Stakeholders’ perception of residential density: a case study of Adelaide, Australia

‘Residential density’ is a frequently used concept often applied in planning practice. The notion of density policy is well understood; however, it is perceived, and by extension applied, differently across the world. Despite the increased focus and awareness of housing density, there appears to be little coherence or consensus within the planning and development sector, political circles and the general community about what it is, how it should be applied, and whether or not it is a positive or negative feature. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to identify stakeholders’ understanding of density. In order to achieve this, a case study approach was adopted in order to know the various stakeholders’ awareness and comprehension of density, and to that end, Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, was selected as a case study city for this purpose. The research demonstrated that the stakeholders’ perception of density is strongly influenced by the built form of residential areas (for example, public image) rather than that of measurement or scale, even though there is no direct relationship between built form and density.     

A systems theoretic approach to second moment modelling of probabilistic engineering systems∗

A new approach to modelling probabilistic and stochastic engineering systems using graph theory is outlined. This approach emphasizes the introduction of probabilistic and stochastic concepts at the very beginning of the model building process. This is in marked contrast to past tendencies to add probabilistic concepts to the end of an otherwise deterministic model building process. The development of topological models founded on oriented probabilistic measurements is given. which leads to the identification of some useful statistical properties of the’ random interconnection equations’. The development of probabilistic component models is given, where a component can be characterized independently of other components. Methods for automatically building the second moment representation of the Mixed Nodal Tableau are discussed. The application of the above theory to the probabilistic analysis of a pipe network problem is briefly described.     

Present status of residential appliance energy efficiency standards — an international review

This paper discusses the present status of residential appliance energy efficiency standards around the world. A summary table will show the status of energy efficiency standards in various countries. Recent activities concerning standards harmonization in North America and Europe will be described. Some of the barriers to harmonization will also be discussed.     

Adaptive thermal comfort in the residential buildings of north east India—An effect of difference in elevation

Thermal comfort standards are required not only to ensure good indoor climatic condition, but also to optimize the energy used in a building for heating or cooling purposes. Generally, Fanger’s Predicted Mean Vote–Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PMV–PPD) model is used by designers and architects to estimate the comfort condition and hence the setpoint temperature inside a building. However, the recent field survey based studies on adaptive thermal comfort suggests that the above used PMV model frequently either underestimates or overestimates the thermal sensation due to the non-inclusion of the adaptive opportunities that a subject may have in maintaining comfortable condition. This leads to often an estimation of higher or lower setpoint temperature than that actually required for maintaining comfort, thereby consuming higher energy. The aim of the research is to study the effect of difference in elevation which is a major factor for temperature difference in hilly terrain, on the thermal comfort of residents. We conducted a field survey in 6 residential buildings at two different elevations in the Darjeeling Himalayan Region of north east India. A total of 1017 questionnaires regarding the indoor occupant thermal comfort were collected from 46 subjects during the monthly survey held in the year 2015. Variations in clothing insulation and other thermal comfort parameters were seen both with difference in elevation and with outdoor environmental conditions.     

Numerical analyses in the design of umbrella arch systems

Due to advances in numerical modelling, it is possible to capture complex support-ground interaction intwo dimensions and three dimensions for mechanical analysis of complex tunnel support systems,although such analysis may still be too complex for routine design calculations. One such system is theforepole element, installed within the umbrella arch temporary support system for tunnels, whichwarrants such support measures. A review of engineering literature illustrates that a lack of designstandards exists regarding the use of forepole elements. Therefore, when designing such support, designersmust employ complex numerical models combined with engineering judgement. With referenceto past developments by others and new investigations conducted by the authors on the Driskos tunnelin Greece and the Istanbul metro, this paper illustrates how advanced numerical modelling tools canfacilitate understanding of the influences of design parameters associated with the use of forepole elements.In addition, this paper highlights the complexity of the ground-support interaction whensimulated with two-dimensional （2D） finite element software using a homogenous reinforced region,and three-dimensional （3D） finite difference software using structural elements. This paper further illustratessequential optimisation of two design parameters （spacing and overlap） using numericalmodelling. With regard to capturing system behaviour in the region between forepoles for the purpose ofdimensioning spacing, this paper employs three distinctive advanced numerical models： particle codes,continuous finite element models with joint set and Voronoi blocks. Finally, to capture the behaviour/failure ahead of the tunnel face （overlap parameter）, 2D axisymmetric models are employed. Finally,conclusions of 2D and 3D numerical assessment on the Driskos tunnel are drawn. The data enriched casestudy is examined to determine an optimum design, based on the proposed optimisation of designparameters, of forepole elements related to the si     

