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This paper seeks to contribute to current discourse at the intersection of mobility and architecture studies, by examining the divide between immobility and mobility through the lens of tiny homes. While home is the archetypal image of stasis, belonging, and rootedness, recent mobility studies have considered the potential of architecture as mobilizing, rather than purely permanent, animated through mobility. Our focus on tiny homes highlights the shifting relations between 'immobility' and 'mobility' as 'homely mobility' to create a sense of homeyness and happiness. We examine this homely mobility through an analysis of the YouTube channel Living Big in Tiny Homes, which challenges static conceptions of the home and allows us to emphasize the multi-scalar and multiple forms of homely mobility, spatially and temporally, through micro and macro movements. This paper has a particular interest in how bodies-with-tiny-homes transform and are entangled in movements and flows, but also how the ideas of tiny homes, or ideals of homes generally, stay, are sticky or get stuck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we analyze the role of pollution for industry location and residence choice. We present a new economic geography (NEG) model in which manufacturing generates local pollution (that does not accumulate) and uses two types of labour input: unskilled workers that cannot migrate and work where they live; and high-skilled entrepreneurs that choose where to produce and where to live. Taking on board costless commuting or, in alternative, distance working, entrepreneurs can live in a different location from production. Both types of households enjoy utility from consuming all commodities (locally and imported variants) and suffer from local pollution. The resulting model is of the footloose entrepreneur variant, but involves two dynamic equations: the standard one governing the residential choice of entrepreneurs, and another one governing where production is located. The current paper analyses the discrete time dynamic process defined by a two-dimensional piecewise smooth map. Depending on parameters this map can have possibly coexisting attractors of various types (fixed points, cycles, closed curves as well as chaotic attractors). We analytically obtain stability conditions for the fixed points. Using numerical methods we describe also some global dynamic properties of the considered map. Finally, we propose an economic interpretation of the results concerning local stability analysis and global dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financialized student accommodation has emerged as an international asset class and is a more visible and politically contentious feature of Irish cities. In this paper, I focus on Dublin which has seen the construction of for-profit Purpose Built Student Accommodation, and rent increases, skyrocket. Contributing to, as well as advancing, debates on rental market financialization, I present changes to student housing provision tied to financialization and explore the consequences for students' right to housing. I build my argument around qualitative research undertaken between 2019-2021, namely documentary analysis, focus groups, and key informant interviews. I explore how financialization is contested through engagement with the student housing campaign 'Shanowen Shakedown'. I present the political outcomes of this campaign and demonstrate that whilst it achieved greater housing rights for students, students continue to battle the uneven geographies of financialization. The paper argues student accommodation is implicated in wider transformations of Dublin's urban housing system and the ongoing financialization of the private rental sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an emergent field of writings on financialized landlords' undertaking of apartment renovations as an investment strategy and its effect on housing inequalities. Seldom do these studies contextualize these tendencies within countries' specific housing policy traditions. Therefore, through a qualitative case study in a neighbourhood in Sweden, this paper aims to uncover how private landlords undertake renovations as an investment strategy and its effect on tenants and, in turn, on the hybrid character of a universal housing system. It finds that renovations enable landlords to extract value from the built environment while tenants experience rising rents, a lack of information, poor property maintenance, and apprehension. Hence, I argue that renovations represent an investment strategy that serves to undermine the traditional social right to housing within a universal housing policy context. The paper thus furthers knowledge on how the situatedness of financialization tendencies entails their translation through and transformation of housing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper's main argument is that housing financialisation can be understood as a set of intertwined digital/material processes, and that resisting housing financialisation requires activism that recognises and capitalises on this dynamic. Drawing from Desiree Fields' (2017a) work on urban struggles with financialisation, this conceptual argument is unpacked through a case study of post-crash Dublin, an urban space reshaped by housing financialisation and struggles resisting it. Housing has been a key subject of contention in post-crash Dublin and activists' digital/material struggles illustrate how digital technologies and platforms can be and are appropriated to resist housing financialisation. The paper traces the intertwining of housing financialisation, resistance, and the digital in post-crash Dublin and argues that future research on platform real estate, urbanism, and automated landlord practices must take seriously the ambivalent opportunities, agency, and counter narratives that housing activists create through their digital/material practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do we dwell tenderly in the ruins of the modern university? This paper engages a hopeful, collaborative, and sensory methodology to imagine possibilities for research and researcher. As academic women navigating the decay of the neoliberal university amid the shadowy spectre of the 'ideal' academic, we explore our lived experiences, identities, and questions. For us, managing modernity's disorientation and dislocation means showing up differently, with new tools, new theoretical frames, and new ways of relating. From our experiential and aesthetic inquiry, tendrils of possibility for what research does, has been, is, and could be, are emerging. Our dwelling together (co-sensing in radical tenderness) helps us see beyond the thicket of institutional requirements towards a more hopeful and collective existence – for if the sense of separation instilled by modernity is a social disease, healing must be a communal endeavour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On February 6, 2023, two catastrophic earthquakes occurred on the East Anatolian Fault. The earthquakes had magnitudes of Mw = 7.7 and 7.6 and struck Kahramanmaraş-Pazarcık and Kahramanmaraş-Elbistan, respectively. The Kahramanmaraş-Pazarcık earthquake was triggered at 04:17 local time on the Dead Sea Fault (a branch of the East Anatolian Fault). The last earthquake on the addressed fault occurred about 500 years ago. The recorded peak ground acceleration (PGA) at the Pazarcık station reached 2.05g. In addition, the Pazarcık earthquake triggered two independent earthquakes, the Nurdağı and Islahiye earthquakes, which occurred 10 min later than the Pazarcık earthquake. However, the last earthquake, with its epicenter in Kahramanmaraş-Elbistan, struck at 13:24 local time. The recorded PGA for the Elbistan earthquake is 0.68g. This study aims to present the fault rupture mechanism of the February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, earthquake characteristics, and to evaluate the performance of masonry dwellings during the Kahramanmaraş earthquake doublet, which affected 10 provinces and numerous towns and villages. This paper also aims to illustrate the damage and failure mechanisms of the masonry dwellings, despite unexpectedly high accelerations that exceeded the design spectrum in the field, specifically in Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep, Hatay, and Malatya, according to the current earthquake code in use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-term load forecasting plays a crucial role in managing the energy consumption of buildings in cities. Accurate forecasting enables residents to reduce energy waste and facilitates timely decision-making for power companies' energy management. In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid forecasting model designed to predict load series in multiple households. Our proposed method integrates multivariate variational mode decomposition (MVMD), the whale optimization algorithm (WOA), and a temporal fusion transformer (TFT) to perform one-step forecasts. MVMD is utilized to decompose the load series into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs), extracting characteristics at distinct scales. We use sample entropy to determine the appropriate number of decomposition levels and the penalty factor of MVMD. The WOA is utilized to optimize the hyperparameters of MVMD-TFT to enhance its overall performance. We generate two distinct cases originating from BCHydro. Experimental results show that our method has achieved excellent performance in both cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores disabled people's experiences of 'everyday' hate within and around their home. The characteristics of the home make it a particularly interesting site of analysis, as many of the features offer protections and risks simultaneously. Moreover, the home is a particularly important space within our everyday lives, particularly for disabled people who may encounter marginalization within other social spaces. In this article, I consider how encounters within the home shape the way in which the space is made, and how disabled people are able to be within them. I explore the home as a space where persistent and repeated violence can occur, which in turn, shapes how bodies come to occupy (or not), their homes and to what meanings the home takes on. In an attempt to explore this, I offer different conceptualizations of the home as a site of refuge, control and containment, avoidance, and resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been fruitful publications on thermal comfort of urban residential buildings in China. However, there is a lack of reviews on this topic to perform a comprehensive analysis and find opportunities to meet occupants' thermal comfort needs while improving building energy efficiencies. This paper addresses this issue by presenting a systematic review on the advancements in research on thermal comfort in urban residential buildings in China. Firstly, two common thermal comfort research approaches, i.e., field studies and laboratory studies, are discussed. Secondly, eleven main thermal comfort evaluation indicators are summarized. Finally, this paper analyzes the thermal comfort survey data from different researchers, discusses the impacts of adaptive behaviors on human thermal comfort, and provides recommendations for future research on urban residential thermal comfort. It was found that people have higher and higher requirements for their indoor thermal environment as time goes by, especially in the winter; the thermoneutral temperature is higher in warmer climate regions in the summer but lower in the winter than in colder climate regions; the thermoneutral temperature tends to increase with the indoor air temperature due to an adaptation to the indoor thermal environment. The outcomes of this paper provide valuable information on thermal comfort behaviors of urban residents in different climate zones in China, which can serve as a resource for the academic community conducting future research on thermal comfort and assist policymakers in enhancing building energy efficiencies without compromising the occupants' comfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 22% of the existing dwellings in the EU were built before 1946. In Wrocław, Poland ca. 21% of all dwellings in multifamily houses are protected for their heritage value. For such a significant share of the residential building stock pursuit of sustainability through amenity improvement is inevitable and will gain pace with the EU endorsed Renovation Wave. The discourse about the scope of renovations should be extended to consider an improvement of historical housing's spatial quality without compromising its heritage value. Balconies are perceived as an indispensable part of new-built apartments; however, they are scarce in tenements built at the turn of 20th century. Adding balconies as a part of retrofitting is common in Germany or Denmark, but rare in Poland. By analysing heritage preservation practices in Chemnitz, Copenhagen and Wrocław, this paper aims to understand how retention of heritage value shapes local approach to adding balconies. Semi-structured interviews (18) were conducted with heritage conservation officers and other stakeholders. The results revealed a shared recognition of balcony's role as an element contributing to heritage housing preservation through enhanced usability. Factors that impede balcony additions in historical tenements in Wrocław were identified for different tenure types, followed by recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As different classes of residential dwellings, government-subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) housing and unsubsidised private housing are aimed at adjacent groups of households on the housing ladder in Hong Kong. Subsidised housing is in high demand, and one important way of meeting it is to have better-endowed HOS families move up by buying into the private market. The paper explores the differences in price trends between these two classes of properties and attempts to find some of their determinants. Empirical analysis of historical prices of HOS and private housing reveals higher