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Qatar Green Building Conference 2016 ߝ The Action
- Conference date: 13-15 Nov 2016
- Location: Doha, Qatar
- Volume number: 2016
- Published: 09 November 2016
21 - 40 of 46 results
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Health-oriented sustainable buildings in the context of Qatar
By Doyoon KimWith growing popularity of green building rating systems, LEED and GSAS projects are becoming a building industry standard in Qatar. Furthermore, more projects targeting higher rating in green building certification has become a trend. A large number of green buildings have been focused on in terms of energy and water efficiency, where a high level of certification can be achieved and their performance can be easily translated and expressed into numeric terms. Media tends to highlight efficiencies in green buildings that are broadcasted as high-performance buildings. Although non-quantifiable benefits of green buildings such as enhanced occupant's productivity, health and comfort are equally important, emphasis on human factor has drawn relatively less attention to the green building design process. Considering the significance of cost incurred for building occupants in facility operation, worker's wages and expenses are much higher than the utility cost or any other operation costs. Especially, low energy and water tariffs in Qatar actually lower financial feasibility of high energy and water performance green buildings than those in other countries. In addition, due to hot weather conditions in Qatar, people spend more hours indoor than outdoor compared with other climate zone countries. In this regard, building occupant's health and comfort should be more importantly treated in the context of green building in Qatar. According to a study on Qatari public health, a large percentage of students in Qatar experience allergic diseases (asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema) and communicable diseases (influenza and hepatitis). Such diseases result in absenteeism and poor academic performance. Knowing that Doha was ranked the 12th worst ambient air quality in fine particles by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2014, prevalence of such diseases indicates that indoor environment is not sufficiently protected from polluted outdoor conditions. The diseases eventually burden the national healthcare cost to attend patients and potentially deteriorate Qatari businesses as well as education performance resulted from high absenteeism. This paper aims to first understand the level of the occupant's satisfaction in indoor air quality and thermal comfort based on a survey questionnaire for typical operating buildings in Qatar, and strives to find the correlation between indoor environment quality in Qatari buildings and locally prevalent allergic and communicable diseases. The study finally aims to determine the root causes of health-related indoor environmental quality issues and to suggest improvements in design, construction and operation of a green building implementation.
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Fire and life safety approach in green buildings
More LessThis paper presents sustainable buildings from the perspective of fire and life safety.
Sustainable buildings are high-performance buildings from an environmental perspective, which care for the occupant's welfare, comfort and health distinctly whose safety is equally important.
Obviously, a building on fire threats the safety of the occupants and firefighters, and has a negative impact on the environment through the discharge of gaseous and particulate products of combustion into the atmosphere. Furthermore, the groundwater runoff from the water used to extinguish the fire contains toxic compounds and debris that may pollute the surrounding water bodies.
Many buildings can be recycled at the end of their life cycle; however, if a building's life cycle ends in a fire, it will not be fit for reuse and may have to go to landfill. There is also an additional economic impact resulting from the direct loss of the building and its contents. Further indirect loss is caused by business interruption, job losses and disruption of services to the community. Accordingly, fire prevention can be considered “green” due to the natural resources saved by preventing a fire.
So the question is “how sustainable is a building if it is not fire safe”?
Some sustainability and energy efficiency practices can increase fire risk. For example, green roofs and photovoltaic panels can increase building energy efficiency but also increase the fire risk by providing more fuel unless there is a design approach to mitigate these effects.
A building that is sustainable in the face of fire is one that minimizes not only the environmental impacts of fire, but also the economic and social impacts of fire.
An integration design approach employed at an early stage of the design process increases the communication among the involved parties, leading to fewer conflicts between green building practices and fire safety, where the objectives of the fire safety design should be clearly defined. While the protection of life is the main objective of fire safety legislation, the financial impact of fire on a business as a result of direct property damage or lost production might also be important considerations. By pointing out the possible conflicts before construction has even began, there is time to make the necessary changes to the plans and avoid waste of time and money during the actual construction of the building.
