Building Performance and Occupent Comfort

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The building performance & occupant comfort team focuses on the functionality and comfort levels of buildings at the serviceability stage. Investigations on indoor & outdoor air quality is one of the main research areas of the group and air quality enhancement schemes are being developed. The team also explores mitigation techniques for urban heat island effect by introducing green infrastructure strategies. Majority of on-going studies particularly focus on thermal comfort systems in tropical climatic conditions. The other key research topics include ventilation systems, sick building syndrome, structural cooling, insulation systems, intrinsic properties of materials and indoor CO2 levels.

PUBLICATIONS
JOURNALS
  1. Nandapala, K., Chandra, M.S. and Halwatura, R.U. (2020) ‘A study on the feasibility of a new roof slab insulation system in tropical climatic conditions’, Energy and Buildings, 208, pp. 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.109653
  2. Chandra, M.S., Nandapala, K. and Halwatura, R.U. (2020) ‘Developing a durable thermally insulated roof slab system using bamboo insulation panels’, International Journal of Energy and Environmental Engineering, 10, pp. 511-522. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40095-019-0308-x
  3. Nandapala, K., Chandra, M.S. and Halwatura, R.U. (2020) ‘A study on the feasibility of a new roof slab insulation system in tropical climatic conditions’, Energy and Buildings, 208, pp. 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.109653
  4. Pathirana, S., Rodrigo, A. and Halwatura, R.U. (2019) ‘Effect of building shape, orientation, window to wall ratios and zones on energy efficiency and thermal comfort of naturally ventilated houses in tropical climate’, International Journal of Energy and Environmental Engineering, 10(1), pp. 107-120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40095-018-0295-3
  5. Udawattha, C., Galkanda, H., Ariyarathne., I.S., Jayasinghe, G.Y. and Halwatura, R.U. (2018) ‘Mold growth and moss growth on tropical walls’, Building and Environment, 137, pp. 268-279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2018.04.018
  6.  Sumansekara, S.A.S.L. and Jayasinghe, C. (2018) ‘Alternative techniques to improve indoor environmental quality’, Journal of Green Building, 13(4), pp. 19-38. https://doi.org/10.3992/1943-4618.13.4.19
  7. Nandapala, K. and Halwatura, R.U. (2016) ‘Design of a Durable Roof Slab Insulation System for Tropical Climatic Conditions’ Cogent Engineering, 3(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2016.1196526
  8. Udawattha, C. and Halwatura, R.U. (2016) ‘Thermal performance and structural cooling analysis of brick, cement block, and mud concrete block’ Advances in Building Energy Research, 12(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512549.2016.1257438
  9.  Sribanurekha, V., Wijerathne, S.N., Wijepala, L.H.S. and Jayasinghe, C. (2016) ‘Effect of Different Ventilation Conditions on Indoor CO2 Levels’ in International Conference on disaster resilience, Kandalama, pp. 1-10.
  10. Kariyawasam, K.K.G.K.D., Jayasinghe, M.T.R. and Jayasinghe, C. (2015) ‘Strategies for planning Mould free air-conditioned buildings in tropical climates’, in 6th International Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction Management, Kandy, pp. 163-171.
  11. Jayasinghe C. and Perera, T.M. (2015) ‘Dispersion Model for VOC emissions from solvent based paints’, International Journal of Engineering, 4, pp. 44-56.
BOOKS
  1. Nandapala, K., Chandra, M.S. and Halwatura, R.U. (2018) ‘Roof Slab Insulation System for Tropical Climatic Conditions’ LAMBERT Academic Publishing, ISBN: 978-613-9-98025-3.
  2. Prabhashri, H.M., Herath, I.K., Halwatura, R.U. and Jayasinghe, G.Y. (2018) ‘Vegetation Alternatives for urban heat Island Mitigation- Modeling Urban Microclimate Using ENVI-met’ LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing.
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
  1. Muthukumara, S.A.U.R., Jayasinghe, G.Y. and Halwatura, R.U. ‘Wild Grass Types as Green Roofing Materials for Urban Landscapes in a Tropical Climate’, in Proceedings of the 24th International Forestry and Environment Symposium, Jayawardenepura, 2019.
  2. Mendis, M.S., Rajapaksha, M. and Halwatura, R.U. ‘Unleashing the potentials of traditional construction technique in bio-climatic building designs; a case of Ambalam, Sri Lanka’ in ACESD – 2019, 4th Asia Conference on Environment and Sustainable Development, Japan, 9th to 11th November, 2019.
  3. Galabada, G.H., Rajapaksha, M. and Halwatura, R.U. ‘Paving Materials for Urban Heat Island Mitigation in Tropics; A Comparative Study On Mud Concrete Paving’, in, 4th Asia Conference on Environment and Sustainable Development (ACESD), Japan, 9th to 11th November, 2019.
  4. Dias, M.A.S.K., and Rupasinghe, H.T., Jayasinghe, G.Y. and Halwatura, R.U. ‘Living Walls as an Approach for a Healthy Urban Environmental Quality’ in 12th International Research conference of General Sir John Kotelawa Defence University, Sri Lanka, 2019.
  5. Liyanarathne, B.L.S.W., Ranasinghe, W.M.N.D. and Halwatura, R.U. ‘Form development of clay module for optimize evaporative cooling with wind flow’ in 11th International Research Conference, Sustainability for people – envisaging multi-disciplinary solutions, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 2018.
  6. Galkanda, H., Udawattha, C. Halwatura, R.U. ‘Improve intrinsic properties of walling materials to create occupant comfort’ in 11th International Research Conference, Sustainability for people – envisaging multi-disciplinary solutions, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 2018.
  7. Galabada, H. and Halwatura, R.U., ‘Performance of paving materials in outdoor landscaping’, in Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment (ICSBE), Kandy, Sri Lanka, 13th – 15th December 2018.
  8. Nandapala, K., Chandra, M.S. and Halwatura, R.U. ‘Effectiveness of a discretely supported slab insulation system in terms of thermal performance’ in 11th International Research Conference, Sustainability for people – envisaging multi-disciplinary solutions, Moratuwa, 2018.
  9. Karunathilake, U., Halwatura, R.U. and Pathirana, S ‘Optimization of Thermal Comfort in Sri Lankan Residential Buildings’ in 4th International Moratuwa Engineering Research Conference (MERCon), Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 2018.
  10. Pathirana, S., Sheranie, M. and Halwatura, R.U. ‘Indoor thermal comfort and carbon dioxide concentration’ in 3rd International Moratuwa Engineering Research Conference (MERCon), Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 2017.

 

ONGOING RESEARCH
  1. A dynamic clay wall panel system for indoor cooling.
  2. Development of Soil Based Wall Putty for Tropics.
PATENTS
  1. A heat insulation system - Patent No: 1780
  2. Vegetated Roof Slab system - Patent No: 18761
  3. Bamboo Heat Insulation Panels for Roof Slabs - Patent No: 18880
  4. A vegetated wall panel system for double skin wall envelop - Patent no: 19279
  5. A vegetated roof tile system - Patent no:  19155
CONTRIBUTION TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
  1. Prof. (Mrs.) C. Jayasinghe has delivered a speech on the subject air conditioned environment and indoor comfort in the Sri Lanka television News item on 1st June 2012 for technology transfer and awareness.

 

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