Clinical Social Workers: Lightening the Patient's Burden
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Making New Neurons With Stem Cells
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Pamela Choi Redfern '90 |
Public concerns about environmental sustainability and rising energy costs have led to a growing demand for "green" buildings—properties designed and built to maximize efficiency in resource use and minimize the impact on human health and the environment. "Green design is an extremely prevalent movement in the architectural community. Everyone is more concerned about energy use," says Pamela Choi Redfern '90, an associate at Newport Collaborative Architects in Rhode Island.
Demand is booming for geothermal wells, solar panels, and other eco-friendly features, Redfern says. "But each project is different—it comes with its own set of parameters," she notes.
Certifiably Green
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) project of the U.S. Green Building Council is a third-party certification program for green building construction. Different LEED certification levels are awarded, based on points a building receives for achievements in six categories: site sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process.
A green building is no detriment to an architect's creativity, Redfern stresses. "It's just that green elements become a priority in the design," she says. "There are certain checks you have to do along the way, at all phases of the project, to be sure the building is meeting the LEED goals." It's essential to continually monitor LEED status as work progresses to avoid having to go back to the drawing board. "It's not cost-effective to reverse the design," Redfern says.
Architects and engineers assess the site orientation and create energy models to calculate the efficiency of wall thicknesses, glazing systems, and other variables, Redfern explains. In a green project, she says, "There are more factors to look at in terms of site design. For example, in a rural setting, you may have more choices in locating a building footprint, but you must consider factors such as solar orientation, wind direction, and available energy sources in addition to the usual zoning and design criteria." Many of the key factors are engineering issues, Redfern notes. "You have to make sure the mechanical systems are working properly, because that's the major expense." Firms without an in-house LEED-certified professional engage a sustainability consultant to ensure the project complies with LEED objectives.
Building for Sustainability
Among Redfern's current projects is the Hamden Town Hall in Hamden, Conn., which will combine rehab of the existing historic town hall with construction of a new addition, including police headquarters, fire station, town offices, and auditorium. The project will pursue LEED silver certification. "Connecticut just passed new legislation that requires all commercial buildings of a certain size to meet LEED silver criteria," Redfern notes.
Redfern recently completed a "progressively modern" private residence in Middletown, R.I., that included green elements. "I had the opportunity to design a green roof, with solar panels," she says. "That was really exciting." The home also included a tankless hot water heater and was insulated with Icynene, a spray-foam material that acts as a continuous insulation and air barrier system.
Another recently completed project built with sustainable materials is the Jesse M. Smith Memorial Library in Harrisville, R.I., a 25,000-square-foot, $7.5 million project on the site of a former worsted wool mill on the banks of the Clear River, across from a man-made waterfall used to power the original mills. The goal of the award-winning project, a new building, was to preserve elements of the original mill building and unite the separate parcels in a master plan.
Unique Perspective
As a student at Bryn Mawr College, Redfern majored in Growth and Structure of Cities, which synthesizes architecture, urban studies, history of art, and other disciplines. "I hadn't been exposed to the history of art or the history of architecture before I got to Bryn Mawr," Redfern recalls. She was inspired by two instructors, Barbara Miller Lane and Michael Lewis, who presented the material in an interpretive format that combined the history of a period with a discussion of its influence. "That, to me, was a unique way of presenting history, as opposed to studying a textbook," Redfern says.
While at Bryn Mawr, Redfern forged many close friendships that continue to this day. "Bryn Mawr gave me the confidence and, I felt, a sense of community that continued throughout my career," she says.
Redfern earned a master of architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Fine Arts in 1995. In the summer of 1994, she studied at Paris American University in France. "It was fabulous to walk around the city—more than five miles a day—studying the architecture," she says.
Also during graduate school, she worked as an intern at a New York architectural firm that designed buildings nationwide as well as in Asia. "That was a unique experience," she recalls. "It was a very international office. We worked in clusters with people who were fluent in Chinese, French, and other languages."
Redfern married a fellow Penn architecture student, Sean Redfern. Their son, Simon, turns nine in October. "My son's experiences with the built environment are extremely important to me," Redfern says. "I am committed to my work with his school, The Gordon School, an independent school in the Providence area. I have seen the importance of sustainability issues arise within independent schools in the last few years. Everyone wants to make responsible decisions."
Barbara Spector writes on science and technology as well as business topics. She is the editor-in-chief of Family Business magazine and former editor of The Scientist.