Thesis Proposal

 

Analysis 1- Prefabrication of Bathroom Plumbing

This will be a study on the effects that minor prefabrication has on the project. Toll Brothers in terms of marketablility and customer retention wants to tunriver over condominuim units as fast as they can. By creating system of prefab bathroom plumbing constructed with metal stud framing this could possibly accelerate the project schedule and also increase project worker productivity. Labor productivity will also be researched.  

 

Analysis 2(Mechanical Breadth)- Nest Thermometers and Building Energy Management

The building engery usage will be analyzed, and with this an energy schedule will be developed. This schedule will help to determine where energy use can me better modifid and managed to decrease savings costs. Nest Thermometers is a research technology that will help to manage buidling temperatures in the common spaces and in the living units. These thermometers automcatically change building temperature based on the thermostat levels that the owner manually inputs. 

 

Analysis 3(Structural Breadth)- Slurry Wall Inegration

The Excavation for the project was a very cautious and nervous part of the construction life cycle. The neighboring buildings could not have their foundations disturbed and underpinning had to be installed. Even so, some foundations settled and the underpinning had to be redesigned. A slurry wall used on the foundations will remove the need for underpinning. The slurry wall will be designed and the cost, scheduling, and safety issues will be researched and assesed. 

 

Analysis 4- Cantilever Means and Methods Analysis

 

The cantelevered space of this project is by far the most fascinating part of the building. Air rights were bought by Toll Brothers to construct this cantilever over existing buildings and it will be interesting to see if constructing a small protion of  this cantilever in steel can wield andy cost, schedule, saftey benefits. I will use this basic information to make an overall assesment theorizing the idea of constructing the entire building in steel rather then the 7th Floor cantilever. 

 

 

 

Breadth Studies

 

Structural- A slurry wall will be designed as a new foundation system for the building. Underpinnning failures caused major delays on the project, and a slurry wall will remove the necessity of designing underpinning, since the tiebacks are used as a soil retention system. The slurry wall will be desiigned in unreinforced concrete with simply adding the tiebacks as an extra cost. In order to complete this slurry wall, the sub-cellar level will need to be increased in size to match the cellar-level. The benifts of this size increase will also be analyzed as well as the schedule and cost benefits integrating a slurry wall to the project. 

 

 

Mechanical/Electrical- The energy usage of the building will be analyzed using the TRACE/TRANE mechanincal program. the major sapces that will be analyzed are the condo units, the retail space, and the children's playroom. These spaces were chosen for their diversity, so that I can get a comprehensive assesment of the building's energy use. Once these spaces are analyzed for peak loading conditions an energy schedule will be developed for peak energy usage at peak seasonal months( Summer/Winter). This will allow me to determine the cost of energy needed to serve these peak loads. Research on Nest Thermometers will allow me study the effects of energy management and how Toll Brothers and the condominium unit owners can collaborate on saving energy in the common spaces and their private spaces. 

 

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