tech work year 2

Hina Shah, Architectural Technology 2.1, House in Highgate Cemetery

HOUSE IN HIGHGATE CEMETERY

Located at 85 Swain’s lane, Highgate, London is a house that over looks the West Highgate Cemetery. The previous house at that location dated from the 1970’s, and was designed by noted architect John Winter. The resulting new house is located on the footprint of the existing house. Richard had bought the land in 1998. The house next door restricted the height to which Elliott could build, so he bought it and redeveloped that, too, before work could start on the main project. It allowed him to add an extra floor to the original, giving him a four-storey, four-bedroom house. The materials used for the building were picked very carefully to be sympathetic to the surroundings. The use of Granite however had more meaning behind it. During the build of the house, when exploring the surrounding a little bit, he came across a grand gravestone with his middle name. After so many years of researching and being unsuccessful, by coincidence he was united with his grandfather’s grave. The grand grave was granite. Even though the architects were Eldridge Smerin’s, the whole design and concept of the house was Richard Elliotts own. The intention was to produce a house with significantly lower energy usage than the original even with an in-creased floor area.

Client: Richard Elliott Contract value: Under £1 million Architect: Eldridge Smerin Date of completion: July 2008

Project Description

Materials, Structure & Construction

Structural System Basement Secondary Structure


• The primary structure of the basement is highlighted in red and green.

• The red represents the reinforced concrete.

-All of the external walls are concrete because the basement walls would have to withstand the greatest load as the dead and live loads are both carried down the building via the slabs and columns the lower levels and into the foundations.

-It is also all concrete because it is underground so windows are irrelevant.

• The green shows the vertical columns that extend to the top floor of the building.

-Columns are necessary as the heavy expanse of concrete slab forming the base plane needs support.

Structural System Basement Secondary Structure

• The photograph is an example of the secondary structure.

-a non load bearing wall in the basement. It is not crucial to the structure of the building but provides privacy.

Materials, Structure & Construction • The areas highlighted in blue are all part

of the secondary structure.

• The secondary structure in the basement comprises of non load bearing walls and glass walls.

Ground Floor Primary Structure

• The primary structure of the ground floor is again highlighted in red and green.

• The red represents the reinforced concrete.

• The green highlights the position of the columns.

-This floor shows the structural importance of the columns in this building, as there is no other primary structure supporting the reinforced concrete slab along a whole side of the building . The columns are needed to carry any dead or live load exerted on the area above down to the foundations to prevent structural failure.

Structural System Materials, Structure & Construction

Ground Floor Secondary Structure


• The areas highlighted in blue and green show the secondary structure of the ground floor.

• The blue again shows the internal non-load bearing walls and glass walls.

• The green shows the galvanised steel. The glazing is attached to the

galvanised steel in order to create the large glass panels on the building.

First Floor Primary Structure

• The photograph above illustrates the primary structure, with the reinforced concrete wall and also the column supporting the thick concrete slab.


• The primary structure of the first floor is highlighted in red.

• The red again represents the reinforced concrete walls .

• The green shows the concrete columns. -again the importance of the columns is

highlighted due to the lack of primary structure on two sides of the house.

First Floor Secondary Structure


• The blue, green and grey highlight the secondary structure on the first floor of the building.

• The blue represents the internal non-load bearing walls and the glass walls.

• The green highlights the galvanized steel for the glazing.

• The grey illustrates the steel balcony support.

-The steel support allows the balcony to be cantilevered and able to support the necessary load to stay in structural equilibrium.

Second Floor Primary Structure


• The primary structure on the second floor is highlighted in red and green again.

-The primary structure on this floor is extremely similar to that on the first floor.

• The red shows the reinforced concrete

walls. -on this floor there is even less

reinforced concrete where the terrace wraps around another side of the building.

-this is possible because there is less dead load applied to the higher up floors. The walls of the second floor only carry the dead load of the roof.

• The green shows the columns.

Second Floor Secondary Structure

• The photograph above shows the galvanised steel and how the glazing slots into it.


• The secondary structure on the second floor is highlighted in blue, green and grey.

• The blue shows the internal non-load bearing walls and glass walls.

• The green illustrates the galvanized steel for the glazing.

• The grey illustrates the steel balcony supports.

• The section highlights the primary structure of the building.

• The red illustrates the reinforced concrete walls and slabs.

• The purple shows the large glass floor panels.


• The red arrows indicate the dead loads on the building.

• The loads are transferred to the foundations via the primary structure of the building.

• The load is transferred down the vertical columns and horizontally across the reinforced concrete slabs on each floor until the load reaches the numerous pile foundations under the ground floor and also under the basement.

Building Loads Materials, Structure & Construction

Building Loads Materials, Structure & Construction

• The blue arrows are an example of how the live loads applied to the building are distributed.

• This example of a live load is the load applied to the building due to human activity it in.

-the load is dispersed across the reinforced concrete slab and then down the concrete columns on each floor until the load reaches the foundations.

• Other examples of live loads

applied to the building such as wind or snow would be transferred down the primary structure in the same way.

Foundations: Piles

Foundations:

Sub Piles

Materials, Structure & Construction Axonometric to show structure

Foundations: Piles

Foundations:

Sub Piles

Primary Structure: Basement Slab


Foundations: Piles

Foundations:

Sub Piles


Primary Structure: Basement Column


Primary Structure: Ground Floor Slab

Foundations: Piles

Foundations:

Sub Piles





Foundations: Piles

Foundations:

Sub Piles



Primary Structure: Ground Floor Structure



Foundations: Piles

Foundations:

Sub Piles




Primary Structure: First Floor Slab



Foundations: Piles

Foundations:

Sub Piles





Primary Structure: First Floor Structure



Foundations: Piles

Foundations:

Sub Piles






Primary Structure: Second Floor Slab



Foundations: Piles

Foundations:

Sub Piles







Primary Structure: Second Floor Structure



Foundations: Piles

Foundations:

Sub Piles







Primary Structure: Roof Primary Structure:

Second Floor Structure


Secondary Structure: First Floor Secondary Structure

Secondary Structure: Second Floor Secondary

Structure

Secondary Structure: Ground Floor Secondary

Structure

Secondary Structure: Second Floor Secondary

Structure

Secondary Structure: Roof Secondary Structure



Cladding: Balcony Cladding

Cladding: Terrace Cladding Cladding:

