High-tech Buildings Research Articles

Urban Heritage in Saudi Arabia: Comparison and Assessment of Sustainable Reuses

Saudi Arabia witnessed unprecedented urban development starting from the 1930s due to oil discovery, leading to the construction of new contemporary cities and high-tech buildings. Recently, starting from the late 1990s, an increasing feeling of esteem toward vernacular architecture and local traditions has promoted several heritage rehabilitation projects. This paper aims to assess selected urban heritage interventions to highlight the importance of sustainable approaches in heritage reuse. An assessment of sustainable reuse was conducted by adopting sustainability criteria and principles in compliance with Saudi Arabia’s national vision for 2030 (Saudi Vision 2030), which targets sustainable growth in the post-oil era. Analyses and data collection make it possible to compare four selected case studies based on materials and techniques for preservation, governmental institutions involved, the assessed methodologies of intervention, and relevant parameters (legibility, reversibility, overshadowing, alteration, replacement, and anastylosis). Results show how different institutions have adopted diverse approaches in conservative methodologies based on heritage values to provide flexibility in the reuse of buildings and adaptation to contemporary needs. Assessing the sustainable reuses of Saudi heritage can lead to a strategic change in national growth targeting social, economic, environmental, and ecologic results.

Plant factories: Reducing energy demand at high internal heat loads through façade design

The increase in global food demand has led to the introduction of new food production systems. One key example is the plant factory. Plant factories face the same challenge as many high-tech building functions: high energy demands resulting from high internal heat loads. In this study we investigate how this energy demand can be reduced through façade design. Energy efficient design closely follows function, façade construction and local climate. Therefore, we analysed the effects of façade properties on the energy use in plant factories for three disparate climate zones: Sweden (Dfc), the Netherlands (Cfb) and the United Arab Emirates (BWh). We coupled the building energy simulation program EnergyPlus with a crop transpiration model to calculate the lighting, sensible cooling, latent cooling, and heating demand from the energy balance. In terms of energy demand (kWh m−2), opaque façades with high U-values and optimised albedo can reduce the facilities’ cooling demand by 18.8%, 30.0% and 30.4%, and their energy demand by 6.1%, 12.5% and 9.5%, for the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and Sweden, respectively. In terms of electricity use (kWhe m−2), transparent façades are more efficient, as they allow the use of freely available solar energy instead of artificial light. These façades can reduce electricity use by 9.4%, 7.6% and 7.4%, for the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and Sweden, respectively. The presented façade design strategies can significantly reduce energy demand in plant factories. The investigation provides a foundation for the energy efficient design of high-tech buildings, tailored to local climate.

ХУДОЖНІ ТЕКСТИ ТА ОБРАЗИ В ПРОЕКТАХ СУЧАСНОЇ ЗЕМЛЯНОЇ АРХІТЕКТУРИ

The article focuses on the image of ground that had various meanings in the human culture from ancient times. On the one hand, it was a place of living that provided people with all means necessary for their physical survival and had an exclusively material value. On the other hand the ground was a part of myth; it was a subject of philosophical (or would-be philosophical) reflections. Step by step, humanity learned to perceive ground from artistic and aesthetic perspectives: as a place that sometimes could be beautiful by itself and sometimes needed to be decorated by people. In the modernity, the ground is more often viewed not only as a surface or a place for artistic work but as an environment or even a material for the latter. Inhabitants tend to decorate not only its aboveground but also its underground surroundings. This tendency has resulted in introduction of the modern high-tech underground buildings and the phenomenon of ecological ground architecture formation. In field of the visual design, the new approach to ground as a material for artistic activity emerged. The article presents a hypothesis that historical traditions contributed to the modern land architecture to a lesser degree. In the past the ground architecture was often awkward, pragmatic, and artistically inconsistent. It was a result of some specific materials, technological and climate conditions which people faced. At the same time, in folklore and fiction literature the aboveground and underground environments, including houses, were often depicted as artistically attractive. Therefore, for modern artists, the popular verbal and visual images of underground buildings serve as a rich source for inspiration in their work on the real-life projects in the field of ground architecture. The names and design features of some projects attest this idea. For instance, the modular “Hobbit House” created by the Green Magic Homes company makes an appeal to the literary works by J. R. R. Tolkien. The links between the modern ground architecture, literary texts and artistic images demonstrate that in the modern world not only the real life influences art, but virtual imaginative worlds begin to form the space of the reality itself.

