Increase in urbanization and industrialization around the world in recent years has led to a consequent rise in energy demand. In recent years it has been reported that approximately 75% of generated power is consumed in cities. It also worth to mention that about 50% energy consumption in U.S is in building sector which 41.7% is for operating buildings. With the global energy demand in 2040 being expected to be about 30% higher than that of 2010. For this reasons, an urgent need for the incorporation of alternative energy as well as energy efficiency measures has to be incorporated in urban planning and construction. Until now, two main approaches that have been integrated into large scale wind energy in urban settings are either locating wind energy farm in the periphery of the urban areas or integration of wind energy systems into the building design. It was observed that the installation of wind turbines in order to meet 10–15% of global energy demand might cause surface warming by increasing the temperature by 1 °C on land. Moreover, there some issues that can be considered as a disadvantage for large wind turbines. For Instance: noise production, the social aesthetic acceptability, negative impact on birds, the cost of maintenance, transportation, sufficient infrastructure and etc. In contrast to large-scale wind turbines, small wind turbines are much simpler and exploitation of building. In high-rise buildings, the heights and onsite energy generation imply an absence of big towers required to capture high wind speeds and minimum transmission losses, as well as a contribution to the configuration of zero-energy buildings. On the other hand, to improve safety and serviceability of super-tall buildings in strong winds, aerodynamic optimization of building shapes is considered to be the most efficient approach. Aerodynamic optimization is aimed at increasing the structural resistance against winds. The idea of generating wind power in high rise buildings is experienced in some constructions that the further study reveals the cons and pros about them. The Pearl River Tower, which is one of the latest and successful building in this type, considered as the case study for this research. The research proposing the distributed opening as an effective modification to improve the aerodynamic behavior of the high rise buildings and devising the micro-turbine within the penetration for wind energy generating. The CFD simulation shows the improvement in coefficient drag factor in the proposal design option and the wind tunnel test reveals better aerodynamic performance as well. The conclusion shows better performance for wind harvesting and wind energy generating beside reducing the structural weight that would be needed in comparison to the original building. On the other hand, the proposal design shows more lift forces on the building and the other challenging issue would be maintenance the higher number of the small turbine. The further study will be needed to controlling the vibration and noise level inside the wind ducts and optimizing the wind penetration pattern on the building façade.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2005. / Adviser: Tse Ming Chung. Includes bibliographical references (p. 311-323)

The urbanized congregate housing and commercial buildings have long developed towards the super high-rise, enlarged and complex composition. The application, identification, usage and administration of such buildings are more complicated than general buildings; so too the fire facilities, organization, training, operation and management. Such tendency of development on super high-rise and large buildings is evident everywhere in various cities. In the area of fire prevention, there will be greater challenges. The general public remains ignorant about disaster prevention, while government authorities do not integrate and enhance regulation on categorization and identification of construction for super high-rise buildings with different applications and scales. Without accumulating our capabilities for fire prevention, it is likely incur the loss of countless lives and property in general buildings when disaster occurs. Since the implementation of the fire administration system in Taiwan from 1995, certain results have been achieved and further development is expected. However, it is found from literature review and questionnaire of this study that there are still many improvements to be made. Among numerous problems, ¡§Human negligence¡¨ covers most of the cases, which also verifies the perspective discussed in the study that ¡§people¡¨ are the keys to fire administration. Therefore, it is deemed in this study that in a super high-rise composite (general super high-rise), the caretaker, fire administrator, mutual fire administrator, professional building administration (security) company and various fire squads be the key persons to promote fire administration. Whether it is the administrational obligation of fire safety or fire rescue, the abovementioned units must link, cooperate and integrate with each other to form a group, so the capability of administrating fire safety of each super high-rise building can be controlled adequately. From various problems witnessed in this study, the following strategies are drafted to correspond with administration, which is expected to integrate the administrational level of fire safety. Under well mechanism of administration, the capacity of fire prevention can be reflected for reducing fire accidents to minimum: 1. Enhance administrative obligation and command mechanism of fire prevention for composite super high-rise buildings. 2. Establish administrative capability of fire prevention from professional building administration (security) company. 3. Regulate the categorization and identification of construction for super high-rise buildings with different applications and scales. 4. Integrate the capacity of fire prevention, operation in fire field and building¡¦s disaster prevention for unified correspondence. 5. Request the government to promote publication and incentive system for information on administration and examination of fire safety.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 264-277). Also available online.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-65).

Building tall has always been an expression of dreams, power and technical advancement. With the greatly increasing urbanization in recent years building tall has become a more viable option for office and residential housing. The Tubed mega frame concept tries to evolve the stabilizing systems of high-rise buildings with its mega frame around the buildings perimeter, created together with a new elevator system; the Articulated Funiculator. This thesis examines the effectiveness of the Tubed mega frame compared to other structural systems. Information and background has been taken from different types of literature, analysis programs and verbally from supervisors; Fritz King and Peter Severin. Using Finite Element Method (FEM-) programs studies on previously used structural systems along with the Tubed mega frame has been made, trying to draw conclusions about its advantages and drawbacks. The examinations have been done using SAP2000and ETABS, both developed by CSI. The tubed mega frame shows to require a large amount of concrete compared to other systems at lower heights, because of its geometry. As the height increases it does show an increase in effectiveness and by the time it reaches 480 meters it is using less materials and still achieving greater stiffness than other systems. Since the geometry of the Tubed mega frame is so flexible a conclusion is also made that the stiffness can be increased by sacrificing façade area or creating longer outriggers.

After the industrial revolution, the increase in population of urban centres created a severe housing shortage. In North America there were two contrasting responses to house the masses, the urban tower and the garden city suburb. These solutions have since been criticised harshly as blunders of modernism. Today, we are undergoing unprecedented urbanisation and a changing paradigm. We are again in a position where the idea of mass housing needs to be rethought. Low-rise mixed-use neighbourhoods, such as Montreal’s Plateau, can provide sustainable vibrant urban environments. However, given the current paradigm, there are instances where buildings of higher density are necessary. How can successful urban neighbourhoods be re-interpreted to develop a design methodology for buildings of higher density?

Thesis (M. Hous. M.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 76-77)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 264-277). Also available in print.

Thesis (M. Hous. M.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-73).