Daylight Performance of Classrooms in a Mediterranean School Heritage Building

Sound and Light Waves in Healthy Environments

Architects need the freedom to design their projects with the assurance that they will be inspiring aesthetic as well as healthy places, i.e., buildings, streets, parks, avenues, and squares that offer a complete living experience in an environment that takes into account light, sound, vibration, climate, and all those aspects that can disturb people's well-being. We know that prolonged exposure to noise can cause discomfort and sleep disorders, which affect the quality of life. This noise is not the only pollutant as there are other sound waves such as infrasound and ultrasound that are not perceptible but potentially harmful to health. Not forgetting electromagnetic waves, the light that reaches our bodies and which has regulated our lives throughout the existence of the species. The invention of electric lighting had the consequence that people spend practically all day indoors. Days are poorly illuminated, and the nights have too much light. On the other hand, the intensity of artificial light is a fraction of that of daylight and the spectral composition is also different.

Solar Radiation in Architectural Projects as a Key Design Factor for the Well-Being of Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease

The beneficial effects of solar radiation on human health are well documented. One necessary mechanism triggers the production of vitamin D, whose insufficiency has been linked to a variety of disorders such as diabetes; hypertension; and, more recently, amyloidosis and Alzheimer’s disease. However, there are few architectural designs capable of ensuring the adequate provision of solar radiation inside buildings. Conventional fenestration is not sufficient to provide for significant doses of sunlight, even to prevent seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In this paper, we discuss the effect of new design alternatives for skylights, especially in the refurbishment of obsolete facilities. Based on the authors’ previous studies, we defined a theoretical model that was subsequently adapted to a real building that was to be retrofitted in an area near Sevilla. After such complex refurbishment was executed, we analyzed the performance of buildings in warm and sunny climates, as is the case of southern Spain, where cloudiness is very scarce and available simulation models are not useful. The study of the factors that relate to sunlight; UV reception and energy; and, to a certain extent, other aspects such as ventilation and insulation has been considered a priority. Many architectural designs are presented as correct if the thermal requirements alone are met, even at the risk of later energy waste in lighting devices and visual or physical discomfort. On the other hand, large glazed areas allow for more daylight and UV radiation into a space if properly treated, but they may also produce excessive heat gains or losses, which increase the air-conditioning cooling or heating load, respectively. The uncontrolled increase in temperature can have negative effects on the well-being of a person with Alzheimer’s dementia. To avoid these problems, we have considered the combined effect of daylight and energy from the beginning of the skylight design-process. Daylighting software, based on configuration factors that we have applied in studies of the complex problem of there being direct sunlight over architectural structures, has been used. This question cannot be treated adequately with conventional programs for overcast skies. The skylights have already been constructed, with special UV increasing glazing and on-site measurements in the offices to complement the computer simulation data. The results show that it is possible to achieve energy saving and high radiation levels in winter without increasing heat loads during the summer. Ventilation is also improved through the aerodynamic design of the clerestories. All this is considered beneficial to improve the condition of users with cognitive diseases as Alzheimer’s disease, by virtue of adapted spaces.

The importance of servicescapes in Maldivian higher education: application of the stimuli-organism-response(SOR) framework

Purpose

This study aims to use the servicescape model of higher education environments to measure the students’ perceptions of the learning environment (classroom) and the effect this has on students’ learning ability.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study follows the stimulus-organism-response paradigm framework. A self-administered and well-structured survey questionnaire is used to collect data. The snowball sampling technique is used to collect samples of 403 students belonging to Maldivian higher education institutions.

Findings

Findings show that the physical appearances of these higher education institutions greatly influenced the pleasure dimension. Furthermore, pleasure is found to have a significant and positive relationship with the approach behaviour and engagement/involvement of the students.

Originality/value

The main contribution of the study is that it successfully tests the “Eduscape” model adopted from the servicescape model, and thus helps to extend existing knowledge on the critical elements in the Maldivian higher education learning environments and student’s behaviour within them. The findings have implications for higher education institutions to improve their learning environments and better engage with their students.

Pandemic of Childhood Myopia. Could New Indoor LED Lighting Be Part of the Solution?

