Record Details
Energy considerations in remodeling of owner-occupied single family dwellings, Corvallis, Oregon
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Energy considerations in remodeling of owner-occupied single family dwellings, Corvallis, Oregon |
| Names |
Granite, Mary Lou
(creator) Plonk, Martha A. (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 1979-05-30 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 1980 |
| Abstract | The investigation of energy considerations in the remodeling of single family owner-occupied dwellings was the central purpose of this study. Variables studied included relationships between demographic characteristics and the inclusion of energy conservation techniques, planning of the remodeling, and ranking of considerations in the remodeling. A sample of 225 owner-occupants who had purchased building permits to spend $1,000.00 or more on remodeling between July 1, 1973 and June 30, 1977 was collected from the files of the Building Inspector's office, City of Corvallis, Oregon. A questionnaire concerning the remodeling practices was mailed to the sample. One hundred and eight usable questionnaires were returned and served as the data base for the study. The respondents' mean age was 42.6 years with a median education level of 16 years. The mean size of the sample households was 3.5 persons. The mean of the total gross annual income was $25,850. Over 40 percent of the respondents were in occupations classified as professional. Among the respondents, 74.1 percent believed that an energy crisis existed. Sixty-nine percent of the houses in the study were less than 20 years old. The mean age of the houses was 21.5 years with a median age of 16.3 years. Sixty-five percent of the homes were purchased since 1971. The major type of fuel utilized in the majority of the homes (62 percent) was natural gas. Sixty-nine percent of the remodelings were planned by the respondents and/or their partner. Of the 75 who did their own planning for remodeling, 34 used builders as a source of information. Other sources of information utilized by the respondents were magazines, newspapers, and friends. Of the remodelings, 40 percent took place between July 1, 1976 and June 30, 1977. About two-thirds of the respondents spent less than $10,000 for their remodeling project. The mean cost of the remodelings was $7,670. The major consideration for remodeling was to increase living area in the homes. Over three-fourths of the respondents added space to their dwelling. The area increases ranged from 20 square feet to 1,800 square feet. Of the 108 respondents, 48 percent included energy saving features in their remodeling. Over 27 percent did make some energy conserving alterations to heating systems; however, 40 percent altered heating systems without energy saving considerations. In comparing fuel unit consumption before and after remodeling, 22.2 percent reported decreases in units consumed; 27 percent indicated increased consumption and the remainder reported no change or were not sure of a change in unit consumption. Of the 108 respondents, 46 percent indicated they considered alternate energy sources in their remodeling. Of these, about 90 percent considered wood. The .05 level of significance was selected as the criterion for identification of significant associations. The Chi-square statistical test was used. The findings of the study are: 1. No association was-observed between the dates of remodeling and the inclusion of energy saving features in the remodeling. 2. An association was suggested between the type of fuel used in the homes and the inclusion of energy features in the remodeling. Homes using wood as a major fuel most often included energy features. 3. An association was suggested between the inclusion of energy saving features and the considerations of cost, custom decorating, maintenance, and increased livability. 4. An association was suggested between the type of person planning the remodeling and the inclusion of energy saving features. Contractors were most likely to include energy features in the remodeling. 5. An association was suggested between the age and education of the respondents and the inclusion of energy features in remodelings. Those under 35 years and over 65 years and/or with one to four years of college most often included energy saving features in their remodeling. |
| Genre | Thesis/Dissertation |
| Topic | Buildings -- Energy conservation |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/42987 |
