El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / The monitoring systems that are currently used as part of the management of construction projects consist of collecting the field information, documenting it manually and then digitizing it. Those responsible for carrying out the reports through this procedure dedicate between 28% and 41% of their time daily for their preparation. This traditional process is slow and inefficient because the information is dispersed in different documents, so data can be omitted, causing that no corrective actions are taken in a timely manner. Likewise, the construction sector has little use of technological resources, and therefore, there is no automated process, which makes it difficult to monitor construction projects in an efficient way. In this sense, this research establishes the optimization of the control procedure through the use of a data acquisition tool to reduce the man-hours used in advance control. With the application of this proposal, the hours spent by the personnel involved in project management were reduced by 30%. / Revisión por pares

As an energy-efficient alternative in cold climate countries such as Sweden, low-temperature heating (LTH) technology has shown promising advantages and shortcuts to contribute to the efficiency of heat supply, as well as to the overall sustainability of building performance. The goal of this thesis is to contribute to the development of methodologies and modeling tools to support sustainable retrofitting in the Swedish housing stock. A combination of three integrated modeling techniques was developed. The main focus of this work was implementing LTH in retrofitting practice. The principle of the developed methods can be regarded as a top-down approach, underpinning the general definition of LTH and sustainability criteria. It was found that a preliminary compilation and investigation of the building typology could simplify the retrofitting decision-making. Also, 36–54% of final energy savings could be achieved in studied housing archetypes by effective energy retrofitting. Combining LTH radiators with ventilation heat recovery showed the largest contributions. Below 30 W/m2 (12 W/ m3) heating demand, both radiators (ventilation radiators and baseboard radiator) could work as LTH. These reduced supply temperatures further improved the COP of air-source heat pumps by approximately 12% - 18%. For retrofitting of conventional radiators, there was no concrete evidence to support Type 22 having higher thermal efficiency than Type 21, for the Swedish climate and heating seasons. The achievements and full potential of implementing LTH in retrofitting were found to require not only efficient radiators, but also a well-designed package – insulation, piping, pumping and energy supply system - that suited the current heating demand of the building, given the local climate condition. However, it should also be highlighted that retrofitting incorporating all evaluated measures would not always yield higher long-term economic profits among different archetypes. It is important to find the trade-off between cost-effectiveness and energy savings in similar archetypes - instead of using a “one size fits all” types of solution. For conventional retrofit measures, such as insulations of building envelopes, it was necessary to evaluate the embodied energy during the whole retrofitting process. / Den ökande relativa energianvändningen i bostadsbyggnader i stadsmiljö har lett till högre krav på energieffektivit och hållbar omvandling av redan existerande bostadsbyggnader. En viktig förutsättning för att genomföra en sådan omvandling är att först utveckla metoder för hur effektiva beslut om renovering ska ske, samt att utveckla teknik för hållbar renovering. Lågtemperatursuppvärmning (LTH) har visat sig ha fördelar som ett hållbart och energieffektivt alternativ i länder med kallt klimat som Sverige. Metoden bidra till ökad effektivitet för uppvärmning och minskade energibehov för byggnadskomplexet. Det saknas fortfarande flera steg för hur man ska utforma modelleringsverktyg och utveckla kostnadseffektiva metoder för beslutsfattning och implementering av LTH i redan existerande byggnader. Dessutom försvårar avsaknaden av dessa verktyg och metoder genomförandet av kritiska utvärderingar av renoveringsalternativ utifrån hållbarhets- och effektivitetssynpunkt med huvudfokus på energibesparingspotential, miljöpåverkan och nöjdhet hos de boende. Dessa frågor undersöks i denna avhandling i samband med renovering av existerande bostadsbyggnader i Sverige.   Målet är att bidra till utvecklingen av metoder och modelleringsverktyg för hållbar renovering. Under arbetet utvecklades tre modelleringskoncept som integrerats med varandra och som svarar för olika steg i renoveringsmodelleringen. Huvudfokus i arbetet var att göra LTH till en del av vår renoveringspraxis. De renoveringsalternativ som studerats i arbetet inkluderar renovering av klimatskalet för att minska energibehovet samt implementering av LTH-radiatorer och där påvisa deras fördelar för valt primärenergisystem. Analysen omfattar även den sammantagna effekten av och de ömsesidiga beroenden som föreligger mellan olika renoveringsåtgärder. Här utvecklade metoder kan sägas följa en ”uppifrån och ner” strategi och stärker LTH som ett uppvärmningsalternativ som uppfyller hållbarhetskriterier.   Avhandlingen visar att effektiv renovering av energisystem kan minska det slutliga energibehovet med 36-54 % i de studerade byggnadstyperna. Kombinationen av LTH-radiatorer med värmeåtervinning från ventilation gav de allra största positiva bidragen. LTH-radiatorerna (ventilationsradiatorer och värmelister) fungerade som lågtemperatursuppvärmning vid uppvärmningsbehov under 30 W/m2 (12 W/ m3) och som ultra-lågtemperaturuppvärmning vid uppvärmningsbehov under 10 W/m2 (4 W/ m3). De låga framledningstemperaturer som leds till LTH-radiatorer bidrar dessutom till att öka COP (värmefaktorn) för luftvärmepumpar med 12 – 18 %, jämfört med traditionella radiatorer med lika stor värmeavgivande area. Något konkret stöd fanns inte för att Typ 22-radiatorer (dubbel konvektionsplåt) skulle ha högre värmeeffektivitet än Typ 21-radiatorer (enkel konvektionsplåt) för svenska klimatetförhållanden. Ökat antal konvektorplåtar visade sig alltså inte nödvändigtvis leda till ökad värmeeffektivitet. Tröskelvärdet för när Typ 11-radiatorer (enkel panel) presterar sämre än den mest effektiva radiatortypen, Typ 21-radiatorer (dubbel panel) som även har bättre exergiprestanda, visade sig vara ett värmebehov av 480 W/rum. För att uppnå full potential för LTH-radiatorer som renoveringsalternativ visade det sig utöver mer effektiva radiatorer även behövas ett välutformat system av rör, pumpar och energitillförsel, anpassade till byggnadens värmebehov före renovering vid rådande klimat.   Renovering som inkluderar alla möjliga alternativ leder inte alltid till högre långsiktig ekonomisk avkastning. Det är viktigt att finna en balans mellan kostnadseffektivitet och energibesparing för likande byggnadstyper, i stället för att utveckla en enda lösning som ska passa överallt. För traditionella renoveringsalternativ, så som isolering, var det nödvändigt att utvärdera den inbäddade energin under hela renoveringsprocessen. Stor risk för överskattad hållbarhet föreligger om man inte beaktar detta. / <p>QC 20160929</p> / D6559

