Current Building Research Articles

BIM-based building performance assessment of green buildings - A case study from China

In China, traditional buildings have begun to exhibit a range of issues, such as elevated levels of energy consumption and pollution. Consequently, these concerns have led to substantial resource inefficiency and environmental degradation. The evaluation and examination of green buildings are of utmost importance in promoting sustainable development. The current green building assessment framework is intricate and lacks sufficient development in terms of visual representation. Developing a green building strategy during the initial design phase is a multifaceted process that necessitates substantial allocation of human, material, financial, and temporal resources. In this study, we propose an assessment framework that incorporates a 15 s-level and 45 three-level green building indicator system, along with a 4-level classification standard. This framework is developed based on the most recent Chinese Assessment Standard for Green Building and the utilization of a Building Information Modeling (BIM) database. Furthermore, the integration of BIM with Pathfinder software is employed to assess the safety aspects of green buildings. On top of that, the combination of BIM with Ecotect software is utilized to evaluate the environmental aspects of green buildings. In this study, we performed a case study on a teaching building located at a university in central China, specifically focusing on the simulation of green building practices. The sequential calculation involves determining the duration of personnel evacuation, assessing the lighting conditions, evaluating the thermal conditions, analyzing the sound conditions, and examining the wind conditions. In addition, efforts were made to optimize the indicators requiring enhancement in order to enhance the efficacy of green buildings.

Stakeholder perspectives on the barriers and facilitators of engagement in healthy lifestyle behaviours in underrepresented adolescents: a focus group study from the European SEEDS project

BackgroundObesity in adolescence has increased in the last decades. Adolescents fail to meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity (PA) and healthy diet. Adolescents with a low socioeconomic status (SES) particularly seem to have fewer healthy lifestyle behaviours. The European Science Engagement to Empower aDolescentS (SEEDS) project used an extreme citizen science approach to develop and implement healthy lifestyle behaviour interventions in high schools. As part of this project, key stakeholders were invited to reflect on the intentions of adolescents to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviours. The aim of this study was to gain stakeholder insights into the barriers and facilitators to healthy lifestyle behaviours of adolescents from low SES areas and on the possible role of these stakeholders in facilitating healthy lifestyle behaviours.MethodsSix semi-structured focus groups were conducted in four European countries with 28 stakeholders from different settings (schools, community, and government), like teachers, policy advisors and youth workers. The theoretical framework of focus groups was based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The main questions of the focus groups were centred on PA and healthy diet. The focus groups were qualitatively analysed in NVivo using thematic analysis to identify topics and themes.ResultsAccording to stakeholders, adolescents have sufficient understanding of the importance of PA and a healthy diet, but nevertheless engage in unhealthy behaviour. Parents were mentioned as important facilitators for engaging adolescents in healthy lifestyle behaviours. Stakeholders listed lack of knowledge, time, and financial resources as barriers for adolescents from low SES families to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviours. The school environment was listed as an important facilitator of adolescents’ healthy lifestyle changes, but stakeholders acknowledged that current school days, curriculum and buildings are not designed to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours. External support and collaboration with community and governmental stakeholders was seen as potentially beneficial to improve healthy lifestyle behaviours.ConclusionsThis study shows the variety of barriers adolescents from low SES areas face, and the need for a broader collaboration between key stakeholders to facilitate healthy lifestyle behaviours. Schools are regarded specifically as important facilitators. Currently, the school environment entails various barriers. However, when addressing those, schools can increase opportunities for healthy lifestyle behaviours of adolescents from low SES areas.Trial registrationThis study is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov on 12/08/2021: NCT05002049.

Transparent metal oxide-based robust, porous, and thin polyurethane coatings for IR, and UV blocking and photocleaning terylene textiles

IR radiations from the sun increases the internal temperature of the buildings when transmitted through glass windows. To reduce this elevated temperature, air conditioning systems are used that consume a large share of total energy expenditure which harms the energy footprints of the ecosystem. To combat this problem IR radiation must be blocked, thereby not affecting visible light transmission. Conductive metal oxides have been found effective in blocking IR radiation. In this work, antimony-doped tin oxide sub-20 nm particles were synthesized by co-precipitation method. The synthesized nanoparticles were homogenously dispersed within polyurethane latex that later encrusted onto polyester textiles for IR-blocking properties. The coated fabrics simultaneously achieve excellent shielding of NIR (90 %) and high transmittance of visible light (80 %), which makes them an ideal material to alleviate the current building energy consumption issues that correspond to a greater than 20 % saving on indoor cooling/heating. These fabrics equally bear other special features such as strength, self-cleaning, and photoactivity required by such furnishing clothes. The developed IR blocking fabric will ensure a sustainable future with a less adverse load on the energy footprints of the ecosystem and thus make human settlements resilient and tackle the impacts of climate change.

