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Passivhaus (PH) has gained global recognition for its energy-efficient features despite a 5% to 10% higher construction cost than traditional houses, especially within European countries. However, its adoption and popularity have not met the same fate in other countries like New Zealand. The higher upfront cost has been critical to the slow adoption of the PH movement in New Zealand. This study aimed to demystify the mist around the cost of PHs with a focus on the effects of drivers and barriers on their life cycle costs (LCCs). As such, a systematic literature review was conducted to provide a comprehensive understanding of the cost implications associated with PH. Using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) review method, we examined 71 past studies on PHs from 2005 to 2023. We found that the drivers of PHs include reduced heating demand, increased thermal comfort, and indoor air quality (IAQ). Research showed that the rising market for PHs is fueled by climate change, environmental awareness, innovative materials and technologies, individual commitment, improved regulations, pilot studies, research efforts, and governmental funding and initiatives. However, PHs face significant challenges such as increased complexity, advanced technology, higher initial investments compared to conventional and low-energy houses, national requirements, overheating, difficulties in affording the technologies, and a lack of options in the market. Despite the wealth of research on the economic aspects of PH, there is a lack of in-depth studies exploring the LCC of PHs focusing on cost commitments and benefits. Such studies are essential for assessing and optimising the cost-effectiveness of PH, considering different climates and regions, and comparing them with other low energy standards. The findings of our review provide a crucial focus for PH stakeholders in assessing the long-term financial viability of PH projects, thereby improving decision-making and facilitating effective planning for sustainable and cost-effective housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted to determine the existing conditions of coastal settlements in the Petoaha sub-district, Nambo District, Kendari City. Identifying the factors that influence coastal settlements in Petoaha Village, Nambo District, Kendari City and creating a model for environmentally-based sustainable coastal settlement development in Kendari City. This research is a qualitative research using 6 informants who have an understanding of the sustainable coastal settlement development model in Kendari City. The research results show that the model for developing residential areas is sustainable, including environmental sustainability, socio-cultural sustainability and economic sustainability. Environmental sustainability includes developing empty areas, including for the construction of houses and open spaces (green spaces), which can function as water catchments, parks for playing and other community activities. building a house can set aside part of the land as open space (green open space) which can function as protection and air conditioning and can be used as a place for family activities. House buildings are designed using windows and ventilation that comply with minimum SNI standards so that lighting and air circulation can be maximized and can reduce the use of lights during the day and reduce the use of air conditioning both during the day and at night, in addition to saving electrical energy can be done by using solar panels. Socio-cultural sustainability includes community activities and habits of gathering, working together and playing together within the Petoaha Village,. Meanwhile, economic sustainability includes community activities in their respective business fields by utilizing the facilities and infrastructure of nearby markets, fishing docks, Pertamina ports and mining companies as sources of income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain the Passivhaus Certificate or Passivhaus Standard (PHS), requirements regarding building envelope air tightness must be met: according to the n50 parameter, at a pressure of 50 Pa, air leakage must be below 0.6 air changes per hour (ACH). This condition is verified by following the blower door test protocol and is regulated by the ISO 9972 standard, or UNE-EN-13829. Some construction techniques make it easier to comply with these regulations, and in most cases, construction joints and material joints must be sealed in a complex way, both on façades and roofs and at ground contact points. Performing rigorous quality control of these processes during the construction phase allows achieving a value below 0.6 ACH and obtaining the PHS certification. Yet, the value can increase substantially with the passage of time: as windows and doors are used, opened, or closed; as envelope materials expand; with humidity; etc. This could result in significant energy consumption increases and losing the PHS when selling the house at a later point in time. It is therefore important to carefully supervise the quality of the construction and its execution. In this study, we focused on a house located in Sitges (Barcelona). The envelope air tightness quality was measured during four construction phases, together with the sealing of the joints and service ducts. The blower door test was performed in each phase, and the n50 value obtained decreased each time. The execution costs of each phase were also determined, as were the investment amortisation rates based