Purpose Using a quantitative research method, health-care workers’ (HWs) well-being was taken as ... more Purpose Using a quantitative research method, health-care workers’ (HWs) well-being was taken as the dependent variable while the two independent variables were physical quality and service environment. This study aims to focus on the well-being of HWs in their physical environment. Design/methodology/approach This study used a hybrid method that is a combination of literature review and questionnaire survey. This study used quantitative research design which is a systematic study of phenomenon by collecting quantifiable data and performing statistical, mathematical or computational techniques. This study is conducted among HWs, with doctors and nurses at four Chinese government hospitals in the southern city of Changzhou (near Shanghai) as participants. Findings A total of 222 responses were obtained from a random sample of HWs from four hospitals in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Three-fifth of the participants (n = 133, 60%) are satisfied with hospital equipment and half (n = 111.50%) of them are satisfied with the modern technology in place. About one-third (n = 67, 30%) are satisfied with ventilation and only one-fifth (n = 44, 20%) are satisfied with hygiene. Most HWs think it was necessary to provide tests for frontline workers. Originality/value In the wake of COVID-19 in 2020, HWs are working long hours every day facing high risk of infection and stress. This research investigates the satisfaction level and the difficulties experienced by HWs based on the current physical environment setting during COVID-19 pandemic.
Several studies have shown that plants with a variety of performance categories can improve indoo... more Several studies have shown that plants with a variety of performance categories can improve indoor air quality (IAQ). In addition, it has positive impacts on occupants’ concentration ability, work efficiency, job satisfaction, mental health, stress reduction, and sense of well-being. However, there is few research that have focused on the impact of indoor plants towards physical indoor environment. Therefore, this study performs several experiments to examine the impacts of indoor plants on physical indoor environment in Malaysia. This study further observes the use of five different species of potted plants and its effects on the IAQ concerning the physical parameters of air temperature and relative humidity in a classroom and an office room setting environment. Moreover, this paper explores the function of plants as a natural air purifying agent and temperature regulation, as it helps to cool down the internal temperature of a building while providing areas of the building with an...
The increasing need for eco-friendly green building and creative passive design technology in res... more The increasing need for eco-friendly green building and creative passive design technology in response to climatic change and global warming issues will continue. However, the need to preserve and sustain the natural environment is also crucial. A building envelope plays a pivotal role in areas where the greatest heat and energy loss often occur. Investment for the passive design aspect of building envelopes is essential to address CO 2 emission. This research aims to explore the suitability of using integral-monolithic structural insulation fibre-reinforced lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) without additional insulation as a building envelope material in a high-rise residential building in the different climatic zones of the world. Polypropylene and steel fibres in different dosages were used in a structural grade expanded clay lightweight aggregate concrete. Physical and thermal properties of fibre reinforced structural LWAC, normal weight concrete (NWC) and bricks were measur...
Abstract The thermal conductivity (k-value) of cement-based materials like concrete is an importa... more Abstract The thermal conductivity (k-value) of cement-based materials like concrete is an important factor when considering the amount of heat transfer through conduction. The amount of heat loss through walls and roofs has a direct effect on the energy consumption of buildings. The steady state and transient methods are considered the two main thermal conductivity measurement approaches. The moisture content, temperature, type of aggregate, type of cementitious material and density of concrete are influential factors on the thermal conductivity. The aim of this paper is to review the techniques most commonly used to measure the thermal conductivity of concrete as well as to consider the factors affecting the thermal conductivity of cement-based materials. In addition, a general equation for predicting the thermal conductivity of concrete is proposed in this study based on data reported by researchers. The results of this review indicate that most researchers have measured the k-value of cement-based materials based on transient methods. The reported k-value in saturated conditions is higher than in dry conditions. Moreover, the measured k-value exhibits a declining trend with increasing temperature. It is concluded that using lightweight concrete in structural and non-structural building envelopes is a valuable method of reducing the amount of heat transfer and energy consumption owing to the lower k-value of lightweight concrete compared to normal weight concrete.
PurposeThis paper aims to raise awareness on how a simple action by the occupant can significantl... more PurposeThis paper aims to raise awareness on how a simple action by the occupant can significantly influence building energy efficiency, cost and CO2 emissions to the environment. Classrooms in schools are the primary energy consumers (45.4%) due to the use of artificial lighting, despite Malaysia's tropical climate being ideal for daylight exploitation. This paper focuses on assessing the workplane daylight distribution quality and quantity in baseline and existing conditions of a typical pre-school classroom in Kuala Lumpur as a model-based exploration strategy towards nearly Zero Energy Buildings.Design/methodology/approachThe adopted method is based on the calculation of average daylight factor (DF), daylight illuminance level (IL) and uniformity ratio (UR) parameters affected by the internal fixed drapes through computational and in situ measurements according to the requirements of the law and respective standards comprising the MS1525:2019, GBI and BREEAM.FindingsThe resu...
