| 1. |
- Davidsson, Henrik, et al.
(författare)
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Hybrid Ventilation with Innovative Heat Recovery—A System Analysis
- 2013
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 3, s. 245-257
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One of the most important factors when low energy houses are built is to have good heat recovery on the ventilation system. However, standard ventilation units use a considerable amount of electricity. This article discusses the consequences on a system level of using hybrid ventilation with heat recovery. The simulation program TRNSYS was used in order to investigate a ventilation system with heat recovery. The system also includes a ground source storage and waste water heat recovery system. The result of the analysis shows that the annual energy gain from ground source storage is limited. However, this is partly a consequence of the fact that the well functioning hybrid ventilation system leaves little room for improvements. The analysis shows that the hybrid ventilation system has potential to be an attractive solution for low energy buildings with a very low need for electrical energy.
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| 2. |
- Davidsson, Henrik, et al.
(författare)
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Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of a Heat Exchanger Suitable for a Hybrid Ventilation System
- 2013
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 3, s. 18-38
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A key component in low energy houses is the heat recovery from the ventilation air. Over recent years, the most frequently used ventilation type is the mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. This kind of ventilation results in high heat recovery but does unfortunately consume a considerable amount of electrical energy. Natural or hybrid ventilation has the potential to consume less electricity but normally lacks heat recovery, leading to high-energy consumption for heating, and potentially low comfort. This article describes an investigation of a natural/hybrid ventilation system equipped with heat recovery. One of the key challenges in designing the heat exchanger is to keep the pressure drop low. At the same time the heat recovery rate has to be high. The results from the measurements show that it is possible to design a water-to-air heat exchanger with a temperature efficiency of approximately 80% with a pressure drop of about 1 Pa at air flows corresponding to 0.35 L/(s∙m²) building area. This type of ventilation system has the potential to offer a high thermal comfort, high heat recovery rate at the same time as the electrical consumption from fans is kept low. Old buildings with a natural ventilation system without heat recovery could also be retrofitted with this type of ventilation system.
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| 3. |
- Schönbeck, Pia, et al.
(författare)
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Quantitative Review of Construction 4.0 Technology Presence in Construction Project Research
- 2020
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 10:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The development of technologies associated with the fourth industrial revolution is rapid. Construction 4.0 represents the architecture, engineering, construction and operations industries exploration of new technologies, equivalent to Industry 4.0 for the manufacturing industry. These concepts address multiple perspectives besides the technological, such as management and processes. The purpose of this study was to investigate to what extent research regarding construction projects addresses information and communication, automatisation or industrialisation technologies. A scoping review was the method used to perform a quantitative analysis of over two thousand journal papers published from 2015 onwards. The results show that new technologies are addressed separately, while synergy studies are uncommon. Longitudinal analyses show that there was no significant increase in journal papers concerning new technologies from 2015 to 2019. Information and communication was the search criterion with the least number of papers found. The environmental perspective of new technologies was present but the least common from 2019 to 2020. Hence, this review shows that there is an extensive research gap regarding Construction 4.0 technologies in the context of construction projects. Studies regarding synergy and environmental effects of new technologies should increase to start the progress towards a successful entry into the fourth industrial revolution.
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| 4. |
- Zalejska-Jonsson, Agnieszka
(författare)
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Perceived Acoustic Quality and Effect on Occupants’ Satisfaction in Green and Conventional Residential Buildings
- 2019
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 9:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The study presented in this paper focuses on the subjective opinions of occupants of multistory residential buildings by examining the relationship between occupants’ satisfaction and indoor environment quality, and analysing the effect the problems experienced with noise level may have on general satisfaction and the perceived acoustic quality. The analysis is based on data collected through surveys addressed to adults living in green and conventional buildings. The results show that occupants are very satisfied with their apartments, and subjectively rated acoustic quality received very high scores. The responses indicate that noise from neighbours has been experienced relatively seldom by occupants; however, the analysis shows that it is the factor that has the strongest effect on satisfaction with acoustic quality. We have found that the environmental profile of a building has a significant effect on general satisfaction expressed by occupants; however, this effect has not been confirmed for acoustic quality.
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| 5. |
- Petrović, Bojana, et al.
(författare)
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Carbon Assessment of a Wooden Single-Family Building : Focusing on Re-Used Building Products
- 2024
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Ingår i: Buildings. - 2075-5309. ; 14:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Previous research has shown a lack of studies with comparisons between primary (virgin) and secondary (re-used) building materials, and their embodied emissions. The creation of different scenarios comparing the environmental impact of virgin vs. re-used materials is also motivated by the scarcity of raw materials in the world and the emergency of mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings. The aim of this study was to investigate scenarios, including new vs. re-used building products, applying the LCA method for a wooden single-family building. The findings showed a 23% reduction potential for total released (positive) CO2e when comparing the Reference scenario with Scenario I, using re-used wooden-based materials. Further, Scenario II, using all re-used building materials except for installations, showed a 59% CO2e reduction potential compared to the Reference scenario. Finally, Scenario III, which assumes all re-used building products, showed a 92% decreased global warming potential (GWP) impact compared to the Reference scenario. However, when including biogenic carbon and benefits (A5 and D module), the Reference scenario, based on newly produced wooden building materials, has the largest negative GHG emissions. It can be concluded that the re-use of building products leads to significant carbon savings compared to using new building products.
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| 6. |
- Shen, Jingchun, et al.
(författare)
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Enhancing Indoor Environmental Quality and Sustainability in Post-Pandemic Office Settings : A Study on Displacement Ventilation Feasibility
- 2023
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Ingår i: Buildings. - 2075-5309. ; 13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed global efforts toward transitioning to a sustainable society, driving rapid innovation in building technologies, working practices, building design, and whole life cycle environmental impact consideration. In this pursuit, this study explores the enduring impact of these on an alternative ventilation approach for both existing building renovations and new building implementations. Comparing displacement ventilation to mixed-mode ventilation in a Finnish office building with varying occupancy densities, this study examines indoor air quality (IAQ), thermal comfort, total building energy performance, and embodied carbon. The findings reveal that the basic case of mixed ventilation has a specified system primary energy value of 38.83 kWh/m2 (with 28 occupants) and 39.00 kWh/m2 (with 24 occupants), respectively. With the displacement ventilation alternative, it reduces this by 0.3% and 0.1%, enhancing thermal comfort and decreasing turbulence as well as having a marginal decrease in embodied carbon. In general, the study offers three-fold contributions: insights into post-pandemic office mechanical ventilation design with an emphasis on sustainability and ecological footprint considerations, a concrete case study addressing climate action and human-centric IAQ design, and a multifaceted analysis using the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) paradigm, contributing to the groundwork for associated future research and policy progress.
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| 7. |
- Akıner, İ., et al.
