Category Archives: Week 3

Sustainability & Tiny Homes Week 3-4 Research

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SUSTAINABILITY (Week 3)

  • Efficiency and Sustainability
    • Sustainability- meeting the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own need. A sustainable society restores, adapts, preserves, and enhances nature and culture for the benefit of the present and future.
      • Population and Sustainability- the sustainable population for the capacity of the Earth might have been exceed years ago, Global warming is a common indicator of this because 90% of research is certain it caused by greenhouse gases produced by the activities of humans such as burning of fossil fuels, the removal of forest, and even today’s technology.  Thus the higher standard of living we desire, the need to stop population growth will increase.
      • Sustainable Building Priorities
  •       Save Energy-design and build energy efficient buildings
  •       Recycle Buildings-Utilize existing buildings and infrastructures instead of developing open space
  •       Create Community-design communities to reduce dependence on automobiles and to foster a sense of community
  •       Reduce Material Use-Optimize design to make use of smaller spaces and utilize materials efficiently
  •       Protect and Enhance the Site-Preserve or restore local ecosystems and biodiversity
  •       Select Low-Impact Materials-choose resources based on the efficiency of the material
  •       Maximize Longevity-design for durability and sustainability
  •       Save Water-design buildings and landscapes that are water efficient
  •       Make the Buildings Healthy-provide a safe and comfortable  indoor environment
  •       Minimize construction and Demolition waste-return, reuse, and recycle job-site waste and practice environmentalism in your business
  •       Green Up your Business-Minimize the environmental impact of your own business practices, and spread the word
  • Energy Sources (Finding the Power Produced [P≈Vᶾ x D²] (P=power output. V=air speed. D= rotor diameter)

Renewable

  1.       Solar-not contributing to global warming
  2.       Wind-windmills were primarily used tto pump water on farms and ranches. Wind turbines also produced electricity for remote areas before rural electrification. Today wind turbines are having a revival because they can produce clean and renewable energy at the cost of conventional energy and can supply 20% of the US needs.
  3.       Biomass-photosynthesis stores solar energy gathered from the sun for later uses. This stored energy can be turned into heat or electricity; because biomass is renewable and carbon neutral, its pollution free and an efficient source of energy. Two main sources of biomass are from plants grown specifically for its energy and from organic waste from agriculture, industry, or consumers (our garbage)
  4.       Geothermal-The extraction of heat deep from the earth and the use of the ground just below the surface as a source of heat in the winter and a heat sink in the summer. Geo Exchange (second way of extraction) the low grade thermal energy at normal temperatures of shallow ground can be extracted by a heat pump to heat buildings or domestic hot water (home used hot water). The use of geo-exchange can significantly reduce our consumption of energy and the corresponding emissions of pollution and greenhouse gases, reduction of 40%.

Nonrenewable

  •       Fossil Fuels-Green plants trapped solar energy by the process of photosynthesis. The accumulation and transformations of these plants into solid, liquid, and gaseous states produced oil, coal, and gas (fossil fuels). This age started around 1850 and will persist a few centuries ahead from now. Continuing to burn these fuels causes even more global warming.
  • Oil-The most used and important energy source today. This sources demand became greater than the supply when half of it was extracted. The consistent usage of this source will lean us to using tar sand, or drilling deeper into the earth.
  • Natural Gas-composed primarily of methane a very convenient source of energy that’s scares n supply because of its easy obtaining.
  • Coal-Not the most reliant source because of it problematic extraction process and because coal is not the most convenient on transporting, handling, or for usage. Coal is a primary cause of acid rain, even if cleaned before burning it will continue to produce carbon dioxide and global warming. A plentiful source and risky source of energy but not our answer to our energy problems.

