Google SketchUp Research Articles

Dynamics of Cultural Landscape on Idjen Boulevard as an Icon of Heritage Street Corridor in Malang City - Indonesia

The dynamic development of the city has brought about significant physical and environmental changes in Malang City, impacting the increasingly blurred identity of heritage areas. One such area is Idjen Boulevard, representing an icon of the heritage road corridor in Malang City. To comprehend the evolving nature of these heritage areas, it is essential to conduct studies documenting their past conditions and dynamics across various historical periods: the Colonial period, the Old Order period (the beginning of Indonesian independence), the New Order period, and the Reformation period. This comprehensive approach aims to understand the changes that occurred in each time periodization within each zone/road segment. These insights are crucial for determining future development control steps through targeted regulations. The research employs the Interpretive Historical Urban Landscape method, focusing on thirteen components that constitute the Cultural Landscape. This method involves analyzing the results of observations, both from literature and field sources, supported by tools such as CAD Mapper, Google Earth, Google Street View, GISTARU (an interactive urban spatial detail plan), and SketchUp. These tools are instrumental in obtaining findings about the hierarchy of changes in cultural landscape components and the dynamics within each zone of the specified observation unit.

Framework for optimising daylighting and passive indoor thermal comfort in single-banked office buildings in the temperate dry climate of Nigeria

Abstract Many researchers have differed on the optimum values of Daylighting and Passive Indoor Thermal Comfort (DPITC) determinants in tropical climates. The study is aimed at developing a framework for optimising DPITC in singled-banked office buildings, during the activity period (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), in the temperate dry climate of Nigeria. It was achieved by evaluating the effects of orientation, window-to-wall ratio (WWR), R-values of external wall insulation material, and shading devices on DPITC. A quantitative research design using an explorative design approach was employed in the study as well as an experimental research strategy through simulation method to optimise DPITC. The study used the Federal Secretariat building of Nigeria as a prototype of a single-banked office building. The Google SketchUp Pro 2022 and OpenStudio 3.3.0 simulation tools were used to evaluate the prototype building from January to December 2023. The data generated was analysed using relevant statistical tools (MANOVA, ANOVA, column charts, graphs, and tables). The findings revealed that the best WWR for daylighting and passive indoor thermal comfort are 20% and 15% respectively, while the compromise value was 20%. It was also noted that the R-value of the external wall insulation material does not affect the daylighting of an office building but affects the passive indoor thermal comfort, where the optimum R-value was of 3.26 m2·K/W. The mathematical model was developed as A= 224.58 − 1254.84 WWR+ 102.87 PF − 4.11R … … .1 where A is orientation, WWR window-to-wall ratio, PF projection factor, and R is the R-value of the external wall materials.

Architectural Visualization Approach Using Google SketchUp and Lumion on the Development of Maritime Tourism

This study aims to portray the strategy and design of marine tourism development through a data visualization approach using Google SketchUp and Lumion. The type of research conducted is Research and Development (R&D), employing the ADDIE approach (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). The findings of this study reveal that the miniature design of Pulau Sembilan on Larea-rea Island incorporates local cultural themes in the construction of Rulan (Nine House), with a visualization of the roof following the design of the traditional Karampuang house. Additionally, the researcher presents designs concerning the jetties of Larea-rea Island and the product facility designs. Ultimately, contributes to development of Rulan (Nine House) and the efficient land utilization contributes to the region's income enhancement in the tourism sector of Larea-rea Island. It is recommended that future research on marine tourism development should involve a more comprehensive analytical framework that considers social, economic, and environmental aspects. This will help in understanding the overall impacts of marine tourism development. It is also important to investigate the ecological impacts of tourism and come up with effective mitigation strategies to prevent harm to the marine environment. Another interesting research area is to integrate the perspectives of local communities and their participation in the planning and implementation of tourism development. This will ensure the sustainability of such projects and gain community acceptance.

Numerička i višekriterijumska analiza energetskih tokova u osnovnoj školi na teritoriji grada Kragujevca

In this investigation, a numerical and multi-criteria analysis of energy flow in the primary school in the city of Kragujevac is presented. A model of the existing school building with a district heating system was created. Alternative heating systems (the gas boiler, the pellet boiler, and the ground source heat pump) were analyzed to achieve energy savings. Different types of buildings are simulated with and without photovoltaic panels. Google SketchUp was used for building modeling, while EnergyPlus simulated buildings' energy behavior in real conditions. Results show that pellet boilers with photovoltaic panels can reduce primary energy by 89% and CO₂ emission by 87.55%. For the ground source heat pump with photovoltaic panels, the final energy saving is 77.83%, primary energy saving is 70.82%, and CO₂ reduction is 57.90%. Using numerical and multi-criteria analyses, the authors want to bring the existing public buildings closer to the zero-energy building concept and the city closer to the sustainable development concept.

