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The paper presents the preliminary work in developing an Urban Albedo Calculator, an empirical model to predict changes in urban albedo in relation to changes in the urban fabric, materials, solar geometry, etc. It investigates... more
The paper presents the preliminary work in developing an Urban Albedo Calculator, an empirical model to predict changes in urban albedo in relation to changes in the urban fabric, materials, solar geometry, etc. It investigates experimentally, through a 1:10 scale model a case study in central London, and computationally, through RADAINCE, the impact of urban geometry and materials’ reflectance. Following the successful calibration of the model, the results highlighted the substantial impact of urban materials and their placement on urban albedo, demonstrating that biggest weighting of horizontal ground surfaces in the case of low rise environments. The effect of geometry was investigated through different scenarios, at ground and roof levels, as well as through changes in the H/W ratio. The results demonstrated that increasing the H/W ratio has the most significant impact on urban albedo, with the albedo changes varying under different sky conditions due to the orientation of the blocks
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“Benefits of wood based designs include: exceptional insulator and energy saver; quick to build; environmentally friendly; aesthetically acrobatic; mechanical and working properties; safe, light, sturdy and durable; water resistant;... more
“Benefits of wood based designs include: exceptional insulator and energy saver; quick to build; environmentally friendly; aesthetically acrobatic; mechanical and working properties; safe, light, sturdy and durable; water resistant; healthy and natural; acoustically sound; and no rust. In conclusion, wood is good”. David Daniel in Freshome’s Very Best. The book evaluates prefabricated structural timber housing. It presents case study buildings built with structural timber materials. From the design perspective, the book describes the buildings and presents its findings on space standards used for construction. From a building construction and structure point of view, the book presents materials and construction methods used for the buildings. It explains the structural integrity of the buildings. Since the buildings are built with timber, the book presents environmental sustainability of each building to understand carbon footprint of the buildings. Finally, it provides similarities and differences between the buildings to understand lessons and importance of sustainable timber buildings that have capacity to capture carbon over their lifetime with low or no environmental impacts.
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This paper focuses on the analysis of a longitudinal five-year study following the retrofitting and post-occupancy evaluation of a heritage townhouse designed for multi-generation living in Margate. The three-generation family of five... more
This paper focuses on the analysis of a longitudinal five-year study following the retrofitting and post-occupancy evaluation of a heritage townhouse designed for multi-generation living in Margate. The three-generation family of five adults and one child are renting the council-owned 420m2. The POE confirmed 100% satisfaction and thermal comfort during both winter and summer. The results from the extensive monitoring confirmed the acceptable thermal environment during the free-running mode in the summer, when for a significant amount of time parts of the property were below the Cat II category. The thermal environment in winter was very stable varying from 19.9°C in the basement, to 23.2°C in the third floor living room, while in the non-refurbished property across the square, which was used for comparison, mean temperature was 15°C. The average 5K temperature difference between the two properties highlight the success of the refurbishment, which was sympathetic to the original character of the house, respecting the heritage features
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Research Interests: Geography, Biometeorology, Medicine, GE, Atmospheric sciences, and 3 morePhoenix, Thermal comfort, and Arid
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The naturally ventilated, three storey School of Arts Jarman Building provides two dance studios, an exhibition gallery, teaching rooms, video editing suites and offices. The main dance studio is double-height, has underfloor heating and... more
The naturally ventilated, three storey School of Arts Jarman Building provides two dance studios, an exhibition gallery, teaching rooms, video editing suites and offices. The main dance studio is double-height, has underfloor heating and accommodates sixty people. Fresh air enters from low level perimeter louvres and exits at high level through a stack that rises through the third storey to a stack terminal with motorized louvres. Tracer gas (CO2) measurements were used to measure the ventilation rate in conjunction with hot-wire anemometry in the stack tower. The results showed that when all air inlet and exit louvres were set to closed, the residual air flow up the stack was 0.33m3/s representing a potential heat loss of 9kW in winter at 0°C outside. When the louvres were all open, the air flow increased to between 0.49 and 0.62m3/s, a level consistent with the studio’s design occupancy. It was found that the studio’s 4m high perimeter curtains represent a barrier to fresh air ent...
