A Comparative Analysis of Thermal Performance, Annual Energy Use, and Life Cycle Costs of Low-cost Houses Made with Mud Bricks and Earthbag Wall Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

Wesonga, Racheal; Kasedde, Hillary; Kibwami, Nathan; Manga, Musa

doi:10.1016/j.enbenv.2021.06.001

Cited by 14 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…The calculation of heat and humidity load is essential for designing Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems for underground structures [9]. This calculation has a significant impact on the investment and selection of equipment for the system [10,11], ultimately affecting its operational effectiveness [12]. The study of heat and humidity load calculation for underground buildings [13,14] is of practical importance as it allows for adjustments in HVAC design to accommodate the unique characteristics of these buildings and meet their specific thermal comfort or technological requirements [15,16].…”

Section: Nomenclaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Heat and Humidity Transport Analysis Inside a Special Underground Building

Ai,

Xue,

et al. 2023

FHMT

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The calculation of heat and humidity load serves as the cornerstone of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) design. Nevertheless, as the heat and humidity load characteristics of underground structures differ substantially from those of above-ground structures, it is a challenge to derive their accurate calculation procedure through engineering experience. Therefore, it is particularly important to carry out quantitative research on heat and humidity load. This study used Design Builder software to study the influence of the design state point of air conditioning in underground buildings on energy consumption. The study showed that compared with the single design temperature of 18°C, setting the temperature of 16°C in winter and 22°C in summer could reduce energy consumption by about 59%. And the hourly heat load, cooling load and humidity load in one year are simulated and calculated so as to quantitatively analyze the characteristics of the load. This provides a database for selecting suitable HVAC equipment. It is further emphasized that dehumidification is the key to HVAC design of underground structures, which provides a reference for similar engineering designs.

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Section: Nomenclaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Heat and Humidity Transport Analysis Inside a Special Underground Building

Ai,

Xue,

et al. 2023

FHMT

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“…The most significant embodied emissions of a building are in areas that contain steel and cement (Norton et al, 2021); this include foundations, floor slab and other structural components. Additionally, (Wesonga et al, 2021) emphasised the importance of analysing wall elements, as they form an integral part of the building's embodied energy. The life cycle impact of the wall systems alone, without other building elements was analysed and presented in table 7 below.…”

Section: Global Warming Impacts (Gwi)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Operative Temperature Variance and Life Cycle Assessment Impacts of Wall Construction Materials

Alegbe

2023

Int J. of BES

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The overdependence on concrete in the construction industry in sub-Saharan African countries limits the potential use of sustainable materials in the construction of buildings. Hollow Concrete Block (HCB), the industry’s most widely used wall material, contributes to excessive carbon emissions and environmental degradation. Moreso, constructions that employ HCBs, specifically in Nigeria, severely threaten the indoor comfort levels in Naturally Ventilated Spaces NVSs. This study relies on quantitative data to analyse the impact of alternative wall materials in a case building in northern Nigeria. Mud bricks (MB) and Timber/brick (TB) were compared with the existing concrete (CW) case building. The study uses Meteonorm 8 and Climate Consultant 6.0 for EPW file generation. At the same time, dynamic thermal simulation and comparative experiments for thermal comfort and carbon emissions were conducted using DesignBuilder V6 and OneClick Lifecycle assessment tools, respectively. Modelled and simulated under NVS conditions using ASHRAE’s PMV model, the result of the study suggests that the MB alternative, although with an intermediate U-value of 0.318 W/m²k, accounts for the best indoor comfort temperature annually. While the CW building accounts for 41.31% of hours above the comfort temperature of 28⁰C, the TB and MB alternatives account for 29.99% and 27.37% of hours, respectively. Furthermore, the MB alternative is the most environmentally friendly material with 510 KgCO₂/m² emissions, a value 26% less than the CW building with an embodied carbon benchmark of 690 KgCO₂/m² during the building’s life cycle stages. The author suggests that mud construction’s thermal properties and Global Warming Impact (GWI) make it a better alternative to concrete and timber buildings in the tropics.

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“…Notably, emphasis is placed on assessments that target thermal and lighting performance [13][14][15][16][17][18]. Numerous studies concentrate on experimenting with alternative and/or sustainable materials and construction techniques [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27], often advocating for comparisons between different solutions that favor socio-economic and environmental implementations. Additionally, the noteworthy topic of clean energy use, particularly with an emphasis on solar energy, deserves highlighting [28][29][30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable Affordable Housing: State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives

Silva,

Najjar,

da Costa

et al. 2024

Sustainability

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Nowadays, there are many studies with a significant focus on affordable housing. The relevance of this theme, which is usually the central object of public housing policies, requires an updated review of the problems and challenges to be overcome, especially in terms of sustainability, in favor of an improvement in the quality of products delivered to beneficiaries. This research concentrates on applying the sustainability concept to affordable housing, emphasizing technical, social, and governance aspects. A novel classification framework is introduced, encompassing these aspects in the context of sustainability integrated with affordable housing. A systematic literature review is conducted and more than 100 articles are examined based on bibliometric and bibliographic analyses to highlight the main dimensions and topics involved in the housing public policy sphere. The study has been elaborated based on collecting relevant materials, building a descriptive analysis of the literature examined, highlighting the classification structure that categorizes the studies examined, and evaluating the material identified based on the classification structure. The outcomes aim to spotlight the diverse dimensions of sustainable affordable housing and associated research themes. Furthermore, the research outlines deficiencies in current approaches and outlines a future research agenda for implementing sustainability in affordable housing. It establishes a strong connection between technical, social, and governance aspects of affordable housing and sustainability, considering anticipated approaches, techniques, and challenges.

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A Comparative Analysis of Thermal Performance, Annual Energy Use, and Life Cycle Costs of Low-cost Houses Made with Mud Bricks and Earthbag Wall Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

Cited by 14 publications

References 17 publications

Heat and Humidity Transport Analysis Inside a Special Underground Building

Heat and Humidity Transport Analysis Inside a Special Underground Building

Operative Temperature Variance and Life Cycle Assessment Impacts of Wall Construction Materials

Sustainable Affordable Housing: State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives

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