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Urban built form and density are crucial parameters for the optimization of building energy performance. However, a cohesive framework which correlates building energy with urban built form and density is lacking, with no unified agreement on the concept of urban density. This study establishes the subtle interrelationships between urban built forms, density and building energy performance using two density indicators, specifically, site coverage and plot ratio. This paper initially considers geometrical variables of four customary urban built forms to investigate their relationship with the density indicators. Energy analyses are performed on the geometrical models representing residential buildings using the City of London as an example of a temperate climate. Annual building energy demands of pavilion, terrace, court and tunnel-court forms are calculated. The findings are used to produce a heat map of energy intensity on the Form Signature graphs. Results show that high-rise buildings with greater plan depths achieve higher energy efficiency. Moreover, it is shown that greater cut-off angles correspond to higher energy demands under temperate climatic conditions. An energy indicator, termed Energy Equity is introduced which represents the ratio between PV energy generation installed on roofs with respect to the total energy demand of the building. Further analyses show that by considering energy demand and PV energy generation simultaneously, low-rise buildings with greater plan depths provide improved energy performance. A comparative analysis of the energy performance of different built forms with similar geometric parameters demonstrates that the tunnel-court and the pavilion built forms provide the best and worst energy performance, respectively. However, when constraining density whilst changing other geometric parameters, this converse is true. Finally, the study illustrates that the same density for the same built form can be achieved by different combinations of geometric parameters that certainly affects energy performance of buildings. Graphic display of the analysis results provide urban planning guidelines that represent the database of major findings of this study. It can be used by designers, planners and architects to identify the most energy-efficient built form and density for promoting more sustainable cities.
Ehsan Ahmadian; Behzad Sodagar; Chris Bingham; Amira Elnokaly; Glen Mills. Effect of urban built form and density on building energy performance in temperate climates. Energy and Buildings 2021, 236, 110762 .
AMA StyleEhsan Ahmadian, Behzad Sodagar, Chris Bingham, Amira Elnokaly, Glen Mills. Effect of urban built form and density on building energy performance in temperate climates. Energy and Buildings. 2021; 236 ():110762.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEhsan Ahmadian; Behzad Sodagar; Chris Bingham; Amira Elnokaly; Glen Mills. 2021. "Effect of urban built form and density on building energy performance in temperate climates." Energy and Buildings 236, no. : 110762.
The paper introduces a novel indicator of urban built form termed Form Signature. Generic models of four urban built forms are developed including pavilion, terrace, court and a newly introduced tunnel-court which are used to compare and contrast their land-use performance and density characteristics. Selecting plot ratio and site coverage as the most popular and appropriate density indicators, the simultaneous relationship to each of the considered urban built forms is shown graphically with the number of storeys, plan depth and cut-off angle as the main variables of interest. For existing urban areas, the resulting graphs provide a robust tool for statistical analysis of contexts such as climate, economy, energy and crime potential and establish their relationship to form and density. To show the value of the contribution, analysing 32 case studies from 19 cities in different global locations showed an insignificant relationship between climate and form/density of urban areas, while practically depicting that urban areas built in court form acquire higher cut-off angle compared to terrace form urban developments. For the planning of future urban areas, the resulting relationships provide an application-oriented urban planning tool to facilitate the most effective land-use method in order to achieve sustainable cities. Examples showing the potential of the tool for future statistical energy and social analysis of urban areas are provided. Finally, a relative comparison shows that the newly-introduced tunnel-court form achieves the greatest density while pavilion achieves the lowest.
Ehsan Ahmadian; Behzad Sodagar; Glen Mills; Hugh Byrd; Chris Bingham; Argyrios Zolotas. Sustainable cities: The relationships between urban built forms and density indicators. Cities 2019, 95, 102382 .
AMA StyleEhsan Ahmadian, Behzad Sodagar, Glen Mills, Hugh Byrd, Chris Bingham, Argyrios Zolotas. Sustainable cities: The relationships between urban built forms and density indicators. Cities. 2019; 95 ():102382.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEhsan Ahmadian; Behzad Sodagar; Glen Mills; Hugh Byrd; Chris Bingham; Argyrios Zolotas. 2019. "Sustainable cities: The relationships between urban built forms and density indicators." Cities 95, no. : 102382.
This paper presents the findings of a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) applied to a building in the UK. The design of the building was generated through an externally funded research project over two years from 2005 to 2007. The construction of the building was completed in 2010. After a period of occupancy, a POE of the building was carried out in 2015. The POE offered an opportunity to investigate the effect of occupant behaviour on the performance of the building and their level of comfort and satisfaction. We adopted a field survey method to evaluate the comfort and satisfaction of users by asking them a series of questions to analyse how they felt in different parts of the building throughout the course of the year. In our analysis, the users were prompted to provide a subjective measure of the building regarding a range of internal conditions such as air temperature, humidity, air movement, air quality, daylight, artificial light, and noise. The analysis supports the notion that in naturally-ventilated buildings some users may find the building to be hot in summer while cold in winter. The high level of control the users have over the operation of the building contributes to their comfort and satisfaction. The users demonstrated a tendency to be satisfied despite environmental factors and to forgive some aspects of the building which are not performing as they should. The paper offers a perspective on statistical user satisfaction in a low occupancy building and attempts to explain the role of workplace wellbeing on occupant perception of comfort in this case.
Rosi Fieldson; Behzad Sodagar. Understanding User Satisfaction Evaluation in Low Occupancy Sustainable Workplaces. Sustainability 2017, 9, 1720 .
