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Development of a Rooftop Collaborative Experimental Space through Experiential Learning Projects
The Solar, Water, Energy, and Thermal Laboratory
(SWEAT Lab) is a rooftop experimental space at the
University of Texas at Austin built by graduate and
undergraduate students in the Cockrell School of
Engineering. The project was funded by the Texas State
Energy Conservation Office and the Universityâs Green
Fee Grant, a competitive grant program funded by UT
Austin tuition fees to support sustainability-related projects
and initiatives on campus. The SWEAT Lab is an on-going
experiential learning facility that enables engineering
education by deploying energy and water-related projects.
To date, the lab contains a full weather station tracking
weather data, a rainwater harvesting system and rooftop
garden.
This project presented many opportunities for students to
learn first hand about unique engineering challenges. The
lab is located on the roof of the 10 story Engineering
Teaching Center (ETC) building, so students had to design
and build systems with constraints such as weight
limitations and wind resistance. Students also gained
experience working with building facilities and
management for structural additions, power, and internet
connection for instruments.
With the Birdâs eye view of UT Austin campus, this unique
laboratory offers a new perspective and dimension to
applied student research projects at UT Austin.Cockrell School of Engineerin
Capacity Building for Lavumisa Irrigation Development Project: process documentation
Water resource management / Multiple use / Project planning / Project management / Stakeholders / Agricultural cooperatives / Participatory management / Sugarcane / Irrigated farming / Water supply / Drinking water / Sanitation / Swaziland / Maplotini / Lavumisa Irrigation Development Project
Adaptation options for agricultural cultivation systems in the South Central Coast under the context of climate change: Assessment Report.
This report highlights the results of consultation meetings and field visits organized by the Department of Crop Production and the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in Southeast Asia in association with the three offices of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in the South Central Coast provinces of Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, and Khanh Hoa, in combination with consultation with the provinces in the conference: âSumming up crops production in the Winter-Spring season in 2018-2019, implementing the Summer-Autumn season, Main rice season in 2019 for the South Central Coast and the Central Highlandsâ held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Tam Ky City, Quang Nam Province on 12 April 2019. The meetings underlined the progress made by the provinces on climate change adaptation and mitigation, options for risk reductions in agricultural production, and conversion of crop structure as results of implementing the guidelines of the provinces and the Sector, especially, solutions for reservation and efficient and economic use of water under the context of climate change. This assessment report also reviews some issues related to the agricultural transformation of the region in adapting to risks caused by climate change. They are based on comparative advantages in terms of geographical location and market of key agricultural products. This report also points out shortcomings in using land and unreasonable points in managing and using important natural resources, especially water, and provides recommendations for the agricultural transformation and inter-regional connection with the Central Highlands and the Southeast. The team also introduces climate-related risks maps and adaptation plans (CS MAP) which is applied in the five provinces in the Mekong Delta Region, and hopes this solutionâs expansion shall be supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the provinces
The Seedling Sanctuary: Automated Cold Frame for Gardner Elementary
The purpose of this report is to provide the details of the Seedling Sanctuary, a mechanical engineering senior design project. The project in question is an automated cold frame designed specifically for Gardner Academy, a local elementary school in San Jose. A cold frame is a miniature greenhouse that opens like a chest and is made from clear plastic. Automated ventilation and watering systems create a microclimate within this greenhouse structure to create the ideal growing conditions for seeds. The main purposes of the cold frame are to lengthen the growing season, be maintenance free, and enhance garden education. From testing, the project goals were verified to have been achieved through several performance metrics. First, the systemâs ability to lengthen the growing season is dependent on germinating seedlings that can be planted earlier in the season. The automated system maintained the seedlings at the proper soil moisture levels to grow. The system also implemented passive temperature control systems to maintain the plants in ideal conditions. With the ventilation and thermal mass, the system is able to be cooler at the hottest times of day and warmer at night than unprotected plants. The system has also successfully automated the care of the seedlings, achieving our goal of being maintenance free. Finally, the enhancement of garden education was incorporated through community engagement with the design and building of the cold frame, as well as the Bluetooth application which will be used in the school curriculum
A livelihoods study of fishers and farmers in Thai Nguyen Province
This is the report of a livelihoods study team working together with members of two communes in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. The study is based on information provided by the commune members, who shared their knowledge and spoke about real problems they face with their livelihoods.
The study was conducted from 10-30 October 2001. The team worked with key informants in two communes, Dan Tien in Vo Nhia District and Phuong Tien in Dinh Hoa District, who participated in discussions and represented households in the commune. The livelihoods studies in Dan Tien and Phuong Tien communes explored existing human, labor and
natural resources as well as other factors affecting peopleâs livelihoods. (PDF contains 32 pages
Annual Report: 2010-11
I submit herewith the annual reports from the Agricultural and Forestry
Experiment Station, School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences,
University of Alaska Fairbanks, for the period ending December 31, 2011.
This is done in accordance with an act of Congress, approved March 2, 1887,
entitled, âAn act to establish agricultural experiment stations, in connection
with the agricultural college established in the several states under the
provisions of an act approved July 2, 1862, and under the acts supplementary
thereto,â and also of the act of the Alaska Territorial Legislature, approved
March 12, 1935, accepting the provisions of the act of Congress.
The research reports are organized according to our strategic plan, which
focuses on high-latitude soils, high-latitude agriculture, natural resources
use and allocation, ecosystems management, and geographic information.
These areas cross department and unit lines, linking them and unifying the
research. We have also included in our financial statement information on the
special grants we receive. These special grants allow us to provide research and
outreach that is targeted toward economic development in Alaska. Research
conducted by our graduate and undergraduate students plays an important
role in these grants and the impact they make on Alaska.Financial statements -- Grants -- Students -- Research at SNRAS & AFES: Partners & Collaborators; Programs; Research Sites & Facilities; Research Highlights 2010; Research Highlights 2011 -- Publications -- Facult
Perceptions and Acceptance of Desalinated Seawater for Irrigation: A Case Study in the NĂjar District (Southeast Spain)
In the context of increasing demand for irrigation waterâbut, at the same time, with the constraints in the supply from traditional resourcesâdesalinated seawater has been recognized as one of the alternative sources of water to increase the supply for agricultural irrigation. However, its use among farmers has not yet started to expand. Policy makers need to understand what is causing the low acceptance levels of farmers, and how their attitudes could be improved. This is the first study that has conducted an analysis of farmersâ perceptions and acceptance of the use of desalinated seawater for irrigation. The study is based on collected data from a survey completed by farmers in southeastern Spain who do not use desalinated seawater. The main results indicate that desalinated seawater as a water supply source has the lowest acceptance level for farmers. Barriers for its use are price, the need for additional fertilization, and the perception that it would negatively affect the yield and crop quality. The farmersâ general level of knowledge about the impact of using desalinated seawater in agriculture is extremely low. Furthermore, farmers consider it a priority that their startup investment should be subsidized and that water prices should be reduced. Based on the study findings, this paper makes recommendations for the decision-making process in order to improve farmersâ acceptance levels
The nature of small-scale farmer managed irrigation systems in North West Province, Sri Lanka and potential for aquaculture
RRAs were carried out in two Small Tank Cascade systems (STCs) of North West Province, Sri Lanka (less than 1000 ha total watershed area). A total of 21 tanks and 7 villages were investigated with primary emphasis on two upper watershed communities. The two systems differ primarily in their resource base; namely rainfall, natural forests and proximity to large scale perennial irrigation resources. [PDF contains 86 pages
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