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Space availability is one of the largest barriers to urban agriculture. One way around this issue that urban farmers in some parts of the world are exploring is moving their farming activities to building rooftops. One method of rooftop farming in use is row agriculture using green roof technology. Vegetable crop plants, which typically require more water and more nutrients than the ornamental species found on green roofs, require irrigation and the use of fertilizers. One nutrient management practice that some rooftop farmers are using is the addition of compost, which could lead to changes over time in the water-holding capacity, organic matter content, and weight of green roof media. This practice and its long-term implications have not been well-studied. Green roof platforms were created to examine how the annual additions of compost in quantities of 0, 0.33, 0.66, and 1 kg/m2 affect runoff water quality and green roof media properties. Runoff water samples were collected and analyzed for pH, conductivity, color, turbidity, and nitrate nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, total phosphorus, and potassium contents. Compost treatment had no effect on any water quality metric except for color, which had slightly different changes over time in the different compost treatments. The lack of difference among the treatments may be attributed to the low nutrient content of the compost and continued use of fertilizers to provide nutrients. Most samples observed in this study exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency water quality guidelines for nitrate nitrogen and phosphorus and were similar to values observed in the green roof literature regarding agricultural and ornamental green roofs. This has potential implications for surface water quality and eutrophication, especially as green roof agriculture increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Sri Lanka, the wet zone of Colombo and other urban areas usually experience urban flooding situations. Furthermore, the urban setting is rapidly changing. The community perceives flood control and water conservation relatively poorly. Rainwater harvesting is a low-impact development (LID) method to control urban flash flood situations. However, considering people's interest in and awareness of rainwater harvesting (RWH), it was found that RWH is a lost factor in urban conservation. Therefore, using economically attractive choices, this study estimated the trade-off of residents practicing RWH in urban areas affected by high surface water runoff. The study's selected area was the Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat Division (DSD) flooding spots, an ideal location to estimate the preferences/trade-offs of individuals regarding rainwater harvesting practices. This estimation was calculated using a choice experiment (CE) method, which is an economic valuation method. Under this method, the conditional logit model was used to analyze people's preferences. The results showed that people are motivated and prefer to use RWH due to selected attributes in the field survey. This promising result implies that individuals prefer to use the RWH system as a method of stormwater management and water conservation. Moreover, most residents are willing to adopt these systems looking at their monthly water bill reduction and as promoters of green building concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This research paper aims at examining the effect of three green capabilities, namely, green entrepreneurial orientation, green learning orientation, and green absorptive capacity, on triple bottom line firm performance under the natural resource‐based view (NRBV) lens. Data were collected through self‐administered surveys distributed among large firms in Egypt that have sustainability initiatives. A total of 211 responses were received, and data analysis was conducted using SMARTPLS 4.0. Results indicated an insignificant direct relationship between green entrepreneurial orientation and triple bottom line firm performance, yet results showed a positive indirect relationship between green entrepreneurial orientation and triple bottom line firm performance in the presence of green learning orientation as a mediator. Moreover, results indicated a positive indirect relationship between green entrepreneurial orientation and triple bottom line firm performance in the presence of green absorptive capacity as a mediator. Last but not the least, the relationship between green entrepreneurial orientation and triple bottom line firm performance was found to be positive when sequentially mediated by green learning orientation and green absorptive capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the viability of bamboo as a green replacement for timber in building practices. Bamboo's advantages lie in its renewability, sustainability, and resilience to disasters, despite possessing mechanical properties similar to timber. The study proposes using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations, a potent instrument for designing and analyzing intricate structures under varying loads. The research explicitly employs FEA simulations to examine the application of bamboo in complex rooftop systems, using two commercial 3D CAD software—Rhino7 and Strand7. Rhino7 is responsible for 3D model creation and the member's division into minuscule elements, whereas Strand7 is used to assign material properties, establish boundary conditions, carry out simulations, and analyze the