- Home
- Conference Proceedings
- QScience Proceedings
- Conference Proceeding
Qatar Green Building Conference 2015 - The Vision
- Conference date: 27-28 Apr 2015
- Location: Doha, Qatar
- Volume number: 2015
- Published: 22 April 2015
21 - 40 of 42 results
-
-
Efficency, safety and healthy materials in sustainabile interior design
Authors: Islam M Obeidat and Manar ObeidatIntroduction
Most of the life span costs of a building can be saved on the interior materials. Interior materials must be developed to incorporate efficacy, safety and health including custodial, maintenance, repair and replacement so that better informed decisions can be made about appropriate sustainable materials.Research PurposesThe purpose of this study is to explore interior materials in sustainable design process, and how designers specify sustainable interior materials in the built environment.The Objectives of the StudyThe objective of this study is to find a participating process in developing a decision-making tool to specify sustainable interior materials for interior environment.Research QuestionsHow can interior design materials impact the health, safety, and well-being of occupants in the built environment? And how and interior designers integrate goals of sustainable materials into the design process?MethodologyA review of literature relating to interior materials and sustainability was conducted, and a model was developed to quantify the relationships between sustainable materials and the impact of the physical environment on the health, safety, and well-being of occupants in the built environment based on the prior studies.FindingsInterior designers should integrate goals of sustainability into the building design process. Theyshould:- Use new materials with low environmental impact.- use low service life cost as well as qualitative criteria when selecting interior materials.- Select materials with a low life cycle cost; those which show little cost impact after the initial purchase and that support sustainable design.- Select materials with low maintenance and long replacement cycles to reduce environmental impact, as continuing costs associated with operations and maintenance are very large and often outweigh the low initial material cost.- Consider environmental impact (recyclable and biodegradable) and life cycle costs of interior materials when specifying products.- Consider how recycling programs (back-of-the-house paper, kitchen waste, etc.) will impact facilities design and layout when planning the facility.- Install compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in interior facilities to inexpensively yet effectively decrease energy and water consumption.- Understand that including sustainable design features (e.g., daylighting, low-emission adhesives and paints) in buildings may also provide health-related benefits that reduce illnesses.- Integrate diverse perspectives and foster a collaborative spirit among stakeholders and design professionals to achieve the goals of a sustainable design project.- enhance visual access to the building and minimize the generation of heat associated with interior materials.- Reuse materials from other sources in adaptive ways, such as floor decking and structural columns recovered from abandoned sites.- Incorporate sustainable attributes into new designs by using abundant daylighting; efficient heating, cooling, and ventilation systems; wood flooring from certified sustainable forests; acoustical ceiling tiles with high recycled content; and biocomposite (made of recycled newspaper and soy bean fibers) countertops, shelving, and display fixtures.
-
-
-
Efficient use of lighting is the most sustainable way to save energy in high-performance building
Authors: Islam M Obeidat and Rania AthamenahHigh-performance and low-impact materials are typically energy efficient, safe for occupants, and have low impact on the environment. Most frequently, lighting systems were recommended based on lighting ability to reduce costs of energy. High-performance interior materials are perceived as more expensive to design, construct, operate, and maintain, but may have increased health, comfort, and safety factors for occupants in the built environment. According to Nguyen et al. (2010), commercial and residential buildings in the United States consume close to 40% of our total energy. Criteria in the energy efficiency category (i.e. lighting) were not met. Similarly, the costs associated with sustainable design have decreased as experience in the industry has increased. The purpose of this study is to focus on using a high-performance and low-impact interior materials, and discuss barriers to sustainable design in the built environment. How can interior design materials impact the health, safety, and well-being of occupants in the built environment? And how can interior designers integrate high-performance and low-impact materials in the sustainable design?A review of literature regarding high-performance and low-impact materials was conducted. Interviews with interior designers were conducted. Instructors and students from different design departments completed a questionnaire survey.Interior designers tend to become more environmentally conscious by supporting sustainable designs that are more environmentally friendly and socially conscious. Therefore they should 1) understand that the sustainability of the high-performance and low-impact materials can be improved by the interior designer’s decisions, 2) consider the properties of sustainable materials when choosing interior design materials, 3) increase the sustainability of the high-performance interior environment by utilizing solar energy (e.g. daylighting), 4) consider how the high-performance materials can increase the sustainability of residential occupants, 5) provide efficient energy, water, light sources, equipment, and accessories to reduce the use of resources, 6) incorporate sustainable attributes into new designs by using abundant daylighting.
