Hung Chim. / "Architecture Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Architecture Programme 2007-2008, design report." / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 27). / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

<p>A large proportion of the energy consumption is in the building industry and a large part goes to heating our homes and premises. In the developing countries' development now threatens the large consumption of energy in our earth's climate. It is in the West world that we must be good role models in terms of energy efficiency. One solution to reduce energy consumption for heating of buildings may be to continue to build low energy houses and passive houses, but it is also about rebuilding the buildings that currently have high energy consumption such as the old Million program Houses. These buildings will be standing many years and their energy consumption will not diminish over time by itself and energy prices will certainly not diminish in the future. This report will touch on the subject mainly new construction, how to build an energy efficient building, but a smaller portion will touch on the subject rebuilding, particularly the solutions that can fit into economic terms.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Calculations have been done to link the concepts of U_mean of a building and its energy consumption. This was done by calculations using an Excel document created in connection with this thesis.</p><p> </p><p>The buildings and architectural solutions addressed in this report will focus on apartment buildings where the partner of this thesis is Eskilstuna Municipal Building. Eskilstuna Municipality Property manages buildings and premises to Eskilstuna Municipality, but also owns their own house with rental apartments.<strong></strong></p>

A large proportion of the energy consumption is in the building industry and a large part goes to heating our homes and premises. In the developing countries' development now threatens the large consumption of energy in our earth's climate. It is in the West world that we must be good role models in terms of energy efficiency. One solution to reduce energy consumption for heating of buildings may be to continue to build low energy houses and passive houses, but it is also about rebuilding the buildings that currently have high energy consumption such as the old Million program Houses. These buildings will be standing many years and their energy consumption will not diminish over time by itself and energy prices will certainly not diminish in the future. This report will touch on the subject mainly new construction, how to build an energy efficient building, but a smaller portion will touch on the subject rebuilding, particularly the solutions that can fit into economic terms.   Calculations have been done to link the concepts of Umean of a building and its energy consumption. This was done by calculations using an Excel document created in connection with this thesis.   The buildings and architectural solutions addressed in this report will focus on apartment buildings where the partner of this thesis is Eskilstuna Municipal Building. Eskilstuna Municipality Property manages buildings and premises to Eskilstuna Municipality, but also owns their own house with rental apartments.

Intresset kring lågenergibyggnader blir allt större och så kallade passivhus, med god isolering, hög lufttäthet och värmeåtervinning, byggs i allt större utsträckning i Sverige och andra europeiska länder. Vissa frågetecken har dock uppkommit kring inomhusklimatet i husen och risken för både under- och övertemperaturer. En annan viktig aspekt är hur husens egenskaper påverkar värmelasterna och hur detta i sin tur påverkar energiförsörjningssystemet. I detta examensarbete undersöks dessa båda aspekter – värmelastegenskaper och innetemperaturer – i fyra likadana nybyggda flerbostadshus i Falkenberg. Mätvärden från husens tekniska system, inklusive lufttemperaturmätningar i samtliga lägenheter, analyseras. Husen består av totalt 108 lägenheter, värms med fjärrvärme och använder ca 50 kWh/m2 Atemp årligen. Värmelastegenskaperna kännetecknas framförallt av låga effektbehov för både uppvärmning och varmvatten samt relativt stora svängningar över dygnet. Husen tycks vara känsligare för variationer i interntillskott än konventionella hus, vilket leder till regelbundna svängningar i effektbehovet för uppvärmning, med en topp under natten och morgonen. Detta leder till förstärkta svängningar i fjärrvärmenätet, vilket skulle kunna undvikas med hjälp av effektstyrning. Passivhusens stora termiska tröghet talar för en sådan möjlighet. Även innetemperaturen uppvisar regelbundna dygnsvariationer, som kan vara något större än i vanliga hus. Låga temperaturer förekommer tidvis under vintern, men resultaten pekar inte på några brister i de tekniska systemen. Temperaturen på sommaren är inte högre än i andra hus, och övertemperaturer tycks inte vara något stort problem i dessa hus. Det kan dock finnas en möjlighet att minska risken för övertemperaturer ytterligare genom användning av nattkyla under varma perioder. Denna möjlighet kan vara ett sätt att utnyttja passivhusens speciella egenskaper för att ytterligare förbättra konceptet. / There is today an increasing interest in low-energy buildings, and the so-called “passive houses” are becoming increasingly popular in Sweden and other European countries. There are however some concerns regarding the indoor climate in these houses, notably the risk of too low indoor temperatures in the winter and too high temperatures in the summer. Another issue is the heat load characteristics of this type of buildings, and how these affect the energy systems. In this thesis, these two aspects – heat load characteristics and indoor temperatures – are analysed in four identical multi-family buildings in Falkenberg, Sweden, using measured values from the buildings’ technical systems and measured indoor air temperatures in all dwellings. The buildings are heated with district heating, comprise 108 dwellings in total and use approximately 50 kWh/m2 annually (space heating, hot water and electricity for building services). The heat loads are mainly characterised by low but varying heat demands for space heating and hot water. The buildings appear to have a higher than usual sensitivity for variations in heat from internal sources and solar gains, leading to regular variations in the heat demand for space heating and fluctuations in the total heat demand. These fluctuations, which may negatively affect the energy system, could be avoided by actively controlling the heat demand for space heating. There are also daily fluctuations in the indoor temperatures, but the buildings perform well in this aspect, with temperatures that stay within the acceptable range most of the time. The summer indoor temperatures do not get higher than in other buildings. A possibility for further improvement within this area could be the use of forced ventilation during the night in hot periods, and hence utilising the buildings’ well insulated and airtight building envelope to keep heat out during the day. This possibility might further improve the passive house concept.

