(PDF) Houseboats and Floating Houses - tboake.com and Floating Houses ... the waves which allows the boat to move in the water with ease and direction. There are two major types of houseboats, - DOKUMEN.TIPS (2023)

Houseboats and Floating Houses Houseboats and floating housesare built elements that lie on top of the water surface, andtherefore have there sensations depicted by the moving water belowand views surround them. They are unique places to live due tothese sensations. Houseboats and floating houses are verydifferent. The major difference is in the fact that houseboats movethemselves whilst floating houses are located in primarily the onespot. Living on the water can create a strong sense of communitythough floating houses, or it can provide privacy throughhouseboats, both however give the occupant a strong understandingand appreciation of the natural environment.

http:// popularmechanics.com Differences between houseboats andfloating houses- The major difference between houseboat andfloating house design is the amount of manoeuvrability required.The typical houseboat for example has as hull that is submergedbelow the waves which allows the boat to move in the water withease and direction. There are two major types of houseboats, thefirst has one hull that is curved to move through the waterquickly, and it is designed for speed and to move though roughwaters. The other has a pontoon base that is wider in the water andcontains at least two hull extrusions into the water. Thishouseboat style is for slow cruising through waterways as it hasless speed and manoeuvrability. The living area above or within thehull is therefore designed to maximise the space below and abovethe water level. In faster single hulled boats sleeping and livingquarters are included in the hull of the boat, an example of whichis a yacht. The pontoon base requires that the living space beabove the water, as the two or more hulls are shallow, however thisspace can still be utilised as storage space. Many objects in ahouseboat are more compacted compared to a normal house. An exampleof an equivalent land based habitat is the caravan, which alsomaximises minimal space whilst moving from place to place. 1

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University ofWaterloo School of Architecture Winter 2004 1

1 Newcomb, D. The Wonderful World of Houseboating, Publish byPrentice-Hall of Canada Ltd, Toronto 1974, pages 130-135

Floating house design on the other hand is possibThese bases aremade out of varying materials, asits and floats on the water, butis usually connechouses do not usually move on their own, astheythey are able to be taken to different sites by tug stable thana houseboat therefore allowing more The base area of the floatationdevice can be as floating home can rise up to four levels high. Aflooccupant compared to a houseboat, thus allowingaround. Floatinghouses are usually grouped in cbe located in the one area, and beaccessible for

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Locations for communities Houseboats are found in most waterwaysaround North America, Australia, Europe, and Asia. In most westerncountries houseboats are either privately owned for weekend andholiday use- or they are hired out to people for holiday use. Somehouseboats are used for year round living, such as the cannels ofEuropean cities- Paris, London, Amsterdam to name a few. 2 In Asiancommunities, houseboats are commonly used as places of work, aswell as residence, such as the transporting of goods or fishing, inthese cases the family works together and live together. Ashouseboats are able to move through the water they are able to goanywhere that their engines ability and flotation ability is ableto take them. For example supper-yachts are able to navigate aroundthe globe in luxury, and can pull into any port or drop anchor inany shallow water, this is the advantage of a houseboat.

Houseboat in Paris Asian Houseboats Floating house communitiesare located in more specific areas. The largest in Canada is inVancouver, whilst in the US the main floating house communities arelocated in Seattle, San Francisco, and Florida. Apart from NorthAmerica the Netherlands have a very large and successful communityof floating houses. This is due to the rising water levels in thecountry and the growing population, where people are forced to findalternatives to land habitation. The architects in the Netherlandsseem to have taken a lead in sustainable and innovative floatinghouse design due to the pressures just mentioned. 3 In Asianfloating house communities, floating houses are also converted intocommunity buildings such as schools and shops that are only a shortpaddle away from the family floating home. These communities areable to deal with the rising water levels and growing populations,but have few of the modern conveniences that western floatinghouses have, such as electricity and sanitation. 4

Floating Houses

2 Gabor, M. Houseboats from Floating Places to Humble Dwellings-a glowing tribute to a growing lifestyle. Published by BallantineBooks, Toronto 1979. 3http://archrecord.construction.com/inovation/1_TechBriefs/0310Watervilla.asp4 Gabor, op.cit.

