Reader Response Final Draft

In the article, "This Detroit House Is Being Turned Into A Living Model Of Cost-Saving Sustainable Design”, Peters (2016), introduced us to a project titled “Motown Movement”, for which three architecture students purchased a house and converted it into a sustainable cost-efficient living model in Detroit. Their aim was to achieve sustainability through cost-efficient approach by transforming old houses into affordable and sustainable buildings. In their house, the lower level will be a “training centre” while the upper level houses a family in need. In-house systems includes solar panels, a “greywater system” and a “septic tank” as sources of renewable energy. Lukkes, one of the three students, stated that through collaboration with their university, they can ensure that their project can become universal and reach other countries. In my opinion, the students have a practical idea in implementing these changes within the Detroit community, yet these changes may be too ambitious due to the capital needed. 

The ideas the students came up with for the project are practical since it utilizes various natural sources of such as sunlight and rainwater which could be further tapped into. Sunlight can be converted into solar energy and rainwater could be collected. Thus, it is practical and easy to sustain. The septic tank and connection of the house to waste heat from nearby industry are also practical since the systems convert waste into productive materials. 

Although the implementation of the solar panels may seem practical, the cost for each panel does not come cheap. The initial capital needed for the solar panels would cost an enormous amount. For example, a 5-kilowatt rooftop solar installation from “Srinergy”, a program formed by the partnership between MI Solar Works and Novi Solar, costs $14,800(CBS Detroit, 2013). The installation cost is definitely not cheap, but in the long run, it reduces the monthly electric bill. It has a life span of 25 to 30 years. However, the beauty of the roofs will be damaged since the solar panels spoil the outlook of the roofs. According to Sortfix (2016), an average septic tank installation cost around $5,170. The septic tanks should be placed at suitable locations. Environmental impacts such as odour and gas emissions as well as groundwater pollution may occur if placed at unsuitable conditions (Wikipedia, 2016). Therefore, the students should survey the cheapest yet reliable manufacturers which builds these systems. 

Investors will create jobs for the community residing there if they invest in Detroit since it spans over 139 square miles. Cox, (2016) Detroit's chief city planner mentions that necessity supplies such as water, electricity and police protection will be applicable to all neighbourhoods. However, all these necessities need finances to thrive. Vacant houses also pose a problem. Hendrickx, one of the students from the project, said vacant houses will be set on fire by neighbours next door. Thus, people will be afraid to reside in Detroit due to the instability of the situation.

Ultimately, the most important factor in ensuring this project becomes successful is for financial help for the Detroit community. Investors could use this opportunity to invest in this project to create more jobs for the residents. This project could come a long way in being an inspiration for other countries to follow suit in increasing awareness about sustainability and reducing environmental impacts on a global scale. 

References

CBS Detroit. (2013). New Low-Cost Residential Solar Power Available.

Retrieved from http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/09/23/new-low-cost-residential-solar-power-available/

Klinefelter, Q. (2016). Must Detroit Shrink to Survive? 

Retrieved from http://wdet.org/posts/2016/08/15/83707-must-detroit-shrink-to-survive/

Michael D. S. (2006). What A Waste: Septic Tanks And Their Environmental Problems.

Retrieved from https://www.gasdetection.com/interscan-in-the-news/magazine-articles/waste-septic-tanks-environmental-problems/

Peters, A. (2016). This Detroit House Is Being Turned Into A Living Model Of Cost-Saving Sustainable Design. World Changing Ideas. 

Retrieved from https://www.fastcoexist.com/3061563/world-changing-ideas/this-detroit-house-is-being-turned-into-a-living-model-of-cost-saving-s

Sortfix. (2016). Low Cost Septic Tank Installation in Detroit, Michigan.

Retrieved from http://www.sortfix.com/septic-tank-installation/mi/detroit.php

Wikipedia. (2016). Environmental Concerns of Septic Tanks. 

Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septic_tank 

Critical Reflection

Throughout this effective communication module, I found out that there are various skills required to be an effective communicator. In the first week, each of us were asked if we had any problems speaking in public. In the first week, Brad gave us a task which was to mingle with our new classmates. It was fun as we got to know each other better. 

From then on, we were given various tasks which required intensive writing and giving oral presentations. Initially, my writing was rusty due to a hiatus of not writing. The first task was writing a summary of an article.  I didn't know that writing a summary could be that hard. After that, we had to write a reader's response. Over the weeks, I managed to grasp a lot of writing techniques as well as learning a different style of writing which was the APA style.

Previously, I did not know there were various styles of writing but Brad really exposed us to these new styles which was very interesting.  Brad also took great effort to educate us in using proper language, verb tenses and transitional words. On top of that, we also had to send formal emails to communicate with a client for our report. This gave us great exposure to effectively communicate with real clients in the future.

We had group discussions and had to present our ideas to one another. This encouraged us to work with different people and will prepare us for the work environment in the future. The formal presentation was certainly one of the best takeaways for me. Presenting with a new style broadens my mind and I get to try out new presentation styles as well. 

Nevertheless, all good times will come to an end. This module has indeed been very fulfilling and satisfying. I would like to thank Brad and my classmates for making the class environment conducive and fun. I hope to apply the knowledge gained in the near future.

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Analytical Reflection

Public speaking requires a lot of confidence and is a concern to many people. It’s been one of my concern until now. 

My group was scheduled to present on day 2. After seeing the first few groups presenting, I knew there were higher expectations from Brad. On the day of presentation, I felt anxious and nervous.

During my delivery, I used a different method which was to interact with the audience. This approach boosted my confidence. However, in the middle of the presentation, I started stuttering, lost my flow of thoughts and confidence. To counter this, I took a deep breath to compose myself.

The slide designs had a lot of visuals to enable the audience to visualize our solution. This was different from my previous presentations since there were lesser words to refer to on the slides. Thus, I had to adapt to not reading words off the slides. I felt that our presentation slides were just sufficient and not too lengthy. However, in the presentation slides, we had some visuals which covered the words. This could be improved by putting the visual on another slide instead. 

During the Questions & Answers session, I had some trouble answering questions and required my team to back me up. I feel that I could improve in handling questions by making sure I am well-read of my project. 

There are several areas I will need to improve on. One of them is organising my thoughts to clearly engage the audience and make them understand my presentation better. In addition to that, I must be more expressive, smile more at the appropriate times as well as projecting my voice louder for better clarity.

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