Balcony Cladding

Cladding: Roof Cladding



Glazing: Window/Balcony

Glazing

Glazing: Window/Balcony

Glazing

Glazing: Window Glazing


Glazing: Window/Balcony Glazing

Glazing: Roof Glazing


Foundations: Piles

Foundations: Sub Piles




Primary Structure: Roof

Primary Structure: Second Floor

Structure





Foundations: Piles







Structure





Secondary Structure: Second Floor Secondary Structure


Secondary Structure: Ground Floor Secondary Structure


Foundations: Piles







Structure








Cladding: Terrace Cladding




Foundations: Piles







Structure








Cladding: Terrace Cladding




Glazing: Window/balcony Glazing



Glazing: Roof


Construction Sequence 1. Vacant Site


Construction Sequence 2. Piles driven into ground to provide retaining wall for basement and foundations for ground floor slab.


Construction Sequence 3. All piles in place to begin basement excavation.


Construction Sequence 4. Excavation of site to form basement area within piled zone.


Construction Sequence 5. Pad foundations laid for external fencing.


Construction Sequence 6. Reinforced concrete poured over reinforced mesh and formwork to form basement slab.


Construction Sequence 7. Basement structural elements constructed to support ground floor structure.


Construction Sequence 8. Reinforcement mesh and formwork put in place ready for ground floor slab to be poured.


Construction Sequence 9. Ground floor slab poured onto mesh reinforcement and left to cure.


Construction Sequence 10. Ground floor reinforced primary structure constructed to support the first floor


Construction Sequence 11. Reinforcement bars and formwork will have been laid out for the first floor slab to be poured into place and left to cure.


Construction Sequence 12. First floor primary structure formed and cast to support second floor slab


Construction Sequence 13. Second floor unit poured onto reinforcement mesh and left to cure.


Construction Sequence 14. Second floor primary structure formed and cast ready to support roof structure


Construction Sequence 15. Roof structure formed on poured in-situ complete with reinforcement bars


Construction Sequence 16. Secondary steel structure supporting external balconies and roof overhangs.


Construction Sequence 17. Cladding applied to steel structure.


Construction Sequence 18. Insulation and final structural screed applied to all internal areas to the required finished floor levels.


Construction Sequence 19. Glazing added to complete the water tight building envelope


Construction Sequence 20. Construction and external works complete.


Construction Sequence 1. Vacant Site 2. Piles driven into ground. 3. All piles in place. 4. Basement excavation.

5. Pad foundations laid.

6. R.C poured over formwork. 7. Basement walls/columns.

8. Reinforcement formwork 9. G.F slab poured. 10. G.F primary structure.

11. Reinforcement formwork laid for 1st floor.

12. 1st floor primary structure formed.

13. 2nd floor poured onto reinforcement mesh.

15. Roof structure poured.

14. 2nd floor primary structure formed.


Construction Sequence

16. Secondary steel structure. 17. Cladding applied. 18. Insulation applied. 19. Glazing added. 20. Construction complete


Detailed Design- Ground to floor junction


Concrete flooring

Materials, Structure & Construction Detailed Design- Ground to floor junction

Concrete flooring

Concrete slab


Under floor heating

Concrete flooring

Concrete slab


Concrete footing

Under floor heating

Concrete flooring

Concrete slab


Concrete footing

Rain screen cladding insulation

Under floor heating

Concrete flooring

Concrete slab


Concrete footing


Under floor heating

Precast concrete

Concrete flooring

Concrete slab


Stainless steel structural section

Concrete footing


Under floor heating

Precast concrete

Concrete flooring

Concrete slab


Plywood board


Concrete footing


Under floor heating

Precast concrete

Concrete flooring

Concrete slab



Plywood board


Concrete footing


Under floor heating

Precast concrete

Concrete flooring

Concrete slab


Concrete construction


Plywood board


Concrete footing


Under floor heating

Precast concrete

Concrete flooring

Concrete slab




Plywood board


Concrete footing


Under floor heating

Precast concrete

Concrete flooring

Concrete slab

Granite cladding


Materials, Structure & Construction Detailed Design- Window Glazing

25mm


25mm 27mm


25mm 27mm


Glazing channel

Detailed Design- Window Glazing

Glazing packer

25mm 27mm


Glazing channel

Aluminium system

Glazing packer

25mm 27mm


Glazing channel

Aluminium system

Glazing packer

Track end cover

25mm 27mm


Glazing channel

Aluminium system

Acrylic double glazing

Glazing packer

Track end cover

25mm 27mm

Glazing channel


Aluminium system


Brush seal

Glazing packer

Track end cover

25mm 27mm

Glazing channel


Aluminium system


Brush seal

Glazing packer

Aluminium system

Track end cover

25mm 27mm

Glazing channel


Detailed Design- Roof to Wall

Insulated sedum roof



Polished Zimbabwe granite























Steel Panels








Steel Panels






Plywood board



Steel Panels






Plywood board

Precast concrete



Steel Panels






Plywood board

Precast concrete

Concrete footing



Steel Panels






Plywood board

Precast concrete

Concrete footing

Rigid insulation



Steel Panels






Plywood board

Precast concrete

Contiguous piled wall

Concrete footing

Rigid insulation



Steel Panels






Plywood board

Precast concrete


Concrete footing

Cement screed

Rigid insulation



Steel Panels






Plywood board

Precast concrete


Concrete footing Concrete slabs

Cement screed

Rigid insulation



Steel Panels






Plywood board

Precast concrete


Concrete footing

Under floor heating

Concrete slabs

Cement screed

Rigid insulation



Steel Panels






Plywood board

Precast concrete


Concrete footing

Structural glass flooring

Under floor heating

Concrete slabs

Cement screed

Rigid insulation



Steel Panels






Plywood board

Precast concrete


Concrete footing

Structural glass flooring

Under floor heating

Concrete slabs

Cement screed

Rigid insulation


Advantages of Zimbabwe granite : Stores heat in during the day and releases it at night. Flooring: more durable. Denser and easy to clean.


