This book describes a methodology and practical ways to design daylighting of buildings, while en... more This book describes a methodology and practical ways to design daylighting of buildings, while ensuring occupants' comfort, architectural quality and energy savings. The first edition of this book in 2003 received the prestigious Prize Roberval.La lumière naturelle est un des matériaux de conception de tout projet d'architecture. Cet ouvrage s'attache tant aux approches techniques qu'artistiques de l'éclairage naturel des espaces. Il décrit une méthodologie et les moyens pratiques pour créer des ambiances lumineuses génératrices de confort pour les occupants, dans un souci de qualité architecturale, d'économie d'énergie et de respect de notre planète. La première édition de ce livre a reçu en 2003 le prestigieux Prix Roberval dans la catégorie "enseignement supérieur".2ème éd
Ce rapport décrit la méthodologie de mise en oeuvre d'une carte portant sur le territoire de ... more Ce rapport décrit la méthodologie de mise en oeuvre d'une carte portant sur le territoire de la Région bruxelloise et représentant les points de demande de chaleur et de froid, les infrastructures existantes et prévues de réseaux de chaleur et de froid ainsi que les points d’approvisionnement potentiels en chaleur et en froid à l'échelle de la ville. Les cartes produites sont également présentées dans ce rapport
This paper addresses the challenges, transformations and conditions of a sustainable suburban tra... more This paper addresses the challenges, transformations and conditions of a sustainable suburban transition. Two powerful levers are used: (1) urban form, which is considered in addition to the individual building scale, and (2) mobility, because sprawl spatially separates activities, resulting in an increase in travel distances and energy used in transportation. Two main indicators (the heating needs of different types of suburban forms and a commute performance index) are developed and discussed. Three scenarios focused on the evolution of the existing building stock are modelled and assessed (the retrofitting of existing neighbourhoods, an increase in the built density and demolition / reconstruction) to answer two main questions: "how to intervene in suburban areas?" and" where to intervene? ". These main results focused on energy efficiency are then studied in a larger framework to highlight the opportunities, limitations, constraints and feasibility of each strategy. Concrete prospects and guidelines for policy makers are finally proposed to operationalize a "sustainable suburban renewal". These findings show that, beyond the traditional polarization of the debates on energy efficiency of our built environment between the “compact city” and the “sprawled city”, a new pragmatic paradigm, focused on the transition of suburban areas by densification, can make suburban areas evolve towards more sustainability.Peer reviewe
ABSTRACT There is an urgent need to reduce energy use in our cities. In Europe, energy consumptio... more ABSTRACT There is an urgent need to reduce energy use in our cities. In Europe, energy consumption in the building sector represents more than 40% of the final energy use. This sector, as well as the transportation and industrial sectors, is considered as a major contributor to climate change caused by the release of carbon dioxide and others greenhouses gases. Promoting energy efficiency in buildings is often presented as a viable approach to the mitigation of climate change. Energy efficiency in the building sector has thus been the focus of extensive worldwide research over the past decades. Numerous research have describe the use of mathematical models and simulation tools as the most credible approach to model the behaviour and to predict the energy consumption of a system. Most of them focus on the heating requirements of residential or tertiary buildings at the individual building scale. More recently, the role that the urban form plays in influencing the energy consumption of individuals buildings has also been studied extensively. Amongst their numerous advantages, the approaches based on mathematical models and simulation tools can account for a large number of parameters that are known to act upon the energy consumption of a system and to perform parametric variations to test the impact of energy efficiency strategies.
In the current context of increasing environmental awareness, energy efficiency is presented as a... more In the current context of increasing environmental awareness, energy efficiency is presented as a viable approach to the mitigation of climate change. In addition to public policies dealing with energy efficiency, heightening public awareness on the impact of citizens' lifestyles and behaviours is crucial and could quickly lead to significant reductions in the total energy consumption of a territory. This paper presents a new online interactive tool which enables citizens, local authorities and private developers (1) to assess energy consumption in the building and transportation sectors, at the individual and at the neighbourhood scales; (2) to compare them and (3) to find relevant and personalized hints to reduce their energy consumptions. Numerous methods and tools including a typological classification of buildings, thermal dynamic simulations, life-cycle assessments, statistical treatments of national censuses, etc. were used and combined to build the database used in the online interactive tool. This tool makes the main results of a scientific research accessible to a large non-specialized audience which is crucial in the scope of the sustainable development.
