scholarly journals Green roofs – good regulatory practices with potential to be applied in Bulgaria and North Macedonia

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 29-39
Author(s):  
Mariam Bozhilova ◽  
Miglena Zhiyanski ◽  
Biljana Stojanova ◽  
Plamen Glogov
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Incentive Mechanisms ◽  
Good Practices ◽  
Green Area ◽  
Private Investors

Green roofs are used worldwide to mitigate the impacts of extensive urbanization, bringing benefits on social, economic, and environmental levels. In order to promote and facilitate the construction of green roofs by private investors, many countries have developed specific legislative requirements and incentives. However, there still are countries where the construction of green roofs is not properly addressed in the legislation, and where no incentive mechanisms are developed.  The good practices in three European countries, leaders in regards to the implementation of green roofs – the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, are analyzed in this article. A variety of incentives is introduced to accelerate the construction of green roofs. Different requirements are also set to ensure that the roofs will be designed and maintained to provide the desired benefits. The existing local regulations in Bulgaria and North Macedonia were analyzed as well. The only incentive in Bulgaria is the possibility of reducing the legally required green area by compensating it with a green roof. In North Macedonia, no legislative documents or incentives related to green roofs were found. The regulations, applied in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and other countries can be used as good practice examples, modified, and applied from the authorities of countries that still have not developed their own, in order to motivate the investors and facilitate the construction of green roofs.

scholarly journals Legislative requirements related to substrate depth as a barrier to the construction of green roofs in Bulgaria

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-104
Author(s):  
Mariam Bozhilova ◽  
Miglena Zhiyanski ◽  
Plamen Glogov
Keyword(s):  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
National Legislation ◽  
Green Area ◽  
Substrate Layer ◽  
Green System ◽  
Substrate Depth ◽  
Existing Data

There are 265 municipalities in Bulgaria. According to the national legislation, each Municipal Coun-cil adopts an Ordinance for the construction and protection of the green system. Most of the mu-nicipalities have such ordinances, however, only 75 of them stipulate regulative requirements, under which a green roof can be considered a green area. These requirements refer to the substrate depth and are unreasonably high. While positive impacts are reported in green roofs with a substrate layer thickness of 4 – 5 cm, green roofs with substrate depth under 10 cm are not considered a green area in any of the reviewed ordinances. One municipality considers green roofs with substrate 10-30 cm as a green area, under specific conditions. This paper provides a review of the stipulations of the Bulgarian local legislation against the existing data for the effects of green roofs with different substrate depths and outlines the need for amendment of the legislation and future research. 

scholarly journals A Good Practice (based on ELINET criteria) of Non-formal Education Involving a Library to Improve Literacy Skills (on the example of Hungarian project)

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (27) ◽  
pp. 37-54
Author(s):  
Ildikó Szabó
Keyword(s):  
Formal Education ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
National Level ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
European Countries ◽  
John Von Neumann ◽  
Von Neumann ◽  
Good Practices ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Practice Framework

Started in February 2014, ELINET project run for 2 years including 28 European countries. It aimed to analyse and consult on literacy policies at a local, regional, national, and trans-national level, raising awareness of literacy issues and coordinating campaigns. Ultimately, the fruit of this network was to include a European framework of good practice in raising literacy levels and a sample of corresponding examples. The paper is to present the way good practices were collected and reviewed; and introduces a good practice (run by John von Neumann University Pedagogical Faculty, “Reading belongs to everyone, even to you!”) based on the ELINET good practice framework.

scholarly journals Good practices in honors education with examples to follow

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Pierre Van Eijl ◽  
Albert Pilot
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Educational Innovation ◽  
Educational Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Good Practices ◽  
Honors Education ◽  
Introductory Paper

Honors education offers students challenging experiences and teachers a laboratory for educational innovation. Successful innovations can stimulate other teachers to experiment and improve their educational practice. This requires that innovations become known to other teachers. For this reason, a project on good practices in honors education has been started in The Netherlands, where good practices in honors education of universities were described and published on a website of the Dutch Honors Network. Until now, 19 good practices are described, 17 from The Netherlands and two from the United States. Nine are selected for this issue. In this introductory paper, the good practice project and research about good practices are described. Different views and principles about honors education are discussed. A series of keywords to bridge the different views and the principles with the nine good practices published in this issue are presented. An analysis of the collected data of the good practices is carried out, followed by conclusions, discussions, and reflections. It appears that six good practices already led to innovations elsewhere in curricula.

