Typical Building Research Articles

Energy optimization for Façade retrofit design of residential buildings in hot climates using advanced materials

Global warming has adversely affected the building sector in many countries. Energy retrofit strategies for existing buildings have been developed to combat this issue, including advanced facade system coatings. This study examines how advanced coatings such as PCMs, thermochromics, and cool materials can be effectively used to enhance the thermal behavior and energy performance of existing facades in hot climates. It aims to suggest the optimal combinations of such materials for the façade retrofit design of a typical low-rise residential building in hot climates. Using optimization, Design Builder software is utilized to assess the thermal behavior and energy performance of a combination of advanced materials used. The results revealed that the arrangement of exterior wall layers, thickness and placement of thermal insulation, and the material used in the façade outer layer have a significant effect on the annual energy consumption. Applying coatings with high reflective values as an outer layer of facades can reduce monthly surface temperatures by 2.62 °C in summer and annual cooling loads by 13.78 %. Using PCM coating as an inner layer of the façade improves indoor temperatures by 1.83 °C during different seasons and decreases annual cooling demands by 13.23 %. Finally, the optimal combination of such materials for the energy retrofit design of a typical residential building with three conventional façades has been defined.

A lifelong meta-learning approach for learning deep grey-box representative thermal dynamics models for residential buildings

Thermal dynamics models of residential buildings are crucial for managing energy use and maintaining desirable indoor environment quality, in the context of decarbonizing the electric grid. Despite recent developments in data-driven models, the implementation with a massive number of buildings in the real world remains infeasible because the computation is expensive and the thermostat data of buildings can be online and sparse. A representative model for aggregated study and acceleration of personalizing models is needed for many downstream tasks. In addition, most existing data-driven models lack physical interpretability questioning the representativeness of any aggregated model. In this paper, we present an online framework for learning meta-models of thermal dynamics across various residential buildings. The meta-models are physically explainable according to the building types and can accelerate fine-tuning personalized models for any building saving data and computation. Experiments suggest that our method performs well with a real-world online dataset that produces representative models of different climate zones and effective initialization for training individual models.

Summarising the seismic risk reduction processes in standard residential buildings of Yerevan: why don't we have real results?

The article addresses issues of ensuring housing safety. The aim of this work is to summarise the tasks set by the state for seismic risk reduction in Yerevan and to identify their reflection in the process of increasing the seismic resistance of standard residential buildings. The work includes: summarising the seismic risks of the territory of the Republic of Armenia and Yerevan; discussing the current situation of housing development in Yerevan, types of buildings, and possible reconstruction options; analysing the tasks set within the framework of increasing the seismic resistance of residential buildings built during the Soviet era in Yerevan; raising questions about the shortcomings of state policy; and revealing the contradiction between the measures taken in management and the principle of “priority of preparedness over recovery”. It was substantiated that the lack of significant results in the process is due to failures in management, rather than technical, economic, or legal problems. The results can be useful for improving strategies of residential development safety, as well as for fostering a more conscious approach to the problem by the state and society.

Method to establish time-series building energy data inventory based on frequency for energy-sharing community planning

This study aims to establish a foundation for estimating energy demand according to building types by proposing a method to establish a time-series energy data inventory solely based on energy consumption in countries where typical models or benchmarking data by building types have not been developed. First, we presented the characteristics of energy consumption patterns that can be defined from the energy consumption itself based on frequency characteristics. Then, we defined a method to normalize and classify types of daily energy consumption patterns using this method and validated it with measured data. Finally, based on the results, a generalized method for establishing building time series energy data inventory was proposed. This method has a simple procedure and its result can be interpreted intuitively. It does not require data to be converted into stationary time-series data, unlike statistical methods, and it can avoid data distortion due to building operational errors. Moreover, it is easy to find the reasons for the results because the processes are easy to understand, unlike artificial intelligence methods. This study proposes a method to establish a time-series building energy data inventory by classifying types based solely on energy consumption. Furthermore, it suggests the possibility of its application in the early stages of planning an energy-sharing community.

