Evaluation of Well-Being and Thermal Comfort of the LAD-MA Construction System for Low-Cost Homes

This work is part of a research into the state of conservation and behavior of a group of self-built social housing. The construction, which dates from 1990, was carried out with an original low-cost construction system that uses clay and wood bricks called LAD-MA. This was implemented by the NGO Urban Technical Assistance Center “Taller Norte”, in the Peñalolén commune, Santiago de Chile, Metropolitan Region. The study focuses on the evaluation of well-being and thermal comfort in these homes, which is determined through environmental monitoring by meteorological stations installed for six months in 4 homes. It is established that the houses do not comply with the parameters set up by the international standards ISO 7730 and ASHRAE 55. For this, constructive solutions are proposed to thermally improve the current houses, and update the LAD-MA construction system to comply with the thermal Insulation standards stipulated for the Sustainable Housing Certification of the Ministry of Housing and Urbanism.

Download Full-text

Development and assessment of a low-cost embedded system for evaluation of animal thermal comfort

Scientific Electronic Archives ◽

10.36560/14320211299 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 5-13

Author(s):

M. V. S. Chaves ◽

W. G. Vale ◽

M. M. Cunha ◽

P. A. C. B. Vale ◽

A. M. Enes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Embedded System ◽

Thermal Comfort ◽

Production Cost ◽

Low Cost ◽

Well Being ◽

Animal Production ◽

Productive Potential ◽

Controlled Environments ◽

Globe Temperature ◽

Black Globe Temperature

Technologically advanced animal production requires more controlled environments, aiming to maximize animal performance and, consequently, the profitability of the activity. To do that, it is necessary to instrument, evaluate and diagnose the various rearing environments. Hence, Precision Animal Production is inserted in this context and aims to effectively meet the general needs of the animal, so that it reach its full productive potential, correcting the divergences between the environment and its well-being to guarantee its comfort. Since Brazil is a country with tropical climate, which is a major obstacle, the proposal of this project is to develop a prototype for embedded system of thermal comfort analysis at low cost. Using sensors and the microcontroller Arduino to manage data, this work fulfilled its objective, with a prototype device (WGV-1c) capable of measuring dry bulb temperature, wet bulb temperature, black globe temperature, relative humidity, BGHI and THI with production cost below that proposed by the market.

Download Full-text

Open source modules for tracking animal behavior and closed-loop stimulation based on Open Ephys and Bonsai

10.1101/340141 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alessio Paolo Buccino ◽

Mikkel Elle Lepperød ◽

Svenn-Arne Dragly ◽

Philipp Häfliger ◽

Marianne Fyhn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Open Source ◽

Real Time ◽

Closed Loop ◽

Low Cost ◽

Data Formats ◽

Behavioral Tracking ◽

Real Time Tracking ◽

Set Up ◽

And Behavior ◽

Closed Loop Stimulation

AbstractObjectiveA major goal in systems neuroscience is to determine the causal relationship between neural activity and behavior. To this end, methods that combine monitoring neural activity, behavioral tracking, and targeted manipulation of neurons in closed-loop are powerful tools. However, commercial systems that allow these types of experiments are usually expensive and rely on non-standardized data formats and proprietary software which may hinder user-modifications for specific needs. In order to promote reproducibility and data-sharing in science, transparent software and standardized data formats are an advantage. Here, we present an open source, low-cost, adaptable, and easy to set-up system for combined behavioral tracking, electrophysiology and closed-loop stimulation.ApproachBased on the Open Ephys system (www.open-ephys.org) we developed multiple modules to include real-time tracking and behavior-based closed-loop stimulation. We describe the equipment and provide a step-by-step guide to set up the system. Combining the open source software Bonsai (bonsai-rx.org) for analyzing camera images in real time with the newly developed modules in Open Ephys, we acquire position information, visualize tracking, and perform tracking-based closed-loop stimulation experiments. To analyze the acquired data we provide an open source file reading package in Python.Main resultsThe system robustly visualizes real-time tracking and reliably recovers tracking information recorded from a range of sampling frequencies (30-1000Hz). We combined electrophysiology with the newly-developed tracking modules in Open Ephys to record place cell and grid cell activity in the hippocampus and in the medial entorhinal cortex, respectively. Moreover, we present a case in which we used the system for closed-loop optogenetic stimulation of entorhinal grid cells.SignificanceExpanding the Open Ephys system to include animal tracking and behavior-based closed-loop stimulation extends the availability of high-quality, low-cost experimental setup within standardized data formats serving the neuroscience community.

