A Method for Evaluation of Streetscapes: Relationship between Visual Entropy and Interesting Streetscape

The present research studies the complexity of urban facades, which is related to the visual diversity and correlation of the components of urban facades. It studies how the complexity of urban facades affects their desirability amongst citizens and what their preferences are when it comes to facade complexity. In addition, it addresses the complexity of urban facades in both quantitative and qualitative forms and investigates the relationship between quantitative and qualitative data and the desirability of using the correlation analysis method in urban facades. To obtain quantitative data, a survey was conducted on Nowshahr citizens, and the data was analyzed through MATLAB software. The data obtained is the image entropy, which indicates the number of image irregularities. The results indicated that the Nowshahr citizens prefer the second complexity level, then the first complexity level, followed by the third complexity level, and finally the fourth complexity level, respectively. There is a slight correlation in the results of the quantitative-qualitative data comparison. Therefore, using entropy as a measure of complexity cannot be confirmed in this study, and further research is needed

Urban views and their impacts on citizens: A grounded theory study of Sanandaj city

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The effect of geometry and location of balconies on single-sided natural ventilation in high-rise buildings

The demand for housing and the expansion of urbanization have increased the price of land and vertical growth of buildings, resulting in converting the courtyard and porch to balconies. Nowadays, semi-open spaces, which play a critical role in providing optimal indoor air and thermal conditions, are neglected. In addition, the area of such spaces is regarded as limited and sometimes even the balcony is eliminated, leading to improper thermal behavior and increased energy consumption, while such elements can be used for better natural ventilation of spaces and utilization of natural energy, resulting in reducing energy consumption in addition to controlling the pressure created by the wind in the case of correct design. The purpose of the current paper is to evaluate the performance of balconies on the high-rise buildings using single-sided ventilation in the harsh hot-arid climate of Hamdan in Iran, which there has not been studied already A general basic model is presented according to field studies and criteria. Field survey indicates that most of the high-rise buildings in Hamedan have single-sided natural ventilation, as well as are located on the south side, have a rectangular shape, are enclosed on three sides, and have recessed balconies. Based on the climate data of Hamedan, July is considered the hottest month of the year, during which natural ventilation should be applied. Simulation is conducted by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method and ANSYS software. Based on the results, 4.5 m width and 1.5 m depth are regarded as the best geometry of the balcony for Hamedan providing a mass flow rate up to 1.38 kg/s. In addition, the position of the balcony in the wall of the building should not be symmetrical. The usage of a balcony in the middle of the façade could provide higher ventilation rate and reduce cooling energy up to 7% compared with the base case. Through a meticulous balcony design, wind could path through the larger spaces then it is led towards the opposite window, and finally exits the building in a single-sided ventilation mode. This causes the air to flow in most of the interior spaces, leading to better ventilation than other methods

A Model for Locating Tall Buildings through a Visual Analysis Approach

Tall buildings have become an integral part of cities despite all their pros and cons. Some current tall buildings have several problems because of their unsuitable location; the problems include increasing density, imposing traffic on urban thoroughfares, blocking view corridors, etc. Some of these buildings have destroyed desirable views of the city. In this research, different criteria have been chosen, such as environment, access, social-economic, land-use, and physical context. These criteria and sub-criteria are prioritized and weighted by the analytic network process (ANP) based on experts’ opinions, using Super Decisions V2.8 software. On the other hand, layers corresponding to sub-criteria were made in ArcGIS 10.3 simultaneously, then via a weighted overlay (map algebra), a locating plan was created. In the next step seven hypothetical tall buildings (20 stories), in the best part of the locating plan, were considered to evaluate how much of theses hypothetical buildings would be visible (fuzzy visibility) from the street and open spaces throughout the city. These processes have been modeled by MATLAB software, and the final fuzzy visibility plan was created by ArcGIS. Fuzzy visibility results can help city managers and planners to choose which location is suitable for a tall building and how much visibility may be appropriate. The proposed model can locate tall buildings based on technical and visual criteria in the future development of the city and it can be widely used in any city as long as the criteria and weights are localized

Modeling Nearly Zero Energy Buildings for Sustainable Development in Rural Areas

The energy performance of buildings and energy-saving measures have been widely investigated in recent years. However, little attention has been paid to buildings located in rural areas. The aim of this study is to assess the energy performance of two-story residential buildings located in the mountainous village of Palangan in Iran and to evaluate the impact of multiple parameters, namely building orientation, window-to-wall ratio (WWR), glazing type, shading devices, and insulation, on its energy performance. To attain a nearly zero energy building design in rural areas, the building is equipped with photovoltaic modules. The proposed building design is then economically evaluated to ensure its viability. The findings indicate that an energy saving of 29% can be achieved compared to conventional buildings, and over 22 MWh of electricity can be produced on an annual basis. The payback period is assessed at 21.7 years. However, energy subsidies are projected to be eliminated in the near future, which in turn may reduce the payback period

Locating pocket parks: Assessing the effects of land use and accessibility on the public presence

Nowadays, pocket parks can serve people's interests as outdoor recreational spaces. Existence of these spaces is essential, but it may be challenging to establish and maintain them in some neighborhoods for a variety of reasons. This study aimed to compare land use and accessibility as two main factors that affect choosing appropriate places for these mini-parks. For this purpose, we assessed the effect of these variables on public presence. A survey was conducted among N = 376 respondents, including Baharestan neighborhood residents. We also used Space syntax to investigate residents' access to green local space. The results indicated that the effects that location had concerning packet parks greatly overshadowed the effects of accessibility. It was additionally concluded that, the different types of commercial land use are more closely associated with people's attendance rather than the scale of land use. The findings will help urban planners and authorities to make better decisions towards choosing better pocket park locations in our cities