Os habitats naturais e semi-naturais no desenho dos espaços abertos urbanos - Uma abordagem aos desafios da cidade contemporânea

Os Espaços Abertos Urbanos (EAU) representam a natureza na cidade e fornecem múltiplos benefícios. Nas cidades contemporâneas a sua eficiência ecológica é fundamental para a capacidade de protecção e para a adaptação urbana às alterações climáticas, pelos serviços de ecossistema fornecidos. Representam também a oportunidade de trazer para dentro das cidades o esforço para travar a perda de biodiversidade e as invasões biológicas. São assim fundamentais, tanto nas Estratégias de Adaptação às Alterações Climáticas, como nas Estratégias de Biodiversidade. Este trabalho propõe uma abordagem ao desenho dos EAU que integra as directrizes europeias em matéria de biodiversidade e conservação da natureza, protecção ecológica e serviços de ecossistema, como referências que contribuem para melhorar a qualidade dos EAU enquanto espaços de biodiversidade, de representação da paisagem regional e de contacto com a natureza. O principal objectivo é garantir uma rede de EAU com máxima eficiência ecológica, pensados para produzir Serviços de Ecossistema fundamentais para a população humana, sem abdicar de uma preocupação prioritária com a conservação da biodiversidade, reflectida no esforço europeu que é assim integrado no projecto dos EAU. Para tal é desenvolvida uma metodologia de projecto baseada na utilização das comunidades vegetais, correspondentes a diferentes etapas das séries de vegetação, que constituem Habitats Naturais e Semi-naturais de Interesse Comunitário (Anexo I da Directiva 92/43/CEE) (HIC), como unidades de desenho dos sistemas de vegetação dos EAU. Os espaços resultantes são espaços de elevada biodiversidade, identidade e sustentabilidade. A adaptabilidade da metodologia permite a conciliação deste princípio com as funções sociais, culturais e estéticas que caracterizam espaços públicos de qualidade. A metodologia lança também um exercício de investigação através do projecto para o restauro de HIC nos EAU, para testar a possibilidade de estes efectivamente contribuírem para as estratégias europeias de biodiversidade, integrando redes de conectividade ecológica que atravessam as áreas urbanas e contribuem para a consolidação da Rede Natura 2000. O desenvolvimento de um Sistema de Paisagem Urbana para a cidade de Évora permitiu a introdução de variáveis locais, não generalizáveis, e a identificação de diversos desafios à aplicabilidade desta metodologia, sendo necessário testá-la noutros contextos urbanos; - ABSTRACT: Natural And Semi-Natural Habitats in The Design of Urban Open Spaces – An Approach to The Challenges of Contemporary Cities Urban Open Spaces (UOS) represent nature in the cityscape and provide countless benefits for people. In contemporary cities, UOS ecological efficiency is fundamental for urban ecological protection and for climate change adaptation, as they provide multiple ecosystem services. They also represent the opportunity to, within the city, tackle biodiversity loss and the spread of invasive species, playing an important role in both Climate Change Adaptation and Biodiversity Strategies. This study proposes an approach to UOS design that uses the European guidelines regarding biodiversity, nature conservation, ecological protection, and ecosystem services, as references to improve UOS’ quality as spaces of high biodiversity, representative of regional landscapes, and that promote contact with nature. The main purpose is to achieve an UOS network with maximum ecological efficiency that supplies important ecosystem services, while integrating in UOS projects a priority European concern regarding biodiversity conservation. For that end, a project methodology is deployed, where the used vegetation consists of plant communities from different stages of the potential vegetation series, identified as natural and semi-natural Habitats of Community Interest (Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC). These will be the design units for the vegetation systems of UOS. The outcome will be sustainable public spaces of high biodiversity and strong identity. The adaptability of the process enables to bring together this principle with social, aesthetical and cultural functions, important features of quality public spaces. This methodology also launches an exercise of investigation through the project, where the possibility of urban restoration is addressed to test whether the restored urban habitats can effectively contribute to European biodiversity strategies. Urban restoration methods are explored to achieve urban natural and semi-natural habitats, in such conservation status that they can form ecological connectivity networks across cities and contribute to strengthen the Natura 2000 Network. The design of a landscape infrastructure to the city of Évora through this methodology implied the introduction of several non-generalizable, site-specific variables. The case study outlined several variables and challenges to the applicability of this methodology urging to further test it in other urban contexts and through field implementation on experimental sites

