Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2010. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 88-89). / Preservation of buildings is an important process for both cultural and environmental sustainability. Buildings are frequently demolished and rebuilt long before necessitated by structural or material deterioration, wasting both materials and energy. Preservation can be seen as the ultimate form of recycling; it allows existing buildings to be updated and retrofitted for continued use, optimizing the longevity of the structure while protecting its cultural significance. Currently, there is a lack of motivation and regulation for choosing preservation over new construction. The LEED guidelines give only a small number of points for building reuse, and frequently historic restrictions interfere with measures that would produce the same types of energy savings seen in new construction. This project will use several case studies, including the preservation of Pier A in New York City's Battery Park, as examples of contemporary restoration projects that have received or are anticipating LEED ratings. I will look at these projects in the context of current LEED guidelines and proposed future revisions to investigate how the LEED system addresses issues regarding preservation, and how they could be improved to encourage more sustainable renovation practices. / by Lori Ferriss. / M.Eng.

This study developed and applied a field test to evaluate the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)/United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Performance Measurement Protocols (PMP) for Commercial Buildings in a case-study office building in central Texas. As the first integrated protocol on building performance measurement, the ASHRAE PMP accomplished its goal of providing the standardized protocols for measuring and comparing the overall performance of a building, including energy, water, thermal comfort, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), lighting, and acoustics. However, several areas for improvement were identified such as conflicting results from different procedures or benchmarks provided in the ASHRAE PMP; limited guidelines for performing the measurements; lack of detailed modeling techniques, graphical indices, and clear benchmarks; and some practical issues (i.e., high cost requirements and time-intensive procedures). All these observations are listed as the forty issues, including thirteen for energy, five for water, and twenty-two for Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). Recommendations were developed for each issue identified. For the selected high-priority issues, twelve new or modified approaches were proposed and then evaluated against the existing procedures in the ASHRAE PMP. Of these twelve new or modified approaches, the following are the most significant developments: a more accurate monthly energy use regression model including occupancy; a monthly water use regression model for a weather-normalized comparison of measured water performance; a method how to use a vertical temperature profile to evaluate room air circulation; a method how to use LCeq – LAeq difference as a low-cost alternative to estimate low frequency noise annoyance; a statistical decomposition method of time-varying distribution of indices; and a real-time wireless IEQ monitoring system for the continuous IEQ measurements. The application of the forty recommendations and the twelve new or modified approaches developed in this study to the ASHRAE PMP is expected to improve the applicability of the ASHRAE PMP, which aligns the overall purpose of this study. Finally, this study developed a new single figure-of-merit rating system based on the ASHRAE PMP procedures. The developed rating system is expected to improve the usability of the protocols.

La conscientisation quant aux enjeux environnementaux n'a cessé de croître au cours des vingt dernières années. Dans le milieu de la construction, comme dans bien d'autres secteurs de nos sociétés, cette conscientisation a donné naissance depuis une dizaine d'années à un foisonnement de programmes volontaires pour les bâtiments. Ainsi, on assiste à l'édification d'un nombre croissant de bâtiments appelés « verts » ou encore « durables ». L'utilisation de ces qualificatifs semble faire l'objet d'une certaine confusion, plusieurs y ayant recours comme s'il s'agissait de synonymes. Le système d'évaluation LEED®, actuellement le programme volontaire en construction le plus influent dans le monde, ajoute à cette confusion conceptuelle dans sa version canadienne. Cette recherche examine le fonctionnement du système d'évaluation LEED Canada NC 1.0 en tant qu'outil de développement durable pour le secteur de la construction. Puisque ce mémoire se penche sur un phénomène relativement récent, nous avons privilégié l'étude de cas pour notre stratégie de recherche en ayant recours à l'observation participante et à l'analyse documentaire pour effectuer la cueillette de données. Comme cadre d'analyse, ce travail se structure autour des principes de construction durable de la norme ISO 15392. Si la littérature semble considérer le système LEED d'abord comme un programme de performance environnementale, notre recherche démontre que ce programme réussit à intégrer en partie les principes du développement durable pour le secteur de la construction. Aussi, les lacunes principales du programme dans le projet étudié se situent dans la faible prise en compte des acteurs touchés par un projet LEED, la transparence déficiente et une évaluation manquante quant aux phases d'utilisation et de fin de vie utile du bâtiment. Toutefois, nous sommes d'avis que le système LEED-NC constitue un outil en constante évolution. En ce sens, il nous apparaît un outil de développement durable en devenir. Il est en effet possible qu'une version du programme puisse, dans un futur proche, intégrer les aspects actuellement négligés du développement durable. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : développement durable, construction, éco-construction, bâtiments verts, bâtiments durables, LEED®.

