Thermal Performance Assessment of Shipping Container Architecture in Hot and Humid Climates

Abstract

The reuse of shipping containers (SCs) in architecture has grown in popularity worldwide. However, few studies have focused on the thermal performance of buildings constructed with the use of refurbished SCs in hot and humid climates. This paper intends to (1) present a foundation for the understanding of environmental issues related to container-based buildings (CBBs) and (2) assess the thermal performance of CBBs in Port Said, a hot and humid region. To meet those targets, this paper first highlights the literature concerning such construction systems to identify gaps in related research areas. Second, this paper presents a comparative analysis of six simulation models, including a conventional building as a base model, an uninsulated SC, and four externally insulated SCs with four different thermal insulation materials: rock wool, wool, closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF), and straw. The paper concludes that thermal insulation is irreplaceable in SCs reused as habitable spaces and that the most compatible thermal insulation for CBBs in the hot and humid climate of Port Said is ccSPF. Whereas straw performs more effectively than ccSPF as a cooler in the summer, it performs less effectively as a heater in the winter.

Modeling of Energy Demand and Savings Associated with the Use of Epoxy-Phase Change Material Formulations

“…The thermal conductivity values of the samples are tabulated in Table 2, where conductivities of the EC-PCM40, EC-PCM40-CNF2, and EC-PCM40-BN10 were noted as 0.293, 0.303, and 0.415 W·mK −1 [8], whereas the densities were estimated as 0.85, 0.84, and 1.03 g·cm −3 , respectively. The addition of the conductive agents resulted in higher thermal conductivity resulting in an enhancement of 3.3% and 41.6% for the CNF and BN filler, respectively, and the values are comparable with other reports for similar filler makeup [16]. Studies with poly (imide) matrix and 10 wt.% BN filler have reported a thermal conductivity of~0.26 W·mK −1 [36], whereas paraffin matrix material and 10 wt.% BN nanosheets filler have reported a thermal conductivity of~0.48 W·mK −1 [37].…”

“…Due to their low weight, quick assembly, low cost, and versatility, portable containers are also currently used in a wide variety of applications, from housing after natural disasters to military operations. There is a large market that exploits diverse construction techniques, offering solutions ranging from single-family homes to blocks of different floors or offices [16]. Within the armed forces, maritime shipping containers have been used as field hospitals, ammunition warehouses, sanitary warehouses and drinking water treatment plants, among others [17,18].…”

Residência em contêiner: comparativo de estratégias para a melhoria do desempenho térmico

“…Sendo assim, geralmente estas habitações não envolvem instalações essenciais e, portanto, não fornecem uma resposta ambiental adequada aos usuários (FÉLIX; BRANCO; FEIO, 2013). Este tipo de construção tem sido utilizada também como postos militares, banheiros públicos e quiosques (PEÑA;SCHUZER, 2012;ELRAYIES, 2017).…”

A Review of Preliminary Experimental Factors of Making Geopolymer Paste as a Passive Fire Protection System

“…Passive fire protection refers to the protection of construction materials [1][2][3][4][5][6]. It protects against flames, heat, and smoke to deliver fundamental compartmentalization of buildings, structural stability, and separation of the flames.…”