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Urban Climate Adaptability of Buildings: Theories, Methodologies and Cases

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Building".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 21072

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of the Built Environment and Architecture, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UK
Interests: adaptive thermal comfort; bioclimatic design; building optimization; energy; energy policy; energy efficiency; environmental monitoring; environmental psychology; climate modelling; energy modelling; indoor air quality; life cycle-cost-assessment; passive design; overheating risk; occupant behaviour; regression forecasting; renewable energy; retrofitting; social housing; solar energy; sustainability; thermal-imaging; urban climate; urban heat island; vernacular architecture

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Guest Editor
College of Architecture and Design, Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University, Dhahran 34754, Saudi Arabia
Interests: sustainable design; healthy buildings; indoor environmental quality; sustainable development; building simulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Architectural Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
Interests: climate modelling; energy assessment; environmental monitoring; health and well-being; indoor air quality; occupant behaviour; overheating risk assessment; pro-behaviour and environmental psychology; sustainability; thermal modelling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Best practices from around the world have proven that holistic retrofitting schemes can be the key to identifying cost-effective solutions for energy-efficient building systems that depend on climate zones, the density of energy users, and local resources. Green urbanism can be applied to various scales of communities (e.g., to a group of buildings, a campus, a city, a region, or even an entire nation). Although the integration of the bioclimatic design elements into district-scale retrofitting and urban planning processes may be a challenging task, it also provides significant opportunities to support energy efficiency and climate resilience by increasing budgets for investments derived from energy savings, by providing more resilient and cost-effective systems, by increasing comfort and quality of life, and by stimulating local production, which boosts local economies.

This Special Issue aims to advance bioclimatic design, with a focus on the application of climate adaptability in the design of future buildings, cities and the retrofitting of existing buildings. This call seeks to address the challenge of how to design and plan our buildings and cities so that they maintain the desired performance and thermal comfort to their residents, even as the climate changes in future decades. This Special Issue will present an overview of effective bioclimatic design strategies that enable climate-adaptable buildings and cities. The main objective is to address the problems of designing with climate, which are relevant for all types of building design and master planning schemes globally, particularly the implications for bioclimatic high-performance buildings that are intrinsically connected with the climate, Nature and the built environment. This call seeks to publish representative pilot study examples, methodologies and innovative design approaches spanning a broad range of topics to promote the generalizability of findings, but it is only limited to the publication of case studies in climate-responsive design, considering the notion of sustainability. It aims to cover a wide range of contexts dealing with the detrimental impact of climate change across the globe.

The topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Bioclimatic building design;
  • Climate change and mitigation;
  • Passive solar design;
  • Sustainable building design;
  • Environmental monitoring, testing and modelling;
  • Outdoor thermal comfort;
  • Thermal comfort and adaptation;
  • Smart cities and resilience;
  • Green architecture and urbanism;
  • Net-zero-energy buildings and communities;
  • Geographic information systems;
  • Climate modelling and forecasting;
  • Environmental sustainability;
  • Climate resilience and adaptation;
  • Urban environment;
  • Urban heat island effect;
  • Sustainable Development Goals;
  • Indoor air quality;
  • Healthy building design;
  • Modelling the energy performance of buildings;
  • Building energy performance assessment methods;
  • Ecoregional green roof design;
  • Environmental geography;
  • Urban geography and urbanism;
  • Urban microclimate modelling;
  • Urban climatology;
  • Environmental building design;
  • Regenerative adaptive design;
  • Urban health and well-being;
  • Healthy ecological systems;
  • Solar buildings and neighborhoods;
  • Urban energy usage;
  • Climate responsive design;
  • Tropical sustainable architecture;
  • Healthy buildings and houses;
  • Sustainable built environments;
  • Sustainable urbanism.

