The first speaker to present was Amari Roskelly who has a BS in Architecture and a MSIS in Sustainability from The University of Texas at Arlington. She is currently the Secretary for UTA's Student Sustainability Society, the Design/Architect Chair for the Sustainable DFW Executive Board, and works at Jacobs Engineering as the Sustainability Coordinator. At Jacobs, Amari assists in obtaining LEED certifications for Department of Defense projects.
Amari first discussed the basics of sustainability and what it means to be a champion for the cause. She stressed the fact that it is difficult at first to learn how the process works and how getting buy-in is the hardest part. In order to get buy-in you have to appeal to people's basic needs and show them how sustainability can help satisfy those needs in a more efficient way in the present and future. These basic needs include food, water, shelter, clothing, and social interaction which all tie into the 3 spheres of sustainability.
3 SPHERES OF SUSTAINABILITY
The three spheres of sustainability are People, Performance, and Environment. Amari stated that these principles can assist in fulfilling people's basic needs. As an example, shelter sustainability often includes things such as energy efficiency, water efficiency, protection of the local habitat, improvements within the community and social connections, reducing heat impacts, and improving building emissions.
LEED RATINGS
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized green building program that provides a framework for identifying and implementing practical design, construction, operations, and maintenance solutions.The LEED certification process varies based rating systems for types of projects pursued. Various project types include homes, new construction, healthcare, schools, etc. These rating systems are requirements geared towards the unique needs of each project or building type. Each project is able to earn points to satisfy LEED building requirements.
As an intern, Amari has worked on various projects to obtain LEED certification including the Anderson, Holloman, and Carswell Base hangars and buildings at the Sam Houston Joint Base. Also while working at Jacobs, Amari is responsible for finding and implementing areas of sustainability to obtain LEED points within the military's first Net Zero Air Force Hangar and Air Traffic Control Tower project. She also assists in filling out and submitting the paperwork necessary to obtain the Net Zero certification. Currently, the Department of Defense actively seeks out sustainable design for all of their projects.
Net Zero is defined as a building, or buildings, that have zero net energy consumption and no carbon emissions on an annual basis. The certification process allows for various tactics to obtain this goal. Currently the project is employing solar panel fields, automated lighting, low flow plumbing, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on the buildings, and energy recovery ventilation.
Overall, Amari's message was to continue to champion for the cause and to understand that sustainability is a process, not an overnight fix. Her presentation was a great introduction to the world of sustainability in architecture and the process of obtaining LEED certifications. It was inspiring to know that someone who had just been in my shoes months earlier was now pursuing her dreams of making the world a better place for future generations.
"[Sustainability] is living today in such a way that we aren't destroying things for the future."
Amari's presentation to the class is available here.
0 comments:
Post a Comment