A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Is It Possible to Develop Lamella and Airey Properties Ecologically?
After the end of the First World War, the housing shortage in the UK caused the development of 900,000 dwellings of non-traditional houses. The majority were quickly erected dwellings, with the primary structure not being that of load-bearing brick or blockwork. The rationale for this is that traditional methods of construction were deemed unequal to the task of rapidly addressing the housing shortage. Also, there was a severe shortage of orthodox building materials, which was to continue for the next 4 years. These non-traditional buildings were to be temporary structures and replaced with buildings of longevity at later dates. To this day thousands of people, mostly below the poverty line, live in these dwellings which are now deemed to be structurally unsound due to the lack of fire protection and poor thermal properties. Furthermore, Investigations by Harrison of the BRE [Building Research Establishment] showed that a number of other house types built in the immediate post-war period exhibited similar defects and that these would eventually lead to structural failure
This paper focuses on the design possibilities for redevelopment and compliance to current approved document standards, to ascertain whether to redevelop or demolish and replace with new dwellings, whichever is the most eco-friendly solution. To do this, past professional experience is used alongside comparative research into two of the main construction methods used during this period: Lamella (timber Lamella grid structure with sarking felt and plain tiles) and Airey (PRC [precast reinforced concrete] column superstructures with external hung and exposed aggregate PRC panels).
The research exposed the current defects with the Lamella and Airey house types; the ways in which these defects can be rectified; the carbon footprint of undertaking retrofit and remedial work; and then, finally, an evaluation of the ecological viability of the works.
Is It Possible to Develop Lamella and Airey Properties Ecologically?
After the end of the First World War, the housing shortage in the UK caused the development of 900,000 dwellings of non-traditional houses. The majority were quickly erected dwellings, with the primary structure not being that of load-bearing brick or blockwork. The rationale for this is that traditional methods of construction were deemed unequal to the task of rapidly addressing the housing shortage. Also, there was a severe shortage of orthodox building materials, which was to continue for the next 4 years. These non-traditional buildings were to be temporary structures and replaced with buildings of longevity at later dates. To this day thousands of people, mostly below the poverty line, live in these dwellings which are now deemed to be structurally unsound due to the lack of fire protection and poor thermal properties. Furthermore, Investigations by Harrison of the BRE [Building Research Establishment] showed that a number of other house types built in the immediate post-war period exhibited similar defects and that these would eventually lead to structural failure
This paper focuses on the design possibilities for redevelopment and compliance to current approved document standards, to ascertain whether to redevelop or demolish and replace with new dwellings, whichever is the most eco-friendly solution. To do this, past professional experience is used alongside comparative research into two of the main construction methods used during this period: Lamella (timber Lamella grid structure with sarking felt and plain tiles) and Airey (PRC [precast reinforced concrete] column superstructures with external hung and exposed aggregate PRC panels).
The research exposed the current defects with the Lamella and Airey house types; the ways in which these defects can be rectified; the carbon footprint of undertaking retrofit and remedial work; and then, finally, an evaluation of the ecological viability of the works.
Is It Possible to Develop Lamella and Airey Properties Ecologically?
Gorse, Christopher (editor) / Scott, Lloyd (editor) / Booth, Colin (editor) / Dastbaz, Mohammad (editor) / Young, Elliott (author)
Climate Emergency – Managing, Building , and Delivering the Sustainable Development Goals ; Chapter: 11 ; 121-135
2021-11-14
15 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
| Emerald Group Publishing | 1983
Concrete structural units in Britain's Airey system
Engineering Index Backfile | 1946
Airey on Dimitriou (Ed.): Transport planning for Third World cities
| British Library Online Contents | 1994
| Engineering Index Backfile | 1960