On the confluence of city living,energy saving behaviours and direct residential energy consumption

The purpose of this study is to shed light on the connection between income, dwelling type, tenure type and city living, in terms of both a household’s energy saving behaviours and direct residential energy consumption. This study employs data from the Household Energy Consumption Survey, Australia. Using a seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) system of equations the results reveal some key mechanisms which may allow householders to realise lower levels of energy consumption and hence lower carbon emissions. The results indicate that there are characteristics unique to living in a city that are linked to higher levels of direct residential energy consumption. On a number of measures (e.g. household income, tenure type and dwelling type), the results point to a lower likelihood of engaging in energy saving behaviours in cities. Also, depending on the number of energy saving behaviours, these actions have the potential to more than offset higher direct residential energy consumption of householders residing in separate houses. Coupled with these findings renters, a more vulnerable social group, are found to be significantly disadvantaged, suffering from a much lower adaptive capacity. Specifically, householders who rent their home are 77% less likely to have solar electricity. A result which may reflect differences in access to opportunity. Further, householders who rent are less likely to engage in energy saving actions. A finding which may reflect difference in ontological security and the greater psychological burden associated with undertaking energy saving behaviours (a barrier) borne by renters not shared with home owners.     

Green defaults: Information presentation and pro-environmental behaviour

There is inconsistency in many people's choice of electricity. When asked, they say they prefer a ‘green’ (i.e., environmentally friendly) source for this energy. Yet, although green electricity is available in many markets, people do not generally buy it. Why not? Motivated by behavioural decision research, we argue that the format of information presentation drastically affects the choice of electricity. Specifically, we hypothesise that people use the kind of electricity that is offered to them as the default. We present two natural studies and two experiments in the laboratory that support this hypothesis. In the two real-world situations, there was a green default, and most people used it. In the first laboratory experiment, more participants chose the green utility when it was the default than when ‘grey’ electricity was the default. In the second laboratory experiment, participants asked for more money to give up green electricity than they were willing to pay for it. We argue that changing defaults can be used to promote pro-environmental behaviour. Potential policy-making applications of this work are discussed.     

A time‐lagged investigation of the impact of coworker behavior on the effects of demographic dissimilarity

Although it is clear that coworker absenteeism, tardiness, and turnover can influence an employee's actions, scholars have yet to consider the impact of relational demography on the adoption of these behavioral norms. Inspired by social identity, situational strength, and attraction‐selection‐attrition theories, we proposed that individuals who differ from their coworkers in age, sex, or racioethnicity would feel threatened by their outnumbered status and subsequently motivated to be absent, tardy, or more likely to turnover. However, we expected coworker withdrawal behavior to moderate whether or not dissimilar personnel act on these desires. Results from hierarchical multilevel modeling analyses of data from 470 U.S. call center workers nested in 51 work groups revealed that racioethnic dissimilarity was positively related to time‐lagged changes in absenteeism and tardiness as well as heightened turnover likelihood. These effects emerged only among employees whose coworkers engaged in greater withdrawal behavior. Importantly, racioethnically dissimilar employees working in more permissive climates (i.e., those with high levels of coworker absenteeism, tardiness, or turnover) exhibited the greatest increases in absenteeism and tardiness over three months and had the highest supervisor‐rated turnover likelihood. Implications for diversity management are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Perceived prosocial impact,perceived situational constraints,and proactive work behavior: Looking at two distinct affective pathways

This paper examines the role of affect as a linking mechanism between experiences at work (perceived prosocial impact and situational constraints) and two distinct components of proactive work behavior (issue identification and implementation). Based on a dual‐tuning perspective, we argue that both positive affect and negative affect can be beneficial for proactive work behavior. Multi‐level path analysis using daily‐survey data from 153 employees showed that perceived prosocial impact predicted positive affect and that situational constraints as a typical hindrance stressor predicted negative affect. Negative affect, in turn, predicted issue identification, and positive affect predicted implementation. Overall, our study suggests that both positive and negative affects can be valuable in the organizational context by contributing to distinct components of proactive behavior. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

