{"title":"Study of a novel neck-side ventilation system for reducing pollutant exposure","authors":"Haotian Zhang , Weirong Zhang , Xiaoxiao Ding , Yingli Xuan","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112911","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112911","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wearable ventilation devices can reduce respiratory exposure in polluted environments. This study investigates a neck-side ventilation system using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and experimental validation. The system delivers clean air through dual neck vents, deflecting along the face under the Coanda effect to form a clean air layer around the nose and mouth, reducing exposure to pollutants. Key factors, including roll angles, inlet pitch angles, and air speeds, were analysed for their impact on pollutant exposure reduction (PER). Results show that at roll angles of 30° or 45°, the Coanda effect deflects and converges the airflow in front of the face, forming a protective air layer. The pitch angle affects the convergence point, with 40° and 45° angles optimising the clean air layer's position around the breathing zone. Airflow velocity has a secondary impact when optimal roll and pitch angles are chosen. However, in suboptimal combinations, higher airflow velocities improve pollutant shielding, except when the roll angle is 0°, where higher speeds worsen pollutant entrainment into the breathing zone. The system achieves a maximum PER of 75.2 % at a roll angle of 30° and a pitch angle of 45° This study confirms the potential of neck-side ventilation for respiratory protection and provides guidance for optimising design parameters to improve performance in polluted environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 112911"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143734895","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":"Development and validation of a multi-node thermoregulation model for sleeping people","authors":"Cong Meng , Jingxian Xu , Tianyu Wu , Yehu Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112882","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112882","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To predict the transient local skin temperatures during sleep, this study developed a thermoregulation model suitable for sleeping people by considering the personalized thermo-physiological parameters, sleep-related thermoregulation laws, and the local thermal insulation of the bedding system. Ten subjects (5 males, 5 females) were selected for real-life sleep experiments using six bedding combinations (2.13–3.30 clo) in an artificial climate chamber simulating summer (26 °C) and winter (20 °C) sleep conditions. The predictions by the developed model were compared with those by the JOS-3 model and the results of real-life sleep experiments. It was shown that the mean error of the model exhibition mean skin temperature is within 0.6 °C and 0.3 °C for summer conditions and winter conditions, respectively. In addition, the mean error of local skin temperature by this model is no more than 1 °C. However, the local skin temperature predicted by the JOS-3 model had an error over 1 °C. This reveals that the currently developed model is more suitable for predicting skin temperature during sleep than JOS-3 model. This research provides a scientific theoretical foundation for studying human sleep thermal comfort. Also, it enriches the existing human thermoregulation models and offers a robust evaluation tool, i.e., thermoregulation model, for developing and evaluating sleep-related products, like quilts and sleep dress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"276 ","pages":"Article 112882"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143715894","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 influence of urban spatial structure on building carbon emissions at the neighborhood scale considering spatial effect","authors":"Hanghun Jo, Heungsoon Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112888","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112888","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the impact of urban spatial structures on carbon emissions from buildings in Seoul, based on data from 2020. By employing spatial econometric models, the study identifies key urban characteristic factors influencing energy consumption and following carbon emissions. We focus on key aspects of urban spatial structure, spatial compactness, connectivity, and land use mix to examine their effects on energy usage and emissions. The findings highlight a complex relationship between urban density and emissions. High-density areas may increase or decrease emissions depending on human activity, building use, and transportation infrastructure. Additionally, the connectivity and accessibility provided by efficient urban transport networks are crucial for mitigating carbon emissions, but their effectiveness is significantly enhanced when integrated with land use planning. The findings suggest that while high-density and mixed land use can increase energy consumption due to increased activities, improving urban connectivity can help mitigate emissions. It should aim to balance density and connectivity for sustainable urban development, ultimately contributing to effective carbon reduction strategies and urban sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"276 ","pages":"Article 112888"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143748398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Leonardo Furst , Yago Cipoli , Eduardo Yubero , Nuria Galindo , Carla Viegas , Marta Dias , Teresa Nunes , Getúlio Igrejas , Manuel Feliciano , Célia Alves
