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Libraries facilitating knowledge creation through podcasting: Exploring podcasts as a form of scholarship
No full textStudents are increasingly expected to conduct research and scholarship. This paper explores podcast creation as a medium for students to deliver new knowledge and the elements of teaching and learning that support this outcome. Through focus groups, students at a large Midwestern university expressed the importance of contributing to the information landscape. The prospect of their podcasts contributing knowledge to academic communities held more interest to them than creating a podcast for an assignment. This paper addresses how librarians and libraries can support the information literacy standards and technical aspects of students creating new knowledge through a podcast assignment
Modification of Process Inputs Using Hog Cooling Pads
Get PDFPurdue University researchers have developed a low-cost hog cooling pad which uses ground-based water as a coolant for sows in farrowing crates. Initial testing has proven the positive effects of the unit on sow and piglet productivity, but thus far little research has been done on seeing whether or not the use of the pads reduces water consumption by the animals or how much energy is required to operate the units. This study examined data collected during an indirect calorimetry testing program. The limited availability of water sensors hindered the meaningfulness of the water consumption data, but the energy consumption data looked fully plausible. This project will be used to improve data acquisition for these parameters during testing conducted in the future
Performance Analysis of a DC Nanogrid Heat Pump System for Residential House
Get PDFThe increasing demand for energy-efficient systems has led to the exploration of Direct Current (DC)-powered technologies in residential applications, as most residential appliances and devices now run on DC voltage. The future of renewable energy integration will depend heavily on powering the planet with DC voltage because most distributed energy systems (PV panels, batteries, etc.) are DC-driven. For this reason, energy efficiency in buildings is today a prime objective, among building services, the growth in HVAC systems energy use is particularly significant (50% of building consumption and 20% of total consumption in the USA
Assessing the Impact of Reflective Building Envelopes on School Indoor Thermal Autonomy and Energy Efficiency in Montreal: Historical and Future Climate Perspectives
Get PDFThis study investigates the impact of high-performance polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene (P(VDF-HFP)HP), a reflective material, on the energy performance and Indoor Thermal Autonomy (ITA) of a primary school building in Montreal under historical and future climate scenarios. Energy simulations, conducted using Rhino-Grasshopper, analyze heating and cooling demands for an ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 school prototype designed according to the 8th edition of the National Building Code of Canada (NBC), reflecting construction practices the 1980’s. The results reveal that reflective materials slightly increase heating demand due to reduced passive solar heat gains during winter but significantly lower cooling demand by minimizing solar heat absorption. In a heating-dominated climate like Montreal, this trade-off leads to a net reduction in total energy use under future climate scenarios. As the warming climate lessens heating requirements, the substantial decrease in cooling demand contributes to overall energy savings. Reflective materials thus prove particularly advantageous in warmer future climates, where the cooling energy savings outweigh the heating penalty, improving overall building energy performance. In addition, reflective materials enhance ITA, albeit marginally, with a maximum increase of 3%, improving indoor comfort under both historical and future climate conditions. These findings highlight the potential of passive building envelope enhancements to contribute to energy efficiency and climate resilience. By promoting sustainable solutions, reflective materials align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action)
ESTIMATION OF COST IMPACT OF RISK OF INJURY FROM CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS USING LONG SHORT-TERM MEMORY NEURAL NETWORK ARCHITECTURE, BASED ON PARTS OF THE BODY AFFECTED
Get PDFRecurrent neural networks (RNNs) are increasingly being used to analyse occupational accidents related to construction projects to inform project stakeholders about the effects of accidents on project costs. Thus, this study used Long, Short-Term Neural Network Architecture (LSTM) to develop a model for predicting the cost of construction-related occupational accidents based on the body parts affected. Pycharm Community 2020.1.2 (using Python 3.9.6) was used for the experiment and analysis, in this experimental study. The findings effectively showed that the suggested LSTM model\u27s prediction performance, with a training and testing ratio of 90:10, was determined to have a mean square error (MSE) of 0.003 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.056, respectively. Thus, these demonstrate that the LSTM5 model is a viable substitute that can help government agencies, contractors, clients, project managers, and health and safety managers estimate the cost impact of risk of injury resulting from construction-related accidents for any building construction project. The model would help in accurately estimating the risk impact and mitigation processes
Energy: From Efficiency to Sufficiency
No full textEnergy sufficiency emerges as the next step in driving sustainable developments to carbon neutrality. Energy is an existential component of modern societies subjected to geopolitical influences, resource availability, and type. The paradigm shift to fully electric societies and rapid urbanization calls for rethinking the roadmap to Net Zero. This paper explores energy sufficiency as complementary to efficiency and its integration within Net Zero. It intends to answer questions such as whether efficiency is enough to face the increasing demand for energy, renewable resources and reliable storage systems. Moreover, the paper briefly addresses the human impact on energy and questions how resources are used within the planet\u27s boundaries. This study uses a rapid literature review (RLR) to identify the current state of the art of research on the previous topics and goes beyond by incorporating Industry 5.0. Considering the societal approach and interaction between humans and machines, such as the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), this paper also includes a short reflection on paralleling sufficiency with the fifth Industrial Revolution. The results show that the sufficiency concept aligned with Net Zero is still at the embryonic stage, with only eight papers addressing the topics. However, the contextualization with Industry 5.0 is still an unexplored area of research. There is a need to incorporate the concept of sufficiency in a broader sense, from supply to demand. Sufficiency as a reemerging concept still requires policies on energy systems and societies. Research highlights the importance of carefully assessing energy sufficiency within different types of societies. This study adds to the body of knowledge by providing a discussion within an unexplored area in literature
