MODERN BUILDINGS

Decisions taken both in the design process of buildings and their

modernization should comply with basic requirements, such as:
strength and stability, resistance to dampness and water,
resistance to fire, heat insulation, sound insulation, durability,
comforts and conveniences. Building materials should not have
harmful effects on human health. In their production, factors that
destroy the natural environment (e.g. freons that destroy the
ozone layer in the atmosphere) should not be used. The aspects
of utilization, safe storage and recycling possibilities are also
important. Another criterion for choosing material solutions is
their availability as well as local traditions. However, the deciding
factor is usually the economic aspect (costs of materials,
construction and assembly).In the case of insulating materials,
not only heat requirements, but also other than thermal ones are
taken into consideration (including appropriate mechanical
properties, noise attenuation, vibration resistance, non-
flammability, moisture absorption), as well as technological and
economic conditions.
Building materials and the environmentEach construction
product has an impact on the environment. It is associated
with all the stages of a product’s life from raw material
extraction through materials processing, manufacture,
distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or
recycling. The phase of producing building material is
characterized by the initial embodied energy (associated
with the acquisition of raw materials and the
manufacturing process), indirect energy (regarding energy
transport costs) and direct energy (related to the
transport of the finished construction product and its
assembly in the building). The energy related to
maintenance, repairs and replacement of materials with
new ones during the whole life cycle of the building is
called recurring embodied energy (Marchwiński &
Zielonko-Jung, 2012).Considering the embodied energy,
construction materials can be sorted into groups:• low
energy building materials (e.g. sand, gravel, timber,
concrete, lightweight concrete),• medium energy building
materials (e.g. brickwork, lime, cement, mineral wool,
glass), • high energy building materials (e.g. steel, zinc,
copper, aluminium).
Sustainable Building Materials:
Fine recycled aggregates from CDW The construction
sector has gone from a linear economy model based on
producing, consuming and throwing away, where
construction and demolition waste were deposited in
landfills or dumped illegally, to a circular economy
model in which it is intended to limit the consumption
of new resources and encourage the use of recycled
materials, so that waste is reincorporated into the
production process, giving it a second useful life.
Landfill is only contemplated for waste that cannot be
utilised in any way. Construction and demolition waste
(CDW) means substances or objects generated in a
construction or demolition work that their owner
discards or intends to discard. CDW is generated in any
type of civil engineering work or building, and
throughout the life cycle of the work: construction
phase, phase of use or exploitation and during the total
or partial demolition
. The Effect Of Green Walls On Buildings
When it comes to the greening of buildings, there are a
number of approaches used nowadays, such as facades
covered with climbing plants or green-wall systems
(built with prefabricated modular panels). These offer
economic, environmental and social benefits. Given the
growing interest in restoring the environmental
balance of urban areas, technological innovations have
emerged in environmentally-beneficial building
practices. The implementation of green walls is not a
new concept and can offer many advantages as a part
of urban landscaping, such as environmental benefits
and energy savings in buildings. Incorporating
vegetation could be a sustainable approach for
greening both new and existing buildings. Green-wall
systems, also known as vertical gardens, are built using
modular panels, each one containing its own soil or
other growing media, such as coconut coir, rice husks,
felt, perlite or rock wool.
 Overall benefits The installation of green-wall systems to
block solar radiation and the use of plants with natural
cooling properties through evaporation and transpiration
can lead to notable reductions in temperature.
Furthermore, plants reduce the effects of solar radiation
and reduce ambient temperature. The cooling effects of
green-wall systems reduce the demand for cooling energy
and result in energy efficiency in buildings, namely the
ability of the building to operate and function with
minimum levels of consumption. These features of green-
wall systems offer several environmental and economic
benefits.A comparison of related studies reveals that
thermal performance is commonly evaluated using small-
scale models. Employing this method means that the
variables 98are easier to manage and the results are
entirely attributable to the effect of the greenwall
systems. Furthermore, there is limited research into the
energy-saving capacity of green-wall systems in real-world
case studies. Studying the parameters that have the
greatest effect on the thermal performance of green-wall
systems could help optimise their thermal efficiency.
Temperature reduction and the economic benefits of green-
wall systems are not as widely valued as their aesthetic
impact, and people generally use these systems for
decorative reasons. There need to be greater incentives to
use these systems for their economic and environmental
benefits, namely to use them more effectively to reduce
energy demand.Raising public awareness about the
application and benefits of these systems is needed if more
green walls are to be used on buildings. The lack of publicly-
available information about the economic and
environmental benefits is the reason why owners and
investors do not request the implementation of green-wall
systems due to the initial outlay despite the fact that
installing them is actually relatively cheap and offers
numerous advantages
References
Addington, M. & Schodek, D. (2005) Smart Materials and New
Technologies: For the Architecture and Design Professions.
