The distortions of input voltage and current waveforms generated by switch mode power supply (SMPS) operation are a major cause of concern in the power quality performance of commercial office buildings. These distortions are usually evaluated by performing a site survey of the building. In this thesis, a power quality simulator is proposed as an alternative method to site surveys in evaluating the power quality characteristics of such nonlinear loads in a commercial environment. The power quality simulator is built around the assumption that the total load kVA on each phase of the three-phase four-wire distribution system can be approximated. The proposed simulator is tested on two commercial office buildings, namely the Owen Hall and Dearborn Hall buildings of Oregon State University. Experimental time-domain and frequency-domain waveforms are presented. These are compared with the simulation results to prove the viability of the power quality simulator in determining the power quality characteristics of the building. Finally, a passive filtering technique was simulated to reduce the harmonic distortions in voltages and currents to further demonstrate the potential uses of the power quality simulator. / Graduation date: 2000

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1985.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992.

This study presents a framework for the introduction of energy considerations into the design of office buildings. The method of research and development of this study has been through a literature search combined with personal design experience in the field of commercial buildings, and the previous participation in the national competition for low energy building design. The thesis is in two parts. The first part investigates the historical development of offices up to now and shows that current office design practice establishes a pattern of high energy consumption that is carried forward for decades. It is shown how and where energy is used in office buildings and their urban context. The need to rethink settlement patterns is outlined and the concept of decentralization and mixed use developments is suggested to improve overall energy efficiency in the urban context. The second part presents energy conservation strategies, from a designer's point of view, that improve energy efficiency of office buildings. Five basic strategies are introduced and examined at the planning levels of site, lay-out, form and fabric: i) to control internal heat gains ii) to control solar heat gains iii) to minimize heat losses iv) to optimize natural ventilation v) to maximize daylight capabilities of buildings The thesis shows that the implementation of these strategies presents the architect with considerable scope for innovation rather than imposition. However, it is emphasized that the architect must be aware of the consequences of his design decisions. The factors causing the energy use in office buildings are interrelated. Therefore, once a particular strategy is adopted its consequences have to be recognized and dealt with on all planning levels. The thesis concludes that energy conservation offers architects the opportunity to design offices in a way they need less energy and provide a better working environment than it is the case today. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate

Cheng Kai Tung Crispian. / "Architecture Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Architecture Programme 2008-2009, design report."

