Haşim Altan

Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, Architecture, Faculty Member

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Professor of Sustainable Design in the College of Architecture and Design (COAD) at Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University (PMU) in Khobar, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He is a Chartered Architect (RIBA) and a Chartered Engineer (CIBSE) with over 20 years of academic and practice experience in the field of Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) in the Built Environment in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa (MENA) regions. Prof. Dr. Altan sits on a number of editorial boards and reviews project proposals for the European Commission, UK Research Councils, and Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) by Qatar Foundation. Since 2004, he has, singly or jointly, secured and directed 32 research grants worth over £21 million. He is a founding member of the International Network on Zero Energy Mass Custom Home (ZEMCH), which has so far organised nine international conferences, several design workshops, and numerous technical visits. As well as having supervised 17 successful PhD theses (11 as first supervisor), and over 80 Masters (MSc, MArch and MEng) dissertations, he has published over 300-refereed international journal and conference papers, technical reports, edited books and chapters, and editorials in related fields.
Supervisors: Advisor and Supervisor
Phone: +905338359090
Address: 617 Al Jawharah, Khobar, Dhahran 34754, Saudi Arabia

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Noel B. Salazar

KU Leuven

Judith L Green

University of California, Santa Barbara

Ehab Kamel

University of York

Eszter Hargittai

University of Zurich, Switzerland

Teresa Marat-Mendes

ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL)

David Seamon

Kansas State University

Armando Marques-Guedes

UNL - New University of Lisbon

Leonard R Bachman

University of Houston

Iolanda Craifaleanu

Technical University Of Civil Engineering, Bucharest

Sevil Aydınlık Başar

Cyprus International University

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Papers by Haşim Altan

Dynamic Energy Performance Gap Analysis of a University Building: Case Studies at UAE University Campus, UAE

Vide Leaf, Hyderabad eBooks, Sep 16, 2021

Urban Block Configuration and the Impact on Energy Consumption: A Case Study of Sinuous Morphology

Social Science Research Network, 2022

Review of: "Designing for Social Sustainability: How Urban Environments Influence Crime

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Questionnaire Survey: The Significance of Occupancy Patterns and Household Habitual Adaptive Behaviour on Home Energy Performance

Springer eBooks, 2022

Thermal Comfort Survey I: A Field Study Investigation to Assess on Households’ Thermal Discomfort and Overheating Risk of European Buildings

Springer eBooks, 2022

Using Energy Modelling For Calculations Of Energy Savings, Payback And Return On Investment For A Typical Commercial Office Building With Ibt Systems

Building Simulation Conference proceedings, Aug 28, 2013

This paper describes and focuses on the applications of a new range of smart building products, p... more This paper describes and focuses on the applications of a new range of smart building products, particularly Integrated Building Technology (IBT) systems, with the aim to demonstrate savings for improving energy efficiency and indoor environments in buildings. A typical commercial office space has been modelled via dynamic computer simulation software, considering scenarios of before and after the installation of IBT systems. This has then been compared against different building regulations and standards e.g. UK Building Regulation 2006 and ASHRAE 90.1. The study revealed 35% of energy savings per year, a payback period of nearly 1 year, and the return on investment (ROI) of approximately 65% using the IBT systems.

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Editorial: Adaptive design solutions for buildings and the built environment after the COVID-19 pandemic

Frontiers in Built Environment, Apr 28, 2023

Editorial on the Research Topic Adaptive design solutions for buildings and the built environment... more Editorial on the Research Topic Adaptive design solutions for buildings and the built environment after the COVID-19 pandemic This editorial aims to summarize the main findings of the Research Topic "Adaptive Design Solutions for Buildings and the Built Environment after the COVID-19 Pandemic". The collected works have provided perspectives on how adaptive design solutions in the built environment can contribute to influence health, comfort, performance and wellbeing during and after a major pandemic such as COVID-19. Some critical aspects have been particularly highlighted by the contributors to the Research Topic, who have considered the effects of COVID-19 and how it can help change our approach to the design and management of indoor environments, facilities, spaces, and complementary infrastructure in the built environment. As the editors of this Research Topic, we believe that the approaches and solutions offered are promising and can be used to improve our knowledge of the impact of COVID-19 on building design and beyond. In addition, thanks to such novel approaches, the effectiveness of the available control strategies can be improved, and some new ones can be developed to enrich users' experience and improve their quality of life. The first article, by Shepley et al., focuses on how the COVID-19 will change the design in healthcare, hospitality and senior living facilities, with an emphasis on healthcare facilities that will require additional space, outdoor access, service hubs, and additional infrastructure for any conversion of garages for emergency use. It discusses hospitality settings that would employ new cleaning methods, use of robotics, improved HVAC, wellness programs, workspace options, and flexible food service operations to tackle highly contagious conditions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The second article by Kahn et al. presents a measure to extract the optimal Ultraviolet Subtype C (UVC) requirements to improve facility management while ensuring compliance with ventilation guidelines at lower energy costs through the Kahn-Mariita (KM) model, which considers the air quality of shared enclosed spaces over time by supplementing the existing mechanical ventilation with localized UVC air treatment and includes variables such as room size, occupancy,

