The objectives of this thesis were to examine the relationship between the built environment and obesity-related behaviours in Canadian youth, and to address measurement issues relevant for studying these relationships. The thesis is comprised of four manuscripts. The first manuscript determined the accuracy of the food retailer locations surrounding 34 schools in Ontario as provided by two geographic information system (GIS) databases. The GIS locations of 25% of the food retailers were located within 15 m of their actual location, 50% were within 25 m, and 75% were within 50 m. These values did not differ by GIS database source. The second manuscript examined the association between the presence of food retailers surrounding schools and students’ lunchtime eating behaviours. It also determined whether a circular or road network buffer provided a better geographic boundary of the food retail environment surrounding schools. It was carried out in 6,971 9th and 10th grades students from 158 schools. The presence of food retailers near schools was strongly associated with students regularly eating their lunch at a snack-bar, fast-food restaurant or café. The road network buffers provided the better measure of the food retail environment. The third manuscript determined the optimal buffer size of the food retail environment surrounding schools. Six road network buffers were created around 158 schools. These ranged in size from 500 m to 5000 m. Results indicated that the 1000 m buffer was the optimal size. The fourth manuscript explored associations between urban sprawl and active transportation, moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and overweight/obesity in 7,017 youth aged 12 to 19 who resided in one of Canada's 33 Census Metropolitan Areas. Increasing levels of sprawl were modestly associated with increased active transportation (only among 12 to 15 year olds) and MVPA. No associations were found for overweight/obesity. Taken together, the results from this thesis provide a better understanding of the role of the built environment on obesity-related behaviours in Canadian youth. Important measurement issues in this topic area were also addressed. / Thesis (Ph.D, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2012-01-30 19:36:47.354

This thesis puts forth the means of a strategic approach to address a persistent problem in the energy system and in this way, to transition the built environment to a future state that is more exergy-aware to curb CO2 emissions. Such a vision is made possible by the six-fold contributions of the research work: I) An analytical model is developed, which for the first time, formulates the CO2 emissions that are compounded in the energy system as a function of the systematic failures to match the supply and demand of exergy. This model is namely the Rational Exergy Management Model or REMM. II) REMM is then applied to analyze the pathways in which it is possible to lead the built environment into addressing structural overshoots in its exergy supply to curb CO2 emissions. The cases that embody these pathways are also analyzed over a base case, including cases for sustainable heating and cooling. III) New tools are designed to augment decision-making and exemplify a paradigm shift in the more rational usage of exergy to curb CO2 emissions. These include a scenario-based analysis tool, new options for CO2 wedges, and a multi-fold solution space for CO2 mitigation strategies based on REMM. IV) The concept of a net-zero exergy building (NZEXB) is developed and related to REMM strategies as the building block of an exergy-aware energy system. The target of a NZEXB is further supported by key design principles, which address shortcomings in state-of-the-art net-zero design. V) A premier building that deployed the key design principles to integrate building technology in an innovative, exergy-aware design and received LEED Platinum is analyzed on the basis of the NZEXB target. The results validate that this building boosts net self-sufficiency and curbs compound CO2 emissions, which are then presented in a proposed scheme to benchmark and/or label future NZEXBs. VI) Based on the scalability of the best-practices of the NZEXB ready building, the means to realize a smarter energy system that has exergy-aware relations in each aspect of the value chain to curb CO2 emissions are discussed. This includes a target for such a network at the community level, namely a net-zero exergy community (NZEXC). As a whole, the results of the thesis indicate that the strategic approach as provided by REMM and the NZEXB target of the research work has the potential to steer the speed and direction of societal action to curb CO2 emissions. The thesis concludes with a roadmap that represents a cyclical series of actions that may be scaled-up at various levels of the built environment in a transition to be in better balance with the Planet. / QC 20111014

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No description available.