PurposeCommercial buildings, which include office buildings, are one of the three major energy-co... more PurposeCommercial buildings, which include office buildings, are one of the three major energy-consuming sectors, alongside industrial and transportation sectors. The vast increase in the number of buildings is a positive sign of the rapid development of Malaysia. However, most Malaysian government office buildings tend to consume energy inefficiently due to lack of energy optimization. Most of the previous studies focused on the performance of green buildings in fulfilling the green development guidelines. As such, it is essential to study the energy performance of existing government office buildings that were constructed before most energy-efficient standards were implemented to mitigate energy wastage due to the lack of energy optimization. This study aims to analyse the energy performance of existing non-green Malaysian government office buildings and the factors that influence building energy consumption, as well as to evaluate the efficacy of the existing energy conservation ...
In recent years, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been widely used as a method of simulatin... more In recent years, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been widely used as a method of simulating airflow and addressing indoor environment problems. The complexity of airflows within the indoor environment would make experimental investigation difficult to undertake and also imposes significant challenges on turbulence modelling for flow prediction. This research examines through CFD visualization how air is distributed within a room. Measurements of air temperature and air velocity have been performed at a number of points in an environmental test chamber with a human occupant. To complement the experimental results, CFD simulations were carried out and the results enabled detailed analysis and visualization of spatial distribution of airflow patterns and the effect of different parameters to be predicted. The results demonstrate the complexity of modelling human exhalation within a ventilated enclosure and shed some light into how to achieve more realistic predictions of the airflow within an occupied enclosure.
The spatial distribution of CO 2 level in a classroom carried out in previous field work research... more The spatial distribution of CO 2 level in a classroom carried out in previous field work research has demonstrated that there is some evidence of variations in CO 2 concentration in a classroom space. Significant fluctuations in CO 2 concentration were found at different sampling points depending on the ventilation strategies and environmental conditions prevailing in individual classrooms. However, how these variations are affected by the emitting sources and the room air movement remains unknown. Hence, it was concluded that detailed investigation of the CO 2 distribution need to be performed on a smaller scale. As a result, it was decided to use an environmental chamber with various methods and rates of ventilation, for the same internal temperature and heat loads, to study the effect of ventilation strategy and air movement on the distribution of CO 2 concentration in a room. The role of human exhalation and its interaction with the plume induced by the body's convective flow and room air movement due to different ventilation strategies were studied in a chamber at the University of Reading. These phenomena are considered to be important in understanding and predicting the flow patterns in a space and how these impact on the distribution of contaminants. This paper attempts to study the CO 2 dispersion and distribution at the exhalation zone of two people sitting in a chamber as well as throughout the occupied zone of the chamber. The horizontal and vertical distributions of CO 2 were sampled at locations with a probability that CO 2 variation is considered high. Although the room size, source location, ventilation rate and location of air supply and extract devices all can have influence on the CO 2 distribution, this article gives general guidelines on the optimum positioning of CO 2 sensor in a room.
Passive ventilation techniques can both improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and reduce energy consum... more Passive ventilation techniques can both improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and reduce energy consumption and costs in buildings. In particular, using wind-driven ventilation as a passive design strategy can increase indoor air velocity in naturally ventilated buildings. In tropical regions, where there are only limited differences between indoor and outdoor air temperatures, wind-driven ventilation through a transom ventilation panel (TVP) can be a positive ventilation technique. In this study, we evaluated through experimental tests the efficiency of singlesided ventilation and cross-ventilation through a TVP in a unit within a high-rise residential (HRR) building. To this end, we carried out a series of numerical simulations to calculate the airflow patterns and the indoor air velocity for various outdoor wind speeds when cross-ventilation was applied. The results show that TVP can increase indoor air velocity by up to four times, depending on the outdoor wind speed and the location within the unit. Also, in windy conditions, the mean air change per hour (ACH) in a unit equipped with a TVP is 27% greater than a unit without a TVP. Moreover, a TVP can improve air change rate even when the outdoor wind speed is less than 0.02 ms −1 .
