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[EN] The number of buildings renovated following the introduction of European energy-efficiency policy represents a small number of buildings in Spain. So, the main Spanish building stock needs an urgent energy renovation. Using passive strategies is essential, and thermal characterization and predictive tests of the energy-efficiency improvements achieving acceptable levels of comfort for their users are urgently necessary. This study analyzes the energy performance and thermal comfort of the users in a typical Mediterranean dwelling house. A transient simulation has been used to acquire the scope of Spanish standards for its energy rehabilitation, taking into account standard comfort conditions. The work is based on thermal monitoring of the building and a numerical validated model developed in TRNSYS. Energy demands for different models have been calculated considering different passive constructive measures combined with real wind site conditions and the behavior of users related to natural ventilation. This methodology has given us the necessary information to decide the best solution in relation to energy demand and facility of implementation. The thermal comfort for different models is not directly related to energy demand and has allowed checking when and where the measures need to be done.

[EN] The energy monitoring of heritage buildings has, to date, been governed by methodologies and standards that have been defined in terms of sensors that record scalar magnitudes and that are placed in specific positions in the scene, thus recording only some of the values sampled in that space. In this paper, however, we present an alternative to the aforementioned technologies in the form of new sensors based on 3D computer vision that are able to record dense thermal information in a three-dimensional space. These thermal computer vision-based technologies (3D-TCV) entail a revision and updating of the current building energy monitoring methodologies. This paper provides a detailed definition of the most significant aspects of this new extended methodology and presents a case study showing the potential of 3D-TCV techniques and how they may complement current techniques. The results obtained lead us to believe that 3D computer vision can provide the field of building monitoring with a decisive boost, particularly in the case of heritage buildings

[EN] In this work the effect of partial or total replacement of fishmeal by plant protein sources and krill and squid meal on growth performance and shelf-life of gilthead sea bream was evaluated. Plant protein dietswith 50 g kg(-1) of krill and 100 g kg(-1) of squid were supplemented with synthetic amino acidsand at the end of the growing period weight showed no significant differences. The spoilage process of the fish was followed by physicochemical and microbiological measurements together with a colorimetric sensor array (CSA) specially designed for that purpose. The changes in the physicochemical parameters and microbial growth showed that shelf-life of samples were in all cases lower than ninedays. The CSA was not able to show significant differences between both diets, confirming the physicochemical and microbiological results. The fact that the type of feed had no effect on the freshness parameters studied demonstrates that total fishmeal replacement with plant protein blends in the proportions used in this work could be an excellent alternative for feed formulation in aquaculture.

[EN] Energy consumption in the home is heavily influenced by the occupants and the routines they adopt. Although these routines tend to be regarded as somewhat static in nature, more recent evidence from the social sciences suggests that patterns of consumption are actually more fluid and constantly evolve to accommodate the contingencies of everyday living. This makes detecting changes in patterns of activity and their impact on energy consumption difficult, particularly when these patterns are often invisible to the householder to begin with. Being able to identify when a change occurs, therefore, could be a powerful tool to establish the context of change and so to determine more appropriate corrective action to curb waste and create opportunities for greater flexibility in consumption. The growing adoption of smart meters and home energy monitoring provide a platform for numerical approaches, yet there is little work reported in the literature and none that have attempted to evaluate effectiveness of such methods applied to detect changes in behaviour using field monitoring data from family homes. This paper reports on the application of a Change Point Detection method based on statistical quality control charts applied to identify changes in activities a family home using typical monitoring data. The approach was found to be very effective, identifying 78% of the changes that occurred over a two-year period and hence the outlook for such methods is promising. The findings suggest that such techniques could significantly improve the quality of information provided in energy feedback and so could play a significant role in the pursuit of more efficient energy use in the home by adding value to monitoring systems and services.

[EN] The design of near zero energy offices is a priority, which involves looking to achieve designs which minimise energy consumption and balance energy requirements with an increase in the installation and consumption of renewable energy. In light of this, some authors have used computer software to achieve simulations of the energy behaviour of buildings. Other studies based on regulatory systems which classify and label energy use also generally make their assessments through the use of software. In Spain, there is an authorised procedure for certifying the energy performance of buildings, and software (LIDER-CALENER unified tool) which is used to demonstrate compliance of the performance of buildings both from the point of view of energy demand and energy consumption. The aim of this study is to analyse the energy behaviour of an office building and the variability of the same using the software in terms of the following variables: climate zone, building orientation and certain surrounding wall types and encasements typical of this type of construction.

