Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1978. / Typewritten.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 2003. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 241-252).

The aim of the study was to look at the differences in groups in Karlskrona Kommun in comparison to a larger population of work-groups in Sweden. The instrument used was the Team Diagnostic Survey developed by Ruth Wageman, J. Richard Hackman and Erin Lehman (2005) in order to diagnose the strengths and weaknesses in work-groups, as well as explore the group’s behaviours and effectiveness. The results show that there was a significant difference between the Karlskrona Kommun groups and the larger population of Swedish groups in the following areas: stable, clarity, challenge, diversity, whole task, resources and availability.

While transistor size continues to shrink every technology generation increasing the amount of transistors on a die, the reduction in energy consumption is less significant. Furthermore, newer technologies induce fabrication challenges resulting in uncertainties in transistor and wire properties. Therefore to ensure correctness, design margins are introduced resulting in significantly sub-optimal energy efficiency. While increasing parallelism and the use of gating methods contribute to energy consumption reduction, ultimately, more radical changes to the architecture and better integration of architectural and circuit techniques will be necessary. This dissertation explores one such approach, combining a highly-efficient massively-parallel processor architecture with a design methodology that reduces energy by trimming design margins. Using a massively-parallel GPU-like (graphics processing unit) base- line architecture, we discuss the different components of process variation and design microarchitectural approaches supporting efficient margins reduction. We evaluate our design using a cycle-based GPU simulator, describe the conditions where efficiency improvements can be obtained, and explore the benefits of decoupling across a wide range of parameters. We architect a test-chip that was fabricated and show these mechanisms to work. We also discuss why previously developed related approaches fall short when process variation is very large, such as in low-voltage operation or as expected for future VLSI technology. We therefore develop and evaluate a new approach specifically for high-variation scenarios. To summarize, in this work, we address the emerging challenges of modern massively parallel architectures including energy efficient, reliable operation and high process variation. We believe that the results of this work are essential for breaking through the energy wall, continuing to improve the efficiency of future generations of the massively parallel architectures. / text

The purpose of this study is to determine the energy impacts of daylighing through toplights in a hot humid climate. Daylight in the working environment improves the quality of the space, and productivity of employees. In addition, natural light is a free energy resource. On one hand, a proper design of daylight such as distributed toplights can reduce the electrical lighting consumption. On the other hand, in a hot climate like Austin heat gain is a major concern. Therefore, this thesis is shaped around this question: Can toplighting strategies save energy in Austin despite the fact that buildings receive more direct heat gain through toplights? The importance of daylighting is more revealed since electrical lighting takes up a significant portion of the total building energy use (21%). In this thesis I investigated the reduction of lighting electricity and compared that with the total effects of toplights on external conductance, lighting heat gain and solar gain. The results of my thesis show that regarding the site energy a proper toplighting strategy can save electrical lighting up to (70%) with smaller impact on heating and cooling loads. This means that toplights generally can be energy efficient alternatives for a one storey office building. Developing my research I studied which toplights are more efficient: north sawtooth roofs, south sawtooth roofs, monitor roofs or very simple skylights. I compared different toplighting strategies and provided a design guide containing graphs of site energy, source energy, annual cost saving per square feet, as well as light distribution of each toplight. I believe this can accelerate implementation of efficient toplighting strategies in the design process. Concluding how significantly efficient daylighting is over heat gain, I finalized my research by comparison of skylights with different visible transmission (VT) and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC). The major result of this thesis is that proper toplighting strategies can save energy despite the increased solar gain. It is anticipated that the thesis findings will promote the implementation of toplighting strategies and higher VT glass type in the energy efficient building industry. / text

