Eva Krídlová Burdová

Analysis of material solutions for design of construction details of foundation, wall and floor for energy and environmental impacts

The amount of materials and energy resources is limited over the world. These issues lead to increasing interest in environmental impacts of buildings using various building materials and structural systems. Buildings play a significant role in energy consumption and emission production through all phases of their life cycle. Over the last decade, development toward sustainability has become an important issue in building design decisions. The relative contribution of embodied impacts of building materials and constructions has been recognised as being significant, especially for energy-efficient buildings. Life-cycle assessment as a widely used methodology helps make decisions in sustainable building design. The construction details of the foundation, wall and floor are by far the most significant contribution of embodied impacts associated with the construction phase. The goal of this paper is to assess alternative material solutions for the construction details of foundation, wall and floor to support decisions at the design phase of a project. The selection and combination of the materials influences the amount of energy consumption and associated production of emissions during the operation of the building. Therefore, the thermo-physical properties of designed variants of construction details are very significant. This study uses life-cycle analysis with system boundary from cradle to gate and focuses on the embodied energy and equivalent emissions of CO2 and SO2. Methods of multi-criteria decision analysis are used for interpretation of the results.

The real and subjective indoor environmental quality in schools

Abstract Investigation of IEQ and subjective evaluation of IEQ by pupils is the main objective of this research work. For the monitoring two classrooms in primary school and two classrooms in art school were chosen. Very high CO2 levels were determined in both investigated schools. In three of four classrooms the statistically significant differences (p < 0.01) were reported between TVOC levels in autumn and spring. The recommended value for TVOC levels was exceeded in the range from 52 % to 53 % in autumn and from 52 % to 70 % in spring. Significant (p < 0.05) seasonal changes were found also for PM concentrations in each classroom. Significance difference in perception of IEQ factors between genders were observed for IAQ. This study showed a good consistency between data obtained from the measurement and data from the questionnaire study and thus, pointed to the good ability of pupils to evaluate the IEQ in their classrooms.

Investigation of Indoor Air Quality in Houses of Macedonia

People who live in buildings are exposed to harmful effects of indoor air pollution for many years. Therefore, our research is aimed to investigate the indoor air quality in family houses. The measurements of indoor air temperature, relative humidity, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), particulate matters (PM) and sound pressure level were carried out in 25 houses in several cities of the Republic of Macedonia. Mean values of indoor air temperature and relative humidity ranged from 18.9 °C to 25.6 °C and from 34.1% to 68.0%, respectively. With regard to TVOC, it can be stated that excessive occurrence was recorded. Mean values ranged from 50 μg/m3 to 2610 μg/m3. Recommended value (200 μg/m3) for human exposure to TVOC was exceeded in 32% of houses. Mean concentrations of PM2.5 (particular matter with diameter less than 2.5 µm) and PM10 (diameter less than 10 µm) are determined to be from 16.80 µg/m3 to 30.70 µg/m3 and from 38.30 µg/m3 to 74.60 µg/m3 individually. Mean values of sound pressure level ranged from 29.8 dB(A) to 50.6 dB(A). Dependence between characteristics of buildings (Year of construction, Year of renovation, Smoke and Heating system) and data from measurements (Temperature, Relative humidity, TVOC, PM2.5 and PM10) were analyzed using R software. Van der Waerden test shows dependence of Smoke on TVOC and PM2.5. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance shows the effect of interaction of Renovation and Smoke.

Factors Effecting the Total Volatile Organic Compound (TVOC) Concentrations in Slovak Households

Thirty five Slovak households were selected for an investigation of indoor environmental quality. Measuring of indoor air physical and chemical factors and a questionnaire survey was performed during May 2017. The range of permissible operative temperature was not met in 11% of objects. Relative humidity met the legislative requirements in all monitored homes. Concentrations of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) were significantly higher in the apartments than in the family houses. The average TVOC levels in the apartments and family houses were 519.7 µg/m3 and 330.2 µg/m3, respectively. Statistical analysis confirmed the effect of indoor air temperature, relative humidity and particulate matter (PM0.5 and PM1) on the levels of TVOCs. Higher TVOC levels were observed also in homes where it is not a common practice to open windows during cleaning activities. Other factors that had a statistically significant effect on concentrations of volatile organic compounds were heating type, attached garage, location of the apartment within residential building (the floor), as well as number of occupants. Higher TVOC concentrations were observed in indoor than outdoor environment, while further analysis showed the significant impact of indoor emission sources on the level of these compounds in buildings. The questionnaire study showed a discrepancy between objective measurement and subjective assessment in the household environment, and pointed to insufficient public awareness about volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Measuring of Outdoor and Indoor Particulate Matter Concentrations in Village of Jasov

