Prevalence and Evaluation of Bioclimatic Design Techniques used to achieve Low Energy Comfort in Architectural Design Proposals

This paper analyses responses of ninety-nine students to a design brief for a public building in different regions of China. The research determined the level of understanding and skills development in students who will be the next generation of building designers, procurers and developers. The students were asked to design in a bioclimatic fashion and therefore to consider the building to be as free running as possible, and thus supportive of adaptive comfort principles. The designed solutions were then analysed to determine: the types of bioclimatic technique chosen to be employed; the actual prevalence of use of the techniques in each case; and the successful implementation within the schemes. The results identify barriers to application in design and define productive areas of future comfort research including analysis of interactions between techniques, and the optimisation of whole building solutions. The adoption of bioclimatic design techniques is complementary to adaptive approaches to thermal comfort and reductions in energy use in buildings

Design of Dwellings and Interior Family Space in China: Understanding the History of Change and Opportunities for Improved Sustainability Practices

This paper reviews briefly the recent history of dwelling design in China. It notes the rapid changes that have taken place since the 1980s and identifies the way contemporary procurement processes leave out the final fit-out and decoration/refurbishment. A range of stakeholders were interviewed, and access was gained to drawings and other technical data that indicated how the secondary processes were carried out. These are largely ungoverned by regulation in the same way necessary for initial design. The key group is the occupants who drive the fit-out and decoration according to personal and cultural requirements, but often with less than perfect understanding of sustainability. The interior design industry has developed rapidly over the same period and was initially lacking in professional knowledge and understanding (something which can still be found). Advice provided to dwelling occupants was based more on appearance than function and efficiency. Over the same period, beneficial modifications to construction processes have been introduced in relation to structural design, and it should be possible to do the same for sustainability-related design issues. The paper advocates: more regulation; better assessment techniques; more information and guidance for home-owners; and a greater focus on energy issue

Sustainability and the Urban Planning Context: Housing Development in Algeria

This paper describes research into the development of housing in Algeria. It focuses on the history of traditional dwellings and the importance of outdoor space located inside the building: typically in the form of a courtyard. Courtyard dwellings in the city of Constantine are examined in some detail. The rapid urbanisation process taking place in Algeria in recent years together with difficulties in the planning system since colonial times has caused difficulties in responding to housing needs. The concentration of the population in smaller areas of cities has led to the need for more compact yet comfortable dwellings. The paper describes how the situation might be dealt with in the township of Jijel. A number of stakeholders are being consulted and the key results of in-depth interviews with architects are reported. The findings from the review of the existing housing areas and survey are then interpreted to make suggestions for development in the future

Planning and Design Strategies for Sustainable Urban Development

In order to create high impact low-carbon architecture it is necessary to address issues at the urban scale. This paper reviews methods adopted in the UK, Hong Kong and America and develops a series of themes that should be incorporated in modern city development strategies to produce green and sustainable outcomes. These are concerned with: planning policies and building regulations; neighborhood and site planning; and building design. Underlying themes which must be incorporated are connected to: building façade, systems design and operation; energy demand and supply; transportation systems; water supply and use; and wastes/pollution issues. To achieve success a number of support mechanisms are needed including strategic and infrastructure development, implementation of assessment frameworks, and the distribution of information and knowledge to stakeholders. The themes are compared to recent developments in the city of Kunming and proposals for future applications are explored

The Role of Ecotourism in the Sustainable Development of Qinkou village, Yunnan, China, 2001 to 2013

This study captures evidence of the changes to Qinkou village during the period it was developed as an example of ecotourism in Yunnan province, Southwest China; a process which began in 2001. By examining the aims of the development projects and changes which happened in the village in 2001, 2006 and 2013 respectively, the paper aims to explore how traditions have been understood and deployed with regard to the built environment in Qinkou. It also investigates the shift in focus of academic research into traditional and sustainable development of rural villages over different periods. In 2001, a development project was implemented in Qinkou to demonstrate how tourism could be used as a way to modernise the village. The local government of the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, where the village is located, worked with academics in the fields of architecture, planning and anthropology to develop the plan and to obtain funding to transform Qinkou into an ecotourism village. By 2006, the infrastructure of the village had been significantly improved. However, many originally planned activities could not be carried out due to the lack of ongoing funding support and effective management. Tourism alone was unable to bring fundamental changes in Qinkou. Instead, many villagers who worked in the cities returned with savings from the higher incomes enjoyed in the cities and also brought back changed lifestyles that contributed further major transformation. At the same time, the village remained a coherent settlement. The head of the village and management group organised many village co-operative activities. Academic research at the time, on the other hand, focused more on the examination of the cultural symbols of the local families and built environment than providing advice to help the village improve living conditions. In 2013, an application for the spectacular stepped paddy fields in the Prefecture to be listed as a World Heritage Site attracted significant funding from the local government. Qinkou was included in the development master plan; however, the development project for the village focused primarily on the preservation of the traditional forms as cultural symbols. Academic research and local policies discussed needs for sustainable development in order to comply with the requirements of the UNSCO process for World Heritage Site listing. Yet, details of how to achieve social and cultural cohesion remained missing. This paper argues that tourism development in the market-oriented economy now operating in China has worked as the catalyst for the transformation of the village and improvement of living conditions. However, social-cultural sustainable regeneration of rural settlements must create places for the needs of different groups in the local community. The academic research also needs to reinterpret the traditions that were formed and changed by the local communities in a way that is perhaps more diverse and flexible than the previous academic research defined

