The energy and thermal performance of two university buildings in Southern Brazil with the aim of achieving environmental efficiency

This paper demonstrates the results of research concerning eco-efficiency at the University of Passo Fundo – Southern Brazil. Its objective is to identify the factors that affect energy consumption in buildings of Higher Education Institutions and to elaborate a methodology that can facilitate the evaluation of the degree of influence of each...

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...

Dwelling on Courtyards: Exploring the energy efficiency and comfort potential of courtyards for dwellings in the Netherlands

The urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon and the dependency of buildings on fossil fuels were the two main issues that formed this dissertation. UHI results in higher air temperatures in dense urban areas compared with their suburbs and rural surroundings. This phenomenon affects human health through thermal discomfort and air pollution....

Room energy demand and thermal comfort predictions in early stages of design based on the Machine Learning methods

Recent studies have focused on data-driven methods for building energy efficiency, by using simulated or empirical data, for energy-based design assessment rather than the common physics-based techniques, which are mostly time-consuming. In this paper, the feasibility of using seven different Machine Learning models, including three single...

Renovation of Proteus Eretes: Towards nearly zero energy building with high indoor comfort

One of the major risks to our planet today is climate change, which is a problem that worries people all over the world. There is a rise in global temperature levels and greenhouse gas emissions. The building industry has a huge share in this aspect. The current built environment accounts for almost 40% of energy consumption and 36% of CO2...

Evaluating the potential of mechanically ventilated double-skin façades to enhance energy efficiency and thermal comfort of office buildings in different climate zones of India through numerical modelling

The air-conditioning of commercial buildings accounts for approximately 50% of the total energy consumed in India’s commercial sector. Reducing this load is a key step towards minimizing India's greenhouse gas emissions. One culprit is the routine use of fully glazed façades which are chosen for aesthetics but are neither energy efficient nor...

Multi-functional Facade Module: for different climate conditions

The building sector is responsible for more than one third of resource consumption globally. Concerning the new construction, new regulations have been set, which impose that by 2020 all new buildings constructed within the EU should reach nearly zero-energy levels. The building envelope plays a strategic role in the energy and environmental...