Search results for: commercial buildings
3715 Features of Urban Planning Design of the Largest Cities Located in Areas with High Seismic (on the example of Almaty city, Republic of Kazakhstan)
Authors: Arkinzhan Mametov, Alexey Abilov
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Strong earthquakes are dangerous natural phenomena that lead to the destruction of entire cities and the death of a large number of people. The recent strong earthquakes in Turkey and in a number of other states have shown that as a result of them, there are significant human casualties and huge destruction. The city of Almaty is located in the foothill basin of the Trans-Ili Alatau of the Tien Shan Mountain system, in a zone with 9–10-point seismicity. Almaty (formerly Verniy) was founded in 1856 and, since that period, has experienced two catastrophic earthquakes - in 1887 and 1911, which led almost to the complete destruction of the city. Since that time, according to seismologists, the city has been annually exposed to small seismic impacts of 2-3 points. This forced the subsequent search for ways to protect buildings and the public through the use of earthquake-resistant structures and materials, limiting the number of stores of buildings and increasing gaps between them, which was carried out quite consistently and since 1957. However, at present, it is necessary to state a number of violations, primarily of the urban development plan – the placement of high-density multi-stores commercial housing in the urban environment, bypassing the existing regulations and standards in the city. Their appearance contributes to a greater concentration of residents transport in a limited area, which can lead to harmful consequences during powerful earthquakes. The experience of eliminating the consequences of catastrophic earthquakes shows that an important factor in reducing human losses is timely technical and medical assistance to victims of earthquakes, the elimination of blockages, provision of temporary housing and evacuation of the population, especially in winter. In cities located in areas with high seismicity, it is necessary to ensure strict compliance with the requirements of urban development regulations, taking into account the entire complex of planning and organizational measures to minimize the destruction of buildings and human casualties.Keywords: high seismic zones, urban planning regulations, special standards for planing, minimizing the human casualties
Procedia PDF Downloads 923714 Reduction of Differential Column Shortening in Tall Buildings
Authors: Hansoo Kim, Seunghak Shin
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The differential column shortening in tall buildings can be reduced by improving material and structural characteristics of the structural systems. This paper proposes structural methods to reduce differential column shortening in reinforced concrete tall buildings; connecting columns with rigidly jointed horizontal members, using outriggers, and placing additional reinforcement at the columns. The rigidly connected horizontal members including outriggers reduce the differential shortening between adjacent vertical members. The axial stiffness of columns with greater shortening can be effectively increased by placing additional reinforcement at the columns, thus the differential column shortening can be reduced in the design stage. The optimum distribution of additional reinforcement can be determined by applying a gradient based optimization technique.Keywords: column shortening, long-term behavior, optimization, tall building
Procedia PDF Downloads 2493713 Adaptable Buildings for More Sustainable Housing: Energy Life Cycle Analysis
Authors: Rafael Santos Fischer, Aloísio Leoni Schmid, Amanda Dalla-Bonna
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The life cycle analysis and the energy life cycle analysis are useful design support tools when sustainability becomes imperative. The final phase of buildings life cycle is probably the least known, on which less knowledge is available. In the Brazilian building industry, the lifespan of a building design rarely is treated as a definite design parameter. There is rather a common sense attitude to take any building demands as permanent, and to take for granted that buildings solutions are durable and solid. Housing, being a permanent issue in any society, presents a real challenge to the choice of a design lifespan. In Brazilian history, there was a contrast of the native solutions of collective, non-durable houses built by several nomadic tribes, and the stone and masonry buildings introduced by the sedentary Portuguese conquerors. Durable buildings are commonly associated with welfare. However, social dynamics makes traditional families of both parents and children be just one of several possible arrangements. In addition, a more liberal attitude towards family leads to an increase in the number of people living in alternative arrangements. Japan is an example of country where houses have been made intentionally ephemeral since the half of 20th century. The present article presents the development of a flexible housing design solution on the basis of the Design Science Research approach. A comparison in terms of energy life cycle shows how flexibility and dematerialization may point at a feasible future for housing policies in Brazil.Keywords: adaptability, adaptable building, embodied energy, life cyclce analysis, social housing
Procedia PDF Downloads 5893712 Adopting Precast Insulated Concrete Panels for Building Envelope in Hot Climate Zones
Authors: Mohammed Sherzad
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The absorbedness of solar radiation within the concrete building is higher than other buildings type, especially in hot climate zones. However, one of the primary issues of architects and the owners in hot climate zones is the building’s exterior plastered and painted finishing which is commonly used are fading and peeling adding a high cost on maintenance. Case studies of different exterior finishing’ treatments used in vernacular and contemporary dwellings in the United Arab Emirates were surveyed. The traditional plastered façade treatment was more sustainable than new buildings. In addition, using precast concrete insulated sandwich panels with the exposed colored aggregate surface in contemporary designed dwellings sustained the extensive heat reducing the overall cost of maintenance and contributed aesthetically to the buildings’ envelope in addition to its thermal insulation property.Keywords: precast concrete panels, façade treatment, hot climate
Procedia PDF Downloads 1323711 Commercial Management vs. Quantity Surveying: Hoax or Harmonization
