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Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2017) | Viewed by 70384

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Prof. Dr. Ali Bahadori-Jahromi

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Guest Editor

School of Computing and Engineering, University Of West London, London W5 5RF, UK
Interests: sustainable engineering; building simulation; building design; building engineering; building envelope; carbon dioxide (CO₂)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue includes selected articles that contribute to existing knowledge on various aspect of building energy consumption, simulation, and enhancing the resilience of buildings to extreme weather events.

The 2015 COP21 Paris climate agreement highlights the increased global effort to reduce global Green House Gas (GHG) emissions to curb the adverse effect of climate change. The effects of global warming are complex and wide ranging which can include, increased flooding, rise in sea level, increased temperature, drought, etc. Consequently, reduction in building energy consumption is, therefore, important, as, globally, buildings account for almost half of the energy use in both developed and developing nations. Furthermore, the design of resilient buildings in light of the current threats of extreme weather events due to climate change have also become paramount.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect and present innovative research results, advancements and established methodologies directed towards improvement of building energy performance, occupants thermal comfort and design of extreme weather events resilience buildings. In this framework, this Special Issue aims at collecting contributions that include:

Improvement in building energy efficiency (domestic, non-domestic, public and other buildings).
Estimation and validation of energy consumption in new and existing buildings.
Strategies and technologies to improve building energy efficiency.
Renewable energy.
Heat recovery, cogeneration or tri-generation systems.
Building refurbishment and retrofitting.
Extreme weather events resilience buildings.
Building simulation modelling.

It is believed that this Special Issue can contribute to the global effort to improving energy efficiency in buildings in a sustainable manner, thereby helping to reduce the adverse effect of global climate change.

Dr Ali B-Jahromi
Guest Editor

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

Building simulation
Energy efficiency
Energy consumption
Sustainability
Building retrofit
Resilient buildings

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 4544 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance Analyses of Temporary Membrane Structures: Energy Saving and CO₂ Reduction through Dynamic Simulations of Textile Envelopes

by Mariangela De Vita, Paolo Beccarelli, Eleonora Laurini and Pierluigi De Berardinis

Sustainability 2018, 10(7), 2548; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072548 - 20 Jul 2018

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3389

Abstract

The aim of this research, carried out in collaboration with Maco Technology Inc., was to analyse the energy performance of temporary textile structures that are often used to host itinerant events. This paper illustrates the dynamic simulations carried on the Ducati Pavilion, designed by Maco Technology, which hosted Ducati staff during the different stages of the Superbike World Championship. Specific aspects relating to the structural/constructive system of the project were also analysed. The theme of energy saving and carbon reduction is of great importance in temporary and itinerant structures and environmental sustainability in relation to the materials used, storage, re-use, mode of transport and ability to respond efficiently to the climatic conditions of the installation sites is an important aspect. The Ducati Pavilion was modelled and analysed from an energy point of view using Design Builder software. Ways of improving performance were analysed under summer conditions. The paper focuses on the importance of optimizing the performance of textile envelopes: the methodology proposed allows visible savings in terms of energy consumption and achieves good levels of environmental comfort in temporary buildings with low thermal mass structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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20 pages, 13447 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Passive Ventilation for Indoor Comfort: A Comparison of Results from Monitoring and Simulation for a Historical Building in a Temperate Climate

by Eleonora Laurini, Mariangela De Vita, Pierluigi De Berardinis and Avi Friedman

Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1565; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051565 - 14 May 2018

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 8015

Abstract

When environmental sustainability is a key feature of an intervention on a building, the design must guarantee minimal impact and damage to the environment. The last ten years have seen a steady increase in the installation of highly efficient systems for winter heating, but this trend has not been mirrored for summer cooling systems. Passive ventilation, however, is a means of summer air conditioning with a low financial and environmental impact. Natural ventilation methods such as “wind towers” have been used to achieve adequate levels of internal comfort in buildings. However, the application of these systems in old town centres, where buildings are often of great architectural value, is complex. This study started with the analysis of various ventilation chimneys in order to identify the most suitable system for temperate climes. Ventilation systems were then designed using static analysis of ventilation with specific software, and installed. The results were assessed and monitored using climatic sensors over the summer period, in order to establish the period of maximum functionality to optimize the system’s performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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14 pages, 20480 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Designing Resilience of the Built Environment to Extreme Weather Events

by Ljubomir Jankovic

Sustainability 2018, 10(1), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10010141 - 09 Jan 2018

