Rainwater harvesting system and risk management application

Submitted paper presents risk assessment using risk analysis of the rainwater harvesting system. The aim of this article is to present selected approach in risk factors identification within proposed RWH system evaluation for an experimental family house. In our case, we were able to collect helpful information from questionnaires that later facilitated the risk identification as well as risk assessment phase along with the aid of brainstorming activities within a team of experts. The results from the risk analysis were verified by the AHP and empirical multilevel comprehensive evaluation, which was also found to be useful

Zero energy balance proposal for office buildings

The paper discusses the issue of prediction of electric energy production using a photovoltaic system which is directly installed at the administrative building. The problem with solar energy, which has been transformed using photovoltaic systems for electricity, is the low capacity to accumulate an excess of produced electricity. This excess of electricity we link within the power grid to send outside the building where the energy was produced to be consumed elsewhere. In this way, we achieve the highest possible utilisation of electricity produced within the boundaries of thebuilding itself. One option is to create opportunities to recharge electric vehicles during working hours, at the time when the production of electricity is the highest but the consumption of electricity is not

The Synergy of Living and Water Wall in Indoor Environment-Case Study in City of Brno, Czech Republic

The indoor environment that surrounds us and the elements in it affect not only our mood but also the air quality. Vegetation elements are currently more popular, especially for their aesthetic value but also because of the fact that they affect the physical parameters of the indoor environment such as temperature and humidity. Water elements are a similar example. The presented paper combines these two elements to achieve the best possible level of thermal comfort. Experimental verification of the influence of the living wall on air temperature and humidity took place during the heating season in the city of Brno in the space of the university, while three scenarios were created: the effect of the living wall in a semi-open space, an enclosed space, and a space with a water wall with regulated water temperature. The potential of the water wall is determined based on experimental verification in laboratory conditions. The results show that the synergy of the living and water wall in the indoor space may eliminate the risk of too-low humidity during the heating season

Hydrological Performance of Green Roofs

There should be a balance between artificial environment and natural environment. As forests, fields, gardens and urban lands are being replaced with bituminous, concrete and unnatural surfaces, necessity of recovering green and blue spaces and natural areas is becoming more and more critical. Green roof is a tool in strategy of making more pervious areas and beating more impervious areas. Green roof is lately becoming part of urban storm water management. Considering this fact, new construction solutions help green roofs become blue roofs. Typical green roof is becoming an increasingly popular solution of impervious roof top of the building. New construction solutions with temporary water reservoirs help the original green roof become retention blue roof. Storm water management should enable the natural processes to infiltrate, evapo-transpire or capture and use storm water on or near the site, potentially generating other environmental benefits. The water cycle should be managed to close the loop, although this is not always possible. Rainwater needs to be harvested and recycled. Surface water needs to be retained within the site and returned to the land for the recharging of groundwater by means of filtration beds, pervious roadways and built surfaces, retention ponds and bio- swales. Water used in the built environment needs to be recovered and reused wherever possible. The aim of this article is to lay out technical specifications of different green roofs in terms of water retention, discharge coefficient and water storage. In this article, different roofs with vegetation on the top of the roofs are described. Diverse roof layers creating diverse roof constructions have different features. Capability of different roofs for catching rainwater, reducing pollutants, compared to typical water runoff, entering watershed and keeping liters out of the city sewer system are one of the main goals of this article. Novelty in co-operation of landscape and dwelling is bringing nature to the city, making green and blue fashionable, making green-blue roof fifth living façade of the building, designing healthy and vegetated towns. Very old method of improving sustainability is introducing green and blue key elements in the environmental strategy

Eksperymentalne zielone dachy - porównanie standardowej i zielonej warstwy z kombinacją biowęgla

The paper describes four experimental roofs located on the building of the library at the Technical University of Kosice and that represent two types of green roofs. The experimental roofs are designed based on research dealing with green roofs and their retention qualities, their impact on the microclimate and the possibility of using rain and gray water that could be filtrated through the media of these structures. The paper describes the world-wide conditions facing the issue of green roofs. The idea of this article is to use a new additive to standard green roof layers - biochar. The paper is intended to serve as a theoretical point of view, but it can also be beneficial in practice and the green roof industry.W artykule przedstawiono cztery eksperymentalne modele, reprezentujące dwa rodzaje zielonych dachów, wykonanych na budynku biblioteki Politechniki Koszyckiej. Modele eksperymentalne zostały zaprojektowane na podstawie badań dotyczących dachów zielonych z uwzględnieniem: właściwości retencyjnych, wpływu na mikroklimat oraz możliwości wykorzystania deszczu i szarej wody, które mogłyby być filtrowane przez warstwy dachu. Opisano ogólnoświatowe podejścia do rozwiązania problemu. Ideą artykułu jest zastosowanie nowego dodatku, jakim jest biowęgiel, do standardowych warstw dachu zielonego. Artykuł omawia problem z teoretycznego punktu widzenia, ale może być również użyteczny dla zastosowań praktycznych i przemysłu dachów zielonych