Second-order curves in architectural and building design

Straight lines, circles and second-order curves are widely used in architectural and building design as the mainform-making elements. Straight lines are used in the design of gridwork building structures and engineering facilities. Smooth curves composed of the sections of the second-order curves are used to form complex curvilinear wave surfaces. The grid shells of smooth wave curves have become one of the main means for the form-making of avant-garde buildings, including skyscrapers and high-tech buildings. The article deals with the architectural design of the modern airport terminal developed by Samoo Architects & EngineersKorean company.For the geometric analysis weusedan engineering method for designing compound lines formed by the arcs of the second-order curves. It is shown that second-order curves allow us to approximate the curvilinear section of the support profile on the terminal facade. For an unambiguous determination of the support profile, it is sufficient to fix eight points of the profile with tangents indicated in the three of them. The terminal roof surface is formed by the movement of a smooth wave curve of a variable shape along horizontal, parallel to each other, rectilinear guides. The use of second-order curves for the approximation of the undulating roof grade enables to considerably simplify the mathematical description of the roof surface. Approximation algorithms are practically realized by means of computer graphics and specialized software tools.

Second-order curves in architectural and building design

Straight lines, circles and second-order curves are widely used in architectural and building design as the mainform-making elements. Straight lines are used in the design of gridwork building structures and engineering facilities. Smooth curves composed of the sections of the second-order curves are used to form complex curvilinear wave surfaces. The grid shells of smooth wave curves have become one of the main means for the form-making of avant-garde buildings, including skyscrapers and high-tech buildings. The article deals with the architectural design of the modern airport terminal developed by Samoo Architects & EngineersKorean company.For the geometric analysis weusedan engineering method for designing compound lines formed by the arcs of the second-order curves. It is shown that second-order curves allow us to approximate the curvilinear section of the support profile on the terminal facade. For an unambiguous determination of the support profile, it is sufficient to fix eight points of the profile with tangents indicated in the three of them. The terminal roof surface is formed by the movement of a smooth wave curve of a variable shape along horizontal, parallel to each other, rectilinear guides. The use of second-order curves for the approximation of the undulating roof grade enables to considerably simplify the mathematical description of the roof surface. Approximation algorithms are practically realized by means of computer graphics and specialized software tools.

Simplified Soil–Structure Interaction Analysis for High-Tech Industrial Buildings Subjected to Forced Vibrations

To implement a safe and reliable design for high-tech industrial buildings, the system response should be accurate enough to include the effect of soil–structure interaction (SSI). This study proposed a simplified building–soil system to analyze the dynamic responses, using parameters that are representative of the practical design values for typical semiconductor fab structures in Taiwan. The responses of the simplified building–soil system subjected to dynamic horizontal loadings are verified in the frequency domain and time domain. The dynamic responses of the simplified building–soil system are found to agree very well with those of the complete system obtained by the half-space theory and by the numerical analysis program. It is shown that the proposed simplified system can effectively analyze the coupled SSI effects in the translational and rotational directions. It is also found that the structural responses may deviate significantly by neglecting the coupling of horizontal and rocking motions as the building has a deeper embedded foundation and a stiffer upper structure. The proposed method can be applied to the vibration analysis of high-tech industrial buildings subjected to dynamic loadings.

Protection of High-Tech Buildings Facades and Envelopes with One Sided Nano-Coatings

Pollution on building façades deteriorates buildings' image and causes structural problems as well as aesthetic issues. It is necessary to clean up pollutants from façades to prevent erosion of materials and further unpleasant consequences. Nowadays emergence of new skyscrapers increased and considerable amount of money wasted each year for façade cleaning processes. Thus it is necessary to find new methods to protect buildings facades by usage of recombinant nanomaterials and nanocoatings. Nanotechnology opens a new window in front of building industry and high technology in construction. Literature review of the paper shows that the most of pollutant origin is presence of moisture in air as well as building mortars. While current methods of cleaning pollutants accelerate erosion. The most important aim of this research is finding some waterproof coating that can protect building facades from variety of pollutants. In theoretical points of view here is dilemma about moisture conduction. Usage of waterproof coating may cause considerable damages to mortar of buildings' walls because the architectural elements in need of some occasions to be dried, especially masonry constructed buildings which have to be dried in a long period of time. Therefore the important issue is necessity existence of ventilation in order to moisture in mortar can be dried. Usages of waterproof coatings isolate the moisture in mortar behind coating layer and will result in decay. Our experimental studies show that Silane and Siloxane nanocoatings may help building facades resist against pollutants especially in high-tech architecture.