The purpose of this study is to implement a rock fall hazard rating system to the cut slopes along Kizilcahamam-Gerede segment of D750 (Ankara-istanbul) Highway. The rating system developed by the Tennessee Department of Transportation was assessed for thirty six cut slopes which were selected based on a reconnaissance survey along D750 highway, between Kurtbogazi Dam (50 km northwest of Ankara) and AktaS village (15 km to Gerede town of Bolu province). The stages of the investigation consist of project conception, field investigations and application of this system, assessment and presentation of data. The cut slopes were classified by implementing this method which requires a scoring on an exponential scale assigned to various parameters related to the site and roadway geometry and geologic characteristics. The rating process was completed at two stages: Preliminary and Detailed Rating. Based on the Tennessee RHRS, nineteen cutslopes were assessed according to these two stages while the other seventeen cut slopes were able to be classified only with the preliminary rating stage. Different modes of slope failure (planar, wedge, toppling, rock fall with differential weathering, raveling) throughout the selected segments of the highway were investigated and the slope and highway related parameters such as slope height, ditch effectiveness, average vehicle risk, road width, percent desicion site distance and rockfall history were identified for these nineteen cut slopes. After the scoring process was completed all cut slopes were classified based on their hazard ratings from the point of the problems that they may cause in transportation. According to the rules of Tennessee RHRS, a total of thirty five cut slopes were rated. Among these slopes, nineteen of them are rated as A slopes which are considered to be potentially hazardous, while a total of seven are rated as C slopes which pose no danger. In placing a slope into a B category, it is considered that they are not as prone as A slopes to create a danger and a total of nine B slopes are detected. The detailed rating is accomplished for these nineteen A slopes and as a result of the scorings, it has been seen that the final RHRS scores range from 164 to 591. The slopes with scores over 500 can be counted as more hazardous slopes since they get very high scores both from site and roadway geometry and geologic hazard part.

Abstract According to a survey conducted by Rock (1984), the major factors of influenced credit risk are (1) the relationship with other creditor, (2) income, (3) loan-income ration, (4) profession, (5) immovable property, (6) check & deposit account. And, the sure way to score with lenders are (1) rules of thumb & subjective judgment, (2) credit rating system, (3) credit scoring system, and (4) expert system. The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationships between sex, age, income, profession, assets, the purpose of loan, employment information, credit references, credit limit, total installment loan account by the consumer, total number of inquiries and the consumer¡¦s payment records. The results of this search indicate that: 1. The previous stereo type thinking of banking industry always treat the military officials as wall as police officials are risky groups to consumer credit loan. However, this study found the contrary result. The payment over due rate is comparatively lower than that of other customer groups. The conclusion is that military officials and police officials are potentially good customers to banking system in terms of profit margin against risk. 2. From the credit scoring system of banking industry. That the customers are between 35 to 50s should be better than those age between 20 to 30s. However, this study demonstrates the other direction that customers with age below 35years old always better than those who over 35years old to the banking creditability actual performance. 3. The banking industry assume the married people will be a better group compared with non-married group on the money collect of the loan they made. However this study proves that creditability performance in sequence is (i) age below 35 and singer is the best. (ii) those married is the second while.(iii)age over 35 and non- married group is the worst one. 4. Most of people think those who have consumer credit loan from bank and would not want their family to be aware of their personal loan may have higher chance of payment over due. However, the statistics study from bank branch A indicates that this kind of customers (don¡¦t want family member know about loan) are the best group on payment over due (only 5.5%). While those who agree to let family member aware are the second (7.5%), and others with no comment are the worst.

