Search Results (15)

As remote and hybrid work models continue to grow, the design of workspaces and their surrounding environments has gained even more importance. This study explores the impact of window design on the restorative potential of Prefabricated Movable Buildings (PMBs) of smart/co-working located in small villages. Using Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR), seven window configurations, varying in size, frame ratio, and number of glass panes, were evaluated. Participants’ sense of presence, defined as the subjective feeling of ‘being there’ in the virtual environment, and perceived restoration, referring mainly to the psychological (attention and emotions) and physiological (stress) resources recovery, were assessed using, respectively, Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ) and the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS). The overall IPQ results suggest that the virtual environment in this study provides a “High” sense of presence, highlighting the validity of IVR to evaluate architectural designs. The PRS results found that larger, uninterrupted windows with a higher Window-to-Wall Ratio and lower Frame Ratio significantly enhance participants’ perceived restoration. Restoration effects were also higher when offices were located in small villages rather than in business districts. These results highlight the importance of incorporating large windows in smart/co-working spaces within culturally rich small villages to promote worker well-being and office sustainability. Full article

The concept of circular economy (CE) has emerged as an effective strategy for addressing resource depletion, waste generation, and environmental challenges, offering a promising path towards a more sustainable future. In the building sector, adopting CE principles can significantly mitigate environmental impacts, minimize lifecycle costs, and promote sustainability throughout a building’s lifecycle. Using a mixed-method approach via a pre-interview questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with 10 sustainability experts, this study analyses the significance of 15 CE strategies in building construction projects, assessing their importance and ranking their potential for adoption. Furthermore, this study evaluates the feasibility of applying CE principles to different building types, including storage, industrial, commercial, residential, business, and healthcare facilities. The role of lifecycle stages including initiation and planning, design, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance, and end of life is examined to identify phases with the highest potential for successfully embracing CE principles. The role of stakeholders in driving change is also analyzed. The outcomes of this study reveal that the most feasible strategies include the use of renewable energy, design for durability and longevity, prefabrication, and offsite construction. The study findings indicate that storage, industrial, and business (office) buildings are the most feasible for CE application, while the initiation and planning and design stages are identified as critical phases for embracing CE adoption. Owners and designers emerge as the stakeholders with the greatest influence on CE implementation. The results of this study provide a comprehensive overview of the feasibility of CE adoption in the building sector. These findings offer valuable insights that can inform the development of targeted strategies to support the effective adoption of CE principles. Full article

Prefabricated timber buildings offer a low-carbon approach that can help reduce the environmental impact of the building and construction sectors. However, construction materials such as manufactured timber products can emit a range volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are potentially hazardous to human health. We evaluated 24 years (2000–2024) of peer-reviewed publications of VOCs within prefabricated timber buildings. Studies detected hazardous air pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and acetaldehyde (indoor concentration ranges of 3.4–94.9 µg/m³, 1.2–19 µg/m³, 0.97–28 µg/m³, and 0.75–352 µg/m³, respectively), with benzene concentrations potentially exceeding World Health Organization indoor air quality guidelines for long/short term exposure. Most studies also detected terpenes (range of 1.8–232 µg/m³). The highest concentrations of formaldehyde and terpenes were in a prefabricated house, and the highest of benzene and toluene were in a prefabricated office building. Paradoxically, the features of prefabricated buildings that make them attractive for sustainability, such as incorporation of manufactured timber products, increased building air tightness, and rapid construction times, make them more prone to indoor air quality problems. Source reduction strategies, such as the use of low-VOC materials and emission barriers, were found to substantially reduce levels of certain indoor pollutants, including formaldehyde. Increasing building ventilation rate during occupancy is also an effective strategy for reducing indoor VOC concentrations, although with the repercussion of increased energy use. Overall, the review revealed a wide range of indoor VOC concentrations, with formaldehyde levels approaching and benzene concentrations potentially exceeding WHO indoor air quality guidelines. The paucity of evidence on indoor air quality in prefabricated timber buildings is notable given the growth in the sector, and points to the need for further evaluation to assess potential health impacts. Full article

The construction sector is a significant contributor to energy consumption and emissions. With the steady increase in the cost of energy carriers and the costs of energy production, the cost for consumers is also increasing. Therefore, the search for solutions capable of reducing energy consumption by increasing the energy efficiency of building structures, in particular the use of prefabricated timber-frame technology, is ongoing. Recent energy supply uncertainties and high costs necessitate the pursuit of green solutions. Timber construction, especially prefabricated timber-frame technology, holds promise due to its renewability and energy efficiency. However, housing estates built using this technology often lack service infrastructure, like shops, crèches, kindergartens, and offices, affecting resident comfort. This study proposes a methodology to select the optimal utility function for a residential building in such an estate, thus enhancing living conditions. The building’s potential new functions—a shop, nursery, or office—were evaluated based on economic criteria, thermal comfort, building airtightness, energy efficiency, and vibration comfort. The analysis indicates that converting the building into a shop requires the least capital investment, making it the most economically beneficial option. Full article

