There is a body of evidence indicating that the implementation of current Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry business models and practices have caused negative impacts on global energy supply, ecosystems, and local or regional economies. In order to eliminate such negative impacts, AEC practitioners are seeking new business models in which the Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology can be considered an important technology driver. Despite the fact that the majority of AEC practitioners have used BIM tools for construction-level modeling purposes, some early adopters of BIM technology began to use BIM tools to better inform their design decisions. Corresponding to the increasing demand for decision support functionality, a number of studies showed that a part of BIM technology will be developed toward decision support and artificial intelligence domains. The use of computer-based systems to support decision making processes can usually be found in the business management field. In this field, decision support and business intelligence systems are widely used for improving the quality of managerial decisions. Because of its theories and principles, Decision Support Systems (DSS) can be considered as one of the potential information technologies that can be applied to enhance the quality of design decisions. The DSS also has the potential to be constructed as a system platform for implementing building information contained in BIM models associated with other databases, analytical models, and expert knowledge used by AEC practitioners. This study explores an opportunity to extend the capability of BIM technology toward the decision support and artificial intelligence domains by applying the theories and principles of DSS. This research comprises the development of a prototype BIM interoperable web-based DSS for vegetated roofing system selection. The prototype development can be considered a part of an ongoing research agenda focusing on the development of the integrated web-based DSS for holistic building design conducted within the College of Architecture and Urban Studies (CAUS), Virginia Tech. Through a post-use interview study, the developed prototype is used as a tool for evaluating the possibility for the DSS development and the usefulness of DSS in improving the quality of vegetated roofing system design decisions. The understanding gained from the post-use study is used to create a guideline for developing a fully functional DSS for holistic building design that will be developed in the future. / Ph. D.

As coberturas verdes fazem parte da arquitetura vernacular há séculos como solução para regulação térmica das edificações, retardando a transferência de calor para o ambiente interno e, no inverno, retardando as perdas de calor dos ambientes internos para o exterior da edificação (International Green Roof Association - IGRA). Em se adotando cobertura verde em edificações supõe-se haver economia no consumo de energia para se obter condições de conforto térmico nos ambientes. Baseado nessa suposição foi realizada uma pesquisa experimental onde, por meio de um estudo comparativo entre dois tipos de cobertura: a verde e a de telhas cerâmicas comprovou-se o potencial de economia de energia. A análise do comportamento térmico das coberturas verdes foi realizada por meio de coleta de dados de variáveis ambientais, durante um período de 10 meses, de um protótipo instrumentado, construído no Departamento de Engenharia de Construção Civil da Escola Politécnica da USP, São Paulo. Os dados levantados foram comparados com os dados de um segundo protótipo de mesmas dimensões e igualmente instrumentado, com cobertura cerâmica, sob as mesmas condições ambientais. A comparação dos resultados e análises em dias e episódios representativos de cada estação comprovaram a eficiência das coberturas verdes para retardar o ganho térmico da edificação. Espera-se que os resultados sejam incentivadores à larga aplicação dos telhados egetados, o que trará diversas vantagens para população. / Green roofing is been a part of the vernacular architecture for centuries as solution for constructions thermal regulation. It is known that they delay the heat transfer from the outside to the inside of the building, and during winter, they delay the heating loss from the inside to the outside of the building (International Green Roof Association - IGRA). By adopting green roofs in buildings, one assumes that there is economy in energy consumption to obtain conditions of thermal comfort in inner environments. Based on this assumption, an experimental research was accomplished where, through a comparative study between two types of roofing systems: green and ceramics, it was determined this energy saving potential of green roofs. The analysis of the green roofing thermal behavior was realized through data collection of environmental variables, during the period of ten months, from an instrumented prototype constructed at the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo. The collected data was compared to those of a second prototype with the same dimensions and equally instrumented, with ceramics roofing, under the same environmental conditions. The data comparison and analysis of specific days in each season, proved the green roof efficiency on retarding the building thermal gain. One expects that the results will encourage the application of green roofs, which will bring several advantages to the population.

