
Paulo MendonçaUniversity of Minho · School of Architecture
Paulo Mendonça
PhD
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79
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Introduction
Paulo Mendonça currently works at the School of Architecture, University of Minho. Paulo does research in Architectural Technology, focusing on Energy Eficiency in Built Environment, Lightweight Buildings, Sustainable Architecture, Membrane constructions.
Publications
Publications (79)
The amount of marine plastic litter in the ocean poses a major threat to the environment, especially coastal communities. High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), a durable plastic widely used in marine applications like fishing lines, nets, and mooring cables, is a significant contributor to marine pollution. This research explores the potential of repur...
Marine plastic waste, such as High-Density Polyethene (HDPE) and Polyamide, poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems globally due to the incredibly large quantities found around the world. Each year, a minimum of eight million tons of plastic escapes into the oceans, contributing to a staggering 150 million tons of plastic waste currently pr...
Shell structures, commonly used due to their material efficiency, are susceptible to deformation and failure considering the curing time of materials like earthen or cement-based despite their strength. Additionally, they play a crucial role in construction, offering visually striking forms, design flexibility, and efficient load resistance. Masonr...
Accurate knowledge of solar radiation data or its estimation is crucial to maximize the benefits derived from the Sun. In this context, many sectors are re-evaluating their investments and plans to increase profit margins in line with sustainable development based on knowledge and estimation of solar radiation. This scenario has drawn the attention...
The objective of this research is focused on 3D printing techniques using natural materials in the construction sector. Digital fabrication has captured widespread attention for its remarkable ability to craft parametric and complex geometry with relative ease. Beyond its technical prowess, this process holds great potential in addressing two press...
Investigating the use of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in the construction of shell structures using earth-based materials is a challenge that attempts to combine the effectiveness of an innovative manufacturing system with an optimal structural system and a material resource with a low embodied carbon footprint. It is proposed to focus on the defini...
Currently, the Azores face a significant problem due to the existence of a large quantity of marine debris derived from fishing activities and gear. This issue represents a threat to the social and environmental aspects of the region. The lack of adequate disposal of this waste produced by the fishing industries is leading to a disruption of the ec...
This research aims to explore the use of vegetation and nets to collect water from fog on facades to meet the needs of buildings' functional requirements, particularly outdoor thermal comfort , water demands, and encouraging sustainability by suggesting a new architectural green-blue wall system. The system is posited to be applicable within an urb...
Performative architecture suppose synergy between both functional and formal aspects of architectural design. Considering these aspects as distinct from each other may result in an architectural expression where the functional and technical aspects are merely an afterthought, added in the final stage to comply with regulations and standards. A more...
The promise of transforming wastes from the Azores into building materials is the focus of this research. The insulation properties of some of these materials can be advantageous to the building construction sector. These materials are upcycled into non-structural components of the building such as panels for ceilings and walls as a factor to contr...
This research explores the environmental impact of architecture and the need for sustainability in building construction. Currently, economic costs often overshadow long-term considerations. However, the concept of sustainability aims to change this mindset by emphasizing material choices, energy efficiency, and the preservation of green spaces and...
How to analyse the omissions of thermal regulations and evaluate methodologies that provide building execution or thermal certificates that do not correspond to reality and usually incur costs? We can start by analysing different simulation methods and shading calculations that provide solar gains and shadow optimisation. After evaluating how the r...
This paper explores shell geometry systems using additive manufacturing earth-based composite materials. These systems use continuous additive manufacturing methods based on logical similarities between the brick assembling process and extrusion layer path of self-supported geometries. The structural concept of shell systems will be illustrated by...
The current special topic edition presents to readers the latest research results in the synthesis, properties research and treatment technologies investigation for a wide range of modern functional and structural materials. This specialised publication will be useful to many engineers and researchers from machinery, materials development and chemi...
This paper presents research on the rheology of earth-based composites for Additive Manufacturing (AM) The study experiment setup is based on using different types of natural fibers with earth hydraulic binders through a pneumatic extrusion system of a 3axis printing machine. The ingredients of the composites are eco-friendly, locally available, in...
