Aerodynamic Phenomena and the Shaping of Buildings and Urban Spaces

Jedną z charakterystycznych cech współczesnej cywilizacji jest tzw. transfer technologii, czyli przenikanie technologii tworzonych i eksploatowanych przez określone dziedziny przemysłu na inne pola. Przykładem na polu budownictwa jest wykorzystanie badań układów aerodynamicznych, powstających pod wpływem zderzenia mas powietrza z budynkami. Wywołują one określone efekty atmosferyczne w przestrzeniach miejskich, np. gwałtowne zawirowania i przyspieszanie wiatru, zastoje mgły, oraz mają kluczowe znaczenie dla przewietrzania miast. Artykuł jest próbą zaprezentowania, w jakim zakresie możliwe jest wykorzystanie wiedzy na temat zjawisk aerodynamicznych na potrzeby architektury i urbanistyki. Przedstawia także metody badawcze zarezerwowane dotychczas dla przemysłu lotniczego czy motoryzacyjnego, pozwalające na analizę układów aerodynamicznych, jakie tworzą się wokół budynku w relacji z zabudową sąsiadującą. Wykorzystano światowe przykłady budynków projektowanych w ostatnich latach, w przypadku których badania aerodynamiczne miały istotny wpływ na proces ich projektowania, oraz badania przeprowadzone we współpracy Wydziału Architektury i Wydziału Energetyki i Lotnictwa PW w ramach seminarium studenckiego Aerodynamika w architekturze. Wnioski końcowe dotyczą konieczności współpracy interdyscyplinarnej w projektowaniu budynków i układów urbanistycznych oraz wypracowania narzędzi wspomagających pracę architektów, jako niezbędnych warunków tworzenia architektury zrównoważonej – efektywnej pod względem ekologicznym, ekonomicznym i użytkowym.Dynamic air flows when hitting the surface of buildings cause a number of phenomena, which are essential to the comfort of utilizing buildings and urban spaces. They also harbor potential for ventilating cities, their sections and individual buildings, as well as the use of wind energy. The first part of the article tries to see if it is useful to use aerodynamic research (so far applied to aircraft industry or car industry) to the area of architecture and urbanism. The second part of the article presents a contemporary application of the research methods that allow analyzing the aerodynamic phenomena. These are characterized from the perspective of their usefulness in the process of designing buildings and directing air flows through urban structures. This is followed by examples of buildings for which reference to aerodynamic phenomena was essential to define basic conceptual assumption of the project and its successive concretization. Reference is also made to empirical testing of aerodynamic research to complete projects undertaken by students of the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw Technical University. Final conclusions draw on the need to find place for interdisciplinary cooperation in the process of designing buildings and urban settings, as well as elaboration of tools, which support the work of architects, as necessary conditions to create balanced architecture effective both from the perspective of ecology, economics and utility

