Szokolay - Introduction to Architectural Science: The Basis of Sustainable Design

Introduction to

ARCHITECTURAL SCIENCE

The basis of sustainable design

Introduction to

ARCHITECTURAL SCIENCE

The basis of sustainable design

Third edition

Steven V. Szokolay

First edition published 2003
by Architectural Press

Second edition published 2008
by Architectural Press

Third edition published 2014
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2014 Steven V. Szokolay

The right of Steven Szokolay to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Szokolay, S. V.
Introduction to architectural science : the basis of sustainable design / Steven V. Szokolay. Third, extended edition.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. BuildingsEnvironmental engineering. 2. Sustainable buildingsDesign and construction.
I. Title.
TH6021.S965 2014
720'.47dc23
2013025354

ISBN: 978-0-415-82498-9 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-85240-9 (ebk)

Typeset in Univers by
Servis Filmsetting Ltd, Stockport, Cheshire

CONTENTS

Some terms used in the title of this work need to be defined and explained at the outset.

Architectural Science

The term building science has been well established since at least 1944, when Geeson published his book of that title (English Universities Press) and D. A. G. Reeds book of the same title was published by Longmans. The subject became important after the 1958 Oxford Conference of the RIBA, when it formally became an important part of architectural education.

The same year, the term Architectural Science was introduced by H. J. Cowan, the first professor of that designation at Sydney University, expressing his intention of providing the scientific basis for architectural design. Initially his main concern was the science of materials, construction and structures. He started the publication of the quarterly Architectural Science Review and founded the Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA) as primarily an informal grouping of teachers of the subject. Originally this association was concerned with the building fabric, with the physical science aspects of architectural design, later extending the field to include the science of indoor environments, thermal, acoustic and lighting. During my presidency (1982) we included the relevant areas of social sciences.

Subsequently the use of energy and resources in building became the main concern.

Sustainability

In 1972, the United Nations Conference (in Stockholm) on the Human Environment led to the Brundtland Report, and the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), the World Summit, in Rio de Janeiro. This had produced the Rio Declaration and the Agenda 21, a programme for the twenty-first century. The extreme green lobby was vociferous in opposing any development, as they thought this to be harmful for the natural environment. However, the third world lobby demanded development, as their right to catch up with the developed world. Finally the consensus has emerged that development is needed and is acceptable as long as it is sustainable. This was defined by Brundtland as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need.

This became recognised and adapted by (inter alia) the International Union of Architects (IUA) Congress in Chicago (1993) and was subsequently endorsed by most national architectural bodies.

Sustainable design

Since then, unfortunately, some extreme exponents of post-modernism came to consider architecture purely as an art-form, denying Sullivans tenet: form follows function. This has led to the most extravagant, unorthodox, contorted and crazy buildings. The odd few of these can be tolerated here and there in an existing sober and solid urban context, but heaven forbid this becoming the norm. It is pure formalism, at the expense of function and environmental decency.

These became dominant in the glossies, the current fashion in architecture. Many consider architectural science as an oxymoron, some suggesting that in architectural education it is counter-productive, curbing or even destroying any imaginative talent of students. It also gives fuel to the erroneous but general belief of the broad public, that architecture is a luxury, that it is irrelevant to real life, to building.

It is contradictory and almost schizophrenic (if not fraudulent) that at the same time many such professionals claim that what they produce is sustainable architecture, sustainable design. Here it is suggested that without science, architecture cannot be sustainable. Science is not opposed to design, it does not compete with or replace design, but it is part and parcel of it. The designer can only exercise his/her imagination if the physical basis is understood. Scientific understanding should permeate the intuitive, inventive design. Science can give valuable design tools but it can also provide checking tools for use as the design develops.

As far as architecture itself is considered, I rather like the cocktail shaker analogy. I know that analogia non probat, that analogy is not a proof, but it is usefully indicative. Science is one of the inputs into the shaker, along with materials, construction and structures studies as well as some social sciences. In a cocktail the individual inputs, such as basil, chilli or bitters, may not be enjoyable, but they are essential ingredients. The design studio (and design practice) are the cocktail shakers. The technique of shaking, the rhythm, the movement, the often associated dance-steps, possibly even some singing are unimportant, as long as all the ingredients are there and are well shaken.

Some years ago, the (then) head of a school of architecture where Architectural Science has been abolished as a subject, in response to my query, explained that there is no one to teach it and there is no textbook to present the relevant knowledge in a rigorous and disciplined manner. This gave me the first impetus some ten years ago to attempt to produce such a book. I made use of many of my lecture notes accumulated over a teaching career of some 30 years, but supplementing and extending these with much new matter, with recent developments. What follows is the result of this attempt.

Four chains of thought led to the idea of this book and to the definition of its content:

It can no longer be disputed that the resources of this Earth are finite, that its capacity to absorb our wastes is limited, that if we (as a species) want to survive, we cannot continue our ruthless exploitation of the environment. Where our actions would affect the environment, we must act in a sustainable manner. There are many good books that deal with the need for sustainability (e.g. Vale and Vale, 1991; Farmer, 1999; Roaf