Energetics Perspective On The Environmental And Human Impact Of Buildings

Featuring research on topics such as low energy buildings' concepts, construction materials and technology, hybrid energy systems, energy balance, and wellbeing, this book meets the expectations of academicians, specialists and researchers in the field, along with the scholars seeking coverage on buildings, environmental and human impact. It presents an integrated approach to the buildings' energetic aspects, from the perspective of environmental impact, together with the indoor wellbeing. In this respect, the chapters include state of the art, case studies, as well as research results that validate the raised hypotheses. The book integrates topics related to buildings' performance, approached by researchers with different backgrounds within the civil engineering domain, i.e. achieved energetics performances, obstacles, restrictions and limitations issues within design and optimization processes, including the new perspectives in the buildings & energy sector.

"This book explores existing and future buildings from the energy performance point of view and defines their interaction with the surrounding environment and the indoor environment from a human wellbeing perspective. The interaction between buildings and the environment is defined, modeled, and quantified through the buildings' environmental impact with all aspects implied as well as by the ways of harnessing natural resources within buildings"--

In The Power of Existing Buildings, academic sustainability expert Robert Sroufe, and construction and building experts Craig Stevenson and Beth Eckenrode, explain how to realize the potential of existing buildings and make them perform like new. This step-by-step guide will help readers to: understand where to start a project; develop financial models and realize costs savings; assemble an expert team; and align goals with numerous sustainability programs. The Power of Existing Buildings will challenge you to rethink spaces where people work and play, while determining how existing buildings can save the world. The insights and practical experience of Sroufe, Stevenson, and Eckenrode, along with the project case study examples, provide new insights on investing in existing buildings for building owners, engineers, occupants, architects, and real estate and construction professionals.

Underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSN) are envisioned as an aquatic medium for a variety of applications including oceanographic data collection, disaster management or prevention, assisted navigation, attack protection, and pollution monitoring. Similar to terrestrial wireless sensor networks (WSN), UWSNs consist of sensor nodes that collect the information and pass it to a base station; however, researchers have to face many challenges in executing the network in an aquatic medium. Energy-Efficient Underwater Wireless Communications and Networking is a crucial reference source that covers existing and future possibilities of the area as well as the current challenges presented in the implementation of underwater sensor networks. While highlighting topics such as digital signal processing, underwater localization, and acoustic channel modeling, this publication is ideally designed for machine learning experts, IT specialists, government agencies, oceanic engineers, communication experts, researchers, academicians, students, and environmental agencies concerned with optimized data flow in communication network, securing assets, and mitigating security attacks.

The combined challenges of health, comfort, climate change and energy security cross the boundaries of traditional building disciplines. This authoritative collection, focusing mostly on energy and ventilation, provides the current and next generation of building engineering professionals with what they need to work closely with many disciplines to meet these challenges.A Handbook of Sustainable Building Engineering covers: how to design, engineer and monitor a building in a manner that minimises the emissions of greenhouse gases; how to adapt the environment, fabric and services of existing and new buildings to climate change; how to improve the environment in and around buildings to provide better health, comfort, security and productivity; and provides crucial expertise on monitoring the performance of buildings once they are occupied. The authors explain the principles behind built environment engineering, and offer practical guidance through international case studies.

Energy is central to sustainable development. It has huge environmental, social, and economic impacts, such as its influence on climate change, poverty reduction efforts, industrial and agricultural productivity and environmental and human health. The development of strategies towards a sustainable energy transition is one of the most important world challenges of the twenty-first century. The choices that we will make in the coming years about energy will determine what world future generations will inherit. This book gives an overview of the key issues, strategies, operational guidelines and policy implications of current research on the transition to more sustainable energy consumption. It investigates the important issue of the relation between human activities, energy systems and energy use. It addresses the environmental, social and economic impacts of energy consumption and their interrelationships. This book was written by academic and research experts in the field of energy, and they have developed strategies for an energy sustainable plan for the main energy-intensive sectors: energy production, transportation, buildings, agriculture and domestic appliances. The best opportunities and solutions for energy demand reduction are shown, including energy efficiency improvement, increases in the share of renewable energy sources, technological progress and behavioural changes in the field of energy. The aim of this work is to guide the reader toward more efficient policies and actions that will actually improve the future. The book also addresses the different issues faced by developing and developed countries, as well as their relative respective solutions. It presents various alternative pathways that are open to our societies. The methods of energy consumption assessment and modelling approaches are also discussed. All those who are interested in energy challenges will find practical knowledge and operational solutions in this book, providing a solid foundation for making well-informed choices in the future, as individuals and as societies.

The Fully Updated, Indispensible Study of Sustainable Design Principles Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building is the first textbook to merge principles, theory, and practice into an integrated workflow. This book introduces the technologies and processes of sustainable design and shows how to incorporate sustainable concepts at every design stage. This comprehensive primer takes an active learning approach that keeps students engaged. This book dispenses essential information from practicing industry specialists to provide a comprehensive introduction to the future of design. This new second edition includes: Expansive knowledge—from history and philosophy to technology and practice Fully updated international codes, like the CAL code, and current legislations Up-to-date global practices, such as the tools used for Life-Cycle Assessment Thorough coverage of critical issues such as climate change, resiliency, health, and net zero energy building Extensive design problems, research exercise, study questions, team projects, and discussion questions that get students truly involved with the material Sustainable design is a responsible, forward-thinking method for building the best structure possible in the most efficient way. Conventional resources are depleting and building professionals are thinking farther ahead. This means that sustainable design will eventually be the new standard and everyone in the field must be familiar with the concepts to stay relevant. Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building is the ideal primer, with complete coverage of the most up to date information.

This popular textbook covers how the built environment and the management of energy relate to the quality of human living-conditions and the environmental performance of buildings. It is the key introductory text for understanding the principles and theories of the environmental science behind construction, and the only text on the market to provide the basic scientific principles of such a broad range of topics. The text covers a range of areas in the field, including climate change, energy management, and sustainability in construction, with an important focus on contemporary environmental topics such as carbon, lifetime performance and rating schemes. The author is known for his extremely clear, finely crafted text, and the book offers a wealth of excellent worked examples. This text is designed to be useful, at all levels, to students and practitioners of architecture, construction studies, building services, surveying, and environmental science. New to this Edition: - Expansion upon the environmental narrative with coverage of contemporary topics such as carbon, lifetime performance and rating schemes - Additional figures, images and sub-topics in chapters - An updated section on building services to give a broader understanding of modern building services equipment options, specifications and performance implications - Inclusion of a new section which offers commentary on the future of environmental science in building