Regulations with respect to the storage and handling of animal waste by livestock operations state that no person shall keep animals in a permanent confinement area unless there is a nutrient management strategy. Various studies indicate that constructed wetlands and vegetative filters are effective add-on technologies to supplement the treatment provided by conventional sedimentation pond systems in livestock operations. Seven months of data from a Pond/Wetland/Vegetative Filter system receiving cattle feedlot runoff were used to i) evaluate its efficiency removing organic matter, solids and nutrients from water, (ii) quantify constructed wetland kinetic removal rates described by the P-C-k model and examine the impact of temperature, (iii) evaluate and compare the performance of a two types of vegetative filter systems at different hydraulic loading rates; and (iv) recommend an optimum management option with design loading for beef producers. Results indicate that the effect of isolated rain events on the performance of the wetland showed to be contingent on the intensity of the event, former humidity conditions of the feedlot and the hydraulic capacity of the wetland. This experiment suggests that even relatively small VFSs or short FPs can markedly improve quality of runoff from livestock operations, and that it is possible to achieve significant mass and concentration removals if they are properly operated and maintained in conjunction with a pre-treatment system. The Pond/Wetland/Vegetative Filter system was effective at reducing Chemical Oxygen Demand COD (+92%), Total Phosphorus (+93%), Orthophosphate as P (+91%), Total Inorganic Nitrogen (+96%), Ammonia as N (+97%) and Nitrate as N (+82%) from manure and exercise yard runoff, providing a cost-effective treatment option for beef producers.

A perda de vegetação natural e o aumento das superfícies impermeáveis decorrentes da expansão urbana têm mostrado que os tradicionais sistemas de drenagem urbana são insuficientes e pouco adaptáveis às alterações de uso do solo. Uma das consequências disso é o aumento da velocidade do escoamento superficial (runoff) que favorece as inundações, com enormes prejuízos materiais e ambientais. As inundações ocorrem geralmente quando ha ocorrência de chuvas de alta intensidade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a contribuição dos telhados verdes modulares submetidos a chuvas de alta intensidade, 155mm/h com duração de 7,0 minutos para retenção e retardo do escoamento superficial. Além disso, foram determinados valores para parâmetros de modelos clássicos chuva-vazão: Método Racional (C) e CN (SCS), que poderá, futuramente, servir de modelagem hidrológica dos impactos da adoção de telhados verdes no controle das enchentes urbanas. A metodologia adotada foi de natureza experimental e envolveu a construção de bancadas com inclinação regulável para suporte dos módulos experimentais e um sistema para indução de chuvas com intensidade controlada. Foram estudados três modelos de sistema modular para telhado verde que permitem o armazenamento de água no fundo da bandeja que compõe os módulos, sendo 2 de 17,0 L (M-17 e F-17) e 1 de 4,0 L (M-4), nas condições de solo seco e solo úmido. Em cada módulo vegetado foram utilizadas 3 espécies de vegetação: Portulaca oleracea (Onze horas), Callisia repens (Dinheiro em penca) e Apnia cordfolia (Rosinha do sol). Os resultados demonstraram que os volumes retidos, calculados a partir da observação do runoff, nas diferentes situações, foram coerentes entre si e com dados relatados na literatura. Os módulos vegetados produziram os melhores resultados com solo seco e os piores resultados com solo úmido. O percentual médio de retenção, considerando todos os tipos de módulos, foi de 58% do volume total de água induzida, com retardo médio de 12 minutos no runoff. Os valores médios de C (Método Racional) foram 0,4, 0,48, 0,36, para os módulos M-17, M-4 e F-17, respectivamente e os de CN (SCS) foram 93, 95, 93, para os mesmos módulos. Conforme esperado, os maiores valores de CN foram para solos úmidos, mantendo a relação que quanto menor o volume retido, maior o runoff e o CN. O módulo F-17 foi o que apresentou melhor desempenho em todos os aspectos (redução do escoamento, retenção hídrica e retardo do runoff). Este estudo demonstra a boa contribuição que esse tipo de sistema pode proporcionar na retenção e retardo do escoamento superficial, mesmo para chuvas intensas de curta duração, principalmente após período de curta estiagem, situação comum em locais de clima tropical. Futuros estudos deverão avaliar o desempenho dos sistemas modulares de telhados verdes com outras características e intensidades de chuvas. A adoção de telhados verdes deve ser cautelosa, sobretudo pela carga extra que esse tipo de sistema representa. / The loss of natural vegetation and the increase of impermeable surfaces due to the urban expansion have shown that the traditional