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ZEHs (Zero Energy House) featuring energy-efficient designs and on-site renewable integration are being widely developed. This study introduced Japanese ZEHs with well-insulated thermal envelopes and investigated their detailed operational performances through on-site measurements and simulation models. Measurement data show that ZEHs effectively damped the variation of indoor air temperature compared to conventional houses, presenting great ability to retain inside heat energy, and are expected to potentially deliver energy flexibility as a virtual thermal energy storage medium. We developed a simplified thermal resistance–capacitance model for a house heating system; response behaviors were simulated under various scenarios. Results compared the variations of indoor temperature profiles and revealed the dependence of load flexibility on the building’s overall heat loss performance. We observed that overall heat loss rate played a crucial role in building heat energy storage efficiency; a well-insulated house shortened the heat-up time with less energy input, and extended the delayed period of indoor temperature under intermittent heating supply; a high set-point operative temperature and a low ambient temperature led to lower virtual thermal energy storage efficiency. The preheating strategy was simulated as an effective load-shifting approach in consuming surplus PV generation; approximately 50% of consumed PV generation could be shifted to replace grid import electricity for room heating during the occupied period.
Xiaoyi Zhang; Weijun Gao; Yanxue Li; Zixuan Wang; Yoshiaki Ushifusa; Yingjun Ruan. Operational Performance and Load Flexibility Analysis of Japanese Zero Energy House. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 6782 .
AMA StyleXiaoyi Zhang, Weijun Gao, Yanxue Li, Zixuan Wang, Yoshiaki Ushifusa, Yingjun Ruan. Operational Performance and Load Flexibility Analysis of Japanese Zero Energy House. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (13):6782.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXiaoyi Zhang; Weijun Gao; Yanxue Li; Zixuan Wang; Yoshiaki Ushifusa; Yingjun Ruan. 2021. "Operational Performance and Load Flexibility Analysis of Japanese Zero Energy House." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 13: 6782.
In 2012, the Japanese government launched the new Feed-In Tariff Act (FIT), which aimed at promoting the stable, integrated rise of renewable energy in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident. Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy on both the residential (installation capacity less than 10 kW) and non-residential side (installation capacity 10 kW and above) has been associated with significant benefits with the passage of the new FIT Act. However, a number of issues have emerged during implementation, including unjust enrichment from delayed PV plant operation and high renewable energy taxes. In this paper, we present an overview of the evolution of the FIT and explore how the relevant issues have been addressed through revised government policy. The paper also examines, the FIT’s effect on PV energy development. An economic analysis was conducted to identify the impact of FIT fixed price changes on the profitability of solar PV plants on both the residential and non-residential side from 2012 to 2019. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was conducted based on scenarios of future FIT fixed purchase price reductions and PV initial investment cost reductions. The results show that the FIT can potentially be reduced on the residential side and that the current FIT has reached its feasibility limits in terms of non-residential PV investments.
Daoyuan Wen; Weijun Gao; Soichiro Kuroki; Qunyin Gu; Jianxing Ren. The effects of the new Feed-In Tariff Act for solar photovoltaic (PV) energy in the wake of the Fukushima accident in Japan. Energy Policy 2021, 156, 112414 .
AMA StyleDaoyuan Wen, Weijun Gao, Soichiro Kuroki, Qunyin Gu, Jianxing Ren. The effects of the new Feed-In Tariff Act for solar photovoltaic (PV) energy in the wake of the Fukushima accident in Japan. Energy Policy. 2021; 156 ():112414.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaoyuan Wen; Weijun Gao; Soichiro Kuroki; Qunyin Gu; Jianxing Ren. 2021. "The effects of the new Feed-In Tariff Act for solar photovoltaic (PV) energy in the wake of the Fukushima accident in Japan." Energy Policy 156, no. : 112414.
Rapidly expanding urban areas urgently need to transform into sustainability-oriented developments. In this study, we manage to establish a spatio-temporal coupling coordinated development (CCD) model for urban environments by exploring the relationship between the quality of the built environment and environmental pressure. We empirically analyze the status of Shandong Peninsula, one of such urbanized regions, using national statistical data from 2008 to 2017. The results show that improving the CCD level of an urban environment is conducive to maintaining sustainable urbanization. Although the level of coupling and coordination in all cities of Shandong Peninsula has shown a trend of continuous improvement, nearly half of the cities are still in a transitional or imbalanced development state. This overall spatial pattern shows that the degree of coupling and coordination of coastal cities is significantly better than that of inland cities, which means there is uneven development across the region. Moreover, pressure on the environment is increasing due to excessive resource consumption and pollution with continued urban construction as the central cause. With this, countermeasures targeting the performance of different cities were discussed, including phased high-quality infrastructure, enhancing urban attractiveness, improving resource utilization efficiency, optimizing treatment and recycling technologies, etc. It is recommended that decision-makers establish an inter-city complementary system through regional planning to build an active cooperative relationship and achieve sustainable urbanization throughout the entire region.