Steel Panels

Fire Strategy Building regulations consider the following aspects of fire safety in the construction of buildings:


Materials, Structure & Construction 1) Means of escape That sufficient provisions are made in design of the building so that in the event of fire the occupants can escape to a place of safety by their own efforts. This includes incorporating a suitable fire alarm system to give early warning of fire to the occupants and users of a building.

Fire Strategy


1) Means of escape - Fire Exits - L.G Floor: Staircase available to gain access to G. Floor - G. Floor: Escape via main door/back doors.

Exit to Ground floor

Exit via main door

Exit via back doors

Fire Strategy

External Gate


1) Means of escape - Fire Exits - First Floor: Ground Floor accessible via staircase.

- Second Floor: Ground./First Floor accessible via stairs.

Fire Strategy

Materials, Structure & Construction 1) Means of escape - Max travel distances to protected corridors/fire exits

10M

4.5M

1.9M

4M

2.3M

4M

4.8M

Fire Strategy

External Gate

6.8M 6.9M

3.1M

3.4M

Materials, Structure & Construction Fire Strategy 1) Means of escape - Max travel distances to protected corridors/fire exits

8M

5.6M

4.5M

2.4M

2.4M

2M

1M

3M

2M

7.8M

4.9M

3M

6.9M

1M

1M

2.5M

2.8M

2.9M

4M 4M

3M

2.5M

1M

3M

2.9M

8M

7.5M

Materials, Structure & Construction 1) Means of escape - Fire doors regulations Fire Strategy Buildings are compartmentalised to delay the spread of fire from one area to another. The compartments are usually linked by doors to allow for passage of traffic around the building. Door sets have two important functions in a fire, when closed they form a barrier to fire spread and when open they provide a means of escape.

As of April 2007, on new builds all doors of habitual rooms leading to the staircase in 3 storey dwellings needed to be self closing fire doors. On extensions involving a 3rd floor they need to be replaced by actual fire doors. There must be fire doors on all habital rooms leading to the staircase, same as the new build regulations

Materials, Structure & Construction 1) Means of escape - Fire doors & Protected corridors: LOWER GROUND FLOOR Fire Strategy

Fire doors used to close off corridor - creates compartment zones for safe access to staircases/exits. Creates a barrier to fire/smoke whilst allowing passage throughout the building.

Materials, Structure & Construction 1) Means of escape - Fire doors & Protected corridors: GROUND FLOOR Fire Strategy

Fire doors used to close off corridor - creates compartment zones for safe access to staircases/exits. Creates a barrier to fire/smoke whilst allowing passage throughout the building.

Materials, Structure & Construction 1) Means of escape - Fire doors & Protected corridors: FIRST FLOOR Fire Strategy

Fire doors used to close off corridors - creates compartment zones for safe access to staircases/exits. Creates a barrier to fire/smoke whilst allowing passage throughout the building.


1) Means of escape - Fire doors & Protected corridors: SECOND FLOOR Fire Strategy

The KITCHEN is at more risk of fire - this zone must be as potentially closed off as possible to reduce risk of fire/smoke spreading.

Materials, Structure & Construction 2) Internal fire spread/3) External fire spread Fire Strategy

Concrete Construction: ◦ Concrete is not flammable and will not add fuel to a fire. Due to its low thermal conductivity most of its strength is retained in a

fire. ◦ Concrete has a high resistance to heat and can stop fire spreading if correctly constructed and sealed. ◦ Concrete can be used as a protective material in a fire and can be used to encase steel columns. ◦ Concrete can help to compartmentalise a fire. ◦ Concrete will not give off any smoke or toxic gases in a fire. ◦ Concrete is not affected by water used to extinguish a fire. ◦ The strength of concrete and its resistance to fire greatly reduces the risk of structural collapse in a building. ◦ Using concrete reduces vulnerability to fire and increased resistance limits the external spread of fire ◦ Concrete load bearing elements retain their integrity for a long time - safer for fire fighters to enter the building.Concrete will

not produce any dangerous molten material.

Materials, Structure & Construction 3) External fire spread

/

Fire Strategy




Materials, Structure & Construction Fire Strategy 3) External fire spread

Concrete primary structure




Materials, Structure & Construction 3) External fire spread Fire Strategy

Brick wall next to house - Masonry is very heat resistant, provides good fire protection and will not spread fire externally

Materials, Structure & Construction 4) Access and facilities for the fire service That the building (and the site layout & access roads) are designed in such a way as to aid the fire brigade fight fire and effect rescue of persons caught in a fire.

Fire Strategy

- Easy access to building and site from main road - Fire brigade can drive right up to the house in case of a fire.

Environmental Systems

Site - Sun The south facing side of house uses large panoramic glass windows which will optimise the amount of morning sunlight the house receives.


Site - Sun

The areas of the house facing more west of south (also using large amounts of glass) will benefit from the late afternoon sun


Site - Sun The more habitable rooms of the house (circulation rooms) - reception, open plan kitchen/living room, study - take advantage of the South/South West sun light & heat.


Site - Sun

Less sociable rooms (operational rooms) - bathrooms/ utilities/corridors are situated along the concrete walls which receive less sunlight & less thermal effects during the day.


Site - Sun Daily Sun path: Summer Solstice, June 21st - 6AM


As the sun rises, the concrete east elevation will absorb and hold its heat making the rooms internally situated along it warmer early in the morning and reduces the need for using a heating system. The operational rooms have smaller windows resulting in less heat loss. The concrete wall will not allow much light to enter the house however 6AM is not a particularly sociable or busy time during the day.

Site - Sun Daily Sun path: Summer Solstice, June 21st - 9AM


By 9AM more light is receive in the kitchen on the second floor - a time it will most likely see use.

Site - Sun Daily Sun path: Summer Solstice, June 21st - 12PM

12PM

3PM 11AM

1PM 2PM

10AM 4PM

5PM

8AM

7AM

9AM 6PM

7PM

6AM

5AM


12PM is also a time in which the kitchen may be used and due to the orientation of the house, the south facing glazing optimises the morning-afternoon sun.


12PM 3PM 11AM

1PM 2PM

10AM 4PM

5PM

8AM

7AM

9AM 6PM

7PM

6AM

5AM


More south-west parts of the house (also using large amounts of glazing) will maximise the afternoon sunlight. Circulation rooms such as the reception room, kitchen and study benefit from this as they receive a lot of natural lighting.

