Thesis (M.Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1979. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 212-216). / by Jan Tokuichi Taniguchi. / M. Arch.

Accommodating the continued increase in energy demand in the face of global climate change has been a worldwide concern. With buildings in the US consuming nearly 40% of national energy, a concerted effort must be given to reduce building energy consumption. As new buildings continue to improve their efficiency through more restrictive energy codes, the other 76.9 billion square feet of current building stock falls further behind. The rate at which current buildings are being retrofit is not enough and better tools are needed to access the benefits of retrofits and the uncertainties associated with them. This study proposes a stochastic method of building energy model calibration coupled with a monthly normative building simulation addressed in ISO 13890. This approach takes advantage of the great efficiency of Latin Hypercube Sampling and the lightweight normative building simulation method, to deliver a set of calibrated solutions to assess the effectiveness of energy conservation measure, making uncertainty a part of the modeling process. A case study on a mixed-use university building is conducted to show the strength and performance of this simple method. Limitations and future concerns are also addressed.

Patient falls are the most commonly reported "adverse events" in hospitals, according to studies conducted in the U.S. and elsewhere. The rate of falls is not high (2.3 to 7 falls per 1,000 patient days), but about a third of falls result in injuries or even death, and these preventable events drive up the cost of healthcare and, clearly, are harmful outcomes for the patients involved. This study of a private hospital, Dublin Methodist Hospital, in Dublin, Ohio analyzes data about patient falls and the facility's floor plans and design features and makes direct connections between hospital design and patient falls. This particular hospital, which was relatively recently constructed, offered particular advantages in investigating unit-layout-related environmental factors because of the very uniform configuration of its rooms, which greatly narrowed down the variables under study. This thesis investigated data about patients who had suffered falls as well as patients with similar characteristics (e.g., age, gender, and diagnosis) who did not suffer falls. This case-control study design helps limit differences between patients. Then patient data was correlated to the location of the fall and environmental characteristics of the locations, analyzed in terms of their layout and floor plan. A key part of this analysis was the development of tools to measure the visibility of the patient's head and body to nurses, the relative accessibility of the patient, the distance from the patient's room to the medication area, and the location of the bathroom in patient rooms (many falls apparently occur during travel to and from these areas). From the analysis of all this data there emerged a snapshot of the specific rooms in the hospital being analyzed where there was an elevated risk of a patient falling. While this finding is useful for the administrators of that particular facility, the study also developed a number of generally applicable conclusions. The most striking conclusion was that, for a number of reasons, patients whose heads were not visible from caregivers working from their seats in nurses' stations and/or from corridors had a higher risk of falling, in part because staff were unable to intervene in situations where a fall appeared likely to occur. This was also the case with accessibility; patients less accessible within a unit had a higher risk of falling. The implications for hospital design are clear: design inpatient floors to maximize a visible access to patients (especially their heads) from seats in nurses' stations and corridors.

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Hospitals are constantly evolving to keep pace with the latest medical technologies. Whether it is a refurbishment of an existing facility or the addition of a new unit, the design process usually focuses on the technological requirements rather than the human elements of such an undertaking. The Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis presents an architectural opportunity to incorporate psychology of the environment into the design and construction of a new Cancer Unit. By balancing the technological requirements with the physical and psychological needs of the pediatric bone marrow transplant and hematology/oncology patients, one can create a healing environment more conducive to a rapid recovery. / Department of Architecture

With few studies focusing on the construction of green buildings in South Africa, there is a need to understand the reasoning behind the development of residential estates that have classified themselves as “eco”. The aim of this study was to establish whether or not residential estates that market themselves as “eco” are in fact sustainable. This study looks at the environmental sustainability of residential eco-estates (n=7) and compares them to non-eco-estates (n=7) in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. The study used content analysis to evaluate the marketing material of the 14 estates sampled for the study. The data gathered through content analysis was then used to determine the environmental sustainability for each estate using an adapted version of the Sustainable Building Assessment Tool. The findings indicate that although the residential eco-estates had higher environmental sustainability scores when compared with non-eco-estates, the overall score for many of the eco-estates was too low for them to be classified as sustainable. The results of the study also highlight that a number of the eco-estates use greenwashing methods to attract potential homeowners. By selling nature, these estates are able to attract homeowners who may be interested in protecting the environment. When looking at these findings, it is possible to assume that the development of residential eco-estates has less to do with the sustainability of nature and has more to do with a desire to increase profits. In order to achieve environmental sustainability, it is therefore important to provide guidelines for developers to use if they are genuinely interested in creating estates that focus on the protection of the environment and natural resources. These guidelines can be developed through frameworks that exist to evaluate the sustainability of developments. Although much of the focus of this research is placed on the developers of each estate, it is important to acknowledge that the individuals who live within these estates are just as responsible for achieving sustainability. / Geography / M.A. (Geography)

