Journal of Environmental Engineering (Transactions of AIJ)
Online ISSN : 1881-817X
Print ISSN : 1348-0685
ISSN-L : 1348-0685
Volume 83, Issue 751
Displaying 1-8 of 8 articles from this issue
  • Physical values at end of horizontal eaves under presence of sidewalls installed beneath the eaves
    Masashi KISHIUE, Yoshifumi OHMIYA, Jong-jin JEONG, Jun-ichi YAMAGUCHI
    2018 Volume 83 Issue 751 Pages 719-727
    Published: 2018
    Released on J-STAGE: September 30, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     We carried out the miniature experiment of the 1/3 scale in order to suggest techniques to predict mass flow rate, temperature, cross-sectional shape of the buoyant jet at the end of eaves soffit. These techniques are necessary for a calculation of the mass flow rate of the buoyant jet rising into the atrium connected to the fire room. In experiment, we installed the sidewall under eaves to grasp a property change of the smoke in the route that reaches from an opening the end of eaves in detail. In this experiment, we got the following information.
     (1)Change of the property of the jet from opening to the end of eaves
     (When the width of the jet is the same as opening width up to the end of eaves)
     ·As for the cause of the increase of mass flow rate at the end of eaves, the entrainment in the vertical direction before colliding with eaves is dominant. That in the horizontal direction is small so as to be able to ignore it.
     ·The thickness of the jet at the opening and the end of eaves differ greatly. When eaves are installed in the opening upper end, thickness at the end of eaves is reduced to half. When the vertical distance from the opening upper end to eaves is long, the thickness at the end of eaves may thicken from an opening.
     ·The temperature of the jet is affected by the heat loss to wall surfaces and the entrainment.
     (When the width of the jet at the end of eaves spreads than opening width)
     ·We cannot ignore the effect of the entrainment in the horizontal direction when the jet spreads radially.
     ·The thickness of the jet at the end of eaves increases in comparison with the case the width of the jet at the end of eaves is the same as that of the opening.
     ·The temperature of the jet at the end of eaves decreases in comparison with the case the width of the jet at the end of eaves is the same as that of the opening.
     (2)Suggestion of prediction expression
     Based on the above-mentioned result, we suggested an expression to predict the mass flow rate, thickness, temperature at the end of eaves from opening information.
     ·The mass flow rate of the jet can be similar in a line fire source model. The entrainment in the horizontal direction when the jet spreads radially is evaluated in the width of the jet to the power of 4/3.
     ·The temperature is almost predictable by consideration the heat loss and the entrainment of the fresh air.
     ·The thickness is almost predictable by the adoption of the concept of the density current.
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  • Yoshifumi KONNO, Taro MORI, Yusuke IWAMA
    2018 Volume 83 Issue 751 Pages 729-736
    Published: 2018
    Released on J-STAGE: September 30, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     Introduction
     Households in “Fuel Poverty” is defined as the households which need to spend more than 10% of its income on all fuel use and to heat its home to an adequate standard of warmth. Fuel Poverty is caused by three factors: low income, high fuel price and poor energy efficiency of a home. In cold climate region, people need to use heating to keep warm, but households in Fuel Poverty cannot afford to heat their house adequately. In this research, we investigated Fuel Poverty (hereafter FP) in Hokkaido with questionnaires and public statistic data.

     Literature review
     A report published from DECC1) indicates three household groups who have older adults, who have children, and who have people with long-term care and disabled are tend to be in FP. Sunderland3) wrote the definition and the policy in England. The policy against FP has three categories, 1st, Measures to support income for low-income households, 2nd, Measures to improve the energy efficiency of houses, 3rd, Measures to discount energy prices. The government in England has spent £41.6 billion on the measures. The measure to support income has the biggest rate, 72%. But Sunderland wrote that the most important measure is to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
     Although there are many types of research about an actual situation of FP in England and other Europian countries, there is a few research for FP in Japan. The research in Europian countries indicated that there is the relationship between FP and the risk of health even in younger generations. We should immediately implement the research on FP in Northern Japan where the climate is colder than Europian countries.

