Peak oil is here and industrialized civilization is facing its final challenge, the challenge that will decide if we as a species continue. Peak oil is not when the oil is gone, this is when the energy being put into drilling, pumping, transporting, refining, and finally selling the oil is greater than the energy of the oil being removed. This will happen to all resources eventually. This is happening now for oil.

But, some good news – architecture has a long history to draw on – almost all of it without industrialized oil based technology. Buildings account for around 70% of all energy use – creating building materials, transporting materials, construction, heating, power, lighting, demolition.

First what will be increasingly affected by decreasing oil supplies? Let’s start at the top, the roof. Bitumen, Hot Mop, Modified Bitumen, PVC, TPO, EPDM, tarpaper, asphalt shingles – all based on oil products. Expect these to increase in cost.

Next is flashing. Many modern flashings are EPDM. Architects and contractors know that flashings are what keep the envelope able to shed water. They are used everywhere. Metal flashings are mostly used on roofs. EPDM most often used around windows, sills and other transitions between materials. In addition to flashings are backer rods, also made of plastics (oil) these are used in expansion joints in façade materials.

The envelope of a building beyond the flashing materials discussed, there are many oil intensive materials used. Tyvek and other building wrap, including of course tarpaper are needed to make a moisture barrier are oil intensive. Vinyl based siding, EFIS – Elastomeric Finished Insulating System – is polystyrene with a thin layer of cement and latex based finish, are oil intensive.

These things are the stock and trade of modern building across all spectrums of typologies. So how can we build without these materials? Look at history, what’s been used before oil. Additionally reuse the oil intensive materials we’ve already manufactured.

First is masonry. Bricks have been in use for thousands of years, and before that mud bricks. Bricks made in the modern way use powerful gas fired kilns to cure the clay. Transportation can be a big oil use in bricks, so finding a local manufacture is a good way to reduce oil dependence. Reused bricks are another resource to look for.

Stone is another pre-oil resource, but quarrying and transporting it is very oil intensive now, but reusing stone into new construction is not. The pyramids of Giza, originally covered in white marble, but over the millennia after the Egyptian dynasties, the marble cladding was scavenged for use in Cairo. This is the fate of all un-used monuments.

Wood has been our other medium of choice for thousands of years. Our timber and lumber industry is geared to produce trees for the housing market. The large trees are gone or protected and the production forests are harvested as soon as possible to make the standard lumber we are familiar with. But standard lumber is not the only way to build with wood, it’s just what is most available and economical for commercial purposes. Every climate that has trees the culture has found a way to use this resource. From Pueblo dwellings that reuse the same logs (hence they stick out), to huts and yurts, log cabins, or long houses. In these modern times, reusing the older lumber locally is another lower oil impact resource. Another is urban logging that can recover wood from trees felled in storms or during development. Many times these mulched, but alternatively for construction or millwork. (Especially veneers and laminates)

Going back up to the roof, the most important surface that keeps the rest of the envelope working efficiently; there are certain factors that must be re-examined. I started listing all the oil-based products used in roofing. Prior to the miracle of bitumen-based roofing the options were slate, tile, thatch, metal and wood.  These components work, but they all require attention to detail.  The bitumen roofing systems have much simpler details, and can be rolled out (literally) very quickly. Building large flat roofs is a modern edifice. Pitching a roof is the easiest way to get the water off the materials. Only with the seamless and impenetrable surface of bitumen products can you have the 1/8” per foot slope, and have pools of water on a roof. All other materials are assembled in such a way to shed water. However, our modern technology has developed the living roof. By using the impenetrable EPDM or TPO as a substrate and then using modular trays to hold soil and succulent vegetation these two work together to make a living breathing surface. The soil and plants protect the EPDM from UV rays, and the plants can absorb the water that sits on top of the roof material. The green roof reflects heat, cutting heating and cooling costs, and absorbs some water that would enter the storm system.

The biggest hurtle architecture will face is localism. We as an industry are accustomed to getting our materials and equipment from across the country, even the world. As oil becomes more expensive, transporting construction materials will force us to look at local resources. So get to know your local industries, your local machinists and manufacturers. Where do these local manufactures get their resources, their equipment? We need to reexamine our details, specifications, and notes.

Links:

Green America’s National Green Pages, building materials

Peak Oil, more than you want to know

Plan B, Earth Policy Institute

“I can not live without books” -Thomas Jefferson

Pictured here is “Time-Savers Standards for Building types-2^nd Edition”, Joseph De Chiara & John Callender  (1980), a 1280 page tome that is an excellent time capsule of late 70’s design thought in architecture. I found it in a used bookstore. First, I was ecstatic they had it, then I saw it was priced at five bucks! Then it hit me – this is here because some architect is selling his books to make rent. I bought it anyway. And I’ve been there too this year, selling books and videos to get grocery money.

I think that is sign of the times, architects parting with their books. It’s hard to do. Architects love their books; the monograph of the firm or designer that we aspire to be like. The books on theory, design manifestos and ideas, esoteric and academic they inspire us to look outside the box. Our books of design standards – details, advice, and lessons learned we incorporate into the construction plans.  Finally, there are the vital but dry codebooks, laboratory tested design books, and other engineering manuals.

I bought the book anyway. Why? First, I had over Five bucks in my pocket. Second – I believe I’m going to need it. Will I really need it? No. But I just can’t pass up a book full of plans, program and space organization information and other knowledge. It is horribly out of date, the cover has the twin towers on it, space planning predates the ADA, and has no mention of environmental design.  Despite that, it is still knowledge. Importantly it gives me insight buildings of that period.

So 30 years from now, children yet to be born who will be in their architecture career, will they have collections of books? What do you think?

