A venturi-shaped roof for wind-induced natural ventilation of buildings: Wind tunnel and CFD evaluation of different design configurations

Wind tunnel experiments and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) are used to analyse the flow conditions in a venturi-shaped roof, with focus on the underpressure in the narrowest roof section (contraction). This underpressure can be used to partly or completely drive the natural ventilation of the building zones. The wind tunnel experiments are...

Challenges and opportunities of the passive house concept for retrofit

For newly built houses and renovations European and national ambitions prescribe increasing levels of energy performances, even including achieving the passive house standard, net zero energy or carbon neutral houses. For highly energy-efficient renovation, project information from first demonstration projects is now becoming available. This...

Bioclimatic design in Türkiye: A comparison of the traditional with the contemporary

Emphasizing the impact of bioclimatic design elements on the energy performance of dwellings, this paper aims at comparing traditional houses with the contemporary to learn from the past experiences and implement them in new design practice. This paper’s focus is on the architectural design phase. Significant design elements mentioned in the...

Simple, Reliable, Scalable and Energy Efficient Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless communication and networking technology has facilitated people to be connected with each other closely. Cellular network is evolving now from the third generation to the fourth generation. In the meanwhile we are experiencing the demand for wireless networks which can facilitate the communication between humans and environment, human...

Towards a sustainable campus: Visions for the future of higher education

Since 2008 long-term agreements on energy efficiency have become effective in the Netherlands. Participating organisations of forty-six sectors have agreed with the Dutch government to make efforts to realise energy efficiency of 30 percent in the period 2005- 2020 and 50 percent - as a guideline - before 2030. Higher education is represented...

Upgrade or replace?: The effect of the EPBD on the choice between improvement or replacement

What is better: improvement or replacement by new construction? The choice between life cycle extension and replacement of existing buildings is at itself a vital but very difficult decision, involving a wide range of different aspects and affecting several contrary and often conflicting interests. The emerging ecological awareness of the...

Minimum impact house prototype for sustainable building

The Minihouse is a prototupe for a sustainable townhouse. On a site of only 29 sqm it offers 154 sqm of urban life. The project 'Minimum Impact House' adresses two important questions: How do we provide living space in the cities without distroying the landscape? How to improve sustainably the ecological, economical and socio-cultural...

Energy efficient walking with central pattern generators: From passive dynamic walking to biologically inspired control

Like human walking, passive dynamic walking—i.e. walking down a slope with no actuation except gravity—is energy efficient by exploiting the natural dynamics. In the animal world, neural oscillators termed central pattern generators (CPGs) provide the basic rhythm for muscular activity in locomotion. We present a CPG model, which automatically...

17 GHz RF Front-Ends for Low-Power Wireless Sensor Networks

Economic advantages of applying model predictive control to distributed energy resources: The case of micro-CHP systems

The increasing presence of distributed energy resources, information and intelligence in the electricity infrastructure increases the possibilities for larger economic efficiency of power systems. This work shows the possible cost advantages of applying a model predictive control (MPC) strategy to residential energy systems. MPC can take future...

Development and evaluation of ultra high pressure waterjet cutting

Abrasive waterjet (AWJ) cutting is a machining process to cut wide range of materials from soft materials such as rubber, leather to hard materials such as metals by means of a high-velocity slurry jet, formed as a result of injecting abrasive particles into a waterjet. The machining action is the result of these particles impacting against a...

Policies for improving energy efficiency in the European housing stock

According to EC forecasts, if energy efficiency could be increased 1% annually until 2010, two-thirds of the potential energy saving in the EU could be achieved. This would comply with 40% of the EU's Kyoto obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8% on the 1990 level by 2010-12, by cutting 200 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year....

Energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies in urban renewal

Discussion on the potential impact of the energy certificate on existing housing: The UK as a case study

In 2003 the European Commission introduced the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) in recognition of the importance of energy savings in the urban housing stock. One of the key elements described in the Directive is the introduction of energy certificates in a property transaction. This article discusses the anticipated efficiency...

Energy certificate in the energy performance of buildings directive: Effectiveness of the application on the existing housing stock in the UK

Power Management for Portable Devices

The use of fiscal instruments in sustainable building policies

Although progressive government guidelines and knowledge about sustainable building exist, sustainability measures are not adopted in large scale. Several barriers have been identified, especially the perceived costs of implementing environmental management and the lack of market demand. The choice of fiscal instruments is an important issue in...

Energy-free systems: Theory, conception, and design of statically balanced spring mechanisms