Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Rishika Shah, R. K. Pandit, M. K. Gaur
Summary: This study focuses on the development and validation of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model for predicting hourly thermal comfort indices. The results show that the ANN model has excellent predictive ability and can accurately predict thermal comfort indices using a few input parameters such as air temperature.
ALEXANDRIA ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Haiming Yu, Tao Zhang, Hiroatsu Fukuda, Xuan Ma
Summary: Regulating landscape configuration is an accepted strategy for mitigating urban thermal environment deterioration. However, there is a lack of studies on the thermal comfort of urban plazas, especially in winter and summer, and on how different strategies interact with each other. Using quantitative studies and regression analysis, this study fills these gaps by proposing 15 remodeled schemes of a typical urban plaza and providing simulations and analysis results for thermal environment conditions. The findings demonstrate the importance of water and greenery areas in improving summer thermal comfort, but also highlight the negative impact of excessive growth in these areas on winter thermal comfort.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eduardo Diz-Mellado, Marialena Nikolopoulou, Victoria Patricia Lopez-Cabeza, Carlos Rivera-Gomez, Carmen Galan-Marin
Summary: This research explores the thermal comfort in semi-outdoor enclosed spaces in Mediterranean cities. The study reveals that courtyards in southern Spain are livable rooms during most hours of the day in summer, with the influence of their geometry being decisive. When the geometry factor is above 3, the courtyards achieve comfort 90-100% of the day, while it is approximately 70-80% when the factor is between 2-3. In the case of the most common geometries in Mediterranean cities, with a factor between 1-2, more than 70% of the hours the courtyards are within the limits of comfort.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Agnese Salvati, Maria Kolokotroni, Alkis Kotopouleas, Richard Watkins, Renganathan Giridharan, Marialena Nikolopoulou
Summary: The study investigates the variability of urban canyon albedo (UCA) in a typical residential area of London and its impact on outdoor and indoor microclimates. Results show that increasing road and building surface reflectance has a significant impact on UCA and street-level microclimate. However, increasing surface reflectance in urban canyons has a detrimental impact on outdoor thermal comfort.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Julian Anders, Sebastian Schubert, Tobias Sauter, Siiri Tunn, Christoph Schneider, Mohamed Salim
Summary: This study examines the effects of sustainable urban development on climate change adaptation in Stuttgart, Germany. Using a advanced meteorological modelling system, the study assesses the microclimate and outdoor thermal comfort of the development site during a heatwave. The results show that the restructuring has little impact on surrounding neighborhoods but increases mean air temperature in the development center and raises the Physiologically Equivalent Temperature at night.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
J. Brozovsky, S. Corio, N. Gaitani, A. Gustavsen
Summary: This study aims to explore the relationship between microclimate and outdoor thermal comfort at a university campus in Trondheim, Norway, with solar access identified as a key parameter for improving outdoor thermal comfort. Wind sheltering also plays a role in enhancing outdoor thermal comfort, though not as significantly as solar access.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
S. Manavvi, E. Rajasekar
Summary: This study assessed the outdoor thermal comfort in different urban open space typologies in Chandigarh, India. The results showed significant differences in thermal comfort between summer and winter, with people being more sensitive to the thermal environment in summer. The green spaces were considered to be the most thermally comfortable among the evaluated open space typologies.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Lin Yola, Timothy O. Adekunle, Olutobi G. Ayegbusi
Summary: This study assesses the impacts of urban configurations on thermal perceptions in two areas in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and finds that urban configurations, solar radiation, and environmental factors have significant effects on thermal perceptions in hot and humid climates.
Review
Environmental Studies
Reihaneh Aghamolaei, Mohammad Mehdi Azizi, Behnaz Aminzadeh, James O'Donnell
Summary: Increased urban air temperature has a significant impact on the health, comfort, and quality of life in urban spaces. This research conducts a comprehensive review of urban studies to classify and analyze Outdoor Thermal Comfort (OTC) and its influencing factors. The findings provide valuable insights for architects and urban planners in developing climate-sensitive strategies and decision-making processes.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Saeid Teshnehdel, Elisa Gatto, Dongying Li, Robert D. Brown
Summary: This research investigates the impact of water bodies and trees on thermal comfort and heat wave mitigation in urban areas of steppe climate zones. The results show that the combination of water bodies and trees performs better in regulating urban microclimate and thermal comfort.