Natural ventilation cooling effectiveness classification for building design addressing climate characteristics

The evaluation of natural ventilation potential for effective sustainable options and innovative green building design strategies is of great interest to architects, researchers and governments. From a retrospective review, we found that the potential evaluation of natural ventilation (NV) cooling effectiveness in the same category based on similar meteorological uncertainty, research objectives and objects showed significant differences. Uncertainties added and uncertainty propagation (both model form uncertainties and parameter uncertainties) could result in large discrepancies between simulation outcomes and real scenarios, especially in the design performance modeling (DPM) phase. In this conceptual design stage, a few parameters are available and therefore decisive. It is necessary to review and identify the key performance indicators and explore the extent to which deviations are caused by inconsistencies or biases in model information. As a basis for more concrete research, we propose statistical tests based on quantitative evaluations to explore the rule of natural ventilation potential volatility and identify whether there is a significant potential improvement resulting from the critical parameter enhancement with the optimal relationship. The showcase is applied in China, where there has been a significant amount of criticism regarding the current building climate zoning due to the perceived coarseness of the system and where there has been an active exploration into the possibility of redefining building climate zoning with a view toward improving its accuracy and effectiveness.

Promoting sustainable communities through affordable housing. A case study of Beirut, Lebanon

Promoting sustainable communities aims at creating both environmentally and socially responsible living environments. This paper explores the role of affordable housing in promoting the long-term sustainability of a community within healthy living conditions by closely examining the relationship between affordable housing, urban development policies, and sustainability, with the capital of Lebanon, Beirut, serving as a case study. The first part of the paper focuses on the current building laws issued in the official newspaper in 2004 using a content analysis methodology to demonstrate the impact of the changes in the laws on the new morphology and social fabric of the city through the creation of a favorable environment for big developers, wealthy property owners, and real estate agencies and, at the expense of old city residents and low-income families. The second part of the paper uses the qualitative analysis methodology to justify the presence of large unused stock of residential units in Beirut, referring to information from multiple data sources selected based on their applicability to sustainable development, affordable housing, and urban planning in areas related to the case study, Beirut. This part then investigates the potential presented by this stock of residential units in Beirut to increase the supply of affordable housing and foster a sustainable community. This paper argues that the promoted vertical expansion of the city weighs heavily on the environment and fails to provide a diverse mix of housing units, excluding a significant portion of the community from the city. Alternative development models aligning with principles of sustainable development and challenging the current building laws can promote social inclusivity, reduce urban sprawl, and minimize environmental impacts associated with new constructions, thus preserving the city’s physical and social fabric.

Seismic Reliability Maps of Code-Compliant Italian Reinforced-Concrete Bare and Infilled Frame Buildings

The present study illustrates the main results of an extensive campaign of numerical simulations aimed at quantifying the seismic reliability of reinforced concrete (RC) bare and masonry-infilled frames compliant with the current Italian Building Code. For this purpose, a set of different residential-use archetype structures are considered, and a prototype seismic design-assessment tool is created to quantify their performance with respect to the relevant limit states, deriving fragility curves via the execution of several non-linear time-history analyses (NLTHAs). The fragilities are subsequently combined with the hazard curves derived for each of the over 8000 Italian municipalities based on the national seismic hazard model currently in force to obtain the respective seismic mean failure rates across Italy. The seismic reliability maps obtained for the investigated code-compliant designs highlight how the current Italian Building Code fails to provide uniform seismic safety across Italy, showing—on the contrary—a strong hazard-dependency. The results are finally used to calibrate regression laws able to correlate the seismic mean failure rates with an intensity measure representative of the seismic hazard.

A Brief Review of Vulnerability, Preparedness and Resilience Measures of Anticipated Istanbul Earthquake

This review examines the seismic vulnerability of Istanbul, a city uniquely positioned at the crossroads of Asia and Europe and exposed to significant earthquake risks due to the North Anatolian Fault (NAF). By synthesizing data on historical seismic events, urban development patterns, and current building and infrastructure resilience, the paper highlights the complexities of disaster management in a densely populated and rapidly growing metropolis. It critically evaluates the effectiveness of existing preparedness and mitigation strategies, including legislative frameworks, urban planning policies, and community-based resilience efforts. The review also identifies gaps in the current approach to earthquake risk reduction and suggests areas for improvement, emphasizing the need for an integrated, multi-sectoral approach to enhance the city's capacity to withstand and recover from future seismic events. The findings underscore the importance of proactive planning and the adoption of innovative technologies in building a resilient Istanbul.

