Search Results (18)

Lecture halls are characterized by large spatial dimensions, deep floor plans, and high occupant densities. Lectures are typically conducted using multimedia and blackboard-based teaching, placing higher demands on the indoor light and thermal environment compared to standard classrooms. This study aims to simulate the interrelationships between multiple building envelope parameters and building performance, in order to improve visual and thermal comfort while reducing energy consumption in cold-region lecture halls. Based on seven key envelope parameters—including openable window area ratio, west-facing window-to-wall ratio, exterior insulation thickness, shading element spacing, angle and width, and window glass type—a multi-objective optimization framework was established. The optimization process targeted three key performance indicators—useful daylight illuminance (UDI), energy use intensity (EUI), and thermal comfort percentage (TCP)—in the context of a stepped classroom. The results show that increasing the thickness of exterior insulation and reducing the width of shading components contribute positively to photothermal comfort without compromising thermal and visual performance. Compared with the baseline design, optimized schemes that incorporate appropriate west-facing window-to-wall ratios, openable window areas, insulation thicknesses, and external shading designs can reduce annual energy consumption by up to 10.82%, and increase UDI and TCP by 12.79% and 36.41%, respectively. These improvements are also found to be economically viable. Full article

This research concerns the exterior lighting of historic buildings and cultural heritage monuments. Its objective is to organize a methodology for the study of facades, to record the individual or grouped morphological and decorative elements of the facades, and to organize the steps to achieve a presentation of different ways of lighting these elements. This presentation is made by an experimental digital lighting simulation, leading the researcher to discover the relationship between light and the architectural element being illuminated. Finally, the results of the simulations are evaluated by experts in the field of lighting, who attest to the emotions generated by the observation of the different lighting scenarios, while an attempt is then made to synthesize these results on an entire building facade, to determine whether this synthesis of the individual lighting effects is practicable. The analysis of the results reveals the trends in each lighting scenario, leading to a variety of emotions, whether they arise from a specific morphological element or from the entire facade. Full article

European non-residential buildings constructed before building energy codes consume more energy and resources than new buildings. Existing educational buildings comprise 17% of this outdated stock. These buildings can be retrofitted to create a conducive learning environment that can improve students’ comfort. The refurbishment of facades is a common solution to improve the energy performance of schools when the aim is to improve the daylighting comfort. This study develops a methodology to optimize facade renovation solutions including (1) preparation, (2) simulations of the simplified model using local shading, and (3) modeling a realistic optimized facade design. This study evaluates visual comfort by considering multiple-dimensional metrics such as useful daylight illuminance (UDI), annual sunlight exposure (ASE), illuminance uniformity, and the daylighting factor. The three parameters of the louvres on which this study focuses are the distance from the new facade to the exterior wall, the blade degrees, and slat spacing. The methodology was first applied to improve the facade proposal with reused roof tiles from the project Waste-based Intelligent Solar-control-devices for Envelope Refurbishment (WiSeR). The results illustrate that implementing these solutions efficiently improves the indoor visual comfort in the classroom while avoiding overheating issues. For a constant-gaps surface, a shading distribution with alternated gaps gives better results for the aforementioned light metrics. Specifically, the most suitable values are a 7 cm distance from the new shading system to the existing wall, slat degrees at 0, and louvre spacing at 21 cm. Full article

Dominican vernacular architecture, based on the Spanish-influenced indigenous bohio, is built with natural materials. This housing model has remained practically unchanged for five centuries, responding adequately to the tropical Caribbean climate. However, it is necessary to characterize this behavior to verify the indoor comfort conditions of this housing typology. The aim of this research is to evaluate the behavior of a vernacular house located in Villa Sombrero, Peravia Province, Dominican Republic, using a simulation model. For this purpose, a bohio was selected, which has a simple rectangular volume. Simulations were carried out using Design Builder software, considering the passive strategies incorporated in the bohio. The results indicate that indoor ambient temperature remains within the comfort range throughout the annual cycle. It was confirmed that the highest solar gain through exterior windows occurs in the warmer months. Lighting consumption varies between approximately 195 kWh and 220 kWh, with a more stable behavior during the middle months of the year. CO₂ emissions followed the same behavior as lighting consumption since it was the only energized element in the bohio. This research demonstrated that passive strategies implemented in the vernacular dwelling work correctly, except for the minimum illuminance level, which needs to be improved. Full article

Computer simulation allows to study daylight conditions in the past that afforded activities in antique buildings. The Python module phos4dtools implements the efficient computation of zonal daylight metrics that are considered to indicate affordances. It was employed to solve horizontal and vertical illuminance for different orientations and elevations in the House of the Priestesses, a unit of the Hadrianic Garden Houses complex in Ostia. A reconstruction model of the unit was produced by collating an existing, detailed 3D documentation with other sources and our own survey data. The spatially and temporally resolved results of daylight simulation employing phos4dtools were imported into a GIS database. Assuming typical reflectance properties, illuminance thresholds were determined that are required for the perception of contrast detail and colour differences. Integration over temporal periods and spatial zones that are eligible for residential activities was implemented by queries to the database. First, preliminary results indicated different distributions of affordances by daylight, depending on the characteristics of the considered visual tasks. Horizontal illuminance decreases quickly with increasing distance to the aperture, suggesting that activities bound to a horizontal work plane were constraint to the immediate adjacency of windows and potentially open doors. Vertical illuminance, on the other hand, reaches deep into the building when the receiving surface is oriented to a window, particularly in the absence of exterior obstructions. The exemplary application of phos4dtools shows its potential in the interdisciplinary research on daylight and its implications on living practice in antique buildings. Full article

This study suggests a pioneering conservation framework that significantly enhances the preservation, renovation, and restoration of heritage architecture through the integration of contemporary digital technologies. Focusing on the endangered drum towers of the Dong ethnic group in Southwestern China, the research employs a meticulous data collection process that combines manual measurements with precise 2D imaging and oblique unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography, enabling comprehensive documentation of tower interiors and exteriors. Collaboration with local experts in drum tower construction not only enriches the data gathered but also provides profound insights into the architectural nuances of these structures. An accurate building information modeling (BIM) simulation illuminates the internal engineering details, deepening the understanding of their complex design. Furthermore, UAV-obtained point cloud data facilitate a 3D reconstruction of the tower’s exterior. This innovative approach to heritage preservation not only advances the documentation and comprehension of heritage structures but also presents a scalable, replicable model for cultural conservation globally, paving the way for future research in the field. Full article

This paper presents a number of lessons learned while designing a proposed sterilization system for Mars Sample Return. This sterilization system is needed to inactivate any potentially hazardous Mars material on the exterior surface of the vessel containing sealed sample tubes filled with Mars rock cores, regolith and atmosphere. These returned samples would provide information on the geologic history of Mars, the evolution of its climate and the potential for ancient life. Mars Sample Return is categorized at Planetary Protection Category V Restricted Earth Return, so it is required to protect the Earth–Moon system from the biological impact of returning samples from Mars to Earth. This article reviews lessons learned in the development of a particular engineering implementation to support the protection of the Earth–Moon biosphere: the use of in situ ultraviolet LED illumination. The details of the biological efficacy of this approach or the policy-related impacts are outside of the scope of this manuscript. The lessons learned presented here include establishing design requirements for the system, the selection of a light source, optical design options, contamination control and approaches to thermal and power management. Full article

The classroom space located in the attic of an old building is the subject of this study. The building was renovated and new spaces were created in the unused attic to expand classrooms. The original space under the sloping roof was not used because its internal headroom was not suitable. During the restoration, the entire original truss was raised gradually (in parts) by 1.2 m. This created a space with an entire area that can be used for classrooms. Continuous strips of vertical windows measuring 860/600 mm were installed in the space which enable a visual connection between the interior space and the exterior. At roof level, there are also two rows of skylights above each other which ensure enough daylight is present but create unpleasant overheating in the summer. The purpose of this study is to find a way to optimize the shading of transparent surfaces and the heat accumulation of building structures in order to achieve suitable interior conditions in the attic. This task was achieved by shading the windows in the attic. Shaded windows decrease illumination by 82% compared to unshaded ones. The percentage decrease in illumination is more significant than the decrease in the maximum temperature due to overheating. Additionally, the maximum temperature in the attic drops by only 31% if vertical and skylight windows are shaded with external blinds compared to unshaded windows. The minimum air temperature reached in the attic also drops by 26%. In order for users in the attic space to feel comfortable, it is necessary to use HVAC equipment in addition to the design of suitably built structures and window shading. Full article

