Engineering Commons^™

Building Services Engineering May/June 2024

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Evolving Hangwuran City Development Model Through Partial Least Square Approach In North-Central Nigeria, Samuel Medayese, Hangwelani H. Magidimisha-Chipungu, Lovemore Chipungu

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

The need for a paradigmatic shift in city development ideology has become increasingly evident over the years. In response to this need, the Hangwurian City Development Model was developed to establish a connection between the concepts of environmental awareness, urban governance, and management. This model also integrates sustainable urban development, urban liveability, and inclusive physical development. The research sets a critical objective of analyzing the significant levels of various indicator variables. The exploratory research utilized partial least squares (PLS) via SmartPLS to evaluate the variables, collecting quantitative data through the open data toolkit from three selected cities: Lokoja, Minna, and …

Building Services Engineering March/April 2024

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Synthesis And Characterization Of Cellulose Microfibril-Reinforced Polyvinyl Alcohol Biodegradable Composites, Fatemeh Mahdiyeh-Boroujeni, Gabriella Fioravanti, Ronald Kander

School of Design and Engineering Papers

The pursuit of an environmentally sustainable manufacturing process requires the substitution of less damaging and recyclable solutions for harmful reagents. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of using cellulose microfibrils synthesized via different hydrolysis reactions as reinforcing agents in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) at varying concentrations. The investigation explores the morphology, thermal properties, and chemical behavior of the cellulose particles. The cellulose microfibrils (CMFs) produced using citric acid exhibited the highest yield and aspect ratio. Notably, particles from organic acids demonstrated greater thermal stability, with oxalic acid-derived particles displaying the maximum thermal degradation temperature. Subsequently, cast films of PVA reinforced …

Building Services Engineering January/February 2024

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Digital Construction Annual Survey 2022 Report, Davitt Lamon, Ted Mckenna

Reports

The Annual Survey 2022 was conducted to assess the state of digital transformation in the Irish construction and built environment sector. This report presents the analysis of survey data, with a focus on implications for the Build Digital project and Build Digital’s five pillars: Digital Leadership & Cultural Change, Digital Standards, Digital Education & Training, Digital Procurement, and Sustainability & Circular Economy. Key findings from the survey indicated that a significant number of organisations have started their digital transformation journey, with many identifying themselves as proactive and possessing a clear business-focused strategy. However, a considerable cohort of respondents are keen …

Information Management And Bim Standards And Supports Inventory, Ryan Dempsey, Barry Mcauley, David Burke

Tools

The Digital Standards pillar consists of industry experts who champion the benefits of common rules, guidelines, and workflows that facilitate the improvement of information flow and information management across asset life cycles. Digital standards provide a common language that can be translated to technical specifications enabling clients, designers, contractors, and facilities managers, irrespective of their preferred tools, to communicate efficiently and reduce cost, rework, and disputes. Working closely with the Digital Procurement and Digital Education and Training pillars, this pillar is developing and delivering Irish Information Management/BIM (Digital Construction) guidelines for the sector.

This report summarises existing digital construction standards, …

International Information Management And Bim Best Practice Report, Ted Mckenna, Davitt Lamon

Reports

In order to inform the Digital Leadership and Cultural Change pillar of the Build Digital, a study of international best practice in digital adoption within the built environment sector globally was undertaken and is presented here-in. In order to identify key learnings for Ireland in the context of digital transformation, eight countries were included in this study, namely, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. These countries were selected for various reasons, including the level of digital maturity, the scale of the built environment sector and geographic spread. Key data for each country is included …

Sustainability And Circular Economy Horizon Scan And Needs Analysis, Sadaf Dalirazar, Mark Kelly, Derek Sinnott, James O'Donnell

Reports

The construction industry plays a crucial role in addressing the climate crisis as it is the largest global consumer of raw materials and contributes significantly to global energy consumption and emissions. Considering the world’s continuous population growth and the imperative to address infrastructure and housing demands the construction sector needs to adopt further sustainable strategies in its activities to reduce the pressure on natural resources. In addition, the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector is responsible for generating substantial amount of waste known as Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW), which is projected to increase due to the future construction developments. …

Building Services Engineering November/December 2023

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Building Services Engineering September/October 2023

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Industry Colloquium Report, Robert Moore

Reports

In the ever-evolving landscape of the construction industry, digital transformation has emerged as a pivotal force reshaping the way projects are conceived, executed, and delivered. This transformation, fuelled by cutting-edge technology and innovative practices, holds the promise of greater efficiency, sustainability, and collaboration within the construction sector.