[EN] The objective of the following communication is to carry out a technical-economic feasibility study of the installation of Sanitary Hot Water (SHW) and Air Conditioning of a 600 m² Health Centre located in the town of Valencia. Once the different alternatives have been considered, they will be selected and prioritised using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. For that, a serie of criteria that affect the final decision making will be proposed, such as investment cost, operating cost, installation difficulty, maintenance difficulty and environmental pollution. The different alternatives will be evaluated and the results obtained will be assessed by a sensitivity analysis using the Superdecisions program to verify the robustness of the selection and prioritization of the alternatives., [ES] El objetivo de la siguiente comunicación es la realización de un estudio de viabilidad técnico-económica de la instalación de Agua Caliente Sanitaria (ACS) y Climatización de un Centro de Salud de 600 m² de superficie situado en la localidad de Valencia. Una vez planteadas las diferentes alternativas se procederá a la selección y priorización de las mismas mediante la técnica Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Para ello, serán propuestos una serie de criterios que afectan a la toma de la decisión final, como son el coste de inversión, el coste de explotación, la dificultad de instalación, la dificultad de mantenimiento y la contaminación del medio ambiente. Se evaluarán las diferentes alternativas y con los resultados obtenidos se realizará un análisis de sensibilidad mediante el programa Superdecisions para verificar la robustez de la selección y priorización de las alternativas.

[EN] In this paper, the building energy performance modelling tools TRNSYS (TRaNsient SYstem Simulation program) and TRNFlow (TRaNsient Flow) have been used to obtain the energy demand of a domestic building that includes the air infiltration rate and the effect of natural ventilation by using window operation data. An initial model has been fitted to monitoring data from the case study, building over a period when there were no heat gains in the building in order to obtain the building infiltration air change rate. After this calibration, a constant air-change rate model was established alongside two further models developed in the calibration process. Air change rate has been explored in order to determine air infiltrations caused by natural ventilation due to windows being opened. These results were compared to estimates gained through a previously published method and were found to be in good agreement. The main conclusion from the work was that the modelling ventilation rate in naturally ventilated residential buildings using TRNSYS and TRNSFlow can improve the simulation-based energy assessment.

[EN] Energy efficiency criteria for the design of local urban rehabilitation policies are revised. This study characterises the demand for air conditioning of a series of typical buildings by simulating the influence of climate change in long-term scenarios. The study carries out contrasted analysis of the information obtained in public databases, with that of energy simulation tests and in situ measurements. The study identifies a popular urbanism from the beginning of the 20th century. Climate projections confirm an increase in the demand for refrigeration. The results show that the urban structure and the climatology of the place bonus a series of passive measures of air conditioning., [ES] Se revisan criterios de eficiencia energética para el diseño de políticas locales de rehabilitación urbana. El estudio caracteriza la demanda de climatización de una serie edificios tipo mediante simulación de la influencia de escenarios de cambio climático, a largo plazo, realizando análisis contrastado de la información obtenida en bases de datos públicas, con la de ensayos de simulación energética y mediciones in situ. Se identifica un urbanismo popular de principios del siglo XX. Las proyecciones climáticas confirman un aumento de la demanda de refrigeración. Los resultados muestran que la estructura urbana y la climatología del lugar bonifica una serie de medidas pasivas de climatización.

[EN] An increase of bone diseases incidence has boosted the study of ceramic biomaterials as potential osteo-inductive scaffolds. In particular, mesoporous bioactive glasses have demonstrated to possess a broad application in the bone regeneration field, due their osteo-regenerative capability and their ability to release drugs from the mesoporous structure. These special features have been studied as an option to fight against bone infection, which is one of the most common problems regarding bone regeneration therapies. In this work, a mesoporous bioglass functionalized with polyamines and capped with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as the molecular gate was developed for the controlled release of the antibiotic levofloxacin. Phosphate bonds of ATP were hydrolyzed in the presence of acid phosphatase (APase), the concentration of which is significantly increased in bone infection due to the activation of bone resorption processes. The solid was characterized and tested successfully against bacteria. The final gated solid induced bacterial death only in the presence of acid phosphatase. Additionally, it was demonstrated that the solid is not toxic against human cells. The double function of the prepared material as a drug delivery system and bone regeneration enhancer confirms the possible development of a new approach in the tissue engineering field, in which controlled release of therapeutic agents can be finely tuned and, at the same time, osteoinduction is favored.

