Showing papers in "Indoor and Built Environment in 2019"
TL;DR: In this article, the state of the art of vegetation systems and their effect on the indoor environmental quality (IEQ), based on scientific studies from the past 30 years, is reviewed.
Abstract: This paper reviews the state of art of vegetation systems and their effect on the indoor environmental quality (IEQ), based on scientific studies from the past 30 years. Some studies have shown that biophilic workspaces and interaction with plants may change human attitudes, behaviours, improve productivity and the overall well-being. Evapotranspiration from plants helps lowering the temperature around the planting environment and this can be utilised for air cooling and humidity control. Also, indoor greenery can be used to reduce sound levels as a passive acoustic insulation system. Living wall systems in combination with biofiltration are emerging technologies to provide beneficial effects on improvement of indoor comfort. Several studies have indicated that green systems may improve indoor air quality and that they have different pathways for pollutant removal of volatile organic compounds. The plant root zone in potted plants may be an effective area for removing volatile organic compounds under controlled conditions. In conclusion, the full capacity of plants in real-life settings will need to be clarified to establish the true pollutant-removal mechanisms and the general effect on IEQ. The effects of green systems in combination with mechanical elements such as conventional heating, ventilation and air conditioning would need to be studied.
88 citations
TL;DR: Simulation of airflow using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling software can provide a prediction of indoor airflow and contaminant concentration by solving Navier–Stokes (NS) equations and a set of species transport equations.
Abstract: The optimal design and control of ventilation systems is of great importance to both indoor health and building energy efficiency. Indoor airflow characteristics play an important role for ventilation systems due to their great influence on indoor contaminant removal effects. Simulation of airflow using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling software can provide a prediction of indoor airflow and contaminant concentration by solving Navier–Stokes (NS) equations and a set of species transport equations. CFD modelling has been widely applied for the design and application of building ventilation systems. However, to satisfy high demand for practical design application and for online control of various types of ventilation systems, there are still some challenges confronting the research using CFD.
80 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a new ventilated Trombe wall (VTW) constituted with double Phase Change Material (PCM) wallboards (PCMs-VTW), has been developed.
Abstract: A new ventilated Trombe wall (VTW) constituted with double Phase Change Material (PCM) wallboards (PCMs-VTW) has been developed. The year-round thermal performance of the system was evaluated via a...
46 citations
TL;DR: Innovations in materials, construction techniques and technologies in building construction and refurbishment aim to reduce carbon emissions and produce low-energy buildings However, in-use perfor as mentioned in this paper
Abstract: Innovations in materials, construction techniques and technologies in building construction and refurbishment aim to reduce carbon emissions and produce low-energy buildings However, in-use perfor
43 citations
TL;DR: This article summarized the state-of-art fast prediction models for indoor environments based on strategies of reducing computational meshes, techniques of solving linear partial differential equation, or incorporation of online monitoring into simulation-assisted machine learning methods.
Abstract: Advanced designs and controls of heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are being implemented to improve energy efficiency and thermal comfort of buildings. Effective design and control of indoor environment requires accurate and rapid predictions. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is an important tool for predicting airflows and pollutants transport in the indoor environment. However, when the targeted flow domain is large or the air flow is complex, CFD simulation would require a large amount of computing meshes. Consequently, a very long computing time of several days or months is needed. CFD has been widely applied in the design and optimum operation of HVAC system for the control of the indoor environment. However, utilization of CFD in practical engineering design (e.g. a whole building with hundreds of rooms) is very challenging and difficult due to considerable computing time and resource requirements. For online control, directly using CFD for faster-than-real-time prediction is almost impossible, due to expensive computational time of CFD, usually much longer than the physical variation time (e.g. air pollutants transport). Therefore, a method of fast prediction for indoor environment design and control is very desirable. This article summarized the state-of-art fast prediction models for indoor environments. Existing fast prediction models have been constructed based on strategies of reducing computational meshes, techniques of solving linear partial differential equation, or incorporation of online monitoring into simulation-assisted machine learning methods. The pros and cons of the following methods are discussed: (1) CFD with coarse-grid; (2) Zonal models; (3) Multizone models; (4) State-space fluid dynamics (SFD); (5) Advanced turbulence model; (6) Fast Fluid Dynamic (FFD); (7) Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD), (8) Markov chain model; (9) Transient accessibility method of air pollutant, (10) Lowdimensional Linear Ventilation Models (LLVM); (11) Reduced-order LLVM method (RO-LLVM); (12) Fast simulations assisted by machine learning.
