JL Architects

sustainable design

Pivot for Purpose

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We have been through the ringer dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses of every type have been forced to assist in the needs of the pandemic or “pivot” to stay afloat during these unforgettable times.

While you were isolated in your home with little to do, and most mercantile businesses were closed until further notice, many of us turned to technology to seek engagement beyond the confines of our home.  Shopping online became the new pastime, and if you glanced at your neighborhood, you would have thought it was approaching Christmas with the amount of cardboard stacked in front of doors. But with everyone ordering delivery, it started a countdown until brick and mortar retail would be closed for good.  Businesses pivoted to curbside pickup.  This provided relief for local businesses and allowed you to continue the online shopping past time.

Pivoting from Traditional Business Models

As you were confined to your place of residence dreaming of your last vacation of where the sky was blue and the sun was yellow, you probably noticed planes were still in the sky.  Commercial airlines have suspended 90% of their scheduled flights.  With virtually every set of wings sitting in a hangar, airlines pivoted to cargo-only flights.  These flights delivered crucial items like groceries, and the 3rd pair of shoes you ordered for the week.

Restaurants, possibly one of the hardest hit industries, followed suit by providing curbside pickup, while others utilized delivery businesses.  Now that states are lowering the restrictions, people are craving normalcy and restaurants are starving for business, but restrictions permit only 50% occupancy at best while maintaining social distancing.   To satisfy the needs of local businesses and consumers, many municipalities have closed main cart ways to allow local businesses to utilize the open space for business while maintaining social distancing requirements.

Although groceries were torn from the shelves as if the next record-breaking blizzard or hurricane was imminent, customers still needed to come back for necessities over the following weeks.  Some grocery stores in larger metropolitan areas are closed to the public.  These locations were used to fill online orders to safely bring food to your doorstep.

CDC Restaurant Recommendations

The CDC has a list of behaviors that reduce the spread in restaurants.  These behaviors are as follows:

  • Staying Home when Appropriate
  • Hand Hygiene and Respiratory Etiquette
  • Cloth Face Coverings
  • Adequate Supplies
  • Signs and Messages

With the increase of cost for running restaurants and requiring masks and other PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to operate, restaurants around the country are adding a COVID fee for dining at their locations.  This charge helps fund PPE for their employees along with an adjustment due to higher operating costs.  Some food suppliers raised costs due to supplying more PPE which forces restaurants to raise their prices in kind.  The CDC states that the lowest risk in food service is limiting the restaurant to drive-through, delivery, take-out, and curbside pick-up.  If on-site dining is to be held, they suggest setting the tables to be at least 6 feet apart which allows for the guests to not spread their droplets between tables.

Some local, traditionally dine-in restaurants have decided to change their business model.  In more rural areas, there are not as many supermarkets and grocery stores, so rural restaurants have added a la cart or grocery market portions to their business.  With grocery stores limiting the quantity of different items in stores, restaurants can supplement the weekly grocery store run and still make a slight profit.

Several restaurants have added mobile delivery options to their business model with the option of contactless delivery to promote safer interaction of employee and client.  This idea can be brought to the idea of dining at a restaurant.  Restaurant management wants us to imagine the contactless waiting and dining. Imagine,

“One of your regulars walks into the restaurant. After placing themselves on a virtual waitlist at their apartment, they drive over knowing the host will seat them upon arrival. As soon as they sit down, they read a card on the table that states, ‘Scan this image for access to our digital menu.’ Once they scan the QR code on their mobile phone, they are able to view the full menu, place an order where they add a dairy allergy note for the chef, and pay for the meal at the click of a button, all without interacting with a server or touching a physical menu.

As soon as they’re done with their food and drink, they stand up and walk out. From there, your restaurant can seat new people off your waitlist, adding an extra turn (and more revenue) while your restaurant is operating at 50-percent capacity. This guest’s experience was fully contactless from beginning to end — giving them few opportunities to fear that they’ll come in contact with a virus or bug while at your property”

Although many of these pivoting business practices were initiated out of necessity for survival, some will not be able to sustain businesses or continue year-round.  As life continues and COVID remains we will start to see shifts for longevity, and when COVID is harnessed, society will be built on what we have learned from the past.  During these times, JL Architects continues to offer our expertise for building your future.

Transitioning Out of a Pandemic

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The world has been transformed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are all probably tired of hearing the C-word.  What many aspire to hear is a discussion of returning to normalcy. To reach normalcy we will need to leave the times of Stay-at-home orders and move into a transition period.  What will these times of transition look like?  Will they feel like normalcy and remain indefinitely, or simply being a steppingstone to what was once normal?  At this point we don’t really know!  The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has offered their ideas to move forward in the retail world.  A hierarchy of effective ways to control the spread of the virus have been developed.  At the top is obviously social isolation, but other effective means can be physical barriers and ventilation.

