The Adair Park neighborhood in southwest Atlanta was designed as a residential enclave for working class whites that has evolved to what it is today: an area primarily inhabited by low-income minorities. Many of its residents have worked to preserve the area's distinctive architectural heritage. Low housing values and vacancies have attracted affordable housing developers such as the Atlanta affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. In response to specific plans for the development of affordable housing in the area, members of Adair Park organized themselves to petition the City of Atlanta to adopt architectural standards that preserved the existing housing stock, and ensured that any new construction would be compatible with the neighborhood's architectural character. This study explores the tensions between inner-city communities and affordable housing developers in the quest for affordable and architecturally significant neighborhoods. The conclusions from this research suggest that the desire of predominately low-income neighborhoods to preserve the architecture character of historically significant neighborhoods may be firmly rooted in middle class aspirations and values. Moreover, the conclusions from this research also suggest non-profit housing developers should consider these attitudes prior to constructing affordable housing in predominately low-income neighborhoods.

To achieve the goal of universal coverage of health insurance for the Americans, in March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law. The ACA targets at providing help to improve access to affordable health coverage for everyone and protect consumers from abusive insurance company practices. One of the precedent mandates, implemented in September 2010, is to expand coverage on young adults of age 19 to 26, who may lose insurance coverage due to the remove from their parents’ plan after age 18 and lacking of productivity to bargain with employers in the labor market. This dissertation looks into the impact of the ACA health insurance coverage expansion for young adults on the subsequent health outcomes, health care utilization, and further social impact on traffic fatalities. Difference-in-differences models are used with different treatment groups and corresponding control groups. Chapter I uses survey data (BRFSS) to evaluate health care access, health behavior and self-assessed health status. The results suggest an improvement in health care access and self-assessed health but more risky behavior. Chapter II uses hospital discharge data (NIS) to estimate avoidable hospitalization in order to assess primary care utilization. The result shows that less primary care was consumed, which leads to more avoidable hospitalization but health may have been improved by using more hospital care. The results from both chapters imply potential ex ante moral hazard among young adults in the policy targeting age group. Thus, chapter III uses accident records data (FARS) to examine the impact of the health insurance expansion on traffic fatality for young adults, to see whether young drivers perform ex ante moral hazard through risky behavior like drunk and/or reckless driving after they get covered by the health insurance expansion policy. Primary result shows that there is an increase in traffic accidents and fatalities for those younger adults as a result of the ACA dependent coverage expansion.

This paper offers in-depth look at the convenient care/retail clinic industry in the context of today’s changing medical landscape with specific focus on Texas-based RediClinic. In addition to a detailed analysis of RediClinic, this paper proposes detailed advertising, marketing and social media recommendations that will aid RediClinic in bolstering its brand image and expanding its client base. Every suggested tactic is framed within the rapidly changing healthcare environment present in America, and specific focus is given to the recent passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This paper attempts to aid RediClinic in understanding and leveraging its most important strengths: its strong position within the Texas market, and its service to those who are currently uninsured. / text

Mpumalanga Provincial Department of Human Settlements in partnership with the National Department of Human Settlements has launched a new integrated system known as the Housing Needs Register (HNR) to manage potential housing beneficiaries. This study was aimed at refining the integrated system in terms of providing guidelines and processes in the allocation of affordable houses. A total of 88 878 records captured on the HNR were profiled, and the results show that in approximately 86% of the records, family factors and better economic circumstances were given as the main motivation towards a desire to own a house in a particular area of residence. These findings emphasized the importance of understanding beneficiaries’ needs with regard to housing. Providing guidelines in the application of this knowledge in a fair and consistent manner could assist in curtailing the spread of informal selling or demolishing of state subsidized houses and other forms of corruption. / Public Health / M.A. (Public Health)

