Eficiència energètica en edificis d'ús docent en la ciutat mediterrània. Cas a estudi, ciutat de Barcelona

Based on the experience gained during more than 10 years working on energy efficiency in public buildings of various uses, this thesis develops a methodology for intervention in school buildings. The aims were to define the key indicators for identifying opportunities for savings; to assess possible measures for reducing consumption by limiting demand and improving the efficiency of the systems; to analyse and highlight the role played by each of the actors involved in the strategies of use and management of school buildings; and to establish the key criteria for carrying out future energy rehabilitation projects. Chapter 1, Prologue, presents the principles on which the thesis is based. Chapter 2, Presentation of the research, defines the overall objectives: to establish a methodology for analysing the stock of built schools; to identify the tools for making key decisions on energy; and to propose and validate a methodology for intervention regarding energy. It also defines the specific objectives: to identify and define indicators of energy efficiency; to characterise the stock of built schools and consider opportunities for improvement; to consider energy rehabilitation as a priority; to assess school buildings in terms of energy; to establish the strategic lines of action; to promote the objective of reducing consumption; and to identify and demonstrate opportunities for improvement. Finally, the hypothesis is put forward. Chapter 3, Background, frames the thesis within the map of strategies developed by the various government entities and public authorities; it identifies the organisations and regulatory documents and the EU directives; it studies the energy situation in Catalonia and in Barcelona in particular; it analyses the various plans for improving energy; and, finally, it identifies strategies aimed at public buildings and in particular at schools. Chapter 4, State of the art, presents the references of large-scale European experiences consulted, divided into themes: how the stock of schools is analysed using different strategies and methods, and how these are characterised; which parameters are considered; which factors are inevitable; who manages school buildings and how; and how the lines of intervention are established and evaluated economically and environmentally. Chapter 5, Research methodology, presents the work done prior to the writing of the thesis and presents the methodology of analysis used to evaluate the school buildings under study. It specifies how the sample was identified, how the problems were diagnosed, how the buildings were assessed in terms of energy, the parameters of comfort and the resource management. Finally, it identifies the key indicators used to obtain the research results. Chapter 6, Results, presents the exploratory analysis of general data and of the buildings, which were subjected to a detailed study and a multivariate analysis using the indicators identified in the methodology, and a multiple regression analysis of the results which validated the research arguments. Finally, Chapter 7, Conclusions, first states that the general and specific objectives stated at the beginning of the research project have been fulfilled and argues that the hypothesis is valid. It then presents the final results of the research, which could and should be used by authorities responsible for school building management to design intervention strategies for existing buildings regarding energy and environment. Finally, it suggests future lines of research that should be implemented to solve some of the current sustainability challenges related to construction and the associated energy consumption.A partir de l'experiència adquirida durant més de 10 anys treballant en eficiència energètica en edificis públics d'usos diversos, es planteja la present tesi, en la qual es desenvolupa una metodologia d'intervenció en edificis docents que permet: definir els indicadors clau per identificar les oportunitats d'estalvi en els edificis; avaluar les possibles mesures de reducció de consums a partir de la limitació de la demanda i de la millora de l'eficiència dels sistemes; analitzar i donar pes al paper de cadascun dels actors que intervenen en les estratègies d'ús i gestió dels edificis escolars, i establir els criteris clau que cal considerar per realitzar les futures intervencions de rehabilitació energètica. En el capítol 1, 'Pròleg', s'hi presenten els principis sobre els qual es fonamenta aquesta tesi. En el capítol 2, 'Presentació de la investigació', se'n defineixen els objectius generals: establir una metodologia d'anàlisi del parc escolar edificat; conèixer les eines per a la presa de decisions en clau energètica, i proposar una metodologia d'intervenció en clau energètica i validar-la. Se'n defineixen també els objectius específics: identificar i definir els indicadors d'eficiència energètica; caracteritzar el parc escolar edificat i albirar les oportunitats de millora; considerar la rehabilitació energètica com a prioritat; avaluar els edificis escolars en clau energètica; establir les línies estratègiques d'actuació; potenciar l'objectiu de la reducció dels consums, i identificar i mostrar les oportunitats de millora. Finalment es planteja la hipòtesi. El capítol 3, 'Antecedents', emmarca la tesi en el mapa d'estratègies desenvolupades per les diferents entitats de govern i ens de l'Administració; s'identifiquen els organismes i els documents normatius i les directives europees; s'estudia la situació energètica a Catalunya i en concret a Barcelona; s'analitzen els diferents plans de millora energètica, i finalment s'identifiquen les estratègies dirigides als edificis públics i, en concret, als centres escolars. Dins el capítol 4, 'Estat de la qüestió', s'hi poden trobar, endreçades temàticament, les referències consultades d'experiències europees a gran escala: com s'analitza el parc escolar a partir de diferents estratègies i mètodes, com es caracteritzen, quins paràmetres es consideren, quins condicionants són inevitables, qui gestiona i com els edificis escolars, com s'estableixen línies d'intervenció i com s'avaluen econòmica i ambientalment. En el capítol 5, 'Metodologia de la recerca', es presenta el recorregut previ a l'elaboració de la tesi i es presenta la metodologia d'anàlisi utilitzada per a l'avaluació dels edificis escolars objecte d'estudi. S'especifica com s'ha identificat la mostra, com s'han diagnosticat els problemes, com s'han avaluat energèticament els edificis, els paràmetres de confort i la gestió dels recursos, i, finalment, s'han identificat els indicadors clau que s'utilitzaran per a l'obtenció dels resultats de la recerca. Per al capítol 6, 'Resultats', s'ha fet ús de l'anàlisi exploratòria de dades generals i dels edificis objecte d'estudi de detall, i s'ha fet una anàlisi multivariable a partir dels indicadors identificats en la metodologia i una anàlisi dels resultats a partir de la regressió múltiple, que ha permès validar l'argumentari de la recerca. Finalment, el capítol 7, 'Conclusions', presenta un primer cos en el qual es verifica el compliment dels objectius generals i específics plantejats a l'inici de la recerca i s'argumenta la validesa de la hipòtesi. En un segon apartat es conclouen els resultats de la recerca, que podrien i haurien de servir, a les administracions gestores del parc escolar edificat, en el disseny d'estratègies d'intervenció en edificació existent, en clau energètica i ambiental. També s'albiren les futures línies de recerca que s'haurien d'implementar per resoldre alguns dels actuals reptes quant a sostenibilitat

Estudio observacional del gasto farmacéutico en población inmigrante y autóctona de la región sanitaria de Lleida (Cataluña)

ResumenObjetivosAnalizar si hay diferencias en el gasto farmacéutico entre inmigrantes y autóctonos en la población general y si el ámbito de residencia (urbano/rural) está asociado al gasto en farmacia.DiseñoEstudio observacional transversal.EmplazamientoRegión Sanitaria Lleida.ParticipantesSe estudiaron 22.847 inmigrantes y 174.768 autóctonos de 15 a 64 años de edad, residentes en la Región Sanitaria Lleida.Mediciones principalesGasto en farmacia durante el año 2007, variables demográficas, zona de procedencia y área de residencia (urbana/rural).ResultadosEn todos los grupos terapéuticos, los individuos autóctonos gastaron más que los inmigrantes. En los hombres, la ratio de riesgo relativo de estar en el cuartil superior de gasto era de 3,2 (ICntervalo de confianza [IC] 95%: 2,96–3,44) en autóctonos respecto a inmigrantes y en las mujeres era de 2,1 (IC 95%: 1,97–2,27). Los inmigrantes de Europa del Este eran los que tenían un riesgo inferior de realizar gasto farmacéutico elevado (último cuartil), con diferencias estadísticamente significativas. Los residentes en el medio rural tenían riesgo superior de realizar gasto farmacéutico elevado respecto a los residentes en el medio urbano.ConclusiónSe observaron desigualdades en el gasto en medicamentos entre inmigrantes y autóctonos. Futuros estudios, cualitativos o mixtos, deberían indagar qué factores se asocian a estas diferencias y proponer acciones dirigidas a reducirlas.AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate whether there are differences in drug spending between immigrant and Spanish-born populations and to assess whether drug consumption is associated with living environment (urban/rural).DesignObservational cross-sectional study.SettingLleida Health Region (LHR).Participants22,847 immigrants and 174,768 native born subjects, aged 15 to 64 years, residing in the LHR.Main measurementsDrug spending during the year 2007, demographical variables, region of origin and residence area (urban/rural).ResultsNative-born subjects spent more in all therapeutic drug groups than immigrants. In men, the relative risk ratio (RRR) of being in the highest quartile of expenditure was 3.2 (95% CI: 2.96–3.44) for native born versus immigrant and in women it was 2.1 (95% CI: 1.97–2.27). Immigrants from eastern Europe had the lowest risk of being in the highest quartile of expenditure, with statistically significant differences. Residents in the rural environment were more likely to have a higher pharmaceutical consumption than residents in the urban environment.ConclusionInequalities in drug spending were observed between immigrants and native born subjects. Further studies, either qualitative or mixed, should explore which factors are related to these differences and propose strategies addressed to reducing them