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This paper focuses on the investigation of thermal comfort conditions in three very different operational contexts using meta-analysis of different studies within a similar climatic context in the UK. This includes extensive surveys... more
This paper focuses on the investigation of thermal comfort conditions in three very different operational contexts using meta-analysis of different studies within a similar climatic context in the UK. This includes extensive surveys indoors from offices, outdoors from urban areas, as well as indoors from airport terminals. Recent research in airport terminal buildings has highlighted that there are very different user groups, with diverse requirements for thermal comfort in such facilities. The paper investigates the hypothesis that staff working in the different areas have needs more similar to those of staff working in offices, while passengers use the building as a transition area with very different requirements and hence closer to the outdoor environment. Analysing and comparing the thermal comfort conditions from the different contexts, it explores the role of adaptation for thermal comfort attainment and satisfaction with the environment and the similarities of very different...
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This paper focuses on the analysis of a longitudinal five-year study following the retrofitting and post-occupancy evaluation of a heritage townhouse designed for multi-generation living in Margate. The three-generation family of five... more
This paper focuses on the analysis of a longitudinal five-year study following the retrofitting and post-occupancy evaluation of a heritage townhouse designed for multi-generation living in Margate. The three-generation family of five adults and one child are renting the council-owned 420m2. The POE confirmed 100% satisfaction and thermal comfort during both winter and summer. The results from the extensive monitoring confirmed the acceptable thermal environment during the free-running mode in the summer, when for a significant amount of time parts of the property were below the Cat II category. The thermal environment in winter was very stable varying from 19.9°C in the basement, to 23.2°C in the third floor living room, while in the non-refurbished property across the square, which was used for comparison, mean temperature was 15°C. The average 5K temperature difference between the two properties highlight the success of the refurbishment, which was sympathetic to the original cha...
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This chapter addresses urban comfort beyond thermal physiology. Demonstrating the influence of microclimatic and thermal comfort conditions, an inherent characteristic of the space, on use and activities in urban areas, the work aims to... more
This chapter addresses urban comfort beyond thermal physiology. Demonstrating the influence of microclimatic and thermal comfort conditions, an inherent characteristic of the space, on use and activities in urban areas, the work aims to provide a more comprehensive framework for urban designers and planners. Looking at field surveys across the world, it focuses on understanding outdoor thermal comfort and how our adaptive capacity is enhanced through a range of adaptive mechanisms, from conscious actions to a range of parameters in the contextual framework of psychological adaptation, temporality and cultural norms. The work highlights the need for adaptive capacity and thermal resilience at the individual level, as well as spatial scale, supporting environmental diversity. In a warming climate and amidst a global health pandemic, outdoor comfort becomes an important commodity, where the design of open spaces has the potential to play a critical role not only in climate regulation and energy, but also in health, liveability and social cohesion
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Urban geometry, namely the quantitative relationship of building volumes and open spaces (i.e. built density) and their spatial configuration (i.e. urban layout), is a major modifier of urban microclimate. This paper presents the results... more
Urban geometry, namely the quantitative relationship of building volumes and open spaces (i.e. built density) and their spatial configuration (i.e. urban layout), is a major modifier of urban microclimate. This paper presents the results of an ongoing research which explores the impact of urban geometry on the radiant environment in outdoor spaces, with direct implications for urban microclimate and outdoor thermal comfort. In particular, the research investigates the relationship between a set of urban geometric indicators (such as Built Density, Site Coverage, Mean building Height and Frontal Area Density) and Mean Radiant Temperature (Tmrt) at the pedestrian level, in different areas of London. Three representative areas of London were selected to be studied; in central, west and north London which are of high, medium and low built density, respectively. Each area was divided into squares of 500m x 500m size, with a total of 84 urban squares included in the study. The methodology...
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The settlement of Dana in Jordan is undergoing dramatic and rapid changes. The rehabilitation project launched by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) provided new tourist accommodation within the settlement, in a way... more
The settlement of Dana in Jordan is undergoing dramatic and rapid changes. The rehabilitation project launched by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) provided new tourist accommodation within the settlement, in a way that preserves its unique vernacular character. This has involved the repair and transformation of existing dwellings as well as the rebuilding of those that have been demolished. Currently, the original and rebuilt buildings stand side by side, offering a unique opportunity to compare their thermal performance. This comparison is essential to understand the impact of new construction materials and opening sizes on the thermal performance of vernacular buildings. For this purpose, the thermal performance of rebuilt and original buildings was monitored in August 2019 and February 2020, representing the hot and cold seasons. The recorded data was interpreted statistically, aiming mainly to compare the results from the original rooms with those from the...
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Paying particular attention to the relationship between the inhabitants and the physical performance of the environment they occupy and the factors shaping that relationship is believed to be fundamental when conducting building... more
Paying particular attention to the relationship between the inhabitants and the physical performance of the environment they occupy and the factors shaping that relationship is believed to be fundamental when conducting building performance researches. This paper follows that approach in examining the management and control of the indoor thermal environment within a sample of socioeconomically distinct households based in Iraqi Kurdistan (KRI). This is undertaken through a close coupling of qualitative and quantitative investigations employing a combination of in situ measurements, observations, and in-depth interviews capturing inhabitant’s behavioural control actions with respect to the performance of their dwellings. The paper tends to develop a type of tentative hypothesis which can help structuring a framework to explore what the questions of thermal comfort and environmental control mean within the residential context of KRI. The investigations reveal how occupants’ engagement...
Research Interests: Thermal comfort and Ta
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This paper presents some of the findings of the European project, RUROS, primarily concerned with the environmental and comfort conditions of open spaces in cities. The results of the microclimatic and human monitoring, in relation to the... more
This paper presents some of the findings of the European project, RUROS, primarily concerned with the environmental and comfort conditions of open spaces in cities. The results of the microclimatic and human monitoring, in relation to the thermal environment and comfort conditions in open spaces are presented. The database consists of nearly 10,000 from field surveys in 14 different case study sites, across 5 different countries in Europe. The findings confirm a strong relationship between microclimatic and comfort conditions, with air temperature and solar radiation being important determinants of comfort, although one parameter alone is not sufficient for the assessment of thermal comfort conditions. Overall comfort levels are over 75 % for all cities on a yearly basis. There is also strong evidence for adaptation taking place, both physically, with the seasonal variation in clothing and changes to the metabolic rate, as well as psychologically. Recent experience and expectations ...
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The paper investigates the impact of urban morphology on the thermal comfort of pedestrians as they move in the urban continuum of historic city centre neighbourhoods. Primary fieldwork carried out in two different European locations,... more
The paper investigates the impact of urban morphology on the thermal comfort of pedestrians as they move in the urban continuum of historic city centre neighbourhoods. Primary fieldwork carried out in two different European locations, investigated the differentiation in the thermal sensation of pedestrians, during their walking activity in a dense urban continuum. The new methodology, thermal walks, involved simultaneous environmental and human monitoring. A series of structured walks with participants carried out in the summer and winter, took place in parallel with measurements of climatic conditions in the different spaces of the designated route. Following the walks, a sequential analysis identifies the variations that are perceived by users between spaces with different geometrical characteristics, forming part of the urban continuum. The research provides a new analytical tool to identify the diversity of thermal sensations that could be provided by a complex urban morphology.
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A review of the various approaches in understanding outdoor thermal comfort is presented. The emphasis on field surveys from around the world, particularly across Europe, enables us to understand thermal perception and evaluate outdoor... more
A review of the various approaches in understanding outdoor thermal comfort is presented. The emphasis on field surveys from around the world, particularly across Europe, enables us to understand thermal perception and evaluate outdoor thermal comfort conditions. The consistent low correlations between objective microclimatic variables, subjective thermal sensation and comfort outdoors, internationally, suggest that thermophysiology alone does not adequate describe these relationships. Focusing on the concept of adaptation, it tries to explain how this influences outdoor comfort, enabling us to inhabit and get satisfaction from outdoor spaces throughout the year. Beyond acclimatization and behavioral adaptation, through adjustments in clothing and changes to the metabolic heat, psychological adaptation plays a critical role to ensure thermal comfort and satisfaction with the outdoor environment. Such parameters include recent experiences and expectations; personal choice and perceived control, more important than whether that control is actually exercised; and the need for positive environmental stimulation suggesting that thermal neutrality is not a pre-requisite for thermal comfort. Ultimately, enhancing environmental diversity can influence thermal perception and experience of open spaces.
