This paper introduces a new tool for analysing annual solar insolation potentials for façades and roofs at an urban scale using Trimble SketchUp and the dynamic simulation model HTB2. The tool is in the form of a plugin which 1) generates shading masks for every façade and roof in a model, 2) exports geometries to HTB2 for analysis, 3) invokes HTB2 from within SketchUp, and 4) returns outputs i...

An 'active façade' responds to (and anticipates on) changing indoor and outdoor conditions. To assess the potential of such a façade for minimising energy consumption and improving indoor comfort, a simplified building simulation model has been developed, that combines the simplicity and understanding of easy to use programs with the flexibility and possibilities of advanced programs. To valida...

Maximising the natural ventilation of a building can be beneficial in terms of comfort and reduced reliance on air conditioning. In noisy urban areas this can conflict with the need to reduce the ingress of external noise. In this study the effect of building exposure to noise on natural ventilation potential is investigated. The occurrence of window openings on a building façade was adjusted a...

In recent decades, skyscrapers, as represented by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, have been built due to the improvements of construction technologies. Even in such newfangled skyscrapers, the façades are generally cleaned by humans. Wall climbing robots, which are capable of climbing up vertical surfaces, ceilings and roofs, are expected to replace the manual workforc...

In order to realize more precise geometrical models of existing buildings, range images are used to represent the geometrical information of the façades of existing buildings. First, the range images of existing buildings are acquired using laser scanners mounted on a data acquisition vehicle which runs along the street. After removing obstacles, edge detection based segmentation and histogram ...

BACKGROUND We studied how well first-year medical students understand and apply the concept of substituted judgment, following a course on clinical ethics. METHOD Students submitted essays on one of three ethically controversial scenarios presented in class. One scenario involved a patient who had lost decisional capacity. Through an iterative process of textual analysis, the essays were stud...

Abstract The building construction industry is adapting Additive Manufacturing (AM) and robotic fabrication techniques to, among other efficiency cost benefits, reduce the lifecycle Green House Gas (GHG) emissions of new buildings. This research aims to fabricate a low- GHG emission façade by encoding environmental performance using combination material selection, AM techniques, bespoke geometr...

The presence of building balconies can significantly modify the near-façade wind flow pattern and surface pressures. present study evaluates impact balcony geometry on mean speed spaces wind-induced pressure for generic high-rise buildings. focus is that extend along entire width façade. Large-eddy simulations (LES), validated with tunnel experiments, are conducted to investigate (i) or not, (i...

Concerning energy improvement of existing façades, a favourable system involves prefabricated multilayer panels, made internal insulation core and outer textile reinforced concrete layers. It is convincing alternative to external thermal composite systems (ETICS) ventilated it meets all the requirements for façade systems. The main advantage possibility toapply panel using crane, without any sc...

The present study identifies issues pertaining energy efficiency of high-rise city hotels in Malaysia and aims to examine the thermal performance with different façade design configurations. Large tropics are found be intensive among commercial building categories. proposes two case studies George Town, Penang, configurations determine their capability comply Overall Thermal Transfer Value (OTT...