• Title/Summary/Keyword: Sustainability and the Environment

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The Integration of Adaptive Elements into High-Rise Structures

  • Weidner, Stefanie;Steffen, Simon;Sobek, Werner
    • International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.95-100
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    • 2019
  • Whilst most research focuses on the reduction of operative energy use in buildings, the aspect of which (and how many) materials are used is often neglected and poorly explored. However, considering the continuous growth of the global population and the limited availability of resources, it is clear that focusing on operative energy alone is too short-sighted. The tasks lying ahead for architects and engineers cannot be accomplished with conventional methods of construction. With a share of 50-60% of global resource consumption, the building industry has a decisive impact on our environment. If business as usual continues, resources will be significantly depleted in a matter of decades. Therefore, researchers of the University of Stuttgart are investigating the concept of adaptivity as a promising method for saving resources in the built environment. The term adaptivity in the context of building structures was first introduced by Werner Sobek. It describes a method where sensors, actuators and control units are implemented in systems or facades in order to oppose physical impacts in an ideal way. The applicability of this method will be verified on an experimental high-rise building at the University campus in Stuttgart. Thus, this paper describes this innovative research project and depicts the concept of adaptivity in high-rise structures. Furthermore, it gives an overview of potential actuation concepts and the interdisciplinary challenges behind them.

Housing Improvement Elements Depended on the Analysis of Urban Residents' Perceived Korean Housing Quality Related to Mental Health (거주자가 지각한 정신건강 관련 주거의 질 분석에 기초한 주거 개선요소)

  • Choi, Byungsook;Park, Jung-A
    • Journal of the Korean housing association
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    • v.24 no.6
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    • pp.189-197
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    • 2013
  • The purpose of the study was to analyze the improvement elements depended on housing quality measurement tool related to mental health. The data for the analysis was collected through questionnaire survey method from November 1, 2012 to January 17, 2013, and the sample consisted of 720 respondents living in single detached houses, multi-families detached houses, apartments, and town houses in 4 cities, Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, and Kwangju. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of improvement elements are as follows: 1) Pedestrian-threaten street from cars in physical safety 2) A secluded or dark spot and fear of walking at night in social security, 3) Indoor noise, outdoor noise, and evidence of abandoned trash heap/bottle in neighborhood in health & sanitation, 4) Illegal parking and heating control system in facility convenience, 5) Extra kitchen, number of bathrooms, and community spaces in space convenience, 6) Openness and spaciousness of indoor room, and satisfaction of house and neighborhood in comfort, 7) Management common/sharing space in maintenance, 8) Energy saving facility and environment friendly materials use in sustainability, 9) Burden on housing cost, asset value on house, and school district in economic value, 10) Reflection of residents style, surrounding building's number of layers, and neighborhood appearance of preference in housing environment image.

Improvement of Dynamic Respiration Monitoring Through Sensor Fusion of Accelerometer and Gyro-sensor

  • Yoon, Ja-Woong;Noh, Yeon-Sik;Kwon, Yi-Suk;Kim, Won-Ki;Yoon, Hyung-Ro
    • Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.334-343
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    • 2014
  • In this paper, we suggest a method to improve the fusion of an accelerometer and gyro sensor by using a Kalman filter to produce a more high-quality respiration signal to supplement the weakness of using a single accelerometer. To evaluate our proposed algorithm's performance, we developed a chest belt-type module. We performed experiments consisting of aerobic exercise and muscular exercises with 10 subjects. We compared the derived respiration signal from the accelerometer with that from our algorithm using the standard respiration signal from the piezoelectric sensor in the time and frequency domains during the aerobic and muscular exercises. We also analyzed the time delay to verify the synchronization between the output and standard signals. We confirmed that our algorithm improved the respiratory rate's detection accuracy by 4.6% and 9.54% for the treadmill and leg press, respectively, which are dynamic. We also confirmed a small time delay of about 0.638 s on average. We determined that real-time monitoring of the respiration signal is possible. In conclusion, our suggested algorithm can acquire a more high-quality respiration signal in a dynamic exercise environment away from a limited static environment to provide safer and more effective exercises and improve exercise sustainability.

