a r t i c l e i n f o The Ratio of Equivalent Transparency (Req) is a basic index for assessing whether a building is energy-efficient in Taiwan. Req is the ratio of the area of total building envelope and the area of envelope equivalent transparency. Calculation of Req requires not simply the consideration of natural factors such as building location, direction, ambient lighting and sunshine, ...

Shape is an important consideration in green building design due to its significant impact on energy performance and construction costs. This paper presents a methodology to optimize building shapes in plan using the genetic algorithm. The building footprint is represented by a multi-sided polygon. Different geometrical representations for a polygon are considered and evaluated in terms of thei...

Standards will play a large role in generating sustainability in the future. They will serve not only pave the way for international environmental regulations, but also to establish designs and specifications for building systems that reduce energy. Given the importance of sustainability to areas in extreme temperatures, such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), engagement in the standards-se...

Several ontology building methodologies have been developed endowed with different characteristics, however there is not yet a clear method to select the most appropriate ontology building methodology for a specific application. This paper proposes a few criteria for comparing different ontology building methodologies, starting from a proposal derived from the IEEE Standard 1074-1995 for softwa...

Soil is a vital parameter for planting design in urban green spaces especially in adverse climate conditions. In this study, the utilization of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in surveying land suitability for urban green space from measured criteria like suitability indices, including physical (i.e. clay, silt, sand, bulk density, penetration resistance), chemical (i.e. electrical conductivit...