published_or_final_version / Mechanical Engineering / Master / Master of Science in Engineering

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

published_or_final_version / Conservation / Master / Master of Science in Conservation

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Philosophy

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Housing crisis in India -- What is vernacular? -- Vernacular as timeless -- Vernacular aesthetics : the legacy of craft -- Disengagement of vernacular from architectural practice in India -- Revisiting architectural academics -- Conclusion : applicability of vernacular studies -- Vernacular studies at Auroville Earth Institute, Auroville, India -- Low cost building technologies at Auroville Earth Institute, India -- Vernacular architecture : exemplary projects -- The joy of building. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Accompanying CD-ROM contains additional copy of chapters 8-10. / Department of Architecture

The emphasis for UK dwelling refurbishment to date has centred on reducing heating energy use. However, there has been increasing evidence pointing to the need for a more holistic approach. Many existing dwellings already experience overheating during hot weather periods. Climate change projections predict increases in both the frequency and severity of extreme weather events including heat waves such as the one in August 2003, which is estimated to have claimed the lives of over 35,000 people throughout Europe, including 2,000 in the UK. Demand for housing exceeds the supply of new stock and it is estimated that over 70% of the dwellings that will be in use in 2050 have already been built. Therefore existing dwellings will require adaptation to provide more comfortable and safe environments, to reduce both summertime overheating and heating energy use. In this research, dynamic thermal simulation computer modelling was used to assess and rank the effectiveness of selected single and combined passive interventions (adaptations) on dwelling overheating during a heat wave period. Simulations were also carried out to assess the effect of those interventions on annual space heating energy use. Four distinct dwelling types were selected to represent the housing stock in London and South East England, producing seven modelling variants: 19th century end and mid-terraced houses; 1930s semi-detached house; 1960s ground, mid and top floor flats and a modern detached house. Simulations were carried out for two different occupancy profiles and four building orientations and the cost of interventions was also considered in the analysis. The first occupancy profile assumed a ‘typical’ family who left the dwellings unoccupied during the daytime, the second assumed residents who were at home all the time (e.g. elderly or infirm). Of the dwelling types studied the 1960s mid and top floor flats and the modern (2006) detached house (Tier 2) experienced more than twice as much overheating as the other dwelling types (Tier 1). Tier 2 dwellings were “harder to treat” and unlike Tier 1 dwellings their overheating exposure could not be eliminated using the selected passive interventions. It was possible to substantially reduce overheating and annual heating energy use of Tier 1 dwellings at moderate cost, whereas the costs for retrofitting Tier 2 dwellings were estimated to be many times higher. The results demonstrated that overheating exposure can be significantly greater for residents who have to stay at home during the daytime and they should not, where possible, be housed in the most vulnerable dwellings. External window shutters were found to be the single most effective intervention for overheating reduction in most of the dwelling types considered, typically resulting in a 50% reduction in overheating exposure. The exception was the 19th century terraced houses, where applying a solar reflective (high albedo) coating to the solid external walls was often more effective. In some cases the addition of insulation increased overheating and external wall insulation consistently outperformed internal wall insulation when considering the effect on overheating, though the latter could be effective as an element of combined interventions. Adaptation should therefore be considered together with mitigation, both in design practice and in regulations. If existing dwellings (for example the 19th century terraced houses) are retrofitted for energy efficiency, without considering summer use, overheating could increase dramatically. Subsequent corrective measures could be costly and energy efficiency may suffer as a result. This research builds on previous publications and research to generate systematic, quantitative and holistic guidance for retrofitting UK dwellings to reduce overheating risk during heat waves, whilst minimising annual space heating energy use and considering the cost of retrofit. An interactive retrofit advice toolkit has been developed (and made publicly available) as part of the research, which allows selection of the best performing interventions within a given budget. Recommendations for further development of the research are also suggested.

