In-use Performance Research Articles

From PROBE to net zero: A study of soft landings’ contribution

This study reviews Soft Landings (SL) implementations, focusing on its role in achieving Low and Net Zero Emission (LZE) buildings and reducing the energy performance gap. With buildings contributing significantly to global carbon emissions, it is crucial to understand the effect of integrating approaches like SL for meeting Net Zero goals. Notably, this research identified that the extended 3-year aftercare phase of SL does not always lead to reduced operational carbon emissions. While SL promotes collaboration and structured delivery, its overall impact on consistently achieving LZE buildings remains unclear, largely due to insufficient in-use performance data. The paper advocates for integrating SL with other performance-based methods, emphasising the need for enhanced industry collaboration and data sharing to augment the understanding and effectiveness of SL in delivering LZE buildings. Practical Application This paper offers a thorough analysis of the Soft Landings (SL) framework in achieving Low and Net Zero Emission (LZE) buildings. It examines barriers at each project lifecycle stage and evaluates SL’s effectiveness through case studies, revealing inconsistencies in reducing operational emissions. The findings emphasise integrating SL with performance-based initiatives and enhancing industry collaboration and data sharing. Built environment professionals can leverage these insights to improve project delivery, optimise building performance, and achieve LZE goals more effectively.

The impact of compromised insulation on building energy performance

Improving the performance of buildings is a key part of the global effort to limit greenhouse gas emissions and reduce energy consumption. Reducing the designed thermal transmittance of building envelopes through the addition of insulation is one of the primary measures adopted in many nations aiming to address the building sector. In theory, these globally adopted measures to improve design should result in considerable energy savings. The reality however is different. And a mismatch between design and in-use performance has been widely cited. This performance gap is extensively attributed to changes in occupant behaviour – the rebound effect. Considerably less research has investigated technical performance gap rationale. This paper aims to address this literature gap by investigating two technical reasons why design and in-use performance might differ; namely: i) moisture presence in the building’s insulation and ii) thermal bypass of the insulation system. The study uses a combination of thermal resistance analogies and computational fluid dynamics, to ascertain the extent to which compromised insulation would impact the performance of building envelopes. An increase in envelope heat loss results in an increase in a building’s energy consumption, and hence its associated greenhouse gas emissions. The study concluded that, in extreme cases, the presence of moisture in the insulation layers can increase the thermal transmittance of highly insulated envelopes by a factor of 2.2, while closed- and open-loop thermal bypass can increase it by a factor of 3.5 and 3.7 respectively. Although these might be considered extreme cases, the results align with findings from several past studies that quantified the gap between in-situ and design thermal transmittance. The results suggest that, while ensuring building envelopes are designed with adequate levels of insulation is important, ensuring that the insulation is adequately installed is potentially of equal importance.

Bidisperse magnetorheological fluids with strong magnetorheological response, long-term stability and excellent in-use performance

There is a critical demand for magnetorheological fluids (MRFs) with high particle loading, long-term stability, and high magneto-viscous properties to be used in industrial MRF devices. Bidisperse MRFs composed of highly magnetizable micron-sized carbonyl iron particles and poly(acrylic acid) coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs-PAA) that can chemically interact are proposed to achieve such MRFs, here. Coating bare, commercial CI with lauric acid (LA) enhanced its dispersibility in a hydrophobic carrier fluid, allowed high magnetic loading and significantly prevented the sedimentation of the particles when mixed with 9–12 wt% SPION. Different carrier fluids (mineral oil, paraffin, and hydraulic oil) were tested, and hydraulic oil was determined as the best for this particle combination. The most stable bidisperse MRF was achieved at 83%–84% magnetic content with 12 wt-%SPION-PAA, LA-coated-CI and 3 wt% polyvinyl alcohol. Such MRFs outperformed the commercial benchmark, 140-CG® from Lord Corp., in long-term stability (4 months) and stability under dynamic loading. Bidisperse MRFs were stable between 20 °C and 60 °C. Most importantly, the excellent performance of the bidisperse MRFs in dampers designed for washing machines suggests that these MRFs may provide comparable damping forces with much better stability, ensuring longer shelf-life and longer lifetime in use.

Quantifying the real-world CO2 emissions and energy consumption of modern plug-in hybrid vehicles

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) can be classified as low CO 2 emissions vehicles in Europe if they emit no more than 50 g/km, and are viewed as favourable transitional technology for road transport electrification. Some recent studies challenge their effectiveness in reducing CO 2 emissions in real-world conditions. This study tested four Euro 6 PHEVs, both in the laboratory and on the road, for CO 2 emissions and energy consumption. The experimental results show that PHEVs in-use CO 2 emissions can range from 0 to 6 times the official type-approval CO 2 value. The results were analysed to derive relevant operation models and emission factors and benchmark their in-use performance with respect to the officially declared consumption values. A three-dimensional CO 2 emissions model is proposed based on charge level and average trip speed or wheel energy. When considering different users' charging practices and representative real-world conditions, PHEVs in-use CO 2 emissions are 1.5–2 times the official type-approval CO 2 value. Although the real-world emissions of plug-in hybrids appear to increase compared to the official values, they generally remain lower than conventional powertrains. The single-modelling element approach presented offers a novel, robust, and simple to implement way to include PHEVs in planning exercises, emissions calculation models to support national and regional inventories, lifecycle emissions estimates, and fleet-wide emissions monitoring tools.

Automated Ensemble for Deep Learning Inference on Edge Computing Platforms

Advances in deep learning (DL) have triggered an explosion of mobile intelligence, posing a soaring demand for computing resources that cannot be satisfied by mobile devices. In this article, we employ <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">edge computing</i> to deliver better DL inference services to end users. The key is to leverage deep neural network (DNN) ensemble techniques that provide state-of-the-art performance for many machine learning applications in terms of inference accuracy and robustness. Compared to end devices, the edge computing platform is endowed with more powerful computing resources, making it feasible to implement DNN ensembles for DL inferences. However, due to the constrained computing capacity of edge servers and the possible service response deadline, an edge server can only use a limited number of DNNs to construct DNN ensembles. This poses a unique problem, namely, DNN ensemble selection, for identifying the best-fit DNN ensembles. We propose a novel algorithm called automated DNN ensemble selection (AES) algorithm to solve this problem. Because DNNs exhibit performance variations over different distributions of input data, AES adaptively determines a DNN ensemble according to the features of admitted inference tasks. AES is an online learning algorithm that learns DNNs’ in-use performance over time. An ensemble selection rule is further designed as a subroutine of AES to recruit members into the DNN ensemble based on the accuracy and diversity of DNNs. In particular, we theoretically prove that AES can achieve asymptotic optimality. We carry out experiments on real-world data sets. The results show that using the DNN ensemble technique on edge computing platforms dramatically improves the DL inference quality, and AES outperforms other benchmark schemes.

Building performance evaluation of low-energy dwellings with and without smart thermostats

Smart thermostats allow continuous learning, remote scheduling and control of indoor temperature. This paper empirically evaluates indoor environmental conditions, occupant experiences and prevalence of summertime overheating in three low-energy dwellings with smart thermostats and compares the results with three similar dwellings with standard programmable thermostats. The study uses building performance evaluation methods combining time-series data on temperature, relative humidity and window opening with survey data on occupant perception of thermal comfort and heating control over the period 2019–2020. While there was little difference observed in the measured and perceived indoor temperatures between dwellings with and without smart thermostats, the six dwellings were different in the way they heated their homes and controlled their indoor environment. A wide indoor temperature range of 16oC–22oC was observed in dwellings with smart thermostats during the heating season. The majority of dwellings also experienced summertime overheating with temperatures in bedrooms going up to 34oC. Individual heating preferences dominated the use of smart or standard thermostats ranging from Cool Conserver, On-off Switcher to On-demand Sizzler. It is vital that energy models consider a range of heating preferences to avoid a gap between expectation and reality. Practical application: Actual in-use performance of dwellings with smart thermostats is necessary for their large-scale deployment. A wide range of thermostat behaviours are documented; therefore, it is vital that energy models consider a range of heating preferences to minimise the gap between energy models and reality. As smart home appliances and controls become more commonplace, the findings demonstrate their need for resident training and trouble-shooting support to ensure smart thermostats deliver their expected benefits. Since most of the case study dwellings experienced summertime overheating, it is also vital that building design tackles overheating through passive measures.