(författare)
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The memetic evolution of latin american architectural design culture
- 2021
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 11:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Architecture is an evolutionary field. Through time, it changes and adapts itself according to two things: the environment and the user, which are the touchstones of the concept of culture. Culture changes in long time intervals because of its cumulative structure, so its effects can be observed on a large scale. A nation displays itself with its culture and uses architecture as a tool to convey its cultural identity. This dual relationship between architecture and culture can be observed at various times and in various lands, most notably in Latin American designers. The geographical positions of Latin American nations and their political situations in the twentieth century leads to the occurrence of a recognizable cultural identity, and it influenced the architectural design language of that region. The nonlinear forms in architecture were once experienced commonly around Latin America, and this design expression shows itself in the designers’ other works through time and around the world. The cultural background of Latin American architecture investigated within this study, in terms of their design approach based upon the form and effect of Latin American culture on this architectural design language, is examined with the explanation of the concept of culture by two leading scholars: Geert Hofstede and Richard Dawkins. This paper nevertheless puts together architecture and semiology by considering key twentieth century philosophers and cultural theorist methodologies. Cultural theorist and analyst Roland Barthes was the first person to ask architects to examine the possibility of bringing semiology and architectural theory together. Following an overview of existing semiological conditions, this paper analyzed Roland Barthes and Umberto Eco’s hypothesis of the semiological language of architectural designs of Latin American designers by examining their cultural origin. The work’s findings express the historical conditions that enabled the contemporary architecture and culture study of Latin America between 1945 and 1975 to address the “Latin American model” of architectural modernism.
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| 8. |
- Ameen, Arman, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Experimental Evaluation of the Ventilation Effectiveness of Corner Stratum Ventilation in an Office Environment
- 2019
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 9:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An experimental study was conducted in a room resembling an office in a laboratory environment. The study involved investigating the ability of corner-placed stratum ventilation in order to evaluate the ventilation’s effectiveness and local thermal comfort. At fixed positions, the air temperature, air velocity, turbulence intensity, and tracer gas decay measurements were carried out. The results show that corner-placed stratum ventilation behaves very similar to a mixing ventilation system when considering air change effectiveness. The performance of the system was better at lower supply air flow rates for heat removal effectiveness. For the heating cases, the draught rates were all very low, with the maximum measured value of 12%. However, for the cooling cases, the maximum draught rate was 20% and occurred at ankle level in the middle of the room.
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| 9. |
- Arvidsson, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Quantification of the absorption and scattering effects of diffusers in a room with absorbent ceiling
- 2021
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 11:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In ordinary public rooms, such as classrooms and offices, an absorbent ceiling is the typical first acoustic action. This treatment provides a good acoustic baseline. However, an improvement of specific room acoustic parameters, operating for specific frequencies, can be needed. It has been seen that diffusing elements can be effective additional treatment. In order to choose the right design, placement, and quantity of diffusers, a model to estimate the effect on the acoustics is necessary. This study evaluated whether an SEA model could be used for that purpose, particularly for the cases where diffusers are used in combination with an absorbent ceiling. It was investigated whether the model could handle different quantities of diffusing elements, varied diffusion characteristics, and varied installation patterns. It was found that the model was sensitive to these changes, given that the output from the model in terms of acoustic properties will be reflected by the change of diffuser configuration design. It was also seen that the absorption and scattering of the diffusers could be quantified in a laboratory environment: a reverberation chamber. Through the SEA model, these quantities could be transformed to a full-scale room for estimation of the room acoustic parameters.
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| 10. |
- Bahrami, Alireza, et al.
(författare)
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Strengthening solutions for deep reinforced concrete beam with cutout opening
- 2021
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 11:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since reinforced concrete (RC) buildings have long service life, cutout openings are generally needed in their load‐bearing walls as a sustainable solution in order to meet new requirements of their users. However, the cutout openings decrease the load‐bearing capacity of the walls, which may result in the failure of the buildings. In this paper, we investigate the possibility of making a door opening in a load‐bearing RC wall of an existing building in Gävle in Sweden. The wall studied in the current paper rests on two individual supports at its two ends; thus, it is considered as a deep beam. However, it is called an examined wall (EW) here. The StruSoft FEM‐Design software is used in this study to model, analyze, and design the building based on the Eurocodes and Swedish national annex. The potential need for the EW to be strengthened when the cutout opening is made is also evaluated. It is concluded that strengthening the EW with cutout opening is needed. Different strengthening solutions are proposed for the EW. Moreover, the situation of the EW with the solutions is assessed with regard to the utilization ratio, deflection, and weight. Consequently, it is demonstrated that the proposed strengthening solutions function well for the EW.
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| 11. |
- Berggren, Björn, et al.
(författare)
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Review of Constructions and Materials Used in Swedish Residential Buildings during the Post-War Peak of Production
- 2019
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 9:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One of the greatest challenges for the world today is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. As buildings contribute to almost a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, reducing the energy use of the existing building stock is an important measure for climate change mitigation. In order to increase the renovation pace, there is a need for a comprehensive technicaldocumentation that describes different types of buildings in the existing building stock. The purpose of this study is to analyse and describe existing residential buildings in Sweden. The data are based on published reports from 1967 to 1994 that have not been publicly available in a database for otherresearchers to study until now. Data from the reports have been transferred to a database and analysed to create a reference for buildings and/or a description of building typology in Sweden. This study found that there is a rather large homogeneity in the existing residential building stock. However, it is not possible to use a single reference building or building technique to cover the majority of the existing buildings. In Sweden, common constructions for exterior walls in multi-dwelling buildings which should be used for further studies are insulated wood infill walls with clay brick façades, lightweight concrete walls with rendered façades and concrete sandwich walls. The most common constructions for one- and two-dwelling buildings are insulated wooden walls with clay brick façades or wooden façades. Furthermore, roof constructions with insulated tie beam and roof constructions where the tie beam is a part of the interior floor slab are frequently used and should be included in further studies.
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| 12. |
- Berggren, Björn, et al.
(författare)
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State of Knowledge of Thermal Bridges—A Follow up in Sweden and a Review of Recent Research
- 2018
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 8:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It is important to minimize transmission heat transfer losses through the building envelope when designing and building energy efficient buildings in heating dominated climates. In such a climate, a large part of the space heating demand is caused by transmission heat transfer losses through the building envelope. Calculations of these losses must be carried out in a correct way to ensure a properly sized heating system and a good indoor climate. Furthermore, underestimating the transmission heat transfer may lead to energy costs that exceed expectations. A Swedish study was published five years ago which concluded that the state of knowledge was low and simplified methods used were not accurate. Five years has passed since the previous study. The purpose of this follow-up is to investigate whether the state of knowledge among Swedish consultants has increased and to review the progress within the international field. The study shows that little has changed in Sweden. The state of knowledge regarding different measuring methods and the effect on thermal bridges is still not satisfying. Furthermore, the review of recent research shows that the relative effect of thermal bridges vary greatly. More guidelines and education/training are needed. Further research should be carried out with a holistic approach where thermal bridges are investigated with varying construction types, energy efficiency of building envelopes and different measuring methods
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| 13. |
- Binder, Eva, 1990-, et al.
