Since water-use characteristics and the new technology of plumbing fixtures have changed, it is significant to educate a facility manager in the characteristics of these systems. Also, it is necessary to provide a better understanding of parameters that may determine the suitability of retrofitting plumbing fixtures. The 1992 Energy Policy Acts enforces 1.6-gallon per flush (gpf) for a toilet and 1.0 gpf for a urinal. In response to the regulation, the purpose of this research is to measure automatic flush valve performance (gpf) of fixtures in a mixed use classroom building at Texas A&M University. Water consumption (gpf) among three types of fixtures; low-consumption manual, old optic automatic and improved optic automatic systems are measured by using a magnetic water flow meter. The data in the study were analyzed to determine compliance with plumbing standards and to compare the average water volume per flush cycle of toilets in the men??s and women??s restrooms. Finally, the results of the data show that retrofitting the old optic automatic with the improved optic automatic system resulted in water savings of about 15.80% in toilets, and urinals.

Hurricane Katrina damaged 1.4 million hectares of forestland in Mississippi. Hardwood timber accounted for 40 percent of the damage. A cost-effective method of artificial regeneration is necessary to restore this resource. Bareroot, containerized, and EKOgrown® seedlings of Quercus shumardii and Quercus nuttallii were planted on two sites for evaluation of survival and growth. Survival was recorded monthly during the first growing season, and at the end of each growing season. Growth was measured at the end of each growing season. Survival was extremely low in 2014. Containerized seedlings suffered a total loss due to freezing at the nursery, and a large flood occurred on one site. After the two growing seasons monitored in this study, bareroot seedlings provided similar or greater growth, greater survival, and were remarkably cheaper than EKOgrown® seedlings. Consequently, bareroot seedlings are recommended as the most cost-effective method of artificial oak reforestation.

Motor fuel taxes have been collected as a principal source of highway funding for close to a century. They account for approximately two thirds of all the highway user fees and about half of all highway expenditures. Federal fuel taxes have not kept pace with the inflation in general and increasing traffic demand and resulting construction, maintenance and operation costs of the transportation assets in particular. Lack of political will, combined with rising anti-tax sentiment among the populace, has kept the federal tax level not only well below its initial intents, but also at a unsustainable level in future. Mileage based user fees are possibly an alternative to the fuel taxes, which have been the main mechanism for funding the transportation system. Mileage based user fees have been successfully utilized in many parts of the world with glowing results. Germany‟s “TollCollect”, a quasi government enterprise has utilized GPS technology in collecting the users‟ fee from the truck operators. The system has been a financial engine providing much needed funding for many major transportation projects. Oregon Department of Transportation, in a federally co-funded pilot project, examined the practicality of the mileage based user fee collection at the fuel pumps. According to the Oregon study, there are not any major technical difficulties in mileage based user fee collection at the pump. Study participants (general motorist) did not express any objection to the mileage based user fee collection. This dissertation evaluates revenue impacts of several pricing policies including: Current per gallon fuel taxes, conversion to a mileage based user fee, time of day user fee application, iv area type user fee and congestion priced user fees. State of Florida‟s years 2015-2035 fuel revenue forecast is used as a case study. A model is constructed to estimate annual vehicle miles travelled for the analyses period. Fuel efficiencies, current per gallon fuel taxes and their corresponding mileage-based user fee equivalents are the input to a financial model developed for comparisons. Results demonstrate that decrease in fuel revenues due to vehicles fuel efficiency improvements can be offset by replacing current per gallon fuel taxes with a mileage-based user fee. Pricing the user fee according to area type, roadway classification, time of day and congestion level can not only generate more revenues but also assist in demand management.