Architecture Commons^™

Building Design - Bsc App Tools For Thermal Comfort, Control, Heat Flow And Solar Energy, Jens G. Pohl

Architecture

Relationship to Building Science (BSc) App: In the domain of Building Science (BSc), this paper focuses on thermal comfort fundamentals, climate concepts and design principles, and solar energy opportunities that should be considered during the early stages of building design. It provides direct access to a BSc App that offers more than 420 calculation and information functions (https://research.chobugroup.com/buildingscience/analyzer/) in the entire range of building science areas, comprising daylighting, artificial lighting, noise control, room acoustics, climate and thermal comfort, solar energy, and structural systems.

Information Content: The paper briefly explains the principles of biology and physics that underlie thermal comfort at …

Business Model Evaluation Of Renewable Energy Community In Multi Unit Residential Building In Canada Net Metering, Considering The Regulatory Framework, Ownership And Organizational Structure, Zahra Keshavarz Moraveji, Yunping Liang, Ursula Eicker

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Renewable Energy Community (REC) is an emerging concept that empowers local customers to generate decentralized renewable energy. Integrating RECs into the building industry presents a promising opportunity to support the transition toward net-zero cities. However, the viability of RECs depends on regional regulatory frameworks, permitted governance structures, and very importantly, business models. Compared to pioneering European countries, Canada lacks the regulatory support needed to fully enable REC. This paper proposes and evaluates various business models for potential REC implementations under Canada's existing regulatory constraints. The analyzed models focus on "behind-the-meter" electricity distribution, a multi-stakeholder type of REC, where generation occurs …

Minoru’S Mecca: The World Trade Center, 9/11, And The End Of Architectural Modernism, Henry D. Senters

Anthós

From 1966 until 2001, the World Trade Center complex and its skyscraper Twin Towers were a defining architectural feature of New York City and a landmark in architectural modernism. Minoru Yamasaki, the project’s architect, intended the massive complex to be a “mecca” that drew in and inspired urban workers, exemplifying the Islamic architectural language that he incorporated into his architecture. In this article, Senters examines how architectural criticism evolved while the towers stood and after they were destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attack. Tracking early reviews, hopeful about the complex’s trade-promoting purpose, and the perennial—though limited—negative reception of the complex’s …

Damming Human Rights: The Lower Sesan 2 Dam, Shannon Eva Labuschagne

University of San Francisco Law Review

No abstract provided.

Revitalizing The Urban Riverfront: Redesigning The West End Bridge In Pittsburgh,Pa For Sustainable Multi-Use Connectivity And Public Space Creation., Mina Kargari Rezapour

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Urban waterfronts are critical assets for cities, offering opportunities for ecological restoration, public engagement, and multi-modal transportation. However, many riverfronts remain underutilized due to infrastructure barriers and lack of accessibility.

Pittsburgh’s riverfront is dynamic asset that supports recreation, cultural expression, and community interaction. The Three River Heritage Trail Loop, a visionary project led by River Life over the past 20 years, seeks to connect diverse neighborhoods and natural assets along the city’s rivers. At the heart of this initiative is the West End Bridge, serving as the bookend and a pivotal gateway to complete the loop and critical link for …

Spirituality In Place: Assessment Of Spirituality, Place Attachment, And Locus Of Control In College, Chloe Armand

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to explore how spirituality in place shapes college students’ cognition. While spiritual development is recognized as an important aspect of student affairs, its influence on cognitive factors such as locus of control and place attachment remains underexplored. This study investigates the relationship between spirituality, place attachment, and locus of control, as well as students’ perceptions of spiritual design elements on UCF’s campus. To assess these perceptions, a Quality of Place Questionnaire for Spirituality was developed. This instrument aims to measure humanity, sensuality, and sustainability in the built environment. This research uncovers the connections between …

Beirut Arab University Faculty Of Architecture Design & Built Environment Yearbook 2023-2024, Beirut Arab University, Faculty Of Architecture - Design And Built Environment, Debbieh Campus, 2025

Yearbooks

The Faculty of Architecture - Design and Built Environment is proud and honored to release the ninth edition of the Yearbook, comprising the most prominent endeavors of the academic year 2023-2024. The work contained on the following pages gives a small glimpse of the diversity, sense of invention, exploration, passion and significance that characterize and define the design outputs from the studios and courses of Architecture and Design programs.