-
-
-
Evidence-based sustainable design strategies in the built environments
Authors: Islam M and Saif ObeidatThe evidence-based sustainable design tool is a design tool created to aid participants during the design and decision-making process and implementation phase of sustainable design projects. It guides users in collecting background information, defining problems and objectives, assessing and selecting tools and methods, evaluating alternatives and solutions, recording the process, and monitoring and measuring progress and outcomes. It is also designed to be an information-sharing tool for participants and stakeholders.Problem statementsGrowing demand for sustainable design and a shortage of evidence-based design requires more knowledge and application of sustainable design principles.Research purposesThe purpose of this study is to discuss the benefits of using evidence-based design in process for sustainable interior design.The objectives of the studyThe objective of this study is to involve owners, developers, interior designers in developing evidence-based design strategies for sustainable settings and in evaluation of those settings to improve the physical environment that lead to better outcomes.The significance of the studyThis study seeks to utilize evidence-based sustainable design strategies in the built environments to create healthier, safety, and more productive environments for occupants. This study will assess the potential benefits of using evidence-based design as a tool of the design process in sustainable design. The study strives to present advantages of the evidence-based design through the use of sustainable design. Also, this study will investigate interior designers to understand of how evidence-based design affects knowledge and application of sustainability principles, and assessed whether such understanding influences their making-decision in solving design problems. Therefore, this study will examine how evidence-based design of the person, process, and product (outcome) and the cognitive stages of the design process (i.e., readiness, reception, reflection, revelation, and recreation) will express in an sustainable design to gain an understanding of the creative decision making process.Research QuestionsHow can sustainable design assist interior designer to gain better evidence in applying sustainable principles to design process?MethodologyA review of literature relating to evidence-based design and sustainable design was conducted. Also, a model was developed to quantify the relationships between evidence-based design and the sustainable design based on the prior studies.FindingsEvidence-based sustainable design tool (1) is flexible and applicable to different situations; (2) measured advancement towards sustainability using easily understood criteria (3); is easy to use; (4) provided supporting evidence for presenting proposals to stakeholders; and (5) had a framework for clearly organizing the complex information involved in achieving sustainability
-
-
-
Evidence-based design towards sustainable school clinic
Authors: Islam M Obeidat and Montaha OdwanIt is important to understand the needs of students and nursing staff by engaging them in the sustainable design process of school clinics. Sustainable design of clinics has a long-term impact on nursing staff and patient students care. Moreover, sustainable design plays an important role in the healthcare environments for student patients and nursing staff.The purpose of this study is to create a pleasant and inviting atmosphere for the students as well as for the nurses on staff. Most patients are not happy to go to clinics; hence this sustainable design will create more of a homey feeling than a medical setting. The question presented in this study is whether optimal sustainable design and the physical environment will affect the health, comfort, relaxation and safety of student patients and nursing staff in school clinics.School clinics are there to serve the healthcare needs of students. School nurses are key players in the delivery of health services in the school clinic. Accordingly school clinics should be designed to support the school nurses in meeting patients’ needs . The specific sustainable design elements were determined through a review of related literature.Characteristics included: components (rooms), space, and size; general sustainable design elements; location; accessibility; the waiting area; the nurses office; the treatment room; the isolation area; the restroom (toilet); security, storage, safety elements; furnishings and treatment. Specific sustainable design elements included: lighting; windows; integrating natural elements into the design; promoting a sense of well-being for users; security and privacy; confidentiality elements; electrical elements; doors and signage; walls and ceilings; acoustics; use of color; heating / ventilation / air conditioning; and flooring elements.
