@misc{14069, abstract = {{As automation is progressively more present in buildings, it is important to understand its impact on people’s experience of urban environments. This case study investigated how one automated shading system with motorized venetian blinds affects sound perception of the acoustic environment in the immediate outdoor surroundings of a university campus building in Detmold, Germany. Procedures of ISO 12913 series for soundscape research were followed to conduct acoustic measurements and derive psychoacoustic indicators. Additionally, soundwalks involving 41 participants and a laboratory study using immersive virtual reality (VR) with 34 participants were conducted to assess how individuals perceive the acoustic environment. The results show that the operation of automated blinds increases sound levels above reference thresholds at short distances, and has a consistent effect on the soundscape, shifting it from pleasant and calm to annoying and chaotic. These trends are notable in both on-site and laboratory data. Additionally, when participants evaluated the soundscape in direct visual connection with the operating façade shading system, they perceived the sounds to be less chaotic than when they were not seeing the façade. These findings highlight that automated buildings and façades are active sound sources capable of influencing environmental quality through acoustic and non-acoustic effects; therefore, their influence on the soundscape should be considered within performance assessments, smart/automation policy, and sustainability frameworks.}}, author = {{Balderrama, Alvaro and Luna-Navarro, Alessandra and Kang, Jian and Al Basha, Hussam and Verschuur, Eric and Arztmann, Daniel and Knaack, Ulrich}}, booktitle = {{Applied Acoustics}}, issn = {{1872-910X}}, keywords = {{Urban, Soundscape, Acoustic, Perception, Comfort, Sustainability}}, publisher = {{Elsevier }}, title = {{{Influence of automated façades on the soundscape outside of buildings}}}, doi = {{10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498}}, volume = {{254}}, year = {{2026}}, } @misc{14070, abstract = {{Deploying digital twins across the broader building stock is constrained by a key bottleneck: high-quality 3D content from LiDAR or photogrammetry remains labor-intensive and difficult to scale. We introduce Generative Twins (GT), a workflow that shifts digital twin creation from explicit geometric reconstruction toward probabilistic 3D synthesis. The pipeline takes a single street-level façade photograph, corrects perspective distortion and removes occlusions, uses an instruction-conditioned multimodal image model to synthesise an isometric view of the building, and passes that view to an image-to-3D reconstruction model that leverages learned shape priors to produce a textured mesh without manual modelling. Three image to-3D platforms (Hitem3D, Hyper3D and Hunyuan3D 3.1) are compared on identical isometric inputs and assessed on architectural boundary clarity. We demonstrate GT through two applied cases: (i) reconstruction of ordinary residential streets in Detmold as stimuli for a virtual-reality study of multi sensory urban perception, and (ii) Green Editor, a design-exploration tool in which façade greenery is added or removed at the image layer before mesh generation. Together these cases position Generative Twins as a scalable pathway for the digitization of ordinary building stock, with emphasis on controllability, editability, and iterative design workflows.}}, author = {{Ashmawy, Mohamed Khaled and Akay, Buse and Balderrama, Alvaro}}, booktitle = {{eCAADe proceedings}}, issn = {{2684-1843}}, keywords = {{Digital Twins, Virtual Reality (VR, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Image-to-3D, Generative Design.}}, location = {{Lübeck}}, publisher = {{eCAADe}}, title = {{{Towards Generative Twins: An AI Based Pipeline from Explicit 3D Reconstruction to Probabilistic Synthesis}}}, doi = {{10.52842/conf.ecaade.2026.1.619}}, volume = {{1}}, year = {{2026}}, } @misc{14068, abstract = {{Personalised Environmental Control Systems (PECS) enable occupants to locally adjust environmental parameters without affecting others. Rooted in the fields of thermal and air quality management, this approach is key for enhancing satisfaction and well-being in the built environment by empowering occupants to control their immediate surroundings. Moreover, it offers energy-saving potential by optimizing conditions in targeted areas rather than across the entire environment. Within the framework of the IEA EBC Annex 87, the concept was explored for the first time in the acoustic domain. After defining Acoustic PECS, a systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines was conducted to unpack (1) technologies in the literature aligning with this concept; (2) their impact on occupants; and (3) current limitations. The literature search, conducted on Scopus, Web of Science, APA, and PubMed, included field or laboratory studies assessing systems enabling local acoustic control in settings that are relevant for office environments. Review papers, medical device studies, and reports without insights on occupant impact were excluded. Thirty-eight studies were selected, covering active and passive systems, building-attached, furniture-integrated, and wearable devices. The qualitative analysis highlighted potential positive effects in challenging acoustic environments, including reduced annoyance, improved work performance, masking or cancellation of intrusive noises, and enhancements in short-term memory, among other benefits, despite existing technological and methodological limitations. The evidence collected is constrained by the limited number of identified studies and methodological gaps stemming from the relatively wide focus of the studies where such devices were investigated. The definition of Acoustic PECS provides a foundation for future research, guiding the development of these systems and fostering high-quality and consistent evidence of their impacts.