Architectural Engineering Commons^™

Solar Urban Planning: Addressing Barriers And Conflicts Specific To Renewable Energy Policy And The Current Field And Practice Of Urban Planning Within The Context Of A Changing Climate, Toryl P. Hanna

Capstone Collection

The world is in a period of rapid urbanization while experiencing unprecedented rise in global temperature as a result of climate change. Questions have been raised as to how strategies for urbanization will be able to address the fetish for energy, while halting carbon emissions produced by traditional energy sources for urban inhabitants around the world. First, this paper seeks to look to cities, at the intersection of solar energy and the field of urban planning, looking into the opportunities and challenges that are currently surfacing. Conflicts and barriers in traditional urban land use patterns emerge as a topic of …

Adaptive Environments For Enabling Senior Citizens: An Holistic Assessment Tool For Housing Design And Iot-Based Technologies, Matteo Zallio, Damon Berry, Niccolò Casiddu

Conference papers

The population of older adults will continuously increase over the coming decades. As they get older, people will require assistance and regular monitoring, with higher costs for welfare system and families. Two vital aspects of a healthy lifestyle, are domestic autonomy and maintenance of relationships within the neighborhood. This leads to an interesting research issue: “Could houses and appliances have the potential to improve autonomy and quality of life of citizens? Which methods and tools could enhance wellbeing and healthy conditions? The house has the potential to be a safe, adaptive environment, integrated with technologies for life support. This work …

A Method For Selecting Hvac Retrofit Solutions For Existing Small- And Medium-Sized Commercial Buildings, Bonggil Jeon

Open Access Dissertations

The primary purpose of the present study is to develop a framework and methodology for evaluating appropriate Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) retrofit solutions that can be effectively retrofitted into different types of small- and medium-sized commercial buildings (SMSCB). Additionally, development of an advanced data-driven decision-making tool is introduced as a benefit of proposed framework. In recent years, considerable attention has been focused on retrofits of existing commercial buildings (IBE, 2013b). In fact, the Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) 2003 (EIA, 2006) indicates that over 70% of existing commercial buildings across the United States are more than twenty …

A Generic Benchmark For A Mini-Split Heat Pump System, Yuchen Wang

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Thesis, and Student Research

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) accounts for half of the building energy consumption in the U.S where Mini-Split Heat Pumps (MSHPs) are an emerging type of HVAC system. Their utilization has greatly increased by 34% from 2009 to 2013 and high potential EER is recognized for MSHPs. However, there is limited research involving MSHPs systems, and there is no generic benchmark for system testing and modeling. The available simulation tools such as VapCyc, GreatLab, and CYCLE_D are either too complicated, difficult to access, or not freely available. Therefore, an accurate and public share generic benchmark is essential and will …

How Acoustics In California High Performance Schools Relate To Student Achievement, Devin K. Wong

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Thesis, and Student Research

This research project seeks to determine if students attending K-12 schools meeting a minimum standard of high performance classroom conditions in the state of California do evidence higher scholastic achievement, based on publically available results on state-wide standardized tests. In three phases, a subset of 200+ schools applying for grants dedicated to building high performance schools over the past decade was correlated with an existing database of achievement scores for all public schools in California. The criteria utilized to specify high performance classrooms was provided by the California High Performance Initiative (HPI) Grant program. Academic achievement was evaluated on a …

The Bridge Newsletter Winter 2016, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

The Bridge Newsletter

-World's only cold-formed steel conference
-2016 Alumni of Influence
-National intelligence leader speaks
-Senne Memoria

Case Study Of Quantifying Energy Loss Through Ceiling-Attic Recessed Lighting Fixtures Through 3d Numerical Simulation, Ri Na, Shengmao Lin, Zhigang Shen, Linxia Gu

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Abstract Air leakage through recessed lighting fixtures has been identified as a common issue that causes extra energy consumption in residential buildings. However, few quantitative studies in this area were found. As such, a preliminary assessment of the magnitude of this type of energy loss was conducted by using three-dimensional (3D) transient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models. A hypothetical layout of recessed lighting fixtures was designed with boundary conditions of four different seasons, which were obtained from recorded roof/attic temperature data sets. The results of the study indicate that leakage of recessed lighting fixtures could be a significant channel of …

