scholarly journals Optimizing Multi-Family Building Massing for Affordability and Envelope Performance: An Investigation of the Trade-Offs Implicit in Low Rise Residential Buildings

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Grant Mosey ◽  
Brian Deal
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Housing Affordability ◽  
Construction Costs ◽  
Environmentally Conscious ◽  
Building Shape ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Environmental Objectives ◽  
New Construction

The United States faces twin crises of housing affordability and environmental degradation. Under these clouds, the nation is experiencing an explosive growth in new construction multi-family housing. This paper seeks to evaluate how designers might optimize the organization of such projects to minimize cost and maximize environmental performance. A method is developed for evaluating the construction costs and environmental performance of multifamily developments across four variables: building height, number of buildings, building width, and building floor area. Our analysis suggests that buildings with deeper floor plates are preferable for both economic and environmental reasons. We also suggest that taller buildings have more performative envelopes while shorter buildings are more economical to construct. Finally, we offer a method of finding a compromise between economic and environmental objectives for projects of a given square footage. Most commonly, this “compromise” takes the form of a moderate number of mid-rise buildings with deep floor plates. This investigation adds nuance to the existing literature on the effects of building shape on building cost and envelope performance. It also provides designers with a method of potentially constructing multifamily buildings in a less expensive and more environmentally conscious way.

scholarly journals The application of an environmental performance framework for climate adaptation innovations on two nature-based adaptations

AMBIO ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jantsje M. van Loon-Steensma ◽  
Christopher Goldsworthy
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Environmentally Conscious ◽  
Performance Framework ◽  
Trade Offs

AbstractIn this paper, we introduce and test a framework to qualitatively assess the environmental impact of climate adaptation innovations with the ambition to facilitate the implementation of these adaptations. The framework was designed to enable continuous environmentally conscious benchmarking based on three environmental performance indicators: sustainable design, environmental impact and ecological impact. It was pilot tested by uninvolved experts and key-persons for two large-scale nature-based flood adaptation innovations in the Netherlands and discussed with environmental assessment professionals. Our findings indicate how the inclusion of our framework helps to identify important knowledge gaps regarding environmental co-benefits and trade-offs, and can be beneficial to both those developing the innovation and the local authorities charged with assessing the suitability of innovations. We conclude by noting how the incorporation of environmental impact assessment from the design stage of adaptations could supplement existing environmental assessment regulations pre-empting concerns rather than reacting to them.

Application of a Mortality Model to Subsidized Housing

1984 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 901-916 ◽  
Author(s):  
M E Gleeson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United States Of America ◽  
The United States ◽  
Subsidized Housing ◽  
Construction Costs ◽  
Mortality Model ◽  
New Construction ◽  
Useful Life ◽  
The Common ◽  
Further Development

New construction and rehabilitation of subsidized housing units are directly compared against the common objective of extending the useful life of the inventory. A model is developed and applied to the case of public housing in the United States of America. Results suggest that rehabilitation is not justified if costs exceed 5–10% of new construction costs. The article concludes with a discussion of limitations of the model and of prospects for further development.

Winning the Argument and Moving the Fight: The Legacy of a Grassroots Humanitarian

Public Voices ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Mary Coleman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
Winning Strategy ◽  
Supreme Court Decision ◽  
The United States ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Trade Offs

The author of this article argues that the two-decades-long litigation struggle was necessary to push the political actors in Mississippi into a more virtuous than vicious legal/political negotiation. The second and related argument, however, is that neither the 1992 United States Supreme Court decision in Fordice nor the negotiation provided an adequate riposte to plaintiffs’ claims. The author shows that their chief counsel for the first phase of the litigation wanted equality of opportunity for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), as did the plaintiffs. In the course of explicating the role of a legal grass-roots humanitarian, Coleman suggests lessons learned and trade-offs from that case/negotiation, describing the tradeoffs as part of the political vestiges of legal racism in black public higher education and the need to move HBCUs to a higher level of opportunity at a critical juncture in the life of tuition-dependent colleges and universities in the United States. Throughout the essay the following questions pose themselves: In thinking about the Road to Fordice and to political settlement, would the Justice Department lawyers and the plaintiffs’ lawyers connect at the point of their shared strength? Would the timing of the settlement benefit the plaintiffs and/or the State? Could plaintiffs’ lawyers hold together for the length of the case and move each piece of the case forward in a winning strategy? Who were plaintiffs’ opponents and what was their strategy? With these questions in mind, the author offers an analysis of how the campaign— political/legal arguments and political/legal remedies to remove the vestiges of de jure segregation in higher education—unfolded in Mississippi, with special emphasis on the initiating lawyer in Ayers v. Waller and Fordice, Isaiah Madison

scholarly journals Application Method of a Simplified Heat and Moisture Transfer Model of Building Construction in Residential Buildings

