Bottom–Up Energy Analysis System (BUENAS)—an international appliance efficiency policy tool

The Bottom–Up Energy Analysis System (BUENAS) calculates potential energy and greenhouse gas emission impacts of efficiency policies for lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, appliances, and industrial equipment through 2030. The model includes 16 end use categories and covers 11 individual countries plus the European Union. BUENAS is a bottom–up stock accounting model that predicts energy consumption for each type of equipment in each country according to engineering-based estimates of annual unit energy consumption, scaled by projections of equipment stock. Energy demand in each scenario is determined by equipment stock, usage, intensity, and efficiency. When available, BUENAS uses sales forecasts taken from country studies to project equipment stock. Otherwise, BUENAS uses an econometric model of household appliance uptake developed by the authors. Once the business as usual scenario is established, a high-efficiency policy scenario is constructed that includes an improvement in the efficiency of equipment installed in 2015 or later. Policy case efficiency targets represent current “best practice” and include standards already established in a major economy or well-defined levels known to enjoy a significant market share in a major economy. BUENAS calculates energy savings according to the difference in energy demand in the two scenarios. Greenhouse gas emission mitigation is then calculated using a forecast of electricity carbon factor. We find that mitigation of 1075 mt annual CO₂ emissions is possible by 2030 from adopting current best practices of appliance efficiency policies. This represents a 17 % reduction in emissions in the business as usual case in that year.     

Functional unit, technological dynamics, and scaling properties for the life cycle energy of residences

Prior LCA studies take the operational phase to include all energy use within a residence, implying a functional unit of all household activities, but then exclude related supply chains such as production of food, appliances, and household chemicals. We argue that bounding the functional unit to provision of a climate controlled space better focuses the LCA on the building, rather than activities that occur within a building. The second issue explored in this article is how technological change in the operational phase affects life cycle energy. Heating and cooling equipment is replaced at least several times over the lifetime of a residence; improved efficiency of newer equipment affects life cycle energy use. The third objective is to construct parametric models to describe LCA results for a family of related products. We explore these three issues through a case study of energy use of residences: one-story and two-story detached homes, 1,500-3,500 square feet in area, located in Phoenix, Arizona, built in 2002 and retired in 2051. With a restricted functional unit and accounting for technological progress, approximately 30% of a building's life cycle energy can be attributed to materials and construction, compared to 0.4-11% in previous studies.     

Biopolymer Coatings on Paper Packaging Materials

ABSTRACT: Increased environmental concerns over the use of certain synthetic packaging and coatings in combination with consumer demands for both higher quality and longer shelf life have led to increased interest in alternative packaging materials research. Naturally renewable biopolymers can be used as barrier coatings on paper packaging materials. These biopolymer coatings may retard unwanted moisture transfer in food products, are good oxygen and oil barriers, are biodegradable, and have potential to replace current synthetic paper and paperboard coatings. Incorporation of antimicrobial agents in coatings to produce active paper packaging materials provides an attractive option for protecting food from microorganism development and spread. The barrier, mechanical, and other properties of biopolymer‐coated paper are reviewed. Existing and potential applications for bioactive coatings on paper packaging materials are discussed with examples.     

Characterization of film failures by bismuth electrodeposition—Application to thin deformed fluorocarbon films for stent applications

A new approach for the detection and visualization of nano-scaled film defects, such as fissures and holes is described. The procedure is based on a selective electrochemical deposition of bismuth onto uncovered parts of stainless steel substrates due to film cracking after deformation. Cyclic voltammetry experiments enabled the identification of the bismuth redox signals, necessary for the subsequent potentiostatic electrodeposition. A combination of XPS and ToF-SIMS analyses demonstrated that deposition with commonly used acidified electrolytes led to a significant film degradation, by defluorination and chain scission. When an identical procedure was performed in neutral conditions, which was realized by the addition of a bismuth chelating agent, no influence onto the integrity of the fluorocarbon coatings was observed. By SEM, XPS and ToF-SIMS analyses, the deposition of bismuth on the film defects was clearly demonstrated and the failures were evidenced. The identification of nano-scaled coating failures, which was extremely difficult before using common characterization tools, was now realized. This work makes part of a strategy to cover stent materials with a protective fluorocarbon layer and to examine the influence of stent expansion onto the film cohesive properties.     

Out-of-plane stresses arising from grain interactions in textured thin films

Face-centered-cubic thin films often have mixed (1 1 1)/(1 0 0) fiber texture. These orientations can have very different in-plane stiffnesses, leading to the possibility of significant stress inhomogeneities. Previous X-ray studies appeared to confirm this, reporting much higher stresses in (1 1 1)- than (1 0 0)-oriented grains. In those studies, the stress in the film normal direction was assumed to be zero everywhere, but Poisson effects suggest that out-of-plane stresses may be significant. Here, an X-ray data analysis that allows for out-of-plane stresses is presented and applied to X-ray data taken from a Cu film. The in-plane stress is shown to be homogeneous, and significant out-of-plane stresses arise. This analysis is shown to be more accurate and more consistent with the microstructure than previous methods. Consideration of inhomogeneous triaxial stress states is seen to be critical to understanding mechanical behavior of films with mixed fiber texture. Models for yielding and texture development are discussed.     

