Building and Environment最新文献

{"title":"The impact of indoor air quality on work performance in urban office spaces: A machine learning approach","authors":"Xinyi Huang ,&nbsp;Xiaohong Zheng ,&nbsp;Yawei Xu ,&nbsp;Jiale Zhai ,&nbsp;Dengyun Wang ,&nbsp;Hua Qian","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Improving work performance in urban office spaces is crucial for economic growth and productivity. This study aims to explore the impact of indoor air quality on work performance and assess the relative importance of various environmental parameters by machine learning. This observational study, conducted from March to November 2022, involved a monthly questionnaire and monitoring data collection under normal office conditions without behavioral or environmental interventions. Decision tree and random forest were used to analyze the impact of environmental parameters on perceived work efficiency and work performance. The decision tree results indicated that enthalpy difference, temperature, and relative humidity emerged as the three key factors most significantly influencing perceived work efficiency, with relative importance values of 100 %, 88.2 %, and 73.8 %, respectively, in the two relatively green office spaces surveyed. This was because these factors effectively reduced the Gini index during node splitting, leading to a purer class distribution of perceived work efficiency in the dataset. In addition to direct effects, elevated levels of CO₂ and formaldehyde might further suggest the impact of pollutants on certain aspects of work performance, even in eco-friendly spaces. To optimize perceived work efficiency in summer air-conditioned offices, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ might remain under 25 μg/m³, with CO₂ below 800 ppm. In the future, architects and operators can optimize design and operational strategies by referencing environmental parameter combinations corresponding to the top five distributions of perceived work efficiency, balancing enthalpy difference and energy consumption to improve both perceived work efficiency and energy efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 113021"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143848191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving thermal comfort in hot-arid Phoenix, Arizona courtyards: Exploring the cooling benefits of ground surface cover and shade","authors":"Muge Unal ,&nbsp;Ariane Middel","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Courtyards possess unique geometric features that regulate sun exposure, wind, and humidity in hot climates. This study examines how surface materials and shading affect thermal comfort in courtyards in the hot-arid climate of Phoenix, Arizona, through human-biometeorological observations and microclimate modeling. Three courtyards on Arizona State University's main campus, varying in size, aspect ratio, surface cover, and landscape design, were selected as case studies. The thermal environment of these courtyards was first evaluated for a typical hot and dry summer day in June 2023 using the ENVI-met 5.0.1 microclimate model. On-site measurements of key microclimatic variables, including air temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS), and mean radiant temperature (MRT), were collected using the MaRTy platform to validate the model. Three scenario groups were then developed: the first tested various surface materials (concrete, grass, and water), the second assessed the impact of shade-sail coverage, and the third explored the impact of 3D vegetation configurations (central and bordered planting). In total, 24 scenarios were evaluated based on their effects on thermal comfort, using MRT and Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) as key metrics. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA and Tukey's HSD tests, were conducted to compare the spatial differences in thermal exposure and comfort across the scenarios. Additionally, hotspot analysis identified the courtyards most affected by MRT changes. The findings show that shading was the most effective intervention for enhancing thermal comfort, reducing MRT by up to 10 °C and PET by 2–3 °C during peak hours (14:00 h). Surface materials also played a significant role, with grass cover lowering MRT, while water surfaces, though increasing MRT slightly, improved PET by raising humidity. Vegetation, especially in bordered configurations, enhanced airflow, and improved comfort, proving a promising strategy for optimizing courtyard design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 113001"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Parametrization of variables affecting the whole life carbon performance of nearly zero energy residential building renovation","authors":"Aurora Bertini ,&nbsp;Muheeb Al-Obaidy ,&nbsp;Maxime Dasse ,&nbsp;Deepak Amaripadath ,&nbsp;Emilie Gobbo ,&nbsp;Shady Attia","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research investigates the integration of life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) and building performance simulation (BPS) to evaluate the whole-life carbon performance of residential building renovations. A representative post-World War II single-family house in Belgium is used to analyze six renovation scenarios that combine petrochemical and bio-based materials. By coupling LCIA with BPS, the study captures both embodied and operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the building lifecycle, emphasizing the tradeoffs