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8 Student Projects Demonstrate Ingenious Approaches to the Future of Accessibility
CategoriesArchitecture

8 Student Projects Demonstrate Ingenious Approaches to the Future of Accessibility

By Zarkon Group,

Universal Design, the practice of creating environments equally usable by anyone regardless of physical circumstance, is increasingly gaining traction among design professionals. As this practice requires designing beyond minimum standards set by codes that seasoned practitioners have spent decades learning to master, a change in approach must come from the bottom up. That’s why the University of Arizona’s College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture hosts an annual Universal Design awards program for architecture students with Ascension Wheelchair Lifts.

Now in its second year, the program aims to instill in future architects an inclination to envision how the spaces they design will be used. “The ability to imagine spatial experience is essential in architecture,” Teresa Rosano, one of the program’s studio professors, said. “Doing so can hone our awareness of all our senses and also serve as a practice in empathy – a skill that transcends any discipline.”

For this year’s program, students were asked to design an arts center on a steeply sloped site in Bisbee, Arizona, a town defined by elevation changes. Public staircases, emblematic of the challenges facing the implementation of Universal Design, are famously utilized by the town to connect vertically separated streets, including on the site chosen for the competition. Here’s a look at the winning designs.

“Bisbee Mercado” by Alexis Campion

First place honors went to Alexis Campion’s Bisbee Mercado, an open-air space for local artisans to make and sell their work. Neatly organized around a three-story atrium, each floor opens to the exterior directly at grade, connecting to an adjacent commercial district, city park and residential neighborhood without level changes.

Campion also considered sensory concerns caused by the site’s slope. “Digging into the earth can create an environment similar to a basement,” she said. “To resist this, I split the space down the center to create an atrium bringing light into all the spaces.”

“Bisbee Art Center” by Andy Demetriou

Inspired by an existing graffiti-covered wall on the site, Andy Demetriou’s Bisbee Art Center was awarded the second place prize. Demetriou’s design kept the existing wall in place, expanding it into an ever-evolving outdoor gallery. “Over time, the graffiti changes into new designs and layers on top of each other,” he said.

The outdoor gallery is distributed onto several levels connected by a simple, intuitive system of ramps. These levels are all aligned with the levels of an adjacent, indoor multi-purpose space, leading one juror to describe the solution as “masterfully integrated Universal Design.”

“Apiledo Theatre Company” by Brandon Willmon

Coming in third, Brandon Willmon’s Apiledo Theatre Company reconciled Universal Design principles with the enjoyment of kinetic performance styles. Centered around the exhibition of Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines acrobatics with music and dance, mid-air stages hang dramatically in a triple-height performance venue ringed by fully accessible viewing areas on multiple levels.

“My inspiration for a ‘free floating’ performance, in lieu of a better phrase, was derived mostly from the fluid nature of Capoeira coupled with getting physically challenged members of the community involved in such a physically demanding art form,” he said.

“Bisbee Sculpture Park & Museum” by Ralph Mersiowsky

Ralph Mersiowsky’s Bisbee Sculpture Park & Museum earned the program’s “Innovation in Universal Design” award by co-locating multiple modes of vertical circulation, ensuring a common experience of traveling from floor to floor. Distributed across three levels with minimal overlap, the challenge of artfully placing a staircase, elevator and ramp adjacent to each other was overcome by making each one a unique architectural feature.

“Light + Life + Performance” by Tyler Newman

Garnering the “Innovation in Graphics” award, Tyler Newman’s design for a group living community explores the effect that light and materiality have on perception. Focused on tactile experience for the benefit of people with differing levels of sensory ability, walls and floors featuring wood, concrete and other materials offer feelings of warmth, coolness or other sensations depending on the time of day.

“Culinary Arts Center” by Eva Serbin

Eva Serbin’s methodology for creating a culinary arts center bisected by an open-air thoroughfare likened to a canyon won the program’s “Innovation in Design Narrative + Process” award. All the various uses in the multi-level “canyon” are connected with an ingenious system of ramps one juror described as “an exciting spatial experience all can participate in.”

