Housing First and Photovoice: Transforming Lives, Communities, and Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Barile, John P.; Ogawa, Terry Yasuko; Peralta, Nelson; Bugg, Reumell; Lau, John; Lamberton, Thomas; Hall, Corazon; Mori, Victor

2018-01-01

This article presents findings from a community-based participatory evaluation of a Housing First program on the Island of O’ahu. In this study, clients in a Housing First program used Photovoice to evaluate the program and to advocate for progressive housing policies. Written together by members of the Housing First Photovoice group, this collaborative article describes the outcomes from both the Housing First program and the Photovoice project and demonstrates the ways in which participatory program evaluations can interact with client-driven programs like Housing First to produce a cumulative, transformative impact. Findings suggest that community psychologists hoping to re-engage with community mental health systems through enacting transformative change should consider taking a community-based participatory approach to program evaluation because increased client voice in community mental health programs and their evaluations can have far-reaching, transformative impacts for research, practice, and policy. PMID:29323410

Temporal stability of personality traits in group-housed gestating sows.

Science.gov (United States)

Horback, K M; Parsons, T D

2016-08-01

The movement of sows (Sus scrofa domesticus) out of individual gestation stalls and into group housing can introduce new sources of stress due to the enhanced environmental and social complexity. Some sows may have the behavioral capacity to adapt to these changes better than others. However, little is known about individual differences in behavioral responses, or personality traits, in gestating sows and how they impact the animal's ability to cope with group housing. The temporal consistency in the assessment of an animal's behavior is a prerequisite to the establishment of personality traits and was addressed at an interval of approximately five months during two consecutive gestation periods in the present study. Forty-six group-housed sows from a commercially available genetic line were assessed for aggressive and social behaviors at mixing into a group, reaction to human approach, ease of handling, exploration of an open field, and reaction to a novel object. Principal component analysis revealed the presence of three traits accounting for over 60% of the variance in behaviors: aggressive/dominant, avoidant of humans and active/exploratory. Individual component scores were significantly correlated between pregnancies demonstrating temporal stability of trait assessment. Significant relationships were found between aggressive/dominant component scores and individual feed rank at electronic sow feeding stations and skin lesion scores, as well as between avoidant of humans component scores and average number of stillbirths per litter. These findings provide evidence for the temporal stability of distinct behaviors contributing to personality traits within a group of genetically similar sows and demonstrate how these traits may be useful in identifying individuals likely to succeed in group housing.

Public Attitudes to Housing Systems for Pregnant Pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, E B; Fraser, D; Weary, D M

2015-01-01

Understanding concerns about the welfare of farm animals is important for the development of socially sustainable production practices. This study used an online survey to test how views on group versus stall housing for pregnant sows varied when Canadian and US participants were provided information about these systems, including access to scientific papers, YouTube videos, Google images, and a frequently-asked-questions page (S1 Appendix). Initial responses and changes in responses after accessing the information were analyzed from Likert scores of 242 participants and from their written comments. Participants were less willing to accept the use of gestation stalls after viewing information on sow housing. For example, initially 30.4% of respondents indicated that they supported the use of gestation stalls; this declined to 17.8% after participants were provided additional information. Qualitative analysis of comments showed that supporters of gestation stalls expressed concern about the spread of disease and aggression between animals in less confined systems, whereas supporters of group housing placed more emphasis on the sow's ability to interact socially and perform natural behaviors. These results point to public opposition to the use of gestation stalls, and indicate that the more that the public learns about gestation stalls the less willing they will be to accept their use.

Influence of housing system on the growth and histological structure ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was aimed at determining the effect of housing systems on the growth, feed conversion ratio (FCR), meatiness and size of muscle fibres of Pekin (P44) and Muscovy (MR71) ducks. Each genetic group included 360 birds (180 males and 180 females). The ducks were divided into four experimental groups ...

Power System for Intelligent House

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michal Jahelka

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Power supply of intelligent houses or house phones is possible to do with standard transformer with voltage stabilizer or with intelligent power supply. Standard solution can has as a result of failure fuse blown or fire occurrence. Intelligent power supply switch off power and tests with little current whether short circuit is removed. After it resume system power supply. At the same time it cares of system backup with accumulator, informs control system about short circuit or failure net power supply, or can switch off all system power after command from control system.

Advanced house air-barrier systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, R.K. [Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

1996-08-01

Air barrier systems used in modern Canadian airtight homes were discussed. The Advanced Houses Program sets its airtightness requirements at 1.5 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals pressure difference (ACH{sub 5}0). In recent tests of 10 houses, it was suggested that a better airtightness level was attainable with average airtightness of about 1.0 ACH{sub 5}0. Six of the homes tested did not use the traditional polyethylene approach. Two of the houses used the airtight drywall approach, one used a foam system, and three used exterior air barriers. The advantages and disadvantages of each system was described, including cost effectiveness, cost reduction, performance and installation advantages. The confusion between an air barrier and a vapour diffusion retarder was explained. Exterior air barriers showed the greatest potential for meeting airtightness requirements at reasonable cost. 5 refs., 3 tabs.

Group housing during gestation affects the behaviour of sows and the physiological indices of offspring piglets at weaning

Science.gov (United States)

In order to compare the behaviour of sows in stalls and group housing systems, and the physiological indices of their offspring, 28 sows were randomly distributed into 2 systems with 16 sows in stalls, and the other 12 sows were divided into 3 groups with 4 sows per pen. The area per sow in stalls a...

Effect of hiding places, straw and territory on agression in group-housed rabbit does

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rommers, J.M.; Reuvekamp, B.F.J.; Gunnink, H.; Jong, de I.C.

2014-01-01

Group-housing of rabbit does may be preferred from welfare point of view. However, group-housing causes agonistic behaviour which may cause severe injuries. Severe injuries may be prevented by offering hiding places for attacked does. Providing enrichment (straw) may reduce agonistic behaviour by

Mouse housing system using pressurized cages intraventilated by direct-current microfans.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinewski, Alexandre; Correia, Caio S C; de Souza, Nívea L; Merusse, José L B

2012-03-01

We performed the initial assessment of an alternative pressurized intraventilated (PIV) caging system for laboratory mice that uses direct-current microfans to achieve cage pressurization and ventilation. Twenty-nine pairs of female SPF BALB/c mice were used, with 19 experimental pairs kept in PIV cages and 10 control pairs kept in regular filter-top (FT) cages. Both groups were housed in a standard housing room with a conventional atmospheric control system. For both systems, intracage temperatures were in equilibrium with ambient room temperature. PIV cages showed a significant difference in pressure between days 1 and 8. Air speed (and consequently airflow rate) and the number of air changes hourly in the PIV cages showed decreasing trends. In both systems, ammonia concentrations increased with time, with significant differences between groups starting on day 1. Overall, the data revealed that intracage pressurization and ventilation by using microfans is a simple, reliable system, with low cost, maintenance requirements, and incidence of failures. Further experiments are needed to determine the potential influence of this system on the reproductive performance and pulmonary integrity in mice.

Effects of dietary fermentable carbohydrates on energy metabolism in group-housed sows.

Science.gov (United States)

Rijnen, M M; Verstegen, M W; Heetkamp, M J; Haaksma, J; Schrama, J W

2001-01-01

The effect of dietary nonstarch polysaccharide (NSP) content on the metabolic rate in group-housed sows was studied. Twelve groups of six nonpregnant sows were each fed one of four experimental diets similar in composition except for the starch and NSP content. Exchanging sugar beet pulp silage (SBPS) for tapioca created the difference in starch and NSP ratio in the diet. On a DM basis, diets contained 0, 10, 20, or 30% SBPS. Sows were group-housed and fed at 1.30 times the assumed maintenance energy requirements. Nitrogen and energy balances were measured per group during a 7-d experimental period, which was preceded by a 33-d adaptation period. Both digestibility and metabolizability of energy decreased with increasing dietary SBPS content (P 0.1). Based on energy retention data and apparent fecal digestibilities of crude protein, crude fat, starch, and NSP, the estimated net energy value of fermented NSP was 13.4 kJ/g. The present study shows that group-housed sows are capable of using energy from fermented NSP (i.e., NSP from SBPS) as efficiently as energy from digested starch (i.e., starch from tapioca).

7 CFR 3560.69 - Supplemental requirements for congregate housing and group homes.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... CFR part 1924, subparts A and C. (b) Design criteria. Congregate housing and group homes must be designed to accommodate all special services that will be provided. (c) Services. Congregate housing and... access to the following services will be provided or made available: (i) A common kitchen in which to...

Effects of different floor housing systems on the welfare of fast-growing broilers with an extended fattening period

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E. Çavuşoğlu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This study was made to investigate the long-term effects of different floor housing systems on the welfare of fast-growing broilers. The experiment was performed on 210-day-old fast-growing hybrid male chickens with identical conditions until 47 days of age. Animal-based welfare parameters were measured to investigate the welfare level in the group housed on deep litter, a litter and slat system, and a slatted floor, with five replicates for each group. Results showed that the main welfare indicators in live birds, such breast dirtiness, plumage score, footpad lesion, and hock burn lesion, were negatively affected in broilers kept on conventional deep-litter floor housing. But hemorrhage or lesion scores of the breast and shoulder of broilers in slat floor housing were found to be significantly greater than in conventional deep litter as a result of a heavy body weight at a greater slaughter age (p < 0.05. Pathologically, the prevalence of footpad and hock joint dermatitis was very high in the deep-litter housing system. Femoral head necrosis was not observed in any floor housing group. The results indicated that keeping broilers on a slat flooring system is preferable for younger slaughter ages and for a lighter slaughter weight. When considering the relationship between animal welfare and production economy, moving from one floor house system to another floor housing system should be carefully weighted in future decisions. Moreover, further investigations are needed in order to examine the incidence of joint and bone problems with muscle inflammation in heavier broilers in commercial conditions.

Effect of weaning stress, housing system and probiotics supplementation on cortisol, thyroid activity and productive performance of sucker camel calves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel-Fattah, M.S.; Hashem, A.L.S.; Azamel, A.A.; Farghaly, H.A.M.

2011-01-01

The weaning process has been identified as associated with potential psychological, nutritional and physiological stressors on both dam and her young. These stressors are often stressful for the young. Ten sucker camel calves were weaned using calf-dam on and suckling off weaning system (calves were kept with their dams at all times during weaning process and prevented from suckling) under two housing systems, 6 calves in group housing system (G) and 4 calves in individually housing system (I). Half of calves in each housing system were supplemented with probiotics (treated, P), while the other was not-supplemented with probiotics (control, C). This study was carried out at Maryout Research Station of the Desert Research Center, 35 km to southwest of Alexandria, Egypt. Calves were weaned at 280 days of age with initial live body weight (LBW) of 236.76±0.224 kg. The duration of the study was 35 days and divided into five weeks; one week served as pre-weaning followed by four weeks served as post-weaning period (calves were in treatments). Calves and their dams were used to estimate the effects of weaning stress, housing systems (group, G vs. individually, I) and probiotics supplementation on the productive performance, cortisol (COR) and thyroid hormones (T 3 and T 4 ) concentrations of camel calves (Camelus dromedaries). No measurements were done on the dams. The results indicated that, regardless the effect of housing system and Abdel-Fattah et al., J. Rad. Res. Appl. Sci., Vol. 4, No. 4(B) (2011) 1292 probiotics supplementation, weaning stress declined LBW -0.89% at d 7 post weaning. Concerned housing system effect, group-housed calves and individually-housed calves lost -0.36 and -1.43% of their body weights, respectively on d 7 post-weaning and they recovered their weaning weight (d 0 ) on d 14 post-weaning period (2.45 and 0.57%). Neither group housing system nor probiotics supplementation prevented the weight lost resulted by weaning stress during the first

A Comparison of Cats (Felis silvestris catus Housed in Groups and Single Cages at a Shelter: A Retrospective Matched Cohort Study

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Malini Suchak

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The merits of various housing options for domestic cats in shelters have been debated. However, comparisons are difficult to interpret because cats are typically not able to be randomly assigned to different housing conditions. In the current study, we attempted to address some of these issues by creating a retrospective matched cohort of cats in two housing types. Cats in group housing (GH were matched with cats in single housing (SH that were the same age, sex, breed, coat color, and size. Altogether we were able to find a match for 110 GH cats. We compared these two groups on several measures related to their experience at the shelter such as moves and the development of behavioral problems. We also compared these groups on outcomes including length of stay, live release, and returns after adoption. We found that while the frequency of moves was similar in both groups, SH cats were more likely to be moved to offsite facilities than GH cats. SH cats also spent a smaller proportion of time on the adoption floor. Length of stay and, live release and returns after adoption did not significantly differ across groups, however GH cats were two times as likely to be returned after adoption. Future research should look at the behavioral impacts of shelter decision-making regarding moving and management of cats in different housing systems.

Effect of dietary supplementation of probiotics and enzymes on the haematology of rabbits reared under two housing systems

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Sarat Chandra Amaravadhi

Full Text Available Aim : To study the influence of housing system and dietary supplementation of probiotics and enzymes on haematological parameters of rabbits. Materials and Methods: A total of 144 weaned rabbits were divided into 2 groups of 72 in each group and housed under conventional cage system and backyard system. The rabbits in each housing system were divided into 4 groups of 18 in each group and the diets were supplemented with probiotics, enzymes and both. Results: The housing system and supplementation of probiotics and enzymes did not exert significant influence on any of the haematological parameters studied. However, there was slight positive influence of probiotic and enzyme supplementation on the health status of rabbits as revealed by haematological parameters. The overall mean Total erythrocyte count, total leucocyte count, lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes, haemoglobin and packed cell volume were 7.52, 6.29 (103/mm3, 60.27%, 35.71%, 1.35%, 1.92%, 10.67 g/dl and 34.25%, respectively. Conclusion: Rabbits can be reared on low input backyard system without any adverse effect on health and supplementation of probiotics and enzymes had a positive influence on health status of rabbits. [Vet World 2012; 5(12.000: 748-753

The interrelationships between clinical signs and their effect on involuntary culling among pregnant sows in group-housing systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Tina Birk; Bonde, Marianne Kjær; Kongsted, Anne Grete

2010-01-01

Sows suffering from clinical signs of disease (e.g. lameness, wounds and shoulder ulcers) are often involuntarily culled, affecting the farmer's economy and the welfare of the animals. In order to investigate the interrelationships between clinical signs of individual pregnant group-housed sows, we...

Design of intelligent house system based on Yeelink

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Lin Zhi-Huang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In order to monitor the security situation of house in real time, an intelligent house remote monitoring system is designed based on Yeelink cloud services and ZigBee wireless communication technology. This system includes three parts, ZigBee wireless sensor networks, intelligent house gateway and Yeelink Cloud Services. Users can access Yeelink website or APP to get real time information in the house, receiving information including gas concentration, temperature. Also, remote commands can be sent from mobile devices to control the household appliances. The user who can monitor and control the house effectively through a simple and convenient user interface, will feel much more safe and comfortable.

Usability evaluation of in-housed developed ERP system

Science.gov (United States)

Faisal, Chaudhry Muhammad Nadeem; Shakeel Faridi, Muhammad; Javed, Zahid

2011-10-01

Enterprise Resource Planning systems are the combination of different business IS (Information System) applications that are designed according to the organization requirements. Generally ERP systems are suffering from complex user interface issues. Recent research shows that there is a need for improvement concerning, the user interface from their perspectives. In order to design the software applications that are easy to use, memorize and apply to new problems, we must know the users philosophy and something about learning, reminiscence and problems solving. The Usability engineering is the only way to study the deeds of users while interacting with ERP (Enterprise Resource & Planning). This paper will focus on the users' experiences view of financial module in ERP system. The HCI research method, explicitly survey questionnaire method was adopted to gather users understanding in order to evaluate the selected modules for in-housed ERP system. The study involved group of users from two industries, the results can not be generalized as a whole. The study was first time successfully applied Usability evaluation on in-housed ERP in local industry (Masood Textile Mills, Interloop Ltd) in Pakistan. The results may hopefully opened-up an area of research and methodology that could provide considerable further benefits to Industry in developments of Industrial information systems.

Assessment of implantable infusion pumps for continuous infusion of human insulin in rats: potential for group housing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Vivi Flou Hjorth; Molck, Anne-Marie; Martensson, Martin

2017-01-01

compound in these studies, and a comparator model of persistent exposure by HI infusion from external pumps has recently been developed to support toxicological evaluation of long-acting insulin analogues. However, this model requires single housing of the animals. Developing an insulin-infusion model...... which allows group housing would therefore greatly improve animal welfare. The aim of the present study was to investigate the suitability of implantable infusion pumps for HI infusion in group-housed rats. Group housing of rats implanted with a battery-driven pump proved to be possible. Intravenous...... infusion of HI lowered blood glucose levels persistently for two weeks, providing a comparator model for use in two-week repeated-dose toxicity studies with new long-acting insulin analogues, which allows group housing, and thereby increasing animal welfare compared with an external infusion model....

A CRITICAL REVIEW OF HOUSING DELIVERY IN NAIROBI: DIFFERENT ACTORS - DIFFERENT SOCIO-ECONOMIC GROUPS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Crispino C. Ochieng

2007-11-01

Full Text Available This research was undertaken by means of qualitative ethnographic method. The arguments in this paper underlie the important role of the different actors in private tenement housing delivery in a developing city such as Nairobi, where more than half the population is poor. In Nairobi the private tenement housing delivers both conventional as well as non-conventional housing with the majority of the poor being able to access only the later. Nonconventional housing includes the informal as well as the slum. Although still targeting the poor, with time, the majority of what started as non-conventional housing undergoes greater physical development. This process ensures access to enough affordable low-income housing. Development in housing delivery has been supported by the government through encouraging creation of relevant housing institutions, developing relevant byelaws and regulations and putting in place an appropriate framework for housing delivery. For a developing city encouraging the participation of the private sector in housing delivery for the different socio-economic groups is a sure guarantee of providing housing for a large percentage of the population.

Effect of weaning stress, housing system and probiotics supplementation on cortisol, thyroid activity and productive performance of sucker camel calves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdel-Fattah, M. S.; Hashem, A. L.S.; Azamel, A. A. [Department of Animal Physiology, Animal and Poultry Production Division, Desert Research Center, Cairo (Egypt); Farghaly, H. A.M., [Biological Applications Department, Radioisotopes Applications Division, Nuclear Research Centre, Atomic Energy Authority, P.O. 13759, Inshas (Egypt)

2011-07-01

The weaning process has been identified as associated with potential psychological, nutritional and physiological stressors on both dam and her young. These stressors are often stressful for the young. Ten sucker camel calves were weaned using calf-dam on and suckling off weaning system (calves were kept with their dams at all times during weaning process and prevented from suckling) under two housing systems, 6 calves in group housing system (G) and 4 calves in individually housing system (I). Half of calves in each housing system were supplemented with probiotics (treated, P), while the other was not-supplemented with probiotics (control, C). This study was carried out at Maryout Research Station of the Desert Research Center, 35 km to southwest of Alexandria, Egypt. Calves were weaned at 280 days of age with initial live body weight (LBW) of 236.76{+-}0.224 kg. The duration of the study was 35 days and divided into five weeks; one week served as pre-weaning followed by four weeks served as post-weaning period (calves were in treatments). Calves and their dams were used to estimate the effects of weaning stress, housing systems (group, G vs. individually, I) and probiotics supplementation on the productive performance, cortisol (COR) and thyroid hormones (T{sub 3} and T{sub 4}) concentrations of camel calves (Camelus dromedaries). No measurements were done on the dams. The results indicated that, regardless the effect of housing system and Abdel-Fattah et al., J. Rad. Res. Appl. Sci., Vol. 4, No. 4(B) (2011) 1292 probiotics supplementation, weaning stress declined LBW -0.89% at d{sub 7} post weaning. Concerned housing system effect, group-housed calves and individually-housed calves lost -0.36 and -1.43% of their body weights, respectively on d{sub 7} post-weaning and they recovered their weaning weight (d{sub 0}) on d{sub 14} post-weaning period (2.45 and 0.57%). Neither group housing system nor probiotics supplementation prevented the weight lost resulted by

Effects of housing system on the costs of commercial egg production.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, W A; Sumner, D A

2015-03-01

This article reports the first publicly available egg production costs compared across 3 hen-housing systems. We collected detailed data from 2 flock cycles from a commercial egg farm operating a conventional barn, an aviary, and an enriched colony system at the same location. The farm employed the same operational and accounting procedures for each housing system. Results provide clear evidence that egg production costs are much higher for the aviary system than the other 2 housing systems. Feed costs per dozen eggs are somewhat higher for the aviary and lower for the enriched house compared with the conventional house. Labor costs are much lower for the conventional house than the other 2, and pullet costs are much higher for the aviary. Energy and miscellaneous costs are a minimal part of total operating costs and do not differ by housing system. Total capital investments per hen-capacity are much higher for the aviary and the enriched house. Capital costs per dozen eggs depend on assumptions about appropriate interest and depreciation rates. Using the same 10% rate for each housing system shows capital costs per dozen for the aviary and the enriched housing system are much higher than capital costs per dozen for the conventional house. The aviary has average operating costs (feed, labor, pullet, energy, and miscellaneous costs that recur for each flock and vary with egg production) about 23% higher and average total costs about 36% higher compared with the conventional house. The enriched housing system has average operating costs only about 4% higher compared with the conventional house, but average total costs are 13% higher than for the conventional house. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Poultry Science Association.

"There's a housing crisis going on in Sydney for Aboriginal people": focus group accounts of housing and perceived associations with health.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Melanie J; Williamson, Anna B; Fernando, Peter; Redman, Sally; Vincent, Frank

2016-05-24

Poor housing is widely cited as an important determinant of the poor health status of Aboriginal Australians, as for indigenous peoples in other wealthy nations with histories of colonisation such as Canada, the United States of America and New Zealand. While the majority of Aboriginal Australians live in urban areas, most research into housing and its relationship with health has been conducted with those living in remote communities. This study explores the views of Aboriginal people living in Western Sydney about their housing circumstances and what relationships, if any, they perceive between housing and health. Four focus groups were conducted with clients and staff of an Aboriginal community-controlled health service in Western Sydney (n = 38). Inductive, thematic analysis was conducted using framework data management methods in NVivo10. Five high-level themes were derived: the battle to access housing; secondary homelessness; overcrowding; poor dwelling conditions; and housing as a key determinant of health. Participants associated their challenging housing experiences with poor physical health and poor social and emotional wellbeing. Housing issues were said to affect people differently across the life course; participants expressed particular concern that poor housing was harming the health and developmental trajectories of many urban Aboriginal children. Housing was perceived as a pivotal determinant of health and wellbeing that either facilitates or hinders prospects for full and healthy lives. Many of the specific health concerns participants attributed to poor housing echo existing epidemiological research findings. These findings suggest that housing may be a key intervention point for improving the health of urban Aboriginal Australians.

Is music enriching for group-housed captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)?

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Emma K.; Altschul, Drew; Körfer, Karoline; Benti, Benjamin; Kaeser, Amanda; Lambeth, Susan; Waller, Bridget M.; Slocombe, Katie E.

2017-01-01

Many facilities that house captive primates play music for animal enrichment or for caregiver enjoyment. However, the impact on primates is unknown as previous studies have been inconclusive. We conducted three studies with zoo-housed chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and one with group-housed chimpanzees at the National Centre for Chimpanzee Care to investigate the effects of classical and pop/rock music on various variables that may be indicative of increased welfare. Study one compared the behaviour and use of space of 18 animals when silence, classical or pop/rock music was played into one of several indoor areas. Overall, chimpanzees did not actively avoid the area when music was playing but were more likely to exit the area when songs with higher beats per minute were broadcast. Chimpanzees showed significantly fewer active social behaviours when music, rather than silence, was playing. They also tended to be more active and engage in less abnormal behaviour during the music but there was no change to either self-grooming or aggression between music and silent conditions. The genre of music had no differential effects on the chimpanzees’ use of space and behaviour. In the second study, continuous focal observations were carried out on three individuals with relatively high levels of abnormal behaviour. No differences in behaviour between music and silence periods were found in any of the individuals. The final two studies used devices that allowed chimpanzees to choose if they wanted to listen to music of various types or silence. Both studies showed that there were no persistent preferences for any type of music or silence. When taken together, our results do not suggest music is enriching for group-housed captive chimpanzees, but they also do not suggest that music has a negative effect on welfare. PMID:28355212

Is music enriching for group-housed captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emma K Wallace

Full Text Available Many facilities that house captive primates play music for animal enrichment or for caregiver enjoyment. However, the impact on primates is unknown as previous studies have been inconclusive. We conducted three studies with zoo-housed chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes and one with group-housed chimpanzees at the National Centre for Chimpanzee Care to investigate the effects of classical and pop/rock music on various variables that may be indicative of increased welfare. Study one compared the behaviour and use of space of 18 animals when silence, classical or pop/rock music was played into one of several indoor areas. Overall, chimpanzees did not actively avoid the area when music was playing but were more likely to exit the area when songs with higher beats per minute were broadcast. Chimpanzees showed significantly fewer active social behaviours when music, rather than silence, was playing. They also tended to be more active and engage in less abnormal behaviour during the music but there was no change to either self-grooming or aggression between music and silent conditions. The genre of music had no differential effects on the chimpanzees' use of space and behaviour. In the second study, continuous focal observations were carried out on three individuals with relatively high levels of abnormal behaviour. No differences in behaviour between music and silence periods were found in any of the individuals. The final two studies used devices that allowed chimpanzees to choose if they wanted to listen to music of various types or silence. Both studies showed that there were no persistent preferences for any type of music or silence. When taken together, our results do not suggest music is enriching for group-housed captive chimpanzees, but they also do not suggest that music has a negative effect on welfare.

Is music enriching for group-housed captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)?

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Emma K; Altschul, Drew; Körfer, Karoline; Benti, Benjamin; Kaeser, Amanda; Lambeth, Susan; Waller, Bridget M; Slocombe, Katie E

2017-01-01

Many facilities that house captive primates play music for animal enrichment or for caregiver enjoyment. However, the impact on primates is unknown as previous studies have been inconclusive. We conducted three studies with zoo-housed chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and one with group-housed chimpanzees at the National Centre for Chimpanzee Care to investigate the effects of classical and pop/rock music on various variables that may be indicative of increased welfare. Study one compared the behaviour and use of space of 18 animals when silence, classical or pop/rock music was played into one of several indoor areas. Overall, chimpanzees did not actively avoid the area when music was playing but were more likely to exit the area when songs with higher beats per minute were broadcast. Chimpanzees showed significantly fewer active social behaviours when music, rather than silence, was playing. They also tended to be more active and engage in less abnormal behaviour during the music but there was no change to either self-grooming or aggression between music and silent conditions. The genre of music had no differential effects on the chimpanzees' use of space and behaviour. In the second study, continuous focal observations were carried out on three individuals with relatively high levels of abnormal behaviour. No differences in behaviour between music and silence periods were found in any of the individuals. The final two studies used devices that allowed chimpanzees to choose if they wanted to listen to music of various types or silence. Both studies showed that there were no persistent preferences for any type of music or silence. When taken together, our results do not suggest music is enriching for group-housed captive chimpanzees, but they also do not suggest that music has a negative effect on welfare.

Moving from rhetoric to reality: adapting Housing First for homeless individuals with mental illness from ethno-racial groups

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Stergiopoulos Vicky

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The literature on interventions addressing the intersection of homelessness, mental illness and race is scant. The At Home/Chez Soi research demonstration project is a pragmatic field trial investigating a Housing First intervention for homeless individuals with mental illness in five cities across Canada. A unique focus at the Toronto site has been the development and implementation of a Housing First Ethno-Racial Intensive Case Management (HF ER-ICM arm of the trial serving 100 homeless individuals with mental illness from ethno-racial groups. The HF ER-ICM program combines the Housing First approach with an anti-racism/anti-oppression framework of practice. This paper presents the findings of an early implementation and fidelity evaluation of the HF ER-ICM program, supplemented by participant narrative interviews to inform our understanding of the HF ER-ICM program theory. Methods Descriptive statistics are used to describe HF ER-ICM participant characteristics. Focus group interviews, key informant interviews and fidelity assessments were conducted between November 2010 and January 2011, as part of the program implementation evaluation. In-depth qualitative interviews with HF ER-ICM participants and control group members were conducted between March 2010 and June 2011. All qualitative data were analysed using grounded theory methodology. Results The target population had complex health and social service needs. The HF ER-ICM program enjoyed a high degree of fidelity to principles of both anti-racism/anti-oppression practice and Housing First and comprehensively addressed the housing, health and sociocultural needs of participants. Program providers reported congruence of these philosophies of practice, and program participants valued the program and its components. Conclusions Adapting Housing First with anti-racism/anti-oppression principles offers a promising approach to serving the diverse needs of homeless people from

Linking social and built environmental factors to the health of public housing residents: a focus group study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayward, Erin; Ibe, Chidinma; Young, Jeffery Hunter; Potti, Karthya; Jones, Paul; Pollack, Craig Evan; Gudzune, Kimberly A

2015-04-10

Public housing residents have a high risk of chronic disease, which may be related to neighborhood environmental factors. Our objective was to understand how public housing residents perceive that the social and built environments might influence their health and wellbeing. We conducted focus groups of residents from a low-income public housing community in Baltimore, MD to assess their perceptions of health and neighborhood attributes, resources, and social structure. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Two investigators independently coded transcripts for thematic content using editing style analysis technique. Twenty-eight residents participated in six focus groups. All were African American and the majority were women. Most had lived in public housing for more than 5 years. We identified four themes: public housing's unhealthy physical environment limits health and wellbeing, the city environment limits opportunities for healthy lifestyle choices, lack of trust in relationships contributes to social isolation, and increased neighborhood social capital could improve wellbeing. Changes in housing and city policies might lead to improved environmental health conditions for public housing residents. Policymakers and researchers may consider promoting community cohesiveness to attempt to empower residents in facilitating neighborhood change.

Effects of housing system on the costs of commercial egg production1

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, W. A.; Sumner, D. A.

2014-01-01

This article reports the first publicly available egg production costs compared across 3 hen-housing systems. We collected detailed data from 2 flock cycles from a commercial egg farm operating a conventional barn, an aviary, and an enriched colony system at the same location. The farm employed the same operational and accounting procedures for each housing system. Results provide clear evidence that egg production costs are much higher for the aviary system than the other 2 housing systems. Feed costs per dozen eggs are somewhat higher for the aviary and lower for the enriched house compared with the conventional house. Labor costs are much lower for the conventional house than the other 2, and pullet costs are much higher for the aviary. Energy and miscellaneous costs are a minimal part of total operating costs and do not differ by housing system. Total capital investments per hen-capacity are much higher for the aviary and the enriched house. Capital costs per dozen eggs depend on assumptions about appropriate interest and depreciation rates. Using the same 10% rate for each housing system shows capital costs per dozen for the aviary and the enriched housing system are much higher than capital costs per dozen for the conventional house. The aviary has average operating costs (feed, labor, pullet, energy, and miscellaneous costs that recur for each flock and vary with egg production) about 23% higher and average total costs about 36% higher compared with the conventional house. The enriched housing system has average operating costs only about 4% higher compared with the conventional house, but average total costs are 13% higher than for the conventional house. PMID:25480736

Authentication System for Electrical Charging of Electrical Vehicles in the Housing Development

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Wang-Cheol

Recently the smart grid has been a hot issue in the research area. The Electric Vehicle (EV) is the most important component in the Smart Grid, having a role of the battery component with high capacity. We have thought how to introduce the EV in the housing development, and for proper operation of the smart grid systems in the housing area the authentication system is essential for the individual houses. We propose an authentication system to discriminate an individual houses, so that the account management component can appropriately operate the electrical charging and billing in the housing estate. The proposed system has an architecture to integrate the charging system outside a house and the monitoring system inside a house.

PRODUCTIVITY OF LAYERS AND EGG QUALITY IN FREE RANGE AND CAGE SYSTEM OF HOUSING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Đ. Senčić

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The research was conducted with two groups of Lohmann Brown hybrid layers. Production of eggs lasted for 52 weeks. A control group of layers was kept in the conventional housing system, that is, in cages, while experimental group was kept in the free range system. Layers from the free range system, compared to those kept in cages, laid fewer eggs, (266:295, they consumed more feed on daily basis (129 g : 115 g, more feed per kilogram of egg weight (2.83 kg : 2.35 kg, they had higher mortality rate (6.80 % : 5.50 % and lower end of lay body weight (1.95 kg : 2.10 kg. Eggs from free range layers, compared to those from the cages system, had significantly (P0.05 were determined between the free range and the cages system of housing hens. Considering somewhat lower productivity and higher mortality rate of hens, higher feed consumption per kilogram of egg mass, but also better quality of eggs, profitability of egg production in the free range system will depend, to the maximum extent, on market evaluation of the production.

Housing system and laying hen strain impacts on egg microbiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, D R; Anderson, K E

2013-08-01

Alternative hen housing is becoming more commonplace in the egg market. However, a complete understanding of the implications for alternative housing systems on egg safety has not been achieved. The current study examines the impact of housing Hy-Line Brown, Hy-Line Silver Brown, and Barred Plymouth Rock hens in conventional cage, cage-free, and free range egg production systems on shell microbiology. Eggs were collected at 4 sampling periods. Egg shell emulsion pools were formed and enumerated for total aerobic organisms, Enterobacteriaceae, and yeast and mold counts. Hy-Line Brown and Hy-Line Silver Brown hens produced eggs with significantly (P Eggs from conventional cages had significantly different (P eggs with significantly different (P eggs having the lowest level of contamination for the hen strains. There were no differences within each strain among housing systems for yeast and mold contamination. The study shows that hen strain has an effect on egg microbial levels for various housing systems, and egg safety should be considered when making hen strain selections for each housing system.

Indirect genetic effects contribute substantially to heritable variation in aggression-related traits in group-housed mink (Neovison vison)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alemu, Setegn Worku; Bijma, Peter; Møller, Steen Henrik

2014-01-01

Background Since the recommendations on group housing of mink (Neovison vison) were adopted by the Council of Europe in 1999, it has become common in mink production in Europe. Group housing is advantageous from a production perspective, but can lead to aggression between animals and thus raises...... a welfare issue. Bite marks on the animals are an indicator of this aggressive behaviour and thus selection against frequency of bite marks should reduce aggression and improve animal welfare. Bite marks on one individual reflect the aggression of its group members, which means that the number of bite marks...... genetic effects contribute to variation in number of bite marks in group-housed mink. Thus, a genetic selection design that includes both direct genetic and indirect genetic effects could reduce the frequency of bite marks and probably aggression behaviour in group-housed mink....

PRODUCTIVITY OF LAYERS AND EGG QUALITY IN FREE RANGE AND CAGE SYSTEM OF HOUSING

OpenAIRE

Đ. Senčić; Danijela Butko

2006-01-01

The research was conducted with two groups of Lohmann Brown hybrid layers. Production of eggs lasted for 52 weeks. A control group of layers was kept in the conventional housing system, that is, in cages, while experimental group was kept in the free range system. Layers from the free range system, compared to those kept in cages, laid fewer eggs, (266:295), they consumed more feed on daily basis (129 g : 115 g), more feed per kilogram of egg weight (2.83 kg : 2.35 kg), they had higher mor...

Self-adjusting house-heating control system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hacker, O; Ott, M

1983-01-01

Only small expenditure in terms of hard- and software is needed for the heating-control system described here to keep the house-room temperature in day- and night (reduced temperature)-operation precisely at the desired degree C. No control adjustment is needed as the computer - in this case an EMUF-model - adapts itself to changing conditions like type of house, weather conditions etc. Perfect control and good control dynamic lead to considerable savings of energy.

The impact of cognitive testing on the welfare of group housed primates.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamie Whitehouse

Full Text Available Providing cognitive challenges to zoo-housed animals may provide enriching effects and subsequently enhance their welfare. Primates may benefit most from such challenges as they often face complex problems in their natural environment and can be observed to seek problem solving opportunities in captivity. However, the extent to which welfare benefits can be achieved through programmes developed primarily for cognitive research is unknown. We tested the impact of voluntary participation cognitive testing on the welfare of a socially housed group of crested macaques (Macaca nigra at the Macaque Study Centre (Marwell Zoo. First, we compared the rate of self-directed and social behaviours on testing and non-testing days, and between conditions within testing days. Minimal differences in behaviour were found when comparing testing and non-testing days, suggesting that there was no negative impact on welfare as a result of cognitive testing. Lipsmacking behaviours were found to increase and aggressive interaction was found to decrease in the group as a result of testing. Second, social network analysis was used to assess the effect of testing on associations and interactions between individuals. The social networks showed that testing subjects increased their association with others during testing days. One interpretation of this finding could be that providing socially housed primates with an opportunity for individuals to separate from the group for short periods could help mimic natural patterns of sub-group formation and reunion in captivity. The findings suggest, therefore, that the welfare of captive primates can be improved through the use of cognitive testing in zoo environments.

Dutch social housing sector reforms : Exploring the effects on low income households

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Groen, A.; Pruyt, E.; Boumeester, H.J.F.M.

2012-01-01

Social rental housing ought to function as safety net for the lower income groups in the housing system. However, the Dutch housing system has a relatively large social housing stock in relation to other housing systems in Europe – larger than would be required for a safety net for lower income

The House System: Evaluating Its Role in the Experience of Business Students

Science.gov (United States)

Antoniadou, Marilena

2017-01-01

This paper presents a case study of students' experiences of the House system, an innovative scheme introduced for business students, aiming to enhance student experience. The findings are based on a survey of 350 students and 4 group interviews. Analysis of the findings, both statistical and qualitative, indicated perceived clear benefits for the…

“There’s a housing crisis going on in Sydney for Aboriginal people”: focus group accounts of housing and perceived associations with health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melanie J. Andersen

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Poor housing is widely cited as an important determinant of the poor health status of Aboriginal Australians, as for indigenous peoples in other wealthy nations with histories of colonisation such as Canada, the United States of America and New Zealand. While the majority of Aboriginal Australians live in urban areas, most research into housing and its relationship with health has been conducted with those living in remote communities. This study explores the views of Aboriginal people living in Western Sydney about their housing circumstances and what relationships, if any, they perceive between housing and health. Methods Four focus groups were conducted with clients and staff of an Aboriginal community-controlled health service in Western Sydney (n = 38. Inductive, thematic analysis was conducted using framework data management methods in NVivo10. Results Five high-level themes were derived: the battle to access housing; secondary homelessness; overcrowding; poor dwelling conditions; and housing as a key determinant of health. Participants associated their challenging housing experiences with poor physical health and poor social and emotional wellbeing. Housing issues were said to affect people differently across the life course; participants expressed particular concern that poor housing was harming the health and developmental trajectories of many urban Aboriginal children. Conclusions Housing was perceived as a pivotal determinant of health and wellbeing that either facilitates or hinders prospects for full and healthy lives. Many of the specific health concerns participants attributed to poor housing echo existing epidemiological research findings. These findings suggest that housing may be a key intervention point for improving the health of urban Aboriginal Australians.

Innova House - Ottawa`s advanced house

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-01-31

A pilot program was developed to provide the housing industry with a means to field test innovative technologies, products and building systems, and to evaluate their overall performance. Under Canada`s Advanced House Program, ten demonstration houses were designed, built and monitored. Ottawa`s Innova House, was one of the ten houses built for this program. The innovative energy saving features of the house included (1) air distribution with small diameter ducts and an electronically commutated motor, a 2.6 kW grid-connected photovoltaic system, (3) an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) with free-cooling mode, (4) a 94 per cent efficient integrated gas heating and hot water system, (5) airtight drywall construction, (6) CFC-free exterior insulation, (7) a natural-gas-engine heat pump for air conditioning, (8) a prototype sealed combustion gas range and clothes dryer, and (9) a manifold plumbing system to conserve water. It was designed to consume one half of the energy consumed in an R-2000 home and one third of the energy of a conventional house. Several of the mechanical elements did not perform at expected levels, (lower than expected efficiencies from the heating and cooling systems and a malfunctioning ERV), nevertheless, overall performance of the house was still very close to the targets. The construction and operation of the house was described. tabs., figs.

Post-weaning social and cognitive performance of piglets raised pre-weaning either in a complex multi-suckling group housing system or in a conventional system with a crated sow.

Science.gov (United States)

van Nieuwamerongen, S E; Mendl, M; Held, S; Soede, N M; Bolhuis, J E

2017-09-01

We studied the social and cognitive performance of piglets raised pre-weaning either in a conventional system with a sow in a farrowing crate (FC) or in a multi-suckling (MS) system in which 5 sows and their piglets could interact in a more physically enriched and spacious environment. After weaning at 4 weeks of age, 8 groups of 4 litter-mates per pre-weaning housing treatment were studied under equal and enriched post-weaning housing conditions. From each pen, one pair consisting of a dominant and a submissive pig was selected, based on a feed competition test (FCT) 2 weeks post-weaning. This pair was used in an informed forager test (IFT) which measured aspects of spatial learning and foraging strategies in a competitive context. During individual training, submissive (informed) pigs learned to remember a bait location in a testing arena with 8 buckets (the same bucket was baited in a search visit and a subsequent relocation visit), whereas dominant (non-informed) pigs always found the bait in a random bucket (search visits only). After learning their task, the informed pigs' individual search visit was followed by a pairwise relocation visit in which they were accompanied by the non-informed pig. Effects of pre-weaning housing treatment were not distinctly present regarding the occurrence of aggression in the FCT and the learning performance during individual training in the IFT. During paired visits, informed and non-informed pigs changed their behaviour in response to being tested pairwise instead of individually, but MS and FC pigs showed few distinct behavioural differences.

Effect of Housing System, Slaughter Age and Sex on Slaughter and Carcass Parameters of Broiler Ducks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cyril Hrnčár

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the effects of housing system slaughterage and sex on performance and carcass parameters of broiler ducks. Theexperiment was carried out in half-operation conditions experimental base ofDepartment of Poultry Science and Small Animal Husbandry of Slovak Universityof Agriculture in Nitra. A total of 60 one day old ducklings (type Peking DuckWhite were randomly divided to 2 housing groups: three-floor cage system anddeep litter system, both under uniform microclimate conditions. The housingsystem, slaughter age and sex significantly affected the slaughter weights ofbroiler ducks in 49 and 56 day of fattening. The results of this study showed the influenceof housing system, sex and slaughter age on slaughter and carcass parameters.The slaughter and carcass parameters were statistically higher (P0.05. The some slaughterand carcass parameters of male ducks were statistically higher (P<0.05 comparedwith female ducks.

