Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment—A Survey Based Potential Future Development for Implementation and Interpretation

The aim of this study is to define, via an online expert survey, current challenges and possible future approaches in and for the implementation, application, and interpretation of the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA). Using an online survey, sustainability experts from around the world were surveyed over a period of five weeks, resulting in 71 experts answering 25 questions. The experts were invited by e-mail and through networks; the online questionnaire was the preferred survey choice particularly for reasons of time, cost, and the pandemic. The survey evaluation shows that no change in LCSA is needed. Nevertheless, (1) a detailed optional baseline LCSA framework, with pre-selected fixed indicator sets, (2) a supporting optional but unified visualization tool, (3) a clear and transparent communication on assumptions, targets and system boundaries and (4) early defined stakeholders were identified as relevant for further LCSA implementation and interpretation. Due to natural subjectivity, the results of this written survey are to be understood as recommendations for action and orientation, not explicitly as a prediction. Finally, an action outlook for future LCSA-development is given.

Evaluating the impact of free private well testing outreach on participants' private well stewardship in New Jersey

Over 1 million people in New Jersey (NJ) are estimated to receive drinking water from private wells. The most commonly detected contaminants in NJ private well water are naturally occurring arsenic and gross alpha (8.3 and 10.9%, respectively). Between 2015 and 2018, three free and voluntary private well testing events tested a total of 571 at-risk wells and 226 (40%) were identified as having one or more contaminants exceeding drinking water standards. Participants were invited to complete a survey to evaluate household characteristics, participant experience, and private well stewardship behavior patterns. Of 529 delivered surveys, 211 (40%) participants completed surveys. Among respondents, 63% reported plans to test their private wells in the future. Among failed wells, 45% of households reported performing mitigative action in response to the event, either through the installation of water treatment system or switching to bottled water. The survey evaluation identified previous knowledge of well contamination risks and discussing test results with a third party as important factors for promoting self-reported stewardship behavior. The evaluation provides guidance for outreach organizers to develop effective testing events and further considers the private well owners' experience of the outreach events to identify information for ‘best practices’ and improvements of future programs.

ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF COMFORT OF HOUSING COMPLEXES (DEVELOPMENT STUDIES IN WESTERN UKRAINE)

Architects and urban planners in the process of designing residential areas use building codes that consider the comfort of living only in terms of safety, sanitation and environmental performance. This article highlights the problem of taking into account a number of additional social parameters of comfort that affect the characteristics of living comfort. The structure of a comprehensive analysis of housing is formed by assessing the elements of living comfort. The presented research algorithm includes the consistent use of methods of sociological survey, evaluation and modeling. Having identified socio-psychological factors of comfort of a residential district at different levels of urban assessment (in the context of location in the city system, formation of the surrounding area, spatial and architectural-planning level), 3 residential development projects of Ivano-Frankivsk were assessed. For a comparative analysis, the architectural and planning solutions of residential quarters "Lemkivsky", "Club town 12", "Vidensky" were used, the construction of which began in 2017. This took into account not only the quantitative technical and economic indicators of individual elements of the project, but also qualitative indicators, the measurement of which in normal conditions is a resource-intensive process. As a result of the analysis and the carried-out estimation the graphic model of the complex analysis of a residential quarter is formed that allows to carry out comparison of various design decisions irrespective of size of a site of quantity of housing sections, etc. Using the method of movement to the ideal, a comprehensive analysis of various residential complexes was carried out. The obtained results allow, both at the stage of designing residential neighborhoods and the analysis of operated facilities to assess them in accordance with the needs of people, as well as to balance the indicators of comfort by applying the proposed architectural and planning techniques.

Survey Evaluation of an Approach for Dynamic Software Product Lines

In Dynamic Software Product Lines (DSPLs) product configuration occurs at runtime. Modelling variability and configuring the product in DSPLs should consider the context and non-functional requirements (NFRs) satisfaction. ConG4DaS (Contextual Goal models For Dynamic Software product lines) is a Requirements Engineering (RE) approach for DSPL which supports (i) modelling of variability with goals, NFRs, contexts and the relationship be-tween them; and (ii) offers a product configuration based on contexts, NFRs and their priority and interactions. In this paper, we present a survey evaluation of ConG4DaS with RE and DSPL researchers in regard to the perceived usefulness. In the survey, both RE and DSPL researchers perceived ConG4DaS as useful for modelling and configuring DSPLs. However, the RE group gave more positive answers than the DSPL group.

Helminthic Infestation of Grass Root Level Students in a Selected Madrasha of Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, 4 million students study in 64000 madrasha, which represent 7% of all students, most of these are unregistered. There is little evaluation of helminthic infestation by any authority. It is believed that madrasha students came from vulnerable part of society. : Present Sheikh Hasian government declared on equivalency of their certificate therefore it is important to study on them and evaluate their helminthic infestation. May be this is one of the first study on helminthic infestation on grass root level madrasha students in Bangladesh. We conducted the study to evaluate on helminthiasis to find out current situations, to identify the risk factors and for intervention to control of helminthic infestation. This cross sectional study was conducted on 164 from 1000 residential students by simple random sampling. Face to face interview and anthropometric measurement were conducted by semistructured open ended questionnaire from those students. Out of hundred-sixty four students all were male, age range from 06-18 years, ova found 75% students in their stool sample, 71% have multiple helminthasis, Ascaris Lumbricoids (AL) was the most (28%) prevalence, in polyparasitism 58% were Ascaris Lumbricoids and Trichuris Trichuria (AL+TT), anal itching found 68% students which indicate pin worm, no antihelminthic intake 76% students within 6 months. Teachers and parent’s health education help to prevent helminthasis. Regular survey, evaluation is needed to identify the risk factors of helminthasis for intervention, monitoring, guidance and training of students and teachers to improve their personal hygiene practice. Moreover need to intake of regular antihelminthic for dewarming to build a healthy green Bangladesh. Bangladesh Med J. 2019 May; 48 (2): 44-47