Researchers are in broad agreement that energy-conserving actions produce economic as well as energy savings. Household energy rating systems (HERS) have been established in many countries to inform households of their house’s current energy performance and to help reduce their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In Canada, the national EnerGuide for Houses (EGH) program is delivered by many local delivery agents, including non-profit green community organizations. Waterloo Region Green Solutions is the local non-profit that offers the EGH residential energy evaluation service to local households. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the determinants of household’s participation in the residential energy efficiency program (REEP) in Waterloo Region, to explain the relationship between the explanatory variables and REEP participation, and to propose ways to improve this kind of program. A spatial (trend) analysis was conducted within a geographic information system (GIS) to determine the spatial patterns of the REEP participation in Waterloo Region from 1999 to 2006. The impact of sources of information on participation and relationships between participation rates and explanatory variables were identified. GIS proved successful in presenting a visual interpretation of spatial patterns of the REEP participation. In general, the participating households tend to be clustered in urban areas and scattered in rural areas. Different sources of information played significant roles in reaching participants in different years. Moreover, there was a relationship between each explanatory variable and the REEP participation rates. Statistical analysis was applied to obtain a quantitative assessment of relationships between hypothesized explanatory variables and participation in the REEP. The Poisson regression model was used to determine the relationship between hypothesized explanatory variables and REEP participation at the CDA level. The results show that all of the independent variables have a statistically significant positive relationship with REEP participation. These variables include level of education, average household income, employment rate, home ownership, population aged 65 and over, age of home, and number of eligible dwellings. The logistic regression model was used to assess the ability of the hypothesized explanatory variables to predict whether or not households would participate in a second follow-up evaluation after completing upgrades to their home. The results show all the explanatory variables have significant relationships with the dependent variable. The increased rating score, average household income, aged population, and age of home are positively related to the dependent variable. While the dwelling size and education has negative relationships with the dependent variable. In general, the contribution of this work provides a practical understanding of how the energy efficiency program operates, and insight into the type of variables that may be successful in bringing about changes in performance in the energy efficiency project in Waterloo Region. Secondly, with the completion of this research, future residential energy efficiency programs can use the information from this research and emulate or expand upon the efforts and lessons learned from the Residential Energy Efficiency Project in Waterloo Region case study. Thirdly, this research also contributes to practical experience on how to integrate different datasets using GIS.

The rapid evolution of wireless communication technologies increased the need for handheld devices that can support dissimilar standards or better user mobility and more battery life. Traditional radio architectures fail to satisfy these challenging features. Software Defined Radio (SDR) is recently introduced to implement a new generation of wireless radios capable of coping with these stringent requirements through software reprogramming. Although the term SDR is widely used, it is still an idealized method and is not implementable using available technologies. Hence, the term “SDR”, has been so far, referring to only partially upgradeable radios. Two current practical solutions substituting SDR are broadband and multiband transceivers. Radio Frequency (RF) front ends and especially the power amplifier is the main challenge in implementation of software defined radios. Power Amplifiers (PA) dominate the sources of distortions and power consumption in the RF-front end. They are typically operated in linear classes in order to minimize the linearity degradation. However, they lead to poor average power efficiency especially when fed with signals with high Peak to average power ratio (PAPR) such as Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) and Long Term Evolution (LTE) signals. This is the main cause of short battery life in transceivers. To remedy this issue, some advanced methods like Doherty amplifier and drain modulation based architectures are introduced. This thesis expounds on the implementation of high efficiency radio transmitters, capable of multi standard operation. The RF amplifier is still one of the main challenges in the realization of these transmitters. In this work, two RF PAs, having multiband and broad band characteristics, were implemented using 0.13µm CMOS technology. The first PA operates at two frequency bands, 2.4GHz and 3.5GHz. The other PA has center frequency equal to 2.4GHz and 600MHz bandwidth, respectively. These PAs are expected to lay the foundation for the realization of high efficiency drain modulation based multiband and broadband transmitters.

Denna intervjubaserade uppsats undersöker skillnader och likheter av denpersonliga uppfattningen av begreppet effektivitet bland ett mindre antal personerinom en vinstdrivande organisation och en icke vinstdrivande organisation.

This thesis investigates how energy is used in three public baths today and suggests measures that could reduce the energy demand. The results show that there is a great poteltial for energy savings i public baths, and that it would be interesting to examine some of the proposed measures further.

