This book is the result of recent research that deals with the built environment and innovative materials, carried out by specialists working in universities and centers of research in different professional fields architecture, engineering, physics and in an area that that spans from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf, and from South Eastern Europe to the Middle East. This book takes the necessity of re-shaping the concept of building design in order to transform buildings from large scale energy consumers to energy savers and producers into consideration. The book is organized in two parts: theory and case studies. For the theoretical part, we chose from the wide range of sources that provide energy efficient materials and systems the two that seem to be endless: the sun and vegetation. Their use in building products represents a tool for specialists in the architectural design concept. The case-studies presented analyze different architectural programs, in different climates, from new buildings to rehabilitation approaches and from residential architecture to hospitals and sports arenas; each case emphasizes the interdisciplinarity of the building design activity in order to help readers gain a better understanding of the complex approach needed for energy efficient building design

Covers both theoretical aspects and practical design aspects Provides feedback on existing built examples Draws on actual experiences of scientists and designers that live and work in a territorial area that spans from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf and from South Eastern Europe to the Middle East

Autorentext
Born in Bucharest, Romania, in 1960, Prof. Dr. Ana-Maria Dabija has been an architect since 1986. She worked in a design institute and a private company before pursuing a university career in the "Ion Mincu" University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest, in 1991. She has a Doctoral Degree, since 2000 and is a doctoral tutor since 2008. Among the courses she developed are the following "Architectural Detailing Principles", "Contemporary Technological Products and Subassemblies" and "Mistakes in Design - Execution - Use". She wrote the books -"Performant Façade Systems. The opaque component", "Elements for Stair Design" (also translated in English), "Elements for Designing Windows and Doors", "Degradation of the Building Envelope", "Photovoltaic Systems in Architecture", took part in more than 60 conferences (with papers published in the proceedings), coordinated technical regulations and scientific research. Since 2015 she is a member in the Commission for Renewable Energy ofthe Romanian Academy. Ana-Maria Dabija is a member of numerous national and international professional and scientific bodies as well as in technical committees. Since 2016 she is the Director of the Center of Architectural and Urban Studies (CSAU) of the "Ion Mincu" University of Architecture and Urbanism Bucharest, Romania and since 2017 the Director of the Architecture Doctoral School of the Ion Mincu University

Inhalt
Part I. Building with the sun an everlasting energy source.- Chapter 1. A review of the significance and challenges of Building Integrated Photovoltaics.- Chapter 2. Design Opportunities and Building Integration of PV systems.- Chapter 3. Optimization of Performances and Reliability for Building Integrated Photovoltaic Systems (BIPV).- Chapter 4. Inorganic, Colored Thin Films for Solar-Thermal Conversion in Sustainable Buildings .- Chapter 5. Capitalizing on Solar Energy in Romania and Improving the Thermal Comfort of Buildings with Solar Air Collectors.- PartII. Building with the nature.- Chapter 6. Parallel (Hi)Stories. A subjective approach to energy efficient design.- Chapter 7. Traditional Semi-Buried House.- Chapter 8. Using Agricultural By-Products for Creating Innovative Products and Materials .- Part III. Case Studies.- Chapter 9. « Les conditions de nature sont retrouvées». The Tower of Shadow in Chandigarh and other Le Corbusier's masterpieces .- Chapter 10. Sustainabilityand Energy Efficiency Design in Hospital Buildings.- Chapter 11. Football Stadium An Energy Efficient Building and a Source of Renewable Energy for the Community.- Chapter 12. Passive Design Strategies in Pursuit of Architectural Identity: the New ACT Student Center.- Chapter 13. Towards a Sustainable Refurbishment of the Hellenic Building Stock .- Chapter 14. Design Strategies for Green / Energy Efficient Building Design: An Apartment Building of Gaziantep Project .- Chapter 15. A Sustainable Approach Towards Energy Savings in the Cities of Romania. Bucharest A Case Study .- Chapter 16. The Heat Island as a Result and Cause of Environmental and Social Degradation. Two Different Settlements in the Town of Afragola of the Metropolitan City of Naples .- Chapter 17. Settlement Scale Analysis Approach to Reach Nearly Zero Energy Communities.