Impact and Effectiveness of Personal Ventilation in Open Plan Offices: a study of the Task Air system. Centralised air-conditioning systems are the standard for commercial office buildings in Australia. These systems are energy intensive, typically accounting for around 50% of building energy use. However, lack of occupant control over set temperatures or air movement tends to reduce thermal comfort, which can adversely affect worker productivity. The benefit of this project is that it will qu ....Impact and Effectiveness of Personal Ventilation in Open Plan Offices: a study of the Task Air system. Centralised air-conditioning systems are the standard for commercial office buildings in Australia. These systems are energy intensive, typically accounting for around 50% of building energy use. However, lack of occupant control over set temperatures or air movement tends to reduce thermal comfort, which can adversely affect worker productivity. The benefit of this project is that it will quantify the improvements to occupant comfort and energy savings possible with a PV system. This study will enable PV systems to be evaluated as an alternative to traditional air-conditioning, thereby demonstrating their effectiveness as a means of improving the sustainability rating of commercial office buildings in Australia.Read moreRead less
The Characterisation of Fires in Tunnels. A series of 22 fires ranging from 2 megawatt up to 20 megawatt intensity will be set under controlled conditions in unused tunnel facilities, in New South Wales. Instrumentation in the tunnel, donated by the State Rail Authority of New South Wales, will monitor the movement of particulates (smoke). This information is vital to tunnel design, and for passenger life safety. This information will be applicable to all tunnels worldwide.
Development of a Compartment Fire Behaviour Training (CFBT) Database. In recent years, incidents of fire flashover have caused considerable destruction to property and the loss of life. Fire prediction and understanding is an area of significance to both the Australian public and the firefighting profession. The NSW Fire Brigade has recently introduced Compartment Fire Behaviour Training (CFBT). To extend this scheme, a database of configurations will be developed using computational modelling, ....Development of a Compartment Fire Behaviour Training (CFBT) Database. In recent years, incidents of fire flashover have caused considerable destruction to property and the loss of life. Fire prediction and understanding is an area of significance to both the Australian public and the firefighting profession. The NSW Fire Brigade has recently introduced Compartment Fire Behaviour Training (CFBT). To extend this scheme, a database of configurations will be developed using computational modelling, allowing firefighters the ability to experience virtually different situations. Detailed experimental studies will be conducted to validate the numerical model. This database will have use and significance beyond Australia and successful implementation promises reductions in the loss of life and property.Read moreRead less
Experimental and numerical study of sprinklers for improved fire safety. Fire sprinklers are a common method for extinguishing fires. Current lack of detailed knowledge about sprinklers can lead to conservative design and excessive cost, often limiting the installation of these proven life-saving devices. This project sees the involvement of Arup Pty Ltd and the NSW Fire Brigade in examining the behaviour of sprinklers using a custom-designed test-rig, laser based measurement and a numerical mod ....Experimental and numerical study of sprinklers for improved fire safety. Fire sprinklers are a common method for extinguishing fires. Current lack of detailed knowledge about sprinklers can lead to conservative design and excessive cost, often limiting the installation of these proven life-saving devices. This project sees the involvement of Arup Pty Ltd and the NSW Fire Brigade in examining the behaviour of sprinklers using a custom-designed test-rig, laser based measurement and a numerical model. This will result in improved confidence in sprinkler specification and installation and the project will have use and significance beyond Australia. Successful implementation promises reductions in the loss of life and property as well as financial savings.Read moreRead less
Foundation remediation using resin injection. The aim of this research project is to explore the application of injected expanded polyurethane resins as a new option for the re-levelling and stabilisation of deflected foundations on reactive clay soils. It will identify the physical and behavioural characteristics of resin-injected reactive clay foundations, in the context of both shallow and deep injection, and will identify any limitations to the applicability of the approach. Based on detaile ....Foundation remediation using resin injection. The aim of this research project is to explore the application of injected expanded polyurethane resins as a new option for the re-levelling and stabilisation of deflected foundations on reactive clay soils. It will identify the physical and behavioural characteristics of resin-injected reactive clay foundations, in the context of both shallow and deep injection, and will identify any limitations to the applicability of the approach. Based on detailed laboratory and field testing, and advanced numerical modelling, the outcome will be the ability to confidently assess various foundation remediation strategies in reactive clay soils, and provide much needed design guidance to the geotechnical profession and building industry.Read moreRead less
Improving thermal performance of low-cost houses for better health of occupants and to reduce costs of temperature control. Recent projects in rural and remote Australian Indigenous communities show that internal house temperatures can vary from accepted temperature ranges that promote well-being, particularly in young children, by up to 20ºC in both summer and winter.
