Building physics

Building physics : heat, ventilation, moisture, light, sound, fire, and urban microclimate

Preface
Acknowledgements
Reviews
Contents
1 Heat Transfer in Buildings Structures and Thermal Comfort in Buildings
1.1 Symbols for Quantities and Units
1.2 Energy and Heat
1.2.1 Energy Measurement Units
1.2.2 Energy Quality
1.2.3 Primary Energy, Final Energy and Useful Energy
1.3 Heat Transfer
1.3.1 Heat Transfer by Conduction
1.3.2 Heat Transfer by Radiation
1.3.3 Radiant Heat-Transfer Coefficient
1.3.4 Determining the Emissivity of Construction Materials
1.4 Heat Transfer in Building Structures
1.5 Thermal Transmittance of Building Structures
1.5.1 Thermal Transmittance of Homogeneous Building Structures
1.5.2 Thermal Transmittances of Simple Nonhomogeneous Building Structures
1.5.3 Heat Transfer and Thermal Transmittances of Building Structures with a Cavity or Gap
1.5.4 Heat Transfer in Greened Building Structures
1.5.5 Heat Transfer in Building Structures in Contact with the Ground
1.5.6 Heat Transfer in Building Structures with Thermal Bridges
1.5.7 Overall Thermal Transmittance of the Building Envelope
1.5.8 Determination of the Thermal Transmittances of the Building Structures on Built Objects
1.5.9 Determination of Thermal Irregularities in the Envelope for Built Buildings
1.6 Thermal Insulation of Technical Installations
1.7 Transient Heat-Transfer in Building Structures
1.7.1 Modelling Transient Heat Transfer in Building Structures
1.7.2 Causes of Transient Heat Transfer in Building Structures
1.7.3 Modelling of the Transient Heat Transfer in Building Structures
1.8 Indoor Thermal Comfort
1.8.1 Indoor Thermal Comfort Requirements
1.8.2 Combined Thermal Comfort Indicators
1.8.3 Subjective Sensation of Thermal Environment
1.8.4 Thermal Comfort, Health and Productivity
References
2 Ventilation and Energy Performance of Buildings
2.1 Symbols for Quantities and Units
2.2 Building Ventilation
2.2.1 Significance of Building Ventilation
2.2.2 Requirements for the Ventilation of Buildings
2.2.3 Modelling the Time-Dependent Concentrations of Indoor Air Pollutants
2.2.4 Ventilation and Indoor Environment Comfort
2.2.5 How Does Building Ventilation Work
2.2.6 The Impact of the Wind on the Ventilation of Buildings
2.2.7 Complex Methods for the Prediction of Ventilation of Buildings
2.2.8 Air Permeability of Building Structures
2.2.9 Requirements on the Airtightness of Buildings
2.3 Ventilation Heat Losses and Energy Efficiency of Buildings
2.3.1 Energy-Efficiency Metric of Buildings
References
3 Moisture Uptake in Building Structures
3.1 Symbols for Quantities and Units
3.2 Causes and Effects of Moisture Uptake in Building Structures
3.2.1 Moisture Uptake in Building Structures Must Be Prevented
3.3 Psychrometric Properties of Moist Air
3.4 Dampness and the Uptake of Moisture in Building Materials
3.4.1 Sorption Water-Vapour Uptake in Building Materials
3.4.2 Capillary Water Uptake in Building Materials
3.4.3 Diffusion Moisture Transfer in Building Structures
3.5 Modelling the Uptake of Moisture in Building Structures
3.5.1 Indoor Air Moisture Control by the Sorption of Water Vapour
3.5.2 Modelling the Diffusive Water-Vapour Transfer in Building Structures
3.6 Requirements for the Uptake of Water in Building Structures
3.6.1 Requirements for the Prevention of the Capillary Suction of Water into the Structure Having Contact with the Ground
3.6.2 Requirements for the Prevention of the Capillary Suction of Water from the Surface into the Façade of Building Structures
3.6.3 Requirements for the Prevention of the Condensation of Water Vapour on the Interior Surfaces of Building Structures and the Conditions Stimulating Microbial Growth on the Building Structure’s Surface
3.6.4 Requirement for the Prevention of Interstitial Condensation of Water Vapour
3.7 Modelling the Transmission of Water Vapour by Diffusion in Building Structures
3.7.1 Modelling of Water-Vapour Mass Transfer by Diffusion in Engineering Practice
