Showing papers in "Indoor and Built Environment in 2012"
TL;DR: A novel human home activity recognition (HAR) system designed for smart homes that utilize depth silhouettes and ℜ transformation to continuously recognize the daily activities of the elderly and disabled in an indoor environment for better lifecare and e-healthcare services is presented.
Abstract: This paper presents a novel human home activity recognition (HAR) system designed for smart homes that utilize depth silhouettes and ℜ transformation to continuously recognize the daily activities ...
92 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the emission of formaldehyde and VOCs from wood-based panel products and the effect on indoor air quality (IAQ) and the formaldehyde concentration monitored in four energy efficiencies.
Abstract: This paper discusses the emission of formaldehyde and VOCs from wood-based panel products and the effect on indoor air quality (IAQ). The formaldehyde concentration monitored in four energy efficie...
76 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide a review of the background information regarding low-carbon housings in the United Kingdom and raise the concern of the possible high indoor pollution in the UK.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the background information regarding low-carbon housings in the United Kingdom and to raise the concern of the possible high indoor pollution loa...
62 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the results of a case study of some of the first certified passive houses in Denmark, called Comfort House, and evaluate their indoor environment using both quantitative measurements of these houses and qualitative interviews with the occupants about their experiences of the indoor environment.
Abstract: Currently, the built environment accounts for about 40% of the total energy consumed in the European Union and this level is continuing to increase. This high level of energy consumption is partially a result of attempts to create an optimum indoor environment for the occupants of buildings. New buildings and renovation projects on existing buildings need to improve their energy performance while maintaining a good and healthy indoor environment. One way of saving energy is to build passive houses. This paper presents the results of a case study of some of the first certified passive houses in Denmark, called Comfort Houses. The indoor environment is evaluated using both quantitative measurements of these houses and qualitative interviews with the occupants about their experiences of the indoor environment. The combination of these two sets of knowledge leads to a more complete and holistic picture of the indoor environment. It is shown that attention needs to be paid to the objectives in the design proce...
61 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, seasonal and spatial variations of both levels and characteristics of airborne bacteria and fungi in various types of noncomplaint indoor environments and their outdoors were investigated. Bioaero...
Abstract: Seasonal and spatial variations of both levels and characteristics of airborne bacteria and fungi in various types of non-complaint indoor environments and their outdoors were investigated. Bioaero...
60 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the influence of an indoor living wall on the temperature and humidity in a hall inside the School of Agricultural Engineering (University of Seville) was studied, and four different substrates, Geotextile, Epiweb, Xaxim and coconut fibre, were used to grow the plants in order to assess their performance.
Abstract: The use of vertical greenery systems in buildings is becoming very popular as they provide several benefits. In this work, the influence of an indoor living wall on the temperature and humidity in a hall inside the School of Agricultural Engineering (University of Seville) was studied. Four different substrates, Geotextile, Epiweb, Xaxim and coconut fibre, were used to grow the plants in order to assess their performance. Several parameters such as temperature, humidity, plant growth or water consumption were monitored and analyzed during a 4-month period. The cooling effect of the living wall was proven, with an average reduction of 4°C over the room temperature though maximum decrements of 6°C have been observed in warmer conditions. Higher air humidity levels were experienced near the living wall, increasing the overall humidity in the room. All the substrates tested were suitable for plant growing and their behaviour was similar. Geotextile showed the best cooling capacity but higher water consumption...
59 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a post-occupancy study was carried out to investigate the thermal environment in a high-standard office building certified by China Three-star Green Building Label, and the study included a subjective...
Abstract: A post-occupancy study was carried out to investigate the thermal environment in a high-standard office building certified by China Three-star Green Building Label. The study included a subjective ...
58 citations
TL;DR: The green building movement is an attempt to address IEQ and occupant health concerns by providing healthier building environments as discussed by the authors. But as improved IEQ is the stated goal of green design, we question h...
Abstract: The green building movement is an attempt to address IEQ and occupant health concerns by providing healthier building environments. As improved IEQ is the stated goal of green design, we question h...