Effect of Environmental Enrichment on Singly- and Group-Housed Squirrel Monkeys

Science.gov (United States)

Spring, Sarah E.; Clifford, James O.; Tomko, David L.; Hargens, Alan R. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

Nonhuman primates display an interest in novel places, habituate to new situations, and spend most of their daily activity in the wild in large groups engaging in feeding behaviors. Captivity changes these behaviors, and disrupts normal social hierarchies. In captivity, animals may exhibit stereotypical behaviors which are thought to indicate decreased psychological well-being (PWB). If an animal's behaviors can be made to approach those seen in the wild, and stereotypical behaviors are minimal it is assumed that PWB is adequate. Environmental enrichment (EE) devices have been used to address the Animal Welfare Act's requirement that the PWB of captive nonhuman primates be considered. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether various EE devices improve the PWB of captive squirrel monkeys. The present study used behavioral observation to quantify the effectiveness of several EE devices in reducing stereotypical behaviors in squirrel monkeys housed singly or in groups. Results showed that the EE devices used did not affect the expression of normal or stereotypical behaviors, but that the type of housing did.

Egg quality in layers housed in different production systems and submitted to two environmental conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JAD Barbosa Filho

2006-03-01

Full Text Available The production system using cages is a highly polemical issue in Europe, because of the space restriction imposed to laying hens. It is considered that the cage system might compromise important comfort movements, welfare and egg quality. This study evaluated egg quality and welfare of two strains of hens housed in a conventional system (battery laying cages or litter system with nest and perches, and submitted to heat stress or comfort conditions. Two groups of 20 birds (10 Hy-line W36 and 10 Hy-line Brown were submitted to two environmental conditions (26°C and 60% RH or 35°C and 70% RH and two housing systems (cages or litter in the early production phase. Egg quality was analyzed based on egg weight, eggshell thickness, specific gravity, and Haugh units. Yolk and shell contamination by Salmonella sp was also assessed. A significant (p<0.05 reduction in quality parameters was observed in eggs produced by laying hens under heat stress, mainly in the birds housed in cages.

Relation between reproduction performance and indicators of feed intake, fear and social stress in commercial herds with group-housed non-lactating sows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kongsted, Anne Grete

2006-01-01

Group-housing of non-lactating sows is becomming increasingly widespread in commercial sow herds in European countries as a result of changed legislation. Group-housing may lead to individual variation in feed intake, stress and fear, which may impair the reproduction ferformance. However, whether...... or the outcome of three fear tests were found. The results indicate that the unintended individual variation in feed intake in sows group-housed in commercial herds may be large enough to affect the reproduction performance. This calls for management initiatives to reduce unequal feed intake in group-housed sows....

Energy house - dream house

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-07-01

An energy house a prefabricated house with an extensive minimization of heat losses, is air-conditioned by means of a combined heating system consisting of hot water cycle and recirculating heating. The energy system is trivalent: wind power, solar energy with heat pumps and normal oil heating.

Advanced Controls for Residential Whole-House Ventilation Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Turner, William [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Walker, Iain [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Sherman, Max [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2014-08-01

Whole-house ventilation systems are becoming commonplace in new construction, remodeling/renovation, and weatherization projects, driven by combinations of specific requirements for indoor air quality (IAQ), health and compliance with standards, such as ASHRAE 62.2. Ventilation systems incur an energy penalty on the home via fan power used to drive the airflow, and the additional space-conditioning load associated with heating or cooling the ventilation air. Finding a balance between IAQ and energy use is important if homes are to be adequately ventilated while not increasing the energy burden. This study used computer simulations to examine RIVEC the Residential Integrated Ventilation Controller - a prototype ventilation controller that aims to deliver whole-house ventilation rates that comply with ventilation standards, for the minimum use of energy. Four different whole-house ventilation systems were simulated, both with and without RIVEC, so that the energy and IAQ results could be compared. Simulations were conducted for 13 US climate zones, three house designs, and three envelope leakage values. The results showed that the RIVEC controller could typically return ventilation energy savings greater than 40percent without compromising long-term chronic or short-term acute exposures to relevant indoor contaminants. Critical and average peak power loads were also reduced as a consequence of using RIVEC.

Gas House Autonomous System Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Luke; Edsall, Ashley

2015-01-01

Gas House Autonomous System Monitoring (GHASM) will employ Integrated System Health Monitoring (ISHM) of cryogenic fluids in the High Pressure Gas Facility at Stennis Space Center. The preliminary focus of development incorporates the passive monitoring and eventual commanding of the Nitrogen System. ISHM offers generic system awareness, adept at using concepts rather than specific error cases. As an enabler for autonomy, ISHM provides capabilities inclusive of anomaly detection, diagnosis, and abnormality prediction. Advancing ISHM and Autonomous Operation functional capabilities enhances quality of data, optimizes safety, improves cost effectiveness, and has direct benefits to a wide spectrum of aerospace applications.

"Conical Hut": A Basic Form of House Types in Timor Island

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Y. R.; Lim, Y. L.; Wang, M. H.; Chen, C. Y.

2015-08-01

Timor Island situates in the southeast end of Southeast Asia. The island accommodates many ethnic groups, which produce many diverse house types. As visiting East Timor in 2012 and Timor Island in 2014, we found the "Pair- House Type" widely spread over Timor Island. Uma Lulik (holy house), accommodating the ancestry soul, fireplace and elder's bed, and Uma Tidor (house for sleep), containing living, sleeping and working space, compose the pair-house. The research team visited 14 ethnic groups and their houses, some of which were measured and drawn into 3D models as back to Taiwan. Uma Tidors of each ethnic group are quite similar with rectangular volume and hip roof, however, one of the fourteen ethnic groups can build cylinder houses for Uma Tidor. Uma Luliks of different ethnic groups are diversified and special. One group of the Uma Luliks shows a rectangular or square volume sheltered by a hip roof. The other group of Uma Luliks presents a non-specific volume under a conical roof, that we called the "conical hut". Seven ethnic groups, Atoni, Weimua, Makassae, Mambai, Bunaq, Kemak and Bekais, have built "conical huts" for the use of Uma Lulik. People of the seven ethnic groups can construct a reasonable structural system to support the conical roof, and take good advantage of the space under the conical roof to meet their sacred needs and everyday life. "Conical Hut" may be regarded as the basic form of the house types adopted by the seven ethnic groups. It contains the basic spatial limits and the formal properties that the construction systems have to follow. Based on the concise rules of the basic form, people of each ethnic group use their talents, skills and building materials to generate variations of "conical hut", which are different in house scale, spatial layout, construction system and form. The "conical huts" contain the consistency that all the huts come from the basic form, meanwhile, they also present the diversification that each conical hut has

"Conical Hut": A Basic Form of House Types in Timor Island

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. R. Chen

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Timor Island situates in the southeast end of Southeast Asia. The island accommodates many ethnic groups, which produce many diverse house types. As visiting East Timor in 2012 and Timor Island in 2014, we found the “Pair- House Type” widely spread over Timor Island. Uma Lulik (holy house, accommodating the ancestry soul, fireplace and elder’s bed, and Uma Tidor (house for sleep, containing living, sleeping and working space, compose the pair-house. The research team visited 14 ethnic groups and their houses, some of which were measured and drawn into 3D models as back to Taiwan. Uma Tidors of each ethnic group are quite similar with rectangular volume and hip roof, however, one of the fourteen ethnic groups can build cylinder houses for Uma Tidor. Uma Luliks of different ethnic groups are diversified and special. One group of the Uma Luliks shows a rectangular or square volume sheltered by a hip roof. The other group of Uma Luliks presents a non-specific volume under a conical roof, that we called the “conical hut”. Seven ethnic groups, Atoni, Weimua, Makassae, Mambai, Bunaq, Kemak and Bekais, have built “conical huts” for the use of Uma Lulik. People of the seven ethnic groups can construct a reasonable structural system to support the conical roof, and take good advantage of the space under the conical roof to meet their sacred needs and everyday life. “Conical Hut” may be regarded as the basic form of the house types adopted by the seven ethnic groups. It contains the basic spatial limits and the formal properties that the construction systems have to follow. Based on the concise rules of the basic form, people of each ethnic group use their talents, skills and building materials to generate variations of “conical hut”, which are different in house scale, spatial layout, construction system and form. The “conical huts” contain the consistency that all the huts come from the basic form, meanwhile, they also present

Carbon Reduction Measures-Based LCA of Prefabricated Temporary Housing with Renewable Energy Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ling Dong

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Temporary housing plays an important role in providing secure, hygienic, private, and comfortable shelter in the aftermath of disaster (such as flood, fire, earthquake, etc.. Additionally, temporary housing can also be used as a sustainable form of on-site residences for construction workers. While most of the building components used in temporary housing can be manufactured in a plant, prefabrication technology improves the production efficiency of temporary housing; furthermore, integrated renewable energy systems, for example, solar photovoltaic (PV system, offer benefits for temporary housing operations. In order to assess the environmental impacts of prefabricated temporary housing equipped with renewable energy systems, this study first divides the life cycle of temporary housing into six stages, and then establishes a life cycle assessment (LCA model for each stage. Furthermore, with the aim of reducing the environmental impacts, life cycle carbon reduction measures are proposed for each stage of temporary housing. The proposed methodology is demonstrated using a case study in China. Based on the proposed carbon reduction measures, the LCA of a prefabricated temporary housing case study building equipped with renewable energy systems indicates a carbon emissions intensity of 35.7 kg/m2·per year, as well as a reduction in material embodied emissions of 18%, assembly emissions of 17.5%, and operational emissions of 91.5%. This research proposes a carbon reduction-driven LCA of temporary housing and contributes to promoting sustainable development of prefabricated temporary housing equipped with renewable energy systems.

Impact of Housing and Community Conditions on Multidimensional Health among Middle- and Low-Income Groups in Hong Kong

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jionghua Wang

2018-05-01

Full Text Available With decades of urbanization, housing and community problems (e.g., poor ventilation and lack of open public spaces have become important social determinants of health that require increasing attention worldwide. Knowledge regarding the link between health and these problems can provide crucial evidence for building healthy communities. However, this link has heretofore not been identified in Hong Kong, and few studies have compared the health impact of housing and community conditions across different income groups. To overcome this gap, we hypothesize that the health impact of housing and community problems may vary across income groups and across health dimensions. We tested these hypotheses using cross-sectional survey data from Hong Kong. Several health outcomes, e.g., chronic diseases and the SF-12 v. 2 mental component summary scores, were correlated with a few types of housing and community problems, while other outcomes, such as the DASS-21–Stress scores, were sensitive to a broader range of problems. The middle- and low-income group was more severely affected by poor built environments. These results can be used to identify significant problems in the local built environment, especially amongst the middle- and low-income group.

Metrological Array of Cyber-Physical Systems. Part 3. Smart Energy-Efficient House

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ihor HNES

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Smart energy-efficient houses as the components of Cyber-Physical Systems are developed intensively. The main stream of progress consists in the research of Smart houses’ energy supply. By this option the mentioned objects are advancing from passive houses through net-zero energy houses to active houses that are capable of sharing their own accumulated energy with other components of Cyber-Physical Systems. We consider the problems of studying the metrology models and measuring the heat dissipation in such houses trying to apply network and software achievements as well as the new types of devices with improved characteristics.

Integrated decision-making about housing, energy and wellbeing: a qualitative system dynamics model.

Science.gov (United States)

Macmillan, Alexandra; Davies, Michael; Shrubsole, Clive; Luxford, Naomi; May, Neil; Chiu, Lai Fong; Trutnevyte, Evelina; Bobrova, Yekatherina; Chalabi, Zaid

2016-03-08

The UK government has an ambitious goal to reduce carbon emissions from the housing stock through energy efficiency improvements. This single policy goal is a strong driver for change in the housing system, but comes with positive and negative "unintended consequences" across a broad range of outcomes for health, equity and environmental sustainability. The resulting policies are also already experiencing under-performance through a failure to consider housing as a complex system. This research aimed to move from considering disparate objectives of housing policies in isolation to mapping the links between environmental, economic, social and health outcomes as a complex system. We aimed to support a broad range of housing policy stakeholders to improve their understanding of housing as a complex system through a collaborative learning process. We used participatory system dynamics modelling to develop a qualitative causal theory linking housing, energy and wellbeing. Qualitative interviews were followed by two interactive workshops to develop the model, involving representatives from national and local government, housing industries, non-government organisations, communities and academia. More than 50 stakeholders from 37 organisations participated. The process resulted in a shared understanding of wellbeing as it relates to housing; an agreed set of criteria against which to assess to future policy options; and a comprehensive set of causal loop diagrams describing the housing, energy and wellbeing system. The causal loop diagrams cover seven interconnected themes: community connection and quality of neighbourhoods; energy efficiency and climate change; fuel poverty and indoor temperature; household crowding; housing affordability; land ownership, value and development patterns; and ventilation and indoor air pollution. The collaborative learning process and the model have been useful for shifting the thinking of a wide range of housing stakeholders towards a more

Housing Systems and Ethnic Spatial Segregation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Hans Skifter; Andersson, Roger; Wessel, Terje

Residential spatial segregation is related to housing markets and housing policies. In this paper, ethnic segregation is compared across four Nordic capitals and explanations for the differences are examined by comparing the housing markets and housing policies of the countries. The housing markets...

A Conceptual Model of the Pasadena Housing System

Science.gov (United States)

Hirshberg, Alan S.; Barber, Thomas A.

1971-01-01

During the last 5 years, there have been several attempts at applying systems analysis to complex urban problems. This paper describes one such attempt by a multidisciplinary team of students, engineers, professors, and community representatives. The Project organization is discussed and the interaction of the different disciplines (the process) described. The two fundamental analysis questions posed by the Project were: "Why do houses deteriorate?" and "Why do people move?" The analysis of these questions led to the development of a conceptual system model of housing in Pasadena. The major elements of this model are described, and several conclusions drawn from it are presented.

Thermal Storage Systems Assessment for Energy Sustainability in Housing Units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tania I. Lagunes Vega

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In order to achieve greater enhancements in energy sustainability for housing, the function and efficiency of two different passive cooling systems were studied: encapsulated water in recycled bottles of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET and polystyrene plates, in comparison with standard concrete slab systems, which are customarily used in housing. Experiments were placed over a tile surface, in which temperature changes were monitored for a period of 20 days from 08:00 to 20:00. The efficiency of passive thermal storage systems was endorsed through statistical analysis using the “SPSS” software. This resulted in a 17% energy saving, thus promoting energy sustainability in housing units, which reduces the use of electrical appliances required to stabilize conditions to achieve optimum thermal comfort for the human body inside a house, therefore, reducing electrical power consumption, CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and generating savings. Due to the complexity of a system with temperature changes, a fractal analysis was performed for each experimental system, using the “Benoit” software (V.1.3 with self-compatible tools of rescaled range (R/S and a wavelets method, showing that the thermal fluctuations on the tiles with the thermal storage system adapt to the rescaled range analysis and the regular tiles adapt to the wavelets method.

Effect of rubber flooring on group-housed sows' gait and claw and skin lesions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bos, E-J; van Riet, M M J; Maes, D; Millet, S; Ampe, B; Janssens, G P J; Tuyttens, F A M

2016-05-01

This study evaluated the influence of floor type on sow welfare in terms of lameness, claw lesions, and skin lesions. In a 2 × 3 factorial design, we have investigated the effect of rubber coverings on concrete floors and the effect of 3 levels of dietary zinc supplementation on locomotion and claw and skin lesions in group-housed sows. Six groups of 21 ± 4 hybrid sows were monitored during 3 successive reproductive cycles. The sows were group housed from d 28 after insemination (d 0) until 1 wk before expected farrowing date (d 108) in pens with either exposed concrete floors or concrete floors covered with rubber in part of the lying area and the fully slatted area. During each reproductive cycle, locomotion and skin lesions were assessed 4 times (d 28, 50, 108, and 140) and claw lesions were assessed twice (d 50 and 140). Results are given as least squares means ± SE. Locomotion and claw scores were given in millimeters, on analog scales of 150 and 160 mm, respectively. Here, we report on the effect of floor type, which did not interact with dietary zinc concentration ( > 0.10 for all variables). At move to group (d 28) and mid gestation (d 50), no differences between floor treatments were seen in locomotion ( > 0.10). At the end of gestation (d 108), sows housed on rubber flooring scored 9.9 ± 4.1 mm better on gait ( flooring at mid gestation (d 50). However, sows on rubber flooring scored worse for "vertical cracks in the wall horn" (difference of 3.4 ± 1.7 mm; = 0.04). At the end of lactation (d 140), both "white line" (difference of 2.9 ± 1 mm; = 0.02) and "claw length" (difference of 4.7 ± 1.4 mm; flooring. No differences for skin lesions were observed between floor treatments. The improved scores for gait toward the end of gestation and some types of claw disorders at mid gestation suggest that rubber flooring in group housing has a beneficial effect on the overall leg health of sows. The documented increase in vertical cracks in the wall horn at d

AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM ОF REGIONAL BOILER HOUSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Sednin

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Implementation of an automatic control system is one of directions that promotes to increase an operational efficiency of a heat supply system. A heating boiler house in Surgut (Russia is taken as an example to demonstrate an actual realization of such system.

Study protocol: developing a decision system for inclusive housing: applying a systematic, mixed-method quasi-experimental design.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeeman, Heidi; Kendall, Elizabeth; Whitty, Jennifer A; Wright, Courtney J; Townsend, Clare; Smith, Dianne; Lakhani, Ali; Kennerley, Samantha

2016-03-15

Identifying the housing preferences of people with complex disabilities is a much needed, but under-developed area of practice and scholarship. Despite the recognition that housing is a social determinant of health and quality of life, there is an absence of empirical methodologies that can practically and systematically involve consumers in this complex service delivery and housing design market. A rigorous process for making effective and consistent development decisions is needed to ensure resources are used effectively and the needs of consumers with complex disability are properly met. This 3-year project aims to identify how the public and private housing market in Australia can better respond to the needs of people with complex disabilities whilst simultaneously achieving key corporate objectives. First, using the Customer Relationship Management framework, qualitative (Nominal Group Technique) and quantitative (Discrete Choice Experiment) methods will be used to quantify the housing preferences of consumers and their carers. A systematic mixed-method, quasi-experimental design will then be used to quantify the development priorities of other key stakeholders (e.g., architects, developers, Government housing services etc.) in relation to inclusive housing for people with complex disabilities. Stakeholders randomly assigned to Group 1 (experimental group) will participate in a series of focus groups employing Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) methodology. Stakeholders randomly assigned to Group 2 (control group) will participate in focus groups employing existing decision making processes to inclusive housing development (e.g., Risk, Opportunity, Cost, Benefit considerations). Using comparative stakeholder analysis, this research design will enable the AHP methodology (a proposed tool to guide inclusive housing development decisions) to be tested. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will enable stakeholders to incorporate consumer housing

Study protocol: developing a decision system for inclusive housing: applying a systematic, mixed-method quasi-experimental design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heidi Zeeman

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Identifying the housing preferences of people with complex disabilities is a much needed, but under-developed area of practice and scholarship. Despite the recognition that housing is a social determinant of health and quality of life, there is an absence of empirical methodologies that can practically and systematically involve consumers in this complex service delivery and housing design market. A rigorous process for making effective and consistent development decisions is needed to ensure resources are used effectively and the needs of consumers with complex disability are properly met. Methods/Design This 3-year project aims to identify how the public and private housing market in Australia can better respond to the needs of people with complex disabilities whilst simultaneously achieving key corporate objectives. First, using the Customer Relationship Management framework, qualitative (Nominal Group Technique and quantitative (Discrete Choice Experiment methods will be used to quantify the housing preferences of consumers and their carers. A systematic mixed-method, quasi-experimental design will then be used to quantify the development priorities of other key stakeholders (e.g., architects, developers, Government housing services etc. in relation to inclusive housing for people with complex disabilities. Stakeholders randomly assigned to Group 1 (experimental group will participate in a series of focus groups employing Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP methodology. Stakeholders randomly assigned to Group 2 (control group will participate in focus groups employing existing decision making processes to inclusive housing development (e.g., Risk, Opportunity, Cost, Benefit considerations. Using comparative stakeholder analysis, this research design will enable the AHP methodology (a proposed tool to guide inclusive housing development decisions to be tested. Discussion It is anticipated that the findings of this study

Certification of passive houses : Lessons from real indoor climate systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mlecnik, E.

2009-01-01

This paper examines if and how indoor climate systems are important for passive house certification. The research subjects are passive houses in Belgium, occupied by owner-clients. These have received a quality assurance certificate from an independent organization. Through interviews with the

Social management of laboratory rhesus macaques housed in large groups using a network approach: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

McCowan, Brenda; Beisner, Brianne; Hannibal, Darcy

2017-12-07

Biomedical facilities across the nation and worldwide aim to develop cost-effective methods for the reproductive management of macaque breeding groups, typically by housing macaques in large, multi-male multi-female social groups that provide monkey subjects for research as well as appropriate socialization for their psychological well-being. One of the most difficult problems in managing socially housed macaques is their propensity for deleterious aggression. From a management perspective, deleterious aggression (as opposed to less intense aggression that serves to regulate social relationships) is undoubtedly the most problematic behavior observed in group-housed macaques, which can readily escalate to the degree that it causes social instability, increases serious physical trauma leading to group dissolution, and reduces psychological well-being. Thus for both welfare and other management reasons, aggression among rhesus macaques at primate centers and facilities needs to be addressed with a more proactive approach.Management strategies need to be instituted that maximize social housing while also reducing problematic social aggression due to instability using efficacious methods for detection and prevention in the most cost effective manner. Herein we review a new proactive approach using social network analysis to assess and predict deleterious aggression in macaque groups. We discovered three major pathways leading to instability, such as unusually high rates and severity of trauma and social relocations.These pathways are linked either directly or indirectly to network structure in rhesus macaque societies. We define these pathways according to the key intrinsic and extrinsic variables (e.g., demographic, genetic or social factors) that influence network and behavioral measures of stability (see Fig. 1). They are: (1) presence of natal males, (2) matrilineal genetic fragmentation, and (3) the power structure and conflict policing behavior supported by this

SYNTHESIS OF INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR SMART HOUSE HARDWARE MANAGEMENT

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Vikentyeva Olga Leonidovna

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Subject: smart house maintenance requires taking into account a number of factors: resource-saving, reduction of operational expenditures, safety enhancement, providing comfortable working and leisure conditions. Automation of the corresponding engineering systems of illumination, climate control, security as well as communication systems and networks via utilization of contemporary technologies (e.g., IoT - Internet of Things poses a significant challenge related to storage and processing of the overwhelmingly massive volume of data whose utilization extent is extremely low nowadays. Since a building’s lifespan is large enough and exceeds the lifespan of codes and standards that take into account the requirements of safety, comfort, energy saving, etc., it is necessary to consider management aspects in the context of rational use of large data at the stage of information modeling. Research objectives: increase the efficiency of managing the subsystems of smart buildings hardware on the basis of a web-based information system that has a flexible multi-level architecture with several control loops and an adaptation model. Materials and methods: since a smart house belongs to man-machine systems, the cybernetic approach is considered as the basic method for design and research of information management system. Instrumental research methods are represented by set-theoretical modelling, automata theory and architectural principles of organization of information management systems. Results: a flexible architecture of information system for management of smart house hardware subsystems has been synthesized. This architecture encompasses several levels: client level, application level and data level as well as three layers: presentation level, actuating device layer and analytics layer. The problem of growing volumes of information processed by realtime message controller is attended by employment of sensors and actuating mechanisms with configurable

75 FR 80335 - Federal Government Participation in the Automated Clearing House

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-22

... Participation in the Automated Clearing House AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury...) is amending its regulation governing the use of the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system by Federal... institutions, consumer advocacy groups, industry associations, the Senate Committee on Finance and the House...

PARTICULATE MATTER CONCENTRATION AND EMISSION FACTOR IN THREE DIFFERENT LAYING HEN HOUSING SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annamaria Costa

2009-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate PM10 concentration in three different laying hens houses (traditional battery cages with aerated open manure storage, aviary system and vertical tiered cages with manure belts with forced air drying and to evaluate particulate matter emission into atmosphere during one year of observation. Internal and external temperature and relative humidity, ventilation rate, PM10 concentration have been continuously monitored in order to evaluate particulate matter concentration changes during the day and the season and to define PM10 emission factors. PM10 concentration was corrected by gravimetric technique to lower measurements error. In the aviary system house, TSP and fine particulate matter (particles smaller than 2.5 micron concentration was measured. Average yearly PM10 concentration was remarkably higher in the aviary system house with 0.215 mg m-3 vs 108 mg m-3 for the ventilated belt house and vs 0.094 mg m-3 for the traditional battery cages house. In the Aviary system housing, TSP concentration was 0.444 mg m-3 and PM2.5 was 0.032 mg m-3, highlighting the existence of a severe working environment for men and animals. Recorded values for PM10 emission were 0.433 mg h-1 hen-1 for battery cages housing type, 0.081 mg h-1 hen-1 for ventilated belt cages house, values lower than those available in literature, while the aviary system housing type showed the highest PM10 emission (1.230 mg h-1 hen-1 with appreciable peaks during the morning, together with the increased animal activity and daily farmer operations, as feed administration, cleaning and droppings removal.

Indoor radon in three similar two-story houses with different ventilation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kokotti, H.; Savolainen, T.; Raunemaa, T.; Kalliokoski, P.

1989-01-01

Radon levels were monitored in three similar two-story apartment houses which were located side by side on a gravel esker in eastern Finland. The houses differed only in regard to their ventilation systems which included the following: natural ventilation, mechanical exhaust, and complete mechanical ventilation. The study started immediately when the houses were finished and was continued for two years. Radon concentrations were highest (60-430 Bq/m 3 ) in the beginning of the study period before the tenants moved in. During the following spring and fall, average radon levels of the houses decreased below 100 Bq/m 3 . Radon concentrations varied within a wide range, from 20 to 230 Bq/m 3 , in the apartments. Among the houses, the highest concentrations were found in the house equipped with mechanical exhaust ventilation and the lowest in the house with both a mechanical supply and exhaust system. One reason for the decreasing levels of radon after a one-year occupancy was that the tenants increased the ventilation of their apartments. In the house with complete mechanical ventilation, the stability of ventilation also contributed to the decrease of the indoor radon level

Study and application of the balloon frame system to the industrialization of housing: the case of the American System-Built Houses of Frank Lloyd Wright

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Serra Soriano

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Within his large architectural production, Frank Lloyd Wright had the opportunity to experiment with the timber industrialization, linking a traditional material with the modern sense of architecture. Wood and Frank Lloyd Wright are inseparable from the balloon frame system, a system which he will use at his first housing and through which he will materialize the spatial decomposition concept. The research on the particular American System-Built Houses case will serve to show the earliest experiences of Wright with the industry, whose conclusions he would use for subsequent researches on prefabrication.

Ventilation systems in houses. Special issue; Woonhuisventilatie. Special

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Op ' t Veld, P.; Van der Aa, A. [Cauberg-Huygen Raadgevend Ingenieurs, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Verschoor, M.J.E. [Afdeling Koudetechniek en Warmtepompen, TNO Milieu, Energie en Procesinnovatie TNO-MEP, Apeldoorn (Netherlands); Van Gulik, L.H. [Itho, Scheidam (Netherlands); Van der Mark, K.; Overman, P. [AGPO, Breda (Netherlands); Roemer, J.C.; Schuitema, R. [ECN Duurzame Energie in de Gebouwde Omgeving DEGO, Petten (Netherlands); Weterings, M. [GGD voor Rotterdam e.o., Rotterdam (Netherlands); Rosenmai, T.; Rasmussen, S. [Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen (Denmark); Vollebregt, R. [Bureau Kent, Utrecht (Netherlands); Smeets, L.J.M. [Nederlandse onderneming voor energie en milieu Novem, Utrecht (Netherlands)

2001-06-01

In 10 articles attention is paid to several aspects with respect to ventilation of houses. This issue includes an overview of suppliers of high-efficiency heat recovering balanced ventilation systems.

Characteristic aspects of the housing and utilitiescomplex as a difficult organizational and economic system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Butyrin Andrey Yur'evich

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The existing system of housing and utility services functioning is carried out for providing the relevant living environment standards to the population by means of effective functioning of the system of uninterrupted providing housing and utility services according to existing requirements of the Russian standards. Today there is a number of problems, which doesn't allow housing and utility services to function effectively. The main of them is providing high-quality housing and utility services to the population and system of their objective cost assessment. This problem is solved by means of reforming the housing and utility sphere with the possibility of attracting financial resources from private investors. Housing and Utility of the Russian Federation, the basis of which is the housing stock, has a very high specific weight in fixed assets of all the economy.Thus, Housing and Utility is a typical difficult organizational and economic system possessing characteristic features of openness, nonlinearity and dissipativity. In this re-gard, the reasonable approach to Housing and Utility development assumes the need to account for the principles of systemacity, focus and complexity, and also can be based on the existing in the theory and practice of management methodology by difficult organizational and economic systems.Now Housing and Utility development and financing investment programs of the municipal complex organizations is carried out according to the relevant Federal law, according to which the establishment system of limit indexes of change of tariffs and investment extra charges to tariffs for services of the organizations of a municipal complex. Also, innovative ways of energy efficiency increase and decrease in wear of funds is an attempt of the state to develop effective mechanisms of attracting private funds from investors.

Behavior and milk production of buffalo cows as affected by housing system.

Science.gov (United States)

De Rosa, G; Grasso, F; Braghieri, A; Bilancione, A; Di Francia, A; Napolitano, F

2009-03-01

To verify the effect of 2 housing systems (with and without a pool and an ample outdoor lot) on behavior and milk yield, 45 lactating buffalo cows were group-housed in a free stall open-sided barn with concrete floor where they received 10 m(2)/head as space allowance (group NP); 43 cows were group-housed in a similar barn, but had access to an outdoor yard (36 m(2)/head) and a concrete pool of 208 m(2) (group WP). Animals were subjected to 8 sessions of instantaneous scan sampling at approximately 10-d intervals. Behavioral variables were expressed as proportions of subjects observed in each category of posture and activity. In addition, rapid behaviors such as agonistic, social, and reproductive interactions, social licking, and self-grooming were recorded continuously. These variables were expressed as number of interactions per animal. At the end of each hour of observation, temperature and relative humidity were recorded. In WP the proportion of animals observed wallowing was 0.476 +/- 0.034, whereas lower proportions were observed standing (0.389 +/- 0.029) or lying (0.141 +/- 0.021) outside the pool. In NP the proportions of animals observed standing and lying were 0.452 +/- 0.042 and 0.548 +/- 0.042, respectively. A significant relationship between mean temperatures recorded on observation days and proportion of animals in the pool was observed (r(s) = 0.41). Fewer animals from group WP were observed idling compared with buffaloes from group NP (0.44 +/- 0.024 vs. 0.509 +/- 0.024, respectively), whereas more WP animals were involved in investigative activities than NP cows (0.099 +/- 0.009 vs. 0.042 +/- 0.009, respectively). A greater number of social interactions (sniffing and nuzzling) and social lickings were observed in group WP than in group NP (0.120 +/- 0.010 vs. 0.067 +/- 0.010, and 0.151 +/- 0.018 vs. 0.090 +/- 0.018, respectively). The WP buffalo cows had a greater milk yield than NP cows (11.73 +/- 0.31 vs. 10.78 +/- 0.28 kg/d, respectively

Beyond Housing First: Essential Elements of a System-Planning Approach to Ending Homelessness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina Turner

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The concept of “Housing First” has taken on a powerful status in the complex of government, non-profit and academic systems that study and seek to eliminate homelessness. It is a compelling concept, in that it has brought our society to the realization that housing instability itself is often the culmination of various underlying and intersecting issues, ranging from mental health and addiction issues to domestic abuse and poverty. The “Housing First” principle holds that homeless individuals stand a far poorer chance of improving their condition while they remain homeless; that the stability of a permanent home provides the foundation that allows individuals to begin addressing the issues that led to their housing instability in the first place. However, the elegance of the fundamental principle behind “Housing First” also risks creating an illusion, wherein agencies and governments might too easily conclude that the entirety of this approach to ending homelessness is merely to begin housing the homeless. While that is a step in the process, it is but a piece of the Housing First approach. And unless all the various elements of the approach are also included in the actual work done on the ground, the success observed so far in communities that have tried the Housing First approach will not necessarily be replicated. This can lead to disappointment for those trying to implement new strategies, undermine the effectiveness of Housing First, and most importantly, fail to fully help those individuals in need. Housing First encompasses a strategic application of key principles across the entire homeless-serving system. When it is introduced into a new jurisdiction, it must be accompanied by an overhaul of the current approach to social policy and service delivery. The implementation of Housing First requires a difficult and systematic process, beginning with planning and strategy development that recognizes how every part of the homeless

Understanding Housing Delays and Relocations Within the Housing First Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Zerger, Suzanne; Pridham, Katherine Francombe; Jeyaratnam, Jeyagobi; Hwang, Stephen W; O'Campo, Patricia; Kohli, Jaipreet; Stergiopoulos, Vicky

2016-01-01

This study explores factors contributing to delays and relocations during the implementation of the Housing First model in Toronto, Ontario. While interruptions in housing tenure are expected en route to recovery and housing stability, consumer and service provider views on finding and keeping housing remain largely unknown. In-person interviews and focus groups were conducted with 48 study participants, including 23 case managers or housing workers and 25 consumers. The following three factors contributed to housing delays and transfers: (1) the effectiveness of communication and collaboration among consumers and service providers, (2) consumer-driven preferences and ambivalence, and (3) provider prioritization of consumer choice over immediate housing access. Two strategies--targeted communications and consumer engagement in housing searches--supported the housing process. Several factors affect the timing and stability of housing. Communication between and among providers and consumers, and a shared understanding of consumer choice, can further support choice and recovery.

Wellbeing, activity and housing satisfaction - comparing residents with psychiatric disabilities in supported housing and ordinary housing with support.

Science.gov (United States)

Eklund, Mona; Argentzell, Elisabeth; Bejerholm, Ulrika; Tjörnstrand, Carina; Brunt, David

2017-08-30

The home is imperative for the possibilities for meaningful everyday activities among people with psychiatric disabilities. Knowledge of whether such possibilities vary with type of housing and housing support might reveal areas for improved support. We aimed to compare people with psychiatric disabilities living in supported housing (SH) and ordinary housing with support (OHS) regarding perceived well-being, engaging and satisfying everyday activities, and perceived meaning of activity in one's accommodation. The importance of these factors and socio-demographics for satisfaction with housing was also explored. This naturalistic cross-sectional study was conducted in municipalities and city districts (n = 21) in Sweden, and 155 SH residents and 111 OHS residents participated in an interview that included both self-reports and interviewer ratings. T-test and linear regression analysis were used. The SH group expressed more psychological problems, but better health, quality of life and personal recovery compared to the OHS residents. The latter were rated as having less symptom severity, and higher levels of functioning and activity engagement. Both groups rated themselves as under-occupied in the domains of work, leisure, home management and self-care, but the SH residents less so regarding home management and self-care chores. Although the groups reported similar levels of activity, the SH group were more satisfied with everyday activities and rated their housing higher on possibilities for social interaction and personal development. The groups did not differ on access to activity in their homes. The participants generally reported sufficient access to activity, social interaction and personal development, but those who wanted more personal development in the OHS group outnumbered those who stated they received enough. Higher scores on satisfaction with daily occupations, access to organization and information, wanting more social interaction, and personal

Passive solar ranch house for the mass market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albanes, M.N.

1981-01-01

To promote the building of passive solar housing in the Denver metropolitan area, a solar ranch style house was designed for a builder, Unique Homes, as part of a group of thirteen passive solar houses built for the mass market under SERI's Denver Metro Home Builders Program. The project, process of design, thermal performance analysis, cost and consumer/media response are reviewed. The final design was a direct gain, attached greenhouse system that used brick as interior mass.

Technical note: Validation of an automated system for monitoring and restricting water intake in group-housed beef steers.

Science.gov (United States)

Allwardt, K; Ahlberg, C; Broocks, A; Bruno, K; Taylor, A; Place, S; Richards, C; Krehbiel, C; Calvo-Lorenzo, M; DeSilva, U; VanOverbeke, D; Mateescu, R; Goad, C; Rolf, M M

2017-09-01

significant source of error in this study ( > 0.05). These results indicate that the system was capable of limiting water of individual animals with reasonable accuracy, although errors are slightly higher during water restriction than during ad libitum access. The Insentec system is a suitable resource for monitoring individual water intake of growing, group-housed steers under ad libitum and restricted water conditions.

Ammonia emission from aviary housing systems for laying hens : inventory, characteristics and solutions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groot Koerkamp, P.W.G.

1998-01-01

The development and practical application of welfare friendly aviary housing systems for laying hens, that generally emit more ammonia per hen than battery cage housing systems, would conflict with the Dutch policy to substantially reduce the total emission of ammonia from animal

Reducing hours of work of preregistration house officers: report on a shift system.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasmyth, D G; Pickersgill, A; Hogarth, M

1991-01-12

To determine the advantages and disadvantages of a shift system of working compared with the conventional on call system for preregistration house officers. A shift system of working was employed in the unit from 1 August 1989 to 31 July 1990. During attachments of three or six months four house officers rotated at intervals of one month among three daytime shifts and one night shift (Mondays to Fridays only). Weekends (48 hours) were worked on a one in three rota by the doctors working a day shift. The views of the house officers working this shift system were sought in writing and by direct interview. Professorial surgical unit, Royal Liverpool Hospital. The 14 house officers who were attached to the unit for three or six months during their preregistration year. The shift system was preferred to conventional on call without exception. The incidence of chronic tiredness was reduced and formal hand-over between shifts resulted in more informed decision making by doctors while on call. During annual leave it was sometimes necessary to revert to the conventional one in three on call system to ensure that daytime work was completed. Other disadvantages were the long weekend shift and an inequitable distribution of the night shift. The house officers recommended extending the shifts to weekends and working the night shift one week in four. A shift system of working was effective in reducing chronic tiredness among house officers, who found it preferable to conventional on call arrangements. Shift working is feasible only if the daytime duties of the doctor working at night can be completed by the other doctors on the rota.

Active house concept versus passive House

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zeiler, W.; Boxem, G.; Vehler, R.; Verhoeven, M.; Fremouw, M.

2009-01-01

The passive house concept is the present trend in energy efficient sustainable dwellings. Within the passive house concept every effort is made to minimize the energy use. Substantial savings can be achieved by passive energy systems, especially natural ventilation, summer shading and winter solar

Egg production and welfare of laying hens kept in different housing systems (conventional, enriched cage, and free range).

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmaz Dikmen, B; İpek, A; Şahan, Ü; Petek, M; Sözcü, A

2016-07-01

The aim of this study was to compare egg production performance and welfare traits of laying hens kept in conventional cage (CC), enriched cage (EC), and free range (FR). Lohmann Brown laying hens (n = 480 with 160 per housing type) were studied across a production cycle from placement at 17 wk until depopulation at 66 wk. The hens were randomly allocated into cages or pens of housing system groups; within each system there were four replicates with 40 hens in each pen or cage. The hen day egg production (P = 0.037), feed intake (FI) (P 0.05). The hens in the FR system had additional space for optimum comfort and better feather and bone traits, but the dirty egg ratio, feed consumption, and foot lesions were higher than in CC and EC systems. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Effects of sweeteners on individual feed intake characteristics and performance in group-housed weanling pigs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sterk, A.R.; Schlegel, P.; Mul, A.J.; Ubbink-Blanksma, M.; Bruininx, E.M.A.M.

2008-01-01

To assess the effects of 2 high intensity sodium saccharine based sweeteners on individual feed intake characteristics and performance of group-housed weaned pigs, 198 26-d-old weanling pigs were given ad libitum access to 3 dietary treatments: containing no additional sweetener (Control), 150 mg

A comparison of transmission characteristics of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis between pair-housed and group-housed laying hens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Ekelijn

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Human cases of bacterial gastro-enteritis are often caused by the consumption of eggs contaminated with Salmonella species, mainly Salmonella enterica serovar Enteriditis (Salmonella Enteritidis. To reduce human exposure, in several countries worldwide surveillance programmes are implemented to detect colonized layer flocks. The sampling schemes are based on the within-flock prevalence, and, as this changes over time, knowledge of the within-flock dynamics of Salmonella Enteritidis is required. Transmission of Salmonella Enteritidis has been quantified in pairs of layers, but the question is whether the dynamics in pairs is comparable to transmission in large groups, which are more representative for commercial layer flocks. The aim of this study was to compare results of transmission experiments between pairs and groups of laying hens. Experimental groups of either 2 or 200 hens were housed at similar densities, and 1 or 4 hens were inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis, respectively. Excretion was monitored by regularly testing of fecal samples for the presence of Salmonella Enteritidis. Using mathematical modeling, the group experiments were simulated with transmission parameter estimates from the pairwise experiments. Transmission of the bacteria did not differ significantly between pairs or groups. This finding suggests that the transmission parameter estimates from small-scale experiments might be extrapolated to the field situation.

Does stimulant use impair housing outcomes in low-demand supportive housing for chronically homeless adults?

Science.gov (United States)

Edens, Ellen L; Tsai, Jack; Rosenheck, Robert A

2014-01-01

Recent research suggests low-demand housing (i.e., not contingent upon abstinence) is effective in helping people exit homelessness, even among recent active substance users. Whether active users of illicit drugs and stimulants have worse housing outcomes than primary alcohol users, however, is unknown. A total of 149 participants in a multisite supportive housing program who reported high levels of active substance use at program entry were classified as either (1) predominantly "Alcohol Use" (>10 of 30 days alcohol, but not >10 days of drug use) or (2) "Illicit Drug Use" (>10 of 30 days any single illicit drug use with or without alcohol use). Sub-analysis of the "Illicit Drug Use" group compared participants reporting high levels of "Stimulant Use" (>10 days cocaine, crack, or methamphetamine use) to those with high levels of "Non-stimulant Use" (>10 days marijuana or other non-stimulant drug use). Group differences in housing outcomes were examined with mixed model multivariate regression. During 24-month follow-up, days housed increased dramatically for both the "Alcohol Use" and the "Illicit Drug Use" groups without significant differences. Sub-analysis of illicit drug users showed stimulant use was associated with fewer days housed (p = .01) and more days homeless (p = .02) over time. Among illicit drug users, stimulant users have somewhat less successful housing outcomes than other active drug and alcohol users, though both groups maintained substantial housing improvements in low-demand housing. © American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Investigations of Intelligent Solar Heating Systems for Single Family House

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Elsa; Chen, Ziqian; Fan, Jianhua

2014-01-01

Three differently designed intelligent solar heating systems are investigated experimentally in a test facility. The systems provide all the needed yearly heating demand in single family houses. The systems are based on highly stratified tanks with variable auxiliary heated volumes. The tank is a......, the control strategy of intelligent solar heating systems is investigated and the yearly auxiliary energy use of the systems and the electricity price for supplying the consumers with domestic hot water and space heating are calculated....... systems.The system will be equipped with an intelligent control system where the control of the electrical heating element(s)/heat pump is based on forecasts of the variable electricity price, the heating demand and the solar energy production.By means of numerical models of the systems made in Trnsys......Three differently designed intelligent solar heating systems are investigated experimentally in a test facility. The systems provide all the needed yearly heating demand in single family houses. The systems are based on highly stratified tanks with variable auxiliary heated volumes. The tank...