“The Living Mural” by Alyssa Fink

Alyssa Fink’s The Living Mural distributes its program across separate buildings but makes the paths between them the star of the show, “highlighting the spatial quality and experience of the in-between spaces,” as one juror put it. Switch-backing ramps between buildings are surrounded by artful graffiti displayed on dramatic architectural forms, earning the project one of two “Innovation in Design Concept” awards.

“To Intersect & Carve” by Freddy Arvizu

Awarded the second “Innovation in Design Concept” honor, Freddy Arvizu organized spaces dedicated to painting and artist housing within overlapping, angular forms one juror called “a strong generative move that is carried throughout the spatial experiences.” Eschewing ramps, a centrally located elevator offers easy access to all parts of the building.

To learn more about how you can make your upcoming projects accessible with the help of the experts at Ascension Lifts, click here.

Reference

Weather forecasts predict renewable energy production and use
CategoriesSustainable News

Weather forecasts predict renewable energy production and use

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Weather forecasting becomes doubly useful when applied to renewable energy sources. Sweden’s Greenlytics company combines expert meteorology and data analytics with machine learning to predict how much power is likely to be produced and how much is likely to be needed by consumers. By creating a big picture understanding of how current weather conditions fit in with typical patterns for each region, the system maps production data across expected consumption.

WindMind, SolarMind, and LoadMind systems help renewable energy producers and distributers more accurately match production to variations in the volume of power used by a community. The systems combine satellite data with ground measurements that include air pressure, temperature and wind speed. As the AI learns how local topography affects weather conditions and energy output—as well as how community use varies across time—the systems’ use predictions become more accurate. Energy system operators have the option to add live production data to the system for even more accurate short-term predictions.

All three systems are provided as a cloud service and are designed for ease of use at any scale, from personal homeowners with a small array of panels, to energy farm managers overseeing thousands of devices across multiple sites. Greenlytics provides free demonstrations.

Renewable energy is increasingly being used to reduce waste and provide power from underused sources. Springwise recently spotted a flexible generator that wraps around pipes in order to turn waste heat into electricity, and a solar-powered cement production process.  

Written by: Keely Khoury

14th March 2022

Email: info@greenlytics.io

Website: greenlytics.io

Reference

Ethical accessory brand celebrates heritage crafts
CategoriesSustainable News

Ethical accessory brand celebrates heritage crafts

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Social enterprises are a type of business that earns profits for the benefit of a local community. One such organisation in Malaysia, the Earth Heir accessory brand, works with weavers and jewellers to produce handmade bags, baskets, jewellery, stationery, and more. The company spent more than a year earning its Fair Trade certification by the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), and works with refugees as well as local artisans.

Earth Heir helps individuals and groups of artisans design a product to sell. The company then provides additional support in the form of education and training for sustainable business longevity. As well as selling directly from its website, the company also accepts commercial commissions for events and individual products and matches artisans with requests.  

The Made51 jewellery line is the result of the brand’s partnership with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Making the jewellery helps people in some of the most insecure situations improve their finances – something that is particularly powerful in locations where the host country does not allow refugees to work.  

With ethical consumption becoming a more common goal for many people, artists around the world are providing the means to shop sustainably. Springwise has spotted a South African social enterprise working with young people with disabilities and special needs to help them earn a living from their craftwork. And an e-commerce platform centred on Mexican handicrafts provides a transparent supply chain that supports some of the country’s most vulnerable artists.  

Written by: Keely Khoury

11th March 2022

Email: team@earthheir.com

Website: earthheir.com

Reference

Architectural Building Blocks: 5 AutoCAD Tips and Tricks
CategoriesArchitecture

Architectural Building Blocks: 5 AutoCAD Tips and Tricks

By Zarkon Group,

ArchiHacks is an online resource for architects dedicated to architecture visualization, portfolio, and design tips and tricks for students and professionals. This article was written by team member Tommy Minh Nguyen.

Not everyone may have the chance to use AutoCAD, but sooner or later, you will probably end up using some form of computer-aided drafting (CAD), which will have a similar workflow. AutoCAD was developed and marketed by Autodesk for architects, engineers, and construction professionals to create precise 2D and 3D drawings. The strides in architecture technologies in recent years catapulted the design and construction of amazing projects. For many emerging professionals, AutoCAD isn’t on the radar anymore (even if they are entering the workforce with extensive knowledge of new software). Yet, even if everyone talks about Revit, Grasshopper, Rhino, and all the sorts of BIM or 3D modeling software, AutoCAD is still utilized in firms all across the world.

