The effects of flooding upon buildings in developing countries

The genera] effects of flooding on buildings and structural materials in developing countries are comprehensively reviewed. The aim of the paper is to stimulate further field based research as to how and what type of building improvements can be introduced, given the prevailing economic and cultural constraints of many communities, and to examine the appropriateness of floodproofing measures in developing countries where there are often few floodplain management or large scale flood prevention schemes. Proposals are suggested as to the method and type of information which is required for detailed studies prior to developing new and more effective building designs.     

Science, Research, Knowledge and Capacity Building

A small part of the scientific community is seeking hard to enhance the contribution of science, knowledge and capacity building to environmentally sustainable and socially fair human development around the world. Many researchers over the globe share the same commitment – anchored in concerns for the human condition. They believe that science and research can and have influenced sustainability. Therefore their main goals are to seek and build up knowledge, know-how and capacity that might help to feed, nurture, house, educate and employ the world's growing human population while conserving its basic life support systems and biodiversity. They undertake projects, that are essentially integrative, and they try to connect the natural, social and engineering sciences, environment and development of communities, multiple stakeholders, geographic and temporal scales. More generally, scientists engaged in sustainable development are bridging the worlds of knowledge and action. This pro-active, heavily ethics- and wisdom-based "science for sustainability" can be seen as the conclusion of all dialogues and discussions amongst scientists at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) 2002 in Johannesburg. The "Plan of Implementation" after WSSD will be based on political will, practical steps and partnerships with time-bound actions. Several "means of implementation" are going to be proofed and initiated: finance, trade, transfer of environmentally sound technology, and, last but not least, science and capacity building.Some characteristics of working scientific sustainability initiatives are that they are regional, place-based and solution-oriented. They are focusing at intermediate scales where multiple stresses intersect, where complexity is manageable, where integration is possible, where innovation happens, and where significant transitions toward sustainability can start bottom-up. And they have a fundamental character, addressing the unity of the nature – society system, asking how that interactive system is evolving and how it can be consciously, if imperfectly, steered through the reflective mobilization and application of appropriate knowledge and know-how. The aims of such sustainability-building initiatives conducted by researchers are: first to make significant progress toward expanding and deepening the research agenda of science and knowledge-building for sustainability; secondly to strengthen the infrastructure and capacity for conducting and applying science, research and technology for sustainability – everywhere in the world where it is needed; and thirdly, to connect science, policy and decision-making more effectively in pursuit of a faster transition towards real sustainable development. The overall characteristic is, that sustainability initiatives are mainly open-ended networks and dialogues for the better future. A world society that tries to turn towards sustainable development has to work hard to refine their clumsy technologies, in "earthing" their responsibility to all creatures and resources, in establishing democratic systems in peace and by heeding human rights, in building up global solidarity through all mankind and in commit themselves to a better life for the next generations.     

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A COOPERATIVE WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM IN COLORADO'S BIG THOMPSON WATERSHED1

ABSTRACT: In 1996, the Big Thompson Watershed Forum (BTWF) was formed “to assess and protect the quality of water” in the Big Thompson Watershed in northern Colorado. However, until 1999, water quality monitoring in the watershed was performed by many state, local, and federal agencies with no coordination among programs and with few efforts toward efficiency, data comparability, or information exchange. To better meet the needs of its stakeholders, the BTWF since 1999 has been actively pursuing the design and implementation of a cooperative water quality monitoring program. The program design involved consensus building among the funding participants, primarily drinking water providers. The final design included 38 parameters to be sampled 15 times per year at 24 stream and canal locations plus two reservoirs. Although the collaborative consensus based approach has been successful for the BTWF, this approach has its drawbacks; most notable among these are the time and labor this approach requires. Also, the BTWF struggled with achieving equal representation of all interests, since those agencies that provided funding had the greatest voice in the final product. While a collaborative approach may not always be best for monitoring program design, it should be appropriate for many watershed organizations that face the common problem of severe financial constraints.     