Acoustic Management Of Library Fishbowls, Zachary J. Lilley

Materials Engineering

The purpose of this project is to aid the Cal Poly Robert E. Kennedy library in modifying the “fishbowl” study spaces to more effectively maintain the desirable sound that is generated within the fishbowls while avoiding the entrance and exit of excess noise to and from the fishbowls. A collaboration between the Materials Engineering Department and the Architecture Department provided the combined expertise needed to design, test, and install a prototype acoustic treatment in fishbowl 216-R in consultation with the Cal Poly Library as the voice of the customer. The fishbowl’s undesirable acoustic properties can be attributed to the hard …

Theoretical Study Of Two States Reactivity Of No Activation On Iron Atom, Xiaoman Wang, Yaxin Su, Wenyu Liao, Wenyi Deng

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The mechanism of Fe+NO was calculated by the Density Functional Theory (DFT) with the B3LYP methods combined with the 6-311+G (d, p) basis set. The geometry of reactants, transition states, intermediates and products of two reaction systems were completely optimized, and all the transition states were verified by the vibration analysis and intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) calculations. The "Two State Reactivity (TSR)" was used to analyze the reaction mechanisms; Results showed that the reaction system preferentially involves low-spin state entrance channel and the high-spin state exit channel. In the reaction channel, the crossing point appears, which would effectively reduce the …

Mechanical And Thermal Evaluation Of Different Types Of Pcm-Concrete Composite Panels, Dervilla Niall, Oliver Kinnane, Roger West, Sarah Mccormack

Conference papers

ABSTRACT: Thermal mass indicates the ability of a material to store and release heat and is a function of the heat storage capacity of a material. The thermal mass of construction materials can be used to reduce the energy required for heating and cooling buildings. The heat storage capacity of concrete can be increased by incorporating phase change materials (PCMs) into the concrete and hence providing additional latent heat storage capacity. Research was carried out to compare the thermal behaviour of two different types of PCM/concrete composite panels. The first type of panel was formed by adding microencapsulated paraffin to …

Lifelong Housing Design: User Feedback Evaluation Of Smart Objects And Accessible Houses For Healthy Ageing, Matteo Zallio, Niccolò Casiddu

Conference Papers

According to the latest research by the European Community and ISTAT (Italian National Institute of Statistics) surveys, Europe has the highest average age for its population. According to those data, in the near future, it could be necessary to move from a welfare model based on the centralization of care systems, to a system based on the distribution of certain healthcare facilities [1]. This means that the ageing population is ever increasing, thanks to better lifestyles, innovative medical care and wider access to different services. This work seeks to observe and analyse key implications of architectural and interior design features …

Ogden College Of Science & Engineering Newsletter (Summer 2016), Cheryl Stevens, Dean

Ogden College of Science & Engineering Publications

No abstract provided.

3 E’S Enterprise Architecture Framework (That Encompasses Business Process, Information Systems, And Information Technology), Nicholas C. Bucciarelli Mr.

Articles

No abstract provided.

Significance Of Parameters Affecting The Performance Of A Passive Down-Draft Evaporative Cooling (Pdec) Tower With A Spray System, Daeho Kang, Richard K. Strand

Publications and Research

PDEC towers with spray systems are known to achieve substantial energy savings. Various parameters such as the wet-bulb depression, the tower height, and the wind speed have been known to be key factors affecting the performance of the system. To date, the significance of these parameters and other important factors have not been adequately treated in the literature. There also has been a lack of models that can successfully investigate potential benefits of the system under various conditions where this particular system could be applicable. To address these critical issues, this study performed a parametric analysis by using a FLUENT …

Broad Street Apartments, Carla Alejandra Simental, Viviana C. Sanchez

Architectural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Experimental Building Demonstration Model With Viscous Fluid Dampers, Blake Thomas Reeve, Brianna Jean Kufa, Aden Malek Stepanians, Sophie Carmion Ratkovich

Architectural Engineering

The Architectural Engineering major places a heavy emphasis on structural dynamics and the role of wind and seismic loading in building analysis and design. Buildings of high importance that are critical to community function, such as hospitals, often utilize supplemental damping devices like supplemental viscous fluid dampers or base isolators to reduce the overall demands on the structural system. The design and analysis of these dampers are typically not taught at the undergraduate level, and is frequently performed by mechanical engineers, in lieu of structural engineers.

