James's Develin Gym II
First of all if you havn't see my instructable of the first make it real contest, I invite you to go see it because you will interstand the conception process to make these representation and you will see my differents choices of design and lots of views of the building.
After this architectural aspect, we need now to analyse the environment impact of the building and also in an other part the access for people with disabilities.
When a building is built, it's reprensent a great environmental impact. That why behind the design of the building and the differents creative ideas we have to think about the location of the building, the choice of material and other parameters that will allow the building to be sustainable, ecological and easy to access.
Research of the Environmental Impact
The first thing is to think about the differents parameters to take in count and to baised on studies to make the best choice.
I initially focused on the environmental impact. After having quickly taken my ideas I organized them to realize the mental map that we see above on which appears the elements to be treated and especially the objective of the process.
Construction and Materials
A large part of a building's environmental impact lies in its construction. Indeed the discharge of certain polluted water or the use of polluting product can be very harmful for nature.
It will first be necessary to take certain measures to carry out the work in the best conditions:
- good organization of the site,
- the use of less harmful products,
- equip oneself with secure storage equipment for new and used products,
- equip oneself with materials limiting discharges,
- raise awareness among its teams.
Once the site is planned we need materials to build the gym. Also some materials are very polluting while others are recognized ecological according to different criteria:
- From a renewable source
- Production with low environmental impact
- Non-toxic materials
- Limit transport
- Long service life
For the construction of the gym we must therefore find materials that meet these criteria. As we saw in the first Make it real, a large part of the building will be made of wood, a material which is very ecological and very widespread. It is resistant, recyclable and renewable. In addition, it is 15 times more insulating than concrete ! this allows good insulation just with the outer layer. Concerning the interior insulation we can use materials such as hemp or different wools. These materials are ecological and will allow the building to be insulated, which is very important to reduce electricity consumption. Upstairs large bay windows are installed to allow maximum light and very good ventilation when possible.
Green Roof
On the building, we can see that a large space on the roof is not in use. An ecological use would be the installation of a green roof. Let's see together what it is, the advantages and disadvantages.
we have on this part of the roof an area of approximately 270 m2/ 323 yd2, it is a very large area where we can install a green roof. For this it will first be necessary to design a structure resistant to the weight of this roof and it will be necessary to have a very good seal. Once these parameters have been taken into account, we can start the installation.
It all starts with putting in insulation and a layer that is resistant to root growth, and then putting in drainage to drain away excess water when it rains. Finally we put a substrate made up of earth and volcanic rock on which we will place the plants.
This represents many advantages listed here:
- aesthetic aspect
- very low maintenance once the plants have grown
- acoustic gain, absorbs 50% of sound noise
-preserves biodiversity in the city
-reduces the heat in its cities because radiation divided by 2
-absorbs heat in summer
- Insulate from the cold in winter
-absorbs fine particles and polluting gases from the city
- roof protection against climate change
However, we can find some flaws
- weight constraint requiring very rigorous structural design work
- had a very tight roof against the roots and the potential risk of a large amount of water
- maintenance required at the start by watering the growing plants
Concerning the price there are two types of instalation, either to buy the substrate and the separate plants and to make them grow, this amounts to 80$ per m2, or to buy pre-cultivated rollers that are placed directly on the roof and which cost them 94$ per m2. We are therefore on an installation of approximately 323yd2 which amounts to 21600$ for the first option or 25380 for the second.
Roof Garden
Another ecological solution concerning this space can be considered. Indeed the green roof has many advantages but is very expensive. We could therefore offer an association or a gardener this space to develop a roof garden. This space is very sunny, it is the ideal place! For this project, leaflets would be given to the letterboxes of the inhabitants of the district, like image 2, offering them to come and participate in this project and to grow their own fruits and vegetables. This would allow the inclusion of many people and establish a collaborative project allowing people to meet. This allows you to discover the gym in a different way and helps to make it better known.
Solar Pannel
The sun is a renewable energy which is exploitable thanks to the installation of solar panels. These panels transform solar energy into electrical energy. it is an ecological way to create electricity. The most popular is the photovoltaic panel which creates electricity thanks to small photovoltaic cells. There are two types
- monocrystallines which has only one silicon crystal
-the polycrystalline which have several silicon crystals, they are blue and less efficient but more affordable
with the use of solar panels, we take advantage of natural and inexhaustible energy. The panels do not pollute and are recyclable.
Regarding the installation, it is necessary to find a place where there is practically no shade during the day. So I studied the shadows at different times of the day and the initially planned installation was too much in the shade, so I placed the panels in another place that had almost no shadow. We therefore set up an installation of 24 panels of 9KWp oriented at 30 ° to have good sunshine. The price of solar panels varies a lot but this installation will cost around 17 500€/20550$ for an energy of 9,000 Kwh / year. This cost will be reimbursed after several years thanks to the electricity savings made.
To finish we can install motorized feet to orient the panels according to the sun so that they have a maximum of sunshine throughout the day
Durable Equipment
In the search for respect for the environment and sustainability, we must think of equipment that lasts and withstands time. In addition, a judicious choice of furniture helps to give a real identity to the room and adds to the communication by showing proximity to nature and respect for the environment as can be seen in the watercolors that I made.
For me it is important to choose the furniture according to several conditions such as the lifespan of the object, its materials, its aesthetics and its proximity to manufacture. To show the natural side, I therefore looked for wooden furniture made nearby. So I selected the two companies visible in the images with different examples of their production. These pieces of furniture will withstand time very well and are part of an ecological approach to sustainability, we will not replace them at the slightest opportunity. This furniture is expensive but it is very important for me to really put sustainability into the project.
Water Recovery / Water Heater
Rainwater is also a renewable source. It can be recovered thanks to a device and it can be used for the toilets of the gym, the household or even outside for the vegetable garden if it is set up. A household of 4 people can save 40% in consumption by collecting rainwater. Imagine here knowing that the roof area is much larger.
The process is rather simple, the water which reaches the roof is channeled towards a large tank which stores the water. This water is filtered from its debris thanks to several filters on its path. The water can then be distributed in the different rooms thanks to a pump. If the tank is empty, the city network takes over.
To set this up, we must consider the use of a tank of about 5000L whose cost is between 5000€/5900$ to 8000€/9400$.
water heater
The many showers in the pool require a large amount of hot water and this consumes a lot of energy. then there is a solution to naturally heat this water, the solar panels installed can be hybrid which creates both electricity and heats the water circulating in the pipes. However, the cost of these panels is very high, the installation will cost around 40% more than conventional photovoltaic panels, but this represents a saving in the long term because the hot water needs are important.
Ventilation
In a sports hall, a supply of fresh air is necessary, it allows to evacuate the heat due to the efforts and to the odor. The large bay windows in the room can be opened to ventilate the room, they are very large and are present almost all around. However, for the winter, a ventilation source must be installed. To calculate the air change rate, you need to calculate the number of people who frequent the room. We can therefore see in image 1 that this number of people is very varied, it can go up to 12 people. You must have a flow of 25m2/30yd2 per athlete. Consumption is therefore 300m2/360yd2. Providing this flow to a person doing sports is a waste of energy. It is therefore necessary to have the possibility of adjusting this rate. We can therefore see in image 2 the various ventilation points which are only activated if there are sportsmen nearby.
Other Solutions
Other ideas can beconsidered for the james develin gym to consume its own electricity.
We can first think of the installation of small wind turbines. Indeed this means of producing electricity thanks to the wind is democratizing and the systems are miniaturized over time. Many companies offer these installations, however, beware of scams and the systems are often very expensive with low productivity.
The second idea is to use the effort of the sportsmen of the room to create electricity. When an athlete uses a rower or a bicycle, for example, he sets a system in motion and this movement can be recovered to create electricity. For this, it is necessary to attach an alternator and a battery to the device. This represents a significant investment but savings can be made after a few years if the machines are used a lot. The problem here is that there are not many machines, the goal is not to have as many customers as possible but to offer a high quality service with a follow-up of each one. There are therefore not enough machines and the investment will not be worth the cost fort James's gym.
Waste and Simple Actions
Finally, the impact of the environment is a daily concern. Indeed, looking into buildings and equipment is important, but above all, you have to be aware and put in place simple actions.
It is with this in mind that I think it is important to set up garbage cans on the site of the gymnasium. We can see in image that they are placed in strategic places. At the entrance for customers who arrive and may have waste in hand. In the cloakroom, if the customer takes a cereal bar for example, and finally in the meeting room where you might want to throw a piece of paper by finding it in a bag for example.
To finish it is necessary to adopt simple gestures to consume less, the computers are portable computers, one installs multiple sockets to turn off the devices when not in use and one turns off the lights when one leaves.
Access to People With Disabilities
It is very important that the building is open to every one. In fact, when you have crutches or you are in a wheelchair, you cannot access many buildings. This may only be because of a few steps which make access impossible. These people are numerous and it is very difficult for them to know that they cannot even enter certain buildings. It is therefore essential to provide them with easy access to the room and to allow them access to the equipment. We are responding here to a social problem that excludes many people in everyday life and the concept of this building is intended to be sustainable and turned towards others and the future. We are therefore going to see what are the problems to which we must respond concretely and we will see the innovative solutions which were then found.
Escalator
The main problem to besolved is access to the second floor. Indeed for the moment it is done only thanks to the staircase which is inaccessible in crutch or in wheelchair.
An elevator is therefore installed as seen in image.
to respect the environment there are pneumatic elevators that work with air. They consume less energy. Or the elevator could be powered directly by the solar panels on the roof.
the price of an elevator for one floor is between 12,000€/14000$ and 20,000€/23500$.
The Pool
Access to the swimming pool for disabled people goes through the enlargement of the cabins, the addition of a larger shower and above all an access tunnel for these people. They cannot borrow the pipes which lead to the swimming pool so it was necessary to create a new passage for a wheelchair to pass. We therefore have a suitable place for these people who can come and bathe like everyone else.
Openings and Entrances
Beyond these major changes, the various entrances must be widened so that a wheelchair can pass and any unevenness that is difficult to overcome must be adapted. The toilets must also be modified to be accessible by a person with reduced mobility. So I enlarged one of the cabins.
Disabled Parking Space
to facilitate the arrival of a disabled person, they must have a reserved place. A disabled place is therefore created with a marking on the ground and a sign so that other users do not park on this place.
Presentation File
Here we have the cover of a file made to present my different ideas to the client. So here we see the title at the top of the page and then some images to show the aspect of the part from different angles. The customer can therefore form an opinion on the appearance of the room and finally the signature at the bottom of the page to show the author.
Presentation File
Here we have the following double page. We can then see on the right the logo of the gym with the JD for James Develin, the plant for the link with nature and the 46 in reference to the number of Dames Develin.
On the right page, we have a simple and uncluttered explanation of the function of the building and the topics covered. This choice of simplicity allows unconcii to show the client the idea of a return to simplicity for a person who has suffered an injury. We go back to the beginning, to the origins.
Presentation File
We have here on the left a simplistic logo representing the gym to have again a clean double page and turn to the right page on which we can see the plan seen from the top of each room. We can therefore see here the arrangement of the different rooms and distinguish the different elements. The customer therefore has a first approach with the interior of the building.
Presentation File
We get to the heart of the matter with this double page. We first have an introduction showing the importance of the link with nature. Here we can therefore find out more about the origin of this link and we have an image of the model on which we can see the plants.
The left page presents to the customer the different possibilities of using the roof to be in touch with nature. The summaries are very synthetic, so it can very quickly get an idea of the different choices and it does not get lost in too much information.
Presentation File
You can see on this page the presentation of the energy sources and the changes made to facilitate access for people with reduced mobility. I do not present everything here but it is to see what looks like a page presenting the different elements.