Paper Title - anthx.files. Web viewTable of Contents Page. Table of Contents2. Abstract3. 1.0Introduction4. 2.0An Overview of Sustainable Architecture5. 3.0 Sustainable Features of

Asian Architecture [ARC 2213/2234]

PROJECT 1: CASE STUDY

Implementation of Sustainable Architecture in supporting Gardens by the Bay

NAME: Tan Hui Xian

STUDENT ID: 0311719

LECTURER: Ida Marlina Mazlan

SUBMISSION DATE: 12 June 2014

ASIAN ARCHITECTURE [ARC 2234]Implementation of Sustainable Architecture in supporting Gardens by the Bay

Paper Title

Table of Contents Page

Table of Contents..........................................................................................................................2

Abstract..........................................................................................................................................3

1.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................4

2.0 An Overview of Sustainable Architecture........................................................................5

3.0 Sustainable Features of the Supertrees..............................................................................6

4.0 Sustainable Features of the Conservatories........................................................................9

5.0 Sustainable Features of the Lake System.........................................................................12

6.0 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................14

7.0 References.........................................................................................................................16

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Abstract

The purpose of the study of the implementation of sustainable architecture is to identify and understand the sustainability features and workings of an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly design, such as Gardens by the Bay, which incorporates cutting edge environmental design and sustainable development principles. The many different sustainability features of Gardens by the Bay are researched and studied to discover the self-sustaining ability of the design and its energy-efficiency as well as its environmental principles. In assisting the validation of research, literature reviews and research based on various sources regarding the sustainability features and design of Gardens by the Bay were conducted. Built by a world-class British design team led by Bath-based landscape architects, Grant Associates, Gardens by the Bay is one of the best representations of sustainable design as it is built with the intent of being an environmentally-friendly and self-sustaining eco-tourist destination, incorporating the principles of sustainability and operating with sustained energy savings. Gardens by the Bay is one of the largest garden projects in the world, designed to raise the profile of the city and to showcase the best of horticulture and garden artistry. It comprises of three distinct gardens, which are Bay South, Bay East and Bay Central. The Bay South garden has eighteen solar-powered supertrees which generates solar power, collects rainwater, and provides air ventilation and cooling for nearby conservatories. Gardens by the Bay has two green conservatories, which are the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, climate-controlled botanical biomes that serve as greenhouses for a vast variety of plants from every continent in the world, with the exception of Antarctica. The Flower Dome has a biomass energy system which utilizes horticultural waste to feed a massive steam turbine and generate the electricity which helps maintain the cool interior temperatures. A lake system connecting with the Marina Reservoir has intricate water-catchment and bio-filtration systems with watering and cooling solutions for the environment. The energy systems of Gardens by the Bay works to minimise solar heat gain with specially selected glass, to cool and maintain the temperature of the conservatories by thermal stratification, and to generate electricity to run the chillers using horticultural waste. These are some of the many sustainability features of Gardens by the Bay which explains how the implementation of sustainable architecture can support an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly design.

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1.0 Introduction

Gardens by the Bay is the fruit of the vision to create a horticultural themed design in the city of Singapore that seeks to educate, entertain as well as enrich the community and the world through the beauty of nature, showcasing it’s diversity and sustainability. Gardens by the Bay is chosen as a case study for this project as it is a great example of the implementation of sustainable design and green technology in architecture, and the many sustainability features are able to reinforce the topic and the scope of study of the project, which is sustainable architecture. It incorporates good design and strong sustainable development principles.

Gardens by the Bay comprises of Bay Central, Bay South and Bay East. The Bay South Garden comprises of the Conservatories and the Supertrees. The Conservatories and the Supertrees has an integration of sustainability design features by the use of cutting-edge technology that minimizes their environmental footprint and saves energy. The Conservatories include the Cloud Forest and the Flower Dome, which hosts a variety of plant species from every continent in the world except for Antarctica. The Supertrees are vertical gardens with are home to ferns, vines, orchids and a treetop bar. The Conservatories and the Supertrees work together to create an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly design.

This paper will investigate on how the systems and features of the Conservatories and the Supertrees of Gardens by the Bay are implemented to create a design that is sustainable and energy-efficient by responding to the following questions:

1. What is sustainable architecture and what is the meaning of an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly design?

