Buildings, Volume 11, Issue 8 (August 2021) – 62 articles

Understanding how climate change affects material degradation is the first step in heritage conservation. To study such impact, high-resolution climate information is required. However, so far, no regional climate simulations have been evaluated considering building damage criteria over the region of Iran. This paper has a twofold objective: to conduct an overview of climate model performance over Iran by evaluating the output of two regional climate models, ALARO-0 and REMO2015, and to find an optimal approach for model evaluation fitted to studies on building physics. Data of the evaluation run for both models were compared with data of weather stations located in six different climate zones in Iran to assess their performance over the region and gain insight about model uncertainties. Given that the research scope covers the evaluation of climate models to use in studies on building physics, in addition to climate parameters, five degradation risks are analysed. The performance of the two models varies over the studied locations. In general, both models fall within the spread of observations except for wind parameters. Accordingly, indices related to temperature and precipitation are well predicted, in contrast to indices related to wind. The analysis shows that considering the observed biases, selecting an ensemble of representative models based on the evaluation results of climate variables important for hygrothermal simulations would be recommended. Full article

Selecting a better performing contractor at the procurement stage is crucial in achieving a successful outcome for a construction project. The construction industry lacks a systematic and purpose driven method to assess performance of contractors using objective metrics. There are many approaches to measuring construction performance, but most are complicated and have high dependency on data that is difficult to attain. This paper aims to create a model for evaluating construction contractors’ performance based on directly attributable measures that are quantitative and easy to gather. This makes such a model more attractive and easier to use. Initially, a detailed literature review revealed different categories of measures of performance (MoP) and corresponding critical measures of performance (CMoP). Through a series of Delphi-based expert forums, the set of measures were fine-tuned and shortlisted. Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process-based comparisons were then used for developing a contractors’ performance model to quantify their level of performance based on a limited set of organisation-specific and project-specific measures. The results indicate a shift from traditional measures and a higher preference towards non-price measures. The performance model can be further developed to systematically rank the prospective contractors at the procurement stage based on seven non-price measures. Full article

Mixed-use development is increasingly popular in land use planning and zoning, fostering a combination of residential, commercial, and cultural uses into one space. However, there is a lack of understanding of the vertical mix office space within a high-rise commercial building and the dynamics of the industry mix between buildings. This paper examines the spatiotemporal patterns of industry mix between and within office buildings in Sydney CBD from 2006 to 2017, using the data obtained from the City of Sydney floor space and employment surveys. This is the first study that identifies the dynamics of an industrial ecosystem in central Sydney, which has transformed to homophily land blocks, with increasing vertically heterogeneous office buildings, over the past decade. In addition, the study found that the significant clustering of anchor tenants, such as finances, hospitalities, and knowledge-based industries, are apparent. Full article

The paper presents a failure analysis of the bell tower of the church of St. Francis of Assisi on Kaptol in Zagreb subjected to seismic activity using the finite-discrete element method—FDEM. The bell tower is a masonry building, and throughout history it has undergone multiple damages and reconstructions. It was significantly damaged during the earthquake in Zagreb which occurred on 22 March 2020 with a magnitude of 5.5. The analysis was performed on a simplified FDEM 2D numerical model which corresponds to the structure in its current pre-disaster state and the structure after the proposed post-disaster reconstruction. The obtained results showed a good agreement of the crack pattern in the numerical model and the cracks that occurred due to these earthquakes. In addition, the conclusions based on the conducted analysis can provide a better insight into the behaviour and serve as guidelines to engineers for the design of such and similar structures. Full article

