Building pathology
Introduction
The grain store and the copula building were sold to be restored into a five star boutique hotel and a brewing facility respectively. The above projects were to help in the income generation for a local museum. The two buildings were initially owned by the Hatfield Brewery, who decided to sell them to the local heritage museum for use in income generation. The buildings had a number of defects and the therefore the museum had funding in place so as to deconstruct them. Deconstruction is an approach whereby structural and architectural building components are systematically removed and salvaged before a construction work is demolished. Deconstruction also allows materials in the buildings to be recycled, reused and other wastes managed carefully. Materials for example timber, cabinets, boards, concrete and plumbing materials can be salvaged or donated to charity institutions. Management or renovation of building defects is complex. Therefore, it requires an integrated approach which incorporates scientists and skills (Addis & Schouten, 2004). Moreover, conservation science, environment monitoring, architects, engineers and health specialists are required to ensure such an integrated rehabilitation.
Deconstruction Process
The following were the proposed deconstruction process to logically reassemble the copula building and the grain house building into a five star boutique hotel. First, environmental issues surrounding the building were considered. The hazardous wastes and any predicted danger that would occur during deconstruction was also placed into consideration. This was to avoid any injuries and health issues that would result from deconstruction. The OSHA regulations are therefore a guiding principle that all deconstruction processes in the site required to protect employees from injuries. Moreover, environmental regulations such as NESHAPS, OSHA Lead Regulations, Asbestos Regulations and Landfills Statutes are also taken into considerations during deconstruction process (Murray, Donohoe & Goodhew, 2004). All the friable asbestos must be removed and disposed under the guidance of a professional abatement officer as a preliminary to deconstruction. Floor tiles and asphalt roofing shingles must be properly abated prior to deconstruction. This is because deconstruction process poses a higher exposure to ACM as opposed to the mechanical demolition. Any material that is suitable for salvage and reuse should not be left on the ground but taken to the correct storage facility.
Secondly, the site areas around the two buildings require clearing duties so that the buildings would have enough space for deconstruction process. In particular, the movements, stacking and roll offs of the materials need not to be impeded. This is a critical requirement or step in deconstruction process so as enough ground is created as well for reassembly.
Prompt drop off and removal of the roll offs so that they may not prevent the other components removal directly into the roll-off. Roll offs should, however, be close to deconstruction sites in a manner that they do not impede the subsequent deconstruction of the building components. Similarly, the disposable, recyclable, and reusable components should be removed and efficiently kept for the new designs or assemblies.
Nails removal required ready access in order to be removed readily by a prying device. In the parts of deconstructed building with wood, damages sometimes are occurring in the deconstruction process. In removal of nails on the woods, levering is the best applied process and smashing tools or sledgehammers should not be used (Falk, 2002).
The general deconstruction process used the LOFO technique, that is, last on fast off process. The last materials put are set to be the first materials out during deconstruction. The process ensures a methodological removal of materials through the use of experts rather than just demolishing. With this regard, the roofs of the copula and grain house buildings were designed to be the first to be removed. The necessary tools that were initially used in the construction needs are also necessary the deconstruction.
Roofing deconstruction of the copula and grain store would first be conducted. Dismantling the roof materials must be carried out on the ground to ease the process. After the removal of the roofing materials, the external and non-structural easy to remove materials follow during deconstructions. These include removal of window frames, door frames, downstream piping systems, window panes and broken glasses (Harris, 2001).
The next step is to ensure that all the fixed steels and metals are removed. The steel pillars can be reused other structural developments proposed within the site after dismantling. Deconstructions of steel require that the bolted points are unbolted and the steels removed salvaged for a new construction. Also, deconstruction should avoid short filler and common shape pieces while following a regular spacing during dismantling.
The two buildings were built using the bricks. The bricks removal ought to follow in the deconstruction. Salvaged bricks would be best in the faithful reassembly of the copula and the grain store building. However, bricks reinforced by Portland cements are very difficult to deconstruct (Falk, 2002).
Deconstruction design should be done in a manner that all the building elements are easily removed. In copula and grain store buildings, the elements that must be removed in a deconstruction manner and await for reassembly include the bay windows, dentils, columns, dormers, cornices, pediments, entablature, windows and transom. Finally, the wall that enclosed the building compound would be deconstructed and reassembled to fit the requirements of the new constructions (Addis & Schouten, 2004).
In order to realize the deconstruction and reassembly process efficiently, the museum management must consider the following; one, utilize the salvaged materials from the deconstruction, dispose the lethal and hazardous substances emanating from deconstruction, utilize the required codes and regulations for dismantling of a building and consider deconstruction plan that would be used for the easier future deconstruction of a construction work.
Conclusion
The copula and the grain store buildings should be faithfully reassembled after deconstruction for the museum to use in building a five star boutique hotel and a brewing facility. Deconstruction will therefore Help in the material wastage reduction as well as for proper space creation for the faithful reassembly of the building at the museum site. Proper care and expertise should be employed during the deconstruction process to ensure safety and systematic removal of building components from last fixed to the first fixed during the construction process (Crowther, 2002).
References
Addis, W. and Schouten, J., 2004. Design for reconstruction-principles of design to facilitate reuse and recycling.
Murray, P.E., Donohoe, S. and Goodhew, S., 2004. Flexible learning in construction education: a building pathology case study. Structural Survey, 22(5), pp.242-250.
Harris, S.Y., 2001. Building pathology: deterioration, diagnostics, and intervention. John Wiley & Sons.
Crowther, P., 2002. Design for buildability and the deconstruction consequences.
Falk, B., 2002. Wood-framed building deconstruction: A source of lumber for deconstruction?. Forest Products Journal, 52(3), p.8.