}}, author = {{Torresin, Simone and de Souza, Larissa Pereira and Dicle, Seda Yuksel and Al-Assaad, Douaa and Aletta, Francesco and Balderrama, Alvaro and Bivolarova, Mariya P. and Lee, Pyoung-Jik and Llorca-Bofí, Josep and Maula, Henna and Navarro, Alessandra Luna and Pigliautile, Ilaria and Pisello, Anna Laura and Wu, Zhibin}}, booktitle = {{Building and environment : the international journal of building science and its applications}}, issn = {{1873-684X}}, keywords = {{PECS, Personalized environmental control systems, Acoustic coustic PECS, Acoustic comfort, Indoor Environmental Quality, Headphones}}, publisher = {{Elsevier BV}}, title = {{{Definition and performance of acoustic personalised environmental control systems (acoustic PECS): A systematic review}}}, doi = {{10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113243}}, volume = {{282}}, year = {{2025}}, } @misc{14067, abstract = {{ Background: The use of building automation technology is rising as it is often adopted by sustainable design principles, offering notable opportunities for improving aspects such as energy efficiency and human comfort (e.g., daylight, temperature, air quality). Rationale: The integration of mechanical equipment on building envelopes such as motorized sun-shading systems introduce a series of sounds, different from traditional sources in urban environments. Buildings with higher levels of automation and moving elements can be expected to become more prevalent with the increasing densification of cities and the progress of smart technologies. Methods: This study examines the effects of an automated shading system on the acoustic environment around a building, through a case study conducted in accordance with ISO 12913 guidelines for soundscape data collection and analysis. The methodology involves sound level measurements and binaural recordings to derive psychoacoustic indicators, as well as questionnaires to survey people’s perception on-site, and a laboratory experiment with virtual reality (VR). Results: The soundwalks and the laboratory experiment showed that when the shading system is moving, soundscape perception typically shifts toward chaotic and annoying. These effects were only worse in combination with other sources such as a nearby kindergarten. However, when the façade is still, and without kindergarten noise, the soundscape around the building is mainly perceived as pleasant, calm, and vibrant. The acoustic analysis revealed that the shading system can increase noise levels by up to 20 dBA over the background noise at 1 meter from the façade, with levels gradually blending the background at about 25 meters from the building. Conclusions: The results reveal that motorized shading systems in a context like this case study can significantly degrade the acoustic environment outdoors, raising sound levels beyond recommended safety thresholds, and negatively affecting people’s perception. }}, author = {{Balderrama, Alvaro and Luna Navarro, Alessandra and Kang, Jian}}, publisher = {{Zenodo}}, title = {{{Building automation and urban soundscape}}}, doi = {{10.5281/ZENODO.14608579}}, year = {{2025}}, } @misc{10113, abstract = {{The popularity of fully glazed facades in office building design has been well-established over the years. One of the techniques used to achieve a seamless outer appearance is the shadow box system, which is composed of two layers of glazing with an air cavity in between. It has gained widespread popularity in markets worldwide due to its potential for creative design and flexibility. However, it is prone to issues such as condensation, contamination, and overheating. This research utilized a mockup test approach to study the issue of overheating in shadow box systems and analyze the main causes of this problem. The findings have significant implications for the design of shadow box systems. The results of the mockup test indicate sun altitude in relation to the geolocation and facade orientation plays a major role in overheating the shadow box. Additionally, careful consideration should be given to the design of ventilation openings to mitigate the overheating issue. This ongoing analysis aims to develop strategies to mitigate the issues found in shadow box systems and future research will involve a comprehensive analysis of various types of shadow box systems.