3.7.2 What to Do if the Condensation Criteria Are not Fulfilled?
3.7.3 Transient Water-Vapour Diffusion in Building Structures
References
4 Visual Comfort and Architectural Lighting
4.1 Symbols for Quantities and Units
4.2 Architectural Lighting Throughout History and the Importance of High-Quality Lighting
4.3 Physical and Physiological Fundamentals of Light Perception
4.3.1 Light Is Electromagnetic Radiation
4.3.2 Perceiving the Light
4.4 Photometry and the Photometric Quantities
4.4.1 Photometric Quantities
4.4.2 Radiative (Optical) Properties of Matter
4.5 Daylight
4.5.1 The Sun as a Source of Daylight
4.5.2 Sun Path Diagram
4.5.3 The Luminance of the Clear Sky
4.5.4 The Luminance of the Overcast Sky and the CIE Overcast Sky
4.5.5 Illuminance of a Horizontal Plane Under an Overcast Sky
4.5.6 Illumination of a Vertical Plane
4.5.7 Luminous Efficacy of the Sun and the Sky Irradiation
4.5.8 Availability and Autonomy of Daylight
4.6 Artificial Electric Lighting
4.6.1 Electric Light Sources
4.7 Requirements and Criteria of Visual Comfort
4.7.1 Duration of Exposure to Sunlight
4.7.2 Illuminance Level in the Indoor Environment
4.7.3 Daylight Factor
4.7.4 Uniform Distribution of Daylight
4.7.5 Discomfort Glare
4.7.6 Relation Between Illumination and the Colour of Light
4.7.7 Assessment of the Visual Comfort with the VELUX Daylight Visualizer 2 Software Tool
4.8 Energy Demands for Lighting
4.8.1 Requirements Regarding the Energy Efficiency of Electric Lighting
References
5 Building Acoustics and Noise Control in Buildings
5.1 Symbols for Quantities and Units
5.2 Sound and Acoustics
5.2.1 Types of Mechanical Waves
5.2.2 Types of Sound
5.2.3 Sound-Spectrum Frequency Ranges
5.3 Perception of the Sound
5.3.1 The Effects of Sound and Noise on Wellness and Health
5.3.2 Physiological Units for Evaluating Sound Loudness
5.4 Characterization of Sound Sources
5.4.1 Transmission of Sound Through Open Space
5.4.2 Averaging the Sound Level Over Longer Periods
5.4.3 Noise in the Urban Environment
5.5 Acoustic Comfort in Buildings
5.5.1 Room Acoustics
5.5.2 Acoustic Absorbers
5.5.3 Reverberation Time
5.5.4 Acoustic Room Design
5.5.5 Other Indicators of Sound Comfort in Rooms
5.6 Sound Propagation in a Building
5.6.1 Sound Insulation of Building Structures
5.6.2 Design of Building Structures According to the Sound Insulation Requirements
5.6.3 Determination of the Sound-Reduction Index of Building Structures (R, R′ and R′w)
5.6.4 Weighted Standardized Sound-Level Difference DnT,w of Building Structures
5.6.5 Sound Insulation of Facades Consisting of Several Elements
5.6.6 Normalized Impact Sound-Pressure Level L′n and L′n,w
References
6 Buildings Fires and Fire Safety
6.1 Symbols for Quantities and Units
6.2 Combustion
6.3 Dangers Associated with a Building Fire
6.4 Fire Ignition and Dynamics
6.5 The Response of Building Materials to Fire
6.6 Fire Load of a Building
6.7 Characteristics of a Pre-flashover Fire
6.7.1 Building Materials Response-to-Fire Classification System
6.7.2 Height of the Smoke Layer in a Compartment on Fire
6.8 Characteristics of a Post-flashover Fire
6.8.1 Smoke Temperature in the Fire Compartment During the Post-flashover Phase of the Fire
6.8.2 Building Structures’ Response to Fire and the Structures’ Fire-Resistance Classification
6.8.3 Smoke Control in a Fire Compartment Using Natural and Forced Ventilation
6.9 General Requirements of Building Fire Safety
References
7 Urban Environment and Local Climate
7.1 Symbols for Quantities and Units
7.2 Environmental Spheres and the Urban Sphere
7.3 Climatic Characteristics of the Environment
7.4 Local Climatic Characteristics of the Urban Environment
7.4.1 Urban Heat Islands
7.4.2 Air-Flow Patterns in the Urban Environment
7.4.3 Mitigation of Urban Heat Islands
7.4.4 Temperature Conditions and Thermal Comfort in Urban Canyons
7.4.5 Impact of Global Climate Changes and Urban Heat Islands on the Indoor Comfort and Energy Use in Urban Buildings
References

Building physics