Search Results (418)

Historic timber buildings rely heavily on naturally aged wood. However, the influence of long-term environmental exposure on the thermal behavior and fire performance of such structural members remains insufficiently understood. This study evaluates the effect of natural aging on heat transfer, charring development, and the phase-change interval of free water in larch wood (Larix decidua). Medium-scale radiant panel tests were conducted on fresh and naturally aged timber beams. Internal temperatures were recorded at multiple depths and analyzed using derivative-based T-history methods. The temperature profiles of aged and fresh larch were highly comparable, exhibiting a strong correlation (R² = 0.89). Aged wood, characterized by a slightly higher density, showed shallower thermal gradients and a marginally lower average charring rate (0.63 mm·min⁻¹) compared with fresh wood (0.65 mm·min⁻¹). In both materials, the charring rate decreased with depth. The phase-change interval of free water differed markedly: fresh wood showed water evaporation between 107.8–142.1 °C, whereas aged wood exhibited an earlier and narrower interval (93.6–116.3 °C), indicating facilitated dehydration due to microstructural degradation. Overall, natural aging did not significantly impair fire-relevant thermal properties, suggesting that aged larch retains charring resistance comparable to that of fresh wood and can reliably perform in passive fire protection applications for heritage structures. Full article

This study investigates the integration of eco-design strategies in the energy renovation of mid-20th century heritage buildings, using the Antonio Rueda Residential Complex in Valencia (Spain) as a representative case study. The research addresses the reconciliation between heritage conservation and contemporary environmental objectives by evaluating the building in terms of its construction and current performance. The multidisciplinary working methodology consists of creating a BIM-based workflow (Revit + Autodesk Insight) to generate an analytical energy model, quantify Operational Carbon, and evaluate the impact of lighting inside the homes to simulate the impacts of the intervention strategies. This is justified as existing buildings are energy intensive and heavily dependent on fossil fuels, largely due to insufficient façade insulation, obsolete window systems, and limited solar protection. Nine refurbishment scenarios were developed, ranging from reversible improvements to the building envelope to volumetric extensions inspired by the principles of eco-design and circularity. Comparative simulations suggest that specific improvements could significantly reduce energy demand while remaining compatible with the architectural identity of the complex. Full article

Traditional villages stand as irreplaceable treasures of global cultural heritage, embodying profound historical, cultural, and esthetic values. However, the accelerating pace of urbanization has exposed them to unprecedented threats, including structural degradation, loss of intangible cultural practices, and the homogenization of rural landscapes. In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) laser scanning, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and other advanced geospatial technologies have been increasingly applied in the conservation and restoration of architectural heritage. The digital documentation of traditional dwellings not only ensures the accuracy and efficiency of conservation efforts but also minimizes physical intervention, thereby safeguarding the authenticity and integrity of heritage sites. This study examines the architectural characteristics and conservation challenges of traditional Huizhou dwellings in Huangshan City, Anhui Province, by integrating oblique photogrammetry, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), and 3D modeling. Close-range photogrammetry, combined with image matching algorithms and computer vision techniques, was used to produce highly detailed 3D models of historical structures. UAV-based data acquisition was further employed to generate Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) from point cloud datasets, which were subsequently pre-processed and denoised for restoration simulations. In addition, HBIM was utilized to conduct quantitative analyses of architectural components, providing critical support for heritage management and decision-making in conservation planning. The findings demonstrate that 3D digitization offers a sustainable and replicable model for the protection, revitalization, and adaptive reuse of traditional villages, contributing to the long-term preservation of their cultural and architectural legacy. Full article

Historic city centers are characterized by dense and heterogeneous built environments, making them particularly vulnerable to the compound effects of seismic, flood, and landslide hazards. In this context, information required for vulnerability and risk assessment is often fragmented, limiting the effectiveness of preventive planning and mitigation strategies. This reveals an operational gap in current practice; therefore, this work aims to support decision-oriented, multi-level assessment in historic centers through a replicable approach, even in low-resource contexts. A GIS workflow integrates territorial multi-hazard screening with building-scale overlay mapping of literature-based vulnerability, exposure, and risk classes. Applied to Montalbano Jonico (Italy), the screening analyzed 15 census sections and identified three hotspot areas within the historic center for detailed assessment. Within these critical areas, building-scale mapping yields intervention priorities: 42.8% of building aggregates show High–Very High seismic vulnerability (44.4% in Very High–Maximum Priority risk classes) and 50% show Very High landslide vulnerability (63.2% in Very High–Maximum Priority risk classes), mostly affecting masonry and residential buildings. Overall, the framework provides a practical decision tool to support municipal administrations, technical offices, civil protection agencies, and built heritage management institutions, and is designed for GIS–BIM interoperability. Full article