A reduced-degree-of-freedom (RDOF) model for seismic analysis of predominantly plan-symmetric reinforced concrete (RC) wall–frame buildings is introduced. The RDOF model of the wall–frame building consists of elastic beam–column elements with concentrated plasticity used for simulating cantilever walls and predominantly plan-symmetric RC frame buildings that are represented by the improved fish-bone (IFB) model. In this paper, the capability of the RDOF model is demonstrated for two frame buildings and two wall–frame buildings. The RDOF models were defined directly from the building information model. This is an advantage of RDOF models with respect to single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) models, while the computational robustness of the RDOF models also makes them attractive for the seismic analysis of building stock. The imposed cyclic displacement analyses conducted for the investigated buildings proved that the condensation of the degrees of freedom for RDOF models was appropriate. Consequently, only minor differences were observed for maximum storey drift IDA curves, maximum storey acceleration IDA curves, and seismic fragility functions for different limit states. However, development is needed to make RDOF models appropriate for preliminary seismic performance assessment of plan-irregular buildings. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the comprehensive percentage influence of input parameters on building energy and comfort performance by a new approach of sensitivity analysis (SA) and explore the most reliable and neutral sampling and sensitivity assessment method. The research combined 7 sampling methods with 13 SA methods to comprehensively integrate the percentage influence of 25 input parameters on building energy and comfort performance in 24 coastal cities of China. The results have found that the percentage influence of many important input parameters is affected by geographical position. Considering both energy and comfort performance of the building, the key parameters are heating setpoint, infiltration rate, cooling setpoint, roof U value, roof solar absorptance, window solar heat gain coefficient, equipment, and occupant density, all of which could comprehensively impact 70% of energy demand and comfort performance along the Chinese coastline. This is of great significance for policymakers to formulate relative building regulations. After comparing the F-test and the exceed percentage test, we recommended the Pearson with Quasi-random sampling method as the most reliable SA assessment method in building simulation, followed by the standardized regression coefficient in random sampling and Latin hypercube sampling methods, which can achieve data closest to the average value. Full article

Since reinforced concrete (RC) buildings have long service life, cutout openings are generally needed in their load-bearing walls as a sustainable solution in order to meet new requirements of their users. However, the cutout openings decrease the load-bearing capacity of the walls, which may result in the failure of the buildings. In this paper, we investigate the possibility of making a door opening in a load-bearing RC wall of an existing building in Gävle in Sweden. The wall studied in the current paper rests on two individual supports at its two ends; thus, it is considered as a deep beam. However, it is called an examined wall (EW) here. The StruSoft FEM-Design software is used in this study to model, analyze, and design the building based on the Eurocodes and Swedish national annex. The potential need for the EW to be strengthened when the cutout opening is made is also evaluated. It is concluded that strengthening the EW with cutout opening is needed. Different strengthening solutions are proposed for the EW. Moreover, the situation of the EW with the solutions is assessed with regard to the utilization ratio, deflection, and weight. Consequently, it is demonstrated that the proposed strengthening solutions function well for the EW. Full article

This paper concerns the issue of food systems in the context of urban development. It describes relevant residential area ideas that integrate cities with food production, such as agrarian cooperatives. In the first section, modernist projects of residential areas linked with urban farms are reviewed, considering cooperative movement and the Industrial Revolution. This review shows that the aim of these historical projects was self-sufficiency and sustainability, based on local food production and broad areas covered by vegetation. They are considered to be a contemporary residential model. The second part of the paper discusses contemporary projects of farms within estates. The study demonstrates that the production of goods under urban agriculture goes beyond private goods, such as food produced for market or own use. The examples discussed show that urban farming performs key functions in residential architecture. Full article

Pinned base plate connections are the most common base connection used in low-rise steel buildings. In this research, an extensive parametric study is performed using the Finite Element (FE) software Abaqus to determine the elastic rotational stiffness, moment resistance, and energy absorption of the pinned base plate connection connected to a reinforced concrete footing and subjected to an eccentric axial load. The developed FE model is validated using experimental results from the literature. Moreover, an intensive parametric study is conducted to understand the behavior of these connections better. The investigated parameters include the base plate thickness, anchor bolt diameter, and arrangement and number of bolts. The most effective parameters that affect the elastic rotational stiffness and moment resistance of pinned base connections are the anchor bolt arrangement and diameter. The maximum increase in the rotational stiffness was 53% for the anchor bolt diameter of 30 mm when the base plate thickness increased from 12 mm to 30 mm. Based on the base plate thickness, the moment resistance is improved by 150–260% when the bolt diameter increases from 12 mm to 30 mm. Full article

Earthen architecture has a significant share in the world’s fund of both residential architecture and cultural heritage. It provides a home to more than half of the world’s population and can be found in seismically active areas. Empirically acquired knowledge on building with rammed earth (RE) has usually been passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, with no written scientific grant for the load-bearing capacity and resistance of structural elements. Today, many countries still do not have standards for the design of RE structures. In the development of new as well as existing design standards, the results of experimental research play a significant role. The focus of this study was on unstabilized RE, which is locally available material with low embodied energy. This paper elaborates experimental campaigns, within which meticulous techniques were employed to provide new knowledge on RE for use in earthquake-prone areas. Furthermore, this paper includes: (i) ranges of values of mechanical properties determined on RE specimens from all over the world; (ii) a comparative summary of experimental research conducted on walls and buildings to assess their seismic performance; (iii) an overview of standards and testing methods used in experiments; and (iv) recommendations for further research. Full article