urban drain systems are ineffective and not much adaptable to the changes of ground use. One of the consequences is the increase of the speed of runoff, which furthers flood, with great material and environmental damage. The flood usually occurs because of stormwaters. The aim of this essay was to study the modular green roofs contribution, submitted to storms, 155mm/h lasting 7,0 minutes, in retention and delay of runoff. Besides, values were determined for these rain-flow classic model parameters: Rational method (C) and CN (SCS), which will be used for hydrological modeling of the effects of using green roofs to control urban flood. The methodology used is experimental and involved building worktops with adjustable inclination to support the experimental modules and a system for controlled induction of rain intensity. Three modular system models were studied for green roof which allow the storage of water at the bottom of the tray that the modules are made up, two are 17,0 L (M-17 and F-17) and one is 4,0 L(M-4), in dry soil and moist conditions. In each vegetated module three species of vegetation were used: Portulaca oleracea, Callisia repens e Apnia Cordfolia. The results show that the retained volume, calculated through observing the runoff, in different situations, are coherent with each other and have data reported in literature. The vegetated modules produced the best results with dry soil and the worst results with moist soil. The average percentage of retention, considering all the types of modules, was 58% of the total volume of induced water, with a 12 minute average delay on runoff. The average values of C (Rational method) were 0,4; 0,48; 0,36, to modules M-17, M-4 and F-17, respectively and the ones for CN (SCS) were 93, 95, 93, to the same modules. As expected, the greatest CN values were the ones for moist ground, keeping the relation of lesser retained volume and more runoff and CN. The module F-17 presented better performance in all aspects (flow reduction, hydric retention, runoff delay). This study shows the good contribution this kind of system may provide for retention and delay runoff, even for short duration heavy rains, mainly after dry season, common situation in places with tropical weather. Future studies should assess the green roofs performance of modular systems accounting other characteristics and types of rains intensity. Adopting green roofs must be cautious, especially the extra burden that such a system is.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-12T11:48:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MarinaGV_TESE.pdf: 3115364 bytes, checksum: 35f6859ed189e76dc56e8be8b28a3c16 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-12-16 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / This study aimed to characterize, for the first time, the benthic invertebrates that inhabit the region of soft bottoms adjacent to the APARC reefs in order to situate them as an important component of infralittoral coastal areas of Northeast Brazil. Soft bottoms areas of APARC corresponds to infralittoral zones vegetated by seagrass Halodule wrightii and unvegetated infralittoral zones, both subjected to substantial hydrodynamic stress. Through scuba diving, biological and sedimentary samples of both habitats were analyzed, with a cylindrical sampler. We identified 6160 individuals belonging to 16 groups and 224 species. The most abundant macrofaunal group was Polychaeta (43%), followed by Mollusca (25%) and Crustacea (14%), what was expected for these environments. In the first chapter, regarding vegetated areas, we tested three hypotheses: the existence of differences in the faunal structure associated with H. wrightii banks submitted to different hydrodynamic conditions; the occurrence of minor temporal variations on the associated macrofauna of banks protected from hydrodynamic stress; and if the diversity of macrofauna is affected by both benthophagous predators and H. wrightii biomass. It was observed that macrofauna associated at the Exposed bank showed differences in structure when comparing the Protected bank, the granulometry of the sediments, that co-varies with the hydrodynamism, was the cause of these variations. The results also pointed to a lower temporal variation in the macrofaunal structure on the Protected bank and a negative relation between macrofaunal and benthophagous fish abundance. At the Exposed bank, a greater faunal diversity was observed, probably due to the higher seagrass biomass. The second chapter compares the vegetated and non-vegetated areas in order to test the hypothesis that due to greater seasonal stability in tropical environments, seagrass structure would act to distinguish the vegetated and non-vegetated areas macrofauna, over time. It was also expected that depositivores were the most representative invertebrates on non-vegetated environments, on the assumption that the seagrass bank would work as