Warm Zone Research Articles

Enhancing energy efficiency in shipping container house: a novel approach using hybrid louver systems

Reusing shipping containers for residential purposes offers a promising approach to address global energy consumption challenges from economic and environmental perspectives. This study parametrically designed hybrid louver shadings by combining fixed vertical triangular slats with variable-depth horizontal rectangular slats, offering a novel approach to shading prefabricated buildings. The energy consumption, daylighting performance, and visual comfort were assessed for various shading configurations. Results indicated that implementing the proposed hybrid louvers, featuring fixed vertical triangular slats and variable-depth horizontal rectangular slats, significantly reduced Energy Use Intensity (EUI) to 133.95 kWh/m2. Moreover, Useful daylight illuminance (UDI), Daylight Autonomy (DA), and Glare Autonomy (GA) values improved to 95.38%, 89.97%, and 91.16%, respectively. The study highlighted the potential of the proposed shading system to significantly reduce overall energy consumption across various ASHRAE climate zones, including Miami (1A), Guangzhou (2A), Melbourne (3C), Esperance (3C), San Diego (3A), and Milan (4A). Notably, energy reductions of up to 50.2% were projected for climates such as Miami (1A) and San Diego (3A). Furthermore, container buildings in warm climate zones exhibited a significantly lower EUI range of 76.58 to 91.95 kWh/m². This study underscores the transformative potential of hybrid louver systems in promoting the widespread adoption of sustainable residential architecture, contributing to global sustainability efforts.

Assessing the Influence of Occupancy Factors on Energy Performance in US Small Office Buildings

Office buildings are responsible for about 35% of the total electricity in the US and over 70% of building energy consumption occurs during occupancy periods. Therefore, understanding occupancy behavior is crucial for reducing building energy consumption. However, given the stochastic nature of occupant behavior, identifying which occupancy parameters have the most impact on energy consumption poses a considerable challenge. This study aims to investigate and quantify the impact of various occupancy parameters on the energy performance of a US small-sized office building using an EnergyPlus-based nationwide energy simulation. First, dynamic occupancy schedules are created based on different occupancy parameters using an agent-based model. Next, the generated dynamic occupancy schedules are integrated into a small office building model from the Department of Energy’s prototypes. This creates a dataset of occupancy parameters and building energy performance across various climate zones. Finally, various feature selection and statistical analysis methods are applied to the generated dataset. This helps identify significant occupancy parameters and quantify their impact on building energy performance across different climate zones. According to the results of the study, buildings located in cool marine, mixed marine, and warm marine climate zones had lower total energy consumption compared to other zones. Additionally, feature selection methods identified “Occupant Density” as the primary significant variable impacting energy consumption, across all climate zones. These findings offer valuable insights into the influential occupancy parameters across various climate zones, highlighting the importance of tailoring occupancy schedules to enhance energy efficiency. They provide practical guidance that can be directly applied to optimize energy consumption and achieve significant energy savings in small office settings with different weather conditions.

A simulation analysis on the internal and external application of new silica-aerogel-based (Quartzene) coatings effects on energy use in a typical building in two different climates

The study investigates the impact of improved synthetic amorphous silica, specifically developed aerogel-based insulating coatings, Quartzene (Qz), on energy efficiency in buildings across cold and warm climate zones. Simulations were conducted on various coatings and thicknesses for exterior and interior wall surfaces, as well as roofs. These were evaluated using a prototype residential building under dynamic thermal conditions. Wall coatings were analyzed, including a base plaster and a mixture with 10%Wt aerogel-based Quartzene. Additionally, three roof coating samples were tested: Qz 12.5%Wt, TiO2 3.3%Wt, and a blend of aerogel-based mixtures and TiO2. Mixtures containing Qz exhibited the lowest thermal conductivity (0.05 W/(m·K)) and high short-wave reflectance (up to 0.93 μm), impacting transmission loads, time lag, and decrement factor. Energy savings of up to 11% were observed in warm climates when implementing the coatings (unaged performance). Overall, the coated surfaces increased time lag and reduced decrement factor compared to uncoated surfaces. Aerogel-based coatings showed enhanced effectiveness in lowering transmission loads.