Routes of Technology Transfer to SMEs

1996 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 293-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.A. Grant ◽  
P. van der Sijde ◽  
C. Henry ◽  
I. Koswenska ◽  
T. Scott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Technology Transfer ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Transfer Process ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Transfer Mechanism ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Critical Elements ◽  
Transfer Mechanisms ◽  
Successful Technology

This article discusses the results of a European project funded under SPRINT, the European Commission's central programme for technology transfer. The authors describe and analyse ‘good practice’ technology transfer mechanisms which are being implemented in the Netherlands, Ireland, Northern Ireland, France and Sweden. It is the authors' view that there is no one best model of a technology transfer mechanism/route to small and medium-sized entreprises. Each route is unique, and plays a different role in the technology transfer process. Based on technology transfer experiences from five different European countries, the authors examine and highlight the critical elements required for an effective university–SME partnership. In conclusion, strategic recommendations are set out for creating more successful technology transfer routes to the SME sector.

scholarly journals Health promotion and primary prevention in 21 European countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Barnfield ◽  
N Savolainen
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Primary Prevention ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Joint Action ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Value Assessment ◽  
Good Practices ◽  
Eu Member States

Abstract It has been estimated that chronic diseases cost EU economies €115 billion or 0.8% of GDP annually. Approximately 70% to 80% of health care budgets are spent on treating chronic diseases. There is a wealth of knowledge within EU Member States on effective ways to prevent chronic diseases and promote health and wellbeing. There is great potential to reduce the burden by making better use of this knowledge as we know that the majority of chronic diseases can be prevented, or their onset delayed. In order to unlock this knowledge we have compiled health promotion landscape reports from twenty-one European countries involved in the Joint Action CHRODIS PLUS. This paper will present the current actions, policies, and programmes that European countries are currently undertaking in health promotion. It is based on responses to a specially designed questionnaire that asked countries to assess their good practices, identify their gaps and needs, and outline their policy contexts and capacity in relation to health promotion. This paper makes four key conclusions: (1) health promotion across Europe receives limited attention from policy makers; (2) there is a division between medical and social approaches to health and health in all policies needs to be fully implemented more widely in more countries in Europe; (3) there is not enough funding for health promotion; (4) health promotion needs further operationalisation to facilitate easier monitoring and value assessment. The need to develop mechanisms to share information, examples of good practice, and support for capacity development in health promotion and primary prevention is a shared goal across European countries. The Joint Action CHRODIS PLUS will lead the effort in implementing good practices, exploring inter- and intra-sectoral collaboration, and encouraging resilient and better informed investment in health promotion and primary prevention. The country reviews and this paper are a first step in that direction.

scholarly journals Seismic Performance of a Green Roof Structure

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4278
Author(s):  
Svetlana Tam ◽  
Jenna Wong
Keyword(s):  
Green Roof ◽  
Time History ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Moment Frame ◽  
Steel Moment Frame ◽  
Roof Structure ◽  
Nonlinear Time History Analyses ◽  
Vegetated Roofs ◽  
Nonlinear Time History ◽  
The Impact

Sustainability addresses the need to reduce the structure’s impact on the environment but does not reduce the environment’s impact on the structure. To explore this relationship, this study focuses on quantifying the impact of green roofs or vegetated roofs on seismic responses such as story displacements, interstory drifts, and floor level accelerations. Using an archetype three-story steel moment frame, nonlinear time history analyses are conducted in OpenSees for a shallow and deep green roof using a suite of ground motions from various distances from the fault to identify key trends and sensitivities in response.

scholarly journals Housing spaces in Europe: a comparative analysis of standards in nine European Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Raffo ◽  
L Appolloni ◽  
D D'Alessandro
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Well Being ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Living Room ◽  
Wide Variability ◽  
Economic Trends ◽  
Minimum Height ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Housing Standards

