The Influence of Chemi-ionization and Recombination Processes on Spectral Line Shapes in Stellar Atmospheres

In this work, the chemi-ionization processes in atom- Rydberg atom collisions, as well as the corresponding chemi-recombination processes are considered as factors of influence on the atom exited-state populations in weakly ionized layers of stellar atmospheres. The presented results are related to the photospheres of the Sun and some M red dwarfs as well as weakly ionized layers of DB white dwarfs atmospheres. It has been found that the mentioned chemi ionization/recombination processes dominate over the relevant concurrent electron-atom and electron-ion ionization and recombination process in all parts of considered stellar atmospheres. The obtained results demonstrate the fact that the considered chemi ionization/recombination processes must have a very significant influence on the optical properties of the stellar atmospheres. Thus, it is shown that these processes and their importance for non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) modeling of the solar atmospheres should be investigated further.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1105.213

Sustainable model for regional hospitals in humid tropical climate

Developing countries are facing numerous challenges in the process of providing adequate health care to often deprived and diminished social groups. In countries and regions with poor road infrastructure, this often means that the population outside major urban centres is even physically incapable of getting some sort of health aid in a timely manner. Being a country made up of a mainland territory and five islands in Gulf of Guinea, almost entirely covered by tropical rainforest, Equatorial Guinea is a showcase of various obstructions in developing effective health care system. The sustainable primary, secondary and tertiary health care assumes good accessibility as well as proper understanding of local conditions. The paper presents a model for sustainable health care building – a local hospital capable of providing all basic types of health service while retaining a high level of technical independence. The architectural design for a regional hospital was developed aiming to maximize the use of natural ventilation, daylight and rainwater management, leaving the operation block, laboratory and intensive care unit practically the only parts of the structure that would need mechanical air conditioning. The layout was designed having in mind local culture and customs, thus offering a possibility of strong integration with local community, and the building technology was thought over to enable efficient and costeffective construction and proper resilience for tropical rainforest environment. The result is a structure providing for contemporary, high quality medical service, interpreting local climatic and cultural contextual premises through modern architectural expression. Some design features developed for regional hospital were also explored in somewhat different conditions – a major clinical centre (in Malabo, the capital) and a local health centre with the basic services for the most remote areas

Potentials for improving energy performance of multifamily housing blocks connected to the district heating system

Developments conceived following the principles of Athens Charter were typical form of urban answer to the post-war housing shortage and during the decades of intense construction activity that followed. In city of Belgrade, multifamily housing in open city blocks built between 1961 and 1990 account for about 40% of current housing stock. The current ownership and operation of these housing blocks derive from their socialist legacy: home-owners rights relate only to the buildings, excluding any open spaces, even the ones immediately along the building's perimeter. On the other hand, heating is supplied by district heating system. Management of open spaces as well as provision of district heating are subordinates to local municipality (the city of Belgrade). Energy efficiency related refurbishment options for these developments that would engage both the home-owners and the public companies may be the key for bringing ever-needed modernization, prolonged lifespan and a sustainable way of using this portion of housing stock. By applying simple architectural measures, energy demand for heating of these buildings can be reduced by 30-78%, which opens a pathway for effective use of renewable energy sources. Unlike solar energy, which can be managed at building level, geothermal energy can be exploited only at the district level due to the ownership rights. The presented research explores the effectiveness of using geothermal energy at a district level coupled with systematic approach to building refurbishment, taking the advantage of the repetitive use of the same building design and the formal and practical relations with local authorities

Experimental study on reducing temperature using modular system for vegetation walls made of perlite concrete

The aim of this research is to examine and analyse the thermal characteristics of the facade modular element. The possibility of optimization of the facade coating with vegetation is examined experimentally in this research, with the aim of improving the thermal characteristics of the facade wall. This element is made of perlite concrete in which the greenery is implanted. The scope of the research is experimental and theoretical testing the possibility for optimizing the facade coating with vegetation. The energy specificities of modular vegetation elements and their contribution to the improvement of the thermal properties of the facade wall are analysed in the experimental part of the research, the elements of vegetation are treated as the elements which influence the decrease in surface temperature of the facade coating. The modular elements in this research are placed on a reference wall surface facing the South. The methodology presented in this paper is based on the study of climate characteristics in city of Belgrade, experimental measurements of test models, and comparative analysis with the reference wall. During the experiment, the data on the external climate parameters and the coefficient of heat transfer through the wall were continuously measured. Conducted measurements and analyses show the vegetation influence on the reduction in surface temperature of the outer wall and the heat passage through the facade coating. The experiment used a modular model and several plant species. It is noticeable that vegetative walls with green areas covered by plant shells play an important role in the harmonization of the parameters of the microclimate in relation to the local environment

Municipality policy as key factor for the role of architecture and technology in public health

The construction of the so-called "social infrastructure" (kindergartens, schools, health centres, hospitals), which is the basis for a "public health" in a broader sense, in many countries is led by the administration (state and municipal). The quality of the built environment largely depends on the quality of financier, in this case embodied in some kind of state/municipal authorities, committees and civil servants. In this paper, an example of the application of up to date high-tech design methods and technologies in the design and construction of public buildings is presented. Belgrade public buildings designed and constructed in the period 2009 – 2013, is shown. The first five projects for construction of energy efficient kindergartens (up to passive house standard) with the use of renewable energy sources and realised through architectural competition, were considered as a passing fad, but such a practice has become standard procedure for the design of the other public buildings, and even the only option for the construction project of 1400 social apartments in Borča. The paper presents these projects, and, in particular, highlights the necessary processes and procedures established to ensure that these projects would be implemented