Che Ming Chiang

The Application of Green Building Materials to Sustainable Building for Environmental Protection in Taiwan

Sustainable development is a necessary condition for continuation of the Earth, Healthy and Comfortable is a necessary condition for the continuation of life. The serious energy and natural resource shortage that our living environment is currently facing, however global climate change is the problem can not be ignored. This paper shows the application of green building materials to sustainable building for environmental protection. Since July 2006, the mandatory green building material utilization has been involved into Taiwan’s building code. For indoor decoration and floor materials in buildings, green building materials shall cover at least 30% of the total indoor decoration and floor material uses. Fulfilling the requirements of ecological, recycling, healthy, and high-performance attributes, the green building material regulation may effectively reduce environmental impacts and improve the indoor environmental quality (IEQ), so as to gradually achieve “human health and global sustainability.”Taiwan Green Building Material (GBM) evaluation system incorporates low toxicity, minimal emissions, low-VOC, recycled content, resource efficiency, recyclable and reusable materials, energy efficiency, water conservation, IAQ improvement, and use of locally products, among others (Froeschle, 1999). The criteria are systematically comprised of four categories, including Ecology, Health, High-Performance and Recycling. With respect to the relationship between the GBM labeling system and the current EEWH green building evaluation system in Taiwan, the GBM system can typically contribute to a sustainable environment. Starting from energy saving and resource efficiency by combining an ecological circulatory system, corresponding local environment, community civilization, as well as historic and regional features, the GBM system creates a core concept of sustainable built environment in Taiwan.

Research on Green Building Material Assessment Factors and Eco-Efficiency Issue

Due to global climate changes, Earth sustainability issues have become topics of international attention. The frequency of abnormal weather occurrences and disasters around the world has doubled and the health of the environment has been deteriorating, causing catastrophes around the world. All countries must have a prudent response to this situation. The environmental topics debated globally have changed from passive discussions about environmental protection and energy consumption to more proactive dialogues on sustainable cycles and LOHAS. Taiwan has actively proposed relevant environmental responsive measures, including plans for ecological cities, green buildings, and green building materials (GBMs). GBMs are the basic factor of environmental building projects and they have the most extensive scope of applications, as they have a direct effect on human health and are the key to the Earth’s sustainability. This research summarized international sustainability assessment systems, international green building material labels, and relevant building material assessment mechanisms, in order to summarize and integrate a variety of factors with the life cyclic assessment (LCA) of the ISO14040 series as the axis for establishing a preliminary green building material assessment system. In addition, the Fuzzy Delphi Methods was employed for analysis to discuss the green building material environmental load (Ln) factor and the green building material quality (Qn) factor. According to the research and analysis results, this research established the GBM Eco-Efficiency Assessment System in the context of climate change, to be used as the basis for subsequent research on GBM eco-efficiency standards. Using efficiency as a starting point, this research hoped to achieve a win-win strategy of balancing human health with the Earth’s sustainable development.

Building Materials Effects of Al Content and Physical Properties on the Electromagnetic Interference Shielding of Sn Based Coating Thin Layers

This study coats complex colloid mixed with Sn-xAl powders and polyethylene on glass to examine the shield effect on electromagnetic interference (EMI). In addition, the sputtering specimens and powder coating specimens were compared. The results show that adding Al to the Sn-xAl powders can increase the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield at lower frequencies. Notably, the number of cavities in the coating layer increased with the coating thickness, with the result that the EMI shield could not improve with an increase in the coating thickness at higher frequencies. However, the EMI shield of sputtering films had a tendency to increase as the thin thickness increased. The Sn-40Al undergoes a dispersing effect which forms a fine overlapping structure, thereby improving the low frequency EMI shielding. In addition, the Sn-20Al powders possessed the properties of a small particle size, closed structure and higher electric conductivity which improved the high frequency EMI shielding. For the sputtering films, the annealed treatment not only had higher electric conductivity but also increased the high frequency EMI shielding.

Multicriteria Evaluation of the Selection of Green Glazing Material by Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

The window glazing system provides comfortable living environment for residents and also exhibits the esthetics of architectural design. Its quality is dependent upon glass material selection; there are many factors determining glazing material selection, which might further affects the building safety and energy savings. An analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is used to analyze the trade-off of these impact factors. In the survey, both positive and negative impact factors on the glazing material selection are considered. The results, based on 40 expertise questionnaires, indicated that “performance”, in overall, was perceived to be most important core selection criterion for the green glazing material, but among all assessed items, “hazardous substance release” was concerned the most. The “appearance” was regarded as a minor factor in this analysis. In addition, BIPV alternative was also ranked in the first position regardless of criteria weight variations. The results provide valuable information for building material manufacturers, architects and interior designers in selecting glass material in their the glazing system.

Thermal and optical properties of semi-transparent amorphous silicon BIPV for building application

A new type of poly-crystalline amorphous thin film photovoltaic module with high visible light transmittance was developed for use in a building. The method of PECVD (Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition) was applied to produce satisfactory high color rendering index (HCRI) BIPV module of good quality with visible light transmittance as high as 26.9%, solar radiation absorptance below 60% and shading coefficient equal to 54%. The thermal and optical properties of HCRI BIPV module are studied in some detail and the results reported. The thermal conductivity and diffusivity of HCRI BIPV module are less than that of Si-based BIPV. The HCRI-BIPV module appeared to be effective in improving the visible transmittance and reducing the absorptance, but the value of SC of HCRI-BIPV module was higher than that of Si-based BIPV. This indicates that there is still a trade-off between day lighting and thermal insulation for designing an optimal BIPV module. Further thermal performance work conducted by a small-sized hot-box with a solar simulator lamp revealed that heat is mostly absorbed by the HCRI-BIPV and a small amount of heat is conducted into building. The surface temperature on both sides of Si-based BIPV reached a steady state is faster than that of HCRI-BIPV due to the higher thermal diffusivity. This can have important practical implications on the fabrication of low-cost, high visible light transmittance of BIPV module.