The vasodilatory effects of nitric oxide (NO) have attracted a lot of attention from many investigators who are interested in treatment for cardiovascular disease or hypertension. Recently, however, NO has drawn the attention of people who are looking for new avenues to improve their health, as well as effective ways to enhance exercise performance. In particular, NO, a potent vasodilator, is known to regulate blood flow to active muscles and improve muscle contractile efficiency during exercise, allowing participants to exercise much longer with less fatigue. Neo40TM contains 420mg of a nitric oxide blend with 75mg of caffeine. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of Neo40TM on cycling time trial performance and exercise efficiency in 15 moderately trained cyclists. The protocol was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, two-period, within-subjects crossover study. The treatments were Neo40TM, and a non-caloric similarly favored placebo (PLA). Fifteen participants were randomly assigned to ingest a Neo40 TM or PLA in lozenge form. Exercise performance was assessed by time to complete a simulated 20.15km time-trial course. Exercise efficiency was also measured by VO2 and lactate accumulation at standardized submaximal steady-state exercise intensities. Time-trial performance was enhanced by 2.1% when participants consumed Neo40TM compared to a PLA without a significant difference in rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Time to complete 6km, 10km, 19.5km and 20.15km of cycling was analyzed by gender. A significant difference was found in female subjects at all time points, but not in male subjects. We did not find significant treatment effects for VO2, respiratory exchange ratio (RER), RPE, heart rate (HR) and lactate concentration during steady state exercise. In conclusion, acute supplementation with Neo40TM improved time-trial performance by an average of 2.1% although there were no treatment effects in regards to factors related to work efficiency. / text

Location Efficiency refers to the notion of living and working in close proximity to oneʼs daily needs so as to minimize travel time and cost. Communities that are trying to encourage mixed use, transit oriented neighborhoods could benefit substantially by understanding this concept and taking steps to increase the financial incentive associated with location efficient development and housing choice. This report starts by giving a conceptual overview of location efficiency and outlining key relationships between macro factors that impact its viability. Market based strategies to increase use of alternative transportation modes and increase location efficient savings are presented here as a politically viable way to achieve pedestrian oriented smart growth without public subsidy. Final suggestions for implementation guide the candidate community through the analysis and application of these concepts / text

Energy and water resources share an important interdependency. Large quantities of energy are required to move, purify, heat, and pressurize water, while large volumes of water are necessary to extract primary energy, refine fuels, and generate electricity. This relationship, commonly referred to as the energy-water nexus, can introduce vulnerabilities to energy and water services when insufficient access to either resource inhibits access to the other. It also creates areas of opportunity, since water conservation can lead to energy conservation and energy conservation can reduce water demand. This dissertation analyzes both sides of the energy-water nexus by (1) quantifying the extent of the relationship between these two resources and (2) identifying strategies for synergistic conservation. It is organized into two prevailing themes: the energy consumed for water services and the water used in the power sector. In Chapter 2, a national assessment of United States' energy consumption for water services is described. This assessment is the first to quantify energy embedded in water at the national scale with a methodology that differentiates consistently between primary and secondary uses of energy for water. The analysis indicates that energy use in the residential, commercial, industrial, and power sectors for direct water and steam services was approximately 12.3 quadrillion BTU or 12.6% of 2010 annual primary energy consumption in the United States. Additional energy was used to generate steam for indirect process heating, space heating, and electricity generation. Chapter 3 explores the potential energy and emissions reductions that might follow regional shifts in residential water heating technologies. Results suggest that the scale of energy and emissions benefits derived from shifts in water heating technologies depends on regional characteristics such as climate, electricity generation mix, water use trends, and population demographics. The largest opportunities for energy and emissions reductions through changes in water heating approaches are in locations with carbon dioxide intensive electricity mixes; however, these are generally areas that are least likely to shift toward more environmentally advantageous devices. In Chapter 4, water withdrawal and consumption rates for 310 electric generation units in Texas are incorporated into a unit commitment and dispatch model of ERCOT to simulate water use at the grid scale for a baseline 2011 case. Then, the potential for water conservation in the power generation sector is explored. Results suggest that the power sector might be a viable target for cost-effective reductions in water withdrawals, but reductions in water consumption are more difficult and more expensive to target. / text