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Occupant's thermal comfort in Qatari offices – Need for the new adaptive standard
Authors: Madhavi Indraganti and Djamel BoussaaQatar's per capita energy consumption is one of the highest in the world, consuming 30.184 TWh as of 2012. Buildings contribute significantly (80%) to this, with air-conditioning taking a lion's share. Qatar does not have custom-made adaptive thermal comfort standards (ACS). In their absence, designers tend to follow Western standards that are meant for colder climates verbatim. This leads to the disregard of the effect of local climate, clothing and cultural needs. Availability of cheap energy encourages such practice. Following the ACS is vital for energy savings in buildings. In this paper, we aim to develop the ACS for Qatar. It necessitates long-term field studies in real buildings. This paper presents the results of long-term thermal comfort field surveys in eight Qatari offices. The occupant's thermal perceptions along with the environmental measurements were recorded in these surveys. This was done during the winter in Doha. A total of 40 subjects expressed comfort over a wide range of temperatures in offices. They returned 1362 sets of data, of which 27% were from women. Fanger's PMV overestimated the actual sensation. These findings have far-reaching energy implications towards environmental sustainability as specified in Qatar Vision 2030.
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Is there a cost premium for green buildings in Qatar?
Authors: David McKenna and Matt KitsonThis paper aims to open a discussion about the cost premium for green buildings in Qatar. It looks back at what Qatar has achieved over the last decade to explore the issue of green building cost premiums: why do they exist, what can we do about them, and why should we accept them? In this paper, the term ‘green buildings’ is used to specifically refer to buildings pursuing certification under the USGBC's ‘LEED ’ or the GORD's ‘GSAS’ rating system, which are the most commonly used certification types in Qatar. However, lower oil prices have led to tighter spending and a greater focus on value engineering and cost savings. The environmental benefits of green buildings have been well documented; however, this paper aims to shift the discussion towards the economic aspects of green buildings. This paper analyses the costs and benefits of the main GB rating systems used in Qatar, such as GSAS and LEED. By identifying the costs of building green, this paper aims to inform developers how to minimise the cost premium while getting more benefits. It also identifies some of the underlying causes of key problems that can occur in GB projects, where GB cost premiums can increase beyond what is typical for the certification level achieved. These problems can often lead to symptoms beyond cost over-runs and can manifest themselves as time delays, quality and other issues. Some of the key strategies are also identified to reduce GB costs and increase the economic benefits from achieving GB certification. The paper concludes with some recommendations for how GB rating systems can be adopted by authorities on a wider scale to effect a greater scale of change. It looks at some key issues with the GSAS rating schemes that have an impact on GB costs, and argues for a common energy simulation approach across all regional GB rating systems in the GCC. It discusses how the integrity of a GB rating system is imperative to building confidence in the value of each certification level, which should result in ‘Green Premiums’ being reflected in the property market. The paper concludes with the argument that with the support from Qatar Green Building Council and GORD, Qatar's planning authorities need to take the lead in pushing Qatar to develop more sustainable buildings.
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Urban form and impacts on urban heat for a corridor environment in Doha, Qatar
Authors: Cynthia Skelhorn, Salim Ferwati, Ayla Shawish and Vivek ShandasDoha, Qatar is a coastal city on the Arabian Gulf. Like all cities, temperatures can vary quite widely throughout the city due to various factors. In Doha, for instance, records of monitoring data from ten weather stations during 2015 show that, on average, the temperature varied by 7 degrees Celsius across the city.
This paper will analyze temperature, traffic and built morphology data for 2016 along a major roadway in Doha. The research utilizes data from 3 main sources: seven days of vehicle traverses gathered in different seasons and for three times of day (morning, midday, and evening) in 2016 on the Al Salwa Rd corridor, reaching from the coast to approximately 10 km inland; daily traffic count data for intersections along the corridor; and data on building footprint and height within 500 m of the corridor.
The paper will consider the influence of several factors on the temperature and air quality variation along this corridor, including: land cover, proximity to parks and vegetated areas, albedo, distance from the sea and built morphology.
Temperature data will be analyzed in terms of Urban Heat Island Index (UHII), and time exceeding 37 degrees Celsius, the temperature above which conditions are considered as sweltering for human comfort. Temperature distribution maps will then be analyzed in relation to the factors noted previously.
