Sustainable Remodeling
Grade 8 Project
THE PROBLEM
The community is made up of old buildings that are neither energy-efficient nor environmentally friendly. The houses waste rainwater that could have been used alternatively (e.g., for hygiene, watering nature, etc.). The overall design appears to be discriminatory, as they lack convenient technology such as an elevator for people in wheelchairs. They use simple stairs, which is also a waste of residential space. The old buildings have profoundly poor aesthetics because they have not been touched since construction or for a long period of time. They lack decorations or ornamental factors (such as nearby plants or trees) to improve the residents' well-being.
The chosen location was a plaza with first-floor real estate. The building's design appears to be quite sealed off, despite the overall simple appearance. Particularly when facing the second floor, it is devoid of windows. The stairs appear to be the conventional zigzag design, which appears to take up room and have multiple uses. There are no elements in the roof, and the building doesn't appear to have any elements of nature incorporated.
The issue will be resolved by developing outdated locations into contemporary ones. One that satisfies the sustainability criteria, which include minimizing the use of resources, energy, and waste.
*This is an interactive image. Click a highlighted area to inquire about its inspiration.
ANALYZING INSPIRATIONS
XANTHO WORKHOUSE, HAWTHORNE, CA
The Xantho Workhouse (located in the emerging Hawthorne neighborhood near SpaceX, LAX) is undoubtedly sustainable, despite its modernistic appearance.
It harmonizes the newly-built home space with an already-existing office building (4000 sq. ft (ca. 372 m²)). Solar panels are equipped on top of its roof, and it makes efficient use of the space left on there by utilizing roof space to collect rainwater, flows through its vegetable garden space (with trees), and flows to the streets.
There are large glass spaces to capture the views, and the plant wall (to attract creatures in nature) blends in well with the yellowware color scheme of the architecture.
Continuing on with the solar system, the PV solar system, in fact, makes the entire complex NET ZERO.
Notably, the front planter wall generates a more sustainable area/habitat for local wildlife. These insects/animals are usually dragonflies, bees, butterflies, common birds, and hummingbirds.
E+ GREEN HOUSE, KYEONGI SOUTH KOREA
The building energy consumption has been minimized by:
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air tightness has been improved to minimize air leakage in the windows
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indoor temperature has been maintained at a constant temperature (done by applying a vertical cylinder which helps indoor temperature to be stored in the concrete)
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Replacing energy with solar heat and PV to additional necessary energy
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cooling radiator and natural lighting system with ventilation added for residents’ sustainable comfort.
There are diverse materials (that enforce the sustainability of the overall house). These include a radiator that cools humidity and temperature in the interiors of the building (water skin), a tube that minimizes heat/freezing temperatures by providing warm/cool air through the tube. A light pipe to reduce the use of artificial light in the gardens, panels to maximize the quantity of sunlight obtained, systems of natural ventilation, and a PCM window that reflects sunlight onto the house in the winter, and reflects back in the summer. Going on, a radiator that contains cool water to decrease heat demand, insulation systems, flat solar tube panels to generate warm water, a green roof for insulation, and a rainwater collection system for hygiene systems.
There are a lot of sustainable factors in the house to consider. First would be the distribution of roofs. The house divides roof space levels into two. One for balcony space and another for solar panels. This could be a structural aspect I will make use of on my site (having the building have both garden space and solar energy). Second, there are a lot of systems inserted within the house that make the building sustainable. There is a vertical cylinder that helps indoor temperature to be stored in the concrete, which crucially may help maintain hot/cool temperatures in all 4 seasons. Some roof sides are slightly tilted for the windows to access natural sunlight. The site I intend to redesign seems to lack this, as it only contains rectangular surfaces. Thus, it would be a helpful detail in maximizing the use of natural sunlight.
Ecological Denazification Four Townhouses, VANCOUVER, CANADA
Certain features of the architecture:
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Maximizes desirable views of Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains to give equal attention to the building’s exterior interaction with the site and the streetscape.
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access to natural light and cross ventilation.97% of the occupied floor area within 7m consists of operable windows, the floor plans are organized so that all living spaces are situated on the perimeter with
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Is a re-establish from a single-family residence.
Lighting Strategy:
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five skylights with angled light wells bring daylight deep into the plan in three of the four units
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(a middle unit without access to the top floor still benefits from top lighting)
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Energy star fixtures and lamps throughout, and airtight pot lights (to prevent air leakage into unconditioned space).
Water Efficiency:
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Rainwater system for hygiene purposes and flows outwards to the garden side. (Level 1, 2, and 3 all contains rainwater storage)
It is highly obvious that the use of windows and roof space for maximum use of natural lighting and rainwater in the building is a point that should be noted. The building also maximized its use of land to revamp a small family house that contained much more potential. The townhouse also has a repetitive structure of one design, but the second build is backed over to make space for parking (another point to be acknowledged). Additionally, cross ventilation is also used through the placement of windows. Cross ventilation (also called Wind Effect Ventilation) is a natural method of cooling. (The system relies on wind to force cool exterior air into the building through an inlet (like a wall louver, a gable, or an open window) while the outlet forces warm interior air outside (through a roof vent or higher window opening).)
Analyzing the Material Infographic
The chart could be used generally to select what materials could be used for the reconstruction of the site, or also what materials could be avoided when selecting them (aluminum steel would be avoided as it produces the highest CO2). The infographic organizes each material by telling us how much CO2 each material produces. (Wood produces 0 CO2 = NET ZERO) However, when sturdier materials are needed, a simple look at the graph could help make decisions on material selection.
