Sensitivity analyses of thermal bridges: confrontation with the new Belgian EPB-methodology

As governments continue to impose more and higher energetic requirements for buildings, they also need better assessment-tools to take into account as many parameters as possible. This results in continuous developments of new calculation methods and softwares, where a balance has to be found between practicality and accuracy. To answer this problem, specifically with regard to the thermal bridges, the three Belgian regions developed a new and common pragmatic approach for assessing thermal bridges, confronting them either to simple basic rules of thumb or to maximal heat transmission coefficients, depending on the type of junction. While thermal bridges that don’t meet the requirements are sanctioned, thermal bridges that perform better can be taken into account to lower the calculated heat-losses. For this project, several very common thermal bridges were selected. Sensitivity analyse are carried out for the different parameters, such as dimensions and thermal conductivity of the components. The calculated heat transfer coefficients are confronted with the boundary-(‘limit-’)values and the default-values of the new methodology. Nevertheless, these analyses weren’t meant as a test for the methodology. They aim at allowing designers to quickly assess their common building details to the new regulation, without having to do preliminary numerical simulations of each individual thermal bridge. They also help them to better understand the correlations between the parameters of the building detail and the resulting heat transmission coefficients. The challenge that rose, was to summarize the results in pragmatic, straight-forward formats

Innovation in Safeguards R&D and EU Contributions to Strengthening the Global Safeguards System

To address the safeguards challenges in a changing and transnational world, there is a need to combine the "classical" safeguards technologies, with new approaches and tools, which in some cases try to "think outside the box". Research and Development performed by the European Commission Joint Research Centre in this area, include advanced monitoring techniques, open source information and satellite imagery analysis, use of trade data and risk based assessment of sensitive technologies. A number of developments are done in close collaboration with its colleagues in other Directorate General of the European Commission (ENER, RELEX, DEVCO, TRADE etc), with the European Safeguards Research and Development Association (ESARDA), with IAEA, US-DOE, with facility operators and other international collaborations. This paper will illustrate a few of the latest developments with the example of "monitoring uranium enrichment facilities and related activities". A second part of the paper, describes the legal framework and instruments, at the disposal of the European Union, which support the developments to address the challenges and which seek to implement programmes to address global threats.JRC.E.9-Nuclear security (Ispra

Airtightness of the window-wall interface in masonry brick walls

In recent decades there has been an increased focus on enhanced thermal resistance of building components and as a consequence, the relative importance of airtightness on the overall energy losses of buildings has increased significantly. The construction industry requires practical information on the airtightness of individual construction elements and building envelope interfaces. A literature review on the airtightness of window-wall interfaces has shown that no experimental data are available for masonry construction. This paper offers an investigative study on the airtightness of window-wall interfaces of masonry walls, for 13 different installation methods. The results show that the selected solutions cover a wide range of airtightness levels, from 0m³/h.m up to 31m³/h.m at 50 Pa. The experiments have permitted determining that a very good performance can be obtained by using polyurethane foam and caulking, airtight membranes, polyurethane foam and plywood framing, and plaster and caulking. On the contrary, mineral fibre insulation, a partial fill with polyurethane foam and plaster without caulking should be avoided when good airtightness is required. Furthermore, a comprehensive methodology for error calculation is offered, based on error propagation of partially correlated parameters, including the effect of measurement errors, extraneous air leakage and conversion to standard boundary conditions

Development of IAEA High Level Guidelines for Designers and Operators - Safeguards-By-Design

At the end of 2008, the IAEA launched a new task on ¿Guidance for Designers and Operators and Measures to facilitate the implementation of Safeguards at Future Nuclear Cycle Facilities¿, contributed by EURATOM and other MS Support Programmes, whose goal is to formulate ¿safeguards by design¿, or SBD, Guidelines to designers and operators. SBD is a process that facilitates the implementation of international safeguards by taking into account requirements and guidelines very early in the design phase. To this scope, the legal framework and the interaction among the stake-holders need to be improved. The overall process can thus be made more effective and efficient without costly back-fitting and iterations. In this context, at the end of 2008, the IAEA launched a new task on ¿Guidance for Designers and Operators and Measures to facilitate the implementation of Safeguards at Future Nuclear Cycle Facilities¿, with contributions by EURATOM and other Member State Support Programmes (MSSP). A first set of high level guidelines of the IAEA Safeguards by Design series was drafted by EURATOM experts, and will be the basis for further improvements. This paper will develop on the contents of the document, as well as on methodological developments. Facility specific guidelines will have to be prepared to serve as reference for the design of new evolutionary and innovative facilities. All this will be achieved within useful deadlines with the contributions of other support programmes.JRC.DG.E.9-Nuclear security (Ispra

EUSECTRA: European Nuclear Security Training Centre providing hands-on training and education in Nuclear Security and Safeguards

The European Nuclear Security Training Centre (EUSECTRA) inaugurated under this global name about 10 years ago and operated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), located both on the Karlsruhe (Germany) and Ispra (Italy) sites, includes a large variety of capacity building and professional development activities which span from the hands-on training for nuclear security and safeguards actors (e.g. respectively border guards or customs and nuclear inspectors) to educational efforts in both nuclear security and safeguards. Whereas the first ones, which gave rise to the new name, focus mainly on detection, on-site assistance, crime-scene management, technical reach-back and nuclear forensics capabilities, the second includes all aspects of nuclear safeguards analytical measurements, containment and surveillance, verification technologies and methodologies etc. This paper provides an overview of the most salient developments in these areas of both technical and academic teaching engagement in the last decade and includes some hints to the potential for enhanced collaboration with the International Nuclear Security Educational Network (INSEN