Researchers are in broad agreement that energy-conserving actions produce economic as well as energy savings. Household energy rating systems (HERS) have been established in many countries to inform households of their house’s current energy performance and to help reduce their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In Canada, the national EnerGuide for Houses (EGH) program is delivered by many local delivery agents, including non-profit green community organizations. Waterloo Region Green Solutions is the local non-profit that offers the EGH residential energy evaluation service to local households. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the determinants of household’s participation in the residential energy efficiency program (REEP) in Waterloo Region, to explain the relationship between the explanatory variables and REEP participation, and to propose ways to improve this kind of program. A spatial (trend) analysis was conducted within a geographic information system (GIS) to determine the spatial patterns of the REEP participation in Waterloo Region from 1999 to 2006. The impact of sources of information on participation and relationships between participation rates and explanatory variables were identified. GIS proved successful in presenting a visual interpretation of spatial patterns of the REEP participation. In general, the participating households tend to be clustered in urban areas and scattered in rural areas. Different sources of information played significant roles in reaching participants in different years. Moreover, there was a relationship between each explanatory variable and the REEP participation rates. Statistical analysis was applied to obtain a quantitative assessment of relationships between hypothesized explanatory variables and participation in the REEP. The Poisson regression model was used to determine the relationship between hypothesized explanatory variables and REEP participation at the CDA level. The results show that all of the independent variables have a statistically significant positive relationship with REEP participation. These variables include level of education, average household income, employment rate, home ownership, population aged 65 and over, age of home, and number of eligible dwellings. The logistic regression model was used to assess the ability of the hypothesized explanatory variables to predict whether or not households would participate in a second follow-up evaluation after completing upgrades to their home. The results show all the explanatory variables have significant relationships with the dependent variable. The increased rating score, average household income, aged population, and age of home are positively related to the dependent variable. While the dwelling size and education has negative relationships with the dependent variable. In general, the contribution of this work provides a practical understanding of how the energy efficiency program operates, and insight into the type of variables that may be successful in bringing about changes in performance in the energy efficiency project in Waterloo Region. Secondly, with the completion of this research, future residential energy efficiency programs can use the information from this research and emulate or expand upon the efforts and lessons learned from the Residential Energy Efficiency Project in Waterloo Region case study. Thirdly, this research also contributes to practical experience on how to integrate different datasets using GIS.

The rapid evolution of wireless communication technologies increased the need for handheld devices that can support dissimilar standards or better user mobility and more battery life. Traditional radio architectures fail to satisfy these challenging features. Software Defined Radio (SDR) is recently introduced to implement a new generation of wireless radios capable of coping with these stringent requirements through software reprogramming. Although the term SDR is widely used, it is still an idealized method and is not implementable using available technologies. Hence, the term “SDR”, has been so far, referring to only partially upgradeable radios. Two current practical solutions substituting SDR are broadband and multiband transceivers. Radio Frequency (RF) front ends and especially the power amplifier is the main challenge in implementation of software defined radios. Power Amplifiers (PA) dominate the sources of distortions and power consumption in the RF-front end. They are typically operated in linear classes in order to minimize the linearity degradation. However, they lead to poor average power efficiency especially when fed with signals with high Peak to average power ratio (PAPR) such as Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) and Long Term Evolution (LTE) signals. This is the main cause of short battery life in transceivers. To remedy this issue, some advanced methods like Doherty amplifier and drain modulation based architectures are introduced. This thesis expounds on the implementation of high efficiency radio transmitters, capable of multi standard operation. The RF amplifier is still one of the main challenges in the realization of these transmitters. In this work, two RF PAs, having multiband and broad band characteristics, were implemented using 0.13µm CMOS technology. The first PA operates at two frequency bands, 2.4GHz and 3.5GHz. The other PA has center frequency equal to 2.4GHz and 600MHz bandwidth, respectively. These PAs are expected to lay the foundation for the realization of high efficiency drain modulation based multiband and broadband transmitters.

Plant shape affects the ability of insect predators to locate prey by altering search paths or by providing partial refugia for prey. Changes in predator foraging efficiency can have significant consequences for population dynamic of both predators and prey. Yet, the relationship between plants and insect predators is not well understood despite its relevance to agriculture and biological control. The effect of plant gross morphology on predator foraging success was tested using multicoloured Asian ladybeetles, Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and green lacewing larvae, Chrysoperla carnea Stephens (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), preying on pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae). These predators differed in body size and therefore might be expected to have different responses to a given plant morphology. Experiments were conducted using four different pea plant morphologies (Pisum sativum L.) that differed in fractal dimension, but which were controlled for surface area. The consumption rate of each predator on each pea morph was determined by measuring the number of aphids consumed in a 48 hour foraging period at 3 prey densities. I also tracked predator search paths using 2D time-lapse photography to determine if the two predators search plants differently. I found that both predators were more successful at capturing prey on plants with a higher leaf edge to leaf area ratio (lower fractal dimension). Plants with more edges were easier for predators to grip, thus increasing their mobility and manoeuvrability. Also, plants with more edges and fewer leaf surfaces had fewer locations where aphids could hide. As a result, predators are more effective at locating and capturing prey on these morphologies.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ transport efficiency and expression levels of major SR Ca2+ regulatory proteins are associated with resting metabolic rate (RMR) in humans. Twenty five healthy and weight stable participants with mean age, height and weight of 22±3.6 years, 174.6±8.0 cm and 72.8±21 kg respectively, were recruited for the study. RMR was calculated using the Weir equation based upon measures of VO2 and VCO2, which were collected using the Vmax breath by breath indirect calorimetry system. Ca2+-ATPase activity, Ca2+ uptake and Ca2+ leak analyses were performed in vitro on homogenates that were prepared from vastus lateralis muscle biopsies. Ionophore (IONO) ratio was assessed by measuring Ca2+-ATPase activity in the presence and absence of Ca2+ Ionophore. The coupling ratio, a measure of SR Ca2+ transport efficiency, was calculated by taking the ratio of Ca2+ uptake to Ca2+-ATPase activity. Expression levels of the major SR Ca2+ regulatory proteins, including SERCA1a, SERCA2a, phospholamban (PLN), and calsequestrin (CSQ) were assessed using Western blotting techniques. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis demonstrated a weak but significant negative correlation between coupling ratio and RMR (r2= 0.2108, p =0.0240). Content of the SR Ca2+ regulatory proteins, IONO ratio and Ca2+ leak were not found to be significantly related to either RMR or coupling ratio, with the exception of the ratio of SERCA1a to SERCA2a, which showed a weak but significant positive relationship with RMR (r2=0.1781, p=0.0400). Thus, the relationship between coupling ratio and RMR is not influenced by Ca2+ leak, SERCA pump efficiency or the SR Ca2+ regulatory proteins. Overall, these results suggest that the efficiency of SR Ca2+ transport is weakly related to whole body RMR. Further analysis is needed to assess this relationship, and to determine which SR Ca2+ handling properties are influencing the relationship between coupling ratio and RMR.

