and the problems

in application of the distributed optical fiber sensors based on optical time domain reflectometer(OTDR,BOTDR,ROTDR) are summerized.At the same time,the measuring precision and measuring range of th     

Planning — space analysis,academic buildings

Continuous change in research and education activities highlights the role flexibility and adaptation play in research buildings. Roberto Pietroforte of the Department of Civil Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, demonstrates that a systematic evaluation of space behaviour can give useful information to planners and designers for future needs.     

Assessing the structural condition of large‐panel buildings

An extensive examination has taken place in the UK into the structural condition of high‐rise housing blocks built of large‐panel concrete systems. This paper from the Building Research Establishment comments briefly on the benefits and shortcomings of the physical test methods available to the engineer involved in a structural assessment‐visual inspection, non‐destructive testing, chemical and mechanical test methods and loading tests.     

Antonio Bonet – the South American experience of a Modern Movement architect

In the South American context, it is rewarding to re-examine the work of the Modern Movement masters in the region, as well as that of their disciples. It is an important and inspiring task for today’s architects, and will help to reassess the values of that pioneer architecture, which, because it introduced local approaches to the international debate, deserves consideration as a part of our universal heritage. Antonio Bonet, the Catalonian architect, worked in Europe with Josep L. Sert, Torres Clavé and Le Corbusier. When he established his practice in Argentina, he was dazzled by the almost limitless land, and he applied and developed innovative ideas such as the ‘continuum nature’, the linking of exterior and interior space, and the presence of landscape. Perhaps one of his most representative projects is a building on the riverside of the de la Plata, on the Uruguayan sea coast, part of an urban complex that was never finished. Bonet left a clear mark on latter-day Argentine Modern Architecture by expressing in his architecture the search to enhance humanity’s life through art and architecture exploiting the positive natural conditions of our region. His work deserves fuller appreciation and more complete preservation.     

Productivity in buildings: the ‘killer’ variables

Losses or gains of up to 15% of turnover in a typical office organization might be attributable to the design, management and use of the indoor environment. There is growing evidence to show that associations between perceived productivity and clusters of factors such as comfort, health and satisfaction of staff. Some of the management, design and use characteristics which contribute towards better energy efficiency also help productivity, thereby helping to close the loop on a potential ‘virtuous’ circle. Unfortunately, the vast majority of occupied buildings do not have these self-reinforcing qualities and many are unmanageably complex. This paper examines which factors within the control of building designers and managers best contribute to human productivity - the ‘killer’ variables of the title.

L'étude, la gestion et l'utilisation de l'environnement intérieur peuvent être á l'origine de pertes ou de gains pouvant atteindre 15% de la rotation du personnel d'une organisation administrative. Il apparaít de plus en plus qu'il existe des liens entre la productivité perçue et des groupes de facteurs tels que le confort, l'hygiène et la satisfaction du personnel. Quelques unes des caractéristiques de gestion, de conception et d'utilisation qui contribuent à un meilleur rendement énergétique sont également benéfiques pour la productivité, ce qui permet de fermer la boucle d'un cercle vertueux potentiel. Malheureusement, la grande majorité des bâtiments occupés ne possèdent pas ces qualités d'autorenforcement et dans de nombreux cas, sont impossibles à gérer de par leur complexité. Cet article examine quels sont les facteurs que peuvent maîtriser les architectes et les responsables et qui peuvent contribuer au mieux à la productivité de l'Homme (les variables majeures du titre).     

COSMO—Software for designing smoke control systems in high-rise buildings

A differential computer model specifically designed to quantify smoke movement during a fire in a high-rise structure is described. The basic conservation equations are transformed into a computer code which can be used to determine the paths that smoke will take during a fire. The program is a tool for fire protection engineers to design a smoke management plan with the ultimate goal of improving occupant safety in the event of a fire. The computer code is based on a modified and improved differential smoke control model for the conditions in the floor spaces, stairwells and elevator shafts and it considers a complete set of variables that influence the motion of smoke throughout the building. Program output suggests ways to alter the pressure distribution within the building by using air handling equipment, so that occupants will have smoke-free areas on the floors and inside of the fire escape stairwells. Results for several example cases are provided, and the results are used to illustrate how smoke movement can be managed in order to mitigate dangerous conditions within the building.     

Influence of soil——structure interaction on seismic collapse resistance of super-tall buildings

Numerous field tests indicate that the soilestructure interaction(SSI) has a significant impact on the dynamic characteristics of super-tall buildings,which may lead to unexpected structural seismic responses and/or failure.Taking the Shanghai Tower with a total height of 632 m as the research object,the substructure approach is used to simulate the SSI effect on the seismic responses of Shanghai Tower.The refined finite element(FE) model of the superstructure of Shanghai Tower and the simplified analytical model of the foundation and adjacent soil are established.Subsequently,the collapse process of Shanghai Tower taking into account the SSI is predicted,as well as its final collapse mechanism.The influences of the SSI on the collapse resistance capacity and failure sequences are discussed.The results indicate that,when considering the SSI,the fundamental period of Shanghai Tower has been extended significantly,and the collapse margin ratio has been improved,with a corresponding decrease of the seismic demand.In addition,the SSI has some impact on the failure sequences of Shanghai Tower subjected to extreme earthquakes,but a negligible impact on the final failure modes.     

