Advantages of Parametric Design for Green Buildings

When the U.S. Green Building Council launched its Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) program, one of its goals was to stimulate development of new building products that facilitate sustainable design and construction. That is exactly the impact LEED has had on new aluminum and wood ceiling and wall panels. With the urging of customers throughout North America, manufacturers have begun examining every aspect of their products and operations to find ways to produce greener building products.

Aluminum ceilings made from recycled materials fit into many credit categories of most green building rating systems.

This initiative has lead to several breakthroughs. For example, aluminum panels are now manufactured with an alloy containing up to 75 percent post-consumer and 24 percent post-industrial recycled material content, totaling up to 98 percent recycled content. New certified wood panels that contain real wood veneers on a recycled aluminum core are achieving status as some of the highest environmental interior products available. The use of recycled aluminum and certified wood walls and ceiling panels fit into many credit categories of most green building rating systems. When material components are combined with advanced parametric and data crunching, architects are able to track building components throughout construction, making their submissions to various green building programs much easier. There are significant green building design advantages that come from using digital parametric design and digital fabrication in ceiling designs, include the reduction of material waste, energy optimization, and affordable mass customization that increases daylight performance. These are just some of the credits that are obtainable through the use of a LEED Checklist.

Energy and Atmosphere: Fundamental Building Systems Commissioning

Digital files provide the means to develop complex forms that meet high-performance environmental standards that can be measured and verified before, during, and after construction. The following is a list of some Energy and Atmosphere credits that may be obtainable through the use of a LEED checklist.

• Measurement and Verification: Commissioning, measuring, and verifying the performance of building systems requires mechanical, electrical and other operating equipment to be accessible for inspection and maintenance. The complex forms of ceiling panels that are curved or folded can now be analyzed to allow easy access to equipment located above ceilings and inside wall panels. Access is accommodated and verified before installation on the construction site in three ways: 1) panels are exceptionally lightweight and easy to handle; 2) the torsion springs and other mounting mechanisms allow panels to be removed and replaced without special tools; and 3) large panel sizes allow quick and easy access to equipment.
• Minimum Energy Performance and Optimize Energy Performance: Highly reflective panels with verified light reflectance values from LRV=.82 and higher reduce energy required for lighting. The ability to measure and install a ceiling system that is modeled for the unique location in a building provides additional savings. Customized high-performance air diffusers can be incorporated into the ceiling design, providing optimum HVAC performance without sacrificing appearance.

Materials and Resources

Parametric and digital fabrication can track the material content and provide detailed information for the following environmental benefits. The following is a list of some Materials and Resources credits that may be obtainable through the use of a LEED checklist.

• Construction Waste Management: Prefabricated panels are factory cut to size, significantly reducing field cutting and scrap that would have to be diverted into the construction waste stream.
• Resource/Reuse: Aluminum panels are durable, resist damage, and are recyclable. There are many markets for scrap metal, and these materials can be recycled repeatedly without degradation of value.
• Recycled Content: Panels constructed from aluminum alloy 3105 produced with up to 98 percent recycled aluminum (75 percent post-consumer) contain some of the highest recycled material available for interior finishes. In addition, steel used in the suspension systems can be specified with between 25 percent and 30 percent recycled material content.
• Certified Wood: Wood veneers used in new ceiling panels are provided with certified wood and a chain-of-custody certificate.

Indoor Air Quality

Mass-customized fabricated panels are designed to maximize airflow through air diffusers and ventilation devices. These materials minimize opportunities for the growth and dissemination of microorganisms. They can be specified with no VOCs and wood panels to contain no added urea-formaldehyde resins. The following is a list of some Indoor Air Quality credits that may be obtainable through the use of a LEED checklist.

• Minimum AIQ performance and ventilation effectiveness
• Construction IAQ management plan
• Low-emitting materials: adhesives, sealants paint, composite wood
• Daylight and views: As demonstrated in the examples above, maximizing daylight and views are among the key advantages of parametric modeling and digital fabrication.

The Successful Digital Design Revolution

Bob Varga, AIA, LEED AP, NC vice president at SmithGroup, is one of many large-firm leaders who are initiating new relationships with manufacturers providing digital fabrication. According to Varga, one of the main benefits of collaboration is the direct transference of information to assure quality. In this design process, files are sent directly to CNC machines, manufactured as a “kit of parts,” numbered, labeled, and delivered on-site for installation. SmithGroup has begun to work with a number of manufacturers, from those providing large to small products from structural metal to ceilings with abstract perforations of the Milky Way.

The Milky Way was used as a design concept modeled and preserved in the design of a perforated ceiling for a high-tech company. Designers at SmithGroup JJR also were able to obtain their required high-performance acoustical targets for the perforated ceiling and walls in this meeting room using parametric design and digital fabrication.

Digital design partnerships are becoming a new normal for the delivery of a high-performance building. The environmental advantages and the affordability of this process are part of a 21^st century technological and design revolution.

End Notes

¹Naboni, Roberto and Paoletti, Ingrid. “Advanced Customization in Architectural Design and Construction.” SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology. 2015.

Ceilings Plus, the leading specialty ceiling producer, creates lightweight, perforated, acoustical ceiling and wall panels with beautiful metal and wood finishes. If you can draw it, we can fabricate it. www.ceilingsplus.com