Recent concerns regarding climate change, environmental degradation, human health and energy security associated with the consumption of energy have raised questions about the sustainability of current energy systems. Increasing energy efficiency is considered a core strategy for ultimately achieving a sustainable energy system by offering a cost-effective method for reducing energy use for organisations. However, the slow execution of energy efficiency solutions is said to be reflective of a much wider debate within energy economics, and lead to what is commonly referred to as the “efficiency gap”. Historically, the debate involves theoretical differences between engineering-economic, or “bottom-up”, models which suggest there is ample room for profitable energy efficiency measures; and, orthodox economic, or “top-down”, models which argue that there are significant costs associated with reducing energy consumption. The result has been a diversity of opinions on the potential for, and costs of, energy efficiency, the nature and significance of associated barriers and the appropriateness of various policies in overcoming these barriers. In reality, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to resolving the debate. Rather, the differences across energy service markets require that the existence of an efficiency gap be assessed within the context of these parameters. This requires understanding the nature and significance of barriers to energy efficiency and their economic and organisational impacts within various contexts. This paper explores a taxonomy of barriers to energy efficiency within one potentially influential sub-sector within the country’s most densely populated and highest energy consuming region – Southern Ontario municipalities. The information was collected in three phases. First, a review of the literature was conducted which helped identify and understand potential barriers to energy efficiency and the instances in which they would merit policy intervention. Secondly, 26 questionnaires from individuals responsible for various aspects of energy management and municipal decision-making were completed to gain further insight into municipal structures, policies, decision-making procedures and perception of barriers. These questionnaires were supplemented with 6 detailed interviews conducted with municipal energy managers, or the equivalent. The results presented in this study confirm the presence of an energy efficiency gap within the participating municipalities and that barriers to cost-effective energy efficiency measures do in fact exist. These barriers are most often associated with a lack of information on obtaining appropriate measures and difficulties accessing available capital required for initial investments. The findings support the claims of “bottom-up” models which indicate that policy intervention may rationally overcome many of these barriers. For example, organisational policy measures such as the implementation of energy reserve funds for individual departments may be implemented at low costs. Other barriers that do not justify policy intervention, such as risk, were considered to be less relevant to the participating municipalities. The case studies suggest that with adequate public and organisational policy intervention, the energy efficiency gap may be reduced within these municipalities, thus increasing overall energy efficiency.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes a significant health problem worldwide due to the lack of effective vaccines. It has been recognized that a rapid, vigorous, and broadly targeted cell-mediated immune response (Th1-like) is often associated with the clearance of HCV infections. DNA vaccines represent a promising means for HCV vaccination because they tend to induce a Th1-biased cell-mediated response in the host cell. Currently, the delivery of DNA vaccine for HCV in large animals as well as in humans is not as effective as in small animals. Nano delivery systems would be a promising approach to overcome this problem. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been extensively studied for delivering drugs, proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids including plasmid DNA to cells and organs with varying degrees of success, but few of them have been applied to DNA vaccine for HCV.<p> This thesis presents a study of using functionalized CNTs (f-CNTs) to improve the efficacy of plasmid DNA vaccine delivery for HCV. First, CNTs were functionalized via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction with the appropriate amino acids and aldehydes. NMR and TEM results suggested that the CNTs were successfully functionalized and became soluble in water. Then plasmid DNAs which encode green fluorescence protein reporter gene, luciferase reporter gene, and HCV core protein, respectively, were delivered into human hepatoma cells via calcium phosphate precipitation method, f-CNT delivery system, and a combination of f-CNT and calcium phosphate method, respectively. The result showed that f-CNTs, in combination with the calcium phosphate method, significantly enhanced the gene expression in human hepatoma cells.<p> Consequently, this study concludes that the f-CNT can significantly enhance gene expression in liver cells conferred by a plasmid DNA when combined with calcium phosphate precipitation method. Even though the mechanisms of this enhancement await further investigation, the results of this thesis may have important implications in developing DNA vaccines for infectious diseases in general and for hepatitis C in particular.