Many public and private entities have heavily invested in efficiency measures and renewable sources to generate energy savings and reduce fossil fuel consumption. Private utilities have invested over $4 billion in energy efficiency with 56% of these investments directed towards consumer incentives. However, the magnitude of the expected savings and the effectiveness of the technological measures remain uncertain. Multiple studies attribute the reasons driving these uncertainties to behavioral phenomena such as “the rebound effect.” This work provides insights on the uncertainties generating potential differences between expected and observed performances of demand-side measures (DSM) and distributed generation strategies, using mixed methods that employ both empirical analyses and engineering economics. This study also provides guidelines to stakeholders to effectively use the benefits from DSM strategies towards asset preservation for affordable multifamily houses. Section 2 describes how joint efficiency gains compare to similar singular efficiency gains for single-family households and discusses the implications of these differences. This work provides empirical models of marginal technical change for multiple residential electricity end-uses, including space conditioning technologies, appliances, devices, and electric vehicles. Results indicate that the relative household level of technological sophistication significantly influences the performance of demand-side measures, particularly the presence of a programmable thermostat. As to space conditioning, results demonstrate that sufficient consistent technical improvement leads to net energy savings, which could be due to technical factors or to a declining marginal rebound effect. Section 3 empirically evaluates the performance of distributed residential photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and identifies the technological and demographic factors influencing PV performance and adoption choice. Results show that modeling PV adoption choice significantly impacts the household energy demand, suggesting that the differences in the actual evaluated behavioral responses and the self-reported changes in electricity consumption are more complex than assumed by other studies. The analysis indicates that electricity use decreases marginally for PV adopters if sufficient efficiency improvements in space conditioning are made. Results further imply that households that adopt solar panels might “take back” roughly 24% of the annual electricity production for PV technologies. Section 4 describes replicable engineering economic models for estimating conventional rehabilitation, energy, and water retrofit costs for low-income multi-family housing units. The purpose of this study is to prioritize policy interventions aimed at maintaining property location and use, and to identify the capital investment needs that could be partially provided by local and state housing authorities. Section 5 synthesizes the work, describes the future work, provides guidelines for local and state efficiency program administrators, and insights on prioritizing and designing efficiency interventions. / text

Questa tesi mette in evidenza e studi una possibile trade-off tra stabilità e l'efficienza economica che un ente governativo può affrontare quando si cerca di costruire un progetto di valore sociale in un paese in via di sviluppo instabile. Nel primo capitolo, i rivedere l'attuale stato di avanzamento in materia di appalti in cui espongo le sfide con i processi di approvvigionamento attuali nei paesi in via di sviluppo. La revisione dimostra infatti che l'assunzione di acquiescenza militare è una grande svista nel tentativo di ottenere un sistema di appalti solido ed efficace in un paese in via di sviluppo. Come espone Laffont che nella letteratura di appalto la necessità per le spese di revisione è stata presa in considerazione con attenzione all'impegno imperfetta delle procedure di controllo e della corruzione dei revisori dei conti. Questo contributo esamina le varie situazioni di sviluppo e di appalti all'interno di un paese in via di sviluppo e gli effetti dello stato attraverso il suo esercito. Particolare esposizione è data per selezionare gli stati africani. / This thesis highlights and studies a possible trade-off between stability and economic efficiency that a government agency may face when trying to build a socially valuable project in a unstable developing country. In the first chapter, i review the current progress made in procurement where I expose the challenges with the current procurement processes in developing countries. The review indeed shows that the assumption of military acquiescence is a big oversight in the endeavor to obtain a solid and effective procurement system in a developing country. As Laffont exposes that in the procurement literature the need for auditing costs was taken into account with attention given to imperfect commitment of auditing procedures and to the corruption of auditors. This contribution surveys the various situations of development and procurement within a developing country and the effect of the state through its military. Particular exposition is given to select African states.