Paleosurface studies of the remains of a building in the Mikhailovsky Cordon settlement

Pedoarchaeological study of the remains of a building on the territory of the Old Slavic site (the settlement of Mik-hailovsky Cordon — the Slavic Borshevo Culture of the late 1st mil. AD) in the Voronezh region were carried out in order to obtain new data on the layout of the settlement, the type of housing building, life sustainability, economy, and residen-tial use. The main purpose of soil research was the identification of the nature of the use of the building and the recon-struction of the economic activities in the adjacent territory. The determination of organic and mineral forms of phos-phates, urease activity, and the quantity of microorganisms of various trophic groups in the ‘natopt’ (trampled soil) at the bottom of the pit and in the soil outside of the building was carried out. It has been established that the most pro-nounced traces of economic activity have been preserved in the soils to the west of the building where the summer stove was located. In this area, the content of phosphates reached 2 mg P2O5/g soil. The soil to the northeast of the construction pit is characterized by the accumulation of organic matter, which is confirmed not only by a high content of organic phosphorus, but also by rather high quantity of saprotrophic bacteria, indicating organic contamination of the soil, which suggests the ingress of organic substrates into the soil (manure, feces, household waste). The values of many indicators of anthropogenic activity inside the building turned out to be unexpectedly low. As such, the low content of phosphates, saprotrophic bacteria and keratinophilic fungi in the analysed ‘natopt’ in the building at the bottom of the pit indicate a low intensity, or periodic use of the premises.

“Chineseness”: A Discussion on Cases Related to Tulou in Contemporary Chinese Architecture

The article delves into the concept of “Chineseness” in contemporary Chinese architecture, a strategic tool for creating distinctive styles rooted in Chinese identity. It serves not only to distinguish projects from market-driven trends but also to establish a pivotal position in the global architectural landscape. "Chineseness" among 24 identified keywords represents a practical strategy embraced by many young architects with international exposure. The traditional Chinese dwelling, a symbol of familial and cultural essence, particularly in the context of home culture, is a primary inspiration for contemporary architects. The research adopts a case study approach, focusing on Tulou-related cases from the last fifteen years, encompassing various building types. The Tulou, a mountain-dwelling with rich cultural connotations, is introduced, reflecting ancient Chinese philosophies in its architectural principles. The case studies, including URBANUS’s “Tulou Collective Housing 2008" and Chengdu’s “Tulou Theater,” demonstrate how Tulou prototypes can be creatively adapted. These designs not only replicate forms but also capture the communal spirit inherent in traditional dwellings. “Stepped Courtyards” by OPEN Architecture reinterprets Tulou typology for a staff dormitory, emphasizing community awareness. In conclusion, the concept of “Chineseness” emerges as a prominent topic, showcasing the dynamic and adaptable nature of traditional Chinese culture and modern architectural expressions. The cases illustrate the evolving intersection between traditional Chinese culture and modern architecture, offering insights into the future trajectory of Chinese architectural culture. The interrelated keywords highlight the nuanced and evolving nature of “Chineseness” in architectural practices.

Study of Types of Residential Buildings in the South of Kyrgyzstan

Study of Types of Residential Buildings in the South of Kyrgyzstan

Examining direct and indirect flood damages in residential and business sectors through an empirical lens.

Investment to reduce flood risk for social and economic wellbeing requires quantitative evidence to guide decisions. Direct and indirect flood damages at individual household and business building levels were assessed in this study using multivariate analysis with three groups of flood damage attributes, i.e., flood characteristics, socioeconomic conditions, and building types. A total of 172 and 45 respondents from residential and commercial buildings were gathered through door-to-door interviews at areas in Peninsular Malaysia that were pre-identified to have frequently flooded. Two main findings can be drawn from this study. First, flood damage is greatly contributed by high-income households and businesses, despite them being less exposed to floods than low-income earners. This supports the current use of mean economic damage in engineering-based flood intervention analysis. Second, indirect damages increase with the increase in family size, indicating the importance of strengthening preparedness and social support to those with great social responsibility. Overall, the study highlights the importance of holistic flood management accounting for both direct and indirect losses.

Comparative study on the seismic performance of a typical low-rise building in Nepal using different seismic codes

Comparative study on the seismic performance of a typical low-rise building in Nepal using different seismic codes

The rural mosque uncovered in the Andalusi village of La Graja (eleventh century ce)

ABSTRACT This article examines the rural mosque recently excavated in the archaeological site of La Graja (Higueruela, Albacete). This is a very important find from a historical point of view, since there is little archaeological evidence for this type of building despite the fact that many examples must have existed in al-Andalus. This congregational mosque served the inhabitants of an Andalusi village (Ar. qarya) and other small hamlets in its vicinity. It was built in the early eleventh century ce and abandoned, along with the rest of the settlement, towards the end of the century. Owing to its good state of preservation, its constructive characteristics and architectural plan could be analysed in detail. The most interesting aspect of this find was, however, that it was possible to study the mosque in the spatial context of the village as a whole. This reveals aspects of urban planning at the time of the mosque’s construction and, therefore, the social structure of the group of founding settlers. The excavation also provided relevant data about the uses of the space around the prayer hall and how its presence affected the evolution of the urban layout of the village.