volatility in HOS prices and a differing trend with private market prices, as well as many more HOS transactions after the implementation of the White Form Secondary Market (WSM) Scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy consumption plays an important role in contemporary economies. Its significance extends beyond utilitarian value, impacting economic robustness, environmental protection, and residents' well-being. The escalating global energy requisites necessitate efficient energy utilization and a shift towards renewable sources to address climate change and strengthen energy independence. Developing accurate predictive models to forecast long-term energy costs and savings remains a complex problem. This paper aims to provide a methodology to identify the influence of building energy performance on real estate market efficiency, focusing on property maintenance costs. Real estate plays a crucial role in human life, serving both as a fundamental need and as a vehicle for achieving personal aspirations and secure financial investments, particularly during times of economic and social instability. Through interdisciplinary methodological architecture, this study addresses three key issues: the impact of rising energy costs on market efficiency, the responsiveness of the real estate market to energy price fluctuations, and the significance of property maintenance costs on market value. The research approach includes creating and applying AI algorithms capable of evaluating extensive datasets pertaining to real estate features. Utilizing machine learning methods, the algorithm determines the importance of energy efficiency measures as well as various other inherent and external attributes of properties. The suggested methodology provides a novel approach to improve the effectiveness of market efficiency analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence highlighted the vulnerability of New Zealand light-frame wood buildings that are the predominant typology in residential construction. While life-safety performance was excellent, many buildings experienced widespread cracking of internal wall linings that resulted in costly repairs and disruption. Despite the widespread use of light-frame wood construction in New Zealand, no known shake table tests have been documented for this construction typology. Additionally, New Zealand light-frame wood building performance cannot simply be inferred from international testing because New Zealand adopts a different design philosophy from those of the US and Canada by relying on gypsum sheathing as the primary lateral resisting element. To further investigate New Zealand light-frame wood building performance, this paper discusses shake table testing of a light-frame wood building specimen, constructed on the University of Canterbury unidirectional shake table using modern New Zealand design and construction approaches. The observed damages during the tests were consistent with those observed in similarly built structures that were investigated after the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence. This paper also presents a modeling approach using the state-of-the-art software Timber3D, which was verified by simulating the shake table specimen and comparing the observed and predicted dynamic response from the test specimen and model, respectively. The Timber3D modeling approach included analysis and parameterization of screw-slip data using the Evolutionary Parameter Hysteretic Model, formulation of two-dimensional wall component models, and nonlinear time history analysis of a three-dimensional model of the shake table specimen. The model was shown to reasonably predict the displacement response of the shake table specimen and the strength degradation from cracking damage through repeated earthquakes. The modeling approach described is intended to further the development of residential building models toward the performance-based seismic design of light-frame wood buildings in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the most significant solutions suggested for estimating energy consumption and cooling load, one can refer to enhancing energy efficiency in non-residential and residential buildings. A structure's characteristics must be considered when estimating how much heating and cooling is required. To design and develop energy-efficient buildings, it can be helpful to research the characteristics of connected structures, such as the kinds of cooling and heating systems needed to ensure sui interior air quality. As an important part of energy consumption and demand of buildings, the assessment of cooling load conditions from the envelope of large buildings has not been comprehensively understood yet. In the present paper, a new conceptual system has been developed to anticipate cooling load in the sector of residential buildings. Also, the paper briefly describes the major models of the developed system to maintain continuity and concentrate on the prediction model of the cooling load. To predict cooling load, authors have modelled two methods of artificial neural network (ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) in conjunction with teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO). This article aims to illustrate how artificial intelligence (AI) approaches play an essential role in addressing the mentioned necessity and help estimate the optimal design parameters for various stations. The value of the multiple determination coefficient is also determined. The values of the training R² (coefficient of multiple determination) are 0.96446 and 0.97585 for TLBO-MLP and TLBO-ANFIS in the training stage and 0.95855 and 0.9721 in the testing stage, respectively, with an unknown dataset which is acceptable. The training RMSE values for TLBO-MLP and TLBO-ANFIS are 0.0685 and 0.11176 for training and 0.07074 and 0.12035 for testing, respectively, for the unknown dataset, which is acceptable. The lowest RMSE value and the higher R² value indicate the favourable accuracy of the TLBO-MLP technique. According to the high value of R² (97%) and the low value of RMSE, TLBO-MLP can predict residential buildings' cooling load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Homeless' people are usually considered as citizens without property. The absence of ownership, especially in terms of housing, co-creates the very idea of homelessness in current societies. Despite this fact, 'homeless' citizens negotiate and experience their property, things, or the shelter in which they dwell. This paper sheds light on how this property is negotiated and experienced and how it influences home-making. It does so by drawing on long-term ethnographic research in the city of Pilsen, a second-order city in Czechia. Based on the intra-urban comparison of informal dwelling in two abandoned buildings – a former railway station tower and an allotment cottage – the paper conceptualize the unspotted home and argues that it arises from the assemblage of socio-materiality, meanings, and various dimensions of politics, where the politics of home-ownership has an important position. While