Amirhosein Ghaffarianhoseini

What is an intelligent building? Analysis of recent interpretations from an international perspective

In recent years, the notion of intelligent buildings (IBs) has become increasingly popular due to their potentials for deploying design initiatives and emerging technologies towards maximized occupants’ comfort and well-being with sustainable design. However, various definitions, interpretations, and implications regarding the essence of IBs exist. Various key performance indicators of IBs have been proposed in different contexts. This study explores the notion of IBs and presents an analysis of their main constituents. Through a comparison of these constituents in different contexts, this study aims to extract the common features of IBs leading to an evolved definition which could be useful as a reference framework for design, evaluation, and development of future IBs. Findings also scrutinize the long run benefits of IBs, while demonstrating the constraints and challenges of the current international interpretations.

Creating green culturally responsive intelligent buildings: Socio-cultural and environmental influences

Today, the concept of green and sustainably built environments is considered one of the main targets of various governmental sectors and policy-makers in the creation of a better environment for the population. However, a critical task consists in debating the significance of sustainability and a green built environment before the initiation of any green project. Accordingly, this article suggests the fundamental role of sustainability in better built environments as well as indicating an omission within green and sustainable design development arising because of a lack of consideration of the traditional, cultural and regional values of users. Focus is made on smart housing as an intelligent building design development that is highly interrelated with sustainable issues, highlighting the lack of a deep consideration of the cultural values of users for ensuring socio-cultural sustainability. The article also draws attention to the profound vernacular features of vernacular settlements, which are substantially in harmony with the regional and cultural values of a region. The context is limited to the Malay experience, identifying the vernacular features of the functional spaces of a Malay vernacular settlement for utilization in a smart housing design within Malaysia with a view to making them culturally responsive. At the same time, this article proposes the concept of green culturally responsive intelligent building design development based on the integration of vernacular architectural features into intelligent buildings in order to enhance the quality of life.

The Concept of Zero Energy Intelligent Buildings (ZEIB): A Review of Sustainable Development for Future Cities

It is noticed that intelligent buildings are aimed to consider social, environmental and economic values beside a substantial focus to the automated technological attributes. Due to many promising green building initiatives, the accelerated level of interests towards the applications of information technology and advanced control techniques in architecture design has been observed. With a viewpoint to the sustainable development of future cities, attributing the eventual impacts of climate change, various interrelated green building design approaches have been implemented. This study aims to elucidate the significant advancements of intelligent building design as a key constituent of eco-city development for creating greener and effective built environments. Current effort in this study is also geared toward considerable and practical implementations that were carried out in order to create buildings with zero energy consumption. Emphasis is placed upon reviewing the recent theories, attempts, implementations, and challenges towards the development of zero energy intelligent buildings (ZEIB). The findings inferred from the theoretical analysis confirm that the significant contribution of ZEIB concept will end up for the sustainable development of future eco-cities. Review Article British Journal of Environment & Climate Change, 2(4): 339-367, 2012 340

Ecologically sustainable design (ESD): theories, implementations and challenges towards intelligent building design development

Today, due to the penetration of modernization based upon advanced technologies within developed cities, intelligent buildings are rapidly growing within urban areas. Accordingly, smart housing as a major constituent of intelligent buildings is deemed to have become the prominent choice of the new generation of inhabitants rather than conventional housing. According to the negative effects of global warming and the lack of natural resources, it is theorized that the application of ecologically sustainable design (ESD) in smart housing could develop greener sustainable built environments while reducing energy wastage to the minimum level. Therefore, the fundamental role of modern housing development with regard to creating better housing opportunities for future communities must be intertwined with this theory. However, it is argued that integration of ecologically sustainable features into the design of modern hosing is neglected in many cases. In view of this fact, with respect to the prominent role of intelligent buildings towards sustainability, the study draws attention to the concept of incorporating intelligent building systems and ESD principles in order to reduce the environmental damages while enhancing the ecosystem services. Accordingly, the study aims to elucidate the significant task of ESD for sustainable developments based on theories, implementations and challenges.

State of the art of rainwater harvesting systems towards promoting green built environments: a review

Water scarcity, imperfect consumption patterns, rapid global population increase, surpassing consumption ratio, and several further factors overstress the urging necessity to systematically access and utilize supplementary and most importantly renewable water supply resources. Moreover, application of suitably designed and well-maintained rainwater harvesting systems within the context of the built environment while generalizing the focus on diverse building typologies is promoted as a promising resolution to these systemic issues. Despite the numerous positive benefits of utilizing rainwater harvesting as a means of supporting sustainable development and green built environments, there exists a gap in properly integrating these design features to deliver congruent sustainable outcomes. Accurate design and configuration, simulation, localization, and imposing proper maintenance schemes are expected to be followed in order to accomplish the ultimate goal of executing rainwater harvesting systems. Besides the inevitable noteworthy role of governments in educating, providing prospects and supporting these decentralized water supply and consumption systems is encouraged. Ultimately, this paper provides an overview on the contemporary rainwater harvesting systems, the respective implications and systematic configurations, quality assessments, the potential of rightfully merging them with green roofs and green built environment criteria, and eventually manipulated government regulation to provide insights for overcoming the aforementioned intensifying rainwater-related concerns.

