scholarly journals Thermal Performance of Partially Bermed Earth-Sheltered House: Measure for Adapting to Climate Change in a Tropical Climate Region

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.

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 250 ◽  
pp. 01005
Author(s):  
Manuela Tvaronavičienė

Adaptation strategies to the climate change include measures that can be taken to take account of the new climatic conditions. This paper aims at assessing the effects of climate change on environmental sustainability. This sustainability constitutes a major problem in many countries and regions around the world that experience industrial pollution, degradation of land as well as natural disasters caused by the global warming. The paper shows that adaptation strategies are often parallel strategies that can be integrated simultaneously with the management of natural resources. They can make resources more efficient and resilient to climate change. The paper shows that reducing the carbon footprint by more than 50 percent by 2030 and eliminating it by 2050 might be a viable solution how to tackle the climate change and support the environmental sustainability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (15) ◽  
pp. 6135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Julio Apolonio Callejas ◽  
Luciane Cleonice Durante ◽  
Eduardo Diz-Mellado ◽  
Carmen Galán-Marín

Climate change will bring changes to our living conditions, particularly in urban areas. Climate-responsive design strategies through courtyards can help to moderate temperatures and reduce the thermal stress of its occupants. Thermal response inside courtyard is affected not only by its morphological composition but also by subjective factors. Thus, standardized thermal scales may not reflect the stress of the occupants. This study investigated the impact on thermal attenuation provided by a courtyard located in a tropical climate under extreme cold and hot synoptic conditions by means of local thermal sensation scales. Microclimatic variables were monitored, simultaneously with the application of a thermal comfort questionnaire, by using weather stations installed outside and inside the courtyard. The Modified Physiological Equivalent Temperature Index (mPET) was utilized to predict the heat stress. Calibration was conducted using linear regression to attribute particular thermal sensation votes to correspondent mPET values. It was found that thermal sensation can be affected by factors such as psychological, behavioral, and physiological. The courtyard’s form provides a passive cooling effect, stabilizing interior thermal sensation, with attenuation peaks of 6.4 °C on a cold day and 5.0 °C on a hot day. Courtyards are an alternative passive strategy to improve thermal ambience in tropical climate, counterbalancing climate change.


Author(s):  
B. E. Ikumbur ◽  
S. Iornumbe

Climate change is the single biggest environmental issue facing the world today. It has become a great challenge to our generation and its impact is felt in almost every society in the world. Nigeria is one of the most vulnerable countries in Africa. Nigeria as a developing nation with a population of about 200 million people is likely to be adversely impacted by climate change due to its vulnerability and low coping capabilities. Climate change is evidently linked to human actions, and in particular from the burning of fossil fuels and changes in global patterns of land use. The impacts of human activities, as well as those of natural phenomena on global warming, climate change, and the environment, were presented and discussed. Various manifestations of its impact are evident in Nigeria, which includes temperature rise, increase in draught, and scarcity of food instigated by irregularities in rainfall, over flooding, and so on. This paper examines the concepts of global warming and climate change; its impact on the Nigeria ecosystems. It highlights the climate change-related risks and hazards the nation could face if best practices are not employed to prevent and mitigate its impact. Two sets of measures have been advocated for confronting climate change, these are mitigation and adaptation measures. The review explores possible adaptation strategies that are required to respond to the climatic variations and suggests ways that these adaptation strategies can be implemented.


Subject The impact of climate change on Maghreb countries. Significance The Maghreb is one of the world's most water-scarce regions. Global warming will exacerbate the ecological, social and economic challenges it already faces. Impacts Water misuse will exacerbate the effects of climate change on the region’s water supplies. Renewable energies will not only help ease climate change impacts, but also diversify regional economies and create employment. Unless climate change adaptation strategies accelerate, Maghreb countries will see a deterioration in living conditions.


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.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Tan

There is widespread evidence that countries in the tropical regions especially the less developed countries will be most affected by the impacts of climate change and global warming. Unfortunately, these countries are highly dependent on agriculture, which is very sensitive to climate change, thereby threatening food security and economic development in the region. Interestingly, agriculture is one of the main contributors to the atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, it is important that actions taken to adapt to climate change do not undermine the effectiveness of mitigation strategies that impact the agricultural sector. The present study investigates the effects of mitigation and adaptation strategies on the impacts of climate change in the agricultural sector in Northern Philippines and identifies where synergies or conflicts between the two approaches may arise. Further analysis of the selected strategies suggests that one or more adaptation strategies may be ideal to achieve the maximum benefits.


