Search Results (98)

The conservation of architectural heritage (AH) in regions threatened by natural and human-induced factors requires interdisciplinary approaches that integrate physical documentation with semantic modeling. This study introduces a comprehensive framework combining Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) with ontology-based modeling aligned with the CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CIDOC CRM). Focusing on the Big Gate and adjacent curtain walls in Ibb, Yemen, where the gate is entirely lost, the study reconstructs the structure using historical photographs, eyewitness accounts, and analogical references. The methodology incorporates UAV and terrestrial photogrammetry surveys, point cloud generation, and semantic enrichment using Autodesk Revit V. 2024 and Protégé V. 5.5. Decay phenomena such as cracks, efflorescence, and disintegration were ontologically classified and spatially linked to the HBIM model, revealing deterioration patterns concerning historical phases and environmental exposure. The resulting system enables dynamic documentation, facilitates strategic conservation planning, and enhances data interoperability across heritage platforms. The proposed framework is transferable to other heritage sites, supporting both the conservation of extant structures and the reconstruction of lost ones. Full article

This article focuses on the fire safety risks associated with conventional glass–aluminum façades—with a particular focus on stick and unitized curtain walling systems—providing an overview of possible fire spread mechanisms, considering the role of the curtain wall in maintaining compartmentation at the spandrel zone. First, it analyzes some of the relevant requirements of different European building regulations. Then, it provides a test evidence-based critical analysis of the gaps and loopholes in the relevant fire resistance standard for partial curtain wall configurations (EN 1364-4), where the evaluation of the propagation within the façade system is not necessarily considered in the fire-resistant spandrel zone. Finally, it presents a proposal for addressing these gaps in the form of a theoretical concept for a new test configuration and additional assessment criteria. This is followed by an initial experimental analysis of the concept. The standard testing campaign showed that temperature rise in mullions can exceed 180 °C after 30 min if limiting measures are not considered in the façade design. However, this can be only detected if framing is in the non-exposed area of the sample, being part of the evaluation surface. Meanwhile, differences are detected between the results from standard and new assessment criteria in the new configuration proposed, including a more rapid temperature rise for framing elements (207 K in a second level mullion at minute 90) than for the common non-exposed assessment surface of the sample (172 K at the same time) in cases where cavities are not protected. Accordingly, the proposed configuration successfully detected vertical temperature transfer within mullions, which can remain undetected in standard EN 1364-4 tests, highlighting the potential for fire spread even in EI120-rated assemblies. Full article

Creating a comfortable microclimate in the premises of buildings is currently becoming one of the priorities in the field of architecture, construction and engineering systems. The increased attention from the scientific community to this topic is due not only to the desire to ensure healthy and favorable conditions for human life but also to the need for the rational use of energy resources. This area is becoming particularly relevant in the context of global challenges related to climate change, rising energy costs and increased environmental requirements. Practice shows that any technical solutions to ensure comfortable temperature, humidity and air exchange in rooms should be closely linked to the concept of energy efficiency. This allows one not only to reduce operating costs but also to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to sustainable development and environmental safety. In this connection, this study presents a parametric assessment of the influence of climatic and geometric factors on the aerodynamic characteristics of the air cavity, which affect the heat exchange process in the ventilated layer of curtain wall systems. The assessment was carried out using a combined analytical calculation method that provides averaged thermophysical parameters, such as mean air velocity ($V_s$), average internal surface temperature ($t_{in.s}^{av}$), and convective heat transfer coefficient (${\alpha }_s$) within the air cavity. This study resulted in empirical average values, demonstrating that the air velocity within the cavity significantly depends on atmospheric pressure and façade height difference. For instance, a 10-fold increase in façade height leads to a 4.4-fold increase in air velocity. Furthermore, a three-fold variation in local resistance coefficients results in up to a two-fold change in airflow velocity. The cavity thickness, depending on atmospheric pressure, was also found to affect airflow velocity by up to 25%. Similar patterns were observed under ambient temperatures of +20 °C, +30 °C, and +40 °C. The analysis confirmed that airflow velocity is directly affected by cavity height, while the impact of solar radiation is negligible. However, based on the outcomes of the analytical model, it was concluded that the method does not adequately account for the effects of solar radiation and vertical temperature gradients on airflow within ventilated façades. This highlights the need for further full-scale experimental investigations under hot climate conditions in South Kazakhstan. The findings are expected to be applicable internationally to regions with comparable climatic characteristics. Ultimately, a correct understanding of thermophysical processes in such structures will support the advancement of trends such as Lightweight Design, Functionally Graded Design, and Value Engineering in the development of curtain wall systems, through the optimized selection of façade configurations, accounting for temperature loads under specific climatic and design conditions. Full article

