Integrating Urban Agriculture into Residential Building Designs to Address Urban Food Deserts: A Sustainable Solution for Food Security

Aghraghra Stephanie, Obitade Mayowa Victor, Emuan Vanessa, Akinwalere Emmanuel Opeyemi, Balogun Prosper Ayanfeoluwa, Raheem Abolaji Mukhtar, Adejo Favour Osereme, Okoroanyanwu Kenechukwu Kennedy, Udogwu Ebere Promise, Ayoade Kolade Victor, Adeniyi Titilayo

Imagine a future where residential buildings not only shelter citizens but also nourish them. This presentation unveils the potential of integrating urban agriculture into residential designs to combat food deserts, enhance food security, and foster sustainable communities.

Through a cutting-edge mixed-methods approach, this study explores the symbiotic relationship between building design, urban agriculture, and community engagement. By analyzing case studies, conducting expert interviews, and surveying residents, we uncover the keys to successful integration.

Our findings reveal a transformative model for urban food systems, where residential buildings become hubs for sustainable food production, community building, and environmental stewardship. Join us in revolutionizing the urban food landscape and redefining the future of edible architecture and food security for future generations.

Keywords: Urban Agriculture; Food Security; Sustainable Communities; Edible Architecture; Urban Food Systems.

– Theme: Integrating Urban Agriculture into Residential Building Designs to Address Urban Food Deserts: A Sustainable Solution for Food Security –

Residential air source heat pump deployment at scale and UK electricity substation limits during critical cold event

Rundong Liao and Patrick James

This study analyses the potential impact of future widespread UK heat pump (HP) adoption on electricity distribution networks across four scenarios: (1) monthly peak demand analysis, (2) critical cold event analysis, (3) monthly peak demand analysis with thermally upgraded homes, and (4) critical cold event analysis with thermally upgraded homes. The Totton substation near Southampton was taken as the case study. The results indicate that the Totton substation would experience monthly peak-time overload at 20% HP penetration. Thermally upgrading houses can raise this limit to 25%. During critical cold event, switching HPs to continual 24-hour operation mode significantly enhances the hosting capacity of HPs at Totton substation by smoothing peak load demand, which would be increased from 20%-60%. Thermally upgrading houses can further improve this to 70%. The paper highlights the potential importance of demand-side management of HPs when are deployed at scale to support the electricity network.

Keywords: electricity distribution networks; heat pump; overload; peak-time; substations. 

– Theme: Building energy demand –

Study on space utilization rate of teaching building Scoping study

Rongjing Xu

The influx of international students has led to a huge increase in demand for university space in the UK, while the government has limited investment. Therefore, it is has become necessary to improve the utilization rate of space. This study analyzes occupancy data collected over a period of one and a half years in spaces and student support spaces, in two buildings at the University of Southampton. The results show that in the Buildings, where academics are the main users, the space utilization rate from the booking system is lower than the monitored space utilization rate, and the error range is varied from 1% ~ 20%. The overall space utilization rate is generally low. In the Building, where students are the main users, the space utilization rate is about 50%. At the end of the semesters, the space utilization rate even reached 100%, which was at a relatively high level. Building on these results, monitored occupancy data is essential to review the utilization of space. Students support spaces had much greater utilization than academic spaces.

Keywords: Building occupancy; space utilization; energy consumption; cost; sensor analysis.

– Theme: Simulation of occupied buildings, measuring and modelling human behaviour in buildings-