Building parameters that influence overheating of apartment buildings in a temperate climate in Southern Europe

Overheating in dwellings is a global concern that is increasing due to global warming and more frequent and extreme heatwaves. This study assesses the relationship between different building parameters (built period, floor level, orientation, window area and solar shading) and compares indoor overheating hours during summer in twelve apartments monitored in Pamplona (North of Spain). They were selected as samples from different Spanish built periods related to different energy regulations, without mechanical cooling and with some kind of exterior solar shading. Overheating hours were calculated using the UNE-EN 16798 standard, which establishes a maximum acceptable operative temperature. This limit is adaptive and it is defined as the exponentially weighted running mean of the daily outdoor temperature. Multilevel mixed-effects linear and logistic regressions were used to analyse and compare overheating hours. Floor level, window area and solar shading were the parameters that showed a significant relationship with indoor overheating hours (p < 0.01). Orientation and built period did not reach a statistically significant value (p > 0.01). It is particularly noteworthy that the apartments built under the current Spanish Energy Regulations (after 2006) do not show a significant reduction in indoor overheating hours compared to those built without any energy regulations. This assessment reveals that current building energy regulations may not be enough to avoid overheating or ensure adaptation to warmer conditions. Therefore, this study contributes to establishing the main building parameters to improve in order to adapt Spanish apartment buildings to warming conditions in temperate climates

Influence of the Water Vapour Permeability of Airtight Sheets on the Behaviour of Facade

The air-tightness of the thermal envelope of buildings is one of the measures to reduce their energy demands in order to achieve global warming reduction targets. To this end, airtight sheets with different water vapour permeability characteristics are used. The different products studied are highly dispersed in terms of equivalent air thickness values, leading to confusion. After the analysis carried out, it is concluded that all airtight sheets are vapour barriers. To clarify whether or not these sheets are necessary as vapour barriers, a condensation analysis was carried out on 13 different facades for 3 climate zones with severe winters as defined in Spanish regulations. The results reveal that interstitial condensation occurs in only 7 of the 39 case studies, with the traditional facades of brickwork with render causing the greatest problems if the appropriate products are not used. In these cases, airtight sheets with water vapour barrier characteristics must be applied on the interior face of the insulating material. In all other cases (32), the airtight sheets must be permeable to water vapour if it is looked for a more breathable wall to water vapour and a better control of the interior humidity conditions

Difficulties in the energy renovation processes of district heating buildings. Two case studies in a temperate climate

Renovation at district scale is a key strategy to reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumptions by optimising the implementation of renewable energy sources and taking advantage of economies of scale. In this context, this paper focuses on assessing the positive impacts and difficulties after the energy rehabilitation of thermal envelopes in two buildings that belong to two different District Heating systems. The methodology is based on the comparative analysis of indoor temperatures data and energy consumption data of 17 monitored dwellings. The results showed a significant association between the improvement of envelopes and the increase of indoor temperatures in winter (β=0,644). Due to some technical and social barriers, the heating system was not regulated after the rehabilitation, so energy consumption was unnecessarily high, there were situations of indoor overheating in winter (maximum average indoor temperatures between 24-26°C) and these issues produced dissatisfaction on neighbours. In order to avoid these negative consequences, some recommendations are provided, such as informing neighbours about expectations in each step of the long rehabilitation process, reconsidering payments to promote the envelope rehabilitation but maintaining a fixed cost to protect vulnerable groups, and promoting post-occupational studies that contribute to the viability and up-date of this kind of District Heating systems

Encouraging natural ventilation to improve indoor environmental conditions at schools. Case studies in the north of Spain before and during COVID

