To what extent can non-price/income instruments influence the demand for energy?

The demand for energy is not simply a function of price and income, but can be shown also to be a function also of the underlying energy demand trend (UEDT). The UEDT captures behavioural responses to non-fiscal instruments, including technological change, but also encapsulating attitudinal responses/changes in demand that might result for instance from increased public awareness of how environmentally damaging energy use can be, hence reflecting underlying consumer preferences. This study estimates a longitudinal econometric model for the aggregate demand functions of a sample of 17 OECD countries for the period 1960-2005. This approach to modelling will enable UEDT’s to be observed for each of the countries, as well as the normal price and income elasticities. The model results will provide an indication of the extent to which price/income based instruments can be used to reduce the demand for energy, as well as indicating the extent to which consumers have responded to non-price/income instruments.OECD Aggregate energy demand; Asymmetry; Exogenous non-economic factors.

Facilities improvement for sustainability of existing public office buildings in Nigeria

The study examined the building design features of a cosmopolitan public office building in Abuja. The features were classified into Spatial Plan, Structure and Facilities, to determine which of the 3 variables requires urgent sustainable improvement from end-users' perspective in existing public office buildings in developing countries. A quantitative approach was adopted while the research strategy involved survey and direct observation. Post-Occupancy Evaluation was used to collect the survey data on a massive public office building in Nigeria, which reflected the quota system and federal character of the nation, as study area. A total of 339 useable questionnaires were retrieved from the respondents, and the analysis conducted revealed that facilities requires the most urgent improvement for sustainability. It was therefore recommended that facilities should be given priority for successful sustainable improvement of public office buildings above other design features

Ascertaining the Transfer of Facility Management Knowledge to the Development of New Students' Residential Colleges in UTHM Malaysia

Facility management (FM) knowledge has been deemed beneficial because it arises from the use and operation of buildings. Transferring the knowledge from old buildings to new ones will ensure that maintenance problems which occur as a result of poor design decisions will be avoided. Despite the numerous benefits that stem from the transfer of FM knowledge, existing literature has revealed that FM knowledge is rarely included in the design of new buildings. To combat this, a typology was created to identify mechanisms needed for the transfer of FM knowledge to new buildings. This study adopted this typology to ascertain the transfer of FM knowledge to new students' residential colleges in UTHM Malaysia. The qualitative case study design was used to obtain data by interviewing selected individuals that played key roles in the development of the new students' residential colleges in UTHM. When compared to the old students' residential colleges, study findings revealed a decline in the transfer FM knowledge to new students' residential colleges. This was basically as a result of the fact that the new students' residential colleges were built by private developers. Problems with the current transfer process for FM knowledge were revealed, and suggestions were made for improvements

Understanding BIM's impact on professional work practices using activity theory

Recent critiques of the BIM literature describe it as largely devoid of critical theoretical perspectives and theorisation capable of explaining the nature of change in work practices in a holistic manner. In response, the authors argue from a theoretical standpoint, that implementing BIM within professional work practices (as activity systems) induces their evolution through dysfunctions created within the systems and their resolution. Cases of professional organisations in South Africa that have implemented BIM within their organisation and in multi-organisational projects, helped to develop new theoretical insights into how professional work practices evolve using activity theory-based re-description of the data. Changes in professional work practices were analysed sequentially within the framework, confirming theoretical propositions and revealing the dynamics between and within the interconnected system of actors, their object, tools, rules guiding work, roles they assume, and the stakeholders. Essentially, the findings imply that the implementation ofBIM significantly changes work practices within organisations, but gradually and over time. This supports an evolutionary, rather than a radical or revolutionary, view ofBIM-induced change. This theoretical perspective could explain future dimensions of change in professional work practices involving BIM, and indeed similar work mediating tools

Asymmetric Price Responses and the Underlying Energy Demand Trend: Are they Substitutes or Complements? Evidence from Modelling OECD Aggregate Energy Demand

A number of energy demand studies have considered the importance of modelling Asymmetric Price Responses (APR), for example, the often-cited work of Gately and Huntington (2002). Griffin and Schulman (2005) questioned the asymmetric approach arguing that this is only capturing energy saving technical progress. Huntington (2006), however, showed that for whole economy aggregate energy and oil demand there is a role statistically for both APR and exogenous energy saving technical change. In a separate strand of the literature the idea of the Underlying Energy Demand Trend (UEDT) has been developed, see for example Hunt et al. (2003a and 2003b) and Dimitropoulos et al. (2005). They argue that it is important, in time series energy demand models, to allow for stochastic trends (or UEDTs) based upon the structural time series/dynamic regression methodology recommended by Harvey (1989, 1997). This paper attempts to bring these strands of the literature together by conducting tests for the UEDT and APR in energy demand models within both a panel context (consistent with the Huntington, 2006 approach) and the structural time series modelling framework. A set of tests across a range of specifications using time-series and panel data are therefore undertaken in order to ascertain whether energy saving technical change (or the more general UEDT) and APR are substitutes for each other when modelling energy demand or whether they are actually picking up different influences and are therefore complements. Using annual whole economy data for 17 OECD countries over the period 1960 – 2004 the results suggest that in general the UEDT and ARP are complementary estimation methodologies when modelling aggregate energy demand. It is argued therefore that energy demand modellers should not assume at the outset that one method is superior to the other. Moreover, wherever possible, a general model (be it in a time series or panel context) that includes a ‘non linear UEDT’ and APR should be initially estimated, and only if accepted by the data should symmetry and/or a more restrictive UEDT be imposed.Energy Demand, OECD, Asymmetric Price Responses, Underlying Energy Demand Trend.

Personnel Utilization: A Major Challenge in Nigeria Local Government System

The success of any organization rely more in ability to utilize its human and material resources to achieve the desired objectives. Local government in Nigeria has a mandate of proper utilization of her personnel in an efficient and effective manner in order to meet the developmental demands at the local level. This particular objective has suffered a setback particularly in a result-oriented manner. The paper adopted secondary and primary source of data. The paper revealed some issues that have been major clogs to effective utilization of personnel in Nigeria local government, which range from lack of: adequate policies; proper job description; proper developmental orientation; and proper innovation among others. It recommends a re-adjustment of policies, proper job descriptions, in terms of task and responsibility to each employee, and that the state government should allow local government to strive more in order to effectively maximizes their personnel utilization.  The paper concluded that the personnel utilization rate in Nigeria local government is at low ebb

Iron oxide driven methanogenesis and methanotrophy in methanic sediments of Helgoland Mud Area, North Sea

