Search results

Nearly 75% of EU buildings are not energy-efficient enough to meet the international climate goals, which triggers the need to develop sustainable construction techniques with high degree of resilience against climate change. In this context, a promising construction technique is represented by ventilated façades (VFs). This paper aims to propose three different VFs and the authors define a novel machine learning-based approach to evaluate and predict their energy performance under different boundary conditions, without the need for expensive on-site experimentations

The approach is based on the use of machine learning algorithms for the evaluation of different VF configurations and allows for the prediction of the temperatures in the cavities and of the heat fluxes. The authors trained different regression algorithms and obtained low prediction errors, in particular for temperatures. The authors used such models to simulate the thermo-physical behavior of the VFs and determined the most energy-efficient design variant.

The authors found that regression trees allow for an accurate simulation of the thermal behavior of VFs. The authors also studied feature weights to determine the most relevant thermo-physical parameters. Finally, the authors determined the best design variant and the optimal air velocity in the cavity.

This study is unique in four main aspects: the thermo-dynamic analysis is performed under different thermal masses, positions of the cavity and geometries; the VFs are mated with a controlled ventilation system, used to parameterize the thermodynamic behavior under stepwise variations of the air inflow; temperatures and heat fluxes are predicted through machine learning models; the best configuration is determined through simulations, with no onerous in situ experimentations needed.

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an experimental study aimed at analysing the effect of the roof tile air permeability on the thermal performances of ventilation ducts in the roof. The main reason underlying this study is the fact that the theoretical reference assumed for the manufacture and sizing of ventilation ducts (the accepted theory on roof ventilation) is clearly limited when applied to ducts which are not perfectly airtight (Hens) and results in an oversizing of the ventilation ducts.

A section of roof is built, covered with different tiles and environmental and meteorological data collected. The data are analysed statistically.

The results show that the permeability of the layer of tiles determines heat losses which are in addition to those connected with the stack effect in a perfectly airtight duct with the same features. The results also confirm the correlation which has already been demonstrated between the geometric ratio of the length of the duct divided by its height and the amount of heat dissipated by the roof (Sandberg and Moshfeg).

This study analyses the performance of the roofs only during the summer season. The research is therefore continuing with a long‐term (one year) analysis of the roofs characterised by a high level of roof tile permeability so as to understand the consequences that the presence of a ventilation duct in systems with air permeable roofing may have on the thermal efficiency of the roof.

The major objectives of this study are the engineering development and the structural analysis with finite element method (FEM) of a refrigerated container having a passive equipment and a remote control system to carry both fresh (+4°C÷±1°C) and frozen (−18°C÷−20°C) goods. The purpose of this paper is to offer some solutions to the many disadvantages of using phase change material (PCM) to refrigerate the insulated container for transporting both fresh and frozen goods.

In order to transport both fresh products (+4°C÷±1°C) and frozen products (−18°C÷−20°C), the PCM elements are filled with one eutectic liquid only, so as to avoid problems related to filling and emptying the eutectic plates, and to plate corrosion. Moreover, specially shaped air ducts and a cool flow control system are designed to maintain a uniform circulation of cool air and constant humidity values. All the structures of the container are correctly designed by means of FEM calculations to assure that all the structural, safety standards parameters are satisfied.

An innovative refrigerated container with PCM and a remote control system used to transport both fresh (+4°C÷±1°C) and frozen (−18°C÷−20°C) products, in which it is possible to maintain the temperature values for almost seven days, has been considered here. Many disadvantages due to the use of PCM have been eliminated. It is possible to maintain a uniform circulation cool air and humidity values within the design parameters by means of fans; moreover, this container is light and environmentally friendly. All structures of the container are designed using FEM.

This paper presents a refrigerated container with passive equipment and a remote control system to carry both fresh (+4°C÷±1°C) and frozen (−18°C÷−20°C) goods in which it is possible to maintain the temperature values necessary for almost seven days. The container is equipped with a remote control system powered by photovoltaic panels which works in real time, is capable of giving information about the environmental parameters set in it and monitors the state of products by means of a network of sensors. Furthermore, the remote control system can send information about the position of the container to a remote control centre. The relevant structural conditions are numerically (FEM) evaluated and reported.

By harnessing technology developments such as Internet-of-Things (IoT)-enabled intelligent sensors and immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences, facility managers can access real-time, precise information on thermal comfort-related indicators through virtual facility models. While prior research studies have developed key technologies for improving the understanding of thermal comfort and its impact on the occupants’ well-being and productivity, there remain areas yet to be explored, especially in relation to integrating both real-time data from multimodal IoT-enabled smart sensors and VR technologies. Hence, this study demonstrates the potential of integrating IoT and VR technologies for real-time thermal comfort assessment and visualization as well as user interaction with HVAC systems to enhance thermal comfort.

To develop the proposed integrated analytical framework in this paper, various steps were implemented. First, four multimodal IoT-enabled sensing stations were created and installed to collect real-time thermal comfort-related data (i.e. temperature and relative humidity). Second, a VR environment was developed using the Unity engine to offer an immersive experience. Third, the real-time data from the IoT-enabled sensing stations was integrated into the VR environment by transmitting it to the cloud via the MQTT protocol server, and various programming scripts were developed to provide multiple functionalities to the users, including visualizing the thermal comfort along the entire indoor space as well as interacting with and controlling the cooling and heating HVAC systems. Fourth, the applicability and effectiveness of the developed framework was validated and evaluated by 92 participants using a survey questionnaire.

