Search

Digital tools have evolved into a way of life, and as a result, they have become a growing area of interest for academics who research teaching and learning. Scholars increasingly agree that because digital tools affect human-to-human connection, a greater emphasis on understanding their function in engagement from an interdisciplinary viewpoint is required. However, there does not appear to have been much research on how these tools facilitate social engagement, especially in teaching and learning. This mixed methods study employs a case-study design and explores how digital tools help or hinder social engagement in teaching and learning at a South African-based tertiary institution. A questionnaire consisting of open and closed questions was used to collect data from 88 students from four academic departments at a University of Technology (UoT): Media, Retail and Business Management, Entrepreneurship, and Food Science. Based on the concept of social engagement and the uses and gratifications theory, this interdisciplinary project examines how different fields employ digital tools for social engagement. Some of the findings are that of the communication technologies considered, WhatsApp (97%), video conferencing via Blackboard Collaborate (96.6%) and blackboard course content (95.5%) were the top three ranked tools. Further, WhatsApp was the preferred digital tool for communication with lecturers and peers, while Blackboard was the preferred platform for accessing course materials such as readings and videos. Other than video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Blackboard Collaborate and YouTube, students use digital tools for engagement with peers. For example, around a quarter of students who used Blackboard Discussion Forums reported engaging with each other. From the qualitative reflections, the study found that students were communicating more with their lecturers through digital tools. Despite having access to lecture recordings, there was still a sense that the educational experience was not as engaging as students wanted it to be because of the lack of in-person engagement.

Since 2017 the Italian Space Agency (ASI) participates to so-called 'Alternanza Scuola-Lavoro' (i.e. 'school-work synergy') outreach projects promoted by the Italian government, and the ASI Space Science Data Center (SSDC) actively contributes to them, with the primary aim of bringing students closer to space-related activities before choosing their university studies. The SSDC outreach programme is split into two parts: one theoretical, in which relevant topic are presented and explained, and one practical, consisting of hands-on activities aimed to replicate scientific analysis of real space data. The impact of the programme on students' attitude is then evaluated by means of questionnaires specifically designed to gather information on the students' educational background, the level of engagement triggered by the proposed activities, their relevance to school-based activities, and the perceived ease of understanding of the covered topics. As reported in this paper, the analysis of the answers clearly shows that students greatly appreciated this outreach project, supporting its possible expansion and development, even articulated in a more complex pedagogical plan, as already done for one school in a pilot case. Therefore, we plan to expand these activities in the next future both by including new topics (e.g. cosmology, stellar physics), and by proposing new more articulated teaching pathways inclusive of on-site activities in the classroom.

Background and Objectives: Neighborhood social cohesion (NSC) has been associated with a variety of health outcomes, but limited research has examined its impact on behaviors that support cancer control. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between NSC and guideline-concordant breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening. Methods: Data are from a cross-sectional survey administered to 716 adults in South Florida from 2019 to 2020. The analytic samples included adults eligible for breast (n = 134), cervical (n = 195), and colorectal cancer (n = 265) screening. NSC was measured using a validated 5-item instrument. Associations between NSC and guideline-concordant screening were examined using multivariable logistic regression. Results: In fully adjusted analyses, the odds of guideline-concordant breast cancer screening increased by 86% for every unit increase in NSC (aOR = 1.86; 95% CI, 1.03-3.36). NSC was not statistically significantly associated with guideline-concordant cervical cancer screening (aOR = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.54-1.38) or colorectal cancer screening (aOR = 1.29; 95% CI, 0.81-2.04). Conclusions: These findings suggest that NSC supports some screening behaviors, namely, mammography use. To better understand heterogeneous relationships between NSC and utilization of preventive care services such as cancer screening, more research is needed that disaggregates effects by sex, age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the effect of economic and racial/ethnic residential segregation on breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) in South Florida, a diverse metropolitan area that mirrors the projected demographics of many United States regions. Summary Background Data: Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, racial and economic disparities in BCSS. This study evaluates these disparities through the lens of racial and economic residential segregation, which approximate the impact of structural racism. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of stage I to IV breast cancer patients treated at our institution from 2005 to 2017. Our exposures include index of concentration at the extremes, a measurement of economic and racial neighborhood segregation, which was computed at the census-tract level using American Community Survey data. The primary outcome was BCSS. Results: Random effects frailty models predicted that patients living in low-income neighborhoods had higher mortality compared to those living in high-income neighborhoods [hazard ratios (HR): 1.56, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23-2.00]. Patients living in low-income non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic neighborhoods had higher mortality compared to those living in high-income non-Hispanic White (NHW) neighborhoods (HR: 2.43, 95%CI: 1.72, 3.43) and (HR: 1.99, 95%CI: 1.39, 2.84), after controlling for patient characteristics, respectively. In adjusted race-stratified analysis, NHWs living in low-income non-Hispanic Black neighborhoods had higher mortality compared to NHWs living in high-income NHW neighborhoods (HR: 4.09, 95%CI: 2.34-7.06). Conclusions: Extreme racial/ethnic and economic segregation were associated with lower BCSS. We add novel insight regarding NHW and Hispanics to a growing body of literature that demonstrate how the ecological effects of structural racism-expressed through poverty and residential segregation-shape cancer survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A web tool that offers Space data and geological analysis of planetary surfaces. • The tool integrates geological maps for detailed planetary analyses. • Confirmed trend of Mercury craters with central pits in smooth volcanic terrains. • Evolution of scientific instruments broadens planetary geological understanding. In this work we present the improved capabilities of MATISSE (Multi-purpose Advanced Tool for Instruments for the Solar System Exploration) tool which is now able to integrate geological maps and analyze specific data based on selected parameters (target, mission, instrument, geological units and area of interest). To demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach we focused on "central pit" craters on Mercury, with particular regard to the ones exposed in the Hokusai, Victoria, and Derain quadrangles. The use of MATISSE for this application allowed us for an analysis of these morphologies, confirming a tendency for their location on volcanic terrains. The integrated research approach adopted in this study has proven to be a significant advantage in geological analysis, accelerating the process of data collection and interpretation. In conclusion, this study shows how the continuous evolution of scientific tools devoted to data handling and management based on FAIR principles, such as MATISSE, has the potential to open new perspectives in understanding planetary-scale geological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Structural racism may drive the constellation of structural determinants that increase racialized disparities in the risk for Alzheimer's disease related dementias (ADRD). Structural racism via adverse policing increases exposure to negative police encounters that produce heightened vigilance, anxiety, and depressed mood in persons racialized as Black. Seminal research suggests high‐police contact and disparities in Black‐White incarceration are positively associated with risk for other health conditions. It is feasible that cumulative stress from anticipatory and recurrent police encounters disrupts the body's homeostasis leading to accelerated cognitive aging. Method: We used US county‐level incarceration data to compute the Black‐White difference in prison and jail rates for US counties between 1995‐2005 (succeeding the 1994 Crime Bill). We then averaged the decade and linked said data by county to individual‐level health data for participants racialized as Black >50 years in the Health and Retirement Study (N = 2,300) who completed the core interview between 2006‐18 (mean observation of 3.4 per participant). Cognitive function was assessed using a 27‐item global cognitive score from the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status. A mixed effects model was used to estimate the cognitive effect of a one‐unit change in incarceration (1,000 additional persons racialized as Black compared to White) with covariates of age at baseline, gender, education, and living arrangement. Result: Greater Black‐White 10‐year difference in prison population was significantly associated with worse 2006 cognitive function (β ‐1.08, SE.45, 95% CI ‐1.96,‐.22). The adjusted model was significant for Black‐White difference in prison population with cognitive decline starting in 2006 (β.011, SE.006, 95% CI ‐.001,.023). The Black‐White difference in jail population was not significant. Conclusion: Ten‐year Black‐White disparities in prison population are associated with cognitive decline among people racialized as Black starting one year later. While the 1994 Crime Bill is a decades‐old federal policy, it put into place a fiscal infrastructure which local governments continue to use to fund prisons, increase average prison time, and implement adverse policing quotas. These findings suggest structural racism via adverse policing is meaningful to explore in the context of ADRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Structural racism has concentrated Americans racialized as Black in under‐resourced and disinvested neighborhoods. These same Americans experience higher rates of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Differences in socioeconomic opportunities structured by racism is a potential contributor to ADRD disparities. To investigate this hypothesis, we tested how life‐course exposure to area‐level measures of structural racism relate to late‐life cognitive test performance. Method: We computed the Black‐White disparity in land ownership and value, residential and occupational segregation, and income, employment, and poverty at the county‐level using US Census data from 1930‐2010. We aggregated these data to the state‐level then created four unidimensional measures by life‐course period (Before‐Birth 1930‐50, Childhood 1960‐70, Adulthood 1980‐2000, Midlife 2010). We linked state‐ and