Authors: Zelda Jansen Van Rensburg
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Purpose: This study investigates the perceived disparities between Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management in the construction industry, questioning if these differences are substantive or merely semantic. It aims to challenge the conventional notion of Commercial Managers’ superiority by critically evaluating QS and CM roles, exploring CM integration possibilities, examining qualifications for aspiring Commercial Managers, assessing regulatory frameworks, and considering terminology redefinition for global QS professional enhancement. Design: Utilizing mixed methods like literature reviews, surveys, interviews, and document analyses, this research examines the QS-CM relationship. Insights from industry professionals, academics, and regulatory bodies inform the investigation into changing QS roles. Findings: Empirical data highlight evolving roles, showcasing areas of convergence and divergence between QSs and CM. Potential CM integration into QS practice and qualifications for aspiring Commercial Managers are identified. Limitations/Implications: Limitations include potential bias in self-reported data and findings. Nevertheless, the research informs future practices and educational approaches in QS and CM, reflecting the changing roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors. Practical Implications: Findings inform industry practitioners, educators, and regulators, stressing the need to adapt to changing QS roles and integrate CM principles where applicable. Value to the Conference Theme: Aligned with ‘Evolving roles and responsibilities of Quantity Surveyors,’ this research offers insights crucial for understanding the changing dynamics within the QS profession and informs strategies to navigate these shifts effectively.Keywords: quantity surveying, commercial management, cost engineering, quantity survey
Procedia PDF Downloads 403710 Theatrical Architecture in Bologna at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century: The Renaissance of Modernissimo Cinema
Authors: Giorgia Predari, Riccardo Gulli
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The paper describes the history and the stylistic choices adopted in the construction of Palazzo Ronzani in Bologna, which was the first building to rise after the heavy demolitions carried out in the historical center of the city at the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1910, the local administration adopted a detailed plan to change the aspect of the city, as it was already happening in the main European capitals. In this context, starting from 1911, the architect and scenographer Gualtiero Pontoni designed for Alessandro Ronzani -the owner of a well-known Bolognese beer company- his Palazzo, which is listed among the first multifunctional buildings in Bologna, containing offices, commercial activities, and entertainment spaces. In an area of about 2000 m², the architect was able to propose a theatre with a capacity of 2000 seats at the basement, shops, a cafè-chantant and a restaurant on the ground floor, clubs, studios and commercial stores on the mezzanine and the first plan, and a hotel on the upper floors. The whole core of the building, at the underground levels, consisted of a reinforced concrete frame (one of the first examples of this type of construction in the city), which allowed the hall to have a free span of 11 x 12 meters, and a height of about 9 meters. Used until 2007 as a cinema, the hall has remained then in disuse for almost 10 years, but now an important functional restoration project with a strong architectural and scenographic value is taking place. It will bring the spaces back to the original geometries, in a historical and artistic condition inspired by the styles of the early Twentieth century.Keywords: Modernissimo, Palazzo Ronzani, liberty, Bologna
Procedia PDF Downloads 1203709 Synthesis and Performance of Polyamide Forward Osmosis Membrane for Natural Organic Matter (NOM) Removal
Authors: M. N. Abu Seman, L. M. Kei, M. A. Yusoff
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Forward Osmosis (FO) polyamide thin-film composite membranes have been prepared by inter facial polymerization using commercial UF polyethersulfone as membrane support. Different inter facial polymerization times (10s, 30s and 60s) in the organic solution containing trimesoyl chloride (TMC) at constant m-phenylenediamine (MPD) concentration (2% w/v) were studied. The synthesized polyamide membranes then tested for treatment of natural organic matter (NOM) and compared to commercial Cellulose TriAcetate (CTA) membrane. It was found that membrane prepared with higher reaction time (30 s and 60 s) exhibited better membrane performance (flux and humic acid removal) over commercial CTA membrane.Keywords: cellulose triacetate, forward osmosis, humic acid, polyamide
Procedia PDF Downloads 4923708 Driving towards Better Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Prevalence and Correlates of Obesity among Commercial Drivers in East London, South Africa
Authors: Daniel Ter Goon, Aanuoluwa O. Adedokun, Eyitayo Omolara Owolabi, Oladele Vincent Adeniyi, Anthony Idowu Ajayi
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Background: The unhealthy food choices and sedentary lifestyle of commercial drivers predisposes them to obesity and obesity related diseases. Yet, no attention has been paid to obesity burden among this high risk group in South Africa. This study examines the prevalence of obesity and its risk factors among commercial drivers in East London, South Africa. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized the WHO STEP wise approach to screen for obesity among 403 drivers in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), South Africa. Anthropometric, blood pressure and blood glucose measurements were taken following a standard procedure. Overweight and obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25.0 kgm⁻²–29.9 kg/m² and≥ 30 kg/ m², respectively. Bivariate and multivariate analysis were used to determine the prevalence and determinants of obesity. Result: The mean age of the participants was 43.3 (SD12.5) years, mean height (cm) and weight (kg) were 170.1(6.2cm) and 83(SD18.7), respectively. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 34.0% and 38.0%, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, only age (OR 1.6, CI 1.0-2.7), hypertension (OR 3.6, CI 2.3-5.7) and non-smoking (OR 2.0, CI 1.3-3.1) were independent predictors of obesity. Conclusion: The prevalence of overweight and obesity is high among commercial drivers. Age, hypertension, and non-smoking were independent predictors of obesity among the sample. Measures aimed at promoting health and reducing obesity should be prioritized among this group.Keywords: obesity and overweight, commercial taxi drivers, risk factors, South Africa
