Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become extremely prominent in the construction industry in the past twenty years. It serves as a digital repository that can, when used to its fullest potential, combine all aspects of designing, building, and managing a structure in one place, alongside all the data produced in those processes. The construction industry has to date struggled to increase productivity alongside similar fields, such as the manufacturing industry, though the construction industry generally has far more stakeholders on one project than the manufacturing industry. Further, building designs are becoming more complex while project schedules are becoming tighter. As states look to better manage and develop their infrastructure in the most efficient manner possible, it is critical that all options to improve both project results and efficiency are considered. Organizations such as the International Standards Organization (ISO) and British Standards Institute (BSI) have created standards such as ISO19650 and PAS1192 to provide guidance for how to best implement BIM. This study begins with an extensive literature review to determine the current state of practice of BIM from an academic standpoint. Semi-structured interviews with industry experts on BIM from those working as academics, architects, contractors, clients, software vendors, and engineers are used to inform a two-round Delphi study. The Delphi study seeks to elaborate on the potentials and barriers of BIM, and to determine the consensus or lack thereof within the overall building industry with respect to BIM. The various industry sectors are found to have poor agreement on the potentials and barriers of BIM, but the potentials are found to outweigh the barriers, aligning with the industry’s increasing adoption of BIM since its creation 20 years ago.

More efficient technologies, state laws as well as environmental, social, and political pressures have all contributed to placing solar acquisition on the agenda for California’s public entities over the last half decade. But a key question for these frequently cash-strapped jurisdictions is how to utilize public dollars and lands, and how to leverage incentives to obtain solar PVs. As an alternative to outright purchase, a promising financing option made available to jurisdictions in recent years is ownership by a third party, usually the solar company, including various forms of Power Purchase Agreements (PPA’s) and leasing. Due in part to state and federal incentives available between 2007 and 2012, these third-party provider (TPP) options have been used with increasing frequency; TPP arrangements accounted for “virtually all” larger and mid-size non-residential installations in 2008 (Sherwood 2008). A number of California’s early adopters of third-party financing have installations that have now been operational for several years. Consequently, there is a new opportunity to evaluate third-party financing effectiveness. This thesis reviews solar acquisition practices in California over the last six years, comparing financing options through document analysis and feedback from jurisdiction staff. It finds that directly buying installations has provided a slight advantage in direct savings and overall satisfaction for jurisdictions on average, but success generally depends upon the jurisdiction having secured upfront capital, usually from successfully accessing very low-interest loans or large grants. TPP projects have provided a good alternative to direct purchase, resulting in significant savings and positive reviews from jurisdictions, allowing them to invest in larger installation sizes, and to meet local policy goals or mandates. Additionally, this thesis makes observations about the limitations for installation sizing, impacts of siting on savings, tips for selecting a solar installer, the benefits of cooperative procurement arrangements, and the relative importance of existing and expired monetary incentives available for solar from 2006 through 2020.

Bicycling is a method of tourism transportation that is healthy, non-invasive, environmentally responsible, and economically sustainable. It allows freedom, mobility, and sightseeing potential that is not made possible by other modes of transit. Thousands of bicycle tourists travel from all over the globe annually to explore California on touring bikes via established cycling routes and robust determination. Thousands of additional domestic and international visitors take weekend trips, plan family vacations, travel for business, or tour California from abroad, many of whom are excellent candidates for local and regional bicycle touring at a more gentle intensity level. The increasing popularity and prominence of bicycle tourism, among both domestic and international travelers, carries great potential for economic benefit to local communities. Rural and agricultural communities can particularly benefit from bicycle tourism, as these communities do not normally experience the benefits of tourism as significantly as their urban, coastal or mountainous neighbors. Tourism that is developed in accordance with the size, scale, constraints and character of a particular community can have a beneficial effect on the economics and industry of the area. Infrastructure projects to this effect, such as development of a town or regional trail system, wayfinding features, or other resources come with benefits for visitors and locals in the form of recreation, public health, mobility, and access to food, drink, amenities, scenic areas, jobs and commerce. Trails may further improve the economy of the local housing market, as proximity to trails has a positive effect on housing values. Incorporation of agricultural destinations into local tourism planning creates a draw for visitors and can become a mutually beneficial relationship – contributing to the economic stability of the agriculture industry, preserving local farm lands, increasing tourism revenue and educating the public on the importance of local farming. Through careful planning of the touristic components of the destination, rural communities can achieve multifaceted economic benefits of diverse and versatile tourism amenities.