Amplifying the practicality of contemporary building information modelling (BIM) implementations for New Zealand green building certification (Green Star)

Purpose Green Star is becoming a broadly accepted mark of design quality and environmental sustainability. Compared to other green tools, Green Star is considered as one of main streams green assessment tools, which cover almost sustainable criteria. Simultaneously, building information modelling (BIM) has also been introduced into the industry. BIM is expected to aid designers to shift the construction industry towards more environmentally and economically sustainable construction practice. Whilst the aspirations of Green Star rating and BIM implementation are broadly aligned, in the context of New Zealand this has led to some disconnects in design strategy and process. The purpose of this paper is to improve the practicality of BIM implementations for delivering Green Star certification in New Zealand. Design/methodology/approach The extensive literature review is conducted through a series of incremental steps. A conceptual framework focussing on the relationship between benefits and challenges of BIM and Green Star is then developed. Findings BIM supports practitioners to achieve the majority of Green Star criteria (75 per cent). Energy efficiency criterion is the key factor affecting the assessment process of Green Star and National Australian Built Environment Rating System in New Zealand. Research questions about lessening the challenges which can be encountered during the BIM and Green Star implementation are developed. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited to a conceptual research. Further empirical research should be conducted to validate and modify the conceptual framework and the propositions presented in this paper to provide an initial insight into BIM and Green Star connectivity within the context of New Zealand. Originality/value This paper provided a clear picture for investors, developers, practitioners about benefits and challenges of BIM and Green Star implementation. The outcomes are anticipated to deliver visions for shifting the country further towards development of sustainable future cities.

Integrating alternative technologies to improve built environment sustainability in Africa: Nexus of energy and water

The purpose of this paper is to review extant literature and to provide perspectives on approaches to enhancing built environment sustainability in Africa. There is a mismatch between global societal resources and the increasing demand for natural resources. The consequences of this mismatch are prevalent in many African countries, causing the need to implement of built environment sustainability as a matter of cause.,Little research has been undertaken to date with a focus on the environmental sustainability of Africa. With this in mind the review was undertaken through a series of incremental steps. It began with an initial review, before developing through exploratory and development phases. The process culminated with the refined literature review presented.,The paper finds that a different approach is required to achieve built sustainable development for developed and developing countries, with a clear difference in terms of its application observed between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Current energy and water crisis facing Africa is brought to the fore and an evaluation is provided of the systems being used to ameliorate its effects. The study explores a range of technological solutions that are appropriate for consideration in the African context. It also examines the barriers that need to be overcome to facilitate the widespread use of the suggested solutions in Africa.,This study examines built environment sustainability through the Africa lens. It highlights its importance and the contextual factors inhibiting the widespread uptake of built environment sustainability solutions. The study offers a number of recommendations for the future to encourage long-term built environment sustainability in Africa and more specifically the Sub-Saharan region.

Minimizing cultural clashes among Malaysian youth through improving the architectural design of universities

Malaysian youth has been culturally diverse for more than 1500 years since the Malay kingdom welcomed traders from China and India. They brought many different commodities and different cultures and religions. This unique cultural identity has resulted in young people being brought up in a variety of different ways, with different beliefs and ideologies. When these young people convene at communal spaces such as universities, inter-cultural miscommunication and clashes among them can arise as the different cultures collide. These clashes clearly portray the disadvantages of cultural diversity in communities, which may lead to segregation among students. As such, the purpose of this research study was to investigate techniques of improving architectural designs of universities in order to minimize cultural clashes among youth. A theoretical study of university students was conducted to find out their methods of socializing and how they cooperate with each other in the environment created at universities. An analysis of the theoretical study was carried out to investigate how the architecture of the buildings increases or decreases the risk of cultural clashes and conflicts among students. This study concentrates on a theoretical framework based on a literature review conducted. Journal articles on the research topic were critically analysed and background information on the topic was gathered. The results revealed that a naturally and brightly illuminated environment, together with an open planned structure, encourages better interaction among the students and allows for improved communication and openness. This improved communication enhances cultural unity among the students. The research gathered for this study thus concludes that the use of the communicative role of architecture together with open design, attractive interiors and good security of the built environment reduces clashes among the youth, resulting in harmonious and conducive environments that are ideal at universities.

Fundamentals of intelligent buildings (IBs): a comprehensive guide to theory and practice

The new edition of the book Intelligent Buildings: Design, Management and Operation by Derek Clements-Croome represents the state-of-the-art source about intelligent buildings (IBs) for academician...