Finally, statistical analyses will be performed to test the correlation between the urban heat, built morphology, and traffic, using GIS to visualize the urban heat and built morphology.
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Feasibility of converting existing residential buildings to net zero-energy buildings in Egypt
More LessGreen architecture, sustainable buildings, environmental friendly, and other terms have recently become popular in the construction field among professionals and non-professionals. Although they are mostly needed and highly feasible, the application of these ideas is not yet at the same level of popularity in Egypt. Researchers are trying to fill this gap by providing different types of recommendations, methodologies, and guidelines to be followed. The aim of this study is to propose a method for solving the energy problem in the building sector in Egypt. Since it is concerned with the existing building stock, the proposed method will address retrofitting strategies, not new design strategies. The study suggests the nZEB (net zero-energy buildings) method as a possible solution for the problem and provides a guideline to be used among the rest of the existing building types. The study uses energy simulation to validate its initial assumptions and test the feasibility of the proposed guideline. The final outcome of the study is a method that combines both retrofitting and renewable energy strategies that will suit the Egyptian context, and has the potential to convert existing buildings to nZEB buildings. The study starts with the analysis of the current situation of both the existing buildings and the energy sector in Egypt. First, it reviews the classification of the existing building types in the Egyptian context, analyzing the energy consumption patterns and the inefficiencies leading to these patterns. Then, it defines the nZEB concept to familiarize the reader with its different aspects. The empirical part of the study uses several cases for a number of prototypes of residential building types in Egypt. Finally, the proposed guideline is applied to an actual existing building and its feasibility is tested by simulation. The study concludes by suggesting a potential energy saving by applying nZEB strategies to existing residential buildings in Egypt. Future research on different building types is required to validate the nZEB method across different building types.
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How smart greenery can transform our cities
By Sherif HosnyIntroduction: Urbanization is taking place at unprecedented rates with 50% of the world's population living in cities. The global population is expected to grow further to reach 10 billion before it starts to stabilize or decline. Hence, the importance of improving our cities to meet our urge in living in them has become more important than ever before. The term ‘efficiency’ will be one of the major keywords that will shape our thoughts, our future research and innovations.
Efficiency pockets will be analyzed and searched for in every field and in all our needs. The human need for greenery is one of the most basic and primary needs. The health benefits of greenery are not a mere luxury, but the human's proximity to nature has instant effects on his health and moral. So the question is how can we have greenery in cities in the most efficient way possible? Green skins: The concept of green skins has stormed the world in the last decade and is without a doubt a growing trend. But what is a green skin?
As the name suggests, it is greenery applied to the outer surface of an object. This object could be existing or new, functional or abandoned, stationary or in motion. To clarify further, let us imagine the following:
– An abandoned railway turned into a park. New York's sky garden is a living example of such a case;
– The rooftops of city busses could be perfect examples of oxygen-creating green skins;
– Building facades could be entirely covered in greenery. Milan's vertical forest is a prime example of the proximity of this idea coming to reality. Integrated cities: An integrated city would be a further step in creating our own needs not only for landscaping but also for food production.
Growing food in the city instead of on an agricultural land is at its infancy stages. Numerous movements around the world are exploring these possibilities. The benefits of urban agriculture are enormous, ranging from savings in transportation, eating fresher produce, using greenery as a thermal insulator and bringing greenery to our everyday life.
Water- and energy-efficient technologies are being explored and used in this type of agriculture as production per square meter will be a decisive factor. Community roles: The progressive approach in designing green spaces for cities is no longer a task assigned to a single centralized authority or government. The connectedness of communities with city planners should grant a collaborative atmosphere for architects, designers, landscape companies and entrepreneurs to share their ideas and develop them together.
Real estate developers and master planners will either be leading the way with sustainable landscape solutions or fall behind and eventually follow consumers’ expectations. Conclusion: Greenery plays a major role in our urban life and will have to evolve to match the current rate of urbanization.
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EcoBIM for micro-sustainability
More LessSustainability is one of the most important issues today. It could be achieved when all its factors could be managed and achieved effectively with full knowledge, strategic focus, and a balance of competing interests.