Paramedics at risk? How responding to a terror attack affects mental wellbeing

Background: Terror attacks have a significant impact on first responders’ wellbeing, with an associated risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Aims: To improve understanding of how responding to terror attacks affects paramedics’ mental health. Methodology: A literature search was carried out on databases using the PRISMA strategy. Critical appraisal tools were used alongside thematic analysis to appraise and synthesise the literature. Findings: Ten papers were identified. Themes arising regarding risks to responders included: the level of exposure, with the amount related to the risks of developing PTSD and psychopathology; and level of preparedness, with responders carrying out unfamiliar tasks and working outside the scope of practice as well as lacking education on the psychological impact of terror attacks. Conclusion: If paramedics are deployed into terror attack warm zones, policy needs to consider the associated psychological risk. Training should incorporate stress management techniques and education on the extreme emotions these practitioners may experience. More research specifically with the paramedic population is required to understand the risk posed to them and how this may be managed.

EVALUATION OF THE MORPHOBIOLOGICAL AND PRODUCTIVE INDICATORS OF CHAYOTE (Sechium edule L) IN THE REGION OF MYZEQE, LIBOFSHË, FIER

Prickly potato - Chayote (Sechium edule L) is an exotic plant that grows and is cultivated in Costa Rica. It has been brought to Albania since 2004 and has been studied several times in different areas, mainly in the warm zone. It is a plant that has many synonyms and uses. Sometimes it is called prickly eggplant or prickly gourd and in some places it is called Kayota. The fruit grows above the ground and the plant develops as a pergola with long shoots. The fruit is used cooked in different forms: fried, dish, and or casserole. The leaves are used to make various pies and it is very tasty, especially when cooked with milk. The fruits are planted in March by placing them in the soil and covering them with 5-8 cm. During the vegetation, measurements of biometric and productive indicators were made: Number of shoots/plant, length of shoots/plant (sum), longest shoot, shortest shoot, number of leaves/plant, leaf color, flower color, the shape of the leaf, the shape of the tuber, the color of the skin of the tuber, the color of the tuber pulp, the placement of the buds on the tuber, yield/plant (kg/plant), number of tubers/plant, average tuber weight (kg), the weight of the largest tuber (kg), the weight of the smallest tuber (kg), yield kv/ha. The fruits were chemically analyzed to determine the main chemical indicators: the content of starch and the most important chemical elements.

A genetic explanation for the anhydrite–halite cyclic layers in the Middle Jurassic Louann Salt, U.S. Gulf Coastal Region

