Search Results (211)

Urban mobility has a relatively high potential for radical change and plays an important role in building more sustainable cities. This paper investigates the role of business models and local conditions in the transitions towards sustainable urban mobility through a study set in the context of Chinese cities that focuses on the emergence of electric vehicle-sharing services (EVSSs) as a sustainable mobility innovation. Transitions theory and its multi-level perspective has been adopted as a theoretical framework for this research. A case study methodology was employed comprising semi-structured interviews with 26 respondents. These comprised EVSS providers, other mobility service providers, and other stakeholders including local and national governments bodies. It is based in the Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone (YRDEZ), which includes the major cities of Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Suzhou that have been at the forefront of EVSS adoption and innovation. The findings highlight the dynamic interplay between business models, regulatory environments, and urban settings, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the socio-technical shifts necessary for fostering more sustainable urban mobility. The study also demonstrates the importance of a range of research disciplines for understanding the processes of sustainability transitions, whilst also revealing some limitations of transitions theory and the multi-level perspective for analysing and understanding transitions. Full article

With the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, rural residences have become an essential component of China’s building energy conservation efforts. However, most existing research has focused more on urban buildings, with less attention given to rural residences. This study, taking rural residential buildings (RRBs) in the hot summer and cold winter zones in China as an example, proposes a more precise, two-stage optimization design framework using Rhino-Grasshopper for the overall optimization of RRBs. First, field surveys and numerical analysis of collected rural residential design drawings were conducted to clarify spatial characteristics and air conditioning usage. The parametric optimization design of RRBs was then conducted in two steps. The first step involves room function positioning, where spatial geometric models are established. Annual dynamic simulation analyses of AC (air conditioning) and AL (artificial lighting) energy consumption are performed to obtain energy intensity distribution maps. Based on the principle that “space with higher energy consumption is set in the location with lower energy consumption intensity” and the habit of functional space distribution, room function positioning, and adjustments are made. In the second step, the SPEA-2 genetic algorithm was applied for multi-objective optimization of room width, depth, WWR (window-to-wall ratio), SHGC (solar heat gain coefficient), and VLT (visible light transmittance), all based on the logical relationships of the building structure. The final Pareto front solution sets were obtained by multi-objective optimization simulation (MOO). A typical three-bay RRB was selected for application in this study, and the optimized design led to a total energy savings rate of 11% in annual AC and AL energy consumption. Full article

The pursuit of sustainable and energy-efficient construction is vital to mitigate climate change and reduce carbon emissions. The application of the concept of nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) is now a reality for new buildings in the European Union, helping to achieve those goals. However, there is significant complexity in achieving acceptable thermal comfort levels in warmer climates such as the one in Southern Europe. This study carried out a multi-objective optimisation of the nZEB envelope using current construction solutions and nZEB regulations currently in force in different climate zones in this region, aiming to reduce thermal discomfort according to EN 16798-1. The results indicate that passive measures induced by regulatory requirements can significantly reduce discomfort at an affordable cost. However, great caution must be taken in relation to regulatory requirements, mainly for the cooling season, aiming to avoid summer overheating of dwellings and guaranteeing that nZEB’s buildings are sustainable and comfortable in the Mediterranean climate regions. In addition, designers should be aware that increasing the insulation layer beyond regulatory requirements does not necessarily imply an increase in passive thermal comfort. Often, this implies, in addition to an increase in construction costs, an increase in discomfort, particularly during the cooling season. Full article