informal ownership here is related to power asymmetry within home-making, paradoxically, it also brings about more complex informal citizenship and the potential for political action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on hooks' notion of 'homeplace', Ahmed's theorisation of 'strange encounter,' and Sharpe's rumination on Black being 'in the wake' or afterlife of slavery, this paper reflects on how Aidoo's The Dilemma of a Ghost can help examine the 'Year of Return' project in terms of dwelling. The paper argues that Aidoo's play proffers a pedagogy of intercultural communication and a radical deconstruction of home and kinship. By noting Aidoo's emphasis on intercultural communication, home, and dwelling, the paper demonstrates how the 'Year of Return' can be conceptually enriched and pragmatically organised in ways that seriously consider Aidoo's ethic of dwelling. The paper is, therefore, a corrective to the overemphasis in the 'Year of Return' celebrations on trade, capital, and investment. Finally, the paper sheds light on the relationship between literature and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the need for affordable sustainable housing has increased. At the same time, there has been a gradual rising interest in compact living. With the mounting impacts of climate change, a new way of thinking is needed to develop more resilient and climate responsive ways of living that are compact, affordable, and climate-conscious. In response to this need, the idea of a 'Z-Free Home' was born. The 'Z-Free Home' is a tiny mobile house equipped with essential passive and eco-cycle systems that achieves nine zero targets. The main design and construction concept is based on circular design and a return to nature life cycle principles. In this paper, the architectural design concept, building energy modelling, and simulation for the Z-Free Home design proposal is discussed. This paper describes the concept design and design development phases together with building modelling and simulation. A focus was made on the use of virtual reality in design development assessment as a new method for evaluating passive and eco-cycle systems. The results show that it's possible to achieve nine different zero goals while the analysis illustrates the challenges in achieving them. The paper also described the next steps planned for the proof of concept, i.e., the 1:1 house model. The project is ongoing, and it aims at a full-scale physical prototype as a proof of concept for the zero targets. The 'Z-Free Home' is designed for the cold Swedish climate but could be more widely applicable in other mild climates as well as hot climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The security and privacy of smart home systems, particularly from a home user's perspective, have been a very active research area in recent years. However, via a meta-review of 52 review papers covering related topics (published between 2000 and 2021), this article shows a lack of a more recent literature review on user perspectives of smart home security and privacy since the 2010s. This identified gap motivated us to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) covering 126 relevant research papers published from 2010 to 2021. Our SLR led to the discovery of a number of important areas where further research is needed; these include holisticmethods that consider a more diverse and heterogeneous range of home devices, interactions between multiple home users, complicated data flowbetween multiple home devices and home users, some less studied demographic factors, and advanced conceptual frameworks. Based on these findings, we recommended key future research directions, e.g., research for a better understanding of security and privacy aspects in different multi-device and multi-user contexts, and a more comprehensive ontology on the security and privacy of the smart home covering varying types of home devices and behaviors of different types of home users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is dedicated to research of the impact of the limited heat source capacity on indoor temperature and energy consumption in serial nZEB residential buildings. This is an innovative aspect as it explores the potential design simplification for different locations, allowing for cost optimization and quicker construction timelines. The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of limited heat source capacity by utilizing thermal mass and optimizing the ventilation operation. Numerical results demonstrate that incorporating thermal mass increases heating energy consumption by up to 1%. The study addresses the impact of limited heating capacity on indoor temperatures and the need to manage ventilation's impact during peak temperatures using simulation software IDA ICE. The study reveals that a limited heating capacity reduces energy consumption up to 2.6%, but may result in lower indoor temperatures. By optimizing ventilation strategies, energy consumption can be reduced from 2.4% to 4.4% compared to the suboptimal solution, and from 2.8% to 6.5% compared to the initial case. Parametric analysis reveals optimal ventilation operation change-over point at an outdoor temperature of −17 °C during winter. The research provides practical recommendations for adjusting heating schedules, selecting appropriate heating capacities and implementing optimal ventilation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional seismic risk assessment is necessary for designing effective seismic risk mitigation measures. In general, such risk assessment studies consist of three components: hazard, vulnerability, and exposure modelling. This paper lays the foundations for regional seismic risk assessment of the residential building stock in Serbia and addresses each of the three seismic risk assessment components, either by reviewing the existing or proposing novel models. First, a review of seismic hazard models and seismic design codes used in Serbia in the past 70 years was presented. Next, an overview of Serbia's population metrics and historical development of Serbian's residential building stock was presented to provide the context for the exposure model. Furthermore, the paper proposed a novel building classification for Serbia's residential building stock, which is based on the existing building taxonomies, but it has been adapted to account for the local building characteristics. Building damage patterns reported in past earthquakes in Serbia and neighbouring countries were reviewed as a basis for damage classification pertaining to building typologies included in the proposed classification. Finally, the results of a preliminary vulnerability model were presented in the form of expert-based fragility functions derived for buildings typical of Serbia's residential building stock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy saving in buildings is essential as buildings' operational energy use constitutes 30% of global energy consumption. Urban building energy modeling (UBEM) effectively understands urban energy consumption. This paper applied UBEM to assess