1,720,997 research outputs found
Optimization of photoluminescent materials for lighting energy saving in the built environment
No full textIn the last decades, fossil fuels have become the primary resource for electricity generation, contributing to the aggravation of problems like global warming and ozone depletion. For this reason, innovative solutions are being continuously developed in order to improve energy efficiency in the construction sector. Beyond heating and cooling, urban lighting plays a significant role on the final energy consumption of a city, including both indoors and outdoors. In this work, photoluminescent materials are investigated as possible light sources to be implemented in urban lighting systems, focusing on the free-cost and renewable luminous gain they provide after being exposed to a proper radiation. In particular, commercially available photoluminescent powders are evaluated by means of spectroradiometric techniques and using a specifically designed experimental setup. Measurements are repeated for different intensities and wavebands of irradiation to identify the most promising “pigment-lamp” combination in terms of (i) luminous intensity and (ii) photoluminescence duration. Results show that the shorter the distance between the emission spectra of the exciting source and the photoluminescent powder, the better the performance of the latter. Therefore, the choice of both afterglow and exciting source cannot be independent from the final system's application and the required end-use lighting level
Ecological factors associated with Emergency Department use by older people in Italy
No full textBackground: Many studies investigated factors associated with overuse of Emergency Department (ED) by older people. However, there is little evidence of how a better access to long-term care services can affect ED visit rates. Therefore, we estimated the association between ED use and contextual (distance to closest ED), need (priority level at admission and care deprivation), predisposing (socio-economic conditions) and enabling factors (availability of health services) at the municipal level. Methods: We investigated ED visit rates by comparing the older population (aged 75 and more) to those aged less than 75 years among 233 municipalities and 13 health districts in the Marche Region, Central Italy. Administrative data were enriched by spatial dimensions. The outcomes were analysed using t-tests and ANOVA, while OLS and multilevel regressions have been used to identify independent correlates of ED visit rates. Results: Mean ED visit rate was 56.3% and 25.3% among older people and the rest of the population (< 75 years), respectively. The multivariate analysis for older people showed that the presence of an ED within the municipality and living alone were positively associated with ED use, whereas greater availability of nursing homes was negatively associated. For general population (< 75 years), distance to closest ED, economic deprivation and bigger hospitals were negatively associated with ED visits. Conclusions: Our study shows that interventions to reduce frequent ED use by older people should include the availability of long-term care facilities in the area. As population ageing is progressing, our results suggest that investing in alternative care options for older people with long-term care needs might have the beneficial impact of reducing the overall ED rates and improving quality and appropriateness of care
Integrated energy performance of an innovative translucent photoluminescent building envelope for lighting energy storage
No full textNovel, photoluminescent and translucent construction elements are considered for application on buildings’ envelope toward energy savings and avant-garde architectural expression. These elements allow natural light to pass through the envelope and charge the materials, which on their turn re-emit energy as visible light. By exploiting the intrinsic characteristics of these construction elements large amounts of energy could be saved in lighting applications. This work tackles the complex, dynamic behavior of photoluminescent materials by means of a novel, experimental and numerical methodology. Materials’ dynamic characteristics are firstly investigated by means of an in-lab experimental campaign. Secondly, coupled lighting and energy numerical simulations are carried out. Results show that translucent and photoluminescent envelope components could be able to reduce up to 40% building electricity consumption for lighting on an annual basis and depending on urban surroundings. In the best-case scenario, i.e. during the longest day of the year, the obtained electricity savings are around 80% for the photoluminescent–translucent envelope
The NEXT.ROOM: Design principles and systems trials of a novel test room aimed at deepening our knowledge on human comfort
No full textOccupants' interaction with building systems, and more generally occupants’ behaviour, is strongly related to human perception of the surroundings. Progresses in human comfort theories rely upon data collection during tailored experiments, stressing the influence of single or specific combinations of environmental stimuli on diversified human responses. Laboratory experiments are typically performed in test rooms, i.e., rooms that are equipped to provide continuously monitored and controlled environmental boundaries. The NEXT.ROOM is a novel test room built up for investigating the multidisciplinary complexity of human perception, by controlling and monitoring environmental factors belonging to the four domains of comfort (thermal, visual, air quality, and acoustics) through centralized and human-centred systems. The study presents rationales behind its design and the selection of human-centred dedicated devices. Trials of the installed systems provide operational ranges for designing human comfort experiments to be performed within the NEXT.ROOM. Limits in fast-dynamics and range of internal temperature are also highlighted, since the adopted systems are mainly associated to common residential uses. The internal position of the test room also limits daylight access but the window designed in-line with the external laboratory window still guarantees the outdoor view from inside the NEXT.ROOM. A further innovation is the introduction of Virtual Reality tools for testing different internal layouts or even outdoor scenarios under highly controlled and carefully monitored environmental conditions
Museos inclusivos: experiencias sensoriales y de inmersión para la accesibilidad cultural
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Musées inclusifs : expériences sensorielles et immersives pour l'accessibilité culturelle
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