The public sector should reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions from the building stock, thereby serving as a role model for the private sector. In Korea, public buildings are leading the green remodeling business initiative as part of a carbon-neutral strategy. Building envelope retrofitting is essential for the green remodeling of existing buildings because it significantly affects the buildings’ aesthetic appearance, occupant comfort, and energy usage. From the perspectives of constructability and cost, prefabricated envelope systems offer various advantages and can contribute to the growth of the green remodeling business. To develop an effective prefabricated envelope system, a thorough analysis of the existing building stock must be conducted. Therefore, this study aims to investigate existing public office buildings in Korea to obtain a better understanding of the considerations necessary for developing prefabricated envelope systems. The survey utilized the image search and road-view functions of map services, following an appropriate sample design. Based on the survey results, the characteristics of the building types and envelopes, as well as considerations for developing prefabricated envelope systems are discussed. Furthermore, this study quantitatively analyzed the energy conservation potential through building energy simulations. Full article

This study aims to analyze the life-cycle primary energy and climate impacts of structural frames, paying particular attention to the design and prefabrication of different structural materials. The study considers an existing single-story office building with a composite concrete–steel structure and compares it with two functionally equivalent structures, i.e., a conventional reinforced concrete structure and a conventional steel structure. The existing building is located in San Felice sul Panaro, Italy. This study integrates dynamic structural analysis and life-cycle assessment (LCA). The study finds that the use of different materials can reduce the life-cycle primary energy use and CO_2-eq emissions by up to 12%. Furthermore, the benefits derived from the recovery and recycling of materials can reduce the primary energy use and CO_2-eq emissions by up to 47% and 36%, respectively. The prefabrication of structural elements can also reduce the primary energy use and CO_2-eq emissions in the construction stage. A sensitivity analysis considers changes in the electricity supply system and shows that the primary energy and CO_2-eq emissions due to prefabrication decrease when assuming marginal electricity based on renewable energies. This analysis supports the development of sustainable structural design to meet the standards concerning the whole-life-cycle carbon emissions of buildings. Full article

In 2020, 37% of global CO₂eq. emissions were attributed to the construction sector. The major effort to reduce this share of emissions has been focused on reducing the operational carbon of buildings. Recently, awareness has also been raised on the role of embodied carbon: emissions from materials and construction processes must be urgently addressed to ensure sustainable buildings. To assess the embodied carbon of a building, a life-cycle assessment (LCA) can be performed; this is a science-based and standardized methodology for quantifying the environmental impacts of a building during its life. This paper presents the comparative results of a “cradle-to-cradle” building LCA of an office building located in Luxembourg with 50 years of service life. Three equivalent structural systems are compared: a steel–concrete composite frame, a prefabricated reinforced concrete frame, and a timber frame. A life-cycle inventory (LCI) was performed using environmental product declarations (EPDs) according to EN 15804. For the considered office building, the steel–concrete composite solution outperforms the prefabricated concrete frame in terms of global warming potential (GWP). Additionally, it provides a lower GWP than the timber-frame solution when a landfill end-of-life (EOL) scenario for wood is considered. Finally, the steel–concrete composite and timber solutions show equivalent GWPs when the wood EOL is assumed to be 100% incinerated with energy recovery. Full article

The long-term color stability and surface properties of anterior laminate veneers are among the crucial factors affecting the clinical longevity of aesthetic restorations. Novel 3D-printed materials are being introduced as definitive restorative treatment. In light of the existing variety of indirect yet minimally invasive composite resin veneers, research on their surface properties is warranted. This in vitro study evaluated the effect of artificial aging by immersion in different staining solutions on the color changes, gloss, and surface roughness (Ra) of 3D-printed veneers compared to the prefabricated resin composite veneer systems (PRCVs) manufactured by Componeer and Edelweiss. Moreover, this study compared the effects of two methods for stain removal: repolishing with Sof-Lex disks and in-office bleaching with 40% hydrogen peroxide. The veneers (n = 24) were randomly divided according to the immersion solutions used, i.e., tea and coffee. Colorimetric measurements, surface roughness, and surface gloss were determined before and after staining and surface treatment with either in-office bleaching or surface polishing. The data were statistically analyzed using two-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey’s post hoc test (α = 0.05). Artificial aging with immersion in staining solutions led to significant color changes, increased surface roughness, and gloss reduction in all materials (p  <  0.05). The 3D-printed veneers showed higher ΔE values (coffee = 10.112 ± 0.141) and (tea = 10.689 ± 0.771) compared to baseline after 7 days of aging. The 3D-printed veneers had a statistically significant surface roughness Ra (0.574 µm ± 0.073). The gloss was >70% in all groups at baseline; these values dropped in all groups after 7 days of artificial aging. After the stain-removing procedures, the ΔE values decreased in all tested veneers. That being said, they failed to return to the baseline values, and both stain-removing methods were found to have an adverse effect on surface roughness and gloss retention in all tested veneers. Full article

