Although solar thermal systems are technologically mature and cost effective, they have not yet been sufficiently used in building design to play an adequate role in the reduction of fossil fuel consumption. One main hindrance to adoption is the generally low architectural design quality of the building integration of these thermal systems.
As confirmed by the example of photovoltaics, improvement of the architectural quality of building integrated systems can increase the use of a solar technology even more than price reductions or technical advances. Solar thermal collectors have to be mounted very close to the point of consumption â i.e., on the building itself â which stresses the urgency of the architectural integration issue.
Starting from a definition of architectural integration quality and related criteria, this book is intended to help both architects and manufacturers improve their design work. Architects are given recommendations to optimize integration quality and make the best out of the generally limited flexibility and low formal quality of presently available collectors. Manufacturers, on their side, are offered a set of guidelines for the development of new multifunctional and flexible products conceived from the outset for building integration, thus improving the market offer.
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The fundamental function of buildings today is to provide safe and healthy shelter. For the fortunate they also provide comfort and delight. In the 20th Century comfort became a âproductâ produced by machines, run on cheap energy. In a world where fossil fuels are becoming scarcer and more expensive, and the climate more extreme, the challenge of designing comfortable buildings requires a new approach. This timely book provides just that. It explains, in a clear and comprehensible manner, how we stay comfortable by using our bodies, our minds and our buildings, and their systems, to adapt to indoor and outdoor conditions which change with the weather and the climate.
The book is in two sections. The first introduces the Principles on which the theory of adaptive thermal comfort is based. The second explains how to use field studies to measure thermal comfort in Practice.
Architects have gradually passed responsibility for building performance to service engineers who are largely trained to see comfort as that very âproductâ, using machines and outdated comfort models which produce more energy and provide less comfort. A growing international consensus now calls for low energy buildings. This means designers must first produce robust, passive structures that provide their occupants with many opportunities to change their environments to suit their needs. Ventilation using free, natural energy should be preferred and mechanical conditioning only used when the climate demands it.
This book outlines the theory of adaptive thermal comfort that can inform and guide such building designs. It should be required reading for all students, teachers and practitioners of architecture, building engineering and management â for all who have a role in producing 21st Century adaptive, low carbon, comfortable buildings.
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This concise, archival reference examines the results of the latest research and development programs on continuous fiber ceramic composites (CFCCs). It examines specific issues, such as thermal stresses, stress gradients, measurement capabilities, gripping methods, environmental effects, statistical considerations, and limited material quantities. 22 peer-reviewed papers are divided into 4 major categories: ⢠Room-Temperature Test Results/Methods ⢠Test Results/Methods Related to Design Implications ⢠Environmental Effects and Characterization ⢠Damage Accumulation and Material Development Please note: This volume serves as an excellent companion to STP 1309/Thermal and Mechanical Test Methods and Behavior of Continuous-Fiber Ceramic Composites. This publication will be of value to ⢠Gas Turbine Designers ⢠Materials Scientists ⢠Ceramicists ⢠Power Systems Engineers ⢠Mechanical and Design Engineers
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Going Solar contains everything that a budding or experienced solar enthusiast could wish for. By distilling thousands of years of history and knowledge into one book, Tomm Stanley brings together the work of pioneering solar designers, some of the greatest scientists that the world has known and a range of modern, practical applications for hands-on people to create a delicious brew of thought provoking, solar thermal discussion.
Enthusiastically coaxing readers through the essential concepts at work in fields of study as diverse as history, geography, nuclear physics, thermodynamics and astronomy, Going Solar reveals the “how’s” and “why’s” behind the solar heating phenomenon. When the subject matter turns to a study of devices that use solar heat, readers have a firm grasp of the natural forces at work and an appreciation of how the technology might be applied in their own lives.
Written in easy-to-understand language for everyday people and the scientifically challenged, Going Solar contains a delightful blend of humor, fact and function that continually guides readers back to the purpose of its making; understanding and effectively using the warmth found in sunlight for our day-to-day lives.
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Our responses to our thermal environment have a considerable effect on our performance and behavior, not least in the realm of work. There has been considerable scientific investigation of these responses and formal methods have been developed for environmental evaluation and design. In recent years these have been developed to the extent that detailed national and international standards of practice have now become feasible.
This new edition of Ken Parson’s definitive text brings us back up to date. He covers hot, moderate and cold environments, and defines these in terms of six basic parameters: air temperature, radiate temperature, humidity, air velocity, clothing worn, and the person’s activity. There is a focus on the principles and practice of human response, which incorporates psychology, physiology and environmental physics with applied ergonomics. Water requirements, computer modeling and computer-aided design are brought in, as are current standards. Special populations, such as the aged or disabled and specialist environments such as those found in vehicles are also considered.
This book continues to be the standard text for the design of environments for humans to live and work safely, comfortably and effectively, and for the design of materials which help the same people cope with their environments.
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