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A novel methodological framework for the optimisation of post-war social housing developments in the South-eastern Mediterranean climate: Policy design and life-cycle cost impact analysis of retrofitting strategies

Solar Energy, Sep 1, 2021

Abstract This study analyses the development of modular building design elements to improve the t... more Abstract This study analyses the development of modular building design elements to improve the thermal performance of base case post-war social housing development estates in the southeastern Mediterranean climate, which is subtropical (Csa) and partly semi-arid (Bsh), before different retrofits are undertaken to optimise each building’s energy performance. This study’s objective is to develop evidence-based passive cooling retrofit design strategies to improve occupants’ thermal comfort and reduce the overheating risk. This empirical study employs the socio-technical systems approach to develop a bottom-up energy policy framework for the residential sector. Its mixed-methods design comprises a questionnaire survey, use of thermal imaging, environment monitoring and determining building optimisation. Furthermore, this study discusses the uncertain input parameters for the building energy simulations that quantitative modelling has adopted to calibrate dynamic thermal simulation findings in conjunction with occupants’ socio-demographic characteristics, occupancy patterns, household size and recorded environmental conditions. The results reveal that in the non-retrofitted building, cooling and heating comprised the greatest proportion (73%) of total energy consumption. Applications for six passive cooling design strategies were analysed, and after the life-cycle cost assessment of each was considered, off-site modular building applications were developed. After building optimisation, approximately 81% of savings related to cooling consumption were achieved, which suggests that design, ventilation and servicing strategies combined with passive shading systems can improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality of residential buildings, as recommended by the Energy Performance of Buildings Directives.

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Case Study 4

Routledge eBooks, Jan 27, 2023

Review of: "Teaching fire safety through design-based immersion of National Building Code-2016 provisions to students of undergraduate architecture: a student feedback on the pedagogy technique

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Interpretation of sustainable desert architecture in Ghadames city, Libya

Developing an evidence-based energy-policy framework to assess robust energy-performance evaluation and certification schemes in the South-eastern Mediterranean countries

Energy for Sustainable Development, Oct 1, 2021

Abstract The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7, which calls for universal access to a... more Abstract The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7, which calls for universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable clean energy for everyone, is expected to influence near-future trends in many countries across the European Union. Retrofitting buildings is an important milestone in the evolutionary development of energy-efficient residential buildings, yet a significant proportion of the south-eastern European social-housing stock is obsolete in this area; in addition to effective retrofitting strategies for these buildings, the occupants thereof, who represent different socio-demographic backgrounds, also require in-depth study. Even though this subject has been widely investigated, new approaches that consider connections between technology and the behavioural responses of residents are needed to continuously update retrofitting design strategies and energy-efficiency solutions. This paper aims to fill a research gap in the area of developing an evidence-based framework for energy-policy decision-making mechanisms related to the integration of the Energy Performance Building Directives at the level of conceptual and nationwide implementation schemes. In general, properties in this particular sector account for approximately 38% of the total housing stock and demonstrate some of the worst housing standards in Europe. The objective of this study is to focus on the interaction of such attitudes and the underlying determinant factors thereof with socio-cultural and contextual factors. A socio-technical-systems (STS) approach is used as a theoretical framework to integrate household socio-demographic characteristics related to energy use, the thermal-conductivity level of buildings and environmental factors; and to address the question of how different contexts influence motivation to develop energy-efficiency strategies. Drawing on the STS, this study investigates domestic energy use and measures thereof in post war social housing stock in the south-eastern Mediterranean, where the climate is subtropical (Csa) and partly-semi-arid (Bsh); these designations are according to the Koppen climate classification system; to improve the energy efficiency of archetype residential tower blocks (RTBs) that are embedded and interpreted in the socio-cultural local context of Cyprus. Feed-forward interviews of 100 flats revealed a moderate negative correlation (r = −0,329, p 〈0,01) between household income and tenancy status, and there was a moderate positive relationship (r = 0,252, p

