The indoor environment has become the primary habitat.According to the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency,the average American spends 93%of their life indoors,with 87%spent inside buildings and 6%in automobiles.There...The indoor environment has become the primary habitat.According to the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency,the average American spends 93%of their life indoors,with 87%spent inside buildings and 6%in automobiles.There is a pressing need to design and renovate the built environment to better serve human occupants.This requires a multidisciplinary approach,and,in recent years,due to the advances in devices,computational speed achievable on small surface chips,and Internet of Things(IoT)platforms,artificial intelligence(AI)has come to play a crucial role in making effective use of these technologies by enhancing the modeling and control of buildings in a way that shifts the focus from the building to the occupant.The goal of this paper is to explore state-of-the-art AI research in the domain of healthy buildings.We do so by formulating seven questions focusing on three themes.First,we explore how new data sources and data platforms have enabled AI to be adopted for the paradigm of healthy buildings,including the use of IoT technologies and the associated opportunities and challenges arising from a wide range of data sources.Second,we investigate AI-informed approaches for healthy building design and control,encompassing physical building models as well as human behavioral models representing occupants.Finally,we reflect on the building certification process,and examine examples from academic research labs and real-world constructions to understand the current state and existing use cases.The study establishes a foundation to understand the role of AI in healthy buildings and it provides insights for future research directions.展开更多
The purpose of this research was to conduct a pilot study of LEED certified homes in New England one to five years after occupancy to determine whether they continue to perform at the level predicted during the certif...The purpose of this research was to conduct a pilot study of LEED certified homes in New England one to five years after occupancy to determine whether they continue to perform at the level predicted during the certification process.Four criteria were defined to assess the performance of each home:(1)energy consumption for heating,cooling,lighting,electronics and appliances;(2)building envelope and air infiltration;(3)operations and maintenance;and(4)occupant satisfaction and indoor air quality.Both qualitative and quantitative methods including blower door and duct blaster tests,utility bill analysis,and an occupant satisfaction survey were used to measure the post-occupancy performance of seven LEED certified homes in New England.Discrepancies were found between the original building performance as determined at the time of certification and the current level of building performance.While this is limited,initial research,these findings indicate a need for further post-occupancy research that can provide feedback to green certification programs,allowing them to be modified as necessary to better reflect the actual environmental impacts of certified buildings.展开更多
This paper will discuss two Net Zero Energy homes in the United States.The aim is to discuss the differences and similarities in the construction type,energy use,active and renewable systems of the two homes.While eac...This paper will discuss two Net Zero Energy homes in the United States.The aim is to discuss the differences and similarities in the construction type,energy use,active and renewable systems of the two homes.While each of the homes is designed to achieve net zero site energy use,the design and systems are very different.Furthermore,the measure that is used to qualify a home as net zero energy does not account for the full scope of work on each home.It is suggested that a new set of metrics be developed to allow for a more robust understanding of net zero energy buildings,one that integrates passive design strategies,occupant health and comfort,and durability.The objective is to facilitate a broader understanding of efficient and sustainable residential design.This understanding is critical to bringing Net Zero Energy Buildings to the public.展开更多
This paper presents preliminary data on a series of building comfort experiments conducted in the field.We performed physical in-situ measurements and solicited responses from 409(184 female;225 male)university studen...This paper presents preliminary data on a series of building comfort experiments conducted in the field.We performed physical in-situ measurements and solicited responses from 409(184 female;225 male)university students in six different classrooms at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst during three seasons(fall,winter and spring).Our questions focused on student perception of comfort in varied environmental(temperature and humidity,and air speed)conditions.We collected records of student academic performance in the classes,correlating their comfort perceptions to their test scores.Statistical analysis of classroom environ-mental variables,thermal satisfaction,and student scores suggest that by enhancing thermal comfort,we can improve academic performance.展开更多
In 2007,Mayor Menino and the Boston Redevelopment Authority implemented Article 37,an amendment to the Boston Zoning Code requiring new construction approved under Large Project Review be designed and built to meet th...In 2007,Mayor Menino and the Boston Redevelopment Authority implemented Article 37,an amendment to the Boston Zoning Code requiring new construction approved under Large Project Review be designed and built to meet the U.S.Green Building Council’s LEED certification.The amendment was intended to promote green building practices in the city and reduce the environmental impacts of buildings larger than 50,000 square feet.Article 37 dictates that buildings be LEED“certifiable,”but does not require that they actually achieve LEED certification.This study examines how this policy has affected building practice in the city.This research relied on several data sources including public records,communication with public officials,and qualitative research interviews with building industry professionals working in Boston.Interviews were conducted with 9 individuals at 7 firms.Both architecture and engineering firms were included and all have worked under Article 37.The experiences of each firm were treated as a case study,and cases were considered in relation to each other.A cross-case analysis was completed using the qualitative research methods of interpretation,synthesis,meaning condensation,and meaning categorization.It was concluded that Article 37 has advanced sustainability goals in Boston and has provided an educational benefit to building practitioners and clients.However,Article 37 has not had a substantial impact on building practice in the city.The LEED certifiable standard is not actually equivalent to LEED certification and does not set an aggressive goal.This research fills a gap in the literature and is an important step in critically examining the outcomes of green building policy.This understanding of how Article 37 has influenced building practice in Boston is valuable not only to the city,but also to the numerous municipalities that have adopted LEED-based requirements for private construction.展开更多