a source of debris to adjacent areas, enriching them. Considering all sampling periods, the total macrofauna abundance and diversity were higher in vegetated areas, when compared to non-vegetated ones. Seasonally, the structural complexity provided by Halodule differentiated more clearly the fauna from vegetated and non-vegetated areas, but only at the climatic extremes, i.e. Dry season (extreme climatic stability, with low hydronamism variation) and Rainy season (great hydrodynamism variation and probably vegetated bank burial). Furthermore, the high organic matter levels measured in the sandy banks coincided with an outstanding trophic importance of deposit feeders, proving the debris-carrying hypothesis. The last chapter focused on the non-vegetated areas, where we tested that the hypothesis infaunal halo in tropical reefs depending on local granulometry. In this context, we also tested the hypothesis that benthophagous fish predation would have an effect on the low abundance of macrofaunal groups due to the high hydrographic stress, thus allowing other predatory groups to have greater importance in these environments. Proving the hypothesis, no spatial variation, both on abundance families neither on community structure, occur along distance of the edge reefs. However, we found that complex combinations of physical factors (grain size and organic matter levels originated from local hydronamic conditions) covary with the distance from the reefs and has stronger influence on macrofauna than considered biological factors, such as predation by benthophagous fishes. Based on the main results, this study shows that unconsolidated areas around APARC reefs are noteworthy from an ecological and conservational point of view, as evidenced by the biota-environment and organismal relations, never before described for these areas / Objetivou-se caracterizar, pela primeira vez, os invertebrados bent?nicos que habitam a regi?o de fundos moles adjacentes aos recifes da ?rea de Prote??o Ambiental dos Recifes de Corais (APARC), a fim de situ?-los como importante componente das zonas infralitorais costeiras do Nordeste do Brasil. As ?reas de fundos moles, ou n?o consolidadas, da APARC compreendem regi?es de infralitoral, vegetadas pela angiosperma marinha Halodule wrightii, e regi?es de infralitoral n?o vegetadas, ambas submetidas a um considerado estresse hidrodin?mico. Atrav?s de mergulho aut?nomo, foram analisadas amostras biol?gicas e sedimentares de ambos os habitats, com aux?lio de amostrador cil?ndrico de PVC. Foram identificados 6160 indiv?duos, distribu?dos em 16 grandes grupos e 224 esp?cies, sendo que o grupo macrofaunal mais abundante foi Polychaeta (43%), seguido de Mollusca (25%) e Crustacea (14%), resultado j? esperado para ambientes n?o consolidados infralitorais. No primeiro cap?tulo, relacionado ?s ?reas vegetadas, foram testadas tr?s hip?teses: a exist?ncia de diferen?as na estrutura??o da fauna associada a bancos de H. wrightii, submetidos a diferentes condi??es hidrodin?micas; a ocorr?ncia de menores varia??es temporais sobre a macrofauna associada aos ambientes mais protegidos do estresse hidrodin?mico; e se a diversidade da macrofauna ? afetada, tanto pelos predadores bent?fagos como pela biomassa da pr?pria H. wrightii. Foi verificado que a macrofauna associada do banco Exposto apresentou diferen?as na estrutura??o quando comparado ao banco Protegido, sendo a granulometria dos bancos, a qual varia conjuntamente com o hidrodinamismo, a respons?vel por estas varia??es. Os resultados tamb?m apontaram para uma menor varia??o temporal na estrutura da macrofauna no banco Protegido e uma rela??o negativa entre a abund?ncia macrofaunal e peixes bent?fagos. J? no banco Exposto, foi encontrada uma maior diversidade faunal, provavelmente em fun??o da maior biomassa de gram?nea. O segundo cap?tulo aborda uma compara??o entre ?reas vegetadas e n?o vegetadas, pretendendo testar a hip?tese de que, em fun??o de uma maior estabilidade sazonal nos ambientes tropicais, a estrutura da faner?gama atuaria na distin??o da macrofauna associada entre ?reas vegetadas e n?o vegetadas, ao longo do tempo. Tamb?m se esperava que os deposit?voros fossem os invertebrados mais representativos nos ambientes n?o vegetados, partindo da premissa de que o banco de faner?gama funcionaria como fonte de detritos para ?reas adjacentes, enriquecendo-as. Todavia, sazonalmente, a complexidade estrutural proporcionada por Halodule discriminou, com mais evid?ncia, a fauna de ?reas vegetadas de n?o vegetadas somente nas extremidades clim?ticas, isto ?, no per?odo Seco (extrema estabilidade clim?tica, com pouca varia??o no hidrodinamismo) e no per?odo Chuvoso (grande varia??o do hidrodinamismo e prov?vel soterramento do banco vegetado). Al?m disso, os elevados teores de mat?ria org?nica medidos nos bancos arenosos coincidiram com uma destacada import?ncia tr?fica dos deposit?voros, comprovando a hip?tese de carreamento