(författare)
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Development of Creep Deformations during Service Life : A Comparison of CLT and TCC Floor Constructions
- 2022
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 12:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cross-laminated timber (CLT) slabs in residential buildings need additional weight, e.g., in the form of screeds or gravel layers, to fulfill the criterion for the highest impact-sound class. The additional mass is, however, not exploited for the load bearing behavior, but adds additional weight and leads to an increased height of the floor construction. In this study, such a CLT floor construction with a construction height of 380mm is compared with a composite slab consisting of a CLT plate with a concrete layer on top with a floor construction height of 330 mm. The timber concrete composite (TCC) slab has a different creep behavior than the CLT slab. Thus, the development of the time-dependent deflections over the service life are of interest. A straightforward hybrid approach is developed, which exploits advanced multiscale-based material models for the individual composite layers and a standardized structural analysis method for the structural slab to model its linear creep behavior. The introduced approach allows to investigate load redistribution between the layers of the composite structure and the evolution of the deflection of the slab during the service life. The investigated slab types show a similar deflection after 50 years, while the development of the deflections over time are different. The CLT slab has a smaller overall stiffness at the beginning but a smaller decrease in stiffness over time than the investigated TCC slab.
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| 14. |
- Bonakdar, Farshid, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
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The Implications of Climate Zones on the Cost-Optimal Level and Cost-Effectiveness of Building Envelope Energy Renovation and Space Heat Demand Reduction
- 2017
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 7:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The cost-optimal level of energy performance for buildings shall be identified according to the European directive of 2010. The Swedish building stock needs comprehensive knowledge and an overall strategy for the cost-optimal level of renovation. This paper studies the contribution of Swedish climate zones to the cost-optimal level of renovation on a multi-story residential building in Sweden from the building owner perspective. The building space heat demand is simulated for four Swedish climate zones. The net present profit (NPP) method is defined and used in this study in order to analyze the cost-optimal level and the cost-effective renovation of building envelope components (e.g., attic floor, basement walls, exterior walls and windows). The implication of different discount rates is studied, as well. The results show that the optimum renovation of the building envelope offers 51% more energy savings for space heating when the building is in a northern climate zone compared to a southern zone. The study suggests that different renovation strategies for the building stock renovation need to be identified, separately, for each climate zone. The NPP analysis identifies the minimum required investment and maximum achievable energy savings that are needed to have a cost-effective renovation. The broad range of studied climate zones provides the opportunity to apply the obtained results to other climate zones by either interpolation or extrapolation of NPPs for the buildings with similar characteristics.
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| 15. |
- Bravo, Giangiacomo, et al.
(författare)
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Physical vs. Aesthetic Renovations : Learning from Swedish House Owners
- 2019
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 9:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, we identify the socio-economic attributes and attitudes that have influencedhouse owners in renovating their homes in the past. Our study is based on responses to an onlinequestionnaire survey of 971 house owners living in Kronoberg County in Sweden. Results showedthat the interest and willingness of the house owners to perform a renovation varied dependingon their demographic background and the age of the house. The latter positively affected pastrenovations, only when combined with the residence time. Furthermore, the age of house ownersstrongly and positively affected the probability of performing aesthetic type of renovations, becauseof a long time of residence in the house. Younger, town living, and highly educated house ownersseem to be more concerned regarding saving energy, which motivated them to perform physicalrenovations on their house. Our results also suggest that income, level of education, and place ofresidence have an effect on renovation decisions only through their effect on the energy concern ofhouse owners, and a varied effect on renovation decisions, when combined with the time of residencein the house.
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| 16. |
- Bunkholt, Nora Schjoth, et al.
(författare)
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Experimental Study of Thermal Buoyancy in the Cavity of Ventilated Roofs
- 2020
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 10:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pitched wooden roofs are ventilated through an air cavity beneath the roofing in order to remove heat and moisture from the roof construction. The ventilation is driven by wind pressure and thermal buoyancy. This paper studies ventilation driven by thermal buoyancy in the air cavity of inclined roofs. The influence of air cavity design and roof inclination on the airflow is investigated. Laboratory measurements were carried out on an inclined full-scale roof model with an air cavity heated on one side in order to simulate solar radiation on a roof surface. Equipment to measure temperature was installed in the roof model, while air velocity in the cavity was determined by smoke tests. Combinations of different roof inclinations, air cavity heights and applied heating power on the air cavity top surface were examined. The study showed that increased air cavity height led to increased airflow and decreased surface temperatures in the air cavity. Increased roof inclination and heating power applied to the roofing also increased the airflow. The investigations imply that thermal buoyancy in the air cavity of pitched roofs could be a relevant driving force for cavity ventilation and important to consider when evaluating the heat and moisture performance of such a construction.
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| 17. |
- Camarasa, Clara, et al.
(författare)
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Energy-efficient retrofit measures (EERM) in residential buildings: An application of discrete choice modelling
- 2021
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 11:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cross-country evidence on the adoption of energy-efficient retrofit measures (EERMs) in residential buildings is critical to supporting the development of national and pan-European policies aimed at fostering the energy performance upgrade of the building stock. In this light, the aim of this paper is to advance in the understanding of the probability of certain EERMs taking place in eight EU countries, according to a set of parameters, such as building typology, project types, and motivation behind the project. Using these parameters collected via a multi-country online survey, a set of discrete-choice (conditional logit) models are estimated on the probability of selecting a choice of any combination of 33 EERMs across the sampled countries. Results show that actions related to the building envelope are the most often-addressed across countries and single building elements or technology measures have a higher probability of being implemented. The modelling framework developed in this study contributes to the scientific community in three ways: (1) establishing an empirical relationship among EERMs and project (i.e., retrofit and deep retrofit), (2) identifying commonalities and differences across the selected countries, and (3) quantifying the probabilities and market shares of various EERMs.
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| 18. |
- Camarasa, Clara, 1986, et al.
(författare)
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Key Decision-Makers and Persuaders in the Selection of Energy-Efficient Technologies in EU Residential Buildings
- 2020
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 10:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- With regard to residential energy use in the European Union (EU), most studies consider potential adopters of the technology (e.g., private owners) as being the sole decision-makers in the technology selection. However, during an integrated decision-making process (e.g., a construction project) multiple stakeholders will interact, influencing each other's judgement, thereby making it difficult to discern who is affecting the final decision, and to what extent. The goal of this study is to outline the full network of stakeholders involved in the decision-making process, along with their degree of power and interaction in the technology choice. For this purpose, empirical evidence from a multi-country survey is examined using social network analysis (SNA). The information is compared across building typologies, project types and countries (i.e., Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and the Netherlands). The results demonstrate that, in EU residential buildings, potential adopters of the technology are not the only stakeholders involved in the technology selection. They are in all instances in communication with multiple stakeholders, some of whom also hold a high level of power in the decision (i.e., key persuaders). Furthermore, their level of power and communication varies substantially across building typologies, project types and countries.