Xue Fang; Xinyu Shi; Tyson Keen Phillips; Peng Du; Weijun Gao. The Coupling Coordinated Development of Urban Environment Towards Sustainable Urbanization: An Empirical Study of Shandong Peninsula, China. Ecological Indicators 2021, 129, 107864 .
AMA StyleXue Fang, Xinyu Shi, Tyson Keen Phillips, Peng Du, Weijun Gao. The Coupling Coordinated Development of Urban Environment Towards Sustainable Urbanization: An Empirical Study of Shandong Peninsula, China. Ecological Indicators. 2021; 129 ():107864.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXue Fang; Xinyu Shi; Tyson Keen Phillips; Peng Du; Weijun Gao. 2021. "The Coupling Coordinated Development of Urban Environment Towards Sustainable Urbanization: An Empirical Study of Shandong Peninsula, China." Ecological Indicators 129, no. : 107864.
Understanding the coupling relationship between ecosystem services and poverty livelihoods is a prerequisite for poverty eradication and ecological protection in China. In this paper, we intended to quantify the coupling relationship between ecosystem services and poverty livelihoods in 717 poverty-stricken counties in China. First, we identified distinct levels of ecosystem services and poverty respectively in the poverty-stricken areas based on the ecosystem services subsystem index and poverty livelihoods subsystem index. Then, we calculated the coupling degree and coupling coordination degree between the ecosystem services and the poverty livelihoods in China’s poverty-stricken counties from 2000 to 2015. Finally, we analyzed the temporal and spatial evolution of the coupling between ecosystem services and poverty livelihoods. The results indicate that the ecosystem services showed a trend of first decreasing and then increasing, while the poverty level showed an increased trend. In addition, the coupling relationship between ecosystem services and poverty livelihoods in poverty-stricken counties was also improved from 2000 to 2015. However, the coupling degree value or coupling coordination degree values in some counties or contiguous impoverished areas showed a decreased trend, the coupling relationship between ecosystem services and poverty livelihoods in those counties or areas was higher conflict. Future more, the coupling relationship in China’s poverty-stricken counties was mainly intermediate conflict and low conflict, which need to improve in the future. Thus, it is suggested that effective measures are required to lift ecosystem services out of the poverty trap and into sustainable livelihoods.
Lilei Zhou; Dongjie Guan; Xingzhong Yuan; Mengjie Zhang; Weijun Gao. Quantifying the spatiotemporal characteristics of ecosystem services and livelihoods in China’s poverty-stricken counties. Frontiers of Earth Science 2021, 1 -27.
AMA StyleLilei Zhou, Dongjie Guan, Xingzhong Yuan, Mengjie Zhang, Weijun Gao. Quantifying the spatiotemporal characteristics of ecosystem services and livelihoods in China’s poverty-stricken counties. Frontiers of Earth Science. 2021; ():1-27.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLilei Zhou; Dongjie Guan; Xingzhong Yuan; Mengjie Zhang; Weijun Gao. 2021. "Quantifying the spatiotemporal characteristics of ecosystem services and livelihoods in China’s poverty-stricken counties." Frontiers of Earth Science , no. : 1-27.
A comfortable wind environment favors the sustainable development of urban residential districts and public health. However, the rapid growth of high-rise urban residential districts leads to low wind velocity environments in summer. This study examines the influence of enclosure boundary patterns and lift-up design on the wind environment and proposes an optimization strategy to improve the low wind velocity environment in residential districts in summer. A typical residential district in Hangzhou was selected; the average wind velocity, calm wind zone ratio and comfortable wind zone ratio were selected as the evaluation indexes. The wind environment for different enclosure boundary patterns and lift-up designs were obtained via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The results indicate that the pedestrian wind environment is greatly improved in residential districts by reducing the height/width of the enclosure boundary, increasing the permeability rate and adopting a lift-up design in all buildings within residential districts. A combination of permeable railings and lift-up design is recommended; this can increase the average wind velocity and the ratio of comfortable wind zones by 70% and 200%, respectively. This study provides practical guidelines for the optimization of a low wind velocity environment in Chinese high-density residential districts in summer.
Zhengrong Jiang; Weijun Gao. Impact of Enclosure Boundary Patterns and Lift-Up Design on Optimization of Summer Pedestrian Wind Environment in High-Density Residential Districts. Energies 2021, 14, 3199 .