Electrocolorimetry of electrochromic materials on flexible ITO electrodes

Electrochromic materials are characterized by their colour changes upon applied voltage. Colour can mean many things: a certain kind of light, its effect on the human eye, or the result of this effect in the mind of the viewer. Since the electrochromic materials are developed towards real life applications it is relevant to characterize them with the usual commercial colour standards. A colorimetric study of electrogenerated Prussian blue and electrogenerated polymers based on salen-type complexes of Cu(II), Ni(II) and Pd(II) deposited over transparent flexible electrodes of polyethylene terephthalate coated with indium tin oxide (PET/ITO electrodes) was carried out using the CIELAB coordinates. A cuvette with a designed adapter to allow potentiostatic control was placed on an integrating sphere installed in the sample compartment of a spectrophotometer to run the colorimetric measurements. The colour evolution in situ was measured through the transmittance of the films by potentiostatic control. Chronocoulometry/chronoabsorptometry was used to evaluate maximum coloration efficiencies for the coloration step: 184 (Pd), 161 (Cu) and 83 cm²/C (Ni) and for bleaching: 199 (Pd), 212 (Cu) and 173 cm²/C (Ni) of the Pd, Cu and Ni polymer films, respectively. The Prussian Blue/Prussian White states over the PET/ITO films were relatively reversible while the reversibility and stability of the polymers based on the metals salen-type complexes depends on the metal, Pd being the most stable.     

Electro-thermal characterization of a differential temperature sensor in a 65 nm CMOS IC: Applications to gain monitoring in RF amplifiers

This paper reports on the design solutions and the different measurements we have done in order to characterize the thermal coupling and the performance of differential temperature sensors embedded in an integrated circuit implemented in a 65 nm CMOS technology. The on-chip temperature increases have been generated using diode-connected MOS transistors behaving as heat sources. Temperature measurements performed with the embedded sensor are corroborated with an infra-red camera and a laser interferometer used as thermometer. A 2 GHz linear power amplifier (PA) is as well embedded in the same silicon die. In this paper we show that temperature measurements performed with the embedded temperature sensor can be used to monitor the PA DC behavior and RF activity.     

Motorcycle protective clothing: protection from injury or just the weather?

Background

Apart from helmets, little is known about the effectiveness of motorcycle protective clothing in reducing injuries in crashes. The study aimed to quantify the association between usage of motorcycle clothing and injury in crashes.

Methods and findings

Cross-sectional analytic study. Crashed motorcyclists (n = 212, 71% of identified eligible cases) were recruited through hospitals and motorcycle repair services. Data was obtained through structured face-to-face interviews. The main outcome was hospitalization and motorcycle crash-related injury. Poisson regression was used to estimate relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals for injury adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Motorcyclists were significantly less likely to be admitted to hospital if they crashed wearing motorcycle jackets (RR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.69–0.91), pants (RR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.25–0.94), or gloves (RR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.26–0.66). When garments included fitted body armour there was a significantly reduced risk of injury to the upper body (RR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.66–0.89), hands and wrists (RR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.38–0.81), legs (RR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.40–0.90), feet and ankles (RR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.35–0.83). Non-motorcycle boots were also associated with a reduced risk of injury compared to shoes or joggers (RR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.28–0.75). No association between use of body armour and risk of fracture injuries was detected. A substantial proportion of motorcycle designed gloves (25.7%), jackets (29.7%) and pants (28.1%) were assessed to have failed due to material damage in the crash.

Conclusions

Motorcycle protective clothing is associated with reduced risk and severity of crash related injury and hospitalization, particularly when fitted with body armour. The proportion of clothing items that failed under crash conditions indicates a need for improved quality control. While mandating usage of protective clothing is not recommended, consideration could be given to providing incentives for usage of protective clothing, such as tax exemptions for safety gear, health insurance premium reductions and rebates.     

Novice riders and the predictors of riding without motorcycle protective clothing

Background

While helmet usage is often mandated, few motorcycle and scooter riders make full use of protection for the rest of the body. Little is known about the factors associated with riders’ usage or non-usage of protective clothing.

Methods

Novice riders were surveyed prior to their provisional licence test in NSW, Australia. Questions related to usage and beliefs about protective clothing, riding experience and exposure, risk taking and demographic details. Multivariable Poisson regression models were used to identify factors associated with two measures of usage, comparing those who sometimes vs rarely/never rode unprotected and who usually wore non-motorcycle pants vs motorcycle pants.

Results

Ninety-four percent of eligible riders participated and usable data was obtained from 66% (n = 776). Factors significantly associated with riding unprotected were: youth (17–25 years) (RR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.50–2.65), not seeking protective clothing information (RR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.07–1.56), non-usage in hot weather (RR = 3.01, 95% CI: 2.38–3.82), awareness of social pressure to wear more protection (RR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.12–1.95), scepticism about protective benefits (RR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.22–3.28) and riding a scooter vs any type of motorcycle. A similar cluster of factors including youth (RR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.04–1.32), social pressure (RR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.16–1.50), hot weather (RR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.19–1.41) and scooter vs motorcycles were also associated with wearing non-motorcycle pants. There was no evidence of an association between use of protective clothing and other indicators of risk taking behaviour.

Conclusions

Factors strongly associated with non-use of protective clothing include not having sought information about protective clothing and not believing in its injury reduction value. Interventions to increase use may therefore need to focus on development of credible information sources about crash risk and the benefits of protective clothing. Further work is required to develop motorcycle protective clothing suitable for hot climates.