27 research outputs found
Investigating the Effect of Environmental Product Declaration Adoption in LEED® on the Construction Industry: A Case Study
No full textAbstractIndustry adoption of environmental product declarations (EPDs, an internationally standardized document providing quantified environmental impacts over the life cycle of a product) is increasing as LEED® v4 material credits allow reliance on their content. This raises the question as to whether this reliance is appropriate, as well as larger questions about how it is affecting the wider construction industry. A case study is presented to investigate the use of EPDs in construction projects through the experience and perspective of members of three major stakeholder groups: Owner/Client, Designer, and Contractor. This includes the motivations for using EPDs, potential concerns with the methodology and creation of EPDs, the reliance of the information within EPDs and determining appropriateness of this reliance through the various stages of project delivery. Findings indicate that EPD impacts on the timeline is a key concern from the contractors while limited transparency of EPD development processes was a key concern for designers. Stakeholders noted that the integrative design process was critical to the success of this project, avoiding long lead-times and allowing for close review of specifications
Comparison of type III environmental product declarations for construction products: Material sourcing and harmonization evaluation
No full textInsights on environmental product declaration use from Canada’s first LEED® v4 platinum commercial project
No full text
Why Am I Studying Design?
No full textIdentity development of design students is a dynamic entanglement between personal and professional identities. Yet, literature primarily focuses on professional identity, based on institutionalized definitions of design to which students must conform. In contrast, we explore personal motivations for wanting to become a designer. An instrumental case study explores how an undergraduate design student develops personal principles for good design, and a personal vision for designing. Results show these principles and underlying vision are applied in the student’s design work, leading to development of a holistic identity (personal and professional). Finally, we note this exercise necessitated a plural and dynamic understanding of design (education). We therefore encourage design students and educators to co-design educational spaces and processes to stimulate enriched potentiality of design culture.Methodologie en Organisatie van DesignMarketing and Consumer Researc
Supramolecular Host-Guest Asymmetric Induction In Organic Synthesis
No full textReprint Address: Santos, LS (reprint author), Talca Univ, Lab Asymmetr Synth, Chem Inst Nat Resources, POB 747, Talca, Chile.In past decades, the pharmacopoeia was dominated by racemates, but since the emergence of new technologies in the 1990s that allowed the preparation of pure enantiomers in significant quantities, the awareness and interest in the stereochemistry of drug actions have increased. In this short review, the implementation of several hosts, guests, building blocks and methods in host-guest supramolecular chemistry was outlined with an emphasis on the synthetic aspects, catalyst libraries and molecular recognition. Solid-state host-guest interactions, intra- and intermolecular host-guest photoreactions in solution and in the solid state, molecular and supramolecular self-assembly and molecular recognition between host and guests, and some specific and important reactions, such as aldol and Michael reactions, were reviewed
Impact of suspended solids concentration on sludge filterability in Full-scale membrane bioreactors
No full textThe relation between activated sludge filterability and mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) is framed in a single hypothesis, explaining results seemingly contradictory. A total of 44 activated sludge samples were collected and analyzed on a variety of parameters, i.e. filterability, MLSS concentration, soluble microbial products (SMP) concentrations and particle size distribution in the range of 2-100 ?m and of 0.4-5.0 ?m. The sludge filterability was assessed by using the Delft Filtration Characterization method (DFCm). In order to investigate the impact of MLSS concentration, identical samples were diluted with permeate. Results showed that dilution of the samples led to an increased activated sludge filterability, but only when the starting MLSS concentration was below the apparent critical value of 10.5 g/L. As opposed, the filterability of sludge with MLSS concentrations above 10.5 g/L, and which was characterized by a moderate to good filtration quality, i.e. ?R20<1 [x1012m-1], worsened when diluted. The specific resistance times the particle concentration of a cake layer obtained when filtrating sludge of moderate to good filterability and MLSS concentration above the apparent critical value, was 5.5 times smaller compared to the cake layer of sludge with MLSS concentration below the critical value. Results from SMP assessment and particle counting in the range 2-100 ?m showed that reduction in sludge mass and de-flocculation occurred, upon dilution of all samples. However, when diluting sludge samples with MLSS concentrations exceeding 10.5 g/L and which were characterized by a moderate to good filtration characteristics, there was also release of particles below 0.4 ?m, opposite to dilutions of samples with MLSS concentrations below 10.5 g/L. We postulate that sludge, which is characterized by a moderate to good filterability, having an MLSS concentration above the apparent critical value of 10.5 g/L, is likely to retain particles smaller than 0.4 ?m in its mass, as opposed to sludge with MLSS concentration below the apparent critical value. Our work indicates that there are optimal MLSS concentration ranges in MBR technology, to promote good filterable sludge quality in order to avoid fouling.Water ManagementCivil Engineering and Geoscience
Development of the k0-based cyclic neutron activation analysis for short-lived radionuclides
No full textThe k0-based cyclic neutron activation analysis (k0-CNAA) technique has been studied to explore the applicability at the Portuguese research reactor (RPI). In particular, for the determination of elements which form short-lived radionuclides, particularly fluorine (20F, 11.16 s half-life) and selenium (77mSe, 17.36 s half-life) in polymer, biological and environmental samples. The detection limits obtained for F and Se were about 50 and 0.01 mg kg-1, respectively, in the investigated materials. The timing parameters for the procedure were 10 to 20 s for irradiation, 5 s decay, 10 to 20 s counting, 5 s waiting and performed with eight cycles. The k0-IAEA program was modified to use millisecond time resolution for irradiation, decay and counting times as needed for interpreting k0-CNAA data in terms of concentration, accuracy and detection limit. The quality control of the procedure was performed by preparing a standard solution containing fluorine with different contents as well as using the certified reference materials containing selenium from which the bias between the results and the certified values were within 15% for most elements at the investigated content ranges. The analytical results for several other elements producing short-lived or detectable radionuclides, e.g., Al, Ca, Cl, Cu, Dy, I, Mg, Mn, Ti, and V were also obtained by the k0-CNAA procedure with accuracy within 12%.Reactor Institute DelftApplied Science
Convergence of soil nitrogen isotopes across global climate gradients
No full textQuantifying global patterns of terrestrial nitrogen (N) cycling is central to predicting future patterns of primary productivity, carbon sequestration, nutrient fluxes to aquatic systems, and climate forcing. With limited direct measures of soil N cycling at the global scale, syntheses of the (15)N:(14)N ratio of soil organic matter across climate gradients provide key insights into understanding global patterns of N cycling. In synthesizing data from over 6000 soil samples, we show strong global relationships among soil N isotopes, mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP), and the concentrations of organic carbon and clay in soil. In both hot ecosystems and dry ecosystems, soil organic matter was more enriched in (15)N than in corresponding cold ecosystems or wet ecosystems. Below a MAT of 9.8°C, soil δ(15)N was invariant with MAT. At the global scale, soil organic C concentrations also declined with increasing MAT and decreasing MAP. After standardizing for variation among mineral soils in soil C and clay concentrations, soil δ(15)N showed no consistent trends across global climate and latitudinal gradients. Our analyses could place new constraints on interpretations of patterns of ecosystem N cycling and global budgets of gaseous N loss
Big data analytics effect on competitive performance : mediating role of business model innovation
No full textThis article is based on the authors thesis entitled 'The effect
of big data analytics capability on competitive performance:
The mediating role of business model innovation' towards
the degree of Masters in Business Administration at The
University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science,
South Africa on 7 November 2022, with supervisor Manoj
Dayal Chiba.DATA AVAILABILITY :
The data that support the findings of this study are available
from the corresponding author, M.D.C., upon reasonable
request.PURPOSE : Big Data Analytics Capabilities (BDAC) facilitate the generation of critical insights required for competitive performance. This study evaluates the relationship between Big Data Analytics Capabilities and competitive performance and argues the effect is mediated by Business Model Innovation (BMI). This is assessed through the theoretical lens of Dynamic Capabilities, where Big Data Analytics Capabilities enabled sensing identification opportunities that initiate the mobilisation of resources to transform firms’ business models, via BMI, to enhance performance. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : A quantitative research approach using a survey was utilised. Data from 272 firms were collected. FINDINGS/RESULTS : The research model is evaluated by Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. The findings show that Big Data Analytics Capabilities have a direct and indirect influence on competitive performance, where BMI mediates the latter. The results enrich Dynamic Capabilities, Big Data Analytics Capabilities and BMI literature by demonstrating that Big Data Analytics Capabilities have a positive effect on BMI and subsequently competitive performance, to create value for firms and their stakeholders. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS : Practitioners need to invest in Big Data Analytics Capabilities to enhance the probability of success of their BMI endeavours. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : Firstly, organisations’ efforts in nurturing big data infrastructure, human resources, and data-driven cultures drive actions that enhance both operational and strategic execution, leading to enhanced performance. Secondly, the positive effect of Big Data Analytics Capabilities is carried through BMI to influence competitive performance positively, thus suggesting that the sensing enabled by Big Data Analytics Capabilities leads to transformational activities that drive performance.http://www.sajbm.org/hj2024Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)Non