7PM


3PM

1PM 2PM

4PM

5PM

6PM

12PM 11AM

10AM

8AM

7AM

9AM

6AM

5AM

7PM


The west facing area of the house will receive a lot of natural lighting from the evening sun. Sociable areas in the house such as the kitchen, study, reception and living room will still receive much natural light due to the large glass panoramic windows. Due to its specific orientation, one of the houses main advantages is that from late morning to the evening it receives optimum natural light in its circulation rooms due to its large panoramic glazing.

Site - Sun Daily Sun path: Autumn Equinox, Sep 22nd - 9AM

12PM 3PM 11AM

1PM 2PM

10AM 4PM

5PM

8AM

7AM

9AM


At 9AM the kitchen still receives a large amount of natural light due to the large amount of glazing facing the south.

Site - Sun Daily Sun path: Autumn Equinox, Sep 22nd - 12PM

12PM

3PM 11AM

1PM 2PM

10AM 4PM

5PM

7AM

9AM

8AM


Due to the orientation of the house, the south facing glazing optimises the morning-afternoon sun.

Site - Sun Daily Sun path: Autumn Equinox, Sep 22nd - 3PM


12PM 3PM 11AM

1PM 2PM

10AM 4PM

5PM

7AM

9AM

8AM

More south-west parts of the house (also using large amounts of glazing) will maximise the afternoon sunlight. Circulation rooms benefit from this as they receive a lot of natural lighting.

Site - Sun Daily Sun path: Winter Solstice, 21st Dec - 9AM

12PM 11AM

1PM 2PM

10AM

8AM

9AM


As the suns position is lower in the winter, the south facing glazing allows as much natural light and heat as possible in the house.

Site - Sun Daily Sun path: Winter Solstice, 21st Dec - 12PM


12PM

11AM

1PM 2PM

10AM

8AM

9AM

The south/south-west facing glazing will continue to radiate as much natural light/heat into the circulation rooms during its most likely used period - morning to late afternoon.

Site - Sun Daily Sun path: Winter Solstice, 21st Dec - 3PM


12PM 11AM

1PM 2PM

10AM

8AM

9AM

3PM

The south/south-west facing glazing will continue to radiate as much natural light/heat into the circulation rooms during their most likely used period - morning to late afternoon.

Site - Prevailing winds

80 90+


46 52+



55 62+



55 62+ 89 99+



Site - Prevailing winds Prevailing wind direction: South West

Due to the specific orientation of the house, the prevailing wind direction is aimed towards the house at one of its an angle rather than a full on force against a single/entire wall.



Due to the specific orientation of the house, the prevailing wind direction is aimed towards the house at one of its an angle rather than a full on force against a single/entire wall.

More north facing parts of the house are mainly built from concrete - providing adequate protection from the force of the strong northerly wind which if strong enough could damage the south and west facing glass glazing. The cold wind is unable to effect the internal temperature of the building as concrete has low thermal conductivity.



Environmental Systems Air Flow over

the house.

Environmental Considerations

Programme Basement- Media Room

• The Media Room, also known as the Cinema Room has no natural lighting to create a dark environment suitable for viewing films. The room has suitable artificial lighting.

• The insulating properties of concrete provide good soundproofing, as well as keeping the room at a constant temperature.

• Under floor heating and air conditioning allows the user to adjust the room temperature easily, this is controlled by thermostat in the corner of the room


Environmental Considerations Programme Basement- Boiler Room • The Boiler Room (the plant room) is

artificially lit.

• It houses the boiler and the controls for the water based under-floor heating.

• Combi-boiler- A combi boiler is both a high-efficiency water heater and a central heating boiler, combined (hence the name) within one compact unit. Therefore, no separate hot water cylinder is required, offering space saving within the property.

• The Communications Room is also artificially lit.

• This room is the control centre for the air conditioning system, the sound system and the lighting throughout the house.

• Self controlled system.

Environmental Considerations Programme Basement-The Communications Room

Environmental Considerations Programme Ground Floor- Garage

• The garage is solely used for storage so maintaining a warm temperature here is not vital.

• The concrete, south facing wall absorbs heat and releases it slowly into the room. Comparing it to the north side of the house, this wall is much thinner, allowing heat to move through at a quicker rate.

• The garage has a fence going around it, this allows fresh air to flow through

• It has further artificial lighting, and an electronic folding garage door.

Environmental Considerations Programme Ground Floor- Bedroom One

• Full glass wall provides natural light and heat into the room. However in winter the cold would also be conducted through the window.

• There is artificial lighting as well as natural in this room

• The room is heated by under floor heating and cooled with air conditioning.

• Ventilation comes from back of room through the glazed door. This allows fresh air to travel through the room.

Environmental Considerations Programme Ground Floor- Bedroom Two

• Full glass wall provides natural light and heat into the room. However in winter the cold would also be conducted through the window. • There is artificial lighting in this room as well. • The room is heated by under floor heating and cooled with air conditioning. Like the rest of the rooms

• No natural lighting as room is only used for a sort time during the day

• Thick walls are for soundproofing, preventing washing machine noise reaching the bedrooms.

• Concrete absorbs and holds heat - less need for central heating system

Environmental Considerations Programme Ground Floor- Utility Room

Programme

Environmental Considerations First Floor- Reception Room

• Two full glass walls provides natural light and heat into the room.

• Being the reception room it would be used a lot therefore has artificial lighting

• The room is heated by under floor heating.

• Long strip air vent on south facing to allow cooling.

• Glass floor area, near stairs bringing natural light to lower floor.

Programme • Just like the other rooms this one has a full glass wall which provides natural light and heat into the room.

• There is artificial lighting in the bedroom

• The room is heated by under floor heating and cooled with air conditioning.

•The room has sliding panels in the wardrobes to change layout, alter the natural light and heat radiated through the room.

• The Bathroom has a glass ceiling area above shower, which is connected to bedroom four. This can be screened off for privacy. The glass allows natural light from roof light in bedroom four to enter into the bathroom.

Environmental Considerations First Floor- Bedroom Two & Bathroom

• Full glass south facing wall, for heat and natural light.

• Air strip vents on glass wall for cooling.