Impact of blue space in architecture and possibilities of using

Trends in contemporary architecture are design environmentally, economically and socially sustainable buildings. When possible, where space permits, buildings are designed in harmony and contact with nature, water. Human's relationship to water and nature in the course of history changed. Water has a very special quality as an element in landscape design. Over many centuries and in many countries it has in turn been acknowledged and exploited, and it has inspired. It has been a great provider not only in physical terms, but also in the many ways it has contributed to both natural and man-made environments through its aesthetic qualities. The presented paper shows the possibilities of using blue spaces in the urban environment but also in the indoor environment. It has been shown that these elements have a high impact on the quality of the environment, but also contribute to reducing the air temperature and thermal islands in cities. The presence of natural elements in an artificial environment is an important aspect of life quality and well-being. Use of water elements bring the opportunity how put piece of nature into the urban environment, but also inside the buildings

Impact of blue space in architecture and possibilities of using

Trends in contemporary architecture are design environmentally, economically and socially sustainable buildings. When possible, where space permits, buildings are designed in harmony and contact with nature, water. Human's relationship to water and nature in the course of history changed. Water has a very special quality as an element in landscape design. Over many centuries and in many countries it has in turn been acknowledged and exploited, and it has inspired. It has been a great provider not only in physical terms, but also in the many ways it has contributed to both natural and man-made environments through its aesthetic qualities. The presented paper shows the possibilities of using blue spaces in the urban environment but also in the indoor environment. It has been shown that these elements have a high impact on the quality of the environment, but also contribute to reducing the air temperature and thermal islands in cities. The presence of natural elements in an artificial environment is an important aspect of life quality and well-being. Use of water elements bring the opportunity how put piece of nature into the urban environment, but also inside the buildings

The use of the water element in the energetics of micro-urban development in Slovak Republic and Taiwan R.O.C.

Slovak Republic and Taiwan R.O.C. have both similarities in geomorphologic landscape structures and urban divisions that create notable energy potential premises. They also are facing similar energy deficiency issues. Large population difference makes also premises for good prognosis study. Both countries are viably engaged in research on renewable resources. Proposed idea is dealing with the energy resource decentralization caused by not underestimated development of micro-urbanism, applying the autarchic grids arranged in the idea of ‘electric power grid circles’ binding micro-urban structures together and at the same time creates smart energy communities using renewable energy micro-systems. Current water turbine’s efficiency rose up to 96%. Proposed multi-purpose micro-hydro type might be one of the reliable renewable resources applicable in this kind of situations

The ‘UFO’ micro-urban multipurpose turbine

There are several major water resources with great hydro-power potential within the Slovak Republic. To create a huge natural water flow there are always couple of small streams and little rivers joining together. The question that emerges is: they are sufficiently equivalent hydro-power sources? As many villages, especially those in the mountain regions, posses at least one river flow. In many cases this flow is the annual cause of floods that negatively influence any of the Micro-urban regions. Another question that rises: this erratic natural force can be turned into an advantage for this kind of region by applying a suitable device or method

Management of Information Exchange Strategies for Designing Green

Abstract Few years prior, the idea of plants on roof, green tops or facades and ecological buildings, the idea of sustainability would have been premature. While the concept of healthy buildings has long been championed and practiced, it is increasingly in common in some countries, but it is still in its infancy in other ones. Growing concerns about the environmental aspects have done a great deal to open minds to the concept of designing green. Interest in green is coming from myriad fronts leading to incremental changes in public, environmental policy and shifts in site, to building design and a new awareness of the role green can play. As cities expand to the edges of the countryside, green roofs and facades represent an innovative way to preserve green natural space, reduce the impact of development and artificial space and help with purifying air. Green softens urban areas, reduces impervious spaces and contained storm water runoff. These processes need to be controlled and managed. Human is a key factor in planning and making these strategies come true. The aim of this paper is to view green design strategies and sustainability in terms of management of information exchange controlled by humans