scholarly journals Enhancing Form-Based Code: A parametric approach to urban volumetric morphology in high density cities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Yingyi Zhang

<p>Parametric tools have been broadly implemented in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Recently, an increasing volume of research finds that parametric tools also have the capability to facilitate large-scale planning and urban design. Much of this research, however, focuses on parametric representation or environment simulation. There is insufficient research about using parametric tools to enhance urban regulation. Parametric tools can provide smart design procedures by integrating strategies, solutions and expressions in one system. They may allow alternative approaches to urban regulation that conventional tools do not process.  This research aims to create a parametric modelling system to aid urban regulation. The system offers a visualised coding interface to manipulate parameters and achieve interactive performance feedback at the early stage of urban regulation. Form-Based Code uses the modelling system in this research. It generates a specific morphology by controlling physical form with less focus on land use. With the rise of New Urbanism, Form-Based Code has been used in various American regulation projects. This research extends the application of Form-Based Code, adopting it for urban-peripheral environments outside of the USA. High-density cities where provide the volumetric morphology context is important for this work. Tsim Sha Tsui area of Hong Kong works as an experimental site.  The feasibility of parametric urban regulation is examined by developing a parametric modelling system for Form-Based Code in Hong Kong. Understanding the site’s form characteristics, the transect matrix of Form-Based Code is expanded by incorporating multi-layered zone types and regulating plans. Embedding the zones into parametric modelling software Rhinoceros 3D and Grasshopper 3D, a regenerative prototype works to create real-time scenarios responding to parameters, rules and geometry constraints. The results of parametric urban regulation are evaluated by both Form-Based Code standards and local urban regulation standards to assess its feasibility in context.  This research demonstrates that the parametric modelling system for Form-Based Code has both technological and implemental potential to work as an alternative approach to urban regulation, especially in complex developments. Form complexity is a reflection of sophisticated human-society systems and the sequential evolution of a dynamic morphology. Form-Based Code is enhanced by the parametric modelling system to describe and regulate form complexity in a logical manner. Additionally, although parametric Form-Based Code processing is based on the original Form-Based Code, it is not limited to that. Describing urban regulation with visualised models bridges specialists and the public in community demonstrations and code assembling. The parametric modelling system has a positive impact on resolving challenges, predicting outcomes, and applying urban regulation innovation to the volumetric morphology of high-density cities in Asia.</p>

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Yingyi Zhang

<p>Parametric tools have been broadly implemented in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Recently, an increasing volume of research finds that parametric tools also have the capability to facilitate large-scale planning and urban design. Much of this research, however, focuses on parametric representation or environment simulation. There is insufficient research about using parametric tools to enhance urban regulation. Parametric tools can provide smart design procedures by integrating strategies, solutions and expressions in one system. They may allow alternative approaches to urban regulation that conventional tools do not process.  This research aims to create a parametric modelling system to aid urban regulation. The system offers a visualised coding interface to manipulate parameters and achieve interactive performance feedback at the early stage of urban regulation. Form-Based Code uses the modelling system in this research. It generates a specific morphology by controlling physical form with less focus on land use. With the rise of New Urbanism, Form-Based Code has been used in various American regulation projects. This research extends the application of Form-Based Code, adopting it for urban-peripheral environments outside of the USA. High-density cities where provide the volumetric morphology context is important for this work. Tsim Sha Tsui area of Hong Kong works as an experimental site.  The feasibility of parametric urban regulation is examined by developing a parametric modelling system for Form-Based Code in Hong Kong. Understanding the site’s form characteristics, the transect matrix of Form-Based Code is expanded by incorporating multi-layered zone types and regulating plans. Embedding the zones into parametric modelling software Rhinoceros 3D and Grasshopper 3D, a regenerative prototype works to create real-time scenarios responding to parameters, rules and geometry constraints. The results of parametric urban regulation are evaluated by both Form-Based Code standards and local urban regulation standards to assess its feasibility in context.  This research demonstrates that the parametric modelling system for Form-Based Code has both technological and implemental potential to work as an alternative approach to urban regulation, especially in complex developments. Form complexity is a reflection of sophisticated human-society systems and the sequential evolution of a dynamic morphology. Form-Based Code is enhanced by the parametric modelling system to describe and regulate form complexity in a logical manner. Additionally, although parametric Form-Based Code processing is based on the original Form-Based Code, it is not limited to that. Describing urban regulation with visualised models bridges specialists and the public in community demonstrations and code assembling. The parametric modelling system has a positive impact on resolving challenges, predicting outcomes, and applying urban regulation innovation to the volumetric morphology of high-density cities in Asia.</p>


2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ray Forrest ◽  
Adrienne La Grange ◽  
Yip Ngai-Ming

Most of the contemporary literature on the neighbourhood comes from US or European sources where there are sharp contrasts with East Asian cities in terms of the physical form, residential densities and in relation to ideas of community and kinship. This paper reports on a study carried out in Hong Kong which was designed to explore the extent to which western preoccupations with neighbourhood resonate in a high rise, high density Chinese city. As a precursor to a larger scale study interviews were carried out with fifteen individuals in three contrasting locations: a New Town estate, an older, inner city area and a middle class housing estate. The interviews explored inter alia neighbourhood perceptions, ideas of community, sense of belonging and sense of place among contemporary Hong Kong residents. When Yuan Ssu became Confucius' steward he was given nine hundred measures of grain, which he declined. The Master said, ‘Can you not find a use for it in helping the people in your neighbourhood?’ (The Analects, Book VI).


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 847-851
Author(s):  
Nithyanandham Masilamani ◽  
Dhanraj Ganapathy

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) induced by new ß coronavirus MERS-(CoV) had first been described in Saudi Arabia in September 2012. MERS-CoV communication inside the population is often identified with clustered households and cramped communal spaces. The purpose of the study is to assess the knowledge and awareness of MERS-CoV among dental students in India. This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey of 100 dental college students in Chennai. The self-designed questionnaires contained ten questions focused on the knowledge and awareness of MERS-CoV amongst dental college students. Questionnaires were circulated through an online website survey planet. After the responses were received from 100 participants, data were collected and analyzed, .87% are aware of MERS-CoV through media 13% from professional channels. 84%are aware of the clinical manifestation of MERS-CoV. 81%Are aware of the mode of transmission of MERS-CoV. 76%are aware of the preventive measures against MERS -CoV.68%. Are aware of the incubation period of MERS-CoV. 74%aware of PCR as a diagnostic test for MERS-CoV. This study concluded that dental students had strong awareness and knowledge of MERS. Also, there are a few differences in information and behaviours that require change. Large-scale health educational programs on MERS also should be facilitated by professional organizations to expand their reach and to strengthen knowledge to have a positive impact on their behaviour.


Author(s):  
Geoffrey Jones

This chapter examines the scaling and diffusion of green entrepreneurship between 1980 and the present. It explores how entrepreneurs and business leaders promoted the idea that business and sustainability were compatible. It then examines the rapid growth of organic foods, natural beauty, ecological architecture, and eco-tourism. Green firms sometimes grew to a large scale, such as the retailer Whole Foods Market in the United States. The chapter explores how greater mainstreaming of these businesses resulted in a new set of challenges arising from scaling. Organic food was now transported across large distances causing a negative impact on carbon emissions. More eco-tourism resulted in more air travel and bigger airports. In other industries scaling had a more positive impact. Towns were major polluters, so more ecological buildings had a positive impact.


Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 246
Author(s):  
Markose Chekol Zewdie ◽  
Michele Moretti ◽  
Daregot Berihun Tenessa ◽  
Zemen Ayalew Ayele ◽  
Jan Nyssen ◽  
...  

In the past decade, to improve crop production and productivity, Ethiopia has embarked on an ambitious irrigation farming expansion program and has introduced new large- and small-scale irrigation initiatives. However, in Ethiopia, poverty remains a challenge, and crop productivity per unit area of land is very low. Literature on the technical efficiency (TE) of large-scale and small-scale irrigation user farmers as compared to the non-user farmers in Ethiopia is also limited. Investigating smallholder farmers’ TE level and its principal determinants is very important to increase crop production and productivity and to improve smallholder farmers’ livelihood and food security. Using 1026 household-level cross-section data, this study adopts a technology flexible stochastic frontier approach to examine agricultural TE of large-scale irrigation users, small-scale irrigation users and non-user farmers in Ethiopia. The results indicate that, due to poor extension services and old-style agronomic practices, the mean TE of farmers is very low (44.33%), implying that there is a wider room for increasing crop production in the study areas through increasing the TE of smallholder farmers without additional investment in novel agricultural technologies. Results also show that large-scale irrigation user farmers (21.05%) are less technically efficient than small-scale irrigation user farmers (60.29%). However, improving irrigation infrastructure shifts the frontier up and has a positive impact on smallholder farmers’ output.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4638
Author(s):  
Simon Pratschner ◽  
Pavel Skopec ◽  
Jan Hrdlicka ◽  
Franz Winter