The Macao rammed earth wall is a typical representative of cultural heritage in hot-humid regions. However, the spatial differentiation mechanisms of its surface deterioration remain unclear. This study, taking the Old Wall in Macao as a case, combined field investigation with terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and thermal imaging to systematically reveal the spatial distribution patterns of surface pathologies and their hydrological driving mechanisms. Based on structural separations and deterioration characteristics, the wall was divided into three adjacent sections for comparative analysis. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) Quantitative analysis showed the section with a gentler slope (77%) experienced significant flatness deterioration due to uneven settlement, promoting internal water penetration that triggered severe undercutting (35% of its surface area); (2) The other two sections maintained steep slopes (86%) that promoted surface runoff, which combined with adjacent building drainage led to significant biological colonization (68% in the section most affected by nearby temple drainage); (3) Thermal imaging verified the correlation between water infiltration cores and temperature-flatness anomalies, enabling construction of a coupled “geometry-hydrology-pathology” model that elucidates the complete causal chain from foundation settlement to surface pathology. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the differentiated protection of rammed earth heritage in hot-humid environments. Full article

This research proposes a hierarchical adaptive approach to urban renewal that seeks to reconcile heritage preservation with contemporary functional demands in historic urban environments. Focusing on cultural and sports public facilities in the northwestern urban–rural interface of Rome, the research identifies critical mismatches between facility typologies, user groups, and mobility patterns, including fragmented connectivity, child-exclusionary environments, and unsafe pedestrian–vehicular interactions. A three-tiered intervention framework is developed, comprising minimal intervention for heritage-preserved structures, semi-intervention for high-use contemporary facilities, and full intervention for generic or underutilized buildings and undeveloped land. Using field surveys, GIS-based spatial analysis, and visualized performance metrics, the study evaluates how vertical functional superposition, independent pedestrian systems, and transitional connectors can enhance spatial legibility, accessibility, and social inclusiveness. The results show that hierarchical adaptive renewal improves pedestrian safety, strengthens functional integration between cultural–sports facilities and adjacent residential areas, and activates underused spaces while maintaining the integrity of Rome’s historic fabric. Beyond the case study, the framework offers a transferable model for other high-density historic cities seeking to balance heritage protection, everyday usability, and sustainable urban development. Full article

Productive landscapes are an important part of intangible cultural heritage, and their protection and inheritance are of great significance to the prosperity and sustainable development of national culture. It not only reflects the wisdom accumulated through the long-term interaction between human production activities and the natural environment, but also carries a strong symbolic meaning of rural culture. However, current research and investigation on productive landscapes still rely mainly on field surveys and manual records conducted by experts and scholars. This process is time-consuming and costly, and it is difficult to achieve efficient and systematic analysis and comparison, especially when dealing with large-scale and diverse types of landscapes. To address this problem, this study takes the Inner Mongolia region as the main research area and builds a productive landscape feature data framework that reflects the diversity of rural production activities and cultural landscapes. The framework covers four major types of landscapes: agriculture, animal husbandry, fishery and hunting, and sideline production and processing. Based on artificial intelligence and deep learning technologies, this study conducts comparative experiments on several convolutional neural network models to evaluate their classification performance and adaptability in complex rural environments. The results show that the improved CEM-ResNet50 model performs better than the other models in terms of accuracy, stability, and feature recognition ability, demonstrating stronger generalization and robustness. Through a semantic clustering approach in image classification, the model’s recognition process is visually interpreted, revealing the clustering patterns and possible sources of confusion among different landscape elements in the semantic space. This study reduces the time and economic cost of traditional field investigations and achieves efficient and intelligent recognition of rural productive landscapes. It also provides a new technical approach for the digital protection and cultural heritage transmission of productive landscapes, offering valuable references for future research in related fields. Full article