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University ofWaterloo School of Architecture Winter 2004 3

http://archrecord.construction.com/inovation/1_TechBriefs/0310Watervilla.asp

Requirements for a floating house community- Floating housecommunities are very important to floating house owners. Floatinghouse communities provide a sense of security and connection forthe individual floating house owners, which is required when livingon the water. A floating house community can be made up of half adozen or more floating houses. Larger communities are a combinationof smaller neighbourhoods, containing 4 to 6 floating houses alllinked together by the same pier or boardwalk. These neighbourhoodsmay run off one larger boardwalk, or they may be directly linked tothe land. Some older communities would run the length of the pieror the shoreline. Floating houses can be individually situated, onprivate waterfront properties, but most floating homes now arecontrolled by local planning and are required to be situated inonly certain areas. 5

The initial attraction to floating housethe water, which was agreat benefit communities increased local governmfloating housecommunities. The numhave the number of floating houses wstancetaken by the authorities, who authorities have declared that therewnone can take its place, which insurehowever, floating housedesign is becommunities where they will be situathere are beingdesigned as whole smore. This is becoming a priority, asnow are inthe not so distant future. There is a large range of people livingin thefloating houses started to develop in North A

5 Paris, G. The Floating Home Channel FloaVancouver B.C. 59-672Integrative Project RGuelph, Guelph Ontario. May 4, 1984.

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case

Floating House Communities

s in North America was that there was no land tax for living onduring the great depression, however as the numbers of entseventually caught up and took control of the planning in ber offloating house communities have since dwindled, as ithin thecommunities, and this is because of the tougher

believed them to be very unsanitary places. In some areas ill beno more floating houses, and that if one sinks or moves

s that the community will disappear. In other parts of the worldcoming much more important, and as such, so are the ted. An exampleof which is in the Netherlands. Communities uburbs, includingfamily homes, student flats, offices and much there are fears ofglobal warming and rising waters, which

floating home communities. At around the turn of the 20thcentury when merica, many of the inhabitants of

ting Home Community- The Deering Channel Floating Home Community.R.Stoltz Supervisor- School of Landscape Architecture Universityof

Studies University of Waterloo School of Architecture Winter2004 4

floating homes were men whos work involved floating logs downriver and it was easier for them to work and live on the water,especially as the logs that they floated down the river became thefloating device which the floating house would sit6. Wealthierfamilies were able to enjoy living on the river at these times aswell. Recently there have been large ranges of people who enjoyliving on floating houses. They range from professionals, such asschool teachers, to retirees, majority of people according toGregory Paris are couples, and only a few families with childrenlive on floating houses in Vancouver. Floating house communitiesalso attract artists, poets and other creative personalities, witha desire to be creatively influenced by living on a floating houseand the water.7 Groups of more than 2 people, such as families, orgroups of couples on the other hand occupy houseboats on weekendsor holidays.

What makes up a floating houscommunities, services areprovlaundry facilities, communal wahomes that do not have theiropublic transport access. Theseindividual ways. Laundryfacilitoccupants with out a washing their cloths, which would be arequired for community meetinmay also have some other feacommunity,such as teenagerssame age group. These roomsfriends and have a goodtime.8 Parks are very important to a foccupants of a floating home.home community, in Vancouvfloating home communities reqand outdooreating space facilthat they are able to access th

6 Dennis, B, Case, B. Houseboat- ReLifestyles. Smugglers CovePublishi7 Paris, G . op.cit. 8 Paris, G . op.cit.

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainab

Wealthy and Poorer Floating Houses around the turn of the 20thCentury

e community is not just the floating home. In successful idedfor the direct use of the occupants. These services include shroomfacilities (including showers and toilets- for those floating

wn shower), communal room/hall, park areas, car parking, andservices are important to the occupants of floating homes in iesand communal washrooms for example are provided so that machine donot have to travel long distances into a town to clean hassle andtime consuming. The communal rooms or hall are gs, socialgatherings and for organisational purposes. These places tures thatwould benefit certain generations of the floating home , who mightrequire external activities with other members of the would be asafe place where they would be able to meet with

loating house community, as there is no private land for theAccording to a study called The floating home channel, floating erB.C, an interactive project by Gregory Paris, 1984, parks in uirelong walking tracks, open grass space for activities and BBQs

ities. Car parking is required for all occupants that havevehicles so eir floating home from other areas. For people thatdont have cars

flections of North Americas Floating Homes History, Architectureand ng 1977 Seattle.