The ENVISAGE methodology applied to building renovation: its adoption from a Facility Management perspective
Get PDFIn construction sector there is a growing interest in using Life Cycle Assessment to evaluate both embodied and operational carbon emissions during retrofitting interventions. Opting for durable interventions, even in restoration projects, with extended lifespans can result in reduced embodied carbon emissions throughout the building\u27s lifecycle in the near and mid-term future. Preserving historic buildings during restoration poses a significant challenge, necessitating a meticulous selection of materials used for renovation. To this purpose, this paper introduces a novel methodology, named ENVISAGE, that combines Life Cycle Assessment with the concept of nearly Zero Emission Refurbishment. This dual approach aims to align sustainability and preservation goals when selecting materials for retrofitting historic buildings. Furthermore, it seeks to assess the environmental impacts of the entire retrofitting process from the implementation of the intervention to its future maintenance, taking into account the expected 100-year lifespan of a valuable building. By adopting this approach, it is feasible to determine whether this aligns with the principles of the Facility Management in the construction sector. This is one of the main objectives of the paper, namely to find a continuity between Life Cycle Assessment, Sustainability, and Conservation, deciphered in the Facility Management framework. In this perspective, the ENVISAGE method is presented at the light of the Facility Management principles, especially focusing on the principles of operation and Maintenance and Repair and Renovation . Finally, ENVISAGE alignes with Sustainable Development Goals 7, 11, 12, and 13, as it prioritizes reducing water usage, waste generation, and greenhouses emission by promoting renewable energy sources implementation. Emphasizing awareness practices since the stage of the restoration planning, ENVISAGE aims to contirbute to greener and sustainable interventions for existing and historic buildings
How Innovation is Impacting Productivity in the Construction Industry: A Review and Case Study of the Canadian Research Landscape
Get PDFThe construction industry is undergoing a paradigm shift focused on innovation leading to increases in producitivity and sector sustainability. This paper explores opportunities for innovation and collaboration to influence productivity within the construction sector, encompassing project delivery and organizational structures, project management practices, and the development of construction materials and products. Recent innovations include the adoption of modern construction methods like prefabrication and modular construction, which have been proven to increase producitvity, minimize waste and reduce emissions while enhancing worker safety and product quality. Digital technologies play a crucial role in improving management and planning accuracy, coordination, and the optimization of labour and energy usage throughout a structure\u27s lifecycle. Efforts to promote both productivity and sustainability in construction represent disruptive innovation, necessitating fundamental changes to products and processes. The research draws on economics and construction engineering management perspectives to analyze how innovation initiatives can drive transformative outcomes in the industry. It discusses ongoing research activities in the Canadian construction sector, focusing on themes like construction digitization and productivity, and highlights the need for collaboration among academia, industry, and government agencies to address knowledge gaps and facilitate knowledge mobilization. The paper concludes with insights gleaned from a recent environmental scan, which identified opportunities to strengthen national research clusters, address research gaps, and enhance knowledge dissemination efforts to overcome barriers to innovation. Overall, this paper contributes to the body of knowledge on construction innovation and productivity
A Conceptual Framework for Implementing Digital Twins in Infrastructure Upgrades and Retrofits
No full textThe United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9 emphasizes the need for sustainable and resilient infrastructure. An important pathway to achieving this goal is to upgrade and retrofit existing infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions, which is a top priority of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the United States. Existing research has recognized that Digital Twins (DTs) are valuable for retrofits. Yet, current efforts are fragmented, focusing on specific types of infrastructure, and do not provide an approach that can be applied to the aggregated infrastructure stock. The variety of infrastructure systems makes focusing on DT-based methods for infrastructure upgrades and retrofits at an aggregate level difficult, as different types of infrastructure will require different approaches. This paper presents an early-stage conceptual framework to address this gap by proposing a generic system of systems approach to DT modeling for infrastructure upgrades and retrofits, employing a systems technology view within the General Systems Theory paradigm and theoretical elaboration of foundational DT components. The proposed framework offers a standardized method that considers the interdependencies of components of various infrastructure systems, towards tracking relevant information through the construction, in-use, and end-of-life phases, as well as evaluating green financing as a crucial component of infrastructure retrofits
Framework for Building Energy Management: Seasonal Benchmarks for Optimizing Thermal Comfort
Get PDFGiven the critical role of indoor thermal comfort in occupants’ well-being and productivity, this study conducted preliminary research to develop a framework for energy management strategies that emphasize thermal comfort and seasonal variations in energy consumption from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Using a kindergarten facility in South Korea as a case study, the research collected real-time data on indoor thermal conditions and energy usage over one year through an IoT-based sensor network. K-Means clustering was employed to identify distinct energy consumption patterns. The main findings are as follows: First, the cluster analysis identified three significant patterns corresponding to seasonal variations—Cluster 1 representing summer, Cluster 2 representing winter, and Cluster 3 representing the transitional periods of spring and fall. Second, tailored energy benchmark values were established for each cluster, ensuring alignment with seasonal demand while maintaining optimal thermal comfort for occupants. The analysis also revealed the gap between benchmark values and current energy usage, highlighting the significant potential for energy savings. This study demonstrates the feasibility of achieving energy savings in HVAC systems without compromising occupants’ thermal comfort. By offering a scalable framework adaptable to various building types, this research lays the foundation for efficient energy management practices that can enhance occupants’ thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption