Thermal-Energy Performance of High-Albedo Roof Tiles and Bulk Rafter Insulation in Residential Roof in the Tropical Climate

Residential roof assemblies in tropical countries, such as Malaysia, are exposed to intense solar radiation throughout the day all-year round due to the high altitude of the sun path as well as the horizontal orientation and high position of the roof in relation to other components of the building envelope. Residential buildings typically employ a lightweight pitched roof with roof tiles and an attic space above a ceiling board. Diurnal heat transfer into the building through the roof assembly can be minimized by reflecting heat at the roof surface via the application of white paint on high-albedo roof tiles as well as resisting heat via installation of bulk rafter insulation within the roof assembly. However, their adoption will have an influence on the nocturnal heat transfer and, accordingly, the resultant thermal-energy performance. Hence, thermal-energy performances of high-albedo roof tiles and bulk rafter insulation were compared to develop an energy-efficient pitched residential roof assembly that is capable of minimizing diurnal heat transfer into the building with less obstruction of the nocturnal heat transfer in the opposite direction. Evaluation of thermal-energy performance was performed on a Building Information Model, which either adopts, solely, the application of white paint on high-albedo roof tiles, or, in amalgamation with, the installation of bulk rafter insulation within the roof assembly. The simulation projected that the application of white paint on high-albedo roof tiles can generate annual energy savings of 13.14 % and, when adopted in amalgamation with the installation of bulk rafter insulation within the roof assembly, 13.91 %.

Applications of Models and Tools for Mesoscale and Microscale Thermal Analysis in Mid-Latitude Climate Regions—A Review

Urban analysis at different spatial scales (micro- and mesoscale) of local climate conditions is required to test typical artificial urban boundaries and related climate hazards such as high temperatures in built environments. The multitude of finishing materials and sheltering objects within built environments produce distinct patterns of different climate conditions, particularly during the daytime. The combination of high temperatures and intense solar radiation strongly perturb the environment by increasing the thermal heat stress at the pedestrian level. Therefore, it is becoming common practice to use numerical models and tools that enable multiple design and planning alternatives to be quantitatively and qualitatively tested to inform urban planners and decision-makers. These models and tools can be used to compare the relationships between the micro-climatic environment, the subjective thermal assessment, and the social behaviour, which can reveal the attractiveness and effectiveness of new urban spaces and lead to more sustainable and liveable public spaces. This review article presents the applications of selected environmental numerical models and tools to predict human thermal stress at the mesoscale (e.g., satellite thermal images and UrbClim) and the microscale (e.g., mobile measurements, ENVI-met, and UrbClim HR) focusing on case study cities in mid-latitude climate regions framed in two European research projects.

Performance of a Salt-Accumulating Substitution Lime Render for Salt Laden Historic Masonry Walls

Salt crystallization is one of the main decay processes in historic masonry mortars, and climate change can worsen the salt weathering effects on those materials as result of, e.g., more often rain falls, more intense solar radiation and sea level rise. In this paper, the effectiveness and durability of a substitution “ventilated render” system (a two-layer render, with base and outer layer and “vertical grooves” in the base layer) on a full-scale salt laden masonry wall to reproduce conditions that may be found in real cases was investigated. The crystallization at the interface between render layers and in vertical grooves and the effect of the porous structure on salt crystallization were thoroughly investigated. It was highlighted the reliability of the results of the salt crystallization testing procedure on a full-scale masonry wall to attest the efficiency and durability of the render system. Finally, it was proven that the ventilated render system with water repellent in the outer layer is durable and efficient enough to be used as a substitution render on salt laden historical masonries, acting as a salt accumulation render where salts preferably crystallize in, delaying the damage on the outer surface without introducing harmful effects in the masonry.

Development of a Tonic Drink Based on Plant Raw Materials «Inka Jungle» for Athletes

Одно из перспективных направлений в создании спортивных напитков заключается во включении в их состав биологически активных компонентов растений, произрастающих в экстремальных условиях вегетации. В настоящей работе на их основе была разработана рецептура спортивного напитка, характеризующегося высокими тонизирующими свойствами («Inka Jungle»). В качестве одного из функциональных компонентов напитка использовали экстракт корнеплодов маки перуанской, произрастающей на высокогорных плато Боливии, Перу и северо-запада Аргентины на высоте 3500-4500 м над уровнем моря в условиях резких перепадов температур, интенсивной солнечной радиации и сильных ветров. Совокупность этих условий наделяет данное растение уникальными биологическими свойствами. При потреблении маки перуанской усиливаются и стабилизуются процессы возбуждения в центральной нервной системе, и как результат - «просыпается» жизненная активность человека, улучшается настроение, повышаются работоспособность, а также физическая и умственная выносливость. В качестве другого функционального компонента в состав напитка «Inka Jungle» включен экстракт кустарника Тёрнеры раскидистой или дамианы, зона произрастания которого - Южная и Центральная Америка и страны Карибского бассейна. Установлено, что прием экстракта листьев дамианы снимает нервозность, дает энергию при наступлении физической усталости, возникающей, например, после интенсивных тренировок и соревнований, повышает общий тонус организма. В состав напитка «Inka Jungle» в качестве функциональных компонентов включены также аминокислоты группы BCAA - лейцин, изолейцин, валин и L-карнитин, а также вспомогательные компоненты, формирующие его необходимые потребительские характеристики - загуститель (камедь ксантановая), регулятор кислотности (лимонная кислота), пищевой ароматизатор («гранат-клубника»), пищевой краситель («кармин») и консервант (сорбиновая кислота). Наличие в составе напитка «Inka Jungle» ряда жизненно важных компонентов позволяет при его приеме существенно увеличить интенсивность тренировок спортсменов, повысить их эффективность, обеспечить психоэмоциональную устойчивость атлетов, достичь эффективной защиты их организма от свободных радикалов и ускорить процесс восстановления после перенесенных интенсивных физических и психологических нагрузок. A promising direction in the development of sports drinks is the inclusion in their composition of biologically active components of plants growing in extreme vegetation conditions. The aim of this work was to create on their basis a sports drink characterized by high tonic properties («Inka Jungle»). As one of the functional components of the drink, was used an extract of the root vegetables of Peruvian maca, which grows on the high plateaus of Bolivia, Peru and northwestern Argentina at an altitude of 3500-4500 meters above sea level in conditions of sharp temperature changes, intense solar radiation and strong winds. The combination of these conditions endows this plant with unique biological properties. Consuming Peruvian maka intensifies and stabilizes the processes of excitation in the central nervous system, and as a result, a person's vital activity «wakes up», his mood improves, his working capacity rises, and his physical and mental endurance increases. As another functional component of the «Inka Jungle» drink, it contains an extract of Turner shrub or damiana, which grows in South and Central America and the Caribbean. It was found that damiana leaf extract relieves nervousness, gives energy when physical fatigue occurs, for example, after intense training and competition, and increases the overall potential of the body. The composition of the «Inka Jungle» drink as functional components also includes amino acids of the BCAA group - leucine, isoleucine, valine and L-carnitine, as well as auxiliary components that form its necessary consumer characteristics - a thickener (xanthan gum), an acidity regulator (citric acid), food flavoring («pomegranate-strawberry») and food coloring («carmine») and preservative (sorbic acid). The presence in the composition of the drink «Inka Jungle» of a number of vital components allows, when taken, to significantly increase the intensity of training of athletes, to increase their efficiency, to ensure their psycho-emotional stability, to achieve effective protection of their body from free radicals and to accelerate the recovery process after suffering intense physical and psychological stress.

Tibetan Plateau Lakes as Heat Flux Hot Spots

Freshwater lakes on the highest plateau in the world act like lenses that accumulate heat from the intense solar radiation, accelerating ice cover melt and affecting land-atmosphere fluxes.

Phenolic Compounds in the Built Environment

This chapter examines source and application of phenolic compounds in the built environment as well as their environmental fate and treatment methods. We further describe the role of phenolic compounds in delaying aging and degradation of outdoor construction elements when exposed to intense solar radiation. In this chapter both plant-based and synthetic sources of phenolic compounds and their fate in the environment were examined. In addition, merits of select sources of phenolic compounds to resist ultraviolet radiation in composites as well as delaying degradation were studied. This chapter further provides insights pertaining to the underlying molecular interactions which afford phenol’s role as an anti-aging additive for outdoor construction elements. This in turn provides a solution to promote bio-economy and enhance sustainability in the built environment.

Decadal changes of connections among late-spring snow cover in West Siberia, summer Eurasia teleconnection and O₃-related meteorology in North China

Severe surface ozone (O3) pollution frequently occurred in North China and obviously damages human health and ecosystems. The meteorological conditions effectively modulate the variations in O3 pollution. In this study, the interannual relationship between O3-related meteorology and late-spring snow cover in West Siberia was explored, and the reasons for its decadal change were also physically explained. Before mid-1990s, less snow cover could enhance net heat flux and stimulate positive phase of the Eurasian (EU) teleconnection in summer. The positive EU pattern resulted in hot, dry air and intense solar radiation in North China, which could enhance the natural emissions of O3 precursors and photochemical reactions in the atmosphere closely related to high O3 concentrations. However, after the mid-1990s, the southern edge of the dense snow cover area in West Siberia shifted northward by approximately 2∘ in latitude and accompanied radiation and heat flux also retreated toward the polar region. The connections among snow anomalies, EU pattern and surface O3 became insignificant and thus influenced the stability of the predictability.

Comparison of Random Forest, Support Vector Machines, and Neural Networks for Post-Disaster Forest Species Mapping of the Krkonoše/Karkonosze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve

Mountain forests are exposed to extreme conditions (e.g., strong winds and intense solar radiation) and various types of damage by insects such as bark beetles, which makes them very sensitive to climatic changes. Therefore, continuous monitoring is crucial, and remote-sensing techniques allow the monitoring of transboundary areas where a common policy is needed to protect and monitor the environment. In this study, we used Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 open data to assess the forest stands classification of the UNESCO Krkonoše/Karkonosze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, which is undergoing dynamic changes in recovering woodland vegetation due to an ecological disaster that led to damage and death of a large portion of the forests. Currently, in this protected area, dry big trunks and branches coexist with naturally occurring young forests. This heterogeneity generates mixes, which hinders the automation of classification. Thus, we used three machine learning algorithms—Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN)—to classify dominant tree species (birch, beech, larch and spruce). The best results were obtained for the SVM RBF classifier, which offered an average median F1-score that oscillated around 67.2–91.5% depending on the species. The obtained maps, which were based on multispectral satellite images, were also compared with classifications made for the same area on the basis of hyperspectral APEX imagery (288 spectral bands with three-meter resolution), indicating high convergence in the recognition of woody species.

Decadal Changes of Connections among Snow cover in West Siberia, Eurasia Teleconnection and O₃-related meteorology in North China

Severe surface ozone (O3) pollution frequently occurred in North China and obviously damages human health and ecosystems. The meteorological conditions effectively modulate the variations in O3 pollution. In this study, the interannual relationship between O3-related meteorology and late-spring snow cover in West Siberia was explored, and the reasons of its decadal change were also physically explained. Before mid-1990s, less snow cover could enhance net heat flux and stimulate positive phase of the Eurasia (EU) teleconnection in summer. The positive EU pattern resulted in hot-dry air and intense solar radiation in North China, which could enhance the natural emissions of O3 precursors and photochemical reactions in the atmosphere closely related to high O3 concentrations. However, after the mid-1990s, the south edge of the dense snow cover area in West Siberia shifted northward by approximately 2° in latitude and accompanied radiation and heat flux also retreated toward the polar region. The connections among snow anomalies, EU pattern and surface O3 became insignificant and thus influenced the stability of the predictability.

Silvopastoral Systems Contribute to Water Buffalo Welfare and Normal Behavior Pattern Under Eastern Amazon Conditions

This research aimed to study the behavior of female Murrah buffaloes in a silvopastoral system. The trial was carried out at Embrapa Eastern Amazon, under Afi climate according to the Köppen classification, between August and November 2009, during the less rainy season. Three different periods of the day were considered during activity evaluation: morning period – between 6:00 AM and 9:55 AM; intermediary period – between 10:00 AM and 1:55 PM; and afternoon period – between 2:00 PM and 5:55 PM. The animals were maintained in a silvopastoral system (SPS) (ST; n=10) with shade from Racosperma mangium. The meteorological variables of temperature and relative air humidity were measured, as well as the following animal behavior variables: time grazing, ruminating and idling, time standing and lying, and time in shaded and non-shaded areas. These variables were compared by T test (P<0.05). Air temperatures were higher in the non-shaded area of the SPS. All activities were reduced in the intermediary period, except idling. The grazing and rumination times in the morning were longer in non-shaded areas, while the time idling standing was longer during the intermediary period in shaded areas as a way of avoiding the harmful effects of the intense solar radiation and high air temperatures of the Amazonian humid climate. Hence, SPSs may contribute to animal welfare and increase their productive behavior.