If you aren’t familiar with or used AutoCAD much, it’s okay — we will be sharing five tips that will facilitate a quicker workflow of the industry’s staple that is still around! Besides, being familiar with AutoCAD can establish a good foundation for other programs. It’s important to note that the images below are stitched to illustrate the process better, so it will not look the same when attempting this.

Shortcuts + Customization

One of the greatest hacks for any software is learning the shortcuts. This may not be news, but what if I said you could customize the shortcuts in AutoCAD even further? I recently learned this trick and thought, ‘Had I known this sooner, I would have saved so much time.’

How do you set up your own shortcuts? When you open up AutoCAD, you’ll want to click on the “Manage” tab, then click on “Edit Aliases,” and this window should pop up.

From here, you can customize all the shortcuts you need to one or a few keys to do multiple tasks. It’s important to make sure there are no duplicates in this notepad, or AutoCAD will be confused about what you are attempting to achieve.

Interface Customization

Just like shortcut customization, interface customization is the next best thing to get situated with. When I’m opening a new software, the first thing I always ask is “How do I switch this to black or dark scheme?” Luckily, it’s effortless. Type “Settings” in the command bar, and a window will pop up, which will give you multiple options to adjust the display, drafting, or user preferences settings. Take the time to explore those options and adjust to your liking! In addition, there are other ways to customize your interface, and I’ll break down some things in the image below,

  1. This button controls the ribbon area, and you can cycle through multiple settings depending on how you like it. I normally go with the ribbon option shown in the image because it’s easier to navigate than the others.
  2. This option is available for most pop-up tabs that occur in AutoCAD. This symbol essentially asks if you’d like this window to be added to your sidebar. It also toggles whether you want the tool window to stay locked or hidden when not used.
  3. The sidebar is where you’d find any anchored tool window you’d like. I usually keep my properties tab locked but place my “Layer Properties” and “External References” anchored and automatically withdrawn if not used to the side for quick access.

Utilizing Blocks

Looking back, I realized how much time I wasted without using blocks. Instead of repeatedly deleting and copying objects, I could have made changes to one block and it will change all of them in AutoCAD! Blocks essentially allow you to edit multiple instances of the same block at once.

There are two effortless ways to access it: option 1 is found under the “Home” ribbon, where you can go over to the block tab to create or insert any blocks. Option 2 is housed under the “Insert” ribbon — there’s a bigger block tab that can help you learn what the image stands for, but either option will get you to the same result. Ideally, you’d want to create the object first using any tools under the option and modify tab. Once you’ve done that, select the lines, then click the “Create Block” button and this window should pop up.

You can choose to select the object after, but I find it easier and quicker to select the lines or objects first before creating the block.

  1. Click this button for the “Block Definition” window to pop up after selecting the lines and/or objects for the block.
  2. This is where you should name the block so it will save you time finding it!
  3. These are some settings you’d want to adjust eventually; for your sake, the settings shown will be ideal before adjustments.
  4. It’s ideal to uncheck this box because it’s unnecessary to edit the block right away if you’ve drawn it correctly beforehand. Don’t worry, you can always edit the block by right-clicking the object and finding the “Edit Block” option.
  5. Make sure to select this option to set the base point of the block. Otherwise, it may cause complications later on!

Utilizing xRefs or xReferences

Another great hack in AutoCAD is learning how to operate xRefs; they are essentially any viable file that can be placed into the drawing to use as a reference, like PDFs, JPGs, or other AutoCAD files (DWGs). This could be extremely helpful if you were making an addition to other projects, or your project has specific site conditions you’d want to display.

This is also great practice in professional settings for several reasons. First, it allows multiple people to work on different files and still reference each others’ work. Second, it keeps each file clutter-free, lightweight, and focused on the relevant parts of the project. Third, it allows you to swap out versions or iterations by replacing xRefs quickly. Here’s how you can bring one in:

  1. Click on the “Insert” ribbon.
  2. After that, go ahead and click on “Attach.”
  3. This window will pop up for you to select what file you want to use as a reference.
  4. After making your selection, a second window will pop up, and I have already set general settings for your convenience. You could make more adjustments to these settings once you have learned the process!