Passive annual heat storage principles in earth sheltered housing, a supplementary energy saving system in residential housing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anselm, Akubue Jideofor [Green Architecture Department, School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2008-07-01

This paper looks through the many benefits of earth not only as a building element in its natural form but as a building mass, energy pack and spatial enclosure which characterized by location, unique physical terrain and climatic factors can be utilized in developing housing units that will provide the needed benefits of comfort alongside the seasons. Firstly the study identifies existing sunken earth houses in the North-west of China together with identifying the characters that formed the ideas behind the choice of going below the ground. Secondly, the study examines the pattern of heat exchange, heat gains and losses as to identify the principles that makes building in earth significant as an energy conservation system. The objective of this, is to relate the ideas of sunken earth home design with such principles as the passive annual heat storage systems (PAHS) in producing houses that will serve as units used to collect free solar heat all summer and cools passively while heating the earth around it and also keeping warm in winter by retrieving heat from the soil while utilizing the free solar heat stored throughout the summer as a year-round natural thermal resource. (author)

A planning support system to optimize approval of private housing development projects

Science.gov (United States)

Hussnain, M. Q.; Wakil, K.; Waheed, A.; Tahir, A.

2016-06-01

Out of 182 million population of Pakistan, 38% reside in urban areas having an average growth rate of 1.6%, raising the urban housing demand significantly. Poor state response to fulfil the housing needs has resulted in a mushroom growth of private housing schemes (PHS) over the years. Consequently, only in five major cities of Punjab, there are 383 legal and 150 illegal private housing development projects against 120 public sector housing schemes. A major factor behind the cancerous growth of unapproved PHS is the prolonged and delayed approval process in concerned approval authorities requiring 13 months on average. Currently, manual and paper-based approaches are used for vetting and for granting the permission which is highly subjective and non-transparent. This study aims to design a flexible planning support system (PSS) to optimize the vetting process of PHS projects under any development authority in Pakistan by reducing time and cost required for site and documents investigations. Relying on the review of regulatory documents and interviews with professional planners and land developers, this study describes the structure of a PSS developed using open- source geo-spatial tools such as OpenGeo Suite, PHP, and PostgreSQL. It highlights the development of a Knowledge Module (based on regulatory documents) containing equations related to scheme type, size (area), location, access road, components of layout plan, planning standards and other related approval checks. Furthermore, it presents the architecture of the database module and system data requirements categorized as base datasets (built-in part of PSS) and input datasets (related to the housing project under approval). It is practically demonstrated that developing a customized PSS to optimize PHS approval process in Pakistan is achievable with geospatial technology. With the provision of such a system, the approval process for private housing schemes not only becomes quicker and user-friendly but also

Individualized tracking of self-directed motor learning in group-housed mice performing a skilled lever positioning task in the home cage.

Science.gov (United States)

Silasi, Gergely; Boyd, Jamie D; Bolanos, Federico; LeDue, Jeff M; Scott, Stephen H; Murphy, Timothy H

2018-01-01

Skilled forelimb function in mice is traditionally studied through behavioral paradigms that require extensive training by investigators and are limited by the number of trials individual animals are able to perform within a supervised session. We developed a skilled lever positioning task that mice can perform within their home cage. The task requires mice to use their forelimb to precisely hold a lever mounted on a rotary encoder within a rewarded position to dispense a water reward. A Raspberry Pi microcomputer is used to record lever position during trials and to control task parameters, thus making this low-footprint apparatus ideal for use within animal housing facilities. Custom Python software automatically increments task difficulty by requiring a longer hold duration, or a more accurate hold position, to dispense a reward. The performance of individual animals within group-housed mice is tracked through radio-frequency identification implants, and data stored on the microcomputer may be accessed remotely through an active internet connection. Mice continuously engage in the task for over 2.5 mo and perform ~500 trials/24 h. Mice required ~15,000 trials to learn to hold the lever within a 10° range for 1.5 s and were able to further refine movement accuracy by limiting their error to a 5° range within each trial. These results demonstrate the feasibility of autonomously training group-housed mice on a forelimb motor task. This paradigm may be used in the future to assess functional recovery after injury or cortical reorganization induced by self-directed motor learning. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We developed a low-cost system for fully autonomous training of group-housed mice on a forelimb motor task. We demonstrate the feasibility of tracking both end-point, as well as kinematic performance of individual mice, with each performing thousands of trials over 2.5 mo. The task is run and controlled by a Raspberry Pi microcomputer, which allows for cages to be

75 FR 21146 - Public Input on Reform of the Housing Finance System

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-22

...Consistent with the Obama Administration's commitment to openness and transparency and the President's Open Government Initiative, the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) seek public input on establishing a more stable and sound housing finance system.

The effectiveness of a Housing First adaptation for ethnic minority groups: findings of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vicky Stergiopoulos

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about the effectiveness of Housing First (HF among ethnic minority groups, despite its growing popularity for homeless adults experiencing mental illness. This randomized controlled trial tests the effectiveness of a HF program using rent supplements and intensive case management, enhanced by anti-racism and anti-oppression practices for homeless adults with mental illness from diverse ethnic minority backgrounds. Methods This unblinded pragmatic field trial was carried out in community settings in Toronto, Canada. Participants were 237 adults from ethnic minority groups experiencing mental illness and homelessness, who met study criteria for moderate needs for mental health services. Participants were randomized to either adapted HF (n = 135 or usual care (n = 102 and followed every 3 months for 24 months. The primary study outcome was housing stability; secondary outcomes included physical and mental health, social functioning, quality of life, arrests and health service use. Intention to treat statistical analyses examined the effectiveness of the intervention compared to usual care. Results During the 24-month study period, HF participants were stably housed a significantly greater proportion of time compared to usual care participants, 75 % (95 % CI 70 to 81 vs. 41 % (95 % CI 35 to 48, respectively, for a difference of 34 %, 95 % CI 25 to 43. HF also led to improvements in community integration over the course of the study: the change in the mean difference between treatment groups from baseline to 24-months was significantly greater among HF participants compared to those in usual care (change in mean difference = 2.2, 95 % CI 0.06 to 4.3. Baseline diagnosis of psychosis was associated with reduced likelihood of being housed ≥ 50 % of the study period (OR = 0.37, 95 % CI 0.18 to 0.72. Conclusion Housing First enhanced with anti-racism and anti-oppression practices can

Automated roof window control system to address overheating on renovated houses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Psomas, Theofanis Ch.; Heiselberg, Per Kvols; Lyme, Thøger

2017-01-01

Highlights •Manually controlled passive cooling system do not assure high quality environment. •Automated window system reduces overheating risk in houses of temperate climates. •Window system offers similar indoor air quality with mechanical ventilation system. •User behavior on window system...

Causes of mortality in laying hens in different housing systems in 2001 to 2004

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Etterlin Pernille

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The husbandry systems for laying hens were changed in Sweden during the years 2001 – 2004, and an increase in the number of submissions for necropsy from laying hen farms was noted. Hence, this study was initiated to compare causes of mortality in different housing systems for commercial laying hens during this change. Methods Based on results from routine necropsies of 914 laying hens performed at the National Veterinary Institute (SVA in Uppsala, Sweden between 2001 and 2004, a retrospective study on the occurrence of diseases and cannibalism, i.e., pecking leading to mortality, in different housing systems was carried out. Using the number of disease outbreaks in caged flocks as the baseline, the expected number of flocks with a certain category of disease in the other housing systems was estimated having regard to the total number of birds in the population. Whether the actual number of flocks significantly exceeded the expected number was determined using a Poisson distribution for the variance of the baseline number, a continuity correction and the exact value for the Poisson distribution function in Excel 2000. Results Common causes of mortality in necropsied laying hens included colibacillosis, erysipelas, coccidiosis, red mite infestation, lymphoid leukosis and cannibalism. Less common diagnoses were Newcastle Disease, pasteurellosis and botulism. Considering the size of the populations in the different housing systems, a larger proportion of laying hens than expected was submitted for necropsy from litter-based systems and free range production compared to hens in cages (P P P Conclusion The results of the present study indicated that during 2001–2004 laying hens housed in litter-based housing systems, with or without access to outdoor areas, were at higher risk of infectious diseases and cannibalistic behaviour compared to laying hens in cages. Future research should focus on finding suitable prophylactic

Mass Housing and Changings in Housing Demand, Case of Diyarbakir, Turkey

OpenAIRE

M. Oguz Sinemillioglu; Can Tuncay Akın; Havva Özyılmaz

2005-01-01

The aim of this study is to analyze changings in housing demand, especially in term of house size in Diyarbakır case, in Turkey. Though Housing in Turkey is in a free market system, there is a Mass Housing Administration (TOKÃ ) has been doing mass houses for, relatively, middle class income people. Diyarbakır, one of the cities that TOKÃ has done two thousand houses, has taken too much migration, so that the demand in housing form and structure has different alterations. This process should ...

How healthy and sustainable is the Dutch housing mix? Measuring and comparing the theoretical housing market balance of Dutch regional housing markets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonie B. Janssen-Jansen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Housing and its distribution over groups of households dominates debates on urban socio-spatial justice. Amsterdam even received the label ‘Just City’ as the large stock of social housing in the core of the city is said to increase societal equity. Within the Netherlands, however, the Greater Amsterdam housing market is perceived to be the most dysfunctional. As the discussion is fed by highly political and ideological perspectives, it is difficult to assess at face value how balanced the housing mix of a housing market is and to what extent it meets the community’s needs. Consequently, it is difficult to inform politicians about strategies that contribute to a healthy and sustainable housing mix and address the lack of affordable housing which is high on urban policy agendas worldwide. In an attempt to go beyond ideological and political discussions, the aim of this interdisciplinary paper is to develop a metric to measure and compare the theoretical balance of housing markets across regions and across groups of households based on income. The metric will be applied to the case of the Netherlands. The findings of the theoretical model show that large-scale provisions for low-income households may not always result in an improved housing market balance.

Developing and Evaluating a Virtual Reality-Based Navigation System for Pre-Sale Housing Sales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi-Kai Juan

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Virtual reality (VR technologies have advanced rapidly in the past few years, and many industries have adopted these cutting-edge technologies for diverse applications to improve their industrial competitiveness. VR has also received considerable recognition in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries, because it can potentially reduce project costs, delivery time, and quality risks, by allowing users to experience unbuilt spaces before breaking ground, resolving construction conflicts virtually, and reviewing complex details in immersive environments. In the real estate market, VR can also play an important role in affecting buyers’ housing purchasing decisions, especially for housing markets in Asia, where the pre-sale system is extremely common. Applying VR to the pre-sale housing system is promising, because the concept of pre-sale refers to a strategy adopted by developers that sell housing through agreements on residential units that have not been constructed yet, and VR at this stage could be a useful tool for visual communication in a true-to-scale environment. However, does VR really benefit sales in the housing market? Can clients accept using VR, instead of using traditional materials (i.e., paper-based images and physical models, to navigate and experience housing projects? The objective of this study is to develop a VR-based navigation system for a pre-sale housing project in Taiwan. We invited 30 potential clients to test the system and explore the implications of using it for project navigation. The results reveal that VR enhances the understandings of a project (perceived usefulness and increases clients’ intention to purchase, while the operation of VR (perceived ease-of-use is still the major challenge to affect clients’ satisfaction and the developer’s acceptance with respect to applying it to future housing sales.

Systems Evaluation at the Cool Energy House

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williamson, J. [Steven Winter Associates, Inc., Norwalk, CT (United States); Puttagunta, S. [Steven Winter Associates, Inc., Norwalk, CT (United States)

2013-09-01

Steven Winter Associates, Inc. (SWA) monitored several advanced mechanical systems within a 2012 deep energy retrofitted home in the small Orlando suburb of Windermere, FL. This report provides performance results of one of the home's heat pump water heaters (HPWH) and the whole-house dehumidifier (WHD) over a six month period. In addition to assessing the energy performance of these systems,this study sought to quantify potential comfort improvements over traditional systems. This information is applicable to researchers, designers, plumbers, and HVAC contractors. Though builders and homeowners can find useful information within this report, the corresponding case studies are a likely better reference for this audience.

Systems Evaluation at the Cool Energy House

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J. Williamson and S. Puttagunta

2013-09-01

Steven Winter Associates, Inc. (SWA) monitored several advanced mechanical systems within a 2012 deep energy retrofitted home in the small Orlando suburb of Windermere, FL. This report provides performance results of one of the home's heat pump water heaters (HPWH) and the whole-house dehumidifier (WHD) over a six month period. In addition to assessing the energy performance of these systems, this study sought to quantify potential comfort improvements over traditional systems. This information is applicable to researchers, designers, plumbers, and HVAC contractors. Though builders and homeowners can find useful information within this report, the corresponding case studies are a likely better reference for this audience.

Effects of different housing systems on growth performance and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effects of different housing systems on growth performance and carcass yield of two breeds of turkey. ... Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa ... The results on carcass yield showed a significantly (p<0.05) higher plucked weight ...

Encapsulating the delivery of affordable housing: An overview of Malaysian practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamaluddin Nor Baizura

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Urban population increases much faster than other geographical areas and this brings huge challenges to Malaysian government especially those responsible for the provision of housing. Moreover, the rise of living cost and pressure towards the current economic situation had inevitably led to huge demands for affordable housing. Thus, affordability and inaccessibility of people in owning a house has become one of the major issues in Malaysia. These issues are not only faced by the low-income group but mostly experienced by urban dwellers including the middle-income group whom are not eligible to apply for low-cost housing delivered by the government, yet cannot afford to buy a house. Hence, the Malaysian government had therefore established the Perumahan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (PR1MA as the catalyst in providing adequate, quality and affordable houses. Furthermore, the Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB and the state governments also play their big role in providing affordable house at the state level. In trying to ensure smooth delivery of affordable housing, a systematic approach is required. This paper intends to examine the delivery of affordable housing in Malaysia. The objective was to assess the parties involved, and the various stages of the process. The methodology adopted for this study includes in-depth interviews with affordable housing agencies. Investigation showed that the major problem relates to a mismatch in the delivery of affordable housing. Moreover, the political and economic aspects, as well as the organization situation had also influenced the inefficiency of affordable housing delivery system. Additionally, the significant of this paper is expected to formulate an improved strategy and guidance in delivery system, thus ensuring that the method of practice is applicable throughout the country.

The GroupHouseNet COST Action: exploiting European synergy to reduce feather pecking in laying hens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rodenburg, T.B.; Berk, J; Dimitrov, I.

2017-01-01

The COST Action GroupHouseNet focuses on the reduction of damaging behaviour in laying hens and pigs, benefiting from the fact that there are many similarities in causation and solutions for feather pecking and tail biting. The research in the network focuses on three main topics, addressed by th...

76 FR 10047 - Changes to the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Financial Condition Scoring Notice

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-23

... accepted accounting principles (GAAP)-based financial information. This notice updates and clarifies the... Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Financial Condition Scoring Notice AGENCY: Office of the Assistant... under the financial condition indicator of the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS). This notice...

76 FR 10050 - Changes to the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Management Operations Scoring Notice

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-23

... Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Management Operations Scoring Notice SUMMARY: This notice provides... issuing scores under the management operations indicator of the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS... notice is to provide additional information about the scoring process for the PHAS management operations...

Tech House

Science.gov (United States)

1978-01-01

The members of the Swain family- Dr. Charles "Bill" Swain, wife Elaine, daughter Carol, 17, son "Chuck", 12, and dog Susie have an interesting assignment. They are active participants in an important NASA research program involving the application of space-age technology to home construction. b' Transplanted Floridians, the Swains now reside in NASA's Tech House, loatedat Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Their job is to use and help evaluate the variety of advanced technology systems in Tech House. A contemporary three-bedroom home, Tech House incorporates NASA technology, the latest commercial building techniques and other innovations, all designed to reduce energy and water consumption and to provide new levels of comfort, convenience, security and fire safety. Tech House equipment performed well in initial tests, but a house is not a home until it has people. That's where the Swains come in. NASA wants to see how the various systems work under actual living conditions, to confirm the effectiveness of the innovations or to determine necessary modifications for improvement. The Swains are occupying the house for a year, during which NASA engineers are computer monitoring the equipment and assembling a record of day-to-day performance. . Tech House is a laboratory rather than a mass production prototype, but its many benefits may influence home design and construction. In a period of sharply rising utility costs, widespread adoption of Tech House features could provide large-scale savings to homeowners and potentially enormous national benefit in resources conservation. Most innovations are aerospace spinoffs: Some of the equipment is now commercially available; other systems are expected to be in production within a few years. Around 1980, a Tech House-type of home could be built for $45-50,000 (1 976 dollars). It is estimated that the homeowner would save well over $20,000 (again 1976 dollars) in utility costs over the average mortgage span of 20 years.

Introduction of a Greenhouse as an Alternative Housing System to a Conventional House and Its Impact on Broiler Performance and Blood and Carcass Variables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khajali F

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A study was conducted to compare the growth performance as well as blood and carcass variables of two broiler strains reared in a conventional broiler house and a modified greenhouse equipped with cooling pads and tunnel ventilation system. Eight hundred day-old chickens of two commercial strains (Ross  308 and Lohmann were selected and placed in  8 floor pens (4 pens of  50 broilers for each strain in each housing system. The pens were located randomly throughout the modified greenhouse or the conventional broiler house (two-way ANOVA design. The broilers were provided a standard starter and grower diets  ad libitum. The environmental conditions (i.e.  temperature, relative humidity, lighting program and ventilation rate were kept  similar between the two houses. The results showed that the birds in the greenhouse consumed significantly (P

Building a sustainable future: Bioclimatic house

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez Mallen, Esther; Rivera Fusalba, Oriol

2010-05-01

The application of bioclimatic principles is a critical factor in reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions. This poster develops a sequence of experiments and building working models in order to form students of secondary school and make progress towards real applications of new energy technologies. The activity has been carried out by 14 and 15-year-old students using a Power House building kit. Scientific method and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) were used as an effective system of acquiring new knowledge. Students were asked to form cooperative groups. Firstly, each group had to choose the best location and orientation in the imaginary Dragon Island for the construction of the house. The house consisted of eight Styrofoam parts and one transparent plastic part. The Styrofoam parts formed the house structure (floor, walls and roof) with two interior chambers and the attached greenhouse. Once the house was assembled in a few steps, it was ready for the students to start adding more components. Students then conducted several experiments related to the heat and light energy of the Sun and the energy of the wind. Some of the experiments and building projects realized were: how to capture the Sun to heat the house by passive solar heating, how to collect the Sun's rays to heat water using a Sun Collector and how to extract electricity current from Sun Power station and from wind power plant. For most of the assays it was necessary to record the temperature and students used for that purpose a temperature sensor that comes with Multilog Pro, a portable, graphic data collection and analysis system. Groups of students were really engaged in the project and each of them ran a different test with the house. Finally they proved if their initial hypothesis was correct and they had to expose the results to the rest of the class members. Students demonstrated how we can transform and use renewable forms of energy. With the experiments students

A livability rating system of a high-rise housing and its computer simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhengrui

2017-09-01

Aiming at the problems in housing choosing and purchasing in the high-rise residential buildings, this paper considers the factors that affect various livable degrees and analyzes the important degrees of the factors through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), quantifying the various factors by 10 point scoring system. Accordingly, this paper puts forward a habitable housing index, validating the correctness of the indicators by simulating the process of housing choosing through computer program.

White House Communications Agency (WHCA) Presidential Voice Communications Rack Mount System Mechanical Drawing Package

Science.gov (United States)

2015-12-01

Rack Mount System Mechanical Drawing Package by Steven P Callaway Approved for public release; distribution unlimited...Laboratory White House Communications Agency (WHCA) Presidential Voice Communications Rack Mount System Mechanical Drawing Package by Steven P...Note 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 04/2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE White House Communications Agency (WHCA) Presidential Voice Communications Rack

Treatment of duck house wastewater by a pilot-scale sequencing batch reactor system for sustainable duck production.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Jung-Jeng; Huang, Jeng-Fang; Wang, Yi-Lei; Hong, Yu-Ya

2018-06-15

The objective of this study is trying to solve water pollution problems related to duck house wastewater by developing a novel duck house wastewater treatment technology. A pilot-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system using different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) for treating duck house wastewater was developed and applied in this study. Experimental results showed that removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand in untreated duck house wastewater was 98.4, 98.4, 87.8, and 72.5% for the different HRTs of 5, 3, 1, and 0.5 d, respectively. In addition, removal efficiency of biochemical oxygen demand in untreated duck house wastewater was 99.6, 99.3, 90.4, and 58.0%, respectively. The pilot-scale SBR system was effective and deemed capable to be applied to treat duck house wastewater. It is feasible to apply an automatic SBR system on site based on the previous case study of the farm-scale automatic SBR systems for piggery wastewater treatment.

The bishops and housing.

Science.gov (United States)

Shellabarger, Thomas

2005-01-01

According to Catholic social teaching, housing is not a commodity but a human right. To ensure that all people--especially low-income elderly and other vulnerable populations--have access to affordable housing, the church has established a variety of programs, services, and advocacy efforts. Much of this work is based on key concepts: preserving existing housing stock, creating new programs to provide more options for the underserved, empowering residents and communities to deal with housing issues, establishing partnerships to make organizations' efforts more successful, making housing affordable, and ending discrimination in housing. Although church ministries, community groups, the private sector, and other players must work together to find solutions to the housing crisis, federal leadership is essential. Especially with the housing affordability gap growing and the U.S. population aging, the federal government must provide the resources, leadership, and direction for effective housing solutions.

A novel dietary restriction method for group-housed rats: weight gain and clinical chemistry characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasanen, I H E; Inhilä, K J; Nevalainen, J I; Väisänen, S B; Mertanen, A M O; Mering, S M; Nevalainen, T O

2009-04-01

Laboratory rodents are usually fed ad libitum. Moderate dietary restriction decreases mortality and morbidity compared with ad libitum feeding. There are, however, problems in achieving dietary restriction. Traditional methods of restricted feeding may interfere with the diurnal rhythms of the animals and are not compatible with group-housing of rodents. We have invented a novel method, the diet board, for restricting the feed intake of laboratory rats. The use of the diet board moderately decreased weight gain of rats when compared with ad libitum-fed animals. The diet board retarded skeletal growth only minimally, whereas major differences were found in body fat depositions. Serum free fatty acid, triglyceride and cholesterol values were lower in diet-restricted rats, while the opposite was true for serum creatine kinase. There were no differences in total protein, albumin or alanine aminotransferase. Moreover, differences in interindividual variances in parameters were not detected between the groups; hence this study could not combine the diet board with reduction potential. The diet board provides mild to moderate dietary restriction for group-housed rats and is unlikely to interfere with the diurnal eating rhythm. The diet board can also be seen as a cage furniture item, dividing the open cage space and increasing the structural complexity of the environment. In conclusion, the diet board appears to possess refinement potential when compared with traditional methods of dietary restriction.

Zebrafish housing systems: a review of basic operating principles and considerations for design and functionality.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Christian; Mason, Timothy

2012-01-01

The strategies for housing zebrafish used in biomedical research have evolved considerably over the past three decades. To keep pace with the rapid expansion and development of the zebrafish model system, the field has generally moved from keeping fish at the level of aquarium hobbyist to that of industrialized, recirculating aquaculture. Numerous commercial system vendors now offer increasingly sophisticated housing systems based on design principles that maximize the number of animals that can be housed in a given space footprint, and they are thus able to support large and diverse research programs. This review is designed to provide managers, lab animal veterinarians, investigators, and other parties responsible for care and use of these animals with a comprehensive overview of the basic operating and design principles of zebrafish housing systems. This information can be used to help plan the construction of new facilities and/or the upgrade and maintenance of existing operations.

IEA HPP Annex 32 - Economical heating and cooling systems for low-energy houses. State-of-the-art report Norway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stene, Joern

2007-04-01

Norway is a member of Annex 32, 'Economical heating and cooling systems for low-energy houses' (2006-2008), organized under the umbrella of the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the IEA Heat Pump Programme (HPP). The 9 participating countries are Switzerland (Operating Agent), Austria, Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the USA. The Norwegian participation is financed by Enova SF, and SINTEF Energy Research is responsible for planning and carrying out the Norwegian activities. Task 1 of the project is a state-of the art analysis of the low-energy building market and heat pump technologies applied in this type of buildings. Heating demands for low-energy houses and passive houses in Norwegian climate are characterized as follows: The ratio of the annual heating demand for hot water heating and the total annual heating demand of the houses typically range from 40 to 85 percent, and the heating season for space heating and heating of ventilation air range from about 5-7 and 4-6 months per year for semi-detached houses and flats, respectively (Oslo climate). In comparison, the heating season for semi-detached houses and flats constructed in accordance with the Norwegian building codes of 1997 is 8 and 9 months, respectively. Development companies for residential properties, co-operative building societies as well as housing manufactures are now showing great interest in low-energy houses and passive houses. According to The Norwegian State Housing Bank, almost 10.000 residences with low-energy or passive house standard are now being planned, constructed or have been completed. The projects include single-family houses, semi-detached houses, row houses, block of flats and apartment buildings. The main focus in these projects has been on the architectural design, building construction and efficient ventilation systems, and less on the heating (and cooling) systems. The heat pump market in this market segment is regarded to be promising due to

Reducing hours of work of preregistration house officers: report on a shift system.

OpenAIRE

Nasmyth, D. G.; Pickersgill, A.; Hogarth, M.

1991-01-01

OBJECTIVE--To determine the advantages and disadvantages of a shift system of working compared with the conventional on call system for preregistration house officers. DESIGN--A shift system of working was employed in the unit from 1 August 1989 to 31 July 1990. During attachments of three or six months four house officers rotated at intervals of one month among three daytime shifts and one night shift (Mondays to Fridays only). Weekends (48 hours) were worked on a one in three rota by the do...

20 CFR 654.407 - Housing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Housing. 654.407 Section 654.407 Employees... EMPLOYMENT SERVICE SYSTEM Housing for Agricultural Workers Housing Standards § 654.407 Housing. (a) Housing... occupants against the elements. (b) Housing shall have flooring constructed of rigid materials, smooth...

Redistribution, Growth, and Inclusion : The Development of the Urban Housing System in China, 1949-2015

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Deng, W.; Hoekstra, J.S.C.M.; Elsinga, M.G.

2017-01-01

This paper explains the development of the urban housing system in China from 1949 to 2011 with an emphasis on the factors driving housing inequality in each policy period. We argue that the logic underpinning the housing policy had shifted from socialist redistribution to the stimulation of growth

Social Housing Provision in Copenhagen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsenkova, Sasha; Vestergaard, Hedvig

-profit housing providers, and a wide range of fiscal and regulatory instruments enhancing the competitive performance of the social housing sector. The research analyses recent housing policy measures and their impact on new social housing provision in Copenhagen. The emphasis is on the mix of housing policy......The paper provides an overview of trends and processes of change affecting new social housing provision in Denmark with a focus on Copenhagen. The local responses are reviewed within the context of changes to the unitary national housing system that functions with a robust range of private and non...... instruments implemented in three major policy domains-fiscal, financial and regulatory-to promote the production of new social housing. The system of new social housing provision is examined as a dynamic process of interaction between public and private institutions defining housing policy outcomes...

Short communication: Effect of age at group housing on behavior, cortisol, health, and leukocyte differential counts of neonatal bull dairy calves.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelfattah, E M; Karousa, M M; Lay, D C; Marchant-Forde, J N; Eicher, S D

2018-01-01

To determine the effect of age at grouping on behavior, health, and production of dairy bull calves, 90 Holstein-Friesian bull calves were housed in individual pens until moved to 1 of 3 treatments. Calves were housed in groups of 3 calves at 3 d old (GH3), 7 d old (GH7), or 14 d old (GH14) until 7 wk of age. Ten groups of 3 calves for each treatment were used, with 5 pens/treatment in each of 2 replications (10 pens/treatment, 3 treatments, 3 calves/treatment; 90 calves total). Direct behavioral observations using instantaneous scan sampling every 10 min were conducted twice per week for 7 wk. At the same times, video data were recorded for continuous observations at feeding time to observe the overall activity of group-housed calves. Hip height, heart girth, and health scores were recorded weekly and body weight was recorded at the start and end of the study. Calves in GH3 spent more time playing and but more time cross-sucking and displacing other calves from milk bottles. Calves engaged in social interaction as early as 3 d of age, and social interactions between 3 to 6 wk of age increased markedly. Calves housed in GH14 vocalized more than did calves in GH7 and GH3. No difference was found between treatments in growth performance. Calf fecal, cough, and nasal and ocular discharge scores, differential leukocyte counts, and plasma cortisol concentrations were not affected by age at grouping. However, during the first week of grouping, when calves were moved from individual pens to group pens, some calves were unable to find their milk bottles and required guidance. In conclusion, these data show no adverse effects on health or performance and some benefits on social behavior for early (d 3) grouping of calves. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sole disorders in conventionally managed and organic dairy herds using different housing systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vaarst, Mette; Hindhede, Jens; Enevoldsen, Carsten

1998-01-01

Records of claw trimmings were analyzed in seven organic and six conventional Danish herds (a total of 974 cows). The housing systems represented were tie stall systems, loose housing system with slatted floor (one organic herd), and deep litter systems (deep straw bedding). Occurrence of sole...... stage from 61 to 120 d post partum in cows of other dual purpose breeds was positively associated with the presence of sole ulcer in one leg only in first parity cows. The time of year for claw trimming was a risk factor for acute haemorrhage in first parity cows, with the period from December...

Assessing long-term behavioural effects of feeding motivation in group-housed pregnant sows; what, when and how to observe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zonderland, J.J.; Leeuw, de J.A.; Nolten, C.; Spoolder, H.A.M.

2004-01-01

Main aim of this study was to elucidate behavioural elements that can be used as a tool to measure satiety in group-housed pregnant sows. In addition, the best time (time of day and time on treatment) and observation method were addressed. In two batches, eight groups of five artificially

Model-predicted ammonia emission from two broiler houses with different rearing systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilsa Duarte Silva Lima

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Ammonia (NH3 emissions from broiler production can affect human and animal health and may cause acidification and eutrophication of the surrounding environment. This study aimed to estimate ammonia emissions from broiler litter in two systems of forced ventilation, the tunnel ventilation (TV and the dark house (DH. The experiment was carried out on eight commercial broiler houses, and the age of the birds (day, d, pH and litter temperature were recorded. Broilers were reared on built-up wood shaving litter using an average flock density of 14 bird m–2. Temperature and relative humidity inside the broiler houses were recorded in the morning during the grow-out period. A factorial experimental design was adopted, with two types of houses, four replicates and two flocks with two replicates each. A deterministic model was used to predict ammonia emissions using the litter pH and temperature, and the day of grow-out. The highest litter temperature and pH were found at 42 d of growth in both housing systems. Mean ambient air temperature and relative humidity did not differ in either system. Mean model predicted ammonia emission was higher in the DH rearing system (5200 mg NH3 m−2h−1 at 42 d than in the TV system (2700 mg NH3m−2 h−1 at 42 d. TV presented the lowest mean litter temperature and pH at 42 d of growth. In the last week of the broilers’ grow-out cycle, estimated ammonia emissions inside DH reached 5700 mg m−2h−1 in one of the flocks. Ammonia emissions were higher inside DH, and they did not differ between flocks. Assuming a broiler market weight in Brazil of close to 2 kg, ammonia emissions were equivalent to 12 g NH3 bird-marketed−1. Model-predicted ammonia emissions provided comprehensible estimations and might be used in abatement strategies for NH3 emission.

Using the social security system to deliver housing policy

OpenAIRE

Cheung, Louise, Gee Wing

2016-01-01

This thesis examines the interaction between housing policy and the social security benefits that support housing costs. Analysis concerns the extent and type of State intervention in housing, thus explaining the dynamic between State and individual responsibility in housing policy. This thesis involves an exploration of the different treatment of the owner-occupied and the rented housing sectors, with reference to the social security benefits which fund ongoing housing costs. This thesis see...

Changes in energy metabolism in relation to physical activity due to fermentable carbohydrates in group-housed growing pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Schrama, J W; Bakker, G C

1999-12-01

Fermentable nonstarch polysaccharides (dietary fiber) affect energy retention in group-housed growing pigs by reducing physical activity. This study assessed the effects of fermentation and bulkiness of dietary carbohydrates on physical activity in relation to energy metabolism. Eight clusters of 14 pigs were fed one of four diets in a 2x2 factorial arrangement. Factors included 1) gastrointestinal fermentation and 2) dietary bulkiness. Contrasts in fermentation were created by exchanging gelatinized maize starch with raw potato starch on a volume basis. Bulkiness was altered by adding 15% milled wheat straw to the diets. Apart from these differences, amounts of other dietary ingredients fed to the pigs were similar. Pigs were housed in groups. Nitrogen and energy balances were measured per cluster during a 14-d period. Dietary bulkiness did not affect ME intake, heat production, or energy retention. Metabolizability decreased when maize starch was replaced with raw potato starch (P< .01), resulting in a lower energy retention on the potato starch diets (P<.01). However, the lower ME intake on the potato diets was partially compensated by a reduced energy expenditure on physical activity (P< .01), which was 17.6% lower than that of pigs fed the maize starch diets. Dietary bulkiness did not affect physical activity. The effect of fiber-rich diets (nonstarch polysaccharides) on activity in growing group-housed pigs seems to be related to fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract, and not to bulkiness (volume).

75 FR 39036 - Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Management Operations Certification

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-07

... System (PHAS): Management Operations Certification AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD... management operations. The information is used to assess the management performance of PHAs. DATES: Comments... following information: Title of Proposal: Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Management Operations...

Influence of different housing systems on the performance of hens of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Overall the battery system seems to be more advantageous than the other systems, yielding a signifi- cantly higher henday egg ... formance of hens of four laying strains in a battery, floor house and ..... and disease resistance. 23-27 July, 1990.

24 CFR 982.610 - Group home: Who may reside in a group home.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Group home: Who may reside in a group home. 982.610 Section 982.610 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and... Housing Types Group Home § 982.610 Group home: Who may reside in a group home. (a) An elderly person or a...

Effects of Outdoor Housing of Piglets on Behavior, Stress Reaction and Meat Characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomohiro Yonezawa

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Well-designed housing systems are important from the viewpoint of animal welfare and improvement of meat production. In this study, we investigated the effects of outdoor housing of pigs on their behavior, cortisol levels, and meat characteristics. Two groups that were born and raised in a spacious outdoor pen (4×10 m for every two sows or a minimum-sized standard pen in a piggery (1.9×2.2 m for every sow were studied. When their behaviors at the age of 2 to 3 wk were observed, the number of rooting episodes tended to be larger (p = 0.0509 and the total time of rooting tended to be longer (p = 0.0640 in the outdoor-housed piglets although the difference was not significant. Basal salivary cortisol levels of the outdoor piglets at the age of 4 wk were significantly lower than those of the indoor piglets (5.0±0.59 ng/ml vs. 11.6±0.91 ng/ml, 30 min after treatment, although their plasma cortisol levels were similar (53.3±3.54 ng/ml vs. 59.9±4.84 ng/ml, 30 min after treatment. When the ears were pierced at weaning, plasma and salivary cortisol levels were increased in both groups, even at 15 min after piercing. However, the increase in the outdoor-housed group was significantly less than that in the indoor-housed group. Throughout their lives, body weight and daily gain of the pigs were not significantly different between the two groups. In a meat taste preference test taken by 20 panelists, saltiness, flavor, and color of the outdoor-housed pork were found to be more acceptable. Moreover, when an electronic taste-sensing device was utilized, the C00 and CPA-C00 outputs (3.78±0.07 and −0.20±0.023, which correspond to compounds of bitterness and smells, respectively, were significantly lower in the outdoor-housed pork (5.03±0.16 and −0.13±0.009. Our results demonstrate that the outdoor housing system for piglets induces natural behaviors such as rooting and suppresses the strongest stress reaction of piglets, which could be important

Comparison of vibration damping of standard and PDCPD housing of the electric power steering system

Science.gov (United States)

Płaczek, M.; Wróbel, A.; Baier, A.

2017-08-01

A comparison of two different types of electric power steering system housing is presented. The first considered type of the housing was a standard one that is made of an aluminium alloy. The second one is made of polydicyclopentadiene polymer (PDCPD) and was produced using the RIM technology. Considered elements were analysed in order to verify their properties of vibrations damping. This property is very important taking into account noise generated by elements of a car’s power steering system. During the carried out tests vibrations of analysed power steering housings were measured using Marco Fiber Composite (MFC) piezoelectric transducers. Results obtained for both considered power steering housings in case of the same parameters of vibrations excitations were measured and juxtaposed. Obtained results were analysed in order to verify if the housing made of PDCPD polymer has better properties of vibration damping than the standard one.

Housing preferences of young adults in Indonesia: housing attributes and consequences

Science.gov (United States)

Farasa, N.; Kusuma, H. E.

2018-03-01

Nowadays, the housing demand of young adults in Indonesia is important issues for the sustainable development of the market. Facing differences of life phases, such as marriage, leaving home after graduation, and new job positioning, young adults become the main segment facing constant housing choice decisions in the housing market. In their particular phase of life, young adults have distinct preferences for housing attributes which bring a great influence on their lives in the future. Data was gathered from a survey questionnaire that was answered by 180 young adults in Indonesia, ranging from age 22-33 years. The findings suggest that the green area and view, location, simplicity, home design, and accessibility are the significant parts as housing attributes for young adults’ housing preferences in Indonesia. The effect of these attributes has many consequences such as security, personalization, mood/ambiance, maintenance, interaction, image, flexibility, environmental, economy, durability, convenience, comfort, and circulation. The biggest group of young adults who prefer comfort as their wanted consequences tend to have high preferences on housing attributes of the green area and view, and simplicity.

Changes in energy metabolism in relation to physical activity due to fermentable carbohydrates in group housed, growing pigs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schrama, J.W.; Bakker, G.C.M.

1999-01-01

Fermentable nonstarch polysaccharides (dietary fiber) affect energy retention in group-housed growing pigs by reducing physical activity. This study assessed the effects of fermentation and bulkiness of dietary carbohydrates on physical activity in relation to energy metabolism. Eight clusters of 14

Changes in energy metabolism in relation to physical activity due to fermentable carbohydrates in group-housed growing pigs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schrama, J.W.; Bakker, G.C.M.

1999-01-01

Fermentable nonstarch polysaccharides (dietary fiber) affect energy retention in group-housed growing pigs by reducing physical activity. This study assessed the effects of fermentation and bulkiness of dietary carbohydrates on physical activity in relation to energy metabolism. Eight clusters of 14

Depressive-like behavior, its sensitization, social buffering, and altered cytokine responses in rhesus macaques moved from outdoor social groups to indoor housing.

Science.gov (United States)

Hennessy, Michael B; Chun, Katie; Capitanio, John P

2017-02-01

Psychosocial stressors appear to promote the onset of depressive illness through activation and sensitization of inflammatory mechanisms. Here, adult male rhesus monkeys brought from large outdoor social groups to indoor housing for 8 days reliably exhibited a hunched, depressive-like posture. When rehoused indoors a second 8 days about 2 weeks later, monkeys housed alone, but not those with an affiliative partner, showed sensitization of the depressive-like hunched posture. Housing indoors also affected circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines: IL-1β showed increased responsiveness to immune challenge, and IL-1β and TNF-α showed reduced suppression by dexamethasone. Sensitivity of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 to immune challenge exhibited a relative increase from the first to the second round of indoor housing in animals housed in pairs, and a relative decrease in animals housed alone. Cytokine levels during indoor housing were positively correlated with duration of depressive-like behavior. Plasma cortisol levels increased but did not differentiate housing conditions or rounds. Results demonstrate a rapid induction and sensitization of depressive-like behavior to indoor individual housing, social buffering of sensitization, and associated inflammatory responses. This paradigm may provide a practical nonhuman primate model for examining inflammatory-mediated consequences of psychosocial stressors on depression and possible social buffering of these effects.

Relation between reproduction performance and indicators of feed intake, fear and social stress in commercial herds with group-housed non-lactating sows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kongsted, Anne Grete

2006-01-01

Group-housing of non-lactating sows is becomming increasingly widespread in commercial sow herds in European countries as a result of changed legislation. Group-housing may lead to individual variation in feed intake, stress and fear, which may impair the reproduction ferformance. However, whether...... the individual variation in feed intake and the level of stress and fear under commercial conditions is severe enough to impair the reproduction performance is not known. In a detailed farm study including 14 herds with different layouts the relations between various indicators of feed intake, stress and fear...

Unitary Housing Regimes in Transition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bengtsson, Bo; Jensen, Lotte

2013-01-01

Path dependence is strong in housing institutions and policy. In both Denmark and Sweden, today’s universal and ‘unitary’ (Kemeny) housing regimes can be traced back to institutions that were introduced fifty years back in history or more. Recently, universal and unitary housing systems...... in Scandinavia, and elsewhere, are under challenge from strong political and economic forces. These challenges can be summarized as economic cutbacks, privatization and Europeanization. Although both the Danish and the Swedish housing system are universal and unitary in character, they differ considerably...... in institutional detail. Both systems have corporatist features, however in Denmark public housing is based on local tenant democracy and control, and in Sweden on companies owned and controlled by the municipalities, combined with a centralized system of rent negotiations. In the paper the present challenges...

76 FR 10135 - Public Housing Evaluation and Oversight: Changes to the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-23

... Vol. 76 Wednesday, No. 36 February 23, 2011 Part III Department of Housing and Urban Development 24 CFR Parts 901, 902, and 907 Public Housing Evaluation and Oversight: Changes to the Public Housing...

Water supply rates for recirculating evaporative cooling systems in poultry housing

Science.gov (United States)

Evaporative cooling (EC) is an important tool to reduce heat stress in animal housing systems. Expansion of ventilation capacity in tunnel ventilated poultry facilities has resulted in increased water demand for EC systems. As water resources become more limited and costly, proper planning and des...

Automated recording of home cage activity and temperature of individual rats housed in social groups: The Rodent Big Brother project.

Science.gov (United States)

Redfern, William S; Tse, Karen; Grant, Claire; Keerie, Amy; Simpson, David J; Pedersen, John C; Rimmer, Victoria; Leslie, Lauren; Klein, Stephanie K; Karp, Natasha A; Sillito, Rowland; Chartsias, Agis; Lukins, Tim; Heward, James; Vickers, Catherine; Chapman, Kathryn; Armstrong, J Douglas

2017-01-01

Measuring the activity and temperature of rats is commonly required in biomedical research. Conventional approaches necessitate single housing, which affects their behavior and wellbeing. We have used a subcutaneous radiofrequency identification (RFID) transponder to measure ambulatory activity and temperature of individual rats when group-housed in conventional, rack-mounted home cages. The transponder location and temperature is detected by a matrix of antennae in a baseplate under the cage. An infrared high-definition camera acquires side-view video of the cage and also enables automated detection of vertical activity. Validation studies showed that baseplate-derived ambulatory activity correlated well with manual tracking and with side-view whole-cage video pixel movement. This technology enables individual behavioral and temperature data to be acquired continuously from group-housed rats in their familiar, home cage environment. We demonstrate its ability to reliably detect naturally occurring behavioral effects, extending beyond the capabilities of routine observational tests and conventional monitoring equipment. It has numerous potential applications including safety pharmacology, toxicology, circadian biology, disease models and drug discovery.