Environmental Ethics and Sustainability in Housing Design

House was probably the first freestanding building of the prehistoric humans. This field of architectural design and construction remains of crucial importance from the social, cultural, economic, and environmental points of view until today. Take, for example, the influence of housing construction sector on the environment due to the development of industrial construction technologies, and the increasing world’s population, or the emotional, psychological impact of the closest everyday built environment on the human development. Considering this, we have decided to analyze the links between types, forms, and features of housing and ethical approaches towards the environment. This research has a historical dimension: we have analyzed the importance of different land management (landscape architecture) criteria in housing development in different historical periods and tried to identify the genesis of and conditions for the environmental concern in this field. The analysis of challenges of the present situation in the housing sector development has allowed us to identify main conditions of uncertainty, constant change, and diversity of possible architectural, technological, and ethical approaches that shape this field today. We propose that housing solutions may vary from low-tech buildings made with vernacular technologies and local building materials to ecological high-tech buildings still maintaining the environmentally friendly approach; however, taking into account the constant housing shortages and the increasing world’s population, the sector of affordable sustainable housing should be given a priority. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.erem.62.4.2358

Aesthetic Preferences for Architectural Styles Vary as a Function of Personality

The present study sought to determine whether aesthetic preferences for architectural styles vary as a function of personality. Participants completed a five-factor inventory as well as rating photographic images of British buildings for both aesthetic appeal and familiarity. The results indicate that personality exerts both direct and indirect influences on preferences. Extraversion was found to be negatively associated with preferences for preferences for High-Tech and Brutalist architectural styles. Similarly, Neuroticism was found to be positively associated with preferences for Victorian Gothic buildings, and negatively associated with preferences for High-Tech buildings. Agreeableness also appears to exert an indirect influence on preferences for Brutalism, mediated by familiarity. Architectural familiarity was found to be highly predictive of preferences for all styles. Limitations and implications are discussed.

The Simulation of Ambient Vibration Signal of High-Tech Factory Buildings Ground Base

These precision instruments and equipments install inside the high-tech factory buildings have highly tendency of sensitiveness to ambient vibration; therefore, the criteria of ambient vibration have extremely strict requirements in relatively. For comply ambient vibration to have in accordance with the vibration standards, access the principle of increasing the product defect-free rate, the most common solution is applied by enhance the strength of its earth ground base. Nowadays the foundation base design of high-tech factory buildings is not like Seismic Design can be calculated by formulas and acquired the advance ambient vibration results from the software simulations; hence after the finalization of the factory building construction, it is necessary to have in-filed detection with inspection to makeup these improvements. As a matter of fact the weak signal can be hardly detected, so it reply on specific sensor to transform the signal into low current or low voltage then use an amplifier to magnify its amplitude; in the meanwhile, it not only enlarge the required signal but also the unnecessary noise in the whole process. This study apply Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) method to analyze the original signal, and the mean period of the Intrinsic Mode Function (IMF) derived partial components to proceed Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) transformation in order to get partial signal frequency; hereafter apply the white noise to substitute the first signal then reorganized it as the source of ambient vibration signal, a comparison is being made between the background vibration value of its actual measurement and the earth ground base response of its real measurement value. It anticipates having control the influential value of ambient vibration of the construction under the phase when design the factory building in order to elevate the reliable degree of foundation construction design in the future.

Ecological Design Strategy of High-Tech Architecture

Contemporary high-tech buildings pursue ecological design. Through the use of new technologies, new materials and advanced scientific means to solve ecological problems. By improving energy efficiency, reducing consumption of non-renewable resources, making full use of clean energy, architects create an ideal living environment.

Fire Safety Assessment Research for High-Tech Plants

Most of the buildings for high-tech plants are fireproof and the process equipment in the clean room is in compliance with high-standard fire prevention evaluation regulations such as National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), Factory Mutual (FM),and Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI). However, fire management is usually neglected though fire protection higher than domestic fire control regulations is applied. Fireproof and smoke-proof design of the original buildings can be damaged due to expansion of production facilities, causing a potential danger of a fire. Cases of fires in domestic semiconductor manufacturing factories were explored in this research and claim settlements provided by MSIG Mingtai InsuranceCo.,Ltd., Taiwan to high-tech plants were analyzed for determination of the quantified weights used by the insurance companies when evaluating fire risks of a building. The fire safety badge promoted by Architecture and Building Research Institute, and Ministry of the Interior was also discussed for reference of fire safety assessments of high-tech factory buildings in the future.

Techniques + Arts - On the Architectural Creation for Green and High-Tech Buildings

Along the context of technological development, architectural development experienced the raw type technical period; the combined period of art and technology; and that of technology, art and ecology three combined as one. Now, the context and the place of high emotion associated are again merge into high-tech buildings. Combined with our practice of creation, this paper introduces and advocates this new direction of the development of technology.