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... and Mr D. Karagogos in the summer, and by Ms D. Mavrogiorgou and Ms M. Christodoulidou in autumn. Comparison of the Actual Sensation Votes (ASV) obtained from the ... Microclimate and comfort conditions in urban spaces: an intricate... more
... and Mr D. Karagogos in the summer, and by Ms D. Mavrogiorgou and Ms M. Christodoulidou in autumn. Comparison of the Actual Sensation Votes (ASV) obtained from the ... Microclimate and comfort conditions in urban spaces: an intricate relationship Marialena Nikolopoulou ...
This study presents the application of a new methodological approach that assesses the impact of local urban design on the development of a comfortable microclimate at street level for pedestrians. In designing connected street patterns... more
This study presents the application of a new methodological approach that assesses the impact of local urban design on the development of a comfortable microclimate at street level for pedestrians. In designing connected street patterns as social places that enhance permeability, a certain degree of complexity seems to be necessary to provide different degrees of environmental diversity and freedom of choice. These concepts have been found to affect critically the thermal sensation and microclimatic perceptions of pedestrians and consequently their use of public space. Pedestrian movement is addressed through a dynamic methodology of sequential environmental analysis and the assessment of variations in the thermal sensation of users through ‘microclimatic walks’. This approach could lead to a greater understanding of use patterns, pedestrian experience and behaviour. Identifying degrees of diversity in different urban geometries along street networks (with more realistic forms found in dense city centres) could give significant results about the spatial preferences and frequentation patterns of pedestrians on a daily basis and between seasons.
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This paper reports on the investigation of the indoor thermal environment in three airport terminal buildings in the UK, through extensive seasonal field surveys. The study involved environmental monitoring with questionnaire-guided... more
This paper reports on the investigation of the indoor thermal environment in three airport terminal buildings in the UK, through extensive seasonal field surveys. The study involved environmental monitoring with questionnaire-guided interviews with 3,087 terminal users. The paper focuses on the thermal perception, preference and comfort conditions of passengers and terminal employees. The results revealed significant differences between the thermal requirements of these groups, both preferring a thermal environment different to the one experienced. Passengers consistently demonstrated a wider range of comfort temperatures, while staff had limited adaptive capacity, leading to a narrower comfort zone. Furthermore, passengers’ neutral and preferred temperatures were lower than staff’s and significantly lower than the mean indoor temperature, which has significant implications for the design and refurbishment strategies for airport terminals.
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Research Interests: Engineering, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency Buildings, Density, and 18 moreTown planning, Numerical Simulation, CFD Analysis, Evapotranspiration, Tree, Urban Environment, Vegetation, Open Space, Solar radiation, Energy Use, Microclimate, Air Temperature, Environmental Performance, Heating, Urban Block Pattern, Shading, Thermal Effects, and Parametric Study
The Egyptian Residential Energy Code (EREC) provides specifications and recommendations for the construction of buildings that aim to provide comfort built environment for the occupants. Among these specifications are many dependency... more
The Egyptian Residential Energy Code (EREC) provides specifications and recommendations for the construction of buildings that aim to provide comfort built environment for the occupants. Among these specifications are many dependency relationships between different variables that affect the selection process of the building fenestration. The effect of these variables (window–wall ratio and glass thermal properties) and their associated shading devices (recommended by EREC) on the optimization of energy consumption, as well as its long-term cost-effectiveness, is the main focus of this paper, investigated in three climatic zones in Egypt, under different climate change scenarios. Although these specifications are well-defined in EREC, recommendations of the best combinations of these variables (for each climatic zone) do not exist. The findings recommend different combinations of window wall ratios, glass types and associated shading devices according to each climatic zone, to achieve indoor thermal comfort, as well as long-term cost-effectiveness.