[EN] Infections represent one of the most frequent causes of arthroplasty revision. Thus, design of new antimi-crobial scaffolds to reduce implant rejections, bone infections and associated medical costs is highlydesired. In recent years, essential oil components (EOCs) have merged as compounds with signi¿cantantimicrobial activity that can be attached to speci¿c surfaces to enhance and prolong their antimicrobialeffect. Herein calcium phosphate CaP regenerative materials have been coated with a vanillin derivativeto combine its original bone regeneration properties with antimicrobial action of EOCs. Materials in formof microparticles and blocks were prepared and fully characterized. Clonogenic viability tests demon-strated that low concentrations of material (10 mg/mL-1) resulted effective to kill 100% of E. coli DH5abacteria. Additionally, vanillin containing scaffolds did not display any toxic effect over cells, yet theypreserve the ability to express alkaline phosphatase (ALPL), collagen type 1, chaina1(COL1A1) and bonegamma-carboxyglutamic acid-containing protein or osteocalcin (BGLAP), which are genes typicallyexpressed by osteoblasts. These results demonstrate that commercially available scaffolds can be func-tionalized with EOCs, achieving antimicrobial activity and open up a new approach for the treatmentand prevention of infection.

[EN] A range of energy improvement measures applied to a typical Mediterranean residential building are modelled under various climate-change scenarios. Global Circulation Models (CNRM-CM5 and MPI-ESMLR), under two emission scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5), downscaled by the Spanish Meteorological Agency, are used to generate four temperature projections. Energy simulations are obtained with TRNSYS tools in a Mediterranean climate based on temperature projections in two periods: 2048-2052 and 2096-2100, with the same time span. Various energy measures apply thermal improvements to a conventional residential building model that complies with current regulations for this analysis of best practice in passive construction solutions. Sequential implementation of eight different energy improvements measures are applied to the initial building model: six passives (infiltration, insulation thickness, glazing and frame type, window area, shading devices and natural cross ventilation) and two active (mechanical ventilation and a heat recovery system) measures. The climatic trends that are predicted show a local scenario with a warming climate and the thermal behaviour of the building is shown to differ in each scenario. The demand for indoor heating decreases significantly when the outdoor temperature increases, while the demand for cooling and the risk of overheating increase considerably in all the scenarios. The data for the building conditions that are projected in this study predict that natural and forced ventilation strategies will have the least impact, while increased thermal insulation and reductions in infiltration will have a greater effect on global energy demand.

[EN] Food waste is one of the main issues for international organisms. It is not only an ethical and economic issue but it also depletes the environment of limited natural resources. Among strategies suitable for fighting such challenge, intelligent packaging is an interesting tool to reduce waste derived from households and retailers. A revision of 45 recent advances in the area of optical systems for freshness monitoring is reported herein. The study covers fruits, vegetables, fish products and meat since they are the most representative fields of application. Furthermore, a discussion about the main research challenges and opportunities that will be faced by intelligent packaging in the coming years is included. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[EN] Adaptive reuse of historic buildings as museums is an effective strategy for retaining heritage architectures while achieving environmental sustainability objectives. Building adaptation, retrofitting and preserving optimal environments for artwork and exhibit preservation are inherently complex, multifaceted tasks. However, indoor microclimates do not only affect collections; occupants and visitors must also be considered. The aim of this research is to explore whether artwork preservation constraints in reused historic building affect patrons. The authors thereby promote a more comprehensive approach, combining the objectives of exhibit conservation, preservation of heritage buildings and adequate indoor conditions, particularly thermal comfort. Data was gathered using the Post-Occupancy Evaluation process applied to a case study where a combination of micro climate monitoring and questionnaire surveys was carried out over a 12-month period. Results demonstrate that: i) the existing microclimate did not always provide visitors with adequate thermal conditions, showing dissatisfaction during the cooling season (July-September), with average TSV values ranging from -1.03 to -1.13; ii) TSV and PMV values were significantly divergent throughout the year, with TSV mainly included within the ( -1, 0, +1) band and PMV mainly within the (0, -2) band; and iii) questionnaires show that visitor choice of clothing is made according to outdoor conditions, with some gender-related variations in the do level (higher for women), not ensuring thermal comfort inside the museum during the warm season. Results of this research highlight the limitations of Fanger's model when applied to such typology of buildings, emphasising the need for more research in this field.

[EN] Silica mesoporous nanomaterials have been proved to have meaningful application in biotechnology and biomedicine. Particularly, mesoporous bioactive glasses are recently gaining importance thanks to their bone regenerative properties. Moreover, the mesoporous nature of these materials makes them suitable for drug delivery applications, opening new lines in the field of bone therapies. In this work, we have developed innovative nanodevices based on the implementation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and e-poly-l-lysine molecular gates using a mesoporous bioglass as an inorganic support. The systems have been previously proved to work properly with a fluorescence probe and subsequently with an antibiotic(levofloxacin) and an antitumoral drug(doxorubicin). The bioactivity of the prepared materials has also been tested, giving promising results. Finally, in vitro cell culture studies have been carried out; demonstrating that this gated devices can provide useful approaches for bone cancer and bone infection treatments.