Article
Environmental Sciences
You Peng, Tao Feng, Harry J. P. Timmermans
Summary: This study developed a comprehensive conceptual framework of outdoor comfort by incorporating heterogeneity. Two latent classes associated with different causal structures underlying the assessment of outdoor comfort were identified, focusing on different factors. Specifically, latent class 1 mainly focused on thermal sensation and expectations of thermal and wind conditions, while latent class 2 comprehensively considered both thermal and non-thermal influences.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biophysics
Hardik H. Gajjar, Jai Devi Jeyaraman, Daya Shankar Kaul
Summary: This study evaluates the impact of native trees on the outdoor thermal environment of an educational institute in the semi-arid city of Ahmedabad, India. It suggests that trees with higher Leaf Area Density (LAD) and wider crowns are more effective in improving outdoor thermal environments in dense urban settings with limited space availability.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Cho Kwong Charlie Lam, Jiafeng Weng, Kai Liu, Jian Hang
Summary: Shading effectively reduces heat stress and is a viable alternative to urban greenery. The influence of shading devices on microclimate and illuminance needs further investigation through observation and simulation.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Matteo Migliari, Remi Babut, Camille De Gaulmyn, Loic Chesne, Olivier Baverel
Summary: This article presents a graphical methodology - the Metamatrix of Thermal Comfort, to assist in selecting appropriate thermal comfort calculation methods. The methodology includes the characteristics and interactions of 65 thermal comfort indices and thermo-physiological models, and provides an operational version for practical application. By evaluating multiple criteria, suitable calculation methods compatible with specific needs can be selected.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yingdi Yin, Dan Zhang, Meng Zhen, Wenqiang Jing, Wei Luo, Wei Feng
Summary: The study found that the effects of thermal-acoustic environment on subjective comfort are different in autumn and winter, and the acoustic environment has a greater impact on subjective comfort in high and low temperature environments.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Megan Burfoot, Amirhosein Ghaffarianhoseini, Nicola Naismith, Ali Ghaffarianhoseini
Summary: This paper introduces the concept of Intelligent Passive Room Acoustic Technology (IPRAT), which achieves real-time room acoustic optimization through the integration of Passive Variable Acoustic Technology (PVAT) and Acoustic Scene Classification (ASC). The study highlights the importance of designing dynamic spaces with varying reverberation times (RTs) and fills the gap in intelligently adjusting RTs according to changing building function.
SMART AND SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Dat Tien Doan, Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Nicola Naismith, Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, Tongrui Zhang, John Tookey
Summary: This study examines the benefits, barriers/challenges, and solutions for the integration of Green Star and BIM in New Zealand. The research findings indicate that the most significant benefit of the integration is the use of BIM for building performance modelling in Green Star assessment. The main barrier preventing integration is the separate processes of Green Star and BIM. The most effective solution is showcasing BIM-Green Star benchmark projects.
SMART AND SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hossein Omrany, Amirhosein Ghaffarianhoseini, Ali Ghaffarianhoseini, Derek John Clements-Croome
Summary: This paper provides a critical analysis and systematic review of the current implementation of City Information Modelling (CIM), identifying nine domains of CIM implementation and eight challenges that hinder its widespread adoption.
SMART AND SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Megan Burfoot, Nicola Naismith, Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Amirhosein Ghaffarianhoseini
Summary: By comparing IPRAT simulation results with the AS/NZS 2107:2016 Australian/New Zealand recommended design acoustic standards, this study examines the potential of IPRAT to revolutionize room acoustics. The simulation analyzes acoustic parameters such as reverberation time (RT), sound clarity (C50), and sound strength (G) to determine the effects of improved acoustics on teacher vocal relief and student comprehension. The findings provide a unique database of relationships between these parameters and optimal RTs, highlighting the advantages of IPRAT.