AMA StyleZhengrong Jiang, Weijun Gao. Impact of Enclosure Boundary Patterns and Lift-Up Design on Optimization of Summer Pedestrian Wind Environment in High-Density Residential Districts. Energies. 2021; 14 (11):3199.
Chicago/Turabian StyleZhengrong Jiang; Weijun Gao. 2021. "Impact of Enclosure Boundary Patterns and Lift-Up Design on Optimization of Summer Pedestrian Wind Environment in High-Density Residential Districts." Energies 14, no. 11: 3199.
Manganese dioxide (MnO2) is a Mn deposit widely accumulated in the corrosion layer of pipelines, and iodide (I−) is a halogen ion frequently detected in waters. The biofilm dwelling on the corrosion scales often secretes extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) into drinking water. The paper aimed to study the I− oxidation by MnO2 and iodinated disinfection byproducts (I-DBPs) formation with biofilm EPS as a precursor. More than 93% of formed free iodine was finally converted into organic iodine in the MnO2/I−/EPS system. Compared with humic acid, EPS had a lower carbonaceous I-DBPs (C-IDBPs) formation while a higher nitrogenous I-DBPs (N-IDBPs) formation. The formation of iodomethanes (I-THMs), iodoacetonitriles (I-HANs) and iodoacetic acids (I-HAAs) decreased with the increase of pH due to the weakening of polarization effect and redox potential, while the iodoacetamides (I-HAcAms) formation achieved the maximum at pH 6.0 due to the difference between the hydrolysis rate of I-HANs and decomposition rate of I-HAcAms. The I-DBPs formation was positively correlated with I− concentration, while negatively correlated with MnO2 dose. Protein components displayed a higher formation of N-IDBPs and C-IDBPs than polysaccharide components due to higher nitrogen proportion and more iodination sites. Among 20 protein monomers, aspartic acid was considered as the most important precursor of the four investigated I-DBPs species. The paper is helpful to understand the I-DBPs formation when I− in the bulk water come into contact with Mn deposits attached by biofilm.
Lingxiao Fu; Xiaofeng Wu; Yongbin Zhu; Lei Yao; Chengqiang Wu; Haixiang Cheng; Yiran Xu; Jun Hu; Weijun Gao. Iodinated disinfection byproduct formation in a MnO2/I−/EPS system. Chemosphere 2021, 280, 130643 .
AMA StyleLingxiao Fu, Xiaofeng Wu, Yongbin Zhu, Lei Yao, Chengqiang Wu, Haixiang Cheng, Yiran Xu, Jun Hu, Weijun Gao. Iodinated disinfection byproduct formation in a MnO2/I−/EPS system. Chemosphere. 2021; 280 ():130643.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLingxiao Fu; Xiaofeng Wu; Yongbin Zhu; Lei Yao; Chengqiang Wu; Haixiang Cheng; Yiran Xu; Jun Hu; Weijun Gao. 2021. "Iodinated disinfection byproduct formation in a MnO2/I−/EPS system." Chemosphere 280, no. : 130643.
To address the primary energy shortage problem, Japan has implemented a series of policies and measures for residential energy conservation and emission reduction. Among them, the home energy management system (HEMS) as a hub connecting users and power companies to realize energy visualization has been widely studied. The research object of this study is a two-story detached residence integrated with HEMS in the “Jono Zero Carbon Smart Community” in Japan. To predict the energy consumed on the next day based on historical data, a short-term household load forecasting model based on the particle swarm optimization regression vector machine algorithm was developed. Then a dynamic pricing model was developed to guide the users’ electricity consumption behavior and adjust the grid load. According to the prediction results obtained by the load forecasting model, the annual electricity charges of users under the three pricing schemes of multistep electricity pricing (MEP), time-of-use pricing (TOU), and real-time pricing (RTP) were calculated and compared. The result indicated that the annual electricity cost generated by RTP was less than those generated by MTP and TOU. In addition, after adjusting the users’ peak load and combining it with the fluctuating future electricity prices, RTP presented evident economic advantage over MTP and TOU in terms of the annual electricity cost of the users. The study results can provide policy suggestions for the future Japanese government’s promotion of RTP strategy, while acting as a reference for further developing the characteristics of HEMS and optimizing the relation between the supply and demand sides.
Xueyuan Zhao; Weijun Gao; Fanyue Qian; Jian Ge. Electricity cost comparison of dynamic pricing model based on load forecasting in home energy management system. Energy 2021, 229, 120538 .
AMA StyleXueyuan Zhao, Weijun Gao, Fanyue Qian, Jian Ge. Electricity cost comparison of dynamic pricing model based on load forecasting in home energy management system. Energy. 2021; 229 ():120538.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXueyuan Zhao; Weijun Gao; Fanyue Qian; Jian Ge. 2021. "Electricity cost comparison of dynamic pricing model based on load forecasting in home energy management system." Energy 229, no. : 120538.
The development of hybrid rainwater-graywater systems (HRG) has greatly alleviated urban water scarcity. However, the HRGs in public buildings have rarely been explored, which had limited the popularity of hybrid systems. In this study, a campus in Japan was selected to evaluate the feasibility of HRGs in public buildings. A water balance model with an hourly time step was performed to quantify the performance of the rainwater and graywater subsystems in the HRGs. Second, the electricity consumption of the HRGs was evaluated. Then, a detailed life cycle cost model was designed to calculate the economic benefit of the HRGs under the current and optimization scenarios. Finally, the results obtained are compared with HRGs in residential and commercial buildings to discuss the advantages of HRGs in public buildings. The results indicate that the promotion of HRGs in public buildings can not only achieve higher water-saving efficiency than other building types but also reduce electricity consumption in comparison with the traditional water supply methods. The economical unfeasibility of HRGs is caused by the waste of excess reclaimed water and high maintenance costs. HRGs in public buildings has the potential to be promoted preferentially in regions where the water tariff is higher than 880 JPY/m3 or the non-potable water tariff is set to at least 200 JPY/m3.
Weilun Chen; Weijun Gao; Jinming Jiang; Xindong Wei; Rui Wang. Feasibility analysis of decentralized hybrid rainwater-graywater systems in a public building in Japan. Sustainable Cities and Society 2021, 69, 102870 .
AMA StyleWeilun Chen, Weijun Gao, Jinming Jiang, Xindong Wei, Rui Wang. Feasibility analysis of decentralized hybrid rainwater-graywater systems in a public building in Japan. Sustainable Cities and Society. 2021; 69 ():102870.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWeilun Chen; Weijun Gao; Jinming Jiang; Xindong Wei; Rui Wang. 2021. "Feasibility analysis of decentralized hybrid rainwater-graywater systems in a public building in Japan." Sustainable Cities and Society 69, no. : 102870.
The energy forecast modeling has long been referred to as the function of estimating the energy consumption of a building and providing sustainable design options for energy-efficient policies. In addition to the existing conventional schemes for energy performance and energy simulation, there is the potential to connect steady-state energy modeling to energy monitoring data, along with household factors such as family size, housing design, and occupancy ratio to better understand hard-to-measure energy-related behaviors. This paper introduces a multi-dimensional hybrid approach that combines multiple interactions between observation-based and simulation-based data using energy modeling’s graphical interface software. Compared to the observed energy consumption, the model samples show an average Pearson coefficient of determination in the range of 72% to 76% probability of the energy model data. Accordingly, research has carried out specific air conditioning set points and schedules within each household. Finally, the variation of simulated household models illustrates the greatest effect of air conditioning setpoint on savings of 20% to 60%, compared to the baseline usage. Sensitivity analysis shows that larger household size, higher occupancy ratio, lower thermal resistance for wall insulation, and slighter airflow rate can reduce the end-use and the gross site or source energy. The study underlines the diverse interactions among household characteristics, occupant schedules, and energy monitoring data, which are prospective to stimulate the application of building energy modeling in the early design stage and the optimization of energy efficiency in the operational phases.
Le Na Tran; Weijun Gao; Jian Ge. Sensitivity analysis of household factors and energy consumption in residential houses: A multi-dimensional hybrid approach using energy monitoring and modeling. Energy and Buildings 2021, 239, 110864 .
AMA StyleLe Na Tran, Weijun Gao, Jian Ge. Sensitivity analysis of household factors and energy consumption in residential houses: A multi-dimensional hybrid approach using energy monitoring and modeling. Energy and Buildings. 2021; 239 ():110864.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLe Na Tran; Weijun Gao; Jian Ge. 2021. "Sensitivity analysis of household factors and energy consumption in residential houses: A multi-dimensional hybrid approach using energy monitoring and modeling." Energy and Buildings 239, no. : 110864.
The phenomenon of urban areas becoming warmer than surrounding rural areas, known as urban heat island, is one of the biggest urban issues due to human activities. The study adopted random forests (RF) based downscaling land surface temperature (LST) to assess the surface urban heat island (SUHI) of Fukuoka, Japan. The LST images were first downscaled to 250 m spatial resolution, and then the seasonal and diurnal SUHI was identified. The results implied that the SUHI in summer daytime is the most significant while in winter nighttime is the least significant in the area. Through the bivariate Moran's I test and zonal statistics, the cooling effect of the green-blue spaces were evaluated. The forest has the most substantial urban cooling effect with the average LST change occurs at a distance of about 1 km (maximum 6.32 K). The cooling effect of the sea is significant during daytime, whilst that of the lake/river and the cropland/grassland is not obvious. We concluded the urban population and land use and land cover (LULC) are significantly spatial correlated to UHI, and are important factors of considering the urban heat island (UHI) mitigation strategies.
