Arman Hashemi

Technical issues that affect the use of retrofit panel thermal shutters in commercial buildings

Retrofit insulated window shutters are examined. An initial investigation reveals that internal shutters are more viable in this context. Condensation is identified as a potential risk. Extensive investigations using modelling software as well as site and laboratory experiments are described which demonstrate that this risk is low. The thermal effectiveness of internal shutters is modelled and laboratory tested. Practical application: This article results from research into the possibility of creating a retrofit thermal shutter system for existing commercial buildings. Building on earlier research, the paper examines whether this type of shutter is best fixed externally or internally to existing brick clad buildings and concludes that the latter is the best strategy. It then examines whether condensation between existing glazing and the outer shutter face is a problem and finds that this is not a significant issue. The way is clear for the development of this type of system as an alternative to costly triple glazing solutions.

Offsite Manufacturing: A Survey on the Current Status and Risks of Offsite Construction in Iran

Iran needs around 1.5 million residential homes to be constructed annually to answer its cumulative demand by 2025. Given the current situation of the Iranian construction industry, it seems almost impossible to achieve this objective by using traditional methods of construction alone. Offsite manufacturing (OSM) can potentially increase the housing output in Iran thanks to its advantages over traditional methods of construction. However, OSM imposes a different set of risks which should be studied in the Iranian context. This study aims to investigate the readiness of the Iranian construction industry if offsite methods were to be introduced to the country in large industrial scales. To this end, a questionnaire survey was conducted to identify the risks and required actions in order to achieve successful application of these methods. Several subjects including costs, practicality, design and construction processes, demand, governmental policies, technology, and sustainability issues were investigated as the core research areas. The results revealed that, considering the current situations, it would be highly risky to introduce offsite methods of construction to Iran. Research findings highlight some key areas including design and construction processes, economies of scale, governmental supports, and education, which should be addressed to mitigate the identified risks.

Mitigating the Risks of Offsite Manufacturing through the Application of BIM

The Iranian construction industry is facing several problems including low productivity and immense housing scarcity. It is generally believed that industrialisation and offsite manufacturing can increase the productivity of the Iranian housing industry. Yet, one of the major issues of the Iranian construction industry is defective management during design and construction processes which has considerably increased the risks of offsite construction in Iran. BIM could theoretically address these issues thanks to its potential advantages such as improved efficiency, productivity, and quality. As one of the key stakeholders, architects have a major role in the current situation of the Iranian construction industry. A questionnaire survey was conducted in architectural SMEs to study the normal practices of architects during design and construction processes on site. Frequent design changes and defective communication between stakeholders were identified as the major issues. The results reveal that BIM in general and integrated design in particular could effectively address the aforementioned issues mitigating the risks of offsite construction in Iran.

Zero Energy Homes

In the last 50 years a fifth of the planet’s inhabitants had a strong development that deeply changed their habits and their life quality. For this enhancement, the people of the developed areas paid a high price. A large use of energy, produced from non-renewable sources as fossil fuels, increased the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the atmosphere with several problems and a huge impact on the nature. As a consequence, there is a need to rethink the design of buildings, cities and their organizations. The challenge for the new sustainable cities is to grow according to the lifestyles of today and tomorrow, while implementing a better relation between the nature and the mankind and restoring the lost human contacts. An option for doing this is to design and develop Zero Energy Homes (ZEH) reducing to the minimum the impact of pollution and the exploitation of non-renewable sources. In particular, the following aspects should be considered: to use of renewable and recycled materials; to improve the energy efficiency of buildings; to introduce more efficient energy systems that use alternative and clean sources; and to introduce building automation systems (to optimize the energy consumption). In this lecture the following topics will be presented: definition of ZEH, including a review of definitions, parameters influencing the definition and examples, criteria to build or refurbish to a ZEH standard and some questions and examples related with the design, construction and operation of new Zero Carbon Homes.

Building Performance and Simulation

This chapter emphasises on reasons behind building simulation and performance analysis, and provide a background on both advantages and disadvantages of using building performance and simulation for environmental analysis. Some of the learning outcomes anticipated as follow: thorough understanding of basic concepts of building performance simulation, develop the ability to apply these concepts in real life situations; understanding of the use of BPS and the need to use the appropriate software to answer a specific enquiry; understanding the relationships between the required outcome of a BPS exercise and the input details necessary to produce a valid answer. The idea behind this chapter is to provide a general knowledge of, and a basic ability to understand the use of building performance simulation, and to optimise the performance of different components used in buildings. Integration of renewable energy resources will also be addressed, e.g. solar and wind. The integrative effect of these components will also be studied.