scholarly journals AN ECO-SUSTAINABLE PARAMETRIC DESIGN PROCESS OF BIO-BASED POLYMERS TEMPORARY STRUCTURES

Rivista Tema ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (N.2 (2021)) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Parametric Design ◽  
Construction Technology ◽  
Common Goal ◽  
Technology And Innovation ◽  
Technological Potential ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Modular Structures

The primary common goal of any resource processing intervention is environmental sustainability. It seeks practical collaboration in construction technology and innovation, whether intentionally used to increase eco-friendly energy savings or implicitly used to reduce the impact of construction projects on the global environment. Biopolymers are a promising field for growth because they combine high technological potential with environmental sustainability. A viable alternative to conventional, costly, and complicated construction systems is the employment of technologies that exploit environmental sustainability concepts to create temporary modular structures that maximize manufacturing times and costs. The paper presents an innovative process for designing temporary structures for social, cultural, and exhibition use. The present paper aims at the following objectives: (i) to illustrate a parametric approach to the design of spaces for such proposes; (ii) to study a prefabricated construction system consisting of interlocking elements to be dry assembled; (iii) to propose the use of new bio-based material. The building system originated based on these research instances targets the requirements of: adaptability, flexibility, and reversibility of spaces; prefabrication, lightness, and speed of installation and assembly; environmental sustainability and recyclability of components employed. In particular, the modules that make up the final product, characterized by vaults, are conceived as small shelters for reading and social activities.

scholarly journals Assessing the Economic and Environmental Sustainability of a Regional Air Quality Plan

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Carnevale ◽  
Fabrizio Ferrari ◽  
Giorgio Guariso ◽  
Giuseppe Maffeis ◽  
Enrico Turrini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Pollutant Emission ◽  
Regional Air Quality ◽  
The Impact

Air quality plans must be demonstrated to be economically sustainable and environmentally effective. This paper presents a full cost–benefit and environmental analysis of a large regional air quality plan involving several different actions covering a large spectrum of fields, from domestic heating to passenger and freight transport, from electricity generation to agriculture. The impact of each action is analyzed looking at the possible energy savings, greenhouse gases (GHG) emission reductions, the improvement in air quality, and the consequent decrease in external costs, namely the reduced impact on population health. The analysis is performed by applying a flexible and fast computer tool (RIAT+) that allows for a rapid simulation of different pollutant emission scenario, to assess different air quality indices (AQIs) over a regional scale domain. The results show that, in most cases, the economic savings exceed the implementation costs and thus that these actions can be introduced in air quality plans for the domain under study. The reduced health and climate costs, though relevant in absolute terms, are, in general, only a fraction of the economic benefits of energy savings. This is not true for the measures acting on improvements in electricity generation, since a reduction in power plant emissions (generally with high stacks, far from populated areas) does not significantly impact the air quality inside the region. A shift in energy production to renewable sources can instead provide noticeable effects on GHG emissions. This research raises some interesting and general questions about the adequacy of the methodologies applied to attribute costs (and benefits) to actions, improving a variety of sectors that are different from the one in which the measures are applied here.

scholarly journals Intrinsic Workforce Diversity and Construction Worker Productivity in Pakistan: Impact of Employee Age and Industry Experience

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 232
Author(s):  
Ahsen Maqsoom ◽  
Hasnain Mubbasit ◽  
Muwaffaq Alqurashi ◽  
Iram Shaheen ◽  
Wesam Salah Alaloul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Technical Skills ◽  
Workforce Diversity ◽  
Construction Technology ◽  
Worker Productivity ◽  
Construction Worker ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Industry Experience ◽  
Employee Age

Worker productivity is critical within construction projects as it is the measure of the rate at which work is performed and, more importantly, helps to know how to motivate them to perform at high levels. This research aimed to examine the impact of employee age and industry experience on the intrinsic workforce diversity factors influencing construction worker productivity. Sieving through the previous research and models and theories of analysis, the intrinsic workforce diversity was modeled into the following set of factors, i.e., income, motivation, psychosocial factors, and technical skills. The data were collected by means of a questionnaire survey and examined for the employees having different ages and experiences using the Mann–Whitney U test through SPSS. The results show that employees of varied ages do not concur over motivation-, psychosocial, and technical skills-related workforce diversity factors, whereas employees of varied industrial experiences are in disagreement over some income and motivation related workforce diversity factors. In order to overcome intrinsic workforce diversity, firm support is direly needed for old and mature employees in terms of financial incentives leading to motivation, less supervised scheduling, opportunities for firm advancement, and reporting back every time work is completed. Furthermore, support is required for young employees who are more susceptible due to psychosocial stresses like unevenly distributed work, communication gaps, and technical skills like knowledge of technological equipment and advancement in construction technology which has reduced the skills of workers.

scholarly journals Business Sustainability Through Environmental and Operational Management in Five Star Hotels in Amman, Jordan

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 31
Author(s):  
Haitham Abdelrazaq ◽  
Taghreed Aljaffal ◽  
Pheroza Daruwalla ◽  
Karina Wardle
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
The Impact

This paper aims to investigate sustainable environmental performance in five-star hotels in Amman, Jordan. The primary objective of the study is to determine the impact of business and operational practices of five-star hotels in Amman. The research focuses on five operational departments, including maintenance and security (MS), food and beverage (F&B), kitchens (K), purchasing (P), and housekeeping (H). This study adopted a qualitative method, using semi-structured interviews as the primary source for collecting extensive data. Moreover, the study employed quantitative instruments in data collection using a survey instrument and non-participatory observation as triangulation to the qualitative method. The study involved respondents from 13 fivestar hotels in Amman, Jordan. This paper examines the impact of operational business practices on environmental sustainability in five-star hotel properties in Amman. It suggests ways in which sustainable practices can contribute positively towards allowing hotels to achieve better performance towards the environment. The findings showed that all five-star hotels applied different sustainable practices in their daily operations to achieve sustainable environmental performance. Most of the respondents from the five operational departments acknowledged that suitable use of water and energy savings were the preferred choices that aided sustainability practices in the hotel properties

The Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Dodgson
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Strategic Management ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Technology And Innovation ◽  
Management Of Technology ◽  
The Impact

The strategic management of technology and innovation is an important contributor to organizational performance and competitiveness. It creates value, assists differentiation, enhances productivity, and guides creativity and initiative. In the face of uncertainty in operating environments, caused especially by rapid technological change, the strategic management of innovation configures capabilities and resources within organizations. These include the capability to search for innovations, select the most advantageous, and appropriate or capture their returns. It involves investing in sources of innovation, such as research and development (R&D) and collaboration with external partners, and using methods for effectively assessing their contributions. Unstable and turbulent operating conditions can disrupt established organizational policies and practices and make planning difficult. As a result, strategies for technology and innovation are necessarily emergent rather than prescriptive, exploratory rather than determinable. Any advantages technology and innovation create are likely to be transitory. The pressing need for greater environmental sustainability, increased focus on the social consequences of innovation, and the impact of new digital and data-rich technologies, add to the challenges of the strategic management of technology and innovation. To address these challenges, attention to physical and intellectual capital needs to be supplemented by greater concern for human, social, and natural capital, and to organizational culture and behavior. This requires the foundation of the strategic management of technology and innovation in the discipline of economics to be complemented by others, such as psychology, organizational behavior, and ethics.

Investigation of Cost-Influencing Factors Potentially ‎Controllable by Main Contractors in Construction Projects in ‎Iraq

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (7A) ◽  
pp. 1069-1076
Author(s):  
Layth T. Ali ◽  
Raid S. Abid Ali ◽  
Zeyad S. M. Khaled
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Cost Overrun ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Importance Index ◽  
Labor Recruitment ◽  
Supply Planning ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Cost overrun in construction projects is a common phenomenon in Iraq. This might occur due to diversity of factors. This study aims to identify the factors influencing construction projects cost that are potentially controllable by main contractors. A field study through a questionnaire survey was directed to a sample of related Iraqi professional engineers from general contracting companies at both public and private sectors. Their opinions on the impact and frequency of each factor were investigated. The questionnaire offered (59) factors classified in (8) categories namely; legislations, financial and economic, design, contractual, site management, material, labor and equipment. The factors were ranked according to the highest Relative Importance Index (RII). The study revealed (10) major factors that are potentially controllable by main contractors namely; labor productivity, sub-contractors and suppliers performance, equipment productivity, site organization and distribution of equipment, experience and training of project managers, scheduling and control techniques, planning for materials supply, planning for equipment supply, materials delivery and planning for skilled labor recruitment. Recommendations to aid contractors and owners in early identification of these factors are also included in this study.

The Impact of Terrorism on Construction Industry in Iraq

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-84
Author(s):  
Wadhah Amer Hatem ◽  
Samiaah M. Hassen Al-Tmeemy
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Historical Data ◽  
Terrorist Attacks ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Statistical Procedures ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Suicide Attacks ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Impact

     Suicide attacks, bombings, explosions became the part of daily life in Iraq. Consequently, the threat of terrorism put the Iraqi construction sector in the face of unique and unusual challenges that not seen on other countries. These challenges can have extensive impact on construction projects. This paper seeks to examine the impact of the terrorist attacks on construction industry and determine the extent to which the impact of terrorism on construction projects in terms of cost, schedule, and quality. This study adapted quantitative and qualitative approaches to collect data using questionnaire survey and interviews, as well as historical data. The study focused on projects that have been the target of terrorist strikes in Diyala governorate. A variety of statistical procedures were employed in data analysis. The results revealed the extent to which terrorist attacks impact construction projects in terms of cost, time, and quality. The results of this study will enhance the awareness of all construction parties to the impact of the terrorist attacks against construction projects. Eventually, this can develop a risk management assessment and assist contractors to properly protect projects and buildings to minimize injuries and fatalities in the event of terrorism.

