Mary Guzowski

Today, more than ever, architects must re-engage the forces of the sun to respond to the profound challenges of global warming and climate change. Towards Zero- Energy Architecture is a much needed call for the design professions to redefine architecture to help alleviate ecological problems. This book explores the theories, practices and principles of new approaches to solar architecture that foster both design excellence and low-energy use. Solar architecture is more than the sum of passive strategies, technological systems and ecological engineering. An architecture shaped by the sun responds to climate, place and site, and expresses an aesthetic based on the form-giving attributes of these environmental forces. To illustrate this, the author analyses ten awardwinning buildings from around the world, focusing on the details of the design strategy, the impact of local climate and the importance of seasonal changes in sunlight and wind strength. She further shows how new technology enables architects to achieve greater performance standards, while at the same time generating an environmental aesthetic. As well as its significance to architecture, this approach to building provides a critical means of integrating sustainability in our daily lives.

This book explores the theories, practices and principles of new approaches to solar architecture that foster both design excellence and low-energy use. In response to the challenges of global warming and climate change, design and technology enable architects to achieve greater performance standards while at the same time developing an environmental aesthetic. The book showcases ten award-winning buildings to illustrate the aesthetic and technological design integration of solar response in contemporary zero-energy and low-energy architecture. For each project there is a detailed examination of the local climate, the design and construction, and the technology used to reduce energy use. "Towards Zero-energy Architecture" is a much-needed call for the design professions to redefine architecture to help solve ecological problems.

During the past decade there has been a tremendous growth in daylighting analysis methods, allowing designers to meet ever higher standards. But in relying too heavily on these methods, there is a risk of reducing daylighting design to a quantitative exercise, overlooking the qualitative, aesthetic, and experiential aspects of design. This book reveals how architects have bridged the poetic and practical potential of daylighting to create exquisitely illuminated spaces. In the book, 12 buildings are examined, using photographs, drawings, and plans. Each case study also includes technical analysis diagrams, specially created using specialist software. Featured architects include Renzo Piano, David Chipperfield, and Steven Holl. The Art of Architectural Daylighting will be invaluable for professionals and students alike.