on the consequent annual energy demand reductions. Air infiltration dropped by 43.81%, with the final n50 value resulting in 0.59 ACH. However, the execution costs—EUR 3827—were high compared to the energy savings made, and the investment amortisation period rose to a 15- to 30-year range. To conclude, these airtightness improvements are necessary in cold continental climates but are not applicable on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the U.S., the state of Pennsylvania has proposed lowering its Mn criterion from 1.0 to 0.3 mg/L. An investigation of the feasibility of meeting this standard with passive treatment was conducted. Existing data from 19 full-scale oxic limestone beds were compiled from literature reports to determine current Mn removal effectiveness and rates. The median system decreased Mn from 20 to 1.7 mg/L at a theoretical retention time of 37 h. Only two passive treatment systems produced effluents with < 0.3 mg/L Mn. In order to explore the capabilities of oxic limestone beds to remove Mn, two experimental oxic aggregate beds were installed at conventional AMD treatment plants and used to experimentally treat a portion of each plant's final effluent. The Hollywood unit was marginally effective, decreasing Mn on average from 0.584 to 0.281 mg/L with a theoretical retention time (TRT) of 3.7 h. The Brandy Camp unit was highly effective, decreasing Mn from 5.85 to 0.095 mg/L when operated at a TRT of 2.3 h. Effective removal of Mn by the Brandy Camp unit required 7 weeks of aggregate ripening. Average Mn removal rates for the Brandy Camp unit were 22.7 g/d/m2, 15.7 g/d/mt, and 2.5 mg/L/hr of theoretical retention time. The half-time of Mn removal was 25 min. After one year of operation, hydraulic problems associated with the accumulation of iron solids on the surface of the aggregate forced termination of the Brandy Camp unit. The results indicate that the 0.3 mg/L effluent criterion can be achieved with oxic aggregate beds at very short retention times, as long as aggregate permeability is maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global emphasis on sustainable architecture necessitates precise building energy modeling, especially in regions marked by extreme climates. The focus of this study is to evaluate the potential and practicality of passive housing strategies in climates similar to Dubai. In this study, we employed the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) to create a meticulous representation of the Dubai environmental conditions, ensuring that detailed architectural elements and HVAC systems were captured to provide the most energy-efficient architecture. To validate the accuracy of the model, consumption data from 2020 was used as a benchmark, reflecting the observed hot water and electricity consumption. Additionally, we developed a linear state-space model using IES Virtual Environment software (IESVE) to capture the dynamic thermal behaviour of the proposed building. We assessed the merits of the Passivhaus model in harsh climates and compared them with those of various space calculation methodologies. The model showed significant congruence with the actual consumption data and external temperature metrics for 2020. Furthermore, the state-space model, along with its various state variables, inputs, and outputs, aligned well with the real-world observations. The results indicate that the Passivhaus model possesses significant potential to reduce carbon emissions, highlighted by a detected 10% variance in energy consumption during the simulated summer peak. Differences in space calculation methodologies were also determined, emphasising the necessity of context-driven architectural evaluation. This study provides invaluable insights into the energy dynamics of contemporary buildings and emphasises the transformative potential of passive housing in extreme climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a detailed analysis of thermal comfort and energy consumption in a Passivhaus-certified apartment in Bolueta Tower, Bilbao, Spain, over a period of three years (2020–2022). Utilizing a comprehensive, long-term monitoring approach, the research investigates the effectiveness of the Passivhaus standard in achieving both energy efficiency and occupant comfort in a temperate climate. Using calibrated data loggers to record indoor temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels were used alongside the collection of utility bills to assess energy consumption and thermal comfort, as well as IAQ, against several international standards. Significant issues with overheating were confirmed, in line with previous research. During the warmer months, indoor temperatures frequently exceeded the Passivhaus comfort threshold of 25 °C, reaching as high as 31.3 °C, particularly in the living room and bedroom. This resulted in discomfort during summer, with the percentage of hours above 25 °C reaching 23.21% in 2022. Nighttime temperatures often surpassed 24 °C, impacting sleep quality. Conversely, heating consumption was minimal, corroborating the building's energy efficiency in colder months. The findings highlight a critical gap in the Passivhaus standard when applied in milder climates, where overheating becomes a significant issue. This study suggests the need for an integrated approach in sustainable building design, one that balances energy efficiency with adaptive strategies to mitigate overheating, such as improved natural ventilation and thermal mass. These insights contribute to the ongoing discourse on optimizing energy-efficient