In 1938, the Carnegie Institution of Washington published the results of ethnoarchaeological research conducted in Guatemala and southern Mexico by North American archaeologist Robert Wauchope. This seminal work, titled Modern Maya Houses: A Study of Their Archaeological Significance, aimed to understand the significance of traditional Maya houses (known in the study region as casas de paja) for the identification and interpretation of ancient dwelling remains in archaeological excavations. At the time, Wauchope documented only ten distinct house types among six of the 28 Maya language (cultural) groups. Due to its narrow scope, Wauchope’s investigation focused more on the physical properties of house construction and less on the social behaviours and beliefs generating the architectural forms. In recognition of Wauchope’s survey remaining incomplete, the primary aim of this dissertation has been to ethnographically record and comparatively analyse the remaining casas de paja in contributing to a greater cross-cultural understanding and theory of the entire repertoire of Maya house architectures. In combining both architectural and anthropological method, the author was able to make a number of important research findings; most notably that a pan-Maya, and pre-Columbian, semantic relationship existed between individual house types, indexing a shared cultural history and proto-Maya house architecture that possibly originated as early as 4,000 years prior to present times. In addition to the architectural documentation of house traditions, the author also investigated the processes of house transformation and change in the 70 years since Wauchope’s original survey. The rapid rate of built environment transformation in both Guatemala and Mexico over those intervening years underscores the importance of recording these cultural traditions before they pass. In contemporary times the few remaining chozas or casas de paja stand as historical reminders to a time past but not forgotten and embody traditional knowledge related to cultural beliefs and behaviours, which are intimately linked to the land, materials and climate of the region. Chapter 1 of the dissertation introduces the study region and establishes the primary aims and objectives of the research. Chapters 2 and 3 present the theoretical background and methodological approach governing the research project while Chapter 4 gives an historical overview of Maya house traditions. Chapters 5 and 6 are devoted to the ethnographic findings of the regional survey and Chapter 7 discusses Maya house change in the years since Wauchope’s 1930s investigation. Chapter 8 details the contribution which the ethnographic investigation makes to Euromerican architectural theory in relation to non-Euromerican material and cultural histories in contributing to a world cross-cultural architectural canon and scholarship. In coming to a greater understanding of a past (pre-Columbian) and present (Maya casas de paja) subject, the thesis calls for an understanding, appreciation and acceptance of non-Euromerican architectural forms by Euromerican academics and practitioners in moving toward a greater acceptance of a diversity of human needs in the creation of social, cultural and built environments. The overall significance of this thesis lies in the position that the sustainability of lifestyle practices, and allocation of wisdom, skills, and the fulfilment of human needs, as embodied in building ‘traditions’, are of major relevance to current and future generations.

abstract: ABSTRACT Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a non-governmental organization of U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) which promotes a sustainable built environment with its rating systems. One of the building segments which it considers is healthcare, where it is a challenge to identify the most cost-effective variety of complex equipments, to meet the demand for 24/7 health care and diagnosis, and implement various energy efficient strategies in inpatient hospitals. According to their “End Use Monitoring” study, Hospital Energy Alliances (HEA), an initiative of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), reducing plug load reduces hospital energy consumption. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the extent to which realistic changes to the building envelope, together with HVAC and operation schedules would allow LEED credits to be earned in the DOE–hospital prototype. The scope of this research is to specifically investigate the inpatient block where patient stays longer. However, to obtain LEED credits the percentage cost saving should be considered along with the end use monitoring. Several steps have been taken to identify the optimal set of the end use results by adopting the Whole Building Energy Simulation option of the LEED Energy & Atmosphere (EA) pre– requisite 2: Minimum Energy Performance. The initial step includes evaluating certain LEED criteria consistent with ASHRAE Standard 90.1–2007 with the constraint that hospital prototype is to be upgraded from Standard 2004 to Standard 2007. The simulation method stipulates energy conservation measures as well as utility costing to enhance the LEED credits. A series of simulations with different values of Light Power Density, Sizing Factors, Chiller Coefficient of Performance, Boiler Efficiency, Plug Loads and utility cost were run for a variety of end uses with the extreme climatic condition of Phoenix. These assessments are then compared and used as a framework for a proposed interactive design decision approach. As a result, a total of 19.4% energy savings and 20% utility cost savings were achieved by the building simulation tool, which refer to 5 and 7 LEED credits respectively. The study develops a proper framework for future evaluations intended to achieve more LEED points. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Built Environment 2012