Procedia PDF Downloads 3453707 Adapting Built Heritage to Address Climate Change: A Perspective from the Maltese Islands
Authors: Nadia Theuma
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Climate change is a reality that has started to leave an impact on the physical environment as well as on the built environment, in particular built heritage. This paper explores the argument that climate change is also a trigger which can lead to identifying a number of creative solutions that can transform built heritage into sustainable buildings. Using the Maltese Islands, and in particular the city of Valletta which is also a World Heritage Site, this paper illustrates some of the innovative solutions that are being developed to make heritage buildings more sustainable and in doing so, mitigating the negative impacts of climate change. The paper looks in detail at the most notable initiatives being developed, their implementation and application, which at times is not easy considering the restrictions within protected built heritage areas and the positive impacts that they will have on visitor experience and overall sustainability of the Maltese tourism product. The paper will conclude by outlining how these solutions can be adapted to buildings with similar climatic conditions.Keywords: built heritage, creative solutions, climate change, Maltese Islands
Procedia PDF Downloads 2903706 The Relations of Volatile Compounds, Some Parameters and Consumer Preference of Commercial Fermented Milks in Thailand
Authors: Suttipong Phosuksirikul, Rawichar Chaipojjana, Arunsri Leejeerajumnean
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The aim of research was to define the relations between volatile compounds, some parameters (pH, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solid (TSS), lactic acid bacteria count) and consumer preference of commercial fermented milks. These relations tend to be used for controlling and developing new fermented milk product. Three leading commercial brands of fermented milks in Thailand were evaluated by consumers (n=71) using hedonic scale for four attributes (sweetness, sourness, flavour, and overall liking), volatile compounds using headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) GC-MS, pH, TA, TSS and LAB count. Then the relations were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA data showed that all of four attributes liking scores were related to each other. They were also related to TA, TSS and volatile compounds. The related volatile compounds were mainly on fermented produced compounds including acetic acid, furanmethanol, furfural, octanoic acid and the volatiles known as artificial fruit flavour (beta pinene, limonene, vanillin, and ethyl vanillin). These compounds were provided the information about flavour addition in commercial fermented milk in Thailand.Keywords: fermented milk, volatile compounds, preference, PCA
Procedia PDF Downloads 3643705 Evaluating the Effect of Modern Technologies and Technics to Supply Energy of Buildings Using New Energies
Authors: Ali Reza Ghaffari, Hassan Saghi
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Given the limitation of fossil resources to supply energy to buildings, recent years have seen a revival of interest in new technologies that produce the energy using new forms of energy in many developed countries. In this research, first the potentials of new energies in Iran are discussed and then based on case studies undertaken in a building in Tehran, the effects of utilizing new solar energy technology for supplying the energy of buildings are investigated. Then, by analyzing the data recorded over a four-year period, the technical performance of this system is investigated. According to the experimental operation plan, this system requires an auxiliary heating circuit for continuous operation over a year. Also, in the economic analysis, real conditions are considered and the results are recorded based on long-term data. Considering the purchase and commissioning building, supplementary energy consumption, etc. a comparison is drawn between the costs of using a solar water heater in a residential unit with the energy costs of a similar unit equipped with a conventional gas water heater. Given the current price of energy, using a solar water heater in the country will not economical, but considering the global energy prices, this system will have a return on investment after 4.5 years. It also produces 81% less pollution and saves about $21.5 on environmental pollution cleanup.Keywords: energy supply, new energies, new technologies, buildings
Procedia PDF Downloads 1623704 The Reality of Ethical Finance in Algerian Commercial Banks: A Case Study of a Sample of Banking Agencies in Bordj Bou Arreridj and the Setif States
Authors: Asma Righi
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After the global financial crisis of 2008, interest in ethical economics increased, particularly in the field of finance in general and commercial banks in particular. Indeed, it has become imperative for them to move from an institution that aims to make a profit to a community partner that takes the environmental aspect into account in its funding, rationalizes its decisions and adheres to ethics in its dealings. This leads it to the need of adopting the concept of ethical finance and standing on its most important principles and dimensions to realize profits on the one hand and to serve its society and its economy on the other hand. The objective of this research is centered on knowing the reality of the Algerian commercial banks’ adoption of the dimensions and principles of ethical finance. The quantitative methodology used is based on a questionnaire survey of twenty-four banking agencies in the states of Bordj Bou Arreridj and Setif. The data obtained were processed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program. This research led to two main results: first, the author observed a limited application of the principles of ethical finance in commercial banks active in Algeria. This application is particularly in line with the implementation of the directives of the Central Bank and the imposed monetary policy. Second, the results showed that there is a significant difference in the application of ethical financial dimensions and principles between government and foreign banks.Keywords: Algerian commercial banks, ethical banking, ethical finance, socially responsible investment
