bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Binaural Speech Intelligibility in a Real Elementary Classroom
Authors: Minelli G , Puglisi G E , Astolfi A , Hauth C , Warzybok A
Published: December 2021

Since the fundamental phases of the learning process take place in elementary classrooms, it is necessary to guarantee a proper acoustic environment for the listening activity to children immersed in them. In this framework, speech intelligibility is especially important. In order to better understand and objectively quantify the effect of background noise and reverberation on speech intelligibility various models have been developed. Here, a binaural speech intelligibility model (BSIM) is investigated for speech intelligibility predictions in a real classroom considering the effect of talker-to-listener distance and binaural unmasking due to the spatial separation of noise and speech source. BSIM predictions are compared to the well-established room acoustic measures as reverberation time (T30), clarity or definition. Objective acoustical measurements were carried out in one Italian primary school classroom before (T30= 1.43s±0.03 s) and after (T30= 0.45±0.02 s) the acoustical treatment. Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) corresponding to signal-to-noise ratio yielding 80% of speech intelligibility will be obtained through the BSIM simulations using the measured binaural room impulse responses (BRIRs). A focus on the effect of different speech and noise source spatial positions on the SRT values will aim to show the importance of a model able to deal with the binaural aspects of the auditory system. In particular, it will be observed how the position of the noise source influences speech intelligibility when the target speech source lies always in the same position.
Experimental investigation of occupants’ thermal sensation under a personalized ventilation system
Authors: Ebrahimi Naghani P , Zolfaghari S A , Maerefat M , Toftum J , Hooshmand S M , Izadi M
Published: December 2021

By considering the importance of providing proper indoor environment conditions for occupants and also due to energy costs, one of the solutions for indoor local air-conditioning is Personalized Ventilation System (PVS). In this paper, the occupants’ thermal sensation was experimentally studied for body segments that are mostly affected by the PVS. The local sensation of head, chest, arm, and hand at two supply air temperatures of 16 and 32°C were investigated. Eight volunteer subjects participated in this survey. The subjects reported the most thermal satisfaction on their hands. Also, the arms were the segments with the coolest thermal sensation (-1.28, between slightly cool and cold). Results indicate that the head’s thermal sensation at both supply air temperatures was neutral and the hand was the only body part that experienced warm thermal sensation during the test. Also, by increasing the supply air temperature to 32°C whole body thermal sensation changed from -0.46 to -0.09 on the seven-point scale, which means that the cooling system worked properly for occupants’ cooling. In this system, cooling occurred at 32°C instead of the common 16°C supply air temperature, which results in energy-saving and decreases annual running costs.
The role of complex airflow simulation tools for overheatingassessment of passive houses
Authors: Goncalves V , Rakha T
Published: December 2021

Passive Houses are characterized mainly by construction concepts that greatly reduce energy usage during the winter, but that can lead to significant overheating during the hotter summer days. Since in the Passive House concept thermal comfort during the summer mainly relies on natural ventilation to provide indoor cooling, the importance of airflow modeling tools for overheating prediction needs to be investigated. This research analyzes the effect of simplifications commonly made in airflow modeling techniques on the overheating assessment of Passive Houses by collecting measured data and calibrating a thermal model with a Passive House case study. Utilizing the calibrated model, a standalone Building Energy Model (BEM), BEM coupled with an Airflow Network Model (AFN), and BEM coupled with an AFN supported by the wind pressure coefficient values obtained from Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation were created. The outcome of each modeling approach was then compared against each other. Results showed that the default infiltration and natural ventilation input values commonly utilized in literature, when compared to those obtained from either the AFN or AFN+CFD, are significantly overestimating the natural ventilation potential of Passive House buildings, resulting in a lower number of overheating hours (39.9% decrease) and inaccurate overheating evaluation outcomes. Therefore, the paper concludes that the use of at least an AFN is necessary when estimating the overheating hours of Passive Houses.
Geographical distribution of the sources of IEQ complaints: an analysis through text-mining of online job reviews
Authors: Chinazzo Giorgia
Published: December 2021

