AHFE Open AccessHuman Factors in Architecture, Sustainable Urban Planning and Infrastructure
Editors: Alicja Maciejko
Topics: Sustainable Urban Planning and Infrastructure
Publication Date: 2023
ISBN: 978-1-958651-65-0
DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1003991
Articles
The search for a new housing formula using T-plan houses based on an analysis of typologies of housing as a response to the global housing crisis.
The article presents a proposal for a new formula of housing construction based on the author's architectural design of a T-shaped house against the background of the current crisis housing situation in the world. The analysis of the literature showed that there is a gap in defining the typology of low-budget residential architecture, which is developing outside the standard regulatory systems as a bottom-up response to crisis problems. The search for a new housing formula with the use of houses on the T plan is presented on the basis of the use of various features of residential spaces characteristic of single-family and multi-family housing, collective and community housing, and unregulated, as well as on the basis of the geometric and technological possibilities of the proposed solution. The result of this search, based on the research method consisting in the selection of features and criteria characterizing extremely different types of buildings, is a model that largely resembles the idea of a community house and can be a response to the global housing crisis as well as a proposal to complete the typology of housing.
Alicja Maciejko
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Exploring the Potential of Gestures for Controlling Doors and Windows in Smart Homes
This paper explores the potential of gesture interaction as an alternative control concept for doors, windows and sliding systems in smart homes. In a first step, a technical prototype was built that enables to open and close door and window elements with a hand-swiping gesture. In a second step, a user study with N = 95 participants was conducted to explore the perceived usefulness of the developed solution using a questionnaire with 24 items. The results showed that 78 percent of the participants liked the concept of contactless gesture control of doors, windows and sliding systems. The reluctance of the remaining group could be traced back to a missing experience with smart control concepts (e.g., voice assistants) (t-test: Spearman’s rs = .27, p = .044) and the belief that gestures are hard to remember (chi-square test: α < .01, p = .007). The study also confirmed that the implemented control concept and gestures were perceived as natural and intuitively understandable.
Sinem Görmez, Carsten Röcker
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
A Systematic Review of Smart Building Acceptance Based on User Experience
As emerging technologies broaden the field of architectural design, traditional buildings are unable to meet the diverse needs of different groups, and smart buildings have become the future direction of architectural development. Despite this, the focus of the community is still on the development of smart technology, ignoring the user experience. As awareness of building response increases, research in this area is a key gap in how to improve the acceptance of smart buildings by different groups of people. This paper classifies and evaluates research on user experience-based acceptance of smart buildings based on a systematic review using the web of science core collection database based on the existing literature on this topic of research. Two directions are addressed in this review to better answer the questions and objectives of this study. The first review of the theoretical foundations of innovation is conducted in terms of the logic that user experience influences acceptance, mainly user experience theory, emotional design theory, and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Secondly, based on the theory of affective design, three levels of practical design of smart building interaction experiences are reviewed, the visceral layer (visual and voice interaction), the behavioural layer (gesture, behaviour interaction) and the reflective layer (emotion interaction). This review provides a theoretical framework for the study of user experience influencing acceptance, summarises the classification of interactive experiences that improve user experience, and suggests recommendations and directions for future research on smart buildings. It is found that user experience-centred smart buildings can improve the quality of life of users, leading to increased acceptance and continued adoption for sustainable living.
Lina Xu
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Bioclimatic High Rise Buildings in China Recent Trends
Today, the architectural design process is based on developing digital technologies, and the interest in „fitting” buildings into a local microclimate is increasing. The study of development trends of high-rise buildings in China shows that, in addition to the requirements of bioclimatic comfort inside buildings, the impact of the bioclimatic external effect on the environment is essential. The study brings up the subject of modeling high-rise building facades to present the tendency of generative design methods in the design process of bioclimatic building.