After a long hard week, enjoy this list of random links that we feel you may want to check out. Some may involve design, some may involve small business and others may just be something random we find interesting. Keep checking our site each Friday to find out what inspires or interests us. Feel free to email suggestions.

Follow us on Twitter.

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Mmmm hummus, great recipe!

I think someone knows something we don’t.

Talk about a bad traffic day!!

Matt SO wants one of these! (Actually, one of these…)

A great post on sharing the love.

A great artist Matt likes:

After a long hard week, enjoy this list of random links that we feel you may want to check out. Some may involve design, some may involve small business and others may just be something random we find interesting. Keep checking our site each Friday to find out what inspires or interests us. Feel free to email suggestions.

Follow us on Twitter.

Join our Flickr group.

CSS sprites workflow.

A great local cafe! Terrific coffee and even better desserts! If you’re on facebook, check them out!

More free fonts.

Oh boy, not sure what to make of this.

New Apps for designers.

Liquid pencils…neat-o.

I hope these meters don’t come to Chicago!!

This website just got a re-design….nice.

One of my favorite songs.

David Gray – “Sail Away” from Michael Coleman on Vimeo.

After a long hard week, enjoy this list of random links that we feel you may want to check out. Some may involve design, some may involve small business and others may just be something random we find interesting. Keep checking our site each Friday to find out what inspires or interests us. Feel free to email suggestions.

Follow us on Twitter.

Join our Flickr group.

Nice recipe for a fine dish.

Inspiring fish logos?

Selling…You!

How to keep up without overdoing it.

If only Matt was prettier.

Set yourself apart.

R.I.P. Google Wave…hello typewriter!

Grunge Wallpapers (Hello 2003)

U2 Stay…great song.

Blogging from Birch Bay, WA this week, it is a lesson in views. The Birch Bay is part of the northern Puget Sound. This area is not far from Victoria, the San Juan’s, and it is quite beautiful. The condo I am staying is situated so that the beach side units are angled like a saw tooth to give the maximum view. 

Key to this the lay of the land and thinking forward in time to how the view will change over time. First is how the sun will affect the view throughout the day, shadows, glare and direct sunlight. The unit I am in faces northwest. In the morning, the sun comes in through one window in the loft, but because of the trees in the area, 80’ tall Douglas Firs, that light is filtered and does not shine directly on to a wall, but scatters off the pitched ceiling and exposed beams. At noon the unit is in shade except for the deck, which quickly fades as the sun continues it’s path. The afternoon and evening the unit is full of sun glare from the bay. 

Further, in time one has to consider the foliage and landscaping. How will it grow, how will the trees at their mature height, maybe 5 or 10 years later, will impact the views.  Will the owners be changing the landscaping often, or leaving it to mature. Knowing what the client’s plans are will be helpful. 

Finally, how is the surrounding area likely to evolve over time? This property sits across from the beach, so other than the tides, it’s not likely to change. However if this was up on a hill, what kind of zoning is further down the hill? Is it residential, or commercial, is there a possibility the view can be blocked by a Target? Spend time looking at the area, the community, and what kinds of issues are present in the local papers or website. Birch Bay’s future is to stay the same as much as possible, not everywhere else is as lucky.

The veiw from the deck of the unit we are staying in at Jacobs Landing

After a long hard week, enjoy this list of random links that we feel you may want to check out. Some may involve design, some may involve small business and others may just be something random we find interesting. Keep checking our site each Friday to find out what inspires or interests us. Feel free to email suggestions.

Follow us on Twitter.

Join our Flickr group.

Tilt shift photography.

Cool door stickers.

Smart way to connect USB’s.

Mmm Kebabs. (Matt’s got to stop hungry posting…)

Well said about phone books.

Are freelancers a turn-off?

45 (more) free WordPress Themes

Photoshop for web design

Way cool logos…Dave can do better.

Iron and Wine “Naked as We Came” from Sub Pop Records on Vimeo.

I remember watching Bill Cosby do some stand up comedy when I was a kid.  There was a story he told that caught my attention. It was an “A-Ha” moment. He told this story about a neighborhood kid who walked past his house.  There was some fence that this 2nd grader would climb on top and walk across. Each day, he would do this without falling. Then one day in science class, they learned about gravity. After that class, he could never walk across the top of the fence again.

I wonder if ignorance is truly bliss? Can we have too much information processing in our brain? Sometimes, maybe it’s better to just concentrate on what you know and not be brought down with the day to day lessons?

Not sure I know the answer. Any ideas?

photo credit: timailius

After a long hard week, enjoy this list of random links that we feel you may want to check out. Some may involve design, some may involve small business and others may just be something random we find interesting. Keep checking our site each Friday to find out what inspires or interests us. Feel free to email suggestions.

Follow us on Twitter.

Join our Flickr group.

Some great locks!

Facebook landing pages, design one.

Keep it discreet, I think…

New word for the day.

Trust your designer.

Custom tumblr designs.

Freelance cures.

Be the popular blogger you deserve to be.

7 sins of managing a website.

Mmm, grilled potato salad.

Nice and oily photos.

Depeche Mode “Wrong” such a twistedly wonderful video. (Matt)

Depeche Mode – Wrong from Depeche Mode on Vimeo.

After a long hard week, enjoy this list of random links that we feel you may want to check out. Some may involve design, some may involve small business and others may just be something random we find interesting. Keep checking our site each Friday to find out what inspires or interests us. Feel free to email suggestions.

Follow us on Twitter.

Join our Flickr group.

HTML E-Mail Template Video

Android Apps for web designers

Printable web wire frame templates

Get your crank on!

The pursuit of perfection…scrambled eggs.

Getting all Cloak and Dagger on facebook.

Ninja lessons. That’s right, ninja lessons.

Powering your next vehicle.

Some bokeh photography

A classic…