Daylighting Performance of Solar Control Films for Hospital Buildings in a Mediterranean Climate

One of the main retrofitting strategies in warm climates is the reduction of the effects of solar radiation. Cooling loads, and in turn, cooling consumption, can be reduced through the implementation of reflective materials such as solar control films. However, these devices may also negatively affect daylight illuminance conditions and the electric consumption of artificial lighting systems. In a hospital building, it is crucial to meet daylighting requirements as well as indoor illuminance levels and visibility from the inside, as these have a significant impact on health outcomes. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the influence on natural illuminance conditions of a solar control film installed on the windows of a public hospital building in a Mediterranean climate. To this end, a hospital room, with and without solar film, was monitored for a whole year. A descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on the use of artificial lighting, illuminance levels and rolling shutter aperture levels, as well as an analysis of natural illuminance and electric consumption of the artificial lighting system. The addition of a solar control film to the external surface of the window, in combination with the user-controlled rolling shutter aperture levels, has reduced the electric consumption of the artificial lighting system by 12.2%. Likewise, the solar control film has increased the percentage of annual hours with natural illuminance levels by 100–300 lux

Indoor Air Quality Assessment: Comparison of Ventilation Scenarios for Retrofitting Classrooms in a Hot Climate

Current energy e ciency policies in buildings foster the promotion of energy retrofitting of the existing stock. In southern Spain, the most extensive public sector is that of educational buildings, which is especially subject to significant internal loads due to high occupancy. A large fraction of the energy retrofit strategies conducted to date have focused on energy aspects and indoor thermal comfort, repeatedly disregarding indoor air quality criteria. This research assesses indoor air quality in a school located in the Mediterranean area, with the objective of promoting di erent ventilation scenarios, based on occupancy patterns and carbon dioxide levels monitored on site. Results show that manual ventilation cannot guarantee minimum indoor quality levels following current standards. A constant ventilation based on CO2 levels allows 15% more thermal comfort hours a year to be reached, compared to CO2-based optimized demand-controlled ventilation. Nevertheless, the latter ensures 35% annual energy savings, compared to a constant CO2-based ventilation, and 37% more annual energy savings over that of a constant ventilation rate of outdoor air per person

Assessment of Indoor Environmental Quality for Retrofitting Classrooms with An Egg-Crate Shading Device in A Hot Climate

In the Mediterranean climate, a large number of educational buildings suffer from discomfort due mostly to energy-deficient thermal envelopes and a lack of cooling systems. Impending climate change is expected to worsen overheating in classrooms, especially during heatwave periods. Therefore, the protection of window openings to reduce incident solar radiation while maintaining adequate indoor environmental quality must be considered a necessary key focus. The main objective of this research is to assess the influence of an egg-crate shading device on the indoor environmental quality of a classroom in Southern Spain. To do so, two classrooms—with and without this shading device—were simultaneously monitored over a whole year. The implementation of an egg-crate shading device allowed for a significant reduction of the incident solar radiation, both in summer and mid-season (around 45–50%), which objectively slightly conditioned indoor operative temperatures. Given the noticeable influence of the user patterns observed, indoor illuminance was also improved, as the rolling shutters tended to be opened at higher aperture levels

Thermal and Lighting Consumption Savings in Classrooms Retrofitted with Shading Devices in a Hot Climate

Most educational buildings in southern Spain do not meet current energy requirements as weak thermal envelopes and the lack of cooling systems lead to severe discomfort in classrooms, especially when temperatures are above 30 °C. Given that global warming is expected to worsen this situation in coming decades, one of the first steps to be taken is to protect window openings from high levels of solar radiation by adding shading devices to reduce indoor temperatures and improve visual comfort. The aim of this research is to evaluate the reduction in thermal and lighting consumption in a classroom where a solar protection system in the form of an egg-crate shading device was installed. Two classrooms—one with an egg-crate device and another with no shading system—were monitored and compared for a whole year. The use of an egg-crate device in these classrooms reduced indoor operative temperatures during warmer periods while also improving indoor natural illuminance levels. Moreover, annual electric air conditioning consumption decreased by approximately 20%, with a 50% reduction in electric lighting consumption. These savings in electricity were largely conditioned by the use patterns observed in these ambient systems.Spanish government BIA2014-53949-RMinistry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spanish GovernmentEuropean Regional Development Fun