The COVID pandemic has strongly affected daily life both in Spanish schools and worldwide. Providing the best environmental conditions for children allowing face-to-face learning with healthy and safe indoor spaces is a challenge. In the present study, empirical research about how these environmental conditions change with COVID is presented comparing the situation from March 2020 to January 2021. The methodology combines surveys conducted in nine schools with a case study in a selected school where a detailed monitoring of the building was developed during both heating seasons. This data ana- lyzes the impact of the new COVID prevention protocols on indoor environmental conditions (especially those related to natural ventilation). Results show a mean CO2 reduction of 1,400 ppm, having in the sec- ond term values around 1,000 ppm, although temperatures diminished nearly 2 °C to mean values of 18 °C. Evolution of temperature and CO2 concentration throughout the day was also analyzed, being these indoor conditions especially important for the children with poorer health. Mechanical ventilation with heating recovery should complement natural ventilation, at least during the coldest months or hours of the day, although systems have to be carefully designed and installed to work effectively

A new regulatory mechanism of protein phosphatase 2A activity via SET in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy. Although novel emerging drugs are available, the overall prognosis remains poor and new therapeutic approaches are required. PP2A phosphatase is a key regulator of cell homeostasis and is recurrently inactivated in AML. The anticancer activity of several PP2A-activating drugs (e.g., FTY720) depends on their interaction with the SET oncoprotein, an endogenous PP2A inhibitor that is overexpressed in 30% of AML cases. Elucidation of SET regulatory mechanisms may therefore provide novel targeted therapies for SET-overexpressing AMLs. Here, we show that upregulation of protein kinase p38 beta is a common event in AML. We provide evidence that p38 beta potentiates SET-mediated PP2A inactivation by two mechanisms: facilitating SET cytoplasmic translocation through CK2 phosphorylation, and directly binding to and stabilizing the SET protein. We demonstrate the importance of this new regulatory mechanism in primary AML cells from patients and in zebrafish xenograft models. Accordingly, combination of the CK2 inhibitor CX-4945, which retains SET in the nucleus, and FTY720, which disrupts the SET-PP2A binding in the cytoplasm, significantly reduces the viability and migration of AML cells. In conclusion, we show that the p38 beta/CK2/SET axis represents a new potential therapeutic pathway in AML patients with SET-dependent PP2A inactivation

Proyecto, investigación e innovación en urbanismo, arquitectura y diseño industrial

Actas de congresoLas VII Jornadas de Investigación “Encuentro y Reflexión” y I Jornadas de Investigación de becarios y doctorandos. Proyecto, investigación e innovación en Urbanismo, Arquitectura y Diseño Industrial se centraron en cuatro ejes: el proyecto; la dimensión tecnológica y la gestión; la dimensión social y cultural y la enseñanza en Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño Industrial, sustentados en las líneas prioritarias de investigación definidas epistemológicamente en el Consejo Asesor de Ciencia y Tecnología de esta Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Con el objetivo de afianzar continuidad, formación y transferencia de métodos, metodología y recursos se incorporó becarios y doctorandos de los Institutos de investigación. La Comisión Honoraria la integraron las tres Secretarias de Investigación de la Facultad, arquitectas Marta Polo, quien fundó y María del Carmen Franchello y Nora Gutiérrez Crespo quienes continuaron la tradición de la buena práctica del debate en la cotidianeidad de la propia Facultad. Los textos que conforman las VII Jornadas son los avances y resultados de las investigaciones realizadas en el bienio 2016-2018.Fil: Novello, María Alejandra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Repiso, Luciana. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Mir, Guillermo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Brizuela, Natalia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Herrera, Fernanda. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Períes, Lucas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Romo, Claudia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Gordillo, Natalia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Andrade, Elena Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; Argentin

VIII Encuentro de Docentes e Investigadores en Historia del Diseño, la Arquitectura y la Ciudad

