Acoustical Behavior Of Churches: Mudejar-Gothic Churches

Christian churches have traditionally been considered to have very good acoustical behavior. This unfounded belief has led to important en-on in church rehabilitation works, especially when the church is to be used subsequently as an auditorium or theater; this is the case of many churches in Spain. Our research group has worked in acoustical analysis for more than ten years. We have participated in many cases of church rehabilitation and have had the opp&unity to achieve surprisingly good acwstical behavior in several. We deal with a very common type in southern Spain: Gothic-Mudejar churches, which have a small volume, a triple-nave layout, and wooden ceilings

The Acoustics of the Choir in Spanish Cathedrals

One of the most significant enclosures in worship spaces is that of the choir. Generally, from a historical point of view, the choir is a semi-enclosed and privileged area reserved for the clergy, whose position and configuration gives it a private character. Regarding the generation and transformation of ecclesial interior spaces, the choir commands a role of the first magnitude. Its shape and location produce, on occasions, major modifications that significantly affect the acoustics of these indoor spaces. In the case of Spanish cathedrals, whose design responds to the so-called “Spanish type”, the central position of the choir, enclosed by high stonework walls on three of its sides and with numerous wooden stalls inside, breaks up the space in the main nave, thereby generating other new spaces, such as the trascoro. The aim of this work was to analyse the acoustic evolution of the choir as one of the main elements that configure the sound space of Spanish cathedrals. By means of in situ measurements and simulation models, the main acoustic parameters were evaluated, both in their current state and in their original configurations that have since disappeared. This analysis enabled the various acoustic conditions existing between the choir itself and the area of the faithful to be verified, and the significant improvement of the acoustic quality in the choir space to become apparent. The effect on the acoustic parameters is highly significant, with slight differences in the choir, where the values are appropriate for Gregorian chants, and suitable intelligibility of sung text. High values are also obtained in the area of the faithful, which lacked specific acoustic requirements at the time of construction

Rethinking User Behaviour Comfort Patterns in the South of Spain—What Users Really Do

Although energy analysis techniques can contribute to substantial energy savings in housing stock retrofitting operations, the outcomes often deviate significantly from the predicted results, which tend to overestimate potential savings by overestimating the starting energy baselines, particularly in southern Europe. This deviation can be largely attributed to occupant practice relating to the use of air conditioning facilities and the temperatures at which occupants feel comfortable. The patterns observed differed widely from standard values. In this study environmental variables, primarily indoor air temperature both with and without HVAC, were monitored in occupied dwellings for a full year. The data gathered were supplemented with surveys on occupants’ temperature-related behaviour to define comfort patterns. The findings show that the standards in place are not consistent with actual comfort-accepted patterns in medium- to low-income housing in southern Spain, where energy consumption was observed to be lower than expected, mostly because occupants endure unsuitable, even unhealthy, conditions over long periods of time. A new user profile, better adjusted to practice in southern Europe, particularly in social housing, is proposed to reflect the current situation

Propuesta de organización de la actividad investigadora de las Escuelas de Arquitectura a través de Institutos Universitarios de Investigación