Harvard UniversityAlam, M., Singh, H. & Limbachiya M.C.
(2011) Vacuum Insolation Panels (VIPs) for Building
Construction Industry – A Review of the Contemporary
Developments and Future Directions, Applied Energy, 88,
3592-3602Alexandri, E. & Jones, P. (2008) Temperature
decreases in an urban canyon due to green walls and green
roofs in diverse climates. Building and Environment, 43, 480-
93Barbudo, A., de Brito, J., Evangelista, L., Bravo, M. & Agrela,
F. (2013) Influence of Water-Reducing Admixtures on the
Mechanical Performance of Recycled Concrete. Journal of
Cleaner Production, 59, 93-98Bartfelder, F., Köhler, M. (1987)
Experimentelle unter suchungen zur function von
fassadenbegrünungen, Dissertation TU Berlin 612SBass, B,
Liu, K, Baskaran, B. (2003) Evaluating rooftop and vertical
gardens as an adaptation strategy for urban areas, CCAF
impacts and adaptation progress report, 1–106
 WOODEN BUILDING RESEARCH STUDY
Making a wood rubbing at the beginning of the project,
research was directed toward temple structures; after the
1990s, the research focus shifted towards Confucian
architectural cultural assets; from 1990 to 1995, research of
state-designated memorial halls was carried out; and from
1996 to 2004, Confucian schools within the country were
studied based on their location. STONE STRUCTURES
RESEARCH STUDY Erection of scaffolding for precise
measurement of stone pagoda Image Erection of scaffolding
for precise measurement of stone pagoda This study
encompassed stone structures of all types including stone
pagodas, Stupa, Grotto, Stone Ice Storage, stone bridges, and
stone castles, although it concentrated on state-designated
stone pagodas. The research in Jeollanam-do and Jeollabuk-do
has been completed, while that in Gyeongbuk is ongoing,
again with the focus on stone pagodas. Traditional Building's
in-depth reports from top experts in the building and
architectural industry. Subjects include metalwork, stonework,
art restoration, specialty glass and stained glass restoration,
hardware, roofing, flooring, and more.
Introduction
Earth-related building materials. In many non-urbanised
areas in India, East Africa and South America, raw earth is
abundant resource, which has popularly been used as
building material. Over times, modern technologies have
renovated the use of raw earth materials to improve their
performance. For example, raw earth materials are
converted into compressed earth blocks, made of a semi-
dry mix of clay and sand and produced using a mechanised
hydraulically compressed block machine. These blocks are
reported to have a load-bearing strength two-thirds that
of concrete masonry blocks (Mehta and Bridwell, 2004). A
further improvement is achieved by mixing earth with a
small percentage of cement during the production process
to create compressed stabilised earth blocks. These blocks
have better compressive strength and water resistance,
and allow for thinner, higher walls to be built. Stabilised
compressed blocks also take 3-5 times less energy to
produce compared to conventional fired bricks (Auroville
Earth Institute, 2009).
.Traditional Chinese practices of building orientation and interior space organisation
were based on the belief of enhancing occupants’ health and wealth by tapping into
the characteristics of natural materials and directional coordinates e.g., placement
and orientation of windows, doorways, passages, interior and exterior layouts
according to certain principles to promote positive ‘air and energy flow’ within a
space. Such arrangements are believed to promote the positive health (mind and
body) of occupants. The belief used to be criticised as having no scientific proof.
However, recent research shows that many principles in these traditional practices of
building orientation and interior space organisation are in line with certain
sustainable building principles (Zhong and Ceranic, 2007). Furthermore, modern
interpretations of certain traditional practices show that they are in line with the
principles of sustainable building design. Some examples are highlighted in the next
session – Feasibility of the technology and operational necessities.
.Traditional building design strategies in the Mediterranean demonstrate that local wisdom
involves designing with the local climatic conditions in mind. Traditional Mediterranean buildings
are generally oriented to the south with a long east-west axis, to respond to solar direction and
summer breeze. A courtyard and a solarium (an internal space adjoining the courtyard) act as
climate moderator for the whole building, and are almost always found in Mediterranean
traditional building. Some key functions of the courtyard include creating a microclimate, e.g.,
providing shade and evaporative cooling during summer, and allowing sunshine during winter
through planting deciduous vegetation, high external wall, water features, etc.Traditional
Mediterranean buildings have thick walls which are built from stone and sun-dried mud-brick and
rendered with mud plaster. These materials allow the thick wall to smooth out the large diurnal
temperature variations in summer, and to act as thermal mass to warm up the internal space at
night during winter. The walls are also painted in white (which can still be seen on buildings on
Greek islands) to reflect the harsh solar radiation of the arid climate. Small windows are
strategically located high on walls to foster cross ventilation during the summer, and are closed
with small dense bushes (acting as thermal insulation) during winter. Deep recessed windows on
walls and overhang from elements such as balconies act as sun shading devices (Lapithis, 2004).
