Buildings In City Centers Research Articles

Image Recognition-Based Architecture to Enhance Inclusive Mobility of Visually Impaired People in Smart and Urban Environments

The demographic growth that we have witnessed in recent years, which is expected to increase in the years to come, raises emerging challenges worldwide regarding urban mobility, both in transport and pedestrian movement. The sustainable development of cities is also intrinsically linked to urban planning and mobility strategies. The tasks of navigation and orientation in cities are something that we resort to today with great frequency, especially in unknown cities and places. Current navigation solutions refer to the precision aspect as a big challenge, especially between buildings in city centers. In this paper, we focus on the segment of visually impaired people and how they can obtain information about where they are when, for some reason, they have lost their orientation. Of course, the challenges are different and much more challenging in this situation and with this population segment. GPS, a technique widely used for navigation in outdoor environments, does not have the precision we need or the most beneficial type of content because the information that a visually impaired person needs when lost is not the name of the street or the coordinates but a reference point. Therefore, this paper includes the proposal of a conceptual architecture for outdoor positioning of visually impaired people using the Landmark Positioning approach.

The potential of roofs in city centers to be used for photovoltaic micro-installations

Currently in Poland, power engineering based on hard coal and lignite plays the dominant role. This significantly impedes the attainment of 15% share of energy produced from renewable sources by 2020 and has a negative impact on air quality in Poland. A solution to this unfavourable situation may be to develop renewable dispersed energy with particular emphasis on installations using photovoltaic. Strongly urbanized areas have high electricity demand, and at the same time low availability of areas where it is possible to locate renewable energy sources. In this study, the possibility of using roofs of buildings in city centres for the purpose of photovoltaic micro-installation was analysed. A case study was carried out for two selected districts of the city of Opole. Opole has sunshine conditions which are representative for Poland. The analysis of photovoltaic potential of roofs in urbanised areas was carried out using geographical information systems (GIS). The analysis showed a high photovoltaic potential of the two selected districts of Opole: the potential to generate locally almost 25% of the electrical energy required. The proposed method of determining the photovoltaic potential of roofs in city centres can be used in Polish conditions, as well as in Central Europe.

Problems of the Selection of Construction Technology for Structures in the Centres of Urban Agglomerations

AbstractThe goal of the article is the diagnosis and presentation of the problems of the selection of construction technologies for buildings being built in the centres of urban agglomerations. The survey and literature studies that were performed show that the process of selecting these technologies is difficult due to a series of very different difficulties associated with constructing a structure in a city centre and which are sometimes hard to foresee. At the same time there is a lack of decision-making support tools dedicated to the selection of construction technologies that would take into account the problems that occur during the construction of buildings in city centres. The study shows the need to discuss the subject of developing a mathematical model and a decisionmaking support tool based on said model to that end.

Analysis of the Use of Frame Construction and Modular Additions in City Centre

The living urban fabric can be characterized by the continuous introduction of changes and additions. The city centre is subject to specific restrictions due to the conservation protection and high demand on aesthetics aspect, thermal insulation, construction cost and the ratio of usable area of the building area. This article presents a comparative analysis of traditional construction with light frame and modular construction for the above-mentioned issues. Timber frame structure technology was suggested as effective, economic and innovative solutions for modular additions on buildings in city centres.

Transmission of Traffic-induced Vibrations on and around the Minaret of Little Hagia Sophia

ABSTRACTWorldwide urbanization has caused heritage buildings to be in ever-closer proximity to heavily travelled roadways and railways. As an example of this, the minaret of Little Hagia Sophia was analyzed due to its historic prominence and close proximity to heavy rail traffic. A vibration measurement program was performed on and around the minaret. After material properties were determined, three-dimensional numerical model of the minaret was constructed and validated based on frequency analyses of measured vibrations and modal analysis. Self-weight analysis and linear time-history analyses were applied to the model using ground motions measured at the minaret’s base. The results showed that stresses reached 32% of material strength and, critically, measured peak particle velocities of vibrations at times approached previously established damage thresholds. Therefore, construction and operation of traffic lines adjacent to heritage buildings in city centers should be analyzed carefully to prevent unintentional impacts on cultural heritage structures.