SMART AND SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mohamed Dardir, Jeffrey Wilson, Umberto Berardi
Summary: The combined effects of heat events and poor air quality conditions can severely affect population health. A novel correlational method was developed to assess the impact of short-term variations of environmental variables on community health responses. The study found that moderate levels of environmental variables were associated with increased deaths and emergency visits, with the elderly population being more vulnerable to these changes.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dagmawi Mulugeta Degefu, Zaiyi Liao, Umberto Berardi, Greg Labbe, Irina Akhmetova
Summary: Geopolymers are materials that show promise for use in Net-Zero Buildings due to their low embodied energy and ability to passively control indoor microclimate. The influences of manufacturing parameters, such as initial water content and alkalinity, on the thermal, hydric, phase composition, and microstructure of aerated geopolymers were investigated. The results showed that these factors affect the properties of the geopolymers, but all the samples demonstrated potential for efficient modulation of indoor environment.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Anil Pundir, Arpan Gupta, Umberto Berardi
Summary: Investigations in solid-state physics have found that by using metamaterials, a type of periodic material, a bandgap can be produced which blocks the propagation of sonic waves. Researchers have recently studied various metamaterials inspired by the concept of bandgap. This study focuses on the analysis of the bandgap for two and three-component systems as 2D periodic materials, and explores the influence of geometric parameters on the bandgap.
BUILDING ACOUSTICS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yibo Chen, Junxi Gao, Jianzhong Yang, Umberto Berardi, Guoyou Cui
Summary: This paper proposes an hour-ahead model-based predictive control (MPC) strategy for natural ventilation in passive buildings. By using weather forecast parameters as input, the strategy maximizes the control of natural ventilation to delay the use of fossil energy. Simulation datasets were used to build data-driven prediction models, with weather forecast parameters as inputs and thermal comfort levels and air volumes as outputs. The results show that the MPC strategy with priority to thermal comfort is superior to that with priority to fresh air volume. Compared to the traditional control strategy, the MPC strategy increases ventilation hours by 56.3%, from 366 h to 572 h. With the MPC model, self-adaptive adjustment of window openness can be achieved based on hour-ahead weather forecasting parameters, facilitating the climatic self-adaptive intelligent operation of passive buildings in the future.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Francesca Vecchi, Umberto Berardi, Guglielmina Mutani
Summary: The evaluation of building energy consumption is crucial for territorial policies and this study proposes a statistical model based on GIS to assess multi-variable building efficiency. By disaggregating consumption values at the block level, better assessments of building efficiency measures can be made. The results highlight the difficulties in assessing appliance use in low-rise apartments and the variability of natural gas consumption among different construction ages.
Article
Thermodynamics
Reza Daneshazarian, Umberto Berardi
Summary: In this study, a hybrid renewable energy system consisting of solar photovoltaic panels, evacuated tube collectors, and a ground source heat pump (GSHP) is investigated, with an underground nano-enhanced thermal energy storage (TES) system. The effectiveness of the system is analyzed using a co-simulation methodology, and the results show that adding nanoparticles increases the thermal storage capacity of the GSHP. The proposed system has significant economic, environmental, and energy consumption benefits, including reduced drilling costs and increased system performance.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hossein Omrany, Karam M. Al-Obaidi, Amreen Husain, Amirhosein Ghaffarianhoseini
Summary: This paper provides a comprehensive understanding of current digital twin (DT) implementations in the construction industry and explores the technologies enabling the operation of DTs. Based on a systematic literature review, 145 publications were analyzed, revealing eight key areas of DT implementation. The findings demonstrate the potential of DT technology to revolutionize the construction industry in terms of optimized designs, improved collaboration, real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, enhanced safety practices, energy performance optimization, quality inspections, efficient supply chain management, and proactive maintenance. The study also identifies several challenges hindering the widespread implementation of DT in construction and proposes recommendations to address these challenges.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Saleem S. AlSaleem, Abdulbasit Almhafdy, Umberto Berardi, Amal A. Al-Shargabi, Ahmed AbdelMonteleb M. Ali
