Engineering risk management in performance-based building environments

Nowadays, a wide range of stakeholders seek explicit performance and risk information on construction projects. These stakeholders include end-users, authorities, insurance companies and financial institutions, among others. They look for proof that engineering risks are being properly managed and that specified performance-based requirements are fulfilled throughout all stages of the project (e.g. technical requirements related to the building such as structural safety, structural serviceability, structural durability, fire safety, energy efficiency, or others). Such demonstration can be conveyed through statements of technical conformity, such as technical risk reports or engineering performance certificates. Statements of conformity are particularly valuable to make informed decisions associated with contractual or other legal warranties against building nonconformities. This paper describes the conceptual background and the methodologies undertaken to design and develop a management framework that enables recognition of the conformity assessment results of building projects. It also presents the outreach of this management framework throughout the planning, programming, design, construction and use phases of building projects. This paper also summarizes the wide range of practical implications and benefits of this management framework for authorities and official bodies, owners and their representatives, banks and insurance companies, conformity assessment bodies, designers, builders, suppliers and end-users

A global monitoring system for electricity consumption and production of household roof-top PV systems in Madeira

This paper describes recent work on the development of a wireless-based remote monitoring system for household energy consumption and generation in Madeira Island, Portugal. It contains three different main sections: (1) a monitoring system for consumed and produced energy of residencies equipped with photovoltaic (PV) systems, (2) developing a tool to predict the electricity production, (3) and proposing a solution to detect the PV system malfunctions. With the later tool, the user (owner) or the energy management system can monitor its own PV system and make an efficient schedule use of electricity at the consumption side. In addition, currently, the owners of PV systems are notified about a failure in the system only when they receive the bill, whereas using the proposed method conveniently would notify owners prior to bill issue. The artificial neural network was employed as a tool together with the hardware-based monitoring system which allows a daily analysis of the performance of the system. The comparison of the predicted value of the produced electricity with the actual production for each day shows the validity of the method.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Emoções no desporto : O que sabemos e o (que sentimos) que julgamos saber

Ao longo das últimas décadas, as emoções assumiram um lugar de pleno direito na investigação em psicologia do desporto, sendo, actualmente, um dos temas mais produtivos da literatura neste domínio. O presente artigo começa por rever algumas questões conceptuais e metodológicas básicas relacionadas com a definição, classificação e avaliação de emoções de emoções, bem como os principais modelos teóricos da relação emoção-rendimento. De seguida, são examinadas as principais tendências da investigação neste domínio (e.g., dimensões das emoções, momentos de avaliação, metodologias de investigação, variáveis moderadoras e mediadoras). Como conclusão, são realçados alguns dos progressos conseguidos até ao momento, destacando- se a crescente atenção dada a diferentes emoções discretas positivas e negativas avaliadas em diferentes momentos da competição, com recurso a um cada vez mais vasto leque de instrumentos quantitativos e qualitativos. Adicionalmente, são apresentadas algumas sugestões para a investigação futura.Over the last decades, emotions have assumed their rightful place in sport psychology research. Emotions are currently one of the most productive themes in the literature in this field. This paper opens by analysing some basic conceptual and methodological issues concerning the definition, classification and assessment of emotions, and it outlines the main theoretical models that link emotions with performance. The paper goes on to examine some of the main research trends in this field (e.g. dimensions of emotions, assessment times, research methodologies, and moderator and mediator variables). To conclude, some of the developments achieved so far in this field are highlighted, namely the growing attention given to different positive and negative discrete emotions, assessed at different competitive moments using a wider range of qualitative and quantitative instruments. Additionally, some fields of future research are suggested

Personal and social responsibility development: exploring the perceptions of Portuguese Youth football coaches within competitive youth sport

Youth sport is a valuable context to foster the development of personal and social responsibility (PSR). Within competitive youth sport coaches face many challenges promoting PSR while still being required to win. However, information related to the role played by coaches in PSR development within competitive youth sport is scarce and thus additional research is required. The purpose of this study was to analyse the perceptions of youth coaches on delivering, and barriers to delivering PSR in competitive youth sport. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with 17 youth coaches who coached under-15 football teams in Portugal. A thematic analysis was performed which generated high (e.g. coaching practice) and low order categories (e.g. positive transference). The findings showed that coaches considered PSR development important in different developmental stages. The relationship between parents and coaches was identified as a key factor. Coaches experienced constraints to their intervention towards PSR development, such as challenging athlete behaviours which were resolved by implementing negative teaching strategies. Coaches also mentioned a low number of strategies to foster transference of PSR to other life domains.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Avaliações cognitivas, emoções e coping : um estudo com futebolistas portugueses

