scholarly journals DETERMINING BARRIERS IN SUSTAINABLE REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS: COMMERCIAL BUILDING OWNER PERSPECTIVES

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Asrul Nasid Masrom ◽  
Mohd Hilmi Izwan Abd Rahim ◽  
Siow Chan Ann ◽  
Sulzakimin Mohamed ◽  
Kai Chen Goh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Commercial Buildings ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Commercial Building ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Reduce Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Building Owner

Existing commercial buildings in Malaysia account for one third of the total electricity consumption. They present a great opportunity for refurbishment to reduce carbon dioxide. However, sustainably refurbished commercial buildings that is Green Building Index (GBI) certified is still low. This study aims to investigate barriers that impede commercial building owners to implement sustainable refurbishment and explore ways to increase numbers of sustainable refurbishment implementation. Qualitative data were collected through semistructured interviews. The respondents were commercial building owners’ representative, who were mainly building managers. The findings indicated that higher cost of sustainable refurbishment than conventional method and lacking of sustainability awareness among Malaysian were the main barriers of sustainable refurbishment. This study will be useful in helping building owners and developers to enhance economic, social and environmental benefits of sustainable refurbishment.

scholarly journals Lighting control network based on KNX protocol, for the reduction of energy consumption

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 1186
Author(s):  
Omar Chamorro Atalaya ◽  
Angel Quesquen-Porras ◽  
Dora Arce Santillan
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Network Architecture ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Control Network ◽  
Commercial Building ◽  
Lighting Control ◽  
Reduction Of Energy Consumption ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽  
Air Conditioning Systems

<span>This article presents the development of a lighting control network to reduce the energy consumption of a commercial building, using the KNX protocol; because of the high rates of electricity consumption, the same that are reflected in the payment of the electricity supply. For this, the design of the network architecture is carried out, the tree type quality and it has KNX, DALI components and LED luminaires, which are interconnected by means of an Ethernet type BUS; The KNX protocol configuration is then performed using the ETS version 5 software; carries out the implementation of KNX technology, determines the reduction of energy consumption by 82.33%. Likewise, emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the main gases involved in climate change, were reduced by 85%. With these results we obtain economic and environmental benefits; Reason why it is proposed to perform the same procedure for the control of air conditioning systems, since their operation represents 32.8% of the energy consumption of an establishment.</span>

A Change-Point Principal Component Analysis (CP/PCA) Method for Predicting Energy Usage in Commercial Buildings: The PCA Model

1993 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Ruch ◽  
Lu Chen ◽  
J. S. Haberl ◽  
D. E. Claridge
Keyword(s):  
Principal Component Analysis ◽  
Change Point ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Component Analysis ◽  
Commercial Buildings ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Commercial Building ◽  
Point Model ◽  
Change Point Model

A new method for predicting daily whole-building electricity usage in a commercial building has been developed. This method utilizes a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of intercorrelated influencing parameters (e.g., dry-bulb temperature, solar radiation and humidity) to predict electricity consumption in conjunction with a change-point model. This paper describes the PCA procedure and presents the results of its application in conjunction with a change-point regression, to predict whole-building electricity consumption for a commercial grocery store. Comparison of the results with a traditional Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analysis indicates that a change-point, Principal Component Analysis (CP/PCA) appears to produce a more reliable and physically plausible model than an MLR analysis and offers more insight into the environmental and operational driving forces that influence energy consumption in a commercial building. It is thought that the method will be useful for determining conservation retrofit savings from pre-retrofit and post-retrofit consumption data for commercial buildings. A companion paper presents the development of the four-parameter change-point model and a comparison to the Princeton Scorekeeping Method (PRISM) (Ruch and Claridge, 1991).

scholarly journals Building Retrofit and Energy Conservation/Efficiency Review: A Techno-Environ-Economic Assessment of Heat Pump System Retrofit in Housing Stock

