Geothermal Energy: Delivering on the Global Potential

After decades of being largely the preserve of countries in volcanic regions, the use of geothermal energy—for both heat and power applications—is now expanding worldwide. This reflects its excellent low-carbon credentials and its ability to offer baseload and dispatchable output - rare amongst the mainstream renewables. Yet uptake of geothermal still lags behind that of solar and wind, principally because of (i) uncertainties over resource availability in poorly-explored reservoirs and (ii) the concentration of full-lifetime costs into early-stage capital expenditure (capex). Recent advances in reservoir characterization techniques are beginning to narrow the bounds of exploration uncertainty, both by improving estimates of reservoir geometry and properties, and by providing pre-drilling estimates of temperature at depth. Advances in drilling technologies and management have potential to significantly lower initial capex, while operating expenditure is being further reduced by more effective reservoir management — supported by robust mathematical models — and increasingly efficient energy conversion systems (flash, binary and combined-heat-and-power). Advances in characterization and modelling are also improving management of shallow low-enthalpy resources that can only be exploited using heat-pump technology. Taken together with increased public appreciation of the benefits of geothermal, the technology is finally ready to take its place as a mainstream renewable technology, This book draws together some of the latest developments in concepts and technology that are enabling the growing realisation of the global potential of geothermal energy in all its manifestations.After decades of being largely the preserve of countries in volcanic regions, the use of geothermal energy—for both heat and power applications—is now expanding worldwide. This reflects its excellent low-carbon credentials and its ability to offer baseload and dispatchable output - rare amongst the mainstream renewables. Yet uptake of geothermal still lags behind that of solar and wind, principally because of (i) uncertainties over resource availability in poorly-explored reservoirs and (ii) the concentration of full-lifetime costs into early-stage capital expenditure (capex). Recent advances in reservoir characterization techniques are beginning to narrow the bounds of exploration uncertainty, both by improving estimates of reservoir geometry and properties, and by providing pre-drilling estimates of temperature at depth. Advances in drilling technologies and management have potential to significantly lower initial capex, while operating expenditure is being further reduced by more effective reservoir management — supported by robust mathematical models — and increasingly efficient energy conversion systems (flash, binary and combined-heat-and-power). Advances in characterization and modelling are also improving management of shallow low-enthalpy resources that can only be exploited using heat-pump technology. Taken together with increased public appreciation of the benefits of geothermal, the technology is finally ready to take its place as a mainstream renewable technology

The implementation of building information modeling (BIM) towards sustainable construction industry in Egypt The pre-construction phase

Global environmental changes, energy consumption, and the scarcity of water have all imposed the need to implement sustainable development strategies worldwide. The construction industry and its healthy practices are not exception, as it should take more strides to alleviate harmful impacts of unsustainable construction practices on the built environment. Sustainable construction has many aspects such as passive design, selection of the appropriate materials and construction techniques, energy efficient systems, and water conservation. In Egypt, current situation regarding energy consumption, accelerated urbanization, and high pollution rates are urging the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) professionals to convert current conventional construction approaches into more sustainable ones. One of the useful in this regard is to capitalize on technological innovative means to narrow the gap and advance the sustainable green construction mission. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a relatively recent technology within the construction industry that, when properly introduced, can help in providing adequate project quality, accurate time and quantity take-offs schedules, and project costs reduction. For instance, this tool can result in more efficient design practices, which contribute to reducing waste generation, energy consumption and promote passive design strategies. This study aims at analyzing the impact of BIM implementation on the sustainable construction practices and assessing current BIM implementation trends during the design process phase in the AEC industry. In principle, the study tackles BIM adoption situation factors of influencing and the barriers, and opportunities confronting its implementation within the Egyptian consultancy firms. Building on the literature review, this study discusses the sustainable design and constructability concepts in the construction industry and the manner by which BIM can be effectively utilized the pre-construction phase. Furthermore, the study describes the BIM implementation obstacles, success factors, and the role of government and other stakeholders in adopting BIM for achieving sustainable construction industry. To meet this objective, interviews were conducted with BIM users and experts to investigate the BIM implementation situation in the Egyptian consultancy firms and needed actions for successful BIM adoption in the Egyptian construction market. The academic knowledge with the interviews provide the researcher with the base to articulate the ideas and develops the discussion to figure out the critical issues regarding BIM adoption in Egypt. In this manner, the research provides some recommendations for successful BIM adoption in the Egyptian construction industry. In addition, the study recommended adopting BIM as the technological pillar towards sustainable construction industry in the country\u27s 2030 sustainable development strategy. The research also encourages the collaboration between the construction industry stakeholders to set a roadmap for adopting BIM in the Egyptian construction industry. Finally, build on the literature and the experts\u27 opinions, the research recommended practical actions for the industry players to ensure a successful transition towards BIM implementation

Energy Use Efficiency

Energy is one of the most important factors of production. Its efficient use is crucial for ensuring production and environmental quality. Unlike normal goods with supply management, energy is demand managed. Efficient energy use—or energy efficiency—aims to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services. Energy use efficiency can be achieved in situations such as housing, offices, industrial production, transport and agriculture as well as in public lighting and services. The use of energy can be reduced by using technology that is energy saving. This Special Issue is a collection of research on energy use efficiency

