published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

Highly reflective roofing systems have been analyzed over several decades to evaluate their ability to meet sustainability goals, including reducing building energy consumption and mitigating the urban heat island. Studies have isolated and evaluated the effects of climate, surface reflectivity, and roof insulation on energy savings, thermal load mitigation and also ameliorating the urban heat island. Other sustainable roofing systems, like green-roofs and solar panels have been similarly evaluated. The motivation for the present study is twofold: the first goal is to present a method for simultaneous evaluation and inter-comparison of multiple roofing systems, and the second goal is to quantitatively evaluate the realized heating and cooling energy savings associated with a white roof system compared to the reduction in roof-top heat flux. To address the first research goal a field experiment was conducted at the International Harvester Building located in Portland, OR. Thermal data was collected for a white roof, vegetated roof, and a solar panel shaded vegetated roof, and the heat flux through these roofing systems was compared against a control patch of conventional dark roof membrane. The second research goal was accomplished using a building energy simulation program to determine the impact of roof area and roof insulation on the savings from a white roof, in both Portland and Phoenix. The ratio of cooling energy savings to roof heat flux reduction from replacing a dark roof with a white roof was 1:4 for the month of July, and 1:5 annually in Portland. The COP of the associated chillers ranges from 2.8-4.2, indicating that the ratio of cooling energy savings to heat flux reduction is not accounted for solely by the COP of the chillers. The results of the building simulation indicate that based on energy savings alone, white roofs are not an optimal choice for Portland. The benefits associated with cooling energy savings relative to a black roof are offset by the winter-time penalty, and the net benefit from adopting white roof technology in Portland is small. That said, there are other potential benefits of white roofing such as impact on urban heat islands and roof life that must also be considered.

多年來，各國的科學家致力提升能源效益以減少能源消耗。當中，以了解能源使用行為對達致可持續能源消耗最為關鍵。為此，本論文將採用跨學科的方法，利用心理學的理論制定研究框架及問卷設計，目的為調查影響市民進行家居節約能源行為的因素。 / 本研究採用詳細設計的問卷收集受訪者的環境態度、行為動機、自我報告行為、環境知識水平、情景因素及心理因素。是次調查共採訪七百一十五位年齡為十五歲或以上的香港市民。研究結果顯示，香港市民擁有高度的環境態度及中等的環境知識水平，當中尤對本地的環境知識特別了解。 / 在影響節能行為的因素方面，本研究的結果與國外的相關研究存有顯著差別。當中社會經濟因素並不能解釋本地的家居節能行為；相反，心理因素，包括內在刺激、願意犧牲度、環境污染嚴重意識、責任意識及自我勝任感卻為解釋家居節能行為的重要因素。 / 根據本研究的觀察，單純地向市民灌輸環境知識並不能鼓勵其進行可持續生活。故此，本研究將向保護環境從業者就設計環境教育運動及制訂環境政策時提出可行的改善方法。最後，本文亦就本研究的限制作出討論，並就其他相關研究提出改善及建議。 / Reducing energy usage by raising energy efficiency has been the focus of scientists worldwide. Understanding energy consumption behaviors is crucial to achieving sustainable energy usage reduction. This study aims at exploring the barriers that hinder people from adopting energy conservation behaviors at home that could lead to efficient energy consumption. To achieve this, an inter-disciplinary approach is adopted integrating psychological theories in the research framework and questionnaire design. / The study employed a structured questionnaire in an attempt to understand environmental values, behavioral intention, self-reported behaviors, environmental knowledge, situational variables as well as psychological determinants, from respondents. 715 respondents aged 15 and above participated in the survey in Hong Kong. Results show that in general, Hong Kong citizens have high environmental awareness and moderate level of environmental knowledge and that they understand local environmental issues to be of great interest. Thus, regarding the barriers of behaviors, the findings suggest dissimilar results with their counterparts in the western countries. It shows that socio-economic factors are not decisive in performing energy conservation behaviors at home, while psychological factors, namely intrinsic motivation, willingness to sacrifice, perceived seriousness of environmental problems, perceived responsibility and self-efficacy, could significantly explain human behaviors. / Observed from this survey, equipping the public with environmental knowledge is no longer practical in achieving sustainability. Recommendations for environmental practitioners are demonstrated in this study. Besides, the limitations of this research and suggestions on further similar studies are discussed. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Tsang, Kai Ho. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-127). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in Chinese; appendix E in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / 論文摘要 --- p.iii / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Table of Contents --- p.v / List of Tables --- p.ix / List of Figures --- p.xi / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Background --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Research objectives --- p.3 / Chapter 1.4 --- Significance --- p.4 / Chapter 1.5 --- Research framework --- p.5 / Chapter 1.6 --- Structure of the thesis --- p.5 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.7 / Chapter 2.1 --- Pro-environmental behaviors --- p.7 / Chapter 2.2 --- Energy conservation behavior --- p.8 / Chapter 2.3 --- Environmental knowledge and behavior --- p.9 / Chapter 2.4 --- Environmental values and behavior --- p.11 / Chapter 2.5 --- Situational variables --- p.13 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Socio-demographics --- p.13 / Chapter 2.5.1.1 --- Age --- p.13 / Chapter 2.5.1.2 --- Gender --- p.15 / Chapter 2.5.1.3 --- Education --- p.17 / Chapter 2.5.1.4 --- Income --- p.19 / Chapter 2.5.1.5 --- Household size --- p.20 / Chapter 2.5.1.6 --- Other home characteristics --- p.22 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Psychological variables --- p.24 / Chapter 2.5.2.1 --- Intrinsic motivation --- p.24 / Chapter 2.5.2.2 --- Subjective norm/ Social pressure --- p.26 / Chapter 2.5.2.3 --- Efficacy --- p.28 / Chapter 2.5.2.4 --- Perceived seriousness of environmental problems --- p.31 / Chapter 2.5.2.5 --- Perceived responsibility --- p.33 / Chapter 2.6 --- Conceptualizing energy conservation behavior --- p.36 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) --- p.36 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- Framework of study --- p.38 / Chapter 2.7 --- Research gap --- p.41 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- METHODOLOGY --- p.43 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2 --- Study area --- p.43 / Chapter 3.3 --- Study instrument --- p.44 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Questionnaire design --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3.1.1 --- Section 1 - Environmental values --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3.1.2 --- Section 2 - Behavioral intention scale --- p.48 / Chapter 3.3.1.3 --- Section 3 - Behavioral frequency scale --- p.48 / Chapter 3.3.1.4 --- Section 4 - Environmental knowledge (general and concrete) --- p.49 / Chapter 3.3.1.5 --- Section 5 Psychological variables --- p.52 / Chapter 3.3.1.6 --- Socio-demographics --- p.55 / Chapter 3.4 --- Questionnaire formation --- p.55 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- First pilot study --- p.55 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Second pilot study --- p.56 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Final questionnaire --- p.56 / Chapter 3.5 --- Data collection --- p.57 / Chapter 3.6 --- Analytical methods --- p.57 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- Quantitative methods --- p.58 / Chapter 3.6.1.1 --- Descriptive and bivariate statistics --- p.58 / Chapter 3.6.1.2 --- Multivariate statistics --- p.60 / Chapter 3.7 --- Conclusion --- p.62 / Chapter CHPATER FOUR --- UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES, KNOWLEDGE, BEHAVIORAL INTENTION, BEHAVIOR AND DETERMINANTS --- p.63 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.63 / Chapter 4.2 --- Sample profile --- p.63 / Chapter 4.3 --- Environmental values --- p.65 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Dimensionality of New Ecological Paradigm --- p.65 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Conclusion --- p.68 / Chapter 4.4 --- Behavioral intentional and self-reported behavior --- p.69 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Comparison of behavioral intention and self-reported behavior --- p.69 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Construction of behavioral intention measurement scale --- p.73 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Construction of behavior measurement scale --- p.74 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- Conclusion --- p.76 / Chapter 4.5 --- Environmental knowledge --- p.77 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- General environmental knowledge --- p.77 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- Concrete environmental knowledge --- p.79 / Chapter 4.5.3 --- Conclusion --- p.80 / Chapter 4.6 --- Extraction of psychological variables --- p.81 / Chapter 4.6.1 --- First factor - Intrinsic motivation --- p.86 / Chapter 4.6.2 --- Second factor - Willingness to sacrifice --- p.86 / Chapter 4.6.3 --- Third factor - Perceived seriousness --- p.87 / Chapter 4.6.4 --- Forth factor - Responsibility --- p.87 / Chapter 4.6.5 --- Fifth factor - Self Efficacy --- p.88 / Chapter 4.6.6 --- Conclusion --- p.88 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- DETERMINANTS OF HOUSEHOLD ENERGY CONSERVATION BEHAVIOR --- p.89 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.89 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Regression analysis of behavioral intention --- p.90 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Regression analysis of household energy conservation behavior --- p.92 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Synthesis of regression analyses --- p.93 / Chapter 5.2 --- Conclusion --- p.94 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX --- DISCUSSION --- p.96 / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.96 / Chapter 6.2 --- Validity of the model --- p.96 / Chapter 6.3 --- Environmental values and behavior --- p.97 / Chapter 6.4 --- Psychological variables --- p.97 / Chapter 6.4.1 --- Intrinsic motivation --- p.98 / Chapter 6.4.2 --- Responsibility --- p.98 / Chapter 6.4.3 --- Willingness of sacrifice --- p.99 / Chapter 6.4.4 --- Perceived seriousness --- p.100 / Chapter 6.4.5 --- Efficacy --- p.100 / Chapter 6.5 --- Situational variables --- p.102 / Chapter 6.5.1 --- Age --- p.102 / Chapter 6.5.2 --- Education --- p.102 / Chapter 6.5.3 --- Environmental knowledge --- p.103 / Chapter CHAPTER SEVEN --- CONCLUSION --- p.106 / Chapter 7.1 --- Introduction --- p.106 / Chapter 7.2 --- Summary of the findings --- p.106 / Chapter 7.3 --- Recommendations for policies and campaigns --- p.107 / Chapter 7.4 --- Limitations of this research --- p.111 / Chapter 7.5 --- Suggestions for further studies --- p.113 / Reference list --- p.116 / Chapter Appendix A --- Questionnaire for first pilot study --- p.128 / Chapter Appendix B --- Preliminary results of the first pilot study --- p.133 / Chapter Appendix C --- Questionnaire for second pilot study --- p.143 / Chapter Appendix D --- Final questionnaire --- p.148 / Chapter Appendix E --- Final questionnaire (Chinese version) --- p.154

