Conference Agenda

In times of global ecological challenges, understanding building performance to improve occupants’ comfort is becoming the norm in various climatic zones and locales. Any performance evaluation should account for occupants’ demands for thermal and visual comfort. However, seeking to analyse the impact of design on the two aspects of comfort simultaneously can be complicated especially when a series of parametric changes with varying impacts on either is necessary. In the Nigerian context, assessing the environmental behaviour of existing residential properties to inform future refinement is becoming far more critical due to the vulnerability of the region to the changing climate, the ongoing issue with the energy supply and the housing shortage. The method adapted in this paper following previous research can be useful for the coinciding evaluation of the thermal environment and visual comfort. The environmental behaviour of two of Abuja’s common housing types, in their current state and with the addition of multiple shading elements assessed using such methodological procedures to examine their suitability for performing a comprehensive analysis. The paper discusses the simplicity of the graphical representation utilised in displaying the changes in the cases’ behaviour following the alteration. It also provides an insight into their current performance.

Looking back to the glory years of Brazilian bioclimatic modernism between 1930 and 1964, the country´s architectural heritage reveals a design approach still highly relevant today. Building design of those days paid heed to solar orientation and the consequent need for solar protection. The COPAN is the tallest residential buildings in South America until today, with 42 floors being 38 residential and 120 thousand square meters of total built space. The long “S” shape form creates variations in the orientation, resulting in one side of the building facing north and northwest whilst the other faces south and southeast. This research work about the thermal performance of the Copan building was developed based on fieldwork including measurements in loco of environmental variables and interviews with occupants. The effect of thermal inertia coupled with external shading, that characterizes buildings built during the times of the Brazilian bioclimatic modernist, resulting in steady thermal conditions during warm and cold days, favorable to the comfort of the occupants, with temperature figures oscillating between 24oC and 26oC.

London’s increasing housing demands and land scarcity impose a creative way of finding spaces for well-connected, sustainable housing development. Airspaces, above low-traffic connector roads, in between blind walls (windowless) of terraced houses were found numerous and identified as exploitable spaces. This paper illustrates a framework design that aims to have a contextually sensitive application that provides quality atmospheres for a modern live-work lifestyle, with flexible spatial layouts and adaptive passive features to help achieve desirable comfort. The project employs a modular construction system, for efficient and affordable delivery, where design strategies are transferable and adaptable on sites with different dimensions and microclimates. The outcome is an optimized prototype that demands 30% less energy per sqm annually compared to the UK Zero Carbon Dwelling standard.

This study aims to explore the comparative effects between Obstacle’s Distance and Obstacle’s Orientation parameters that cause partial shading effect (PSE) and influence the potential solar power generation of a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system. An automatic collaboration between Building Information Modelling (BIM) software and a cloud-based building performance analysis tool were used to simulate the annual cumulative insolation obtained from rooftop BIPV surfaces of sixteen different Obstacle’s Orientations and forty-three different distances between the BIPV and building obstacles—Obstacle’s Distance. The case study are two axis-aligned public healthcare buildings; an outpatient department (OPD) building and a ward building that are widely established throughout Thailand. This study also explores the notion that Obstacle’s Orientation and Obstacle’s Distance of a surrounding obstacle are both important parameters that influence the annual cumulative insolation of PV surfaces but in the different contexts. The findings of this study also support decision making for BIPV designers and planners to select which the BIPV and the obstacle placement is highly effective, especially BIPV application on lower-rise buildings in dense urban environments, such as healthcare facilities.

This paper presents 4 rural housing typologies designed by Grupo Austral in 1939 for the countrymen of Argentina. Each dwelling was adapted to a different climatic region of the country, ranging from warm subtropical to cold desert. The designs represent an outstanding start in environmental awareness in Argentina, though ignored by the community of architects and any of the government plans for housing. In this paper the design features of these housing designs are evaluated using contemporary simulation tools and the original specifications are compared to current building practices. Comparison with contemporary housing projects by government agencies shows the Grupo Austral’s design to be superior in all environmental aspects.

Kisekae House is a net zero energy house, which the total energy consumption is covered by natural energy. The students and teachers of Architecture Major in Mukogawa Women’s University proposed the house. The high thermal performance of the house and the high efficient equipment keep the room condition comfortable, as well as reduction of the energy consumption. In addition, ideas based on the Japanese traditional system and devices are adopted. The residents can control the environment by adjusting spaces and device conditions by themselves. According to the results of the measurement of the energy consumption and thermal environment in November 2017, the total zero energy were achieved on the house.

In Medellin, as in most Colombian cities, self-construction and self-management were the main drivers of urban development in the periphery areas, through informal settlements. The generation of cableway systems has improved connectivity with the rest of the city, but in terms of housing, there are still many sectors with poor residential habitat, in terms of habitability, well-being, and eco-efficiency. This research focuses on making a diagnosis of the area near the Metrocable Line H, seeking to establish the necessary factors to improve the livability of people in the sector, having as base the experiences of the two previous cableway in the city, evaluating the processes of consolidation and adaptation that are generated, the way in which these impulse interventions by the State. The results conclude that although there is a positive connection between the neighborhood and the city, reducing marginality, it is necessary to connect it inside, and although there is a first approach to improving the public space, it doesn’t work as expected, resulting in an incentive for informal development.