Adaptive thermal comfort in the residential buildings of north east India—An effect of difference in elevation

Thermal comfort standards are required not only to ensure good indoor climatic condition, but also to optimize the energy used in a building for heating or cooling purposes. Generally, Fanger’s Predicted Mean Vote–Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PMV–PPD) model is used by designers and architects to estimate the comfort condition and hence the setpoint temperature inside a building. However, the recent field survey based studies on adaptive thermal comfort suggests that the above used PMV model frequently either underestimates or overestimates the thermal sensation due to the non-inclusion of the adaptive opportunities that a subject may have in maintaining comfortable condition. This leads to often an estimation of higher or lower setpoint temperature than that actually required for maintaining comfort, thereby consuming higher energy. The aim of the research is to study the effect of difference in elevation which is a major factor for temperature difference in hilly terrain, on the thermal comfort of residents. We conducted a field survey in 6 residential buildings at two different elevations in the Darjeeling Himalayan Region of north east India. A total of 1017 questionnaires regarding the indoor occupant thermal comfort were collected from 46 subjects during the monthly survey held in the year 2015. Variations in clothing insulation and other thermal comfort parameters were seen both with difference in elevation and with outdoor environmental conditions.     

Indoor gaseous air pollutants determinants in office buildings—The OFFICAIR project

The aim of this study was to identify determinants of aldehyde and volatile organic compound (VOC) indoor air concentrations in a sample of more than 140 office rooms, in the framework of the European OFFICAIR research project. A large field campaign was performed, which included (a) the air sampling of aldehydes and VOCs in 37 newly built or recently retrofitted office buildings across 8 European countries in summer and winter and (b) the collection of information on building and offices’ characteristics using checklists. Linear mixed models for repeated measurements were applied to identify the main factors affecting the measured concentrations of selected indoor air pollutants (IAPs). Several associations between aldehydes and VOCs concentrations and buildings’ structural characteristic or occupants’ activity patterns were identified. The aldehyde and VOC determinants in office buildings include building and furnishing materials, indoor climate characteristics (room temperature and relative humidity), the use of consumer products (eg, cleaning and personal care products, office equipment), as well as the presence of outdoor sources in the proximity of the buildings (ie, vehicular traffic). Results also showed that determinants of indoor air concentrations varied considerably among different type of pollutants.     

The Industrial Heritage and the New Architecture： Teaching, Researching, Designing the Place Identity

The new architecture may provide unusual opportunities for the abandoned areas involved by former industrial processes, both in the city centers and in the landscape. In fact, it may create new centralities and give new collective function for deprived areas. The case study of the architectural and educational project for a new museum park devoted to the technique and the science in the Apennine＇ s landscape near Parma （Italy） may give an interesting point of view about the role of the teaching and the research of the architecture in the former industrial heritage, and to avoid the abandonment and the pauperization of the territory around.     

Sustainability assessment and rating of buildings: Developing the methodology SBTool–H

Although sustainable building is a multidimensional concept, attention to the issue often focuses solely on environmental indicators, ignoring the substantial importance of social, economic and cultural indicators. Building sustainability involves various relations between built, natural and social systems and therefore comprises a complex of different priorities that require consideration at each stage of a building’s life-cycle. To cope with this complexity and to support sustainability systematic, holistic and practical approaches to building design need to be developed. The main objective of a systematic methodology is to support the development of a building design that achieves the most appropriate balance between the different sustainability dimensions, and is, at the same time, practical, transparent and flexible enough to be easily adapted to different types of buildings and technology.     

Assessment of the seismic performance of old riveted steel frame–RC wall buildings

Seismic performance assessment of old dual riveted steel frame–RC wall buildings using the nonlinear dynamic procedure is presented. The study is based on an existing nine-storey building located in Wellington, New Zealand. The building is representative of medium rise steel framed buildings from the first half of the 20th century.A three dimensional numerical model of the building was developed in an inelastic structural analysis program. Nonlinear characterisations necessary for the prediction of the inelastic cyclic behaviours of the structural components were incorporated into the numerical model. Details of the structural configuration and member properties for the analyses were determined from the original engineering drawings, the construction specifications, as-built concrete strength test results and literature on properties of steel sections used around the period the building was constructed. The inelastic time history analyses were conducted using a suite of seven earthquake records relevant to the seismicity of the building's location.Modal properties of the numerical model compare well with results of a physical test conducted on the building. The implemented modelling procedure appeared to have predicted the most probable seismic performance of this type of building, which would not have been captured by other simplified procedures. The assessment also highlighted the adverse effects the characteristics and location of the walls have on the seismic performance of this type of building by introducing significant torsional and vertical irregularities.     

The prolific interpreter of the Olmsted vision: Frederick G. Todd,Canada’s first landscape architect

For four years, Frederick G. Todd (1876–1948) studied and practiced with the Boston-based Olmsted Brothers, the seminal landscape architecture and town planning firm. The Olmsteds executed ambitious plans for parks, park systems, urban design, and suburban development according to the pioneering design principles of Frederick Law Olmsted Sr and his two sons, John Charles and Frederick Law Jr. In 1900, Todd left the firm to establish the first landscape architecture office in Canada. While Todd was deeply influenced by the ideas of Olmsted Sr and his sons, he arguably had more direct impact on Canadian city development than his mentors. Many Todd projects survive as treasured open spaces, and sought-after residential enclaves. However, despite Todd’s impressive career his reputation remains overshadowed by the legacy of the Olmsteds.     

Protective patinas applied on stony façades of historical buildings in the past

The ochre patina that covers the limestone façades of Palacio de Nuevo Baztán is composed of calcite, clay minerals, gypsum, quartz, potassium feldspar, alongside traces of calcium oxalates, calcium phosphates, iron oxides and hydroxides. It is a polistratified film, rich in Ca, Si, Al and P, as well as Mg, K, Fe and Cl. Results obtained indicate that the origin of the patina lies in a treatment applied on the stone in the past, consisting of a mixture of lime, gypsum, milk-derived compounds and inorganic earth pigments. This film has protected the stone on which it was applied, and should be preserved in any further stages of intervention on the stone façades.     

Thirty years of action for energy efficiency in buildings: what are the results?

In the autumn of 1973 a first energy crisis swept over the industrialized world. In 1979 a second followed. The first reactions in the West reflected panic, but soon a correcting policy emerged with rational use of energy as one of the corner stones. From the beginning, buildings got special attention. Their share in the annual national end energy consumption, in fact, was unexpectedly high, while less consumption of highly valued energy sources looked affordable without jeopardizing building usability. On the contrary, better was possible with less. One may expect that three decennia later, the results of such policy should be visible in terms of less energy consumed in buildings. This is not the case, at least not in Flanders, Belgium. Many reasons explain that anomaly. The average principal, designer, builder and contractor is not interested in energy efficiency. Investment costs and not future annual costs are the main concern. Legislation has been introduced reflecting a far too optimistic view on citizenship and thus, without any enforcement policy. The housing and tertiary building stock still expands, with a clear prosperity‐linked trend towards detached dwellings with low compactness and large floor area. Urban planning remains business as usual. And finally, policy makers forgot to consider rebound effects and the impact of lazy workmanship when predicting the efficiency of fabric and building services related measures, resulting in an overestimation of future avoided energy use, while at the same time they underestimated the inertia of such large system as the existing building stock, given the low retrofit and substitution rate.     

Optimal metric for condition rating of existing buildings: is five the right number?

In the context of the built environment in the recent years, the concept of maintenance has changed from corrective to preventive maintenance. There is evidence that preventive maintenance is much more efficient than corrective maintenance, since severe deteriorations that may represent danger to people are avoided, and also money is saved. To make periodic inspections of the buildings is useful to quantify, the extent to which deteriorations are severe or not, in order to facilitate decision making and prioritise interventions. To this purpose, many scales have been used and are used to assess the severity of damage and degradation of the building components. But it appears evident that there is not consensus among users and these scales are different between them, with different number of degrees and metrics for the measurement of the condition state. The main goal of this paper is to calculate which is the optimal metric (which is the optimal number of degrees) of a severity scale of damages in buildings, so the corresponding scale could be of widespread and of common use among professionals, avoiding the problems of comparison between different evaluators. The proposed methodology to calculate the optimal metric of a scale can be also extended to other scopes.     

Ventilation,indoor environment quality and climate—comparison of European and Singapore office buildings

Indoor environment quality audits were performed in six European countries and in Singapore using the same methodology. Five to eight office buildings were audited in each country. The audits included airflow rate measurements, energy audit, indoor air quality (VOC₁ CO₂, dust concentrations), and questionnaires to occupants. Questions to occupants addressed their health, their comfort and well-being, as well as their perception of their environment. This paper compares the results obtained from these audits, with particular attention to the effects of ventilation or air conditioning systems and climate.

The number of building related symptoms is, on the average, significantly smaller in the buildings audited in Singapore than in Europe. One of the reasons may be the non-smoking policy common in Singapore. It is also once more observed that buildings are often over-warmed in cold climates and overcooled in warm climates. Surprising, but not new, is that there are no correlations between specific air flow rates and perceived air quality or health, as long as airflow rates are within accepted standards.