le Case Studies University of Waterloo School of ArchitectureWinter 2004 5

public transport may be necessary. The easiest forms of publictransport that can be extended to a floating house community arethe bus services. Most communities have no form of transportationbetween the car park, public transport drop off and the floatinghomes themselves, as some distances may be quite far and theoccupant may have heavy bags or the like, this issue may beimportant in the future. 9 Designs of floating houses andhouseboats The appearance of floating houses are different allaround the world. In North America floating houses can be eitherdesigned by an architect, and look relatively like a land house, orthey can be pieces of sculpture, where the builder has taken manyobjects, usually starting with a flotation device and creates ahome out of the materials that they can find. As Mark Gabor puts itin his book Houseboats, Living on the Water Around the World, onpage 6, floating houses in North America can range dramaticallyfrom a one-room shingled cabin on wooden pontoons, to amobile-home-type squatters shack supported by metal oil drums, to athree-story suburban palace on a reinforced ferro-concrete bargebase.10 The main requirement for a craft to be labelled as afloating house is that it is a permanent residence, with homelybelongings inside. These homes are able to contain all the creaturecomforts that a land house of the same nature may have. Forexample, fire places, kitchens, spa baths, staircases, normal beds,laundries etc. Floating houses are now linked up to the shore lineso that fresh water can be brought straight into the house andsewage can be pumped back into town lines, thus avoiding thefloating house communities from becoming unsanitary slums.

Houseboats are much more commnot restricted to the one spot.Henand they can be off. Houseboats its supplies and then it cantravel In fast moving houseboats with othe smoothness of the ride.In squthe boat lifting it up high into the adown again, sittinghigh in the wathe other hand lets the water undwater and making theride smoothquarters, such as bed space, livin

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable C

9 Paris, G . op.cit. 10 Gabor, op.cit.

Floating Houses

on on the worlds waterways, this is due to the fact that theyare ce they can be easily placed in the water at any placerequired

only have to stop in one place long enough to refuel the boatand around to explore different places up and down the river orcoast. ne hull, the hull shape can be squarer or rounder, dependingon are bottom hulls the water gets trapped underneath the bottom ofir, and when the next wave arrives the boat comes crashing ter alsohelps the boat to travel faster. The round bottom edge on erneathit to escape, thus allowing the boat to sit lower in the er. Mosthouseboats rely on the internal side of the hull for living g/dinning areas, kitchen, bathroom and storage. The shape of

ase Studies University of Waterloo School of Architecture Winter2004 6

the hull therefore has a large impact on the feel of the boat,and the habitable space inside, as well as how it moves throughoutthe water. Pontoon houseboats on the other hand, have moresimilarities to floating houses as the living area is above thewaterline, and can therefore take a less determined space to thatof a hull. The pontoon houseboat only travels very slowly, butbecause of the movement and navigation requirements their size isnot much bigger than that of a hull houseboat. They therefore havevery tightly packed internal spaces, with the aim to maximise everycorner in the home. 11 Houseboats

Modern examples of floating houses Floating house design hasslowly developed through the years, however it has only beenrecently that designs have become more environmentally aware andhave begun to challenge the boundaries. This is mainly due to newconstruction techniques and growing climate changes. Two example offloating houses that have employed environmental principles tocreate sustainable dwellings and innovative water house design areHertzbergers Watervilla and Zemas Jelly-fish 85.

http://archrecord.construction.com/innovation/1_TechBriefs/0310Watervilla.asp

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University ofWaterloo School of Architecture Winter 2004 7

11 Malo, J. The Complete Guide to Houseboating. MacMillianPublishing Co. Inc, New York 1974.

Watervilla has been designed by Dutch architect HermanHertzberger as an innovative step towards solving Netherlands overcrowding and rising water level problems. Watervillas floatationsystem works on the same principle as an offshore floatation rig,and contains a steel frame in a hexagon shape, covered inindustrial flotation pipes. This structure allows the floating hometo be stable in the heavy seas and winds up to a force 14 storm.The pipes are in a D-formation and are over 2 meters high, makingthe structure almost un-tippable, due to the suction created, andalso very strong, able to carry 135 tonnes in weight, enough tohold the live weight of a three-story house. The Watervilla isdesigned to be situated far enough away from the shoreline so itcan rise and fall with the water level, and it is connected to theshore by steel hawser guy ropes so that in times of floods it doesnot get swept away. An advantage of the Watervilla is the small onboard motor, which allows it to move to another place if required,and due to the shape of the base the floating house has goodmanoeuvrability. It is however designed for emergency use only, andif travel is required then there is room for a larger motor to beinstalled. The system, which can be operated manually orcomputerised through solar power, also controls the crafts abilityto turn 90 deg depending on the solar orientation of the season.12The Watervilla was designed to be competitive with the land housingmarket in the Netherlands, so its cladding is as Barrenechedescribes prefabricated, low-maintenance skin made of lightweightsteel plates over the 60-centimerter deep steel frame with foaminsulation. The Watervilla is three stories high and contains twobedrooms and a study, two entry points into the house and balconyareas on each level. The large floor to ceiling glass windows allowfor cross ventilation and indoor temperature is controlled throughheating and cooling systems. 13 Zemas Jelly-fish 85 however is notaimed at the housing market. At a cost of 2 million dollars USD,the Jelly-fish 85 is a luxury home for the very rich. TheJelly-fish 85 is nonetheless designed to be self-sufficient andnon-polluting, the first of its kind, and if it is ever totranspire then it would be a great step forward to a cleaner richerenvironment. The Jelly-fish 85 works in a very similar way to theTrilobis 65 through its solar electric panels, solar hot waterpanels and hydrogen power to move the Jelly-fish 85 through thewater.14 It also has the photovoltaic glass panels, which turn darkto block direct sunlight and reflected glare on the users command.The Jelly-fish 85 sleeps 6 people and like the Watervilla alsocontains three habitable levels above the water each containingbalcony areas also. The Jelly-fish 85 also has an underwaterobservation bulb that is currently unique to Zemas designs. Zemasdesign allows for cross ventilation and internal climatecontrol,

12 http://archrecord13 http://uk.geocitie14 http://www.gianc

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http://www.giancarlozema.co

.construction.com/inovation/1_TechBriefs/0310Watervilla.asps.com/annemarieskjold/float.html arlozema.com

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http://archrecord.construction.com/inovation/1_TechBriefs/0310Watervilla.asphttp://uk.geocities.com/annemarieskjold/float.htmlhttp://www.giancarlozema.com/

as well as highly insulated exterior cladding. 15 Commonmaterials Floating houses are unique because they provide theoccupant with all the comforts of a land home, and yet provides anextra uniqueness to the lives of people living in them due to therelationship the water they float on. The floating devise is themain difference between the floating home and a land home.Initially in North America floatation devises were simple rafts. Asthese rafts began to fill with water large cedar logs were rolledunderneath the raft.16 As these became water logged then anotherwas rolled under eventually forming a triangle shape below theraft. Some floating houses could have as many logs underneath as toreach 4.6m deep. Recent more experimental floatation methods havebeen air filled drums that are tied together and placed under thebase raft of the house, ferro cement hulls, concrete barges filledwith styrofoam, steel tanks and old scows or barges.

Common materials for houseboats are very similar, as they alsohavto float on the water. Some examples of hull and pontoonmaterials aluminium and fibreglass. Some of the advantages of woodis that itresilience, its less expensive and it doesnt easilytransmit vibrationsrequires yearly painting and is fire prone.Ferro-cement is used by trcement, fine sand and pozzolana onframework of pipe rods and chferro-cement are that its maintenancefree, fire proof, rot proof and sheavy and therefore require a lotof fuel to move quickly in the waterwell in rough water and are notvery stable at slow speeds. Steel is seamless, fibreglass is alsovery strong, durable, totally seamless acost more and is heavier.Aluminium is lightweight and therefore is brequires less power toreach high speeds. Special coatings can proteasier to manipulatethan steel. 17

15http://popularmechanics.com/science/transportation/2002/11/living_underwater16Dennis, B. op.cit. 17 Newcomb, D. op.cit.

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University ofWaterloo Schoo

Dennis, B, Case, B. Houseboat- Reflections of North AmericasFloating Homes History, Architecture and Lifestyles. Smugglers CovePublishing 1977 Seattle

e to be waterproof and be able are wood, ferro-cement, steel,has good strength and . Some disadvantages is that it oweling a mixof Portland icken wire. The advantages of trong, they are howeververy , and usually do not handle

very tough and can be almost nd resilient, however it does etteron fuel consumption, and ect it from corrosion and it is

/index.phtml

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http://popularmechanics.com/science/transportation/2002/11/living_underwater/index.phtml

Advantages Disadvantages on living on the water There are someadvantages and disadvantages to living on the water, however if youask almost anyone who lives on the water they will tell you that itis the only way to live. Some of the great aspects of living on ahouseboat are the connections with the natural environment. This isachieved through the gently rocking of the wave and the soft windon calm days and the more furious motion of the waves moving thefloating house or houseboat along with the strong wind on wilderdays. Other advantages are that residents would be more likely totake care of the water on which they are living on so that they canswim in it and not see and smell pollution coming from it, theywill take more care to looking after where they live, and lobby topersuade others to do the same. Disadvantages are that they have noprivate out door space for which children can play safely, althoughmany people are happy about not having to mow any lawns. There isalso the threat of the floating house or houseboat sinking orcatching on fire, and the occupants loosing all their possessions.Leed analysis My LEED analysis will focus on the work of an ItalianNavel Architect Giancarlo Zema, who has clamed to have designed afloating house and houseboat that are self-sufficient, (and)non-polluting. These buildings/vessels have not as yet been built-but are estimated to cost 2 million USD and 5 million USDrespectively. They are proposed to be built at a private residentsnext to Lake Washington, by a wealthy US businessman along with acomplex of other buildings. The floating house has been named theJelly-fish 45 and the houseboat is called Trilobis 65. They arenamed in part after their shape but also in from their relationwith the water. Both structures have a unique submersiblepolycarbonate sphere below the water line that allows the occupantsto view the aquatic life below the craft, both during the day andwith spotlights at night. The analysis information is based on theTrilobis 65, the houseboat that sleeps 6 people, two single and twodouble bedrooms all with private bathrooms. It is 65ft or 19.5mfrom stem to stern and 42ft or 12.6m from port to starboard, andincludes 4 levels that range from above to below the water line.The top level contains the helm, communications and navigationalareas, whilst the level below holds the living area, kitchen anddecking. The level that is in line with the water level is wherethe sleep and bathing areas are held. This level also holds thepropulsion system and the two electric motors. The bottom levelcontains the viewing globe to the marine life.

Eve Merrington:

http://www.submersiblesubmarines.com/pages/interview.htm

Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University of Waterloo Schoolof Architecture Winter 2004 10

The LEED analysis is very unusual for this project, and thereare aspects that are not applicable to the requirements, and thereare some requirements that have to be adjusted to suite theproject. Sustainable Sites: The site of the project is on anartificial lake, which would be considered a green-field, as it hasyet to be built on. There would be a great amount of destruction onthe site to create a lake the size proposed. This project couldeasily work on an exiting lake, but as the Trilobis 65 has such ahigh cost and there is an interested buyer/developer who is settingup the lake project too the architect has been commissioned withwhole lake, and must follow the wishes of the client if he is toget a Trilobis 65 built. As it is a new development it would notobtain the development density point, which aims for greaterdevelopment in one area, before people begin moving on to a new,green-field site. One advantage of the Trilobis 65 is that thedocking system allows for up to five boats to be docked at onetime, and many docks can be placed next to each other, allowingdevelopment and population to begin and grow in the one spot thenmove on to another when there is no room left, or the community hasreached its desired density. The negative effects that the Trilobismay impact into the site may include disturbance of the lake floordue to propulsion if in shallow waters, and the possibility ofleakage or spilling of waste into the water. If this was to happen-as is possible in all water crafts, then the impact on the waterwould be very great compared to that on land as it would be harderto clean and to contain the spillage. The lakes location, as a newdevelopment has not been identified, therefore it is not know ifthere is any transport to or from the site. With the amount offacilities shown on the site map however, (such as the shoppingarea, information point, welcome area, docking area, lake museum,submarine docking, submerged restaurant and Trilobis 65 dockingarea), it is clear that the whole project would be more successfulif there was public transport and lots of room for vehicles. Therehas also been no identified transport to move around the site otherthan the craft itself, which is an alternative fuel vehicle thatcan move up and down coastlines as well as around a lake. TheTrilobis 65 is able to dock at special stations that are linked toland by platforms, where there would be car parking- however thereis no evidence of an alternative fuel vehicle to transport a numberof people from the car park to the Trilobis 65. There is room onboard the Trilobis 65 for bikes and other smaller forms oftransport.

