Forecasting Energy Impact in Multifamily Buildings Through Airtightness Models

Southern European areas are traditionally considered to have a benign climate and therefore most homes often do not have controlled ventilation systems or air conditioning. Our society faces challenging situations with global pandemics and health emergencies, while housing provides the basic elements of refuge and activity. A profound transformation of social and labor dynamics is underway, increasing at-home presence, hence the capital importance of improving building envelopes to reduce energy demand and to increase occupant comfort levels in order to ensure their protective function. Air leakage is one of the key factors both in indoor air quality and energy demand. This study aims to explore the sensitivity of energy demand to airtightness. A representative set of multifamily buildings, built in the last 20 years in Seville, is analyzed. The results show that air permeability has a significant effect on energy demand in the sample studied. Although impact is greater in severe climates, it needs to be considered in temperate climates, especially when more time is spent at home.

Nursing Homes in Spain and Their High Number of Deaths by COVID-19 as an Alarm in the Study of Indoor Air Quality

Nursing homes have been one of the most prominent targets of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Spain. The factors that have determined that this is the case are very diverse. In this study, physical agents and chemical pollutants, population density, and different capacities of the residences are analyzed to see their influence on the number of elderly people who have died in the geriatric centres in the different autonomous communities (AACC) of Spain. A statistical analysis has been carried out on the variables observed. The conclusions show that in many places where this overflow of deaths has occurred, the residences were private, with some exceptions. The influence of physical agents and pollutants has been shown to be a determining factor, especially for the communities of Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha, although it is true that the large number of factors makes the study complicated. The dilemma between air quality and energy efficiency is of great importance, especially when human health is at stake.

Statistical Understanding and Optimization of Building Energy Consumption and Climate Change Consequences

In the present chapter, a new tool was designed to find a better alternative for improving building energy consumption in the next years. In this sense, in the first stage of this calculation procedure, ISO Standard 13790 calculation procedure was developed in accordance with Monte Carlo method and results showed the probability of energy consumption as a Weibull model. Furthermore, a map of different Weibull models in accordance with different input parameters and future climate change effect was developed as a future building design guide. This tool defines the probability of energy consumption of an existing building, or a building that is being designed today and in the near future, preventing the climate change effect. More applications at the time of building retrofitting and healthy indoor ambiences are proposed.

The Importance of Light in Our Lives

The light that enters through our eyes is not only for vision. The human circadian system responds to light differently than the visual system. The timing of each biological function in mammals is directed by the main clock located in the Supraquiasmic Nucleus, which is regulated by light. However, until now, only the interaction of light with our visual system has been taken into account when choosing the parameters of indoor lighting sources, including those in the classroom. In the publications about school lighting, the first concern was the common parameters of indoor lighting such as horizontal workplane illuminance, illuminance uniformity, and avoiding reflections on different surfaces. In this chapter, the authors show publications about new findings on the effects of light on people, studies carried out in different countries aimed at improving classroom lighting, current regulations on lighting related to classroom lighting, and new parameters that are being considered, along with those already used for new and better lighting.

Interactive Exhibition as a Form of Participation in the Future of Sustainable Housing

The Gipuzkoa branch of the Basque and Navarre College of Architects organized, within the MUGAK Architecture Biennial, the exposition “The Transgenerational House.” It took place in a pavilion specially built for the purpose in a public space in the city of San Sebastian (Spain). In it, both a conventional furnished home and an alternative one, with the possibility of allowing free spatial divisions and furnishing distribution, were recreated. Some architectural teams showed their experiences on housing. A set of components with a color code was developed to link the two homes and the work of the architects. The pavilion was opened to the public, which had access to the contained information in a partially directed way and participated answering to posed specific questions. Additionally, 10 structured workshops with different collectives were organized, making specific proposals on the alternative home. The overall exposition is shown, reflecting on the advantages and limitations of citizen participation as an instrument of sustainable development.