Text-mining allows analyzing a large amount of non-structured data, such as online reviews, to gain insights about previously unknown information. Online job reviews contain a variety of information, ranging from salary estimations to interview experiences. Among this information, the text posted online can report an evaluation of the workplace’s indoor environmental quality (IEQ), describing both its positive and negative aspects. When referring to negative characteristics, online reviews can be considered to report IEQ complaints. Such complaints can be categorized according to the four IEQ aspects (i.e., thermal, visual, acoustic, and indoor air quality) and their combination. This paper exploits text-mining techniques to investigate the geographical distribution of the sources of IEQ complaints according to the location in which the job review is posted. The analysis is performed in terms of climate (according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification), country, and population (to consider the distribution between high-density and low-density areas). The results show that the distribution of the source of IEQ complaints varies according to the climate and the country, even though thermal aspects are always the largest source of discomfort in all countries and climatic zones. The more significant rates of thermal complaints are observed in the U.S. and India. They could be associated with the extensive use of HVAC systems and the restrictive operating temperatures adopted in these countries. The results also show that acoustic, indoor air quality and visual complaints are more numerous in large cities than in rural areas, where thermal complaints prevail. This paper provides a picture of the current IEQ discomfort across several geographical regions and highlights the great potential of User-Generated-Content to study various aspects of the IEQ, in this case, their geographic distribution.
Development and test of a combined radon sub-slab suction and sub-slab drainage system
Authors: Høegh B H , Hansen T , Clausen S
Published: December 2021

To ensure a healthy indoor environment, the indoor air level of the radioactive gas radon must be kept low according to the WHO. This can be achieved by installing a radon sub-slab suction system. In buildings with a basement at the same time a sub-slab drainage system is often necessary. This paper describes results from a project, aiming to combine a radon sub-slab suction system with a sub-slab drainage system. A combined system will minimize the number of pipes when constructing new buildings and will also provide an easier retrofitting method for adding a radon sub-slab suction system to buildings with an existing sub-slab drainage system. In the project, it was found that the combination of the two functionalities required an airtight system to lower the pressure under the ground slab, an unhampered drainage of ground water and a prevention of odour from the drains. To meet these requirements, a prototype of a well with a water trap, a water outlet and a separate suction pipe for the air outlet was developed. A low voltage fan was installed in the suction pipe. The system was installed in a detached house with a 104 m2 basement. After installation, the pressure reduction over the ground slab in the basement was measured to be able to investigate the effect of the suction system independently of the radon exposure. The results showed a reduction of the pressure in the farthest corners under the ground slab by approximately 0.6 to 1.9 Pa compared to the pressure over the ground slab. We concluded that a combined radon sub-slab suction and sub-slab drainage system is possible with the designed well, although the use of a stronger fan will be necessary to meet the identified test objective of pressure reduction ΔP ≥ 1-3 Pa.
On the Benefits of Whole-building IAQ, Ventilation, Infiltration, and Energy Analysis Using Co-simulation between CONTAM and EnergyPlus
Authors: Stuart Dols W. , Milando Chad W. , Ng Lisa , Emmerich Steven J. , Teo Jyrteanna
Published: December 2021

Publicly available tools to perform whole-building simulation of indoor air quality, ventilation, and energy have been available for several decades. Until recently, these tools were developed in isolation, such as the whole-building contaminant transport and airflow analysis tool, CONTAM, developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the whole-building energy analysis tool, EnergyPlus, developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The ability to couple these tools during runtime has been implemented through co-simulation, enabling improved analysis of the interdependent effects of temperature and airflow on contaminant transport and energy use on a whole-building scale.

This presentation will include the development of a set of coupled reference building models for the purposes of evaluating the potential benefits of using co-simulation between CONTAM and EnergyPlus. A set of Residential Prototype Building Models available from DOE has been modified by NIST and utilized to demonstrate the coupling process and the benefits of this coupling with respect to IAQ and energy analysis, and to evaluate multiple whole-building simulation methods related to infiltration, ventilation, and occupant exposure. These methods include an original EnergyPlus prototype model, the original model with NIST-based infiltration correlations, co-simulation between EnergyPlus and CONTAM, and stand-alone CONTAM simulations. Potential benefits will be explored related to the ability of co-simulation to address the effects of variations in building typology and ventilation system performance on contaminant transport results while leveraging the capabilities of whole-building energy analysis.
Application of developed facade panel from recycled CDW: A case study
Authors: Bagarić M , Banjad Pečur I , Milovanović B
Published: December 2021

Using waste materials for production of sustainable exterior façade panel, that can be recycled at the end of its life cycle as part of a circular economy model, can significantly reduce environmental footprint of buildings and help preserve natural resources. The envelope system under consideration is a ventilated prefabricated wall panel from recycled construction and demolition waste (CDW). In this paper, hygrothermal simulations together with field monitoring of hygrothermal performance, energy consumption, indoor comfort and air quality in real environment conditions have been presented. Results show that developed panel is a robust, moisture-safe panel suitable for constructing energy high performing buildings. Thermal discomfort in summer is related to the architectural design of the building.
The effect of air conditioning outlets on the spread of respiratory disease in Mosque’s environment
Authors: Khan H M , Al-Saadi S N
Published: December 2021

