International Journal of Architectural Engineering Technology
The International Journal of Architectural Engineering Technology (IJAET) is a peer-reviewed open-access journal that explores the convergence of architecture, engineering, and emerging technologies. It publishes original research and reviews focused on digital design, AI-driven construction, sustainable materials, building performance, and smart built environments. With an emphasis on interdisciplinary innovation and global collaboration, IJAET provides a platform for advancing knowledge that drives the next generation of resilient, energy-efficient, and human-centered buildings.
All the published articles are licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (CC BY-NC 4.0) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
Health-Resilient Apartment Design for Post-Pandemic Housing: An Integrated Framework for Infection Control and Psychological Well-being
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical failures in multi-unit apartment designs with respect to airborne and contact-based disease transmission. This study develops an integrated architectural framework for health-resilient housing using a triangulated mixed-methods approach. Data were synthesized from semi-structured interviews with virology specialists, sustainable engineering experts, and apartment inhabitants. The resulting validated model introduces several novel interventions: a transitional 'entrance garden' to serve as a biological buffer, a negative-pressure isolation room (AIIR) with dedicated facilities, and a 'safe path' escape staircase for secure medical access. Technical enhancements, including air-lock (SAS) doors, wind curtains, and self-cleaning materials, are integrated to minimize viral loads in high-traffic areas. After a three-phase validation by architects and medical experts, the study concludes with a procedural guide for local authorities to standardize health-resilient infrastructure in future residential developments.
Indoor air quality (IAQ), Health-resilient housing, Post-COVID-19 architecture, Multi-unit residential design, Infection control in buildings.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ruba Rashed, Bader Alatawneh, Fajer Altawayha https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Early-Stage Building Performance Simulation for High-Performance Buildings: A Systematic Review of Methods, Workflows, Uncertainty Handling, and Design Decision Support
This systematic review of the literature examines how early-stage building performance evaluation can assist designers while they are still able to make alterations to their designs. The literature covered in this review comprised all peer-reviewed publications in English from 2013-2025. The review has synthesized the literature into four separate themes: (1) Performance Evaluation and Performance Assessment; (2) Simulation-based Design; (3) Collaborative and Sustainable Workflow Processes; and (4) Early-Stage Simulation Practices. The results show that the evaluation approach now emphasizes performance early in the design process rather than compliance at the final stage. Initial simulations target the building's massing and envelop in relation to climate considerations; later stages will focus on technical enhancements, verification, and ensuring adherence to building codes. The effectiveness of these procedures depends on the ability to establish decision-phase milestones, integrate design tools with performance analysis software, and openly discuss uncertainties throughout the design journey. Effective early-stage performance evaluation is restricted by a number of factors, including inconsistent conversion of Building Information Models (BIMs) to Building Energy Models (BEMs); a lack of verification/validation techniques; and several situations in which the building's actual performance differs from its anticipated energy performance. To improve the integration of performance evaluation into architectural design practice, these obstacles necessitate significant improvements in interoperability, systematic uncertainty reporting, and workflow-oriented methodologies for buildings and building codes.
Collaborative workflow, Design decision support, Early-stage architectural design, Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, Building performance simulation (BPS).
Copyright (c) 2026 Sepideh Niknia, Hazem Rashed-Ali https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Educating for Unbuilt Futures: AI as a Co-Speculative Partner in Climate-Resilient Architectural Pedagogy
Architectural education stands at a critical intersection of accelerating climate crises, technological transformation, and social complexity. At the center of this transition lies Artificial Intelligence (AI)—a defining technology reshaping both design processes and cognitive paradigms. Although AI is becoming increasingly embedded in architectural practice, its pedagogical potential remains predominantly instrumental, often limited to applications in form generation and performance optimization. This study reframes AI as a co-speculative pedagogical partner—a reflective agent capable of nurturing ethical, ecological, and contextually responsive design intelligence. Responding to contemporary challenges such as climate instability, resource scarcity, and spatial inequality, the research aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 11, and 13). A multi-layered qualitative methodology was adopted to: (i) synthesize theoretical perspectives from speculative design, cognitive science, and environmental philosophy; (ii) examine international frameworks (NAAB, RIBA, UNESCO) to understand how AI’s pedagogical dimension is articulated; and (iii) compare traditional studio pedagogies with emerging AI-augmented workflows. Together, these layers construct a reproducible framework for evaluating AI’s educational integration. The findings identify five interconnected competency domains—technological literacy, strategic design thinking, environmental sensitivity, ethical awareness, and collaborative agency—derived from recent studies and international educational frameworks. While these domains resonate with existing institutional standards, they also reveal the need for new pedagogical models that situate AI within broader ecological and ethical objectives. The study argues that AI can function as a medium for contextual intelligence—bridging computational logic with embodied, climate-responsive creativity. The proposed framework reimagines architectural education as a reflective and adaptive ecosystem where AI enhances, rather than replaces, human judgment. It fosters a synergistic dialogue between data-driven reasoning and embodied design intelligence, preparing future architects to act ethically, creatively, and ecologically within complex design environments.
