Search results for "Building"
showing 10 items of 1985 documents
Energy planning methodology of net-zero energy solar neighborhoods in the Mediterranean basin
2016
The article proposes a simplified methodology to optimize solar energy gains at district level in the Mediterranean area toward the achievement of the net-zero energy district target, to be applicable as well in similar hot climates. The approach includes a wide use of parametric analysis to explore the most impactful aspects of the design of solar net-zero energy districts: single unit shape, building mutual distances, road shape, building orientation, photovoltaics area availability to identify the optimal design solution. Thirty-two different district configurations are explored: results show that in the Mediterranean context, it is possible to reach the net-zero energy district target i…
The growth of “black crusts” on calcareous building stones in Palermo (Sicily): a first appraisal of anthropogenic and natural sulphur sources
2008
Chemical, mineralogical and isotopic composition (34S/32S) analyses were carried out on “black crusts” developed on the old buildings of Palermo (Sicily) with the aim to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic sulphur sources. Furthermore individual samples of total suspended particulate (TSP) were collected and analysed in order to estimate the influence of air pollution on the decay process of calcareous stones in a typical southern Mediterranean coastal environment. SEM/EDS analysis, X-ray diffractometry, IR spectroscopy and liquid chromatography led to the compositional characterization of “black crusts” and airborne particulate matter in the city. Sulphur isotopic compositions of…
Effect of additives on the structural organization of asphaltene aggregates in bitumen
2019
Abstract Bitumens are composite materials whose complex organization hinders the rational understanding of their relationships between composition, structure and performances. So, research attempting to shed more light in this field is required. In this work Wide Angle X ray Scattering (WAXS) has been used to explore the influence of six opportunely chosen additives on the bitumen structure with the aim to ultimately correlate the findings with the bitumen performances. Diagnostic fingerprints have been observed in the WAXS profile: asphaltenes form stuck of about 18 A and constituted by about 6 asphaltene units on average. Such stucks are, in turn, organized at higher levels of complexity …
Data fusion analysis applied to different climate change models: An application to the energy consumptions of a building office
2019
Abstract The paper aims to achieve the modelling of climate change effects on heating and cooling in the building sector, through the use of the available Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecasted data. Data from several different climate models will be fused with regards to mean air temperature, wind speed and horizontal solar radiation. Several climatic models data were analysed ranging from January 2006 to December 2100. Rather than considering each model in isolation, we propose a data fusion approach for providing a robust combined model for morphing an existing weather data file. The final aim is simulating future energy use for heating and cooling of a reference building a…
On the staking of miniaturized air-breathing microbial fuel cells
2018
Abstract This work focuses on the scale-up of the MFCs by miniaturization and multiplication strategy. Performances of five stacks containing 1, 2, 5, 8 and 16 MFCs were compared. Each stack was evaluated under individual, parallel and series electrical connection as well as for cascade or individual hydraulic connection. Cascade feeding mode with a tank per stack favours the COD removal when the number of MFCs in the stack increases. However, despite operating without COD limitations, the energy production was disadvantaged. By changing the feeding system of a tank per stack into an individual tank per MFC, the performance of the whole stack enhances considerably. Stacking in series can in…
Editorial: Calculation of Passenger Car Equivalents at Roundabouts
2021
Editorial on the Research Topic: Calculation of Passenger Car Equivalents at Roundabouts About this Research Topic: Calculation of Passenger Car Equivalents (PCEs) for heavy vehicles represents the starting point for the operational analysis of road facilities and other traffic management applications. PCEs are used to consider the presence of heavy vehicles in the traffic stream and are expressed as multiples of the effect of an average passenger car. Moreover, the highly curvilinear nature of the roundabout design, both in urban and rural environment, has significant effects on the paths that heavy vehicles would travel; as a consequence, the interaction between the physical and performan…
OPTIMIZATION OF POLYGENERATION SYSTEMS SERVING A CLUSTER OF BUILDINGS
2012
The optimization of combined energy systems for the production and distribution of warm and cold fluids to civil users is very complex; two possible configurations, i.e. the small single units for individual buildings and the large plants integrated with district heating networks, can be essentially considered, especially in cold climates. Dealing with such a complex problem, involving a very large number of variables, requires efficient algorithms and resolution techniques. The present chapter illustrates a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP)1 approach to the optimization of synthesis, design and operation for CHCP-based μ-grids including thermal energy storages. A novel approach is presen…
Life cycle assessment of solar communities
2020
Abstract This study presents the comparison of the life cycle performance of two different urban energy systems, applied to a large mixed-use community, in Calgary (Canada). The two systems investigated consist of an energy efficient conventional system, using heat pumps for heating, cooling and domestic hot water; the second design widely deploys solar thermal panels coupled to district heating infrastructure and a borehole seasonal thermal storage. The analysis is based on the Life Cycle Assessment methodology and includes the stages of raw materials and energy supply, system manufacturing, use stage of the systems, generation and use of energy on-site, maintenance and components’ substit…
Mobilità urbana e topografia: quattro progetti per Petralia Sottana
2013
Urban mobility and topography:four projects for Petralia Sottana. Many villages on the Madonie mountains share some material and non-material conditions: a complex articulation of the territorial altimetry,which often generates extraordinary landscape sites; a widespread population decrease (up to 50% in the last decades); the increasing relocation of inhabitants from the historical centre to peripheral areas; the difficult conciliation of both private and public traffic with the historical urban context; a deficit in the natural cycle of substitution and renovation of historical buildings and of public spaces. Four urban projects have been elaborated by the department of Architecture of Pa…
Assessing the Differential Affinity of Small Molecules for Noncanonical DNA Structures
2012
The targeting of higher-order DNA structures has been thoroughly developed with G-quadruplex DNA but not with other structures like branched DNA (also known as DNA junctions). Because these alternative higher-order DNA architectures might be of high biological relevance, we implemented a high-throughput version of the FRET melting assay that enabled us to map the interactions of a candidate with four different DNA structures (duplex- and quadruplex DNA, three- and four-way junctions) in a rapid and reliable manner. We also introduce a novel index, the BONDS (branched and other noncanonical DNA selectivity) index, to conveniently quantify this differential affinity.