outcomes. This research includes case studies of bamboo grid-shell structures and implements the suggested methodology. The study's objective is to augment the scarce engineering data and to analyze bamboo as a material and the impact it can have on construction. The study's results underscore the potential of eco-friendly, low-carbon materials, such as bamboo, in the construction industry. It also illustrates the effectiveness of FEA simulation in analyzing elaborate structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction sector, a significant consumer of energy, possesses the potential to realize substantial environmental and economic advantages through the adoption of innovative technologies and design approaches. Notably, the Passive House standard, exemplified by energy-efficient single-family homes, emerges as a prominent solution. This study analyzes five external wall systems across multiple stages: (i) a literature review and examination of external wall techniques within the passive standard, utilizing the Passive House Database; (ii) a material and technological assessment of three wood-based and two masonry constructions; (iii) an in-depth thermal performance analysis of selected external partitions; and (iv) a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the external wall systems. Our findings indicate that among the single-family homes built to the passive standard, 50.94% utilized timber constructions, while 34.21% employed masonry. Thermal analysis revealed that the masonry wall, EW-M-01, exhibited superior thermal efficiency with a heat transfer coefficient (U-value) of 0.0889 W/m2K. Meanwhile, the wooden wall, EW-T-01, led its category with a U-value of 0.1000 W/m2K. The LCA highlighted that the wooden wall EW-T-02 presented the lowest integrated non-renewable energy demand (PENTR) at 425.70 MJ/kg and the most favorable Global Warming Potential (GWP), with a reduction of 55.51 kg CO2e. Conversely, the masonry wall EW-M-01 recorded the highest energy demand and CO2e emissions, at 780.96 MJ/kg and 90.59 kg CO2e, respectively. Water consumption was lowest for the EW-T-02 wooden wall (0.08 m3) and highest for the EW-M-02 masonry wall (0.19 m3). Conclusively, our analysis of passive house external walls demonstrates that wood-based systems offer superior performance in terms of materials, thermal efficiency, and LCA indicators, positioning them as the preferred option for sustainable passive construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effectiveness of green roofs and living walls in reducing air pollution in urbanized, warm and semi-arid areas with consistently high levels of suspended particulate matter (PM). Six plant species (Aptenia cordifolia, Sedum reflexum, Trachelospermum jasminoides, Pennisetum setaceum, Lavandula angustifolia and Dahlia pinnata) were evaluated for their ability to capture PM. The analytical phases included a comparison of the retention capacity of particles in the air by sampling the leaves and their gravimetric analysis in the laboratory during a period of seventy days. Finally, scanning electron microscopy was carried out to establish the types of particles present in the sampled leaves and the morphological differences of their surface. The results showed that Sedum reflexum had the highest retention capacity for PM, while Dahlia pinnata had the lowest. These findings suggest that certain plant species can effectively mitigate air pollution and remove significant amounts of PM and could potentially be used in green roofs and living walls to improve air quality in cities with similar weather conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings' sustainability can strongly contribute towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals which set forth a challenge for humanity in existing and modern Saudi societies. Recently, large numbers of initiatives and strategies have been recently developed and adopted with a focus on the green architecture which relates the real estate and clean energy industries in Saudi Arabia. This is considered as an important step to the diversity in the Saudi economy, which is not built on oil revenues and towards the achievement of Saudi Arabia's vision 2030. Consequently, the application of different passive sustainability strategies in residential building projects, e.g., green roofs technology, can boost sustainable building ratings. In the present paper, the feasibility and probable health and environmental benefits associated with green roofs technology in Saudi residential buildings have been described. Moreover, different perspectives have been presented related to the green roofs industry, such as: types, recent technology, and the current challenges. In addition, the contributions of green roofs to the sustainable building's certification via Saudi rating system, MOSTADAM, has been explored. The method adopted in the present research is based on relating the characteristics of the green roof technology and its environmental effects to the different categories of the "Mostadam" rating system. It is found that the green roofs technology can boost the sustainable building ratings through contribution to the major categories of MOSTADAM rating system a potential of 32% credits total. This encourages stakeholders to apply green roofs in Saudi residential buildings supporting the sustainable development goals of the Saudi government's ongoing initiatives that advocates for more sustainable and resilient cities considering vision 2030. Moreover, the present study would assist the "Mostadam" responsible