•Large opening sky light for further natural lighting and ventilation

• Glass panel on floor, near stairs to allow light and view to floor below.

• The sliding glass doors between the terrace and the dinning room also allows natural ventilation

Environmental Considerations Programme Second Floor- Kitchen/ Dinning Room

• Two glass walls for lots of natural light.

• Room heated with under floor heating.

• Ventilated with opening of door between study and bedroom four.

•For artificial cooling there is also an air conditioner present in the Study

Environmental Considerations Programme Second Floor- Study

• Natural light from large glass wall, and sky light.

• Glass panel on floor above bedroom 3’s bathroom, to filter light down.

• Ventilated further from opening of door leading towards the adjacent study.

• Thick wall between kitchen wall and bedroom for sound insulation.

• Electric blinds to control amount of sunlight coming into the room

Environmental Considerations Programme Second Floor- Bedroom Four


• Materials with a high thermal mass are capable of slowly accumulating, and slowly releasing, thermal energy. High thermal mass is a consequence of a high density, high specific heat capacity and a relatively low thermal conductivity - materials such as stone, concrete etc. Utilizing the thermal mass of building materials is known as fabric energy storage. • Fabric energy storage can be employed to regulate temperatures within building, minimizing the need for energy-consuming systems such as air conditioning. Heat is absorbed from the sun, as well as incidental gains from people. Internally exposed concrete will absorb these gains, until it is balanced with the internal temperature, and will then release the energy when the internal temperature drops- creating a lag and a reduction in peak temperature. The amount of energy it can store, and the period of this lag time, is proportional to its mass and its exposure. •This house uses the above concept. The use of concrete throughout the whole house, keeps the costs down for the artificial heating and cooling. This natural way of keeping the house warm during winter and cool during summer, is also known as the cathedral effect.

Environmental Systems Heating, Cooling & Ventilation

Heating, Cooling & Ventilation Underfloor heating •Piped water under floor heating

relies on a constant feed of pumped warm water through the sub floor substrate; a 65-75 mm cement screed.

•Warm water is circulated from the boiler to the electrically operated zone valves (hot water, under floor heating) with a conventional heating system with a combi boiler.

•When the room thermostat calls for heat the water passes through the zone valve and then onto the manifold where the water is circulated through continuous lengths of pipe embedded in the floor, that run at a lower water temperature (typically •50°C).

•In the case of a cement screed sub floor, this thermal mass becomes a background heat store. During the night the thermostat settings can be adjusted to a lower level, keeping the cement screed at a temp 3-4 degrees lower than the average day temperature.


•This top floor had sliding glass doors which allowed natural ventilation to take place. There was also another air vent located next to the study. The roof had skylights which opened up to allow air in. The bedroom had sliding glass doors to allow further natural ventilation.

•Most of the natural ventilation comes from 2 air vent strips, spanning floor to ceiling, located at opposite ends of the glass walls. The bedroom has patio doors to the balcony, which opened to allow fresh air through.

•The staircase plays a big part in the ventilation of the house. The design of the staircase is very open plan and therefore it allows the air to be circulated around the building.

•The first floor has natural and artificial ventilation. The natural ventilation comes from the front door, and the air is circulated from the upper floors through the open plan staircase.

•The basement has no natural ventilation strategy. The area is artificially ventilated. There are climate control thermostats in every room.

Heating, Cooling & Ventilation







Environmental Systems Ventilation



















Boiler room Electricity Hot Water Cold Water

•The boiler room is situated in the bottom right hand corner of the building

•This room distributes the services to the rest of the building

•The media room requires a lot of electricity as it has a wall cinema screen and lights extending the full length of the side wall. It also has a sink so requires hot and cold water

•The bathroom next to the boiler needs hot and cold water coming to it and electricity for the lighting

•The communications room is where all the music and lighting is controlled from. This room requires a good supply of electricity for all the monitors to work.

•The corridor as well as all the other rooms has a thermostat, this needs electricity to work

•The staircase has a tube of light in the corner which would need electricity

Environmental Systems Services























































Electricity Hot Water Cold Water

•The utility room and the bathroom are right on top of the boiler room therefore have good supply of electricity and water.

•The bedrooms have some artificial lighting therefore need electricity.

•The bathrooms need hot and cold water.

•Electricity is needed in the garage as the garage doors are electric and for the lighting.

•The windows have electric blinds

•There is a wine storage built in the wall which lights up at night










































•The reception room has plug sockets in the ground near the speakers

•The room is artificially lit as well therefore needs a good supply of electricity

•The bathroom needs hot and cold water as well as electricity for the lighting

•The bedroom has a lot of lighting

•There are some plug sockets on the wall near the bathroom, these would be to use in the corridor.
































•The kitchen has a good supply of water and electricity

•There are plug sockets under the floor in the dining room

•The study requires a supply of electricity for electronic devices to be charged etc

•There is air conditioner in the study

•The bedroom has lighting running across a wall

•The bathroom has a good supply of hot, cold water and electricity










































•The media room allows no natural light into it.

•All lights in the house are energy saving, either bulbs or fluorescent strips.

•In this room there are a mix of the two. On the south wall there is a long fluorescent strip light covered by a long sheet of metal to disperse the light and dimly light the room.

•In addition to this there is a long strip light and six spotlights in the ceiling.

Environmental Systems Lighting- Media Room

•This is another artificially lit room.

•It has three panels of four fluorescent strip lights and also four spotlights on the south side of the room in the ceiling, making it the brightest room in the entire house.

•The two images in the bottom right corner show the types of energy saving bulbs used through the entire house.

Environmental Systems Lighting- Boiler Room

•This room is another artificially lit room with no natural light.

•The toilet is the darkest room in the house, with the only light coming from the strip lighting coming from underneath the mirrored cupboards on the wall.

Environmental Systems Lighting-Toilet

•The staircase covers a large area of the house.

•It has a large window spanning between the ground and second floor allow natural light to flood the stairs.

•Also as the house is quite open plan the light from the south glass wall allows light into the staircase.

•In addition to the natural light, there are coloured fluorescent strips in the corners of each stair case on each floor.

Environmental Systems Lighting- Staircase

•The garage has natural light entering through the westerly glass wall.

•As this room is used for storage there is not a lot of artificial lighting needed.

•There are two large outside spotlights in use at either end on the garage.

