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Prof. Umberto Berardi
Ryerson University

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Research article
Published: 01 July 2021 in Journal of Natural Fibers
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Kenaf fibers have long been utilized because of their remarkable properties, such as availability, durability, and strength. Recently, they have also been used as sound-absorbing composites for noise control purposes. This paper investigates the possibility of improving the tensile strength of kenaf fibers through optimizing the alkaline treatment process. It also considers the effects of such optimization on the acoustic absorption coefficients of the samples fabricated from these treated kenaf fibers as well as the applicability of the numerical model to predict the acoustic absorption. Having employed the response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize the alkaline treatment process and achieve optimal conditions for the kenaf fibers, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tensile test were used to study and compare the morphological and tensile properties of raw fibers (nonoptimal) and the fibers treated in optimal conditions. Several cylindrical samples with constant thickness and density (30 mm and 200 kg/m3) were then made of fibers treated in optimal conditions. The sound absorption coefficient, porosity, and airflow resistivity of these samples were measured based using ISO 10534–2 (impedance tube system), SEM and ASTM C423-09A, respectively. The results demonstrated that the tensile strength of optimally treated fibers increased by 182.39%. The acoustic absorption coefficients of the samples fabricated from these fibers were also higher at all frequencies (low-, mid-, and high-frequency range) compared with samples made of untreated fibers in a way that the Sound Absorption Average value of the former increased by 17.97%. Moreover, it was found that inverted Dunn and Davern model via Nelder-Mead simplex method well follows the sound absorption pattern from the experimental results in the overall frequency range. The use of multifaceted improvement approaches for natural materials such as kenaf fibers increases the usability of these materials as sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives in the engineering process of manufacturing sound-absorbing materials.

ACS Style

Seyed Ehsan Samaei; Ebrahim Taban; Umberto Berardi; Seyyed Mohammad Mousavi; Mohammad Faridan; Hassan Asilian Mahabadi. Optimization and Modeling of Sound-Absorption Properties of Natural Fibers for Acoustical Application. Journal of Natural Fibers 2021, 1 -17.

AMA Style

Seyed Ehsan Samaei, Ebrahim Taban, Umberto Berardi, Seyyed Mohammad Mousavi, Mohammad Faridan, Hassan Asilian Mahabadi. Optimization and Modeling of Sound-Absorption Properties of Natural Fibers for Acoustical Application. Journal of Natural Fibers. 2021; ():1-17.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Seyed Ehsan Samaei; Ebrahim Taban; Umberto Berardi; Seyyed Mohammad Mousavi; Mohammad Faridan; Hassan Asilian Mahabadi. 2021. "Optimization and Modeling of Sound-Absorption Properties of Natural Fibers for Acoustical Application." Journal of Natural Fibers , no. : 1-17.

Journal article
Published: 28 May 2021 in Journal of Building Engineering
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Office buildings are responsible for a substantial portion of the energy demand in the commercial sector. To better understand and address the impacts of climate change on their energy demand and comfort levels, this paper investigates office buildings located in extremely cold, cold-humid, and cool-humid Canadian climate zones. Building energy simulations are performed using climate projections for the 2056-2075 period. The effect of extending thermostat setpoints, as a demand response strategy on reducing energy demand, is also studied under future climate conditions. The results quantify the expected decrease in the heating and the increase in the cooling loads due to the future warmer temperatures across Canada. However, the magnitude of change varies significantly among the three selected climate zones. Extending the temperature setpoints would reduce the annual energy demand by 8.0-19.2% in Quebec City, 1.8-9.0% in Toronto, and 1.8-9.6% in Vancouver. For all three selected cities, extending the temperature setpoints result in a substantial percentage of zones with a predicted mean vote (PMV) outside of the ±0.5 range. The benefits of increased levels of insulation for reaching thermal comfort during cold winter days and the penalty that would occur in summer days are assessed. Finally, the greenhouse gas emissions for the present and forecasted future energy demand of heating and cooling are determined.

ACS Style

Pouriya Jafarpur; Umberto Berardi. Effects of climate changes on building energy demand and thermal comfort in Canadian office buildings adopting different temperature setpoints. Journal of Building Engineering 2021, 42, 102725 .

AMA Style

Pouriya Jafarpur, Umberto Berardi. Effects of climate changes on building energy demand and thermal comfort in Canadian office buildings adopting different temperature setpoints. Journal of Building Engineering. 2021; 42 ():102725.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pouriya Jafarpur; Umberto Berardi. 2021. "Effects of climate changes on building energy demand and thermal comfort in Canadian office buildings adopting different temperature setpoints." Journal of Building Engineering 42, no. : 102725.