in evaluating the sustainable buildings projects and making the right decisions on such projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to assess the changes related to project interventions and microentrepreneurs' (MEs) progress after the project period, this study intends to produce preliminary baseline data on the business and economic circumstances of MEs who are likely to participate in project activities. A mixed-method approach was used to conduct the study, combining quantitative data (such as non-experimental design stakeholder surveys) with qualitative data, e.g., Focus group discussions (FGD) with different resource users. A survey of individual MEs and household heads (HH) who work with MEs was used to collect primary data from stakeholders. Due to the lack of optimal management practices and input support, aquaculture operations, as a whole have become less sustainable, affecting the surrounding ecology, and adding significantly to pollution. By focusing on three sustainable practices--community practices, farm management practices, and environmental practices--the development of sustainable aquaculture for improved fish production through polyculture initiatives in the study areas could be assessed. An integrated top-down and bottom-up strategy to aquaculture planning and supply chain management (SCM) could support the industry's continued existence. With regard to SCM, small-scale fisheries and aquaculture product markets in Bangladesh are mainly location-based, with sellers and buyers jointly gathering in a common place to buy and sell fish through a bargaining process. The quantity of fish purchased has decreased due to transportation issues, and the lack of workers has discouraged dealers from expanding their businesses. Because there was less demand for fish in both home and foreign markets, traders have scaled back their activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High technology is nowadays leading many aspects of life, like industrialization, education, innovations, and other fields. Moreover, high technology has gained the power to convert materials into smart ones that are not only self-adaptable and self-sensing but can also react to external environmental stimuli, whether by strengthening and embracing all wanted features or by expelling the unwanted ones. Unfortunately, architects are not aware of most of the technologies that can be implemented in building construction and finishing materials, so they squander all opportunities to produce a sustainable building and increase energy performance.The paper undertakes many phases to help architects understand and use smart materials in general and smart glass in particular. These phases start by revealing how materials can be converted into smart ones, followed by the characteristics of smart materials, their importance, types, applications, and advantages in architecture.Smart glass is presented to architects as one of the most significant examples of smart materials that play an important role in building envelopes. Therefore, all types of smart glass will be presented using a comparative analytical method to explain their benefits and features that can assist architects in applying sustainable principles in architecture. Moreover, the research suggests a methodology to assist architects in utilizing smart glass and choosing the most convenient according to surrounding stimuli.

Sustainable schools are energy-efficient, environmentally friendly buildings that provide a healthy living environment and promote environmental education. Reference examples from abroad show the characteristics of sustainable schools as an expression of ecological design, circular construction and the integration of learning environments with nature and sports activities. We were interested in whether teachers recognize the sustainable features of the schools they teach in and to what extent they integrate them into the curriculum. We conducted a short survey in some Slovenian elementary school and came to the conclusion that teachers are mostly unaware of the sustainable features of the schools and do not include them in their learning processes. The results of the study can be used as recommendations for the introduction of sustainable school principles into the pedagogical and architectural profession.

The presence of greenery around and within buildings is an integral aspect of architectural space. Although scientific knowledge regarding the impact of greenery on human well-being is expanding, there remains a scarcity of guidelines for implementing this knowledge in architectural design. This review article aims to lay the foundation for further research dedicated to supporting architectural design in the seamless integration of greenery as a co-creative element within human living space. Existing review literature is diverse and dispersed across various scientific disciplines, addressing distinct objectives, approaches, and research methodologies. Consequently, this review initially concentrates on an in-depth exploration of the broad topic of perception in architecture, highlighting significant theories and methods. Subsequently, the analysis extends to the current state of research specifically centred on well-being and the perception of greenery in the built environment. The evaluation emphasizes criteria conducive to obtaining objective, quantitative results. Finally, considering their stages of development, the available research methods are categorized and those most pertinent to the field of architecture are identified.

