ARCH 3602-392 Architectural Design VI Perl Guest Lecture 2020 Spring Semester Wednesday February 12 2020 Associate Professor Robert D. Perl, AIA, LEED AP

Texas Tech University  College of Architecture  Robert D. Perl

updated 02/12/2020

Will the White House Order New Federal Architecture To Be Classical? Architectural Record February 4 2020 "RECORD has obtained what appears to be a preliminary draft of the order, under which the White House would require rewriting the Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture, issued in 1962, to ensure that "the classical architectural style shall be the preferred and default style" for new and upgraded federal buildings. Entitled "Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again," the draft order argues that the founding fathers embraced the classical models of "democratic Athens" and "republican Rome" for the capital’s early buildings because the style symbolized the new nation’s "self-governing ideals" (never mind, of course, that it was the prevailing style of the day). The draft document specifically cites the U.S. Federal Building in San Francisco (2007, by Morphosis), the U.S. Courthouse in Austin, Texas (2012, by Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects), and the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami (2007, by Arquitectonica) for having "little aesthetic appeal." The original Guiding Principles, written by the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, mandated that Federal architecture "must provide visual testimony to the dignity, enterprise, vigor, and stability of the American government." The draft document uses the same words—dignity, enterprise, vigor and stability—while declaring that Brutalist and Deconstructivist styles "fail to satisfy these requirements and shall not be used." Yet Moynihan’s Guiding Principles also dictate that "an official style must be avoided," and that new buildings should reflect their time. "Design must flow from the architectural profession to the government and not vice versa," the guidelines state. "The Government should be willing to pay some additional cost to avoid excessive uniformity in design of Federal buildings." "

A follow-up on the story above, posted February 5th: The American Institute of Architects issued a statement on the afternoon of February 4, 2020: AIA opposes uniform style mandates "The AIA strongly opposes uniform style mandates for federal architecture. Architecture should be designed for the specific communities that it serves, reflecting our rich nation’s diverse places, thought, culture and climates. Architects are committed to honoring our past as well as reflecting our future progress, protecting the freedom of thought and expression that are essential to democracy."

For more reactions see: https://twitter.com/ AIANational/status/ 1224851802073587712

"I am deeply troubled to learn that a draft executive order is circulating among White House staff that, if signed by you, would officially designate "classical" architecture as the preferred style of all federal courthouses, all federal public buildings in the Capital region, and all other federal public buildings whose cost exceeds $50 million... I strongly and unequivocally oppose this policy to promote any one style of architecture for federal buildings across the country...  By restricting design decisions through this executive order, it would put Washington bureaucrats in charge of design decisions affecting communities they may never visit. We agree our federal buildings should evoke respect; but that respect comes from the power of our system of self-government. Federal buildings should incorporate local design preferences to reflect the fundamental truth that our government is not beholden to just the whims of the Capital region but is of, by, and for the people whom it serves."

AIA: "Immediate Action Needed Contact the White House NOW!" email

An Unprecedented Achievement Architecture2030 Update February 7 2020 "Just when the outlook for meeting the 1.5°C Paris Climate Agreement target seems hopeless and unattainable, a potent confluence of actions taking place in the architecture, planning, and building community, and in cities and sub-national governments worldwide, has led to an extraordinary development... "Between 2005 to 2019, U.S. economic growth and increasing building construction decoupled from building sector energy use and CO2 emissions. While U.S. GDP increased 26.2% and building sector floor area increased 18%, building sector energy use decreased by 1.7%, and building sector CO2 emissions decreased by 21%, even though the U.S. added about 47 billion square feet to its building stock."

"Also, in 2005, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projected that building sector energy use from 2005 to 2019 would increase by 24.2%. However, actual building sector energy use decreased by 1.7% during that period, saving households and businesses throughout the U.S. about $1.8 trillion in projected energy costs."

Soil Temperatures and Cooling Tubes

Fallout Shelters

"The Pantex Plant is the primary United States nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility... The facility is located on a 16,000-acre (25 sq mi) site 17 miles northeast of Amarillo." "Pantex was abruptly deactivated when the war ended and remained vacant until 1949, when Texas Technological College in Lubbock (now Texas Tech University) purchased the site for $1. Texas Tech used the land for experimental cattle-feeding operations. In 1951... the Army exercised a recapture clause..."

Outline: Trends: Fallout Shelters; Solar and Low Energy; Sustainability; Resilience 1973 Energy Crisis 1979 Energy Crisis Underground and Earth Sheltered Soil Temperatures Cooling Tubes Additional Research

"architect" license decouple empirical research vs. theoretical (conceptual) research representation 4D

"The 1973 oil crisis began in October 1973 when the members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries [OAPEC vs OPEC] proclaimed an oil embargo. The embargo was targeted at nations perceived as supporting Israel during the Yom Kippur War. The initial nations targeted were Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States with the embargo also later extended to Portugal, Rhodesia and South Africa. By the end of the embargo in March 1974, the price of oil had risen nearly 400%, from US$3 per barrel to nearly $12 globally; US prices were significantly higher. The embargo caused an oil crisis, or "shock", with many short- and long-term effects on global politics and the global economy."

"The 1979 oil crisis or oil shock occurred in the world due to decreased oil output in the wake of the Iranian Revolution. Despite the fact that global oil supply decreased by only ~4%, widespread panic resulted, driving the price far higher. The price of crude oil more than doubled to $39.50 per barrel over the next 12 months, and long lines once again appeared at gas stations, as they had in the 1973 oil crisis."

Oil prices, adjusted for inflation. From Energy Crisis Price of oil at Wikipedia

From InflationData.com

Around Odd-Even License Plate Rules, a History of Impatience New York Times

January 31, 1975 When the Circuit Breaks 28m:41s "This Federal Energy Administration documentary was made during the 1970s energy crisis and questioned the longevity of fossil fuel energy sources as demand exceeded supply. The film also explores alternative energy sources and highlights public attitudes toward reducing energy consumption."

