Building envelope design for climate change mitigation: a case study of hotels in Greece

This paper presents results of a study of the impact of future climate change scenarios as developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and implemented in weather files for specific future time slices (2020, 2050 and 2080) for the three climatic regions of Greece on the design of the external envelope of a hotel building in Greece. The impact of climate change on the hotel is assessed via hourly simulations of a calibrated model developed using the software TRNSYS. Additionally, the paper aims to identify optimal refurbishment strategies, given the constraints of the existing case-study building when transposed to the three different climatic zones in Greece. Two modes of the hotel building were studied: ‘all year’ and ‘seasonally’ operated. It was found that different external envelope energy-efficient strategies can be applied depending on the climatic zone and whether the hotel is all-year or seasonally operated

The Mitigative Potential of Urban Environments and Their Microclimates

Cities play a crucial role in climate change: More than 50% of the growing population lives in cities producing most of the global GDP but also 78% of greenhouse gases (GHG) responsible for climate change. Moreover, due to their highly modified land-use and intensive activities, cities are at the forefront of the most rapid environmental and climatic change ever experienced by mankind. Yet, cities’ potential to mitigate both climate change and their own environment is underexploited. This paper explores ideas related to the potential of urban environments to modify their microclimates, reflecting on the overlapping potential between mitigative and adaptive actions. These actions in cities can not only tackle some of the largest contributing factors to global climate change but offer short- to medium-term benefits that could drive more immediate socioeconomic and behavioral changes. This review proposes and discusses a new preliminary definition of urban environments as microclimate modifiers—Mitigative urban Environments and Microclimates (MitEM)—and calls for further research into: (a) inter-connecting the full range of mitigative and adaptive initiatives already being undertaken in many cities and maximizing their input systemically; (b) developing a common and holistic definition of MitEM; (c) promoting its uptake at policy level and amongst the key stakeholders, based on its social and public value beyond the environmental

On the study of the indoor environment in private residences

Epidemiological research has shown that exposure to particulate matter has been linked to adverse health effects. The present study aims at reporting the initial findings of an experimental campaign that was held in private residences in Athens with different degree of urbanization and environmental conditions. Measurements include particulate matter concentrations (TSP, PM10, PM2.5, PM1) and Ultrafine Particles (UFP). The experimental campaign was performed for more than one month in a typical urban apartment and a suburban detached house under normally occupied conditions. First results indicate that PM concentrations at the urban area significantly exceeded those of the suburban case under all operating and environmental conditions. In many cases where thresholds exist, particulate matter concentrations in the apartment exceeded the limit values. Occupants’ presence and indoor activities such as smoking, cooking cleaning etc. influenced the diurnal variation of particle concentrations. For certain particle sizes, indoor concentrations during the night where the indoor pollutant sources stopped functioning, the concentrations decreased. Power spectrum analysis was used to identify periodicities and trends of particulate matter concentrations. Spectral density comparison was also performed for particles of different size ranges as well as for particles of the same size in the studied residences. This is a preliminary study on the indoor environment in private residences in which process of initial data is presented. However measurements are ongoing and several additional parameters are being recorded

Bioclimatic rehabilitation of an open market place by a computational fluid dynamics simulation assessment

These days urban design of open spaces is strongly related to bioclimatic techniques and practices. It is here presented the procedure of a bioclimatic study by the use of simulation tools. The area of an open market place is characterized of decreased human thermal comfort conditions during summer time. The employment of computational fluid dynamics has contributed in the understanding of what interventions should be made at the open space in order to succeed the defined thermal related targets. Table of the proposed rehabilitation explains what the interventions would contribute in the improvement of the local environment.The authors greatly acknowledge the support of the Mayor of Eordaia Mrs Paraskevi Vrizidou during all simulation stages. ANSYS-CFD simulations were carried out in the framework of student instruction and demonstration of the Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace in Greece

Simulation support for internet-based energy services

The rapidly developing Internet broadband network offers new opportunities for deploying a range of energy, environment and health-related services for people in their homes and workplaces. Several of these services can be enabled or enhanced through the application of building simulation. This paper describes the infrastructure for e-services under test within a European research project and shows the potential for simulation support for these services

A study on the thermal environment in Greek primary schools based on questionnaires and concurrent measurements

The present study investigates the indoor thermal comfort perceived by students through a questionnaire survey conducted during spring 2013 in naturally ventilated primary schools in Athens. Thermal environment parameters such as air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity and mean radiant temperature were simultaneously measured. Then, Fanger’s indices of Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Percentage of People Dissatisfied (PPD) were calculated by using clothing and metabolic rates. The main purpose of this work is the evaluation of the ability of the answers from students to be sufficient to assess the thermal environment of classrooms. The possible associations between subjective thermal sensation votes and objective measurements are examined by comparing students’ answers based on the seven point thermal sensation scale and the results taken by the calculated indices of PMV and PPD

Analysis of the indoor air quality in Greek primary schools

The exposure of children to indoor air pollutants in school classrooms might cause them adverse health effects. In order to confront this issue, the in-depth study and evaluation of the indoor air quality in classrooms is necessary. The aims of this study are to characterize the environmental factors that affect indoor air quality. Several indoor air pollutants such as the concentrations of the particulate matter (PM) of several different size ranges, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and VOCs, were simultaneously measured in classrooms as well as the outdoor environment in nine primary schools in Athens, Greece during April 2013. Measurements were performed for more than 7 hours per day, for a period of one to five days in a classroom, per school. The first results indicate extreme PM10 concentrations in many cases with varying fluctuations throughout the day, mainly attributed to the presence of students, inadequate level of ventilation and chalk dust while the ultrafine particles (UFP) remained in rather low levels. In most of the cases the indoor concentrations exceeded the outdoor ones by more than ten times. Carbon dioxide concentrations in many cases exceeded the recommended limit value indicating inadequate levels of ventilation

Particulate matter and airborne fungi concentrations in schools in Athens

Indoor Air Quality degradation is of exceptional concern due to the potential adverse effects indoor air pollutants have on human’s health. Students are a susceptible group of people, who spend a lot of their time within classrooms. The purpose of this study is to investigate the concentration levels of particulate matter (PM) and total airborne fungi, in school classrooms. Further objective is to examine possible correlations between PM10, PM2.5, PM1, ultrafine particles (UFPs, diameter< 100 nm), and airborne fungi. The measurements were performed using fully automated instrumentation. The results indicate that a lot of PM10 concentrations exceeded the proposed daily limit of 50μg/m3. Also, in some cases the concentration of the total airborne fungi indoors, exceeded their concentration outdoors. There is evidence that certain correlations exist between PM and airborne fungi

Particulate matter and airborne fungi concentrations in schools in Athens

Indoor Air Quality degradation is of exceptional concern due to the potential adverse effects indoor air pollutants have on human’s health. Students are a susceptible group of people, who spend a lot of their time within classrooms. The purpose of this study is to investigate the concentration levels of particulate matter (PM) and total airborne fungi, in school classrooms. Further objective is to examine possible correlations between PM10, PM2.5, PM1, ultrafine particles (UFPs, diameter<100 nm), and airborne fungi. The measurements were performed using fully automated instrumentation. The results indicate that a lot of PM10 concentrations exceeded the proposed daily limit of 50μg/m3. Also, in some cases the concentration of the total airborne fungi indoors, exceeded their concentration outdoors. There is evidence that certain correlations exist between PM and airborne fungi