Browsing by Author "Van Den Wymelenberg, Kevin"
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Item Open Access Accurate Measurement of Daylit Interior Scenes Using High Dynamic Range Photography(Institute for Health in the Built Environment, University of Oregon, 2016) Jakubiec, J. Alstan; Van Den Wymelenberg, Kevin; Inanici, Mehlika; Mahic, AlenThis paper investigates accuracy in typical High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography techniques used by researchers measuring high resolution luminance information for visual comfort studies in daylit spaces. Vignetting effects of circular fisheye lenses are investigated for reproducibility between different lenses of the same model and sharing between researchers. The selection of aperture size is related to vignetting intensity, dynamic range and potential for lens flare. Lighting variability during capture processes is also tracked, and it is recommended to measure vertical illuminance in order to validate the stability of a scene. Finally, luminous overflow—a concept where a HDR photograph cannot measure the true luminous environment—is introduced. Its effect on the glare metrics UGR and DGP is investigated by using neutral density (ND) filters to increase the dynamic range of photographs under direct sunlight. It is recommended to use ND filters in scenes with vertical illuminances greater than 5 000 lx or with direct vision of the sun.Item Open Access Acoustic Lab Testing (ASTM E492-2016, ASTM E90-2016) of Multi-Family Residential CLT and MPP Wall and Floor Assemblies(Institute for Health in the Built Environment, University of Oregon, 2019-03) Van Den Wymelenberg, Kevin; Northcutt, Dale; Fretz, Mark; Stenson, Jason; Zagorec-Mark, EthanThe use of mass timber panels is becoming a popular choice for construction due to concerns about climate change, resource sustainability, the need for construction efficiencies and the human biophilic affinity for wood. Developed about three decades ago in Austria, panelized mass timber products have been used in Europe for some time but are now gaining market traction across North America and represent an opportunity for designers, developers, engineers and contractors. With this new design opportunity in North America comes jurisdictional code performance requirements that need to be demonstrated to building authorities in the United States. Among these are requirements for fire, seismic and acoustic testing. Acoustics standards in the United States are prescribed by various organizations, such as the International Code Council (ICC), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), American Nation Standards Institute (ANSI), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) and are codified by jurisdiction based on building typology. In addition to code requirements, the economics of occupant satisfaction and well-being play a role in project development. Economic studies have shown that consumers value spaces with higher acoustic quality and display a willingness to pay for the relief from unwanted noise.1 Furthermore, noise intrusion in places where people spend a majority of their time has been shown in a body of literature to effect cognitive function, disrupt sleep patterns, promote irritability, and provoke heart conditions.2 Therefore, in order for a housing project to perform, it must not only meet code requirements but also market expectations for high quality, acoustically separated living spaces. The acoustic performance of mass timber panels is measured by two metrics: STC (sound transmission class) and IIC (impact insulation class). STC, for example, is how well a wall assembly acoustically separates two spatial volumes. IIC is a measurement of how well a floor dampens the sound transmission of an impact between two adjacent spatial volumes, be that a dropped object or footstep. For multifamily housing, the International Code Council (ICC) prescribes a wall and floor assembly performance standard to meet or exceed a STC rating of 50 in a lab test (ASTM E 90 )or 45 in field tests (ASTM E 336) and IIC rating of 50 in a lab test (ASTM E 492) or 45 in field tests (ASTM E 1007).3 Using industry standards such as ICC, HUD, ANSI, FGI as a starting point for designing a series of floor and wall assemblies we hope to find high performing cost-effective acoustic solutions for mass timber assemblies that can be readily adopted by design teams and jurisdictional authorities . In addition, this study aims to provide more third-party verified data on CLT + MPP acoustic performance and disseminate it into the public sphere.Item Open Access Carbon Narratives for Design Planning(Institute for Health in the Built Environment, University of Oregon, 2023) Bloom, Ethan; Chidambaranath, Pallavl; Fretz, Mark; Kwok, Alison; Mahic, Alen; Martin, Katherine; Northcutt, Dale; Rowell, Joshua; Stenson, Jason; Van Den Wymelenberg, Kevin; Onell, Elaine; Puettmann, MaureenThe carbon story for buildings exemplifies the complexity and interconnection of embodied and operational carbon contributing to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions causing climate change. A myriad of considerations are in play, from natural resource management, extraction, processing, transportation, construction, operation and ultimately end of life, for every material and every building. Buildings currently represent about 37% of annual global CO2 emissions.1 About 10 GtCO2 annually come from building operations, which is at an