Architectural heritage, building materials and interior space are highly susceptible to temperature and relative humidity. A better knowledge of the hygrothermal dynamics inside buildings allows an adequate conservation of heritage. This work compares three non-destructive techniques (NDT), such as temperature and relative humidity sensors, finite element simulations (CFD) and thermographic pictures (IRT). The work has made it possible to carry out an assessment of the risk of condensation over a year and to identify affected periods and areas of the building. Sensors and IRT pictures provide real data to validate CFD simulations, facilitating a global analysis of the building. The results provided reflect a great concordance between the NDTs used.
4 April 2023 in Multidisciplinary Journal for Education, Social and Technological Sciences
The European Higher Education area has as one of its axes of development the promotion of quality in universities. Within this framework, the assessment of the quality of the teaching staff is highly recommended. With this aim the Teaching Evaluation Support Programme (DOCENTIA) promoted by Spanish National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA) is designed to satisfy the needs of the higher education system for a model and procedures to guarantee the quality of the teaching activity while fostering its development and recognition. Currently, more than 90% of the Spanish universities participate in this program, throughout its different phases. This paper presents this program, explains how it is being implemented at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV, Spain), and provides the proposed amendments by the evaluation commission during the follow-up verification phase that must be justified and solved during the monitoring phase, which is currently in progress, to obtain the certification.
11 April 2024 in Multidisciplinary Journal for Education, Social and Technological Sciences
This research is carried out within the framework of a two-year Educational Innovation and Improvement Project (EIIP) to be implemented at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) during the academic years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. The project aims to design and apply a Project-Based Learning methodology (PBL) for a proper acquisition of Transversal Competences (TCs) and integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a mechanical engineering subject that is taught in the first year of the master’s degree in Mechatronic Engineering from the School of Design Engineering. Based on an assessment by the teaching staff of the current situation and the aspects to be improved, this article explains how the PBL methodology will be applied and performs an analysis through surveys and personal interviews with the students of their level of knowledge regarding the TCs and the SDGs that are worked on in the subject at the beginning of the academic year. The results show the need to continue working in the project and implementing active teaching techniques, such as PBL methodologies, to achieve a more attractive and motivating subject, closer to the labour market and a sustainable society.
3 October 2023 in Multidisciplinary Journal for Education, Social and Technological Sciences
This paper presents an empirical study based on the learning environment through different data analysis tools. The study is applied to the subject of Theory of Machines and Materials Resistance of the Chemical Engineering degree at the Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain), with the aim of being able to understand and optimise with greater knowledge the way of learning taught, to know what is more difficult for the students and to create a more personalised learning environment. In order to achieve this, it is important to have as much information as possible about the use and usefulness of the resources provided to the students as a teacher. Knowing this data will allow us to provide more efficient resources and to change those that, through data analysis, are not being useful to students. The results of this research show how, through applications such as Learning Analytics, greater performance can be obtained in both teaching and learning.
This study presents an integrated intervention strategy for the adaptive reuse of vernacular architecture in a state of ruin, focusing on the fortified village of Moya (Cuenca, Spain). The proposal is framed within a rural revitalization program aimed at educational and cultural tourism uses, with the goal of reactivating abandoned built fabric through the incorporation of new functions that generate social value and contribute to territorial development. The proposed methodology combines archival research, digital documentation, material characterization, and a constructive solution based on the insertion of a reversible, structurally autonomous timber volume within the existing stone masonry. Through material characterization, a differentiated consolidation protocol is developed to stabilize the ruins while maintaining historical legibility. The new architectural volume, built with prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT) and insulated with locally sourced expanded cork, is designed to meet contemporary standards of energy efficiency, reversibility, and environmental responsibility, while remaining fully independent from the original structure. The intervention offers a replicable model for sustainable rural regeneration, balancing conservation ethics with functional adaptation. Future lines of research include the dynamic simulation of the energy performance of the inserted dwelling, with the aim of assessing its contribution to climate neutrality and net-zero emissions targets.
Rural depopulation and the abandonment of historic settlements are pressing challenges for contemporary spatial planning, particularly in regions with a rich architectural and cultural heritage. This article examines the ruins of Moya, in Cuenca (Spain), as a case study to develop an integrated rural revitalisation strategy. The research combines historical building analysis, assessment of structural deterioration, and planning for economic reactivation to create a comprehensive framework for transforming abandoned sites into a viable cultural resource. The proposed model favours temporary and flexible occupation over permanent repopulation, promoting forms of use that respect and preserve the site’s historical identity. The approach builds on principles of activating monumental heritage, integrating the vernacular fabric, and organising the site into distinct functional areas. Moya is thus presented not only as an example of abandonment, but also as a replicable prototype for intervention in other declining rural environments, where heritage can serve as a strategic resource for sustainable development and territorial cohesion. The main objectives are to develop and test an integrated strategy for rural regeneration that goes beyond physical restoration, combining adaptive reuse, heritage conservation, and educational and cultural programmes to stimulate the local economy and reinforce territorial identity. The approach is evaluated through the case of Moya and contrasted with other national and international experiences to assess its replicability.