Summary: This study measured the sound levels at 12 different points in Al-Oqailat Park in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia, and compared them with perception measurements from park visitors. The results showed that car traffic and horn noise were the primary sources of noise pollution in and around the park.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Amal A. Al-Shargabi, Abdulbasit Almhafdy, Saleem S. AlSaleem, Umberto Berardi, Ahmed AbdelMonteleb M. Ali
Summary: The study addresses the concern of noise pollution from increased transportation and proposes effective strategies to mitigate its impact. Noise regression models are used to estimate road-traffic-induced noise pollution, and optimization techniques are employed to enhance prediction accuracy. The optimized Gaussian process regression model exhibits the highest prediction accuracy.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Mohamed Dardir, Umberto Berardi, Jeffrey Wilson
Summary: An integrated approach was developed to assess the benefits of increasing urban greenery cover for city cooling potential. The framework used statistical-simulation and health-informed modeling to support decision-making and predict the impacts on mortality and health system use. Microclimate simulations were conducted to assess the effects on ambient temperature, heat stress, and energy consumption.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Monireh Fattahi, Ebrahim Taban, Parham Soltani, Umberto Berardi, Ali Khavanin, Vida Zaroushani
Summary: In the last decade, noise pollution and global warming have received much attention for their impacts on human health and the environment. The building sector has focused on using sound-absorbing and thermal insulation materials, including natural fibers. This study specifically explores the acoustic absorption and thermal insulation characteristics of corn husk fiber (CHF), showing excellent noise reduction coefficients and effective thermal conductivities. The proposed model for predicting the acoustic behavior of the CHF samples demonstrates high accuracy.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Toshimi Nakajima, Mao Kuragano, Makoto Yamada, Ryo Sugimoto
Summary: This study compared the contribution of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to river nutrient budgets at nearshore and embayment scales, and found that SGD-derived nutrients become more important at larger spatial scales.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fan Liu, Lei Zhang, Chongyang Zhang, Ziguang Chen, Jingguang Li
Summary: NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves used for household heating have become a significant source of indoor pollution in Chinese urban areas. The high indoor concentration of NO2 poses potential health risks to residents. It is urgently necessary to establish relevant regulations and implement emission reduction technologies to reduce NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Letter
Environmental Sciences
Hans Peter H. Arp, Raoul Wolf, Sarah E. Hale, Sivani Baskaran, Juliane Gluege, Martin Scheringer, Xenia Trier, Ian T. Cousins, Harrie Timmer, Roberta Hofman-Caris, Anna Lennquist, Andre D. Bannink, Gerard J. Stroomberg, Rosa M. A. Sjerps, Rosa Montes, Rosario Rodil, Jose Benito Quintana, Daniel Zahn, Herve Gallard, Tobias Mohr, Ivo Schliebner, Michael Neumann
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Philomina Onyedikachi Peter, Binessi Edouard Ifon, Francois Nkinahamira, Kayode Hassan Lasisi, Jiangwei Li, Anyi Hu, Chang-Ping Yu
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in sediments from Yundang Lagoon, China. The results show four distinct fluorescent components, with protein-like substances being the most prevalent. Additionally, the total fluorescence intensity and LREE concentrations exhibit a synchronized increase from Outer to Inner to Songbai Lake core sediments. The findings demonstrate a strong correlation between DOM content and pollution levels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Surya Gupta, Pasquale Borrelli, Panos Panagos, Christine Alewell
Summary: The objective of this study is to incorporate soil hydraulic properties into the erodibility factor (K) of USLE-type models. By modifying and improving the existing equations for soil texture and permeability, the study successfully included information on saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) into the calculation of K factor. Using the Random Forest machine learning algorithm, two independent K factor maps with different spatial resolutions were generated. The results show that the decrease in K factor values has a positive impact on the modeling of soil erosion rates.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jesmin Akter, Wendy J. M. Smith, Yawen Liu, Ilho Kim, Stuart L. Simpson, Phong Thai, Asja Korajkic, Warish Ahmed
Summary: The choice of workflow in wastewater surveillance has a significant impact on SARS-CoV-2 concentrations, while having minimal effects on HF183 and no effect on HAdV 40/41 concentrations. Certain components in the workflow can be interchangeable, but factors such as buffer type, chloroform, and homogenization speed can affect the recovery of viruses and bacteria.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Luo, Xueting Yang, Diwei Wang, Hongmei Xu, Hongai Zhang, Shasha Huang, Qiyuan Wang, Ningning Zhang, Junji Cao, Zhenxing Shen
Summary: Atmospheric PM2.5, which can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), is associated with cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality. The study found that both the mass concentration of PM2.5 and the DTT activity were higher during the heating season than during the nonheating season. Combustion sources were the primary contributors to DTT activity during the heating season, while secondary formation dominated during the nonheating season. The study also revealed that biomass burning had the highest inherent oxidation potential among all sources investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erin L. Murphy, Leah R. Gerber, Chelsea M. Rochman, Beth Polidoro
Summary: Plastic pollution has devastating consequences for marine organisms. This study uses a trait-based framework to develop a vulnerability index for marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles in Hawai'i. The index ranks 63 study species based on their vulnerability to macroplastic pollution, providing valuable information for species monitoring and management priorities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kenji Maurice, Amelia Bourceret, Sami Youssef, Stephane Boivin, Liam Laurent-Webb, Coraline Damasio, Hassan Boukcim, Marc-Andre Selosse, Marc Ducousso
Summary: Growing pressure from climate change and agricultural land use is destabilizing soil microbial community interactions. Little is known about microbial community resistance and adaptation to disturbances, hindering our understanding of recovery latency and implications for ecosystem functioning. This study found that anthropic disturbance and natural disturbance have different effects on the topology and stability of soil microbial networks.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunhao Li, Yali Feng, Haoran Li, Yisong Yao, Chenglong Xu, Jinrong Ju, Ruiyu Ma, Haoyu Wang, Shiwei Jiang
Summary: Deep-sea mining poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems and human health by disturbing sediment and transmitting metal ions through the food chain. This study developed a new regenerative adsorption material, OMN@SA, which effectively removes metal ions. The adsorption mechanism and performance of the material for metal ion fixation were investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Antonio Medici, Margherita Lavorgna, Marina Isidori, Chiara Russo, Elena Orlo, Giovanni Luongo, Giovanni Di Fabio, Armando Zarrelli
Summary: Valsartan, a widely used antihypertensive drug, has been detected in high concentrations in surface waters due to its unchanged excretion and incomplete degradation in wastewater treatment plants. This study investigated the degradation of valsartan and identified 14 degradation byproducts. The acute and chronic toxicity of these byproducts were evaluated in key organisms in the freshwater trophic chain.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiang Lin, Lianbao Chi, Qing Yuan, Busu Li, Mingbao Feng
Summary: This study investigated the photodegradation behavior and product formation of two representative pharmaceuticals in simulated estuary water. The study found that the formed transformation products of these pharmaceuticals have potential toxicity on marine organisms, including oxidative stress and damage to cellular components.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hua Fang, Dongdong Jiang, Ye He, Siyi Wu, Yuehong Li, Ziqi Zhang, Haoting Chen, Zixin Zheng, Yan Sun, Wenxiang Wang
Summary: This study revealed that exposure to lower levels of air pollutants led to decreased pregnancy rates, with PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO emerging as the four most prominent pollutants. Individuals aged 35 and above exhibited heightened susceptibility to pollutants.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ali Shaan Manzoor Ghumman, Rashid Shamsuddin, Amin Abbasi, Mohaira Ahmad, Yoshiaki Yoshida, Abdul Sami, Hamad Almohamadi
Summary: In this study, inverse vulcanized polysulfides (IVP) were synthesized by reacting molten sulfur with 4-vinyl benzyl chloride, and then functionalized using N-methyl D-glucamine (NMDG). The functionalized IVP showed a high mercury adsorption capacity and a machine learning model was developed to predict the amount of mercury removed. Furthermore, the functionalized IVP can be regenerated and reused, providing a sustainable and cost-effective adsorbent.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rita Bonfiglio, Renata Sisto, Stefano Casciardi, Valeria Palumbo, Maria Paola Scioli, Erica Giacobbi, Francesca Servadei, Gerry Melino, Alessandro Mauriello, Manuel Scimeca
Summary: This study investigated the presence of aluminum in human colon cancer samples and its potential association with biological processes involved in cancer progression. Aluminum was found in tumor areas of 24% of patients and was associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell death. Additional analyses revealed higher tumor mutational burden and mutations in genes related to EMT and apoptosis in aluminum-positive colon cancers. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of aluminum toxicity may improve strategies for the management of colon cancer patients.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
