Building Systems Research Articles

From consumers to pioneers: insights from thermal energy communities in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands

BackgroundWhile energy communities working on electricity provision have been extensively studied, thermal energy communities (TECs) focusing on bringing district heating (DH) systems to decarbonise heat systems in buildings have been relatively under-researched. This study addresses this gap by presenting the first comprehensive examination of key factors influencing the emergence and development of TEC projects in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. The study uses an established analytical framework from previous research encompassing seven dimensions: market structure, hard- and soft institutions, financing, physical infrastructure, capacity, and interactions with other stakeholders. Data are gathered through a literature review and interviews.ResultsTECs have emerged at different times in each country, shaped by contextual circumstances and diverse forms of institutional support. Elements that have supported the development of TECs are regulatory frameworks promoting DH growth, heat decarbonisation policies, economic incentives to use waste heat in plants, targeted financing mechanisms, and assistance to enhance the capacity of TECs. External factors such as high oil prices, seismic events, and recent rising energy prices have also spurred project initiation. TECs also rely on additional factors for success, including organisational and entrepreneurial abilities to engage with stakeholders, gain social acceptance, and secure commitment from community members. Involvement from local government, intermediary organisations, and private companies is crucial for TEC implementation.Among the studied countries, Danish TECs stand out as the most developed, benefiting from a stable policy environment, decades of experience with DH and TEC, and positive societal perceptions. Conversely, Dutch and German TECs face challenges because of the early stage of their heat transition, dealing with financial obstacles, underdeveloped policies, unfamiliarity with DH technology and with TECs, as well as the need for expensive infrastructure changes. Shared challenges across regions include capacity limitations in small projects and implementing cost-effective, local, and sustainable heat sources.ConclusionsIn light of the study's findings, policymakers must consider establishing stable, integral and flexible policies supporting heat decarbonisation and TECs, addressing TECs' reliance on limited capacities, involving TECs in local heat municipal plans, and facilitating high DH connection rates where DH is the most cost-effective solution from a socio-economic perspective.

An integrated framework for sustainable retrofitting of existing university buildings

Energy consumption is a global problem facing the world. According to the latest studies, and there is a great opportunity of reduction of the carbon dioxide emissions by re-considering the existing non-residential buildings, such as educational, commercial, and administrative facilities. This study investigates the concepts of sustainable retrofitting of existing university buildings. A framework for sustainable retrofitting of university buildings is developed. The framework illustrates the workflow including the different phases of retrofitting, and the possible choices for optimizing energy consumption within the different systems of university buildings. Thus, reaching a step towards green buildings by working on the existing built environment, not only new construction projects.

Integrated Renewable Energy Systems for Buildings: An Assessment of the Environmental and Socio-Economic Sustainability

Developing a green energy strategy for municipalities requires creating a framework to support the local production, storage, and use of renewable energy and green hydrogen. This framework should cover essential components for small-scale applications, including energy sources, infrastructure, potential uses, policy backing, and collaborative partnerships. It is deployed as a small-scale renewable and green hydrogen unit in a municipality or building demands meticulous planning and considering multiple elements. Municipality can promote renewable energy and green hydrogen by adopting policies such as providing financial incentives like property tax reductions, grants, and subsidies for solar, wind, and hydrogen initiatives. They can also streamline approval processes for renewable energy installations, invest in hydrogen refueling stations and community energy projects, and collaborate with provinces and neighboring municipalities to develop hydrogen corridors and large-scale renewable projects. Renewable energy and clean hydrogen have significant potential to enhance sustainability in the transportation, building, and mining sectors by replacing fossil fuels. In Canada, where heating accounts for 80% of building energy use, blending hydrogen with LPG can reduce emissions. This study proposes a comprehensive approach integrating renewable energy and green hydrogen to support small-scale applications. The study examines many scenarios in a building as a case study, focusing on economic and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission impacts. The optimum scenario uses a hybrid renewable energy system to meet two distinct electrical needs, with 53% designated for lighting and 10% for equipment with annual saving CAD$ 87,026.33. The second scenario explores utilizing a hydrogen-LPG blend as fuel for thermal loads, covering 40% and 60% of the total demand, respectively. This approach reduces greenhouse gas emissions from 540 to 324 tCO2/year, resulting in an annual savings of CAD$ 251,406. This innovative approach demonstrates the transformative potential of renewable energy and green hydrogen in enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability across sectors, including transportation, buildings, and mining.