Wind towers: also known as wind catchers, apply
evaporative cooling principles inside a building to supply cool
air to ventilate the internal space. Wind towers are
traditionally used in the Middle East, where daytime air
temperature is high and humidity is low. A typical traditional
wind tower comprises an air inlet facing the prevailing wind
direction to scoop the wind into a vertical shaft. Immediately
behind and below the air inlet is an earthenware jar of water,
which is taken up and transformed into vapour by the dry air
wind. During this evaporative process, the air becomes cooler
and sinks. This reinforces the air movement downward,
providing a draft of cool air to the interior. After the whole
day exchanging heat, the wind tower gets warm in the
evening. Therefore, a reverse airflow pattern occurs during
the night, when cooler room ambient air comes in contact
with the bottom of the warm shaft, becomes warm and rises.
Such air movement, while providing ventilation to the interior
space, cools the surface of the tower to be ready for the next
daytime operation. Renovations to the application of the
traditional wind towers include the design of moveable air
inlet, which can automatically track the wind direction for
more constant cool air supply to the room (s), and the use of
mechanical mist spray instead of water jars to reduce
maintenance needs.
Status of the technology and its future market potentialThe implementation
status of renovation and the innovative use of traditional building materials and
design, varies depending on the individual techniques and practices in a
particular local context. Some are thriving and others are under threat of being
lost. As most of the traditional building materials and design originate from rural
settlements and are suitable for low-rise and low density settings, they are
becoming obsolete under the pressure of urbanisation, particularly in
developing countries. Although their renovation and innovative use can help
modernise their quality and application, the results have certain limits. Below
are some observations regarding the implementation status and market
penetration of renovation and the innovative use of traditional building
materials and designs:If a rural area is earmarked to be urbanised to become a
small town (e.g., those with building height of about 3-4 storeys), earth-related
building materials can thrive if their quality, performance and aesthetic quality
stay close to those of masonry products. The lower cost and availability of local
resources help them stay competitive. Water-cooling envelope, Mediterranean
design principles, wind towers and the traditional Chinese practice of building
orientation and interior space organisation may stay relevant.If a local area is
earmarked to be urbanised to a medium to high density town/city, it is difficult
to implement earth-related materials.
Furthermore, raw materials such as soil and vegetation may be less abundant or no longer available locally. The traditional Chinese
practice of building orientation and interior space organisation (thanks to its indoor application component), is largely unaffected by
higher density urbanisation and is still applicable in such context. Likewise, the traditional Mediterranean design principles, i.e.,
thicker walls (especially on the east and west facing walls), solarium and courtyard, overhang, balcony, etc. – also remain relevant in a
higher density urban context.From a lateral inter-regional relationship perspective, there is a huge potential for South-South transfer,
especially between regions with similar climatic conditions, for most renovation and innovative use of traditional building materials
and design. This is largely due to similarity in local materials i.e., soil, sand, wood and bamboo – available in most regions. What needs
to be transferred are the principles, technical skills and equipment.How the technology could contribute to socio-economic
development and environmental protectionInnovative use of traditional building materials and design are relevant and beneficial to
developing countries, especially least developed countries, because of the following characteristics:Well-established and proven
technologies and practices, which are updated for better performance and innovatively used for wider application in the local context,
where they are implementedAppropriate to local climatic conditions, and as such being energy efficient with little effortUsing locally
available and accessible resources, to reduce the need for transporting materials from afarNurturing local building material
manufacturersAlleviating shortages of construction materials for certain regions and nations during construction boom
periodsProviding job opportunities for local work forces, whose skills and experience are readily relevant, due to the familiarity to the
materials and techniques involved.Low-cost to no-additional cost for implementationResulting buildings that are socially and
culturally familiar to the users.Financial requirements and costsAppropriate renovation and innovative use of traditional building
materials and design usually require no additional to very little additional financial investment, due to the readiness of local work
forces and availability of local resources. For example, compressed earth blocks or stabilised rammed earth foundations are the main
material sources for many low-cost but good quality houses in rural India and Africa. The implementation of wind towers and water-
cooling envelopes require financial arrangements for additional construction costs and maintenance. The traditional Chinese practices
of building orientation and internal spatial arrangement are cost-free to implement, as these practices and techniques do not require
additional technologies or materials to be implemented.
References
Auroville Earth Institute (2009). Earth Based
Technologies. [Online]: [[1]]Lapithis P. (2004).
Traditional vs. Contemporary vs. Solar Buildings.
In Proceedings ISES Conference, Freiburg,
Germany. 19-22 July 2004.Mehta R. & Bridwell
L. (2004). Innovative Construction Technology
for Affordable Mass Housing in Tanzanie, East
Africa. In Construction Management and
Economics (2004) 22. Spon Press.
Thank you