The features of green business centers (GBC) location in the structure of the city and district are investigated using the example of London and Moscow. A graphic-analytical analysis of the location of environmentally sustainable business complexes is carried out. The environmental, social and economic aspects of the design of commercial buildings are highlighted. This study is necessary to identify successful practices and experience of foreign countries in the placement of green business centers that could be adapted and applied in Russia. The results of the study allow us to draw conclusions about the prospects for the development of ecological construction of commercial buildings in Russian cities.
Accurate information on land value plays an important role in sustainable land use planning, especially in developing countries where there is a significant difference between market land prices and state land prices. Market land prices are determined by supply and demand in the open market, while state land prices are regulated by the government. Selecting the appropriate model to calculate land prices is key. The objective of this study was to determine land value in the town of Trau Quy, in Hanoi’s Gia Lam District, using the Analytical Hierarchy Method. Trau Quy experiences particularly strong fluctuations in land prices. Factors classified into four groups (location, traffic, environmental, and socioeconomic) along with house prices at 129 points were used to build the AHP model. The R² statistic was used to evaluate the precision of the model. The results showed that the AHP model was able to forecast accurately, with an R² value of 0.92. The study area was divided into five land price zones, with the lowest being five hundred dollars/m² and under and the highest ten thousand dollars/m² and above. The areas with the highest land prices were largely located along Ngo Xuan Quang Street, where important administrative facilities such as the Gia Lam District People's Committee and Trau Quy Market are located. This study has provided important and accurate information and may support policy makers in land use planning, especially in the context of urbanization and urban development. The method used in this study can also form part of land planning solutions in other parts of the world.
Architecture student workload has been a key issue since the formalization of architectural education. The nature of the architectural discipline, with design at its core, makes it demanding in terms of time and mental and physical effort. This results in perceptions of a heavy workload, which may affect student learning quality and well-being. Previous research has linked heavy workload to increased stress, surface learning, and unethical conduct. This paper investigates student workload in architectural education, in terms of quantity and quality, to identify opportunities for workload moderation and optimization. It provides an exploratory quantitative estimation of workload through short online questionnaires that compare student and faculty perspectives. It also explores key factors influencing workload perception through in-depth interviews with architecture students and professors in Egypt. The quantitative analysis reveals a discrepancy between the number of study hours reported by students and assumed by faculty, although both agree on the high workload. Students highlighted several issues that affect their workload experience, including the amount of workload, scheduling issues, course content, and teaching methods. Professors validated many of these issues, proposing implementable solutions for some and recommending further investigation into others. They also emphasized student responsibilities, including time management, commitment, and self-discipline.
This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent advancements in the mechanical properties, crack behavior, and fatigue performance of friction stir welds (FSWs) and flash butt welds (FBWs) on the structural steel construction. Friction stir welding (FSW) gained significant traction in various industries due to its capability to join different materials, including pure, alloy, and composite materials, and its application in aerospace, shipbuilding, railway, and automotive sectors. Despite its advantages, challenges such as high heat-induced weakening of residues and formation of defects in dissimilar material welds persist. This review also covers advancements in flash butt welding (FBW), particularly for rail joining, which includes analyses of temperature distribution, joint strength, and the impact of process parameters on weld quality. The paper further explores the heat-affected zone (HAZ) in both FSW and FBW processes, detailing the microstructural changes and their implications on weld performance and fatigue life. Key findings include the effects of temperature on HAZ microstructure and the development of novel methods for evaluating weld quality and fatigue resistance. This study aims to provide insights into ongoing research and potential improvements in welding technologies.
This research investigates the optimization of energy efficiency in net-zero commercial office buildings through the synergistic integration of biophilic design principles and Double-Skin Facade (DSF) systems in maritime desert climates. The study emphasizes the role of biophilic design in enhancing occupant well-being and reducing energy consumption by incorporating natural elements such as daylight, greenery, and natural ventilation. These elements are strategically integrated with DSF systems to create high-performance building envelopes that align with net-zero energy goals. A comparative analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of various DSF configurations including different cavity depths, glazing types, and orientations against the conventional Single-Skin Facade (SSF) system. Dynamic thermal modeling was employed to simulate the complex interactions within the facade cavity, ensuring precise calculations of the energy performance for each DSF configuration. The simulations revealed that integrating biophilic elements with multi-story DSF systems can lead to significant reductions in annual cooling loads, with potential savings of up to 32% compared to SSF systems. The research further identifies the optimal DSF configurations that maximize energy efficiency while supporting biophilic principles, such as the incorporation of natural light and views to the outdoors. The findings highlight the potential of combining biophilic design with advanced DSF technologies to not only achieve net-zero energy targets but also to enhance the overall environmental quality and sustainability of commercial buildings in maritime desert climates. This study contributes to the evolving discourse on sustainable architecture by demonstrating how the integration of nature and technology can drive the performance of next-generation green buildings optimization.