Environmentally insensitive practices such as the unconscious use of natural resources, industrialization and unplanned urbanization cause the rapid destruction of natural habitats and even the extinction of some species. Today, as the importance of sustainable architecture has increased, architectural approaches that are compatible with nature have been adopted and thus the protection of natural life has been tried to be supported. As a definition, sustainability is a form of practice that aims to harmonizethe built environment with natural life. In this context, the impact on animals whose habitats we are destroying is a significant topic within sustainability discussions. Studies show that the role and importance of human-animal based sustainable architectural habitats for enhancing animal welfare have not been extensively investigated. This study aims to discuss the importance of animal-aided designs within the sustainability approach. In addition, it is to carry out studies to improve the quality of life in society by strengthening the human-animal bond. In line with this purpose, animal-aideddesigns at urban, infrastructure, and building scales were analyzed within sustainability approaches, and their contribution to the sustainability approach was evaluated. As a result, it is emphasized that the sustainable animal-aided design approach provides innovative solutions for structures to be designed for animals and it also contributes to environmental, social, and economic sustainability, but in order for these designs to be successful, it is underlined that living spaces suitable for the needs of animals should be created and the negative effects of environmental impacts on animals should be considered. It is also emphasized that in addition to the principles of sustainability, factors that pay regard to the lives of animals contribute to the understanding of sustainability. It is expected that the discussion of the relationship between sustainability and animal-aided design, which is put forward through this study, will create an important discussion ground for future research and application examples.

Earth construction technologies are outstanding for their alignment with environmental sustainability. Earth plasters are essential in this type of construction, providing protection against exposure to open sky. However, in light earth walls (LEM, Light Earth Method), where parts of the structural timber are exposed, some challenges affect the adhesion of plaster. This can lead to cracking and detachment, threatening the structure's durability against environmental factors. This research work assessed the adhesion of plasters on LEM walls, considering rain, wind, solar radiation, and the orientation and type of protective paint. The work proposes the use of bonding layers of natural material before thick plasters on areas of exposed wood and samples must be subjected to pull-out tests after two rainy periods of time. The results support the effectiveness of natural materials as plasters and protectors for light earth walls. The choice between natural or synthetic paint does not significantly affect adhesion during the evaluated period. However, dry preparation of samples for pull-out testing reduced adhesion and generated unfocused data.

Selective reuse of heritage buildings should be based on consideration of strategic issues of sustainable development. Research that discusses the reuse of cultural heritage buildings in the field of architecture still does not implement the concept of sustainable architecture. The purpose of the study is to obtain a strategy formulation that can be used as a parameter for adaptive implementation of reuse in cultural heritage buildings in line with sustainable development. The research took a case study of De Tjolomadoe building in Surakarta City, Indonesia. The building is a former sugar factory building currently converted as a meeting place, tourist destination, and educational communal space. The benefits of the research provide recommendations for adaptive reused strategies for cultural heritage buildings with the concept of sustainable architecture to support sustainable development. The study used in-depth observation with interview techniques and secondary data from the literature as the determination of the most important factor of the concept of sustainable architecture in optimizing the management of cultural heritage buildings. The results show that there are four architectural aspects that need to be considered so that adaptive reused cultural heritage buildings can provide sustainable benefits, i.e., the need for integration and synergy between building history, culture, environment.