THE USE OF PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS AS PART OF THE PASSIVE HOUSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bryzgalin Vladislav Viktorovich

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Subject: systems of passive solar heating, which can, without the use of engineering equipment, capture and accumulate the solar heat used for heating buildings. Research objectives: study of the possibility to reach the passive house standard (buildings with near zero energy consumption for heating in climatic conditions of Russia using the systems of passive solar heating in combination with other solutions for reduction of energy costs of building developed in the past. Materials and methods: search and analysis of literature, containing descriptions of various passive solar heating systems, examples of their use in different climatic conditions and the resulting effect obtained from their use; analysis of thermophysical processes occurring in these systems. Results: we revealed the potential of using the solar heating systems in the climatic conditions of parts of the territories of the Russian Federation, identified the possibility of cheaper construction by the passive house standard with the use of these systems. Conclusions: more detailed analysis of thermophysical and other processes that take place in passive solar heating systems is required for creation of their computational models, which will allow us to more accurately predict their effectiveness and seek the most cost-effective design solutions, and include them in the list of means for achieving the passive house standard.

Development of piglets raised in a new multi-litter housing system vs. conventional single-litter housing until 9 weeks of age

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nieuwamerongen, van S.E.; Soede, N.M.; Peet-Schwering, van der C.M.C.; Kemp, B.; Bolhuis, J.E.

2015-01-01

This study compared the development until 9 wk of age of piglets raised in either a multi-litter (ML) system or a conventional single-litter (SL) system. The ML system consisted of a multi-suckling system with 5 sows and their litters before weaning, followed by housing in a pen with enrichment in a

Housing system transformations in Japan and South Korea: divergent responses to neo-liberal forces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ronald, R.; Kyung, S.

2013-01-01

Despite different pathways and approaches to housing and public provision, considerations of East Asian developmental regimes have tended to categorise Japan and South Korea as different versions of a similar type of welfare regime. This paper addresses the roles housing systems and policies have

Environmental Health Disparities in Housing

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

The physical infrastructure and housing make human interaction possible and provide shelter. How well that infrastructure performs and which groups it serves have important implications for social equity and health. Populations in inadequate housing are more likely to have environmental diseases and injuries. Substantial disparities in housing have remained largely unchanged. Approximately 2.6 million (7.5%) non-Hispanic Blacks and 5.9 million Whites (2.8%) live in substandard housing. Segregation, lack of housing mobility, and homelessness are all associated with adverse health outcomes. Yet the experience with childhood lead poisoning in the United States has shown that housing-related disparities can be reduced. Effective interventions should be implemented to reduce environmental health disparities related to housing. PMID:21551378

Are housing professionals born or made? The role of education and identity amongst housing professionals in Ireland.

OpenAIRE

Butler, Deborah

2010-01-01

The concept of a housing professional is a new and often disputed term. Qualitative research into the culture and identity of occupational groups involved in social housing provision and management has been relatively scarce. Research has concentrated, almost exclusively, on the individual involved in the housing construction and output side of housing provision. This neglect is surprising given the importance of housing in people‟s lives. The thesis examines the identities, experiences and e...

Effect of environmental enrichment devices on behaviors of single- and group-housed squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)

Science.gov (United States)

Spring, S. E.; Clifford, J. O.; Tomko, D. L.

1997-01-01

Squirrel monkeys display an interest in novel places, habituate to new situations, and spend most of their daily activity in the wild in large groups engaging in feeding behaviors over a broad area. Captivity limits these behaviors and consequently may disrupt normal social organizations. In captivity, squirrel monkeys may exhibit stereotypical behaviors that are believed to indicate decreased psychologic well-being. When a monkey's behavior can be made to approach that seen in the wild, and stereotypical behaviors are minimal, it is assumed that psychologic well-being is adequate. Environmental enrichment devices have been used to address the Animal Welfare Act requirement that psychologic well-being of captive nonhuman primates be considered. The purpose of the study reported here was to examine whether various environmental enrichment devices improve the psychologic well-being of captive squirrel monkeys. In the study, we used behavioral observation to quantify the effectiveness of several environmental enrichment devices for reducing stereotypical behaviors in squirrel monkeys housed alone or in groups. Analysis of our results revealed that the environmental enrichment devices did not affect the expression of normal or stereotypical behaviors, but that the type of housing did.

Assessment of different bedding systems for lactating cows in freestall housing

Science.gov (United States)

The objective of this study was to compare different bedding systems for lactating cows in freestall housing. Bedding systems included new sand (NS), recycled byproducts of manure separation (organic solids [OS] and recycled sand [RS]), and foam-core mattresses with a shallow layer of OS (MS). The e...

Application of Agent-based Modelling for Estimation of Norm-based Dynamics of Housing Systems.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lux, Martin; Hájek, Martin; Kážmér, Ladislav

2017-01-01

Roč. 34, č. 4 (2017), s. 379-398 ISSN 1403-6096 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA16-06335S Institutional support: RVO:68378025 Keywords : housing market * social norms * housing system Subject RIV: AO - Sociology, Demography OBOR OECD: Sociology Impact factor: 1.000, year: 2016

Numerical Investigation of Floor Heating Systems in Low Energy Houses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weitzmann, Peter; Kragh, Jesper; Jensen, Claus Franceos

2002-01-01

In this paper an investigation of floor heating systems is performed with respect to heating demand and room temperature. Presently (2001) no commercially available building simulation programs that can be used to evaluate heating demand and thermal comfort in buildings with building integrated....... The model calculates heating demand, room temperatures, and thermal comfort parameters for a person in the room. The model is based on a numerical Finite Control Volume (FCV) method for the heat transfer in walls, ceiling, windows and floor. The model uses both convective and radiative heat transfer...... to the room air and between the room surfaces. The simulation model has been used to calculate heating demand and room temperature in a typical well insulated Danish single-family house with a heating demand of approximately 6000 kWh per year, for a 130 m² house. Two different types of floor heating systems...

Effects of two different dietary fermentable carbohydrates on activity and heat production in group-housed growing pigs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rijnen, M.M.J.A.; Verstegen, M.W.A.; Heetkamp, M.J.W.; Schrama, J.W.

2003-01-01

The effects of two sources of dietary fiber (DF) on behavior and heat production (HP) in group-housed growing pigs were studied. Twenty clusters of 14 barrows (50 kg) were fed one of 10 diets. Diets differed mainly in type,and content of fermentable DF (fDF) and in content of digestible starch. Five

Low energy housing in Ticino - The 'Vitali-Velti' house

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pahud, D.; Generelli, M. [SUPSI-DCT/LEEE-UREC, Trevano-Canobbio (Switzerland); Velti, A; Vitali, B. [architetto, Monte Carasso (Switzerland)

2003-02-15

This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) takes a look at work done concerning low energy consumption housing in southern Switzerland. Thanks to large windows in the south-east facade and a well insulated building envelope, the passive solar gains are quoted as providing significant contributions to heating. The remaining heating requirements are covered by a closed fireplace and an electric radiator. Heat is distributed by free convection inside the house, A double-flux ventilation system with heat recovery ensures air renewal (3 volumes per day). Each house has a solar hot water system with electric auxiliary energy supply. Space heating requirements are discussed and compared with the standard values as defined in Swiss energy standards and the conventional auxiliary space heating energy required for the houses is noted.

Effect of heating system using a geothermal heat pump on the production performance and housing environment of broiler chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, H C; Salim, H M; Akter, N; Na, J C; Kang, H K; Kim, M J; Kim, D W; Bang, H T; Chae, H S; Suh, O S

2012-02-01

A geothermal heat pump (GHP) is a potential heat source for the economic heating of broiler houses with optimum production performance. An investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of a heating system using a GHP on production performance and housing environment of broiler chickens. A comparative analysis was also performed between the GHP system and a conventional heating system that used diesel for fuel. In total, 34,000 one-day-old straight run broiler chicks were assigned to 2 broiler houses with 5 replicates in each (3,400 birds/replicate pen) for 35 d. Oxygen(,) CO(2), and NH(3) concentrations in the broiler house, energy consumption and cost of heating, and production performance of broilers were evaluated. Results showed that the final BW gain significantly (P heating system did not affect the mortality of chicks during the first 4 wk of the experimental period, but the mortality markedly increased in the conventional broiler house during the last wk of the experiment. Oxygen content in the broiler house during the experimental period was not affected by the heating system, but the CO(2) and NH(3) contents significantly increased (P heating the GHP house was significantly lower (P heating system for broiler chickens.

Randomized trial of the effects of housing assistance on the health and risk behaviors of homeless and unstably housed people living with HIV.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolitski, Richard J; Kidder, Daniel P; Pals, Sherri L; Royal, Scott; Aidala, Angela; Stall, Ron; Holtgrave, David R; Harre, David; Courtenay-Quirk, Cari

2010-06-01

Homelessness affects HIV risk and health, but little is known about the longitudinal effects of rental assistance on the housing status and health of homeless and unstably housed people living with HIV/AIDS. Homeless/unstably housed people living with HIV/AIDS (N = 630) were randomly assigned to immediate Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) rental assistance or customary care. Self-reported data, CD4, and HIV viral load were collected at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months. Results showed that housing status improved in both groups, with greater improvement occurring in the treatment group. At 18 months, 51% of the comparison group had their own housing, limiting statistical power. Intent-to-treat analyses demonstrated significant reductions in medical care utilization and improvements in self-reported physical and mental health; significant differential change benefiting the treatment group was observed for depression and perceived stress. Significant differences between homeless and stably housed participants were found in as-treated analyses for health care utilization, mental health, and physical health. HOPWA rental assistance improves housing status and, in some cases, health outcomes of homeless and unstably housed people living with HIV/AIDS.

How healthy and sustainable is the Dutch housing mix? Measuring and comparing the theoretical housing market balance of Dutch regional housing markets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janssen-Jansen, Leonie; Schilder, F.P.W.

2015-01-01

Housing and its distribution over groups of households dominates debates on urban socio-spatial justice. Amsterdam even received the label ‘Just City’ as the large stock of social housing in the core of the city is said to increase societal equity. Within the Netherlands, however, the Greater

Group 1 and 2 Dermatophagoides house dust mite allergens in the microenvironment of cats.

Science.gov (United States)

Loft, Klaus Earl; Rosser, Edmund J

2010-04-01

House dust mite allergens (HDMAs) are some of the most common allergens associated with allergic diseases in humans and dogs. The purpose of this study was to determine whether HDMAs could be detected in cat-associated household microenvironments. From 50 cat-only households with 95 cats, dust samples were collected by vacuuming for 2 min m(-2) from three areas where cats slept or rested regularly from September to October 2006. Relative humidity and temperature were measured in each household using a data logger. Each owner completed a questionnaire on potential factors that might influence the prevalence of house dust mites (HDMs). Dust samples were analysed utilizing an ELISA for Der p 1, Der f 1 and HDM group 2 allergens. In 38 of 50 households there was greater than 2 microg g(-1) of dust for at least one HDMA. Using stepwise logistic regression, factors associated with increased HDMA levels included: free-standing houses, number of humans in household, longhaired cats and age of the cat. Factors associated with decreased HDMA concentrations included: forced air heating and central air conditioning, less than 50% carpeting of the home, use of flea control, cats suffering from dermatological disease and the average temperature of the household. Many sleeping/resting areas utilized by cats contain sufficiently high levels of HDMAs to be potential sources of sensitization. This finding should lead to further determination of the role of HDMs in cats suffering from putative allergic conditions such as atopic dermatitis or asthma.

Quality of life themes in Canadian adults and street youth who are homeless or hard-to-house: a multi-site focus group study.

Science.gov (United States)

Palepu, Anita; Hubley, Anita M; Russell, Lara B; Gadermann, Anne M; Chinni, Mary

2012-08-15

The aim of this study was to identify what is most important to the quality of life (QoL) of those who experience homelessness by directly soliciting the views of homeless and hard-to-house Canadians themselves. These individuals live within a unique social context that differs considerably from that of the general population. To understand the life areas that are most important to them, it is critical to have direct input from target populations of homeless and hard-to-house persons. Focus groups were conducted with 140 individuals aged 15 to 73 years who were homeless or hard-to-house to explore the circumstances in which they were living and to capture what they find to be important and relevant domains of QoL. Participants were recruited in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Vancouver. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Six major content themes emerged: Health/health care; Living conditions; Financial situation; Employment situation; Relationships; and Recreational and leisure activities. These themes were linked to broader concepts that included having choices, stability, respect, and the same rights as other members of society. These findings not only aid our understanding of QoL in this group, but may be used to develop measures that capture QoL in this population and help programs and policies become more effective in improving the life situation for persons who are homeless and hard-to-house. Quality of life themes in Canadian adults and street youth who are homeless or hard-to-house: A multi-site focus group study.

Domotics Project Housing Block.

Science.gov (United States)

Morón, Carlos; Payán, Alejandro; García, Alfonso; Bosquet, Francisco

2016-05-23

This document develops the study of an implementation project of a home automation system in a housing placed in the town of Galapagar, Madrid. This house, which is going to be occupied by a four-member family, consists of 67 constructed square meters distributed in lounge, kitchen, three bedrooms, bath, bathroom and terrace, this being a common arrangement in Spain. Thus, this study will allow extracting conclusions about the adequacy of the home automation in a wide percentage of housing in Spain. In this document, three house automation proposals are developed based on the requirements of the client and the different home automation levels that the Spanish House and Building Automation Association has established, besides two parallel proposals relating to the safety and the technical alarms. The mentioned proposed systems are described by means of product datasheets and descriptions, distribution plans, measurements, budgets and flow charts that describe the functioning of the system in every case. An evaluation of each system is included, based on other studies conclusions on this matter, where expected energy savings from each design, depending on the current cost of lighting, water and gas, as well as the expected economic amortization period is evaluated.

Public Housing Smarts: Two Universities Discover a Trove of Opportunity in New Orleans' Public Housing System.

Science.gov (United States)

Boulard, Garry

1998-01-01

Tulane University and Xavier University (Louisiana) are both taking an active role in revitalizing the New Orleans public housing authority, the sixth-largest in the country. In partnership with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development and the city's housing authority, the two institutions are cooperating in a major renovation…

Multiple pump housing

Science.gov (United States)

Donoho, II, Michael R.; Elliott; Christopher M.

2010-03-23

A fluid delivery system includes a first pump having a first drive assembly, a second pump having a second drive assembly, and a pump housing. At least a portion of each of the first and second pumps are located in the housing.

SOLAR ENERGY APPLICATION IN HOUSES HEATING SYSTEMS IN RUSSIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhanna Mingaleva

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The solar energy is widely used around the world for electricity generation and heating systems in municipal services. But its use is complicated in the number of territories with uneven receipts of solar radiation on the earth’s surface and large number of cloudy days during a year. A hypothesis on the possibility of application of individual solar collectors for heating of houses in the number of cities of Russia has been tested. The existing designs of solar collectors and checking the possibility of their application in northern territories of Russia are investigated. The analysis was carried out taking into account features of relief and other climatic conditions of the Perm and Sverdlovsk regions. As the result of research, the basic recommended conditions for application of solar batteries in houses of the northern Russian cities have been resumed.

Model-predicted ammonia emission from two broiler houses with different rearing systems

OpenAIRE

Lima,Nilsa Duarte Silva; Garcia,Rodrigo Garófallo; Nääs,Irenilza Alencar; Caldara,Fabiana Ribeiro; Ponso,Roselaine

2015-01-01

Ammonia (NH3) emissions from broiler production can affect human and animal health and may cause acidification and eutrophication of the surrounding environment. This study aimed to estimate ammonia emissions from broiler litter in two systems of forced ventilation, the tunnel ventilation (TV) and the dark house (DH). The experiment was carried out on eight commercial broiler houses, and the age of the birds (day, d), pH and litter temperature were recorded. Broilers were reared on built-up w...

20 CFR 654.404 - Housing site.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Housing site. 654.404 Section 654.404... THE EMPLOYMENT SERVICE SYSTEM Housing for Agricultural Workers Housing Standards § 654.404 Housing site. (a) Housing sites shall be well drained and free from depressions in which water may stagnate...

Management of Housing and Public Services of a City: the System and Simulation Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bril Mykhailo S.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article is dedicated to the development of models for management of housing and communal services of a city on the basis of the system approach and simulation modeling. A review of the existing models of urban systems is carried out, their advantages and disadvantages are shown. With the use of the methods of simulation and scenario modeling, a simulation model for management of housing and communal services of a city has been developed, which makes it possible to predict the dynamics of the main socio-economic indicators of development of a city. On the basis of the model, the forecast indicators were simulated according to various scenarios for distributing financial resources for the renovation and maintenance of housing facilities of a city. The main criterion for effectiveness of the scenarios is the level of housing provision for the population. The models built can be used for making managerial decisions by local government authorities as well as in elaborating programs for the urban social and economic development.

Housing mobility and cognitive development: Change in verbal and nonverbal abilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Fowler, Patrick J; McGrath, Lauren M; Henry, David B; Schoeny, Michael; Chavira, Dina; Taylor, Jeremy J; Day, Orin

2015-10-01

This study investigates the influence of housing instability on verbal and nonverbal cognitive development among at-risk children and adolescents involved in the child welfare system. Frequent residential changes threaten child mental health, especially among low-income families. Little is known regarding disruptions to cognitive growth, specifically the impact on verbal and nonverbal abilities. The study tests whether developmental timing of housing mobility affects cognitive development beyond individual and family risks. A nationally representative study of families (n=2,442) susceptible to housing and family instability tracked children and adolescents aged 4-14 years (M=8.95 years) over 36 months following investigation by the child welfare system. Youth completed standardized cognitive assessments while caregivers reported on behavior problems and family risk at three time points. Latent growth models examined change in cognitive abilities over time. Housing mobility in the 12 months prior to baseline predicts lower verbal cognitive abilities that improve marginally. Similar effects emerge for all age groups; however, frequent moves in infancy diminish the influence of subsequent housing mobility on verbal tasks. Housing instability threatened cognitive development beyond child maltreatment, family changes, poverty, and other risks. Findings inform emerging research on environmental influences on neurocognitive development, as well as identify targets for early intervention. Systematic assessment of family housing problems, including through the child welfare system, provides opportunities for coordinated responses to prevent instability and cognitive threats. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality of life themes in Canadian adults and street youth who are homeless or hard-to-house: A multi-site focus group study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Palepu Anita

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study was to identify what is most important to the quality of life (QoL of those who experience homelessness by directly soliciting the views of homeless and hard-to-house Canadians themselves. These individuals live within a unique social context that differs considerably from that of the general population. To understand the life areas that are most important to them, it is critical to have direct input from target populations of homeless and hard-to-house persons. Methods Focus groups were conducted with 140 individuals aged 15 to 73 years who were homeless or hard-to-house to explore the circumstances in which they were living and to capture what they find to be important and relevant domains of QoL. Participants were recruited in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Vancouver. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Results Six major content themes emerged: Health/health care; Living conditions; Financial situation; Employment situation; Relationships; and Recreational and leisure activities. These themes were linked to broader concepts that included having choices, stability, respect, and the same rights as other members of society. Conclusions These findings not only aid our understanding of QoL in this group, but may be used to develop measures that capture QoL in this population and help programs and policies become more effective in improving the life situation for persons who are homeless and hard-to-house. Quality of life themes in Canadian adults and street youth who are homeless or hard-to-house: A multi-site focus group study.

Domotics Project Housing Block

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Morón

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This document develops the study of an implementation project of a home automation system in a housing placed in the town of Galapagar, Madrid. This house, which is going to be occupied by a four-member family, consists of 67 constructed square meters distributed in lounge, kitchen, three bedrooms, bath, bathroom and terrace, this being a common arrangement in Spain. Thus, this study will allow extracting conclusions about the adequacy of the home automation in a wide percentage of housing in Spain. In this document, three house automation proposals are developed based on the requirements of the client and the different home automation levels that the Spanish House and Building Automation Association has established, besides two parallel proposals relating to the safety and the technical alarms. The mentioned proposed systems are described by means of product datasheets and descriptions, distribution plans, measurements, budgets and flow charts that describe the functioning of the system in every case. An evaluation of each system is included, based on other studies conclusions on this matter, where expected energy savings from each design, depending on the current cost of lighting, water and gas, as well as the expected economic amortization period is evaluated.

Domotics Project Housing Block

Science.gov (United States)

Morón, Carlos; Payán, Alejandro; García, Alfonso; Bosquet, Francisco

2016-01-01

This document develops the study of an implementation project of a home automation system in a housing placed in the town of Galapagar, Madrid. This house, which is going to be occupied by a four-member family, consists of 67 constructed square meters distributed in lounge, kitchen, three bedrooms, bath, bathroom and terrace, this being a common arrangement in Spain. Thus, this study will allow extracting conclusions about the adequacy of the home automation in a wide percentage of housing in Spain. In this document, three house automation proposals are developed based on the requirements of the client and the different home automation levels that the Spanish House and Building Automation Association has established, besides two parallel proposals relating to the safety and the technical alarms. The mentioned proposed systems are described by means of product datasheets and descriptions, distribution plans, measurements, budgets and flow charts that describe the functioning of the system in every case. An evaluation of each system is included, based on other studies conclusions on this matter, where expected energy savings from each design, depending on the current cost of lighting, water and gas, as well as the expected economic amortization period is evaluated. PMID:27223285

Energy conservation and conversion of electrical heating systems in detached houses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gustavsson, Leif; Joelsson, Anna [Ecotechnology, Department of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University, SE-831 25 Oestersund, (Sweden)

2007-06-15

In this study, a Swedish house built in 1974, heated with resistance heaters was analysed. Different options for changing the heating system and electricity production were compared for this type of detached house, assuming coal-based electricity production as a reference. Changes in the fuel used, the electricity production technology, the end-use heating technology and the heat demand were analysed. The aim was to show how these different parts of the energy system interact and to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of reducing CO{sub 2} emission and primary energy use by different combinations of changes. The results showed that the CO{sub 2} emission and primary energy use could be reduced by 95 and 70%, respectively, without increased heating costs in a national economic perspective. The choice of end-use heating system had a greater influence than the energy conservation measures on the parameters studied. The energy conservation measures were less cost-effective in combination with the more energy-efficient heating systems, although the fact that they reduced the heat demand, and thus also the investment cost of the new heating system, was taken into account. (Author)

Short communication: Calving site selection of multiparous, group-housed dairy cows is influenced by site of a previous calving

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rørvang, Maria Vilain; Nielsen, B.L.; Herskin, Mette S.

2017-01-01

A calving cow and her newborn calf appear to have an attracting effect on periparturient cows, which may potentially influence the functionality of future motivation-based calving pen designs. In this pilot study we examined whether calving site selection of group-housed Holstein dairy cows...

Managing In-House Development of a Campus-Wide Information System

Science.gov (United States)

Shurville, Simon; Williams, John

2005-01-01

Purpose: To show how a combination of hard and soft project and change management methodologies guided successful in-house development of a campus-wide information system. Design/methodology/approach: A case study of the methodologies and management structures that guided the development is presented. Findings: Applying a combination of the…

Housing in Slovenia: An opportunity for quality shifts

OpenAIRE

Viktor Pust

2000-01-01

The limited quantity of new housing in Slovenia in the last decade and the recognised public interest for solving housing problems imply different procedures in providing adequate houses for various social groups. The article presents present development issues concerning housing development in Slovenia that lead to necessary additions to housing types. Simultaneously modernisation of planning documentation, amendments to the national housing programme and changes to the organisation structur...

Workshop - Solar cells and daylight. Solar cell house. House building with integrated solar cell systems; Workshop - Solceller og dagslys. Solcellehus. Boligbyggeri med integrerede solcelleanlaeg

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schroeder, Mio; Hansen, Ellen Kathrine

2005-04-15

The workshop 'Solar cells and daylight' at Aarhus School of Architecture aimed at studying and developing architectural potentials of integrating solar cell systems in building components for future house building. The aim of the process was to stress that technical conditions such as energy technological component design might work as central points of support in the future shaping and organisation of qualitative and functional design of houses. (BA)

Hierarchy in the home cage affects behaviour and gene expression in group-housed C57BL/6 male mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Horii, Yasuyuki; Nagasawa, Tatsuhiro; Sakakibara, Hiroyuki; Takahashi, Aki; Tanave, Akira; Matsumoto, Yuki; Nagayama, Hiromichi; Yoshimi, Kazuto; Yasuda, Michiko T; Shimoi, Kayoko; Koide, Tsuyoshi

2017-08-01

Group-housed male mice exhibit aggressive behaviour towards their cage mates and form a social hierarchy. Here, we describe how social hierarchy in standard group-housed conditions affects behaviour and gene expression in male mice. Four male C57BL/6 mice were kept in each cage used in the study, and the social hierarchy was determined from observation of video recordings of aggressive behaviour. After formation of a social hierarchy, the behaviour and hippocampal gene expression were analysed in the mice. Higher anxiety- and depression-like behaviours and elevated gene expression of hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone and hippocampal serotonin receptor subtypes were observed in subordinate mice compared with those of dominant mice. These differences were alleviated by orally administering fluoxetine, which is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class. We concluded that hierarchy in the home cage affects behaviour and gene expression in male mice, resulting in anxiety- and depression-like behaviours being regulated differently in dominant and subordinate mice.

Passive houses in Norway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halse, Andreas

2008-12-15

The paper analyzes the introduction of passive houses in the Norwegian house market. Passive houses are houses with extremely low levels of energy consumption for heating, and have not yet been built in Norway, but have started to enter the market in Germany and some other countries. The construction sector is analyzed as a sectoral innovation system. The different elements of the innovation system are studied. This includes government agencies, producers, consumers, finance and education. The analysis shows that passive and low-energy houses are on the verge of market breakthrough. This can partly be explained by economic calculations, and partly by processes of learning and change in the institutional set-up of the sector. The construction sector is a sector characterized by low innovative intensity and little interaction between different agents. Those working to promote passive houses have to some extent managed to cope with these challenges. This has happened by breaking away from the traditional focus of Norwegian energy efficiency policies on technology and the economically rational agents, by instead focusing on knowledge and institutional change at the level of the producers. (Author)

Solar House Obdach: experiences with a solar ground-coupled storage system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruck, M; Blum, P; Held, E; Aranovitch, E; Hardacre, A G; Ofverholm, E [eds.

1982-09-14

Within the framework of the Solar House Obdach-project, a system consisting of a ground heat exchanger, a low-temperature collector, a water-glycol/water heat pump and a low-temperature heating system was examined with regard to its suitability as only heat source of a house. With the design chosen (1 m/sup 2/ ground collector area and 0.3 m/sup 2/ low-temperature collector area per 80 W load), a seasonal performance factor of 2.83 could be obtained. About 40% of the low-temperature heat supplied to the heat pump were delivered directly or indirectly (by means of short-term storage in the ground) by the low-temperature collector, whereas about 60% came from the natural sources of energy of the ground (air heat, radiation, precipitation, ground water and slope water). The results obtained are used to verify and improve a computer model design program for ground collectors and ground-coupled storage systems which should help to optimize the design of solar plants, particularly under difficult conditions.

Bupropion induces social anxiety in adolescent mice: Influence of housing conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez, Carmen; Redolat, Rosa; Carrasco, Carmen

2017-08-01

The antidepressant bupropion has received increasing attention as a pharmacological tool to treat addiction although little is known about its effects on social behaviour in adolescents. The present study aimed to evaluate if environmental housing conditions influence bupropion's actions on social behaviour of adolescent mice. Mice were either group- or individually housed for 2-weeks and then randomly divided into 2 cohorts: half of the mice remained in the initial housing condition and the other half were changed to isolated conditions for further 2-weeks. The following groups were compared: isolated/isolated (ISO/ISO), isolated/group-housed (ISO/GR), group-housed/isolated (GR/ISO), and group-housed/group-housed (GR/GR). The effects of bupropion (40, 20, 10mg/kg) or saline on social interaction were assessed for each housing condition. Social encounters were evaluated using ethological analysis. Data showed significant effects of bupropion on grooming and digging. This drug diminished time mice allocated to these behavioural categories in all housing conditions. In ISO/GR and GR/ISO conditions, bupropion increased environmental exploration (non-social exploration and exploration from a distance), reduced social investigation and increased avoidance/flee and defence/submission behaviours. An augment of avoidance/flee during social interactions was observed in bupropion-treated mice in GR/GR housing condition. These results suggest that this drug exhibits anxiogenic-like properties in social encounters between adolescent mice, especially when a transition in housing conditions has been experienced during this period. Changes in housing conditions may be a useful model for evaluating the effects of bupropion on social behaviour and the role of environmental housing conditions. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

The effects of housing stability on service use among homeless adults with mental illness in a randomized controlled trial of housing first.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerman, Nick; Sylvestre, John; Aubry, Tim; Distasio, Jino

2018-03-20

Housing First is an effective intervention to stably house and alter service use patterns in a large proportion of homeless people with mental illness. However, it is unknown whether there are differences in the patterns of service use over time among those who do or do not become stably housed and what effect, if any, Housing First has on these differing service use patterns. This study explored changes in the service use of people with mental illness who received Housing First compared to standard care, and how patterns of use differed among people who did and did not become stably housed. The study design was a multi-site randomized controlled trial of Housing First, a supported housing intervention. 2039 participants (Housing First: n = 1131; standard care: n = 908) were included in this study. Outcome variables include nine types of self-reported service use over 24 months. Linear mixed models examined what effects the intervention and housing stability had on service use. Participants who achieved housing stability, across the two groups, had decreased use of inpatient psychiatric hospitals and increased use of food banks. Within the Housing First group, unstably housed participants spent more time in prison over the study period. The Housing First and standard care groups both had decreased use of emergency departments and homeless shelters. The temporal service use changes that occurred as homeless people with mental illness became stably housed are similar for those receiving Housing First or standard care, with the exception of time in prison. Service use patterns, particularly with regard to psychiatric hospitalizations and time in prison, may signify persons who are at-risk of recurrent homelessness. Housing support teams should be alert to the impacts of stay-based services, such as hospitalizations and incarcerations, on housing stability and offer an increased level of support to tenants during critical periods, such as discharges. ISRCTN

Field survey of a sustainable sanitation system in a residential house.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakagawa, Naoko; Otaki, Masahiro; Miura, Shinji; Hamasuna, Hironobu; Ishizaki, Katsuyoshi

2006-01-01

Sustainable sanitation is an approach for more ecological and sustainable water resources management. In this paper, we proposed one of the new integrated waste treatment systems: an "sustainable sanitation system" that includes separation of the black water from water system by a non-flushing toilet (bio-toilet), and a gray water treatment based on a biological and ecological concept. Sustainable sanitation system also converts the domestic waste to soil conditioners and fertilizers, for farmland use. As one of the case studies, Environmentally Symbiotic Housing in which people actually live using the bio-toilet for the black water treatment and the household wastewater treatment facility for the gray water was introduced. The availability of this system was investigated by analyzing the sawdust used in the bio-toilet and the quality of the effluent in the household wastewater treatment facility. As the result, the water content of the sawdust did not exceed 60% in any of the sampling points and the BOD and COD of the effluent of the household wastewater treatment facility were below 10 and 20 mg/L respectively, due to the low loading. Compared to the pollution load on the water environment created by the conventional system, it was found that the effluent of the house has a lower load than the tertiary treatment and the volume of the water consumption is 75% of the conventional system.

Barriers to installing innovative energy systems in existing housing stock identified

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoppe, Thomas

2013-01-01

Several barriers to upgrading existing social housing with innovative energy systems (IES) have been identified by a study of eight large-scale renovation projects in the Netherlands. These include a lack of trust between stakeholders, opposition from tenants on grounds of increased costs or delays,

IMPACT OF THE ECOLOGICAL TREND UPON HOUSE BUILDING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adelaida Cristina HONTUS

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The American and Romanian house market has imposed harmonious and comfortable living in ecological houses whose building does not affect the environment. The implementation of modern and efficient building of long-term sustainable houses has resulted in a new ecological building technology by the Wood Framing System which is developed and applied on a large scale in the US. This system is a cheap and accessible method to build houses and preserve them in time, as well as provide all the comfort demands. Also, the houses built within this system are adapted to any architecture style (traditional, contemporary, and futurist.The house structures built within the Wood Framing System are conspicuous through the optimum use of the wooden material, resistance, stability, ductility, low weight which thus reduces the earthquake impact, durability, high thermal comfort, competitive price. At the same time, the building time on the site is up to 70% lower, compared with the brick-based houses.Within the framing system, a wooden-structure house provides important advantages, and thus has become of interest on the Romanian market.

GREEN CORE HOUSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NECULAI Oana

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The Green Core House is a construction concept with low environmental impact, having as main central element a greenhouse. The greenhouse has the innovative role to use the biomass energy provided by plants to save energy. Although it is the central piece, the greenhouse is not the most innovative part of the Green Core House, but the whole building ensemble because it integrates many other sustainable systems as "waste purification systems", "transparent photovoltaic panels" or "double skin façades".

In-House Communication Support System Based on the Information Propagation Model Utilizes Social Network

Science.gov (United States)

Takeuchi, Susumu; Teranishi, Yuuichi; Harumoto, Kaname; Shimojo, Shinji

Almost all companies are now utilizing computer networks to support speedier and more effective in-house information-sharing and communication. However, existing systems are designed to support communications only within the same department. Therefore, in our research, we propose an in-house communication support system which is based on the “Information Propagation Model (IPM).” The IPM is proposed to realize word-of-mouth communication in a social network, and to support information-sharing on the network. By applying the system in a real company, we found that information could be exchanged between different and unrelated departments, and such exchanges of information could help to build new relationships between the users who are apart on the social network.

The Housing Finance Revolution

OpenAIRE

Richard K. Green; Susan M. Wachter

2007-01-01

While other countries dismantled their segmented housing finance systems and linked housing finance to capital markets through deregulated depositories, the US linked housing finance to capital markets through depository deregulation and securitization. Elsewhere securitization has not developed. The US provided the underpinnings for its mortgage security infrastructure with the creation of FNMA in 1938 and in order to create liquidity in the mortgage market required the standardization of mo...

Bacterial contamination of table eggs and the influence of housing systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reu, de K.; Messens, W.; Heyndrickx, M.; Rodenburg, T.B.; Uyttendaele, M.; Herman, L.

2008-01-01

With the introduction of alternative housing systems for laying hens in the EU, recent research has focussed on the bacterial contamination of table eggs, e.g. eggshell and egg content contamination. Contamination of eggshells with aerobic bacteria is generally higher for nest eggs from non-cage

Construction Costs Assessment of Structural Systems for Low-Rise and Social Welfare Housing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carrillo Julián

2015-09-01

Full Text Available A comparative analysis of the costs related to the construction of low-rise, low-cost and social welfare housing was carried out. The study included three of the most commonly used structural systems for low-rise housing in Latin America, such as the traditional system of confined masonry walls, concrete walls conventionally reinforced with welded-wire meshes and concrete walls reinforced with steel fiber. The cost comparison was carried out by budgets analysis, which were performed based on construction quantities, unit prices and particular items for each structural system. It was found in the study that, from an economic point of view, the systems of concrete walls reinforced with welded-wire meshes or steel fibers are more advantageous than confined masonry systems. In addition, the integral comparison of the three structural systems demonstrates that the industrialized system of steel fiber reinforced concrete walls allows obtaining greater advantages of cleaning and sustainability, faster construction, lower cost and a more attractive scenario for builders investing in such projects.

Security in In-House Developed Information Systems: The Case of Tanzania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magreth Mushi

2012-04-01

Full Text Available In this 21st century, the world is moving more and more into the information economy; and information held by organization's information systems is among the most valuable assets in the organization's care and is considered a critical resource, enabling the organizations to achieve their strategic objectives. In-house developed information systems meant to enable organizations to achieve their strategic objectives, are on the increase and security has become a major concern in recent years. Hackers are using new techniques to gain access to sensitive data, disable information systems and administer other malicious activities aimed at the information systems. The need to secure an information system is imperative for use in today's world. Until recently, information systems security was an afterthought; developers were typically focused on functionality and features, waiting to implement security at the end of development. This approach to information systems security has proven to be disastrous because vulnerabilities have gone undetected allowing information systems to be attacked and damaged. A survey done in three (3 organizations in Tanzania has proved that most of the information systems developers have drawn their background from traditional systems development without the sense of implementing security in the early stage of information system development. This paper attempts to identify in-house developed information system's security deficiencies and related risks to organizations, the paper also attempt to establish technique that can be used to detect those deficiencies. Lastly the paper provide guidance that can be used by organizations to mitigate the risks.

Specific characteristics of the aviary housing system affect plumage condition, mortality and production in laying hens.

Science.gov (United States)

Heerkens, Jasper L T; Delezie, Evelyne; Kempen, Ine; Zoons, Johan; Ampe, Bart; Rodenburg, T Bas; Tuyttens, Frank A M

2015-09-01

Feather pecking and high mortality levels are significant welfare problems in non-cage housing systems for laying hens. The aim of this study was to identify husbandry-related risk factors for feather damage, mortality, and egg laying performance in laying hens housed in the multi-tier non-cage housing systems known as aviaries. Factors tested included type of system flooring, degree of red mite infestation, and access to free-range areas. Information on housing characteristics, management, and performance in Belgian aviaries (N=47 flocks) were obtained from a questionnaire, farm records, and farm visits. Plumage condition and pecking wounds were scored in 50 randomly selected 60-week-old hens per flock. Associations between plumage condition, wounds, performance, mortality, and possible risk factors were investigated using a linear model with a stepwise model selection procedure. Many flocks exhibited a poor plumage condition and a high prevalence of wounds, with considerable variation between flocks. Better plumage condition was found in wire mesh aviaries (Pfeather cover had lower levels of mortality (Pnest perches. Wire mesh flooring in particular seems to have several health, welfare, and performance benefits in comparison to plastic slats, possibly related to decreased feather pecking, better hygiene, and fewer red mite infestations. This suggests that adjustments to the aviary housing design may further improve laying hen welfare and performance. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Quality of Life (QoL) Survey in Hong Kong: Understanding the Importance of Housing Environment and Needs of Residents from Different Housing Sectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gou, Zhonghua; Xie, Xiaohuan; Lu, Yi; Khoshbakht, Maryam

2018-01-27

This study presents a Quality of Life (QoL) survey to understand the influence of the housing environment and needs of residents from different housing sectors. The research focuses on Hong Kong where living conditions have become the main affect for people's QoL. Through a household survey using a standard instrument "Word Health Organisation (WHO) Quality of Life-BREF", the article found that among the four WHO QoL domains (Physical Health, Psychological Health, Social Relations And Environment), Environment, particularly its constitute aspect housing environment was the most influential factor for overall quality of life for the public rental housing sector where low-income people live. This research also found that different groups of people have differing needs of their housing environments: the low-income group needs better location and privacy while the medium and high-income groups need better architectural quality. Based on differentiating their needs and wants, this research argues for prioritizing the low-income group's needs for effectively improving their QoL.

Ammonia emissions in tunnel-ventilated broiler houses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

KAO Lima

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Gas production in broiler houses and their emissions are closely related to the microclimate established inside the house according to air temperature, humidity, and velocity. Therefore, the internal house environment is influenced by building typology and ventilation system. The objective of the present study was to evaluate ammonia emission rates in broiler houses equipped with different ventilation systems (negative or positive pressure and litter conditions (new or built-up. The environment of six commercial broiler houses was evaluated internal and external NH3 concentrations. Ventilation rates were recorded to estimate ammonia emission rates. The efficiency of circulation and exhaust fans was assessed, and higher ventilation rates were determined in negative-pressure houses due to the higher flow of the fans. Houses with new litter increased ammonia emission rates along the rearing period, indicating the relationship between gas emissions, bird age and ventilation rates, and presented a typical curve of NH3 emission increase. Negative-pressure houses with built-up litter presented higher emission rates during the first rearing week due to the high NH3 concentration during the brooding period, when the ventilation rates required to maintain chick thermal comfort are low. Although the results of the present study indicate an advantage of the positive-pressure systems as to gas emissions, further research is needed reduce gas emissions in broiler houses with negative-pressure systems.

Complex assessment of urban housing energy sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Popova, Olga; Glebova, Julia; Karakozova, Irina

2018-03-01

The article presents the results of a complex experimental-analytical research of residential development energy parameters - survey of construction sites and determination of calculated energy parameters (resistance to heat transfer) considering their technical condition. The authors suggest a methodology for assessing residential development energy parameters on the basis of construction project's structural analysis with the use of advanced intelligent collection systems, processing (self-organizing maps - SOM) and data visualization (geo-informational systems - GIS). SOM clustering permitted to divide the housing stock (on the example of Arkhangelsk city) into groups with similar technical-operational and energy parameters. It is also possible to measure energy parameters of construction project of each cluster by comparing them with reference (normative) measures and also with each other. The authors propose mechanisms for increasing the area's energy stability level by implementing a set of reproduction activities for residential development of various groups. The analysis showed that modern multilevel and high-rise construction buildings have the least heat losses. At present, however, ow-rise wood buildings is the dominant styles of buildings of Arkhangelsk city. Data visualisation on the created heat map showed that such housing stock covers the largest urban area. The development strategies for depressed areas is in a high-rise building, which show the economic, social and environmental benefits of upward growth of the city. An urban regeneration programme for severely rundown urban housing estates is in a high-rise construction building, which show the economic, social and environmental benefits of upward growth of the city.

Specific characteristics of the aviary housing system affect plumage condition, mortality and production in laying hens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heerkens, J.L.T.; Delezie, Evelyne; Kempen, Ine; Zoons, Johan; Ampe, Bart; Rodenburg, T.B.; Tuyttens, F.A.M.

2015-01-01

Feather pecking and high mortality levels are significant welfare problems in non-cage housing systems for laying hens. The aim of this study was to identify husbandry-related risk factors for feather damage, mortality, and egg laying performance in laying hens housed in the multi-tier non-cage

The study of residential life support environment system to initiate policy on sustainable simple housing

Science.gov (United States)

Siahaan, N. M.; Harahap, A. S.; Nababan, E.; Siahaan, E.

2018-02-01

This study aims to initiate sustainable simple housing system based on low CO2 emissions at Griya Martubung I Housing Medan, Indonesia. Since it was built in 1995, between 2007 until 2016 approximately 89 percent of houses have been doing various home renewal such as restoration, renovation, or reconstruction. Qualitative research conducted in order to obtain insights into the behavior of complex relationship between various components of residential life support environment that relates to CO2 emissions. Each component is studied by conducting in-depth interviews, observation of the 128 residents. The study used Likert Scale to measure residents’ perception about components. The study concludes with a synthesis describing principles for a sustainable simple housing standard that recognizes the whole characteristics of components. This study offers a means for initiating the practice of sustainable simple housing developments and efforts to manage growth and preserve the environment without violating social, economics, and ecology.

