bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of neighbourhood courtyard design on the outdoor thermal comfort in a tropical city
Authors: Ngo H N D , Motoasca E , Versele A , Pham H C , Breesch H 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
In the tropical city of Ha Tinh (Vietnam), the number of new developed neighbourhoods in the courtyard layout is increasing while the city is experiencing annual severe heat stress. The paper quantitatively analyses, by means of ENVI-Met simulation, the effect of neighbourhood courtyard landscape on the outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) in the tropical city of Ha Tinh (Vietnam). A sample 9-ha residential block was at first experimentally configured with four scenarios of courtyard, including (1) bare grass and perimetry location of high plants, (2) grass ground, fully occupied high trees, (3) water body and perimetry location of high plants, and (4) mixed ground surfaces of water, hard pavement and grass, and partly occupied high trees. The adding of tree canopies to the entire courtyard, consequently sufficient shades, as in case 2, contributes to the better OTC among the chosen scenarios by triggering the reduction of mean radiant temperature (Tmrt) (2.9°C) and physiological equivalent temperature (PET) (3.5°C) at the hottest hours as compared to the original configuration (case 1) during the summer days. Application of perimetry plants with either water (case 1) or bare grass (case 3) results in higher PET though full occupation of water body lowers the air temperature by roughly 1°C. The limited impact on OTC of local water body is counter-intuitive, yet important result to the practice of urban design. The worst OTC was observed in case 4 where almost half of the garden was sun-exposed and intended for hard-paved playground and water body. Increasing shades against solar radiation is the most important measure to deal with intensive heat problem. The study is an essential part of translating academic knowledge on urban climate into interventions on urban design for better climate resilience of neighbourhoods in Vietnam and by extend in other tropical countries.
Stochastic Solar Irradiance from Deep Generative Networks and their Application in BIPV Design
Authors: Zhang Y , Waibel C , Schlüter A 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) is a promising technology to decarbonize urban energy systems via harnessing solar energy available on building envelopes. Nevertheless, handling the trade-off between effort, speed and spatial-temporal resolution for 3D BIPV solar potential evaluation in a complex urban context has always been a challenging task. Existing physics-based solar simulation engines require significant manual modelling effort and computing time to obtain high-resolution deterministic results. Yet, solar irradiation is highly intermittent and representing its inherent uncertainty may be required for designing robust energy systems. Targeting these drawbacks, this paper proposes a data-driven model based on Deep Generative Networks (DGN) to efficiently generate high-fidelity stochastic ensembles of annual hourly urban solar irradiance time-series data with uncompromised spatial-temporal resolution at the urban scale. It requires only easily accessible data inputs, i.e., simple fisheye images as categorical masks, such as captured from Level of Details (LOD) 1 urban geometry models. Our validations exemplify the high fidelity of the generated solar time series when compared to the physics-based simulator. To demonstrate the model’s relevance for urban energy design, we apply it to the resilient design of a district multi-energy system (MES) with several hundreds of BIPV surfaces. Furthermore, we showcase the models’ potential for generative design by parametrically altering the urban environment and producing corresponding irradiation time-series in real-time.
The Cost-Optimal Optimization of public buildings in cold and warm climates: two case-studies in Germany and Italy
Authors: Ascione F , Bianco N , Boettcher O , Iovane T , Mastellone M , Mauro G M , Muehle J 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Directive EU 844/2018, in the matter of energy performance of buildings and future goals of energy efficiency for the EU Member Countries, extends the standard of nearly zero-energy building goals to the existing building stock, with the mandatory aim of almost complete decarbonization of the whole sector within 2050, and thus a strong reduction of greenhouse gas pollution of about 80-95% compared to the levels of ’90s. In this frame, the present study purposes the multi-objective optimizations of two office buildings, located in Berlin (Germany, European backcountry, “Cfb” climate in the classification of Köppen and Geiger) and Naples (Italy, Mediterranean coast, “Csa” climate classification), with the aim of finding the best trade-off between two couples of contrasting targets, representative of private and public interests, respectively: minimization of indoor thermal discomfort and operational costs, and minimization of indoor thermal discomfort and environmental impact. In addition, an investment cost analysis is performed by optimizing operational costs and total construction costs. The explored and investigated energy conservation measures, to apply during the building retrofit, involve the main levers of energy efficiency, and thus the building envelope, and the active energy systems. The results underline that the cost-optimal energy measures to apply during the building refurbishments deeply differ based on the building usage, the intensity of required indoor comfort, and depending on the climatic peculiarities and building construction technologies.
