Numerical study of the horizontal shading devices effect on the thermal performance of promotional apartments: Case of El-Alia-Biskra

The aim of this research is to evaluate the impact of horizontal shading devices on the thermal performance of promotional apartments in the city of Biskra. In this regard, various sizes of horizontal shading devices which allow making an adequate choice were proposed to guarantee the best thermal comfort level for this apartment type. The simulations were performed by using the TRNSYS© software to estimate objectively the indoor thermal comfort of studied apartments. The comparative analysis between the simulation results of the existing apartments and the shading scenarios shows that the promotional apartments appear to be unsuited to the desert climate and the analysis shows the effectiveness of the horizontal shading devices on the thermal performance of the space by reducing the indoor air temperature during the summer period

Évaluation du confort thermique et lumineux dans le logement collectif : Étude comparative entre le social et le promotionnel, dans la ville de Biskra

L’objectif principal de cette recherche consiste à évaluer le confort thermique et lumineux dans les logements collectifs sociaux et promotionnels dans la ville de Biskra qui se caractérise par un climat chaud et aride. Il consiste à vérifier la place et la pertinence du confort thermique et lumineux des habitants, répondant d’abord aux normes minimales dans le logement social, et apportant, ensuite, une dimension supposée supérieure dans les logements collectifs de type promotionnel. À ce propos, une méthodologie de recherche basée sur les deux types du confort a été proposée pour cette étude. La première est une investigation subjective achevée à l’aide d’un questionnaire comme outil de recherche. Tandis que la deuxième est une expérimentation objective effectuée par l’utilisation de plusieurs simulations numériques à l’aide de deux logiciels : Radiance© et Daysim© comme outils d’évaluation de la performance de l’environnement lumineux, et du logiciel TRNSYS© comme outil d’évaluation du confort thermique des logements étudiés. L’analyse comparative entre les résultats de simulation et les résultats de l’enquête montre que ces deux types de logements collectifs produits dans le sud de l'Algérie qui suivent la tendance des villes du nord semblent inadaptés à la rudesse des régions sud, où l’enveloppe à doubles parois en briques creuses provoque un environnement thermique interne très sévère dans les logements collectifs promotionnels et sociaux situés dans ces régions arides. Ainsi à l’exception de l’utilisation d’appoints mécaniques pour le refroidissement durant la période estivale et pour le chauffage pendant la période hivernale, il n’existe pas d'autres solutions qui assurent le confort thermique dans ces deux types de logements. Cela est dû à l’absence totale des dispositifs architecturaux des espaces baies ainsi que la mauvaise intégration des systèmes d’isolation thermique dans ces deux types de logements. Par contre, l’analyse et l’interprétation des données illustrent également que ces logements rendent l’environnement lumineux optimal à l’intérieur, où les habitants se sentent dans un état confortable durant une très longue durée d’occupation diurne annuelle, d’où ils peuvent exécuter leurs tâches visuelles naturellement sans avoir recours à l’éclairage artificiel

Examining the Associations between Oases Soundscape Components and Walking Speed: Correlation or Causation?

The feeling of calm and tranquillity provided by the oases of Algeria can disappear because of the outdated urbanization strategy which is based on the vehicle as a mode of transport. Walkability is one of the most adoptable sustainable strategies to reduce the negative mechanical transportation effects on the quality of life. This paper aimed to examine the correlation and the causation between oases soundscape components and walking speed. The methodology of this field study was based on an empirical approach at the urban settlements in three oases in Algeria. The correlation between walking speed and soundscape components was obtained through the use of the Spearman correlation test. A one-way ANOVA analysis was conducted to assess the effect of the soundscape components on walking speed. A post hoc Tukey test was adopted to explore the sound component that causes increased walking speed. In this study, no significant correlation was explored between the walking speed and the anthrophonical sounds. In contrast, the statistical analysis of the sound walks experience suggests a moderate and significant negative correlation between geophonical and biophonical sounds, with mean walking speed. The results showed that, the cause of the increase in the mean walking speed of the pedestrians is human sound. The findings suggest that further research is needed to focus on the long-term subjective investigation to explore the correlations and the effects between soundscape, walkability and walking speed

Evaluation of the soundscapes through the cafe terraces before and after the COVID-19 lockdown in coastal cities in Algeria

peer reviewedThis paper aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown in Algeria on the soundscapes’ components throughout the cafe terraces in coastal cities. The methodology is based on a laboratory qualitative approach established and divided into two stages. And the monitoring of sound recordings through twenty-one cafe terraces inside the coastal city of Azzaba in Algeria was conducted before and after the lockdown of whole the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the McNemar’s test on the first stage, results suggest that the lockdown measures in Algeria affect the soundscape components of the cafe terraces, specifically the predominance of the anthrophonical sounds over the natural sound components. The predominance of traffic sounds on the soundscapes after the lockdown period does not reflect an increase in noise level, whereas the soundscapes through the cafe terraces during the two periods were similar, and showed as less noisy by the semantic difference analysis evaluation, of the second stage. The factors of the principal component analysis suggest that the soundscapes of the cafe terraces reflect the main patterns of the acoustics design in the public spaces, such as functions (relaxation and communication), space-time for the two factors of the soundscapes of the period before the lockdown, and by relaxation, space and time for the three factors of those of the period after lockdown. Otherwise, the Marginal Homogeneity Test shows that there are significant differences in the assessment of the soundscapes of the cafe terraces during the two periods, which were only associated to the functions. Findings suggest that additional long-term research is needed to preserve and improve the cultural soundscapes among the urban spaces to ensure the acoustic comfort of the occupants and preserve their health

Exploring the Multisensory Interaction between Luminous, Thermal and Auditory Environments through the Spatial Promenade Experience: A Case Study of a University Campus in an Oasis Settlement

peer reviewedThis paper aimed to develop a multisensory approach in a university campus, based on quantitative and qualitative approaches, investigating sense walk experiences (thermo-visual sound walk) under interactions of luminous, thermal, and auditory environments. The study was conducted in October 2021, in Chetma university campus in Biskra city, southern Algeria, which remains a famous oasis settlement of arid regions over the country. A comparative and correlation analysis was performed between the physical dimensions collected through a walking experience in three campus routes (outdoor, semi-outdoor and indoor). In addition, a multisensory survey of the walking experience on perceptual dimensions was evaluated in parallel to the empirical contribution. The paper shows that walkers’ thermal levels were balanced between neural and slightly hot in different spatial aspects. The glare was almost unperceived regarding the luminous conditions in the study site. The auditory experience reveals that the conducted points were generally quiet and well placed for educational requirements. Findings also show a strong relationship between the physical dimensions of the luminous and auditory environment. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the thermal and luminous environments are more perceptible than the auditory environment for the walkers of the outdoor and indoor routes. In contrast, the semi-outdoor route is often perceptible by the perceptual dimensions of the luminous and auditory environments. The findings on sensorial thresholds and spatial adaption are essential for the educational practices’ architectural and urban strategies for the Saharan cities and oasis settlements

Soundscapes in Arab cities: a systematic review and research agenda

In the context of Arab cities, this study explores the intricate interplay between cultural, historical, and environmental elements that shape their unique soundscapes. The paper aims to shed light on this underrepresented field of study by employing a three-fold research approach: systematic review, a comprehensive literature review, and the formulation of a future research agenda. The first part of the investigation focuses on research productivity in the Arab world regarding soundscape studies. An analysis of publication trends reveals that soundscape research in Arab cities is still an emerging area of interest. Critical gaps in the existing body of literature are identified, highlighting the importance of addressing these gaps within the broader context of global soundscape research. The second part of the study delves into the distinctive features that inform the soundscapes of Arab cities. These features are categorized into three overarching groups: (i) cultural and religious life, (ii) daily life, and (iii) heritage and history, by exploring these factors, the study aims to elucidate the multifaceted nature of Arab urban soundscapes. From the resonating calls to prayer and the vibrant ambiance of traditional cafes to the bustling markets and architectural characteristics, each factor contributes to the auditory tapestry that defines Arab cities. The paper concludes with a forward-looking research agenda, proposing sixteen key questions organized into descriptive and comparative categories. These questions emphasize the need for a more profound understanding of sound perception, sources, and the impact of urban morphology on the soundscape. Additionally, they highlight the need for interdisciplinary research, involving fields such as urban planning, architecture, psychology, sociology, and cultural studies to unravel the complexity of Arab urban soundscapes