This study presents a 3D fracture network modeling approach for designing curtain grouting systems in building foundations, utilizing geological mapping data from the Dongzhuang Project. A one-dimensional Markov chain model is applied to simulate the transitions in fracture density, while fracture orientation and size are characterized using Fisher and statistical distribution models. To enhance the prediction accuracy, a correction method is introduced to refine the transition matrices. The model’s reliability is validated using tunnel wall fracture data and borehole detection, demonstrating strong agreement in both trend and magnitude. In under 100,000 simulations, when the allowable absolute error is set to 1, the optimal accuracy can reach 80%. Reliability analysis confirms the robustness of the approach, with 99.91% of predictions within a ± 2 error margin. The final fracture network model effectively captures spatial heterogeneity and fracture penetration across various foundation layers; the spatial distribution density index of fractures can provide a reference basis for optimizing the layout of impermeable curtains in complex geological conditions. This integrated modeling approach offers a reliable tool for improving grouting strategies in building foundation projects and other civil infrastructure. Full article

With rapid global urbanization, glass curtain wall buildings have been widely adopted due to aesthetics and natural lighting. However, during summer time, intense solar radiation leads to significant indoor heat gain, which adversely affect thermal comfort and energy efficiency. The conventional air conditioning systems are typically equipped with a cooling capacity sufficient to maintain an indoor air temperature at the design values specified in the Design standard for energy efficiency of public buildings, which fails to account for the effects of radiation temperature, potentially resulting in reduced thermal comfort and energy inefficiency. By integrating the Thermal Comfort Tool to calculate the PMV index, this study evaluates the affection of solar heat gain on indoor occupants’ thermal comfort and proposes an optimized air temperature control strategy to realize thermal comfort. Based on the dynamic air temperature strategy, an energy consumption model is developed to evaluate the affection of solar radiation on energy consumption for glass curtain wall buildings based on the PMV index. The synergistic effects of shading measures are then evaluated. This study conducts simulation analysis using an office building with a glass curtain wall located in Beijing as a case study. When accounting for radiant heat gain, a significant portion of the time (53.89%) fall outside the thermal comfort range, even when the air conditioning is set to the designated temperature. To maintain thermal comfort, the air conditioning temperature must be lowered by 1.4–3.5 °C, resulting in a 28.08% increase in energy consumption. To address this issue, this study finds that installing interior shading can reduce radiant heat gain. Under the same thermal comfort conditions, the required air temperature reduction is only 0.8–2.1 °C, leading to a 24.26% reduction in energy consumption compared to the case without interior shading. Full article

Based on the resource conservation requirements of GB/T 50378-2019 “Green Building Evaluation Standard”, this study constructed a BIM–Ecotect collaborative analysis model and proposed a “four-dimensional integration” green performance optimization method. Taking a high-rise office building in Wuhan as an example, a LOD 300-level Revit building information model was established, and a multidisciplinary collaborative analysis was achieved through gbXML data interaction. The lighting simulation results show that the average natural lighting coefficient of the office area facing south is 2.4 (the standard 85%), while in the meeting room area, due to the optimized design of the curtain wall, the average natural lighting coefficient has increased to 2.6 (the standard 92%). In terms of energy-saving renovation, a three-dimensional collaborative design strategy was adopted. Through the optimization of the envelope structure, the cooling load of the air conditioning system was reduced by 25.3%, and the heat load was reduced by 23.6% (the u value of the exterior wall was reduced by 56.3%, the SHGC of the exterior windows was reduced by 42.9%, and the thermal resistance of the roof was increased by 150%). The ventilation optimization adopts the CFD flow field reverse design, adjusting the window opening rate of the exterior windows from 15% to 20% to form a turbulent diffusion effect. Therefore, the air change rate in the office area reached 2.5 times per hour, and the CO₂ concentration decreased by up to 27.1% at most. The innovative adoption of the “composite sound insulation curtain wall” technology in acoustic environment control has increased the indoor noise compliance rate by 27 percentage points (from 65% to 92%). The above research data indicate that digital collaborative design can achieve an overall energy-saving rate of over 20% for buildings, providing a replicable technical path for enhancing the performance of green buildings. Full article

In this study, a thermal analysis of the building envelope of Atatürk University Faculty of Architecture and Design, located in Erzurum in the cold climate zone, was conducted. It is aimed to analyze the thermal efficiency of the educational building on the façade. Firstly, situation analyses were conducted using infrared thermography in the interior spaces and on the exterior. Secondly, a thermal analysis simulation was performed on façade designs used in the faculty. The configurations of indoor and outdoor spaces were obtained with the instantaneous field of view (IFOV) calculator using the Testo 872 thermal camera. Convection thermal loads were applied with the SolidWorks 2022 to simulate the designs. According to the analysis, optimum values were shown in classroom D-306 on glass surfaces, studio D-202 on external walls, studio E-301 on interior walls, studio E-201 on floors, and classroom E-301 on ceilings. According to the surface temperatures on façade sections, the D-202 studio has a 4.1% advantage over the closest performing D-305 and a 33.4% advantage over the farthest performing D-101. According to the simulation results, the glass surfaces used in the autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) wall had a 39.6% advantage in terms of U-value compared to the glass surfaces in the curtain wall. Full article

