A Multidisciplinary Design Methodology for Southern Housing

Under the auspices of the US Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory and the Coalition for Advanced Wood Structures (CAWS), the Southern Climatic Housing Research Team -a multidisciplinary group of wood scientists, architects, landscape architects, mechanical and civil engineers – is designing a research and demonstration house for the Southeastern United States on the campus of Mississippi State University. The objectives for this house are to solve climate-related housing construction problems endemic to hot-humid climates: high heat, humidity, decay fungi, mold, high wind, low velocity ventilation, and various insects, including the devastating infestation of the Formosan termite. An overview of the design strategy and research strategy that respectively underpinned the proposed design of a research and demonstration house and organized the multidisciplinary research agendas amongst the five members of the team is presented. The design strategy involves six social, historical, constructional, landscape, environmental, and formal strategies. The research strategy entailed three significant components, all of which are ambiguous in nature. The first is an ambiguity between design and scientific experimentation; the second is an ambiguity among the five disciplines, and the third is an ambiguity among three objectives. Because this is a work in progress, the conclusion will take the form of descriptions of a selection of particular research projects. Introduction According the 2001 American Housing Survey, over one third of all housing units and one half of all housing units constructed in the last four years were in the Southern US. [1] Over ninety percent of all houses constructed in the US use wood and wood products. Conversely, it has been estimated that decayed wood and termite-infested damage cost US homeowners approximately $500 million annually in replacement costs alone. Also, if the construction lumber is not properly treated, then additional 266 million trees must be harvested to meet present demands. [2] The development of design ideas and construction techniques that address durability and energy efficiency concerns particular to the southeastern US would have not only regional ramifications but have national benefits. Under the auspices of the US Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory and the Coalition for Advanced Wood Structures (CAWS), the Southern Climatic Housing Research Team -a multidisciplinary group of wood scientists, architects, landscape architects, mechanical and civil engineers – is designing a research and demonstration house for the Southeastern United States on the campus of Mississippi State University. The objectives for this house are to solve climate-related housing construction problems endemic to hot-humid climates: high heat, humidity, decay fungi, mold, high wind, low velocity ventilation, and various insects, including the devastating infestation of the Formosan termite. The goals for the research and demonstration facility are practically and educationally oriented. We intend to provide researchers, architects, and contractors with practical definitions for energy efficiency and durability for wood-constructed residences for hot-humid climates. We also want to educate the public on how to design and construct a moderately priced house that requires only twenty-five percent of the typical amount of consumable energy used today in a residence of comparable size, to insure that all wood remain durable during the life of the house, and to maintain a healthy indoor air quality, yet presents a conventional appearance. In this paper, I will present an overview of the design and research strategies that respectively underpinned the proposed design of a research and demonstration house and organized the multidisciplinary research agendas amongst the five members of the team. In conjunction with the description of the research strategy, there will be a discussion of several proposed research projects. SCH Report 4 2006 R E SE A R CH