This study aims to investigate the acoustical requirement of schoolrooms for special needs education via a field survey conducted at twelve schools and support facilities. In the survey, the dimensions of classrooms, furniture layout, and class activities were observed. Moreover, the background and characteristics of each school/facility, users' evaluation of school facilities, and requirement of the acoustical environment in schoolrooms were investigated. Additionally, noise level measurement and a questionnaire survey were conducted in one school. On the basis of the results, the requirements for improving the acoustical environment of learning and living spaces for children with disability were summarized.

View full abstract

Two experiments were carried out to determine signboard color modification rules for a harmonized streetscape in which signboards are visible and the identity of logos is clear. Various color-modified logos were displayed in the first rate their impression. It was found that it is preferable to maintain the hue of the logos similar to that of the original in the experiment 1. It was suggested that retaining the original hue of logos on signboards improves their visibility and makes the streetscape aesthetically appealing from the experiment 2.

View full abstract

In this paper, a novel simulation predicting the electromagnetic wave distribution transmitted through slit-shaped joints was developed. The simulation estimates the radiated wave from the secondary source on the slits as the electromagnetic wave is transmitted through the joints. The experiment was carried out by modeling the electromagnetic shielding room with the joints. The good agreement between the predicted result and the experimental result was obtained. In addition, the electromagnetic environment inside the typical shielding room was predicted. As a result, it was shown that the simulation was able to predict a reasonable electromagnetic wave distribution transmitted through the joints.

View full abstract

In the past study, it was made clear that the load calculation method considering thermal sensation could calculate air conditioning load in consideration of spatial distribution of thermal sensation. However, even if air conditioning load is handled without overs and shorts because the load calculation method is not intended to cancel difference in thermal sensation in the room, thermal sensation at the examination point is kept by the required value, but thermal sensation at other points is not kept by the value that is similar to an examination point. Therefore there is concern that thermal sensation at the point except the examination point may be worsened by conditions adversely. This paper established an examination point and the reference point in the room and compared the difference of thermal sensation at the reference point with the examination point. The following results were obtained. 1) The difference of thermal sensation occurs between an examination point and a reference point, but the difference can be controlled in an acceptable range. 2) In convective air conditioning, the difference of thermal sensation does not almost occur. 3) In radiant air conditioning, the difference of thermal sensation changes by radiant panel position and required thermal sensation of examination point.

View full abstract

Due to the enforcement of the “Energy Conservation Standard for Housing” and the “Housing Performance Indication Law” in Japan, insulation and air-tightness have been all the more emphasized and have drastically advanced. However the factors significantly interconnected to the comfort such as indoor humidity variation arisen from human living with moisture sorption and desorption of walls have been disregarded. In this paper, red pine plank is utilized as the interior finishing material with moisture sorption and desorption characteristics to provide the function with constant temperature and humidity to insulation and air-tight houses. The model experiments in reference to temperature and humidity response method, the actual measurement of hygrothermal environment of houses, and the numerical simulation have examined the influence of the red pine plank on the indoor environment. The simulation software “THERB” which has complete HAM features (heat and moisture transfer and airflow) including principles of moisture transfer within walls is used and its accuracy is also verified through the comparison of the calculations and the experiments. As the results, the effects of the red pine plank to prevent humidity increase in rainy season and over dryness during heating are clarified. Then constant temperature capability caused by thermal storage within the red pine plank is also demonstrated.

View full abstract

Previous research works, such as CFD simulation and laboratory tests, show that displacement ventilation system (hereafter DV system) is suitable for electrical commercial kitchens because DV system does not disturb thermal plume over electrical cooking appliances. The DV system with ceiling mounted supply openings was also studied to apply to Japanese small kitchens in the previous papers. After the research stage, the DV system with ceiling openings was installed in a real kitchen of a casual restaurant. This paper shows the results of CFD simulation and experiments conducted when the DV system was applied to the real kitchens. In the experiments, a full scale mock-up kitchen model including a moving panel to simulate cooking disturbance was made to compare the DV system with the conventional local ventilation system. The CFD simulation was carried out to decide to detail of the system such as position of ceiling opening etc. The subsequent paper will show that the DV system can improve thermal environment in the real kitchen and can save energy consumption on the basis of field measurements.

View full abstract

In this research, we investigated the amount of water supply and the thermal comfort of bathing through experiments and simulation. To reduce hot water supply, we investigated the comfortable bathroom-environment, shower heads and bathing time saving energy. We had four experiments. One is about water supply of bathing using bathtub, and another is about bathing using only shower. It turned out that shower bathing use less energy than bathtub bathing. Others are conducted to research how subjects feel about bathing time and the result was used for prediction of bathing time by thermoregulation-model.

View full abstract

This paper proposes a practical calculation method of the thermal performance values for double skin facades and airflow windows. The equations of U-factor and SHGC are derived from the heat balance equations of the window cavity expressed by using the heat flux weighting factors. The concept of the thermal characteristics database of double skin facades and airflow windows is presented and the calculation procedures of thermal performance values and heat gain are proposed. The proposed method enables to evaluate the effects of the air temperature distribution of the airflow cavity.

View full abstract

Detailed transport mechanism of concentration fluctuation was investigated by wind tunnel experiment results. A simplified condition of an urban area was recreated by square shaped obstacles in the test area of tunnel. The space pinched by separated obstacles in the center of the block alignment was set as the measurement area. Inflow angle was tilted in a minute (5 and 25) degrees. Tracer gas was ejected from the point. Spatial distribution of the correlation term between the velocity and the concentration were measured in each case. Distributions of mean velocity field, turbulent kinetic energy, mean concentration, variance of concentration, skewness and each direction's turbulent concentration flux were shown in each inflow angle. The budget of each terms in the transport equation of the variance of concentration was calculated in a discretized manner. The results of them in a several inflow condition were compared and the difference of the mechanism of the transport was noted by referring the component which plays an important part of their properties.

View full abstract

In the DSM (Demand Side Management) system, a control method for controlling electric appliances in living space should take account of environmental amenity. This paper focuses on a trade-off relationship between power consumption and environmental amenity. We proposed a new method to evaluate this relationship, and it enables to optimize the environmental amenity by air conditioning under the restriction of total power consumption. The proposed method was evaluated by using real environment. This evaluation shows the proposed could improve up to 27.4% in temporary summation of comfort index compared with an existing method.

View full abstract