Wood is often used as an interior surface finish in buildings, including exposed cross-laminated timber panels and other structural mass timber members. Building occupants generally have a positive reaction to visible wood elements used in building interiors due to the visual qualities associated with wood being a natural material. This study aims to identify any thermal comfort impacts of wood interior environments using subjective occupant-reported perceived thermal sensation during two experiments conducted in a climate chamber fitted with either white-painted gypsum wallboard or unfinished laminated Douglas Fir wall panels. In the first experiment, the thermal environment was continually varied while the visual stimulus of the wall type remained constant. Irrespective of wood or white wall treatment type, thermal history played a significant role in the perceived thermal comfort of participants under continually modulating temperatures. In the second experiment, a slightly warm steady-state thermal environment was maintained while one of the two wall treatments was revealed from behind a black curtain. While the shift in thermal sensation toward neutral was greater with wood walls than with white walls, the difference was not found to be statistically significant and appears to diminish after 15 min of exposure to the new visual surroundings. Full article

Silicone structural glazing (SSG) sealants are crucial sealing materials in modern building curtain walls, whose performance degradation may lead to functional and safety issues, posing significant challenges to building safety maintenance. This study comprehensively investigated the effects of temperature, humidity, stress, and ultraviolet (UV) irradiance on the durability of SSG sealants through multi-gradient matrix aging tests, revealing the influence patterns of these four aging factors on tensile bond strength (TBS). Based on aging test data and degradation patterns, a novel degradation model for TBS aging was established by incorporating all four aging factors as variables, enabling the model to reflect their combined effects on TBS degradation. The unknown parameters in the model were calculated using the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm and validated against experimental data. A recursive algorithm was developed to predict TBS degradation under actual service conditions based on the degradation model and environmental records, with verification through outdoor aging tests. This study established a service life prediction methodology that combines the degradation model with environmental data through recursive computation and standard-specified strength limits. The results demonstrate that increasing temperature, humidity, stress, and UV irradiation accelerates TBS changes, with influence intensity ranking as UV irradiation > temperature > humidity > stress. Synergistic effects exist among all four factors, where UV irradiation shows the most significant coupling effect by amplifying other factors’ combined impacts, while UV’s primary influence manifests through such synergies rather than independent action. Among temperature, humidity, and stress combined effects, temperature contributes approximately 50%, temperature–humidity interaction about 35%, with temperature-related terms collectively accounting for 90%. The degradation model calculation results show excellent agreement with experimental data (R² > 0.9, MAE = 0.019 MPa, RMSE = 0.0245 MPa). The characteristic TBS minimum value considering material discreteness and strength assurance rate serves as a reliable criterion for service life evaluation. The proposed prediction method provides essential theoretical and methodological foundations for ensuring long-term safety and maintenance strategies for glass curtain walls. Full article

To promote sustainable development in urban environments, minimising the reflected light pollution from glass curtain walls is critical. This study investigates numerical evaluation methods for assessing the impact of curtain wall-reflected light on road traffic light pollution. While existing research focuses on indoor glare and static target pollution, limited attention has been given to the dynamic impacts on moving traffic participants. This research evaluates light pollution (discomfort glare) induced by triple-layer hollow glass curtain walls in green buildings. A mathematical model predicting the solar reflection characteristics (reflectivity and brightness) was established using optical equations, with the accuracy verified through field experiments and numerical simulations. Subsequently, a driver discomfort glare (DDG) evaluation model was developed, incorporating the dynamic relationships between reflected light sources and drivers, including relative position variations, vertical eye illumination, and correlations between sightlines, driving speed, and road terrain. A numerical simulation system was implemented using Rhino’s Ladybug + Honeybee tools, demonstrated through a case analysis of high-rise buildings in Dalian. The system simulated glare effects under sunny/snowy conditions while examining thickness-related variations. The results revealed significant correlations between the glass thickness, weather conditions, and discomfort glare intensity. The proposed DDG model and simulation approach offer practical tools for assessing dynamic light pollution impacts, supporting the theoretical evaluation of outdoor light environments in green buildings. This methodology provides an effective framework for analysing the moving-target light pollution from architectural reflections, advancing sustainable urban design strategies. Full article