Predicting resource consumption in the built environment and its associated environmental consequences is one of the core challenges facing policy-makers and planners seeking to increase the sustainability of urban ar...Predicting resource consumption in the built environment and its associated environmental consequences is one of the core challenges facing policy-makers and planners seeking to increase the sustainability of urban areas.The study of land-use change has many implications for infrastructure design,resource allocation,and urban metabolism simulation.While most urban models focus on horizontal growth patterns,few investigate the impacts of vertical characteristics of urbanscapes in predicting land-use changes.In this paper,Building-form variables are introduced as a new determinant factor for investigating effects of vertical characteristics of an urbanscape in predicting land-use change.This work outlines an automated method for generating building-form variables from Light Detection and Ranging(LIDAR)data by using Density-Based Spatial Clustering and normal equations.This paper presents a Land-Use Model that uses Remote Sensing,GIS,and Artificial Neural Networks(ANNs)to predict urban growth patterns within the IUMAT framework(Integrated Urban Metabolism Analysis Tool),which is an analytical platform for quantifying the overall sustainability in the urbanscape.The town of Amherst in Western Massachusetts(for the period of 1971-2005)is used as a case study for testing the model.By isolating the weights of each explanatory variable in models,this study highlights the influence of building geometry on future development scenarios.展开更多
This study examines the differences between two environmental assessment methods for the K-12 education sector:the United States Green Building Council’s(USGBC)LEED Schools Version 3.0 and the British Research Estab-...This study examines the differences between two environmental assessment methods for the K-12 education sector:the United States Green Building Council’s(USGBC)LEED Schools Version 3.0 and the British Research Estab-lishment’s(BRE)BREEAM Education issue 2.0.Credit requirements are compared side-by-side and against recom-mendations from researchers in areas such as acoustics,lighting and indoor environment quality.Strengths in the two schemes and areas for improvement are highlighted,with acknowledgement that each scheme offers components and techniques from which the other could benefit.展开更多
基金supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants No.1931226,2009754,1931238,and 1931254.
文摘The indoor environment has become the primary habitat.According to the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency,the average American spends 93%of their life indoors,with 87%spent inside buildings and 6%in automobiles.There is a pressing need to design and renovate the built environment to better serve human occupants.This requires a multidisciplinary approach,and,in recent years,due to the advances in devices,computational speed achievable on small surface chips,and Internet of Things(IoT)platforms,artificial intelligence(AI)has come to play a crucial role in making effective use of these technologies by enhancing the modeling and control of buildings in a way that shifts the focus from the building to the occupant.The goal of this paper is to explore state-of-the-art AI research in the domain of healthy buildings.We do so by formulating seven questions focusing on three themes.First,we explore how new data sources and data platforms have enabled AI to be adopted for the paradigm of healthy buildings,including the use of IoT technologies and the associated opportunities and challenges arising from a wide range of data sources.Second,we investigate AI-informed approaches for healthy building design and control,encompassing physical building models as well as human behavioral models representing occupants.Finally,we reflect on the building certification process,and examine examples from academic research labs and real-world constructions to understand the current state and existing use cases.The study establishes a foundation to understand the role of AI in healthy buildings and it provides insights for future research directions.
基金supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture,U.S.Department of Agriculture,the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station and the Department of Environmental Conservation under Project No.MAS00012.Publication no.3473Support was also provided by the University of Massachusetts Healey Endowment Grant.
文摘The purpose of this research was to conduct a pilot study of LEED certified homes in New England one to five years after occupancy to determine whether they continue to perform at the level predicted during the certification process.Four criteria were defined to assess the performance of each home:(1)energy consumption for heating,cooling,lighting,electronics and appliances;(2)building envelope and air infiltration;(3)operations and maintenance;and(4)occupant satisfaction and indoor air quality.Both qualitative and quantitative methods including blower door and duct blaster tests,utility bill analysis,and an occupant satisfaction survey were used to measure the post-occupancy performance of seven LEED certified homes in New England.Discrepancies were found between the original building performance as determined at the time of certification and the current level of building performance.While this is limited,initial research,these findings indicate a need for further post-occupancy research that can provide feedback to green certification programs,allowing them to be modified as necessary to better reflect the actual environmental impacts of certified buildings.