The need to construct environmentally friendly buildings to meet current environmental and ecological standards is urgent. This study introduces a new multi-layer construction material with two outer layers of ordinary mortar and an inner layer of a pozzolane-limes composite to meet this need. The thermal efficiency of this material in building construction is investigated using TRNSYS18 simulations for two distinct climatic zones in Morocco, with a particular focus on its impact on heating dynamics. The primary objective is to evaluate the thermal performance of multi-layered pozzolanic materials, for which mortar samples are meticulously prepared as a reference in the two different climatic zones (Azilal and Errachidia). Using the asymmetric hot plate method under both stable and transient conditions, the authors conduct thermal characterization experiments. The results underscore the improvement in thermal performance made possible by the incorporation of pozzolan as an aggregate in the multi-layer material compared to ordinary mortar. Specifically, thermal conductivity improves significantly, from 0.735 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ for ordinary mortar to 0.4 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ for multi-layered pozzolanic materials, representing a 46% mass gain. Additionally, effusivity decreases from 730 to 604 J m⁻² K⁻¹ s^−1/2, while diffusivity decreases from 3.78 to 2.23 × 10⁻⁷ m² s⁻¹, further attesting to the material’s thermal efficacy. TRNSYS18 simulations corroborate the viability of using multi-layered materials as building envelopes, revealing potential annual heating gains of 25% in Azilal and 5% in Errachidia. These findings underscore the promising prospects of integrating these materials into sustainable construction practices. Full article

Local climate zones (LCZs) and urban functional zones (UFZs) can intricately depict the multidimensional spatial elements of cities, offering a comprehensive perspective for understanding the surface urban heat island (SUHI) effect. In this study, we retrieved two types of land surface temperature (LST) data and constructed 12 SUHI scenarios over the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area Central region using six SUHI identification methods. It compared the SUHI sensitivity differences among different types of LCZ and UFZ to analyze the global and local sensitivity differences of influencing factors in the 12 SUHI scenarios by utilizing the spatial gradient boosting trees, geographically weighted regression, and the coefficient of variation model. Results showed the following: (1) The sensitivity of different LCZ and UFZ types to multi-scenario SUHI was significantly affected by differences in SUHI identification methods and non-urban references. (2) In the morning, the shading effect of building clusters reduced the surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) of some built environment types (such as LCZ 1 (compact high-rise zone) to LCZ 5 (open midrise zone)). The SUHIIs of LCZ E (bare rock or paved zone) and LCZ 10 (industry zone) were 4.22 °C and 3.87 °C, respectively, and both are classified as highly sensitive to SUHI. (3) The sensitivity of SUHI influencing factors exhibited regional variability, with importance differences in the sensitivity of importance for factors such as the impervious surface ratio, elevation, average building height, vegetation coverage, and average building volume between LCZs and UFZs. Amongst the 12 SUHI scenarios, an average of 87.43% and 89.97% of areas in LCZs and UFZs, respectively, were found to have low spatial sensitivity types. Overall, this study helps urban planners and managers gain a more comprehensive understanding of the complexity of the SUHI effect in high-density cities, providing a scientific basis for future urban climate adaptability planning. Full article

The presence of highway work zones has a major effect on safety, mobility, and project expenses. The objective of this study is to develop a multi-objective optimization model to address these challenges by considering all three factors simultaneously. The model employs a Genetic Algorithm to identify the Pareto front and elucidate the trade-offs between safety, mobility, and cost. It evaluates various decision variables related to site geometry, work management, and temporary traffic control measures, exploring numerous potential combinations and offering decision-makers a comprehensive array of solutions. A case study demonstrates the model’s efficacy. Initially, approximately 829,440 feasible solutions were identified, which were effectively reduced to 263 by imposing additional constraints such as specific safety levels, maximum project costs, or traffic delay thresholds. The findings highlight significant cost variations: crash costs ranged from saving USD 973,473 to increasing costs by USD 1,328,322; mobility costs ranged from USD 184,491 to USD 3,854,212; and project costs ranged from USD 1,424,634 to USD 1,574,894. These variations underscore the substantial influence of crash costs and the benefits of location-based scheduling, which improves cost estimate reliability by capturing the effects of working hours and project duration. This research builds upon previous studies by incorporating three distinct objectives rather than focusing on a singular solution. By addressing safety, mobility, and project cost separately, the framework yields multiple solutions, each impacting the objectives differently. This multifaceted approach enhances its utility as a robust decision-making tool for stakeholders involved in highway work zone management and planning. This study concludes that multi-objective optimization is crucial for providing realistic and diverse solutions, ultimately improving decision-making processes in highway work zone operations. Full article