•The sliding door located at the front of the garage also provides natural light when opened.

Lighting- Garage


•The back wall of the bedroom is made of glass, allowing a lot of natural light into the bedroom.

•Other than this the room is artificially lit using a fluorescent strip light, covered with a metal strip to disperse the light on the north wall.

•There are also four additional spotlights.

Lighting- Bedroom One


•As the glass wall on this bedroom is south west facing, this room is the brightest on this floor when it comes to natural light.

•The rest of the bedroom has strip lighting in a metal case on the north wall and six spotlights in the ceiling.

Lighting- Bedroom Two


•The entrance receives natural light from the floors above. This happens as the floors above the entrance are made from glass so the light that floods the reception area and kitchen through the glass walls also penetrates down into the entrance area.

•The artificial lighting comes from a single strip light located in the ceiling closer to the stairs area.

Lighting- Entrance


•The utility room, bathroom and toilet/shower room areas in this floor have no natural light entering them.

•The toilet/shower room has fluorescent strip lighting under the cupboards and two additional spotlights in the ceiling.

•The Utility room uses two panels of four fluorescent strip lighting.

•The bathroom has fluorescent strip lighting under the cupboards and three additional spotlights.

Lighting- Bathrooms & Utility Room


• The natural light in this room comes from the two large glass walls, south and west of the room.

• There is also additional natural light due to part of the ceiling being glass so the light from above can travel down.

• Artificially, the room has long fluorescent strip lights spanning around all the edges. Also there is another strip light behind a metal casing on the west concrete wall.

Lighting- Reception Room


•The natural light in this room comes from a panel of glass located about the bath tub from the top floor bedroom.

•There are also 2 fluorescent strips underneath the cupboards and a spotlight in the ceiling.

Lighting- Bathroom


• In the bedroom the natural light comes from the large south/west facing glass wall and a long thin sky light located at the north of the building.

• Artificially, there are long fluorescent strips, hidden behind strips of metal, dispersing the light in two directions.

• In the bathroom there is a central sky light to allow for natural light and also artificial lighting underneath the cupboards.

Lighting- Bedroom & Bathroom


• This room allows a lot of natural light. The majority of this light comes from the south and south/west glass walls.

• In addition to this on this floor there is a large sky light, that opens up to add for further ventilation.

• For the evenings or darker seasons where there will be hardly/ no natural light entering this room, there are fluorescent strips in the ceiling, surrounding the sky light.

• There are 3 spotlights nearer to the glass walls and external lighting on the balcony.

Lighting- Kitchen & Dining Room


• This room is made entirely from glass, therefore it is the brightest room in the house due to natural light.

• Artificially, there are two large spotlights at either end of the study.

• All the furniture in this room is made from glass to prevent light being stopped from entering the study as there is hardly any artificial light.

• A reason for the study being made from glass is to allow for light to travel through it and into the bedroom.

Lighting- Study



Double-glazed windows use the thermal and acoustic properties of a gas or vacuum - meaning that the air in the middle of the window, rather than the glass itself keeps noise out and heat in.

- Keeps the heat in - Saves money on heating bills.

- Keep the noise out - Added insulation will keep public noise out.

- Reduce your carbon footprint - If less heat is escaping a home, then less energy is required to keep it warm which in turn means fewer CO2 emissions.

- Maintenance free - A lot of the UPVC and double glazing windows are guaranteed and take little maintenance or up-keep. - Tougher than single glazing - Increase safety for inhabitants & longer lifespan.

South facing side of the house - large glass panels of acrylic double glazed glass.

Energy conservation/generation/emissions - Acrylic Glazing

Energy conservation/generation/emissions - Solar gain

Solar heat is a free energy source, but rarely used to its full potential. This house makes the most use of the south sun by using large amounts of glazing. The amount of heat gain by the south facing window can be calculate with the following formula:

The acceptable level of solar heat gain is 25w per m2. In this case, the 64.17m2 floor area will receive 112.4w per m2 and therefore requires a cooling strategy.

48.97 m2

15.2 m2 Area of Window (m2 ) x 868

3.4 28.25m2 x 868

3.4

Heat Gain (w ) Area of Room (m2 )

7212 w 64.17m2 = 112.4w per m2

= 7,212 watts

Energy conservation/generation/emissions - Cooling Strategies

Methods of cooling used in the house are: 1. Natural Ventilation

Natural ventilation is a key passive strategy of the house to provide the fresh air requirements to occupied spaces in the building for free. Large patio doors, a retractable glass roof panel and openings in the building allow natural ventilation and fresh air as opposed to using an air con system in every room - reducing the amount of energy usage, harmful effects caused by using energy and costs.

Energy conservation/generation/emissions - Cooling Strategies Methods of cooling used in the house are: 2. Mechanical cooling

An air condition system is used in the second floor study as this room will have a large solar heat gain due to the south/south west glazing panels. Solar heat will be able to enter the room through the double glazing but wont be able to escape and will be reflected back into the room. This means the study will be the warmest room in the house - particularly in summer and will require mechanical ventilation which will cost energy/money and is therefore not sustainable.

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Energy conservation/generation/emissions - Cooling Strategies Methods of cooling used in the house are: 3. Retractable Blinds

Using blinds/shutters is a passive solar strategy as they convert sunlight into usable heat/cause air-movement for ventilating with little use of other energy sources. As well as providing shade from the sun light in the summer they will collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winer and reject solar heat in the summer.

Energy conservation/generation/emissions - Heating System

A combi-boiler is used in the house and provides heating/hot water directly from the boiler - helping maintain a room temperature that is conducive for living comfortably. They are fueled by gas and do not need an extra connection. Different heat output can be used for different purposes in the house and can be self controlled. They take up little space. They do not need an extra pump to increase water pressure and work well with the normal pressure from ordinary household taps.

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Energy conservation/generation/emissions - Heating Systems

The under floor heating is a controlled - heating can be tailored to the inhabitants requirements/the rooms or zones used at specific times during the day. Controlled heating means there is no need to heat all rooms at the same time. A standard centralized thermostat would heat all floors. However an under floor system allows the inhabitant to use controls to decide which room to heat and at what time. This reduces the amount of energy and money used heating areas of the building that are not in use. Water will be re-used over and over again. There are thermostats to control the heating located in almost every room of the house - making user control of the system easy for their comfort.

