Final Abstract

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 the actions of the past decades. 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. Adapting our current buildings produces much less materials, and causes much less waste to be added to our environment. The vital ideas of adaptation and preservation are ones which will be explored thoroughly within this report.

The purpose of this applied research paper is to discover the main problems with the beautiful heritage homes within Kamloops, British Columbia, and to highlight sustainable and environmentally friendly methods to solve these issues. In-depth research was conducted, both through academic and non-academic sources, as well as on-site research at historical homes within the West end of Kamloops.

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.

Balance is an important issue which must also be considered: how much work in updating your home can be done before it begins to take away from the look of the original home? How far is too far, and where should the line be drawn between maintaining heritage and becoming more sustainable? This is another issue which will be thoroughly discussed within this report.

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 with the smallest impact on the look and feel of the home.

One of the main problems in historical homes is their poor insulation. It is not uncommon for homes that were built many decades ago to be built without any insulation at all. This lack of insulation causes great heat loss, and thus increased heating bills. The walls in these homes were also often built with only 4” walls, which make adding insulation to them even more difficult. Doors and windows are also very troublesome areas of a home, where the heat retention around these additions is almost none.

Foundations can also be a concern in older homes, where holes in the walls of the fountain can cause drafts throughout the basement. Another obstacle can be the presence of knob and tube wiring, which was the typical method of electrical wiring, and often must be updated. When disposing of these materials in an older home, it must be carefully inspected to ensure it’s not composed of environmentally dangerous materials. It was not uncommon to see the use of lead, or asbestos within heritage homes, and these materials can cause harm to the homeowner and the environment.

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 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.