The Chemistry and Sustainability of construction
The questions that we were asked to answer in this project:
Question 1: How does the structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic levels determine its physical, chemical and biological properties with emphasis on their use in building construction?
Question 2: How do the design of a building, selection of building materials, construction process and use of a building affect the overall sustainability of a building project and the user experience in the building?
My project:
Question 1: How does the structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic levels determine its physical, chemical and biological properties with emphasis on their use in building construction?
Question 2: How do the design of a building, selection of building materials, construction process and use of a building affect the overall sustainability of a building project and the user experience in the building?
My project:
Research and texts:
tpo_roofing_research_.pdf | |
File Size: | 149 kb |
File Type: |
Reflection on my work during the project:
What new information did you learn through doing this project?
Well to start this off, I most definitely now hold a lot more information about roofing in general ( I am aware how this contradicts your expectation of us not to use general statements but I think that is a good starting point). Now into specifics, I learned that TPO is a Single membrane roofing that combines EPDM with thermoplastics after learning about that I went down a rabbit hole about the importance of EPDM and what it does for roofing an example being protection against weathering and its flexible nature is definitely liked in the world of roofing. I also learned that Thermoplastics are a lot more common than one would think, being used in everyday material such as 2 liter bottles. Polymers in general was another thing that I learned about though not going into them as in depth as I went into TPO and EPDM though I still gleaned a bit about different types and the quality chart of polymers.
Another big one was probably my side trek into the realm of insulation and R-values which I also found to be very interesting but that is not as important.
Another big part was the sustainability of TPO, which turned out to be quite favorable as opposed to the other forms of membrane roofing. Such as PVC which releases much more carbon emissions than TPO as well as using more energy in its manufacturing process. TPO also does not use harsh chemicals in its production making it much more safe incase of a house fire because it will not release dangerous fumes as opposed to PVC which uses chemicals like chlorine.
What new skills, dispositions, or lessons did you learn from this project?
I had to communicate with companies in the area to get samples of TPO and EPDM roofing. This involved multi-day communications and the logistics of having to pick up these supplies which was made even more difficult during covid times. I also had to choose different materials when making my project, originally wanting some pop out features then deciding to make it more flush all together. A big thing that I chose to do this time was work by myself, after previous experience I made the decision that it was the safer approach and judging by the complaining that I overheard when people talked about their groups I made the safe choice.
Next year I intend to repeat this project, with a major difference being that several student projects will actually be permanently installed in the new building?
I think the in class work time that was given was very helpful and the amount was just right, I would try to emphasize deadlines more.
I don't really know what more to say though, I think it was well set up personally I am sure people that felt the same way as James did will have plenty to say about the times and grade amount. One of the biggest things that I could say was try to bring in the guy that explained exhibition design earlier because it could give people more time to think.
What new information did you learn through doing this project?
Well to start this off, I most definitely now hold a lot more information about roofing in general ( I am aware how this contradicts your expectation of us not to use general statements but I think that is a good starting point). Now into specifics, I learned that TPO is a Single membrane roofing that combines EPDM with thermoplastics after learning about that I went down a rabbit hole about the importance of EPDM and what it does for roofing an example being protection against weathering and its flexible nature is definitely liked in the world of roofing. I also learned that Thermoplastics are a lot more common than one would think, being used in everyday material such as 2 liter bottles. Polymers in general was another thing that I learned about though not going into them as in depth as I went into TPO and EPDM though I still gleaned a bit about different types and the quality chart of polymers.
Another big one was probably my side trek into the realm of insulation and R-values which I also found to be very interesting but that is not as important.
Another big part was the sustainability of TPO, which turned out to be quite favorable as opposed to the other forms of membrane roofing. Such as PVC which releases much more carbon emissions than TPO as well as using more energy in its manufacturing process. TPO also does not use harsh chemicals in its production making it much more safe incase of a house fire because it will not release dangerous fumes as opposed to PVC which uses chemicals like chlorine.
