Supporting decision-making in the building life-cycle using linked building data

The interoperability challenge is a long-standing challenge in the domain of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC). Diverse approaches have already been presented for addressing this challenge. This article will look into the possibility of addressing the interoperability challenge in the building life-cycle with a linked data approach. An outline is given of how linked data technologies tend to be deployed, thereby working towards a “more holistic” perspective on the building, or towards a large-scale web of “linked building data”. From this overview, and the associated use case scenarios, we conclude that the interoperability challenge cannot be “solved” using linked data technologies, but that it can be addressed. In other words, information exchange and management can be improved, but a pragmatic usage of technologies is still required in practice. Finally, we give an initial outline of some anticipated use cases in the building life-cycle in which the usage of linked data technologies may generate advantages over existing technologies and methods

Ethnicity and Financial Exclusion: How Fringe Banking has taken hold in Ethnic and Immigrant Neighborhoods

The latest FDIC survey (2012) on Americans excluded from regular banking services reported that between 8% and 20% of American households have either little or no relationship with a bank, savings institution, credit union, or other mainstream financial service providers. The only option for these customers, many of whom are ethnic minorities and immigrant communities, is to turn to AFS - Alternative Financial Services-the official name of fringe banking. Fringe banks like Ace Cash Express, EZLoans, or Mr. Payroll deliberately target the low- to moderate-income inner-city residents, often because these neighborhoods have become deserted by regular banks, making it difficult for these groups to apply for loans, credit cards, and mortgages. The American banking industry has indeed become polarized between banks in the top tier of the system who cater to the wealthier and less risky customers located in the affluent suburbs, and a market of second and third tier outlets, ranging from pawnshops and payday lenders to check-cashing outlets and cash-and-carry agencies. These outlets practice usurious interest rates and are booming today in the wake of the recent financial meltdown

The importance of guiding on the motion of a comet in astrometric observations

In this paper we discuss the influence of guiding on the motion of a comet on the derived astrometric position

A new method for astrometric observations of asteroids

In this paper we propose a new method for photographic astrometric observations of asteroids. We discuss its advantages and disadvantages and compare them to the advantages and disadvantages of the classical photographic methods. The new method is best suited for observations on a spot where no CCD cameras, blink or stereo comparators are available and when a fast detection of unknown objects is required

Building product suggestions for a BIM model based on rule sets and a semantic reasoning engine

The architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry today relies on different information systems and computational tools built to support and assist in the building design and construction. However, these systems and tools typically provide this support in isolation from each other. A good combination of these systems and tools is beneficial for a better coordination and information management. Semantic web technologies and a Linked Data approach can be used to fulfil this aim. In this paper, we indicate how these technologies can be applied for one particular objective, namely to check a building information model (BIM) and make suggestions for that model regarding the building elements. These suggestions are based on information obtained from different data sources, including a BIM model, regulations and catalogues of locally available building components. In this paper, we briefly discuss the results obtained in the application of this approach in a case study based on structural safety requirements

Different measures of fear of crime and survey measurement error

The measurement of fear of crime is acknowledged as a hot methodological issue. Many studies have focused on the cognitive and behavioural components of fear. The emotional affective component of fear of crime has been studied rather less, however. Traditional measures of fear of crime fail to address the complexity of this concept. Knowledge of prevalence, frequency and intensity of fear are largely absent in a quantitative design. Following an alternative question structure, previous research has shown that ‘old’-style questions overestimate the everyday experience of fear (see Farrall, 2004; Farrall and Gadd, 2004; Gray, Jackson and Farrall, 2008). Furthermore, gender differences in fear of crime seem to be influenced by socially desirable answers by men (Sutton and Farrall, 2005). In this paper, we study differences in outcomes when measuring fear of crime using ‘old’-style questions (’avoidance behaviour’) and an alternative question structure introduced by Stephen Farrall (three-part questions treating prevalence, frequency and intensity of fear). We conducted a survey (2008) in eighteen postal code areas and interviewed 750 key informants. Descriptive analyses by gender were conducted for both the traditional avoidance behaviour scale and the alternative question structure that measures the emotional affective component of fear of crime. Subsequently some correlational analyses were conducted to examine how different these fear of crime measures are from supposed covariates such as perceived sense of community, perceived disorder and previous victimisation. Furthermore, we assessed the effects of social desirability on measures of fear of crime components and on the gender-fear relationship in particular. In short, measuring the emotional affective component of fear with an alternative question structure presents a totally different picture than can be found by measuring the behavioural component of fear of crime with a traditional scale such as avoidance behaviour. Second, different measures of fear of crime are especially differentially related to previous victimisation. Third, we found rather surprising effects of social desirability on gender differences in fear of crime