-
-
-
Innovation and creativity in sustainable interior design
Authors: Islam M Obeidat and Salwa HasanDuring the Renaissance, science, art, and architecture adopted a philosophy and methods that required separation between subject and object. In design, this was reflected in the formal spatial arrangements of renaissance gardens, the axial layout of structures and gardens, and the spatial isolation between rooms within buildings. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, architects began to blur the boundaries between spaces and forms. This resulted in building designs with dynamic spatial interiors that were reflected in exterior appearance. At the same time, artists (e.g. cubists), scientists (e.g. physicists), and philosophers (e.g. phenomenologists) were also exploring how objects and subjects were part of each other. Through ecological practices such as roof gardens, urban wildlife habitat restoration and solar energy, urban ecologists have attempted to move beyond the dualistic concepts of culture and nature to demonstrate that they belong to the same system.Designers must take ethical responsibility for the environment because design aesthetics shape and express everyday realities. Sustainable architecture is often too focused on visual qualities that appear sustainable, but fail to function more ecologically than conventional buildings.Problem statementsInnovation and creativity refer to the development of awareness and responsibility to identify, learn, and apply elements of sustainability to create a unique sustainable design. Studying competing notions of ecological reform may help create diverse approaches to eco-design. Design directly affects societies; decisions about design and technology involve not only scientific and technical issues but also social ones.Research purposesThe purpose of this study is to discuss innovation and creativity in design ideals and to investigate how innovation and creativity can lead to better sustainable interior design.The objectives of the studyThe objective of this study is to examine innovation and creativity in sustainable interior design adopted by academia and professionals, and the strategies that can be implemented to add on to it.The significant of the studyResearch questionsHow innovation and creativity can lead to better sustainable interior design?MethodologyThe author conducted a review of literature on architectural, artistic, and scientific development of space, form, and knowledge from the Renaissance to the present day with emphasis on the links between culture and nature.FindingsFinding the appropriate means to learn and apply sustainability principles to solve design problems and generate creative/innovative environments is a challenging educational task. It requires:- Improvement of decision making for design projects by identifying sustainability issues, assembling and evaluating relevant data, and creating an appropriate strategy with defined tasks.- Recognition of relationships between laypersons and experts to better integrate social and environmental issues into the design process.- Awareness to allow research to facilitate informed and balanced design without adversely affecting creativity.- Recognition of the complex relationship between research and design and the different integration approaches which are not mutually exclusive.- Integration of research and design by incorporating pre-design research, acknowledging research as an integral part of the design process, and using research to evaluate and modify design.
-
-
-
Learning and applying sustainability principles is a challenging educational task
Authors: Islam M Obeidat and Cherif AmorIn this global era, sustainability has become a wide-ranging term used in local and global scale and applied to almost every facet of life on earth. In academia, finding the appropriate means to learn and apply sustainability principles is a challenging educational task that leads to what is often called ‘sustainability gap’. In this study, students from architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture are taught sustainability principles in a collaboration studio course. The purpose of this study is: 1) to understand the gap between learning and application of sustainability principles in collaborative pedagogic settings, 2) to examine the association between collaborative pedagogic setting and students' predisposition to environmental responsibility while learning and applying sustainability principles, and 3) to explore whether the symbiosis between sustainability and collaboration might be associated with the students' perception of innovation in design. The objective of this study is to provide data that will help bridge the gap between learning and application of sustainability principles. A review of literature relevant to sustainability and collaboration was conducted. A qualitative (participants observation) and quantitative (survey/questionnaires) approaches were used to collect data in this study. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, open coding, independent T-test, One-way ANOVA, and multiple comparison tests were used to analyze the data. The findings show that collaboration between design and allied disciplines might facilitate learning and application of sustainability principles. Similarly, collaborative settings help students understand the predisposition of being pro-environment, responsive and perceptive of the innovation in design. Finally, collaborative pedagogy has facilitated the identification of conspicuous gaps relevant to learning and application of sustainability principles.
-
-
-
The impact of lighting on guests’ perception: symbiosis between hospitality and sustainability in interior design
Authors: Islam M MObeidat and Saif ObeidatThe benefits of lighting in hospitality applications have focused on the quantity of light, color quality, perceptions of multi-cultural guests , and the relationship between emotional state and lighting color quality. In turn, lighting in hospitality design involves employing different light levels that work together to highlight unique features and address specific illumination requirements. A good hospitality lighting design should also provide more efficient light sources so that it can translate into savings in terms of money and energy. The purpose of this report is to address the basics of lighting and hospitality design through studying how lighting can assist in designing hospitality applications, and its effect on guests’ behavior, needs and perception. This report involves literature review of lighting, hospitality and sustainability in interior design and their impact on guests’ perception. Design project has been used to create a pleasant atmosphere and provide high-quality lighting design in restaurants as it may create positive perception among guests, potentially influencing their well-being. The results show that lighting in hospitality design is usually required around the clock to help create an environment in which guests feel comfortable and safe. It has been found that lighting is a critical design element to guests’ sense of autonomy and quality of life. People often use lighting to modify relations between them and the surrounding environment in order to regulate space and behavior. Lighting can be used to break the monotony, and different spaces can be enhanced with lighting concepts. Lighting is to provide comfort, safety, and well-being, which help lessen confusion, stress, and unsafe situations. Guests’ feeling of crowdedness can impact their sense of satisfaction with their environment and the quality of their interactions with others. Lighting influences feelings and behaviors of crowdedness for users in the built environment. Areas without lighting caused slower wayfinding and were less accurate when it came down to pointing visitors to designated places in buildings. Consequently, using lighting in hospitality environments is the impulse to building a relationship between occupants and the physical environment.