BIM models are seldom used for the energy certification of buildings. This paper discusses the advantages of linking two important fields: building information modeling (BIM) and building environmental assessment methods (BEAM), presented as a rating system and a proposal for the Chilean context. The state of the art in both fields around the world is discussed, with an in-depth examination of current BIM software and related applications, followed by a discussion about previous research on integrating them. A lack of interoperability and data losses between BIM and BEM were found. A new tool is presented that addresses these challenges to ensure accurate rating system data, and this new framework is based on database exchange and takes crucial information from BIM to BEAM platforms. The development of the method includes BIM programming (API), database links, and spreadsheets for a Chilean building energy certification through a new tool, also applicable to multiclimactic zones. This new semi-automatic tool allows architects to model their design in a BIM platform and use this information as input for the energy certification process. The potential and risks of this method are discussed. Several improvements and enhancements of the energy certification process were found when incorporating this new framework in comparison to current methodologies. Full article

Bifacial photovoltaic sunshade (BiPVS) is an innovative building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology. Vertically mounted BiPVS is capable of converting part of the incident solar radiation into electricity, regulating the indoor heat gain from solar penetration and improving daylighting. An excellent BiPVS design should comprehensively consider its impact on building performance and economic viability. This study aims to address this issue by proposing a parametric design-based multi-objective optimization (MOO) framework to maximize indoor useful daylight illuminance, minimize air-conditioning energy consumption, and shorten the payback period by optimizing BiPVS design parameters. The framework utilizes the Ladybug, Honeybee, and Wallacei plugins on the Rhino-Grasshopper simulation platform. It validates the optimization potential of BiPVS in a typical office located in a hot summer and warm winter zone. The results indicate that BiPVS has significant energy-saving and daylighting potential. Compared to the baseline model without BiPVS, useful daylight illuminance is increased by 39.44%, air-conditioning energy consumption is reduced by 12.61%, and the economically satisfactory payback period is 4.80 years. This study provides a practical solution for the competing objectives of daylighting and energy saving in buildings with significant renewable energy utilization. The developed framework is highly efficient and versatile and can be applied to other BIPV designs, which benefits the realization of carbon-neutral goals in the building sector. Full article

In the long-hole stage open stoping with subsequent backfill mining of underground metal mines, the selection or optimization of stope dimension parameters is significant for safe and economic mining operations. To analyze the optimal stope sizes, the Mathews empirical graph method and FLAC3D numerical method can be used, but the analyzed safety results of the two methods are generally independent from each other. More importantly, economic indicators including production capacity and mining costs should be considered simultaneously to optimize the stope dimension which was mostly ignored in previous reports. In this paper, a new CRITIC-GRA model was proposed for the first time to build up a multi-factor quantitative optimization for stope dimension, which allows for a comprehensive analysis with preset influential safety and economic indicators. The indicators considered include the safety indicators such as stability probability for the side walls and roof of the open stope via the updated Mathews graph method, maximum displacement, plastic zones volume and maximum principal stress via FLAC3D simulations, as well as economic indicators such as mining costs and stope production capacity in mine operations. The model was then illustrated in an underground iron mine. With the given rockmass quality in the mine, the overall stability of the open stope can be improved instead of reduced to enlarge the single stage stope height (60 m) to a double stage height (120 m) by reducing the stope width from 20 m to 15 m, thereby significantly increasing the mineable ore amount and improving the stope safety. An integrated evaluation of open stope stability, mining capacity and costs objectively determined that scheme No. 10, with a slope length of 50 m, a width of 15 m and a height of 120 m, was the optimum out of the 20 preset schemes. The new CRITIC-GRA model offers a dependable reference tool for determining the optimal stope dimensions in similar underground mines. Full article

