scholarly journals Bermed Earth-Sheltered Wall for Low-Income House: Thermal and Energy Measure to Face Climate Change in Tropical Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 420
Author(s):  
Ivan Julio Apolonio Callejas ◽  
Raquel Moussalem Apolonio ◽  
Emeli Lalesca Aparecida da Guarda ◽  
Luciane Cleonice Durante ◽  
Karyna de Andrade Carvalho Rosseti ◽  
...  

Climate change impact is one of the most important global concerns at present. In the building environment, climate-responsive design may help to enhance the adaptation capacity through a better building energy performance. In this sense, this study addresses an adaptation strategy to reduce the effects of global warming on low-income houses, for which bioclimatic passive strategies should be prioritized, aiming to improve environmental sustainability. The technique chosen to be analyzed is thermal mass for cooling. Thus, the goal is to evaluate the energy consumption and thermal performance impact of implementing bermed earth-sheltered walls on bedrooms in low-income housing (LIH), considered deployed in tropical climate regions. For that, a base scenario (1961–1990) is considered, alongside two future scenarios: 2020 (2011 to 2040) and 2050 (2041 to 2070), both considering the effects of climate change, according to the Fourth Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The methodologies adopted are (i) computational simulation to estimate the annual energy consumption demand and (ii) quantification of the cooling degree-hours (CDH), with the subsequent comparative analysis based on Brazilian regulation for energy efficiency in buildings (RTQ-R). The predictions show that there will be an increase in the energy consumption for cooling and in the CDH in both 2020 and 2050 scenarios, regardless of using a bermed earth-sheltered wall. Nonetheless, this adaptive measure enables the building to be resilient in terms of cooling energy demand in the 2020s, since it is 12.3% lower than in the building without the strategy use, compared with the base scenario. In the 2050s, resilience was almost reached with energy consumption only 10.7% higher, for the same conditions described previously. Therefore, bermed earth-sheltered walls work as a climate-responsive design strategy to face the potential global warming effects, promoting building sustainability in tropical climate regions.

Proceedings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Julio Apolonio Callejas ◽  
Luciane Cleonice Durante ◽  
Emeli Lalesca Aparecida da Guarda ◽  
Raquel Moussalem Apolonio

This study addresses passive adaptation strategies to reduce the effects of global warming on housing, focusing on low-income houses, for which passive adaptation strategies should be prioritized, aiming for environmental sustainability. The passive strategy chosen is thermal mass for cooling, through the adoption of earth-sheltered walls in contact with the ground. Thus, the goal of this study is to evaluate the thermal load and thermal impact of implementing a thermal mass strategy for cooling, using bermed earth-sheltered walls in bedrooms, for a building located in a tropical climate region. For that, a base scenario (1961–1990) is considered alongside two future scenarios: 2020 (2011 to 2040) and 2050 (2041 to 2070), both considering the effects of climate change, according to the Fourth Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The methodologies adopted are (i) the computational simulation of the annual thermal load demand and (ii) the quantification of the Cooling Degree-Hours (CDH) with the subsequent comparative analysis. The results show that in both the 2020 and 2050 scenarios there will be an increase in the thermal loads for cooling and the CDH, regardless of using a bermed earth-sheltered wall. Nonetheless, it is shown that this passive strategy works as a global warming adaptation measure, promoting building sustainability in tropical climate regions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-260
Author(s):  
Roy Candra Sigalingging ◽  
David Chow ◽  
Steve Sharples

In a hot and humid tropical climate, natural ventilation brings high levels of moisture into dwellings that, together with occupant activity, can result in very elevated internal relative humidity levels. Coupling these high relative humidities with high internal air temperatures creates occupant thermal discomfort, which is typically ameliorated in the tropics using energy-intensive air conditioning systems. This paper has investigated the potential benefits for thermal comfort and energy usage of applying the German Passivhaus standard to tropical dwellings. By creating a super insulated and air-tight envelope, the Passivhaus standard reduces fabric heat transfer, controls air infiltration and provides low-energy comfort. Applying this approach to a tropical terraced house might be effective but could, potentially, have an adverse impact on mechanical cooling demand. This study took an actual terraced property in Jakarta, Indonesia and thermally modelled its performance as insulation and airtightness levels were incrementally improved up to the Passivhaus standard. Field measurements in the dwelling of air temperature and relative humidity were used to validate the thermal model of the existing house. The validated model then tested the feasibility of meeting the Passivhaus energy standard for cooling in the modified tropical house. Simulation allowed the effects of air conditioning (AC) and dehumidifiers on thermal comfort and cooling loads to be investigated. The research develop the Passivhaus building model that had the floor insulation removed to let the ground floor act as a thermal sink and potentially provide radiant cooling. Analysis revealed that the building’s predicted air temperatures were affected in a beneficial way by having the Passivhaus without floor insulation. Practical application: Cooling in hot and humid tropical region is an energy-intensive approach. Design approaches that can bring comfort and save energy for the occupant are essential. The success of Passivhaus standard in mild climate might be transferable to bring comfort in tropical housing. Best practice can be developed by analysing the Passivhaus building performance in hot and humid tropical region.