all-time high, and about 3.6 GtCO2 from producing major materials used in building construction.1 As the world economy grows and living standards rise, the global consumption of raw materials is expected to nearly double by 2060.1 Decarbonizing the building sector will require coordinated action from numerous and diverse stakeholders in areas such as science, policy, and finance. Architects, engineers, and construction (AEC) professionals can take greater responsibility through building material selection, but this important decision-making process requires having the right data at hand when it’s needed. We believe the quickest means to reducing global warming potential through building material selection in the near term is to: 1) use and reuse materials efficiently, including existing structures; 2) use low embodied-carbon material options in place of materials that are derived from carbon intensive production; 3) employ bio-based materials, such as timber, that are renewable and remove carbon from the atmosphere during their growth, then design for durability and longevity, disassembly, and end-of-life reuse to ensure that the stored carbon remains out of the atmosphere for as long as possible; 4) create opportunities to use mill and production waste in products with long lifespans. At present, timber is typically less carbon intensive than steel or concrete if sourced from forests with sustainable forest management practices. On a longer time horizon, we believe: 1) significant reductions in all industry emissions and continued improvements in sequestration are imperative for all building materials including wood, concrete and steel; 2) transitioning a significant percentage of our buildings and cities to timber structures could significantly reduce carbon emissions in time, but only if sustainable forest management practices are used in concert with strong forward-thinking governance and broad-reach planning efforts; 3) sustainable forestry practices, along with the life cycle assessment methodologies and design tools used to quantify their impacts, are still in a period of development and refinement, and should be expected to be a moving target in the foreseeable future with advancement in our collective understanding and through greater adoption of these systems and practices. This guide, Carbon Narratives for Design Planning, was developed to acknowledge areas of influence when considering selection of mass timber as a primary building material. It is a complicated narrative, but one that designers and their clients are embracing based on multiple positive attributes of mass timber. At the same time, there is consensus that more transparency and uniformity in the embodied carbon story of wood products from forest to building site will lead to more informed decisions and improved environmental outcomes when specifying materials during design planning. This project offers a synthesis of available information for primary materials of structural building systems, with particular focus given to mass timber. We highlight ways in which mass timber can reduce whole building embodied carbon yet recognize that the narratives become complicated when comparing carbon content in mass timber structural systems against concrete or steel. The narrative becomes further nuanced when forest management practices, biogenic carbon and unknown material end-of-life pathways become part of the equation. The guide is structured in five parts, describing: 1) carbon in the built environment; 2) carbon, climate and forests; 3) carbon and mass timber; 4) carbon and concrete and 5) carbon and steel. Additional resources included in the appendices are survey results from 180 AEC practitioners from across North America, many with international project experience, that were used to structure a series of five workshops that took place between April and September 2021: 1) Wood Certifications: What is the difference and is it worth the extra cost? 2) Beyond the EPD: What aren’t we considering? 3) Comparing Carbon Narratives: How do concrete, steel and mass timber actually perform? 4) LCA Assumptions: Counting carbon neutrality versus climate neutrality? 5) Design for Building End of Life: Assumptions versus Actualities. Workshops drew on expertise and perspectives from individuals in forest ownership and production at small and large scales, manufacturers, non-profits, government and academia. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, these workshops were held entirely virtual, which allowed participation of national and international experts. Links to workshop recordings are hosted on the Institute for Health in the Built Environment (IHBE) and NetZed Laboratory websites. The immediate goal of this work is to create a common narrative for use by AEC professionals in their current and future work involving specification of building materials and associated carbon impact from those choices. Longer range goals of this work are based on the belief that these carbon narratives are key to advancing research, innovation, and cross-disciplinary urgency surrounding broad efforts to decarbonize the building sector and the materials used in the built environment.Item Open Access Differing effects of four building materials on viable bacterial communities and VOCs(Elsevier, 2021) Mhuireach, Gwynne A.; Dietz, Leslie; Griffiths, Willem; Horve, Patrick Finn; Laguerre, Aurelie; Northcutt, Dale; Vandegrift, Roo; Gall, Elliott; Van Den Wymelenberg, KevinIndoor