• 0 WAR DEPARTMENT UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE IN WLY R EFER T O HAN F O R D EN GI N EER W O R KS P O BOX 1580 EIDM AR-1 P ASCO WAS HI N GTON 26 July 1944 Subject Livability of Prefabricated Houses MaiORANDUM TO Major General L R Groves P o Box 2610 Washington n c 1 As you r equested a check was made as to the general living conditions of the prefabricated houses as compar ed t o the houses in Richland Summarized information as to inside and outside temperatures comparing the two be droom p refabricated house with the one story and t wo story dupl ex house is herein present ed together with a tabul ated list of object ons made by t enant in the prefabricated houses You will note that the prefabricated houses show a considerably h i gher temperature both inside and outs i de It is generally considered by the occupants that the houses are more comfortabl e t han the average house s in this area exc luding the new houses bui lt It is also fe l t that the b asement in t he standard type house has a considerable influenc e on keeping the houses cool during t e hottes t part of the day 2 During the thre e day period July 17 to 19 inclusive t emperature readings wer e made hour l y throughout the daylight hours of the day inside and outside a two bedroom prefabricated house a one story two bedroom duplex and a two story three bedroom dupl ex This period was the war mest this year and included the hottest day of this rear July 18 The average t emper ature of 15 hourly readings from 8 00 A M to 10 00 P M inside and outside each of the houses together with maximurn •inside and outside r eadings is tabulated below JULY 17 1944 Type house 2BR-l -story 2BR-Prefab 3BR-2-story Av Inside OF Av Outside OF 85 9° 90 5° 86 7° Maximum Inside 82 4° 89 7° 86 8° 92° 100° 96° JULY 18 1944 2BR-l-story 2BR-Prefab 3BR-2-story 90 9° 97 1° 91 9° 94 8° 97 0° 94 5° JULY 19 • 1944 2BR-l-story 2BR-Prefab 3BR-2-story 87 0° 88 3° 85 4° 87 0° 87 0° 86 4° i-- -- -i ECLASSIFIEI p uthority_ Nt b 9 Yl Q_ OF Maximum Outside 98° 99° 96° OF - Maj Gen L R Groves - 26 July 1 944 AVERAGE THREE DAYS Type House 2BR-l-story 2BR-Prefab 3BR-2-st ory Av Ins1 de °F ------0 87 9 92 0° 88 0° Av Outside OF Max I nside Av OF Max Outs i de Av OF 88 1° 91 2° 89 2° 93 3° 101 0° 95 6' 0 99 0 100 3° 98 3° 3· In general it can be stated that the pref abrica ted hous s absorb more heat than the other houses which i s probab l y due to their f l at roof construction I t wi ll be noted that both the inside and outside temperature s of the pr e f abricated houses gr eatly exceed simila r temper at ur es in the ot her house s but i t is expected this difference will be reduc ed considerably when lawns are p l ac ed in the prefabricated housing are a At pr e sent the prefabric at e d hous es are surrounded by sand areas gi ving the same effect as a refractory furnace F T TTHI AS Lt Col C of E Are a Engineer Incl Prefab Survey • PREFAB SURVEY July 13 1944 • Result of 20 individual interviews · 1 19 Object to living in prefab Do not object to living in prefab 7 Object · to dirt and sand 13 Do not object to dirt and sand 9 Object to heat Do not object to heat 7 Request telephone 11 Complain pantry too ot for storing food 2 Object to lack of storage space 2 Desire lawn and trees 3 Complain beds are not strong enough 1 Complain cabinet over sink is ooming apart l Prefer other type house 1 Complain windows do not fit tight 2 Object to lack of storage space 1 Desires more room 1 Desires clothes line 1 Desires garbage can 1 Complains la mp was cracked and never replaced 1 Desires rug in living room and an additional chair 2 Agree 3 - 7 is the hottest part of the day 1