The common cause of cracking in cement paste is shrinkage due to different reasons, such as loss of water and chemical reactions. Incorporating limestone fines (LF) as a cement replacement can affect the shrinkage of the paste. To examine this effect, five paste mixes were prepared with 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% LF as a cement replacement and with a water-to-binder ratio (w/b) of 0.45. Four volume stability tests were conducted for each paste: chemical, autogenous and drying shrinkage and expansion. Chemical shrinkage was tested each hour for the first 24 h and thereafter every 2 days for a total period of 90 days. The drying shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage and expansion were monitored every 2 days until 90 days. The results showed that replacing 15% LF enhanced the chemical shrinkage of the paste. However, autogenous shrinkage of the paste was found to increase between 0 and 10% LF and decline sharply at 15 and 20% LF. Drying shrinkage was found to increase with the increase in LF content. Expansion exhibited little variation between 0 and 10% LF and an increase for replacement above 15% LF. These results are discussed in terms of the formation of hydration products and self-desiccation due to hydration. Full article

In view of the first domestic offshore suspension bridge with caisson foundation, this paper mainly studies the bonding properties between underwater pre-filled aggregate grouting bed and anchorage caisson foundation. Through the test, the cohesive force of adding ordinary concrete between the anchorage caisson foundation and the grouting bed, the cohesive force of adding paper base asphalt felt between the anchorage caisson foundation and the grouting bed, and the cohesive force of adding geotextile between the anchorage caisson foundation and the grouting bed are measured, respectively. When the contact surface is concrete and geotextile, the fracture form of the specimen was analyzed by numerical simulation, and the AE variation trend of the two specimens have been studied. The results of this article can provide references for other projects. Full article

Container-based lightweight buildings offer a high ecologic and economic potential when they are designed as nearly zero-energy container buildings (NZECBs). Thus, they are relevant to energy transition in achieving an almost climate-neutral building stock. This paper describes and applies design strategies for suitable building concepts and energy systems to be used in NZECBs for different climates. Therefore, different applications in representative climatic zones were selected. Initially, the global climate zones were characterized and analyzed with regard to their potential for self-sufficiency and renewable energies in buildings. The design strategies were further developed and demonstrated for three cases: a single-family house in Sweden, a multi-family house in Germany, and a small school building in rural Ethiopia. For each case, design guidelines were derived and building concepts were developed. On the basis of these input data, various energy concepts were developed in which solar and wind energy, as well as biomass, were integrated as renewable energy sources. All the concepts were simulated and analyzed with the Polysun^® software. The various approaches were compared and evaluated, particularly with regard to energy self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency rates up to 80% were achieved. Finally, the influence of different climate zones on the energy efficiency of the single-family house was studied as well as the influence of the size of battery storage and insulation. Full article

Collusive bidding has been an insidious issue in the construction industry. Bidders initiate collusive networks of various sizes to win market shares. The popularity of collusive bidding networks affects market fairness and erodes the interests of market players. Although considerable research efforts were made to diagnose collusive bidding networks, there remains a gap in knowledge regarding the relationships bid riggers use to engage in the networks. Therefore, this study used the social network method, where two hundred sixteen collusion cases were collected from China to test these relationships. The results show that collusive bidding networks were characterized by sparseness, a small scale, a high concentration, and strong randomness. Three types of collusive bidding networks were also detected: contractual, spontaneous, and shadow. Furthermore, these collusive bidding networks had discrepancies regarding participants’ identities, forms of collusive bids, and the determination of bid winners. It was found that the proposed social network model of deliberating bid riggers’ relationships lays a solid foundation for the detection of collusive bidding in the construction sector. Full article