Sheet Layout + Viewport Control

Let’s say you want to export a drawing without certain features but don’t want to waste time to recreate it or copy multiple views causing your file to slow down. What do you do? Sheets and viewport control are your best friend! Now, I never really used this feature until I began working, but still, I’m sure it will save you some time too! Assuming that you have a drawing in AutoCAD and it’s situated near the origin (0,0) in the model space, here are the steps you can do to maximize your efficiency in exporting views.

  1. In AutoCAD, the space you work in is called the “Model” space, so if you want to control your sheets for drawings and views, you will want to click on the tabs below to set that up. You can add sheets by hitting the “+” sign or right-click on a tab to add a sheet.
  2. You should confirm the sheet size or settings you will want to export the drawing in by right-clicking the sheet tabs and clicking the “Page Setup Manager” option. From there, another window will open and a few more adjustments based on your needs.
  3. Select this tab to create a viewport or view on the sheet. Viewports is another way to see your drawing, imagine it’s a camera snapshot of the model space, which you can control certain settings that won’t affect the model space!
  4. To create a viewport, click on this item. Now, you can have organic-shaped viewports, but in this scenario, let’s keep it simple. Once you click on it, all you have to do is draw a rectangle that fits your sheet, and you can always adjust if needed.
  5. This is the rectangular viewport.
  6. You can double-click into the viewport and use the mouse wheel to locate what you want visible in the box. If you want to exit the viewport space, double-click on the sheet or the colored edge surrounding the drawing.
  7. After selecting the frame of the viewport, you can control the scale of the drawing by clicking on the scale symbol at the bottom right corner. Make sure to lock the view by clicking the lock symbol next to the scale symbol. This makes your viewport fixed on what you are showing.
  8. You can turn off layers in specific viewports by opening your “Layer Properties,” finding the tab that says “VP Freeze,” and clicking on the symbol with the sun. This is similar to freezing a layer, but instead of turning it off for the entire file, it will only turn it off for that view.

This is a rather advanced technique in AutoCAD, so there’s a lot of playing around with this last one. However, if you learn this sooner, especially with the iterative process of school and work, it can save you a lot of time and headaches.

These tips vary in levels of understanding of AutoCAD; nonetheless, these should help you learn the software even faster. That’s all we got for today! I hope you found this article helpful, and if you have any tips for future students, please let us know in the comments below. Make sure to follow Archi Hacks’ YouTube and Instagram for more content.

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A platform to formalise the domestic work sector in Southeast Asia
CategoriesSustainable News

A platform to formalise the domestic work sector in Southeast Asia

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Modern day slavery still takes place in many forms, including among domestic workers. In Malaysia, many domestic workers come from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Cambodia, and are vulnerable to slave-like work and living conditions. Moreover, they often lack the agency to report any abuses against them. 

Pinkcollar is a platform on a mission to  formalise the domestic work sector in Southeast Asia. To do so, the company has devised a transparent and ethical job-search and recruitment process that connects domestic workers and household employers. 

In addition to hosting employer and maid profiles, Pinkcollar also offers bespoke features to assist and support users throughout the employment term. For example, it has created a productivity and assistance toolkit to aid the working experience, and a ratings-system and a community forum for employers and maids. It has also developed educational materials for domestic workers to take advantage of during their rest-days.

The company foresees a number of key challenges that the platform will need overcome. These include building social awareness among employers in host-countries, and ensuring access to the platform for the demographic groups that most need it – groups that often lack digital skills. Ultimately, the goal is to build a ‘trust’ community with users on the platform.

Another innovation spotted by Springwise that tackles modern slavery is softeware that helps businesses eliminate their slavery footprint.

Written By: Katrina Lane

11th March 2022

Email: hello@hirepinkcollar.com

Website: hirepinkcollar.com

Reference

Extending Manhattan Is Not Going to Save New York From Flooding
CategoriesArchitecture

Extending Manhattan Is Not Going to Save New York From Flooding

By Zarkon Group,

Browse the Architizer Jobs Board and apply for architecture and design positions at some of the world’s best firms. Click here to sign up for our Jobs Newsletter.

Global warming has increased volatile weather and is causing sea levels to rise at alarming rates. Combined, these two problems are making coastal regions increasingly vulnerable. Covered in asphalt, concrete and other hard surfaces, cities are already at a disadvantage due to their low porosity. Surface runoff relies heavily on the sewerage system; a very limited amount of water can get away through evaporation.

Unlike more natural or rural areas, where sand and soil can let surface runoff go underground, in cities, water can usually only go down in places where a manhole connected to the city’s sewage system is available. Under such circumstances, water is more likely to accumulate, overwhelming the sewerage system and causing flooding as it takes longer to get back to the underground water system or nearby tributaries. Manhattan is particularly vulnerable.

After Hurricane Sandy hit New York City in 2012, the city was left mourning the deaths of 43 people and assessing damage totalling $19 billion. More recently in 2021, Hurricane Ida devastated NYC. Hurricane, surge and flooding are the problems that the city has to deal with urgently. In January, Professor Jason Barr from Rutgers University proposed a divisive solution aimed to combat future flooding: extending Manhattan. The extension scheme is also to tackle the housing issue of the crowded island.

As proposed by Prof. Barr, the extension scheme by the south of the island is about 1,760 acres large. It runs approximately from Holland Tunnel to somewhere around Manhattan Bridge and extend beyond the Statue of Liberty towards the south. The extension seeks to provide about 180,000 housing units for 247,000 people in total. Constructed wetlands will stand between land and water to protect the city behind it from flooding.

Indeed, constructed wetlands have been proved to be environmentally beneficial and mitigate floods. Soil and plants hold the water when it comes and allow it to penetrate the ground while holding them. Compared to an unobstructed urban hard surface where water can run over immediately, constructed wetlands reduce the intensity of peak flow when flooding.

Furthermore, as they are connected to the sewerage, constructed wetlands function as biofilters for treating rainwater/storm runoff and urban grey water. The plants remove nutrients, heavy metals and other pollutants from the water. The filter bed, which normally consists of sand and gravels, also help remove solid contaminants. If well-planned, constructed wetlands can as well be a pleasant part of the urban landscape, adding to the biological diversity in cities.

Climate tile_close up

The Climate Tiles installed by Heimdalsgade 22-24, Nørrebro, Copenhagen ©Tredje Natur.

Climate tile_drawing

Drawings of the Climate Tiles ©Tredje Natur.

Here comes the question: how large do the constructed marshlands and wetlands need to be on the extension to save Manhattan from damages and losses in future? According to a study after Hurricane Sandy which looked at coastal wetlands’ efficiency in flood/damage reducing, the wetlands covering only 2% of New York State’s land area have saved about $140 million or 0.4% of the state’s total losses.

Looking at the rough plan created by Prof. Barr, it is clear that more careful considerations are needed when planning enough artificial wetlands for protecting the entire Manhattan. Besides, the shown plan is making the East River even narrower, which could reduce its capacity.

There are other urban design strategies to cope with water. The Climate Tile project by Tredje Natur is reintroducing the hydrologic cycle to the city of Copenhagen. The visible part of the project is pavement tiles with small wholes on them that allow water to infiltrate into the ground and down to the sewerage. It is mimicking the natural process where surface runoff joins the groundwater through infiltrating the soil.

An invisible component of the project lies beneath the tiles, where the main part of the artificial water system functions. The rainwater collected from rooftops and the street level gathers through pipes. Connected to the soil under urban green areas, the water collected is then supplied to plants. The excess goes into the city’s drainage system after part of the water and nutrients are consumed by plants. This scheme can let water into the ground faster rather than completely relying on storm drains. By feeding water to plants first, it also controls the amount of water going into the main sewerage.

Cheonggyecheon_day

The restored Cheonggyecheon River, photo by Isageum on Flickr, accessed from Wikimedia Commons.

Cheonggeycheon_night

The restored Cheonggyecheon River, photo provided by Cheonggyecheon official website.

While the Climate Tile requires careful corporations with the existing drainage system, the Cheonggyecheon River restoration project in Seoul, South Korea, took the “radical” route in giving the river back to the hydrologic system. The Cheonggyecheon River flowed underground for about 50 years before once again seeing the light of day in 2005. The river was nearly dry when the road and highway that run above it have been removed. Continuing for over three miles, the river banks became a linear urban green space as well as flood plains to hold the river’s overflow during heavy rains.