-
-
-
Creating a lasting legacy
More LessSports facilities are particularly vulnerable to waste and inefficiency, both short term and many years into the future, from their operating systems to poor location to lack of legacy planning after special events are concluded. We believe that new stadiums, properly planned and developed, can be a catalyst to help develop sports in a the Middle East region so that the venue will have a life beyond the special event and have a lasting benefit for people within the community. With the large investments coming in for sports venues, there is even more of a focus into the longevity and legacy of the stadium. To assure that a stadium will have a lasting legacy and purpose, ROSSETTI has a unique approach to right sizing a stadium. This requires a modular component to a stadium, so that after a mega event like the World Cup, a stadium can be sized for the permanent tenant going forward. Return On DesignTM is ROSSETTI’s unique approach to every project generating value-oriented design solutions for our client’s investment. It’s the only tool that takes the guess work out of which upgrades will add value to fans because it’s customized for each individual client’s market, venue, ticket buyers and business goals. The real value is that it quantifies the investment and potential payback down to the dollar. We accomplish this by evaluating the fan and VIP experience, hospitality segmentation, sponsor opportunities and more, to supply value predictions based on hundreds of data sources. This puts into place revenue generating mechanisms into place to secure the financial enhancement of a facility, now and well into the future. While many firms say they do this claim doing that, ROSSETTI is the only firm that has a patented approach with detailed cost metrics from for over 10 years that will predict the return on investments, typically between two to four years. · We’ve worked with ownership at the Palace of Auburn Hills, home of the NBA Detroit Pistons, for over fifteen years on a series of renovations that continue to breathe new life into the arena while increasing revenue generation. · At Daytona International Speedy, sponsorship is critical to the event and venue. Our ‘fan injector’ entrances integrate sponsorship with fan experiences from the approach and throughout the venue. For new venues, Return on DesignTM can be used to develop revenue by planning the proper mix of product programming and sponsor opportunities right from the start. Conducted in the earliest phases, it prioritizes and customizes important design elements. For example, instead of finding walls on which to place LED sponsor boards, we design the sponsor activation experience into the venue. We recognize there is a delicate balance between selecting capital improvements for implementation and forecasting the prospects for generation of new revenue or improved fan and operations experiences. RODTM enables owners to make smarter decisions, resulting in a better experience with a higher return.
-
-
-
LEED criteria and sustainability indicators for the hot climate
More LessLEED criteria and indicators - Leadership of Energy and Environmental Design - spread locally, regionally and internationally in response to the call for energy conservation and the preservation of the environment, the resources and local development. The rating systems have been developed to illustrate the sustainability level attained by buildings according to the adopted elements of rationalization and achievement of green architecture.These indicators and standards which follow US standards need to be checked for their compatibility with the hot desert environment to ensure the realization of an energy efficient building in accordance to the efficacy of the local environment. The research deals with presentation of these criteria and indicators and their compatibility with the desert environment with its natural, social and economic components through the application of these standards in the administrative building at the newly constructed Jazan University , as well as an administrative building in Doha required to be presented to acquire the LEED certificate for the hot desert climate, and then infer sub-standards that are compatible with hot, humid and dry desert environment.
-
-
-
Towards a holistic approach to sustainability: Heritage, architecture and culture as tools for assembling identity in Qatar
More LessJust a few years ago, Doha, the Qatari capital, was referred to as a “sleepy town” (Lonely Planet, 2008). Nevertheless, as a result of its position in the global energy market, the country is going through massive expansion and has the resources to support this growth. Considering Qatar’s current thrive into a post-oil paradigm where knowledge economy might be the generative force for development, an examination of how the State’s new museums contribute to Qatar’s new vision becomes so relevant. This paper analyzes the process of constructing a new urban brand; Dohaization, and the role of new museums in substantiating such brand and new identity. A quest for identity, in the contemporary moment, implies twofold pursuits. First, it would speak to the locality and relate to the community heritage and roots. Second, it should respect the global aspirations and each city’s compelling desire to accommodate a place on the global stage and to brand itself as a global city attracting tourists, knowledge workers and global citizens. The paper will then exploit the findings of this discussion in the assessment and critical review of the two selected museums MIA and QNM.This paper critically narrates the case of two iconic museums in the contemporary urbanization of Doha. By analyzing the process of constructing a new urban identity for Qatar, the paper examines the role of museums in approaching a new paradigm by moving from consuming old heritage to constructing a new tradition and manufacturing an alternative contemporary heritage. The paper addresses crucial questions such as: What is the relation between building museums and pursuing a future development vision? Can the architecture of museums and urbanization facilitate a different level of community engagement?