Hybrid seismic vulnerability models for regional structures considering bivariate intensity measures

The multiple-probability decision-making method for earthquake hazards considers multiple performance indicators and can be used to effectively estimate the seismic risk of structures. The seismic vulnerability model directly affects the development of the earthquake risk distribution in regional structures. This paper innovatively developed a bivariate intensity measurement method based on macroscopic and instrumental seismic intensities. An optimized instrument intensity calculation model was established considering the actual monitoring data of historical earthquakes in China. A hybrid seismic vulnerability quantification method based on empirical, expert judgement and analysis has been proposed and applied to evaluate the vulnerability levels of three types of building clusters in two typical earthquakes in Qinghai Province, China (the 2008 Dachaidan (DCD) earthquake and the 2009 Haixi (HX) earthquake). A structural hybrid vulnerability matrix and surface for nine zones based on bivariate intensity measures were developed. A synthetic vulnerability membership index considering fuzzy failure criteria and decision theory was proposed, and vulnerability membership curves for different vulnerability levels were established. An improved earthquake economic loss prediction function is proposed, and synthetic economic vulnerability index prediction models for three typical buildings in different regions are established. The estimated and calculated results of the developed multiscale variable parameter synthetic vulnerability model are highly consistent with the actual earthquake loss observations.

Building Energy Efficiency Enhancement through Thermochromic Powder-Based Temperature-Adaptive Radiative Cooling Roofs

This paper proposes a temperature-adaptive radiative cooling (TARC) coating with simple preparation, cost effectiveness, and large-scale application based on a thermochromic powder. To determine the energy efficiency of the proposed TARC coating, the heat transfer on the surface of the TARC coating was analyzed. Then, a typical two-story residential building with a roof area of 258.43 m2 was modeled using EnergyPlus. Finally, the energy-saving potential and carbon emission reduction resulting from the application of the proposed TARC roof in buildings under different climates in China were discussed. The results showed that the average solar reflectivity under visible light wavelengths (0.38–0.78 μm) decreases from 0.71 to 0.37 when the TARC coating changes from cooling mode to heating mode. Furthermore, energy consumption can be reduced by approximately 17.8–43.0 MJ/m2 and 2.0–32.6 MJ/m2 for buildings with TARC roofs compared to those with asphalt shingle roofs and passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) roofs, respectively. This also leads to reductions in carbon emissions of 9.4–38.0 kgCO2/m2 and 1.0–28.9 kgCO2/m2 for the buildings located in the selected cities. To enhance building energy efficiency, TARC roofs and PDRC roofs are more suitable for use on buildings located in zones with high heating demands and high cooling demands, respectively.

Data-Driven and Domain Adaption Framework for Optimizing Energy Usage Forecasting in Smart Buildings Using ARIMA Model

Building energy demand and energy system supply are increasingly balanced by energy storage and short-term DSM. This is necessary due to fluctuating renewable energy supplies and rising building power use. Worldwide, structures utilize tons of energy. Greenhouse gas emissions and operational expenses decrease with construction energy efficiency. Forecasting and optimization algorithms can solve challenges, including supply chains (inventory optimization), traffic, and sustainable energy system battery/load/production scheduling for carbon-free energy generation. We often solve optimization problems that need forecasting due to uncertain future values. Predicting and optimizing are challenging; therefore, little research has been done. Our method uses building energy modeling professionals' data to forecast neighboring building types for new or unknown building types. After training, we utilize the models to estimate energy usage for the k-closest building types and combine the predictions using a weighted average. We used time-series decomposition to detect uncertainty and a hybrid model to close this gap: The concepts encode static features and predictable patterns in time-series simulation results. The model learns latent performance differences and calibrates output using outcomes and history records. Historical data predicts public building energy ARIMA use. Our method covers data processing, training, validation, and forecasting. We measured our method. Mixed integer linear optimization and ARIMA projected most accurately.

