Abstract Global warming has set in motion a trend for cutting energy costs to reduce the carbon footprint. Reducing energy consumption, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and eliminating energy wastage are among the main goals of the European Union (EU). The buildings sector is the largest user of energy and CO2 emitter in the EU, estimated at approximately 40% of the total consumption. According to the International Panel on Climate Change, 30% of the energy used in buildings could be reduced with net economic benefits by 2030. At the same time, indoor air quality is recognized more and more as a distinct health hazard. Because of these two factors, energy efficiency and healthy housing have become active topics in international research. The main aims of this thesis were to study and develop a wireless building monitoring and control system that will produce valuable information and services for end-users using computational methods. In addition, the technology developed in this thesis relies heavily on building automation systems (BAS) and some parts of the concept termed the “Internet of Things” (IoT). The data refining process used is called knowledge discovery from data (KDD) and contains methods for data acquisition, pre-processing, modeling, visualization and interpreting the results and then sharing the new information with the end-users. In this thesis, four examples of data analysis and knowledge deployment are presented. The results of the case studies show that innovative use of computational methods provides a good basis for researching and developing new information services. In addition, the data mining methods used, such as regression and clustering completed with efficient data pre-processing methods, have a great potential to process a large amount of multivariate data effectively. The innovative and effective use of digital information is a key element in the creation of new information services. The service business in the building sector is significant, but plenty of new possibilities await capable and advanced companies or organizations. In addition, end-users, such as building maintenance personnel and residents, should be taken into account in the early stage of the data refining process. Furthermore, more advantages can be gained by courageous co-operation between companies and organizations, by utilizing computational methods for data processing to produce valuable information and by using the latest technologies in the research and development of new innovations. / Tiivistelmä Rakennus- ja kiinteistösektori on suurin fossiilisilla polttoaineilla tuotetun energian käyttäjä. Noin 40 prosenttia kaikesta energiankulutuksesta liittyy rakennuksiin, rakentamiseen, rakennusmateriaaleihin ja rakennuksien ylläpitoon. Ilmastonmuutoksen ehkäisyssä rakennusten energiankäytön vähentämisellä on suuri merkitys ja rakennuksissa energiansäästöpotentiaali on suurin. Tämän seurauksena yhä tiiviimpi ja energiatehokkaampi rakentaminen asettaa haasteita hyvän sisäilman laadun turvaamiselle. Näistä seikoista johtuen sisäilman laadun tutkiminen ja jatkuvatoiminen mittaaminen on tärkeää. Väitöskirjan päätavoitteena on kuvata kehitetty energiankulutuksen ja sisäilman laadun monitorointijärjestelmä. Järjestelmän tuottamaa mittaustietoa on jalostettu eri loppukäyttäjiä palvelevaan muotoon. Tiedonjalostusprosessi koostuu tiedon keräämisestä, esikäsittelystä, tiedonlouhinnasta, visualisoinnista, tulosten tulkitsemisesta ja oleellisen tiedon välittämisestä loppukäyttäjille. Aineiston analysointiin on käytetty tiedonlouhintamenetelmiä, kuten esimerkiksi klusterointia ja ennustavaa mallintamista. Väitöskirjan toisena tavoitteena on tuoda esille jatkuvatoimiseen mittaamiseen liittyviä haasteita sekä rohkaista yrityksiä ja organisaatioita käyttämään tietovarantoja monipuolisemmin ja tehokkaammin. Väitöskirja pohjautuu viiteen julkaisuun, joissa kuvataan kehitetty monitorointijärjestelmä, osoitetaan tiedonjalostusprosessin toimivuus erilaisissa tapauksissa ja esitetään esimerkkejä kuhunkin prosessivaiheeseen soveltuvista laskennallisista menetelmistä. Julkaisuissa on kuvattu energiankulutuksen ja sisäilman laadun informaatiopalvelu sekä sisäilman laatuun liittyviä data-analyysejä omakoti- ja kerrostaloissa sekä koulurakennuksissa. Innovatiivinen digitaalisen tiedon hyödyntäminen on avainasemassa kehitettäessä uusia informaatiopalveluita. Kiinteistöalalle on kehitetty lukuisia informaatioon pohjautuvia palveluita, mutta ala tarjoaa edelleen hyviä liiketoimintamahdollisuuksia kyvykkäille ja kehittyneille yrityksille sekä organisaatioille.