Improvement in Indoor Air Quality in Urban Pakistani Regions by Reducing Particulate Matter Size Concentration

This paper describes the indoor air pollution in urban (Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpind... more This paper describes the indoor air pollution in urban (Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Karachi) Pakistani regions while considering the outdoor air and the health and wellbeing of the occupants present indoors. It also aims to assess previous methodological approaches Such as Air Conditioning Systems, used by developed countries to improve air quality to demonstrate the improvements that can be made in air quality in Pakistani urban areas. This research also investigates the causes, concentration and effects of poor air quality in Pakistani urban areas such as particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon oxides (COx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides (SOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). The average concentration of these pollutants in Pakistan’s indoor air is, particulate matter (PM): [100 – 250 µg/m3 for PM2.5, 200 – 600 µg/m3 for PM10] 1 – 20 ppm for carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx): [50 – 100 µg/m3 for NO2, 20 – 40 µg/m3 for NO], 20 – 50 µg/m3 for sulfur dioxide (SO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs): 0.1 – 0.5 ppm for formaldehyde, 5 – 10 µg/m3 for benzene and 20 – 30 µg/m3 for toluene. It should be noted that these concentrations can differ depending on the origin of pollution, location, and time of day. The literature review is made up of a combination of descriptive research methods that are used to inform the research background of ambient and indoor air quality, thus the literature review provides a theoretical and methodological background about the air pollution and its improvement in different parts of the world. According to the World Air Quality Index, Pakistan is the third most polluted country in terms of average PM2.5 concentration which is 14.2 times the WHO annual air quality guideline value. As a result, it is suggested that a PM2.5 concentration reduction program be implemented in urban Pakistani regions' indoor air.

Periodic comb reflection frequency selective surface for interference reduction

This paper describes a passive periodic comb reflection frequency selective surface (CR-FSS) whic... more This paper describes a passive periodic comb reflection frequency selective surface (CR-FSS) which enables deployment of several high capacity Wi-Fi nodes in a small office scenario by reducing potential interference between each. The CR-FSS is designed to reduce transmission between adjacent access points down a corridor by reducing the forward scatter, and redirecting it as backscatter. The surface design comprises a comb structure based on Bragg's Law, which determines the point where maximum backscatter occurs. By optimising the period of the comb structures we can control the direction of the reflected wave over a predefined range of frequencies. Simulations validate the frequency selectivity of the surface design and show that the peak reduction in forward scatter can be controlled. Results show that peak reductions in forward scatter of at least 8 dB occur between 12 and 15 GHz for the simulated design. The surface reduces forward scatter by at least 6 dB between angles of incidence of 40° to 80°, with a peak reduction of 12.8 dB at 53°.

Housing and Policies in the United Kingdom

Routledge eBooks, Jan 27, 2023

Interactive Building Environments: A Case Study University Building in UAE

Procedia Engineering, 2017

Abstract Microprocessor-based technologies are fast becoming a key instrument in building intelli... more Abstract Microprocessor-based technologies are fast becoming a key instrument in building intelligent facilities. Educational sectors are sought to be one of the critical segment in the society, an environment that has a massive impact on the learning process on the growing generations. Hence, an intelligent building with integrated advanced digital technologies becomes an exemplar for the modern existing building. This paper discusses the state of intelligence levels of an existing university building in the United Arab Emirates; the building is ESTIDAMA certified. In this study, several intelligent building system indicators have been evaluated. Building structure and in the relation between interior facilities and exterior construction will be studied. Furthermore, surveys including questionnaires and interviews have been undertaken among the building management staff, the university academics and students. After identifying weaknesses in the building system through a framework adopted using eight intelligent building indicators, recommendations are proposed enhancing the existing systems and the intelligent strategies in the case study university campus to also improve both the users’ performance and productivity.