Jinzhong Wang, Wojciech Bonenberg, Agata Bonenberg, Xia Wei
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Measured architectures for the circularity of building
Over the years, much has been said and written about the concept of minimum in architecture. Reflections such as those on microarchitectures, minimal architecture and minimal living have always referred to processes of "reduction" of architecture, conceiving the contraction of the dimensions of the buildings as directly proportional to the decrease in their value and the restriction of their functions. This article instead reports the results of a research activity, conducted in recent years, to focus on the "measured architecture" concept, recognizing in the measure a strategy to achieve great results that go far beyond the buildings dimensions. The goal is to identify and recognize the art of building the maximum with the minimum.With reference to the contemporary cultural mood, the ability of architecture to measure itself against the needs of saving materials, energy, soil and resources in general is recognized as the possibility of contributing to the ecological transition processes which call for conditions of balance between the natural and built environments for the human life quality.Starting from some considerations on the role of building within the limits of development, the first part of the article proposes some reflections on the measure as a just limit. Starting from the concept of reduction referring to architecture, which the adjectives micro, minimum, minimal and minor have expressed over the years, the concept of "measured architecture" is outlined, to stimulate understanding of the relationships that buildings should have with human beings (to guarantee optimal conditions of psycho-physical well-being) and nature (to allow the saving of materials, energy and soil and to reduce harmful emissions and scraps and waste production) to go beyond the limit. Thus the transition from an architecture that contains and expresses itself in a static way to an architecture that relates according to a dynamic nature is promoted.The second part of the article presents some results of design experiments that return some examples of how measured architecture can be expressed in the natural environments responsible use, in building and environmental recovery interventions, in the historic centers revitalization, in the public space redevelopment and, more generally, in urban regeneration processes.These results, which propose constructions made of low environmental impact materials and products and dry construction solutions, make explicit the role that measured architectures can have in the conversion of buildings towards circularity. The concept of measured, indeed, also refers to design solutions that minimize the amount of scraps and waste in the decommissioning or transformation phases of the designed volumes (for example in changes in uses). The concept of measure, includes both the use of materials and construction systems capable of ensuring reuse and recycling of technical elements and the definition of design solutions that envisage the future reusability of buildings above all through characteristics of adaptability and flexibility .This article proposes, through the measure of architecture in the recognition and management of the "limit", a strategy and a culture that can favor the development of a circular way of building.
Donatella Radogna
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Making Architecture: Javier García Solera - The Sense of Place in Architecture
There is a growing awareness in today's society of the importance of architecture and place, but as the cities we live in grow and our lifestyles change, so does the way we use space. This means that the role of the architect is increasingly important. The development of the city and its rapid growth has become a stage to demonstrate the individualism of an architecture biased towards the spectacle and clearly towards real estate. It is important to recognize the good way of doing architecture. This article intends to establish the importance of the place in the work of the architect Javier García Solera, being for him an important condition to project and a result to be achieved with the construction. Through the bibliographical review, the condition of its architecture and the purpose of its design are described, establishing the strategy that is part of the solution, when facing the place and the initial idea of projecting. At the same time, the present study establishes through the bibliographic review, the notion of what the place means, its different scales and perceptions. It is concluded that architecture is the human response to the environment in which we live and what is its impact on the landscape, as an expression of identity and what sensations it provokes in those who inhabit it. With this study the fundamental role of the place is defined, understanding it as a necessary condition for architecture to exist.
Marco Sosa, Boris Orellana-Alvear, Natalia Pacurucu
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Emotional Effects of Color in Noisy Environment: A Virtual Reality Study on Subway Platforms
Color design is a potential way to improve the human experience of subway platform. This study investigated the effect of color on emotion and environmental preference in subway platforms. In particular, taking possible audio-visual interaction into account, this study investigated the differences in color-emotion effect under different noise levels. Virtual reality was used to simulate the subway platform environment, and 11 colors × 2 noise levels were examined. Participants’ emotions and preferences were measured by self-reports and EEG signals. The results indicated that the hue and color type of the subway platform have a significant influence on emotion and preference, and preference can be predicted by two emotion dimensions: pleasure and arousal. This study also found that environmental preference differed in different noise levels, and there was an interaction between hue and noise. These findings provided a basis for the color design of subway platforms to elicit more positive emotions.
Yuhong Chen, Lilu Tang, Dan Zhang
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Incremental public space networks as metropolitan infrastructures towards urban resilience and cohesion: decoding best practices in Lisbon, Portugal
The paper offers a systematized perspective on a selection of complex public space projects delivered in Lisbon metropolitan area, through which three key rationales are discussed: 1) promotion of environmental resilience through green and blue infrastructure networks, 2) promotion of low-carbon mobility through improved conditions for walkability, active modes and access to public transport, 3) promotion of territorial cohesion through better connected and more cohesive neighborhood public spaces. Concluding remarks and contributions reveal the lessons learned on how each project’s rationale and systemic articulation complement each other, as well as the future prospects in terms of assemblage mechanisms towards an incremental logic of public space development.