Assessment of Indoor Environmental Quality for Retrofitting Classrooms with An Egg-Crate Shading Device in A Hot Climate

In the Mediterranean climate, a large number of educational buildings suffer from discomfort due mostly to energy-deficient thermal envelopes and a lack of cooling systems. Impending climate change is expected to worsen overheating in classrooms, especially during heatwave periods. Therefore, the protection of window openings to reduce incident solar radiation while maintaining adequate indoor environmental quality must be considered a necessary key focus. The main objective of this research is to assess the influence of an egg-crate shading device on the indoor environmental quality of a classroom in Southern Spain. To do so, two classrooms—with and without this shading device—were simultaneously monitored over a whole year. The implementation of an egg-crate shading device allowed for a significant reduction of the incident solar radiation, both in summer and mid-season (around 45–50%), which objectively slightly conditioned indoor operative temperatures. Given the noticeable influence of the user patterns observed, indoor illuminance was also improved, as the rolling shutters tended to be opened at higher aperture levels

Modelo interregional de selvicultura para Pinus pinea L. : aproximación mediante funciones con componentes aleatorios

Se presenta un modelo general integrado para el crecimiento y producción de madera y piña para Pinus pinea L. El modelo propuesto es de tipo estocástico, empírico, árbol individual, independiente de la distancia, y está definido para cuatro de las regiones españolas con mayor presencia de la especie: Andalucía Occidental, Meseta Norte, Sistema Central y Cataluña. El modelo desarrollado constituye una herramienta de gestión selvícola, al permitir simular la evolución y producción de las masas regulares de Pinus pinea L. bajo diferrentes supuestos de gestión El modelo general permite inferir el valor de variables selvícolas de interés a partir de un número reducido de variables de entrada (diámetro individual, altura dominante y edad de la masa). Para un instante determinado el modelo estima la altura de cada árbol, la forma del fuste, el volumen individual de madera con clasificación de productos y la producción de pinal. El modelo incluye además una función para el crecimiento en altura dominante de la masa y una función para el crecimiento en diámetro del árbol individual, que permiten definir y caracterizar la evolución futura de la masa. Para evitar los problemas de inferencia estadística derivados de la falta de independencia entre las observaciones, las funciones que componene el modelo general quedan formuladas como modelos mixtos. La inclusión de componentes aleatorios permite dotar al modelo de carácter estocástico y facilita la calibración del modelo para su aplicación en nuevos rodales

Daylighting and Energy Performance Evaluation of an Egg-Crate Device for Hospital Building Retrofitting in a Mediterranean Climate

Hospital buildings present a significant savings potential in order to meet the objectives of H2020. The improvement of healthcare built environments contributes to improving the health of patients. In this respect, passive measurements must be prioritized, especially in relation to the weakest element of the building thermal enclosure: the window opening. Shading devices allow solar radiation and indoor temperature to be controlled, as well as improving visual comfort, mostly in buildings with a Mediterranean climate. This factor is of great importance when considering the increase in outdoor temperatures expected due to climate change. Unlike other studies in which predictive models are implemented, this paper examines a methodology based on the simultaneous monitoring of ambient variables, in real use and operative conditions, for two hospital rooms located in southern Spain. The aim of this research is to provide a comparative assessment of ambient conditions in a standard room with an egg-crate device and in a non-shaded one. The use of an egg-crate device allows a better yearly performance, improving natural illuminance levels, reducing incident solar radiation on the window, and decreasing artificial lighting consumption. However, its efficiency is greatly conditioned by the user patterns in relation to ambient systems, as the blind aperture level and the activation of the lighting system are directly controlled by users