Individuals in the real estate and architecture industries speculate that demand for gyms and workout class boutiques will bounce back aggressively.  This type of occupancy presents several challenges to reopening.  The proximity of equipment from each other, individuals breathing heavily, and perspiration.  Not to mention the socialization aspect of the occupancy.  JL Architects can assist in new space planning and occupancy guidelines allowing you to keep your customers safe in an efficient and still profitable manner.

The AIA has assembled a Re-occupancy Assessment Tool that can be used in preparing your business to welcome back customers and/or employees.  The tool identifies desirable and essential categories for each item.  Contact us at JL Architects and we can help integrate these changes effectively with your company’s efficiency in mind.

Transitioning Out of a Pendemic -2

-Nathan Houser, Architectural Project Manager

Photo Credits: VisitPhilly.com, Abcnews.go.com

What I Learned at the GBI/Green Globes User Summit

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Industry meetings are a wonderful way to become familiar with and immersed in the organization’s mission. There are also presentations to increase awareness of new products and research.  These are 4 of my takeaways from the Green Building Initiative User Summit held Atlanta this year.

  1. Everything is Iterative

Iterations and revisions lead to better solutions.  The more we consider a challenge the more detail we add to the solution. That is what we mean by iterative solutions.

With each step towards a building design or efficiency strategy, we add detail.  Areas of consideration include:

  1. Building design aesthetic
  2. Technical drawing production
  3. Energy analysis
  4. Budgets
  5. Value propositions

Each iteration makes the decision clearer and helps to understand the building idea on a granular level.  Greater understanding and detail results in greater success.

  1. Leverage and The Payback Myth

Even for the home owner, success in real estate depends on debt and leverage. No one buys their home for cash, nor does an investment group buy an office or apartment building for cash.  They put money down and borrow the rest.  So why are decisions on building performance based on the “payback period?”  The better metric is cash flow.

The process of certifying a building is a commitment to a better performing building. The cost of the certification is a one-time expense which can be paid for over the life of ownership and the mortgage.  Consider the following simplified case: If a building upgrade costs $1,000 and saves $400 per year the quick analysis is that it will take 2.5 years to pay for itself. However, most investments are paid as part of the project financing, not in cash.  Therefore, the correct analysis is based on cash flow.

Saving $40/year means we save 33.33 per month. If that improvement adds 24.00 to the monthly debt, then the monthly savings (cash flow improvement) is $6.67 per month. Extending that over the life of a 30-year mortgage will result in a $12,000 savings for the $1,000 investment starting on day one.

  1. Value Engineering and Cove.tool

Value Engineering is often used as code for “cut the budget”.  Looking for the highest value, one must compare operating and capital costs.  There is a great tool on the market, Cove.tool (www.covetool.com).  It can be used as a plug in to AutoCAD and REVIT.  It can be used very early in a project, starting with very fundamental decisions such as orientation and building shape. As the project progresses, more detail is added. All along the way, on demand, the cost/benefit of decisions can be quantified relative to building performance.  The program comes with baseline estimated costs which can be updated with actual in-market information.

Cove.Tool is just getting started and has a very promising future.

  1. Energy Model Accuracy

While I have been a lifelong promoter of energy conservation, I was still skeptical of the Energy Model.  I have long been a full believer in the science and always wanted more information about relative vs. predicted performance.  The User Summit included a presentation by Chris Baker, AIA, PE, BEMP, BEAP, LEED AP BD&C and Dana Kose, LEED Fellow, GGP of Willdan (www.willdan.com) comparing projected to actual energy consumption. Rushing to the bottom line, the actual averaged better performance than projected. This is attributed to a greater awareness on the part of users.  Awareness is what changes behaviors and is the single greatest tool of the conservation movement.

I have attended 3 GBI User Summits, and each has exposed me to new thoughts and considerations.   I bring those new thoughts back to JLA so we can best support and advance your projects priorities and agendas.

-John W. Lister, Principal

Designing for Bird Safety

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Clients love glass buildings and high skyscrapers because glass provides more natural light and prestige. Architects have a growing affinity for glass too. However, this building with glass creates problems with bird mortality. US Fish and Wildlife has estimated 750 million birds perish annually from flying into glass. (1) Other statistics dispute that staggering number but no one disputes that glass buildings are the cause of a large number of dead birds every year.

Other human activities also create serious safety hazards for birds.   Urban lights, for example can disorient birds, which rely on star light for navigation and on certain light frequencies for their internal compass. Intense light sources can lure them off course and burn up their energy. Their migration delay can impact breeding and further depress bird populations.(3)  Even, the slow moving wind power has attributed to birds’ death (2)

Architect Guy Maxwell became a passionate advocate for the protection of birds after his glass cube Hayden Planetarium became a deadly invisible barrier to birds. It has became his mission to protect our feathered species.

Working with him is a circle of anti-collision advocates including the American Bird Conservancy, Audubon Society, and the Bird Safe Glass Foundation that started in 2011. Together, they are raising awareness of bird safety among architects, have performed bird-safe research, and pushed for bird-safe building regulations.