Urban block configuration and the impact on energy consumption: A case study of sinuous morphology

Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, Jul 1, 2022

Significance of occupancy patterns and habitual household adaptive behaviour on home-energy performance of post-war social-housing estate in the South-eastern Mediterranean climate: Energy policy design

Energy, Apr 1, 2022

The concept of retrofitting is an important milestone in the evolutionary development toward upgr... more The concept of retrofitting is an important milestone in the evolutionary development toward upgrading the energy efficiency of residential buildings. Various policy instruments have been introduced to retrofit existing social housing stock, many of which have failed to acknowledge the significant role of occupancy patterns in energy use. The aims of this empirical study are to statistically determine occupant behavioural patterns associated with heating and cooling energy consumption and to identify household socio-demographic characteristics that contribute to the development of energy-user profiles. This article presents the results of a questionnaire-based survey undertaken during August of 2018 with 118 households in base-case representative residential tower blocks in the South-Eastern Europe. The survey revealed weekday cooling consumption patterns were significantly and strongly related to weekend heating consumption patterns on weekends (χ² = 54,590, p < 0,001, Cramer's V = 0,522). These findings will lead to a greater understanding of how occupancy patterns can predict household energy use in decision-making processes related to energy-efficiency upgrades in dwellings. By exploring some of the core lessons learned from the survey, this research seeks to both inform and improve uptake-and-delivery of future retrofitting initiatives in energy policies

Systematic literature review of bioclimatic design elements: Theories, methodologies and cases in the South-eastern Mediterranean climate

Energy and Buildings, Nov 1, 2021

Abstract This paper presents a systematic review of the extant literature on bio-climatic design ... more Abstract This paper presents a systematic review of the extant literature on bio-climatic design systems with the aim of conserving global energy resources. The study explores the ways in which specific passive-cooling design strategies can be tailor-made to their locality, and residential buildings can be purpose-built and modified to optimise occupant thermal comfort and acclimatise indoor-air environments. A range of state-of-the-art vernacular passive-cooling designs that address the sustainability of a given proposal in relation to their respective locations and climate characteristics are presented; the extensive interpretations of these passive-cooling design strategies are in sharp contrast to the highly expensive, technical and exclusive environmental solutions that are so often universally applied in different locations, regardless of the physical, cultural and socio-economic contexts of each. The aim of this research is to investigate the efficiency of passive design systems in light of the thermal performance of prototype vernacular buildings to demonstrate the applicability and feasibility of installing vernacular passive-cooling design strategies onto building envelopes. One of the prominent conceptual frameworks utilised in this paper is intended to address concerns related to the use of technologies that promote energy efficiency and ecological sustainability, most of which rely upon complex technological devices and a one-size-fits-all approach that only wealthy corporations and institutions are able to afford. Alternately, an increasing number of architects, theorists and politicians—albeit not yet enough—are investigating affordable technologies that are better able to be embedded in cultural practices. These manifestos are main determinant factors for a thorough review of the extant literature on passive-cooling design strategies and undertaking building energy simulations on base-case prototype vernacular buildings to demonstrate the energy effectiveness of implementing existing construction strategies onto current building envelopes. The study findings suggest that contemporary design methods lack sustainable designs on a purely technical basis on which it is typically discussed and demonstrates that significantly more needs to be done to conform to locally identifiable requirements and practices. It was determined that while many of vernacular passive-cooling design strategies are still effective, others are disappearing due to changes in construction technology. This systematic review outlines an alternative, hybrid approach to sustainability that is proudly inherent in vernacular environmental design principles. The study conclusions offer an alternative perspective on sustainable design and brings to the forefront a broader systematic analysis of current literature that focusses on environmental technologies in the south-eastern Mediterranean area and the Middle East, where the weather is subtropical (Csa) and partly semi–arid (Bsh). The study further demonstrates that for environmental design to be sustainable, a fundamental reorientation needs to emerge and move away from current construction practices with purely understanding of the domestic built environment, which fails to address the societal values of a particular place and people; and the findings underscore the necessity of recalling invisible technologies that are embedded in socio-cultural practices to effectively ventilate our dwellings and optimise occupant levels of thermal comfort throughout the year.