Housing Programs for Homeless Individuals With Mental Illness: Effects on Housing and Mental Health Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Benston, Elizabeth A

2015-08-01

This systematic review analyzed the best available research in the United States on permanent supportive housing programs for homeless individuals with mental illness and the effect of these programs on housing status and mental health. It updates older and broader reviews that included weaker studies or those that did not analyze permanent housing as an input and housing and mental health as primary outcomes. The literature search (1980-2013) yielded 14 studies (randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies). The studies found that a majority of participants placed in experimental housing programs with case management support remained in housing for at least one year or experienced more days housed than homeless relative to a comparison group. Although this finding is in line with previous literature reviews on permanent supportive housing, this analysis found limitations in each of the 14 reviewed studies, such as attrition, selection and response bias, imprecise definitions and implementation of housing programs, and a lack of appropriate controls. Only three of the reviewed studies reported using a housing fidelity assessment tool to test whether the housing intervention was faithful to theoretical standards, and conceptions and implementation of housing varied widely across studies, threatening internal and external validity. Pitfalls in the best available studies on permanent supportive housing programs in the United States limit the ability of research to inform the policy goal of ending chronic homelessness and demonstrate a need for further experimental research upon which to make funding and policy decisions, especially in light of prioritized federal funds.

Sex Differences in Stress and Group Housing Effects on the Number of Newly Proliferated Cells and Neuroblasts in Middle-Aged Dentate Gyrus.

Science.gov (United States)

Tzeng, Wen-Yu; Wu, Hsin-Hua; Wang, Ching-Yi; Chen, Jin-Chung; Yu, Lung; Cherng, Chianfang G

2016-01-01

Sex differences in stress and coping responses have been frequently documented in aged people, while whether such differences in aged people may appear at the middle age are unknown. This study was undertaken to study the impact of acute stress and social interaction on early neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) and hippocampus-related memory in two sexes of middle-aged mice. The number of newly proliferated cells, neuroblasts in DG, the object recognition and location memory in 9-month-old male and female C57BL/6N mice were assessed under baseline conditions as well as following an acute stressor regimen and group housing. Three conspecific companions, serving as "the housing group," were used to model the social interaction throughout the stressor regimen. Males had lower numbers of newly proliferated cells and neuroblasts under baseline conditions as compared to females. The stressor regimen caused rapid decreases in the number of newly proliferated cells and neuroblasts in female DG but no obvious changes were observed in male DG. Group housing, regardless of companions' age, prevented the stress-induced decreases in the number of newly proliferated cells and neuroblasts in female DG. In contrast, the presence of young or age-matched companions potentiated the stress effect in males by decreasing the number of newly proliferated cells and neuroblasts. Finally, neither the stressor regimen nor group housing affected mouse performances in the object recognition and location memory in either sex. These findings, taken together, provide evidence to support a notion that middle-aged females appear to demonstrate more stress susceptibility on early neurogenesis in DG as compared to middle-aged males, although the hippocampus-related memory performances are comparable and not affected by stress in these males and females. Experiencing stress, middle-aged females are more prone to benefit from social interaction as compared to middle-aged males in this regard. We

Individual and pen-based oral fluid sampling: A welfare-friendly sampling method for group-housed gestating sows.

Science.gov (United States)

Pol, Françoise; Dorenlor, Virginie; Eono, Florent; Eudier, Solveig; Eveno, Eric; Liégard-Vanhecke, Dorine; Rose, Nicolas; Fablet, Christelle

2017-11-01

The aims of this study were to assess the feasibility of individual and pen-based oral fluid sampling (OFS) in 35 pig herds with group-housed sows, compare these methods to blood sampling, and assess the factors influencing the success of sampling. Individual samples were collected from at least 30 sows per herd. Pen-based OFS was performed using devices placed in at least three pens for 45min. Information related to the farm, the sows, and their living conditions were collected. Factors significantly associated with the duration of sampling and the chewing behaviour of sows were identified by logistic regression. Individual OFS took 2min 42s on average; the type of floor, swab size, and operator were associated with a sampling time >2min. Pen-based OFS was obtained from 112 devices (62.2%). The type of floor, parity, pen-level activity, and type of feeding were associated with chewing behaviour. Pen activity was associated with the latency to interact with the device. The type of floor, gestation stage, parity, group size, and latency to interact with the device were associated with a chewing time >10min. After 15, 30 and 45min of pen-based OFS, 48%, 60% and 65% of the sows were lying down, respectively. The time spent after the beginning of sampling, genetic type, and time elapsed since the last meal were associated with 50% of the sows lying down at one time point. The mean time to blood sample the sows was 1min 16s and 2min 52s if the number of operators required was considered in the sampling time estimation. The genetic type, parity, and type of floor were significantly associated with a sampling time higher than 1min 30s. This study shows that individual OFS is easy to perform in group-housed sows by a single operator, even though straw-bedded animals take longer to sample than animals housed on slatted floors, and suggests some guidelines to optimise pen-based OFS success. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EFFECT OF CAGE BEDDING ON TEMPERATURE REGULATION AND METABOLISM OF GROUP-HOUSED FEMALE MICE.

Science.gov (United States)

This manuscript examines how methods used to house and study laboratory rodents could affect the variability and quality of toxicological data. The key finding is that there is likely to be more instability in body temperature and metabolism in mice when housed on conventional be...

In-house (disability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Safak Pavey

2010-07-01

Full Text Available In May 2007 UNHCR established an internal working group to look at developing in-house policies for people with disabilities both for the benefit of people of concern to us and for staff members.

FEMAN: Fuzzy-Based Energy Management System for Green Houses Using Hybrid Grid Solar Power

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdellah Chehri

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The United Nations has designated the year 2012 as the international year of sustainable energy. Today, we are seeing a rise in global awareness of energy consumption and environmental problems. Many nations have launched different programs to reduce the energy consumption in residential and commercial buildings to seek lower-carbon energy solutions. We are talking about the future green and smart houses. The subject of smart/green houses is not one of “why,” but rather “how,” specifically: “how making the future house more energy efficient.” The use of the renewable energy, the technology and the services could help us to answer this question. Intelligent home energy management is an approach to build centralized systems that deliver application functionality as services to end-consumer applications. The objective of this work is to develop a smart and robust controller for house energy consumption with maximizing the use of solar energy and reducing the impact on the power grid while satisfying the energy demand of house appliances. We proposed a fuzzy-based energy management controller in order to reduce the consumed energy of the building while respecting a fixed comfort.

Analysis of USAREUR Family Housing.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-04-01

Standard Installation/Division Personnel System SJA ................ Staff Judge Advocate SPSS ............... Statistical Package for the...for Projecting Family Housing Requirements. a. Attempts to define USAREUR’s programmable family housing deficit Sbased on the FHS have caused anguish ...responses using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences ( SPSS ) computer program. E-2 ANNEX E RESPONSE TO ESC HOUSING QUESTIONNAIRE Section Page I

Unofficial policy: access to housing, housing information and social services among homeless drug users in Hartford, Connecticut

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corbett A Michelle

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Much research has shown that the homeless have higher rates of substance abuse problems than housed populations and that substance abuse increases individuals' vulnerability to homelessness. However, the effects of housing policies on drug users' access to housing have been understudied to date. This paper will look at the "unofficial" housing policies that affect drug users' access to housing. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with 65 active users of heroin and cocaine at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Participants were purposively sampled to reflect a variety of housing statuses including homeless on the streets, in shelters, "doubled-up" with family or friends, or permanently housed in subsidized, unsubsidized or supportive housing. Key informant interviews and two focus group interviews were conducted with 15 housing caseworkers. Data were analyzed to explore the processes by which drug users receive information about different housing subsidies and welfare benefits, and their experiences in applying for these. Results A number of unofficial policy mechanisms limit drug users' access to housing, information and services, including limited outreach to non-shelter using homeless regarding housing programs, service provider priorities, and service provider discretion in processing applications and providing services. Conclusion Unofficial policy, i.e. the mechanisms used by caseworkers to ration scarce housing resources, is as important as official housing policies in limiting drug users' access to housing. Drug users' descriptions of their experiences working with caseworkers to obtain permanent, affordable housing, provide insights as to how access to supportive and subsidized housing can be improved for this population.

Dairy cows welfare quality in tie-stall housing system with or without access to exercise

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Tie-stall housing of dairy cows is used extensively worldwide, despite of the welfare concerns regarding the restriction of voluntary movement and limitation of expression of the cows’ natural behaviour. The aim of this study was to compare the welfare quality of dairy cows kept in two types of tie-stall housing systems: with regular outdoor exercise and without access to exercise. In addition, the study investigated the relationship between different welfare measures of dairy cows kept in tie-stalls. Methods 3,192 lactating cows were assessed using the Welfare Quality® assessment protocol for cattle in 80 commercial dairy farms, half of the farms providing outdoor access for the animals to exercise. The descriptive statistical indicators were determined for the assessed measures and for the welfare criteria and principle scores. The data obtained in the two housing types were compared and the correlation coefficients were calculated between the different welfare measures. Results The significant differences found between the two housing systems for the majority of the animal based measures indicate the positive effect of exercise on the welfare of tethered cows. Many of the animal welfare parameters correlated with each other. For the farms allowing the cows’ turnout in a paddock, pasture or both, the mean scores for the welfare criteria and principles were higher than for the farms with permanent tethering of the cows, except the criteria absence of prolonged hunger and expression of social behaviours. The lowest scores were obtained for the criterion positive emotional state, in both housing systems. With regard to the overall classification, none of the farms were considered excellent. In the not classified category were only farms with all-year-round tethering of the animals and in the enhanced category only farms where the cows had outdoor access. Conclusions The welfare quality of the investigated dairy cows was significantly better in the

Malaysian Affordability Housing Policies Revisited

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samad Diwa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Housing has always been a significant aspiration of family expression and distinctly priciest investment by household. It plays a momentous role in the country’s economy and so central to the societal well-being that is emplaced in the United Nation Universal declaration of Human rights. Yet in developed and developing world alike, cities struggle to provide decent housing for lower and middle income population. The provision of affordable housing is a major policy concern around the world with Malaysia being no exception; rising income hardly keep pace with price hike of housing unit and housing interventions has majorly concentrated on demand side leading to a non-responsive supply sector. Therefore, this paper highlights affordable housing issues pertaining Malaysia. It formulates Malaysian Map of affordability and conducts an evaluation of global housing schemes to better identify policy priorities for Malaysia. It’s significant to harmonize supply and demand side factors in the housing market to ensure that housing supply fits the needs of citizens based on the location, price and target group. In case of Malaysia supply oriented initiative are of urgency in short and medium run. This must be supported by long term demand side schemes in parallel. Convergence of these two factors is essential for a balanced equilibrium and obtaining affordability.

Households' ethnic background and crowding in public housing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Crowded housing is one of the housing stresses that bother policy makers and housing ... ethnic and cultural origins occupying Lagos State Development and Property ... groups should be deliberately mixed to achieve ethnic and social integration. ... FAQ's · More about AJOL · AJOL's Partners · Terms and Conditions of Use ...

An Electronic Worker Service System of the Pig House Based on ATmega16

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Liu-An; Jin, Tian-Ming; Yu, Ya-Ping; Zhang, Guo-Qiang; Hong, Tao

Pork is very important for people in daily life. Quality of livestock environment is closely related to the growth of animals. To improve environmental quality, the paper designed an electronic worker service system of the pig house based on ATmega16, which consisted of 6 detection modules, wireless data collecting, GSM, time circuit, display, anti-th alarm and music player, etc. A small LAN was constructed by wireless transceiver module to test and collect data of temperature, humidity and harmful gas concentration in the pig house. If one detection point exists that harmful pollutant gases concentration exceeds the standard value, GSM module took a message for livestock farmers, so that farmers can promptly arrive at the pig house to ventilate or deal with manure in the pig house, which can effectively prevent from bad things. Time of pyroelectric detector deployment can be freely set, and intrusion information was timely sent to the users. The anti-th alarm function was achieved by the auxiliary light. The music playing module is open by timer module in order to soothing pigs' life state. All are suitable for small farms and can save human resources.

Standard house with integrated solar cell system. Technical final report; Typehus med integreret solcelleanlaeg. Faglig slutrapport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-07-01

The interest in solar cell technology among Danish house owners is increasing, but there are many considerations to be made before the house owner choose to install solar cells on the house. Major barriers are the solar cell systems' price and appearance. This interdisciplinary development project will show that both aesthetic and economic advantages can be derived from integrating solar cells already when the first sketches of the house are being made. In order to promote utilization of solar cells in Denmark the solutions must be attractive, both economically and aesthetically. Therefore the solar cell solutions in this project are developed in preparation for marketing both as an aesthetic expression and a high-technological, green and prestigious element. (BA)

Wooden houses in detail. Holzhaeuser im Detail

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruske, W. (ed.)

1986-01-01

Under the serial title 'Planning and construction of wooden houses', WEKA will publish a number of books of which this is the first. Details of design and construction are presented, e.g.: Details of modern one-family houses; Fundamentals of design and hints for planning of wooden houses and compact wooden structures; Constructional ecology, wood protection, thermal insulation, sound insulation; Modular systems for domestic buildings; The 'bookshelf-type' house at the Berlin International Construction Exhibition (IBA); Experience with do-it-yourself systems. With 439 figs.

Post-Socialist Housing Systems in Europe: Housing Welfare Regimes by Default?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Stephens, M.; Lux, Martin; Sunega, Petr

2015-01-01

Roč. 30, č. 8 (2015), s. 1210-1234 ISSN 0267-3037 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP404/12/1446 Institutional support: RVO:68378025 Keywords : Welfare regimes * financialisation * housing policy Subject RIV: AO - Sociology, Demography Impact factor: 1.309, year: 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2015.1013090

75 FR 4100 - Affirmative Fair Housing, Marketing (AFHM) Plan-Multifamily Housing, Affirmative Fair Housing...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-26

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5376-N-01] Affirmative Fair Housing, Marketing (AFHM) Plan-Multifamily Housing, Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing (AFHM) Plan-Single Family Housing and Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing (AFHM) Plan- Cooperatives/Condominiums AGENCY: Office of...

Bodems voor vrijloopstallen = Bedding materials in loose housing systems for dairy cattle

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dooren, van H.J.C.; Galama, P.J.; Smits, M.C.J.

2012-01-01

Sand, Compost and 'toemaak' (a mixture of reed, dredge and manure) had been used as bedding material for loose housing systems on three dairy research farms of Wageningen UR Livestock Research. Gaseous emissions, animal behavior and health and food safety aspects were measured and reported together

Refining Housing, Husbandry and Care for Animals Used in Studies Involving Biotelemetry

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkins, Penny

2014-01-01

Simple Summary Biotelemetry, the remote detection and measurement of an animal function or activity, is widely used in animal research. Biotelemetry devices transmit physiological or behavioural data and may be surgically implanted into animals, or externally attached. This can help to reduce animal numbers and improve welfare, e.g., if animals can be group housed and move freely instead of being tethered to a recording device. However, biotelemetry can also cause pain and distress to animals due to surgery, attachment, single housing and long term laboratory housing. This article explains how welfare and science can be improved by avoiding or minimising these harms. Abstract Biotelemetry can contribute towards reducing animal numbers and suffering in disciplines including physiology, pharmacology and behavioural research. However, the technique can also cause harm to animals, making biotelemetry a ‘refinement that needs refining’. Current welfare issues relating to the housing and husbandry of animals used in biotelemetry studies are single vs. group housing, provision of environmental enrichment, long term laboratory housing and use of telemetered data to help assess welfare. Animals may be singly housed because more than one device transmits on the same wavelength; due to concerns regarding damage to surgical sites; because they are wearing exteriorised jackets; or if monitoring systems can only record from individually housed animals. Much of this can be overcome by thoughtful experimental design and surgery refinements. Similarly, if biotelemetry studies preclude certain enrichment items, husbandry refinement protocols can be adapted to permit some environmental stimulation. Nevertheless, long-term laboratory housing raises welfare concerns and maximum durations should be defined. Telemetered data can be used to help assess welfare, helping to determine endpoints and refine future studies. The above measures will help to improve data quality as well as

Prospective comparison of PI-RADS version 2 and qualitative in-house categorization system in detection of prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaur, Sonia; Harmon, Stephanie; Mehralivand, Sherif; Bednarova, Sandra; Calio, Brian P; Sugano, Dordaneh; Sidana, Abhinav; Merino, Maria J; Pinto, Peter A; Wood, Bradford J; Shih, Joanna H; Choyke, Peter L; Turkbey, Baris

2018-03-31

Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System v. 2 (PI-RADSv2) provides standardized nomenclature for interpretation of prostate multiparametric MRI (mpMRI). Inclusion of additional features for categorization may provide benefit to stratification of disease. To prospectively compare PI-RADSv2 to a qualitative in-house system for detecting prostate cancer on mpMRI. Prospective. In all, 338 patients who underwent mpMRI May 2015-May 2016, with subsequent MRI/transrectal ultrasound fusion-guided biopsy. 3T mpMRI (T 2 W, diffusion-weighted [DW], apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC] map, b-2000 DWI acquisition, and dynamic contrast-enhanced [DCE] MRI). One genitourinary radiologist prospectively read mpMRIs using both in-house and PI-RADSv2 5-category systems. In lesion-based analysis, overall and clinically significant (CS) tumor detection rates (TDR) were calculated for all PI-RADSv2 and in-house categories. The ability of each scoring system to detect cancer was assessed by area under receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC). Within each PI-RADSv2 category, lesions were further stratified by their in-house categories to determine if TDRs can be increased by combining features of both systems. In 338 patients (median prostate-specific antigen [PSA] 6.5 [0.6-113.6] ng/mL; age 64 [44-84] years), 733 lesions were identified (47% tumor-positive). Predictive abilities of both systems were comparable for all (AUC 76-78%) and CS cancers (AUCs 79%). The in-house system had higher overall and CS TDRs than PI-RADSv2 for categories 3 and 4 (P house 65%, PI-RADSv2 22.1%). For lesions categorized as PI-RADSv2 = 4, characterization of suspicious/indeterminate extraprostatic extension (EPE) and equivocal findings across all mpMRI sequences contributed to significantly different TDRs for both systems (TDR range 19-75%, P < 0.05). PI-RADSv2 behaves similarly to an existing validated system that relies on the number of sequences on which a lesion is seen. This prospective

Performance analysis on natural energy autonomous house, HARBEMAN house; Shizen energy jiritsu house (HARBEMAN house) no simulation ni kansuru kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujino, T; Saito, T [Tohoku University, Sendai (Japan)

1997-11-25

Outlined herein are a procedure developed to simulate performance of an energy-autonomous (independent) solar house referred to as HARBEMAN HOUSE (HH) built in 1996 in City of Sendai, comparison between the simulated and observed results, and characteristics of the solar house. The house is equipped with a solar collector and sky radiator, both installed on the roof, the former facing south to collect solar energy and generate hot water whereas the latter facing north to radiate heat and generate cool water. Both are connected to an underground heat-insulated tank having a capacity of 31m{sup 3}, which stores hot or cool water to keep their conditions for extended periods. The solar system operates in heat- or cool-storage mode. In the heat-storage mode, quantity of heat stored increases, although at a slow rate, as tank capacity increases. In the cool-storage mode, on the other hand, quantity of cool stored increases in proportion to tank capacity. This is because solar energy is collected throughout the year whereas cooling by radiation is concentrated in early spring. Loss rate of heat stored increases as tank capacity increases, and the opposite trend is observed with cool stored. 12 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.

The Potentials of a Strong Social Housing Sector

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Rikke Skovgaard

2017-01-01

The paper investigates ethnic minority concentration within social housing and the potentials of a strong social housing sector through an analysis of the housing careers of Somalis and Turks in Copenhagen. In a Danish context, the two ethnic groups differ greatly with respect to migration history......, socio-economic resources and family characteristics as well as distribution between tenures. It is therefore interesting to study whether these differences lead to differences in housing market choices and constraints. The majority of the interviewed Somalis and Turks made their housing careers within...... the social housing sector, which to the interviewees offered good housing options and possibilities for shaping their own housing careers. The majority of the Somalis perceived paying interest as being incompatible with Islam. Renting thus allowed them to adhere to their religious beliefs. The advantages...

SISTEMA C.– VIVIENDA COLECTIVA A LA CARTA / System C.- A la carte collective housing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Corres Álvarez

2012-05-01

Full Text Available RESUMEN Sistema de montaje de viviendas en la que el habitante se convierte en parte indispensable de su diseño. Viviendas a la carta que ofrecen múltiples variables sobre las que decidir a la hora de ir completando el resultado definitivo. Las operaciones constructivas se plantean con carácter reversible, para poder realizar cambios a priori en el momento de la ocupación de la vivienda, y cambios a posteriori cuando ésta esté ocupada. El programa, la función, el tamaño, la orientación, la asociación, el equipamiento, el mobiliario... serán algunas de las variables sobre las que operar para completar el módulo habitacional. Los diversos y heterogéneos grupos habitacionales encontrarán en el Sistema C.– la posibilidad de habitar una vivienda según sus gustos y necesidades. Un sistema constructivo sencillo, mediante piezas y elementos fabricados en taller, modulados y codificados que serán montados mediante un equipo formado y especializado en una obra seca en todos sus componentes. Componentes elegidos y dispuestos para lograr la optimización de los recursos materiales, económicos y humanos, todo energéticamente dotado con la máxima calificación. SUMMARY A housing assembly system in which the resident becomes an indispensable factor of the design of their home. A la carte housing which offers the choice of multiple variables when completing the final result. The construction operations are proposed with a reversible character, so as to be able to make changes prior to, and after occupation. The programme, function, size, orientation, association, equipping, furnishing, etc., will be some of the variables to decide upon when finalizing the housing module. With System C, various diverse groups will discover the possibility of inhabiting a home tailored to their tastes and needs. A simple construction system, with workshop manufactured, modularized and coded parts and components that will all be dry assembled by a trained

Scottish Passive House: Insights into Environmental Conditions in Monitored Passive Houses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janice Foster

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Climate change and sustainability legislation in recent years has led to significant changes in construction approaches in the UK housing sector. This has resulted in the adoption of new building typologies, including the German Passivhaus (Passive House standard. This standard aims to improve occupant comfort and energy efficiency, potentially changing the ways in which homes operate and how occupants interact with them. With increasing construction of low energy dwellings, there is an emerging gap in knowledge in relation to occupant health and wellbeing, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality (IAQ. Using data collected from a two year Building Performance Evaluation (BPE study funded by Innovate UK, the environmental data (temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentrations from five Certified Passive House homes in Scotland was compared. The results demonstrate problems with overheating with peak temperatures exceeding 30 °C. Imbalanced mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR systems were identified in 80% of the dwellings and inadequate IAQ was found due to poor ventilation. Only one of the Passive Houses studied exhibited thermal conditions and IAQ which were, on the whole within Passive House parameters. This paper outlines the insights and the main issues of Scottish Passive House in the broader context of sustainability.

Effectiveness of Group Logotherapy on Death Anxiety and Life Expectancy of the Elderly Living in Boarding Houses in Kerman

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Hossein Hajiazizi

2017-09-01

Conclusion Overall, based on the results of this research, group therapy was found to reduce death anxiety and life expectancy in elderly people living in boarding houses and subsequently, improve their mental health. Due to the special emphasis of logotherapy on the present and the meaning of suffering for the elderly, it is important to use it for promoting social well-being of older people.

Influence of age and housing systems on properties of tibia and humerus of Lohmann White hens1: Bone properties of laying hens in commercial housing systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Regmi, P; Nelson, N; Haut, R C; Orth, M W; Karcher, D M

2017-10-01

This study was aimed at analyzing bone properties of Lohmann White hens in different commercial housing systems at various points throughout production. Pullets reared in conventional cages (CC) were either continued in CC or moved to enriched colony cages (EN) at 19 weeks. Pullets reared in cage-free aviaries (AV) were moved to AV hen houses. Bone samples were collected from 60 hens at each of 18 and 72 wk and 30 hens at 26 and 56 wk from each housing system. Left tibiae and humeri were broken under uniform bending to analyze mechanical properties. Cortical geometry was analyzed using digital calipers at the fracture site. Contralateral tibiae and humeri were used for measurement of ash percentage. AV pullets' humeri had 41% greater cortical areas, and tibiae had 19% greater cortical areas than the CC pullets (P < 0.05). Average humeri diameter was greater in AV pullets than in CC pullets (P < 0.05), whereas the tibiae outer dimensions were similar. Aviary pullet bones had greater stiffness (31 and 7% greater for tibiae and humeri, respectively) and second moment of inertia (43 and 13% greater for tibiae and humeri, respectively) than CC pullets (P < 0.05). The differences between bones of AV and CC hens persisted throughout the laying cycle. Moving CC pullets to EN resulted in decreased endosteal resorption in humeri, evident by a 7.5% greater cortical area in the EN hens (P < 0.05). Whole-bone breaking strength did not change with age. Stiffness increased with age, while energy to failure decreased in both the tibiae and humeri. These results indicated that tibiae and humeri of laying hens become stiffer but lose toughness and become brittle with age. Furthermore, AV and EN systems can bring positive changes in mechanical and structural properties that are more pronounced in the humerus than the tibia. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Different heating systems for single family house: Energy and economic analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Turanjanin Valentina M.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The existing building stock energy consumption accounts for about 38% of final energy consumption in Republic of Serbia. 70% of that energy is consumed by residential sector, mostly for space heating. This research is addressed to the single family house building placed in the Belgrade city. The house has ground and first floor with total heating area of 130 m2 and pellet as space heating source. The aim of this paper is to evaluate energy and economic analysis for different heating systems. Several homeheating were compared: Option 1 (biomass combustion boiler using pellet as a fuel, Option 2 (gas combustion boiler and Option 3 (heat pump. The building performance was evaluated by TRNSYS 17 simulation code. Results show estimated savings using renewable energy sources. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III42008

Effects of housing system on welfare and milk yield and quality of Girgentana goats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Leto

2011-03-01

Full Text Available In the past years, in Sicily, goats of the Girgentana breed have decreased so drastically in number that they risked extinction. Among the causes, particular blame can be laid at the traditional housing system, in which the goats, after coming back from pasture, were tethered in individual wooden stalls. Such a system is still considered necessary by breeders in order to avoid aggressive and harmful behaviour on the part of the animals, due to the presence of their long horns (Giaccone et al., 1994. This belief negatively interferes with the action recently initiated for the recovery and regeneration of the breed (Portolano et al., 2002; in fact, the tie stalls housing, increasing manpower, limits the increase in size in herds of Girgentana goats...

Autonomous houses. Autonomous house

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanaka, S. (Tokai University, Tokyo (Japan). Faculty of Engineering)

1991-09-30

Self-sufficiency type houses are outlined. On condition that people gain a certain amount of income in relation with the society, they self-suffice under the given environment, allowing themselves to accept a minimum of industrial products with small environmental load. Ordinary supply from outside of fossil energy and materials which depend on it is minimized. Types are classified into three: energy, energy materials and perfect self-sufficiency. A study project for environment symbiotic houses is progressing which is planned by the Ministry of Construction and Institute of Building Energy Conservation and is invested by a private company. Its target is making a house for halving an environmental load by CO{sub 2}, for the purpose of creating the environment symbiotic house which is nice to and in harmony with the global environment and human beings. As a part of the studies on energy-saving and resource conservation on houses, introduced is a plan of an autonomous house at Izu-Atagawa. The passive method and high thermal-insulation are used for air conditioning, and hot spring water for hot water supply. Electric power is generated by hydroelectric power generation using mountain streams and by solar cells. Staple food is purchased, while subsidiary food is sufficed. 17 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.

Air Quality in Alternative Housing Systems may have an Impact on Laying Hen Welfare. Part II—Ammonia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce David

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The EU ban on conventional barren cages for laying hens from 2012 has improved many aspects of laying hen welfare. The new housing systems allow for the expression of highly-motivated behaviors. However, the systems available for intensive large-scale egg production (e.g., aviaries, floor housing systems, furnished cages may cause other welfare challenges. We have reviewed the literature regarding the health, behavior, production characteristics, and welfare of laying hens when exposed to ammonia in their housing environment. Concentrations of ammonia gas are commonly high in aviaries and floor housing systems in which manure is not regularly removed, whereas they are usually lower in furnished cages. High levels are found during the cold season when ventilation flow is often reduced. Ammonia is a pungent gas, and behavioral studies indicate chickens are averse to the gas. High concentrations of gaseous ammonia can have adverse health effects and, when very high, even influence production performance. The most profound effects seen are the occurrence of lesions in the respiratory tract and keratoconjunctivitis. There is also evidence that high ammonia concentrations predispose poultry to respiratory disease and secondary infections. We conclude that there are animal welfare challenges related to high ammonia levels, and that immediate actions are needed. Development of improved systems and management routines for manure removal and ventilation will be important for the reduction of ammonia levels and hence will contribute to safeguarding hen welfare.

Understanding of Danish passive houses based on pilot project Comfort Houses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brunsgaard, C.

2010-12-15

The aim of the research is to investigate the notion of passive houses in Denmark. When this PhD thesis was initiated, the Danish building industry has just started to become interested in the passive house concept, but the knowledge was very limited. To be able to speed up the process of constructing Danish passive houses or other low energy concepts Saint-Gobain Isover Scandinavia took the initiative to the pilot project of the Comfort Houses, ten single-family houses constructed as passive houses, and wanted to share the knowledge with the building industry and other interested. This PhD thesis was a part of the strategy. If the concept of passive houses should be successfully promoted and achieve a significant sale in Denmark, it is believed that it is necessary to do a holistic approach. Besides energy savings and new structural solutions more qualitative aspects like architecture, everyday life and the future ways of living needs to be integrated in the future understanding of passive houses. This Ph.D. thesis therefore studies the following research question: What can the experience from the Comfort Houses enlighten about the future production and use of Danish passive houses? This understanding is achieved through studies of different study fields to be able to create a more holistic understanding of the concept both covering qualitative and quantitative analysis. The main focus will be on the study fields Design Process, Architecture and Everyday Life and the Indoor environment, which will answer the following sub-research questions: 1) How has the consortiums behind the Comfort Houses approached the design process according to teamwork, method and tools? And what barriers and possibilities lie within the approaches? 2) How do the occupants of the Comfort Houses experience the passive house architecture and the technical service systems? And has their everyday life changed by moving into a passive house? If so, how? 3) To what extent do the Comfort Houses

Effects of ambient temperature, feather cover, and housing system on energy partitioning and performance in laying hens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krimpen, van M.M.; Binnendijk, G.P.; Anker, van den I.; Heetkamp, M.J.W.; Kwakkel, R.P.; Brand, van den H.

2014-01-01

Environmental factors, such as ambient temperature (T), feather cover (FC), and housing system (HS), probably affect energy requirements of laying hens. Using a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, interaction effects of T (11, 16, and 21°C), FC (100 and 50%), and HS (cage and floor housing) on energy

The solar house that rotates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miloni, R.P.

2001-01-01

This article describes an innovative solar building in Weiz, Austria, that uses passive solar technologies, photovoltaics and a ground-coupled heat pump to cover its minimal energy requirements. The house, which follows the sun by rotating around its central axis, is described in detail, including its climatic design and its 'plus-energy' concept. Details are also given on the materials used in the house's construction and the functioning of its thermal insulation. The various operating modes of the house from the systems point of view are described for differing seasons and climatic extremes. Marketing aspects for this standardised house, featuring personal-computer-based on-line definition of facade cladding, fittings, photovoltaic power, furnishings etc. and real-time rendering of the house are also discussed

Multifamily Housing Rehabilitation Process Improvements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sweet, Marshall L. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Francisco, Abby [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Roberts, Sydney G. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States)

2016-03-01

Rea Ventures Group, LLC (Rea Ventures) partnered with Southface Energy Institute (Southface)—a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Partnership for Home Innovation Building America research team—to rehabilitate 418 low-income multifamily rental apartments located at 14 properties in Georgia (International Energy Conservation Code Climate Zones 2–4). These 22-year-old units with individual utility meters were arranged in row house or townhouse style. Rehabilitation plans were developed using a process prescribed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development program, which partially funded the building upgrades. The USDA is responsible for building, upgrading, and subsidizing housing in rural areas nationwide; this housing includes more than 14,000 existing multifamily housing developments. In 2012, more than $100 million in grants and loans were allocated for that purpose.

PRIVACY AS A CULTURAL VALUE WITHIN TRADITIONAL IRANIAN HOUSING: Lessons for Modern Iranian High Density Vertical Development Housing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siyamak Nayyeri Fallah

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The role of value of privacy in shaping Iranian culture is vital. In contrary to modern middle-class Iranian high density vertical development housing, this cultural principle plays a great role in shaping spatial organization of Iranian traditional housing. The aim of this study is to establish a framework to improve spatial organization of modern Iranian high density vertical development (HDVD housing through lessons learnt from traditional Iranian housing. In this regard, to reach the aim through qualitative approach and case study strategy, this value of the Iranian traditional housing was investigated. The data collection methods to collect data from middle-class traditional and modern high-density vertical development (HDVD housing, were multiple tactics as direct observation, open-ended expert interview, semi-structured and focus group interviewing, taking photo, and plan layout. As conclude, it was reached that privacy as a principle governing all aspects of life has had deep impacts on spatial organization of traditional Iranian housing. Thus through using the spatial concept of privacy learnt from traditional Iranian housing can formulate recommendations to betterment spatial organization of middle-class modern Iranian HDVD housing.

A system for optimizing of private house owner's spending and benefits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tempelmans Plat, H.; Ruokolainen, A.

1998-01-01

Investment decisions about privately-owned houses are usually based on limited investment budget and vague information about choice alternatives available. Since a household buying a dwelling has to compare the housing expenditure with other expenditures, the financial consequences of the housing

Evaluation of drop versus trickle-feeding systems for crated or group-penned gestating sows.

Science.gov (United States)

Hulbert, L E; McGlone, J J

2006-04-01

A total of 160 gilts were used to evaluate the effects of pen vs. crated housing systems and drop- vs. trickle-fed feeding systems on sow productivity, occurrence of lesions during farrowing and weaning, immune measures, and behavioral responses during 2 consecutive gestation periods. Of the 160 eligible gilts, 117 farrowed in parity 1, and of those, 72 farrowed in parity 2. The gilts were randomly assigned to represent 1 of 4 factorially arranged treatment groups: pen drop-fed, crate drop-fed, pen trickle-fed, or crate trickle-fed. Replicate blocks were used for each parity with 5 sows per block initially in each treatment. At weaning, sows housed in pens had greater (P trickle-feeding system. Lesions scores and all other productivity measures did not differ among treatments. An interaction was observed for percentage of neutrophil phagocytosis (P trickle-fed sows, but in crates, drop-fed sows had a tendency for lower phagocytosis than trickle-fed sows. All other immune measures were not different among treatments. The occurrence of oral-nasal-facial (ONF) behaviors (chewing, rooting, and rubbing) and active behaviors increased, and lying behavior decreased (P trickle-feeding systems. None of the environments evaluated were associated with significant physiological stress responses among the sows. Thus, sows were able to adapt within each environment through behavioral mechanisms without the need to invoke major physiological adjustments.

Comparing social housing in the Netherlands and Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engberg, Lars A.

The paper compares the Dutch and the Danish social housing systems, with a particular focus on recent reforms and on how social housing actors deliver in relation to the key housing policy objectives of anti-segregation measures, urban regeneration, comprehensive housing upkeep and green retrofit...

Effects of sustained abstinence among treated substance-abusing homeless persons on housing and employment.

Science.gov (United States)

Milby, Jesse B; Schumacher, Joseph E; Wallace, Dennis; Vuchinich, Rudy; Mennemeyer, Stephen T; Kertesz, Stefan G

2010-05-01

We examined whether cocaine-dependent homeless persons had stable housing and were employed 6, 12, and 18 months after they entered a randomized controlled trial comparing 2 treatments. One group (n = 103) received abstinence-contingent housing, vocational training, and work; another group (n = 103) received the same intervention plus cognitive behavioral day treatment. We examined baseline and early treatment variables for association with long-term housing and employment. Although the enhanced-treatment group achieved better abstinence rates, the groups did not differ in long-term housing and employment stability. However, consecutive weeks of abstinence during treatment (and to a lesser extent, older age and male gender) predicted long-term housing and employment stability after adjustment for baseline differences in employment, housing, and treatment. Our data showed a relationship of abstinence with housing stability. Contrasting these results with the increasingly popular Housing First interventions reveals important gaps in our knowledge to be addressed in future research.

BIM-Integration of solar thermal systems in early housing design

OpenAIRE

Bonilla Castro, Alejandro; García Alvarado, Rodrigo

2017-01-01

Abstract: This paper sets a methodology to integrate solar thermal systems in BIM-software for the early architectural design of single houses in Concepción, Chile, using parametric families, programming in Dynamo, energy calculation with LadyBug and piping design in MEP. The results obtained allowed to select products, insert and adapts automatically the parametric designs into the model, as well as to identify changes in the type and number of solar components when the solar orientation of ...

Comparison groups on bills: Automated, personalized energy information

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iyer, Maithili; Kempton, Willett; Payne, Christopher

2006-07-01

A program called ``Innovative Billing?? has been developed to provide individualized energy information for a mass audience?the entireresidential customer base of an electric or gas utility. Customers receive a graph on the bill that compares that customer?s consumption with othersimilar customers for the same month. The program aims to stimulate customers to make ef?ciency improvements. To group as many as severalmillion customers into small ``comparison groups??, an automated method must be developed drawing solely from the data available to the utility.This paper develops and applies methods to compare the quality of resulting comparison groups.A data base of 114,000 customers from a utility billing system was used to evaluate Innovative Billing comparison groups, comparing fouralternative criteria: house characteristics (?oor area, housing type, and heating fuel); street; meter read route; billing cycle. Also, customers wereinterviewed to see what forms of comparison graphs made most sense and led to fewest errors of interpretation. We ?nd that good qualitycomparison groups result from using street name, meter book, or multiple house characteristics. Other criteria we tested, such as entire cycle, entiremeter book, or single house characteristics such as ?oor area, resulted in poor quality comparison groups. This analysis provides a basis forchoosing comparison groups based on extensive user testing and statistical analysis. The result is a practical set of guidelines that can be used toimplement realistic, inexpensive innovative billing for the entire customer base of an electric or gas utility.

A heating system for piglets in farrowing house using waste heat from biogas engine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Payungsak Junyusen

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to design and test a heating system for piglets in farrowing house by utilising the waste heat from a biogas engine as a heat source. The study was separated into three parts: the study on the biogas combined heat and power plant, the investigation on the properties of the heat panel, and the installation and testing of the heating system. From the experiment, the condition producing 60 kW of electrical power was a proper one, in which electrical efficiency and specific fuel consumption were 14% and 1.22 m3/kWh respectively. Generating both electricity and heat increased the overall efficiency to 37.7% and decreased the specific fuel consumption to 0.45 m3/kWh. The heat panel, which was made of a plastic material, had a thermal conductivity of 0.58 W/mC and the maximum compressive force and operating pressure of 8.1 kN and 0.35 bar respectively. The surface temperature of the panel was dependent on the inlet water temperature. When hot water of 44C was supplied into the farrowing house with room temperature of 26C, the average surface temperature was 33C. The developed heating system could provide heat for 4.3 farrowing houses. The payback period of this project was 2.5 years.

The process behind the project 'houses without heating system' in Goeteborg, Sweden

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glad, Wiktoria [Linkoeping Univ. (Sweden). The Tema Inst., Dept. of Technology and Social Change

2003-07-01

In the outskirts of Goeteborg, Sweden, twenty terrace houses were constructed throughout 2001. The spectacular thing about these houses is that no traditional heating systems were installed. The commercial's catch phrase is: 'Houses without heating systems'. Following this project from the beginning and through the whole process, including the long planning procedure (between 1997-1999), the professional actors (the initiator, the building proprietor, the contractor and the researchers), come into focus. This is a unique project in Sweden and has not yet had any follow-up developments. The evaluation, mainly including measurements, is being conducted by a research Inst. and will be finalised in 2003. The theoretical approach is as described in socio-technical system and focuses on social and technical components. The point of departure for the study is the social subsystem and the process behind the project which is important in understanding the final outcome. The study focuses on how and why this project was conducted. Initially, one person's ideas, inspired by building projects abroad were crucial. These ideas were then spread to a network constituting of researchers, the building proprietor, the contractor and the builders, and other consultants. The process can be described as a social innovation since a new concept for heating in buildings is introduced by focusing on the planning process and new participating actors.

Adaptation to the digestion of nutrients of a starch diet or a non-starch polysaccharide diet in group-housed pregnant sows

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peet-Schwering, van der C.M.C.; Kemp, B.; Hartog, den L.A.; Schrama, J.W.; Verstegen, M.W.A.

2002-01-01

A trial was conducted with twenty group-housed pregnant sows to study the adaptation in nutrient digestibility to a starch-rich diet or a diet with a high level of fermentable non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) during a time period of 6 weeks. The starch-rich diet was primarily composed of wheat, peas

Group Milieu in systemic and psychodynamic group therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lau, Marianne Engelbrecht; Kristensen, Ellids

Objectives: A recent meta-analysis also concluded that psychotherapeutic approaches are beneficial for adult with a history of CSA and maintained for at least six months follow-up. The results suggest that different characteristics of therapy moderate the therapeutic outcome. We found in a random......Objectives: A recent meta-analysis also concluded that psychotherapeutic approaches are beneficial for adult with a history of CSA and maintained for at least six months follow-up. The results suggest that different characteristics of therapy moderate the therapeutic outcome. We found...... in a randomized study of systemic versus psychodynamic group therapy, that the short-term outcome for patients who received systemic group psychotherapy was significantly better than the outcome for patients who received psychodynamic group psychotherapy. The current study assessed the group milieu in both groups....... Methods: This randomized prospective study included 106 women: 52 assigned to psychodynamic group psychotherapy and 54 assigned to systemic group psychotherapy. The Group Environment Scale (GES) was filled in the mid phase of therapy and analysed in three dimensions and 10 subscales. Results: The systemic...

(House Municipal School wind energy system: equipment performance). Final technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1985-05-14

The performance of a Skyhawk horizontal axis wind system with a 3-blade, 15-ft upwind rotor is evaluated. The wind system was placed at the House Municipal School. The school is located between Tucumcari and Clovis, New Mexico and has an annual wind regime of 12 mi/h at a height of 33 ft. It was operated for 26 months and during that time has been out of service, due to breakdowns, 13 months. When the Skyhawk was operational, it generated between 100 and 700 kilowatt-hrs per month.

Smart House IS model analysis and development

OpenAIRE

Vaitkevičiūtė, Kristina

2004-01-01

Only after information system implementation it is possible to ensure effective and save computerisation and automation for smart house, which gives possibilities for remote devices or subsystems manage. Information system must ensure effective information collection, processing, monitoring or presentation measures. Changeable functional and information requirements are intrinsic for smart house information systems. Such a system must be flexible for new objects or systems integration. The fl...