life‐course‐period‐level data with individual‐level demographic and cognitive data from the US Health and Retirement Study. We included participants racialized as Black and born 1954‐59 (N = 1,172). We measured cognitive performance from repeated measures of the 27‐item global cognitive score from the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status during 2010‐18 (average follow up of 4.1 years). Mixed effects models were used to test associations of life‐course‐period‐specific state‐level structural socioeconomic racism and cognitive change. Covariates were age, gender, education, Living arrangement, and year of death. Result: Participants racialized as Black who lived in places with higher levels of area‐level structural socioeconomic racism experienced lower levels of cognition at baseline and at varying time points in the six‐year period—compared to those in places with lower structural socioeconomic racism. The effects of the life‐course‐period‐specific state‐level structural socioeconomic racism exposure on the slope were in the expected direction but not statistically different from zero (‐.02, SE 0.25, ‐.51, 4.7). Conclusion: Among participants racialized as Black in the HRS born during 1954‐59, effects of exposure to state‐level structural racism varied according to life course period of exposure. These findings reveal the utility of examining the impact of racist U.S. policies enacted in the past and present that influence health over time. In addition to exploring the epigenetic and in utero exposures that may contribute to ADRD risk later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Increasing literature data show that adherence to the Mediterranean diet is undergoing profound changes in recent years, albeit with marked differences across nations. In Italy, one of the cradles of the Mediterranean diet, the literature regarding the trend for Mediterranean diet adherence is conflicting. Thus, we aimed to explore the trends of adherence to the Mediterranean diet in a large cohort of participants living in South Italy, over 20 years from 1985-86 to 2005-06.Methods and Results: Cross-sectional study with two evaluations, one made in 1985-86 and another in 2005-06; all participants were adults aged 30-70 years of age. The adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated using the score proposed by Panagiotakos et al. This score features values ranging from 0 to 55, higher scores reflecting a greater adherence. The data are reported by age (30-49 vs. 50-69 years). Overall, 2451 subjects were included in 1985-86 and 2375 in 2005-06. A significant reduction was observed in the adherence to the Mediterranean diet (age 30-49 years: 31.82 ± 4.18 in 1985-86 vs. 29.20 ± 4.48 in 2005-06, reduction by 8.2%, p < 0.0001; age 50-69: 32.20 ± 4.09 in 1985-86 vs.30.15 ± 4.27 in 2005-06, reduction by 6.3%, p < 0.0001). Among all these items, the most dramatic change was observed for olive oil consumption, that decreased by 2.35 points in younger and 0.89 in older people.Conclusion: The adherence to the Mediterranean diet decreased from 1985-86 to 2005-06 in South Italy, particularly in younger people, above all due to a decreased olive oil consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study was conducted to improve the comfort and liveability of urban open spaces during the hottest months of the summer by implementing an overhead water mist cooling system. The campaign was conducted in two different Italian urbanscapes (Ancona and Rome, representative of Cfa and Csa climates) one after the other. Monitoring data and comfort questionnaires were combined to extract useful information by means of statistical tests, regressions and data mining algorithms and, ultimately, to delineate design and operating guidelines to maximize people's satisfaction with the misted environment. The cloud of droplets reduced the temperature and the UTCI by 8.2 °C and 7.9 °C respectively, against a 7% mean humidity premium. The vertical cooling and humidification profiles obeyed a Lorentzian distribution, peaking within approximately 0.5 m of the injection. The severe overheating experienced outside of the cooled areas evanished under the spray, with 67% (Ancona) to 90.6% (Rome) of respondents reporting only slight bending from thermal neutrality. Perception and preferences towards solar radiation, humidity level and wind all improved within the droplets mist. In terms of comfort-oriented, optimized design criteria, the system proved to work best with a dominant and steady light breeze (1–2 m/s), in highly irradiated sites and suspended at 1.2–1.5 m above the average height of users. Image 1 • Urban comfort was experimentally investigated in two Mediterranean cities. • Water nebulization was implemented to cool down the air and comparatively assessed. • Measurements and comfort questionnaires were collected over the warmest months. • Data were interpreted via statistical tests, regressions and data mining algorithms. • Optimal design criteria for the use of nebulization in urban open spaces were derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Two important issues concerning NZEB development are: from one side to guarantee specific heating-cooling balance for each climatic condition, taking into account thermal comfort and indoor environmental quality, and from the other side to enhance the reduction of construction and management costs, ensuring the fulfillment of NZEBs standard requirements. In this paper these two aspects have been analyzed. Numerical analyses under transient thermal conditions demonstrated that passive design (night ventilation and shadings) allow to minimize the overheating risk in summer season and consequently to avoid the installation of an active cooling system: up to 65% average cooling demand reduction can be obtained; 1.5 air change rate of night ventilation allowed to reduce the overeating risks to 16 hours only. Furthermore, the development of low-cost technical solutions in the construction phase guarantees up to 25% reduction of investment costs and high final savings, considering operational costs over the entire building life cycle (50 years). The Net Present Value of the four scenarios range from 63 €/m2 to 140 €/m2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Transparent adaptive façade components can improve the energy performance and the indoor environmental quality of buildings. Nevertheless, their utilization is not widespread, due also to the lack of a robust methodology to comprehensively evaluate their potentialities and find out their most suitable applications. The present paper introduces a novel methodology to characterize the behavior of a transparent adaptive façade component, a thermo-chromic glazing, and predict its effects, through numerical simulations, on energy performance and visual comfort aspects. An experimental characterization on the thermo-chromic glazing was performed to determine its optical properties at the variation of its surface temperature. The component was found to be able to switch its visible transmittance between 0.71 and 0.13, and its solar transmittance between 0.65 and 0.28. The experimental results were used to feed the numerical model created on purpose to describe the adaptive behavior of the component. Finally, a numerical simulation campaign was performed to assess the effects of the thermo-chromic glazing on energy and visual comfort aspects of an enclosed office located in Turin. It was found that the thermo-chromic glazing reduced the overall energy performance compared to a static selective glazing, but it allows improving the visual comfort conditions within the space considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy retrofit projects following nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB) requirements often pay a little attention to Indoor Environmental Quality of the building. This aspect is extremely important in school buildings, as they are frequented mostly by young people, who are affected more by a healthy environment. In this context, starting from a reference case, overheating risks in existing school buildings considered for energy renovation were investigated through TRNSYS 16. Four building configurations were evaluated (existing, nZEB, nZEB with external shadings, nZEB with external shadings and night ventilation) and the influence of several parameters was taken into account (climate, orientation, building level). The aim of this paper is to understand if nZEB standards applied to Italian school buildings guarantee good indoor thermal conditions and which building configuration can be more advantaged by these standards. Furthermore, even if overheating risk is qualitatively recognized in insulated and air tight buildings, quantitative assessments are still missing for the Italian building stock. The intent of this research is to provide preliminary data on this topic in order to lead to a more conscious choice of retrofit strategies as a compromise between energy performances and indoor environmental quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy performance of buildings are strongly dependent on climatic conditions. Climatic data are acquired by measuring stations, generally located outside of the city, hence their reliability in reproducing the thermal conditions inside the urban environment should be carefully addressed. This paper deals with the analysis of the urban climate in Rome, city characterized by a composite urban texture and a high variability of the residential building stock. Air temperature and relative humidity were monitored in different neighborhoods of the city and in a microclimatic station placed in a countryside area for one year in 2015. The monitoring allowed to quantify relevant microclimatic indicators and to use the data as input to predict the impact on the energy performance of a reference building. It was found that UHI is uniform in winter, while it is zone dependent in summer. UHI hourly intensities reached 10.5 and 7.8°C in winter and summer, seasonal UHI reched 1.5°C in city centre. Urban cooling and heating degree days showed relevant variations up to 26% respect to the countryside area. In terms of predicted energy performance, UHI causes a winter reduction up to 36% and a summer increase up to 42%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern architecture is characterized by the use of large glazed surfaces. New technologies ensure thermal insulation by multiple glazing units so that, maintaining good solar gains, highly glazed buildings can achieve good energy performance during the heating season. More complicated is the management of the energy performance during the cooling season due to high permeability to solar radiation. External shading devices are a suitable solution but they are often neglected for functional and aesthetic reasons. Solar protection devices can be, however, introduced in the air gap of multiple glazing units, providing solar protection without interfering with the building envelope. Solar and thermal properties of several solution of glazing units with in-gap shading devices were measured with advanced experimental set-up, to be compared with conventional systems. Numerical analyses were also performed to estimate the impact of this technology on the energy performance of office buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The market penetration of polycarbonate (PC) multi-sheets panels for building applications is increasing due to intrinsic properties of the material: high transparency, reduced weight if compared to glass and competitive costs. The presence of air gaps within the panel assures good thermal insulation; however, to further improve the thermal properties of the component, the air gaps can be filled by granular silica aerogel. These materials are also characterized by high scattering optical properties, so that the incident radiation can be diffused in the built environment, preventing from glare. This paper deals with the characterization of several configurations of PC systems, differing in thickness and geometry. Thermal transmittance measurements were carried out using a guarded hot plate apparatus, according to EN 674:2011. Spectral transmittance and reflectance measurements were carried out by means of a large integrating sphere apparatus, broad-band light and solar quantities were then calculated. A valid data set of product specification is thus provided. The investigated polycarbonate systems could be a valid solution in place of classic windows for non-residential buildings, enhance the thermal insulation and the light control of the building envelope, thus providing improved comfort conditions for occupants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial lighting has a relevant impact on the electricity uses in not residential buildings. The method to assess such uses is based on standards, which hardly take into account the daylighting contribution and the time evolution of the outdoor illuminance conditions. Different models were adopted to build diffuse illuminance reference years, starting from satellite images. These models lead to different daylight availability during the year. The paper explores the impact that these models have on the artificial lighting energy uses by hourly monthly mean calculations. The test was carried out with a climate based method, which takes into account: the outdoor luminous environment, the reference indoor visual task and the building daylight characteristics. A typical office building was used for the test in Rome, Italy. Results allowed to compare the impact of each model and to select the most suitable one to be implemented in the climate based method to predict artificial lighting use in buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a consequence of climate change, urban overheating has increased in all the cities of the world during the last decades. It is therefore paramount to counteract such effect by promoting the use of effective solutions to mitigate overheating at a micro-scale level. In this work, a modular experimental setup based on a water spray system was designed, realized and tested to evaluate its thermohygrometric performance in semi-outdoor spaces such as bus/train/taxi stops, street resting stations and corner shops. The setup allows to vary three operational parameters: (a) the height of the nozzles from the ground; (b) the presence of an upper shielding to reduce the impact of solar radiation; (c) the presence of a side shielding to reduce the impact of wind speed. The combination of the operational parameters allowed to evaluate the performance of five configurations for the water spray system. Several performance indexes were calculated to assess the impact of each operational parameter. It was found that the best configuration guarantees a −20% reduction of dry-bulb temperature, and the minimum specific water and electricity consumptions of the system are 0.020 L/m2 and 0.150 Wh/m2, respectively. Also, the presence of the side shielding is the parameter that mostly influences the performance of the system, followed by the height of the nozzles, while the presence of the upper shielding has a minor effect. These operational parameters, however, increase relative humidity inside the nebulization volume; it is therefore important to verify if undesired wet conditions are reached. • A modular water spray system is designed, realized and tested. • Three operational parameters and five configurations are evaluated. • The best configuration guarantees a −20% reduction of dry-bulb temperature. • The minimum specific water and electricity consumptions are 0.020 L/m2 and 0.150 Wh/m2. • The presence of the side shielding mostly influences the performance of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing number and complexity of planetary exploration space missions require new tools to access, visualize and analyse data to improve their scientific return. ASI Science Data Center (ASDC) addresses this request with the web-tool MATISSE (Multi-purpose Advanced Tool for the Instruments of the Solar System Exploration), allowing the visualization of single observation or real-time computed high-order products, directly projected on the three-dimensional model of the selected target body. Using MATISSE it will be no longer needed to download huge quantity of data or to write down a specific code for every instrument analysed, greatly encouraging studies based on joint analysis of different datasets. In addition the extremely high-resolution output, to be used offline with a Python-based free software, together with the files to be read with specific GIS software, makes it a valuable tool to further process the data at the best spatial accuracy available. MATISSE modular structure permits addition of new missions or tasks and, thanks to dedicated future developments, it would be possible to make it compliant to the Planetary Virtual Observatory standards currently under definition. In this context the recent development of an interface to the NASA ODE REST API by which it is possible to access to public repositories is set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Windows are the most important part of the building façade to control solar gains, thermal losses and visual comfort. Office buildings usually have medium-high WWR (window to wall ratio value) and high internal gains (due to users, lighting and appliances). For this reason, they require a good balance between thermal and visible performances of transparent façades and shading control strategies to avoid overheating, optimizing daylighting aspects. A sensitivity analysis was assessed to evaluate primary energy use for heating, lighting and cooling for conventional Italian single office units equipped with static metal mesh shading devices with different geometries and openness factor values. Different location (Milan, Palermo), orientation (south and west) and WWR (33% and 100%) were analyzed. Hence shading devices alternatives as venetian blinds and sun control windows are proposed as a comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Switchable windows are glazing technologies that exhibit dynamic optical properties and may thus be used to improve the energy performance of buildings. A window system based on a thermotropic glass pane was tested both in the laboratory and by means of an outdoor test cell facility. In this paper the full optical and thermal characterization of this glazing technology is presented. Experiments and data analysis led to the characterization of the behaviour of the thermotropic glazing both when this technology is used alone (single glass pane) and when it is integrated in a multilayer fenestration (a triple glazed unit). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The standard EN 15193:2007. Energy performance of Buildings. Energy requirements for lighting includes a comprehensive method, which takes into account the daylighting contribution in the calculation procedure. Such contribution is obtained through several approximations. An alternative approach is developed, where the daylighting contribution is based on the availability of outdoor illuminance data and an explicit procedure. The methods are tested on a standard office building, whose lighting requirements are calculated for different visual tasks, observation positions and climatic zones. The results show discrepancies among the methods and address the need of a more accurate estimation of the lighting energy service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tito M. Plauto school in Cesena is the Italian case study in the FP7 School of the Future project. Objective was the energy renovation of school buildings with high energy and indoor environment targets, to be demonstrated by monitoring before and after the retrofit. Measures involved envelope components and energy systems, including renewable. The energy monitoring started in January 2014 and included thermal and electricity uses; as well the electricity produced by the PV plant. Data were compared to those registered for the 2008-2010 period. The environmental quality was addressed by thermal comfort and CO 2 concentration instrumental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acronym BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) refers to the installation of photovoltaic systems which, in addition to convert solar energy into electrical energy, have a high level of architectonical integration with the built environment, becoming a real architectural cladding to be installed over the buildings in place of traditional envelope systems. Many typologies of BIPV have been developed, however their thermal characteristics such as g and Ug-value are not well evaluated and require more detailed analyses considering that they could replace large extension of traditional building envelope. A first approach to address this problem is proposed in this work. A mathematical model based on a finite differences scheme for the estimation of the thermal parameters g and Ug-value has been developed and tuned using experimental value measured on sample BIPV with a Hot Plate and a Solar Calorimeter. The results of the model show that the introduction of solar cells in a laminated glass or in a double glass leads to a reduction of energy parameters modifying winter and summer energy balance of the building system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tool for the energy & financial optimization of the renovation of school buildings was developed based on an existing tool - ASCOT. The tool combines an energy calculation with a LCC-analysis, which are calculated simultaneously. The tool was then used for the screening of energy saving measures in school buildings in four European countries: Denmark, Germany, Italy and Norway. For Italy, the screening was carried out for three climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intention of this article is to identify the obstacles unique to female entrepreneurs in the tourism industry in Western Cape, South Africa. This is against the backdrop that in order to accelerate economic growth and development in South Africa, female entrepreneurs should also be considered as important vehicles that can bring about the necessary economic growth and development. Unfortunately, this growth has been stifled due to the high failure rate in the SMME sector; specifically among women. This article used the qualitative deductive approach, utilising in-depth semi-structured interviews, which enabled the participants to disclose important information relating to the study. The data were analysed qualitatively using themes. For effect, this article also made use of content analysis because of its significance in qualitative studies. Three themes emerged from content analysis. These include demographic factors; socio-economic factors and culture. The findings have shown primarily that the factors that impede female entrepreneurs differ from sector to sector. Within the Western Cape Tourism industry, specifically the accommodation sector, unique obstacles abound. While the authors acknowledge that the obstacles faced by female entrepreneurs are unique to this sector, they are equally mindful of the repercussions of a generalisation of the findings. To this end, we suggest that a broader study be conducted to compare factors that impede entrepreneurship in other provinces in South Africa and/or draw a comparison between males and females. This article undoubtedly has value not simply because it is gender biased, but also because by highlighting the unique challenges and barriers faced by female entrepreneurs, there could be better government support for female entrepreneurs in general and especially those in the accommodation sector in the Western Cape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]