文摘This paper will discuss two Net Zero Energy homes in the United States.The aim is to discuss the differences and similarities in the construction type,energy use,active and renewable systems of the two homes.While each of the homes is designed to achieve net zero site energy use,the design and systems are very different.Furthermore,the measure that is used to qualify a home as net zero energy does not account for the full scope of work on each home.It is suggested that a new set of metrics be developed to allow for a more robust understanding of net zero energy buildings,one that integrates passive design strategies,occupant health and comfort,and durability.The objective is to facilitate a broader understanding of efficient and sustainable residential design.This understanding is critical to bringing Net Zero Energy Buildings to the public.
文摘This paper presents preliminary data on a series of building comfort experiments conducted in the field.We performed physical in-situ measurements and solicited responses from 409(184 female;225 male)university students in six different classrooms at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst during three seasons(fall,winter and spring).Our questions focused on student perception of comfort in varied environmental(temperature and humidity,and air speed)conditions.We collected records of student academic performance in the classes,correlating their comfort perceptions to their test scores.Statistical analysis of classroom environ-mental variables,thermal satisfaction,and student scores suggest that by enhancing thermal comfort,we can improve academic performance.
文摘In 2007,Mayor Menino and the Boston Redevelopment Authority implemented Article 37,an amendment to the Boston Zoning Code requiring new construction approved under Large Project Review be designed and built to meet the U.S.Green Building Council’s LEED certification.The amendment was intended to promote green building practices in the city and reduce the environmental impacts of buildings larger than 50,000 square feet.Article 37 dictates that buildings be LEED“certifiable,”but does not require that they actually achieve LEED certification.This study examines how this policy has affected building practice in the city.This research relied on several data sources including public records,communication with public officials,and qualitative research interviews with building industry professionals working in Boston.Interviews were conducted with 9 individuals at 7 firms.Both architecture and engineering firms were included and all have worked under Article 37.The experiences of each firm were treated as a case study,and cases were considered in relation to each other.A cross-case analysis was completed using the qualitative research methods of interpretation,synthesis,meaning condensation,and meaning categorization.It was concluded that Article 37 has advanced sustainability goals in Boston and has provided an educational benefit to building practitioners and clients.However,Article 37 has not had a substantial impact on building practice in the city.The LEED certifiable standard is not actually equivalent to LEED certification and does not set an aggressive goal.This research fills a gap in the literature and is an important step in critically examining the outcomes of green building policy.This understanding of how Article 37 has influenced building practice in Boston is valuable not only to the city,but also to the numerous municipalities that have adopted LEED-based requirements for private construction.
文摘Predicting resource consumption in the built environment and its associated environmental consequences is one of the core challenges facing policy-makers and planners seeking to increase the sustainability of urban areas.The study of land-use change has many implications for infrastructure design,resource allocation,and urban metabolism simulation.While most urban models focus on horizontal growth patterns,few investigate the impacts of vertical characteristics of urbanscapes in predicting land-use changes.In this paper,Building-form variables are introduced as a new determinant factor for investigating effects of vertical characteristics of an urbanscape in predicting land-use change.This work outlines an automated method for generating building-form variables from Light Detection and Ranging(LIDAR)data by using Density-Based Spatial Clustering and normal equations.This paper presents a Land-Use Model that uses Remote Sensing,GIS,and Artificial Neural Networks(ANNs)to predict urban growth patterns within the IUMAT framework(Integrated Urban Metabolism Analysis Tool),which is an analytical platform for quantifying the overall sustainability in the urbanscape.The town of Amherst in Western Massachusetts(for the period of 1971-2005)is used as a case study for testing the model.By isolating the weights of each explanatory variable in models,this study highlights the influence of building geometry on future development scenarios.
文摘This study examines the differences between two environmental assessment methods for the K-12 education sector:the United States Green Building Council’s(USGBC)LEED Schools Version 3.0 and the British Research Estab-lishment’s(BRE)BREEAM Education issue 2.0.Credit requirements are compared side-by-side and against recom-mendations from researchers in areas such as acoustics,lighting and indoor environment quality.Strengths in the two schemes and areas for improvement are highlighted,with acknowledgement that each scheme offers components and techniques from which the other could benefit.