ABSTRACT The recent IPCC reports and conferences drawn attention for the increased likelihood that unexpected climate events and changes might happen especially after reaching the 400 ppm CO2 limit. This concept is getting more scientific... more
ABSTRACT The recent IPCC reports and conferences drawn attention for the increased likelihood that unexpected climate events and changes might happen especially after reaching the 400 ppm CO2 limit. This concept is getting more scientific understanding as “most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic GHG concentrations”. Therefore, current practice of construction industry in Egypt as a mid-latitude region needs to consider passive architectural design for residential buildings as a crucial strategy for climate change mitigation. To achieve this, building envelope optimization is investigated in this paper both in the present time climate conditions and in the future scenarios as well. Two residential case studies were simulated by Design Builder using morphing methodology with the application of different Glass fibre Reinforced Cement, GRC, walls’ compositions in comparison to traditional walls in three Egyptian climatic zones. Both buildings showed gradual energy consumption reduction using the 10 and 12 cm GRC-foam sandwich respectively showed an increase by time towards the year 2080. These reductions were considerable in the hot arid and semi hot arid zones rather than in the moderate zone.
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The quality of open urban spaces is very important for urban vitality. Nowadays urban designers have to face the great challenge of designing urban spaces able to respond to people's need for liveable spaces. The success of these... more
The quality of open urban spaces is very important for urban vitality. Nowadays urban designers have to face the great challenge of designing urban spaces able to respond to people's need for liveable spaces. The success of these spaces depends on various aspects and the microclimatic condition has been recognized as one of the most influential. However, studies on thermal
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The quality of open urban spaces is very important for urban vitality. Nowadays urban designers have to face the great challenge of designing urban spaces able to respond to people's need for liveable spaces. The success of these... more
The quality of open urban spaces is very important for urban vitality. Nowadays urban designers have to face the great challenge of designing urban spaces able to respond to people's need for liveable spaces. The success of these spaces depends on various aspects and the microclimatic condition has been recognized as one of the most influential. However, studies on thermal comfort in open space have shown that the user's thermal sensation does not depend only on microclimate parameters but also on other local qualitative aspects. Thus, environmental quality evaluation of successful public spaces can contribute to understand this issue. This paper focuses on a case study regarding Queen Square's environmental quality, a public space of historical importance in Bath-UK. The first stage of the research, a study on local characteristics and people observations, allowed a preliminary evaluation of the space performance, their social aspects, while it characterized and quantif...
Microclimatic conditions are a critical parameter for the use of outdoor spaces in the urban environment. Responses to the microclimate may be unconscious, but they often result in a different use of open space in different climatic... more
Microclimatic conditions are a critical parameter for the use of outdoor spaces in the urban environment. Responses to the microclimate may be unconscious, but they often result in a different use of open space in different climatic conditions. In this study thermal comfort conditions outdoors are examined through field surveys in Athens, where extensive environmental monitoring has been carried out in parallel to human surveys with interviews and questionnaires with the users of the spaces. Microclimatic parameters are examined in relation to subjective thermal sensation determining thermal comfort outdoors, along with an attempt to develop models for quantifying thermal comfort conditions, based on publicly available environmental data from meteorological stations. Refining such models for design purposes is also examined, investigating modification parameters on comfort models due to the microclimate for design purposes, in the form of correction factors.
The production of geography in collaboration with vulnerable communities can be problematic as participants’ commitment to the research is impacted by the pressures of poverty on their everyday lives. These challenges increase when... more
The production of geography in collaboration with vulnerable communities can be problematic as participants’ commitment to the research is impacted by the pressures of poverty on their everyday lives. These challenges increase when digital techniques are employed for data collection or dissemination as no assumptions can be made about the technologies that participants have access to. We are working with three Trussell Trust foodbanks in the London borough of Lambeth to investigate where food banks clients and volunteers find and offer support in their local neighbourhood. Digital technology plays two roles in this study. Firstly, place is used as a focal point for interviews with food bank clients and volunteers. Places where support is found and offered are marked on a paper map. In addition, Google Streetview is used to identify places that are important to food bank clients and volunteers but fall outside the scope of the paper map. Secondly, a primary output of the study is a d...