绿灯倒计时信号对驾驶行为的影响

为揭示绿灯倒计时信号对交叉口交通安全的影响,针对不同交通负荷与信号控制方式下的驾驶行为开展研究。选择大连市内的倒计时信号交叉口与非倒计时信号交叉口各2处,开展车辆行驶速度及不良驾驶行为调查。用数理统计方法,对比分析2类交叉口在平峰与高峰时段的车辆行驶速度特性,同时对比分析上述不同条件下闯黄灯及违规变道行为的发生数量。研究表明,绿灯倒计时信号在绿灯时间末期,会诱发一部分驾驶员加速行驶通过交叉口;绿灯倒计时信号在平峰时段对闯黄灯行为数量的影响较小,而对违规变道行为的数量有显著影响。     

壬基酚的环境生物地球化学研究进展及对新污染物管理的建议

近年来,我国大气环境、水环境和土壤环境质量得到一定的改善,“碧水蓝天”已经成为常态.但随着持久性有机污染物、内分泌干扰物、抗生素和微塑料等新污染物在环境中不断被检出,新污染物正逐步受到广泛的关注,壬基酚作为一种典型的内分泌干扰物也备受研究人员的关注.系统地概括了我国水体中壬基酚的环境行为和暴露水平,并基于风险商法和联合概率曲线法对壬基酚可能造成的生态风险进行了评估.结果表明,壬基酚对水生生物的毒性效应主要包括急性毒性、生长发育毒性、雌激素效应和繁殖毒性;壬基酚在我国主要流域水体中普遍存在,其浓度平均值在60～1 000 ng·L^-1,浓度最高值可达4 628 ng·L^-1;基于风险商法和联合概率曲线法的风险评估结果表明,壬基酚对我国主要流域里的水生生物均存在一定的风险.最后,总结了目前比较常用的壬基酚处理处置和风险管控技术,比较了国际上内分泌干扰物的监管方法,针对我国在新污染物环境管理中存在的问题,提出了针对性政策建议,研究结果可以为我国新污染物管理和管控提供参考.     

大吨位预应力锚具组装件锚固性能足尺试验

广州西塔节点层系采用大直径体外预应力拉索直接对钢管柱施加楼层平面内方向的体外预应力.选取3根φ7×199的预应力锚具组装件进行了50次周期荷载试验及静载锚同性能足尺试验.采用两台YC-1350型液压千斤顶同步顶推箱梁对预应力试验索进行张拉,测定拉索的周期载荷性能、静载锚同性能、拉伸弹性模量以及极限拉力时的总应变和锚杯与锚板间相对位移,考核锚具拉伸时锚固情况、拉伸过程及卸载后锚具的变形情况.结果表明,经过50次循环加载后试验索均无断丝,破断荷载超过12151kN,其他各项指标也均符合要求,因而能保证广州西塔体外预应力设计的安全性.     

SnAgCu焊料中Sn元素在模拟土壤溶液中的浸出行为

研究了Sn-3.5Ag-0.75Cu无铅焊料及其与Cu基板的钎焊接头在模拟土壤的NaCl,NaCl-Na2SO4和NaCl-Na2SO4-Na2CO3溶液中Sn元素的浸出行为.结果表明:焊料在NaCl-Na2SO4-Na2CO3溶液中Sn的浸出相对严重;而接头在NaCl溶液中Sn的浸出量最多.在Sn浸出量多的焊料和接头表面形成厚而疏松的腐蚀产物,XRD分析表明其产物主要由SnO,SnO2和Sn4(OH)6Cl2组成.动电位极化测试分析表明接头中Cu基板与焊料合金之间的电偶腐蚀是焊料合金与接头在同种溶液中Sn元素浸出差异的主要原因.     

CF8611/AC531复合材料的实验室加速老化行为研究

目的获得CFRP的老化行为规律,研究紫外辐照、温度和湿度等环境因素的影响,方法以湿热效应和光氧老化的等量、等效损伤为原则,确定实验室加速老化环境谱编制方法。以CF8611/AC531复合材料为对象,依据确定的加速老化试验方案,开展加速老化试验,观察其微观形貌,并测量开路电位和动电位极化曲线。结果老化前,CFRP表面完整无裂纹,碳纤维/树脂界面结合良好;老化后,树脂基体出现裂纹和孔洞,同时界面遭到破坏。极化曲线随着老化时间的增长会向右下方移动,自腐蚀电位微降,幅度为0.0326 V,自腐蚀电流密度增长了近1621倍。结论加速老化导致表面碳纤维裸露面积不断增大,时间越长,破坏作用越明显,实际使用中应防止其与金属直接接触。