the potential of peak demand reduction and energy saving in a mixed-use community, using 955 residential buildings, 35 office buildings and 7 hotels in Shenzhen, China, as a case study. The building type and period were collected based on the GIS dataset. Then, the baseline models were generated by the UBEM tool—AutoBPS. Five scenarios were analyzed: retrofit-window, retrofit-air conditioner (AC), retrofit-lighting, rooftop photovoltaic (PV), and demand response. The five scenarios replaced the windows, enhanced the AC, upgraded the lighting, covered 60% of the roof area with PV, and had a temperature reset from 17:00 to 23:00, respectively. The results show that using retrofit-windows is the most effective scenario for reducing peak demand at 19.09%, and PV reduces energy use intensity (EUI) best at 29.96%. Demand response is recommended when further investment is not desired. Retrofit-lighting is suggested for its low-cost, low-risk investment, with the payback period (PBP) not exceeding 4.54 years. When the investment is abundant, retrofit-windows are recommended for public buildings, while PV is recommended for residential buildings. The research might provide practical insights into energy policy formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the effect of craft breweries on residential property values. Using a hedonic Difference‐in‐Differences (DID) approach and about 250 thousand housing transactions in Denver, Colorado from 1990 to 2016, we investigate the impact of proximity to a craft brewery on residential property values. We consider three types of residence (single‐family home, row house, and condominiums), three types of brewery (all craft breweries, microbreweries, and brewpubs/taprooms), and two measurements of distance (Euclidian and walk‐time). Our most robust results are found for single‐family homes, whose values enjoy a premium of up to 20.4% for being in proximity to a brewpub/taproom several years after, with the average annual maximum premium around 3%. As expected, premiums decline as distance from breweries increase. Beyond a distance of 0.5 km or a 10‐min walk‐time, the premium for a regional/microbrewery is greater than that for a brewpub/taproom. For single family homes within 4 km or 40‐min walk‐time, the annualized premium ranges between 0.41% and 3.01%. These findings support the narrative that craft breweries are a neighborhood asset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The devastating consequences of tsunamis on coastal infrastructure have highlighted the urgent need for effective disaster risk reduction strategies. To mitigate tsunami disasters, the insurance industry plays a vital role in implementing risk transfer measures by providing financial protection against asset damage. However, the current research on catastrophe insurance policies for coastal infrastructure lacks consideration of climate change effects. It is essential to take into account the non-stationary effects of sea-level rise to develop long-term tsunami disaster mitigation measures and promote socioeconomic resilience in coastal communities. This paper aims to provide an insurance portfolio optimization framework for coastal residential buildings subjected to tsunamis considering non-stationary sea-level rise effects based on a stochastic simulation approach. A spatiotemporal probabilistic sea-level rise hazard assessment is carried out by utilizing available climate models and considering several emission scenarios. Tsunami propagation analyses under various sea-level rise cases are performed to evaluate the time-variant tsunami hazard curves based on Monte Carlo simulation. A life cycle-based stochastic insurance claim model associated with the cumulative loss of building assets is developed based on a non-stationary compound renewal process. Finally, a sample average approximation method is leveraged to estimate the optimum basic insurance premium rate by maximizing the insurer's profit under a cost-constrained insurance purchase decision of homeowners. As a case study, the proposed framework is applied to multiple municipalities situated in the tsunami-prone region of Kochi Prefecture, Japan. Sea-level rise substantially decreases the maximum profits of tsunami insurers and increases the premium rate and ruin probability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a view to providing general Storey Loss Functions (SLFs) for existing reinforced concrete (RC) residential buildings in Italy, this paper layouts the procedure and the development of SLFs for different residential building typologies, using post-earthquake observational damage data of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake. To do so, the addressed building typologies and the cost ratios, with respect to the total construction cost, for structural and non-structural elements were defined according to the Italian price bulletin of building typologies, using the current average construction cost per square meter. Fragility models available in the literature, which had been specifically calibrated for structural and non-structural elements commonly found in Italian and Mediterranean RC buildings, were employed and the assumed repair costs were the ones incurred for repairing the buildings damaged during the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake. The proposed SLFs were then employed to perform loss assessment on a representative portfolio of Italian existing masonry-infilled RC residential buildings, showing the consistency of the results with respect to available research studies. The outcomes therefore denote how the proposed SLFs can be a useful tool as an alternative to the simplified conservative loss assessment guidelines currently employed in Italy, with a view to planning risk mitigation measurements both at a regional and single-building level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a comprehensive methodology for creating diverse layout generation configurations, aiming to address limitations in existing building optimization studies that rely on simplistic hypothetical buildings. This study's objective was to achieve an optimal balance between minimizing the energy use intensity (EUI) in kWh/m2, maximizing the views percentages to the outdoor (VPO), achieving spatial daylight autonomy (sDA), and minimizing annual sunlight exposure (ASE). To ensure the accuracy and reliability of the simulation, the research included calibration and validation processes using the Ladybug and Honeybee plugins, integrated into the Grasshopper platform. These processes involved comparing the model's performance against an existing real-world case. Through more than 1500 iterations, the study extracted three multi-regression equations that enabled the calculation of EUI in kWh/m2. These equations demonstrated the significant influence of the window-to-wall ratio (WWR) and space proportions (SP) on the EUI. By utilizing these multi-regression equations, we were able to fine-tune the design process, pinpoint the optimal configurations, and make informed decisions to minimize energy consumption and enhance the sustainability of