The implications of cultural differences in laundry behaviours for design for sustainable behaviour: A case study between the UK,India and Brazil

Traditional research into sustainable design has typically focused on reducing the environmental impact of products during the manufacture and disposal stages of a products' lifecycle. The last decade, however, has seen an explosion of research into understanding and moderating user behaviour during the use phase of a products' lifecycle; often the most resource-intensive phase. One of the biggest factors that affects behaviour is a users cultural context; however, the effect of cultural context on design for sustainable behaviour has had little exploration in this relatively new research field.     

The considerations and limitations of feedback as a strategy for behaviour change

Design for Sustainable Behaviour (DfSB) is a maturing research area concerned with the application of design strategies to influence consumer behaviour during a products use phase towards more sustainable action. However, current DfSB research has focussed on strategy selection with little research into understanding the real-world impact of the behaviour changing interventions debated. This article presents the results of an extensive literature review of one specific DfSB strategy, feedback – a user agentive performance indicator. These findings exemplify the considerations and limitations of this particular approach to behaviour change, drawing on empirical research conducted by a breadth of authors, including two of the only medium-term case studies in the field of DfSB. Considerations discussed include the frequency, duration and accuracy of feedback; the selection of metrics and the presentation medium and mode; the use of ambience and the location of the installation. Limitations of feedback include the need for additional information and comparisons; the issue with multiple users; technical issues; relegation to background technology and the potential rebound effects. This article provides insights to both improve the effectiveness of future feedback design efforts and also to help facilitate discussion on feedbacks position as a strategy within DfSB.     

抛光打磨车间便携式除尘器本体设计与试验

基于气旋分离和滤筒过滤的除尘原理,采用气旋分离作为一级除尘分离大颗粒粉尘,滤筒过滤作为二级除尘去除细颗粒物,设计并构建了适用于抛光打磨车间的便携式除尘器试验模型,并对其运行性能参数进行测试。结果表明：除尘器处理风量为117～179 m³/h,漏风率和设备阻力随处理风量的增加而升高,漏风率控制在3.52%以内,设备阻力最小为163 Pa,最大为393 Pa;除尘效率随风量的增大而发生轻微降低,该便携式除尘器的最高除尘效率达99.63%。     

Assessing Spatial Scale Effects on Hydrometric Network Design Using Entropy and Multi‐objective Methods

In order to facilitate water resources decisions, it is important that accurate and informative hydrometric data are collected. Combining information theory with multi‐objective optimization has led to methods of optimizing the information content provided by hydrometric networks; however, there is no available study on the effects of spatial scale and data limitation on these methods. Herein, a dual entropy multi‐objective optimization (DEMO) and a transinformation (TI) analysis were done to recommend optimal locations for additional hydrometric stations in the Madawaska Watershed. This analysis was designed to be comparative to a similar study conducted on the Ottawa River Basin which encompasses the Madawaska Watershed to allow for an investigation of the spatial scale effects in this type of network design. This study concludes that TI analysis is not adversely affected by scaling; however, the DEMO analysis is sensitive to the placement of potential station locations and the size of the study area. This study also examines the benefit of including nearby stations when the area of interest does not have a sufficient number of existing hydrometric stations for analysis. It is shown that these stations can provide useful information because their inclusion in the analysis increased the average TI in the watershed. Recommendations were made as to the ideal locations of additional stations in the Madawaska Watershed hydrometric network.     