AI-Driven Optimization and Climate Resilience in Future Building Design
Copyright (c) 2025 Elif Süyük Makakli https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
AI-Enabled Smart Buildings and Digital Energy Literacy: The DEL-EQ Framework for Equitable Adoption
The rapid rise of smart building technologies powered by artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and dynamic pricing systems is transforming energy use from a passive to an interactive process. While these innovations promise efficiency and sustainability, they also introduce new digital, cognitive, and ethical demands for building occupants. Traditional models of energy literacy, framed around cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions, no longer capture the competencies required in AI-driven systems. To address this gap, this article introduces the Digital Energy Literacy for Equitable Adoption (DEL-EQ) framework, which extends classical energy literacy by adding four critical dimensions: comprehension, interpretation, agency, and trust & ethics. A narrative and integrative literature review highlights how these dimensions interact with moderating factors at the individual, technological, and community levels. The novelty of DEL-EQ lies in situating digital energy literacy as both a technical and a justice-oriented capacity, thereby bridging social science and engineering perspectives. The framework offers actionable policy implications, including literacy thresholds, AI explainability, community-based training, and inclusive design. DEL-EQ thus provides scholars, designers, and policymakers with a conceptual foundation for preventing digital energy inequality and fostering the equitable adoption of smart building technologies.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hafize Nurgul Durmus Senyapar, Ramazan Bayindir https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Circularity and Carbon Performance of Prefabricated Biobased Modular Systems: A Comparative Analysis of Cases and Life Cycle Assessment Methods
The construction sector faces escalating pressure to reduce embodied greenhouse gas emissions while transitioning from linear material use toward circular, regenerative systems. Biobased modular wall assemblies designed for disassembly and reuse are increasingly promoted as a pathway to address both challenges; however, robust empirical comparisons with conventional construction remain limited, particularly when assessed across different life cycle assessment (LCA) methods and circularity assumptions. This paper presents a comparative, multi tool, and multi cycle LCA of prefabricated biobased modular wall systems developed within two EU research and demonstration projects (Drive 0 and Circ Reno), benchmarked against conventional external wall insulation systems in retrofit contexts and masonry cavity wall construction in new build scenarios. Environmental performance was assessed using ICE database screening, Ubakus elemental LCA, and OneClick LCA whole building modelling, applying harmonised functional units but varying system boundaries and datasets in order to explicitly examine methodological sensitivity. Both single life (100:0) and multi cycle allocation scenarios (Linear Degressive and Circular Economy Linear Degressive) were explored to evaluate how design for disassembly and reuse potential are represented within current LCA frameworks. Results show that, under single life cycle assessment, modular systems may exhibit higher mass and embodied impacts than lightweight bonded solutions, particularly where additional framing, fixings, and protective layers are required. However, increasing levels of biobased material integration substantially reduces embodied carbon intensity, and results are highly sensitive to database choice, system boundaries, and biogenic carbon accounting conventions.
Modular Systems, Biobased Materials, Sustainable Building, Environmental Design, Life Cycle Assessment, Design for Disassembly, Circularity Performance, Architectural Technology.
Copyright (c) 2026 Patrick Daly https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Seismic Strengthening of RC Exterior Beam-Column Joints Using Local Confinement and 45° Steel Haunches: A Comparative FE Study
This study investigates the influence of local confinement and the introduction of metallic haunches on the mechanical and seismic behaviour of reinforced concrete beam–column joints. A numerical comparative approach is adopted to assess the performance of several strengthening configurations relative to a reference unstrengthen joint. Three confinement configurations are examined notably the confinement of the column in the joint region, confinement of the beam, and simultaneous confinement of both the beam and the column. A fourth configuration incorporates two metallic haunches inclined at 45°, acting as an external strengthening system applied to the unconfined reference configuration. The results indicate that confinement generally enhances the strength, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity of beam-column joints under seismic loading. Among the confined configurations, simultaneous confinement of the beam and the column provides the best overall performance. This is followed by confinement of the column alone, while confinement of the beam alone exhibits comparable load-bearing capacity but slightly inferior performance due to less favourable failure mechanisms. In contrast, the introduction of metallic haunches inclined at 45° leads to a very significant increase in mechanical and seismic performance, clearly exceeding the improvements achieved through conventional confinement. These findings highlight the critical role of external strengthening devices in enhancing the seismic behaviour of beam–column joints and emphasize the strong potential of metallic haunches for the seismic design and retrofitting of reinforced concrete structures.
Joint confinement, Steel haunch retrofit, Seismic strengthening, RC beam-column joint, Finite element modelling (ABAQUS).
Copyright (c) 2026 Guillaume Poh’sie, William Dapeuh, Styve Ntakam, Jordan Defo, Maël Sonna, Emanuele Maiorana https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Impact of Energy-Efficiency Retrofits on Office Building Energy Use, Emissions, and Peak Demand under Future Climate Scenarios in U.S. Climate Zones
Evaluating energy efficiency measures (EEMs) under future climate conditions is critical for climate resilient design of buildings. However, the impact of EEMs on existing buildings under projected weather conditions has been insufficiently explored. This study evaluates the energy use, peak demands, and associated emissions of a prototypical medium office buildings with typical constructions properties from 1980 to 2004 across 16 U.S. climate zones, considering different EEMs under historical (TMY3) and future climate scenarios (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 for 2050 and 2080) to provide both location specific and broader insights. The different cases include models with envelope upgrades (wall, roof, floor, and window U-values, and solar heat gain coefficient [SHGC]), cooling coefficient of performance (COP), lighting power density (LPD), energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and combined retrofit measures, where upgrades followed ASHRAE 189.1-2020 recommendations. Results showed that the energy use and emissions under projected weather conditions increased in very hot regions and decreased in very cold regions, particularly under SSP5-8.5, reducing the gap between these extreme conditions. LPD, cooling COP, and window upgrades showed highest energy savings. LPD yielded the largest savings among individual measures, except in very cold and subarctic zones, where window retrofits outperformed. Results revealed increased stress on electric grids in regions with significant cooling loads where energy use outpaces energy savings under future scenarios. Additionally, the analysis showed that clean energy production in extreme cooling- or heating-dominated regions require attention, as the high electricity-related emissions in these regions coincide with high energy loads, amplifying the associated environmental impacts.