Influence of Housing System and Number of Transported Animals on Transport-induced Mortality in Slaughter Pigs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva Voslářová

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The study monitored the effect of the housing system and the number of animals transported together on transport-induced mortality of slaughter pigs in the Czech Republic in the period from 2004 to 2008. Concerning the type of housing during the fattening, the lowest mortality rate during the subsequent transport to slaughter houses was detected among pigs fattened on solid floor (0.047% and on deep bedding (0.084%. The highest mortality during transport was detected among pigs fattened on fully or partially slatted floor (0.139%, a significant difference (p p < 0.01 compared to the load sizes of up to 40 animals.

Designing Low-Income Housing Using Local Architectural Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Trumansyahjaya, K.; Tatura, L. S.

2018-02-01

The provision of houses for low-income people who do not have a home worthy of being one of the major problems in the city of Gorontalo, because the community in establishing the house only pay attention to their wants and needs in creating a healthy environment, the beauty of the city and the planning of the home environment in accordance with the culture of the people of Gorontalo. In relation to the condition, the focus of this research is the design of housing based on local architecture as residential house so that it can be reached by a group of low income people with house and environment form determined based on family development, social and economic development of society and environment which take into account the local culture. Stages of this research includes five (5) stages, including the identification phase characteristics Gorontalo people of low income, the characteristics of the identification phase house inhabited by low-income people, the stage of identification preference low-income households, the phase formation house prototype and the environment, as well as the stage of formation model home for low-income people. Analysis of the model homes for low-income people using descriptive analysis, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, and discrimination analysis to produce a prototype of the house and its surroundings. The prototype is then reanalyzed to obtain the model home for low-income people in the city of Gorontalo. The shape of a model home can be used as a reference for developers of housing intended for low-income people so that housing is provided to achieve the goals and the desired target group.

Housing system influences abundance of Pax3 and Pax7 in postnatal chicken skeletal muscles.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, H D; Li, D Y; Zhang, L; Yang, M Y; Zhao, X L; Wang, Y; Liu, Y P; Zhu, Q

2014-06-01

Paired box (Pax) proteins 3 and 7 are associated with activation of muscle satellite cells and play a major role in hyperplastic and hypertrophic growth in postnatal skeletal muscle fibers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of housing system on abundance of Pax3 and Pax7 in postnatal chicken skeletal muscles. At 42 d, 1,200 chickens with similar BW were randomly assigned to cage, pen, and free-range group. The mRNA abundance was measured in pectoralis major and thigh muscle at d 56, 70, and 84, and the protein expression was quantified at d 84. Increases in mRNA abundance of PAX3 and PAX7 with age were less pronounced in caged system chickens than in pen and free-range chickens from d 56 to 84, and free-range chickens showed a more pronounced increase in gene expression with age compared with penned chickens. At d 84, quantities of PAX3 and PAX7 mRNA and protein were highest in both pectoralis major and thigh muscle of chickens raised in the free-range group, lowest in penned chickens, and intermediate in caged chickens (P system may influence muscle fiber muscle accretion by coordinating the expression of Pax3 and Pax7 in adult chicken skeletal muscles. Poultry Science Association Inc.

Energy Supply System for Industrial Poultry Houses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sit M.L.

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The gas engine driven carbon dioxide heat pump designed for providing the heat, cold and electricity for industrial poultry house is proposed. The scheme differs from the known by using recuperative heat exchanger installed between the exhaust air duct of poultry house and heat pump evaporator and the heat curtain installed on the air duct after the evaporator. The air coming into the poultry house after the regenerative heat exchanger is supplied to the heat pump gas cooler. The heat pump produces heat of the required parameters of the input air and water for watering of poultry, space heating, etc. Heat pump compressor is driven by gas engine (GPA, by natural gas or biogas. The part of the gas-piston engine heat is used for adjusting the optimal heat pump mode and for regeneration of the absorbent in an evaporative cooler. The proposed technical solution of the above scheme provides a higher COP of the heat pump. Installing of heat curtain does not require the use of non-freezing solution to prevent icing of the air outlet of heat pump evaporator. The latter allows producing, besides electric power and heat, still cold (with the use off the adsorption-refrigerating machine and provide drying air inlet evaporative cooler (if necessary.

Housing markets and housing policies in India

OpenAIRE

Tiwari, Piyush; Rao, Jyoti

2016-01-01

Issues of housing in India are synonymous with ignorance of housing in active government involvement at the policy and program formulation levels. They are also due to the problems that unplanned urbanization, income disparity, poverty, illiteracy, and unemployment brought. These issues extenuated the housing problem, causing a housing shortage of 51 million in 2011. Though India has a long history of establishing policies, programs, and institutions to cater to housing, without allocating ad...

Validation of Housing Standards Addressing Accessibility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helle, Tina

2013-01-01

The aim was to explore the use of an activity-based approach to determine the validity of a set of housing standards addressing accessibility. This included examination of the frequency and the extent of accessibility problems among older people with physical functional limitations who used...... participant groups were examined. Performing well-known kitchen activities was associated with accessibility problems for all three participant groups, in particular those using a wheelchair. The overall validity of the housing standards examined was poor. Observing older people interacting with realistic...... environments while performing real everyday activities seems to be an appropriate method for assessing accessibility problems....

Effects of housing system and age of laying hens on egg performance in fresh pasta production: pasta cooking behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Alamprese, Cristina; Casiraghi, Ernestina; Rossi, Margherita

2011-03-30

Very few studies concern the effects of layer housing systems and age on egg technological properties. Thus the aim of this work was to study the influence of these two factors on egg performance in fresh pasta production, focusing on pasta cooking behaviour. Samples of pasta subjected to analysis were prepared with eggs laid by Hy-Line Brown hens (from 27 to 68 weeks old) housed in cage, barn and organic systems. Higher average values of weight increase and matter loss during pasta cooking were observed for samples prepared with eggs laid by older hens. Such cooking behaviour indicated the development of a weaker pasta protein network, resulting from a decrease in the quantity of albumen protein and an increase in fat content, which is due to the reduction in albumen/yolk ratio during hen aging. The housing system had a significant effect only on matter loss in cooking water, but differences between samples were so small as to be unlikely perceived by consumers. Both hen age and housing system significantly affected pasta cooking behaviour, but the greatest effect was exerted by the hen age. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

STIMULATION OF CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING BY REFORMATION OF A CONSTRUCTION COMPLEX MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BRONEVYTSKYI S. P.

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Development of offers on stimulation of construction of affordable housing by reformation of a construction complex management system. Methodology. The revelation of the problems of planning of construction in large cities. The analysis of forming of structure of a build complex management in soviet times and in a transitional period. The revelation of the modern, actual, socio-economic problems of the construction activity management. Proposition on the improvement of methods of construction management in cities of Ukraine. Results. The methods of a construction complex management in countries with a market economy as for building of affordable housing are shown. Originality. In composition of a town-planning documentations, except for the norms of the common use of territories of city (density of population of micro region, the maximum parameters of a construction examining of land areas are proposed to determine: building percent and coefficient of maximum superficial area. Practical value. The principle of management and organization of construction is norms of a build use of territories for building of mass affordable housing for funds of population and investors while providing of the comfort of housing in accordance with state construction norms.

Pharmacological validation of individual animal locomotion, temperature and behavioural analysis in group-housed rats using a novel automated home cage analysis system: A comparison with the modified Irwin test.

Science.gov (United States)

Tse, Karen; Sillito, Rowland; Keerie, Amy; Collier, Rachel; Grant, Claire; Karp, Natasha A; Vickers, Cathy; Chapman, Kathryn; Armstrong, J Douglas; Redfern, William S

2018-04-01

The ActualHCA™ system continuously monitors the activity, temperature and behavior of group-housed rats without invasive surgery. The system was validated to detect the contrasting effects of sedative and stimulant test agents (chlorpromazine, clonidine and amphetamine), and compared with the modified Irwin test (mIT) with rectal temperature measurements. Six male Han Wistar rats per group were used to assess each test agent and vehicle controls in separate ActualHCA™ recordings and mIT. The mIT was undertaken at 15, 30 mins, 1, 2, 4 and 24 h post-dose. ActualHCA™ recorded continuously for 24 h post-dose under 3 experimental conditions: dosed during light phase, dark phase, and light phase with a scheduled cage change at the time of peak effects determined by mIT. ActualHCA™ detected an increase stimulated activity from the cage change at 1-2 h post-dose which was obliterated by chlorpromazine and clonidine. Amphetamine increased activity up to 4 h post-dose in all conditions. Temperature from ActualHCA™ was affected by all test agents in all conditions. The mIT showed effects on all 3 test agents up to 4 h post-dose, with maximal effects at 1-2 h post-dose. The maximal effects on temperature from ActualHCA™ differed from mIT. Delayed effects on activity were detected by ActualHCA™, but not on mIT. Continuous monitoring has the advantage of capturing effects over time that may be missed with manual tests using pre-determined time points. This automated behavioural system does not replace the need for conventional methods but could be implemented simultaneously to improve our understanding of behavioural pharmacology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Women's housing conditions in Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Shefali, M K

1996-01-01

This news article describes women's housing conditions, housing policy, and pilot programs to house poor women in Bangladesh. Although Bangladesh has a constitution that reinforces the equal status of women, in practice, men dominate and patrilineal customs determine inheritance and property rights. Religious affiliation also determines land tenure and inheritance. Muslim women can inherit 12.5% of their husband's property if there are children. 25% is inherited if wives are without children. Hindu women without sons can inherit their husband's property, but not parental property. Many families refuse to release property to women without a fight. Women, regardless of ownership of land, rarely control or use their land. The custom of requiring men to maintain wives during the marriage, and daughters until marriage, creates obstacles to women's decision making about property. Without collateral and other security women are unable to secure bank loans. Many women are also constrained by the requirement of male consent or guarantees for bank transactions. Banks do not have a gender responsive criteria for selecting loan recipients. The government does not provide sufficient housing to satisfy the growing housing needs due to population growth. Some housing is available from slum landlords. A National Housing Policy was formulated in 1993. Priority would be given to the housing needs of low income women in urban areas and women-headed households with income below the poverty line. The policy does not address the underlying factors that prevent equal access to housing for women. The government prepared a Human Settlement and Urban Development proposal for the Habitat II conference. The plan did not address gender issues. Special efforts are being made by nongovernmental groups to meet the housing needs of professional women and for some disadvantaged women.

24 CFR 982.608 - Congregate housing: Voucher housing assistance payment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Housing Types Congregate Housing § 982.608 Congregate housing: Voucher housing assistance payment. (a... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Congregate housing: Voucher housing assistance payment. 982.608 Section 982.608 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and...

Lepidoglyphus destructor acarus in the urban house environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Juliá, J C; Martorell, A; Ventas, P; Cerdá, J C; Torró, I; Carreira, J; Guinot, E; Sanz, J; Alvarez, V

1995-01-01

To assess the presence of Lepidoglyphus destructor in the household environment of sensitized children living in an urban environment, samples of house dust were collected at the homes where two groups of patients were living, as well as in two bakeries in the city of Valencia, which were taken as a reference. Patients were divided into two groups. Group A included atopic children suffering from rhinitis and/or asthma, who were sensitized to L. destructor, as proven by prick test and specific IgE (CAP). Group B included children with the same features as those included in Group A, who were sensitized to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, with prick and CAP tests showing no significant sensitization to L. destructor. The samples of dust were analyzed, and the amounts of Der p I, Der f I, Der II and Lep d I per gram of dust were assessed through a solid-phase ELISA with monoclonal antibodies. In Group A, all patients but two showed a sensitization to D. pteronyssinus by prick test and serum IgE. At the homes of the patients from both groups, significant levels of Dermatophagoides were found. In Group A, only three houses showed levels of L. destructor which were comparable to those found in bakeries. Lep d I was not found in the houses of Group B patients. This means that a sensitization to L. destructor, as assessed with full extracts, is not always an indicator of its presence at the patient's house environment; it may rather refer to cross-reactivity to Dermatophagoides. Thus, availability of the main antigen Lep d I seems necessary to increase the specificity of the allergologic study.

Housing Development Building Management System (HDBMS For Optimized Electricity Bills

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weixian Li

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Smart Buildings is a modern building that allows residents to have sustainable comfort with high efficiency of electricity usage. These objectives could be achieved by applying appropriate, capable optimization algorithms and techniques. This paper presents a Housing Development Building Management System (HDBMS strategy inspired by Building Energy Management System (BEMS concept that will integrate with smart buildings using Supply Side Management (SSM and Demand Side Management (DSM System. HDBMS is a Multi-Agent System (MAS based decentralized decision making system proposed by various authors. MAS based HDBMS was created using JAVA on a IEEE FIPA compliant multi-agent platform named JADE. It allows agents to communicate, interact and negotiate with energy supply and demand of the smart buildings to provide the optimal energy usage and minimal electricity costs.  This results in reducing the load of the power distribution system in smart buildings which simulation studies has shown the potential of proposed HDBMS strategy to provide the optimal solution for smart building energy management.

Particulate matter emission from livestock houses: measurement methods, emission levels and abatement systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Winkel, Albert

2016-01-01

Animal houses are extremely dusty environments. Airborne particulate matter (PM) poses a health threat not only to the farmer and the animals, but, as a result of emissions from ventilation systems, also to residents living in livestock farming areas. In relation to this problem, the objectives

Buying a house with solar cells. Survey among subscribers and buyers of newly built houses in Amsterdam, Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Mierlo, B.; Sprengers, M.

1995-12-01

In a new housing estate in Amsterdam in 1995 the regional energy utility (EBA) has integrated a photovoltaic (PV) system (250 kWp) into 63 houses out of 245 houses. The parts of these owner-occupied houses with PV panels are not owned by the occupants. In order to determine which are the motives to buy solar houses and in order to analyze changes in their attitudes questionnaires were sent to potential occupants twice. First to the people who registered for the new housing project (subscribers), and second to the people who bought one of the 245 houses either with or without PV (buyers). The overall conclusion is that PV does not play an important role in the decision making process when buying a new house. It is recommended to study differences in PV preferences and opinions a few years after the buyers have moved to their new houses. 10 figs., 17 tabs., 9 refs., 3 appendices

Housing policy socialization and de-commodification in South Korea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ronald, R.; Lee, H.

2012-01-01

South Korea has undergone significant housing system transformations in recent decades involving radical expansions in state housing provision. Growth in social forms of public housing ostensibly contradicts the neoliberal trend toward the privatization of social housing sectors elsewhere in the

Radon reduction in crawl-space houses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osborne, M.C.; Moore, D.G.; Southerlan, R.E.; Brennan, T.; Pyle, B.E.

1989-01-01

This paper gives results of an EPA study of radon-mitigation alternatives for crawl space houses in several houses in Nashville, TN. Application of one of these alternative mitigation options, suction under a polyethylene membrane, has been successful in significantly reducing radon levels in both the crawl space and the house. The large radon concentrations measured under unvented plastic ground covers and the moisture barriers found in many crawl spaces can act as radon-rich reservoirs capable of contaminating a crawl space and house during periods of depressurization. With the exhaust components of the mitigation system in place, radon levels below the plastic decreased by more than 95% under both passive and active suction conditions. Based on the study, the design of a cost-effective subplastic suction passive radon mitigation system for crawl spaces seems promising

Complex social housing reduces food neophobia in dairy calves.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, J H C; Daros, R R; von Keyserlingk, M A G; Weary, D M

2014-12-01

Animals are often reluctant to consume novel feeds. Research suggests that social housing can reduce fearfulness in animals. The aim of this study was to test the prediction that social housing reduces food neophobia in dairy calves. Beginning immediately at birth, Holstein bull calves were either reared individually (n=18) or in a complex social group with other calves and cows (n=18). In food neophobia tests, calves were exposed to 2 identical buckets, one empty and the other filled with a novel food (chopped hay in trial 1 and chopped carrots in trial 2). Calves were tested for 30 min/d on 3 consecutive days starting at 70 d of age. Regardless of the type of food, socially housed calves consumed more of the novel feed compared with individually housed calves. In trial 1, intake of hay as fed averaged 35 ± 6 versus 18 ± 6 g/d for socially versus individually housed calves. In trial 2, intake of chopped carrots as fed averaged 27 ± 6 versus 6 ± 6 g/d for socially versus individually housed calves, respectively. Social rearing decreased the latency to eat the novel feed. Calves housed in a complex social group began eating the hay after 1:23 ± 1:13 versus 3:58 ± 1:10 min:s for individually housed calves. Latency to begin eating the chopped carrots averaged 3:09 ± 1:17 versus 6:38 ± 1:13 min:s for socially versus individually housed calves. Treatment had no effect on time spent eating, latency to approach the food bucket or the empty bucket in either trial, or on time spent manipulating the empty bucket. These results indicate that housing dairy calves in a complex social group reduces food neophobia. More generally, this study contributes to a series of studies showing that calves raised in more complex social environments may be better able to transition to other changes in their environment. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Housing and Health: The relationship between housing conditions ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

okanlawon

2011-10-22

Oct 22, 2011 ... Housing and Health: The relationship between housing ... The authors in chapter one, deal extensively with historical context of housing and health chronologically ... Housing and Health: Time Again for Public Health Action.

Energy efficient industrialized housing research program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berg, R.; Brown, G.Z.; Finrow, J.; Kellett, R.; McDonald, M.; McGinn, B.; Ryan, P.; Sekiguchi, Tomoko (Oregon Univ., Eugene, OR (USA). Center for Housing Innovation); Chandra, S.; Elshennawy, A.K.; Fairey, P.; Harrison, J.; Mazwell, L.; Roland, J.; Swart, W. (Florida Solar Energy Center, Cape Canaveral, FL (USA))

1989-12-01

This document describes the research work completed in five areas in fiscal year 1989. (1) The analysis of the US industrialized housing industry includes statistics, definitions, a case study, and a code analysis. (2) The assessment of foreign technology reviews the current status of design, manufacturing, marketing, and installation of industrialized housing primarily in Sweden and Japan. (3) Assessment of industrialization applications reviews housing production by climate zone, has a cost and energy comparison of Swedish and US housing, and discusses future manufacturing processes and emerging components. (4) The state of computer use in the industry is described and a prototype design tool is discussed. (5) Side by side testing of industrialized housing systems is discussed.

Estimating the influence of social-economic factors on the quality of services rendered by a housing and communal organization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lutsiya Sayetovna Gatina

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Objective to define the group of factors influencing on the quality of services rendered by a housing and communal services organization. Methods methods of systemic analysis and synthesis economicstatistical analysis. Results using the statistical methods of analysis a group of factors is defined which should be taken into account when developing the strategy of services market in housing and communal sphere. The objective of the strategy is to increase the level of quality services to the population of Russia in the housing and communal industry. Scientific novelty the indicators are revealed of the quality of communal services formed under socialeconomic factors. When analyzing the data of the matrix of interfactoral influence those were extinguished which show the largest influence on the level of services market development in housing and communal sphere. Practical value is the ability to use the assessment results to develop measures to improve the quality of housing and communal services organizations. nbsp

Cow behaviour and managerial aspects of fully automatic milking in loose housing systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ketelaar-de Lauwere, C.C.

1999-01-01

In this study of cow behaviour and managerial aspects of fully automatic milking, the emphasis was on implementing automatic milking systems (AMS) in cubicle houses in a way that suits cows and farmer. The starting points of the research were that the cows would visit the AMS voluntarily

Passive houses in Austria: the role of intermediary organisations for the successful transformation of a socio-technical system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ornetzeder, Michael (Inst. of Technology Assessment of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (Austria)); Rohracher, Harald (IFZ - Inter-Univ. Research Centre for Technology, Work and Culture (Austria))

2009-07-01

In Austria, the first passive house was built in 1996. Since then the market for passive houses has rapidly increased. Statistics show that there were more than 4000 residential units with about 10,000 passive house residents at the end of 2006 - more per capita than in any other country of the world. Sustainability requirements, however, have led to profound shifts in the need for collaboration between the actors involved in planning, constructing and using buildings. This paper draws on a qualitative case study to analyse the development and dissemination of passive houses in Austria by focussing on the role of intermediate organisations. Empirically, the paper is based on qualitative interviews with representatives of relevant organisations as well as the analysis of various documentary sources. The case study shows that new types of buildings, such as 'passive houses', have given rise to new actors and organisations to organise integrative planning processes, to set standards and market the passive house concept, to certify components, to transfer knowledge to professionals, to assist consumers in choosing architects, installers and technologies or to organise participation processes. New interest organisations mediate between producers and the policy level, energy agencies act as system builders to transfer these new technologies and practices into the mainstream building sectors, etc. Intermediation processes fulfilled by a broad range of organisations turned out to be of crucial importance for the coordination and shaping of the socio-technical system.

Possible Regulatory Improvements of the American Housing Finance System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lunde, Jens

2018-01-01

Book review of: Susan M. Wachter and Joseph Tracy (eds.): Principles of Housing Finance Reform. PENN—University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 282 pp, $65.00s, ISBN: 978-0-8122-4862-3......Book review of: Susan M. Wachter and Joseph Tracy (eds.): Principles of Housing Finance Reform. PENN—University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 282 pp, $65.00s, ISBN: 978-0-8122-4862-3...

Microclimate measuring and fluid‑dynamic simulation in an industrial broiler house: testing of an experimental ventilation system.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, Biagio; Giametta, Ferruccio; La Fianza, Giovanna; Gentile, Andrea; Catalano, Pasquale

2015-01-01

The environment in the broiler house is a combination of physical and biological factors generating a complex dynamic system of interactions between birds, husbandry system, light, temperature, and the aerial environment. Ventilation plays a key role in this scenario. It is pivotal to remove carbon dioxide and water vapor from the air of the hen house. Adequate ventilation rates provide the most effective method of controlling temperature within the hen house. They allow for controlling the relative humidity and can play a key role in alleviating the negative effects of high stocking density and of wet litter. In the present study the results of experimental tests performed in a breeding broiler farm are shown. In particular the efficiency of a semi transversal ventilation system was studied against the use of a pure transversal one. In order to verify the efficiency of the systems, fluid dynamic simulations were carried out using the software Comsol multiphysics. The results of this study show that a correct architectural and structural design of the building must be supported by a design of the ventilation system able to maintain the environmental parameters within the limits of the thermo‑neutral and welfare conditions and to achieve the highest levels of productivity.

CERN Housing Service – New website

CERN Multimedia

GS Department

2009-01-01

You can now consult the new CERN Housing Service website which includes information relating to the CERN hostels booking rules, special negotiated rates for hotels in the local area, rental offers from the local private sector, etc.: https://espace.cern.ch/hostel-service/default.aspx Please contact the CERN Housing Service team if you have any queries (reception in Building 39, 74481). GS-SEM Group Infrastructure and General Services Department

CERN Housing Service – New website

CERN Multimedia

GS Department

2009-01-01

You can now consult the new CERN Housing Service website which includes information relating to the CERN hostel booking rules, special negotiated rates for hotels in the local area, rental offers from the local private sector, etc.: https://espace.cern.ch/hostel-service/default.aspx Please contact the CERN Housing Service team if you have any queries (reception in Building 39, 74481). GS-SEM Group Infrastructure and General Services Department

City of Ljubljana: Its housing, population and housing conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maša Filipovič

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The article gives an overview of key aspect of housing in Municipality of Ljubljana. The characteristics of households, of housing and their relation influence the housing situation in the city. Characteristic of housing refer mainly to quality of the dwellings, affordability and correspondence to the wishes of the inhabitants. The second important dimensions are households and their characteristics. In Europe and Slovenia increase in number of household can be observed, which in turn are becoming smaller. The housing policy has a role in establishing a balance between households and housing, i.e. ensuring that housing corresponds to the needs of individual households and to their number. For achieving this, knowledge and appropriate data are of vital importance. In the article we present the results of the Housing survey 2005. We observe housing conditions in a comparative perspective (Ljubljana in comparison to Maribor, Slovenia and selected European cities and according to three dimensions: housing fund, households and housing conditions.

Questionnaire-based study to assess the association between management practices and mastitis within tie-stall and free-stall dairy housing systems in Switzerland

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Prophylactic measures are key components of dairy herd mastitis control programs, but some are only relevant in specific housing systems. To assess the association between management practices and mastitis incidence, data collected in 2011 by a survey among 979 randomly selected Swiss dairy farms, and information from the regular test day recordings from 680 of these farms was analyzed. Results The median incidence of farmer-reported clinical mastitis (ICM) was 11.6 (mean 14.7) cases per 100 cows per year. The median annual proportion of milk samples with a composite somatic cell count (PSCC) above 200,000 cells/ml was 16.1 (mean 17.3) %. A multivariable negative binomial regression model was fitted for each of the mastitis indicators for farms with tie-stall and free-stall housing systems separately to study the effect of other (than housing system) management practices on the ICM and PSCC events (above 200,000 cells/ml). The results differed substantially by housing system and outcome. In tie-stall systems, clinical mastitis incidence was mainly affected by region (mountainous production zone; incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.73), the dairy herd replacement system (1.27) and farmers age (0.81). The proportion of high SCC was mainly associated with dry cow udder controls (IRR = 0.67), clean bedding material at calving (IRR = 1.72), using total merit values to select bulls (IRR = 1.57) and body condition scoring (IRR = 0.74). In free-stall systems, the IRR for clinical mastitis was mainly associated with stall climate/temperature (IRR = 1.65), comfort mats as resting surface (IRR = 0.75) and when no feed analysis was carried out (IRR = 1.18). The proportion of high SSC was only associated with hand and arm cleaning after calving (IRR = 0.81) and beef producing value to select bulls (IRR = 0.66). Conclusions There were substantial differences in identified risk factors in the four models. Some of the factors were in agreement with the reported literature

Sustainable Plus-energy Houses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kazanci, Ongun Berk; Olesen, Bjarne W.

This study is an outcome of Elforsk, project number 344-060, Bæredygtige Energi-Plus huse (Sustainable plus-energy houses). The focus of this report is to document the approach and the results of different analyses concerning a plus-energy, single family house. The house was designed...... for an international student competition, Solar Decathlon Europe 2012 and after the competition it was used as a full-scale experimental facility for one year. During this period, different heating and cooling strategies were tested and the performance of the house regarding the thermal indoor environment and energy...... was monitored. This report is structured as follows. Chapter 1 presents the project and briefly explains the different phases of the project. The details of the house’s construction and its HVAC system are explained in Chapter 2, along with the energy efficiency measures and innovations. Chapter 3 introduces...

Sustainable urban housing in Kathmandu, Nepal: Proposals and evaluations

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Vikas

Kathmandu Valley represents one of the oldest cultural hubs in the Himalayas. The historic towns in the valley consist of densely built traditional Chowk and Bahal houses with enclosed courtyards. With exposure to the outside world since 1951, the western style single-family detached house has become an image of the modern home and a status symbol. In the context of the exploding population, the prevailing trend of these free standing houses have exacerbated urban sprawl and led to inefficient use of the limited agricultural land in the valley. Devoid of shared open spaces, the new settlements lack play areas for children, places for social gathering and a sense of community. Building materials that are not manufactured locally must be trucked from India over the mountains. So is coal for the production of brick and cement, and diesel for transportation. Minimizing the amount of imported materials and energy used by these modern houses will reduce the environmental impact and also benefit the national economy. Kathmandu enjoys clear sky conditions during winter that makes passive solar design a potential strategy to achieve thermal comfort and eliminate kerosene heaters with their harmful effects. The abundance of rainfall during monsoon season makes rainwater collection a viable supplement to the unreliable municipal water supply. This dissertation creates three new housing prototypes that address all these issues. These prototypes are modern interpretations of the vernacular Chowk and Bahal, which create communal open space by grouping rowhouses around a common courtyard. Combining vernacular wisdom with the principles of sustainable design, these prototypes reduce land consumption; reduce resource consumption; create community open space; minimize imported materials; increase energy efficiency and thermal comfort; make homes and neighborhoods self sustainable for water supply and wastewater treatment; and altogether improve the quality of life. This dissertation

Passive House Solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strom, I.; Joosten, L.; Boonstra, C. [DHV Sustainability Consultants, Eindhoiven (Netherlands)

2006-05-15

PEP stands for 'Promotion of European Passive Houses' and is a consortium of European partners, supported by the European Commission, Directorate General for Energy and Transport. In this working paper an overview is given of Passive House solutions. An inventory has been made of Passive House solutions for new build residences applied in each country. Based on this, the most common basic solutions have been identified and described in further detail, including the extent to which solutions are applied in common and best practice and expected barriers for the implementation in each country. An inventory per country is included in the appendix. The analysis of Passive House solutions in partner countries shows high priority with regard to the performance of the thermal envelope, such as high insulation of walls, roofs, floors and windows/ doors, thermal bridge-free construction and air tightness. Due to the required air tightness, special attention must be paid to indoor air quality through proper ventilation. Finally, efficient ((semi-)solar) heating systems for combined space and DHW heating still require a significant amount of attention in most partner countries. Other basic Passive House solutions show a smaller discrepancy with common practice and fewer barriers have been encountered in partner countries. In the next section, the general barriers in partner countries have been inventoried. For each type of barrier a suggested approach has been given. Most frequently encountered barriers in partner countries are: limited know-how; limited contractor skills; and acceptation of Passive Houses in the market. Based on the suggested approaches to overcoming barriers, this means that a great deal of attention must be paid to providing practical information and solutions to building professionals, providing practical training to installers and contractors and communication about the Passive House concept to the market.

Control System and Data Logger for 800 Ci Machine RSL6050 137Cs Pencil Source at Gamma Green House

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayub Muhamad

2015-01-01

Gamma irradiation plant Green House installed and commissioned in 2005. The plant uses gamma radiation from a power source 137 Cesium 800 Ci. This radiation is aimed at the study of plants to find the mutation. The system developed for ease of operator Gamma Green House and also help researchers get a more accurate total dose exposure. The system developed by the coach of the University by using software lib-view, 2014. (author)

Environmental and economic performance of heating systems for energy-efficient dwellings: Case of passive and low-energy single-family houses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georges, L.; Massart, C.; Van Moeseke, G.; De Herde, A.

2012-01-01

In order to reduce the energy consumption of the building stock, a major trend is to drastically reduce the space-heating (SH) needs by improving the thermal performance of the envelope. In general, this measure is combined with efficient heating systems to minimize the delivered energy and greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, these better systems are often more expensive so that the extra-investment could be hardly recovered for small-scale energy consumption. The main objective of the article is to show how equilibria between cost-effectiveness and environmental performance of heating systems are changed when small SH needs are considered (i.e. for passive and low-energy houses). The scope is limited to new single-family dwellings. Furthermore, the passive house standard provides means of simplifying the SH by using the ventilation air: the idea is that savings should counterbalance the extra-investment in super-insulation. In theory, a new global economic optimum is generated at the passive house level. The second objective of the work is to study which conditions could lead to this new optimum. Only a detached-house typology is investigated to address this last issue. Regarding methodology, all the investigations are done considering the Belgian context. Energy and environmental performance is evaluated using a method that complies with the EN-15603 and EN-15316 standards. - Highlights: ► Cost-benefit analysis is performed without incentives and is based on the Belgian market. ► Equilibria between cost-effectiveness and environmental performance of heating systems are changed for very low-energy houses. ► The space-heating simplification at the passive house level can hardly produce a new global economic optimum.

Effects of Gestational Housing on Reproductive Performance and Behavior of Sows with Different Backfat Thickness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. H. Kim

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The present study investigated the effects of back-fat thickness at d 107 of gestation and housing types during gestation on reproductive performance and behavior of sows. A total of 64 crossbred sows (Landrace×Yorkshire in their 3 to 4 parities were allotted to one of four treatments (n = 16 over two consecutive parities. During each parity, sows were assigned to two gestational housing types (stall or group housing and two level of back-fat thickness (<20 or ≥20 at d 107 of gestation. Gestating sows were transferred from gestational crates to stalls or pens (group housing 5 weeks before farrowing. All sows were moved to farrowing crates on d 109 of gestation. At weaning, back-fat thickness changes were lesser (p<0.05 in sows having back-fat thickness <20 mm than that of sows with ≥20 mm back-fat thickness at 107 d of gestation. Group housed sows had greater (p<0.05 feed intake and shorter (p<0.05 weaning-to-estrus interval than that of sows in stalls. At weaning, back-fat thickness changes were lesser (p<0.05 in group housed sows than that of sows in stalls. The number of piglets at weaning, growth rate and average daily gain were greater (p<0.05 in group housed sows than that of sows in stalls. During gestation, walking duration was more (p<0.05 in group housed sows. Group housed sows had lesser (p<0.05 farrowing duration and greater (p<0.05 eating time than that of sows in stalls. Result obtained in present study indicated that sows with ≥20 mm back-fat thickness at 107 days had better reproductive performance. Additionally, group housing of sows during last five week of gestation improved the performance and behavior and reproductive efficiency of sows.

Adoption of innovative energy systems in social housing: Lessons from eight large-scale renovation projects in The Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoppe, Thomas

2012-01-01

Thanks to new insights on the impacts that dwellings have throughout their life cycles, there has been increased attention to retrofitting innovative energy systems (IES) in existing housing. This paper uses an explorative case study design to gain more knowledge about the governance aspects of this under-researched topic. The central research question is: Which factors influence the adoption of innovative energy systems in social housing sites during renovation projects? To answer this question, eight large-scale renovation projects in The Netherlands were investigated. These case studies allowed the identification of barriers, enabling factors and perspectives from three main actors—housing associations, tenants and local authorities. It turns out that adopting IES encounters many barriers: lack of trust between project partners, delay in project progress, financial feasibility considerations, lack of support from tenants, lengthy legal permit procedures, over-ambitious project goals, poor experiences in previous projects, and IES ambitions that are not taken serious by key decision-makers. Furthermore, IES were only successfully fitted in three of the eight projects. Moreover, ambitions were lowered as the projects progressed in all the cases investigated. The study calls for further systematic, in-depth comparison of fitting IES in large-scale renovation projects in social housing. - Highlights: ► Attention to adoption of innovative energy systems in social housing. ► Several non-technical factors influence adoption. ► In-depth analysis of eight local-level renovation projects. ► Ambitions are lowered as projects progress. ► Barriers: financial feasibility, over-ambitious goals, delay, lack of trust.

Energy saving house utilizing photovoltaic system. 3; Taiyoko hatsuden wo donyushita sho energy jutaku. 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Itsumi, J. [Kumamoto Institute of Technology, Kumamoto (Japan)

1997-11-25

Various measurements are conducted in an energy-efficient house equipped with a photovoltaic power generation system and actually lived in by people, and matching between the household load and photovoltaic power generation, and the consumption of power, are examined. As the result investigation of power consumption in the house, it is found that 13.31kWh is consumed in the daytime in winter, and 14.15kWh in summer. Thirty-two 153W modules are used, and they produce 12.74kWh in four hours on a fine summer day, which amount nearly satisfies the demand of the household. As for the records during a year beginning in May, 1996, it is found that an annual amount of 4326kWh was generated, with 68% being surplus and 32% consumed for the household. Details of the household consumption were that 49.2% was consumed for house heating and cooling and 34.1% for cooking, the two in total occupying more than 80% of the whole household consumption. Energy-saving behavior is evaluated by comparing the energy-efficient house with some ordinary residential houses in Kumamoto City, and it is found that there is a yearly difference of 104,310 yen in electricity bill or 47% in energy saving effect. 5 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs.

Improving health and energy efficiency through community-based housing interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Howden-Chapman, Philippa; Crane, Julian; Chapman, Ralph; Fougere, Geoff

2011-12-01

Houses designed for one climate and cultural group may not be appropriate for other places and people. Our aim is to find cost-effective ways to improve the characteristics of older homes, ill-fitted for New Zealand's climate, in order to improve the occupants' health. We have carried out two community randomised trials, in partnership with local communities, which have focused on retrofitted insulation and more effective heating and have two other studies under way, one which focuses on electricity vouchers and the other on housing hazard remediation. The Housing, Insulation and Health Study showed that insulating 1,350 houses, built before insulation was required, improved the occupants' health and well being as well as household energy efficiency. In the Housing, Heating and Health Study we investigated the impact of installing more effective heating in insulated houses for 409 households, where there was a child with doctor-diagnosed asthma. Again, the study showed significant results in the intervention group; indoor temperatures increased and levels of NO(2) were halved. Children reported less poor health, lower levels of asthma symptoms and sleep disturbances by wheeze and dry cough. Children also had fewer days off school. Improving the energy efficiency of older housing leads to health improvements and energy efficiency improvements. Multidisciplinary studies of housing interventions can create compelling evidence to support policies for sustainable housing developments which improve health.

Refining Housing, Husbandry and Care for Animals Used in Studies Involving Biotelemetry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Penny Hawkins

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Biotelemetry can contribute towards reducing animal numbers and suffering in disciplines including physiology, pharmacology and behavioural research. However, the technique can also cause harm to animals, making biotelemetry a ‘refinement that needs refining’. Current welfare issues relating to the housing and husbandry of animals used in biotelemetry studies are single vs. group housing, provision of environmental enrichment, long term laboratory housing and use of telemetered data to help assess welfare. Animals may be singly housed because more than one device transmits on the same wavelength; due to concerns regarding damage to surgical sites; because they are wearing exteriorised jackets; or if monitoring systems can only record from individually housed animals. Much of this can be overcome by thoughtful experimental design and surgery refinements. Similarly, if biotelemetry studies preclude certain enrichment items, husbandry refinement protocols can be adapted to permit some environmental stimulation. Nevertheless, long-term laboratory housing raises welfare concerns and maximum durations should be defined. Telemetered data can be used to help assess welfare, helping to determine endpoints and refine future studies. The above measures will help to improve data quality as well as welfare, because experimental confounds due to physiological and psychological stress will be minimised.

Advanced Extended Plate and Beam Wall System in a Cold-Climate House

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mallay, Dave [Home Innovation Research Labs, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Wiehagen, Joseph [Home Innovation Research Labs, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Kochkin, Vladimir [Home Innovation Research Labs, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States)

2016-01-29

This report presents the design and evaluation of an innovative wall system. This highly insulated (high-R) light-frame wall system for use above grade in residential buildings is referred to as Extended Plate & Beam (EP&B). The EP&B design is the first of its kind to be featured in a new construction test house (NCTH) for the DOE Building America program. The EP&B wall design integrates standard building methods and common building products to construct a high-R wall that minimizes transition risks and costs to builders. The EP&B design combines optimized framing with integrated rigid foam sheathing to increase the wall system's R-value and reduce thermal bridging. The foam sheathing is installed between the wall studs and structural wood sheathing. The exterior wood sheathing is attached directly to a framing extension formed by extended top and bottom plates. The exterior wood sheathing can dry to the exterior and provides bracing, a clear drainage plane and flashing surface for window and door openings, and a nailing surface for siding attachment. With support of the DOE Building America program, Home Innovation Research Labs partnered with Lancaster County Career and Technology Center (LCCTC) to build a NCTH in Lancaster, PA to demonstrate the EP&B wall design in a cold climate (IECC climate zone 5A). The results of the study confirmed the benefits of the systems and the viability of its integration into the house construction process.

WOMEN’S HOUSE CATARINA - SEMINARS CONTROVE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lilly Ana Aichinger

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The extension project of Women's House Catarina, Department of Public Health UFSC held a series of seminars entitled Relations of Power in Gender Relations. The topics were controversial, such as inequality, women's health, political participation, sexual and reproductive rights, and race / ethnicity. It was a rewarding experience for the group Women's House Catarina, where the academic lecturers had the opportunity to pass on their experiences and knowledge learned and exercising citizenship.

Solar Living House Final Technical Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walters, Bradley [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

2017-03-09

The Solar Living House is a high-performance solar-powered dwelling designed by a team of faculty and students from the University of Florida, in collaboration with Santa Fe College, the National University of Singapore, and Alachua Habitat for Humanity. The project was designed in accordance with the Solar Decathlon 2015, a research, design, education, and outreach program developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The Solar Living House is fundamentally a house for living, centered on people and the activities of daily life while quietly introducing advanced design, construction, and engineering technologies. The 993 square-foot two-bedroom one-bath home was designed to embrace and frame an exterior courtyard space. This courtyard acts as an extension of the interior living spaces, maximizing the spatial potentials of a modest building footprint and introducing natural light into the primary living spaces of the house. Research Outcomes: The Solar Living House advances work on high-performance buildings through three principal technological innovations: wet/dry modular construction, a building automation system, and solar dehumidification systems. Wet / Dry Modular Construction: The house is designed as a series of five modules, including one that is designated as the “wet core.” The wet core consolidates the mechanical systems and bathroom into a single module to reduce plumbing runs, efficiency losses, and on-site construction time. The other four modules are designed to eliminate interior load bearing walls to allow for maximum flexibility in the reconfiguring of the space over time. The modules are designed to meet the structural challenges of both Florida’s hurricanes and California’s earthquakes. Building Automation System: The house is equipped with an integrated building automation system, allowing the houses environmental systems, lights, security systems, and smoke detectors to be programmed, monitored, and controlled through any mobile

Advanced Extended Plate and Beam Wall System in a Cold-Climate House

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mallay, Dave [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Wiehagen, Joseph [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Kochkin, Vladimir [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States)

2016-01-01

This report presents the design and evaluation of an innovative wall system. This highly insulated (high-R) light-frame wall system for use above grade in residential buildings is referred to as Extended Plate & Beam (EP&B). The EP&B design is the first of its kind to be featured in a new construction test house (NCTH) for the DOE Building America program. The EP&B wall design integrates standard building methods and common building products to construct a high-R wall that minimizes transition risks and costs to builders.

Development and validation of a house finch interleukin-1β (HfIL-1β) ELISA system.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sungwon; Park, Myeongseon; Leon, Ariel E; Adelman, James S; Hawley, Dana M; Dalloul, Rami A

2017-08-30

A unique clade of the bacterium Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), which causes chronic respiratory disease in poultry, has resulted in annual epidemics of conjunctivitis in North American house finches since the 1990s. Currently, few immunological tools have been validated for this songbird species. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a prototypic multifunctional cytokine and can affect almost every cell type during Mycoplasma infection. The overall goal of this study was to develop and validate a direct ELISA assay for house finch IL-1β (HfIL-1β) using a cross-reactive chicken antibody. A direct ELISA approach was used to develop this system using two different coating methods, carbonate and dehydration. In both methods, antigens (recombinant HfIL-1b or house finch plasma) were serially diluted in carbonate-bicarbonate coating buffer and either incubated at 4 °C overnight or at 60 °C on a heating block for 2 hr. To generate the standard curve, rHfIL-1b protein was serially diluted at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 ng/mL. Following blocking and washing, anti-chicken IL-1b polyclonal antibody was added, plates were later incubated with detecting antibodies, and reactions developed with tetramethylbenzidine solution. A commercially available anti-chicken IL-1β (ChIL-1β) polyclonal antibody (pAb) cross-reacted with house finch plasma IL-1β as well as bacterially expressed recombinant house finch IL-1β (rHfIL-1β) in immunoblotting assays. In a direct ELISA system, rHfIL-1β could not be detected by an anti-ChIL-1β pAb when the antigen was coated with carbonate-bicarbonate buffer at 4°C overnight. However, rHfIL-1β was detected by the anti-ChIL-1β pAb when the antigen was coated using a dehydration method by heat (60°C). Using the developed direct ELISA for HfIL-1β with commercial anti-ChIL-1β pAb, we were able to measure plasma IL-1β levels from house finches. Based on high amino acid sequence homology, we hypothesized and demonstrated cross-reactivity of

Follow-up durability measurements and mitigation-performance improvement tests in 38 Eastern Pennsylvania houses having indoor radon-reduction systems. Final report, Oct 89-Feb 90

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Findlay, W.O.; Robertson, A.; Scott, A.G.

