CLIMATE PERFORMANCE
BUILDING & LIFE SAFETY
CONSTRUCTABILITY
FIRE SAFETY All materials within the facade system must adhere to the European standards on fire safety in order to meet Approved Document B.
Reflected by glazing
Due to the considerable amount of glazing present within my fragment, there is potential for issues to occur with regards to sustainabilty. These issues will be largely in regards to the operational energy of the fragment.
Absorbed energy released over time Heat lost through glazing
A1,A2 = Non combustible B,C,D = Limited to medium fire contribution E,F = High fire contribution
The classification is broken down into a code of three parts; A,S,D with a number after each to show where a material falls.
S S1 = little or no smoke S2 = quite a lot of smoke S3 = Substantial smoke
If a material has a rating of A1 or A2 it is considered non combustible. S refers to smoke propagation. D refers to ‘flaming droplets and particles’.
BUILDING SAFETY During the construction process of the fragment, precautions must be taken in order to make sure that the individuals working on constructing the fragment are kept safe during this process.
Due to parts of the design being prefabricated off site such as the glulam beams and their connections, and the brick slip cladding. This allows for the rapid assembly of these members on site. It also allows for more efficient use of materials in a factory setting as opposed to on site.
Scaffolding hooks
D D0 = none D1 = some D2 = Quite a lot
In order for the materials used in the facade system to be in keeping with Approved Document B, they must be of a rating of B,s2,d2 or better.
1 POSITION
TECHNOLOGIES POSITIONS
OPERATIONAL Fragment indicated in red.
The large amount of glazing within the envelope of the fragment allows for large amounts of solar energy gain. Whilst this is opportune throughout the winter months, it will become a problem during the summer months leading to overheating. If not addressed, this is an issue that may require large amounts of energy to rectify through ventilation.
Absorbed energy released over time
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN POSITION Loss of industry across the UK has seen a ‘skill drain’ from the communities and areas in which this industry was formerly located. Through design, the people within these areas can be positively benefitted and upskilled. Located in one such area in Attercliffe, Sheffield and taking inspiration from “Take back the Economy” my scheme has been cultivated and sculpted in order to give locals access to facilities that will allow them to gain skills in the craft of woodworking and joinery. Through upskilling actors within the community, the aim is to allow for a new skillset to be implemented into the circular economy within the area.
RIBA SUSTAINABLE OUTCOMES Through the incorporation of the RIBA Sustainable Outcomes into the design of my fragment, I shall be able to optimise it in regards to its sustainability. The design of my fragment has taken aspects of the sustainable outcomes and used them as design drivers to influence its development.
MOULD Whilst the enclosed space has the ability to be ventilated, elements of the fragments buildup such as the walls and flooring don’t have this luxury. Therefore, within the buildup of the fragment is included Damproof Membranes and Breathable Membranes. Their inclusion will reduce the chances for mould to start growing.
GLULAM
Glulam offers an advantage in regards to the fire safety of the building. In the event of a fire, the glulam beam will char on the outside, acting as an insulator, stopping the fire from burning through it, thus allowing it to keep its strength and loadbearing capacities. The burn off rate for a glulam member is roughly 0.7mm/minute. This allows for periods of fire resistance to be achieved in keeping with Approved Document B.
Elements such as the blick slip rainscreen also feature cavities in order for air to circulate and wick away moisture.
CONSTRUCTION WORKER SAFETY The workers on site will be working at height during the construction of the fragment. Whilst doing so precautions will be taken in keeping with the UK working at height regulations 2005. In order to do so, workers will be provided with harnesses and equipment allowing two points of attachment for the worker at all times, in keeping with the working at height regulations. Workers will also have tools equipped with carabiners in order to attach to harnesses.
NET-ZERO EMBODIED CARBON Through the materiality of my fragment I have striven to reduce the embodied carbon of the materials used. Whilst, it may not be possible to achieve net zero, I will aim to get as close as possible.
RESPONSE
In order for my fragment to have as sustainable life cycle cost as possible, I will aim to use materials that are robust with long lifespans. This will reduce the need to replace materials within the fragment. I will also aim to use materials that can be reutilised in a different manner. This embodies the cradle to cradle principles looked at in studio along with &’s design principles. Through utilsing these principles I hope to optimise the sustainability of my fragment whilst also giving the materials the potential for reuse.
Similarly to the sustainable life cycle cost, when considering materials with low embodied carbon I’ll consider the longevity and robustness of these materials
This position not only helps to make architecture more equitable to its users but also helps to make it more environmentally friendly as it reduces waste and keeps carbon trapped within materials for the longest possible time.
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Align sockets
Prepare Pin
Fasten pin into sockets
PROCESS The process of designing and building the architectural fragment is made up of many stages. The considerations of these stages could stop at the completion of construction, however, in keeping with &’s principles and my own personal design position, I will be assessing the fragments end of life and reuse cycle. This takes inspiration form the cradle to cradle principles explored in studio 3.2.
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Crane
Large portions of the buildings structure are produced off-site. Whilst this provides benefits in regards to workers health and safety, material efficiency and on site machinery, it means that large structural members will have be transported to site by road.
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Due to the size of the structural members, a crane must be utilised in order to lift them into place and offload them from the lorry. This will require specially trained construction workers
1 END OF LIFE Building disassembled. Materials reused where possible. Where not possible materials are disposed of in an environmentally sensitive manner
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Hand drills will be utilised by the construction workers in order to install elements of the fragments makeup. They will allow for rapid assembly and can also be used to make sure bolts are torqued to spec.