Journal article
Published: 27 May 2021 in Journal of Building Engineering
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An increasing interest in the possibilities of converting agricultural wastes to value-added products has emerged. Annually, 200,000 tons of date palm waste are generated, which are charred or released as agricultural wastes. This work describes the efforts to fabricate low-cost sound-absorbing panels from date palm waste fibers and assess their performance for sound absorbing applications. Samples of different thicknesses (25, 35, 45, and 55 mm) and densities (125 and 175 kg/m3) were produced. The normal-incidence sound absorption coefficient was measured using the impedance tube and was modeled using both the Johnson-Champoux-Allard and the Attenborough models. The findings show that the samples with a thickness of 55 mm and a density of 175 kg/m3 have the highest sound absorbing performance. The acoustic behavior of this new material was investigated in a reverberation room. Moreover, the acoustic performance of the panels in a conference hall was modeled, assessing the improvements in its reverberation time (RT), early decay time (EDT), speech transmission index (STI), clarity (C80), and definition (D50). Finally, this paper shows that the acoustic performance of this material can be used to enhance room acoustics properties.

ACS Style

Ebrahim Taban; Somayeh Amininasab; Parham Soltani; Umberto Berardi; Debelo Dugasa Abdi; Seyed Ehsan Samaei. Use of date palm waste fibers as sound absorption material. Journal of Building Engineering 2021, 41, 102752 .

AMA Style

Ebrahim Taban, Somayeh Amininasab, Parham Soltani, Umberto Berardi, Debelo Dugasa Abdi, Seyed Ehsan Samaei. Use of date palm waste fibers as sound absorption material. Journal of Building Engineering. 2021; 41 ():102752.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ebrahim Taban; Somayeh Amininasab; Parham Soltani; Umberto Berardi; Debelo Dugasa Abdi; Seyed Ehsan Samaei. 2021. "Use of date palm waste fibers as sound absorption material." Journal of Building Engineering 41, no. : 102752.

Research article
Published: 22 May 2021 in International Journal of Photoenergy
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Geometric parameters in solar chimney power plants are numerically optimised for the purpose of better power output figures. Several parameters have been investigated in the pilot plant such as chimney height and diameter, collector diameter and slope, and slenderness. However, ground slope has not been studied to date despite its perspicuous impact on turbulent flow. In this study, the impacts of the different slope angles of the ground, where the solar radiation is absorbed through the collector, on the main performance parameters of the system are numerically analysed through a reliable CFD software ANSYS FLUENT. By considering the actual geometric figures of the pilot plant, a 3D model is constructed through DO (discrete ordinates) solar ray tracing algorithm and RNG k-ε turbulence model. For the solar intensity of 1000 W/m2, the maximum velocity inside the system is found to be 14.2 m/s, which is in good accordance with the experimental data of 15.0 m/s. Starting from 5 m inside the collector, the chimney inlet heights are reconfigured 0.209, 0.419, 0.625, 0.838, and 1.04 m, respectively, and when the ground slope is 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5°, the changes in the performance output of the system are investigated. For the reference case which refers to the horizontal ground, the maximum air velocity is determined to be 14.2 m/s and the power output is 54.3 kW. However, when the ground slope is made 0.5°, it is observed that the maximum velocity increases by 37% to 19.51 m/s, and the power output is enhanced to 63.95 kW with a rise of 17.7%. Sloping ground is found a key solution to improve the turbulent effects inside the plant, thus to enhance the electrical power output.

ACS Style

Erdem Cuce; Pinar Mert Cuce; Harun Sen; K. Sudhakar; Umberto Berardi; Ugur Serencam. Impacts of Ground Slope on Main Performance Figures of Solar Chimney Power Plants: A Comprehensive CFD Research with Experimental Validation. International Journal of Photoenergy 2021, 2021, 1 -11.

AMA Style

Erdem Cuce, Pinar Mert Cuce, Harun Sen, K. Sudhakar, Umberto Berardi, Ugur Serencam. Impacts of Ground Slope on Main Performance Figures of Solar Chimney Power Plants: A Comprehensive CFD Research with Experimental Validation. International Journal of Photoenergy. 2021; 2021 ():1-11.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Erdem Cuce; Pinar Mert Cuce; Harun Sen; K. Sudhakar; Umberto Berardi; Ugur Serencam. 2021. "Impacts of Ground Slope on Main Performance Figures of Solar Chimney Power Plants: A Comprehensive CFD Research with Experimental Validation." International Journal of Photoenergy 2021, no. : 1-11.

Journal article
Published: 19 May 2021 in Applied Acoustics
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An innovative natural fibro-granular composite made of kenaf fibers and waste rice husk granules is developed and presented in this paper. The optimization of the sound absorption coefficient (SAC) of the composites was investigated through the impedance tube method. The central composite design (CCD) technique with response surface methodology (RSM) was used to design the experiments. A quadratic model was established to identify the effects of independent variables, including the thickness (20–60 mm), density (100–300 kg/m3), binder content (10–30 %w/w), and fiber to granule ratio (0.33–3) on the sound absorption average. The accuracy of the proposed model was assessed using ANOVA, and the results demonstrated that all the independent variables were significantly associated with sound absorption. The RSM-CCD model provided the combination for the optimized composite, i.e. thickness of 50 mm, density of 200 kg/m3, binder content of 15 %w/w, and fiber to granule ratio of 2.33. The fibro-granular composite prepared using the optimized results was further characterized in terms of SAC, airflow resistivity, tortuosity, and viscous and thermal characteristic lengths. The results pointed to the promising acoustic behavior of the optimized fibro-granular material. Results show that at all frequencies, the optimized fibro-granular sample provides higher sound absorption compared with samples made of 100% kenaf or 100% rice husk. The frequency-dependent SAC of the optimized material was also predicted by the empirical Delany-Bazley model and the phenomenological model of Johnson-Champoux-Allard, although this last model showed superior prediction performance.

ACS Style

Seyed Ehsan Samaei; Umberto Berardi; Ebrahim Taban; Parham Soltani; Seyyed Mohammad Mousavi. Natural fibro-granular composite as a novel sustainable sound-absorbing material. Applied Acoustics 2021, 181, 108157 .

AMA Style

Seyed Ehsan Samaei, Umberto Berardi, Ebrahim Taban, Parham Soltani, Seyyed Mohammad Mousavi. Natural fibro-granular composite as a novel sustainable sound-absorbing material. Applied Acoustics. 2021; 181 ():108157.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Seyed Ehsan Samaei; Umberto Berardi; Ebrahim Taban; Parham Soltani; Seyyed Mohammad Mousavi. 2021. "Natural fibro-granular composite as a novel sustainable sound-absorbing material." Applied Acoustics 181, no. : 108157.

Review article
Published: 17 April 2021 in Energy and Buildings
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This paper presents a comprehensive review of the current state-of-the-art coating technologies for glazing applications. The main objective is to collect and present current commercially available technologies on today's market and future research prototypes to identify the most promising coating technologies. Several static coating technologies with fixed optical properties are compared, including low emissivity, electrothermal and photothermal coatings. Low-E coatings are the current industry standard and have almost reached their full energy-saving potential. Hence, electrothermal coatings that convert electricity to heat by the Joule effect are discussed, together with their limitations of needed power supply. To overcome these issues, photothermal coatings have been proposed to improve the glazing thermal performance by absorption of ultra-violet and near-infrared radiation. On the other hand, dynamic coatings can modulate solar gains by switching between clear and tinted states in response to external stimuli. Electrochromic and gasochromic coatings are still limited by high costs. In comparison, photochromic and thermochromic coatings are more accessible and less complex passive technologies, although photochromic coatings are still hindered by low bleaching rates and poor cyclic stabilities. In comparison, thermochromic coatings are more mature, especially those based on vanadium dioxide. This review shows that both static and dynamic technologies thrive to enhance optical and thermal performances while providing an opportunity for the realization of durable next-generation dynamic windows. In particular, the development of passive dynamic hybrid photo-thermochromic coatings seems the most promising trajectory.

ACS Style

Khaled Khaled; Umberto Berardi. Current and future coating technologies for architectural glazing applications. Energy and Buildings 2021, 244, 111022 .

AMA Style

Khaled Khaled, Umberto Berardi. Current and future coating technologies for architectural glazing applications. Energy and Buildings. 2021; 244 ():111022.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Khaled Khaled; Umberto Berardi. 2021. "Current and future coating technologies for architectural glazing applications." Energy and Buildings 244, no. : 111022.

Chapter
Published: 09 April 2021 in Urban Microclimate Modelling for Comfort and Energy Studies
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Understanding the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon aids in the better predictions and analyses of its mitigation strategies. The mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) tool has been increasingly proposed to assess the UHI and to perform microclimate analysis. In this tool, mesoscale models are coupled separately with urban canopy models (UCMs) to predict the heat emission and moisture fluxes from the urban boundaries to the atmosphere. The three commonly considered UCMs to represent the canopy are slab (SB), single layer (SL), and multilayer (ML). These models account for the buildings in terms of roughness elements, two-dimensional structures, and three-dimensional urban surfaces, respectively. In this chapter, the WRF-UCM interaction is explained, and the capabilities and shortcomings of each UCM are described. The WRF-UCMs are used to assess two specific heat wave periods in the case study of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in Canada. To evaluate the WRF-UCM, the simulated variables are compared against the measured data obtained, showing the strong value of these new approaches. The UHI intensity (UHII) is further evaluated by the differences in ambient temperature in urban and rural areas during two heat waves, in July 2011 and 2018. The results illustrate that the daily UHI intensity is around 1.2–1.5 °C, while in the daytime it is near 0.7 °C. This chapter, based on the analysis of the selected case study, shows that the SL-UCM is reliable for climate simulations. Finally, to precisely evaluate the UHI intensity and to analyze more sophisticated canopies within cities, the ML-UCM needs to be applied to consider fully both the turbulent kinetic energy and the radiation reflections in the urban canopy.

ACS Style

Zahra Jandaghian; Umberto Berardi. The Coupling of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with the Urban Canopy Models for Climate Simulations. Urban Microclimate Modelling for Comfort and Energy Studies 2021, 223 -240.