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4180
Author(s):  
Joowook Kim ◽  
Michael Brandemuehl
Keyword(s):  
Latent Heat ◽  
Moisture Transfer ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Outdoor Environment ◽  
Transfer Model ◽  
Heat And Moisture Transfer ◽  
Heat And Moisture

Several building energy simulation programs have been developed to evaluate the indoor conditions and energy performance of buildings. As a fundamental component of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning loads, each building energy modeling tool calculates the heat and moisture exchange among the outdoor environment, building envelope, and indoor environments. This paper presents a simplified heat and moisture transfer model of the building envelope, and case studies for building performance obtained by different heat and moisture transfer models are conducted to investigate the contribution of the proposed steady-state moisture flux (SSMF) method. For the analysis, three representative humid locations in the United States are considered: Miami, Atlanta, and Chicago. The results show that the SSMF model effectively complements the latent heat transfer calculation in conduction transfer function (CTF) and effective moisture penetration depth (EMPD) models during the cooling season. In addition, it is found that the ceiling part of a building largely constitutes the latent heat generated by the SSMF model.

scholarly journals Risk, Recessions and Resilience: Towards Sustainable Local Labor Markets through Employment Portfolio Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7926
Author(s):  
Bharman Gulati ◽  
Stephan Weiler
Keyword(s):  
Labor Market ◽  
Labor Markets ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Local Labor Markets ◽  
Local Labor Market ◽  
Business Survival ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
New Business

This paper explores the role of local labor market dynamics on the survival of new businesses. The characteristics of the local labor market are likely to influence the survival of new businesses, the level of entrepreneurship, and the resilience of the regional economy. We apply portfolio theory to evaluate employment-based and income-based measures of risk-and-return trade-offs in local labor markets on new business survival in the United States. Our results show that volatility in local labor markets has a positive impact on new business survival, especially in Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The results are robust across different timeframes, including during economic downturns, thus highlighting the contribution of new businesses in developing the resilience of the local economy, and further promoting sustainable regional economic development.

scholarly journals Identifying integrated options for agricultural climate change mitigation

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Tzilivakis ◽  
Kathleen Lewis ◽  
Andrew Green ◽  
Douglas Warner
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mitigation Options ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Environmental Objectives ◽  
Change Mitigation

Purpose – In order to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is essential that all industry sectors have the appropriate knowledge and tools to contribute. This includes agriculture, which is considered to contribute about a third of emissions globally. This paper reports on one such tool: IMPACCT: Integrated Management oPtions for Agricultural Climate Change miTigation. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – IMPACCT focuses on GHGs, carbon sequestration and associated mitigation options. However, it also attempts to include information on economic and other environmental impacts in order to provide a more holistic perspective. The model identifies mitigation options, likely economic impacts and any synergies and trade-offs with other environmental objectives. The model has been applied on 22 case study farms in seven Member States. Findings – The tool presents some useful concepts for developing carbon calculators in the future. It has highlighted that calculators need to evolve from simply calculating emissions to identifying cost-effective and integrated emissions reduction options. Practical implications – IMPACCT has potential to become an effective means of provided targeted guidance, as part of a broader knowledge transfer programme based on an integrated suite of guidance, tools and advice delivered via different media. Originality/value – IMPACCT is a new model that demonstrates how to take a more integrated approach to mitigating GHGs on farms across Europe. It is a holistic carbon calculator that presents mitigation options in the context other environmental and economic objectives in the search for more sustainable methods of food production.

