05-08-2009, 05:57 PM
Some have said that they prefer a single level slab on grade for ease of accessibility. I respect this viewpoint but still think that it does not address the original question. Many traditional house designs in the tropics are basically up on stilts. There must be reasons for this, and some posters have already stated some good reasons. I am trying to get at the meat of the design challenges for the tropics and for Puna in particular. So far:
1. Elevate house enough to get shaded air space underneath. Storage too if you make sure the house will stay standing in an average earthquake.
2. Draw air from underneath, through house and out near peak of roof for good chimney effect.
3. Big roof overhangs to keep sun and rain off.
4. External lanai for extra dry living space when the weather is good, which is most of the time, and somewhere to stand when it is raining. I heard that you can screen in and partially enclose a lanai and it does not count towards the square footage of the house for tax purposes.
5. Hip roof because it stands up to hurricanes better than simple gable roof. That is the theory. Some people say that hurricanes hardly ever hit the big island but I have seen fallen trees on my property that seem to have all fallen in the same direction.
6. Large open-able doors and windows to take advantage of cross breezes. Not good for security though.
7. Reflective light colored roofing and a little insulation or radiant barrier to slow the solar gain down. I am assuming metal roofing but is there a reason ceramic tiles would be better? They have an attractive Spanish look but they are heavy. They seem best suited to desert environments with no earthquakes, although you see lots of tile roofs around in Hawaii. Like adobe, they came from somewhere with big temperature swings and clay to make them out of.
8. Basic structure: Wood has traditionally been used and it stands up to earthquakes very well. Wood makes it easy to build the house on stilts design. Wood will always have a maintenance burden due to rot and termites. Adobe is out. We got too much rain and earthquakes and not enough mud. Reinforced concrete or concrete blocks could substitute for adobe, would withstand the average earthquake, and would last a long time with little maintenance. Concrete would not be good for an elevated house design though.
So many trade-offs. If you think a tall chimney like structure is best it would be hard to beat wood for ease of construction plus the necessary flexibility and strength to weight ratio during an earthquake, but the longevity and ultimate strength of masonry is very attractive. I heard that many houses in Guam are like CMU bunkers because of the hurricanes. I know their telephone poles are twice as thick as ours are. I don't want to live in a bunker but I hate the thought of my house being ripped apart by a storm.
1. Elevate house enough to get shaded air space underneath. Storage too if you make sure the house will stay standing in an average earthquake.
2. Draw air from underneath, through house and out near peak of roof for good chimney effect.
3. Big roof overhangs to keep sun and rain off.
4. External lanai for extra dry living space when the weather is good, which is most of the time, and somewhere to stand when it is raining. I heard that you can screen in and partially enclose a lanai and it does not count towards the square footage of the house for tax purposes.
5. Hip roof because it stands up to hurricanes better than simple gable roof. That is the theory. Some people say that hurricanes hardly ever hit the big island but I have seen fallen trees on my property that seem to have all fallen in the same direction.
6. Large open-able doors and windows to take advantage of cross breezes. Not good for security though.
7. Reflective light colored roofing and a little insulation or radiant barrier to slow the solar gain down. I am assuming metal roofing but is there a reason ceramic tiles would be better? They have an attractive Spanish look but they are heavy. They seem best suited to desert environments with no earthquakes, although you see lots of tile roofs around in Hawaii. Like adobe, they came from somewhere with big temperature swings and clay to make them out of.
8. Basic structure: Wood has traditionally been used and it stands up to earthquakes very well. Wood makes it easy to build the house on stilts design. Wood will always have a maintenance burden due to rot and termites. Adobe is out. We got too much rain and earthquakes and not enough mud. Reinforced concrete or concrete blocks could substitute for adobe, would withstand the average earthquake, and would last a long time with little maintenance. Concrete would not be good for an elevated house design though.
So many trade-offs. If you think a tall chimney like structure is best it would be hard to beat wood for ease of construction plus the necessary flexibility and strength to weight ratio during an earthquake, but the longevity and ultimate strength of masonry is very attractive. I heard that many houses in Guam are like CMU bunkers because of the hurricanes. I know their telephone poles are twice as thick as ours are. I don't want to live in a bunker but I hate the thought of my house being ripped apart by a storm.