Streetlight Control System Based on Wireless Communication over DALI Protocol

Public lighting represents a large part of the energy consumption of towns and cities. Efficient management of public lighting can entail significant energy savings. This work presents a smart system for managing public lighting networks based on wireless communication and the DALI protocol. Wireless communication entails significant economic savings, as there is no need to install new wiring and visual impacts and damage to the facades of historical buildings in city centers are avoided. The DALI protocol uses bidirectional communication with the ballast, which allows its status to be controlled and monitored at all times. The novelty of this work is that it tackles all aspects related to the management of public lighting: a standard protocol, DALI, was selected to control the ballast, a wireless node based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard with a DALI interface was designed, a network layer that considers the topology of the lighting network has been developed, and lastly, some user-friendly applications for the control and maintenance of the system by the technical crews of the different towns and cities have been developed.

Computing the Thermal Energy Performance of Building by Virtue of Building Dimensional Typology

The constructive particularities of Portuguese old buildings, with specific and ancient constructive solutions and buildings’ aesthetics, determine the type of interventions and turn some of the most efficient interventions impossible to apply. Since the external appearance of buildings in old city centers must be preserved, nor is the use of external isolation not an alternative, neither the use of materials with low hygro-scopicity, due to the nature of the material used in exterior walls, usually stone. Presented research was expanded to figure out the reaction of different intervention solutions which are used in old buildings’ envelope to accomplish their energy performance. The old city center of Coimbra has a building typology very characteristic and similar to other Old Portuguese city centers, so the idea was to create a representative building of their dimensional characteristics. The modeled building unit was designed after studying around thirty buildings. With all the collected data, it was possible to design a building which we consider that as representative of Coimbra City Centre buildings. This modelled building was used to simulate, with Design Builder software, in real condition and with different solutions for interventions in facades, to predicting the thermal performance achieved for each one. Their final performance was analyzed and compared. The achieved results will be used to define the most suitable interventions in old buildings to improve its energy performance beside of good indoor air quality.

Indoor/outdoor air pollution relationships in ten commercial buildings: PM2.5 and NO2

PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations were measured simultaneously indoors and outdoors for ten different city centre buildings (shops and offices) in Dublin, Ireland. Outdoor concentrations were measured in two locations either at ground level outside the building or at the air intake of the building's ventilation system. The ratio of indoor to outdoor (I/O) PM2.5 concentrations were all found to be close to or above 1, indicating that either the fabric and/or operational environment of the buildings, whether naturally or mechanically ventilated, was not performing any significant function to reduce particulate concentrations from outdoors or that indoor sources were present. Indoor PM2.5 concentrations during working hours were generally below 25 μg m−3 PM2.5, with naturally ventilated shops showing the highest concentrations. Lower indoor NO2 concentrations were measured during working hours in naturally ventilated buildings compared to the mechanically ventilated buildings, although most buildings showed strong diurnal relationships between outdoor NO2 concentrations and indoor air quality. Indeed, street level concentrations of NO2 seemed to have a stronger influence on the indoor air quality of the mechanically ventilated buildings, than with the corresponding air quality measured at their roof level ventilation intakes. The buildings with the greatest reduction for NO2 were older naturally ventilated offices. I/O ratios of both pollutants, but particularly NO2, increased significantly overnight as outdoor concentrations reduced to a much greater extent than indoors. This would indicate a benefit in promoting increased air exchange between the outdoors and indoors during night–time periods in order to flush out air pollutants.

