ORCID Profile
0000-0003-3231-4568
Current Organisation
University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney)
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Civil Engineering | Architectural Science and Technology (incl. Acoustics, Lighting, Structure and Ecologically Sustainable Design) | Structural Engineering |
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Climate Change Mitigation Strategies | Metals (e.g. Composites, Coatings, Bonding) | Civil Construction Design
Related Links
Publications
Enabling Decision-Making Analytics for Collaborative Information Exchanges of Digital Precinct Models
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 25-02-2022
Size Optimization of a Grid-Connected Solar–Wind Hybrid System in Net Zero Energy Buildings: A Case Study
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 21-02-2022
Thermal-energy analysis of natural “cool” stone aggregates as passive cooling and global warming mitigation technique
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2015
Characterizing the Theory of Energy Transition in Luxembourg, Part Two—On Energy Enthusiasts’ Viewpoints
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 11-2021
DOI: 10.3390/SU132112069
Abstract: The energy transition is a certain phenomenon in the future of the world. However, exploring the existing literature suggests that public considerations have not been analyzed in Luxembourg yet. A widespread move from the conventional energy system based on fossil fuels into a new energy system with renewable energy could not occur successfully without the strong support of the public. Characterizing a theory of transition was intended to fill in the gap of knowledge of the field. To ground the built theory, it is necessary to collect as much empirical data as possible. The applied methodology to collect data was to run a survey. Public groups in a variety of job statuses were invited to take part in the survey. The employed method to analyze the data was a combination of qualitative analysis with the pragmatic theory of truth. Overall, the number of collected responses reached 96. Notably, people did not imagine the future differently. They showed a lack of optimism in the future. The findings confirm that the necessity of energy transition is fairly far from people’s considerations. It is a big concern that the authors would like to highlight.
Hybrid Vehicles as a Transition for Full E-Mobility Achievement in Positive Energy Districts: A Comparative Assessment of Real-Driving Emissions
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 09-04-2022
DOI: 10.3390/EN15082760
Abstract: Air pollution is a major concern, particularly in developing countries. Road transport and mobile sources are considered the root causes of air pollutants. With the implementation of zero-carbon and zero-energy concepts at the district scale, cities can make great strides towards sustainable development. Urban planning schemes are moving from mere building solutions to the larger positive energy district (PED) scale. Alongside other technology systems in PEDs, increased uptake of electro-mobility solutions can play an important role in CO2 mitigation at the district level. This paper aims to quantify the exhaust emissions of six conventional and two fully hybrid vehicles using a portable emission measurement system (PEMS) in real driving conditions. The fuel consumption and exhaust pollutants of the conventional and hybrid vehicles were compared in four different urban and highway driving routes during autumn 2019 in Iran. The results showed that hybrid vehicles presented lower fuel consumption and produced relatively lower exhaust emissions. The conventional group’s fuel consumption (CO2 emissions) was 11%, 41% higher than that of the hybrids. In addition, the hybrid vehicles showed much better fuel economy in urban routes, which is beneficial for PEDs. Micro-trip analysis showed that although conventional vehicles emitted more CO2 at lower speeds, the hybrids showed a lower amount of CO2. Moreover, in conventional vehicles, NOx emissions showed an increasing trend with vehicle speed, while no decisive trend was found for NOx emissions versus vehicle speed in hybrid vehicles.
Development of the Indian Future Weather File Generator Based on Representative Concentration Pathways
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 16-11-2022
DOI: 10.3390/SU142215191
Abstract: India’s fossil-fuel-based energy dependency is up to 68%, with the commercial and residential sectors contributing to the rise of building energy demand, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions. Several studies have shown that the increasing building energy demand is associated with increased space-cooling ownership and building footprint. The energy demand is predicted to grow further with the conditions of global warming and the phenomenon of urban heat islands. Building designers have been using state-of-the-art transient simulation tools to evaluate energy-efficient envelopes with present-day weather files that are generated with historical weather datasets for any specific location. Designing buildings with historical climatic conditions makes the buildings vulnerable to the predicted climate change impacts. In this paper, a weather file generator was developed to generate Indian future weather files using a geo-filtering-based spatial technique, as well as the temporal downscaling and machine learning (ML)-based bias correction approach proposed by Belcher et al. The future weather files of the three representative concentration pathways of 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5 could be generated for the years 2030, 2050, 2070, 2090, and 2100. Currently, the outputs of the second-generation Canadian Earth System Model are being used to create future weather files that will aid architects, urban designers, and planners in developing a built environment that is resilient to climate change. The novelty lies in using observed historical data from present-day weather files on the typical meteorological year for testing and training ML models. The typical meteorological weather files are composed of the concatenation of the monthly weather datasets from different years, which are referred to for testing and training ML models for bias correction.