Wrongs wrong: soil is always 56° wrong: soil is a constant temperature wrong: soil is a constant temperature six-feet under wrong: soil is a good insulator (soil has a high thermal mass)

Earth/Air Heat Exchange Cooling Tubes by Robert D. Perl Published in 15th National Solar Conference Proceedings, 1990 American Solar Energy Society

scan of original publication 9 pages 5.1 MB

Abstract "This paper describes two projects. In the first project, soil temperatures at irrigated and nonirrigated sites, with depths to 30 feet have been measured in Lubbock, Texas since 1981. Soil temperatures under a heated and cooled commercial building have been monitored since 1985. The effect of micro-climate on soil temperature at various depths and the effect of yearly climate variations will be illustrated. The second project involves the performance of two earth/air heat exchange "cooling tubes" installed in Lubbock and monitored since 1985. A one-hundred foot long, twelve-inch diameter PVC plastic pipe buried ten feet below grade has been compared to a similar two-hundred foot long pipe. Fresh air was forced through each and the exhaust air was discharged to the environment. Cooling (and heating) performance studies comparing intake air temperature and exhaust air temperature will be displayed." "In the early 1980's Associate Professor of Architecture, Melvin H. Johnson, and the author began to explore strategies of using the thermal mass of soil to assist in the heating, and particularly the cooling, of buildings. Three basic approaches have been used and currently are being used successfully. One approach uses existing caves or constructs habitable spaces underground. Another brings the mass -of the earth up to the surface with heavy berms or adobe construction. The third approach utilizes a heat exchanger to transfer heat from a building to the surrounding earth. The researchers chose to explore this third approach more thoroughly. Investigating this third method, however, first required a better understanding of soil temperatures."

Conclusion "Both the three-foot and ten-foot depths plot nearly the same each year. The three-foot depth has a range of about 27 degrees while the ten-foot depth varies only about 14 degrees. The deeper the temperature reading, the smaller the variation. Also note the peaks and valleys, maximums and minimums, are later in the year for the three-foot depth compared to the ambient temperature. The deeper the temperature reading, the greater the time lag."

Earth/Air Heat Exchange Cooling Tubes: An Empirical Study by Robert D. Perl and Melvin H. Johnson Published in 19th National Passive Solar Conference Proceedings, 1994 American Solar Energy Society

scan of original publication 10 pages 12.4 MB

Abstract "This paper describes an experiment intended to discover if blowing air through buried PVC tubes can effectively assist in cooling buildings by using the relatively stable thermal mass of subterranean soil to cool the air. Three different lengths of earth/air heat exchange cooling tubes at a 10 ft. (3.05 m) depth in semi-arid Lubbock, Texas, are compared. Initially a 100 ft. (30.48 m) and a 200 ft. (60.96 m) tube were constructed and monitored. Later the two tubes were connected making it possible to compare their performances to that of a linked 300 ft. (91.44 m) tube." Introduction "In most of the inhabited world the underground soil temperature is cooler than ambient air during the summer cooling season. Many strategies have been found to utilize this cool soil to add comfort to buildings. Earth/air cooling is achieved by either "direct" cooling, burying or partly burying a building in the ground or by "indirect" cooling, circulating a fluid, usually air, through the underground and into a building. Both of these approaches have reportedly resulted in varying degrees of success. Recently there has been a renewed interest in these "passive" cooling strategies and many buildings have been constructed utilizing earth contact cooling. Burying or partly burying a building is usually very costly and severely limits design and material choices, therefore indirect cooling research is suggested. Economic considerations further suggest the need to discover the shortest and least costly cooling tube that will be effective for a specific site."

"RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS Performance of the tubes varied little over recent years. Although the temperatures and cooling needs varied from year to year, the performance output of the tubes is relatively constant most of the cooling season due to the comparative thermal stability of soil mass. In this experiment, the greatest cooling occurs over the longest length of tube. Heat seems to have been absorbed into the soil effectively through the entire length of the tubes. The tubes cool better in the spring when the soil temperatures are lower. The cooling tubes are warmer in the afternoon than in the morning, because the PVC tubes and soil close to the tubes warms during hot days. In this semi-arid climate, no moisture problems have been observed."

Earth/Air Heat Exchange Cooling Tubes by Robert D. Perl Published in 15th National Solar Conference Proceedings, 1990 American Solar Energy Society

scan of original publication 9 pages 5.1 MB

Earth/Air Heat Exchange Cooling Tubes: An Empirical Study by Robert D. Perl and Melvin H. Johnson Published in 19th National Passive Solar Conference Proceedings, 1994 American Solar Energy Society

scan of original publication 10 pages 12.4 MB

Norbert Lechner Chapter 10 Passive Cooling Chapter 15 The Thermal Envelope 10.14 Earth Cooling pp 320-322 15.12 Earth Sheltering pp 515-519 TTU Library online access: Heating, Cooling, Lighting Sustainable Design Methods for Architects by Norbert Lechner

Heating, Cooling, Lighting: Sustainable Design Methods for Architects 4e by Norbert Lechner

Figure 10.14a

Figure 15.12f

Questions?

Texas Tech University  College of Architecture  Robert D. Perl

copyright © 2020

"All materials on this course website are for the exclusive use of students enrolled in ARCH 5301 during 2020 Spring Semester and are protected by copyright of their respective authors."

Associate Professor Robert D. Perl, AIA, LEED AP AH 1002D Office Hours: T R 2:00-3:30 pm or by appointment  (806) 834-6624 robert.perl@ttu.edu