Ethnographic understandings of ethnically diverse neighbourhoods to inform urban design practice

The aim of this paper is to inform urban design practice through deeper understanding and analysis of the social dynamics of public outdoor space in ethnically diverse neighbourhoods. We hypothesise that findings from ethnographic research can provide a resource that improves cultural literacy and supports social justice in professional practice. The primary method is a meta-synthesis literature review of 24 ethnographic research papers, all of which explore some dimensions of public open space use and values in UK urban contexts characterised by ethnic and racial diversity. We summarise thematic understandings and significance of neighbourhood places of shared activity, parks, spaces of passing-by and of retreat. We evaluate the implications for intercultural social dynamics, exploring the spatial and temporal dimensions of conviviality and racism in public open space. We then argue that it is possible to develop principles for urban design practice informed by this work, and propose four for discussion: maximising straightforward participation, legitimising diversity of activity, designing in micro-retreats of nearby quietness and addressing structural inequalities of open space provision. We conclude that ethnographic research can provide detailed insights into the use of the public realm and also inform a more nuanced understanding of outdoor sociality relevant for an increasingly diverse society. The challenge is two-fold: for ethnographers to become less cautious in engaging with decisions and priorities regarding how cities change, and for urban designers to explicitly embed informed understandings of difference into their broad desire for inclusive public space.     

Numerical modeling and optimization of a power augmented S-type vertical axis wind turbine

An axial symmetry augmented vertical axis wind turbine, which is suitable for arbitrary wind directions, is proposed in this paper. In order to improve the power generation ability of the S-type vertical axis wind turbine, a set of so-called “collection-shield boards” are installed symmetrically around the rotating S-type rotor. The flow fields around this type of wind turbine are numerically simulated with the aid of CFD method. The optimized design of geometrical parameters of the rotor and collection-shield boards is conducted by using the orthogonal design method. The obtained results suggest that the power output of the optimized augmented wind turbine can reach nearly three times higher than that of the conventional S-type vertical axis wind turbine.     

基于泥质的污泥脱水策略与数学模型构建研究

本研究以无锡市A~2O-MBR(Anaeroxic Anoxic Oxic-Membrane Bio-Reactor,A~2O-MBR)工艺、CAST(Cyclic Activated Sludge System,CAST)工艺和氧化沟工艺3种不同工艺的污泥泥质为对象,通过试验测定7种污泥泥质参数,分析不同污泥泥质参数间相关性.并通过主成分分析发现含固率、胞外聚合物(Extracellular Polymeric Substances,EPS)蛋白质和多糖是影响污泥脱水性能的主要因素.通过均匀设计实验探究不同药剂投配比对污泥毛细吸水时间及有机物含量的影响,并采用统计分析软件(Statistical Product and Service Solutions,SPSS)构建污泥脱水药剂线性回归模型,得到线性方程:含固率=2.5049-0.0261X_1-2.28×10~(-3)X_2;有机物=40.5728-0.1894X_1+0.2264X_2.通过验证试验发现,此线性方程残差低于3.0,可用于指导实际工程中药剂投配比.     

台风作用下建筑结构的可靠性评估

台风灾害是给人类造成严重危害的自然灾害之一,台风作用下受灾害最重的往往是沿海广阔的农村地区,本文针对低层建筑结构物,分析了台风造成的危害;分析了台风发生的频率,强度与全球地面平均气温之间的相关关系,统计分的分析了９０１５号与９７１１号台风资料,分别得出它们的风速概率分布与低层建筑结构物的荷载效应概率分布,运用有限元计算和实验比较的方法,得出了三层砖混结构建筑物的抗侧力效应概率分布,最后,利用结构可     

泥石流防治工程方案优化设计专家系统初步研究

泥石流灾害是一种复杂的自然现象,泥石流物防治工程设计中不确定的因素很多,泥石流防治工程往往是根据泥石流防治专家自己的专业知识和经验来进行的,广泛收集,分析综合和抽取专家的知识和经验,采用专家系统是进行此类非结构化总是求解的主要途径之一。     

社会可接受的地震人员死亡率研究

确定最佳或最合理的设防标准时,应在保证地震安全和谋求最佳经济效益二者之间进行权衡、既要保证地震人员伤亡降低一个社会可接受的水平之下,又要使所获得的经济效益最大。本文根据我国几次大地震的资料,建立了地震人员死亡率与房屋倒塌率之间的经验关系。在分析设防后地震人员伤亡水平与其它灾害和事故造成的人员伤亡水平的基础上,对确定社会可接受的地震人员死亡率作了探讨。