La piscine fait partie des établissements publics les plus fréquentés dans notre société. En effet, il ne s’agit pas uniquement d’un lieu de pratique d'activités physiques, mais également un espace de détente, de jeu, d’éducation et de lien familial. Il est de toute évidence essentiel, de fournir un environnement intérieur confortable et sain pour ses occupants. Cependant, en raison de sa dimension, son besoin excessif en énergie et la complexité des phénomènes physiques évoluant à l’intérieur, il est difficile de parvenir à un équilibre optimum entre : qualité de l’air intérieur, confort thermique des occupants et efficacité énergique du bâtiment. Il faut pour cela, parvenir à une description des mécanismes qui façonnent la structure de l’écoulement de l’air par une analyse profonde de ces phénomènes qui sont à l'origine des transferts de chaleur et de masse mis en jeu à l’intérieur. Ainsi, l’objectif visé de cette thèse est de présenter une étude numérique thermo aéraulique, par CFD en régime stationnaire et transitoire, qui permet d’évaluer le comportement dynamique, thermique et thermodynamique des différents phénomènes physiques qui évoluent à l’intérieur de la piscine intérieure semi-olympique de l’université Bishop’s (Sherbrooke, Canada) afin d’améliorer la qualité de l’air intérieur et le confort thermique ainsi que son rendement énergétique. Les simulations sont réalisées avec le logiciel libre OpenFOAM en utilisant une approche RANS. Une étude thermo-aéraulique par CFD a d’abord été réalisée sur une cavité rectangulaire avec plancher chauffé, afin d’appréhender les simulations thermo aérauliques. Cela a abouti à la détermination de la meilleure configuration d’aération pour une qualité de l’air et un confort thermique optimum. Plusieurs simulations CFD du flux d'air tridimensionnel avec transfert de chaleur et de masse ont été aussi effectuées ultérieurement pour la piscine, afin d’évaluer les effets des conditions climatiques extérieures et ceux des nageurs sur l'atmosphère intérieure. En adoptant plusieurs modèles de turbulence de type RANS, la comparaison des résultats obtenus avec les données expérimentales de référence a permis de valider le code OpenFOAM. Les données expérimentales ont été recueillies au préalable au sein de la piscine de l’Université Bishop’s à l’aide d’un dispositif conçu et adapté aux conditions internes propre à la piscine et qui est équipé de plusieurs capteurs pour la mesure de : température, humidité relative et vitesse. Enfin, une étude thermo-aéraulique de la piscine en régime turbulent transitoire pour une durée de 24 heures pour les jours typiques d'été et d'hiver a été réalisée afin de prédire l’évolution de la distribution des paramètres tels que la vitesse, la température et l'humidité relative. Une analyse statistique a permis de montrer que les conditions climatiques extérieures n'ont pas d'effet sur l'environnement interne de celle-ci. D’ailleurs, sa très bonne isolation thermique démontrée par un calcul détaillé des pertes thermiques à travers son enveloppe confirme ce constat. D’autre part, l’évaluation de la qualité de l'air intérieur et le confort thermique des occupants a révélé que ces derniers sont inacceptables. Suite auxquels, un ajustement des paramètres de conditionnement de l’air a été apporté pour fin d’amélioration. / Abstract : The swimming pool is one of the most popular public establishments in our society and is not just a place for physical activities but also a space for relaxation, play, education and family ties. It is therefore important to ensure a healthy and comfortable indoor environment for the occupants. However, given the size, energy requirement and complexity of the physical phenomena that take place within such space, it is difficult to achieve an optimum balance between interior air quality, thermal comfort of occupants and energy efficiency of the building. This requires a description of the mechanisms, which determine the structure of the airflow by a profound analysis of these phenomena, which are the origin of the heat and mass transfers involved inside such spaces. The objective of this thesis is to present a numerical thermo-ventilation study using CFD (computational fluid dynamic) in stationary and transient regime that allows to evaluate the dynamic, thermal and thermodynamic behaviors of the various phenomena that take place inside the semi-Olympic closed swimming pool at Bishop's University (Sherbrooke, Qc, Canada). The aim is to improve the indoor air quality and thermal comfort of occupants as well as its energy efficiency. The simulations are carried out using OpenFOAM (Open Field Operation and Manipulation) using a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) approach. To do this, a CFD thermo-ventilation study was first carried out on a rectangular cavity with heated floor in order to understand the thermo-ventilation simulations. This has led to the determination of the best ventilation configuration for optimum air quality and thermal comfort. Several CFD simulations of the three-dimensional airflow with heat and mass transfer were also carried out later for the indoor swimming pool to evaluate the effects of outdoor climatic conditions and swimmers on the indoor atmosphere of the pool. By adopting several RANS turbulence models, the comparison of the results obtained with the experimental data allowed to validate the OpenFOAM code. The experimental data were collected in the pool at Bishop's University using a device designed and adapted to the pool’s internal conditions. The devise is equipped with several sensors to measure temperature, relative humidity and velocity. Finally, a thermo-ventilation study of the swimming pool in transient turbulent regime for a duration of 24 hours for typical days of summer and winter was conducted in order to predict the distribution of the various parameters such as velocity, temperature and relative humidity. A statistical analysis showed that the external climatic conditions have no effect on the internal environment of the swimming pool. Moreover, its good thermal insulation demonstrated by a detailed calculation of the thermal losses through building envelope confirms this observation. On the other hand, the evaluation of the indoor air quality and the thermal comfort of occupants revealed that the conditions inside the pool are unacceptable. After which, an adjustment of the air conditioning parameters was made for improvements.

The main theme of dissertation theses is systems of ventilation and air-condition used in buildings. Work consists of analyse of this systems and parameters of indoor clime whose are affected by them. It summarizes demands on the process of calculation the energy efficiency of the building services by actual legislative. On one chosen type of building is done the energy simulation of implemented systems of ventilation and air-condition by energy efficiency and their specific need of energy.

Diploma thesis is focus on ventilation systems in Zero energy building and indoor air quality. Whole thesis has three part. First is about theory, where you can find law regulations and standards connected wit nZEB, factors influence IAQ and introduced ventilations systems. Second part is focus on particles transport in buildings like a nZEB and in heat recovery units. Last part of the thesis shows own design of the nZEB for Nový Lískovec.

<p>Infant exposure to the microbial and allergenic content of indoor floor dust has been shown to play a significant role in both the development of, and protection against, allergies and asthma later in life. Resuspension of floor dust during infant locomotion induces a vertical transport of particles to the breathing zone, leading to inhalation exposure to a concentrated cloud of coarse (> 1μm) and fine (≤ 1μm) particles. Resuspension, and subsequent exposure, during periods of active infant locomotion is likely influenced by gait parameters. This dependence has been little explored to date and may play a significant role in floor dust resuspension and exposure associated with forms of locomotion specific to infants. This study explores associations between infant locomotion dynamics and floor dust resuspension and exposure in the indoor environment. Infant gait parameters for walking and physiological characteristics expected to influence dust resuspension and exposure were identified, including: contact frequency (steps min^-1), contact area per step (m²), locomotion speed (m s^-1), breathing zone height (cm), and time-resolved locomotion profiles. Gait parameter datasets for standard gait experiments were collected for infants in three age groups: 12, 15, and 19 months-old (m/o). The gait parameters were integrated with an indoor dust resuspension model through a Monte Carlo framework to predict how age-dependent variations in locomotion affect the resuspension mass emission rate (mg h^-1) for five particle size fractions from 0.3 to 10 μm. Eddy diffusivity coefficients (m² s^-1) were estimated for each age group and used in a particle transport model to determine the vertical particle concentration profile above the floor.