Dr. Bertug Ozarisoy
Prof. Dr. Hasim Altan
Dr. Young Ki Kim
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • adaptive thermal comfort
  • deep energy retrofit
  • environmental behavior
  • field testing and monitoring
  • outdoor thermal comfort
  • mitigation strategies
  • urban building energy modelling
  • urban environmental monitoring
  • sustainable design
  • vernacular architecture

Published Papers (8 papers)

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29 pages, 12435 KiB  
Article
A Sustainable Residential Building Model in North Iraq by Considering Occupant Behaviour, Sociocultural Needs, and the Impact on Energy Use
by Diler Haji Morad Aldoski and Harun Sevinc
Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3651; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093651 - 26 Apr 2024
Viewed by 389
Abstract
Sustainable design, which aims to reduce energy consumption and mitigate climate change, is a primary concern of developing countries. Hence, it reduces CO2 emissions. Residential buildings in North Iraq account for approximately 69% of all electricity consumed. To mitigate this issue, this [...] Read more.
Sustainable design, which aims to reduce energy consumption and mitigate climate change, is a primary concern of developing countries. Hence, it reduces CO2 emissions. Residential buildings in North Iraq account for approximately 69% of all electricity consumed. To mitigate this issue, this article investigates the design of a sustainable model by considering the local climate, building design occupant behaviour, and sociocultural needs in the region and their impact on energy use. This study used mixed research methods to develop a sustainable single-family house model in semi-arid climates, specifically Erbil (North Iraq), the process consisted of three phases. Phase One saw the collection of all data from analysed literature, observation, worship, case study simulations of the base, and an improved model. Phase Two defined the guidelines for creating sustainable model dwellings based on the main findings in Phase One. Phase Three created a prototype to evaluate the sustainable model, primarily focusing on meeting people’s design preferences while avoiding privacy concerns. In addition, DesignBuilder Software simulation was used to examine the impact of occupancy behaviour (based on local culture and traditions) on the building’s energy performance throughout two phases. In the first step, three occupancy profile types are compared with real-life study bills. These profiles were the base case, which came from an actual case; the statistical profile from surveys; and the international standard ASHRAE 90.1, which was used as the default. The second phase compared the base model with an improved model and developed a sustainable prototype that satisfies local climate and sociocultural needs. The result indicated that the standard occupant profile significantly differs from the actual bill by 40%, whereas the statistical profile and base case reduce the gap to 11% and 4%, respectively. The sustainable prototype model can enhance operative temperature by 4 °C and decrease total energy use by 50% compared to the base case model. Data also showed that occupants keep lights on even when rooms are unoccupied. Therefore, when designing sustainable dwellings, it is crucial to consider occupant behaviour and their sociocultural needs, as they have a significant impact on energy use as a result of their activity patterns and schedules. These factors should be considered in the local code. Full article
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21 pages, 5120 KiB  
Article
Subjective and Simulation-Based Analysis of Discomfort Glare Metrics in Office Buildings with Light Shelf Systems
by Amir Faraji, Fatemeh Rezaei, Payam Rahnamayiezekavat, Maria Rashidi and Hossein Soleimani
Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 11885; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511885 - 2 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1166
Abstract
Glare is a kind of physiological phenomenon that influences occupants’ visual comfort. Discomfort glare scenes in comparison to other levels of glare have been difficult to estimate and need accurate and reliable metrics. In contemporary architecture, the glass façade is so popular since [...] Read more.
Glare is a kind of physiological phenomenon that influences occupants’ visual comfort. Discomfort glare scenes in comparison to other levels of glare have been difficult to estimate and need accurate and reliable metrics. In contemporary architecture, the glass façade is so popular since it can remarkably minimize energy consumption in buildings and maximize daylight utilization as a natural energy. However, it is necessary to consider occupants’ visual discomfort due to the daylighting glare risks during the initial stage of design. Since the measured glare metrics should have an acceptable correlation with the human subject data study, the agreement on the glare indices is complicated. This paper presents a comparison between subjective and simulation-based analysis of discomfort glare metrics in offices with a light shelf system. The discomfort glare metrics considered in this study include Daylight Glare Index (DGI), CIE Glare Index (CGI), Visual Comfort Probability (VCP), Unified Glare Rating (UGR), and Daylight Glare Probability (DGP). The parallel comparison was conducted by using simulation and questionnaire surveys to determine which criteria are more useful under different conditions. According to the findings, DGP yields the most reliable results in different levels of glare based on the subjective analysis and VCP has the lowest accuracy in each stage. UGR also has the highest accuracy rate for evaluating perceptible glare, DGI is applicable for assessing imperceptible glare, and CGI can be an acceptable index for approximating intolerable glare. The study results significantly reduce the complexity of the problem and can provide useful guidance for designers to select the most reliable glare metric based on climatic conditions. Full article
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48 pages, 47358 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Modern Architecture Criteria in the Context of Sustainability and Architectural Approach; Modern Period in North Nicosia
by Çağla Beyaz and Çilen Erçin
Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10005; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310005 - 24 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1817
Abstract
Cyprus was affected by different civilizations throughout history. After the 1974 war on the island, both parts of the island were affected by social, economic, cultural, environmental, and political factors. It is known that, in 1960, the construction of buildings containing the criteria [...] Read more.
