Project Task and BriefHome Design Project work will be presented through two reports (Report 1 & Report 2)This course adopts Project Based Learning. This means your learning engagements, learning outcomes, and assessments are based on undertaking a comprehensive civil engineering design project. Design project learning outcomes are assessed through two Project Reports.In this project, you are designing a home for yourself with sustainable features (visit yourhome website http://www.yourhome.gov.au/ (Links to an external site.) - one of the best resources you can find). In order to cover desired course learning outcomes, we suggest a few specifications you have to comply with. You will design your home by selecting your plot of land from the attached parcel of land subdivision, i.e. you will have a plot allocated for you. Please note down the access road(s), plot number (in blue colour) and area of the plot (given in meter squares in black colour)Essential requirements:Your “Sustainable home” is a two-storey residential building with a total livable floor area of 280 square meters (5% variation is acceptable).Your home interior layout design must be a contemporary design. This means interior topology, space allocation (room sizes) and features reflect current best practices (i.e. contemporary home design)Total interior livable floor area 280 square meters include; a) both the ground floor and the upper floor where the upper floor area should be 65% of the ground floor area (5% variation is acceptable). This is to ensure presenting a pleasant street character avoiding box-on-box type designs.Area calculations are based on the dimensions taken from the outer building envelope, that is areas occupied by the external and internal walls are included in the livable area of 280 m2.Garage and carports are not considered the livable area. Out-door spaces (outside the roofline) such as porticos, verandas, balconies open to the sky, outdoor pergola areas and decks (open to the sky) are not regarded as livable floor area. What is within the roofline is considered as livable area. Upper floor level voids such as stairwell void or feature two levels high voids can be ignored in livable area calculations. You are free to plan your interior layout to suit your lifestyle but respecting green building fundamentals including passive design principles. We will cover this further in lectures and design workshops. Also, consult “yourhome” for environmentally smart and sustainable technologies.When engineering your “sustainable home”,The design of particular structural elements (such as wall framing, floor framing and roof structure should be validated in accordance with the AS1720.1. Preliminary sections can be selected using pocket-span table by wood products Australia.The geotechnical investigation report recommends the foundation and ground floor slab to be Waffle Raft Slab or Stiffened Raft Slab (AS 2870 – 1996 Cl. 6.4.2 & 6.4.3) suitable for “Class M” site conditions.Use passive design principles to maximise internal thermal comfort within the house and as a result saving operational energy needs in heating and cooling (so, for Melbourne conditions, North facing blocks will be more effective)The structural skeleton should be a load-bearing timber frame, which supports the timber upper floor and tiled/Coulorbond type roofing.Use timber floor beams/joists supported by ground floor wall frames (both internal and external).Use timber roof trusses span between external wall frames supported by the building envelope).Your sustainable home must be energy efficient. That means your design must demonstrate strategies in minimising both embodied energy and operational energy. Select electrical appliances, smart building technologies to minimise energy usage (both embodied and operational).Proposed water conservation, recycling and rainwater harnessing features must be included.It is up to you to get the best learning outcome from this opportunity.From an assessment point of view, you may be guided by the following minimum requirements, as well as the assessment criteria, project report structure and the marking template and grade rubric provided here:Report Part 1 - Architectural Design and Planing Requirements - the interior layout of the ground floor and upper floor. Roof plan and two elevations. Refer marking criteria templates to guide you or to see “what is expected of you”Report Part 2 - Structural validation and drawings – foundation layout, typical wall framing, upper floor framing and roof framing.Services layout plan clearly labelling sustainable features - water conservation features, landscape, irrigation and rainwater management etc.The maximum 15-page report (excluding appendices and drawings) written in reflective style using plain English covering design and planning considerations, special sustainable features you have developed etc. (refer to Project Documentation for more details on how to organize your report)Your own sketching and drawings are very effective in getting your design ideas across.The level of work involved in this project will cover planning, design and construction phase with some specified aspects being carried out to the final structural design stage. If you do well you will get a significantly mature knowledge in “how the building industry works” in general and how to deal with a single dwelling housing development in detail. You may even be able to advise your friends and relatives at the end of the semester. Lectures will be conducted to introduce you to various aspects of structural concepts and design involved in two-storey domestic buildings such as timber design, residential floors (R/C) design etc. You are expected to research and obtain information on your project in order to plan and design the “sustainable home”. Information may be obtained from any source, such as RMIT staff, industry associations or representative groups, technical product and design manuals, government departments, home builders etc. The Central Library maintains a full ACEL library of information packages on engineering and building products on microfiche. Most of this information is available on-line.