The objectives of the study were to examine and quantify the relationship between vegetation and the thermal performance of residences in a hot arid environment. Also explored were structural and human influences on residential energy consumption. A primary goal was to determine how much energy savings could be realized through strategic planting of vegetation. This study sought to validate previous simulation and modeling studies that documented annual savings of 2-11% on residential cooling loads. Also examined was whether shrubs and grass could provide a benefit similar to that of trees, assessing the importance of evapotranspiration versus shading. An empirical study was conducted using 105 existing homes in the metropolitan area of Tucson, Arizona. Data included construction type, amenities, living habits of occupants, and energy consumption for heating and cooling over a two-year period. These data were analyzed with a combination of bivariate and multivariate analyses to examine direct correlations between specific variables and energy consumption and the relative importance of each variable. These analyses were unable to document any measurable savings in summer cooling loads as a result of vegetation adjacent to the house, and the presence of trees actually increased the winter heating load by 2%. While trees provide important shading benefits, and can reduce the direct solar gain through the windows of a house, analysis demonstrated that structural and human factors were the most important aspects in residential energy consumption. The size of the house is of primary importance. Houses with evaporative cooling consumed significantly less energy than those with air conditioning. Thermostat settings and habits regarding thermostat operation were the most critical human factors. Occupants who adjusted their thermostats a few degrees cooler in winter and warmer in summer realized measurable savings. Occupants who turned their heating and cooling equipment off when they were not home used significantly less energy for heating and cooling. These factors far outweighed any impact from vegetation on annual energy consumption. While trees should not be considered as a primary means of reducing annual energy consumption, properly placed vegetation can provide aesthetic benefits and increase the thermal comfort of the occupants.

Nowadays, buildings are responsible for the 40% of energy consumption in the European Union, with energy up to 68% being coherent with thermal loads. Acknowledging the great potential of building sector, a substantial amount of the current building inventory must be refurbished, based on the trade-offs between energy and thermal comfort. To this effect, this study investigates the impact of retrofitting measures in residential envelope for areas experience Mediterranean climate. Seven detached houses, located in Cyprus, were modelled, investigating 253 parameters of envelope interventions and also, 7,056 combinations of these measures. In general, the findings revealed a seasonal performance variation of interventions with regards to the outdoor climate. The application of roof insulation determined as the most economic viable solution during retrofitting (single interventions), achieving a reduction up to 25% of annual energy consumption with enhancement of the indoor thermal environment. In the perspective of synergies between interventions, the application of roof and external walls thermal insulation with upgrade of glazing system with double Low-E demonstrated exemplary levels of performance decreasing on average energy consumption up to 38%.The findings of this research will contribute on the development of guidelines for designers and house builders for a perceptual retrofitting of existing residential envelopes in Cyprus and also, for countries experiencing the Mediterranean climate.

M.A. (Psychology) / The general aim of this study is to determine the effect of the residential environment (comprising the community, neighborhood and residential unit) on the quality of life of Coloureds living in Mitchells Plain, Elsies River and other parts of the Cape Town metropolitan area. For the purpose of this study, "quality of life" is described as the satisfaction or dissatisfaction experienced with the physical and social environment and economic conditions in general ...