56 citations
TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors adopted the 12th five-year plan adopted by the Chinese government in March 2011, which pays considerable attention to energy and climate change and establishes a new set of targets for 2011-2015.
Abstract: Climate change and global warming are important issues of our time, which have been dominating governments’ strategies, policies, building codes and standards and also research funding of university institutions all over the world. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol has established a basis of an agreement to cut CO2 emissions to alleviate the adverse effects of global warming [1]. China’s double digits economic growth for the past two decades had resulted in a rapid rise of CO2 emissions and other atmospheric pollution of urban cities. Although China’s CO2 emissions are still low on a per capita basis, China has already become the largest producer of CO2 emissions in the world. In 2007, China exceeded the carbon emissions of USA, with emissions of more than 6Gt [2]. In 2011, China became the largest contributor to the global increase of carbon emissions, rising by 0.72Gt, or 9.3%, primarily due to higher coal consumption [3]. In order to reduce global emissions so as to hold the increase in global temperature below 28C, the Chinese government pledged a 40–45% reduction in national carbon intensity from 2005 levels by 2020 at the Copenhagen Summit which has formed part of the Copenhagen Accord, 2009 [4]. To realize the above goal, China’s 11th Five-Year Plan set a target to decrease the overall energy intensity of the economy (energy consumption per unit of GDP) by 20% [5]. The 12th Five-Year Plan adopted by the Chinese government in March 2011 pays considerable attention to energy and climate change and establishes a new set of targets for 2011-2015 [6], which include:
47 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors show that smoke smouldering, incense burning and cooking are important sources of particulate matter (PM) in indoor environments, and that vacuum cleaning contributes to the non-com...
Abstract: Combustion activities such as cigarette smouldering, incense burning and cooking are important sources of particulate matters (PM) in indoor environments. Vacuum cleaning contributes to the non-com...
45 citations
TL;DR: The results showed that females would prefer a higher ambient temperature during sleep than the men, whereas finger skin temperature and finger blood flow were significantly lower in females than in males and the gender differences in preferred sleeping temperature could be related to these physiological characteristics.
Abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether there is gender difference in sleep comfort of healthy individuals at various temperatures. During winter, sleep quality was examined under different indoor temperatures (17, 20 and 23°C) using questionnaires and electroencephalogram (EEG). To explore the mechanism responsible for gender differences in comfortable sleeping temperatures, mean skin temperature, finger temperature and finger blood flow were measured. The results showed that females would prefer a higher ambient temperature during sleep than the men. The mean skin temperature for females was higher than that of males, whereas finger skin temperature and finger blood flow were significantly lower in females than in males. Furthermore, skin temperature and finger blood flow were more sensitive to ambient temperature with females than in males. The gender differences in preferred sleeping temperature could therefore be related to these physiological characteristics. Both subjective evalu...
TL;DR: A light pipe system is a simple daylighting device that allows the natural daylight to enter into interior spaces or underground spaces where access to windows or skylights is restricted as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: A light pipe system is a simple daylighting device that allows the natural daylight to enter into interior spaces or underground spaces where access to windows or skylights is restricted. The use o...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss how buildings use a large amount of energy to fulfill their function and therefore, it is important to understand how buildings make use of this energy to create comfortable indoor climates.
Abstract: Creating comfortable indoor climates is one of fundamental functions of buildings and buildings use a large amount of energy to fulfill their function. Therefore, it is important to understand how ...
TL;DR: In this paper, several models were developed to forecast the daily mean indoor temperature (IT) and relative humidity values in an education building in Izmir, Turkey. The city is located at a h...
Abstract: In this research, several models were developed to forecast the daily mean indoor temperature (IT) and relative humidity values in an education building in Izmir, Turkey. The city is located at a h...
TL;DR: In this paper, principal components analysis based approach is used to detect, identify, and detect the occurrence of sensor faults and identification of those locations are of primary importance for efficient monitoring and control of indoor air quality.
Abstract: Indoor air quality (IAQ) is an important factor, which can influence the health and comfort of passengers in subway stations. Various types of hazardous pollutants, such as particulate matters, remain accumulated in the subway space due to overcrowding and inadequate ventilation system. Subway stations are extremely crowded during rush hours and indoor air of the subway stations could be strongly affected, which in turn, affects passengers’ respiratory system. In this study, several key air pollutants data were collected every minute by the air sampler and tele-monitoring system (TMS) to effectively monitor and control IAQ in subway stations. The quality of the online measurement could decide the failure and success in environmental process assessment. Therefore, prompt detection of the occurrence of sensor faults and identification of those locations are of primary importance for efficient monitoring and control of IAQ. In this paper, Principal components analysis based approach is used to detect, identi...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore residents' evaluation and adjusting behavior related to the indoor comfort of apartments in Korea, and identify factors affecting residents' evaluations of thermo, sound, light and air conditions.
Abstract: A comfortable indoor environment is an essential condition for establishing a healthy housing environment. The indoor comfort is influenced by not only architectural conditions, but also residents’ psychological adaptation and behavioural adjustments. Moreover, specific information about adjusting behaviours, such as opening windows, closing blinds and adjusting clothing, is important to enhance indoor comfort effectively and reduce energy consumption at home.The purpose of this study is to explore residents’ evaluation and adjusting behaviour related to the indoor comfort of apartments in Korea. This study collected residents’ evaluations of thermo, sound, light and air conditions through surveys on their satisfaction, and the study identified factors affecting residents’ evaluations. In addition, this study investigated adjusting behaviours that would improve levels of indoor comfort based on the unique attributes of apartments and residents’ living culture, and it analysed the relationship between such...
TL;DR: The adequacy of the ventilation behaviour was determined by monitoring the CO2 concentration and ventilation behaviours in 10 sampled households of residential buildings, and natural ventilation was more effective than were mechanical ventilators.
Abstract: This research investigated resident behaviours in relation to kitchen ventilation in residential buildings in order to improve kitchen indoor air quality (IAQ) in South Korean living spaces. The re...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the impact of four canopy characteristics: impermeable rate (IR), bucchetti's impermeability rate (BR), the IR and the IR on thermal environment in a mountainous city.
Abstract: In order to guide the urban planning of thermal environment in a mountainous city, this paper reports a study which investigated the impact of four canopy characteristics: impermeable rate (IR), bu...
TL;DR: In this paper, a low-energy building as part of the low-carbon green growth movement is discussed. But, particular attention has been paid to architectural design, the elect...
Abstract: Although there have been continuing efforts recently for low-energy buildings as parts of the low-carbon green growth movement, particular attention has been paid to architectural design, the elect...
TL;DR: In this article, a method for including moisture safety in the building process has been developed, which includes a number of routines, templates and checklists for clients to formulate requirements for moisture safety and to follow up and document the measures employed by different participants.
Abstract: Many buildings, both new and old, suffer from moisture-related problems, with negative consequences on health, costs for rebuilding and lost confidence in the building industry. These problems could have been avoided if moisture issues had been focused on and dealt with throughout the building process. A method for including moisture safety in the building process has therefore been developed. The purpose of the method is to help all those involved to work with moisture safety activities and to document them in a structured way. The method includes a number of routines, templates and checklists for clients to formulate requirements for moisture safety and to follow up and document the measures employed by different participants. There are also tools for architects and design engineers, such as lists of references to literature, check lists and design examples to use for dry building design. For contractors, a number of routines have been developed for moisture control during construction. The method has been applied to a number of building projects. Based on experience from these projects, the method and the tools have been evaluated and revised. This paper presents the validated method and some associated tools that can be used in the building process.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate the effect of a new building which can impose on its immediate ambient environment, on air movement and thermal comfort of people using the area, and investigate the effects of new buildings on the air movement of people in the area.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a new building which can impose on its immediate ambient environment, on air movement and thermal comfort of people using the area. The ef...
TL;DR: Based on the data from the breadth of Canada (∼4300 km), one third of Canadian homes have ventilation rates below the recommended standard of 0.3 air changes per hour and are at risk for moisture p...
Abstract: Based on the data from the breadth of Canada (∼4300 km), one-third of Canadian homes have ventilation rates below the recommended standard of 0.3 air changes per hour and are at risk for moisture p...