inherent in materials selection and renovation design. The adoption of a dynamic building performance simulation approach enables the accounting of variations in the electricity mix and future energy demand patterns. Results demonstrate that ultra-low energy renovations can reduce total emissions (embodied and operational) by 70 % compared to the base case non-renovated building, reaching a value of 11.7 kgCO₂e/(m^2.y). However, even this scenario does not meet the Danish total GHG emissions threshold of 8.2 kgCO₂e/(m^2.y). Sensitivity analyses highlight the influence of parameters like heat pump efficiency, airtightness, and photovoltaic system performance. Scenarios using bio-based insulation achieve up to a 7 % reduction in embodied emissions compared to those using petrochemical materials. This innovative approach provides a comprehensive framework to balance operational and embodied emissions, offering actionable insights for designers and policymakers to align with European zero-carbon targets while addressing the complexities of renovating existing building stocks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 113013"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The feasibility of zero-emission neighbourhood renovation of apartment buildings in a cold climate","authors":"Kadri-Ann Kertsmik,&nbsp;Targo Kalamees,&nbsp;Jaanus Hallik,&nbsp;Endrik Arumägi","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The role of cities is instrumental in achieving the climate neutrality of building stock by 2050. This study evaluates the renovation potential of a group of 22 apartment buildings in Tartu, Estonia, and particularly feasibility of a transformation to a Positive Energy Neighbourhood (PEN). The challenges of urban density and cold climate are emphasised, representing a vital case for the European Union's \"Zero Emission Districts and Neighbourhoods for Sustainable Urban Development\" initiative.</div><div>To assess the feasibility and implications of achieving PEN standards, an analysis was conducted in a densely populated urban area enhancing energy efficiency, evaluating land use implications, and achieving carbon neutrality. This study applies Life-Cycle Assessment to discuss four renovation scenarios: (1) baseline, (2) the minimum requirement set by the Estonian long-term renovation strategy, (3) the performance of nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB), and (4) PEN.</div><div>The findings show that while PEN is achievable, the extensive land area required for renewable energy production or nature-based carbon sinks challenges its feasibility in dense urban environment. The results reveal that the minimum energy efficiency level required by the long-term renovation strategy does not reduce the whole-life emissions, therefore it is crucial for renovation grants to also require investments in on-site renewable energy production.</div><div>Transitioning urban neighbourhoods into zero-emission districts requires integrated strategies that combine energy-efficient renovations, renewable energy deployment, and innovative urban planning. The results of this study imply that decarbonisation policies should not be driven merely by the net-zero emissions balance due to the disproportionate land-use impact of offset measures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 113004"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distinctive learning of latent space feature for occlusion-aware facade parsing","authors":"Yi Zhong ,&nbsp;Jie Jiang ,&nbsp;Weize Quan ,&nbsp;Mingyang Zhao ,&nbsp;Dong-ming Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112955","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112955","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Significant strides in deep learning have propelled facade parsing in computer vision, a process that classifies architectural elements into semantic blocks. A key challenge is handling occlusions in facade images. Current methods struggle due to suboptimal use of multi-scale modules and insufficient differentiation of feature categories in latent space. Addressing this, we propose a novel multi-scale deep learning architecture, enhanced by a distinction loss function, to better capture multi-scale characteristics. This architecture includes a three-stream latent space feature enhancement structure: a main stream for primary processing and two auxiliary streams for feature refinement. Within the architecture, we utilize our designed dual-branch Context Aggregation Module to reconcile discrepancies between global and local features. We propose a distinction loss tailored to our network architecture, guiding the two auxiliary streams to concentrate on specific feature types, thereby enhancing discrimination and reducing confusion. On one hand, the proposed framework for distinct learning in the latent feature space introduces a novel learning paradigm for neural network training, where simple yet effective modifications to the loss function lead to performance optimization. On the other hand, the potential of our method to parse facades under occluded scenarios could be significantly impactful in engineering applications such as urban planning, architectural design, and autonomous driving. Our experiments on benchmark facade datasets demonstrate the superior performance of our approach in handling occlusions and effectively parsing facades, indicating the potential of our method to advance the application of facade parsing in increasingly complex scenarios.