Building Design Research Articles

Optimizing building performance through the integration of electrochromic glass technology in building facades: a simulation-based study of an office building in Cairo, Egypt

PurposeThe built environment enhances quality of life, prompting architects and engineers to explore innovative technologies for improving building performance. Electrochromic (EC) glass technology is one such solution that offers real-time control of building facade glazing properties. Conventional building materials often struggle to adapt to changing external conditions, increasing reliance on mechanical systems. EC glass technology addresses this by adjusting its tint in response to these conditions, potentially reducing energy consumption and improving comfort.Design/methodology/approachThis study investigates the advantages of integrating EC glass technology into building facades by evaluating its efficacy in enhancing thermal performance, energy efficiency, and operational expenses. The study uses building performance simulation software to model a proposed office building in Cairo, Egypt, comparing two scenarios: one with conventional glazing and the other with EC glass technology. The aim is to highlight the benefits of EC glass technology in building facades for improving thermal comfort, daylighting and energy efficiency. The analysis will compare cooling and heating designs and energy consumption, ultimately concluding the technology’s impact on enhancing energy efficiency.FindingsIntegrating EC glass technology significantly reduces solar heat gains and heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) energy consumption. Solar heat gains dropped by 77.47%, resulting in a 50.95% decrease in HVAC energy use compared to conventional glazing. This technology also enhances thermal comfort and daylighting, improving the indoor environment.Originality/valueThen, integrating EC glass technology improves building performance, resulting in energy savings, enhanced comfort and efficient daylight use. This technology is essential for sustainable building design, contributing to resilient and enjoyable environments.

Improving the Accuracy of Flood Damage Assessments to Residential Structures via the Use of Experimental Data

ABSTRACTThe current practice of flood loss prediction presents limitations in accurately predicting building flood losses at multiple scales. While whole‐building estimates can more accurately predict high‐level losses (i.e., large groups of buildings), a significant analysis error is revealed with small‐scale (i.e., individual, or small groups of buildings) investigation. This research presents a more robust, data driven, small‐scale, flood damage estimation approach for residential buildings. The approach is based on component‐level, depth–damage curves derived from experimental analysis. Structures with standard residential construction materials typical to the south‐eastern United States were built and incrementally flooded for short durations. The materials were assessed to determine the level of damage inflicted. This experimentally derived damage data were then translated into a set of flood depth–damage functions (DDFs). The DDFs were tailored for analysis at smaller scales and incorporated the ability to apply damage uncertainty in damage analysis. To demonstrate the applicability of the experimentally derived DDFs to damage estimation at smaller scales, the functions are applied to a hypothetical building design typical of the south‐eastern United States.

Energy efficient green building design utlilising renewable energy and low-carbon development technologies

The core issue these days is to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emission and prevent the hole in the ozone layer. Numerous emerging environmental crises successfully tackled by coordinated global efforts in the past few years. Despite this, the present climate emergency is a much more serious threat than anything we have ever encountered and requires much more action consequently. Today, more attention is paid on green buildings in the society, which will make the use of sustainable buildings for the entire life cycle a necessity for future generations. Hence, this paper proposes a novel design model of an energy-efficient residential green building with low carbon emissions to maintain the health and enhances the productivity and living standards of inhabitants. Green building technology is utilized to enhance energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions. This design considers green, recyclable, and eco-friendly building materials, which are beneficial for human health and comply with relevant Indian standards and building codes. This building design proposes renewable energy sources (RES) integrated with the power grid, although RES powers most of the load of the green building. The proposed green building design shows effective results, i.e., building energy consumption has reduced by 50.54%, total energy consumption cost has reduced by 57.41%, and CO2 emission per month has reduced by 50.54%. In addition, stormwater-harvesting system is proposed to collect 54322.23 litres of rainwater annually, which helps in water conservation and contributes to improving the groundwater level. The proposed solid waste management plan has contributed to the achievement of regional and national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Finally, there are some suggestions to promote the use of green buildings for sustainable development.