Building energy retrofit, Building performance modeling, Office building energy simulation, Climate change impact on buildings, Building energy efficiency and emissions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Farshad Kheiri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Downburst-Like Wind Fields: Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Turbulence Behavior from Wind Tunnel Experiments and CFD Simulation
Downburst is an extreme wind event caused by a thunderstorm downdraft that impinges upon the ground and subsequently forms a near-ground gust front, resulting in substantial economic losses and structural damage. Due to its pronounced discrepancies from synoptic winds, constructing downburst wind field models is crucial for the refined assessment of wind loads and structural safety. This study investigates the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of downburst-like wind fields based on active-controlled wind tunnel tests and numerical approach utilizing the large-eddy simulation (LES). The work primarily focuses on the disparities regarding mean and fluctuating wind characteristic between stationary flows and non-stationary outflows with various gust durations. The findings demonstrate a substantial concordance between the numerically simulated downburst wind fields and the experimental results. Compared with the stationary flows, the non-stationary cases exhibit pronounced time-varying characteristics across the mean wind profile and turbulence parameters including turbulence intensity, integral length scales, and fluctuating wind velocity spectra. Furthermore, an increase in the gust duration of non-stationary flows leads to a reduction in the peak time-varying mean velocity, while weakening the non-Gaussian features in the residual fluctuation and suppressing the peak energy of evolutionary power spectral density. The insights from this study are intended to deepen the comprehensive understanding of downburst wind field characteristics.
Turbulence structure, Downburst wind field, Wind tunnel experiment, Non-stationary wind characteristics, Wind engineering and structural wind loads.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zhipeng Wang, Lunhai Zhi, Bowen Yan, Wei Guo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Embodied Carbon of Mass Timber Buildings in the United States: A Systematic Review of Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) Evidence
This review synthesizes peer-reviewed life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies evaluating the embodied carbon and global warming potential (GWP) of mid-rise mass-timber buildings in the United States. Prompted by regulatory changes in the 2021 International Building Code that permit taller timber construction, the review focuses on the policy, market, and environmental context. A rigorous, structured protocol incorporated comprehensive database searches, systematic screening, clearly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and critical methodological appraisal. 30 peer-reviewed studies were identified that quantitatively assessed embodied carbon, GWP, and biogenic carbon flows in mass-timber systems, typically in comparison with reinforced concrete and steel alternatives. The reviewed literature demonstrates that mass-timber buildings exhibit lower GWP than conventional construction systems. Reported reductions range from 10–20% to 20–60%, depending on system boundaries, functional units, and modeling assumptions. Representative findings indicate cradle-to-gate reductions of 19–41% and cradle-to-grave reductions of 34–51%. Greater reductions are observed when biogenic carbon storage and end-of-life (EOL) recovery or recycling credits are considered. This review critically examines methodological variability across the evaluated studies. Principal sources of divergence include inconsistent system boundaries, heterogeneous functional units, non-standardized biogenic carbon accounting methods, and uncertain EOL scenarios. Regional factors, such as energy-grid composition, transportation, forest management, and climate conditions, further influence outcomes and limit direct comparability. The findings substantiate the embodied-carbon mitigation potential of mass-timber construction while underscoring the need for harmonized LCA methodologies, transparent reporting, region-specific data sets, and improved treatment of uncertainty to inform robust design and policy decisions.
Embodied carbon, Mass timber construction, Biogenic carbon accounting, Life cycle assessment (LCA), Global warming potential (GWP).
Copyright (c) 2026 Piyush Khairnar, Banan Alzoubi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
A Reading on Cultural Identity in Contemporary Turkish Architecture: Interpretive Strategies in the Works of Turgut Cansever and Nevzat Sayın
Contemporary Turkish architecture has endeavored to shape itself in a distinctive quest for identity between universal values and local cultural identity since the founding of the Republic. Turkish architects have developed various approaches that reinterpret cultural identity to address this dilemma. This study examines the cultural and intellectual dynamics of the search for identity in Turkish architecture from the second half of the twentieth century to the twenty-first century through influential examples. The primary objective is to understand how architects have integrated cultural identity into architectural design processes and the strategies they employed. The methodological framework is Kenneth Frampton's critical regionalism discourse, as established in "Ten Points on an Architecture of Regionalism: A Provisional Polemic." Exemplary structures are analyzed through criteria determining cultural identity in architectural works. The study examines the works of Turgut Cansever and Nevzat Sayın, focusing on their approaches to translating cultural values into contemporary architectural language and their theoretical foundations. Cansever carries traditional Ottoman-Islamic heritage into modern context, while Sayın demonstrates highly context-sensitive approaches. Research findings reveal that both architects employ distinct yet complementary strategies in conveying cultural identity. Cansever grounds his approach in metaphysical understanding emphasizing organic wholeness, whereas Sayın proceeds from phenomenological sensitivity prioritizing contextual dialogue. The results demonstrate that successful integration of cultural identity emerges through balanced combination of these approaches. This study contributes by analyzing the relationship between cultural identity and contemporary architectural design within a theoretical framework, presenting a methodological foundation for future architectural design practice.
