Log 4

AR
Log Date: September 30, 2011
Marking Period 1
Green Pier

9/30/2011:

Work Started:
- Continued to edit background information
- Located a website that provides green materials for the construction of a building (http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/default.asp?&s_id=0)
- Editing rationale report

Work Completed: (between 9/29 and 9/30)
- Background informtaion almost finished
- Reserach on different green materials

Reminders:
- Finish editing background information
- Keep in contact with mentors, ask about a possible day for Mrs. Reed to come to the Hook
- Update logs constantly

Log 3

AR
Log Date: September 28, 2011
Marking Period 1
Green Pier

9/28/2011:

Work Started:
- Edited background information
- Developmental work
- Started CAD drawing

Work Completed: (between 9/24 and 9/28)
- Background information
- Rationale report (still needs to be edited)\

Reminders:
- Finish editing rationale
- Respond to mentors
- Constantly update logs and contacts

Log 2

AR
Log Date: September 23, 2011
Marking Period 1
Green Pier

9/23/2011:

Work Started:
- Extra research on the actual design of the chapel and the structure of it
- Contacting my mentor with more specific questions relating to sustainable materials

Work Completed: (between 9/20 and 9/23)
- Rationale is done, minor revisions will be completed as necessary
- More research on alternate materials
- Logs are up to date

Reminders:
- Give mentor a response to questions asked in e-mail
- Keep logs updated and concise

Testing Procedures

Preliminary Testing:
- make sure specs and limits are followed
- finalize proposed design
- check with a specialist
- make sure all materials are sustainable
- check with mentors and teachers after every major step taken

Final Design:
- meet with specialist or park ranger after each major step of the design plan
- meet with mentors and teachers to make sure preliminary designs are correct
- have a meeting with mentors, stakeholders, teachers, etc. to discuss possible improvements

The final solution is expected to be the chapel on Sandy Hook completely reconstructed of green and sustainable materials. The chapel cannot add to any pollution of the water or land surrounding the location. The end product is expected to function as a building where religious ceremonies take place as well as weddings and other special events and occasions. According to the specifications, the chapel must be constructed completely of green materials, remain the same general location and have the same appearance. The chapel will be tested for the stability, effective use of space and materials, appearance, and effectiveness. The chapel as whole will be tested and no just one aspect of it. In the final testing, the Nationals Park Service, my team members and I, our teachers, mentors, and the tourists who visit the site. The testing will take place on Sandy Hook where the chapel is located and some of the surrounding area.

Testing Stages:
Preliminary Testing- Exploratory
1. Meet with other team members to ensure that all aspects of the project fit together.
- meet with group
- discuss in great detail the final solution decided upon
- come to an agreement if the solutions are all viable and will work together
2. Talk with mentors to ensure that all aspects are designed using the best possible materials and design layout.
- make sure all materials will prove to be beneficial to the environment
- ensure that the design layout of the chapel is workable and possible

3. Propose ideas to teachers to make sure everything is done correctly and in the best possible manner. - meet with teachers - propose projected designs
- ask if there are any possible or necessary changes to improve the structure
- fix all errors to make sure that the building is viable prior to moving forward in the process

Secondary Testing- Assessment1. Propose all final solutions again and make sure all are workable.
- will all the pieces fit together? If not, ideas must be reworked so they will fit together and produce a final solution.
- propose projected final design to teachers
- propose projected final design to mentors
- look for any necessary improvements based off of comments

2. Finalize one single design for each member to use and research that the solution is the best choice
- pick the alternate solution that would work best
- make sure that the design is the best choice and compare to other solutions
- get other opinions
- produce a list of necessary materials for the projected construction

3. Pass necessary tests set forth by the National Park Service
- will it meet all the necessary requirements?
- research all specific guidelines and requirements according to the Park Service
- must pass a hypothetical inspection

4. Will the solution fit for what the design was originally produced for (fishermen and visitors)?
- ensure that the designs will fit in with the environment
- meets all the needs of the public
- make any necessary adjustments

Tertiary Testing- Validation1. Review specs and limits to make sure the designs all meet the requirements and do not overlook anything.
- create a checklist based off of specs and limits
- if the deisgn doesn't meet them, revisit preliminery testing stage

Quaternary Testing- Comparison1. Ensure that the site as a whole is much more environmentally friendly then when the project started.
- compare to original materials
- the site should be easy to access



Specifications

Rationale Report

Design #1 is a useful design that is facing the water rather than the road that lays behind it. It is the same exact dimensions as the chapel before it (78'3"x 37'x 15'). Overall, this design of the chapel includes the same number of windows, which measure 8'x5'5" as the before but due to its new positioning facing the water, the chapel can now make better use of the natural lighting. The design also has awnings over the top of the side windows so that some of the sunlight is blocked out. The roof that is at the front of the chapel hangs over the front of the building providing some shade. The whole east-facing side of the roof will also be covered in solar panels to provide as an alternate source of energy for the chapel. This design will prove to be beneficial to the the environment surrounding the location. The physical appearance of the chapel looks natural and fits in to the surrounding environment on the Sandy Hook area.

Design #2 was designed to also face the water rather than the road. However, because there were no windows on the front of the design, this design did not seem to be well-suited. The purpose of all the windows is to make use of the natural sunlight that is provided. The windows on the sides of the building are still the same size and have the awnings over them but are missing the windows on the back and front sides. This design also did not take advantage of the sun's position by having solar panels on the roof. The roof above the front entry to the chapel also does not hang over which provides less shade to the doors. Due to the lack of windows on the front and back, the appearance is not as attractive as design #1.

Design #3 was planned out before I went to the Green Architecture lecture, therefore the design is very basic and not as environmentally friendly as the previous two designs. This design was planned to face the road rather than the water. The windows are missing from both the back and front areas of the chapel which makes the use of sunlight not as usable. However, solar panels were planed to be added which does make some good use of the sunlight that is available. The windows on the sides of the buildings do not have an awnings on them though.

Specifications Analysis Chart:

	Design #1	Design #2	Design #3
Incorporate green materials	Solar panels on roof, awnings over windows	Awnings over windows	Solar panels
Must remain in the same location	Same location, just facing water	Same location, just facing water	Same location and direction
Make effective use of the sunlight	Solar panels on the south-east side, windows	Windows	Windows, solar panels on south side
Have a means of natural lighting	Windows on all sides provide more sunlight	Windows on two longer sides	Windows on longer sides
Have the same general appearance	Same number of windows and dimensions, facing opposite direction	Windows on two longer sides and roof over front entrance	Windows on the two longer sides

Design Matrix

CAD Drawing

Alternate Solutions (Design)

Additional Windows on Front and Back

Windows on Sides Only

Roof Overhang on Top of Building

Log 1

AR
Log Date: September 20, 2011
Marking Period 1
Green Pier

9/20/2011:

Work Started:
- Began brainstorming ideas for Rationale due on Friday
- Actual design plan for the reconstruction of the chapel
- Continuing research on sustainable materials


Work Completed (as of 9/20):
- Design brief
- Specifications
- Limitations
- Background information on Architecture
- Alternate solutions (list needs to be typed up)

Reminders:
- Keep in contact with mentor(s)
- Call architect after school and talk about project and discuss a possible date to come and visit site

Background Information on Architecture

Architecture can mean:

-The art and science of design and erecting buildings and other physical structures.
-A general term to describe buildings and other infrastructures.
-A style and method of design and construction of buildings and other physical structures.
-The practice of an architect, where architecture means to offer or render professional services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings, that have as their principal purpose human occupancy or use.
-Design activity, from the macro-level (urban design, landscape architecture) to the micro-level (construction details and furniture).
-The term "architecture" has been adopted to describe the activity of designing any kind of system, and is commonly used in describing information technology.

Research

My portion of the Green Pier project specifically relates to the renovation of the interior and exterior of the chapel using materials that would not be harmful to the water and land surrounding the location. The issue of green and sustainable building causes several issues in the community and can cause many problems with the environment that we live in, especially the Sandy Hook area.

Problem:
- A variety of environmental problems now affect our entire world. As globalization continues and the earth's natural processes transform local problems into international issues, few societies are being left untouched by major environmental problems. In today’s world, pollution can be found everywhere we look. Even the materials we use to create buildings have been contributing to this issue and releasing chemicals into out environment. To eliminate this issue, building and homes are being constructed from green and sustainable materials that do not harm the environment. Solar energy has become a substitute for gas and is becoming more popular in urban communities.

Climate, Atmosphere, Environment:
- Sandy Hook, New Jersey, USA:. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.climate-charts.com/USA-Stations/NJ/NJ287865.php

Conditions of use:
- The Sandy Hook area as a whole is used and visited by thousands of guests every year and is also the home to US Coast Guard Base. The land is used for beach profiling to fishing to historical landmarks. This historical location is used for a variety of purposes and is run and managed by the Nationals Park Service. The chapel itself would be used for historical puropses and will be vistied by many.

End User:
- The end user will vary from the National Park Service to beach goers who want to visit the chapel.

Preliminary Alternate Materials:
Materials for Roof:
- shingles/shakes
- cedar shakes, recycled/synthetic shingles
- tile - concrete/cement tile, fiber-cement composite tile, clay tile, slate tile
- solar roof shingles

Materials for Building:
- EcoRock- 80% post-industrial waste content
- Durra recovered agricultural by-product

Materials for Glass:
- plexi-glass
- fiber glass
- recycled glass

Source of Power:
- solar
- wind
- wave

Background Information

The Sandy Hook Chapel has been in existence since the use of Fort Hancock. The chapel was built out of materials that were not 100% environmentally friendly and may pose as a threat to the land and water nearby. In an attempt to reduce these conditions, I will recreate the plans for the chapel using sustainable materials. The ongoing problem of pollution is constantly threatening the environment and everyone is responsible to help make the Earth a greener place. In today’s world, pollution can be found everywhere we look. Even the materials we use to create buildings have been contributing to this issue and releasing chemicals into our environment. To eliminate this issue, building and homes are being constructed from green and sustainable materials that do not harm the environment. Solar energy has become a substitute for gas and is becoming more popular in urban communities.

The people involved with this project are the people using and maintaining the space. The National Park Service will be the people that will be responsible for the upkeep and cleanliness of the interior and exterior of the chapel. They are the owners of the the chapel and will also be using the chapel to hold ceremonies such as weddings and other special events. People who are using the space would be any caterers that would utilize the space in any special occasion.

This issue needs to be addressed. Pollution of the water and land around the Sandy Hook Chapel has increased over the last fifty years more than I could have imagined. This needs to be fixed and people need to start taking the initiative to make the land a healthier environment for the next several years. The reconstruction of the chapel with green materials, although not immediately needed, will help the environment and help to eliminate some of the waste of energy and electricity the area is currently facing. The reconstruction of the chapel would not only make the building more sustainable and environmentally friendly, but also provide an alternate source of energy using solar panels for example.

The stakeholders involved in this project include The National Park Service. They are a primary stakeholder involved with the reconstruction of the chapel because the location is monitored by the Park Service. They are going to be the ones who at the completion of the project will have to deal with the reconstruction of the chapel and the new design and layout and will be responsible for the up keeping of the building. The chapel has to fit their criteria and meet their demands and requirements. They will be the ones that make the final judgement call on how appropriate the design is.


The intended mood of the design is a historical situation. The final design, however, will not actually be carried out at the end of the project. We are to create plans that would be responsible for the redesign of the of the historic Sandy Hook Chapel which has been in existence since the usage of Fort Hancock. I will be redesigning the structure with sustainable and green materials. The chapel's original design will remain the same with a few minor modifications to the interior of the building. The materials I am planning on using will make the building a much greener environment and prove to make a positive impact on the environment. Because the chapel is a place of worship where religious ceremonies are held, the mood should be very solemn. There are other green locations scattered throughout the country.


Some examples of similar products that do similar tasks include and kind of home that is either powered by solar panels or some other means of harvesting energy. There are also several locations that are built entirely out of green and sustainable materials. Although not pertaining to quite the same topic, even cars are becoming more environmentally friendly are using alternative sources of energy to power these cars rather than using the gasoline and having the emissions release huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Some of the products that can and are being used to complete the design process of this will all help the environment become more environmentally friendly. The use of solar panels on the roof will provide an alternate source of energy to the chapel itself and to the buildings around. These panels will create more energy efficient ways of creating energy rather than using the electric supply. Or, instead of using solar panels, wind turbines could also be used. The turbines would serve the same purpose as the solar panels, but just would use different means of collecting the energy.


Design Brief

Brainstorming (Summer Work)

Limitations

The projected designs must be applicable to the desired location, the Sandy Hook Chapel. The materials used to construct the pier or used to go about any rennovating to the area must be green and sustainable materials as the project entails.

Again, my specific assignment is to make sure that the chapel design meets the requirements of not only the project, but the needs and demands of the people who will be using the chapel in the future.

The chapel renovation is limited to:

• the materials used must be sustainable and prove to benefit the environment
• the projected chapel design must be able to pass an inspection to ensure safety
• the projected design should end up being approximatly the same size as the existing chapel
• not exceed or go past the boundaries of the location
• meet the wants and needs of those using it

Conclusion

Specifications

The projected dock design and redesign or reconstruction of the area surrounding the chapel for the Green Pier Project must be construed completely out of green and sustainable materials. The projected design and plans must benefit the environment and not create any environmental disturbances. In order for the chapel to be qualified as a "green" pier or environment, the building must not contribute to pollution of the surrounding area.

My portion of the project directly relates to the reconstruction and redesign of the Sandy Hook Chapel on Fort Hancock. I will be redesigning the floor-plans for the chapel creating new measurements and materials that are going to be used in an attempt to make the building a much more stable and environmentally friendly building that will not harm the environment.

The design must be/do/have:

• constructed completely of green and sustainable materials
• must remain in the same location
• must make effective use of the sunlight provided
• have a means of natural light
• have the same general appearance

Limitations

The design layout of the inside of the chapel.

Design Brief

The Green Pier project is specified to design and improve the area of the Sandy Hook Chapel and create a "greener" environment while creating a pier for fishing boats and recreation purposes while reconstructing and redesigning the chapel. My portion specifically relates to the renovation of the interior and exterior of the chapel using materials that would not be harmful to the water and land surrounding the location.

Aerial View of the Chapel at Sandy Hook via Google Maps.

Testing Procedures