TL;DR: In this article, a Taguchi-method-based approach was used to predict the operating performance of personalised ventilation (PV) systems using limited computational fluid dynamics simulation results.
Abstract: This paper presents a Taguchi-method-based approach that can quickly and accurately predict the operating performance of personalised ventilation (PV) systems using limited computational fluid dynamics simulation results. This method was used to optimise the operation characteristics (supply air temperature, velocity and flow rate) of a new PV air terminal device (ATD) design with the goal of achieving an overall best performance of thermal comfort, indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy efficiency. With the new ATD system, supply air temperature was found to have a significant influence on thermal comfort, IAQ and energy; volume flow rate was found to have a significant effect on IAQ and minor effects on thermal comfort and energy; and supply air velocity was found to have insignificant effects on all performance characteristics. Two new methods were developed to rapidly identify optimal system parameters for the best overall performance. Multiple solutions were obtained for the optimised system where impro...
TL;DR: The unit planning flexibility of such a structural system is inadequate, when compared to the colu... as mentioned in this paper, and the structural frames with bearings for apartment buildings are adopted over the past 30 years.
Abstract: Over the past 30 years, Korea has adopted structural frames with bearings for apartment buildings. The unit planning flexibility of such a structural system is inadequate, when compared to the colu...
TL;DR: A window plays a major role in providing both natural lighting in buildings and a view out, so it can exert a large influence on the comfort, well-being, and health of occupants.
Abstract: Lighting in buildings can exert a large influence on the comfort, well-being, and health of occupants. A window plays a major role in providing both natural lighting in buildings and a view out, so...
TL;DR: In this paper, the actual performance of a building depends highly on the ways of using windows in order to create a comfortable, energy-efficient and healthy indoor environment, however, the building's actual performance depends on the way of choosing windows.
Abstract: Windows in a building is an essential element in creating comfortable, energy-efficient and healthy indoor environment. However, the actual performance of a building depends highly on the ways of u...
TL;DR: The findings illustrate the vision for the shared space community, a community home for the dementia elderly, with appropriate scale for easy management and being connected with local community and with affluent green environment for healing and natural environment that would ease local residents’ aversion towards elderly housing.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to provide research-based argument for a better housing for the dementia elderly within the apartment complex neighbourhood. Six case study’s designs are included to i...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used three types of chalk sticks on a board and particle size distribution of chalk dust fall during writing and dusting of board were found to be different for different types of sticks.
Abstract: Airborne PM1, PM2.5, PM5 and PM10 generated during writing with three types of chalk sticks on a board and particle size distribution of chalk dust fall during writing and dusting of board were stu...
TL;DR: In this paper, the average residential indoor levels of BTEX were 42.0, 69.3, 22.8, 52.1 and 21.6 µg·m−3, respectively.
Abstract: Mono-aromatic hydrocarbons, namely benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and isomers of xylene (BTEX) were studied within a group of typical urban residences. The average residential indoor levels of BTEX were 42.0, 69.3, 22.8, 52.1 and 21.6 µg·m−3, respectively. The indoor level was found to be significantly dependent on the type of fuel used and extent of ventilation but not on location of the residence or kitchen placement inside the residence. The average indoor/outdoor concentration ratio observed for BTEX > 1; and this indicates the presence of indoor sources for these compounds along with infiltration of outdoor air. The relative variability of the target compounds reveals that indoor sources, other than domestic fuel, like consumer products, cooking, etc., contribute significantly for xylenes and least for benzene. Also with increasing ventilation, the intrusion of outdoor air has definite contribution in increasing the indoor level in descending order for benzene, toluene, m-, p-xylene and ethylbenzene....
TL;DR: In this article, it is uncertain if current Danish legislation regarding emission of formaldehyde from wood-based panels could assure that concentrations of formsaldehyde in the indoor air of buildings containing buildings containing th...
Abstract: It is uncertain if current Danish legislation regarding emission of formaldehyde from wood-based panels could assure that concentrations of formaldehyde in the indoor air of buildings containing th...