viii
Text Features
255
“Sustainability,”
“green building,” “going
green”—you have almost certainly heard these
terms. Surprisingly, many people do not have
a clear understanding of their meanings. Most
of us are aware that our current lifestyles have
had unintended negative consequences on the
environment. We are beginning to realize that
practices that harm the environment, along with
the depletion of natural resources, will have a
long-term effect on our ability to survive on this
planet. Sustainability is a positive response to
this problem. It involves people who are looking
for ways to reduce our “footprint,” or impact on
the environment, and help preserve the Earth
and its resources for future generations. See
. This chapter explains the concepts
of sustainability and green building as they
apply to residential architecture and construction.
Sustainability vs. Green
Building
Many people use the terms sustainability and
green building to mean exactly the same thing.
In fact, they are different. Strictly speaking, the
concept of sustainability includes meeting the
needs of humans for food, housing, and other
needs and wants, without using up resources
that cannot be replaced, and without affecting
the environment negatively. By extension, a
sustainable building is one that can be built,
used for a long time, and then reused or recycled,
all without using up resources and impacting
the environment negatively. Achieving true
Objectives
After completing this chapter, you will be able to:
„ Explain the difference between sustainabil-
ity and green building.
„ List seven major sustainable design concepts
and explain how they apply to residential
design.
„ Explain the concept of building information
modeling.
„ cation programs for
green building.
Key Terms
building information
modeling (BIM)
daylighting
dioxins
ecosystem
y ash
geothermal energy
gray water
green building
greenwashing
net zero energy
building
nonrenewable energy
source
persistent
bioaccumulative
toxicants (PBTs)
reclaiming
recycling
renewable energy
source
semi-volatile organic
compounds
(SVOCs)
solar energy
solar harvesting
sustainability
sustainable building
volatile organic
compounds (VOCs)
weatherization
xeriscaping
Designing for
Sustainability
Chapter 11
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Chapter 14 Floor Plans 335
Always verify the dimensions by adding all the
partial dimensions together. Their sum should
equal the overall dimension. For example, in
, 4′ + 11′ + 5′ equals 20′ , which
matches the overall 20′ dimension. One of the
most frequent errors in dimensioning is that
partial dimensions do not add up to equal the
total distance.
The overall length and width of major wall
segments should be lengths that are multiples
of 4′. Building material sizes are keyed to this
dimension and much unnecessary waste will
result if this rule is not applied.
Frequently, notes are required to present
information that cannot be represented by a
conventional dimension or symbol. These notes
the opening, rather than a centerline. In concrete
masonry unit construction, some drafters prefer
to dimension the window and door openings to
their centers rather than to the rough openings.
Interior walls are commonly dimensioned to
the faces of stud walls. Refer to .
One method is to give the dimensions to the
same side of the walls throughout the drawing.
ce practice, dimen-
sions may also be given to both sides of interior
walls. Another practice is to dimension interior
walls to their centers. In this case, a short line is
drawn down the middle of the wall at the termi-
nation point of the dimension to show that the
center is indicated.
Overall dimensions are necessary to provide
the total length and width of the structure.
almost certainly include examples of architectural
working drawings, including at least one floor plan.
Activity
After completing this chapter, use the Internet
to search for print portfolio and e-portfolio. Read
articles about each type of portfolio and locate
examples of portfolio work created by others.
Determine which type of portfolio you will create
and review the floor plans you have created.
Choose one that you consider to be your best
work so far and place it in your portfolio. If you
are building a print portfolio, print the drawing on
good-quality paper or vellum and place it in a
folder or envelope that is large enough to hold the
drawing without folding it. Some companies make
professional portfolio cases; you may want to
consider one of these at some point. For now, a
large envelope may meet your needs just as well.
If you are building an e-portfolio, obtain a
USB drive that you can dedicate entirely to your
portfolio. Do not use the drive for anything else.