Urbanization and development of cities is necessary in contemporary society, however, these advancements are also causing urban problems, such as lack of open green space, density problems, traffic problems, and over population.Also, existing buildings are often lacking certain functions that are currently needed since they have been designed in the past. Thus, plaza and mixed used buildings, which are considered as a unit space, are needed to mention for 'publicity' that is a part of urban components as a wide spatial concept. In particular, mixed used buildings as multiply functioned facilities are needed a specific study for 'publicity' and 'urban plaza'. In general, the meaning of 'publicity' in a city seems to have started from 'agora', which is from ancient Greek. A plaza as an open space in a city was realized as a solution, which people have pursued in order to improve their psychological safety and deterioration of the physical environment. Furthermore, it was made by necessity that was able to gather people in a place and was an indicator space with culture, political, and social activity. Procuring a traffic space, which is increasing more in a city, is expressed based on declining plaza and maximizing land use, on the other hands, it indicatesthe importance of a way to vitalize social public space in urban life. In addition, urban and social modernization has caused proliferation and concentration of urban services and,as a result of it,it has caused population increase and architectural densification. In brief, open spaces and streets for pedestrians have decreased. Expansion of buildings, reduction of streets, and degeneration of urban plazas have started to diminish the space for public activity. This has connected to fall quality of its macro- environment and consciousness of sharing, and thus the quality of the city has fallen as a result. The urban plaza is an important component of urban open space and the space, which can improve social community. Thus, the objective of this study is to reconsider the concept 'publicity' in cities as a strategic space in order to vitalize the city. The study includes analyzing connectivity between urban plaza and architectural space and proposing design methods for a mixed use building which will improve interaction between urban context and the buildings., In conclusion, the study will be used to suggest a new solution for the urban design, which has had less connectivity by transportation and thoughtless development for the environment, in order to produce pleasant open space to enjoy public life for citizen focused on increasing practical use between people and their city's infrastructure with diverse function and psychological stability.

The perception that wildfires are completely preventable has caused many structures and communities to be built in locations that will inevitably experience an uncontrollable fire event, risking human lives and infrastructure. Modification of built environments into fire-adapted communities has been explored in this thesis, through multiple strategies. Central to this analysis is the idea that sustainable human developments could adopt a form of biomimicry and indigenous design informed by the adaptions of plants, animals, and native groups that endure and even thrive with regular cycles of fire. This possibility has been assessed through the scope of fire adaptation strategies available to architects, builders, and urban planners. Design decisions including the strategic placement of buildings in relation to topography, wind, vegetation type, and fuel loads has been considered. Additionally, other mechanisms for adaptation have been assessed, such as fire-retardant building materials, building form, landscaping, and the density of built form on the scale of single homes, and broader communities. The thesis identifies a typical building site, the adjacent community, the potential threats to landscape and buildings posed by wildfire, and then explores design approaches aimed at improving fire adaptability. These factors have been considered and assessed on a qualitative level and offer new recommendations for building within fire zones. These design ideas and principles can then be applied to a variety of landscapes wherein the wildfire is inevitable, thereby exploring how fire-adapted communities may be built to sustain wildfires through a myriad of methods within a range of regions.