</p><p>Probability density functions of contact frequency, contact area, locomotion speed, breathing zone height, and size-resolved resuspension mass emission rates were determined for infants in each group. Infant standard gait contact frequencies were generally in the range of 100 to 300 steps min^-1and increased with age, with median values of 186 steps min^-1for 12 m/o, 207 steps min^-1 for 15 m/o, and 246.2 steps min^-1 for 19 m/o infants. Similarly, locomotion speed increased with age, from 67.3 cm s^-1at 12 m/o to 118.83 cm s^-1 at 19 m/o, as did the breathing zone height, which varied between 60 and 85 cm. Resuspension mass emission rates increased with both infant age and particle size. A 19 m/o infant will resuspend comparably more particles from the same indoor settled dust deposit compared to a 15 m/o or 12 m/o infant. Age-dependent variations in the resuspension mass emission rate and eddy diffusivity coefficient drove changes in the vertical particle concentration profile within the resuspended particle cloud. For all particle size fractions, there is an average of a 6% increase in the resuspended particle concentration at a height of 1 m from the floor for a 19 m/o compared to a 12 m/o infant. Time-resolved locomotion profiles were obtained for infants in natural gait during free play establish the transient nature of walking-induced particle resuspension and associated exposures for infants, with variable periods of active locomotion, no motion, and impulsive falls. This study demonstrates that floor dust resuspension and exposure can be influenced by the nature of infant locomotion patterns, which vary with age and are distinctly different from those for adults.</p>

Indoor air quality is a measure of clean air with comfort conditions and depiction of lower concentration of air pollutants. It is tedious task to achieve all quality measures at a time with smart energy consumption. This research aims to come up with a solution of how to improve smart ventilation system in order to get clean indoor air with less consumption of electric energy. Many studies showed that scheduled ventilation system has proven to be a good solution to this problem. For this purpose, a long-term sensor data of smart ventilation system Renson healthbox and Luvians data is studied which is operated in Dalarnas villa. This research investigates how this system works in two modes and to improve it by customized scheduling.A regression model is constructed in which the relationship between airflow and CO2 is shown. For this purpose, correlation analysis is used in which the connection of bonds between each data features are analyzed. After the feature selection, as a result from correlation matrix, regression analysis is used to find out whether the selected features are linearly related or not. Regression analysis also used for the intent to quantify a model to estimate the flowrate and CO2. A mathematical model is also build to simulate the flowrate and CO2 with energy consumption.The results showed that, in order to provide better indoor air quality with efficient energy consumption, a necessary modification of the fan schedule should be done in a way that fan must be started little bit earlier to avoid harmful particles reach their upper threshold limits. This can result in reduction of fan’s maximum speed hence consumption of less energy is achieved.

It is a dilemma problem to achieve both these two goals: a) to maintain a best indoor air quality and b) to use a most efficient energy for a house at the same time. One of the outstanding components involving these goals is a smart ventilation system in the house. Smart ventilation strategies, including demand-controlled ventilation (DCV), have been of great interests and some studies believe that DCV strategies have the potential for energy reductions for all ventilation systems. This research aims to improve smart ventilation system, in aspects of energy consumption, indoor CO2 concentrations and living comfortness, by analyzing long-term sensor data. Based on a case study on an experimental house -- Dalarnas Villa, this research investigates how the current two ventilations modes work in the house and improves its ventilation system by developing customized ventilation schedules. A variety of data analysis methods were used in this research. Clustering analysis is used to identify the CO2 patterns and hence determine the residents living patterns; correlation analysis and regression analysis are used to quantify a model to estimate fan energy consumption; a mathematical model is built to simulation the CO2 decreasing when the house is under 0 occupancy. And finally, two customized schedules are created for a typical workday and holiday, respectively, which show advantages in all aspects of energy consumption, CO2 concentrations and living comfortness, compared with the current ventilation modes.