Wangchongyu Peng; Xin Yuan; Weijun Gao; Rui Wang; Wei Chen. Assessment of urban cooling effect based on downscaled land surface temperature: A case study for Fukuoka, Japan. Urban Climate 2021, 36, 100790 .
AMA StyleWangchongyu Peng, Xin Yuan, Weijun Gao, Rui Wang, Wei Chen. Assessment of urban cooling effect based on downscaled land surface temperature: A case study for Fukuoka, Japan. Urban Climate. 2021; 36 ():100790.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWangchongyu Peng; Xin Yuan; Weijun Gao; Rui Wang; Wei Chen. 2021. "Assessment of urban cooling effect based on downscaled land surface temperature: A case study for Fukuoka, Japan." Urban Climate 36, no. : 100790.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant negative influence on energy consumption in 2020. On April 7, 2020, in response to the rapid spread of the infection, the Japanese government imposed a state of emergency. This action impacted energy consumption, energy production, and electricity prices. This study compares the impact of a reduction in load demand on renewable energy in the Japan public power grid under a state of emergency declaration (April to May 2020). Using publicly available data, comparisons are made for Kyushu, Tokyo, Kansai, and Hokkaido and assessed in relation to epidemic severity and geographical distribution. The results can be summarized as follows. (1) The consumption profiles and amounts of power consumption reduction are different in different areas. Tokyo shows the largest share of reduced load, followed by Kansai, Kyushu, and Hokkaido. The load reduction was mainly seen during the day, which reflects the differences in people's activities relative to the same period in 2019. (2) Different means of power dispatch, including power generators, energy storage systems, and transmission lines are used and compared in terms of responses to the changes in electricity consumption profile. (3) The overall fall in total load demand and the change in load sequence affected the integration and curtailment of photovoltaic power generation and consequentially caused the electricity price to drop. This paper clarifies the effects of COVID-19 on the public power grids of Japan. Further, it establishes the impact on policymakers in relation to the development of renewable energy.
A. Tingting Xu; B. Weijun Gao; C. Yanxue Li; D. Fanyue Qian. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the reduction of electricity demand and the integration of renewable energy into the power grid. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy 2021, 13, 026304 .
AMA StyleA. Tingting Xu, B. Weijun Gao, C. Yanxue Li, D. Fanyue Qian. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the reduction of electricity demand and the integration of renewable energy into the power grid. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy. 2021; 13 (2):026304.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Tingting Xu; B. Weijun Gao; C. Yanxue Li; D. Fanyue Qian. 2021. "Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the reduction of electricity demand and the integration of renewable energy into the power grid." Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy 13, no. 2: 026304.
In this work, we focus on investigating the relationship between urban morphology parameters and residential building space heating energy performance, comparing microclimate conditions of existing residential blocks with central heating supply. Firstly, a dataset composed of district morphological parameters that measured heat energy consumption was established. Then, effects of morphological indicators including cover ratio, average building height, and floor area ratio on building space heating energy efficiency were assessed specifically. Analysis results show that a larger floor area ratio induced a reduction in heating energy consumption density, the observed effect is notable at an initial increase of floor area ratio. Thirdly, the case study shows that the heating load of residential districts with a high built density is more sensitive to solar radiation. To further assess how and to what extent urban forms alter microclimates, on-site measurement investigated detailed changes in the thermal environment of selected residential districts before and after the operational stage of central heating supply. Analysis results demonstrate that heat energy delivered by a central heating supply could dampen the variations of local outdoor air temperatures, more notable for residential districts with a higher floor area ratio during the night period. Findings from this work would be useful for urban planners considering energy-efficient design practices.
Yanxue Li; Dawei Wang; Shanshan Li; Weijun Gao. Impact Analysis of Urban Morphology on Residential District Heat Energy Demand and Microclimate Based on Field Measurement Data. Sustainability 2021, 13, 2070 .
AMA StyleYanxue Li, Dawei Wang, Shanshan Li, Weijun Gao. Impact Analysis of Urban Morphology on Residential District Heat Energy Demand and Microclimate Based on Field Measurement Data. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (4):2070.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYanxue Li; Dawei Wang; Shanshan Li; Weijun Gao. 2021. "Impact Analysis of Urban Morphology on Residential District Heat Energy Demand and Microclimate Based on Field Measurement Data." Sustainability 13, no. 4: 2070.
This paper attempts to empirically analyze green/healthy B&B promotion strategies for tourism recovery after the first wave of COVID-19. The survey will be meaningful in the real world of B&B tourism recovery, and it was conducted during the first Chinese national holiday without travel restrictions. China was the first country to resume travel after COVID-19. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used for testing. The relationships observed among the green/healthy physical environment, well-being perception (WBP), tourist satisfaction (TS), and tourist loyalty (TL) provide a better understanding of how to support sustainable tourism recovery. Green/healthy B&B promotion strategies that focus on a green/healthy physical environment after the health crisis can also be employed in other countries and regions experiencing the same situation.
Gangwei Cai; Lei Xu; Weijun Gao. The green B&B promotion strategies for tourist loyalty: surveying the restart of Chinese national holiday travel after COVID-19. International Journal of Hospitality Management 2021, 94, 102704 .
AMA StyleGangwei Cai, Lei Xu, Weijun Gao. The green B&B promotion strategies for tourist loyalty: surveying the restart of Chinese national holiday travel after COVID-19. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 2021; 94 ():102704.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGangwei Cai; Lei Xu; Weijun Gao. 2021. "The green B&B promotion strategies for tourist loyalty: surveying the restart of Chinese national holiday travel after COVID-19." International Journal of Hospitality Management 94, no. : 102704.
Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it became significant to study how to improve the customer satisfaction for Japanese tourist accommodations for restart and recovery in the future, and in preparation for the 2021 Japan Olympics. Therefore, the current paper attempts to evaluate ryokans through descriptive statistics from a tourism accommodation survey and customer-satisfaction-related comprehensive assessment system for built environment efficiency (CASBEE) importance–performance analysis (IPA). Through three progressive studies, three findings were obtained: (1) ryokans are more flexible than hotels, have strong anti-risk capabilities, and have received more and more attention from tourists and support from the Japanese government; (2) improvement strategies for customer satisfaction after COVID-19 were provided from IPA; and (3) a dynamic evaluation model of green ryokans was discussed and may be employed in other countries and regions experiencing the same situation.
Gangwei Cai; Yan Hong; Lei Xu; Weijun Gao; Ka Wang; Xiaoting Chi. An Evaluation of Green Ryokans through a Tourism Accommodation Survey and Customer-Satisfaction-Related CASBEE–IPA after COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability 2020, 13, 145 .
AMA StyleGangwei Cai, Yan Hong, Lei Xu, Weijun Gao, Ka Wang, Xiaoting Chi. An Evaluation of Green Ryokans through a Tourism Accommodation Survey and Customer-Satisfaction-Related CASBEE–IPA after COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability. 2020; 13 (1):145.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGangwei Cai; Yan Hong; Lei Xu; Weijun Gao; Ka Wang; Xiaoting Chi. 2020. "An Evaluation of Green Ryokans through a Tourism Accommodation Survey and Customer-Satisfaction-Related CASBEE–IPA after COVID-19 Pandemic." Sustainability 13, no. 1: 145.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology has developed rapidly in the past decades and is essential in electricity generation. In this study, we demonstrate the relationship between PV incentive policies, technology innovation and market development in China, Germany, Japan and the United States of America (USA) by conducting a statistical data survey and systematic literature review. This article investigates the key policies affecting the development of PV technology from the perspective of solar PV Research and Development (R&D), industry, and market development. Our study highlights how these different kinds of policies drive the countries to change their role on the global stage. The results show the performance of supply-push policies and demand-pull policies during different periods and their significant impact on PV development, while it presenting future challenges and recommendations for PV development. Our study contributes to improve the understanding of PV technology innovation, its market development, and policy evolution through a multiple-perspective analysis of PV development processes.
Daoyuan Wen; Weijun Gao; Fanyue Qian; Qunyin Gu; Jianxing Ren. Development of solar photovoltaic industry and market in China, Germany, Japan and the United States of America using incentive policies. Energy Exploration & Exploitation 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleDaoyuan Wen, Weijun Gao, Fanyue Qian, Qunyin Gu, Jianxing Ren. Development of solar photovoltaic industry and market in China, Germany, Japan and the United States of America using incentive policies. Energy Exploration & Exploitation. 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaoyuan Wen; Weijun Gao; Fanyue Qian; Qunyin Gu; Jianxing Ren. 2020. "Development of solar photovoltaic industry and market in China, Germany, Japan and the United States of America using incentive policies." Energy Exploration & Exploitation , no. : 1.