-
-
-
The Incrediwell process. Seawater intakes. Feed-source water quality improvement and economics for numerous applications
By Ron DanielThe growing population of Qatar (the Gulf region generally) is critically dependent, for both Power generation and Water production, on the seawater of the Gulf.Knowledge of the continuing deterioration of the Gulf waters results in the unequivocal conclusion that very soon, the Gulf waters acquired with open-intake abstraction methods will no longer deliver the qualities essential to produce the Power and water requirements of the region. Almost all seawater in the Gulf is acquired, as a feed-source for processes such as power generation and desalination, using open-intake abstraction methods. However, this method of obtaining seawater cannot be considered secure and sustainable for the following reasons.• Year upon year, open-intake systems are operationally shut-down due to intake issues with higher numbers of occasions than the year before.• The challenge of delivering a reliable and secure potable water source is unresolved despite significant investment in re-charging Aquifers (Abu Dhabi) or building 7-day capacity reservoirs (Qatar). • The water abstracted is saltier than in previous years.• The abstracted waters are showing year-on-year temperature increases, often considerably higher than the maximum temperature required to cool Electrical Power generation turbines.• To prevent shut-down due the clogging effect of bio-fouling, open intake system are heavily dosed with toxic biocides.Seawater desalination is an energy-intensive and costly means of treating water to potable standards and can have quite extreme environmental impacts. Complex and expensive pre-treatment processes are commonly required to reduce the rate of bio-fouling and the frequency of operational close-down.Environmental impacts are associated with conventional open-intakes. Impingement and entrainment of marine biota is the first impact followed by the discharge of Toxic and carcinogenic brine, resulting from the use of chemicals to keep the intakes and associated piping clean of organic growth. Another issue to contend with is the disposal of macro-organic debris that accumulates on the traveling screens (seaweed, fish, jellyfish, etc.) and other parts of the pre-treatment train.Natural seawater contains a variety of macro- and micro-organic components that affect the treatment process. Open-ocean intakes are seasonally clogged in some regions by seaweed and some pre-treatment systems are periodically fouled by influx of jellyfish or large shoals of small fish (Zouri). Also, natural environmental events, such as harmful algal blooms and red tides, can overwhelm pre-treatment systems and cause temporary shut-downs of IWPP and SWRO plants. Improvements in the raw water quality will lead to reduction in the complexity of pre-treatment systems. There is the constant threat of nearby oil-leaks that require the abstraction system to close and finally, there is the susceptibility to sabotage.This paper looks at sub-seabed abstraction methods resulting in the conclusion that the innovative Incrediwell Process installed by the utilisation of Horizontal Directional Drilling appears to offer the solutions to the above array of problems. This paper will also demonstrate numerous advantages including the reduction of Qatar’s carbon footprint and the significant cost savings to be gained when choosing the Incrediwell Process in favour of the prevalent open-intake method of seawater abstraction
-
-
-
Life cycle cost analysis of utilizing energy saving lamp at engineering faculty buildings, Universitas Indonesia
Authors: Farizal F and L. PurnamasariLighting as one manifestation of electricity consumption will greatly assist human activity and productivity. In education, lighting plays an important role in the success of the learning process. The Faculty of Engineering, established in 1964, is one of the biggest faculty at Universitas Indonesia. Currently it has eighteen buildings and facilities to serve around five thousands students. Now a days many energy saving lamps are emerging on the market. These lamps consume less electricity than older lamps but they are much more expensive. Two newer lamps, i.e. compact fluorescence lamp (CFL) Tornado 24W and light emitting diode (LED) 9W are assessed to replace existing faculty of engineering lamps. For the purpose, life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) was used. The results recommended replacing the existing lamps with LED with the potential of 11% of cost saving and 87% of power saving.