The development strategy based on unlimited economic growth has been increasing extraction and consumption of natural resources and is responsible for pollutant emissions and wastes, on such a way that we risk of rapidly depleting planet earth. And although there is an awareness on optimizing available economic resources and an effort to reduce the...
This paper presents a house design that uses adobe in the walls and wood in the roof, a mixed building system that vernacular houses in the region where it is located already use, however it presents a contemporary strategy based on less, more natural, reused, and local materials, implying also less transport. The environmental impact analysis of t...
Energy retrofitting is one of the critical elements in national energy efficiency action plans in Egypt and Portugal to achieve energy efficiency in the buildings’ sector. Therefore, this study explores the techno-economic feasibility of proposed simple passive retrofitting solutions using nature-based and conventional thermal insulation materials...
Urban environments are subject to a concentration of air pollutants that may cause several health problems and discomfort to their inhabitants. Pollutant emissions are related with several anthropogenic sources, such as biomass heating systems in buildings, the vicinity of industries and especially the intense road traffic. Improvements in air qual...
Many historical cities present the difficult challenge to maintain at the same time its built heritage and its living values, two valences that, together, represent their essence. The intense tourist demand of accommodation is the main cause to the imbalance verified between these valences, which manifests in numerous urban rehabilitation intervent...
The knowledge of the properties of construction materials, as well as the way they are organized in the construction systems, namely those of the facades, are essential to understand the functional performance of buildings, namely their thermal comfort. This article presents a research oriented towards the constructive characterization of the facad...
Tensile membrane roofs are considered to have the potential to improve the buildings’ performance due to their lightweight and flexible nature. However, their potential for improving acoustic behaviour has hardly been accurately gauged or demonstrated due to their complexity in both geometric and physical aspects. To address this issue, Carmo’s chu...
This paper reflects on the ability to adapt buildings with relevant heritage and historical value to different uses and functions. A case study is presented: The relocation of Braga’s District Archive from the former Archbishop’s Palace in Largo do Paço, a building dating back to the XIVth century confined within the Historical Center’s buffer zone...
This paper presents the results of a Seminar / Workshop about simulation tools for energy performance evaluation of building’s architectural design that was organized in the University of Minho’s School of Architecture, located in Guimarães, North of Portugal. The theme of the Seminar / Workshop aims at sensitizing students to the importance of ene...
This research aims evaluating in what measure the proposed refurbishment solutions with architectural membranes can benefit an existing building and provide an energy efficient alternative to conventional reference building technologies for vertical extensions. In order to do it, an old building from the 19th century, located in Porto (Portugal) is...
Fog harvesting is a technique used to collect water from the fog. This technique became widely used around the world due to the lack of fresh water, as fog harvesting is considered to represent an economical and a reliable source of water. On that sense, fog collecting methods are mostly implemented in areas that lack access to fresh water and is m...
The initial premise of this research is that the relative efficiency of refurbishment solutions with architectural membranes needs to be measured in order to allow its comparison with conventional solutions, helping decision makers to select the most efficient solutions. The evaluation of this efficiency depends on economic features, but also on fu...
This research aims to explore and reflect the
links between form, function, material and
fabrication to develop and assemble more adjustable
and flexible building walls. The interconnection of
these main aspects of creation is particularly driven
by the raising prominence of digital and
computational tools in the context of design and
fabrication....
As fresh water becomes scarce nowadays, fog harvesting appeared as a new opportunity to be considered as an economical and a reliable fresh water source. Thus Fog collectors represent a functional solution to provide fresh water to be used in agriculture and in some cases, also as drinking water. Fog harvesting techniques had been used first by far...
This study presents a state of the art and design proposal for membrane sunspaces, as alternative to conventional ones, in glass, commonly used in the functional refurbishment of old buildings. Sunspaces are passive solar systems that can be easily integrated in existing buildings. Enclosing balconies with glazing has an impact on existing building...
With the growing concern about material savings and climate change, it is important to analyse how membranes have been applied to constructions over time according to geographic location and type of use. There are many requirements associated with membrane building technologies and structures, though, currently, there is no membrane in the market t...
This paper focus on how prefabricated building systems can allow the implementation of deconstruction strategies. Prefabricated mechanically fixed components, in comparison with conventional concrete and brick in situ construction, can be more easily separated during demolition, allowing its reuse, and even if this is not possible, at least allowin...