Elevated dissolved iron concentrations (Fe2 ), as signpost for on-going iron oxide reduction in the methanic zone, are currently being detected in a wide range of marine environments. The various mechanisms that result in Fe2 release into porewater are a subject of intense debate amongst sediment geo-microbiologists. While abiotic cryptic sulfur cycling is suggested for some sites, biotic mechanisms potentially mediate iron reduction in many other sites, including the Helgoland Mud Area, North Sea. Iron oxide dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (Fe-AOM) is primarily hypothesised as the biotic mechanism driving iron reduction in the methanic zone but organic matter degradation linked iron reduction could also play a role. Beyond geochemical data however, physiological evidence demonstrating that these processes occur and the microorganisms involved is rather scarce. In chapter two, a short-term radiotracer based experiment revealed that Fe-AOM is indeed feasible in the methanic zone of Helgoland Mud Area, albeit at very low rates under close to in situ conditions (0.095 A /- 0.03 nmol cm 3 d 1). Despite the low rates, these estimates represent the first demonstration of Fe-AOM in a marine environment bearing geochemical preconditions for Fe-AOM to occur in situ. Additionally in long-term incubations, various iron oxides (lepidocrocite, hematite and magnetite) stimulated Fe-AOM in sediments from the methanic zone. Especially with crystalline magnetite, ANME-2a were highly enriched after 250 days showing clearly, and for the first time, that ANME-2a are involved in Fe-AOM. Previous studies from the Helgoland Mud Area revealed that aromatic hydrocarbons are likely the preferred fermentation substrate in the methanic zone. This may have led to the strong correlations between fermentative bacteria, methanogenic archaea (which use fermentation products) and Fe2 concentrations. Chapter three investigated this possibility further, initially in sediment incubations and subsequently in highly enriched cultures. With benzoate as the only carbon substrate, enrichment efforts with crystalline iron oxides (magnetite and hematite) led to concurrent iron reduction and methanogenesis from benzoate degradation. In contrast, with poorly crystalline lepidocrocite, benzoate degradation and methanogenesis was slower. Thus, concurrent reduction of crystalline iron oxides facilitates organic matter degradation while poorly crystalline lepidocrocite inhibits the process. Therefore, a likely scenario might be in play in Helgoland Mud Area, whereby buried crystalline iron oxide phases which make up to 1.6 weight % of sediment volume could be advantageous to the microbial communities. These crystalline iron oxides likely facilitate methanogenic organic matter degradation while being reduced concurrently, thereby contributing to the Fe2 pool detected in porewater. Additionally, we uncovered the clostridial family Halobacteroidaceae as previously unknown benzoate degraders from marine sediments. In chapter four, sediment incubations with an easily fermentable substrate (glucose) revealed that crystalline iron oxides could act as conduits for electron transfer, as electron acceptors for iron reduction or act as both under various temperature regimes. Furthermore, iron reduction was more favorable under lower temperatures than at mesophilic conditions and dissimilatory iron reducers from the order Desulfuromonadales were enriched during iron reduction. These findings substantially advance the current state of the art regarding the biotic mechanisms that drive the apparent concurrent iron reduction in methanic zones of marine sediments. Besides providing direct evidence for Fe-AOM, the body of work presented in this thesis demonstrates the various ways iron oxides could facilitate methanogenic organic matter degradation in ferruginous methanic marine sediments. The exact molecular guides for these various processes should be subject of future studies

Predictive Influence Of Factors Predisposing Secondary School Adolescents Dropouts To Sexual Risk Behaviour In Ogun State

This study examined the predictive influence of factors predisposing secondary school adolescents' dropouts to sexual risk behaviour in Ogun state, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design which sought to determine Adolescents sexual risk behaviours among in-school adolescents in Ogun state. A descriptive was adopted for this study. The participants in the study were sexually active adolescents from Ogun state. These adolescents were primarily from secondary schools adolescen

On the Verge of One Petabyte - the Story Behind the BaBar Database System

The BaBar database has pioneered the use of a commercial ODBMS within the HEP community. The unique object-oriented architecture of Objectivity/DB has made it possible to manage over 700 terabytes of production data generated since May'99, making the BaBar database the world's largest known database. The ongoing development includes new features, addressing the ever-increasing luminosity of the detector as well as other changing physics requirements. Significant efforts are focused on reducing space requirements and operational costs. The paper discusses our experience with developing a large scale database system, emphasizing universal aspects which may be applied to any large scale system, independently of underlying technology used.Comment: Talk from the 2003 Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics (CHEP03), La Jolla, Ca, USA, March 2003, 6 pages. PSN MOKT01

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Mini-tab Device for Active Flow Control

The next generation of aircraft are likely to exhibit a breadth of aeromechanic and aeroelastic behaviors that will be exacerbated by the turbulent flows generated in urban environments. Exploitation of novel flow control technologies will be critical in offering greater control authority to enable this new generation of aerial vehicles for faster, safer, and more efficient flight. This study experimentally investigates the efficacy of a mini-tab active flow control device using a novel dynamic test rig. Under steady conditions, the mini-tab response exhibited non-linearity with deployment height. Under dynamic conditions, the lift and pitching moment displayed hysteresis around their quasi-steady counterpart at low reduced frequencies ( = 0.05) but displayed significant deviations at mid to high reduced frequencies ( = 0.15 to 0.31) due to the formation of a tab vortex that propagates downstream. It was demonstrated, for the first time experimentally, that mini-tab dynamic performance is insensitive to unsteady airfoil motions in pitch and plunge – representative of flutter onset. Finally, an existing mini-tab model was extended to capture vortex formation on the upper and lower airfoil surfaces and modified to incorporate mini-tab rate-dependence on vortex initiation. The model showed good agreement with experimental data in both periodic and transient scenarios