Building Facilities Research Articles

Customizing the green pyramid rating system for assessing university buildings' sustainability: A stakeholder-involved weighting approach

Universities are large institutions that consume significant amounts of energy and water, produce waste and greenhouse gases, and significantly impact the surrounding environment, making evaluating and improving universities' sustainability crucial. Egypt has its building sustainability rating tool called the Green Pyramid Rating System (GPRS), which is not specifically customized for university buildings. Hence, this study aims to develop a customized weighting system based on the green pyramid rating system to assess the sustainability of university buildings by involving stakeholders. A comprehensive questionnaire was developed and distributed to a targeted sample of experts and university building stakeholders, including architects, engineers, project managers, consultants, contractors, decision-makers, policymakers, operation managers, facility managers, and senior students majoring in architecture, construction, and sustainable engineering. The data collected was analyzed using statistical analysis and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to assign weights to each category and criterion. The results highlighted that the respondents prioritize Energy Efficiency (EE) with a weight of 21%, followed by Water Efficiency (WE) at 19%. Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and Sustainable Sites (SS) are given equal priority with a weight of 17% each. Materials and Resources (MR) receive a weight of 14%, and Management Protocols (MP) have the lowest weight of 12%. Hence, prioritizing these aspects can significantly enhance university buildings' energy efficiency and overall sustainability.

Collection and Analysis of Vibration Data for the Development of Predictive Maintenance System of Building Facilities

Collection and Analysis of Vibration Data for the Development of Predictive Maintenance System of Building Facilities

Facile fabrication of hollow molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres via pickering emulsion polymerization stabilized with TiO2 nanoparticles

The polymer microspheres with hollow structure are of technological importance in the removal of pollutants because of the large specific surface area and low mass transfer resistance. In this work, we employ the Pickering emulsion polymerization stabilized with TiO2 nanoparticles to build the molecularly imprinted polymers microspheres with hollow structure (H-MIPs) for the precise recognition of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), which would influence the biological reproductive system and endocrine system as a typical endocrine disrupting compound. The polymerization induced phase separation occurring within Pickering emulsion droplets plays a significant role in the formation of hollow structure. The morphology and structure of H-MIPs were observed via optical microscope and field emission scanning electron microscope, respectively. The results indicate that H-MIPs microspheres are of irregular spherical form with sunken surface and perfect hollow structure. The forming process of the hollow structure was analyzed in detail. Besides, the chemical structure and thermal stability of H-MIPs and H-NIPs were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis, respectively. The binding performance of H-MIPs and H-NIPs was investigated through a series of binding experiments, which consist of the binding kinetics, binding isotherm, selective test and reusability experiment. The results show that H-MIPs microspheres exhibit remarkable binding kinetics towards DBP, and the saturated adsorption time is not more than 30 min. Apart from the fast binding rate, H-MIPs also show considerable binding amount, accurate binding selectivity and good regenerability. The imprinting factor could reach to 2.56, and the binding amount towards DBP remains at a relatively high level within 3 cycles. The prepared H-MIPs microspheres have broad application prospects in environmental and analytical field involved DBP, and the study also offers an alternative method for the facile building of H-MIPs microspheres.

Structural Damage Detection Technique of Secondary Building Components Using Piezoelectric Sensors

With demand for the long-term continued use of existing building facilities, structural health monitoring and damage detection are attracting interest from society. Sensors of various types have been practically applied in the industry to satisfy this need. Among the sensors, piezoelectric sensors are an extremely promising technology by virtue of their cost advantages and durability. Although they have been used in aerospace and civil engineering, their application for building engineering remains limited. Remarkably, recent catastrophic seismic events have further reinforced the necessity of rapid damage detection and quick judgment about the safe use of facilities. Faced with these circumstances, this study was conducted to assess the applicability of piezoelectric sensors to detect damage to building components stemming from concrete cracks and local buckling. Specifically, this study emphasizes structural damage caused by earthquakes. After first applying them to cyclic loading tests to composite beam component specimens and steel frame subassemblies with a folded roof plate, the prospective damage positions were also found using finite element analysis. Crack propagation and buckling locations were predicted adequately. The piezoelectric sensors provided output when the concrete slab showed tensile cracks or when the folded roof plate experienced local buckling. Furthermore, damage expansion and progression were detected multiple times during loading tests. Results showed that the piezoelectric sensors can detect the structural damage of building components, demonstrating their potential for use in inexpensive and stable monitoring systems.