2 - GLULAM BEAMS
Cement mixers will be utilised on site in order to mix the mortar required for the mortar bonds between the brickwork. A cement moxer will allow for this to be done faster than by hand, with a more consistent mix.
Caulk Gun
Electric Motor
A variety of different scaffolding solutions will be employed within the construction process. This will involve scaffolding within the fragment in order to install brick slips and glazing units. Machinery such as scissor lifts can be used in areas in place of scaffolding. This will increase the speed of construction.
Cement Mixer
Scissor lift
Scaffolding
1 - BRICK SLIPS
Caulk guns will be utilised by construction workers in order to fill joints in materials. This will be especially important when it comes to making sure that the glazing within the fragment is watertight.
After the prototyping of my fragment, there is a possibility that I may implement a dynamic system to the facade. If this is the case then an electric motor may be a method utilised in order to make that happen.
3 - CLT BEAMS
4 - RECLAIMED FLOORING
5 - DAMPROOF MEMBRANE
6 - GYPSUM BOARD
7 - MINERAL WOOL INSULATION
PRODUCTION Prefabricated materials are transported to site by lorry. Unfabricated elements also transported.
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MATERIALS
Drill
When applying this principle to the design of buildings, this principle takes the form of deconstruction friendly design, or “designing for deconstruction”. Through designing for deconstruction, the materials used within the construction of a building can be reused upon deconstruction of that building. Thus introducing the materials into a circular economy. Whilst this is a process that can be carried out with most, if not all, buildings already. Through designing for deconstruction, the amount of salvageable material from a building can be greatly increased along with the quality of this material.
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The construction of the fragment will require a variety of different tools in order for construction workers to assemble the individual components to create the fragment.
ARTEFACTS
Within the &rchitecture atelier, we have a focus on making design more equitable for its users and the environment. One such way in which this is addressed within the atelier is through the utilisation of the priniciple of circular economies.
The system benefits the cost effectiveness of the scheme. It does so twofold, it allows for the easy replacement of a beam if necessary, along with an easy way of servicing or replacing elements such as glazing units. It also aids cost effectiveness through reducing the amount of time it takes to construct the fragment. Within a construction project payment of construction workers can be a large chunk of the budget for the projects construction. Therefore, benefitting the schemes cost effectiveness.
TOOLS
Sun path diagram of whole building.
&RCHITECTURE POSITION
I will aim to achieve this through prioritising materials that have a low embodied carbon value, or materials that have already seen use previouly. I will also aim to use off site construction where possible within the design.
Flat-bed lorry
TECHNOLOGIES PART C ALEX KIDDELL / 21438658 / &rchitecture
SUSTAINABLE LIFE CYCLE COST
Harness
FRAGMENT POSITION The overarching theme of the project is education through involvement. Within the rest of the scheme this manifests itself through providing users the opportunities to take a hands on approach with the craft. However, in order to foster a more lasting impact, the community as a whole must be allowed involvement with the scheme. Therefore, a gallery and community space has been included within the scheme. It is this community space that I will be focusing on throughout the course of Technologies Part C. The space consists of a glass dome inspired by the greenhouses of Heatherwick Studio’s Bombay Sapphire Distillery. This dome poses potential threats to the efficacy of the design with regards to thermal regulation and solar gain. Therefore, throughout the prototyping stage I will test methods in which to mitigate these issues.
In order for these members to be assembled rapidly, they utilise a collar and pin system. In the system the ‘male’ collar attached to the beam interfaces with a ‘female’ collar attached to the clt structure of the fragment. A large pin is then attached through this and tightened in order to inhibit movement. This system provides benefits such as removability which provides opportunities for the members to be replaced if need be.
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The material selection within the fragment reflects the environmental position and an aesthetic consideration whilst also considering the principles of circular economy. Where a material with a high embodied or embodied energy value has been utilised, the aim has been for the material to have been recycled before being used in the construction or recycled upon the building’s disassembly. This principle can chiefly be seen within the fragment through the use of brickwork. Brick as a material requires an intensive amount of energy in order to produce, largely due to the intense heats required to fire the material. However, bricks have the benefit of having a long lifespan. This means that they can be reused many times over as long as they are in a good enough condition for the application. The fragment contains large amounts of glazing. These have been designed as cassettes that can be taken out and replaced if need be for maintainence. This also allows them to be reused in other projects at the end of life of the building, providing they are still in good condition.
Utilising brick slips within the design of my fragment has allowed for the introduction of a circular material economy into my fragment. This is in keeping with &’s principles with regards to material usage. The use of brick slips does however, require a backing system that would most likely have to be made new for the building. However, if this system was made from a corrosion resistant metal then it could be reused upon the end of life of the building. Stages of brick slip production:
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CONSTRUCTION Materials constructed on site by construction workers utilising tools and machinery
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1 deconstruct prior brick wall. 2 Remove masonry from bricks 3 Sort bricks depending on
quality
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4 Use a saw to re-face bricks, removing any imperfections, cutting down to required width 5 Apply slips to backing panels, allowing them to be delivered to site and assembled
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MAINTAINANCE Elements of the fragment will wear out and need replacing over time. This will require construction workers.
OPERATION Fragment is used members 3 by of the public. Requires energy.