{"title":"Indoor air quality in a home improvement store: Gaseous pollutants, bioburden and particle-bound chemical constituents","authors":"Leonardo Furst , Yago Cipoli , Eduardo Yubero , Nuria Galindo , Carla Viegas , Marta Dias , Teresa Nunes , Getúlio Igrejas , Manuel Feliciano , Célia Alves","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112908","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112908","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper provides a comprehensive assessment of indoor and outdoor air quality within a home improvement and gardening store chain in northeastern Portugal. In December 2021 and January 2022, two multipollutant systems were installed in the store and outdoors to assess air quality. Continuous monitoring included particulate matter below 10 µm (PM<sub>10</sub>), CO<sub>2</sub> and comfort parameters. PM<sub>10</sub> samples were collected using gravimetric samplers during both occupied and vacant periods. These samples were then analysed for carbonaceous constituents and metal(loid)s. Additionally, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbonyls, bacteria, and fungi were passively sampled. Results showed higher indoor concentrations of PM<sub>10</sub> during labour hours (45.4 ± 15.2 μg/m<sup>3</sup>), while outdoor values of 27.1 ± 9.96 μg/m<sup>3</sup> were recorded. The elemental characterisation of PM<sub>10</sub> revealed a high abundance of soil-related elements indoors, suggesting that resuspension is one of the primary sources. The most abundant elements were Ca, Fe, and Zn, with concentrations of 658 ± 297, 273 ± 141, and 172 ± 67.4 ng/m³, respectively. Outdoors, elements related to tyre and brake wear and road dust were predominant, indicating emissions from non-exhaust traffic emissions as the main source. A prevalence of α-pinene, limonene, and hexanal was found indoors, most likely related to wood products. Fungi with clinical relevance and toxigenic potential, and higher bacterial loads were observed in the gardening and heating sectors of the store. This study underscores the importance of investigating less-studied stores, as they may exhibit pollutant levels that exceed health protection thresholds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 112908"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143748694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiahao Wang , Xinyu Jia , Miao Wang , Yingxin Zhu , Bin Cao
{"title":"Influencing factors of convective heat transfer between human body and environment under simulated and real walking conditions","authors":"Jiahao Wang , Xinyu Jia , Miao Wang , Yingxin Zhu , Bin Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112871","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112871","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With rapid urban development and a growing emphasis on healthy lifestyles, the design and construction of pedestrian spaces have garnered increasing attention. However, existing studies focus on the effects of wind fields on static human or involve subjects walking on a treadmill to simulate walking. These methods differ greatly from the relative wind speed sources of real walking, resulting in significant deviations between existing thermal comfort models and measured results. In this study, we measured the convective heat transfer coefficients (<span><math><msub><mi>h</mi><mi>c</mi></msub></math></span>) by a thermal manikin at relative wind speeds (v) of 0.3 m/s, 0.5 m/s and 0.8 m/s under both real walking (RW) and simulated walking (SW) conditions, where the relative wind speed source of RW is generated by the human or manikin moving forward and SW is generated by the fan wall. Additionally, 12 adults participated in the experiments, performing both SW and RW. Subjective perceptions and skin temperature were recorded during both SW and RW. The results demonstrated significant differences in <span><math><msub><mi>h</mi><mi>c</mi></msub></math></span> between SW and RW conditions, which were perceptible to participants through subjective evaluation. The increasing relative wind speed and turbulence intensity contribute to higher <span><math><msub><mi>h</mi><mi>c</mi></msub></math></span>. The relative airflow of RW is similar to the natural wind, which may explain some differences between SW and RW conditions. This study further derives the following fitting for free walking and provides empirical basis for future experiments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"276 ","pages":"Article 112871"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143715195","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}
Maryam Abbasi Kamazani, Manish K. Dixit, Sejal Sanjay Shanbhag
