1. Basic Spaces Sq. Meters Sq. Feet
Entry/ Reception/ Service Areas 576.7 6,207.50
Open Offices 120 1,291.70
Private Offices 105.2 1,132.40
Conference Rooms 92.5 995.7
Classrooms 420 4,520.80
Break Room 80 861.1
Library 258.1 2,778.20
Media Room 101.6 1,093.60
Computer Labs 118.7 1,277.70
Garage (EMT) 99.9 1,075.30
Bedrooms x2 (EMT) 52.4 564
Restrooms 195.2 2,101.10
Clinic 79.6 856.8
Storage 52.7 567.2
Mechanical Rooms 214.6 2,309.90
Circulation 945.5 10,177
Additional Spaces
Café 83.3 896.6
Auditorium 131.1 1,411.10
Gardens
Water Feature
Outdoor Spaces
Total
3,727.1 40,117.7
This community building is located in the little town Huaibeizhuanjcun
northeast of Beijing, China. It is based on the concept of integrating nature
and community. The idea is to create a building that connects the commu-
nity service building and the natural environments.
The building is split into two. Half of the building is embedded in the
ground while the other half sits on top. The embedded half will provide a li-
brary, computer lab, and classroom space for the community. The other half
will be where the services for the community will be conducted.
The reason for earth-berming the building is two-fold. One, it symbolically
allows nature to encroach seamlessly into the built environment. Second-
ly, by embedding part of the building, the heating and cooling load of the
building will be reduced due to thermal mass. On top of that it allows for the
reuse of the earth that will be displaced due to construction. The roof of the
embedded half will be a green roof. A geothermal heat pump is another
sustainable strategy that is used. The geothermal heat pump will be installed
during the process of embedding the building into the ground. It will help
reduce the cost of heating and cooling of the building.
Municipal Government Building
Huaibeizhuanjcun, Beijing, China
40° 24’ 46.26” N 116° 40’ 43.52” E

2. 1: 400
0 4 8 12 16 20

3. 1. Entry
2. Mechanical
Room
3. Auditorium
Spaces
1: 200
0 2 4 6 8 10
First Floor Plan
1. Reception/ Processing
2. Office/ Security
3. Community Services
4. Restrooms
5. Cafe
6. Classrooms
7. Mechanical Rooms
8. EMT Garage
9. Bedrooms
10.Clinic
Spaces
1: 200
Littoral Zone
Metalimnion
Hypolimnion
Water to
Ground Heat
Transfer
Chimney
Boiler
Pond as heat sink
Littoral Zone
Sublittoral ZoneGround Heat
to Water
Transfer
Chimney
Boiler
Pond as heat source
Schematics
1
0 2 4 6 8 10
Ground Floor Plan
2
3
1
0.56
0.68
R‐Value
0.17
0.8
1
15
0.62
8.55
Brick
Air gap
Rigid Insulation
Plywood sheathing
Insulated Metal Studs
Gypsum
Interior Air Film
3/4"
N/A
Material Thickness
Ext. Air Film N/A
4"
2"
3"
1/2"
6"
Surface R ∆ R ∆T T Surface
A 0.17 0.17 0.38 8.38
B 0.8 0.97 2.18 10.18
C 1 1.97 4.43 12.43
D 15 16.97 38.18 46.18
E 0.62 17.59 39.58 47.58
F 8.55 26.14 58.82 66.82
G 0.56 26.7 60.08 68.08
Surface R ∆ R ∆T T Surface
Winter Calculations
Summer Calculations
0.56
0.68
R‐Value
0.17
0.8
1
15
0.62
8.55
Brick
Air gap
Rigid Insulation
Plywood sheathing
Insulated Metal Studs
Gypsum
Interior Air Film
3/4"
N/A
Material Thickness
Ext. Air Film N/A
4"
2"
3"
1/2"
6"
Surface R ∆ R ∆T T Surface
A 0.17 0.17 0.38 8.38
B 0.8 0.97 2.18 10.18
C 1 1.97 4.43 12.43
D 15 16.97 38.18 46.18
E 0.62 17.59 39.58 47.58
F 8.55 26.14 58.82 66.82
G 0.56 26.7 60.08 68.08
Surface R ∆ R ∆T T Surface
A 0.17 0.17 ‐0.12 97.88
B 0.8 0.97 ‐0.72 97.28
C 1 1.97 ‐1.48 96.52
D 15 16.97 ‐12.73 85.27
E 0.62 17.59 ‐13.2 84.8
F 8.55 26.14 ‐19.61 78.39
G 0.56 26.7 ‐20.03 77.97
Winter Calculations
Summer Calculations
R‐
Brick
Air gap
Rigid Insulation
Plywood sheathing
Insulated Metal Studs
Gypsum
Interior Air Film
3/4"
N/A
Material Thickness
Ext. Air Film N/A
4"
2"
3"
1/2"
6"
A B C DE F G
98°
78°
68°
8°
Vapor Barriers
2
3
3
3
3
3
4
5
4
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
7
7
8
9
9
10
Thermal Calculations