Mosques are places for daily worship for Muslims, where they attend prayers five times/day. As a common prayer practice, worshippers conduct prayers in standing groups side-by-side in rows touching shoulders and ankles. Furthermore, in their praying practice, worshippers touch the floor with their forehead four to eight times in a single prayer, which is an important factor in picking or spreading infection disease. Mosques are usually air-cooled by mechanical means with a poor ventilation system. The prayer practices, coupled with the poor ventilation system increase the risk of spreading respiratory diseases like COVID-19. This study utilizes a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) package to evaluate disease particles’ movement around rows of worshipers. The research evaluates the impact of air outlet locations on the spread of the disease particles. The results indicated that the locations of air outlets relative to the infected person may significantly help to spread the particulates. In mosque environment, the ceiling diffusers are recommended, and sidewall outlets should be avoided. In addition, it was concluded that a minimum of 2 meters between occupants as suggested by WHO is not deemed enough to control the spread of disease in mosque environment and a minimum of 3 m is necessary. The study calls to review the guidelines by the World Health Organization (WHO) for mosques and similar environment.
Numerical Model for Prediction of Indoor COVID-19 Infection Risk Based on Sensor Data
Authors: Virbulis J , Sjomkane M , Surovovs M , Jakovics A
Published: December 2021

In addition to infection with SARS-CoV-2 via direct droplet transmission or contact with contaminated surfaces, infection via aerosol transport is a predominant pathway in indoor environments. The developed numerical model evaluates the risk of a COVID-19 infection in a particular room based on measurements of temperature, humidity, CO2 and particle concentration, the number of people and instances of speech, coughs and sneezing using a dedicated low-cost sensor system. The model can dynamically provide the predicted risk of infection to the building management system or people in the room. The effect of temperature, humidity and ventilation intensity on the infection risk is shown. Coughing and especially sneezing greatly increase the probability of infection in the room; therefore distinguishing these events is crucial for the applied measurement system.
A simplified model to estimate COVID19 transport in enclosed spaces
Authors: Mirzaei P A , Moshfeghi M , Motamedi H , Sheikhnejad Y , Bordbar H
Published: December 2021

Airborne pathogen respiratory droplets are the primary route of COVID19 transmission, which are released from infected people. The strength and amplitude of a release mechanism strongly depend on the source mode, including respiration, speech, sneeze, and cough. This study aims to develop a simplified model for evaluation of spreading range (length) in sneeze and cough modes using the results of Eulerian-Lagrangian CFD model. The Eulerian computational framework is first validated with experimental data, and then a high-fidelity Lagrangian CFD model is employed to monitor various scale particles’ trajectory, evaporation, and lingering persistency. A series of Eulerian-Lagrangian CFD simulations is conducted to generate a database of bioaerosol release spectrum for the release modes in various thermal conditions of an enclosed space. Eventually, a correlation fitted over the data to offer a simplified airborne pathogen spread model. The simplified model can be applied as a source model for design and decision-making about ventilation systems, occupancy thresholds, and disease transmission risks in enclosed spaces.
Facade Design Process to Establish and Achieve Net Zero Carbon Building Targets
Authors: Zani Andrea , Ladipo Oluwateniola , D’Aquilio Antonio , Galante Carmelo Guido , Tee Matthew , Vargas Tania Cortés
Published: December 2021

As more stringent building energy codes and sustainability certification goals have become more prevalent in recent years, a focus for many building designers has been reducing the operational energy with the objective of reaching net-zero energy targets. More recently, as the efficiency in operational energy use has increased significantly, the focus is moving towards the environmental impact of building materials, primarily reflected in the embodied energy and emissions, and the potential (re)life options that allow circular material flows and reduced global warming potential. This paper investigates a methodology applied during early and advanced design development phases to assess and compare different façade typology carbon emissions. Embodied carbon is evaluated through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis, and operational carbon is analysed during the service life of the office building through energy simulation. Results show that overall carbon assessment of different facade solution can provide useful design feedback in the decision-making process.
Microclimate measurements in ventilated air gaps – instrumentation and first results
Authors: Rüther P , Oksavik O , Nocente A , Gullbrekken L
Published: December 2021

To achieve energy efficient buildings, the requirements for air tightness in Norway were strengthened in the recent years. Thus, the use of tape for tightening connections and overlaps in the wind barrier and vapour barrier layer has become more and more common. Since these products are covered by a façade cladding and hence difficult to access, they need to maintain their performance level over many years, usually 25 to 30 years. To design test methods to ensure the performance of tapes and other products used in the ventilated air gap, more knowledge on the climatic conditions, especially temperature conditions, is needed. The recently finished ZEB Lab building in Trondheim, Norway, has been instrumented with thermocouples to monitor the temperature conditions in the air gap. This study presents the instrumentation set up and first findings from the start of the experiment in summer 2020. First results show temperature levels up to 76°C in the upper part of the roof construction.
Fire safety evaluation of different internal insulation measures in European and Danish context
Authors: Jensen N F , Morelli M , Sørensen L S
Published: December 2021