}}, author = {{Singh, Godo Zabur and Arztmann, Daniel and Balderrama, Alvaro}}, booktitle = {{International Scientific Conference on Contemporary Glass Façades}}, location = {{Zagreb}}, publisher = {{University of Zagreb}}, title = {{{Investigating Heat Development in Shadow Box Façade Systems: A Mockup Test Approach}}}, year = {{2023}}, } @misc{10440, abstract = {{People in cities are often exposed to complex mixtures of sounds, some originating from nature along with some created by human activities like traffic noise, sounds of industrial machinery, or music. This research aimed to study how the acoustic environment of a university campus is perceived by people. The procedures for soundscape data collection and analysis were based on the ISO 12913 series. 30 volunteers divided into four groups participated in a “soundwalk” at the campus of the architecture school in Detmold, Germany, filling out questionnaires while sound measurements and recordings were being taken. After the soundwalk, the data from the questionnaires, sound measurements, recordings, pictures and videos were analyzed. The findings suggest that people’s perception of sound is susceptible to the context, as participants seemed to shift their preference according to the ongoing activities that drew attention, such as a construction site, sounds from children playing, music and groups of people. The results provide new evidence and insights about the acoustic environment and the soundscape of the university campus and can inform stakeholders to improve environmental quality.}}, author = {{Balderrama, Alvaro and Erol, Aylin and Götz, Johanna and Luna-Navarro, Alessandra and Kang, Jian and Arztmann, Daniel and Knaack, Ulrich}}, booktitle = {{18th Healthy Buildings Europe Conference}}, location = {{Aachen, Germany}}, publisher = {{RWTH Aachen}}, title = {{{Soundscape Assessment at a University Campus in Detmold, Germany}}}, year = {{2023}}, } @misc{8881, abstract = {{Façades cover a significant amount of surfaces in cities and are in constant interaction with the acoustic environment. Noise pollution is one of the most concerning burdens for public health and wellbeing; however, façade acoustic performance is generally not considered in outdoor spaces, in contrast to indoor spaces. This study presents a systematic literature review examining 40 peer-reviewed papers regarding the effects of façades on the urban acoustic environment and the soundscape. Façades affect sound pressure levels and reverberation time in urban spaces and can affect people’s perception of the acoustic environment. The effects are classified into three groups: Effects of façades on the urban acoustic environment, including sound-reflecting, sound-absorbing and sound-producing effects; Effects of façades on the urban soundscape, including auditory and non-auditory effects; Effects of the context on the acoustic environment around façades, including boundary effects and atmospheric effects. }}, author = {{Balderrama, Alvaro and Kang, Jian and Prieto, Alejandro and Luna-Navarro, Alessandra and Arztmann, Daniel and Knaack, Ulrich}}, booktitle = {{Sustainability / Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)}}, issn = {{2071-1050 }}, keywords = {{façade, building envelope, acoustics, acoustic environment, soundscape, urban comfort}}, number = {{14}}, publisher = {{mdpi}}, title = {{{Effects of Façades on Urban Acoustic Environment and Soundscape: A Systematic Review}}}, doi = {{https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159670}}, volume = {{15}}, year = {{2022}}, } @inbook{5842, author = {{Balderrama, Alvaro and Arztmann, Daniel and Schulz, Jens-Uwe}}, booktitle = {{Engineered Transparency 2021 : Glass in Architecture and Structural Engineering }}, editor = {{Weller, Bernhard and Schneider, Jens}}, isbn = {{978-3-433-03320-3}}, publisher = {{Ernst & Sohn }}, title = {{{Review of commercial software tools for façade acoustics}}}, year = {{2021}}, } @inproceedings{5847, abstract = {{Urban noise pollution is a major environmental health problem. International organizations are making efforts to prevent health damage due to high levels of noise in cities, but the design of the built environment typically neglects the acoustic impact of architectural projects. Building facades, covering a substantial part of the vertical surfaces of the urban fabric, have a significant effect on the wellbeing of the population and on the environmental impact of buildings. Facade geometries and materials interact with the diversity of sounds in the city composing soundscapes that influence the health, comfort, and productivity of people inside and outside of buildings. This study gives an overview of the elements involved in the composition of the urban soundscape and revises the potential effects of sound-reflective and sound-absorptive facades. With the purpose of exemplifying the integration of acoustic data into facade design processes, a parametric design workflow is developed to experiment with acoustic simulations of a street environment, alternating between sound-reflective and sound-absorptive facades.}}, author = {{Balderrama, Alvaro and Arztmann, Daniel and Schulz, Jens-Uwe}}, booktitle = {{Facade Tectonics 2020 World Congress}}, keywords = {{acoustics, sustainability, computational design, parametric workflows}}, location = {{Los Angeles}}, title = {{{Influence of Façade Materials on the Acoustic Environment}}}, year = {{2020}}, }