e

The location of the Trilobis 65 is good as it has a smallfootprint in comarea- therefore affecting less of the possiblesite, this also allows for e

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University ofWaterloo School o

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parison to its total habitual asier handling in busy

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waterways. However, the size of the Trilobis 65 is quite largein comparison to a normal house or a floating house, an example ofwhich is Hertzbergers Watervilla which has three storeys and atotal floor area of 156m2, as the Trilobis 65 has four storeyshigh, which only 2 storeys are habitual, and there being apossibility of 6 people living on it at one time, with the largestfootprint being 19.5 x 12.6m, thus the total habitual floor area isabout 500m2. Some of this area however is outdoor space, which isnot included in the calculation of land housing or the Watervilla.The site disturbance from the new artificial lake would initiallybe great but the surrounding area has been planned with grasslandsand planted areas, which would stop erosion and improve the site.The storm water management issue is a very unique one as the waterwould just run straight into the lake, the only problem with thismay be that it washes what has collected on the external surface ofthe Trilobis 65 into the water- which may be polluting. For thesite storm water management, the solution would be easy as thewater would be able to run straight into the lake- thusreplenishing the evaporated water. There is little external heatisland effect for the surrounding areas; however the glare thathits the water from the sun may be disturbing for the occupants.The advantage of being a houseboat however allows it to move andturn and face away from the glare. There would be heat build up onthe roof/external surface of the building because of the darktinted glass, solar eclectic and hot water panels and the largecurved area that faces the sun at one time.

Water Efficiency: There is not much need for water efficientlandscaping as the storm watwater, however if plants were to beutilised on a boat then the storm watway to look after the plants.It would be also important to catch rain watestored for drinking orgrey water use when the Trilobite is away from lanthere is none onthe Trilobite at present. Wastewater is to be dealt with atypicallythis is where the solids are separated from the wastewater,andwastewater is reused, until it is then stored. It is finallyremoved at marinprocess would also count as water use reduction.There is no mention ohowever simple reduction techniques, such aswater efficient shower roseasily employed in the design of theTrilobite 65. Energy and Atmosphere: I believe that the Trilobis 65would have a commission team to overviewbe built- however as it hasnot yet been built I can only theorise. The CFto the reverse cycleair-conditioning system, which is powered the solar however easy toobtain as it relates to larger HVAC systems, that are noTheTrilobis 65 is run totally on renewable energy both with its solarpowwater and the hydrogen power for its movement though the water,thereenergy. There is no mention of control systems on the Trilobis65 for ligh

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University ofWaterloo School of A

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er runs straight into the er run off would be a good r that maybe able to be

d for long times, however s it is in super-yachts, stored, whilethe as, during docking. This f water use reduction, e, and tapscould be

the project before it is to C reduction is possible due panels,this point is t need in the Trilobis 65. er for electricity; solarhot fore it is 100% renewable ting and cooling loads,

rchitecture Winter 2004 12

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however the control room on the top level which holds all thenavigation equipment would have many controls on it that couldeasily contain the controls for lighting, cooling and heating.Materials and Resources: As the Trilobis 65 project is still in itsinfancy, I doubt that issues such as collections for recyclableshas come up; however there is enough space onboard that would allowstorage facilities. This waste would probably be removed from thevessel when docked at the marina or other docking space, along withother forms of waste. The Trilobis 65 would be a totally newconstruction; the major structural materials are the foamreinforced fibreglass skin, which includes laminates on theexterior, the foam core, and vinyl internal finish. The glass onthe Trilobis 65 is photovoltaic glass that is controlled by sensorsand is made from two layers of tempered glass with an electrolytein between which changes the glass from clear to totally blackedout depending on the occupants requirements and the externalweather conditions. The last major product is the either thickglass or polycarbonate (reports differ) that surrounds theobservation bulb which is at the same technical standards astourist submarines. There is a possibility for using recycledcontent in some of these materials- but it is unknown if is hasbeen specified for construction or not. The materials dont meet therequirements for local or regional materials, and are nor rapidlyrenewable materials, however they have long lives, which requirelittle maintenance, except possibly cleaning of the glass bulb fromalgaes and other sea creatures that attach them selves to vessels.The construction waste management is not yet known as none havebeen made yet; however as it is a unique product then it would havepieces that are made specifically for the Trilobis 65 there forthey would be more likely to be made for direct installation withinthe final built structure. This fabrication would reduce the amountof waste during its construction. Indoor Environmental Quality: TheTrilobis 65 complies with the minimum indoor air qualityrequirements as it contains a reverse cycle air conditioner thatruns throughout the building. There has been no statement abouttobacco smoke control with in the Trilobis 65- however there is adecking in front of the lounge area that allows people wishing tosmoke to move outside. Air quality management during constructionwould be very important as it will probably be built inside afactory and the builders will be working with toxic fibreglassodours, as well as other materials. I assume that there would besome sort of plan in place to deal with those problems, as theywould not be able to work in that environment. There is no evidenceyet of what internal finishes and adhesives Trilobis 65 will haveso it is not known yet where it will have low emitting materials,however as it is a totally new construction there is theopportunity for all internal materials to be low in VOC emissions.There is no record yet of an indoor air management plan for thepre-occupancy stage, however as the Trilobis 65 would need to betransported to its initial

