Ecovillages and Ecocities: Bioclimatic Applications from Tirana, Albania

Description

Ecological and livable cities need an objective method to be examined. This book is in search of a method to determine the level of livability, ecology and energy efficiency. Ecological and sustainable cities need to properly make up for the existent weakness of the city's construction under fine ecological environment. The intention of this comparative study is an attempt to improve life quality in Tirana, Albania. It gives examples of successful strategies, e.g. bioclimatic solution through passive solar systems and the use of underground tunnels. This book is aimed at researches, professionals, architects and city planners. Foreword—K. Xhexhi Book Contents 1 An Approach from Ecovillages and Ecocities to Tirana, Albania 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Ecovillages 1.2.1 What are Ecovillages? 1.2.2 Ecological Building 1.2.3 Renewable Energy Systems 1.2.4 Energy Efficiency 1.2.5 Biological Wastewater Treatment 1.2.6 Recycling 1.2.7 Local Organic Food Production 1.2.8 Following the Traces of Ecovillages 1.2.9 Cohousing Projects and Ecovillages 1.2.10 Five Case Studies (Auroville, India; Sieben Linden, Europe; Ecovillages at Ithaca, US; Ecoovila, Brazil; Mbam and Faoune, Senegal) 1.2.11 Land Use 1.2.12 Pollution 1.2.13 Solid Waste 1.2.14 Water 1.2.15 Transport 1.2.16 Housing 1.2.17 Energy 1.2.18 Health 1.2.19 Biodiversity 1.3 Ecocities 1.3.1 What Are the Characteristics of an Ecocity? 1.3.2 Comparative Analyses of Ecocities 1.3.3 Urban Planning 1.3.4 Energy 1.3.5 Population 1.3.6 Cost of Project 1.3.7 Surface 1.3.8 Transport 1.3.9 Water 1.3.10 Waste 1.3.11 Timing of Project 1.4 Tirana, Case Study 1.5 Existing Situation of Tirana. General Data 1.6 Conclusions References 2 Tirana, the Capital of Albania. A Brief History of Regulatory Plans, Anti-Bombing Hideouts, and Its Climate Conditions 2.1 General Data for the City of Tirana 2.1.1 A Brief History of Tirana’s Regulatory Plans 2.2 Architecture and Urban Planning of Dwellings During the Period of the Totalitarian Regime 1945–1990 2.2.1 Focusing on Socialist Regime 2.3 Tirana’s Climate and General Data 2.3.1 Climate Conditions in Tirana 2.3.2 Pollution Problems 2.4 Ecology, Biotic Resources, and Air Quality 2.4.1 Fauna 2.4.2 Areas of Main Faunistic Interest 2.4.3 Flora 2.4.4 Air Quality 2.4.5 Air Quality in the Project Area 2.4.6 Air Quality Dates from Road Kavaja to Intersection 6 2.4.7 Air Quality Dates from Intersection 6 to Road Elbasan 2.5 Pollution in Urban Space 2.5.1 Atmospheric Pollution 2.5.2 Noise 2.5.3 Aesthetic Pollution 2.5.4 Vibration 2.5.5 Other Previous Impacts 2.6 Ground Condition 2.6.1 Soil Quality 2.6.2 Assessment of Ground Conditions 2.6.3 General Characteristics of the Tirana Water Basin (Erzen-Ishem). Groundwater Quality in the Project Area 2.7 History of the Underground Tunnels in Albania 2.7.1 Albanian Quandary: How to Use Old Regime’s Mountain Hideouts 2.8 Conclusions References 3 LEED and BREEAM Building Standards and Albanian Law Related to Building Thermal Performance 3.1 LEED Certification for Green Buildings 3.1.1 LEED Standards 3.2 LEED Components 3.2.1 Flexibility and Reflexivity 3.2.2 Detailed Documentation and Planning 3.2.3 Social Sustainability 3.2.4 Planned as a Socio-Neutral Hybrid 3.3 BREEAM Standards 3.3.1 Assembly of the United Nation in Sustainable Development 3.3.2 How BREEAM Support SDGs? 3.4 Minimal Requirements of Building Thermal Performance in Albania 3.5 Conclusions References 4 Social Impact in a Specific Neighborhood in Tirana, Albania 4.1 Questionnaire Implemented in the Neighborhood 4.1.1 Questionnaire 4.1.2 Questionnaires and Their Social Impact 4.2 Conclusions References 5 In the Traces of Bioclimatic Architecture 5.1 Tracing the Bioclimatic Architecture 5.1.1 Hydraulics 5.1.2 Bioclimatic Architecture and Philosophy 5.1.3 What is the Bioclimatic Design? 5.1.4 Computer Simulations 5.1.5 Passive Solar Heating 5.1.6 Natural Cooling and Daylighting 5.2 Case Studies of Bioclimatic Architecture Principles and Implementations 5.3 Conclusions References 6 Climate Parameters, Heat Islands, and the Role of Vegetation in the City 6.1 Climate 6.1.1 Mediterranean Climate and Its Characteristics 6.1.2 Air Movement Winds 6.1.3 Humidity 6.2 Heat-Island Effect and the Role of Vegetation 6.3 Conclusions References 7 Existing Site Conditions. Building Thermography and U-value Measurements. Case Study Tirana, Albania 7.1 Existing Site Conditions of the Specific Neighborhood Tirana, Albania General Overview 7.2 Building Thermography, Investigating the Existing Building Shell 7.3 U-value Measurements of the External Masonry 7.4 Conclusions References 8 Bioclimatic Eco-Renovation Concept Design and Strategies. The Use of Different Materials 8.1 Bioclimatic Eco-Renovation Concept Design and Strategies 8.2 Thermal Insulation Materials and Sustainable Construction Materials 8.3 Windows and Their Thermal Performance 8.4 PMC and Their Usage 8.5 How to Improve the Performance of the Trombe Wall Thermal Mass Storage and Energy-Saving Benefits 8.6 The Piezo-Electric Materials 8.7 Saint Etienne Design Biennale. Empathic House (Nanoenergy Concepts) 8.8 ETFE and Their Usage 8.9 Conclusions References 9 Bioclimatic Eco-Renovation. Case Study Tirana, Albania 9.1 Passive Systems and Their Components 9.2 Bioclimatic Eco-Renovation, Building Orientation, and Passive Design Strategies 9.3 Greenhouse and Shading Systems 9.4 Ventilation 9.5 Passive Cooling and Hybrid Systems 9.6 Photovoltaic Panels 9.6.1 Photovoltaics Site Implementation Using Canadian RETScreen Expert Application 9.7 Waste Management Scenario, Ventilation Scenario, and Air Temperature Measurement Differences Between Underground and Land Surface Temperature 9.8 Solar Tube 9.9 How is Thermal Mass Sized? 9.10 Software Simulation of Buildings Using MEEC (Montenegrin Energy Efficiency Certification) 9.10.1 Existing Building 9.10.2 Proposed Solution 9.11 Evaluations References Index