Steve Lee is the primary faculty advisor for the Carnegie Mellon Solar Decathalon teams. The international collegiate competition is sponsored by the Department of Energy and run by the National Renewable Energy Lab. Carnegie Mellon was selected to compete in 2002, 2005 and 2007. Carnegie Mellon’s team is an interdisciplinary mix of students, faculty and staff from the Schools of Architecture, Art, Design, Drama as well as engineering and business students, plus students from University of Pittsburgh and AIP. The competition is a two-year long process in which teams design, construct and operate solar-powered houses while complying with the 10 contests criteria that comprise the competition. For two weeks, a village of solar homes is on exhibit on the National Mall in Washington, DC to public visitors, numerous government and industry representatives along with media representatives from all over the world.

2002 Entry: reSOLution

A Carnegie Mellon University Experiment in Solar Living • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The 2002 house was a hybrid construction – part modular and part panelized. The house was an urban infill design of two stories, with a green roof patio and a shaded south-facing porch. It was fabricated of student-made structural insulated panels of light gage steel, denim insulation and environmentally-friendly OSB. The systems included a bamboo access floor, plug and play connectivity, modular homerun plumbing, energy recovery ventilation and a water-source heat pump using water tank to simulate a ground source. The house integrated a 6 kWp photovoltaic array and 6 square meters of solar thermal evacuated glass tubes.

2005 Entry: Pittsburgh Synergy

Carnegie Mellon • University of Pittsburgh • The Art Institute of Pittsburgh

The 2005 house was an evolution of the previous hybrid construction system. The house was again an urban infill design of two stories with a lofted bedroom and mechanical space and a shaded south-facing porch. It was fabricated of OSB SIP’s. The systems included a 4-inch flyash concrete slab with embedded PEX tubing for radiant heat, plug and play connectivity, modular homerun plumbing, energy recovery ventilation and a high efficiency air-to-air heat pump. The house integrated a 7 kWp photovoltaic array and 12 square meters of solar thermal evacuated glass tubes. The structure was re-opened on the Carnegie Mellon campus as the home of the Remaking Cities Institute.

2007 Entry: TriPod

Carnegie Mellon • Solar Decathalon

The 2007 house was a fully modular construction system based on the served/servant principle articulated with the spine and pods. The house, called TriPod was designed to maximize flexibility and adaptability. It was fabricated from Versa-Wall R-30 steel insulated panels with rainscreen. The systems included green roofs, Energy Star TPO roofing, high performance glazing, radiant floor heating, VRFZ heat pump, an ERV and high-efficiency T5 and LED lighting. The house integrated a 7 kWp photovoltaic array and 2 square meters of solar thermal evacuated glass tubes. After the competition, the house was rebuilt at Powdermill Nature Reserve to be a part of their sustainability programs.

Prototype house implementing integrated system technologies. The house was a joint effort with the Susquehanna Consortium, a partnership sponsored by Armstrong World Industries, involving industry and Carnegie Mellon University. The Consortium’s goal is the improvement of the housing industry and its construction processes by optimizing affordability and quality, energy performance, resource utilization and construction process.

High Performance System Features
• Insulated precast foundation wall system
• Urethane wall panel system (SIP) with integral PVC studs
• Open web joists
• Pressurized plenum for HVAC distribution
• Vertical service chase
• Stacked wet service areas
• Low VOC paint
• Low-E glazed windows
• Compact fluorescent lighting
• Surface raceway for power, voice and data
• PEX homerun domestic water system

HVAC system

homerun water system

 

The design process included a comprehensive computer simulation of energy performance as well as post-occupancy evaluation to determine performance efficiency of products and systems.

Three detached single-family homes developed for Polish Hill Civic Association and East Side Alliance and aided by the URA. The project was based on Carnegie Mellon University’s Advanced Technology Urban House Prototype.

High Performance System Features
• Structural insulated foam panels (SIP with insulation value of R-24
• Low-E glazed windows
• High efficiency Carrier Infinity furnace and SEER 12 central air conditioning
• Night setback, digital thermostat
• Whole house heat recovery ventilation system
• Engineered wood structural
• Compact fluorescent lighting
• Wiremold baseboard raceway for easy access to power, telephone and cable TV lines
• Water conserving plumbing fixtures

The design process included a comprehensive computer simulation of energy performance as well as post-occupancy evaluation to determine performance efficiency of products and systems.

