Article
Construction & Building Technology
Tessa Kvist Hansen
Summary: Naturally ventilated cold attics are traditional in many Danish single-family homes, with the moisture balance dependent on sufficient ventilation. Airtight ceilings are vital for reducing excess moisture and preventing mould growth and health risks. The study highlights the importance of airtight ceilings for both dwelling and attic performance.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Stephan H. Rupp, Stephen McNeil, Manfred Plagmann, Greg Overton
Summary: The paper discusses durability issues with New Zealand roofs and proposes methods for addressing roof failures using hygrothermal simulation software and guideline documents. Metal roof claddings are common in New Zealand, and the lack of ventilation is sometimes a contributing factor to problems.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Nora Schjoth Bunkholt, Petra Ruther, Lars Gullbrekken, Stig Geving
Summary: This study investigates the moisture conditions in wood-frame walls with wood fibre thermal insulation, finding that wood fibre insulation has the benefit of distributing and absorbing moisture, while the use of an exterior air barrier with high thermal resistance can reduce moisture levels in the wall construction, thus reducing the risk of mold growth.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Pavel Kopecky, Kamil Stanek, Pavla Ryparova, Jan Richter, Jan Tywoniak
Summary: This paper presents a mathematical model for mold growth on wood using the logistic growth equation. The microscopic mold coverage fraction is employed to represent the development of mold on the material surface over time. The mold growth coefficient is estimated by simulating mold growth under constant environmental conditions and finding the best fit with the Finnish mold growth model. The model parameters are verified by comparing with experimental observations of mold growth and potential improvements are discussed.
WOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Ben Zegen Reich, Hua Ge, Jieying Wang
Summary: VDPs can improve the drying rate of wood-frame walls to a certain extent, but the effect is limited. Proper design and construction of building envelope details are more important for wood-frame walls, rather than relying on VDPs.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Shubham Kumar Verma, Y. Anand, Navin Gupta, B. B. Jindal, V. V. Tyagi, S. Anand
Summary: This study aims to assess the role of building materials and ventilation systems in improving the hygrothermal characteristics of buildings for energy efficiency. The results demonstrate that selecting less sensitive, sustainable, and heat resistant building materials in the pre-construction phase can optimize building performance, and proper ventilation can aid in improving hygrothermal dynamics.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Jeremy Piggot-Navarrete, Pierre Blanchet, Matheus Roberto Cabral, Cedric Perez
Summary: Construction quality defects have a negative impact on the hygrothermal performance and airtightness of a lightweight-structure wooden envelope system. Four common defects, such as orifices in the weather barrier, staples in the vapor barrier, nails diverted to external insulation, and separated structural elements, were evaluated. The results indicate that all these defects decrease the hygrothermal performance of the wood-frame envelope, with structural separation and staples over the vapor barrier causing the most significant negative variations, including increased heat loss, interstitial condensation, and air infiltration.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
M. Asli, E. Sassine, F. Brachelet, E. Antczak
Summary: Wood fiber material is a successful natural insulation material, providing good insulation performance and improving indoor air quality by absorbing and reducing sounds due to its high density. The ability to predict the thermal and hygric behavior of wood fiber insulation contributes to a better understanding of the efficiency of natural insulation materials.
HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Eiichi Obataya, Nanami Zeniya, Kaoru Endo-Ujiie
Summary: The research findings show that both the relative humidity and heating time during wood heating significantly affect the moisture content of wood, especially under high humidity conditions. The deliquescent nature of water-soluble extractives and the decomposition residue of hemicelluloses have a significant influence on the moisture sorption of wood.