The use of wood and timber products in the construction of buildings is repeatedly pointed towards as a mean for lowering the environmental footprint. With several countries preparing regulation for life cycle assessment of buildings, practitioners from industry will presumably look to the pool of data on wood products found in environmental product declarations (EPDs). However, the EPDs may vary broadly in terms of reporting and results. This study provides a comprehensive review of 81 third-party verified EN 15804 EPDs of cross laminated timber (CLT), glulam, laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and timber. The 81 EPDs represent 86 different products and 152 different product scenarios. The EPDs mainly represent European production, but also North America and Australia/New Zealand productions are represented. Reported global warming potential (GWP) from the EPDs vary within each of the investigated product categories, due to density of the products and the end-of-life scenarios applied. Median results per kg of product, excluding the biogenic CO₂, are found at 0.26, 0.24, and 0.17 kg CO₂e for CLT, glulam, and timber, respectively. Results further showed that the correlation between GWP and other impact categories is limited. Analysis of the inherent data uncertainty showed to add up to ±41% to reported impacts when assessed with an uncertainty method from the literature. However, in some of the average EPDs, even larger uncertainties of up to 90% for GWP are reported. Life cycle assessment practitioners can use the median values from this study as generic data in their assessments of buildings. To make the EPDs easier to use for practitioners, a more detailed coordination between EPD programs and their product category rules is recommended, as well as digitalization of EPD data. Full article

Multiple high quality wood waste from a window manufacturer is identified and collected. Eco-sustainable panels, with promising acoustic and thermal insulating performance, were then fabricated. The available wood is of different tree species (pine, oak, and mahogany) and size (pieces of wood, mixed coarse chips, and mixed fine chips). Moreover, scraps of olive tree pruning from local areas were collected for reuse. The aim of the research is to assembly panels (300 × 300 mm²) both with different techniques (hand-made and hot-pressed) and type of adhesive (vinyl and flour glues) and to evaluate their thermal, acoustic, and environmental performance. All the panels present thermal and acoustic performance comparable with the similar ones available in the literature or with commercial solutions. The thermal conductivity varies in the 0.071 to 0.084 W/mK range at an average temperature of 10 °C, depending on the tree species, the assembly technique, and regardless of the type of adhesive used. Oak wood panels are characterized by both better sound absorption (α peak value of 0.9, similar to pine pressed sample with flour glue) and insulation (transmission loss up to 11 dB at 1700 Hz) properties. However, their added value is the low environmental impact assessed through life cycle analysis in compliance with ISO 14040, especially for panels assembled with natural glue. Full article

The problem with evaluating investment projects is that there are many factors that determine the degree of their successful conclusion. Consequently, there has been an active debate for years as to which critical success factors (CSFs) contribute most to the performance of construction projects. This is because the practice of empirical research is based on two steps: first, researchers choose a particular model from the space of all possible models, and second, they act as if the chosen model is the only one that fits the data and describes the phenomenon under study. Hence, there are many CSF lists that can be found in the literature, owing to the uncertainty at the model selection stage, which is usually ignored. Alternatively, model averaging accounts for this model uncertainty. In this study, the Bayesian model averaging and data from a survey of Polish construction managers were used to investigate the potential of 28 factors describing a diverse set of characteristics in explaining the performance of construction projects in Poland. Determinants of successful completion of investment projects are categorized by their level of evidential strength, which is derived from posterior inclusion probabilities (PIPs), i.e., providing strong, medium and weak evidence. Full article

Conservation, increasing the useful life period of existing significant buildings with minimum consumption of new materials, as much as possible of low-embodied energy, is an important step towards sustainable rehabilitation, while also contributing to the preservation of the cultural heritage. In the context of 20th-century buildings’ conservation, the knowledge of construction techniques and applied materials is essential to pursue sustainable preservation and rehabilitation actions. This paper presents the main construction types and characteristics of a set of architecture award-winning buildings in Lisbon (Portugal) between 1903 and 2002 along with an inspection of the main anomalies detected in renders, plasters, and concrete surfaces. The applied methodology made it possible to classify plasters, renders, and concrete materials according to their state of conservation. The study of 20th-century buildings is justified by the intense renovation activity in the city centres, which leads to the loss of their outer layers and their historical and original values. This study aims to contribute to future conservation actions that will guarantee better preservation concerning sustainable materials, i.e., compatible materials to the existing ones that enhance the durability of the old buildings and minimize the use of new materials. Full article