In his role as a member of the research faculty in the Carnegie Mellon Center for Building Performance & Diagnostics (CBPD), Professor Lee provides consulting services to transform the marketplace for a select list of international, national, regional and local clients.

Phipps Conservatory

Pittsburgh, PA • Current

Recommendations to improve the performance of a $45 million upgrade to this 100-year old Pittsburgh landmark. Collaborating with Professor Fisch, of EGS Plan, Germany, ventilating earth tubes have been incorporated into the construction of the tropical rainforest conservatory and a rainwater harvesting system is being investigated for the production greenhouses.

new addition for special exhibitions

earth tubes buried under frost line pre-condition supply air

South Central Regional Office Building

Harrisburg, PA • 2000

Consulting services to lead a series of meetings and design charrettes in Harrisburg to review baseline systems and then to establish a set of modifications to improve organizational flexibility, technological adaptability and building performance. The Architect incorporated these system recommendations into the final design of the building, with the result being a new standard for healthy, flexible, adaptable and energy and environmentally effective buildings in the Commonwealth.

south central regional office building

mockup raised floor system w/air diffuser + modular wiring

Highlights: Water consumption reductions of more than 20%. Annual energy consumption cost reduction modeled at over 40%. One of the 5 project nationwide selected by the US DOE in 2000 to represent the United States at the International Sustainable Building 2000 Convention in Maastricht, the Netherlands. One of the first 12 LEED Certified buildings in the US award-winning video, “Pennsylvania’s First Green Building,” which airs on PBS. Won the PA Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence in 1998.

ALCOA Fjardaal Smelter

Reydarfjordur, East Iceland • Current

Consulting services to assist ALCOA with the creation of the world’s most “environmentally-friendly” aluminum smelter. Services included writing the architectural RFP, conducting workshops, chairing the selection jury, developing an evolving list of sustainable design strategies and conducting peer reviews.

smelter under construction

ALCOA fjardaal smelter

Jean Canfield Government of Canada Building

Charlottetown, PEI, Canada • 2003

Consulting services to assist Public Works & Government Services with the incorporation of high performance workplace concepts in their new 110,000 SF facility on Prince Edward Island. Services included advising on the architectural RFP, participating on the selection jury and providing peer reviews at the schematic and design development phases.

shading devices on southern glazing

aerial view

Highlights: Water consumption reductions of approximately 80%. Annual energy consumption cost reduction modeled at over 60%. The project is targeting LEED Gold Certification. Building elements include radiant heated/chilled concrete slab for conditioning, Energy Recovery Ventilator to assist heating/cooling supply air, and 130 KW photo voltaic array to offset energy consumption of building.

Assessment of and general recommendations for a sustainable approach to the restoration of a 32,445 SF community center, formerly the 1889 Webster School Building, located in the Mount Pleasant National Register Historic District. The project was carried out in collaboration with Penn Energy Project for the Puerto Rican Organizing Committee.

Planning Process:

• Historical research: review of historical documents and architectural significance relating to the building and its neighborhood
• Seminars: presentations, round-table discussions and visits to the green design case studies
• Assessment: visits, surveys and interviews with program and maintenance staff and overview of the facilities to assess current conditions and programming needs
• Community involvement: presentations to and gathering of feedback from community stakeholders
• Final report: summary of building’s history, suggested environmental strategies for its renovation, functional program assessment and general guidelines for future programming, and recommendations for next steps

Site planning and design for the renovation and new construction of an 18,000 SF shopping center in Pittsburgh’s South Side. Work also included coordination and design work for the interior finishing of a Revco drugstore.

Design of a 9,000 SF two-story upscale gourmet butcher, deli and seafood shop plus rental offices. The building features include direct gain sunspace, high performance envelope and integrated daylighting.

exterior view

interior view

Various storefront design in Neighborhood commercial area.

401 E. Ohio St., North Side, Pittsburgh, PA

before

before

proposed

 

5111 Penn Ave., Garfield, Pittsburgh, PA. Live, work and teach space for ceramist couple.

before

proposed

Various storefront design in neighborhood commercial area. Studies funded by Community Design Center of Pittsburgh.

4042 Liberty Ave: before

5017 2nd Avenue: before

4042 Liberty Ave: proposed

5017 2nd Avenue

Greenfield Veterinary Hospital: before

Greenfield Veterinary Hospital: after