WOOD MATERIAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Chetan Aggarwal, Hua Ge, Maurice Defo, Michael A. Lacasse
Summary: Hygrothermal simulations can evaluate building envelope response to climate change, but uncertainty in projected climates requires multiple simulations. Using Moisture Reference Year (MRY) can reduce computational time, but reliability of climate-based indices in ranking moisture severity is low. Further research is needed to improve or develop a new climate-based index specific to Canadian climate for reliable moisture risk assessment.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Chetan Aggarwal, Hua Ge, Maurice Defo, Michael A. Lacasse
Summary: The study developed a prediction model for forecasting mould growth risk in wood-frame walls. By using a machine learning algorithm and climate data, the model accurately predicts the hygrothermal performance of wood-frame walls by incorporating relevant climate parameters.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Mohamed Said Abbas, Fionn McGregor, Antonin Fabbri, Mohammed Yacine Ferroukhi, Celine Perlot
Summary: This paper experimentally assesses the impact of water content on the thermal properties of pith and hemp shiv composites. The results show that the thermal conductivity, thermal effusivity, heat capacity, and vapor permeability all increase with relative humidity. In addition, the study reveals that the specific heat capacity cannot always be deduced from the specific heat of water and dry material alone, and liquid water transport plays a significant role in moisture transfers.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Maurice Defo, Lin Wang, Michael A. Lacasse, Travis V. Moore
Summary: A study was conducted to assess the effects of climate on the hygrothermal performance of cross-laminated timber wall assemblies in Canadian cities. The simulation results showed that there is no risk of mold growth in the future for both claddings under the assumption of no water ingress. However, under high moisture loads, mold growth risk could increase significantly in certain climate regions and cities.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Alireza Bahrami, Jonas Jakobsson, Tobias Soderroos
Summary: Construction of wooden-framed multi-story buildings in Sweden has been permitted since 1994, but the use of concrete frames is still more common due to the newness of wooden construction. This research aims to evaluate the factors influencing the choice of wooden frames and highlight the reasons for the lesser extent of their use. The study finds a lack of competence and experience in wooden frames for construction, with positive environmental and climatic aspects and production advantages being the main factors for choosing wooden frames. However, cost, acoustics, and moisture problems are considered obstacles to constructing with wood.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yuying Zou, Zheng Wang, Patrick Adjei, Xinyue Zhao
Summary: This study combines the structural characteristics of light wood frame construction floors with phononic crystal structures to effectively improve the harm caused by low-frequency noise and verify its sound insulation performance. The results show that the phononic crystal structure floor has excellent sound insulation performance in the low-frequency band, significantly improving users' living comfort and having good engineering application value.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Hadia Awad, Lana Secchi, Mustafa Gul, Hua Ge, Robert Knudson, Mohamed Al-Hussein
Summary: Energy efficiency and sustainability have been a focus of attention in recent years, with buildings accounting for a significant portion of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Studies in Canada have explored the use of innovative multi-functional panels to improve thermal performance in residential buildings under different climatic conditions. Ongoing research aims to provide practical guidelines for utilizing environmentally friendly materials like wood fiber for sustainable insulation in the North American housing market.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Abhishek Gaur, Henry Lu, Michael Lacasse, Hua Ge, Fiona Hill
Summary: The study shows that with global warming, the Moisture Index (MI) in different regions of Canada will change, requiring different design measures. Further analysis demonstrates the significant impact of choosing the normalization factor for drying potential on future MI change predictions. It is suggested that additional safety measures, such as capillary breaks, should be implemented in the future when designing wall assemblies.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Ben Zegen Reich, Hua Ge, Jieying Wang
Summary: VDPs can improve the drying rate of wood-frame walls to a certain extent, but the effect is limited. Proper design and construction of building envelope details are more important for wood-frame walls, rather than relying on VDPs.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Chetan Aggarwal, Hua Ge, Maurice Defo, Michael A. Lacasse
Summary: Hygrothermal simulations can evaluate building envelope response to climate change, but uncertainty in projected climates requires multiple simulations. Using Moisture Reference Year (MRY) can reduce computational time, but reliability of climate-based indices in ranking moisture severity is low. Further research is needed to improve or develop a new climate-based index specific to Canadian climate for reliable moisture risk assessment.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Fuad Mutasim Baba, Hua Ge, Radu Zmeureanu, Liangzhu (Leon) Wang
Summary: This paper presents a robust automated methodology for calibrating a building simulation model based on indoor temperature data. The methodology utilizes sensitivity analysis, multi-objective genetic algorithm, and new evaluation criteria to achieve high accuracy calibration. The results show successful calibration for a school building case using the proposed methodology.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Economics
Shicong Zhang, Ke Wang, Wei Xu, Usha Iyer-Raniga, Andreas Athienitis, Hua Ge, Dong Woo Cho, Wei Feng, Masaya Okumiya, Gyuyoung Yoon, Edward Mazria, Yanjie Lyu
Summary: The current global trend towards decarbonization under the Paris Agreement is driving the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to reduce energy intensity and increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix. The promotion of Zero Energy Building (ZEB) is considered the most effective way to achieve these goals, with the five largest economies in the APEC also aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050/2060.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Fuad Mutasim Baba, Hua Ge, Liangzhu (Leon) Wang, Radu Zmeureanu
Summary: Contradictory findings exist regarding the overheating risks of high energy-efficient buildings compared to old buildings. A methodology is developed to assess the contribution and correlation of individual building envelope parameters to indoor temperature change. The results show that high energy-efficient buildings can be more resilient to climate change if adequate ventilation is provided. However, without sufficient ventilation, these buildings may have higher overheating risks. Additionally, natural ventilation is currently effective in reducing overheating risks, but additional shading measures will be required in the future.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
Payam Gholamalipour, Hua Ge, Ted Stathopoulos
Summary: This review paper provides a comprehensive summary and comparison of previous studies on the effects of wind-driven rain (WDR) on building facades. It discusses the impact of meteorological and geometrical parameters on the interaction between WDR and buildings, and compares the results of experimental, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and semi-empirical studies. The paper highlights the importance of considering turbulent dispersion in CFD simulations for the lower part of windward facades of high-rise buildings.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Villu Kukk, Jaan Kers, Targo Kalamees, Lin Wang, Hua Ge
Summary: The aim of this study was to establish critical limit values for CLT external wall design in order to prevent the risk of mold growth on the CLT surface in a cold and humid climate using a stochastic approach.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Chetan Aggarwal, Hua Ge, Maurice Defo, Michael A. Lacasse
Summary: The study developed a prediction model for forecasting mould growth risk in wood-frame walls. By using a machine learning algorithm and climate data, the model accurately predicts the hygrothermal performance of wood-frame walls by incorporating relevant climate parameters.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
Bahador Ziaeemehr, Zahra Jandaghian, Hua Ge, Michael Lacasse, Travis Moore
Summary: The Urban Heat Island (UHI) is a consequence of urban development that leads to higher temperatures in cities compared to rural areas. This is caused by factors such as urban design, anthropogenic heat emissions, and materials used in buildings. To mitigate the UHI effects, various strategies have been proposed, including the use of cool materials and increasing urban greenery.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Parth Bansal, Steven Jige Quan
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between urban form and canopy layer urban heat island (CUHI) using a relatively large sample of microclimate sensors in Seoul, Korea. The study compares different statistical models and finds that the spatially explicit gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) model has the highest accuracy. The study also shows that the effect of urban form on CUHI varies at different time instances during the day. These findings provide valuable insights for planners to understand the complexity of urban climate and reduce CUHI magnitude.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Miaomiao Liu, Salah Almazmumi, Pinlu Cao, Carlos Jimenez-bescos, John Kaiser Calautit
Summary: Windcatchers provide effective low-energy ventilation and summer passive cooling in temperate climates. However, their use in winter is limited due to significant ventilation heat loss and potential discomfort. This study evaluates the applicability of windcatchers in low-temperature conditions, highlighting the need for control strategies to reduce over-ventilation and the integration of heat recovery or thermal storage to enhance winter thermal conditions.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
Behrouz Nourozi, Aneta Wierzbicka, Runming Yao, Sasan Sadrizadeh
Summary: This article presents a systematic review of ventilation solutions in hospital wards, aiming to enhance pathogen removal performance while maintaining patient and healthcare staff comfort using air-cleaning techniques. The study reveals the importance of proper ventilation systems in reducing infection risk and adverse effects of cross-contamination.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhen Yang, Weirong Zhang, Hongkai Liu, Weijia Zhang, Mingyuan Qin
Summary: The study examines the influence of personalized local heating on the thermal comfort of occupants in old residential buildings. The findings reveal that personalized local heating can increase the overall thermal sensation of occupants, but only a few methods are effective in enhancing thermal comfort. The chosen heating methods and background temperature affect the participants' selection of heating parts.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Hong Cheng, Dan Norback, Huilin Zhang, Liu Yang, Baizhan Li, Yinping Zhang, Zhuohui Zhao, Qihong Deng, Chen Huang, Xu Yang, Chan Lu, Hua Qian, Tingting Wang, Ling Zhang, Wei Yu, Juan Wang, Xin Zhang
