Around 60% of the traffic uses the main road of the shopping street as a bypass route. The road connects places such as LB nagar, Saroor nagar, Vanasthalipuram, Charminar, Dilsukhnagar etc. There is lot of traffic of the buses which is creating lot of chaos and congestion on the main street.
Urban redesign proposals
Suggested Proposal to solve Traffic Problem:
Proposal for a one-way flyover (40’ wide)
As an attempt to solve the problem of the traffic movement, we are suggesting the proposal of a Flyover for one-way traffic which will take around 80% of the bus traffic.
Services in a Laundry – Fabrik Care Laundry, Rasoolpura, Begumpet
The Laundry caters to various hotels, hospitals etc. It is located at Rasoolpura, Begumpet, Hyderabad. The article discusses different services in a laundry namely water supply, drainage, electricity, fire safety and return air ducts.
The total area of the Laundry is 10,000sqft.
Total number of machines in the Laundry = 20
Total number of workers working in the Laundry = 80
Laundry
Types of Machines in the Laundry
Dry Cleaning Machines = 2 (Clothes upto 40kg can be washed in one go. The cycle of the machine is of around 30 to 40 minutes).
Wet Washing Machines = 2 (60 pieces can be washed at a time. The maximum capacity machine available in the laundry can take upto 80 pieces at a time).
Steam pressing Machines = 3 (Steam pressing is used for delicate cloth like siffon, silk etc)
Hothead pressing Machines = 5 (used for materials such as Cotton, starched clothes etc)
Row houses emerged in Europe in the 16th century. They are used when medium density housing is to be provided. They are also known as terraced houses or linked houses. They are generally identical or rather it would be preferable to say that they are mirror images with shared side walls.
Countries where row houses are popular
Row houses are found all across the world. They are very popular in Europe and Latin America. Some good examples of row housing can be found in North America and Oceania. In Europe, United Kingdom and France are popular for row houses or terraced houses. In North America, they are widespread. Cities such as Montreal, Toronto and Halifax in Canada have extensive examples of terraced housing. Cities with terraced housing in United States include Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and other cities. Malaysia and Singapore are also known for a different variety of row houses.
Examples of Row housing projects across the world
Row houses in England
Grosvenor Square in London was one of the earliest terraces in England. The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed a lot of property. This gave a rise for an urgent housing need which was met by building terraced houses. Victorian or Georgian architectural style was generally used in the design of terraced houses. Park Crescent, Regent’s Park in London is another good example of row housing.
Park Crescent, London | Row houses in England. Source: wikipedia.com
Row houses in India
Row houses were first built in the city of Chandigarh by Le Corbusier. They were built with an intention to provide low-cost housing. Le Corbusier wanted the residents to feel the happiness of having an independent home with their little garden in the front.
One of the newest project I found interesting was the one at Karad, a town in Maharashtra. The project aims to build 68 row houses. The project has been designed by a construction company called Kachchhi Constructions which is based in Hyderabad. What fascinates me is the elegant design of row houses. The architect Javed Kachchhi has used contemporary architectural style keeping the clients needs in mind. The township offers a number of amenities and facilities such as clubhouse, swimming pool and a beautifully landscaped garden. Overall it is an amazing design scheme.
Row houses in Northern Ireland
Initially, row houses in Northern Ireland were built to house working class people. One of the examples of row housing in Northern Ireland is the one in Peckham Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland. This was built in 1981. They bricked up windows and doors to deter vandals. These houses have now been restored.
Belfast, Northern Ireland. Source: wikipedia.com
Row houses in Montreal, Canada
A large number of row houses can be found in Montreal Canada. Row houses remained a dominant type of housing during the post-war period. The row houses were subdivided into duplexes and triplexes.
Smart meters are next generations devices that help you measure the consumption of electricity and gas. It is different from AMR – traditional Automatic Metering reading in a way that it enable two way communication between the meter and the central system. These smart meters are gaining popularity in the west. They are used for monitoring the energy and gas consumption as well as for billing purposes.
Smart Meters
Europe has introduced smart meters that are based on Open smart grid protocol (OSGP) which has the ability to reduce load, disconnect and reconnect remotely. The research conducted in the UK on the usage of smart meters showed that smart meters were being confused with energy meters. They are being used by 1 in 3 homes in the UK. It has been estimated that £300 million could be saved annually if the smart meters are actively used by the people.1 Although it is also important that people actively pay attention to their lifestyle that demand heavy energy consumption.
Smart meters are being used across the world. The aim of using smart meters is to initiate the creation of Energy-Efficient Economy. A study was conducted which showed that homeowners consumption of electricity was reduced by 3-5%.2
A third of smart meter customers saving up to £75 a year, British Gas says http://t.co/zoFRgaMD3H
I took quite some time to write this article. I am really troubled with the idea of people wanting to design their own homes without the help of a Architects or Engineers. It has been really tough telling people that every project is different and needs to be designed accordingly. Every site has different characteristics and hence the design differs.
People are more focused on saving a few thousands that they would have to pay to the experts for getting all the drawings right and in perfect order. They want to do it themselves. For some reason, they believe that they could do a better job than the experts themselves.
I am a professional and I truly appreciate people wanting to participate in the design of their homes, but the participation is limited to suggestions and discussions. The participation of people involves telling the architect about what they imagine their dream house to be. It should be borne in mind that people might have an idea of what they want their dream house to look like but they will never be able to create it. Describe what you want your house to look like and leave it to me and I will come up with something that will fill your heart with joy.
My Dream Home | That is my dream home which stands looking beautiful and sturdy and will last for the next 100 years. No compromise in the design and construction quality. Incredible colour scheme. It has perfect balance and rythm. Makes me feel blessed every time I see my house. THIS IS HOW YOU SHOULD FEEL ABOUT YOUR HOUSE.