ABSTRACT Successions of bipartite layers (couplets) form the bedding fabric of salt stocks of the U.S. Gulf Coastal Region, south-central U.S.A. The cyclic couplets typically have a thickness range of 3–20 cm and a mean of about 10 cm. Each couplet consists of a white band of halite interstratified with a thinner, gray band of halite mixed with anhydrite (generally 3–8 wt % of each couplet). Successions of couplets, which lack siliciclastic beds and significant hiatuses, make up the thick (∼ 1.5 km) Middle Jurassic Louann Salt. Deeply buried (by up to ∼ 18 km), the Louann couplets moved laterally by ductile flow into the base of salt stocks and rose (or appeared to). The Dead Sea is a unique, modern analog of the Louann Salt. The huge lake is a model of how surface evaporation, brine temperature, and double-diffusive salt fingering combined to form the Louann couplets. Halite varves (couplets) presently precipitate from the Dead Sea’s deep (∼ 300 m), marine-like brine. If these modern varves are to be a valid genetic model for the Louann couplets, they too must be annual layers. An explicit similarity of the Louann couplets with two modern and four ancient varve-established evaporitic couplets demonstrates that the Louann anhydrite–halite couplets are truly varves. The Louann varves accumulated at such a rapid rate (∼ 1 m every 10 years) that a deep-water depositional basin must have pre-existed. In the basin, an abrupt destabilized thermocline existed in summer between a surface zone (tens of meters thick) of warm, high-salinity brine and a deep zone (hundreds of meters thick) of cooler, lesser-salinity brine. This disposition resulted in a vertical flux from the thermocline of alternating rising and sinking salt fingers (millimeter wide, centimeter long, and millions per km2). When heat diffused from the warm surface zone into the cooler fingers, their density decreased, they rose, and blended with the ambient brine; and when heat diffused from the warm fingers into the cooler deep zone, their density increased, they sank, and blended with the ambient brine. Salinity also diffused into and from fingers but at a rate ∼ 100 × slower than heat. In summer, the Louann surface zone was NaCl undersaturated because: 1) solar heating caused enhanced NaCl solubility, 2) ascending fingers transferred low-salinity brine into the higher-salinity surface zone, and 3) descending fingers transferred high-salinity brine into the lower salinity deep zone. The Louann surface zone, however, was CaSO4·2H2O supersaturated because of: 1) gypsum’s retrograde solubility and 2) gypsum concentration by evaporation in the surface zone. Gypsum cumulates rained from the surface zone onto the seafloor. As fingers descended from the thermocline into the Louann deep zone, their NaCl salinity state changed from saturated to supersaturated. Cumulate and bottom-growth halite precipitated, and the halite and gypsum accumulated together on the seafloor. With subsequent dehydration of the gypsum, the precipitates formed the thin, gray, anhydrite(halite) summer band of the Louann varves. In the fall, brine above the thermocline began to cool. By mid-winter, energized by wind and convection, the brine column overturned, became significantly cooler, and intensely NaCl-supersaturated. Halite cumulates crystallized throughout and rained onto the seafloor to form the thicker, white, halite winter band of the Louann varves.

Subducted carbon weakens the forearc mantle wedge in a warm subduction zone

Subducting oceanic plates carry large amounts of carbon into the Earth’s interior. The subducted carbon is mobilized by fluid and encounters ultramafic rocks in the mantle wedge, resulting in changes to the mineral assemblage and mechanical properties of the mantle. Here, we use thermodynamic modeling of interactions between carbon-bearing multi-component fluids and mantle rocks to investigate the down-dip variation in mineral assemblage in the forearc mantle along subduction megathrusts. We found that fluids rich in aqueous carbon are preferentially generated in a warm subduction zone (e.g., Nankai, SW Japan), causing a change in mineral assemblage from serpentine-rich at the mantle wedge corner to talc + carbonate-rich at greater depths. The transition caused by the infiltration of aqueous carbon may influence the depth of the boundary between the seismogenic and aseismic zones, and the down-dip limit of episodic tremor and slip.

Methods of determining thresholds of climate variables in building thermal design zoning in China

Climate variable thresholds (CVTs) are essential for building thermal design zoning (BTZ). However, the CVTs in the current BTZ are no longer suitable for developing the current building design. Therefore, the calculation method of bidirectional optimization zone index division standard is established: Forward optimization to obtain the outdoor threshold value that meets the indoor temperature calculation; Reverse optimization to obtain the distribution trend of the combined form of the envelope structure under the known indoor calculated temperature and outdoor climate conditions. According to the new calculation method, the outdoor heating threshold temperatures (OHTT) are adjusted from the original 5 °C–10 °C. In addition, CVTs are updated for significant subregions, such as: 1) the CVT for the hot summer and cold winter and hot summer and warm winter zone is calculated as 10 °C; 2) the CVT for severe cold (SCZ) and cold zones (CZ) is updated to −8 °C. These results will support the development of a BTZ and provide a scientific basis for reforming the heating method in China.