Modelos de masa para orientar la gestión de Pinus pinea L. en el noreste de España

A yield model was developed to simulate silviculture alternatives for Pinus pinea L. in north-east Spain (Catalonia). The model uses several functions to estimate the main silvicultural parameters at stand level and a disaggregation system to predict diameter distributions. From a network of 75 temporary plots a system of equations to predict stand variables was simultaneously fitted for two stand density types, namely low and high density stands, using the threestage least-squares method (3SLS). The diameter distributions were estimated by the Weibull distribution function using the parameter recovery method (PRM) and the method of moments. Based on this yield model, two silviculture alternatives were simulated for each stand density type and site class, resulting in 16 silviculture scenarios. The yield model and silviculture alternatives offer a management tool and a guide for the sustainable forest management of evenaged Pinus pinea forests in this region. Se ha desarrollado un modelo de masa como base para orientar la gestión de Pinus pinea L. en el noreste de España (Cataluña). El modelo integra diferentes funciones que permiten evaluar las principales variables forestales a nivel de rodal, incluyendo un sistema de desagregación para la estimación de las distribuciones diamétricas. A partir de los datos de una red de 75 parcelas temporales y diferenciando dos tipologías de masa en función de la densidad, masas claras y densas, se ajustaron simultáneamente sistemas de ecuaciones utilizando el método de estimación de mínimos cuadrados en tres etapas. Las funciones obtenidas predicen las principales variables de masa para las dos tipologías. Las distribuciones diamétricas se obtuvieron a partir de la función de distribución de Weibull, utilizando el método de recuperación de parámetros (PRM) y el método de los momentos. Finalmente, se simularon dos alternativas selvícolas para cada tipología de masa (claras, densas) y calidad de estación, resultando 16 escenarios selvícolas. El modelo de masa y las alternativas selvícolas obtenidas se presentan como una herramienta útil para el gestor y una guía para la gestión sostenible de las masas de Pinus pinea en esta región

Inter-annual variability in Prosopis caldenia pod production in the Argentinean semiarid pampas: A modelling approach

Producción CientíficaThe driest part of the Argentinean pampas is occupied by semiarid woodlands dominates by Prosopis caldenia Burkart (Calden). Calden pods are a highly valuable fodder supplement for livestock but its production is highly variable. Our objective was to analyze and model the temporal pattern in inter-annual variability of Calden pod production. Our key hypothesis is that weather conditions are the main determinant of the pod masting behavior. Tree size and climatic variables were evaluated as explanatory covariates using a zero-inflated log-normal modelling approach. The proposed final model structure incorporated 25 parameters, including four variance components, two intercepts for both the logistic and the log-normal parts of the model, and nineteen parameters associated with fixed effects. Climate had a strong influence on the flowering-fruiting Calden process and on the inter-annual variability of the final pod production at the tree level. Temperatures during bud breaking, flowering and fruit shedding, together with the precipitation from the final month of fruit shedding and the total amount of the prior vegetative cycle, were the main weather covariates that affect the processes

Evaluation of Thermal Comfort Conditions in Retrofitted Facades Using Test Cells and Considering Overheating Scenarios in a Mediterranean Climate

Energy retrofitting of the housing stock is a priority in current regulatory standards as a means of reducing energy consumption. The strategies used in retrofitting housing stock ought to respond both to regulatory conditions and to two challenges: specific climate conditions and the improvement of comfort conditions. These issues are especially important in the warmer regions of the Mediterranean, and will be even more so in the future due to climate change. The aimof this paper is to assess the influence that the improvement of facade insulation and the use of ventilation have on the existing housing stock. To do so, an energy evaluation is conducted using on-site monitoring of free-running conditions in test cells reproducing a residential room, both in current condition and with the retrofitted proposal, in Seville (Spain). The results obtained show limited improvement of the facade insulation when outdoor temperatures are high, as well as the influence of ventilation, mainly nocturnal, depending on the ventilation rate and the minimum outdoor temperatures