Using group model building to frame the commercial determinants of dietary behaviour in adolescence – findings from online system mapping workshops with adolescents, policymakers and public health practitioners in the Southwest of England

BackgroundIn England, 23% of children aged 11 start their teenage years living with obesity. An adolescent living with obesity is five times more likely to live with obesity in adult life. There is limited research and policy incorporating adolescents’ views on how they experience the commercial determinants of dietary behaviour and obesity, which misses an opportunity to improve services and policies that aim to influence the prevalence of childhood obesity. This study reports the findings from online Group Model Building system mapping workshops in which we explored the mechanisms by which commercial drivers influence adolescents’ dietary behaviour.MethodsWe ran a series of 3 online Group Model Building workshops with adolescents and one Group Model Building workshop with policymakers and public health practitioners. Adolescents portrayed their views on how food and beverage industries influence what they choose to buy and eat in a system map, and then proposed a set of policy actions to promote healthier food environments. We shared the system map created by adolescents with policymakers and public health practitioners to reflect on how current policy interventions match adolescents’ views on the most influential factors.ResultsThe system map contains 37 elements connected by 70 hypothesised causal links and five feedback loops. These elements were grouped into six themes that portray the complexity of factors that influence adolescents’ food choices in their physical and digital environments, disproportionately encouraging the consumption of unhealthy products. Policymakers and public health practitioners reflected on the power and the deep level of influence food companies exert on adolescents’ behaviour. They recognised that the coexisting influence of food marketing and social media on mental health and body image is not well reflected in current policy and research efforts.ConclusionsThis study highlights the need for public health policymaking processes to provide youth with a space to voice influential elements and consequences, thereby co-creating policies and designing interventions to buffer risk factors and increase well-being in this critical transitional stage.

Hierarchical rGO‐Based Triboelectric Sensors Enable Motion Monitoring and Trajectory Tracking

AbstractFlexible sensors are increasingly recognized for their transformative potential in wearable electronic devices, medical monitoring, and human‐computer interaction. Despite the advancements, developing a flexible sensor array with a simple structure and large area preparation for effective signal sensing and monitoring capabilities remains challenging. In this study, a hierarchical rGO‐based flexible triboelectric sensor (HG‐FTS) is scalably prepared by a simple blade‐coating approach, in which the nitrogen‐doped reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheet is hierarchically deposited in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer. The flexible triboelectric sensor performed in single electrode mode not only demonstrates exceptional reliability and consistency but also achieves a maximum voltage of ≈129 V and a power density of ≈0.5 W m−2. These characteristics enable the real‐time monitoring of human physiological signals and joint motion with high fidelity. Furthermore, an intelligent human‐computer interactive control system is developed using the HG‐FTS, featuring a digital array touch screen with a rectangular pattern. The build system can be successfully used for pressure sensing, object shape recognition, and trajectory tracking. This work provides a viable solution to the large area preparation and high‐performance flexible sensor manufacturing and demonstrates the potential application of HG‐FTS in human‐computer interaction, signal monitoring, and intelligent sensing.

Design and Analysis of Green Building Solar Energy Utilization System Based on BIM

In order to intuitively present the layout and design of the solar energy utilization system, improve the integrity, and consistency of the design. Design and analyze the solar energy utilization system of green buildings based on Building Information Model (BIM). The data acquisition layer collects relevant data of green buildings and solar energy utilization system in RFID and WSN mode and transmits them to the data processing layer; the data processing layer filters the data related to green buildings and solar energy utilization system according to IPC construction standards, and transmits them to the model layer through the Internet of Things; the model layer uses the REVIT software combined with the filtered data to build and update the BIM model of green buildings and solar energy utilization system, intuitively present the layout and design of the solar energy utilization system, and improve the integrity and consistency of the design; the application layer uses the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model, combined with the green building and solar energy utilization system BIM model, to simulate and analyze the solar energy utilization system environment of green buildings; the user layer provides users with human–computer interaction functions to view the design and analysis process of the solar energy utilization system of green buildings. Experiments show that this method can effectively collect relevant data of green buildings and establish a BIM model of solar energy utilization system; this method can effectively design the solar energy utilization system of green buildings; the solar energy utilization system designed by this method can effectively reduce the electric heating capacity of green buildings, and has an excellent energy-saving effect.