Impact of radiative cooling on the energy performance of courtyards in Mediterranean climate

Radiative cooling has proven to be a useful tool to address the problems of lack of comfort and excessive energy consumption in situations of high temperatures, overheating and heat waves. Likewise, incorporating courtyards in warm climate zones has been found to be highly beneficial in addressing similar challenges. Hence, there is interest in analyzing the combined effects of both: radiative cooling and courtyards. This paper presents an analysis of the impact of the application of radiative cooling on a courtyard using a comprehensive simulation approach that includes a CFD model for the thermodynamic airflow in the adjacent roofs and inside the courtyard, equations for the transient heat conduction through roofs, walls and courtyard slabs, and a hybrid raytracing-radiosity model for the evaluation of the solar radiation reaching the building surfaces and its reflections, both of specular and diffuse origin, and for the calculation of the thermal radiation exchange, especially with the sky. The results show that in the hot season, the courtyard with radiative cooling always provides lower temperatures than the initial courtyard does, with a temperature range of 18.33 °C to 33.78 °C, compared to a range of 19.32 °C to 38.00 °C in the initial courtyard, and producing a greater difference with outdoor temperatures that can reach 12 °C versus 8 °C for the reference case. In addition, it was found that the courtyard with radiative cooling is able to significantly reduce the observed nighttime overheating by providing lower temperatures than the outdoor temperatures in the 50% of the nights studied. It was also found that the thermal loads to achieve indoor thermal comfort in the spaces adjacent to the courtyard were reduced by 63.46% to 69.85%.

Field investigation on thermal comfort of metro passengers in hot summer and warm winter zone of China: A case study in Guangzhou

In the hot summer and warm winter zone of China, the metro thermal environments and passengers’ thermal comfort were rarely examined, influencing factors such as commuter hours and individual factors were less discussed, and understanding them was beneficial for improving human thermal comfort and saving energy. In this study, a field study was undertaken in Guangzhou located in the region during the summer of 2023. Four metro stations and three metro lines were selected, a total of 1481 valid questionnaires were gathered. The results revealed that the metro thermal environment was highly commendable during the hot summer months, with a thermal acceptability vote (TAV) ranging from 81 % to 89 % across the entrance (ET), concourse (CC), platform (PF), and carriage (CR). Furthermore, the upper limit of the 80 % acceptance range for operative temperature (Top) was 29.11 °C in the ET, 27.82 °C in the CC, 29.13 °C in the PF, and 28.44 °C in the CR. These temperatures exceed the actual mean Top values in these locations, indicating there is a significant potential for energy savings in metro environments. The upper limits of Top values for passengers with low, medium and high metabolic rates are 30.34 °C, 28.92 °C, and 28.25 °C, respectively. Thermal sensation votes (TSVs) fell well within the comfort zone specified in ISO 7730 (−0.7 < PMV < 0.7) during both peak and off-peak hours. No difference was found in TSVs between the two genders and among the different ages.

PASSIVE DESIGNS AND THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF THE TEMPLES IN THE WARM-HUMID CLIMATIC ZONE OF SOUTH INDIA

Religious beliefs, traditional wisdoms, rituals, and cultural practices all play an important part in environmental and biodiversity protection. Conservation of environment and natural resources has long been an element of cultural ethics that can be observed in the vernacular architecture of India, practiced in different parts of the country. The Indian Temple architecture is a manifestation of these socio-cultural-environmental values which are conceptualized and constructed in unique ways integrating passive features which keeps on educating and inspiring generations after generations. These timeless Temples through their passive architectural elements and harmonic aesthetic qualities enable the societies to perceive themselves as part of a spiritual network and to connects them to their biophysical surroundings. Hence, the present research explores the passive architectural features and thermal performance of the naturally ventilated south Indian Temples, located in warm and humid climate zone, and how these passive features can be implemented in the present day’s buildings to achieve thermal comfort. The research deploys a qualitative descriptive comparative analysis method. It delves into case studies of two Temples located in Kerala, having warm-humid climate, to investigate the passive architectural features and thermal performance. Data collection is done through field visits to these two Temples: Iringole Kaavu Bhagavathy Temple (old) and Thottuva Temple (new). Measurements of environmental parameters are also collected during field-surveys. The study concludes that the adaptation of passive architectural features, in response to the local climatic conditions, are paramount and beneficial to improve the thermal performance of the structures and thermal comfort of the users. Hence, it is argued that the passive climate-responsive architectural features of the south Indian Temples, suitable to the local geoclimatic and cultural conditions, need to be continued to follow in the present and future generation of buildings.