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"279 ","pages":"Article 112955"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143855182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A microscale UV radiation model for urban environments: Model description and evaluation based on measurements","authors":"Matthias Sühring ,&nbsp;Sebastian Lorenz ,&nbsp;Helge Knoop ,&nbsp;Katrin Frieda Gehrke","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112961","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112961","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Exposure to UV radiation can have serious consequences for human health, as UV radiation can damage DNA, can cause severe damage to skin and eye, is carcinogenic and is the main cause of skin cancer. To prevent UV-related health impacts, a reduction of UV exposure is an effective way. In order to allow urban planners to effectively mitigate UV exposure within built-up environments, we have developed an UV radiation model and implemented this into the microscale urban model PALM. The model considers shading of direct and diffuse radiation components by buildings, trees and sun-protection devices. Furthermore, transmission of UV radiation through tree crowns is considered, as well as multiple reflections between mutually visible urban surfaces with material-specific albedo in the spectral UV range. The incoming UV radiation at the top of the urban layer is provided by a coupled atmospheric radiation transfer model. This allows to study the effectiveness of UV mitigation strategies for different atmospheric UV scenarios such as clear-sky or cloudy conditions, or for different ozone-layer thicknesses. To evaluate the urban UV model, we compared the model results with spectral and broadband UV measurements carried out in a complex and partially shaded environment. We show that the model represents the spatio-temporal heterogeneity of UV radiation in such environments sufficiently well. Moreover, we performed a sensitivity study for specific parameters such as surface albedo, leaf area density or the tree-absorption coefficient to assess the uncertainty in modeled UV radiation due to usually poorly known model input parameters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 112961"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143835233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acoustic performance of micro-perforated panel sound absorbers with paralleled coiled-up cavities for noise reduction in traffic tunnels","authors":"Hequn Min,&nbsp;Huading Lou,&nbsp;Ningning Rong,&nbsp;Yuchen Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traffic tunnels are facing severe noise problems due to multiple sound reflections between parallel walls and vehicle noise emissions, especially for speech intelligibility of public address systems at low frequencies. Moreover the poor ventilation and high humidity in tunnels require noise reduction materials to be moisture-proof and environmentally friendly. This study introduces a novel fibrous-free sound absorbing material to improve acoustic environment at low frequencies in traffic tunnels, which is a micro-perforated panel absorber (MPA) with paralleled coiled-up-cavities of different-depths (PCD). The acoustic performance of PCD-MPA was investigated through in-situ measurements, scale model experiments (1:32), and numerical simulations with ray tracing technology in geometrical acoustics. Results from these three approaches show excellent agreement, demonstrating that the tunnel without absorption treatment exhibits problematic acoustic conditions: long reverberation time (RT) of 12.62 s at 250 Hz, low speech transmission index (STI) of 0.11 at 250 Hz representing poor speech intelligibility, and much low noise attenuation of 12.00 dB at 100 m source-receiver distance in the tunnel. After implementation of PCD-MPA on one sidewall in the tunnel, results from scale model experiments and numerical simulations show that the tunnel acoustic environment can be significantly improved. The mean RT decreases by 66 % to 4.26 s at 250 Hz, STI increases by 191 % to 0.32 for acceptable speech intelligibility, and noise attenuation in the tunnel is improved by 17.06 dB to 29.06 dB at 100 m source-receiver distance and is close to that in the semi-free acoustic field. Four different absorber arrangements in tunnels were investigated in this study. It is revealed that continuous PCD-MPA arrangement near sound sources is most effective for noise control in traffic tunnels. The introduced PCD-MPA with excellent moisture resistance and environmental friendliness demonstrates considerable effectiveness on noise reduction in tunnels, making it a promising solution for sustainable acoustic treatment in traffic tunnels for enhanced urban environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 113003"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143835206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Welding and burnishing dusts' exposure characteristics and health risk assessment in electromechanical processing workshop: Based on oxidation potential and EPA","authors":"Yalin Liu ,&nbsp;Ruixin Yang ,&nbsp;Yihua Chai ,&nbsp;Yi Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112971","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112971","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Welding and burnishing are standard industrial processes where workers can be highly exposed to dust for long periods. Current research on