Development of microfluidic device and electronic infusion system to fabricate microfiber of alginate and carbon nanotube

A novel microfluidic device and electronic infusion system for carbon nanotube-calcium chloride alginate microfibers are presented in this study. The microfluidic device was designed using Google SketchUp and 3D printing, and the electronic infusion system-controlled alginate solution flow to the calcium chloride jar—the silicon-PDMS microfluidic device produced calcium alginate microfibers with carbon nanotubes. The device to emulsify the two fluids was modeled in COMSOL Multiphysics. The microfluidic device and calcium chloride jar received juice from the syringe pump via a high-flow infusion pump (100, 150, and 200 rpms). Field emission scanning electron microscopes (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) detected highly concentrated microfibers with sizes from 10 to 100 um. I-V characterization showed that sodium alginate's carbon nanotubes at 5%, 6%, and 7% produced fiber sizes between 16.6 and 30 ums. Compared to pure alginate microfibers, those with carbon nanotubes and calcium chloride had higher mechanical strength and electrical conductivity. This study shows that the developed system can produce advanced microfibers with improved properties for various applications.

Effectiveness of 3D Animation Using Google Sketchup and Lumion as Tourist Attraction Information Media

3D animation is easy to describe for presenting visual information attractively and realistically, making it an ideal choice for attraction promotion but more difficult to work with. This study aimed to develop 3D animated videos and test their effectiveness as an information medium for promoting tourist attractions. The research method used was the Multimedia Development Life Cycle (MDLC), which consists of six stages: concept, design, material collection, assembly, testing, and distribution. Designing and creating 3D objects using Google SketchUp, rendering them in animation using Lumion, and editing animated videos using Adobe Premiere Pro CC. The results of the feasibility test by media experts show that 95% of the categories are feasible regarding animation quality and appearance. The feasibility test of 35 people as respondents from the community showed that, in terms of aspects of the display, quality, speed, brightness, time duration, and selection of viewing angles, 90% were found to be in very appropriate categories. These results indicate that 3D animated videos developed using Sketchup and Lumion are worthy of use as information media to promote tourist attractions.

The Development of Eco-Luxury Vinyl Plank (eLVP) Flooring: An Innovative Approach Using Recycled High-Density Polyethylene (rHDPE)

Plastics are now widely used materials in many commercial applications and play a significant role in our daily lives. However, one of the primary environmental issues in Malaysia is solid waste management and the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the air during the manufacturing of plastic products that contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC), especially in luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring production. The main goal of this research is to discuss the problems of plastic waste and propose innovation of LVP flooring using recycled HDPE (rHDPE). Thus, this paper review and discusses the components and materials of eco-luxury vinyl plank flooring (eLVP), the manufacturing process, and the market potential for eLVP flooring in the construction industry. eLVP offers new core structure materials using recycled High-Density Polyethylene (rHDPE) replaced PVC in the existing LVP flooring core structure. A simulation method through the application of Google SketchUp Pro 2021 to demonstrate the manufacturing process, enhanced the visual of the potential innovation product of eLVP flooring. The manufacturing process involved raw materials preparation; shredding and melting down the rHDPE; new product shaping and compacted process; resin applying process; wear layer and underlay process; and cutting process. The initiative to utilize rHDPE in this study intends to resolve global environmental and health issues because HDPE plastic is the most environmentally stable of all plastics, and it has widely used especially in food packaging. Recycling this plastic waste will assist to boost the economy by lowering production costs.

Research on the Application of Computer Aided Design Software SU in Landscape Design

SketchUp has simplified, three-dimensional and intuitive effects on landscape design optimization. The software changes from traditional manual drawing to computer-aided drawing, which promotes the improvement of landscape design and BIM modeling and analysis level. SketchUp enables real-time communication with customers. This paper is based on two-dimensional data accurately drawn by AutoCAD and uses the SketchUp ESRI plug-in between GIS and SketchUp to convert shape files into SketchUp recognizable. Then, Google SketchUp intelligent software was used to rapidly batch process GIS data. Finally, the 3D model is output into Multipitch (*.mdb) format data. The software can realize roaming, query, data management and spatial analysis, and achieve the purpose of rapid realization of forest landscape visualization. This method can batch process the 3D modeling data of large areas and has important reference value for landscape visualization and landscape planning.

Redesign Peningkatan Fungsi Mixed Use Area Jalan Jendral Soedirman Kota Salatiga melalui Re-desain Jalur Pedestrian

Increasing the Mixed Use Function of the Jendral Soedirman street Area, Salatiga City through Redesigning Pedestrian Pathways. Jendral Sudirman street is Salatiga's busiest business district and economic center. The Jendral Sudirman street business district is used for a variety of purposes, including shopping areas, traditional markets, modern markets, offices, places of worship, hotels, and education. Based on the amount of human movement in the Jendral Sudirman street business area, both by vehicles and pedestrians. However, the area lacks the adequate pedestrian infrastructure to support pedestrian activity. As a result, a review of the pedestrian path's planning and redesign was conducted, taking into account the site's location, materials, and the requirement for facilities and infrastructure. The study used qualitative descriptive method to determine the landscape, planning, and develop a design for the pedestrian path in the Jendral Sudirman street business area using the data obtained through analysis and synthesis. The newly designed tools are powered by Autocad for making siteplan and Google SketchUp for making visual 3D design. The pedestrian redesign of the Jendral Sudirman Road business district is based on the concept of keeping people safe and comfortable. The result indicate that Jendral Sudirman street business area is divided into three zones based on its characteristics, with each zone utilizing andesite stone guiding blocks and pedestrian lamps to increase safety and comfortable for pedestrians and people with disabilities in the night. In terms of comfort, there will be provided shade trees, trash cans, and benches to encourage pedestrian activity on Jenderal Sudirman street.

Energo koncept Yaodong podzemnih zgrada u XXI veku na teritoriji Srbije

Due to their interesting architectural solution, Yaodong underground buildings seem to offer a balance between the natural and created parameters of the locations (on the one side) and ambient comfort (on the other side). In the first part of the paper, the Yaodong concept is defined (time of creation, geographical origin, categorization, the spatial organization of the interior, geometrical characteristics, etc.). In the second part of the work, the Authors develop a concrete model (in the Google SketchUp software) of the traditional Yaodong underground building, and then simulate (in the EnergyPlus software) the consumption of final and primary energy in the same, while using a weather file for the city of Kragujevac. Although this type of construction is characteristic of northwestern China, the authors think that the mentioned construction design can be of national importance, especially when taking into account the fact that the consumption of final (and primary) energy of the last year at its peak, which also applies to the residential sector.

3D-Printed Impedance Micropump for Continuous Perfusion of the Sample and Nutrient Medium Integrated with a Liver-On-Chip Prototype.

In recent decades, organ-on-chip devices have gained substantial interest as an alternative for studying the pathophysiological processes relevant to drug screening. Micropumps are being utilized to simulate the in vivo physiological fluid flow more realistically in these organ-on-chip devices. Micropumps play a crucial role in pumping, perfusion, and circulation of fluids in various microdevices such as on-chip PCR, DNA microarrays, miniature bioreactor cell separation, and lab-on-chip biosensing platforms. With the rapid growth in technology, efficient pumping for proper circulation of media and nutrients has become imperative. In this study, we have described the design and development of an open-source impedance micropump for continuous perfusion of nutrient medium in a liver-on-chip prototype. This micropump is controlled via an integrated microcontroller board, with an observed flow rate ranging from 0.2 to 2 mL/min. Google Sketchup 2020 and DLP 3D printing were used to fabricate small precise parts of the impedance micropump. The flow rate was measured to characterize the actuating performance of the micropump. The poly-dimethyl siloxane-based liver-on-chip prototype has been fabricated using a soft photolithography procedure. Further, a study of continuous perfusion of culture medium through the liver-on-chip containing the Hepg2 cell line was successfully performed by integrating it with the impedance micropump. Hoechst staining and Alamar Blue observed cell viability to confirm the healthy cell growth inside the liver-on-chip microfluidic chip. The compactness of the overall setup allows it to fit in a Petri plate, eliminating chances of contamination while cell handling.

ICTs into mathematical instructions for meaningful teaching and learning

Mathematical illusions and concepts can be more easily visualized and understood with the help of information and communication technologies (ICT). On the contrary, ICT development in Nepali classrooms (from elementary school to university) moves glacially. This study examines the role of ICT tools in mathematics and their features and importance in promoting meaningful learning in mathematics. Based on the literature available, this study found that GeoGebra, Google SketchUp, and Microsoft Mathematics are excellent ICT tools for visualizing mathematical concepts, creating 3D models, and discovering solutions and graphical representations of more complex mathematical concepts and/or illusions. This study also demonstrates the importance of these ICT tools in promoting mathematics teaching and learning from elementary school to the university level. Incorporating the ICT tools mentioned above for teaching and learning mathematics has positively impacted students' achievement in mathematics.

Efficacy of Short Simulation Videos on Feedback for Smart Hospital Environments

This project is focused on developing smart health infrastructure with simulations of a smart hospital physical environment. The focus of the project is exclusively on “the physical architecture of a smart hospital”. The project is driven by the motivation to develop preliminary amateur simulations of smart environments for a hospital setting that could potentially help planners develop an understanding of how to develop the current infrastructure. Today's world is rapidly evolving and with expanding research on smart city digital environments, but smartification of physical hospital infrastructure is significant and part of the entire development of a smart environment in hospitals or in any smart environment. Further, such implementation is extremely important in small towns and in less developed economies. As the population grows or the need for more specialized treatment rises, the demand for medical services is increasing rapidly. The goal of this study is to develop quick simulated environment landscapes towards making a few productive suggestions that could potentially lead to developing a smart environment in a specific Aizu-area hospital (as a case study). In this context, the physical architecture of the selected zones in Takeda hospital will be further investigated. The focus of the project is not architecture or smart interior designing, but the efficacy of quick video simulations in generating basic ideas and collecting quick feedback, and thus, ability to use the software called Google Sketch-up productively and use it to run basic usability studies to explore how citizens react to such video simulations, and what they think to be lacking in such quick simulation videos. In other words, the idea is to learn the impact of video simulations as stimuli in helping citizens to generate more ideas about their needs in a hospital environment, and then communicate the same with architects and/or city planners as the next step.

Dynamic Google SketchUp Software and Conventional Teaching Strategy of Students’ Conceptual Knowledge and Procedural Knowledge in Learning Geometry

The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of using dynamic software Google SketchUp (GSU), without software on van Hiele’s theory and conventional teaching strategy of students’ conceptual and procedural knowledge in learning geometry among primary school students. The study was conducted using pre and post-test true experimental methods. This true experimental research involved 96 students from Year Five primary schools in Malaysia. The selection of site or school take into account as convenience and voluntary participation. The study's findings showed significant differences in student's conceptual knowledge and procedural knowledge based on the different types of the strategy group. The post hoc test indicated that using software showed better conceptual and procedural knowledge when compared to without using software on van Hiele’s theory and conventional teaching strategy.

Marine Ecotourism Architecture

Tourism is the largest industry and the leading sector of multidimensional development that attracts attention to be developed by many archipelagic countries and regions. Marine ecotourism architecture is the right choice to be developed in an integrated manner based on its components in the form of attractions, accessibility, accommodation, amenities, and tourism, which is abbreviated as 5A tourism. This research article describes an architectural model prototype for marine ecotourism development based on Google SketchUp and Lumion Island Larea-rea as a marine tourism destination in the East Coast Region of South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. This type of Research and Development applies the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) approach. Observation and interview techniques were used in field research to collect data and information which were analyzed descriptively. The results of the research in the form of a prototype architectural model design for developing Larea-rea Island tourism destinations based on 5A show natural and well-maintained ecological attractions because the white sand beaches have not been polluted with clear seawater and natural coral reefs. The architectural concept of marine ecotourism is a miniature island tourism destination that has an attraction in the form of a miniature mangrove forest to prevent beach abrasion and the local cultural theme amenity is reflected in the architecture of Rumah Sembilan where on the roof side adapts the design of the traditional Karampuang house. In other words, this marine ecotourism design applies the architectural theme of a recreational environment based on the micro-ecological concept as a building design, the marine adaptive micro-concept as the background, and the pragmatic micro-concept as a regional spatial layout.

A novel approach for the calculation of the energy savings of heat metering for different kinds of buildings

The aim of this paper is to propose a novel approach in order to accurately calculate the energy and economic savings due to the use of heat metering and thermostatic valves in residential buildings. The paper aims at proving that the present simplified approaches used in European Legislation may lead to significantly underestimate the profitability of this technology. The study is developed for four different typologies of buildings located in the city of Naples (South of Italy), including their geometrical and thermophysical properties. The buildings are first modelled in Google Sketchup and subsequently linked to the TRNSYS environment, which also includes a detailed model of the piping systems. The models allow one to evaluate, for every period of the year, energy demand, energy supplied by radiators, heat gains, transmission, etc. The developed models are used to calculate energy demands for three scenarios for each type of building: centralized heating systems not equipped with heat metering; thermostatic valves without heat metering; heat metering and thermostatic valves. The possible savings related to thermostatic valves and heat metering are estimated using the developed model. The results are compared with the ones provided by the Italian Standards. Results show that the thermostatic valves adoption leads to a significant reduction, up to 50%, of the thermal energy demand of the residential buildings and that all the proposed systems exhibit a remarkable economic profitability, with a payback period lower than 1.7 years.

