Taqir Mahmood Romeo

The study aims to identify optimum retrofitting strategies that mitigate climate change and support Australia’s net-zero emissions target by 2050. Current heating and cooling demands, as well as the energy performance of three stand-alone houses built before 2003, were evaluated to determine optimal retrofitting measures. Based on a comprehensive literature review and physical building surveys and energy simulations using FirstRate5 of three selected case studies of stand-alone houses in Australia’s climate zone 5, the study identifies and proposes effective retrofitting opportunities in Western Australia. Additionally, the outcomes from FirstRate5 illustrate that improving ceiling and exterior wall insulation in living and dining areas, sealing air leaks, reducing overshading, and replacing single-glazed windows with double-glazed units while enlarging north-facing windows, following the recommended wall–window ratio significantly improve the energy rating of the selected houses. The average energy rating performance of the three selected stand-alone houses increases from an average below 3.5 stars (211.5 MJ/m²) to above 7.5 stars (46.7 MJ/m²), representing around 76.6% improvement in energy efficiency. Just to contextualise the scale up, such retrofitting of all old stand-alone houses built before 2003 would potentially reduce emissions by 12.73 Mt CO₂-e/year, representing a 3.16% contribution toward Australia’s national emission reduction target by 2035. Additionally, installing solar energy systems could reduce an extra 4.5 Mt CO₂-e/year. The study’s findings demand robust retrofitting strategies for Australia to achieve its 2050 net-zero emissions targets.

Human always changes their environment every time for living. Bangladesh is a country of deltaic formation, the early settlements were established alongside the rivers and canals. Villagers are the initial settlement pattern in this deltaic plain. The settlement pattern changes because of the Culture, the Climate, and the Resources. In Bangladesh, 70% of people live in rural areas. Bangladesh has steadily improved its social and economic indicators. Its effects look in their house. Now a day’s rural homestead changes rapidly because of the necessity of space required and the availability of different materials. In rural areas, social gathering space also changes because of modern technology, improved road network, the development of the agricultural sector, and many more. This article investigates the transformation of the rural homestead in Mohanpur, Rajshahi & tries to find out the reasons for changing pattern of the rural homestead. This transformation is found out in the homestead’s case study, photographs, field survey, and information collected from the local people.