Existe a necessidade de modificar o processo de projeto diante da crescente complexidade envolvida em empreendimentos da construção. Há envolvimento de muitos profissionais, existência de distintas metas e interesses, além da ampliação do escopo dos projetos desenvolvidos. Além disso, o processo tradicional de projeto é geralmente desenvolvido de forma fragmentada, desconsiderando o conhecimento de vários estudos acadêmicos já desenvolvidos, sendo as decisões tomadas geralmente com base na experiência dos projetistas. Nesse sentido, uma das abordagens que vem sendo usada para melhorar os projetos de edificações é o projeto baseado em evidências (Evidence-Based Design - EBD). EBD é um processo que visa a melhorar as decisões de projeto tendo como base o uso das melhores evidências disponíveis de pesquisa, aliadas à prática profissional e a dados relacionados aos requisitos do cliente. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver um modelo conceitual para guiar o uso do EBD no processo de projeto de edificações. A pesquisa foi dividida em três estágios. O primeiro estágio, de caráter exploratório, buscou a compreensão da pesquisadora quanto ao tópico investigado (EBD). No segundo estágio, buscou-se entender a aplicação do EBD no processo de projeto com enfoque na geração de valor Já o terceiro estágio buscou desenvolver formas de disseminação de resultados baseados em evidência. Ao longo dos três estágios, foram realizadas três revisões sistemáticas de literatura e também três estudos empíricos, sendo dois desenvolvidos no contexto de habitação de baixa renda no Brasil, enquanto que o terceiro foi realizado em um empreendimento da área da saúde no Reino Unido. O estudo apresenta tanto contribuições práticas como teóricas. Sob um enfoque prático, a principal contribuição é a possibilidade de integração de evidências existentes no processo de projeto a partir do desenvolvimento de algumas formas de coleta, processamento e análise dessas evidências. Em termos teóricos, este estudo propõe uma nova abordagem conceitual sobre nomenclatura e classificação de evidências para o processo de projeto usando EBD, com foco na geração de valor. É apresentada uma proposta de processo de projeto que busca uma melhor integração entre a prática profissional com conhecimentos produzidos pela academia, por meio de um processo de geração de conhecimento como uma forma de aprendizagem contínua. / There is a need for changing the design process due to the growing complexity of construction projects. There is a large number of stakeholders, which have a diversity of aims and goals, in addition to the broader scope of building projects. Moreover, the traditional design process is usually developed in a fragmented way, based mostly on the designers’ experience, often disregarding knowledge from other stakeholders involved. Evidence based design (EBD) is an emerging approach that aims to address this problem by supporting project decision-making with available evidence from research, in addition to professional experience and clients requirements’ data. This research work has proposed a conceptual model to guide the use of EBD in the building design process. The study was divided into three stages. The first stage had an exploratory character, in which the focus of the researcher was on understanding EBD. In the second stage, the aim was to study the application of EBD in the design process, focusing on value generation. The third stage consisted of devising forms of disseminating evidence-based results Three systematic literature reviews and three empirical studies were developed along those three stages. Two studies were concerned with affordable housing projects in Brazil, and one study involved a care home project in the U.K. This work provides both practical and theoretical contributions. From a practical viewpoint, the model proposed herein integrates evidences in building design process and proposes techniques to collect, process, and analyse such evidences. From a theoretical viewpoint, it introduces a new terminology and classification for evidences that can be incorporated in buildings design by using EBD, for increasing value generation. A proposal for a new design process that improves the integration between the professional practice and knowledge produced by academics, through a process for generating knowledge as a form of continuous learning.

Magister Scientiae - MSc (Pharmacy Administration and Policy Regulation) / Technological advancements applied to healthcare may holistically improve the economic burden of prescription medication costs. United States legislative actions requiring utilization of electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) will drive provider utilization to decrease healthcare spending. Federal and state e-prescribe requirements have been met with resistance by the prescribing community, due to claims that the requirements create an economic burden for them. This research intends to demonstrate the long-term economic value of electronic prescribing regulations across the healthcare spectrum.