Mould-Growth Study in Building Materials Exposed to Warm and Humid Climate Using Heat and Mass Transfer (HAMT) EnergyPlus Simulation Method
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 06-07-2022
DOI: 10.3390/SU14148292
Abstract: Commercial energy consumption currently accounts for 8.6% of the total national energy consumption in India and it is predicted to surge in upcoming years. To tackle this issue, building envelope insulation is being promoted through codes and standards to reduce the cooling and heating demand and hence reduce the overall energy demand. However, with prolonged exposure to humid ambient conditions in warm-humid locations, building materials undergo decay in their hygrothermal properties, which induces mould growth and increases the energy that is needed to tackle the latent cooling load. Mould growth, in turn, harms the occupant and building health. Therefore, this study attempts to evaluate the mould-growth index (MGI) in the coastal city of Mangalore, Karnataka, India using the heat and mass transfer (HAMT) model. The MGI for one autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) wall assembly in a representative commercial building has been studied by integrating EnergyPlus through the Python plugin. The simulated results suggest that the annual mean MGI for the AAC assembly is 3.5 and that mould growth will cover about 30–70% of the surface area. Furthermore, it was concluded that surface temperature, surface humidity, and solar radiation are key parameters for mould growth on the surface of a material.
Consumer cost savings, improved thermal comfort, and reduced peak air conditioning demand through pre-cooling in Australian housing
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2022
Integrated numerical and experimental methodology for thermal-energy analysis and optimization of heritage museum buildings
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 15-10-2015
Abstract: Research effort was dedicated to the analysis of museums microclimate for the preservation of artifacts and indoor environment. In this paper, continuous monitoring and dynamic simulation of an ancient exhibition site are carried out to evaluate indoor microclimate and energy performance. The aim is to develop a multidisciplinary methodology for preserving artworks and historic buildings in the view of sustainability and comfort. The paper also shows how the environmental conditions of two thermal zones different for geometry, occupancy, ventilation rate, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are far from the values suggested by the regulations for the preservation of artifacts and from human comfortable set points of temperature and relative humidity. This work highlights the need for further investigation of historical exposition sites to reduce artworks' damaging and occupants' environmental stress. Practical application: Many historical buildings in European countries host exhibition sites. Indoor microclimate of such areas is often inappropriate for visitors' comfort, for artworks', and building preservation. In fact, usually HVAC systems operate according to simple temperature-based control protocols. This study shows how old architectures could present indoor environmental conditions far from the target, for artworks' preservation, for occupants' comfort, and for the building maintenance. This paper presents a numerical–experimental methodology applied to an architectural heritage. The analysis gives insight on this issue, and could guide building operators and service management to investigate and optimize indoor environmental conditions where artworks are preserved.