AMA Style

Zahra Jandaghian, Umberto Berardi. The Coupling of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with the Urban Canopy Models for Climate Simulations. Urban Microclimate Modelling for Comfort and Energy Studies. 2021; ():223-240.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zahra Jandaghian; Umberto Berardi. 2021. "The Coupling of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with the Urban Canopy Models for Climate Simulations." Urban Microclimate Modelling for Comfort and Energy Studies , no. : 223-240.

Journal article
Published: 15 December 2020 in Energies
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Infrared thermography (IRT) has become a commonly applied non-destructive testing method for assessing building envelopes. Like any diagnosis tool, IRT requires an appropriate experience and principle understanding, mainly when the method is used for quantitative analyses. The challenges of the IRT often deal with the dynamic properties of building partitions. Climatic conditions have a certain variability, and the accumulated energy storage in the building components can affect their temperature as well as the calculated thermal performance. This paper aims to analyze how stationary and dynamic regimes of a quantitative IRT test could impact the measured thermal transmittance of heavy multi-leaf walls. Investigation in two European countries with different climatic conditions are reported. In this way, it is discussed which boundary conditions should be guaranteed to provide reliable information about a building envelope using quantitative IRT. In order to check the quality of the measurements, the heat flux meter (HFM) method was also implemented, following the ISO 9869. The research revealed that it could be possible to use short-lasting tests in the climatic conditions of Southern Europe, while long-term tests should be implemented in Northern European countries where climatic conditions are less regular.

ACS Style

Blanca Tejedor; Eva Barreira; Vasco Peixoto De Freitas; Tomasz Kisilewicz; Katarzyna Nowak-Dzieszko; Umberto Berardi. Impact of Stationary and Dynamic Conditions on the U-Value Measurements of Heavy-Multi Leaf Walls by Quantitative IRT. Energies 2020, 13, 6611 .

AMA Style

Blanca Tejedor, Eva Barreira, Vasco Peixoto De Freitas, Tomasz Kisilewicz, Katarzyna Nowak-Dzieszko, Umberto Berardi. Impact of Stationary and Dynamic Conditions on the U-Value Measurements of Heavy-Multi Leaf Walls by Quantitative IRT. Energies. 2020; 13 (24):6611.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Blanca Tejedor; Eva Barreira; Vasco Peixoto De Freitas; Tomasz Kisilewicz; Katarzyna Nowak-Dzieszko; Umberto Berardi. 2020. "Impact of Stationary and Dynamic Conditions on the U-Value Measurements of Heavy-Multi Leaf Walls by Quantitative IRT." Energies 13, no. 24: 6611.

Journal article
Published: 04 November 2020 in Energy and Buildings
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Climate-responsive facades (CRFs) present a new paradigm for high-performance building façade design as they provide a dynamic response to exterior environmental loads. CRFs represent a new approach compared to typical façades constructed as static barriers with a fixed performance to separate the indoor and outdoor conditions. CRFs regulate the multiple environmental loads simultaneously through dynamic responses of different components. This study aims to develop a pre-design tool to support the selection of suitable technologies to create multifunctional CRFs. The proposed framework includes five steps that lead to a qualitative assessment of the façade requirements based on quantitative metrics. These steps include defining the objectives of a CRF, setting performance constraints based on environmental and building contexts, defining a responsive operation scenario, selecting the most suitable technology, and finally creating a conceptual design of the CRF. The application of the framework is verified in designing a transparent and opaque CRF module based on the layout of a ventilated cavity Trombe wall. The discussion section shows that the specific metrics in the framework and their quantitative ranges are generalizable and can be adjusted to match case-specific architectural, environmental, and technical criteria. The applicability of the framework for the early decision-making stages of façade design is finally discussed, looking at the future steps for better integration of climate-responsive materials.

ACS Style

Shahrzad Soudian; Umberto Berardi. Development of a performance-based design framework for multifunctional climate-responsive façades. Energy and Buildings 2020, 231, 110589 .

AMA Style

Shahrzad Soudian, Umberto Berardi. Development of a performance-based design framework for multifunctional climate-responsive façades. Energy and Buildings. 2020; 231 ():110589.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shahrzad Soudian; Umberto Berardi. 2020. "Development of a performance-based design framework for multifunctional climate-responsive façades." Energy and Buildings 231, no. : 110589.

Journal article
Published: 06 October 2020 in Science and Technology for the Built Environment
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ACS Style

Umberto Berardi; Marco Filippi. IAQVEC: New developments in HVAC design and operation. Science and Technology for the Built Environment 2020, 26, 1351 -1351.

AMA Style

Umberto Berardi, Marco Filippi. IAQVEC: New developments in HVAC design and operation. Science and Technology for the Built Environment. 2020; 26 (10):1351-1351.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Umberto Berardi; Marco Filippi. 2020. "IAQVEC: New developments in HVAC design and operation." Science and Technology for the Built Environment 26, no. 10: 1351-1351.