MEKANISME DALAM PELAKSANAAN AKSESIBILITAS PENYANDANG DISABILITAS

In Law Article 41 Paragraph (2) Law no. 9 of 1999 concerning Human Rights it is written that: "Every person with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women and children, has the right to receive special facilities and treatment. The government itself often does not care about education, the environment and the conditions of people with disabilities. The aim of this research is to find out and understand the mechanisms for implementing accessibility for people with disabilities. By using the Legislative Regulations, conceptual approach. In constructing buildings and public facilities, what is usually considered is whether they are in accordance with the Terms of Reference which are the reference for the Public Works Department to construct. Meanwhile for the rehabilitation or development process, initially a proposal is made by the relevant agency, then the proposal is submitted to the House of Representatives, then after receiving the disposition of the DPR, then the Public Works Service will carry out its work function. Meanwhile, the work reference for the Public Works Service is not based on the Regulation of the Minister of Public Works concerning Technical Guidelines for Facilities and Accessibility in Buildings and the Environment, in which the regulation states the mechanism for the construction and rehabilitation of facilities

Гігієна планування та забудови населених місць як безпекова детермінанта громадського здоров’я в умовах воєнного стану

Introduction: Martial law continues to operate in Ukraine, in which the primary task of the state is to preserve the health and life of the population. The priority in this regard is the prevention of the harmful influence of martial law conditions on the formation of children's bodies and the creation of conditions for their upbringing and education. Proceeding from the above, the solution to the issues regarding collective civil protection should be carried out through the construction/reconstruction of civil protection facilities, taking into account the specific conditions for both the adult population and the children's contingent. Objective: there is the development of sanitary and hygienic requirements for civil defense structures of public and residential buildings during the period of martial law and their use in the post-war state - as dual-purpose structures, taking into account the experience of warring countries. Research methods: research methods are used in the work: bibliosemantic, analytical, hygienic and sanitary-epidemiological examination of construction projects. The materials of the research were the sanitary, urban planning and educational legislations of Ukraine and other countries in the field of designing civil defense structures of residential and public buildings, construction projects of public and residential buildings. Results: the article highlights the activities of the Laboratory, which is aimed at studying the hygienic urban planning problems of the comprehensive restoration of settlements (territories) that suffered as a result of hostilities, terrorist acts, and the development of hygienic criteria for their reconstruction in order to create safe living conditions of the population, in particular ensuring the conditions of collective civil protection in civil protection facilities of public and residential buildings. Conclusion: The activities of urban planning specialists in the direction of hygienic assessment of urban planning documentation of settlements affected by hostilities and the development of requirements for safe living of the population should be aimed at strengthening the safety determinant of public health by creating optimal conditions for collective civil protection of the population in civil protection structures of public and residential buildings - for the period of martial law and construction - the use of these structures in a dual location.

Design and applications of an IoT architecture for data-driven smart building operations and experimentation

This paper describes the design of an Internet of Things (IoT) architecture that allows customizable data-driven operations and experimentation for an ultra-efficient office/lab building. To develop the data-driven control for future building operations, the building was designed with two systems: one system for “operation” and another “research” system to allow data acquisition, management, and separate commanding mechanisms. It includes the communication network, sensor network, building operations, and research network. The building was designed with multiple heating/cooling zones that can be controlled and commanded individually, as well as with a hybrid physical and virtual testbed to support algorithm testing. There are several applications that utilize this IoT architecture. First, an experiment that illustrates the testing and deployment of a data-driven algorithm using the hybrid physical and virtual testbed is described. Second, data-informed building energy management based on the IoT architecture is introduced. Third, augmented reality-based building operations and facility management is also discussed.