This report offers a comprehensive summary of the Build Digital Project colloquium. It provides actionable insights and recommendations for clients, supply chain partners, and for prioritisation within the Build Digital Project pillars. As the industry partners seek to build a more efficient, sustainable, and collaborative construction sector, understanding and harnessing the invaluable insights …

Building Services Engineering July/August 2023

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Evolution And Morphology Of Urban And Road Networks: Case Study Lebanon-Nabatiyeh Area, Amal Al Ghorayeb, Adel Elkordi, Ghaleb Faour, Zeinab Jaber, Youssef Attallah

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

This study examines the morphology and evolution of urban and road networks and their relationship with topography in the Lebanon-Nabatiyeh area, by using GIS and remote sensing data. and calculate the annual urban growth percentage rate. The results reveal a clear relationship between the morphology of urban and road networks and their evolution over four periods, as well as the influence of the surrounding topography on their configuration. The study recommends that urban areas should be developed in areas with a slope range of 15º or more to improve the urban structure and infrastructure surrounding them. Understanding the evolution and …

Exploring The Potential Of Pavegen’S Kinetic Energy Generating Floor For Sustainable Energy Solutions: A Proposal For Cal Poly Slo, Brandon J. Cuneo

Construction Management

This paper proposes the installation of Pavegen's kinetic energy generating floors at Cal Poly’s campus as a sustainable energy solution. Pavegen has developed a pioneering technology that converts footsteps into clean and renewable energy. The versatility of these floors is demonstrated through successful implementations in various settings, such as transportation hubs and public spaces, generating power from foot traffic. Collaborations with Schneider Electric, installation at Dupont Circle, and integration at Heathrow Airport showcase the potential for sustainable urban infrastructure. This paper outlines research conducted on Pavegen and similar solutions, including communication with company representatives and examining proposed installation locations at …

Attainable And Sustainable Home Building Solutions, Katrina Matthews

Construction Management

Sustainability has fortunately been a recent concern in the construction industry as climate change continues to impose potentially insurmountable threats to the global environment. Although many new methods have been adopted in efforts to lessen the adverse environmental effects of construction-related activities, as a society, we still have much room for growth as the built environment accounts for almost 50% of global emissions. Many changes and standards must be adopted to make these solutions efficiently beneficial. To set industry standards, we must start with the most basic form of construction- residential building. This report covers two attainable framing solutions for …

Out-Of-Plane Flexural Behavior Of Insulatedwall Panels Constructed With Large Insulation Thicknesses, Jacob Luebke, Fray F. Pozo-Lora, Salam Al-Rubaye, Marc Maguire

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Insulated concrete sandwich wall panels (ICSWPs) are gaining popularity as energy regulations become stricter worldwide. ICSWPs are now being constructed with thinner wythes and thicker insulation to keep up with the changing market, which is reducing material costs and increasing thermal and structural efficiency. However, there is a need for adequate experimental testing to validate the current design methods for these new panels. This research aims to provide that validation by comparing the predictions of four different methods with experimental data obtained from six large-scale panels. The study found that while current design methods adequately predict the behavior of thin …

Building Services Engineering May/June 2023

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Performance Assessment Of Bioasphalt Mixtures Containing Guayule Resin As An Innovative Biobased Asphalt Alternative, Ahmed Hemida, Magdy Abdelrahman

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Guayule resin was investigated through mixture to assess its role in the field performance. For performance comparisons, conventional asphalt, neat guayule, asphalt-rubber-guayule, and guayule-rubber binders were implied. Field-simulated lab mixtures were made to investigate the major distresses. Modified Lottman, rut, semicircular bending, and disk-shaped compact tension tests were used to assess stripping, rutting, fatigue, and thermal cracking resistances. Stripping and rutting susceptibilities were also assessed by Hamburg wheel-tracking test. The outcomes disclosed that when the modified Lottman test was used, guayule containing a 7% air content was more susceptible to stripping than that containing a 3.5% air content, resulting in …

Precious Plastics - Plastic Brick Machine Fabrication, Timothy Ukaobasi Kanu, Evi Paraskevi Troulis

Architectural Engineering

The goal of this research is to determine the structural parameters of the recycled plastic polypropylene when molded into bricks resembling CMU blocks. To accomplish this, three mechanisms had to be assembled: the shredder, the injector, and the 1x1 mold. A tensile and compression test were to be performed on the plastic brick, and the values would be used to compare the tensile and compressive strength of PP plastic bricks, as well as their modulus of elasticity and stress vs. Strain performance. These values would be analyzed to determine whether it would be feasible to build an entire plastic wall. …

Evaluation Of Thermal And Rheological Properties Of Phase Change Material-Incorporated Asphalt Mastic With Porous Fillers, Farshad Saberi Kerahroudi, Yizhuang David Wang, Jenny Liu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Incorporating phase change material (PCM) into paving materials can regulate the pavement temperature, improve the pavement durability, and mitigate the heat-island effects. In this research, porous fillers were used as the PCM carrier, and the thermal and rheological behaviors of the asphalt mastic with the PCM were evaluated. Two different carrier materials (diatomite and expanded perlite) and four types of PCMs were used in the study. The candidate filler, PCM, and proper blending ratios were determined based on the results of scanning electron microscope image analysis, the filter paper test, and the temperature sweep test. The thermal and rheological behaviors …

Zero Net Energy Test House, Timothy Hemsath, James D. Goedert, Avery Don Schwer, Yong Cho

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

This paper describes the first phase of a residential research program to reduce the impact of new construction on the environment through research and education using a Zero Net Energy Test House as a framework. Containing four bedrooms, three and a half baths, the 1,800 square foot house, 1,000 square foot basement, is located in Omaha, Nebraska. It is being used to validate several research projects and provides a platform for applications research of a number of technological advances. Laminated photovoltaic solar panels, a wind turbine, and an occupant monitoring energy control system are some of the sustainable design innovations …

