Here are our weekly emails for the semester… check them out! This semester we’re featuring sections on sustainable construction, construction as art, and weekly construction fun.


9/11/22

Greetings Everyone!

Welcome to Fall 2022 semester! We hope you’re off to a great start! Here are some updates to kick-off AGC this year! 

AGC Updates:
Wednesday September 14th, 2022
Goal Setting Mixer: Marston 132 at 5:30PM
Join AGC and other CEE student organizations in setting goals for the semester! This is a great opportunity to interact with students and clubs, flyer!

Monday September 19th, 2022
First AGC Chapter Meeting: 5-6pm at Olver Design Building, Room 162
Learn about AGC’s previous and future events! Meet the E-Board and other students interested in construction.

Friday September 23rd, 2022
AGC Bike Ride: Time & Location TBD
Come hangout with the AGC E-Board! Join us on a relaxing bike ride on the Norwuttock Rail Trail.

See our website for a complete list of our semester events.

Sustainable Construction:
Can construction be sustainable? Why but of course! In fact, it needs to be. Welcome to Sustainable Construction, where we will explore the ways in which construction can be sustainable! This section will highlight sustainable projects, materials, and practices that are less damaging to our natural environment, or even beneficial.

Today’s highlight is on SOM’s Urban Sequoia, a building prototype that may sequester as much as 1,000 tons of carbon per year (= 48,500 trees). The building incorporates natural processes, advanced biomass, and biomaterials such as bio-brick, hempcrete, timber, and biocrete that can reduce the carbon impact of construction by at least 50% and up to 95%. Check out the website to read more and watch cool videos: https://www.som.com/research/urban-sequoia/
See here for a breakdown of where construction emissions come from: https://architecture2030.org/why-the-building-sector/

Parting questions: Can buildings interact harmoniously with nature? How much? What does that look like?

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.

Photo Credits: Art of Construction Photography (Shadow Worker Collection)

Weekly Video:
This cool construction site video shows an up close and personal “view” of the joining of steel members.

Weekly Joke:
My uncle is a general contractor primarily focused on the construction of new branch locations for credit unions and other financial institutions. 
He makes bank. 

See you soon,
The AGC E-Board


9/18/22

Hello Everyone!

As we get into the swing of things, here are some updates for mid-September AGC action! 

AGC Updates:
September 19th, 2022
AGC First Chapter Meeting: ODB 162 at 5 PM
Join AGC as we present an overview of our past and future events! This is a great chance to find out more about AGC and meet our current and new members.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gVcKiUhX7uwx8674bVlxS2nbUtbHaYDE/view?usp=sharing

September 21, 2022
Theater Delta “What’s Your Problem?”: Bowker Auditorium at 4:00-5:30 PM and 7:00-8:30PM
Accompany AGC and other Engineering clubs as we enjoy an excellent performance with a meaningful message!

September 22, 2022
Theater Delta “Can I Be of Any Help?: Bowker Auditorium at 4:00-5:30 PM
Accompany AGC and other Engineering clubs as we enjoy an excellent performance with a meaningful message!

September 23, 2022
AGC Bike Ride: Norwuttock Rail Trail, Time: TBD this week!
Come hangout with the AGC E-Board! Join us in a relaxing leisurely bike ride on the Norwuttock Rail Trail.

Other Construction Events
September 29, 2022
Interview Training Seminar: ODB 162 at 4:30-6:30PM
Get great interview tips and advice from BCT’s Professor Fernando Romero Galvao De Moraes.

See our website for a complete list of our semester events.

Sustainable Construction:
One way construction can be more “sustainable” is through reusing or repurposing old materials. Buildings, bridges, and other structures will eventually reach the end of their life cycle, but materials can often be salvaged and continued to be used for other purposes. This can be as simple as repurposing a vehicular bridge as a pedestrian bridge, or it can be more creative, such as using old steel beams to create new oyster habitats (which add shoreline protection and can stop floods!).