Micro-sustainability focuses on small environmental actions that collectively result in a large environmental impact. It encourages sustainable changes through “change agents”, i.e. individuals who are instrumental in bringing a change; therefore, they foster positive environmental action inside their sphere of influence. Examples of micro-sustainability include recycling, turning off unused lights, programming thermostats for efficient use of energy, reducing water usage, reduce waste and consumption.
Attentive design and planning is very crucial in any production process. Especially in the construction industry, a lot of time and effort is spent on measuring and analysing how any new construction will interact with materials and environmental conditions and a lot of information management is required for the whole process. In the last few years, the construction industry has gone digital, and technology has created a new process tool.
Building information modelling and management has become mandatory to achieve a sustainable construction process and product. New concepts such as EcoBIM have been recently introduced and applied in the construction market. EcoBIM software allows architects and engineers to digitally simulate different construction elements and understand how specific changes in design or construction models will have an impact on other variables. EcoBIM has especially improved the sustainable planning for building life cycle (cradle to grave).
EcoBIM helps to achieve micro-sustainability through BIM tools and management process, which in turn help in accurate design and construction analysis for efficient design and construction for efficient use of energy, reducing water usage, waste and consumption, etc.
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Transient analysis and simulation of large-scale photovoltaic (PV) energy system integration into the distribution grid
Authors: Shady Khalil and Haitham Abu-RubPhotovoltaic (PV) power generation is the fastest growing segment of distributed generation technologies. In addition, the need for reliable, stable and quality power is on the rise. Large-scale PV power connected to the grid contributes to the safe operation of the grid to bring new challenges in GCC. This study focuses on future large-scale PV energy system integration into the GCC power grid to address its energy security and environmental challenges. A new simulation model is developed to analyze and investigate the impact of integrating large-scale solar PV facilities into the distribution grid, and to carry out transient stability analysis.
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Multi-layer UPVC piping system
By Ahmed KamalTechnocore is the brand name of PVC multi-layer pipes manufactured and marketed by Hepworth under the license of Wavin. Technocore is a PVC pipe made up of three layers, which improves the durability of pipes more significantly than conventional pipes with solid wall construction. The secret lies in the new and ground-breaking microcellular foaming (MCF) technology from Wavin. A uniform middle layer construction based on many small-sized cells of ≤ 50 microns ensures increased mechanical properties of the pipe combined with the inner and outer layer ‘sandwich’ construction of virgin raw material, resulting in a pipe that exceeds all the requirements for durability despite its lower weight. The Wavin multi-layer technology has been used successfully for more than 25 years. Due to modern technology, existing pipe systems can be re-engineered to comply with new requirements and continuously rising standards that enter new markets (which replace conventional materials), dedicate functionality for each individual layer, improve the characteristics of the total pipe, and achieve environmental and sustainable advantages (CSR) The cell structure of the core of the pipes reduces the weight of the pipes. Less weight means less emissions and a more sustainable future. There are other indirect environmental factors. For example, lower weight means less CO2 emissions during transport, as well as reduced CO2 consumption during recycling, reuse and disposal. A lead-free system can create a healthy working condition and protects the environment. When using new technologies, less virgin raw materials (e.g. PVC resin) are required, which make them environmental-friendly and sustainable products when compared with conventional products. All the Wavin ML-PVC products are in line with EU lead-free legislation and therefore contribute to a better HSE policy and CSR aspects. They are stimulated and supported by TEPPFA. The Wavin ML-PVC technology enables producers to participate in voluntary programs such as Vinyl-Plus (following the successful Vinyl 2000 program) Wavin and Hepworth. ML-PVC products are rated as a ‘greener’ product compared with conventional products, which enables Wavin Group and Hepworth to win tenders in many EU countries as well as in the Middle East, for example Estidama in Abu Dhabi and potentially QNBN in Doha, Qatar.
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Growing together in a changing climate
More LessThroughout the climate change negotiations, young people have shown that they will not wait to inherit a world damaged by climate change, but that they want to be part of creating solutions. They have brought their energy and creativity to the intergovernmental process, demanding concrete action from their governments.