Performance of BS-VI catalyst and influence of deactivation conditions on emission durability for commercial vehicle applications

On one hand, to bring down the vehicular pollution levels, the Indian government implemented BS-VI emission standards from April 2020. On the other hand, future regulatory requirements for in-use compliance of large sources like heavy-duty vehicles (HDV) are monitored using Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PEMS). Henceforth, to meet these regulatory emissions requirements, the advancement in catalyst technologies is progressing rapidly to meet the ever-tightening control on tailpipe emissions. It is also imperative to ensure no significant catalyst performance deterioration throughout the useful emission life of the vehicle. However, for such catalyst technology, performance durability validation is important based on vehicle market and duty cycle applications. Moreover, the durability of the selected catalyst is validated for emission performance after accelerated regeneration conditions to understand the thermal stability and the sintering effect of catalyst behaviour in an engine rig. Based on this, the significance of catalyst technology selection for commercial vehicle applications as well as catalyst validations for the Indian market are discussed in this paper. Related to in-use performance, the catalyst performance behaviour after a vehicle mileage accumulation of 160,0000 km and the exhaust emissions under real-world conditions using PEMS are also conversed.

Comfort and technical installations in Danish low-energy homes: reconnecting design intention and domestic perceptions

ABSTRACT In order to reduce energy use and improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ), new and retrofitted dwellings are increasingly equipped with complex heating and mechanical ventilation solutions, which occupants have to learn to use and live with. This work investigates the different ways in which occupants integrate these technologies into daily domestic practices, the associated difficulties and their potential consequences on comfort and building performance. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with occupants of 37 new and retrofitted low-energy dwellings around Copenhagen (Denmark), focusing on occupants’ domestication of underfloor heating and mechanical ventilation. While most respondents were largely satisfied with the IEQ in their homes, the interviews highlighted a disconnection between expected and real uses and perceptions of these technologies. The design assumptions were sometimes unable to reflect occupants’ expectations, including regarding personal control needs. Moreover, installation and operational failures were frequent and difficult for users to diagnose and correct, as they lacked relatable technical guidance. Consequently, occupants often resorted to alternative ways of taking control, which could prove detrimental for energy use and IEQ. The findings highlight the need for incorporating interdisciplinary insights on in-use performance in the design and installation of building systems, making them more robust, reliable and transparent.

Decoupling the heat loss coefficient of an in-use office building into its transmission and infiltration heat loss coefficients

The actual building energy performance essentially depends on the building occupant's behaviour, the real performance of the installed energy systems and the in-use performance of the building envelope. The thermal performance characterization of in-use building envelopes, based on monitored data, represents a crucial step towards bridging the gap between the designed and as-built energy performance of buildings. The main indicator to analyse the performance gap of building envelopes is the Heat Loss Coefficient (HLC); when measured, it commonly shows considerable differences when compared with the design value. This research goes further and proposes a method, based on monitored data from in-use buildings, for the decoupling of the HLC of in-use buildings into its transmission (UA) and infiltration (C v ) heat loss coefficients, in order to identify the origin of the heat losses. The identification of this origin will facilitate the reduction of the performance gap. Therefore, a multi-storey occupied office building of the University of the Basque Country has been monitored and analysed, where the in-use HLC for each floor and for the whole building have already been estimated using an average method. Then, based on the ASTM D6245-18 Standard, the decay method of the metabolic CO 2 of the building's occupants has been successfully applied in this paper to obtain the Air Change per Hour (ACH) rates due to infiltrations. These ACH values have been used to decouple the estimated HLC values into their transmission and infiltration parts. • Metabolic CO 2 concentration decay method for estimating C v value of in-use buildings. • Decoupling the HLC into transmission (UA) and infiltration (C v ) heat loss coefficients. • Identify the heat losses origin in order to understand the building performance gap.