In about the last 10 years there has been an increased focus on energy upgrading the existing building stock. This have included several international and national projects dealing with internal insulation. Many of the studies have considered the internal insulation as a measure to achieve a specific energy consumption of buildings. Later, the focus has been on the durability of the ‘new’ structure with additional insulation on the internal side of walls, i.e. if the measure is moisture safe. These measures have been applied in both theoretical studies, laboratory and real buildings. None of the studies have reported whether or not the suggested retrofit measures fulfil respective fire regulations. The height of the building is also considered in fire regulations, and therefore, measures that are applicable in e.g. single-family houses might not be applicable in apartment buildings. This study includes a review of a number of different insulation materials and – systems used for internal insulation. These measures are evaluated against the EU-harmonized and Danish fire regulations, as many countries might have adapted national requirements. The study evaluates, whether the measure is applicable at all floor levels or not.
Dependency of conservation conditions of Takase stone Buddha, Oita, Japan, on anisotropy of liquid water diffusivity
Authors: Abuku M , Hiranuma S , Wakiya S , Ogura D , Fumoto T
Published: December 2021

Takase Stone Buddhas is one of the important old stone buddha sculptures curved into the inner wall of a cave in Oita, Japan. It is located in the cave curved into the cliff of a hill of volcanic tuff. In general, because the cave is currently protected from rain and direct solar radiation by the roof shelter and waterproof treatment, the Buddhas is well conserved and no currently ongoing weathering can be clearly observed. However, because of a high ground water level, there is a concern in the influence of water evaporation at and near the surface of the stone buddhas and the wall of the cave on their deterioration. In the past, we conducted a long-term field survey of conservation environment to obtain yearly data set of the conservation environment that can be used as input of numerical simulations of heat and water transport in the material. In this paper, we report measurement data of the ground water level as well as the liquid water diffusivity of the tuff stone that significantly affects the conservation condition. We also performed numerical analyses on heat and moisture transport in the tuff stone layer and stone buddhas. The simulation results show that the conservation condition of Takase stone Buddha strongly depends on the anisotropy of liquid water diffusivity of the tuff stone.
Interstitial condensation in Chinese residential buildings: cliché or challenge?
Authors: Yang Hanyu , Zheng Xing , Tang Mingfang , Feng Chi
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we compare the predictions of interstitial condensation by the steady-state method and the transient method under different climate conditions in China. Simulations reveal significant differences between the two methods, and the wind-driven rain also plays an important role. As a result, the transient hygrothermal simulation considering wind-driven rain should be recommended instead of the steady-state method for predicting interstitial condensation under complicated climate conditions.
Literature review of fungi in buildings and their ability to methylate chlorophenols into malodorous chloroanisoles
Authors: Ekberg O
Published: December 2021

A source of indoor malodor in older buildings are chloroanisoles, a methylation from chlorophenols. Chlorophenols were commonly used in wood preservatives 50 years ago which were used to treat construction details exposed to high moisture loads. The methylation process requires a methylator in the form of fungi or bacteria in conjunction with adequate growth conditions for said fungi. The food industry has a history of issues with chloroanisoles contaminating different food items. There have been studies made on fungi species found in the packaging materials or surfaces in proximity and their ability to methylate various chlorophenols. Different species of fungi are present in many places, not only packaging materials but also various building materials. A literature review has been made in this study to compare fungi species able to methylate chlorophenols and their potential occurrence in wooden construction details in buildings. Two species were found to be considered strong methylators and also commonly found in wooden constructions, Aspergillus versicolor and Paecilomyces variotii. The properties of these fungi will be used for future studies of the conditions achievable in wooden constructions where the historic wood preservatives were likely used.
Laboratory observation of interior surface heat transfer at balcony door
Authors: Tywoniak J , Staněk K , Kny M , Adamovský D
Published: December 2021

This paper informs about laboratory experiments studying heat transfer phenomena at the interior side of balcony doors. A well-insulated testing space representing a typical room with a balcony door equipped with floor heating and warm air heating was used. In the first step, an opaque panel with similar thermal transmittance as a triple glazed balcony door was installed in the opening for reference. A combination of temperature measurements and particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) was used here to study the surface heat transfer in detail for both types of space heat distribution and obstacles by curtains. From the measured data, the surface heat transfer coefficient along the height of the door was evaluated and discussed.
Statistical analyses of the energy demand and thermal comfort for multiple uncertain input parameters, performed using transformed variable and perturbation method
Authors: Grymin Witold , Koniorczyk Marcin , Zygmunt Marcin , Gawin Dariusz
Published: December 2021