Concepts such as Architecture, Heritage and Tourism are increasingly used in complementarity with societal concerns. Sustainability, Creativity and Smart principles can make a product of architecture or tourism to become a more value for our cities and heritage identities.
This research presents an analysis of how vernacular and contemporary archit...
The aim of this study is to make an insight about architectural membrane applications for building's functional refurbishment, analysing the characteristics that make architectural membranes suitable for this purpose. It is based on sixty interventions used as case studies that are classified chronologically and by countries and uses, pointing out...
A building façade is considered to form the first line of protection against adverse climate and environmental conditions in an urban area, such as wind and rain, leading it to be affected and eventually damaged by continued and direct interaction.
Furthermore, the increasing ecological and environmental concerns, due to the global warming associat...
This paper aims to show the environmental benefits from using vegetable materials, such as timber and straw, in alternative to conventional industrialized materials, such as brick, concrete and steel in building construction. Vegetable materials can present significant economic and environmental advantages, as they represent an abundant and renewab...
Fresh water is a scarce resource. Its availability, essential for life, is being conditioned by several menaces, mostly from human origin. Studies on water saving strategies in building construction and what procedures should be adopted for its efficient use can respond to part of these problems, taking into account the relevance of construction ac...
This paper presents and discusses the results of the serviciability and use condition tests carried on an innovative solution for partitions, designated AdjustMembrane developed within a research project. The proposed system is a modular non-loadbearing wall, tensioned between the pavements and ceiling slabs, which are used as anchoring elements. I...
In the 1950s a ten-year municipal plan set off the construction of many public housing complexes in Porto to solve the need for housing, as industrialization phenomena had caused relevant migration to cities. These housing settlements (near half of the current public housing in Porto), despite their careful urban design, do not present nowadays sat...
O Departamento de Engenharia Civil e a Escola de Arquitetura da Universidade do Minho, em conjunto com o Departamento de Engenharia Civil da Universidade de Coimbra, organizaram o Seminário “reVer: Contributos da arquitetura vernácula portuguesa para a sustentabilidade do ambiente construído”, que teve lugar na Fundação Manuel António da Mota (Merc...
In the present paper, waste fibre reinforced composite panels have been developed for application in interior partition walls of buildings. These panels were produced using waste fibres collected from the textile industries and using aminoplastic phenol-formaldehyde resin. Mechanical properties such as tensile, compression and flexural properties o...
This paper presents an economic and environmental cost analysis of a representative Portuguese housing dwelling unit using an innovative lightweight adjustable membrane partitioning system, developed within a research project. The environmental and economic costs of this system, both on the construction and occupancy phases, were compared with the...
The environmental concerns of the building industry in Portugal have been essentially related with the reduction of economic costs by the energetic optimization of materials production and construction processes. This strategy is focused on using prefabricated industrial materials and maximizing the use of mechanized construction methods. However,...
The choice between different materials and constructive systems can influence significantly the environmental impact and economic cost of construction. In this context, four constructive systems used in South European were studied: one conventional - composed by hollow brick walls and steel reinforced post and beam concrete structure; and three non...
This paper presents a conceptual system for an adjustable partition wall conceived within a research project. The permanent evolution and mutation of life styles have been conducting to the rethink of living spaces and to a growing need for more evolutionary and adaptable housing units. It can be verified that a major portion of houses don't accomp...
For long time the research has been addressing towards the creation and the design of “high tech” components for buildings with an high performance level in any kind of situation, so as to increase a global scale dissemination and thus to ensure large market segments and wide economic incomes. This logic, based on production of goods rather than on...
Nowadays, there is an increasing need for alternative construction technologies that allow, among others, reducing construction wastes and energy consumption during the buildings’ life-cycle. In this context, this paper presents results of a research project which goal is to develop an innovative solution for partition walls. This solution is based...
The objective of this study is to compare the performance of fibre based thermal insulation materials with that of conventional light-weight partition walls, made with plasterboard panels and rock wool insulation. In this work, thermal properties of a light- weight wall composed of an insulation layer (as the core) and membranes (as binder) have be...