In recent years, the increasing construction of high-rise buildings has led to the widespread use of glass curtain walls. Regular cleaning is essential to maintain their aesthetic appeal and functionality. However, manual cleaning methods pose significant safety risks, necessitating the development of façade-cleaning robots. This paper presents a 3-Degree-of-Freedom Modular High-Rise Façade-Cleaning Robot (3-DOF-MHRFCR), consisting of a lifting module, an XYZ motion module, and a cleaning module. The robot employs a synchronous belt lifting mechanism for vertical movement, ensuring high positioning accuracy and safety. The XYZ motion module enables precise cleaning and obstacle traversal, while the cleaning module combines high-pressure water jets, rotating brushes, and squeegees for effective contaminant removal. Experimental results demonstrate a maximum glass transmittance enhancement of 72.4% and a 21.8% reduction in water consumption compared to manual cleaning, validating the robot’s efficiency and stability. Full article

The energy consumption requirement of high-rise buildings necessitates effective innovations in architectural designs. The aim is to revolutionise high-rise buildings’ thermal features and energy efficiency. This paper combines quantitative analyses through improved thermal simulations and qualitative information from surveys of stakeholders, including architects, engineers, and urban planners. Key performance indicators such as U-values, R-values, HVAC efficiency, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), and Energy Use Intensity (EUI) are examined in detail to assess the thermal and energy performance of contemporary façade systems. Energy-efficient building design is paramount in this time of unprecedented urban development and escalating global temperatures. However, a gap exists in understanding how these practices can be adapted and integrated effectively into modern architecture. The findings show that high-rises with optimized pattern curtain wall façades reveal considerable savings in energy usage, particularly in cooling loads, which enhances indoor thermal comfort and reduces environmental effects. Actionable recommendations are provided for architects, urbanists, and policymakers, including the designs of region-specific façade constructions, their connection with renewable energy, and compliance with high energy performance standards. All these strategies help to improve the operational efficiency, environmental sustainability, and stability of built environments in growing, developed urban areas. Full article

To address the limitations of the Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) in optimizing active glass curtain wall shading systems—particularly its suboptimal convergence efficiency and high computational demands—this study proposes an improved NSGA-II algorithm incorporating parameter categorization. Shading system parameters (e.g., slat width, angle, separation, and blind-to-glass distance) are classified into distinct categories based on their character and optimized sequentially. This phased approach reduces the search space dimensionality, lowering computational complexity while maintaining optimization accuracy. The framework integrates user preferences and climatic adaptability to balance energy efficiency and glare mitigation. The louver parameters were optimized under the same experimental conditions, and the enhanced algorithm exhibits 49% lower energy consumption values and 5% smaller visual discomfort time duration compared to the baseline algorithm in the optimization outcomes. Full article

Annual energy consumption has surged due to suboptimal energy efficiency, resulting in an electricity supply shortage in Sulaimani, an Iraqi city in a temperate climate zone. This mixed-methods study aims to optimise energy efficiency in Sulaimani’s office buildings using IDA Indoor Climate and Energy (IDA ICE) dynamic simulation software v4.8. First, we collected data and developed 204 scenarios based on three prevalent plan typologies, linear (T₁), concentric (T₂), and courtyard (T₃), utilising common materials such as Alucobond (M₁), cement plaster (M₂), Styropor (M₃), and a curtain wall (M₄). Afterwards, we performed relevant analyses employing External Venetian Blinds (EVBs) to reduce cooling load and/or Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) to reduce heating load. Notably, the results proved that EPS was more effective than EVBs in reducing both heating and cooling loads in the temperate climate zone, achieving reductions of up to 38% for T₁. Meanwhile, EPS contributed to a heating load reduction of up to 52% for T₃, and this adversely impacted overall energy consumption. Both EVBs and EPS could reduce total energy consumption by up to 30% in T₂. In conclusion, the total energy consumption increased in temperate climate zones when EVBs were utilised, but this effect varied based on the various typologies of office buildings. Full article

Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems present a promising avenue for integrating renewable energy generation into urban environments. However, they pose unique challenges, including higher planning efforts and reduced yield generation compared to conventional rooftop systems. Despite these challenges, the double use of area and the high potential in urban landscapes offer compelling advantages. Modules have become highly customizable to fit architect’s requirements in sustainable yet also aesthetic building material. This paper discusses the results of a “living laboratory” in Berlin, which is both a typical building with a ventilated curtain wall and a unique showcase for BIPV technology. Through careful analysis of various factors, including module positioning, ventilation, and shading, this study demonstrates the feasibility and practicality of BIPV integration. The “living lab” not only highlights the technical viability of BIPV systems but also underscores their potential to enhance architectural aesthetics and promote sustainability and carbon-neutrality in urban landscapes. Full article