Building and Environment 

About: Building and Environment is an academic journal published by Elsevier BV. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Thermal comfort & Ventilation (architecture). It has an ISSN identifier of 0360-1323. Over the lifetime, 10113 publications have been published receiving 427753 citations.

Contrasting the capabilities of building energy performance simulation programs

Abstract: For the past 50 years, a wide variety of building energy simulation programs have been developed, enhanced and are in use throughout the building energy community. This paper is an overview of a report, which provides up-to-date comparison of the features and capabilities of twenty major building energy simulation programs. The comparison is based on information provided by the program developers in the following categories: general modeling features; zone loads; building envelope and daylighting and solar; infiltration, ventilation and multizone airflow; renewable energy systems; electrical systems and equipment; HVAC systems; HVAC equipment; environmental emissions; economic evaluation; climate data availability, results reporting; validation; and user interface, links to other programs, and availability.

Life cycle assessment of building materials: Comparative analysis of energy and environmental impacts and evaluation of the eco-efficiency improvement potential

Abstract: The building industry uses great quantities of raw materials that also involve high energy consumption. Choosing materials with high content in embodied energy entails an initial high level of energy consumption in the building production stage but also determines future energy consumption in order to fulfil heating, ventilation and air conditioning demands. This paper presents the results of an LCA study comparing the most commonly used building materials with some eco-materials using three different impact categories. The aim is to deepen the knowledge of energy and environmental specifications of building materials, analysing their possibilities for improvement and providing guidelines for materials selection in the eco-design of new buildings and rehabilitation of existing buildings. The study proves that the impact of construction products can be significantly reduced by promoting the use of the best techniques available and eco-innovation in production plants, substituting the use of finite natural resources for waste generated in other production processes, preferably available locally. This would stimulate competition between manufacturers to launch more eco-efficient products and encourage the use of the Environmental Product Declarations. This paper has been developed within the framework of the “LoRe-LCA Project” co-financed by the European Commission’s Intelligent Energy for Europe Program and the “PSE CICLOPE Project” co-financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology and the European Regional Development Fund.

Theory and applications of HVAC control systems – A review of model predictive control (MPC)

Abstract: This work presents a literature review of control methods, with an emphasis on the theory and applications of model predictive control (MPC) for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Several control methods used for HVAC control are identified from the literature review, and a brief survey of each method is presented. Next, the performance of MPC is compared with that of other control approaches. Factors affecting MPC performance (including control configuration, process type, model, optimization technique, prediction horizon, control horizon, constraints, and cost function) are elaborated using specific examples from the literature. The gaps in MPC research are identified, and future directions are highlighted.

Photocatalytic oxidation for indoor air purification: a literature review

Abstract: This paper presents a literature review of using photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) to destruct volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air. TiO2 is used extensively as a photocatalyst due to its superior characteristics. Through kinetic experiments, the dependence of reaction rate on some key influencing factors (moisture, light intensity, initial contaminant concentration) has been studied, and kinetic models have been developed to aid the optimal reactor design. In general, the final products of PCO include CO2 and H2O. However, the intermediates, which are produced in the process of PCO, shouldn't be ignored because they can occupy the active sites of catalyst and lead to the deactivation of the catalyst.

Literature survey on how different factors influence human comfort in indoor environments

Abstract: The present paper shows the results of a literature survey aimed at exploring how the indoor environment in buildings affects human comfort. The survey was made to gather data that can be useful when new concepts of controlling the indoor environment are developed. The following indoor environmental conditions influencing comfort in the built environment were surveyed: thermal, visual and acoustic, as well as air quality. The literature was surveyed to determine which of these conditions were ranked by building users as being the most important determinants of comfort. The survey also examined the extent to which other factors unrelated to the indoor environment, such as individual characteristics of building occupants, building-related factors and outdoor climate including seasonal changes, influence whether the indoor environment is evaluated as comfortable or not. The results suggest that when developing systems for controlling the indoor environment, the type of building and outdoor climate, including season, should be taken into account. Providing occupants with the possibility to control the indoor environment improves thermal and visual comfort as well as satisfaction with the air quality. Thermal comfort is ranked by building occupants to be of greater importance compared with visual and acoustic comfort and good air quality. It also seems to influence to a higher degree the overall satisfaction with indoor environmental quality compared with the impact of other indoor environmental conditions.