New P-T path of Huwan high-pressure unit from Hong'an orogen, Central China Orogenic Belt: Implications for oceanic to continental subduction and exhumation in the subduction zones

Oceanic to continental subduction is a pivotal process in plate tectonics, yet characterizing this tectonic transition and subsequent exhumation remains a challenging task. This study integrates our novel pressure-temperature (P-T) estimates on a metabasite lens and its hosting metasedimentary rock in the Xiongdian area of the Huwan high-pressure unit of the Hong'an orogen, Central China Orogenic Belt, with existing geochronological data from the same and neighboring outcrops. Our preliminary but comprehensive findings reveal the evolution of this subduction transition process. After the opening at ca. 430–400 Ma the Paleotethyan ocean subducted northward and formed a warm oceanic subduction zone at ca. 400–385 Ma, marked by relatively low P and high T conditions (∼610–740 °C and ∼1.5–1.8 GPa; M1 stage). Subsequently, the Paleotethyan oceanic plate continued its subduction and cooled the overlying mantle until its final closure during ca. 385–300 Ma. This phase led to the subduction of South China Block (SCB) and the formation of a cold continental subduction zone at ca. 300–270 Ma, featured by relatively high P and low T conditions (∼570–610 °C and ∼2.1–2.7 GPa; M2 stage). Following the delamination from the subducted SCB continental lithospheric mantle, the detached high-pressure rocks experienced a two-stage accelerated exhumation process, i.e., early slow exhumation (∼0.7 ± 0.4 mm/a) to shallower mantle depth (∼610–730 °C and ∼1.5–2.1 GPa; M3 stage) at ca. 270–243 Ma and later rapid exhumation (>2.5 ± 0.9 mm/a) to approximately the Moho depth (∼550–600 °C and ∼0.8–1.3 GPa; M4 stage) at ca. 243–233? Ma. To facilitate the buoyancy-driven exhumation of eclogite blocks from their maximum depth (M2 stage), a minimum of ∼16–25 vol% of low-density metasedimentary rock is required. The increasing buoyancy caused by decreasing densities of the high-pressure rocks with exhumation (from M2 to M4 stage), slab break-off induced rebound forces, and other tectonic factors may jointly explain the accelerated exhumation pattern. Our density results also emphasize that, partly owing to a stronger contribution from a buoyancy-driven mechanism, the high-pressure rocks would be preferentially exhumed in warm to extremely warm oceanic subduction zones compared to their intermediate to cold counterparts.

Temperature sensitivity of aerobic and anaerobic organic carbon mineralization varies with climate and soil depth in riparian zones

The temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization plays a vital role in predicting the global carbon cycle under climate change. Q10 has been extensively examined in various terrestrial ecosystems; however, in riparian zones where soil oxygen levels are highly dynamic owing to frequent flooding, Q10 should change with oxygen conditions and show spatial variation, but the mechanisms are still obscure. In this study, we collected topsoil and subsoil samples from riparian zones along a latitudinal gradient and conducted aerobic and anaerobic incubation experiments to determine the latitudinal and vertical patterns of Q10. The results showed that Q10 under anoxic conditions (average of 1.7) significantly exceeded that under oxic conditions (average of 1.4). In general, aerobic SOC mineralization is more sensitive to warming at higher latitudes than at lower latitudes, whereas the pattern is reversed under anoxic conditions. The Q10 in the topsoil was significantly higher than that in the subsoil only under oxic conditions. Metagenomics showed that the abundance of genes involved in the degradation of lignin, carbohydrate esters, and starch in the topsoil increased with latitude, whereas genes for acetate degradation were more abundant in warmer zones, regardless of soil depth. Q10 under oxic conditions was mainly influenced by soil physicochemical properties (e.g., pH and texture), whereas Q10 under anoxic conditions was jointly controlled by climate, soil texture, and acetate degradation genes. Together, anaerobic carbon (C) mineralization in riparian zones is more sensitive to temperature than aerobic metabolism, but the patterns of Q10 under oxic conditions were dependent on both latitude and depth. Our findings highlight that the discrepancies in aerobic and anaerobic C metabolism, and the C cycling process at different soil depths, might play a non-negligible role in affecting the assessment of global C emissions under climate change.