A numerical study on the seismic retrofit of Haitian reinforced concrete building frames

Many countries with moderate and high seismic risk have upgraded their building design standards and have developed techniques to strengthen their seismically deficient buildings. However, very limited research has been conducted on the seismic evaluation and retrofit of Haiti’s existing buildings. In an effort toward filling this gap, after reviewing the reinforced concrete (RC) building construction practices in Haiti, this article numerically evaluates the seismic performances of four different non-ductile RC building frames typical of Haiti and five different techniques to retrofit those. Specifically, the selected RC building frames are of one to three stories and of residential and non-residential functions. The examined retrofit techniques include using RC shear walls, using steel braces, using buckling-restrained braces (BRBs), using prestressed high-strength steel cables, and RC jacketing. To examine the damage of the columns and the beam-to-column joints of the original frame archetypes, their detailed three-dimensional finite element models are initially developed and analyzed via the software LS-DYNA. Subsequently, each frame is retrofitted through three of the above-mentioned techniques. A suite of 11 ground motions is selected and scaled to evaluate the effectiveness of the retrofits by performing time-history analysis on calibrated models on OpenSees. The analysis indicated that these techniques can efficiently retrofit the prototypes of Haitian structures. All the retrofits significantly reduce the interstory drift demand, and the RC jacket significantly increases the moment and shear capacity of the columns.

Research on the construction of intelligent-aided design platform for green buildings

While socio-economic development and technological advancement bring great convenience to our life, energy consumption and environmental pollution have also become the core issues affecting human survival and development. This study focuses on the development of an intelligent design platform for green buildings, aimed at promoting sustainability through low energy consumption and reduced environmental impact. The study of existing national standards and requirements for the intelligent design of green buildings, combined with the unique characteristics of green buildings and user needs, has led to the development of an optimized auxiliary design platform system. By incorporating algorithm optimization and modeling techniques, this platform enhances the design process. Experimental evaluations of the system reveal that the intelligent auxiliary design offers more accurate predictions, thereby improving user service and experience. Additionally, the system contributes to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability by reducing the building’s ecological footprint. This research highlights the potential of intelligent systems to facilitate more efficient and environmentally friendly green building designs.

Enhancing the Life Cycle Management of Built Environment With Integrated Land Administration Functions Based on BIM/IFC and LADM

ABSTRACTThe maintenance of physical and legal data related to development in different formats necessitates the manual verification of construction projects' compliance with legal requirements and regulations. However, supporting the BIM/IFC standard, which models the design and construction process of buildings, with legal models has the potential to facilitate compliance with legal requirements and regulations, provide clarity in ownership and boundary management, oversee project approval and control, and ensure that legal areas are secured in 3D. This study focuses on the design of an integrated legal model based on the land administration domain model (LADM) standard, considering the functions of land administration in Türkiye, and explores the possibilities of mapping this model to the IFC data format. The study aims to represent land administration functions in BIM/IFC projects and integrate these processes with physical development. The findings from testing the proposed framework's applicability on an existing BIM project reveal opportunities for the integrated management of legal processes that create rights, restrictions, and responsibilities (RRRs) in spatial entities with physical processes.

Enhancing Predictive Accuracy of Renewable Energy Systems and Sustainable Architectural Design Using PSO Algorithm

This paper formulates and examines the approach of integrating PSO into the tune of DNNs for boosting the predictive capability in renewable energy systems and green building designs. The PSO method was then employed to select Key features such as; Solar Irradiance, Ambient Temperature, Panel Efficiency and Energy Output. The PSO-based feature selection resulted in significant enhancements across a set of four metrics, there was an improvement in accuracy from a previous 0.82 to 0.87, precision from the previous 0.78 to 0.83, as well as recall from the previous 0.76 to 0.81, and the F1-Score from a previous 0.77 to the current score of 0.82. Moreover, the RMSE values reduced from 0.27 to 0.23, and the AUC values enriched from 0.74 to 0.85. Thus, the results of the current study support PSO’s role in improving feature selection, which, in return, improves the predictive models of energy management. The paper presented emphasizes the possibility of the use of enhanced optimization algorithms in enhancing the best performing, less resource-intensive, and environmentally friendly energy solutions in architecture.

Integrating Energy Efficiency in Residential Buildings: A User-Centric Web Interface Approach

In the global mission to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint, the contribution of buildings is substantial, accounting for over one-third of the world's carbon footprint. To re-engineer the built environment in the direction of decarbonization, the building sector's operational energy needs our special imagination. The principal aim of the following research paper is to enhance building energy management by creating a digital platform that records design stage energy performance and benchmarks annual occupant consumption. The present study attempts to evaluate Kolkata’s residential high rises for their design stage energy consumption though whole building energy simulation by using design builder version 7.0.2.006. Envelope energy efficiency measures like wall, roof, and glass material changes show an annual energy performance improvement of 28.55% compared with a standard as built construction practice base case energy performance index value of 125.93 kWh/m2/year. The web-based energy profiling and benchmarking applications has been developed using Python’s Django framework. The website has been hosted on Python Anywhere. The portal features a home page, a page to add building details, and a personalised user dashboard with a building digital profile. The study shows that implementation of envelope interventions in the redesign have resulted in demonstrated improvements in annual energy performance. Integration with the web-based portal with initial design stage improvements serves to document and visualize tangible benefits in electricity bills and operational carbon emissions for the end-user, thus serving as the missing link of building operational energy performance.