Thermoeconomic analysis of energy utilization in the residential–commercial sector: An application

Thermoeconomic analysis is a very useful tool for investigators in engineering and other disciplines since its methodology includes the quantities such as mass, energy, exergy and cost. This study deals with this analysis of energy utilization in the residential–commercial sector (RCS). In this regard, the relations between capital costs and thermodynamic losses for subsectors in the RCS are investigated. In the analysis, Turkey is taken as an application country based on its actual and projected values for the years 1991, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2000 and 2001, and for the year 2020, respectively. It is observed from the results obtained that the maximum exergy destructions in the system particularly occur due to the utilization of the large-cost and high-quality energy sources like petroleum, natural gas carriers in the low-energy needs. In conjunction with this, the values for the total exergy losses are found to vary from 486.43 to 2797.28 PJ, while those for the improvement potential are obtained to range from 58.80 to 1870 PJ in the Turkish RCS for the analyzed years. The ratio of thermodynamic loss rate-to-capital cost values is also calculated to be in the range of 0.76–1.01. It is expected that the results presented here would be beneficial to the researchers, government administration and engineers working in the area of modeling the subsectors of countries using thermoeconomic analysis method.     

Sizing up ‘the box’ in order to fit in

Participants in design processes make an effort to come up with solutions that will be deemed acceptable, while accomplishing to ‘think out of the box’. Thinking ‘outside the box’ is often announced as a challenge to and for design teams. ‘The box’ is a metaphor often used in creative processes, and in organisational practices, as a term for rules and regulations, everyday routines and tacit knowledge of ‘how things usually are’ and ‘what we know about the world’. Such a challenge is meant to encourage participants to approach a situation with an open mind, challenge the most basic assumptions and be willing to do things differently. Basically, something different is being called for. Studies have shown that it is striking, how much the participants orient to actually ‘fit’ the box, even when asked to develop it. This paper shows how participants in design processes are ‘sizing up the box’, while participating in meetings or workshops in order to develop a design. They identify key stakeholders of the designated design project; they share their own expectations of these key stakeholders' possible perceptions, discuss the success criteria and negotiate the values that are to govern the design team in the development process.     

Women’s fear of crime in residential open spaces: a structural equation model

Fear of crime (FOC) among women has recently drawn a lot of attention from experts in different fields. As a construct, it involves individual, social, and physical aspects. Yet, there is a paucity of research on women's FOC in residential complexes focusing on demographic characteristics, social connections, and the indicators of open space simultaneously. Thus, the present study aimed to fill the gap in this area. In this regard, different theoretical and empirical aspects of the issue were reviewed, based on which a conceptual model was developed. The data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire consisted of three main constructs, namely FOC, social connections, and open space. Of female residents in residential complexes in Mashhad, Iran, 198 were selected as samples of the study. The hypothesized model was assessed using SmartPLS and structural equation modeling. The results indicated the effect of social connections on FOC, and the mediating relationship between open space and FOC through social connections. The research also provides fresh insights into the effects of demographic variables and cultural differences on FOC.

