Master of Urban and Regional Planning

This thesis is aimed to enable energy optimization of combined water heating system. The first part deals with the assessment of the general view of thermal solar systems with autonomic power from photovoltaics and description of a particular solar system for energy optimization. Then there is chosen the control system conception based on single-board computer Raspberry Pi, which is complemented by auxiliary measuring and controlling circuit. In the following chapters is described design and implementation of software for control system including web interface. The remote monitoring and controlling of solar heating system is the main purpose of web interface.

<div>This dissertation focused on examining the potential unintended consequences of sustainability on drinking water quality at the tap. The rising trend in water conservation awareness has given rise to the use of water-efficient appliances and fixtures for residential potable water systems. The first study (Chapter 1) characterized the microbial dynamics at a water-efficient residential building over the course of one year and examined the effects of water stagnation, season, and changes in physicochemical properties on the occurrence of opportunistic pathogen markers. When rainwater harvesting is utilized as an alternative water resource in buildings, a combination of municipal water and rainwater is typically required to meet water demands. However, altering source water chemistry can disrupt pipe scale and biofilm and negatively impact water quality at the distribution level. The second study (Chapter 2) in this dissertation evaluated the potential water quality consequences of using intermittent supplies of municipal water and rainwater within building plumbing systems. Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipes are considered by some to be more sustainable than copper pipes and are commonly installed in building plumbing. The goal of the third study (Chapter 3) was to better understand chemical release from commercially available PEX pipes, to characterize toxicological characteristics of the contact water, and to compare microbial growth potential among the three pipe types. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many commercial and office buildings were closed for extended periods of time, allowing water age to increase over the course of several months. Heightened water age is often associated with an increase in chemical and microbial contamination. The objective of the fourth study (Chapter 4) was to evaluate the impacts of an extended COVID-19 related building closure and stagnation on water quality. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of flushing and shock chlorination remediation strategies on water quality at the tap. </div><div><br></div><div>This dissertation contains four chapters and each chapter is a single manuscript. The first two chapters have been published.</div><div><br></div><div>“Drinking water microbiology in a water-efficient building: Stagnation, seasonality, and physiochemical effects on opportunistic pathogen and total bacteria proliferation.” (Chapter 1) Utilizing a residential building that had been retrofitted with low-flow fixtures, the unintended water quality consequences of increased stagnation in low-flow plumbing were evaluated over a year long period. The study results indicated that microbial growth and potential opportunistic pathogen markers, Legionella and Mycobacterium spp. were detected at higher levels within the home as compared to the municipal water main. Reduced water usage induced longer stagnation times and longer stagnation times were correlated with an increase in Legionella spp., Mycobacterium spp., and total cell counts.</div><div><br></div><div>“Impacts of Municipal Water−Rainwater Source Transitions on Microbial and Chemical Water Quality Dynamics at the Tap.” (Chapter 2) Altering source water chemistry can disrupt pipe scale and biofilm and negatively impact water quality at the distribution level. Still, it is unknown if similar reactions occur within building plumbing following a transition in source water quality. To date, no prior studies had evaluated the water quality impacts of transitioning between rainwater and municipal groundwater sources in low-flow plumbing. The study revealed that influent water chemistry impacted rates of metal release from plumbing. Because of differences in source water treatment and water chemistry, rainwater and municipal water uniquely interacted with building plumbing and generated distinctively different drinking water chemical and microbial quality profiles. </div><div><br></div><div>“Contaminant Leaching and Toxicological Assessment of Drinking Water in Contact with Cross-linked Polyethylene (PEX) Pipes.” (Chapter 3) Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) plastic water pipes are increasingly being installed instead of copper pipes for conventional and green building construction. Unlike metal pipe, PEX pipe is easier to install and not vulnerable to corrosion. However, potential health concerns associated with PEX pipe are: 1.) the organic contaminant release that occurs during its service-life, 2.) increased microbial growth compared to metal pipes, and 3.) compound toxicity. Our study goal was to better understand chemical release from commercially available PEX pipes, to characterize toxicological characteristics of the contact water, and to compare microbial growth potential among the three pipe types at varying chlorine concentrations. Results indicated that PEX contact waters did not affect the neurobehavioral development of zebrafish, but affected development in the zebrafish model. Further studies should be conducted to determine how influent water chemistry impacts carbon migration and the water’s toxicity.</div><div><br></div><div>“Water quality during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of flushing and shock chlorination strategies in reducing building water problems.” (Chapter 4) The COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread “stay at home” orders across the United States. As a result, many office buildings, schools, and commercial buildings were left empty, allowing water age within the plumbing to increase dramatically. Heightened stagnation and water age can lead to increased metal leaching from pipe walls, as well as increases in microbial growth and opportunistic pathogen proliferation. Water quality in a large school building was monitored after approximately six months of being closed due to COVID-19 related restrictions. Upon sampling the building, chemical and microbial water quality indicators were affected by the initial six month stagnation period. To monitor the relationship between shock chlorination and water quality at the tap, samples were collected at fixtures at different time points to gain a better understanding of the effects of shock disinfection on drinking water chemistry and microbiology. This study raises concerns with respect to the impact of extended building closures on drinking water quality and the best approach to remediate and monitor water quality issues thereafter.</div>

