Occupant performance and building energy consumption with different philosophies of determining acceptable thermal conditions

Based on building energy and indoor environment simulations, this study uses a recently developed method relying on Bayesian Network theory to estimate and compare the consequences for occupant performance and energy consumption of applying temperature criteria set according to the adaptive model of thermal comfort and the more conventional PMV model. Simulations were carried out for an example building with two configurations (with and without mechanical cooling) located in tropical, subtropical, and temperate climate regions. Even though indoor temperatures differed significantly between building configurations, especially in the tropical climate, the estimated performance differed only modestly between configurations. However, energy consumption was always lower in buildings without mechanical cooling, particularly so in the tropical climate.     

An evaluation model for indoor environmental quality (IEQ) acceptance in residential buildings

The indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in residential buildings is examined from the prospect of an occupant's acceptance in four aspects: thermal comfort, indoor air quality, noise level and illumination level. Based on the evaluations by 125 occupants living in 32 typical residential apartments in Hong Kong, this study proposes empirical expressions to approximate the overall IEQ acceptance with respect to four contributors, namely operative temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, equivalent noise level and illumination level, via a multivariate logistic regression model. A range of IEQ acceptances for regular residential conditions is determined and the dependence of the predicted overall IEQ acceptance on the variations of the contributors is discussed. The proposed overall IEQ acceptance can be used as a quantitative assessment criterion for similar residential environments where an occupant's evaluation is expected.     

A GIS-based method for multi-objective evaluation of park vegetation

In this paper we describe a method for evaluating the concordance between a set of mapped landscape attributes and a set of quantitatively expressed management priorities. The method has proved to be useful in planning urban green areas, allowing objectively documented decisions and helping the resolution of opinion conflicts among decision makers. A case study, involving the evaluation of the vegetation component of a suburban park, is described in detail. The analysis of the case study highlights the power of the method, and of geographical information systems- (GIS-) based decision support methods in general, as a planning aid for green park areas. Their use allowed us not only to propose interesting reorganization plans, but also to give decision makers a better understanding of their own priorities.     

Improving energy performance of school buildings while ensuring indoor air quality ventilation

Energy conscious design of school buildings, as well as deemed-to-satisfy provisions in a Performance Based Energy Code, should address the problem known as the energy efficiency—thermal comfort—indoor air quality dilemma (EE-TC-IAQ Dilemma). In warm and moderate climates, the large internal heat sources usually found in school buildings prevent achieving thermal comfort without active cooling in summer, but are not sufficient to eliminate the need for heating in winter. Commonly used air-conditioners do not improve air quality, while natural ventilation induces uncontrolled energy losses. In this study, a step by step process was used for the development of deemed-to-satisfy design solutions, which cope with the EE-TC-IAQ Dilemma, for a performance based code. A distinction is made between improving building design variables and improving ventilation schemes. Results indicate that implementation of improved ventilation schemes in an otherwise well designed energy-conscious building result in savings of 28–30% and 17–18% for northern and southern classroom orientations, respectively.     

Architectural structure and environmental performance of the traditional buildings in Florina,NW Greece

This paper presents various aspects, which characterise the traditional architecture in the town of Florina, north-western Greece, and can be related to bioclimatic and environmental architecture. The study is based on the documentation and the analysis of the architectural and bioclimatic aspects of a sample of forty (40) remaining houses of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. The analysis of the architectural aspects concerns the building typology, the form, the materials and the construction techniques, whereas the analysis of bioclimatic aspects involves the thermal behaviour of the building shell, the thermal and the visual comfort conditions. The aim of the study is to document and assess, both qualitatively and quantitatively, all the afore-mentioned aspects in order to draw conclusions concerning the principles, which characterised this architecture and can be integrated to the refurbishment of existing buildings or the design of new ones in traditional surroundings.     

Field performance measurements of a heat pump desiccant unit in dehumidification mode

The variable refrigerant volume (VRV) air conditioning system needs to be operated in conjunction with a ventilation system, because the VRV system cannot provide any fresh air. The common ventilation unit used with the VRV system is the heat recovery ventilation (HRV) unit. In this study, a new ventilation unit, a self-regenerating heat pump desiccant (HPD) unit, was introduced and the characteristics of the HPD unit was experimentally investigated over a wide range of operating conditions in a field performance test. In addition, the energy saving contribution of the HPD and HRV units to the VRV system was compared. It was found that the HPD unit maintained the target indoor humidity ratio of 10 g/kg throughout the cooling season resulting in a better indoor thermal comfort than the HRV unit. Besides, it was found that the outdoor unit of the VRV system consumed 26.3% less energy for the operation in conjunction with the HPD unit as compared to the operation in conjunction with the HRV unit.     