Worldwide, smart/co-working spaces are growing significantly, and prefabricated movable buildings for such an application could (i) save energy, CO₂ emissions, and costs; (ii) enhance the worker’s perceived sense of surroundings; and (iii) support the rebirth of small villages with high regenerative potential. Innovative prefabricated movable building configurations to be used as an office for smart/co-working by a maximum of 6 persons have been designed and analyzed based on simulation data. In particular, 10 case studies corresponding to building configurations differing in terms of innovative energy-efficient measures related to the building envelope (smart windows operated under various control logics) and the energy systems serving the building (photovoltaic panels, small wind turbines, and electric storages) have been modeled and simulated by applying detailed dynamic simulation models via the simulation software TRNSYS. The performance of the 10 case studies has been compared from energy, environmental, and economic points of view with respect to a baseline system characterized by conventional building envelope and energy systems, with the aim of assessing the proposed measures and identifying the most efficient configuration. The simulation results highlighted that: (i) all the proposed alternative configurations allow to save primary energy (from 10.3% up to 100%), equivalent CO₂ emissions(from 10.3% up to 100%), and operating costs (from 8.5% up to 100%) with respect to the baseline building; (ii) the building configurations including the smart windows only are not economically feasible in terms of simple pay-back (SPB) period, while the building configurations equipped with photovoltaic panels and/or electric storages and/or wind turbine represent a suitable investment thanks to an SPB lower than 15.2 years; (iii) a stand-alone building configuration for smart/co-working with energy demands totally covered by means of renewable sources can be obtained by combining smart windows, photovoltaic panels, electric storages and wind turbine. Full article

Recent research relating to energy use and carbon emissions by buildings has started to move from operational energy carbon impacts to the embodied energy/carbon impacts of buildings, and the methods and approaches used in architectural design to reduce embodied carbon have become more prominent. From a practitioner’s perspective, working with an ‘in-house’ Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool has become a growing trend for architects, and one perceived way of improving the LCA outcomes of a proposed building is to consider prefabrication of the construction process. Initiatives such as the Low Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) and government bodies such as Greater London Authorities (GLA) provide guidance on LCA and upfront carbon emission targets for transitioning to net zero by 2050. The aim of this study was to establish (i) the LCA impacts from prefabricated residential buildings against current benchmarks; (ii) boundaries and opportunities in architectural practice in the UK when conducting an LCA; (iii) the effectiveness of an in-house LCA tool. This study shows that, although the life-cycle emissions of this prefabricated building achieved a low band in the LETI labelling system, with 1076 kgCO_2e/m², it still performs better than the business-as-usual model value of 1200 kgCO_2e/m². The results also reveal that the construction industry is not ready to provide realistic data on the prefabrication process to test its advantages compared to conventional constructional methods. However, having an in-house LCA tool provides a faster and more comprehensive LCA due to the commitment to carbon assessment in the office and saves time compared to manual calculations. Full article

This study analyzes an office building located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang region, with a high assembly rate of 96.8%. Based on whole-process records and first-hand factory data, using an original method, we empirically investigate the carbon emissions associated to the assembly production and construction phase by comparing the results collected in the field with the calculation results for the simulated non-prefabricated building. The calculation results show that the production and construction stage of the prefabricated office building is characterized by a large reduction in carbon emissions, where the total measured carbon emissions of the subject building were 2265.73 tCO${}_2$e, which is 22 kgCO${}_2$e/m${}^2$ less than that under the non-prefabricated method. In the future development of China’s construction industry, taking Zhejiang Province as an example, the implementation of prefabricated office buildings with a PEC structure system can effectively reduce carbon emissions, which can help China to achieve the carbon peak as soon as possible. Full article