João Rafael Santos, Tomás Nunes, Ariana Marques Da Silva, José Duarte, Ana Beja Da Costa
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Comparing the Profile of South African Quantity Surveyors with Construction Quantity Surveyors
Organisations and professions need adaption skills to survive and prosper in a world of change. As a new democracy, South Africa is experiencing significant change. Organisations such as the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) must also adapt. The ASAQS is a voluntary association formed to serve the professional needs of Quantity surveyors (QS’s). QS’s offer financial consultancy services to the construction industry. The ASAQS has been considering adding a new membership category for construction quantity surveyors (CQS) since a recent study has shown that more than 17% of QS’s are employed by contractors and do not work as professional consultants. South African CQS’s do not have a professional organisation to serve their interests. A new CQS membership category will address that need, strengthen the ASAQS membership base and expand the ASAQS’s influence in the construction industry. To secure updated information about the profile of QS’s, a questionnaire from the ASAQS, assisted by the University of Pretoria (UP), was recently circulated to all QS’s nationally. In a previous study, the data was used to compile a profile of CQSs to assist the ASAQS’s consideration of a CQS membership category. The profile of CQS’s confirmed them to be relatively young (almost 55% are not older than 35 years), 83% are located in provinces with major urban economic hubs, 63% are African, but less than 10% are from Coloured, Indian or other racial groups. All CQS’s have tertiary qualifications, only 25% of CQS’s are not registered with the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (SACQSP), but 34% are not ASAQS members. To further assist the ASAQS in considering this new membership category, this study will compare the profile of CQS’s to the profile of consulting QS’s. The findings of this study will assist the ASAQS to more clearly understand the specific nature and traits of CQS’s. Recent and detailed information proposed by this study will help guide the ASAQS’s decision on CQS membership.
Danie Hoffman, Derick Booyens, Karl Trusler
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Determinants influencing the current real estate market in the Slovak Republic
Increasing mortgage loan prices, interest rates, the decline in the attractiveness of investment housing, inflation, and the energy crisis are the determinants that significantly affect real estate, especially the residential market. Currently, in December 2022, the European Central Bank (ECB) has raised key interest rates by 50 basis points and is expected to raise them further. According to the ECB's latest forecasts, the average inflation rate will reach 8.4% this year and fall to 6.3% in 2023. In the following years, the ECB expects inflation to average 3.4% in 2024 and 2.3% in 2025. Thus, current developments bring turbulence to the property market, but radical changes in the residential property market cannot be expected. In the past, investment properties accounted for up to half of all transactions in the real estate market in Slovakia. Those intended for rent are suffering under the impact of sharp price increases, as several analyses have shown. Another interesting fact is the payback period for such an investment. For example, in the centre of Slovakia's capital Bratislava, the return on a one-room flat has been extended by more than four years to 30.5 years from January to June 2022. Bratislava has thus overtaken Warsaw (27.3 years) and Budapest (30.1 years). The reason for the extension of the investment payback period when buying an apartment was the increase in prices, but this was no longer matched by the increase in rents, which were lagging behind. Therefore, current development is bringing shocks to the real estate market not only in Slovakia. The authors assume that home ownership may be affordable in the future only for a limited income group, especially in large cities. Due to the energy crisis, and increasing interest rates on housing loans, there will be a group of people who will not be able to repay their mortgage and will have to change from owner-occupied housing to rental housing. The aforementioned real estate market situation with an emphasis on residential housing is an unexplored topic in the current international literature. This paper focuses on the economic and behavioural aspects that are related to the issue of the residential real estate market, as well as the negative consequences of the energy crisis combined with the increase in interest rates, inflation, etc. In their research, the authors analyze and interpret relevant aspects of the behavioural aspects of the residential real estate market with a significant impact on the price development, sustainability, and affordability of residential real estate due to the negative turbulence on a global scale. The partial results will be presented in the paper.