     Actual situation of FP in Hokkaido
     We conducted a questionnaire survey in three areas to investigate the actual condition of FP in Hokkaido, The results of the questionnaire in Biei town and Sunagawa city were used to analyze the situation of FP with older adults. The result of the questionnaire in K school student was used to analyze the situation of FP with younger people.
     We used the equations (1), (2), and (3) to calculate energy cost. Those costs are used to judge whether it was a household with FP. In elderly households, the FP rates are high, when the householder is female, the number of people in the household is small, and the households live in a house with low energy efficiency. In younger households, the FP rates are high, when the age of householders are under 39 or over 60, and the number of people in the households is large.
     Also, we analyzed the regional situation of FP with Housing and Land Survey, 2013. As the result of the analysis. The rate in the southern Sorachi area where coal mines were located in is very high. On the other hand, the FP rates in Sapporo suburb are low. Fig. 18 and 19 indicated the relationship among FP rate, HDD, the rate of the house built before 1980, and the rate of households who have under 3M yen/year. FP rate has good correlation with the rate of the house built before 1980 and the rate of household who has income under 3M yen. But the correlation between FP rate and HDD is not better than other indexes.
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  • Sei ITO, Yasunori AKASHI, Jongyeon LIM, Nobuhiro MIURA, Akihiro KAWAMU ...
    2018 Volume 83 Issue 751 Pages 737-747
    Published: 2018
    Released on J-STAGE: September 30, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     Ceiling radiant cooling panel (CRCP) systems represent a key energy-conservation technology to realize (net) zero-energy buildings (ZEB). The CRCP system can yield high efficiency and affords a high degree of comfort to occupants. It is important to understand the cooling capacity of CRCPs when designing the system. EN14240 shows the experimental procedure for evaluating the cooling performance and specifics such as the experimental device, shape of dummy load, and installation ratio for CRCPs. However, the installation conditions of CRCPs are not specified by EN14240. On the other hand, previous study demonstrated that ceiling plenum air contributes to removing cooling load in CRCP systems. In order to accurately understand the cooling performance of CRCPs, it is important to take into account the installation conditions for CRCPs.
     A previous study developed the heat exchange equation model for ceiling radiant panels, and predicted the cooling capacity and surface temperature of ceiling radiant panels. However, this model was unable to consider the installation condition of ceiling radiant panel, and thus proved insufficient for predicting the cooling performance of CRCPs. Therefore, in order to develop a prediction method for CRCP cooling performance, we proposed the heat balance model for CRCP systems and conducted fundamental experiments.
     The heat balance model for CRCPs is considered based on five heat balance equations: (A) room space and room side CRCP surface, (B) plenum space and plenum side CRCP surface, (C) room side CRCP surface and chilled water in CRCP pipes, (D) plenum side CRCP surface and chilled water in CRCP pipes and (E) chilled water in CRCP pipe and CRCP surface. By simplifying the heat balance model for the CRCP system, the prediction method for CRCP cooling performance can calculate the room air temperature, CRCP surface temperature and cooling capacity in various installation conditions for CRCPs.
     Fundamental experiments were conducted in order to clarify the mechanism by which the CRCPs remove the cooling load. It was shown that the plenum load affected the cooling capacity of CRCP. And, upon analyzing the experimental data, the assumption of heat balance model for CRCP is proved to be correct. Furthermore, the parameters of the heat balance model, such as conductance of the CRCP and heat transfer coefficient, are identified from the experimental data.
     The calculated temperatures and cooling capacities using this method demonstrate close agreement with the actual experimental data. Thus, it is proved that the prediction method for CRCP cooling performance can approximately calculate the performance of CRCP system.