都心の商業施設に創出された屋上緑地での利用者の行動と生活における効果

都心の商業施設の屋上緑地における利用者を対象としたアンケート調査の結果から，利用者の行動と生活における緑地の効果に関する意識を分析し，屋上緑地の効果，及び利用行動と効果の関係から行動の及ぼす効果への影響を明らかにした。その結果，8 割の利用者はストレス緩和や景観の効果を期待通りに得ていること，散策を主とする行動の多様性が生活における効果を複合的に向上させることが明らかになった。都心の商業施設における立地性と集客性，屋上という囲まれた空間による安全性から，本商業施設に整備された屋上緑地は，日常生活において緑地に期待されている精神的充足の効果を，様々な利用者が都心での活動の中で手軽に得られる場として社会的役割を担っていると考えられた。

Assessment of Priority Options for Preservation of Historic City Centre Buildings using MCDM (ARAS)

Numerous countries are trying to find the best method for suitable management of real estate objects that encompass both material value and cultural property. Cultural property can be defined as historical heritage in the form of volumetric and planned spaces of buildings. Yet another problem lurks in utilisation and maintenance of such buildings, which are usually regulated by national legislation thus aggravating certain decision-making processes related to their adjustment to the needs of the public or investors. This article addresses the status of some buildings located in the historic city centre of Vilnius and analyses indicators, on the basis of which such buildings could be assessed in order to identify their need for reconstruction, considering archaeological, historical, architectural, economic, social and other arguments. As experience in reconstruction suggests, such decisions demand for well-reasoned and precise concepts as each hasty conclusion usually results in mistakes that demand for additional work and funds. ARAS method, which is well-known in decision- making, have been chosen to design the algorithm for priority setting.

Upgrade Opportunities for Buildings in City Centres

This proposal focus on the potential of the existing upgrade process in achieving the 20-20-20 goals, as are the biggest energy consumers, the most significant built area and the better placed within our cities. These frequently lack basic maintenance and need intervention, but include within themselves a vast amount of incorporated energy and centuries of construction knowledge. Beyond the advantages that may result from re-attracting people back into the city centre, existing can also have positive bounce-back effect on the reduction of the energy needs related to transportation, as demonstrated in studies that alert to the impact of the sprawl in the total energy use. As buildings account for 40 % of total energy consumption in the Union, the better performance of this sector has a significant role, remembering that these requirements shall take account of general indoor climate conditions, in order to avoid possible negative effects such as inadequate ventilation, as well as local conditions and the designated function and the age of the building (1). The importance of upgrading the existing resides on the fact that new represent only approximately 1 or 2% of the total usable area, an estimate that is bound to decrease due to the current construction crisis. While the recent tend to be more efficient, the numerous existing are important stakeholders due to their massive consumptions and incorporated energy. The ongoing Annex 56 on Energy & Greenhouse Gas Optimized Building Renovation assumes that Current standards do not respond effectively to the numerous constraints imposed by existing and in many cases, the requirements result in very expensive measures and complex procedures, seldom accepted by occupants, owners or developers. It is then urgent for the new standards to respond to constraints and to develop good practice guides that integrate appropriate, applicable and cost effective technologies (existing or emergent ones) (2). Many existing that we still recognize assimilated the introduction of water networks and wastewater disposal, electricity and artificial lighting, new people and new uses. It is now time to help to embrace the XXI century revolution of smart cities while keeping our visible memory alive.

