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In this thesis the air infiltration through the envelope of a naturally ventilated stone church located in Bergby (Gävle, Sweden) is studied. The project is focused on Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) modeling the air change rate (ACH) inside the church hall and studying the factors (stack effect and wind effect) that influence the air infiltration. The weather parameters outside the building were recorded in a weather station and the properties of the air inside the church was analyzed with different methods. Infrared thermography techniques and thermistors were used to measure the temperature inside, the tracer gas method to measure the ACH and the blower door technique to measure the tightness of the building envelope. In order to know the pressure coefficients on the church envelope a physical model of the building was studied in a wind tunnel. Firstly, only the values obtained from the weather station were used to calculate the predictors of ACH and see which parameter influence more on its variation:  temperature difference (∆T) indicating the stack effect; and wind speed (WS), the component of wind speed perpendicular to the long-side facades of the church (WS90) and their square values (WS2 and WS902) indicating the wind effect. The data obtained in the wind tunnel were later used to do the MLR study with new predictors for indicating wind effect (∆Cp∙WS, ∆Cp∙WS2, ∆CpOUT-IN·A∙WS, ∆CpOUT-IN·A∙WS2, ∆CpC-H∙WS, ∆CpC-H∙WS2). Better prediction of ACH was obtained with the square of the wind speed (WS2) instead of the magnitude itself (WS). However, the latter (WS) provided better results than the regression with the magnitude of the perpendicular component of the wind (WS90). Although wind speed influences in ACH, it alone seems to be a very poor predictor of ACH since has a negative correlation with ΔT when the data under study include both day and night. However when high wind speed are detected it has quite strong influence. The most significant predictions of ACR were attained with the combined predictors ∆T & WS and ∆T & ∆CpOUT-IN·A∙WS2. The main conclusion taken from the MLR analysis is that the stack effect is the most significant factor influencing the ACH inside the church hall. This leads to suggest that an effective way of reducing ACH could be sealing the floor and ceiling of the church because from those areas the air infiltration has big influence on the ACH inside the church hall, and more in this case that have been noted that the floor is very leaky. Although different assumptions have been done during the analyses that contribute to make the predictions deviate from reality, at the end it would be possible to asses that MLR can be a useful tool for analyzing the relative importance of the driving forces for ACR in churches and similar buildings, as long as the included predictors not are too mutually correlated, and that attained models that are statistically significant also are physically realistic. / Church project

The investigation reported in this dissertation attempts to determine the feasibility of using a distance-based approach like compromise programming for discrete-time dynamic programming problems with multiple objectives. In compromise programming, a function measuring the distance from a generally infeasible ideal solution to the feasible set of the problem is the single objective acting as a surrogate for the set of multiple objectives. Since, in general, there is no single best solution to a multiple objective problem, a framework to generate a family of compromise solutions interactively on a computer is proposed. Various quantities relevant to dynamic compromise programming are defined in precise terms. Dynamic compromise programming problems are computationally difficult to solve because in order to make the distance function decomposable over stages, dimensionality of the state-space must be increased by the number of objectives. To generate compromise solutions, quasi-Newton differential dynamic programming (QDDP), a recently developed variable-metric method for discrete-time optimal control, was employed. QDDP is attractive because no second order or Hessian information is required as input. Instead, Hessian matrices are approximated by first order or gradient information. Since very little is known about its numerical properties, computational experiments were conducted on QDDP. A new strategy for updating Hessian matrix approximations was computationally tested. A constrained QDDP algorithm is proposed, computationally tested, and applied to solve a multiobjective dynamic programming problem with inequality constraints at each stage. The algorithm has the potential for application to the more general discrete-time optimal control problem with stage constraints. The framework for generating compromise solutions interactively was implemented for prototype problems. Because decision maker interaction is crucial in a multiple objective situation, special attention was paid towards developing a man-machine interface using on-screen windows. All implementation and computational testing were done on a UNIX based personal computer.

In modern organizations where managers must constantly be dealing with an overload of information, it is often observed that participants in group decision processes either are not clearly aware of their specific preferences or that they are not capable of properly formulating those preferences. When this happens, inconsistent or incomplete expression of personal preferences and their use in decision making may lead to an unjustifiable outcome for the group. Due to this problem, the strengths and effectiveness of GDSS-supported group meetings may, in some situations, not be apparent. This dissertation develops a new approach to supporting group decision making, focusing on preference knowledge of individual participants in a group. A system architecture for the design of an MCDM (Multiple Criteria Decision Making) GDSS which facilitates the process of eliciting, formulating, utilizing, aggregating, and analyzing preferences for individuals within groups is presented. The architecture integrates multi-criteria decision making paradigms with a group decision support environment. A prototype has been developed in order to demonstrate the design feasibility of an architecture that centers around four phases of choice making: alternative generation, preference specification, alternative evaluation, and preference aggregation. The prototype is designed to support managerial choice and judgment processes in collaborative meetings. The intended problem domain of the model is semi-structured managerial decisions for which decision variables (attributes) can be represented in quantitative terms to some extent, yet for which evaluation of alternatives requires a high degree of intuition and personal analysis. The process of prototyping the proposed architecture and the results from a qualitative study have provided some instructive conclusions relating to MCDM GDSS design: (1) support for human choice strategies can be integrated into a GDSS, (2) appropriate management of preferences of group participants will facilitate collaborative decision processes, (3) hierarchical decomposition of a decision problem can provide structure to a problem and thereby reduce problem complexity, and (4) managerial decisions are appropriate problems to which the current approach can be applied.

Two parks are studied as successful examples of protected natural areas in developing countries to demonstrate the importance of addressing local human needs while caring for the park ecosystem. Nominated as successful in a survey of park experts, Pakistan's Kirthar National Park and Nepal's Royal Chitwan National Park are presented as case studies. Strategies reported to be successful in dealing with conflicts with local human populations in 28 protected areas in 18 countries are also discussed. The need for cultural sensitivity by land use planners and managers in protecting and creating sustainable natural areas is stressed.

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