{"title":"Optimizing interconnected embodied and operational energy of buildings: An embodied energy factor approach","authors":"Maryam Abbasi Kamazani, Manish K. Dixit, Sejal Sanjay Shanbhag","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112902","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112902","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research explores the pivotal role of buildings in global energy consumption and carbon emissions, emphasizing the necessity for sustainable design practices that prioritize energy efficiency and carbon neutrality. The complexity of reducing the energy and carbon footprints of buildings arises from the interrelationship between operational and embodied energy flows. Optimizing operational energy can inadvertently impact embodied energy, complicating sustainability efforts. To address this challenge, we introduce the embodied energy factor (EE factor), a novel metric that quantifies the embodied energy required to save one unit of operational energy. This metric enables the prioritization of design measures that reduces both operational and embodied energy impacts. Employing a multi-objective genetic algorithm, we optimize two case studies of commercial buildings, utilizing the Energy Plus simulation tool for operational energy assessments and an input-output-based hybrid database for embodied energy calculations. The optimization process evaluates 17 design measures, separately, including building orientation, window-to-wall ratio, and various wall, floor, window and roof construction layers. Results from the San Francisco case study indicate that roofing materials have the lowest EE factor of -47.88. Notably, modifications to roofing result in the greatest total primary energy reduction of 9.45 %. In the Dallas case study, flooring materials with an EE factor of -43.74 rank highest, achieving a maximum total primary energy reduction of 37.36 %. There is a correlation between the EE factor ranking system and reduction in total primary energy use. These findings highlight the critical importance of integrating operational and embodied energy considerations in building design to advance sustainable practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"276 ","pages":"Article 112902"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143715892","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}
Laura Carnieletto , Marco Marigo , Tommaso Arcelli , Christian Moro , Gian Piero Turchi , Michele De Carli , Antonino Di Bella
{"title":"Assessing thermal comfort and performance in the workplace: A test room experiment for summer and winter conditions","authors":"Laura Carnieletto , Marco Marigo , Tommaso Arcelli , Christian Moro , Gian Piero Turchi , Michele De Carli , Antonino Di Bella","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112893","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112893","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The building sector significantly contributes to energy consumption and carbon emissions, as reported by leading authorities. Consequently, designers and researchers focused on developing new solutions and enhancing existing ones to improve operation and maintenance, to increase efficiency and reduce energy waste while maintaining adequate levels to ensure thermal comfort and productivity for users. This work proposes an experimental activity with tests in summer conditions carried out on a sample of 59 people involved on a voluntary basis, almost equally spread between male and female subjects. Seven values of PMV were investigated in a test room to ensure optimal control of indoor environmental parameters. The methodology applied to these tests has already been used for tests in winter conditions, to allow the comparison of the user behavior within two different seasons. This study aims to deliver insights into subjective comfort perceptions and the difficulties of assessing productivity in an office environment. The MADIT methodology was applied to groups of four individuals working on computers, engaged in two types of activities: a single task and a group task. The focus on individual perception, evaluation and preference supports the findings of a previous study on the heating season, showing more tolerance for colder environments rather than warm indoor conditions. Productivity management's analysis results show that participants express higher levels of productivity management during the winter season. However, summer's seasonal effects affect workers as they tend to include more the environmental parameters for productivity goals, reaching at least an intermediate level of productivity management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"276 ","pages":"Article 112893"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143715893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhonghao Yu , Chao Zhang , Yanxia Du , Xian Wang , Guangming Xiao
{"title":"Numerical study on the effect of a standing person on airflow instability in a single-aisle aircraft cabin","authors":"Zhonghao Yu , Chao Zhang , Yanxia Du , Xian Wang , Guangming Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112885","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112885","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The instantaneous airflow with low velocity and high fluctuation within an aircraft cabin significantly influences the thermal comfort and safety of passengers. In this work, a numerical investigation of the effect of a standing person on the instability of airflow under mixed ventilation in the aircraft cabin was carried out. Based on the multi-GPU platform, the multi-relaxation time hybrid thermal lattice Boltzmann method (MRT-HTLBM) with a high grid resolution (190 