Architecture, Building and Planning - Research Publications
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ItemThe lIfe cycle performance of Monomur in Australian residential construction(Green Building Council Spain, 2014)Brick veneer is the most dominant construction type in Australia; however it is not necessarily the most advantageous for the climate. Mass wall types, where massing is evident on the interior of the building, can help to achieve greater thermal performance. Monomur thermal blocks are a thermal mass system, based on single leaf construction. They are resistant to compression, transfer of heat, and are made from natural clay. Monomur has shown to benefit construction in Europe, most predominantly France, where the push for low energy buildings is high on the national agenda. This study aimed to determine the life cycle energy performance of the use of the monomur system in Australian residential construction. A life cycle energy analysis (LCEA) was used to quantify and compare the life cycle energy performance of two case study houses, one built from monomur and one from brick veneer. It was shown that there is minimal difference in the performance of these two construction approaches, paving the way for the potential use of monomur in the Australian context.
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ItemVentilation for Reduced Heat Stress in Apartments(The Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA), Australia, 2017)The increase in building code requirements of modern buildings are correlated with increased overheating, particularly in apartment buildings. This research addresses the comparative performance of the Australian apartment stock with international heat wave regulations, six apartment buildings were performance modelled based on the extremes of the 2009 Victorian heatwave that began on the 27 January with daytime temperatures topping 43°C across 3 days, with night‐time minimums of above 25°C. All 6 apartments failed the four international summer comfort standards that were reviewed. The worst performing apartment underwent further investigation. Retrofit strategies were tested to determine the most effective method for reducing overheating. As found in the literature, improved ventilation is often the most effective retrofit method. Further investigation revealed that ventilation opportunities are significantly restricted by the Australian NCC window protection requirements that restrict window openings, reducing typical ventilation area from a window from 50% to 20%. This has a significant impact on the ability to use natural ventilation for reducing of overheating in apartments.
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ItemFuture proofing the accuracy of building simulations by addressing climate change projections in modified weather files(The Architectural Science Association and The University of Adelaide, 2016)Complex building simulation is increasingly common in the design process of buildings in Australia. Traditionally, building simulation has been conducted using weather files constructed from typical historical weather data, but in a period of climate change the use of historical data to assess performance has been criticised as inappropriate. Modern buildings need to be efficient and comfortable today, but also into the future. This new design challenge requires adaptability and resilience to be included in building designs from the outset, and necessitates that data used for simulation is as accurate and reflective as possible of the environmental conditions in which buildings are likely to operate. This research utilises the improved imposed offset method proposed by Guan to construct a future hourly weather data file for various Australian locations that can be used in building simulation software. This approach will produce weather time series that incorporates the RCP8.5 climate change scenario while maintaining the local and realistic characteristics of the original weather file. This future weather data can then be used by designers and building engineers to assess off-axis scenarios in the simulation and address the risks of overheating during the lifetime of the building.
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ItemStaged Competition as a Driver of Construction Innovation(Elsevier, 2017)Globally building operation contributes 30-40% of the primary energy demand in most developed economies. At the same time the construction industry is repeatedly found to have lower rates of adoption of innovation than other industries, despite being described as "a lively source of new ideas". A general conclusion is that the rate of innovation lags behind most other sectors. A new mechanism for innovation generation, diffusion and adoption is required. The automotive industry provides a benchmark for innovation, and has a distinct advantage with regards to generation, implementation and adoption of innovation. Automotive 'staged competitions' (e.g. motorsport), occur within the industry between manufacturers, and rely heavily on the involvement of suppliers within the industry. Such competition provides an excellent platform for marketing, testing, and development of innovation within and beyond the parent industry. Although rare and fleeting, construction competitions already exist in the construction industry. However they are not as advanced as motorsport is for the purposes of generating, diffusing or adopting innovations. This case study research considers three unique existing construction competitions, and shows how each example can contribute to the increase in innovation in the construction industry. The research shows that none of the case study competitions are able to provide the required steps to progress radical innovation from generation to adoption, and are thus failing as a new innovation mechanism for the construction industry. Further discussion of how these competitions can be optimized to drive innovation within the construction industry is provided with the ultimate aim to reduce resource use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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ItemTemplate schools: Measuring indoor environmental quality(The University of Sydney, 2011)
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ItemA modelling method to assess the effect of tree shading for building performance simulation(International Building Performance Simulation Association, 2011)Increasing urban tree numbers is a simple but effective means to provide climate change adaptation to the urban environment by reducing the thermal load on buildings. To better communicate and value the importance of urban trees it is necessary to quantify these benefits and to understand the properties and processes that influence the magnitude of these benefits. For this we need verified and effective ways of modelling the trees in modelling software. This paper presents the results and problems encountered when trying to model trees effectively. The aim is to present our approach which was to treat the shade as a shading co-efficient on the wall. This allows for the consideration of the benefits of deciduous versus evergreen species. A modelling method to assess the effect of tree shading was developed and presented in this paper.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableDoes current policy on building energy efficiency reduce a building’s life cycle energy demand?(The Architectural Science Association and The University of Melbourne, 2015)Building energy efficiency regulations often focus solely on thermal energy demands. Increasing the thermal performance of the building envelope through additional insulation and efficient windows is the typical approach to increasing building thermal energy efficiency. This can result in a significant increase in embodied energy which is currently not considered in building energy regulations. A case study house in Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia is used to investigate the life cycle primary energy repercussions of increasing building energy efficiency levels over 50 years. Embodied and operational energy are quantified using the comprehensive hybrid approach and a dynamic software tool, respectively. Energy efficiency is improved by material or design changes as well as a combination of both. Results show that while increasing the envelope thermal energy performance yields thermal operational energy savings, these can be offset by the additional embodied energy required for additional insulation materials and more efficient windows. The point at which increasing the thermal performance of the envelope does not yield life cycle energy benefits is just above current minimum energy efficiency standards in Australia. In order to reduce a building’s life cycle energy demand, a more comprehensive approach that includes embodied energy and emphasises design changes is needed.
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ItemApproach to thermal modelling innovative green building elements: Green roof and phase change plaster board(The University of Melbourne, 2010)