However, young people know that change must not only take place in terms of government, but also at home. They have changed their lifestyles, altering their consumption patterns to make ecologically conscious decisions. We expect young people to continue to lead us by launching environmentally responsible businesses and engaging in scientific research for clean and efficient energy sources.
We hope to foster greater awareness of how young people can get involved as well as promote further ideas and awareness on climate change and lifestyle.
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The common ground for sustainable urbanism in the case of Doha
More LessDoha, like most of the Gulf States' cities, has evolved dramatically to the global city model due to the oil economy, thereby experiencing a massive urban evolution and creating mega urban development projects that are inattentive to sustainability. Creating mega projects reflects different urban trends to fulfill the sustainable agenda. Sustainability, as a definition, is still vague, but the term survived the test of time. A large number of studies have conducted research on cities and how to change the development path to a more sustainable one. But sustainable urbanism cannot be reached if there is no standard definition of sustainability between different key players involved in the urbanization process. Between strategy and implementation, there is an apparent gap because there is no standard definition for sustainable urbanism. Recently, in Doha, some urban development has taken place, which claims to be viable. This study aims to evaluate these models through critical observation and analysis of the urban form and characteristic of these developments. It questions the level of applicability of such models to the context of Doha, and its urban revitalization process. First, the study documents the milestones of the sustainable urbanism strategy of Doha. Second, it analyzes key projects and how sustainable urbanism was implemented. In this study, four projects are used to compare the sustainable urbanism definition about strategy and implementation process. The aim of this paper is to highlight a common definition of sustainable urbanism for Doha, highlighting the challenges of policy and implementation. Finally, it compares the policy with the application to a more standard definition of sustainable urbanism appropriate to the Doha context. The paper argues that creating a common urban sustainability definition will narrow the gap between implementation and strategy. It concludes with recommendation guidelines to repost sustainable urbanism in the case of Doha.
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Developing sustainable construction practices and indicators for infrastructure projects in Qatar
More LessMain contractors for infrastructure projects need to comply with the following guidelines related to sustainability: (1) Law of Qatar; (2) Qatar Construction Specification 2015; (3) Environmental Impact Assessment (performed by an independent party, paid by the Employer); (4) Main Contractor's Contract Environmental/Sustainability Stipulations/Clauses. Infra projects that involve voluminous excavation works and subsequently dewatering like construction of tunnel/underpass and bored piles are required to comply with sustainability regulations in place. In the construction of tunnel/underpass, the main contractor should follow various processes to ensure compliance with sustainability requirements as per contract. First, the main contractor needs to get soil samples for every 5000 m3 for soil investigation. Then, reports are given to a consultant for review and any findings. Unfavorable results are reported to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) for remediation. One type of remediation would be the injection of air to the contaminated areas to promote bacterial life that lives on hydrocarbon which is biodegradable. This is a long but effective process. Dewatering pumped water can be released to the sea through a 30 mm-diameter flexible rubber pipe. Deep well can be constructed and the water is pumped directly within. An EFA (environmental flood area), which is a temporary infiltration evaporation basin, is constructed (as per the associated cross-section and plan drawings). During the construction, a trained environmental inspector conducts daily site visits to check for silt. When the silt is mixed with seawater, it endangers the ecosystem, polluting its inhabitants with hydrocarbon (oil or diesel). If the inspector discovers hydrocarbon during dewatering, the entire volume of the polluted water is pumped into a tank and transported to Messaied Sewage Treatment Facilities for treatment. The treated water is then transported back to the sea. Caution should be exercised to remove foam and any wastage instantly, and any such incident should be reported immediately to the Consultant Reporting System. A good reporting system is recommended to allow clear and easy monitoring and controlling of all environmental sustainability issues. The recommendation guidelines are as follows. (1) A daily report should be submitted by a trained environmental engineer (usually trained by an in-house environmental manager employed by the main contractor). (2) All reported incidents should be properly documented, and a workflow on where to direct these reports and what should be done to remedy the incident, be it short term or long term, is followed. (3) A weekly report is completed and complied by the main contractor as per the contract. This will be a summary of the daily reports including the findings containing a key performance indicator calculation and rating plus a graphical representation in color. The weekly report is not required by the Ministry of Environment, nor is it specified in the Qatar Construction Specification; however, this is a vital KPI monitoring tool that enables immediate assessment or remedy if required. (4) A monthly report is provided by the main contractor, which shows all reported incidents for the month. It is reported to the consultant who in turn presents it to the MME.