Safety Risk Assessment of Iranian Building Sites based on Construction Stage

To assist safety practitioners in the work of prioritizing preventative activities based on the stage of civil industry, it is necessary to identify the most common causes of accidents in the civil sector. Reports from official accident investigations are examined. For this aim, accidents are examined that were officially investigated by the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare at the building sites of North of Iran (Mazandaran region) between 2013 and 2023. The percentage of causes in each of the several potential cause groups indicates a pattern of causation. There are notable correlations between the different cause categories and the phases of building and accident mechanisms. Depending on the accident's mechanism and the current building stage, there have been seen to be significant variances in accident causation. Prioritizing preventive measures to counter the most likely causes of each accident procedures and building stage should be done using these results.

Research on Quality Management Measures of Green Building Construction

Urbanization has led to the rapid development of the construction industry. However, this has also led to higher requirements for the construction engineering management. Other than the quality monitoring of engineering construction, the energy-saving properties of the building should also be considered. Therefore, a scientific management approach should be adopted to improve green building management. This paper primarily examines the importance of quality management in green building construction, along with the factors influencing it. It also identifies the quality issues present in current green building construction. Finally, it proposes measures for quality management in the green building construction process to facilitate the industry’s healthy development.

Adaptation of rural residential buildings in a Mediterranean climate to climate change: A case study of La Rioja (Spain)

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the building sector and rural areas in particular should be prioritised due to their special characteristics. In this work, ways to adapt rural residential buildings in a Mediterranean climate to climate change via energy renovation were studied, taking La Rioja (Spain) as a case study. Different energy renovation solutions were evaluated under different climate change scenarios considering the possible evolution of the climate zones. The energy and economic impacts of these energy-renovated buildings were compared to those of existing buildings. Nearly zero-energy buildings were achieved by changing the thermal envelopes and their corresponding interior partitions. The study discovered that, on the one hand, the heating energy demand was reduced while the cooling energy demand was increased, thus reducing the total energy demand; on the other hand, the best energy renovation solution entails compliance by nearly zero-energy buildings with current building thermal regulation for the current climate zone. This work can serve as a guide to establish and promote energy renovation policies that are effective in addressing climate change and are economically viable. Furthermore, the methodology developed and the results obtained can be extrapolated to other cold Mediterranean climate zones.

Navigating Cyber Perils in Bhutan: Challenges and Opportunities

Over a decade, Bhutan witnessed massive digital transformation in various sectors offering numerous opportunities, but at the same time, this has also brought in a considerable share of cybersecurity threats and challenges. By reviewing and analysing information related to cybersecurity from various sources, such as journals, news articles, press releases, websites, and annual reports of government agencies related to Bhutan’s cybersecurity, this study identified the prominent vulnerabilities, challenges, and opportunities, and explored the mitigation strategies. It was determined that the cybersecurity threat landscape of Bhutan is dynamic and multifaceted, ranging from online scams, phishing attacks, malware infections, vulnerabilities in systems, and a lack of security awareness among the general population. Bhutan has made noticeable efforts towards cyber threat mitigation which includes improving cybersecurity awareness at various levels, collaborating with stakeholders both at national and international levels, and implementing guiding strategies. However, there are still significant challenges being faced in terms of limited allocations of budget for infrastructure and human resource development and management. In addition, penetrating security awareness at the grassroots level is a prominent challenge. There are also opportunities to work towards maintaining and retaining a technical talent pool and implementing the national cybersecurity strategy. This article provides insights into Bhutan’s cybersecurity landscape and offers recommendations for addressing current challenges and building capabilities to combat cyber threats effectively.

Adaptation of An Architectonic Traditional Building: A Systematic Review

Taking into consideration the historical, cultural, social, and economic worth, historic structures are an essential component of the built environment. It is crucial to preserve historic structures in a sustainable manner, and to restore them so they continue to function effectively in the long run. The focus to attain standards such as BREEAM, LEED, etcetera, have been developed to fulfil more comprehensive strategic objectives when constructing new buildings, however, these requirements are insufficient when they are utilised for adjustments to older buildings. Few people are aware of the qualities of historic houses, and there are not many historic buildings that have aspects that increase their sustainability and dispel the notion that they are of lesser quality. Nonetheless, due to the unique characteristics of historic structures, it is necessary to modify and analyse the current traditional buildings and add new parameters that are not addressed by any of the grading systems under consideration. The current research aims to analyse the academic articles on design solutions for adaptability in buildings, and adaptation of an architectonic traditional building worldwide. Accordingly, this study has extracted from 24 articles that are based on a myriad of articles which have been analysed and collected from “Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, IEEE, and Science Directs” under systematic literature review (PRISMA).

