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Essential Development - RainBridge Design
Designing the Highest Standard of Living... for the Lowest Environmental Cost
OUR MINIMUM STANDARD DESIGN CRITERION, FOR ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AS WELL AS, TODAY’S LOW IMPACT DESIGN/DEVELOPMENT (LID) AND BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMP'S) WHICH WE HAVE BEEN PRACTICING FOR OVER 40 YEARS BEFORE LEED WAS CREATED.
FOR THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS: MOST OF THE CRITERIA BELOW WOULD BE APPLIED TO ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2OOO FEET OR WHERE NIGHT’S GET COLD ENOUGH TO REQUIRE SOME FORM OF HEATING
THE UNDERLINED ITEMS BELOW ARE FOR TROPICAL CLIMATES FOR ENERGY
CONSERVATION AND SAVINGS ON AIR CONDITIONING
**NOTICE: ALL MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED ALL RIGHTS RESERVED SINCE 1975
ARCH. TECH./CONSTRUCTION TECH.
1. USE AS MUCH BERMING AT THE NORTH SIDE OF THE STRUCTURE FOR NATURAL INSULATION,
WHERE REQUIRED BASED ON CLIMATE ZONE
2. PASSIVE MEASURES IN ECONOMIC TOSS-UPS BECAUSE OF NO MAINTENANCE.
3. R -19 OR MORE WALLS WHERE POSSIBLE. (USING 2X6 FRAMING OR 2X4 ALTERNATE STAGGER
OR 2X6 FRAMING WITH 2X4 STUDS TO THE INTERIOR WITH RIGID INSULATION TO THE
EXTERIOR.)
4. CONTINUOUS VAPOR BARRIERS.
5. PERIMETER BELOW-GRADE INSULATION, (2 FEET DOWN) AT SLAB PERIMETER
6. CONSOLIDATED MECHANICAL SYSTEMS. MIUS (MODULAR INTEGRATED UTILITY SYSTEM)
7. EXTERIOR COLOR; TEXTURE RELATIVE TO HEATING; COOLING.
8. USE TASK LIGHTING AND REFLECTION SURFACES, ETC.
9. FIREPLACE FOR HEATING AS WELL AS A SOCIAL MECHANISM. (ALSO ADJACENT TO HEAT
STORAGE).
10. HEAT RECOVERY COILS IN FIREPLACE TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY FROM 50% (U.L. LISTED)
11. MAXIMIZE THERMAL MASS TO SLOW TEMP CHANGE RATE INTERNAL TO EXTERNAL. (EXAMPLE:
2 LAYERS OF SHEETROCK THROUGHOUT, OR OTHER MEASURES) CONCRETE/ TILE/ WATER
DRUMS
12. ROOM-TO-ROOM NOISE REDUCTION.
13. WARM INTERNAL UPPER STATIONED HIGH RETURN AIR CIRCULATED BY AIR HANDLING UNIT IN
WINTER BASED ON CLIMATE ZONE.
14. PARKING AREA CAR EMISSIONS AWAY FROM ENTRIES AND VENTS.
15. EMPLOY ALL HEAT RECOVERY DEVICES (I.E. COIL/SHOWERS/REF).
16. COMPLETE WEATHER STRIPING, MAGNETIC INSULATION STRIPS ON ALL DOORS.
17. RECYCLED PLASTIC OUTLET BOXES.
18. SELECTION OF MOST EFFICIENT HVAC EQUIPMENT/ W/ ELEC. IGNITION.
19. CLOSED CYCLE VENTILATION FANS (AIR TO AIR)
20. RIGID INSULATION SO STUDS DO NOT PENETRATE INSULATION.
21. U-FACTORS HUD STD. OR LESS.
22. OVERHANG LENGTH [USING THE FOLLOWING FORMULAE:
(FT)=(LAT) X (WINDOW HEIGHT) (H) O.1 = (1AT) X (FT) 50]
23. STORAGE SYSTEM INTEGRAL OR UNDER HOUSE (IF CONCRETE, THE INSULATION TO THE
INSIDE OF CONCRETE)
CONTROL OF AIRFLOW:
1. BALANCE RATIO OF TOTAL ENCLOSED AREA TO VOLUME.
2. USES NATURAL COOLING IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, I.E. FLOW THROUGH VENTILATION IN
EACH ROOM UNIT.