Regression forecasting of ‘neutral’ adaptive thermal comfort: A field study investigation in the south-eastern Mediterranean climate of Cyprus

Building and Environment, Sep 1, 2021

Abstract Numerous field studies have found that occupants' thermal comfort varies with local ... more Abstract Numerous field studies have found that occupants' thermal comfort varies with local climate conditions. However, there is no generally recommended acceptable comfort range for multifamily residential buildings, nor are there specific adaptive thermal comfort prediction methods, particularly in South-eastern Mediterranean countries. We investigated an in-vivo experience of social householders' thermal sensation votes to predict individual aspects of adaptive thermal comfort and influences on its validity in purpose built residential tower blocks of a post-war social housing estate in Famagusta, Cyprus. We conducted field studies, which included on-site questionnaire surveys, environmental monitoring and in-situ physical measurements, on 36 base-case representative archetype buildings over 288 flats where the weather is subtropical (Csa) and partly semi-arid (Bsh). 118 flats were successfully recruited. A moderate correlation was found between the occupants' thermal sensation and the indoor air temperature (r = 0.215, p

Dynamic Energy Performance Gap Analysis of a University Building: Case Studies at UAE University Campus, UAE

Vide Leaf, Hyderabad eBooks, Sep 16, 2021

Urban Block Configuration and the Impact on Energy Consumption: A Case Study of Sinuous Morphology

Social Science Research Network, 2022

Review of: "Designing for Social Sustainability: How Urban Environments Influence Crime

Download

Questionnaire Survey: The Significance of Occupancy Patterns and Household Habitual Adaptive Behaviour on Home Energy Performance

Springer eBooks, 2022

Thermal Comfort Survey I: A Field Study Investigation to Assess on Households’ Thermal Discomfort and Overheating Risk of European Buildings

Springer eBooks, 2022

Using Energy Modelling For Calculations Of Energy Savings, Payback And Return On Investment For A Typical Commercial Office Building With Ibt Systems

Building Simulation Conference proceedings, Aug 28, 2013

Download

Editorial: Adaptive design solutions for buildings and the built environment after the COVID-19 pandemic

Frontiers in Built Environment, Apr 28, 2023

Download

Solar Energy, Sep 1, 2021

Download

Case Study 4

Routledge eBooks, Jan 27, 2023

Review of: "Teaching fire safety through design-based immersion of National Building Code-2016 provisions to students of undergraduate architecture: a student feedback on the pedagogy technique

Download

Interpretation of sustainable desert architecture in Ghadames city, Libya

Developing an evidence-based energy-policy framework to assess robust energy-performance evaluation and certification schemes in the South-eastern Mediterranean countries

Energy for Sustainable Development, Oct 1, 2021

Improvement in Indoor Air Quality in Urban Pakistani Regions by Reducing Particulate Matter Size Concentration

Periodic comb reflection frequency selective surface for interference reduction

Housing and Policies in the United Kingdom

Routledge eBooks, Jan 27, 2023

Interactive Building Environments: A Case Study University Building in UAE

Procedia Engineering, 2017

Urban block configuration and the impact on energy consumption: A case study of sinuous morphology

Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, Jul 1, 2022

Energy, Apr 1, 2022

Systematic literature review of bioclimatic design elements: Theories, methodologies and cases in the South-eastern Mediterranean climate

Energy and Buildings, Nov 1, 2021

Regression forecasting of ‘neutral’ adaptive thermal comfort: A field study investigation in the south-eastern Mediterranean climate of Cyprus

Building and Environment, Sep 1, 2021

Building Performance and Simulation

Springer Tracts in Civil Engineering, 2016

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more

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Customization in Building Design and Construction: A Contribution to Sustainability

by Poorang PIROOZFAR, Haşim Altan, and Olga Popovic Larsen

HANDBOOK OF RESEARCH IN MASS CUSTOMIZATION AND PERSONALIZATION, 2010

Encyclopedia of ZEMCH Research and Development

by Mehdi Amirkhani and Haşim Altan

MDPI, 2023

Homes need to be mass-customised to accommodate today’s diverse needs and demands of individuals ... more Homes need to be mass-customised to accommodate today’s diverse needs and demands of individuals and societies for humans’ sound living conditions and activities. Social justice and climatic change within built environments in global contexts are a significant part of Zero Energy Mass Custom Home (ZEMCH) R&D action. Due to growing housing needs and demands, the global market required the initiation of the ZEMCH R&D movement so as to ensure the delivery of socially, economically, environmentally, and humanely sustainable built environments to privileged and unprivileged families, communities, and nations that are sharing our common future. This book aims to encompass a wide spectrum of ZEMCH research and development knowledge that concerns design engineering, construction management, material innovation, renewable energy technology, community planning, marketing strategy, and education.

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