Firewood is a dominant household fuel type used in many developing countries. Even in countries where there is improved access to electricity, most households still rely on firewood for their energy needs. Harvesting of some wood is illegal, however the high poverty rate, absence of alternative fuels and lack of law enforcement means even the protected wood species will continue to be used, with consequent pressure on the forests. Furthermore, the combustion of firewood for domestic use takes place in poorly ventilated homes emitting hazardous pollutants, which causes indoor air pollution and affect human health. The use of firewood as a household fuel can be superimposed nearly perfectly on that of socioeconomic development. Additionally, the use of household firewood is invariably associated with poverty in countries, in communities within a country and in households within a community. Indoor air pollution studies on human health should then consider socio-economic factors which seem to be one of the determinants of both firewood use and ill health, a determinant which is often neglected in most indoor air pollution studies. Domestic inhalation of firewood smoke is one of the mechanisms linking socio-economic (poverty) to disease. The current study sought to determine a baseline of wood usage and health risks caused by volatile organic compounds in Senwabarwana villages. This study integrated observations, ethnobotanical meta-analysis and experimental into one comprehensive integrated environmental health risk assessment framework to assess the risks associated with exposure to volatile organic compounds from firewood combustion. Basic information about firewood usage, socio-economic dynamics and perceived health problems related to volatile organic compounds was collected using a structured questionnaire. The Vac-U-Chamber was used to sample the air. The results show that firewood is extensively used in poorly ventilated kitchens for cooking and home heating in Senwabarwana villages. Ten priority firewood plant species are frequently used in the study area, namely Mohweleri (Combretum apiculatum), Moretshe (Dichrostachys cinera), Motswiri (Combretum imberbe), Mokgwa (Acacia burkei), Mushu (Acacia tortilis), Motshe (Cussonia paniculate), Mokata (Combretum hereroense), Mphata (Lonchocarpus capassa), Mokgalo (Ziziphus mucronate) and Mogwana (Grewia monticola), in their order of preference. The results also indicated thirteen common reasons or factors that influence the hoice of firewood plant species by households, the main four being: (i) the embers formed during combustion, (ii) heat value, (iii) low ash content and (iv) availability of the firewood plant species. Further analysis revealed several uses and ranking thereof, including reviewing the national status and legal profile of each identified plant species. The study found that most of the firewood species used in Senwabarwana Village were indigenous. Major drivers of firewood use are household income, educational status of breadwinners, family sizes, and place of residence, fuel affordability and accessibility, among others. Concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene per plant species were studied to assess the risk exposed to the Senwabarwana community. Literature indicates that these pollutants have several health effects associated with acute exposure such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. Both hazard quotient and hazard index were found to be less than one indicating no risk exists with the use of plant species used for firewood in Senwabarwana even to sensitive individuals. The risk of developing health effects due to the presence of the studied volatile organic compounds can be assessed as negligible. Since firewood is a more convenient source of energy, it is recommended that the size of the windows be extended for ventilation. Agroforesty should also be implemented as a conservation method. The wood that emits less concentration of pollutants be used for firemaking. / Environmental Sciences

Dans le but d’évaluer la contamination des atmosphères intérieures et extérieures induite par les usages non agricoles de pesticides, deux approches complémentaires ont été mises en oeuvre : l’utilisation de capteurs passifs de type Tenax TA pour réaliser des prélèvements d’air, et l’utilisation de cheveux employés comme biomarqueurs d’exposition. Des campagnes de mesures ont été menées sur plusieurs sites à la suite de traitements de désherbage ou de désinsectisation ainsi quedans des logements. Les échantillons d’air et de cheveux ont été extraits respectivement par thermodésorption et par extraction solide-liquide, avant d’être analysés en chromatographie gazeuse couplée à la spectrométrie de masse (GC-MS). Une augmentation du niveau de contamination de l’air extérieur et intérieur et l’existence de transferts entre ces deux milieux ont pu être observées après l’application de pesticides. Dans les logements, des pesticides actuellement employés mais aussi des pesticides interdits et persistants ont été détectés. Plusieurs pesticides ont également été détectés dans les cheveux, mais l’exposition humaine à ces derniers n’a pas pu toujours être corrélée à une contamination de l’air. / In order to evaluate indoor and outdoor air contamination resulting from non-agricultural uses of pesticides, two complementary approaches were applied: passive samplers based on Tenax TA used for air sampling and hair used as biomarkers of exposure. Sampling campaigns were conducted on several sites after weeding and pest control treatments as well as in accommodations. Air samples and hair samples were respectively extracted by thermal desorption and solid-liquid extraction prior to their analysis by gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). An increase of the indoor and outdoor air contamination levels and the existence of transfers between these two environments could be observed after pesticides applications. In accommodations, pesticides currently used and banned but persistent ones were detected. Several pesticides were also detected in hair samples but human exposure to these pesticides cannot be correlated with air contamination in all cases.