In the calculations of buildings’ thermal comfort, the input parameters are usually considered as strictly determined values. Numerous of them may be characterized by certain probability density functions. In the energy related problems, the uncertainty analyses are usually performed using the Monte Carlo method. However, this method requires multiple calculations and, therefore, may be very time-consuming. In the proposed work, two approaches are applied for the probabilistic studies: the stochastic perturbation method and the transformed random variables method. The stochastic analysis is based on the response functions and their derivatives with respect to all random input parameters. The relation between the thermal comfort and the input (random) variables have been calculated using the Energy Plus software. Afterwards, the response functions were estimated using the polynomial regression. The expected value and central moments of the response functions were calculated by means of the perturbation method and the transformed random variable theorem. The latter method allowed to obtain, using the same response functions, the implicit form of probability distributions function of the output parameter.
Control-oriented model for air-based BIPV/T systems
Authors: Sigounis A M , Rounis E D , Athienitis A K , Vallianos C
Published: December 2021

This study presents the development of a control-oriented model for Building Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal (BIPV/T) systems. Model-based control strategies could optimize their coupled operation with the building Heating Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system and maximize the heat utilization. Two transient simulation models (1st order and 2nd order) are developed using Python, validated with experimental data and compered to each other. Finally, simulation results are presented where the range of possible outlet air temperatures for different mass flow rates are identified.
Application of the TEAC software for analysis of Energy Flexible Building Clusters – a case study
Authors: Zygmunt M , Gawin D
Published: December 2021

Nowadays, natural environment protection and sustainable development became common and necessary issues for all the economic sectors. It is extremely important to focus on all the efforts resulting in the most efficient and sustainable power sources and electric power grid. Typically, the residential districts are connected by electric grids, which with an application of the appropriate technologies might be considered as so-called smart-grids. In the smart-grid neighbourhoods, houses are the consumers, energy supply is performed by the local or/and national power plants, while energy distribution is performed using some monitoring and management systems. Such a residential area can be considered as a Building Cluster, the novel paradigm in the energy and environmental analysis of the built environments. In this article, the exemplary single-family houses neighbourhood is examined, following the Building Cluster paradigm. The analysed area is located in Lodz (Poland), consisting of 202 buildings. The study is performed by means of the home-developed software named TEAC (Tool for Energy Efficiency Analyses of an Energy Cluster). The analysis is focused on the energy, economic and environmental issues of the considered Building Cluster.
Selecting durable building envelope systems with machine learning assisted hygrothermal simulations database
Authors: Salonvaara Mikael , Lee Seungjae , Iffa Emishaw , Boudreaux Philip , Pallin Simon , Desjarlais André , Aldykiewicz Antonio
Published: December 2021

Hygrothermal simulations provide insight into the energy performance and moisture durability of building envelope components under dynamic conditions. The inputs required for hygrothermal simulations are extensive, and carrying out simulations and analyses requires expert knowledge. An expert system, the Building Science Advisor (BSA), has been developed to predict the performance and select the energy-efficient and durable building envelope systems for different climates. The BSA consists of decision rules based on expert opinions and thousands of parametric simulation results for selected wall systems. The number of potential wall systems results in millions, too many to simulate all of them. We present how machine learning can help predict durability data, such as mold growth, while minimizing the number of simulations needed to run. The simulation results are used for training and validation of machine learning tools for predicting wall durability. We tested Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Gradient Boosted Decision Trees (GBDT) for their applicability and model accuracy. Models developed with both methods showed adequate prediction performance (root mean square error of 0.195 and 0.209, respectively). Finally, we introduce how the information supports guidance for envelope design via an easy-to-use web-based tool that does not require the end-user to run hygrothermal simulations.
Selecting extreme weather file to assess overheating in residential building
Authors: Lauzet N , Colinart T , Musy M , Lapray K
Published: December 2021

Climate change is great challenge for current and newly built buildings. Nowadays, TMY weather file can be easily generated following the IPCC scenarios. Nevertheless, since these data are extrapolated with stochastic model from monthly mean values, they do not show a real pattern and do not include extreme events like heatwaves. In order to get more representative data, we propose in this work a methodology to select real measured files from a large database in light of heatwaves and climate change. This methodology is applied to the city of Lyon, for which 26 years of weather data are available. Three measured weather files projected for the time periods 2020, 2050 and 2080 are selected. These files are used in building thermal simulation of residential building with low or high thermal inertia. Summer overheating is analysed through two different comfort indicators: adaptative comfort and Givoni chart. Results indicates that summer overheating risk is obviously increased with future weather files. When compared to usual TMY files, this risk is also enhanced by using weather file including extreme events like heatwaves. Last, we note that discomfort is mainly encountered during this extreme events.
Investigation of the BNB Building Certification for the Further Development of the Energy Performance Certificate
Authors: Walsdorf-Maul Manuela , Dommack Laura , Schneider Michael
Published: December 2021