Main concerns in the building industry includes the development of alternative building materials that reduces the amount of energy spent during manufacturing process and easier to work with. Wood-crete is a composite material developed in this study, made up of wood waste (sawdust), paper, tradical lime and water. Wood-crete is developed to provide an alternative material in construction solving problems associated with the delivery of low-cost housing across all income earners, reducing the amount of energy spent during manufacturing process of construction materials and the ease with which these construction materials are developed and solve issues related to waste management. This thesis presents the processing technologies, factors which affect the performance and properties of wood-crete. Wood-crete properties were found to be closely related to the composition of the constituent elements though compressive strength and modulus of elasticity were low when compared to other building materials like concrete and steel. In a bid to improve the strength of the developed wood-crete, the properties were investigated based on the modification of sawdust by hot water boiling and alkaline treatments which help to modify cellulose fibre surface to reduce the hydrophilic nature of sawdust thereby improving the sawdust-matrix bonding. It was found that the surface modification, processing of cellulosic fibril and the extraction of lignin and hemi-cellulosic compounds with alkali had an effect on the compressive strength of wood-crete, with treating sawdust with 4% NaOH at 140mins of boiling time achieving the highest compressive strength and boiling sawdust from 100mins to 140mins had a gradual increase in compressive strength but reduced at higher boiling time. Furthermore, treating sawdust with NaOH more than 4% weakened the individual wood particles thus leading to poor strength of wood-crete. Additionally, the properties of wood-crete were investigated based on the type of wood sawdust – hardwood (beech and oak) and softwood (pine and cedar). Apart from individual wood density having a significant effect on the density of wood-crete, other factors such as lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose contents including fibre length of individual wood species affect the strength properties of wood-crete. The compressive strength of wood-crete was closely related to the wood species, with highest compressive strength of 3.93MPa recorded for hardwood wood-crete compared to 1.37MPa and 0.26MPa of wood-crete from softwood and mixed wood respectively. Results from thermal conductivity tests on wood-crete also show that wood-crete blocks can be produced with good insulating properties for building construction. Addition of different types of paper fibres to reduce the density of wood-crete and improve the insulating properties of composite developed also had a dominant influence on both strength and thermal conductivity, reflecting its effect on the structure of composite and contribution of self strength of paper fibres. The addition of various percentages of waste paper (de-fibred) had a significant influence on the thermal conductivity of wood-crete with 75% addition of waste paper achieving a thermal conductivity value of 0.046W/mK performed with the TCi thermal conductivity analyser. Thermal conductivity results for wood-crete made from hardwood and softwood sawdust was closely related to the chemical composition of various wood species, with softwood wood-crete having about 20% lower thermal conductivity compared to hardwood wood-crete. The developed wood-crete was able to withstand impact load and considered, like hempcrete, most suitable for wall panelling or other non- and semi-structural applications with good thermal insulating properties. Findings of this study provides an alternative new material for the construction industry and an important background for achieving better strength of wood-crete, choosing what type of sawdust to be used for development of wood-crete and for directing a better use of this potential material with very small embodied energy and carbon negative.