How to build a city for 50C heatwaves

The Persian Gulf is already one of the hottest parts of the world, but by the end of the century increasing heat combined with intense humidity will make the region too hot for habitation, according to research published in Nature Climate Change. Heating and air conditioning currently permit humans to live everywhere from Siberia to the Sahara. However the extreme heatwaves predicted for the Gulf, where temperatures will regularly hit 50℃ or even 60℃, will reach the limits of the thermal adaptation that buildings can provide

Passive House and Low Energy Buildings: Barriers and Opportunities for Future Development within UK Practice

This paper describes research carried out to understand better the current and future emphases emerging from practice for the design and development of “Passive House” and low energy buildings. The paper initially discusses the extant position, particularly with regards to the UK and considers how regulation and assessment systems have changed in recent years, as well as projecting ideas forward taking account of contemporary political situations. Relevant previous research into Passive House and low energy design and construction is then reviewed. The need for greater understanding of professionals and their communication/collaboration with clients were identified as important factors impacting development. Those involved in the design and construction practice therefore have key roles in the process of enhancing energy efficiency. Five industry/practice based professional organizations were interviewed in-depth to gain insights into their experience of current low energy design, and to extrapolate the outcomes to future scenarios. The method employed used a structured interview technique with key question areas to lead the discussion. The anonymized responses discussed are grouped around key themes. Evidence suggests there has been a move towards the adoption of voluntary high level standards because of potential limitations with mandatory regulations and because of perceived additional benefits of higher quality design. This change is now more than previously, being driven by informed clients, design professionals, and the industry, with regulation taking a secondary role. New opportunities and barriers are becoming evident and these require further consideration

Impacts of Variations in Air Conditioning System Set-Point Temperature on Room Conditions and Perceived Thermal Comfort

This paper describes research carried out to investigate specific features of the operation of air-conditioning systems of University buildings in Hong Kong. Changes in thermostat set points were introduced so as to investigate the impact on conditions experienced and also to determine spatial variations within the rooms. Measurements of environmental conditions were made at 5 minute intervals over a total investigation period of 6 days. Concurrently with the environmental measurements occupant surveys took place, the subjects being a group of postgraduate students. Some 912 sets of survey data were accumulated and this was used in conjunction with environmental data to compare actual and predicted sensation votes. Comparisons of sensation votes and preference votes were also carried out. Main findings were: that a significant degree of temperature variation occurred across the rooms despite the sets of controllers being used in conjunction with each other to effect changes; that the relationship between actual and predicted sensation votes exhibited a degree of variation between days even with the same occupants and that occupants tended to vote over a wider range than was predicted; and that there was a clear (as expected) inverse relationship between actual sensation and preference voting

Sustainability Assessment Methods for the Gulf Region

This paper describes the development of a sustainability assessment framework designed to be used in the Gulf Region, which is an area which has experienced large scale building development and also a region in which sustainability assessment is not yet widely used. The complexity and time resources needed to apply existing methods act as a deterrent to active use. Three well-known methods available at the time of the study were investigated in some detail. These were: BREEAM Gulf; Green Building Council LEED; and Estidama Pearl. Cross comparisons of the factors involved in each method were carried out on several levels including: theoretical comparison; practical development and usability; compliance with regulations and standards; and ability to achieve synchronization. A considerable degree of compatibility was found to exist between the methods, particularly if focused on key criteria. As a result a new and specific framework was developed which grouped 24 indicators under five principal headings: site/location, biodiversity and accessibility; energy; water; occupant well-being; and resources and wastes. This new framework was then evaluated by testing with practitioners resulting in confirmation of 20 out of the 24 indicators, and identification of suitable benchmarks