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing fokus op misdaadvoorkoming by nywerhede met Transvaal Suiker Beperk as geselekteerde studieveld. Die meganiese en fisiese misdaadvoorkomingsmaatreëls aan die hand van Oscar Newman se verdedigbare mimte model is as basis gebruik. Bestaande misdaadvoorkomingsmaatreëls te Transvaal Suiker Beperk is geëvalueer en aanbevelings is gemaak waar nodig. Die waarde van primêre fisiese versperrings ten opsigte van misdaadvoorkoming is beklemtoon tydens hierdie studie. Sonder die ondersteuning van konvensionele elektronika, en die insette van die mensfaktor, is fisiese misdaadvoorkomingsmaatreëls van geringe waarde. Omgewingsontwerp sluit hierby aan. Effektiewe misdaadvoorkoming verg deurlopende kreatiewe denke met toepaslike optrede. / This research focus on crime prevention at industries with Transvaal Sugar Limited as selected study field. The mechanical and physical crime prevention measures, based on Oscar Newman's defensible space model, was used as focus point. Crime prevention measures in place at Transvaal Sugar Limited was evaluated and the necessary recommendations made. The value of the primary physical barriers in regard off crime prevention was emphasised in this study. Without the support of conventional electronics, together with the inputs of the human factor, physical crime prevention measures will be of little value. Environmental design joins this field. Effective crime prevention needs continuous creative thinking together with the necessary action. / Criminolgy / M. A. (Kriminologie)

Este trabalho aborda a questão do Planejamento e do Desenho Ambiental nos assentamentos rurais brasileiros, oriundos das lutas pela terra das classes populares de trabalhadores urbanos e rurais organizados. Apresenta conceitos de ambientais e analisa os efeitos negativos das ações do homem sobre o Planeta. Discute a questão metodológica para a abordagem de problemas ambientais. Apresenta o conceito de Bacia Hidrográfica em sua concepção geofísica e ambiental. Utiliza o método de estudo de casos, ao apresentar o Assentamento I do município de Sumaré SP e o assentamento Padre Josimo no município de Teodoro Sampaio SP assentamentos rurais paulistas originados nas ocupações dos de terra e sua relação com o MST Movimento dos Sem Terra. Procede a um levantamento dos recursos ambientais e paisagísticos dos assentamentos, e perfaz análise dos impactos ambientais ocorridos e em curso nestas áreas. Finalizando, discute os possíveis caminhos futuros que garantam em longo prazo, a sustentabilidade destas áreas com melhoria da qualidade de vida e justiça social aos moradores dos assentamentos e das comunidades relacionadas ao contexto político, social, geográfico e econômico regional, portanto contexto ambiental. Conclui com a apresentação de propostas que configurem um cenário futuro de conservação, recuperação e desenvolvimento sustentável para o Assentamento I e para o assentamento Padre Josimo, baseadas na análise dos impactos ambientais levantados. Apresenta o Convênio Estadual da Microbacia do Córrego Taquara Branca e Pinheirinho, no Assentamento I como uma iniciativa governamental desencadeadora de um processo de recuperação ambiental da paisagem regional, com enfoque em Educação Ambiental. Apresenta para o assentamento Padre Josimo os programas de atuação das ONGs em parceria com assentamentos rurais como uma possibilidade de engajamento nos projetos de conservação ambiental regional visando a Educação Ambiental e geração de renda. / This paper discuss the Environmental Planning and Design issue on the country land occupation at Brazil, originated by the land disputes of organized land and urban workers. It shows environmental concepts and analyze the negative outcomes of human acts on the Planet. It discusses the methodological issue to approach the environmental problems. It also presents the Hydrological Basin concept in its geophysical and ecosystem optic and its importance as an analytical unit to the environmental planning. By using a case study method, it presents the experience of the \"Assentamento /\" at the Sumaré municipality at the State of São Paulo, and the country land Padre Josimo at the Teodoro Sampaio municipality at the State of São Paulo the countries lands occupations made by landless workers, in that State supported by the Landless Workers Movement (MST). It proceeds with an inventory of environmental and landscape resources of these lands occupations, and performs an analysis of landscape and environment impacts caused by these occupations, both on the past and currently. Finally, it discusses the possible future ways to guarantee the long term sustainability of those areas with quality of live improvement and social equity to the land occupants of those areas and related regional communities, in the social, political, geographical, and economical context. It ends up with the proposal, presentation of alternatives that configure future scenarios of conservation, recuperation and sustainable development to the \"Assentamento /\" of Sumaré, and the country land Padre Josimo based on environmental impact analysis performed. It presents the State Microbasin Agreement of Córrego Taquara Branca and Pinheirinho, as a governmental initiative that makes possible a regional landscape and environmental recuperation process, focusing at Environmental Education. It also presents for the country land Padre Josimo the programs of Ongs for country land partners as an of engaging possibility at a regional environmental conservation project aiming Environmental Education and income generation.