Technical-Economic Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Measures Applied to the Artificial Lighting System of a School

Ensuring optimum interior lighting is a topic of great importance, as this influences not only the well-being of users but also the optimal performance of visual tasks. Lighting can be natural, but if not sufficient, it can be compensated with artificial lighting. This study highlights a methodology for designing a new lighting system that takes into account both technical and economic aspects. The method was applied to an existing school located in southern Italy, in which the electricity consumption is related to the current lighting system. The school is chosen as being representative of the construction type and layout of many local schools. In addition, the coexistence of several visual tasks with different design requisites (e.g., illuminance levels) makes the school a very complex environment. The school lighting is modelled in Google SketchUp and imported into Daysim to simulate the yearly and hourly daylight indoor contribution. Dialux Evo has been used to simulate and design artificial lighting. The results show a reduction of energy consumption of 33% with the simple replacement of fluorescent luminaires with LEDs, while the LED lamp dimming and modulation for rows of luminaires leads to a 95% reduction in energy consumption compared with the current state.

Heat metering for residential buildings: A novel approach through dynamic simulations for the calculation of energy and economic savings

This paper proposes a novel approach in order to accurately calculate the savings due to heat metering. The approach is based on a detailed dynamic simulation of building-plant systems. The building is geometrically modelled in Google Sketchup and linked to the TRNSYS environment, including an extremely detailed model for the simulation of building thermo-physical behavior. All the models are validated using the data provided by the occupants. The model allows one to evaluate the yearly energy demand, energy supplied by radiators, heat gains, etc. A specific case study is developed for a residential building located in Naples (South Italy). The developed model is used to calculate the building energy demand for 3 scenarios: centralized heating system not equipped with heat metering; centralized heating system with thermostatic valves and not equipped with heat metering; centralized heating system with thermostatic valves and equipped with heat metering. Results show that in case of centralized heating systems equipped with thermostatic valves and heat metering devices, thermal energy savings up to 64% can be reached mainly when the system operates for many hours per day, leading to discounted pay back periods lower than 4 years.

Google SketchUp and Lumion Based Marine Tourism Destination Development Design

This study aims to describe the design of marine tourism development based on Google SketchUp and Lumion. The research location is on the island of Larea-rea as one of the marine tourism development destinations in the East Coast Region of South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. This type of research is Research and Development (R&D) by applying the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation) Approach. The data collection techniques used were field studies, observations and interviews. Data analysis was carried out following the stages of data collection, data condensation, data presentation, verification / concluding. The results showed that the design of tourism destination development carried out following the concept of ecotourism. This reality is shown in the empowerment of miniature mangrove forests to prevent coastal abrasion and the use of local cultural themes where the design of the roof side of the Rumah Sembilan is used according to the Karampuang traditional house. At the research locus, it can be seen that the natural marine potential possessed by the island of Larea-rea is still natural and well maintained in the form of unpolluted white sand beaches with clear seawater and natural coral reef conditions to support the development of ecotourism-based tourism.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Construction of complex environmental art design system based on 3D virtual simulation technology

A new advent has been achieved with the development of the perception of virtual reality in the field of multimedia for improving the modern environmental art design. Due to the excessive dependence on digital virtual technology for designing traditional environmental art, a new research method of environmental art design based on digital virtual technology is proposed in this work. The environmental art design is strengthened by combining virtual reality technology with the environmental art designing. In-depth consideration of the two environmental art attributes of environmental landscape and environmental form, obtain graphics and image layers, based on the proportion. The size of the three-dimensional environmental area obtains a two-dimensional vector map of the environmental area, and merge all the textures obtained by shooting at a small angle. The overall environment image texture is obtained, and on this basis, the Google Sketchup platform is used to draw the preliminary model of the virtual environment. The preliminary environment model is merged to construct a three-dimensional environment landscape model, by embedding the two-dimensional vector diagram in the terrain utilizing Google Sketchup platform. This work uses the three-dimensional environment landscape model based chaotic generation method for the generation and realization of the virtual environment form. The virtual reality view of the environmental form design drawing is obtained through the evolution of the environment experience. The experimental results show that the 3D modeling error of the proposed method is minimized to 1.2%, and the environmental art, fidelity, efficiency, and cost indicators of technical design are better.