1991-03-01

The report gives results of follow-up tests in 38 difficult-to-mitigate Pennsylvania houses where indoor radon reduction systems had been installed 2 to 4 years earlier. Objectives were to assess system durability, methods for improving performance, and methods for reducing installation and operating costs. The durability tests indicated that the 38 systems have not experienced any significant degradation in indoor radon levels or in system flows/suctions, except in 6 houses where system fans failed, and in houses where homeowners turned off the systems. Tests to improve performance indicated that nearly all of the elevated residual radon levels are due to re-entrainment back into the house of very-high-radon exhaust gas from the soil depressurization systems, and to radon release from well water. Tests to reduce system costs showed that premitigation sub-slab suction field measurements can help prevent installation of too many suction pipes when communication is good, but suggest a need for too many pipes when communication is poor. Soil depressurization fans could not be turned down to the extent expected in some systems that were over-designed. Between 6 and 42% of the exhausted air was withdrawn from the house

75 FR 1632 - Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Asset Management Transition Year 2 Information

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-12

... accounting under asset management, also known as ``Transition Year 2.'' FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The... System (PHAS): Asset Management Transition Year 2 Information AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary... by HUD under the Public Housing Management Assessment Program (PHMAP), the regulations for which are...

Low cost Polymer Optical Fibre based transmission system for feeding integrated broadband wireless in-house LANs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ng'Oma, A.; Koonen, A.M.J.; Tafur Monroy, I.; Boom, van den H.P.A.; Smulders, P.F.M.; Khoe, G.D.; Visser, D. Taco; Lenstra, Daan; Schouten, F. Hugo

2002-01-01

A bi-directional transmission system using low cost Polymer Optical Fibre (POF) to feed the required large number of radio access points in next-generation integrated broadband wireless in-house LANs is proposed. Results from simulations and experiments show that, by tuning system parameters, a

Study on reduction of consumption and peak demand of electric power used in residential houses with solar heating and PV systems; Solar house no fuka heijunka to energy sakugen koka ni kansuru kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Udagawa, M.; Endo, T. [Kogakuin University, Tokyo (Japan)

1994-12-08

A model house was simulated to reduce the consumption and peak demand for the photovoltaic power generation system, and solar heat air heating and hot water supply system in the solar house. As a type of construction, both wooden construction and reinforced concrete (RC) construction were selected with a total floor area of 125m{sup 2}. All the rooms were equipped with an air conditioner by heat pump from the air thermal source. A solar heat floor heater was simultaneously installed on the first floor. The hot water supply load was 4.8MWh per year. A commercial grid-connected on-site system was applied to the photovoltaic power generation with a 20m{sup 2} wide monocrystalline Si solar cell panel. As for the fluctuation in power load, the peak at the time of rising is more reduced in the RC house than in the wooden house, because the former is smaller in temperature fluctuation than the latter during the intermittence of air conditioning (as per the specified operational schedule). Therefore, the power is more leveled off in the former than in the latter. Between both, difference was hardly made in energy consumption per year. The ratio of dependency was 47% upon the photovoltaic power generation system, while it was 50% and 77%, under the air heating power load and hot water supply power load, respectively, upon the solar heat air heating and hot water supply system, so that both systems were considerably effective in saving the energy. 5 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

Interagency mechanical operations group numerical systems group

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-09-01

This report consists of the minutes of the May 20-21, 1971 meeting of the Interagency Mechanical Operations Group (IMOG) Numerical Systems Group. This group looks at issues related to numerical control in the machining industry. Items discussed related to the use of CAD and CAM, EIA standards, data links, and numerical control.

Effects of food motivation on stereotypies and aggression in group housed sows

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spoolder, H.A.M.

1998-01-01

Changing legislation and consumer attitudes towards the welfare of farm animals means that individual housing of dry sows will soon be illegal in the United Kingdom. Other European countries, and in particular those for whom the UK is an important export market (such as The Netherlands),

The deployment of decentralised energy systems as part of the housing growth programme in the UK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, Jo

2010-01-01

The housing growth programme could offer an opportunity for accelerating the deployment of decentralised renewable energy systems (DRES) in the UK. The Government hopes to leverage private sector investment into DRES as part of new housing projects. The aim of this paper is to assess whether current regulatory and funding frameworks are sufficient to achieve this. The question is explored by drawing on the experience of developers, local authorities, energy utilities and service companies operating in the largest housing growth region in the UK-Thames Gateway. Their experience suggests that the current low intervention approach will be insufficient to generate the shift required in both industries. In order to be more successful economic and regulatory instruments should focus on producers (house-builders and energy providers) rather than consumers (households). Tighter regulation is needed to ensure that producers have a responsibility to install DRES as part of new developments, to enable connection to the grid, to ensure a sustained financial return from investment and revenue is spent on the expansion of new renewable energy infrastructure. This regulatory framework must be under-pinned by substantial funds focused on producers. Greater intervention is needed if DRES is to be included in new housing development.

Estimation of indirect genetic effects in group-housed mink (Neovison vison) should account for systematic interactions either due to kin or sex

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alemu, Setegn Worku; Berg, Peer; Janss, Luc

2016-01-01

interactions in group-housed mink. Furthermore, we investigated whether systematic non-genetic interactions between kin or individuals of the same sex influence the estimates of genetic parameters. As a second objective, we clarify the relationship between estimates of the traditional IGE model and a family...

The housing policy nexus and people’s responses to housing challenges in post-communist cities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sasha Tsenkova

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This article explores major trends and patterns of change embedded in the overall process of economic, social and political transformation reshaping the urban challenges in eastern European cities. It reflects on important drivers of change such as efforts to create a market-based housing system and competitive housing markets in the post-communist urban world. The research draws much-needed attention to an important set of urban and housing policy issues with broad implications for understanding the transition process in the region. It explores the multi-layered processes of market-based housing reforms (privatisation, deregulation and devolution and their impact on the spatial transformation of urban housing markets in eastern European cities. The main argument, supported with empirical evidence from a number of eastern European cities, is that the impact of these most significant processes of urban change has created a mosaic of diverse urban challenges. Exploring these urban challenges through the housing lens sets the stage for a better understanding of urban social movements in eastern European cities and their dynamic realities. The article argues that the diverse role of urban social movements can be explained by reference to democratic traditions, practices and policy cultures in eastern European cities, and also to institutional structures and the capacity of non-market stakeholders. In some cases, stronger government and governance traditions since the political changes of the 1990s would allow non-government organisations to “voice” their concerns and be accepted as a legitimate partner in coalitions responding to urban challenges. In other cases, such capacity and institutional collaboration may be non-existent, leading to “exit” and abandonment of formal systems. In the first option, urban social movements have resurrected debates about gentrification and social segregation in housing estates and neighbourhoods previously

Housing of rabbits - results of an European research network

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoy, S.; Ruis, M.A.W.; Szendro, Z.

2006-01-01

The main welfare indicators to assess rabbit housing are mortality (unavoidable low), morbidity (unavoidable low), physiological parameters in the species-specific standard, species-specific behaviour and performance on a high level. Group housing of does with kits is possible if an individual

Housing in China: State Governance, Market and Public Perception

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emile Kok-Kheng Yeoh

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Chinese house prices have been receiving huge coverage in both the domestic and the international media. Although the Chinese government has implemented many policies to control house prices, especially in the big cities, it is obvious that there is disequilibrium between demand for and supply of houses. Even though numerous housing policies have been put in place to overcome that, house prices in China are still rising. Many Chinese citizens from the low- and middle-incomes group find it difficult to purchase a house in the cities due to high house prices. This paper covers the current situation of the house prices in China, introduces the existing state of affairs about the Chinese housing market, explores a series of important reasons for high house prices, examines various public policies the Chinese government is using to control real estate, as well as reveals the citizens’ perceptions related to rising house prices. To gauge citizens’ perception of the current state of affairs in this regard, a questionnaire survey was conducted to gather information with a final sample of 256 respondents from more than ten cities of different tiers in the different regions of China.

Assessment of existing local houses condition as analysis tools for shore housing improvement program in Weriagar district, Bintuni Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Firmansyah, F.; Fernando, A.; Allo, I. P. R.

2018-01-01

The housing assessment is a part of the pre-feasibility study inThe Shore Housing Improvement Program in Weriagar District, West Papua. The housing assessment was conducted to identify the physical condition of existing houses. The parameters of assessment formulated from local references, practices and also national building regulation that covers each building system components, such as building structure/frame, building floor, building cover, and building roof. This study aims to explains lessons from local practices and references, used as the formula to generate assessment parameter, elaborate with Indonesia building regulation. The result of housing assessment were used as a basis to develop the house improvement strategy, the design alternative for housing improvement and further planning recommendations. The local knowledges involved in housing improvement program expected that the local-based approach could respect to the local build culture, respect the local environment, and the most important can offer best suitable solutions for functional utility and livability.

The effects of laying hen housing systems on egg safety and quality. In: Achieving sustainable production of eggs, Vol 1: Safety and Quality

Science.gov (United States)

Transitions in laying hen management and housing systems have constantly occurred throughout the history of commercial egg production. Around the world, there has been a rapid shift in hen housing requirements since the turn of the current century. In most cases, the changes in hen housing require...

Passive energy standard in building as a perspective of sustainable development - first passive houses in Croatia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miscevic, Lj.

2005-01-01

The paper presents the projects and implementation of the first passive family houses in Croatia. The Croatian Solar House (CSH) is a national technological-development project by a group of authors, which is based on passive house standard as an energy-terms point of departure. The House EV1 is a wood-made passive house under construction, while the House M4 is the first passive house in Croatia made in poro-concrete and reinforced concrete made ceiling slabs. Both houses comply with the heating energy consumption requirements under the passive house definition, i.e., the annual consumption does not exceed 15 kWh/m2. These houses are also referred to as 'houses without heating', 'houses with thermal comfort without heating' or 'one-liter houses' because their consumption is equivalent to one liter of fuel oil by one square meter a year. Assuming the high-value thermal protection, passive house is equipped with an installation system which houses a heat pump and ventilation system for continuous introduction of fresh air indoors. The use of renewable energy sources enabled the accomplishment by far the biggest energy savings in the construction industry, ensuring optimal conditions for healthy living without harmful gas emissions. Since 1990 there is an exponential growth of constructed passive houses in Europe. Germany is leading this trend with total of 150,000 free-standing houses, house raw units or residential units in small multi-apartment buildings. The research project-program of the European Union: Cost Efficiency Passive Houses as European Union Standard (CEPHEUS) has confirmed, by scientific monitoring during several years, the energy- and cost-efficiency of such architecture and construction model in more than 250 units in Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland. Therefore the passive house is proposed as a standard for residential architecture and construction, but also for general construction of all functional types of non-residential architecture

DC Linked Hybrid Generation System with an Energy Storage Device including a Photo-Voltaic Generation and a Gas Engine Cogeneration for Residential Houses

Science.gov (United States)

Lung, Chienru; Miyake, Shota; Kakigano, Hiroaki; Miura, Yushi; Ise, Toshifumi; Momose, Toshinari; Hayakawa, Hideki

For the past few years, a hybrid generation system including solar panel and gas cogeneration is being used for residential houses. Solar panels can generate electronic power at daytime; meanwhile, it cannot generate electronic power at night time. But the power consumption of residential houses usually peaks in the evening. The gas engine cogeneration system can generate electronic power without such a restriction, and it also can generate heat power to warm up house or to produce hot water. In this paper, we propose the solar panel and gas engine co-generation hybrid system with an energy storage device that is combined by dc bus. If a black out occurs, the system still can supply electronic power for special house loads. We propose the control scheme for the system which are related with the charging level of the energy storage device, the voltage of the utility grid which can be applied both grid connected and stand alone operation. Finally, we carried out some experiments to demonstrate the system operation and calculation for loss estimation.

Fiscal 1976 Sunshine Project result report. R and D on solar cooling/heating and hot water supply system (R and D on the system for new detached houses); 1976 nendo taiyo reidanbo oyobi kyuto system no kenkyu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. shinchiku kojin jutakuyo system no kenkyu kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1977-03-01

R and D was made on solar systems for new detached houses, and design and construction of the experimental house were carried out. In system analysis, assessment of solar cooling/heating systems, improvement of a simulation model based on measured data, and improvement of cooling/heating systems by simulation were conducted. In development of equipment and materials for the experimental house, R and D was made on component materials, connection method and installation method on houses for vacuum glass tube type solar collectors, and a solar collector was fabricated. R and D was also made on combination of absorbent and coolant, drop type coolant generator and performance experiment for absorption refrigerators, and a refrigerator was fabricated. The experimental house is 2-stored RC wall construction of 79.94m{sup 2} in building area, and 133.26m{sup 2} in total floor area. From the viewpoint of energy saving, outside insulation, double window, and insulating rain shutter door were adopted. The newly developed vacuum glass tube type solar collector is applicable to existing houses because of its higher flexibility. (NEDO)

7 CFR 1944.664 - Housing preservation and replacement housing assistance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 13 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Housing preservation and replacement housing...) RURAL HOUSING SERVICE, RURAL BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE SERVICE, RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, AND FARM SERVICE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) PROGRAM REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) HOUSING Housing...

FY 1998 report on the results of the project on the next generation structure housing development; 1998 nendo jisedai kozo jutaku kaihatsu jigyo seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

The purpose of this project is to develop/verify technology to design/construct a structural body of multiple dwelling house which is highly durable and usable at maximum of the limited space with no projections of poles/beams, and is also to develop/verify a composite system of a structure and each house in which residential space can freely be changed horizontally/vertically in response to the leveling-up of living and changes in life style. The following were conducted: construction of an experimental house group with next generation structure; development of technology of effective space utilization/high durability body construction; development of technology of structural analysis/design systematization of antiseismic/damping system; development of commercialization of technology to heighten frame durability, development of technology to heighten durability of finishing materials of a body; development of low cost construction technology; development of technology of interface between a body and each house; verification of housing performance using a next generation body system; generalization of next generation frame system/house system. To reflect the results of the research quickly, the details of the research are systematized, and a draft is worked out of a guide for constructing the next generation frame system/house system which were arranged between the current architecture related laws and business as a general multiple dwelling house. (NEDO)

Sustainable livable housing: A review of what traditional urban areas residents find important

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Musibau Lukuman

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Sustainable livable housing is pre-condition for healthy living, improve quality of life and critical to economic and social survival. It also encompasses various aspects that predominantly depend on economic, social, cultural and environmental (ESCE conditions within the locality. To this end, this paper seeks to explore, classify and assess the sustainable livable housing attributes from the existing literatures through content analysis. A review of literature revealed a total of ninety two (92 constructs, which were further grouped nine (9 livable housing-related attributes groups. Well-structured questionnaires were administered to residents of traditional urban areas (TUA of Iwo Osun State, Nigeria with ninety two (92 constructs on Likert scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistic and relative importance index (RII. Out of (92 constructs from nine (9 livable housing-related attributes groups, the results identified seventy eight (78 important attributes (i.e. 35 most important and 43 important across groups and construct that TUA residents found important. Over RII was 0.409 for overall assessment of sustainable livable housing condition by TUA residents indicating that TUA residents are dissatisfied with their current housing conditions.

Housing and sexual health among street-involved youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Maya M; Nisenbaum, Rosane; Barozzino, Tony; Sgro, Michael; Bonifacio, Herbert J; Maguire, Jonathon L

2015-10-01

Street-involved youth (SIY) carry a disproportionate burden of sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Studies among adults suggest that improving housing stability may be an effective primary prevention strategy for improving sexual health. Housing options available to SIY offer varying degrees of stability and adult supervision. This study investigated whether housing options offering more stability and adult supervision are associated with fewer STD and related risk behaviors among SIY. A cross-sectional study was performed using public health survey and laboratory data collected from Toronto SIY in 2010. Three exposure categories were defined a priori based on housing situation: (1) stable and supervised housing, (2) stable and unsupervised housing, and (3) unstable and unsupervised housing. Multivariate logistic regression was used to test the association between housing category and current or recent STD. Secondary analyses were performed using the following secondary outcomes: blood-borne infection, recent binge-drinking, and recent high-risk sexual behavior. The final analysis included 184 SIY. Of these, 28.8 % had a current or recent STD. Housing situation was stable and supervised for 12.5 %, stable and unsupervised for 46.2 %, and unstable and unsupervised for 41.3 %. Compared to stable and supervised housing, there was no significant association between current or recent STD among stable and unsupervised housing or unstable and unsupervised housing. There was no significant association between housing category and risk of blood-borne infection, binge-drinking, or high-risk sexual behavior. Although we did not demonstrate a significant association between stable and supervised housing and lower STD risk, our incorporation of both housing stability and adult supervision into a priori defined exposure groups may inform future studies of housing-related prevention strategies among SIY. Multi-modal interventions beyond housing alone may also be required to

The effect of house design and environment on fungal movement in homes of bronchial asthma patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Takatori, K; Saito, A; Yasueda, H; Akiyama, K

2001-01-01

The effect of house building design and environment on the fungal movement in the houses of 41 bronchial asthma (BA) patients has been investigated by examining house dust. The presence and composition of fungi were determined and compared in relation to building structure, house age, size of living room, main flooring material, presence of a living-room rug or air purifier, and frequency of vacuum cleaning. Among these elements, fungal CFU apparently varied only between building structure: wooden-board houses had significantly higher numbers of fungi than reinforced concrete houses (p prefabricated houses had significantly higher numbers of fungi than reinforced concrete houses (p < 0.05). Classification of the types of fungi present in the house dust of BA patients showed that, regardless of the building designs, there were high levels of osmophilic fungi (group A) and fungi that survive at relatively dry conditions (group B), whereas fungi that survive in very wet conditions (group D) were present at low frequency.

Soft System Methodology as a Tool to Understand Issues of Governmental Affordable Housing Programme of India: A Case Study Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Sukanya; Roy, Souvanic; Sanyal, Manas Kumar

2016-09-01

With the help of a case study, the article has explored current practices of implementation of governmental affordable housing programme for urban poor in a slum of India. This work shows that the issues associated with the problems of governmental affordable housing programme has to be addressed to with a suitable methodology as complexities are not only dealing with quantitative data but qualitative data also. The Hard System Methodologies (HSM), which is conventionally applied to address the issues, deals with real and known problems which can be directly solved. Since most of the issues of affordable housing programme as found in the case study are subjective and complex in nature, Soft System Methodology (SSM) has been tried for better representation from subjective points of views. The article explored drawing of Rich Picture as an SSM approach for better understanding and analysing complex issues and constraints of affordable housing programme so that further exploration of the issues is possible.

Effects of taurine and housing density on renal function in laying hens.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Zi-Li; Gao, Yang; Ma, Hai-Tian; Zheng, Liu-Hai; Dai, Bin; Miao, Jin-Feng; Zhang, Yuan-Shu

This study investigated the putative protective effects of supplemental 2-aminoethane sulfonic acid (taurine) and reduced housing density on renal function in laying hens. We randomly assigned fifteen thousand green-shell laying hens into three groups: a free range group, a low-density caged group, and a high-density caged group. Each group was further divided equally into a control group (C) and a taurine treatment group (T). After 15 d, we analyzed histological changes in kidney cells, inflammatory mediator levels, oxidation and anti-oxidation levels. Experimental data revealed taurine supplementation, and rearing free range or in low-density housing can lessen morphological renal damage, inflammatory mediator levels, and oxidation levels and increase anti-oxidation levels. Our data demonstrate that taurine supplementation and a reduction in housing density can ameliorate renal impairment, increase productivity, enhance health, and promote welfare in laying hens.

Vibration Propagation of Gear Dynamics in a Gear-Bearing-Housing System Using Mathematical Modeling and Finite Element Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Robert G.; Guo, Yi; Eritenel, Tugan; Ericson, Tristan M.

2012-01-01

Vibration and noise caused by gear dynamics at the meshing teeth propagate through power transmission components to the surrounding environment. This study is devoted to developing computational tools to investigate the vibro-acoustic propagation of gear dynamics through a gearbox using different bearings. Detailed finite element/contact mechanics and boundary element models of the gear/bearing/housing system are established to compute the system vibration and noise propagation. Both vibration and acoustic models are validated by experiments including the vibration modal testing and sound field measurements. The effectiveness of each bearing type to disrupt vibration propagation is speed-dependent. Housing plays an important role in noise radiation .It, however, has limited effects on gear dynamics. Bearings are critical components in drivetrains. Accurate modeling of rolling element bearings is essential to assess vibration and noise of drivetrain systems. This study also seeks to fully describe the vibro-acoustic propagation of gear dynamics through a power-transmission system using rolling element and fluid film wave bearings. Fluid film wave bearings, which have higher damping than rolling element bearings, could offer an energy dissipation mechanism that reduces the gearbox noise. The effectiveness of each bearing type to disrupt vibration propagation in explored using multi-body computational models. These models include gears, shafts, rolling element and fluid film wave bearings, and the housing. Radiated noise is mapped from the gearbox surface to surrounding environment. The effectiveness of rolling element and fluid film wave bearings in breaking the vibro-acoustic propagation path from the gear to the housing is investigated.

Housing management and maintenance practise of Dutch housing associations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Straub, A.

This paper summarises the state-of-the-art in housing management and maintenance practise of Dutch housing associations based on a survey conducted among almost all housing associations. We address the question what the current developments are in housing management and maintenance practice in the

Housing Problems of Minorities

Science.gov (United States)

Weaver, Robert

1975-01-01

This testimony, before a public hearing of the New York City Commission on Human Rights in May 1974, reviews the status of minority group housing and the effects of federal programs upon it, advocating an approach which recognizes the intrinsic locational and real estate value of many black ghettos. (Author/JM)

24 CFR 92.252 - Qualification as affordable housing: Rental housing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Qualification as affordable housing: Rental housing. 92.252 Section 92.252 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM Project Requirements § 92.252...

24 CFR 8.28 - Housing certificate and housing voucher programs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Housing certificate and housing voucher programs. 8.28 Section 8.28 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development NONDISCRIMINATION BASED ON HANDICAP IN FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROGRAMS AND...

Competition between social and private rental housing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lennartz, C.

2013-01-01

In the context of shifting regulatory approaches and changing provision structures in many Western rental housing systems, the notion of competition between social and private rental housing has received increasing attention from practitioners and academic researchers. This thesis explores and

Radioactivity in houses built of aerated concrete based on alum shale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swedjemark, G.A.

1980-01-01

The highest activities in commonly used Swedish building materials are found in aerated concrete based on alum shale. The enhanced activity level is due to the high content of radium-226. The average activity concentration of radium-226 varies between different producers of aerated concrete based on alum shale from 700 Bq kg - (20 pCi g - ) to 2 400 Bq kg - (65 pCi g - ). Houses built in the same way with the same amounts of aerated concrete can therefore have very different gamma levels and very different concentrations of radon in the air with the same air exchange rate. Aerated concrete based on alum shale was used as a building material in Sweden from 1930 to 1975. The average concentration of radon daughters found in houses built of aerated concrete based to a major extent on alum shale is about 100 bq/m 3 (2.7 pCi 1 - ). The highest radon concentrations have been found in houses built entirely of aerated concrete based on alum shale. A group of 9 houses with natural draught ventilation systems has been investigated with regard to the concentration of radon, the equilibrium equivalent concentration of radon (EEC) and the gamma dose rate. The air exchange rates varied between the houses from 0.21 to 0.43 h - and the radon concentration from 540 Bq m - (15 pCi 1 - ) to 1 160 Bq m - (31 pCi 1 - ). The values given are averages for each house. (author)

flexZhouse: New business model for affordable housing in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd Zairul bin Mohd Noor

2017-01-01

model (BM for affordable housing in Malaysia. The research was guided by the main research question ‘How can the flexZhouse BM provide a solution to the inflexibility, high prices and poor quality of newly built housing in Malaysia?’ The three main deductive codes were established as a priori codes derived from literature and constructed as the primary coding of design, finance and production. The three main problems were identified, namely inflexibility in design choices, high housing prices and poor housing quality. The focus of the research was established as the need for customization through design flexibility, the financial affordability and the housing quality in the production. Towards the end, several emerging codes were derived, those are; technical & technology, housing as an investment, housing ownership, accessibility, authority related matters and cultural and market acceptance. Findings The draft flexZhouse BM, which was established by a conceptual framework derived from a literature review, proved to be useful for both theoretical understanding and the practical application of the preliminary idea of the flexZhouse. The draft flexZhouse BM makes use of an innovative leasing approach inspired by the concept of the circular economy to make the flexZhouse affordable for young starters. A series of focus groups and other data sources showed that the need for housing customization is high and widely acknowledged by the target group. However, we found that private developers are not ready for innovation and are likely to resist such change, also because they need a more concrete proof of concept before accepting it. Their reaction is partly caused by their resistance to change from the conventional method to a new system, and is partly a result of their caution in the face of a high degree of uncertainty. It also shows that the concept, which is still at the early stage, needs to be tested in the market before they will accept the new idea. Nevertheless, a

A personalised and adaptive intelligent system to adjust circadian lighting for elderly housing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flyvholm, Anton; Sen, Sumit; Xylakis, Emmanouil

2016-01-01

With the rapid population ageing in Europe and in Denmark, there is an increasing interest in technologies and designs that can support the elderly citizens in sustaining well-being and health along with preventing functional decline [1]. To date, the designs of lighting systems in elderly housing...... detection, actigraphy, etc.) and c) anthropological (mood and behaviour). This way, the effect of circadian lighting on well-being, can be also documented, before this new technology can be recommended for implementation in elderly housing. A test installation is planned at “Sundhedshuset” in Albertslund...... places, nursing homes, domestic applications, and smart cities. Accelerate SSL - Innovation for Europe. SSL-Erate. Available from: http://lightingforpeople.eu/2016/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/SSLerate-3.2-3.4-v4.pdf. [3] Mobily PR, Skemp Kelley LS. (1991). Iatrogenesis in the elderly. Factors...

An investigation of the techno-economic impact of internal combustion engine based cogeneration systems on the energy requirements and greenhouse gas emissions of the Canadian housing stock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asaee, S. Rasoul; Ugursal, V. Ismet; Beausoleil-Morrison, Ian

2015-01-01

This study provides a techno-economic evaluation of retrofitting internal combustion engine (ICE) based cogeneration systems in the Canadian housing stock (CHS). The study was conducted using the Canadian Hybrid Residential End-Use Energy and GHG Emissions Model (CHREM). CHREM includes close to 17,000 unique house files that are statistically representative of the Canadian housing stock. The cogeneration system performance was evaluated using a high resolution integrated building performance simulation software. It is assumed that the ICE cogeneration system is retrofitted into all houses that currently use a central space heating system and have a suitable basement or crawl space. The GHG emission intensity factor associated with marginal electricity generation in each province is used to estimate the annual GHG emissions reduction due to the cogeneration system retrofit. The results show that cogeneration retrofit yields 13% energy savings in the CHS. While the annual GHG emissions would increase in some provinces due to cogeneration retrofits, the total GHG emissions of the CHS would be reduced by 35%. The economic analysis indicates that ICE cogeneration system retrofits may provide an economically feasible opportunity to approach net/nearly zero energy status for existing Canadian houses. - Highlights: • Techno-economic evaluation ICE cogeneration systems for Canadian housing is reported. • ICE cogeneration retrofit could yield 13% annual energy savings in Canadian housing. • Annual GHG emissions of Canadian housing could decrease by 35% with ICE cogeneration. • But, in some provinces, GHG emissions would increase as a result of ICE cogeneration

A technical description of the FlexHouse Project Testbed

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Jens Otto

2000-01-01

This paper describes the FlexHouse project testbed; a server dedicated to experiments within the FlexHouse project. The FlexHouse project is a project originating from The Business Computing Research Group at The Aarhus School of Business. The purpose of the project is to identify and develop...... methods that satisfy the following three requirements. Flexibility with respect to evolving data sources. Flexibility with respect to change of information needs. Efficiency with respect to view management....

Ideal energy self-sufficient bioclimatic house

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Talamo, C.

1990-04-01

This paper points out some of the interesting architectural features of a conceptual house being designed to be self-sufficient relative to the use of conventional energy sources. Brief notes are given on the following special design characteristics: the house's orientation and form - essentially a V - shaped two storey design with an orientation such as to maximize the surface area exposed to winter insolation; its special low emissivity glazing equipped with nightfall insulating screens; the adoption of maximized insulation, in which case cost benefits were assessed based on amortization over the entire life span of the house; hybrid space heating and ventilation systems involving the integration of pumps and ventilators for air circulation, and the use of a varied mix of active and passive solar heating and cooling systems.

Techno-economic study of a distributed hybrid renewable energy system supplying electrical power and heat for a rural house in China

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Jindou; Xu, Jinliang; Wang, Yaodong

2018-03-01

Energy saving and emission reduction have become targets for modern society due to the potential energy crisis and the threat of climate change. A distributed hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) consists of photovoltaic (PV) arrays, a wood-syngas combined heat and power generator (CHP) and back-up batteries is designed to power a typical semi-detached rural house in China which aims to meet the energy demand of a house and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the use of fossil fuels. Based on the annual load information of the house and the local meteorological data including solar radiation, air temperature, etc., a system model is set up using HOMER software and is used to simulate all practical configurations to carry out technical and economic evaluations. The performance of the whole HRES system and each component under different configurations are evaluated. The optimized configuration of the system is found

Perspectives on implementing energy efficiency in existing Swedish detached houses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joelsson, Anna; Gustavsson, Leif [Ecotechnology, Department of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University, SE-831 25 Oestersund (Sweden)

2008-01-15

In this study, we first analyse energy-efficiency measures in existing electrically heated houses in Sweden from a societal economic perspective. Measures to a house envelopes and to energy supply chains are evaluated through a system analysis approach and we include the external costs of climate change and the effect of different Swedish climatic zones. We find that in a typical house from the 1970s, conversion from electric heating is highly motivated since the mitigation cost of conversion is lower than the estimated external costs of emitted CO{sub 2}. Both conversions and house envelope measures are more motivated in the northern part of the country, where there is a higher heat demand. A successful implementation of changes requires them to be attractive for consumers to adopt. We therefore secondly analyse the economic conditions for Swedish house owners to implement societal economic cost-efficient measures. We include the economic influence of an investment subsidy for heating system conversion, an income tax deduction for changing windows, customer electricity tax, real estate tax and of the cost of purchased energy from different energy suppliers. Apart from the economics, several other factors affect a house owner's decision to change heating systems. We therefore thirdly analyse house owners' perceptions of different heating supply alternatives based on the results of two comprehensive questionnaires. These different perspectives are combined in a discussion whether the studied policy instruments encourage house owners to implement changes in accordance with the energy-efficiency goals of decision makers. We find that the investment subsidy could be useful to break the lock-in effect of resistance heaters, which house owners seemed to experience. The electricity tax makes heating systems in line with national goals more competitive and efficiency measures to the house envelope more profitable. The reduction of the electricity tax in the northern part

Perspectives on implementing energy efficiency in existing Swedish detached houses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joelsson, Anna; Gustavsson, Leif

2008-01-01

In this study, we first analyse energy-efficiency measures in existing electrically heated houses in Sweden from a societal economic perspective. Measures to a house envelopes and to energy supply chains are evaluated through a system analysis approach and we include the external costs of climate change and the effect of different Swedish climatic zones. We find that in a typical house from the 1970s, conversion from electric heating is highly motivated since the mitigation cost of conversion is lower than the estimated external costs of emitted CO 2 . Both conversions and house envelope measures are more motivated in the northern part of the country, where there is a higher heat demand. A successful implementation of changes requires them to be attractive for consumers to adopt. We therefore secondly analyse the economic conditions for Swedish house owners to implement societal economic cost-efficient measures. We include the economic influence of an investment subsidy for heating system conversion, an income tax deduction for changing windows, customer electricity tax, real estate tax and of the cost of purchased energy from different energy suppliers. Apart from the economics, several other factors affect a house owner's decision to change heating systems. We therefore thirdly analyse house owners' perceptions of different heating supply alternatives based on the results of two comprehensive questionnaires. These different perspectives are combined in a discussion whether the studied policy instruments encourage house owners to implement changes in accordance with the energy-efficiency goals of decision makers. We find that the investment subsidy could be useful to break the lock-in effect of resistance heaters, which house owners seemed to experience. The electricity tax makes heating systems in line with national goals more competitive and efficiency measures to the house envelope more profitable. The reduction of the electricity tax in the northern part of

House-internal heating systems; Husinterna vaermesystem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johansson, Per-Olof; Wollerstrand, Janusz [Lund Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Heat and Power Engineering

2005-07-01

In this report the placement of the circulation-pump in of waterborne radiator systems, as well as their filling and deairation are investigated. The study was done by literature studies and interviews with consultants and companies active on the HVAC-market. It was concluded that different placements of the pump in relationship to the heat exchanger exist, and the arguments for the choice of placement are varying. The main explanation of the choice of placement is that it is based on experience/or by practical reasons. The most important factor influencing the placement of the pump found, was how the pump is situated in relation to the expansion-tank. To maintain pressure in the whole system the expansion-tank should be placed on the suction side of the pump without any intermediate pressure-dropping devices in between. This placement ensures overpressure in the whole radiator-system and reduces the risk of unwanted leak in of air. To avoid cavitation sufficient static pressure on the suction side of the pump is necessary. The pressure increases with the temperature, which must be taken into consideration if the pump is placed on the warm side of the heat-exchanger. From this point of view a placement in the return-pipe from the radiator-system is to be preferred. Before advices for HVAC-branch regarding placement of the circulation-pump in the heating systems can be implemented, it is of big importance to analyse and clearly specify the advantages and disadvantages of a certain placement of the pump. There is a need of directions to get house-internal systems to operate properly together with district heating system. This is especially important when older heating systems with burners and shunt valves are being connected. Filling and deairation of the radiator system is of great importance for the function of the system. A radiator-system with significant level of air remains is difficult to adjust and will not work properly. Air in the radiators leads to

24 CFR 982.617 - Shared housing: Rent and voucher housing assistance payment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Special Housing Types Shared Housing § 982.617 Shared housing: Rent and voucher housing assistance payment... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Shared housing: Rent and voucher housing assistance payment. 982.617 Section 982.617 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to...

Assisted Housing - Public Housing Authorities - National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDA)

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Housing and Urban Development — Public Housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Public housing...

76 FR 20366 - Changes to the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Management Operations Scoring Notice

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-12

... Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Management Operations Scoring Notice AGENCY: Office of the Assistant... Management Operations interim scoring notice. The document inadvertently omitted a word with respect to the... INFORMATION: I. Background The proposed management operations scoring information was published on August 21...

Y-House: Your Match Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oristaglio, Michael L. [Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States)

2016-03-16

Y-House is a project in Solar Decathlon 2015. The design objective of Y-House is to re-envision the micro-home through a focus on merging efficiency with spaciousness, personalized form and openness to the natural environment. The main project objective during Budget Period 1 was to complete the design of Y-House, including the research needed to fully specify its mechanical and electrical systems. The team also had an objective to finalize most of the construction planning before entering Budget Period 2. The main project objective in Budget Period 2 was to complete construction of Y-House for participation in the SD 2015 competition event in Irvine, California, in October 2015. During both budget periods, the team was continuously seeking sponsors to fund its mission.

Housing culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roesdahl, Else; Scholkmann, Barbara

2007-01-01

On houses and their furniture and fittings, and on the study of this - with a comparison of rural, urban, monastic and aristocratic housing, and a special section on heating technologies.......On houses and their furniture and fittings, and on the study of this - with a comparison of rural, urban, monastic and aristocratic housing, and a special section on heating technologies....

Models for Experimental High Density Housing

Science.gov (United States)

Bradecki, Tomasz; Swoboda, Julia; Nowak, Katarzyna; Dziechciarz, Klaudia

2017-10-01

The article presents the effects of research on models of high density housing. The authors present urban projects for experimental high density housing estates. The design was based on research performed on 38 examples of similar housing in Poland that have been built after 2003. Some of the case studies show extreme density and that inspired the researchers to test individual virtual solutions that would answer the question: How far can we push the limits? The experimental housing projects show strengths and weaknesses of design driven only by such indexes as FAR (floor attenuation ratio - housing density) and DPH (dwellings per hectare). Although such projects are implemented, the authors believe that there are reasons for limits since high index values may be in contradiction to the optimum character of housing environment. Virtual models on virtual plots presented by the authors were oriented toward maximising the DPH index and DAI (dwellings area index) which is very often the main driver for developers. The authors also raise the question of sustainability of such solutions. The research was carried out in the URBAN model research group (Gliwice, Poland) that consists of academic researchers and architecture students. The models reflect architectural and urban regulations that are valid in Poland. Conclusions might be helpful for urban planners, urban designers, developers, architects and architecture students.

Low energy houses and passive houses - common questions; Laagenergihus och passivhus - vanliga fraagestaellningar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sikander, Eva; Samuelson, Ingemar; Gustavsson, Thorbjoern; Ruud, Svein; Larsson, Krister; Hiller, Carolina; Werner, Goesta; Gabrielii, Kristina

2009-07-01

This feasibility study of passive houses and low-energy houses has raised several questions concerning aspects of which more knowledge is needed. Many can be answered by existing knowledge, but there are still several that can only partly be answered, and some that cannot be answered at all. As there is a substantial demand for, and interest in, the construction of low-energy houses and passive houses, it is important that the remaining questions should be addressed so that the building sector can continue to develop. Examples of areas where further knowledge is needed include: moisture safe and energy-efficient building envelopes; demand-responsive ventilation, without risk of poor indoor environmental conditions; thermal comfort (summer and winter); airtight and durable detailing; design systems and working methods to ensure retention of good characteristics when converting or extending buildings; durability aspects of certain components and functions; the effects of occupants on energy use; how indoor environment conditions and functions will cope with climate change; quality assurance in order to ensure that the appropriate knowledge is applied, and that the work is carried out properly. Some important points to emphasise: The design and construction of low-energy houses and passive houses must be firmly based on the correct design principles and appropriate standards of workmanship, in order to ensure that the houses are energy-efficient, have good indoor environmental conditions and can be expected to have long lives. Proper understanding of the principles, coupled with constant quality awareness, are essential in all stages of the work from the developer, designer and construction personnel but also during operation-phase. Hitherto, low-energy houses and passive houses have been built in relatively small numbers, but the expectation is that interest in them will increase. This raises the question of how, if production is to be very much more than at present

Group performance and group learning at dynamic system control tasks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drewes, Sylvana

2013-01-01

Proper management of dynamic systems (e.g. cooling systems of nuclear power plants or production and warehousing) is important to ensure public safety and economic success. So far, research has provided broad evidence for systematic shortcomings in individuals' control performance of dynamic systems. This research aims to investigate whether groups manifest synergy (Larson, 2010) and outperform individuals and if so, what processes lead to these performance advantages. In three experiments - including simulations of a nuclear power plant and a business setting - I compare the control performance of three-person-groups to the average individual performance and to nominal groups (N = 105 groups per experiment). The nominal group condition captures the statistical advantage of aggregated group judgements not due to social interaction. First, results show a superior performance of groups compared to individuals. Second, a meta-analysis across all three experiments shows interaction-based process gains in dynamic control tasks: Interacting groups outperform the average individual performance as well as the nominal group performance. Third, group interaction leads to stable individual improvements of group members that exceed practice effects. In sum, these results provide the first unequivocal evidence for interaction-based performance gains of groups in dynamic control tasks and imply that employers should rely on groups to provide opportunities for individual learning and to foster dynamic system control at its best.

Installation and testing of indoor radon reduction techniques in 40 eastern Pennsylvania houses. Final report, October 1984-June 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, A.G.; Robertson, A.; Findlay, W.O.

1988-01-01

This report discusses the installation and testing of indoor radon-reduction techniques in 40 houses in eastern Pennsylvania. Early in 1985, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (PDER) started a large radon survey in communities in the Reading Prong (a granite formation) in eastern Pennsylvania, following the discovery of a house with extremely high radon concentrations, greater than 1.2 MBq/cu m. Candidate houses for the program, with radon concentrations in excess of 750 Bq/cu m, were selected from this survey. A total of 40 houses with representative substructure types were chosen from this group, and mitigation methods were selected and installed from June 1985 to June 1987. Initial soil-ventilation installations achieved large reductions in radon concentrations at low cost, but these reductions were not always sustained in colder weather, and several systems were modified during the project to improve their performance. Major reductions in radon concentration were realized in all the houses worked on, with most houses with active soil ventilation systems achieving less than 150 Bq/cu m (4 pCi/L) on an annual average basis in the living areas

Evaluation of the air quality in pig housing facilities equipped with a liquid-solid separation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavoie, J.; Beaudet, Y.; Letourneau, C.; Godbout, S.; Lemay, S.; Belzile, M.; Lachance, I.; Pouliot, F.

2006-01-01

A new regulation regarding agricultural operations in Quebec was passed in June 2002. It stated the new standards for managing phosphorous generated from animal livestock. The regulation is intended to protect the environment, more specifically, water, soil and air quality. This new regulation stipulates that agricultural producers acquire a balanced phosphorous assessment by 2010. In order to achieve this, a system is needed to separate solid and liquid pig manure on a daily basis. Producers must also comply with environmental requirements on odour elimination and atmospheric control. The proposed solid-liquid separation system would improve the indoor and outdoor air quality at pig housing facilities by reducing toxic gas and bioaerosol formation. In addition, it would contribute to stream purification. The solid-liquid separation technique was successfully tested in a pilot project at a mini pig housing facility. It was concluded that type of separation equipment system could readily used for other types of animal farming, such as cattle raising. 41 refs., 13 tabs., 12 figs

Housing building with steel framing system in subsidence zones: Pertinence and Sustainability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Alfredo Hernádez Castillo

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The phenomenon of subsidence caused by the extraction of groundwater is a problem that occurs in different places around the world. Particularly in the Mexican Republic is a situation that affects several cities in at least eight states located in the central region. Given the particular nature of the subsoil that occurs in these regions affected, subsidence can generate cracks and fractures that are evident on the surface of the soil causing differential settlement affecting all types of construction causing considerable damage to the structural elements of the dwellings. The materials traditionally used for housing construction such as masonry and concrete among others, have stiffness characteristics that make them especially vulnerable to these effects. In contrast, steel is an excellent choice for use due to their structural characteristics, such as its high tensile strength, ductility, compressive good performance, high efficiency in weight — strength ratio, among other qualities. The cold formed thin-walled steel elements, are another type of very light profiles, although its use has been known for several decades, is in recent times that have extended their application, mainly in housing construction, and to a lesser scale commercial and industrial construction. The main advantage of this material is that it retains the mechanical properties of steel, but with a significant reduction in the weight of the items. The most common use of this type of profile is in the manufacture of structural frames as standard modules, the most common form it is assembly profile channel with rigid edge section and section profiles of single channel, with different dimensions and sizes. In full-scale testing and numerical simulation models, the system exhibits an excellent performance under differential displacements as those caused by subsidence, accepting considerable deformations without reaching the failure of structural elements. In the goodness of

Energy conservation house by photovoltaic system. 2; Taiyoko hatsuden wo donyushita sho energy jutaku. 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Itsumi, J. [Kumamoto Institute of Technology, Kumamoto (Japan)

1996-10-27

Photovoltaic power generation system was once placed in excessive expectation what with a growing tendency toward environmental issues and what with vulnerability in supply and demand of energy. However, its utilization was negative because of the low energy conversion efficiency and the high cost. Then, gradually the wind shifted round to the improvement in solar cell efficiency, reduced cost, implementation of subsidizing policy by MITI, purchase of excess power by electric power companies and the amendment of the Electricity Enterprises Act, encouraging the use of the system again. In addition, with a lesson from the Great Hanshin Earthquake, the merit of the system was appreciated as a life-support power source, motivating house-builders. Earlier, the authors had reported designs of energy-saving homes, system structures of photovoltaic power generation, etc. This paper presents the power generation record of a year old system and an example of the comfortable sealed residential room environment, etc., created with the use of the power thus obtained. The annual power generation was 4,088kWh, 30% of which was used in the house and 70% of which was sold as an excess power, resulting in the purchase of power for 6,642kWh. 5 refs., 4 figs, 2 tabs.

