A formula for the value of a stochastic game

In 1953, Lloyd Shapley defined the model of stochastic games, which were the first general dynamic model of a game to be defined, and proved that competitive stochastic games have a discounted value. In 1982, Jean-Fran\c{c}ois Mertens and Abraham Neyman proved that competitive stochastic games admit a robust solution concept, the value, which is equal to the limit of the discounted values as the discount rate goes to 0. Both contributions were published in PNAS. In the present paper, we provide a tractable formula for the value of competitive stochastic games

Thermal resistance, water permeability and water retention capacity of green roof layers with recycled and artificial aggregates

peer reviewe

FERONOC : FLEXIBLE AND EXTENSIBLE ROUTER IMPLEMENTATION FOR DIAGONAL MESH TOPOLOGY

International audienceNetworks on Chip (NoCs) can improve a set of perfor- mances criteria, in complex SoCs, such as scalability, flexibility and adaptability. However, performances of a NoC are closely related to its topology. The diameter and average distance represent an important factor in term of performances and implementation. The proposed diagonal mesh topology is designed to offer a good tradeoff between hardware cost and theoretical quality of service (QoS). It can contain a large number of nodes without changing the maximum diameter which is equal to 2. In this paper, we present a new router architecture called FeRoNoC (Flexible, extensible Router NoC) and its Register Transfer Level (RTL) hardware implementation for the diagonal mesh topology. The architecture of our NoC is based on a flexible and extensible router which consists of a packet switching technique and deterministic routing algorithm. Effectiveness and performances of the proposed topology have been shown using a virtex5 FPGA implementation. A comparative performances study of the proposed NoC architecture with others topology is performed

Sensitivity analysis on hygrothermal properties and thickness of green roof layers, including recycled and artificial materials

peer reviewedThis study analyses the sensitivity of green roof drainage and substrate layers’ thermal resistance to artificial and recycled materials’ physical properties, and layers’ thickness. The hygrothermal characteristics of green roof materials and layers play a fundamental role in the thermal performance of green roof systems. The focus of this study is therefore to determine how much the variation of water content, density, thermal conductivity and thickness of substrate and drainage layers (independent variable) may influence the heat flux dispersion (dependent variable)

Water permeability, water retention capacity, and thermal resistance of green roof layers made with recycled and artificial aggregates

peer reviewedSubstituting natural aggregates in the green roof substrate and drainage layers with lightweight artificial and recycled coarse materials is an eco-friendly alternative for applying lower load to the rooftops and preserving natural resources. However, a lack of precise understanding of the thermal resistance, water passing ability, and water holding capacity of green roof materials, including recycled and artificial materials, has raised a demand for measuring their Rc-value, water permeability, and water retention capacity as three main indicators for green roof systems. This study comparatively evaluated the thermal resistance, water permeability, and water retention capacity of green roofs with substrate and drainage layers, including coarse recycled and artificial materials. Different kinds of coarse granular aggregates were separately used for the drainage layer, including Natural Coarse Aggregate (NCA), Recycled Coarse Aggregate (RCA), Incinerated Municipal Solid Waste Aggregate (IMSWA), and Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA). The substrate layers were made with coarse recycled materials (SC) and without coarse recycled materials (SP) in wet and dry states. The outcomes revealed the highest thermal resistance and the lowest weight were obtained for 20-cm green roofs with a 15-cm substrate layer and 5-cm drainage layer of LECA. The water permeability of NCA was obtained 1.5 times more than that of LECA, whereas there was no significant difference between the result of the former, RCA, and IMSWA. The water retention capacity of the LECA was two times higher than that of the NCA. SC and SP satisfied the water passing and retention criteria given for green roofs.City Roo

Hygrothermal Modeling of Green Roof Made with Substrate and Drainage Layers of Coarse Recycled Materials

peer reviewedThe thermal performance of an extensive green roof can be influenced by the initial hygrothermal conditions of substrate and drainage layers. Moreover, coarse recycled materials can affect the thermal resistance of green roof layers, while there is a demand for optimizing their thickness. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to optimize the thickness of green roof layers, once coarse recycled materials were used for substrate and drainage layers: WUFI software has been used for such application, which was suitable for modeling the initial hygrothermal conditions (heat and moisture properties) of green roof layers. According to the results, Rc-value for the green roof without coarse recycled materials was found slightly higher than that of the specimen with coarse recycled materials (4.1%), indicating nearly the same thermal resistance of the former and the latter. The green roof model with 15-cm substrate and 6-cm drainage layer can be regarded as the best appropriate system concerning their better thermal resistance and lower weight