de detritos. O ?ltimo cap?tulo focou nas ?reas n?o vegetadas, em que se testou a hip?tese de que a varia??o da estrutura da macrofauna perto e longe ocorre em decorr?ncia da granulometria. Neste contexto tamb?m foram testadas a hip?tese de que a preda??o por peixes bent?fagos teria um baixo efeito na abund?ncia dos grupos da macrofauna em fun??o do alto estresse hidrogr?fico, abrindo, assim, espa?o para outros grupos de predadores bent?fagos terem uma maior import?ncia nestes ambientes. Comprovando as hip?teses levantadas, n?o foi verif icada varia??o espacial significativa entre as dist?ncias da borda dos recifes, tanto na abund?ncia das principais fam?lias identificadas como na estrutura geral das comunidades bent?nicas. Entretanto, verificou-se que uma complexa combina??o de fatores f?sicos (tamanho do gr?o e teor de mat?ria org?nica derivadas das condi??es hidrodin?micas locais) variam conjuntamente com a dist?ncia e influencia mais a macrofauna do que os fatores biol?gicos considerados, como a preda??o por peixes bent?fagos. Com base nos principais resultados encontrados, este trabalho mostrou que as ?reas de fundos n?o consolidados do entorno dos recifes da APARC merecem destaque do ponto de vista ecol?gico e de conserva??o, pois evidenciou-se importantes rela??es da biota com o ambiente e da biota com outros organismos n?o descritas antes para estas ?reas

A perda de vegetação natural e o aumento das superfícies impermeáveis decorrentes da expansão urbana têm mostrado que os tradicionais sistemas de drenagem urbana são insuficientes e pouco adaptáveis às alterações de uso do solo. Uma das consequências disso é o aumento da velocidade do escoamento superficial (runoff) que favorece as inundações, com enormes prejuízos materiais e ambientais. As inundações ocorrem geralmente quando ha ocorrência de chuvas de alta intensidade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a contribuição dos telhados verdes modulares submetidos a chuvas de alta intensidade, 155mm/h com duração de 7,0 minutos para retenção e retardo do escoamento superficial. Além disso, foram determinados valores para parâmetros de modelos clássicos chuva-vazão: Método Racional (C) e CN (SCS), que poderá, futuramente, servir de modelagem hidrológica dos impactos da adoção de telhados verdes no controle das enchentes urbanas. A metodologia adotada foi de natureza experimental e envolveu a construção de bancadas com inclinação regulável para suporte dos módulos experimentais e um sistema para indução de chuvas com intensidade controlada. Foram estudados três modelos de sistema modular para telhado verde que permitem o armazenamento de água no fundo da bandeja que compõe os módulos, sendo 2 de 17,0 L (M-17 e F-17) e 1 de 4,0 L (M-4), nas condições de solo seco e solo úmido. Em cada módulo vegetado foram utilizadas 3 espécies de vegetação: Portulaca oleracea (Onze horas), Callisia repens (Dinheiro em penca) e Apnia cordfolia (Rosinha do sol). Os resultados demonstraram que os volumes retidos, calculados a partir da observação do runoff, nas diferentes situações, foram coerentes entre si e com dados relatados na literatura. Os módulos vegetados produziram os melhores resultados com solo seco e os piores resultados com solo úmido. O percentual médio de retenção, considerando todos os tipos de módulos, foi de 58% do volume total de água induzida, com retardo médio de 12 minutos no runoff. Os valores médios de C (Método Racional) foram 0,4, 0,48, 0,36, para os módulos M-17, M-4 e F-17, respectivamente e os de CN (SCS) foram 93, 95, 93, para os mesmos módulos. Conforme esperado, os maiores valores de CN foram para solos úmidos, mantendo a relação que quanto menor o volume retido, maior o runoff e o CN. O módulo F-17 foi o que apresentou melhor desempenho em todos os aspectos (redução do escoamento, retenção hídrica e retardo do runoff). Este estudo demonstra a boa contribuição que esse tipo de sistema pode proporcionar na retenção e retardo do escoamento superficial, mesmo para chuvas intensas de curta duração, principalmente após período de curta estiagem, situação comum em locais de clima tropical. Futuros estudos deverão avaliar o desempenho dos sistemas modulares de telhados verdes com outras características e intensidades de chuvas. A adoção de telhados verdes deve ser cautelosa, sobretudo pela carga extra que esse tipo de sistema representa. / The loss of natural vegetation and the increase of impermeable surfaces due to the urban expansion have shown that the traditional urban drain systems are ineffective and not much adaptable to the changes of ground use. One of the consequences is the increase of the speed of runoff, which furthers flood, with great material and environmental damage. The flood usually occurs because of stormwaters. The aim of this essay was to study the modular green roofs contribution, submitted to storms, 155mm/h lasting 7,0 minutes, in retention and delay of runoff. Besides, values were determined for these rain-flow classic model parameters: Rational method (C) and CN (SCS), which will be used for hydrological modeling of the effects of using green roofs to control urban flood. The methodology used is experimental and involved building worktops with adjustable inclination to support the experimental modules and a system for controlled induction of rain intensity. Three modular system models were studied for green roof which allow the storage of water at the bottom of the tray that the modules are made up, two are 17,0 L (M-17 and F-17) and one is 4,0 L(M-4), in dry soil and moist conditions. In each vegetated module three species of vegetation were used: Portulaca oleracea, Callisia repens e Apnia Cordfolia. The results show that the retained volume, calculated through observing the runoff, in different situations, are coherent with each other and have data reported in literature. The vegetated modules produced the best results with dry soil and the worst results with moist soil. The average percentage of retention, considering all the types of modules, was 58% of the total volume of induced water, with a 12 minute average delay on runoff. The average values of C (Rational method) were 0,4; 0,48; 0,36, to modules M-17, M-4 and F-17, respectively and the ones for CN (SCS) were 93, 95, 93, to the same modules. As expected, the greatest CN values were the ones for moist ground, keeping the relation of lesser retained volume and more runoff and CN. The module F-17 presented better performance in all aspects (flow reduction, hydric retention, runoff delay). This study shows the good contribution this kind of system may provide for retention and delay runoff, even for short duration heavy rains, mainly after dry season, common situation in places with tropical weather. Future studies should assess the green roofs performance of modular systems accounting other characteristics and types of rains intensity. Adopting green roofs must be cautious, especially the extra burden that such a system is.

As coberturas verdes fazem parte da arquitetura vernacular há séculos como solução para regulação térmica das edificações, retardando a transferência de calor para o ambiente interno e, no inverno, retardando as perdas de calor dos ambientes internos para o exterior da edificação (International Green Roof Association - IGRA). Em se adotando cobertura verde em edificações supõe-se haver economia no consumo de energia para se obter condições de conforto térmico nos ambientes. Baseado nessa suposição foi realizada uma pesquisa experimental onde, por meio de um estudo comparativo entre dois tipos de cobertura: a verde e a de telhas cerâmicas comprovou-se o potencial de economia de energia. A análise do comportamento térmico das coberturas verdes foi realizada por meio de coleta de dados de variáveis ambientais, durante um período de 10 meses, de um protótipo instrumentado, construído no Departamento de Engenharia de Construção Civil da Escola Politécnica da USP, São Paulo. Os dados levantados foram comparados com os dados de um segundo protótipo de mesmas dimensões e igualmente instrumentado, com cobertura cerâmica, sob as mesmas condições ambientais. A comparação dos resultados e análises em dias e episódios representativos de cada estação comprovaram a eficiência das coberturas verdes para retardar o ganho térmico da edificação. Espera-se que os resultados sejam incentivadores à larga aplicação dos telhados egetados, o que trará diversas vantagens para população. / Green roofing is been a part of the vernacular architecture for centuries as solution for constructions thermal regulation. It is known that they delay the heat transfer from the outside to the inside of the building, and during winter, they delay the heating loss from the inside to the outside of the building (International Green Roof Association - IGRA). By adopting green roofs in buildings, one assumes that there is economy in energy consumption to obtain conditions of thermal comfort in inner environments. Based on this assumption, an experimental research was accomplished where, through a comparative study between two types of roofing systems: green and ceramics, it was determined this energy saving potential of green roofs. The analysis of the green roofing thermal behavior was realized through data collection of environmental variables, during the period of ten months, from an instrumented prototype constructed at the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo. The collected data was compared to those of a second prototype with the same dimensions and equally instrumented, with ceramics roofing, under the same environmental conditions. The data comparison and analysis of specific days in each season, proved the green roof efficiency on retarding the building thermal gain. One expects that the results will encourage the application of green roofs, which will bring several advantages to the population.