O processamento dos requisitos é um processo que visa o atendimento dos requisitos dos envolvidos em um projeto. Especificamente em projetos de ambientes construídos, é importante devido à natureza complexa, iterativa e ao grande número de envolvidos. Apesar de ser um tema explorado há muitas décadas, o processamento de requisitos ainda é pouco conhecido pelos profissionais da área, e seus problemas e dificuldades são essencialmente associados à falta de procedimentos estruturados e à pouca adequação das ferramentas de suporte. Esta tese objetiva trazer contribuições para a implementação de melhorias no processamento dos requisitos de projetos de ambientes construídos, a partir das percepções dos profissionais que desenvolvem tais projetos. Para tanto, este objetivo geral foi subdividido em quatro objetivos específicos: (i) propor uma caracterização das etapas e uma definição dos conceitos-chave relacionados ao processamento dos requisitos em projetos de ambientes construídos; (ii) verificar quais são as técnicas e ferramentas mais utilizadas tacitamente pelos profissionais para processar requisitos, bem como o interesse dos mesmos em utilizar técnicas e ferramentas mais sofisticadas; (iii) investigar a eficiência das técnicas e ferramentas utilizadas tacitamente para processar requisitos sob a ótica dos profissionais, bem como identificar quais são as principais dificuldades que enfrentam; e (iv) propor e testar preliminarmente soluções para sanar as lacunas identificadas nas etapas de priorização de requisitos e definição de soluções de projeto. A pesquisa foi estruturada no formato de 5 artigos científicos. O primeiro e o segundo, visam atender ao objetivo (i), através de uma revisão sistemática e da proposta de um mapa cognitivo, respectivamente. O terceiro e o quarto artigos exploram através de um estudo de caso exploratório e de uma survey, respectivamente, as práticas tácitas de processamento de requisitos e as dificuldades dos profissionais, atendendo assim aos objetivos (ii) e (iii). O quinto artigo apresenta a aplicação de dois métodos matemáticos como alternativas para atender ao objetivo específico (iv). Como resultados, foi possível realizar uma caracterização do processamento de requisitos, além de apontar caminhos para as melhorias através do diagnóstico das práticas já existentes, das dificuldades dos profissionais e da proposta de novas ferramentas. A principal conclusão é de que o sucesso na implementação de melhorias, tanto através do melhoramento de técnicas que já são utilizadas na rotina dos profissionais, como de ferramentas mais complexas, depende da prévia compreensão das dificuldades no ambiente onde os projetos são desenvolvidos, e do investimento na capacitação das pessoas. / The requirements processing is a process aimed at meeting the stakeholder’s requirements. Specifically in building design, it is important due to the complex and iterative nature, and to the large number of stakeholders. Despite being studied for decades, the requirements processing is still little known by practitioners, and their problems and difficulties are mainly associated with the lack of structured procedures and little adequacy of support tools. This thesis aims to bring contributions to the implementation of improvements in the requirements processing in building design, from the perceptions of the professionals who develop such projects. Therefore, this general objective was subdivided into four specific objectives: (i) to propose a characterization of the steps and a definition of the key concepts related to the requirements processing in building design; (ii) to verify what are the techniques and tools most commonly used by professionals to process requirements, as well as the interest of those in the use of more sophisticated techniques and tools; (iii) to investigate the efficiency of the techniques and tools used to process tacitly requirements from the perspective of the practitioners, as well as identify what are the main problems they face; and (iv) to propose and test preliminary solutions to remedy the difficulties identified in the prioritization of requirements and the definition of design solutions. The thesis was structured in 5 scientific articles. The first and the second, aim to meet the objective (i) through a systematic review and a proposal of a cognitive map, respectively. The third and fourth articles explore, through an exploratory case study and a survey, respectively, the tacit practices of processing requirements and the difficulties of professionals, thus meeting the objectives (ii) and (iii). The fifth article presents the application of two methods as alternatives to meet the objective (iv). As a result, it was possible to make a characterization of the requirements processing in building design, and to indicate a way for improvements through the diagnosis of existing practices, the difficulties of practitioners and the new tools proposed. The main conclusion is that the successful implementation of improvements, both by improving techniques that are already used in the routine of professionals, as more complex tools depends on the prior understanding of the difficulties in the environment where the projects are developed, and investment in training people.