Download Full-text

An Integrated Framework for Users’ Well-Being

Proceedings ◽

10.3390/ecsa-4-04908 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 114 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Francesco Salamone ◽

Lorenzo Belussi ◽

Ludovico Danza ◽

Italo Meroni

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Low Cost ◽

Personal Data ◽

Well Being ◽

Field Investigation ◽

Indoor Environmental Quality ◽

Technical Standards ◽

Cultural Aspects ◽

Comfort Perception ◽

Holistic Concept

The hygro-thermal comfort (ICQ) is defined as the psychophysical state in which the subject expresses a condition of well-being with respect to environmental variables, a condition known as thermal neutrality. Furthermore, the ICQ represents one pillar of the holistic concept of the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). The methods for the assessment of ICQ and recognized at international level are mainly two. The former, based on a steady-state approach, described by the EN ISO 7730:2005 and applied to Fully Mechanically Controlled buildings (FMC) equipped with an active conditioning system. The latter, based on an adaptive approach, as defined trough in field activities and described by the technical standard ASHRAE 55 and EN 15,251, instead, considers the users as active subjects that interact with surrounding environment and are influenced in their comfort perception by external conditions. In this case, the thermal comfort concept is not just defined depending on physical, but also psychological, social, economic and cultural aspects. The technical standards provides that this method could be applied in middle seasons when the control of comfort is handled by passive technological methods, i.e., in the so called Natural Ventilated or Free Running buildings (FR). In this approach, methodologies providing the direct involvement of the end user are consolidating, through the collection of physiological, psychological and behavioral personal data as to obtain the better assessment of the comfort conditions. Placing in this field, the article describes the results of a field investigation in an office aimed at defining a framework for the assessment of the thermal comfort based on the two approaches through the use of low cost technology solutions, parametric and freeware models.

Download Full-text

Paper Need Not Be Flat: Paper and Biomaterials Industries Need to Converge to Bring about True Innovation

BioResources ◽

10.15376/biores.12.2.2249-2251 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 2249-2251 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Lokendra Pal ◽

Margaret Joyce

Keyword(s):

3D Printing ◽

Environmental Impact ◽

Recent Progress ◽

Low Cost ◽

Paper Industry ◽

Well Being ◽

Sustainable Housing

Biomaterials and new processes (3D printing and flexible hybrid electronics) offer opportunities to break free from a 2D paper world by allowing for the development of smart multi-dimensional structures. While there has been recent progress reported in each of these areas of technology, to date, the merger of these technologies has been very limited. We believe that their merger offers boundless opportunities and an opportunity for the paper industry to innovate a low cost, sustainable housing solution capable of promoting the well-being of its occupants while minimizing the environmental impact of its daily use.

Download Full-text

Nature-Based Solutions: Thermal Comfort Improvement and Psychological Wellbeing, a Case Study in Genoa, Italy

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su132111638 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (21) ◽

pp. 11638

Author(s):

Francesca Mosca ◽

Giulia Maria Dotti Sani ◽

Andrea Giachetta ◽

Katia Perini

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Urban Heat Island ◽

Natural Environment ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Well Being ◽

Heat Island ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Critical Issues ◽

Urban Heat ◽

Set Up

The urban heat island (UHI) effect is among the most critical issues caused by human activities and high building density. UHI has severe impacts on the urban and natural environment as well as on human health and wellbeing. The research presented here aims at evaluating the effects of nature-based solutions (NBS) in improving the livability of a district in the city of Genoa, which is heavily cemented and a major example of the heat island phenomenon. This study focuses on the microclimatic benefits of urban heat island mitigation as well as on psychological and perceptual aspects. A preliminary analysis of the district through CFD simulations using Envi-met software allowed for selection of the most suitable areas for a system of punctual interventions in urban regeneration using nature-based solutions. For each area identified, we simulated the effects of different design scenarios on microclimate mitigation and thermal comfort improvement. In addition, to evaluate the perceptual benefits of the most well-performing design scenarios, we set up a web-based survey that was administered to a convenience sample of Genoa residents. In terms of aesthetic satisfaction and perception of improved conditions of physical and psychological well-being, the preferred design outcomes were those which emphasized a freer and more natural environment. This study shows that nature-based solutions can improve the overall conditions of dense urban areas; microclimate performance and psychological effects should be both considered in the design process in order to improve the wellbeing of urban citizens.