The carbonation resistance of concrete on the basis of blended binders containing milled limestone

The current building industry is essentially changing due to implementation of new approach, which is predominantly motivated by the need to reduce its negative environmental impact. The paper is focused on the experimental evaluation of carbonation resistance in terms of accelerated tests performed on the concrete on the basis of blended binding system incorporating milled limestone. The used commercially produced cement was additionally modified by the limestone powder. The obtained results confirmed, that currently used design standards are convenient to real carbonation process, however further clinker replacement by the milled limestone causes significant loss of the durability of the hardened concrete.

Utilisation of Machine Learning in Control Systems Based on the Preference of Office Users

Reducing energy consumption is vital to save natural resources and contribute to the sustainable development in any sector of society. In the building sector, there are many well-known energy efficiency strategies currently being applied. However, considering the advances in technology and in comfort studies, it is possible to see that the current building sector scenario demands new energy efficiency strategies. Such strategies need to be capable of identifying and assuring comfortable environments according to users’ perceptions. Machine learning techniques can be a useful alternative to identify users’ preferences and control lighting and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems in buildings. This paper shows a systematic literature review on the use of machine learning algorithms on preference identification and environmental adequacy according to users’ demands. Its contribution is to explore beyond the performance and configurations of the algorithms, addressing users’ preference aspects as well. The strategies found in the literature provided promising results. The most used approach was supervised learning because data can be treated as categories. In general, the control systems have shown good performance, and so have the algorithms. Users were mostly satisfied with environmental conditions. Situations of dissatisfaction were associated with the occupant’s willingness to use the system more than with the control system’s performance. Furthermore, it is also possible to ally user-centred control and energy savings but this relies on occupants’ characteristics and the control strategies used. We underline the importance of identifying whether the users are willing to deal with an automatic control system before making any decision, even if the operation of the system is based on their preferred environmental conditions.

Exploring multi-hazard effects on a tall building and its non-structural elements through simultaneous earthquake and wind loading

The tall building construction sector has recently exhibited an increasing development, especially in Europe. This activity is aligned with European policies regarding soil conservation and social housing. Due to their slenderness, such structures are particularly sensitive to wind and earthquake loads. Nevertheless, current building codes, standards, and most scientific literature neglect the interaction of these events as simultaneity has always been considered a rare design case due to the limited effect on the structural elements. The present work carries out a careful statistical investigation on the occurrence of strong earthquakes accompanied by a wind load event, characterized by non-negligible daily mean-wind velocities in Italy, where more than one-third of its area is occupied by high mountains, limiting the urban development to confined zones. Subsequently, the effect of the simultaneous occurrence of earthquake and wind loads has been studied, both from the numerical and experimental points of view (i.e., shaking table and wind tunnel tests) to evaluate the consequences on structural and non-structural elements (e.g., façades) of a building case study. Results show that the cumulative effect of typical and non-catastrophic daily mean wind velocity (i.e., in the range of 5–10 m/s at 10 m from the ground) and a typical and non-catastrophic seismic daily shock (i.e., with magnitude in the range of 3–5), can trigger large inter-story drift ratio values and fatigue, causing damage to non-structural elements - like façades - and consequently a risk for occupants and high economic losses.

A Revolution in Sustainable Development

The way we are currently developing our building structures is unsustainable, with a large amount of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions being a direct result of the production and implementation of the materials used in our buildings. The purpose of this honors thesis is to better understand the potential and feasibility of hemp biocomposite materials in construction. A case study will be examined, where a house plan will be taken, and utilized in two homes, one being constructed with conventional materials such as lumber, while the other with hemp biocomposites. Because the same house plan is used in both homes, we can objectively quantify the carbon footprint and monetary cost of both dwellings, and directly compare them. This side by side analysis can allow developers, architects, and hemp-based construction material companies to see the difference in cost and carbon footprint associated with switching to hemp biobased materials. Using professional journals, peer reviewed literature, and interviews with hemp companies, a building product analysis was conducted. This section shows the advantages and potential drawbacks of current building materials, and what are the benefits and drawbacks of transitioning towards hemp biocomposites. Through the building analysis and case study, this thesis is an extensive tool that shows the potential of hemp in future residential home construction. The carbon sequestered through hemp biocomposites is nearly double its conventional counterparts, and its higher cost can be justified as its benefits could be argued to outweigh the difference in total cost when it comes to the price of the home. For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/rx913r48x.