-
-
-
Green BIM to achieve Passivhaus in the MENA region
More LessThe use of building information modeling (BIM) for green projects is expected to grow very fast enhancing the bond between BIM and green construction. The presentation will discuss how BIM technology can be implemented to achieve green, sustainable and ecological buildings through:· Generating the conceptual model to simulation· Simulating building different masses to get the best environmental results and compare them together· Designing and building alternatives and choosing the best design option· Using different materials to reach Indoor thermal comfortAlso the presentation will discuss how Green BIM can support integrated design in Qatar from the conceptual design stage till the operation stage reaching client satisfaction.The presentation will show examples for environmental analysis and simulations, for wind, heating and cooling studies that were extracted from BIM and how they affected the design in each project stage and through the project lifecycle.
-
-
-
Future vision: Going lean in a green environment
More LessThe improvement of efficiency, quality and profitability has been recently the major goal for the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. The future of the construction industry requires the combination and integration of the four key functions: process, technology, organization and knowledge. New processes, such as lean construction, bring a solution to the trilogy of problems encountered in the AEC industry: time, cost and quality. The overall aim of this paper is to introduce new process and manage sustainability through lean thinking by studying both concepts and providing an answer to the question “Is lean green?”This paper is divided into three parts; the first part explains the concept of “lean thinking”, its origin, applications, goals, benefits and challenges faced when first implemented in the construction industry. The second part explains the concept of sustainability and green construction through the project lifecycle and how it can enhance the inner and outer environment and optimize costs. The third part is integrating the two concepts together showing the strong bond that links sustainability to Lean thinking adding value to construction projects and eliminating waste from the concept design phase to the operation phase. This paper will take the audience/attendees to a new dimension of thinking for going lean in a green environment achieving customer’s satisfaction by the three part goal of better, cheaper and faster projects. Today is just the right time and place to lean and green it, whereas tomorrow will be zero wastes!
-
-
-
Sustainable architecture and urban design at Carnegie Mellon Qatar
Authors: Kelly Hutzell and Rami el SamahyAs Associate Teaching Professors of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University, Rami El Samahy and I hold joint appointments, teaching at the Carnegie Mellon University main campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the US every fall semester, and at the branch campus in Doha, Qatar every spring semester. In Doha, we offer elective courses in architecture to non-majors, including students studying Business, Information Systems, and Computer Science. These students have the option to earn a minor in Architecture. One of the required courses for the minor in Architecture is a course titled Architecture for non-majors. In this course, students gain knowledge about the breadth of architectural practice through various forms of study, and assimilate these skills as they develop their own approach. In the first weeks, students learn how to measure, draw, and build models. Throughout the semester, students learn to sketch and design. They gain an understanding of local vernacular passive techniques and are encouraged to reinterpret these concepts in order to create responsible and sustainable contemporary architecture.Sustainability at the urban scale is the focus on an elective course titled Mapping Urbanism. This interdisciplinary seminar functions as an introductory workshop to urban design, information design, urban history, and theory. The aim of the course is two-fold: first, to develop an appreciation for the built environment and diverse history and cultures; and second, to educate students about the complex issues of urbanism through mapping. While the structure of the course is similar each year, the focus is always changing. Past courses have focused on examinations of international city typologies, regional sustainable mega-projects, and local public spaces.In addition to teaching architecture electives to non-majors, we’ve also led semester-long study abroad programs, whereby undergraduate architecture students from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh studied abroad in Doha. In 2010, fourth-year undergraduate Bachelor of Architecture students, who are required to take an architectural design studio that focuses on systems integration, redesigned the Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) headquarters. The project was intended to reflect the needs, mission and organizational structure of the QGBC by showcasing a variety of sustainable strategies. Student projects included ideas such as opening the central atrium to create an exterior courtyard, redirecting the entrance; and have incorporated solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines and evaporative cooling pools.
