5 pp. / Revised / A growing number of equipment manufacturers are providing weather stations and computer software that help the groundskeeper with irrigation management decisions. The level of sophistication of this equipment varies, but all systems use the weather station to estimate a parameter known as evapotranspiration (ET). ET is the scientific term for the more common terms water use or consumptive use. Effective utilization of ET information in irrigation management can assist in efforts to manage limited and/or expensive water supplies more effectively, provided the stations are 1) sited and installed correctly, and 2) properly maintained. The purpose of this bulletin is to provide turf facilities information and guidance on siting and maintenance of automated weather stations.

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2 pp. / Originally published: 2011 / Choosing the right spot to build a home in Arizona on a vacant piece of property is just as important as choosing the property itself. This fact sheet describes the factors that should be considered before beginning construction on any given piece of property. Revised 9/2016; Originally published 1/2011

It is expected that increasing amounts of distributed generation (DG) will be connected to the power system in the future. Advances in technology, deregulation in the market and the changes brought about by the government in many countries to end the monopoly of the vertically integrated power utilities led to the birth of this new technology. The other incentive being the alternative energy sources which are becoming more cost effective. Although there are many advantages with the interconnection of the DG into the network, there are many problems that it brings with its interconnection. There are many issues to be considered for the interconnection of DG?s, like the sizing and siting of the DG. The size and site of the DG will have an effect on the voltages and operations of the distribution power system. Since it is necessary that the voltages be within a specified limit, this problem of the siting and sizing of the DG has taken top priority. This thesis discusses a procedure for evaluating the impact of the site, size of the DG and also a change in the loading conditions of the system before and after the reconfiguration of the system due to the fault. This contingency analysis work is validated using the I 13 and I 37 node distribution feeder. Many feasible combinations of the size and site of a DG are analyzed, which resulted in large number of data, while the load flow is run for each feasible combination. The results and trends are presented.

Increasing costs associated with fossil fuel generation and a recognition and acceptance of the finite nature of this resource, have partially contributed to the growing popularity of alternative energy generation technology. International environmental treaties have also forced many states, primarily developing states, to deliberately review their fuels use. Jamaica having such a challenge requires accurate information regarding the impact of integrating generation from such technologies into its existing network. However, given a lack of resources, little work has been done to gather the relevant data that is required to evaluate the impact of embedded generation. Instead the findings from networks in other jurisdictions that have different operational and technical characteristics have been utilized. Anecdotal information regarding the availability of satisfactory renewable resources and the minimal impact that certain levels of integration will have on the existing network abounds among the engineering community on Jamaica. This research reviews the electricity and energy sectors of Jamaica. It further considers the efforts made by policy makers to fulfil the energy needs through a possible mix of fossil and renewable sources. Focus is then shifted to the analysis of available wind resource data which is then modelled to represent usable wind data for electricity generation. Actual system data is then used to produce an acceptable model of the current transmission network. The operation of the network is then considered on varying generation and loading conditions both with and without the inclusion of renewable sources. A final assessment of the impact of such sources is then made based on the magnitude and location in the network. The study concludes by highlighting the benefits to be derived from this work and reviews the challenges faced while conducting the study. It also recommends ways in which improvements to the system can be realized.

Landscape characteristics affect vineyard microclimates and influence the quality of grapes produced. There is currently a lack of research examining the microclimatological conditions of vineyards and how they affect grape quality. This study utilizes qualitative methods to explore the relationship between vineyard microclimates and grape quality in Madeira, Portugal. Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with local participants involved in the production of wine grapes and are used to reveal the factors affecting grape quality. Interviews accompany a physical inventory of landscape characteristics in the vineyards, and are guided by where interviewees observe changes in grape quality. The findings suggest there is a strong relationship between microclimates and grape quality. These results are utilized to make recommendations for methods of site selection and the microclimatic design of vineyards.

Improved strategic location of an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) facility can significantly increase EMS efficiency. Urban planners need to consider a location that satisfies multiple criteria in order to make an informed decision about a future EMS facility site. Apart from basic criteria such as parcel value and size, decision-makers need to consider area and population coverage from potential parcels. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide an adequate analysis environment for EMS facility siting as many considered criteria are of a spatial nature. However, urban planners making decisions about an EMS facility site often lack the necessary expertise to make full use of challenging GIS tools. In order to help urban planners in the analysis process, this research developed a Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) for EMS facility siting. The system was developed in ESRI ArcGIS (9.3) using the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming environment. The objective of the system was to integrate spatial data, analysis, and visualization in a single system to help users evaluate a facility siting problem. The system's performance was tested using data for the Town of Blacksburg, VA. In addition, the system was evaluated by local planners and GIS staff with experience in EMS facility siting. Planners agreed the system enables more comprehensive and straightforward use of GIS for EMS facility siting analysis than other available siting tools. Potential improvements include a simpler user interface, synthesis of geoprocessing techniques, reduction of analysis time through automation, and better decision-making by improved visualization of results. / Master of Science

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