Acta de congresoLa conmemoración de los cien años de la Reforma Universitaria de 1918 se presentó como una ocasión propicia para debatir el rol de la historia, la teoría y la crítica en la formación y en la práctica profesional de diseñadores, arquitectos y urbanistas. En ese marco el VIII Encuentro de Docentes e Investigadores en Historia del Diseño, la Arquitectura y la Ciudad constituyó un espacio de intercambio y reflexión cuya realización ha sido posible gracias a la colaboración entre Facultades de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño de la Universidad Nacional y la Facultad de Arquitectura de la Universidad Católica de Córdoba, contando además con la activa participación de mayoría de las Facultades, Centros e Institutos de Historia de la Arquitectura del país y la región. Orientado en su convocatoria tanto a docentes como a estudiantes de Arquitectura y Diseño Industrial de todos los niveles de la FAUD-UNC promovió el debate de ideas a partir de experiencias concretas en instancias tales como mesas temáticas de carácter interdisciplinario, que adoptaron la modalidad de presentación de ponencias, entre otras actividades. En el ámbito de VIII Encuentro, desarrollado en la sede Ciudad Universitaria de Córdoba, se desplegaron numerosas posiciones sobre la enseñanza, la investigación y la formación en historia, teoría y crítica del diseño, la arquitectura y la ciudad; sumándose el aporte realizado a través de sus respectivas conferencias de Ana Clarisa Agüero, Bibiana Cicutti, Fernando Aliata y Alberto Petrina. El conjunto de ponencias que se publican en este Repositorio de la UNC son el resultado de dos intensas jornadas de exposiciones, cuyos contenidos han posibilitado actualizar viejos dilemas y promover nuevos debates. El evento recibió el apoyo de las autoridades de la FAUD-UNC, en especial de la Secretaría de Investigación y de la Biblioteca de nuestra casa, como así también de la Facultad de Arquitectura de la UCC; va para todos ellos un especial agradecimiento

Building parameters that influence overheating of apartment buildings in a temperate climate in Southern Europe

Overheating in dwellings is a global concern that is increasing due to global warming and more frequent and extreme heatwaves. This study assesses the relationship between different building parameters (built period, floor level, orientation, window area and solar shading) and compares indoor overheating hours during summer in twelve apartments monitored in Pamplona (North of Spain). They were selected as samples from different Spanish built periods related to different energy regulations, without mechanical cooling and with some kind of exterior solar shading. Overheating hours were calculated using the UNE-EN 16798 standard, which establishes a maximum acceptable operative temperature. This limit is adaptive and it is defined as the exponentially weighted running mean of the daily outdoor temperature. Multilevel mixed-effects linear and logistic regressions were used to analyse and compare overheating hours. Floor level, window area and solar shading were the parameters that showed a significant relationship with indoor overheating hours (p < 0.01). Orientation and built period did not reach a statistically significant value (p > 0.01). It is particularly noteworthy that the apartments built under the current Spanish Energy Regulations (after 2006) do not show a significant reduction in indoor overheating hours compared to those built without any energy regulations. This assessment reveals that current building energy regulations may not be enough to avoid overheating or ensure adaptation to warmer conditions. Therefore, this study contributes to establishing the main building parameters to improve in order to adapt Spanish apartment buildings to warming conditions in temperate climates

Influence of the Water Vapour Permeability of Airtight Sheets on the Behaviour of Facade

The air-tightness of the thermal envelope of buildings is one of the measures to reduce their energy demands in order to achieve global warming reduction targets. To this end, airtight sheets with different water vapour permeability characteristics are used. The different products studied are highly dispersed in terms of equivalent air thickness values, leading to confusion. After the analysis carried out, it is concluded that all airtight sheets are vapour barriers. To clarify whether or not these sheets are necessary as vapour barriers, a condensation analysis was carried out on 13 different facades for 3 climate zones with severe winters as defined in Spanish regulations. The results reveal that interstitial condensation occurs in only 7 of the 39 case studies, with the traditional facades of brickwork with render causing the greatest problems if the appropriate products are not used. In these cases, airtight sheets with water vapour barrier characteristics must be applied on the interior face of the insulating material. In all other cases (32), the airtight sheets must be permeable to water vapour if it is looked for a more breathable wall to water vapour and a better control of the interior humidity conditions