Traditional rammed-earth buildings, a key component of Fujian’s architectural heritage, are increasingly vulnerable to environmental degradation and urban relocation. This study focuses on the weathering patterns and restoration strategies of the rammed-earth walls at Zishantang, a typical 19th-century residence in Yongtai County. Through SEM, EDS, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy, eight groups of samples were analyzed to evaluate microstructural deterioration under different forms of environmental exposure. Results show that walls lacking intact soot ash coatings (“Wu-yan-hui”) exhibit greater porosity, microcracking, and mineral loss—particularly on exposed facades. These findings highlight the protective role of traditional soot–lime coatings and suggest that orientation and exposure-specific conservation strategies are essential. This study provides a scientific basis for preserving the material authenticity and structural integrity of relocated rammed-earth heritage in humid subtropical climates. Full article

Historical irrigation districts (HIDs) are integrated systems of natural and cultural assets, with cultivated land providing critical functions such as food security, environmental conservation, and cultural inheritance. This study presents a research framework for evaluating multifunctional potential, performance, and geographical matching along the “potential-performance” dimensions using analytical tools such as SPSS26.0, ArcGIS pro3.5.2, GeoDa1.22, InVEST3.13, and bivariate spatial autocorrelation. We use Mulanbei HID in China as a case study because of its thousand-year irrigation history and unique location at the intersection of coastal urban and rural communities. The results show the following: (1) In the Mulanbei HID, multifunctional cultivated land exhibits functions in the following order: producing functions, ecological functions, landscape–cultural functions, and social functions. The production function has a homogenous distribution characterized by high values. The ecological function, on the other hand, is distinguished by high-value clusters that decrease significantly as building land approaches its periphery. Social and landscape–cultural roles continue to be undervalued, with high-value places isolated on metropolitan margins. (2) In terms of matching multifunctional potential and performance, in the High-Potential–High-Performance cluster, production and ecological functions account for 19% and 20%, respectively, while in the High-Potential–Low-Performance cluster, social and landscape–cultural functions account for 33% and 27%. The Low-Potential–Low-Performance cluster has 4% production, 4% ecological, 10% social, and 13% landscape–cultural functions, but all four functions are less than 4% in the Low-Potential–High-Performance cluster. These findings provide a scientific foundation for improving cultivated land zoning and governance with a focus on heritage protection. Full article

This article presents a novel methodology for assessing the visibility and reachability of cultural heritage objects within urban structures, tested through a pilot study in Kaunas New Town (Naujamiestis), Lithuania. While heritage protection policies usually emphasize architectural composition, details, and external visual protection zones, interior urban views and functional spatial dynamics remain underexplored. Building upon Space Syntax theory and John Peponis’s concepts of distributive and correlative situational codes, this study integrates detailed visibility analysis with graph-based accessibility modeling. Visibility was quantified through a raster-based viewshed analysis of building footprints and street-based observation points, producing a normalized visibility index. Reachability was examined using a new graph indicator based on the ratio of reachable polygon area to perimeter (A²/P), further weighted by the area of adjacent buildings to reflect the potential for urban activity. Validation against independent datasets (population, companies, and points of interest) confirmed the superior explanatory power of the proposed indicator over traditional centralities. By combining visibility and reachability in a bivariate matrix, the model provides insights into heritage objects’ dual roles as landmarks, everyday hubs, or hidden sites, and offers predictive capacity for evaluating urban transformations and planning interventions. Full article

Rising summer temperatures are increasing the demand for shading solutions and indoor cooling technologies. Given the substantial surface area of gable roofs, their effective shading plays a significant role in thermal management. While modern buildings often feature heat-insulated roofs equipped with photovoltaic panels or infrared-reflective coatings, such measures are frequently unsuitable for traditional, particularly heritage-protected structures. For this specific category of buildings, ventilated infrared (IR) shielding elements installed on the underside of rafters offer a promising approach to reduce surface temperatures and limit radiative heat transfer to attics or upper living spaces. This study evaluates performance-optimized IR shading systems for heritage roofs, focusing on material selection and emissivity effects. Results indicate that ventilated OSB panels with low-emissivity coatings achieve up to 53% thermal load reduction compared to unshielded conditions. Ventilation of the rafter fields emerges as the critical factor for the functional performance of such IR shading elements. Full article

Over the past two decades, cultural heritage protection and the improvement of energy efficiency in historic buildings have become parallel yet frequently conflicting priorities of public policy. This paper analyses the contemporary strategic directions of the European Union and Poland between 2005 and 2025 with regard to the modernisation of historic buildings, within the broader framework of energy and climate transition. This study involves a comprehensive analysis of legal and strategic documents and national conservation guidelines, evaluating their impact on heritage protection practices. The research employs desk research and comparative analysis, as well as a preliminary empirical component based on indicators W1–W12. These indicators reveal a significant modernisation gap: only 0.3–0.5% of heritage buildings in Poland have undergone energy retrofitting, indicating low implementation of EU strategies. The study’s findings confirm the necessity of developing a coherent policy model that integrates the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive with national conservation law, as well as harmonised assessment tools, such as energy and conservation audits. In conclusion, the implementation of ‘heritage-inclusive renovation strategies’ is required—respect the character, materiality, and authenticity of heritage buildings, while recognising their social and cultural significance. Full article