Procedia PDF Downloads 1613703 Optimization of Commercial Gray Space along the Street from the Perspective of Vitality Construction
Authors: Mengjiao Hu
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Nowadays, China's consumption pattern is entering the "experience era"; people's consumption behavior is no longer simply "buy, buy, buy" but the transition from "consumption in space" to "consumption of space". The street is a basic public product and an important public space in the city, and commerce along the street is an important space for people to consume in the "experience era". Therefore, in this way, it is particularly important to create the vitality of the gray space along the street. From the perspective of vitality construction, this paper takes Sha Zheng Street in Chongqing as the empirical object, combined with the theoretical knowledge of behavioral architecture, and based on the current situation of the commercial gray space along Sha Zheng Street, this paper explores the influence factors and the constraints behind the spatial vitality and then puts forward a general strategy to improve the spatial vitality of the commercial gray space along the street. The author hopes that through the exploration of the vitality of commercial gray space along the street, environmental design can be introduced into the integrated design vision of the urban public environment, and the urban designers can be inspired to create a street environment with a living atmosphere with a small start.Keywords: vitality creation, gray space, street commerce, sha zheng street
Procedia PDF Downloads 1003702 Comprehensive Approach to Enhance Green Buildings in Urban Areas
Authors: M. Pena, J. Shin, H. Park
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The main objective of any engineering activity is the development of a system that fulfills the specific economic, social or environmental needs. Green growth policies, as a system, targets to satisfy two main needs: economic and environmental growth. Cities are complex systems composed of varied characteristics such as differences in socio-environmental conditions and local affordability, among others. Thus, commissioned policies are required to address these differences and to ensure green development. A more maintainable and justifiable, resource-efficient green growth can be obtained in urban areas if multi-criteria framework of policies relevant to green buildings is designed. Reason is that, this approach fits to target the differences and unique conditions of urban areas. By following the principles of axiomatic design, this paper urges to derive a framework for the application of green buildings policies in urban areas with distinctive socio-economic and environmental characteristics. Functional requirements defined as principles to ensure green growth and design parameters are identified in each set of conditions. Design matrices are constructed for each group of urban areas. Thus, the understanding of the needs and differences for each group of urban areas and the methodology to ensure green buildings is achieved.Keywords: axiomatic design, green growth, sustainable development, urban planning
Procedia PDF Downloads 3523701 Heritage Buildings an Inspiration for Energy Conservation under Solar Control – a Case Study of Hadoti Region of India.
Authors: Abhinav Chaturvedi, Joohi Chaturvedi, Renu Chaturvedi
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With rapid urbanization and growth of population, more buildings are require to be constructed to meet the increasing demand of the shelter. 80 % of the world population is living in developing countries, but the adequate energy supplied to only 30% of it. In India situation get little more difficult as majority of the villages of India are still deprived of energy. 1/3 of the Indian household does not have energy supply. So there is big gap between energy demand and supply. Moreover India is producing around 65 % of the energy from Non – Renewable sources and 25 % of the Energy is imported in the form of oil and gas and only 10% of the total, is generated from other sources like solar power, wind power etc. Present modern structures are big energy consumers as they are consuming 40 % of the total energy in providing comfort conditions to the users, in from of heating and cooling,5 % in Building Construction, 20 % in transportation and 20 % in industrial process and 10 % in other processes. If we minimize this Heating and Cooling and lighting load of the building we can conserve huge amount of energy for the future. In history, buildings do not have artificial systems of cooling or heating. These buildings, especially in Hadoti Region which have Semi Arid Climatic conditions, are provided with Solar Passive Design Techniques that is the reason of comfort inside the buildings. So if we use some appropriate elements of these heritage structures, in our present age building design we can find some certain solution to energy crises. Present paper describes Various Solar Passive design techniques used in past, and the same could be used in present to reduce the consumption of energy.Keywords: energy conservation, Hadoti region, solar passive design techniques , semi - arid climatic condition
Procedia PDF Downloads 4743700 Effects of Near-Fault Ground Motions on Earthquake-Induced Pounding Response of RC Buildings
Authors: Mehmet Akköse
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In ground motions recorded in recent major earthquakes such as 1994 Northridge earthquake in US, 1995 Kobe earthquake in Japan, 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake in Taiwan, and 1999 Kocaeli earthquake in Turkey, it is noticed that they have large velocity pulses. The ground motions with the velocity pulses recorded in the vicinity of an earthquake fault are quite different from the usual far-fault earthquake ground motions. The velocity pulse duration in the near-fault ground motions is larger than 1.0 sec. In addition, the ratio of the peak ground velocity (PGV) to the peak ground acceleration (PGA) of the near-fault ground motions is larger than 0.1 sec. The ground motions having these characteristics expose the structure to high input energy in the beginning of the earthquake and cause large structural responses. Therefore, structural response to near-fault ground motions has received much attention in recent years. Interactions between neighboring, inadequately separated buildings have been repeatedly observed during earthquakes. This phenomenon often referred to as earthquake-induced structural pounding, may result in substantial damage or even total destruction of colliding structures during strong ground motions. This study focuses on effects of near-fault ground motions on earthquake-induced pounding response of RC buildings. The program SAP2000 is employed in the response calculations. The results obtained from the pounding analyses for near-fault and far-fault ground motions are compared with each other.Keywords: near-fault ground motion, pounding analysis, RC buildings, SAP2000