Les données de télédétection dans l'infrarouge thermique (IRT) sont une source indispensable d'information pour estimer les flux de surface et suivre le fonctionnement des agro-écosystèmes. Cependant, les mesures de température de surface sont sujettes à des effets directionnels très importants (présence de 'hot spot') pouvant entraîner une erreur allant jusqu'à une dizaine de degrés Celsius. Ils doivent être pris en compte en vue des applications opérationnelles. Le travail proposé ici vise à modéliser l'anisotropie directionnelle des couverts végétaux pour mettre au point des méthodes opérationnelles de correction des mesures satellitaires de température de surface. Il est largement motivé par les projets du CNES visant à élaborer une mission spatiale nouvelle combinant une haute résolution spatiale et des capacités fortes de revisite dans l'IRT. Deux étapes de travail ont été menées. La première repose sur l'utilisation du modèle déterministe de transfert Sol-Végétation-Atmosphère SCOPE (Soil Canopy Observation, Photochemistry and Energy fluxes), capable de simuler les radiances directionnelles dans l'optique et l'IRT. Dans ce manuscrit, il est validé par rapport à des mesures de terrain et sa capacité à simuler correctement les effets d'anisotropie démontrée. Il est ensuite utilisé pour étudier de façon systématique la sensibilité de l'anisotropie directionnelle à la structure de la canopée, à son état hydrique, au forçage météorologique et aux configurations angulaires solaire et de visée. Les conséquences en terme d'impact combiné des caractéristiques orbitales des satellites, de la position géographique des sites observés et de la date d'acquisition sur l'anisotropie sont discutées. La seconde étape vise à proposer un modèle paramétrique simplifié (dit RL). SCOPE est ici utilisé en tant que générateur de données. Le modèle RL se révèle robuste et capable de restituer avec succès les signatures directionnelles sur le plan géométrique (position du hot spot) comme pour l'amplitude des effets directionnels. Une comparaison avec le seul autre modèle paramétrique utilisé jusqu'alors en télédétection IRT (le modèle de Vinnikov) confirme les qualités du modèle RL, ce qui en fait un candidat potentiel pour les chaines de traitement des futures données satellitaires. / Remotely-sensed data in thermal infrared (TIR) are an essential source of information to estimate surface fluxes and to monitor the functioning of agro-ecosystems. However, surface temperature measurements are prone to directional effects ('hot spot' phenomenon)which may result in an error up to 10°C. They have to be taken into account in the framework of operational applications. The work proposed here aims at modelling the directional anisotropy of continuous vegetated canopies in order to develop operational methods for correcting land surface temperature measurements carried out by TIR satellites. This work is mainly motivated by the CNES projects aiming at developing a new TIR spatial mission combining both high spatial resolution and high revisit time capacities. Two steps were carried out. The first is based on the use of the deterministic SVAT model SCOPE (Soil Canopy Observation, Photochemistry and Energy fluxes), able to simulate directional radiances at top of canopy in both optical and TIR domains. In this thesis, it is validated against experimental measurements and its ability to successfully simulate TIR directional anisotropy demonstrated. Then it is used to study the sensitivity of anisotropy to canopy structure, water status of soil and vegetation, meteorological forcing and solar and observer angular configurations. The consequences of the combined features of satellites orbits, geographical position of the scanned sites and acquisition date on anisotropy are discussed. In the second part, we propose a simplified parametric model (called 'RL'). SCOPE is used as a data generator. The RL model is deemed suitable and able to correctly reproduce directional signatures both in terms of geometry (hot spot position) and amplitude of these effects. A comparison with the only one parametric model previously used in TIR remote sensing (Vinnikov's approach) confirms the good capacities of the RL model. The RL model is thus a potential candidate to the future satellite processing chains.

