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Discrepancy in Embodied Carbon Calculations for Concrete Materials
Get PDFAbstract. Accurate assessment of embodied carbon is integral to understanding the environmental impact of building materials and promoting sustainable building practices. This process aids in prioritizing efforts to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change. Existing studies highlight discrepancies across various embodied carbon databases, causing uncertainty in assessments. Our study reveals significant differences in the calculated embodied carbon of materials, depending on whether they are assessed as a singular entity or as composed of individual components. Concrete, a major contributor to embodied carbon in construction projects, serves as our focus. We calculate the embodied carbon of concrete materials in a typical residential building using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a comprehensive method to evaluate environmental impacts throughout a building's life cycle. We utilize the Inventory of Carbon and Energy (ICE), one of the most reliable databases, for our assessment. Our findings indicate substantial differences when calculating embodied carbon for concrete as a singular material (first scenario) versus considering its component parts (second scenario). The first scenario results in at least a 20% increase in carbon emissions, with the exact discrepancy depending on the type of concrete materials and whether they are reinforced. Given that approximately 66% of the total quantity of our case study comprises concrete, these differences are substantial. Our study underscores the importance of incorporating embodied carbon factors into a unified database to accurately assess total embodied carbon emissions of buildings. It also highlights the potential for database uncertainty to skew interpretations of embodied carbon if an LCA is conducted for design reduction. Hence, a reliable baseline for calculating embodied carbon is crucial.
Keywords: Life Cycle Assessment, Sustainability, Embodied Carbon, Concrete, Discrepanc
Maternal multimorbidity - experiences of women seeking asylum during pregnancy and after childbirth: a qualitative study
Get PDFAbstract
Background:
Many women seeking asylum during pregnancy and after childbirth have ill-health but detection and assessment of all physical, psychological, and social health needs (maternal multimorbidity) are often difficult
as part of routine maternity care. Healthcare providers are key for the early identification and management of vulner- able pregnant women who have additional physical, psychological, and social health needs. We sought to explore the impact of the asylum-seeking process, understanding of wellbeing, expressed health needs (in terms of maternal multimorbidity), and the experiences of maternity care of women seeking asylum during pregnancy and after child- birth in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Enabling factors and barriers to access woman-centred care were also explored.
Methods
Key informant interviews (n = 10) and one focus group discussion (n = 4) were conducted with women attending a non-profit charitable pregnancy support group. Transcribed interviews were coded by topic and then grouped into categories. Thematic framework analysis was undertaken to identify emerging themes.
Results
The asylum-seeking process negatively impacted women making them feel anxious and depressed with lit- tle control or choice over their future. Women reported feeling stressed regarding poor standard of accommoda- tion, low income, dispersal and the uncertainty of their asylum application outcome. Wellbeing during pregnancy and after childbirth was understood to be multifactorial and women understood that their physical health needs were interlinked and negatively impacted by complex psychological and social factors. Women reported that their expectations of maternity services were often exceeded, but information giving, and the use of language interpreters needed to be improved. Women expressed the need for more psychological and social support throughout preg- nancy and after childbirth.
Conclusions A multidisciplinary team, with links and effective referral pathways to maternal mental health and social services, are necessary for women seeking asylum, to ensure a more integrated, comprehensive assessment of mater- nal multimorbidity and to provide maternity care in a way that meets all health needs.
Keywords
Maternal multimorbidity, Asylum seeker, Pregnancy, Antenatal care, Maternal mental health, Social wellbein
A critical review for the application of Cutting-edge Digital Visualisation Technologies for Effective Urban Flood Risk Management
Get PDFCutting-edge digital visualisation tools (CDVT) are playing an increasingly important role in improving urban flood risk management. However, there is a paucity of comprehensive research examining their role across all stages of urban flood risk management. To address, this study conducts an integrated critical review to identify the application of CDVT and assess their contribution to the prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, and recovery stages of flood risk management. The results show that virtual reality, augmented reality, and digital twin technologies are the primary CDVT used in urban flood visualisation, with virtual reality being the most frequently used. The focus of urban flood visualisation studies has been primarily on preparation and mitigation stages. However, there is a need to investigate the application of these technologies in the entire urban water cycle. Furthermore, there is potential for greater adoption of digital twin, especially in simulating urban flood inundation and flood evacuation routes. Integrating real-time data, data-driven modeling, and CDVT can significantly improve real-time flood forecasting. This benefits stakeholders and the public by enhancing early warning systems, preparedness, and flood resilience, leading to more effective flood risk management and reduced impacts on communities
Embedding Climate Change Education into Higher Education Programmes
Get PDFClimate education is seen as a key driver for behavioural change, yet usually not continued universally to higher education level. With the rising demand from both students and employers, we propose methods that incorporate climate education from multiple disciplines into current curriculums
Emotions Matter: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Detection and Classification of Students’ Emotions in STEM during Online Learning
Get PDFIn recent years, the rapid growth of online learning has highlighted the need for effective methods to monitor and improve student experiences. Emotions play a crucial role in shaping students’ engagement, motivation, and satisfaction in online learning environments, particularly in complex STEM subjects. In this context, sentiment analysis has emerged as a promising tool to detect and classify emotions expressed in textual and visual forms. This study offers an extensive literature review using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) technique on the role of sentiment analysis in student satisfaction and online learning in STEM subjects. The review analyses the applicability, challenges, and limitations of text- and facial-based sentiment analysis techniques in educational settings by reviewing 57 peer-reviewed research articles out of 236 articles, published between 2015 and 2023, initially identified through a comprehensive search strategy. Through an extensive search and scrutiny process, these articles were selected based on their relevance and contribution to the topic. The review’s findings indicate that sentiment analysis holds significant potential for improving student experiences, encouraging personalised learning, and promoting satisfaction in the online learning environment. Educators and administrators can gain valuable insights into students’ emotions and perceptions by employing computational techniques to analyse and interpret emotions expressed in text and facial expressions. However, the review also identifies several challenges and limitations associated with sentiment analysis in educational settings. These challenges include the need for accurate emotion detection and interpretation, addressing cultural and linguistic variations, ensuring data privacy and ethics, and a reliance on high-quality data sources. Despite these challenges, the review highlights the immense potential of sentiment analysis in transforming online learning experiences in STEM subjects and recommends further research and development in this area
A randomised controlled trial investigating the effect of improving the cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment on healthcare-associated infections: the CLEaning and Enhanced disiNfection (CLEEN) study
Get PDFBackground
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a common, costly, yet largely preventable complication impacting patients in healthcare settings globally. Improving routine cleaning and disinfection of the hospital environment has been shown to reduce the risk of HAI. Contaminated shared medical equipment presents a primary transmission route for infectious pathogens, yet is rarely studied. The CLEEN study will assess how enhanced cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment affects the rate of HAIs in a tertiary hospital setting. The initiative is an evidence-based approach combining staff training, auditing and feedback to environmental services staff to enhance cleaning and disinfection practices.