Enhancing flood resilience: Comparative analysis of single and hybrid defense systems for vulnerable buildings

Enhancing flood resilience: Comparative analysis of single and hybrid defense systems for vulnerable buildings

Innovative hybrid 4th generation geothermal system for zero-carbon hotel buildings in cold climate

Innovative hybrid 4th generation geothermal system for zero-carbon hotel buildings in cold climate

Exploring the Integration of Renewable Energy in Building Cooling Systems: A Review of Articles

As the earth’s global warming and other environmental problems keep getting worst, the world is moving towards sustainable practices both passive and technologically, especially in energy production and consumption. An important step towards these sustainable practices is the incorporation of renewable energies into our systems. The integration of renewable energy in building cooling systems represents an important shift towards sustainable energy practices. There have been recent research works on the integration of wind, geothermal, and solar energy systems into buildings cooling system in order to minimize environmental effects and increase efficiencies, while making the world more sustainable. This paper seeks to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of using sustainable technologies of solar-powered or geothermal cooling systems in commercial or residential buildings, by reviewing articles on these sustainable practices, aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of existing literature, highlight trends, and identify gaps in the articles. These articles to be reviewed are valuable resources for understanding the current state of research on sustainable cooling systems.

Optimization of design parameters and operation conditions of solar-air source heat pump coupled system for rural buildings in cold and severe cold regions

Integrating solar energy utilization into air source heat pump heating systems can effectively cut down on energy consumption. However, the complexity of coupled systems poses a challenge to system performance optimization. In this paper, a solar-air source heat pump coupled system designed for heating in cold (Beijing) and severe cold (Changchun) regions is developed and analyzed by TRNSYS software. Response surface methodology (RSM) is employed to establish regression models for different performance indicators, and then the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) is adopted to solve the multi-objective optimization of interactive performance parameters through Pareto optimal solution set. The regression models of the performance indicators, i.e., the energy consumption (P), the solar energy assurance rate (Ar) and the ratio of heating supply from solar energy storage tank to building load (Hs), are found to be closely related to the area of solar collectors (A) and the volumes of storage tanks (Vl for solar collector loop and Vs for ASHP loop). The obtained Pareto set successfully balances the optimal values of interactive performance indicators. In cold regions, P, Ar, Hs of the coupled system can be improved respectively by 31.79%, 33.00% and 40.07% compared to the single air source heat pump system. While in severe cold regions, these improvements are 16.25%, 15.35% and 28.38%, respectively. The design method and optimization procedure of this study provide a basis for the optimization of the solar and auxiliary heat source coupled heating systems.

Innovative modular systems for high-rise buildings

This paper presents the advancements in modular construction, highlighting steel and concrete modular systems, alongside an innovative lightweight and long span steel-concrete composite approach. It emphasizes the constructability, strength, and robustness of these systems, with steel modular systems leveraging lightweight properties for swift assembly and structural integrity through corner support systems, while concrete modular systems prioritize durability and fire resistance employing composite structural wall systems. The proposed lightweight steel-concrete composite system integrates the benefits of both materials, offering extended spans, durability, flexibility, and ease of assembly. Robust fast joining techniques coupled with lightweight steel fibre-reinforced slim floor system ensure expedited installation and global stability. The integration of automation and prefabrication techniques revolutionizes construction practices, enhancing productivity, efficiency, and quality. Additionally, this paper suggests further research directions to develop even more efficient, sustainable building solutions, unlocking new possibilities for the construction industry to improve productivity and resolve site installation challenges.

Technoeconomic assessment of a solar-driven adsorption-based space conditioning system for low-energy multi-unit residential buildings in canada

Technoeconomic assessment of a solar-driven adsorption-based space conditioning system for low-energy multi-unit residential buildings in canada

Water Balance Modeling as a Tool for Assessing the Inventory Flows of Urban Water Systems and Water Consumption in Buildings

Water Balance Modeling as a Tool for Assessing the Inventory Flows of Urban Water Systems and Water Consumption in Buildings

Experimental characterization of the mechanical and functional performance of innovative ultra-low carbon sandwich panels and envelope systems for buildings

Experimental characterization of the mechanical and functional performance of innovative ultra-low carbon sandwich panels and envelope systems for buildings

Effectiveness of Friction Damper Configurations on the Behaviour of Bundled Tube High-Rise Building System for Lateral Loads

Effectiveness of Friction Damper Configurations on the Behaviour of Bundled Tube High-Rise Building System for Lateral Loads

Disassembly and Reuse of Demountable Modular Building Systems

Disassembly and Reuse of Demountable Modular Building Systems

Metadata schema for virtual building models in digital twins: VB schema implemented in GPT-based applications