ABSTRACT The occupants’ behaviour has a great influence on the energy demand, management and cons... more ABSTRACT The occupants’ behaviour has a great influence on the energy demand, management and consumption of a building. This paper investigates the influence of three parameters related to human behaviour through their modes of occupations (based on family size, management of the heating system and management of the heated area) on the housing heating loads of a standard dwelling in Belgium. Seven levels of insulation were tested: no insulation, two intermediate levels corresponding to 3 and 6 cm of insulation, the current standard for new buildings in Belgium, the low energy standard, the very low energy standard and the passive house standard. Multi-zone simulations were performed with a dynamic thermal simulation software. The impact of occupants’ lifestyle and the interactions between occupation modes and insulation levels are highlighted. These results prove that the more the building is insulated, the more the lifestyle proportionally influences the heating loads. One important strategy for reducing heating consumption during the whole life cycle of the building is adapting the size of the house and its occupation modes to the evolution of family size. However, insulation is paramount, and increasing the insulation of the house provides generally better results than merely adapting the occupation mode.
Présentation des principaux résultats du projet de recherches SAFE (Suburban Areas Favoring Energ... more Présentation des principaux résultats du projet de recherches SAFE (Suburban Areas Favoring Energy efficiency) qui traitait de l'évaluation énergétique des quartiers périurbains wallons (bâtiment + transport)
Abstract: Urban sprawl has been identified as a major issue for sustainable development. Energy c... more Abstract: Urban sprawl has been identified as a major issue for sustainable development. Energy consumption in suburban buildings, in particular, is a widespread issue because detached types of houses require significantly more energy to be heated than more ...
the aspects of managing geographical information and web services. The goal of the GEOProcessing ... more the aspects of managing geographical information and web services. The goal of the GEOProcessing 2012 conference was to bring together researchers from the academia and practitioners from the industry in order to address fundamentals of advances in geographic information systems and the new applications related to them using the Web Services. Such systems can be used for assessment, modeling and prognosis of emergencies GEOProcessing 2012 provided a forum where researchers were able to present recent research results and new research problems and directions related to them. The topics covered aspects from fundamentals to more specialized topics such as 2D & 3D information visualization, web services and geospatial systems, geoinformation processing, and spatial data infrastructure. We take this opportunity to thank all the members of the GEOProcessing 2012 Technical Program Committee as well as the numerous reviewers. The creation of such a broad and high-quality conference program ...
The effect of climate on the use of outdoor spaces in urban environments is particularly importan... more The effect of climate on the use of outdoor spaces in urban environments is particularly important for activities that occur in these areas. The consideration of the thermal and visual outdoor conditions in cities is increasingly important for the well-being of man and the use of public spaces. Vegetation zones play a significant role in the city through their visual appeal and their regulation of microclimates. Considering the microclimatic modification produced by vegetation, the objective of this research is to compare the performance of areas shaded by five different types of tree coverage, including an open area without vegetation, located in a hot and dry climate. The methodology is based on a combination of in situ measurements and thermal and visual comfort surveys. Measurements of air temperature, air humidity, wind speed, solar global radiation, luminance and the sky view factor combined with comfort surveys were performed during summer in five different areas of a square ...
Nowadays, major European cities witness one of their greatest challenges in history. Increasing m... more Nowadays, major European cities witness one of their greatest challenges in history. Increasing migration from the rural areas, not to mention the massive migrations from the east, contributes in aggravating the challenge. As a response, United Nations urban agendas promote for developing urban spatial frameworks based on appropriate compactness, polycentrism and mixed use, preventing urban sprawl and marginalization. In this research, a methodology is presented that aids the decision making on roof stacking as a sustainable approach towards urban densification. Brussels Capital Region in Belgium is chosen as a case study to represent the outcomes of a methodology that has been developed to identify urban densification potential through roof stacking. Further applications to generalize the approach to fit other cities in Europe would help create additional opportunities to develop an automated tool for estimating such potentials on a wider scope.