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 983
Author(s):  
Mustapha Mukhtar ◽  
Bismark Ameyaw ◽  
Nasser Yimen ◽  
Quixin Zhang ◽  
Olusola Bamisile ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conservation ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Heat Pump ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Commercial Buildings ◽  
Optimization Techniques ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Pump System ◽  
Air Conditioners

The world has not been able to achieve minimum greenhouse gas emissions in buildings’ energy consumptions because the energy and emissions optimization techniques have not been fully utilized. Thermal comfort is one of the most important issues for both residential and commercial buildings. Out of the 40% of global energy consumed by buildings, a large fraction is used to maintain their thermal comfort. In this study, a comprehensive review of the recent advancements in building energy conservation and efficiency application is presented based on existing high-quality research papers. Additionally, the retrofit of the heating/cooling and hot water system for an entire community in Cyprus is presented. This study aims to analyze the technical and environmental benefits of replacing existing electric heaters for hot water with heat pump water heating systems and the use of heat pump air conditioners for thermal comfort in place of the existing ordinary air conditioners for space heating and cooling. One administrative building, 86 apartments (including residential and commercial) buildings, and a restaurant building is retrofitted, and the feasibility of the project is determined based on three economic indicators, namely; simple payback period (SPP), internal rate of return (IRR), and net present value (NPV). The electrical energy required by the hot water systems and the heating/cooling system is reduced by 263,564 kWh/yr and 144,825 kWh/yr, respectively. Additionally, the retrofit project will reduce Cyprus’ CO2 emission by 121,592.8 kg yearly. The SPP, IRR, and NPV for the project show that the retrofit is economically feasible.

scholarly journals Rainwater Harvesting Potentials in Commercial Buildings in Dhaka: Reliability and Economic Analysis

Hydrology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Md. Rezaul Karim ◽  
B. M. Sadman Sakib ◽  
Sk. Sadman Sakib ◽  
Monzur Alam Imteaz
Keyword(s):  
Water Demand ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Commercial Buildings ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Rainwater Tank ◽  
Catchment Areas

Despite numerous studies on residential rainwater tank, studies on commercial rainwater tank are scarce. Corporate authorities pay little heed on this sustainable feature. With the aim of encouraging corporate authorities, this study presents the feasibility and economic benefits of rainwater harvesting (RWH) in commercial buildings in the capital city of Bangladesh, where water authority struggles to maintain town water supply. The analysis was conducted using a daily water balance model under three climate scenarios (wet, dry and normal year) for five commercial buildings having catchment areas varying from 315 to 776 m2 and the storage tank capacity varying from 100 to 600 m3. It was found that for a water demand of 30 L per capita per day (lpcd), about 11% to 19% and 16% to 26.80% of the annual water demand can be supplemented by rainwater harvesting under the normal year and wet year climate conditions, respectively. The payback periods are found to be very short, only 2.25 to 3.75 years and benefit–cost (B/C) ratios are more than 1.0, even for building having the smallest catchment area (i.e., 315 m2) and no significant overflow would occur during monsoon, which leads to both economic and environmental benefits. Though the findings cannot be translated to other cities as those are dependent on factors like water price, interest rate, rainfall amount and pattern, however other cities having significant rainfall amounts should conduct similar studies to expedite implementations of widescale rainwater harvesting.

Pathos and Orchestration in Elite Sport: The Experiences of NCAA DI Student-Athletes

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 344-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Raabe ◽  
Tucker Readdy ◽  
Rebecca A. Zakrajsek
Keyword(s):  
Student Athletes ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Elite Athletes ◽  
Division I ◽  
Elite Sport ◽  
Optimal Outcomes ◽  
Semistructured Interviews

Coaching is characterized by an inherent pathos between the goals coaches hope to accomplish and those that are realized (Jones & Wallace, 2005). Coaches can actively enhance the likelihood of optimal outcomes through orchestration, a process of incremental coping intended to create improvement in performance (Jones & Wallace, 2005). The current study explored to what extent pathos also manifests in the lives of elite athletes and whether they engage in processes consistent with orchestration. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I student-athletes. Primarily deductive analysis of the qualitative data provided confirmation for four domains: (a) sources of ambiguity created by coaches, (b) other sources of ambiguity within student-athletes’ experiences, (c) attempted strategies for orchestrating the pathos, and (d) relationships are crucial for navigating the pathos. The findings potentially offer an approach to understanding the challenges athletes face, which allows coaches to more accurately provide assistance.

Recently diagnosed gay men talk about HIV treatment decisions

Sexual Health ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Down ◽  
Garrett Prestage ◽  
Kathy Triffitt ◽  
Graham Brown ◽  
Jack Bradley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Early Initiation ◽  
Sense Of Control ◽  
Bisexual Men ◽  
Treatment Results ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Hiv Seroconversion

Background In recent years, there has been increasing evidence that early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) may provide health benefits for those infected with HIV. There has also been significant discussion about the role of HIV treatment in preventing onward transmission of the virus. Early provision and uptake of ART to people recently diagnosed with HIV could achieve both individual and public health outcomes. The success of such an initiative relies, in part, on the preparedness of those recently diagnosed with HIV to engage with the therapy. Methods: The HIV Seroconversion Study collects both quantitative and qualitative data from people in Australia who have recently been diagnosed with HIV. During 2011–2012, 53 gay or bisexual men recruited across Australia took part in semistructured interviews as part of the study. The men were asked about their knowledge and experience of, and their decisions about whether or not to commence, HIV treatment. Results: The interviews identified differing levels of knowledge about HIV treatments and divergent views about the health and prevention benefits of ART. For some, treatments provided a sense of control over the virus; others were apprehensive and distrustful, and preferred to resist commencing treatments for as long as possible. Conclusions: If early initiation of treatment is to be encouraged, appropriate measures must be in place to ensure recently diagnosed individuals have access to the appropriate information and the support they need to enable them to make informed choices and, if necessary, to address their fears.

scholarly journals Key drivers for green building project financing in Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kofi Agyekum ◽  
Chris Goodier ◽  
James Anthony Oppon
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Green Buildings ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Project Financing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Comparative Review ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
Building Project

PurposeThe majority of the literature on green buildings in Ghana focuses on environmental benefits, innovative designs, construction technologies and project management techniques. However, little is known about how such facilities are financed. This issue creates potential knowledge gaps, one of which this study aims to address. This study examines the key drivers for green building project financing in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses an explanatory sequential design with an initial quantitative instrument phase, followed by a qualitative data collection phase. An extensive critical comparative review of the literature resulted in the identification of eight potential drivers. One hundred and twenty-seven questionnaire responses based upon these drivers from the Ghanaian construction industry were received. Data were coded with SPSS v22, analysed descriptively (mean, standard deviation and standard error) and via inferential analysis (One Way ANOVA and One-Sample t-Test). These data were then validated through semi-structured interviews with ten industry professionals within the Ghana Green Building Council. Data obtained from the semi-structured validation interviews were analysed through the side-by-side comparison of the qualitative data with the quantitative data.FindingsThough all eight drivers are important, the five key drivers for the Ghanian construction industry were identified as, in order of importance, “high return on investment”, “emerging business opportunity”, “ethical investment”, “conservation of resources” and “mandatory regulations, standards, and policies”. The interviewees agreed to and confirmed the importance of these identified drivers for green building project financing from validating the survey's key findings.Research limitations/implicationsKey limitations of this study are the restrictions regarding the geographical location of the collected data (i.e. Kumasi and Accra); timing of the study and sample size (i.e. the COVID-19 pandemic making it difficult to obtain adequate data).Practical implicationsThough this study was conducted in Ghana, its implications could be useful to researchers, policymakers, stakeholders and practitioners in wider sub-Saharan Africa. For instance, financial institutions can invest in green buildings to expand their green construction and mortgage finance products to build higher value and lower risk portfolios. The findings from this study can provide investors with the enhanced certainty needed to help guide and inform their investment decisions, i.e. what to invest in, and when, by how much and how a scheme being “green” may influence their rate of return. Also, for building developers, it will give them a clearer understanding of the business case for green buildings and how to differentiate themselves in the market to grow their businesses.Originality/valueThis study's findings provide insights into an under-investigated topic in Ghana and offer new and additional information and insights to the current state-of-the-art on the factors that drive green building project financing.

