Five Questions With: Megan Moynihan

Megan Moynihan is principal architect of Oyster Works LLC, an architecture and project management company, based in Charlestown, that specializes in designing buildings to withstand problems associated with climate change. Earlier this year, Moynihan received the Green Architect Innovation Award at the Building the Sustainable Future conference at Rhode Island College. She responded recently to questions submitted by the Providence Business News.

PBN: Who are the kinds of customers approaching you about designing buildings that are better equipped to withstand climate change? Are they homeowners or business owners?
MOYNIHAN:
As Rhode Islanders we experience the devastation caused by major storms: houses knocked off their foundations; buildings soaked by rising water and drenching rains; and the resulting mold and structural decay. Nationwide, homeowners and business owners are spending billions of dollars in repair and remediation. Our customers, both commercial and residential, want thoughtful design that will allow their building to weather the storms.

PBN: Is it possible to design a building that will withstand rising sea levels? What does that involve?
MOYNIHAN:
We can reduce the damage to our buildings and communities by following three basic principles. [First,] elevate buildings above the flood plain. We recently used a helical pile and grade beam foundations to raise a building 18 feet above sea level. [Second,] build with materials that can get wet and dry out without risking mold or structural decay. On the exterior we use fiber cement and PVC siding. On the interior we avoid paper products because paper is a welcoming host to mold. We insulate walls with mineral wool batts, instead of paper-faced fiberglass, and use fiberglass faced drywall instead of paper-faced drywall. [Finally,] design wall systems that can breathe and dry out when they get wet (and they will!). We have designed a ventilated rain-screen wall system that allows any water that penetrates the exterior to drain out. Water trapped in tightly insulated walls can easily lead to mold and create unhealthy living conditions. Many of these problems can be eliminated with relatively simple changes in the way we design buildings.

PBN: What aspect of climate change can’t be countered through design? Is there a challenge we face that simply can’t be overcome?
MOYNIHAN:
We can design buildings to withstand climate change. But a broader challenge lies in designing our communities to withstand both chronic sea level rise and the impact of severe weather. Simply put, we can build homes that will survive hurricanes, but how do we get to them if the roads are under water.

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PBN: What are some of the techniques that you employ to reduce water impact on homes? Is it all about elevation or can small changes make a difference as well?
MOYNIHAN:
One relatively small change is to stop building with paper products – paper and water don’t get along. We should use fiberglass-faced drywall and avoid paper-faced insulation.

PBN: Describe a recent project you completed that is representative of your work?
MOYNIHAN:
Grasshopper, a home on Green Hill Pond [in South Kingstown], is a good representation of our residential work. The house is elevated 18 feet above sea level. We designed a building envelope that will withstand the catastrophic impact of major storms – a ventilated rain-screen wall system and ventilated roof panels made with graphite-impregnated extruded polystyrene. We used no paper products in Grasshopper. The house is designed to capture the natural light and prevailing winds, and we have used restorative landscaping to protect the fragile ecosystem.

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