In this study, a life cycle oriented planning of buildings is proposed to support future building developers and planners in making environmentally sound decisions on the basis of comprehensive information. The study, in which the building certification BNB (Bewertungssystem Nachhaltiges Bauen, or “Assessment System for Sustainable Building”) is carried out on the example of an office building, is applicable to German-speaking countries. In addition to meeting the requirements of the 2020 German Energy Act for Buildings (GebäudeEnergieGesetz, GEG), the aim is to optimize the building with regard to sustainability criteria of the BNB by revising and expanding the existing planning so that the “gold” quality label can eventually be achieved. The biggest influence on this optimization process is, among other things, the life cycle costs, the adaptability of the building, the primary energy demand as well as the technical quality. Based on these findings, this research paper details the further development of the energy performance certificate, before in a final step the building assessment can be graphically presented with regard to both aspects – energy efficiency (final energy) and sustainability (in terms of ecological, economic, socio-cultural, functional and technical quality, process quality and location characteristics) – from the production phase through the usage phase up to the disposal phase.
Tracing Hazardous Materials in Registered Records: A Case Study of Demolished and Renovated Buildings in Gothenburg
Authors: Wu P-Y , Mjörnell K , Mangold M , Sandels C , Johansson T
Published: December 2021

Hazardous materials encountered during building renovation or demolition processes not only result in uncertainty in cost estimation and the lead time but also hampers material recyclability and reuse. Therefore, the paper discusses the possibility of predicting the extent of the hazardous materials, including asbestos, PCB, mercury, and CFC, through data mining techniques based on registered records. Pre-demolition audits contain observation data that can be used as a sample for statistical prediction through careful processing. By developing an innovative approach of merging data from environmental inventories with building registers, the positive ratio of remaining hazardous materials in the Gothenburg building stock can be estimated. The study highlights the challenges of creating a training dataset by completing information from the existing environmental inventory, providing new insight into digital protocol development for enhancing material circularity.
Analysis of draught discomfort prediction models
Authors: Hooshmand S M , Zolfaghari S A , Toftum J
Published: December 2021

One of the common local thermal discomforts that happen in an indoor environment is draught. Because of the importance of draught, many studies have been carried out to develop equations to calculate the draught rate. But because these equations are obtained from experimental tests in narrow experimental windows, their accuracy under wider environmental conditions should be analyzed. In this paper, the accuracy of equations obtained from the literature were investigated. Each equation predicted the draught rate with high accuracy and mean error of 5.3, 6.8, and 2.2% under the thermal conditions in which the equation was obtained. When applying the equations to different thermal conditions, the mean and maximum errors significantly increased and showed errors in predicting the draught rate with a maximum deviation of 63.5, 51.6, and 49.7%. These equations in some cases, even could not predict the draught rate of the reported draught discomfort percentage. Based on the results, each equation had its limitations and none of the studied equations could accurately predict the draught rate in all experimental conditions. An index that considers all relevant parameters in predicting draught discomfort can lead to a better draught rate prediction.
Thermal comfort environment for migrants: a long-term follow-up climate chamber experiment
Authors: Dong Yu , Shi Yuan , Liu Yanfeng , Toftum Jørn
Published: December 2021

Migration between different climate regions may change people’s thermal experience and their thermal adaptation. However, few studies have explored the thermal adaptation process and the suitable indoor thermal environment of migrants. In this study, we conducted a long-term tracking comparative experiment on thermal adaptation of migrants moving from severe cold (SC) regions, hot summer and cold winter (HSCW) regions, and hot summer and warm winter (HSWW) regions to cold region of China. A two-year climate chamber experiment was conducted to follow migrants’ progressive thermal adaptation, such as different weeks, months and seasons after they migrated. The results show that the thermal sensation of migrants was significantly associated with their origin, the time after migration and air temperature. In addition, with the increase time after migration, the thermal sensitivity of HSCW and SC migrants showed a significant upward and downward trend, respectively. Two years after migration, the thermal comfort limits of migrants from SC, HSWW and HSCW were almost identical at 23.5-27.8°C, 23.8-27.8°C, and 23.5-27.6°C. The results provides insight to the progression of thermal adaptation and helpful to guide the design of indoor climate for immigrants with different thermal experiences.
Will correlated colour temperature affect peoples’ thermal sensation outside the laboratory?
Authors: Toftum Jørn , Thorseth Anders , Logadóttir Ásta , Markvart Jakob , Stoffer Sophie
Published: December 2021