In urbanized areas, building and transportation systems generally comprise the majority of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption. Realization of global environmental sustainability depends upon efficiency improvements of building and transportation systems in the built environment. The selection of efficient buildings and locations can help to improve the efficient utilization of transportation and building systems. Green building design and rating frameworks provide some guidance and incentive for the development of more efficient building and transportation systems. However, current frameworks are based primarily on prescriptive, component standards, rather than performance-based, whole-building evaluations. This research develops a commercial building/site evaluation framework for the minimization of GHG emissions and energy consumption of transportation and building systems through building/site selection. The framework examines, under uncertainty, multiple dimensions of building/site operation efficiencies: transportation access to/from a building site; heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and domestic hot water; interior and exterior lighting; occupant conveyances; and energy supply. With respect to transportation systems, the framework leverages regional travel demand model data to estimate the activity associated with home-based work and non-home-based work trips. A Monte Carlo simulation approach is used to quantify the dispersion in the estimated trip distances, travel times, and mode choice. The travel activity estimates are linked with a variety of existing calculation resources for quantifying energy consumption and GHG emissions. With respect to building systems, the framework utilizes a building energy simulation approach to estimate energy consumption and GHG emissions. The building system calculation procedures include a sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo analysis to account for the impacts of input parameter uncertainty on estimated building performance. The framework incorporates a life cycle approach to performance evaluation, thereby incorporating functional units of building/site performance (e.g energy use intensity). The evaluation framework is applied to four case studies of commercial office development in the Atlanta, GA metropolitan region that represent a potential range of building/site alternatives for a 100-employee firm in an urbanized area. The research results indicate that whole-building energy and GHG emissions are sensitive to building/site location, and that site-related transportation is the major determinant of performance. The framework and findings may be used to support the development of quantitative performance evaluations for building/site selection in green building rating systems and other efficiency incentive programs designed to encourage more efficient utilization and development of the built environment.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

The National Park Service has provided guidance to the public for years regarding weatherization measures for historic houses. Some of this guidance advised against installing wall insulation, citing the potential for moisture condensation resulting in structural damage. With the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009, a substantial investment was made in the 30 year old Weatherization Assistance Program, which provides federal funds for home weatherization. The program has used wall insulation with no reported problems and proven energy savings. Some State Historic Preservation Offices (who review federally funded actions) protested the use of wall insulation based on the NPS guidance, especially Preservation Brief #3. This thesis describes the fundamental differences between the preservation community’s approach to energy efficiency as compared to the weatherization community’s approach, and addresses some concerns of historic preservation officials regarding perceived potential damage of some weatherization measures, including wall insulation. / Introduction : HP and DOE programmatic agreement -- Energy efficiency guidance from the historic preservation community -- Guidance from the weatherization community -- Analysis of differences between preservation guidance and DOE guidance -- Recommendations. / Department of Architecture

No description available.

No description available.

The challenge facing South African foundries today are compliance with the environmental legislations while maintaining a high production rate. The focus of this study is to assist foundries to comply with National Environment Management Air Quality Act 39 of 2004. The aim of the study is to achieve a foundry with high production rate with low energy consumption and low emissions, while complying with air quality legislation. Data was collected from foundries within the Cities of Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg. Foundries were requested to provide information such as the raw materials feed rate, and production rate, emission units, type of energy used and consumption rates. Seventeen foundries participated in this study. Data collected from these foundries assisted in determining the emissions rate generated during production process. Emissions were quantified from the foundries using emission factors. In this study electricity and natural gas were found to be the most preferred source of energy in the foundries. An energy intensity relationship exists, for both electricity and natural gas and its production rate. The results indicated efficiency of energy intensity of 0.25 to 6.37 GJ/Tonne in the foundries. Selection of furnace used by the facilities plays an important role on the energy saving and emission reduction. Foundries that need to reduce particulate matters on the melting should consider electric arc furnace because it generate less particulate matters than open hearth. Foundries that would like to reduce sulphur dioxide should consider electric arc furnace rather than open hearth. Foundries that have challenges on the NOx should consider open hearth furnace than electric arc. An installation of suitable abatement systems should also be considered for the reduction of other pollutants. Results indicated that installation of abatement system at 95% efficiency will decrease emission rates by twenty times. Study reveals that 3.93 kg is polluted to the atmosphere per tonne of production in a month for the foundries that do not have abatement system and installation of abatement system will decrease air pollution from 3.93 to 0.20 kg per tonne to the atmosphere / Civil and Chemical Engineering / M. Tech. (Chemical Engineering)

Continuous improvements to the state of the art have made it easier to create, send and receive vast quantities of video over the Internet. Catalysed by these developments, video is now the largest, and fastest growing type of traffic on modern IP networks. In 2015, video was responsible for 70% of all traffic on the Internet, with an compound annual growth rate of 27%. On the other hand, concerns about the growing energy consumption of ICT in general, continue to rise. It is not surprising that there is a significant energy cost associated with these extensive video usage patterns. In this thesis, I examine the energy consumption of typical video configurations during decoding (playback) and encoding through empirical measurements on an experimental test-bed. I then make extrapolations to a global scale to show the opportunity for significant energy savings, achievable by simple modifications to these video configurations. Based on insights gained from these measurements, I propose a novel, energy-aware Quality of Experience (QoE) metric for digital video - the Energy - Video Quality Index (EnVI). Then, I present and evaluate vEQ-benchmark, a benchmarking and measurement tool for the purpose of generating EnVI scores. The tool enables fine-grained resource-usage analyses on video playback systems, and facilitates the creation of statistical models of power usage for these systems. I propose GreenDASH, an energy-aware extension of the existing Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP standard (DASH). GreenDASH incorporates relevant energy-usage and video quality information into the existing standard. It could enable dynamic, energy-aware adaptation for video in response to energy-usage and user ‘green' preferences. I also evaluate the subjective perception of such energy-aware, adaptive video streaming by means of a user study featuring 36 participants. I examine how video may be adapted to save energy without a significant impact on the Quality of Experience of these users. In summary, this thesis highlights the significant opportunities for energy savings if Internet users gain an awareness about their energy usage, and presents a technical discussion how this can be achieved by straightforward extensions to the current state of the art.