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  • Tomohiro KOBAYASHI
    2018 Volume 83 Issue 751 Pages 749-759
    Published: 2018
    Released on J-STAGE: September 30, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     1. Introduction
     In Japan, building ventilation has historically been regarded as important, and its scientific research has relatively long history as well. Consequently, a large amount of knowledge has been accumulated in the research field to date. However, there are few literatures that organized the history of the scientific progress in ventilation research, which can cause a difficulty in discovering the issues and problems to be solved for scientists in this research field. Therefore, this paper reviews the literatures on building ventilation that have been published mainly in Japan of which ventilation research history can be found in architectural engineering, aiming to facilitate understanding of development and to help researchers contemplate the future work.

     2. Beginning of Ventilation Research in Japan and Maturity of the Scientific System
     The scientific research on ventilation was first seen in the 1880s in Japan, and the measurement of natural ventilation rate using tracer gas was conducted by leading researchers who had learned in Germany. Ever since that time, it had been studied mainly as a part of public health until the 1920s. After that, many researchers in the building science also came to be involved in the building ventilation research, and many papers could also be seen in the AIJ transaction which started in 1936. In the early 1960s, the calculation method such as flow network model were developed, while materials for calculation like Cp values and p-Q curves for ventilation devices were organized as well. It is interpreted that the basis of the general theory and strategy regarding building ventilation design and calculation have been founded in the end of the 1960s through the activity of the committee in AIJ.

     3. Progress of Subdivided Ventilation Research Topic in the Contemporary Period
     After the oil crisis in the 1970s, natural ventilation research was focused on considering energy saving. Many works of applied research can be seen in this period especially for residential buildings, and above-mentioned basic theory was utilized for research works. From this period, a wide range of research regarding building ventilation came to be seen in this field. The technique of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was well studied, and the calculation of the indoor 3-D turbulent flow was first seen in the middle of 1970s, which seemed to be a kind of breakthrough and there appeared many research works using CFD appeared in the 1980s. In this period, the 1980s, the topic of ventilation efficiency was also focused on. Several indices for ventilation efficiency assuming CFD use were proposed as well, and the index for ventilation efficiency has been studied to date. After the 2000s, many research works on natural ventilation for non-residential buildings have also been carried out, especially for high-rise office buildings. It has still not yet been organized systematically, but the knowledge has been accumulated in this field. The cross-ventilation have also been studied by many researchers. Several modelling methods to predict flow rate have been proposed, and fundamental research to understand detailed phenomenon have kept on going.

     4. Summary
     The building ventilation research is interpreted to be a mature research field of which basis has almost been completed in the 1960s. Even after that, remarkable progress has been achieved to date, but in many studies, we are still utilizing a basic system of learning that was founded more than fifty years ago. There seems to be a possibility that we are restricted by a kind of common sense in thinking about research methodologies, which may not be necessary any more. Understanding the details of research progress seems important to discover new challenges in the field.
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  • Kosuke KONDO, Naoki KAGI, Norikazu NAMIKI
    2018 Volume 83 Issue 751 Pages 761-768
    Published: 2018
    Released on J-STAGE: September 30, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC), such as di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), have not only caused chemical sensitivity, but also trigger asthma. SVOCs are adsorbed onto airborne particles as well as exist as a gas phase in indoor air, because these compounds have low vapor pressure. Therefore, the mechanism of partitioning between air and particles for SVOCs in indoor environments is crucial to evaluate their exposure on humans. However, there are currently few studies into SVOC adsorption that considered indoor environmental factors. In this study, the effect of several factors on the mechanism of DEHP adsorption onto airborne particles was investigated experimentally. In particular, the residence time and surface characteristics (such as specific surface area and pore size distribution) of airborne particles were focused on.
     The surface concentration of airborne particles was evaluated using two methods. A spherical approximation was used for one evaluation, and the specific surface area of the test particles was used for the other. Carbon black and silica were selected as the compositions for the test particles in the DEHP adsorption experiments, and four types with different surface characteristics were prepared for each composition.
     As a result of the experiments, a strong correlation was expressed between particle surface concentrations with a specific surface area and the DEHP particulate concentrations. The result suggested that DEHP was adsorbed on the surface of the pores of the airborne particles. In addition, there was no significant difference between DEHP adsorption amounts for carbon black and silica. This fact indicated that the composition of the airborne particles did not affect the mechanism of DEHP adsorption on airborne particles.