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| 19. |
- Daniotti, Bruno, et al.
(författare)
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An interoperable bim-based toolkit for efficient renovation in buildings
- 2021
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 11:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since the buildings and construction sector is one of the main areas responsible for energy consumption and emissions, focusing on their refurbishment and promoting actions in this direction will be helpful to achieve an EU Agenda objective of making Europe climate-neutral by 2050. One step towards the renovation action is the exploitation of digital tools into a BIM framework. The scope of the research contained in this paper is to improve the management of information throughout the different stages of the renovation process, allowing an interoperable exchange of data among the involved stakeholders; the development of an innovative BIM-based toolkit is the answer to the research question. The research and results obtained related with the development of an interoperable BIM-based toolkit for efficient renovation in buildings in the framework of the European research project BIM4EEB. Specifically, the developed BIM management system allows the exchange of the data among the different tools, using open interoperable formats (as IFC) and linked data, in a Common Data Environment, to be used by the different stakeholders. Additionally, the developed tools allow the stakeholders to manage different stages of the renovation process, facilitating efficiencies in terms of time reduction and improving the resulting quality. The validity of each tool with respect to existing practices is demonstrated here, and the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed tools are described in the workflow detailing issues such as interoperability, collaboration, integration of different solutions, and time consuming existing survey processes. © 2021 by the authors.
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| 20. |
- Davoodi, Anahita, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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A Conceptual Framework for Integration of Evidence-Based Design with Lighting Simulation Tools
- 2017
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 7:4
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The use of lighting simulation tools has been growing over the past years which has improved lighting analysis. While computer simulations have proven to be a viable tool for analyzing lighting in physical environments, they have difficulty in assessing the effects of light on occupant’s perception. Evidence-based design (EBD) is a design method that is gaining traction in building design due to its strength in providing means to assess the effects of built environments on humans. The aim of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for integrating EBD with lighting simulation tools. Based on a literature review, it was investigated how EBD and lighting simulation can be combined to provide a holistic lighting performance evaluation method. The results show that they can mutually benefit from each other. EBD makes it possible to evaluate and/or improve performance metrics by utilizing user feedback. On the other hand, performance metrics can be used for a better description of evidence, and to analyze the effects of lighting with more details. The results also show that EBD can be used to evaluate light simulations to better understand when and how they should be performed. A framework is presented for integration of lighting simulation and EBD
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| 21. |
- Dodoo, Ambrose, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of Climate Change for Thermal Comfort and Energy Performance of Residential Buildings in a Sub-Saharan African Climate
- 2019
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 9:10
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study presents an analysis of the impacts of climate change on thermal comfort and energy performance of residential buildings in Ghana, in sub-Saharan Africa, and explores mitigation as well as adaptation strategies to improve buildings' performance under climate change conditions. The performances of the buildings are analyzed for both recent and projected future climates for the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions of Ghana, using the IDA-ICE dynamic simulation software, with climate data from the Meteonorm global climate database. The results suggest that climate change will significantly influence energy performance and indoor comfort conditions of buildings in Ghana. However, effective building design strategies could significantly improve buildings' energy and indoor climate performances under both current and future climate conditions. The simulations show that the cooling energy demand of the analyzed building in the Greater Accra region is 113.9 kWh/m(2) for the recent climate, and this increases by 31% and 50% for the projected climates for 2030 and 2050, respectively. For the analyzed building in the Ashanti region, the cooling energy demand is 104.4 kWh/m(2) for the recent climate, and this increases by 6% and 15% for the 2030 and 2050 climates, respectively. Furthermore, indoor climate and comfort deteriorate under the climate change conditions, in contrast to the recent conditions.
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| 22. |
- Eriksson, Henrik, 1986-, et al.
(författare)
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Exploring product modularity in residential building areas
- 2021
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 11:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study explores how the logic of product modularity could be useful for the design of complete residential building areas. Previous research has noted that product modularity is usually only applicable if a ‘full modularization’ approach is pursued (i.e., an approach with completely defined modules). This is challenging in Engineer To Order production strategies. Therefore, an approach towards partial product modularity is sought instead. In this approach, the modules are lesser defined to allow flexibility following, e.g., architectural design freedom, as well as per project-specific requirements posed in house-building projects. This study identifies nine (9) ‘modules’ which are denominated as functional spaces. By explaining how unique project requirements affect functional spaces, some integral elements of house-building are detailed. By evaluating the functional spaces in regards to the level of predefinition, as well as the level of relationship, their level of modularity is explored. The usefulness of partial modularity for house-building is suggested to be for coordination of design work and support tools that aides design work. This study suggests that partial modularity can be a feasible approach towards modularity without the need for countermeasures in terms of increasing product predefinition.
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| 23. |
- Frelin, Anneli, Professor, 1969-, et al.
(författare)
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Designing and building robust innovative learning environments
- 2021
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 11:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Prior research shows that creating innovative learning spaces that work well for pupils and teachers is a challenge and implicates different stakeholders. The aim of this article is to inquire into how educational visions evolve and are expressed through the different phases of two school design processes; and visualise how stakeholders’ roles in the processes result in innovative learning environments and practices that work well. The data consists of photographs from school visits, briefs, and interviews. The material is analysed with a particular focus on educational vision, organisation and working methods. An analytical model showing the stakeholders’ levels of participation at each stage is revised and developed. The results indicate four common themes: Continuity – several stakeholders involved in more than one phase. Preparation – processes were long-term, continuous, and iterative, with future users testing and evaluating prototypes and other innovative interior design elements to be used in the new spaces. Alignment – early and extensive considerations of the school’s organisation and working methods. Participation – multi-professional teams with representation of a pedagogical perspective at the higher levels of participation. From this can be concluded that achieving robust innovative learning environments involves stakeholders’ regard to aspects of knowledge, education, organization and economy.
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| 24. |
- Granqvist, Claes-Göran, 1946-, et al.