Ecological Technologies for Urban Buildings – Research Directions

Współczesne duże miasta na całym świecie charakteryzują się dużą i wciąż rosnącą intensywnością zabudowy. Jest to tendencja utrwalona, którą pogłębia idea „miasta zwartego” jako rozwiązania problemu nadmiernego rozrastania terytorialnego i rozpraszania się struktury terenów miejskich. Jednocześnie realną potrzebą współczesnych miast jest poprawa jakości ich środowiska (eliminacja zanieczyszczeń, minimalizacja zjawiska miejskiej wyspa ciepła, ochrona naturalnych czynników środowiska itp.) oraz minimalizacja negatywnego oddziaływania miast na środowisko w ogólnym wymiarze (zmniejszenie energochłonności, zużycia surowców, redukcja opadów itp.).. Z jednej strony mamy więc do czynienia z wyjątkowymi trudnościami sytuacyjnymi budynków miejskich (np. ograniczenia dostępu promieniowania słonecznego, niska jakość powietrza, brak otwartych przestrzeni oraz zieleni), a z drugiej z wyzwaniami, które należy im stawiać (np. energooszczędność, wysoka jakość środowiska wnętrz, odpowiedzialne podejście do gospodarki materiałowej). Celem tego artykułu jest przybliżenie tych uwarunkowań, wskazanie najistotniejszych problemów do rozwiązania, a także grup rozwiązań technologicznych, które mogą okazać się szczególnie pomocne w tym zakresie. Wnioski dotyczą wytyczenia dalszych kierunków rozwoju technologii prośrodowiskowych dedykowanych budynkom lokalizowanym w dużych miastach, w strefach o dużej intensywności zabudowy. Odniesiono się do uwarunkowań klimatu umiarkowanego, charakterystycznego dla miast środkowoeuropejskich.Large modern cities all over the world are characterised by large and ever-increasing development intensity. This fixed tendency is intensified by the idea of a „compact city” that emerged as a solution to the problems posed by excessive territorial expansion of cities and urban sprawl. At the same time, improvement in quality of urban environment (that is elimination of pollution, minimisation of the urban heat island phenomenon, protection of natural environmental factors, etc.), as well as minimisation of negative impact of cities on the environment as such (by reducing energy consumption, raw material consumption and reduction in the amount of precipitation) appears as the real need of modern cities. On the one hand, we are dealing with eminent situational difficulties of urban buildings (such as limited access to sunlight, poor air quality, lack of open space and greenery). On the other hand, the challenges these buildings face (such as energy efficiency, high quality of interior environment and responsible approach to material management) need to be taken into consideration. The purpose of the following article is to approximate the above determinants, to identify the most vital issues to be solved, as well as to determine such groups of technological solutions that may prove particularly helpful in this regard. The conclusions concern the designation of future directions for development of pro-environment technologies dedicated to buildings that are located in large cities, especially in highly-condensed areas. Temperate climate, typical for cities situated in Central Europe, was referred to in the study

Wind Conditions at Pedestrian Level in Different Types of Residential Urban Development for a High Degree of Land Use Efficiency

This paper addresses wind conditions in urban building development at the pedestrian level. The article aimed to identify aerodynamic phenomena around three types of multi-family housing developments with different forms and the same urban parameters of building development density (high density was taken into account). The aim of the research was mainly to achieve qualitative results that would lead to understanding fundamental processes and phenomena. Wind tunnel experimental studies were conducted on physical models at a scale of 1: 400 using visualization and erosion methods. These experiments yielded data regarding the arrangement of airflow directions and changes in airflow velocity, expressed as the amplification coefficient (α), the occurrence of which was caused by the presence of buildings. An analysis was conducted concerning wind conditions that constitute pedestrian comfort and influence the possibility for ventilation of spaces between buildings for the three selected models. The research results were compared, and an attempt was made to assess the most beneficial and the least favorable building development types in this respect

Trees as a Shading System for Streets on the East–West Axis: Computer Simulations for the Selected Geometrical Proportions of Building Developments in Humid Continental Climate

The study is aimed at investigating the possibilities for solar protection provided to the street canyon located on the E–W axis and with the following profiles: shallow (height/width (H/W) = 0.2, 0.6, and 1) and deep (H/W = 2) by two rows of trees located at a distance of 3 m away from southern and northern façades. The research was based on numerical simulation analyses conducted in the Rhinoceros® program, with the application of the Ladybug Tools environmental plugin for a street set in the city of Płock (52° 32′50″N 19°42′00″E) for the day characterized with the highest total intensity of insolation within the year, 7 June, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The research yielded no differences in terms of shading the surface of the southern façade of streets with low, medium, and high building developments. However, slight differences (40 m²) were noted for the model with highrise building developments (h = 60 m) characterized with a deep section (H/W = 2). The simulation also revealed that the H/W ratio parameter only slightly (0.88%–1.93%) affected the share trees have in shading the street floor, except in the case of very shallow profiles (H/W = 0.2)

Sources of inspiration in designing ecological buildings. If not Pinterest than what?