Australian non-domestic buildings policy as an international exemplar

The Australian policy approach, based on the NABERS energy performance benchmarking scheme for commercial offices, is promoted as a ‘success story’ and is of interest to governments internationally. This paper explores the evidence for the impacts of the Australian approach on energy use and carbon emissions, identifies the key elements of its conception, design and implementation, and investigates the role of government. It uses a mixture of literature review, re-analysis of quantitative data and analysis of 30 original stakeholder interviews. The literature suggests that NABERS’ appeal to multiple benefits of energy efficiency and its place in the wider policy mix should help deliver positive results. Analysis of publicly available data has highlighted data gaps. However, evidence suggests significant energy savings have been made, although the attribution to NABERS alone, given the policy mix, is uncertain. The interviews show high levels of agreement that the policy mix has transformed large commercial office buildings. They also highlight the wide range of actors mobilised to deliver this change and the central role of well-designed government intervention and support. The Australian experience is rightly of interest to international governments, but they must recognise that replicating its success requires attention to detail and long-term commitment. <em><strong>Policy relevance</strong></em> The decarbonisation of commercial buildings is challenging and many countries, including the UK, are struggling to make progress. In-use performance benchmarking policies such as NABERS are considered to be effective by engaging with industry and promoting the multiple benefits of energy efficiency. The lessons from the Australian experience help to identify four key policy design features for governments to consider: (1) political leadership, adequate financial resources and people with the right engineering and market skills and experience; (2) an in-use performance benchmark designed to allow industry to innovate and aligned with the way both buildings and energy managers operate; (3) the careful and progressive application of government interventions to tackle poor performance without compromising the voluntary nature of the policy; and (4) a governance model to give industry effective, but measured and proportionate, influence over the design and implementation of the policy.

The influence of ophiolitic crushed fine aggregate properties on the performance of cement mortars

Aggregates constitute the largest proportion of the raw materials used for the production of mortars. Therefore, their quality significantly influences the in-use performance of the aforementioned composite building materials. This paper investigates the influence of ophiolitic crushed fine aggregate, quarried in Cyprus, on the performance of cement mortars. The experimental results vividly show that the mineralogical composition and physicomechanical properties of the fine aggregate materials under study highly affect the properties of the hardened cement mortars. More specifically, cement mortars prepared with “poor quality” aggregates, exhibiting high methylene blue and Micro-Deval loss values, showed inferior physicomechanical properties, compared to composites prepared with “better quality” aggregates. Sound correlations were also found between the mineralogy of aggregates and the physicomechanical properties of the hardened composites. This suggests that the combination of standardized aggregate characterization tests and mineralogical analyses may prove useful in assessing the quality of aggregates, prior to their use in mortar production.

Evaluation of the theoretical and in-use performance of Exhaust Air Heat Pumps

Integrated units that combine Exhaust Air Heat Pumps (EAHPs) with Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) and, in some instances, Domestic Hot Water Storage (DHW), are becoming increasingly popular in the domestic market across Europe with over 24,000 EAHPs purchased in the EU in 2017 alone. Early research into using EAHPs demonstrated energy savings being conservatively between 20% and 50% when compared to conventional systems. Recent research has suggested that, in reality, EAHPs in-use energy performance can be worse than that estimated by various standardised theoretical assessment methods (COP/SPF in the range of 0.4 to 6.0). More worryingly, published data on this in-use operation is effectively non-existent for NZEB type dwellings and few studies have stress tested the robustness of the EN standards in accounting for the effects of in-use operation. The study presented in this paper investigated whether the standard methods used to predict in-use energy performance are sufficiently robust and adequately capture operational performance for EAHP systems. The energy performance of two identical EAHP systems in Ireland (one rural/ one urban) were monitored for close to 12 months. During the live in-use monitoring period, the EAHPs had ‘heat-pump/heat recovery only’ operating mode ratios of 16%/84% and 22%/77% for rural and urban systems respectively. The average HRE in-use efficiency was 92% and 64% for the rural and urban systems respectively. While the manufacturers stated Seasonal performance factors (SPF) ranging from 2.2 (for DHW) to 5.8 (for Space Heating), the average in-use SPF was found to vary between 1.7 and 3.8 depending on the boundary reported and the location. More research is urgently required in order to bring much needed clarity for designers and energy assessors regarding which boundaries can be universally applied to EAHP systems. Given the range of SPF which could apply to the HP’s examined, the paper highlights the importance of ensuring that realistic indicators of in use performance are provided, aiding appropriate decision-making by policymakers, industry and end-users.