FutureBuilt Zero - A simplified dynamic LCA method with requirements for low carbon emissions from buildings
Authors: Resch E , Wiik M K , Tellnes L G , Andresen I , Selvig E , Stoknes S 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
FutureBuilt is a voluntary program for ambitious low-carbon construction projects. To incentivize measures that lead to the lowest climate change impact from all aspects of buildings and according to national Paris agreement pledges, FutureBuilt Zero introduces an ambition level and a novel calculation methodology for net climate change impacts over the life of a building. The ambition level is tightened over time to help Norway achieve its climate goals. A comprehensive simplified calculation method is introduced, which considers how the timing of emissions during the building life affects the contribution to global warming. Both direct and indirect emissions throughout the lifetime are included; energy use in operation and at the construction site, material production and transport of materials to the construction site, and waste management (incineration). In addition, the climate-positive effects of biogenic carbon uptake, carbonation of cement, potential for future reusability, and exported energy are included. This paper presents the criteria, describes the method and the scientific basis as well as the principles and logic behind the choices made.
Plus minus zero: carbon dioxide emissions of plus energy buildings in operation under consideration of hourly German carbon dioxide emission factors for past, present and future
Authors: Studniorz A , Wolf D , Kiessling N , Fahrich R , Banhardt C , Tsatsaronis G 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
The energy supply of private household buildings accounted for 16 % of the total German CO2-emission in 2020. To fulfil the targets of a climate neutral building sector in 2045, both, energy efficiency as well as on-site use of Renewable Energies in buildings are needed. One concept of a climate neutral building is the so-called Efficiency House Plus, that features large photovoltaic systems making it seemingly energy self-sufficient and CO2-negative by feeding in more electric energy into the grid than needed for its operation on a yearly basis. In fact, houses of this type are highly grid dependent especially during winter months due to their solely electrically based energy supply and a missing long term energy storage. This paper analyses the CO2 -emission of Energy Efficiency Plus houses more in detail on a timely resolved basis for the German electric supply system of the year 2013, 2021 and a perspective one 2030. An alternative calculation approach for simplified normative evaluation of such buildings is proposed.
Cards for Circularity (CFC): Reflections on the use of a card-based circular design tool in design education
Authors: Dokter G , Jansen B W , Thuvander L , Rahe U , Duijghuisen J A 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
The transition to a Circular Economy (CE) requires designers to, more than ever, concurrently develop a circular design, supply chain and business model, and anticipate how products and buildings function over time. To address these challenges, recent studies identified specific knowledge and competencies for designers. However, it remains unknown to what extent future designers (students) are prepared to address the CE in design practice. Therefore, this study investigates how architecture students currently interpret the CE concept and whether that aligns with how they apply the concept in a design assignment. For two years, a workshop was organized with a total of 320 architecture students. The students utilized a card-based circular design tool to conceptualise circular solutions for cases varying in scale and context. According to the students, the main challenge of design for a CE relates to holistic perspectives and systems thinking. The students associate the CE strongly with the reuse of existing (waste) materials, yet results of the design assignment show holistic and diverse approaches of incorporating CE principles. The study identified slight discrepancies between experienced challenges and reported necessary knowledge of designing for a CE, which could relate to the changing role of architects in a CE.
The Astysphere - a concept to overcome the polarity between cities and nature and to develop sustainable urban raw material fluxes
Authors: Norra S 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
The lion’s share of anthropogenic material and energy consumption is caused by cities. Some global chemical element fluxes are already more influenced by human beings as by non-human biological and geological forces. Climate change is produced to a large portion by urban processes. Worldwide, the surface morphology is currently determined by anthropogenic activities. Urbanization has become a major global exogenic geological factor. Nevertheless, catastrophes such as the flooding in the Ahr valley, Germany, or the lava emission on La Palma, Spain, in 2021 are reminding human beings of their vulnerability. The concept of the Astysphere is a further development of the concepts of global spheres such as the lithosphere and the biosphere as it was invented by the Geochemists V. M. Goldschmidt and V.I. Vernadsky. This concept describes the global urban system as balancing zone for chemical element and energy fluxes. Within this concept, cities are reservoirs of specific chemical elements in ratios never occurred in natural history before only created by human activity. It is one of the main tasks of geochemistry to understand why which chemical element occurs where. This knowledge enables to identify raw material resources. Transferring this concept to urban systems is meaning to identify the chemical element resources in urban systems accumulated here by human beings and to explore whether these resources are worth to be extracted. Currently, there is some knowledge available on the amounts of construction materials used in urban systems, such as gravel, asphalt, steel or concrete. Only little knowledge is available on the amounts and speciations of specific chemical elements in urban systems such as e.g. molybdenum, germanium, neodymium or mercury, just to mention some of those. But sustainable development of cities means to know, which chemical elements occur in cities and whether they can be recycled or whether they are a danger for human health. The concept of the Astysphere provides an approach to understand the meaning of cities for global chemical element fluxes and to raise the awareness to control these for a sustainable development of the earth.