The obtained survey results validated the importance and effectiveness of the developed framework on various aspects including graphical satisfaction, spatial presence, involvement, experienced realism, low-to-no cybersickness and overall application satisfaction, among others. More specifically, the findings reflected that the participants’ average scores for graphical satisfaction, sense of spatial presence, involvement and experienced realism were 4.69, 4.61, 4.71 and 4.53 out of 5, respectively. Hence, the results showed that the visualization capabilities of the developed framework serve as a powerful feature that enables a comprehensive visualization of thermal comfort variations across the entire room/office space. Also, the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the responses of participants with prior VR experience with those from participants with limited-to-no prior VR experience, thus further highlighting the usefulness of the proposed technology not only for experienced users but also for users from different skills and background.

This research has the potential to revolutionize the way built environments are managed and interacted with, where facility managers can monitor, assess and visualize thermal comfort in real-time as well as interact with the HVAC systems and control multimodal IoT devices in the real-world from a distance through virtual facility models. The proposed framework’s ability to provide dynamic and continuously updated assessments of thermal conditions in real-time positions it as a valuable tool for prompt adjustments to optimize occupants’ comfort levels. Ultimately, the proposed framework provides an intuitive and immersive platform to manage thermal comfort, thus promoting healthier, more productive and eco-friendly indoor environments.

In this chapter, we reflect on how we frame our research on international scholarship programs within the field of comparative and international education and identify perspectives that influence our research. We also briefly describe the theories that shape our research: human capital theory and sociological perspectives that emphasize the centrality of context. We discuss emerging research on international scholarship programs and identify fruitful future directions for comparative and international research on higher education.

The purpose of this paper is to develop and discuss a methodological approach for energy assessment and retrofitting of envelope systems in Mediterranean historical buildings, in order to ensure the desirable balance between improvement requirements and preservation principles.

The methodology is based on the assessment of historical districts at the site, building and component scales, the development of energy models of building-types that are highly representative, in terms of materials, construction techniques, typologies and performances, the identification of intervention priorities and the validation of compatible retrofitting solutions.

The methodology, applied to a representative Adriatic sea town in South Italy, shows the potentialities of innovative materials and technologies (aerogel, PCMs, etc.) as tools to achieve the improvement of the energy performances and the preservation of the original characters. Nevertheless, it shows how the preliminary qualification of the environmental, architectural, constructional and technological characteristics is paramount to support the identification of the current behavior of the building system and the transformation boundaries from the historical values.

The paper proves how assessment and intervention methods and tools, besides effective, compatible, low invasive and durable, should be geocluster oriented and performance based, thus with general reliability for the whole local context and suitable flexibility to be tailored to different specific situations, toward the definition of retrofitting micro-scale measures and macro-scale strategies that are replicable and scalable.

Limiting the use of antibiotics in food animals is a cornerstone of contemporary EU policy. Despite that marketing of antibiotics for growth promotion and nutrition has been banned since 2006, the use is still high and varied. This paper aims to investigate the forces behind the different usage patterns in Italy, with one of the EU’s most extensive use of antibiotics in animals, versus Sweden, with the union’s most restricted use, including how these usage patterns are related to EU and national policies.

The industrial network approach/the 4R resources interaction model is adopted to investigate the major forces behind the different antibiotic usage patterns. Furthermore, the study relies on the notion of three main characteristics related to the use of a resource activated in several user settings (Håkansson and Waluszewski, 2008, pp. 20–22). The paper investigates the Swedish and the Italian using settings, with a minimised, respectively, extensive usage of antibiotics. The study is exploratory in nature and based on qualitative data collected through a combination of primary and secondary sources.

The paper underlines the importance of integrating forces for policy to succeed in attempts to reduce the use of a particular resource. It reveals that Sweden’s radically reduced use was based on great awareness, close interactions between animal-based food producers and policy – and that integrating forces were supported by an era of state-protected food production, with promising ability to distribute the cost of change. The Italian characteristics hindering the integration of forces mounting for reduced use were restricted awareness, top-down business and policy interactions – and a great awareness about the difficulties of distributing the cost of change.

The study deals with the analysis of forces affecting the different usage of antibiotics within two EU settings. The investigation, based on the industrial network approach’s notion of connectivity of economic resources, that is, of exchange having a content and substance beyond discrete transactions, reveals how indirect related contextual forces, neglected by policy, have an important influence on the ability to achieve change, in this case of antibiotics usage patterns.

Hotel servicescapes have been extensively examined in the literature; however, there has been less attention on green servicescapes that attract consumers to visit green hotels. This model explores the relationship among green servicescapes – green items, green surfaces, natural environment, green consumerism and their outcomes, including intentions to return and green evangelism with a moderating role of green perceived quality.

The multi-wave method was utilized to gather data from China's major cities, Beijing and Shanghai. A total of 462 responses were received over three waves. Subsequently, the data were analyzed employing structural equation modeling (SEM) in Smart PLS 4.

The findings indicated that green servicescape – green items, green surfaces and natural environment – have a positive impact on green consumerism. The authors have discovered that green consumerism leads to positive intentions among consumers to return and engage in green evangelism. Green perceived quality significantly moderated the relationship between green servicescape and green consumerism.

The study offers insightful contributions to academia and managerial fields, encompassing consumer psychology, consumer behaviour, the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework and servicescapes. Additionally, it assists hotel managers in addressing challenges stemming from the competitive environment and creating a more environmentally friendly atmosphere.

The research focused on the innovative reflective model of green consumerism model and adopted a pioneering approach to examine green servicescapes within the hotel industry. This study enhances understanding of consumer intentions to return and the influence of green consumerism on green evangelism, while also quantifying the significance of green perceived quality.