Procedia PDF Downloads 2623699 Monitoring Energy Reduction through Applying Green Roofs to Residential Buildings in Dubai
Authors: Hanan M. Taleb
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Since buildings are a major consumer of energy, their potential impact on the environment is considerable. Therefore, expanding the application of low energy architecture is of the utmost importance. Designing with nature is also one of the most attractive methods of design for many architects and designers because it creates a pathway to sustainability. One feature of designing with nature is the use of green roofing which aims to cover the roof with vegetation either partially or completely. Appreciably, green roofing in a building has many advantages including absorbing rainwater, providing thermal insulation, enhancing the ecology, creating a peaceful retreat for people and animals, improving air quality and helping to offset the air temperature and heat island effect. The aim of this paper is to monitor energy saving in the residential buildings of Dubai after applying green roofing techniques. The paper also attempts to provide a thermal analysis after the application of green roofs. A villa in Dubai was chosen as a case study. With the aid of energy simulation software, namely Design Builder, as well as manual recording and calculations, the energy savings after applying the green roofing were detected. To that extent, the paper draws some recommendations with regard to the types of green roofing that should be used in these particular climatic conditions based on this real experiment that took place over a one year period.Keywords: residential buildings, Dubai, energy saving, green roofing, CFD, thermal comfort
Procedia PDF Downloads 2993698 Fragility Assessment for Vertically Irregular Buildings with Soft Storey
Authors: N. Akhavan, Sh. Tavousi Tafreshi, A. Ghasemi
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Seismic behavior of irregular structures through the past decades indicate that the stated buildings do not have appropriate performance. Among these subjects, the current paper has investigated the behavior of special steel moment frame with different configuration of soft storey vertically. The analyzing procedure has been evaluated with respect to incremental dynamic analysis (IDA), and numeric process was carried out by OpenSees finite element analysis package. To this end, nine 2D steel frames, with different numbers of stories and irregularity positions, which were subjected to seven pairs of ground motion records orthogonally with respect to Ibarra-Krawinkler deterioration model, have been investigated. This paper aims at evaluating the response of two-dimensional buildings incorporating soft storey which subjected to bi-directional seismic excitation. The IDAs were implemented for different stages of PGA with various ground motion records, in order to determine maximum inter-storey drift ratio. According to statistical elements and fracture range (standard deviation), the vulnerability or exceedance from above-mentioned cases has been examined. For this reason, fragility curves for different placement of soft storey in the first, middle and the last floor for 4, 8, and 16 storey buildings have been generated and compared properly.Keywords: special steel moment frame, soft storey, incremental dynamic analysis, fragility curve
Procedia PDF Downloads 3493697 Mean Shift-Based Preprocessing Methodology for Improved 3D Buildings Reconstruction
Authors: Nikolaos Vassilas, Theocharis Tsenoglou, Djamchid Ghazanfarpour
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In this work we explore the capability of the mean shift algorithm as a powerful preprocessing tool for improving the quality of spatial data, acquired from airborne scanners, from densely built urban areas. On one hand, high resolution image data corrupted by noise caused by lossy compression techniques are appropriately smoothed while at the same time preserving the optical edges and, on the other, low resolution LiDAR data in the form of normalized Digital Surface Map (nDSM) is upsampled through the joint mean shift algorithm. Experiments on both the edge-preserving smoothing and upsampling capabilities using synthetic RGB-z data show that the mean shift algorithm is superior to bilateral filtering as well as to other classical smoothing and upsampling algorithms. Application of the proposed methodology for 3D reconstruction of buildings of a pilot region of Athens, Greece results in a significant visual improvement of the 3D building block model.Keywords: 3D buildings reconstruction, data fusion, data upsampling, mean shift
Procedia PDF Downloads 3153696 Learning from Inclusive Education of Exceptional and Normal Children in Primary School for Architectural Design
Authors: T. Pastraporn, J. Panida, P. Gasamapong, N. Jintana
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The study of inclusive educational environment of exceptional and normal children at the regional centre for special education aimed to establish guidelines for creating an environment for inclusive education. Buildings utilization of thirty-five elementary schools providing inclusive educational program in Bangkok were analyzed to study the following aspects: 1) The environment of exceptional and normal students’ inclusive classes at the regional centre for special education 2) The patterns of the environment suited to the exceptional and normal students’ inclusive classes 3) Environmental management policies for the inclusive classes of exceptional and normal students. Information was gathered from surveys, observations, questionnaires, document analysis, interviews, and non-experimental research. The findings showed that the usable spaces in school buildings were designated to enhance the three kinds of social learning experience: 1) Support class control 2) Help developing students’ personality consisting of physical, verbal and emotional expressions that are socially accepted 3) Recognition and learning, which are needed for the increasing of learning experience, were caused by having an interaction with the environment. Thus, the school buildings’ space designation positively affected the environmental management of exceptional and normal students’ inclusive classes.Keywords: learning environment, inclusive education, school buildings, exceptional and normal children
