Gravity Powered Light; Trading Zones and Boundary Objects as a Framework to Understand and Improve Building Design for Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency

In building design, thermal comfort and energy efficiency are two major design components. In recent decades, designers have moved towards making buildings more energy efficient, occasionally at the cost of thermal comfort. A high performance design, however, will accommodate both design parameters of thermal comfort and energy efficiency. This thesis explores the concept of trading zones and boundary objects as a means to facilitate high performance design. A trading zone is a locus of communication around which members having various expertise communicate and contribute knowledge. A boundary object is what the trading zone and its members center on and communicate about. This paper gives examples showing how trading zones can be effective in engineering design. Further examples are given of designs that accommodate thermal comfort and energy efficiency by utilizing trading zones.

School of Engineering and Applied Science
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Technical Advisor: Michael Momot
STS Advisor: Richard Jacques
Technical Team Members: Daniel Beatty, William Hicks, Arthur Hofer, Nathan Tumperi, Timothy Tyree