AMA StyleRosi Fieldson, Behzad Sodagar. Understanding User Satisfaction Evaluation in Low Occupancy Sustainable Workplaces. Sustainability. 2017; 9 (10):1720.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRosi Fieldson; Behzad Sodagar. 2017. "Understanding User Satisfaction Evaluation in Low Occupancy Sustainable Workplaces." Sustainability 9, no. 10: 1720.
The benefits of choosing refurbishment over new build have recently been brought into focus for reducing environmental impacts of buildings. This is due to the fact that the existing buildings will comprise the majority of the total building stocks for years to come and hence will remain responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions from the sector. This paper investigates the total potentials of sustainable refurbishment and conversion of the existing buildings by adopting a holistic approach to sustainability. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and questionnaires have been used to analyse the environmental impact savings (Co2e), improved health and well-being, and satisfaction of people living in refurbished homes. The results reported in the paper are based on a two year externally funded research project completed in January 2013.
Behzad Sodagar. Sustainability Potentials of Housing Refurbishment. Buildings 2013, 3, 278 -299.
AMA StyleBehzad Sodagar. Sustainability Potentials of Housing Refurbishment. Buildings. 2013; 3 (1):278-299.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBehzad Sodagar. 2013. "Sustainability Potentials of Housing Refurbishment." Buildings 3, no. 1: 278-299.
Building energy use accounts for almost 50% of the total CO2 emissions in the UK. Most of the research has focused on reducing the operational impact of buildings, however in recent years many studies have indicated the significance of embodied energy in different building types. This paper primarily focuses on illustrating the relative importance of operational and embodied energy in a flexible use light distribution warehouse. The building is chosen for the study as it is relatively easy to model and represents many distribution centres and industrial warehouses in Europe. A carbon footprinting study was carried out by conducting an inventory of the major installed materials with potentially significant carbon impact and material substitutions covering the building structure. Ecotect computer simulation program was used to determine the energy consumption for the 25 years design life of the building. This paper evaluates alternative design strategies for the envelope of the building and their effects on the whole life emissions by investigating both embodied and operational implications of changing the envelope characteristics. The results provide an insight to quantify the total amount of CO2 emissions saved through design optimisation by modeling embodied and operational energy.
Deepak Rai; Behzad Sodagar; Rosi Fieldson; Xiao Hu. Assessment of CO2 emissions reduction in a distribution warehouse. Energy 2011, 36, 2271 -2277.
AMA StyleDeepak Rai, Behzad Sodagar, Rosi Fieldson, Xiao Hu. Assessment of CO2 emissions reduction in a distribution warehouse. Energy. 2011; 36 (4):2271-2277.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDeepak Rai; Behzad Sodagar; Rosi Fieldson; Xiao Hu. 2011. "Assessment of CO2 emissions reduction in a distribution warehouse." Energy 36, no. 4: 2271-2277.
The role of straw bale as a construction material for reducing the whole-life impacts of housing is examined. The embodied and operational CO2 emissions in a recently completed UK social housing project are compared using alternative domestic external wall constructions and the effects on the resulting CO2 emissions. It is estimated that over 15 tonnes of CO2 may be stored in biotic materials of each of the semi-detached houses, of which around 6 tonnes are sequestered by straw and the remaining by wood and wood products. This suggests the carbon lock-up potential of renewable construction materials is capable of reducing the case study house's whole-life CO2 emissions of the house over its 60-year design life by 61% when compared with the case without sequestration. The practical implications of construction, detailing, maintenance, cost and self-build potentials of straw-bale construction are also considered. The potential for load-bearing straw-bale walls is examined through the whole-life performance of straw-bale construction with alternative conventional external walling systems. Le rôle de la balle de paille comme matériau de construction pour réduire l'impact des logements en termes de cycle de vie est examiné. Les émissions de CO2 intrinsèques et opérationnelles dans un ensemble de logements sociaux récemment achevé au Royaume-Uni sont comparées, en utilisant des méthodes différentes de construction des murs extérieurs des logements et les effets des émissions de CO2 qui en résultent. Il est estimé qu'il est possible de stocker plus de 15 tonnes de CO2 dans les matériaux biotiques de chacun de ces pavillons jumelés, dont 6 tonnes environ sont séquestrées par la paille, le reste l'étant par le bois et les produits ligneux. Ceci suggère que les possibilités de séquestration du carbone offertes par les matériaux de construction renouvelables sont capables de réduire de 61 % les émissions de CO2 durant le cycle de vie des maisons de cette étude de cas, pour une durée de vie nominale des maisons de 60 ans, par comparaison avec le cas de figure sans séquestration. Sont également envisagées les implications pratiques des possibilités qu'offre une construction utilisant des balles de paille en termes de construction, de détails de construction, d'entretien, de coût et d'autoconstruction. Le potentiel d'utilisation de balles de paille pour les murs porteurs est étudié sous l'angle des performances, tout au long du cycle de vie, de constructions en balles de paille faisant appel à différents systèmes classiques de construction des murs extérieurs. Mots clés: émissions de CO2, coût, énergie intrinsèque, énergie opérationnelle, CO2 séquestré, logement social, balle de paille
Behzad Sodagar; Deepak Rai; Barbara Jones; Jakub Wihan; Rosi Fieldson. The carbon-reduction potential of straw-bale housing. Building Research & Information 2011, 39, 51 -65.
AMA StyleBehzad Sodagar, Deepak Rai, Barbara Jones, Jakub Wihan, Rosi Fieldson. The carbon-reduction potential of straw-bale housing. Building Research & Information. 2011; 39 (1):51-65.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBehzad Sodagar; Deepak Rai; Barbara Jones; Jakub Wihan; Rosi Fieldson. 2011. "The carbon-reduction potential of straw-bale housing." Building Research & Information 39, no. 1: 51-65.