Systemic Economic Viability of Informal Sectors: E-Waste Management

The informal sector has been at India’s core of recycling WEEE for the last few decades. They do not have the scientific knowledge of processing e-waste and use acid baths and heat treatment to extract precious metals. The existing processes used by informal actors lead to a serious impact on their health as well as the environment. The introduction of advanced recycling technology for mitigating the hazardous effects on the environment and human health is as important as the development of technology for new-age electronic products. The social, economic, and environmental benefits to the informal sector can ensure formalized livelihoods in e-waste recycling by ensuring access to technology. The paper highlights how setting up a recycling facility and capacity building of the informal sector solves the problem of informality and its associated social, economic, and environmental evils, which will benefit the sector as a whole.

Development and Validation of the Observation Checklist Assessing the Hygiene and Sanitation of the Food Preparation Areas in Kota Bharu Kelantan Preschool.

The current inspection checklist for the assessment of food preparation areas in preschools in Malaysia has not been revised since 2012. The checklist's content needs to be improved to ensure relevant parameters are covered during preschool inspections. The objective of this study was to develop and validate an observation checklist for assessing the hygiene and sanitation of food preparation areas in preschools. The study was conducted in Kota Bharu Kelantan from March 2021 to February 2022. The development of the observation checklist was conducted in four stages: (1) the construction of domains and items from the existing literature, (2) content validation by six experts (using the item-level content validity index (I-CVI) and the scale-level content validity index (S-CVI), (3) face validation by 10 experts (using the item-level face validity index (I-FVI) and the scale-level face validity index (S-FVI)), and (4) reliability analysis (using the intercorrelation coefficient (ICC)). Four assessors performed the reliability analysis at two preschools. The initial draft of the checklist contained three domains and 57 items: building and facility (10 subdomains and 38 items), process control (four subdomains and 12 items), and food handlers (one subdomain and seven items). The I-CVI scores for building and facility, process control, and food handlers were 0.97, 1.00, and 1.00, respectively, indicating good relevancy of items. The S-CVI value was 1.0 for all domains, showing good relevance of the items. The I-FVIabove 0.8 and S-FVI values above 0.9 for all domains imply that the participants easily understood the checklist. The ICC for each domain was 0.847 (95% CI 0.716-0.902) for the building facility and 1.0 for process control and food handler, and the ICC for the three domains combined was 0.848 (95% CI 0.772-0.904). The final validated checklist consists of three domains with 57 items. The newly developed observation checklist is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the hygiene and sanitation of preschool food preparation areas.

PUSAT PELATIHAN DAN PENGEMBANGAN ATLIT BULUTANGKIS DI KOTA PELAIHARI

The Badminton Athlete Training and Development Center in Pelaihari City is a facility that accommodates training and development of athletes in badminton sports in Pelaihari city with national standards so that users can get adequate facilities in training to the fullest. Pelaihari City is the capital of Tanah Laut district in South Kalimantan, but there are still no adequate training building facilities so that badminton practice is often held in inadequate buildings with a poor system of facilities and infrastructure. This badminton training and development center is also equipped with library facilities as an athlete reading room, management room, cafe, and retail equipment for badminton equipment so that it can accommodate athletes or the surrounding community who want to learn badminton in the city of Pelaihari. With a building standard approach that is used to fulfill functions according to space standards.