Purpose Using a quantitative research method, health-care workers’ (HWs) well-being was taken as ... more Purpose Using a quantitative research method, health-care workers’ (HWs) well-being was taken as the dependent variable while the two independent variables were physical quality and service environment. This study aims to focus on the well-being of HWs in their physical environment. Design/methodology/approach This study used a hybrid method that is a combination of literature review and questionnaire survey. This study used quantitative research design which is a systematic study of phenomenon by collecting quantifiable data and performing statistical, mathematical or computational techniques. This study is conducted among HWs, with doctors and nurses at four Chinese government hospitals in the southern city of Changzhou (near Shanghai) as participants. Findings A total of 222 responses were obtained from a random sample of HWs from four hospitals in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Three-fifth of the participants (n = 133, 60%) are satisfied with hospital equipment and half (n = 111.50%) of them are satisfied with the modern technology in place. About one-third (n = 67, 30%) are satisfied with ventilation and only one-fifth (n = 44, 20%) are satisfied with hygiene. Most HWs think it was necessary to provide tests for frontline workers. Originality/value In the wake of COVID-19 in 2020, HWs are working long hours every day facing high risk of infection and stress. This research investigates the satisfaction level and the difficulties experienced by HWs based on the current physical environment setting during COVID-19 pandemic.
Several studies have shown that plants with a variety of performance categories can improve indoo... more Several studies have shown that plants with a variety of performance categories can improve indoor air quality (IAQ). In addition, it has positive impacts on occupants’ concentration ability, work efficiency, job satisfaction, mental health, stress reduction, and sense of well-being. However, there is few research that have focused on the impact of indoor plants towards physical indoor environment. Therefore, this study performs several experiments to examine the impacts of indoor plants on physical indoor environment in Malaysia. This study further observes the use of five different species of potted plants and its effects on the IAQ concerning the physical parameters of air temperature and relative humidity in a classroom and an office room setting environment. Moreover, this paper explores the function of plants as a natural air purifying agent and temperature regulation, as it helps to cool down the internal temperature of a building while providing areas of the building with an...
The increasing need for eco-friendly green building and creative passive design technology in res... more The increasing need for eco-friendly green building and creative passive design technology in response to climatic change and global warming issues will continue. However, the need to preserve and sustain the natural environment is also crucial. A building envelope plays a pivotal role in areas where the greatest heat and energy loss often occur. Investment for the passive design aspect of building envelopes is essential to address CO 2 emission. This research aims to explore the suitability of using integral-monolithic structural insulation fibre-reinforced lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) without additional insulation as a building envelope material in a high-rise residential building in the different climatic zones of the world. Polypropylene and steel fibres in different dosages were used in a structural grade expanded clay lightweight aggregate concrete. Physical and thermal properties of fibre reinforced structural LWAC, normal weight concrete (NWC) and bricks were measur...
Abstract The thermal conductivity (k-value) of cement-based materials like concrete is an importa... more Abstract The thermal conductivity (k-value) of cement-based materials like concrete is an important factor when considering the amount of heat transfer through conduction. The amount of heat loss through walls and roofs has a direct effect on the energy consumption of buildings. The steady state and transient methods are considered the two main thermal conductivity measurement approaches. The moisture content, temperature, type of aggregate, type of cementitious material and density of concrete are influential factors on the thermal conductivity. The aim of this paper is to review the techniques most commonly used to measure the thermal conductivity of concrete as well as to consider the factors affecting the thermal conductivity of cement-based materials. In addition, a general equation for predicting the thermal conductivity of concrete is proposed in this study based on data reported by researchers. The results of this review indicate that most researchers have measured the k-value of cement-based materials based on transient methods. The reported k-value in saturated conditions is higher than in dry conditions. Moreover, the measured k-value exhibits a declining trend with increasing temperature. It is concluded that using lightweight concrete in structural and non-structural building envelopes is a valuable method of reducing the amount of heat transfer and energy consumption owing to the lower k-value of lightweight concrete compared to normal weight concrete.
PurposeThis paper aims to raise awareness on how a simple action by the occupant can significantl... more PurposeThis paper aims to raise awareness on how a simple action by the occupant can significantly influence building energy efficiency, cost and CO2 emissions to the environment. Classrooms in schools are the primary energy consumers (45.4%) due to the use of artificial lighting, despite Malaysia's tropical climate being ideal for daylight exploitation. This paper focuses on assessing the workplane daylight distribution quality and quantity in baseline and existing conditions of a typical pre-school classroom in Kuala Lumpur as a model-based exploration strategy towards nearly Zero Energy Buildings.Design/methodology/approachThe adopted method is based on the calculation of average daylight factor (DF), daylight illuminance level (IL) and uniformity ratio (UR) parameters affected by the internal fixed drapes through computational and in situ measurements according to the requirements of the law and respective standards comprising the MS1525:2019, GBI and BREEAM.FindingsThe resu...