Flood plains for overflowing are not any kind of modern invention but the most natural way to deal with seasonal flooding. As we harden the land to build more towers, we are also sacrificing the capacity of water bodies around cities. Meanwhile, the sea level keeps rising, pushing our water system even closer to its limit. Cities then become vulnerable when regular or unexpected heavy precipitation comes, leaving tragedies behind. Keeping a respectful distance between the built environment and nature is our way out from the climatic crisis, rather than continuing invading.

Browse the Architizer Jobs Board and apply for architecture and design positions at some of the world’s best firms. Click here to sign up for our Jobs Newsletter.

Reference

Collecting and recycling electronic waste from homes and businesses
CategoriesSustainable News

Collecting and recycling electronic waste from homes and businesses

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to any discarded item that has a plug or a battery – and it is becoming a major problem.

According to a United Nations forecast, we are on track to produce 74 million metric tonnes of e-waste by 2030. And in 2019, each person on earth generated around 7.3 kilogrammes of e-waste – with only 1.7 kilogrammes recycled per person.

In Malaysia 25 per cent of e-waste is recycled, and startup ERTH is looking to improve this rate with a service that pays consumers to recycle their old electronic devices. The service works by employing a network of freelance drivers. When a customer has e-waste that they wish to recycle, the system matches them with the nearest driver – just as ride-hailing apps match users to a taxi driver. This driver then collects the e-waste and the customer receives a cash reward.

Drivers return the e-waste they have collected to a central warehouse on a weekly basis. ERTH’s recovery partner then comes to this warehouse and collects the e-waste for dismantling and segregation. All this e-waste is recycled through the proper, regulated channels, and the company claims it has stopped more than 200,000 kilogrammes of e-waste from ending up in landfill.

ERTH is not the only e-waste recycling service, and customers in Malaysia can also deal with recycling facilities directly. However, ERTH’s service offers several important benefits. First, the company claims that its competitors require a minimum of ten items, whereas ERTH only requires one working device or three non-working devices for free pick up. Second, the startup offers fast and convenient payment through cash, bank transfer, e-wallet, or cheque. Finally, the network of drivers does all the heavy lifting, taking the hassle and inconvenience out of the process.

In addition to its core service, ERTH also offers e-waste collection boxes, secure data destruction, and a B2B recycling programme.

Other e-waste focused innovations spotted by Springwise
include a new
process can efficiently recover metals from electronic waste, and an Indian
startup that takes a collaborative
approach to e-waste.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

11th March 2022

Email: hello@erth.app

Website: erth.app

Reference

What Is a Mini-Split Heat Pump?
CategoriesSustainable News Zero Energy Homes

What Is a Mini-Split Heat Pump?

By Zarkon Group,

By Allison A. Bailes III, PhD

Ah, mini-splits. They’re all the rage in the world of high-performance HVAC. But what exactly is a mini-split heat pump? Unfortunately, the terminology around this technology is confusing because it’s used so inconsistently. Let’s start at the beginning.  Well, OK, not all the way at the beginning.  I’m not going to explain what a heat pump is, but here’s a primer on how they work for heating.

The Basic Meaning of Mini-Split

The term “mini-split” originally referred to a split system heat pump, used for heating or cooling or both, with a smaller capacity than conventional systems. In that sense, a mini-split is just what its name says:  a small split system heat pump.  It gets confusing in the different ways manufacturers make these lower-capacity, split-system heat pumps.

A mini-split, for example, can have a conventional fixed-capacity compressor or an inverter-driven variable-capacity compressor. So, a mini-split could be a conventional heat pump that’s just smaller. Or, it could be a smaller heat pump with variable capacity. The former type is rare, though, so when you hear the term “mini-split,” you should think of the type with the inverter-driven compressor with variable capacity.

But it gets worse.  This heating and cooling system has outgrown its name…at least the “mini” part.  Yes, you can still get them down to a half-ton of capacity (6,000 BTU per hour), with smaller capacities on the way.  But you can also get mini-splits that have a capacity of 4 tons (48,000 BTU per hour), which is far from “mini.”