Increase in particulate matter air contamination and its negative impact on human health have resulted in efforts to monitor and identify the sources. Particles are produced by photochemical atmospheric reactions and the coagulation of combustion products from automobiles and stationary sources, with lifetimes of several days or more. The occurrence of particulate matters indoors depends on outdoor pollution and its transport indoors as well as on the presence of indoor sources. This paper aims to carry out a measuring of particular matters concentrations in indoor air of selected buildings and in outdoor air in village of Jasov. The mass concentrations of particulate matters for fractions of 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 micrometers were measured and evaluated in order to determine the extent of exposure of people.

Multicriteria Decision Analysis of Material Selection of High Energy Performance Residential Building

Abstract In world with limited amount of energy sources and with serious environmental pollution, interest in comparing the environmental embodied impacts of buildings using different structure systems and alternative building materials will be increased. This paper shows the significance of life cycle energy and carbon perspective and the material selection in reducing energy consumption and emissions production in the built environment. The study evaluates embodied environmental impacts of nearly zero energy residential structures. The environmental assessment uses framework of LCA within boundary: cradle to gate. Designed alternative scenarios of material compositions are also assessed in terms of energy effectiveness through selected thermal-physical parameters. This study uses multi-criteria decision analysis for making clearer selection between alternative scenarios. The results of MCDA show that alternative E from materials on nature plant base (wood, straw bales, massive wood panel) present possible way to sustainable perspective of nearly zero energy houses in Slovak republic

Investigation of CO2 production depending on physical activity of students

ABSTRACT This paper aims to carry out measurements of indoor air temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations as well as to determine CO2 production by students and teacher during various physical activities. Two classrooms of Technical University of Kosice were selected for the research. Results of objective measurements confirmed strong correlation between CO2 concentration occupancy for all measurements. Recommended value for indoor CO2 level according to Pettenkofer (1,000 ppm) was exceeding in 60.9%. Results of this study showed the insufficient ventilation intensity in classrooms as well as obvious rise of CO2 concentration during the exams. The highest increase of CO2 was recorded during harder physical activity (run on the spot, squats, right and left side lunges, and rotating of the hips). Regarding CO2 production by respondents it can be see that it is visibly increased with increasing physical activity.

POSSIBILITIES OF GREEN TECHNOLOGIES APPLICATION IN BUILDING DESIGN FROM SUSTAINABILITY DIMENSIONS

The aim of this paper is to summarize knowledge of green technologies and their applications in buildings, as well as high performance green buildings. Two alternatives of family house design are performed. The first alternative uses conventional building materials and it doesn’t follow the sustainability principles. On the other hand, the second one is designed by using the environmentally friendly materials and with sustainability principles in mind. Designs of conventional and green family house are mutually compared from energy efficiency, embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions such as CO 2eq . and SO 2eq . point of view. A special focus is put on the sustainability assessment of designed houses by the Slovak environmental assessment system of buildings. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3846/enviro.2017.268

SHORT-TERM MEASUREMENTS OF INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN SELECTED OFFICES – CASE STUDY

Decent quality of indoor air is important for health and wellbeing of building users. We live, work and study in indoors of various types of buildings. Often people are exposed to pollutants at higher concentrations than these that occur outdoors. Continual investigation of indoor air quality is needed for ensuring comfort and healthy environment. Measuring and analysis of occurrence of physical, chemical and biological factors is the first step for suggestion of optimization measures. Inside school buildings there are often inadequate indoor climate conditions such as thermal comfort parameters or ventilation. The aim of this study was determination of indoor environmental quality in selected offices in the building of elementary school in Slovakia. The values of operative temperature were not within the optimum range of values for the warm period of the year in one of the monitored offices. The intensity of illumination was lower in the two offices. Low levels of particulate matters were measured except the one office where permissible value was exceeded by 7.6%. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3846/enviro.2017.266

P.A.E.S. Project and Housing Policies for Sustainable Buildings

The project’s priority is the creation of the knowledge triangle, based on education, research and innovation; which includes collaboration between universities and enterprises, supporting the entrepreneurship, thanks to the support of research. This first choice is motivated by the fact that research, innovation and education, can ensure competitiveness in a global context in which other competitors, such as the emerging countries, can count on cheap labor or primary resources. Moreover, through this project, the idea is to innovate the methodological approach of the sustainable design: innovation means “produce, assimilate and exploit innovations successfully in the socio-economic sector.”