Beirut Arab University Faculty Of Architecture Design & Built Environment – Tripoli Branch Yearbook 2023-2024, Beirut Arab University, Faculty Of Architecture - Design And Built Environment, 2025

Yearbooks

The Faculty of Architecture - Design and Built Environment is proud and honored to release the new edition of the Yearbook, comprising the most prominent endeavors of the academic year 2023-2024. The work contained on the following pages gives a small glimpse of the diversity, sense of invention, exploration, passion and significance that characterize and define the design outputs from the studios and courses of Architecture and Interior Design.

Designing An Atrium Resistant To Heat Waves: Building Robustly To Adaptto Changing Climate Conditions Without Excessive Energy Use, Ariana Chandarpal

Honors Senior Capstones and Theses

No abstract provided.

Navigating Preservation And Memorialization In Contested Spaces: A Case Study Of The Richmond Community Hospital And The Legacy Of Sarah Garland Boyd Jones, Rebecca M. Skatoff

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan develops a strategic framework to address the complexity of navigating preservation and memorialization in contested spaces, using the Richmond Community Hospital as a case study. Rooted in the legacy of Sarah Garland Boyd Jones, the first African American woman certified to practice medicine in Virginia, this plan examines the intersection of racial equity, cultural heritage, and land-use planning. The Richmond Community Hospital case study raises broader questions about how African American cultural heritage sites are preserved to confront erasure, ensure an accurate historical record, and promote historical literacy for current and future generations. Conducted with reflective practice, this …

From Conscientious French Canadian To Enterprising American: Making Memory & Measuring Social Mobility Of French Canadians 1880-1940, Brooke S. Schwaderer

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This thesis studies the social mobility of French-Canadian immigrants to the Keweenaw Peninsula 1880-1940 and memory among their descendants to explain how French-Canadian culture in the Keweenaw faded over time. Oral histories were conducted to gain an understanding of the current French-Canadian culture in the Keweenaw, understand how the current generation perceives changes in culture over time, and provide possible explanations for why French-Canadians thrived in the Keweenaw. Tax records from the Michigan Technological University Archives and social mobility scores, mother tongue, and homeownership information from the United States census was analyzed to measure language loss, and the social mobility …

A First Model Foundation Design Of Wood Pillar In Banjarmasin Swampland, Nursyarif Agusniansyah, Gusti Novi Sarbini, Akbar Rahman, Muhammad Tharziansyah

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Banjarmasin's swampland presents distinct characteristics that make it suitable for constructing homes, but it also requires special attention, especially concerning the foundation. The soil in this area often has extremely low carrying capacity, which poses a significant challenge for construction. Mistakes in choosing construction materials, coupled with mismatched building loads and inadequate foundation functions, often result in foundation failures—a common cause of building collapses. As the complexity and functionality of buildings increase, the need for more thoughtful house design becomes more crucial. The commonly used wooden pile foundation, while popular, has limited load-bearing capacity, necessitating modifications to enhance its strength. …

Research On Data Organization Methods And Key Technologies For Product-Oriented Smart Steel Bar Processing Systems, Peijun Zhang, Lianxia Ma, Chunlei Zhang, Xinwu Zan

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This paper addresses the issues in the data organization logic of existing intelligent steel bar processing systems, which are centered on construction projects. It investigates product-oriented data organization methods and the key technologies of logical correspondence between steel bar product identification codes and physical entities. The paper analyzes the product-oriented data organization logic and presents the corresponding data organization architecture. It also examines the feature extraction of steel bar product information classification and coding, as well as the dynamic completeness of the coding rule system. The paper provides a construction method for steel bar product identification codes and designs partial …

Demonstrating The Potential Of Biophilic Design, Sustainable Site Initiatives, And Regenerative Landscape Design To Transform Neglected And Underutilized Spaces Into Vibrant, Eco-Friendly Hubs In Mckeesport Pennsylvania., Chinweuba Stephen Kikanme