Critical regionalism, Cultural identity in architecture, Contemporary Turkish architecture, Contextual architecture and locality.
Copyright (c) 2026 Masoud Matinpour, Nazan Kirci https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
A Deep-Learning based Monthly Precipitation Forecasting with Implications for Urban Design and Water Management
Accurate precipitation forecasting is essential for disaster preparedness and climate-responsive urban planning such as drainage designing under increasing climatic variability. This study investigates an entropy-guided deep learning framework to improve monthly precipitation forecasting by integrating the Maximal Overlap Discrete Wavelet Entropy Transform (MODWET) with a Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) model. Unlike the conventional Maximal Overlap Discrete Wavelet Transform (MODWT), MODWET employs entropy to objectively determine the optimal wavelet filter and decomposition level, addressing a key limitation in wavelet-based preprocessing related to over- or under-decomposition of hydroclimatic signals. While the effectiveness of MODWET has previously been demonstrated for streamflow forecasting, its application to precipitation prediction has not yet been explored. The proposed framework is evaluated using monthly precipitation data from three hydrometeorological case studies close to urbane are, selected from the CAMELS dataset across the United States. Model performance is assessed using multiple statistical metrics, including NSE, RMSE, percent bias (PBIAS), and correlation coefficient (r2). In addition, the Partial Correlation Index (PCI) is employed to identify informative predictors and reduce input redundancy. Results show that the hybrid PCI–MODWET–GRU model consistently outperforms the standalone GRU model, achieving improved correlation (up to r2 = 0.78 at selected stations) and overall predictive accuracy. These findings highlight the potential of combining entropy-based wavelet preprocessing with deep learning models to enhance precipitation forecasting reliability, with direct relevance for urban and peri-urban water management and climate-responsive design applications.
Deep learning, Precipitation forecasting, Urban water management, Climate-responsive design, Entropy-based wavelet decomposition.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mohammad R.M. Behbahani, Javad Teymoori https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Translate Computational Simulation Results of Natural Ventilation in Tall Office Buildings into Human-Centered Insights
Tall office buildings are increasingly designed with sustainability and occupant comfort in mind, and natural ventilation plays a critical role in achieving these goals. However, their height and exposure to complex, variable wind conditions introduce significant challenges, often producing uneven airflow patterns that limit effective air movement and directly affect human experience and behavior. Computational simulations are widely used to analyze the natural ventilation potential in buildings, as they provide comprehensive information on airflow behavior. Velocity contour visualizations quantify airflow distribution, yet their direct translation into human experiential and behavioral understanding remains limited, despite their interpretive insights. This study presents a visualization method using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to translate computational simulation results into design-oriented visualizations, including atmospheric diagrams and collages, that communicate relative experiential and behavioral tendencies rather than precise predictions of human behavior. AI serves as the primary tool, generating interpretable visualizations from prompts composed of keywords representing airflow behavior and insights derived from selected published simulation results on natural ventilation in tall office buildings. The proposed framework bridges quantitative technical data and experiential interpretation through a structured, two-stage embedding process, allowing airflow distributions and associated emotional and behavioral responses to be represented visually. The resulting images emphasize perceptual legibility and comparative interpretation to support design reasoning and pedagogy. Limited to simplified airflow conditions and experiential indicators, the framework provides an early-stage method that supports design exploration, architectural education, and communication by integrating quantitative analysis, qualitative experience, and architectural representation into a coherent visual reasoning process.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yohan Kim, Chang He https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Structural Monitoring of Long-span Curved Reinforced Concrete Beam-Column Frame using Distributed Fibre Optical Sensor
The paper presents the process and results of the structural health monitoring of two long-span curved reinforced concrete frames using the distributed fibre optical sensor. Optical fibres were attached to the steel reinforcing bars to obtain temperature, strain, deformation, and cracking information for the beams and columns. The temperature measurements were used to adjust the strain readings, then obtain the stress, deformation, and crack width estimations. Five measurements along the history of construction were taken with the first data set as the baseline right after casting the beams. The remaining four are measurements at 14, 28, 89, and 288 days. The measurements revealed that both ends of the long-span beams only have limited lateral movement due to the high lateral stiffness of the columns. The maximum deflections of the two beams are estimated to be 29 mm and 45 mm, respectively, which satisfy the design requirements. The maximum crack widths of both beams are estimated to be much less than 0.3 mm. The presented work demonstrates the effectiveness of distributed fibre optical sensors in monitoring long-span reinforced concrete frames with limitations to be improved in the future implementations.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jun Xia, Rengeng Zheng, Xiaodong Chen, Lihua Tan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Optimizing Urban Layout for Solar Mitigation and Microclimate Regulation in Hot-Arid Coastal Resorts: A Parametric Simulation Study
The rapid expansion of tourism infrastructure in hot-arid coastal regions exacerbates energy demands and environmental stress, yet evidence-based urban design guidelines for low-density resorts remain underdeveloped. This study investigates the influence of urban layout design (ULD) on façade solar exposure and microclimate regulation, using Egypt's Red Sea coast as a case study. Its purpose is to identify morphological strategies that reduce solar heat gain, lower cooling energy demand, and enhance outdoor thermal comfort while facilitating renewable energy integration. A systematic parametric approach was employed, using TownScope-3 to generate and simulate 252 urban layout scenarios. Key urban form parameters—including open-space ratios, building orientation, canyon aspect ratios, and building distribution—were varied to evaluate their effects on façade-level solar radiation. Statistical analyses established robust correlations between morphology and solar mitigation outcomes. Findings demonstrate that urban morphology is a decisive determinant of environmental performance. East-West linear layouts reduced annual façade solar irradiation by up to 29%, while compact, vegetated U-shaped clusters achieved reductions of up to 48%. Based on established correlations reported in the literature, these solar reductions correspond to estimated cooling energy savings of 23–32% and significant improvements in outdoor thermal comfort. Furthermore, by lowering ambient thermal loads, these passive strategies enhance the operational efficiency and feasibility of photovoltaic (PV) systems, positioning urban layout as a dual passive-active sustainability lever.
Urban morphology, Hot-arid architecture, Microclimate regulation, Solar radiation mitigation, Sustainable tourism resorts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ruwaa Bahgat, Rabee Reffat, Shawkat L. Elkady https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Politicized Humanitarian Architecture in Al-Hol Camp: Urban Density, Spatial Segregation, and Carceral Design in a Refugee Settlement
Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria represents an exceptional case in the architecture of refugee settlements. Established in the 1990s, it dramatically expanded since 2016. Today, it hosts more than 60 nationalities, into a dense urban-like settlement while remaining tightly controlled through fences, checkpoints, and surveillance. Its governance and spatial organization distinguish it from conventional camps, showing how humanitarian aid and systems of control have become deeply intertwined in its physical design and daily operations. The camp’s population diversity Syrians, Iraqis, and foreign nationals has produced deliberate spatial segregation, with separate sectors enforcing a fragmented socio-spatial order. This design prioritizes containment and security over integration or self-reliance, reinforcing dependency on humanitarian aid and limiting opportunities for sustainable development. This paper examines Al-Hol through three interrelated dimensions: (1) its historical development and spatial expansion; (2) its dual character as both an urban settlement and a carceral design; and (3) its function as a politicized humanitarian infrastructure shaped by regional and international agendas. The study draws on camp layouts, drone footage, and demographic data. It argues that Al-Hol exemplifies “politicized humanitarian architecture.” Here, planning decisions transform the camp into a controlled environment. This blurs the boundaries between refugee camp, city, and prison.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hanan Alahmad https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Markets as Mechanisms: The Role of Small Shops in Post-War Urban Recovery
In post-conflict settings, recovery is commonly measured by rebuilt infrastructure and restored governance, yet these metrics overlook subtler forms of resilience rooted in everyday life. This paper argues that the reopening of small shops and the revival of local markets constitute a distinct and measurable axis of recovery, one that restores economic function while reweaving social bonds, cultural memory, and communal dignity. Focusing on Syria, the study reframes commerce as a site of healing where souks and storefronts operate simultaneously as livelihoods, social spaces, and symbolic claims to normalcy and resistance. The paper’s novelty lies in linking Syria’s historical position on the Silk and Incense Routes with contemporary grassroots market restoration, producing a historically informed framework that treats market revival as both heritage practice and adaptive urban strategy. Methodologically, the research combines ethnographic observation, oral histories, and spatial mapping across detailed case studies—Zamalka and Mukhayyam Al-Yarmouk souks in Damascus and Al-Madinah souk in Aleppo—complemented by comparative analysis of Mostar and Beirut to identify transferable dynamics and divergent trajectories. Findings show that market reopening accelerates informal governance, stimulates micro-enterprise networks, and regenerates public sociability, producing resilience outcomes that conventional reconstruction metrics miss. The paper concludes by proposing policy recommendations for recovery planners and heritage practitioners: prioritize micro-retail capacity building, protect informal trading spaces, and integrate market-sensitive indicators into recovery assessments. The relaunch of commercial services, the study contends, does more than reactivate income streams; it reclaims daily life and reaffirms communal continuity in post-crisis settings.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sedrah Alayoubi, Kindah Mousli https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Interdisciplinary Synthesis in Architecture: A Comparative Study of Technological Innovation and Cultural Agency
In the evolving landscape of modern and contemporary architecture, the convergence of art, science, and technology has redefined traditional paradigms, challenged perceptions of space, and pushed the boundaries of structural innovation. This paper investigates how influential architects have integrated technological and material innovations to reshape both the practice and societal role of architecture. Adopting a comparative case study methodology, it examines the works of selected architectural masters whose approaches exemplify distinct modes of interdisciplinary engagement across art, technology, and culture. The analysis identifies three recurring features: the reconfiguration of authorship through collaboration, the emergence of novel spatial typologies enabled by digital design and advanced materials, and the repositioning of architecture as a mediator of societal and cultural change. By synthesizing these findings, the study advances a framework arguing that interdisciplinary design practices are not only transforming architectural production but also reshaping its broader cultural agency.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tapashi K. Das, Kishore Dutta https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Validation of a Gamified Circular Design Methodology through a Design Workshop
This research integrates theory with practice (thought and action) connecting real-life problems to theorical foundations, with the dual aim of solving a design problem in the circular economy (CE) and delivering new knowledge through experimentation. This paper stems from the observation that architects commonly rely on their personal experience while designing without adopting structured frameworks. The present study aims at validating a previously proposed circular design methodological framework in practice. To achieve this aim, the research employed a design workshop to test this design methodology. This is followed by an analysis of how non-expert architects in CE perceived and applied it. The study recorded participants’ interaction with the gamification sense implied in the methodology and assessed their ability to develop designs compatible with CE principles. Data collection included sketches, video recordings, observations, and written notes. The findings highlight the potential of the circular design methodology to support the design process in CE. Participants reported positive experiences, describing the methodology as flexible, easy to comprehend, enjoyable, time-efficient, and educational. The results validate the applicability of this circular design methodology, leading to setting a step-by-step guideline for its future implementation. Ultimately, the validation of this design methodology may promote wider dissemination and acceleration of the culture of circular design in architectural practices, even for non-expert architects in CE.