Changes in extreme precipitation indices across Algeria climate zones

AbstractExtreme precipitation events can have a significant impact on the environment, agriculture, economy and safety, making close monitoring of their short‐ and long‐term trends essential for the development of effective mitigation and adaptation strategies. In this study, we analysed 16 in situ observation datasets from four different climate zones in Algeria, spanning from 1969 to 2021. The trend analysis was conducted using the original Mann–Kendall test and seven modified tests to eliminate the effects of short‐term persistence. Our findings reveal a significant increasing trend of extreme precipitation variability for most stations in the Warm Mediterranean climate zone, except for the Consecutive dry days index, which showed a negative trend for the same zone, while stations in the Cold/Warm semi‐arid climate and Cold desert climate (Bwk) zones showed a decreasing trend. Additionally, all index series with significant long‐term trends were affected by a significant shift in their means, which was confirmed by both the Lombard and Pettitt tests. However, when we used the modified MPT and the test eliminating the effects of long‐term persistence, the significance of the shifts and the trend decreased. Our results suggest that while extreme precipitation events have been increasing in some parts of Algeria; the trend may not be statistically significant in the long‐run, indicating the necessity of revisiting and refreshing the findings of previous studies for a more current perspective.

3D CFD simulation of room air temperature and velocity with ceiling fan and exhaust fan and the resulting thermal comfort

The integration of energy-efficient solutions remains an essential hurdle in the pursuit of sustainable and comfortable indoor settings. As building energy consumption continues to climb, there is an urgent need to implement methods that reduce environmental effects, and at the same time, maintain adequate thermal comfort for occupant well-being and productivity. Ceiling fans, a standard fixture in many indoor settings, have gained popularity for their ability to provide better air movement and temperature adjustment while using substantially less energy than standard HVAC systems. This work presents a 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) investigation of thermal comfort that can be achieved with a ceiling fan and an exhaust fan. A 3D fan zone model available in ANSYS Fluent was used to model the ceiling fan, considering the ceiling fan as a solid disc. Numerical methodology has been validated by verifying the transient simulation results against the experimental data available in the literature. The work analyzes thermal comfort parameters - temperature and velocity - in a room with a typical ceiling fan or an exhaust fan available in India. The room temperature and velocity distribution are presented for different times of a day in summer for a warm and humid climatic zone in India. The results show that the thermal comfort obtained with the exhaust fan is better than that with the ceiling fan for the evening, night, and early morning.

Reliability-Based Pavement Roughness Progression Modeling Using Bayesian Approach

This paper aims to develop reliability-based roughness progression models for bituminous pavements across different climatic zones in India. The methodology involves dividing the Indian geographical region into six climatic zones with specific climatic characteristics that influence pavement deterioration. This delineation is achieved using K-means clustering and considers parameters such as temperature, rainfall, and humidity. The roughness progression models and reliability interpretations are developed through a Bayesian regression framework. Initially, International Roughness Index (IRI) progression models are created for three climatic zones: hot and dry, warm and humid, and moderate. These models are based on time series data from 2015 to 2016, gathered from 130 pavement sections in each zone. To validate the models, additional time series data from 2016 to 2017 are utilized. The forecast results indicate that the hot and dry zone exhibits the highest IRI progression rate for specified causal variable values, followed by the warm and humid zone and the moderate zone. The adoption of the Bayesian regression framework provides probabilistic parameter distributions for model coefficients, enabling the assessment of model-level reliability. The study demonstrates that, by adjusting the quartile of causal variables, the overall reliability of the model can be improved, thereby reducing the deviation from actual IRI values. Moreover, it is possible to evaluate variable-level reliability by examining the influence of individual variables on roughness progression.