Summary: The home environment and sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms in five southern Chinese cities have been studied over time. The study found a decrease in asthma prevalence and an increase in allergic rhinitis. Cockroaches, rats, mice, mosquitoes or flies were identified as consistent biological risk factors for SBS symptoms, while redecoration, buying new furniture, and traffic air pollution were identified as other risk factors.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Chaojie Xing, Zhengtao Ai, Zhiwei Liu, Cheuk Ming Mak, Hai Ming Wong
Summary: This study experimentally investigated the emission characteristics of droplets around the mouth during dental treatments. The results showed that the peak mass fraction of droplets occurs within the size range of 20 μm to 100 μm, and droplets with a diameter less than 200 μm account for over 80% of the mass fraction. The dominant emission direction of droplets is towards the dummy's head and chest, forming an approximately cone shape.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhijian Liu, Zhe Han, Lina Hu, Chenxing Hu, Rui Rong
Summary: This study compared the effects of different respiratory behaviors on the distribution of aerosols in a ward and the risk of infection for healthcare workers using numerical simulation. It was found that talking in the ward significantly increased aerosol concentrations, particularly short periods of talking. Wards designed with side-supply ventilation had lower overall infection risk. Talking alternately between healthcare workers and patients slightly extended the impact time of aerosols.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yan Yan, Mengyuan Kang, Haodong Zhang, Zhiwei Lian, Xiaojun Fan, Chandra Sekhar, Pawel Wargocki, Li Lan
Summary: In a high-density city, opening windows for sleep may lead to increased indoor temperature, higher PM2.5 concentration, and noise disturbance, which can negatively impact sleep quality.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yan Bai, Liang Liu, Kai Liu, Shuai Yu, Yifan Shen, Di Sun
Summary: This study developed a non-intrusive personal thermal comfort model using machine learning techniques combined with infrared facial recognition. The results showed that the ensemble learning models perform better than traditional models, and the broad learning model has a higher prediction precision with lower computational complexity and faster training speed compared to deep neural networks. The findings provide a reference for optimizing building thermal environments.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yue Lei, Zeynep Duygu Tekler, Sicheng Zhan, Clayton Miller, Adrian Chong
Summary: Mixed-mode ventilation is a promising solution for achieving energy-efficient and comfortable indoor environments. This study found that occupants can thermally adapt when switching between natural ventilation (NV) and air-conditioning (AC) modes within the same day, with the adaptation process stabilizing between 35 to 45 minutes after the mode switch. These findings are important for optimizing thermal comfort in mixed-mode controls, considering the dynamic nature of thermal adaptation.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Nan Mo, Jie Han, Yingde Yin, Yelin Zhang
Summary: This study develops a method based on the LCZ framework for a comprehensive evaluation of urban-scale heat island effects, considering the impact of geographic factors on LST. The results show that Guilin's geomorphological conditions lead to abnormal heat island effects during winter, and the cooling effects of mountains and water bodies vary seasonally in different built areas, with LCZ 2 exhibiting the strongest cooling effect.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Tunga Salthammer
Summary: Monitoring the potential formaldehyde emission of wood-based materials through test chamber investigations has significantly contributed to reducing indoor formaldehyde concentrations. However, the different methodologies used in these procedures prevent direct result comparison. Empirical models for converting formaldehyde steady-state concentrations based on temperature, humidity, air change rate, and loading were developed in the 1970s and have been modified to accommodate the development of lower-emitting materials. Formaldehyde emissions from wood-based materials are complex and require nonlinear regression tools for mathematical analysis.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Katarina Stebelova, Katarina Kovacova, Zuzana Dzirbikova, Peter Hanuliak, Tomas Bacigal, Peter Hartman, Andrea Vargova, Jozef Hraska
Summary: This study investigated the impact of reduced short-wavelength light on the hormone melatonin metabolite 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (u-sMEL) and examined the association between previous day's light exposure and u-sMEL. It was found that reducing short-wavelength light during the day did not change the concentration of u-sMEL. Personal photopic illuminance was positively correlated with u-sMEL in the reference week. The illuminance had a significant impact on u-sMEL, as shown by the evaluation of the mean of all three urine samples. However, this correlation was not found in the experimental week.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Ruoxin Xiong, Ying Shi, Haoming Jing, Wei Liang, Yorie Nakahira, Pingbo Tang
Summary: This study proposes a data-model integration method to identify and calibrate uncertainties in machine learning models, leading to improved thermal perception predictions. The method utilizes the Multidimensional Association Rule Mining algorithm to identify biased human responses and enhances prediction accuracy and reliability. The study also evaluates different calibration techniques and discovers their potential in enhancing prediction reliability.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Beichao Hu, Zeda Yin, Abderrachid Hamrani, Arturo Leon, Dwayne McDaniel
Summary: This paper introduces an innovative super-resolution approach to model the air flow and temperature field in the cold aisle of a data center. The proposed method reconstructs a high-fidelity flow field by using a low-fidelity flow field, significantly reducing the computational time and enabling real-time prediction.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
