The Return of Spatial Dimension into Architecture

2019 ◽  
Vol 887 ◽  
pp. 237-244
Author(s):  
Ziga Kresevic ◽  
Claudia Volberg

The aim of the paper is to explore and establish a base for a possible development of a more holistic and spatially-inclusive method for evaluating energy performance of buildings. This is to be achieved by envisioning building envelopes as arrangements of spatial zones, which could improve the overall energy balance of buildings but at the same time reduce the usage of construction materials and thus consumption of production energy and built-up space. The wall deconstructed in spatial zones, as shown e.g. in Antivilla by Brandlhuber-+, opens a series of questions about the future of existing building codes and certification tools. The potentials are discussed based on the aspects of flexibility, responsiveness, adaptability, replaceability and affordability. The analysis outlines the benefits of the inclusion of those paradigms in the definition of sustainable architecture, and at the same time exposes the lack of possibility to reflect their potential by the established certification criteria. The paper aims at opening the discussion about the limits and traps of quantifying architecture and calls for rethinking of established schemes of sustainability in building sector.

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hector Hernández

In order to improve the energy performance of buildings, the need to value economically investments of energy efficiency associated with the rehabilitation of dwellings arises. This point of view provides an useful tool for analysts who start in the economic appraisal of energy efficiency investments. The present research gives a conceptual framework for the economic assessment of these types of investments in dwellings. As a result, it is possible to identify two techniques in the appraisals of this nature: dynamic and static approaches. Both methods contrast the benefits (energy savings) with the costs of investments over time. However, they differentiate the opportunity and the moment when investment must be carried out given an uncertainty scenario. This conceptual precision allows the study of several publications where different alternatives in retrofitting houses where evaluated, confirming the considerations that must be taken into account when economic modelling is made: the type of approach to be used (dynamic or static) and; at the definition of the investment alternatives and scenarios, the aspects of time, irrevocability and uncertainty.ResumenEn pro de la mejora del desempeño energético de los edificios, surge la necesidad de evaluar económicamente las inversiones de eficiencia energética asociadas a la rehabilitación de viviendas. Este punto de vista trata de ser una herramienta útil para analistas que se inicien en la evaluación económica de inversiones en eficiencia energética. La presente investigación muestra un marco conceptual de la evaluación económica de este tipo de inversiones en viviendas. Como resultado, es posible identificar dos enfoques presentes en los análisis económicos de esta naturaleza: el dinámico y el estático. Ambos métodos contrastan los beneficios (ahorros energéticos) con los costes de las inversiones en el tiempo. Sin embargo, diferencian la oportunidad y el momento en que la inversión debe realizarse dado un escenario de incertidumbre. Esta precisión conceptual permite estudiar varias publicaciones donde se evaluaron diferentes alternativas de reacondicionamiento en viviendas, confirmándose las consideraciones que deben tenerse presentes en momento de realizar la modelación económica: el tipo de enfoque a usar (dinámico o estático) y, en la definición de las alternativas de inversión y escenarios, los aspectos de tiempo, irrevocabilidad e incertidumbre.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 2489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jitka Mohelníková ◽  
Miloslav Novotný ◽  
Pavla Mocová

Existing building stock represents potential for energy saving renovations. Energy savings and indoor climate comfort are key demands for sustainable building refurbishment. Especially in schools, indoor comfort is an extremely important issue. A case study of energy consumption in selected school buildings in temperate climatic conditions of Central Europe region was performed. The studied buildings are representatives of various school premises constructed throughout the last century. The evaluation was based on data analysis of energy audits. The goal was aimed at assessment of the school building envelopes and their influence on energy consumption. One of the studied schools was selected for detailed evaluation. The school classroom was monitored for indoor thermal and visual environments. The monitoring was performed to compare the current state and renovation scenarios. Results of the evaluation show that the school buildings are highly inefficient even if renovated. Indoor climate in classrooms is largely influenced by windows. Solar gains affect interior thermal stability and daylighting. Thermal insulation quality of building envelopes and efficient solar shading systems appear to be fundamental tasks of school renovation strategies.


2012 ◽  
Vol 253-255 ◽  
pp. 358-366
Author(s):  
Grazia Lombardo

The present paper is part of a research that is developed within the sustainable building design through the revisiting of the traditional construction materials. The results obtained show that the natural stone, enhanced by technological innovations, are often capable of providing excellent performance. Based on the tests, it was possible to verify and validate the hypothesis that the proposed new system of external vertical opaque enclosure consisting in a panel in dry-assembled and pre-compressed blocks of natural stone through reinforcing steel, has good performances when used both in the case of new design in the case of recovery of modern buildings, when the intervention is being addressed within of an overall building improvement regarding the security, sustainability, functionality and image. This paper reports the first results obtained by the study of the feasibility of the envelope being tested, through the definition of all the details of links with the existing building structure.


2015 ◽  
Vol 725-726 ◽  
pp. 1537-1543
Author(s):  
Radmila Sinđić Grebović ◽  
Tatyana Spiridonova ◽  
Maria Vrublevskaya

Calculation of energy performance of buildings is defined by European standards in accordance with the Directive 2010/31/EU (EPBD). One of the main goals of the Directive 2010/31/EU is the decrease of energy consumption in the buildings. Standard EN ISO 13790 prescribes the methodology of calculations of energy performance of buildings. The input data for the calculation and their interpretation are defined by European standards related to EN ISO 13790. Climate parameters are defined based on meteorological data in accordance with EN ISO 15927-4. Numerous analyses have shown that the results of calculations depend not only on the chosen method, but also on defining the climate parameters.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9496
Author(s):  
Paris A. Fokaides ◽  
Christiana Panteli ◽  
Andri Panayidou

In 2018, the European Commission adopted the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) concept in the recast of the directive on the energy efficiency of buildings. The set of SRIs is a measure of the intelligence of buildings systems, and its promotion is expected to contribute to the energy savings of the building sector. These indicators are relatively new and were developed only at the beginning of last decade, within European standards. This study introduces and elaborates on these indicators, as delivered in the final report of the European Commission. Some first results, which are obtained using a tool developed by the European Commission, are also presented. The work identifies gaps and perspectives for improvement of this system, as well as predicting the evolution of its implementation in the coming years, through specific numerical scenarios.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2881
Author(s):  
Federica Rosso ◽  
Arianna Peduzzi ◽  
Lorenzo Diana ◽  
Stefano Cascone ◽  
Carlo Cecere

Nowadays, energy retrofit interventions on the existing building stock are of paramount importance towards energy consumption and emissions reductions in the construction sector. Such interventions are also crucial in the view of increasing cities resilience with respect to the intensification of frequent extreme weather events, such as cold spells and heatwaves. Indeed, a wide portion of our cities is dated and lacking with respect to performances. These are the motivations behind the proposed sustainable approach, which deals with the environmental perspective, but also with social and economic ones, by proposing the retrofit of the Public Residential Building stock (Edilizia Residenziale Pubblica, ERP). The objective is to improve the energy performance of ERP stock by means of construction materials coming from local km0 agricultural waste and by-products. The research was conducted by means of in field and numerical analyses of the energy performances of a relevant case study building. Different layers of bio-based, recycled construction materials for the envelope were tested with respect to their efficacy in improving the energy performance of a case study building. The results demonstrate that the most performing envelope solutions and their combination are able to reduce up to 36% of the yearly energy consumption for heating.


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