558 research outputs found
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Value for money, comparison of facades
No full textBuildings are an asset, but they require on-going investment in the form of running costs, maintenance and repairs to ensure continued optimised performance and a return on their investment. Building owners mostly see the initial cost of construction and site acquisition as the core element of the building costs. They don’t anticipate the cost of the maintenance and repairs as an on-going concern. Buildings are a lifelong commitment, and will need ongoing maintenance and repairs to keep the building working to its initial designed output. Often too little is thought during the concept of the building on the life cycle costing. This research is seeking to provide an insight to the façade components of a building, as an example of life cycle costing and pursue to find a way to identify the costing methodology of owning and managing a façade, over the life cycle study of that building. Life cycle costing is a method of providing a building owner the information on the overall costs of any building over a required time. In this instance 50 years, is the given timeframe. The nature of this research will not be able to identify every façade type available, and will compare the costs of brick, concrete panel and a structural glazed façade. This research also provides an additional focus on the development of a methodology to test the life cycle costing and the information research that is required to present that task
Just Like Paper - a baseline for classifying e-voting usability
Get PDFThis work presents a feature-oriented taxonomy for commercial electronic voting machines, which focuses on usability aspects. We analyze the incremental differences in functionality – the features - between voting systems and how that functionality differs from ‘traditional’ pen and paper based voting. Based on this analysis, we propose a ‘Just-Like-Paper’ (JLP) classification method. We validated the JLP classification method to the ongoing development of our novel DualVote eVoting system, where its application led to the development of a passive feedback protocol which improved the usability features
A study of a model oscillating water column
No full textThe aims of this dissertation is to examine different types of WEC devices, examine the current technology adopted, review Ireland's and EU's ocean energy policy and test a scale model of an Oscillating Water Column in a wave tank. Through EU and government policies interest in Ocean Energy has risen dramatically in the past years. The report outlines the different types and classifications of wave energy converters and investigates the current technology. Testing was carried out on a scale model of an OWC. The profile of the OWC chamber is curved as opposed to the sloped profile commonly adopted in an OWC. The testing carried out showed the curved OWC performing at high efficiency levels in comparison to sloped profiles. Issues arose during the testing with distorted results and it was concluded that the main issue was the orifice opening of 30mm was found to be excessive thus creating small damping forces resulting in the water sloshing inside the chamber. Additionally by providing a curved profile it was concluded in addition to the heaving motion the curve was also creating an additionally mode of motion, most likely a pitching motion
District heating biomass as a replacement of fossil fuel heating systems
No full textThe indication that has been provided from various marine biologists and scientists is over whelming. The theory supporting anthropogenic global warming is conclusive. The increasing possibility of the extinction of fossil fuels is more than sufficient encouragement for change to occur. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate these matters further in an effort of providing substantial information regarding the topic of district heating biomass. This was to provide an understanding of this renewable energy technology while trying to discover if there was a possibility of the technology contributing to the decreasing use of fossil fuel heating systems. Various sources of information formed the ability to answer such questions. A visit to an Irish business which currently uses a district heating system formed the case study, where interesting investigations and findings were documented. The results found that the difference between the two technologies was significant in terms of both initial costs and running costs. However, the capital return of the biomass systems was extremely good providing a payback period of 3-4 years. There is no doubt that this bio-energy technology and its efficiency is in place at present. It is a question whether Ireland can improve its ability to provide such technologies on a national level
Lasers, cameras, action!
Get PDFThis paper reports on an international remote sensing field school for postgrad archaeology students held on the Hill of Slane, Co. Meath. Participants received tuition in a range of techniques including grid layout using total stations, surface collection survey, magnetic gradiometry, magnetic susceptibility, earth resistance, electrical resistivity tomography, ground penetrating radar, terrestrial laser scanning and kite aerial photography. Data processing and report preparation was also covered and valuable new data relating to the archaeology of the site was obtained
A travel plan for DkIT
No full textA Travel Plan consists of a set of pro-active measures adopted for a target location that meets the individual needs of that location. In 2006 Dundalk Institute of Technology commissioned ARUP Consulting Engineers to carry out an assessment of the travel methods and attitudes of the DkIT campus, and prepare a sustainable travel plan for the college. Since this time a lot has changed, the campus has expanded, and the numbers of students have increased. The objective of this dissertation was to examine the current transportation trends experienced at DkIT, compare these with the findings of ARUP and determine if a new travel plan is required. To examine the current trends and patterns of the DkIT populous an up to date survey was carried out on the students and staff members. The survey returned a representative sample of the DkIT campus with 28% students and 53% staff completing the survey. The data obtained from the survey was analysed and compared with that of the ARUP survey. The discoveries made in this report were that although there has been an improvement to the transportation issues since the ARUP survey, the dependency on the car was still very high. The report prepares a new Travel Plan for the DkIT campus that will help to tackle the current problems experienced. It is hope that the Board of Management will back this plan and employ this sustainable travel plan for DkIT
Building energy ratings and consequential upgrading
No full textA BER (Building Energy Rating) Certificate is a way of rating the energy performance of a building. It is measured in kWh/m²/yr and takes into account the buildings CO2 emissions. BER’s were first introduced in 2008 for dwellings and there was a transitional arrangement in 2009 when a BER certificate became compulsory for all residential and non-residential buildings that are up for sale or rent. A BER certificate is divided up into band ratings A to G. A being the best and G the worst rating. A building cannot be leased or sold without having a minimum of a D1 rating. The purpose of this dissertation is to identify the procedure into how to achieve a D1 rating, how to improve a rating beyond a D1 and is it possible for the ordinary person’s home to receive an A1 rating. The paper finds that it is not possible for the ordinary person to achieve an A1 rating due to the high cost involved. To achieve the minimum D1 rating the extent of the works and the cost involved to do so will be determined by the buildings initial rating in kWh/m²/yr
Towards the creation of digital library content to study aspects of style in Irish traditional music.
Get PDFThis paper presents our initial work on collection of recordings and related metadata with a view to the creation of digital library content for analysis of stylistic characteristics in Irish traditional music. We focus on ornamentation as this is a decisive stylistic determinant in Irish traditional music. The digital library contains a collection of audio recordings of prominent Irish flute players and metadata related to these recordings, such as manual annotation of onsets and offsets, identity of notes and ornaments, information related to performers and performers' style and make and type of instrument used
Sources for researching the Protestant Working Class in the Archives of the Church of Ireland.
Get PDFExamines the wide range of sources available for researching the life experience of the Irish Protestant Working Class and the social tensions within the Protestant community viewed from a class perspective
An assessment of the numerical method of determining the performance of simple priority junctions
No full textJunction assessment and analysis has always been a complex issue when it comes to road traffic engineering. The introduction of numerical techniques and associated software has resulted in the increase in efficiency, precision and accuracy of determining the performance of simple priority junction, in particular the delay times and associated queues experienced by the non-priority turning movements. The purpose this dissertation is to compile a comparison of the performance of a priority junction as determined by the manual/computer calculations to the actual observed performance. There shall be: Observations and traffic counts completed at two priority junctions during pre-determine times. Use of the survey data and counts to determine the performance of the junction using standard manual and computer based calculations. Comparison of the performance as determined by the manual/computer calculations to the actual observed performance. This paper finds that the results for the numerical methods for assessing the performance of priority junctions generally underestimates the results when compared to the observed performance in particular to delay times and associated queues experienced by the non-priority turning movements, but there was no consistent pattern or identifiable trend established