The topic is focused on the conception of the building envelope considered not only as a protecting barrier against atmospheric agents, but rather as an open membrane, permeable, selective and in active interaction with the climatic external factors, so as to better reply to the exigencies of comfort in build spaces and to the questions imposed by a “sustainable development”. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the research tries to optimise the integration between the architectural, physical and environmental dimensions, in the field of switchable façade technologies including transparent innovating materials. In fact, with novel daylight components in the building envelope, it is possible to improve both the dailight quantity and quality in the rooms and to control the solar energy transmittance, either with a passive or active product (chromogenic materials), and/or with selective properties with respect to the different parts of the solar spectrum (daylight versus solar heat). The overall objective is to develop an “holistic”, relevant, reliable, user-oriented and comprehensive knowledge basis, including detailed daylight product information, on the application of systems who may allow to obtain effective advantages under the different points of view considered (lighting, energetic, thermal aspects and expressive value).
Switchable Façade Technology in Environmental Design
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Assessing Environmental Comfort – Towards a systemic quantitative and qualitative approach
This paper presents the preliminary results of the first stage of a research grant from SSHRCC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada) on the control of physical ambiences and the nature of internal-external transactions in a Nordic climate. The main objective of this research is to investigate the impact of environmental step-changes on the sensation of comfort in order to diminish the thermal gradient between indoor and outdoor in Nordic climate without sacrificing comfort. This, in parallel with the recent adaptive model for thermal comfort, could serve reducing further the energy consumption in buildings. The first stage of research consisted in the development of the combined quantitative and qualitative method for the assessment of global environmental comfort in transient conditions based on previous work by the author. The quantitative measurement of ambient conditions is assessed by a portable array whilst the qualitative aspects of comfort are assessed via an extensive WEB based questionnaire. The theoretical background behind that research and the development of the portable array and electronic questionnaires are the main subject of this paper.
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Building envelope design for natural ventilation
The aim of this paper is the architectural analysis of natural ventilation devices developed by architects. The technical solutions adopted are exposed through some examples of naturally ventilated buildings. The natural ventilation principles and design challenges are discussed. The necessity of taking into account simultaneously both the natural ventilation strategy and the design of the building in order to improve the natural ventilation is underlined. The morphological analysis of a corpus of naturally ventilated buildings allows us to define various space organisations in adequacy with specific natural ventilation strategies. In conclusion, this study proposes a conceptual data model to support the integration of natural ventilation concept in the building envelope design.
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Environmental comfort in self-constructed houses
Our overall intention was to analyze the environmental comfort (thermal, natural lighting, ventilation and sound levels) performance of self-constructed houses in Apucarana, in Santo André city, situated in the metropolitan area of São Paulo. Typical examples of housing were selected and evaluation of comfort and energy use undertaken. The analysis have been based on the Post Occupancy Evaluation methods and computer simulations using Arquitrop 3.0 software. Based on this study, potential solutions according to the available materials and technology were proposed to the community to achieve a satisfactory level of indoor climate comfort. Conference Topic: 3.2 Modelling and Simulation.
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An evolutionary model for sustainable design
This paper presents a new Generative Design System to be used by architects in early to intermediate stages of design, to help improving the environmental performance of buildings. Both thermal and lighting analysis are included in the system, together with methods to incorporate architectural design intentions into the generative process. The Generative System was applied to a building by Alvaro Siza in Oporto (Portugal), to test its capability to handle complex architectural designs and to generate solutions within given language restrictions, while still reducing energy consumption levels of the building. Variables studied were fenestration design, shading systems and building shape (roof geometry). The advantages of using Rapid Prototyping technologies coupled with this Generative System are discussed, and an example of the application of a FDM (Fuse Deposition Modeling) 3D Modeler to this specific study is presented.
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Morphological parameters for urban dispersion models
A method to calculate geometrical input parameters for urban dispersion models is presented. Two cases are considered according to the relative size of the pollutant plume compared to the building size. Applying image processing techniques to urban Digital Elevation Models (DEMs, 3-D urgan databases), simple geometrical parameters over extensive urgan areas are calculated. Some preliminary results are shown for a case study in central London. It is envisaged that the technique will be developed to support urban designers and planners to assess the performance of different urban developments in terms of pollutant dispersion.
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Speculative offices in Milton Keynes: Reconciling environmental design with commercial viability
Speculative offices form a large part of the UK property market. This paper presents a design that attempts to reconcile the demands of environmental design and commercial viability. The cost plan and intended programme are standard and the design fulfils all the conventional commercial criteria of an experienced speculative property developer. The concentration has been on achieving a convincing background of permanent elements (form, orientation, envelope, etc.) allowing an additive and adaptable approach to more transient elements (services, space-planning, etc.). Environmental moderation is handled tectonically and used to articulate the buildings and external spaces.
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The Berlaymont Building: The European Commission headquarters designed to be a model of environmentally conscious building
Steven Beckers and Pierre Lallemand conceived the refurbishment of the European Headquarters in the centre of Brussels. With a low-energy design, sensitive in its choice of materials, the building uses environmentally friendly strategies and meets all modern comfort and environmental standards.
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Passive downdraught cooling: Architectural integration in Seville
Passive Downdraught Cooling is a technique which will potentially become a substitute for conventional air-conditioning in Southern Europe and the hot dry regions of the world. As well as providing substantial energy savings, the technique avoids the need for ductwork, fans and suspended ceilings, and reduces the need for refrigerant based cooling. However, this approach has architectural implications which extend the vocabulary of “passive design”.
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The application of Passive Downdraught Evaporative Cooling (PDEC) to non-domestic buildings : Office building prototype desing in Catania Italy
This paper describes the Architectural Design Studies undertaken by Mario Cucinella Architects as part of a three year JOULE research project into the application of Passive Downdraught Evaporative Cooling (PDEC) in non-domestic buildings. The objective of the research was to develop a viable passive alternative to air-conditioning through architectural design, experimentation and performance assessment. MCA’s architectural research investigations involved 1) designing and constructing a full-scale experimental building to explore passive ways of capturing and conducting air through a tower into test cells and 2) designing a new office building in Catania Italy to develop the application of PDEC and undertake building performance assessment. Experimental work included wind tunnel tests, computer simulations and daylighting tests. The result of the design work is a new energy efficient building typology that is both a successful application of the evaporative cooling system and a direct architectural response to scientific problem.
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