dust-related health risks primarily focuses on concentration, often overlooking the combined impact of particle size distribution and chemical composition. This study aims to reveal the relationship between the characteristics of industrial dust (concentration, particle size distribution, elemental composition) and worker health using oxidation potential and EPA health risk assessment methods while quantifying the influence of particle size and elements. We employed a breathing thermal manikin in a Huyi District, Xi'an City, machinery processing plant to simulate worker behaviour. We conducted dust sampling in the breathing zone of welding and burnishing workshops. The oxidative potential (OP) and risk assessment methods were utilized to quantify the potential individual exposure risks to workers. The mass concentration of dust in the welding workshop exhibited a significant unimodal distribution in the 4.7–7 μm particle size range, whereas the burnishing workshop showed a bimodal distribution in the 1.1–2.1 μm and 4.7–7 μm particle size ranges, with no significant seasonal variations observed. The oxidative potential of the dust displayed some similarity to the concentration distribution. Still, under the same concentration conditions, the oxidative potential of welding and burnishing dust differed significantly due to variations in elemental composition. Risk analysis revealed that manganese (Mn) and barium (Ba) had high hazard quotients, indicating non-carcinogenic risks that cannot be ignored. Additionally, despite the extremely low cobalt (Co) content, its carcinogenic risk was also found to be non-negligible.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"279 ","pages":"Article 112971"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143864461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A bootstrapped automated pipeline for developing model predictive controllers for non-domestic buildings","authors":"Prathamesh Manoj Khatavkar ,&nbsp;Peter Rockett ,&nbsp;Yuri Kaszubowski Lopes ,&nbsp;Elizabeth A. Hathway","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112947","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112947","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this paper, we motivate and investigate an alternative approach to the development of predictive models for the practical implementation of model predictive control in non-domestic buildings. We describe how the process can be ‘bootstrapped’ with a very simple model, the crude nature of which illustrates the robustness of our approach. A predictive model for the controller is refined/adapted to the building in operation while maintaining climate control throughout at all times using closed-loop system identification. To remove the necessity for human intervention, we have used genetic programming to learn the predictive models since this combines a number of what are traditionally sequential search operations into a single step. We report preliminary results of a series of simulation experiments that validate the basic approach, and identify further research needed to develop the proposed methodology. Our approach facilitates the adoption of model predictive control by using commissioning data and refinement of models with data from the occupied building, while maintaining thermal comfort.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 112947"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143835232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of energy and spatial properties between direct and flanking heavy-weight floor impact sound in apartment buildings with bearing wall","authors":"Chunwon Eom ,&nbsp;Jeonghun Kim ,&nbsp;Songmi Lee ,&nbsp;Jongkwan Ryu","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In apartments with a bearing wall system, floor impact sound is transmitted through load-bearing walls to multiple floors, and it could lead to complaints because of misidentification of the source floor. For the correct identification of the floor from where low-frequency floor impact sounds originate, the characteristics of sound transmitted to the different floors should be determined. In bearing-wall-system apartments, floor impact sounds can be classified into directly transmitted floor impact sounds, which are transmitted through the floor slab to the floor directly below, and flanking transmitted floor impact sounds, which are transmitted through walls to distant floors. It is challenging to differentiate between the two transmission types solely on the basis of the fundamental sound energy characteristics such as frequency spectrum distribution and attenuation. In this study, binaural recordings were conducted on a floor for rubber ball impact sounds generated from multiple floors in apartment buildings, and differences between directly transmitted and flanking transmitted impact sounds were examined by comparing the frequency spectra, early sound energy ratios, and interaural cross-correlation coefficient (IACC). In particular, directly transmitted impact sounds from the upper floor were found to exhibit higher early sound energy ratios and higher <em>IACC</em> values than flanking transmitted impact sounds. In cases of residential noise complaints, these two parameters can potentially help determine whether the floor impact noise originated from the upper floor.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 113002"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143839793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}