-
-
-
HITTITE CSP & desalinization technology
Authors: Kayihan and Oguz CapanHittite's desalinization technology won the DM2006 Technology Competition from among 2550 applicants. This competition was organized by World Bank and Bill Gates Foundation. Judges for this competition were academicians from UCLA,MIT and Harvard.-Hittite Technologies have been approved by world famous renewable energy laboratories.-SPA-CIEMAT of Spain and DRL of Germany have included Hittite in their EU-financed Project Proposal in 2013.-NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab. of US Dep. Of Energy) and EPRI (American Electric Power Research Institute) included Hittite CSP Technology in their Government Project application called "solar hybridization of existing coal power plants".-Furthermore, MRIGlobal (an independent, not-for-profit organization performing contract research for US Government and Industry) reviewed and decided that Water Treatment & Desalinization Technology of Hittite is the best for industrial waste water treatment, including Shale Gas Farck Water and signed a cooperation agreement with Hittite to use this technology in North America.-Last but not the least, ACCIONA Agua Group from Spain (World's Largest Water Treatment Comp. and World's 2nd Largest Solar Energy Comp.) reviewed and decided that Water Treatment & Desalinization Technology of Hittite is the best fir industrial waste water treatment & desalinization and signed MOU with Hittite to use this technology in their projects.After being introduced to Hittite's desalinization technology in June 2014, the California State Water Authority called the Hittite technology "a game changer" and decided that it will help dramatically reduce California's serious drought problem, inviting Hittite to bring the demo units for demonstration.
-
-
-
One Health: the case of human exposure to cyanobacterial toxins in natural and built environments
One Health is the combination of multidisciplinary efforts and expertise from the fields of medicine and science to determine environmental factors that affect human, animal, plant and microbial health in natural and built environments. The One Health initiative has gained momentum in recent decades, yet it has its roots of inception at the beginning of Western medicine when Hippocrates realized that human and ecosystem health are intrinsically connected and should not be considered in isolation.Our studies focus on cyanobacteria and how their abundance and toxin production are affected by unique climatological attributes of the desert, as well as anthropogenic influences and practices. We have determined that cyanobacterial crusts and mats can cover up to 87% of the terrestrial and coastal surface of Qatar, contributing to ecosystem health by preventing soil and coastal sediment erosion and enhancing rain water retention allowing for plant proliferation.Cyanobacteria negatively impact human and ecosystem health through the production of a range of toxins known or suspected to produce liver damage, promote tumors, cause paralysis, and potentially trigger neurodegenerative disease in humans and other animals. We have discovered that toxin-producing cyanobacterial species and cyanotoxins are present in both terrestrial crusts and coastal mats of Qatar.In the current paper, we present our results on cyanotoxin transmission and exposure routes to humans through air, drinking water and foodstuffs. We have observed that the annual natural phenomenon of dust storms experienced in the Arabian Peninsula leads to airborne cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins, and that in areas impacted by anthropogenic infrastructure development there is an increased rate of airborne exposure. Interestingly, local dress of gutras and sheilas act as natural filters against inhalation, minimizing exposure to cyanobacterial cells and cyanotoxins in controlled lab experiments.Another feature unique to desert life is the transportation and storage of desalinated water, kept in impoundments for drinking. We have tested water contained in such tanks in both rural and urban desert settings. Visible growth of cyanobacteria was observed in the majority of the tanks, with the neurotoxin AEG present in 90% of rural tanks, and 30% of urban tanks had concentrations of the hepatotoxin microcystin exceeding the World Health Organization’s Provisional Guideline value for lifetime health protection.Finally, we have performed biomagnification studies in the marine food chain of the gulf, choosing marine species based on consumer preferences of the local population.Neurotoxins were found in marine species at all trophic levels, attributed to the bottom up influence of toxins present in cyanobacterial mats or to top down effects of localized cyanobacterial blooms potentially caused by discharge of ballast water into the gulf.Our studies have shed the light on an unexplored biological desert system. Our findings may be used for conservation of this vital biota and for improving the design of built environments, construction procedures and water transportation and storage practices to minimize human exposure to cyanobacteria and their toxins through air and water.
-
-
-
The Passivhaus concept for the Arabian Peninsula – An energetic-economical evaluation considering the thermal comfort
Authors: Joachim Göttsche, Michael Korn and Alexandre AmatoThe Passivhaus building standard is a concept developed for the realization of energy-efficient and economical buildings with a simultaneous high utilization comfort under European climate conditions. Major elements of the Passivhaus concept are a high thermal insulation of the external walls, the use of heat and/or solar shading glazing as well as an airtight building envelope in combination with energy-efficient technical building installations and heating or cooling generators, such as an efficient energy-recovery in the building air-conditioning. The objective of this research project is the inquiry to determine the parameters or constraints under which the Passivhaus concept can be implemented under the arid climate conditions in the Arabian Peninsula to achieve an energy-efficient and economical building with high utilization comfort. In cooperation between the Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC), Barwa Real Estate (BRE) and Kahramaa the first Passivhaus was constructed in Qatar and on the Arabian Peninsula in 2013. The Solar-Institut Jülich of Aachen University of Applied Science supports the Qatar Green Building Council with a dynamic building and equipment simulation of the Passivhaus and the neighbouring reference building. This includes simulation studies with different component configurations for the building envelope and different control strategies for heating or cooling systems as well as the air conditioning of buildings to find an energetic-economical optimum. Part of these analyses is the evaluation of the energy efficiency of the used energy recovery system in the Passivhaus air-conditioning and identification of possible energy-saving effects by the use of a bypass function integrated in the heat exchanger. In this way it is expected that on an annual basis the complete electricity demand of the building can be covered by the roof-integrated PV generator.