The subject of this diploma thesis is the elaboration of project documentation for the construction of a civic amenity building for outpatient care, with associated establishments, namely a pharmacy and a café. The building is designed on a plot of land located in the center of the town of Chotěboř in the Havlíčkův Brod district. The polyclinic is designed as a partially basement, free-standing rectangular building with overhanging entrances to individual establishments. The outpatient department has three floors. Underground vertical structures are designed as reinforced concrete walls, above-ground peripheral and internal load-bearing masonry is made of ceramic blocks, ceiling structures are made of prestressed panels. A double-reinforced concrete monolithic staircase and an elevator are designed in the building. Non-load-bearing internal structures are solved using plasterboard structures and the whole building is covered with a single-skin flat vegetation roof.

M. Tech. (Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology), Vaal University of Technology. / Over time, the quality standard of stormwater in the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) has deteriorated due to industrial, commercial, residential and farming activities. Stormwater quality directly impacts the treatment chain of potable water, and therefore, it should be kept in check at all stages. Innovations in the biofiltration process can provide useful, practical solutions to overcome crucial stormwater pollution problems. In 2013, the CoE developed stormwater design guidelines and standards to be implemented for the design of stormwater management, which include the principles of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) in particular. The CoE stormwater design guidelines and standards do not provide details on how the city plans to implement SuDS treatment trains to reduce stormwater pollution experienced by the city. This study aimed to verify the efficiency and effectiveness of vegetated biofilters on the stormwater treatment using CoE – Olifantsfontain's natural stormwater and to determine the most suitable vegetation to be used in the region. The CoE experimental case study was conducted to assess the efficiency of selected vegetated biofilters in lowering the concentration of orthophosphate (PO4-3), ammonium (NH4+), and nitrate (NO3-) from Tembisa/Olifantsfontain stormwater. In the experimental setup, six selected plant species were planted into 30 vegetated biofilter columns, namely: Agapanthus praecox (Dryland plant), Carpobrotus edulis (Dryland plant), Stenotaphrum secundatum (Dryland plant), Zantedeschia aethiopica (Wetland plant), Typha capensis (Wetland plant) and Phragmites australis (Wetland plant). The six species were grouped according to general habitats, i.e. three wetland and three dryland plants. Wetland plants were planted into fifteen vegetated biofilters, and dryland plants were also planted on another fifteen vegetated biofilters. The biofilters contained layers of sandy loam soil, coarse and and gravel sand. Each biofilter had a designated inlet and outlet section fitted with a gate valve to control retention time. The raw stormwater consisting of natural nutrient pollutants was applied to each vegetated biofilter through the inlet section. The samples were collected from the inlet and outlet of the six grouped vegetated biofilters during the month of June. All six plant species reduced outflow concentrations of PO4-3 and NH4+ by an average of 99% and 98%, respectively. The results also show that all plant species excluding Phragmites australis were able to reduce NO3- with outflow concentrations being reduced by an average of 58%. From the results obtained, it may be concluded that all the six plant species may be suitable variants to be applied as biofilter material for the purposes of treating urban stormwater in the CoE. The reason is that the determined removal efficiencies for bio-retention fall within 50% – 60% for PO4-3, and 40% - 50% for NH4+ and NO3- respectively. The results also show that if the plant species were applied for SuDs in the CoE, there could be a great improvement in the urban stormwater quality with the consequent improvement in both surface and groundwater quality of the receiving water bodies in the area. Regardless of the nutrient removal by selected plant species, the inclusion of vegetation in a field setting would slow flow rates and thus encourage infiltration into the soil, improve water quality, and support urban biodiversity. In the CoE, all the selected species could be used in the SuDS treatment trains targeting PO4-3, NH4+ and/or NO3-. The case study results provide a informed records for the CoE in the future/intended application SuDs in the upgrade/rehabilitation of its stormwater system.