What new skills, dispositions, or lessons did you learn from this project?
I had to communicate with companies in the area to get samples of TPO and EPDM roofing. This involved multi-day communications and the logistics of having to pick up these supplies which was made even more difficult during covid times. I also had to choose different materials when making my project, originally wanting some pop out features then deciding to make it more flush all together. A big thing that I chose to do this time was work by myself, after previous experience I made the decision that it was the safer approach and judging by the complaining that I overheard when people talked about their groups I made the safe choice.
Next year I intend to repeat this project, with a major difference being that several student projects will actually be permanently installed in the new building?
I think the in class work time that was given was very helpful and the amount was just right, I would try to emphasize deadlines more.
I don't really know what more to say though, I think it was well set up personally I am sure people that felt the same way as James did will have plenty to say about the times and grade amount. One of the biggest things that I could say was try to bring in the guy that explained exhibition design earlier because it could give people more time to think.
Chemistry of Food and Cooking Project "Smoked Meats in the Modern Age"
recipe.pdf | |
File Size: | 1012 kb |
File Type: |
Reflection
How does the ingredient you experimented with affect the food’s overall characteristics?
The ingredient that I experimented with was wood types, wood itself is a major component in the smoking process and determines a large amount of what the flavor is going to be. It is also excellent at producing smoke itself and when added with coal provides a variety of texture and flavor. I started out this experiment by asking how the different types of wood used would affect the flavor/smokiness of the meat, typically all wood will have an affect on the flavor of the meat but with this experiment I would be using the normally used woods for grilling. This involved hickory, mesquite, and then a blend mix. The control was coal which is something that I have worked a lot with and understand the flavor that it brings to the table, it was also added in with the wood mix due to wood being expensive and I could not use an entire bag of wood for one patty. What truly affects the smokiness of the wood is a chemical compound called lignin, lignin is an organic compound that is found in many floras though the amount of lignin is different depending on the type of plant/wood. Mesquite for example is high in lignin and in turn is well known for the flavor that it adds, hickory also has a high amount of lignin, this can be used as an example for how much flavor lignin adds due to these woods being highly popular in the grilling industry.
It is important to have Lignin because it contains guaiacol and syringol and when combusted these chemicals release and create that smokey and well-known smoking flavor (as previously mentioned). This is because Guaiacol is responsible for the taste and the aroma is thanks to syringol and this is also the ingredient that causes your nose to sense fire. When burned the wood burns incomplete meaning that instead of it breaking down into just pure carbon and water it breaks the wood down but in larger chunks meaning that the Guaiacol and syringol is brought up in the smoke. The smoke is also a product of an incomplete combustion. So to answer the question on how the ingredient affects the overall characteristics of the food, the specific effects that it had really only influenced the flavor of course the smoke that is produced is going to do something to the texture and the amount cooked. But that more is reliant on the quantity of smoke and since I do not have the proper tools to measure the smoke produced I cannot accurately say anything about that. I can speak on the flavor and the smokiness of the meat, and my predictions and hypothesis were correct. According to the blind taste test I gave out, mesquite had the smokiest flavor.
How did your cooking process transform your food macroscopically and affect the food’s overall characteristics?
The cooking process that I used was grilling/smoking, this involved heating charcoal/wood till it produces a large amount of heat which warms up the meat grates that the meat rests on. A large amount of the grilling process involves the control of airflow in the grill which has a direct impact on the heat at which the fire burns. You have the ability to open or close the air vents on the side and on the chimney, opening them supports airflow and makes your coals burn hotter and faster. This is because air increases the rate that the combustion reaction occurs. By closing them the fire dies down due to it not having any fuel aka oxygen. How the meat cooks is by the heat cooking the animal proteins in the meat, this results in them squeezing together pushing out moisture in the meat. The longer and hotter the flame is, the more moisture is pushed out. This results in the unholy monstrosity that is well done. The maillard reaction also plays a role in the cooking of meat and gives it the aroma, texture, taste, and color that is so recognizable. The reaction occurs when heat is introduced to the sugars and proteins which causes the browning.
