Constructing Journal Week 8
This week we worked on the case study for Queens College. The part I have worked on is the roof. Composition and building process The wall and the roof of the Queens College are made up of concrete. They are connected by placing a whaling plate (timber) between the rafter and the wall and screw them up. The colorbond metal deck is covering the roof and is connected by a timber to the rafter. At the edge of the roof there is a parapet. On top of the parapet, a colorbond flashing is placed to avoid the water getting into the building. Between the parapet and the metal deck, there is a colorbond box gutter which is used for drainage. For the extended part of the roof, the rafter is joined to the wall by the metal anchors. Plywood substrate is built on top of the rafters with the flashing and gutter. Pros and Cons The advantage of the roof is that the parapet and the flashing is good for avoid water from entering the building and with the gutter between the parapet and the deck, it can increase the efficiency in drainage. However, the roof should be made up of stronger materials to bearing the live loads such as rain water. Sustainability The carbon footprint for metal and concrete especially timber is relatively low. The embodied energy for timber and concrete are low, nonetheless, it is higher for the metal roof sheeting. All the three materials can be recycled for other use. As a result, the building is sustainable and with lower environmental impacts. Economic implications The materials used in Queens College are comparatively cheap especially for timber and concrete. Moreover, it is easy to change the shape of metal and concrete and for construction. Therefore, it is economical for the construction of the building.
Photos taken at the site:
1:1 Scale drawing of the roof part: