Conference Agenda

This paper provides parametric estimates of embodied carbon reduction when structural components are reused in a typical office building. First, a lower bound of structural material quantities is estimated for a typical steel frame structure in a low-rise office building. The embodied carbon of this conventional design is then compared with values collected from a series of similar existing steel buildings (deQo) as benchmark. Various scenarios regarding the impact of selective deconstruction, transportation, and cross-section oversizing are constructed and parameterised. The study eventually computes carbon savings over one life cycle of the building project. Results show that reuse remains beneficial for long transport and high oversizing. The discussion calls for more comprehensive studies and refined metrics for quantifying selective deconstruction.

The paper questions the morphological characteristics of air-conditioned office buildings found in warm humid climates for performance on their indoor climate and thus Energy Utility index (EUI). The investigation involved with 86 multilevel office buildings but identified two critical case buildings with a shallow plan form and similar morphological characteristics such as orientation, occupant and equipment density and façade architecture for a field investigation of heat stress patterns on their facades and thus indoor environment. Measuring indoor air temperature during office hours in 3mX3m multi zones across the depths and lengths of these two buildings using Hobo meters reveals dynamics of air temperatures up to 10.5 degrees C against set point temperatures of 24 degrees C. The work highlight severity of heat stress on air conditioned indoor environments and thus an issue related to shallow plan form typology but to be addressed for energy sustainability.

Building data are required to initialise urban canopy parametrisations in atmospheric models. Improving the precision of such data enhances the accuracy of model outputs and enables us to better simulate the urban surface energy balance and the potential impacts of climate change on cities. This study aims to characterise buildings in Hong Kong using a locally-adapted approach, taking into consideration its subtropical climate, rapid urban development process, and complex high-density environment. We identify 18 building archetypes distinguished by their morphology and use. For these we define building architectural characteristics and human behaviour schedules. These parameters are intended for use in fine scale urban climate simulations with the Town Energy Balance (TEB). Subsequent findings may be applied for urban planning and climate change impact studies.

Building a house using traditional rammed earth construction technique helps farmers to reduce the building cost and improve thermal comfort by using passive thermal strategies. Experimented in 2006, in rural area with cold winter and hot summer (Chinese official division of climate zones), by building a 264 square meters house, thanks to the support of Generalkonsulat der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Shanghai, it cost 80’000 RMB. Furthermore, this cost can be reduced to half if the farmers built it themselves. The building has been renovated in recent years and this study is based on its current state. This paper will present the scientific research of the different passive design strategies of this modern rammed house, employed to ensure thermal comfort without a mechanical heating or cooling system. The composition of the loam, the structure of the roof, the orientation and the surrounding local bamboo are the main contributors. The data were collected every 10 minutes for air temperature and relative humidity and were used to analyse the indoor conditions. This research will be of great importance not only for the energy efficiency, but also for the re-appreciation of the traditional residence construction method.