Evaluation Rainfall Regime at the Hydroelectric Power Plant Toward Climate Change

The hydroelectric plants are first in the Brazilian energy matrix, so irregularities in the rainfall regime can affect the energy generation, thus evidencing the need to know the rainfall distribution in the studied area. This work aimed to evaluate possible analysis of the impacts of climate change on the rainfall regime in the Machadinho hydroelectric region. For the research development, the IPCC-AR5 pessimistic scenario was used, representing a scenario with a continuous population growth and high carbon dioxide emissions. From the historical series and organized projections, precipitation anomalies were calculated. Analyzing the difference between the average of the month and the climatological normal, it was inferred that the model used presented a positive trend for precipitation in the period from 2026 - 2100, projecting anomalies between 25 and 200 mm per month. A greater amplitude is observed in the precipitation of 2076-2100, indicating an increase in the occurrence of extreme events of precipitation, mainly in the spring period. Considering that the rains in the Machadinho hydroelectric region are increasing in the scenarios analyzed, the average water level in the reservoir of the plant tends to increase

Sustainability in Historic Urban Environments: Effect of Gentrification in the Process of Sustainable Urban Revitalization

Considering three- dimensional process of sustainability (physical- economical and social), the aim of conservation for making historic urban environment sustainable should be matched with these dimensions. Therefore, earlier conservation policies have progressed from a simple and restrictive concern with preservation to an increased concern for revitalization and enhancement. This means a physical revitalization may be short-lived and un-sustained. Within the process of revitalization, historic environments become the main locations of gentrification induced by urban revitalization which may involve social cost. Accordingly, this paper develops theoretical concepts on “sustainability in historic urban environment” with a particular emphasis on social issue in terms of gentrification. Also with the result derived from theoretical parts concludes that social changes through gentrification contribute to sustain the historic environments

Towards appreciating the importance of windowscapes: evaluation and suggestion for improvement of New Zealand Building Code

Rapid intensification of Auckland has made our visual awareness of the outdoor environment (windowscapes) more confined and restricted. The recent changes of Auckland’s windowscapes have made the shortcomings of New Zealand Building Code more apparent. This paper aims to demonstrate the importance of windowscapes in urban dwellers’ life and suggest some changes to current building code to provide healthier and liveable indoor environments. First, evidence from the literature on the impact of views on building occupants’ wellbeing will be reviewed. Then, New Zealand Code Clause (G7 Natural light) and its Acceptable Solution will be critically analysed to identify areas that require improvement. Our literature review indicates that private views are more relevant for health and wellbeing than building and planning legislation in New Zealand currently considers them to be. Hence, this paper suggests that windowscapes should become an essential part of future building codes and standards. This paper concludes that providing strict requirements regarding windowscapes is essential to building a healthier indoor environment

The Pedestrianisation and Its Relation with Enhancing Walkability in Urban Spaces

The study aimed to answer the question of how pedestrianisation can influence walkability to increasing physical activity vitality and livability of urban spaces. Therefore, after the theoretical understanding of the framework of the research, the study will focus on experimental research on the Salamis rode of Famagusta to assess the problems of walkability in the street to propose a sustainable and human friendly solution for this area. The main aim of the research is to find what is the interrelation between pedestrianisation in public urban spaces and walkability? Therefore, it concludes that walkability as a part of pedestrianisation scheme will lead to increase the quality of the urban environment by increasing safety and organization in urban infra-instructors

Opportunities for Practicing Sustainable Building Construction in Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Construction sector of Kurdistan region of Republic of Iraq has witnessed a huge development in construction sector last ten years. However, there are lack of awareness and legislation regarding the sustainable construction in buildings sector. The aim of the paper is to find the required mechanism to introduce sustainable practice and implement sustainable construction in the buildings construction sector at Northern Iraq. The main objectives in this study are identifying the barriers in sustainable construction at Northern Iraq and investigate the law and regulations in dealing with these barriers

