Asian Architecture [ ARC 2213/2234 ] PROJECT 1 : CASE STUDY
The application of the building material selection in order to achieve low embodied energy and effects on poetic spaces in the Deck House, Janda Baik
NAME:
LIEW CHUNG HOOI ( GABRIEL )
STUDENT ID:
0314126
LECTURER:
MR KOH JING HAO
SUBMISSION DATE:
24th November 2015
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Table of Contents
Page
ABSTRACT
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INTRODUCTION
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1.0 Low Embodied Energy 2.0 Material Used In The Deck House 3.0 Achieving Sustainability Through Low
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Embodied Energy Materials In The Deck House
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3.1
Timber
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3.2
Concrete
3.3
Glass
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4.0 Poetic Space Materials of The Deck House
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4.1
Timber
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4.2
Steel
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4.3
Glass
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5.0 Conclusion 6.0 References
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ABSTRACT The main purpose of this research paper is to investigate the application of the building material selection in order to achieve low embodied energy and effects on poetic spaces in the Deck House, Janda Baik. In the modern world today, there are wide range of materials therefore is no definite way to determine which material is more superior to others. In terms of material, each and every material has its own unique feature and properties. These feature and properties cannot be identical or to be found in other materials. Meanwhile on the other hand, the materials for poetic of space will be analyzed and studied to show how the materials affecting the spatial surroundings. Concerning to promote a sustainable environment is an important role for the manufacture process, transportation, usage and maintenance of the materials. Moreover, to have a more accurate research, different analysis methods were used to complete this research paper, such as case studies, online resources as well as books referencing. For this research paper, the proposed building for this research paper is the Deck House located in Janda Baik, Pahang. With the research, it will be able to achieve more accurate and understanding towards selection of buildings as how they respond towards the site. The Deck House is being placed at a steep hill, contextually surrounded by trees. While the material selection of the interior are mainly made of timber and clear glass walls. The main focuses for the research paper would be base on three main type of materials which can be found in every part of the building, which are timber, glass and steel. Material selection is important, it is because they’re the key to respond to the site and reacts differently. In overall, the spatial experiences is linked to the material selection, therefore consideration of material selection will affect sustainability in buildings.
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INTRODUCTION
Figure 1.1 : The Deck House, Janda Baik ( Photograph by ; Kenneth Lim 2012 )
The Deck House located in Janda Baik, it’s a 2-1/2 storey house at the foothill of Genting Highlands. It’s designed by Ar. Choo Gim Wah. This house consists of 3 bedrooms, 3 baths with approximately 370m2.
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The case study will highlight how the selection of building materials to achieve of low embodied energy and also effects the poetic of spaces. Building materials selection plays the main role of sustaining the environment surroundings, while it all affects the way of users experiences inside the space. As mention, the material selection also allows the building to achieve low embodied, low embodied energy is the total energy required for the extraction, processing, manufacture and delivery of building materials to the building site. Hence, typical renewable materials are selected to be part of the process for constructing the deck house in Janda Baik. By investigating further, there’s several research question being responded according to the case study.
1. What is low embodied energy?
2. What are the materials used in the deck house in order to achieve low embodied energy?
3. How did The Deck House achieve sustainability through applying low embodied energy?
4. What are the factors which will determine the poetic space?
5. How the building material selections does influences the poetic space?
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1.0 LOW EMBODIED ENERGY The low embodied energy is describe as the energy consumed in providing materials for building construction. It includes the extractions and processing of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation and product delivery processes. Low embodied energy is usually a source from fossil fuels and it can be a significant component of the total life cycle energy consumption of a material. Generally, the more highly processed a material is the higher its embodied energy. Low embodied energy of a building can be lowered by using locally available, natural materials such as renewable materials that are both durable and recyclable, with a design that incorporates components that are easy to recover and reuse, within a structure that is easy to dissemble and dismantle. Buildings should be designed with materials selected to balance the low embodied energy with decisions such as the climate, availability of materials and transportation costs. Lightweight building materials often have lower embodied energy than heavyweight materials, but in some situations, lightweight construction may result in higher energy use. For example, where heating or cooling requirements are high, this may raise the overall energy use of the building.