A pesquisa trata do estudo e evolução do projeto de plantas de apartamentos na cidade de Curitiba, no período de 1943 a 2004. Considera a emergência de novos modos de vida, relacionando-se com as transformações demográficas da população, com a diversificação dos arranjos familiares, com a influência do ciclo familiar e com o desenvolvimento urbano da cidade. O método desenvolvido se estrutura em três eixos principais, com mapeamento de plantas de apartamentos, análise de pesquisas censitárias e estatísticas, e pesquisa de campo com inquirição a moradores de apartamentos. Para efeito de sistematização do estudo, o intervalo temporal proposto foi dividido em quatro períodos, definidos a partir da identificação de marcos referenciais na história da cidade. A amostra constituída, com total de 115 plantas de apartamentos codificadas, forma uma base de dados que pode servir para pesquisas complementares ou mesmo para novas pesquisas. / The research deals with the analysis and project evolution of plant design of apartment buildings in the city of Curitiba in the period from 1943 and 2004. It also considers the appearance of new ways of life, related to demographic transformations of the population, the diversification of family structures, the influence on the family cycle and the urban development of the city. The method is structured around three main axes, using plant mapping of apartment units, analysis of census surveys and statistics, as well as field research which included the inquiry of apartment dwellers. In order to systematize this analysis, the proposed time interval was divided into four periods, defined from milestone identifications in the history of the city. The sample, consisted of 115 plants encoded, creates a database that can be used in complementary researches or even in new ones.