2. What are the different implementations of sustainable design features of Gardens by the Bay?

3. How does the sustainable design features of Gardens by the Bay function in conserving energy?

4. How does the implementation of the sustainability features promote Gardens by the Bay as an energy efficient and environmentally friendly design?

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2.0 An Overview of Sustainable Architecture

Sustainable architecture seeks to create energy-efficient and environmentally friendly designs with strong sustainability design principles and sustainability features. Sustainable design promotes energy, water and resource conservation, minimizing waste and the emission of greenhouse gases. It seeks to reduce the environmental footprint, reduce global warming and preserve natural resources. Implementation of sustainable architecture is found in the heating, cooling and ventilation system efficiency of a building. It also features renewable energy generation, with the usage of sustainable building materials that has lower volatile organic compounds, implements good waste management, as well as strategic building placement with a strong consideration for the impact of the environment.

According to Architecture Canada (n.d.), sustainable architecture can be defined as the creation of buildings for which only renewable resources are consumed throughout the process of design, construction and operation. Examples of renewable resources are wind, wave and sun energy which can be replenished. Non-renewable resources are energy sources that can be depleted. Jackie Craven (n.d.) in her article entitled ‘What is “Sustainable Development”?’ states that the World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainable development as the development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In other words, sustainable architecture seeks to use renewable resources without depleting the natural resources.

Randall McMullan (2012) writes in his book, Environmental Science in Building, that a green or sustainable building is deliberately designed to minimise impact on the natural environment and to maximise efficiency in the use of resources such as materials, water and energy over the lifecycle of the building. It is now a global mission to implement sustainable and green architecture in modern buildings and designs in an effort to reduce energy consumption and create self-sufficient and environmentally friendly designs for the sake of the future generations.

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Figure 1: The layout of Gardens by the Bay (Source: dezeen magazine, 2012)

3.0 Sustainable Features of the Supertrees

The Supertrees are eighteen tall vertical gardens between 25 and 50 metres in height that are covered with vines, orchids, flowering climbers, epiphytes and ferns. They are built of steel and concrete framework, and are connected by hanging walkways which are 22 metres high and 128 metres long, providing a spectacular aerial view of the gardens. The Supertrees consists of four parts, which are the reinforcement concrete core that is 100% recycled, the trunk of the tree, planting panels of the living skin and the canopy at the top. There is also a bar at the top of the tallest Supertree. The canopies stretch across the gardens, providing shelter from the sun. The Supertrees are integrated with sustainable features that generate solar power, provide air circulation and cooling for the conservatories, and collects rainwater.

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Figure 2: The Supertrees with their hanging walkways in Gardens by the Bay (Source: dezeen magazine, 2012)

Figure 3: The plants covering the Supertree (Source: dezeen magazine, 2012)

The Supertrees have a network of solar photovoltaic panels that harvest and convert sunlight into electrical energy that powers the lightshow display and projected media at night. The Supertrees contain rainwater collection tanks and pumps on top of each structure, and these are used to collect rainwater that cool both the Supertrees and the nearby conservatories. They

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also have ducts that provide natural ventilation to cool the conservatories. They are integrated with the conservatories and serve as air exhaust receptacles.

The solar panels on the Supertrees convert sunlight into electricity by allowing photons, which are also known as particles of light, to separate the electrons from the atoms. Solar panels comprise of many smaller units which are known as photovoltaic cells, which are combined together to form a solar panel. A photovoltaic cell is made up of two pieces of semi-conducting material, which is usually silicon. The photovoltaic cells work by establishing an electric field, which occurs when opposite charges are separated, much like a magnetic field which occurs due to opposite poles.

To achieve this electric field, the silicon is doped with other materials to give each piece of the semi-conducting material a positive or a negative electrical charge, such as phosphorous, which is added to the top layer of the silicon, which adds extra electrons with a negative charge, to that layer. The bottom layer is doped with boron, which has fewer electrons, resulting in a positive charge. These layers combine to create an electric field at the junction between the silicon layers. When a photon of sunlight knocks an electron free, the electric field will push that electron out of the silicon junction.The photovoltaic cells turn these electrons into power that can be used. The sides of the cell consists of metal conductive plates that collect the electrons and transfer them to wires, which flows along the wires in the form of electricity that powers the Supertree lightshow during the night.