Energy conservation/generation/emissions - AV system

An unsustainable feature of the house is the complex AV entertainment system which uses a lot of energy and is set up throughout the whole house. Whilst it uses a lot of energy to run, it is an element of the house that increases the inhabitants comfort.

Bio Climate - Sedum Green Roof

Concrete Roof


Protection Board

Concrete Roof


Waterproof Membrane Protection Board

Concrete Roof


Insulation Waterproof Membrane Protection Board

Concrete Roof


Drainage/Water Storage


Concrete Roof


Water Filtering Drainage/Water Storage


Concrete Roof


Growing Medium



Concrete Roof


Planting

Growing Medium



Concrete Roof


Extensive Green Roofs: Improve the air quality. Improve the run-off of rain and absorbs the water that falls on them. Absorb heat. Absorb Carbon Dioxide. Replace the ecology of the site - provide habitat, food and shelter for species. Protect the roof/ and insulate it : the vegetated layer protects the roof, provides insulation to retain the buildings heat in the winter.

Sedum Green Roofs are a very sustainable feature of the building. The house uses an extensive green roof as opposed to an intensive green roof. Extensive green roofs generally have a 50-75mm depth of soil and not intended for human use. Intensive green roofs have 200mm soil depth and are intended for human recreation but are much more expensive than extensive roofs.

Planting

Growing Medium



Concrete Roof


Insulation


Concrete Walls

Proprietary Fixing Rail

Granite Cladding

Materials

• Insulating the structural wall externally has the following benefits: • Thermal bridging is reduced because there are no interruptions caused by floor slabs.

• Temperature fluctuations are minimized due the achievement of higher effective R-values (lower U-Values), creating a

much more efficient wall assembly and dramatically reducing the loads on HVAC systems.

• Interstitial condensation is prevented as vapour pressure and wall temperature restricts condensation to the ventilated cavity.

• Heat from the sun is dissipated so that the temperature is dispersed in the cavity and ventilated through openings.


Concrete Walls


Granite Cladding

Rainscreen cladding insulation is a form of double-wall construction that uses an outer layer to keep out the rain and an inner layer to provide thermal insulation, prevent excessive air leakage and carry wind loading. The outer layer breathes like a skin while the inner layer reduces energy losses. The structural frame of the building is kept dry -water never reaches it or the thermal insulation. During extreme weather, a minimal amount of water may penetrate the outer cladding. This, however, will run as droplets down the back of the cladding sheets and be dissipated through evaporation and drainage.

Insulation


Concrete Walls


Granite Cladding

Materials

Granite is a sustainable material as it is a good thermal conductor and therefore allows passive heating to the operational rooms of the house, in addition to the concrete primary structure and rain screen cladding. However the granite for this house was imported from Zimbabwe which is very unsustainable due to the costs and resources used to transport the materials.

Concrete Walls

Granite Cladding



Materials Insulation

Concrete is sustainable in terms of its large thermal mass. which is most commonly used for passive heating, though it can also be used to absorb and dissipate heat for passive cooling.

A sustainable element of the house is that concrete walls are used for the operational room which are used less - providing passive heating and reducing the need for underfloor heating to those rooms saving energy and money.

Heat

As well as utilising insulation and granite tiles, the primary concrete structure is sustainable in terms of its large thermal mass. which is most commonly used for passive heating, though it can also be used to absorb and dissipate heat for passive cooling. Concrete's long lifespan and low maintenance increase its cost benefits. Concrete is not as likely to rot, corrode, or decay as other building materials. Concrete can be moulded or cast into almost any required form and shape - a good material for specific building designs and tailoring to a users exact requirements/needs

Heat is absorbed through the external concrete wall.

External Concrete Wall

Heat

Concrete its not as good a heat conductor as steel but slowly the heat will transfer through the structure.



Heat Concrete will store the absorbed heat and slowly release it in the building internally during the day.

During the night ventilation with external cold air cools down the concrete for a new cycle.



Thermally and due to its lifespan concrete is a sustainable material, however it can also be considered unsustainable in its use during the construction process:

- The production of concrete results in carbon dioxide emissions

- Reinforced concrete is an expensive material to work with, especially if it is poured in situ.

- There can be a lot of industrial waste during the construction process of the house - a lot of concrete will not be used immediately, harden and be left unused. This process uses and wastes a lot of water.

- Pollution of water can also occur during the process – from extracting the concrete to the application of it, especially if this water becomes ground water or reaches the river systems, the natural environment can become polluted.

- Concrete waste is neither biodegradable or environmentally friendly - generally it is smashed up, removed in chunks and cannot be reused.

LIFESPAN AND POTENTIAL FOR RECYCLING

- Concrete has high levels of Embodied Energy - Releases too much carbon during the initial stages of build - Long life span - Can’t get back steel - Concrete can’t be recycled after


Concrete

Concrete - Concrete has high levels of Embodied Energy - Releases too much carbon during the initial stages of build - Long life span - Can’t get back steel - Concrete can’t be recycled after

- Glass windows have long lifespan - Energy to recycle glass may be greater than energy to create new glass

Glass


The building is said to have a life span of 100 years, due to the long life of concrete. Once the building has reached its end, the potential to recycle is minimal.

Concrete - Concrete has high levels of Embodied Energy - Releases too much carbon during the initial stages of build - Long life span - Can’t get back steel - Concrete can’t be recycled after

- Glass windows have long lifespan - Energy to recycle glass may be greater than energy to create new glass

Glass


Conclusion

Positive

In conclusion, the House in Highgate cemetery has several positive features as well as negative elements. Many features of the house have both positive and negative impacts on the house itself, its inhabitants and the environment.

Context - Despite being an extremely modern house located in a Victorian cemetery, the house keeps in context to an extent - the Granite cladding is the same material as many of the graves situated in the cemetery.

Views - Through the large glazed panels, the house has spectacular panoramic views overlooking the leafy, atmospheric cemetery.

Atmosphere - Despite being located in a cemetery, the house has in no way a scary or unpleasant atmosphere. It is therefore built to a good living standard.