Source: Janus Materials (janusmaterials.com)

New buildings can also be designed for adaptability, disassembly/deconstruction, and reuse. This is done through a disassembly plan, selecting proper materials, or using modular building components. Ultimately, the goal is to limit the amount of building material that ends up in a landfill!

If your green thumb is ignited, explore some more!
Janus Materials
Best Practices for Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling Construction and Demolition Materials
Recycling Works MA
How oysters can stop a flood

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.

Photo Credits: Lou Jones Ironclad Construction Photography (Photo Story “Rod Buster”)

Weekly Video:
This clip featured on ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ from May 2000 gives us a nice throwback and insight into the construction of ‘The Big Dig’ in Boston all those years ago!
https://youtu.be/eF5aUClwJ9w

Weekly Joke:
“What should we call this large structure?”
Bill: “A billding”
Buil: “I have a better idea…”
hehehehe

See you this week,
The AGC E-Board


9/25/22

Greetings y’all!

September is nearing its end! 1 month down, 3 to go. 

AGC Updates:
September 29, 2022
Interview Training Seminar: ODB 162 at 4:30-6:30PM
Get great interview tips and advice from BCT’s Professor Fernando Romero Galvao De Moraes.

September 29, 2022
Engineering Virtual Career Fair: 12-6pm
Attend the virtual career fair to interview one-on-one with construction companies! This is a great chance to get an internship in the industry. 

September 30, 2022
AGC Bike Ride: Norwuttock Rail Trail 
Join us on a casual fun ride from campus to the Connecticut River and back. 
We will be leaving from Haigis Mall at 5pm.
Email us if you need help getting a bike or coordinating a rendezvous point along the route!
Everyone is welcome :)

See our website for a complete list of our semester events.

Sustainable Construction:
This week’s focus is on materials – a pretty obvious principle of building sustainably. Using materials manufactured from recycled materials or locally-sourced materials has a much smaller carbon footprint than conventional materials. Biodegradable materials also limit the amount that ends up in a landfill. Here are some structural materials worth exploring:

Bamboo (source)

Wood (source)

Rammed Earth (source)

Mycelium (source)

Ferrock (source)

Recycled Plastic (source)

There are certainly other non-structural materials used in buildings (i.e. insulation, walls) that can also reduce a building’s carbon footprint. Check out our blog post on sustainable materials for more! If you know of any materials not on this list, let us know!

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.


Photo Credits: Lou Jones Ironclad Construction Photography (Photo Story “Defying Gravity”)

Weekly Video:
We hope you love tunnels! The longest rail tunnel in the world is in Switzerland. The Gotthard Base Tunnel is remarkable feat of Swiss engineering- traversing 57 kilometers (35 miles) under mountains. Here is a cool video on it, 
https://youtu.be/f3ueUAYfF3Q

Weekly Joke:
Songs about Construction!
“Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus
“Working on the Highway” by Bruce Springsteen
lololol

Have a great week,
The AGC E-Board


10/2/22

Hello Everyone!

Happy October!

AGC Updates:
October 3, 2022
Mass Ave Construction Site Tour: Haigis Mall 10-11:30 AM
Come for a thorough tour of the new on-campus housing going up by Haigis Mall! PPE will be provided. Flier attached here.

October 4, 2022
Mass Ave Construction Site Tour: Haigis Mall 1:30-3:00 PM
Come for a thorough tour of the new on-campus housing going up by Haigis Mall! PPE will be provided. Flier attached here.

October 16, 2022
Explore New York with AGC: Time TBD
Join us on a day trip to New York City! We will be looking at cool buildings, bridges and tourist attractions. 

Other Events:
October 12, 2022
BCT Career Fair: 10:00 AM-3:00 PM
Go for one on one interview opportunities with construction companies! This is a great opportunity to get an internship or full-time job!

See our website for a complete list of our semester events.

