RETROFIT ELECTROCHROMIC GLAZING IN AN OPEN PLAN OFFICE: A CASE STUDY

CIBSE & SLL International Lighting Conferenc

Neutral daylight illumination with electrochromic glazing: simulation of ‘light mixing’

Electrochromic glazing generally exhibits a shift in spectral transmission as the glass darkens, e.g. causing it to appear blue as it tints. Occupants however are believed to prefer a neutral spectrum of daylight illumination without any pronounced hue. In this paper the authors show that it is possible to maintain a neutral spectrum of illumination with EC glazing under normal operation provided that just a small proportion of the EC glazing is kept in the clear state. Predictions from a theoretical model are compared with measurements of the daylight spectra in an office with EC glazing under various states of tint. The predicted spectra show excellent agreement with the measurements. The theoretical model is further validated using lighting simulation to demonstrate that, under normal operation, illumination from clear and full-tint EC is well-mixed, with that from clear glazing dominating the overall illumination

Evaluation of a mixed method approach for studying user interaction with novel building control technology

Energy-efficient building performance requires sophisticated control systems that are based on realistic occupant behaviour models. To provide robust data for the development of these models, research studies in real-world settings are needed. Yet, such studies are challenging and necessitate careful design in terms of data collection methods and procedures. This paper describes and critiques the design of a mixed methods approach for occupant behaviour research. It reviews the methodology developed for a longitudinal study in a real-world office environment where occupants’ experience with a novel facade technology (electrochromic glazing) was investigated. The methodology integrates objective physical measurements, observational data and self-reported experience data. Using data from one day of the study, this paper illustrates how the different sources can be combined in order to derive an in-depth understanding of the interplay between external daylight conditions, characteristics of the facade technology, occupant interaction with the technology and the resulting occupant experience. It was found that whilst the individual methods may be affected by practical limitations, these can be partially offset by combining physical measurements and observations with self-reported data. The paper critically evaluates the individual techniques, as well as the benefits of their integration and makes recommendations for the design of future occupant behaviour studies in real-world settings

Factors influencing BIM use in green building construction project management in the UK and China

open access article This work is based on the PhD project of Ling Tian.Decentralization and a lack of integration in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC)industry are some of the main challenges for project management in green building construction.To address this problem, many construction companies have attempted to use buildinginformation modelling (BIM) to coordinate and optimize the management of green buildingprojects. However, the research on successfully adopting and using BIM in interdisciplinaryteams working on green building projects is limited; moreover, comprehensive comparisonsacross different countries and regions are lacking. Therefore, this study conducts a novelinvestigation of the key factors affecting the use of BIM in project management for greenbuilding construction through case studies in the UK and China. This study uses semi-structuredinterviews, Python-based term frequency analysis and thematic analysis to identifyfive keythemes, namely, communication, data environment, motivation, project members and policy,which influence the adoption and implementation of BIM. In addition, based on gained insights,the impacts of different green building certification levels on BIM project management duringthe construction phase must be fully considered. Thesefindings provide practicalrecommendations for BIM management in green building construction projects and contributeto thefield of construction management

Pedagogy for the City as an Emergent Cognitive System for Sustainability

open access articleIn this short paper, we develop the case for moving away from the concept of a smart city in which the focus tends to be on shifting managerial responsibility onto computers. We offer the alternative conception of the city as an ecosystem, a complex adaptive system, and draw upon the biology of cognition to construe cognition as the skilful adaptation to living sustainably. Such skilful adaptations necessitate human operators and managers themselves to both develop necessary systemic redundancy to withstand future shocks, but also to acquire skills in multi-faceted domains and disciplines, including the use of Artificial Intelligence, to simulate future scenarios and to plan accordingly. To attain such skills and competencies, we briefly outline a viable and relevant transdisciplinary pedagogy for future city managers to develop smart sustainable cities

Efficient single sideband microwave to optical conversion using a LiNbO_3 WGM-resonator

We present a coherent microwave to telecom signal converter based on the electro-optical effect using a crystalline WGM-resonator coupled to a 3D microwave cavity, achieving high photon conversion efficiency of 0.1% with MHz bandwidth

Efficient microwave to optical photon conversion: an electro-optical realization

Linking classical microwave electrical circuits to the optical telecommunication band is at the core of modern communication. Future quantum information networks will require coherent microwave-to-optical conversion to link electronic quantum processors and memories via low-loss optical telecommunication networks. Efficient conversion can be achieved with electro-optical modulators operating at the single microwave photon level. In the standard electro-optic modulation scheme, this is impossible because both up- and down-converted sidebands are necessarily present. Here, we demonstrate true single-sideband up- or down-conversion in a triply resonant whispering gallery mode resonator by explicitly addressing modes with asymmetric free spectral range. Compared to previous experiments, we show a 3 orders of magnitude improvement of the electro-optical conversion efficiency, reaching 0.1% photon number conversion for a 10 GHz microwave tone at 0.42 mW of optical pump power. The presented scheme is fully compatible with existing superconducting 3D circuit quantum electrodynamics technology and can be used for nonclassical state conversion and communication. Our conversion bandwidth is larger than 1 MHz and is not fundamentally limited

Electrochromic glazing in buildings: A case study

© 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. A major application area for electrochromic devices is architectural glazing, particularly that for office buildings which are often highly glazed. This chapter begins with an overview of daylighting in non-residential buildings and explains why the traditional control solutions, for example, blinds, often lead to the under-exploitation of the daylighting potential of the building. It reviews the control of daylight in buildings together with reasons why the traditional methods, for example, venetian blinds, are habitually used in a sub-optimal fashion, often negating the daylight potential afforded by the glazing design. Various types of chromogenic and variable transmission glazing (VTG) are outlined, and the potential for practical use in buildings together with operational factors and performance issues is discussed. The chapter concludes with a description of and preliminary findings from a case study evaluation of a pair of offices spaces in the United Kingdom fitted with EC glazing

Pedagogy for the City as an Emergent Cognitive System for Sustainability

In this short paper, we develop the case for moving away from the concept of a smart city in which the focus tends to be on shifting managerial responsibility onto computers. We offer the alternative conception of the city as an ecosystem, a complex adaptive system, and draw upon the biology of cognition to construe cognition as the skilful adaptation to living sustainably. Such skilful adaptations necessitate human operators and managers themselves to both develop necessary systemic redundancy to withstand future shocks, but also to acquire skills in multi-faceted domains and disciplines, including the use of Artificial Intelligence, to simulate future scenarios and to plan accordingly. To attain such skills and competencies, we briefly outline a viable and relevant transdisciplinary pedagogy for future city managers to develop smart sustainable cities