Cyprus was affected by different civilizations throughout history. After the 1974 war on the island, both parts of the island were affected by social, economic, cultural, environmental, and political factors. It is known that, in 1960, the construction of buildings containing the criteria of the modern architectural period in the northern and southern parts of the island of Cyprus continued increasingly. Although the architectural approaches that emerged with the modern period have different trends, the basis of all of them is based on the criteria of modern architecture. The main purpose of this research is to examine the architectural criteria of Efruz Houses (Müdüroğlu Houses) built in the modern period in the Nicosia Kumsal region in the context of sustainability parameters and modern architectural approach. In the study, these houses will be examined in terms of social, cultural, environmental, and economic which are parameters of sustainability. In the methodological approach, theoretical, analytical, and practical approaches were followed. In the theoretical approach stage, modern architecture, modern architectural approaches, and sustainability issues are discussed. At the analytical approach stage, the current analysis of the modern period residences in the Kumsal/Nicosia region, which was determined as the subject of the study, was made. In the practical approach phase, data revealing the physical and environmental conditions of the selected buildings were collected. The collected data were evaluated over the modern period residences in the Kumsal region in the context of modern architectural approaches and sustainability parameters. In the findings section, which is the last stage of the study, modern period houses that change function and do not change function are evaluated in the context of modern architectural approaches and sustainability parameters, taking into account the criteria of modern architecture. The research and findings clearly observed that the ideal principles and approaches of the modern period are associated with the sustainability parameters that emerged in the modern period. In the study, the necessity of applying modern period approaches in sustainable designs emerges. In this context, modern architectural criteria should be integrated into today’s sustainable designs and applied in practice. It is targeted to contribute to the existing literature by revealing the importance and values of houses, sustainability parameters, and modern period approaches and criteria. Full article
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21 pages, 6648 KiB  
Article
Sharjah Sustainable City: An Analytic Hierarchy Process Approach to Urban Planning Priorities
by Chuloh Jung and Jihad Awad
Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 8217; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15108217 - 18 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2027
Abstract
In 2020, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (SHUROOQ) initiated the Sharjah Sustainable City (SSC) project, with an investment of 2 billion AED (approximately 545 million USD) covering an area of 668,900 km2. This pioneering residential community in the United Arab [...] Read more.
In 2020, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (SHUROOQ) initiated the Sharjah Sustainable City (SSC) project, with an investment of 2 billion AED (approximately 545 million USD) covering an area of 668,900 km2. This pioneering residential community in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) provides its residents with access to renewable energy storage solutions while adhering to the highest standards of green economy and environmental sustainability. This paper aims to examine the urban planning components of SSC and establish suitable priorities for these elements. To achieve this, we first reviewed and extracted sustainable urban planning elements from existing research. These elements were then organized hierarchically for an expert survey, which was conducted via email. The results were subsequently analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Our findings revealed that the transportation system sector was deemed most important, with a score of 0.283, followed by the energy/building sectors at 0.263. Conversely, the park/green area held relatively lower importance, with a score of 0.092. Upon examining the relative importance of 15 specific planning elements (lower criteria), energy-efficient building design emerged as the most critical aspect (0.121). Other highly valued elements included public transportation-oriented development (0.115) and the use of renewable energy (0.102). In contrast, building greening (0.029), establishment of accessible greenway and green matrix in residential areas (0.029), and creation of hydrophilic features for the water circulation system (0.026) were perceived as less significant. This study is expected to serve as foundational data for the future implementation of the SSC master plan in Sharjah. Moreover, it offers valuable insights and a methodology for sustainable urban planning that can be adopted or adapted globally. The worldwide applicability of this research fosters knowledge transfer, international cooperation, and innovation, thereby promoting sustainable development, urban resilience, and progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically, SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Full article
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21 pages, 25783 KiB  
Article
The Fractal Approach in the Biomimetic Urban Design: Le Corbusier and Patrick Schumacher
by Ayse Gertik and Aykut Karaman
Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7682; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097682 - 7 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2078
Abstract
Biomimetic design process approaches have been emphasized systematically as a result of works among disciplines of current technology and biological science. In order to find solutions for a decrease in biodiversity, pollution, and issues of the ecosystem, the nature experience shows itself in [...] Read more.
