UNLABELLED We examined concentrations and migration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ten mixed-use buildings in southeast Michigan, USA. In an office and work zone in each building, air exchange rates (AERs) were measured using perfluorocarbon tracers, and over 96 VOC species were measured by GC/MS over a 7-day period. VOCs were then apportioned to sources in offices, work zones, and out...

Based on both subjective and objective data, a study was carried out in order to identify differences in the perception of thermal comfort of office workers in naturally ventilated and air-conditioned buildings. The analysis of the interviews shows that occupants of naturally ventilated office buildings are significantly more satisfied with their thermal environment than occupants in air-condit...

The paper presents a computer-based method for the multicriteria conceptual design of engineered artifacts. The proposed method involves genetic-based stochastic search, Pareto optimization, and color-filtered graphics. A multicriteria genetic algorithm broadly searches the governing body of design knowledge and identifies Pareto designs that are equal-rank optimal in the sense that each is not...

Recent advances in the development of a wave travel time methodology for earthquake damage detection in buildings, for use in rapid assessment of structural health following an earthquake, are reviewed. Its main advantages over the modal methods are the insensitivity to the effects of soil-structure interaction, local nature, and robustness when applied to real structures and strong earthquake ...

exceeded losses of nonstructural components from structural ones in most demolished buildings in previous earthquakes and its limitation on functionality of critical facilities and building serviceability after earthquakes should be got the point of view for accounting loss of building as a merit for building performance. this paper attempts to demonstrate the significant role of distribution p...

Radio local area networks (LAN s) would provide flexible, portable communications within factories and office buildings. Such networks will be required for autonomous vehicles and portable equipment. This paper summarizes the results of extensive radio channel measurements recently made in five operating factory buildings and addresses multiple-access considerations for the design of indoor rad...

BACKGROUND We evaluated relationships between lower respiratory symptoms and risk factors for microbiological contamination in office buildings. METHODS The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health collected data from 80 office buildings during standardized indoor environmental health hazard evaluations. Present analyses included lower respiratory symptom-based outcome definition...

The implementation of wireless communications in office buildings requires the profound knowledge of signal penetration within buildings. This knowledge should include information, concerning the in-building structure that strongly affects the signal transmission. This paper contributes to the modeling of propagation losses and measurement techniques in modern office buildings for Spread Spectr...