Com o crescimento da população em áreas urbanas, o transporte coletivo assume um importante papel nos deslocamentos diários nas cidades brasileiras. No entanto, o grande volume de pessoas no entorno desses sistemas podem resultar em pontos críticos de segurança viária. Recentemente, as pesquisas sobre melhorias na segurança viária estão se direcionando para a investigação da relação entre o ambiente construído - isto é, padrões de uso do solo; desenho urbano; e sistemas de transporte - e acidentalidade. Porém, a relação entre os sistemas de transporte coletivo por ônibus e o ambiente construído ainda é pouco explorada. O ponto mais crítico em segurança identificado na literatura em sistemas de transporte coletivo são as estações de embarque e desembarque. Assim, esta dissertação tem como objetivo verificar a existência de relação entre elementos do ambiente construído com a ocorrência e severidade de acidentes viários no entorno de pontos de parada em sistemas prioritários para ônibus. Para isso, aplicou-se os modelos de regressão Binomial Negativo (NB), na análise de frequência de acidentes, e os modelos Logit Ordenado (OL) e Logit Multinomial (MNL), para a análise de severidade. No modelo de frequência de acidentes totais, identificou-se duas variáveis significativas e, no modelo estimado para atropelamentos, três variáveis. O modelo de severidade resultou em 19 variáveis significativas para acidentes totais e oito variáveis significativas para atropelamentos. As variáveis referentes ao envolvimento de motocicletas, automóveis, presença de interseção e uso diversificado do solo foram as mais recorrentes. O estudo possibilitou também avaliar as diferenças e vantagens entre os modelos ordenados e os não-ordenados. O modelo Logit Multinomial teve ajustes levemente melhores do que o Logit Ordenado. Ressalta-se, entretanto, que o ajuste do modelo não deve ser o único critério a se considerar na escolha de modelos para o estudo de severidade de acidentes. / Public transport has played an important role in daily commutes in Brazilian cities as population grows in urban areas. However, high volumes of pedestrians near those systems may result in critical safety issues. Recent studies on road safety improvements have sought for evidence on the relationship between built environment - land use patterns; urban design; and transportation systems - and traffic safety. Nevertheless, the relationship between traffic safety at bus priority systems and the built environment is still incipient. According to studies, the most critical safety issues related to public transport are the stations for boarding and alighting. Thus, this thesis aims to verify the relationship between built environment and incidence and severity of traffic crashes in the surroundings of bus priority systems. To do so, we applied Negative Binomial regression models (NB) for the frequency analysis, and the Ordered Logit (OL) and Multinomial Logit (MNL) models for severity analysis. NB models resulted in two significant variables for traffic crashes in general and three variables for pedestrian crashes. The severity model resulted in 19 significant variables overall crashes and eight significant variables for pedestrian crashes. Variables related to the involvement of motorcycles, automobiles, intersections and mixed land use were significant in majority of model estimations. The results allowed to evaluate the goodness of fit between ordered and unordered models. MNL had a slightly better adjustments compared to OL. Goodness of fit, however, should not be the only criterion for selecting a model to assess crash severity.

Após o fim da Segunda Guerra Mundial, teve início um processo de aumento da utilização dos automóveis nos grandes centros urbanos que modificou o desenho das cidades e o padrão de deslocamento nesses espaços. Uma das diversas consequências negativas da consolidação do automóvel como principal meio de transporte nas metrópoles foi o aumento do número de acidentes no trânsito, principalmente os que envolviam os usuários de transporte ativo – pedestres e ciclistas. A promoção dos modos de transporte não motorizados, como a bicicleta, é tida como ação complementar para reversão desse processo, porém, para tanto, é necessário melhorar a percepção de segurança sobre o modo cicloviário. A tomada de decisão por parte dos gestores do tráfego acerca das intervenções viárias que melhoram a segurança dos ciclistas carece de entendimento sobre os elementos que influenciam a ocorrência de acidentes envolvendo estes usuários. Desse modo, o trabalho desenvolvido nesta dissertação tem como objetivo a verificação da existência de relação entre os elementos urbanos construídos, os fatores socioeconômicos e outras possíveis fontes de risco com a frequência e severidade dos acidentes cicloviários na cidade de Porto Alegre O processo de investigação utilizou softwares de georreferenciamento para consolidar os dados coletados segundo as unidades de análise definidas. A frequência de acidentes foi modelada através de Modelo de Regressão Binomial Negativo e a severidade de acidentes foi modelada através de Modelo Logit Multinomial. O modelo de frequência de acidentes apresentou duas variáveis significativas. Em seguida, foi gerado um novo modelo de frequência de acidentes a partir da eliminação de possíveis fontes de discrepância dos dados. Os resultados indicaram que este segundo modelo estava melhor ajustado ao cenário estudado. O modelo de severidade de acidentes foi composto por 18 variáveis significativas. Por fim, os elementos que demonstraram maior prevalência sobre a acidentalidade de ciclistas foram a interação com automóveis, a presença de vias arteriais, a proximidade com áreas de interseção e o envolvimento de usuários vulneráveis (jovens e idosos em bicicletas) nos acidentes. / After the end of the World War II, many cities around the world have experienced an increase on car using which changed the way cities were planned and also mobility patterns. That process has generated some problems at urban areas like road accidents increasing, most of them related to active transport modes - pedestrians and cyclers. Non motorized transportation modes fomentation, for example cycling, emerges as an alternative to change this issue. However, before it happens, cyclers need to feel more safe on transit. Understanding the influence of the elements that affect cyclers's safety gives to decision makers and traffic managers a better possibility to make the right decisions on safety improvement. Thus, this thesis aims to verify the relationship between built environment, socialeconomic factors and other risk sources and frequency and severity of traffic crashes involving cyclists in Porto Alegre. By using GIS softwares, the collected data were consolidated according to the defined analysis units. Accident’s frequencies were modeled and the coefficients were estimated by using Negative Binomial Regression Model and the severity of accidents was modeled as a Multinomial Logit Model. The accident frequency model counted with two sginificant variables. Then, a new accident frequency model was estimated from the elimination of possible sources of data discrepancy. Results have shown that the second model fit better on the studied scenario. The accident severity model resulted in 18 significant variables. Finally, the elements that showed highest prevalences on cyclists safety were car interaction, presence of arterial roads, proximity to intersection areas and vulnerable cyclists users (young and old ones cycling) involvement on accidents.

