Due to lacking of natural resources, the major energy utilized in Taiwan are mostly imported, including oil (50.9%), Coal (32.3%), and natural gas (8.1%), nuclear (7.3%) and hydraulic power (1.4%). Therefore, energy saving strategies have become a global trend and needs immediate action so that CO2 emission can be reduced. To coup with the Kyoto protocol, building energy conservation has been deemed as a policy of no regret and aiming at 20% savings in the whole nation. In this research, building energy conservation strategies, especially on HVAC systems which have been widely adapted in Taiwan will be analyzed and validated with full-scale experimental results. Efforts will be especially focused on commercial and residential buildings, so that their energy savings effect can be analyzed quantitatively.

Designing wind driven cross ventilation for a building is challenging due to the dynamic characteristics of wind. While numerous studies have studied various aspects of cross ventilation, few have had an opportunity to examine the topic with a holistic approach utilizing multiple research techniques. Thus, this dissertation combined three different investigation methods: wind tunnel analysis, full scale experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to examine the physics of wind driven cross ventilation. Following the systematic approaches of the three methods, this study first conducted full scale measurements of wind properties, façade pressures, air flow rates through small window openings, and tracer gas concentrations in a multi-zone test house. Secondly, a scaled model of the test house was studied in a boundary layer wind tunnel (BLWT) for its façade pressures and ventilation rate under various wind incident angles. Finally, a CFD model of the test house was simulated under various constraints to determine the factors which affect indoor air distribution during wind driven cross ventilation events. The full scale experimental results showed a strong correlation between the cross ventilation rate and the wind velocity component normal to the inlet openings. This correlation suggested that the cross ventilation flow rate could be estimated from wind conditions alone. A closer examination of the wind characteristics also revealed that the cyclical pattern of changing wind direction could be impacted by obstructions which are kilometers upwind, suggesting that distant landscapes could have an impact on cross ventilation flows. The combination of CFD and full scale measurements also showed that local heat sources can generate significant buoyancy driven flow and affect indoor mixing during wind-driven cross ventilation scenarios. Experimentally validated parametric CFD analyses demonstrated the effect of interior heat loads in driving internal airflow, and suggest that a small source (35W/m2) can increase the indoor mixing from less than 1 ACH to 8 ACH between indoor spaces. Finally, the wind tunnel and CFD coupled analysis was found to predict the cross ventilation flow which was also validated against the full scaled measurements. The prediction, which may only be applicable to similar building types with small openings, showed significant agreement that such method has potential as an innovative design tool for natural ventilation in buildings. / text

During the past couple of decades, developing buildings that are actually sensitive to the needs of the environment has started to be a common trend. Today, the green building movement has reached all corners of the United States and even the world. The United States Green Building Council formed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system to serve as a guideline for measuring the degree to which a building is considered to be environmentally friendly and “green”. The LEED system outlines a number of requirements necessary to achieve one of four different certification levels: Platinum, Gold, Silver or Certified. Each of these levels requires a different number of points awarded based on achievement of various credits during the design and construction phases of a building project. The purpose of this study is two-fold. First, it is to explore the green building movement and discuss the overall benefits of building green. Included in this is a discussion of what it actually means to develop a LEED Certified building, and what a building’s certification status means for both short and long-term costs and benefits toward meeting a developer’s desired bottom line. Secondly, building on that investigation, a determination will be made as to whether or not it is financially viable for a developer to construct a LEED Certified building in Austin, Texas and still achieve his or her desired bottom line as it relates to his or her profit margin. / text

As the population of the United States continues to grow as projected, it is clear that the need for new homes will grow with it. At the same time, there is increasing dissatisfaction with conventional sprawling suburban development. In response to this dissatisfaction, new types of alternative or “green” Greenfield developments are appearing all over the country. What these developments have in common is that they all strive to be better than conventional suburban development; better places to live that are also better for the environment. This report compiles a database of these different developments and their characteristics. Next, it examines if these “green” residential developments are in fact a success in the marketplace. To do this it looks at conventional and innovative real estate evaluation methods. A new evaluation tool that can be used to evaluate the market acceptance of the new generation of “green” Greenfield development is then proposed. Finally, the need for further study including the creation of an evaluation tool to measure the environmental “success” of these projects is examined. / text

