164 research outputs found
Development, Assessment and Evaluation of Remote Thermo-Fluids Laboratory Experiments: Results from a Pilot Study
An integral part of a mechanical engineering and other engineering programs are laboratory experiences. While the benefits of hands-on laboratories are in providing environments for students to apply theoretical knowledge, the changing landscape of engineering education today is spurring consideration of alternate means of offering laboratory-based education. One approach is that of developing remote or online laboratory experiences, which is particularly attractive for our mechanical engineering program at Iowa State University in the following ways: 1) They can help address capacity issues caused by increasing enrollments; 2) They can facilitate online learning opportunities for off-campus students, including the increasing number of students pursuing internship and co-op opportunities, thus enabling offering to new students and potentially minimizing time to degree for in-program students. Offering lab activities online demands modification of current laboratory systems or the creation of new systems. In addition any laboratory experience that is thus delivered must be assessed for its impact on student learning in comparison with the traditional experience. Consequently we have endeavored to pilot selected laboratory experiences in our undergraduate engineering: two laboratory exercises in the Fluids course covering pumps and linear momentum concepts and one exercise in the Heat Transfer course covering steady state conduction and extended surfaces. In each case, a computer-based remote access was established to view and control the experimental apparatuses, thus providing students with a mechanism to conduct the experiments in a remote (online) environment. For each laboratory, part of the class conducted the lab in the traditional in-class format while the remainder conducted the exercises in the âremoteâ mode. Assessment of student learning included student self-assessment of understanding of concepts (through surveys), feedback on the actual experience itself and direct assessment of their understanding through lab report scores as measured by teaching assistants. The results for the fluids and heat transfer laboratories showed that there was no significant difference in the learning of the students. Student perception of the remote lab experiences depended on the smooth running of the experiments. The pilot study suggests that some laboratory experiences can be successfully ported to a remote or online mode without sacrificing the student learning experience
Multidisciplinary and collaborative ecodesign in architecture: an interface for visualising the interconnections between ecodesign practices, from programming to project completion.
LâĂ©tat de lâenvironnement planĂ©taire nâest plus Ă dĂ©montrer. Dâun cĂŽtĂ©, si lâĂ©cologie a acquis la force de lâĂ©vidence, elle est encore aujourdâhui insaisissable et protĂ©iforme. De lâautre cĂŽtĂ©, le dĂ©veloppement durable, par son institutionnalisation et son caractĂšre empreint de scientificitĂ© et dâexpertise, compromet son accessibilitĂ© par tou·te·s. Face Ă lâemballement du changement climatique, le rĂŽle de lâarchitecture est essentiel puisque par essence, elle questionne lâhabitabilitĂ© du monde, la façon dont nous habitons et dont nous voulons habiter le monde dĂšs aujourdâhui.
Ă lâĂ©chelle europĂ©enne, le secteur de la construction est aujourdâhui responsable dâenviron 35% des Ă©missions CO2, il utilise prĂšs de la moitiĂ© des ressources extraites et produit plus de 35% des dĂ©chets. Pour rĂ©duire cet impact environnemental, lâon assiste Ă lâĂ©laboration de nombreux rĂšglements et certifications abordant des critĂšres environnementaux plus ou moins similaires, soutenus par un panel dâoutils grandissant chaque jour. Toutefois, il nây a pas de consensus sur ce quâest une architecture Ă©coresponsable aujourdâhui, bien que la question soit ancienne : au fil des enjeux sociĂ©taux et environnementaux, lâarchitecture est tour Ă tour vernaculaire, vertueuse, bioclimatique, basse Ă©nergie, passive, circulaire et neutre en carbone.
Face aux enjeux environnementaux et sociĂ©taux, lâobjet architectural se complexifie autant que lâacte de concevoir : le processus de conception nâa jamais Ă©tĂ© Ă ce point multidisciplinaire dans lâhistoire de lâarchitecture quâaujourdâhui, encouragĂ© par lâĂ©mergence et le dĂ©veloppement du processus BIM depuis plus dâune dĂ©cennie. Toutefois, les pratiques BIM ont dĂ©laissĂ© le rĂŽle clĂ© de la collaboration en tant que changement culturel et humain, au profit de lâoptimisation technologique des outils, imposĂ©e par les dĂ©veloppeurs de logiciels Ă lâorigine du dĂ©veloppement.
Dâun point de vue environnemental, la conception reprĂ©sente une Ă©tape dĂ©cisive dans les choix architecturaux construits : câest Ă ce moment, dĂšs la programmation et lâidĂ©ation du projet, que se dĂ©cide la portĂ©e des intentions Ă©cologiques et durables qui conduiront Ă lâĂ©coconception du projet. La prĂ©sente thĂšse Ă©tudie le rĂŽle des pratiques numĂ©riques au sein dâune collaboration multidisciplinaire dont le projet est une Ă©coconception systĂ©mique. Cet objectif gĂ©nĂ©ral sous-tend plusieurs questionnements :
* Quelle est lâĂ©coconception architecturale visĂ©e ? quels sont les rĂ©fĂ©rentiels ? comment et quand les parties prenantes collaborent-elles ?
* Les pratiques BIM permettent-elles une Ă©coconception systĂ©mique depuis lâidĂ©ation ?
Pour y rĂ©pondre, la thĂšse sâarticule autour de 3 types de collectes de donnĂ©es
* De diagnostic : un Ă©tat des lieux des pratiques BIM et des pratiques durables par enquĂȘte, auprĂšs de plusieurs profils dâacteur·ice·s europĂ©en·ne·s;
* Dâexploration : dâune part, des entrevues individuelles rĂ©alisĂ©es auprĂšs dâarchitectes wallon·ne·s concernant lâimpact des transitions numĂ©riques et durables dans leurs pratiques, et dâautre part, un focus group en agence concernant les premiers rĂ©cits narratifs de durabilitĂ©;
* DâexpĂ©rimentation : une recherche-action rĂ©alisĂ©e au sein de lâagence partenaire de la thĂšse, avec pour objectif la co-construction dâune Ă©coconception systĂ©mique multidisciplinaire.
Sur base des rĂ©sultats des 3 mĂ©thodes suscitĂ©es, la thĂšse propose un ensemble de pratiques Ă©coconceptuelles. Parmi ces propositions, nous distinguons les changements sociĂ©taux (liĂ©s au contexte externe des entreprises et des agences) des changements de pratiques (liĂ©s au processus dâĂ©coconception). Trois niveaux dâactions sont prĂ©sentĂ©s (i) les dĂ©veloppements dâordre rĂ©glementaire et technique, (ii) le dĂ©veloppement dâune nouvelle reprĂ©sentation des processus dâĂ©coconception multidisciplinaire et collaborative, et (iii) le dĂ©veloppement dâun mĂ©dia dâaccompagnement Ă lâĂ©coconception, assurant le suivi depuis les intentions durables du projet jusquâĂ sa rĂ©alisation.11. Sustainable cities and communitie
School Sustainability Rating Systems: Strengths, Limitations, and Future Prospects
Increased interest in school sustainability has led to the emergence of a variety of rating
systems to assess schools' contributions to sustainability. Such tools should have
substantial potential to contribute to school sustainability efforts but the few studies
completed to date suggest limited impacts. This paper asks whether weaknesses in the
design and governance of school sustainability rating systems (SSRSs) may be to blame
for the limited evidence of impact. Specifically, it reviews the extent to which 32
existing SSRSs have the following desirable characteristics: accountability mechanisms,
comprehensive scope, multiple levels of achievement, open governance processes,
performance-focused criteria, public reporting, and transparent criteria.
Results show that most SSRSs have transparent criteria and offer multiple levels of
recognition, but they also tend to have weak or non-existent accountability mechanisms,
limited topical scope, closed governance processes, criteria that focus on strategies rather
than performance, and minimal public reporting. Consolidation of SSRSs may help
remedy these weaknesses by increasing capacity for managing an effective SSRS,
improving brand recognition, facilitating benchmarking, and reducing duplication of
effort within the school sustainability community.Master of ScienceNatural Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90923/1/School sustainability rating systems Strengths, limitations, and future prospects - final.pd
International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis
Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICARâRS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICARâRSâ2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidenceâbased findings of the document. Methods: ICARâRS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidenceâbased reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidenceâbased reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICARâRSâ2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidenceâbased management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICARâRSâ2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidenceâbased recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS
Ecoconception et pratiques BIM : analyses, limites et perspectives pour des médias d'assistance à l'écoconception collaboratifs et multidisciplinaires
peer reviewedEnvisager des pratiques BIM et durables nĂ©cessite de questionner les rĂ©fĂ©rentiels quâelles visent et de se pencher sur lâĂ©tat des pratiques architecturales. Le contexte de lâarchitecture est aujourdâhui complexe et doit faire face conjointement Ă une forte industrialisation, au changement climatique et Ă la multidisciplinarisation des processus. Dans ce contexte, nous interrogeons dâabord ce qui diffĂ©rencie la conception de lâĂ©coconception architecturale. Nous rĂ©alisons ensuite une Ă©tude des outils et mĂ©dias dâaide Ă lâĂ©coconception (MAEc) Ă travers les typologies et les usages. Cinq mĂ©dias dâassistance Ă lâĂ©coconception sont analysĂ©s en dĂ©tail. Les limites de ces MAEc nous conduisent Ă questionner le BIM en tant que travail collaboratif. Nous dressons un Ă©tat du BIM et des enjeux durables Ă travers les dimensions du BIM, dâune part, et sur base de pratiques dâexperts issues dâune revue de littĂ©rature systĂ©matique, dâautre part. Lâarticle se termine sur des perspectives de recherche dâĂ©coconception multidisciplinaire aux pratiques BIM.11. Sustainable cities and communitie
- âŠ