Page 237 - Green Building Through Integrated Design

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES QUESTIONS 213

LIGHTING DESIGN QUESTIONS
Lighting design is so central to the aesthetics of building design and to energy use that
each project must “get it right” during design development. Fixture and lamp selection
may be delayed into the construction documents phase, but the core lighting design
must be completed in an integrated fashion during design development.

1 Have we reduced our design fc levels to 30 fc for most common spaces? Do we
need to make special accommodations for visual comfort and for Boomers and
older workers, such as task lighting in all workstations?
2 Have we investigated the use of direct-indirect parabolic trough lighting systems
that can effectively provide ambient lighting with lower total energy use?
3 Have we looked at the use of T5 high-output lamps versus T8 lamps, to reduce fix-
ture count and improve lighting levels? Have we specified compact fluorescents
(CFLs) for all appropriate places?
4 Are we considering where we could use LED lighting, either now or in the future?
5 Are we considering the impact of interior color choices on design lighting levels
and selection of luminaires, by looking at the reflectance of different color
surfaces?

Materials and Resources Questions

Each sustainable design program has to place some emphasis on appropriate selection
of materials. As with lighting design, we might leave some of the details until the next
phase, but some basic choices need to be made at this time.

1 Does our design provide adequate space for recycling bins on each floor? Are we
prepared to recycle, at a minimum, paper, cardboard, metal, glass, plastic, and
batteries?
2 How will the building recycling system be integrated with areas for storage and
collection of recycled materials for pickup and off-site treatment?
3 Can materials with recycled content be specified and purchased without compro-
mising other needs such as performance, durability, and appearance?
4 Is each product we are considering recyclable after its use (e.g., “cradle to cradle”
concept of materials use), such as various types of carpet?
5 Can salvaged or refurbished (better than recyclable) materials be used? Are there
products that can be sourced from other locations, such as refurbished partitions
or remilled lumber?
6 Do all the spaces need to have full finish materials, or can some be finished with
the main structural materials (i.e., can the structure double as finish)? Have we
considered the use of polished concrete, for example, as a finished floor, espe-
cially in transition areas?