Daniela Spirkova, Julius Golej, Monika Zatrochova
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Design Strategies in Hybrid Infrastructure - The Case of China
As an essential part of urban development, infrastructure construction provides essential material support for both urban construction and public life. However, the rapid industrialization has led to a large number of current single infrastructure construction with low benefits in environmental and social aspects. As a new direction of infrastructure construction, hybrid infrastructure can effectively solve the drawbacks of current infrastructure construction. However, the current research on hybrid infrastructure is mostly focused on the engineering technology of infrastructure, and there is a lack of research on the spatial design of hybrid infrastructure. Therefore, based on the concept of hybrid infrastructure, this study mainly analyzes the case of hybrid infrastructure in China, and combines questionnaire research and literature review to explore the design strategies of hybrid infrastructure composite infrastructure functions and non-infrastructure functions from it. It is concluded that seven design strategies related to composite infrastructure functions and non-infrastructure functions are derived. And the case study of urban infrastructure construction in Guangzhou, China was used to practice the design of hybrid infrastructure, and the site research and questionnaire survey were conducted to design the case study of hybrid infrastructure construction for the target infrastructure. This can confirm that non-infrastructure functions can be achieved by implementing design principles for traffic flow and functional layout while maintaining the functionality of the infrastructure. We can find that all these design strategies aim to achieve the same goal, which is to reshape the public space attributes of the hybrid infrastructure and increase public participation. This also demonstrates the high quality spatial construction of hybrid infrastructure with higher urban benefits. Therefore, in the context of sustainable urban development, we still need to continue to explore the design and application of hybrid infrastructure, and provide some implications for other aspects of sustainable urban design. In this way, we can provide effective experience and assistance to other infrastructures in the city, and effectively contribute to the support of healthier and more sustainable urban development plans under the theme of global environmental protection.
Yue Chen, Mingyan Xiao, Huaming Huang
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
An Assessment of The Effects of Legislation Policies on Energy Infrastructure Financing in Developing Countries
Energy development is one of the most germane factors for regional and national development. There is great need for institutional support to aid the development of energy infrastructure in the region. The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of legislation policies in the development of energy infrastructure financing in Nigeria. Data was collected through the aid of questionnaires from respondents using purposive sampling technique. Methods of data analysis deployed for the study are Mean Item Score and Factor Analysis. Views from the study showed that the most significant factor having effect on legislation on energy infrastructure development is policy instability; also the result of the factor analysis showcased two major constructs that formed the effects of legislation policies in the financing of energy infrastructure in the Nigerian economy and these are energy development policies and lack of quality legislation. Conclusion, the study noted that with the underdevelopment in the energy infrastructure sector in Nigeria, there is need for effective policies that will limit the risk of investments in the energy infrastructure sector. This will facilitate great investment by private investors in the sector. This research contributes to energy infrastructure financing in Nigeria, economic growth of Nigeria, which will also boost the number of investments made in the energy sector both in Nigeria and the entire continent.
Emmanuel Ayorinde, Jeffrey Mahachi, Clinton Aigbavboa, Ntebo Ncogbo
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Financing Power Infrastructure in a Developing Economy: An Exploratory Factor Analysis Approach
Power infrastructure development plays a fundamental role in nations building and economic growth, and it influences both developed and developing countries. This study assesses the mode of financing power infrastructure in a developing economy. Adopting a quantitative approach, data was retrieved through the use of questionnaire. The target population of the study were professionals saddled in the affairs of implementing policies on power infrastructure. Mean Item Score and Factor analysis served as the methods of data analysis. The study revealed that the most effective ways of financing power infrastructure are public-private partnership; also revealed from the factor analysis is three major constructs that serves as the major ways of financing power projects which are development mechanisms, public-private sources, and foreign financing mechanisms. Conclusively, the study outlined that the weight and strength required to develop power infrastructure effectively is enormous in nature, it is therefore imperative that government institutions find a lasting and effective solution to the problem of power infrastructure financing. Ultimately this will help improve economic profile and social development of a developing economy. This study contributes to the power infrastructure and social development of developing economies. This will help improve electricity security in developing economy since financing power infrastructure effectively is one of the major problem facing development in Africa.
Emmanuel Ayorinde, Jeffrey Mahachi, Clinton Aigbavboa, Ntebo Ncogbo
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Taking People as The Ruler: A Human Factors Study of Wa Traditional Architecture on the Southwest Border of Yunnan Province, China
The Wa people on the China-Myanmar border are one of the last primitive ethnic groups in China, and they are also one of the floating ethnic groups without the concept of national boundaries in history. The measurement method of traditional Wa buildings is based on the human scale, and every part of the building has a close relationship with people. In previous studies, little attention has been paid to the relationship between the Wa people and traditional architecture, and it only describes the architecture. This paper analyzes the conventional building construction techniques of the Wa people in Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County in China. Further, this paper uses fieldwork research and data collection to compare the impact of traditional Wa people's housing and modern housing on comfort and belief levels. A detailed survey of villages in Mengdong Town, Mengjiao Township, and Danjia Township in Cangyuan County studies the changes in local materials and building structures in Cangyuan. Identify the human factors and actual usage of traditional and modern housing in Wa villages.