Journal article
Published: 24 September 2020 in Solar Energy
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Cool coatings show high solar reflectance and have been proposed to decrease the building energy demand by reducing solar heat gains. However, cool coatings may have a negative effect during cold seasons when solar gains would be beneficial. Thermochromic coatings, thanks to their ability to change their solar reflectance at different temperatures, have been proposed to reduce the heating penalties during colder seasons of traditional cool coatings. In this work, four different thermochromic pigments have been used to create façade paints. The solar reflectance and thermal emissivity of these paints have been evaluated experimentally. A significant change of 0.37 in the reflectance of the four paints was registered in the visible range. These products are hence compared with common cool coatings available on the market. In order to evaluate the potential energy savings of thermochromic paints, an office building in downtown Toronto (Ontario, Canada) and the surrounding area have been modeled in Energy Plus. Different scenarios have been simulated and compared among conventional, cool, and thermochromic coatings applied on the roof or on the building facades. The study also evaluates the different new coatings under several climate change scenarios. Overall results show that for the context of analysis, thermochromic paints can provide an 8.9% decrease in the cooling demand, while limiting the winter penalties to 1.7%, compared to the heating penalties of 2.6% resulted using A cool coating. Despite the limited heating penalties, the annual energy demand for all the simulated scenarios is comparable. Similar results were also obtained when the inter-building effects were taken into account in the analyzed context. Finally, thermochromic paints proved to be more beneficial considering future climate conditions as Canada is projected to show significantly higher cooling energy demands.

ACS Style

Umberto Berardi; Massimo Garai; Thomas Morselli. Preparation and assessment of the potential energy savings of thermochromic and cool coatings considering inter-building effects. Solar Energy 2020, 209, 493 -504.

AMA Style

Umberto Berardi, Massimo Garai, Thomas Morselli. Preparation and assessment of the potential energy savings of thermochromic and cool coatings considering inter-building effects. Solar Energy. 2020; 209 ():493-504.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Umberto Berardi; Massimo Garai; Thomas Morselli. 2020. "Preparation and assessment of the potential energy savings of thermochromic and cool coatings considering inter-building effects." Solar Energy 209, no. : 493-504.

Editorial
Published: 05 September 2020 in Building Simulation
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Agirman A, Cetin YE, Avci M, Aydin O (2020). Effect of air exhaust location on surgical site particle distribution in an operating room. Building Simulation, 13: 979–988. Google Scholar Berardi U, Heidarinejad G, Rayegan S, Pasdarshahri H (2020). Enhancing the cooling potential of a solar-assisted desiccant cooling system by ground source free cooling. Building Simulation, 13: 1125–1144. Google Scholar Elnaklah R, Fosas D, Natarajan S (2020). Indoor environment quality and work performance in “green” office buildings in the Middle East. Building Simulation, 13: 1043–1062. Google Scholar Gupta R, Howard A (2020). Comparative evaluation of measured and perceived indoor environmental conditions in naturally and mechanically ventilated office environments. Building Simulation, 13: 1021–1042. Google Scholar Lopez-Arce P, Altamirano-Medina H, Berry J, Rovas D, Sarce F, et al. (2020). Building moisture diagnosis: Processing, assessing and representation of environmental data for root cause analysis of mould growth. Building Simulation,: 13: 999–1008. Google Scholar Luo H, Zhang G, Hashisho Z, Zhong L (2020). An improved numerical model of a UV-PCO reactor for air purification applications. Building Simulation, 13: 1095–1110. Article Google Scholar Mutlu M (2020). Numerical investigation of indoor air quality in a floor heated room with different air change rates. Building Simulation, 13: 1063–1075. Google Scholar Na H, Choi H, Kim T (2020). Metabolic rate estimation method using image deep learning. Building Simulation, 13: 1077–1093. Google Scholar Qian M, Yan D, Liu H, Berardi U, Liu Y (2020). Power consumption and energy efficiency of VRF system based on large scale monitoring virtual sensors. Building Simulation, 13: 1145–1156. Article Google Scholar Qiu Y, Wang Y, Tang Y (2020). Investigation of indoor air quality in six office buildings in Chengdu, China based on field measurements. Building Simulation, 13: 1009–1020. Google Scholar Xu H, Fu SC, Chan KC, Qiu H, Chao CYH (2020). Bio-inspired patterned surface for submicron particle deposition in a fully developed turbulent duct. Building Simulation, 13: 1111–1123. Google Scholar Zhang D, Liu J, Liu L (2020). On the capture of polar indoor air pollutants at sub-ppm level—A molecular simulation study. Building Simulation, 13: 989–997. Google Scholar Download references Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada Umberto Berardi You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar Correspondence to Umberto Berardi. Reprints and Permissions Berardi, U. Overview of recent researches in IAQ, ventilation, and energy conservation. Build. Simul. 13, 977–978 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-020-0716-0 Download citation Published: 05 September 2020 Issue Date: October 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-020-0716-0

ACS Style

Umberto Berardi. Overview of recent researches in IAQ, ventilation, and energy conservation. Building Simulation 2020, 13, 977 -978.