As one of the pioneering data representations, the point cloud has shown its straightforward capacity to depict fine geometry in many applications, including computer graphics, molecular structurology, modern sensing signal processing, and more. However, unlike computer graphs obtained with auxiliary regularization techniques or from syntheses, raw sensor/scanner (metric) data often contain natural random noise caused by multiple extrinsic factors, especially in the case of high-speed imaging scenarios. On the other hand, grid-like imaging techniques (e.g., RGB images or video frames) tend to entangle interesting aspects with environmental variations such as pose/illuminations with Euclidean sampling/processing pipelines. As one such typical problem, 3D Facial Expression Recognition (3D FER) has been developed into a new stage, with remaining difficulties involving the implementation of efficient feature abstraction methods for high dimensional observations and of stabilizing methods to obtain adequate robustness in cases of random exterior variations. In this paper, a localized and smoothed overlapping kernel is proposed to extract discriminative inherent geometric features. By association between the induced deformation stability and certain types of exterior perturbations through manifold scattering transform, we provide a novel framework that directly consumes point cloud coordinates for FER while requiring no predefined meshes or other features/signals. As a result, our compact framework achieves $78.33\%$ accuracy on the Bosphorus dataset for expression recognition challenge and $77.55\%$ on 3D-BUFE. Full article

Ultrasound (US) image guidance is widely used for minimally invasive procedures, but the invasive medical devices (such as metallic needles), especially their tips, can be poorly visualised in US images, leading to significant complications. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is promising for visualising invasive devices and peripheral tissue targets. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) acting as PA excitation sources facilitate the clinical translation of PA imaging, but the image quality is degraded due to the low pulse energy leading to insufficient contrast with needles at deep locations. In this paper, photoacoustic visualisation of clinical needles was enhanced by elastomeric nanocomposite coatings with superficial and interstitial illumination. Candle soot nanoparticle-polydimethylsiloxane (CSNP-PDMS) composites with high optical absorption and large thermal expansion coefficients were applied onto the needle exterior and the end-face of an optical fibre placed in the needle lumen. The excitation light was delivered at the surface by LED arrays and through the embedded optical fibre by a pulsed diode laser to improve the visibility of the needle tip. The performance was validated using an ex-vivo tissue model. An LED-based PA/US imaging system was used for imaging the needle out-of-plane and in-plane insertions over approach angles of 20 deg to 55 deg. The CSNP-PDMS composite conferred substantial visual enhancements on both the needle shaft and the tip, with an average of 1.7- and 1.6-fold improvements in signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), respectively. With the extended light field involving extracorporeal and interstitial illumination and the highly absorbing coatings, enhanced visualisation of the needle shaft and needle tip was achieved with PA imaging, which could be helpful in current US-guided minimally invasive surgeries. Full article

Since the establishment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, various perspectives on sustainable cities have been developed and adopted in order to achieve a better and more sustainable future. However, background research has revealed that these goals and targets are limited because they do not take into account the growing body of lighting-related research in diverse fields on the impact of outdoor illumination on humans, flora and fauna. Recently, exterior lighting has been also linked to environmental degradation and as an indirect contributor to the current climate change emergency. Therefore, this study aims, by using online interviews with over 50 experts who work in the field of artificial light at night (ALAN), to assess whether the SDG objectives adequately reflect the latest knowledge about sustainable cities. The Elsevier 2021 SDG mapping matrix was used to find the correlation between the keywords that define each SDG and the keywords used by a group of international experts. This work suggests there are missing targets in current SDGs, especially SDG 11, connected to sustainable cities and communities. It also offers useful guidance on how to rethink the existing approach of cities that aim for sustainability, by applying eight (8) key aspects of urban lighting for healthier and environmentally responsible outdoor illumination, by means of a correct design process, along with a five-step strategic plan of action. The crucial role of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration with experts has also been outlined, via the inclusion of new actors such as lighting professionals and researchers, who are currently absent in this important discourse. Full article