Hydrophobic and oleophobic photocatalytic coatings are specialised surface treatments that combine either hydrophobicity or oleophobicity and photocatalytic activity. This combination supports applications such as self-cleaning surfaces, anti-fouling, oil–water separation, air purification, and durability enhancement in construction and other industries. These coatings work by creating a surface with carefully engineered surface energy and roughness that resists wetting by both water and oils, while exposing photocatalytic nanoparticles that activate under light to degrade organics. They are often transparent and durable and are now expanding to cementitious building materials, contributing to sustainable, clean, and resilient infrastructure. The motivation for conducting this bibliometric review arises from the fragmented and interdisciplinary nature of the literature on hydrophobic and oleophobic photocatalytic coatings for construction materials, the rapid growth of research in this field, and the absence of a systematic mapping that integrates publication trends, research hotspots, and practical applications. This review delivers a comprehensive quantitative analysis of publication dynamics, encompassing growth trajectories, global research distribution, and thematic evolution, while uncovering dominant and emerging topics. By mapping established innovations and milestones and exposing critical research barriers, it establishes a knowledge framework that will guide future researchers in advancing hydrophobic and oleophobic photocatalytic coatings for construction materials. Another contribution of this review is its ability to capture both past achievements, such as heritage protection and reduced maintenance of existing structures, and ongoing (as well as future) demands, including sustainability, smart city applications, and multifunctional surface technologies, thereby underscoring its relevance across the full spectrum of the built environment. Full article

(1) Background: In the context of rapid urbanization and climate change, Chinese traditional villages are facing severe challenges such as deterioration of hydrological environment, weakened social resilience, and degradation of cultural heritage. (2) Methods: This paper took Baoyan Village in Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province as the research object and constructs a research framework of “assessment of historical hydrological resilience–diagnosis of current problems–construction of enhancement strategies”, aiming to explore the paths and driving mechanisms for enhancing the resilience of traditional villages. The spatio-temporal evolution of historical hydrological resilience in Baoyan Village was quantitatively evaluated by establishing a three-dimensional resilience index system of “ecological governance–social adaptation–cultural continuity”, combined with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and GIS spatial overlay technology. (3) Results: The study found that ① The hydrological resilience zoning of Baoyan Village presented spatial differentiation characteristics of “core vulnerability-marginal resilience”, and the high-risk area was concentrated in the cultural building density area along the old Tongji River in the historical town area, indicating that this area requires key flood protection and resilience construction; ② this paper constructed a composite evaluation system of “Ecological Governance–cultural inheritance–social adaptation”, and the total score after evaluation was 0.67, indicating that the overall HHRI of Baoyan Village has declined. Specifically, the scores for Ecological Governance Resilience and Cultural Heritage Resilience were 0.48 and 0.46, respectively, reflecting a significant decrease compared to historical scenarios. Conversely, the score for Social Adaptation Resilience was recorded at 1.05, suggesting an improvement in this dimension. This enhancement can be attributed to advancements in water infrastructure and increased levels of community organizational support, which have bolstered the village’s capacity to withstand flooding events. ③ The integrity of weir fields, the transmission of traditional disaster prevention knowledge, and the stability of natural river channels are the main factors hindering the improvement of resilience systems. (4) Conclusions: Based on the assessment results, this study proposed the resilience enhancement path of “ecological space reconstruction-traditional water management wisdom activation–cultural resilience empowerment” for this case, and constructed a four-pronged driving mechanism consisting of government guidance, community participation, technology empowerment, and industrial synergy for implementation. Practice has shown that through specific strategies such as restoring the weir and field system, constructing sponge village units, and developing the rain and flood cultural experience industry, the key obstacle factors of the village can be effectively addressed, and the goals of flood safety and cultural inheritance can be achieved in a coordinated manner. This case provides an empirical reference that combines historical wisdom with modern technology for understanding the evolution of human–water relationships and the enhancement of resilience in traditional villages, and its research framework and methods are also of reference value for similar villages. Full article