Sustainable Construction:
According to McKinsey Sustainability, buildings are 1 of 7 energy and land-use systems that produce the vast majority of our greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane). In reaching global decarbonization and net-zero emissions, the building sector will play a significant role. Specifically, the building sector will contribute greatly by improving energy efficiency. This means:

  • Retrofitting existing buildings with insulation to reduce thermal envelope loss and gain
  • Investing in building renewables and grid/storage capacity
  • Selecting newer low-emission materials for construction
  • Decarbonizing forms of legacy products and processes (i.e. low-emissions steel, improving the energy efficiency of heating systems in steel plants)
  • Implementing adaptation measures, such as gray infrastructure (i.e. seawalls), increasing building resilience, establishing system backups, diversifying supply chains, and relocating assets from regions

Source: McKinsey Sustainability

The construction sector also interfaces with other economic sectors like fossil fuels, power, and mobility, so it can also be used as an approach to address the challenges associated with those sectors.  

Check out this further reading for more fascinating information on how buildings and construction fits in with global decarbonization, economics, job creation, GDP, etc.:
The economic transformation: What would change in the net-zero transition
Sectors are unevenly exposed in the net-zero transition
Six characteristics define the net-zero transition

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.


Photo Credits: Lou Jones Ironclad Construction Photography (Photo Story “Workers Gallery”)

Weekly Video:
A cool video about the famous picture of ironworkers atop the Empire State Building while under construction. 

Weekly Joke:
Did you hear the amazing story about the blind construction worker?
He picked up a hammer and saw.

See you on site!
The AGC E-Board


10/11/22

Hello Everyone!

AGC Updates:
October 16, 2022
Explore New York with AGC: 6am-11pm
Join us on a day trip to New York City! We will be looking at cool buildings, bridges and tourist attractions. 
Sign up via this google form

Later in October…
Pumpkins on the horizon… 


Other Events:
October 12, 2022
BCT Career Fair: 10:00 AM-3:00 PM
Go for one on one interview opportunities with construction companies! This is a great opportunity to get an internship or full-time job!

October 21, 2022 (all day)
CEE Career Fair: 63 companies will be in attendance!
Get a job or internship!

See our website for a complete list of our semester events.


Sustainable Construction:
This week we will highlight a practice called modular construction, especially since we just heard a little about it on the latest construction site tour! Modular construction is when standardized structural components are produced off-site in a factory setting and then transported to a construction site where they are assembled. This is a more sustainable practice than traditional construction methods due to:

1. Waste Management
Inventories are better managed in a factory setting, and leftover materials are recycled instead of being tossed in a dumpster on site. Materials are protected from moisture and weather conditions, and the risk of theft is greatly reduced.

2. Improved Quality Control (QC)
Factory assembly offers more control over materials and conditions, allowing components to be assembled with greater precision and quality.

3. Adaptable, Recyclable, and Reusable
Modular structures can be dismantled, relocated, and reused with minimal modification. This reduces waste, the need for new materials, and energy required for new construction greatly. Because modules are easily dismantled, modifications and alterations can be made easily without disrupting adjacent buildings or modules.

4. Reduced Site Disturbance
A project’s surroundings experience less disturbance as most of the construction process takes place offsite. Additionally, less vehicles and heavy equipment are required onsite, which translates into reduced pollution and less site disruption.


Image Source

Read more about modular construction here! Fun fact: the new family housing project in North Amherst is using modular construction :)

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.


Photo Credits: Art of Construction Photography (Shadow Worker Collection)

Weekly Video:
From a Florida I-4 interstate project, check out this pile driving video as it gives the basics of the technique and how important it is. 

Weekly Joke:
What do you hear if you take a construction worker’s hat off and hold it to your ear?
The OSHA.

Take care :) 
The AGC E-Board


10/16/22

Hello Everyone!