residential buildings in hot arid climates. The findings indicated that 61% of the variability in energy consumption can be attributed to changes in the WWR, as highlighted in the first equation. Meanwhile, the second equation suggested that around 27% of the variability in energy consumption can be explained by alterations in space proportions, indicating a moderate correlation. Lastly, the third equation indicated that approximately 89% of the variability in energy consumption was associated with changes in the SP and WWR, pointing to a strong correlation between SP, WWR, and energy consumption. The proposed method is flexible to include new objectives and variables in future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study based on new fireproof design guidelines for dwellings against the impact of wildfires. The main objective is to present the results from the surveys of the large wildfires of 2017 in Portugal, identifying vulnerabilities in dwellings that may result in spot ignitions when exposed to wildfires. Utilizing the information gathered from these surveys, it is possible to recommend fire resistance and reaction class requirements using European indoor fire standards and adapting them to suit wildfire conditions. The study focuses on classical dwellings predominantly located in high-risk fire zones within the wildland–urban interface. These assessments have the potential to generate new fireproof construction recommendations employing traditional materials commonly found in the European construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typological-observational methods still constitute one of the most commonly applied tools for evaluation of the seismic risk and vulnerability of the existing building stock. Their efficiency is mainly related to the effectiveness of the procedure for deriving fragility curves, and the reliability and completeness of the database that describes the building stock. This paper presents a comparison between the vulnerability and damage distribution assessment provided by fragility curves used in the Macroseismic and Heuristic methods, and a comparison of exposure evaluation methodologies according to two different approaches, namely a compartment- and a building-scale survey. An application to the case study of the residential building stock in the historic center of Alcamo, a town of 45,000 inhabitants in Western Sicily (Italy), shows the major reduction in fragility provided by recalibration of the masonry buildings' ductility values that characterize the Heuristic method. Moreover, the efficiency of the compartment scale survey approach, based on the CARTIS typological-structural characterization method of ordinary buildings in urban areas, is underlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building retrofits are strongly dependent on the individual refurbishment/rehabilitation cycles of buildings. In order to achieve the targeted climate goals for the building sector, it is necessary to make the best possible use of refurbishment opportunities for energy retrofits. Furthermore, it must be considered that the younger the building, the lower the potential for energy savings. The most challenging, yet required, energy retrofits are all yet to come. Given the importance of the refurbishment cycle, the question arises as to what the theoretical refurbishment rate is, what the actual energy retrofit rate is, and what it needs to be in order to meet the climate targets for the residential building stock. The aim of this paper is to model the evolution of the size and retrofit status of national building stocks. This is to be done against the background of the deviation from the actual and theoretical refurbishment cycle. Using current statistics and the past development of the German residential building stock, central parameters like living space, new construction, deconstruction, and the retrofit rate are modeled endogenously. For the latter, influences of economic conditions are implemented through an exogenously set black box variable. The retrofit rate represents a deep energy retrofit and thus allows an easy connection of the model with energy parameters for building classes defined in the web database TABULA for 20 European countries. The results are of relevance for modeling the energy efficiency status of the building stock and deriving suitable conditions for increasing retrofit rates also in other countries. The results show that increasing the energy retrofit rates to 2%/a or more is largely unrealistic. Instead, the focus should be on weak points, especially where short-term savings are concerned. This applies in particular to facades, basement ceilings, and heating systems as well as the efficient use of energy in buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This survey critically examines the integration of energy management systems within smart residential buildings, serving as key nodes in the smart city network. It systematically maps out the intricate relationships between smart grid technologies, energy storage capabilities, infrastructure development, and their confluence in residential settings. From the evolution of power generation methods, incorporating both traditional and renewable sources, to the cutting-edge progress in energy-efficient transport systems, we assess their cumulative impact on the smart urban environment. While our approach is rooted in theoretical exploration rather than mathematical modeling, we provide a comprehensive review of the prevailing frameworks and methodologies that drive energy management in smart urban ecosystems. We also discuss the implications of these systems on urban sustainability and the critical importance of integrating various energy domains to facilitate effective energy governance. By bringing together a diverse array of scholarly insights, our paper aspires to enhance the understanding of energy interdependencies in smart cities and to catalyze the development of innovative, sustainable policies and practices that will define the future of urban energy management. Through this expanded perspective, we underscore the necessity of cross-disciplinary research and the adoption of holistic strategies to optimize energy usage, reduce carbon footprints, and promote resilient urban living in the era of smart cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Algeria, at the present time, there are no rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS) registered with the public authorities as an alternative to the public water supply. This is explained by numerous factors, the most important being inhabitants' acceptance. The aim of this article is to investigate the current level of acceptance of an RWHS as a viable method for backing up the public water supply system. Our hypothesis is that inhabitants' acceptance can be improved by the increasing awareness of the benefits of an RWHS. For the purposes of this study, an RWHS located in northern Algeria was designed, and its benefits were measured and discussed with the direct participation of residents living in the building. The first benefit was the potential