Procedia PDF Downloads 3313695 Probabilistic Building Life-Cycle Planning as a Strategy for Sustainability
Authors: Rui Calejo Rodrigues
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Building Refurbishing and Maintenance is a major area of knowledge ultimately dispensed to user/occupant criteria. The optimization of the service life of a building needs a special background to be assessed as it is one of those concepts that needs proficiency to be implemented. ISO 15686-2 Buildings and constructed assets - Service life planning: Part 2, Service life prediction procedures, states a factorial method based on deterministic data for building components life span. Major consequences result on a deterministic approach because users/occupants are not sensible to understand the end of components life span and so simply act on deterministic periods and so costly and resources consuming solutions do not meet global targets of planet sustainability. The estimation of 2 thousand million conventional buildings in the world, if submitted to a probabilistic method for service life planning rather than a deterministic one provide an immense amount of resources savings. Since 1989 the research team nowadays stating for CEES–Center for Building in Service Studies developed a methodology based on Montecarlo method for probabilistic approach regarding life span of building components, cost and service life care time spans. The research question of this deals with the importance of probabilistic approach of buildings life planning compared with deterministic methods. It is presented the mathematic model developed for buildings probabilistic lifespan approach and experimental data is obtained to be compared with deterministic data. Assuming that buildings lifecycle depends a lot on component replacement this methodology allows to conclude on the global impact of fixed replacements methodologies such as those on result of deterministic models usage. Major conclusions based on conventional buildings estimate are presented and evaluated under a sustainable perspective.Keywords: building components life cycle, building maintenance, building sustainability, Montecarlo Simulation
Procedia PDF Downloads 2053694 Effect of Different Commercial Diets and Temperature on the Growth Performance, Feed Intake and Feed Conversion Ratio of Sobaity Seabream Sparidentex hasta
Authors: Seemab Zehra, A. H. W. Mohammed, E. Pantanella, J. L. Q. Laranja, P. H. De Mello, R. Saleh, A. A. Siddik, A. Al Shaikhi, A. M. Al-Suwailem
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Two separate feeding trials were conducted to determine the effects of using different commercial diets and water temperatures on the growth performance, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and condition factor of sobaity seabream Sparidentex hasta. In experiment I, growth performance, feed intake, protein efficiency ratio (PER), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and survival (%) of sobaity seabream Sparidentex hasta (330.5±2.6 g; 26.9±1.0 cm) were evaluated by four different commercial diets (1, 2, 3 and 4) for 80 days. The daily weight gain was around 3.2 g day-1 with an SGR of 0.7% day-1. Both the FCR and PER in the fish were significantly better in diet 2 that contained 46.36% crude protein and 12.54% crude fat. In experiment II, (99±2.6 g; 17.1±1.0 cm). The fish were cultured in 1m3 tanks supplied with seawater from the Red Sea wherein three different rearing temperatures were set as treatments (24, 28 and 32°C). Fish were fed with a commercial diet based on the results of experiment I (46.4% protein; 20.1 MJ kg-1 energy) to satiation for 96 days. Total weight gain was significantly higher for the fish reared in the 32°C group (158.57 g) followed by the 28°C group (138.25 g), while the lowest weight gain was observed in the 24°C group (116.98 g). The FCR was significantly lower in the 32°C group (1.62) as compared to 28 (1.8) and 24°C (1.85) groups. Based on the results obtained from these preliminary studies (experiment I and II), sobaity seabream can attain better growth performance, FCR and PER at 32°C in the Red Sea by feeding commercial diet 2.Keywords: Sparidentex hasta, nutrition, FCR, Red Sea, growth performance
Procedia PDF Downloads 783693 High Performance Wood Shear Walls and Dissipative Anchors for Damage Limitation
Authors: Vera Wilden, Benno Hoffmeister, Georgios Balaskas, Lukas Rauber, Burkhard Walter
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Light-weight timber frame elements represent an efficient structural solution for wooden multistory buildings. The wall elements of such buildings – which act as shear diaphragms- provide lateral stiffness and resistance to wind and seismic loads. The tendency towards multi-story structures leads to challenges regarding the prediction of stiffness, strength and ductility of the buildings. Lightweight timber frame elements are built up of several structural parts (sheeting, fasteners, frame, support and anchorages); each of them contributing to the dynamic response of the structure. This contribution describes the experimental and numerical investigation and development of enhanced lightweight timber frame buildings. These developments comprise high-performance timber frame walls with the variable arrangements of sheathing planes and dissipative anchors at the base of the timber buildings, which reduce damages to the timber structure and can be exchanged after significant earthquakes. In order to prove the performance of the developed elements in the context of a real building a full-scale two-story building core was designed and erected in the laboratory and tested experimentally for its seismic performance. The results of the tests and a comparison of the test results to the predicted behavior are presented. Observation during the test also reveals some aspects of the design and details which need to consider in the application of the timber walls in the context of the complete building.Keywords: dissipative anchoring, full scale test, push-over-test, wood shear walls
Procedia PDF Downloads 2463692 Towards a Sustainable Energy Future: Method Used in Existing Buildings to Implement Sustainable Energy Technologies
Authors: Georgi Vendramin, Aurea Lúcia, Yamamoto, Carlos Itsuo, Souza Melegari, N. Samuel