A Parametric Approach to Optimizing Building Construction Systems and Carbon Footprint: A Case Study Inspired by Circularity Principles

peer reviewedThere is a global call for a paradigm shift in the construction industry towards carbon neutrality, but a scant effort has been madein practice, especially concerning circularity. This paper helps bridge the gap by introducing a parametric approach to optimize sustainable construction design. The methodology was tested on a newly constructed office building, inspired by circularity principles, in Westerlo, Belgium. The methodology consists of parametric construction-typological analysis, automated through One Click LCA software (Life Cycle Assessment) and Microsoft Excel with 21 alternate designs and 630 iterations. The parametric variations involved three key performance indicators: construction system, materials’ environmental impact, and materials; reuse of content. The environmental effects of both construction systems (i.e., structural system, foundation type, materials, and envelope details) and reused building materials content (i.e.,) were evaluated by the parametric analysis for four construction systems scenarios. Environmental impact analysis for timber, steel, concrete, and hybrid construction systems was conducted, following ISO 14040 and CEN/TC 350 standards. The focus of the whole life cycle assessment was mainly on carbon neutrality. Results indicate that using local biosourced materials, including timber, can remarkably reduce buildings’ environmental impact. The sensitivity analysis results provide hard evidence that the construction material’s weight, materials reuse potential, and construction dismantling ability are the most influential factors in carbon-neutral buildings. This paper should improve professionals’ understanding of the impact of different structural systems choices and inform building designers about the circularity potential, and carbon footprint of construction technologies

Improving the Building Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort through the Design of Walls in Compressed Earth Blocks of Agricultural and Biopolymer Residues Masonry

peer reviewedBuildings should be assessed in their energy behaviour to identify the most suitable construction material for the climatic context. This paper studies the influence of construction materials for the wall in housing hygrothermal behavior and energy efficiency. Three types of construction material for the wall, which are CSEB of fonio straw and Shea butter cakes, cement blocks, and cut laterite blocks were selected and the building design was modeled in the DesignBuilder interface. The thermal comfort and total amount of energy required for building cooling were calculated using dynamic modelling using EnergyPlus software. The simulation was run according to the meteorological parameters of Ouagadougou city and we noted that the housing thermal behaviour is impacted by the wall in earth-based. The results show that the number of warm thermal discomfort hours and the cooling energy loads are respectively reduced by an average rate of 10.60% and 93.86% in housing with the wall in CSEB of fonio straw and Shea butter residue masonry, in comparison with the wall in cement or cut laterite blocks masonry. In terms of the indoor environment, the effect of this wall in earth-based makes it possible to maintain an average internal temperature and indoor operating temperature respectively at 28.64°C and 25.82°C. The average indoor temperature peaks damping is achieved to 6.54°C (i.e. 22.83%). It is thus noted that these CSEB walls are an efficient contribution to sustainable dwelling construction in a hot region.SERAMA program for Secondary Resources valuation for Sustainable Constructio

Improving the Building Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort through the Design of Walls in Compressed Earth Blocks of Agricultural and Biopolymer Residues Masonry: A Recent Study

editorial reviewedThe impact of wall construction materials on dwelling hygrothermal behavior and energy efficiency is investigated in this research. Most people want to live in a sophisticated ambiance in this modern age and spend massive investment on improving their buildings’ inside condition. The building design was created in the Design Builder interface using three types of construction materials for the wall: CSEB of fonio straw and Shea butter cakes, cement blocks, and cut laterite blocks. Dynamic modeling with Energy Plus software was used to calculate the thermal comfort and overall amount of energy required for building cooling. The simulation was done using the meteorological characteristics of Ouagadougou city, and we discovered that the thermal behavior of the housing is influenced by the wall in earth-based simulations. The findings demonstrate that in housing with a CSEB of fonio straw and Shea butter cakes masonry wall, the number of warm thermal discomfort hours and cooling energy loads are reduced by an average of 10.60 percent and 93.86 percent, respectively, when compared to housing with a cement or cut laterite blocks masonry wall. In terms of the inside environment, the earth-based impact of this wall allows for an average internal temperature and indoor operating temperature of 28.64°C and 25.82°C, respectively. 6.54°C is attained as the average indoor temperature peaks dampening (i.e. 22.83 percent). As a result, these CSEB walls offer an effective contribution to the development of sustainable dwellings in a hot climate.11. Sustainable cities and communitie