Bird Safety 2

Disoriented by the bright light, scores of birds heading south for the winter swirl in confusion-wasting precious energy – around New York City’s Tribute in Light to victims of the September 2001 terrorist attack. Today, volunteers monitor the beams so they can be shut off when large numbers of birds get too close

They were successful partnering with the US Green Building Council to launch a LEED pilot credit #55 for incorporating “bird collision deterrence” into new buildings. (3) The goal is to make buildings visible to birds through technologies such as fritted glass, exterior treatments like louvers, screens, fractured metal screens and decreased night lighting levels. Other successes includes legislation in San Francisco and Oakland, and voluntary ordinances that have been passed in New York, Minnesota and Toronto.

New York City chapter of the Audubon Society has created an online portal called D-Bird where people can report building-related bird moralities. (4)

With this advocacy the hope is that awareness will result in more bird safety legislation, and greater bird friendly design by architects.

JL Architects are advocates for sustainability, green building and care for the environment. We are Green Globe & LEED professionals, and are conscious of our impact on the environment. Contact us at JL Architects to learn how we can be your partner in caring for the environment.

 

Citation:

(1) https://www.wired.com/2016/11/keep-buildings-killing-hundreds-millions-birds-year/

(2) https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-many-birds-do-wind-turbines-really-kill-180948154/

(3) Wildlife Magazines, October-November Issue 2019

(4) https://www.d-bird.org/

 

-Myrna Villaneuva, Architectural Designer

 

**Photo Credit: Alan Li

Designing with the Environment in Mind

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The environment and climate change are big topics in today’s world.  These topics are important to architects who are designing new homes and buildings every day.  As more and more people commit to environmental and energy conservation, they are looking for more sustainable options when it comes to building their homes and renovating their offices.  Consequently, Energy Positive buildings and Net Zero Energy structures are on the rise.

Generally speaking, Energy Positive buildings generate more energy from renewable sources than they consume. Net Zero Energy buildings are similar except their energy surplus also covers the energy used during the construction phase.  According to a study conducted by the USGS, the construction industry is responsible for about 75% of the consumption of earth’s natural resources.  Additionally, construction sites themselves generate enormous quantities of waste, whether through construction, demolition, or remodeling.

A Norway-based group of engineers, architects and designers called Powerhouse is championing the development of Energy Positive buildings, with the help of solar roof panels, efficient ventilation and geothermal power. Powerhouse’s Brattørkaia is the biggest new energy-positive building in Norway and will generate more energy in its operational phase than it consumed through the production of building materials, construction, operation and disposal of waste.  Brattørkaia is an eight-story office building that will produce 485,000 kWh annually. For reference, the average Norwegian home uses about 20,000 kWh of power a year. (In the U.S., the yearly household average is 10,399 kWh). Brattørkaia will, in effect, become a mini-power plant that can supply electricity to Norway’s publicly owned grid.

Over 80% of the world’s population lives in countries that use more resources than their own ecosystems can renew.  At this rate, many natural resources are going to be depleted within the next 30-40 years.  Sustainable development will significantly help to slow down the depletion of our natural resources with the reuse, recovery and recycling of materials, as well as producing buildings that generate more energy than consumed.

Amy Estrella

Greater West Chester Area Moves Ahead with Renewable Energy Plans

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The West Chester Area Council of Governments (WCACOG) consists of elected officials from 7 municipalities: East Bradford, East Goshen, Thornbury, West Chester, West Goshen, West Whiteland, and Westtown which make up a total population of about 100,000. These Southeastern PA municipalities have adopted the goals of achieving 100% renewable energy electricity by 2035 and 100% renewable energy for all uses, including heat, transportation, and powerplants, by 2050.  The WCACOG has hired Cadmus, a Boston-based consulting firm specializing in regional energy planning, to provide a customized Energy Transition Plan that includes an understanding of the context and conditions in southeastern Pennsylvania.

WCACOG recently held its first public meeting to create the path forward in achieving their municipalities’ energy goals.  Attendees met with representatives from Cadmus to ask questions and provide the local input needed to envision success, set priorities, and anticipate obstacles as the region transitions to clean, renewable energy.

Consideration of the economic, political, and social context of the region will create an equitable and inclusive energy transition plan.  Preferences and common barriers shared by the seven communities are being identified. In addition, each municipality will have the opportunity to work individually with Cadmus to convey their specific goals such as reducing energy costs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthening local economic development.

JL Architects is excited to be based in one of the 7 WCACOG communities that is moving towards 100% sustainable energy.  As an architecture firm and community member, we are committed to clean, renewable energy and have worked on many sustainable projects.  Our firm’s principal, John Lister, is a member of Green Building Initiative’s  Board of Directors and project manager, Kipp Happ, sits on the East Goshen Township Sustainability Advisory Committee.  If you need help designing your sustainable project, call the experts at JLA.

 

Photo Credit: Smart Energy