42 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the field measurement and evaluation of indoor air quality of 25 naturally ventilated residential buildings in northwestern China in order to evaluate the air quality in these buildings.
Abstract: This paper presents the field measurement and evaluation of the indoor air quality of 25 naturally ventilated residential buildings in northwestern China. Concentrations of formaldehyde, benzene, t...
42 citations
TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors presented the concept of vertical wall attached ventilation, which is based on the combination of mixing ventilation and displacement ventilation, and a large number of displacement ventilation cylinders must be installed to keep enough supply air to outlet area and to maintain a low supply air velocity.
Abstract: The task of HVAC systems is to offset indoor thermal and/or ventilation load. Indoor thermal load can be offset by either convective-dominant way or radiantdominant way. In convective dominant way, system recirculated air is thermally conditioned usually in terms of temperature and humidity. Indoor ventilation load has to be offset by convective dominant way, in which outdoor air is filtered, thermally conditioned and thus it becomes fresh air to dilute indoor pollutants such as CO2. Fresh air and recirculated air can be well mixed and supplied together from ceiling or upper space of indoor environments, which is mixing ventilation. The mixing ventilation system has been most widely used in engineering practice. Without making full use of fresh air, air with mediocre quality is inhaled by human occupants. To avoid energy wastage, thermally conditioned spaces without intensive human occupancy is unnecessary. The use of displacement ventilation was originated from Nordic countries, and this was mainly used in industrial workshops with high headroom. The concept has been used in other types of buildings. Design guidelines for these systems are relatively matured and established, and have been successfully applied in engineering projects. Air is mainly supplied from floor mounted displacement ventilation cylinders at very low velocity. Thermal buoyancy, instead of supply air momentum, is the major driving force to move air upwards from the air reservoir in the floor. Obvious vertical temperature gradient could exist in the indoor displacement ventilated space. However, air duct must be extended and connected with floor mounted displacement ventilation cylinders. Once fresh air and recirculated air are supplied together from displacement ventilation cylinders, large number of displacement ventilation cylinders must be installed to keep enough supply air to outlet area and to maintain a low supply air velocity. For spaces with large spans, hollow pillar or raised access floor must be used as connected air duct in core zones. Under floor air distribution can also achieve displacement mode ventilation by reducing supply air velocity. As a solution, Li presented the principle of vertical wall attached ventilation – the concept of wall attached air supply can be traced back to the early 1980s. The concept of vertical wall attached ventilation was originally named air curtain ventilation, later called attachment ventilation, which is based on the combination of mixing ventilation and displacement ventilation. A mixture of fresh air and recirculated air is first delivered and attached to vertical wall or pillar/column surface and is then moved downwards by the Coanda effect. As the air jet with high momentum approaches the floor, it impinges the corner, and is then separated from the vertical wall or pillar/column surface and reattached to the floor to generate air reservoir. Studies so far, have been mainly on the supply air velocity and the distance between vertical surface and centre of supply air diffuser. Compared with displacement ventilation, similar temperature and velocity fields can be achieved and big supply air flowrate problem can be solved. Therefore, a lot of successful engineering projects have been accomplished in buildings with high space height such as city halls, metro stations and hydro power stations along Yangtze River and Yellow River in China.
41 citations
TL;DR: Results illustrate that when exposed to high ILL, U-ILL and CCT environment, participants reported highest satisfaction on productivity and attention, while lowest score on stress, difficulty of conducting work and fatigue is illustrated.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lighting environment on the work performance. Orthogonal experiments with three-factor and three-level for each factor were designed and c...
37 citations
TL;DR: The amount of received sunlight and radiant energy could affect the energy consumption in heating, cooling and lighting systems as mentioned in this paper, in addition to the utilization of natural daylight in architecture, in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
Abstract: The amount of received sunlight and radiant energy could affect the energy consumption in heating, cooling and lighting systems. Utilization of natural daylight in architecture, in addition to fulf...
33 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive survey of residential environment quality in typical cities in China and compilation of an Atlas of urban climate is presented. But, the authors admit that urban climatic factors are seldom taken into account in urban planning and urban management due to the lack of basic data, as well as practical evaluation tool to bridge the gap between climate data and urban planning.
Abstract: In China, urban climatic factors are seldom taken into account in urban planning and urban management due to the lack of basic data, as well as practical evaluation tool to bridge the gap between climatic data and urban planning. Under the support of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Wuhan University, China Meteorological Administration, Dalian University of Technology and the Earth Environment Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have jointly implemented a project since 2013, entitled ‘Comprehensive Survey of Residential Environment Quality in Typical Cities in China and Compilation of an Atlas of Urban Climate’. According to climate zoning, city scale and regional development degree, seven Chinese cities, i.e. Xi’an, Wuhan, Dalian, Yulin, Luoyang, Foshan and Taizhou, have been selected as case studies for the project. Among these cities, Xi’an, Wuhan and Dalian are provincial capital cities while Yulin, Luoyang, Foshan and Taizhou are prefecture-level cities. The following research activities were conducted:
32 citations
TL;DR: The main control over indoor environmental quality in the aircraft cabin is the air quality control system as mentioned in this paper, which is the same as the one used for indoor air quality monitoring in indoor environments.
Abstract: Billions of people travel on airplanes every year, making the aircraft cabin a critical environment to understand with regard to public health. The main control over indoor environmental quality in...
TL;DR: The city's local climate zone (LCZ) has been considered as a useful guiding tool for urban climate mapping and classification of urban canopy in cities as mentioned in this paper, however, the LCZ classification methods and...
Abstract: The city’s local climate zone (LCZ) has been considered as a useful guiding tool for urban climate mapping and classification of urban canopy in cities. However, the LCZ classification methods and ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a lighting scenario for buildings in a way that minimizes electrical energy consumption in buildings, while considering the effect of artificial lighting on the building's performance.
Abstract: Globally, artificial lighting accounts for a considerable part of electrical energy consumption in buildings. Hence, there is a need to design appropriate lighting scenarios for buildings in a way ...
TL;DR: Compared to traditional ventilation systems, the POV system can reduce the risk of cross-infection in hospital isolation rooms and can be achieved in an isolation ward where movement between the infected and protected zones is restricted or prohibited.
Abstract: Effective ventilation in general hospital wards is important for controlling the transmission of airborne infectious agents that may cause respiratory diseases. This study investigates the potentia...
TL;DR: In this paper, a thermal retrofit of the existing buildings seems to be a well-known issue around the globe, given the very low renewal rate of the building stock and the low energy efficiency of existing buildings.
Abstract: Upgrading the energy efficiency of existing buildings is a well-known issue around the globe. Given the very low renewal rate of the building stock, thermal retrofit of the existing buildings seems...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate the effect of vent inlet size on indoor air quality and pollutant dispersion in the context of indoor air flow and air quality in indoor environments.
Abstract: Ventilation configurations greatly influence indoor airflow and pollutant dispersion. This work aims to investigate the effect of vent inlet size (indicated as size ratio D/L, inlet vent length to ...
TL;DR: In this paper, one of the systems used in heating and cooling of offices is the radiant system, which is a type of air conditioner used in the office environment, and it is used to provide thermal comfort.
Abstract: Thermal comfort of an office environment is one of the most important factors affecting the performance of employees. One of the systems used in heating and cooling of offices is the radiant system...
TL;DR: In this article, an ongoing study of indoor environmental quality in urban residential regions is presented. But the authors focus on the negative impact of urban residential areas on indoor air quality in Egypt.
Abstract: Over recent decades, Egypt has experienced unprecedented growth of urban residential regions causing deterioration to indoor environmental quality. This research is a part of an ongoing study of bu...
TL;DR: The promotion of green transport has increased the importance of urban rail transit in China and increased passenger flow and longer travel time have led to increased attention to in-carriage air qu... as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The promotion of ‘Green Transport’ has increased the importance of urban rail transit in China. Increased passenger flow and longer travel time have led to increased attention to in-carriage air qu...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on diluting contaminants and distributing conditioned air, however, this strategy has a potential for spreading particulate matter or bioaerosols, thus, it is not suitable for large-scale air distribution systems.
Abstract: Air distribution systems generally focus on diluting contaminants and distributing conditioned air. However, this strategy has a potential for spreading particulate matter or bioaerosols. Thus, it ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the indoor environmental quality responses from occupants living in very small residential units that are unique to Hong Kong, through the changes in environmental par... and found that the response was positive.
Abstract: This study investigates the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) responses from occupants living in very small residential units that are unique to Hong Kong. Through the changes in environmental par...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors considered the consideration of energy consumption of industrial buildings mainly focusing on the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, which accounts for rather a smaller proportion when compared to energy consumption for production.
Abstract: Industrial buildings are playing an important role in national construction and economic development. The total constructed floor area of industrial buildings in China is over 500 million square metres per year since 2011. Up till now, the total area of existing industrial buildings is over 10 billion square metres. However, simultaneously, the areas of single industrial buildings have been expanding to occupy larger spaces. The energy consumption of industrial building is the sum of the energy consumed during the entire lifetime of the building, rather than just the energy consumption for industrial production. The consideration of energy consumption of industrial buildings mainly focuses on the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. This type of energy consumption accounts for rather a smaller proportion when compared to energy consumption for production. However, its absolute value cannot be overlooked. Therefore, how to effectively save the energy consumption of industrial buildings has become one of the most urgent problems in the field of built environment and energy efficiency.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present design recommendations based on a qualitative study for enhancement of teamwork, communication and security in emergency departments, considering the crucial role of the emergencous...
Abstract: This paper presents design recommendations based on a qualitative study for enhancement of teamwork, communication and security in emergency departments. Considering the crucial role of the emergen...
TL;DR: The effect of temperature of the heating system elements is a parameter that could affect the airflow in terms of buoyancy and thermal comfort and that should be studied to ensure the quality of ve... as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The effect of temperature of the heating system elements is a parameter that could affect the airflow in terms of buoyancy and thermal comfort and that should be studied to ensure the quality of ve...
TL;DR: In this paper, the design of urban spaces could greatly influence the ability of green spaces to improve the thermal environment in Wuhan in the hot-summer and cold-winter zone situated in the central and lower rea...
Abstract: The design of urban spaces could greatly influence the ability of green spaces to improve the thermal environment. Wuhan in the hot-summer and cold-winter zone situated in the central and lower rea...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed a new terminal device for air conditioning to provide indoor thermal comfort for occupants and to save energy, called the capillary ceiling radiation cooling panel (C-CRCP).
Abstract: The capillary ceiling radiation cooling panel (C-CRCP) is a newly developed terminal device for air conditioning to provide indoor thermal comfort for occupants and to save energy. In this paper, n...
TL;DR: Thermal sweating is the thermoregulatory activity of the human body in hot and warm environments, which is critical to the human thermal comfort and health as discussed by the authors, and is the most common physiological activity in humans.
Abstract: Thermal sweating is the thermoregulatory activity of the human body in hot and warm environments, which is critical to the human thermal comfort and health. The sweating of a human body in a real w...
TL;DR: In this paper, urban climatic mapping and local climate zones are urgently needed due to rapid urbanisation in China, to identify and predict serious air pollution problems and occurrence of urban heat.
Abstract: Studies on urban climatic mapping and local climate zones are urgently needed due to rapid urbanisation in China, to identify and predict serious air pollution problems and occurrence of urban heat...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe on-site measurements of indoor thermostats at an airport in China to reduce energy consumption in the terminals of a large-scale international airport.
Abstract: Currently, many airports in China are being built or retrofitted. Reducing energy consumption in airport terminals is of the utmost urgency. This paper describes on-site measurements of indoor ther...
TL;DR: In-cabin air pollution may be mainly attributed to the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from vehicular cabin materials as discussed by the authors, and some measurement methods have been proposed by organizations arou...
Abstract: In-cabin air pollution may be mainly ascribed to the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from vehicular cabin materials. Some measurement methods have been proposed by organizations arou...