Soundscape Attributes Translation Project (SATP) Dataset

The data and audio included here were collected for the Soundscape Attributes Translation Project (SATP). First introduced in Aletta et. al. (2020), the SATP is an attempt to provide validated translations of soundscape attributes in languages other than English. The recordings were used for headphones - based listening experiments. The data are provided to accompany publications resulting from this project and to provide a unique dataset of 1000s of perceptual responses to a standardised set of urban soundscape recordings. This dataset is the result of efforts from hundreds of researchers, students, assistants, PIs, and participants from institutions around the world. We have made an attempt to list every contributor to this Zenodo repo; if you feel you should be included, please get in touch. Citation: If you use the SATP dataset or part of it, please cite our paper describing the data collection and this dataset itself. Overview: The SATP dataset consists of 27 30-sec binaural audio recordings made in urban public spaces in London and one 60 sec stereo calibration signal. The recordings were made at locations as reported in Table 1 of the README.md (Recording locations), at various times of day by an operator wearing a binaural kit consisting of BHS II microphones and a SQobold (HEAD acoustics) device. Recordings were then exported to WAV via the ArtemiS SUITE software, using the original dynamic range from HDF. The listening experiment and the calibration procedure were intended for a headphone playback system (Sennheiser HD650 or similar open-back headphones recommended).  The recordings were selected from an initial set of 80 recordings through a pilot study to ensure the test set had an even coverage of the soundscape circumplex space. These recordings were sent to the partner institutions (see Table 2 of the README.md) and assessed by approximately 30 participants in the institution's target language. The questionnaire used in each assessment is a translation of Method A Questionnaire, ISO 12913-2:2018. Each institution carried out their own lab experiment to collect data, then submitted their data to the team at UCL to compile into a single dataset. Some institutions included additional questions or translation options; the combined dataset (`SATP Dataset v1.x.xlsx`) includes only the base set of questions, the extended set of questions from each institution is included in the `Institution Datasets` folder. In all, SATP Dataset v1.2 contains 17,441 samples, including 645 participants, for 27 recordings, in 19 languages with contributions from 29 institutions. Format: The audio recordings are provided as 24 bit, 48 kHz, stereo WAV files. The combined dataset and Institutional datasets are provided as long tidy data tables in .xlsx files. Calibration: The recommended calibration approach was based on the open-circuit voltage (OCV) procedure which was considered most accessible but other calibration procedures are also possible (Lam et. al. (2022)). The provided calibration file is a computer generated sine wave at 1kHz, matching a sine wave recorded using the exact same setup at SPL of 94 dB. In case of the calibration signal playback level set to match SPL of 94 dB at the eardrum, all the 27 samples should be reproduced at realistic loudness. More details on OCV calibration procedure and other options you can find in Lam et. al. (2022) and the attached documentation. PLEASE DO NOT EXPOSE YOURSELF NOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO THE CALIBRATION SIGNAL SET AT THE REALISTIC LEVEL AS IT CAN CAUSE HARM. License and reuse: All SATP recordings are provided under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License and are free to use. We encourage other researchers to replicate the SATP protocol and contribute new languages to the dataset. We also encourage the use of these recordings and the perceptual data for further soundscape research purposes. Please provide the proper attribution and get in touch with the authors if you would like to contribute a new translation or for any other collaborations