As a result of the experience and scientific research of the authors on the deep ecology and sustainability process, academic courses were created that are run at two stages of educating architecture students. The authors aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness and quality of the courses as well as the rationality of the assumptions and educational methods adopted for their implementation. One of them was the survey method, as a didactic and scientific experiment and didactic tool. The innovative educational methodology presented in the work may be implemented by other educators at architectural universities in order to improve the quality of teaching design in the spirit of pro-ecological and sustainable development. The result is a long-term action which constitutes a tool to combat the ecological crisis. It consists of bottom-up activities, both in the open landscape (ecovillages) and in the urban context (housing complexes with elements of urban farms and environmental education parks). This is connected with the application of the educational system from the pre-school level in the place of residence up to in-depth academic education. Full article

Due to the tremendous increase in the population and emerging energy crisis, the surging demand for the thermal management of buildings has become essential. Thermal management of buildings is of high importance for maintaining optimum thermal comfort and controlling the drastic environmental impacts. To avoid high energy consumption strategies and continuous operation such as active air heaters and air conditioners, passive strategies driven by phase change material-based thermal storage are expected to leverage the energy challenges. This work attempts to present the form-stabilized thermal storage tile-bricks (TSTBs) that are fabricated by a combination of octadecane, phosphogypsum, kaolin clay and cement. The optimal percent contents of each entity were found with respect to the design criterion of form-stability and effective temperature control capacity. Two TSTBs with a thickness of 10 mm and 15 mm were constructed, which are then applied on ordinary clay bricks to build a prototype wall. The optimal TSTBs are experimentally and numerically evaluated by subjecting them to transient thermal performance analysis, providing longer temperature retardation (~3000 s) compared with ordinary clay bricks (~400 s). It is thus implied that TSTBs can provide a viable solution against energy mismanagement by inhibiting the heating in summer and reserving the cold in winter. Full article

With the cost of energy rising, the value of conservation grows. Interest in energy efficiency could be a sound investment or a necessary public policy. Heat pump systems provide economical alternatives of recovering heat from different sources for use in various applications. The objective of this study is to present the strategic approach on the energy efficient analysis of the water heating system retrofitted by applying a heat pump system in the dormitory of a university. Energy savings were determined by comparing field measurements of water consumption, water temperature and power consumption of the overall system before (electric resistance heating system) and after (heat pump heating system) the implementation of this project. Furthermore, the building energy simulation code (eQuest) has been applied to verify and predict the long-term energy consumption for both water heating systems. The results from energy modelling revealed the good agreement for energy simulation and field measurement data and the improvement of energy efficiency and energy savings could be achieved satisfactorily by retrofitting of a heat pump system. The energy conversion efficiency of hot water for energy consumption at 0.63 (Mcal/Mcal) could be achieved after the application of heat pump water heating system. It also presented the annual saving about USD 20,000 (NTD 600,000) for the dorm by using a heat pump heating system under the electrical billing rate of Taiwan. Full article

This research investigates the behavior of square concrete columns externally wrapped by low-cost and easily available fiber rope reinforced polymer (FRRP) composites. This study mainly aims to explore the axial stress-strain relationships of FRRP-confined square columns. Another objective is to assess suitable predictive models for the ultimate strength and strain of FRRP-confined square columns. A total of 60 square concrete columns were cast, strengthened, and tested under compression. The parameters were the corner radii of square columns (0, 13, and 26 mm) and different materials of FRRP composites (polyester, hemp, and cotton FRRP composites). The strength and deformability of FRRP-confined specimens were observed to be higher than the unconfined specimens. It was observed that strength gains of FRRP-confined concrete columns and corner radii were directly proportional. The accuracy of ultimate strength and strain models developed for synthetic FRRP-confined square columns was assessed using the test results of this study, showing the need for the development of improved predictive models for FRRP-confined square columns. Newly developed unified models were found to be accurate in predicting the ultimate strength and strain of FRRP-confined columns. Full article

The most important function of the classroom is to transmit educational information from teachers to students more accurately and clearly. The acoustical environment of the classroom thus has an important effect on the improvement of students’ learning ability. To provide an appropriate acoustical environment for learning to students, it is necessary to create an acoustical performance standard for classrooms and a guideline for designing classrooms. However, in Korea, there is not an acoustical standard for classrooms; thus, it is difficult to control and manage appropriate acoustical performance when designing and building classrooms. The present study aims to suggest acoustic performance standards for classrooms that are suitable for the Korean language. In order to perform this study, standard classrooms were created by standardizing architectural dimensions of 17 middle and high school classrooms in Cheong-ju. Speech intelligibility tests were conducted using three different languages including Korean, English, and Chinese. Twenty native speakers for each language were used as subjects for the speech intelligibility tests. Finally, auralized sound sources were created with five different conditions of reverberation time (0.47~1.22 s) by changing indoor sound absorption of a real classroom. Listening tests were undertaken by 52 Korean adults with normal hearing, using the auralized sound source. The results proved that the most appropriate reverberation time for learning was above 0.76 s. Based on the research findings, the ideal acoustical performance standard for classrooms in Korea is as follows: background noise is below 35 dBA, and reverberation time is below 0.80 s. It is also necessary that indoor sound absorption should be above 20% without sound absorption on side walls in order to satisfy with the acoustical performance standard. Full article

The Public Health and Safety Department of Dubai Municipality had evaluated the indoor air quality in public buildings in 2013, then established the IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) regulation. Even though IAQ in public building is in control, indoor air pollution in new and renovated housing is still very problematic. The objective of this paper is to measure the indoor air quality of the residential unit in an apartment after renovation to evaluate the actual condition and to analyze the influential factors. As a methodology, field measurements, resident interviews, and observations were conducted for 20 residential units to investigate basic information, renovation contents, ventilation characteristics, and SBS (Sick Building Syndrome) symptoms. The results showed that renovation related to the indoor air quality was the replacement of finishing materials. It was statistically proven that the average CO₂ for each house was 683–2309.4 ppm, and 15 houses exceeded the WHO IAQ standards. TVOC had an average concentration of 0–3.0 ppm per house, exceeding the standard in 10 houses. Formaldehyde (CH₂O) had an average concentration of 0–1.02 ppm per house, exceeding the WHO IAQ standard (0.1 ppm) in 12 houses. However, even though the indoor air quality was polluted, the residents were hardly aware of it based on subjective response survey. As the amount of renovation increases, the concentration of formaldehyde (CH₂O) increases significantly, and excessive renovation should be avoided. This study will serve as a basic dataset to suggest that the new IAQ regulation not be compulsory for residents; rather, they must induce contractors with stipulation to maintain IAQ during and after renovation. Full article

The development and implementation of “green” technologies in the construction sector, which ensure natural resource conservation, reduce harmful emissions and provide utilization of industrial waste, are key issues in material engineering of the XXI century. Extensive research has been devoted to solving these issues, including research in the field of concrete science. Still, the issue of developing concrete compositions with increased corrosion resistance remains much less studied. At the same time, reactive aggregates from industrial waste can have positive effect on durability of concrete, and the best result can be achieved by means of modification of a concrete mixture with highly effective additives. The article presents the research data in two lines—the study of applicability of reactive aggregates from waste products of nonmetallic and ceramic industries, mineral wool production and concrete scrap for production of corrosion-resistant concretes, as well as the assessment of possibility of Portland cement quantity reduction in a concrete mixture on local raw materials due to the introduction of additives based on polycarboxylates. The article presents the research evidence of the effect of dust and clay particles content on the quality of concrete with a polycarboxylate additive. The article describes the studies of corrosion resistance of concrete samples based on production wastes in sulfate environments and under the influence of carbon dioxide. The developed concrete compositions with waste use can be recommended for widespread application, rational use of resources, and production of durable high-quality concretes. The application of additives based on polycarboxylates makes it possible to produce concretes with the reduction of cement consumption in the mixture by 10–20% and decrease in the mode of thermo-wet treatment by two times. Full article

Post-conflict reconstruction has been one of the most challenging themes for the AEC industry, urban designers and planners, and related decision-makers, especially in complex urban contexts with severe destruction in terms of infrastructure. The city of Mosul in Iraq is a case where there is an urgent need for reconstruction, in particular the housing sector after the enormous destruction caused by the ISIS war of 2014–2017. Today, advanced technologies in construction present opportunities to address post-conflict reconstruction challenges. BIM has been used in recent years since it is an integrated and effective process for planning, monitoring and managing contemporary construction projects. Nevertheless, BIM has not been investigated properly in planning and managing post-conflict reconstruction, especially in developing countries. This paper discusses the potential of adopting BIM in post-conflict reconstruction through investigating the validity of the BIM process in planning and assessing possible housing solutions for the reconstruction of Mosul city, using BIM applications. The main findings suggest that BIM applications present significant potential in the process of planning, assessing and managing the reconstruction of post-conflict contexts in developing countries, where conventional methods are limited, dysfunctional and inefficient. Full article