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2.0 TYPES OF MATERIALS USED IN THE DECK HOUSE
Figure 2.1 : Interior & Exterior of The Deck House, Janda Baik (Photograph by ; Kenneth Lim 2012)
There are three main materials that The Deck House have. They’re concrete, timber & glass. These 3 main materials that Ar.Chong Ghim Wah have applied had made the building achieve low embodied energy. As the concrete has a low embodied energy value of 1.11MJ/kg which is a very sustainable material in lowering the impact oround the environment. Timber was the second material that Ar.Chong have use inside The Deck House. Hence, timber has an embodied energy value of 8.5MJ/kg which is also another sustainable material chosen for achieving low embodied energy. As shown in the figure 2.1, the timber is used for indoor flooring and as well as outdoor. ASIAN ARCHITECTURE [ ARC 60403 / ARC2234 ]
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Lastly, glass is one of the last main materials that being used around The Deck House. The glass was use main as glass frame panel which surround the house. Even though the glass has 12.7 MJ/kg ,the highest embodied energy is compared to the other 3 materials, but then it’s also a better choice compared to aluminum & steel which both have 155MJ/kg & 56.7 MJ/kg.
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3.0 ACHIEVING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH LOW EMBODIED ENERGY MATERIALS IN THE DECK HOUSE By achieving sustainability in low embodied energy in the deck house is by looking at several factors which will be affecting the building. Those factors would be transportation, types of materials and resources depletion, and recycling.
3.1 TIMBER
Figure 3.1 ; shows the timber flooring usage for The Deck House, Janda Baik (Photograph by ; Kenneth Lim 2012)
As mention earlier, timber was use as one of the main material as the low embodied energy around The Deck House. Timber is widely known and available as local material in Malaysia as compared to other materials. Simply because it doesn’t need much transportation hence it reduces the transport to site. It’s known also as a lightweight
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material which benefits the site. Anyhow timber has several varieties, there’s wood, log and many more kinds of timber available, therefore factory known as mills is widely available around the area for The Deck House. These factories helps to reduce cost and energy of transportation to the site which helps them to reduce the distance of transportation to site. The timber planks is use as flooring material. These timber planks are chosen / made in custom / standard sizes. Once Ar. Chong have chosen his standard sizes for the floor timber planks, It improves The Deck House efficiency of making & saving the cost of it. As these timber planks have been standardize, the manufacturing time also reduces for production. The material choice for the flooring is wisely chosen as it consume low embodied energy and makes the surround of using timber a sustainable material for The Deck House.
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3.2 CONCRETE
Figure 3.2 ; Usage of concrete in the Deck House, Janda Baik (Photograph by ; Kenneth Lim 2012)
The material concrete is being cast-on-site. Concrete is one of the main building material selected for the overall building the Deck House. As it’s cast on site, transportation of fuel of raw material is lesser compared to timber and also it decreases the CO2 emission through the process of building construction for the Deck House. Concrete have a life span up to 120 years, It’s because concrete material itself have high compressive strength and needed minimal maintenance. It’s minimal maintenance is referring to the safety prevention from moisture and mould. The Deck House is using concrete not just for overall construction but also introduces steel framing. The steel frame is being used as alternative choice of material because it has high embodied energy compared to concrete. This is simply because the alternative is chosen as concrete has low embodied energy and hence steel is introduced to slightly support the alternative choice of material chosen for the building to build out a stronger & more sustainable building. Based on research from the UK, carbon dioxide intensity of the concrete is ASIAN ARCHITECTURE [ ARC 60403 / ARC2234 ]
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produced during production. The production is reduced by 9% during 2008, while also 22% in 1990. As shown that the improvement is made through years and also shown that the sustainability of concrete is a wiser choice of a building material for the Deck House. Concrete is an excellent thermal mass material. It’s because it slows down the process of heat transfer from time to time. Hence this increases the sustainability of the building. While it also decreases the usage of air conditioning inside the Deck House. Research from NRMCA announces that, ‘’the usage of concrete lowers energy consumption of a building more than 17%’’. By cast on site, the contractors might use several equipment such as formwork to cast the concretes. The wastes that form on site which are timber frameworks and left over concretes can be recycled. As the timber framework can be recycled into particleboards & left over concrete can be used as create pavements / pathways for the entrances of the building. As shown in figure 3.2, concrete is also used as foundations of the building, floor slab (cantilevered deck) and main frames. This is simply because, concrete has the beneficial of its high compressive strength and good thermal mass. This includes the beneficial of using it to structural support on beam & columns as well.
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3.3 GLASS
Figure 3.2 ; Usage of glass in the Deck House, Janda Baik (Photograph by ; Kenneth Lim 2012)
Glass will be having the most production energy consumed compared to concrete & timber. Hence, glass production transportation is slightly lower because of it’s also a local material available and one of the widely use local material too. For glass, it’s own material will be use base for enlighten the spaces, therefore most of the glass is placed all around the building for lighting purpose. The natural lighting during day time cuts down the amount of energy used during day compared to night time usage as it’s widely use around the Deck House. Furthermore, glass is a recyclable material. Base on Canadian Sustainable researchers, the amount of glass is recycled, it wouldn’t cost any loss for the quality of it. Hence, it reduces much more CO2 when production time. While it’s so called closed loop ASIAN ARCHITECTURE [ ARC 60403 / ARC2234 ]
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recycling. Closed loop recycling is introduced base on how the main material is recycled, while glass is recycled as it is energy saving and the amount of energy saves is based on the amount of glass. One tonne of glass may save, 321kWh of energy, 244kg of CO2, base on Canadian sustainable researchers. This just proves that glass is part of the highly sustainable energy material.
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4.0 POETIC SPACES MATERIALS OF THE DECK HOUSE The poetic of space, it classically means, a poet is a maker. The maker or known as the user or architect has the imagination & the ability to make out the spaces. According to ‘’Gaston Bachelard’’, he mentioned, ‘’we are never real historians, but always near poet, and our emotions is perhaps nothing but an expression of poetry that was lost…. Through poems, perhaps more than through recollections, we touch the ultimate poetic depth of the space of the house.’’ Gaston Bachelard highlights the importance of each spatial experiences. A space which is create with beauty of construction equals back to the meaning of construction of beaty. In another term of, it’s defined as quality of space. The quality of space that a user would walk through and experiences the spatial surrounding of the space. Coming from the case study of the poetic of space, this discussion will be focusing on the framework of sustainability design & main materials chosen in the poetic spaces.As the Deck House is designed by Ar. Choo Gim Wah. Each and every step that Ar.Choo did for the Deck House came into consideration of poetic spatial effects. He made the spaces happen by applying low embodied building energy materials. The materials chosen by Ar.Choo made the spatial experiences more special compare to normal house. As how he take into consideration of certain placing & position of the materials in every corner of the Deck House hence that he could make the ambience experiences of user more connected to its specific poetic of space is in. There’s several materials that Ar. Choo used to create certain spaces for the Deck House. While there’s only three main
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materials that Ar. Choo have mainly focused on to create and maintain the poetic space equally. The three main materials for poetic spaces are timber, steel and glass.
4.1 TIMBER
Figure 4.1 ; Context of the Deck House, Janda Baik (Photograph by ; Kenneth Lim 2012)
As mention earlier on the study from low embodied energy, timber is a good low embodied energy material. It also have it’s unique properties as in during construction. It’s properties, it’s naturally lightweight but strong & can be easily found nearby mills because it comes in ready standard sizes. The textured appearance of timber and its
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aesthetic values in terms of the colors and fragance provide designers with a good platform to express it in various form of designs and construction methods. Ar.Choo chosen timber as the flooring material is because he wants the building to blend in with the context perfectly. So he did manage to put in the architecture of the building into the context which is shown in figure 4.1. Together with the warm lighting effects make the flooring planks works as one unique space that is created for the Deck House. Mentioning about the wooden floor planks, it’s special properties will be organic origins. Organic origins, when rain occur or emitted any odour, it doesn’t cause smells or any outdoor odour to the surroundings. Hence, this proves that the wooden floor planks material is for odour released purpose. Lastly, this promotes the honest conversation between man-made and nature.
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4.2 STEEL
Figure 4.2 ; Lighting inside of the Deck House, Janda Baik (Photograph by ; Kenneth Lim 2012)
As mention above, The concrete and steel workings together to form stronger frame for steel framing in construction. It omits the needs of having columns within the floor planning, steel framing structures are strong and have long lifespan. Steel framing does not contrast with the existing trees on site. This benefits the Deck House to blend with the site harmoniously.
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By looking back at figure 3.2, The Deck House that is set on slim pillars and cantilevers appear as though it floats on air, this makes the Deck House to appear lighter than it actually is and does not create a spatial feel of ‘awkward’ to the Janda Baik Forest. The usage of steel framing in the construction of The Deck House enables the possibility of having an open floor plan. The column-free open floor plan of the Deck House, creates a universal space that can be adapted to changing use. Moving on, fewer materials are required for the construction of the house, thus reducing energy consumed in both production and transportation process. In terms of senses, open floor plan gives great illusion as though the space is larger, although the original square footage is modest. Occupants will not feel confined as in an enclosed space, and their movement more or less restricted. The steel structures of the Deck House is tall and bold, it diminish human’s ego within.
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4.3 GLASS The glass window walls does not have flexibility of a window or the solidity of a wall. It a combination of 2 kinds of materials to form it. Therefore it provides much more of an openness and as well as enclosure for the space. The properties of a glass is regularly transparent
kind
transparency
allows
of
material.
visibility
of
Its light
penetrates through into the interiors spaces. By having natural lighting coming into the Figure 4.3 ; Reflection & penetration of lights through the glass wall windows into the interior spaces inside the Deck House, Janda Baik (Photograph by ; Kenneth Lim 2012)
interior spaces, it would be better because it reduces the amount of artificial lightings during day time. This reduces the energy consumption for the Deck House.
The glass window wall plays a big role of controlling the amount of lights penetrates into the spaces, hence it allows user to experience the interior spaces much more along together with timbers flooring and also steel frames. This will enhances the user experiences much more aura of the surroundings.
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From a user point of view, light penetrates through the glass wall reveals the entire spaces of architecture of the Deck House. Direct sunlight directs the user’s way in and around buildings. Light is indeed poetic and for most of the architects, they perceive light as an essential quality in making of space. Lastly, glass walls allows the user to blend in much more and won’t feel much of disconnected from the inside of the Deck House. From blending in, it also allow users to be engage or a step closer to nature, hence it embraces more with the surroundings naturally. Allowing the surroundings to be part of the building which also includes the surrounding context trees, these trees eventually naturally provide shading for the users inside the Deck House. From the aid of forest shading, it blocks most of the solar glare from the sun. Therefore, the feeling of radiation and hotness will be reduced.
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5.0 CONCLUSION Overall, Ar. Choo Gim Wah have managed to master control several low embodied energy materials in the Deck House. His consideration was wise and made the Deck House a successful one. With the evidence of successful from the materials outside to the materials inside of the building, to detailing from texture of materials, range of colour, several types of material properties and blending in, these visually enhances the spatial poetic of space inside the Deck House. Lastly, material selection plays a major big role. The reason being is because each selection of materials is a cost & consumes energy. Hence, future architect should highlight and take in precise consideration into choice of materials for each individual buildings, this will make a big difference in the environment and also the building’s lifespan.
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6.0 REFERENCES 1. Definitions of a Low Energy House. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.motiva.fi/en/building/what_is_a_small_energy_efficient_house_like/definitions_of_a_low_e nergy_house
2. The Deck House / Choo Gim Wah Architect. (2013, September 8). Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.archdaily.com/424699/the-deck-house-choo-gim-wah-architect
3. Berge, B. (2001). The Ecology of Building Materials. UK:Architectural Press 4. Space - Poetry Beyond Text. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.poetrybeyondtext.org/space.html
5. Madehow.com,. (2014). How stainless steel is made - material, manufacture, used, processing, parts, components, structure, steps, industry, Raw Materials, The Manufacturing Process of stainless steel. Retrieved 14 May 2015, from http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Stainless-Steel.html#ixzz3cJBHC4am
6. Steel and raw materials. (2014) (1st ed., pp. 1-2). Belgium. Retrieved from http://www.worldsteel.org/publications/factsheets/content/00/text_files/file0/document/fact_raw%20materials_2014.pdf
7. Viridianglass.com,. (2015). How Glass is Made - About Glass. Retrieved 3 June 2015, from http://www.viridianglass.com/Residential/AboutGlass/Pages/HowGlassisMade.aspx
8. Measure of sustainability embodied energy. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2015, from https://www.canadianarchitect.com/asf/perspectives_sustainibility/measures_of_sustainablity/measures _of_sustainablity_embodied.htm
9. A building case study of embodied energy. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2015, from http://www.level.org.nz/material-use/embodied-energy/embodied-energy-case-study/#c2009
10. Featured Project. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2015, from https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/Articles/Why-Wood/Low-embodied-energy
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