Abstract - Second Draft

I've been fiddling around with my abstract some more and come up with an improved (I think!) version of what has been posted below. Still not perfect, by any means, but it's evolving! Any feedback would be awesome! Thanks.

Abstract

Within the last half decade, the world has begun to focus more and more of its attention towards creating a more environmentally friendly planet. The realization of the damage that has been done to the natural environment has become clear, and attempts have begun to remedy our actions. One large aspect of this movement is the concept of living a green lifestyle, and creating environmentally friendly and sustainable housing.

While there has been a strong influx of new construction and design which incorporates sustainable technology, the solution is not simply creating new buildings – we must also adapt those homes which already exist. This vital idea is one which will be explored thoroughly within this report.

Heritage homes often have a sense of beauty and craftsmanship that is not commonly found within most modern residential design. While these homes have often been built very well, they have been designed and constructed more then four decades ago. Despite their classic craftsmanship, their old age has caused different aspects of the homes to deteriorate and eventually fail. They must be maintained and updated to create a more sustainable home for the future.

While minor changes can be made within any home to make it more green, there are many larger renovations which can be done to greatly increase the efficiency of a residential heritage house. As with any renovation; cost, time, and scale are very important factors, and it is vital to conduct research to discover what changes in your homes will make the greatest improvement. Long term investments must be considered, as an item which may cost a large amount of money initially may decrease your energy bills dramatically over the next five years, and that money will be regained.

The purpose of this applied research paper is to discover the main problems within these beautiful heritage homes and to highlight sustainable and environmentally friendly methods to solve these issues. This report was also written to discover the most simple and cost effective methods to fix these problems in older homes. In-depth research was conducted, both through academic and non-academic sources, as well as on-site research at a historical home within the downtown Kamloops area.

One of the main problems in historical homes is their poor insulation. This causes heat loss, and thus increased heating bills. There are certain areas of the home which are the main causes of heat loss, and these areas must be updated and filled with proper insulation in order to maintain a healthy and warm home. There are also often issues around old doors and windows, and these leaks within the building envelope can cause cool drafts and more loss of heat.

These are just some of the issues which can occur within heritage homes, many more common problems and recommended solutions will be set forth in this report. This in-depth research which will provide guidance to historical home owners, so they may decide what upgrades and renovations will be most effective for them to create a more environmentally friendly and sustainable home.

Awesome find!

I discovered a really awesome website today about the heritage homes in Vancouver and gives quite a few examples of heritage homes being updated to become more sustainable. They're coming out with a complete guide on doing this in the fall (hopefully before the paper is due!) And has a whole bunch of booklets you can view online about historical homes. There are also a dozen links on the site to more sites about historic preservation and green building, so I've found a lot more sources! Quite a find that I'm going to be looking into more! I've added the link on the sidebar if anyone else is interested!

Abstract - First Draft

The following is the first draft of my abstract. Let me know if I'm totally off track, or if there are any major issues that need addressing. Thanks!

Abstract

Despite their craftsmanship and beauty, it is common for older, heritage homes to have problems such as high heating bills and constant drafts. They were built during a period where environmentally friendly practices and materials were not a priority, and they did not have the technology which can currently be found. As sustainability and being ‘green’ becomes a larger and more important issue, many owners of these homes are looking to improve their houses.

As with any renovation; cost, time, and scale are very important factors, and it is vital to conduct research to discover what changes will make the largest differences and improvement in a home. After this basic research has been conducted, more information must be gathered to discover what changes will give the biggest impact for the smallest sum of money. Long term investments must be considered, as an item which may cost a large amount of money initially may decrease your energy bills dramatically over the next five years, that your money will be regained within the near future.

The purpose of this applied research paper is to discover the main problems that are currently issues within these beautiful, but old heritage homes and to highlight some sustainable and environmentally friendly ways to fix these problems. This report was also written to discover the most simple and cost effective methods to change these problems in older homes. In-depth research was conducted, both through academic and non-academic sources, as well as on-site research at a historical home within the downtown Kamloops area.

One of the main problems in historical homes is their poor insulation – or a complete lack of proper insulation. This causes heat loss, and thus increased heating bills. Recommendations will be made on how to fix these problems, as well as other issues with leaks occurring within the building envelope. These leaks are commonly found within ancient windows and doors, and replacing these can cause significant improvements within the building envelop. Additional insulation can also be added to increase the RSI value of the home, and several different options will be laid out within this report.

Other issues within older homes are generally related with the use of older and less environmentally friendly materials. The location of these materials will impact whether they can be changed or updated either easily or difficultly. Those materials which have been used to create the structure of the building are likely too costly to remove, but there are some issues which can be fixed affordably. These could include updating appliances or leaky fixtures to decrease wasteful uses of water.

Electrical systems within a historical home are also generally old, ineffective, and dangerous, and can be updated within a home – but often at a steep price. Other methods to update the electrical system in these homes has been outlined within the report, solutions ranging from updating and changing the types of light bulbs you use, to completing replacing your electrical system.

After reading my report, owners of historical homes will be able to decide what upgrades and renovations will be most effective for their own homes. They will also be able to judge what changes they can afford to make which will create great improvements in creating a more environmentally friendly and sustainable home.

Original Graphics

Does anyone have any ideas for original graphics? I thought that just doing a photo was pretty plain, and doesn't quite incorporate the renovation/sustainable aspect of the topic as well. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Graphs

One main aspect of my paper will be to compare the initial cost and long term savings of changes you can do. These will be formed to create graphs for simple and easy to read graphics. I've come up with a few samples (all with completely made up numbers and data), and would appreciate if anyone had any feedback on what was easiest to read and understand! Thanks!

Ways to Go Green

The first task which I will need to do is to pick different ways that you can make your home more energy efficient. Some ideas will be very easy (and cheap!) to implement, but can make big changes. These things would include things like:

- Using energy efficient appliances
- Using compact fluorescent light bulbs
- Saving water
- Using recycled... anything
- Watching the temperature

This list can go on and on. I will then also have to outline the common issues within older homes, and how to change and upgrade those. These will likely be larger issues, such as:

- Poor insulation
- High energy use due to leaks in the housing envelope
- Old/in-effective doors and windows
- Built of materials that can not be reused
- In-effective placement of windows for natural lighting
- Leaky taps
- Water greedy gardens

Kamloops Houses

More homes!

Kamloops Homes

Went out and took pictures of some homes down on Battle and St.Paul street to use as graphics for the paper.

Report Outline

Project:

What are the most effective ways to renovate an historic building, and what are some methods to successfully implement energy efficient and sustainable building practices.

Methods:

1. Gather information from several different types of sources, on renovation, specifically the issues and problems relating to renovating historic, older homes.

2. Research information on energy effective materials and methods of building.

3. Create a comparison between short-term costs of building energy efficient, and the long-term savings. This will require research into current prices of building materials.

4. Apply this knowledge and lay out an essay which will inform individuals how they can renovate their historical homes to create a more sustainable, green, house.

Special Problems:

1. Information on costs of materials will need to be carefully checked during the progress of the report, as prices could vary over the next eight months.

2. It has been simple to find references and information on renovating houses, but I will need to some deeper searching and interviews to find more specific information on how to link green building together with older housing.

3. In order to tie everything together, I may need to apply this research to a specific project, such as locating a historic home which is need of updating and renovations.

Also:

As there are so many different choices on how to make a building more sustainable, I will need to focus on specific aspects of sustainability, as to not have too much information. Ultimately, I will be looking for what a homeowner can do to upgrade their home which will provide the largest impact while still being affordable.