Does market concentration affect wholesale electricity prices? An analysis of the Indian electricity sector in the COVID-19 pandemic context

This study explores whether the market concentration affects the wholesale prices of electricity generation among Indian companies by drawing 15-min frequency data related to electricity production, wholesale prices, and electricity demand in August 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ARDL model estimates show a positive relationship between market concentration and wholesale energy prices. The study recommends the adoption of policies to reduce market concentration and enhance clean energy development.     

Which states and cities protect residents from water shutoffs in the COVID-19 pandemic?

Many U.S. states and cities have imposed water disconnection moratoriums during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using logistic and Cox Proportional-Hazards models, we assess factors that differentiate which governments imposed moratoriums. States, which have economic regulation of private water utilities, were more likely to impose moratoriums, and those with higher COVID-19 case rates imposed moratoriums earlier. States with unified Republican Control and cities with more 2016 Trump voters were less likely to impose moratoriums on water disconnection. Cities in states without statewide moratoriums, were more likely to impose moratoriums if they had higher income, more minority residents, and more income inequality.     

Does the built-environment industry attract risk-taking individuals?

This exploratory research examines whether or not those attracted to professional-level occupations in the built-environment industry are innately physical risk-takers and hence potentially, thereby, more likely to countenance or contribute to physically risky workplace climates. Using individual-level data, the occupational attractiveness of the built-environment industry subsectors of construction management and architecture are each found positively and significantly to be predicted by physical risk-taking propensity, but not by a comparator risk-taking propensity, gambling. Conversely, the occupational attractiveness of a comparator profession in financial services is found to be significantly predicted by gambling risk-taking propensity, but not by physical risk-taking propensity. Although exploratory, our finding that two key professions in the built-environment industry are each discretely found to be attractive to physical risk-takers suggests not only that constituent occupations within the industry, but that the industry as a whole might perhaps engender a self-reinforcing suboptimal workplace safety climate. Accordingly, constituent subsectors of the industry may need both separately and collectively to consider the phenomenon of physical risk-taking propensity amongst the professionals it attracts in order effectively to set and manage the site work-place safety climate that such professionals are ultimately responsible for creating and delivering in a sector fraught with physical risks for site workers.     

Does urbanization matter in the expenditure-happiness nexus?

This study aims to improve the regional well-being literature on the so-called “reversal issue” of the expenditure-happiness nexus, accounting for two main sources of heterogeneity: degree of urbanization and individual spending habits. Moreover, we investigate the role of happiness across the entire expenditure distribution using a quantile modelling approach. The results show that satisfaction has a positive, significant and non-linear effect on total expenditure across different urbanization categories. To better investigate the multidimensional nature of happiness, analysis of the nexus is expounded to different satisfaction domains and related spending aggregates offering a comprehensive and complex behavioural profile of individuals.     

Does the Ukrainian electricity market correspond to the european model?

The paper explores 29 models of the European electricity markets and the degree of their deviation from the single electricity market model established by the trans-European legislation. Although all models correspond to the design of the pan-European single one, they remain significantly differentiated according to trading forms and pricing methods. The electric power system in Ukraine has developed oppositely to the European ones, and the electricity market is quasi-competitive. The study proposes a novel model for the Ukrainian electricity market, which considers the European acquis communautaires, the advanced practice in electricity market development, and the specifics of the Ukrainian electric power system.     

Does home equity explain the black wealth gap?

Prior literature has shown that blacks have lower rates of homeownership, lower amounts of home equity, and experience lower housing appreciation than whites. This paper examines racial differences in the returns to homeownership using a longitudinal survey of middle-aged homeowners. We find that home equity appreciation is much lower for blacks between 1994 and 2004, however blacks with high incomes do not experience the same home equity gap. While there are regional differences in negative racial effects, high income blacks are able to avoid those as well. We find that among those who acquire the largest increase in home equity, being black is not detrimental. We also find that even when we account for differences in home equity growth, racial differences in wealth growth persist.     

Does experience enable or impede the design process?