Cost-Optimality Assessment of a Solar Trigeneration System for Tertiary Sector Buildings in Greece

To pave the way towards buildings’ decarbonization in the context of the European Union’s (EU) policy, the methodology of cost-optimality assessment based on regulation 244/2012/EU is a useful tool to explore and foster the application of energy technologies in buildings. Meanwhile, the fostering of concentrated solar power is included in the EU solar energy strategy. In this study, the cost-optimal methodology is employed for the techno-economic assessment of the integration of a novel solar, multi-purpose energy technology, namely a parabolic trough collector-based trigeneration system, in two building types with different characteristics, namely an office and a hospital, in Greece, thus allowing the evaluation of the cost-optimal system design and the impact of the building type on the system’s techno-economic performance. Reference buildings are defined and their energy demand is calculated through dynamic energy simulations. The trigeneration system’s performance for different design scenarios is then parametrically investigated using a simulation model. For each scenario, energy, environmental and economic indicators are calculated and the cost-optimal designs are extracted. In the cost-optimal implementation, the system covered 18.19–36.39% and 3.58–15.71% of the heating and cooling demand, respectively, while the reduction of the primary energy consumption and emissions was estimated at 10–14% and 10–16%, respectively. However, differences between the buildings related to the operation schedule and the loads led to the implementation of the system being economically more attractive in the hospital, while for the office, financial support is necessary for a viable investment.

Business models for the Blockchain: An empirical analysis

Business models of industries and ventures enabled by new and emerging technologies are under-developed and fragmented. The blockchain technology promises to disrupt the business models. However, the scholarly literature in blockchain research is only beginning to emerge, and the majority are focused on the technical aspect leaving aside the business model complexities for blockchain applications. This paper fills this gap and proposes a blockchain business model framework. The research utilizes a sequential exploratory research design (SERD), encompassing two key phases: an initial phase involving a literature review and interviews to delineate blockchain business model building blocks and types, followed by a subsequent survey to identify the most pertinent building blocks and types. The findings helped to formulate the framework, necessary building blocks, and block types specifically for the blockchain applications. Organizations can tailor their business model through various configuration options and mechanisms, considering the arrangement of block types within each block according to their significant score levels. By giving priority to those with scores above the block's average, organizations can evaluate the performance of their models and pinpoint areas for enhancement. The proposed framework can be considered as a reference point for developing business models for blockchain applications.

Integrated Approach of Retrofitting an Existing Residential Building to a Nearly Zero Energy Building with Simultaneous Seismic Upgrading

Introduction The current study's goal is to apply an integrated approach of retrofitting a typical building in Cyprus that was designed and constructed for the refugee settlements in the period 1975-1985. The existing building is retrofitted to a nearly zero-energy building. Methods This typical type of building examined represents approximately 15,347 houses and stands for 3.57% of households in Cyprus. This percentage is considered significant with regards to energy consumption, as this type of structure has an estimated energy consumption of 1000 kWh/m2/y and CO2 emissions of 293.74kg CO2/m2/y. This corresponds to 0.293 Mt CO2/y, which stands for 4.18% of total CO2 emissions in Cyprus for 2011, based on the latest IEA (International Energy Agency) data. An integrated approach is followed for the retrofitting of the existing building, which involves both energy and structural upgrades, taking into account the earthquake resistance upgrade. Since Cyprus is in a highly seismic region, an important factor in this approach is the ability of the structure to survive a strong earthquake during its remaining lifetime, according to the design criteria. The study presents and discusses three possible coalitions with multiple scenarios of approaching the upgrade of the existing building. In each coalition, various criteria and implementation actions are considered based on the energy consumption, the CO2 footprint, and the seismic resistance. Results The study also investigates whether the extension of life expectancy of the existing structure through earthquake resistance upgrade will have a positive or negative effect on the CO2 life cycle footprint and cost of the building. Results show that for the examined typical building, simultaneous energy and earthquake resistance upgrade is more efficient in terms of cost and environmental impact. The building with the smallest construction age had the smallest Decision-Making Index (DMI) from the A, B and C coalitions. Conclusion It is important that for an existing building, the option to remain in its original state (coalition A) without any upgrading intervention is not the most favorable option. Therefore, the need to evaluate the existing building stock and plan the upgrade of the buildings in question is of utmost importance.