potable water saving (PPWS) and the second was the benefit-cost ratio (BCR). The PPWS was estimated at 51 m3/year. The BCR was estimated at 7% (15% with local council funding). This paper shows that, in the case of an existing building, inhabitant acceptance of an RWHS depends on three factors: (1) the amount of rainwater delivered by the RWHS; (2) the cost of building and managing it; and (3) the extent of the modifications made to the building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The impact of installation environment for a condensing unit in a plant room of apartment dwelling was evaluated. • As the louver window open area ratio decreases, the input power of the air conditioner increases in a logarithmic function. • As the rear clearance distance decreases, the input power of the air conditioner increases in a logarithmic function. • Insect screen in a plant room can deteriorate the performance of the condensing unit. • Using air-guide can offset the negative impact of louver window or insect screen on air discharge performance. In many countries, split-type air conditioners have been widely used in residential buildings due to the high energy efficiency. It has been reported that optimal heat exchange conditions are necessary for the condensing unit of the air source air conditioner to perform at its rated level, particularly when installed in an apartment building's plant room. This study analyzes the impact of installation parameters of a condensing unit of a split-type air conditioner, such as the clearance distance from the rear surface of the condensing unit, the louver angle, and the use of insect screen or air-guide, on the cooling performance. The findings from the experiments and the correlations between parameters and input power presented in this paper would be useful in designing residential buildings with split-type air conditioners and air conditioner plant rooms for optimal cooling performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supporting aging adults who wish to maintain their independence and stay in their homes is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue in the United States and worldwide. Aging-in-place is a popular term in aging literature, defined as one's ability to live as they possibly can, confidently and independently, in their private home. However, current housing design and construction considerations for aging adults are typically limited to projects specifically catering to retirement or senior communities, focusing primarily on physical accessibility. There is insufficient research or application addressing the cognitive and physical aspects of aging in residential design, construction, and operation despite the growing emphasis on smart buildings. To examine the current housing options for aging adults in the United States, this case study offerred a comprehensive comparison of two residential units in terms of internal spatial features, design, and construction costs. One unit adheres to the requirements outlined in the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, targeting individuals aged 55 and above. The other unit, with comparable dimensions, lacks the same emphasis on accommodating aging individuals. Both housing units were developed and budgeted in Lawrenceville, Georgia, in March 2021. By examining floor plans, accessibility, building systems, and costs associated with these two units, it was found that the construction cost of the housing designed for 55 years and older was 35% greater than the comparable project. The major contributor to the cost difference was the restriction of designing an accessible living space on one level rather than features that support aging. Hence, this paper provides a suggested range of current smart trends, home sensors, and aging-friendly features that cater to the various physical, cognitive, and social/psychological needs of aging adults. This research highlights the pressing need for comprehensive housing design and construction strategies that consider cognitive aging alongside physical aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy is consumed in buildings through the use of various types of energy systems, which are controlled by the occupants via provided interfaces. The quality of this control should be verified to improve the efficiency of the systems and for the comfort of the occupants. In the case of residential buildings, due to privacy reasons, it is problematic to directly monitor human–building interactions using sensors installed in dwellings. However, data from increasingly common smart meters are easily available. In this paper, the potential use of data from heat meters is explored for the analysis of occupant interactions with space-heating (SH) systems. A pilot study is conducted based on a one-year set of daily data from 101 dwellings. First, the identification of an indoor temperature and a strategy for thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) adjustments for all the investigated dwellings is presented. Second, the performed analysis suggests that 96% of the households did not use the automatic adjustment function of the TRVs since adjustments using the on–off mode were the most common, which could be empirical evidence for Kempton's theory on mental models of home heating controls. The reasons for this could be the weakness of the TRV as an SH interface and the technical specificity of the analyzed SH (its supply temperature). The preliminary investigation confirms the potential of the proposed methodology, but further research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While scholars have long established that city dwellers choose with whom to develop relationships on the basis of social proximity, spatial proximity remains the basis for neighbour relations involving greetings, social conversation, and the exchange of services. Few studies have systematically compared the respective roles of spatial and social proximity in neighbour relations. In this paper, we investigate these two factors through statistical analysis of four social network datasets representing relationships within four rented apartment buildings in Geneva, Switzerland. Using a measure of distance that takes into account how the layout and materiality of buildings shape relationships through accessibility, visibility and audibility, we compare the effects of spatial proximity with the effects of individual determinants and similarity. Our study also breaks new ground by comparing weak ties – between people who interact regularly – and "invisible ties", or ties to familiar strangers. Our study confirms that spatial proximity increases the likelihood of weak ties and questions the underlying mechanisms. It also shows that in addition to sociability, familiarity and anonymity are constitutive dimensions of neighbouring, even at the scale of buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effectiveness of different ventilation methods in reducing indoor air pollutants in newly constructed residential buildings, focusing on indoor air quality (IAQ) in Dubai. The paper highlights the growing concern