Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.

au



Science and Engineering Faculty
BEN710 Sustainable Practice in Built Environment & Engineering
BEN710 SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE IN
BUILT ENVIRONMENT & ENGINEERING
Teaching Intensive Day 2
Dr Cheryl Desha
Senior Lecturer, Discipline Leader, QUT
Principal Investigator, TNEP
cheryl@naturaledgeproject.net
Threshold Concept #2: Whole System Design
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
Implications for operating pre & post time t
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Platform for Change Diagrams
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design


Platform for Change Diagrams
Source: (a) Hargroves and Smith;
[i]
(b) Hargroves and Smith
[ii]

Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
Comparison of incurred and committed costs for each phase of development
Source: Adapted from Andersen, D.M. (2008)
[1]

Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
The cost of design changes throughout each phase of system development
Source: Source: Adapted from Ranky, P.G.
[1]


Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
The value of front end design in reducing costs and risks
Source: Honour, E.C. (2004)
[1]


Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
From a presentation from Amory Lovins, CEO, Rocky Mountain Institute
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Whole Systems Thinking/ Design
A process through which the interconnections
between systems are actively considered, & solutions
are sought that address multiple problems at the same
time.
Solution Multiplier Effect
Win-Win-Win
Whole Systems Thinking
Front Loaded Design
End-Use / Least Cost
Teamwork
www.rmi.org
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Whole Systems Thinking/ Design
Meet social, economic, ecological and cultural needs
Improve basic environmental systems
Meet human psychological needs
Optimise use of urban space to increase biodiversity &
ecosystem services
Improve community health and welfare
Increase the conditions for biophysical-ecological
welfare & increase natural capital
Avoid fibres, fuels, foods, and processes that are
linked to the fossil fuel supply chain
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
10 Design Elements
1: Ask the Right Questions
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
2: Benchmark Against the Optimal System
3: Design and Optimise the Whole System
4: Account for All Measurable Impacts
5: Design & Optimise Subsystems in the Right Sequence
6: Design & Optimise Subsystems to Achieve Compounding
Resource Savings
7: Review the System for Potential Improvements
8: Model the System
9: Track Technology Innovation
10: Design to Create Future Options
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
1. Ask the Right Questions
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
The range of potential technologies that can be used to provide the service of clean clothes,
and the dependence of each technology on energy resources.
Source: adapted from Pears, A. (2003)
[1]

Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
2: Benchmark Against the Optimal System
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
The brick manufacturing process
Source: The Brick Industry Association (2006)
[1]

Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
3: Design and Optimise the Whole System
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
Potential (a) mass and (b) cost reductions through subsystem synergies arising
from a low mass primary structure and low drag shell components in passenger vehicles
Source: Brylawski and Lovins (1998)
[1]

Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
4: Account for All Measurable Impacts
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
Impacts through synergies
Hidden impacts
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
5: Design & Optimise Subsystems - Right
Sequence
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
people before hardware
shell before contents
application before equipment
quality before quantity
passive before active
demand before supply

Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
The energy transmission and losses from raw material to the service
of a pumped fluid in typical industrial pumping system.
Source: Lovins, A.B. (2005)
[1]

6: Design & Optimise Subsystems to
Achieve Compounding Resource Savings
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
7: Review the System for Potential
Improvements
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
The Nexus Diagram (SBEnrc, Project 1.1)
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
www.60lgreenbuilding.com/
30 The Bond, Hickson Rd
I love the whole building: its clean and
easy to breathe in. I feel more awake and
not so tired after work
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Big Pipes, Small Pumps
Lay out the pipes first, then
the equipment
(not the reverse)
Optimise the WHOLE system, and for
multiple benefits
>92% savings!!

No new technologies, just
two design changes
Fat, short, straight pipes
not skinny, long, crooked pipes!
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
8: Model the System
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
Opportunities to reduce energy consumption in a dishwasher
Source: Pears, A. (2005)
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
9: Track Technology Innovation
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
Using the elastic band analogy to compare forecasting with backcasting
Source: Adapted from Lovins, A.B. (2002)
[1]

diminishing
returns
expandin
g returns
time time
Original system
Forecasting Backcasting
value value
most optimal most optimal

Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
10: Design to Create Future Options
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design

Choosing best practice
or technologies
Designing wider options for
natural security and social
choice
The standard decision tree compared to a sustainability design tree
Source: Birkeland, J. (2002)
[1]

Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
Case Study Summary
Industrial
Pumping
Systems
A Whole System Approach to the redesign of a single-pipe, single-pump system focussed on a)
reconfiguring the layout for lower head loss and b) considering the effect of many combinations of pipe
diameter and pump power on life cycle cost. The WSD system uses 88% less power and has a 79%
lower 50-year life cycle cost than the conventional system.
Passenger
Vehicles
A Whole System Approach to the redesign of a passenger vehicle focussed on reducing mass by 52%
and reducing drag by 55%, which then reduces rolling resistance by 65% and makes a fuel cell
propulsion system cost effective. The WSD vehicle is also almost fully recyclable, generates zero
operative emissions and has a 95% better fuel-mass-consumption per kilometre than the equivalent
conventional vehicle.
Electronics and
Computer
Systems
A Whole System Approach to the redesign of a computer server focussed on using the right-sized,
energy efficient components, which then reduces the heat generated. The WSD server has 60% less
mass and uses 84% less power than the equivalent server, which would reduce cooling load in a data
centre by 63%
Temperature
Control of
Buildings
A Whole System Approach to the redesign of a simple house focussed on a) optimising the building
orientation, b) optimising glazing and shading and c) using more enregy efficient electrical appliaces and
lamps. While the WSD house has a $3000 greater capital cost than the conventional house, it has a
29% lower cooling load will reduce energy costs by $15,000 over 30 years.
Domestic Water
Systems
A Whole System Approach to the redesign of a domestic onsite water system focussed on a) using
water efficient appliances in the house and b) optimising the onsite wastewater treatment subsystem,
which then reduces the capacity and cost of the subsurface drip irrigation subsystem, and reduces the
operating and maintenance costs. The WSD system uses 57% less water and has a 29% lower 20-year
life cycle cost than the conventional system.
Source: The Natural Edge Project (2008)
Dr Cheryl Desha, Unit Convenor cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
Threshold Learning Concept 2:
Whole System Design
One Minute Recall
1. What does Whole System Design mean?
2. What does Front End Loaded Design mean?
2. Recall & briefly describe 3 key elements of Whole
System Design