Heat Pumps are becoming one of the most considered mechanical conditioning equipment in our buildings. While they are popular, there appears to be quite a vast range of system types and applications in building conditioning. This paper primarily reviews the literature on heat pumps, the various types, and the consideration of design end uses. The fact that there are different energy sources for heat pumps is considered, as well as the different sinks in which energy is stored or dissipated. It is evident that advanced heat pump systems cater well to the use of renewable energy resources. Therefore, in the move towards net-zero energy building operation, the correct selection of a heat pump can help to increase self-consumption of solar PV generation and even make use of direct solar energy heating. This paper reviews the technologies for heat pump selection, application, and design for residential buildings. Full article

In this paper, a seismic hazard assessment (SHA) of the Shigo Kas hydropower project has been performed by deterministic and probabilistic approaches. The previously developed MATLAB-based code has been used for deterministic SHA, incorporating local site effects through deep soil analysis. On the other hand, for probabilistic SHA, CRISIS 2007 has been used through diffuse areal source zones. The latest updated earthquake instrumental and historical catalogs have been developed. Based on the recommendations of the International Commission on Large Dams, peak ground acceleration (PGA) values for the maximum credible earthquake (MCE), safety evaluation earthquake (SEE), design basis earthquake (DBE) and operating basis earthquake (OBE) have been assessed, which are 0.50 g, 0.68 g, 0.35 g and 0.24 g, respectively, at the intake location, and 0.50 g, 0.61 g, 0.30 g and 0.22 g, respectively, at the powerhouse location. Hazard maps have been developed for scenario-based earthquakes (MCE) and for the peak ground acceleration of 145-, 475- and 2500-year return periods. The de-aggregation process has evaluated the combined effects of magnitude and distance. At a distance of 30 to 70 km from the earthquake source, earthquakes of magnitude 5 Mw to 5.6 Mw and 5.9 Mw to 6.5 Mw are more hazardous for the current project. Full article

The present study investigates the effect of fixed external shading devices’ geometry on thermal comfort, daylighting and energy demand for cooling and heating in the hot and dry climate of the city of Ghardaïa (Algeria). A parametric analysis was performed by using three software: RADIANCE 2.0 and DAYSIM 3.1 for daylighting simulation and TRNSYS.17 for thermal dynamic simulation. Three shading device parameters were assessed: the spacing between slats, the tilted angle and the slats installation. The vertical shading angle “VSA” is fixed; it is equal to the optimum shading angle measured for Ghardaïa. The simulation results indicate that fixed external shading devices have a significant impact on decreasing the energy demand for cooling; however, they are unable to reduce the total energy demand since they significantly increase heating loads. It was found that fixed external shading devices remove all risks associated with glare in summer by decreasing illuminance close to the window; however, they do not improve daylighting performance in winter because of glare. We note that even if the vertical shading angle “VSA” was the same for all cases, these did not present the same thermal and luminous behavior. This is mainly due to the amount and the way that the solar radiation penetrates space. Full article

Construction safety climates can reflect organizational safety behavior and commitment, employees’ safety perceptions and attitudes, and the supervisory and support environments. Maintaining a healthy safety climate can help prevent workers from fatal accidents and illnesses. To enhance the safety climate and, consequently, improve safety performance at a construction site, it is very important to analyze the elements that affect the safety climate and are significant for different types of construction work organizations. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to develop a multi-spectra perception model to investigate which factors were considered critical from four key perspectives: managers, superintendents, skilled laborers, and general helpers. To achieve this goal, a survey questionnaire was conducted to collect empirical data from one commercial building construction project. Based on a stepwise regression analysis, it was revealed that the most significant factors enhancing the safety climate are: from the managers’ perspective, a combination of improvement in the support environment and reduction in work pressure; for superintendents and skilled laborers, increasing worker competence; and for general laborers, increasing worker involvement. This research contributes to a better understanding of the significant factors and provides a measure for each important role in enhancing the safety climate at a job site. Full article