A Discussion of the Impact of Building Wind Deflector on Changes in Wind Field by Using the Numerical Simulation

Based on the local acceleration effect generated by air flow passing through obstacles, this study explored changes in the surrounding wind field of buildings and the possibility to develop the potential wind energy by installing wind deflector in building according to the concept of “dredging” to facilitate the integrated application of small-scale wind turbine in buildings. With a nine-story building as the research subject, this study used the wind deflector installed on the building roof to generate the contracted flow effect (Venturi effect) to accelerate the air flow, change wind field and thus increase the possibility of wind power use as well as the power generation efficiency of the small-scale wind turbine. This study applied the numerical simulation method to discuss differences in three cases of no wind deflector (N-WD), installing lower wind deflector (L-WD) and installing upper and lower wind deflectors (2-WD). It also evaluated the impact on wind field and contribution to wind speed acceleration.

A study on establishing the sustainable building environment assessment tool for communities in Taiwan

Based on SBTOOL (2008 version) promoted by the World Sustainable Building Conference (WSB), this study first discovered assessment items related to “symbiosis” and “disaster resistance” through literature review, selected the assessment factors using an “expert evaluation method,” and calculated the weighted value of each indicator through an “analytic hierarchy process (AHP).” The weighted values of the assessment aspects according to the expert groups are: “disaster prevention and community safety” with 0.191, “environmental loading” with 0.152, “energy and resource consumption” with 0.127, “symbiotic community environment and life” with 0.126, “indoor environment quality” with 0.1, “site selection, project planning and development” with 0.084, “social and economic aspects” with 0.081, “service quality ” with 0.073, and “cultural and perceptional aspects” with 0.067. Expert identification analysis on the descriptive statistics indicated that general experts most strongly identify with “B. energy and resource consumption,” followed by “H. symbiotic community environment and life” Meanwhile, experts from industry, government, and academia fields strongly identify with “I. disaster prevention and community safety” and “C. environmental loading.” These results suggest that in addition to focusing on “energy and resource consumption” and “environmental loading” regarding sustainable building developments, Taiwanese experts highly regard the issues of “symbiotic community environment and life” and “disaster prevention and community safety” under extreme climates.

A BIPV Case Study of the Environmental Effects with the PV Energy Performance

The operation of BIPV case study aimed to the environmental effects of the architectural design on landscape, which estimated the usability between human behavior and renewable energy on the design management. The BIPV project was the landmark of the local city hall, when it was built in Tainan Country in 2005, and it was the first BIPV research model in Taiwan. The multifunction covered three aspects: renewable energy usage, green site planning and underground parking lot. The BIPV working system was a hybrid system, which used 219 pieces PV modules by glass-to-glass type, and had total PV capacity of 24.09kWp. In the PV renewable energy, the DMY data was from 1.42 to 1.82 (kWh/day/kWp) and the PR value was form 36.6%-49.2%. For consideration of each evaluated factors, the architectural esthetics and energy design of the BIPV research case was not perfectly balance in the project. The citizens could accept this modern urban park as a friendly design for usage. But the PV power efficiency, the excessive design and inexact distribution decreased its power performance too much. Ultimately, the research presented an intensely interesting data for Taiwan BIPV development between the PV industry and architectural design.

A Study on the Relevance between the Green Buildings in Taiwan and the Assessment Results of SBTOOL

The global environment is deteriorating gradually after the middle of the twenty century, the global aims at sustainable developments and positively research related policies and programs. SBTOOL is frequently referred to as the research tool of case assessment by many countries in International Conferences of sustainable development; SBTOOL is recognized internationally as assessment tool contributable to the development of sustainable buildings in various regions due to its elastic adjustment. Thus this study uses SBTOOL to access the relevance between EEWH and the results of assessment on the examples by SBTOOL based on 10 examples of the residence buildings granted as Taiwan Qualified Green Buildings, analysis the influence of the “Duplex and Single-family Houses” and “Architectural Floors” on the result of the assessment to provide reference for the international integration of Taiwan sustainable buildings.

A Study on Response to Global Climate Change the Community Environment of Taiwan in the Construction of Evaluation System

The frequent occurrence of extreme climate phenomena around the world has not only resulted in rainstorm, snowstorm and other abnormal environmental phenomena, but also threatened the economy and lives of people; therefore, this study, oriented by the development of environmental assessment mode in residential communities in Taiwan under the changes of climate, based on SBTOOL, increased dimensions like “Community Symbiosis Environment and Life” and “Disaster Prevention and Community Security” for the assessment and obtained relative weights between different assessment indices, and, according to opinions of experts in Taiwan and analysis results, besides “Consumption of Energy and Resources” and “Environmental Load”, domestic experts also pay attention to the development of “Community Symbiosis Environment and Life” and “Disaster Prevention and Community Security”.