Is It a Mini-Split…or a Multi-Split?

Another confusing area is that with this type of heat pump, the outdoor unit can be connected to one indoor unit (referred to as one-to-one), or it could be connected to multiple indoor units. Some people distinguish these two types by using the term “mini-split” only for the one-to-one configuration.  They say that when you have more than one indoor unit on a single outdoor unit, that’s a multi-split heat pump.

The wall-mounted ductless mini-split heat pump in my sunroom. This is the only indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit, making it a one-to-one setup.

If we go with that dividing line, I have both a mini-split and a multi-split in my house.  The central part of the house is heated and cooled with one outdoor unit connected to two indoor ducted air handlers.  That would make it a multi-split.  I use a one-to-one ductless system for my sunroom (above).

Are All Mini-Splits Ductless?

And then there’s the issue of the type of indoor unit. Some are ductless, and they come in different flavors: wall-mounted, ceiling cassettes, and floor-mounted. Others are ducted, and they come in horizontal ducted or multi-position types. Some people use the term “mini-split” only for indoor ductless units. Others refer to any split system with smaller capacity as a mini-split, whether the indoor unit is ducted or ductless.

One of the ducted air handlers for the mini-split heat pump being installed in my house in 2019

I use the term “mini-split” for all of the above. Since mini-splits with fixed-capacity compressors are rare, you don’t need to worry about that confusion. If you’re talking to someone about mini-splits, you should be able to tell from the context how they use the term. If not, ask them to clarify.

Inverter-Driven Mini-Split Heat Pumps

Inverter-driven mini-split heat pumps are the future for high-performance homes. I’ve got them in my home, and it’s what we specify in most of our HVAC design jobs at Energy Vanguard. Their high efficiency and variable capacity that can ramp down to very low values are perfect for superinsulated, airtight homes, such as zero energy homes or passive homes.  And they work well in less efficient homes, too.

They give you a couple of other benefits. Their lower capacity means you can zone your heating and cooling with separate pieces of equipment. And using separate pieces of equipment provides resilience. If one heat pump stops working, you can still heat or cool the parts of the house that have operable equipment.

One final point here concerns the one-to-one configuration. If you want the highest efficiency, the best zone-to-zone control, and the most resilience, use only one indoor unit on each outdoor unit. Multi-split systems can work fine, but they’re just not as good as one-to-one setups.

Can You Oversize Heat Pumps?

One of the great advantages of using mini-splits is their variable capacity, but by oversizing them, you can lose that advantage completely.  That 6,000 BTU per hour mini-split in a room with 1,500 BTU per hour of cooling load doesn’t act at all like it has variable capacity because it’s always running at the lowest capacity.

So, yes, you absolutely can oversize a mini-split.  And when you do, you end up with some of the same problems from oversizing conventional systems:  poor humidity control, short cycling, and wasted money.

When a contractor proposes seven indoor ductless units for a 2,100 square foot house without a load calculation, there’s close to a 100% chance that the systems will be oversized.  And this problem happens with new homes that get load calculations, too, unless the load calculations are done correctly. You’ve got to look at the specifications for any mini-split heat pump in conjunction with the heating and cooling loads of the home and put in one that will take full advantage of the variable capacity.

Heat Pumps Are the Future of HVAC

Whether you live in frigid  Minnesota or hot and humid Georgia, as I do, going with a heat pump is a great idea, especially if you’re replacing a gas heating system.  Unlike fossil gas, electricity is getting cleaner, and mini-split heat pumps are the most efficient way to use clean energy for heating and cooling.

Allison A. Bailes III, Ph.D., is a speaker, writer, building science consultant, and the founder of Energy Vanguard in Decatur, Georgia. He has a doctorate in physics and writes the Energy Vanguard Blog. He is also writing a book on building science. You can follow him on Twitter at @EnergyVanguard.



Reference

Wavy Balconies With Overhanging Plants Are A Design Feature On This Apartment Building
CategoriesArchitecture

Wavy Balconies With Overhanging Plants Are A Design Feature On This Apartment Building

By Zarkon Group,
A modern building with curved balconies and overhanging plants.

Architecture firm K.A Studio has designed the remodel of an apartment building in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, that included the addition of green space.