The authors describe how, at the heart of engineering design lies problem-solving, the lifeblood of which is experience. Experience presents us with proven solutions, it tells us about solutions that are known to be flawed, it suggests prototypical solutions than can be adapted to new purposes, and it dramatically reduces the effort we need to exert to solve problems. It makes the cumulative development of technology possible because it means we don't have to return to first principles every step of the way     

Does City Governance Matter for the Urban Poor?

Decentralization has focused attention on city government but, at the same time, the growth of civil society means that urban governance is not limited to city government. Little attention has been paid, either in the literature or in practice, to the institutional and political processes which determine whether and how the poor benefit, or how the poor can influence the agenda of city governance. Drawing on studies of nine cities in Africa, Asia and Latin America, this paper identifies three broad areas which are of importance: a political system in which the votes of the poor count; a city government system with some capacity to deliver; and a dynamic civil society which can press the case of the poor. After reviewing what is involved in each of these areas, the paper identifies a number of specific policies and practices which impact on the urban poor.     

Does the high-speed rail network improve economic growth?

This paper discusses whether high-speed rail (HSR) construction in China promotes urban economic growth, and it uses social network analysis (SNA) and a panel threshold model. We provide robust evidence that HSR networks have non-linear effects on the urban economy. Urban location and transportation hub status change as the density of HSR networks increases, and from 2008 to 2017, the national average annual growth rate of the weighted degree centrality (WDC) was 44.93%. We find the WDC and betweenness centrality (BC) have positive influences on urban economic growth. However, HSR network expansion reduces the economic benefits of HSR because the marginal contribution of new HSR lines to economic productivity decreases and there is a crowding out effect caused by excessive agglomeration. HSR networks can promote the economy of Western China to a greater extent and can promote the economy more in small cities than in large and medium-sized cities. These findings can help the government rationalize its strategy for designing HSR lines in various regions.     

Using deprivation indices in regeneration: Does the response match the diagnosis?

The UK government’s framework for regeneration, “Transforming Places, Changing Lives”, seeks to shape the way regeneration is conducted in England. The emphasis on economic transformation should not be unexpected, considering the Index of Multiple Deprivation – a key measure used throughout the UK literature for several years – has an emphasis on economic dimensions of deprivation. The paper critically assesses the manner in which the ‘localism’ of regeneration policy implementation is being promoted in the literature, while simultaneously using a national metric as an evidence base for action.     

Study of thermal comfort in the residents of different climatic regions of India—Effect of the COVID-19 lockdown

Thermal comfort standards are essential to ensure comfortable and enjoyable indoor conditions, and they also help in optimizing energy use. Thermal comfort studies, either climate chamber-based or field investigation, are conducted across the globe in order to ascertain the comfort limits as per the climatic and other adaptive features. However, very few studies are conducted when the occupants are subjected to a stressed condition, like the COVID-19 lockdown, which may not only have the health impacts but also have psychological impacts on the adaptation. In this paper, we present the results of the online study conducted regarding the status of thermal comfort during the COVID-19 lockdown in India. A total of 406 complete responses were collected from subjects located across 3 different climatic regions of India, that is, cold climate, composite climate, and hot and humid climate. Variations in clothing insulation, thermal sensation, and preference were noted across the different climatic regions. We also present the variation in opening of windows and running of fans with the variation in outdoor mean air temperature. The self-judged productivity, comfort, desire to go outdoors, and effectiveness of working from home were seen to vary with the increase in the days of lockdown.     

Does the bullet train exacerbate urban shrinkage? Lessons from Japan

This paper evaluates the driving forces of urban shrinkage, focusing on transportation infrastructure using a conceptual framework. Employing a difference-in-difference approach, this study explores the impact of the high-speed railway on local shrinkage by focusing on implementing the bullet train in the Kyushu Shinkansen region of Japan. Our results show that after the introduction of the bullet train line, remote peripheral regions suffered population loss while suburban areas near the metropolitan area experienced population growth. Further analysis verifies that the bullet train had a particularly significant negative impact on local employment and establishments in the service sector in remote regions.     

Does Collaboration Work?