[EN] With attention increasingly shifting toward adaptation and energy upgrade of existing and historic buildings, research on Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) has grown notably in recent years. School buildings are a significant asset to the European building stock and an important field of investigation because of the peculiarities of the end users and the impact of indoor environmental conditions.on their health and productivity. Building on recent literature, particularly the method of Povl Ole Fanger, this research presents the results of a quantitative and qualitative study performed to assess the thermal comfort conditions of a primary school located in a historic building in Villar del Arzobispo, Spain. As the study involves six and seven-year-old pupils, appropriate questionnaires for subjective thermal comfort evaluation were defilled with the pedagogical support of the teachers, who also took part in the research and helped deliver the surveys to the children. The Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Percentage of Dissatisfied (PD) were then calculated for the evaluation of thermal comfort from measurements and questionnaires, for both pupils and teachers, using the classroom as a sample size. The results show a difference between pupils' and teachers' subjective opinions, with the children displaying a higher and more-difficult-to-reach threshold for indoor thermal comfort.

[EN] Total acid number (TAN) has been considered an important indicator of the oil quality of used oils. TAN is determined by potentiometric titration, which is time-consuming and requires solvent. A more convenient approach to determine TAN is based on infrared (IR) spectral data and multivariate regression models. Predictive models for the determination of TAN using the IR data measured from ashless dispersant oils developed for aviation piston engines (SAE 50) have been developed. Different techniques, including Projection Pursuit Regression (PPR), Partial Least Square, Support Vector Machines, Linear Models and Random Forest (RF), have been used. The used methodology involved a five folder cross validation to derive the best model. Then a full error measure over the whole dataset was taken. A backward variable selection was used and 25 highly relevant variables were extracted. RF provided an acceptable modelling technology with grouped dataset predictions that allowed transformations to be performed that fitted the measured values. A hybrid method considering group of bands as features was used for modelling. An innovative mechanism for wider features selection based on genetic algorithm has been implemented. This method showed better performance than the results obtained using the other methodologies. RMSE and MAE values obtained in the validation were 0.759 and 0.359 for PPR model respectively.

Although old houses are found in the housing stock which are affected by infiltration and condensation, resulting in humid walls, software generally consider properly maintained buildings, assuming dry walls. This study aims to simulate the effect of these pathologies under dwelling indoor conditions. The objective is to assess the reliability and accuracy of different solutions through the mass and heat transfer analogy in air and water vapour mixtures. Two different modelling settings are analysed using TRNSYS thermal simulation software, evaluating the condensation and evaporation effect of temperature and humidity in a house. Simulation results are compared with four months worth of monitored data, and a validation procedure is presented. The method proved to be a valid assessment tool to test results reliability in aboveground building modelling. The analogy approach accuracy of the mass and heat transfer in mixtures of air and water vapour was also tested. Results can be used to help designers to optimize the humidity transfer simulation in building energy modelling. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[EN] A simple method based on the multivariate analysis of data from urine using an electronic voltammetric tongue is used to detect patients with prostate cancer. A sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 73% were obtained to distinguish the urine from cancer patients and the urine from non-cancer patients.

tThis is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in . Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews Volume 61, August 2016, DOI 10.1016/j.rser.2016.03.018, [EN] In recent years, energy efficiency and thermal comfort in historic buildings have become high-interest topics among scholars. Research has demonstrated that retrofitting buildings to current energy efficiency and thermal comfort standards is essential for improving sustainability and energy performance and for maintaining built heritage of historic structures. This study is an extensive overview of the literature surrounding this topic. This paper summarizes the different methods and techniques that have been used around the world to achieve performance refurbishments. Articles are organized based on the different building types used as case studies (residential, religious, academic and palace, museums, libraries and theaters, urban areas, and others). The results reveal that residential, religious and museum building types, especially from the last two centuries, have been most often used as case studies. Moreover, Europe, particularly Italy, is leading the research. The aim of this note is to demonstrate the feasibility of maintaining built heritage values of historic buildings while achieving significant improvements in their energy efficiency and thermal comfort.

[EN] The aim of this work was to develop and evaluate a rapid, easy-to-use optoelectronic system for the shelf-life assessment of squid in cold storage. For this purpose, an optoelectronic nose was designed, which consisted of an array containing six sensing materials prepared by combining different dyes and two inorganic supports (aluminium oxide and silica gel). Samples were packaged with the colorimetric array and kept in cold storage for 12 days. Squid spoilage was monitored simultaneously by the colorimetric array and by the physico-chemical and microbial analyses during storage. Samples exceeded the acceptability limits for microbial counts on the third day. PCA analysis carried out with CIELab showed that the colorimetric array was able to discriminate between fresh squid fit for consumption and spoiled squid. The statistical models obtained by PLS, with the optoelectronic nose, successfully predicted CO2 and O-2 content in the headspace as well as microbial growth. (c) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.