buildings for occupant comfort in various climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overheating in buildings is a growing challenge in temperate climates, even in those where the traditional design focus was on protecting from cold and winter energy savings. This paper addresses a collateral problem that arose during the study of overheating in a residential Passivhaus building in Bilbao, northern Spain. Specifically, the local climate of three laundry spaces was investigated, where high daytime and nighttime temperatures were recorded. An extensive monitoring campaign was carried out with different durations up to more than 21,000 h over four years, and the collected data were compared with outdoor climatic conditions. The results allowed for characterizing the thermal behavior of these semi-outdoor spaces and show the magnitude of the problem, quantifying it. Laundry spaces were confirmed to be hotter and dryer than the outdoor climate almost always. The mean average difference between the monitored rooms and the exterior was quantified to be around positive 5 °C during both daytime and nighttime. Extreme heat events were documented, with maximum temperatures above 50 °C and temperature differentials of up to 15.85 °C. In addition, this article comments on the impact of overheating these laundry spaces on the interior of the dwellings, pointing out the differences between the assumptions made during the design phase of the project and the observed or measured reality. Questions were raised about the possible implications of the peculiar performance of these semi-outdoor spaces on the mechanical heat recovery ventilation system (MHRV). The data presented in this article revealed and quantified a design flaw that went unnoticed by all agents involved in the planning, design, and construction of the 361-apartment project. The inability to predict the behavior of the studied spaces has had a negative impact on building performance during the summer months and has prevented the implementation of strategies that could have been beneficial in other periods. A thorough analysis of the thermal behavior of similar spaces becomes essential to prevent performance gaps in future projects and to inform adequate building modeling in the design stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce national greenhouse gas emissions, the South Korean government has encouraged new energy businesses and implemented policies to reduce energy consumption in buildings, and aims to construct all new buildings as zero-energy buildings by 2025. According to the promotion of policies on passive houses and zero-energy buildings, the thermal insulation and airtight performance of new buildings have been further enhanced. However, to enhance indoor comfort and air quality in new airtight buildings, it is critical to secure an adequate amount of ventilation. Heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) in South Korea have been used for more than 20 years as high-efficiency energy equipment; however, the high-efficiency standard 20 years ago (cooling efficiency 45%, heating efficiency 70%) is still being employed without any change. Most HRVs in the Korean market either meet or exceed this standard. This study examined HRV performance changes from 2010 to 2020 based on the data of 847 HRV performance certifications given by a certification agency. It also analyzed how institutional strategies and related laws contributed to the enhancement of such performance. As HRVs in South Korea are only required to satisfy the pre-defined efficiency criteria, the development and use of HRVs focus more on cost reduction rather than efficiency enhancement. Under such market conditions, it is challenging to research and design highly efficient HRVs along with customer satisfaction. If better market conditions are offered that would welcome HRVs with higher efficiency, the development of better HRVs, as compared to those analyzed in this research study, would be possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the big pollution problems worldwide is air pollution with CO2. This pollution contributes to the evening effect and can cause major health problems. A solution for reducing the level of CO2 is the creation of Passive Houses. The passive house concept was first introduced in Germany. Passive buildings are buildings with low energy consumption. By reducing energy consumption, the CO2 pollution produced when obtaining electricity is reduced. In this paper, we do not propose to study the possibility of realizing such a case in the Municipality of Vulcan, Hunedoara and to determine the level of CO2 pollution reduction through the use of such buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Materiały Budowlane is the property of Wydawnictwo SIGMA-NOT and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The ongoing climate change and policies around it are changing how we design and build homes to meet national carbon emission targets. Some countries such as Scotland are adopting higher-energy-efficient buildings as minimum requirements in the building regulations. While net zero homes might be more energy-efficient and emit fewer operational carbon emissions, we have yet to fully understand the influence on the indoor environment, particularly on indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort. This study compares the IAQ of three homes in Scotland with equal internal layouts and designs but different building fabrics. The homes represent the minimum Scottish building regulations (2015), the Passivhaus