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4702

Abstract

Built environment comprises of a multitude of complex networks of buildings and processes in and between buildings. The paper looks at resilience design on three different levels: the building, the site, and the region. The building resilience design is studied using multi-objective optimization of a recently completed Passivhaus retrofit, under four different climate years: current, 2030, 2050, and 2080. The site resilience design is studied on the basis of a balance between incoming solar radiation and evaporative cooling from transpiration of plants to mitigate heat island effect. The regional resilience design is studied using a network model, taking into account connectivity, information capacity, and the ability to reconfigure. A common denominator found between these three aspects is a degree of system redundancy. Thus, a provision for adaptable building thermal insulation, a provision for adaptable green areas, and a provision for adaptable connectivity are the ingredients for resilient designs on these three respective levels. The findings increase our understanding of practical issues and implications for the resilience design of the built environment under extreme weather events. A combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches discussed in the paper provides practical guidance for designers and policy makers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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3544 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Residential Area Building Layout on Outdoor Wind Environment at the Pedestrian Level in Severe Cold Regions of China

by Hong Jin, Zheming Liu, Yumeng Jin, Jian Kang and Jing Liu

Sustainability 2017, 9(12), 2310; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9122310 - 12 Dec 2017

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 5653

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a frequent occurrence of extremely cold conditions which has had a serious impact on the life of residents of buildings in various locations around the world. However, there have only been a very limited number of studies on the effects of residential area building layout on the winter wind environments, which led to a lack of quantitative guidance for residential area planning in severely cold regions. This study aims to reveal the relationship between (1) the residential areas’ building density, floor area ratio, wind projection angle, average building height, and relative position of high-rise buildings, and; (2) the mean wind velocity ratio at pedestrian level in severe cold regions. In this study, the pedestrian-level outdoor wind environments in 24 typical residential areas of Harbin, China, are simulated using ENVI-met software. The results show that the relative position of high-rise buildings in multi-high-level mixed residential areas has little influence on the mean wind velocity ratio, and the maximum difference is 0.04. The factors of building layout have little influence on the mean wind velocity ratio of multistory residential areas. However, a significant linear correlation exists between the mean wind velocity ratio of high-rise residential areas and both the building density and wind projection angle. The prediction model of the mean pedestrian-level wind velocity ratio was then established. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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2120 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy Toolbox—Framework for the Development of a Tool for the Primary Design of Zero Emission Buildings in European and Asian Cities

by Christoph Koller, Max Jacques Talmon-Gros, Ranka Junge and Thorsten Schuetze

Sustainability 2017, 9(12), 2244; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9122244 - 05 Dec 2017

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5262

Abstract

This paper discusses the framework for the development of an Energy Toolbox (ETB). The aim of the ETB is to support the design of domestic Zero Emission Buildings (ZEBs), according to the concept of net zero-energy buildings during the early architectural design and planning phases. The ETB concept is based on the calculation of the energy demand for heating, cooling, lighting, and appliances. Based on a building’s energy demand, technologies for the onsite conversion and production of the specific forms and quantities of final and primary energy by means of renewable energy carriers can be identified. The calculations of the ETB are based on the building envelope properties of a primary building design, as well as the physical and climate parameters required for the calculation of heat transfer coefficients, heat gains, and heat losses. The ETB enables the selection and rough dimensioning of technologies and systems to meet, and, wherever possible, reduce the thermal and electric energy demand of a building. The technologies included comprise green facades, adaptable dynamic lighting, shading devices, heat pumps, photovoltaic generators, solar thermal collectors, adiabatic cooling, and thermal storage. The ETB facilitates the balancing of the energy consumption and the production of renewable energies of a primary building design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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28520 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Estimation and Visualization of CO₂ Emissions for Campus Sustainability: The Case of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia

by Yusuf A. Adenle and Habib M. Alshuwaikhat

Sustainability 2017, 9(11), 2124; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9112124 - 17 Nov 2017