Evaluating the Impact of Shading Devices, Glazing Systems, and Building Orientation on the Energy Consumption in Educational Spaces
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 14-03-2022
Life-Cycle Assessment of Fly Ash and Cenosphere-Based Geopolymer Material
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 10-10-2021
DOI: 10.3390/SU132011167
Abstract: It was widely reported in the early 2000s that geopolymer technology exhibits superior mechanical properties and lower global warming potential (GWP) over the use of ordinary Portland cement (OPC). However, a major limitation observed in the sustainability evaluation is a lack of consideration of environmental impacts from the use of industrial waste. This observation led to the purpose of this study, which is to identify the key factors throughout geopolymer production that contribute to its sustainability performance. In this paper, two geopolymers made of fly ash (G-FA) and cenospheres (G-C) were examined by mechanical testing while their sustainability impacts on a cradle-to-grave approach were investigated. The industrial waste and transport modelling impacts were given special attention in the performed life-cycle assessment. After 28 days of curing, G-FA exhibited 64.56 MPa and 6.03 MPa of compressive strength and flexural strength, respectively. G-C, with ¾ of G-FA bulk density, achieved 19.09 MPa and 3.13 MPa, respectively, with no significant changes observed after 14 days of curing. By upscaling the inventories to 1 m3 of industrial production scale, geopolymers showed a GWP reduction up to 49.7% compared to OPC with natural aggregates and presented benefits on human health damage category by 23.7% (G-FA) to 41.6% (G-C). In conclusion, geopolymer mortars establish compressive strength and flexural strength that are adequate for construction applications and present sustainability benefits in GWP, which suggests them to be potential substitutions for OPC. However, the industrial waste treatment (i.e., preparation of fly ash) will deplete water bodies, and the sodium silicate induces significant environmental burdens during its manufacture, becoming the key factor to enhance the geopolymer’s sustainability.
The Impact of Local Microclimate Boundary Conditions on Building Energy Performance
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 15-07-2015
DOI: 10.3390/SU7079207
Environmental Impact of Industrial Prefabricated Buildings: Carbon and Energy Footprint Analysis Based on an LCA Approach
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2014
Zero energy concept at neighborhood level: A case study analysis
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Analysis of the indoor thermal quality in low income Cypriot households during winter
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2017
Climate-informed decision-making for urban design: Assessing the impact of urban morphology on urban heat island
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2021
From the Sum of Near-Zero Energy Buildings to the Whole of a Near-Zero Energy Housing Settlement: The Role of Communal Spaces in Performance-Driven Design
Publisher: UCL Press
Date: 11-2018
DOI: 10.14324/111.444.AMPS.2018V14I3.001
Abstract: Almost a century ago Modernism challenged the structure of the city and reshaped its physical space in order to, amongst other things, accommodate new transportation infrastructure and road networks proclaiming the, nowadays much-debated ‘scientificated’ pursuit of efficiency for the city. This transformation has had a great impact on the way humans still design, move in, occupy and experience the city. Today major cities in Europe, such as Paris and London, are considering banning vehicles from their historic centers. In parallel, significant effort is currently underway internationally by designers, architects, and engineers to integrate innovative technologies and sophisticated solutions for energy production, management, and storage, as well as for efficient energy consumption, into the architecture of buildings. In general, this effort seeks for new technologies and design methods (e.g., DesignBuilder with EnergyPlus simulation engine Rhicoceros3D with Grasshopper plugin and Ecotect, Radiance and EnergyPlus tools) that would enable a holistic approach to the spatial design of Near-Zero Energy buildings, so that their ecological benefits are an added value to the architectural design and a building’s visual, and material, impact on its surrounding space. The paper inquires how the integration of such technological infrastructure and performance-orientated interfaces changes yet again the structure and form of cities, and to what extent it safeguards social rights and enables equal access to common resources. Drawing from preliminary results and initial considerations of ongoing research that involve the construction of four innovative NZE settlements across Europe, in the context of the EU-funded ZERO-PLUS project, this paper discusses the integration of novel infrastructure in communal spaces of these settlements. In doing so, it contributes to the debate about smart communities and their role in the sustainable management of housing developments and settlements that are designed and developed with the concept of smart territories.
Estimating the chemical composition of municipal solid waste using the inverse method
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2023
Examining the benefits and barriers for the implementation of net zero energy settlements
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Synthesis and characterization of flyash reinforced polymer composites developed by Fused Filament Fabrication
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2022
Size Optimization of a Grid-Connected Solar–Wind Hybrid System in Net Zero Energy Buildings: A Case Study
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 21-02-2022
DOI: 10.3390/ENVIRONSCIPROC20210120012
Abstract: This study proposes a hybrid renewable energy system consisting of photovoltaic panels and a wind turbine to supply the total or part of the demand of a grid-connected residential building and presents the optimal system size using a genetic algorithm. Wind speed, solar irradiance, and electricity demand are monitored in 15 min intervals over a year. It is found that the optimal values for PV panels’ area, rated power of the wind turbine, and the tower height are 148.5 m2, 1.5 kW, and 20 m, respectively. These optimal values lead to a total system cost of EUR 42,218 over 20 years.
Technological advancements towards the net-zero energy communities: A review on 23 case studies around the globe
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2021
Can urban heat be mitigated in a single urban street? Monitoring, strategies, and performance results from a real scale redevelopment project
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2021
Investigating the Dynamic Thermal Behavior of Building Envelope in Summer Conditions By Means of in-Field Continuous Monitoring
Publisher: Science Publications
Date: 03-2016
Outdoor Thermal and Visual Perception of Natural Cool Materials for Roof and Urban Paving
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2015
Accurate capacity factor calculation of waste-to-energy power plants based on availability analysis and design/off-design performance
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
A framework for addressing urban heat challenges and associated adaptive behavior by the public and the issue of willingness to pay for heat resilient infrastructure in Chongqing, China
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
Experimental in-lab and in-field analysis of waterproof membranes for cool roof application and urban heat island mitigation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2016
An extensive study on the relationship between energy use, indoor thermal comfort, and health in social housing: The case of the New South Wales, Australia
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 09-2019
DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/609/4/042067
Abstract: Over three million people live below the poverty line in Australia. Low-income households suffer from overheated or cold homes and experience problems associated with energy inefficiency and poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ), which ultimately affect residents’ quality of life, comfort, well-being, physical and mental health. These circumstances are the main drivers of a social challenge known as Energy Poverty (EP) when residents have difficulties in paying the electricity bills. EP needs to be addressed by i) implementing energy efficiency measures in social housing, ii) educating low-income families about energy saving practices and behaviours, iii) developing new energy policies. We investigated the level of EP in social housing located in New South Wales, Australia. Indoor thermal environment and air quality were monitored in 106 low-income households over the winter and summer periods 2018/2019. Questionnaire responses informed the real living conditions of participating families, including their medical history and behaviours concerning energy use. The information presented here will be used to investigate the possible evolution of IEQ and EP as a function of climate change and extreme weather events on housing and suggest countermeasures and target policies to benefit the vulnerable households and alleviating the EP level of the region.
A decision support tool for climate-informed and socioeconomic urban design
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-08-2020
Simulating the Impact of Solar Energy on Pyramid and Stair Urban Blocks
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 15-12-2021
Examining the Transition towards the Supply of Sustainable Apartments in Australia: A Design Perspective
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 10-12-2021
Clustering based analysis of residential duck curve mitigation through solar pre-cooling: A case study of Australian housing stock
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2023
Cost-Saving through Pre-Cooling: A Case Study of Sydney
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 09-12-2021
A Study of Mould Growth Using HAMT EnergyPlus Simulation Method in Warm and Humid Climate of Mangalore, India
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 18-02-2022
Markov and Monte Carlo Simulation of Waste-to-Energy Power Plants Considering Variable Fuel Analysis and Failure Rates
Publisher: ASME International
Date: 04-08-2022
DOI: 10.1115/1.4051760
Abstract: In the present work, a method has been developed to estimate the annual capacity factor of waste to energy power plants. The case study is an under-construction power plant located in an area of high precipitation rate. Existing data of the waste analysis in the region shows that its content, including the mass fractions of the paper, food, and plastic, changes daily and seasonally. The variation of the waste analysis in addition to components’ failure and the off-design performance of the steam cycle make the behavior of the system highly stochastic. To deal with this stochastic nature, the probability distribution function (PDF) of waste analysis is constructed to consider a range of possible inputs. Moreover, time-varying failure rates are used in Markov analysis to calculate the system’s availability by considering infant failures, random failures, and aging. Also, the off-design performance of the power plant is simulated by thermoflex to capture nonlinearities caused by steam flow reduction in the steam turbine. The PDFs of the municipal solid waste (MSW) physical analysis are estimated by s ling from a pit near the location. The Monte Carlo simulation has been used to couple the stochastic nature of the MSW content to the simulation and operation of the power plant, modeled by thermoflex. The results show 2300 kW for power generation in full load condition in the first year, highlighting 30% power derate due to municipal solid waste quality reduction.
