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Envelopes with low thermal performance are common characteristics in European historic buildings resulting in insufficient thermal comfort and higher energy use compared to modern buildings. There are different types of applications for the European historic buildings such as historic churches, historic museums, historic theatres, etc. In historic buildings refurbished to offices, it is vital to improve thermal comfort for the staff. Improving thermal comfort should not increase, preferably reduce, energy use in the building. The overall aim in this research is to explore how to improve thermal comfort in historic buildings without increasing, preferably reducing, energy use with the application of non-intrusive methods. This is done in form of a case study in Sweden. Thermal comfort issues in the case study building are determined through a field study. The methods include field measurements with thermal comfort equipment, data logging on BMS, and evaluating the occupant’s perception of a summer and a winter period indoor environment using a standardized questionnaire. According to questionnaire and thermal comfort measurements results, it is revealed that the summer period has the most dissatisfied occupants, while winter thermal comfort is satisfactory – but not exceptionally good. Accordingly, natural heat sinks could be used in form of NV, as a non/intrusive method, in order to improve thermal comfort in the building. For the historic building equipped with mechanical ventilation, NV strategy has the potential to both improve thermal comfort and reduce the total electricity use for cooling (i.e. electricity use in the cooling machine + the electricity use in the ventilation unit’s fans). It could decrease the percentage of exceedance hours in offices by up to 33% and reduce the total electricity use for cooling by up to 40%. The optimal (maximum) NV rate (i.e. the potential of NV strategy) is dependent on the thermal mass capacity of the building, the available NV cooling potential (dependent on the ambient air temperature), COP value of the cooling machine, the SFP model of the fans (low SFP value for high NV rate is optimal), and the offices’ door scheme (open or closed doors).

The energy retrofit of existing buildings has always been a challenging task to accomplish. The example of the Swecohuset building, proves how an integrated approach design between architectural and energetic aspects as well as the use of well-known and efficient technologies are key aspects to achieve the energy-saving goal. This work, in the first part describes the Swecohuset retrofit process, along with the reasons behind the choices which have led to the current result of a reduction by 2/3 of the energy need for space conditioning purposes. Then, in the second part, after a brief focus on the passive aspects which characterize the current energy performance of the building, it is carried out a feasibility analysis of an EWIS (external wall insulation system) by studying its interaction with a complex system as an optimization problem, with the main purpose of understanding the basis of the BPO and explore further building potentialities. / SIRen

Decisions made at the early stage of building design can significantly influence theenvironmental, energy and economic performance of buildings. Future homeowners anddevelopers often have to make decisions concerning the design and specification of thebuilding. These choices are usually governed by functionality, aesthetics, cost, materialavailability, etc. Except for decisions related to long-term performances, they are relativelyeasy and straightforward to make. Long-term performance assessments that consider theimpact of a product over its lifetime, requires thorough research. Due to the lack of studies onthe long-term benefits and performance of different building design options, homeowners anddevelopers often base their decisions on short-term financial benefits, ignoring long-termbenefits. This may lead to incorrect decisions that are difficult to correct.Within this context, the aim of this study is to compare the long-term economic viability ofdifferent external timber wall construction types. By doing so, our goal is to address the lackof techno-economic studies within the construction industry and thus, to assist the decisionmakingof Swedish homeowners and developers. We evaluate the economic performance ofthree wooden wall construction alternatives—that of IsoTimber, cross-laminated timber(CLT), and timber frame walls—via thirteen wall assembly scenarios and two case housesfrom Bysjöstrand eco-village, Sweden. The scenarios account for variations in wall type andwall thicknesses. Our study utilizes an approach based on life cycle costing (LCC) andconsiders the capital cost and the present value of heating cost. The latter is calculated for 1m2of heated area of each case houses over a 40-year period. Indoor Climate and Energy software(IDA ICE) is used to estimate the heating energy use and the Bidcon program to estimate thematerials and labor costs for all cases. The study considered reasonable economic parameters,but to see their impact on the results and feasibility of wall constructions improving, sensitiveanalysis has been done using different values.The main finding of this thesis is that timber frame wall construction is the most economicchoice in the long term. In contrast, IsoTimber wall is the least economic choice, in general,and for two-story homes, in particular. Moreover, the present value total cost for IsoTimber intwo-story building is 5% higher than for a single-story building that has a similar U-value. Incontrast, it is 3% and 7% lower for CLT and timber frame walls respectively. Also, the resultsindicate that although the present value heating cost decreases with increasing wall thickness,this increase is considerably smaller than the increase in the capital cost. Finally, assumedeconomic factors affect the results greatly, but in general, improving the U-value of CLT wallconstruction might be the most profitable then timber frame comes after, and then IsoTimbercomes in the last. Along with, return economic benefit from the improvement of all studiedwall constructions in single-story building is higher than the benefit in two-story building.