environmental quality is a paramount concern among architects. Exposure to VOCs and microorganisms impacts occupant health, yet the role of materials on these exposures remains poorly understood. In this study, we placed four material types in individual microcosms to test whether material type influences bacterial community structure and VOC emission. We used culture-independent methods to characterize bacterial communities and TD-GC-MS to measure VOC emission. We found that viable bacterial communities had different patterns of abundance, diversity, and composition, in comparison with total (viable plus dead cells) bacterial communities. Examining viable bacteria only, Earth had the highest abundance and diversity, unique community composition, and overall negative VOC emission. Timber had the lowest bacterial abundance, composition similar to Gypsum and Concrete, and the highest VOC emission rate. Our research provides further evidence that architects’ decisions about building materials can influence chemical and microbial exposures indoors.Item Open Access Estimating and Mitigating Indoor Airborne Pathogens to Support Healthy Buildings(University of Oregon, 2022-05-10) Parhizkar , Hooman; Van Den Wymelenberg, KevinThe global pandemic has caused myriad damages to the lives of millions of people worldwide. Several studies confirm that indoor spaces are the main hotspots of COVID-19 outbreaks resulting in multiple confirmed instances of human-to-human transmission. Therefore, quantifying the impact of indoor environments and human activities on the transmission of infectious disease is key to stopping the spread of COVID-19 and prepare for future outbreaks. This dissertation is a multidisciplinary collaboration between designers, engineering, biologists, and public health experts to answer a question: “what is the airborne viral exposure risk indoors and how can building design and operations help to effectively reduce the risk of disease transmission indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic?” We aimed to answer these questions through following the projects: Chapter.II. A quantitative aerosol risk estimation platform. Chapter.III. Environmental mitigation of aerosol viral load. Chapter.IV. Respiratory exposure at alternate distances. In Chapter.II, we describe a quantitate aerosol risk estimation platform that is more mechanistic in nature than traditional risk estimates for airborne infectious disease. It enables the inclusion of aerosol size distributions and emissions from infected individuals with several predefined assumptions. In Chapter.III we provide the first real-world evidence that building related interventions described in Chapter.II significantly impact the dispersion and abundance of SARS-CoV-2 virus in the presence of individuals who were diagnosed with COVID-19. We also provide novel insights about the relationships of human and environmental viral loads (aerosols and surfaces) in near and far fields. In Chapter.IV, we describe a novel gas-tracing technique to quantify the degree of exposure to bioaerosols at alternate distances. Here we provide quantitative data to better explain the application of the well-mixed room assumption as well as insights about the distance from emitter variable that underly aerosol risk exposure estimates. In this dissertation, we conclude that buildings have a substantial impact on the risk of COVID-19 transmission. We offer an estimation platform for better understanding the risk of infection transmission indoors and provide proof that environmental mitigation strategies substantially reduce the viral load in a controlled study with infected participants. This dissertation includes both previously published/unpublished and co-authored material.Item Open Access Evaluating Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Cross-Laminated Timber Bonded with a Soy-Based Adhesive(MDPI, 2020-10) Yauk, Michael; Stenson, Jason; Donor, Micah; Van Den Wymelenberg, KevinVolatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from indoor sources are large determinants of the indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant health. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is a panelized engineered wood product often left exposed as an interior surface finish. As a certified structural building product, CLT is currently exempt from meeting VOC emission limits for composite wood products and confirming emissions through California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method testing. In this study, small chamber testing was conducted to evaluate VOC emissions from three laboratory-produced CLT samples: One bonded with a new soy-based cold-set adhesive; a second bonded with a commercially available polyurethane (PUR) adhesive; and the third assembled without adhesive using dowels. A fourth commercially-produced eight-month-old sample bonded with melamine formaldehyde (MF) adhesive was also tested. All four samples were produced with Douglas-fir. The test results for the three laboratory-produced samples demonstrated VOC emissions compliance with the reference standard. The commercially-produced and aged CLT sample bonded with MF adhesive did not meet the acceptance criterion for formaldehyde of ≤9.0 μg/m3. The estimated indoor air concentration of formaldehyde in an office with the MF sample was 54.4 μg/m3; the results for the soy, PUR, and dowel samples were all at or below 2.5 μg/m3.Item Open Access Forest to Facade: Developing an Application