Los departamentos de las escuelas de arquitectura, preocupados principalmente por organizar, estructurar y planificar la labor docente en las escuelas de arquitectura, actividad que requiere cada vez más una mayor dedicación, difícilmente puede apoyar la labor investigadora de sus grupos. Normalmente carecen de los recursos humanos, de gestión y económicos para ello. Además, dado el carácter multidisciplinar de la investigación en arquitectura y urbanismo, resulta frecuente la presencia de grupos con investigadores pertenecientes a más de un departamento. Se propone que la actividad investigadora de los diferentes grupos de investigación presentes en las escuelas de arquitectura se apoye mediante la creación o, de existir, la reorganización de un instituto de investigación, reconocido como tal por la universidad y por la correspondiente comunidad autónoma (por ejemplo, aunque existen otras opciones, un instituto universitario). Este instituto podría estar formado principalmente por investigadores de una escuela de arquitectura, o de varias escuelas (por ejemplo, un instituto de investigación politécnico), e incluso interuniversitario. Debería tener, en cualquier caso, un carácter multidisciplinar, acorde con lo que se entiende por investigación en arquitectura y urbanismo. Habría que establecer mecanismos de selección (en la que los departamentos universitarios estén ampliamente representados) para pertenecer a un instituto de investigación, de modo que sólo grupos de investigación activos (incluidos sus becarios), con producción científica, técnica o de creación artística, de calidad, formen parte del mismo. Sólo de este modo se podría estar en condiciones de competir en convocatorias de proyectos nacionales y europeos, así como de dotación de infraestructuras. Aunque esta política selectiva debería ser completada con otra que facilite la incorporación progresiva de jóvenes investigadores arquitectos y urbanistas con verdadero interés en desarrollar una labor investigadora. En la actualidad esa incorporación resulta muy difícil al no haber en muchas escuelas grupos de investigación realmente competitivos. En este sentido, los institutos de investigación deberían coordinar programas de doctorado y trabajar activamente para obtener la mención de calidad de esos programas. La incorporación del personal docente-investigador (funcionarios y contratados) de los grupos a los institutos de investigación ha de ser real, no figurada. Para ello los departamentos deben de asumir que los grupos de investigación seleccionados por un instituto de investigación, desarrollan su labor docente en el departamento, pero la labor investigadora se realiza en el instituto de investigación. La labor fundamental de los departamentos, por lo que se refiere a la actividad investigadora, será, en coordinación con el instituto de investigación, facilitar el acceso (programas de formación) de sus miembros con verdadero interés de desarrollar una actividad investigadora. Para ello, el instituto deberá establecer mecanismos de compensación (principalmente económica) a los departamentos. Por ejemplo, en el uso de sus infraestructuras y equipamientos, o si el instituto considera importante que uno de sus investigadores esté temporalmente en un centro de investigación (nacional o extranjero), de acuerdo a un programa de movilidad, y ese investigador desarrolla una labor docente. Uno de los objetivos principales del instituto de investigación, creado o reorganizado, será certificar su calidad, solicitando del organismo correspondiente nacional (actualmente ANECA está desarrollando un modelo piloto que pretende establecer en tal sentido) y/o autonómico la correspondiente acreditación y trabajando activamente para conseguirla, sometiéndose a las auditorías necesarias para mantener esa acreditación una vez conseguida. Para ello habrá de cuidar, desde su inicio, su organización y planificación, formulando claramente sus objetivos, estableciendo programas y planes estratégicos, controlando escrupulosamente la gestión, estableciendo vías para la comunicación interna y externa y teniendo muy presente la repercusión en la sociedad de su actividad, además de lo esencial: producir resultados

Thermal Perception in Mild Climate: Adaptive Thermal Models for Schools

A comprehensive assessment of indoor environmental conditions is performed on a representative sample of classrooms in schools across southern Spain (Mediterranean climate) to evaluate the thermal comfort level, thermal perception and preference, and the relationship with HVAC systems, with a comparison of seasons and personal clothing. Almost fifty classrooms were studied and around one thousand pool-surveys distributed among their occupants, aged 12 to 17. These measurements were performed during spring, autumn, and winter, considered the most representative periods of use for schools. A new proposed protocol has been developed for the collection and subsequent analysis of data, applying thermal comfort indicators and using the most frequent predictive models, rational (RTC) and adaptive (ATC), for comparison. Cooling is not provided in any of the rooms and natural ventilation is found in most of the spaces during midseasons. Despite the existence of a general heating service in almost all classrooms in the cold period, the use of mechanical ventilation is limited. Heating did not usually provide standard set-point temperatures. However, this did not lead to widespread complaints, as occupants perceive the thermal environment as neutral—varying greatly between users—and show a preference for slightly colder environments. Comparison of these thermal comfort votes and the thermal comfort indicators used showed a better fit of thermal preference over thermal sensation and more reliable results when using regional ATC indicators than the ASHRAE adaptive model. This highlights the significance of inhabitants’ actual thermal perception. These findings provide useful insight for a more accurate design of this type of building, as well as a suitable tool for the improvement of existing spaces, improving the conditions for both comfort and wellbeing in these spaces, as well as providing a better fit of energy use for actual comfort conditions

Monitoring a pre-normative multi-family housing case-study in a Mediterranean climate

In Spain, a significant percentage of the residential building stock presents deficient indoor conditions regarding current energy standards, due to having been constructed before the Norma Básica de la Edificación in 1979 (NBE CT 79) regarding thermal conditions in buildings. Current environmental policies pursue a cut in energy consumption and seek improvements in indoor conditions by refurbishing current stock, mainly that constructed between 1950 and 1980. Before any retrofitting action, housing monitoring has become essential for a better understanding of real and passive environmental behavior. This paper aims to present the monitoring in hourly intervals, real-time and post-occupancy conditions of a residential building in Seville, built in the 1950s and belonging to national heritage. The results obtained show major discrepancies between thermal indoor data collected and comfort conditions, both in summer and winter, which are solved by the sporadic use of cooling and heating devices present in the dwellings, thus leading to less energy consumption than expected. This is a common occurrence in multi-family housing units from the Mediterranean arc: there are many periods of the year in which a vast number of the population lives in poor energy conditions