-
-
-
Smart building integrated photovoltaics BIPV for Qatar
More LessRetrofitting occupied villas with PV systems is only possible with the acceptance of the inhabitants. The challenge is to make Building Integrated Photovoltaics BIPV and own-consumption of PV energy attractive and comfortable to the people. Providing Smart BIPV systems that consist of the PV system, an energy manager and a house management system adaptable to the individual lifestyle of the people could be a helpful motivation to support the PV micro grid generation. In the Smart BIPV system the energy manager is monitoring all energy flows within the building, the consumed energy and the PV production. This detailed visualization makes the people sensible to their energy demands and gives them a real chance to improve their consumption habits. To achieve high own-consumption automatically switching of different appliances is necessary. The PV manager is able to switch appliances on and off according to the individual settings. Flexible appliances with high energy demand (washing machine, dishwasher, and dryer) can be adapted to the own-produced energy. They are connected to different defined power sockets and the central unit will start them when enough PV energy is available. The inhabitants can change the settings individually to their needs, thus they can train their skills and gain experiences in coordinating different machines. Other appliances must work independently from the PV energy (air conditioner, fan, blinds) and should be switched according to the inhabitant’s schedule. For example the air-conditioner should not run the whole day but before the inhabitants’ return, the central-unit can switch it on by settings or remotely to make a comfortable climate. This will not increase the own-consumption but reduces the demand of conventionally produced energy extensively and makes a good conscience. The third group of appliances are all electrical devices with constant energy demand (refrigerator, freezer). These appliances are supplied by PV energy at first and during night by the public grid. That means a visible usage of renewable energy day by day. The Smart BIPV systems can be introduced in new buildings and also in occupied villas. The PV manager is part of this system and the central unit is also connected to the electric meters, power sockets, switch sockets and several components like sensors for measuring temperature, humidity and motion in-house and outside. It must be built in by an electrician but the different applications can be installed successively and adjusted by the inhabitants.
-
-
-
Closing the performance gap
By Don McLeanThis presentation will examine where the building performance gap comes from and how the industry can minimise it through better understanding of design analysis and learning from buildings in operation. Over the years the green agenda within building design has become increasingly important. It’s only until very recently that designers, and other construction colleagues, have had the technology and know-how to validate how our buildings are performing in real terms in comparison to what was expected from the design stage. The results prove interesting with a common thread, often the building isn’t performing as predicted. Invariably the divergence in results show the real building performing far worse than expected. Why is this? The Carbon Trust published a report, ‘Closing the Gap’, in April 2012. One of the key findings is the confusion that compliance models should somehow suffice for design analysis and in some cases mistakenly used as a form of operational energy prediction. The compliance model is simply a benchmark exercise and omits key elements within the building in its calculation. For example, unregulated loads such as plug loads, server rooms, external lighting and so on. This is ultimately why the EPC, currently, won’t align with the DEC, however your design model could, and a growing number within our industry would say should. The Carbon Trust report further concludes that during the design process we should distinguish between these model types and focus on the design model rather than being driven by compliance. In addition the report concludes that we should also develop our understanding of soft landings and post occupancy building monitoring, and increase their application to benefit our design decisions through lessons learnt. However, understanding our analysis at design stage is only one half of this challenge, the other is understanding how buildings are operating and learning from them. It is all well and good believing that a building is sustainable because it appears to do so at the design stage, but how sustainable is it in reality? How do we know if we are not checking? Soft Landings is keys to this, but we need to correlate building performance against the design. We need to quantify the Performance Gap in the same level of detail which we analyse buildings in simulation software. This presentation will consider the ways in which we can make better use of the latest technology to calibrate our building models and create strategies that can be implemented across a building’s life to help make smarter decisions and enable strategic energy/carbon reduction planning which meets both environmental and financial targets.
-