Este trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de identificar influências da NBR 15.575 sobre o processo de projeto de edificações residenciais e, visando ao melhor atendimento dos requisitos introduzidos pela Norma Brasileira de Desempenho, propor ações de melhoria em uma empresa incorporadora e construtora nas áreas e processos relacionados à aplicação dessa mesma Norma. Com esta finalidade foi utilizado primeiramente o método de Estudos de Caso com o objetivo de identificar como as exigências da Norma Brasileira de Desempenho têm encorajado alterações no processo de projeto de seis empresas incorporadoras e construtoras, tidas como contratantes, levantando boas práticas e possíveis dificuldades encontradas neste contexto. Procedeu-se a aplicação de questionários e a realização de entrevistas com representantes de escritórios de projeto, empresas fabricantes e um auditor/consultor de Gestão do Sistema de Qualidade, com o intuito de identificar o posicionamento destes outros intervenientes perante a nova realidade. A análise das informações obtidas nos estudos de caso forneceu bases para que, num segundo momento, pudesse ser aplicado o método Pesquisa-ação em uma sétima empresa incorporadora e construtora (R). Analisando os resultados obtidos, constatou-se que a maior parte das empresas entrevistadas na primeira etapa metodológica ainda não conhece o desempenho das edificações que até então projetou ou produziu. Visando atender às exigências apresentadas na NBR 15.575, algumas ações puderam ser identificadas, entretanto, muitas dificuldades vêm sendo encontradas. Por outro lado, na segunda etapa metodológica verificou-se que a aplicação da Pesquisa-ação na empresa R possibilitou aos seus colaboradores uma melhor compreensão do texto e das exigências da norma, favorecendo discussões e a geração de ideias, permitindo consequentemente o planejamento e a implementação de ações de melhoria para o processo de projeto. Concluiu-se que os impactos diretos e as principais influências da NBR 15.575 sobre o processo de projeto constituem-se: (1) na maior evidência que sua exigibilidade proporciona à necessidade de considerar as normas técnicas na elaboração de projetos, no desenvolvimento e na construção de edificações residenciais; (2) no incentivo ao acréscimo de qualidade nas edificações ao relevar as exigências de usuários; e (3) na criação de oportunidades para que ganhos corporativos significativos sejam atingidos, estimulando a comunicação, o trabalho colaborativo e a visão sistêmica dos envolvidos. / This study was carried out in order to identify possible influences of the standard NBR 15.575 on the design process of residential buildings and to propose improvements for processes and departments of a real estate developer and construction company aiming to better meet the requirements introduced by the \"Brazilian Standard for Performance\". First, case studies were conducted in order to identify how the requirements presented in the text of the standard have encouraged changes in the design process of six real estate and construction companies, taken as contractors of design projects. In this context, the best practices and possible obstacles met by these companies were identified. Questionnaires and interviews were also applied to three designers, two manufacturers and one auditor/consultant of Quality Management System to assess their positioning towards the new regulatory environment. The analysis of the information obtained from the case studies has given basis to the application of the method called Action research on a seventh real estate and construction company (R) in a second moment. After analyzing the results, it was found that most of the companies interviewed in the first methodological step do not know about the performance of the buildings that they previously constructed. To meet the demands presented in the text of NBR 15.575, some actions could be identified; however, many difficulties have been encountered. On the other hand, in the second methodological step it was found that the implementation of the Action research in R company has allowed its employees to better understand the text and the requirements presented by the NBR 15.575, promoting discussions and generating ideas. As a result, it has allowed planning and implementation of improvements on the design process. It was concluded that the direct impacts and the main influences of ISO 15.575 on the design process are: (1) the reinforcement to the need of considering technical standards on building design, on development and on construction of residential buildings; (2) the encouragement to increase quality in buildings once considering the users´ demands; and (3) the creation of opportunities to significant gains at the corporate level by stimulating communication, collaborative work and the systemic view to those involved.

In recent years, energy efficiency in the built environment has been attracting considerable interest to mitigate energy consumption. A number of scientific studies indicate that rising air pollution, decreasing biodiversity, ocean acidification and other adverse effects on humans and the environment in recent decades are due to greenhouse gas emissions, and a substantial share of the emissions can be attributed to energy usage in residential buildings. Investments in energy-efficient technologies have been made to alleviate such human induced causes contributing to the emissions, but they are still far from widespread, calling for a thorough understanding of individuals' decision-making processes to promote further adoption of energy efficiency investments. Although personality has been widely recognised as an explanatory factor of behaviour, a rigorous discussion of it in the context of energy efficiency investments is missing. As such, to understand the role of personality traits in making high-cost energy efficiency investments in residential buildings, this research applies a multidisciplinary approach to derive theoretical models that are evaluated in subsequent empirical investigations using quantitative methods and data from the UK and Germany. The findings suggest three ways through which personality can influence energy efficiency investments. The first is an indirect impact of personality traits through risk preferences, in which the significance of the personality effects depends on the financial subsidy context. The second is an indirect effect of personality traits through environmental concern. The third way suggests an impact of personality traits through their importance for individuals' capability and willingness to consider peer behaviour.

The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate that it is possible to design earthquake resistant residential structures without significant compromises in the spatial quality and economic viability of the building. The specific type of structural system that this thesis focuses on is the reinforced concrete skeleton system. The parametric examples and key studies that are used in this research are chosen among applied projects in the city of Bolu. This city is chosen due to its location on the North Anatolian Fault and its destructive seismic history. The structural validity of the hypothesis was demonstrated through an analytical process during which a set of 7 models were tested. 5 of these were designed as idealized parametric models and 2 of them were based on actual buildings destroyed in earthquakes. The architectural validity of the hypothesis was demonstrated on a set of 3 architectural projects. Projects were subjected to a comparative evaluation between their original states and the modified seismically resistant versions. The architectural comparison between earthquake resistant and non-resistant states was made on a planimetric basis. Comparison parameters were: floor area / size, location and number of rooms / and access to view. The feasibility of seismically resistant reinforced concrete residential buildings was demonstrated through an approximate cost analysis which has proven that designing earthquake resistant structures only resulted in an acceptable 4-8 percent rise in the overall building cost.