Green roof retrofit potential in the central business district

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to illustrate the potential for green roof retrofit to commercial buildings in a city centre to property managers and other property professionals.Design/methodology/approachThis paper addresses the research question: what is the potential of existing buildings in the CBD to accommodate a retrofitted green roof? Furthermore, it questions how many buildings are suitable for green roofs? The researchers compile a unique building database incorporating information about 536 commercial buidings and evaluate the potential suitability of each building to undergo a green roof retrofit. Assisted by other commercially available databases and software, the researchers are able to assess each roof based on criteria derived from an extensive literature review.FindingsA relatively small proportion of roofs are found to be suitable, partly a result of local climate conditions and rainfall patterns, and the physical property stock. On a purely physical assessment, only a very small proportion of CBD stock is found to be suited. These buildings are most likely to be in low secondary locations, ungraded or B grade buildings, privately owned, concrete framed and not overshadowed by adjoining properties.Practical implicationsProperty managers and other property professionals can now determine the potential of their portfolio stock for green roof retrofit based on the review of building attributes required for success adaptation in this paper. It possible that greater potential for green roof retrofit exists in the suburbs or regional towns where lower rise buildings may reduce the amount of overshadowing found in city centres. Follow‐up research could focus on a comparison of regional and suburban developments.Originality/valueThis is the first study of its kind and has assessed such a large number of buildings for their suitability for green roof retrofit; the findings provide a reliable guide for policymakers regarding the potential number of city centre buildings which would be possible to retrofit. Such findings should influence policymaking and incentives to target effective sustainability policies with regards to existing buildings.

Bioclimatic Design of Tall Buildings

The concept of tall buildings is determined by the level of civilization and technological progress of the countries, where their heights in some regions can exceed 400 meters. With increasing the importance of the public environmental problems and the rapid increase of tall buildings in city centers, it became necessary to study and define how these buildings are compatible to the environment. This research aims at surveying the design considerations of tall buildings in order to study the bioclimatic design of these buildings to satisfy the comfort for the building's users over the year by using passive energy sources, which depend on natural ventilation and the utilization of Sun light. This reduces the energy consumption and the associated emission of carbon dioxide and other pollutants of the surrounding environmental. This research is focused on the study of the design features for tall buildings including service cores (which ensure natural lighting and ventilation for these cores) as well as orientation of the building and defining openings' places in facades (for energy conservation) and natural ventilation (in order to design the spaces in these buildings to move air from outside into inside taking into account the minimum limit of privacy, which is requested by the building's users). This research is concluded by studying the Commerzbank Headquarters Building in Germany being considered one of the examples of bioclimatically-designed tall buildings.

Barley Hall: An experiment in archaeological interpretation

The York Archaeological Trust is an educational charity in British law because of the clause in its Memorandum and Articles, enjoining the Trust to 'educate the public in archaeology'. The Trust, set up to excavate and record threatened archaeological sites in and around York, has always been mindful of its ultimate educational purpose. It has established a scholarly report series, The Archaeology of York, backed by a systematic archaeological archive to provide a comprehensive archaeological resource for scholars and specialists now and in the future. For more general audiences there are more popular cartographic (Ordnance Survey 1989a; 1989b), written (Ottaway 1993; Hall 1994; 1996; Hall & Ottaway 1999) and CD-ROM and web electronic publications. Excavations, where practical, are open to visits from the public, and individuals with a particular interest can support the Trust's work through the Friends of York Archaeological Trust and follow its progress in a quarterly bulletin (Interim 1973-present). Beyond this, however, the Trust has found that heritage tourism, specifically the four million annual visitors to York, gives it an opportunity to disseminate the results of archaeology more widely. In 1984 it established the Jorvik Viking Centre to provide a three-dimensional interpretation of the results of five and a half years of excavation in the heart of Viking-age York. Since then 12.5m people have visited Jorvik. In 1990 the Trust opened the ARC\(Archaeological Resource Centre) to provide a hands-on approach to demonstrating archaeological methods. Half a million visitors, mainly children, have been there. And in 1992 it opened Barley Hall, a third experiment in the popular presentation of the results of archaeology, financed partly by the operating surpluses from the Jorvik Viking Centre. Barley Hall was conceived as a way to make a readily-comprehensible statement about archaeological knowledge derived from the many hundreds of excavations in York which have encountered deposits deriving from ordinary life in late medieval York. Rather than simulate a late medieval building into which to introduce the archaeological data the Trust decided to acquire one of the many surviving city centre buildings of this period. Such buildings inevitably have structural additions of later date and the chosen building, 2 Coffee Yard,off Stonegate in the heart of York's heritage zone, was no exception. The Trust was aware of, and indeed a firm supporter of, the conventional philosophy for conservation of old buildings, as articulated, for example, by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB). At 2 Coffee Yard, however, it decided on a radically different approach and attempted to return the building as near as possible to its condition in c. 1483. This involved removal of inserted 20thand 19th-century floors and replacement walls and windows; reversal of structural amendments made in the 17th century; the recording and careful disassembling of a sixbay, three-storey mid-14th century timber-framed range for repair and re-erection; the repair in situ of a 15thand early 16th-century hall range and the excavation of the whole site below and around the surviving buildings. The building was then reinstated, based on the evidence of the surviving architectural elements, the excavated archaeo-