Biomimetic design process approaches have been emphasized systematically as a result of works among disciplines of current technology and biological science. In order to find solutions for a decrease in biodiversity, pollution, and issues of the ecosystem, the nature experience shows itself in areas of biomimetic products, architecture, and urban designs in which nature-focused invasions are basically being imitated. Nature-focused designs have set their own framework by examining forms of different nature dynamics (scale, function, formation process) by presenting a sustainable environment. It can be seen that designs are made real by adhering to the resolution of forms, understanding, and interpretation of nature and by embracing fractal designs with the effort of creating a sustainable environment. In this study, emphasis was placed on revealed nature-based design approaches. The article addresses biomimetic design processes, reveals the role of fractal parameters in the design process, and examines the use of biomimetic approaches. By drawing attention to the importance of studying and understanding these internal dynamics, the contribution of natural inspiration and fractal concepts to the design process is examined. We examine research related to the concept of biomimetics, creation/development of conceptual proposals, and analysis of the established theoretical proposal through selected urban design examples in order to determine the respective overlaps between these areas. Our study takes the form of an analysis of the formal organization of living things together with a formal analysis focusing on the design principles. We try to analyze the design principles and the changes in the principles, and discuss the resulting data within the framework of these concepts. The urban designs of Le Corbusier and Patrick Schumacher, who are important names of the 20th century, were examined in line with the findings obtained in terms of biomimesis levels, namely, the organism level, behavior level, ecosystem level, and functional level. Comparisons of urban design approaches are made using the meta-analysis method with respect to findings obtained as a result of an examination of the golden ratio, modular system, fractal, and parameter concepts of urban design. For this reason, when the fractal concept, which is one of the dynamics of biomimetic-oriented nature, is handled with biomimetic levels and its contribution to the design processes is investigated, we are able to determine that it has important parameters in terms of sustainability. This study aims to contribute to the field of industrial products and urban design disciplines in architectural design. Full article
19 pages, 3014 KiB  
Article
Green Roofs, Vegetation Types, Impact on the Thermal Effectiveness: An Experimental Study in Cyprus
by Sinem Yıldırım, Çimen Özburak and Özge Özden
Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2807; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032807 - 3 Feb 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3183
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities and climate change have a profound impact on the urban environment. Therefore, energy conservation is an important subject for city planners. Green roofs can provide building insulation and mitigate against the urban heat island effect. This research was conducted in Cyprus, [...] Read more.
Anthropogenic activities and climate change have a profound impact on the urban environment. Therefore, energy conservation is an important subject for city planners. Green roofs can provide building insulation and mitigate against the urban heat island effect. This research was conducted in Cyprus, comparing different types of green roof vegetation against a control roof with no vegetation and their concomitant effects on indoor temperatures. The research project was performed at Near East University Campus for duration of twelve months. The experiment consisted of three different green roof types, and each hut with green roof had 3.5 m2 roof areas with a soil depth of 8 cm. In addition, one control green roof system was established without insulation, without soil, and without vegetation. In order to measure the indoor temperatures of the huts, Elitech RC-5 temperature data loggers were used. The research results showed that green roof huts provided lower mean temperatures than the control hut during the summer period. Most importantly, huts with shrub plants had the lowest temperatures during hot summer conditions. Our results indicated that green roofs perform an important role in terms of building insulation and its subsequent energy use. Full article
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31 pages, 6940 KiB  
Article
Developing an Evidence-Based Framework of Universal Design in the Context of Sustainable Urban Planning in Northern Nicosia
by Ümran Duman and Buket Asilsoy
Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13377; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013377 - 17 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2499
Abstract
Sustainable urbanism involves a wide range of issues, starting with the building unit and leading up to the city scale under the discourse of sustainability, including the four main dimensions of environmental, economic, cultural, and social. Universal design (UD) can be suggested as [...] Read more.
