Shape grammars as a reverse engineering method for the morphogenesis of architectural façade design

The field of shape grammars spans 47 years, but its potential in the practice and education of art, architecture, and engineering remains far from being utilized. Similarly, while reverse engineering in some engineering disciplines is well-established, its implementation in architectural design remains under-represented. By combining the two domains, this paper develops a novel method that merges the power of shape grammars as a parsing tool in reverse engineering to decode the morphogenesis of visual compositions in architectural design. The merged power is demonstrated by decoding the formal language of a façade design of a case study, in which seemingly few simple rules can derive surprisingly complex compositions. The rules of the language can then be used to reconstruct parts of the case façade. Most shape grammars in the architectural literature are applied on formal historical precedents, but the subject of morphological analysis in this paper is contemporary and has a style that exhibits non-orthogonal configurations, which initially appear far from being standardized or subjected to regulatory tectonic rules. The façade derivation grammar is explained and re-synthesized in various computations to explore emergent articulations that display its predictive, synthetic, and generative powers in addition to typical analytic ones.     

Residential energy efficiency investment and behavioural response under different electricity pricing schemes: a physical-microeconomic approach

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of electricity price changes and energy efficiency subsidy on household energy efficiency purchase and/or behavioural adjustment decisions. The analysis adds energy efficiency investment to a methodology that merges the physics of energy with microeconomic principles. The physical side informs the amount of electricity used to satisfy services that people desire, while the microeconomic side imposes a utility function that represents a household’s welfare. Several electricity pricing schemes and energy efficiency options are examined, with costs and benefits of each option explicitly modeled in the physical representation. Several insights are derived from performing an analysis for archetypical villas across Saudi Arabia. One, energy efficiency purchases lower the need for energy conservation. Households also lessen the extent to which they practice conservation as energy efficiency subsidies are raised. Additionally, as energy efficiency subsidies and electricity prices rise, the difference in household spending on other goods and services widens between the highest efficiency case and no added efficiency. This indirect rebound causes a situation where firms would increase their production, and thus energy use, to meet the additional demand by households for their goods.     

冰箱沙特能效标准换版解析

文章对新版冰箱沙特能效标准的换版执行时间表和新旧版能效标准的差异进行了详细介绍。为冰箱产品出口沙特提供了重要信息支撑。     

Loadbearing problems in high-rise panel structures

When panel construction is used for buildings exceeding five or six storeys new factors are introduced over and above those which occur in conventional forms of high rise construction, say the authors, who are research scientists working in Hungary. Panel construction at these heights is subject to a greater degree of spatial force because of the greater rigidity of the panels, and the design of floor plans and the loadbearing characteristics of the structure must be carefully coordinated.     

Architectural conservation

Detailed planning and thought in architectural conservation offers excellent opportunities for presentation to the public, reports Zoltan Backmann of the M. Pollack Polytechnic, Pécs. He describes how the new protective amphitheatre‐like structure bridges the present ground level and that of Roman times, without destroying the established harmony of the historic centre of the city. The existing ruins, until recently underground, were once a grove of a Roman cemetry, subsequently filled‐in to build a fortress and parade ground.     

Energy analysis of Saudi Arabia

This study provides an energy outlook for Saudi Arabia's energy resources, their production and consumption, as well as their future projections. Crude oil, natural gas and refined products, and electricity are the main energy resources of the country. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that has the largest crude oil reserves and this is one of the main energy producers. The high growth rates of Saudi Arabia's population and the sectoral energy utilization are the two main factors affecting its energy consumption dramatically. Moreover, Saudi Arabia is not only one of the main energy producers in the world but is also one of the world's largest energy consumers per capita. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Public versus private sector's assessment of problems facing the building maintenance industry in Saudi Arabia

In the last two decades the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed vast growth in many areas, not least in the construction industry and as a consequence the construction maintenance industry is substantial. This paper draws a number of conclusions covering, technical problems, management and administrative problems, financial problems, human-related problems and the important aspect of training. The authors conclude that the public and private sectors generally agree on the rankings described.     

Energy and exergy use in the utility sector of Saudi Arabia

We present an analysis of energy and exergy utilization in the utility sector of Saudi Arabia by considering the sectoral energy and exergy flows for the years 1990-2001. Energy and exergy analyses were conducted for its two subsectors, namely power-only plants and power/distillation plants, and hence the energy and exergy efficiencies were obtained for comparison. The power/distillation plant subsector appeared to be more energy/exergy efficient compared to the conventional power-only plant subsector for the particular reference conditions assumed in the analysis. A comparison of the overall energy and exergy efficiencies of Saudi Arabian utility sector with the Turkish utility sector is also presented for the year 1993. Although the sectoral coverage is different for each country, it is useful to illustrate the situation of how energy and exergy efficiencies vary. The turkish utility sector appeared to be more efficient for that particular year. Power/distillation makes a significant contribution to Saudi Arabia's overall power generation in the utility sector.     

DNA polymorphisms of the lipoprotein lipase gene and their association with coronary artery disease in the saudi population

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major health problem and a major cause of death in most countries. Evidence has been presented that gene polymorphisms (HindIII, PvuII and Ser447Ter) of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) are risk factors of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Aim

Our objective of the present investigation was to determine whether 3 LPL polymorphisms (LPL-HindIII, LPL-PvuII and LPL-Ser447Ter) can be considered as independent risk factors for CAD in the Saudi population.

Methods

We recruited 120 CAD subjects, confirmed angiographically with identical ethnic backgrounds and 65 control subjects. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) technique was used to detect the polymorphisms of the LPL gene.

Results and conclusion

For the HindIII genotype, within the CAD group, the frequencies of the H⁺H⁺ were found in 50.8%, whereas 44.2% carried the H⁻H⁺ genotype, and 5% carried the H⁻H⁻ genotype. Within the control group, the H⁺H⁺ genotype was found in 44.6%, whereas 35.4% carried the H⁻H⁺ genotype, 20% carried the H⁻H⁻ genotype. The odds ratio (OR) of HindIII genotype H⁺H⁺ vs. H⁻H⁻ genotype at 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were 4.6 (1.57–13.2) and p < 0.005, hence showing no significant association with CAD. For the PvuII genotype, within the CAD group the frequencies of the P⁺P⁺ found in 41.7% whereas 43.3.2% carried the P⁻P⁺ genotype, and 15% carried the P⁻P⁻ genotype. Within the control group the P⁺P⁺ was found in 38.5%, 43.0% carried the P⁻P⁺ genotype, and 18.5% carried the P⁻P⁻ genotype. The OR of PvuII genotype P⁺P⁺ vs. P⁻P⁻ genotypes (95% CI) is 1.33 and p = 0.52; hence, it was also insignificant to show association with the disease. For the Ser447Ter genotype, within the CAD group, the frequencies of the C/C found in 83.3%, whereas 16.7% carried the C/G genotype. Within the control group, the C/C was found in 87.7% and 12.3% carried the C/G genotype. We did not get any GG genotypes in control as well as patients for this gene. It can be concluded that C allele of gene masks the presence of G allele in the Saudi population. The OR of CG + GG vs. CC (95% CI) is 1.43 from 0.59 to 3.44 which is insignificant. Hence this gene also has no significant association with CAD in the Saudi population.