scholarly journals INTEGRATING EARTHEN BUILDING MATERIALS AND METHODS INTO MAINSTREAM CONSTRUCTION

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-106
Author(s):  
Lola Ben-Alon ◽  
Vivian Loftness ◽  
Kent A Harries ◽  
Erica Cochran Hameen ◽  
Michael Bridges
Keyword(s):  
Indoor Air ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Environmental Assessments ◽  
Technical Data ◽  
Building Permits ◽  
Earthen Construction ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Building Policy

ABSTRACT Earthen Building Materials and Methods (EBMM) exhibit excellent environmental, health, indoor air quality and affordability benefits. Despite these advantages, EBMM are not yet broadly implemented in mainstream construction. The main barriers and gaps to implementing earthen construction are analyzed through 126 survey responses and 10 in-depth interviews of a range of experts and end-users, and possible solutions to overcoming these barriers are presented. Specifically, the research indicates that according to earthen construction experts and potential homeowners, inability or difficulty in obtaining building permits is the strongest barrier to implementation. Additionally, existing technical data and environmental assessments must be synthesized and enumerated in order to support decision makers in advancing earthen building policy.

scholarly journals Biological susceptibility of earth plasters: The influence of relative humidity on fungal growth

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-14
Author(s):  
Marie Sokolová ◽  
Pavla Ryparová
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Fungal Growth ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Earthen Construction ◽  
External Conditions ◽  
Microbiological Agents ◽  
Number Of Authors

All building materials can be affected by microbiological agents during their lifecycle. The presence of microorganisms changes the appearance of the surface, degrading it, and they can even cause health problems to the residents. The biological susceptibility is dependent on the content of nutrient based on organic compounds. Thus one of the most susceptible of those materials are earthen construction materials. The degree of fungal growth is influenced by the chemical composition and plant fibres additives as well as the external conditions such as temperature and relative humidity. The earth plastering mortar has started to gain more attention recently as it is considered to have a low environmental impact and to increase the indoor air quality. Mechanical and physical characteristics of earth materials were studied by a number of authors but the knowledge about the biological resistance of the material is scarce. This study intends to look into the issue of the biological colonisation of earth plasters depending on the relative humidity. The samples, made of four types of earth plasters with different plant fibres, were placed to an environment of the relative humidity ranging from 33% to 100%. During a period of 4 weeks the extent of fungal growth was observed.

Young Adults’ Contextualization of Environmental and Sustainability Issues: A Critical Issue for Environmental Education Intervention

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony KOLA-OLUSANYA
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Insight Into

As soon as decision makers are expected to make differences towards sustainable future, young adults’ ability to make informed and sound decisions is considered essential towards securing our planet. This study provides an insight into young adults’ knowledge of key environment and sustainability issues. To answer the key research questions, data were obtained using a qualitative phenomenographic research approach and collected through 18 face-to-face in-depth interviews with research participants. The findings of this study suggest that young adults lived experiences that play a huge role in their level of awareness of topical environmental and sustainability issues critical to humanity’s future on earth. 

scholarly journals The Improvement of Indoor Air Quality in Residential Buildings in Dubai, UAE

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 250
Author(s):  
Chuloh Jung ◽  
Jihad Awad
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Field Survey ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Radon Gas ◽  
Volatile Organic ◽  
Residential Projects

Due to unprecedented urbanization, UAE had built many new residential projects with poor choices of material and ventilation. This social phenomenon is leading UAE to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) faster than any other countries. The Dubai Municipality regulates the indoor air quality with strict stipulation, but the detailed regulations are still insufficient. The objective of this paper is to measure the indoor air quality of new residential projects in Dubai to suggest the improvement of the regulations for indoor air quality. As a methodology, a field survey was conducted to investigate the status of indoor air pollution in residential buildings. Based on the field survey data, lab experiments for building materials were conducted and a computer simulation on radon gas was conducted. The result had shown that radon gas was mainly detected in new townhouses and labor camp houses, and its concentration was found to exceed the standard. Volatile organic solvents (VOCs) and formaldehyde (CH2O) were mainly detected in showhouses and new townhouses, and the concentration distribution was about 10 times higher than that of outdoors. It was proven that emission concentration of radon gas from various building materials were detected, and the order was red clay, gypsum board, and concrete. Volatile organic solvents (VOCs) are mainly detected in oil paints and PVC floor and the radiation amount of all pollutants increased with temperature increase. In computer simulation, it was found that a new townhouse needs a grace period from 20 days to 6 months to lower the radon gas concentration by 2 pCi/L. This study will serve as a basic data to establish more detailed regulation for the building materials and improve the IAQ standards in Dubai.

scholarly journals Pengembangan Potensi Pusat Kota Serang sebagai Wisata Heritage Perkotaan Berbasis Masyarakat

2020 ◽  
pp. 144
Author(s):  
Arfah Sahabudin ◽  
Rusdin Rusdin ◽  
M. Sapari Dwi Hadian
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Heritage Tourism ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Tourist Destination ◽  
Library Research ◽  
Strategic Policy ◽  
Depth Interviews

The existence of the potential for heritage tourism in center of Kota Serang is now almost eliminated and forgotten, whereas if it is managed optimally, many benefits can be generated. The purpose of the research is to reveal the potential of heritage tourism in center of Kota Serang to be developed as a tourist destination. The research method used is a qualitative method. Primary data collection through observation techniques and in-depth interviews. Secondary data through library research. Data analysis uses an interactive model, through three activities namely data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The results of the study indicate that there is no clear strategic policy and the lack of efforts in achieving optimal utilization of potential inheritance for tourism development. The synergy of all stakeholders and decision makers is needed to run in line with the vision and mission of development. The proposed development model is community-based heritage tourism. Keywords: heritage tourism, urban-community-based tourism, urban tourism

scholarly journals The Implementation of 2013 Curriculum in Mathematics Learning at SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Tangerang

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Nisvu Nanda Saputra ◽  
Rika Sukmawati
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Mathematics Learning ◽  
Routine Activities ◽  
Technical Data ◽  
Training Activities ◽  
Descriptive Approach ◽  
The City ◽  
Depth Interviews

The objectives in this study are 1) Describe the implementation of the 2013 curriculum in mathematics learning, 2) Formulate what factors support and hinder the implementation of the 2013 curriculum. This study is a type of qualitative research using a descriptive approach. The study subjects were mathematics teachers who taught in class X of SMA Muhammadiyah 3 in Tangerang City. Data collection techniques used are in-depth interviews, observation, documentation. Technical data analysis is done by reducing, presenting data, and verification. The results showed that the X grade mathematics teacher in implementing the 2013 curriculum was still lacking. This can be seen by teachers not compiling RPPs based on the 2013 curriculum. As a result, the learning process is not in accordance with the demands according to 2013 curriculum references. Factors that prevent teachers from implementing the 2013 curriculum are teachers who have not attended 2013 curriculum training, teachers have not joined and are taking part in routine activities in the city high school MGMP routine Tangerang, schools have not facilitated 2013 curriculum training activities and the lack of existing infrastructure in the school environment to support the implementation of the 2013 curriculum

scholarly journals Co to znaczy być artystą/artystką?

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-99
Author(s):  
Marek Krajewski ◽  
Filip Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Visual Arts ◽  
Visual Art ◽  
Fine Arts ◽  
Nationwide Survey ◽  
Social World ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Common ◽  
Artistic Career ◽  
Depth Interviews

Who is an artist? Questions over how to define this role divided the makers of the project The Invisible Visual: Visual Art in Poland—Its State, Role, and Significance. The authors’ sources of data were the results of a nationwide survey, a survey of graduates of the Polish Academy of Fine Arts in the years 1975–2011, and in-depth interviews with seventy individuals in the field of visual arts. The authors were able to establish, first, that persons working in the art field give different definitions from those beyond its bounds; second, that artists, decision-makers, curators, and critics try to defend the sense and autonomy of their activities against ways of thinking and acting that are typical of other areas of the social world (while they are themselves engaged in disputes over who has a right to call him- or herself an artist and what is and isn’t good art); and third, being an artist is marked by a difficult-to-cross boundary, as is shown by the common necessity of supplementing artistic work by other sources of income and the high risk of failure in an artistic career.

Forum: Nonuse of Nuclear Weapons in World Politics: Toward the Third Generation of “Nuclear Taboo” Research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Smetana ◽  
Carmen Wunderlich
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Nuclear Weapons ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
World Politics ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Large N ◽  
Second Wave ◽  
Depth Interviews

Abstract That nuclear weapons have not been used in war since 1945 is one of the most intriguing research puzzles in the field of international relations. It has sparked a fruitful scholarly debate: Can the persistence of the nonuse of nuclear weapons be understood with reference to a normative “taboo” subject to a constructivist logic of appropriateness, or does it rather constitute a prudent tradition based on a logic of consequences as rationalist scholars would have it? Recently, a study by Daryl Press, Scott Sagan, and Benjamin Valentino provided further impetus for this debate and opened up a “second generation” of “taboo” research. Unlike the first generation, the second wave examined attitudes toward nuclear use among the general public rather than elite decision-makers and used large-N experimental surveys rather than in-depth interviews and archival research. In particular, these studies raised several methodological questions on how to capture the “atomic aversion”: Is it meaningful to examine public attitudes in order to grasp the validity of the nuclear “taboo” (as opposed to elite perspectives) and can we infer a weakening of the normative aversion toward nuclear use from public surveys? Bringing together the pioneers of the original debate as well as more recent contributors, this special forum seeks to take stock of the progress that has been made by discussing the theoretical, conceptual, and methodological underpinnings of the research on the nonuse of nuclear weapons. Specifically, the contributions critically reflect upon the second wave of nuclear taboo scholarship with the overall aim to build bridges between different theoretical approaches and to identify avenues for further research in this area. Ultimately, this forum seeks to present the relevance of re-envisioning nuclear taboo research to a broader audience.

