How might a building and its space communicate its sustainable values, its sustainable features, etc. to its visitors?
Project Description: The MacForest is the proposed location of the MacForest Eco-Field Station. This field station will be one of a kind as it will be the first LEED design and Passive housing building within North America. The MacForest Nature Preserve boasts incredible biodiversity with its mixed forests, wetlands, meadows, prairies, and much more. The infrastructure would be located off 1105 Lower Lions Club Rd, Hamilton. The MacForest Eco Field Station would provide a space for students, researchers, and nature enthusiasts alike.
Proposed Project: This challenge will specifically look at how to best communicate the positive impacts of this LEED design and Passive house building (i.e., energy use of the building, environmental footprint, water use) to the users. Along with this, this building is situated on a nature reserve, therefore, it would be important to communicate about the biodiversity and history of this location.
Potential design thinking questions:
How might a building and its space communicate its sustainable values, its sustainable features, etc. to its visitors?
How might a building and its space express gratitude to its visitors making sustainable choices, and perhaps vice versa?
How might a building be more interactive; imagine if the building were a living organism or a teacher, what would it do or say?
How might a building be representative of its surroundings, i.e., integral to the environment of its site?
How might the boundaries of a building be more permeable to its surroundings? Imagine: how might we bring the sounds, the fragrances, the feelings of a building’s surroundings into its internal environment?
Deliverables: Design of a smart communication platform, simulation, proof-of concept (a smart system, e.g., use of drones to create virtual 3D tour of the site.)
Students are expected to:
Spend considerable time with the community partner to acquire a good grasp of the issue. Regular meetings/consultation with community partner
Meet and report on progress and seek feedback of the community partner on a regular basis, as agreed upon between the community partner and faculty-lead
Suggest solution directions to the community partner and/or stakeholders, including getting community partner’s buy-in on solution directions
If development of prototype or proof-of-concept is included in the scope, the development of:
Budget for the prototype or proof-of-concept
The prototype or proof-of-concept
Follow all regulations of M. Eng. Projects course(s): SEP 700, SEP 704, SEP 799 and/or MANUFACT 701, including report(s) and presentation(s)
(Note: This project may involve a combination of SEPT grad./undergrad. students)
Instructors: Dr. Zobia Jawed, McMaster University
Community Partner: Wayne Terryberry
Course: SEP 700 (Project in Engineering Design Part I), SEP 704 (Public Research Project, Part 1), SEP 799 (Project in Systems and Technology Part 1) and/or MANUFACT 701 (Project), Faculty of Engineering, McMaster University
Project Start Date/ Availability: Full-year course, Fall semester 2022 through Winter semester 2023
Location: Ward 12
City Strategy Priority: Clean and Green, Built Environment and Infrastructure, Community Engagement and Participation