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

O trabalho se propõe a compilar material de referência e registrar a produção de edifícios destinados ao trabalho burocrático (de escritório) na cidade de São Paulo, dos primeiros, datados do início do século XX, até aqueles recentemente construídos. Entre as questões discutidas estão: as implicações da legislação; as relações entre dimensões do lote, legislação e viabilidade econômica; a identificação de uma distribuição espacial na cidade refletindo momentos específicos desta produção; as configurações espaciais mais freqüentes e a influência das inovações tecnológicas no desenvolvimento dos projetos estudados. Em seu conteúdo, discorre brevemente sobre a história da torre de escritórios, identificando origens e aspectos fundamentais de sua evolução, e aborda aspectos da urbanização relacionados à verticalização da cidade. A partir deste contexto, apresenta, num relato cronológico, os edifícios pioneiros desta trajetória, os desenvolvidos sob a influência do movimento moderno a partir da década de 1940 e, a seguir, a produção do período iniciado em 1972, com a substituição do Código de Obras Arthur Saboya pela Lei de Zoneamento. O resultado final da pesquisa apresenta, além deste panorama geral, com aproximadamente 200 obras registradas, o estudo detalhado de 100 edifícios, que tem como objetivo identificar as diferentes tipologias implantadas na cidade e a diversidade de configurações e combinações possíveis a partir de opções de partido arquitetônico, sistema estrutural, condicionantes de legislação, localização geográfica, sistema construtivo e tipo de uso. Estes estudos de caso estão organizados em 5 percursos - Centro, Paulista, Faria Lima, Berrini e Itaim - que os agrupam geograficamente e explicitam a distribuição espacial de diferentes momentos de verticalização da cidade. Complementa este conjunto um grupo formado por 11 edifícios isolados, significativos por compreenderem uma diversidade de soluções que exemplificam a heterogeneidade da ocupação física a partir do uso do solo. Em suas conclusões, o trabalho discute a influência decisiva da legislação sobre a configuração dos edifícios e sua viabilidade, a localização dos empreendimentos na cidade, sua relação com o delineamento de vetores de expansão, sua influência na alteração das infra-estruturas urbanas e, ainda, o uso e influência dos componentes tecnológicos no projeto dos edifícios. Finalmente, identifica a crescente opção por construções flexíveis, a busca pelo aproveitamento máximo de área útil dos empreendimentos e a valorização do conceito de edifício inteligente. Complementando o conteúdo, estão incluídos no trabalho 3 anexos: o anexo I apresenta um resumo visual da evolução dos edifícios de escritórios que faz um contraponto entre a experiência internacional e os principais edifícios construídos na cidade (linha do tempo); o anexo II, um diagrama comparativo da volumetria dos edifícios analisados, também organizados cronologicamente; e o anexo III, índices organizados por data, autor e edifício, para facilitar a consulta isolada das diversas obras apresentadas no trabalho. / The research sets a compilation of reference material and registers the production of office buildings in the city of São Paulo, from the first ones dated from the beginning of the 20th century, to those recently built. Among the discussed issues are: legislative implications; the relations between plot dimensions, legislation and economical feasibility; the identification of a spatial distribution in the city according to specific moments of the production; the most common spatial configurations and the influence of technological innovations in the projects\' development. In its content there is an overview on the history of the office tower, identifying its origins and fundamental aspects of its evolution and it analyses aspects of urbanism related to the city\'s verticalization. From this context, it presents in a chronological line the pioneer constructions, then the ones developed from the 1940\'s under the influence of the modern movement and, finally, the production after 1972, when the Arthur Saboya Building Code was substituted by the Zoning Law. Besides this general background with approximately 200 buildings registered, the research presents a detailed survey of 100 buildings, aiming the identification the different typologies developed in the city and the diversity of possible configurations and combinations derived from the options on architectural conception, structural system, legislation issues, geographic situation, building system and use type. These case studies are organized in 5 itineraries - Center, Paulista, Faria Lima, Berrini and Itaim - that sets a geographical organization and shows the spatial distribution of the city\'s different growth phases. In addition to this, there is another group formed by 11 isolated buildings that become meaningful as a sample of the diversity of solutions obtained from the physical occupation of the city. In its conclusion, the research deals with the decisive influence of the legislation over the buildings\' configuration and its viability, the location of investments within the city, its relation with the setting of growth vectors, its influence on the alteration of urban infrastructures, as well as the use and influence of technological components in the buildings projects. Finally, it identifies the tendency of choice for flexible constructions, the search for maximum use of floor area rates and the valuation of the concept of intelligent buildings. As a complement, there are three appendixes: the first one presents a timeline as a visual summary of the office tower\'s evolution, establishing a counterpoint between the international experience and the most important buildings in the city; the second one is a comparative diagram of the analyzed building\'s mass also in chronological order; the third one comprehends indexes organized per time, author and building, in order to make the data search easier.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1982. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-118). / With the growing awareness of the rapid disappearance of the global fuel resources, energy conservation became an issue of general concern. Prompted by the results of studies done in the 1970's--which show a marked increase of energy consumption per square foot of office space over the years, as well as differences in consumption between buildings of different periods -- this thesis looks at the features that determine the considerable variation in energy consumption in office buildings from the beginning of the century to our days. An overview of the historic evolution of the highrise offices presents the events that influenced the change in energy performance.The elements that determine the energy use in a building, like its orientation, exterior envelope, interior design, and mechanical systems, are individually analyzed to present a detailed picture of their role. Their characteristics in the periods before and after the second world war are then compared, showing how they determined the energy performance of buildings of the respective periods. / by Nora Anca Niculin. / M.Arch.