SKETCHES & CONCEPTS
The final sketch is initially the result of Design 1 and 2 being merged. Several definitive traits of the two designs can be seen in the final version. First would be the cylinder elevator from Design 2. The second would be the two big windows on the front wall.
The building, in general, does not contain any organic shapes. It is solely geometrical, a specification for aesthetics. In addition, two major colors (dark gray and white) take up the majority of the building (color-wise). The aesthetics demanded a greater ratio in white, but in this case, this is inverted. The client remains identical. In addition to the green area on the rooftop, a wooden wall was added to insert an extra 1.5m of green space. Fences are well-put, and all safety measures are ensured. The building contains exactly four floors, with each floor having two residency areas, thus does not cross the specifics. (Function) The function/purpose of the building remains the same, except the second floor has a window added to its wall. The building uses solar energy (solar panels), a PV energy system (windows), and rainwater collection (a system on the rooftop that collects rainwater). There are more uses of natural ornaments blended in with the architecture. (Material/Manufacture) The final version of the building also uses parquet flooring. Most walls that require color use motor-infested recycled plastic. None of the materials asked to be avoided were used in the building, other than glass.
3D Model in Sketch Up
REAL-LIFE MODEL (ON-SCALE)
*The model was created using sustainable materials (recycled trash, reusable cardboard, etc.)
PRODUCT ANALYSIS
From a general perspective, the solution, otherwise the sustainable architecture, was flawed in various ways. Although small successes were met, most specifications weren’t achieved. All conclusions were made from personal observations.
Looking at the aesthetics of the building initially, I intended to have my building contain simplicity and most forms to be geometrical. The majority of the color scheme should have been white and in general, two colors should’ve taken the majority of the build. This was what my specifications had stated. The building contains no organic form, most forms are cubic, and the elevator is a cylinder. This indicates the success of the first factor. The majority of the color scheme is grayish black; two major colors externally are: white, and grayish black, and the inner side is: grayish white, and dark brown. Although this may imply that there are two major colors, thus the success, it also claims that white was not used as the major color, therefore the failure.
Observing the “client” area of the solution, the original specification aimed to have the building’s clients seek residency in the build (floors 3-4) while the first two floors were intended to be their original purpose; a PC room and a real estate. The 3rd, 4th, and 1st floors of the building were all akin to plan. Nonetheless, the Client’s PC room is currently impossible to achieve due to a gap in the 2nd floor (indication of safety, climate, and weather issues), now failing.
The sole successful theme of the architecture was the environmental area. The building should’ve positively influenced the environment (local environment), as it should be a sustainable architecture. The building should have minimized the use of energy and should have noticeable natural elements on the site. Solar panels are used to minimize the use of wasteful energy, rainwater collection systems are used to minimize the use of clean water and make use of other alternatives, and four balconies are used to make green space with more green space on rooftops. These factors all contribute to the success of the environmental aspects of the building.
A partial successful specification would be safety. The original plan was to have the building acquire a stable base with a strong material, roof areas, and gaps to contain fences. In the indicated areas (implied parts, but there) of the physical model, the base is strong with mortar infused with reused plastic and wooden arches that stabilize the upper floors. Balcony areas and the roof do contain thin fences, providing some security. However, the gap in Floor 2 has weak fences; they are very short and are made out of rocks and stone.
The building’s function was a failure. The building should overall have been a plaza/office tel. The second floor ought to have no windows. The building should make maximum use of natural lighting through the placement/arrangement of windows, using light sources only when necessary, especially within the 2nd floor. The building should use solar energy, along with a PV energy system. The building should have a system that utilizes rainwater for hygiene purposes and will have natural ornaments (garden, tree planting, etc.) blended in with the architecture. First, the second floor has windows. This defies the specifications written, marking this a failure first. The building does make use of natural light through windows, solar energy, a PV energy system, and a rainwater system. Natural ornaments blend in well with the building. In simple words, having windows for the 2nd floor was the sole flaw that led to a failure in this case.
As stated within the specifics, clients are individuals seeking residency in the office tel, in which the solution currently has 4 floors, and the owners of the already-existing real estate and PC room (occupying the first and second floor). Restating a few points from the testing process, the solution would undoubtedly negatively influence the PC room owner. As the flaw in “function” states, the gap/hole made on the 2nd floor due to poor time management utterly removes the client from the building. Several minor inconveniences would be in the view of the balcony, yet nothing more.
Setting aside the negatives, the positives would be that the residents would be experiencing more sustainable lives with their settlements. The sustainable design of the building, blending adequately with the green plants, would undoubtedly enhance their mental views in comparison to the bland, dull gray before. One example of this would be the large gap in the first, containing tall trees that stretch tall to the second floor. This is an example of using space to make the area feel more open to the clients using it. The building before has no indication there is use of natural plants inside; the only trees able to be seen are the ones outside the building. In addition, the windows of the building pre-redesign are scattered and aligned. They have window frames that split them into fours. This does provide them light, but it is highly limited to a certain area, perhaps a room or so. In comparison, the redesign nearly punctuates one complete side of the architecture, creating a vast window (for floor 3, it is a balcony). In general, I would state the solution provides a more open and free space that makes the client feel comfortable with the balance between the outer atmosphere and their house/area. Although not mentioned earlier, clients that usually seek residency in office tels are students or workers who work daily indoors. This type of design could provide them with the suitable environment they crave.