2nd Assignment Mechanical

The Mechanical System is an essential part of the schematic understanding of the building. 

The solution to air quality and air conditioning must occur during the initial schematic proposals not as an addition to the basic scheme.   The location of essential equipment and the strategy for circulating fresh air have an impact on the organization of rooms and the allotment of space to each room.  Mechanical noise and unsightly appearance of equipment can also affect the logic and execution of the “form/solution”—the schematic solution to the problem.

Many older buildings built after WWII had ceiling mounted air handling units that heat, cool and blow conditioned air.  Larger spaces had roof top units that were self-contained.  The inefficiency of so many units seems obvious. Long linear buildings with lots of exterior wall surface were somewhat energy efficient because each room could be controlled for its individual exposure.  Sometimes one could link all of the units together with a water circulating system and literally pump heat from the ‘sun’ side of the building to the other side.  These systems had to change dramatically when fresh air standards for buildings were drastically increased.  In order to reduce the spread to illness and to respond to studies that determined that fresh air was essential for a quality-working environment, the ability to fully ‘change’ the air in a room frequently became a requirement. 

The fresh air requirement changed the mechanical system from a decentralized one to a centralized one.  This means that we need to intake fairly large amounts of outside air, filler it, blow it across coils with either heated or chilled water in them, circulate it to conditioned spaces and exhaust it.  In other words throughout the building there will be ductwork that may be exposed or concealed.  There will be an intake area that should not be at the most public part of the building.  There must be room for a heat exchanger, like a cooling tower, to generate chilled water and there must be room for a boiler to generate hot water.  There must be a fan and coil unit; but, this may be centralized or at individual spaces.  And, there must be a place to exhaust the old air.

Your task for our next meeting will be to layout a conceptual mechanical system that includes all of the above.  Begin with a diagram of your program from public to semipublic to private spaces.  Note which spaces must relate to the outside and how the albedo effect (the effect of reflected light) may influence their configuration.  Now add the mechanical requirements noted above—including space for equipment.  Even though there is no orientation yet, include orientation objectives and the strategies for handling and balancing natural light.  We used to use this document to explain our desires to our engineer and our client.  It was useful in both cases because the strategy used always had an impact on the schematic solution.  This is also the place to diagram your schematic response to issues of sustainability.  That’s right, even before you know the orientation and logic of the site. 

Sustainability issues include but are not limited to: water retention and water storage, light pollution, energy generation, energy storage, energy re-capture, ventilation, solar orientation and control, orientation to the winter wind, planting, equipment efficiency, and pedestrian, bus and bicycle use.  These issues may be part of the larger diagram or they may be separate diagrams. Do some researches.  Diagram some of the strategies used by the green buildings of the year.

Diagram these issues on an 18 x 18 square.  This will be due Friday.