PSS

Progress Mark 2

1.  Difference between the new and old building regulations:

The minister of Trade and Industry introduced a sub regulation for the energy efficiency of buildings. Other amendments are made to building regulations to introduce the requirements for the energy usage in buildings so basically “green” is the new colour of the building sector.  Here are a few of the building regulations that have changed in section A in order to introduce the environment section X

Additional requirements are added to A7: Layout Drawing

(m) where provided, the location and capacity of water heating installations; and

(n)  where provided, details of insulation required to satisfy energy usage requirement of Regulation XA.

Additional requirements are added to A19 (1): Competent persons

(c) The requirements of Regulation XA are satisfied by a competent person in accordance with SANS 1 0400 XA                                                                  

Additional requirements are added to A19 (12): Competent persons

(c) Where regulation XA is satisfied by a competent person in accordance with the

requirements of SANS 10400 Part XA, the competent person who is responsible for such determination shall on completion of the construction and commissioning of the building submit to the local authority a fully completed Form 4 as contained in SANS 10400-A.

A new regulation is added, Part X, which is all to do with the energy efficiency of a building and how to best conserve it.

This includes the following definitions:

"Building envelope" means the elements of a building that separate a habitable room from the exterior of a building or a garage or storage area.

"Certified thermal calculation software" means software certified by the Board of Agrement South Africa in terms of Agrement South Africa's Energy Software Protocols as being fit for thermal modelling or calculation purposes in terms of these regulations.

"Reference building" means a hypothetical building that is used to determine the maximum allowable heating load for the proposed building.

REGULATION XA: Energy usage in buildings

Buildings being occupied shall be designed and constructed so that buildings

a)      are capable of using energy efficiently while still fulfilling its requirements.

b)      have features and services which facilitate the efficient use of energy

XA2

At least 50% average of hot water heating must be provided by means other than electrical resistance heating including solar heating, heat pumps, heat recovery from other systems or processes and renewable combustible fuel.

However the requirement of XA1 falls out of place if the building is designed well and is energy efficient on its own.

2.  The role of the architect, with regard to duties and responsibilities:

The simple definition of the role of an architect is to create architectures; however the role is much more complicated than that.

An architect’s duties include articulating the architectural vision, conceptualizing as well as experimenting with different architectural approaches, creating models and corresponding draughts which include various details and specifications, filling in paper work and contracting various people, validating the architecture against requirements and assumptions.

Architects have to translate a business strategy into a technical vision, they have to correspond to a brief and listen to the client’s needs and requirements and they need to be able to sell a vision. Architects have to be able to understand the ins and outs what happens on site in order to get their plans build according to their and the clients satisfactory. An architect’s job is not specific to drawing up plans but it includes various aspects that are more important than the actual plans itself.

3a. Tender documents:

A tender document is a document which is basically a quote to a get a certain job done. A tender list is created which the architect then distributes identical sets of documents to various building companies, these companies then go and prepare a lump sum price for which they are willing to build the project for.  The client then chooses the building company that comes back to them, which is usually the one with the lowest cost.

The architect has to prepare the tender documents, distribute the documents to the various building companies or contractors that responded with their pricing. The architect then has to manage the whole process. The architect must advise the client which is the best tender to go for and must allow the Client to make the final decision on which tender to accept.

Once the preferred tender is selected it is generally the architect’s role to write a letter of acceptance to that builder and then to prepare the formal contracts between the Client and the builder.

b. Bill of Quantities

This is a document produced by a quantity surveyor it incorporates all the materials needed to construct a building and how much it will all cost. Drawings have to be translated into a document fully describing and accurately representing the quantity of materials.

c. Signing of Contracts

Before building starts contracts are signed and the building licence approval is obtained, the builder can then begin construction on site. After signing the contract with the builder the architect then has to administer the contract and assure that the building is constructed according to the documents.. The architects also signs and certifies any changes, claims for payment, and alterations in that time frame. After the building is complete the architect issues a final certificate which ends the contracts between the builder and architect.

The work I have done in the office:

These are the elevations and sections of the original house in Glen Cairn that wanted alterations, I got this drawing from council and I had to the redraw it up at my first week in the office on Micro GDS. The client lives in England and wants to move here so they are doing alterations. The house is quite rotten and needs a lot of work but the views are stunning. I’ve have been on this site to measure up a few things that weren’t too clear on the council plans.

http://issuu.com/MoniqueArchi/docs/b384-01-03_85_clan_stewart_g-cairn_existing_1_-_wi/1

http://issuu.com/MoniqueArchi/docs/b384-01-03_85_clan_stewart_g-cairn_existing_2_wind/1

The brief of the client was to:

·         move kitchen into the bedroom closest to the dining room

·         to incorporate the outside toilet with the bedroom next to it

·         Incorporate a indoor/outdoor area outside the entrance and proposed kitchen

·         Baboon-proof the house

·         Add doors leading out from the rooms onto a proposed stoep

·         A stoep leading from the dining room to the end of the building

·         A drive way that reaches the stoep

·         An entertainment, wind sheltered structure on the stoep

Here are the drawings the client approved.

http://issuu.com/MoniqueArchi/docs/b384-02-01_85_clan_stewart_g-cairn_cc_submission_e/1

http://issuu.com/MoniqueArchi/docs/b384-02-01_85_clan_stewart_g-cairn_cc_submission_p/1

I’ve been working on my Boss’s daughter’s house in Kommmetjie, mostly sketch plans. His daughter wants go double story with the main bedroom, office and en suite upstairs as well as open the living area up more.

http://issuu.com/MoniqueArchi/docs/b378-01-04_kommetjie_sketchplans_-_window1/1

There is a couple at 33 York Road, Harfield Village looking to do alterations on their kitchen and bathroom as they need more storage and want to modernise their home. Here are the original plans just drawn up from measurements on site.

This is the elevations and sections of the original house, I got this drawing from council and I had to the redraw it up at my first week in the office on Mhttp://issuu.com/MoniqueArchi/docs/b385-01-01_york_rd_plan_of_existing_bldg_-_window1/1

I worked on the kitchen and bathroom layouts and gave them alternative options that I thought would work.
http://issuu.com/MoniqueArchi/docs/b385-01-02_york_rd_kitchen_and_bathroom/1

http://issuu.com/MoniqueArchi/docs/b385-01-02_york_rd_kitchen_plan_-_window1/1

The final Bathroom and kitchen idea:

 http://issuu.com/MoniqueArchi/docs/b385-04-01_kitchen___bathroom_working_drg_finaaal_/1

Another project is an elderly couple on Oxford Street in Harfield village who want to do alterations to their very quaint home. The house is very complicated as my boss and I have measured up twice now and the something doesn’t work out, we are waiting on the plans from council. It a very complex little house to measure up, here is the plan:

http://issuu.com/MoniqueArchi/docs/b387-01-01_36_oxford_plan_of_exiating_-_window1/1

Banana Jam in Kenilworth is looking to extend their business. In the brief they have asked for:

·         Extended kitchen

·         More office space

·         Double story over the smoking area

We have just started on this project and the plans council gave us doesn’t resemble at all what is on site so we had to go measure up, here’s the plan of the what council gave us compared to what we measured:

http://issuu.com/MoniqueArchi/docs/b388-01-01_banana_jam_diagram_-_window1/1