No século XIX, a cidade de Ribeirão Preto (distante 314 kilometros de São Paulo) concentrou riqueza com as lavouras de café, sendo cenário de arquiteturas que em nada deviam ao de outras cidades importantes no interior do Estado de São Paulo. São poucos os exemplares de casarões e palacetes que restaram na cidade, porém, devidamente tombados ou em processo para garantir seu legado. A preservação de tais arquiteturas está constantemente em foco na mídia, conscientizando a população sobre sua importância. A preservação da arquitetura de Ribeirão Preto, não recebe a mesma atenção quando focamos na produção de residências modernas, do início da segunda metade do século XX, cobrindo as décadas de 1950, 1960 e 1970. Esta dissertação se apoia no levantamento, discussão e questionamento da preservação dessas obras, através de suas representações: registros fotográficos, entrevistas com arquitetos e moradores, projetos de aprovação na prefeitura do município e bibliografia. Caminhando pela cidade nos dias atuais, encontramos bairros com arquiteturas residenciais que ainda conservam suas características originais. Essas casas são de autoria dos primeiros profissionais arquitetos da cidade, em bairros, no princípio, estritamente residenciais. Um exemplo dentro dessa produção, são as primeiras casas projetadas pelos arquitetos Cássio Pinheiro Gonçalves e Ijair Cunha, formados nas primeiras turmas da FAU Mackenzie (1950) e FAUUSP (1952), que ditam relações diferentes entre o público e privado, casas em consonância com uma vanguarda de projetos residenciais modernos produzidos na época, principalmente na cidade de São Paulo, cujos sistemas construtivos, relações com o entorno e plasticidade estavam em conflito com os padrões arquitetônicos de seu tempo. Em Ribeirão Preto, nos bairros Jardim Sumaré e Alto da Boa Vista essas arquiteturas residenciais projetadas por jovens urbanistas, persistem como memória de uma cidade possível, idealizada, que não se consolidou. Hoje, essas casas passam despercebidas ao olhar rotineiro de quem cruza esses bairros, cada vez mais ocupados por edifícios comerciais que descaracterizam suas conformações de outrora. Quando essas residências começam a ser demolidas, cabe ao levantamento fotográfico, apoiado pela rede social Arquigrafia, planejado e registrado sempre da perspectiva de quem observa essas arquiteturas da rua, garantir que esse legado possa ser preservado. Um primeiro levantamento geral, criando o escopo dessa produção nunca antes divulgada, é o primeiro passo de um modelo de levantamento que poderia ser replicado, que garantiria um banco de dados de representações de projetos arquitetônicos, na figura da rede social Arquigrafia, para futuros estudos e entendimento do real escopo da produção arquitetônica modernista brasileira, além da arquitetura \"oficial\". Como são projetos pouco divulgados, sua exposição, através de documentos originais, fotografias e desenhos, bem como de registros orais das pessoas envolvidas em suas construções, contribui para a história da arquitetura brasileira, para a construção de conhecimento sobre projeto, representação, e imaginário urbano moderno no Brasil. Sendo a residência unifamiliar o programa mais comum em nossas cidades, seu estudo contribui para o esclarecimento dos caminhos que levaram nossa profissão a seu atual papel na produção da paisagem urbana contemporânea. / In the XIX century, the city of Ribeirão Preto (314 kilometers from São Paulo) gathered wealth within Coffee agriculture crop, establishing a peculiar architectural basis compared to other important cities in the São Paulo State. That are only a few dwellings and \"palacetes\" that remain in the city, nevertheless rightly preserved or in the process to guarantee it\'s legacy. The preservation of such pieces of architecture is constantly in the media\'s focus, raising the population awareness about its importance. Even though the preservation of Ribeirão Preto\'s modern residential architecture from the 1950\'s, 1960\'s and 1970\'s decades has not been given the deserved importance. This dissertation is supported by a discussion and questioning about the preservation of such production through its representations: photographs, interviews with architects and dwellers, approval projects in the city hall and bibliography. Walking by the city, one can find neighborhoods with dwellings that still preserve their original characteristics. The prime architects to work in the city, in strictly residential neighborhoods, author these dwellings. Good examples are the dwellings designed by the architects Cássio Pinheiro Gonçalves and Ijair Cunha, graduated in the first classes of Architecture and Urbanism in the Mackenzie Presbyterian University (1950) and the University of São Paulo (1952), which dictated different relations with public and private spaces, projects in consonance with the Avant-garde modern architecture designs produced in that period of time, mainly in the city of São Paulo, whose constructive systems, relation with the surroundings and aesthetic were in conflict with the architectural patterns of it\'s time. In Ribeirão Preto, in Jardim Sumaré and Alto da Boa Vista neighborhoods, these architecture dwellings designed by young urbanists, persist as a memory of an idealized city that has not consolidate itself. Nowadays, these houses are unnoticed to the population\'s sight, in neighborhoods that are occupied by commercial buildings that demeanor the original residential landscape. Once these dwellings begin to be demolished, photographic registers, backed up by the collaborative social media Arquigrafia, planned always by a street view perspective, guarantee that this legacy can be preserved. A general research creating a scope of this never yet disclosed architectural production, is the first step to a research model that can be replicated, that guarantees a representation databank of architectural design such as the social media Arquigrafia, to future studies of the real scope of such Brazilian modern architectural production, beyond the \"official\" architecture. The disclosure of original documents, photographs and drawings, as well as oral registers of people involved in its constructions, contribute to the modern architecture history, to the construction of knowledge about project, representation and modern urban imaginary in Brazil. The single-family dwellings are the most common architectural program in the cities and its studies clarify one of the architectural professional paths and its current role into the contemporary urban landscape.