Increased urbanization has led to more diversified urban structure. To determine the effects of buildings on climate phenomena, it is essential to better characterize urban land use. In this study, the maximum likelihood classification method was used to identify urban structures with the help of local climate zones based on remote sensing. A case study in the Kanto major metropolitan area of Japan is utilized to verify the feasibility of this system, and then, ENVI-met was applied to simulate the microclimate in six idealized models to confirm the urban structure’s heat stress impacts. The results indicated the following: (1) after a series of screening and identification procedures, it was confirmed that the urban structure can be identified with an accuracy of 0.802, meeting precision requirements; (2) based on the land surface temperature of the densely inhabited district and surrounding area with different local climate zone types, the microclimate of the same building types varied spatially; (3) combined with the wet-bulb globe temperature, the simulation results showed that various urban structure types have a substantial impact on heat stress. Finally, this research provides an accurate and efficient method for urban structure identification and determines its effect on heat stress.
Rui Wang; Weijun Gao; Nan Zhou; Daniel M. Kammen; Wangchongyu Peng. Urban structure and its implication of heat stress by using remote sensing and simulation tool. Sustainable Cities and Society 2020, 65, 102632 .
AMA StyleRui Wang, Weijun Gao, Nan Zhou, Daniel M. Kammen, Wangchongyu Peng. Urban structure and its implication of heat stress by using remote sensing and simulation tool. Sustainable Cities and Society. 2020; 65 ():102632.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRui Wang; Weijun Gao; Nan Zhou; Daniel M. Kammen; Wangchongyu Peng. 2020. "Urban structure and its implication of heat stress by using remote sensing and simulation tool." Sustainable Cities and Society 65, no. : 102632.
This study aims to propose a new evaluation system for urban sustainability, defined as the ratio of the two dimensions: quality of the built environment and environmental pressure. The quality of the built environment includes urbanization economies, infrastructure development, and urban attraction. Environmental pressure includes resource consumption, and environmental pollution. Through a case study of the Shandong Peninsula region, this evaluation method has proven helpful in quantifying the development capacity of urban sustainability, proposing targeted improvement measures and evaluating implementation effects. The data of all indicators is for the period between 2008 and 2017, which was collected from the public authoritative China Statistical Yearbook. All 16 the cities of Shandong Peninsula region are classified into four study types for discussion. The empirical results show that the urban sustainability model is applicable to conveniently combine various analytical methods to help multiple parties reach a common consensus and formulate effective development decisions. In terms of the Shandong Peninsula region, (1) the quality of built environment of cities in four types was at quite different levels, while there was not much difference among the four groups regarding the environmental pressure. (2) Large coastal cities have the highest urban sustainability value, followed by medium-sized coastal cities, large inland cities, and medium-sized inland cities. (3) At the current stage, improving the quality of built environment would bring more environmental pressure through more energy consumption and causing more environmental pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to push forward relevant environmental protection mechanisms corresponding to urban construction to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Xue Fang; Xinyu Shi; Weijun Gao. Measuring urban sustainability from the quality of the built environment and pressure on the natural environment in China: A case study of the Shandong Peninsula region. Journal of Cleaner Production 2020, 289, 125145 .
AMA StyleXue Fang, Xinyu Shi, Weijun Gao. Measuring urban sustainability from the quality of the built environment and pressure on the natural environment in China: A case study of the Shandong Peninsula region. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2020; 289 ():125145.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXue Fang; Xinyu Shi; Weijun Gao. 2020. "Measuring urban sustainability from the quality of the built environment and pressure on the natural environment in China: A case study of the Shandong Peninsula region." Journal of Cleaner Production 289, no. : 125145.
This study aims to characterize the Japanese household properties, meanwhile investigates the electricity consumption by end-use of 12 households in electric-only apartments in Kitakyushu, Japan. Achieved electricity data from the measurement and household surveys, the author perceived significant relationships between the household characteristics and Electricity End-Use. Since the investigation conducted in the winter, heating systems become the primary consuming appliances with 38% in total usage. Energy-related behavior closely linked to the room's function and house appliance ownership than floor areas, while the distribution of energy varied according to each lifestyle circumstance. Living rooms seemed to get more usage priority at these residential apartments, while private spaces indicated less often used. By classifying pair groups of participants in common and different traits, comparison analysis carries out numerous relationships among energy consumption, housing characteristics, and household characteristics. Finally, the study lays a platform for applying energy monitors and household surveys, which defines the contribution of detailed data in analyzing household energy-related lifestyle. Thus, the energy performance reports can help to elevate awareness of saving energy in residential apartments. This paper suggested a combination of experiments, surveys, and questionnaire methodology to give an example for future studies regarding energy-related lifestyle and energy-saving strategies.
Le Na Tran; Weijun Gao; Didit Novianto; Yoshiaki Ushifusa; Hiroatsu Fukuda. Relationships between household characteristics and electricity end-use in Japanese residential apartments. Sustainable Cities and Society 2020, 64, 102534 .
AMA StyleLe Na Tran, Weijun Gao, Didit Novianto, Yoshiaki Ushifusa, Hiroatsu Fukuda. Relationships between household characteristics and electricity end-use in Japanese residential apartments. Sustainable Cities and Society. 2020; 64 ():102534.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLe Na Tran; Weijun Gao; Didit Novianto; Yoshiaki Ushifusa; Hiroatsu Fukuda. 2020. "Relationships between household characteristics and electricity end-use in Japanese residential apartments." Sustainable Cities and Society 64, no. : 102534.
Poor economic performance has limited the diffusion of the combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system. Various factors influence the economic performance of the CCHP system. To analyze the impacts of these different factors and promote the CCHP system, this study evaluated its comprehensive performance through a multi-criteria method, using an amusement park resort in Shanghai as a research case. First, three CCHP systems with different penetration rates were presented and simulated in a transient simulation model for comparison. The economic and environmental performance of these different penetration CCHP systems were evaluated based on the dynamic payback period and carbon dioxide emissions. The impacts of investment cost, energy prices, investment subsidy and a carbon tax on the economic performance of the three systems were discussed, and a sensitivity analysis was used to compare these factors. The results show that the current subsidy can reduce the economic gap between the CCHP system and the conventional system, but it still needs to be increased by 1.71 times to achieve market competitiveness of the CCHP system with 100% penetration under the current investment cost and energy prices. In addition, the introduction of a carbon tax could accelerate the promotion of the CCHP system. When the carbon tax reaches 25 $/ton, the CCHP system becomes the best choice of energy supply system.
Liting Zhang; Weijun Gao; Yongwen Yang; Fanyue Qian. Impacts of Investment Cost, Energy Prices and Carbon Tax on Promoting the Combined Cooling, Heating and Power (CCHP) System of an Amusement Park Resort in Shanghai. Energies 2020, 13, 4252 .
AMA StyleLiting Zhang, Weijun Gao, Yongwen Yang, Fanyue Qian. Impacts of Investment Cost, Energy Prices and Carbon Tax on Promoting the Combined Cooling, Heating and Power (CCHP) System of an Amusement Park Resort in Shanghai. Energies. 2020; 13 (16):4252.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLiting Zhang; Weijun Gao; Yongwen Yang; Fanyue Qian. 2020. "Impacts of Investment Cost, Energy Prices and Carbon Tax on Promoting the Combined Cooling, Heating and Power (CCHP) System of an Amusement Park Resort in Shanghai." Energies 13, no. 16: 4252.
Due to the improvement of people's living standards, uptake of multi-functional household appliances, electricity consumption accounts for a rising ratio in the proportion of primary energy usage. Currently, electricity accounts for more than 50% of primary energy usage and city gas is about 21% of total. The aim of this research focus on improving the efficiency of household energy usage and optimizing the economy of residential energy systems. This paper classified the detail electricity consumption and generation for a Japan typical household with Hybrid Fuel cell and Photovoltaic System (HFPS) based on the history monitored data. Then a simulation model of the Hybrid Heat pump and Photovoltaic System (HHPS) was designed under the same user load for analyzing the energy consumption. Finally, the economy of the two systems is compared and optimized by considering the carbon tax, equipment price and energy price fluctuation. In general, by comparing the environmental and economic performances of both two systems, the results showed that HFPS has a better environmental performance than HHPS, but HHPS presented an economic advantage over HFPS. In addition, with the change of equipment price and the development trend of energy price in the future, the economic performance of HFPS is gradually improved, which is better than HHPS and has more development prospects. The results of this work provide policy guidance for the future Japanese government's promotion of residential fuel cell systems, while choosing the optimal path between user energy characteristics and power contract scheme.
Xueyuan Zhao; Weijun Gao; Fanyue Qian; Yanxue Li; Yoshiaki Ushifusa; Zhen Yang; Wanli Yin; Jian Ge. Economic performance of multi-energy supply system in a zero-carbon house. Energy and Buildings 2020, 226, 110363 .
AMA StyleXueyuan Zhao, Weijun Gao, Fanyue Qian, Yanxue Li, Yoshiaki Ushifusa, Zhen Yang, Wanli Yin, Jian Ge. Economic performance of multi-energy supply system in a zero-carbon house. Energy and Buildings. 2020; 226 ():110363.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXueyuan Zhao; Weijun Gao; Fanyue Qian; Yanxue Li; Yoshiaki Ushifusa; Zhen Yang; Wanli Yin; Jian Ge. 2020. "Economic performance of multi-energy supply system in a zero-carbon house." Energy and Buildings 226, no. : 110363.