Ugis Bratuskins | Riga Technical university (original) (raw)

Papers by Ugis Bratuskins

Landscape Architecture and Art, Dec 20, 2023

Traditionally low energy buildings are supposed to have maximally big thermal resistance of build... more Traditionally low energy buildings are supposed to have maximally big thermal resistance of building envelope. In reality big thermal resistance is justified only in coldest winter days in countries with cold climate or in hot summer days with intensive solar radiation. In other periods buildings with full air conditioning would have to have different properties of building envelope that could allow heat flow in one or another direction. There are also periods when minimal resistance to vapour transfer is required. Sometimes the building envelope is needed only to prevent from rain, insects or to give the intimacy and it is not needed from the point of energy efficiency, as it does not have to form the shield against the heat or vapour flow. Building energy performance simulation models during the whole year allow choosing optimal characteristics of building envelope on the basis of annual heat consumption. The model described in this paper would help to optimise building energy performance on the condition that we can change the properties of building envelope. The paper is devoted to the analysis of possibility for construction of low energy buildings with envelopes controlled for minimization of energy consumption by air conditioning systems. It describes the possibilities to reduce energy consumption of large public buildings mainly in summer time when there are the highest electricity demands for cooling. Energy consumption depends on parameters of outdoor and indoor air, energy performance of the envelope and inside heat and moisture emissions. The paper gives a complex mathematical model for controlled envelope’s thermal resistance depending on outdoor parameters. It proposes constructive suggestion to create buildings whose walls, roofs and glassed surfaces have changeable thermal characteristics and methodology of control for separate elements (double skin facades, multiple films on windows, ventilated curtain walls, automated Venetian blinds). The paper analyses the impact of building envelope thermodynamic characteristics on the parameters of supply air in air conditioning systems. It describes the change modes of thermal resistance, resistance to water vapour transfer and resistance to solar radiation considering the different states of inside and outside air conditions. As the result the paper gives theoretical algorithm of regulation of building envelope thermodynamic characteristics in ideal conditions based on minimization of energy use by air conditioning systems

SGEM International Multidisciplinary Scientific Conferences on Social Sciences and Arts, Sep 1, 2014

WIT Transactions on the Built Environment, May 12, 2020

The world's most liveable cities have been ranked on the basis of their residents' living conditi... more The world's most liveable cities have been ranked on the basis of their residents' living conditions. A functioning residential area is essential for the downtown areas of historical cities as they initially developed as places for people to live. Despite the overall growth of urban economics and city populations, many internationally recognized historical and cultural cities are at the forefront of the fastest shrinking cities in Europe. This highlights a fundamental problem in the current planning and management of historical cities: the physical preservation of old residential buildings has practically been ensured, but this has not guaranteed their further use for habitation. This paper presents the results of a case study of the Historical Centre of Riga (HCR) and aims to identify problems regarding the well-known, but still less explored phenomenon of the "loss of liveability" within the historical centre of the city. The available literature on the problem of urban shrinkage and statistical data was studied in this case study, and a survey on the satisfaction of the residents residing in the Historical Centre of Riga was conducted and the results analysed.

Mokslas - Lietuvos ateitis, Jun 7, 2011

The paper focuses on the actual state of architecture and planning practices in Lithuania and Lat... more The paper focuses on the actual state of architecture and planning practices in Lithuania and Latvia stating the common features and differences as well as identifying a number of challenges and possible solutions and their impacts on academic research carried out by junior fellows of the universities. The transition from a planned socialist economy to a free market and the following change in the structure of social order has objectively caused radical changes in the need and the offer of professional services where the largest market share is held by relatively small or very small architectural companies. Limited resources lead to dominance of the fulfillment of primary functional and aesthetical needs of the customer while the broader dialogue with public is usually delayed or missing. This often leads to public dissatisfaction of the results of implementation of development projects. The authors of the paper stress that the enhanced dialogue between architect and urban community supported by local governments and citizens could radically improve the situation and simultaneously contribute to the quality of architectural solutions. The share of responsibility for the future quality of built environmental goes to an academic education and especially to research systems. Multi-professional collaboration and integrated cross-border research practices should be encouraged as more beneficial for accumulating the experience of different cultures and to achieving optimal qualities in the future urban environment.

Valku (Walk) pirmoreiz rakstos piemin 1286. gadā, un 1584. gadā tā iegūst pilsētas tiesības. Laik... more Valku (Walk) pirmoreiz rakstos piemin 1286. gadā, un 1584. gadā tā iegūst pilsētas tiesības. Laika gaitā pilsēta vairākkārt maina pakļautību, tomēr attīstās pēc vienota plāna. 1920. gadā, izveidojoties Latvijas un Igaunijas valstiskajai neatkarībai, Valku sadala Latvijas un Igaunijas daļā. Valstu robežu novelk tieši cauri pilsētas centram, no agrāk vienotās pilsētas izveidojot divas atsevišķas daļas. Padomju okupācijas laikā Valkā–Valgā starpvalstu robežbarjeras tiek nojauktas, taču katra pilsēta tiek pārvaldīta autonomi. Līdz ar Latvijas Republikas un Igaunijas Republikas valstiskās neatkarības atjaunošanu abu pilsētu saiknes atkal vājinās, tiek atjaunotas starpvalstu robežbarjeras un robežpārejas punkti. Pēc Latvijas un Igaunijas iestāšanās Eiropas Savienībā un pievienošanās Šengenas konvencijai, vēlreiz tiek nojauktas fiziskās robežbarjeras, un abas pilsētas iegūst vienotu telpu. Tas ļauj apsvērt abu pilsētu kā vienotas sistēmas attīstības iespējas nākotnē un prognozēt būtiskākās problēmas, kas varētu attīstību kavēt. Nozīmīgākie faktori, kas ietekmē robežpilsētu attīstību mūsdienās, ir ekonomiska un sociāla rakstura. Svarīgākais uzdevums šo faktoru identificēšanā un ievērtēšanā ir vispusīgas pilsētu pārvaldes veidošana. Šī uzdevuma īstenošanu apgrūtina apstāklis, ka katrā pilsētas daļā darbojas sava pašvaldība, bet elastīgai savstarpējās sadarbības attīstībai traucē starpvalstu līmenī nenoregulēti jautājumi. Tomēr Valkas un Valgas pašvaldībām jau ir izdevies saskaņot rīcību vairākos aspektos, parakstot sadarbības līgumu, kurā fiksēti nozīmīgākie sadarbības virzieni. Daudzie gadu desmiti, kamēr pilsēta attīstījusies divu valstu jurisdikcijā, atstājuši graujošu ietekmi uz pilsētas struktūru un publiskās telpas kvalitāti. Ainaviski izteiksmīgais pilsētas centra areāls bijusi divu valstu nomale. Vienotas pilsēttelpas reģenerācijas uzdevums ir mīkstināt šo ietekmi, par robežzonas prioritāti definējot publiskas rekreācijas vides izveidošanu. Tā kā Valkas–Valgas sabiedrība diferencējas pēc etniskās piederības, sabiedriskās integrācijas aktivitātes tajā varētu stiprināt vienotās pilsētas telpas izjūtu abu kopienu iedzīvotājiem. Paredzams, ka nākotnē lielākā izvēle būs jāizdara starp tieksmi panākt maksimālu apbūves intensitāti un vēlmi saglabāt neapbūvētas platības rekreācijas vajadzībām

La Revue de la BNU, May 1, 2019

Rīgas Tehniskās universitātes zinātniskie raksti, 2019

Up-to-date nature tourism trends witness a growth of customer-oriented unique experiences. The pr... more Up-to-date nature tourism trends witness a growth of customer-oriented unique experiences. The present paper explores the potential of treehouses in nature tourism development in Latvia by providing unique and authentic experiences. Using the method of practical modelling several distinct treehouse construction methods are compared considering regional differences and different use cases. To achieve the set goal, three separate practical modelling workshops in different municipalities in Latvia were organised during the summer holidays of 2016-2018. History and construction types of treehouses were analysed as well as 30 experts from the local municipalities, treehouse companies, workshop participants, clients and customers were interviewed. The presented study is based on the 4-year experience of participation in several European treehouse workshops and organisation of the local treehouse activities and events in Latvia as well as learnings from managing an outdoor recreation company "Movement Spontaneous" and co-founding the Latvian Outdoor Association "Outdoor Club Latvia" in 2018.

Lielmēroga dzīvojamo rajonu publiskās ārtelpas ir nozīmīgs dzīvojamās vides kvalitātes indikators... more Lielmēroga dzīvojamo rajonu publiskās ārtelpas ir nozīmīgs dzīvojamās vides kvalitātes indikators. Šo rajonu būvniecības sākuma posmā kā nozīmīgākais publiskās ārtelpas elements tika plānots plašs pagalms, ap kuru grupējās tipveida daudzstāvu dzīvojamie nami. Tipiska Purvciema pagalma labiekārtojuma projekta, kartogrāfiskā materiāla un vietas apsekojuma laikā gūtās informācijas analīze ļauj secināt, ka no oriģināli plānotajiem labiekārtojuma elementiem un stādījumiem lielākā daļa nav tikusi realizēta, bet projekta īstenotie elementi ir nolietoti un nekopti. Jaunā apbūve un tās nožogotā teritorija aizņem ievērojamu daļu no oriģināli plānotās apzaļumotās teritorijas, radot gan telpisku, gan sociālu konfliktu draudus. Iedzīvotāju aptaujas rezultāti liecina par iedzīvotāju neapmierinātību ar publisko ārtelpu kvalitāti Purvciemā. Pētījuma rezultātā jāsecina, ka 21. gs. pirmajā dekādē Rīgas lielmēroga dzīvojamo rajonu publiskās ārtelpas ir zaudējušas to nozīmi, kas tika plānota rajonu oriģinālajos projektos. Lai arī publiskās ārtelpas kalpo kā nozīmīga dzīvojamās vides sastāvdaļa, to izmantošana ievērojami atšķiras no iecerētā. Mūsdienās tās ir ieguvušas pamestas, nedrošas, neestētiskas vides tēlu, kas šodienas kontekstā bieži tiek vienkāršoti uzlūkots kā neizmantots teritorijas resurss un tiek apbūvēts, līdz ar to neatgriezeniski zaudējot oriģināli plānotās lielmēroga dzīvojamās vides publisko ārtelpu kvalitātes

Pirmā un ilgi vienīgā arhitektūras skola Latvijā izveidota 1869. gadā Rīgas Politehnikumā – Balti... more Pirmā un ilgi vienīgā arhitektūras skola Latvijā izveidota 1869. gadā Rīgas Politehnikumā – Baltijā pirmajā augstākajā tehniskajā mācību iestādē. Arhitektūras skolai laika gaitā mainījušies gan nosaukumi, gan piederība, gan atrašanās vieta, taču tā ir pēctecīgi saglabājusies un darbojas joprojām. Tā ir tagadējā Arhitektūras fakultāte Rīgas Tehniskajā universitātē (RTU). Arhitektūras skola ir ne tikai profesionālās kvalifikācijas iegūšanas vieta, bet arī arhitektūras vispārējās attīstības pamats. Kvalitatīva izglītība nav iespējama bez teorētiskās un zinātniskās bāzes, nodrošinot atbilstošu arhitektūras praktisko īstenojumu cilvēka veidotajā apkārtējā vidē. Šādā skatījumā arī kārtots Latvijas arhitektūras izglītības vēstures apskats secīgi katrā no vēsturiskajiem periodiem.

Paper is focused on theoretical justification of the necessity of identification and maintenance ... more Paper is focused on theoretical justification of the necessity of identification and maintenance of diversity of various existing urban patterns of city testifying the development of it in order to maintain the structural integrity of the place

In the last decades urban regeneration has become an important part of urban policy. Availability... more In the last decades urban regeneration has become an important part of urban policy. Availability of financial opportunities were the engine of change in the approach to the revitalization of many urban sites. At the same time even if the number of projects concerning development of new infrastructure, both social and technical, increased, they didn't always lead to the improvement of the quality of life. The participatory approach involves the wide range of stakeholders in the common process of planning. One of the ways of cooperation at the level of neighborhoods, is a work with active neighborhood residents, not only regularly informing them about the ongoing projects, but also to enable them to express their views and vision. Neighbourhood organizations are the mobilized section of a human group (the neighbourhood) which is underpinned by a local support network. The nature of these bonds of solidarit y is a factor that determines the potential of local organizations for action and for their inclusion in any kind of democratic process. Riga, the capital of Latvia, has 58 neighborhoods, and more than ten of them have their own neighborhood associations and activist groups in social sites that are actively and constructively defend their neighborhood citizens. The paper examines the main fields of public activity and identifies the main challenges in cooperation process between different stakeholders involved in urban regeneration.

Mokslas - Lietuvos ateitis, 2011

Architecture and Urban Planning

This research analyses experience-oriented nature tourism architecture approaches to develop sust... more This research analyses experience-oriented nature tourism architecture approaches to develop sustainable solutions for destination-oriented nature travel. Currently, the tourism industry mostly relies on a classical interpretation of recreational architecture. After analysing a set of 945 case studies, five main approaches for organising nature tourism architecture were proposed – classification by type, location, climate, relation to nature and grouping by main tourist attractors used: existing nature features, built environment, activity and story-oriented destinations, and a combined approach.