The purpose of this study was to examine what kind of knowledge and thoughts pre-school children have on water – and sewage systems. The most interesting part will be to examine which components, of the water – and sewage systems, the children have knowledge about. Another interesting part to look into is whether the children’s age, gender and the pre-schools geographical position affects what the children knows about the systems. The study was implemented through qualitative semi-structured interviews, with 15 children in the ages of 4-6. The investigational method was chosen because I wanted to hear the children’s view on the sewage system. The children were interviewed separately, and all the interviews were started with a discussion about toilets. Questions about water – and sewage systems were then asked, to elicit what each individual child knew about the systems. The result shows that the knowledge about water – and sewage systems differs a lot between the children. Some could only name one component, while others could up to six different parts. The age of the children didn´t affect the results, but it´s clear that the boys had more knowledge about the different systems, than the girls had. The children that go to a pre-school in an urban area generally had more knowledge about Sewage treatment, than the children in the rural area. / Syftet med examensarbetet är att undersöka hur barn ser på vatten och avloppssystemet. Intresset ligger i att undersöka vilka komponenter i vatten och avloppssystemen barnen har kunskaper om. Att jämföra vad som har betydelse för barnens kunskaper är också intressant för att se om barnens ålder, kön och förskolans geografiska läge har betydelse för vilka kunskaper de har. I studien ingick 15 förskolebarn åldern 4-6 år. Kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer användes för att ta reda på barnens uppfattningar om avloppssystemet. Barnen intervjuades var för sig och varje intervju inleddes med att prata om toaletten. Frågor om vatten och avloppssystemet ställdes för att få fram vad varje barn hade för kunskaper. Resultatet visar att kunskaper om vatten och avloppssystemet skiljer sig väldigt mycket mellan barnen, de kunde nämna mellan 1-6st olika komponenter. Ålder har inte betydelse, men pojkarna hade överlag mer koll på de olika systemen än flickorna. Barnen som går på en förskola i tätorten hade generellt mer kunskaper om avloppsreningen än barnen på landsbygden.

New Zealand Agricultural Engineering Institute / Also published as: Agricultural Engineering Thesis no. 4 / For large areas of New Zealand that suffer from agricultural drought, the only practicable way of providing irrigation is through the use of water harvesting schemes that divert winter flood water in nearby streams into off-stream storages for irrigation use in the summer. A community water harvesting scheme is presently under construction in the Glenmark area of North Canterbury which was designed using traditional methods. The objectives of this thesis were to assess the limitations of traditional design methods for water harvesting schemes using the Glenmark Scheme as a case study and to develop an improved method based on a systems modelling approach. A daily simulation model was developed that incorporated in a realistic way the engineering, hydrologic, agronomic and economic features of importance to the design of water harvesting schemes in New Zealand. The model was used to study the adequacy of the traditional methods used for the design of the Glenmark Scheme; to arrive at alternative design solutions that achieved higher levels of engineering, agronomic and economic efficiency; and to develop a better understanding of the nature of complex water harvesting systems. It was demonstrated that compounding conservatism inherent in traditional design methods resulted in scheme overdesign and that the ability of the systems model to capture the essential dynamics of the system allowed higher levels of design performance to be achieved. The experience gained in the use of the systems model led to the development of a formalised design procedure for water harvesting schemes that represents an advance on methods hitherto available.

This thesis examines the water resource management in two Greek colonies in Magna Graecia, Akragas and Metaponto, and the relationship between resource management and political regimes. It asks how similar ancient urban theory was to the practical reality, and if different forms of government made different provisions for water management. Chapter 1 outlines urban and health theories found in the works of ancient theorists. It debunks the idea that Hippodamos was the inventor of grid planning, while introducing the concept of ‘total’ city planning. The focus of Classical scholarship on Athens necessitates discussions of several Athenian water systems and how resource management changed (or continued) through different governments in Athens as a point of comparison for Akragas and Metaponto. This chapter focuses on literary analysis and introduces the controversial Southeast Fountain House, with an in-depth consideration of the fountain’s naming and dating problems. Chapter 2 contains the case studies of Akragas and Metaponto and an exploration of the hydrogeology at the two sites, with an introduction to the hydrological phenomenon of karst activity. A discussion of their unique water features—the kolymbethra at Akragas and the canals in the chora of Metaponto—connects the deliberate planning that occurred in both cities to Hippodamos and the urban theorists. Chapter 3 more fully explores the role of tyrants and democracies in water management. Regardless of authorship, water resource management and water systems are necessary for any city, and so most tyrannical water infrastructure continued to be used and expanded and improved upon even under different governments. Even under tyranny water management is a provision of the state and is engaged with and managed by the citizens of the city. Water management is an essential part of siting and establishing a city, so that it is inseparable from urban planning. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

In the summer of 2007, a single neighbourhood in downtown Toronto contributed at least 13 percent of all residential grid???tie solar photovoltaic (PV) systems sold in the Canadian province of Ontario. On average, PV purchaser households produced 37 percent as much electricity as they consumed. This research investigates solar energy adoption in a community case study. Specifically, it investigates why some residents who sign up for a solar resource assessment through a community solar energy initiative (CSEI) decide to purchase, and others decide not to purchase in the short???term. Characteristics and perceptions of potential adopters are analyzed to better understand their motivations and barriers to adoption. Community energy projects became an official public policy goal in Ontario, with the passing of the Green Energy and Green Economy Act in 2009. Approximately 80 percent of Ontario???s anticipated generation capacity will need to be built, replaced or refurbished within 15 years. In this context, the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Ontario Power Authority, and Deloitte (one of Canada???s leading professional services firms), have partnered with a ???green benefit??? fund, the Community Power Fund, to help local community groups access resources to develop and establish renewable energy projects. Understanding solar energy adoption in a community context is therefore important to improve the effectiveness of such policies, including the disbursement of multi???million dollar grant funds. Differences between purchasers and non???purchasers in respect of adoption behaviour were found in this study to cluster around two general themes. The first theme concerns differences in compatibility of both the concept of solar energy systems, and their physical attributes, with characteristics of potential adopter households. Some compatibility issues are straightforward, e.g. availability of roof space with a southern orientation. Others are more complex, involving several interrelated perceptual and socio???demographic factors. For instance, while both purchasers and non???purchasers rated cost as a very important barrier, purchasers rated the motivation of solar energy systems to reduce climate change higher relative to the barrier of high financial costs than did non???purchasers. Purchasers were also more likely to possess a graduate degree, while non???purchasers were more likely to hold a professional degree. The second general theme relates to potential adopters??? trust and stake in the ability of the community???based initiative to reduce barriers in the adoption process. Since two types of solar energy systems are considered in the case study???PV and thermal (hot water)???differences are explored between each of three respondent groups: solar PV purchasers, solar hot water (SHW) purchasers, and non???purchasers. iv Surveys were used to gather data on adopter perceptions and characteristics. A participatory research design helped identify the research topic. Two main bodies of literature???community???based social marketing (CBSM) and diffusion of innovations theory???were drawn upon to conceptualize the adoption process and interpret the survey findings. These include five models of human behaviour that can be used to guide the design of CBSM campaigns. Diffusion theory was used as a basis for discussing ???perceived innovation attributes???. The study takes an integrated approach by considering both social and technical aspects of solar energy adoption, together with the issues of fuel substitution and household electricity demand.