for IAQ in response to residents' increasing awareness of their well-being and environmental sustainability. The study examines the concentrations of formaldehyde (HCHO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) in bedrooms and living rooms before and after implementing various ventilation methods during the construction phase. The findings indicate that mechanical exhaust ventilation, mainly through bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans, was highly effective in reducing HCHO levels. Combining kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans demonstrated the most significant reduction in HCHO concentrations. Similarly, reductions in VOCs, such as ethylbenzene, toluene, and xylene, were observed with different ventilation methods. Natural ventilation also proved effective in reducing pollutant concentrations. The results emphasize the importance of implementing appropriate ventilation strategies to improve IAQ in residential buildings. However, the study acknowledges the limitations of a single-location measurement and recommends further research to validate the findings across different building types and locations. Additionally, long-term studies are necessary to assess the sustained effects of ventilation methods on IAQ. The study highlights the significance of addressing IAQ concerns in residential buildings and suggests potential research directions to explore other ventilation strategies and their energy efficiency implications. Ultimately, this research contributes to developing healthier and sustainable living environments by promoting effective ventilation strategies to mitigate indoor air pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the impact of paving surface material on thermal comfort in a residential building. The aim of the study was to demonstrate differences in temperature, measured near a building's walls, depending on their location (relative to the cardinal directions) and the type of paving surface material outside the building (in its immediate vicinity, considering the cardinal directions). The study found differences in temperature values recorded near walls located on the south-west side, which faced a garden and a grassy surface, compared to the temperature of the walls that faced a street with asphalt and concrete paving blocks. It should be noted that the study was carried out in the summer, when the interior of the building was not heated. The facade of the building had not been additionally insulated and retained its original historical form (facade render). The method used in the study consisted of temperature measurements taken near the building's walls using a Steinberg System weather station's sensors. The measurement results supported the hypothesis that wall temperature varies depending on a space's placement relative to the cardinal directions and the surface paving material in the space adjoining the building. The results of the study are presented using line graphs. The study is of scientific value and the results may also be useful in site development planning practice. The thermal conditions are a major factor that affecting the comfort of various types of buildings, including housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the history of human civilization, traditional villages and buildings have been significantly threatened by fire. As an essential part of Huizhou traditional architecture, fire seal walls play a crucial role in preserving Huizhou architecture by effectively blocking the spread of fire. However, with economic and social development, the Huizhou fire seal wall's original fire prevention function has been unable to meet the needs of modern fire protection. This study aims to explore the fire performance of different types of Huizhou fire seal walls to provide a reference guide for future fire protection, optimization, and transformation of traditional buildings. In this paper, 3D models of traditional buildings with fire seal walls were built with FDS, and the performance of the different kinds of fire seal walls was simulated under the influence of wind speeds, building spacing, and the height of the vertical ridge of the fire seal wall. The results showed that, under the same conditions, a fire seal wall with a single eave is superior to fire seal walls with quintuple eaves in terms of performance, and fire seal walls with quintuple eaves are superior to fire seal walls with triple eaves in the middle and late stages of a fire. In addition, wind speeds, building spacing, and the height of the vertical ridge have different effects on the fire performance of seal walls. Lower wind speeds can reduce the fire performance of fire seal walls, and no wind and higher wind speeds have no significant effect on the fire performance of fire seal walls, while increasing the height of the vertical ridge and fire spacings appropriately can improve the fire performance of fire seal walls. This study provides a reference guide for future fire protection, optimization, and transformation of Huizhou fire seal walls, which can help improve the fire safety of traditional buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiDAR has become fairly integrated into archaeological practice at a global scale. This has gradually evolved to include UAV LiDAR. Nevertheless, considerable biases remain, including with regard to geographical regions, chronological periods, feature types and environments. At present, few studies of coastal environments exist, despite the fact that LiDAR—and UAV LiDAR in particular—has the obvious advantages of flexibility and time efficiency in such archaeologically rich but logistically challenging environments. In this paper, we compare the results of UAV LiDAR surveys with records from previous ground surveys in two case studies from coastal environments on opposite sides of the globe. Case Study I of shell middens located within approximately 3 km2 around Cambaceres Bay involved the first collection of LiDAR data from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Case Study II covered approximately 3 km2 of the island of Vega, Northern Norway, and is among the pioneering LiDAR studies of Mesolithic house pits. The detection success rate was fairly good for Cambaceres—69% of 1240 recorded structures were identified on LiDAR—and above expected for Vega, with 81% of 51 recorded house pits identified on LiDAR. In Cambaceres, the main challenges were dense and low vegetation and identifying small middens. Possible new identifications of archaeological features were made in both areas: subtle depressions interpreted as dwelling foundations in Cambaceres and house pits on Vega. We conclude that UAV LiDAR can contribute to coastal archaeology and that it has added values besides making new identifications, being both flexible and time efficient. An example pertains to the possible identification of a practice that has not previously been proved archaeologically in Tierra del Fuego—more thorough site preparation prior to the construction of the dwellings—which in turn raises new questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]