Trends in office internal gains and the impact on space heating and cooling demands

Internal gains from occupants, equipment and lighting contribute a significant proportion of the heat gains in an office space. Looking at trends in Generation-Y, it appears there are two diverging paths for future ICT demand: one where energy demand is carefully regulated and the other where productivity enhancers such as multiple monitors and media walls causes an explosion of energy demand within the space. These internal gains scenarios were simulated on a variety of different building archetypes to test their influence on the space heating and cooling demand. It was demonstrated that in offices with a high quality facade, internal gains are the dominant factor. As a case study, it was shown that natural ventilation is only possible when the ICT demand is carefully regulated

Rewriting the Ending: Malachi\u27s Threat and the Destruction of the Temple in the Gospel of Mark

This is a study of the presence of the OT book of Malachi in the Gospel of Mark. The Gospel begins (1:2–3) with a conflated quotation of Mal 3:1; Exod 23:20; and Isa 40:3. Recent studies have judged that Isa 40:3 is hermeneutically influential on Mark’s presentation of Jesus. Similarly, I aim to show that Mal 3:1, with its promise of a messenger who would proceed Yahweh’s sudden arrival at the temple, is hermeneutically influential in ways heretofore not commonly recognized. The heart of my proposal is that Mark 1–13, that is, roughly three-quarters of the Gospel, is framed by an inclusio that opens with a reference to the first half of Mal 3:1 in 1:2b and closes with a reference to the second half of the same verse in 13:35–36. In Chapter One, I examine the first half of this inclusio. While some have minimized the significance of Mal 3:1 in Mark’s opening quotation, I argue that Mark’s conflation of these three verses is a development of an intertextuality already present in Malachi. In Chapter Two, I investigate the second half of the inclusio, making the case that Mark alludes to Mal 3:1b in the Parable of the Porter at the end of ch. 13. As I shall document, despite lexical similarities between these two texts, this possible allusion has gone largely, although not entirely, unrecognized. Chapters Three and Four explore some of these implications. In Chapter Three, I propose that Mal 3:1 provides the narrative logic for chs. 11–12. In Chapter Four, I give a summary reading of Mark 13 that anticipates the allusion to Malachi’s threat at the end of the discourse. Through close attention to Mark’s allusions to the OT, I attempt to show that Jesus’s prediction of the temple’s destruction is the dominant theme throughout the discourse. As one of Israel’s prophets, Malachi had promised an end to Israel’s story—end as both goal and fulfillment. In his Gospel, especially in chs. 1 and 13, Mark is rewriting that ending

Martian Dust Devil Detection with the Beagle 2 Wind Sensor

Beagle 2 is a Mars lander expected to land on December 26th 2003. The Beagle 2 wind sensor utilizes an ultrasonic technique, which is unique to planetary landers, and with other sensors will identify, and characterise dust devils

Intelligent monitoring of the health and performance of distribution automation

With a move to 'smarter' distribution networks through an increase in distribution automation and active network management, the volume of monitoring data available to engineers also increases. It can be onerous to interpret such data to produce meaningful information about the health and performance of automation and control equipment. Moreover, indicators of incipient failure may have to be tracked over several hours or days. This paper discusses some of the data analysis challenges inherent in assessing the health and performance of distribution automation based on available monitoring data. A rule-based expert system approach is proposed to provide decision support for engineers regarding the condition of these components. Implementation of such a system using a complex event processing system shell, to remove the manual task of tracking alarms over a number of days, is discussed

Phytotoxic Metabolites of Ceratocystis Fungi

A number of naturally occurring isocoumarins which have been isolated from Ceratocystis fungi have been synthesised to evaluate their role as phytotoxins and phytoalexins. The route which was used was a modification of the homophthalate approach, with an improved synthesis of the homophthalate itself. This route was adapted to allow the synthesis of some 4-substituted isocoumarins, including the cis diastereomer of perimacol, a metabolite of Periconia macrospinosa. The stereochemistry of these 3,4-disubstituted dihydroisocoumarins was investigated, and in particular the correlation between nmr chemical shifts and coupling constants and relative stereochemistry was studied. 5-Methylmellein was prepared by the indanone approach in a shorter synthesis than the previously published one. An attempt to use the indanone approach to produce 3-hydroxymethyl isocoumarins failed. It was found that such compounds can be obtained by allylic functionalisation of suitably substituted isocoumarins

Better estimates of LCOE from audited accounts: a new methodology with examples from United Kingdom offshore wind and CCGT.

Around the world, government policies to support new renewable energy technologies rely on accurate estimates of Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE). This paper reveals that such estimates are based on 'public domain' data which may be unreliable. A new approach and methodology has been developed which uses United Kingdom (UK) 'audited' data, published in company accounts, that has been obtained from Companies House, to determine more accurate LCOE estimates. The methodology is applicable to projects configured within Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) companies. The methodology is then applied to a number of UK offshore wind farms and one Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) project to develop new cost data which is then compared to that presently in the public domain. The analysis reveals that recent offshore wind projects show a slightly declining LCOE and that public domain cost estimates are unreliable. But of most concern is that offshore wind farm costs are still much higher than those implied by recent bids for UK government financial support via Contracts for Difference (CfDs). The paper concludes by addressing further the question of how offshore wind projects can achieve the degree of LCOE reductions required by recent CfD bids

Addressing recent misreporting of findings from 'Better estimates of LCOE from audited accounts: a new methodology with examples from United Kingdom offshore wind and CCGT'.

Recent interest in the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) for offshore wind has led to considerable media coverage of this topic. The paper to which this article refers provides some useful insights, but the authors are concerned that their findings are being misreported and misinterpreted. Specifically, some of the media coverage appears to misunderstand or disregard the acknowledged limitations of the paper, citing it to support contentions regarding the likely trajectory of costs for offshore wind farms. This research note addresses some of these issues and urges caution in use of the original paper’s findings. This new research note recapitulates the main themes of the original paper and directly addresses the areas where its findings have apparently been misunderstood. It concludes with a restated and reinforced warning that the analysis and projection of historic costs in offshore wind, or indeed in any fast-developing technology sector, should be undertaken with extreme caution when used to consider future cost trends

Validating the 'seven functions' model of technological innovations systems theory with industry stakeholders: a review from UK offshore renewables.

Technological Innovation Systems theory, and its 'functions' framework, have demonstrated their value as tools for exploring socio-technological transitions. Although the 'seven functions' model has demonstrated its academic value across a vast literature, there have been few attempts to explore the model through the lens of industry stakeholder opinion. We believe that involving a relevant stakeholder group offers the potential for validating this approach, and even potentially enriching it. This research aims to address that shortfall. In 32 interviews with senior participants in the UK offshore wind, tidal stream and wave sectors and associated supply chain, policy makers, support organisations and other stakeholders, the validity of the seven well-established 'Hekkert' functions was tested. The research found that the interviewees confirmed that all seven functions were necessary in characterising the emergence of the focal technologies, and analysis of the interviews allowed the definition and scope of each function to be enriched. The research also found that an additional function—defined as 'Demonstrating Value'—was helpful in providing a more complete description of technology emergence. This function is defined and appropriate metrics for it are discussed. The authors suggest that this proposed enrichment of the 'functions' model may provide a greater understanding of socio-technological transitions in the face of volatile external contextual factors, whose importance the current COVID pandemic has made all too obvious