standard and the Scottish 'Gold Standard'. Temperature, relative humidity, PM2.5 and total volatile organic compounds (tVOC) were measured at five-minute intervals for seven months and compared to occupants' subjective responses to the IAQ. All three homes had temperatures above the recommended thresholds for overheating. Measured hygrothermal conditions were within the ideal range 66.4% of the time in the Passivhaus, 56.4% in the Gold Standard home and 62.7% in the control home. Measured IAQ was better in homes with higher energy efficiency, particularly tVOC. For instance, indoor PM2.5 in the Passivhaus were 78.0% of the time below the threshold, while in the standard home the figure was 51.5%, with a weak correlation with outdoor PM2.5 (Passivhaus: B rs = 0.167, K rs = 0.306 and L rs = 0.163 (p < 0.001); Gold: B rs = −0.157, K rs = 0.322 and L rs = 0.340 (p < 0.001); Control: B rs = −0.111, K rs = 0.235 and L rs = 0.235 (p < 0.001)). TVOCs in the Passivhaus were 81.3%, while in the control home they were 55.0%. While the results cannot be generalised, due to the small sample, this study has significant policy implications, particularly in Scotland, exhibiting the importance of IAQ in current building legislation and sustainable assessment methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On average, houses including those in the tropics are responsible for almost 39% of the global carbon emission caused by non-renewables, first and foremost by fuel. Looking at the worldwide map of residential buildings’ contribution compared with commercial, the worldwide national maximum of 33.5% CO2 of housing is caused by residential buildings in Uzbekistan. In an overwhelming number of most countries, their values are significantly lower, due to comparably lower energy demand than commercial buildings and because affordable homes increasingly use small PV to cater for their own basic needs. However, with the rising temperature and a likewise growing imperative to cool homes from about 30 °C onwards basically by split-unit air conditioners, the residential houses’ portion of CO2-emission might dramatically increase to survive such more common hot periods in the future. In combination with air conditioners needing some airtightness, the first purpose of this entry is to show that bv 2050 in tropical regions, there will be no alternative to relatively airtight houses if the temperatures rise at the present speed. This is one alternative to an uncontrollable and life-threatening migration of millions of people to cooler but still livable regions in 2050. To trigger necessary changes toward homes that can better avert the heat, using the method of qualitative comparative content analysis, passive houses (PH) have emerged as adaptations to the tropical climate. Therefore, the second purpose of this in-depth study with the perspective of social science, is to reveal a comparative closer qualitative look at the tropicalized PH-approach. It is probably the most civilized building energy-saving strategy on the planet and can systematically keep the threatening increasing heat outside. However, before utilizing the concept, herein need to investigate why PH-technology as a whole concept with all its modules discussed earlier has been very slow to “go South” into the tropical region (the original PH will be referred to as “PH1”). The reason is that some qualitative differences of the more affordable and more simplistic tropicalized “PH2” make it easier and more realistic to penetrate the market, without letting go meaningful R&D-insights of PH1. As a probably facilitating future solution, the result is the triple-tabled option to utilise more synergies between the usually closed PH1 and the more open and flexibly naturally ventilated PH2. Unlike the PH-platform, ZEMCH is a related concept which tries to cater specifically to the significantly growing market for lower-income homes to go for carbonless energy. The conclusion is that scaling for residential buildings as mass products using passive house technology in combination with ZEMCH could turn out to become an important topic. It comprises the question in how far low or no carbon affordable homes based on the PH-concept in combination with ZEMCH-applications also may come into play as standard and to help mother Earth’s struggle for survival.

The Passive House building concept has been widely-researched in relation to its performance, especially the aspects of energy consumption and thermal properties. Nevertheless, the design stages still do not present a dynamic thermal comfort predictive process that aids investigating the design performance. This research focuses on a methodology that calculates summer months peak conditions in a pilot Passive House dwelling in the United Kingdom, based on the natural ventilation plan effectiveness in maintaining sufficient airflows, while the mechanical ventilation-heat recovery summer bypass mode is on. The methodology’s technical aspect involves EnergyPlus dynamic simulations, Ansys computational fluid dynamics simulations, and the Centre for the Built Environment Thermal Comfort Tool. The results presented showed a spectrum of predicted percentages of people dissatisfied ranging between 13.3-99.2% for different airspeeds. The majority were of uncomfortable levels at summer peak days. Results also presents the ranges of thermal comfort parameters simultaneously. The findings produced by the methodology may add a more comprehensive description to the thermal comfort status during design stages, employing the integrated software combination.