A modern building with curved balconies and overhanging plants.

In an area filled with concrete and hard lines, this updated apartment building, which is now used for staycations, has been designed as an oasis in the city, with the curved balconies creating a soft edge on the facade.

A modern building with curved balconies and overhanging plants.

Overhanging plants cascade down the side of the building, while taller plants add different layers and grow up between the voids created by the balconies.

A modern building with curved balconies and overhanging plants.

The underside of the balconies is lined with wood, adding to the natural look of the building.

The underside of these balconies is lined with wood, adding to the natural look of the building.

At night, uplighting creates shadows on the balconies above.

At night, uplighting creates shadows on the balconies above.
A modern building with curved balconies and overhanging plants.

The balconies overlook a pool that’s located on the ground floor and has curves that mimic the exterior of the building.

A curved swimming pool complements the curved balconies above.
A curved swimming pool complements the curved balconies above.
A curved swimming pool complements the curved balconies above.
A modern building with curved balconies and overhanging plants.

Throughout the building materials like woods, local split stones, concrete, terrazzo, and rattan are featured.

The interior of this building features materials like woods, local split stones, concrete, terrazzo, and rattan.

Bright hallways with lighting embedded in the concrete floors, and in the ceiling, guide guests to their private apartments.

Bright hallways with lighting embedded in the concrete floors, and in the ceiling, guides guests to their private apartments.

The apartments are minimal in their design, with simple wood furniture in the living room, and a kitchenette.

A minimalist apartment interior with LED lighting and a small living room.
A minimalist apartment interior with LED lighting, a small living room, and kitchenette.

In the bedroom, a horizontal wood accent above the bed hides LED Lighting, which also complements the lighting on the opposite wall. There’s also a floating wood desk that lines the wall, and a sliding door opens to a balcony.

In this bedroom, a horizontal wood accent above the bed hides LED Lighting, which also complements the lighting on the opposite wall.
A floating wood desk.
Photograph: Hiroyuki Oki | Architects: K.A Studio | Lead Architects: Doan Quoc Khanh | Design team: Dang Anh Khoa, Hoang Anh Dung, Tran Quoc Nhat, Le Duc Duy | Construction: La Maison Du K

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Self-driving delivery robots – Springwise
CategoriesSustainable News

Self-driving delivery robots – Springwise

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: The growth in same-day delivery has spurred an increase in the market for autonomous delivery robots (ADRs). Designed for last-mile delivery of small packages, the market in ADRs is expected to see an explosion in growth over the next 5 to 10 years, with some predicting a CAGR of around 35 per cent or more over that time. As evidence, Starship Technologies, one of the bigger players in ADR has just completed a new Series B funding round, bringing its total raised to more than $100 million (around €91 million).

Starship currently operates in the US and UK, and its pavement-based robots have completed more than 3 million deliveries. The company has partnerships with grocers, such as Tesco and the Co-op in the UK, and college campuses, such as North Carolina A&T and South Dakota State University. It currently makes around 10,000 deliveries a day using a fleet of about 1,700 robots. As a result, the company has improved the robots’ ability to navigate. While initially street crossings were carried out by human operators, today the robots manage most crossings autonomously.

The more the robots are used, the more they learn about navigating different conditions, and the closer the robots come to full autonomy. Starship CEO Alastair Westgarth told Forbes in November 2021 that, “when we first encountered snow it was something the robots weren’t familiar with, it produced different images from the cameras, and the sensors reacted differently, so we had to train our systems to deal with that environment. They are constantly learning … our autonomy today is orders of magnitude bigger.”

The scale and wealth of experience means that Starship has also managed to get average delivery costs down below the human equivalent. The company will use the Series B fund to expand as well as invest in new initiatives, including exploring new business models and developing larger robots that travel on the road. The company is also looking how to provide more branded experiences for its partner businesses, such as leasing the robots for sole use by some customers.

While many are betting big on ADRs to reduce the cost and impact of last mile deliveries, others are working on delivering more efficiency using human power. Innovators in this space include a German delivery service using cargo bikes and electric vehicles and a small autonomous helicopter for larger deliveries. 

Written By: Lisa Magloff

10th March 2022

Website: starship.xyz

Contact: starship.xyz/contact/

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