Adapting to an OpenBIM Building Permit Process: A Case Study Using the Example of the City of Vienna

The adoption of building information modelling (BIM) enables data-driven decision-making for many participants in the construction process. Building authorities are stakeholders that have not yet benefited from data integration using BIM. In many cases, parts of their processes have already improved through digitisation initiatives. Now they are on the threshold of a major digital transformation enabled by the integration of BIM into their processes. This study examines a building permit process based entirely on BIM, developed at the Vienna Building Authority in Austria. In a series of workshops with all important stakeholders, the current building permit process was captured in detail and transferred to a data-driven, BIM-based process. The study shows that the complete capture and digitisation of the building approval process not only enables the automation of traditional processes such as code compliance checks and neighbourhood hearings but also supports the introduction of innovative sub-processes such as a pre-check of BIM models and augmented reality-based hearings with neighbours (in a pilot phase). The results suggest that the developed process not only significantly increases the efficiency and transparency of building permit procedures, but also represents a decisive step towards integrating the authority into the BIM process of a building.

Adhesion Stability According to Adhesion Area of Traditional Tile Gluing Method

In this study, verification was conducted through experiments to identify problems caused by traditional attachment methods in order to highlight the need for a suitable attachment method for new tile types according to changes in materials, production technology, and demand. The stability of adhesion strength was evaluated by subdividing the size of the adhesion area and adhesion strength measurement method for the country-type attachment method. The adhesion area on the back of the tile was divided into 60% and 80%, and the test specimens used in the experiment were tested for partial adhesion strength (Ta-1), overall adhesion strength (Ta-2), and adhesion strength after splitting (Ta-3), and the results were derived. As a result of conducting the adhesion test presented in the current national building standard tile specification (KCS 41 48 01) for 80% of the backfill area, the average adhesive strength was 0.85 N/mm2, and the standard strength was 0.39 N/mm2. However, as a result of the arithmetic average test of the adhesive strength of all tiles or cutting of the entire tile, rather than the partial adhesion test method of the mortar-attached part, it was confirmed that the adhesive strength was about −20% less than the current KCS 0.39 N/mm2.

Design and Simulation for Technological Integration of Bio-Based Components in Façade System Modules

Driven by environmental sustainability concerns, the integration of bio-based components in curtain wall systems is gaining traction in both research and the construction market. This paper explores the development and validation of a bio-based façade system within the Basajaun H2020 project (2019–2024). The project aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of introducing environmentally friendly bio-based components into the mature curtain wall façade industry. The paper focuses on identifying technological solutions for replacing key components such as frame profiles, insulation, and the tightness system with bio-based and less environmentally impactful alternatives, presenting the results achieved in the façade system design of the Basajaun project. These solutions aimed at creating a bio-composite-based curtain wall façade that adheres to the current building envelope standards and normative, implementing diverse façade typologies for vision panels, opaque sections, and integrated windows and, moreover, engineering the prefabrication process for industrialization and enabling wider market replication and simplified transport and installation. The results demonstrate that the Basajaun façade successfully integrates selected components and meets the performance requirements set by regulations: the façade is designed to withstand a maximum and typical wind load of 3.5 kN/m2 and a typical load of 1.5 kN/m2, the weighted sound reduction index obtained is Rw = 44 dB, and the thermal transmittance of the vision façade is 0.74 W/m2K while that of the entire opaque façade is 0.27 W/m2K (an additional internal wall is required to achieve the requested thermal transmittance)—the values are in accordance with reference standards and design requirements. However, questions remain regarding the workability of bio-based profiles as a commercially viable, ready-to-market solution that can replace traditional aluminum profiles in the curtain wall façade industry.

Numerical Study of the Thermal Behavior of a Wall Containing Phase Change Material (PCM) in a Hot and Dry Climate

Current buildings in Burkina Faso, particularly in the Sahelian zone, built with local materials are energy-intensive and sources of discomfort for the occupants. However, the role of housing is to provide man with shelter which protects him from external climatic conditions and offers him thermal comfort. In this work, we present a numerical study of the thermal behavior of a wall containing a phase change material (PCM) in the Sahelian zone. The MCP used in this study is RT27 paraffin with a melting temperature of 27°C and a latent heat of fusion of 179kJ/kg. The equations obtained were adimensionalized and discredited by the finite element method and solved using COMSOL Multiphysics software version 5.3. To this end, we were interested on the one hand in the study of the evolution of the flow of heat and the temperature at the level of the external and internal walls of the wall. On the other hand, we studied the effect of the location of a layer of PCM mortar, simple plaster or cement plaster on the temperature of the internal wall of the wall. The results show the magnitude of heat flux and temperature is greatly reduced by the incorporation of PCM into the wall.