Embodied carbon emissions of buildings: a case study of an apartment building in the UK.

The UK government has set a target to significantly reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. 47% of all UK CO2 emissions are linked to the construction and operation of the built environment. Buildings emit two types of carbon namely operational carbon (OC) and embodied carbon(EC). Operational carbon is regulated in the UK as it contributes up to 70-80% of total emissions. Further, EC reduction is top priority with the rise of demand for zero carbon buildings and EC is unregulated at present. EC can be controlled by vigilant building designs, selection of low carbon materials and technologies. Estimating EC of building will provide better understanding of the carbon significant elements and enable designers to make informed decisions. Accordingly, a case study of an apartment building located in Sunderland in the UK is selected for the study. EC estimates were prepared using priced Bill of Quantities of the building and carbon blackbook. Then, the building elements were classified as per BCIS (Building Cost Information Services) element classification and the carbon significant elements were identified in the case study building. Frame was identified as the most carbon significant element. External walls including windows and doors, upper floors, substructure, internal finishes, roof and internal walls & partitions were identified in descending order of carbon significant elements. Further, comparative analysis of EC between an apartment building and an office building was conducted. The office building carbon significant elements were found to be different from that of an apartment building. Findings of the case study building can inform designers about the elements that has an immense reduction potential and worth investing in low carbon technologies and materials. However, the findings are based on a single case study and, hence, cannot be generalised but can be seen as an exemplar for further research

Disability and Place of Living: Experiences of Disability, Accessibility, and Inequality in Four Regions of Myanmar

This paper aims to understand how the experiences of disability such as peoples’ sense of autonomy, their perceptions of day-to-day challenges, and access to public spaces, vary depending on the place they live, in the context of Myanmar. Informed by the social model of disability, we investigated how disabling experiences differ between those who live in Yangon, capital city of Myanmar, and peripheral areas, Mandalay, Ayeyarwady and Shan. We conducted focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with around 90 people with disabilities who had challenges in seeing, hearing, and physical disabilities like mobility to report the results. This paper finds that people with disabilities lead more independent lives, were better supported in carrying out day-to-day activities, and had more accessible services and spaces in Yangon than in peripheries. Two notable findings are: (1) accessibility is not just infrastructural, but also attitudinal, more enabling in Yangon than peripheries, and (2) people with disabilities who live in peripheries feel “home-incarcerated” due to infrastructural exclusions experienced in those areas

The impact of training and development towards women's career advancement in the UK construction industry

The lack of women in the UK construction industry has become more prominent in attracting government and industry wide attention due to the potential skill shortage facing the industry, to manage equality and diversity in construction and to have a better flow of people particularly from underutilised recruitment pools. Therefore women's participation in the construction industry in particular at professional level is important. Although, government initiatives have concentrated on attracting women to the industry, the limited amount of successful recruitment initiatives put into place so far will not have a sustainable effect on the number of females entering the industry, unless those already working within it can be seen to be successful and can therefore act as role models and mentors for prospective female entrants. However, women in the industry face barriers to their career advancement within which a lack of Training and Development (T&D) has been identified as one of them. In this context, this study addresses the impact of T&D on women's career advancement in the UK construction industry. The study was argued to be residing in the interpretivism paradigm with the case study research approach to investigate the phenomenon under consideration. The study refined a conceptual framework developed through a literature review, multiple case study approach, and questionnaire surveys. Semi structured interviews and a questionnaire survey were used to collect data. Content analysis and cognitive mapping techniques were used for the analysis of the semi structured interviews whilst relative important index and mode were used for the analysis of the questionnaire surveys. The study revealed women's career success factors which have an input towards the identification of different T&D activities to advance women's careers. Further, the study revealed the challenges faced when receiving T&D. Moreover, the study identified the impact of T&D on women's career advancement and finally, devised the T&D framework to provide best practice guidelines to advance women's careers in the construction industry.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Strengthening the Safety Culture in Raw Rubber Processing Stage through Human Capacity Building: A Conceptual Framework

