Answer

Light

            Q1: The rod and cone are the two main photoreceptors located in the retina. Ozaki and Akutagawa (2012) note that there are normally more rods than cones in the human eye and whereas the cones are responsible for color reception (photopic vision at 3cd/m² or over), the rods are responsible for low-light detection (scotopic vision at 0.01cd/m² or less). Both the rods and cones are active at between 3 cd/m² and 0.01cd/m². This is called mesopic vision. Light designs therefore help viewers transition from very bright to very dark colors by incorporating mid-level light.

            Q2: Office space and area where shared open lay out will require less illumination than closed space. Office equipment used emitting light will cause the need for lower regulated light which can blend with the room’s light. Window light should be able to compliment interior lighting. Floor should offer the least reflection, wall should offer less reflection and the roof should offer more reflection than the two surfaces. Lastly, the office furniture should reflect very low light just like the floor.

            Q3: To begin with, Borisuit et al (2015) note that the more complex a visual task is, the higher the illumination required. In this regard, computer work stations require more illuminance of 500-1000 lux. Work stations of prolonged visual tasks like drawing offices and chain stores require 500 to 1000 lux. On the other hand, contrasting visual tasks at large scale like foyers and entrances require 200-500lux.  At low contrast with limited space like in an office where there is at least one visual task like a computer activity or detailed electronic assembling, 1000 to 2000lux is recommended. Lastly, at a limited space with a prolonged visual task like precision assembling and detailed drafting, 2000 to 5000 lux is recommended.

            Q4: Office layout where closed offices would require more light than open offices and nature of glass allowing the natural light into the office area. The time of day also affects the amount of light into the office.

            Q5: Reflected glare from polished surfaces and monitor screens, direct glare from poor light fixtures and sunlight. Possible solutions for these cases are, using several light fixtures of low intensity as opposed high intensity fixtures. Additionally, positioning the workstation and window or fluorescent light so that the worker’s sight is parallel to the light helps to reduce the glare.

HEAT

            Q1: Wang et al (2016) note that the body losses heat through three main process which include: radiation where heat energy is transferred from the body by electromagnetic force, conduction where heat energy from a body is transferred through agitation of molecules from hot to cold zone and lastly, perspiration cooling where exhaled moisture releases heat from the body’s interior even when the body is under cold conditions. All these processes are controlled by the neural system, specifically, the hypothalamus.

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            Q4: According to Toe and Kubota (2015), passive cooling refers to design measures and building characteristics that contribute to effective release of hot air from the house interior to the exterior leading to a cooling effect. Some examples of these passive cooling initiatives include: cooling by ventilation, evaporation or radiation; window shading to reduce further heat gain by stopping the penetration of sun’s rays; reflective roofing to reflect sun’s rays; and use of electric cooling devices. In cooling by ventilation, one may opt to use cross ventilation where window are positioned on opposite ends of the building in the direction facing the wind direction. In contrast, convection or stack ventilation allows warm air out of the building through an opening facing skylight on the roof or through a chimney with an opening at the top and leading out at a position higher than the roof. On the other hand, in cooling by evaporation, the building has a swamp cooler located on the roof of the building. When the temperatures rise, heat in the rising air is absorbed by the evaporating water and the cooler denser air is released back to the building. In some cases, the chimney can be used to facilitate this process. Lastly, in radiation cooling, it is argued that a clear and dry night sky is normally cooler and therefore the heat will radiate limited amounts of heat. For this reason, removing the insulation connected to the roof will allow the roof to radiate the heat leading to air cooling in the room.

            Q5: Watanabe et al (2015) note that a solar pergola is a flat panel used to maximize different weather elements based on the conditions of the day or season. In a summer environment, the author notes that the pergola may be tilted and overlapped so as to reflect away the sun’s rays leading to cooling on the area covered by the pergola whereas in a cold season, the pergola may be simply be tilted so as to focus the sun’s rays on the spaces between the plates to ensure maximization of the sun’s warmth. In this case, in order to maximize entry into a building, the pergola is normally tilted so that the upper ends of the plat face the sun whereas the lower ends face the building’s interior.

SOUND

Q1: There are numerous means of reducing noise at the source. To begin with, EPA Victoria (2012) states that one may opt to replace the equipment as a whole with less noisy equipment. Second, reducing the number of equipment operating at a time can reduce the noise produced at a time. Third, one may opt to use centrifugal fans instead of propeller fans.

Q2:  Sound travels from place to place based on the availability of space and in case this sound is forced over, under or around a partition, it is referred to as flanked transmission. Since sound is transmitted through open air spaces and through solid object, effective flanking transmission can be eliminated by effective sealing of openings and proper fitting to eliminate vibrations.

Q3: Hui et al  (2016) notes that sound leakage is common in old residential buildings since sound is able to use any weak parts of the walls or floor to penetrate through. Poor caulking and party application on the wall can lead to weaknesses and sound penetration, degradation of the window seals due to harsh weather over time and lack of carpeting or lack of metal isolators can all contribute to increased sound transmission in older residential blocks.

Q4: Discontinuous construction is a technique used to reduce or eliminate sound transmission by removing the connection between the structure and the room. For instance, instead of using a single ordinary window, a double window in separate frames may be used and this will reduce the sound by more than 40 decibels as opposed to a reduction of 10 decibels as in the previous single glass case Hui et al (2016).

Q5: To begin with, Hui et al (2016) note that the background noise should be measurable and well confined to the auditorium. Any leaks should be detected and eliminated. On the other hand, desired sound from the performance arena has to be reinforced in order to reflect it effectively to the audience. Third, sound distribution has to be enhanced through breaking up large flat surfaces and last, reverberation time has to be controlled by reducing hard surfaces so as to reduce repetitive sounds.