Abstract Introduction In recent years, Public Health devoted a growing interest to housing conditions. In particular, housing dimensions and functional characteristics are relevant, mainly considering population ageing and disability. Aim of the study is to compare housing standards of some European countries to analyse their ability to satisfy new population needs. Methodology The dwellings dimensional standards of 9 European countries (Sweden, UK, Denmark, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Italy) are compared. From the websites of the official channels of the various countries the regulations have been downloaded. The standards have been compared. Results A wide variability in the dimensions of room among the standards is observed (e.g. single room: from 9 sqm in Italy, to 7 sqm in France, to the absence of any limit in UK, Germany - Hesse and Denmark). Italian and French regulations define housing dimension considering the room use (eg. bed or living room) and the number of people. The Swedish regulation provides performance requirements and functional indications but does not specify the minimum dimensions of habitable rooms. The rooms' minimum height varies between the standards. In Italy and Portugal, the minimum height of the ceiling is intended to be 2.70 m, while in the other nations the minimum heights vary from 2.60 m in the Netherlands to no limit in UK. Conclusions A diverse approach among European Countries is observed: from a market-oriented logic (e.g., UK), in which minimum dimensions are not defined, to a prescriptive one (Italy), to a functionality-oriented (the Netherlands). The regulations of some Countries are health-oriented especially for most fragile social classes, since, defining larger dimensional standard, they reduce the risk of overcrowding, indoor air pollution and mental distress. However, considering the health, social, environmental and economic trends, many of these standards should be revised. Key messages Optimal housing standards promote the health and well-being of occupants. Healthy housing, healthy people.

scholarly journals Addressing the Water–Energy–Food Nexus through Enhanced Green Roof Performance

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1972
Author(s):  
Jeremy Wright ◽  
Jeremy Lytle ◽  
Devon Santillo ◽  
Luzalen Marcos ◽  
Kristiina Valter Mai
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Performance Optimization ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Stormwater Management ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Rainwater Runoff ◽  
Rain Events

Urban densification and climate change are creating a multitude of issues for cities around the globe. Contributing factors include increased impervious surfaces that result in poor stormwater management, rising urban temperatures, poor air quality, and a lack of available green space. In the context of volatile weather, there are growing concerns regarding the effects of increased intense rainfalls and how they affect highly populated areas. Green roofs are becoming a stormwater management tool, occupying a growing area of urban roof space in many developed cities. In addition to the water-centric approach to the implementation of green roofs, these systems offer a multitude of benefits across the urban water–energy–food nexus. This paper provides insight to green roof systems available that can be utilized as tools to mitigate the effects of climate change in urbanized areas. A new array of green roof testing modules is presented along with research methods employed to address current issues related to food, energy and water performance optimization. Rainwater runoff after three rain events was observed to be reduced commensurate with the presence of a blue roof retention membrane in the testbed, the growing media depth and type, as well as the productive nature of the plants in the testbed. Preliminary observations indicate that more productive green roof systems may have increasingly positive benefits across the water–energy–food nexus in dense urban areas that are vulnerable to climate disruption.

scholarly journals Environmental Citizenship and Energy Efficiency in Four European Countries (Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Hungary)

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1154
Author(s):  
Ibolya Czibere ◽  
Imre Kovách ◽  
Gergely Boldizsár Megyesi
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Financial Barriers ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Horizon 2020 ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
The Social

In our paper we aim at analysing the social factors influencing energy use and energy efficiency in four different European countries, using the data from the PENNY research (Psychological social and financial barriers to energy efficiency—Horizon 2020). As a part of the project, a survey was conducted in four European countries (Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Hungary) to compare environmental self-identity, values and attitudes toward the energy use of European citizens. Previous research has examined the effect of a number of factors that influence individuals’ energy efficiency, and attitudes to energy use. The novelty of our paper that presents four attitudes regarding energy use and environmental consciousness and compares them across four different regions of Europe. It analyses the differences between the four attitudes among the examined countries and tries to understand the factors explaining the differences using linear regression models of the most important socio-demographic variables. Finally, we present a typology of energy use attitudes: four groups, the members of which are basically characterised by essentially different attitudes regarding energy use. A better understanding of the diversity of energy use may assist in making more accurate policy decisions.

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