Abstract Aerogels are regarded as one of the most promising high performance thermal insulation materials for building applications today. With a thermal conductivity down to 13 mW/(m K) for commercial products they show remarkable characteristics compared to traditional thermal insulation materials. Also the possibility of high transmittances in the solar spectrum is of high interest for the construction sector. With the proper knowledge they give both the architect and engineer the opportunity of re-inventing architectural solutions. Within this work, a review is given on the knowledge of aerogel insulation in general and for building applications in particular.
Bin Su, Peter McPherson, Renata Jadresin Milic
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Based on field studies, this study contributes the new physical data of winter indoor thermal conditions of the indoor spaces with four different dust mite allergen levels in New Zealand houses. This study provides a new method to identify the relationships between indoor thermal conditions and indoor dust mite allergen levels. This study found that the indoor mean relative humidity (RH) close to the floor must be controlled below 70%, and there must be less than 30% of time in winter when indoor RH close to the floor is higher than or equal to 75% to maintain indoor dust mite allergens at an undetectable level; and the indoor mean RH close to the floor must be controlled below 75%, and there must be less than 50% of time in winter when indoor RH close to the floor is higher than or equal to 75% to maintain indoor dust mite allergens at a low (acceptable) level. This study also identified the relationship between indoor thermal conditions for dust mites to thrive and for mould spores to germinate. This study provides a strategy or guideline for preventing indoor allergies related to dust mites and mould under the temperate climate zone; the winter is mild and humid.
This article examines the choice between renovation and demolition and new building construction approaches for addressing aging school and preschool buildings in Sweden. This study aims to identify common reasons for implementing measures and to analyze the effectiveness and limitations of renovation to address these problems. This study identifies essential factors relevant to the management of these buildings that contribute to the benefits from a management perspective and assesses the extent to which these benefits are realized through renovation. Data were collected through qualitative interviews and questionnaires with municipal managers overseeing school and preschool buildings. The findings show that renovation is the most common approach, however, limitations exist in increasing capacity, achieving economies of scale, and fully improving poor indoor environments caused by structural issues. The results also showed that smaller municipalities struggle with a lack of economic resources to address problems in school and preschool buildings. Despite the higher costs per square meter, demolition and new construction are sometimes viewed as cost-effective alternatives, contributing to many of the identified benefits from a management perspective. This study provides valuable insights into the decision-making process between renovation and new construction, balancing building functionality with management needs.
Djordje Mitrović, Djordje Djordjević, Mirjana Devetaković
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Artifact style is still assessed primarily visually/descriptively, and much less morphologically/parametrically—by processing latent geometric peculiarities. This research aims to explore how the morphology of artifacts can be represented and quantitatively compared in order to validate their stylistic affiliation cost-efficiently. Since the term “style” herein refers to orders of classical architecture, (Roman) capitals of the oldest, Doric order, were chosen for such a validation-oriented assessment. The methodology included the following: (1) scaling capital 3D models to a uniform height to make the number of equidistant crosscuts invariant, (2) substituting contours thereof with circles (by retaining area values) to marginalize ornamentation factors, (3) determining stepwise dynamics of perimeter change across circles to ensure relative comparisons, (4) generating diagrammatic representatives by revolving dynamics-wise trendlines, and (5) comparing them quantitatively. To make the latter valid in a statistical sense, three groups of capitals were foreseen: Control (of indisputable Doric), 1st Experimental (of assumed Doric), and 2nd Experimental (of non-Doric, i.e., Ionic). Distances between the vertices of every compared representative (from defined groups) and their nearest neighbors on the reference (a representative obtained by “averaging” control ones) were computed. Distributions of such distances induced normal probabilities capable of “inferring” whether the analyzed capital could likely be a member of the assumed order.
The article presents an analysis of the city museum policy used as a basis for a proposal for the construction of modern museums in Irkutsk. The article provides the results of the research activity of the working group “Architecture of new museums in the modern city” at INRTU and the conclusions about the expediency of building new museums in the centre of Irkutsk. The following projects made by students of Irkutsk architectural school as final qualifying works are considered: the project of reconstruction and expansion of the museum of regional studies on the basis of the historical building of the VSORGO Museum (Artem Zyubr), the project of the museum building for the geographical and historical collection related to the North American discoveries of travellers and merchants from Irkutsk (Nikita Sobolevsky), and the project of the new building for the Museum of Asian Art (Alisa Valeeva).