for Mass Plywood Panels in Seismic and Energy Wall Retrofits(Institute for Health in the Built Environment, University of Oregon, 2023) Casey, Flynn; Fretz, Mark; Narancic, Payton; Northcutt, Dale; Sheine, Judith; Stenson, Jason; Van Den Wymelenberg, Kevin; Barbosa, Andre; Mann, Phil; Orozco, Gustavo Fernando; Gerig, MarkThe project is a collaboration between the University of Oregon (UO)'s Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory and Oregon State University (OSU) through the TallWood Design Institute (TDI), a collaboration between UO’s College of Design and OSU’s College of Forestry and College of Engineering that advances engineered timber products and their application through research and testing. This project demonstrates a system of prefabricated panels built with MPP that can be rapidly applied on-site over existing building cladding to upgrade older light-wood-frame one- to three-story buildings to meet or exceed current energy and seismic codes.Item Open Access The Impact of School Facilities on Student Learning and Engagement(University of Oregon, 2021) Coronado, Maria Camila; Feinberg, Stephen; Fretz, Mark; Kwok, Alison; Gotlin, Alexandra; Greenheck, Riley; Lee, Jean; Pfeifer, Natalie; Seely, John; Steeves, Natassjia; Van Den Wymelenberg, KevinThis document outlines, catalogs, and summarizes a framework of literature that highlights the impact of school of facilities and classroom environments on student engagement and learning. The NetZED Laboratory at the University of Oregon commenced this project following a Request for Proposals from the California School Facilities Research Initiative (CSFRI) which sought to identify elements of the built environment of K–12 schools that result in higher levels of student engagement and learning. CSFRI’s goal was to summarize existing literature regarding the effects that physical organizational environments and furnishings within classrooms, makerspaces, laboratories, and interior ancillary facilities, as well as space at the exterior of the building that contribute to student engagement and learning. The overall intent of this white paper is to draw upon published evidence and original research to support the design planning and process for facility planners/managers, architects, educator, and community members who will seek funding to renovate and build new schools in California. With learning and engagement at the center, we developed a diagram of relationships of the school’s physical environment that includes three categories: indoor environment, spatial environment, and the people/community in relation to the school and classrooms. The review initially captured more than 750 peer-reviewed papers, reports, dissertations, books and literature reviews using framework, key word searches, and relevancy criteria, and stored through shared referencing software (Mendeley). Approximately 500 publications were selected to become an annotated bibliography and form the basis for this white paper. The review included studies from around the world, though most studies are applicable to conditions in the U.S.Item Open Access Impact of Wood on Human Thermal Perception of Transient and Steady-State Indoor Environments(University of Oregon, 2019-09-18) Blankenberger, Denise; Van Den Wymelenberg, KevinHumans thermally adapt and respond to the thermal environment in a number of ways, including psychologically. Preliminary evidence suggests that wood can lead to a perceived sensation of warmth while thermal history has been shown to affect the perception of thermal comfort. This thesis investigates two questions: (1) does wood material improve thermal comfort? (2) does thermal history impact present thermal comfort? To explore these questions, two thermal comfort studies were conducted in a controlled laboratory setting. In the first, participants evaluated their thermal comfort with wood and white wall treatments while the thermal environment changed dynamically between warm and cool. The second tested the same wall treatments in a steady-state thermal environment. The first study indicates that recent thermal history impacts thermal perception, and no effect of wall treatment on thermal perception was found. The second study suggests that wood had a cooling effect.Item Open Access Improving the Accuracy of Measurements in Daylit Interior Scenes Using High Dynamic Range Photography(Institute for Health in the Built Environment, University of Oregon, 2016) Jakubiec, J. Alstan; Inanici, Mehlika; Van Den Wymelenberg, Kevin; Mahic, AlenMeasuring the luminous environment enables researchers and practitioners to study perception and visual comfort in existing environments in order to decipher the components that contribute to good or problematic lighting characteristics. High dynamic range photography is commonly used to study visual perception and comfort. This paper presents new findings and specific methods of capturing interior scenes that may include peaks caused by a direct view of the sun and specular reflections. Methods are tested to improve the range of luminance values that can be captured, and new guidelines are proposed to improve the accuracy of computed visual comfort indices. Keywords: daylighting, high dynamic range imagery, visual comfort, glare, luminous overflow.Item Open Access Open Home Project: Designing Modular Housing and Landscapes for Resilient Communities(Institute for Health in the Built Environment, University of Oregon, 