Download Full-text

Development of a Personal Ultrasound Exposimeter for Occupational Health Monitoring

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182413289 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (24) ◽

pp. 13289

Author(s):

Michal Cieslak ◽

Christoph Kling ◽

Andrea Wolff

Keyword(s):

Occupational Health ◽

Health Monitoring ◽

High Frequency ◽

Free Field ◽

Well Being ◽

International Standards ◽

Ultrasonic Frequency ◽

Individual Measurement ◽

Laboratory Environment ◽

Set Up

Prolonged exposure to airborne ultrasound in a workplace can have a detrimental influence on a worker’s well-being. Given the ever-increasing use of ultrasonic industrial equipment, it is of vital importance—and may also be regulated by law—to monitor ultrasound exposure during a normal workday as part of workplace risk assessment. However, the devices currently utilized exhibit limitations with regard to both their operational frequency and their portability (wearability). In this paper, the first prototype of a high-frequency and ultrasound personal exposimeter is presented in the light of the latest national and international standards governing high-frequency and ultrasonic noise measurement in the field of occupational health monitoring. The prototype was tested in the laboratory environment in order to assess its sound level detection capabilities in both the audible and ultrasonic frequency ranges. Several common industrial scenarios—including an ultrasonic welding machine, an ultrasonic cleaning bath, and a compressed air gun—were simulated in a laboratory environment. For each simulated set-up, a corresponding high-frequency or ultrasonic signal was fed through a specially prepared generation chain. Each experimental scenario was initially surveyed with an ultrasound level meter previously tested up to 100 kHz. This was followed by a measurement with the prototype. For this study, the simulated sound signals varied between 10 kHz and 40 kHz on the frequency scale and between 60 dB and 90 dB in amplitude. The portability of the prototype, which may be required to be worn throughout an entire workday (e.g., 8 h), was also considered. All the experiments were performed on a customized ultrasound measurement set-up within a free-field environment located at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig, Germany. Results obtained suggest a good agreement between the measurements performed with both devices in the louder areas of the sound fields produced. Because the overall measurement uncertainty is highly dependent on the specificity of the individual measurement set-up and measurement procedure, an uncertainty budget estimated for the prototype considers electro-acoustical contributions only.

Download Full-text

Socio-Economic Implications of Labour Migration in Akpabuyo, Cross River State Nigeria.

Risks and Catastrophes Journal ◽

10.24193/rcj2020_14 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 101-114

Author(s):

Iheoma O. Iwuanyanwu

Keyword(s):

Economic Development ◽

Low Cost ◽

Well Being ◽

Economic Implications ◽

Cross River ◽

Cross River State ◽

Healthcare Needs ◽

Socio Economic Development ◽

The Government ◽

Set Up

The relationship between migration and socio-economic development as a whole cannot be less emphasized, especially when the movement involves economically productive individuals. Migration can aid economic growth and development of both the regions of origin and destination. This study focused on those migrants who move to work and earn a living in Akpabuyo local government, Cross River State, Nigeria, as well as their relationship with the indigenes of the area. A total of 384 questionnaires were distributed to the migrants and non-migrants alike in a multi-staged process. Findings from the analyses revealed that migrant labourers contribute significantly to the overall socio-economic development of Akpabuyo and that the socio-economic well-being of migrants and non-migrants differ significantly. This was proven by the statistical result of the paired sample t-test which compared; the number of hours put into work by migrants and non-migrant (t= -3.4, p=0.001), the perception of commensurability of time and energy put into work and income derived (t=5.4, p=0.0), average monthly income (t=0.0, p=1.0) and sufficiency of income generated by migrants and non-migrants in taking care of education and healthcare needs (t=4.0, p=0.0).The study recommended that the government should set up institutions and facilities that would foster socio-economic development in Akpabuyo LGA such that can be affordable to both migrants and otherwise and encourage them to utilize same such as schools, low cost housing, health care centers, cottage industries, etc. Likewise, since migrants are key to the socio-economic development of Akpabuyo LGA, the inflow of migrants to the area should be encouraged.

Download Full-text

Using Binding Communication to Promote Conservation Among Hotel Guests

Swiss Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1024/1421-0185/a000160 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 74 (3) ◽

pp. 169-175 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Lohyd Terrier ◽

Benedicte Marfaing

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Communication Strategies ◽

Communication Strategy ◽

Communication Model ◽

Classical Communication ◽

Persuasive Message ◽

Sustainable Behavior ◽

And Behavior ◽

Attitudes And Behavior

This research applies the binding communication model to the sustainable communication strategies implemented in most hotels. The binding communication model links a persuasive message with the implementation of a low-cost commitment to strengthen the link between the attitudes and behavior of those receiving the message. We compared the effectiveness of a classical communication strategy (n = 86) with that of a binding communication strategy (n = 101) to encourage guests to choose sustainable behavior. Our results show that using the binding communication strategy generates significantly more sustainable behavior in guests than using the classical communication strategy. We discuss our results and suggest future avenues of research.

Download Full-text

Conflict Avoidance in Old Age

GeroPsych ◽

10.1024/1662-9647/a000168 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 61-70 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Lia Oberhauser ◽

Andreas B. Neubauer ◽

Eva-Marie Kessler

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Perceived Social Support ◽

Well Being ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Conflict Avoidance ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adult Lifespan ◽

Set Up

Abstract. Conflict avoidance increases across the adult lifespan. This cross-sectional study looks at conflict avoidance as part of a mechanism to regulate belongingness needs ( Sheldon, 2011 ). We assumed that older adults perceive more threats to their belongingness when they contemplate their future, and that they preventively react with avoidance coping. We set up a model predicting conflict avoidance that included perceptions of future nonbelonging, termed anticipated loneliness, and other predictors including sociodemographics, indicators of subjective well-being and perceived social support (N = 331, aged 40–87). Anticipated loneliness predicted conflict avoidance above all other predictors and partially mediated the age-association of conflict avoidance. Results suggest that belongingness regulation accounts may deepen our understanding of conflict avoidance in the second half of life.

Download Full-text

Development of a Capacitor Probe to Detect Subsurface Deterioration in Concrete

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-503-231 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 503 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

B. K. Diefenderfer ◽

I. L. Al-Qadi ◽

J. J. Yoho ◽

S. M. Riad ◽

A. Loulizi

Keyword(s):

Dielectric Constant ◽

Portland Cement ◽

Electromagnetic Waves ◽

Low Cost ◽

Complex Dielectric Constant ◽

Life Cycle Costs ◽

Parallel Plates ◽

Portland Cement Concrete ◽

Cement Concrete ◽

Set Up

ABSTRACTPortland cement concrete (PCC) structures deteriorate with age and need to be maintained or replaced. Early detection of deterioration in PCC (e.g., alkali-silica reaction, freeze/thaw damage, or chloride presence) can lead to significant reductions in maintenance costs. However, it is often too late to perform low-cost preventative maintenance by the time deterioration becomes evident. By developing techniques that would enable civil engineers to evaluate PCC structures and detect deterioration at early stages (without causing further damage), optimization of life-cycle costs of the constructed facility and minimization of disturbance to the facility users can be achieved.Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods are potentially one of the most useful techniques ever developed for assessing constructed facilities. They are noninvasive and can be performed rapidly. Portland cement concrete can be nondestructively evaluated by electrically characterizing its complex dielectric constant. The real part of the dielectric constant depicts the velocity of electromagnetic waves in PCC. The imaginary part, termed the “loss factor,” describes the conductivity of PCC and the attenuation of electromagnetic waves.Dielectric properties of PCC have been investigated in a laboratory setting using a parallel plate capacitor operating in the frequency range of 0.1 to 40.1MIHz. This capacitor set-up consists of two horizontal-parallel plates with an adjustable separation for insertion of a dielectric specimen (PCC). While useful in research, this approach is not practical for field implementation. A new capacitor probe has been developed which consists of two plates, located within the same horizontal plane, for placement upon the specimen to be tested. Preliminary results show that this technique is feasible and results are promising; further testing and evaluation is currently underway.

Download Full-text