Changing pattern of urban landscape and its impact on thermal environment of Lahore; Implications for climate change and sustainable development.

Rapid urbanization in Lahore has dramatically transformed land use and land cover (LULC), significantly impacting the city's thermal environment and intensifying climate change and sustainable development challenges.This study aims to examine the changes in the urban landscape of Lahore and their impacton the Urban thermal environment between 1990 and 2020. The previous studies conducted on Lahore lack the application ofGeospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) to quantify land use and land cover, which is successfully covered in this study. This study analyzes how urban sprawl has driven LULC shifts and assesses their direct impact on Land Surface Temperature (LST) using Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing techniques. Landsat imagery, processed using Google Earth Engine (GEE), was employed for LULC classification and LST calculation, ensuring high accuracy through multi-level change detection and a thorough accuracy assessment. Pearson's correlation was also calculated in this study to assess the impact of decreased green cover on LST. The findings highlight a substantial decrease in green cover, from 1,292.8 km2 in 1990 to 754 km2 in 2020, alongside a marked increase in built-up areas, expanding from 262 km2 to over 550 km2. Additionally, barren land showed significant growth, while water bodies diminished. The spatiotemporal analysis of LST indicates a considerable rise in high-temperature zones, specifically the industrial zones, with areas exceeding 40°C expanding from 2 km2 to 1,075 km2 over the study period. A strong positive correlation between increased urbanization and rising LST, particularly in areas within a 10 to 40km radius of the Central Business District (CBD), is evident. The overall accuracy of LULC classification surpassed 94%, with the kappa coefficient above 92%, ensuring the robustness of the results. Future research should focus on evaluating the long-term socioeconomic impacts of urban sprawl and LST increment while developing heat mitigation strategies. Recommendations include adopting sustainable urban planning practices prioritizing green infrastructure, energy-efficient building designs, and policies promoting environmental preservation. This study offers valuable insights for policymakers and underscores the urgency of balancing urban growth with strategies that mitigate thermal stress, combat climate change, and foster sustainable development in Lahore.

Proposal for revised criteria for daylight provision in the European daylight standard based on calculations for Swedish multifamily residential buildings

The European Standard EN 17037 was first introduced in 2018 with the aim of encouraging building designers to ensure adequate daylight in buildings. Experience has shown that the standard’s criteria for daylight provision are generally perceived to be too challenging, and this in turn has hindered its implementation in national legislations. This paper proposes a revised illuminance-based criteria for daylight provision using the specific case of regularly occupied rooms in multifamily Swedish residential buildings as an example. In total, 3562 rooms representing typical Swedish residential design are assessed. Two sets of criteria for dwellings are proposed; one based on a fixed illuminance, another based on a fixed area fraction. Both have three levels of ambition, in which the lowest would result in approximately two-thirds of the investigated Swedish dwellings reaching compliance. This is the same compliance rate as for the current national legislation. The implications of three proposed criteria on residential design are also discussed. While results are given for the Swedish context, the proposed criteria could be generalized for use in other European countries. The intention of this proposal is to allow for a wider application of the daylight standard within residential construction across Europe.

Pattern design for capacity building of promoters in climate-smart agriculture environment

This study aimed to investigate the impact of agricultural environment, organisational, educational, economic, social, technical, cultural, and legal factors on the capacity building of extension experts in the development of climate smart agriculture. The research is applied in terms of its objective and descriptive survey in terms of its method. The results showed that infrastructural factors had the highest impact on climate-smart agriculture with 22%, followed by organisational factors with 21%, social factors with almost 17%, cultural factors with 16.5%, educational factors with 13%, legal factors with nearly 13%, technical factors with 11.4%, and, finally, economic factors with just over 10%. Overall, the factors under study explain more than 68% of the variance in climate-smart agriculture (R2 = 0.687), indicating the impact of the aforementioned factors on the development of climate-smart agriculture. Also, the design of this model made the promoters, by identifying and increasing the potential and capacities of themselves, villagers, and farmers, to be able to adapt themselves to climate change and drought and, by increasing resilience and adaptability, to have positive effects for the development of sustainable agriculture. Along with increasing the product, it will increase the income and reduce the costs for them.

Developing a Passive Energy Consumption Reduction Solution

This study focuses on optimizing the energy efficiency of polyethylene tunnel greenhouses in Mediterranean climates using Design Builder and EnergyPlus software. The research examines the impact of different greenhouse orientations and opening configurations on energy consumption for heating and cooling. The east-west (90°) orientation was found to be the most effective in reducing cooling needs during summer while slightly increasing winter heating requirements. Various opening configurations were tested, including 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%, with openings positioned at the bottom on one side and the top on the opposite side. The 20% opening configuration was identified as optimal for annual energy management. However, a monthly adaptive planning strategy was developed to further enhance energy efficiency. This planning involves keeping the greenhouse closed during winter, using 100% openings in summer, and 20% openings during transitional months. The proposed monthly planning resulted in a significant reduction in energy consumption, decreasing daytime usage by 27.3%, night time usage by 29%, and overall annual energy consumption by 27.6%. This research demonstrates that strategic orientation and adaptive opening management can substantially improve the energy efficiency of greenhouses in Mediterranean climates.

Application of deep learning in indoor VR design of green buildings: Research on thermal conductivity of thermal materials and optimization of space utilization

Application of deep learning in indoor VR design of green buildings: Research on thermal conductivity of thermal materials and optimization of space utilization

Adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in Facilities Management (FM) Practices in Malaysia

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a collaborative process that transforms the capturing, sharing, and development of construction project information, essential for the planning, design, and construction of buildings. However, the application of BIM in Facilities Management (FM) is still emerging, particularly in Malaysia, where its integration within FM practices has not been extensively studied. This study uses an online questionnaire distributed to FM companies across Malaysia to assess the awareness, barriers, and potential of BIM within the FM sector. Data collected have been analysed by using SPSS, with descriptive analysis, frequency analysis, and the Relative Importance Index (RII). The findings will highlight key challenges in BIM adoption and outline strategies to enhance its integration into FM practices, providing valuable insights to help FM practitioners optimize the benefits of BIM in the Malaysian FM industry.

Fast synthesis of DNA origami single crystals at room temperature.

Structural DNA nanotechnology makes the programmable design and assembly of DNA building blocks into user-defined microstructures feasible. However, the formation and further growth of these microstructures requires slow heat treatment in precise instruments, as otherwise amorphous aggregates result. Here, we used an organic solute, urea, as the catalyst for the crystallization of DNA origami building blocks to achieve the fast synthesis of DNA origami single crystals with a cubic Wulff shape at room temperature. The ordered assemblies can be formed within 4 hours at room temperature, which further grew into cubic microcrystals with an average size of about 5 micrometers within 2 days. Furthermore, the phase diagram provides an inverse logic that allows users to proactively customize the melting temperature (T m) of crystallization according to the target temperature conditions, rather than requiring de novo design of DNA sequences or painstakingly difficult trial-and-error attempts. On this basis, even under random fluctuating outdoor temperature conditions, DNA origami crystals can still grow and maintain high quality and high yield comparable to those of crystals synthesized in precise instruments, creating a basis for the development of adaptive self-assemblies and the industrialization of functional DNA microstructures.

Cement-MgO synergetic stabilized earth-straw mix: From material performance to building simulation

The production of traditional building materials like cement, lime, and common fired bricks consumes considerable energy and resources and causes atmospheric pollution. Thus, it’s essential to develop more eco-friendly materials for new construction. This research focuses on an earth-straw mixture stabilized hybridly with cement and active MgO. Three aspects scaled from material mix design and mechanical performance to building energy-saving simulation were examined. Three types of earth were considered, and the effects of MgO on M−ME were studied through compression strength, thermal conductivity and TGA tests. The best compressive strength achieved was 12.5 MPa (about 167 % of the standard for non-burned bricks and 125 % of the standard for minimum fired bricks), and the best thermal conductivity was 0.371 / (m·K) (only 44.2 % of that of common fired bricks). Using Design Builder software, energy load differences between M−ME and fired clay brick walls were simulated under given conditions, and the indoor thermal environment was analyzed. Based on the amount of wall earthwork used in the project, the M−ME wall (YC3) can theoretically capture approximately 12.80 kg/m3 of carbon from the air under natural curing conditions, mean while reducing heating energy consumption by 9.49 %. Overall, the utilization of soil and the presence of plant straw give M−ME advantages in carbon footprint and thermal performance over sintered and concrete bricks. As a new energy-saving material, M−ME significantly contributes to carbon reduction in production and operation phases, possessing great potential in decarbonizing the emission of the building sector.