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Sustainable building materials: Green even below the surface?
More LessWhen it comes to material selection, green is now much more than a color – or is it? Material manufacturers are eager to pitch materials as sustainable or LEED certified or any number of valid and invalid qualifiers, and leave it to the consumer to sort the fact from fiction. Combining this with a growing interest from final clients in the specification of specific materials to support either a heartfelt or marketing desire of sustainability, the resulting confusion is inevitable. In the end, there are many factors contributing to sustainability when it comes to materials and their use in buildings. This paper will address the following:
Raw materials
Weight
Labor (time and materials)
Performance
Integration
In addition, the paper will present a list of recent material developments in the area of sustainability.
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Qatar's low-density sustainable neighborhoods
More LessTo date, much research has postulated that a city needs to be “compact” to be sustainable, and the supporting evidence has largely focused on energy efficiency especially obtained from public transportation efficiencies. However, recently, a counter proposal has emerged, stressing the importance of livability and that low density cities may be preferable in this respect. Doha is a low-density city. In this study, we examine how sustainable neighborhoods can create a low-density city by configuring to achieve livable communities that are both desirable and energy efficient. The findings of the literature review are examined with the aim of exploring the possibility of Doha becoming a fully sustainable city, and thus design concepts can be proposed.
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The economics of sustainable retrofitting
More LessUnited Nations' parties reaffirmed in the 21st Session of Climate Change Conference held in Paris the need to limit the global temperature increase to well below 2 degree Celsius (2015). Recent work by the UNEP shows that significant potential energy efficiency aimed at reducing CO2e emissions is in the built environment.
Therefore, retrofitting the existing stock is very important because there is a significant part of Qatar's national energy consumption found in its residential buildings. A detailed analysis of energy consumptions in Qatari villas is yet to be carried out. However, initial studies carried out by Darwish indicate that up to 70% of residential energy consumption goes in air conditioning. The Colliers Company has made a study in the residential market and found that villas in Qatar account for 24% of the existing house stock.
This study is important for the State of Qatar, as it would likely highlight the potential opportunity to increase the efficiency of current villas. This will assist Qatar's villas in becoming more sustainable and environmentally friendly. This paper looks at retrofitting of villas and how we can encourage energy conservation and possible strategies that can be applied.
When refurbishing a Qatari villa, there are a number of initiatives that need assessment to determine which can give the biggest reduction of CO2/m2 level per cost of capital investment (CO2/m2/$).
● Energy conservation:
○ Controls;
○ Update HVAC;
○ Import heat gain (building envelope and ventilation).
● De-carbonizing the energy:
○ Applying renewable energy source (PV, thermal, and ground source heat pump);
○ On/off site storage or feeding back the power of renewable energy to the grid.
We will use IES software to develop an energy model for a Qatari villa and run the simulations to assess the coast of each CO2e/m2 cap investment. Anticipated comparisons of the findings with the present UK initiatives, and providing the necessary steps to retrofit would be useful.
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Determining the prevailing mean temperature variables for GCC occupants' adaptive thermal comfort
By Hala YousefThermal comfort is, by definition, the condition of the mind that expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment, and is assessed by subject evaluation. ASHRAE 55 Standard is a form of subjective evaluation that formalises the impact of the prevailing mean outdoor temperature as a major contributing factor on occupants' ability to adapt to the comfort levels of the maintained indoor temperatures. In a hot climatic region such as the GCC, occupants spend the majority of their time indoors with artificially cooled environments where the prevailing mean temperatures are not necessarily as dictated in the Standard to be the outdoor temperature. ASHRAE 55 evaluates the adaptive thermal comfort expectation of occupants and outlines the acceptable percentage of people who may feel uncomfortable based on the impact of prevailing mean outdoor temperatures. However, in the GCC, the prevailing mean temperatures may be more influenced by the mean indoor temperatures of the buildings where people spend the most significant amount of time, or a proportionate factor of the multiple buildings in which they spend their time. This study determines the prevailing mean temperature variables that influence the GCC occupants' thermal comfort, and how these factors inversely translate to an intolerance of outdoor temperatures driving the occupants further indoors.