O presente trabalho teve como objectivo analisar os padrões e associações das estratégias de coping, da avaliação cognitiva, da ansiedade e de outras emoções em atletas de futebol. Os sujeitos deste estudo foram 14 atletas, com idades entre 17 e 19 anos (M=18.35±0.71). Foram utilizados os instrumentos: Escala de Avaliação Cognitiva da Competição – Percepção Ameaça e Desafio; Inventário de Emoções no Desporto V-2; Escala de Ansiedade no Desporto – 2; Escala de Avaliação da Ansiedade; e Brief COPE. Os resultados mostraram a estratégia de coping mais frequente, o coping activo, e a menos frequente, o uso de substâncias. A competição desportiva foi percepcionada mais em termos de desafio do que ameaça, a esperança foi a emoção mais experienciada e a vergonha foi a emoção menos experienciadaThis study aimed to analyze the patterns and associations of coping strategies, cognitive appraisals, anxiety and other emotions of soccer players. The subjects were 14 athletes, aged between 17 and 19 years (M=18.35±0.71). We used the instruments: Cognitive Assessment Scale Competition - Threat and Challenge; Inventory Emotions in Sport V-2, Sport Anxiety Scale, Revised Anxiety Rating Scale – 2, and Brief COPE. Results showed the most common coping strategy, active coping, and the less frequent, substance use. The sports competition was appraised more in terms of challenge than threat, hope was the emotion more experienced and shame the emotion less experienced.Este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar los patrones y las asociaciones de las estrategias de coping, evaluación cognitiva, ansiedad y otras emociones de jugadores de fútbol. Los sujetos fueron 14 atletas, con edades comprendidas entre 17 y 19 años (M=18.35±0.71). Se utilizaron los instrumentos: Escala de Evaluación Cognitiva de Competición-Percepción de Amenaza y Desafio; Inventario de Emociones en el deporte V-2; Escala de Ansiedad de Deporte; Escala de Evaluación de Ansiedad – 2 y Brief COPE. Los resultados mostraron la estrategia de coping más común, coping activo, y uso de sustancias menos frecuente. La competición deportiva se percibía más en términos de desafio que amenaza, esperanza era la emoción que se experimentado más y vergüenza la emoción que se experimentado menos

Project WILAS – West Iberia Lithosphere and Astenosphere Structure

The lithosphere of Iberia has been formed through a number of processes of continental collision and extension: in Lower Paleozoic, the collision of three tectonics blocks produced the Variscan Orogeny, the main event of formation of the lithosphere. The subsequent Mesozoic rifting and breakup of the Pangea had a profound effect on the continental crust of Iberia. Since the Miocene, the southern interaction between Africa and Iberia is characterized by a diffuse convergent margin that originates a vast area of deformation. The impact of this complex tectonic in the structure of the Lithosphere remains an incognito, especially in its western part. Project WILAS (PTDC/CTE-GIX/097946/2008) is a 3 years project funded by FCT in which a temporary network of more than 20 BB seismic stations is being deployed in Portugal between 2010-2012. It will extend to the western border of Iberia the coverage of the TOPO-IBERIA project. The project aims to image the 3D structure beneath W Iberia. The knowledge of the Crust, Lithosphere and Astenosphere seismic structure must be dealt at different scales, involving different but complementary methods

Coaching effectiveness within competitive youth football: youth football coaches’ and athletes’ perceptions and practices

Competitive youth sport can provide solid grounds for positive youth development (PYD). However, there is need to understand if coaches are facilitating these types of outcomes. The purpose of this study was to analyze how competitive youth sport is used to facilitate PYD. The participants in this study were four youth football coaches and 19 adolescent athletes from competitive leagues at north of Portugal. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, field notes and nonparticipant observations. The majority of the coaches communicated appropriately and facilitated positive interactions with youth athletes. Nevertheless, the participants did not implement an explicit approach towards the development of confidence, character, connection and competence (i.e., 4 C’s) which has been linked to less PYD outcomes. Performance outcomes in certain moments superseded PYD ones. Moving forward, coaches need to comprehend how they can use their interpersonal knowledge to integrate the 4 C’s within competitive youth sport.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of a functional dark chocolate with baobab pulp

