As heat records tumble across the oil-rich Gulf countries, scientists design buildings to meet the challenge

One area of the world with nearly unbearable scorching heat is the oil-rich Gulf region of the Middle East in which temperatures are breaking the benchmark of 50 degrees Celsius.

Vampire air conditioning appliances are kept on 24 hours per day exacerbating global warming which scientists blame for the current record-breaking weather system.

Almost all sorts of buildings in the Gulf, among them some of the world's most known high rises, are mostly made of reinforced concrete and steel, with large panes of glass, which are no proof to the sweltering heat outside.

Thus, scientists in the region are racing against time for designs to alleviate the impact of blazing heat in the extended summer months (May-September), introducing new building designs with "intelligent" air conditioning and materials with a low thermal conductivity.

A University of Sharjah scientist is leading a team of researchers bent on computational designs to address construction problems encountered by current buildings which fail to fully insulate their interiors from the elements outside.

Dr. Aref Maksoud, Eng. Hayder Basel Kamil Al-Beer, and colleagues are currently researching the use of algorithms and parameters to solve current design problems and produce buildings that can adapt and learn from the environment.

"I want to come up with designs of a self-learning building that is capable of adapting and learning from the environment," says Dr. Maksoud.

Studies on designing smart buildings like the ones by Dr. Maksoud and colleagues have been underway in different parts of the world as scientists expect some worst-case scenarios amid unpredictable weather conditions.

However, the study by Dr. Maksoud and his co-authors, published in the Journal of Architecture and Engineering, stands out in its reliance on computational design methods and green and recycled materials to create futuristic and environment-adaptive buildings.

"The paper fills a gap in the field of architecture by exploring the potential of computational design (CD) to create buildings that are more environmentally responsible and adaptable," says Dr. Maksoud, the study's lead author and Assistant Professor at the University of Sharjah.

Dr. Maksoud says his design "is distinguished from current prevalent designs through the integration of advanced technology, energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, adaptive capabilities, occupant comfort, and long-term cost savings."

The study, which received the best paper award at the International Conference for Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, shows that computational design can be used to make a self-learning building that is able to adapt and learn from its environment.

Dr. Maksoud's 2023 study follows two more research papers on self-learning buildings.

Computational design is a novel method that draws on algorithms and parameters to solve design problems. "If this project is done in a particular place, the intelligent building system would be able to study and collect information internally about the culture of that place and adapt itself to that culture.

"It would use sensors to know the number of people in the building, the period of time that they spend together, the clothes they are wearing, and the actions they are taking," notes Dr. Maksoud.

The building, according to the scientists' design, will have the ability to collect and store data about weather and consumption of energy.

"Based on the data it collects, it decides the necessary action needed to reduce the energy use of the building, such as changing the tint of the windows to reduce the amount of heat inside," Dr. Maksoud and colleagues demonstrate in their study

The design has already attracted exhibitors attending Dubai Design Week. The UAE, gripped by intense summer heat every year, "has shown keen interest in adopting innovative and eco-friendly building practices to create more sustainable and futuristic cities," notes Dr. Maksoud.

Dr. Maksoud and his team of scientists used an algorithm that leverages nature concepts to design and generates documents to mimic the growth process and adaptability of cellular bone structures.

The ultimate aim is to create a building that could provide innovative solutions for any potential challenges, they maintain.

The scientists' design brings about a shift in construction. Reinforced concrete and steel will still be used to provide the building's mainstay. Otherwise, "green and recycled materials, high-performance insulation, smart glass, green roofs, energy-efficient systems, solar panels, water-efficient fixtures, prefabricated construction, and biodegradable finishes" will make up the largest portion of materials, according to Dr. Maksoud.

Once implemented, the building will have improved temperature regulation, occupant comfort by automated sensor-based systems, integration between sustainable air-conditioning and renewable energy systems, and reduced energy consumption with AI monitoring greenhouse emissions.

In one of their designs, for instance, the scientists visualize a building to guard against the COVID-19 pandemic and how it could safeguard its inhabitants against the potential challenges posed by the pandemic.

"In this case, the building would adapt by activating social distancing from within the building, which could be done through the communication between the CD cloud system of the building and the robots which are inside the building.

"Another way to deal with COVID-19 challenges could be by placing innovative skin on the buildings' interior walls, which do not pick up germs. This can ensure that the spaces are sanitized at all times," the scientists write.

In their study, the researchers also highlight the efficiency of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in architecture and design.

"When it comes to the performance of buildings, new automation systems can be used to control security, comfort, and energy efficiency. AI enables buildings to become places driven by real-time data and feedback, communicating with itself like a living organism.

"AI-based energy management platforms can track usage patterns to create tenants' proper conditions, conserving energy and money," they add.

Employing striking technical breakthroughs to produce environment-friendly computation designs, the researchers are moving closer to turning their dream into reality.

Instead of almost solely relying on reinforced concrete—as is the case in most building structures in the Gulf—future buildings could be computationally designed, using construction materials that alleviate the impact of stifling heat outside.

Dr. Maksoud maintains that he and his colleagues are confident CD tools would provide them with strategies to digitally fabricate their design and translate their digital structures into reality.

More information:
aej.spbgasu.ru/index.php/AE/article/view/827

Provided by University of Sharjah