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November 2009
Media Contact:
Marshall Terrill
Information Specialist
ASU Office of Public Affairs
602.496.1005
Marshall.Terrill@asu.edu
ASU provides blueprint for sustainability at Greenbuild 2009
Arizona State University is providing a blueprint for sustainability at this week’s Greenbuild 2009.
The university will showcase environmentally sound practices, products and LEED certified buildings during the international expo, which takes place Nov. 11–13 at the Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. 3rd St., Phoenix.
ASU, which is one of only 26 universities in the country that was listed as a leader by the Sustainable Endowment Institute’s College Sustainability Report Card, is hoping to earn high marks on the Green Exhibition Scorecard for an award at the end of the conference. The 10 x 20 booth will feature 14 steel “power plants” and one table, which incorporates several of the university’s disciplines and programs, including engineering, construction, science and math, sustainability, design, and multi-media.
“Each tree is a mini-environmental system and was designed to represent several aspects of sustainable research at the university,” said Jason Griffiths, assistant professor in the ASU Herberger Institute School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. “The tree provides a narrative on how all of the disciplines are interlinked and how these components function together.”
The 8-foot trees are topped by a solar panel that generates electricity; an I.V. drip bag filled with a liquid nutrient to feed an aloe plant; and an LCD monitor that touts ASU’s sustainability projects, which also provides ambient sound effects to create a “natural” audio environment.
“When it comes to sustainability, ASU has so many great stories to tell,” said Erik Holsinger, who heads up the video production for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “Our booth videos highlight many real-world examples of ASU projects that have created positive change, both locally and around the world.”
The trees will be transported by approximately 20 architecture students on the Metro Light Rail to promote renewable energy sources and low environmental impact travel. The transport will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9 at the Veterans Way/College Avenue station.
“The Metro Light Rail is one of the most progressive moments in our city’s history and gave us the idea of delivering these pieces in the most sustainable way possible,” said Philip Horton, a faculty associate in the ASU Herberger Institute School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. “Rather than loading the power plants on a truck and driving them over to the convention center, we will utilize our mass transit.”
Each participating exhibitor will earn points based on the amount of environmentally responsible practices and products incorporated into their display. The winner of the Green Exhibitor Award will be announced during the expo’s closing keynote session.
>Link to Jason Griffith’s profile+
>Link to Philip Horton profile+
>Link to The Architect's Newspaper Blog+
>Link to the Greenbuild 2009 Web site+
October 2009
Griffiths’ “Political Ply” design prevails in 2009 Lifecycle Building Challenge
Jason Griffiths is an assistant professor in the ASU Herberger Institute School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. During October 2009 his “Political Ply” design won an honorable mention in the student building category of the 2009 Lifecycle Building Challenge, sponsored in part by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“Political Ply” explores methods of re-purposing existing materials in the formation of a temporary arid-zone shade structure. It was constructed for ASU Polytechnic campus Earth Day "FAEstival" in April 2009 and currently is on display at ASU Art Museum. The project is a modular shade structure that is designed for arid zone environments and incorporates an evaporative cooling mechanism. This approach extends the design life cycle of a material that would normally be discarded after its original purpose was fulfilled. The material chosen is corrugated polypropylene, a common material for political campaign signage. The project also incorporates recycled Voss bottles that are converted into personalized misters.
>Link to Jason Griffith’s profile+
>Link to 2009 Lifecycle Building Challenge Web site+
>Link to treehugger article+
Winter Session Courses – Check it out! more
Rover goes green: ASU designs sustainable doghouse
The doghouse is getting a makeover for the 21st century, and you can bet your pooper-scooper that Rover has never seen anything quite like this. Students from the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts have teamed up with PetSmart to create a prototype doghouse that is better suited to your pooch’s needs and is earth-friendly, as well. more
June 2009
Congratulations to Jason Griffiths and students of the Spring 2009 Integral studio for winning first prize in the 2009 AA|FAB Awards for the project "RE-PURPOSE POLITICAL PLY."
Award Details-
The FAB Research Cluster at the Architectural Association in London announces the results of the
2009 AA|FAB Awards. The award theme was "Designing Fabrication." The jury was interested in recently built projects that exemplify the innovative integration of design and fabrication processes through digitally driven design systems and protocols, and whose completion contributes to an international discourse on the use of emerging design and fabrication technologies.
Project - Repurpose Political Ply-
While this project provides shade and cooling in arid climates, its theme is determined by the periodic availability of political campaign boards. The seasonal nature of American politics provides an episodic abundance of this material, which we have repurposed beyond its campaign life. Both uses have coincidental properties that allow this transition to be made. Both require a lightweight, temporary and weather-resistant material. These properties then are adapted to form individual cellular units by adapting timber lamination techniques (cross grain and mechanical fixings at stress points) and developable surface manipulation to each plastic board. The taper of the cellular units provides a stacking tessellation for transportation and a dome when repeated to form each canopy. This method of repurposing is also applied to other elements to provide an evaporative cooling system (Vos bottles, mister heads, valves and fabric) timber glulam legs (ripped dimensional lumber) and sand bag feet (synthetic woven tarp).
>Link to Professor's Profile+
>Link to the AA|FAB Website+
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