| The
Santa Monica College Center for Environmental Urban Studies
will serve as a continually evolving center of knowledge dedicated
to the improved understanding of ecologically sensitive principles
and practices, with special focus on optimizing relationships
between the built and natural environment.
It will serve the College, the Santa Monica community, and
the greater Los Angeles community, as well as more distant
audiences, through the Internet and other information dissemination
media.
The Center will function on the principle that a house is
an integral part of our ecosystem, and that it must be designed
and operated with a goal of ecological sustainability. The
facility itself will therefore be a demonstration and education
resource for anyone interested in environmental issues, building
design, natural and man-made systems, such as watershed management,
renewable energy and materials, animal habitat creation, waste
management, regenerative planting and healing environments.
Architectural/landscape architectural features will include
Rainwater Harvesting. Oversized
rain gutters around the roof will carry water to an aqueduct,
which transports the rainwater to a series of storage vessels
in the garden, terminating in a constructed wetland. The stored
water can be used to irrigate the fruit trees and vegetable
garden. Rainwater collection reduces the amount of storm water
that enters the storm drain system thereby reducing the amount
of pollution that enters the SM Bay. The overflow entering
the constructed wetlands will increase the amount of water
that is allowed to percolate back into the underground aquifers.
A water sculpture will provide a tutorial illustration of
water flow and the moving water system will help oxygenate
the water as well as heighten sensory awareness.
Greywater harvesting and purification.
New plumbing with exposed and
highly visible piping will be incorporated into the design
of the building skin to increase awareness of water usage.
Kitchen and bathroom plumbing lines will be partially exposed
in exterior walls by sheathing with transparent materials.
For example, one will be able to watch sink-water travel from
the sink through the pipes to the adjoining greywater purification
tank system. A series of three purification planters containing
fish, aeration and water plants, will help to digest particles
from greywater. After the greywater has been purified by the
plantings, it will travel via a channel in the paving to the
garden to irrigate the herbs and vegetables growing nearby.
Passive Solar. New
highly efficient operable windows and skylights will be added
to the south and west facades and roof to encourage passive
solar heating in the winter, while the arbor and accompanying
deciduous vines protect the same openings from the hot summer
sun. A Sundial/ventilation tower, a conical roof form at the
apex of the roof, will double as a hot air vent to promote
natural airflow by removing excess heat and as a solar tracking
device which maps the paths of the sun at the equinox and
solstices. The thin sliver of window denotes South.
Interior architecture. Existing,
aged carpeting will be replaced with non-toxic, plant based
earthen flooring in the kitchen, bathroom, and conference
room. This thick floor material will act as a thermal mass;
collecting and storing heat during the day and released at
night. The ceiling is opened up by removing the existing 8'
joists in order to improve spatial and air quality of the
house and allow access to the new skylights. Natural plant-based
plasters will be used instead of drywall at all new wall locations.
Some wall areas will be sheathed in transparent glass to feature
infrastructure within walls. Existing natural wood floor and
trim will be striped and repaired.
Recycling. In-house
separation of recyclables will be required. Recyclable material
bins will be stored along west façade, next to kitchen
door for easy access.
Landscaping. Grapevines,
the deciduous window coverings, located in planting beds along
the south and west facades will become sunshades when they
grow into the trellis feature at roof edge. In the winter,
the lack of plant foliage and the low angle of the sun, will
allow the house to be heated naturally during the day while,
in the summer when the sun is higher, the vines will provide
shade inside to prevent overheating. Further back in the yard
a riparian habitat/constructed wetlands will be created by
capturing the seasonal rains. All exterior concrete surfaces
will be removed and replaced with permeable paving. The salvaged
concrete will be used in the garden as garden walls and building
material for the ponding vessels.
Active solar/energy. Solar
shingles will be integrated into the existing roof system
and visible from the inside of the house. An energy monitoring
system will demonstrate the amount of solar gain at different
times of day and year. Exposed electric outlets and wiring
within the interior walls will improve the public's understanding
of how energy systems work. Students will participate in the
design of customized switches and outlets. Low energy appliances
will be specified wherever possible.
Hot water heater will be replaced with solar water heating
devices in roof. Metering devices will be exposed to promote
awareness of energy usage.
Black water purification. Toilet
waste will travel to enclosed purification planter on west
façade where it will be separated into solid, liquid,
and gas and purified by plants. The filtered liquid will then
join with greywater in an adjacent planter to be further purified.
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