Experimental Analysis of Natural Gravel Covering as Cool Roofing and Cool Pavement
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 25-07-2014
DOI: 10.3390/SU6084706
Investigating the Relative Importance of Spatial and Environmental Factors on Energy Consumption in the Residential Sectors Using GIS (Case Study: Kerman)
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 18-02-2022
4E Advancement of Heat Recovery during Hot Seasons for a Building Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal (BIPV/T) System
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 15-12-2021
Investigating the environmental impact of reinforced-concrete and structural-steel frames on sustainability criteria in green buildings
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2021
Theoretical Considerations about Energy Transition in Luxembourg
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 17-02-2022
Canopy Urban Heat Island and Its Association with Climate Conditions in Dubai, UAE
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 26-06-2020
DOI: 10.3390/CLI8060081
Abstract: The impact that climate change and urbanization are having on the thermal-energy balance of the built environment is a major environmental concern today. Urban heat island (UHI) is another phenomenon that can raise the temperature in cities. This study aims to examine the UHI magnitude and its association with the main meteorological parameters (i.e., temperature, wind speed, and wind direction) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Five years of hourly weather data (2014–2018) obtained from weather stations located in an urban, suburban, and rural area, were post-processed by means of a clustering technique. Six clusters characterized by different ranges of wind directions were analyzed. The analysis reveals that UHI is affected by the synoptic weather conditions (i.e., sea breeze and hot air coming from the desert) and is larger at night. In the urban area, air temperature and night-time UHI intensity, averaged on the five year period, are 1.3 °C and 3.3 °C higher with respect to the rural area, respectively, and the UHI and air temperature are independent of each other only when the wind comes from the desert. A negative and inverse correlation was found between the UHI and wind speed for all the wind directions, except for the northern wind where no correlation was observed. In the suburban area, the UHI and both temperatures and wind speed ranged between the strong and a weak negative correlation considering all the wind directions, while a strong negative correlation was observed in the rural area. This paper concludes that UHI intensity is strongly associated with local climatic parameters and to the changes in wind direction.
Strategies for Cooling Singapore: A catalogue of 80+ measures to mitigate urban heat island and improve outdoor thermal comfort
Publisher: ETH Zurich
Date: 2017
Clustering weather types for urban outdoor thermal comfort evaluation in a tropical area
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-09-2019
Smart Energy Management Policy in India—A Review
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 21-08-2019
DOI: 10.3390/EN12173214
Abstract: India accounts for six per cent of the world’s primary energy consumption. Rapid urbanization and rapid urban population growth have had a serious impact on energy consumption and subsequent carbon emissions. In particular, cities face a complex and interrelated set of challenges across different sectors (building environment, mobility, water and waste management and public services). Re-examining these challenges by integrating smart energy management (SEM) principles is critical for sustainable and low-carbon urban development. In addition, managing energy footprint is one of the most challenging goals for cities, and as existing cities evolve and transform into smart cities, SEM becomes an integral part of the urban transformation. This article comprehensively reviews the different SEM technologies for different sectors (construction, transportation, public services, water and waste), the policies, and the current challenges and opportunities for SEM policy governance in India. Making urban energy smart can manage a city’s energy footprint and have a positive impact on future carbon emissions.
Thermal impact of the orientation and height of vertical greenery on pedestrians in a tropical area
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-04-2019
Can Geopolymer Materials Be Optimized for Sustainable Building Envelope Applications? A Preliminary Development and Characterization Study
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 17-02-2022
Assessing the effect of covid-19 lockdown on surface urban heat island for different land use /cover types using remote sensing
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2022
Combined Thermal Effect of Cool Roof and Cool Façade on a Prototype Building
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2015
Risk-Informed Digital Twin (RDT) for the Decarbonization of the Built Environment: The Australian Residential Context
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 21-02-2022
Related Organisations
Related Funding Activities
Scalable Daytime Radiative Cooling For Buildings And The Built Environment
Start Date: 2020
End Date: 2022
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityDiscovery Projects - Grant ID: DP200100773
Start Date: 2020
End Date: 03-2023
Amount: $470,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity