With the development of various technologies, building forms are diversifying, envelope designs are becoming more complex, and equipment systems are becoming more sophisticated. In order to realize energy-saving and comfortable buildings under such changing circumstances, highly accurate prediction by environmental simulation during design and management by data sensing during operation is indispensable.
Taniguchi Lab. is promoting the following research activities under the main theme of proposing and implementing architectural design and operation methods using environmental simulation and IoT technology.

1) Construction of an environmental control system that responds to individual differences by utilizing a digital twin.

In architectural spaces, there is always a distribution (unevenness) of environmental elements such as temperature, airflow, and illumination. In addition, human perception of temperature and cooling also varies depending on personal preferences and behavioral history.
To realize more comfortable spaces for as many occupants as possible, we are developing information provision systems and air conditioning control systems that use environmental simulation, sensing, and machine learning to understand the spatial environmental distribution and match it with individual temperature and cooling sensation characteristics.

2) Development of risk assessment and diagnosis method for building facilities by sensing under normal conditions

The actual operation of building facilities, such as air conditioning and equipment, does not always match the predictions made at the time of design due to “uncertainty” factors such as planning of partitions, changes in personnel density, and age-related deterioration of equipment. Monitoring the daily operational status of facilities using sensors not only provides an accurate understanding of the actual status of operations but also leads to accurate risk assessment and recovery prediction in the event of disasters such as earthquakes.
We propose a data-driven risk assessment and diagnosis method for building facilities that aim to both improve daily operations and predict risks in the event of a disaster.

3) Proposal for a comprehensive evaluation method of the impact of windows and openings on energy efficiency and comfort

In buildings, windows and openings are one of the elements that have a significant impact on energy conservation and comfort. In addition, they are also greatly related to design, and various evaluation indicators, such as viewability and privacy, are related in a complex manner.
We examine comprehensive evaluation methods such as integrated energy consumption performance of the building envelope, air conditioning, and lighting equipment, assuming effective utilization at the time of design.

We welcome students who are willing to learn new computational techniques such as environmental simulation and machine learning.