See all forum discussions about Green Commons

Subscribe to new posts about Green Commons Post a new question aboutGreen Commons

Forum discussion

Graduate Architecture School course on Water - ideas requested

Jonathan Weiss

Jacobs Buildings & Infrastructure

LEEDuser Premium Member

140 thumbs up

February 9, 2021

For a number of years a colleague and I have been teaching a course about sustainability and water in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania's architectural school (PennDesign). This year we're hoping to bring a few new opinions to the table for at the same time as we broaden the discussion. Because the class will be virtual again this year, we're able to bring in guests from around the country, which we hope will mitigate the challenge of another year of zoom-learning for the students. I'm reaching out to see if any of you have ideas about guest speakers on topics of water and architecture - especially with an eye towards environmental justice and equity. If you know of someone (or you are someone) who would be willing to join for a 30 minute discussion, please let me know. The class starts in late March, the spots for guest speakers would be in mid to late April. Thanks in advance for any ideas you may have. And if you have ideas that we should consider but won't be possible until next year, of course we'd appreciate that as well.

Thanks again,

Jonathan

Post a reply

Jean Carroon

Principal

Goody Clancy

LEEDuser Basic Member

0 thumbs up

Wed, 02/10/2021 - 16:57

Hi Jonathan, If not already in your thinking, I encourage you to reach out to Rich Earth Institute : Community Implementation (thank you Nadav) for a conversation about how urine recapture is heading towards commercial feasibility. It’s a travesty that we use water to move human waste (which is actually a resource not waste). Also the issue of embodied water in materials is not getting the focus it should. According to the OECD, raw material extraction (driven by construction) is the major cause of biodiversity loss and water stress around the world – water is a major equity issue. I don’t have a speaker off the top of my head. I used to reference Treloar Graham from the University of Melbourne, but sadly he is deceased. A quick internet search shows a MA paper in 2016 by Ruben Bosman at the University of Twente, in the Netherlands. . . I look forward to hearing other names and perhaps a discussion of which LCA tools address water. Cheers, Jean Jean Carroon, FAIA, LEED Fellow Principal - Design, Preservation and Sustainability Goody Clancy 617 850 6651 (direct) 617 285 5936 (mobile) [Goody Clancy] “Building reuse is climate action!” – Lori Ferriss https://www.architects.org/news/the-new-net-zero https://www.architects.org/programs/embodied-carbon 12 part Carbon 101 program begins on June 1 From: Jonat

Betsy del Monte

Consultant

Cameron MacAllister Group

LEEDuser Basic Member

0 thumbs up

Wed, 02/10/2021 - 18:02

Jonathan, This is a little offbeat, but a friend of mine has just published a book called The River Always Wins, Water as a Metophor for Hope and Progress. https://www.amazon.com/River-Always-Wins-Metaphor-Progress/dp/1646050088 His short bio: David Marquis is a writer and activist who lives in Dallas, Texas. Throughout his career he has worked to create lasting, positive social change in the environment, education, and human rights. Raised in West Texas during the drought of the 1950’s, he has an abiding interest in water and conservation issues. I've had him speak in my classes before and he can be mesmerizing. He was an actor for years before he started writing. He might be good as an introductory speaker. Let me know if you're interested and I can ask him.

Betsy del Monte

Consultant

Cameron MacAllister Group

LEEDuser Basic Member

0 thumbs up

Wed, 02/10/2021 - 18:05

Also, I'm happy to help if I can. I haven't ever taught an entire course on water, but I have always included it in courses like Global Resource Use and Sustainable Urban Planning.

Meredith Elbaum

Executive Director

Built Environment Plus

LEEDuser Basic Member

9 thumbs up

Wed, 02/10/2021 - 20:02

Bruce Douglas of Natural Systems Utilities is doing a 3 part series on Water for us currently . The last one coming up is on the Water Energy Nexus. He’d probably be happy to help. Sent from my iPhone

Maki San Miguel Paulson

Principal

Verde Architecture Consulting

LEEDuser Basic Member

0 thumbs up

Wed, 02/10/2021 - 20:14

Hi Jonathan, I'm not sure if this is where you're headed, but when I think of environmental justice and equity as it relates to water, I think about resiliency. Specifically, the combined storm and sewer system in Philadelphia predominately affects those least likely to be able to survive a catastrophic flooding event. For Rebuild, I'm doing a Recreation Center in an underserved Philadelphia neighborhood which examines the resilience and emergency preparedness of that neighborhood. The project tries to address those concerns in a cost-effective manner. I'd be glad to talk to your class about it. Maki

Andrée Iffrig

Sustainability Strategist

Associated Engineering

LEEDuser Basic Member

2 thumbs up

Thu, 02/11/2021 - 15:02

You could approach Dan Kreeger, Ex. Dir. at the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO). I took climate change courses with him; one course focused on the water-energy nexus. dkreeger@climateofficers.org.

Paul Erickson

Principal / Building Performance Practice Leader

Affiliated Engineers, Inc (AEI)

LEEDuser Basic Member

0 thumbs up

Thu, 02/11/2021 - 16:30

Johnathan, Also on the energy-water nexus albeit a bit more of the technical side, if you're interested in whole project water modeling, my colleague Dr. Fred Betz (fbetz@aeieng.com) would be a good candidate. Fred developed the approach that has become the LEED ACM for holistic water savings determination and has been instrumental in the water modeling procedures outlined in ASHRAE Std 191. He can also cover a myriad of the broader nexus drivers and opportunities. Paul Paul Erickson LEED® AP Principal (D) 608-236-1112 | (M) 303-859-7523 | (O) 608-238-2616 Affiliated Engineers, Inc. 5802 Research Park Boulevard | Madison, WI 53719