Advancing energy efficiency: innovative technologies and strategic measures for achieving net zero emissions

To evaluate the essential role of energy efficiency in achieving net-zero emissions and combating climate change, this comprehensive review was conducted based on a thorough analysis of academic literature, diverse case studies, and industry reports, focusing on key energy efficiency sectors and technological advancements. It begins by outlining global efforts, including the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, which have driven initiatives to enhance energy efficiency across various sectors. The review examines key technological innovations, such as advanced manufacturing, energy-efficient building designs, transportation electrification, and smart grid integration contributing to energy savings and decarbonization. It also discusses policy frameworks, regulatory incentives, and financial mechanisms that encourage energy efficiency. The study provides the detailed outcomes of the different strategies and initiatives, showcasing successful case studies from different regions in transportation, urban planning, power generation, and industry. It illustrates how countries have effectively implemented energy efficiency measures to reduce emissions and meet climate goals. Additionally, the review explores the potential of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain, to optimize energy management, enhance grid flexibility, and promote further efficiencies. Despite these advancements, the review identifies several key barriers - financial, technological, and behavioral challenges that impede the widespread adoption of energy-efficient practices. Finally, it offers strategies to overcome these obstacles, emphasizing the need for tailored policies, innovative business models, and greater consumer engagement. This review underscores the importance of energy efficiency in achieving a sustainable, net-zero future by synthesizing successful case studies and highlighting emerging solutions.

Performance Evaluation of Turbulence Models and Ventilation Strategies in 2D and 3D Simulations: A Comparative Study

Recent studies have examined the performance of various turbulence models and ventilation strategies through both 2D and 3D simulations. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of turbulence models, such as k-epsilon and k-omega, in simulating airflow and CO2 distribution under different ventilation conditions. Additionally, the study compares ventilation strategies—including natural, mechanical, and mixed ventilation to assess their impact on energy consumption and indoor air quality. The results indicate that 3D simulations provide a more accurate representation of airflow and CO2 distribution, which is essential for designing effective ventilation systems. While 2D simulations yield faster results and lower computational costs, they often lack the detail necessary for capturing complex flow dynamics. Among the strategies evaluated, mixed ventilation was found to offer the best balance between energy efficiency and air quality, making it the optimal choice for sustainable building design.

Breaking Grounds in Civil Engineering Education: The Potential of Building Information Modelling Software as Catalyst for Improved Interior Design Learning

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 in the 21st century has necessitated a shift in learning experiences and self-development to adapt to evolving learning mindsets and digital literacy demands. Teachers are encouraged to reduce administrative workloads that are not aligned with the digital age and focus on adopting digital-based learning models and media that suit modern student needs. This study aimed to implement and analyze the impact of case-based projects integrated with Building Information Modeling (BIM) software on civil engineering students’ understanding of interior building design. This mixed-methods research utilized a sequential explanatory design. A sample of 60 civil engineering students was selected through random sampling. Quantitative data were analyzed using path analysis, while qualitative data were examined through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification analysis. The findings indicate that the case-based project approach, integrated with BIM software, was effectively applied and positively impacted students’ skills in learning BIM. Students showed improved abilities to analyze, explore, and synthesize information through hands-on experience with real-world case-based projects. This study contributes a novel educational model by integrating technology with learning methods through case-based projects in BIM software. This innovation supports students in enhancing their analytical and problem-solving skills and aligns with the requirements of the Industrial Revolution 4.0

Analysis of Global Design Standards to Assess Different Levels of Structural Seismic Protection

ABSTRACT This research undertakes a thorough examination of the significant social and economic losses resulting from earthquakes throughout time, as well as the considerable destruction inflicted upon physical structures. Using the reinforced concrete frame structure as an illustration, it highlights several types of column damage that might potentially happen to the structure during seismic events. As cross-border projects become more frequent, it is crucial to have precise specification comparisons and parameter conversions as a reference for engineering projects happening worldwide. This article will now analyze and contrast the seismic building designs of China, the United States, Indonesia, and Australia. These nations are selected based on their susceptibility to earthquakes, with China, the United States, and Indonesia being earthquake-prone, while Australia has infrequent seismic activity. An assessment of each country’s standards is undertaken, specifically parameters in relation to seismic defence standards, seismic protection levels, method of determining shear wave velocity, method of determining site subsoil and the implementation of the seismic design response spectrum. An evaluation was made after analyzing each parameter based on the requirements in the standards, and a recommendation for the most practical and reasonable method from one of the countries for each parameter was provided. Overall, seismic standards from China were deemed the most thorough and considerate standard, which not only encompassed a broader range for each parameter but was also deemed the most technical and considerate in terms of parameter derivation.