Global Warming and Climate Change: a Critique on International Law and Policy

Global warming and climate change, a multidisciplinary topic is a matter of International concern. There are some International environmental treaties related to global warming and climate change. The most significant International agreement in this area is - UNFCCC - the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 and ratified by 195 countries. It mainly deals with greenhouse gases emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance starting in the year 2020. The Kyoto Protocol which extends the 1992 UNFCC mandates State Parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: its two basic premises are - global warming exists, and human-made CO2 emissions caused global warming. The Kyoto Protocol came into force in 2005 and each COP has served as the ‘meeting of parties' to Kyoto Protocol such as COP13 (Bali, 2007), COP15 (Copenhagen, 2009), COP16 (Cancun, 2010), COP17 (Durban, 2011), COP18 (Doha, 2012), COP19 (Warsaw, 2013), COP21 and (Paris, 2015).There are other International legal instruments such as 1979 Geneva Convention on Long-Range Trans-boundary Air Pollution. Against this backdrop, this paper will critically examine the existing International legal regime (treaties, conventions, agreements, etc.) on global warming and climate change

Adaptive Reuse of the Industrial Building: a Case of Energy Museum in Sanatistanbul, Turkey

Industrial buildings as an example of cultural heritage transforms our cultural identity from past to the present and even for the future. Unfortunately, there are lots of industrial building which lost its function by converting the place to live and identifiable place. This research will clarify the reasons of conserving of the industrial heritage and by classification of International charters which are dealing with industrial heritage will introduce conservation methods for adaptive reuse of industrial buildings. As a case study, the research will focus on Energy Museum in Istanbul. To assess the building based on reusing principals. The study concludes that Energy Museum is one of the successful examples of reuse of the building. It also concludes that less intervention in reusing a building can save the identity of the building

The Scale of Public Space: Taksim Square in Istanbul

This article aims at following the traces of the transformation of public sphere in Turkey through its manifestations on urban public spaces with the case study of Taksim Square. In this attempt, the article illustrates how Taksim square, as a public space, has been shaped by struggles between different ideologies, discourses, political decisions and daily activities taking place at personal, interpersonal, local, national, supranational and global scales. Through this way this article also aims at understanding how these contestations at different scales are affecting people, individually and collectively, from daily life practices to political integration. The article also discusses that our daily life practices and preferences are political decisions and our participation in public sphere occurs through those daily actions of the personal spheres. Therefore, the article suggests that a paradigm shift is needed in the design and production of the built environments that will facilitate the coexistence of multiple counter publics

Urban Growth, Liveability and Quality Urban Design: Questions About the Efficacy of Urban Planning Systems in Auckland, New Zealand

Preventing sprawl and concentrating future urban growth at transit centres, typifies many urban planning strategies in a number of Australian, New Zealand and North America cities. Newer iterations of these strategies also argue that compact development delivers public benefits by enhancing urban ‘liveability\u27 through good urban design outcomes. Where neoliberal economic conditions prevail, achieving these aims is largely dependent on market-driven development actions requiring the appropriate urban planning responses to ensure these outcomes. However, there are growing concerns that urban planning approaches currently used are not effectively delivering the quality urban design outcomes expected and enhancing residents\u27 liveability. This paper reports on an evaluation of three medium density housing developments located in areas designated for intensification in Auckland, New Zealand. Examined is the extent to which the development outcomes are aligned with the statutory urban planning requirements for quality urban design. The results indicated contradictions and points to limitations of the statutory planning system to positively influence quality outcomes, leading to enhanced residents\u27 experiences

The Inspiration of Bauhaus Principles on the Modern Housing in Cyprus

Modern architecture developed more than a century ago to find solutions suitable to solve the new concerns of the industrial revolution that changed the social idea of the world in all aspects. Bauhaus school which established by Walter Gropius in 1919 adopted too many principles and ideas that were totally new to the architecture concept and theory at that time; their principles started from Simplicity, Angularity, Abstraction, Consistency, Unity, Organization, Economy, Subtlety, Continuity, Regularity, and Sharpness. Those principles affected the architectural world and found its way through many applications in different parts of the world. The unlimited space or the International space that had a significant influence on the architecture space and form as well as the introduction of the new material, the anti- decorating, and Platonic forms had worked to reconstruct the architecture in the world. Cyprus as an Island close to the sources of the movement got the influence from the modern movement. The study will concentrate on Efruz Housing which designed by Ahmet Vural, who developed the project in the 60th of the last century. The aim of the research is to find the relationship and effects of Bauhaus school in Cyprus through studying and analyzing some of Ahmet vural works. The methodology will depend on a comparison with the traditional housing that preceded Mr. Vural work and how the Modernism changed the main features of the housing on the Island