Electrochromic Windows: Return On Investment Analysis, Thomas Michael Caprio

Construction Management

In recent years, sustainability in construction has become a topic of undeniable interest. With sustainability certifications becoming more prominent and desirable, members of the construction industry have begun to seek alternatives for standard systems to keep up with market trends. One of the main issues that the construction industry faces is accessibility of technology. While there are new products and technologies being released frequently, members of the construction industry lack knowledge on the specific details and implications of working with newer systems. One piece of technology that was recently introduced is electrochromic glass, or smart glass. Electrochromic windows analyze sunlight …

Proposal For Adobe Earthbag Disaster-Relief Structure, John Camacho

Construction Management

The science behind creating an adobe house has been around for thousands of years; the primitive mixture contains only dirt, water, and straw. Left to cure in bricks or as a single cast-in-place system, the structure will provide long-lasting protection from the elements. Science has taken this a step further with the introduction of cementitious admixtures and reinforcement. The result is an adobe structure with exemplary thermo-retentive properties and load-bearing capabilities. This project provides an analysis on the “SuperAdobe” earthbag system that has been put into practice by independent contractors and housing-relief initiatives. The goal of the project was to …

Strategic Energy Master Planning For Carbon Neutrality, Marie Patterson

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change

Universities across the United States are generating goals to be more sustainable and carbon neutral. The energy used in existing buildings on campuses amount to a large volume of greenhouse emissions and must be reduced to help achieve neutrality goals. Strategic Energy Master Plans are instrumental to support these goals through the development of recommendations to reduce energy. Calculating the energy use intensity for existing buildings, a main component of a Strategic Energy Master Plan, can help the campus understand where energy is being used the most. With this information the highest energy consuming buildings can be the focus of …

Cruser Place Green Streets Plan, Neal Friedman

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Combining green and complete street design techniques leads to multiple environmental, social and economic benefits that often enhance each other's effectiveness. In urban areas confronting increased pressures of sea level rise, green streets, which incorporate landscaped features or vegetative areas to manage stormwater within the right of way, can be crucial pieces of pedestrian oriented urban design and multimodal planning frameworks that consider and plan for diverse, complementary transportation options. This plan works with the Colonial Place and Riverview Civic League as well as the Norfolk Preservation Collective to come up with green street design recommendations in order to strengthen …

Achieving Sustainability Through Reducing Risks During Architecture Design Process: A Lean Management Perspective, Sherouk Abdelrehim, Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman

Architectural Engineering

The construction industry, as one of the largest industries in the world, plays a critical role in achieving national and international social and economic sustainable development goals. Socially, it is concerned with delivering long-term projects that turn client and end-user requirements into designs that specify technical aspects, functional specific requirements, and standards of quality. Economically, the construction industry contributes to a country's gross domestic product (GDP) by creating jobs and providing the country's infrastructure. the construction industry's nature is more vulnerable than other industries. This is believed to be due to the complex and dynamic nature of construction projects, as …

The Feasibility Of Using A Phenomenological Approach To Explicate The Experience Of Being-In-Community: Experience Of Reviving The Marine Heritage In Bahrain, Islam Hamdy Elghonaimy, Layal Tahsine Ahmed Channaa

BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development

The strategic location of Bahrain and its wealthy marine and coastal environment were the main drivers for the country’s flourishment before the discovery of oil. For a long time, Bahrain has functioned as a pioneer maritime trade center and represented a significant trade transit route between the east and west that transfers the affluent marine productions. This mainly formed an eminent cultural heritage for the country reflected within its inveterate maritime history and the authentic bond between the Bahraini grandparents and the sea. Unfortunately, along with the life evolution, this bond became weak and the biodiversity of the country’s marine …

The Role Of Theme Parks In Creating Sustainable Development, Islam Hamdy Elghonaimy, Salma Alsaeed

BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development

Theme parks offer various types of entertainment that compete in both local and international markets. They include attractions, rides, arcade games, souvenir shops, and restaurants. Over the years, the industry has been growing due to the increasing tourism rates. Designing a project like an indoor theme park would increase tourism rates, leading to a boost in the country’s economic status. The success of a theme park depends highly on the demand and user’s selection of the theme. The setting and location also play a vital role in the success of the park. The purpose of this research is to introduce …

Arise (Certcoin)- Inspiring Demand For Sustainable Energy Skills, Barry Mcauley, Paul Mccormack, Andrew Hamilton, Eduardo Rebelo

Conference papers

The European AEC Sector now faces impending challenges over the next decade concerning escalating climate targets. To reach these targets, it vital that the green economy deliver a better-skilled workforce and develops new competencies and methods of working. Training in the domain of digital construction technologies and processes, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), are now seen as essential upskilling vehicles that must be embraced if the sector is to transition towards a greener agenda. To assist in meeting these training needs a selection of partners from the BIM EPA will partake in the Horizon 2020 ARISE project, aiming to …