Improving the quality management systems for energy-efficient social housing projects

Developing and implementing quality management systems (QMS) in construction is particularly difficult because of a lack of standardization, the use of transient workforce and the many parties involved. This paper discusses the challenges faced by social housing providers in the UK when implementing quality assurance programs in their effort to provide their tenants with energy-efficient dwellings. In particular, it focuses on the quality plans defined at the early stages of a project, their impact during the construction process and on the resulting building energy performance. Based on data collected from the project team and documentation, a comparative analysis of the QMS development process of two social housing developments is presented. The key findings show that the two case studies followed different quality management approaches to deliver energy efficient dwellings. The most significant discrepancies were found in defining the energy performance targets and detailing the quality assurance procedures. The contribution of this paper is to create awareness of the importance of defining Quality Assurance Systems with a focus on energy performance from the early stages of a project

The squashed entanglement of the noiseless quantum Gaussian attenuator and amplifier

We determine the maximum squashed entanglement achievable between sender and receiver of the noiseless quantum Gaussian attenuators and amplifiers and we prove that it is achieved sending half of an infinitely squeezed two-mode vacuum state. The key ingredient of the proof is a lower bound to the squashed entanglement of the quantum Gaussian states obtained applying a two-mode squeezing operation to a quantum thermal Gaussian state tensored with the vacuum state. This is the first lower bound to the squashed entanglement of a quantum Gaussian state and opens the way to determine the squashed entanglement of all quantum Gaussian channels. Moreover, we determine the classical squashed entanglement of the quantum Gaussian states above and show that it is strictly larger than their squashed entanglement. This is the first time that the classical squashed entanglement of a mixed quantum Gaussian state is determined

The gap between simulated and measured energy performance: A case study across six identical new-build flats in the UK

Monitoring of completed buildings often identifies significant gaps between the predicted and actual energy use of buildings. This is referred to as the ‘energy performance gap’. To date, most research on the energy performance gap has focussed on non-domestic buildings; this paper presents a case study from the UK domestic sector. Monitoring equipment was installed in six identical flats located in a new-build apartment building. The actual energy used during the first year of occupation is compared with the design stage normative Standard Assessment Procedure calculations as well as seven transient DesignBuilder models produced by a cohort of seven MSc Architecture students. As six identical flats were investigated, the paper provides a unique opportunity to develop an energy use distribution on the monitoring side of the energy performance gap. The work demonstrates that the energy performance gap is evident in the domestic sector

An Exploratory Study of the Career Drivers of Accounting Students

The purpose of this study was to assess the relative importance of nine career drivers of undergraduate accounting students. Career drivers are motivational factors that influence students’ choices of careers. Faculty, academic advisors, and employment recruiters, among others, can benefit from knowing what accounting students consider to be important career factors. The three most important career drivers are expertise, security, and search for meaning. We also attempted to assess if there are significant differences in the career drivers of male and female students. Our results indicated that there are statistically significant differences between male and female respondents in the career drivers of expertise, security, and search for meaning

The missing intrauterine device

The Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUD) is an acceptable and common form of contraception worldwide. The objective of this study was to report the case of an asymptomatic missing intrauterine contraceptive (IUD) inserted to prevent intrauterine adhesions after synechiolysis. A patient presented with missing IUD threads. Ultrasound of the pelvis showed an empty uterine cavity with the missing IUD probably anterior to the uterus. We present a stepwise approach in the management of the “lost IUD”, where the strings of the device are not visible at the time of speculum examination. We suggest first determining sonographically whether the IUD is within the cavity. If it is in situ, options for retrieval are including hysteroscopic retrieval. If the IUD is not within the cavity, X-rays are recommended. The device will not be present on X-ray if expulsion has occurred. If the device is present on the X-ray, cystoscopic or laparoscopic retrieval is required. IUD-providers should not only screen potential users and insert IUD correctly, but also ensure adequate follow-up with localization

A NOVEL TOA-GLYCEROL BASED EXTRACTION - RE-EXTRACTION PROCESS FOR THE SEPARATION OF CHEMICALS PRODUCED BY ACIDOGENIC FERMENTATION OF BIOMASS

Acidogenic fermentation of biomass for the production of ethanol and acetic, propionic, butyric and lactic acids is a promising technology, in the sense that germ free conditions are not required, very diversified, less pretreated and cheap biomass can be used, and the molecules produced and their esters are consumed on a large scale by industries. The product recovery, separation and concentration steps downstream of the biomass transformation remain, however, a major challenge for the industrial application of acidogenic fermentation which produces very dilute (concentrations of only a few percent) and complex aqueous solutions of acids and ethanol. A novel extraction - re-extraction process for the recovery of ethanol and acetic, propionic, butyric and lactic acids from acidogenic fermentation broths is presented which is based on the transfer of the acids and ethanol to a glycerol phase via an intermediate solvent phase. Tri-n-octylamine based solvents are chosen in the first, extraction step of the process for their preferential extraction of acids. In the second, re-extraction step, the acids are extracted from the intermediate solvent with glycerol, opening perspectives for the transformation of glycerol into short chain esters, directly using the acids recovered. The novel TOA-based extraction – glycerol-based re-extraction process is experimentally investigated. First, butyric acid aqueous model solutions are tested. Next, the behavior with real fermentation broths is studied. The extraction re-extraction performance is observed to depend strongly on the solvent and on the operating conditions. The influence of the most important process parameters, such as the pH, the temperature, the composition of the aqueous phase is measured. For the first extraction step (water/TOA system), the distribution coefficient of butyric acid is seen to increase significantly with decreasing pH of the aqueous solution. The pH after extraction is linearly related to the pH before extraction. Furthermore, the extraction efficiency is seen to increase with decreasing temperature. Inversely, for the second extraction step (TOA/glycerol system), the extraction efficiency is seen to increase with increasing temperature. The simultaneous presence of butyric and acetic acids is shown not to affect the extraction of the individual acids