Low-cost housing with poor thermal performance often results in reliance on 'active', often costly-to-run, heating and cooli ....Improving thermal performance of low-cost houses for better health of occupants and to reduce costs of temperature control. Recent projects in rural and remote Australian Indigenous communities show that internal house temperatures can vary from accepted temperature ranges that promote well-being, particularly in young children, by up to 20ºC in both summer and winter.
Low-cost housing with poor thermal performance often results in reliance on 'active', often costly-to-run, heating and cooling appliances.
Measured internal temperatures, energy and water-use data from Indigenous houses will be analysed to demonstrate the link between low-cost house design and poor thermal performance. A methodology and prioritised guidelines for improving temperature control in existing and new low-cost housing will be formulated.
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Situated Design Computing: A New Paradigm to Support Design Using Situated Reasoning. A country like Australia with its twin disadvantages of distance from its large markets and small population as its own market has to found its goals in its wealth production on its ability to compete at the high value-adding loci of the economy. Design is a precursor to superior products and is one of the nation's high value-adding wealth generating activities. This project aims to lay the foundations for a ....Situated Design Computing: A New Paradigm to Support Design Using Situated Reasoning. A country like Australia with its twin disadvantages of distance from its large markets and small population as its own market has to found its goals in its wealth production on its ability to compete at the high value-adding loci of the economy. Design is a precursor to superior products and is one of the nation's high value-adding wealth generating activities. This project aims to lay the foundations for a new class of design support tools that have the capacity to be used at a variety of stages in the design process including those stages where major decisions are being taken. This will have the potential to improve the efficacy and the efficiency of Australian design and hence make it more globally competitive.Read moreRead less
Complexity Measures Of Design Spaces As Basis For Mass Customisation Of Novel Designs. This project aims to develop, implement and test a means to determine the potential of any arbitrary design generator to produce a diversity of designs and to utilise that means to control the mass customisation of novel designs. Globalisation of markets has produced the need to be able to mass customise designs that are not simple variants of existing designs. Any improvement in Australia's capacity to provid ....Complexity Measures Of Design Spaces As Basis For Mass Customisation Of Novel Designs. This project aims to develop, implement and test a means to determine the potential of any arbitrary design generator to produce a diversity of designs and to utilise that means to control the mass customisation of novel designs. Globalisation of markets has produced the need to be able to mass customise designs that are not simple variants of existing designs. Any improvement in Australia's capacity to provide this service will improve both its internal efficiency and increase its competitiveness in the increasing international marketplace for designing through the production of the basis for a new class of designing tools.Read moreRead less
Curious Places: Agent-Mediated Self-Aware Worlds. This project develops and demonstrates a model of curious places: physical and digital environments that adapt their behaviour based on their experiences. This means that we can implement new kinds of places, rooms, public spaces, that respond to human activity and new technology by creating their own goals and behaviours. This is a benefit to Australia by expanding its capability in home automation and leading developments in novel human-comput ....Curious Places: Agent-Mediated Self-Aware Worlds. This project develops and demonstrates a model of curious places: physical and digital environments that adapt their behaviour based on their experiences. This means that we can implement new kinds of places, rooms, public spaces, that respond to human activity and new technology by creating their own goals and behaviours. This is a benefit to Australia by expanding its capability in home automation and leading developments in novel human-computer interfaces. This benefit can provide economic gain to Australia through the development of frontier technologies.Read moreRead less
The performance of environmentally sustainable design features in commercial buildings. Two office buildings are to be analysed in respect of environmental performance both technically and in terms of the building occupants. The buildings are similar in location, use, quality and materials. One building contains several environmentally sustainable design features and it is expected that improvements in environmental outcomes will be observed when compared with the other building. The results ....The performance of environmentally sustainable design features in commercial buildings. Two office buildings are to be analysed in respect of environmental performance both technically and in terms of the building occupants. The buildings are similar in location, use, quality and materials. One building contains several environmentally sustainable design features and it is expected that improvements in environmental outcomes will be observed when compared with the other building. The results will provide a useful benchmark and a guide to the potential of environmentally sustainable property development.Read moreRead less