     The residence times of airborne particles in the test chamber were controlled at 7.5, 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes (at air exchange rates of 8.0, 4.0, 2.0, 1.0, and 0.50 per hour respectively). The difference in the residence times of the particles had no effect on the amount of DEHP adsorption for any type of test particles. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of the theoretical time calculated to reach adsorption equilibrium, the experimental and theoretical results suggested that adsorption reaches equilibrium under general indoor conditions.
     Moreover, the Junge model revised in this study was proposed to evaluate the DEHP particulate ratio φ under general indoor conditions. The revised model demonstrated good agreement with the experimental results. Additionally, the validities of predicted values using the original Junge model and the revised model for variations in DEHP gas concentrations were compared. The result suggested that the original Junge model might overestimate φ under indoor DEHP gas concentration conditions (DEHP gas concentration > 0.1 μg/m3).
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  • Making the urban environmental climate maps in Yokohama with Yato topography
    Yui SASAKI, Kaoru MATSUO, Makoto YOKOYAMA, Takahiro TANAKA, Satoru SAD ...
    2018 Volume 83 Issue 751 Pages 769-779
    Published: 2018
    Released on J-STAGE: September 30, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     In recent years, temperatures in urban area rise because of urban heat islands. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the mitigation of urban warming. For proposing the mitigation measures for proper places, this study aims at producing Urban Environmental Climate Maps (UECMs) of Yokohama, a coastal warming urban area, which has a particular climatic characteristic with a sea breeze coming from two directions. In this study, it performed the analysis by using the data from meso-scale meteorological model (WRF) and the field temperature measurement in 2015 and 2016.
     At first, typical summer fine weather days are extracted. Secondly, classification criteria are made by using data of the wind direction and velocity of the Yokohama Local Meteorological Observatory and AMeDAS Tsujido Observatory during summer days in 2015 and 2016. From the results, authors can classify into three patterns, pattern A, pattern B and pattern C. In this study, the target is Pattern C that is defined as “East wind and southwest wind blow”.
     Next, it estimated the sea breeze front by using data from WRF. By using the wind distribution data from WRF, the target area is classified into “Sea breeze arrival zone” and “Sea breeze non-arrival zone” base on the presence of invasions of sea breeze. And the boundary of the 2 zones seems to be the sea breeze front. In order to compare and select the best criteria, the following three criteria are set. By using Criteria 3, the sea breeze front locations are spatially grasped, and the sea breeze arrival time map are computed.
     Next, authors performed the relevant analysis on the temperature and the factors of temperature distribution. Firstly, a multiple regression analysis is performed in order to understand the factors of temperature distribution in the whole target area. It used average hourly measured temperatures in 2015, for each time, as objective variables and five explanatory variables. The results show that the standardized partial regression coefficient of the sea breeze arrival time is large in the positive direction mainly in daytime and the one of NDVI is large in the negative direction mainly in nighttime. Both explanatory variables are meaningful with significant level 5%.
     Based on the sea breeze arrival time map, the target area can be classified into four zones by the sea breeze front location. The result of analyzing the relationship among measured temperature in 2015 and the NDVI, Ratio of Building Blocking (RBB) for each zone, it is found that the factor of temperature distribution varied according to zone.
     Besides, authors performed the analysis on the factors of temperature distribution inside of Yato. Yato is the topography where flatland get into the hill plateau with the horseshoe shape. In the target area, it is revealed that the factors of the temperature distribution of the inside of Yato are different from the outside.
     Finally, authors made the Urban Environmental Climate Maps (UECMs) in the daytime and nighttime based on the factors of the temperature distribution. Also, authors proposed mitigating measures for each zone.
