PRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC HOT WATER IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY BY USING A COMBINED SOLAR - TLUD SYSTEM

Fossil fuels are an exhaustible resource on Earth, and their use pollutes the environment massively. The population of the planet has grown a lot, and for the production of domestic hot water, to ensure a decent standard of living, it is necessary to consume increasing quantities of fossil fuels. The very high level of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere leads to an increase in average of annual temperature and climate change. Climate change is manifested by the melting of the ice caps, which has the consequence of increasing the level of the seas and oceans. Climate change also leads to extreme weather events such as floods, heat waves or the appearance of arid areas. Risks to human health have increased through deaths caused by heat or by changing the way some diseases are spread. Risks also exist for flora and wildlife due to rapid climate change.Many species of animals migrate, and other species of animals and plants are likely to disappear. Climate change also leads to costs for society and the economy due to damage to property and infrastructure, which have been more than 90 billion euros in the last 30 years, just because of the floods. In order to reduce the effects of environmental pollution, ecological energy production solutions need to be expanded. The article presents the creation of an experimental stand of a Solar - TLUD stove combined system for the production of domestic hot water in a sustainable way. TLUD is the acronym for "Top-Lit UpDraft". The advantage of the combined heat system is that it can provide thermal energy both during the day and at night. If the atmospheric conditions are unfavorable (clouds, fog) and do not allow the water to be heated only with the solar panel, TLUD gas stove can be used to supplement the energy. The TLUD stove has low Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Particulate Matter (PM) emissions. After gasification, about 10% of the carbon contained in the biomass is thermally stabilized and can be used as a "biochar" in agriculture or it can be burnt completely, resulting in very little ash. The stand is composed of a solar thermal panel, a TLUD stove, a boiler for hot water storage and an automation system with circulation pumps and temperature sensors. To record the experimental results, a data acquisition board was used, with which data were recorded from a series of temperature and flow transducers located in the installation. Experimental results include diagrams for temperature variation, available energy and heat accumulated in the boiler. Keywords: combined thermal system, TLUD stove, domestic hot water, solar thermal panel, data aquisition system

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR CLIMATE RESILIENT BUILDINGS AND CITIES

The paper addresses the topic of nature-based solutions applied in the architectural and urban design. These ideas are analyzed in the context of the opportunities they create for the humanity in terms of the sustainable growth and environmental protection. Nature-based solutions are inherently taken from nature. The first part of the paper presents their tremendous potential to be energy and resource-efficient, and resilient to change. In the second part of the research particular concepts driven from nature (copied form nature or inspired by nature) proposed for the buildings and cities are described and evaluated. The author discusses their functional usefulness, spatial appropriateness, adaptation to local conditions, end-user comfort, environmental benefits and the possibility of duplication. Nature-based solutions applied in urban planning can make cities more climate resilient and contribute to ecosystems restoration. The paper describes how sustainable urbanization can stimulate economic growth, make cities more attractive and enhance well-being of the inhabitants. It is also explained how particular buildings can benefit from the concepts driven from nature e.g. by increasing their energy efficiency and performance in terms of raw material consumption. In purpose to properly response to the climate challenge, humanity has to establish a new kind of partnership with nature. Using nature-based solutions should be considered as an important part of this approach. The concepts presented in this paper show some of the most promising options, such as integration of living systems with built systems and innovative combinations of soft and hard engineering. In conclusion some of the most promising nature-based solutions for climate resilient buildings and cities are indicated

GEOPHYSICAL MONITORING: NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESERVE ARCHITECTURAL MONUMENTS AND GREEN DESIGN IN URBAN AREAS

A new geophysical prospecting technique developed by the author was effectively applied for these purposes in 1994–2005 within the architectural complex of the Kazan Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The author has developed and successfully employed a unique gravity monitoring technique consisting in independent measurements at set points and at certain time intervals in the architectural complex of the Kazan Kremlin. The results of the geophysical monitoring and geodetic surveys conducted in open areas and inside architectural monuments offer new opportunities in preserving ancient buildings. Because geophysical monitoring can identify the negative impact of active geological processes on foundations of buildings, mitigation measures can be taken in timely manner. However, because the Kazan Kremlin is a state historical and architectural museum reserve, another objective is to maintain its exterior and renovate its green design. The above technology can also be used to analyze the technical condition of high-rise buildings, industrial facilities, underground railway systems and other structures, and significantly prolong their operating life.

CRITERIA AND PRINCIPLES OF THE TECHNICAL-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS APPLICABLE IN ECOLOGY

Environment protection, like a new religion consists of: environmental programmes, objectives and targets, training, incentive schemes, audit frequency, site inspections, administration and community relations. This paper presents the main environmental performance indicators. They should therefore be cost-effective and appropriate to the size and type of organization and its needs and priorities. Organizations should make the optimum use of the environmental information they collect. To this end the indicators should fulfill the dual purpose of assisting the management of the organization and providing information to stakeholders. In article we present a set of Environmental Performance Indicators (EPI). These indicators should therefore be cost-effective and appropriate to the size and type of organization and its needs and priorities. We present many categories of environmental performance indicators: comparability (indicators should enable a comparison and show changes in the environmental performance); balance between problematic (bad) and prospective (good) areas, continuity (indicators should be based on the same criteria and should be taken over comparable time sections or units); timeliness (indicators should be updated frequently enough to allow action to be taken); clarity (indicators should be clear and understandable).

ASSESSMENT OF WOODEN BUILDINGS IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE GENERATION

Construction industry creates an environment for people's lives. On the other hand, construction activities have a negative impact on various aspects of the environment. It consumes natural raw materials, significantly contributes to carbon footprint, waste, etc. Appropriate choice of constructional, material, technical, technological and environmental parameters of buildings can partially reduce this negative impacts. By designing, implementing and using wood-based constructions it is possible to reduce the negative impact in the area of construction waste generation. Currently, the construction market offers a large number of construction systems of wooden buildings, which have both strengths and weaknesses. In this paper are identified construction systems of wooden buildings offered on the Slovak construction market. The aim of the paper is a detailed identification of construction waste generation during the realization of particular wooden structures and monitoring of waste generation in production factory (off site) and on construction site (on site) during the construction of wooden buildings. Based on the obtained information, the individual construction systems of wood-based constructions are compared in terms of construction waste generation

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF QUARRY SURVEYING

There are several surveying methods whose practical function is to determine the areas of land, distances, heights, the amount of earthwork, and to produce reduced images of the earth's surface. The research looks at how geodetic and remote sensing methods can be used, and the results they provide in quarry surveying. The most important in quarry surveying is to get an accurate land surface for calculation of the volume of mineral resources. After quarries surveying, it is possible to calculate the amount of remaining mineral resources. Within the framework of the research, were performed surveying in quarries with geodetic surveying and remote sensing methods. For geodetic surveying was used GNSS receiver and a robotic total station, but from remote sensing methods were used aerial photography and aerial laser scanning. The most important reason why it is important to get an accurate surface and make an accurate volume calculation in quarry surveying is the economic factor. The economic analysis was carried out using a comparison method based on volume, market price and natural resources tax. The research presents the advantages and disadvantages of each surveying method and explains the results obtained, based on economic calculations. The main conclusion is that the accuracy of the preparation of land surface relief models is based mainly on economic calculations because mineral resources are a commodity that is bought and sold for which tax is payable.

ENERGY POVERTY IN THE CONTEXT OF SMOG AS EXEMPLIFIED BY POLAND

This article is aimed at analysing the most important facts and patterns concerning energy poverty as well as at attempted verification of the hypothesis connecting this poverty type and smog. First, the problem of smog in Poland is presented. Next, the work analyses energy poverty, reviewing the adopted measures of that phenomenon and specifying its scale and geographical distribution. It is shown that the areas struggling with the problem of smog are also the ones with the highest quantity of energy-poor households. Those are the most urbanized and heavily populated regions of Poland. According to the analysis, solutions to the problem of smog should be connected directly with liquidating energy poverty of households. The adopted methodology is based on the “Low Income High Costs” (LIHC) index. This index considers modifications proposed by the Institute for Structural Research (ISR), adapting it to the Polish conditions and the level of details of data available for Poland

ANALYSIS OF THE EFFICIENCY OF A EUROPEAN FUNDED PROJECT

The paper aims to analyse the management of projects on European funding, taking into account two major directions, namely the efficiency and effectiveness of management. In order to achieve these objectives, a number of issues are examined, such as: the achievement degree of the indicators proposed by the project, the most efficient use of existing funding and the analysis of project sustainability, considering both market realities as well as the provisions of the initial project. Important in the analysis are both the results obtained during the implementation period of the project and the values recorded after the completion of the projects and the way in which, in the absence of financial support, there is continuity in the conduct of the activities..

TECHNICAL-ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT ELEMENTS SPECIFIC TO ECO-COMMERCE

The article has as a starting point the definition of the notion of commerce in its two senses: economic sense and legal sense. We also defined the notion of eco-commerce as "the presentation and sale of organic products, under prescribed ecological conditions", according to European regulations. Also, in the article we present original elements of technical-economic management specific to eco-commerce. We present and analyze the correlations between the "4 P" of the marketing mix (production, price, promotion, placement) and the technological elements. Based on an original correlation scheme, we have designed and analyzed 7 levels of such correlations, of which we notice: the biunivocal correlation Product (P1) - Promoting (P2) is based on assuring the quality of the product, The level of technological optimization is directly correlated with the product’s quality. In the article we also present an original model of economic analysis. This model has as its starting point 3 categories of subjects: Intern performers, Joint performers and External performers. Information (including conclusions) of economic analysis conducted can be passed to the three distinct pathways: Domestic Customers → Direct (Official) → Company (trader); Indirect (unofficial) → Company (trader); External Customers (with respect ownership) → Indirect Competition (banks) → Company (trader).

THE ADVANTAGES OF APPLYING REMOTE SENSING FOR REGULATING NATURE PROTECTION ACTIVITIES

The purpose of the study is to identify whether remote sensing has any benefits for controlling economic activity and protection, especially in forest areas. The practical value of research is that to substantiate the recommendations for applying remote sensing to increase efficiency of nature protection and economic activities in forests areas (using international experience, including Russia and Kazakhstan). The results show that remote sensing may help to collect the required data which has the significance for developing the reaction strategy to the external threats and for minimising their impact on forestry.