Hacia una calibración de modelos energéticos: Caso de estudio del parque residencial español en clima mediterráneo

Current energy policies focus on retrofitting to achieve Horizon 2020 aims, especially concerning the residential stock constructed before the first thermal regulations. According to this, improving energy efficiency and interior comfort conditions in buildings must be supported by the knowledge of its real energy performance. Due to uncertainty and the lack of information on the current energy performance of housing and its real operational conditions, discrepancies between the results obtained and the measured data arise. Housing monitoring under real occupational conditions become essential for a better understanding of environmental behavior of residential building stock. Our aim is to show the calibration process, based on monitoring data obtained from a group of dwellings of national heritage interest built in the 1950s in Seville (a Mediterranean climate city). Calibration allows simulation results to approximate to current environmental conditions, aiming to predict and optimize the potential for subsequent environmental and energy implementation.Las actuales políticas energéticas europeas proponen la rehabilitación para poder alcanzar los objetivos del Horizonte 2020, especialmente del parque residencial construido antes de las primeras normativas térmicas, debiendo cimentarse la mejora en eficiencia energética y confort en el conocimiento de su comportamiento energético real. Aparecen divergencias entre resultados reales y de simulación debido a las incertidumbres y falta de información sobre el estado actual y las condiciones reales de uso y operacionales. La monitorización bajo condiciones de ocupación real resulta imprescindible para conocer el comportamiento energético y ambiental del parque residencial. Nuestro objetivo es mostrar el proceso de calibración de modelos energéticos, a partir de la monitorización, de unas viviendas de interés patrimonial construidas en los años cincuenta en Sevilla, ciudad de clima mediterráneo. La calibración permite aproximar los resultados de simulación a las condiciones ambientales reales, para predecir y optimizar el potencial de mejora ambiental y energética en la rehabilitación

Evaluation of indoor environment and energy performance of dwellings in heritage buildings. The case of hot summers in historic cities in Mediterranean Europe

he potential benefits for making the historic buildings of heritage cities non-polluting and energy efficient have only recently stirred the interest of researchers and policy makers in facing the necessary challenges. In southern Europe, most of these buildings are residential and are mainly listed at low grades of protection, allowing for significant transformation. This article quantitatively evaluates the indoor environment and energy performance of the residential heritage building stock under the severe summer conditions characteristic of the Mediterranean climate zone. The historic centre of Seville (Andalusia, Spain) is used as a case study. Three dwellings located in representative listed buildings within its conservation area were monitored and analysed taking occupant behaviour into account. The findings show that many dwellings may lack thermal comfort conditions, which cannot always be guaranteed by passive strategies alone. In addition, these buildings are more polluting than recently constructed ones because they depend entirely for their energy supply on the public electricity grid. Interestingly, in most cases reducing the mechanical cooling demand would not require intrusive physical interventions, but would largely rely on suitable window shading and nightly natural ventilation when outdoor conditions allow

Are the dwellings of historic Mediterranean cities cold in winter? A field assessment on their indoor environment and energy performance

Although European heritage buildings are excluded from energy efficiency targets, it would be beneficial to include the largest group, that of listed housing, in energy retrofit plans, in order to encourage its occupation and contributing to the sustainable maintenance of historic cities. This requires reliable experimental studies, which have been rare so far, in order to establish energy rehabilitation plans that do not jeopardize the conservation of their values. This paper aims to contribute to addressing this gap. It evaluates the energy performance and indoor environmental quality of dwellings within listed buildings of the conservation area of Seville, Spain, in the Mediterranean climate zone, under actual winter use and occupation conditions. An experimental campaign was conducted, generating energy models and measuring rates of indoor air temperature to validate them. The findings highlight important health and environmental issues: despite the mild winters of southern Spain, intensive use of the heating system is needed to maintain thermal comfort indoors, increasing polluting emissions; CO2 concentration in bedrooms is usually excessive overnight and, regularly, indoor relative humidity remains too high; heat losses depend entirely on the physical condition of the constructive elements (walls, roofs, air leakage and glazing) which occupants cannot easily improve

Towards an Energy Assessment on an Urban Scale for Retrofitting the Housing Stock in Mediterranean Cities

According to European Directive 2012/27/EU energy retrofitting of the current housing stock is being promoted. However, few studies have been carried out characterizing housing stock energy performance in order to incorporate energy retrofitting in cities in the southern Mediterranean area. The aim of this paper is to propose an energy assessment methodology on urban scale and to apply it to the southern Spanish province of Cadiz. This is followed by the generation of a predictive model for energy assessment in Mediterranean cities which could be further developed and used in the future to estimate overall energy efficiency on an urban scale