Existe a necessidade de modificar o processo de projeto diante da crescente complexidade envolvida em empreendimentos da construção. Há envolvimento de muitos profissionais, existência de distintas metas e interesses, além da ampliação do escopo dos projetos desenvolvidos. Além disso, o processo tradicional de projeto é geralmente desenvolvido de forma fragmentada, desconsiderando o conhecimento de vários estudos acadêmicos já desenvolvidos, sendo as decisões tomadas geralmente com base na experiência dos projetistas. Nesse sentido, uma das abordagens que vem sendo usada para melhorar os projetos de edificações é o projeto baseado em evidências (Evidence-Based Design - EBD). EBD é um processo que visa a melhorar as decisões de projeto tendo como base o uso das melhores evidências disponíveis de pesquisa, aliadas à prática profissional e a dados relacionados aos requisitos do cliente. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver um modelo conceitual para guiar o uso do EBD no processo de projeto de edificações. A pesquisa foi dividida em três estágios. O primeiro estágio, de caráter exploratório, buscou a compreensão da pesquisadora quanto ao tópico investigado (EBD). No segundo estágio, buscou-se entender a aplicação do EBD no processo de projeto com enfoque na geração de valor Já o terceiro estágio buscou desenvolver formas de disseminação de resultados baseados em evidência. Ao longo dos três estágios, foram realizadas três revisões sistemáticas de literatura e também três estudos empíricos, sendo dois desenvolvidos no contexto de habitação de baixa renda no Brasil, enquanto que o terceiro foi realizado em um empreendimento da área da saúde no Reino Unido. O estudo apresenta tanto contribuições práticas como teóricas. Sob um enfoque prático, a principal contribuição é a possibilidade de integração de evidências existentes no processo de projeto a partir do desenvolvimento de algumas formas de coleta, processamento e análise dessas evidências. Em termos teóricos, este estudo propõe uma nova abordagem conceitual sobre nomenclatura e classificação de evidências para o processo de projeto usando EBD, com foco na geração de valor. É apresentada uma proposta de processo de projeto que busca uma melhor integração entre a prática profissional com conhecimentos produzidos pela academia, por meio de um processo de geração de conhecimento como uma forma de aprendizagem contínua. / There is a need for changing the design process due to the growing complexity of construction projects. There is a large number of stakeholders, which have a diversity of aims and goals, in addition to the broader scope of building projects. Moreover, the traditional design process is usually developed in a fragmented way, based mostly on the designers’ experience, often disregarding knowledge from other stakeholders involved. Evidence based design (EBD) is an emerging approach that aims to address this problem by supporting project decision-making with available evidence from research, in addition to professional experience and clients requirements’ data. This research work has proposed a conceptual model to guide the use of EBD in the building design process. The study was divided into three stages. The first stage had an exploratory character, in which the focus of the researcher was on understanding EBD. In the second stage, the aim was to study the application of EBD in the design process, focusing on value generation. The third stage consisted of devising forms of disseminating evidence-based results Three systematic literature reviews and three empirical studies were developed along those three stages. Two studies were concerned with affordable housing projects in Brazil, and one study involved a care home project in the U.K. This work provides both practical and theoretical contributions. From a practical viewpoint, the model proposed herein integrates evidences in building design process and proposes techniques to collect, process, and analyse such evidences. From a theoretical viewpoint, it introduces a new terminology and classification for evidences that can be incorporated in buildings design by using EBD, for increasing value generation. A proposal for a new design process that improves the integration between the professional practice and knowledge produced by academics, through a process for generating knowledge as a form of continuous learning.

The City of New Orleans (CNO) Office of Community Development approved funding to rehabilitate 81 properties (73 of which were actually used in the project) that were moved from the site of the VA/LSU Medical complex to scattered sites city-wide. These homes, which were located in a proposed historic district, were chosen to be part of a blight remediation initiative monitored by the CNO Office of Performance and Accountability “BlightSTAT” meeting. This research examines the impact of this U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sponsored affordable housing program on the New Orleans blight remediation plan. The case study on the properties moved from the site of the VA/LSU Medical complex provides a lens to examine the progress of the CNO Blight policy and analyze various pitfalls and/or successes. Although the affordable housing plan is in progress as of March, 2017, a total of 39 out of 81 properties have been renovated and 29 of those are now occupied. Focusing on the intersection of affordable housing development, historic preservation and blight remediation in this project creates a model for organizations looking to influence public policy through community development. This study examines if and how an integrated planning process, (using the intersection of affordable housing, blight remediation and historic preservation) reshapes public policy and economic development. The study further looks at the CNO BlightSTAT program and how public administration of city resources post Hurricane Katrina has contributed to economic development and neighborhood stabilization in New Orleans.

Awards or grant programs are a common way for higher education institutions to incentivize the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) and other affordable course materials. This study evaluates the results of a two-year pilot OER awards program at East Tennessee State University. To assess the awards program, we used data from student savings and program costs, grades, drop-fail-withdrawal (DFW) rates, and survey results compiled within the COUP framework (Cost, Outcomes, Usage, and Perception). The initial monetary return on investment was moderately positive, while the grades and DFW rates remained steady. The faculty and students rated the open and affordable materials as well as the OER awards program favorably but expressed some issues with using and implementing open and affordable resources. Based on these results, we determined that the awards program was worth the costs and efforts but needed improvements specifically to address the faculty’s feedback around the lack of time to implement OER and the absence of OER for their courses.