Thesis (M.Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes special report study entitled : Planning for security in consulate building. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.E.)--University of Canterbury, 2005. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references. Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2007. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Maire O'Neill. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-98).

No description available.

This thesis describes the influence of thermal mass on the space conditioning energy consumption and indoor comfort conditions of multi-storey buildings with concrete, steel and timber structural systems. The buildings studied were medium sized educational and commercial buildings. When calculating a building’s life-cycle energy consumption, the construction materials have a direct effect on not only the building’s embodied energy but also on the space conditioning energy. The latter depends, amongst other things, on the thermal characteristics of the building’s materials; thermal mass can also be an influence on comfort conditions in the building. A modelling comparison has been undertaken between three very similar medium-sized buildings, each designed using structural systems made primarily of timber, concrete and steel. The post-tensioned timber version of the building is a modelled representation of a real three-storey educational building that has been constructed recently in Nelson, New Zealand. The concrete- and steel-structured versions have been designed on paper to conform to the required structural codes and meet, as closely as possible, the same performance, internal space layout and external façade features as the real timber-structured building. Each of these three structurally-different buildings has been modelled with two different thermal envelopes (code-compliant and New Zealand best-practice) using a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system with heating only (educational scheme) and heating and cooling (commercial scheme). The commercial system (with cooling) was applied only to the buildings with the best-practice thermal envelope. The analysis of each of these nine different construction and usage categories includes the modelling of operational energy use with an emphasis on HVAC energy consumption, and the assessment of indoor comfort conditions using predicted mean vote (PMV). From an operational energy use perspective, the modelling comparison between the different cases has shown that, within each category (code-compliant, low-energy and low-energy-commercial), the principal structural material has only a small effect on overall performance. The most significant differences are in the building with the best-practice thermal envelope with the commercial HVAC system, were the concrete building has slightly lower HVAC energy consumption, being 3 and 4% lower than in the steel and timber buildings respectively The assessment of indoor comfort conditions during occupied periods through using PMV for each of the three categories shows that the timber structure consistently exhibited longer periods in the over-warm comfort zone, but this was much less pronounced in south-facing spaces. To examine the reasons for the less acceptable PMV in the timber-structure versions, an analysis of indoor timber and concrete surface temperatures was carried out in both buildings. It was found that, particularly in north-facing spaces, there were large diurnal swings in the temperatures of timber surfaces exposed to solar radiation. These swings were much less in the case of concrete surfaces so the environment was perceived to be more comfortable under such conditions because of the reduced influence of higher mean radiant temperatures. To moderate this potential downside of solar-exposed internal timber surfaces, better results are achieved if, when timber is used for thermal mass, the timber is not exposed to direct solar radiation, for example locating it in the ceilings or on the south side of the building. Two other approaches to combating the potential overheating problem in the timber-structured buildings were analysed in an illustrative mode; addition of external louvres to reduce direct solar gains at critical times of day and year; and use of phase change material (PCM) linings to act as light-mass energy buffers. Although external louvres increase comfort conditions significantly by reducing the periods of an overly warm environment, they produce an increase in heating energy consumption through reducing beneficial solar gains. The use of PCM linings shows little benefit to overall indoor comfort conditions for the building of this case-study.

This paper combines two research publications working toward the development of an integrated framework for commercial sustainable building design. Current methodologies utilize a traditional architectural top-down approach to sustainable building design practices that consumes financial and temporal resources early in the design process. By identifying the array mechanical subsystems required to meet modern building standards such as net-zero energy and water, and recognizing the importance of these interactions, designers can mitigate this resource consumption. The first paper presents an anthropological case study of the schematic design process of the Oregon Sustainability Center, a net-zero building slated for construction in Portland, Oregon. This research outlines the complexity of mechanical subsystems required to achieve net-zero standards and how project stakeholders affect the design process. The second paper further explores this concept by analyzing building subsystems in the context of a traditional complex system (airplane, automobile, etc.), and uses optimization techniques to understand significant system interactions. A computer model is created that optimizes lighting availability for a commercial workspace incorporating cost, building standards, and user environment. By considering post construction building usage, each subsystem can be designed for maximum user productivity, reducing costs associated with sustainable design practices. / Graduation date: 2012

Thesis (doctor of philosophy)--Göteborg University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Oregon, 2003. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-142). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Preservationists and historic sites managers need to be aware of the affects of excess man-made vibrations on historic structures. The purpose of this creative project is to examine those affects and identify some methods to mitigate them. To write this project, it was necessary to search through available literature identifying past research and studies on this subject. Research was culled from various sources examining the affects of vibrations on new and historic structures and are presented here in one volume.The affects of vibrations on historic structures is not a subject that is well represented in preservation or structural engineering literature. The information currently available is scattered through various sources. Thus, there is the lack of a single reference examining the affects of vibrations on historic structures. This project is meant to be used as a reference for historic preservationists, house museum curators, and historic sites managers who seek information about vibration effects and possible solutions to their vibration problem. / Department of Architecture

Thesis (M.Eng.). / Written for the Dept. of Mining, Metals and Materials Engineering. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2008/01/14). Includes bibliographical references.