scholarly journals Decision-making Tool for Energy and Thermal Comfort Optimization in Residential Building Refurbishment Using Passive Strategies

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Louis Sountong-Noma Ouedraogo ◽  
Adamah Messan ◽  
Daniel Yamegueu ◽  
Yezouma Coulibaly

PurposeA major challenge faced by West Africa is to find comfortable housing as a result of climate change and population growth. The climatic adaptation of buildings and their indoor environment become an essential condition for maintaining the health and productivity of the occupants. This paper proposes a model to assess the thermal comfort of naturally ventilated buildings in hot and dry climates in Burkina Faso.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed method is an adaptive model which relies on a combination of parameters such as the operative temperature, the new effective temperature and the basic parameters of thermal comfort. It consists in proposing the zones of thermal comfort on the diagram of the humid air for each climatic region.FindingsA decision-making tool is set up for evaluating the comfort of buildings to better consider the bio-climatic concept through a long-term comfort index. This comfort index is defined and is used to assess the degree of thermal discomfort for various types of housing. Two natural ventilation pilot buildings located in Ouagadougou were considered. The results show that the pilot building whose wall are is made of Earth blocks achieves 26.4% of thermal comfort while the building made of hollow cement block achieves 25.8% of thermal comfort.Originality/valueThe decision-making tool proposed in the present study allow building stakeholders to better and easily design, assess and improve the thermal environment of buildings.


1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Azzout ◽  
S. Barraud ◽  
F. N. Cres ◽  
E. Alfakih

The choice of alternative techniques in urban stormwater drainage (infiltration and detention systems), in the course of a project, is most often made with a poor understanding of site constraints, and the possibilities afforded by these techniques. This gives rise to extra costs and also subsequent malfunctioning. To arrive at feasible choices, we have formalised the decision-making process, taking account of the multiple criteria and the large number of partners involved. At present, we are developing a decision-making tool for alternative techniques in urban stormwater management at the preliminary study stage. The first phase makes it possible to eliminate solutions which are unworkable (elimination phase). It is aimed at the designer. Work on the next phase (the decision-making phase), which is more complex, is in progress. It will make it possible, in collaboration with all the partners involved, to choose a stormwater drainage strategy which will best suit the objectives and the wishes of the partners. It uses multi-criteria methods.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4563
Author(s):  
Nuno Baía Baía Saraiva ◽  
Luisa Dias Dias Pereira ◽  
Adélio Rodrigues Gaspar ◽  
José Joaquim da Costa

The adaptation of spaces to different usage typologies can be complex in heritage buildings. Facilities were initially planned for a specific type of use that, when changed, require additional measures to ensure a suitable indoor environment. Passive strategies—e.g., free cooling—are commonly used as an alternative without requiring equipment installation. However, its implementation often leads to unsatisfactory conditions. Therefore, it is important to clarify the main barriers to achieving thermal comfort in readapted historic buildings. The present work investigates the thermal comfort conditions reported by workers in office spaces of a historic building in the University of Coimbra. A monitoring campaign was carried out between May and September 2020 to assess indoor conditions’ quality. Due to the current pandemic of COVID-19, offices were not occupied at full capacity. A one-day evaluation of thermal comfort was made using a climate analyzer and six occupants were surveyed on 19 August 2020. The main results highlighted discomfort due to overheating of spaces. The causes were related to the combination of inadequate implementation of the free cooling actions and the building use. Furthermore, it was recommended the installation of HVAC systems in case of full capacity.


Author(s):  
J. Shourick ◽  
M. Ahmed ◽  
J. Seneschal ◽  
T. Passeron ◽  
N. Andreux ◽  
...  

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