The Uses of Renewable Energy in Buildings

Only 5% of Australia's energy utilization comes from renewables, while 86.3% of the electricity is produced from fossil fuels. Nonetheless, this pattern has been disturbed by the ongoing decommissioning and closure of old coal power plants, alongside the Australian policy to reduce fossil fuel emissions. Presently, Australia is at a pivotal phase of its change to renewable energy power generation and utilization specifically in residential and commercial buildings. Sustainability in renewable energy utilization is being achieved through guided government policies, reasonable energy costs, and improved energy technology transfer approaches. To give a refreshed delineation of renewable energy, related government policy, and the route ahead in the Australian setting, this chapter presents a deliberate Australia update with renewable energy generation and utilization in Australian buildings.

Application of Phase Change Materials in Construction Materials for Thermal Energy Storage Systems in Buildings

There has been a continuous increase in world population and industrialization. In parallel, energy consumption grew substantially in the world. The residential buildings constitute the majority of the total consumption in the developed world. Therefore, energy saving and reducing heat losses of buildings are of major concern for our society. At this point, phase changing materials (PCMs) show up as one of the most useful materials in building design. In this study, PCMs, which are used at places such as facade of buildings, bricks, and inside of concrete in order to be able to reduce the energy consumption due to heating and cooling, to provide comfort temperature inside buildings, are extensively reviewed.

Water Efficiency Evaluation Analysis Among Environmental Certification Methods

Developing countries such as Peru are not strangers in promoting sustainability in buildings through local certification programs such as My Green House funded by international organizations; or architectural design competitions for houses such as “Build to Grow”; compliance standards such as the one published in March 2018, “Climate Change Law”; in addition to other optional legal standards such as “EM.110 Thermal and Light Comfort with Energy Efficiency”: a technical code of voluntary sustainable construction; and the entry of international environmental certifications such as EDGE and LEED, which are currently very welcomed by real estate developers due to the incentives. One of them is the height bonus, which is promoted by some municipal ordinances, mostly located in the capital city of Lima as a product of a project developed and promoted by the IFC and World Bank. On the other hand, in the retail or office sector, they are promoted by green corporate policies; however, there is a long way to go.

Occupants' Habits and Natural Ventilation in a Hot Arid Climate

This chapter presents the findings of a questionnaire distributed in the Arabian Gulf region to explore the potential of utilising natural ventilation to moderate thermal conditions in residential buildings. It, additionally, explores the occupants' acceptance of the idea of applying natural ventilation when outdoor thermal environments are acceptable. Natural ventilation is a key sustainable solution to improve thermal conditions in the region considering its extreme climate, huge consumption of cooling energy, and the cultural attitude to depend on mechanical ventilation. The chapter discusses the thermal adaptation including physical or behavioural adaptation, and it sheds light on selected studies discussing similar issues. A detailed climatic analysis is presented with reference to Muscat city. Discussing the questionnaire's findings revealed high acceptance to depend on natural ventilation of around 93.7% of the participants. In addition, the possibility to depend on natural ventilation in the period from November to March, especially during daytime, was revealed.

Studying Physical and Chemical Properties of Graphene Oxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide and Their Applications in Sustainable Building Materials

In this chapter, the authors identified graphene oxide (OG)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) as nano composites by studying its nanoparticles' properties physically, chemically, and mechanically. In this study, they mentioned the photo catalyst materials PC regarding carbon nanostructures such as GO and RGO, which have excellent oxygen functionalities, efficient adsorption areas, and considerable surface area. The compositions of GO and RGO exceed electron-holes pair reinstallation time and minimize energy hiatus by adjusting valence band level (VBL) with conducting band level (CBL) bringing high suction of the exist radiance, which improves photo degeneration achievement of material oxides and composites made from polymers. They also studied the main applications of GO and RGO in engineering fields and summarized the usefulness of intercalation of GO and RGO in construction sectors. Moreover, many synthesis techniques lead to many types of GO. Therefore, in this chapter, the authors tried to collect most GO and RGO properties, structures, and applications.