Assessing the Impact of Lockdown Due to COVID-19 on the Electricity Consumption of a Housing Development in the UK

2021 ◽  
pp. 45-55
Author(s):  
Renata Tubelo ◽  
Eldar Naghiyev ◽  
Mark Gillott ◽  
Lucelia Rodrigues ◽  
Rob Shipman
Author(s):  
Jamie Risner ◽  
Anna Sutherland

The average carbon intensity (gCO2e/kWh) of electricity provided by the UK National Grid is decreasing and becoming more time variable. This paper reviews the impact on energy calculations of using various levels of data resolution (half hourly, daily, monthly and annual) and of moving to region specific data. This analysis is in two parts, one focused on the potential impact on Part L assessments and the other on reported carbon emissions for existing buildings. Analysis demonstrated that an increase in calculated emissions of up to 12% is possible when using an emissions calculation methodology employing higher resolution grid carbon intensity data. Regional analysis indicated an even larger calculation discrepancy, with some regions annual emissions increasing by a factor of ten as compared to other regions. This paper proposes a path forward for the industry to improve the accuracy of analysis by using better data sources. The proposed change in calculation methodology is analogous to moving from using an annual average external temperature to using a CIBSE weather profile for a specific city or using a future weather file. Practical application: This paper aims to quantify the inaccuracy of a calculation methodology in common use in the industry and key to building regulations (specifically Building Regulations Part L – Conservation of Fuel and Power) – translating electricity consumption into carbon emissions. It proposes an alternative methodology which improves the accuracy of the calculation based on improved data inputs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Damiano C Weitowitz ◽  
Chris Panter ◽  
Rachel Hoskin ◽  
Durwyn Liley

Abstract New housing development can result in impacts on nearby protected nature conservation sites, even if development is outside the site boundary. High levels of housing may be associated with adverse impacts on ecological features in protected sites from increased recreation pressure. However, few studies have investigated the spatial link between housing and visitor numbers. An understanding of the impact of housing on visitor use, especially the distances at which housing relates to recreation levels and the importance of other factors (e.g. parking provision) is essential to inform the assessment of new housing and is relevant to strategic planning of development within the UK. We use a long-term visitor dataset (2003–8) to disentangle the housing–visitor association at foot-only and parking locations on important nature conservation sites. We conclude with negative binomial regressions that model the effect of housing on visitor numbers, while controlling for habitat, parking provision and season. Our results demonstrate that more housing consistently means more visitors to protected sites, across most habitats. This is particularly the case for on-foot visitors that originate from housing within 1.5 km, highlighting that additional housing development in proximity to protected sites is likely to significantly increase recreation pressure. For visitor numbers at parking locations, levels of housing within 15 km of protected sites were also a significant predictor, but depended on habitat type. These results demonstrate that housing allocations closer to protected sites are likely to have a greater impact in terms of visitor numbers and may help underpin future assessments of strategic plans.


Author(s):  
C. Claire Thomson

This chapter traces the early history of state-sponsored informational filmmaking in Denmark, emphasising its organisation as a ‘cooperative’ of organisations and government agencies. After an account of the establishment and early development of the agency Dansk Kulturfilm in the 1930s, the chapter considers two of its earliest productions, both process films documenting the manufacture of bricks and meat products. The broader context of documentary in Denmark is fleshed out with an account of the production and reception of Poul Henningsen’s seminal film Danmark (1935), and the international context is accounted for with an overview of the development of state-supported filmmaking in the UK, Italy and Germany. Developments in the funding and output of Dansk Kulturfilm up to World War II are outlined, followed by an account of the impact of the German Occupation of Denmark on domestic informational film. The establishment of the Danish Government Film Committee or Ministeriernes Filmudvalg kick-started aprofessionalisation of state-sponsored filmmaking, and two wartime public information films are briefly analysed as examples of its early output. The chapter concludes with an account of the relations between the Danish Resistance and an emerging generation of documentarists.


Author(s):  
Tochukwu Moses ◽  
David Heesom ◽  
David Oloke ◽  
Martin Crouch

The UK Construction Industry through its Government Construction Strategy has recently been mandated to implement Level 2 Building Information Modelling (BIM) on public sector projects. This move, along with other initiatives is key to driving a requirement for 25% cost reduction (establishing the most cost-effective means) on. Other key deliverables within the strategy include reduction in overall project time, early contractor involvement, improved sustainability and enhanced product quality. Collaboration and integrated project delivery is central to the level 2 implementation strategy yet the key protocols or standards relative to cost within BIM processes is not well defined. As offsite construction becomes more prolific within the UK construction sector, this construction approach coupled with BIM, particularly 5D automated quantification process, and early contractor involvement provides significant opportunities for the sector to meet government targets. Early contractor involvement is supported by both the industry and the successive Governments as a credible means to avoid and manage project risks, encourage innovation and value add, making cost and project time predictable, and improving outcomes. The contractor is seen as an expert in construction and could be counter intuitive to exclude such valuable expertise from the pre-construction phase especially with the BIM intent of äóÖbuild it twiceäó», once virtually and once physically. In particular when offsite construction is used, the contractoräó»s construction expertise should be leveraged for the virtual build in BIM-designed projects to ensure a fully streamlined process. Building in a layer of automated costing through 5D BIM will bring about a more robust method of quantification and can help to deliver the 25% reduction in overall cost of a project. Using a literature review and a case study, this paper will look into the benefits of Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) and the impact of 5D BIM on the offsite construction process.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liat Levita ◽  
Jilly Gibson Miller ◽  
Todd K. Hartman ◽  
Jamie Murphy ◽  
Mark Shevlin ◽  
...  

COVID-19 has led to an unprecedented disruption of normal social relationships and activities, which are so important during the teen years and young adulthood, and to education and economic activity worldwide. The impact of this on young people’s mental health and future prospects may affect their need for support and services, and the speed of the nation’s social recovery afterwards. This study focused on the unique challenges facing young people at different points during adolescent development, which spans from the onset of puberty until the mid-twenties. Although this is an immensely challenging time and there is a potential risk for long term trauma, adolescence can be a period of opportunity, where the teenagers’ brain enjoys greater capacity for change. Hence, the focus on young people is key for designing age-specific interventions and public policies, which can offer new strategies for instilling resilience, emotional regulation, and self-control. In fact, adolescents might be assisted to not only cope, but excel, in spite of the challenges imposed by this pandemic. Our work will feed into the larger societal response that utilizes the discoveries about adolescence in the way we raise, teach, and treat young people during this time of crisis. Wave 1 data has already been collected from 2,002 young people aged 13-24, measuring their mental health (anxiety, depression, trauma), family functioning, social networks, and resilience, and social risk-taking at the time of the pandemic. Here we present a preliminary report of our findings, (Report 1). Data collected 21/4/20- 29/4/20 - a month after the lockdown started).


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document