Despite the considerable improvements in housing conditions during the last decade, housing still remains a critical determinant of one’s health. Broader social and environmental issues that are associated with housing and health problems have emerged. Such issues include neighborhood characteristics, individual behaviors and associated health outcomes, social backgrounds, and housing affordability as well as the physical conditions of housing. Many low-income families’ substandard housing conditions make them suffer from housing-related health problems more seriously. This report suggests a green affordable housing program, in particular Green Communities, as one of the solutions to address this issue. To understand how Green Communities affects one’s health, this report evaluates existing Green Communities’ criteria against housing health performance criteria that are developed based on a literature review. After the evaluation, this report suggests how current green affordable housing practices can be improved to be a health promotion tool. / text

Sustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone / Climate change is gaining speed and affecting the life on earth in increasingly drastic ways. Humans are the main cause for climate change with the primary driver being amplified greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Burning of fossil fuels and deforestation are the largest contributors of greenhouse gases, and both are done for human needs and comfort. A major source of greenhouse gases is the energy used to run buildings. Specifically, heating, cooling, and lighting are the largest users of electric; therefore, the largest contributors to climate change. This report takes an in depth look at building energy uses, how the energy used for these systems can be reduced, and how much carbon emissions can be cut by implementing appropriate design strategies and using proper materials for the climate. Computer programs COMcheck and eQUEST were used to analyze building energy performance and analyze the effect of alternate energy strategies. The results show that minimal modifications at the design stage of planning a building can decrease energy needs by up to 45% by passively using the environment as a power source. The results also display that using sensible materials can have a big impact on the long-term carbon emissions of a building. The analysis for this report was designed specifically for commercial buildings; therefore, future research would include the carbon emission analysis for residential buildings.

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An individual’s housing situation can have a significant impact on their well-being and overall health. Low-income individuals and those on social assistance often have little choice in housing. Increased housing satisfaction can have an immediate impact on quality of life and can also have influence in the longer-term. This case study examines the satisfaction and well-being of tenants in a Winnipeg, Manitoba low-income housing project. The buildings that are part of the Kikinaw Housing Project were renovated using green building strategies, a tenant-centred management model is being implemented, and there are several social supports available exclusively to tenants. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with tenants, support staff and management. The practicum concludes that tenants are more satisfied with their living conditions at Kikinaw compared to their previous residence. Residents generally feel better about their health, have more social ties, and take pride in their homes. This improvement in tenant’s lives in turn strengthens the community. The practicum concludes with eight recommendations for housing providers, policy makers, and government bodies. These are divided into three categories: delivery of services, funding provisions and policy, and green and community enhancements. Recommendations include: i) more tenant involvement, ii) improving people’s ability to deal with stress, iii) flexible funding and support, iv) consistent funding and cooperation, v) enhancing social interaction and community, vi) green housing for all incomes levels, vii) resident education about the project, viii) healthy housing policy and healthy public policy.

An individual’s housing situation can have a significant impact on their well-being and overall health. Low-income individuals and those on social assistance often have little choice in housing. Increased housing satisfaction can have an immediate impact on quality of life and can also have influence in the longer-term. This case study examines the satisfaction and well-being of tenants in a Winnipeg, Manitoba low-income housing project. The buildings that are part of the Kikinaw Housing Project were renovated using green building strategies, a tenant-centred management model is being implemented, and there are several social supports available exclusively to tenants. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with tenants, support staff and management. The practicum concludes that tenants are more satisfied with their living conditions at Kikinaw compared to their previous residence. Residents generally feel better about their health, have more social ties, and take pride in their homes. This improvement in tenant’s lives in turn strengthens the community. The practicum concludes with eight recommendations for housing providers, policy makers, and government bodies. These are divided into three categories: delivery of services, funding provisions and policy, and green and community enhancements. Recommendations include: i) more tenant involvement, ii) improving people’s ability to deal with stress, iii) flexible funding and support, iv) consistent funding and cooperation, v) enhancing social interaction and community, vi) green housing for all incomes levels, vii) resident education about the project, viii) healthy housing policy and healthy public policy.

A building is not independent from the people who inhabit it. Humans play an important role in determining the resource consumption of buildings. This thesis argues that it is essential for rating systems like LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), that promote green building to include occupant engagement as an important part of the sustainable building equation. Occupant engagement, which includes connecting residents to the sustainable capacity of their buildings, has the potential to lead to reductions in resource consumption and to create a culture of sustainability and awareness. Through a case study of Pomona College strategies for occupant engagement, such as signage and feedback, are investigated more closely. This thesis makes recommendations on how to improve occupant engagement at Pomona College, and how these best practices can be applied on a larger scale.