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University ofWaterloo School of Architecture Winter 2004 13

docking area from the factory where it was constructed thereshould be enough time for the air quality inside the Trilobis 65 tobe at the level required for occupancy. Most of the windows on theTrilobis 65 are operable, therefore allowing the clean, fresh seaor lake air to circulate through the vessel, and providing crossventilation. The lounge area that faces the Trilobis 65s deckinghas large doors that allows the internal space to be directlyinfluenced by the outdoor space, therefore the occupant has fullcontrol over their connection with the external

environment. The thermal comfort of a building is related to thereverse cycle air conditioning system and the photovoltaic windowsto block out heat and light. These systems are controlled by theoccupant, which allows maximum comfort. The Trilobis 65 has a goodsource of daylight and view into the living and other spaces. Theunique underwater viewing platform extends the view to the unknownon the lake or sea floor. Carbon dioxide could be monitored in thecontrol room on the top floor of the Trilobis 65, however the onlyplace that it would be required for would be the observation bulb,which is below water level, and therefore has no operable windows.The access of fresh air in the bulb is supplied through the airconditioning and the entry stairs that open up to the above levels.Innovation and Design Process: Three points have been given forinnovation and design. First to the hydrogen power created to movethe Trilobis 65. This avoids accidental spilling of fuels into thewater, and it is a renewable resource, which has no adverse effecton the environment. The second point is given to the photovoltaiccells that darken the glass to help the thermal and visual comfortof the occupant. Thus allowing maximum views onto the Coastline/Lake or marine park without the discomfort of glare or overheating,which saves money and energy on conditioning the internal space.The third point is given to the underwater bulb as it provides anunusual place for relaxation, contemplation and gives the occupanta direct connection with the marine life around them- that theywill be less likely to destroy as they can see the consequences.18

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University ofWaterloo School of Architecture Winter 2004 14

18 All leed analysis was based on references:http://popularmechanics.com/science/transportation/2002/11/living_underwater/index.phtml

http://popularmechanics.com/science/transportation/2002/11/living_underwater/index.phtml

Design Brief Brief: To design a floating home comdesign aprototype houseboat of which are self sufficient and Floating homecommunity: -Layout for 50 -Docking area -Connecting b

-Community fawash area, mthat are partly-Parks to inclupavedareas farea for floatin

-Car parking f-Public transparea.

-Green-power Houseboat: -Navigational area -Room for 6 people to-Two bathrooms -One kitchen/galley -One living area/dinnin-External decking -Green power and per -Contain ESD principle

http://www.giancarlozema.comhttp://www.submersiblesubmarines.cEmail conversations with navelarchi

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainab

http:// popularmechanics.com

munity with facilities for houseboat docking and anchorage. Alsoto for up to 6 people and a prototype floating house for 3 people,both environmentally friendly.

floating homes. for 10 houseboats at one time with room foranother 10 to anchor. oardwalks, including weather covering, andstreet furniture. cilities to include; general store, communallaundry, communal

eeting hall with 2 smaller meeting rooms and outdoor eatingfacilities, covered. de walking track, grassy areas for ball games,lookouts, vegetation, or ball games, childrens playground,vegetable plots and garden g house residences.

or 65 cars. ort stop/station, and extension of existing publictransport in the

transportation for occupants between entry and floatinghome.

-Design to support smooth movement through water with reasonablespeeds and manoeuvrability in high seas.

sleep

Floating house: g area -Room for a couple

pulsion -One bathroom s -Kitchen

-Living area

om/pages/interview.htm tect Giancarlo Zema

le Case Studies University of Waterloo School of ArchitectureWinter 2004 15

http://www.giancarlozema.com/http://www.submersiblesubmarines.com/pages/interview.htm

-Dinning area -Laundry area -Study/bedroom -Designed to react tothe movement

and angle of the sun -External decking -Green power -Contain ESDprinciples Both the houseboat and floating house to have thepossibility for underwater exploration, such as the observationbulb on the Trilobis 65 and Jelly-fish 85.

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University ofWaterloo School of Architecture Winter 2004 16

Bibliographyhttp://www.wasserstadt.de/english/rummelsburg/pro_hausboot.htmlhttp://www.ecoboot.nl/artikelen/floating_houses.phphttp://www.floatingstructures.com/http://community.webshots.com/photo/31402661/31403347mpIgqviGdLhttp://www.h2olland.nl/h2o/thema_4.xml.htmlhttp://www.metstrade.com/marketplace/mypage/products_detail.asp?mypageid=751&productid=2674http://www.nautica.it/boatshow/azimut/68seng.htmhttp://popularmechanics.com/science/transportation/2002/11/living_underwater/index.phtmlhttp://boatdesign.net/directory/materials/http://archrecord.construction.com/inovation/1_TechBriefs/0310Watervilla.asphttp://www.giancarlozema.comhttp://www.submersiblesubmarines.com/pages/interview.htmhttp://uk.geocities.com/annemarieskjold/float.html Barrenche, R.Floating Waterhouse. Architecture and Urbanism 1991 April no.4Extra edition p190-192 Cable, C. The Houseboat as DomesticArchitecture. Architecture and Fine Arts Librarian, University ofTexas, Austin. Dennis, B, Case, B. Houseboat- Reflections of NorthAmericas Floating Homes History, Architecture and Lifestyles.Smugglers Cove Publishing 1977 Seattle. Gabor, M. Houseboats fromFloating Places to Humble Dwellings- a glowing tribute to a growinglifestyle. Published by Ballantine Books, Toronto 1979. MacDonald,J. Houseboat Chronicles. The Canadian Publishers, Canada 2002.Malo, J. The Complete Guide to Houseboating. MacMillian PublishingCo. Inc, New York 1974. Mate, F. Waterhouses the RomanticAlternative. Albatross Publishing House, Vancouver 1977.

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University ofWaterloo School of Architecture Winter 2004 17

http://www.wasserstadt.de/english/rummelsburg/pro_hausboot.htmlhttp://www.ecoboot.nl/artikelen/floating_houses.phphttp://www.floatingstructures.com/http://community.webshots.com/photo/31402661/31403347mpIgqviGdLhttp://www.h2olland.nl/h2o/thema_4.xml.htmlhttp://www.metstrade.com/marketplace/mypage/products_detail.asp?mypageid=751&productid=2674http://www.metstrade.com/marketplace/mypage/products_detail.asp?mypageid=751&productid=2674http://www.nautica.it/boatshow/azimut/68seng.htmhttp://popularmechanics.com/science/transportation/2002/11/living_underwater/index.phtmlhttp://boatdesign.net/directory/materials/http://archrecord.construction.com/inovation/1_TechBriefs/0310Watervilla.asphttp://www.giancarlozema.com/http://www.submersiblesubmarines.com/pages/interview.htmhttp://uk.geocities.com/annemarieskjold/float.html

Newcomb, D. The Wonderful World of Houseboating, Publish byPrentice-Hall of Canada Ltd, Toronto 1974 Oyama Houseboat.Architecture and Urbanism 1981 Nov VII (134) p44-45. Paris, G. TheFloating Home Channel Floating Home Community- The Deering ChannelFloating Home Community Vancouver B.C. 59-672 Integrative ProjectR.R.Stoltz Supervisor- School of Landscape Architecture Universityof Guelph, Guelph Ontario. May 4, 1984. Wharton, W. Houseboat onthe Seine. Published by Newmarket Press, USA 1996.

Eve Merrington: Arch 684 Sustainable Case Studies University ofWaterloo School of Architecture Winter 2004 18

Houseboats and Floating HousesLocations forcommunitiesRequirements for a floating house community-Designs offloating houses and houseboatsCommon materialsLeed analysis