Definition: On average, houses including those in the tropics are responsible for almost 39% of the global carbon emission caused by non-renewables, first and foremost by fuel. Looking at the worldwide map of residential buildings' contribution compared with commercial, the worldwide national maximum of 33.5% CO2 of housing is caused by residential buildings in Uzbekistan. In an overwhelming number of most countries, their values are significantly lower, due to comparably lower energy demand than commercial buildings and because affordable homes increasingly use small PV to cater for their own basic needs. However, with the rising temperature and a likewise growing imperative to cool homes from about 30 °C onwards basically by split-unit air conditioners, the residential houses' portion of CO2-emission might dramatically increase to survive such more common hot periods in the future. In combination with air conditioners needing some airtightness, the first purpose of this entry is to show that bv 2050 in tropical regions, there will be no alternative to relatively airtight houses if the temperatures rise at the present speed. This is one alternative to an uncontrollable and life-threatening migration of millions of people to cooler but still livable regions in 2050. To trigger necessary changes toward homes that can better avert the heat, using the method of qualitative comparative content analysis, passive houses (PH) have emerged as adaptations to the tropical climate. Therefore, the second purpose of this in-depth study with the perspective of social science, is to reveal a comparative closer qualitative look at the tropicalized PH-approach. It is probably the most civilized building energy-saving strategy on the planet and can systematically keep the threatening increasing heat outside. However, before utilizing the concept, herein need to investigate why PH-technology as a whole concept with all its modules discussed earlier has been very slow to "go South" into the tropical region (the original PH will be referred to as "PH1"). The reason is that some qualitative differences of the more affordable and more simplistic tropicalized "PH2" make it easier and more realistic to penetrate the market, without letting go meaningful R&D-insights of PH1. As a probably facilitating future solution, the result is the triple-tabled option to utilise more synergies between the usually closed PH1 and the more open and flexibly naturally ventilated PH2. Unlike the PH-platform, ZEMCH is a related concept which tries to cater specifically to the significantly growing market for lower-income homes to go for carbonless energy. The conclusion is that scaling for residential buildings as mass products using passive house technology in combination with ZEMCH could turn out to become an important topic. It comprises the question in how far low or no carbon affordable homes based on the PH-concept in combination with ZEMCH-applications also may come into play as standard and to help mother Earth's struggle for survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in global surface temperatures will surpass the 2 °C target set by the Paris Agreement unless carbon emissions are lowered to zero by 2050. To date, the building sector is responsible for 38% of all carbon emissions, thus one of the main targets is represented by the development of building strategies that can facilitate the transition toward carbon-neutral buildings. The main strategies are today represented by nearly zero energy buildings (nZEBs), zero energy buildings (ZEBs)/net zero energy buildings (NZEBs) and net zero carbon buildings (NZCBs). Particularly, NZCBs completely target zero operational and embodied carbon during their life cycles, fulfilling the leadership role in the decarbonization of the construction sector. Moreover, adopting the European Standard EN 15978:2011, carbon emissions can be precisely classified to enhance strategies aimed at reducing them. Commercial viability remains a fundamental economic driver, but the higher initial capital costs hinder the NZCBs. In addition, legislative, socio-cultural, technological, professional and geographical barriers hold back its diffusion. NZCBs can be met by a four-steps program: embodied carbon reduction, operational carbon reduction, increase in renewable energy supply and offset and carbon storage. Circular economy principles are strictly connected to design for disassembly and for adaptability to reduce embodied carbon, while passive design and solar and geothermal energy production can satisfy the renewable energy demand of the building. The aim of this narrative review is to determine and describe which is the current state of the art for NZCB definition, the drivers and barriers toward its application in a broader context and which strategies are eligible to meet the ambitious goal of zero operational and zero embodied carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Un colegio que funciona desconectado de la red eléctrica, altamente eficiente y que utiliza energía procedente de fuentes renovables. El diseño se basa en una condición de baja demanda de energía para calefacción y refrigeración, y una demanda de energía primaria según el estándar Passivhaus Plus: El total de la energía consumida podría proceder de fuentes renovables. Gracias a una gestión eficiente del consumo, se consigue una tasa muy baja de emisiones de CO2. Las estrategias tenidas en cuenta, además de cumplir los requisitos establecidos por el sello Passivhaus, pretenden alcanzar el concepto de “bienestar” en otros sellos o certificaciones medioambientales a través de una aproximación bioclimática desde el diseño arquitectónico. Primer edificio español premiado por el Passive House Insitute (2021).