2012 ◽  
Vol 518-523 ◽  
pp. 1664-1668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guo Lin Bao ◽  
Hong Qi Hui

CO2 is the most frequently implicated in global warming among the various greenhouse gases associated with climate change. Chinese government has been taking serious measures to control energy consumption to reduce CO2 emissions. This study applies the grey forecasting model to estimate future CO2 emissions and carbon intensity in Shijiazhuang from 2010 until 2020. Forecasts of CO2 emissions in this study show that the average residual error of the GM(1, 1) is below 1.5%. The average increasing rate of CO2 emissions will be about 6.71%; and the carbon intensity will be 2.10 tons/104GDP until year 2020. If the GDP of Shijiazhuang city can be quadruple, the carbon intensity will be half to the 2005 levels until 2020. The findings of this study provide a valuable reference with which the Shijiazhuang government can formulate measures to reduce CO2 emissions by curbing the unnecessary the consumption of energy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Hassan Bazazzadeh ◽  
Adam Nadolny ◽  
Seyedeh Sara Hashemi Safaei

The growth of urban population as the result of economic and industrial development has changed our place of living from a prosperous place to where the resources are carelessly consumed. On the other hand, long-term climate change, i.e. global warming, has had adverse impact on our resources. Certain resources are on the verge of depletion as the consequence of climate change and inconsiderate consumption of resources, unless serious measures are implemented immediately. The building sector, whose share in the municipal energy consumption is considerably high, is a key player that may successfully solve the problem. This paper aims to study the effects of climate change on the energy consumption of buildings and analyze its magnitude to increase the awareness of how construction can reduce the overall global energy consumption. A descriptive-analytical method has been applied to analyze valid models of energy consumption according to different scenarios and to interpret the conditions underlying current and future energy consumption of buildings. The results clearly show that the energy consumption in the building sector increasingly depends on the cooling demand. With that being said, we can expect the reduction of overall energy consumption of buildings in regions with high heating demands, whereas rising the energy consumption in buildings is expected in regions with high cooling demand. To conclude, the long-term climate change (e.g. global warming) underlies the increased energy consumption for the cooling demand whose share in total energy consumption of buildings much outweighs the heating demand. Therefore, to conserve our resources, urban energy planning and management should focus on working up a proper framework of guidelines on how to mitigate the cooling loads in the energy consumption patterns of buildings.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Jan-Erik Lane ◽  
Florent Dieterlen

One may introduce a concept of Hawking irreversibility as the point where temperature has risen so much that the global warming consequences threaten the survival of mankind. The recent news out of China that its CO2s are increasing again makes this term highly policy relevant. Moreover, the methane emissions have started to augment, which also calls up Hawking irreversibility. The drive behind these dire developments is the endless zest for affluence and wealth, fueled by ever larger energy consumption. Asian miracle economies should take this warming seriously and srart the implementatuion os COP21 Treaty.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Fořt ◽  
Jiří Šál ◽  
Jan Kočí ◽  
Robert Černý

Facing the consequences of climate change and fuel price rises, the achievement of the requirements for low-energy consumption of buildings has become a challenging issue. On top of that, increased demands on indoor hygrothermal conditions usually require the utilization of additional heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems to maintain a comfortable environment. On this account, several advanced and modern materials are widely investigated as a promising way for reduction of the buildings’ energy consumption including utilization of passive heating/cooling energy. However, the efficiency and suitability of passive strategies depending on several aspects including the influence of location, exterior climatic conditions, load-bearing materials used, and insulation materials applied. The main objective of this study consists of the investigation of the energy performance benefits gained by the utilization of advanced materials in plasters by computational modeling. Results obtained from a computational simulation reveal the capability of the studied passive cooling/heating methods on the moderation of indoor air quality together with the reduction of the diurnal temperature fluctuation. Achieved results disclose differences in terms of energy savings for even small variation in outdoor climate conditions. Additionally, the effectivity of passive cooling/heating alters considerably during the summer and winter periods. Based on the analysis of simulated heat fluxes, the potential energy savings related to improved thermal properties of the applied plaster layer reached up to 12.08% and thus represent an interesting passive solution towards energy sustainability to meet the criteria on modern buildings.