Being Away from Purun: Women’s Experiences in Peatland Area of Hulu Sungai Utara, South Kalimantan

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Enik Maslahah
Keyword(s):  
Land Management ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Environmental Destruction ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Area Management

<p>Purun is a typical plant that grow in peatland area that has important functions for people living in peatland area. The availability of purun is now decreasing due to changes in land management and environmental destruction. Almost all of the plantation commodities in the peatlands area, management of peatlands in the forestry, agriculture, plantation and fisheries sectors apply exploitative and pragmatic methods, while ignoring environmental sustainability. Furthermore, environmental damage also occurs due to disasters such as forest and land fires that often occur in peatland areas in Indonesia. One of the damages happen to peatland area is the damage and scarcity of purun. As users and beneficiaries of purun, women become the affected group that face  the impact of peatland destruction. This paper describes the experiences and efforts of women in peatland areas to restore land and restore the existence of purun in their villages.</p><p> </p>

ASSESSMENT OF GRAY FOREST SOIL ENZYMATIC ACTIVITY IN AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Enzymatic Activity ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Hydrolytic Enzymes ◽  
Invertase Activity ◽  
Phosphorus Cycle ◽  
Soil Enzymatic Activity ◽  
Urease Enzyme ◽  
Natural Analogues ◽  
Activity Of Enzymes ◽  
The Impact

On the grey forest medium-loamy soil of Vladimir Opolye region we have studied the impact of various methods of basic cultivation and fertilizer systems on the activity of redox and hydrolytic enzymes: ure-ase (nitrogen cycle), invertase (carbon cycle), phosphatase (phosphorus cycle), and catalase, involved in the cycle of carbon in the soil. The second humus horizon with capacity of 19-24cm was found at the depth of 20 - 21 cm on the experimental field. We have studied three modes of basic soil cultivation: an-nual shallow flat plowing (6-8 cm), annual deep flat plowing (20-22 cm), and annual moldboard plowing (20-22 cm) with normal and intensive application of fertilizers. The most enzymatically active layer is 0-20 cm. No relevant difference has been found in the level of enzymes activity between variants of basic soil treatment. Activity of enzymes increases with application of fertilizers on the intensive background. In agrogenic soils, soil enzymatic activity is lower on average by 16-22% compared to the soil of the res-ervoir. The biggest negative transformation of activity has been observed at the urease enzyme (up to 50%). With annual moldboard plowing on the intensive backgroung, enzyme activity has been close to the natural level – 98.4%. Catalise and invertase activity in this case were found to be higher (105 and 116% respectively) than that of natural analogues. Activity of enzymes increases with intensive application of fertilizers as compared with normal background. This is particularly evident with 6-8cm deep beardless plowing and 20-22cm deep moldboard plowing. In general, the obtained biochemical indicators charac-terize the highest environmental sustainability of this variation within our research.

Vignettes

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc J. Stern
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
National Park ◽  
Public Involvement ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Persuasive Communications ◽  
For Profit ◽  
The Face

Chapter 9 contains five vignettes, each based on real world cases. In each, a character is faced with a problem and uses multiple theories within the book to help him or her develop and execute a plan of action. The vignettes provide concrete examples of how to apply the theories in the book to solving environmental problems and working toward environmental sustainability in a variety of contexts, including managing visitors in a national park, developing persuasive communications, designing more collaborative public involvement processes, starting up an energy savings program within a for-profit corporation, and promoting conservation in the face of rapid development.

scholarly journals Energy Performance Assessment of Innovative Building Solutions Coming from Construction and Demolition Waste Materials

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1226
Author(s):  
Beatriz Fraga-De Cal ◽  
Antonio Garrido-Marijuan ◽  
Olaia Eguiarte ◽  
Beñat Arregi ◽  
Ander Romero-Amorrortu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Insulation ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
The Impact

Prefabricated solutions incorporating thermal insulation are increasingly adopted as an energy conservation measure for building renovation. The InnoWEE European project developed three technologies from Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) materials through a manufacturing process that supports the circular economy strategy of the European Union. Two of them consisted of geopolymer panels incorporated into an External Thermal Insulation Composite System (ETICS) and a ventilated façade. This study evaluates their thermal performance by means of monitoring data from three pilot case studies in Greece, Italy, and Romania, and calibrated building simulation models enabling the reliable prediction of energy savings in different climates and use scenarios. Results showed a reduction in energy demand for all demo buildings, with annual energy savings up to 25% after placing the novel insulation solutions. However, savings are highly dependent on weather conditions since the panels affect cooling and heating loads differently. Finally, a parametric assessment is performed to assess the impact of insulation thickness through an energy performance prediction and a cash flow analysis.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document