The existence of a growing myopia pandemic is an unquestionable fact for health authorities around the world. Different possible causes have been put forward over the years, such as a possible genetic origin, the current excess of children’s close-up work compared to previous stages in history, insufficient natural light, or a multifactorial cause. Scientists are looking for different possible solutions to alleviate it, such as a reduction of time or a greater distance for children’s work, the use of drugs, optometric correction methods, surgical procedures, and spending more time outdoors. There is a growing number of articles suggesting insufficient natural light as a possible cause of the increasing levels of childhood myopia around the globe. Technological progress in the world of lighting is making it possible to have more monochromatic LED emission peaks, and because of this, it is possible to create spectral distributions of visible light that increasingly resemble natural light in the visible range. The possibility of creating indoor luminaires that emit throughout the visible spectrum from purple to infrared can now be a reality that could offer a new avenue of research to fight this pandemic.

Experimental Study on the Thermal Behavior of Exterior Coating Textures of Building in Hot and Arid Climates

The building envelope is the barrier between the interior and exterior environments. It has many important functions, including protecting the interior space from the climatic variations through its envelope materials and design elements, as well as reduction of energy consumption and improving indoor thermal comfort. Furthermore, exterior building sidings, in addition to their aesthetic appearance, can have useful textures for reducing solar gains and providing good thermal insulation performance. This research examined and evaluated the effect of external siding texture and geometry on energy performance. For this objective, a field in situ testing and investigation of surface temperature was carried out on four samples (test boxes) with different exterior textures and different orientations, under the climate zone of Constantine–Algeria during the summer period. The results indicated significant dependability between the exterior texture geometry, the percentage of shadow projected, and external surface temperature. The second part of the research involved a similar approach, exploring the effect of three types of particles with the same appearance but with different thermal characteristics. It was concluded that the natural plant aggregates “palm particles” had the best performance, which contributed to a significant reduction of external surface temperature reaching 4.3 °C, which meant decreasing the energy consumption.

Influence of the Adaptation of Balconies to Loggias on the Lighting Climate inside an Apartment Building under Cloudy Sky

The reconstruction of balconies and loggias is a key element of the renovation of apartment buildings. Artificial light will never replace natural light. Every day, one must make full use of the potential of daylight and enjoy an advantage—free-of-charge natural light entering the interior. When renovating balconies, people often change the character of this protruding structure from a façade to a loggia. This is also the subject of this paper. For the evaluation of the daylighting conditions prevailing in residential building, the Daylight Factor (DF) was considered as the parameter for indicating the quantity of admitted daylight. The DF values and illuminance—CIE overcast sky were calculated using DIALux 9.1 software. The aim of the paper is to compare two variants of the level of daylight in the rooms of the residential building. One option to bring in even more natural light than a window is a variant with balconies. Loggias are satisfactory in terms of static and thermal technology, but daylight conditions are deteriorating. The article provides an insight into the solution of the renovation of balconies and loggias in a specific apartment building. The result shows their influence on changes in the conditions of natural daylight in the interior of two selected rooms.

Italian Architectural Heritage and Photovoltaic Systems. Matching Style with Sustainability

Rehabilitation and management of pre-industrial architectural heritage over time has played a central role in the international scientific debate since the 1970s. In light of the experience gained in this field, the challenge of a controlled and consistent integration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) requires a careful reflection on the compatibility criteria between new technologies and traditional building’s identity. Several of these technologies, such as photovoltaic (PV) systems, need to be placed on the building envelope or in appropriate outdoor areas, altering the architectural image and the landscape. Therefore, the characteristics of each building and its context should lead designers to choose solutions able to balance the need for increased energy production from RES with the need for preserving the identity of architectural heritage and landscape. A preliminary evaluation of rehabilitation projects allows to improve building sustainability and, in the meanwhile, to prevent any irreversible alteration of the cultural heritage. With reference to Italian case studies and guidelines for improving sustainability in energy production, the paper leads to identify evaluation criteria for the introduction of PV systems in pre-industrial buildings. Such criteria, which are based on architectural heritage values, allow for assessing the consistency of the building envelope alteration with conservation issues, in projects involving PV and, generally, solar technologies that need to be integrated with the building envelope.