Copyright (c) 2025 Menatalla M.A.M. Ramadan, Aly H. Gabr https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
BIM Integrated Framework for Efficient Information Exchange in Green Building Design: A Critical Review
Adequate implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in green building practices, known as green BIM, enables the multidiscipline team to efficiently exchange information to meet the overarching criteria of green building assessment tools (GBATs) like Malaysian Carbon Reduction and Environmental Sustainability Tools (MyCREST). However, issues of inaccurate information exchange during the green BIM process persist, resulting in a flawed decision-making process. Besides, compared to the environmental indicators, the socioeconomic aspect of sustainability has not been adequately considered in GBATs like MyCREST. Furthermore, the enhancement of information exchange in green BIM practice has been underexplored in the literature. This study critically reviews 200 articles published between 2008 and 2024 to identify the critical components for information exchange in the green BIM process. Then, a comparative analysis was conducted on five widely used GBATs to augment MyCREST Design. Afterward, established BIM standards and guides were scrutinized to identify the best practices of digital information exchange. As a result, the MyCREST-BIM Integrated Framework (MyBIF) was developed, encompassing core components like Augmented MyCREST Design, Technology Enablers, and Institutional Support. The developed MyBIF provides researchers and practitioners with valuable insights into real-time collaboration and efficient exchange of information in green building design.
Copyright (c) 2025 Chukwuka C. Ohueri, Jibril A. Bamgbade, Wallace I. Enegbuma https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Adaptive Façade Strategies for Energy Efficiency: A Case Study Optimization in Cold and Semi-Arid Climates
The increasing global energy consumption in the building sector highlights an urgent need for energy-efficient design solutions. This study investigates the optimization of residential building envelopes in Bojnord, Iran—a city with a cold and semi-arid climate (BSk), characterized by harsh winters and relatively warm summers. A simulation-based methodology was adopted using parametric modeling and building energy simulation tools to assess envelope performance. Five façade strategies were selected for evaluation based on their climatic relevance, geometric adaptability, and feasibility within common construction limitations: optimized Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR), ventilated double-skin façades (DSF) with air insulation and shading, Voronoi-based shading systems, perforated panels, and variable-porosity façades inspired by traditional Iranian geometry. Adaptive versions of these strategies were also examined. Results indicate that optimizing the WWR to 20% significantly reduces energy consumption, while dynamic façade systems—particularly those with adjustable WWR—offer the highest energy savings, reducing total consumption by approximately 7.73% compared to the baseline model. Conversely, some fixed strategies such as static perforated façades led to increased energy use. The findings provide insights for architects and urban planners into the role of adaptive and climate-responsive envelope systems in achieving energy efficiency and thermal comfort in cold and semi-arid regions. Limitations related to material costs, control complexity, and long-term performance of dynamic systems are also discussed.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hanieh Gholami, Fatemeh Rezaei, Hanieh M. Ahmadi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Thermal Comfort Assessment of Temporary Shelters Used in Türkiye by CFD Analysis
This research assessed the thermal comfort conditions of temporary shelters in Türkiye using the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) index. A typical container-type shelter was selected as the model for the analysis. Simulations were conducted on July 21 at four different times: 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, and 16:00. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software Ansys Fluent was utilized to perform the simulations. Eight shelters positioned in various parts of a standard shelter layout were analyzed. Two ventilation scenarios were considered: one with only the doors open, and another with both doors and windows open. While PMV quantifies the average thermal sensation on a scale from -3 (cold) to +3 (hot), in Scenario 1, the general scale of PMV is hot or exceeds the hot scale; besides, the number of situations classified as warm and slightly warm in Scenario 2 increases. In Scenario 1, PMV values were generally high and surpassed the thermal comfort threshold (+3-hot), especially during the morning and midday hours, while natural ventilation improved significantly, leading to lower PMV values, which are about +2(warm), and enhanced thermal comfort in Scenario 2. As a result, it is recommended to consider site-specific orientation, prioritizing layouts that maximize exposure to prevailing wind directions, particularly for living and sleeping areas, while also minimizing the exposure of heavily occupied zones to intense solar radiation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ayça Gülten, Seval Yolacti https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Ecodesign: Green Solutions for Design of Steel Building Envelopes
In recent years, the impact that man has on the environment has become increasingly evident, and the planet itself is starting to re-bel against this great and uncontrolled exploitation of its resources. The need to seek change by approaching a totally sustainable lifestyle is now obvious. Sustainability has in fact become a major player in today's society, infiltrating every area of it, including construction. In the construction field, man's impact is unfortunately inevitable, but it can be mitigated by developing new sustainable technologies, and it is precisely with these that we have had the opportunity to approach a new vision of architecture, arriving at what is called Ecodesign, a way of designing that respects the environment and the resources offered by Nature. The research was conducted on a new building, under construction, within the university campus of Fisciano, Salerno, designed mainly with a steel construction system.
