The contribution of the maintenance phase for the environmental life-cycle impacts of a residential building

In Portugal, there is a large and excessive housing supply. Therefore a responsible and adequate attitude towards its management is strongly required. A tailored preservation of the housing infrastructure, embracing both environmental and financial aspects, will facilitate monitoring its expected degradation, minimizing running-costs, extending lifetime and fulfilling occupants satisfaction. This study will be focused on assessing the contribution of the maintenance phase for the whole environmental life-cycle impacts of a single family dwelling in Portugal. The aim of the study is to assess the environmental impacts related to the maintenance scenarios of a conventional residential building in order to identify materials and building technologies that contribute most to those impacts. This research will disclose the relevance of the maintenance phase on the total life-cycle impacts of a conventional residential building and will provide a basis for supporting decision-making during the selection of optimized materials, construction products and technologies

Aplicação do sistema de avaliação SBToolPT-H na otimização da sustentabilidade de um caso de estudo em Guimarães

O contexto presente alerta para a necessidade de repensar o atual modelo de consumo: a escassez de alguns recursos naturais, nomeadamente combustíveis fósseis e matérias-primas, e a consequente escalada de preços, tornam-se insustentáveis tanto a nível ambiental, como económico e social. A prática de uma construção sustentável é um dos passos mais importantes para fazer face a esta situação. Neste sentido, torna-se essencial a utilização de ferramentas que, durante a fase de projeto, permitam compreender os impactes associados às diferentes alternativas de projeto. O sistema de avaliação SBToolPT-H é uma importante ferramenta para os projetistas no sentido de se projetar com base nos princípios do desenvolvimento sustentável. Neste artigo apresenta-se a aplicação do sistema SBToolPT-H na otimização da sustentabilidade de um caso de estudo

Textile depilling : superior finishing using cellulose-binding domains with residual enzymatic activity

Textile fabric depilling is an important industrial application of cellulases. The depilling effect and achievement of desirable touch properties are among the applications sought by users. This process, although effective, is associated with significant tensile strength loss. The depilling mechanism is still a subject of controversy. In this work, we introduce a new perspective in understanding of the depilling mechanism, specifically we consider the contribution of interfacial properties. Cellulose Binding Domains (CBDs) obtained by ultrafiltration after digestion with a protease, were used in depilling experiments. Compared with cellulose, the performance of CBDs was very positive. In fact, when using CBD with residual hydrolytic activity, it was possible to achieve superior depilling treatments

Textile depilling : use of enzymes and cellulose binding domains

Textile fabrics biopolishing is one of the most important industrial application of cellulases. These are widely used to remove fibrils and fuzz fibres from cotton fabrics, or to produce the “stone-washed” look of denim garments. The depilling effect and the achievement of desirable touch properties are among the applications sought by the users. This process, although effective, is associated to a significant tensile strength loss. The biopolishing mechanism is still the subject of controversy. Interfacial properties are not considered in the removing of the pills. It is believed that the hydrolytic activity of cellulases is the only responsible process for the biopolishing. In this work, we aim at introducing a new perspective in the understanding of the biopolishing mechanism, specifically we consider the contribution of interfacial properties. Cellulose Binding Domains (CBD) with a much lower hydrolytic activity than cellulases were produced in laboratory by ultrafiltration after digestion with a protease. Some were purified by ion-exchange chromatography to reduce even more catalytic activity. Cotton fabrics were treated with different cellulases and the CBD. Soluble sugars, tensile strength loss and pilling degree were measured to evaluate the effect of enzymes and CBD, to understand the tensile strength loss and to conclude if interfacial properties are important in the biopolishing process

O potencial das estratégias da arquitectura vernácula portuguesa para a construção sustentável

A arquitetura vernácula carateriza-se por apresentar uma estreita relação com as condições dos locais onde se encontra inserida — clima, materiais, economia, cultura, entre outros. O contexto português é profuso nas manifestações arquitetónicas vernáculas e no leque de estratégias passivas usadas nas diferentes regiões para favorecer os efeitos benéficos do clima e para mitigar os efeitos nefastos do mesmo. As estratégias de adaptação ao meio envolvente presentes nestas construções, caraterizadas pela simplicidade, funcionamento passivo e reduzido impacte ambiental, são particularmente relevantes para os desafios que a construção contemporânea enfrenta, permitindo a redução da dependência em energia de fontes não-renováveis. Neste artigo é apresentado um conjunto de estratégias solares passivas usadas em edifícios vernáculos de duas zonas climáticas distintas - o Alto Alentejo e o Minho - e é avaliado o desempenho térmico dos mesmos durante as estações do ano às quais as estratégias pretendem responder. Do estudo é possível afirmar que as estratégias de arrefecimento passivo são eficazes para garantir as condições de conforto durante o verão sem o auxílio de sistemas mecânicos de climatização; e que a inércia térmica forte dos casos de estudo permite que as temperaturas interiores sejam mais estáveis que as exteriores.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - EXPL/ECM-COM/1801/201

Development of a method using image analysis for the measurement of cellulose-binding domains adsorbed onto cellulose fibers