No description available.

In the context of electricity, arbitrage trading involves taking advantage of existing price variations within electricity markets. The report conducted financial modelling for energy storage systems and demand-side load management for electricity arbitrage trading in single-family homes. The analysis included two different energy storage systems: a thermal energy storage system and a battery energy storage system. Additionally, electricity spot cost reduction was compared between electricity arbitrage trading and traditional energy efficiency measures such as air-to-water and ground-source heat pumps. The report's findings indicated that air-to-water and ground-source heat pumps emerged as the most economically viable choices for reducing electricity spot costs, irrespective of the studied electricity price area. The thermal energy storage system, employing an insulated hot water storage tank, ranked the third most efficient in achieving cost savings. The battery energy storage system, represented by a lithium home battery system, demonstrated the lowest rate of cost saving among the analyzed energy efficiency measures.  The financial modelling highlighted the economic potential for thermal energy storage systems, particularly in southern Sweden's electricity price areas SE3 and SE4. On the other hand, no economically viable options for battery energy storage systems were identified, regardless of the studied electricity price area. As a results, the report recommends utilizing thermal energy storage systems and implementing demand-side load management as strategies to hedge against future electricity price volatility.

När byggnader projekteras används klimatfiler från 1981-2010 för att dimensionera konstruktionen och energisystemet. Detta leder till att byggnader dimensioneras för ett klimat som varit och inte ett framtida klimat. SMHI har tagit fram olika klimatscenarier för framtiden som beskriver möjliga utvecklingar klimatet kan ta beroende på fortsatt utsläpp av växthusgaser. Dessa scenarier kallas för RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways). I denna studie används två olika klimatscenarier, RCP4,5 och RCP8,5. Siffran i namnet står för den strålningsdriving som förväntas uppnås år 2100. I RCP4,5 kommer medelårstemperaturen öka med 3 °C fram till år 2100 jämfört med referensperioden 1961-1990.  För samma tidsperiod sker en ökning på 5 °C enligt RCP8,5.  Ett flerbostadshus certifierad enligt Miljöbyggnad 2.2 nivå silver placerat i Vallentuna i Stockholms län används i denna studie som referensbyggnad. Byggnaden simuleras i programmet IDA ICE där den utsätts för RCP4,5 och RCP8,5. Resultatet visar att byggnaden inte skulle klara av kraven för Miljöbyggnad 2.2 gällande termiskt klimat sommar i något av de två klimatscenarierna. De operativa temperaturerna blir för höga i byggnaden utan att tillsätta komfortkyla.  Byggnaden ändras för att se vilka faktorer som kan förbättra resultatet gällande det termiska klimatet. Resultatet visar att värmelagringsförmåga hos byggmaterial och solavskärmning har störst påverkan på det termiska klimatet.  I studien gjordes flertal olika kombinationer av byggnadsutformningar. Enbart kombinationen av en tung stomme av betong tillsammans med fönster med lägre g-värde klarar kraven för Miljöbyggnad 2.2 i RCP4,5 och RCP8,5 utan komfortkyla. Kombinationen får lägst energianvändning i RCP8,5 av de olika kombinationerna som testats i studien.  En kombination av tung stomme av KL-trä med lågt U-värde, fönster med lägre g-värde och komfortkyla får lägst energianvändning i grundklimatet och RCP4,5 av de olika kombinationerna som testats i studien trots användningen av komfortkyla.  Frågan om vilket alternativ som är bäst ur ett hållbarhetsperspektiv är svårt att svara på. Det finns många aspekter som behöver tas i hänsyn till som byggnadens totala klimatavtryck både i tillverkning och användning. Oavsett val av konstruktion är det viktigt att projektera för att komfortkyla och solavskärmning skall kunna appliceras när ett varmare klimat råder. / When buildings are designed climate files from 1981 to 2010 are used to construct the building and its energy system. This leads to building being designed to a climate that has been and not to a future warmer climate that will come. SMHI has developed different climate scenarios for the future that describe different paths the climate can take depending on continued emissions of greenhouse gas. This climate scenarios are called RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways) In this study two of the climate scenarios, RCP4,5 and RCP8,5 are used. The number in the name stands for the radiation forcing that is expected in the year 2100.  In RCP4,5 the mean average air temperature will increase with 3 °C until year 2100 compared to the reference period 1961-1990. In the same time period RCP8,5 will increase with 5 °C.  