To better understand and research building behavior with supplemental damping devices, our multi-disciplinary team …

Structural Calculations For Nepal Vocational Learning Center, Nicholas Petrarca

Architectural Engineering

This project goal is to build a Leadership Vocational School for youth, women, differently abled, and local leaders of rural and Kathmandu Nepal. The client for this project is an organization called Sakcham Rural Nepal and they partnered with a humanitarian organization called Journeyman International to find Architecture and Architectural Engineering students to design a safe, attractive and functional building to fit their needs.

Effects Of Noise, Reverberation And Foreign Accent On Native And Non-Native Listeners’ Performance Of English Speech Comprehension, Zhao Ellen Peng, Lily M. Wang

Lily M Wang

A large number of non-native English speakers may be found in American classrooms, both as listeners and talkers. Little is known about how this population comprehends speech in realistic adverse acoustical conditions. A study was conducted to investigate the effects of background noise level (BNL), reverberation time (RT), and talker foreign accent on native and non-native listeners' speech comprehension, while controlling for English language abilities. A total of 115 adult listeners completed comprehension tasks under 15 acoustic conditions: three BNLs (RC-30, RC-40, and RC-50) and five RTs (from 0.4 to 1.2 s). Fifty-six listeners were tested with speech from native …

Effects Of Noise, Reverberation And Foreign Accent On Native And Non-Native Listeners’ Performance Of English Speech Comprehension, Zhao Ellen Peng, Lily M. Wang

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

A large number of non-native English speakers may be found in American classrooms, both as listeners and talkers. Little is known about how this population comprehends speech in realistic adverse acoustical conditions. A study was conducted to investigate the effects of background noise level (BNL), reverberation time (RT), and talker foreign accent on native and non-native listeners' speech comprehension, while controlling for English language abilities. A total of 115 adult listeners completed comprehension tasks under 15 acoustic conditions: three BNLs (RC-30, RC-40, and RC-50) and five RTs (from 0.4 to 1.2 s). Fifty-six listeners were tested with speech from native …

Design And Optimization Of Membrane-Type Acoustic Metamaterials, Matthew G. Blevins

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Thesis, and Student Research

One of the most common problems in noise control is the attenuation of low frequency noise. Typical solutions require barriers with high density and/or thickness. Membrane-type acoustic metamaterials are a novel type of engineered material capable of high low-frequency transmission loss despite their small thickness and light weight. These materials are ideally suited to applications with strict size and weight limitations such as aircraft, automobiles, and buildings. The transmission loss profile can be manipulated by changing the micro-level substructure, stacking multiple unit cells, or by creating multi-celled arrays. To date, analysis has focused primarily on experimental studies in plane-wave tubes …

Assessment Of Noise-Induced Annoyance By Tones In Noise From Building Mechanical Systems, Joonhee Lee, Lily M. Wang

Lily M Wang

Prominent tones in noise generated by mechanical equipment in buildings can cause complaints from occupants in buildings. The ISO 1996-2 and ANSI S1.13 standards describe methodologies and metrics to quantify tonality perception, but the influence of tones in noise on human annoyance and performance is not fully understood yet. This paper investigates annoyance responses of humans while exposed to background noise with tonal components. Twenty participants completed digit span tasks while exposed to noise signals with differing levels of tones and overall loudness. Subjects were also asked to rate their annoyance after completing tasks under each noise signal. The subjective …

The Impact Of Building Acoustics On Speech Comprehension And Student Achievement, Lily M. Wang

Lily M Wang

The movement for improved classroom acoustics has primarily been grounded on studies that show how building acoustics (i.e. background noise levels and room reverberation) affect speech intelligibility, as determined by speech recognition tests. What about actual student learning, though? If students do not understand each spoken word in the classroom perfectly, can they still manage to achieve high scholastic success? This presentation will review two recent studies conducted at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, linking classroom acoustic conditions to student learning outcomes and speech comprehension (rather than simply recognition). In the first, acoustic measurements in two public school districts …

Determining Annoyance Thresholds Of Tones In Noise, Jennifer M. Francis, Joonhee Lee, Lily M. Wang

Lily M Wang

Building services equipment often produces noise signatures with significant tones in them that can lead to complaints in the built environment. Previous studies have investigated prominence levels of assorted tonal frequencies, but it is still unclear what prominence of the tones across varying tonal frequencies can lead to human annoyance. This project seeks to apply two different methods towards defining annoyance thresholds of tones in noise at two tonal frequencies: 125 Hz and 500 Hz. In the first, subjects are asked to perform a task, while exposed to ten minutes of a broadband noise spectrum with a specific level of …