The presence of wood in structural applications in construction was constant in Portugal until the end of the XIXth and early XXth centuries. Wood was used since the first constructions when the available resources were scarce and it continues to be present in vernacular buildings and areas whose heritage value requires their preservation. The wood...
In the 1950s a ten-year municipal plan (and its subsequent five-year extension) set off the construction of many public housing complexes in Porto to solve the need for housing, as industrialization phenomena had caused relevant migration to cities. These housing settlements (near half of the current total public housing in Porto), despite their ca...
Lightweight materials are more viable for use in invariably hot or cold climates than in temperate climates. However, it is possible to use lightweight construction systems and specifically membranes even in housing buildings in temperate climate areas, if their properties are well explored, allowing better environmental performance and cost effect...
A actividade de reabilitação tem ganho uma crescente posição no sector da construção, não só em termos quantitativos, mas também em termos qualitativos, já que se verifica uma evolução das tecnologias utilizadas, nomeadamente, integrando soluções pouco invasivas. Utilizam-se cada vez mais materiais naturais tradicionais, como a pedra e a madeira, r...
Stilt and heritage houses at Ovar, Portugal.
This paper intends to prove that it is possible to use lightweight membranes on interior partition walls and on external façades, even in housing buildings at temperate climate regions, if their properties are well explored. The few material used, even less than conventional lightweight solutions - the most common is plasterboard with light steel f...
The conference Portugal SB10 - Sustainable Building Affordable to All is organized by University of Minho – UM, Technical University of Lisbon – IST and the Portuguese delegation of the International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment – iiSBE Portugal in Vilamoura, Algarve - Portugal, from the 17th till the 19th of March 2010. This conf...
Globalization, competitiveness and the current world economy require an increasing capacity to fulfill ever rising levels of excellence and demand. Faced with such challenge, Construction has to strive for constant improvement in its quality, optimizing the cost/benefit relation with fairness and justice, safeguarding both the comfort and the digni...
The aim of this research work is to demonstrate how an innovative mixedweight solution can lead to achieve more sustainable housing constructions, having in mind that functional aspects related with comfort—thermal, acoustical and natural illumination—should be safeguarded. The integrated accomplishment of all these aspects is difficult and not eas...
Energy is one of the main causes of the environmental pollution. In the European Union, buildings are responsible for 40% of the final energy demand and 1/3 of the emissions of greenhouse gases. Therefore, in order to promote the energy consumption reduction, it is fundamental to employ sustainable development principles in the construction sector....
The aim of the present work is to improve the thermal performance of lightweight constructions making use of Phase Change Materials (PCMs). Typical lightweight constructions have lack of thermal inertia. The use of PCMs can remediate this problem and improve the building thermal performance. However there are few studies specifying the correct PCM...
The amount of waste produced every year, the exhaustion of resources and the construction so-lutions currently used in construction may not be sustainable in the future. All these issues lead to the research on new construction techniques, on recycling of waste into useful materials, on re-use of construction materials, etc. Most of the new and inn...
The amount of waste produced every year, the exhaustion of resources and the construction solutions currently used on construction may not be sustainable in the future. All these issues lead to the research of new construction techniques, the recycling of waste into useful materials, the re-use of construction materials, etc. Most of the new and in...
Neste Capítulo faz-se a apresentação dos diversos sistemas de fachada, com uma maior incidência nas implicações energéticas dos mesmos. Para isso é feita uma classificação das fachadas com base no peso próprio*. As questões higrotérmicas são mais detalhadamente desenvolvidas, nomeadamente pela influência da posição das diversas camadas e tipos de m...
The purpose of this work is to evaluate the potentialities of lightweight construction solutions with low environmental impact under the acoustical performance point of view. The study consists of two parts: an experimental analysis and a numeric estimation. The experimental analysis of going to be performed through "in situ" measurements of the ac...
OBJECTIVOS A disciplina anual de História da Arquitectura Contemporânea visa possibilitar aos estudantes o contacto com os movimentos, autores e obras que se consideram mais determinantes do século XIX e XX. Localiza, no entanto, o seu início temporal no advento do Iluminismo e da Revolução Industrial. Daí segue para a consideração dos factos urban...