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This study investigates the conditions and the levels of satisfaction with indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in naturally ventilated (NV) learning environments in Bayero University, Kano and compares the results to international comfort standards’ thresholds. It examines the thermal and visual comfort, acoustic quality as well as the indoor air quality of six learning environments in the University consisting of four lecture theatres and two laboratories. Researches in IEQ have shown that...

A novel dynamic model for the temperature inside buildings is presented, aiming to improve energy efficiency by providing predictive information on the heat demand. To analyse the performance and generalizability of the modelling approach, real measurement data was gathered from five different types of buildings. Easily available data from various sources was utilized. The chosen model structure leads to a minimal number of input variables and free parameters. Simulations with real data from...

A novel dynamic model for the temperature inside buildings is presented, aiming to improve energy efficiency by providing predictive information on the heat demand. To analyse the performance and generalizability of the modelling approach, real measurement data was gathered from five different types of buildings. Easily available data from various sources was utilized. The chosen model structure leads to a minimal number of input variables and free parameters. Simulations with real data from...

South East Queensland, in Eastern Australia, is a region naturally prone to flooding. While this intrinsic hydrologic characteristic of the area was well known to its aboriginal inhabitants, its urbanisation is less than two hundred years old and has proven greatly oblivious to the natural environment. In Brisbane, the capital city of the State of Queensland, the clash between natural processes of the namesake river, its numerous creeks and the sea, and the superimposed layer of the urban...

South East Queensland, in Eastern Australia, is a region naturally prone to flooding. While this intrinsic hydrologic characteristic of the area was well known to its aboriginal inhabitants, its urbanisation is less than two hundred years old and has proven greatly oblivious to the natural environment. In Brisbane, the capital city of the State of Queensland, the clash between natural processes of the namesake river, its numerous creeks and the sea, and the superimposed layer of the urban...

In this study, classification- and regression-based statistical downscaling is used to project the monthly monsoon streamflow over the Wainganga basin, India, using 40 global climate model (GCM) outputs and four representative concentration pathways (RCP) scenarios. Support vector machine (SVM) and relevance vector machine (RVM) are considered to perform downscaling. The RVM outperforms SVM and is used to simulate future projections of monsoon flows for different periods. In addition,...

Climate change is expected to pose grave consequences to communities around the world. It is predicted that many people, mostly in the developing world, will experience shortages of water and food as well as numerous health-related effects because of climate change. Therefore, rigorous global action is needed to enable developing countries to adapt to the effects of climate change. Universities play a pivotal role in addressing these issues and their impacts through research and...

Climate change is expected to pose grave consequences to communities around the world. It is predicted that many people, mostly in the developing world, will experience shortages of water and food as well as numerous health-related effects because of climate change. Therefore, rigorous global action is needed to enable developing countries to adapt to the effects of climate change. Universities play a pivotal role in addressing these issues and their impacts through research and...

In indoor comfort research, thermal comfort of care-professionals in hospital environment is a little explored topic. To address this gap, a mixed methods study, with the nursing staff in hospital wards acting as participants, was undertaken. Responses were collected during three weeks in the summer (n = 89), and four weeks in the autumn (n = 43). Analysis of the subjective feedback from nurses and the measured indoor thermal conditions revealed that the existent thermal conditions (varying...

It is well known that thermal comfort is influenced by major physical parameters; air and radiant temperatures, humidity, and air speed in combination with personal attributes; clothing insulation and activity level. Although temperature is conventionally considered in adaptive thermal comfort model, as the most important physical parameter where cooling is involved, moderate air speed can enhance thermal comfort during higher temperatures. Through convective and evaporative cooling, ceiling...

The community of people with disabilities is uniquely affected by devastation brought on by climate change. This population is increasingly appearing on lists of “vulnerable” among many other groups in the social justice framework. Public policy has begun to include the voices of persons with disabilities among the planning constituencies. Yet the needs of this constituency are poorly understood regarding which measures could realistically enable survival in environmentally compromised...

Analyzing thermostat data together with outdoor weather to predict indoor temperature can help smart thermostats optimize the operation of a residential building's HVAC system and make buildings more comfortable. Using weather forecasts, these smart thermostats can become proactive in responding to actual and future outdoor conditions. Using the ecobee thermostat data from sixteen Canadian and US houses, the prediction accuracy of the generalized regression neural network (GRNN) algorithm...

The aim of this study is to find the relationships that exist between change orientation and school organizational climate. This study also seeks to find the level of practice for the aspects in change orientation and school climate. The research samples for this quantitative research were taken from 246 teachers from national primary schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The data were collected using the combination of two questionnaires namely Faculty Change Orientation Scale (FCOS) and the...

This text was compiled with intention to help researchers beginning on their path towards studying thermal comfort using mixed methods approaches. I hope to receive feedback on the content and modify it based upon reader recommendations for the benefits of future readers as well.

A good climate change education policy should focus not only on education but encourage the participation of both the citizens and the government. The author interviewed policy makers, grassroots leaders and the citizens and found that this interaction between the government (top-down) and the citizens (bottom-up) is sorely missing, which results in a disjoint between what the government wants citizens to know and what the citizens actually know. Without this interaction, climate change...

Existing guidelines on monitoring of Indoor Climate Quality (ICQ) do not adequately address long term monitoring. A better understanding of the collection and analysis of monitored data, extending over a longtime period is required. This study aimed at addressing the aforementioned research gaps. The study took place in two office buildings, during two periods each: February & May (case I) and April & June (case II). Thermal environment data was obtained across several locations in the room....

Smart buildings concept aims at the use of the smart technology to reduce energy consumption as well as improvement of the comfort conditions and users’ satisfaction. It is based on the use of smart sensors to follow both outdoor and indoor conditions as well as software for the control of comfort and security devices. The optimal control of the energy devices requires software for indoor temperature forecasting. This paper presents an ANN – based model for the indoor temperature...

In the current context of the limited understanding of climate change, universities, among other sectors of society, must help to foster climate change communication. In addition to innovative teaching and research, they may be expected to promote initiatives and strategies towards a better understanding of the multidimensional nature and effects of climate change. By engaging with people who are part of the problem but also those future decision-makers who can offer solutions, universities...

In the current context of the limited understanding of climate change, universities, among other sectors of society, must help to foster climate change communication. In addition to innovative teaching and research, they may be expected to promote initiatives and strategies towards a better understanding of the multidimensional nature and effects of climate change. By engaging with people who are part of the problem but also those future decision-makers who can offer solutions, universities...