Figure 4: The Supertree lightshow during the night that is powered by solar energy harvested during the day (Source: dezeen magazine, 2012)

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4.0 Sustainable Features of the Conservatories

The Conservatories are two climate-controlled glass biomes that serve as greenhouses for 220,000 plants from every continent except Antarctica. They are the size of four football fields and are the park’s main attractions that seek to educate the public on environmental sustainability using interactive educational programmes. The conservatories consist of the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. The taller biome is the Cloud Forest, which is 0.8 hectares wide and contains a 35 metre high built in mountain and a waterfall with a walkway surrounding the mountain. The Flower Dome, which is 1.2 hectares wide, displays plants from the Mediterranean climatic regions and has different flower displays according to the season of the year. The Flower Dome is a cool-dry area that explores the issues between people and plants, whereas the Cloud Forest is a cool-moist area that educates the public on how climate change and the destruction of cloud forests will threaten the Earth’s biodiversity. With the help of low-energy and renewable systems, the conservatories are able to achieve carbon neutral status.

Figure 5: The Conservatories at Gardens by the Bay (Source: dezeen magazine, 2012) Dr. Tan, K.W.

The conservatories have to maintain the internal temperature and humidity and thus utilize a huge amount of energy. The conservatories are therefore incorporated with building technologies that help to reduce moisture and temperature loss. With this integrated control

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systems, the conservatories are able to save up to 30% in energy consumption compared to the conventional cooling approach.

The Flower Dome consists of a biomass energy system which utilizes horticultural waste as biofuel to generate the electricity that powers the cooling system and helps maintain the cool temperatures of the biome. The horticultural waste is fed into a huge steam turbine which is specifically designed to meet the electrical needs required for the cooling system.

The conservatories are enveloped in special low-energy glass panels that allow light in while reducing the amount of solar heat that enters the building. These solar panels let in 64% of the incident light, and admit only 38% of the solar heat. This reduction in solar heat gain helps to maintain the cool internal temperatures of the biome. The roof has sensor operated retractable sails that opens when the temperature gets too high to provide immediate shelter and relief for the plants.

Figure 6: The sensor operated retractable sails on the roof of the Flower Dome (Source: inhabitat, 2013) Bridgette Meinhold

The conservatories also implements the process of thermal stratification, which employs a method of cooling the ground of the biome by using chilled water pipes cast within the floor slabs. Cool and dry air fills the lower level of the biome where the plants and people are, whereas hot air rises up and out of the biome or is channeled back into the system to be de-humidified by liquid desiccant, a drying agent, before it is cooled, to reduce the amount of

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energy required in the cooling process. The liquid desiccant is recycled using the excess heat that is released from the burning of the biomass, which generates energy using a Combined Heat Power (CHP) steam turbine. The systems of the conservatories are integrated with the Supertrees in that the Supertrees have vents and ducts that release the hot air from the conservatories out as well as generate electricity and hot water for the entire complex of Gardens by the Bay.

Figure 7: The interior of the Flower Dome (Source: inhabitat, 2013)

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Figure 8: The interior of the Cloud Forest (Source: inhabitat, 2013)

The conservatories collect rainwater from the glass roof of the domes, which is then stored and used for irrigation. The water is filtered through the lakes surrounding the conservatories, called Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lakes. The lakes catch run off, filtered through aquatic plants and then the recycled water is redistributed to be irrigated throughout the complex.

5.0 Sustainable Features of the Lake System

Gardens by the Bay consists of two main lakes, which are the Dragonfly Lake and the Kingfisher Lake, a lake system designed with water-catchment and bio-filtration systems. This lake system connects with the Marina Reservoir and contributes to the watering and cooling solution for the complex and environment. The lake system is integrated with ecological processes and functions as a living system. It captures and filters the water from the water catchment and provides aquatic habitats for aquatic biodiversity such as fishes, dragonflies and aquatic plants. The aquatic plants cleanse the water before being discharged into the reservoir. The lake system also uses naturally treated water for the irrigation system of the Gardens. The healthy functioning of the ecosystem can be measured by the lake system, which emphasizes the role and importance of aquatic plants in nature as well as the importance of clean water in sustaining biodiversity.

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The water run-off is filtered using filter beds that are situated at the place where the water enters and exits the lake system. The filter beds comprise of aquatic reeds and wetlands, where the flow of water is reduced and the sediments are filtered out. The aquatic plants and reeds are natural systems used to absorb nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus that are present in the water. This reduces the nutrient load of the water and it is important to reduce the nitrogen load to prevent alga bloom that will affect the health of the lake system. That way, the quality of the water will be maintained. The aquatic ecosystem is maintained by ensuring a diversity of aquatic plants, good water circulation and aeration. This provides aquatic habitats for the fish and dragonflies and prevents problems such as mosquito breeding.

Figure 9: The lake system in Gardens by the Bay (Source: Teo, 2013)

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Figure 10: The overall energy system of Gardens by the Bay (Source: inhabitat, 2013)

6.0 Conclusion

Gardens by the Bay sets the standard for green design and sustainable architecture in garden development and management practices. The implementation of a variety of sustainable features and systems in supporting a self-sufficient and environmentally friendly design is clearly illustrated in Gardens by the Bay. Through the Supertrees, the conservatories and the lake system each has its own sustainable features and is designed to work together in reducing energy consumption by applying sustainable energy and water usage solutions in providing a more sustainable, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly design.

The sustainable features of the Gardens are a bio-waste cogeneration system, liquid desiccant system, high performance low energy solar panels, automatic shading system in the form of sensor operated retractable sails, displacement cooling and slab cooling, photovoltaic solar

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panels, green roofs, fully recycled concrete, rainwater harvesting, water usage control system, natural water filtration using aquatic plants and weather control station for irrigation plants.

The Gardens reduces energy consumption through the burning of horticultural waste as biomass fuel to generate its own electricity that powers up the system, as well as harvest solar energy that is converted to electricity that runs the complex. Besides that, the Supertrees harvest water and store it as an alternative source for irrigation.

The cutting-edge green technology of Gardens by the Bay is a wonderful example of the implementation of sustainable features and sustainable development principles in a design, and is an inspiration and education for the public and community on the importance of sustainable design and architecture. Through the research and study of the implementation of sustainable architecture that supports Gardens by the Bay, I am able to identify and understand better the sustainability features and workings of an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly design.

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7.0 ReferencesBellew, P. & Davey, M. (2013). Green House: Green Engineering: Environmental Design at Gardens by the

Bay. Oro Editions.

Bougdah, H. and Sharples, S. (2010). Environment, Technology and Sustainability. (Vol 2). Taylor and Francis.

Burberry, P. (1997). Environment and Services. (8th ed.). Essex: Longman

CPG Consultants. (n.d.). Gardens by the Bay (Marina South). Retrieved from CPG Consultants website: http://www.cpgcorp.com.sg/CPGC/Project/Project_Details?ProjectID=1069

Craven, J. (n.d.). What Is "Sustainable Development"? Retrieved from About.com website: http://architecture.about.com/od/greenconcepts/g/sustainable.htm

Dr. Tan, K.W. (2012, June 19). Gardens by the Bay by Grant Associates and Wilkinson Eyre Architects . Retrieved from dezeen magazine website: http://www.dezeen.com/2012/06/19/gardens-by-the-bay-by-grant-associates-and-wilkinson-eyre-architects/

Gardens By The Bay (n.d.). Our Legacy in Green. Retrieved from Gardens By The Bay website: http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/content/dam/gbb/en/images/get-involved/NP11_0082_GardenBrochure_220x307_R10.pdf

Greeno, R. (2006). Building Services, Technology and Design. Malaysia: Longman Pearson

Inhabitat. (n.d.). Gardens by the Bay. Retrieved from Inhabitat website: http://inhabitat.com/tag/gardens-by-the-bay/

McMullan, R. (2012). Environmental Science in Building. (7th ed.) Palgrave Macmillan. On, Jeffrey. (n.d.). Sustainable Design: Singapore’s Garden by the Bay. Retrieved from Alfa College

website: http://www.alfa.edu.my/blog/sustainable-design-singapores-garden-by-the-bay/

Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. (n.d.). Sustainable Architecture. Retrieved from RAIC website: http://www.raic.org/architecture_architects/green_architecture/sustainability_e.htm#top

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Paper Title - anthx.files. Web viewTable of Contents Page. Table of Contents2. Abstract3. 1.0Introduction4. 2.0An Overview of Sustainable Architecture5. 3.0 Sustainable Features of