Safety and health in the raw rubber processing stage has been a neglected subject, though this sector is still a major foreign exchange contributor to the national economy in Sri Lanka. Occupational safety and health concerns in raw rubber processing organisations have always been and continue to be of the utmost importance. Thus, establishing and strengthening of the safety culture is most critical in raw rubber processing environments with a high risk of health and safety concerns. The cause analysis for failings related to safety culture in raw rubber processing sector are varied and far reaching; with each issue coming into play at one critical point in time. However, most of the weaknesses are related with ‘Human factors: How people feel (Heart and Mind)’, ‘What people do (Daily Action)’. Thus, developing of human capacities such as attitudes, behaviours, skills and knowledge etc. on this perspective will be an effective tool in addressing those failures and strengthening the safety culture in raw rubber processing sector. This paper therefore aims to develop a conceptual framework for strengthening the safety culture in raw rubber processing stage through human capacity building. A comprehensive literature review was used as the research methodology for this paper. Research findings illustrated that yet, like in any other employment sector, workers involved in raw rubber processing activity run an equal if not higher risk of being injured as a result of the type of work they do. Due to management and worker ignorance and rubber products manufacturing chemicals and bad work practices in some factories, serious hazards have been created and many accidents have occurred. Strengthening the safety culture is about more than removing hazards and establishing safety procedures. It is about working with people of the organisation to change their attitudes, behaviours and thoughts, and improve their situational awareness. The finding of this research incorporated into a conceptual framework which proposes a better working condition so that the safety culture can be strengthen.International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of energy utilisation behaviours: A study of residential building occupants

PurposeThis study aims to assess residential energy consumption knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Abuja Municipality, providing insights for effective conservation strategies, reducing costs and mitigating environmental impact.Design/methodology/approachData for this study was collected through a cross-sectional survey conducted among a representative sample of the Nigerian population between February and April 2021. A total of 462 questionnaire responses were collected and subsequently analysed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics, including frequency count, percentages, mean, and standard deviation, were calculated. Additionally, inferential statistics were performed using Chi-Square analysis, with significant level set at p = 0.05 to draw meaningful conclusions from the data.FindingsThe study results indicate that out of the total respondents, 244 individuals (67.4%) demonstrated a profound knowledge of and good practice in energy utilisation. In comparison, 118 individuals (32.6%) exhibited poor knowledge and practice in energy saving. Moreover, the findings reveal a significant association between the sociodemographic factors of the respondents, building type, and their overall practice in energy utilisation. Statistical analysis shows significant? 2 values for each case: 8.563 (p = 0.003), 66.736 (p = 0.000), 60.866 (p = 0.000), 23.487 (p = 0.000), 37.877 (p = 0.000), and 92.334 (p = 0.000), respectively, where p < 0.05. These results highlight the importance of considering sociodemographic profiles and building characteristics when assessing general energy utilisation practices.Originality/valueThe research offers valuable insights into Nigerian energy usage behaviours and attitudes towards energy saving in residential buildings, contributing significantly to the knowledge base

Is Total Serum Nitrite and Nitrate (NOx) Level in Dengue Patients a Potential Prognostic Marker of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever?

Potential use of total nitrite plus nitrate (NOx) and nitrite (NO2−) separately as surrogate markers for serum nitric oxide in severe dengue and their longitudinal changes along with the progression of infection was studied. Deproteinized sera from confirmed dengue fever (DF, n=145) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF, n=74) patients on admission—A, critical—C, discharge—D, and convalescence—CON stages and from age-gender matched healthy individuals (HC, n=77) were taken to assess NO2− and NOx levels using Griess and modified Griess assays. Serum NOx in DHFA was significantly lower compared to DFA (p<0.001). HC had the lowest NOx and NO2− compared to all patient categories (p<0.001) except NO2− in DF-CON and DHF-CON and NOx in DHF-CON. Serum NOx and NO2− in DHF patients admitted on fever day 3 (DHFA-3) was significantly lower compared to DFA-3 (p<0.05). Cut-off values of 4.46 μM for NOx (91.3% sensitivity and 80.1% specificity) and 1.25 μM for NO2− (75.0% sensitivity and 73.3% specificity) were obtained for day 3 of fever. Serum NOx may be used as potential prognostic marker of DHF in patients presenting with DF in the early stage (on day 3 of fever) of the disease

HDL-apoA-I exchange: rapid detection and association with atherosclerosis.