A possible way to improve the structural safety and robustness of precast building structures is to develop effective precast frame systems with layered beams, which combine prefabricated parts with cast-in situ ordinary concrete, high-performance concrete, fiber concrete, or FRP. The paper provides a new type of precast reinforced concrete frame system with layered beams for rapidly erected multi-story buildings resistant to accidental actions. Using a combination of the variational method and two-level design schemes, a simplified analytical model has been developed for structural analysis of the precast reinforced concrete frame system, both for serviceable and ultimate limit states as well as for accidental actions. The proposed model allows for determining shear deformations and the formation and opening of longitudinal cracks in the intermediate contact zone between precast and monolithic parts of reinforced concrete structural elements of the frame, as well as the formation and opening of normal cracks because of the action of axial tensile force or bending moment in these elements. The design model was validated by comparing the calculated and experimental data obtained from testing scaled models of the precast reinforced concrete frame system with layered beams. The paper investigates and thoroughly analyzes the factors affecting the stiffness and bearing capacity of the intermediate contact zone, discusses the criteria for the formation of shear cracks along the contact zone of precast and monolithic concrete, and examines the change in the stiffness and dissipative properties of layered elements at different stages of their static–dynamic loading. The robustness of the experimental models of the structural system was not ensured under the specified load, section dimensions, and reinforcement scheme. Following an accidental action, longitudinal cracks were observed in the contact joint between the monolithic and prefabricated parts in the layered beams. This occurred almost simultaneously with the opening of normal cracks in adjacent sections. A comprehensive analysis of the results indicated a satisfactory degree of agreement between the proposed semi-analytical model and the test data. Full article

Urban residential areas significantly influence outdoor thermal comfort through architectural morphology. This study concentrates on the multi-objective optimization of the thermal comfort environment in residential areas, with a focus on Yulin—a city in the cold, inland region of Northwestern China. Yulin is characterized by its distinctly defined seasons, particularly harsh and windy conditions in the spring, which significantly impact thermal comfort. Utilizing field surveys, characteristics of scale and layout from high-rise residential areas in Yulin were extracted to formulate design strategies adapted to local climates. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) served as the optimization criterion, and genetic algorithms, integrated with parametric modeling software, generated multiple layout schemes. These were refined through the Pareto evolutionary algorithm II to optimize thermal comfort across seasons. Furthermore, the Sobol’ sensitivity analysis method was employed to assess the impact of key parameters on outdoor thermal comfort, identifying crucial layout design elements. The optimization improved UTCI values for different seasons, ensuring year-round comfort. Specifically, summer UTCI improved to 25.51, while winter and spring values reached optimal values of −14.02 and −6.41, demonstrating enhanced thermal retention and reduced wind exposure. Sobol’ sensitivity analysis identified building length, orientation, and density as key parameters, highlighting their critical impact on thermal comfort. This study offers practical guidelines for urban residential area design in similar climatic zones, aligning architectural planning with environmental sustainability and enhancing thermal comfort effectively. This study provides practical guidelines for the design of residential areas in cold inland—seasonal windy—regions and other similar climatic zones, aligning building morphology design with environmental sustainability and enhancing thermal comfort effectively. Full article

In the early stages of building design, decisions are made about the building’s form and envelope, but designers rarely base their decisions on sophisticated energy simulations, even though these features are critical to a building’s energy performance. This paper employs three methods—empirical, parametric, and uncertainty—to assess the interconnectedness of building form, envelope, orientation, and occupancy regarding thermal comfort and energy consumption for heating and cooling a residential building across three regions: Gdyel (mediterranean climate), Oum El Bouaghi, and Constantine (semi-arid climate). The study variables include indoor air temperature, relative humidity, and energy consumption. The initial findings stem from an experiment conducted in an apartment on the top floor of a building in Gdyel, which allowed us to record the evolution of the variables mentioned throughout the year and validate the parametric results of the multi-zone model created in TRNSYS16 software. This study showed that for the considered climates, a compact form is more suitable; it was found that the top floor with SF = 0.57 needs about 30% to 54% more energy than the inter-floor with SF = 0.21. In addition, the heating and cooling methods and habits adopted by Algerian households are responsible for 18% to 35% on the top floor and the inter-floor, respectively. Full article