Road effects on demographic traits of small mammal populations

Recent studies have highlighted the positive effects of road verges on the abundance of small mammals. However, most of these studies occurred in intensively grazed or cultivated areas, where verges were the last remnants of suitable habitats, which could mask the true effects of roads on population traits. We analysed the effects of roads on small mammal populations living in a well-preserved Mediterranean forest. We used the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) as a model of forest-dwelling small mammals that probably are among the species most affected by road clearings. Our study compared populations in similar habitat areas with and without road influence. We assessed abundance, survival and temporary emigration using extended Pollock’s robust design capture-recapture models. Moreover, we analysed population turnover, sex ratio, age structure and body condition. We found that wood mouse abundance and body condition were lower at the road bisected area, whereas the remaining population traits were similar. This suggests that the reduced habitat availability and quality due to the physical presence of the road and verge vegetation clearing are the main drivers of demographic differences in wood mouse populations between areas. Nevertheless, our results also suggest that in high-quality habitats surrounding national roads, wood mouse populations present similar dynamics to others living in undisturbed areas, despite the decrease in abundance and body condition. Overall, the often-reported increased small mammal abundance in road surroundings should not be generalized independently of habitat quality or to other population traits

Rehabilitation of the Penhas Chapel in Mitras’s Homestead

This article describes the main rehabilitation works carried out at Capela das Penhas. Some struc- tural anomalies were found that were causing cracks in the walls and vaults. The Chapel had already undergone several interventions over the years, but not all of them had been successful, with some problems prevailing until today. The correct analysis of the structure's behavior was essential to be able to correct them and avoid further problems. We tried to maintain the same layout and identity of the Chapel, using traditional materials and techniques, whenever possible

Defectos en las Instalaciones Domésticas con Agua Debido a Disputas Legales: El Caso de Barcelona

Esta investigación permite conocer los defectos existentes en instalaciones con canalizaciones de agua de tres variantes de tipología constructiva residencial. Se recurre a informes periciales edificatorios debidos a las demandas de usuarios ante los tribunales. Se determinaron cuáles son las anomalías y los orígenes del fallo que actúan como agentes causales. Para cada uno de ellos se determinaron los casos presentes en la instalación en donde se ubican, así como las situaciones más recurrentes. Se desglosaron uno por uno todos los procesos patológicos que se constataron, los cuáles se definen como la interrelación constructiva entre los parámetros estudiados. De esta forma, los diferentes intervinientes en el sector edificatorio dispondrán del know-how necesario para evitar a futuro los errores de obra

Exterior bricks walls: learning non-quality through failures and their climate-pathological distribution

The object of this research was to identify the list of climatological variables involved in the appearance of construction failures in the external walls of dwellings through the analysis of over one thousand cases. The data source used consisted of the judicial records of the Justice Administration, a source to which few researchers have access, given the dispersion of the data and the permissions required to access it. Once obtained, all situations pertaining to dwellings were read and annotated, until 100\% of the cases were accounted for, and percentages of recurrence were calculated for each of the nine different types of failures that were described. A study was carried out by so-called strips of climatic location according to four climatological variables (situation, latitude, climate, and annual rainfall) that were sorted from largest to smallest to obtain the ranks of pathology concentration according to the resulting preponderance. Using these results, technicians will be able to identify the most problematic climate-geographical areas by determining the ranks of normalized frequencies, allowing them to take the necessary measures during the construction process. The lessons learned can be incorporated into maintenance plans to optimize preventive maintenance frequency and actions

Degradation and Deterioration Processes in Swimming Pools Adjoining Real Estate Developments

Regrettably, the existence of multiple deficiencies in construction has become commonplaceto the point of appearing to be a part and parcel of the very process of executing construction works; many now consider it inevitable. In no other industrial sector does the production ofan object lead most stakeholders to a growing degree of dissatisfaction – not only future users but also, for different reasons, the professionals participating in the process. Certainly, one of the reasons for this is that each building is normally a prototype (designed and built for the first time), implying uncertainty and the lack of studying possible difficulties until they have emerged. There is yet another series of reasons that worsen this situation: often, designers do not take note of problems (and their solutions) to take them into account in future designs. Neither do construction companies foresee corrective measures to problems – trying instead to quicklycover errors or draw economic benefits from changing the execution procedure. When the owner of a house experiences certain construction problems that are not solved within the warranty period, they often have no choice but to resort to the judicial route. In thisprocess, an expert is charged with drafting a report describing the existence of the existing flaws or degradations. These reports are paid for by the insurance company of the technicians under complaint and they constitute the data source of this study – namely, the reports of the civil responsibility insurance of Spanish technical architects. One the lawsuit is initiated, the existence of said problems is examined, along with their na- ture, extension, and type, based on the technical reports. Once the judge rules on the corre- sponding result, and if so willed by the defendants, the disputing parties can appeal to a highercourt. In such a case, the suit re-commences, until the legal procedure definitively ends. This long technical and judicial path leads to the validation of the data source used and to the find- ings presented in this communication regarding swimming pools adjoining houses. A total of 146 cases were analysed and characterised into 3 different types of degradations. The first type is ‘settling’ (DE1) of the construction element itself, occurring in about 60% of situations. The second type is ‘fissurations’, occurring in 24% of occasions. With regard to the pathology origin of these cases, 4 different types were 193 found, with the main one being the ‘absence or deficiency of soil compaction’ underneath the swimming pools (PO1=71%). In ad- dition to this data, this research produced an interrelation matrix for these two parameters, forming the binomial pairs referred to as ‘deterioration process’. This information is without precedents in the international scientific literature that was reviewed