Wood as a carbon mitigating building material: A review of consequential LCA and biogenic carbon characteristics
Authors: Hansen R N , Rasmussen F N , Ryberg M , Birgisdottir H 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Buildings can potentially be carbon sinks by use of wood under correct circumstances because wood sequesters CO2 i.e., biogenic carbon, from the atmosphere by photosynthesis during growth. Consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA) works as a decision support tool to assess consequences from a change in demand by including only the processes that are affected by this demand through market-based modelling. This study aims to review current research about CLCA on wood in buildings. First, by examining methodological approaches linked to CLCA modelling and biogenic carbon accounting of wood in buildings. Second, to evaluate conclusions of studies using CLCA on wood in buildings. We conducted a literature review of 13 articles that fulfilled the criteria of stating to conduct a CLCA concerning either buildings, components, or materials where wood is one of the materials.
The application of the reviewed studies include: method development, reuse, testing end of life aspects, CLCA inventory modelling, and comparison of ACLA and CLCA. The CLCA inventory of small-scale studies comprise a wide spectrum of methods ranging from simplistic to advanced methods, often retrospective. All large-scale studies integrate sophisticated modelling of prospective analysis. Dynamic time-dependent biogenic carbon accounting and indirect land use change (iLUC) are rarely represented. Although, both aspects have an impact on whether wood buildings respectively work as carbon sinks or provide net GHG emissions. Wood multi-storey buildings generally perform environmentally better than concrete and steel buildings due to wood displaces these materials and residues substitute fossil energy. End of life scenarios, choice of substituted production, retro- and prospective data, and the share of recycled steel further influence carbon mitigating potential of wood in buildings.
Research of CLCA on wood in buildings are many-fold. Some studies partially evade inclusion of some CLCA aspects i.e., market delimitation, market trend, affected suppliers, and substitution. A simultaneously high integration of both CLCA, time-dependent biogenic carbon accounting, and iLUC in the same study is almost absent. Consequently, more empirical and methodological CLCA studies are needed while including dynamic time-dependent biogenic carbon accounting to improve understanding of implications of policy decisions in transitions towards increased use of wood in buildings.
Implementation strategies for renovation concepts based on participative planning
Authors: Haase M 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
The potential for reducing Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by district renovation is largely untapped. It not only requires a thorough Energy Master Planning (EMP) of the district but also support of the decision-making processes. This can not only contribute significantly to reducing energy consumption and securing the location of energy infrastructure (generation, distribution, storage), but also to long-term sustainable development and climate neutrality. Understanding the different solutions for district renovation which include combinations with energy supply and consumption is important in districts. A technical as well as economical analysis is proposed that combines reduction of GHG emissions potential with an economic appraisal. A district near Winterthur, Switzerland was analyzed in respect to the aforementioned aspects. Site visits and structured interviews with key stakeholders were used to collect data which was then analyzed. Different renovation options were simulated, and investment and energy costs were calculated. The results show that the technical potential for a decarbonization is large. However, financial and social aspects are significant and lead to a delay in implementation.
Effects of Sustainability Policy – Evaluating Social Consequences of Carbon Targets using Trip Completion Rates
Authors: Somanath S , Hollberg A , Thuvander L 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Sustainability is widely recognised as having social, economic, and environmental dimensions. Strategies to combat global climate change inherently have an environmental focus. However, in line with the sustainability agenda, the social and economic dimensions must also be addressed. Evaluating the social consequences of decisions is often challenging due to a lack of relevant tools and indicators to measure and track them. This paper presents the Trip Completion Rate (TCR) as an indicator currently under development to evaluate the social consequences of climate change policies such as Personal Carbon Allowances (PCA). TCR is an accessibility indicator that evaluates the proportion of a population that can perform their daily activities against a performance metric. Two examples demonstrate the sensitivity of social impacts based on the geographic and demographic variations in different locations, one at the region level and another at the municipal level, through a national household travel survey (NHTS). The Västra Götaland region of Sweden is taken as a test case to illustrate how the indicator may be used, comparing TCR on the entire region and then comparing it to TCRs calculated at the municipal level. The greenhouse gas emissions of the trips are calculated based on assumptions for different modes of transport. Finally, the results are evaluated against a hypothetical PCA based on the climate goals for the city of Gothenburg, Sweden. The results show that the ability to satisfy one’s daily travel needs depends on individual characteristics such as behavioural patterns of travel, travel mode choices and access to local amenities. We find that PCAs may disproportionately affect certain groups more than others. Policymakers must understand who is most affected by sustainability targets to ensure that disproportionately affected groups have an equal opportunity to achieve their daily needs and that adequate measures are taken to mitigate the local policy effects on social equity.