Author(s):  
James C. G. Walker

The dynamic, evolving Earth, and the mathematical representation of its geochemical changes are the subject of this timely, helpful handbook. Global warming, changes in the ocean, and the effects of fossil fuel combustion are just a few of the phenomena that make the development of geochemical models critical. But what computational methods will help to accurately carry out this task? This new text teaches the methodology of computational simulation of environmental change. The author presents interesting applications of his methods to describe the response of the ocean and atmosphere to the infusion of pollutants, the effect of evaporation on seawater composition, climate change, and many other aspects of the Earth's evolving ecosystem. He also presents simple approaches for solving non-linear systems, calculating isotope ratios, and dealing with chains of identical reservoirs. With creative programs that can be executed on any personal computer, Walker offers earth scientists the techniques necessary to address the key problems in their field.


2011 ◽  
Vol 243-249 ◽  
pp. 5289-5292
Author(s):  
Jun Hua Yu

As known to all, the emission of greenhouse gases is mainly caused by human activities. If we could cut down the emission, we could gradually prevent the influence of climate change. Relevant research shows that in the field of energy consumption, the control of CO2 emission is the most effective way to save energy. Thus, reducing the architectural energy consumption is one of the most crucial factors to realize global climate goals. Although more and more scholars prefer to use the word ‘dilemma’ to describe the urgent contradiction between architectural construction and environment, and energy as well, I still want to discuss the influence of global warming on the architecture industry, and explain why it is an opportunity as well.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (01) ◽  
pp. 23-33
Author(s):  
Hema Singh ◽  
Swati Mishra ◽  
Talat Afreen

Nowadays soil respiration has become an important issue in research. Measurement of soil respiration helps in determining the carbon budget under the influence of global climate change. Rainfall variability and nitrogen (N) input both have a profound impact on soil respiration and its components, i.e. autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration. Besides, soil respiration also shows considerable change due to global warming. According to emissions scenario, the elevated CO2 concentration would increase the soil surface temperature by 2oC in the coming 35 years which may lead to huge C-losses to the atmosphere. Such carbon losses to the atmosphere would aggravate the effects of global warming on the human race. Although some progress had been made in soil respiration research about rainfall variability and N-input, there are discrepancies in the results. But despite considerable scientific attention in recent years, there is no consensus on the direction and magnitude of warming-induced changes in soil carbon. Soil respiration changes with climate but to confirm it observationally have big constraints such as high spatial variability in soil respiration, inaccessibility of the soil medium and inability of the instruments to measure soil respiration on large scales. Further, most of the soil respiration studies about rainfall variability and N-input have been conducted in temperate regions, and tropics have remained ignored. Though tropical countries have not yet experienced the extreme variations in rainfall, still under the ongoing climate change the tropical region would also start to experience altered rainfall regimes. Rainfall variability and N-input are the consequences of intense global climate change and industrialisation, respectively. There are reports from grasslands that the antecedent soil moisture determines the strength of the effect of rainfall on soil respiration. N-input is reported to increase soil respiration only when water addition accompanied it. Further, the effect of N-input on soil respiration was different for the short term and long term addition of nitrogen. Likewise many ecosystem warming experiments suggest that warming increases the carbon fluxes to and from the soil, but the net global balance between these responses is uncertain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-150
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abouaiana

Abstract The current rural dwelling pattern in the Delta in Egypt consumes much energy to achieve dwellers’ thermal comfort, increasing greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change threatening the region’s coastal parts. Therefore, this study highlights the potential of retrofitting the existing rural house utilizing pervasive construction technologies in diminishing energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions as a climate change mitigation strategy. The current modern rural house and the construction typologies were characterized. This study selected a typical modern rural dwelling located in Al-Gharbia Governorate in the Delta region. The suggested retrofitting strategies were applied to the external building envelope. The impact on the annual energy consumption of cooling and heating loads was evaluated using an Energy Performance Assessment Tool (Design Builder). An optimal envelope configuration was suggested, then an economic assessment and an investigation to the local acceptance were provided. The results showed that using the commonly used construction techniques as a retrofitting strategy can plummet the energy consumption and CO2 emissions by one-third worthy of mentioning that the locals have shown a lack of interest in the investment in retrofitting their buildings as well as the economic model showed that the investment is not profitable. Further studies can be made by the author considering investigating different building typologies and engaging other stakeholders.


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