Year: 2016

A positive vision for the future of humanity can be the basis for a needed change, a vision of opportunity, abundance and the potential for thriving. Regenerative development can provide a pathway towards this vision. Case studies are beginning to show that when applied, the concepts underpinning regenerative development can accelerate a transition to more…

Significant tension can exist between the goals of architectural research and those of architectural and building practice. Worthwhile research involves generating risks as the benefits from its outcomes are uncertain and they require interpretation in practice as new design approaches or construction methods. In contrast, architectural and construction practice generally involve managing building procurement risk….

A UNESCO Chair is a long-term program, set up in accordance with a resolution adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 1992, for educational and research activities at international level. The UNESCO Chair program pursues the strategic objective of fostering the creation of new educational programs, generating innovation in the areas of design, scientific…

This paper presents initial findings of a study on what constitutes liveability for two neighbourhoods in Gold Coast, Queensland. The study approaches neighbourhood as a social construct or practice, deriving meanings residents have about their neighbourhoods. The analysis of responses to a semi-structured interview reveal 22 dimensions of neighbourhood classified into four major themes: personal,…

In the past 50 years the traditional role of the architect to supervise and control projects has been eroded. The last remaining bastion maintain this traditional role of the architect is in small practice. Using a survey that firstly looks at how architects are engaged via either full or partial services we explore how architects…

In Australia, there is an increasing interest in using extensive green roofs to make buildings more sustainable and provide a number of social, ecological, aesthetic and thermal benefits to cities. The potential of green roofs to reduce building energy consumption has been extensively studied overseas in a variety of different climates. However, in Australia the…

Those researching the science of construction Products, Systems, Elements, Spaces, Entities and Complexes may wonder how best to deliver their findings to designers and builders. One such route is through national master specification systems (NMSS). Designers creating project specifications typically use NMSS as an aid in this process. The best of these systems are comprehensive,…

For nonlinear systems with multiple outputs and multiple inputs which cannot be decoupled, we make use of the sampling data of the real system to obtain a fuzzy relation matrix model via the semi-tensor product (STP) operation of matrices, and establish the mathematical model for a complicated system based on STP. This method has been…

This paper proposes an innovative way to interpret surface intelligence by merging both design practice and design research introducing projects in both fields of architecture and product design. Interpreting material properties of cork agglomerates allowed a new way of thinking about elementary design questions: as formulated through its physical characteristics of mechanical resistance, 100% raw…

As the number of photovoltaic systems grows and costs decrease dramatically along with their connect-to-grid tariffs, we ask whether our investments all make sense. This is a real case study, comparing energy use before and after going solar, by installing PV, reducing electrical energy use by retrofitting lighting, and storing electricity in a hybrid vehicle….

Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) are a structured framework for the retention and application of organisational knowledge. The costs of investment in KMS can be high and such systems need to be well planned to increase the likelihood of success. KMS in construction companies have been analysed in the last decade by both industry and academia…

The current increasing speed of urbanization in China, is threatening to demolish highly significant vernacular buildings in rural areas. Based on this context, the character of vernacular architecture and the construction principles in the local area is the subject of this paper, specifically, their spatial arrangement, structure, enclosure, and other elements of a vernacular building…

Tasmania, located in southern Australia, is a cool-temperate climate. For several months, the external environment is cooler than the desired minimum temperature for thermal comfort. However, this same climate has many days in the hotter months when the external temperatures are above those desired for thermal comfort. This creates a scenario where heating is used…

A review of current earthquake-prone building policy undertaken by the New Zealand Ministry of Building, Innovation and Enterprise (MBIE) following the Christchurch earthquake, resulted in the Government introducing legislation to strengthen structural requirements for all earthquake-prone building to a minimum of 35% of the New Building Standard and within a time period of 15 years,…

Passive House, promoted mostly in Germany, requires a high level of airtightness and high-quality construction, which can slow down the building process and so lead to difficulty in popularization. On the contrary, prefabricated building systems provide installation efficiency and protection of the site environment. By combining Passive House with prefabricated structures, a building project may…

This paper describes work undertaken in order to examine structural innovations in the New Zealand construction system, in order to test the efficiency of standard solutions vs newer methods of construction. The systems used are described and evaluated as possible scenarios for alternative construction methods, and the drawbacks and plaudits are discussed. It examines whether…

In front of the increasing importance of greenhouse gas emissions reduction required by European Directives and international agreements, historic buildings performance upgrade plays an important role in mitigating climate change. However, historic buildings are still excluded from deep renovation activities and a balance between historic values and environmental sustainability is yet to be found. If…

Natural ventilation can be used as a low-cost alternative to mechanical ventilation. Bearing in mind that ventilation mode plays an important role in natural ventilation performance, the current study investigates the effectiveness of two major natural ventilation modes (i.e. single-sided and cross ventilation) in providing thermal comfort for occupants of high-rise residential buildings in cooling…

This study examined the thermal experiences of older people during extreme heat and summer more broadly. A longitudinal field study of thermal comfort and thermal acceptability of conditions during summer 2015-16 was conducted as part of a larger project into the overall thermal comfort of older people in Adelaide, South Australia. The experiences and preferences…

For the design of naturally ventilated buildings, information of air speed at the openings of a building is important. However, the only data set usually available to designers is meteorological data, such as wind speed and direction measured at weather stations. This paper explores the ratio of air speed at building openings to the wind…

Designing spaces between buildings and streets as spaces have emerged as a key consideration in city urban planning and design. Cities like Melbourne, Australia have experienced urban revitalisation through the transformation of its street precincts, laneways, arcades, promenades and micro open spaces. A feature in the design of these urban outdoor spaces is microclimate. The…

Internationally and locally, there is increasing interest in the application of adaptive models of thermal comfort in the assessment of residential thermal environments. Central to these models of thermal comfort is the relationship between occupants’ recent thermal history and their use of adaptive controls such as clothing arrangement, window and fan operation, etc. However, existing…

Recent climate projections suggest that tropical regions are very likely to warm more than the average global temperature rise. For the 40% of the world’s population in these regions, it is imperative the building industries come up with appropriate building design solutions for achieving thermal comfort. This study draws on the history of architecture, and…

This paper provides an overview of the results of a project that explores strategies for improving the thermal performance of the New South Wales Demountable Classroom in the diverse climates that occur across New South Wales, Australia. The climates in NSW vary between cool or mild temperate climates, sub tropical climates and hot dry desert…