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A smart city at your finger tips
By Elisa DwyerThe majority of modern urban developments are designed to be sustainable and smart. Lusail City is one of the world's largest urban development projects. Located in the north of Qatar's capital Doha, it will be home to 250,000 people once completed. A project of this size means substantial challenges in planning and coordinating the design, construction and operation to create an environment with enhanced quality of life and sustainable living. Therefore, it is vital to have a structured and consistent knowledge collection and information base. The base of a sustainable and smart city is the utilization of that knowledge and information. 3D asset management enables the utilization of information from all project phases and the management of the entire project life cycle. Mobile viewers are used to facilitate the cooperation, communication and data collection on-site in real time. Equipped with GIS, the mobile viewers deliver any location-enriched data, from any place, at any time. During the presentation, we will aim to cover the following topics: (1) reaching required goals to be a sustainable and smart city; (2) defining data standards; (3) data collection; (4) implementing intelligent software solutions. Towards the end of the presentation, we will showcase the potential outcome by using a clearly structured information base. HOCHTIEF ViCon is the leading service provider and consultant for virtual construction and Building Information Modeling (BIM). According to our principle “build digitally first”, we advise and assist our clients in the use of intelligent 3D computer models in order to minimize risks early on, communicate effectively, and save cost. We have gained experience on more than 450 projects in Europe, MENA, Americas, and Australia.
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The importance of ‘connected green spaces’ in maintaining a successful urban ecology
The Qatar National Development Framework 2032 outlines the need for enforcing a green belt around the city of Doha to limit urban sprawl and to create a transition zone from the urban to the natural desert environment. Green spaces have been shown to positively affect physical and mental human health mainly by creating opportunities for active living, improving air quality, as well as lowering temperature and runoff. Connected green spaces (CGSs) may offer greater benefits since a network of green spaces may provide a broader range of essential ecological functions and support a wealthier biodiversity. Here, we explore the planning aspect and form of CGSs, specifically applied to Doha city. First, we put forward the practical and achievable shapes of CGSs and linking corridors. We then present the feasibility of CGSs in arid regions, including the use of treated sewage effluent for irrigation to conserve resources, the need for the selection of native flora and fauna species to sustain connectivity between the built and the natural desert environment, as well as issues of invasive species and pest control. Al Garrafa area will be used as a case study to identify the potential for CGSs in Doha.
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Form without function: Transitions in the urban-built environment of Qatar
More LessThe introduction of air conditioning in Qatar has radically changed the everyday life both inside and outside the home both physically and socially. As part of a larger project investigating thermal comfort in Qatar, we seek to understand the ways changes in everyday Qatari life are connected to the articulation of a modernized and global national identity. Air conditioning is one of the material comforts that accompanies a diversifying economy as well as an influx of wealth and expatriates migrating to Qatar. We posit that in Qatar, similar to elsewhere in the Gulf, this economic and social trajectory has resulted in an increase in Western urban forms that do not take into account traditional design. Whereas the traditional design of Arab towns and neighborhoods reflects climatic and socio-religious practices, modernization has taken away many of these features, particularly in the design and articulation of new buildings in Qatar.
In what sense has it become difficult to orient oneself in Qatar with a place identity? This paper will discuss the various factors at place in the place identity challenges facing Qatar as a modern urban Arab city. We will discuss some of the salient features of passive cooling, such as wind towers and mashrabiya or screening, and how their inclusion in building identity is a nod to form without utilizing cooling functions. As case studies, we will discuss the ideas and impetus in such energy-intensive concepts that gave rise to the West Bay business district of skyscrapers and the ‘objects in a landscape’ approach to designing buildings in Education City.
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