The application of lighting technologies developed in the 20th century has increased the brightness and changed the spectral composition of nocturnal night-time habitats and night skies across urban, peri-urban, rural, and pristine landscapes, and subsequently, researchers have observed the disturbance of biological rhythms of flora and fauna. To reduce these impacts, it is essential to translate relevant knowledge about the potential adverse effects of artificial light at night (ALAN) from research into applicable urban lighting practice. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to identify and report, via a systematic review, the effects of exposure to different physical properties of artificial light sources on various organism groups, including plants, arthropods, insects, spiders, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and non-human mammals (including bats, rodents, and primates). PRISMA 2020 guidelines were used to identify a total of 1417 studies from Web of Science and PubMed. In 216 studies, diverse behavioral and physiological responses were observed across taxa when organisms were exposed to ALAN. The studies showed that the responses were dependent on high illuminance levels, duration of light exposure, and unnatural color spectra at night and also highlighted where research gaps remain in the domains of ALAN research and urban lighting practice. To avoid misinterpretation, and to define a common language, key terminologies and definitions connected to natural and artificial light have been provided. Furthermore, the adverse impacts of ALAN urgently need to be better researched, understood, and managed for the development of future lighting guidelines and standards to optimize sustainable design applications that preserve night-time environment(s) and their inhabiting flora and fauna. Full article

Wood used in exposed exterior applications degrades and changes color due to weathering. Expanded use of mass timber is resulting in architects increasingly designing structures with wood in exterior exposure. Coatings can reduce the effects of weathering and prolong the visual characteristics of wood. However, coating performance depends on a variety of factors including the blend of resins, oils, pigments, and binders. Coating manufacturers often claim superior performance for products, but data directly comparing different coatings on different species is rarely publicly available. Premature coating failure increases long-term building maintenance expense while potentially enhancing biological degradation and reducing service life. This study compares the performance of 12 exterior wood coatings on 5 wood species. Performance was evaluated according to changes in the components in the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) L*a*b* color space of images taken at 6-month intervals over 18 months of the wood samples. The analysis was performed using Welch’s ANOVA, Games-Howell pairwise comparisons tests, and a clustering procedure using distances between each pair of groups means for the 18 months ΔL*, Δa*, Δb* values. Most of the coatings lost their protective effects within 1 year of exposure due to combinations of biological and ultraviolet radiation (UV) degradation illustrating the difficulty of protecting timber in exterior exposures. This study provides a guide for users wishing to specify coatings for exposed wood in mass timber structures. Full article

The global increase in energy needs and environmental awareness for a more efficient energy use have boosted building rehabilitation to decrease energy consumption. The installation of solar control films (SCFs) in buildings with large glazing façades makes it possible to reduce excessive solar gains through the glazing. The main purpose of the work is to assess, with field experimental data, the thermal and luminous performances of double-glazing units with SCFs installed in office rooms, in Lisbon. An experimental campaign was carried out simultaneously in three adjacent offices: one with a highly reflective SCF (external installation), one with a reflective SCF (internal installation) and one without an SCF. The exterior SCF showed the best thermal performance with reductions in the peak indoor air temperature of up to 6.9 and 2.3 °C during the representative days of the heating and cooling periods, respectively, increasing thermal comfort mainly during the cooling period. The interior SCF had a poorer thermal performance since it contributed to solar radiation absorption that is then emitted as heat into the indoor environment, increasing the greenhouse effect of the office. The presence of SCFs reduced the indoor illuminance levels, having a positive impact on thermal comfort and glare reduction in the cooling period. Full article

Interior and exterior wind turbine blade inspections are necessary to extend the lifetime of wind turbine generators. The use of unmanned vehicles is an alternative to exterior wind turbine blade inspections performed by technicians that require the use of cranes and ropes. Interior wind turbine blade inspections are even more challenging due to the confined spaces, lack of illumination, and the presence of potentially harmful internal structural components. Additionally, the cost of manned interior wind turbine blade inspections is a major limiting factor. This paper analyses all aspects of the viability of using manually controlled or autonomous aerial vehicles for interior wind turbine blade inspections. We discuss why the size, weight, and flight time of a vehicle, in addition to the structure of the wind turbine blade, are the main limiting factors in performing internal blade inspections. We also describe the design issues that must be considered to provide autonomy to unmanned vehicles and the control system, the sensors that can be used, and introduce some of the algorithms for localization, obstacle avoidance and path planning that are best suited for the task. Lastly, we briefly describe which non-destructive test instrumentation can be used for the purpose. Full article