When it comes to improving sustainability, architecture plays a key role both in the smart utilization and conservation of natural energy. The more we incorporate green designs into our work, the more intelligent and impressive our buildings become, according to La Jolla Light.
Our homes are getting smarter all the time. Green architecture has brought with it the innovations that make for some wonderful improvements to the way we live, and more importantly to the quality of the design. It's amazing how a decision made primarily to conserve energy can lead to innovations in the quality of the daylight, window selection and the supplemental lighting for a space.
Paul Benton, an architect with Alcorn & Benton architecture, writes about how his firm recently completed a luxury kitchen remodeling in which it sized all of the appliances for their energy usage, doubled the exhaust fan capacity, used high-efficiency bulbs throughout, replaced the skylight with a larger and well-insulated skylight assembly and reconfigured the space so that the kitchen could be more easily managed by one person. The result? A reduction in electrical usage by about 30 percent, and cut back on gas usage by nearly 50 percent.
The firm is also working with San Diego State University to create smart classrooms to enhance the lecture experience and to also integrate remote learning sites into the lecture experience. Two such classrooms have features that allow the professor to monitor and control the audio and video being transmitted, control the lighting, insert images and video in just about any medium, and take questions and comments from any remote location with an image of the person asking the question. When a student asks a question, automatic cameras turn to pick up the image of the student, so that everyone can see the person with all of the expressions and gestures as the dialog continues. At the end of the lecture, the lecturer can digitally distribute notes and files as well as the lecture itself.
The firm plans to apply some of these green home innovations to future projects, whether an office conference room or an at-home theater.
Read more about building a green home.
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