Building Systems in Australia - Term Paper Example

Building Systems Name Institution of Affiliation Date CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3 FRAME SYSTEMS 3 Visual integration 4 Performance integration 6 Physical integration 6 Alternatives 7 HVAC SYSTEMS 8 Visual integration 10 Physical integration 10 Performance integration 12 Alternative systems 12 FINISHES SYSTEM 13 Physical integration 15 Visual integration 16 Performance integration 17 Alternatives 17 REFERENCES 18 INTRODUCTION Sea-life Melbourne building is a building in Melbourne in Australia that serves as a tourist attraction center. There are vast marine species which are placed within aquariums in different floors for viewing. It also doubles up as a research center for marine life. Melbourne city experiences an oceanic climate Koppen classification with influences of the southern ocean and the vast desert climate of inland Australia. The building must integrate its purpose and the often varying climatic conditions in its design of the various systems that define it. Sea-life building is made up of the following systems Structural HVAC systems Envelopes Interiors Environment Some of the systems and their integration are discussed in depth in this paper. FRAME SYSTEMS The sea-life building employs various forms of frameworks to support its static load as a result of gravity forces due to its dead weight, imposed and live loads attributed to the use of the building, seismic forces and any lateral forces as a result of wind. As it is with any building, there are bearings/foundation bases, columns, beams and trusses which form the frame of the building. Foundation bases transfer axial loads to the ground beneath thus supporting the structure, in instances where the soil has a low bearing capacity piers are used to transfer the loads to deeper soil grades that have higher soil bearing capacity. Columns, bearing walls and components providing vertical support transfer the axial loads from beams connected to them and from roofs to the foundation bases into the soil grade. Beams support the floors/ slabs and transfer the loads to the columns. They comprise the structural subsystems, together integrating physically to form the frame of a structure. Columns and trusses are the most predominant features within the finished building framework given that the beams are concealed by ceiling and the bearings are within the ground, therefore they cannot be analyzed as regards to the various integration required in a building. Visual integration The columns within the building are mainly cylindrical which are painted according to the surrounding environment, or taking the form of a sea feature (for instance, in one of the pictures, the columns takes the form of a steel stanchion to emphasize the theme of a boat). They take up less space compared to rectangular sections allowing the utilization of space within the building. In addition they rarely inhibit the movement of sea-life within the aquariums. One of the columns within the waters of the aquarium has a rope bound resembling a dockyard waters. Trusses emphasize an outdoor environment by allowing natural light within the building in some of the corridors. The roof truss allows advertisements in the form of attached artistic pieces. Therefore, the frame system allows visual integration as illustrated by the two pictures. Moreover the columns are well integrated with the envelope to create a spacious outlook as one gains entrance into the building. They also take the painting of the envelope creating a camouflage look considering framework is considered as ugly. Performance integration Overhead trusses within the building, be it walkways or main arenas allow the building to have adequate lighting most times within the year even in winters thus minimizing the cost of lighting. Trusses are good in resisting any lateral forces in the form of strong winds that the building may be exposed to. Bracings are done between columns in open spaces that are close to exteriors and windows done over them resulting in better lighting within the building. Bracings also allow the building to resist the lateral forces the building is exposed to. Other than supporting the weight of the slabs above those as illustrated in the mosaic picture, columns support suspended items within the aquarium, for example a stair case.[Roy] Physical integration The building uses reinforce concrete for columns. Reinforced concrete has an allowance for fire resistance of at least two hours depending on the cover recommended by the engineer, maintaining the structural integrity of the building. Reconstruction is avoided in the event of fire. The steel framework, mainly the truss also considers fire since steel fails when exposed to fire. A period of one hour is usually recommended for steel structures. The structural codes for buildings stipulate that the framework must be designed with a factor of safety in mind since loads are mere estimates. In fact all building codes world all over do consider that. The worst case scenario is what engineers simulate when doing the structural designs. Once buildings are constructed modifications on the structural system is impossible, cautionary measures in the form of factor of safeties must be put in place. Although the Australian coast does not face much tectonic activities in the form of earthquakes, the design must incorporate seismic forces which are quite unpredictable. Sea life building was reconstructed in the 2000’s after the building was commissioned in 1999, if the structural elements weren’t well done and given a factor of safety the building would have to be demolished and a new one setup. Flexibility of use of buildings or the space within is increased thereof. The clearance between floors has to consider the mechanical and service vaults, any embroidery on ceilings. Alternatives Arches have been used since roman architecture in the medieval ages. They are good in transferring loads and transferring them to the other components of the structure, especially when they are made of reinforced concrete. When done as beams they offer higher floor to floor heights. Visually they would easily resemble Noah’s ark especially when a wood finish is done on them. HVAC