Additive manufacturing with varying material properties of thermosetting reactive polymers: A framework and comparison of different modes for implementing material transitions

Additive Manufacturing with Varying Material Properties enables controlled spatial variation of material properties in 3D-printed components, facilitating custom-tailored characteristics, added functionalities and reduced assembly processes. To promote this approach in building façade applications, this paper presents a novel framework for...

AI-supported approach for human-building interaction implemented at furniture scale

Human-Building Interaction (HBI) relies on sensor-actuator networks that are increasingly supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI). This paper presents a novel AI-supported Design-to-Robotic-Production-Assembly and -Operation (D2RPA&O) approach for reconfigurable furniture. It involves a multidisciplinary approach that relies on the...

Towards multi-domain user archetypes for user-centred façade design

User experience and satisfaction with the facade play a significant role in user comfort and energy efficiency of buildings. This paper explores the concept of User-Facade archetypes to inform the user-centred design of shading devices based on the perceived level of importance of different environmental domains at the workplace. A...

Design of a hybrid adaptive sunshade with a knitted textile and shape memory alloy

The higher complexity of adaptive façades with respect to conventional static façades hinders their applicability to the built environment. To address this, passive solutions aim at lowering the number of components while preserving the benefits of these systems. In this paper the design of a two-component passive dynamic sunshade that combines...

Effectiveness of window signalling systems in open-plan workplaces: Evidence from field work

Occupants are often unaware of window-opening strategies that can enhance their well-being and reduce energy consumption. Window feedback systems that indicate when to manually operate a window have become a strategy for enhancing the indoor climate, occupant’s satisfaction and energy efficiency. These systems are recognized for providing the...

Semi-automated vs manually controlled dynamic facades: assessment through a field study on multi-domain occupant satisfaction

Occupant satisfaction and acceptance with automated control strategies for dynamic façades is currently a barrier to the upscale of these systems. Building owners, designers and occupants are often unconvinced that an automated control strategy for dynamic façades could really be beneficial for building energy efficiency and occupant...

A Systematic Review and Classification of Glazing Technologies for Building Façades

High-performance glazing technologies are essential for achieving the occupant comfort and building energy efficiency required in contemporary and future buildings. In real-world applications, glazing façades are selected from a steadily increasing number of glazing technologies. However, the authors could not identify a systematic and...

Impact of earthquakes vs. heat waves on the socioeconomic losses of buildings

Recent earthquakes have confirmed the vulnerability of our built environment, resulting in significant socio-economic losses, market disruptions, and environmental damage. Additionally, climate change is causing more frequent and severe weather-related events such as heat waves, which are impacting the construction sector...

Influence of Automated Façades on Occupants: A Review

Several studies performing building simulations showed that the automated control of façades can provide higher levels of indoor environmental quality and lower energy demand in buildings, in comparison to manually controlled scenarios. However, in several case studies with human volunteers, automated controls were found to be disruptive or...

Empirical validation of co-simulation models for adaptive building envelopes

The thermal performance of adaptive building envelopes can be evaluated using building performance simulation tools. Simulation capabilities and accuracy in predicting the dynamic behaviour of adaptive building envelopes can be enhanced through co-simulation. However, it is unclear how accurately co-simulation can predict the performance of...

Quality criteria for multi-domain studies in the indoor environment: Critical review towards research guidelines and recommendations

The perception, physiology, behavior, and performance of building occupants are influenced by multi-domain exposures: the simultaneous presence of multiple environmental stimuli, i.e., visual, thermal, acoustic, and air quality. Despite being extensive, the literature on multi-domain exposures presents heterogeneous methodological approaches...

Dynamic façades – An exploratory campaign to assess occupant multi-domain environmental satisfaction and façade interaction

Building occupants interact frequently with façades. These interactions simultaneously affect several domains of the indoor environment (visual, thermal, air quality and acoustic) and occupant perception, as well as the energy performance of the façades. Yet this multi-domain relationship between façade and occupant is not well understood....

Effects of Façades on Urban Acoustic Environment and Soundscape: A Systematic Review

Façades cover a significant amount of surfaces in cities and are in constant interaction with the acoustic environment. Noise pollution is one of the most concerning burdens for public health and wellbeing; however, façade acoustic performance is generally not considered in outdoor spaces, in contrast to indoor spaces. This study presents a...

The role of occupants in buildings’ energy performance gap: myth or reality?

Buildings’ expected (projected, simulated) energy use frequently does not match actual observations. This is commonly referred to as the energy performance gap. As such, many factors can contribute to the disagreement between expectations and observations. These include, for instance, uncertainty about buildings’ geometry, construction, systems,...

Building Impulse Toolkit (BIT): A novel IoT system for capturing the influence of façades on occupant perception and occupant-façade interaction

The design and operation of responsive resource-efficient buildings requires high resolution data in space and time on building performance and the associated occupant response, but capturing this high quality data has traditionally been technologically challenging, costly and disruptive to building occupants. Recent developments in Internet...

Design, construction and validation of MATELab: A novel outdoor chamber for investigating occupant-facade interaction

Testing of novel facade technologies with human volunteers is essential for improving occupant interaction with novel dynamic facade systems and to increase satisfaction with its modulation of light, sound, heat and mass transfer between the outdoor and indoor environments. In the past 10 years, there have been noticeable attempts to develop...