The European Commission Cooperative Support Programme: Activities and Cooperation

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) bases its technical and scientific programme on voluntary contributions from Member States, constituting the Member States Support Programme (MSSP). The European Commission Cooperative Support Programme (EC-SP) started in 1981 to support IAEA activities in the field of nuclear safeguards. Since its beginning, the EC-SP has been operated by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in close collaboration and coordination with the European Commission’s Directorate General for Energy – Directorate Nuclear Safeguards implementing the EURATOM treaty. EC-SP tasks provide technology and expertise in technical areas related to the effective implementation of safeguards verification measures including the detection of undeclared materials, activities, and facilities. The EC-SP fosters cooperation with Support Programmes from European Union Member States, as well as with non-EU states with which the European Commission has specific research and development agreements, e.g., the United States Department of Energy, ABACC. Information on the research and development activities under these frameworks is shared with the IAEA and complements core EC-SP work. The paper describes the EC-SP, its modus operandi, collaborations, and main activities, namely, (a) the specific R work as part of tasks with well-defined milestones and deadlines, (b) training activities; (c) the technical support in establishing Safeguards guidelines and approaches and (d) the technical consultancy support to IAEA meetings and expert groups.JRC.E.8-Nuclear securit

Biotechnological and Medical Aspects of Lactic Acid Bacteria Used for Plant Protection:A Comprehensive Review

The use of chemical pesticides in agriculture goes hand in hand with some crucial problems. These problems include environmental deterioration and human health complications. To eliminate the problems accompanying chemical pesticides, biological alternatives should be considered. These developments spark interest in many environmental fields, including agriculture. In this review, antifungal compounds produced by lactic acid bacteria (LABs) are considered. It summarizes the worldwide distribution of pesticides and the effect of pesticides on human health and goes into detail about LAB species, their growth, fermentation, and their antifungal compounds. Additionally, interactions between LABs with mycotoxins and plants are discussed

The Role of Social Capital in Early Childhood Development: Evidence from Rural India

The literature on social capital clearly shows the significant relationship between social capital and individual outcomes such as educational attainment. However, there is little evidence so far on outcomes of very young children. This report studies the role of social capital in enhancing child outcomes. It investigates two potential sources of social capital. At the individual level, the authors consider social capital as the resources and information residing in the social networks of a child's parents. At the community level, we analyze social capital as the willingness of a community to cooperate and engage in collective action. We study the Mahila Samakhya programme in rural Bihar (India), a women's empowerment programme that emphasizes female education. The findings strongly suggest that the programme is successful in increasing parental awareness on the value of preschool and primary education. In other words, the programme seems to increase the informational resources of parents on education, a social capital effect. Moreover, the results indicate that programme members are significantly more likely than non- participants in their village to participate in school management and school activities, and to contribute to the construction of schools and preschools. That is, the results are highly suggestive of increased collective action as well. A second main finding is that these results do not remain limited to programme participants. We find that non-participating women in programme villages are significantly more aware of the importance of (preschool) education than women in control villages. In addition, non- participating households in programme villages are also significantly more likely to participate in school management and activities, and to contribute to school construction. These results suggest that the programme not only increases social capital among its members, but has potentially strong spillover effects to other community members as well. The programme seems to increase individual and community social capital throughout the wider community. Next, we study the relationship between the Mahila Samakhya programme and preschool and primary school enrolment. Controlling for child, household and community characteristics, we find that children in programme villages are significantly more likely to be enrolled in preschool. The number of preschools, itself strongly correlated with the presence of the programme, is highly predictive of enrolment. We also find a significant and additional relationship between individual participation in the programme and preschool enrolment. Finally, the evidence suggests that children living in programme villages, whose mothers do not participate themselves, are significantly more likely to be enrolled as well. In short, the programme seems to have a direct relationship with preschool enrolment For primary school the findings are approximately similar. The main difference is that the spillovers of the programme are much less visible. Only girls and children from the lowest castes seem to benefit of the presence of the programme regardless of whether their mother participates herself. A similar analysis of immunization coverage again shows the large spillovers of the programme: children in programme villages are significantly more likely to be immunized against tuberculosis, diphtheria and measles, regardless of the active participation in the programme. Surprisingly, this result is stronger than for individual membership. The differences in immunization coverage between the member households and non-member households are insignificant (except for measles). Note that the programme does not have any correlation with the immunization against polio. The impact of the recent mass polio campaigns organized by the government may obscure any programme effects. Finally, the report analyses the relationship of the programme with health indicators. In particular, it studies the partial correlations of programme village and programme membership on the prevalence of diarrhea. However, the logistic estimation does not confirm any significant relationship. In contrast, participants in the programme do have better knowledge on how to treat diarrhea once it occurs than control households. Again, this relationship is also significant for non-participants although its size is smaller. In summary, the evidence is strongly suggestive of the positive relationship between the Mahila Samakhya programme and increased individual and community social capital. In addition, the findings strongly suggest a positive relationship with pre- and primary school enrolment. Not only on members, but on non-members as well. We find similar results for immunization and the treatment of diarrhea, a proxy for health practices.social capital early childhood development education immunization health india evaluation