AMA Style

Umberto Berardi. Overview of recent researches in IAQ, ventilation, and energy conservation. Building Simulation. 2020; 13 (5):977-978.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Umberto Berardi. 2020. "Overview of recent researches in IAQ, ventilation, and energy conservation." Building Simulation 13, no. 5: 977-978.

Journal article
Published: 22 August 2020 in Energy
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The accurate day-ahead prediction of subentry electric energy consumption (SEEC) is a critical basis for elaborative building energy management. However, most of the current studies mainly focus on modeling overall energy consumption without distinguishing its patterns of different temporal features. At the same time, advances in metering technologies and machine learning methods provide new opportunities for detailed predictions. In this paper, a day-ahead prediction model based on the improved recognized patterns via fuzzy C-means clustering and nonlinear regression is proposed and discussed. The proposed indirect pattern recognition is carried out by taking advantage of the connotative incidence relation between fluctuation features and influencing factors. Considering the different temporal characteristics of hourly SEEC, this proposed model is applied in an office building with the scope to manage the day-ahead prediction of hourly HVAC subentry and hourly socket subentry. These are taken as the typical non-stationary sequence and typical stationary sequence respectively. Results show that the proposed pattern recognition is applicable for the non-stationary HVAC subentry, and a stable energy pattern can contribute to accurate predictions. Furthermore, the introduction of additional hourly meteorological parameters improves the accuracy via rolling prediction instead. Finally, the modeling adaptability and applicable implications are summarized for references of optimal building energy operation.

ACS Style

Yibo Chen; Fengyi Zhang; Umberto Berardi. Day-ahead prediction of hourly subentry energy consumption in the building sector using pattern recognition algorithms. Energy 2020, 211, 118530 .

AMA Style

Yibo Chen, Fengyi Zhang, Umberto Berardi. Day-ahead prediction of hourly subentry energy consumption in the building sector using pattern recognition algorithms. Energy. 2020; 211 ():118530.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yibo Chen; Fengyi Zhang; Umberto Berardi. 2020. "Day-ahead prediction of hourly subentry energy consumption in the building sector using pattern recognition algorithms." Energy 211, no. : 118530.

Journal article
Published: 31 July 2020 in Science of The Total Environment
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Given the large transformation and fast-growing population that the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is facing, and the increasing impact of climate change in urbanized areas, it is crucial to investigate strategies that could mitigate the effects of heat waves. In this paper, the effects of greenery enhancements are investigated using mesoscale and microscale simulations performed by the Weather Research and Forecasting model and the ENVI-met model, respectively. In particular, two vulnerable areas located in the GTA are investigated. Comparing the results of simulations with measurements show the differences in how mesoscale and microscale models predict the meteorological processes happening within the urban canopy and the local climate. Then, two mitigation scenarios, a moderate green scenario (MGS) and an intensive green scenario (IGS) are assessed considering different increases in the vegetation area. The results of the mesoscale simulations show that by increasing the greenery canopy, the maximum daily air temperature decreases by 1.6 to 2.3 °C, while the relative humidity increases by 10% to 12%. The microscale simulations show that increasing the tree canopy would cool the air temperature by 0.5 °C to 1.4 °C locally. Overall, depending on wind conditions and the arrangement of buildings and existing green areas, the cooling effect is shown to have an impact on up to 250 m downwind from the new green area locations. Finally, this study demonstrates that both mesoscale (WRF) and microscale (ENVI-met) modeling confirm similar results in how greenery enhancements may improve the human thermal comfort in the continental climate of the GTA.

ACS Style

Umberto Berardi; Zahra Jandaghian; Jonathan Graham. Effects of greenery enhancements for the resilience to heat waves: A comparison of analysis performed through mesoscale (WRF) and microscale (Envi-met) modeling. Science of The Total Environment 2020, 747, 141300 .

AMA Style

Umberto Berardi, Zahra Jandaghian, Jonathan Graham. Effects of greenery enhancements for the resilience to heat waves: A comparison of analysis performed through mesoscale (WRF) and microscale (Envi-met) modeling. Science of The Total Environment. 2020; 747 ():141300.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Umberto Berardi; Zahra Jandaghian; Jonathan Graham. 2020. "Effects of greenery enhancements for the resilience to heat waves: A comparison of analysis performed through mesoscale (WRF) and microscale (Envi-met) modeling." Science of The Total Environment 747, no. : 141300.