Ultramafic Rocks from the Sanbagawa Belt: Records of Mantle Wedge Processes

Mantle wedge domains beneath the forearc Moho are unique regions of Earth’s interior where mantle encounters subducting oceanic plates. Crystal-plastic deformation and fluid-induced reactions in the supra-subduction mantle control global material circulation, arc volcanism, and seismicity within subduction zones. The Sanbagawa metamorphic belt contains numerous ultramafic blocks in its higher-grade zones, some of which likely originated as lower crustal arc cumulates that were subsequently incorporated into the mantle wedge and transported to the slab–mantle interface by mantle flow. Properties of these ultramafic rocks provide a valuable opportunity to understand the dynamic processes of the mantle wedge up to 80 km depth, including mantle flow, hydration/dehydration, and fluid–rock interactions near the slab–mantle interface of a warm subduction zone.

Пространственная реконструкция климата востока Азии в раннем эоцене

Using the Coexistence Approach, climatic zones were identified for the Early Eocene of East Asia. Data for reconstruction include 48 palynofloras from the East Asia's Lower Eocene continental deposits from 75° to 19° N. The climatic inferences obtained are consistent with global trends, showing high values of mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP). According to our results, there is a weakly expressed latitudinal temperature gradient from the north to the south, showing an increasing trend for MAT values, while a very weakly expressed latitudinal gradient of precipitation demonstrates a decreasing trend for MAP values. Based on MAT and MAP values, three regional climatic zones are distinguished. The warm moderate climate zone (north of ≈ 55° paleolatitude) is characterized by low values for temperature (14.2-16.2 °C) and high ones for precipitation (1158-1334 mm). In the transition zone (≈ 45-55° paleolatitude), MAT values vary from 15.9 to 19.0 °C, and MAP values range from 874 to 1352 mm. The subtropical climate zone (south of ≈ 45° paleolatitude) is characterized by high values for temperature (16.5-19.1 °C) and low, for precipitation (874-1263 mm).

Effectiveness of enhanced roof ventilation unit (ERU) based on venturi cap in different wind environments and new evaluation models: A numerical study

Reasonable building ventilation design can effectively improve indoor thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption. Therefore, an enhanced roof ventilation unit (ERU) was developed for this study, and its performance and influence law under various wind speeds and directions were explored through numerical simulation. Additionally, a new evaluation method for ERU was proposed through data fitting, and applicability was verified for different climate zones in China. The results showed that: (1) With a maximum difference of 3.11 °C, the ERU performed best in the N direction and poorest in the SW direction for indoor temperature. Furthermore, the impact of wind directions was more evident than wind speeds. (2) The wind speed affected the volume flow rate significantly in the NE direction (7.77 m3/s) and insignificantly not in the SE direction (0.32 m3/s). Nevertheless, the performance was the opposite in the NE and SE directions when the wind speed increased from 0.5 m/s (3) The air age performed best in the NE and worst in the SE directions. As wind speeds surpassed 2.0 m/s, the air age variation steadily stabilized in various wind directions. (4) The fitted equation for indoor temperature has applicability in typical cities in five climate zones, and the fitted equation for volume flow rate is applicable in four climate zones except the hot summer and warm winter zone. The study results can provide references for the ERU to improve indoor thermal ventilation, contributing to sustainable building energy efficiency.

Phoenix ×arehuquensis nov. hybr. (Arecaceae): The hybrid of P. canariensis × P. reclinata in garden and forest

Phoenix reclinata Jacq. is a palm species native to tropical and southern Africa, extending to Madagascar, where its natural populations are exploited for sap and fibre. Widely embraced as an ornamental palm in gardens within warm zones abroad, it has established itself as an integral part of horticultural landscapes.On the other hand, Phoenix canariensis H. Wildpret is an endemic species found in the Canary Islands (Spain), forming extensive palm forests. Since the 1850s, it has emerged as the predominant ornamental Phoenix palm tree. Interestingly, in various regions, the natural habitat of one species intersects with cultivated individuals of the other. For instance, in southern Africa, where P. reclinata is indigenous and P. canariensis is exotic, occasional spontaneous hybrids have been reported. These hybrids have also been observed in Florida and California (USA), where both species are cultivated.In this publication, we formally introduce a new hybrid: Phoenix ×arehuquensis nov. hybr., originating from the Canary Islands. Additionally, we explore its potential impact on natural palm forests.