In the UK, food banks are increasingly being permitted to step in as providers of emergency food aid. The number of Trussell Trust food banks, as well as the number of people accessing them, has increased three-fold in the past twelve... more
In the UK, food banks are increasingly being permitted to step in as providers of emergency food aid. The number of Trussell Trust food banks, as well as the number of people accessing them, has increased three-fold in the past twelve months. Initiated and managed by members of the local community for members of the local community, Trussell Trust food banks can be considered as examples of community-led design for socially responsible behaviour. In common with many community initiatives, food banks raise questions of inclusion, exclusion and access. Food bank clients and volunteers live in the same local community yet may not have knowledge of, or access to, comparable resources. Without acknowledging these issues socially responsible design initiatives may not be effective in reaching their target audience. We are working with three food banks in the London borough of Lambeth on a study to map the social capital of food bank clients and volunteers. Through individual interviews we...
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ABSTRACT A post-occupancy evaluation was carried out in three prefabricated timber housing developments in the UK to identify the potential of summertime overheating. All the case studies selected are recipients of various low-energy or... more
ABSTRACT A post-occupancy evaluation was carried out in three prefabricated timber housing developments in the UK to identify the potential of summertime overheating. All the case studies selected are recipients of various low-energy or sustainability awards built within the last eight years. Two of the case studies are modern multi-storey apartments blocks (Bridport and Stadthaus) and the third one (Oxley Woods) a housing development with ten different prototypes. A paper-based questionnaire to assess how the indoor occupants perceive and rate the overall thermal environment and use control was administered. In order to evaluate the actual performance of the case studies, indoor measurements of environmental parameters and thermal comfort surveys were conducted in Bridport and Oxley Woods during summer 2012 and in Oxley Woods only during winter 2013. A total of 65 questionnaires were collected during the post-occupancy survey, while 141 and 161 questionnaires were collected during the summer and the winter indoor monitoring surveys respectively. The paper focuses on the findings of post-occupancy and indoor measurement surveys. The post-occupancy survey suggests that there is a potential of summertime overheating in prefabricated timber houses, as more than 70% of the respondents feel ‘warm’ and ‘hot’ in the summer. Comparing these with the monitoring, it appears that the indoor temperatures tend to rise above comfort range when external temperature is above 19ºC, when only 10% prefer not to be ‘cooler’ in summer. Occupants are subjected to temperatures above 28ºC in living areas for more than 1% of total hours occupied between 08.00-22.00, while they experienced temperatures above 25ºC in living areas for more than 5% between 22.00-08.00.
... to providing comfort in the vernacular buildings of hot dry desert regions were of particular interest to Fathy as prototypes of building methods compatible with the prevailing climate conditions. However, not all vernacular... more
... to providing comfort in the vernacular buildings of hot dry desert regions were of particular interest to Fathy as prototypes of building methods compatible with the prevailing climate conditions. However, not all vernacular architecture is climatically responsive; sometimes Page 7. ...
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Research Interests: Perception, Air Quality, Public Opinion, Transportation, Air pollution, and 17 morePublic Health, Multidisciplinary, Medical History, Urban Design, Humans, Noise, Thermal Environment, Field Survey, Temperature, Urban Space, Noise Pollution, Road Construction, Questionnaires, Design and Development, Particulate Matter, Environment, and Air Pollutants
ABSTRACT Historic settlements are a type of architecture adapted to local climate and geographical environment. For hundreds of years, people have been living in them. Rich and precious scientific design concepts of these organic... more
ABSTRACT Historic settlements are a type of architecture adapted to local climate and geographical environment. For hundreds of years, people have been living in them. Rich and precious scientific design concepts of these organic settlements, including the site selection, the layout, and the building materials, should be investigated extensively. To explore these concepts, different historic settlements will be presented and discussed, in terms of different design elements and urban planning forms, and through the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This paper presents the strategic ideas and methodology of the study. As an illustrative case study, the ambient wind environment within the Shang-gan-tang village in China has been investigated quantitatively adopting CFD (computational fluid dynamics) techniques. The interactions between settlement selection, layout, landscape and ambient environment were evaluated. The sustainable urban planning experiences were then summarized for guiding the creation of sustainable modern human settlement suitable for people living for hundreds of years.
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The recent IPCC reports and conferences drawn attention for the increased likelihood that unexpected climate events and changes might happen especially after reaching the 400 ppm CO 2 limit. This concept is getting more scientific... more
The recent IPCC reports and conferences drawn attention for the increased likelihood that unexpected climate events and changes might happen especially after reaching the 400 ppm CO 2 limit. This concept is getting more scientific understanding as " most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic GHG concentrations ". Therefore, current practice of construction industry in Egypt as a mid-latitude region needs to consider passive architectural design for residential buildings as a crucial strategy for climate change mitigation. To achieve this, building envelope optimization is investigated in this paper both in the present time climate conditions and in the future scenarios as well. Two residential case studies were simulated by Design Builder using morphing methodology with the application of different Glass fibre Reinforced Cement, GRC, walls' compositions in comparison to traditional walls in three Egyptian climatic zones. Both buildings showed gradual energy consumption reduction using the 10 and 12 cm GRC-foam sandwich respectively showed an increase by time towards the year 2080. These reductions were considerable in the hot arid and semi hot arid zones rather than in the moderate zone.
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Research Interests: Statistics, Architecture, Meteorology, Seasonality, Urban Design, and 15 moreProject evaluation, Correlation, Building, Seasonal variation, Relative Humidity, Open Space, Spatial Distribution, Solar radiation, Microclimate, Air Temperature, Building Environment, Wind Speed, Social Ties, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT, and Urban Area
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Research Interests: Architecture, Adaptation, Seasonality, Urban Design, Thermal Environment, and 13 moreCase Study, Building, Field Survey, Thermal comfort, Urban Space, Seasonal variation, Open Space, Solar radiation, Metabolic rate, Microclimate, Air Temperature, Building Environment, and ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
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ABSTRACT: This paper is part of a more comprehensive project that aimed to analyze the users' thermal comfort in convivial urban spaces and linear spaces in different cities of Sao Paulo State. The research has the purpose of... more
ABSTRACT: This paper is part of a more comprehensive project that aimed to analyze the users' thermal comfort in convivial urban spaces and linear spaces in different cities of Sao Paulo State. The research has the purpose of contributing to advance studies on thermal comfort in those spaces in Brazil, based on the methodology developed by RUROS Project (Rediscovering the Urban Realm and Open Spaces). This paper shows case studies developed in three pedestrian streets located in the cities of Campinas, Bauru and ...
Fontes, M., Bartholomei, C., Dacanal, C., Nikolopoulou, M. and Labaki, L., 2008. Desempenho Socio Ambiental de Espacos Publicos Abertos em Cidades do Iterior Paulista. In: PLURIS 2008: 3o Luso Brazilian Conference on Urban, Regional,... more
Fontes, M., Bartholomei, C., Dacanal, C., Nikolopoulou, M. and Labaki, L., 2008. Desempenho Socio Ambiental de Espacos Publicos Abertos em Cidades do Iterior Paulista. In: PLURIS 2008: 3o Luso Brazilian Conference on Urban, Regional, Integrated and Sustainable Planning, September 2008, Brazil. ... Fontes, M., Bartholomei, C., Dacanal, C., Nikolopoulou, M. and Labaki, L.
Microclimatic conditions are a critical parameter for the use of outdoor spaces in the urban environment. Responses to the microclimate may be unconscious, but they often result in a different use of open space in different climatic... more
Microclimatic conditions are a critical parameter for the use of outdoor spaces in the urban environment. Responses to the microclimate may be unconscious, but they often result in a different use of open space in different climatic conditions. In this study thermal comfort conditions ...
Nikolopoulou, M., Lykoudis, S. and Kikira, M., 2004. Thermal Comfort Models for Open Urban Spaces. In: Nikolopoulou, M., ed. Designing Open Spaces in the Urban Environment: a Bioclimatic Approach. Athens: Centre for Renewable Energy... more
Nikolopoulou, M., Lykoudis, S. and Kikira, M., 2004. Thermal Comfort Models for Open Urban Spaces. In: Nikolopoulou, M., ed. Designing Open Spaces in the Urban Environment: a Bioclimatic Approach. Athens: Centre for Renewable Energy Sources, EESD, FP5, pp. 2-6.