Sustainable laboratories : a study of the application of green + sustainable practices in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Authors
Ackerman, Rebecca L.
Advisor
Koester, Robert J.
Issue Date
2012-05-07
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (B.?.)
Department
Honors College
Other Identifiers
Abstract

This Honors Thesis is an extension of the 2011-2012 International Sustainable Laboratory Student Design Competition hosted by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA). Ashley Stier, Joshua Stowers, and I joined the competition as a group in Spring 2012. This Honors Thesis served as a tool for expanding and deepening my understanding of green and sustainable practices, and it has acted as a guideline for our competition entry.

The focus of this Honors Thesis is to present research findings on green and sustainable practices that are able to support the requirements of marine laboratories in the climate of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). The research explores many possible options for different building types. The goal is for one or more of the choices to be applicable to the ACSA competition, but also to be used as a model for future projects.

Project-specific metrics regarding each green and sustainable practice are included to show the average requirements of the laboratory campus, and how each selected system, given its design constraints, is able to fulfill the project needs. In order to complete a successful design, a great deal of re-design and re-calculating was necessary before a suitable answer emerged. These metrics are meant to act as a guide for prospective design projects.

Conclusions concerning the ACSA project present the final green and sustainable practices that were chosen to be used in the project and why. The choices made demonstrate a relationship between the research and mathematical application, and explain why the conclusions by the group were successful or unsuccessful at providing the sustainable laboratories with sufficient systems.