Includes CD

Thesis (MARCH) - CYPRUS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

Includes REFERENCES: sheets 96-108

ABSTRACT
The increased interest in energy efficient construction because of environmental issues and rising energy costs has resulted in the adoption of initiatives aimed at rising energy efficiency in the building industry as an energy intensive industry with significant potential to decrease energy needs and ozone pollution. Prefabricated buildings have been described as being essential in sustainable development building construction and use of prefabricated facades is on the rise. Prefabrication includes the fabrication of building parts with various lengths in the factory prior to distribution to the final erection and assembly location. Prefabrication increases construction speed, architectural quality, material efficiency and worker safety, at the same time the impacts of the construction on environment is being reduced compared to traditional building practices. Double-skin façade (DSF) has been proposed as a sustainable building technology that can be used to boost energy efficiency and the indoor thermal comfort of buildings in hot climates. The study aims to discover how prefabricated can enhance the efficient use of energy in building construction and also to test double-skin façade as a means to upgrade indoor thermal comfort of office buildings. Three types of DSFs will be thermally tested using an environment analysis software which simulates building performance by designers known as Autodesk Ecotect analysis 2011. The analysis will be carried out on two office buildings in Abuja, Nigeria.
Keywords: Prefabricated Construction, Double-Skin Facade, Thermal Comfort, Office Building Abuja, Energy Efficiency.