Global path planning for autonomous construction vehicles in building construction: A comparative study with a focus on vehicle kinematic characteristics

Technological advancements in robotics and automation have led to a growing emphasis on integration into construction industry from a global research context. In particular, autonomous construction vehicles (ACVs) stand out as a pivotal innovation. One key aspect of successful deployment of ACVs on construction sites is the path planning technology, especially the global path planning (GPP) methods. Thus, this study conducted a comparative study of the six GPP algorithms from various underlying principles, including graph search methods (e.g. Dijkstra and A*), sampling-based methods (e.g. rapidly exploring random tree (RRT) and rapidly exploring random tree star (RRT*)), evolutionary computation (e.g. genetic algorithms (GAs)), and artificial intelligence (e.g. deep Q learning (DQN)), to reveal how GPP algorithms perform on the travel of ACVs. These algorithms were evaluated with consideration of the kinematic characteristics of typical construction vehicles, including truck-trailers and excavators, within a typical unstructured real-world building construction site and based on two tasks and eight criteria encompassing efficiency and safety. The findings were analysed from three perspectives, i.e. the planned global paths and travel paths of ACVs, the performance of algorithms in each metric, and the overall performance of each algorithm, to identify the strengths of each GPP algorithm. GAs excel in generating smoother travel paths than others, whereas the global paths from RRT and DQN exhibit unpredictable changes, leading to a meandering travel paths for ACVs. The quality of global paths induces a greater impact on differential-wheeled excavators compared to front-wheel steering truck-trailers. Practical guidance can therefore be provided to select and improve the GPP algorithms and thereby to enhance the safety and efficiency of ACVs on construction sites.

Objects of specially protected natural areas as a specific architectural and typological group

The directions for the development and improvement of the architecture of tourist infrastructure facilities in specially protected natural areas (SPNA) are considered. Today there is no comprehensive system of requirements for their architectural solutions. In this work, based on an analysis of current practical experience, an attempt was made to identify the specific features of the main types of objects for protected areas. In particular, it was emphasized that the composition of protected area infrastructure facilities should be formed taking into account the entire range of tasks assigned to them, and above all, nature conservation. In this regard, urban planning, architectural, structural and engineering solutions should help minimize the anthropogenic impact on the environment. Examples of various types of buildings implemented according to projects of architectural bureaus from different countries are given.

Analysis of the necessity of revising the building energy efficiency certificate for non-residential buildings in South Korea

The Building Energy Efficiency Certification (BEEC) program is a crucial government policy aimed at reducing building energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in numerous countries, including South Korea. This study aims to evaluate the achievable BEEC level by designing a typical building with a construction permit and analyze the appropriateness of the awarded BEEC level. We collected 327 samples of non-residential buildings from South Korea's architectural administration system and established reference building models from these samples. The buildings were categorized into four use types (office, educational, retail, or cultural) and large or small sizes. We evaluated the energy consumption of the reference buildings and assigned them a BEEC level. Retail buildings exhibited the highest energy consumption, followed by office, cultural, and educational buildings. All reference buildings had an energy consumption of less than 260 kWh/m2/yr and were awarded a BEEC level of 1 to 1++, indicating energy efficient buildings. Non-residential buildings, reflecting common design trends, achieved a BEEC level of at least level 1 without additional efforts to enhance energy efficiency. We recommend the South Korean government should revise the current BEEC rating criteria and review the certification evaluation methodology. The results of this study strongly advocate for continuous improvement of the BEEC certification system. This study is expected to enhance the effectiveness of energy efficiency policies for buildings and advance related policies.

Sorption thermal battery with solar powered absorption chiller for various building cooling applications

In the proposed sorption thermal energy storage (STES) system, the thermal energy storage (TES) tanks are integrated with solar assisted-absorption chiller (AC) to perform extended operation while matching the incompatibility of time gap between the renewable energy heat source and cooling demand of the building. In this study, the operating characteristics of sorption thermal battery (STB) at discharging process and storage capacity of STES charging process are studied. The feasibility study is conducted for four different types of buildings (hotel, hospital, single-family house, and office) to investigate the optimized discharging cooling capacity of STB and the optimized TES ratio. Under the condition of the 200 kWh of the building cooling load and cooling area of 181.63 m2, the most effectively meeting the demand is shown in the hotel, in which STES responds to 78.1 % of the cooling demand with 7.5 kW discharging cooling capacity of STB and 55 % charging the storage capacity of the STES system. The optimum energy storage density is 68.2 kWh/m3 and coefficient of performance is estimated of 0.41. The optimized STES can meet the cooling demand as much as 67.4 % for the hospital and 26.9 % for the single-family house. The office doesn’t require to apply the STES due to the absence of the cooling load at discharging period.