WETWALL - an innovative design concept for the treatment of wastewater at an urban scale

Rising temperatures, increasing food demand and scarcity of water and land resources highlight the importance of promoting the sustainable expansion of agriculture to our urban environment, while preserving water resources. Treating urban wastewaters, such as greywater and hydroponic wastewater, may represent a strategic point for the implementation of urban farming, ensuring food security, reducing pressures on water resources and promoting climate change mitigation. The WETWALL design concept proposes a unique ecotechnology for secondary wastewater treatment at an urban scale, which brings the novelty of a modular living wall hybrid flow. This concept is based on the integration of two established nature-based solutions/ecomimetic designs: constructed wetlands and a modular living walls. First presented is an overview about the state of the art in the scope of living walls treating wastewater, in order to identify the main design aspects related to the performance of such systems, which mainly concerns the removal of nitrates and phosphates. Second, the WETWALL design concept is presented. A scheme regarding the selection of the main components, such as plants and substrate, is proposed, and potential structure developments and operation strategies are discussed. In addition, considering the scope of integrating the circular economy with the design process, potential interactions between this technology and the urban environment are discussed. The main goal of this article is to substantiate the potential of the WETWALL design concept as an innovative wastewater treatment at an urban scale.Biggest thanks to the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development – Brazil (CNPQ), for their financial support (doctoral fellowship). The authors also would like to thank the UNESCO Chair on Sustainability of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Spain), the Aarhus University (Denmark) and the research groups GREA (2014 SGR 123), DIOPMA (2014 SGR 1543) and GICITED (2014 SGR 1298)

Occurrence and dietary intake of food processing contaminants (FPCs) in Catalonia, Spain

Altres ajuts: Agència Catalana de Seguretat Alimentària (ACSA), Department de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya.Food processing contaminants (FPCs) form a wide group of chemicals that are generated during different cooking practices. This study was aimed at determining the levels of a number of FPCs (i.e., acrylamide, furans, monochloropropanediols (MCPDs) and glycidyl esters (GEs)) in foodstuffs purchased in Catalonia (Spain), and assessing the human exposure for different population groups. The dietary intake of acrylamide for the adult population was estimated in 2.91 μg/day, while that of furan, 2-methylfurans and 3-methylfurans was 4.32, 7.35 and 0.439 μg/day, respectively. Finally, the exposure to 3-MCPD, 2-MCPD, 3-MCPD esters, 2-MCPD esters and GEs through food consumption was estimated in 0.657, 0.529, 10.7, 5.15 and 8.81 μg/day, respectively. The risk assessment showed that there is a health concern for developing neoplastic effects derived from the intake of acrylamide for all the population groups. In addition, toddlers and infants would exceed the threshold values of 3-MCDP and GEs. The global analysis of these results indicates that a special attention should be paid to the youngest population groups in Catalonia, reinforcing the need of conducting periodical monitoring studies and developing policy measures, especially focused on foodstuffs highly consumed by toddlers, infants and children