AGC Updates:
October 22, 2022
Building Catapults for Pumpkin Chunkin’: 3-6 PM in the Makerspace— located between Engineering Lab and Gunness Lab. 
Come build a catapult to join in on our competition! Whoever builds a catapult that launches a pumpkin the furthest will receive a prize and bragging rights. 

October 30, 2022
Pumpkin Chunkin: 1-4 PM, Location TBD
Come launch pumpkins with your built catapults! Winner gets a sweet prize.

Other Events:
October 21, 2022 (10-3pm Campus Center Basement)
CEE Career Fair: 63 companies will be in attendance!
Get a job or internship!

See our website for a complete list of our semester events.

Sustainable Construction:
This week highlights a project called “Resource Rows” by the company Lendager. This is a housing complex that uses upcycled bricks and waste wood as a facade, a recycled concrete beam as a bridge, and old windows and waste wood for rooftop community gardens. Brick facades upcycled from abandoned structures can save as much as 29% CO2 by upcycling only 10% of all building materials. Read more about the project here!


Image Source

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.


Photo Credits: Art of Construction Photography (AquaBlu | Top Deck Concrete Pour)

Weekly Video:
The ‘Chunnel’— the English Channel tunnel connecting France and the UK is a remarkable feat of construction and engineering, here is a cool Ted-ED overview video of the project!

Weekly Joke:
I never expected my dad to steal from his road construction job…
but when I got home all of the signs were there.

Have a great week :) 
The AGC E-Board


10/23/22

Hello Everyone!

AGC Updates:
October 28, 2022
Bridge Painting! (Weather permitting)
9-11AM at the bridge, located at the far edge of Lot 11 on campus.

October 31, 2022
Pumpkin Chunkin’: The Launch
4-5 PM at the Agricultural Learning Center
Join us for a satisfying conclusion to the pumpkin chunkin event. We will be using our trebuchet to launch pumpkins as far as we can. Flier attached here.

Other Events:
November 5, 2022
Habitat for Humanity Build #2: 9AM-5PM in Northampton.
Join Habitat for Humanity in their continued efforts to improve the community.
Sign up here.

See our website for a complete list of our semester events.

Sustainable Construction:
Construction can be extremely wasteful. Some sites produce multiple dumpsters of waste every day! To make construction more sustainable, waste must be managed and reduced. Here are some ways to achieve this:

  • Proper planning: reduce mistakes, order the right materials, the appropriate quantity, and the right sizes. Educate workers on sorting waste and its importance
  • Store materials properly: minimize damages due to weather and avoid theft
  • Recycle and reuse (and know local recycling): instead of trashing everything, see if you can recycle, reuse, or repurpose materials
  • Choose the right products: order products with minimal packaging, and order materials that can be reused (steel, wood, etc.)
  • Work with your suppliers: have a relationship with them, see if you can return reusable items such as wood pallets
  • Try new building methods:
    • Modular construction
    • Prefabricated materials
    • Reusable concrete formwork (metal instead of plywood/lumber which must be thrown out)
    • Deconstruct instead of demolish (repurpose materials after a building’s life cycle is complete)

  
Construction Waste                                             Reusable Concrete Formwork
Image Source                                                           Image Source

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.


Photo Credits: Art of Construction Photography (Armani Casa Foundation Pour Collection)

Weekly Video:
Concrete is used everywhere! But how sustainable and resilient is it? Here is another cool Ted-ED video of how to develop better concrete and the potential it has for environmental sustainability in the future.

Weekly Joke:
Songs related to Construction:
“We Built this City” -Starship
“Build Me Up Buttercup” -The Foundations

Take care, 
The AGC E-Board


10/30/22

Greetings! Happy Halloweekend!

AGC Updates:
October 31, 2022
Pumpkin Chunkin’: The Launch
4-5 PM at the Agricultural Learning Center
Join us for a satisfying conclusion to the pumpkin chunkin’ event! We will be using our trebuchet to launch pumpkins as far as we can. Flier attached here.

November 3, 2022
Bridge painting this Friday 9am-12pm (weather permitting), we need your help! 
Email us if you’d like to coordinate a ride to the site. 
Bridge is located at the far edge of Lot 11 on campus.

Other Events:
November 5, 2022
Habitat for Humanity Build #2: 9AM-5PM in Northampton.
Join Habitat for Humanity in their continued efforts to improve the community.
Sign up here.

Look for Tom’s blog post tomorrow! It will be posted here.

See our website for a complete list of our semester events.

Sustainable Construction:
This week’s focus is on green walls and green roofs. Greenery systems are an awesome part of sustainable construction. Don’t they look so good?! Here are some key ideas associated with these systems:

  1. Resilience/Adaptability: plants are resilient and grow in difficult conditions; intentional design and support can allow them to thrive
  2. Plant Benefits: an intentional use of plants can:
    1. Increase façade or roof R-value (reduce building energy use)
    2. Reduce urban heat island effect
    3. Reduce stormwater runoff
    4. Aesthetically appealing
    5. Connect people with nature (mental health benefits)
    6. Increased biodiversity, improving ecological corridors, habitat creation
    7. Acoustic insulation and noise reduction
    8. Improved air quality and pollution mitigation
    9. Carbon sequestration
    10. Food production
  3. Green Wall Infrastructure: a structural support system can be used to separate the plants from growing on the building itself in order to:
    1. Avoid compromising the existing building (aggressive/intrusive growth and moisture, for example)
    2. Create an air barrier that acts as an extra layer of insulation
    3. Easily retrofit and rearrange the living facade


 
Green walls can be on the exterior or interior


Green roof on top of the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) at UMass

See if you can find the green wall on campus near the Morrill buildings! :)

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.


Photo Credits: Lou Jones Ironclad Construction Photography (Photo Story “Running the Heavy Equipment”)

Weekly Joke:
Did you all hear about the haunted wooden structures?
They are made of BamBOOOOO

Have a great week, 
The AGC E-Board


11/6/22

Hello! Happy November!

AGC Updates:
November 14th, 2022
Women in Construction: Discussion with PE Courtney Kelly: Time and Location TBD
Come listen to our first guest speaker of the semester! This will be a discussion type of event exploring Courtney’s career and her experiences in the construction industry

Bridge Project:
Painting continues! We will send an email for the next session! We could use a hand :) 

Other Events:
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.

Sustainable Construction:
Did you know? Besides water, concrete is the most consumed material by humans. Every year, three tonnes of concrete are used for every person in the world. Twice as much concrete is used in construction than all other building materials combined.

Concrete also has a high embodied carbon, and the construction industry hasn’t changed much over many decades. In order to make construction more sustainable, concrete must be made “greener.” There are a few companies like Solidia Technologies and CarbiCrete that offer new solutions. Check them out!

Concrete can also be recycled and reused, read more here! And here’s a video for further viewing :)

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.


Photo Credits: Lou Jones Ironclad Construction Photography (Photo Story “Winthrop Center”)

Weekly Joke:
Why did it take so long for the construction worker to propose?
He was building up to it.

Have a great week, 
The AGC E-Board


11/14/22

Hey! You’re 3/4 through the semester!

AGC Updates:
Today! November 14th, 2022
Women in Construction: A Discussion with Courtney Kelly P.E.
5-6pm Gunness Conference Room, Marcus Hall 
Our first guest speaker of the semester! This will be an informative discussion event exploring Courtney’s career and her experiences in the construction industry. Come for the talk, stay for the hot cocoa and cookies… and goodies!


Bridge Project:
Painting is on hold for this week. It needs to be above 35 degrees F for 24 hours to paint effectively.
We are hoping for slightly warmer weather after this week! Stay tuned for painting opportunities. 

Other Events:
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.