This article focuses on the Ottoman Period urban fabric of Silifke, a crucial historical town in Turkey. The aim of this paper is to develop a research framework for the transfer of cultural heritage and cultural continuity in multi-layered historical cities. In this context, investigating the level of sociocultural transition and physical permeability between layers is the main problem of the article. The scope of the study consists of an approximately 1.5 km² (150 hectares) area within the boundaries of the 3rd Degree archaeological site determined in 1995 by the Adana Cultural and Natural Heritage Conservation Regional Board. In the case area, there are building remains and 58 registered buildings, 40 of which were built during the Ottoman Period. The findings and evaluations were examined in three parts: the periods before the Ottoman Period, the Ottoman Period, and the Republican Period. Analyses were developed independently or overlapped from archive documents such as the Presidential Ottoman Archive (BOA), provincial yearbooks, engravings of travelers, photographs, aerial photographs of different years, current maps, zoning plans, and conservation plans. Then, we made descriptions and inferences about urban change/transformation, which is affected by the political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental factors of the town and will shape the future change/transformation and management of the town. The ultimate goal is to set up a basis for the Silifke town center that will guide future interventions and design and planning policies for cultural continuity. Full article

This study adapted and tested an approach to identifying areas that are particularly vulnerable to climate-related hazards using the example of the post-industrial city of Knurów in Poland. This study applied a multi-criteria method using the analytical hierarchy process based on GIS map data. The analysis was divided into statistical regions defined for the city. Fifteen attributes were defined for each statistical region. The applied methods provided verified spatial information related to specific climate change hazards. The results showed that the most vulnerable areas were the areas with intensive development in the city center and in the southwestern part of the city. Among the 15 attributes, the most significant were T1 (number of inhabitants in zones with a higher potential thermal risk index by statistical district) with a value of 0.163, G2 (percentage of the sum of tree-shaded areas in built-up areas within the territory of a given statistical district) with 0.143 and H3 (number of buildings in areas of drainless basins and 100-year water). This method effectively identified the most vulnerable areas. The use of such a method can help in the preparation of planning documents and urban adaptation plans by determining the thermally and hydrologically vulnerable areas with the least developed green infrastructure as an exposure-mitigating factor. Full article

Buildings are responsible for around 30% and 42% of the consumed energy at the global and European levels, respectively. Accurate building power consumption estimation is crucial for resource saving. This research investigates the combination of graph convolutional networks (GCNs) and long short-term memory networks (LSTMs) to analyze power building consumption, thereby focusing on predictive modeling. Specifically, by structuring graphs based on Pearson’s correlation and Euclidean distance methods, GCNs are employed to discern intricate spatial dependencies, and LSTM is used for temporal dependencies. The proposed models are applied to data from a multistory, multizone educational building, and they are then compared with baseline machine learning, deep learning, and statistical models. The performance of all models is evaluated using metrics such as the mean absolute error (MAE), mean squared error (MSE), R-squared (R²), and the coefficient of variation of the root mean squared error (CV(RMSE)). Among the proposed computation models, one of the Euclidean-based models consistently achieved the lowest MAE and MSE values, thus indicating superior prediction accuracy. The suggested methods seem promising and highlight the effectiveness of GCNs in improving accuracy and reliability in predicting power consumption. The results could be useful in the planning of building energy policies by engineers, as well as in the evaluation of the energy management of structures. Full article