Norbert Elias y Europa. La caída de la civilización

Este ensayo analiza la obra más famosa de Norbert Elias, en particular El pro-ceso de la civilización (1936) y la compara con otro libro, El malestar en la cultura (1930), de Sigmund Freud. La influencia del psicoanálisis en Elias es evidente y las deudas que este sociólogo tiene con Freud no siempre son explícitas en las páginas de aquel libro. También se analiza la tesis principal de Norbert Elias: ¿es la civilización un freno, un antídoto o una barrera frente a la barbarie? Se estudia la respuesta del propio Elias en 1936 y tiempo después, cuando en los años ochenta repase la historia de Alemania y su proceso de descivilización contemporáneo. El determinismo histórico de Elias tal vez ayude a explicar por qué tantos alemanes aceptaron el nazismo, pero no permite entender por qué hubo otros alemanes que pudieron y supieron oponerse a la barbarie estando bajo las mismas circunstancias. (A

Design strategies in facades for the reduction of housing energy consumption

This article analyzes the energy-saving potential of various facade design strategies from a life cycle perspective, including the energy needed in the use stage and the embodied energy of materials. The results provide reference data on the behaviour of these systems in Spain and make it possible to identify the best strategies for reducing energy consumption in a wide variety of potential situations that may arise in both new construction and in the rehabilitation of existing facades. The impact categories studied are fossil fuel depletion and climate change, and design strategies are linked to climate data, orientation, air change rate, facade materials and wall composition. Exchanges between the interior and exterior environments take place through the building envelope, some of whose key design parameters include lighting, ventilation and heat flux. Improving this envelope can greatly reduce environmental impact, ensuring indoor environmental quality. This analysis confirms the need to consider the interactions among the parameters studied, as it shows that there are several design solutions with similar impacts, which can be adapted to project requirements. In both new construction and rehabilitation, some of these parameters may be determined by other design decisions not necessarily aimed at reducing environmental impact, so it can be very useful to be aware of a variety of design alternatives that can be implemented in specific projects

En su lugar. Una reflexión sobre la historia local y el microanálisis

En este texto nos proponemos reflexionar sobre el concepto y la práctica de historia local, abordando en particular algunas de las implicaciones que se derivan de su uso.In this paper we propose to reflect on the concept and practice of local history, particularly addressing some of the implications arising from their use

Field Measurements – Heat Pump Systems in NZEB

The IEA Heat Pump Programme (HPP) Annex 40 "Heat Pump Concepts for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings" deals with the application of heat pumps as core component of the HVAC system for Nearly or Net Zero energy buildings (NZEB). Annex 40 has been structured in four tasks which comprise the following activities: Task 1 – State-of-the-art analysis The Task 1 is to give an overview on NZEB on the national level of the participating countries. In more detail, the political framework in terms of NZEB (e.g. building codes, legislation, definitions of NZEB), the state of market introduction, and applied technologies both on the building envelope and the building HVAC system shall be characterised. The compiled technical concepts shall be analysed regarding the heat pump application. Moreover, technologies shall be classified in a technology matrix and evaluated regarding specific advantages of single technologies for dedicated applications such as new buildings, retrofit, office, residential, etc. Technologies shall also be considered regarding different aspects of the definitions, e.g. characteristics regarding load match and grid interaction, the necessity of a grid connection, or the capability to integrate local storage. Task 2 – Assessment of system technology Task 2 is dedicated to identify promising concepts for the further development of system configurations and in-depth analysis of technologies and system configurations suitable for different applications in NZEB. Concepts shall be optimised by simulations regarding design, integration options, and control, but also regarding further aspects like self-consumption of energy, load match, and grid interaction, which shall be considered in Task 4. Evaluation is made based on energy performance and cost. Task 3 – Technology development and field monitoring Task 3 is dedicated to technology developments on the component and system level as well to gather field experiences of system solutions in field monitoring projects. Marketable and prototype technologies could be lab-tested or investigated in field monitoring. Task 3 is accomplished in parallel to Task 2. Task 4 – Integration of NZEB into the energy system Task 4 is also to be accomplished in parallel and deals with the integration of NZEB into the energy system. An NZEB should be designed in a way not to produce additional stress for the grid. In this respect, load match profiles and grid interaction shall be investigated in order to maximize selfconsumption and minimize grid interaction. Thus, local storage options shall be evaluated. On the other hand, the ability of NZEB to react to signals from the grid (“smart grid”), i.e. demand response technology options shall be examined. Heat pumps are also a unique system in this respect due to the option of a transformation of electrical surplus to storable heating or cooling energy, as well in simultaneity, and due to the connection to source and sink systems which may be used as short-term storage like the ground. Control issues play an important role for these investigations, as well. This report gives the results for the field monitoring project (Task 3) for NORWAY. The Norwegian activities in IEA HPP Annex 40 are organized and carried out by SINTEF Building and Infrastructure (http://www.sintef.no/home/building-and-infrastructure), while COWI AS (www.cowi.no) and NTNU (http://www.ntnu.edu) are subcontracting partners. The project is funded by the governmental organization Enova SF (www.enova.no) and the Norwegian Research Centre on Zero Emission Buildings, ZEB (www.zeb.no).publishedVersio