Submitted by Patricia Figuti Venturini (pfiguti@anhembi.br) on 2018-10-02T20:10:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Barbara Alves Cardoso de Faria.pdf: 7653517 bytes, checksum: 9a82cc4fa0e7813bb48c8bca661f42f4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Patricia Figuti Venturini (pfiguti@anhembi.br) on 2018-10-03T18:23:47Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Barbara Alves Cardoso de Faria.pdf: 7653517 bytes, checksum: 9a82cc4fa0e7813bb48c8bca661f42f4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Patricia Figuti Venturini (pfiguti@anhembi.br) on 2018-10-03T18:24:03Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Barbara Alves Cardoso de Faria.pdf: 7653517 bytes, checksum: 9a82cc4fa0e7813bb48c8bca661f42f4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-10-03T18:29:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Barbara Alves Cardoso de Faria.pdf: 7653517 bytes, checksum: 9a82cc4fa0e7813bb48c8bca661f42f4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This research has the purpose to study how the landscape design in clinics that attend patients with Alzheimer's disease can contribute to the non-pharmacological treatment of the disease and improve the patient's quality of life. Studies related to the brain indicate that the built environment has the potential to interfere directly in the brain structure. Thus, neuroscience can contribute to the planning and analysis of constructed spaces with the purpose of offering suitable conditions for the well-being of the individual with this pathology. Regarding constructed spaces, the landscaping project acts as a relevant element in clinics that attend patients with Alzheimer's disease. The patient's relationship with nature is essential because being around green areas provides effects such as alignment of his circadian rhythm, increased vitamin D production, basic notions of time, air quality and sensory stimuli. Thus, the landscaping and architectural elements of green areas can serve as cognitive stimuli to the brain, reestablishing the contact of the human being with the surrounding environment. In this way, such stimuli have the capacity to promote a condition of well-being, providing comfort, security and helping in the healthy living of these individuals in the built space. From this, the research analyzes the design of green areas of two Alzheimer's care clinics, with the purpose of evaluating and recognizing the importance of such areas, as well as offering discussions and recommendations to the landscaping project of both clinics. For this, a bibliographical survey was carried out of authors that relate neuroscience and architecture, as well as field research, both essential to propose a series of recommendations with the purpose of suggesting guidelines and improvements for green areas of such clinics. This study demonstrates the relevance of a landscape design for spaces that shelter patients with diseases that affect the central nervous system, such as Alzheimer's. / Essa pesquisa tem como objetivo estudar de que modo o projeto paisagístico em clínicas que atendem pacientes com a doença de Alzheimer pode contribuir para o tratamento não farmacológico da doença e auxiliar na qualidade de vida do paciente. Estudos relacionados ao cérebro indicam que o espaço construído tem o potencial de interferir diretamente na estrutura cerebral. Desse modo, a neurociência pode contribuir para o planejamento e análise de espaços construídos com a finalidade de oferecer condições adequadas para o bem-estar do indivíduo com essa patologia. No que tange aos espaços construídos, o projeto paisagístico atua como relevante elemento em clínicas que atendem pacientes com Alzheimer. A relação do paciente com a natureza é essencial pois o convívio em áreas verdes lhe propicia efeitos tais como o alinhamento do seu ritmo circadiano, aumento da produção de vitamina D, noções básicas do tempo, qualidade do ar e estímulos sensoriais. Assim, os elementos paisagísticos e arquitetônicos de áreas verdes podem servir como estímulos cognitivos ao cérebro, reestabelecendo o contato do ser humano com o ambiente o que circunda. Dessa maneira, tais estímulos tem a capacidade de promover uma condição de bem-estar, propiciando conforto, segurança e auxiliando no convívio saudável desses indivíduos no espaço construído. A partir disso, a pesquisa analisa o projeto de áreas verdes de duas clínicas de atendimento a pacientes com Alzheimer, com a finalidade de avaliar e reconhecer a importância de tais áreas, bem como oferecer discussões e recomendações ao projeto paisagístico de ambas as clínicas...