(författare)
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Thermochromic Oxide-Based Thin Films and Nanoparticle Composites for Energy-Efficient Glazings
- 2017
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 7:1
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Today's advances in materials science and technology can lead to better buildings with improved energy efficiency and indoor conditions. Particular attention should be directed towards windows and glass facadesjointly known as glazingssince current practices often lead to huge energy expenditures related to excessive inflow or outflow of energy which need to be balanced by energy-intensive cooling or heating. This review article outlines recent progress in thermochromics, i.e., it deals with materials whose optical properties are strongly dependent on temperature. In particular, we discuss oxide-based thin surface coatings (thin films) and nanoparticle composites which can be deposited onto glass and are able to regulate the throughput of solar energy while the luminous (visible) properties remain more or less unaltered. Another implementation embodies lamination materials incorporating thermochromic (TC) nanoparticles. The thin films and nanocomposites are based on vanadium dioxide (VO2), which is able to change its properties within a narrow temperature range in the vicinity of room temperature and either reflects or absorbs infrared light at elevated temperatures, whereas the reflectance or absorptance is much smaller at lower temperatures. The review outlines the state of the art for these thin films and nanocomposites with particular attention to recent developments that have taken place in laboratories worldwide. Specifically, we first set the scene by discussing environmental challenges and their relationship with TC glazings. Then enters VO2 and we present its key properties in thin-film form and as nanoparticles. The next part of the article gives perspectives on the manufacturing of these films and particles. We point out that the properties of pure VO2 may not be fully adequate for buildings and we elaborate how additives, antireflection layers, nanostructuring and protective over-coatings can be employed to yield improved performance and durability that make TC glazings of considerable interest for building-related applications. Finally, we briefly describe recent developments towards TC light scattering and draw some final conclusions.
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| 25. |
- Haghani Dogaheh, Reza, 1979, et al.
(författare)
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Fatigue-Prone Details in Steel Bridges
- 2012
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 2:4, s. 456-476
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper reviews the results of a comprehensive investigation including more than 100 fatigue damage cases, reported for steel and composite bridges. The damage cases are categorized according to types of detail. The mechanisms behind fatigue damage in each category are identified and studied. It was found that more than 90% of all reported damage cases are of deformation-induced type and generated by some kind of unintentional or otherwise overlooked interaction between different load-carrying members or systems in the bridge. Poor detailing, with unstiffened gaps and abrupt changes in stiffness at the connections between different members were also found to contribute to fatigue cracking in many details.
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| 26. |
- Han, Mengjie, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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An Approach to Data Acquisition for Urban Building Energy Modeling Using a Gaussian Mixture Model and Expectation-Maximization Algorithm
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 11:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In recent years, a building’s energy performance is becoming uncertain because of factors such as climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, stochastic occupant behavior and inefficient building control systems. Sufficient measurement data is essential to predict and manage a building’s performance levels. Assessing energy performance of buildings at an urban scale requires even larger data samples in order to perform an accurate analysis at an aggregated level. However, data are not only expensive, but it can also be a real challenge for communities to acquire large amounts of real energy data. This is despite the fact that inadequate knowledge of a full population will lead to biased learning and the failure to establish a data pipeline. Thus, this paper proposes a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) with an Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm that will produce synthetic building energy data. This method is tested on real datasets. The results show that the parameter estimates from the model are stable and close to the true values. The bivariate model gives better performance in classification accuracy. Synthetic data points generated by the models show a consistent representation of the real data. The approach developed here can be useful for building simulations and optimizations with spatio-temporal mapping.
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| 27. |
- Hedman, Åsa, et al.
(författare)
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IEA EBC Annex83 Positive Energy Districts
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 11:3
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- At a global level, the need for energy efficiency and an increased share of renewable energy sources is evident, as is the crucial role of cities due to the rapid urbanization rate. As a consequence of this, the research work related to Positive Energy Districts (PED) has accelerated in recent years. A common shared definition, as well as technological approaches or methodological issues related to PEDs are still unclear in this development and a global scientific discussion is needed. The International Energy Agency’s Energy in Buildings and Communities Programme (IEA EBC) Annex 83 is the main platform for this international scientific debate and research. This paper describes the challenges of PEDs and the issues that are open for discussions and how the Annex 83 is planned and organized to facilitate this and to actively steer the development of PEDs major leaps forward. The main topics of discussion in the PED context are the role and importance of definitions of PEDs, virtual and geographical boundaries in PEDs, the role of different stakeholders, evaluation approaches, and the learnings of realized PED projects.
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| 28. |
- Holmgren, Mattias, 1991-, et al.
(författare)
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Are mental biases responsible for the perceived comfort advantage in "green" buildings?
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 8:2
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Previous research has shown that merely calling an indoor environment environmentally certified will make people favor that environment over a conventional alternative. In this paper we explore whether this effect depends on participants deliberately comparing the two environments, and whether different reasons behind the certification influence the magnitude of the effect. In Experiment 1, participants in a between-subjects design assigned higher comfort ratings to an indoor environment that had been labeled "environmentally certified" in comparison with the exact same indoor environment that was unlabeled, suggesting that the effect arises even when participants do not compare the two environments when making their estimates. The results from Experiment 2 indicate that climate change mitigation (as the reason for the certification) is a slightly better trigger of the effect compared to climate change adaptation. The results suggest that studies on psychological effects of "green" buildings should experimentally control for the influence from participants' judgmental biases.
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| 29. |
- Ismail, Mohammad, et al.
(författare)
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An Exploratory Analysis of Housing and the Distribution of COVID-19 in Sweden
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 12:1, s. 71-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The impact of COVID-19 on various aspects of our life is evident. Proximity and close contact with individuals infected with the virus, and the extent of such contact, contribute to the intensity of the spread of the virus. Healthy and infected household members who both require sanctuary and quarantine space come into close and extended contact in housing. In other words, housing and living conditions can impact the health of occupants and the spread of COVID-19. This study investigates the relationship between housing characteristics and variations in the spread of COVID-19 per capita across Sweden's 290 municipalities. For this purpose, we have used the number of infected COVID-19 cases per capita during the pandemic period-February 2020 through April 2021-per municipality. The focus is on variables that measure housing and housing conditions in the municipalities. We use exploratory analysis and Principal Components Analysis to reduce highly correlated variables into a set of linearly uncorrelated variables. We then use the generated variables to estimate direct and indirect effects in a spatial regression analysis. The results indicate that housing and housing availability are important explanatory factors for the geographical spread of COVID-19. Overcrowding, availability, and quality are all critical explanatory factors.