A revolution of the global energy industry is without an alternative to solving the climate crisis. However, renewable energy sources typically show significant seasonal and daily fluctuations. This paper provides a system concept model of a decentralized power-to-green methanol plant consisting of a biomass heating plant with a thermal input of 20 MWth. (oxyfuel or air mode), a CO2 processing unit (DeOxo reactor or MEA absorption), an alkaline electrolyzer, a methanol synthesis unit, an air separation unit and a wind park. Applying oxyfuel combustion has the potential to directly utilize O2 generated by the electrolyzer, which was analyzed by varying critical model parameters. A major objective was to determine whether applying oxyfuel combustion has a positive impact on the plant’s power-to-liquid (PtL) efficiency rate. For cases utilizing more than 70% of CO2 generated by the combustion, the oxyfuel’s O2 demand is fully covered by the electrolyzer, making oxyfuel a viable option for large scale applications. Conventional air combustion is recommended for small wind parks and scenarios using surplus electricity. Maximum PtL efficiencies of ηPtL,Oxy = 51.91% and ηPtL,Air = 54.21% can be realized. Additionally, a case study for one year of operation has been conducted yielding an annual output of about 17,000 t/a methanol and 100 GWhth./a thermal energy for an input of 50,500 t/a woodchips and a wind park size of 36 MWp.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 532-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommy Lau ◽  
Man Lai Cheung ◽  
Guilherme D. Pires ◽  
Carol Chan

Purpose The abolishment of the wine tax in Hong Kong has led to increased wine consumption and increased demand for wine-related professionals, such as sommeliers. Yet the importance of sommeliers’ value-adding performance in the context of upscale Chinese restaurants has not been examined. To address this gap, the SERVQUAL framework is adopted to examine the influence of sommeliers’ service quality (SQ) on customer satisfaction (CS) and loyalty in the context of upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach The survey method is used to collect data from 302 units of the population of interest, partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is used to test the links between constructs. Findings Four of the seven dimensions of sommeliers’ service quality, namely, empathy, tangibles, credibility and assurance, have a significant positive impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, whereas the impact of perceived value and responsiveness on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is positive but only marginally significant. Reliability has a weak and non-significant impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Research limitations/implications Examining a small number of upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong limits generalisation of the findings to other contexts. Replication of the research in different contexts will enhance generalizability. In terms of implications, the discussion highlights the importance of sommeliers’ service performance on customers’ SQ perceptions SQ, CS and loyalty, all of which are important variables for restaurateurs. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of the influence of the quality of sommelier’s SQ on CS and loyalty in upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Given the lack of attention to this service role in the literature, the study contributes theory from which further understanding can develop.


2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-202
Author(s):  
Wangqiong Ye ◽  
Rolf Strietholt ◽  
Sigrid Blömeke

AbstractAcademic resilience refers to students’ capacity to perform highly despite a disadvantaged background. Although most studies using international large-scale assessment (ILSA) data defined academic resilience with two criteria, student background and achievement, their conceptualizations and operationalizations varied substantially. In a systematic review, we identified 20 ILSA studies applying different criteria, different approaches to setting thresholds (the same fixed ones across countries or relative country-specific ones), and different threshold levels. Our study on the validity of these differences and how they affected the composition of academically resilient students revealed that the classification depended heavily on the threshold applied. When a fixed background threshold was applied, the classification was likely to be affected by the developmental state of a country. This could result in an overestimation of the proportions of academically resilient students in some countries while an underestimation in others. Furthermore, compared to the application of a social or economic capital indication, applying a cultural capital indicator may lead to lower shares of disadvantaged students classified as academically resilient. The composition of academically resilient students varied significantly by gender and language depending on which indicator of human capital or which thresholds were applied reflecting underlying societal characteristics. Conclusions drawn from such different results depending on the specific conceptualizations and operationalizations would vary greatly. Finally, our study utilizing PISA 2015 data from three countries representing diverse cultures and performance levels revealed that a stronger sense of belonging to a school significantly increased the chances to be classified as academically resilient in Peru, but not in Norway or Hong Kong. In contrast, absence from school was significantly associated with academic resilience in Norway and Hong Kong, but not in Peru.


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