Clay-Based Products Sustainable Development: Some Applications

Clay has a low environmental impact and can develop into many different products. The research presents two different case studies. In the first, the clay is the binder of raw earth doughs in order to produce clay-bricks. We investigate the effects of natural fibrous reinforcements (rice straws and basalt fibers) in four different mixtures. From the comparison with a mix without reinforcements, it is possible to affirm that the 0.40% of basalt fibers reduce the shrinkage by about 25% and increase the compressive strength by about 30%. Future studies will focus on identifying the fibrous effects on tensile strength and elastic modulus, as well as the optimal percentage of fibers. In the second study, the clay, in form of brick powder (“cocciopesto”), gives high alkaline resistance and breathability performance, as well as rendering and color to the plaster. The latter does not have artificial additives. The plaster respects the cultural instance of the original building. The research underlines how the use of a local (and traditional) material such as clay can be a promoter of sustainability in the contemporary building sector. Future studies must investigate further possible uses of clay as well as a proper regulatory framework.

Design Optimisation Strategies for Solid Rammed Earth Walls in Mediterranean Climates

The renewed attention paid to raw earth construction in recent decades is linked to its undoubted sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and low embodied energy. In Italy, the use of raw earth as a construction material is limited by the lack of a technical reference standard and is penalised by the current energy legislation for its massive behaviour. Research experiences, especially transoceanic, on highly performative contemporary buildings made with natural materials show that raw earth can be used, together with different types of reinforcements, to create safe, earthquake-resistant, and thermally efficient buildings. On the basis of experimental data of an innovative fibre-reinforced rammed earth material, energy analyses are developed on a rammed earth building designed for a Mediterranean climate. The paper focuses on the influences that different design solutions, inspired by traditional bioclimatic strategies, and various optimised wall constructions have in the improvement of the energy performance of the abovementioned building. These considerations are furthermore compared with different design criteria aiming at minimising embodied carbon in base material choice, costs, and discomfort hours. Results have shown the effectiveness of using the combination of massive rammed earth walls, night cross ventilation, and overhangs for the reduction of energy demand for space cooling and the improvement of wellbeing. Finally, the parametric analysis of thermal insulation has highlighted the economic, environmental, and thermophysical optimal solutions for the rammed earth envelope.

The Importance of Light in Our Lives

The light that enters through our eyes is not only for vision. The human circadian system responds to light differently than the visual system. The timing of each biological function in mammals is directed by the main clock located in the Supraquiasmic Nucleus, which is regulated by light. However, until now, only the interaction of light with our visual system has been taken into account when choosing the parameters of indoor lighting sources, including those in the classroom. In the publications about school lighting, the first concern was the common parameters of indoor lighting such as horizontal workplane illuminance, illuminance uniformity, and avoiding reflections on different surfaces. In this chapter, the authors show publications about new findings on the effects of light on people, studies carried out in different countries aimed at improving classroom lighting, current regulations on lighting related to classroom lighting, and new parameters that are being considered, along with those already used for new and better lighting.

Energetic Retrofit Strategies for Traditional Sicilian Wine Cellars: A Case Study

Sicily is characterized by rural buildings, Palmenti, destined to wine production, which are scattered along the countryside and part of the local historical heritage. There are different types of rural buildings, but all have in common the use of ancient and well-established bioclimatic techniques for wine conservation and aging. Most of them were built with the double function of living space for the owner and productive spaces for all the activities correlated to the cultivations. Indeed, many rural houses, destined to the wine production, are characterized by wineries and wine cellars (the first for the wine production, the second to store the wine for the aging process). The growing production of high-quality Sicilian wines, very appreciated all over the world, leads to upgrade the ancient Palmenti to seek optimal hygrothermal conditions and, therefore, to guarantee high performance of the produced and stored wines. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the retrofit measures taken to comply with the energy regulations could affect the thermal behavior of a wine cellar constructed with consolidated bioclimatic technics. The results show the importance of not insulating the solid ground floor for maintaining suitable temperatures for the fermentation and aging of wine. This study can be useful for future analysis when comparing the optimal hygrothermal conditions of wine cellars located in homogeneous viticultural areas (with same climate, geology, soil, physical features, and height) in other parts of the world.

Influence of Roof Windows Area Changes on the Classroom Indoor Climate in the Attic Space: A Case Study

Windows are a complex part of building design and provide a considerable benefit, including to school buildings. For the evaluation of the daylighting conditions prevailing in classrooms, the daylight factor (DF) was considered as the most appropriate parameter for indicating the quantity of admitted daylight. The DF values and CIE overcast sky were calculated using Velux Daylight Visualizer 3 software. The task of the paper is to compare various roof window openings in relation to the level of daylight in the attic, looking to optimize the use of the attic for teaching. The indoor air temperature has a general influence on comfort in the interior, in addition to daylight. In winter, the situation is not critical. The thermal insulation properties of packaging structures are sufficient. The situation is worse in summer, due to the fact that the heat-storage properties are undersized and there is excessive overheating of the indoor air. Four variants of roof windows and their influence on the overall microclimate in the attic are compared. The variant without roof windows is a suitable solution with regard to minimum overheating, but the worst situation for daylight. In order to receive even more light from the window (by moving windows to the top of the roof), we can use variant 2. Based on a combination of daylight calculations and summer temperature, a graphical dependence on window size prediction in terms of top and combined lighting is derived. This was hypothesized without shading the windows. Of course, the shading elements of these windows or cooling are expected in the summer. Finally, the energy required for cooling is compared depending on the size of the windows and achievement of the permissible temperature.

Evaluation of School Building Energy Performance and Classroom Indoor Environment

Existing building stock represents potential for energy saving renovations. Energy savings and indoor climate comfort are key demands for sustainable building refurbishment. Especially in schools, indoor comfort is an extremely important issue. A case study of energy consumption in selected school buildings in temperate climatic conditions of Central Europe region was performed. The studied buildings are representatives of various school premises constructed throughout the last century. The evaluation was based on data analysis of energy audits. The goal was aimed at assessment of the school building envelopes and their influence on energy consumption. One of the studied schools was selected for detailed evaluation. The school classroom was monitored for indoor thermal and visual environments. The monitoring was performed to compare the current state and renovation scenarios. Results of the evaluation show that the school buildings are highly inefficient even if renovated. Indoor climate in classrooms is largely influenced by windows. Solar gains affect interior thermal stability and daylighting. Thermal insulation quality of building envelopes and efficient solar shading systems appear to be fundamental tasks of school renovation strategies.

Life-Cycle Assessment and Monetary Measurements for the Carbon Footprint Reduction of Public Buildings

Energy consumption in public buildings increased drastically over the last decade. Significant policy actions towards the promotion of energy efficiency in the building sector have been developed involving sustainable low-CO2-emission technologies. This paper presents the results of an economic–environmental valuation of a standard energy retrofit project for a public building in a Mediterranean area, integrating a life-cycle assessment (LCA) into the traditional economic–financial evaluation pattern. The study results show that simple retrofit of sustainable low-CO2-emission strategies such as wooden double-glazed windows, organic external wall insulation systems, and green roofs can reduce energy needs for heating and cooling by 58.5% and 33.4%, respectively. Furthermore, the implementation of an LCA highlights that the use of sustainable materials reduces the building’s carbon footprint index by 54.1% after retrofit compared to standard materials, thus providing an additional increase in the socio-environmental–economic–financial results of 18%. Some proposals are made about the accounting of the replacement costs and the residual value as requested in the logic of life-cycle cost (that is the economic extension of the LCA), namely concerning the method to take into account the replacement costs and the residual value. The economic calculation highlights the fundamental role played by tax benefits supporting the building energy retrofit, also in temperate climate zones, thus allowing the creation of environmental benefits in addition to remarkable cost savings.

Influence of Solar Reflectance and Renewable Energies on Residential Heating and Cooling Demand in Sustainable Architecture: A Case Study in Different Climate Zones in Spain Considering Their Urban Contexts

In this research work, energy simulation was used as a forecasting tool in architectural design. It includes the study of a multi-family residential building in five different climate zones of Spain, i.e., A4 (very hot climate zones), B4 (hot climate zones), C4 (moderate climate zones), D3 (cold climate zones), and E1 (very cold climate zones). The authors accomplished a sensitivity analysis in order to identify the influence of passive strategies (i.e., with regard to solar reflectance) and renewable energy (i.e., with regard to aerothermal energy) on indoor temperatures and energy demands. The increment in indoor temperatures depends on the neighboring buildings so that effect of urban contexts as a source of protection against sunlight is also considered. The increment in the albedo (i.e., the solar reflectance) of the façade during the winter period produces little differences in indoor operative temperatures. On the contrary, during the summer period, it produces large temperature differences. Therefore, it is shown that colors significantly reduce temperatures from 1.24 to 3.04 °C, which means considerable annual energy savings. This research demonstrates that solar reflectance can reduce the air indoor operative temperature down to 4.16 °C during the month of May in the coldest climate zones. As a result of the simulations, it is noted that the coldest climate zones are influenced to a greater extent by the inclusion of their urban contexts in the simulations. However, the heating demand, without considering it, becomes lower. Therefore, ignoring the urban context produces important errors in the heating analysis (12.2% in the coldest climate zones) and also in the cooling analysis (39% in the hottest climate zones). Finally, the use of renewable energy in the configuration of a model with a high urban canyon (Hc), as well as with an east–west building orientation and a low albedo produces a difference of around 76% in the cooling costs within the hottest climate zones and around 73% in the heating costs within the coldest climate zones. The results of this study can be applied as a guideline in early architectural design.

Daylight and Architectural Simulation of the Egebjerg School (Denmark): Sustainable Features of a New Type of Skylight

This article discusses the performance of a new skylight for standard classrooms at the Egebjerg School (Denmark), which was built ca. 1970. This building underwent important reforms under a European project to which the authors contributed. This research aimed to create a new skylight prototype that is useful for several schools in the vicinity, since there is a lack of educational facilities. The former skylights consisted of plastic pyramids that presented serious disadvantages in terms of sustainability matters. During the design process, the priority changed to studying the factors that correlate daylighting with energy and other environmental aspects in a holistic and evocative approach. Accordingly, the new skylight features promote the admittance and diffusion of solar energy through adroit guidance systems. In order to simulate different scenarios, we employed our own simulation tool, Diana X. This research-oriented software works with the effects of direct solar energy that are mostly avoided in conventional programs. By virtue of Lambert’s reciprocity theorem, our procedure, which was based on innovative equations of radiative transfer, converts the energy received by diffusive surfaces into luminous exitance for all types of architectural elements. Upon completion of the skylights, we recorded onsite measurements, which roughly coincided with the simulation data. Thus, conditions throughout the year improved.

Passive Design Strategies for Residential Buildings in Different Spanish Climate Zones

The Passive House (PH) concept is considered an efficient strategy to reduce energy consumption in the building sector, where most of the energy is used for heating and cooling applications. For this reason, energy efficiency measures are increasingly implemented in the residential sector, which is the main responsible for such a consumption. The need for professionals dealing with energy issues, and particularly for architects during the early stages of their architectural design, is crucial when considering energy efficient buildings. Therefore, architects involved in the design and construction stages have key roles in the process of enhancing energy efficiency in buildings. This research work explores the energy efficiency and optimized architectural design for residential buildings located in different climate zones in Spain, with an emphasis on Building Performance Simulation (BPS) as the key tool for architects and other professionals. According to a parametric analysis performed using Design Builder, the following optimal configurations are found for typical residential building projects: North-to-South orientation in all the five climate zones, a maximum shape factor of 0.48, external walls complying with the maximum U-value prescribed by Spanish Building Technical Code (0.35 Wm−2K−1) and a Window-to-Wall Ratio of no more than 20%. In terms of solar reflectance, it is found that the use of light colors is better in hotter climate zones A4, B4, and C4, whereas the best option is using darker colors in the colder climate zones D3 and E1. These measures help reaching the energy demand thresholds set by the Passivhaus Standard in all climate zones except for those located in climates C4, D3 and E1, for which further passive design measures are needed.

Numerical Simulations and Empirical Data for the Evaluation of Daylight Factors in Existing Buildings in Sweden

Point Daylight Factor (DFP) has been used for daylighting design in Sweden for more than 40 years. Progressive densification of urban environments, in combination with stricter regulations on energy performance and indoor environmental quality of buildings, creates complex daylight design challenges that cannot be adequately solved with DFP. To support a development of the current and future daylight indicators in the Swedish context, the authors have developed a comprehensive methodology for the evaluation of daylight levels in existing buildings. The methodology comprises sample buildings of various use and their digital replicas in 3D, detailed numerical simulations and correlations of diverse DF metrics in existing buildings, a field investigation on residents’ satisfaction with available daylight levels in their homes, and a comparison between the numerical and experimental data. The study was deliberately limited to the evaluation of DF metrics for their intuitive understanding and easy evaluation in real design projects. The sample buildings represent typical architectural styles and building technologies between 1887 and 2013 in Gothenburg and include eight residential buildings, two office buildings, two schools, two student apartment buildings, and two hospitals. Although the simulated DFP is 1.4% on average, i.e., above the required 1%, large variations have been found between the studied 1200 rooms. The empirical data generally support the findings from the numerical simulations, but also bring unique insights in the residences’ preferences for rooms with good daylight. The most remarkable result is related to kitchens, typically the spaces with the lowest DF values, based on simulations, while the residents wish them to be the spaces with the most daylight. Finally, the work introduces a new DF metric, denoted DFW, which allows daylighting design in early stages when only limited data on the building shape and windows’ arrangement are available.

Use of Automated Control Systems and Advanced Energy Simulations in the Design of Climate Responsive Educational Building for Mediterranean Area

Over the decades, a rapidly changing climate has prompted the world’s most influential leaders and institutions to take action against such an imminent threat. The introduction of Nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) concept, though, has barely triggered a major shift, while voluntary labelling systems do not seem to offer any reasonable alternative. Building design ought to be readdressed from the ground up, with climate-responsive constructions servings as a valuable starting point for the purpose. In this paper, conventional bioclimatic design is enhanced and supported by the introduction of Building Automation Control Systems: Typically, the former determines long-term seasonal patterns, whereas the latter only affects the short-term behavior. Their schedules are based on realistic assumptions, while set-points are fine-tuned following energy simulations. Good results have been achieved for a case-study facility in Porto, both in terms of indoor adaptive thermal comfort (the simulated operative temperature complies the adaptive comfort model for more than 98% of the reference year) and energy use (reduced by 53%, compared to a baseline building, devoid of any automation system). Being focused on the decision-making rather than on specific items of design, the authors claim that such an approach may be employed in any climate, regardless of the building type or size, as long as the process is driven by a genuine analysis of the local context (i.e., climate) and by purposefully devised energy simulations.

Impact of Building Design Parameters on Daylighting Metrics Using an Analysis, Prediction, and Optimization Approach Based on Statistical Learning Technique

Daylighting metrics are used to predict the daylight availability within a building and assess the performance of a fenestration solution. In this process, building design parameters are inseparable from these metrics; therefore, we need to know which parameters are truly important and how they impact performance. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between building design attributes and existing daylighting metrics based on a new methodology we are proposing. This methodology involves statistical learning. It is an emerging methodology that helps us to analyze a large quantity of output data and the impact of a large number of design variables. In particular, we can use these statistical methodologies to analyze which features are important, which ones are not, and the type of relationships they have. Using these techniques, statistical models may be created to predict daylighting metric values for different building types and design solutions. In this article we will outline how this methodology works, and analyze the building design features that have the strongest impact on daylighting performance.

The Evaluation of Single-Family Detached Housing Units in terms of Integrated Photovoltaic Shading Devices: The Case of Northern Cyprus

In this paper, we evaluate passive and active strategies that can be used in solving the heating problems in the residential sector of Northern Cyprus. In doing so, we propose the use of photovoltaics as a shading device (PVSD). PVSD is known to produce clean energy from solar radiation and it also reduces the energy consumed for cooling. We use an empirical method to evaluate the performance of a typical family detached dwelling in Famagusta, Cyprus. The simulation result derived from the study indicates that the strategic use of PVSDs for openings oriented towards the east, west, and south can reduce its energy consumption by almost 50% in three months of the year and cut down up to 400 kWh of energy consumption through the year, thus raising the comfort level of the building by about 20%. It will also generate nearly 2800 W that can provide up to 50% of the electricity demand.