2020 ◽  
pp. 45-60
Author(s):  
M. V. Kazakova

Increase of the Earth’s average surface temperature observed in the last century has affected almost all countries of the world. No state has managed to escape the effects of global warming, and scientists predict that no country will escape a further increase in temperature. However, the highest temperature increases are expected in countries with relatively colder climates. The contribution of low-income developing countries, typically located in some of the hottest geographic areas of the planet, to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations is negligible, both in absolute and per capita terms. This article provides a meta-analysis of quantitative estimates of the damage caused by global climate change occurring on the planet since the last century. A rise in temperature has been shown to decrease per capita production in countries with relatively high average annual temperatures, which include most low-income countries. In these countries, the negative effect has long-term nature and operates through several channels, including decrease in agricultural production and labor productivity in sectors more exposed to weather; reduction in capital accumulation and deterioration of human health. Moreover, as evidence shows, in recent years macroeconomic indicators have not become less sensitive to temperature shocks, which points at significant limitations on countries’ adaptation to climate change. Meta-analysis of climate change damage estimates documented in relevant literature will, first, provide an idea of the scale of such estimates and help to assess the current state of knowledge in this area. In addition, a meta-analysis will demonstrate sensitivity of the results of calculations regarding assessment approach, measurement errors or insufficient data, choice of sample, etc. Finally, systematization of climate damage quantitative estimates is highly likely to be of practical importance for authorities and international organizations responsible for developing measures to deal with climate change and mitigate its effects, especially for developing and poor countries, most affected by the negative effects of global warming.


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (24) ◽  
pp. 9909-9917 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen-Qiang Zhou ◽  
Shang-Ping Xie

Abstract Climate models suffer from long-standing biases, including the double intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) problem and the excessive westward extension of the equatorial Pacific cold tongue. An atmospheric general circulation model is used to investigate how model biases in the mean state affect the projection of tropical climate change. The model is forced with a pattern of sea surface temperature (SST) increase derived from a coupled simulation of global warming but uses an SST climatology derived from either observations or a coupled historical simulation. The comparison of the experiments reveals that the climatological biases have important impacts on projected changes in the tropics. Specifically, during February–April when the climatological ITCZ displaces spuriously into the Southern Hemisphere, the model overestimates (underestimates) the projected rainfall increase in the warmer climate south (north) of the equator over the eastern Pacific. Furthermore, the global warming–induced Walker circulation slowdown is biased weak in the projection using coupled model climatology, suggesting that the projection of the reduced equatorial Pacific trade winds may also be underestimated. This is related to the bias that the climatological Walker circulation is too weak in the model, which is in turn due to a too-weak mean SST gradient in the zonal direction. The results highlight the importance of improving the climatological simulation for more reliable projections of regional climate change.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 1243-1252
Author(s):  
C. D. Butler ◽  
I. C. Hanigan

This paper explores evidence relevant to the hypothesis that human-generated climate change (global warming) is already, and will increasingly, add to the existing burden of disadvantage experienced by populations in low-income countries, the ‘Global South'. Well recognised health manifestations of global warming include from heatwaves and other extreme weather events, changes to infectious disease patterns, and undernutrition, arising from higher food prices, reduced food availability and reduced nutrient concentrations of many foods. These effects have been called ‘primary' and ‘secondary'. Although these manifestations will have effects globally, their biggest impact on health is and will be upon poor and vulnerable populations in low-income settings. Also well recognised, manual labourers are increasingly vulnerable from excessive heat and humidity. There is less recognition that climate change interacts with social and political determinants of health, contributing to ‘tertiary' health consequences including conflict, forced migration and famine. In turn, these effects may deepen poverty traps in the Global South. Human-generated climate change is principally caused by the policies and lifestyles of populations in high-income countries (the Global North). The recent recognition by the British government that climate change is an emergency is encouraging, and may help motivate the widespread global behavioural changes that are needed to reduce the many risks from global warming, including to the people of the South.


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