Journal article
Published: 30 July 2020 in Journal of Building Engineering
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The poor thermal performance of windows can largely be attributed to their frames, which typically have higher thermal transmittance than the glazing portions. This study investigates an innovative polyvinyl chloride (PVC) window frame modified by inserting silica aerogel granules in the frame cavities. Experimental tests done in a hot box are described and compared with numerical modeling results. The direct object of the comparison was the difference in thermal transmittance of the frame, obtained by insulating frame cavities with aerogel. Both types of tests have confirmed that even with a simple PVC frame, it is possible to achieve at least 30% decrease of its thermal transmittance. The investigations allow discussing the importance of different frame cavities and of the frame orientation. Infrared imaging of the frame within the hot box enables analyzing the significance of the aerogel particle distribution and the edge effects. This paper supports experimentally the results obtained with numerical simulations. The research concludes that filling most of the existing cavities with aerogel granules would reduce the thermal transmittance of the case study frame to 0.80 W/m2K. Finally, this study confirms the feasibility of enhancing window frames with aerogel granules within the frame cavities.

ACS Style

Umberto Berardi; Tomasz Kisilewicz; Sumin Kim; Agnieszka Lechowska; Jason Paulos; Jacek Schnotale. Experimental and numerical investigation of the thermal transmittance of PVC window frames with silica aerogel. Journal of Building Engineering 2020, 32, 101665 .

AMA Style

Umberto Berardi, Tomasz Kisilewicz, Sumin Kim, Agnieszka Lechowska, Jason Paulos, Jacek Schnotale. Experimental and numerical investigation of the thermal transmittance of PVC window frames with silica aerogel. Journal of Building Engineering. 2020; 32 ():101665.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Umberto Berardi; Tomasz Kisilewicz; Sumin Kim; Agnieszka Lechowska; Jason Paulos; Jacek Schnotale. 2020. "Experimental and numerical investigation of the thermal transmittance of PVC window frames with silica aerogel." Journal of Building Engineering 32, no. : 101665.

Journal article
Published: 20 July 2020 in Applied Acoustics
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Ancient Roman theatres represent a unique cultural heritage which is still used nowadays to host a variety of cultural activities and performances. Acoustic measurements show that the acoustics of these theatres does not always support the listening of music, which is common in modern performances. Although the acoustics of these theatres for modern use performances may be challenging, this cultural heritage offers a unique experience to the audience who can assist to a performance on the same seats once used by Romans. Nowadays, these unroofed theatres, whose walls behind and at the sides of the stage have rarely been restored, are often criticized for the weak sound strength. Moreover, these theatres are often exposed to urban modern background noise. The significant sound absorption due to the presence of the audience on the seating area (named cavea) and to the tapestries used in modern scenes makes challenging to support the acoustic reverberation in these theatres. In this paper, these aspects are described focusing on five ancient Roman theatres located in Southern Italy. The study reports acoustic measurements followed by virtual simulation results. As it was impossible to perform acoustic measurements with full audience occupancy, the presence of the audience was simulated using room acoustic software. The paper compares the acoustic characteristics of these five theatres considering their architectural characteristics, and discusses the role that the material used for their restoration had on their acoustics. Finally, some considerations about some reversible interventions to improve the acoustics of these ancient theatres for modern uses are reported.

ACS Style

Umberto Berardi; Gino Iannace. The acoustic of Roman theatres in Southern Italy and some reflections for their modern uses. Applied Acoustics 2020, 170, 107530 .

AMA Style

Umberto Berardi, Gino Iannace. The acoustic of Roman theatres in Southern Italy and some reflections for their modern uses. Applied Acoustics. 2020; 170 ():107530.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Umberto Berardi; Gino Iannace. 2020. "The acoustic of Roman theatres in Southern Italy and some reflections for their modern uses." Applied Acoustics 170, no. : 107530.

Journal article
Published: 15 July 2020 in Sustainable Cities and Society
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Cities are increasingly incentivizing rooftop photovoltaics (PV) for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions together with more urban forestry and high albedo surfaces for the mitigation of the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Previous interventions are proven to be effective in isolation, but their combined performance is seldom considered. Through microclimate simulations of a neighbourhood in Brampton, Ontario, this study investigates the trade-offs between large-scale deployments of rooftop PV, street trees, and cool roofs. The performance of each intervention is compared by examining the impact on the PV efficiency (and the produced electricity) and the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) values. The study shows that street trees can reduce the energy output of rooftop PV significantly depending on their height and location, and it confirms the need for solar access laws, currently missing in Ontario. Further, this study shows that a large adoption of rooftop PV instead of cool roofs can result in an outdoor environment up to 0.5 °C higher in terms of UTCI during heatwave periods.

ACS Style

Umberto Berardi; Jonathan Graham. Investigation of the impacts of microclimate on PV energy efficiency and outdoor thermal comfort. Sustainable Cities and Society 2020, 62, 102402 .

AMA Style

Umberto Berardi, Jonathan Graham. Investigation of the impacts of microclimate on PV energy efficiency and outdoor thermal comfort. Sustainable Cities and Society. 2020; 62 ():102402.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Umberto Berardi; Jonathan Graham. 2020. "Investigation of the impacts of microclimate on PV energy efficiency and outdoor thermal comfort." Sustainable Cities and Society 62, no. : 102402.

