In this article, the authors propose ways to evaluate the criteria for the considered variants of utility functions in the adaptation of historic regional architecture. The proposed set of assessment criteria (thermo-modernisation criteria, comfort of use, financial considerations, criteria of social benefits, and protection of cultural heritage) emphasises the multidimensional character of the problem of choosing a new function for a historic building. Some of the criteria are measurable while others are difficult to measure, which requires an expert approach to their assessment. The evaluation of the criteria was performed on the example of the historic building ‘Stara Polana’ located in Zakopane. The benchmark for the analysis was the existing condition of the ‘Stara Polana’ building, which is used as a hostel. The authors conducted a series of interdisciplinary studies specifying the potential of the new utility functions considered for the object in the context of the proposed criteria. The evaluation of individual criteria developed in this article is based on the multi-criteria analysis to be performed in the future and support the selection of a new function for the building in question.

This paper presents the issues of assessing the comfort of people staying indoors who are exposed to vibrations and material noise caused by vibrations of partitions like floors and walls (ground-borne noise). Current criteria in the evaluation of vibrational and acoustic comfort cannot be assessed in the context of the simultaneous occurrence of stimuli such as noise and vibration. Railway transport, including passenger and cargo transport, is becoming increasingly prevalent, and new railway lines are being planned for environmental reasons. Sometimes, there are changes in stimuli produced by existing railway lines. For example, high-speed trains appear on an old railway track. Such a situation appeared on the Central Railway Line in Poland, which is still used by old trains, yet its operator plans to raise their speed limits. The analysis of the problem of the simultaneous occurrence of stimuli presented in this paper was based on measurements performed in a residential building located near the Central Railway Main Line in the city Zawiercie. Noise and vibration as the analyzed stimuli in both cases meet comfort requirements, yet when exposure to two stimuli was considered, comfort may be at risk.

This paper is aimed at investigating the use of polyurethane mats, usually used as ballast mats, for residential building purposes. Ballast mats have features that may improve the vibroacoustic comfort in residential rooms. Their strength is certainly an advantage, along with vibration and acoustic insulation. However, the problem that an engineer has to deal with, for example in modeling these types of mats, is a limited knowledge of the material’s vibroacoustic parameters. Knowledge of these may be useful for residential buildings. This paper presents measurements of the vibroacoustic parameters of polyurethane mats, together with a suitable methodology and some results and analysis. The two main material parameters responsible for vibroacoustic protection were measured: the dynamic stiffness, which is related to the acoustic properties of the material, and the critical damping coefficient, which is obviously responsible for damping. The measurement methodology is clearly described. A total of five polyurethane materials with different densities were tested. It was possible to identify a relationship between the material density and the vibroacoustic parameters, which could offer an indication of which material to use, depending on the stimulus affecting a human in a given location.

Historic buildings constitute a specific group of buildings where the possibilities of improving energy efficiency and comfort are significantly limited because of the existing construction features and heritage values. Each building has a different history so the scope of renovation and/or retrofitting must be determined individually for each building. This article presents the methodology of measurement and diagnosis of features of particular importance for energy performance and comfort improvements, based on the example of a historic masonry building located in southern Poland. The first research question was which of the comfort conditions have been exceeded according to measurements. The second issue concerned the necessary extension of the basic determinants of comfort, beyond measurable qualities. A multi-faceted approach to the comfort assessment is proposed, including qualitative research that applies the additional criterion of aesthetic comfort. During the case study diagnosis, the acceptable level was exceeded in thermal, acoustic and aesthetic comfort. The first two may be addressed by optimized technical measures whilst the latter through a research-through-design that addresses the complex relationship between the perceiver and what the environment affords. The solution reflects the need to meet demands for retrofits that are energy-efficient and aesthetically pleasing while minimizing any negative impacts on the heritage and the environment.

The noise problem in hotel rooms is strictly connected to noise generated by heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) devices. Hospitality industry companies in many countries have specific requirements and monitor the noise level with technical equipment inside the hotel room. To ensure an adequately low level of noise from the HVAC system, proper calculations and tests are performed before the final application of the system in the hotel room. One of the best methods for assessing the noise level from HVAC devices in hotel rooms is to create a testing room (mock-up) in a certain available space, e.g., in a warehouse, and to perform appropriate standard measurements for the noise level. This method is a popular choice in the hotel industry because the noise level can not only be verified, but also, the installation and operation of the HVAC system inside the room can be checked. The main factors in choosing the space in which the mock-up will be made are availability and appropriate volume. It is not always possible to provide a hall space with a very low background level of noise. This article shows that the selection of a mock-up space is also determined by the noise level in the selected space. The background noise level—thus, the noise level in the mock-up room—must be low enough to be able to reliably measure the noise level from the HVAC equipment to avoid the phenomenon of acoustic masking by other noise sources (background noise) not related to the measurement. Background noise at too high a level will lead to invalidation of the measurement results or overestimation of the actual noise level in the room from the tested HVAC devices. In this study, background noise level measurements made in the testing rooms are described. The results are discussed, and a conclusion is drawn.

Airflow occurring in a ventilation duct is characterized by low velocity and hence low Reynolds number. In these conditions, either a laminar, transitional or turbulent flow will occur. Different flow conditions result in different values of the friction coefficient. To achieve the transitional flow in numerical simulation, a modified algebraic model for bypass transition (modified $k-\omega$) was used. Numerical simulation was validated using Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) in the circular channel. The modified algebraic model consists of only two partial differential equations, which leads to much faster calculation than the shear stress transport model. Results of the modified algebraic model are largely consistent with either the measurement and shear stress transport model considering laminar and transitional flow. Consistency slightly decreased in turbulent flow in relation to the model using shear stress transport method.