     

Assessing the implementation of BIM – an information systems approach

Much attention has been paid to measuring the perceived benefits of Building Information Modelling (BIM). Yet despite an increase its adoption throughout the construction industry, important links between implementation, support and benefits are yet to be explored. We examine the constitutive elements of the BIM implementation process of two case studies implementing and using BIM: the first is a large urban regeneration project, and the second is a healthcare project. A well-recognised model of system success is mobilized from the field of information systems (ISs) to reveal that irrespective of project size and type, BIM benefits are confined to technically discrete productivity and efficiency gains when there is limited focus on the organizational aspects of BIM adoption. This paper focuses on the disconnections between organizational and project level BIM implementation using the DeLone and McLean Model as an analytical framework to systematically examine the benefits of BIM to each project in relation to the implementation approach employed. This study highlights the significance of these interdependencies and argues for a more comprehensive approach to BIM benefits capture that recognises this to usefully inform implementation strategy development.     

Spatial assimilation? The development in immigrants’ residential career with duration of stay in Denmark

Many studies have shown that immigrants’ residential situation differs from that of natives and that factors other than housing needs and financial situation influence immigrants’ options and choices concerning housing and neighbourhood. Research has indicated that immigrants might have a stronger preference for renting due to insecurity about their future situation and that especially newly arrived immigrants tend to live in immigrant-dense, so-called multi-ethnic, neighbourhoods. However, the spatial assimilation theory claims that in the course of time immigrants will move to other kinds of housing and neighbourhoods. In this paper, the residential careers of immigrants in the first years after their arrival are examined and compared with Danes. The hypothesis tested is that over time the housing situation of immigrants gets closer to the comparable one for Danes. It is a longitudinal study based on data from 1985 to 2008 on non-Western immigrants in Denmark. The results show that non-Western immigrants steadily increased their presence in social housing and multi-ethnic neighbourhoods during their first 10 years of stay; then, their presence stagnates; and after 15 years, it declines. Part of the initial increase in the frequency of living in multi-ethnic neighbourhoods was not due to individual choices among immigrants but could be ascribed to the increasing number of multi-ethnic neighbourhoods over time. The study confirms spatial assimilation, also when controlling for degree of economic integration, but the change was not dramatic over the 24 years covered by the study.     

天然气CHP、CCHP系统在工业企业的应用

介绍了天然气热电联供（CHP）系统、天然气冷热电联供（CCHP）系统在我国的发展现状,提出在工业企业应用天然气CHP、CCHP系统,改变采用一次能源直接供应热风、热水的现状,实现能源的梯级利用,提高能源利用效率。     

Does district heating affect residential property prices? Case study of an urban area in South Korea

This article investigates whether the residential heating method affects property prices in an urban area of South Korea. Sales data for 1760 apartments in Seocho District, Seoul, the country's capital, are employed. The property price equation is estimated, including the heating method as one attribute. The gap between the price of properties with a district heating system (DHS) and those with other heating methods, such as an individual heating system or central heating system, accounted for about 21.7% of apartment prices. Specifically, apartments with a DHS were more expensive than apartments with other heating methods.     

Are green residential developments attracting environmentally savvy homeowners?

Green communities are designed to conserve natural resources, but whether residents have the knowledge and motivation to independently maintain a sustainable development is not well understood. In June 2006, we conducted a mail survey of new homeowners in two pairs of green and conventional master-planned communities in Florida to determine if there were differences in homeowners’ environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Homeowners in green communities reported more environmental knowledge and behaviors in just a few areas, but environmental scores were low overall and attitudes were no different than residents in the conventional communities. The results suggest that new residents do not come equipped with the environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviors to make green communities function as sustainable developments. Post-construction management and educational programs may be necessary to engage residents of green communities.     

Does information intervention influence residential waste-source separation behavior?

There is no consensus about the impact of information intervention on residential waste-source separation behavior. As such, in this study, a model is utilized to explore the impact of information intervention on such behavior. The mechanisms of information intervention on waste-source separation behavior were identified through structural equation modeling, and the technical convenience intervention was proven effective. The causal effects of several common information methods were analyzed. The major contribution of this study is to add knowledge indicating how information intervention changes consumer behavior.     

Analysis of seismically-isolated two-block systems using a multi–rocking-body dynamic model

A novel multibody rocking model is developed to investigate the dynamic response of two stacked rigid blocks placed on a linear base isolation device. The model is used to investigate the dynamic response of a realistic statue-pedestal system subject to pulse-like ground motions. The analysis shows that, in general, base isolation increases the safety level of the rocking system. However, for large period pulses or small size blocks, the isolator can amplify the ground motion, resulting in a lower minimum overturning acceleration than for the nonisolated system. Further, the amplification or shock spectrum of a linear mass-dashpot-spring oscillator, was found to be the reciprocal of the minimum nondimensional overturning acceleration of the investigated rocking system. Novel rocking spectra are obtained by normalizing the frequency of the pulse by the frequency of the isolator. The analysis also demonstrates how the dynamic response of the two stacked blocks is equivalent to that of a single-block configuration coincident with the whole system assumed monolithic or the upper block alone, whichever is more slender.     

Effect of fa?ade systems on the performance of cooling ceilings: In situ measurements

This article presents an innovative fa?ade system designed to increase the thermal comfort inside an office room and to enhance the cooling capacity of the suspended cooling ceiling. A series of measurements is conducted in an existing office building with different fa?ade systems (i.e., a combination of glazing and shading). An innovative fa?ade system is developed based on this intensive set of measurements. The new system enhances the thermal comfort and cooling capacity of the suspended cooling ceiling. The main usage of the new system is the refurbishment and improvement of existing fa?ade systems.     

How does industry specialization affect the efficiency of regional innovation systems?

This study analyzes the relationship between the specialization of a region in certain industries and the efficiency of the region in generating new knowledge. The efficiency measure is constructed by relating regional R&D input and output. An inversely u-shaped relationship is found between regional specialization and R&D efficiency, indicating the presence of externalities of both Marshall and Jacobs’ type. Further factors influencing efficiency are externalities resulting from high R&D intensity of the local private sector as well as knowledge from local public research institutions. The impact of both the specialization and the additional factors is, however, different for regions at different efficiency levels.     

Calibration of a lumped simulation model for double-skin façade systems

The paper describes the calibration of a simulation model of double-skin façade systems with controlled rotating louvers and ventilation openings. The approach is based on a parameter estimation technique and in situ monitoring of a full-scale element mounted on the south facing façade of an existing building. Contrary to similar work that attempts to derive the behavior from detailed modeling of the physical transport phenomena, the new approach is based on a postulated “minimalistic” lumped model, which is calibrated on in-situ measurements. It is found that the calibrated model is surprisingly accurate and ideally suited for use in the ensuing optimal control and performance studies.     

What piece of this work is man? [systems automation]

When designing modern systems the vogue is to increase automation and reduce human involvement, a trend that is not always favourably received. The designer must be able to choose the level of automation in a system, but must bear in mind the various system design drivers. Peoples' reaction to automation can vary for apparently similar scenarios and the user requirements (both customer and operator) must be examined carefully for each individual domain, with the clear understanding that experience in one domain may not transfer directly to another. However, the basic human requirements within the system must be given a high priority (even above economics), in particular where the humans are customers or third parties of the system in question. Remember that they are part of the system. For most systems involving people, particularly as direct customers, it is unlikely that full automation will be desirable, the optimum being a mix of machine and human. Even human-intensive systems will experience customer benefit from the automation of complementary functions, particularly where these are safety-critical. A useful rule of thumb might be to automate the predictable and leave the unpredictable to human input, while remembering that virtually all systems have an unpredictable element. However, whatever the system, if it does not work as required be sure that the customer will want to complain to a human