Copyright (c) 2025 Giacomo Di Ruocco, Federica Frulio https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Corrigendum to: Human Footprint on Natural Systems: Missing Post-war Scenario in the Urban Context of Damascus
All regions in Syria have witnessed a decline in green spaces due to the spread of illegal logging operations and a decline in interest in agricultural wealth due to the Systems. Missing post-war Scenario in the Urban Context of Damascus,” the author would like to revise the Acknowledgement and Credits sections to better reflect the contributions of collaborating institutions. The revised sections are provided below: Acknowledgement [A]FA has been collaborating with the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Damascus and the Damascus-based Reparametrize Foundation as part of their ongoing project Recoding Post-War-Syria, Zamalka. Students have been selected from each institution to participate in the lab. Credits [APPLIED] FOREIGN AFFAIRS, IoA, University of Applied Arts Vienna / Reparametrize Studio These revisions do not affect the scientific content, results, or conclusions of the article. The author and the editorial team regret the omission and have now rectified the record.
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Evaluating the Educational Impact of Studio-Based Design Methodologies in Architectural Courses
Architecture studios are essential in teaching design skills. Exploring how different design methodologies impact student performance helps improve education, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and better learning outcomes in architecture programs. The objective of the research is to examine the impact of various design methodologies on student achievement in architecture studios, identifying effective teaching approaches that enhance creativity, critical thinking, and overall performance in architectural education. The research involved 526 architecture students as participants. Data were collected using structured surveys to identify design methodologies and academic performance records. The software IBM SPSS Statistics version 17.0 was used to perform these statistical analyses including correlation coefficients, multiple linear regressions (MLR), ANOVA and paired t-test to examine the relationship between teaching methodologies and student achievement, providing insights into their impact on performance. Examined five factors: collaborative learning, iterative processes, instructor feedback, problem-solving skills, and time management. These factors were analyzed to determine their influence on student creativity, critical thinking, and overall achievement in architecture studio projects. The outcomes revealed a significant positive correlation among specific design methodologies and student achievement. Collaborative and iterative approaches showed the strongest impact on creativity and performance. Collaborative and iterative methodologies significantly enhance student achievement, highlighting the importance of effective teaching strategies in architecture studios.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hasibullah Khan, Ahmad J. Niazi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Awareness and Energy Conservation Behaviors: A Case Study of Institutional Buildings in Hail, Saudi Arabia
The growing challenges of carbon emissions and global warming necessitate global efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) faces significant challenges in ensuring a sustainable electricity supply in buildings, including high energy demand driven by extreme climate conditions, heavy reliance on fossil fuels, and inefficiencies in energy distribution and consumption patterns. This study explores the relationship between employee awareness, energy conservation behaviors, and electricity consumption in three architecturally identical institutional buildings in Hail province, which exhibit significant variations in energy use. Using a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative approaches, structured questionnaires were distributed to 27 employees, with 21 responses analyzed through SPSS using a five-point Likert scale. Results reveal that behavior, rather than awareness, is the primary driver of energy consumption, as Building 3 exhibited the highest energy-saving behaviors despite moderate awareness levels. Workplace norms, peer influence, and reinforcement mechanisms significantly impact energy-saving actions, while awareness alone proves insufficient in fostering consistent behavioral engagement.
Copyright (c) 2025 Abdelhakim Mesloub, Mohammed A. Alghaseb, Nawwaf Al-Sabhan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Optimizing Residential Energy Efficiency Through Strategic Landscaping in Hot-Arid Regions
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has a hot and arid climate, with the maximum summer temperature above 50°C. This high temperature can significantly hinder energy generation and usage since air conditioning is extensively used during the summer and is the primary cause of energy consumption. These researchers have to develop innovative solutions to overcome the above issues, as these would help decrease energy usage and improve the microclimate. In this study, the researchers have determined the efficiency of having green spaces to improve outdoor thermal comfort and decrease energy consumption in residential complexes that were developed by KSA’s Ministry of Housing (M.o.H). For this purpose, they have used a hybrid model that combined field data analysis and simulation modelling techniques to determine the effect of strategic landscaping on the microclimate and subsequent energy consumption. Their study showed that the integration of green spaces leads to a 3% decrease in annual energy consumption. The results noted in this study implied that the above interventions could improve thermal comfort in hot and arid conditions as they decreased the outdoor temperatures by 1.5°C and increased relative humidity in the area by 10% during the major summer months. The findings highlight how planned landscaping can help address environmental and energy challenges in areas with extreme climates.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ali Aldersoni https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Estimation of Wind Effects on High-Rise Structures by the Global Load Effects and Database-Assisted Design Methods
Structural wind effects on high-rise buildings subjected to extreme directional winds can be determined by one of three methods: (i) HFB (high frequency balance), used only for buildings with very complex shapes or with many fine-scale features, (ii) GLE (global load effects), commonly used in current commercial wind engineering laboratory practice, and (iii) the DAD (Database Assisted Design) method. The purpose of this paper is to consider the advantages and drawbacks of the GLE and DAD methods, both of which use the multi-channel pressure scanning system. Following these methods’ brief description, it is noted that the GLE method has over DAD the advantage of significantly lower computational time requirements. This is shown to be due to GLE’s basic assumption that the peak Demand-to-Capacity Indexes (DCIs) of all the building’s structural members occur at the same time. It is then shown that this assumption is incorrect, and that it results in the GLE method’s underestimation of all the structural members’ DCIs, inter-story drift ratios, and top floor accelerations. In contrast, the DAD method is shown to satisfy all applicable strength and serviceability performance criteria. However, the computational resources required for DAD’s use exceed the resources typically available to small or mid-sized structural design offices. Recent research results concerning the DAD method are then noted, and various approaches are proposed to the reduction of the DAD method’s computation time requirements by up to two orders of magnitude.
