Recurrent Home Flooding in Detroit, MI 2012–2020: Results of a Household Survey

Household flooding has wide ranging social, economic and public health impacts particularly for people in resource poor communities. The determinants and public health outcomes of recurrent home flooding in urban contexts, however, are not well understood. A household survey was used to assess neighborhood and household level determinants of recurrent home flooding in Detroit, MI. Survey activities were conducted from 2012 to 2020. Researchers collected information on past flooding, housing conditions and public health outcomes. Using the locations of homes, a “hot spot” analysis of flooding was performed to find areas of high and low risk. Survey data were linked to environmental and neighborhood data and associations were tested using regression methods. 4803 households participated in the survey. Flooding information was available for 3842 homes. Among these, 2085 (54.26%) reported experiencing pluvial flooding. Rental occupied units were more likely to report flooding than owner occupied homes (Odd ratio (OR) 1.72 [95% Confidence interval (CI) 1.49, 1.98]). Housing conditions such as poor roof quality and cracks in basement walls influenced home flooding risk. Homes located in census tracts with increased percentages of owner occupied units (vs. rentals) had a lower odds of flooding (OR 0.92 [95% (CI) 0.86, 0.98]). Household factors were found the be more predictive of flooding than neighborhood factors in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Flooding and housing conditions associated with home flooding were associated with asthma cases. Recurrent home flooding is far more prevalent than previously thought. Programs that support recovery and which focus on home improvement to prevent flooding, particularly by landlords, might benefit the public health. These results draw awareness and urgency to problems of urban flooding and public health in other areas of the country confronting the compounding challenges of aging infrastructure, disinvestment and climate change.

Deep energy retrofits: Toronto's urban single family housing stock.

There is a need to address the energy consumption of existing single family homes in the City of Toronto. This study outlines a process for developing and analyzing retrofit strategies for specific housing archetypes. The process was applied to Century, Century-Semi, and War Time Home archetypes. Housing data was collected and baseline energy models were prepared utilizing EnergyPlus software. Retrofit strategies were selected and analyzed for hygrothermal performance and cost. The process utilized a Brute Force method for retrofit selection considering the cost/benefit of each strategy and showed where in the process it was beneficial to upgrade each parameter. Furnace and air sealing parameters were typically upgraded early in the process as they showed an attractive cost/benefit. Basement walls and slab parameters were then upgraded, followed by exterior walls and roofs. Windows tended to be upgraded late in the process as they exhibited high capital costs compared to energy savings.

Deep energy retrofits: Toronto's urban single family housing stock.

There is a need to address the energy consumption of existing single family homes in the City of Toronto. This study outlines a process for developing and analyzing retrofit strategies for specific housing archetypes. The process was applied to Century, Century-Semi, and War Time Home archetypes. Housing data was collected and baseline energy models were prepared utilizing EnergyPlus software. Retrofit strategies were selected and analyzed for hygrothermal performance and cost. The process utilized a Brute Force method for retrofit selection considering the cost/benefit of each strategy and showed where in the process it was beneficial to upgrade each parameter. Furnace and air sealing parameters were typically upgraded early in the process as they showed an attractive cost/benefit. Basement walls and slab parameters were then upgraded, followed by exterior walls and roofs. Windows tended to be upgraded late in the process as they exhibited high capital costs compared to energy savings.

Thermal Insulation Of The Foundation Walls Of Buildings And Calculation Of Its Thickness

If the surface temperature of any building material drops sharply without changing the humidity and the surface temperature is lower than the dew point temperature, dew-like water droplets are formed on the surface of this material. This condition is called condensing humidity condition. Condensation moisture formed on the surfaces of building materials and external barriers is slowly absorbed into the body of building materials over time, increasing the relative humidity of this structure. Condensation moisture can be observed when the temperature of the surfaces of external barrier structures drops sharply. This condition can be observed everywhere where the basement is connected to the outer walls of the basement. The article deals with the issue of thermal insulation and calculation of basement walls of modern energy-efficient buildings, which are widely used in the country and abroad.

RELIABILITY OF QUALITY CONTROL OF BUILDING MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS

The article deals with the issues of reliability of quality control of building materials and products. The structural diagram of the reliability of control of building materials is presented as a combination of series-connected technological operations. The purpose of the work is to assess the regulatory security of quality control of the production of building materials and products. The block diagram of quality control of concrete blocks for basement walls is presented. On the example of concrete blocks for basement walls, an assessment of the normative provision of product quality indicators is given. It has been established that the quality assurance of concrete blocks for FBS basement walls if all production parameters and quality indicators meet the requirements of regulatory documents and the condition: the mathematical expectation is in the middle of the product tolerance field and ± 3σ in the tolerance field is 0.9576, and the probability the appearance of marriage - 4.238%. The influence of the spread of indicators on the quality assurance is considered. It is found that with an increase in the value of the standard deviation to a value that is within the tolerance range of ± 2.5σ, the quality assurance decreases and amounts to 0,8092, and the probability of the appearance of defects is 19.08 %. It is shown that the application of the Six Sigma methodology at the enterprise will contribute to improving the quality of products

Аnalysis of underflowing of residential areas and protection from urban groundwater

The article discusses the main provisions for the protection of urban buildings from groundwater and the main causes of flooding of residential areas. Also known and proposed by us ways of solving the problem are analyzed. In recent years, intensive construction has been going on in areas that were previously considered unsuitable for construction: wetlands, floodplains of rivers and streams, ravines, etc. without deep study of changes in the hydrological regime of the adjacent territory. Activities are offered in flooded areas: elimination of the causes of flooding - channel lining; sealing of water pipes and collectors, installation of storm sewers; sealing of buried structures: basement walls, foundations; drainage - lowering groundwater to a safe depth. With our participation, a drainage system has been developed, with drainage water diversion to the floodplain of the Oka River.