The thesis would start out by dealing with the multiple dwelling types, and their respective environments, as they occur in various countries. It would analyze, discuss and evaluate their merits. Brought into the study would be the planning aspects pertaining especially to the space about buildings and their atmosphere and appearance. Finally, certain theories and conclusions might be formulated to improve the environment about multiple dwellings locally.

The word "vecindad" in Spanish means neighborhood, but the word is also used to describe a dwelling form. The vecindad is usually known as a row of one-room dwellings surrounding an open space or patio. This kind of dwelling form exists in most Latin American countries as well as in Spain, however the word "vecindad" is used exclusively in Mexico. This dwelling form existed in Spain under the name of "corrales" and it was brought to Mexico in the XVI century with the Conquest of 1521. Initially, vecindades were built as multi-family tenements to rent to low-income artisans or workers in Mexico. There are two kinds: the multi-storied ones which were built within the Traza, which was the first design of Mexico City by the Spaniards; and the one-storied buildings built in the Indian barrios located on the periphery of the Traza. / While each vecindad is different, they share the same elements such as the zahuan (entrance), the patio, the dwellings and the accesorias (commercial spaces). The number and dimensions of these elements vary depending on the characteristics of each vecindad. / From the XVI century until the early XX century, vecindades comprised the majority of the housing stock in Mexico City. In the 1940's, due to the ideas of Functionalism, vecindades ceased to be built and were relegated as an old and traditional dwelling form in the center of the city. / This thesis presents the origin, evolution and present condition of vecindades within the Traza of Mexico City. Their adaptability to fulfill social, cultural and political circumstances throughout the history of Mexico City reveals their importance as the city's main collective urban dwelling form.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992.

This thesis explores energy efficiency in space heating for new single-family detached mass-market houses in two locations— Regina, Saskatchewan and Vancouver, British Columbia. The study is based on the premise that the energy efficiency of new housing is insufficient given its long life-span and the uncertainty of future energy supplies. The study investigates the process by which housing consumers, builders, government housing programs and regulations interact, in order to understand the obstacles to achieving greater energy efficiency. Seventeen builders were interviewed in Regina and Vancouver together with architects, building inspectors and other individuals closely related to the housing industry. The thesis begins by outlining the problem and justifying the method of investigation. Chapter Two briefly describes Canada's energy context, establishes a need for greater energy conservation, and examines government energy efficiency regulations and other initiatives to encourage greater energy efficiency in new housing. Chapter Three describes the techniques available to the mass-market builder for improving the energy efficiency, of the building envelope and briefly explains some passive solar design options. Chapter Four reviews the economics of residential energy conservation from the perspective of the consumer. Cost-effectiveness analysis and its limitations are described and costs and payback periods are approximated for the techniques detailed in Chapter Three. The chapter concludes with an account of the economic constraints to increasing energy efficiency in new housing. Chapter Five briefly explains the important attitudinal and regulatory barriers to energy efficient housing. Chapter Six examines the energy efficiency standards of the builders interviewed, their responses to key questions, and discusses the major issues that arose from the interviews. The final chapter outlines the major findings of the thesis, and on this basis attempts to justify government intervention to overcome the market inadequacies uncovered in the investigation. The study found that in the absence of strict government regulation of energy efficiency standards in the housing industry, builders have built to standards reflecting consumer preferences and awareness of energy efficiency which have been influenced by energy prices, government information programs and climate. Regional variation were encountered in that consumer demand was a weaker factor in Vancouver while a more severe climate and more active government participation in Regina has created a greater energy consciousness among consumers and builders. Certain builders in each location were responding to an increased energy awareness by building to higher standards than those prevalent in the market, thus acting to direct future consumer demand. The study uncovered several market inadequacies, economic constraints, social and attitudinal resistances, and government policy shortcomings currently inhibiting greater energy efficiency; among them: 1. The value of energy conserving features does not appear to be recognized in the resale housing market. 2. Projected periods of ownership for new home purchasers are less than five years and in the absence of proven resale value these purchasers are dependent on recovery of energy conserving investment through energy savings within this short period. 3. Strict government regulation of energy efficiency has been absent or so lax as to be an insignificant factor in raising energy efficiency standards. 4. The two determinants of housing energy efficiency, builders and consumers, are lacking information on energy conserving techniques and investment required to make informed choices. These problems, the special nature and long life-span of residential buildings, the consequent broader social welfare goals to be achieved by conserving an essential resource, and the need to protect the economic interests of future homeowners, make the energy efficiency of new housing a special case. As a result, the study argues that there is justification for a comprehensive program of government intervention. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

In relation to energy savings, the development of constructing energy-saving houses, which includes low-energy, passive and zero houses, started to be created. The diploma thesis helps readers to be better informed about energy-saving houses, their development during history and their main features. The last two chapters show the development of constructing energy-saving houses in the Czech Republic in graphs. They also show in which regions are these houses built the most and which construction system and way of using is preferred.

Bibliography: leaves 56-58. / The initial work for this project was a photographic survey of the existing wood and iron buildings in Athlone. I was at the time a volunteer in the Urban Conservation Unit of the Cape Town City Council (hereafter UCU). My task was to docment the existing wood-and-iron buidlings in order to aid later development control decision-making. to a large extent, it was the results of the fieldwork, which both uncovered a need for further research and directed later archival and textual research.