Color is a significant architectural element, which is open to become a major representative element in the process of design. This study aims to understand the limits of using color as an architectural element and discuss the transformative effects of the use of color with respect to meaning and design levels of buildings. The study is composed of two main parts. In the first part limits of using color as a complementary and consequential part of design are discussed. The architectural understanding of color in the 20th century is utilized as the main ground for a contemporary case study. The case study in the second part uses residential buildings in Ankara as the main domain to understand the continuities and discontinuities between color preferences and architectural meaning. The method of the study is based on comparison of the facades of residential buildings of various contexts, scales, languages and typologies in five different categories. The first category is &ldquo / The Figural Use of Color&rdquo / which is constituted by decorated facades. &ldquo / The Elemental Use of Color&rdquo / is the second category based upon the continuity between tectonic elements of facade and color. The third is the &ldquo / Material Color and Painting,&rdquo / which is based upon the color representations of the natural material preferences supported by additional painting. &ldquo / Tectonic Use of Color&rdquo / as the fourth frame implies color brought by the nature of the material. The last category is &ldquo / Monochromatic Use of Color&rdquo / in which the facades are colored in a single hue or different lightness of the same hue.

Traditional residential buildings constitute an important part of Turkey&rsquo / s cultural heritage. However, in most of the cases, these buildings face with the problems of arbitrary alterations disregarding their values, abandonment, neglect and even demolition. To prevent these problems, they need to be &#039 / upgraded&#039 / to the contemporary life, while sustaining their values and cultural significance. During this &#039 / upgrading&#039 / process, the most common and important problems are faced with during the re-functioning of the existing spaces and the provision of the service spaces according to the contemporary living standards and expectations of users. Therefore, this thesis proposes the process, content, method and criteria for conservation and design for upgrading traditional residential buildings to the contemporary life, focusing on the existing and expected functional layout and new service spaces. The proposed method is assessed on three selected cases from Istiklal District, Ankara. Based on the proposed process, content, method and design/conservation criteria within this thesis, the functional layouts are studied and the service spaces are designed, including implementation details for the selected cases. As a conclusion, this thesis revealed that the spatial properties of the traditional residential buildings can offer even more than the spaces that the inhabitants can expect from a contemporary house, while the service spaces with contemporary standards can also be provided with a conscientious approach.

Smart Grid has emerged a very important concept in modern power systems. The integration of different loads such as residential, commercial and industrial into the smart grid and their optimal operation has a significant effect on the system's reliability, stability, peak power demand and energy price. This work presents the mathematical modeling of a Centralized Temperature Control System (CTCS) of a Multi-Unit Residential Building (MURB) and its optimal operation considering electricity prices and weather variations. The model considers comfort levels, preference settings and activity of residents in different units of the building to determine the optimal operation schedules of the CTCS, minimizing its total energy consumption cost. Multi-objective operation of the MURB is also investigated when residents in different units have conflicting interests, and the impact of such conflicting preferences on the operation of CTCS is analyzed. A case-study on optimal energy management of a single unit house considering net-metering is also presented. The proposed CTCS model is a Mixed Integer Non Linear Programing (MINLP) model, where some of the constraints are linearized to reduce the computational complexity arising from the non-linearity, for real-time applications. The model is studied for various customers' preferences using a realistic MURB model. Simulation results show that significant cost savings can be achieved using the proposed mathematical model.

The aim of this study was to provide information about the effects of construction materials on thermal comfort in residential buildings using Ecotect 5.0. Three residential buildings, each of different construction in the province of Yozgat, Turkey were used as study material to this end. At the end of this study, the effects of materials on thermal comfort have been explained by graphical and statistical analysis. Pertinent literature reports that the thermal responses of occupants depend to some extent on the outdoor climate in naturally ventilated buildings with operable windows. Furthermore, an adaptation occurs in these buildings regarding the occupants&amp / #8217 / previous thermal experiences, the availability of control, and shifts in expectations. The study therefore focused on collecting data on both indoor and outdoor air temperature and humidity to show the comfort level in such buildings. By collecting data on 3 houses constructed of different materials the author aimed to show the effects of materials on thermal comfort. The analyses were further extended with computer simulations, which enabled restriction of the parameters on construction materials. The study has shown that in naturally ventilated residential buildings, construction materials affect both thermal comfort and thermal performance of the buildings. Buildings with traditional construction material showed a better performance in achieving the preferred thermal comfort while decreasing energy costs.