In-Use Performance of Air-to-Water Heat Pumps: are the Standards robust?

This paper presents an energy performance comparison of air to water heat pump manufacturer quoted values, calculated seasonal performance values from standards and actual in-use values for space heating mode only. Within this, the paper determines whether an in-use factor would be suitable to correct performance predictions where differences exist. The paper also presents an in-use Carnot efficiency. Over five weeks of high-resolution data during winter and shoulder season conditions were collected and analysed for three different systems. The average in-use Carnot efficiency was found to vary largely from system to system (0.19 to 0.42). All heat pumps were found to underperform on average with respect to their standardised energy performance certificate values. The difference between standardised values and in-use values was between 11% and 53% in relative terms. The gap in performance is thought to be due to oversized or under-utilised systems. Standardised methodologies appear unable to capture potential under-performance in these types of systems. An in-use factor appeared to be an inappropriate approach in reflecting this difference. Further investigations are required to incorporate these risks into standards.

Landlords and tenants must work together to meet net zero carbon targets

Almost one-third of the UK’s total emissions relate to the energy used in existing buildings. This paper discusses how it is clear that improvements in the energy efficiency performance of buildings (and the way in which occupiers use them) are absolutely central to the UK Government’s 2050 net zero carbon emissions target. It anaylyses how some of the impetus towards driving down operational energy usage is statute-led (such as the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting [SERC] regulations) but so too is the upshift in emand for greener buildings from occupiers and investors. The paper dicusses the numerous ways in which improvements can be made to a building and its services that may well improve its energy performance certificate (EPC), but also argues that it is vitally important to educate occupiers on ways in which their actions can have a huge impact on the building’s in-use performance. The paper discusses a significant hurdle to implementing energy efficiency improvements: currently, most commercial leases do not adequately address the issues involved, including often highly contentious areas such as consent for alterations, whether it is the landlord or the tenant that pays, and whether or not changes need to be reinstated at lease end. The paper analyses ways to address this: by moving the way in which leases are drafted towards the green lease model, such as that set out in the Better Building Partnership Green Lease Toolkit. Such leases include clauses which provide for environmental performance improvements, management and monitoring as well as the way reinstatement at least end is dealt with. In the paper concludes that, alongside implementing physical energy efficiency improvements, monitoring energy use and educating building users, landlords and tenants must forge a new, collaborative approach in order to reach net zero by 2050.

Metrics for energy performance in operation: the fallacy of single indicators

Many countries and organisations have now endorsed the climate emergency. New and existing buildings must play a big part in tackling this, though past history has been disappointing, e.g. with major gaps between predicted and actual energy performance. What metrics should be used to understand a building’s energy and carbon performance in operation? Here there is uncertainty. For example, the United States is introducing carbon metrics, the UK has used them for many years, while the European Union recently made primary energy the common standard. Even though the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions may be the prime objective, UK experience suggests that undue concentration on any single headline metric can lead to severe unintended outcomes. The paper outlines the history and some results of various energy and carbon metrics used in UK policies and publications for non-domestic buildings since the 1973 oil crisis, with a few examples from other countries. It suggests how multiple indicators may help resolve future problems, what metrics might be used and how to make the underlying detail more accessible, e.g. with component and system benchmarks.Policy relevanceRecent UK policy on the climate impact of buildings has been largely framed in terms of CO2. This seemingly sensible paradigm has had unintended consequences. (1) Contributions from low-energy ‘passive’ design; efficient equipment; good construction, commissioning and handover; effective energy management; and renewable and low-carbon energy supplies are conflated. There is no target for energy consumption itself. (2) This has divorced building professionals from the realities of in-use performance and deprived many of the necessary agency to improve it. (3) The limited amount of feedback means that policies can favour measures that look good in theory, but which do not work well in practice. This can make buildings too complicated, with high operational and management costs. To stimulate sustainable investment in truly low-carbon buildings, a suite of metrics and benchmarks needs to focus on performance in practice and motivate all the players involved. Elements of a viable approach are presented. Once in-use energy performance becomes reliably visible, action can become more effective.