Label it carefully so that you do not accidentally
overwrite or delete the contents. If you created
your floor plan drawing using CADD, copy the
drawing to the USB drive. If you created the
drawing using manual techniques, you can scan
the drawing using a scanner and save the resulting
file on your USB drive. In most cases, however,
CADD drawings work better with e-portfolios.
Employability
Creating a Portfolio
When you interview for an architectural
job, your interviewer will expect you to present
samples of your work to showcase your
qualifications. A portfolio is a selection of work
that you collect and organize to show your
qualifications, skills, and talents.
Some people prefer a print portfolio that
contains actual drawings and other items they
have created. Others choose to create an
e-portfolio, or digital portfolio. Both types have
advantages and disadvantages. For example,
an e-portfolio is much easier to transport than
a print portfolio—all you need is a USB drive.
However, a print portfolio may have more impact
because it is easier for the interviewer to see the
quality of the actual drawings you have made by
hand (in manual drafting) or the neatness and
appropriateness of the prints you have made
(in CADD).
Now is a good time to think about which type
of portfolio you want to create and to actually
start it. You do not need a lot of finished drawings
to begin your portfolio. In fact, a portfolio is a
“living” tool. In other words, you will constantly
add to it, and occasionally remove items from it.
What should you include in your portfolio?
In general, you should include items that show
your technical skills and level of accomplishment.
For example, for an architectural job, you would
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Chapter 2 Basic House Designs 39
The one-and-one-half-story design is versatile.
It can be adapted to various styles such as the
Saltbox, Tudor Revival, and Craftsman. The most
recognizable is the traditional Cape Cod. See
. It can be built as a small two-
n-
nished later, deferring
the costs of expansion until additional space is
needed.
The one-and-one-half story house has some
additional building costs that are not incurred
with a one-story house. Stairs, dormers, and
complicated roofs are the principal sources of
additional costs. Other disadvantages include
less mobility (stairs), low ceilings and limited
window space on the second level, and more
cult maintenance due to the added height.
Green Architecture
Container Housing
One efficient type of green housing is the
container house, which is made from a shipping
container, also known as an Intermodal Steel
Building Unit (ISBU). See . ISBU
construction is a good option for affordable
housing, emergency housing, and storage.
The trend started from a “grass roots”
movement to re-use salvaged or surplus
metal shipping containers from land and sea
transportation of goods. There is no longer a
surplus, however, and most container housing
today uses new material.
The containers are made of non-corrosive
Corten steel, a durable metal designed to
withstand the elements by making its own
protective layer of rust. Although each container
is structurally independent, the ISBUs fit together
to form “building blocks” for house construction.
They can be stacked and connected in various
geometric shapes and sizes to provide the
framework of the house. See Figure B.
Openings cut into the containers accommodate
doors, windows, and walls.
By leaving the metal exposed, the designer
can give the house an industrial look. For a more
traditional look, the exterior can be covered
with siding, masonry, or stucco. The interior can
be finished with the same materials used in
traditional construction.
A container house qualifies as “green”
because it is made of sustainable and reusable
materials. Converting a container into a house
uses less energy than recycling the steel. A
container has a life span of about 100 years.
In addition, a container house can be designed
and built for energy efficiency.
A
B
Figure A—These student apartments were made
from recycled steel shipping containers.
Figure B—Windows and doors are cut into the ISBUs,
often before they are set in place. In this design, two
sides have also been removed to increase the size of
the living area to span two or more containers.
Hansenn/Shutterstock.com
Martin Bilek/Shutterstock.com
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Employability.
Features addressing preparing for
employment and facing challenges
encountered on the job.
Green Architecture.
Features addressing green building
technology with a focus on materials
and construction methods used in
residential construction.
Objectives.
List providing an overview of the chapter
content. The objectives explain what
should be understood on completion of
the chapter.
Key Terms.
List of important terms introduced in
the chapter. The terms in this list are
displayed in bold italic type when they
first appear in the chapter text.
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.