North Sumatera Athletes Hotel with Ecological Practices Implementation

The North Sumatra Athlete Hotel’s design with Ecological Architecture approach is intended to meet the need for supporting facilities in accommodating athletes who will compete in the upcoming XXI / 2024 national sports event (PON). This is a North Sumatra Province self-preparation form as one of the hosts in accommodating this event. The building design includes supporting facilities, outdoor and indoor sports facilities, a restaurant, and a convention centre. In terms of function, hotel building design and facilities are open to athletes and the public. In terms of the design theme, the theme approach is carried out through the application of concepts in the form of natural ventilation, natural lighting, shading with using vegetation, overhangs, balconies, and secondary skin which are applied through consideration of the orientation of the building to the incoming sunlight.

Application of engineering thinking for risk assessment in a Canadian elementary school

This paper outlines the application of a facility-level research methodology for hazard assessment and adoption of controls through a case study performed in an elementary school located in Alberta, Canada. Two classrooms with different educational activities planned were monitored for two weeks using multiple sensors to establish the impact of the activity on the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the space. Building operators were particularly concerned with the relative risks of choral singing as compared to traditional classroom activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and little existing research supported decision-making in that area. The data collected in this study challenges the basis for public health controls in schools and demonstrates the feasibility of data collection and reporting outside the under-resourced public health departments. The classroom activities in this facility had little measurable impact on carbon dioxide levels. A challenge for public health officials during COVID-19 was in bridging a theoretical understanding of aerosol hazard transmission with the operationalization of that theory into effective risk controls for all facilities operating within a jurisdiction. The utility and effectiveness of risk controls should be re-evaluated routinely and supported by measurements and data as is feasible to collect, and this study demonstrates how researchers can bridge the gap between policy makers and regulated entities. Engineering thinking, and principles of industrial risk management and process control can be readily applied in any commercial building facility, and this study demonstrates some of the opportunities available to building operators and policy makers with the mass proliferation of affordable instruments with high utility for assessing building conditions.

Analisis Biaya Pemeliharaan Bangunan Gedung The Sanctoo Resort – Sanctoo Suite & Villas

The growth of tourism in Bali includes the development of infrastructure and building facilities, such as hotels and resorts. To ensure the comfort of these building facilities, regular maintenance of the buildings and facilities is necessary. The Sanctoo Resort - Sanctoo Suite & Villa is one of the resorts located in Sukawati, Gianyar, Bali. The resort conducts periodic maintenance and rehabilitation of its buildings and facilities, although the maintenance cost calculations have not been detailed. The objective of this study is to determine the Bill of Quantities (BoQ) for maintenance and rehabilitation and evaluate the feasibility of the rehabilitation BoQ. The analysis of building maintenance costs utilizes the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) method, which involves identifying and detailing the necessary activities for maintenance work. Based on the WBS results, the BoQ for maintenance and rehabilitation is prepared, taking into account the volume of work based on observations and interviews with The Sanctoo Resort regarding the condition and types of damages to the buildings. The analysis reveals that the maintenance BoQ for The Sanctoo Resort amounts to Rp895,367,344 per year, while the rehabilitation BoQ amounts to Rp111,379,626. The percentage evaluation of the feasibility of the rehabilitation BoQ indicates a value of 0.14%, suggesting that the damages incurred are minor and the rehabilitation budget is suitable and aligned with field observations..

School Environment: Implication for Pedagogy and Quality Assurance in Social Studies Classroom in Nigeria

The study examined the influence of School Environment on academic achievement of secondary school students in Social Studies: its implication for pedagogy and Quality Assurance in Social Studies classroom in Ekiti State Nigeria. The study was a descriptive research design, comprised of all the secondary school students in Ekiti State as the population. The sample of 200 students was drawn from 10 schools in 2 local government Areas of Ado and Irepodun/Ifelodun, using the simple random sampling technique. The instrument used for the study was a self-designed questionnaire, validated by experts, with reliability coefficient of 0-90. Data collected were analyzed using percentage, mean and chi square for two research questions and two hypotheses. The findings revealed that the quality of the physical school environment with regard to school building and school facilities have significant effect on academic achievement of students in Social Studies classroom. Based on the findings of the study, the implication of good and rich school environment was discussed in line with Pedagogy and Quality Assurance. Recommendations were made to schools, and government at all levels.