Sustainable urbanism involves a wide range of issues, starting with the building unit and leading up to the city scale under the discourse of sustainability, including the four main dimensions of environmental, economic, cultural, and social. Universal design (UD) can be suggested as one of the significant catalyzers of urban design parameters, which are among the basic elements of social sustainability. UD is significant in terms of providing solutions that meet the common needs of all individuals in built environments. There is a strong relationship between social sustainability and UD. Thus, adopting the concept of UD in the planning of urban spaces is crucial. Within this framework, via the relevant theoretical evaluation, a conceptual framework is constructed in order to explain universal design as a concept within the context of urban design parameters and social sustainability. Alongside discussing universal design as a term, urban design parameters and social sustainability are also discussed in order to explain the development of the theoretical model. Later, in the methodology section of the study, northern Nicosia has been chosen as the study area. A qualitative evaluation regarding the seven dimensions of universal design and a quantitative assessment based on the TSI standards, prepared including European directives/regulations, were applied to the chosen nine urban space items on the avenue. Based on the findings at Şht. Kemal Ünal Avenue, it can be concluded that urban spaces in northern Nicosia do not achieve a convenient environment for all individuals to the greatest extent possible. Further, in the discussion section of the study, several suggestions are presented for the improvement of streets, taking into account UD principles. These suggestions refer to the stops, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, urban furniture, and equipment on the avenue. In sum, it is expected that the qualitative and quantitative analyses undertaken and the literature review, including a theoretical model, will contribute to the existing knowledge on the terminology of universal design in the context of social sustainability. Full article
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21 pages, 2081 KiB  
Concept Paper
Recycling of Tire Waste Using Pyrolysis: An Environmental Perspective
by Hisham Afash, Bertug Ozarisoy, Hasim Altan and Cenk Budayan
Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14178; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914178 - 25 Sep 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2870
Abstract
End-of-life tires are a common and hazardous type of waste. According to estimates, over 2 billion tires are produced each year, and all of these tires will eventually be discarded as waste. Landfilling waste tires is strictly prohibited by the regulations of the [...] Read more.
End-of-life tires are a common and hazardous type of waste. According to estimates, over 2 billion tires are produced each year, and all of these tires will eventually be discarded as waste. Landfilling waste tires is strictly prohibited by the regulations of the European Union and the Environmental Protection Agency; they should be retreated and reused in an alternative scenario. As a waste-to-energy technology, pyrolysis can emerge as a useful technique to thermally degrade waste tires and produce useful byproducts in the form of liquid, gas, and char. The derived products can be filtered and used in further industries as biofuel substances. Pyrolytic oil has a high calorific value of 35–45 MJ/kg and can be used as an alternative to diesel to fuel specific vehicles. However, the environmental footprint of the technology has been widely neglected when using waste tires as feedstock. Made from synthetic and natural rubbers, tires contain a high amount of sulfur and styrene, which can cause toxic emissions and negatively affect the environmental sustainability of pyrolysis. This concept paper aims to elaborate the parameters of an operating rotary kiln reactor by reviewing previous life cycle assessment studies and applying the methodology to an industrial-scale pyrolysis plant in Northern Cyprus. Results found a maximum production yield of 45.6% oil at an optimal temperature of 500 °C. Influential parameters such as temperature, residence time, and heating rate are reviewed based on their overall contribution to the production yield and the environment. The outcome of this paper emphasizes the need in the literature to apply environmental analyses to industrial and commercial-scale reactors to test the sustainability of using pyrolysis as a tire waste management strategy. In addition, complex engineering concepts and tasks in waste recycling will be discussed in a broad and accessible manner, with the implications and future work discussed. Full article
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