Trend Changes of Spatial Configuration in Housing Units of Korean Apartments in the 2000s (2000년대 한국 아파트 단위세대의 공간구성 동향 변화)

  • Park, Joon Young;Jeong, Sang Kyu;Cheong, So Yi;Park, Woo Jang
    • KIEAE Journal
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.21-27
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    • 2012
  • This study aims at finding the trend changes of spatial configuration in housing units of Korean apartments in the 2000s. Among the housing units in the apartments built by large construction companies, we have selected ones with small and regular sizes, $59m^2$ and $84m^2$ respectively, and investigated the number of bays, the location of wet zone and the spatial flexibility in the housing units selected for analysis. In conclusion, the number of bays in the housing unit has gradually increased, after allowing for the structural change of the balcony in the legal. It is estimated that the trend has came from the intent to increase the numbers of the externally exposed surfaces of the balcony, ensure a good view, lighting, ventilation and spatial flexibility. The location of wet zone, water-needed space such as a bathroom or a kitchen, has changed in the direction to facilitate the expansion and modification of space. Variable range of space has gradually expanded by using the balcony and wet zone as much as possible. In order to configure more effectively spaces in housing environments, the future study should be implemented to develop tools for realizing sustainable housing environment at the levels of not only the housing unit. but also the entire building, housing site, and city.

The Impact of Environmental Social Governance Management for Improving Gas Firm Performance

  • Seung-Chul LEE
    • The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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    • v.14 no.4
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    • pp.23-31
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: Gas firms often fall victim to disregarding the importance of sensitivity, thus leading to many unprecedented repercussions. To ensure that gas firms fully contribute to sustainability and ethical standards, environmental Social Governance (ESG) has been identified as the ideal framework. This study aims to investigate the impact of ESG management for improving gas firm performance. Research design, data and methodology: The prior qualitative literature analysis was to figure out adequate past research for the topic based on the major portal web databased, such as 'Google Scholar' and 'Scopus' to make sure resources' credibility. Results: Gas firms are among the pertinent organizations vis-à-vis environmental destruction issues. Gas firms emit dangerous gases such as ethane, carbon dioxide and methane that are dangerous for the people and the environment. Thus, many pro-environmental conservation stakeholders have had rallying calls for such gas firms to mitigate environmental pollution intentionally. Conclusions: This study may be used to human resources in improving employee results elsewhere. Besides, it can be of the essence in improving the relationship between such firms and society. Therefore, the study findings are of greater significance and implications to multiple parties, users and stakeholders regarding the research topic and beyond the current scope of the study.

REDUCTION OF SEDIMENT-LADEN WATER FROM CONSTRUCITON SITES INTO WATERWAYS:- A GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY APPROACH

  • Teo Ee Huat
    • International conference on construction engineering and project management
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    • 2009.05a
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    • pp.285-291
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    • 2009
  • Water is a strategic resource for Singapore due to its small land mass and more than half of the mainland serves as catchment for raw water, including construction sites. Construction site typically involves earthworks and in conjunction with the frequent and intense rainstorm in Singapore, produce runoff of high turbidity due to suspended sediments. The resulting high concentration of suspended sediment in construction site runoff very often leads to aesthetically unpleasant reservoirs and potentially increases the treatment cost of raw water. To mitigate this, the local standard requires the discharged concentration of total suspended solids of construction runoff leaving a construction site to be less than 50mg/l which is a very high standard. This paper will present, examine and discuss particular issues and practices of Singapore's construction industry in meeting this requirement. The focus will be on two areas: Government lead initiatives and industry practices. How the government agencies worked together with the industry professionals to develop a system to ensure meeting of the standard is discussed. In addition, the types of industry practices, including various Best Management Practice to reduce erosion in construction sites and implement effective sedimentation on construction sites are examined.