3. HEAT TRAP SYSTEMS. (IDLE ROOMS)
4. AIRLOCK ENTRY AS BUFFER ZONE/DOOR CLOSER'S ON ALL EXTERIOR DOORS.
5. EFFICIENT BUILDING ENVELOPE
6. THERMAL BARRIERS (ROOMS BARE SPACES, ETC.).
7. INTERIOR VOLUMES INDUCING PROPER AIRFLOW.
8. 5 FT.³ PER MINUTE PER PERSON FOR AIR FRESHNESS.
9. INTERNAL CONVECTION BY VARYING CEILING HEIGHTS.
10. AIR TO AIR/HEAT EXCHANGERS.
11. COMBUSTION AIR, FOR FIREPLACES AND GAS DEVICES
12. USE ALL PASSIVE MEANS MOISTURE CONTROL
OTHER ITEMS:
1. PLANTS, GREENHOUSE TYPE PLANTS FOR HEALTH AND AIR PURIFICATION.
2. RAINBRIDGE DESIGN LG STEEL HINGED TRELLIS AT MANY LOCATIONS TO ADD COOLING
EFFECT
3. BUILDING MATERIALS SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF MINIMUM ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND
REPLACEABLE OR RENEWABLE SOURCE. (ENDEMIC SPECIES)
4. CONTROL THE REDUCTION IN WATER BY CHOICE OF WATER SAVING FIXTURES AND DEVICES.
THIS INCLUDES ALL INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DEVICES, AS IS POSSIBLE.
5. BACKUP SYSTEM DESIGNED TO USE. "OFF PEAK" FUELS
6. USE EXTENSIVE GARDEN AREA IN USING AS MANY ENDEMIC SPECIES NATIVE TO THE LOCAL
ENVIRONMENT, AND BIOREGION.
7. GREY WATER SYSTEMS WERE POSSIBLE.
8. RAIN GARDENS AND OR RAIN BARRELS BASED ON LOCAL CLIMATE
9. SOUTH WINDOWS, REFLECTIVE AND INSULATION SHUTTERS.
10. TASK HEATING; ZONE HEATING
11. WOOD WINDOWS OR THERMALLY BROKEN MATERIAL WITH DOUBLE PANE GLASS.
12. WING WALLS TO CONTROL WIND.
13. GARAGE SEAL
14. DOOR CLOSERS
SOLAR ORIENTATION AND CONTROL:
1. FOLLOWING WINDOW EXPOSURES 10% NORTH (FHA MINIMUM) % OF ADJACENT FLOOR; 15% E
& W, 20% SOUTH (56)
2. CONFORM TO ENERGY-CONSERVING FORMS OF SPACE IN BOTH PLAN, SECTION, AND 4-D
ALSO.
3. KEEP SOLAR SURFACES WITHIN 20% OF DUE SOLAR SOUTH.
4. INCORPORATE TILT ANGLED OF SURFACES AS AN ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE.
5. INTEGRATE SOLAR SYSTEM AS OPPOSED TO DETACHED OR ATTACHED.
6. USE DIRECT (CONTROLLED) SOLAR EXPOSURE.
7. EAST/WEST BUILDING ORIENTATION WHERE POSSIBLE.
8. WINDOWS WITH USABLE SHUTTERS AND REFLECTIVE SURFACES ALSO AS SECURITY
MEASURES.
9. AIR MOVEMENT OVER GLASS RESTRICTED. (DEEP BOX)
10. USE TREES FOR SUMMER SHADING.
11. USE SOLAR/WIND CONSCIOUS LANDSCAPING.
12. ENTIRE BUILDING ITSELF AS PASSIVE SOLAR COLLECTOR DEPENDING ON CLIMATE ZONE
LOOKING OUT FOR YOU:OTHER ADDRESSED ISSUES
☠️ Carpet, upholstery, and manufactured wood can off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs like formaldehyde), which can be irritants or cause headaches.
☠️ Furniture, carpets, and bedding that contain flame-retardants can release hormone-disrupting polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PDPEs) into the air and house dust.
☠️ Cleaning products commonly contain ammonia, synthetic fragrances, and other chemicals that can act either as irritants or health disruptors.
☠️ Personal care products (rubbed directly into your skin!!) commonly contain hormone-disrupting parabens and phthalates.
☠️ Plastics and food containers often contain hormone-disrupting bisphenol A (BPA).