million) system was employed to conduct a large eddy simulation (LES). A high computational efficiency about 2153 MLUPS (Million Lattice Updates Per Second) was obtained by 4-GPU acceleration. Results demonstrate that when there is no person in the aisle, the airflow shows a temporal instability, exhibiting a quasi-periodic oscillation pattern characterized by an alternating left-right swing, and such an oscillation pattern is consistent in the cross-section of each row. The PD value of passengers on both sides of the aisle constantly change with the swing of the air. When a person stands in the aisle, the left-right consistent oscillation pattern is broken and the airflow shows a spatial instability. Under this situation, the presence of turbulent vortices around the seated passengers becomes more pronounced and the formation of the self-locking mode of the air is more probable than the situation with no person standing in the aisle. The temporal and spatial scales of the largest vortex near the seated passengers on both sides of the aisle increase by approximately 43.6 % and 38.2 %, respectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"276 ","pages":"Article 112885"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143715198","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}
José A. Martínez-Sánchez , Francisco Comino , Pablo E. Romero , Manuel Ruiz de Adana
{"title":"Design, development and performance evaluation of a 3D-printed desiccant wheel using poly-lactic acid and wood filaments for sustainable HVAC systems","authors":"José A. Martínez-Sánchez , Francisco Comino , Pablo E. Romero , Manuel Ruiz de Adana","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112889","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112889","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a 3D-printed desiccant wheel (DW) made from a polylactic acid (PLA) and pine wood composite. The goal is to develop a sustainable alternative for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Material extrusion (MEX) additive manufacturing was used to produce DW prototypes with different hydraulic diameters, optimizing their design based on performance. A full factorial design of experiments was conducted to assess the impact of inlet temperature, humidity ratio, airflow rate, and rotational speed on dehumidification performance.</div><div>Experimental tests evaluated moisture removal capacity (MRC), pressure drop (ΔP), and thermal efficiency. Results showed that lower temperatures and higher humidity levels improved moisture adsorption, while airflow rate significantly affected latent efficiency. The highest MRC/Volume reached 294 kg/h·m³, with a maximum latent efficiency of 0.9.</div><div>This study introduces a novel approach by integrating MEX with bio-based desiccant materials, filling a research gap in sustainable dehumidification technologies. The findings suggest that biodegradable 3D-printed desiccant wheels could serve as an energy-efficient alternative to conventional silica gel systems, particularly in applications integrating renewable energy sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"276 ","pages":"Article 112889"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143715193","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}
Gihoon Kim , Seongmin Jo , Euntack Lee , Minki Sung
{"title":"Performance evaluation of the individual room control-negative pressure ventilation system in apartment","authors":"Gihoon Kim , Seongmin Jo , Euntack Lee , Minki Sung","doi":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112887","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112887","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical need for effective infection control measures in residential settings, particularly for self-quarantine scenarios. This study evaluates the performance of the Individual Room Control-Negative Pressure Ventilation (IRC<img>NPV) system, designed to create and maintain negative pressure in a designated isolation room (IR) within apartments. The system integrates a Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system, motorized diffusers, and a Negative Pressure Exhaust Unit (NPEU) to ensure effective containment of airborne contaminants. A mock-up housing laboratory experiment was conducted to assess the system's ability to maintain negative pressure under various conditions, including ventilation system operation, window opening, kitchen hood operation, and simulated stack effects. Results demonstrated that the IRC<img>NPV system consistently maintained negative pressure across all scenarios, with an average pressure difference of −3.24 Pa between the IR and adjacent spaces. Natural ventilation through window openings showed enhancement in pressure differentials, while the operation of supply air within the IR reduced negative pressure, emphasizing the need for controlled ventilation strategies. In conclusion, the IRC<img>NPV system provides a practical, adaptable, and energy-efficient solution for infection control in residential apartments, offering robust containment capabilities for pandemic preparedness and quarantine scenarios.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9273,"journal":{"name":"Building and Environment","volume":"276 ","pages":"Article 112887"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143685614","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}