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A study on Architectural Characters of well-designed middle and high school buildings in 2000's - On Winning Works of 'The Excellent Facility School Award' by Ministry of Education, Science and Technology - (2000년 이후 중.고등학교 시설의 건축 특성 연구 - 교육과학기술부 선정 '우수시설학교' 수상작을 중심으로 -)

  • Seong, Eun-Young;Yang, Sang-Hyun
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Educational Facilities
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.25-35
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    • 2012
  • The function and the role of school are changing according to various future-oriented education models such as open-ended learning cycle, community learning center, re-schooling, network system and de-schooling, which reflect recent social demands related to discussions on sustainability, low birth rate and ageing. what changes to our school buildings have been there? This study is aimed that shows the architectural change of school buildings and environments in 2000's. It reveals the architectural tendancy through some school buildings, 'the excellent facility school award' winner which Ministry of Education, Science and Technology have chosen annually since 1998. In the past decade, it is outstanding change that mass composition, window patterns and exterior wall materials are diversified greatly. The most of them have a opened main hall and multi-purpose spaces which give effective educational environment to students. Although visual changes are outstanding, we still need qualitative educational space program and improved school building design according to future-educational demands.

An Effect of the Change of Orientation and Window Area Ratio upon Building Energy Requirement in Apartment Housings (공동주택 향별 창면적비 변화에 따른 에너지 영향도 분석)

  • Kim, Jae Moon;Lee, Gyu Chul;Lee, Seung Gyu;Kim, Min Sung;Min, Joon Ki
    • KIEAE Journal
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    • v.13 no.2
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    • pp.21-26
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    • 2013
  • Due to the increasing concerns about the buildings which have affected the global environment, most countries have enacted a regulation for the sustainability of domestic buildings. In 2008, the Korean government started to enact a regulation of apartment and office buildings for energy saving. Many research on the sustainable apartment building focuses on $84m^2$ or larger type in response to market demand; therefore, small size type such as $46m^2$ type needs to be researched. In addition, the research on the orientation and window to wall ratio of the building have been separately studied as a means of energy reduction; therefore, the research on correlation of the orientation and window to wall ratio hasn't been fully explored yet. This paper analyzes the energy demand of the apartment building as the change of orientation and window to wall ratio among $46m^2$ and $84m^2$ type. In conclusion, when reducing the window to wall ratio, energy demand was reduced, except when the orientation of the building was between from +10 to -20 from the south.

A Study on Sustainable Downtown Activation Plan Considering Balanced Development of City (Focused on Siheung City in Korea) (도시 균형발전을 고려한 지속가능한 도심활성화 방안 연구 (시흥시를 중심으로))

  • Park, Hun;Yang, Sung-Min
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.12 no.10
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    • pp.4648-4659
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    • 2011
  • Korea experienced rapid urbanization due to high growth of economy. As people left the country and gathered in the city, the size of city has been expanded, resulting in unbalanced development of the land. In addition, it appears in diverse aspects from nationwide phenomenon to the local development in each city unit. In particular, it even tends to become social problems in the metropolitan cities. As a solution for it, this study conducts theoretical consideration on sustainability in the aspect of balanced urban development and suggests measures through analysis on Siheung-city. The result is as follows. First of all, comprehensive approach is required based on sustainability. It is required to derive balanced city development by expanding it to the social, cultural and economic aspects. Second, integrated management policy is required for the original city along with new development. It should be considered together with diverse social and physical aspects. Third, approach from the aspect of city planning is required through consideration on flat city expansion and connection with city space structural. Fourth, in order to foster balanced urban development, it is needed to grope for solutions for imbalanced urban development through the participation of diverse groups such as local residents, private enterprisers, and the non-profit civic groups of the local community along with the mediation among persons interested. And continuous support of administrative authorities should be obtained to create such environment.

Review and Discussion on Development of Soil Quality Indicators (토양의 질 지표 개발 동향과 논의)

  • Yoon, Jung-Hui
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.37 no.3
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    • pp.192-198
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    • 2004
  • The heavy dependence of modern science-based agriculture on chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides, and heavy machinery gave rise to questions about long-term sustainability of agriculture in relation to degradation of soil quality. The research achievements and trends in developing soil quality indicators were introduced and discussed in this report. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) established 13 agri-environment indicators including soil quality indicator in 1994, collected the soil data and methodologies for development of soil quality indicators in OECD member countries responded to OECD questionnaires and published the OECD reports, Environmental Indicators for Agriculture Volume 1, 2, and 3. Leading countries such as USA, Canada and New Zealand collected national data and evaluated the data in aspect of soil quality. They developed the various methods for selecting a minimum data set (MDS), scoring the soil properties and calculating soil quality index integrating the score of each soil property.