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 8010

Abstract

A total of 21 metric tons of CO₂ per person in terms of per capita emissions from consumption of energy was recorded in Saudi Arabia in 2011 and forecasts have shown that this emission of CO₂ is increasing. This poses the threat of climate change and global warming and therefore the need for the sustainability of the country. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision for 2030 addresses environmental sustainability that includes a reduction in CO₂ emissions as well as diversified economic growth. Universities have been regarded as institutions with significant responsibilities to resolve the issues of sustainability as well as serve as role model to society by implementing a sustainability plan. This study established a spatial evaluation, estimation, and visualization of the CO₂ emissions of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia. The data required for this study were collected from the overall coverage of the university campus buildings by transforming raster data from the satellite image to vector data in the form of polygons, and then multiplying the area by the number of floors of the individual building. ArcGIS 10.3^® (ESRI, Redlands, CA, USA) software was used for this campus CO₂ emissions evaluation and visualization. The overall estimate of the CO₂ emissions for the university campus was 127.7-tons CO₂ equivalent. The lowest emission was 0.02-tons CO₂ equivalent while the maximum value was 20.9-tons of CO₂ equivalent. By this ArcGIS-based evaluation, it is evident that geographically integrated model for campus estimation and visualization of CO₂ emissions provides the information for decision makers to develop viable strategies for achieving a higher standard in overall campus sustainability and addressing the issue of climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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2707 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Habitat Effect on Urban Roof Vegetation

by Emrah Yalcinalp, Selva Ozveren, Alperen Meral, Muberra Pulatkan and Sefa Akbulut

Sustainability 2017, 9(11), 1985; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9111985 - 31 Oct 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4047

Abstract

Urban growth has been fast for decades. Because money is very important in this urban-based world, humanity focuses on economic development, and is often too busy to deal with sustainability. Therefore, in a world that is constantly changing, creating sustainable cities that contain a diverse range of habitats supporting plant establishment is essential. Some surprising urban habitats in which plants can grow, such as cracks on pavements and walls, rocky areas, abandoned places and roofs might be extremely important for sustainability, while urban spaces are under artificial pressure. In this study, which suggesting a method to create more sustainable green roofs for urban areas, and considering roof vegetation is already important for supporting the ecology of urban areas, we surveyed 37 roofs in an urban part of Trabzon city focusing on the habitat effect. We found 51 plant species growing on these 37 roofs, and determined five different roof vegetation typologies in the research area. The main goal in any artificial green roof is to cover roof surfaces with vegetation, and success is considered a perfect coverage rate. We found roof surface size, species richness, size of the sunlit part, daily sunlight duration, and depth of the substrate are the most effective habitat attributes on vegetation coverage on rooftops in the research area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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35036 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Vernacular Climatic Strategies (VCS) on Energy Consumption in Common Residential Buildings in Southern Iran: The Case Study of Bushehr City

by Amin Mohammadi, Mahmoud Reza Saghafi, Mansoureh Tahbaz and Farshad Nasrollahi

Sustainability 2017, 9(11), 1950; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9111950 - 26 Oct 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6790

Abstract

This study aims to use the vernacular climatic strategies (VCS) of traditional dwellings in Bushehr, in the common residential buildings of this southern Iranian city (which is characterized by its hot and humid climate), and provide answers to the following question: What effects do VCS have in terms of energy consumption in these buildings? This study has been conducted at three levels. At the first level, three context-based climatic solutions including shading, natural ventilation, and insulation of external walls and roofs were identified and selected based on bibliographic study. At the second level, a case study reflecting the current typology of common residential buildings in Bushehr city was selected. A combination of the mentioned climatic solutions was used in the baseline case to create a developed model. Based on the space layout of the developed model and some design criteria, a series of proposed models was also created and modeled. The selected case study building was also used to establish a local weather station at a height of 12 m based on the roof, collecting local climate data which were then used for simulation to improve simulation accuracy. Finally, all models were simulated with the use of Design Builder software under natural ventilation conditions during moderate climatic periods of the year while split air-conditioning systems were used during hot and humid periods. The results showed reductions of 16% in energy consumption and 22% in CO₂ emissions for the developed model, and reductions of 24–26% in energy consumption and 32–34% in CO₂ emissions for the proposed models, as compared with the baseline model. Furthermore, all proposed models achieved lower annual energy consumption when compared with a selection of international sustainable low energy standards and domestic energy performance references for the Middle East region. Further studies are also recommended, and there is potential for combining VCS with other solutions such as on-site renewable energies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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2751 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Outdoor Thermal Comfort in a Transitional Space of Canopy in Schools in the UK

by Choul Woong Kwon and Kang Jun Lee

Sustainability 2017, 9(10), 1753; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9101753 - 28 Sep 2017