Conclusion

Positive/Negative Materials - Materials such as concrete and granite tiling are sustainable and beneficial to the house in one sense because they have thermal properties that will increase internal insulation and help reduce the use of heating in the house - saving energy and money. They do have drawbacks however. Concrete has a negative impact on the environment during construction - when being extracted and laid it uses and wastes a lot of water, gives off carbon emissions when being produced, must be used straight away on site or cannot be re-used and is expensive to pour in-situ. The granite tiles are imported from Zimbabwe which will cost a lot of money and energy to transport them overseas.

Personalised elements - Whilst it is sustainable and energy saving as well as tailored to the users comfort/requirements, the timed/controlled heating/blinds may not fulfil the needs of another person/group of people. It is a personal aspect of the house. If someone new was to move in, they would have to reconfigure the system to suit their needs. The houses’ unique and custom minor details are beneficial to the ones who designed them but may not suit another person if they moved in the house.

Specific orientation/layout of the house - An effective method of catching the desired south sun by using large panoramic windows and positioning the circulation rooms to benefit from this, as well as protecting the house from the strong north wind and positioning operational rooms along the concrete facade. However, it will be difficult to ever change the layout of the house now. They house has been built almost too specifically and leaves little room for changing or renovating the layout e.g. if a new inhabitant were to move in.


Conclusion


Negative

Too Specifically Tailored - As the house is built very specifically and tailored to one individual, it could reduce its selling potential.The design leaves very little scope for adaptability and this could discourage potential buyers

Limited Target Market - Due the houses’ large amount of glass, contemporary furniture, sharp angles and hard flooring, it is not suitable for families with small children. Privacy is an issue as glass floor slabs are positioned to look down into a bathroomThis further limits the target market for the house.

Ventilation - As there is a large amount of glazing, the study situated along the south west part of the house, will receive the most thermal heat. The room relies on an air conditioning system and has no openings or windows to make the most of the south-west prevailing wind.

Reliant on Natural Light - Many rooms of the house have little amounts of light in them as they are strips panelled along the walls - whilst this can be positive as it saves energy - it also mean that the house could be considered a seasonal house as it relies heavily on the sun and natural lighting which can be unpredictable especially in the winter.

Conclusion

Energy conservation/generation/emissions - Solar gain

Solar heat is a free energy source, but rarely used to its full potential. This house makes the most use of the south sun by using large amounts of glazing. The amount of heat gain by the south facing window can be calculate with the following formula:

The acceptable level of solar heat gain is 25w per m2. In this case, the 64.17m2 floor area will receive 112.4w per m2 and therefore requires a cooling strategy.

48.97 m2

15.2 m2 Area of Window (m2 ) x 868

3.4 28.25m2 x 868

3.4

Heat Gain (w ) Area of Room (m2 )

7212 w 64.17m2 = 112.4w per m2

= 7,212 watts


Critical Changes Rather than relying on an air conditioning system to ventilate the Second floor study, a passive cooling technique such as a wind tower could have be incorporated as it is an effective method of channelling fresh air into the building without relying on any form of energy unless automated shutters are used to control the vent opening size

Fresh air in Heated air out

Sloped roof to help catch wind

Shutters/Vents

Ceiling diffuser

Ceiling

Positioned to catch the prevailing south west wind, location above the study/largely glazed are of the house.

SW prevailing wind

Conclusion

A section through the second floor study showing where a wind tower could be place, what it would look like and how it would work.


Critical Changes Another method of passive ventilation that would work extremely well in the south west facing part of the house would be a vertical pivot window. It would work well because air scoops when the wind directions is parallel to the wall and give the user a good degree of control either mechanically or manual closing the opening.

SW prevailing wind

Conclusion

In conclusion we think Richard designed the house thinking like a photographer.

He was only concerned about the look of the house, not its functionality.

The architects at this point should have stepped in and done their job properly

References Book resources: • Michael Stacey, published (2011), Concrete a studio design guide • Stephen Emmit & Christopher Gorse, published (2006), Barry’s Advanced construction Of Buildings • Tim Pullen, published (2008), Simply Sustainable homes Electronic resources: • www.85swainslane.co.uk , accessed 10/11/2011 • http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Environment_and_planning/Building_control/Building_regulations.html ,

accessed 28/11/2011 • http://www.concretethinker.com/solutions/Thermal-Mass.aspx • http://www.construction-magazine.co.uk/Economical_and_sustainable_underfloor_heating-a-153.html , accessed 15/11/2011 • http://www.cse.org.uk/pages/skills/advice/energy-advice-leaflets/central-heating-controls, accessed 29/11/2011 • http://www.dezeen.com/2008/10/20/house-by-eldridge-smerin/ , accessed 20/11/2011 • http://www.e-architect.co.uk/london/highgate_house.html , accessed 20/11/2011 • http://www.eldridgesmerin.com/downloads/pdfs/projpdfs/house_highgate_cem.pdf , accessed 15/11/2011 • http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/ • http://greengarage.ca/greenroofs/features.php , accessed 20/11/2011 • http://www.kingspan.com/ , accessed 15/11/2011 • http://www.level.org.nz/passive-design/thermal-mass/thermal-mass-design/ , accessed 19/11/2011 • http://www.single-ply-roofing.co/sedum-roofing.php , accessed 20/11/2011 • http://www.sustainablebuild.co.uk/concrete-environmentally-friendly.html , accessed 19/11/2011 • http://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/homeowner/boilers/what-is-a-combi-boiler, accessed 29/11/2011

http://www.85swainslane.co.uk

http://www.firecode.org.uk/

http://www.single-ply-roofing.co/sedum-roofing.php

http://www.level.org.nz/passive-design/thermal-mass/thermal-mass-design/

http://www.cse.org.uk/pages/skills/advice/energy-advice-leaflets/central-heating-controls

http://www.dezeen.com/2008/10/20/house-by-eldridge-smerin/

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/london/highgate_house.html

http://www.eldridgesmerin.com/downloads/pdfs/projpdfs/house_highgate_cem.pdf

http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/

http://www.single-ply-roofing.co/sedum-roofing.php



http://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/homeowner/boilers/what-is-a-combi-boiler

http://www.cse.org.uk/pages/skills/advice/energy-advice-leaflets/central-heating-controls

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Environment_and_planning/Building_control/Building_regulations.htm

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