2020) Ward, Paul; Castro, Ivan; Fiorelli, Thomas; Fretz, Mark; Ko, Yekang; Lee, Junhak; Russel, Kory; da Silva Correa Leite, Carolina; Van Den Wymelenberg, KevinAffordable, energy efficient, and healthy housing is a key component of individual, community, and planetary resilience and is increasingly scarce in both rural and urban regions on the West Coast of the US and many other locations globally. To address this issue, we assembled a diverse team including designers, manufacturers, researchers, economic and legal experts, community organizers, and students from many fields to develop complementary systems for modular, affordable housing and supportive site enhancements. By pursuing an ‘open-source’ design process, our research and concepts are shared freely to engage and welcome input from a broad spectrum of perspectives. Our goal is to leverage disruptive new technologies like mass-timber panelized digital manufacturing, distributed energy production/storage, and water reclamation micro-grids to support systems-based approaches to creating affordable housing and resilient communities. Our flexible modular solution is rapidly deployable, reconfigurable, and relocatable. It includes on-board photovoltaic arrays and battery storage and can be positioned as a standalone accessory dwelling unit or as a cluster community. We propose service-based and on-site approaches to water and waste treatment in response to different configurations and contexts. Each unit provides much-needed housing while reinforcing the local utility grid and providing essential services during grid-disrupting events. This paper documents initial results of ongoing research, financial and sociopolitical implementation plans, and site improvement and modular housing system concepts. Moreover, we invite the ACEEE community to contribute their expertise as part of open source knowledge network.Item Open Access Patterns for Health: a parametric tool for creating healthy spaces(Institute for Health in the Built Environment, University of Oregon, 2022-11) Martinotti, Isaac; Mahic, Alen; Van Den Wymelenberg, Kevin; Fretz, MarkHomeowners, designers, and architects have long desired for a way to better interact with the worlds that they inhabit, and create better environments for themselves and the people that depend on them. Unfortunately, as it true with most protected disciplines, the barrier to entry of many techniques is higher than most people will comfortably meet. Rules of thumb - such as those elaborated upon in the Daylighting Pattern Guide - are very useful for allowing non-expert groups to create more holistically designed environments, and to incorporate technologies and techniques that they might not fully understand. Despite the relative ease that these rules can be incorporated into the average home, they often still require a higher base understanding of design than the mean person. This is where a parametric solution would excel. Creating a tool that provides instant feedback as well as simple controls would allow for more people to quickly gain the knowledge necessary to use these established rules of thumb. This opportunity is the end-goal of Patterns for Health - to create a webtool and simple interface to allow normal people to diagnose issues with their existing spaces, and to suggest specific and unique solutions to their unique problems.Item Open Access Sensitivity Study of Annual and Point-in-Time Daylight Performance Metrics: A 24 Space Multi-Year Field Study(Institute for Health in the Built Environment, University of Oregon, 2016-08) Nezamdoost, Amir; Van Den Wymelenberg, KevinWith the latest published version LEED (v4), and the IES codifying two recommended annual-climate-based daylighting metrics and performance criteria, annual daylighting simulation has become even more important to the design professions than ever before. However, interpretation and application of annual-climate-based daylighting data are still relatively novel. This paper documents a 8-year human factors daylighting field research project using students’ qualitative assessments of daylight sufficiency and corresponding point-in-time and annual-climate-based daylighting simulation in a variety of building types (n=24) in order to provide insight to the building performance simulation community about application of these new annual daylighting metrics.Item Open Access The Scene Dynamism as an Aspect of Rating Indoor View Quality(University of Oregon, 2022-02-18) Ghasemi, Seyedsohrab; Van Den Wymelenberg, KevinViews through windows provide a visual connection to the outdoors, information about weather and time, and indoor environments. Observers looking through a window perceive dynamic scene content, but the associated benefits are difficult to quantify. To better understand these benefits we employed an online survey (n=59) whereby subjects ranked scenes associated with window views having differing levels of dynamism. The rankings were compared against numerical measurements of motion derived from scene recordings using OpenCV with Python. Results show statistically significant differences among high, medium, and low dynamism for each of the twelve views. Among 100% natural views, high dynamism scenes were most preferred. When comparing three levels of dynamism in views with human activity, the medium level of dynamism was most preferred indicating a potential desire for moderate activity while avoiding sparsely occupied “ghost towns” or the chaos associated with heavy vehicular traffic.