La pollution de l’air intérieur est aujourd’hui reconnue comme un enjeu de santé publique. La règlementation impose depuis 2012 un étiquetage des matériaux de construction et d’ameublement en matière d’émission de polluants volatils. Bien que les méthodes de mesure d’émission de polluants soient nombreuses, il n’existe aucun matériau-standard émissif de référence pour les polluants de l’air intérieur qui permettrait la comparaison et la validation des mesures d’émission. L’objectif de ce travail est de produire des matériaux émissifs de référence en utilisant des matériaux à porosité contrôlée avec des tailles de pores adaptées à celle du polluant-cible pour un relargage contrôlé en concentration en fonction du temps. Les matériaux étudiés sont des polymères inorganiques ou hybrides organique-inorganiques synthétisés par voie sol-gel sous forme de blocs monolithiques ou déposés sur des substrats solides (verre ou textile). Différents matériaux microporeux ou/et mésoporeux ont été dopés au toluène et au naphtalène par exposition à leur vapeur saturante pendant des durées variables (2h à plusieurs jours). Ceci permet d’étudier l’influence de la taille des pores du matériau sur la vitesse de relargage du polluant. Le suivi cinétique du relargage spontané des polluants est réalisé selon un 1er mode statique avec une mesure optique du spectre d’absorption du polluant gazeux dans l’UV en fonction du temps. Dans le 2ème mode, le relargage dynamique sous balayage d’air du matériau dopé disposé dans une cellule FLEC normalisée est réalisé avec une mesure en continu de la concentration du polluant par chromatographie en phase gazeuse. Nous avons montré qu’il est possible de produire des matériaux à porosité contrôlée avec des gammes de distributions de tailles de pores allant de 0,8 à 12 nm. En choisissant judicieusement la matrice poreuse et la durée de dopage et en contrôlant les conditions de mise en œuvre (température, humidité), nous pouvons imposer la vitesse de relargage du polluant. Les gammes de vitesses d’émission vont de 30 µg.m-3.h-1 (classe A+) à 8.104 µg.m-3.h-1 (classe C) pour le toluène et de 2,6.103 à 2,6.104 µg.m-3.h-1 pour le naphtalène. Ces résultats montrent que ces matériaux pourront être utilisés pour une large gamme de polluants. / Indoor air pollution is now recognized as a public health issue. Since 2012, the regulations have required the labelling of construction and furnishing materials with regard to the emission of volatile pollutants. Although there are many methods for measuring pollutant emissions, there is no standard reference emissive material for indoor air pollutants that would allow for comparison and validation of emission measurements. The objective of this work is to produce reference emissive materials by using porous materials with pore sizes tailored to the doped target pollutant with controlled release in pollutant concentration over time. The materials studied are inorganic or hybrid organic-inorganic polymers synthesized by sol-gel in the form of monolithic blocks or deposited on solid substrates (glass or textile). Various microporous and/or mesoporous materials have been doped with toluene and naphthalene pollutants by exposure to the latters’ saturated vapour for varying periods of time (2 hours to several days). The influence of the size of the pores of the material on the release of the pollutant has been studied. The kinetic monitoring of the spontaneous release of pollutants is carried out in two independent modes. A 1st static mode involves an optical measurement of the absorption spectrum of the gaseous pollutant in the UV as a function of time. In the 2nd mode, the dynamic air-sweeping release of the doped material placed in a standard FLEC cell is carried out with continuous measurement of the pollutant concentration by gas chromatography. We have shown that it is possible to produce materials with controlled porosity with narrow pore size distributions over the 0.8 to 12 nm domain. Further, by choosing judiciously the porous matrix and doping time and controlling the experimental conditions of release (temperature, humidity), we can impose the rate of release of the pollutant. The emission velocity ranges from 30 µg.m-3.h-1 (class A+) to 8.104 µg.m-3.h-1 (class C) for toluene and from 2.6.103 to 2.6.104 µg.m-3.h-1 for naphthalene. These results indicate that these materials can be used for a wide range of pollutants.