La métropolisation que connait le monde depuis quelques décennies a créé une hypertrophie urbaine, faisant de la sécurité urbaine un enjeu primordial pour les Etats. Après avoir démontré l’existence d’un lien fort entre urbanisation et criminalité, nous avons examiné l’influence des politiques urbaines sur la criminalité urbaine. Les études criminologiques et sociologiques menées par de nombreux chercheurs dont Durkheim, Szabo, Shaw et McKay, nous ont servi de base scientifique afin de mener des travaux de recherche sur le terrain. De Lyon à Oran, notre analyse compare l’évolution et l’efficience des politiques urbaines françaises et algériennes. Les résultats de nos recherches démontrent l’influence des politiques urbaines de constructions massives sur le développement de zones urbaines anomiques et socio-économiquement ségréguées, mais également l’impact de l’hyper sécurisation sur le sentiment de sécurité et la cohésion urbaine. / The metropolisation that the world has known for a few decades has created an urban hypertrophy, making urban security a major issue for the Nations. After highlighting a strong connection between urbanization and crime, we’ve studied the influence of urban policies on urban crime. The criminological and sociological studies conducted by many researchers, including Durkheim, Szabo, Shaw and McKay, have served as a scientific basis for conducting field research. From Lyon to Oran, our analysis compares the evolution and effectiveness of French and Algerian urban policies. The results of our research works illustrate the influence of massive urban construction policies on the development of urban anomic and socio-economically segregated areas, but also the impact of hyper-security on the sense of security and urban cohesion.

A wide range of research fields have studied how emotions and behavior are affected by the physical environment. This gestalt theorist approach of experimental research as well seeks to measure emotion (using the valence-arousal scale) and micro-scale community development interactions when weighted physical environment factors are adjusted. Community development (CD) interactions at the micro-scale have received but slight attention from scholars in the CD research field and this study aims partially to investigate developing objective measures from social observations. CD interactions from recordings along with self-reported emotion through surveys in four quasi-experimental groups (where the environments were constructed based on peer-reviewed literature to cause emotional reactions) and one control group made up the data collected for this experiment. While the results of this experiment displayed apparent convincing quantitative differences in both CD interactions and emotion when the physical environment was manipulated, the results of a one-way ANOVA indicated no statistical significance to either dependent variable. The conclusions suggest limiting the physical factors of the environment to produce more precise changes as a result of the manipulated quasi environments.

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing fokus op misdaadvoorkoming by nywerhede met Transvaal Suiker Beperk as geselekteerde studieveld. Die meganiese en fisiese misdaadvoorkomingsmaatreëls aan die hand van Oscar Newman se verdedigbare mimte model is as basis gebruik. Bestaande misdaadvoorkomingsmaatreëls te Transvaal Suiker Beperk is geëvalueer en aanbevelings is gemaak waar nodig. Die waarde van primêre fisiese versperrings ten opsigte van misdaadvoorkoming is beklemtoon tydens hierdie studie. Sonder die ondersteuning van konvensionele elektronika, en die insette van die mensfaktor, is fisiese misdaadvoorkomingsmaatreëls van geringe waarde. Omgewingsontwerp sluit hierby aan. Effektiewe misdaadvoorkoming verg deurlopende kreatiewe denke met toepaslike optrede. / This research focus on crime prevention at industries with Transvaal Sugar Limited as selected study field. The mechanical and physical crime prevention measures, based on Oscar Newman's defensible space model, was used as focus point. Crime prevention measures in place at Transvaal Sugar Limited was evaluated and the necessary recommendations made. The value of the primary physical barriers in regard off crime prevention was emphasised in this study. Without the support of conventional electronics, together with the inputs of the human factor, physical crime prevention measures will be of little value. Environmental design joins this field. Effective crime prevention needs continuous creative thinking together with the necessary action. / Criminolgy / M. A. (Kriminologie)