Thermal extras of vegetation walls in Belgrade climatic conditions

The goal of this research is to analyse the possibility of using vegetation walls in order to improve the thermal characteristics of office buildings in Belgrade's climatic conditions. The study analyses the possibility of integrating vegetation modules into the fa ades of office buildings. The paper shows the potential of vegetation technologies in the realisation offacade coverings of architectural buildings with a goal to reduce heat gained during summer time. The use of vegetation walls in architecture has opened up new planning possibilities and created planning conditions for reducing the energy necessary for cooling office buildings. Considering that interaction between the outer environment and inner solving the dependency between comfort, outer look and building's energy balance. This paper is presenting the possibility of using sustainable technologies for solving the problem of overheating in Belgrade's climatic conditions. The research considers the possibilities of using vertically greening systems in planning facade coverings, with an analysis of their thermal characteristics for climatic conditions in Belgrade

The living space: Psychological well-being and mental health in response to interiors presented in virtual reality

There has been a recent interest in how architecture affects mental health and psychological well-being, motivated by the fact that we spend the majority of our waking time inside and interacting with built environments. Some studies have investigated the psychological responses to indoor design parameters; for instance, contours, and proposed that curved interiors, when compared to angular ones, were aesthetically preferred and induced higher positive emotions. The present study aimed to systematically examine this hypothesis and further explore the impact of contrasting contours on affect, behavior, and cognition. We exposed 42 participants to four well-matched indoor living rooms under a free-exploration photorealistic virtual reality paradigm. We included style as an explorative second-level variable. Out of the 33 outcome variables measured, and after correcting for false discoveries, only two eventually confirmed differences in the contours analysis, in favor of angular rooms. Analysis of style primarily validated the contrast of our stimulus set, and showed significance in one other dependent variable. Results of additional analysis using the Bayesian framework were in line with those of the frequentist approach. The present results provide evidence against the hypothesis that curvature is preferred, suggesting that the psychological response to contours in a close-to-reality architectural setting could be more complex. This study, therefore, helps to communicate a more complete scientific view on the experience of interior spaces and proposes directions for necessary future research

Heat flux transmission assessment of a vegetation wall influence on the building envelope thermal conductivity in Belgrade climate

Vegetation integration in architectural buildings is one of the sustainable approaches for the building's facade development. The vegetation walls in architecture are innovative concepts of green building. This paper deals with the experimental and theoretical examination of vertically greened walls in the process of facade envelope optimization. The objective is to determine the contribution of the vegetation walls to the improvement of the energy properties of the envelope through experiments and models. The research analyzed the energy specificity of the vegetation walls and their contribution to the improvement of the thermal properties of the facade coating in Belgrade climatic conditions. For the research purposes, an experimental model was developed on which the relevant temperature values and thermal conductivity coefficients were measured. Measurements have shown that vegetation affects the reduction of the surface temperature of the envelope and affects the value of the thermal conductivity coefficient of the facade envelope. The research has shown that the facade wall containing plants has a significant influence on the temperature balance in the facade of the building. The methodology presented in this paper is based on the analysis of the climate characteristics in the measuring area, measurement of temperature values in the experimental model and comparative analysis. During the experiment, the vegetation elements were treated as elements that influence the facade envelope overheating reduction. It has been concluded, from previous researches, that by using the vegetation walls, the south-oriented wall has a lower thermal absorption and a lesser value of heat flux. Data analysis enabled the assessment of the thermal insulation efficiency of the wall using vegetation during the summer period. The proposed methodology enables a quantitative analysis of the effects of vertical greenery

Potentials for improving energy performance of multifamily housing blocks connected to the district heating system

Developments conceived following the principles of Athens Charter were typical form of urban answer to the post-war housing shortage and during the decades of intense construction activity that followed. In city of Belgrade, multifamily housing in open city blocks built between 1961 and 1990 account for about 40% of current housing stock. The current ownership and operation of these housing blocks derive from their socialist legacy: home-owners rights relate only to the buildings, excluding any open spaces, even the ones immediately along the building’s perimeter. On the other hand, heating is supplied by district heating system. Management of open spaces as well as provision of district heating are subordinates to local municipality (the city of Belgrade). Energy efficiency related refurbishment options for these developments that would engage both the home-owners and the public companies may be the key for bringing ever-needed modernization, prolonged lifespan and a sustainable way of using this portion of housing stock. By applying simple architectural measures, energy demand for heating of these buildings can be reduced by 30-78%, which opens a pathway for effective use of renewable energy sources. Unlike solar energy, which can be managed at building level, geothermal energy can be exploited only at the district level due to the ownership rights. The presented research explores the effectiveness of using geo-thermal energy at a district level coupled with systematic approach to building refurbishment, taking the advantage of the repetitive use of the same building design and the formal and practical relations with local authorities