Early Stage Optimization Towards a Climate-responsive Design

The world is in a climatic crisis. Extreme weather events are stronger and more frequent than ever before, exacerbated by human induced CO2 from energy production and the built environment. Only 5% of world energy is produced by renewable energy sources, presenting an enormous gap between sustainability and greenhouse gas emitting practices....

Impact of occupant façade interaction on thermal comfort during the cooling season

Our planet is currently facing significant challenges such as overpopulation, climate change, and resource depletion, leading to severe environmental degradation. The construction industry, in particular, has played a major role in aggravating these issues. The increase in carbon emissions has contributed to rising global temperatures,...

The effectiveness of hempcrete in the reduction of the environmental and financial costs of residences: A case study in the Netherlands

The aim of the current graduation project is the investigation of the potential of using hempcrete for the construction of residences in the Netherlands. The research focuses on the prefabricated block form of the material and investigates different aspects that can play a major role and eventually affect the choice for the selection of the...

"Xiangcun", As A Landscape Productivity: Sustainable Countryside for Urban-rural Integration in the Greater Bay Area

The countryside is standing at the cross of its destiny due to rapid urbanization. Influenced by the historical dual urban-rural relationship, the countryside in China was regarded as the sacrifice of regional modernization. Since the reform and opening up, a miraculous expansion of cities could be seen within the Great Bay Area (GBA). However,...

Regeneration For Young Generation: Promote livability for young graduates through urban regeneration in Shenzhen

Young graduates are facing housing difficulties in the Chinese metropolis. The Chinese government published new policies to encourage regeneration of the land stock resources as affordable rental housing targeting young people. This study aims to explore how urban regeneration can benefit young graduates’ livability. Specifically, it...

Developing Strategies: Planning cities affected by Coastal Erosion

In the United Kingdom spatial challenges are formed due to a significant erosion rate, especially on the southeast coastline, where the soil has a weak resistance to erosion (Masselink & Russell, 2013; Hurst et al, 2016). This erosion causes the soil to be washed away until no soil remains (Dornbush et al, 2006). Ecology, society and urban...

Hybrid Glass Block: Load bearing and thermally sound glass block

The wide application of glass in buildings is due to its innate transparency and durability. This quality has led to the development of hollow glass blocks during the industrial revolution. These blocks are durable, fire-resistant, exhibit heat resistance, and sound deadening properties. In recent years, new explorations have begun to uncover...

The increased thermal performance of a structural cast glass brick wall

In the current built environment, the three main glass elements are glass window blocks, (structural) float glass and (structural) glass bricks. Float glass is the most used type of glass element and it is evolving from a skin material to a structural material. Glass hollow blocks became popular in the 1930s, but have lost their appeal due to...

Modelling of potential energy savings of solar powered smart windows

The built environment is among the highest energy consuming sectors worldwide. However, buildings have large surface areas that can be used to improve the building energy performance. One example is by integration of photovoltaic systems in roofs and facades, which can reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment. An emerging field that...

Exploring the Effects of Void Decks on Urban Ventilation in Singapore: A Computational Design & Simulation Approach for Wind Microclimate-Informed Urban Planning

Rising temperatures due to climate change and the increased Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect both have a major impact on Singapore’s outdoor comfort. Research has reported an average UHI in Singapore of 4°C, which can even exceed 7°C at some times of the day. (Acero & Ruefenacht, 2017) Increasing convective surface heat transfer from the human...

Deployable sound-absorbing unit for open-plan offices

In this industrialized world, technology has invaded our life in such a level where behind every product a complex manufacturing process with high transportation costs being hidden. Designing a product itself is not enough anymore; the whole manufacturing procedure needs to be included in the design.<br/><br/>Especially when product design meets...