An old cathedral for a New Russia: The symbolic politics of the reconstituted church of Christ the Saviour

Moscow today resounds with the noise of hammers and heavy equipment. Market oriented reforms, not surprisingly, have sparked a boom in the construction of private housing, modern office space and retail outlets. Meanwhile, political reform is driving another real estate trend - the return of prerevolutionary religious sites to believers. Under new laws protecting religious freedom and private property, religious communities are reclaiming and restoring their former places of worship.' In the hope of attracting tourist dollars some local governments are also investing in conservation or restoration of religious and secular architectural landmarks and historical sites. Businessmen have also recognised the potential value and prestige of historic buildings in city centres when their interiors are converted into modem office space. In Mm:cow the city government, the Russian Orthodox Church hierarchy and the new rich all have a hand in the most massive restoration project in Russia today the rebuilding of the Church of Christ the Saviour from scratch. This cathedral, which once dominated the Moscow skyline, was completely demolished by the Bolsheviks in 1931 to make way for a planned 'Palace of Soviets' that would have commemorated Lenin and celebrated the Communist International. Ultimately the costs deterred the Soviet government from building much beyond the foundation. Today, however, at the cost of millions of dollars, the reconstruction of the cathedral is proceeding at a breakneck pace. Given Russia's dire economic situation, why is so much state and private money flowing into the rebuilding of a single cathedral? After all, federal and local authori­ ties must cope with the fact that 'even by official statistics one-third of the population lives in poverty, and one-quarter lives below the boundary of what is necessary for physical survival.'2 Meanwhile the Orthodox Church is struggling to find the means to restore or build parish churches for its faithful all across Russia. Industrial cities created during the Soviet period, for instance, have no church property to be reclaimed. 3 Even in Moscow, where many churches in the city centre have been reopened, not a single wholly new Orthodox church has been built to serve the vast dormitory communities surrounding the city .. Nor is the reconstruction of the Church of Christ the Saviour part of a general state programme of financial support for various religious confessions. The idea of reconstructing the cathedral was raised by religious believers and conservative Russian nationalists in 1989 to symbolise the rebirth of a strong, Orthodox Russia. Five years later the 'democratic' president of

Use of slurry-transport machines in the Ruhr mining district : Steinbock, W Proc 2nd International Symposium on Microtunneling, Munich, 8 April, 1992P41–46. Publ Rotterdam: A A Balkema, 1992

The use of slurry-transport microtunnelling machines on a number of projects in the Ruhr area of Germany is described. The variability of the geology of the Ruhr area is outlined. Alternating layers of claystone, sandstone and coal seams are folded and overlaid with loose material including loess clay, silt and sediment, with interposed layers of crushed rock. There are also areas of landfill. The extension of an existing sewage plant in Hattingen required the construction of 190m long pipes 600 and 900mm in diameter. The use of a Soltan microtunnelling RVS 300 A-S slurry transport machine to lay ferroconcrete jacking pipes is described in detail. The successful use of a similar system under a moated castle and plans to tunnel under historical city centre buildings are also described. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 856380.