Towards sustainable residential buildings in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Residential buildings are not only a major energy consumer, but also have considerable ecological impact. Quite often, architects can constitute a large part of the problem of tackling climate change. It is notable, however, that architects around the world have recently been encouraged to embrace the principles of sustainable design, which essentially aims to promote a suite of sustainable architectural practices such as those centred on enhancing household energy and water efficiency. Nonetheless, there seems to be a comparatively limited interest in pursuing the sustainability agenda among architects in the Middle East. In addition, there has been a corresponding dearth of academic research on this topic in spite of its apparent importance. This thesis considers the case of Saudi Arabia, and analyses the energy and water consumption of its current residential buildings in the context of two different climatic settings in the country, with the ultimate aim of establishing guidelines towards achieving sustainable architectural practices within the Saudi residential sector . An extensive literature review has been conducted in order to establish a broad understanding of existing sustainable architectural practices around the world. Using available literature, the thesis also examines both the current status of sustainability within the Saudi building sector, and the need for sustainable residential buildings in Saudi Arabia. Current energy and water consumption within two typical Saudi houses (an apartment complex and villa) were analysed using simulation software packages. Next, a number of design-oricntated energy and water conservation measures were suggested, and their serving potential assessed. In addition, especially as for this Ph.D. research, fourteen highly-informed Saudi stakeholders were interviewed in order to both validate the simulation results and to engage in in-depth discussions on ways of making residential buildings within Saudi Arabia more sustainable. Ultimately, a number of barriers that currently impede a transition towards a sustainable residential sector in Saudi Arabia have been identified. The thesis goes further and provides a number of design and non-design related strategies that have the potential to change the status quo with regard to the limited application of sustainable architectural principles within Saudi residential buildings

An Object Model and Interaction Method for a Simulated Experience of Pottery on a Potter’s Wheel

This paper introduces an object model and an interaction method for a simulated experience of pottery on a potter’s wheel. Firstly, we propose a layered cylinder model for a 3D object of the pottery on a potter’s wheel. Secondly, we set three kinds of deformation functions to form the object model from an initial state to a bowl shape: shaping the external surface, forming the inner shape (deepening the opening and widening the opening), and reducing the total height. Next, as for the interaction method between a user and the model, we prepare a simple but similar method for hand-finger operations on pottery on a potter’s wheel, in which the index finger movement takes care of the external surface and the total height, and the thumb movement makes the inner shape. Those are implemented in the three-dimensional aerial image interface (3DAII) developed in our laboratory to build a simulated experience system. We confirm the operation of the proposed object model (layered cylinder model) and the functions of the prepared interaction method (a simple but similar method to actual hand-finger operations) through a preliminary evaluation of participants. The participants were asked to make three kinds of bowl shapes (cylindrical, dome-shaped, and flat-type) and then they answered the survey (maneuverability, visibility, and satisfaction). All participants could make something like three kinds of bowl shapes in less than 30 min from their first touch