A virtual building model (VBM) is a virtual entity that represents the physical behavior of a target building mathematically within a digital twin environment. The creation and synchronization of a VBM are achieved by utilizing various interrelated virtual sub-models, including behavior, correction, and distance models. To achieve continuous digital twinning, it is essential to manage the VBM with virtual sub-models. However, these metadata schemas have limitations in describing VBMs representing operational building behaviors within the concept of building digital twins (DTs). Therefore, this study proposes a novel metadata schema, termed the virtual building model metadata schema (VB schema), to represent and manage VBMs in DT-built environments. The VB schema is established according to the mathematical and semantic ontology of the in-situ modeling and calibration approach for constructing and correcting virtual models during building operations, and it is linked to physical entities, data, and applications within DTs. Specifically, it involves: (1) determining classes for operational data and virtual models; (2) establishing relationships for interactions between model and data entities, between model classes, between model and physical entities, and between model and applications; (3) defining properties for each class of models; and (4) extending into the exiting metadata schema of Brick. To demonstrate the proposed VB schema, a virtual model describing supply pressure behaviors in a central heating system was developed and represented using the VB schema for DT-enabled building operations. Additionally, the VB schema was utilized for implementing generative pre-trained transformer (GPT)-based DT applications, which highlights its benefits in enhancing ontology comprehension of DTs in the context of VBMs, improving autonomous problem-solving capabilities in real building systems, and providing better interpretation of application results compared to cases where only the Brick schema was used. The VB schema is expected to enable continuous and autonomous in-situ management of VBMs for intelligent building services within the DT.

A Theoretical Prediction for Shear Capacity of Cellular Solid Shear Walls

Steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) nowadays are accepted as an efficient lateral force-resisting system, especially for high-rise structures, because of their large initial stiffness and high level of energy absorption. There are different types of SPSWs based on their infill plate type. Cellular solid shear walls (CSSWs) are innovative steel shear walls filled with cellular solids. CSSWs can be useful for special architectural designs because of their unique appearance and openings. Whereas many studies have been reported on the SPSWs, there is a shortage of studies about CSSWs. This study presents the results of a detailed, numerical parametric analysis of triangular and quadrilateral CSSWs under monotonic loading in terms of their shear capacity, initial stiffness, and ductility, and also compares them with SPSWs. The investigated parameters are the size of cells, the cellular solid depth, and the cell wall thickness. The study results indicate that at the same capacity, the quadrilateral cellular solids are far lighter than triangular ones, making the quadrilateral CSSWs more suitable for use. In addition, the findings reveal that the performance of CSSWs is good enough to be used as a lateral force-resisting system in buildings. Finally, a practical procedure for the strength capacity of CSSWs based on the theoretical strip model is proposed.

Intelligent adjustment and energy consumption optimization of the fresh air system in hospital buildings based on Fuzzy Logic and Genetic Algorithms

Intelligent adjustment and energy consumption optimization of the fresh air system in hospital buildings based on Fuzzy Logic and Genetic Algorithms

Biomechanical analysis and application of image processing technology based on deep learning in the indoor evaluation system of high-rise buildings

In the context of biomechanics and the built environment, understanding the relationship between the indoor space layout of high-rise buildings and human biomechanical responses is crucial. To enhance the quality of the indoor space layout of buildings with respect to human biomechanical comfort and functionality, this paper proposes a method for extracting the characteristics of the indoor space layout of high-rise buildings based on deep-learning image processing. The indoor space layout parameters are not only related to architectural aesthetics but also have implications for human movement and biomechanical behavior. For example, the dimensions and configurations of rooms and corridors can affect gait patterns, body postures, and muscle activations during walking and other activities. According to the extracted indoor space layout parameters, their edge sequences are determined. The image processing algorithm based on deep learning is then used to control the convergence of the characteristic parameters. This process is not only for architectural feature extraction but also to analyze how these features interact with human biomechanics. For instance, the angles and lengths of corridors can influence the turning radii and step frequencies of individuals, which are key biomechanical factors. By extracting the characteristics of the indoor space layout of high-rise buildings, we can evaluate how well the space accommodates human movement and biomechanical needs. The results reveal that the proposed method can effectively extract features relevant to both architecture and biomechanics, and the accuracy in assessing biomechanically relevant features is always higher than 90%. This high accuracy indicates the potential of this method to contribute to the design of indoor spaces that are more conducive to human biomechanical well-being and efficient movement.