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This article describes the development of a model that uses a method where openings are represented by single glass and double glass. The model is based on a healthy balance equations purely theoretical and empirical data. Simplified equations are derived through a synthesis of the measured data obtained from meteorological stations. The implementation of the model in a design tool integrated buildings is discussed in this article, to better punctuate the requirements of comfort and energy efficiency in architecture and engineering. Sustainability, energy efficiency, and the integration of alternative energy systems and concepts are beginning to be incorporated into designs for new buildings and renovations to existing buildings. Few means have existed to effectively validate the potential performance benefits of the design concepts. It was used a method of degree-days for an assessment of the energy performance of a building showed that the design of the architectural design should always be considered the materials used and the size of the openings. The energy performance was obtained through the model, considering the location of the building Central Park Shopping Mall, in the city of Cascavel - PR. Obtained climatic data of these locations and in a second step, it was obtained the coefficient of total heat loss in the building pre-established so evaluating the thermal comfort and energy performance. This means that the more openings in buildings in Cascavel – PR, installed to the east side, they may be higher because the glass added to the geometry of architectural spaces will cause the environment conserve energy.Keywords: sustainable design, energy modeling, design validation, degree-days methods
Procedia PDF Downloads 4193691 Bioclimatic Design, Evaluation of Energy Behavior and Energy-Saving Interventions at the Theagenio Cancer Hospital
Authors: Emmanouel Koumoulas, Aikaterini Rokkou, Marios Moschakis
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Theagenio" in Thessaloniki exists and works for three centuries now as a hospital. Since 1975, it has been operating as an Integrated Special Cancer Hospital and since 1985 it has been integrated into the National Health System. "Theagenio" Cancer Hospital is located at the central web of Thessaloniki residential complex and consists of two buildings, the "Symeonidio Research Center", which was completed in 1962 and the Nursing Ward, a project that was later completed in 1975. This paper examines the design of the Hospital Unit according to the requirements of the energy design of buildings. Initially, the energy characteristics of the Hospital are recorded, followed by a detailed presentation of the electromechanical installations. After the existing situation has been captured and with the help of the software TEE-KENAK, different scenarios for the energy upgrading of the buildings have been studied. Proposals for upgrading concern both the shell, e.g. installation of external thermal insulation, replacement of frames, addition of shading systems, etc. as well as electromechanical installations, e.g. use of ceiling fans, improvements in heating and cooling systems, interventions in lighting, etc. The simulation calculates the future energy status of the buildings and presents the economic benefits of the proposed interventions with reference to the environmental profits that arise.Keywords: energy consumption in hospitals, energy saving interventions, energy upgrading, hospital facilities
Procedia PDF Downloads 1523690 Weaknesses and Performance Defects of Steel Structures According to the Executive Criteria
Authors: Ehsan Sadie
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Despite the experience of heavy losses and damages of recent earthquakes such as 8 km E of Pāhala, Hawaii, 11 km W of Salvaleón de Higüey, Dominican Republic and 49 km SSE of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic earthquakes, the possibility of large earthquakes in most populated areas of any country and the serious need for quality control in the design and implementation of buildings, not enough attention has been paid to the proper construction. Steel structures constitute a significant part of construction in any metropolitan area. This article gives a brief overview of the implementation status of these buildings in urban areas and considers the weaknesses of performance that typically occur due to negligence or insufficient mastery of the building supervisor in the principles of operation of earthquake-resistant buildings, and provide appropriate and possible solutions to improve the construction.Keywords: bracing member, concentrated load, diaphragm system, earthquake engineering, load-bearing system, shear force, seismic retrofitting, steel building, strip foundation, supervising engineer, vulnerability of building
Procedia PDF Downloads 1463689 Application of Terminal Sliding Mode Control to the Stabilization of the Indoor Temperature in Buildings
Authors: Pawel Skruch, Marek Dlugosz
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The paper starts with a general model of the temperature dynamics in buildings. The modelling approach relies on thermodynamics, in particular heat transfer, principles. The model considers heat loses by conduction and ventilation and internal heat gains. The parameters of the model can be determined uniquely from the geometry of the building and from thermal properties of construction materials. The model is presented using state space notation and this form is used in the control design procedure. A sliding surface is defined by the system output and the desired trajectory. The control law is designed to force the trajectory of the system from any initial condition to the sliding surface in finite time. The trajectory of the system after reaching the sliding surface remains on it. A simulation example is included to verify the approach and to demonstrate the achievable performance improvement by the proposed solution in the temperature control in buildings.Keywords: modelling, building, temperature dynamics, sliding-mode control, sliding surface
Procedia PDF Downloads 5493688 Guiding Urban Development in a Traditional Neighbourhood: Case Application of Kolkata
Authors: Nabamita Nath, Sanghamitra Sarkar
