Building have a long life, and while much of the building's secondary fabric can be changed and up-graded, there are aspects such as underslab insulation, orientation and thermal mass which cannot be changed, or only with much difficulty and expense. If proper exploration and consideration is given to alternatives and options at the design stage, then long-term economic value can be maintained and enhanced. During my time in Britain I was involved in re-purposing Victorian building which was feasible due to their ‘good bones’. For the future we now need ‘good thermal bones’.
As a society we are realising that the world’s resources are not infinite, and yet at the personal level many people still persist with the throw-away consumer economics. In the building sector Homestar® and Greenstar® give credits for reduce/re-use/recycle but this is only a very small beginning, especially when compared to the carbon-dioxide emissions from the manufacture of cement – at similar levels to those from the motor vehicle sector.
In the 1960s the youth generation of Hippies explored solar energy, and a return to natural materials and building forms, but the urgent concern of the wider society was the Nuclear threat. In the 1980s warnings of Global Warming were ignored although forward thinkers were promoting the need for the construction sector to take notice due to the long life of buildings. This was swept away by the rise of the market economy with its emphasis on individual gains rather than communal benefits. Thirty years later it is beginning to dawn on our political leaders that climate change must be taken seriously. Even so the spread of suburban Auckland across highly productive horticultural and agricultural land shows there is still a long way to go. The architectural professional can and should be in the forefront of the necessary new direction.
FORENSIC ARCHITECTURAL INVESTIGATIONS: Keith's architectural experience enables him to investigate building problem and suggest possible remedies. He is able to provide independent and unbaised professional comment and advice as he is not associatted with specific product suppliers or manufacturers.
EXPERT EVIDENCE: With an extensive background in architecture Keith has been engaged to investigate and report on matters associated with building disputes, and to prepare expert evidence for legal actions.
Check out my latest article on EBOSS https://www.eboss.co.nz/detailed/keith-huntington
CONTACT DETAILS: Please feel free to contact Keith for his C.V. and summary of experience. tel: 04 499-3015 mble: 021 890 251 e-mail: keith@settlement.co.nz
Keith Huntington - B.Arch, Dip.Urb.Val, Dip Bus.Stud(Disp.Res), FNZIA, FAMINZ(Med), LEADR Registered Architect (RAB# 1372) and NZGBC Homestar™ Practitioner & Assessor (reg# 6868)