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4434

Abstract

There has been a significant increase in opportunities to improve school environments in the UK. There has, however, been little study on the design of sheltered transitional spaces, despite growing architectural demand for this, examples of which can be easily found in most primary schools in the UK. Computer simulations (Rayman, Ecotect and Winair4) were performed to identify the influence of different parameters: that of having a canopy; the effect of the transmissivity of the canopy material (three transparencies 0%, 50% and 90% were considered); orientation (four orientations—north, east, south and west—were considered); and location (three cities: London, Manchester and Glasgow). The combined effects of canopy transparency and orientation were shown to be critical design considerations in affecting comfort conditions in outdoor spaces. It was found that outdoor comfort conditions in the transitional space can be enhanced by 41.5% in August by choosing a canopy of 0% transparency, compared with a canopy of 90% transparency in London. The fixed canopy with a higher transparency helped to increase outdoor thermal comfort in Glasgow, while one with a lower transparency showed better performance during summer in London. This research will help design environmentally sophisticated transitional spaces in schools. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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2999 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Estimation and Validation of Energy Consumption in UK Existing Hotel Building Using Dynamic Simulation Software

by Abdulazeez Rotimi, Ali Bahadori-Jahromi, Anastasia Mylona, Paulina Godfrey and Darren Cook

Sustainability 2017, 9(8), 1391; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9081391 - 07 Aug 2017

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6215

Abstract

Adverse effects of anthropogenic climate change has resulted in mitigation strategies geared towards curbing CO₂ emissions. Consequently, this has increased demand for more energy efficient buildings. Considerable amounts of studies have shown the existence of a significant discrepancy between estimated energy consumption by thermal simulation software and actual building operational energy; this is referred to as a ‘performance gap’. This work presents a method of improving the energy consumption estimate in an existing non-domestic building via the use of a case study UK hotel (Hilton Reading Hotel) and Engineering Development Solutions limited (EDSL) TAS thermal simulation software. The method involves evaluating consumption estimates through plant modelling, and modifying this result by surveying the site to verify the simulation data and including estimates of unaccounted building energy use such as catering services which can be significant in hotels. The energy consumption result for this case study building gives an estimate which is within 12% of the actual building consumption data. The result also demonstrated that such models can produce energy consumption estimates that are up to 23% more accurate than building regulation compliance models and that more accurate simulation consumption estimates can be achieved by accounting for more unregulated energy uses, for example, lifts, servers and small power load. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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5125 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Dynamic Response of Novel Masonry Structures Impacted by Debris Flow

by Peizhen Li, Tangzhenhao Li, Zheng Lu and Jin Li

Sustainability 2017, 9(7), 1122; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9071122 - 27 Jun 2017

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4858

Abstract

Debris flow is a very destructive natural disaster. This paper presents a novel masonry structure with strong resistance to debris flow—by using walls that are set with braces and filled with straw bricks. This structure was designed according to the concepts of sustainability. In order to study the dynamic response of this novel masonry structure under debris flow, finite element models of different masonry structures were established by means of LS-DYNA software. The responses of this novel structure and other traditional structures were calculated and compared when the rock of debris flow hits the center of the wall. Results showed that the out-of-plane stiffness of the impacted wall with cross braces was enhanced in this novel structure, leading to an increased resistance to the impact of debris flow more effectively. Furthermore, braces were able to stop rocks in the debris flow and dissipate the corresponding energy through deformation. These braces also improved anti-collapse capabilities, leading to an increase in the safety of people’s lives and properties. This novel structure is a response to national policies and plans, which plays an active role in promoting sustainable development of society. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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4910 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Impact of Window Films on the Overall Energy Consumption of Existing UK Hotel Buildings

by Ali Bahadori-Jahromi, Abdulazeez Rotimi, Anastasia Mylona, Paulina Godfrey and Darren Cook

Sustainability 2017, 9(5), 731; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9050731 - 02 May 2017

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 8020

Abstract

Recently, considerable attention has justifiably been directed towards energy savings in buildings as they account for up to 20–40% of total energy consumption in developed countries. In the United Kingdom, studies have revealed that buildings’ CO₂ emissions for account for at least 43% of total emissions. Window panels are a major component of the building fabric with considerable influence on the façade energy performance and are accountable for up to 60% of a building’s overall energy loss. Therefore, the thermal performance of glazing materials is an important issue within the built environment. This work evaluates the impact of solar window films on the overall energy consumption of an existing commercial building via the use of a case study U.K. hotel and TAS dynamic simulation software. The study results demonstrated that the impact of window films on the overall energy consumption of the case study hotel is approximately 2%. However, an evaluation of various overall energy consumption components showed that the window films reduce the annual total cooling energy consumption by up to 35% along with a marginal 2% increase in the annual total heating energy consumption. They can also provide overall cost and CO₂ emissions savings of up to 3%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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