Kekuatan dan Kebutuhan Perancah Ringlock Scaffolding System Pada Proyek Pembangunan Gedung Fasilitas Pengembangan Produk Skala Pilot (Gedung No.34) PT. Biofarma

The causeway for project workers uses a scaffolding device for road safety for project workers which is focused on holding the load according to the dimensions of the tool. In the Pilot Scale Product Development Facility Building Project (Building No.34) PT. Biofarma used the Ringlock scaffolding System type of scaffolding. Ringlock Scaffolding System. Direct observation in the field. The maximum load that can be supported by the Vertical Standard is 2,000 kg, the reduction value is 0.5 due to unpredictable field conditions. 1,000 kg is the most weight for a scaffolding pole. In the ringlock scaffolding scaffolding for the construction of building No. 34 PT. Biofarma 1,000 kg > 984.7746 kg which means sturdy and strong.

Thermal Comfort Improvement Strategies for Outdoor Spaces in Traditional Villages Based on ENVI-Met: Shimengao Village in Chizhou City

The thermal comfort of outdoor spaces in traditional villages must be improved because high building density combined with complex and narrow spaces leads to a poor thermal environment. In traditional villages, outdoor spaces are the most frequently used places by local residents and tourists. In this study, the Shimengao Village in Tangxi Town, Chizhou City, a typical mountainous area in the southern Anhui Province, was selected as the research object, and Depthmap software was used to identify the most frequently used outdoor spaces. The spatial layout and three different outdoor spaces of the traditional village were measured and validated using ENVI-met software. In addition, the distribution of thermal comfort in the core area of the village and influencing factors were analyzed. Our results demonstrated that during summer, PET reached its highest value at 15:00, exhibiting a poor thermal environment in the core area of traditional village integration. From 15:00 to 21:00, PET values declined, resulting in improved thermal comfort levels. Open spaces had better thermal comfort ratings throughout the day. The thermal comfort distribution of three different types of outdoor space in traditional villages was also analyzed. The courtyard space had the worst thermal comfort, followed by the street space, whereas the square space had the best thermal comfort environment. This was correlated with the spatial layout of traditional villages, external facilities of buildings, microlandscapes (plants, water availability, etc.), and outdoor ground materials. Hence, we propose that optimizing the overall spatial layout of a traditional village, increasing the external facilities of buildings, creating “micro landscapes,” and optimizing the materials of outdoor spaces are important for improving the thermal comfort of the outdoor spaces of traditional villages.

Passive-Cooling Building Coating with Efficient Cooling Performance and Excellent Superhydrophobicity.

Passive-cooling building materials can achieve cooling without external energy consumption, which is an energy-saving and environmentally friendly cooling method. However, the existing passive-cooling building materials have the limitations of high cost, complicated processes, and a toxic organic solvent, which hinders the passive-cooling technology applied in practical building. To overcome these limitations, we developed a facile, high-efficiency, non-toxic, and superhydrophobic passive-cooling building coating (SPCBC) with an efficient cooling capability and excellent durability that was composed of polydimethylsiloxane and SiO2. The fabricated SPCBC demonstrated a high reflectance and a high emittance, showing a superior cooling capability with a 14 °C temperature drop compared with a bare cement surface on a hot summer day. In addition, the SPCBC could not be wetted or contaminated by muddy water, corrosive aqueous solutions, or dust, which presented an excellent anti-fouling and self-cleaning capability. Moreover, the fabricated SPCBC could work outdoors for 30 days, withstand UV irradiation for 30 days, and resist accelerated aging for 100 h without any significant changes in the superhydrophobicity and the cooling capability, meaning that the SPCBC had an outstanding durability. This work provides a new method to facilitate passive-cooling technology to apply in practical building in hot weather regions of the world.