El proyecto “ZERO ENERGY MOD”, financiado por el programa europeo LIFE, contempla el diseño y construcción de un espacio habitable de fácil instalación y transporte, basado en el estándar PassivHaus que incorpora fuentes de energía renovable. Inicialmente proyectado para la construcción de bases militares autosuficientes, será además útil en la construcción de soluciones logísticas diseñadas a medida para todo tipo de organizaciones: civiles en misiones de paz, desarrollo y cooperación internacional, así como empresas públicas y privadas que precisen desarrollar su actividad en áreas remotas y/o condiciones climáticas extremas. Hoy las soluciones habitables de los campamentos militares son altamente dependientes de los combustibles fósiles. El proyecto ZEROENERGYMOD pretende conseguir un impacto nulo en emisiones gracias al almacenamiento de energía mediante hidrógeno (H2) y producción de energía fotovoltaica y eólica. El proyecto está financiado en un 55% por los fondos LIFE, el resto es aportado por las empresas participantes. La inversión en investigación alcanza el millón de euros. Abstract The "ZERO ENERGY MOD" project, funded by the European LIFE programme, involves the design and construction of an easy-to-install and easy-to-transport living space, based on the PassivHaus standard and incorporating renewable energy sources. Initially designed for the construction of self-sufficient military bases, it will also be useful in the construction of custom-designed logistical solutions for all types of organisations: civilians in peace, development and international cooperation missions, as well as public and private companies that need to develop their activity in remote areas and/or extreme climatic conditions. Today, habitable solutions for military camps are highly dependent on fossil fuels. The ZEROENERGYMOD project aims to achieve zero-emission impact through hydrogen (H2) energy storage and photovoltaic and wind energy production. The project is 55% financed by LIFE funds, the rest is contributed by the participating companies. The investment in research amounts to one million euros

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Governments throughout the EU and the UK face a persistent challenge of satisfying the continual growth in demand for housing and create zero carbon buildings. This paper presents a novel conceptual framework and empirical results to evaluate the potential for Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs) to address this challenge. Firstly, we present a comprehensive analysis of the energy performance of a SIPs building in the UK to evaluate the potential for such technologies to satisfy the energy and carbon objectives. Using our unique data set we show that SIPs can exceed the necessary energy efficiency standards and reach Net Zero Carbon. Secondly, we introduce game theory as a novel conceptual framework to understand the incentives of the manufacturers of SIPs and UK/EU authorities. This enables us to identify potential sources of incentive conflict, which inhibit the diffusion of such technologies. We demonstrate that it benefits both parties to engage in medium investment, but the inferior under investment scenario can emerge if the UK/EU does not provide leadership and commitment to SIPs technologies. Regardless of the market design in terms of the timing of decisions, the maximum level of support by both the UK/EU and the SIPs manufacturers cannot be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the US Virgin Islands, >90% of households have rain catchment systems that utilize large cisterns; however, these systems are at high risk of microbial contamination. Available water treatment technologies provide varying levels of protection from microbial contamination and can be expensive. Therefore, we evaluated a low-cost water treatment train that included a passive chlorinator, carbon filter, and membrane filter to provide whole-house treatment for microbial contamination in a mock, pressurized, intermittent-use water system. Two types of locally available passive pool chlorinators were modified and tested for free chlorine residual (FCR) levels across a set of different water use scenarios. Additionally, tracer dye tests were conducted to evaluate chlorine contact time in the system, a carbon filter was evaluated for chlorine removal efficiencies, and a 1-micron nominal filter was evaluated for its effect on system pressure and microbial removal efficiencies. Results suggested the modified passive chlorinators provided relatively consistent chlorine dosing (offline: standard deviation range 0.54 to 0.79 ppm FCR, 3 trials, n=43 ; inline: standard deviation 0.53 ppm FCR, 1 trial, n=16) and tracer dye tests identified a minimum contact time for high flow rates (18.9 LPM, 5 GPM) of >45 s. The carbon filter reduced FCR levels from as high as 18.5 ppm to <0.13 ppm (n=9), while the 1-micron nominal filter had negligible effects on system pressure and provided 0.7 log 10 MPN/100 mL removal of total coliforms (n=9). The data suggest that passive chlorination can potentially be a low-cost option for whole-house water treatment for microbial contamination, but further research is needed to demonstrate system stability in a wider range of use cases over a longer period of time along with simplified practitioner protocols for field use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Montes is the property of Colegio y Asociación de Ingenieros de Montes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To utilize effectively passive solar energy for heating buildings, an innovative building envelope is proposed, and its superior performance is for the first time experimentally demonstrated by constructing and testing its full-scale model. The proposed envelope comprises a dynamic Trombe wall incorporating phase change material (PCM). Its salient feature and novelty are its innovative multi-panel solar collector-storage wall and the ability of each panel to independently rotate about its vertical axis. One face of each panel is cladded with PCM, and in a typical 24 h cycle, during sunshine hours, this face is turned towards the incident solar irradiation and the rest of the time towards the conditioned space. The thermal performance of the proposed envelope is compared with that of a companion envelope having a traditional static Trombe wall with the same amount of PCM and wall geometry. The results show that compared to the traditional envelope, the new envelope regulates the thermal load more evenly by preventing large temperature swings, it reduces heat loss during the solidification phase of PCM by 29% and is overall 20% thermally more efficient. These benefits can result in energy saving from non-renewable energy sources over the design life of the building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing climate change and policies around it are changing how we design and build homes to meet national carbon emission targets. Some countries such as Scotland are adopting higher-energy-efficient buildings as minimum requirements in the building regulations. While net zero homes might be more energy-efficient and emit fewer operational carbon emissions, we have yet to fully understand the influence on the indoor environment, particularly on indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort. This study compares the IAQ of three homes in Scotland with equal internal layouts and designs but different building fabrics. The homes represent the minimum Scottish building regulations (2015), the Passivhaus standard and the Scottish ‘Gold Standard’. Temperature, relative humidity, PM2.5 and total volatile organic compounds (tVOC) were measured at five-minute intervals for seven months and compared to occupants’ subjective responses to the IAQ. All three homes had temperatures above the recommended thresholds for overheating. Measured hygrothermal conditions were within the ideal range 66.4% of the time in the Passivhaus, 56.4% in the Gold Standard home and 62.7% in the control home. Measured IAQ was better in homes with higher energy efficiency, particularly tVOC. For instance, indoor PM2.5 in the Passivhaus were 78.0% of the time below the threshold, while in the standard home the figure was 51.5%, with a weak correlation with outdoor PM2.5 (Passivhaus: B rs = 0.167, K rs = 0.306 and L rs = 0.163 (p < 0.001); Gold: B rs = −0.157, K rs = 0.322 and L rs = 0.340 (p < 0.001); Control: B rs = −0.111, K rs = 0.235 and L rs = 0.235 (p < 0.001)). TVOCs in the Passivhaus were 81.3%, while in the control home they were 55.0%. While the results cannot be generalised, due to the small sample, this study has significant policy implications, particularly in Scotland, exhibiting the importance of IAQ in current building legislation and sustainable assessment methods.

Passive House were made for the first time in Germany, this concept is used later in other different climates of the south, west and southwest Europe. To determine whether an area is suitable for this concept of the passive house will use software Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) 2007 by which we determine the needs for heat and total consumption of primary energy of a home preset depending on latitude, longitude and climatic conditions. For a home to be considered passive house it must be within the maximum allowable on heating requirements is 15 kWh / m² year nor the total primary energy consumption of 120 kWh / m² year. In this paper we will determine whether such Passive House concept according to German requirements for passive houses a predetermined pattern can be implemented in Canada. To achieve this experiment, we calculate the amount of heating and total primary energy consumption to seven cities located in Canada placed at different latitudes and climates. From these results we can determine whether these areas can be used such houses and buildings and which modifications can be made to the houses to be implemented in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, several European directives have been established to contribute to the 2020, 2030 and 2050 energy saving targets and impose energy efficiency requirements for new construction, existing buildings and building renovation operations. One of the ways to achieve said objectives is to rely on the most demanding energy efficiency labels existing in Europe, such as Passivhaus, and to implement similar concepts into the national energy regulations of European countries based on a high-performance thermal envelope (high insulation and high-performance windows), high airtightness and high-performance heat-recovery ventilation systems, and solar heat harvesting. This energy conservation concept has shown to be effective for houses with low-density occupation in cold climates, but may cause severe overheating problems in denser collective housing in temperate and hot climates with higher solar radiation. To assess this impact, five flats in three developments from different periods that range from no insulation at all to a nZEB, Passivhaus-certified high-rise are compared in this paper, using data from a monitoring campaign during the summer of 2020. The results show and quantify