High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels are associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, but not all HDL are functionally equivalent. A primary determinant of HDL functional status is the conformational adaptability of its main protein component, apoA-I, an exchangeable apolipoprotein. Chemical modification of apoA-I, as may occur under conditions of inflammation or diabetes, can severely impair HDL function and is associated with the presence of cardiovascular disease. Chemical modification of apoA-I also impairs its ability to exchange on and off HDL, a critical process in reverse cholesterol transport. In this study, we developed a method using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) to quantify HDL-apoA-I exchange. Using this approach, we measured the degree of HDL-apoA-I exchange for HDL isolated from rabbits fed a high fat, high cholesterol diet, as well as human subjects with acute coronary syndrome and metabolic syndrome. We observed that HDL-apoA-I exchange was markedly reduced when atherosclerosis was present, or when the subject carries at least one risk factor of cardiovascular disease. These results show that HDL-apoA-I exchange is a clinically relevant measure of HDL function pertinent to cardiovascular disease

Diagnosis of Leptospirosis: Comparison between Microscopic Agglutination Test, IgM-ELISA and IgM Rapid Immunochromatography Test

<div><p>Background</p><p>Leptospirosis is diagnosed on clinical grounds, and confirmed by microscopic agglutination test (MAT). IgM-ELISA (Serion-Virion) and immunochromatography test (Leptocheck-WB) are two immunodiagnostic assays for leptospirosis. Their sensitivity, specificity and applicability in Sri Lanka have not been systematically evaluated.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Clinically diagnosed leptospirosis patients (n = 919) were recruited from three hospitals in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, during June 2012 to December 2013. MAT, IgM-ELISA and Leptocheck-WB were performed on all patient sera. MAT titer of ≥400 in single sample, four-fold rise or seroconversion ≥100 in paired samples were considered as positive for MAT. For diagnostic confirmation, MAT was performed during both acute and convalescent phases. Anti-leptospiral IgM ≥20 IU/ml and appearance of a band in the test window were considered as positive for IgM-ELISA and Leptocheck-WB test respectively. Patients with an alternative diagnosis (n = 31) were excluded. Data analysis was performed using two methods, i) considering MAT as reference standard and ii) using Bayesian latent class model analysis (BLCM) which considers each test as imperfect.</p><p>Results</p><p>MAT, IgM-ELISA and Leptocheck-WB positivity were 39.8%, 45.8% and 38.7% respectively during the acute phase. Acute-phase MAT had specificity and sensitivity of 95.7% and 55.3% respectively, when compared to overall MAT positivity. IgM-ELISA and Leptocheck-WB had similar diagnostic sensitivity when compared with acute-phase MAT as the gold standard, although IgM-ELISA showed higher specificity (84.5%) than Leptocheck-WB (73.3%). BLCM analysis showed that IgM-ELISA and Leptocheck-WB had similar sensitivities (86.0% and 87.4%), while acute-phase MAT had the lowest sensitivity (77.4%). However, acute-phase MAT had high specificity (97.6%), while IgM-ELISA and Leptocheck-WB showed similar but lower specificity (84.5% and 82.9%).</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Both IgM-ELISA and Leptocheck-WB shows similar sensitivities and specificities. IgM-ELISA may be superior to MAT during the acute phase and suitable for early diagnosis of leptospirosis. Leptocheck-WB is suitable as a rapid immunodiagnostic screening test for resource limited settings.</p></div

MAT during the acute phase compared with overall MAT positivity.

<p>Acute MAT defined as MAT performed on acute serum sample. Final MAT defined as positivity or negativity based on acute MAT, acute and convalescent samples, or seroconversion, and used as the reference standard. Positive and negative values are given as absolute numbers.</p><p>MAT during the acute phase compared with overall MAT positivity.</p