Water pricing in Tunisia: Can an original rate structure achieve multiple objectives?

In the context of anthropic pressures, the Tunisian Water Utility tries to achieve three objectives: financial (achieving full-cost recovery), social (ensuring access for all), and environmental (incentivizing users to save a scarce resource). After a theoretical review of water pricing, the paper presents how successive reforms in Tunisia have gradually set up an original pricing structure that has become the main instrument of the sector's policy. Using different data and methods, we investigate how each of the three objectives is reached through pricing. We conclude that this pricing policy has led to a relatively stable but partial equilibrium.     

Environmental implications of water efficient microcomponents in residential buildings

The Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) in England sets out various water efficiency targets/levels, which form part of environmental performance criteria against which the sustainability of a building is measured. The code is performance based and requires reduction in per capita water consumption in households. The water efficiency related targets can be met using a range of water efficient microcomponents (WC, showers, kitchen taps, basin taps, dishwashers, washing machines, and baths). However, while the CSH aims at reducing the adverse environmental implications associated with the dwellings by promoting reduction in water consumption, little is known about the energy consumption and the environmental impacts (e. g. carbon emissions) resulting from water efficient end uses. This paper describes a methodology to evaluate the energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with the CSH's water efficiency levels. Key findings are that some 96% and 87% of energy use and carbon emissions, respectively associated with urban water provision are attributable to in-house consumption (principally related to hot water), and that achieving a defined water efficiency target does not automatically save energy or reduce carbon emissions.     

Experimental determination of thermal performance of glazed façades with water film,under direct solar radiation in the tropics

An experimental investigation of a glazed façade oriented west has been conducted utilizing the Sustainable Glazed Water Film (SGWF). The experiments involved the following three parameters namely: the water flow rate, the type of glazing, and the solar radiation intensity. Two full-scale rooms were used, one as a reference room, with a fixed configuration, and the other as a test room, which could be configured in different ways. The ability of the SGWF to reduce the passage of the solar energy during the sunny hours and hence to limit the heat passage through glazing was analyzed. The aim of this paper is to examine the improvement in thermal performance obtained by the flowing water film over glazed façades. It has been found that the flowing water film on the glazed façade lowers the glazing surface temperature by 7.2–14 °C (average) and absorbs a portion of the solar energy resulting in decreasing indoor temperature by 2.2–4.1 °C (average). However, with increased solar radiation intensity, the SGWF provides a better level of efficiency in reducing the heat transfer indoors.     

Eco-friendly pervious concrete infrastructure for stormwater management and bicycle parking: a case study

ABSTRACT

A pervious concrete area (50 m²) was constructed for a dual purpose: stormwater management and bicycle parking. It consisted of two subareas (PC_a and PC_b) with dissimilar characteristics of pervious concrete mixes in strength, durability and permeability. To make the construction more eco-friendly and economical, coal fly ash was incorporated as a partial cement replacement by 21.4% in the PC_a pervious concrete mix. The PC_b was constructed with an industry proprietary pervious concrete mix. The subbase water storage can retain 4.1 m³ of the infiltrated stormwater before discharging excess water to a storm drain. The drainage water had an improved water quality in turbidity, organic carbon, phosphorus and fecal coliform concentrations. However, it had high pH and conductivity which might cause a negative impact on the environment. The constructed area has been in active use since its opening, accommodating ~30 bicycles at once on the safe and comfort pervious surface.     

Environmental Sustainability of Large Australian Cities

In our five largest cities, inner urban residents directly consume less than the city-wide average of inputs such as energy and water, when adjusted for income. However, when indirect inputs are considered, the differences are small. In general, urban land use changes will have minor benefits for future sustainability, with the important exception of transport oil use.     

高校学费定价方法

根据公共定价理论探讨了高校学费定价问题,并结合高等教育特点提出了可资借鉴的高校学费定价方法,即基于成本监管法的学费定价方法和基于价格监管法的学费定价方法,构建了基于平均成本学费的定价模型和基于价格监管法的学费定价模型。     

谈清单计价与定额计价的异同

针对我国建设工程计价模式现状，结合工程量清单计价规范，分别从定价原则、造价构成、计价过程等方面，就清单计价与定额计价的异同进行了分析，指出清单计价在我国还需要一个适应和完善的过程。     

可持续性评价与规划编制相互协调方式初探

可持续发展模式提出以后，“可持续性”在概念层面上得到世界范围内认可与贯彻的同时，在其概念界定与如何将这一纯抽象概念具化到可以认知和掌握的切实操作方法上出现了巨大的困难。为了实现这一转化，基于项目环境影响评价体系（EIA）的可持续性评价方法应运而生。与此同时，在意识到城市规划领域因规划缺陷及规划失效而可能引起的对社会、经济及环境可持续发展的彰响之后，借鉴国外实践中关于可持续性评价的概念，本文提出了城市规划的可持续性评价，同时分析了可持续性评价介入规划编制过程的三个契机。在此基础上，文章进一步以英国相关实践为借鉴，以城市空间发展战略的可持续性评价为论述重点，对评价步骤及其与城市规划编制过程的相互协调方法进行了详细阐述。     

工程量清单计价与定额计价的区别

介绍了我国目前实行工程量清单计价的明显成效 ,就工程量清单计价与定额计价的区别 ,从费用组成、定额、单价表现等方面作了阐述 ,以便更好地促进工程量清单计价的推广。     

工程造价的计价模式初探

介绍了工程造价计价模式的概念和分类,阐述了定额计价的计价模式,从工程量清单计价的形式、概念、程序、操作等方面进行了研究,以提高人们对工程量清单计价的认识,全面推动工程造价的发展。