Xiaoning Yang, Weibing Li
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Multi-Source Information Fusion network for building occupancy estimation
The human dimension information is crucial for efficient building energy saving, comfort conditions, health and productivity, and security management. Existing vision-based building indoor occupancy measurement approaches have achieved remarkable progress, but struggle to achieve high and robust accuracy because of the complex indoor environments. Vision-based methods face many challenges, including background objects and diverse scales, which bring practical problems to indoor applications.In this paper, to address these issues, we propose a Multi-Source Information Fusion network in video head detection for estimating building occupancy. Our method utilizes cameras to capture surveillance videos and analyzes them through a deep neural network. We use the multi-source feature to effectively guide the single-frame detector to propose robust head boxes. We apply a multi-source fusion network to extract features. Besides, we extend head detection datasets with multi-source information, including optical flow maps, Depth maps, frame difference maps, etc. Our method achieves superior performance through ablation studies compared to existing methods on practical building surveillance videos. Experiments validate its potential for building energy saving and comfort improvement with a high occupancy estimation accuracy.
Sun Kailai, Qianchuan Zhao, Xinwei Wang, Tian Xing, Zhou Yang
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Investigations on User Acceptance of Fast Charging Stations in Drive-Through Layouts for Electric Vehicles
Until today, the range and the time to fill up the energy storage of an electric vehicle takes much longer than that of vehicles with combustion engine. For the user, these deficits are associated with a loss of comfort, especially during long-distance journeys. One possible approach to significantly reducing charging times is to provide the option of thermal power transfer in addition to electrical power during vehicle fast charging in order to dissipate heat during the fast charging process and thus further shorten the charging process. This approach is selected in the publicly funded research project CoolEV.Despite these and comparable efforts, charging time will not be comparable to the time required for refuelling in the foreseeable future. The question arises as to what extent shortening the charging time can contribute to increasing convenience. The possibility of completing the charging process like a short "pit stop" in the drive-through is seen as a decisive gain in convenience. Closely related to this is the question of how long vehicle users maximally remain at the vehicle during charging in order to then immediately continue their journey. As a result, a statement can be generated as to whether charging stations in a drive-through layout are target-oriented and under which conditions they are to be preferred to those with parking bays.In order to investigate the questions, an architectural model of an ideal loading park with a drive-through layout is first created. This model is then imported into a VR environment and animated allowing test persons to virtually experience and evaluate the charging process. Subject tests are conducted and user behavior as a function of charging time is captured and documented by video. The results are compared and discussed with the subjective impressions of the test persons, which are collected with questionnaires.
Alexander Mueller, Benjamin Elster, Lampros Tsolakidis, Moritz Deininger
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
The contribution of the physical space in medical space
Work is a fundamental activity in people's lives, it makes it possible to enjoy well-being to live in society. However, the development of some types of diseases is being related to the work environment, for example, the Burnout syndrome, a disease that is increasingly being researched, and leads to inability to carry out work activities. It is no different in healthcare environments, as critical and stressful situations often occur, involving interpersonal relationships, different demands and individuals with different degrees of suffering. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate the environmental factors that define the comfort conditions not only for patients, but also for the medical team that works there. Some variables interfere with well-being: thermal, acoustic, visual, light, olfactory and ergonomic comfort, which assume even more significant responsibilities for architectural design in improving the quality of working life. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze how the physical structure influences the well-being of the medical team, and to identify the presence of risk factors in spaces that can compromise their health; identify design measures capable of preventing pathologies. The optimization of the distribution of spaces, the correct choice of colors, the flows and reduced routes and pacifying elements contribute to creating a more harmonious and more humane environment. The post-occupancy evaluation experience in environments shows that the association between the provision of services and the social relations maintained in the place is also closely linked to the built environment. The instruments used in this study were based on the observation of the quality of the place: procedures for post-occupancy evaluation. The results demonstrate that the evaluation of the characteristics of the physical spaces is fundamental: behavioral, technical-constructive aspects, environmental and comfort characteristics. Therefore, the understanding, planning and quality of health building projects with rationalization, adequacy, comfort and humanization, make the architecture of health environments able to contribute to reducing the sources that cause stress also in those who work there.
Geraldo Gomes Zumba, Janice Gomes Zumba, Henrique Gomes Zumba
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings