Sustainability considerations in building repairs

Scenario

You work for a medium size building company, which you have just joined. Your company has several repair and maintenance contracts with housing associations one of which is based in San Joaquin, California.

Your client a local housing association has received a survey report highlighting the poor condition of the windows. See appendix 1 for typical damage.

They have decided to renew or repair  the windows taking into account sustainability and cost.

Your first job is to prepare a response to an invitation to renew the windows for approximately 50 properties. The domestic dwellings comprise; terrace, end of terrace, detached, semi detached and maisonettes. No dwelling is more than two stories high.

The contract covers both the renewal as well as the maintenance of the windows.

You should clearly relate the use of the material to its properties.

This assignment must be presented as a report.

This assignment is in two parts

Part 1

Appendix 1 contains an extract from a survey carried out on the properties owned by the housing association. The original purpose of the survey was to establish the condition of the dwellings.

Following the survey it was realised that this would affect the future financial obligations of the association.

To that end specialist contractors were invited to tender for the replacement or repair of the windows.

• Describe the likely cause of the damage to the windows
• Analyse remedial remedies i.e. repair
• Evaluate total renewal in terms of, uPVC or timber double glazed units. 100 Marks

Part 2

There is growing concerns about global warming, using your own research, evaluate the following for both wooden and uPVC frames;

• Describe and evaluate the maintenance procedures necessary to maintain durability paying particular regard to Volatile Organic Compounds
• Environmental considerations in terms of re-cycling, sustainability and renewal
• Energy considerations including embedded energy within the product
• On the basis of the above choose which type of windows frames you are going to recommend and why? 100 Marks