An apartment building certified according to Miljöbyggnad 2.2 level silver placed in Vallentuna, Stockholms län is used as a reference building. The building is simulated through the simulation software program IDA ICE where it´s exposed to RCP4,5 and RCP8,5. The results demonstrate that the reference building would not meet Miljöbyggnad 2.2 requirement in the indicator about thermal comfort during summer. The operative temperature in the building is too high unless comfort cooling is used.  The design of the building changes to see what factors can improve the results regarding the thermal comfort. The results demonstrate that thermal conductivity and solar shading has the greatest impact on thermal comfort.  In this study several combinations of different building designs were made. Only the combination of a concrete frame with windows with low g-value met the requirement of Miljöbyggnad 2.2 regarding the thermal comfort during summer without using comfort cooling in RCP4,5 and RCP8,5. The combination had the lowest energy demand in RCP8,5 of all the combinations tested in the study.  A combination of cross laminated wood frame with low U-value, windows with low g-value and comfort cooling had the lowest energy demand in the original climate file and RCP4,5 despite the use of comfort cooling.  The questing about which building construction is the best from a sustainable perspective is difficult to answer. To answer that question the building´s total climate footprint in both production and use must be calculated. Regardless of the choice of building construction it is important to have in mind when designing a building that comfort cooling and solar shading should be easily applied when a warmer climate will prevail.

Background Iron deficiency (ID) is the world‟s most prevalent micronutrient deficiency and predominantly affects developing countries, also South Africa. In areas with low fish consumption and high n-6 PUFA vegetable oil intake, there is a risk for having inadequate n-3 PUFA status. Both iron and n-3 PUFA play important roles in the immune response, and supplementation is a strategy to alleviate deficiencies. However, little is known about potential interactive effects between concurrent iron and n-3 PUFA supplementation on the immune system. This is also important in the context that iron supplementation may be unsafe and may increase morbidity and mortality. Aim The overall aim of this thesis was to assess the effects of iron and docosahexaenoic (DHA)/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) supplementation, alone and in combination, on the immune system of ID children. More specifically, these effects were investigated on the occurrence and duration of illness and school-absenteeism due to illness, peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), red blood cell (RBC) and plasma total phospholipid fatty acid composition, iron status, fatty acid-derived immune modulators and targeted PBMC gene expression. Furthermore, association of PBMC, RBC and plasma total phospholipid fatty acid composition with allergic disease, were also examined. Design In a 2-by-2 factorial, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, South African children (n = 321, aged 6–11 y) were randomly assigned to receive oral supplements of either 1) iron (50 mg as ferrous sulphate) plus placebo; 2) DHA/EPA (420/80 mg) plus placebo; 3) iron plus DHA/EPA (420/80 mg); or 4) placebo plus placebo for 8.5 mo, four times per week. Absenteeism and illness symptoms were recorded and biochemical parameters for compliance as well as parameters fundamental to immune function were assessed at baseline and endpoint. Furthermore, in a cross-sectional design, associations of allergic disease with baseline fatty acid composition of PBMC, RBC and plasma were examined. Results The combination of iron and DHA/EPA significantly attenuated respiratory illness caused by iron supplementation. DHA/EPA supplementation alone improved respiratory symptoms at school, but increased headache-related absenteeism. DHA/EPA and iron supplementation individually tended to increase and decrease anti-inflammatory DHA and EPA-derived mediators, respectively. Furthermore the anti-inflammatory DHA-derived immune mediator, 17HDHA was higher in the DHA/EPA plus placebo and iron plus DHA/EPA groups than in the iron plus placebo group. Also, the pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid (AA)-derived modulators (5- and 15-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid) were significantly lower in the iron plus DHA/EPA group compared to the placebo plus placebo groups. In the study population, 27.2% of the children had allergic disease and AA in PBMC phospholipids was significantly lower in the allergic children than in the non-allergic children. In RBC phospholipids dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) and the ratio of DGLA: linoleic acid (LA) correlated negatively and the n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio positively with total immunoglobulin E (tIgE). Furthermore, trans-C18:1n-9, tended to be higher in the allergic group. Conclusion DHA/EPA prevented respiratory illness caused by iron supplementation and although DHA/EPA on its own reduced respiratory morbidity when the children were present at school, surprisingly it increased the likelihood of being absent with headache and fever. The biochemical findings compliment the clinical results and support previous observations about DHA/EPA supplementation to reduce inflammation, but add to the current knowledge base that a relatively high oral dose of non-haem iron modulates circulating lipid-derived immune modulators and related gene expression. Furthermore, when supplementing with iron and DHA/EPA combined, in this ID population with low fish intake, the anti-inflammatory effect of DHA/EPA is maintained concurrently with attenuation of respiratory morbidity. This finding support the notion that excess iron (probably as non-transferrin bound iron) becomes available for pathogens and is probably why we found that iron increased respiratory infectious morbidity. The improved clinical outcome with combined supplementation seems to be related to increased lipid-mediator synthesis gene expression and the availability of DHA/EPA, leading to a more pro-resolving profile and enhanced immune competence. Overall these results give better insight into immune function and infectious morbidity in relation to n-3 PUFA and iron status and treatment, as well as the possible association of fatty acid status with allergic disease in young South-African school children. / PhD (Nutrition), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Background Iron deficiency (ID) is the world‟s most prevalent micronutrient deficiency and predominantly affects developing countries, also South Africa. In areas with low fish consumption and high n-6 PUFA vegetable oil intake, there is a risk for having inadequate n-3 PUFA status. Both iron and n-3 PUFA play important roles in the immune response, and supplementation is a strategy to alleviate deficiencies. However, little is known about potential interactive effects between concurrent iron and n-3 PUFA supplementation on the immune system. This is also important in the context that iron supplementation may be unsafe and may increase morbidity and mortality. Aim The overall aim of this thesis was to assess the effects of iron and docosahexaenoic (DHA)/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) supplementation, alone and in combination, on the immune system of ID children. More specifically, these effects were investigated on the occurrence and duration of illness and school-absenteeism due to illness, peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), red blood cell (RBC) and plasma total phospholipid fatty acid composition, iron status, fatty acid-derived immune modulators and targeted PBMC gene expression. Furthermore, association of PBMC, RBC and plasma total phospholipid fatty acid composition with allergic disease, were also examined. Design In a 2-by-2 factorial, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, South African children (n = 321, aged 6–11 y) were randomly assigned to receive oral supplements of either 1) iron (50 mg as ferrous sulphate) plus placebo; 2) DHA/EPA (420/80 mg) plus placebo; 3) iron plus DHA/EPA (420/80 mg); or 4) placebo plus placebo for 8.5 mo, four times per week. Absenteeism and illness symptoms were recorded and biochemical parameters for compliance as well as parameters fundamental to immune function were assessed at baseline and endpoint. Furthermore, in a cross-sectional design, associations of allergic disease with baseline fatty acid composition of PBMC, RBC and plasma were examined. Results The combination of iron and DHA/EPA significantly attenuated respiratory illness caused by iron supplementation. DHA/EPA supplementation alone improved respiratory symptoms at school, but increased headache-related absenteeism. DHA/EPA and iron supplementation individually tended to increase and decrease anti-inflammatory DHA and EPA-derived mediators, respectively. Furthermore the anti-inflammatory DHA-derived immune mediator, 17HDHA was higher in the DHA/EPA plus placebo and iron plus DHA/EPA groups than in the iron plus placebo group. Also, the pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid (AA)-derived modulators (5- and 15-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid) were significantly lower in the iron plus DHA/EPA group compared to the placebo plus placebo groups. In the study population, 27.2% of the children had allergic disease and AA in PBMC phospholipids was significantly lower in the allergic children than in the non-allergic children. In RBC phospholipids dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) and the ratio of DGLA: linoleic acid (LA) correlated negatively and the n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio positively with total immunoglobulin E (tIgE). Furthermore, trans-C18:1n-9, tended