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  • -A CASE STUDY OF AN ALL-ELECTRIC APARTMENT WITH HEMS-
    Ayami OTSUKA, Yujiro HIRANO, Daisuke NARUMI
    2018 Volume 83 Issue 751 Pages 781-790
    Published: 2018
    Released on J-STAGE: September 30, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     Dissemination of energy-saving lifestyles is a policy agenda under the 4th strategic energy plan of Japan because of increased importance of household sector both in terms of tackling global warming and energy issues resulting from the nuclear accident in Fukushima in March 2011. When discussing lifestyles, however, most previous studies on energy and lifestyles conducted in Japan put focuses on time schedule of people's daily routine and the use of electric devices. More recent studies try to highlight the overlapped living spaces and time among the family members as factors affecting energy-saving of the household, yet failing to capture people's underlying values which are considered an integral part of their lifestyles. This study aims to investigate what energy-saving lifestyles entail, by looking at the relationship between people's values, other determinant factors behind energy-saving behaviors, and actual electricity consumption.
     An all-electric apartment with home energy management systems (HEMS) in Yokohama, Japan, is targeted as a case study. Behavioral intention and actual behavioral indicators declared by respondents in a questionnaire, as well as other behavioral, i.e. the ways of living, indicators calculated from the electricity consumption data collected by HEMS are jointly used as potential influencer on people's behavior and electricity consumption. This is expressed by an equation, Ce = f (Y, Np, T, Ned, …, EC, V), whereby it reads that “the electricity consumption of a given household is a function of the family income, the number of family members, the time schedule of daily routine, the number of electric devises used, as well as people's energy cognition and values in life, and so forth”. For people's energy cognition and values, this study assumes that socially oriented values are related to factors that form energy-attitude and therefore a higher level of behavioral intention and actual behaviors taken, thus leading to a more energy-saving lifestyles, and vice versa, based on socio-psychological theories such as Schwartz's basic human value theory.
     The results indicate that the ways of living indicators are the strongest influencer on electricity consumption, as suggested by previous studies, while people's values also show a certain level of influence. The fact that behavioral intention, of which formulation is affected by self-transcendent values, is the common determinant factor affecting electricity consumption for all seasons reinforces the importance of self-transcendent values in fostering connections from people's behavioral intention to actual actions, and therefore realizing energy-saving lifestyles.
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  • -Empirical analysis using the assessment data of CASBEE for local municipalities-
    Masayoshi KAJIZUKA, Tomokazu ARITA
    2018 Volume 83 Issue 751 Pages 791-799
    Published: 2018
    Released on J-STAGE: September 30, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     Prompting energy saving measures for buildings is an important policy issue because the emission of CO2 from the building sector rose 33.5% from 1990 to 2013 in Japan. The market value for environmental performance of green buildings should be recognized in order to promote voluntary environmental consideration by private developers. It is because if the pro-environmental investment by private developers reflects the real estate prices and pays off, the environmental consideration will be diffused by market mechanism. The purpose of this study is to clarify the relation between real estate prices and environmental performance of the condominiums. We utilize the assessment data from Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE), and analyzed relation between new-built condominium's price and assessment results of CASBEE by path analysis.
     The methods of this study are as follows: 1) we conducted interviews to stakeholders related to condominium design about recognition of the market value of the environmental performance. Based on the result of this survey, we set the hypothesis: The environmental performances that consumers recognize as being important have market value.) 2) We selected three areas for our analysis, which are Tokyo metropolitan area (Yokohama city, Kawasaki city, Saitama city and Chiba city), Nagoya area (Aichi pref. and Nagoya city) and Kansai area (Osaka pref., Osaka city, Hyogo pref. and Kobe city). The building type we chose for our analysis is new-built condominium that has more than 2,000 square meters of total floor area. Data resources about condominiums such as environmental performance data, price data, location data etc. are different in Japan. Therefore, we conducted matching among different types of data resources for our analysis.
     Research results are as follows, 1) It was clarified that the environmental performance highly regarded by consumers and real estate prices are proportional relationship. 2) The environmental performance is influenced by business scale of developers and location. In order to promote the environmental performance of which the market value is not highly recognized, it is necessary to introduce a subsidy policy.
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