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- Jalilzadehazhari, Elaheh, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Achieving a trade‐off construction solution using BIM, an optimization algorithm, and a multi‐criteria decision‐making method
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - Basel, Switzerland : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 9:4, s. 1-14
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Energy Performance of Building Directive obligated all European countries to reduce the energy requirements of buildings while simultaneously improving indoor environment quality. Any such improvements not only enhance the health of the occupants and their productivity, but also provide further economic benefits at the national level. Accomplishing this task requires a method that allows building professionals to resolve conflicts between visual and thermal comfort, energy demands, and life‐cycle costs. To overcome these conflicts, this study exploits the incorporation of building information modelling (BIM), the design of experiments as an optimization algorithm, and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) into a multi‐criteria decision‐ making method. Any such incorporation can (i) create constructive communication between building professionals, such as architects, engineers, and energy experts; (ii) allow the analysis of the performance of multiple construction solutions with respect to visual and thermal comfort, energy demand, and life‐cycle costs; and (iii) help to select a trade‐off solution, thereby making a suitable decision. Three types of energy‐efficient windows, and five types of ground floors, roofs, and external wall constructions were considered as optimization variables. The incorporation of several methods allowed the analysis of the performance of 375 construction solutions based on a combination of optimization variables, and helped to select a trade‐off solution. The results showed the strength of incorporation for analyzing big‐data through the intelligent use of BIM and a simulation in the field of the built environment, energy, and costs. However, when applying AHP, the results are strongly contingent on pairwise comparisons
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| 32. |
- Jalilzadehazhari, Elaheh, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Profitability of various energy supply systems in light of their different energy prices and climate conditions
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 10:6, s. 1-17
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The majority of the single-family houses in Sweden are affected by deteriorations in building envelopes as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. These dwellings are therefore in need of extensive renovation, which provides an excellent opportunity to install renewable energy supply systems to reduce the total energy consumption. The high investment costs of the renewable energy supply systems was previously distinguished as the main barrier in the installation of these systems in Sweden. House-owners should therefore compare the profitability of the energy supply systems and select the one, which will allow them to reduce their operational costs. This study analyses the profitability of a ground source heat pump, photovoltaic solar panels, and an integrated ground source heat pump with a PV system, as three energy supply systems for a single-family house in Sweden. The profitability of the supply systems was analysed by calculating the payback period (PBP) and internal rate of return (IRR) for these systems. Three different energy prices, three different interest rates, and two different lifespans were considered when calculating the IRR and PBP. In addition, the profitability of the supply systems was analysed for four Swedish climate zones. The analyses of results show that the ground source heat pump system was the most profitable energy supply system, since it provided a short PBP and high IRR in all climate zones when compared with the other energy supply systems. Furthermore, results show that increasing the energy price improved the profitability of the supply systems in all climate zones.
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| 33. |
- Jansson, Gustav, et al.
(författare)
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Artistic and Engineering Design of Platform-Based Production Systems : A Study of Swedish Architectural Practice
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 8:2
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Research on platform-based production systems for house-building has focused on production and manufacturing issues. The aim of this research is to explore how the architectural design process contributes to the industrialised house-building industry from the perspective of creative design work. It also aims to describe how constraints affect architectural design work in the engineer-to-order context, when using platform-based production systems. Architects with experience in using platform-based building systems with different degrees of constraints were interviewed regarding creative aspects of the design work. The interviews, together with documents relating to platform constraints, were then analysed from the perspective of artistic and engineering design theories. The results show the benefits and issues of using platform constraints, both with prefabrication of volumetric modules, as well as prefabricated slab and wall elements. The study highlights a major research gap by describing how architectural work, from both the creative artistic and engineering design perspectives, is affected by constraints in the building platform: (1) the architectural design work goes through a series of divergent and convergent processes where the divergent processes are explorative and the convergent processes are solution-oriented; and (2), there is a trade-off between creativity and efficiency in the design work. Open parameters for layout design are key to architectural creativity, while predefinition supports efficiency. The results also provide an understanding of the potential for creativity in artistic and engineering work tasks through different phases in design, and how they are related to constraints in the platform. The main limitation of the research is the number of interviewed architects who had different background experiences of working with different types of platform constraints. More studies are needed to confirm the observations and to understand how creativity and efficiency interact with divergent and convergent design processes.
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| 34. |
- Javanroodi, Kavan, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Impacts of Microclimate Conditions on the Energy Performance of Buildings in Urban Areas
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 9:8
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Urbanization trends have changed the morphology of cities in the past decades. Complex urban areas with wide variations in built density, layout typology, and architectural form have resulted in more complicated microclimate conditions. Microclimate conditions affect the energy performance of buildings and bioclimatic design strategies as well as a high number of engineering applications. However, commercial energy simulation engines that utilize widely-available mesoscale weather data tend to underestimate these impacts. These weather files, which represent typical weather conditions at a location, are mostly based on long-term metrological observations and fail to consider extreme conditions in their calculation. This paper aims to evaluate the impacts of hourly microclimate data in typical and extreme climate conditions on the energy performance of an office building in two different urban areas. Results showed that the urban morphology can reduce the wind speed by 27% and amplify air temperature by more than 14%. Using microclimate data, the calculated outside surface temperature, operating temperature and total energy demand of buildings were notably different to those obtained using typical regional climate model (RCM)-climate data or available weather files (Typical Meteorological Year or TMY), i.e., by 61%, 7%, and 21%, respectively. The difference in the hourly peak demand during extreme weather conditions was around 13%. The impact of urban density and the final height of buildings on the results are discussed at the end of the paper.
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| 35. |
- Järvenpää, Anna-Therése, et al.
(författare)
-
Contextual Communicative Competence in Multinational Infrastructure Projects
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 11:9
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Communication is dynamic, social, challenging, and a key quality factor for construction projects. This is especially the case in multinational and inter-organizational infrastructure projects where factors like culture and language differ among the involved actors. As infrastructure projects usually extend over longer periods of time, collaborative relationships need to be established in which the actors can develop, for example, mutual understanding, learning, and efficient working routines. By building on empirical data from contemporary infrastructure projects, we explore how international contractors and a large public client communicate in multinational infrastructure projects (i.e., what the challenges are and what competences are needed). The analysis is based on the linguistic framework of communicative competence, and we contribute to the development of collaborative models in construction project management by suggesting the concept of contextual communicative competence
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| 36. |
- Kanters, Jouri
(författare)
-
Circular Building Design: An Analysis of Barriers and Drivers for a Circular Building Sector
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 10:4
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Circular building design could significantly reduce the environmental impact of buildings and the pressure on natural resources. However, most buildings today are not designed according to the principles of the circular economy. Most literature has focused on either methods for quantifying the lifecycle analysis of buildings and materials, or on innovative circular building materials, but not much is known about the design process of circular buildings and how architects are dealing with translating the principles of the circular economy to the building sector. A series of semi-structured interviews with architects and consultants that have engaged in circular building design has been conducted to identify the barriers and drivers of the transformation towards a circular building sector. Interviews were analysed using qualitative coding analysis. The conservativeness of the building industry, the lack of political priority and the dependency throughout the building industry were found to be the main barriers, while a supportive client with a well-defined assignment and idea was considered to be the main driver. The contribution of this paper to key actors in the building sector is to identify the main barriers and drivers for a circular building sector.
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| 37. |
- Kanters, Jouri
(författare)
-
Design for deconstruction in the design process : State of the art
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 8:11
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Stricter building regulations have resulted in the construction of buildings with a low energy use during the operation phase. It has now become increasingly important to also look at the embodied energy, because it might, over the lifespan of the building, equal the energy used for operating the building. One way to decrease the embodied energy is to reuse building materials and components or to prepare the building for deconstruction; a term called design for deconstruction (DfD). While design for deconstruction has showed environmental, social, and economic benefits, hardly any building designed and built today is designed for deconstruction. The aim of this literature review is to understand the state-of-art of design for deconstruction and how it affects the design process. In most of the literature, general construction principles are specified that promote the design for deconstruction and focus on (a) the overall building design, (b) materials and connections, (c) construction and deconstruction phase, and (d) communication, competence, and knowledge. Furthermore, the reuse potential of specific building materials is discussed, as well as the available tools for DfD. Additionally, the current barriers for DfD as specified by the literature show lack of competence, regulations, and other related elements.
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| 38. |
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| 39. |
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| 40. |
- Koke, Johannes, et al.
(författare)
-
Strategies of Design Concepts and Energy Systems for NearlyZero‐Energy Container Buildings (NZECBs) inDifferent Climates
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 11:8
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Container-based lightweight buildings offer a high ecologic and economic potential when they are designed as nearly zero-energy container buildings (NZECBs). Thus, they are relevant to energy transition in achieving an almost climate-neutral building stock. This paper describes and applies design strategies for suitable building concepts and energy systems to be used in NZECBs for different climates. Therefore, different applications in representative climatic zones were selected. Initially, the global climate zones were characterized and analyzed with regard to their potential for self-sufficiency and renewable energies in buildings. The design strategies were further developed and demonstrated for three cases: a single-family house in Sweden, a multi-family house in Germany, and a small school building in rural Ethiopia. For each case, design guidelines were derived and building concepts were developed. On the basis of these input data, various energy concepts were developed in which solar and wind energy, as well as biomass, were integrated as renewable energy sources. All the concepts were simulated and analyzed with the Polysun® software. The various approaches were compared and evaluated, particularly with regard to energy self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency rates up to 80% were achieved. Finally, the influence of different climate zones on the energy efficiency of the single-family house was studied as well as the influence of the size of battery storage and insulation.
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| 41. |
- Krantz, Jan, et al.
(författare)
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Assessing Embodied Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Infrastructure Projects
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 5:4, s. 1156-1170
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from construction processes are a serious concern globally. Of the several approaches taken to assess emissions, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based methods do not just take into account the construction phase, but consider all phases of the life cycle of the construction. However, many current LCA approaches make general assumptions regarding location and effects, which do not do justice to the inherent dynamics of normal construction projects. This study presents a model to assess the embodied energy and associated GHG emissions, which is specifically adapted to address the dynamics of infrastructure construction projects. The use of the model is demonstrated on the superstructure of a prefabricated bridge. The findings indicate that Building Information Models/Modeling (BIM) and Discrete Event Simulation (DES) can be used to efficiently generate project-specific data, which is needed for estimating the embodied energy and associated GHG emissions in construction settings. This study has implications for the advancement of LCA-based methods (as well as project management) as a way of assessing embodied energy and associated GHG emissions related to construction.
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| 42. |
- Lovati, Marco, et al.
(författare)
-
Agent Based Modelling of a Local Energy Market : A Study of the Economic Interactions between Autonomous PV Owners within a Micro-Grid
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 11:4
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Urban Photovoltaic (PV) systems can provide large fractions of the residential electric demand at socket parity (i.e., a cost below the household consumer price). This is obtained without necessarily installing electric storage or exploiting tax funded incentives. The benefits of aggregating the electric demand and renewable output of multiple households are known and established; in fact, regulations and pilot energy communities are being implemented worldwide. Financing and managing a shared urban PV system remains an unsolved issue, even when the profitability of the system as a whole is demonstrable. For this reason, an agent-based modelling environment has been developed and is presented in this study. It is assumed that an optimal system (optimized for self-sufficiency) is shared between 48 households in a local grid of a positive energy district. Different scenarios are explored and discussed, each varying in number of owners (agents who own a PV system) and their pricing behaviour. It has been found that a smaller number of investors (i.e., someone refuse to join) provokes an increase of the earnings for the remaining investors (from 8 to 74% of the baseline). Furthermore, the pricing strategy of an agent shows improvement potential without knowledge of the demand of others, and thus it has no privacy violations.
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| 43. |
- Lovati, Marco, et al.
(författare)
-
Optimal Simulation of Three Peer to Peer (P2P) Business Models for Individual PV Prosumers in a Local Electricity Market Using Agent-Based Modelling
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 10:8
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Solar photovoltaic (PV) is becoming one of the most significant renewable sources for positive energy district (PED) in Sweden. The lack of innovative business models and financing mechanisms are the main constraints for PV’s deployment installed in local communities. This paper therefore proposes a peer-to-peer (P2P) business model for 48 individual building prosumers with PV installed in a Swedish community. It considers energy use behaviour, electricity/financial flows, ownerships and trading rules in a local electricity market. Different local electricity markets are designed and studied using agent-based modelling technique, with different energy demands, cost–benefit schemes and financial hypotheses for an optimal evaluation. This paper provides an early insight into a vast research space, i.e., the operation of an energy system through the constrained interaction of its constituting agents. The agents (48 households) show varying abilities in exploiting the common PV resource, as they achieve very heterogeneous self-sufficiency levels (from ca. 15% to 30%). The lack of demand side management suggests that social and lifestyle differences generate huge impacts on the ability to be self-sufficient with a shared, limited PV resource. Despite the differences in self-sufficiency, the sheer energy amount obtained from the shared PV correlates mainly with annual cumulative demand.
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| 44. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(författare)
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Energy performance of two multi-storey wood-frame passive houses in Sweden
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 5, s. 1207-1220
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Two eight-story wood-framed residential buildings with the Swedish 2012passive house standard were built in 2009 in the Portvakten Söder quarter in the city of Växjöin Sweden. In this paper, we present the monitored specific energy use of the buildings andcompare to the requirements of the Swedish building code and recommendation for passivehouses. We also estimated the primary energy use and CO2 emissions and investigated thetenants’ views and experiences of the two buildings. Results show that the actual specificenergy use of 40.2 kWh/m2Atemp/year in the Portvakten Söder building fulfills, by a goodmargin, the requirements of the Swedish building code and the recommended passive housestandard, but is higher than projected. Applying a marginal perspective, the calculatedprimary energy use and carbon dioxide emission from operating the buildings (excludinghousehold electricity) was 40 kWh/m2Atemp/year and zero, respectively. Responses of 20 tenantsto a mail-in questionnaire survey showed that over 90% were satisfied with their apartments.
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| 45. |
- Malakhatka, Elena, et al.
(författare)
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Monitoring and Predicting Occupant's Sleep Quality by Using Wearable Device OURA Ring and Smart Building Sensors Data (Living Laboratory Case Study)
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-5309. ; 11:10
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Today's commercially-off-the-shelf (COST) wearable devices can unobtrusively capture several important parameters that may be used to measure the indoor comfort of building occupants, including ambient air temperature, relative humidity, skin temperature, perspiration rate, and heart rate. These data could be used not only for improving personal wellbeing, but for adjusting a better indoor environment condition. In this study, we have focused specifically on the sleeping phase. The main purpose of this work was to use the data from wearable devices and smart meters to improve the sleep quality of residents living at KTH Live-in-Lab. The wearable device we used was the OURA ring which specializes in sleep monitoring. In general, the data quality showed good potential for the modelling phase. For the modelling phase, we had to make some choices, such as the programming language and the AI algorithm, that was the best fit for our project. First, it aims to make personal physiological data related studies more transparent. Secondly, the tenants will have a better sleep quality in their everyday life if they have an accurate prediction of the sleeping scores and ability to adjust the built environment. Additionally, using knowledge about end users can help the building owners to design better building systems and services related to the end-user's wellbeing.
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| 46. |
- Mehaffy, Michael W.
(författare)
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The Impacts of Symmetry in Architecture and Urbanism : Toward a New Research Agenda
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 10:12
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Architecture has an ancient relationship to mathematics, and symmetry-in the broad sense of the term-is a core topic of both. Yet the contemporary application of theories of symmetry to architecture and built environments is a surprisingly immature area of research. At the same time, research is showing a divergence between the benefits of and preferences for natural environments on the one hand, and built environments on the other, demonstrating relatively deleterious effects of many contemporary built environments. Yet the research cannot yet pinpoint the actual geometric factors of architecture and urbanism that could produce such an important divergence. This paper explores this research gap, surveying the literature across a range of fields, and assessing current evidence for the impacts of symmetry in the built environment upon human perception and well-being. As an emerging case study, it considers the recent work by Christopher Alexander and Nikos Salingaros, two trained mathematicians who have made notable contributions to architecture and urbanism. The conclusion proposes a new research agenda toward further development of this immature subject area.
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| 47. |
- Mukkavaara, Jani, et al.
(författare)
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Architectural Design Exploration Using Generative Design : Framework Development and Case Study of a Residential Block
- 2020
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 10:11
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The use of generative design has been suggested to be a novel approach that allows designers to take advantage of computers’ computational capabilities in the exploration of design alternatives. However, the field is still sparsely explored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential use of generative design in an architectural design context. A framework was iteratively developed alongside a prototype, which was eventually demonstrated in a case study to evaluate its applicability. The development of a residential block in the northern parts of Sweden served as the case. The findings of this study further highlight the potential of generative design and its promise in an architectural context. Compared to previous studies, the presented framework is open to other generative algorithms than mainly genetic algorithms and other evaluation models than, for instance, energy performance models. The paper also presents a general technical view on the functionality of the generative design system, as well as elaborating on how to explore the solution space in a top-down fashion. This paper moves the field of generative design further by presenting a generic framework for architectural design exploration. Future research needs to focus on detailing how generative design should be applied and when in the design process.
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| 48. |
- Pardalis, Georgios, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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Swedish House Owners’ Intentions Towards Renovations : Is there a Market for One-Stop-Shop?
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Buildings. - Basel : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 9:7, s. 1-16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, we examine factors aecting owners’ intention for renovation of their detached houses. Furthermore, we analyze their interest in choosing a one-stop-shop (OSS) service for the renovation, even though such a concept is not yet established in Sweden, but emerging in other parts of Europe. Our study is based on responses to an online questionnaire survey of 971 house owners residing in Kronoberg Region in Sweden. About 76% of the respondents intend to renovate in the near future, with approximately 71% of them preferring to renovate individual components of their dwelling and 5% to renovate their whole house in steps. House owners of younger age, higher income, higher education, and those with an interest for environmental issues, were the ones most interested in physical renovations, which improves energy efficiency of the building. For those house owners, one-stop-shop can facilitate the decision-making process, and help them to choose those measures that will improve their quality of life. Approximately 20% of the respondents had a positive view towards an one-stop-shop, which is an indicator that market for such a service exists. Parameters such as quality of work, cost and energy savings and specification of measures to be adopted are the key for the promotion of one-stop-shop. Additionally, house owners want to have a certain level of involvement in the selection of actors performing the renovation. Moreover, financial incentives, e.g., loans, do not play a significant role for the selection of one-stop-shop, but act as complementary motive for house owners.
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| 49. |
- Petrovic, Bojana, et al.
(författare)
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Life Cycle Cost Analysis of a Single-Family House in Sweden
- 2021
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Ingår i: Buildings. - Basel, Switzerland : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 11:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The objective of this paper was to explore long-term costs for a single-family house in Sweden during its entire lifetime. In order to estimate the total costs, considering construction, replacement, operation, and end-of-life costs over the long term, the life cycle cost (LCC) method was applied. Different cost solutions were analysed including various economic parameters in a sensitivity analysis. Economic parameters used in the analysis include various nominal discount rates (7%, 5%, and 3%), an inflation rate of 2%, and energy escalation rates (2-6%). The study includes two lifespans (100 and 50 years). The discounting scheme was used in the calculations. Additionally, carbon-dioxide equivalent (CO(2)e) emissions were considered and systematically analysed with costs. Findings show that when the discount rate is decreased from 7% to 3%, the total costs are increased significantly, by 44% for a 100-year lifespan, while for a 50 years lifespan the total costs show a minor increase by 18%. The construction costs represent a major part of total LCC, with labor costs making up half of them. Considering costs and emissions together, a full correlation was not found, while a partial relationship was investigated. Results can be useful for decision-makers in the building sector.
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| 50. |
- Quintana, Samer, et al.
(författare)
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A Top-Down Digital Mapping of Spatial-Temporal Energy Use for Municipality-Owned Buildings : A Case Study in Borlänge, Sweden
- 2021
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 11:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Urban energy mapping plays a crucial role in benchmarking the energy performance of buildings for many stakeholders. This study examined a set of buildings in the city of Borlange, Sweden, owned by the municipality. The aim was to present a digital spatial map of both electricity use and district heating demand in the spatial-temporal dimension. A toolkit for top-down data processing and analysis was considered based on the energy performance database of municipality-owned buildings. The data were initially cleaned, transformed and geocoded using custom scripts and an application program interface (API) for OpenStreetMap and Google Maps. The dataset consisted of 228 and 105 geocoded addresses for, respectively, electricity and district heating monthly consumption for the year 2018. A number of extra parameters were manually incorporated to this data, i.e., the total floor area, the building year of construction and occupancy ratio. The electricity use and heating demand in the building samples were about 24.47 kWh/m(2) and 268.78 kWh/m(2), respectively, for which great potential for saving heating energy was observed. Compared to the electricity use, the district heating showed a more homogenous pattern following the changes of the seasons. The digital mapping revealed a spatial representation of identifiable hotspots for electricity uses in high-occupancy/density areas and for district heating needs in districts with buildings mostly constructed before 1980. These results provide a comprehensive means of understanding the existing energy distributions for stakeholders and energy advisors. They also facilitate strategy geared towards future energy planning in the city, such as energy benchmarking policies.
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