Browsing by Author "Ranasinghe, SS"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3

item: Conference-Full-text
A Comparative analysis of operational energy by simulation study between modern buildings and adaptive reuse of historic buildings in Sri Lanka
(Department of Building Economics, 2024) Thirukumaran, N; Prabodani, MKM; Ranasinghe, SS; Jayasinghe, GY; Halwathura, RU; Sandanayake, YG; Waidyasekara, KGAS; Ranadewa, KATO; Chandanie, H
The adaptive reuse of buildings is emerging as a sustainable solution within the built environment, addressing global challenges like climate change and greenhouse gas emissions faced by the world's population. Opting to repurpose energy-efficient historic buildings during the operational phase instead of demolishing and constructing new structures is recognized as a protective mechanism for urban cultural heritage. The escalating operational energy consumption in the building sector poses direct and indirect environmental, economic, and social concerns for occupants. This study aimed to compare the operational energy efficiency of adaptive reuse historic buildings and modern structures, seeking to identify the most energy-efficient building type. Energy consumption patterns, especially for air conditioning and lighting in residential houses, were gathered and simulated using DesignBuilder software, considering building materials as variables in both the old and new phases of the buildings. Ten Dutch-era residential dwellings were selected, and a specific schedule was analysed for energy simulations. The average Energy Use Intensity (EUI) value for old buildings in the scheduled case was lower than the newly modelled buildings. The research concludes that old historic buildings are comparatively more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly than new buildings for operational use based on the building envelope in the selected study area.
item: Conference-Full-text
Effect of halide ion in the perovskite on perovskite solar cell performances
(IEEE, 2021-07) Ranasinghe, SS; Kuruppu, YL; Sewvandi, GA; Adhikariwatte, W; Rathnayake, M; Hemachandra, K
In this paper, a p-i-n perovskite solar cell was studied using Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator (SCAPS). A perovskite solar cell with MAPbI 3 and a perovskite solar cell with MAPbBr 3 as the light-absorbing materials have been simulated and compared the effect of the halide ion on solar cell performances. The efficiency of MAPbI 3 and MAPbBr 3 were reached 16.8% and 5.14% respectively. Also, the thickness of each MAPbI 3 and MAPbBr 3 was varied from 0.1 μm to 1.2 μm and the best results were observed at 0.5 μm and 0.4 μm thickness of MAPbI 3 and MAPbBr 3 films, respectively. A considerable effect of halide ions on perovskite solar cell performances can be attributed to the variation of light absorption with the halide ions.
item: Conference-Full-text
Lifecycle carbon emissions: adaptive reuse vs new buildings in Sri Lanka
(Department of Building Economics, 2024) Prabodani, MKM; Ranasinghe, SS; Halwathura, RU; Sandanayake, YG; Waidyasekara, KGAS; Ranadewa, KATO; Chandanie, H
The building construction sector stands out as a significant contributor to carbon emissions (CE). Among the sustainable practices available to mitigate this impact, adaptive reuse of historic buildings (ARHB) emerges as a viable option. In tropical developing countries, there is no quantitative research on ARHB and CE to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of ARHB as a solution. This study addresses this gap by conducting a comparative analysis of lifecycle CE between ARHB and an envisioned new building with an identical building envelope. Notably, this is the pioneering case study of its kind in Sri Lanka. A historic building within Galle Dutch Fort serves as the chosen case study, repurposed as a homestay to align with current local trends. Results indicate that annual carbon emission from the ARHB is 37.35 kg.CO2/m2, while from the envisioned new building amounting to 48.64 kg.CO2/m2, showcasing the significantly reduced environmental impact of ARHBs. In both scenarios, operational energy accounted for the highest proportion of CE, at 73.8% and 62.3% respectively. Subsequently, material production emerged as the next critical stage for both cases. Consequently, this study concludes that ARHB presents a more environmentally friendly option than new building construction. Moreover, the research suggests a focus on operational and material production stages to diminish environmental impact further. Strategies such as altering user behaviour, implementing microclimatic approaches, and embracing circular economic principles are recommended to achieve this objective. This study underscores the potential for ARHB to contribute significantly to sustainability efforts within the building construction sector.