ecotecture.GIF (12664 bytes)
Department of   Design and Environmental Analysis,
Cornell University
  1. External Considerations

  2. Core & Envelope

  3. Indoor Ecology

  4. Material/Product Content

  5. Ecotecture Worksheets

  6. Additional  information.

  7. Case Studies

Use the table of contents to go directly to specific topics:

 

CORE & ENVELOPE

 The primary goal of the building envelope should be maximum thermal performance.  Conservation of energy is one of the most important aspects to consider in developing sustainable buildings as more than 60% of all electricity and more than 30% of all energy in the United States is consumed by buildings.  Regardless of building type, most energy that is wasted can be attributed to poor design decisions regarding such factors as orientation, insulation, and glazing. Envelope considerations deal with passive solar heating, building insulation and glazing.  Designing correctly can save on both energy consumption and cost, and it can reduce air pollution by limiting infiltration of outdoor pollutants into the building’s air supply.

According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, $13 billion are lost each year in the form of lost heated or cooled air seeping through cracks or holes in a building’s shell. 

 

 

 

 

© Cornell University, December, 1998