Research on the Indoor Thermal Environment of Attached Sunspace Passive Solar Heating System Based on Zero-State Response Control Strategy

The application of attached sunspace passive solar heating systems (ASPSHS) for farmhouses can improve building performance, reduce heating energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. In order to take better use of the attached sunspace to prevent heat transfer or promote natural ventilation, this paper presented a zero-state response control strategy for the opening and closing time of active interior window in the ASPSHS. In order to verify the application of this strategy, an attached sunspace was built in an actual farmhouse. A natural ventilation heat exchange model was built based on the farmhouse with attached sunspace. The proposed zero-state response control strategy was implemented in TRNSYS software. Field measurement in living lab was carried out to inspect the distribution of the thermal environment in the farmhouse with attached sunspace under a zero-state response control strategy in the cold region of northern China. The experimental results show that, even under −5.0–2.5 °C ambient temperature, the application of zero-state response control strategy effectively increases the internal temperature to an average of 25.45 °C higher than the outside, with 23% indoor discernible temperature differential in the sample daytime. The whole-season heating performance was evaluated by simulating the model for the heating season in 2020–2021. The simulation demonstrates that the ASPSHS under zero-state response control strategy can maintain a basic indoor temperature of 14 °C for 1094 h during the heating season, with a daytime heating guarantee rate of 73.33%, thus ensuring higher indoor heating comfort during the day. When compared to a farmhouse with an attached sunspace under the zero-state response control strategy, the energy savings rate can be enhanced by 20.88%, and carbon emissions can be reduced by 51.73%. Overall, the attached sunspace with the zero-state response control strategy can effectively increase the indoor temperature when the solar radiation is intensive and create a suitable thermal environment for the farmhouse in the cold region of northern China.

Seismic Isolation and Response Control

<p>The seismic resilience of new and existing structures is a key priority for the protection of human lives and the reduction of economic losses in earthquake prone areas. The modern seismic codes have focused on the upgrade of the structural performance of the new and existing structures. However, in many cases it is preferrable to mitigate the effects of the earthquakes by reducing the induced loads in the structures using seismic isolation and response control devices. The limited expertise in the selection and design of the appropriate system for new and existing structures is the main challenge for an extensive use of seismic isolation and response control systems in practice.</p> <p>This document aims to provide a practical guide by presenting a collection of the most commonly used seismic isolation and response control systems and a critical evaluation of the main characteristics of these systems. Comparisons of the key parameters of the design processes for new buildings with seismic isolation are presented, while the application of seismic isolation systems and response control systems for the retrofitting of existing structures is also examined, followed by various case studies from Greece, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, and Turkey.</p>