Why it's so hard? Exploring social barriers for the deployment of thermal energy storage in Spanish buildings

Thermal energy storage (TES) has been a prominent topic of scientific and industrial research for the last decades as TES increases efficiency, reliability and economic feasibility of solar energy systems. As a result, several TES technologies are today feasible and competitive from the scientific-technical, sustainable and economic point of view. However, the social awareness and acceptance of TES has not followed such a development, as it is hindered by socio-cultural and legal aspects to be considered for their broader implementation. The main objective of this paper is to analyse social and cultural barriers to TES adoption in the Spanish context. For this proposal, we use quantitative and qualitative data provided from professionals and experts of the building sector. The economic crisis of 2008 and the poor condition of the existing building stock prevent the adoption of extensive retrofitting measures including energy efficiency solutions such as TES. Beyond economical and technical barriers, social factors were highlighted. TES is regarded as an emerging market in Mediterranean climates such as Spain. The lack of expertise of professionals hinders the transmission of TES benefits to occupants. Besides, good practices are poorly disseminated and professionals are suspicious of the long term performance of such technologies

WETWALL - an innovative design concept for the treatment of wastewater at an urban scale

Rising temperatures, increasing food demand and scarcity of water and land resources highlight the importance of promoting the sustainable expansion of agriculture to our urban environment, while preserving water resources. Treating urban wastewaters, such as greywater and hydroponic wastewater, may represent a strategic point for the implementation of urban farming, ensuring food security, reducing pressures on water resources and promoting climate change mitigation. The WETWALL design concept proposes a unique ecotechnology for secondary wastewater treatment at an urban scale, which brings the novelty of a modular living wall hybrid flow. This concept is based on the integration of two established nature-based solutions/ecomimetic designs: constructed wetlands and a modular living walls. First presented is an overview about the state of the art in the scope of living walls treating wastewater, in order to identify the main design aspects related to the performance of such systems, which mainly concerns the removal of nitrates and phosphates. Second, the WETWALL design concept is presented. A scheme regarding the selection of the main components, such as plants and substrate, is proposed, and potential structure developments and operation strategies are discussed. In addition, considering the scope of integrating the circular economy with the design process, potential interactions between this technology and the urban environment are discussed. The main goal of this article is to substantiate the potential of the WETWALL design concept as an innovative wastewater treatment at an urban scale

Case-control genome-wide association study of persistent attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder identifies FBXO33 as a novel susceptibility gene for the disorder

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with high heritability. At least 30% of patients diagnosed in childhood continue to suffer from ADHD during adulthood and genetic risk factors may play an essential role in the persistence of the disorder throughout lifespan. To date, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of ADHD have been completed in seven independent datasets, six of which were pediatric samples and one on persistent ADHD using a DNA-pooling strategy, but none of them reported genome-wide significant associations. In an attempt to unravel novel genes for the persistence of ADHD into adulthood, we conducted the first two-stage GWAS in adults with ADHD. The discovery sample included 607 ADHD cases and 584 controls. Top signals were subsequently tested for replication in three independent follow-up samples of 2104 ADHD patients and 1901 controls. None of the findings exceeded the genome-wide threshold for significance (PGC<5e-08), but we found evidence for the involvement of the FBXO33 (F-box only protein 33) gene in combined ADHD in the discovery sample (P=9.02e-07) and in the joint analysis of both stages (P=9.7e-03). Additional evidence for a FBXO33 role in ADHD was found through gene-wise and pathway enrichment analyses in our genomic study. Risk alleles were associated with lower FBXO33 expression in lymphoblastoid cell lines and with reduced frontal gray matter volume in a sample of 1300 adult subjects. Our findings point for the first time at the ubiquitination machinery as a new disease mechanism for adult ADHD and establish a rationale for searching for additional risk variants in ubiquitination-related genes