Nuclear

  • Fission-When certain heavy atoms are split into two middle-size atoms, the process creates incredible amounts of energy because of the neutrons produced. Going nuclear power as our source will come with many toxic hazards to the public, the cost of a nuclear power plant is too high, the operating efficiency is too low as well, and the disposal of the waste has not been solved yet.
  • Fusion-When two light atoms fuse to create heavier atoms, energy is then produced. In fusion hydrogen is used the most resourceful material, it produces much less radioactivity waste than fission. It is also much safer to extinguish if something goes wrong

TINY HOME SOCIETY (SMALL HOME MOVEMENT)* (Week 4)

The Small House Movement is a counter cultural rebellion against the idea of bigger is better. As Americans we learned from an early age that we should get good grades in school, attend college, get the best-paying career and get a big house to live in. But the problem with this is that the downturn that this country is experiencing, many owners of large homes are struggling to pay for their homes while others have foreclosed on their homes. For the young person who is starting their new career, it will be difficult to afford a new home because if their starting salary isn’t very high, they may have to move back in with his parents or seek out a cheap apartment in the city. A small home can look just as attractive as a big house. It depends on how resourceful you are in decorating the home. The Small House Movement is fueled by people who want more affordable housing, who want to live simply or who want to be environmentally-friendly in their lifestyles. According to recent articles from the New York Times, CNN.com, and the American Institute of Architects, the economic downturn is one of the top reasons why some people are purchasing or building smaller homes.

 Jamaica Cottage Shop

 Living in a small home is Eco-friendly because you’re using fewer resources to build and maintain the home unlike the larger homes, and you won’t have the stress of worrying about how you’re going to clean and repair the home. In addition, smaller homes are more affordable and your energy bill will be lower. And living in a smaller home means you’ll be more conscious of what you’ll bring and keep in your home because you’ll want less clutter around. Some Americans put wheels on their smaller homes and place them in their backyards to be used as home offices, studios or extra bedrooms for guests. Other people who have been foreclosed upon choose to buy or build small houses and place them in the backyards of their parents or other relatives, which gives space to those who aren’t used to living together.

Traditional Living Cost v. Tiny house cost:

Pros and Cons that That I came up with for Tiny Home Living and Traditional Home Living:

Tiny Homes/ Tiny Home Trailer:

Pros:

  1. You save money on utility bills.
  2. If you don’t like where you’re living, you can hook up to your home and leave.
  3. Not as much (if any) yard to take care of.
  4. Since you don’t have a lot of utility bills you can save money for things you always wanted to do in life.
  5. You can have a new front yard anytime you like.
  6. You don’t have a lot in property tax to pay.
  7. You can clean your home in no time flat.
  8. You have a lot less house to maintain. (again, saving you lots of money)
  9. You don’t have a lot of useless stuff tying you down.
  10. You can build it yourself and pay cash, you you own it, not the bank.

Cons

  1. You don’t have a lot of room to get away from one another if you’re married.
  2. If you’re a guy who likes to putt around fixing and making stuff, you don’t really have enough room in a Tiny home.
  3. Not much storage space or closet space. (Have to think small and carry only important necessaries)
  4. It’s very hard to find a place to park your tiny home and live in it. (that’s a big one!)

 

Traditional Home Style: 

 

Pros

  1. You have plenty of room for all the useless junk you collected over the years.
  2. You never have trouble finding a place to put your regular home, it’s on its own property.
  3. You always have all your utilities right at your fingertips. (Water, Electric, sewer etc.)
  4. You have a yard and don’t have to ask permission from anyone if you want to park your camper there or other things you might own.
  5. You have equity in your home as the years go by.
  6. You have enough space to entertain your guest comfortably.
  7. You’re always close to your doctors office in case anything were to happen
  8. You can grow a big garden.
  9. Having a definitive place to go makes you feel safe and secure.

Cons

  1. Payments even on a small home like mine are high and if you loose your job, you loose your home to. (that’s a big one)
  2. Taxes are high as are water and sewer rates.
  3. Utilities bills cost a lot more in a regular home.
  4. Your always working to support your house (pay the mortgage, insurance, utilities, up keep, it never stops) and it eats up all or most of your fun money.
  5. You have a lot bigger house to upkeep and repair!
  6. If your neighbor sells his house who knows what your next neighbor will be like, but who ever it is your stuck with them.

