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Harsh weather conditions often require heating during winters and cooling in summers. In many developing countries, power outages caused by energy shortages cause discomfort for the residents. Thus, more sustainable systems for air conditioning are desirable in these countries. The present study proposes an examination of the viability of Earth-to-Air Heat Ex-changers (EAHE) in severe environments (extreme summer and winter seasons) and comprises numerical modeling using COMSOL Multiphysics. In most existing studies, EAHE systems are examined and validated for particular field conditions. Despite the valuable information from these studies, it is vital to perform investigations within a regional context, considering specific environmental conditions at the regional scale. The current research addresses the performance of Earth-to-Air Heat Exchangers in a severe climate typical of the region of Islamabad. To this end, thermal properties are selected according to soil profiles specific of this region. The annual mean earth temperature is carefully chosen from RETScreen daily records in the same region. Models are tested against analytic solutions in a 2-D context and validated using large-scale field tests. The complete numerical model integrates heat transfer in the ground where em-bedded piping is subject to air circulation. Heat transfer occurs between the piping system and the surrounding soil, which results in heating or cooling of the circulating air mass, depending on the seasonal conditions. The results obtained in field conditions validated by actual experiments show interesting predictions of air temperatures at the outlet even in a severe climate. This depicts that ground temperatures preserved from climatic conditions can benefit EAHE systems even in severe climate conditions.

A large part of the total energy consumption in buildings in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (K.S.A.), is devoted to air cooling. This leads to high electricity costs for residents and a high amount of equivalent CO2 emissions. The work presented in this paper aims at evaluating and applying shallow geothermal energy for cooling and heating to reduce cost and environmental issues in the Kingdom. The system is based on the earth-air heat exchanger (EAHE) equipped with an air circulation fan. In this study, six cities have been selected; Madinah city, where our university is located, and five other cities representing five different climatic zones. A new parameter called “geothermal percentage” is proposed to calculate the ratio of geothermal energy to the cooling/heating total load. It has been shown that the proposed system covers part of the cooling load and the total heating needs for almost all the country’s territory. However, both heating and cooling needs can be fulfilled by the EAHE for few cities such as Guriiat and Khamis, characterized by a moderate climate.

Objective: High eating disorder (ED) relapse rates stress the need for clearer understanding around how recovery is experienced and maintained. Recent research endorses the concept of recovery as a process rather than an endpoint. This study aimed to investigate daily experiences of living in recovery from an ED. Method: Fourteen participants who self‐identified as recovered from a formally diagnosed ED were recruited online. A qualitative diary app was used for data collection. Participants completed written or audio open‐ended diary entries every other day for 2 weeks describing their experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Diaries were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were developed. 'Ever‐present eating disordered thoughts' highlights how pervasive these thoughts remain for participants. 'Impact of social discourses' unpacks the challenges of maintaining recovery while surrounded by unhelpful social discourses about food and body image. 'Recovery is precarious' highlights how a combination of stressors can build up to threaten recovery. 'Finding balance in recovery' illustrates the many ways participants try to manage their recovery each day. Conclusions: The findings make it clear that living in recovery from an ED is a complex process that must be navigated daily. Recommendations for treatment and recovery support are discussed. Highlights: Key findings are: (1) Eating disordered thoughts persist throughout recovery, requiring a substantial amount of time and energy to manage theme; (2) societal attitudes towards food and body image negatively impact recovery; and (3) diaries also illustrated that periods of stress, anxiety, or low mood can trigger more difficult periods of managing recovery, and increase vulnerability to relapse.Limitations of the study include: (1) online recruitment; (2) requiring a formal eating disorder (ED) diagnosis; and (3) no assessment of ED treatment after diagnosis, so the impact of treatment received on recovery experiences is not explored.Qualitative diary methods may capture unique personality and coping styles in the context of everyday lives, as well as aspects of recovery that are similar across the spectrum of experiences of many people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]