will be 30% less than baseline.
Reclaimed water from the City of San Francisco will be used to
flush the toilets, reducing the use of potable water for wastewater
conveyance by 90%.

Water Metering
Cooling Tower Water Use

High-performance glass will be used throughout the building,

reducing standard levels of heat absorption and decreasing the
cooling load.

Leak Detection Installation

Tables 2 provide a side-by-side comparison of the rating system requirements specifically for water and site management with the total
possible points that can be achieved for each category.

Mohammadjavad Mahdavinejad and Mahmoud Abedi

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Int ernational Journal of Engi neering Sc iences, 2(8) Au gust 2013

Table 2. Credits of each practice case study

California
Academy
of
Sciences

Economic

6.

Great
Barrier
House

social
environment

Firma
Casa
Store

NASA
Sustainability
Base

Eco
Modern
Flats

Van
Dusen
Botanical
Garden
Visitor
Centre

Edgeland
House

Bilbao
Arena

1315
Peachtree

Hotchkiss
Biomass
Power
Plant

Discussion

While the first case study on California Academy of Sciences was carried out in the old conception of dark museums, the gained data was
used to derive first framework that established the base for the other case studies. After reworking the framework again from the further
data of the second case study, they will be tested by means of a representative Descriptive - Analytical survey. This mix of methods
allowed for a triangulation of methods which is especially suited to the subject of this study since it offered the chance to first obtain a
deeper understanding of the issues at stake (by means of interviews and observation) and then to measure and test the general occurrence of
certain phenomena (by means of the comparison). An example of this is landscape water consumption. This dovetails with the use of native
plants, usually water, instead of credit quality. Similarly, the need for effective management of water and energy used to treat water pump
reduces, thus increasing the access points to save energy. Water management and water quality affects more than just water, it affects
energy. On some level, it even matter, as embodied in the amount of water used in production, such as embodied energy, can be quantified.
The outer boundaries of good water management are extensive.

7.

Conclusion

Sustainable water resources will be a paradigm shift towards' water-based thinking about natural systems and social needs. In nature, water
is not a section at a time, but the processes that are much more functional, though, and in a much larger context. Participants agreed that a
useful approach would be not just to consider demand questions, but how infrastructure is designed built and used in a way that is more
holistic and integrates and creates multiple benefits. It is a method of water management in local, smaller scale can be more valuable with
more green space, less heat in cities, etc. The careful evaluation of the environment, economic and social context of each practice and the
design of the participation and consensus finding process are also of high relevance for the success and finally for the acceptance of such
practices. Debate about the relative role of economic incentives, there is a move towards sustainability. Showing results show that
incentives should be based on the triple bottom line and not only economic factors. Construction and sustainable development, urban
planning, science and technology are essential. In terms of green growth, it is necessary to re-establish the concepts and guidelines for
building technologies, and the development of technologies that include environmental concerns. In addition, it is important to develop
technologies for the assessment of environmental impacts of buildings and urban areas in terms of the entire life cycle of the building.

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