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Urban development in traditional neighbourhoods of cities is undergoing a sea change due to imposition of irregular development patterns on a predominantly inclusive urban fabric. In recent times, traditional neighbourhoods of Kolkata have experienced irregular urban development which has resulted in transformation of its immediate urban character. The goal is to study and analyse impact of new urban developments within traditional neighbourhoods of Kolkata and establish development guidelines to balance the old with the new. Various cities predominantly in third world countries are also experiencing similar development patterns in their traditional neighbourhoods. Existing literature surveys of development patterns in such neighbourhoods have established 9 major parameters viz. edge, movement, node, landmark, size-density, pattern-grain-texture, open spaces, urban spaces, urban form and views-vistas of the neighbourhood. To evaluate impact of urban development in traditional neighbourhoods of Kolkata, 3 different areas have been chronologically selected based on their settlement patterns. Parameters established through literature surveys have been applied to the selected areas to study and analyse the existing patterns of development. The main sources of this study included extensive on-site surveys, academic archive, census data, organisational records and informational websites. Applying the established parameters, 5 major conclusions were derived. Firstly, it was found that pedestrian friendly neighbourhoods of the city were becoming more car-centric. This has resulted in loss of interactive and social spaces which defined the cultural heritage of Kolkata. Secondly, the urban pattern which was composed of dense and compact fabric is gradually losing its character due to incorporation of new building typologies. Thirdly, the new building typologies include gated communities with private open spaces which is a stark departure from the existing built typology. However, these open spaces have not contributed in creation of inclusive public places for the community which are a significant part of such heritage neighbourhood precincts. Fourthly, commercial zones that primarily developed along major access routes have now infiltrated within these neighbourhoods. Gated communities do not favour formation of on-street commercial activities generating haphazard development patterns. Lastly, individual residential buildings that reflected Indo-saracenic and Neo-gothic architectural styles are converting into multi-storeyed residential apartments. As a result, the axis that created a definite visual identity for a neighbourhood is progressively following an irregular pattern. Thus, uniformity of the old skyline is gradually becoming inconsistent. The major issue currently is threat caused by irregular urban development to heritage zones and buildings of traditional neighbourhoods. Streets, lanes, courtyards, open spaces and buildings of old neighbourhoods imparted a unique cultural identity to the city that is disappearing with emerging urban development patterns. It has been concluded that specific guidelines for urban development should be regulated primarily based on existing urban form of traditional neighbourhoods. Such neighbourhood development strategies should be formulated for various cities of third world countries to control irregular developments thereby balancing heritage and development.Keywords: heritage, Kolkata, traditional neighbourhood, urban development
Procedia PDF Downloads 1793687 Shopping Centers and Public Transport: Study of the Shopping Centres Trips of Algiers City
Authors: Bakhrouri Sarah
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The city of Algiers constitutes the first commercial pole of the country; 56.3% of its economic entities come from the commercial sector. Shopping centers are the new form of commerce that has emerged in the city since the 2000s. They are considered to be commercial and leisure poles and major generators of travel. However, shopping centers in the capital Algiers are poorly served by public transport, and their choice of location is mainly conditioned by the availability of land; accessibility by public transport does not appear to be an important criterion in the choice of their location. As a result, travel to and from these commercial centers is mainly by car, which breaks with the sustainability objectives of national transportation policy. Our study attempts to examine the impact of public transport accessibility of shopping centers on consumers' travel behaviour. The main objective of this research is to determine the link between the accessibility of these facilities, the use of private cars, and public transport modes. To this end, we analyze the choice of travel mode of consumers and the different factors that determine it by focusing on the influence of accessibility. The results showed a considerable influence of the accessibility on the travel behavior of the consumer in Algiers, so it is recommended to improve the accessibility of shopping centers by public transport in order to contribute to a modal shift.Keywords: accessibility, shopping centers trips, public transportation, Algiers
Procedia PDF Downloads 993686 Female’s Involvement in Real Estate Business in Nigeria: A Case Study of Lagos State
Authors: Osaretin Rosemary Uyi, A. O. Ogungbemi
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Female involvement in policy making and partnership in a man-driven-world is fast gaining international recognition. The Nigeria commercial real estate is one of the sectors of the economy that has a significant number of the male in the business. This study was conducted to assess the participation of females in estate management in Lagos state, Nigeria. Lagos is the commercial nerve center of Nigeria having the highest number of real estate practitioners and investors. The population due to the daily influx of people has made real estate business to continue to grow in this part of Nigeria. A structured questionnaire duly pre-tested and validated was used to elicit information from the respondents. The data collected were presented using tables and charts and were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentages, were used to test the hypothesis. The results also indicated that most females that participated in commercial real estate business are educated (80%), fell within 31-40 years of age (75%) and of high income status (88%) earn above ₦800,000 per year, while 10% are real estate investors and 82% of the female in the sector are employee. The study concluded that the number of female participating in various aspect of commercial real estate business in the study area was moderate while the numbers of female investors are low when compared to male. This might be due to the problems associated with rent collection, land disputes and other issues that are associated with property management in Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that females in real estate should be empowered and encouraged to match with their male counterpart.Keywords: commercial real estate, empowerment, female, participation, property management
Procedia PDF Downloads 330