Thesis (DTech (Architectural Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / This research explores design-build projects in architectural education. The design-build studio is an alternative to the conventional theory-oriented studio. In design-build projects students both design and build real buildings. Internationally, design-build projects have increased rapidly in architectural programmes over the past decade. Literature suggests that design-build projects are relevant for architectural education, but that there is a definite need for more theoretical and critical exploration. Design-build projects in the context of this study are defined as socially responsive, inhabitable, full-scale investigations. The value of this pedagogical construct for educators, students, architectural practice and society in general was an underpinning theme guiding this exploration. Design-build projects are located on the boundary between theory and practice. This research provides a view into my journey across this boundary, immersing myself in both the theoretical and practical. Principles of the designbuild process and design research mapped the research path. The research process commenced with the initiation of and active participation in a number of design-build constructions. Through critical reflection on the construction experiences and the literature, specific pedagogical and practice implications were explored. Cultural historical activity theory provided me with a sense of theoretical direction in this journey. Collaboration as a pedagogical tool and the possibility of exposing students to alternative practice possibilities were foregrounded as being uniquely situated within the design-build project. The value of this research is the contribution it makes to the current international call for a clearer understanding of the pedagogical and practice merit of design-build projects.

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Developing a rational method of design has long been the goal of structural engineering. For steel structures, through the development of plastic design and electronic computation, this now seems possible. Several methods have been proposed within the last five years, and one method has been programmed for the digital computer. Five methods are here discussed and compared and the method of Heyman and Prager is investigated in detail. The assumptions and restrictions of the Heyman-Prager method, along with the computer program developed by Kalker, are investigated and discussed. The author attempts to evaluate the usefulness of, and place the Heyman-Prager method in a proper perspective in the overall planning, design, analysis phases of the total structural evolution. It is concluded that a more efficient computer program could be developed to facilitate the structural solution and some methods by which this might be accomplished are suggested. A comprehensive bibliography is provided which traces the development of practical minimum weight, plastic design from its inception up to the present time. / Master of Science

The nonlinear elastic behavior of infrastructure materials is a critical factor in the design and performance of various structural systems. This research introduces a novel approach to enhance the flexural rigidity and deflection control of large-spanned beams, aerial personal rapid transit (PRT) structures, and packed parallel wire cables by leveraging configurational forces, such as horizontal constraints and wrapping forces. These forces produce prestress over the structure members, but the prestress changes with the configuration, and therefore, the effective stiffness can be tailored by these configurational forces. In the first part of this research, the governing equation considering the horizontal force is formulated to address the large deflections commonly encountered in beams subjected to transverse loading with horizontal constraints. The study demonstrates that deflection can be significantly reduced, thereby increasing the effective flexural rigidity without necessitating larger cross-sections. Green’s functions for various boundary conditions are derived, and the theory is validated through a series of experimental tests on Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) panels and PRT guideways. The case studies show that horizontal prestress enhances beam stiffness, reducing deflection by up to 87% within the elastic load range. The research further extends to the mechanical behavior of packed parallel wire cables arranged in hexagonal patterns and wrapped with bands. The wrapping force is shown to modify the effective stiffness of the cables, a phenomenon modeled using the Singum model and Hertz contact theory. This approach simulates the stress transfer between wires under transverse loading, introducing an elastoplastic contact model that accounts for yielding in the contact zones. The study presents a methodology for predicting the development length and critical axial load in cables with broken wires, providing a robust tool for the design and maintenance of suspension bridge cables. In the final part of this research, the focus shifts to the mechanical performance of a fivelayered mullion design for energy-efficient building facades. Comprising three aluminum layers sandwiched between two polyamide cores, the beam is analyzed using linear and nonlinear elastic sandwich beam theory to derive expressions for effective stiffness. These theoretical predictions are compared with finite element method simulations and validated against experimental data from three-point and four-point bending tests. The results confirm the accuracy of the analytical models presented, demonstrating their potential for enhancing the structural performance of modern building facades. A significant contribution of this research is the development of a comprehensive framework for understanding and predicting the nonlinear elastic behavior of infrastructure materials under complex loading conditions, which the superposition principle may not be simply applicable even though the material behavior is elastic. By integrating configurational forces into the design process, this work offers a novel approach to improving the structural integrity and performance of beams, cables, and facade systems, with wide-ranging implications for the fields of structural engineering and material science.