Application of Traditional Local Materials and Suitable Technology in the Modern Low-Carbon Buildings: A Case Study of Rammed Earth Building

It has been the consensus shared by every member of the society that we should protect the earth, benefit the future generations and take the road of sustainable development which is natural-based and coordinated with environment carrying capacity. Currently, no one can doubt the importance of low carbon living and low carbon architecture. Numerous new materials and high technologies have been used in the country all over the world in the course of low carbon architecture’s development, some of which has had a favorable result, such as London zero carbon emissions pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. But China still is a developing country, for various reasons, it is premature to widely promote the expensive high-tech low-carbon buildings, and especially in the vast rural areas, the traditional local materials and suitable technology still could have general applicability. This paper takes the rammed earth building as example, by introducing the history of rammed earth building, the application status and some of the latest instances, and summarizes several advantages of rammed earth building: the first is that easy manufacturing processing could reduce the energy consumption; the second is that local materials could lower transportation costs; the third is that the clay materials with good thermal performance such as heat insulation and moisture property could ensure comfortable indoor environment, the last is that long service life and easy reclamation could recycle building materials. Then the author looks forward to the future development trends of rammed earth buildings, explores the new construction practices of rammed earth buildings. Finally this paper concludes that traditional local materials and suitable technology would play an important role in the modern low-carbon architecture.

Energy efficiency criteria in uninterruptible power supply selection

With the generalized use of microelectronic devices, server computers and other susceptible equipment, the subject related to power quality (PQ) and its relationship to vulnerability of high performance plants are becoming an increasing concern to the industry. This paper addresses how uninterruptible power supply (UPS), particularly when configured in distributed DC mode, can become an energy efficient (EE) solution in high-tech buildings, especially when integrated with complimentary PQ measures. The paper is based on PQ audits conducted at different high-tech industries over the last years. It was found that the main problems for the equipment installed were voltage sags (or dips). Among all categories of electrical disturbances, voltage sags and momentary interruptions are the nemeses of the automated industrial process. The paper analyzes the capabilities of modern electronic power supplies and the convenience of embedded solution. Finally it is addresses the role of the Standards on the protection of electronic equipment and the implications for the final costumer.

Distributed DC-UPS for energy smart buildings

Energy efficiency (EE) improvement is one of the most important targets to be achieved on every society as a whole and in buildings in particular. Energy Smart Building aims to accelerate the uptake of EE, healthy buildings that by integrating smart technology and solutions consume radically little resources while enhancing the quality of life. This paper addresses how uninterruptible power supply (UPS), particularly when configured in distributed DC mode, can become an Energy Efficient (EE) solution in high tech buildings, especially when integrated with complimentary Power Quality (PQ) measures. The paper is based upon PQ audits conducted at different IT-intensive modern building. Some of the mayor objectives of the PQ studies were: detecting the main involved disturbances by PQ monitoring, identifying the power disturbances root causes, characterizing the electromagnetic compatibility level of equipments and installation and providing guidelines for implementing energy-efficiency solutions. It was found that the main problems for the equipment installed were harmonics and voltage sag (dip). Finally, this paper demonstrates the impacts of generalized electronic devices on the PQ of the buildings and the implications on energy uses.

Editorial

The Support and Infill concept has been generally accepted and adopted by the design disciplines as well as the construction and manufacturing industries. Support and Infill were developed as an alternative to mass housing (Habraken 1961) The author argued that mass housing made no sense because of the absence of the user as a player in the housing process. This led to all sorts ills and wasted opportunities. This was mainly a relationship problem between the inhabitant and the dwelling itself resulting in identical units in identical blocks in identical neighborhoods which never changed nor ever moved until the mass demolishers came in to make way for something better which often was ‘supports’. Overlapping with this concept, Open Building emerges describing decision making levels of the urban tissue, supports, infill and all their spatial and physical properties and components. Now Time Based Architecture (TBA) (Leupen 2005) has come to the front. It is, as the name suggests, an Architecture which does not resist change but which embraces it. It is something close to Supports and Open Building but slightly different. All Supports are TBA edifices but not all TBA edifices are Supports? To explain this it is perhaps sufficient to say here that Supports did not deal in flexibility per se but with restructuring the building industry, to re-orientate decision making and also a large amount of attention was paid to modular co-ordination. TBA addresses this but also crosses borders into high tech buildings, flexibility and explores the use of contemporary materials and the flexible nature of glass and steel construction.