Енергетичні витрати у приводі компресора гальмівної системи автомобільних транспортних засобів

Визначено умови, за яких виникають найбільші енергетичні витрати під час роботи компресора автомобільного транспортного засобу (АТЗ). Розроблено методику оцінювання витрат енергії на привод компресора. Запропоновано у ролі показника експлуатаційної ефективності автомобільного компресора величину питомої приводної потужності. Показником експлуатаційної ефективності компресора, окрім надійного живлення гальмівної системи та надійності конструкції, є витрати енергії для його привода. Зазначений показник безпосередньо впливає на паливну ощадливість автомобіля та опосередковано – на надійність конструктивних елементів гальмівної системи і автомобіля загалом. Метою дослідження є спроба розробити методику оцінювання величини енергетичних витрат для привода компресора автомобіля з урахуванням умов і режимів експлуатації. Для запобігання тривалій безперервній роботі компресора і його частих вмиканням, а також для підтримання нормального тиску в системі в разі випадкових збільшень витрат повітря, у АТЗ застосовують компресори, масова продуктивність яких у 4…6 разів більша від масової витрати повітря на одне повне гальмування. Значення витрат потужності двигуна на привод компресора у будь-який момент часу знаходиться у діапазоні, мінімальне значення якого відповідає відсутності протитиску на виході компресора, а максимальне відповідає нагнітанню компресора при протитиску, рівному номінальному значенню тиску в пневмосистемі. Величина приводної потужності компресора складається із двох складових: постійної і змінної. Постійна становить витрати потужності за відсутності протитиску. Змінна залежить від умов експлуатації, тобто інтенсивності гальмувань, що визначають тривалість роботи компресора під повним навантаженням. Для мінімізації витрат потужності двигуна для привода компресора, важливою є його експлуатаційна ефективність. Показником експлуатаційної ефективності компресора доцільно прийняти величину його питомої потужності привода – відношення приводної потужності компресора до його продуктивності. Питома потужність привода компресорів одного і того самого діапазону потужності може значно відрізнятися – практично у півтора раза. Це пояснюють значною різницею механічних ККД компресорів. Під час вибору компресора для живлення пневмосистеми АТЗ, окрім необхідної продуктивності, потрібно враховувати і питому потужність привода для зменшення енерговитрат двигуна для привода компресора. Результати роботи: визначено умови, за яких виникають найбільші енергетичні витрати під час роботи компресора АТЗ; розроблено методику оцінювання витрат енергії двигуна АТЗ для привода компресора; показником експлуатаційної ефективності автомобільного компресора доцільно прийняти величину питомої потужності привода.

Послеремонтные испытания электрических машин шагающих экскаваторов

Dragline excavators are the main means of mechanization in mining coal fields. The operational reliability and in-use performance of the overburden dragline excavators determine the mining enterprises’ capacity. The aim of the study is to increase the reliability of the excavators’ electromechanical equipment. The main research method is modeling of the electromagnetic processes taking place in the after-repair tests of the excavator’s electric machines. The study has shown that the failures of the mining equipment operating in the northern part of Russia are of both mechanical and electromechanical nature. The failures associated with electromechanical emergency conditions are more often caused by the failure of the direct-current electric machines of the excavators’ main drives. To ensure the high quality of the repair and reduce the risk of failure, all electrical machines must undergo appropriate post-repair tests including those under load. The existing loading methods involve mechanical aggregation of the electric machine with the load devices. It is difficult to implement these methods when testing large direct-current electric machines in the conditions of the repair plants. Obviously, the development of the test methods that exclude mechanical aggregation of the electric machines and load devices is important and promising. Static loading of electrical machines is proposed as one of the above methods. The method implies dividing the test in two stages. In the first stage, static current loading is performed, and in the second stage, dynamic current and mechanical loading are carried out in the modes close to operational ones. The study of the control system developed for the electric drive of the test stand has shown that the system is functional and allows the testing of the direct-current electric machines in full.