A performance-based approach to project assignment and performance evaluation

Project assignment and performance evaluation have been addressed as two important and separate research issues in project management. This paper develops a new performance-based approach for integrating the project assignment and the performance evaluation processes in a project-based organization. An objective-oriented preference-based assignment process is developed to assign a project to a project manager. An optimal project assignment model is developed to maximize the total weighted contribution value of all new projects to the organizational objectives. An efficiency-based evaluation process is developed using data envelopment analysis to measure the relative performance efficiency of the completed projects and of the project managers. The approach provides a proactive mechanism for facilitating objective-focused management of projects. The outcomes of an empirical study conducted provide managerial insights in assigning projects to project managers and in evaluating the performance efficiency of both projects and project managers.     

浅议工程量清单计价模式下如何控制工程造价

解释了工程量清单计价的定义，从设计阶段、招投标阶段、工程实施过程三方面介绍了工程量清单计价模式下控制工程造价的方法，从而提高工程建设的管理水平。     

基于DEA的建筑业上市公司绩效评价

建筑业作为国民经济发展的支柱产业,其健康发展是构建和谐社会、加快经济发展方式转型的保证。本文基于投入产出角度,选取了27家具有代表性的建筑业上市公司近三年的数据作为样本,运用数据包络分析法(DEA)对我国建筑业公司的生产效率进行了分析与评价。研究数据表明:我国大部分建筑企业还处于效率低下、规模报酬增加阶段,公司规模和技术水平都亟待发展。为促进建筑业的良好运行,给投资者的投资决策提供数据分析上的依据,本文对造成企业效率低下的原因进行分析并提出改进意见。     

经济评价在公路建设项目设计阶段的简化应用

将可行性研究阶段采用的经济评价工作运用于设计阶段路线方案的局部比选中,并结合设计阶段的工作特点,采用"增量计算"对经济评价的计算方法进行简化研究,从而推动公路建设项目可行性研究工作的进一步发展。     

利用层次分析法—模糊评判法优选建筑设计方案

从建设项目的特点入手,综合运用层次分析法—模糊评判法,建立设计方案评价体系,对设计方案进行系统评价,量化评价指标,帮助业主科学选择项目设计方案,从而达到评选公正,科学选择的目的,以实现项目的效益最大化。     

A linear graphical method to predict the effect of compaction on the hydraulic conductivity of clay liners and covers

It is proposed to present compaction relationships by plotting the inverse of the dry density versus the molding water content. In the proposed graph, the curves for equal degree of saturation become straight lines. The proposed new graph is shown to be very convenient to assess the saturated hydraulic conductivity, k _sat, of non-swelling compacted clay, using a dual porosity model. The value of k _sat depends on the secondary porosity between clay clods. The equation developed for equal k _sat value appears also as a straight line in the proposed graph. It facilitates the prediction of k _sat from field compaction data and thus the prediction of field performance of clay liners and covers.     

A new thermal performance index for dwelling roofs in the warm humid tropics

This research aims to find a scientific rating scheme for roof system for the warm humid tropics. The overall air-to-air thermal transmittance (U-value) or thermal resistance (R-value) of roof are most widely used properties, but these are based on steady-state heat conduction and do not respond to changing conditions of climate, design and comfort needs. The paper presents a new thermal performance index, which is based on thermal comfort and actual thermal performance of a roof design option. It provides a basis for identifying the optimum roof design for unconditioned and acclimatised regimes. A review of the acceptable limits of ceiling surface temperature is presented. The mathematical modelling for predicting performance of roof based on admittance procedure and derivation of thermal performance index is described. In the proposed scheme the galvanized iron roof is given 0% rating and the roof satisfying the comfort needs for the given climate is rated as 100%. Illustrative examples of built roofs or design options are taken from India and Australia. It clearly shows that the roofs with the highest thermal resistance are not necessarily optimum solutions.     

Simulation of energy use, human thermal comfort and office work performance in buildings with moderately drifting operative temperatures

Annual primary energy use in a central module of an office building consisting of two offices separated with a corridor was estimated by means of dynamic computer simulations. The simulations were conducted for conventional all-air VAV ventilation system and thermo active building system (TABS) supplemented with CAV ventilation. Simulations comprised moderate, hot–dry and hot–humid climate. Heavy and light wall construction and two orientations of the building (east–west and north–south) were considered. Besides the energy use, also capability of examined systems to keep a certain level of thermal comfort was examined. The results showed that with the moderate climate, the TABS decreased the primary energy use by about 16% as compared with the VAV. With hot–humid climate, the portion of the primary energy saved by TABS was ca. 50% even with the supply air dehumidification taken into account. The TABS working in a moderate climate kept the predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD) <10% during 60–80% of the working hours per year. Optimization of the TABS's control strategy (circulation pump dead-band, water supply temperature) resulted in significant reduction of the annual working hours with PPD > 10%; 1.4% in comparison to 17.5% h/yr. The highest estimated loss of occupants’ productivity related to their thermal sensation hasn’t exceeded 1% in whole year average.     

An evaluation method for school building design at the preliminary phase with optimisation of aspects of environmental comfort for the school system of the State São Paulo in Brazil

This study presents a method for evaluating and optimising environmental comfort parameters of school buildings during the preliminary stages of design. In order to test the method, 39 existing public school building designs in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, had their plans analysed and characterised in relation to their influence on environmental comfort. Four aspects of comfort were considered: thermal, acoustic, natural lighting and functionality. Since the evaluation method is based on preliminary design information only, parameters that otherwise would be analysed quantitatively had to be assessed by interviews with specialists using a qualitative five-point semantic scale. For each aspect of comfort, possible design solutions were rated from 0 to 1, according to the fuzzy set theory. The final mean grades for each comfort stated the building's average performance. Although conflicts between different comfort parameters are apparent, results show that multi-criteria optimisation can be applied as a design tool during the creative process. Maximisation of various aspects of comfort simultaneously was shown to be impossible, but compromise solutions could be found.     

基于多目标性能的高强钢组合K形偏心支撑框架塑性设计方法研究

高强钢组合K形偏心支撑框架结构(K-HSS-EBFs)作为一种典型的双重抗侧力体系,可以实现结构抗震设计中多道设防的目标。针对传统K-HSS-EBFs性能设计方法中无法考虑多水准抗震设防目标以及支撑-框架体系剪力分配的问题,对基于多目标性能的K-HSS-EBFs塑性设计方法进行修正。通过考虑结构后屈服刚度变化得到K-HSS-EBFs的三折线能力曲线,采用能量平衡原理计算支撑-框架体系在不同性能目标下的弹性和弹塑性剪力分配,从而对结构进行弹塑性设计。采用修正的设计方法设计了一个6层的K-HSS-EBFs结构算例,建立OpenSees有限元模型,选取20条地震波对其进行不同强度地震作用下的弹塑性时程分析。结果表明：采用所提设计方法设计的K-HSS-EBFs实现了结构预期的破坏模式以及不同强度地震作用下的位移延性需求和剪力分布模式;从多遇地震到罕遇地震,算例模型中框架跨所承担的基底剪力占比由29%提高到44%,满足GB 50011—2010《建筑抗震设计规范》中对于多道设防体系内力重分布后的结构总基底剪力分配要求。     

Socio-technical case study method in building performance evaluation

ABSTRACT

Raymond J. Cole’s body of work, spanning sustainable design, system complexity and human agency, has encouraged researchers to reconceptualize the notions of comfort and building performance. However, methods for predicting energy use and assessing environmental performance have remained predominantly within a reductionist approach common to physics and engineering. The recognition that building performance is characterized by interactive adaptivity and co-evolution of the physical with the social has not been matched by the generation of new methods. Although social practice theories that articulate the socio-technical nature of the built environment have been increasingly appropriated to understand occupants’ role in performance, the challenge of studying buildings as complex socio-technical systems remains. This methodological paper discusses the application of the case study method (CSM) to the study of 10 retrofit projects selected from the Retrofit for the Future (RfF) Programme in UK between 2011 and 2012. Guided by Greene’s framework for methodological discourse, the epistemic regime is articulated under four headings: philosophical assumptions, investigative logics, guidelines for practice and contribution to system perspective. The discussion of these domains highlights the fecundity of CSM in providing a more nuanced understanding of the interaction between social and technical systems in performance.     

面向职业素养的建筑设计基础课程教学模式与评价改革

培养学生职业素养和强化其综合能力,是高等教育的重要使命之一。以建筑类专业核心基础课程建筑设计基础为研究对象,在职业素养视域下对课程教学模式和评价方式进行反思与更新,指出传统课程内容滞后于建筑行业发展、传统评价方式不能满足当前需求、传统学习氛围难以实现学生全面发展三类主要问题。针对课程问题制定了三个教改目标并分析其教改动力,归纳了涵括素质和能力两大部分的教改要素,明确了“融合”“实践”“创新”“动态”四类教改机制,分别探索了以素质培育和能力锻炼为导向的两大教改路径,并进一步提出集系统性、公平性、合理性为一体的教改评价策略和预期效果,以期为建筑类院校专业基础课程建设与发展提供借鉴思路。     

Study on occupant comfort evaluation mode of tall buildings in wind excitation based on fuzzy probability method

Occupant comfort mode in wind‐induced vibration was proposed and studied based on fuzzy probability method (FPM). First, the predictions of the comfort mode were compared with the studies of other researchers to verify the reliability of the method proposed in this paper. Second, vibration comfort of 4 types of buildings was investigated and assessed respectively with the proposed mode. Third, parameters of influencing the occupant comfort, such as coefficient of variation and membership function (MF), were discussed, and optimal results were found. Finally, application of the comfort mode was investigated with a true super tall building. This study shows that the FPM is a feasible and reliable way of establishing the occupant comfort mode, and good predictions can be obtained, especially for FPM with MF1 and MF2. The quantitative story and total comfort ratios can be evaluated effectively for tall buildings in wind excitation. The proposed occupant comfort mode based on FPM provides a new and reliable way of investigating the comfort ratio of tall buildings quantifying vibration comfort and guiding structural comfort design.