The Impact Of Building Acoustics On Speech Comprehension And Student Achievement, Lily M. Wang

Lily M Wang

The movement for improved classroom acoustics has primarily been grounded on studies that show how building acoustics (i.e. background noise levels and room reverberation) affect speech intelligibility, as determined by speech recognition tests. What about actual student learning, though? If students do not understand each spoken word in the classroom perfectly, can they still manage to achieve high scholastic success? This presentation will review two recent studies conducted at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, linking classroom acoustic conditions to student learning outcomes and speech comprehension (rather than simply recognition). In the first, acoustic measurements in two public school districts …

Effects Of Room Acoustics On Comprehension Of Foreign-Accented Speech By Native And Non-Native English-Speaking Listeners, Zhao Peng, Kristin E. Hanna, Brenna N. Boyd, Lily M. Wang

Lily M Wang

In a previous study by the authors, reverberation time (RT) and background noise level (BNL) were both found to have negative effects on native and non-native English-speaking listeners in comprehending English speech produced by native American-English-speaking talkers. Comprehension scores were adjusted for listeners’ baseline English proficiency levels. In the present study, instead of native English-speaking talkers, two native Mandarin Chinese talkers (one male, one female) with similar English spoken proficiency were recruited to produce the same speech materials used in the previous study. A similar methodology was adopted to conduct speech comprehension tests on three groups of listeners: 1) native …

Quantification And Subjective Perception Of Varying Reflection Densities In Measured Room Impulsed Responses, Hyun Hong, Lily M. Wang

Lily M Wang

This project focuses on quantifying and testing the subjective perception of reflection densities, or the number of reflections per second, from different room impulse responses. The widely used room acoustic metric, reverberation time, is linked to the perceived reverberation in a room. Two different rooms having the same reverberation time, though, can have different reflection densities in their room impulse responses, and this difference in reflection density may affect how listeners perceive spatial impression in rooms. To investigate how sensitive humans are to a change of reflection density, this paper first reviews assorted parameters for quantifying reflection density from measured …

Room Acoustic Effects On Speech Comprehension Of English-As-Second-Language Talkers And Listeners Versus Native-English-Speaking Talkers And Listeners, Lily M. Wang

Lily M Wang

Approximately 21% of the children in the United States school system speak a language other than English at home, but are being taught in English at school. English is additionally being used more and more often as a common language in international settings, even though participants at these international events again are not native English speakers. How do adverse room acoustic environments, including higher background noise levels and longer reverberation times, impact English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) talkers and listeners versus native English-speaking talkers and listeners? This presentation focuses on two recent studies at the University of Nebraska that investigate how assorted room …

Evaluation Of Carbonation Resistance Of Paint Coated Concrete For Buildings, Tommy Y. Lo, Wenyu Liao, C. K. Wong, Waiching Tang

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

When evaluating the carbonation resistance of paint coated concrete, the effects of both the strength grade and the curing conditions (standard curing and accelerated curing) of concrete substrate on carbonation resistance of paint coated concrete were investigated. The concept of the carbonation suppression ratio of paint was presented for evaluation of the anti-carbonation performance of the two types of paints (exterior and interior paints) when applied to a reference concrete substrate. The test results showed a good linear relationship between the carbonation depths of the paint coated concrete and the square root of exposure times. Concrete with higher strength grade …

Ogden College Of Science & Engineering Newsletter (Spring 2016), Cheryl Stevens, Dean, Ogden College Of Science & Engineering

Ogden College of Science & Engineering Publications

No abstract provided.

Thermal Mass Behaviour Of Concrete Panels Incorporating Phase Change Materials, Dervilla Niall, Roger West, Sarah Mccormack, Oliver Kinnane

Conference papers

Phase Change Materials (PCM) have been incorporated into a range of building envelope materials with varied success. This study investigates two different methods of combining concrete and phase change materials to form PCM/concrete composite panels. The first method involves adding microencapsulated paraffin to fresh concrete during the mixing process. The second method involves vacuum impregnating butyl stearate into lightweight aggregate which is then included in the concrete mix design. The primary aim of the study is to determine which method is the most effective way to improve the thermal mass characteristics of a concrete panel in the context of a …