Building Geometry as a Variable in Energy, Comfort, and Environmental Design Optimization—A Review from the Perspective of Architects

Due to negative environmental impacts caused by the building industry, sustainable buildings have recently become one of the most investigated fields in research. As the design technique itself is mainly responsible for building performance, building energy design optimization is of particular interest. Several studies concentrate on systems, operation, and control optimization, complemented by passive strategies, specifically related to the envelope. In building physics, different architectural considerations, in particular, the building’s shape, are essential variables, as they greatly influence the performance of a building. Most scientific work that takes into consideration building geometry explores spaces without any energy optimization or calculates optimization processes of a few basic variables of simplified space geometries. Review studies mainly discuss the historic development of optimization algorithms, building domains, and the algorithm-system and software framework performance with coupling issues. By providing a systemized clustering of different levels of shape integration intensities, space creation principals, and algorithms, this review explores the current status of sustainability related shape optimization. The review proves that geometry design variable modifications and, specifically, shape generation techniques offer promising optimization potential; however, the findings also indicate that building shape optimization is still in its infancy.

Building Performance Simulations and Architects against Climate Change and Energy Resource Scarcity

In Europe, 40% of the total energy is consumed by buildings; in this sense, building performance simulation tools (BPSTs) play a key role; however, the use of these tools by architects is deficient. Therefore, this study aims to detect the architects’ perception on BPSTs. To this end, an online survey was conducted to determine the selection criteria of these BPSTs and non-users, to investigate the reasons for not using the tools. The outcomes showed that there was a wide gap between architects and the management of simulation programs in Spain, mainly due to the lack of training. BPSTs are described as a kind of intellect amplifiers, as they are perceived as powerful allies between professors and students of architecture and between architects and architectural design; therefore, through BPSTs, sustainability is taken very much into consideration to make buildings more energy efficient. Therefore, it is primarily concluded that further and higher education must undergo significant improvement to use simulations as part of the architectural design.

Seismic reliability assessment of a non-seismic reinforced concrete framed structure designed according to ABNT NBR 6118:2014

abstract: Due to the paucity of studies regarding the seismic assessment of buildings in Brazil, this study aims to present and discuss a seismic reliability assessment of a reinforced concrete framed structure designed according to the Brazilian standard ABNT NBR 6118:2014 without the consideration of the seismic design requirements of ABNT NBR 15421:2006. Herein, fragility functions are generated through probabilistic seismic demand analysis, and integrated with hazard curves for Northeastern Brazil to generate regional failure probability maps for three limit-states: Immediate Occupancy (IO), Life Safety (LS), and Collapse Prevention (CP). The results indicated that the building performance is adequate for IO; however, for LS and CP, an unacceptable performance is observed.

Artificial Weathering Resistance Test Methods for Building Performance Assessment of Profiles Made of Natural Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites

A growing popularity of profiles made of natural fibre-reinforced polymer composites in civil engineering encourages determining test methods relevant for building performance assessment. Weathering resistance is among the key aspects that condition the durability of building structures. The paper includes a comparative analysis of two artificial weathering resistance test methods. Polyvinyl chloride and wood flour composite profiles were tested. They were subjected to UV and spraying (X-exposure) and UV, spraying and wetting by condensation (F-exposure), both at different exposure times. The influence of the applied weathering procedures on the composite’s microstructure and its mechanical characteristics were analysed. No changes in the microstructure of brittle fractures were observed. However, surface morphology changes were revealed, noticeably greater following X-exposure than F-exposure. F-exposure exerted significant influence on the mechanical properties of brushed profile, including, but not limited to, flexural modulus. Whereas X-exposure exerted more influence on the mechanical properties of non-brushed profile.

Innovative Evaluation Techniques for Hanok Sustainability Based on Integrative Comfort Indices

This study aims to present integrative evaluation techniques that can assess spatial comfort reflecting the unique value of a vernacular building type in Korea called Hanok. For this purpose, current evaluation indices and methods of official standards for normal building performance were analyzed through previous studies, since any certified tools for Hanok evaluation do not exist. This situation has made relevant markets to be deactivated, although Hanok has valuable meanings as the traditional architecture to be succeeded to the next generation in Korea. Accordingly, specific assessment indices were derived to evaluate the Hanok sustainability especially focused on spatial comfort by using a qualitative field surveys with combined quantitative references. Then, actual resident data were collected from a series of Hanok testbeds for specific time-points including summer and winter solstices on the lunar-year system. As a result, resident data could be employed to reveal the characteristics of comfort performance from those target specimens, and show the tendency of the Hanok comfort by suggested innovative criteria for the market as a clue for its commercial potentials. Accordingly, it was concluded that the proposed techniques and indices could be certified for the Hanok evaluation and applied to the field of associated industries to show its specific values and advantages.