Infrastructure Engineering - Research Publications
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ItemNo Preview AvailableA pilot study on users’ IEQ perceptions in a residential aged care facility in Melbourne(RMIT, 2018-11-29)The aged population in Australia is expanding rapidly. To cater for the Australia’s ageing population, there is a significant increase in demand for aged care facilities over the coming decades. The indoor environmental quality (IEQ) affects users’ physical health and psychological wellbeing. However, systematic research on the relationship between users’ perceptions and IEQ of aged care facilities has yet to be developed. In this pilot study, a residential aged care facility in Melbourne was selected as a case study for investigating the differences between the measured IEQ data and the users’ perceived individual comfort. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect the perceptions of users on IEQ. Environmental sensors which enable web-based data monitoring were deployed. The measured data were then analysed together with the questionnaire survey results for drawing a comparison with the users’ perceptions. It was found that the measurements by environmental sensors are realistic and the survey questionnaires are appropriate for the study. For the future surveys, the language barrier needs to be considered for non-English speakers.
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ItemSensitivity analysis of building envelope parameters affecting thermal comfort(ZEMCH Network, 2018-01-29)The ever-increasing attention towards implementation of environmentally sustainable building design approaches necessitates the prediction of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) during design stage. Building performance simulation tools are able to predict key performance indices of buildings including IEQ. Among different aspects of IEQ, thermal comfort has been reported as one of the important aspects for occupants. It is necessary to understand the effects of design parameters on the performance of building in order to provide acceptable thermal comfort levels. However, due to the possibility of various design strategies, the selection of the most appropriate combination is a challenging task. Thus, the determination of effective parameters is of great importance in order to streamline the design process. The design parameters related to building envelope are among the most important items that have major influence on building thermal performance. Although prefabrication offers several benefits in terms of saving on-site time, saving money and better waste management, it affects envelope thermal performance due to introduction of lightweight components. While there is a body of research reporting the effects of passive strategies on building thermal performance, the influence of lightweight prefabricated envelope components is not well-documented in the current literature. This paper aims to perform a sensitivity analysis (SA) to identify the relative importance of major building envelope design parameters affecting thermal comfort of a prefabricated house in Melbourne, Australia. The envelope parameters investigated are: infiltration rate, solar heat gain coefficients and sizes of windows, and thermal resistance of insulation for exterior walls, floor and roof. The ranges of these parameters are based on the building components particularly used by prefabrication building industry in Australia. A typical three-bedroom prefabricated house in Melbourne was considered and the results of the SA are presented.
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ItemExploring demands for mass customised prefabricated houses in Brazil(ZEMCH Network, 2018-01-29)Housing shortage has been a challenge faced by many countries around the world. In Brazil, the housing supply capacity was less than demand by about 5.4 million dwellings in 2011. To address this shortfall, the Brazilian government launched ‘Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida’ (My House, My Life Program) in 2009 with the aim of reducing housing shortage. The program was divided into three development stages, the first and second stages of the program were completed in 2014 and 2016, respectively. The third stage is now ongoing, a grand total of 4.6 million dwellings are expected to be delivered at the completion by the end of 2018. However, there is significant lack of information on reliable housing demand and supply predictions for the coming years in Curitiba. In addition, the consumers’ feedback from first and second development stages showed that lack of choice and design customisability have been an issue. Therefore, quantifying housing demand in Curitiba is extremely important for planning purposes and better houses. Mass customised prefabricated houses have enormous potential to deliver high-quality in large scale with shorter time by providing options for the consumers. The aim of this study is to develop a housing demand model of mass customised houses for the city of Curitiba. The potential for future mass customisation in Curitiba is explored as the demand of various house sizes are predicted up to 2025. Based on the Brazilian Census data from 2010, population profiles and diversity of family’s structures are used as influencing parameters in the model. The outcome of the proposed model can be used as guideline or public policy for delivering appropriate mass customised houses which would fit future needs and desires of people. The predicted results show substantial reduction in size of the family living at the same dwelling, which will certainly impact on the future of the housing market. It was interpreted that there is a need of more compact one and two-bedroom dwellings, reducing the demand of four-bedroom dwellings.
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ItemComparing mixing ventilation and displacement ventilation in university classrooms(ZEMCH Network, 2018-01-29)There are two main types of mechanical ventilation systems: the mixing ventilation (MV) and the displacement ventilation (DV). The aim of this work is to compare their performance in terms of ventilation efficiency, air temperature, relative humidity, size-resolved particle concentrations, carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, and energy consumption. We performed a field investigation in two side-by-side classrooms installed with the two different ventilation systems. The energy consumptions were measured by i) a heat meter to measure the energy extracted by chilled water supplied, and ii) a power analyser to measure energy consumed by the ventilation fan. We also monitor indoor air dry bulb temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 concentrations in real-time for both rooms. It was found that the classroom with DV system consumed more energy. The unexpected high energy consumption can be attributable to the improved ventilation, CO2 and humidity control in DV room. Air temperature stratification were observed in DV room, but both room achieved similar volume-averaged temperate. We also found lower particle concentrations in both rooms compared to outdoor levels.
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ItemPilot study on IEQ of an aged-care facility in Victoria(ZEMCH Network, 2018-01-29)Australian population is ageing. The proportion of Australian population over 65 years old has been increased and it is projected to be 25% in 2042. Although the Victorian Government has promoted ageing in place under home care package services, there is still a genuine need to provide more residential aged care services to satisfy the needs. The indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of residential aged care facilities is closely related to the health and well-being of residents living there. In this pilot study, the Adare Supported Residential Services (SRS) in Victoria is selected as the site for investigation. Some sensors are deployed in both communal areas and residents’ rooms to collect transient data on IEQ parameters, including carbon dioxide concentration, dry bulb temperature, radiant temperature, relative humidity and illumination level. Data collected is analysed and the links between outdoor environmental conditions and IEQ parameters are investigated. Limitations of this pilot study are discussed and recommendations for the full study are provided.
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ItemFull Cost Assessment: A method to analyse sustainability of buildings(Hong Kong Green Building Council, 2017-06-05)Quantifying the sustainability of buildings is a complex and very challenging task. Three interdependent factors: society, economy and environment need to be considered. It requires a systematic assessment of all these three factors for the entire life-cycle of the building. Full cost assessment (FCA) is an accounting method that monetises direct, indirect and external aspects. Since external aspects are considered, FCA provides a systematic approach to monetise the current and future impacts of decisions which may cause environmental and social impacts. The oil and gas industry was the first to apply the FCA approach in their decision-making processes. Recently, applications of FCA have been expanded to many areas such as energy supply, waste management, chemical process, transport system, and urban development. This paper aims to identify the benefits and limitations of FCA on the evaluation for the sustainability of buildings. The concept of FCA, the relevant methods available and the applicability of FCA to buildings are discussed.
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ItemA baseline study on thermal performance of prefabricated modular buildings in Australia(Hong Kong Green Building Council., 2017-06-05)Prefabricated modular construction is one of building solutions that has positive effects on construction time and waste management. In general, thermal performance of the building envelope is an important parameter which dictates the operational energy consumption. There are some prefabricated modular buildings available in Australia. However, their thermal performance benchmarks have not been well documented in the literature. Innovative panel systems have been proposed to improve the cost competitiveness and to achieve better performance. It is essential to know the current performance so that newer panels can be proven to be better. This paper investigates the thermal performance of four prefabricated modular buildings currently available in the Australian market. The buildings were selected to represent single-family houses with different floor areas. A building energy performance simulation tool was used to predict the cooling and heating loads of each building. The findings based on the simulations are presented in this paper.