The transformation that my food underwent was browning as opposed to staying that salmon pink color that raw meat usually comes in due to the maillard reaction. This resulted in slightly brownish charred meat and also released a savory aroma. The actual cooking side of things which allows the meat to be eaten, resulted in my burgers being stiffer than its raw counterpart, the texture also underwent change due to the charring of the meat which provided it with a sort of cruch. The char also allows the food to cook internally due it trapping the heat inside for longer periods of time.
The ingredient that I experimented with was wood types, wood itself is a major component in the smoking process and determines a large amount of what the flavor is going to be. It is also excellent at producing smoke itself and when added with coal provides a variety of texture and flavor. I started out this experiment by asking how the different types of wood used would affect the flavor/smokiness of the meat, typically all wood will have an affect on the flavor of the meat but with this experiment I would be using the normally used woods for grilling. This involved hickory, mesquite, and then a blend mix. The control was coal which is something that I have worked a lot with and understand the flavor that it brings to the table, it was also added in with the wood mix due to wood being expensive and I could not use an entire bag of wood for one patty. What truly affects the smokiness of the wood is a chemical compound called lignin, lignin is an organic compound that is found in many floras though the amount of lignin is different depending on the type of plant/wood. Mesquite for example is high in lignin and in turn is well known for the flavor that it adds, hickory also has a high amount of lignin, this can be used as an example for how much flavor lignin adds due to these woods being highly popular in the grilling industry.
It is important to have Lignin because it contains guaiacol and syringol and when combusted these chemicals release and create that smokey and well-known smoking flavor (as previously mentioned). This is because Guaiacol is responsible for the taste and the aroma is thanks to syringol and this is also the ingredient that causes your nose to sense fire. When burned the wood burns incomplete meaning that instead of it breaking down into just pure carbon and water it breaks the wood down but in larger chunks meaning that the Guaiacol and syringol is brought up in the smoke. The smoke is also a product of an incomplete combustion. So to answer the question on how the ingredient affects the overall characteristics of the food, the specific effects that it had really only influenced the flavor of course the smoke that is produced is going to do something to the texture and the amount cooked. But that more is reliant on the quantity of smoke and since I do not have the proper tools to measure the smoke produced I cannot accurately say anything about that. I can speak on the flavor and the smokiness of the meat, and my predictions and hypothesis were correct. According to the blind taste test I gave out, mesquite had the smokiest flavor.
How did your cooking process transform your food macroscopically and affect the food’s overall characteristics?
The cooking process that I used was grilling/smoking, this involved heating charcoal/wood till it produces a large amount of heat which warms up the meat grates that the meat rests on. A large amount of the grilling process involves the control of airflow in the grill which has a direct impact on the heat at which the fire burns. You have the ability to open or close the air vents on the side and on the chimney, opening them supports airflow and makes your coals burn hotter and faster. This is because air increases the rate that the combustion reaction occurs. By closing them the fire dies down due to it not having any fuel aka oxygen. How the meat cooks is by the heat cooking the animal proteins in the meat, this results in them squeezing together pushing out moisture in the meat. The longer and hotter the flame is, the more moisture is pushed out. This results in the unholy monstrosity that is well done. The maillard reaction also plays a role in the cooking of meat and gives it the aroma, texture, taste, and color that is so recognizable. The reaction occurs when heat is introduced to the sugars and proteins which causes the browning.
The transformation that my food underwent was browning as opposed to staying that salmon pink color that raw meat usually comes in due to the maillard reaction. This resulted in slightly brownish charred meat and also released a savory aroma. The actual cooking side of things which allows the meat to be eaten, resulted in my burgers being stiffer than its raw counterpart, the texture also underwent change due to the charring of the meat which provided it with a sort of cruch. The char also allows the food to cook internally due it trapping the heat inside for longer periods of time.