Week 3 Design

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SHED

This week was a bit different, I made request to design a shed in the back of my home to my landlord. She explained to me that the existing shed behind the house has to be tore down, and she would still like to have something to be in the back of the home, so I made an offer to come up with a design of a shed. As I was in the process of modeling it in SketchUp I began to realize that I need to get my detailing skills up meaning in my models need to have the wood frame feature of a structure. So in this design I practiced on framing using shaped joints and I also got a small understanding of the materials used within a wall at the end of this week. So knowing a little bit about the solar geometry of the site I came to a quick and easy to build shed that can have possible future add on’s.

East

West

South

North

 

HOME SHED DESIGN

The critique for this design I feel went well and quick, it was a simple idea that couldn’t be too big because of the amount of space behind the house and the elevation it sit on. The element in the design that was focus on in SketchUp was the framing because I felt it was around that time to getting better with the materials and detailing down on them, meaning precising down with the measurements and shapes of the material. So for being the first time working with framing in SketchUp, I feel I’m at a decent foundation of the understanding of frames and need much more understanding with them. At first the main idea for the design of the shed was to “have something that holds something with little of that something”. I thought this to myself because I was relating it to what could go in the back off the house for the current occupiers, but then I it came to me that a shed doesn’t have a stationary function/purpose. With that and only being limited to my imagination and of course the zoning.

The frame was built to be 15′ 7 1/2″ high connected together

using overlapping butt joints molded to make a structural

connection.

 

Since a shed doesn’t have a definite purpose, I decided to turn this one in to a basic multipurpose shed unit. There might not be much to show for it but I have intentions for it to grow with the occupiers. Possible options I thought of were a shed workshop, storage shed and possibly a quest house;

  • Workshop:Outlets, Counters and tool holders will have to be added on around the walls.
  • Storage: Counters and drawers are possible add-ons.
  • Quest House: extra heating and insulation would be required and counter tops are possible.

 

ABOUT:

The extra elevation came about when I was thinking about the purpose of the shed, and made that area the quest home sleep area or a spot to be used in different ways. The window on the extra level I assume that it is too small and can be a tad bit bigger in height so more air circulation can flow through when opened.

  •  The skylight window is missing its window shades that can be adjustable and reachable from the second floor elevation.
  • The shed is 239.168 square feet in total. (BOTTOM:187.3032 sq. ft. TOP: 51.8648 sq. ft.
  • Climate Region6–In the coastal region of Washington state the climate is very mild, however in the winter the temperatures are cool and rain is common. Although the skies are frequently overcast, solar heating is still possible because of the small heating load created from the mild temperature fluctuations. There is a high RH level but it does not show significant problems because the it doesn’t coincide with the high summer temperatures. The climate region has large variations in microclimates because of the change in both elevation and distance from the coast, in some areas however the winter winds start to become a problem. And the summers are quite dry and sunny.
    • Climate Priorities
    1. Keep the heat in and the cold temperatures out during the winter (I)
    2. Let the winter sun in (mostly diffused sun because of the clouds) (III)
    3. Protect from the cold winter winds (II)

Environment/Community Week 3 Research

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SITE ANALYSIS

  • Site analysis is the process of studying the contextual forces that influence how we might situate a building, layout and orient its spaces, shape and articulate its enclosure and establish its relationships to the landscape. Any survey begins with the gathering of the physical site data. Below are guidelines that are recommended to follow from the “”Building Construction Illustrated 4th edition” book:
  • Draw the area and shape of the site as defined by its legal boundaries.
  • Indicate required setbacks, existing easements, and rights-of-ways.
  • Estimate the area and volume required for the building program, site amenities, and future expansion, if desired.
  • Analyze the ground slopes and subsoil conditions to locate the areas suitable for construction and outdoor actives
  • Identify steep and moderate slopes that may be unsuitable for development
  • Locate soil areas suitable for use as a drainage field, if applicable.
  • Map existing drainage patterns. (LEED SS Credit 6: Storm water design)
  • Determine the elevation of the water table
  • Identify areas subject to excessive runoff of surface water, flooding, or erosion
  • Locate existing trees and native plant materials that should be preserved
  • Chart existing water features, such as wetlands, streams, watersheds, flood plains, or shorelines that should be protected (LEED SS Credit 5: Site Development, Protect or Restore Habitat)
  • Map climatic conditions: the path of the sun, the direction of prevailing winds, and the expected amount of rainfall
  • Consider the impact of landforms and adjacent structures on solar access, prevailing winds, and the potential for glare
  • Evaluate solar radiation as a potential energy source
  • Determine possible points of access from public roadways and public transit stops. (LEED SS Credit 4: Alternative Transportation)
  • Study possible circulation paths for pedestrians and vehicles from these access points to building entrances
  • Ascertain the availability of utilities: water mains, sanitary and storm sewers, gas lines, electrical power lines, telephone and cable lines, and fire hydrants
  • Determine access to other municipal services, such as police and fire protection
  • Identify the scope of desirable views as well as objectionable views
  • Cite potential sources of congestion and noise
  • Evaluate the compatibility of adjacent and proposal land uses
  • Map cultural and historical resources that should be preserved
  • Consider how the existing scale and character of the neighborhood or area might affect the building design
  • Map the proximity to public, commercial, medical, and recreational facilities. (LEED SS Credit 2: Development Density & Community Connectivity)