the strong impact the evolution of the energy saving regulatory trend has had on summer indoor comfort, which may in some cases lead to previously unnecessary air conditioning for cooling and, ultimately, be counterproductive towards the end goals of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse-effect gas emissions and mitigating climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pilot-scale mine water treatment facilities were operated for over four years at the Ilwol mine, South Korea. A steel slag-limestone reactor (referred to as the slag reactor) was tested and a successive alkalinity producing system (SAPS) and a SAPS incorporating slag from a basic oxygen steelmaking furnace were compared. The SAPS decreased Mn from 23.3 to 7.4 mg L−1 on average because the alkalinity generated led to saturation with rhodochrosite. Adding a slag reactor removed Mn down to levels of 0.002–1.8 mg L−1 from influent Mn as high as 17.1 mg L−1 with a residence time of 5–25 h. Mn-containing carbonates and oxides were precipitated, which was supported by the geochemical modelling and observed with scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy. The increased alkalinity in the SAPS before the slag reactor helped remove Mn at a pH range of 8.0–8.3. Mn removal rates and Mn-standardized Mn removal rates in the slag reactor were 0.76 mg L−1 h−1 and 0.105 h−1 in average, respectively. The passive treatment of Mn using an Fe-pretreatment and alkalinity-generation system, a slag-limestone reactor, and a wetland rather than a SAPS including slag, an oxidation-settling pond, and a wetland is suggested to consistently meet the effluent standards for Mn and pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing concern that airtight and well-insulated buildings designed to limit heat loss in temperate and cold climates could unintentionally elevate the risk of overheating in summers. Existing literature primarily uses dynamic simulation to investigate this problem due to the difficulty of obtaining large-scale in-performance data. To address this gap, we undertake a meta-analysis of large-scale indoor air temperature data for 195 UK dwellings, as a study of performance in a temperate climate. Of these, 113 are baseline (i.e., typical existing dwellings) and the rest designed to the high-performance Passivhaus standard. Using both Passivhaus and the well-known CIBSE TM59 overheating standards, this study found that there were few overheated cases for any building type. However, the average summer nighttime temperature of Passivhaus bedrooms was 1.6 °C higher than baseline, with 20 out of 31 measured bedrooms exceeding the overheating criterion, and the average overheating hours constituting approximately 19% of the total summertime observation period. These findings suggest that bedrooms in highly insulated dwellings may pose an overheating risk although whole-dwelling overheating risk is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building fabric retrofitting is an important first step in improving building energy efficiency. The United Kingdom's (UK) housing stock is one of the most inefficient in Europe, and Northern Ireland has the second-highest level of fuel poverty in the UK. This Northern Irish case study developed three fabric retrofit scenarios that estimate potential demand reductions, CO2 emissions removals and retrofit costs. The first scenario reduces domestic demand by 10% and removes 6% of domestic emissions. The second scenario is more ambitious than the first, and results in an 18% reduction in demand and 12% of emissions removed. The third scenario proposes fabric retrofitting to PassivHaus standard and results in a 42% reduction in demand and 27% of emissions removed. Furthermore, retrofit schemes can provide up to approximately 350,000 jobs annually between 2022 and 2050 for the Northern Irish population. This study demonstrates how fabric retrofit scenarios can be streamlined to the unique features of a housing stock. It shows that fabric retrofit research is important for the formulation of energy efficiency policy and emphasises that domestic sector retrofitting will yield socioeconomic and environmental benefits locally and internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of technologies such as the Internet of Things, edge computing, and 5G, a tremendous amount of structured and unstructured data is being generated from different applications in the smart city environment. In this study, the current problems to be overcome by edge computing (EC) and the basic framework of edge computing are investigated to enhance the sustainable development of the smart city. Three 4aspects of the edge computing offload technology are explored including the software-defined network (SDN) controller, offload decision, and resource allocation, and a task offloading model of an edge computing network for a smart city is designed based on data preprocessing. Moreover, the energy-saving design and analysis of passive houses are carried out with Chengdu city as an example. The results reveal that the deployment scheme is feasible. In the passive house design scheme with natural ventilation, external shading, wall heat transfer coefficient of 0.63 W/(m2 K), and water storage roof, the annual energy consumption per unit area is the lowest, 18.97 kWh/m2, and its energy-saving rate is the highest, 0.77. The findings of the study provide some research experience for increasing the efficiency of smart city edge computing and boosting the smart city's long-term development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]