Technical note
Published: 03 June 2020 in Climate
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In the context of global climate change, it is increasingly important for architects to understand the effects of their interventions on indoor and outdoor thermal comfort. New microclimate analysis tools which are gaining appreciation among architects enable the assessment of different design options in terms of biometeorological parameters, such as the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and the Outdoor Thermal Comfort Autonomy. This paper reflects on some recent experiences of an architectural design office attempting to incorporate local climatic considerations as a design driver in projects. The investigation shows that most of the available tools for advanced climatic modelling have been developed for research purposes and are not optimized for architectural and urban design; consequently, they require adaptations and modifications to extend their functionality or to achieve interoperability with software commonly used by architects. For this scope, project-specific Python scripts used to extract design-consequential information from simulation results, as well as to construct meteorological boundary conditions for microclimate simulations, are presented. This study describes the obstacles encountered while implementing microclimate analysis in an architectural office and the measures taken to overcome them. Finally, the benefits of this form of analysis are discussed.

ACS Style

Jonathan Graham; Umberto Berardi; Geoffrey Turnbull; Robert McKaye. Microclimate Analysis as a Design Driver of Architecture. Climate 2020, 8, 72 .

AMA Style

Jonathan Graham, Umberto Berardi, Geoffrey Turnbull, Robert McKaye. Microclimate Analysis as a Design Driver of Architecture. Climate. 2020; 8 (6):72.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jonathan Graham; Umberto Berardi; Geoffrey Turnbull; Robert McKaye. 2020. "Microclimate Analysis as a Design Driver of Architecture." Climate 8, no. 6: 72.

Journal article
Published: 28 May 2020 in Solar Energy
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Current climate challenges in urban areas require practical solutions to mitigate the negative environmental impacts attributed to cities such as the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Thermal stresses caused by high temperatures, temperature fluctuations, and UV radiation exposed to building surfaces negatively affect urban and indoor building thermal comfort, building energy use, and durability of the finish materials. Therefore, increasing the performance of exterior finish materials to mitigate the effects of environmental loads would have benefits on the material, building, and urban scales. This paper aims to characterize the optical and thermal properties of a novel cementitious plaster to control solar and thermal loads. The cement plaster developed for exterior façade applications was integrated with thermochromic paint (TC) and phase change materials (PCM) to dynamically control thermal stresses and solar radiation on the exterior surface of buildings. The solar reflectance, infrared emittance, and thermal conductivity of the samples were measured. The results showed that by applying the TC paint on the surface of the cement plaster, solar reflectance was increased by 23%. By combining the TC paint and the PCMs with the cement plaster, a higher rate of solar absorption in colder temperatures compared to a regular cement plaster was shown. The findings indicate the benefits of using such a plaster year around given the dynamic variation of solar reflectance and absorptance.

ACS Style

Shahrzad Soudian; Umberto Berardi; Nadia Laschuk. Development and thermal-optical characterization of a cementitious plaster with phase change materials and thermochromic paint. Solar Energy 2020, 205, 282 -291.

AMA Style

Shahrzad Soudian, Umberto Berardi, Nadia Laschuk. Development and thermal-optical characterization of a cementitious plaster with phase change materials and thermochromic paint. Solar Energy. 2020; 205 ():282-291.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shahrzad Soudian; Umberto Berardi; Nadia Laschuk. 2020. "Development and thermal-optical characterization of a cementitious plaster with phase change materials and thermochromic paint." Solar Energy 205, no. : 282-291.

Journal article
Published: 05 May 2020 in Energies
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The current energy inefficiencies in relocatable temporary camps of the Armed Force troops create logistic challenges associated with fuel supply. The energy needs of these camps are primarily satisfied by diesel engine generators, which imply that a significant amount of fuel needs to be continuously provided to these camps, often built in remote areas. This paper presents an alternative solution, named Smart Hybrid Energy System (SHES), aiming towards significantly reducing the amount of fuel needed and minimizing transportation logistics while meeting camp energy demands. The SHES combines the existing diesel generators with solar power generation, energy storage, and waste heat recovery technologies, all connected to a microgrid, ensuring uninterrupted electricity and hot water supplies. All components are controlled by an energy management system that prioritizes output and switches between different power generators, ensuring operation at optimum efficiencies. The SHES components have been selected to be easily transportable in standard shipping 20 ft containers. The modularity of the solution, scalable from the base camp for 150 people, is designed according to available on-site renewable sources, allowing for energy optimization of different camp sizes in different climates.

ACS Style

Umberto Berardi; Elisa Tomassoni; Khaled Khaled. A Smart Hybrid Energy System Grid for Energy Efficiency in Remote Areas for the Army. Energies 2020, 13, 2279 .

AMA Style

Umberto Berardi, Elisa Tomassoni, Khaled Khaled. A Smart Hybrid Energy System Grid for Energy Efficiency in Remote Areas for the Army. Energies. 2020; 13 (9):2279.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Umberto Berardi; Elisa Tomassoni; Khaled Khaled. 2020. "A Smart Hybrid Energy System Grid for Energy Efficiency in Remote Areas for the Army." Energies 13, no. 9: 2279.