Ontologies and datasets for energy measurement and validation interoperability

birov2015aInternational audienceThis document presents a final report of the work carried out as part of work package 3 of theREADY4SmartCities project, whose goal it is to identify the knowledge and data resources that supportinteroperability for energy measurement and validation. The document is divided into two parts

Renewable Energy

This book discusses renewable energy resources and systems as well as energy efficiency. It contains twenty-three chapters over six sections that address a multitude of renewable energy types, including solar and photovoltaic, biomass, hydroelectric, and geothermal. The information presented herein is a scientific contribution to energy and environmental regulations, quality and efficiency of energy services, energy supply security, energy market-based approaches, government interventions, and the spread of technological innovation

Divergence in Architectural Research

ConCave Ph.D. Symposium 2020: Divergence in Architectural Research, March 5-6, 2020, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA.The essays in this volume have come together under the theme “Divergence in Architectural Research” and present a snapshot of Ph.D. research being conducted in over thirty architectural research institutions, representing fourteen countries around the world. These essays also provide a window into the presentations and discussions that took place March 5-6, 2020, during the ConCave Ph.D. Symposium “Divergence in Architectural Research,” under the auspices of the School of Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology, in Atlanta, Georgia. On a preliminary reading, the essays respond to the call of divergence by doing just that; they present the great diversity of research topics, methodologies, and practices currently found under the umbrella of “architectural research.” They inform inquiry within architectural programs and across disciplinary concentrations, and also point to the ways that the academy, research methodologies, and the design profession are evolving and encroaching upon one another, with the unspoken hope of encouraging new relationships, reconfiguring previous assumptions about the discipline, and interweaving research and practice

Library buildings around the world

"Library Buildings around the World" is a survey based on researches of several years. The objective was to gather library buildings on an international level starting with 1990

International project teams as innovation hubs: power and politics in the knowledge change process

The aim of this investigation is to understand how international project teams enable mature multinational enterprises (MNEs) to cope with knowledge diversity and political activity, two well-known disruptive organizational phenomena, in order to leverage their innovative potential and competitive capabilities. To answer this question a longitudinal multi-case study has been designed to collect in-depth qualitative data from three large-scale international projects conducted by a focal MNE and an array of its subsidiaries. In a dialectic way, data collected has been used both to enhance the dynamic knowledge change framework provided by contemporary sociology and to explain the complex mechanisms that make international project teams an increasingly used organizational tool. As a result, knowledge change (and thus innovation) has been found to hinge on a dynamic balance between power and politics which is favored by conditions that are inherent to these organizational settings. Finally, a model describing the mechanisms that enable international project teams to drive knowledge diversity and political activity towards innovation and knowledge change within MNEs has been developed.L'objectiu d'aquesta investigació és entendre com els equips de projectes internacionals permeten a les empreses multinacionals madures fer front a la diversitat de coneixements i l'activitat política, dues reconegudes fonts de problemes organitzacionals, amb la finalitat de potenciar les seves capacitats d'innovació i potencial competitiu . Per respondre a aquesta pregunta un estudi longitudinal embolicant casos múltiples s'ha desenvolupat per recollir dades qualitatives en profunditat des de tres grans projectes internacionals a càrrec d'una empresa multinacional focal i una gran varietat de les seves filials. D'una manera dialèctica, les dades recollides han estat utilitzats tant per millorar el marc del canvi dinàmic del coneixement proposat per la sociologia contemporània i explicar els complexos mecanismes que fan que els equips de projectes internacionals en una eina cada vegada més utilitzada per aquestes organitzacions. Com a resultat, es mostra que el canvi d'un determinat coneixement depèn d'un equilibri dinàmic entre poder i política afavorit per les condicions que són inherents a aquests formats organitzacionals. Finalment, es desenvolupa un model que detalla els mecanismes que permeten als equips de projectes internacionals impulsar la diversitat de coneixements i l'activitat política cap a la innovació i el canvi del coneixement dins de les empreses multinacionals madures.El objetivo de esta investigación es entender cómo los equipos de proyectos internacionales permiten a las empresas multinacionales maduras hacer frente a la diversidad de conocimientos y la actividad política, dos reconocidas fuentes de problemas organizacionales, con el fin de potenciar sus capacidades de innovación y potencial competitivo. Para responder a esta pregunta un estudio longitudinal envolviendo casos múltiplos se ha desarrollado para recoger datos cualitativos en profundidad desde tres grandes proyectos internacionales a cargo de una empresa multinacional focal y una gran variedad de sus filiales. De una manera dialéctica, los datos recogidos han sido utilizados tanto para mejorar el marco del cambio dinámico del conocimiento propuesto por la sociología contemporánea y explicar los complejos mecanismos que hacen que los equipos de proyectos internacionales en una herramienta cada vez más utilizada por estas organizaciones. Como resultado, se muestra que el cambio de un determinado conocimiento depende de un equilibrio dinámico entre poder y política favorecido por las condiciones que son inherentes a estos formatos organizacionales. Por fin, se desarrolla un modelo que detalla los mecanismos que permiten a los equipos de proyectos internacionales impulsar la diversidad de conocimientos y la actividad política hacia la innovación y el cambio del conocimiento dentro de las empresas multinacionales maduras