Andrei Crisan, Massimiliano Pepe, Domenica Costantino
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Cultural heritage conservation demands interdisciplinary and complex documentation and analysis while facing increasing pressure to adopt sustainable and productive practices. This paper bridges these gaps by proposing a methodology and a set of requirements for Building Information Modeling (BIM) models aligned with European directives for sustainability and productivity in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector. Leveraging 3D scanning and intelligent models, we establish information needs specific to conservation, encompassing material properties, historical data, and decay analysis. Interoperability, compatibility with advanced analytical tools, and open-source formats are emphasized for seamless data integration and accessibility. We further introduce two use cases for BIM-enabled heritage conservation, illustrating the application of our proposed methodology in real-world scenarios. These cases exemplify how BIM models cater to the specific needs of cultural heritage sites, from their initial condition assessment to ongoing preservation efforts. Through these examples, we demonstrate the adaptability of BIM technology in capturing and managing the complex information associated with heritage conservation, including structural details, material characteristics, and historical significance. Our work highlights the potential of BIM to revolutionize heritage conservation practices, offering a digital backbone for documentation, analysis, and management that aligns with sustainability and productivity goals.
With an over 20-fold increase in population between 1963 and today, Lagos has expanded significantly both within and outside its city administrative boundaries. Some paradoxes are identified using mixed methodologies from a qualitative research design. Lagos’s northwards expansion has exerted several externalities on a neighbouring state. Expansion within Lagos, on its coastal south-eastern axis, is defined by real estate activities of a different nature. In both cases, new settlements have emerged with differing social and economic characteristics that have far-reaching impact for housing accessibility and affordability. These differences are explored by establishing pull-factors responsible for attracting specific income groups to each axis, the impact of government action (and inaction), and the implications of these for city growth and management. Formal mechanisms of planning lead to a proliferation of higher end real estate development. This has created unequal access to land and housing for lower income families. The subsequent exclusion of lower income families from planned areas represents a failure of the market system. Lagos presents compelling complexities of the management of urban expansion that spread beyond administrative boundaries, as well as the influence of planning to achieve economic development. 'Policy relevance' City managers and policymakers need to plan for expansion in fast growing cities. Urban expansion will flow with the demand for (and availability of) space and will not respect administrative boundaries. Urban containment policies are not known to have a high level of success in African cities, especially in contexts where planning enforcement is weak. Thus, city managers and policymakers must recognise the positive externalities of urban expansion on their cities and provide resources towards optimising this for the common good. They must also take actions towards monitoring and addressing negative externalities from the expansion of neighbouring cities, especially where planning jurisdictions differ. In both cases, government action is required to ensure that resulting housing and real estate markets work for all income classes.
Architectural engineering. Structural engineering of buildings
Flexibility in housing has been used for a long time to meet the changing needs of inhabitants. After a century of vicissitude, flexibility became a means for architects to deal with social changes in the new millennium. The International Building Exhibition (IBA) 2013, which took place in Hamburg, Germany, is an example of how the concept of flexibility is being adopted. Housing, in particular, the post-occupancy phase, has not been studied, despite the urban-level aspects of the IBA Hamburg having been extensively written about. Seven years after its construction, nothing is known about what happened regarding these new approaches. The purpose of this study is to investigate the number of households in the IBA Hamburg housing projects that have used the promoted concept of flexibility, particularly in the “Building Exhibition within the Building Exhibition.” As a result, this article aims to shed light on this issue by presenting data from a field survey regarding whether floor plan flexibility was used, and if so, to what extent and what were the reasons. As a result, the author utilized an administered and self-administered open and closed-ended survey questionnaire research approach to collect necessary data for the execution of this investigation. The survey was conducted in twenty-two apartments, with four residential buildings chosen as a case selection for this investigation. The results of this study revealed that, despite being considered during the initial planning phase, flexibility was not commonly applied in the housing projects of IBA Hamburg 2013. Furthermore, the findings reveal that the extent of use of flexibility in these case studies is closely linked with the occupation status of the inhabitants.
Abstract In countries all over Europe the need for building renovation is receiving increased attention. One reason for this is an ageing building stock. Another reason is the need for more environmentally sustainable buildings with reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions to limit the harmful climate impact. There is at the same time a need to upgrade many buildings to improve the quality of life – social sustainability, for instance improve indoor climate; and to increase productivity in the building process to ensure affordable housing – economic sustainability. Low productivity and frequent conflicts in the construction sector have led to an increasing interest in new forms of collaboration between the different stakeholders involved in construction projects. Development of strategic partnerships concerning a portfolio of renovation projects are seen as a promising way to achieve more sustainable building renovation for some large building clients and for companies with a high maturity in collaborative practice. There is a large number of tools for design decision support and systems for sustainability certification of buildings, but there are not many tools and systems dedicated to building renovation. Measuring the different dimensions of sustainability is a challenge. Regulations play a central role in opening the markets for sustainable building renovation through incentive schemes, building codes, etc. Although traditional approaches to energy renovation emphasize more efficient heating and lighting systems and better insulation, there is a tendency to address the challenge more holistically by emphasizing social targets.