Investigation of Swedish cases reveals an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis at a Norwegian hotel with possible links to in-house water systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Hajdu, Agnes; Vold, Line; Østmo, Torild A; Helleve, Anna; Helgebostad, Sigrid R; Krogh, Truls; Robertson, Lucy; de Jong, Birgitta; Nygård, Karin

2008-11-01

In March 2007, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health was notified of Swedish individuals diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis after staying at a Norwegian hotel. In Norway, cryptosporidiosis is not reportable, and human infections are rarely diagnosed. A questionnaire on illness and exposure history was e-mailed to seven organised groups who had visited the hotel in March. Cases were defined as persons with diarrhoea for more than two days or laboratory-confirmed cryptosporidiosis during or within two weeks of the hotel visit. The risk factor analysis was restricted to two groups with the highest attack rates (AR) and same hotel stay period. Local food safety authorities conducted environmental investigations. In total, 25 diarrhoeal cases (10 laboratory-confirmed) were identified among 89 respondents. Although environmental samples were negative, epidemiological data suggest an association with in-house water consumption. In one group, the AR was higher amongst consumers of water from hotel dispenser (relative risk [RR] = 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9-9.8), tap water (RR = 2.3; CI: 0.9-5.8), and lower amongst commercial bottled water drinkers (RR = 0.6; CI: 0.4-1.0). Consumption of ice cubes was a risk-factor (RR = 7.1; CI: 1.1-45.7) in the two groups combined. This outbreak would probably have remained undetected without the alert from Swedish health authorities, illustrating the difficulties in outbreak detection due to low health care seeking behaviour for diarrhoea and limited parasite diagnostics in Norway. Awareness of cryptosporidiosis should be raised amongst Norwegian medical personnel to improve case and outbreak detection, and possible risks related to in-house water systems should be assessed.

Impact of Supported Housing on Social Relationships Among Homeless Veterans.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connell, Maria J; Kasprow, Wesley J; Rosenheck, Robert A

2017-02-01

This study examined social network structure and function among a sample of 460 homeless veterans who participated in an experimental trial of the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) program. Participants were randomly assigned to HUD-VASH (housing subsidies and case management), case management only, or standard care. Mixed-model longitudinal analysis was used to compare treatment groups on social network outcomes over 18 months. Veterans in HUD-VASH reported significantly greater increases in social support than veterans in the two other groups, as well as greater frequency of contacts, availability of tangible and emotional support, and satisfaction with nonkin relationships over time. These gains largely involved relationships with providers and other veterans encountered in treatment. Supported housing may play a pivotal role in fostering constructive new relationships with persons associated with service programs but may have a more limited impact on natural support networks.

The effect of tryptophan supplemented diets on brain serotonergic activity and plasma cortisol under undisturbed and stressed conditions in grouped-housed Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martins, C.I.M.; Silva, P.I.M.; Costas, B.

2013-01-01

-term supplementation with TRP supplemented diets changes brain serotonergic activity and the stress response associated with slaughter handling in grouped-housed Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. Adult fish (n. =. 108, 490.6. ±. 4.0. g, 12 individuals per tank) were exposed to one of the three treatments...

Local house prices and mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Nayan Krishna

2016-03-01

This paper examines the impact of local (county-level) house prices on individual self-reported mental health using individual level data from the United States Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System between 2005 and 2011. Exploiting a fixed-effects model that relies on within-county variations, relative to the corresponding changes in other counties, I find that while individuals are likely to experience worse self-reported mental health when local house prices decline, this association is most pronounced for individuals who are least likely to be homeowners. This finding is not consistent with a prediction from a pure wealth mechanism but rather with the hypothesis that house prices act as an economic barometer. I also demonstrate that the association between self-reported mental health and local house prices is not driven by unemployment or foreclosure. The primary result-that lower local house prices have adverse impact on self-reported mental health of homeowners and renters-is consistent with studies using data from the United Kingdom.

24 CFR 982.606 - Congregate housing: Who may reside in congregate housing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Special Housing Types Congregate Housing § 982.606 Congregate housing: Who may reside in congregate housing. (a) An elderly person or a person with disabilities may reside in a congregate housing unit. (b... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Congregate housing: Who may reside...

CDBG Housing Activity

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Housing and Urban Development — CDBG activity related to housing, including multifamily rehab, housing services, code enforcement, operation and repair of foreclosed property and public housing...

Rethinking Affordable Housing Delivery: An Analytical Insight

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olanrewaju Abdullateef

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Malaysia currently has a housing shortage of 12 million units. Towards the year 2020, this would require an annual supply of a minimum of 2 million homes. With the current production rate, the deficits will remain over the next 100 years. The crisis will lead to poor standards of living, un-affordable rental price, high mortgage payment, abandonment, and dilapidation of the existing housing stock. Lack of affordable housing is already a source of concern among many Malaysians. The middle and lower income earners spend more than 30% of their income on rent or for mortgage payment. Housing rent or mortgage is a basic need like foods, education, clothing and health. The government has introduced various measures to address the housing deficit. Despite these measures, the housing supply and distribution gaps continue to grow. To better understand the issues, there is a need to examine how the procurement planning in the affordable housing delivery supply chain and market is formulated, explore how cost of affordable housing would be reduced, identify the user value systems in affordable housing, and identify the criteria in the current regulatory framework? For these purposes, this paper reviews the relevant literature to reach preliminary findings on the stated issues. Among the factors found accounting for housing shortages, the overwhelming factors were that of poor policies, strategies, practice, management, and finance. The findings are meaningful in framing an affordable housing delivery model. It could also be useful to stakeholders involved in affordable housing delivery in Malaysia and elsewhere.

Building America House Performance Analysis Procedures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hendron, R.; Farrar-Nagy, S.; Anderson, R.; Judkoff, R.

2001-10-29

As the Building America Program has grown to include a large and diverse cross section of the home building industry, accurate and consistent analysis techniques have become more important to help all program partners as they perform design tradeoffs and calculate energy savings for prototype houses built as part of the program. This document illustrates some of the analysis concepts proven effective and reliable for analyzing the transient energy usage of advanced energy systems as well as entire houses. The analysis procedure described here provides a starting point for calculating energy savings of a prototype house relative to two base cases: builder standard practice and regional standard practice. Also provides building simulation analysis to calculate annual energy savings based on side-by-side short-term field testing of a prototype house.

Assessment of housing design decisions in informal housing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The rapid urbanisation of cities in developing countries has witnessed a growth in the volume of housing construction in the urban areas. The demand for housing and the inability of government to meet this demand has encouraged the growth of informal housing. The concept of healthy buildings is of great importance, ...

Annual experimental results on heat and cool storage modes for natural energy autonomous house, HARBEMAN house; Shizen energy jiritsu house (HARBEMAN house) no chikunetsu chikurei mode no jissoku kekka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saito, T; Fujino, T; Suzuki, M [Tohoku University, Sendai (Japan)

1997-11-25

Outlined herein is performance of the solar system, followed for a year, installed in a solar house (HARBEMAN HOUSE) built in 1996 in City of Sendai. The house is equipped, on the roof, with a 30.42m{sup 2} wide solar collector on the south and sky radiator on the north. They are connected to a heat-insulated tank (31m{sup 3}) installed underground, storing hot or cool water which carries energy for heating/air-conditioning and hot water. The solar system operates in a long-term hot or cool water storage mode. In the hot water storage mode, the solar collector is connected to the underground main tank, where pumped-up water heated by solar heat is stored to be supplied as hot water. Heat collected is low during the December-February period, and recovered in March. In the cool water storage mode, the radiator is connected to the underground main tank, where pumped-up water is cooled by radiation and stored to be supplied to a fan coil unit in each room for air-conditioning. The recorded lowest temperature of water in the tank is 5.1degC. No air-conditioning load is observed, on account of the unseasonal weather. 3 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs.

Radon levels reduced through venting of house foundations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivborg, P.; Johansson, I.; Strindehag, O.

1981-01-01

It has been confirmed that the radon emanation from the ground poses a more importent radiation hazard than the radon contained in the building material. In this article a simple system for ventilation of the gases produced under the foundation of a small houses is described. This ventilation system reduced the radondaughters concentration in a house by a factor of ten. (L.E.)

Budget savings through the responsible use of energy in Navy privatized housing communities

OpenAIRE

Sachinski, Jeffrey M.; Cook, Rudolph W.; Matteson, Beth M.

2014-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited In 1996, Congress authorized the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, which led to the increase in basic allowance for housing (BAH) for active duty members to achieve zero out of pocket housing expenses while living in military privatized housing. Privatized housing residents are not fully incentivized to conserve energy. Average energy costs, taken over like sized groups, are used as a baseline to justify the amount paid to the...

Mite fauna and fungal flora in house dust from homes of asthmatic children.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishii, A; Takaoka, M; Ichinoe, M; Kabasawa, Y; Ouchi, T

1979-12-01

Mite fauna and fungal flora in the house dust from homes of asthmatic children with positive and negative skin test to house dust allergen and non-asthmatic controls were examined. There was no conspicuous difference in mite species distribution among the three groups. Pyroglyphid mites dominate the mite fauna in house dust more than half of which being Dermatophagoides: D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae. There was no statistically significant difference in numbers between the two species and either species could dominate depending on the conditions of the individual houses. The average number of acarina in 0.5 g of fine dust did not differ statistically among the three groups; however, mite number per square meter floor differed between patients with positive skin test and negative skin test. The results suggest that house-cleaning might influence the possible sensitization of children. The genetic distribution of mould fungi in house dust was largely similar to that of airborne fungi. The average number of fungal colonies detected in 0.5 g of dust did not differ statistically among the three groups. Wallemia with its minute spores may cause sensitization but has so far been insufficiently investigated.

24 CFR 982.612 - Group home: State approval of group home.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Group home: State approval of group... Types Group Home § 982.612 Group home: State approval of group home. A group home must be licensed..., Retardation, or Social Services) as a group home for elderly persons or persons with disabilities. ...

Situation-Based Housing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duelund Mortensen, Peder

2011-01-01

Presentation of urban housing research on flexible housing types in the Copenhagen Region: Theoretical background, methodology, analyse of spatial organization, interviews and results. Cases: Pærehaven in Ølby, Køge and M-house in Ørestad, Copenhagen......Presentation of urban housing research on flexible housing types in the Copenhagen Region: Theoretical background, methodology, analyse of spatial organization, interviews and results. Cases: Pærehaven in Ølby, Køge and M-house in Ørestad, Copenhagen...

24 CFR 8.25 - Public housing and multi-family Indian housing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Public housing and multi-family Indian housing. 8.25 Section 8.25 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development NONDISCRIMINATION BASED ON HANDICAP IN FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROGRAMS AND...

Actual proof study of energy autonomous house; Energy jiritsu house no jissho jikken. 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masuzawa, O; Masuzawa, C

1997-11-25

A discussion was given on an `energy autonomous house` which utilizes more effectively photovoltaic power generation, solar heat and light in designing a wooden house to be built by using the conventional construction method. According to the plan, photovoltaic power generation modules and heat collectors are installed superimposed on a roof facing south. Heat-collected air is sent below the floor and the heat is stored in the concrete in winter, utilized as the floor heating type room heater. The hot air is used for hot water supply in other seasons. The building is of two stories with a total area of 118 m {sup 2}, and the photovoltaic generation capacity is 3.48 kW. The photovoltaic generation amount was calculated from insolation forecasted by the AMEDAS system, and energy balance of this house was estimated. The result therefrom may be summarized as follows: total energy supplied reached 11.6 Gcal, signifying that about 10.8% of the energy irradiated onto the building is utilized; ratio of the photovoltaic and solar heat utilization is 27% versus 73%; and energy consumption in this house was estimated and calculated from actual results, airtightness and adiabatic performance of old houses, whereas the energy autonomous rate has reached 92.8%. 5 refs., 2 figs., 8 tabs.

Sustained housing-type social buffering following social housing in male rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiyokawa, Yasushi; Ishida, Aya; Takeuchi, Yukari; Mori, Yuji

2016-05-01

In social animals, recovery from the adverse effects of distressing stimuli is promoted by subsequent cohousing with a conspecific animal(s). This phenomenon has been termed housing-type social buffering. We previously found that social housing induced housing-type social buffering in fear-conditioned male rats. This buffering took the form of attenuated conditioned hyperthermia in response to an auditory conditioned stimulus (CS). Here, we assessed whether this social buffering is sustained even if the subject is housed alone after a period of social housing. When fear-conditioned subjects were housed alone during a 48-h period between conditioning and re-exposure to the auditory CS, they exhibited conditioned hyperthermia in response to the CS. However, conditioned hyperthermia was not observed when the 12-h period of social housing began 24 and 36h after conditioning during the 48-h period. This was not the case when the 12-h period of social housing began 0 and 12h after the conditioning. These results suggest that housing-type social buffering is sustained for 12h after the 12-h period of social housing. We next considered whether increasing the duration of social housing would extend the period of social buffering. We observed social buffering of conditioned hyperthermia 24 and 48, but not 96h after a 24-h period of social housing. These results suggest that social buffering was extended when the duration of social housing was increased. Taken together, our findings indicate that housing-type social buffering is sustained after a period of social housing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Air Quality in Alternative Housing Systems May Have an Impact on Laying Hen Welfare. Part I—Dust

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce David

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The new legislation for laying hens in the European Union put a ban on conventional cages. Production systems must now provide the hens with access to a nest, a perch, and material for dust bathing. These requirements will improve the behavioral aspects of animal welfare. However, when hens are kept with access to litter, it is a concern that polluted air may become an increased threat to health and therefore also a welfare problem. This article reviews the literature regarding the health and welfare effects birds experience when exposed to barn dust. Dust is composed of inorganic and organic compounds, from the birds themselves as well as from feed, litter, and building materials. Dust may be a vector for microorganisms and toxins. In general, studies indicate that housing systems where laying hens have access to litter as aviaries and floor systems consistently have higher concentrations of suspended dust than caged hens with little (furnished cages or no access to litter (conventional cages. The higher dust levels in aviaries and floor housing are also caused by increased bird activity in the non-cage systems. There are gaps in both the basic and applied knowledge of how birds react to dust and aerosol contaminants, i.e., what levels they find aversive and/or impair health. Nevertheless, high dust levels may compromise the health and welfare of both birds and their caretakers and the poor air quality often found in new poultry housing systems needs to be addressed. It is necessary to develop prophylactic measures and to refine the production systems in order to achieve the full welfare benefits of the cage ban.

Monitoring of PV systems at the Centre for Renewable Energy and Eco-Energy House

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riffat, S.B.; Omer, S.A.; Wilson, R.

2001-07-01

This report summarises the results of an examination of the design, installation and operation of two building integrated photovoltaic (PV) systems at the University of Nottingham. Details are given of the thin film, glass Tedlar PV system installed at the Centre, the average system performance, the installation of the monocrystalline roof slate PV system at the Eco-Energy House, and annualised costs for both systems. A holistic approach to building design, a solution to client and installer uncertainty, training to enhance the skills of related trades, the provision of guidance on the minimum acceptable standard of documentation, and the guaranteeing of a minimum level of performance by the system supplier are among the recommendations given.

Satisfaction with housing and housing support for people with psychiatric disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Brolin, Rosita; Rask, Mikael; Syrén, Susanne; Baigi, Amir; Brunt, David Arthur

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the degree of satisfaction with housing and housing support for people with psychiatric disabilities in Sweden. A total of 370 residents, in supported housing and in ordinary housing with housing support, completed a new questionnaire and reported a high degree of overall satisfaction, but many of them wanted to move somewhere else. Differences were found between the two different types of housing concerning satisfaction with housing support, social life and available choices. Security and privacy, as well as other's influence on the choice of residential area and dwelling proved to be important predictors for satisfaction.

Upgrade energy building standards and develop rating system for existing low-income housing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muller, D.; Norville, C.

1993-07-01

The city of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development (HCD) receives grant funding each year from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide local housing assistance to low-income residents. Through the years, HCD has found that many of the program recipients have had difficulty in managing their households, particularly in meeting monthly financial obligations. One of the major operating costs to low-income households is the utility bill. Furthermore, HCD's experience has revealed that many low-income residents are simply unaware of ways to reduce their utility bill. Most of the HCD funds are distributed to low-income persons as grants or no/low interest loans for the construction or rehabilitation of single-family dwellings. With these funds, HCD builds 80 to 100 new houses and renovates about 500 homes each year. Houses constructed or renovated by HCD must meet HUD's minimum energy efficiency standards. While these minimum standards are more than adequate to meet local building codes, they are not as aggressive as the energy efficiency standards being promoted by the national utility organizations and the home building industry. Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW), a city-owned utility, has developed an award-winning program named Comfort Plus which promotes energy efficiency open-quote in new residential construction. Under Comfort Plus, MLGW models house plans on computer for a fee and recommends cost-effective alterations which improve the energy efficiency of the house. If the builder agrees to include these recommendations, MLGW will certify the house and guarantee a maximum annual heating/cooling bill for two years. While the Comfort Plus program has received recognition in the new construction market, it does not address the existing housing stock

Upgrade energy building standards and develop rating system for existing low-income housing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muller, D.; Norville, C. [Memphis and Shelby County Div. of Planning and Development, TN (United States)

1993-07-01

The city of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development (HCD) receives grant funding each year from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide local housing assistance to low-income residents. Through the years, HCD has found that many of the program recipients have had difficulty in managing their households, particularly in meeting monthly financial obligations. One of the major operating costs to low-income households is the utility bill. Furthermore, HCD`s experience has revealed that many low-income residents are simply unaware of ways to reduce their utility bill. Most of the HCD funds are distributed to low-income persons as grants or no/low interest loans for the construction or rehabilitation of single-family dwellings. With these funds, HCD builds 80 to 100 new houses and renovates about 500 homes each year. Houses constructed or renovated by HCD must meet HUD`s minimum energy efficiency standards. While these minimum standards are more than adequate to meet local building codes, they are not as aggressive as the energy efficiency standards being promoted by the national utility organizations and the home building industry. Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW), a city-owned utility, has developed an award-winning program named Comfort Plus which promotes energy efficiency{open_quote} in new residential construction. Under Comfort Plus, MLGW models house plans on computer for a fee and recommends cost-effective alterations which improve the energy efficiency of the house. If the builder agrees to include these recommendations, MLGW will certify the house and guarantee a maximum annual heating/cooling bill for two years. While the Comfort Plus program has received recognition in the new construction market, it does not address the existing housing stock.

Housing Policy. A Critical Analysis on the Brazilian Experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Nascimento Neto

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The last decade has revealed significant advancements on social housing in Brazil. Along with the implementation of the National Housing Policy (2004, the National Housing System (2005, and the National Housing Plan (2008, a consistent model to face the Brazilian housing deficiency was created. The prime period of the actions and resources taken by the various government levels and private agents took place during the implementation of Minha Casa Minha Vida [My Home My Life] program (PMCMV, whose goal was to build a million houses. Based on the outlined context, this paper seeks to evaluate the relationship between National Housing Policy and PMCMV, discussing its implications on housing outlook in the country. A bibliographical and documentary research showed theoretical and conceptual unbalance between these two policies, allowing speculation on the prevalence of the economic component over the social one.

Energy efficient industrialized housing research program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berg, R.; Brown, G.Z.; Finrow, J.; Kellett, R.; Mc Donald, M.; McGinn, B.; Ryan, P.; Sekiguchi, T. (Oregon Univ., Eugene, OR (USA). Center for Housing Innovation); Chandra, S.; Elshennawy, A.K.; Fairey, P.; Harrison, J.; Maxwell, L.; Roland, J.; Swart, W. (Florida Solar Energy Center, Cape Canaveral, FL (USA))

1989-01-01

This is the second volume of a two volume report on energy efficient industrialized housing. Volume II contains support documentation for Volume I. The following items are included: individual trip reports; software bibliography; industry contacts in the US, Denmark, and Japan; Cost comparison of industrialized housing in the US and Denmark; draft of the final report on the systems analysis for Fleetwood Mobile Home Manufacturers. (SM)

[Considering housing arrangements in elderly life: factors influencing plans concerning future housing arrangements and preferences in a representative sample of 45+ year olds].

Science.gov (United States)

Spangenberg, L; Glaesmer, H; Brähler, E; Kersting, A; Strauß, B

2013-04-01

Providing care and support for the elderly is a future challenge. Using regression analysis, a representative population-based sample (n = 1,445) was examined with respect to whether they had considered future housing and which variables influenced their thoughts and preferences. The majority of the sample reported thinking about housing in old age and preferred to stay at home in old age. Thoughts about future housing and housing preferences were predicted by different factors in the age groups analyzed. Thinking about future housing was positively associated with increasing age and depression. Other relevant predictors were gender, living with a partner, images of old age (especially negative ones), and anticipated subjective health. These variables also predicted housing preferences. Thoughts about future living arrangements are widespread, and their importance increases with age. The wishes reported do contrast to a certain extent with reality. Planning future care as well as developing consultation guidelines should address these issues while considering the reported influences.

Developing an Assessment Framework for Affordable and Sustainable Housing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen Pullen

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Sustainable housing has been subject to research, practice and policy making for some considerable time. More recently attention has been drawn to the separate problem of declining affordability in housing. This paper describes research aimed at developing an assessment framework for both affordability and sustainability as part of the effort to incorporate both of these features into new housing projects. The research has a particular focus on developments aimed at urban densification. Background literature on both affordability and sustainability is reviewed as well as emerging schemes aimed at dealing with both aspects of housing developments. Performance indicators are identified and these are incorporated in an interim assessment framework which is tested using a group of industry experts. The research has highlighted areas where further development is required to attain quantitative assessments of affordable and sustainable housing developments

Housing as Social Right or Means to Wealth?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Jens Ladefoged; Seabrooke, Leonard

2009-01-01

This book demonstrates how housing systems are built from political struggles over the distribution of welfare and wealth. The contributors analyze varieties of residential capitalism through a range of international case studies, as well as investigating the links between housing finance...

Energy intake and growth of weanling horses in a cold loose housing system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. AUTIO

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The demand for information relating to the nutrition of horses in a cold environment is increasing with the popularity of loose housing of horses. This study examined the energy intake and growth of 10 weanling horses from November to March (22 weeks in a loose housing system (paddock and insulated sleeping hall with deep-litter bed. The horses were measured weekly for body condition and body weight, and the feeding was adjusted according to a horse’s body condition. Metabolizable energy (ME intake was compared to Finnish (MTT 2006 and Swedish (SLU 2004 nutrient requirements for 6–12-month-old horses. ME intake (75.5 ± 11.8 MJ d-1, mean ± SD was on average 24.6% above the requirements. The intake varied in a non-linear fashion in the course of the winter: y = 0.086x2 – 0.902x + 71.5, where x is weeks from November to March (p

57 Culture Consideration in the Design of Government Housing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Arc. Usman A. Jalam

Although an attempt was made in all the three estates to cater for the value systems of the ... estate developers to consider cultural traits in housing design and development. Key words: ... of human value systems in housing design ... immediate family as well as extended family ... self satisfaction which refer to the physical.

Health and thermal comfort: From WHO guidance to housing strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ormandy, David; Ezratty, Véronique

2012-01-01

There are many references to the WHO guidance on thermal comfort in housing, but not to the original source material. Based on archive material, this paper gives the evidential basis for the WHO guidance. It then reports on evidence that some groups may be more susceptible to high or low indoor temperatures than others. It examines different methods for measuring thermal comfort, such as air temperature measurement, assessing residents' perception, and predicting satisfaction. Resident's perception was used effectively in the WHO LARES project, showing that self-reported poor health was significantly associated with poor thermal comfort. Tools to inform strategies directed at dealing with cold homes and fuel poverty are considered, including Energy Performance Certificates, Fuel Poverty Indicators, and the English Housing Health and Safety Rating System. Conclusions from a WHO Workshop on Housing, Energy and Thermal Comfort are also summarised. The WHO view of thermal comfort, which is driven by protecting health from both high and low indoor temperatures, should be recognised in energy efficiency, fuel poverty and climate change strategies. While this is a major challenge, it could provide both health gains for individuals, and economic benefits for society. - Highlights: ► WHO guidance on thermal comfort is directed to protecting health in the home environment. ► In particular, the WHO guidance aims to protect the health of the most susceptible and fragile. ► Housing energy efficiency strategies protect health, and attack inequities. ► Housing energy efficiency strategies also have economic benefits for society.

Housing, Urban Renewal and Socio-Spatial Integration. A Study on Rehabilitating the Former Socialistic Public Housing Areas in Beijing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoxi Hui

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The initiative of this study derived from my concern of two critical urban issues in China today: housing and urban renewal. In the recent two decades, the Chinese urban housing stock underwent a significant, if not extreme, transformation. From 1949 to 1998, the urban housing stock in China largely depended on the public sector, and a large amount of public housing areas were developed under the socialistic public housing system in Beijing and other Chinese cities. Yet in 1998, a radical housing reform stopped this housing system. Thus, most of the public housing stock was privatized and the urban housing provision was conferred to the market. The radical housing privatization and marketization did not really resolve but intensified the housing problem. Along with the high-speed urbanization, the alienated, capitalized and speculative housing stock caused a series of social and spatial problems. The Chinese government therefore attempted to reestablish the social housing system in 2007. However, the unbalanced structure of the Chinese urban housing stock has not been considerably optimized and the housing problem is still one of the most critical challenges in China. Based on the background of privatization, the former socialistic public housing areas in Beijing confront the ambiguity of their housing stock and the confusion of housing management. While they still accommodate the majority of urban residents and are identified by their good places, (social and programmatic mixed communities, vibrant local life, and diversified housing types, they are facing the serious challenges of physical deterioration and social decline. Therefore, urban renewal was thought as an effective solution seeking to improve the living conditions in those neighborhoods. Nevertheless, urban renewal in itself is also a controversial issue. In order to solve the housing problem, the large-scale urban renewal in Beijing started at the beginning of the 1990s. The radical

Radiographic examination of keel bone damage in living laying hens of different strains kept in two housing systems.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beryl Katharina Eusemann

Full Text Available A high prevalence of deviations and fractures of the keel bone is a widespread welfare problem in laying hens. The aim of this study was to experimentally investigate this multifactorial problem throughout the laying period and to compare the prevalence and severity in different layer lines and different housing systems. High performing white (WLA and brown (BLA pure bred layer lines and low performing white (R11, G11 and brown layer lines (L68 were kept in both single cages and a floor housing system. A total of 97 hens (19 or 20 from each line, respectively were repeatedly radiographed in the 35th, 51st and 72nd week of age. Fracture prevalence increased with age (p<0.001. The proportion of deviated keel bone area increased only for caged BLA, WLA and R11 hens (p<0.05 and was significantly higher for caged WLA and R11 hens compared to floor-housed WLA and R11 hens in the 72nd week of age (p<0.05. In the 72nd week of age hens in the floor housing system showed significantly more fractures than hens kept in cages (p<0.05. Prevalence of keel bone deviations was significantly higher in the white layer line R11 but significantly lower in the white layer line G11 compared to both brown layer lines and WLA (p<0.05. Brown layers showed significantly more fractures than white layers (p<0.05 in the 51st and 72nd week of age. Within the brown layers there was a significantly lower prevalence of deviations (p<0.05 and fractures (p<0.05 in the low performing (L68 compared to the high performing line (BLA. Our results show a different development of keel bone damage in caged compared to floor-housed hens under experimental conditions. Additionally, they indicate genetic effects on keel bone damage.

Development of a Measure of Housing and Housing Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Colleen; Young, M Scott; Teague, Gregory; Rynearson-Moody, Sarah

2016-01-01

The Housing Program Measure (HPM) was designed to document critical elements of a range of housing program types and associated services. Qualitative methods, including literature review and open-ended interviews, were used to determine pertinent HPM domains and to develop the pool of items. The measure was pre-tested, and reliability and validity analyses were applied to revise and strengthen the measure. The resulting measure furthers homelessness research by providing a tool that can be used to define housing and housing services interventions across diverse projects and disciplines, to facilitate program management by matching housing resources to the needs of homeless individuals, and to support model development by measuring progress to goals.

Passive houses in Sweden. Experiences from design and construction phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jansson, Ulla

2008-07-01

The sector of residential buildings and service organizations uses 36% of the total energy in Sweden. In June 2006, it was decided by the Swedish parliament that the energy use in residential buildings and premises should decrease by 20% per heated unit area before 2020. To reach this goal, more energy efficient buildings must be produced as well as energy efficient improvements must be performed on the existing building stock. One way to reduce the energy use in buildings is to build passive houses. A passive house is a mechanically ventilated building that with a highly insulated and air tight building envelope uses a minimum of energy for heating. The method used in this research is to practically participate in four passive house demonstration projects. The results expected are to find guiding principles and tools needed for passive house planning and make the system solutions usable for planning in more general terms. Joining as a part of the planning group; advice and help is given to architects, consultants and to the client. The demonstration projects studied are located in the south-west of Sweden. Three of the projects are new constructions and one is a renovation project. In the centre of Vanirom 40 rental apartments were built in 2005/2006 according to the passive house standard. Solar collectors on the roof contribute to the domestic hot water production. Every apartment has its own mechanical ventilation system with efficient heat recovery. Auxiliary heating is supplied by electricity. The load bearing structure were made of concrete and cast at site. The exterior walls and roof were made of wooden frame construction and mounted at site. The tenants moved in during summer 2006. The passive house project in Failure's consists of three houses with 12 rental apartments. The air is supplied by mechanical ventilation with an air to air heat exchanger, one in each apartment. The domestic hot water is prepared by solar collectors and auxiliary heating

Mental health and housing.

Science.gov (United States)

Kari-Koskinen, O; Karvonen, P

1976-01-01

With the present trend away from the designing of individual buildings and towards the systematic planning of whole residential communities, it should be possible to take mental health requirements into account at the planning stage. At present, sociologists are all too seldom consulted on matters of residential planning. When discussing the relationship between housing and mental health one cannot restrict oneself only to the external aspects of the house, but rather one must also consider the opportunities available for the members of the family to satisfy their own needs, both within the home and in its immediate surroundings. Factors which may affect residential requirements include geographical location, type and standard of dwelling and time and continuity of occupation. A move between two districts or groups representing different housing norms and values may lead to withdrawal symptoms in the individual. This may arise equally well from the remoteness of the country districts as from the conflicting pressures brought on by the abundance of contacts available in the large towns. Town life tends to heighten susceptibility to neuroses and personality conflicts. The character of a residential area may affect the mental health of its occupants. Faris & Dunham (4), in studying the incidence of various types of mental illness with an urban population, observed that schizophrenia was most common among people who were in some way isolated from social involvement. The striving for spaciousness in residential areas and the creation of a "summer city" or "garden city" image or a "family-centred way of life" may lead to unexpected problems and have a variety of social consequences. Mental health difficulties have been noted, for example, among housewives in "dormitory" towns or suburbs (11). The institutions required by a community may be grouped into four categories, representing the basic needs of its members. These are (1) economic institutions, (2) social and

Tendencies of overcoming crises in the housing-and-communal sphere: international aspect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Skrypnik Oksana

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the condition of market economy in the housing sphere it is accepted to differentiate two interacting markets - the market of housing stock and the market of housing services. The beginning of market grouping of the housing stock as basic element of the real estate market in Russia, it was necessary in 1991 by adoption of legal acts for privatization of housing. After that the market of housing services began to be arranged. The historical development of the housing market can be considered through the system of institutional changes with respect to the development of the economy and enhancement of the infrastructure. Institutes represent the rules, mechanisms providing their accomplishment, and standards of behavior which structure the repeating interactions among citizens. It becomes obvious that the institutes determine and limit the set of alternatives which are available for each economic actor, they include all forms of the restrictions created by people to give a certain structure to human relations. However it is also important to understand that institutes, being standard restrictions, create opportunities which members of the society have, thanks to the fact that the same institutes reduce uncertainty, structuring activities of individuals. The set of the formal and informal institutes created in economy represents the institutional environment. As a result the institutes perform functions of so called first and second order. Functions of the first order have specific character and solve specific objectives which are the cornerstone of rules: coordination, cooperation and distribution. The institutional environment performs the functions of the second order, which are aimed on market regulation, ensuring predictability and stability, safety, minimization of costs for transactions and training. In this article the main directions, conditions and approaches of transformations in the housing market are revealed. Forming of the

Influence of housing conditions and calving distance on blood metabolites in water buffalo cows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabio Napolitano

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate whether housing conditions allowing the animals to lie in the mud and performmore physical exercise can negatively affect reserve mobilization and milk production. In addition, the effect of calvingdistance on blood metabolites was assessed. The experiment was conducted on twenty-eight lactating buffalo cows,equally allocated to two treatments. Fourteen cows were group-housed in a loose open-sided barn with a concrete floorand equipped with self-locking stanchions, where they received 10 m2/head of space allowance, as in intensive systems(Group IS. Fourteen others were group-housed in a similar barn but they also had the benefit of an outdoor yard with500 m2/head as space allowance, including spontaneous vegetation and potholes for bathing and wallowing, as in traditionalsystems (Group TS. Animals were included in the experimental groups 5 days after calving. Daily milk yield, andmilk fat, protein and somatic cell content were determined 4 weeks after grouping (about 35 days after calving and thenat monthly intervals (5 recordings. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein in vacuum tubes 10 days aftergrouping (i.e. 15 days after calving and then at 10 day intervals (17 collections. After centrifugation, plasma and serumaliquots were frozen stored until metabolite determinations (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, NEFA, urea, creatinine,albumins, total proteins, calcium, phosphorus, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanineaminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase and γglutamyl transferase. Treatment did not affect daily milk yield and milkfat, protein or somatic cell count content. Blood metabolite levels were not affected by treatment and interaction treatmentx time. Conversely, as expected, calving distance had an influence on most of these variables (Pparticular, in the first two months after parturition, glucose concentration decreased, whereas NEFA and

Steel Housing - The Reinvention of the Square Wheel?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willems, M.H.P.M.

2002-01-01

Steel housing has some remarkable resemblance with a square wheel. Both combine a simple concept, uncommon appearance and lack of appreciation. The title furthermore refers to the repeated stubborn efforts over the last decennia to develop prefabricated steel-based housing systems. Steel has

Reasons for increasing radon concentrations in radon remediated houses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clavensjoe, B.

1997-01-01

The study comprises 31 single-dwelling houses where remedial actions were carried out in the 1980s. In all of them the radon concentrations have increased more than 30% according to recent control measurements. Radon sources are building material as well as the soil. The remedial actions dealt with ventilation systems, leakage through the basement floor, air cushions, sub-slab suction or radon wells according to the original problems. Causes for the increase varied: In many houses with soil radon problems, the installation of a normal mechanical ventilation system is not a good remedial action. In some houses on a ground with high permeability and high radon content in the soil air, the radon concentration may increase by the lowering of the indoor air pressure. In other houses the increase was a measurement effect, where sites/rooms were confused. Living related causes were identified in a number of cases, where fan speeds were reduced for energy conservation/noise reduction purposes or different use of windows airing had occurred. Extension of the dwelling space without changing the ventilation system caused the increase in one house. 23 refs

How milk-fed dairy calves perform in stable versus dynamic groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Rikke Engelbrecht; Sørensen, Jan Tind; Skjøth, F

2009-01-01

The objective of the present field trial was to compare calf performance among pre-weaned calves in two different group housing systems, stable groups ("all in-all out") and dynamic groups (continuous introduction). Performance data was collected from 484 calves randomly assigned to the two syste....../days). The prevalence of both diarrhoea and respiratory disease were more than twice as high among calves in dynamic groups compared to calves in stable groups....

Sydney Opera House Rise

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2013-01-01

Sydney Opera House Exhibition (2013) A CITA research and exhibition project, for Sydney Opera House exhibition "Danish Design at the House".......Sydney Opera House Exhibition (2013) A CITA research and exhibition project, for Sydney Opera House exhibition "Danish Design at the House"....

Economic analysis of passive houses and low-energy houses compared with standard houses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Audenaert, A.; Cleyn, S.H. de; Vankerckhove, B.

2008-01-01

As the energy demand used for space heating accounts for 78% of EU15 household delivered energy consumption, significant reductions in energy demand can be achieved by promoting low-energy buildings. Our study investigates three building types: the standard house, the low-energy house and the passive house. As more far-reaching measures concerning energy savings usually lead to higher investments, the aim of our study is to perform an economic analysis in order to determine the economic viability of the three building types

Investigation of Swedish cases reveals an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis at a Norwegian hotel with possible links to in-house water systems

Science.gov (United States)

Hajdu, Agnes; Vold, Line; Østmo, Torild A; Helleve, Anna; Helgebostad, Sigrid R; Krogh, Truls; Robertson, Lucy; de Jong, Birgitta; Nygård, Karin

2008-01-01

Background In March 2007, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health was notified of Swedish individuals diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis after staying at a Norwegian hotel. In Norway, cryptosporidiosis is not reportable, and human infections are rarely diagnosed. Methods A questionnaire on illness and exposure history was e-mailed to seven organised groups who had visited the hotel in March. Cases were defined as persons with diarrhoea for more than two days or laboratory-confirmed cryptosporidiosis during or within two weeks of the hotel visit. The risk factor analysis was restricted to two groups with the highest attack rates (AR) and same hotel stay period. Local food safety authorities conducted environmental investigations. Results In total, 25 diarrhoeal cases (10 laboratory-confirmed) were identified among 89 respondents. Although environmental samples were negative, epidemiological data suggest an association with in-house water consumption. In one group, the AR was higher amongst consumers of water from hotel dispenser (relative risk [RR] = 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9–9.8), tap water (RR = 2.3; CI: 0.9–5.8), and lower amongst commercial bottled water drinkers (RR = 0.6; CI: 0.4–1.0). Consumption of ice cubes was a risk-factor (RR = 7.1; CI: 1.1–45.7) in the two groups combined. Conclusion This outbreak would probably have remained undetected without the alert from Swedish health authorities, illustrating the difficulties in outbreak detection due to low health care seeking behaviour for diarrhoea and limited parasite diagnostics in Norway. Awareness of cryptosporidiosis should be raised amongst Norwegian medical personnel to improve case and outbreak detection, and possible risks related to in-house water systems should be assessed. PMID:18976495

Investigation of Swedish cases reveals an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis at a Norwegian hotel with possible links to in-house water systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krogh Truls

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In March 2007, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health was notified of Swedish individuals diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis after staying at a Norwegian hotel. In Norway, cryptosporidiosis is not reportable, and human infections are rarely diagnosed. Methods A questionnaire on illness and exposure history was e-mailed to seven organised groups who had visited the hotel in March. Cases were defined as persons with diarrhoea for more than two days or laboratory-confirmed cryptosporidiosis during or within two weeks of the hotel visit. The risk factor analysis was restricted to two groups with the highest attack rates (AR and same hotel stay period. Local food safety authorities conducted environmental investigations. Results In total, 25 diarrhoeal cases (10 laboratory-confirmed were identified among 89 respondents. Although environmental samples were negative, epidemiological data suggest an association with in-house water consumption. In one group, the AR was higher amongst consumers of water from hotel dispenser (relative risk [RR] = 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9–9.8, tap water (RR = 2.3; CI: 0.9–5.8, and lower amongst commercial bottled water drinkers (RR = 0.6; CI: 0.4–1.0. Consumption of ice cubes was a risk-factor (RR = 7.1; CI: 1.1–45.7 in the two groups combined. Conclusion This outbreak would probably have remained undetected without the alert from Swedish health authorities, illustrating the difficulties in outbreak detection due to low health care seeking behaviour for diarrhoea and limited parasite diagnostics in Norway. Awareness of cryptosporidiosis should be raised amongst Norwegian medical personnel to improve case and outbreak detection, and possible risks related to in-house water systems should be assessed.

Australia is Facing a HousingAffordability Crisis: Is the Solution to this Problem the Singapore Model of Housing?

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John McLaren

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Australia is pricing young buyers out of the housing market. Unfortunately, debt-free home ownership in the retirement years is a key part of the Australian welfare system. This paper provides one possible solution to the current housing predicament of Australia. In doing so, the paper examines the housing strategy in Singapore, where residents are provided with accommodation at a reasonable cost. This strategy is examined and translated for use in Australia. In conclusion the paper proposes that the Singapore model of home ownership is worthy of consideration by the government of Australia.

Depressive symptoms of house-poor persons: Korean panel data evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Tae-Hoon; Park, Eun-Cheol; Kim, Woorim; Kim, Juyeong; Shin, Jaeyong; Kim, Tae Hyun

2016-09-01

There are no studies researching the relationship between house-poor persons and mental health. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between house-poor status and depressive symptoms. To examine the relationship between the house-poor and depressive symptoms according to household income. Data from the Korean Welfare Panel Study were used. House-poor were defined as people having possession with over 10% house-related interest in disposable income. About 7,565 participants over the age of 19 years were followed up from 2011 to 2013. The generalized estimating equations were used for analysis. Individuals with more house-related debt showed increasingly higher depression scores (possession with under 5% related debt to disposable income β = 0.2024, p = .1544; under 10% β = 0.7030, p = .0008; over 10% β = 1.3207, p debts to disposable income had higher depression scores than individuals without house ownership (no possession β = 0.8927, p < .0001). Individuals without houses and individuals owning houses with higher percentages of house-related interests showed higher levels of depressive symptoms. Therefore, this study affirmed that the importance of considering the most vulnerable groups in addressing the mental health of individual. © The Author(s) 2016.