Shopping streets vs malls: preferences of low-income consumers

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Tulio Zanini ◽  
Fernando Filardi ◽  
Fábio Villaça ◽  
Carmen Migueles ◽  
Aline Menezes Melo
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quantitative And Qualitative Research ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Patronage Intention ◽  
Low Income Consumers ◽  
Depth Interviews

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the attributes of shopping streets and shopping malls that influence the satisfaction and patronage intention of low-income consumers in order to understand the consumers’ preferences when it comes to shopping in these retail agglomerations.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on quantitative and qualitative research, including in-depth interviews and focus groups with low-income consumers. The research collected data from 396 consumers at 3 retail agglomerations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and used a structured questionnaire to identify 12 attributes as the factors of the agglomerations’ attractiveness.FindingsThe results show that the items “selection” and “value” affect satisfaction and patronage intention at the same intensity in both shopping streets and shopping malls. However, the item “access” proved to be important for shopping malls, and the item “security” proved to be important for shopping streets. The results indicate that shopping streets have a preference for patronage intentions, despite the greater satisfaction generated by shopping malls. In addition, the study looked at consumers’ opinions on these retail agglomerations.Originality/valueThe research findings help to build a conceptual framework on evolved retail agglomerations in comparison to created retail agglomeration, represented by shopping streets and shopping malls, respectively. The findings allow a broader view of low-income consumption, offering insights so entrepreneurs and companies can direct their efforts to better capture value and improve the supply of products and services. Likewise, these findings will help public policy decision-makers to build and provide infrastructure for the preservation of shopping streets, maintaining this option for the consumer.

scholarly journals Revised Finnish classification of indoor climate 2018

2019 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 02017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mervi Ahola ◽  
Jorma Säteri ◽  
Laura Sariola
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Environment ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Indoor Climate ◽  
Environmental Classification ◽  
Target Values

The Finnish Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (FiSIAQ) introduced a Classification of Indoor Climate, Construction Cleanliness, and Finishing Materials in 1995. The Classification of Indoor Climate has been revised to meet the new Decree on indoor air quality and ventilation, European standards and experience from users of the classification. The most significant change is that target values for concentration and the in/out ratio of fine particles have been added. Other adjustments have been made to ensure good indoor environment and energy efficiency, but with reasonable investments. The criteria for emissions from building material and furniture were also updated. The Building Information Foundation RTS sr has run the M1-labelling of building products since 1996. The voluntary approach has been proven to improve the IAQ in new buildings and to reduce emissions from building materials. The Classification of Indoor Environment 2018 is integrated part of the new RTS Environmental Classification system.

scholarly journals 220Rn (Thoron) Geohazard in Room Air of Earthen Dwellings in Vietnam

Geofluids ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dương Nguyễn-Thuỳ ◽  
Hướng Nguyễn-Văn ◽  
Jan P. Schimmelmann ◽  
Nguyệt Thị Ánh Nguyễn ◽  
Kelsey Doiron ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Radiation Dose ◽  
Radiation Exposure ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Human Health Risk ◽  
Radiation Hazard ◽  
Inhalation Dose ◽  
Interior Walls

Thoron’s (220Rn) contribution to α-radiation exposure is usually considered negligible compared to that of 222Rn (radon). Despite its short half-life of 55.6 seconds, thoron can be exhaled from porous surface layers of building materials into indoor air where people subsequently inhale radioisotopes, including metallic radioactive progeny. Bare surfaces of dry porous soil with relatively high 232Th content can pose a thoron radiation hazard in indoor air. On northern Vietnam’s Đồng Văn karst plateau, the spatial distribution of thoron was determined in indoor air of traditional earthen and other types of dwellings using portable RAD7 and SARAD® RTM 2200 detectors. “Mud houses” are constructed with local compacted soil and typically do not have any floor or wall coverings (i.e., no plaster, wallpaper, or paint). Detailed measurements in a mud house revealed levels of thoron in room air averaging >500 Bq m-3. The spatial distribution of α-radiation from thoron in indoor air at a distance of about 1 m from interior walls was fairly homogeneous and averaged ~200 Bq m-3. Most concerning, from a human health perspective, were the high thoron concentrations of up to 884 Bq m-3 in sleeping areas near mud walls. The average annual thoron radiation dose to inhabitants of mud houses was estimated based on 13 hours of daily occupancy, including daily activities and sleeping. The estimated average thoron inhalation dose of 27.1 mSv a-1 during sleeping hours near mud surfaces accounts for nearly 75% of the total estimated radon and thoron inhalation dose of 37.4 mSv a-1 from indoor mud house air. Our conservative annual radiation dose estimates do not include subsequent radiation from inhaled metallic progeny of thoron. Our data demonstrate a significant human health risk from radiation exposure and a critical need for remediation in traditional northern Vietnamese mud house dwellings.

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