systems, however, would be difficult to integrate in such a system as the curvature needs to stand out clearly. Domes in open areas where conferences and meeting points are another alternative to the all truss structure that the sea-life center is. They offer good air circulation within buildings. When integrated with trusses physically they would offer a good visual look as well as improve the performance of HVAC systems in air circulations. However, they require a lot of investment in noise control because of sound reverberations. HVAC SYSTEMS HVAC stands for heating, Ventilation and air conditioning. Comfort belies every building design, be it in terms of heat or the ambience in the room. Sea-life building is busy year round since it’s a tourist attraction givens its rich sea-life display within a building. When it was commissioned, a suit was filed since the occupants experienced legionnaire’s disease, a common disease for poorly ventilated buildings. In fact, a suit was filed against the owners of the building back then. HVAC systems, therefore, are critical and need to be integrated into the building. Melbourne experiences harsh summers with regard to heat, the highest recorded temperature being 46 degrees centigrade, and much cooler winters which are sub 10 degrees centigrade. The engineers therefore face an uphill task in controlling cooling and heating systems within the building. HVAC systems encompass the following requirements for any public building Air flow for ventilation purposes This is done using grilles or louvers. The air is forced through insulated ducts which deliver the air to rooms or spaces within for circulation. The air is then extracted from the building by an air return system to avoid any excess humidity and thermal loads. The air is then filtered in the distribution system fan and reconditioned before being recirculated into the building. Outdoor air can also be pumped in to replace the polluted air within the building as illustrated by the ducts within the building thus creating an environment similar to the outdoor environment. Temperature control by either cooling or heating Distribution of energy from fans or coils is achieved by all water systems which comprise pipes. This pipes can be in two, three or four then run through the thermal zones. Thermal heating can also be achieved through radiant heating which is done through overhead radiant panels. It is perceived to be more comfortable than pumping hot air into the building as illustrated in the photographs below. Humidity control Air filtration The control is achieved through the following devices: Thermostat They can be placed in rooms to detect the temperatures of the return air in the system. This sensors then deliver feedback to the heating system which in return indicates the need for cooling or heating of the water to the hydroponic systems. Direct digital control Computer programs are used to control mechanical systems in buildings upon receiving feedback from sensors in various rooms. This allows different heating temperatures for various places in the building further improving the comfort of all occupants in the building at any given location On/ off switching The following schematic strategies are frequently used: Zoning the building into areas where thermostats are placed and different ducts used to provide air and heat. Using different plants for different zonings to avoid overloading and in the event of a breakdown only fewer areas of the building are closed for repair of that plant.[Roy] Visual integration Pipes which serve the purpose of cooling or heating the building are also suspended from above in spaces where they are not easily distinguishable. They are made of dull colors as compared to the existing environment. Ducts in the building which supply either fanned air also have familiar adaptability as those of the pipes. Service racks also have a dark color and placed very close to the ceiling thus making them invisible to an eye mesmerized by the surrounding sea-life. Lighting is provided beneath the ducts or pipes to blind them to the physical eye. The tourist can walk in and out of the building oblivious that such a system exists.[ANI97] Physical integration The air conditioning grilles are well placed within the walls of the specific zones in the building where they regulate the air flows resulting in common use of the same space as the wall. They are also placed close to the upper part of the walls giving more space for paintings and embroidery work on the walls. The ducts are exposed within the building’s interior in some spaces which either have low floor to ceiling heights making lower ceilings undesirable. Some ducts are well covered within the ceilings within open areas where tourists visiting the Centre often congregate in large numbers to create more space and to get rid of surfaces where dust may accumulate. They are placed close walls to further make them unnoticeable and to easily transfer their loadings to the beams in the walls or to the wall itself. Service racks, ducts are placed within spaces where they are mostly required. For instance, the duct I one of the picture in the mosaic dips to a certain angle to supply air into a space within the floor. [Roy] Performance integration Ducts are silver coated on the outside to ensure that there is little or no heat gain from the exterior environment which happens to be the various rooms within the buildings. Silver is a bad conductor of heat and reflects heat hence the preference as a coat material for the ducts. This saves on the energy costs which would have been incurred in cooling the air further. The various sensors used for detecting the temperatures are interconnected with the automated systems of the building resulting in efficient control of temperatures and air at any given period. Heavy expenditures are therefore minimized.[Leo13] The hydroponic pipes for heat regulation are also coated in dull colors which are good emitters and good conductors of heat. They also radiate heat to the surrounding rooms hence efficient and more preferred as a system. This is well illustrated in the mosaic given above. Alternative systems A thermal energy storage systems (TES) would be well fitting in such as an environment as this since water is easily available and houses the main attraction, sea-life (fishes) TES systems use small cooling plants running continuously cooling the rooms just as a similar load size plant would running intermittently. This mechanical plants are huge and barely run at capacity throughout the year since their design temperatures are rarely achieved at any time of the year. This results in overspending on power for cooling and in their installation. Compared to the convectional systems TES systems require less peak power because of their smaller size. Physical integration of TES systems is easy since they are designed as storage areas with chilled water or ice. Sea-life center has many aquariums and making the integration of extra storage rooms easier for the designers. As for performance they save on electricity in terms of kilovolts-amperes for the company resulting in economy in running the center thought they do occupy much space compared to the conventional systems. FINISHES SYSTEM This mainly serve mostly the visual aspect of the building. They are meant to optimize the buildings internal spaces and emphasize the themes that a space in the building is meant for. Melbourne sea-life is a tourist attraction and the finishes must have an aura of relaxation, comfort and still resemble the sea-life that is vastly displayed. The theme color adopted in most spaces is blue for that matter. Finishes comprise a lager system of interior systems which comprise the following Lighting Ambient lightings and display lightings. Ambient lighting refers to the available light within a building. It mostly refers to low-key lighting which is reflected from surfaces giving a uniform illumination in a room. Display lightings are just as their names describe them to be. They are used to accent areas, products in a building in order to clarify them. Warmer light temperatures are preferred for areas frequented by large number of visitors for comfort and a dazzling effect given that what captures the attention of a visitor or buyer are the first seconds of his/ her interaction with the product. The designers must therefore achieve an eye-catching environment within the display zones. Track lighting are used to highlight any object within a room, to illuminate walls in what is called wall washing and to highlight the textures of a wall.[Leo13] Acoustics This refers to elements of sound absorption, noise control, reflection and sound reverberation within the building. Noise is an element that distracts an individual’s concentration, the design of any tourist attraction must therefore absorb any thereof. Given that the tourist needs value for his money and that quietness to wonder at the sea attraction far away from the bustles within Melbourne city. Finishes They vary from paints, floor and wall covering to trims. Circulation This refers to the flow of people within a building be it individuals or group of people. There is therefore a need to provide ample space for interaction amongst themselves and with the facilities of the building. In case of fire or any emergency the building ought to handle the access to safety points easily with little or no stumbling from the occupants. Physical integration The sea-life building embraces a gypsum finish which in some instances is worked on to bring out a stepped configuration with an envelope where green-blue track lights are placed to illuminate on it. Recess lights are also placed on the gypsum ceiling for lightings on different occasions but are barely used. The stepped ceiling finish can also allow the passage of HVAC ducts on the lower ceiling configuration without fuss of low floor to floor heights. Most parts of the building is painted white to create shadows from other displays on the walls, giving it an eerie outlook. Visual integration The sea-life building embraces a gypsum finish for the ceiling given its ease of workability to produce shapes as desired by the interior designers to create a visually impress the tourists. Wood panels have also been used in some instances for camouflage of the sea-life on display in that aquarium within that room. Stones resembling corals have also been attached on the walls near some displays to illustrate a natural environment. Wall projections have also been used for the same purpose as those of stones. The aquarium is lighted more than the rooms housing them since they embody the main attraction for tourists in order to draw attention to the creature/fish that is being displayed. Yellow track lights have been used to graze the walls of a particular space in the center to clearly illustrate the texture of the wall, the projections thereof. The ceiling of the same room is given a fault like discontinuity and with no display lightings making it look like a sea cave. This integration of the interior subsystems is excellent creating a warm comfortable environment. In another room a polar environment is created by the track lights, depressed display lights and the wall finish shows the ingenuity in the design of the room. Performance integration Gypsum is very good in absorbing noise in any location, together with the moderately high floor to floor heights they prevent any sound reflection and reverberation. Good reflector materials have been used on walls and floor finishes. White painted walls and objects are also good in reflecting light. The integration in the interior subsystem can be used together with the HVAC system in regulating heat in the building. White is a bad conductor of heat, same for the wood panels thus the building is able to easily regulate the heat within the building. Alternatives The aquariums ought to be easily movable within the building to create an all new experience for tourists. The idea is difficult to integrate physically since other systems rely on the same space to ensure the comfort of visitors A sand finish in walls or on the floor is much possible to integrate into some zones to add beach or ocean bed scenarios for visitors. This is easy to integrate into walls and the ground. REFERENCES Roy: , (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology), ANI97: , (AHUJA, 1997), Roy: , (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology), Leo13: , (Bachman, 2013), Read More