http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12416/5 2026-10-28T18:14:29Z 2026-10-28T18:14:29Z Coşar, Merve Harputlugil, Gülsu Ulukavak De Wilde, Pieter http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12416/8515 2024-09-30T07:11:40Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Rethinking Natural Ventilation Strategies in Buildings through Simulation Coşar, Merve; Harputlugil, Gülsu Ulukavak; De Wilde, Pieter Natural ventilation using passive approaches can increase indoor air quality without the need for mechanical systems. In the paper, mechanical ventilation has been ignored due to the associated energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Instead, the study focusses on natural ventilation that can be created with architectural solutions. Specifically, the indoor air quality of a typical office building in Ankara, Türkiye was determined based on measurements, a building occupant survey, and the natural ventilation conditions as well as design alternatives were analysed by modelling and simulating the building using Autodesk CFD. From the simulation results, it was understood that current form of windows were not found suitable for effective and sufficient natural ventilation. As a result, not only design strategies that will increase the natural ventilation potential are put forward, but also strategies for façade elements have been produced in means of wind catchers.

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z Kahraman Haliloglu, Zerrin Ezgi http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12416/8512 2024-09-30T07:11:35Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Reflections on Kahramanmaraş and Hatay Earthquakes: Evaluating Syrian Refugees' Location Choices in terms of Earthquake Hazards and Risks Kahraman Haliloglu, Zerrin Ezgi Turkey is both a seismically active country due to the complex combination of important fault lines passing through it, and a country of migration hosting the largest refugee population in the world. One of the concerns raised after the earthquakes of February 2023 is the possible serious impacts of earthquakes on Syrian refugees. Within this framework, this study aimed to examine the location choice processes of Syrian refugees in reference to earthquake hazards and risks. To do this, it evaluated the location choice decisions of Syrians at the city, settle-ment area and housing scales together with their social char-acteristics. The researcher's own studies on location choice, everyday life, residential satisfaction, integration and quality of life of Syrian refugees, and related research in the literature, as well as statistical data obtained from the website of the Presidency of Migration Management, were synthesized to reach hints about earthquake hazards and risks at different scales and dimensions. The findings of the study indicated that the majority of the Syrian population is dispersed in earthquake -prone cities, which increases earthquake risks for both the Syrian population and these cities. On the other hand, the lack of housing and settlement policies for Syrian refugees scattered throughout Turkish cities has forced them to take responsibility for meeting their own housing needs. This has led Syrian refugees having limited financial resources to resettle in poor/underdeveloped and/or illegal settlement areas of cities where they live in low-quality, neglected, unhealthy, and structurally problematic houses having disaster risks. Moreover, Syrians' large family size, vulnerable groups including women, children and elders, and our inadequate knowledge on Syrian refugees due to their unauthorized movements within and between cities and their unregistered groups have increased their risk of being adversely affected by earthquakes.

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z Aksel, Elif İmamoğlu, Çağrı http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12416/8479 2024-06-05T11:00:21Z 2023-12-01T00:00:00Z

Investigating the restorative potential of women’s home environments Aksel, Elif; İmamoğlu, Çağrı Although research on restorative environments suggest that natural settings have therapeutic effects in moderating stress and promoting positive experiences, there is a limited body of literature inquiring about the therapeutic potential of interior environments. The aim of the current study was to understand the restorative potential of home environments regarding theoretical background on restorative environments and architectural dimensions influencing well-being through the experiences of women. We interviewed 11 adult women using the photo-elicitation technique to investigate the perceived restorativeness of their home environments. Thematic analysis of qualitative data indicated that the design attributes of spaces play a significant role in promoting the restoration process. In addition to design attributes, we found family interaction, socialising, and engaging in activities could also be influential. Furthermore, the exploratory nature of the research highlighted the significance of individual meanings and personal factors in shaping the perceived restorativeness of home environments. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed to encourage future research in related fields that explore the relationship between residential settings and well-being.

2023-12-01T00:00:00Z Alkan, Abdul Lah Yörükoğlu, Papatya Nur Dökmeci Kitapçı, Kıvanç http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12416/8477 2024-06-05T11:00:12Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Indoor Soundscapes of the Future: Listening to Smart Houses Alkan, Abdul Lah; Yörükoğlu, Papatya Nur Dökmeci; Kitapçı, Kıvanç The acoustic environment of smart houses impacts the overall quality of life and wellbeing of occupants. A well-designed acoustic environment can promote relaxation, while excessive noise or distractions can negatively impact wellbeing. It is crucial to consider sound’s role in smart house design. Smart houses have built-in virtual assistants that respond to voice commands, perform various tasks, and verbally respond to such commands. This machine-to-human-to-machine verbal interaction requires high speech intelligibility (i.e., low reverberation time and high signal-to-noise ratio) in smart houses, which is not required for traditional homes. The open floor plan and multi-purpose rooms in smart houses can create challenges for sound management. This can be addressed by creating separate zones for different activities or using room dividers that help to direct and absorb sound. The design of smart houses includes the placement of speakers and other audio devices to optimize sound quality and distribution. Speakers are installed in the ceiling or walls to create a more immersive and balanced listening experience. The placement of microphones and other sensors should also be optimized for smart houses. Microphones should be placed where sound is most likely heard or where it best captures voice commands. Integrating multiple audio sources and devices creates challenges in managing and organizing sound in a smart house. Designers should consider configuring smart devices and ensuring that different devices are compatible and functioning properly.

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z