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

McKeesport is a city located along Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, about 13 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It is part of the River metropolitan area. McKeesport, once a thriving center of steel production, is now facing significant challenges associated with industrial decline, urban blight, flood hazard, population decline, brownfield sites and environmental degradation. However, the transformation of neglected spaces within the city into sustainable and vibrant urban hubs offers a powerful opportunity for revitalization. By incorporating natural elements such as green roofs, urban agriculture, and native plant restoration, this project seeks to create spaces that not only …

The Permanent Supportive Housing Of Central Virginia’S Aged Out Foster Youths: The Permanent Supportive Housing Of Central Virginia’S Aged Out Foster Youths A Plan To Increase Regional Capacity, Fill Gaps In Service, And Identify Potential Sites., Matthew Snow

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

As of 2024, Virginia’s Central Region continues to produce one of the highest rates of foster care emancipations in the state, despite having minimal infrastructure to support young adults transitioning out of care. Each year, dozens of foster youth in the region age out of the system without reunification, adoption, or other forms of permanency, disproportionately entering adulthood without the stability of housing, employment, or accessible services. Although permanent supportive housing (PSH) has emerged as a nationally validated model for housing and service integration, few PSH developments in Virginia are designed specifically for aged-out foster youth or their families.

This …

Richmond Handbook: The Future Of Youth Engagement In The Planning & Design Sector Of Richmond, Virginia, Chanté C. Holt

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Storefront for Community Design is a non-profit organization in Richmond, Virginia that works to make design programs and resources accessible to all. While honoring this commitment, the organization also devotes resources to educating K-12 students on urban planning processes in the City of Richmond. Using this as a framework, the research creates parameters that guide the best practices for stakeholders such as the client Storefront for Community Design who are invested in producing urban planning educational material and programming. To effectively create recommendations for this client, the professional plan establishes the current state of urban planning education in the Richmond, …

Student Centers: The Intersection Of Campus Ecology And Sense Of Community, Caitlyn A. Wine

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Student centers are more than physical structures as they function as dynamic environments that serve as the hearthstone of campus, providing spaces for students to gather, connect, and engage. However, their role in fostering students’ sense of community remains underexplored. Grounded in campus ecology theory, this study explored whether time spent in the student center and specific forms of interaction predicted students’ sense of community. A quantitative survey design was employed, the Student Center and Sense of Community Intersection Survey (SCSCIS), to assess student center usage and perceived sense of community. Results indicated that time spent in the student center …

Building Obsolescence: Key Factors Influencing Demolition Decisions For Commercial Buildings, Azlan Shah Ali, Zakaria Norhanim, Zulkifly Umi-Kalsum, Zaki Faiz

Research Publications (2021 to 2025)

Buildings, while primarily serving to provide shelter, can deteriorate over time without proper maintenance and planning, leading to obsolescence, a significant threat to their functionality. This study investigates the factors contributing to building obsolescence and how they influence the selection of adaption strategies, focusing on commercial buildings as a case study. Questionnaire data were gathered from 386 business owners and occupants of obsolete buildings in Klang Valley, Malaysia, to capture their perspectives on the issue. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) were employed to rank obsolescence factors and solution options on strategies on obsolescence factors. PCA results …

Strata: Layered Support Through Community, Resources, & Design, Jenna M. Sawyer

Theses and Dissertations

Strata reimagines transitional housing as a layered, responsive ecosystem that supports the holistic well-being of individuals experiencing housing insecurity. Inspired by the vertical structure of a forest canopy, the design integrates biophilic principles, trauma-informed strategies, and sustainable practices to create a dignified, inclusive environment. Located in the historic Sauer’s Factory in Richmond, Virginia, the project leverages adaptive reuse to ground the building in local context while addressing systemic gaps in supportive housing. Public amenities, such as a hygiene center, café, learning spaces, and a free store, encourage community integration and reduce stigma, while flexible private units and calming retreat spaces …

Sink Into Serenity: Exploring The Healing Properties Of Bathing Culture, Kristopher P. Mckeever

Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to deconstruct the ideas of privacy as they’re understood in the west, this project’s concept revolves around levels of transparency and how that can eliminate barriers and feelings of shame surrounding the human body, fostering a greater sense of community through shared vulnerability.