Sustainable building repair: A K-means approach to addressing fissures in ceramic brick partition walls

The purpose of this work is to determine, catalogue, and quantify failures appearing in ceramic brick partition walls after the delivery of buildings, based on claims filed by users and on the philosophy of 'learning from failures'. To examine the more than 600 cases presented, technical affinity groups were defined for the descriptors used, a series of checks were carried out using cluster analysis, a proprietary procedure was implemented for calculating the risk of demands being filed, and a final risk assessment process was made, divided into five categories. It was found that there is a recurring presence of large cracks due to incorrect bond/connections between brick wall panels. The repair of the most frequent cause of 'Incorrect lock/connection of the panes' was analysed in terms of CO2 emissions. The study of a large number of real cases, such as has been done in this paper, can allow us to advance and define new strategies to significantly minimise future failures, making it difficult for them to reach the usage phase of the building. The access to a type of data source never before used in the world to corroborate the types of damages and causes that occur in partitions (indicating their recurrence and evaluating user dissatisfaction) is unprecedented

Using forensic reports to manage the probability of lawsuits being filed in relation to pitched roofs: the case of Madrid

Roofs are among the construction units in buildings with the highest number of deficiencies and problems. Given their direct and constant exposure to weather (temperature, wind, rain, snow…), even minor issues can lead to important pathology processes if not addressed early on. This research examines unresolved issues of pitched roofs in the capital of Spain which eventually led to the filing of lawsuits. Different types of deficiencies were detected (humidities, condensations, fissures…) and classified according to their recurrence. The thousands of pages of forensic reports presented to the courts were consulted and analysed to determine the probability/risk of recurrence, based on a number of factors. Among them is the causal origin (according to the properties/characteristics of the materials or to the placement/application conditions) and the respective building typologies (single-family houses or multi-storey buildings). The results that were obtained were calculated through weighted risk matrices of the existing interrelations, before determining the levels of joint severity and the classification categories according to the final operational value

Diverging trends of wage inequality in Europe

Since the middle/end of the 2000s wage inequality has increased in some European countries (such as Portugal or the UK) and decreased in others (especially in Hungary and Poland). In this article, we analyse the role of the minimum wage and of workers’ and firms’ observed characteristics behind these diverging trends in wage inequality. Our findings indicate that compositional changes as regards education are a key factor pushing up inequality in the majority of the countries, but particularly in Italy and Portugal. Other factors either contribute to increased or decreased inequality, specifically minimum wage changes, the percentage of nonnative employees and native wage premiums. Minimum wage changes seem to be of crucial importance in Greece, Hungary and Poland. Finally, the presence of nonnatives in the labour market is a key determinant in the UK, but also to some extent in Austria and Hungary

Anomalias em Revestimentos de Argamassa de Cimento Aplicados sobre Paredes de Fachada em Alvenaria de Tijolo Cerâmico

Após a conclusão das empreitadas de construção civil, são cada vez mais as reclamações apresentadas relativas a problemas que surgem à posteriori. A rápida execução dos trabalhos, a falta de mão de obra especializada que associadas a falhos que possam vir do projeto e/ou execução, facilitam que possam ocorrer cada vez mais problemas. Para além destes, também podem surgir outros, que podem ser de carater acidental. Neste trabalho foram recolhidos e analisados todos os processos judiciais apresentados perante a justiça espanhola pelos seus proprietários, por terem alguma anomalia nas suas habitações, entre os anos 2015-2019. Estes processos foram apresentados contra os Diretores de Obra, já que em Espanha os promotores e construtores não têm a obrigação de ter seguros de responsabilidade civil, tentando assim os proprietários que sejam as companhias de seguros destes técnicos, as que paguem os danos das suas habitações. O principal objetivo deste estudo foi o de determinar os tipos e frequência das anomalias observadas nos relatórios periciais, relativamente aos revestimentos de argamassa de cimento aplicados em paredes de fachada em alvenaria de tijolo cerâmico. Durante este período de 5 anos, foram apresentadas 701 reclamações, as quais foram todas analisadas. A recolha destes dados é uma novidade nesta área do conhecimento, já que não existem precedentes em Portugal, em Espanha ou noutros países. De maneira a conseguir analisar todos os casos, foram considerados 6 tipos de anomalias e foram enquadrados nestes, todos os casos identificados. Verificou-se que a metodologia adotada é válida e que pode ser aplicada noutros países que consigam ter acesso a este mesmo tipo de dados