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UW CID Partnership Initiative

{rewrite} Architecture firms value data-driven design, but struggle to incorporate research into practice. Common barriers stem from a culture and profession not traditionally engaged in research – a context in which billable projects constrain staff time and firm structures limit capacity for non-traditional work. In response, an architecturally focused University Research Center, has brought together thirteen partner firms to drive research-informed change in regional practice in the short-term, with a long-term vision to develop uniquely qualified professionals in high performance building design maximize both environmental and human experience goals. The Partnership serves multi-pronged purposes: helping unite practice and academics, sharing in teaching and education, and developing shared research tools and methods.
Shared Research Project: Partner firms recognize that significant future improvements in energy efficient buildings will be underpinned in large-part by synergistic qualities of human experience such as occupant perception, organizational mission enhancements, improved health outcomes, and increased productivity. These values of high-performance design are well-accepted, yet how various attributes are supported by research can be difficult for firms to consolidate and communicate. Thereby common understanding, buy-in, and adoption can be challenging for design practitioners to attain.

The Bullitt Center Experience: The Light Dynamic – Measured Performance of Lighting and Daylight Systems (2016)

The Bullitt Center’s lighting system was designed to consume 67% less energy than current similar‐sized code‐compliant Seattle office buildings. To measure lighting performance, the IDL monitors and evaluates daylighting, electric lighting, and lighting controls system performance data. Findings are presented in this paper.

Meek C, Gilbride M, Ojaama H, Norwood W. (2016) The Bullitt Center Experience: The Light Dynamic – Measured Performance of Lighting and Daylight Systems. University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Read full publication here