scholarly journals Improving the Link Between the LEED Green Building Label and a Building's Energy-Related Environmental Metrics

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Christopher Wedding ◽  
Douglas Crawford-Brown
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Probabilistic Models ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Market Change ◽  
Leed Certification ◽  
Certification Programs ◽  
The Us ◽  
Leed Buildings

The US Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating program has grown from a little known tool for market change to a label and brand relied upon by many of the largest players in real estate. It now serves as an indicator of sustainability and an instrument for environmental management. While LEED-certified buildings tend to offer greater environmental benefits than their conventional counterparts, research and experience shows that the variation in and magnitude of these benefits varies, even among buildings of the same LEED certification level. In light of growing concerns about “greenwashing” and the liability associated with questionable environmental declarations, it is important to ensure that users of LEED and similar certification programs receive a set of benefits comparable to those expected. With a focus on energy-related issues, this research (1) highlights evidence of the inconsistency between the expected and actual benefits of LEED buildings, (2) suggests revisions to LEED's Energy & Atmosphere (EA) section to reduce the variation and magnitude in the energy-related environmental impacts from LEED buildings, (3) quantifies this reduction in variation and magnitude of impacts using Monte Carlo analyses and probabilistic models created specifically for this research, (4) compares carbon dioxide emissions from LEED buildings to the Architecture 2030 Challenge goals and (5) quantifies the importance of scoring LEED buildings on a per capita normalized basis. This research is a follow-up piece to the authors' previous work published in the Journal of Green Building (Wedding and Crawford-Brown 2007).

scholarly journals Assessing Sustainability Indicators of a Commercial Building: A LEED Approach

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-108
Author(s):  
Mohamed Abdelmawjoud Abdelgaffar Mohamed Abdelmawjoud Abdelgaffar
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Commercial Building ◽  
Gulf Region ◽  
Project Appraisal ◽  
Middle East Countries ◽  
Excessive Consumption ◽  
Descriptive Approach

Construction industry has been proven to cause environmental problems ranging from excessive consumption of natural resources in construction, to the pollution of the environment. Studies on green building to minimize environmental impact are already underway. Tools of assessment of environmental performance of buildings are plenty. However, Middle East countries together with Gulf region are still away from practicing the concept of mitigating the impacts of buildings on the environment. Reasons could be relying on the insufficient awareness of building stakeholders, or the privilege of much fortune. The main objectives of this paper are to arouse the people's attention to the importance of assessment of environmental performance of buildings in KSA, and to introduce a sustainability model for project appraisal based on a multi-dimensional approach, that will be used for the assessment of a case study in KSA. The approach is using the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system as a guide for the assessment. The plan of work includes reviewing the literature on the assessment of sustainability performance of buildings, displaying the LEED system, and assessment of a commercial building in Dammam. The paper uses the descriptive approach to study the problem and collect the data, and the comparative approach to compare the obtained data with the required standards of LEED. The case study, which is a commercial complex in Dammam, is one of these types of buildings widely spread in the development schemes of current real estate investment in KSA. While the building achieved some credits and prerequisites of LEED system, the building lacks many other points. The overall credits achieved are 22%, and the overall prerequisites achieved are 43%. The main problem of the building is related to energy and atmosphere aspects.

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