In recent years, cocoa and dark chocolate have attracted the interest of consumers not only for their sensory characteristics but also for their nutritional properties and positive impact on health. The baobab is a fruit of African origin with a sour and slightly sweet flavour, widely consumed by local communities due to its unique nutritional features. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of the concentration of baobab flour in the development of functional dark chocolate, including physical, chemical, nutritional and sensory evaluations. The results presented a positive correlation between the incorporation of baobab flour and the antioxidant activity (up to 2297 mmol TE/100 g), vitamin C content (up to 49.7 mg/100 g), calcium (up to 1052 mg/kg), potassium (up to 10,175 mg/kg), phosphorus (up to 795.9 mg/kg), chlorine (up to 235.4 mg/kg) and sulphur (up to 1158 mg/kg). The sensory evaluation of dark chocolate with 3% baobab presented the highest evaluation on the parameters “texture” and “overall flavour”, while the parameter “overall flavour” presented the lowest evaluation on chocolate with 9% baobab. No influence was observed on fatty acid profile, protein, fat and hardness

Programa Regional de Ordenamento Florestal Lisboa e Vale do Tejo - Capítulo E - Normas e Modelos Gerais de Silvicultura e de Gestão

A abordagem às funções e vocações dos territórios florestais nacionais tem subjacente a necessidade de um crescimento sustentável e de uma competitividade económica, metas sociais como a inclusão e o emprego, assim como o aumento da sua contribuição para as metas ambientais (ENF, 2015). Este capítulo compreende a identificação dos objetivos de gestão dos principais sistemas florestais e espécies da região, a definição de normas e modelos gerais de silvicultura e de gestão, para além da definição de normas de gestão específicas para as áreas florestais sensíveis. Foram consideradas para este efeito um conjunto de normas e orientações constantes de bibliografia, com as necessárias adaptações. Pretende-se que os modelos de silvicultura compreendam orientações gerais para os produtores florestais, os engenheiros e os técnicos florestais e como tal, considerando a escala dos PROF, sejam suficientemente flexíveis para acomodar novos abordagens que se pretendam promover face às tendências identificadas, porém respondendo às especificidades dos diferentes tipos e sistemas florestais mais representativos e adequados às sub-regiões homogéneas definidas. Definem-se um conjunto de normas gerais e de silvicultura preventiva, de aplicação generalizada, e normas e modelos gerais de silvicultura e gestão desenvolvidas em torno das cinco funções dos espaços florestais. Para um mesmo espaço podem ser recomendadas normas relativas a mais do que uma função, sendo que as normas relativas às três funções principais terão prevalência sobre as demais, já que as diferentes funções são coincidentes na maior parte do território. De notar que as normas preconizadas no PROF dizem respeito aos espaços florestais, sendo que existe ainda um conjunto de disposições legais e de servidões administrativas e restrições de utilidade pública que são de aplicação direta e imediata, sobrepondo-se às presentes normas

Programa Regional de Ordenamento Florestal Lisboa e Vale do Tejo - Capítulo F - Articulação com os Instrumentos de Gestão Territorial Relevantes para os Espaços Florestais

A Lei n.º 31/2014, de 30 de maio, alterada pela Lei n.º 74/2017, de 16 de agosto, estabelece as bases gerais da política pública de solos, de ordenamento do território e de urbanismo (LBPSOTU). O sistema de gestão territorial estruturado por instrumentos de gestão territorial (IGT), organizados num quadro de interação coordenada de âmbitos nacional, regional, intermunicipal e municipal, desenvolve a política de solos, de ordenamento do território e de urbanismo A revisão do Regime Jurídico dos Instrumentos de Gestão Territorial (RJIGT foi aprovada pelo Decreto-Lei n.º 80/2015, de 14 de maio que desenvolve a reforma estruturante determinada pela LBPSOTU e define o regime de coordenação dos âmbitos nacional, regional, intermunicipal e municipal do sistema de gestão territorial, o regime geral de uso do solo e o regime de elaboração, aprovação, execução e avaliação dos IGT