to be higher in the allergic group. Conclusion DHA/EPA prevented respiratory illness caused by iron supplementation and although DHA/EPA on its own reduced respiratory morbidity when the children were present at school, surprisingly it increased the likelihood of being absent with headache and fever. The biochemical findings compliment the clinical results and support previous observations about DHA/EPA supplementation to reduce inflammation, but add to the current knowledge base that a relatively high oral dose of non-haem iron modulates circulating lipid-derived immune modulators and related gene expression. Furthermore, when supplementing with iron and DHA/EPA combined, in this ID population with low fish intake, the anti-inflammatory effect of DHA/EPA is maintained concurrently with attenuation of respiratory morbidity. This finding support the notion that excess iron (probably as non-transferrin bound iron) becomes available for pathogens and is probably why we found that iron increased respiratory infectious morbidity. The improved clinical outcome with combined supplementation seems to be related to increased lipid-mediator synthesis gene expression and the availability of DHA/EPA, leading to a more pro-resolving profile and enhanced immune competence. Overall these results give better insight into immune function and infectious morbidity in relation to n-3 PUFA and iron status and treatment, as well as the possible association of fatty acid status with allergic disease in young South-African school children. / PhD (Nutrition), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This thesis is a study into the response and seismic safety of three-dimensional multi-storey concrete structures under concurrent orthogonal seismic excitations. It employs the nonlinear time-history method as its analysis tools. Time-history analyses rely heavily on their utilised earthquake records. Accordingly, this study examines the different approaches of selecting earthquake suites and develops a methodology of selecting representative earthquake scenarios. This methodology is credibly implemented in selecting a far- and a near field suites representative of the New Zealand seismic hazard. The study investigates the response of 6-, 9- and 12-storey concrete structures of different n-X-bays × m-Y-bays. Bidirectional responses of these considered structures are examined and consequently the current combination rules are scrutinised. Consequently this study strongly recommends the use of the 40-percent combination rule in lieu of the widely used 30-percent rule; and the use of time-history analysis in lieu of quasi/equivalent static and response modal analysis methods to avoid their strong dependence on combination rules. An intensive study is conducted employing the incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) technique to investigate structural demands of interstorey drifts, lateral storey drifts and storey accelerations. The study utilises the developed far-field suite and identifies the 50th and 90th percentile demands. Hence it provides easy-to-use expressions to facilitate rapid calculation of the structural demands and the effects of biaxial interactions. An implementation into the Demand and Capacity Factor Design (DCFD) format is presented that infers confidence in the performance levels of the considered structures. The study also draws attention to the importance of considering storey accelerations as their storey values reach as high as 10 × PGA. A sensitivity study is conducted by repeating the IDA investigation while using the developed near-field suite. Subsequently a comparison between the near- and the far-field results is conducted. The results were markedly similar albeit of less magnitudes until the (seismic hazard) intensity measure IM = Sa(T₁) = 0.4g when the near-field results show sudden flat large increase in demands suggesting a brittle collapse. This is attributed to the higher content of the higher mode frequencies contained in near-field ground motions. Finally, the study examines the (vectorial) radial horizontal shear demands in columns and beam-column joints of the previous far- and near-field studies. The combined radial shear demands in corner, edge and internal columns and joints are evaluated that roughly show a square-root proportional relationship with IM that exhibit somewhat brittle failure at IM ≥ 0.35g. Shears demands in the (4-way) internal columns and the (2-way) corner joints show highest magnitude in their respective class. The results suggest transverse joint shear reinforcement of 1.5, 1.0 and 0.5 of the longitudinal reinforcement of the neighbouring beam respectively for corner, edge and internal joints. An implementation of a proposed practical (and simpler) DCFD format shows satisfactory confidence in columns performance in shear up to IM = 0.35g, conversely to joints unsatisfactory performance in shear at the onset of inelastic behaviour (IM > 0.05g).