Transition metal oxides (TMO) are the preferred materials for metal ion battery cathodes because of their high redox potentials and good metal-ion intercalation capacity, which serve as an outstanding replacement for layered sulphide. In this work, using first-principles calculations based on Density functional theory approach, we explored the structural and electronic properties which comprise of adsorption and diffusion behaviour along with the analysis of voltage profile and storage capacity of Ru doped two-dimensional transition metal oxide M n O 2 , C o O 2 , and N i O 2 monolayers. The adsorption of alkali ions (Li, Na) to the surface of TMOs is strengthened by Ru-atom doping. Ru doping enhanced the adsorption energy of Li/Na-ion by 25%/11% for M n O 2 , 8%/13% for C o O 2 , and 10%/11% N i O 2 respectively. The open circuit voltage (OCV) also increases due to the high adsorption capacity of doped Monolayers. Ru doping makes the semiconducting TMOs conduct, which is suitable for battery application. As alkali ion moves closer to the dopant site, the adsorption energy increases. When alkali ions are close to the vicinity of doping site, their diffusion barrier decrease and rises as they go further away. Our current findings will be useful in finding ways to improve the storage performance of 2D oxide materials for application in energy harvesting and green energy architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green hydrogen is a key factor for the decarbonization of the energy sector and to foster the clean energy transition but has the highest cost when compared to grey and blue hydrogen. This is due to the high cost of the generation of energy from renewable sources and the efficiency of the water electrolyzer. Future innovative energy technologies are needed to boost the power production from solar PV systems, reduce the cost of renewable electricity and enhance hydrogen production from electrolyzers. The main objective of this study is to investigate green production enhancement using a bifacial solar PV system integrated with cool roof technology (high-albedo roof coatings). The best-reflecting surface needs to be determined to maximize the power output from the bifacial solar PV system and the green hydrogen production. The originality and novelty of this study lie in the fact that it integrates innovative technologies such as bifacial solar PV and building cool roofs in order to boost the power generation output and green hydrogen production. The experimental set-up is composed of bifacial solar PV, a building roof with high solar reflective material, a microinverter, an electrolyzer, a metal hydride hydrogen tank, and an integrated data acquisition system. The results show that the green, grey, and white reflecting surfaces exhibit the albedo of 16.76 %, 17.87 % and 24.45 % respectively resulting in 17.26 %, 19.72 % and 28.47 % enhancement in power production by bPV as compared to reference mPV. Further, whiteboard, patterned wallpaper and cool roof paint coating are assessed and have shown 24.09 %, 29.66 % and 30.27 % rear side irradiance on the bPV as compared to the front side, resulting in 28.10 %, 31.30 % and 33.02 % increase in energy generation. The results conclude that cool roof paint outperforms the others and enhances the power output of bPV by 33.02 % resulting in 30.26 g of H 2 production as compared to 22.75 g by mPV under the same conditions. Hence, cool roof paint improves the energy production of bPV solar resulting in high production of H 2. • Green hydrogen production using a bifacial solar PV (bPV). • Bifacial solar PV integrated with cool roof to boost power production. • White coating increased bPV power by up to 33 % compared to mono facial PV (mPV). • The combination of bPV and cool roof paint increases hydrogen production. • The bPV to mPV hydrogen volume ratio was 1.33 under the same test conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the rapid development of the world's economy has led to the large-scale development and utilization of ecological resources on the earth, due to which the ecological environment has been continuously and seriously damaged, resulting in the waste of resources, soil erosion, land desertification, etc. To avoid further damage to the ecological environment and ecological resources, improve the utilization rate of ecological resources, and ensure the sustainable development of human society, it is necessary to evaluate the ecological environment. In this study, we collected the required data using the Delphi method and remote sensing technology. Secondly, the green Olympic building evaluation system (which refers to the CASBEE method in Japan) was used to evaluate the impact of green roofs on architectural design and the urban ecological environment. Third, a deep learning (DL)-based hybrid model, which consists of a convolutional neural network (CNN) and long–short-term memory (SLSTM), known as CNN–LSTM, was used to evaluate the impact of green roofs on urban ecology and building architectural design. The influence of thermal comfort on the indoor environment of green roof buildings was studied. For experimentation, six samples of Shanghai Thumb Plaza, Splendid Tesco Point, Chaoshan Yuan Hotel, Green Management Office, Huangpu District Domestic Waste Transfer Station, and Changning District Fuxin Slaughterhouse were selected as evaluation objects, and the effect of green roofs on building design and urban ecology was evaluated from six levels: ecological, ornamental, safety, functional, social, and economic. Both the CASBEE and DL-based methods, CNN–LSTM, performed well and increased the evaluation results to some extent. The CNN–LSTM model increased the accuracy of the