ABSTRACT: This paper aims to give some scientific information on calabashes used as sound absorption alternative material. For two decades the need for concert halls with adequate acoustic quality has been increasing in Brazil. Therefore, modern buildings have been built in our country according to adequate standers. Nevertheless, the cost of the necessary acoustic materials in current use is […]
Technologies for a sustainable built environment
Thermal Performance as a parameter of choice of materials: Brazilian Antarctic Station
ABSTRACT: In the atypical context of Antarctica to the correct selection of more sustainable and efficient materials, it must be considered the specific environmental conditions of the region. Among them, there are the climatic characteristics (low absolute moisture content, low temperatures, high wind speeds, and rapid climate changes), the isolation and the need to preserve the natural environment. The […]
Passive design strategies for building envelopes in different orientations
ABSTRACT: Human wellbeing in architecture is highly influenced by its site and climate; there are methodologies that suggest the correct orientation of open facades, depending on preexisting weather condition, which seek to ensure the user environmental comfort. In tropical cities like Medellin – Colombia, the absence of stations generates a relatively homogeneous climate that allows the use of passive […]
Escuelas productoras de energía: cosechando una nueva generación
RESUMEN: ¿Podemos imaginar una nueva generación de edificios productores de energía? Visualicemos futuros escenarios energéticos donde los establecimientos educacionales, fundamentados en sus condiciones de dispersión urbana, extensión territorial y ocupación estacional, sean concebidos como nuevos nodos urbanos de generación energética. Orientado a promover el desarrollo de energía solar en zonas urbanas, este artículo presenta una herramienta de evaluación paramétrica de […]
Neglected Issues in Building Performance
ABSTRACT: The paper outlines a number of potentially very useful building performance concepts that have been ignored, forgotten or only partially adopted. The idea explored in this paper is that, despite many significant advances in specialized fields, there are also many issues that remain outside the mainstream of building research, guidelines or conventional wisdom. Some of […]