Efektywność rozwiązań proekologicznych w budynkach zależy od tego, jak wcześnie w procesie projektowania zostanie zdefiniowany cel środowiskowy i na ile uda się powiązać go z fazą koncepcyjną projektu. Artykuł odnosi się do wstępnego etapu tworzenia koncepcji architektonicznej budynku, jakim jest poszukiwanie inspiracji i wiązanie ich z wiedzą dotyczącą rozwiązań proekologicznych. Podjęto tu rozważania na temat możliwości prośrodowiskowego kierunkowania inspiracji w projektowaniu architektonicznym i narzędzi, które mogłyby temu służyć. Zdaniem autorów ich brak jest zauważalny i ogranicza możliwości rozpowszechniania projektowania odpowiedzialnego środowiskowo. Zamierzeniem artykułu jest określenie ogólnej charakterystyki narzędzia, które mogłoby wypełnić ten brak. W tym celu dokonano analizy dwóch platform internetowych: popularnej platformy Pinterest, która choć nie jest przeznaczona bezpośrednio do projektowania architektonicznego, stanowi powszechne źródło inspiracji dla architektów i inwestorów, oraz specjalistycznej platformy Palette 2030 stworzonej jako baza danych ułatwiająca dotarcie do wiedzy na temat rozwiązań proekologicznych na wczesnym etapie projektowania. Wnioski dotyczą możliwości łączenia cech obu platform w celu usprawnienia wymiany informacji, doświadczeń i efektów, a także tworzenia podłoża dla wartościowych, pogłębionych ideowo, a nie jedynie wizualnych inspiracji.Efficiency of ecological measures for sustainable architecture depends greatly upon the moment in which it is defined as essential, and how early it can be applied during the design concept stage. The following article refers to inspiration, the initial stage of the design and means to combine it with substantial knowledge regarding ecological architecture. Means, such as computer programs were taken into consideration. Authors conclude that a visible void of viable tools in such regard is observable, which might lead to limited popularity of sustainable architecture in general. The article is mainly intended to evaluate the characteristic for a tool that could match the profile of ecological inspiration enhancer, and would be able to function in the reality of a complex architecture market. An assessment of two internet platforms was conducted for this purpose, namely Pinterest and Palette 2030. Pinterest, although not dedicated only to architects, found its way to the architects tool box thanks to its popularity among clients. Palette 2030, on the other hand, is a professional internet database that allows architects to access ecological knowledge at the early stage of the design process. Conclusions combine specific characteristics of both platforms in a way that would allow to estimate, if any potential solution for a tool with which to encourage smart, ecological solutions is possible

Integrating Digital Twin Technology Into Large Panel System Estates Retrofit Projects

As sustainability is now a standard for the proposed developments, the focus ought to be shifted towards the existing buildings and, among them, the worldwide stock of large panel system (LPS) buildings. Major upgrades and retrofits were done to some of the LPS estates in Germany and France, but a leading sustainable way must still be developed for LPS buildings in Eastern European countries, where apartments in those half-a-century-old estates are privately owned. Both sustainability and ownership issues make the demolition option redundant, and therefore the method for deep thermal retrofit and urban intervention is being developed with the use of BIM simulation tools. Digital twin (DT) technology allows for calibration to intertwine with the Internet of Things applications that reward the inhabitants for sustainable behaviour while feeding the relevant data back to the DT. Thanks to this, smart technology can be used to raise the level of social participation in the projects and thus help educate the end-users, which is paramount in establishing and maintaining good ecological habits, and as such, also for the efficacy and viability of the final endeavour. This article proposes a procedure of creating a 3D model typology repository for facilitating DT technology to provide a good analytical tool for community consultation and enable virtual testing of technical and urban solutions before implementation. It aims to determine the method for virtual technology to give deteriorating estates a new lease of life and improve their perception in the wider community while being a conduit for the adaptation of CEE to the digital revolution

Wind Conditions at Pedestrian Level in Different Types of Residential Urban Development for a High Degree of Land Use Efficiency

This paper addresses wind conditions in urban building development at the pedestrian level. The article aimed to identify aerodynamic phenomena around three types of multi-family housing developments with different forms and the same urban parameters of building development density (high density was taken into account). The aim of the research was mainly to achieve qualitative results that would lead to understanding fundamental processes and phenomena. Wind tunnel experimental studies were conducted on physical models at a scale of 1: 400 using visualization and erosion methods. These experiments yielded data regarding the arrangement of airflow directions and changes in airflow velocity, expressed as the amplification coefficient (α), the occurrence of which was caused by the presence of buildings. An analysis was conducted concerning wind conditions that constitute pedestrian comfort and influence the possibility for ventilation of spaces between buildings for the three selected models. The research results were compared, and an attempt was made to assess the most beneficial and the least favorable building development types in this respect