system by 3.55%, precision by 3.50%, recall by 4.46%, and F1-score by 3.30%. Overall, this study summarizes the existing problems of green rooftop buildings in Shanghai at this stage, which is conducive to formulating optimization strategies to improve the ecological benefits of green roof buildings and has important practical significance for realizing the sustainable development of human society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides an identification key and an annotated list of all six species of the genus Ridsdalea J.T.Pereira & K.M.Wong (Rubiaceae, Gardenieae) recorded in the flora of Vietnam, along with data on their valid names, synonyms, types, and distribution. A new species, R. backanensis, discovered in the limestone area of Bac Kan Province (northern Vietnam), is described and illustrated. Detailed data on its characters, ecology, distribution, phenology, preliminary IUCN conservation status, and taxonomical notes are given. The newly discovered species is potentially interesting for cultivation as an ornamental tree that may be effectively used in garden and urban green architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wii Fit (Nintendo, Kyoto, Japan) is the most commonly used exergame platform for balance training. We explored diverse factors associated intention of sustainable use of either the Wii Fit or smartphone-based fitness applications. Then, we analyzed differences in such factors between users of the Wii Fit and those of smartphone-based fitness applications. We selected followers of the Instagram, Facebook and Twitter of the Wii Fit or smartphone-based fitness applications as the subjects for the current questionnaire survey that was performed between September and November 2020. For the current study, we used four concepts: presence, enjoyment, flow and intention of sustainable use. Then, we proposed the following five hypotheses: "Presence might have a significant positive effect on flow," "Presence might have a significant positive effect on enjoyment," "Enjoyment might have a significant positive effect on flow," "Enjoyment might have a significant positive effect on intention of sustainable use" and "Flow might have a significant positive effect on intention of sustainable use." The current questionnaire study includes a total of 301 subjects, who comprise 188 men (62.5%) and 113 women (37.5%). Moreover, the subjects are composed of 167 (55.5%) users of the Wii Fit and 134 users (44.5%) of smartphone-based fitness applications. We found that all the five hypotheses were accepted for users of the Wii Fit. We also found, however, that the following three hypotheses were accepted for users of smartphone-based fitness applications: "Presence might have a significant positive effect on flow.," "Presence might have a significant positive effect on enjoyment." and "Enjoyment might have a significant positive effect on intention of sustainable use." Based on our results, it can be concluded not only that flow has a significant effect in mediating between presence, or enjoyment, and intention of sustainable use in users of the Wii Fit. Our results also indicate, however, that enjoyment has a significant effect in mediating between presence and intention of sustainable use in users of smartphone-based fitness applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The results of the following design investigation can be used in the field of machining, particularly when developing new types of cutting tools and tooling. This paper describes the process of the design and verification of a milling tool and tooling that may contribute to the renouncement of the flood cooling method when mineral oils and oil-in-water emulsions are used as coolants. The proposed solutions are based on the idea of coolant supply in internal channels created inside of a cutting tool. As an alternative to the aforementioned mineral oil-based coolants, liquids with higher cooling efficiency and environmental friendliness (green coolants) were considered. Given coolants' possible lack of lubricating properties and negative (corrosive, etc.) influence on a machine tool's units, tooling delivers these coolants to the cutting tool and bypasses the standard machine tool's supply system. The geometry of the milling tool (a cutting insert with an internal channel) was tested in the framework of a stress simulation. To perform it, cutting force components F z , F y , and F x were determined empirically and then applied to the simulated area of contact between the tool and the workpiece. Based on the obtained principal stress values P 1 , P 2 , and P 3 , the factor of safety was calculated with the Mohr–Coulomb, P 1   m a x , and P 3   m i n failure criteria. The proposed milling tool, equipped with a novel type of labyrinth seal with no friction between its components, was experimentally tested to confirm its ability to maintain leak-tightness at different values of spindle speed (200~2000 rpm) and coolant supply volume (1.0~10.0 L/min). Based on the results of the stress simulation and the leak-tightness experiment, conclusions were drawn about further modernization and utilization prospects of the proposed milling tool and tooling design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been increased interest in natural ventilation solutions as a means to achieve sustainable and energy-efficient building design. Windcatchers, ancient Middle Eastern architectural elements, have surfaced as viable passive cooling devices in modern architecture, thereby enhancing interior air quality and reducing the reliance on mechanical ventilation systems. Integrating upper wing walls (UWWs) is hypothesized to augment a windcatcher's effectiveness by optimizing wind capture, air circulation, and thermal regulation. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the influence of incorporating a two-sided windcatcher with UWWs, with a particular emphasis on the effect of the UWW angle on ventilation performance within building spaces. To achieve this aim, a series of numerical simulations were conducted to assess the synergy between the windcatcher and the wing wall configuration with varying UWW angles and under varying wind speed conditions. As the first step of the research methodology, the CFD model was validated through a comparison between the numerical results and the experimental data. The findings showed good agreement between these methods. In the next phase, windcatchers with different UWW angles spanning the range of 0° to 90° were subjected to rigorous evaluation. The results revealed that the configuration with a 30° angle exhibited the optimal performance concerning critical ventilation parameters encompassing the airflow rate, air change rate, and mean age of air. Finally, the selected configuration underwent an evaluation under diverse wind speed conditions, which affirmed that even under low-wind-speed conditions, the windcatcher provides ventilation levels that align with the standard requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for electricity in daily life highlights the need for Smart Cities (SC) to use energy efficiently. Both technical and Non‐Technical Losses (NTL), particularly those resulting from electricity theft, present powerful obstacles; NTL alone can reach billions of dollars. Although Machine Learning (ML) based approaches for NTL detection have been embraced by numerous utilities, there is still a lack of thorough analysis of these methods. Limited research exists on NTL identification evaluation criteria and unbalanced data management in the context of SC. This research compares ML algorithms and data balancing methods to optimize electricity consumption detection. The given research applied the 15 ML techniques of Logistic regression, Bernoulli naive Bayes, Gaussian naive Bayes, K‐Nearest Neighbour, perceptron, passive‐aggressive classifier, quadratic discriminant analysis, SGD classifier, ridge classifier, linear discriminant analysis, decision tree, nearest centroid classifier, multi‐nomial naive Bayes, complement naive Bayes and dummy classifier. While SMOTE, AdaSyn, NRAS, and CCR are considered for data balancing. AUC, F1‐score, and seven relevant performance metrics were used for comparison. We have also implemented SHapely Additive exPlanations (SHAP) for feature importance and model interpretation. Results show varying classifier performance with different balancing methods, emphasizing data preprocessing's role in NTL detection for smart grid security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing literature on the 15-minute city planning model mainly covers conceptual strategies, responsive urban transformations, and innovative urban development projects at the neighborhood level. However, little attention has been given to the actual architecture of the 15-minute city. This planning model emphasizes the relationship between time and space of services in neighborhoods, which can be used as a scientific method to fill the gaps in services in Nablus neighborhoods. Local feedback on the distribution of services, proximity, and mobility in Nablus neighborhoods has highlighted the need to reimagine the comprehensiveness, density, and accessibility of services. Additionally, the prioritization of services has changed during COVID-19, which emphasizes the importance of architecture that considers flexibility in services. To address these challenges, this paper proposes the use of prefabrication construction technology in the placement of urban service units as a sustainable architectural model to realize the 15-minute city planning model. The paper presents the integration of structural system analysis, environmental considerations, and sterilization criteria into the model and proposes guidelines for the feasibility of this model. The resulting urban service framework of the architectural paradigm responds to the pointed-out needs of the population, and the temporary introduction of the model makes the application of the model responsive to the local shortage of vacant lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating innovative materials and technologies has become imperative in the quest to design energy-efficient and sustainable buildings. Among these, one of the promising solutions to improve indoor spaces' comfort conditions and energy efficiency is the Phase Change Materials (PCMs). The methodology experimentally explores the impact of combining plywood and paraffin wax as a PCM to improve indoor environments' thermal dynamics under Iraqi conditions. Two wooden boxes are used, with one having its wall stuffed with a PCM. A temperature analysis was made for the internal temperature of each box, walls' surfaces, and PCM temperature for seven days. The impact of the box arrangement on the temperature distribution was also considered. The result showed the temperature inside the modified box is lower than the conventional one by about 3.0 during the peak time from 08:00 hr. to 16:00 hr. The night cooling is slower for the box with the PCM than the conventional one. Having the modified and the non-modified box in arrangement improves the insulation of both of them. Moreover, the findings showed that there is no need for all the rooms to be modified for a building with many rooms. The correct position of the room based on the location of the building in the study area will be enough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]