Thesis (D.Eng.)--Cleveland State University, 2008. / Abstract. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on May 8, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 321-343). Available online via the OhioLINK ETD Center. Also available in in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--Michigan State University, Construction Management Program, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on June 12, 2008). Available through UMI ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Includes bibliographical references (p. 284-286).

Thesis (M.A.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 01, 2010). Creative project (M.A.), 3 hrs. Includes bibliographical references (p. [27]-30).

Submitted by Marco Antônio de Ramos Chagas (mchagas@ufv.br) on 2018-09-12T13:40:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 8868545 bytes, checksum: 225b7493537273bf0f117f47c3629351 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marco Antônio de Ramos Chagas (mchagas@ufv.br) on 2018-09-12T13:41:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 8868545 bytes, checksum: 225b7493537273bf0f117f47c3629351 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marco Antônio de Ramos Chagas (mchagas@ufv.br) on 2018-09-12T13:41:22Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 8868545 bytes, checksum: 225b7493537273bf0f117f47c3629351 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-12T13:41:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 8868545 bytes, checksum: 225b7493537273bf0f117f47c3629351 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-08 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Cities are at the core of current environmental problems and, conversely, may host the solutions for them. They are the defining ecological phenomenon of the twenty-first century. Natural patterns and processes within cities might be a means toward an ecological regeneration of their bioregions through a symbiotic relationship between them. In this context, design has a great potential to reshape cities, transforming them for improved living conditions and balanced ecological systems. Considering buildings and landscapes as reciprocal entities within a system is a great opportunity for design innovation and increased performance with an active engagement between people and nature. By assuming the ecosystem services approach as a reference for highest ecological performance when multiple ecosystem services are provided within a system, this dissertation proposes an urban ecosystem services framework and the concept of service providing design for assessing architecture and landscape architecture. This framework is the basis to analyze three rating systems that are the most relevant standards for sustainable and regenerative design of architecture and landscape architecture, being the Living Building Challenge â , LEED â , and Sustainable SITES Initiative â . Furthermore, two architecture and landscape architecture certified and high-performance projects are analyzed. Based on the analysis, other ecosystem services beyond those proposed in the framework are identified, being renewable energy sources and active living. Some ecosystem services considered are not required by the rating systems, and not provided by the projects, being medicinal resources, pollination, and spiritual experience. Although required, food production is not provided in the projects studied due to a scale issue as they are located in densely occupied urban sites. Moreover, SITES is currently more related to ecosystem services than LEED, which suggests that the ecosystem services framework has a great potential as a tool to explore the relationship of building design criteria and natural systems and cycles. Although most ecosystem services are identified as provided by the two assessed projects, their performance suggests that they are not yet fully integrated to the natural ecosystem. This fact corroborates to the necessary next step for defining the Urban Ecosystem Services Framework in a quantitative approach with a hierarchical organization of the ecosystem services. Rigorously addressing the ecosystem services approach in LEED, SITES, and other rating systems will help integrate ecological regeneration processes in architecture, landscape architecture, and cities.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) introduced the Community Rating System (CRS) to encourage community-level flood mitigation and increase individual-level flood insurance uptake. This study analyzes what factors influence communities to participate in the CRS and conditional on participation, what factors affect the type and intensity of participation over time? I used historical data of policies-in-force, claims, CRS participation, and U.S. Census American Community Survey for all NFIP communities in 11 key states to answer these questions. The results show socio-demographic factors significantly and positively predict communities' likelihood of participating in the CRS, whilst flood risk variables of claims and policies held do not. Further, flood risk variable (claims payment received) as well as socio-demographic variable (income) positively influence the intensity of communities' participation in the CRS over time.