有害物质安全存贮地点的选址模型研究

有害物质对人类自身及其所处的环境造成的危害日益受到人们的重视 ,因此有必要选择适宜的地点安全存贮这些物质。笔者从总成本和危害程度两方面考虑 ,建立了双目标规划模型 ,力求使选址费用最低、对周围居民的危害最小。最后的实例说明模型是合理的。     

建筑和装饰材料的室内污染对人体危害及预防措施

建筑和装饰材料中 ,释放的挥发性有机化合物是导致室内空气污染的重要原因之一。建筑和装饰材料导致的室内污染 ,对人体健康的影响已成为人们关心的热门话题。笔者就建筑和装饰材料导致室内污染 ,对人体的危害及其预防措施进行了探讨。旨在提醒人们对这个问题引起重视 ,尽量减少其对人体的危害 ,起到宣传和教育作用     

营造可持续发展的生态安全建筑

围绕建筑与全球生态环境问题的关系 ,阐述了建筑对生态环境产生的巨大负面影响 ,已经威胁到全球的生态安全 ;指明生态建筑是建筑走可持续发展之路 ,是实现全球生态安全的必然选择 ,并对生态建筑的实施策略进行了探讨。     

墙体保温技术清洁生产潜力分析--以乌鲁木齐市为例

以乌鲁木齐市供采暖系统为背景，用清洁生产的思维方式发现和解决采暖过程中热能的浪费。通过对可发性聚苯乙烯泡沫塑料板的保温性能和目前民用墙体保温技术发展状况、发展方向及其经济、环境效益的分析，提出大力推广外墙保温技术、实现建筑节能是必然的发展趋势；同时实行分户供暖、计量收费更是推行节能建筑的重要保障。     

煤灰渣利用中对人群所产生辐射影响的评价

煤的开发与利用产生了大量的灰，渣等固体废物，占用大量土地，污染土壤和水源，成为四大公害之一，因而对煤灰，渣的治理和综合利用一直受到人们的关注。然而，由于煤灰渣中的天然放射性水平较高，因此，在煤灰渣的综合利用，尤其在用作建筑材料时，不可避免地要受到其放射性核素的危害。本文在对四川省各燃煤电厂排放灰渣中的^238U,^232Th,^220R,^40X并无然放射性核素进行分析和研究的基础上，用UNSCEAR1982年报告所推荐的计算模式估算了各电厂煤灰渣制度建材对公众所产生的附加辐射剂量，评价了煤灰制度建材对环境和人群所产生的辐射影响，并提出了控制煤灰渣在建材中的最大掺合量，为其它作用的使用煤灰渣提出了科学的理论依据。     

SPACE-TIME MODELING OF VECTOR HYDROLOGIC SEQUENCES1

Stochastic modeling of vector hydrologic sequences is examined with a general class of space-time autoregressive integrated moving average (STARIMA) models. The models describe spatial and temporal autocorrelatjon, through dependent variables lagged both in space and time. The model structures incorporate a hierarchical ordering scheme to map the vector of observations into a network configuration. The neighboring structure used introduces a physical/geographical hierarchy to enable the model identification procedures to assist in determining appropriate correlative relationships. The three-stage iterative space-time model building procedure is illustrated using average monthly streamfiow data for a four-station network of the Southeastern Hydropower System.     

UN/ECE ICP Materials Dose-response Functions for the Multi-pollutant Situation

A “multi-pollutant exposure programme” reflecting the new pollution situation where SO₂ is no longer the dominating pollutant has been performed by the International Co-operative Programme on Effects on Materials, including Historic and Cultural Monuments (ICP Materials) within the activities of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. The main results obtained in the period 1997–2003 are summarised. Dose-response functions are presented for carbon steel, zinc, copper, bronze and limestone. Parameters involved in the functions include besides SO₂ and pH, which were included in the previously developed functions from ICP Materials, also the effect of particulate matter and HNO₃.