How Transport Modelling affects the building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results: A Case Study Analysis
Authors: Soust-Verdaguer B , Hoxha E , Llatas C , Passer A 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a building involves the use of various types of information about the building, including the products, processes, and services related to the building throughout its life cycle. The modelling of the transport process can be complex and may be performed based on a variety of approaches and assumptions. With existing approaches, the most accurate results those closest to the real scenario, are calculated once the building has already been built. Other approaches are based on estimations at the design stage using generic scenarios and data sources. The variation of the LCA results when employing different modelling options for transport modules is studied herein. To this end, and to identify the possible errors or dispersion of the LCA results related to the various transport modelling options, transport impacts are calculated using a case study, whereby five different modelling options are compared. The results show that the transport impact difference between the lowest values (the real scenario) and the highest values (normalised detailed scenario) is approximately 30%. To conclude, efforts should be made to better define the default scenarios, especially regarding transport distances and the correction for volumetric capacity of the transport vessels, adapted to the real scenario.
Developing an integrated BIM/LCA framework to assess the sustainability of using earthen architecture
Authors: Estève P , Beckett C , Pedreschi R , Bosche F , Morel J C , Charef R , Habert G 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
The construction industry is responsible for one-quarter of the solid waste generated globally, much of which is excavated soil. Repurposing this soil for the use of earthen architecture (EA) will reduce a considerable amount of this waste. However, little research has been conducted on how to assess the use of EA within the architectural, engineering, environmental and economic context, and in comparison with other construction system solutions. This paper presents the development of an integrated building information modelling (BIM) and life cycle assessment (LCA) framework to explore what advantages EA may have, based on the client’s needs and the building’s requirements. The decision-making conditions and criteria for the use of EA are firstly identified in an extensive literature review supported by interviews with decision-makers. A workflow is secondly proposed to apply a LCA evaluating the decision criteria in a BIM tool at the early-design stages. This method allows for the evaluation and comparison of choice criteria as functional requirements of the building and objectives set by the decision-makers. The flexibility of setting input parameters in this tool increases the visibility of the potential benefits of EA over other construction systems. Along with this approach, upcoming applications on case studies will aim to be replicable by designers, based on their practices and design tools, to support clients in their choice of using EA.
Concept for combining LCA and hazardous building material assessment for decision support using BIM
Authors: Theißen S , Höper J , Lambertz M , Hollberg A , König H , Hollberg P 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
The construction and building sector is responsible for a large part of the world’s resource and energy consumption and is considered the largest global emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Hazardous and toxic substances in building materials affect indoor air quality as well as the environment and thus have a high impact on human health, as we spend around 90 percent of our lives in buildings. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and hazardous building material requirements of green building certification systems allow to reduce the environmental and health impacts of building products and materials. However, they are usually very complex and time-consuming to perform and require expert knowledge to use the results for decision support. Digital approaches to support the simplified application of these methods and intuitive visualization of results are becoming increasingly important. Especially Building Information Modeling (BIM) offers a high potential for this purpose, as the integration and linking of geometric and semantic information in 3D-models for LCA and hazardous building material assessment can be done much more efficiently and intuitively. Within the scope of this work, the following three objectives were pursued (1) development of a method for combining LCA and hazardous building material assessment, (2) simplification of the results by converting them into comprehensible indicators for decision support, and (3) implementation of the method in a BIM-based digital assistant for intuitive visualization and communication. The preliminary results show a concept for combined use of LCA and hazardous building material assessment in Germany with differentiation in six use cases. A prototypical implementation as BIM-integrated digital assistant was developed for one of these use cases. For the first time, this prototype provides understandable feedback in real time of LCA and hazardous building material requirements. This research project contributes to the awareness in the context of embodied impacts and low emitting materials in buildings and advances the current digitalization potentials.