This paper introduces a novel method of 3D designing and 3D printing of a hybrid orthodontic tooth-borne personalized distalizer for treatment of unilateral Class II malocclusion. Research objectives were to clinically utilize 3D printed distalizers, appraise feasibility of this technique and compare two different biocompatible photopolymers (white and transparent). Frequency of distalizers’ debonding and patients’ aesthetical perception was evaluated on the set of 12 complete orthodontic treatments. The mean duration of treatment period with a bonded distalizer was 6.4 months. All cases were adults with unilateral Class II malocclusion managed with a hybrid approach as a part of Invisalign^® comprehensive treatment. Results showed that such perspective practice is feasible for 3D design and in-office 3D printing of a personalized distalizer. Results also showed no clinically significant differences between both studied biopolymers. The paper discusses an evaluation of such personalized distalizer functionality with regard to the current state of the art and compares to conventional prefabricated alternatives like a Carriere^® Distalizer™ appliance. Research showed a preference of patients towards transparent biocompatible photopolymer instead of the white A2 shade. The paper concludes that additive manufacturing from dental resins is a viable method in personalization and in-office 3D printing of orthodontic auxiliaries, particularly distalizers. New materials for orthodontic 3D printing endow enhanced individualization, thus more efficient treatment. Full article

In the CR (Czech Republic), there are a lot of prefabricated housing estates built in the 70s and 80s of the 20th century, which are at the end of their life cycle. The main goal of the project was to evaluate the rate of energy savings in the long term due to the revitalization of prefabricated apartment buildings, and thus provide feedback to the relevant authorities on its effectiveness. Another goal was to evaluate selected parameters of living comfort in the locality for the purposes of the real estate market with the possibility of providing them to those interested in living in the locality. A complex of methods was used, which evaluate criteria from various spheres, such as environment, spatial relationships, social aspects, etc. The authors used a combination of multi-criterial analysis methods (MCA) and spatial analysis within a Geographical Information System (GIS). Of all MCA methods, weighted linear combination (WLC) was chosen as the most suitable. In the spatial analyses, the matter of solution was, above all, the distance to the center and the transport within the given locality. The above-mentioned methods served as a model for evaluating whether a panel house in question is or is not suitable for reconstruction. The input data of the model are spatial data—national map series of the CR, environmental data (noise maps, energy demands of buildings)—and statistical data obtained from various sources (city administration of Brno, relevant organizations, and interviews with respondents). Within Inquiry Form 3, potential groups of respondents were addressed: Group A—people over fifty, group B—young families with children, group C—students under 25. The projected model was tested in Brno city in the locality of Nový Lískovec (CR). The proposed model provided information on the quality of housing in a given locality in terms of energy intensity, noise pollution, transport accessibility, and civic amenities. The output is a multi-criteria model with GIS support, which is generally applicable. The results of the model analyses led to the demonstration of the effectiveness of revitalization. The results can be used for estate offices or other organizations in the form of graphical outputs of appropriate variants on the basis of solving a lot of criteria when searching for a suitable residence. Full article

Most European cities are facing urban densification issues. In this context, a solution to create usable spaces without additional pressure on land consists in the vertical extension of existing buildings. Given their abundance in the building stock, tertiary buildings offer an important potential. The paper introduces the Working Space project, which aims to develop an innovative, modular and prefabricated timber construction system adapted to the vertical extension of existing office buildings. The dimensions of the system can be adjusted to a great variety of structural grids and allows for any new typological organisation. Based on the principles of bioclimatic architecture, the extension’s envelope provides high-performance insulation, a smart management of passive solar gains, natural ventilation and free cooling, but also offers large surfaces dedicated to photovoltaic energy production and urban biodiversity. The system is made up of eco-friendly, local materials with very low environmental impact. The project’s outcomes are presented at a variety of scales, from urban design to construction details, as well as the outputs of an extensive life cycle assessment including the induced mobility impacts. Finally, the paper introduces a first application of this innovative architectural concept, which is currently being completed in Lausanne, Switzerland. Full article

This research demonstrates the feasibility of a roof insulation method for prefabricated offices that uses vinyl packed timber chips to reduce air conditioning loads (hereinafter referred to as AC loads) and which also improves indoor thermal comfort. The advantages of the new roof insulation method were revealed through comparing the impacts of four roof types on prefabricated offices. The AC load and indoor thermal comfort (surface temperature and air temperature) were evaluated. The disposal of scrap timber discarded from building construction projects is costing money, and is also a waste of natural resources. The assessment of a new roof insulation method with timber chips demonstrates the advanced usage of timber chips, reducing the environmental load in the building construction process. On the other hand, since prefabricated offices have lower thermal storage capacities and are less airtight than RC (reinforced concrete) or S (steel) structured buildings, the AC load consumption and indoor thermal comfort exacerbation in prefabricated offices is more serious. Especially in summer, a large amount of solar energy absorption from the roof raises the indoor air temperature and significantly increases the cooling load. This research contributes to the environmental design for prefabricated offices, and develops a method for the reuse of wood chips. Full article