Methods
The CLEEN study will use a stepped wedge randomised controlled design in 10 wards of one large Australian hospital over 36 weeks. The intervention will consist of 3 additional hours per weekday for the dedicated cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment on each ward. The primary outcome is to demonstrate the effectiveness of improving the quality and frequency of cleaning shared medical equipment in reducing HAIs, as measured by a HAI point prevalence study (PPS). The secondary outcomes include the thoroughness of equipment cleaning assessed using fluorescent marker technology and the cost-effectiveness of the intervention.
Discussion
Evidence from the CLEEN study will contribute to future policy and practice guidelines about the cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment. It will be used by healthcare leaders and clinicians to inform decision-making and implementation of best-practice infection prevention strategies to reduce HAIs in healthcare facilities
A Song for Norman
Get PDFIn this short essay I offer a few reflections on how Norman Denzin has influenced my life, friendships, and scholarship. I feel there is little I can say or do that would match the gratitude I feel, so I offer a song
Public-Private Partnerships in Emerging Economies
No full textOver the years, a shortage of funds has resulted in a huge deficit in government budgets for infrastructure, especially in developing economies. It is no longer feasible for governments to bear the entire burden of funding public infrastructure. Given that an inadequate supply of public infrastructure poses a challenge for the economic development of any country, partnerships with the private sector to fund public infrastructure procurement has started to be relied on as an alternative to traditional public procurement. Public-Private Partnerships are an arrangement that allow private entities to fund, design, manage and operate public infrastructure for a term in exchange for the payment of tolls by users or the government may well be the solution to the infrastructure crisis in many developing economies.
This book examines the role of law in the adoption, implementation and regulation of Public-Private Partnership in selected developing economies including Brazil, India, Nigeria and South Africa to address how to deal with overlapping laws and how the law can protect assets invested in PPP in order to attract private sector interests in infrastructure financing in developing market, showing how law can be used to create, sustain and promote PPP frameworks that take into account local circumstances in developing economies
Addressing the Primary and Subharmonic Resonances of the Swing Equation
Get PDFA research investigation is undertaken to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the primary and subharmonic resonances exhibited by the swing equation. The occurrence of the primary resonance is characterised by amplified oscillatory reactions, voltage instability, and the possibility for system failure. The phenomenon of subharmonic resonance arises when the frequency of disturbance is a whole-number fraction of the natural frequency. This results in the occurrence of low-frequency oscillations and the potential for detrimental effects on equipment. The objective of this study is to expand upon the current literature regarding the impacts of primary resonance and enhance comprehension of subharmonic resonance in relation to the stability of a specific power system model. The analytical and numerical tools are utilised to investigate the fundamental principles of this resonant-related problem, aiming to provide an effective control solution. This choice is driven by the model’s complex nonlinear dynamical behaviour, which offers valuable insights for further analysis. This analysis includes the Floquet Method, the Method of strained parameters, and the concept of tangent instability in order to provide an extension to existing literature relating to primary and subharmonic resonances, taking into account the dynamic and bifurcation characteristics of the swing equation. This objective will be achieved through the utilisation of both analytical and numerical methods, enabling the identification of specific indicators of chaos that can contribute to the safe operation of real-world scenarios
Socially active neighborhoods: construct operationalization for aging in place, health promotion and psychometric testing
Get PDFFrom the year 2003 when the first walkability scale was published to date, person-environment fit models and empirical research, some of which was published in Health Promotion International, have encapsulated healthy communities in ‘neighborhood walkability’. While there is no doubt that neighborhood walkability positively influences health-seeking behaviors and health, recent models suggest that their measurement and conceptualization have not emphasized the role played by psychosocial and personal factors in aging in place. Thus, the development of scales measuring human ecosystem factors has not recognized all critical factors suited for older adults. In this paper, we aim to draw on relevant literature to frame a more holistic construct, hereby referred to as Socially Active Neighborhoods (SAN), that would better support aging in place in older populations. Through a narrative review based on a systematic search of the literature, we define the scope of SAN and delineate some contextual implications for gerontology, health promotion and psychometric testing. SAN, unlike neighborhood walkability in its current measurement and conceptualization, incorporates critical theory-informed psychosocial factors (i.e. safety and disability friendliness of neighborhood infrastructure) that can encourage older adults with physiological and cognitive limitations to maintain physical and social activities as well as health in later life. The SAN is the result of our adaptation of key person-environment models, including the Context Dynamics in Aging (CODA) framework, that recognizes the role of context in healthy aging