Peran Pemerintah Kota Malang dalam Membangun Inovasi Digital Marketing UKM Industri Kreatif Kriya

This study aims to analyze the role of the Malang City government in building digital marketing innovations for SMEs in the creative craft industry. Innovation in digital marketing in Indonesia continues to grow along with changing trends and market needs, including the craft creative industry. In addition to the cities of Bandung, Bali and Yogyakarta which are known for their craft creative industry SMEs, Malang City is also one of the important cities in Indonesia in the craft creative industry SMEs. To examine more deeply the role of the Malang City Government, descriptive qualitative research methods are used. Descriptive qualitative research methods include the use of observation, interviews, case studies, or document analysis. The collected data is then systematically analyzed and interpreted to describe and explain the observed phenomena. The results show, in addition to being supported by the ecosystem, demography, geography and tourism in Malang City, the Malang city government also has a significant role in efforts to Build Digital Marketing Innovation for SMEs in the Creative Industry Kriya. This can be seen from holding a Technical Workshop on Creative Craft and Fashion Industries for Small and Medium Industries (IKM), and the construction of the Malang Creative Facility (MCC) Building located on Jalan Ahmad Yani Utara Malang City, East Java, used as an incubation facility for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) and the creative economy sector.

A computationally inexpensive method to outsource facility maintenance services through the internet in real-time

The paper introduces a real-time framework for selecting maintenance contractors to address building facility breakdowns promptly and cost-effectively. A faster and resource-efficient approach utilizing a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) method is proposed to achieve this. The method optimizes contractor selection by leveraging structured linked data and integrating maintenance into the Internet of Things (IoT) framework, reducing processing time. Implemented initially for elevator systems, this framework can be extended to other mechanical and electrical systems in buildings. It consists of three modules: the building's integrated data module, the application module, and the maintenance provider module. The first module integrates building databases through structured linked data, establishing a centralized information source. The second module employs mixed integer linear programming to select contractors based on cost, time, previous services quality score, and maintenance urgency. The third module facilitates communication between contractors and the building facility manager, enabling maintenance requests and offers. The MILP model considers budget and time constraints, as well as maintenance urgency to prioritize immediate maintenances. A case study demonstrates that this model offers a fast and effective information processing solution. The results indicate that the proposed framework significantly reduces decision-making time for facility managers, streamlining contractor selection. Furthermore, compared to conventional methods, this framework provides a more efficient and effective automated maintenance decision-making solution, thus making a valuable contribution to the field of building maintenance management.

Impact of outdoor particulate matter 2.5 pollution on natural ventilation energy saving potential in office buildings in China

Natural ventilation improves building energy performance and indoor air quality, but its potential is hindered by outdoor pollution. This paper aims to evaluate the impact of outdoor Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) pollution on natural ventilation energy saving potential in office buildings in China. Firstly, a typical office building in five representative cities across all climatic regions was designed. Secondly, related weather data were obtained and preprocessed. Thirdly, a computer model was developed under the EnergyPlus environment with smart window ventilation control, space temperature reset using adaptive thermal comfort model, and a validated pollution transportation model that calculates the indoor PM2.5 concentration. The computer model was applied to three air-conditioning systems, i.e., constant air volume (CAV), variable air volume (VAV), and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) with three evaluation indices. The results show that the natural ventilation hours rate with/without considering the outdoor PM2.5 concentration level were 15%–55% and 28%–67%, respectively. Energy savings varied across regions, with mild regions having the highest potential and cold regions having the least. CAV demonstrates the highest energy savings, followed by VAV and VRF, except in Guangzhou where VAV performs the worst. This study contributes to understanding the impact of outdoor pollution on natural ventilation potential and provides practical insights for energy-saving strategies in office buildings. Its originality lies in the evaluation methodology, comprehensive approach, sophisticated computer model, comparative analysis of air-conditioning systems, and practical implications for energy-savings. The research outcomes can guide building facility engineers in implementing ventilation control strategies while maintaining indoor thermal comfort.