Optimizing the Cost and Reliability of Shared Anchors in an Array of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Devin ◽  
Bryony DuPont ◽  
Spencer Hallowell ◽  
Sanjay Arwade
Keyword(s):  
Optimization Algorithm ◽  
System Reliability ◽  
Failure Modes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Bayesian Optimization ◽  
Maintenance Cost ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

Abstract Commercial floating offshore wind projects are expected to emerge in the United States by the end of this decade. Currently, however, high costs for the technology limit its commercial viability, and a lack of data regarding system reliability heightens project risk. This work presents an optimization algorithm to examine the trade-offs between cost and reliability for a floating offshore wind array that uses shared anchoring. Combining a multivariable genetic algorithm with elements of Bayesian optimization, the optimization algorithm selectively increases anchor strengths to minimize the added costs of failure for a large floating wind farm in the Gulf of Maine under survival load conditions. The algorithm uses an evaluation function that computes the probability of mooring system failure, then calculates the expected maintenance costs of a failure via a Monte Carlo method. A cost sensitivity analysis is also performed to compare results for a range of maintenance cost profiles. The results indicate that virtually all of the farm's anchors are strengthened in the minimum cost solution. Anchor strength is in- creased between 5-35% depending on farm location, with anchor strength nearest the export cable being increased the most. The optimal solutions maintain a failure probability of 1.25%, demonstrating the trade-off point between cost and reliability. System reliability was found to be particularly sensitive to changes in turbine costs and downtime, suggest- ing further research into floating offshore wind turbine failure modes in extreme loading conditions could be particularly impactful in reducing project uncertainty.

scholarly journals A multiscale approach to balance trade-offs among dam infrastructure, river restoration, and cost

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (47) ◽  
pp. 12069-12074 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel G. Roy ◽  
Emi Uchida ◽  
Simone P. de Souza ◽  
Ben Blachly ◽  
Emma Fox ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
River Restoration ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Dam Removal ◽  
The United States ◽  
Multiscale Approach ◽  
Funding Policy ◽  
Net Benefit ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Aging Infrastructure

Aging infrastructure and growing interests in river restoration have led to a substantial rise in dam removals in the United States. However, the decision to remove a dam involves many complex trade-offs. The benefits of dam removal for hazard reduction and ecological restoration are potentially offset by the loss of hydroelectricity production, water supply, and other important services. We use a multiobjective approach to examine a wide array of trade-offs and synergies involved with strategic dam removal at three spatial scales in New England. We find that increasing the scale of decision-making improves the efficiency of trade-offs among ecosystem services, river safety, and economic costs resulting from dam removal, but this may lead to heterogeneous and less equitable local-scale outcomes. Our model may help facilitate multilateral funding, policy, and stakeholder agreements by analyzing the trade-offs of coordinated dam decisions, including net benefit alternatives to dam removal, at scales that satisfy these agreements.

Male Youth Activities and Metropolitan Context

1998 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
S R Holloway
Keyword(s):  
Black Male ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
White Male ◽  
The United States ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Activity Choices ◽  
The Impact

The research reported here examines the impact of metropolitan location on the activity choices of a sample of black and white male youths living in large metropolitan areas in the United States in 1980. The results of the analysis confirm that similar youths living in different metropolitan areas will make different activity choices. Furthermore, black male youths are found to be substantially more sensitive to metropolitan context than white male youths. The analysis also suggests that black and white disadvantaged youths respond differently to metropolitan context in terms of the trade-offs between activities. Disadvantaged black male youths are highly unlikely to be employed in all metropolitan areas and tend to trade-off staying in school with idleness, whereas disadvantaged white male youths tend to trade-off employment with idleness, depending on the metropolitan area they live in. This research confirms the importance of incorporating geographic context into our theoretical understanding of male youths' behavior. We must also, however, continue to address the implications of race as it shapes the context-dependent labor-market experiences of male youths.

scholarly journals Forest Product Trade Impacts of an Invasive Species: Modeling Structure and Intervention Trade-Offs

2006 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey P. Prestemon ◽  
Shushuai Zhu ◽  
James A. Turner ◽  
Joseph Buongiorno ◽  
Ruhong Li
Keyword(s):  
Forest Products ◽  
The United States ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Forest Sector ◽  
Spatial Equilibrium ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Spatial Equilibrium Model ◽  
The World ◽  
Nun Moth ◽  
Market Consequences

Asian gypsy and nun moth introductions into the United States, possibly arriving on imported Siberian coniferous logs, threaten domestic forests and product markets and could have global market consequences. We simulate, using the Global Forest Products Model (a spatial equilibrium model of the world forest sector), the consequences under current policies of a widespread, successful pest invasion, and of plausible trading partner responses to the successful invasion. We find that trade liberalization would have a negligible effect on U.S. imports of Siberian logs and, consequently, on the risk of a pest invasion. But, if it happened, possibly through trade in other commodities, a successful and widespread pest invasion would have large effects on producers and consumers over the period 2002 to 2030.

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