Sustainable Construction:
When it rains at a construction site, stormwater runs over loose soil, accumulating pollutants (sediment, solid and sanitary wastes, chemicals, pesticides, oil and grease, concrete truck washout, and debris) and depositing them in storm sewer systems or directly to surface water. Proper stormwater controls on construction sites are essential in protecting the health of the environment. Here are some good practices to do so:

1. Storm Drain Inlet Protection: use rock or other material to block storm inlets and filter out debris and trash
 
Image Source

2. Maintain Construction Entrances: properly size the entrance for all anticipated vehicles, remove mud and dirt from vehicle tires before they return to paved roadways

Image Source

3. Use Silt Fencing: make sure the bottom of the silt fence is buried in the ground, inspect and maintain silt fences after each rainstorm

 Image Source

4. Protect Natural Features: minimize clearing and the amount of exposed soil, identify and protect areas that should not be disturbed by construction, protect streams and other water-based areas by fencing

5. Construction Phasing: sequence construction to minimize the amount of time soil is exposed, limit grading to small areas, install sediment control practice before grading begins, and schedule site stabilization activities (i.e. landscaping) immediately after final grading is complete

Read more here!

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.


Photo Credits: Art of Construction Photography (Armani Casa Foundation Pour Collection)

Weekly Joke:
I was offered a construction job in Egypt this morning.
Turned out to be a pyramid scheme..

Have a great week, 
The AGC E-Board


11/27/22

Hi!

AGC Updates:
Election Nominations:

Fill out the nomination form before Sunday 11/27 at midnight. You can nominate yourself or someone else for 1 or more positions!

Final Chapter Meeting & Elections: 
Monday November 28, 5-6pm in ODB 162

Will be hosting elections at our final chapter meeting. We encourage anyone interested in running or participating in planning AGC for the next academic year to attend.

Construction Site Tour of Amherst College Lyceum:
Monday December 5, 10-11:30am

The Amherst College Lyceum is inspired by the Lyceum of Ancient Athens, where spaces were arranged in a way that encourages interaction, collaboration and conversation for teachers and students. Read more about it here! They are turning a humble old house into a modern learning space, fitting for their campus!
The site is located at 197 S Pleasant St, Amherst, MA 01002 and is accessible by PVTA bus. 
We’ll have more info for you soon :) 
This is the last site tour of the semester!

Other Events:
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.

Sustainable Construction:
In preparation for our SITE TOUR NEXT WEEK (!) we are highlighting Amherst College’s new building called the Aliki Perroti & Seth Frank Lyceum. A lyceum typically describes a hall for public lectures or discussions; this project features an open commons that encourages interaction, sharing, collaboration and conversation for teachers and students. This is a unique project that combines historic preservation with sustainable design and low carbon construction. Low embodied-carbon materials such as wood and other plant-based materials will be used for both the interior and exterior, and the envelope will be highly insulative. Features such as operable windows, daylighting strategies, and outdoor views will enhance occupant wellbeing. Make sure to sign up for the site tour to hear more about this cool project and how buildings can dramatically reduce their impact from construction and operations!

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.


Photo Credits: Lou Jones Ironclad Construction Photography (Photo Story “Winthrop Center”)

Weekly Joke:
What is the lightest building that can be constructed? A lighthouse… 

See you soon, 
The AGC E-Board

12/4/22

Happy December! The home stretch is upon us… 

AGC Updates:
December 5th, 2022
Construction Site Tour of Amherst College Lyceum: 10-11:30am
The Amherst College Lyceum is inspired by the Lyceum of Ancient Athens, where spaces were arranged in a way that encourages interaction, collaboration and conversation for teachers and students. Read more about it here! They are turning a humble old house into a modern learning space, fitting for their campus! Sign up here.

Check out our new blog post about the Pumpkin Chunkin Event!
Pumpkin Chunkin ’22 | The UMass AGC Student Chapter

Other Events:
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.

Sustainable Construction:
When we think of construction, we often think of buildings and cities. This week we’re expanding our view and focusing on constructed wetlands. Constructed wetlands are often used as treatment systems using natural processes to improve water quality. Suspended solids are trapped by the vegetation and settle where they can be transformed and removed by microorganisms, making wetlands some of the most biologically diverse and productive natural ecosystems.

Wetlands are constructed by excavating, backfilling, grading, and installing water control structures to create desired hydraulic flow patterns.  Sometimes a compacted clay liner is layed down first if the site has highly permeable soils. Then, wetland vegetation is planted or allowed to establish naturally.

Wetland diagram; source


Wetlands also play a large role in retaining water, which is important especially in cities where stormwater runoff is high. In some urban areas, especially those with combined storm-sewer systems, large storm events overwhelm the infrastructure and wastewater may be discharged directly to the environment without treatment, causing many environmental health hazards. Increasing the amount of vegetated areas in and near cities can help mitigate this. 

Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in this new section of the weekly email we will show you where it is in construction.


Photo Credits: Lou Jones Ironclad Construction Photography (Photo Story “Winthrop Center”)

Weekly Joke:
You know, out of all those modern construction tools… I think the shovel is the most groundbreaking.

See you on site, 
The AGC E-Board


12/11/22

Dearest AGCers,

This is the last weekly email… thanks for reading throughout the semester!!! We’ve had good fun sharing this stuff with you.

AGC Updates:

AGC has no more events for the semester. Last week we toured the Amherst College Lyceum and it was awesome! Keep an eye on our website for some photos and a semester recap soon…

Sustainable Construction:

This is the last segment of Sustainable Construction — let’s take a look back at the sustainable practices we covered this semester! If you want to construct sustainably, you should…

1. Repurpose materials
2. Design new buildings sustainably for adaptability, disassembly, deconstruction, and reuse
3. Choose the right materials that have lower embodied carbon than concrete and steel, such as wood, bamboo, rammed earth, mycelium, ferrock, and recycled plastic
4. Use modular construction for waste management, avoidance of theft, improved quality control, adaptability, recyclability, reusability, and reduced site disturbance
5. Limit waste through proper planning, storing materials properly, recycling and reusing when possible, choosing the right products, working with suppliers, and trying new building methods such
6. Implement vertical or horizontal greenery systems such as green walls or green roofs to provide an extra layer of insulation, a wind barrier, surface temperature reduction in the summer, and take advantage of evapotranspiration processes to lower building energy demands! Additionally, these systems have the potential to reduce stormwater runoff, connect humans with nature, increase biodiversity, reduce noise and air pollution, sequester carbon, and produce food
7. Improve existing materials like concrete, which is the most consumed material by humans after water
8. Engage in best management practices on site for stormwater control: protect storm drains, maintain construction entrances, use silt fencing, protect natural features, and phase construction effectively
9. Construct wetlands and use other plants nearby to retain stormwater, treat it, and improve water quality
10. Retrofit existing buildings with insulation to reduce thermal envelope loss and gain

Broader than a construction site, we should invest in building renewables and grid storage capacity, implement adaptation measures, increase building resilience, establish system backups, diversify supply chains, and source assets more locally. Ultimately, the building sector plays a huge role in global energy use, global emissions, and climate change, and WE have the chance to change it! Don’t be discouraged by how far the “end destination” or goal might seem. Change happens slowly and through each one of us. Thanks for joining in on this sustainable adventure.
 
Construction As Art:
Construction is awe-inspiring. Mankind has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the build environment: new heights, new loads, new materials, new flexibility, and new coordination. Capturing these unseen, but harmonious and beautiful moments in the captivatingly dirty and dangerous profession of construction can create art that challenges your every perspective. Art is everywhere, and in our last weekly email, you’re getting a double dog doozy special (2 photos instead of 1!):

 
Photo Credits: Lou Jones Ironclad Construction Photography (Photo Story “Winthrop Center”)

Weekly Joke:
I failed my trigonometry test… I just don’t understand sine language.

It’s CRUNCH time, good luck!
The AGC E-Board

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