In this study, energy conservation potential of appropriate passive cooling and basic heat avoidance strategies were investigated for hot and humid climates. Within this framework, thermal behavior of a case study building that is situated in Cyprus was assessed by collecting temperature and relative humidity data from various rooms of the building during certain days in August. Then, by using feasible simulation strategies of the software tool Summer-Building, the effectiveness of passive cooling measures in reducing energy consumption were examined, for summer months. In this context, the case study building was re-evaluated by applying natural ventilation, night ventilation and ground cooling strategies as well as solar control and shading devices as overhangs and side fins. Consequently, based on the results of the evaluation model, it was found that the proposed passive cooling strategies and basic heat avoidance concepts could provide more than 50 % energy conservation, relative to the completely air conditioned reference building, between 1-15 August 2007.

Early planting is one technique to avoid or reduce heat and drought problems that negatively affecting grain crop production. If producers adopt early planting, cold temperatures may negatively affect corn yield. It is important to select hybrids that are suited for planting earlier in the southern United States. Experiments were conducted by imposing low temperatures during seed germination. Twenty commercially available corn hybrids were evaluated for seed germination and root elongation. The first objective was: 1) To determine if some hybrids germinate better at cooler temperatures than others; and 2) Determine variation in root elongation at cold temperatures among commercially available hybrids. Corn hybrids varied significantly for seed germination and root traits under cold temperatures. Some hybrids have significantly surpassed others in seed germination traits, and they germinated earlier as well having longer radicle length. Also, there were significant differences across temperatures for all traits measured. A second objective was: 1) To quantify the effects of cold temperature on seed germination rate; 2) To evaluate the effects of different cold temperatures on seed germination behavior of corn hybrids under laboratory conditions to determine how fast they germinated; and 3) To classify hybrids for response to cold temperature using cumulative seed germination. The results showed that standard germination performance occurred at 10ºC for all hybrids, but these hybrids performed well under other cold treatments (7.2°C and 8.6° C). There were no big differences between early hybrids 93 to 105 RM (Relative Maturity) and full season 115 to 120 RM in germination % and rate in both experiments, so that means that it pretty much depends on the hybrid. Therefore, the temperature had a major influence on seed germination parameters. These findings are useful for hybrid selection with respect to cool soil temperature conditions during early planting.