4. 1: 200
0 2 4 6 8 10
1. Entrance
2. Open Offices
3. Media Room
4. Private Offices
5. Conference Room
6. Break Room
7. Restrooms
8. Storage/ Janitorial
9. Computer Labs
10. Library
11. Mechanical
Spaces
Green Roof
Main Mechanical
Room
Schematics
1
2
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
6
7
7
8
3
5
9
10
11
Footer
Drainage
Rebar
4” Brick
2” Air Gap
Vapor Barrier
3” Rigid Insulation
1/2” Plywood Sheathing
6” Insulated Metal Stud
3/4” Drywall
Gravel Base
Concrete Pathway
Gravel Base Layer
Concrete Floor Slab
3/4” Subfloor
1” Flooring
Bolt
Drop Ceiling
16K2 Open Web Joists
Hanger Wire
W10X26 Beam
Continuous Runner
Continuous Runner
Metal Decking
Wood Roof Framing
1/2” Plywood Sheathing
Moisture Barrier
Ceramic Roof Tiles
Growing Medium
Steel Shelf Angle
Through Wall Flashing
Weep Hole
Wall Tie
Loose-Laid Retention Tee
Seperation Fabric
Drainage Material
Capillary Fabric
Root Barrier
Primary Barrier
Rigid Insulation
Flashing
Vapor Barrier
Angled Blocking
1”= 21”
21”10.5”5.25”0” 42”
Second Floor Plan
TYP. Wall DetailBuilding Section

5. Ground Floor HVAC Plan
Supply
Return
Sprinkler
Pump
Thermostat
Diverter Valve
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
First Floor HVAC Plan
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
TT
T
T
Second Floor HVAC Plan
HVAC System
T
T
T
Plate Heat
Exchanger
Fresh Air Inlet
Geothermal
Unit
Boiler
Pond used as
Heat source/ sink
The building will utilize a hybrid system to heat and cool the
interior spaces. The first system is a hybrid GHP (Ground Heat Pump)
system. The GHP will exchange heat with the pond located on site.
The second system is a closed water loop fan coil. The heated or
cooled water from the GHP will circulate throughout the building
and to the individual fan coil units. Each fan coil unit then will heat
or cool the rooms. The third system is a fresh air intake system. It will
have its own set of ducting and filters. This system is implemented
because Beijing and its surroundings are highly polluted.
T
T
T
Typ. Fan Coil System
Given the fact that China’s and especially Beijing’s air quality is
unhealthy. Indoor air quality becomes am important issue. Indoor air
quality is affected by both outdoor and indoor pollutants. Some of
the strategies of improving indoor air quality are: operable windows,
vegetation, walk off matts, and the filters used in the HVAC system.
Operable windows can be used to completely flush out the building
on days that the outside air quality is decent. Vegetation both on the
roof and around the site will help filter the air. The leaves will trap the
pollutants which will then be washed off during storms. Walk off matts
reduce the amount of debris that is tracked into the building from
peoples shoes. The walk off matts will have to be cleaned regularly.
The building will be using a fan coil system for its HVAC. Each fan coil
unit will have it’s own filter built in. In addition to this though, there
will be a couple of fresh air intake ducts that service the fan coil units
that are not able to be placed against an exterior wall. These fresh
air intake ducts will have their own set of filters.
Operable Windows
Vegetation Filtration
Indoor Air Quality