TOPOGRPAHY

  • Topography refers to understanding the configuration and surface features of a plot of land. Below are ways of understanding topography:
    • Contour lines are imaginary lines joining points of equal elevation above a datum or bench mark. The trajectory of each contour line indicates the shape of the land formation at that elevation. Note that contour lines are continuous and never cross one another; they coincide in a plan view only when they cut across a vertical surface.
    • Contour interval refers to the difference in elevation represented by any two adjacent contour lines on a topographic map or site plan. The interval used determines by the scale of a drawing., the size of the site and the nature of the topography. The larger the area and the steeper the slopes, the greater the interval between contours. For large and steeply sloping site, 20’ or 40’ (5 or 10 m) contour intervals may be used. For small sites having relatively gradual slope, 1’, 2’ or 5’ (o.5 or 0.1 m) contours may be necessary.

  • CONTOUR SPACING

  • Contours spaced far apart indicate a relatively flat or gentle sloping surface

  • Equally spaced contours denote a constant slope.
  • Closely spaced contours disclose a relatively steep rise in elevation
  • Contour lines represent a ridge when pointing toward lower elevations; they represent a valley when pointing toward higher elevations

  • SLOPES

    • Ground slopes o
      ver 25% are subject to erosion and are difficult to build on
    • Ground slopes over 10% are challenging to use for outdoor activities and are more expensive to build on
    • Ground Slopes from 5% to 10% are suitable for informal outdoor activities and can be built on without too much difficulty
    • Ground slopes up to 5% are usable fr most outdoor activities and relatively easy to build on

TREES

Providing Shade

  • The amount of solar radiation obstructed or filtered by a tree depends on its:
    • Orientation to the sun
    • Proximity to a building or outdoor space
    • Shape, Spread, height
    • Density of foliage and branch structure
    • Trees Shading a building or outdoor space most effectively from the southeast during the morning and the southwest during the late afternoon when the sun has a low altitude and casts long shadows.
    • South facing-facing overhangs provide more efficient shading during the midday period when the sun is high and casts short shadows
    • Deciduous trees provide shade and glare protection during the summer and allow solar radiation to penetrate through their branch structures during the winter
    • Evergreens provide shade throughout the year and help reduce snow glare during the winter

  • Serving as Windbreak

    • Evergreens can form effective windbreaks and reduce heat loss from a building during the winter
    • The foliage of plant materials reduces  wind-blown dust

  • Defining Space

    • Trees can shape outdoor spaces for activity and movement

  • Directing or Screening Views

    • Trees can frame desirable views
    • They can also screen undesirable views and provide privacy for outdoor spaces

  • Attenuating Sound

    • A combination of deciduous and evergreen trees is most effective n intercepting and attenuating airborne sound, especially when combined with earth mounds

  • Improving Air Quality

    • Trees trap particulate matter on their leaves, which is then washed to the ground during rainfall
    • Leaves can also assimilate gaseous and other pollutants
    • Photosynthesis process can metabolize fumes and other odors

  • Stabilizing Soil

    • The root structures of trees aid in stabilizing soil, increasing the permeability of the soil to water and a, and preventing erosion

 

SOURCES:

“Building Construction Illustrated 4th edition” Francis  D.K. Ching