While earthen construction offers a critical low-carbon alternative, in numerous countries it is a niche practice facing often institutional resistance within established socio-technical regimes. T & uuml;rkiye illustrates a unique context where a deep vernacular legacy of earthen construction persists through an active niche ecosystem operating in the absence of binding legal and technical codes. By employing the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP), this study draws on a national inventory of 68 contemporary projects and 18 expert interviews to reveal how regime-level 'lock-in' mechanisms suppress innovation within a landscape defined by severe earthquake trauma and unmet climate imperatives. Findings reveal a rapid acceleration in the sector, with 40% of the inventory constructed after 2020. To navigate the lack of codified standards, practitioners manage risks by adopting defensive hybridization, utilizing earthen materials as nonstructural infill or skin to mitigate professional liability. This study observes an institutional divergence between international prestige and domestic regulatory silence. The paper concludes with potential mechanisms for the wider adoption of EC in T & uuml;rkiye based on Strategic Niche Management (SNM), proposing 'experimental zoning' as a strategic framework to transition the niche toward structural and formal recognition.
Emergency departments (EDs) are characterized by both high operational intensity and elevated infection risk, where spatial and system-level interventions strongly shape behavioral dynamics and infection control performance. This study examines how an intervention bundle, consisting of coordinated spatial and operational measures, affects movement patterns and potential transmission pathways in an ED environment. A multi-agent simulation model of the emergency department (MAS-ED) was developed and applied to a real-world case in a tertiary hospital in eastern China. The model includes nine agent types, such as doctors, nurses, patients, janitorial staff, and visitors, and integrates actual spatial layouts, staffing schedules, and operational workflows to reproduce movement trajectories, space utilization, and contact-based transmission processes before and after the intervention. The results indicate that the intervention bundle significantly reduces crowding in high-risk patient room-related areas, with encounters in these zones nearly eliminated in some scenarios. However, activity patterns shift toward diagnosis areas, where interaction frequencies increase across multiple scenarios. This suggests that intervention effects are not simply a linear reduction of risk, but a spatial redistribution of interaction patterns. In terms of transmission structure, direct contact risk decreases in some scenarios, while secondary transmission chains, particularly those mediated by healthcare staff, become more prominent. Methodologically, this study extends post-occupancy evaluation from static spatial assessment to behavior-driven dynamic simulation. Practically, MAS-EDprovides a quantitative decision-support tool for optimizing safety, efficiency, and resilience in healthcare environments.
Many advantages are attributed to the rehabilitation of abandoned buildings, spanning environmental, social, and economic spheres. Official data indicate the presence of many uninhabited buildings in Brazilian metropolitan areas; however, information about these buildings is fragmented and dispersed. This work presents an Artificial Intelligence-based tool developed to collect and organize information on abandoned buildings available in various media, called RABIT (Rehabilitation of Abandoned Buildings and Information Tracking). The tool was developed in Python, combining semantic vectorization, neural networks, and Graph Theory to convert unstructured textual data into technical and territorial information. It consists of independent and integrable modules responsible for automated document collection, linguistic analysis, geolocation of information, cross-referencing with public databases, and filtering based on feasibility criteria. The case study on a specific building demonstrated the existence of multiple sources of information, which were scattered, fragmented, and available in various digital formats. The tool, developed using artificial intelligence, demonstrated its ability to track and organize information into previously defined categories, including information about the building, its location, and historical context. Given the complexity involved in rehabilitating abandoned buildings, the available information may be helpfull to all involved, especially to base feasibility study (investors), design development (designers) and construction (builders).
The increasing cooling energy demand of modern buildings poses significant challenges to energy security and environmental sustainability, particularly in warm and humid regions such as Northeast India. In this study, a representative residential building model suitable for Northeast Indian climatic conditions was analyzed to evaluate cooling load, indoor temperature variation, relative humidity, thermal comfort index, and associated carbon emissions. Simulations were performed using the EnergyPlus engine within the DesignBuilder software. Four phase change materials (PCMs) - n-octadecane, RT-26, capric acid, and calcium chloride hexahydrate (CaCl2 & centerdot;6H(2)O) were individually incorporated into the building envelope to assess their thermal performance. Among the materials investigated, n-octadecane exhibited the most effective cooling performance under warm and humid conditions. Parametric analyses were further conducted to examine the influence of PCM placement in three external walls, indoor temperature setpoints, natural ventilation, and occupancy patterns. The results demonstrate that PCM integration can reduce cooling load by approximately 15-20%, along with an average indoor temperature reduction of about 2 degrees C. Natural ventilation significantly enhanced PCM effectiveness when outdoor air temperatures were below the indoor setpoint. Additionally, the use of PCMs improved indoor thermal comfort by 12.91% to 31%. A carbon emission reduction of 16.98% was achieved for PCM integration in three external walls at a set temperature of 24 degrees C under natural ventilation conditions. These findings highlight the potential of PCMs as an effective passive cooling solution for energy-efficient and sustainable building design in Northeast India.
Educational institutions and universities have increasingly integrated digital technologies into their curriculum development processes. This digitalisation within educational settings has provided architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) students with the opportunity to engage in virtual design and construction activities. Such experiences allow them to gain a comprehensive understanding of potential construction challenges that might occur in real-world projects. This paper explores the prevailing trends and perceptions regarding the adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in AEC education. A longitudinal survey was conducted with 1,473 final-year students from architecture, engineering, and construction disciplines between 2021 and 2024. The correlation analysis revealed significant associations between students' BIM experience and the following variables: 'Students' year of graduation', 'Students' discipline/study background', and 'Students' interests to experiment with AI'. The findings reveal a growing trend in the utilisation of BIM among students. Moreover, the expectations of undergraduate students have shown a consistent increase over time. Student perception of developing BIM skills with career opportunities has dramatically increased across AEC disciplines. The results underscore the vital need to incorporate advanced digital tools in AEC education, ensuring students are well-equipped for the changing requirements of the industry. The paper presents findings and explores future directions for higher education and curriculum development to bridge the gap between industry requirements and academic education in the AEC sector.
