Bio inspired Kinetic Envelopes: Integrating BIM into Biomimicry for Sustainable Design

Transcription

1 1.0 Research Summary In architectural field, air-conditioning systems are designed to maintain thermal comfort even if the surrounding temperature changes. At the counterpoint of biological field, thermoregulation enables organism to keep its body temperature within certain boundaries through morphological changes according to variations in the surrounding temperature. This research explores the potential for using analogies drawn from a natural model to create Bio-inspired Kinetic Envelopes (BKE) for utilizing solar radiation and responding to changing temperature thus minimizing the energy needs. Ideally, the energy needs of air-conditioning systems can be reduced through the BKE behaviors based on bio-inspiration. The project integrates a new approach by using Parametric Design in BIM (PDBIM) to establish parametric relations between envelope physical models and climatic conditions to translate the biological thermoregulation behavior into the possible architectural configurations and kinetic modes. The translation process will include analysis of the selected climate, reports of the possible shaping and composing of envelopes, analytical tests of energy usages of the resulting building envelope system in terms of thermal comfort. Funding for this design research aims at creating specific bio-inspired building envelopes for climatic temperature responsiveness and increasing efficiency of the building thermal environment based on BIM parametric design. The expected long term achievement is a new design approach integrating BIM parametric design and biomimicry for energy efficiency and interactive building expression. Amount Request $2,000

2 2.0 Research Problems Some locations with typical continental climate have obvious daily or seasonal variations in temperature. There are two main ways to provide more efficient building performance within these areas. One is related to the high-tech or high-efficient HVAC system, and another one is the architectural design strategies like building orientation, materials and building form. The latter one is regarded as the fundamental point of this research. Standing on the perspective of architectural design, this research focuses on the building envelope design towards this specific climate with temperature swings. The reason that we are focusing on the envelope is because the optical and thermophysical properties of building envelopes are one of the most important design parameters affecting indoor thermal comfort and energy conservation (Koc, et al., 2003). We believe certain efficient biological models in nature may offer the possibilities to achieve the sustainable building envelope system. We are inspired by biological thermoregulation which is the organisms capability to keep body temperature within certain boundaries, even when the surrounding temperature is very different (Kirkes, 1905). Scientists have discovered some natural models with high efficient thermoregulation and translated them, like the polar bear s fur and certain mammal s hairs, into manageable materials or designs (Nachtigall, et al., 1998; Blu chel, et al., 2006; Stegmaier, et al., 2009). In this project we divide the principal problem into two manageable sub-problems: 1)What kind of biological model can be used for thermal environments efficiency? 2)How to optimize the kinetic shaping and composition of building envelopes? 3.0 Methodological Basis Parametric Design of BIM (PDBIM) There have been many experiments with introducing parametric design, defined usually as the exploring, representing or optimizing geometry and forms from the aesthetic perspective in the fields of art and architecture (Janssen and Kramer, 2007; Bruderlin and Roller, 1998; Lee and Kim, 1996). However, the parametric design method in this research refers to the integration with BIM. The 3D knowledge-rich parameters are the fundamental point for BIM conception which authors several modeling platforms like Autodesk Revit, ArchiCAD and etc. The building model established on these platforms will have multi-parameters including constructions, materials, costs and user defined parameters. Those parameters a possible effective bridge to allow building information to connect climate and

3 Bio inspired Kinetic Envelopes: Integrating BIM into Biomimicry for Sustainable Design building energy. In addition, BIM authoring software, Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010, offers an Application Programming Interface (API) designed to allow power users and external application developers to integrate their applications with Autodesk Revit. 4.0 Research Plan In our project, we will use PDBIM to conduct the searching process (Fig.1) to explore the possible shaping and composing of kinetic building envelopes incorporating building energy simulation program.1) The first stage refers to the parametric modeling of design; 2) The second stage forms a one possibility of kinetic shaping and composition and then transfers this resulting building into energy Figure 1. PDBIM process in this research simulation programs to get the energy performance;3) The third stage is to get the feedback of energy simulation performance outputs and modify the parametric model and the programmed relations among parameters through API or simple formula. Discoveries on butterfly wings show that the honeycombed microstructures on the wings surface can be the effective solar collectors (Heilman and Miaoulis, 1994) or blocks (Koon and Crawford, 2000). The honeycombed pattern takes advantage of trapping solar radiation because of the almost total internal reflection; that is, the solar radiation enters the concave combs, and then is partially absorbed and partially reflected but nearly all the incident radiation was moved within the honeycomb rather than was taken away to outside Figure 2. The translating process of bioinspiration from butterfly a. The microstructure of wings; b. Parameters of each panel; c. The composing of envelopes; d. The shaping of envelopes; e. The resulting building model. (Zhang, et al, 2009).Conversely, the fold wings minimize the area of surface and avoid many thermal transmissions. We translated this structure into BKE panels with hexagon structures. Each hexagon structure of the BKE system has

4 Bio inspired Kinetic Envelopes: Integrating BIM into Biomimicry for Sustainable Design two principle parameters which are the Height and U-value of panel (Fig. 2). These important two parameters will be changed according to the solar radiation and the air temperature difference between interior and exterior. The whole parameter relations diagram can be seen from figure 3. Logically, the BKE panels can change to three periodic patterns including concave, convex and flat (Fig. 4); meanwhile, the panel materials insulation changes within a Figure 3. The parametric relations of this case design range following the shaping changes. 5.0 Schedule and Deliverables This research has been conducted for one year and finished the initial phase about preliminary studies on the selection of natural model, parametric methods of BIM, and basic design spaces and envelopes from bio-inspiration. The next phase funded by BSA is divided three parts: The first part (duration approximately 3 man-months) relates Figure 4. The motions and functions of single panel to the statistical analysis on envelope energy contribution and selected climate s opportunities and constraints. Meanwhile, the analogical review of the biological model and responsiveness will be conducted. The second part (duration approximately 4 man-months) involves materialization of the kinetic modules and energy simulation on the resulting BKE system. The final part (duration approximately 2 man-months) is for writing the final technical report and recapitulation of results in one publication article, in the sustainable design and computer aided communities. In order to achieve sufficient results, the future phase, several BKE systems and prototypes will be produced and tested through physical model with monitors and sensors. Full-scale production of a single selected prototype is to display energy efficient performance and kinetic responsiveness to climate. Because of the limitation of pages, the references will be resupplied in future reports.

5 6.0 Project budget The funding $2,000 is budgeted to BSA program. Category Funds Funding Requested Source Compensation for researcher $2,000 BSA (prospective source) preliminary prototype Set up $10,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (prospective source) Travel for field research $3,000 ThinkSwiss Research Grant (Confirmed) Total $15,000 Specific Purpose of Using Funds Researcher s time time for actual research To build the preliminary prototype of kinetic modules displaying the resulting behavior Field research for case studies and investigation experienments 7.0 Principal Researcher Biography Currently, Principle Researcher is a Ph.D. candidate in Architecture in an institution, U.S, a Co-Founder of an architectural design firm, and an Adjunct Research Fellow in Center of Building Environment Test at Tsinghua University. After studying Architecture for bachelor degree and Building Technology for master degree, Principal Researcher has been a Research Associate at the Key Sustainable Architectural Laboratory of an institution for two years. In recent years, he worked as a Visiting Researcher or Scholar at ETH, EPFL (Switzerland), Tsinghua Unviersity, Tianjin University (China) and Penn State University. He is also serving as reviewer of two journals, professional members in architecture, lighting and computer aid design communities. Academic Experiences His scholarly research focuses on parametric design in BIM, lighting and daylight environments, sustainable technologies and design, and healthcare design. He seeks new ways of constructing sustainable building systems through research-based design. As a principal investigator or researcher associate, he is conducting and conducted funding research projects including Physical Building Information Modeling for Solar Building Design and Simulation sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF), Horizontal Hybrid Solar Light Pipe sponsored by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Suitable Model for Low Carbon and Wellness of Human Settlement in

6 Chinese Southwest District sponsored by China Railway Group Co., China (CRG), and Integration between Daylighting Technology and Architectural Design for Underground Commercial Space sponsored by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). The Principal Research has published some articles related to physical environment and sustainable design. For example, Parametric Design Based on Building Information Modeling for Sustainable Buildings, in the proceeding of Challenges in Environmental Science and Computer Engineering (CESCE 2010) sponsored by IEEE; Developing Indoor Air Quality through Healthcare and Sustainable Parametric Design, in the 4th International conference on Environmental Pollution and Public Health (EPPH2010) sponsored by IEEE; Experiments and Research of Reading Lighting Conditions for Elderly, in the proceeding of 26 th International Commission on Illumination (CIE); and The Study on Assessment System for Green Lighting City in China, in the journal of Statistics and Decision. Professional Experiences His professional activities focus on architectural design, consulting about sustainable technology, community planning and design, landscape lighting design, and urban design. His vocation is to investigate the implications of the sustainable technologies in architectural design and urban-scale planning & design. He worked with China Construction Engineering Design Group on projects, including Chengdu Vocational School of Industrial and Technology(conceptual planning for 22hm2 campus, and architectural design for 5,500 sq. ft buildings), Science & Technology Museum (built 2008), and the Tanggu Park Office Building (built in 2006). Award and Honor The Principal Investigator got ThinkSwiss Research Grant from the Embassy of Switzerland, U.S. for residence research in Switzerland, The Winner Award of EPA P3 (People, Prosperity and Planet) from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for sustainable design competition, Preston M. Geren Sr. Memorial Scholarship from Texas Architect Society for individuals with the academic integration between materials and design, Tim Carnes Memorial Scholarship from International Illuminating Engineering Society (IESNA) for research related to lighting environments, and STERIS Traveling Fellowships for national healthcare design conference.