This book describes a methodology and practical ways to design daylighting of buildings, while en... more This book describes a methodology and practical ways to design daylighting of buildings, while ensuring occupants' comfort, architectural quality and energy savings. The first edition of this book in 2003 received the prestigious Prize Roberval.La lumière naturelle est un des matériaux de conception de tout projet d'architecture. Cet ouvrage s'attache tant aux approches techniques qu'artistiques de l'éclairage naturel des espaces. Il décrit une méthodologie et les moyens pratiques pour créer des ambiances lumineuses génératrices de confort pour les occupants, dans un souci de qualité architecturale, d'économie d'énergie et de respect de notre planète. La première édition de ce livre a reçu en 2003 le prestigieux Prix Roberval dans la catégorie "enseignement supérieur".2ème éd
Ce rapport décrit la méthodologie de mise en oeuvre d'une carte portant sur le territoire de ... more Ce rapport décrit la méthodologie de mise en oeuvre d'une carte portant sur le territoire de la Région bruxelloise et représentant les points de demande de chaleur et de froid, les infrastructures existantes et prévues de réseaux de chaleur et de froid ainsi que les points d’approvisionnement potentiels en chaleur et en froid à l'échelle de la ville. Les cartes produites sont également présentées dans ce rapport
This paper addresses the challenges, transformations and conditions of a sustainable suburban tra... more This paper addresses the challenges, transformations and conditions of a sustainable suburban transition. Two powerful levers are used: (1) urban form, which is considered in addition to the individual building scale, and (2) mobility, because sprawl spatially separates activities, resulting in an increase in travel distances and energy used in transportation. Two main indicators (the heating needs of different types of suburban forms and a commute performance index) are developed and discussed. Three scenarios focused on the evolution of the existing building stock are modelled and assessed (the retrofitting of existing neighbourhoods, an increase in the built density and demolition / reconstruction) to answer two main questions: "how to intervene in suburban areas?" and" where to intervene? ". These main results focused on energy efficiency are then studied in a larger framework to highlight the opportunities, limitations, constraints and feasibility of each strategy. Concrete prospects and guidelines for policy makers are finally proposed to operationalize a "sustainable suburban renewal". These findings show that, beyond the traditional polarization of the debates on energy efficiency of our built environment between the “compact city” and the “sprawled city”, a new pragmatic paradigm, focused on the transition of suburban areas by densification, can make suburban areas evolve towards more sustainability.Peer reviewe
ABSTRACT There is an urgent need to reduce energy use in our cities. In Europe, energy consumptio... more ABSTRACT There is an urgent need to reduce energy use in our cities. In Europe, energy consumption in the building sector represents more than 40% of the final energy use. This sector, as well as the transportation and industrial sectors, is considered as a major contributor to climate change caused by the release of carbon dioxide and others greenhouses gases. Promoting energy efficiency in buildings is often presented as a viable approach to the mitigation of climate change. Energy efficiency in the building sector has thus been the focus of extensive worldwide research over the past decades. Numerous research have describe the use of mathematical models and simulation tools as the most credible approach to model the behaviour and to predict the energy consumption of a system. Most of them focus on the heating requirements of residential or tertiary buildings at the individual building scale. More recently, the role that the urban form plays in influencing the energy consumption of individuals buildings has also been studied extensively. Amongst their numerous advantages, the approaches based on mathematical models and simulation tools can account for a large number of parameters that are known to act upon the energy consumption of a system and to perform parametric variations to test the impact of energy efficiency strategies.
In the current context of increasing environmental awareness, energy efficiency is presented as a... more In the current context of increasing environmental awareness, energy efficiency is presented as a viable approach to the mitigation of climate change. In addition to public policies dealing with energy efficiency, heightening public awareness on the impact of citizens' lifestyles and behaviours is crucial and could quickly lead to significant reductions in the total energy consumption of a territory. This paper presents a new online interactive tool which enables citizens, local authorities and private developers (1) to assess energy consumption in the building and transportation sectors, at the individual and at the neighbourhood scales; (2) to compare them and (3) to find relevant and personalized hints to reduce their energy consumptions. Numerous methods and tools including a typological classification of buildings, thermal dynamic simulations, life-cycle assessments, statistical treatments of national censuses, etc. were used and combined to build the database used in the online interactive tool. This tool makes the main results of a scientific research accessible to a large non-specialized audience which is crucial in the scope of the sustainable development.
ABSTRACT The occupants’ behaviour has a great influence on the energy demand, management and cons... more ABSTRACT The occupants’ behaviour has a great influence on the energy demand, management and consumption of a building. This paper investigates the influence of three parameters related to human behaviour through their modes of occupations (based on family size, management of the heating system and management of the heated area) on the housing heating loads of a standard dwelling in Belgium. Seven levels of insulation were tested: no insulation, two intermediate levels corresponding to 3 and 6 cm of insulation, the current standard for new buildings in Belgium, the low energy standard, the very low energy standard and the passive house standard. Multi-zone simulations were performed with a dynamic thermal simulation software. The impact of occupants’ lifestyle and the interactions between occupation modes and insulation levels are highlighted. These results prove that the more the building is insulated, the more the lifestyle proportionally influences the heating loads. One important strategy for reducing heating consumption during the whole life cycle of the building is adapting the size of the house and its occupation modes to the evolution of family size. However, insulation is paramount, and increasing the insulation of the house provides generally better results than merely adapting the occupation mode.
Présentation des principaux résultats du projet de recherches SAFE (Suburban Areas Favoring Energ... more Présentation des principaux résultats du projet de recherches SAFE (Suburban Areas Favoring Energy efficiency) qui traitait de l'évaluation énergétique des quartiers périurbains wallons (bâtiment + transport)
Abstract: Urban sprawl has been identified as a major issue for sustainable development. Energy c... more Abstract: Urban sprawl has been identified as a major issue for sustainable development. Energy consumption in suburban buildings, in particular, is a widespread issue because detached types of houses require significantly more energy to be heated than more ...
the aspects of managing geographical information and web services. The goal of the GEOProcessing ... more the aspects of managing geographical information and web services. The goal of the GEOProcessing 2012 conference was to bring together researchers from the academia and practitioners from the industry in order to address fundamentals of advances in geographic information systems and the new applications related to them using the Web Services. Such systems can be used for assessment, modeling and prognosis of emergencies GEOProcessing 2012 provided a forum where researchers were able to present recent research results and new research problems and directions related to them. The topics covered aspects from fundamentals to more specialized topics such as 2D & 3D information visualization, web services and geospatial systems, geoinformation processing, and spatial data infrastructure. We take this opportunity to thank all the members of the GEOProcessing 2012 Technical Program Committee as well as the numerous reviewers. The creation of such a broad and high-quality conference program ...
The effect of climate on the use of outdoor spaces in urban environments is particularly importan... more The effect of climate on the use of outdoor spaces in urban environments is particularly important for activities that occur in these areas. The consideration of the thermal and visual outdoor conditions in cities is increasingly important for the well-being of man and the use of public spaces. Vegetation zones play a significant role in the city through their visual appeal and their regulation of microclimates. Considering the microclimatic modification produced by vegetation, the objective of this research is to compare the performance of areas shaded by five different types of tree coverage, including an open area without vegetation, located in a hot and dry climate. The methodology is based on a combination of in situ measurements and thermal and visual comfort surveys. Measurements of air temperature, air humidity, wind speed, solar global radiation, luminance and the sky view factor combined with comfort surveys were performed during summer in five different areas of a square ...
Nowadays, major European cities witness one of their greatest challenges in history. Increasing m... more Nowadays, major European cities witness one of their greatest challenges in history. Increasing migration from the rural areas, not to mention the massive migrations from the east, contributes in aggravating the challenge. As a response, United Nations urban agendas promote for developing urban spatial frameworks based on appropriate compactness, polycentrism and mixed use, preventing urban sprawl and marginalization. In this research, a methodology is presented that aids the decision making on roof stacking as a sustainable approach towards urban densification. Brussels Capital Region in Belgium is chosen as a case study to represent the outcomes of a methodology that has been developed to identify urban densification potential through roof stacking. Further applications to generalize the approach to fit other cities in Europe would help create additional opportunities to develop an automated tool for estimating such potentials on a wider scope.
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