The surface concentration of CBD-FITC conjugates, adsorbed on cellulose fibers, was determined by image analysis. The program consists of two scripts, the first dedicated to the elaboration of the calibration curve. The emission of fluorescent light, detected by image analysis, is correlated with the concentration of CBD solutions. This calibration is then used (second script) to determine the concentration of CBDs adsorbed on cellulosic fibers. This method allows the direct estimation of the surface concentration of adsorbed CBDs, which usually is not accurately calculated from depletion studies, since the surface area is hardly known. By observing different spots in the surface of the fibers, site-specific information is obtained. It was verified that the physically heterogeneous fibers exhibit different amounts of adsorbed CBDs.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Quantification of the CBD-FITC conjugates surface coating on cellulose fibres

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cellulose Binding Domains (CBD) were conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). The surface concentration of the Binding Domains adsorbed on cellulose fibres was determined by fluorescence image analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>For a CBD-FITC concentration of 60 mg/L, a coating fraction of 78% and 110% was estimated for <it>Portucel </it>and Whatman fibres, respectively. For a saturating CBD concentration, using Whatman CF11 fibres, a surface concentration of 25.2 × 10^-13mol/mm²was estimated, the equivalent to 4 protein monolayers. This result does not imply the existence of several adsorbed protein layers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It was verified that CBDs were able to penetrate the fibres, according to confocal microscopy and TEM-immunolabelling analysis. The surface concentration of adsorbed CBDs was greater on amorphous fibres (phosphoric acid swollen) than on more crystalline ones (Whatman CF11 and Sigmacell 20).</p

Predictive Maintenance Model Based on Anomaly Detection in Induction Motors: A Machine Learning Approach Using Real-Time IoT Data

With the support of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, it is possible to acquire data from degradation phenomena and design data-driven models to perform anomaly detection in industrial equipment. This approach not only identifies potential anomalies but can also serve as a first step toward building predictive maintenance policies. In this work, we demonstrate a novel anomaly detection system on induction motors used in pumps, compressors, fans, and other industrial machines. This work evaluates a combination of pre-processing techniques and machine learning (ML) models with a low computational cost. We use a combination of pre-processing techniques such as Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Wavelet Transform (WT), and binning, which are well-known approaches for extracting features from raw data. We also aim to guarantee an optimal balance between multiple conflicting parameters, such as anomaly detection rate, false positive rate, and inference speed of the solution. To this end, multiobjective optimization and analysis are performed on the evaluated models. Pareto-optimal solutions are presented to select which models have the best results regarding classification metrics and computational effort. Differently from most works in this field that use publicly available datasets to validate their models, we propose an end-to-end solution combining low-cost and readily available IoT sensors. The approach is validated by acquiring a custom dataset from induction motors. Also, we fuse vibration, temperature, and noise data from these sensors as the input to the proposed ML model. Therefore, we aim to propose a methodology general enough to be applied in different industrial contexts in the future

Explanation-by-Example Based on Item Response Theory

Intelligent systems that use Machine Learning classification algorithms are increasingly common in everyday society. However, many systems use black-box models that do not have characteristics that allow for self-explanation of their predictions. This situation leads researchers in the field and society to the following question: How can I trust the prediction of a model I cannot understand? In this sense, XAI emerges as a field of AI that aims to create techniques capable of explaining the decisions of the classifier to the end-user. As a result, several techniques have emerged, such as Explanation-by-Example, which has a few initiatives consolidated by the community currently working with XAI. This research explores the Item Response Theory (IRT) as a tool to explaining the models and measuring the level of reliability of the Explanation-by-Example approach. To this end, four datasets with different levels of complexity were used, and the Random Forest model was used as a hypothesis test. From the test set, 83.8% of the errors are from instances in which the IRT points out the model as unreliable.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, 3 tables, submitted for the BRACIS'22 conferenc

Nutrient Content with Different Fertilizer Management and Influence on Yield and Fruit Quality in Apple cv. Gala

Assessing a plant’s nutritional status and fertilizer rates and types that can optimize fruit quality and yield are critical in intensive apple orchards. The aim of this work was to identify correlations between nutrients in the different organs that allow the early diagnosis of the nutritional status and to assess the impact on the optimal nutrient content in apple leaves, as well as in the yield and quality of chemical and organic fertilization. Five orchards of ‘Gala’ were fertilized with different levels of NPK over a period of four years. Macro and micronutrients of buds, flowers, 45 and 90–110 days after full bloom (DAFB) leaves and 60 DAFB and 15 days before harvest (DBH) fruits were determined. Boron was the only element for which strong correlations, 0.7 < r < 0.9, were observed between all organ pairs. The fertilization treatments did not affect the nutrient concentrations in the leaves of 90–110 DAFB other than P, Ca and Mg and did not affect the macronutrients in the fruit. In one of the five orchards, the yield increased by 26% with double fertilization compared to standard fertilization and, for the other four orchards, the impact depended on the year. Fruit size was more related to crop load than to fertilization and TSS and firmness were not affected by the type or amount of fertilizers. Replacing part of the chemical fertilizer with organic materials did not affect productivity or fruit qualityinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio