Thesis (M.Sc.) - Carleton University, 1994. / Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.Sc.)--University of Ottawa, 2007. / Copyright date: 2008. Includes bibliographies.

Thesis (M.A.Sc.)--University of Ottawa, 2007. / Copyright date: 2008. Includes bibliographies.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2007. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.S. in Defense Analysis and M.A. in Security Studies (Security Stabilization and Reconstruction))--Naval Postgraduate School, September 2007. / Title from title screen (viewed Feb. 5, 2008). Thesis Advisor(s): Guttieri, Karen ; Simons, Anna. "September 2007." Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-122). Also available in print.

Energy demand reduction has become a global issue involving all countries, including China. As major energy consumers in today s society, the need for buildings to be built and operated more energy efficiently is well recognized. In 1995, the national standard on building energy efficiency in China (JGJ 26-95) was refined and updated to become the new residential Buildings standard (JGJ 26-2010) published in 2010. In the new version, many changes have been made to support the construction of more energy efficient buildings in China. For example, in the new standard, all buildings are highly recommended to install personal control on the heating system, such as by Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs), together with pay for what you use tariffs. Previous practice comprised uncontrolled heating with payment based on floor area. In order to reduce building energy consumption, Chinese government has revised the Chinese building design standard. In the new guide the use of individual room temperature control is highly recommended for new and refurbishment buildings. However, evidence to quantify the extent to which this improvement impact upon on the building energy consumption is currently lacking. This thesis evaluates the impact of updated building design standards on thermal conditions and energy consumption in Chinese residential buildings. In order to evaluate the impact on the building energy consumption, two types of residential buildings have been chosen, one complying with the old Chinese building design standard, while the other complies with the new standard. The study was carried out in seven apartments in each type of building, a total of fourteen apartments and comprised with a longitudinal monitoring of indoor air temperature, outdoor air temperature, window position and energy consumption of each apartment. The impact of the new design standard has been evaluated in relation to a number of aspects, that include building construction, indoor thermal environment, occupant behaviour, thermal comfort and building energy consumption. It is concluded that updating the building design standard has had a positive influence on the building conditions and energy consumption. Furthermore, a thermal comfort survey was carried out in both new and old apartments according to updated standards. The results show that the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) model has a efficiently adequate predictor of occupants thermal comfort in both type of apartments. Thereby allowing confirmation that the new control refine did not compromise on thermal comfort. The percentage of acceptable of occupants is higher in new apartments compared with the old apartments.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Rohit Kadam, for the Master of Science degree in MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, presented on DECEMBER 2, 2011, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. (Do not use abbreviations.) TITLE: NET ZERO BUILIND ENERGY CONSERVATION MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Emmanuel Nsofor This research deals with energy studies performed as part of a net-zero energy study for buildings. Measured data of actual energy utilization by a building for a continuous period of 33 months was collected and studied. The peak design day on which the building consumes maximum energy was found. The averages of the energy consumption for the peak month were determined. The DOE EnergyPlus software was used to simulate the energy requirements for the building and also obtain peak energy requirements for the peak month. Alternative energy sources such as ground source heat pump, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and day-lighting modifications were applied to redesign the energy consumption for the building towards meeting net-zero energy requirements. The present energy use by the building, DOE Energy software simulations for the building as well as the net-zero model for the building were studied. The extents of the contributions of the individual energy harvesting measures were studied. For meeting Net Zero Energy requirement, it was found that the total energy load for the building can be distributed between alternative energy methods as 5.4% to daylighting modifications, 58% to geothermal and 36.6% to solar photovoltaic panels for electricity supply and thermal energy. Thus the directions to proceed towards achieving complete net-zero energy status were identified.

How do we introduce new buildings in complex urban environments? Urbanist Jan Gehl (2010:97) argues that rapid developments in building technologies, social and economical sciences have resulted in an unprecedented amount of urban areas transforming into stand alone buildings. This phenomenon describes the shifting focus of architectural ideals from masterfully detailed buildings nested in an urban context to monstrous rapidly-erected ‘visionary’ districts. The voids of the city, generally disregarded and under appreciated in the greater context of Pretoria CBD, are taken as the containers of contextually relevant informants which can be extracted and utilised in a contextual response to site. Due to the vague nature of these empty spaces, they provide opportunities for new processes to unfold. By treating unprogrammed and ancillary space with the same importance as programmed space, the architecture does not stand alone, but exists in a symbiotic relationship with its surroundings, achieving a truly contextual response. The objective of the thesis is to identify the emergent processes which are occurring on the site on the corner of Paul Kruger and Struben Street - a void rooted in the gaps of existing institutions. Once identified, these processes are then extrapolated and transformed to be utilised as tools for catalytic changes, resisting a strategic approach to regeneration. The result of the contextual understanding is realised in the design of an urban place of education, borrowing from existing processes and providing an enriching layer to the urban environment. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2014. / Architecture / Unrestricted

Purpose: The purpose was to contribute to increased understanding on the use of VR, where integration is an essential and crucial part of whether it is an effective tool. The aim is to investigate VR as a tool between architect, client and engineer from sketch to planning permission, as well as to investigate applications from an engineering perspective. Method: Data has been collected through action research with the VR-hardware HTC Vive and interviews with architects, engineers and clients within the AEC-industry. A parallel literature study has been conducted. The three methods do thereafter make it possible to answer the questions and fulfill the goal. Findings: By communicating information through VR, a common ground is created, whereby different parties can work from. Coordination is facilitated when decisionmaking can be carried out on the same basis. The use of VR therefore promotes communication between involved parties. However, the tool is limited by its availability and due to the fact that it is new a technology which does not yet permit multiple users. I addition, the compatibility of the tool varies depending on the choice of plug-ins. IrisVR was noted to support all CAD programs, which means increased usability. Furthermore, the evaluated plug-ins have similar features. Implementation of VR can support building decisions by communicating how these affect other design aspects. As BIM is used to a greater extent, this imposes higher standards on the model. VR can thus serve as a tool for self-monitoring. Implications: The tool has been shown to provide increased understanding of volume, scale and concept, which can result in improved communication opportunities. Improved communication enables coordination between professional groups, which in turn provides better decision making. Despite advantages, there are limiting factors that cause VR not to be used to a greater extent. As a recommendation, VR should be integrated through appropriate evaluation of functions as well as a complement to today's tools. Limitations: This study was limited to the architecture office on which it was carried out and to selected hardware and software. The technology is developing at a high pace, which causes problems regarding the relevance of the results. Despite method triangulation, difficulties arise in maintaining objectivity when researchers are partly participating. Furthermore, the role of the client is less represented because of them not having as much experience in using VR. Keywords: Building Information Model (BIM), Computer Aided Design (CAD), Virtual Reality (VR), Information Communication Technology (ICT), Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Content is described in Swedish below.