Earlier studies have shown that low Correlated Color Temperature of lighting (CCT) may induce a warmer thermal sensation than high CCTs at the same ambient temperature. The current study investigated if the association between CCT and thermal sensation would persist when subjects worked on computers, were exposed for longer duration and when the study population included older subjects whose vision may have changed with age. The study was carried out in a climate chamber with controllable LED lighting and where CCT could be gradually changed. Generally, the association between CCT and thermal sensation was weak and not significant. However, at 22°C and short-term exposure, the results indicated that high CCT caused a cooler thermal sensation. This association disappeared with more prolonged exposure duration and when subjects worked on a computer. Comparison of responses to lighting exposure of the two groups of subjects with mean ages of 24 years and 44 years showed no difference in their perceived thermal sensation when the CCT was changed. However, the older group of subjects could not distinguish differences in CCTs above 4000 K. The findings suggest that the magnitude of the effect of lighting on thermal perception is modest and only visible under exceptional and tightly controlled conditions that do not mirror actual buildings.
Improving indoor thermal comfort, air quality and the health of older adults through environmental policies in London
Authors: Tsoulou I , Taylor J , Symonds P , Mohajeri N , Davies M
Published: December 2021

In this work we evaluate the potential of selected environmental strategies in reducing air pollution and summertime indoor overheating. Associated changes in mortality rates are also calculated for older adults in London. Reducing these risks for vulnerable groups is an immediate priority and given that seniors spend most of their time indoors, our focus is on strategies that prioritize the transformation of residential environments for indoor thermal comfort and air quality improvements. For each strategy, we develop specific scenarios related to building adaptations and test potential reductions on indoor overheating and pollutant exposures from outdoor sources (PM2.5), as well as on senior mortality through the CRAFT tool (Cities Rapid Assessment Framework for Transformation). We then pick the scenarios with highest impacts on mortality, aiming to formulate effective policy recommendations for Greater London. Preliminary results suggest that environmental policies related to the installation of shading could have the highest reduction in heat and pollution-related senior mortality, followed by moderate effects due to building insulation retrofits and the greening of roofs. With an increasing ageing population in the UK and beyond, our work highlights the need for city-level policies to address building modifications, considering the importance of indoor spaces for older adults.
The impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the hygrothermal environment of our homes
Authors: Brambilla Arianna , Sangiorgio Alberto
Published: December 2021

In 2020 the residential sector witnessed a complete transformation of the way people live and occupy the spaces. Indeed, different Countries introduced total lockdowns as a measure to contain and prevent the spread of COVID-19, forcing people to stay at home. These measures impact the indoor hygrothermal environment: higher internal thermal loads and moisture generation rate may create the perfect situation to support mould growth. This project aims to understand the impacts of increased work-from-home practices on the hygrothermal performance of residential buildings. The assessment uses a two-step methodology: firstly, whole building transient simulations (software trnsys) are used to generate the indoor temperature and humidity profiles, secondly hygrothermal transient simulations (software WUFI) are used to quantify the risk of mould growth. This research reveals the inadequacy of current design and construction practices to support flexible occupation patterns.
Digital Archive Management Based on Lucene Full-text Search Engine
Authors: Wang Daqing
Published: December 2021

With the rapid development of society, people have an increasing higher demand for information. As one of the vital information resources, archives are facing the significant impact of the global information tide. The original manual management method for archives can no longer meet the needs of people for their efficient management and utilization. How to transform archive management from manual to digital mode based on advanced information technology has become a hot issue of concern and research. Based on the digital application of archive management, supported by the advanced computer, communication, network, database, and multimedia technologies, we designed and developed a general digital system of archive management. The topological structure of the client/browser/server is used in the system, with the cross-platform characteristics.
Digital Video Image Preprocessing Algorithm Based on Embedded System
Authors: Cheng Ling
Published: December 2021

To solve the massive noise contained in the images acquired under low illumination, we designed a digital video image Preprocessing device with the denoising function. Based on the embedded CPU and operating system, video images are acquired by the camera. The noise contained in the video images is filtered by the improved median filtering algorithm and wavelet image denoising. Subsequently, the images are transmitted through USB and network interface, and the storage function of image files is implemented. The device can remove the noise contained in videos effectively, which is conducive to performing more advanced processing on the images.
Research on 3D Simulation Method of Nearshore Storm Surge Based on FLIP
Authors: Wang Qiuyan , Du Hao
Published: December 2021