Assessing building performance in residential buildings using BIM and sensor data

PurposeBuildings and their use is a complex process from design to occupation. Buildings produce huge volumes of data such as building information modelling (BIM), sensor (e.g. from building management systems), occupant and building maintenance data. These data can be spread across multiple disconnected systems in numerous formats, making their combined analysis difficult. The purpose of this paper is to bring these sources of data together, to provide a more complete account of a building and, consequently, a more comprehensive basis for understanding and managing its performance.Design/methodology/approachBuilding data from a sample of newly constructed housing units were analysed, several properties were identified for the study and sensors deployed. A sensor agnostic platform for visualising real-time building performance data was developed.FindingsData sources from both sensor data and qualitative questionnaire were analysed and a matrix of elements affecting building performance in areas such as energy use, comfort use, integration with technology was presented. In addition, a prototype sensor visualisation platform was designed to connect in-use performance data to BIM.Originality/valueThis work presents initial findings from a post occupancy evaluation utilising sensor data. The work attempts to address the issues of BIM in-use scenarios for housing sector. A prototype was developed which can be fully developed and replicated to wider housing projects. The findings can better address how indoor thermal comfort parameters can be used to improve housing stock and even address elements such as machine learning for better buildings.

Моделирование системы управления электроприводом подъема экскаватора ЭШ 20.90 при работе в тяжелых горнотехнических условиях

Walking excavators (ESH) are the main mechanization means when developing coal fields in the regions of Siberia. The operational reliability and in-use performance of overburden dragline excavators determine the mining enterprises’ capacity. The previous studies show that a large percentage of the failures of the mechanical equipment used in opencast mining is connected with the draglines. Reduction of the dynamic load in the kinematic elements of the ESH 20.90 lifting drive increases the operational reliability of the excavators operating in arduous conditions. The statistical analysis has shown that most of the excavators’ breakdowns are connected with the failures of their traction and lifting mechanisms. Therefore, to increase the draglines’ reliability, it is necessary to limit the load on the kinematic elements of the mechanical structure in the periods of the year with a significant temperature gradient. For this purpose, a standard closed-loop control system of the lifting electric drive has been modelled. The modelling has shown an unacceptable level of the dynamic loads arising in the kinematic elements of the excavators operating at low temperatures. As a result, an advanced lifting drive control system for the ESH 20.90 excavator has been developed. The system allows to control the engine torque by the speed, and to stabilize the sustained power of the drive. The study has shown that the suggested system significantly reduces the dynamic stress in the mechanical elements and therefore, increases the excavator’s operational reliability. The application of the developed control system for the lifting drives of dragline excavators has been substantiated.

Principles of developing physical test methods for disposable consumer products

Abstract Strength, softness, and absorbency have been identified as the key attributes for disposable consumer products such as tissue, towel and diapers. These attributes are generally evaluated subjectively by users. Although subjective evaluation may be necessary for developing such consumer products, it is time-consuming and expensive. More importantly, it seldom provides guidance or direction regarding process control or product development. The main reason is because subjective evaluation is performed after the fact (ex post facto), not before the event (not ex ante). Accordingly, it has been desirable to develop physical test methods to predict in-use performance of a consumer product. In developing physical test methods to link with subjective evaluation, reliable and relevant subjective data is necessary. Developing physical test methods for softness of hygiene paper has been extremely challenging. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate a feasibility of developing physical test methods which can be highly related to subjective evaluation. To this end, it is hypothesized that tissue softness mainly consists of bulk softness and surface softness. It is assumed that the bulk softness should be determined from bulk stiffness which is defined as the slope between the two specified points in a load-elongation curve from tensile testing. It is also assumed that the surface softness should be determined from the surface properties (roughness and friction) from a surface tester (e. g., Model: KES-SESRU. Kato Tech, Japan). It is suggested that the principles used here for developing physical test methods for tissue softness should be also applicable to other physical properties such as strength and absorbency.