Background Information

Scale Drawings of Myers Hall Plot

The group would like to thank Mr. James Rose, Senior Architect of the Planning, Design and Construction Department of Drexel University for providing scans of the building drawings for the Honeywalk Project. It drastically improved the accuracy of the approximate measurements of the potential greenspace. The group also would like to thank Ms. Shannon Robinson of the Hagerty Library, for putting the students in contact with Rose. Without these drawings, measurements would be done by hand and involve guesswork.

Figure 1: Overall plans of the building itself.

Figure 2: Detailed floor plans showing individual rooms.

Figure 3: Annotated list of plants being put in and around the Myers space.

Figure 4: Bird's eye view of Myers space, better estimation of what the space minus the dormitory will look like.

Figure 5: Contour map of the Myers space, good for showing elevation of different areas.

Figures
Figure 1: The temporary housing blueprints help show where the designs were placed and the different measurements of the building itself.
Figure 2: The insides of the Myers Hall blueprints show where electrical and plumbing connections are made, important for future projects.
Figure 3: Helpful annotated drawing of which plants were used where and how many were used. This is going to be the backbone for doing the same landscaping with the new greenspace, using the best plants for the job and creating a budget that will estimate the overall cost.
Figure 4: This is the best view for measuring the greenspace and helped develop the skeleton of the Myers Hall pathway CAD drawing.
Figure 5: Contour map shows how much the elevation changes and where slopes will be taken into account in the pathing.

Materials Being Used in the Honeywalk Project

3D Printed Scale Model: ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene)

Constructed Scale Model: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene)

ABS is a common plastic used in 3D printers because it has the tendency to retain its specific dimensions. While it is being burned, toxic fumes can be released from the plastics; however, in it’s most stable state (solid), there is little toxicity associated with ABS [1]. Certain ABS plastics are food safe but it is recommended to not 3D print kitchenware due to the possibility of bacteria buildup and toxins from the plastic being transferred to the food [2]. ABS is known for its characteristic stiffness and rigidity (Lego bricks are made of ABS) and its strength against impacting forces. ABS is fairly easy to recycle and is inexpensive to fabricate [3].

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

HDPE is an easily recyclable plastic polymer. It’s typically used to store corrosive acids or bases (as it is chemical resistant) [4], but another property unique to HDPE is it’s “large strength to density ratio” [5]. This plastic was chosen for The Honeywalk Project due to its inexpensive nature and its relative softness (to ease the machining process) [6].

Invasive Species Background Information

Plants like kudzu, shown below, come into pristine areas, take all the resources from smaller plants and flowers, and then rob the ecosystem of its nutrients, growing quickly and covering all in its wake. Mile-A-Minute Weed and Kudzu are both two invasive plants that were brought from areas far from PA but have devastated natural landscapes.

Figure 6: Kudzu takes over a house in less than a year, hiding all in its path [7].

Mile-A-Minute Weed, named for its quick growth, is also a really invasive species on the east coast, thriving in areas where the weather is colder. Long winters in PA could lead to an increase in this plant if homeowners are not careful. Many invasive species lists have phone numbers and people to contact in removal of the species, as seen with certain kinds of beetles and moths that can destroy homes. Kudzu and Mile-A-Minute Weed are dealt with in different ways.

Biological control takes the invasive species’ natural predators and allows them to feast on the invasive species. For example, the Mile-A-Minute Weevil thrives on the similarly-named plant, so the plant can be controlled by releasing this insect into its overzealous areas [8]. Care is taken to not allow the bugs to become the new invasive species, but this does sometimes happen. Other control methods include cutting and burning to disallow the spread of pollen and seeds, but this is labor-intensive and time-consuming.

Figure 7: The devastation Mile-A-Minute Weed can have on a landscape [9].

In both the figures, sunlight has been taken from native plants in the thick cover that the invasive species has created. Because they have no natural predators in these new areas, they remain unchecked and growth is quick and usually too late to be stopped in a short amount of time.

References

[1] Rutkowski, Joseph V., and Barbara C. Levi. "Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Copolymers (ABS): Pyrolysis And Combustion Products And Their Toxicity-A Review Of The Literature". http://fire.nist.gov. N.p., 1986. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

[2] "10 Things You Need To Know About 3D Printing & Food Safety |". Pinshape 3D Printing Blog | Tutorials, Contests & Downloads. N.p., 2015. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

[3]  "ABS | Plastics International". Plasticsintl.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

[4]  "Polyethylene (High Density) HDPE". Bpf.co.uk. N.p., 2017. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

[5] Peninsula Plastics Co., Inc. "Industrial Thermoforming & Thermoplastic Materials And Blends". Peninsulaplastics.com. N.p., 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

[6] "Material Selection Guide | Endura Plastics". Endura.com. N.p., 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.
[7] "Kudzu." Kudzu. AngelFire, n.d. Web. 24 May 2017.
[8] "Mile-A-Minute Weed." NYIS. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2017.

[9] USDA APHIS PPQ Archive, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org, NYIS. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2017.