Bringing together a number of design celebrities, among them Greg Lynn, UN Studio, Foreign Office Architects (FOA) and Kevin Kennon Architect, United Architects (UA) was established to create a collaborative proposal for the 2003 competition for a new World Trade Center. Invoking the name as well as the intentions of what started as a similar collaborative formation by established actors and film-makers in the 1940s (United Artists) to challenge mainstream corporate power, UA attempted to offer more visionary alternatives to the expectations of typical mainstream architectural solutions. Kevin Kennon here presents an insider's perspective on the UA collaboration and employs his unique history, including his former partnership at Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) to raise important questions about collective design in terms of authorship, identity and practice. Central to his observations are the differences between the efficiency models of corporate teams and truly collaborative endeavours. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

武汉典型城市交通因素对COVID-19传播的影响研究

在汇总2020年初受到COVID-19疫情严重冲击的武汉市3,397个居住区内共计25,244个确诊病例的地理分布信息,并结合多类型城市交通大数据的基础上,将武汉7个传统中心城区的93个街道作为研究对象,然后在空间异质性视角下构建OLS和GWR模型分析各街道的路网密度、道路可达性、轨道交通站点分布以及公交站点分布等4个典型交通驱动因素对于疫情传播的影响特征,并得出如下结论：（1）路网密度对于疫情传播的影响不显著;（2）轨道交通站点分布与疫情传播之间存在着显著的正相关性,轨道交通线路极有可能成为城市中疫情传播的“高速走廊”,而公交站点分布与疫情传播之间也存在正相关性,但其相关程度低于轨道交通站点分布;（3）道路可达性与疫情传播之间存在负相关性。最后探讨了相关交通优化措施,提出构建有效的城市交通“平疫转换”体系,并基于此加强城市的韧性交通建设。     

Does the classic American main street still exist? An exploratory look

The classic American main street ? walkable, well-serviced and supportive of mom and pop stores ? has been struggling for decades. This paper attempts to quantify the degree to which the American main street, or some aspects of it, still hangs on. It presents an exploratory, large sample look at the degree to which the blocks of one US city, Chicago, actually conform to idealized main street principles. The paper offers both an empirical and a methodological contribution: what metrics might be used to capture main street principles, and how does a large city like Chicago stack up to these stated norms? Eight variables are operationalized at the block level. While the metrics here do not reflect absolute consensus about what is important in an urban neighbourhood’s commercial core, they do cover three dominant narratives: servicing, opportunity and quality. The paper finds that the overlap in these three dimensions is weak.     

Does digital transformation improve the operational efficiency of Chinese power enterprises?

With the ongoing reform of the electric power system, more and more power enterprises are adopting digital transformation (DT) as a key strategy to stay competitive in the market. This study aims to examine the potential impact of DT on the operational efficiency (OE) of power enterprises, as well as to investigate the underlying mechanisms, which have received limited attention in prior research. Our findings suggest that DT indirectly improves the OE of power enterprises by promoting innovation, enhancing capital utilization rates, and easing financial constraints. Additionally, DT plays a more significant role in improving OE in a fiercely competitive industry environment. Finally, large, state-owned, and growing power firms have benefited more from DT than other types of firms.     

Does competition for phosphate supply explain the invasion pattern of Elodea species?

Two invasive aquatic plants, Elodea canadensis and Elodea nuttallii, occurred in north-eastern France. In this study, we examine the influence of phosphorus availability in soft water streams to explain the invasion pattern of exotic species (E. nuttallii and E. canadensis) compared to native plants (Callitriche platycarpa, Ranunculus peltatus). Total phosphorus was measured in these four aquatic macrophytes. Sediment total phosphorus and water-soluble reactive phosphorus were also analysed each season in 2001. Phosphorus content in the two invasive species and in R. peltatus was higher than in C. platycarpa. Elodea species are adapted to the seasonal phosphorus fluctuations as well as R. peltatus and exhibited high phosphorus storage ability. The high fluctuation availability of resources in space or/and time favoured the spread of the invasive plants and confirms the theory of invasibility of Davis et al. [2000. Fluctuating resources in plant communities: a general theory of invasibility. J. Ecol. 88, 528-534]. The eutrophication process increases the invasibility of E. nuttallii's, while inducing competition between E. nuttallii and native macrophyte species.