PurposeCommercial buildings, which include office buildings, are one of the three major energy-co... more PurposeCommercial buildings, which include office buildings, are one of the three major energy-consuming sectors, alongside industrial and transportation sectors. The vast increase in the number of buildings is a positive sign of the rapid development of Malaysia. However, most Malaysian government office buildings tend to consume energy inefficiently due to lack of energy optimization. Most of the previous studies focused on the performance of green buildings in fulfilling the green development guidelines. As such, it is essential to study the energy performance of existing government office buildings that were constructed before most energy-efficient standards were implemented to mitigate energy wastage due to the lack of energy optimization. This study aims to analyse the energy performance of existing non-green Malaysian government office buildings and the factors that influence building energy consumption, as well as to evaluate the efficacy of the existing energy conservation ...
In recent years, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been widely used as a method of simulatin... more In recent years, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been widely used as a method of simulating airflow and addressing indoor environment problems. The complexity of airflows within the indoor environment would make experimental investigation difficult to undertake and also imposes significant challenges on turbulence modelling for flow prediction. This research examines through CFD visualization how air is distributed within a room. Measurements of air temperature and air velocity have been performed at a number of points in an environmental test chamber with a human occupant. To complement the experimental results, CFD simulations were carried out and the results enabled detailed analysis and visualization of spatial distribution of airflow patterns and the effect of different parameters to be predicted. The results demonstrate the complexity of modelling human exhalation within a ventilated enclosure and shed some light into how to achieve more realistic predictions of the airflow within an occupied enclosure.
The spatial distribution of CO 2 level in a classroom carried out in previous field work research... more The spatial distribution of CO 2 level in a classroom carried out in previous field work research has demonstrated that there is some evidence of variations in CO 2 concentration in a classroom space. Significant fluctuations in CO 2 concentration were found at different sampling points depending on the ventilation strategies and environmental conditions prevailing in individual classrooms. However, how these variations are affected by the emitting sources and the room air movement remains unknown. Hence, it was concluded that detailed investigation of the CO 2 distribution need to be performed on a smaller scale. As a result, it was decided to use an environmental chamber with various methods and rates of ventilation, for the same internal temperature and heat loads, to study the effect of ventilation strategy and air movement on the distribution of CO 2 concentration in a room. The role of human exhalation and its interaction with the plume induced by the body's convective flow and room air movement due to different ventilation strategies were studied in a chamber at the University of Reading. These phenomena are considered to be important in understanding and predicting the flow patterns in a space and how these impact on the distribution of contaminants. This paper attempts to study the CO 2 dispersion and distribution at the exhalation zone of two people sitting in a chamber as well as throughout the occupied zone of the chamber. The horizontal and vertical distributions of CO 2 were sampled at locations with a probability that CO 2 variation is considered high. Although the room size, source location, ventilation rate and location of air supply and extract devices all can have influence on the CO 2 distribution, this article gives general guidelines on the optimum positioning of CO 2 sensor in a room.
Passive ventilation techniques can both improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and reduce energy consum... more Passive ventilation techniques can both improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and reduce energy consumption and costs in buildings. In particular, using wind-driven ventilation as a passive design strategy can increase indoor air velocity in naturally ventilated buildings. In tropical regions, where there are only limited differences between indoor and outdoor air temperatures, wind-driven ventilation through a transom ventilation panel (TVP) can be a positive ventilation technique. In this study, we evaluated through experimental tests the efficiency of singlesided ventilation and cross-ventilation through a TVP in a unit within a high-rise residential (HRR) building. To this end, we carried out a series of numerical simulations to calculate the airflow patterns and the indoor air velocity for various outdoor wind speeds when cross-ventilation was applied. The results show that TVP can increase indoor air velocity by up to four times, depending on the outdoor wind speed and the location within the unit. Also, in windy conditions, the mean air change per hour (ACH) in a unit equipped with a TVP is 27% greater than a unit without a TVP. Moreover, a TVP can improve air change rate even when the outdoor wind speed is less than 0.02 ms −1 .
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