This paper proposes a FLIP-based three-dimensional storm surge simulation method. Based on the Fluid Implicit Particle (FLIP) method, the flow field is calculated by FLIP fluid, and finally through the standard coloring based on PBR in the Unity engine. The device renders the fluid state model generated at each moment. The experimental results show that the method in this paper not only meets the realistic requirements of nearshore storm surge simulation, but also effectively improves the efficiency of scene rendering. The result can be used not only in game production and movie special effects, but also in engineering simulations such as ocean engineering and environmental engineering, and has a wide range of application prospects and application values.
Design and Practice of Software Architecture in Agile Development
Authors: Yong Ding
Published: December 2021

Software architecture design is a very critical part of the software development process. In order to be able to respond to changes in user requirements in software development in a timely manner, a convenient and lightweight development model should be adopted. Agile development adopts a human-oriented, step-by-step development process that can quickly respond to changes in software requirements, adjust the design of software architecture in a timely manner and adapt to software development in a dynamic environment. Based on the analysis and comparison of traditional development process and agile development process, this paper analyzes the key technologies in agile architecture design and proposes a software architecture design method based on agile development mode.
Design and Development of Intelligent Logistics Tracking System Based on Computer Algorithm
Authors: Gao Demei
Published: December 2021

With the development of social economy, the logistics industry continues to flourish. This article attempts to build an intelligent logistics tracking system based on computer technology, focuses on the intelligent inventory decision support system, introduces the detection algorithm based on the integrity of goods packaging and the detection algorithm of goods behavior and posture based on the three-dimensional acceleration sensor, and conducts its work flow. The detailed design is finally carried out in the actual cabin environment to verify the experiment and evaluate the performance of the system.
Design of Remote Monitoring System for New Energy Vehicles Based on Data Acquisition and Transmission
Authors: Gao Lijie , Yang Dapeng
Published: December 2021

This paper designs a new remote monitoring system for new energy vehicles based on data acquisition and transmission, hoping to make up for the shortcomings of the existing system. The following article will start from the shortcomings of the existing system, then describe the performance of the new system, and finally describe the design scheme of the vehicle terminal of the system in detail. The performance of the new system will be even better, and it will have positive significance for the improvement of other remote monitoring devices.
Optical Tomographic Image Reconstruction Based on Gradient Tree Calculation Method
Authors: Guan Jinlan
Published: December 2021

Optical coherence tomography is a new imaging method, which is widely used in many fields. This article introduces an iterative image reconstruction algorithm based on gradient trees. It also discusses image reconstruction methods containing void-like regions. It is proved that the image reconstruction based on the transportation model can overcome the shortcomings of the diffusion equation, and it can accurately reconstruct the optical tomographic image.
3D Point Cloud of Single Tree Branches and Leaves Semantic Segmentation Based on Modified PointNet Network
Authors: Liu Renpeng , Ren Lisheng , Wang Fang
Published: December 2021

Semantic segmentation of single tree 3D point cloud is one of the key technologies in building tree model. It plays an important role in tree skeleton extraction, tree pruning, tree model reconstruction and other fields. Because the area of a single leaf is smaller than that of the whole tree, the segmentation of branches and leaves is a challenging problem. In view of the above problems, this paper first migrates PointNet to the tree branch and leaf point cloud segmentation, and proposes an automatic segmentation method based on improved PointNet. According to the difference of normal direction between leaves and branches, the point cloud information of three dimensions coordinates, color and normal vector is input into the point feature space. In data processing, increase the number of each block data, so that the network can better learn features. MLP is added to the original PointNet network to improve the ability of extracting and learning local features. In addition, in the process of feature extraction, jump connection is added to realize feature reuse and make full use of different levels of features. The original 1×1 filter of PointNet is replaced by 3×1 filter to improve the segmentation accuracy of tree point cloud. The focus loss function focal loss is introduced into the field of 3D point cloud to reduce the impact of the imbalance of point cloud samples on the results. The results show that the improved method improves the accuracy of tree branch point cloud segmentation compared with the original PointNet for branch and leaf segmentation. The segmentation accuracy of structural elements of branches and leaves is more than 88%, and MIoU is 48%.
Design and Realization of Remote Graphic Design System Based on Computer Aid
Authors: Liu Yan
Published: December 2021

The traditional remote graphic design system cannot provide users with the basis of design geometry theory, which leads to the disharmony of the design works. For this reason, a computer-aided remote graphic design system is proposed. Determine the image import direction, obtain the contour ratio, compare it with different dynamic rectangle ratios, and give the difference between the image and the standard value and the recommended adjustment value. The experimental results show that the works designed by the design system conform to geometry, are visually harmonious, and the evaluation results are good.