Eye-tracking analysis in landscape perception research : influence of photograph properties and landscape characteristics

The European Landscape Convention emphasises the need for public participation in landscape planning and management. This demands understanding of how people perceive and observe landscapes. This can objectively be measured using eye tracking, a system recording eye movements and fixations while observing images. In this study, 23 participants were asked to observe 90 landscape photographs, representing 18 landscape character types in Flanders (Belgium) differing in degree of openness and heterogeneity. For each landscape, five types of photographs were shown, varying in view angle. This experiment design allowed testing the effect of the landscape characteristics and photograph types on the observation pattern, measured by Eye-tracking Metrics (ETM). The results show that panoramic and detail photographs are observed differently than the other types. The degree of openness and heterogeneity also seems to exert a significant influence on the observation of the landscape

Optimizing production efficiencies of hot water units using building energy simulations : trade-off between Legionella pneumophila contamination risk and energy efficiency

The energy needed for domestic hot water represents an important share in the total energy use of well-insulated and airtight buildings. One of the main reasons for this high energy demand is that hot water is produced at temperatures above 60°C to mitigate the risk of contaminating the hot water system with Legionella pneumophila. However, this elevated temperature is not necessary for most domestic hot water applications, and has a negative effect on the efficiency of hot water production units. A simulation model has been developed which proposes an alternative to this constant 60°C by predicting the Legionella pneumophila concentration dynamically throughout the hot water system. Based on this knowledge, a hot water controller is added to the simulation model that sets a lower hot water comfort temperature in combination with heat shocks. In this paper, the simulation model is used to estimate the energy saving potential in a case study building, at the level of the heat production system by reaching higher production efficiencies. Three different production units, namely an electric boiler, heat pump and solar collector have been investigated. The controller is expected to become an alternative for the current, energy intensive, high temperature tap water heating systems

Species list and conservation priority of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) in Dong Van karst plateau, Ha Giang

Study species and conservation priority of butterflies in Dong Van Karst Plateau, Ha Giang province was carried out in forests of Lung Cu, Pho Bang, Ta Phin and sites near Dong Van centre. The habitats are the natural forest on mountain, the secondary forest, the forest edge, shrub and grass from 1,400 to 1,700 m a.s.l. The study was carried out sometimes from May to September from in 2008, 2010 and 2011. Total 132 species of 8 butterfly families were recorded during studied period. Two species listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam and CITES are Troides aeacus and Teinopalpus imperialis. There are 33 species with individuals 1-2 (25% of all species), 44 species with individuals 3-5 (33% of all species), 14 species with individuals 6-10 (11% of all species), and 41 species with individuals more than 10 (31% of all species). Butterfly species of Dong Van karst plateau consists of 12.6% of all butterfly species of Vietnam, but the family Papilionidae of Dong Van karst plateau consists of 40% of all species of the family of Vietnam. The family Papilionidae is very important for conservation of insects. Some species distributed in Vietnam merely found in the studied area are Byasa hedistus, Papilio elwesi, Sasakia funeblis, S. charonda, and Melitaea yuenty. These species are rare and distribute in forests where forests are being declined. So it is needed conservation meseasures to conserve, especially conserve the natural forests in Dong Van karst plateau, the habitat of these butterflies