Copyright (c) 2025 Emil Simiu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Predicting Building Primary Energy Use Based on Machine Learning: Evidence from Portland
Accurately predicting equivalent primary energy use (EPEU) in buildings is crucial for advancing energy-efficient design, optimizing operational strategies, and achieving sustainability goals in the built environment. This study aims to develop reliable prediction models for EPEU by leveraging a comprehensive and high-quality dataset from buildings in Portland, USA. To achieve this, a systematic machine learning framework is adopted, encompassing feature selection, data preprocessing, model training, and performance evaluation. Several state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms are applied, including Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT), and Back-Propagation Neural Networks (BP). These models are trained using key features such as building type, gross floor area, construction year, and various operational characteristics that are known to significantly influence energy consumption patterns. The dataset is carefully cleaned and normalized to ensure model generalizability and minimize bias. Model performance is assessed using standard statistical metrics, including the coefficient of determination (R²), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE). Among the tested models, ensemble learning methods—particularly RF and GBDT—consistently outperform others in terms of prediction accuracy, robustness, and stability across different building types. The results of this study not only highlight the potential of machine learning in energy prediction tasks but also provide actionable insights for architects, engineers, facility managers, and policymakers. By identifying the most influential variables and employing effective predictive models, this research supports data-driven decision-making processes aimed at improving building energy performance.
Copyright (c) 2024 Yin Junjia, Aidi Hizami Alias, Nuzul Azam Haron, Nabilah Abu Bakar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Evaluation of Thermal Environments in Central Urban Areas (CUAs): Analysis of Existing Focuses and Directions for Future Investigation
Central urban areas (CUAs) are particularly vulnerable to rapid environmental changes and contemporary emerging climatic threats, given their complexity of spatial patterns and intensity of human activities. Typically, CUAs exhibit high-density and heterogeneous morphological characteristics through the combination and interaction of various building blocks constructed across multiple ages, showcasing socio-cultural inheritance and ecological-environmental diversity. The scarcity of open spaces and the dense clustering of buildings in these CUAs impede outdoor thermal comfort and ventilation, reducing residents’ opportunities to conduct outdoor activities during extreme weather conditions. Given these circumstances, it is crucial to conduct systematic evaluations of thermal environmental performance in CUAs. Despite widespread global discussion on this topic, conflicting investigation results persist due to the variations in the observation spatial scales, research techniques, analytical approaches, evaluation indices, and socio-geographical contexts. Focusing on the relationships between urban morphological characteristics and outdoor thermal environmental performance, this paper provides an overview of existing related studies across multiple spatial scales and analyses the advantages and shortcomings of prevalent research techniques. The paper aims to outline a systematic framework for investigating the thermal environments in CUAs facing complex social situations and climatic challenges. The paper suggests that integrating both top-down and bottom-up perspectives is important for evaluating thermal environments in CUAs, while a multi-scale investigation should be conducted to identify the essential issues and the underlying mechanisms across various spatial scales. By adding insights from CUAs, the paper seeks to propose suggestions for future improvements in the domain of urban environmental evaluation.
Copyright (c) 2024 Qiu Jin, Wenjian Pan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Applying Multi-Objective Evolutionary Computation for Optimal Feng Shui Layout in Interior Design
Feng Shui principles have a profound impact in Asia, studies have shown that consumers often consider Feng Shui when purchasing property to arrange interior layouts. Balancing design requirements and cultural beliefs in the design process requires significant communication and calculation efforts, However, aside from repeated communication among Feng Shui experts, homeowners, and designers, there is currently a lack of efficient methods to incorporate Feng Shui into design. Therefore, this study establishes a decision model to provide layout recommendations for purchase property, design, and for existing property renovation planning. By references Feng Shui Compass School principles to assess the Feng Shui quality of dwelling interiors and considers spatial layout and area distribution rules to evaluate the feasibility of the solution. Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA) is then applied to optimize Feng Shui and design conditions in real-world case studies. The results show that the application can effectively optimize and balance Feng Shui and design conditions in a short period of time, also provides homeowners and designers with clear strategies during purchase, design, and renovation to meet the needs related to cultural beliefs.
Copyright (c) 2024 Ting Lu Chiang, Yi-Kai Juan, Chao-Chiung Lee https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0