This is only because I have studied for 7 long years which has helped me develop my design skills. I create what my clients dream and feel. When you describe your ideas to an Architect, he knows exactly what you are looking at and what you want. He is a technical person and a designer and knows how he could turn your dream into a reality.
Concrete has been used as a decking material for decades. There are finishes achieved in concrete that give a good deck surface.
For example, salt finish concrete is commonly used and seen on many sidewalks. The surface of deck of the deck is non-slippery. Salt finish concrete can also be used with different colours.
A different type of look is achieved on the concrete by adding acid stains.
Also, there are chemicals available in the market that are added in the concrete mix which helps in keeping the deck cool.
Masonry decks have also been used for decades. Flagstone or travertine can be used as decking materials. The material and labour cost is more in these types of decks.
Tropical Pool Deck tiles
The pool deck tiles that are made of tropical wood are gaining popularity these days. They are assembled on a plastic base having high density. There are ways in which the pool deck tiles can be used. They could be:
Staggered joints
Aligned joints
As a measure to resist termites and moisture, the pool deck tiles are coated with non-toxic chemical coatings. It makes the surface of the deck safer to walk by reducing the chances of slipping.
Use of tropical wood makes the deck tiles more convenient because the surface temperature of the deck tiles remains regulated. Be it too cold or hot, it feels comfortable to walk on them.
The writer explains how green lighting can have a huge impact on the savings. It may seem surprising as to how such a small change in choice could help you save a lot of money. LEDs have been the top choice of the designers because of the variety of pleasing colour options that are available. The article details out the two success stories of the companies that have chosen to go for LEDs replacing their existing incandescent light bulbs. It has been really surprising since the amount that they have saved millions of dollars by going for a greener option of lighting.
We are all acquainted with LEDs. LED stands for light emitting diode. Initially, the LEDs weren’t as efficient as they are today. The article details out the pros and cons of using LED lighting. Today, LED is considered under the category of green electronic components. They have played a great role in revolutionizing the lighting industry.
The author interviews the Indian Architect Javed Kachchhi regarding the construction site inspection. Various important questions have been answered that would be incredibly useful to the Architecture and engineering students as well as the young graduates. The questions regarding issues such as monitoring of the site, role of project management team, architects role on site inspection, mistakes committed by workers on site, scenario of construction sites in towns, scenario of construction sites in cities, role of contractors etc.
Sinking foundations could be disastrous for the life of a structure if not paid attention to. The damage and repair guide outlines the complex procedure into three simple steps. Every step in the guide has been explained in detail.
Here are the following three steps:
1) Examination of the structure
2) After the problem identification, an expert relating to the field is to be hired.
3) Outline of methodologies or techniques for the repair of sinking foundation
We will discuss repair of Sinking foundation in three steps:
Step 1 – Examination of the Structure by an expert
Step 2 – As soon as the problem is identified, hire a contractor or a foundation specialist
Step 3 – Methodologies or techniques used for sinking foundation repair
Step One: Identification and Examination of the Structure by an expert
As soon as you find any signs of foundation damage that we discussed in our previous article “Identifying Sinking foundation”, you should immediately contact a professional (structural engineer). The first thing that you should be doing is getting your house examined and checked properly for structural damage.
The structural engineer is an expert in this field. He will be able to tell you as to what has to be done in order to prevent further damage and all that is required to be repaired. Sometimes people tend to think that engineers might exaggerate about the damages occurred to the structure because of monetary concerns. However, it should be kept in mind that the engineer has no vested interest in these kind of repairs. He is the person who would give you an accurate and unbiased opinion. And with his help and advice, the work is then carried out by the foundation specialists or a general contractor. This was all about STEP-1.
Foundation is the most primary component of the building on which it stands. The life of the building depends on the quality of foundation. For a good and stable foundation, the structural design of the foundation has to be done properly in a systematic way under the guidance of a structural engineer.
If the casting of foundation is not paid attention to and is not laid properly on a stable soil, the structural problems are bound to develop. Every soil has a specific bearing capacity which is very necessary to be checked before designing the foundation. Without the consideration of bearing capacity of soil, the structural design for the foundation may not be suitable for that land.
Cause of Sinking Foundation
Sinking foundation is a problem that occurs in case of improperly laid foundations which is the result of careless consideration of the soil type. The problems are very crucial and have to be solved as soon as they are detected in order to prevent the structure from further damage.
Detecting Foundation problems
People living in areas with unstable soil conditions need to watch out for the signs of foundation problems. Some of the signs could be as follows:
First sign:
The house is gradually slanting to one side. (This is a very prominent example of sinking foundation problem. As soon as you notice this happening, you can immediately conclude it to be related to foundation and take action immediately before the condition of the structure gets worse.)
Fly ash bricks are masonry units that are used in the construction of buildings. They are considered to be a part of good and affordable building materials. They contain Class C fly ash and water.
Fly ash bricks are made by compressing Class C fly ash and water at 4000psi and then curing is carried on for 24 hours at a temperature of 66 degrees Celsius steam bath. Air entrainment agent is used to toughen the bricks.
Fly ash Bricks
Since the concentration of calcium oxide is very high in class C fly ash, the brick is described as self cementing.
It is considered to be a good alternative to traditional mud bricks since the method of manufacture of fly ash is energy efficient that is it helps save energy, brings about reduction of mercury pollution and plus it is cost effective.
Raw materials used for the manufacture of Fly ash Bricks:
Fly ash – which is the primary ingredient
Sand or Stone dust – as fine aggregate
Lime – source of calcium carbonate which results in the bricks being called “Self-cementing bricks”.
Gypsum – to enhance the fineness of the shape of the bricks
