Domestic Property Research Articles

An assessment of the potential of supply-side ventilation demand control to regulate natural ventilation flow patterns and reduce domestic space heating consumption

Uncontrolled natural ventilation systems tend, by their nature, to deliver varying flow rates that are not necessarily optimised for human comfort or energy efficiency. Moreover these ventilation flow rates may not be delivered along the intended flow paths through a building, possibly further reducing ventilation effectiveness and increasing ventilation heat losses. These characteristics make natural ventilation systems a suitable candidate for ventilation demand control where the levels of fresh air delivered respond to a sensed parameter that indicates the level of ventilation demand. This paper makes a preliminary, comparative assessment of the impact an active supply-side CO2 ventilation demand control system may have on the ventilation regime, flow levels and space heating consumption of a two-storey naturally ventilated domestic property. The dwelling is modelled in EnergyPlus and the performance of the ventilation demand control system simulated using EnergyPlus’ run-time Energy Management System. Simulations are conducted for a variety of temperate climate contexts and building fabric leakage levels. The simulations demonstrate that the ventilation demand control system could reinforce desired flow regimes and provide comparable indoor air quality compared to the uncontrolled base case whilst delivering significant reductions in space heating consumption.

Woman]’s World Portrayed in Literary Works of Jane Austen

The researchers conducted research on Jane Austen literary works since she was a prominent female novelist with mostly discussed novels. The aim of this research was investigating how Jane Austen portrayed [woman] in the18th century through literary works. Six major novels were used as data. Hence qualitative method was employed. The novels were converted using AntConc. Then, the researchers identified the 50 highest collocations of [woman] based on three main categories in part of speech namely adjective, noun, and verb. The results reveal that Jane Austen portrays [woman] in the 18th century with positive and negative aspects; internal and external qualities that reflected through adjectives. Jane Austen often uses concrete and abstract nouns related to domestic property collocated with the word [woman]. Furthermore, the verbs that collocate with [woman] in Jane Austen’s literary works are productive verbs. The researchers find that the adjectives, nouns, and verbs that attach to [woman] in Jane Austen novels are related to the domestic sphere and their quality of being strong, logical, and intellectual.

Validating solid wall insulation retrofits with in-use data

Improving the energy efficiency of the UK housing stock is important both to meet carbon emission reduction targets and to reduce fuel poverty. For this reason, domestic properties are frequently retrofitted with energy saving measures. This study looks at how the energy consumption, thermal properties and internal temperature of 14 dwellings change as a result of a solid wall insulation (SWI) retrofit. A decrease in heat transfer coefficient of 11+6−7% was calculated for 2 dwellings, which is slightly lower than the previously modelled value of 18%. However, many houses displayed evidence that the full benefit of SWI was not being realised as, for example, energy savings were offset with increases in internal temperature. Future retrofit schemes should therefore consider supplementing the changes in fabric with increased guidance for the occupant.

Kebijakan Tax Amnesty: Suatu Peninjauan dalam Perspektif Etika Deontologi Sebagai Bentuk Pilihan Wajib Pajak dalam Melaksanakan Kewajiban Perpajakan

This research aim to know Tax Amnesty In Perspective Deontology Ethics. This research is a qualitative research that is analytic descriptive with focused on one phenomenon only chosen and want to be understood deeply by ignoring other phenomena, in this case that is implementation of Tax Amnesty policy. This study uses data analysis techniques in the form of data presentation techniques. That is the activity when a set of information is compiled, thus giving the possibility of drawing the conclusion of the form of presentation of qualitative data in the form of narrative text. To answer the formulation of the problem that is about tax amnesty in the perspective of deontology ethical theory, the researcher uses some literature of literature that come from various sources related to the discussion that want to be examined in this research such as books, scientific journals, electronic media, and mass media update. The results of this study indicate that the application of tax amnesty if viewed from the perspective of deontology ethical theory has been running well with followed by the taxpayer as a liability without seeing the final results of good and bad for the taxpayer self. This is evidenced by the successful implementation of tax amnesty in the form of increased tax revenue with total assets reported consisting of domestic property declaration Rp 3.676 trillion and declaration of foreign property reached Rp 1.031 trillion. While the withdrawal of funds from abroad (reptriation) reached Rp 147 trillion.

Drivers of risk perceptions about the invasive non-native plant Japanese knotweed in domestic gardens

How people perceive risks posed by invasive non-native plants (INNP) can influence attitudes and consequently likely influence behavioural decisions. Although some drivers of risk perception for INNP have been identified, research has not determined those for INNP in domestic gardens. This is concerning as domestic gardens are where people most commonly encounter INNP, and where impacts can be particularly acute. Using a survey approach, this study determined the drivers of perceptions of risk of INNP in domestic gardens and which risks most concern people. Japanese knotweed Fallopia japonica, in Cornwall, UK, where it is a problematic INNP in domestic gardens, was used as a case study. Possible drivers of risk were chosen a priori based on variables previously found to be important for environmental risks. Participants perceived Japanese knotweed to be less frequent on domestic property in Cornwall if their occupation involved the housing market, if they had not had Japanese knotweed in their own garden, if they did not know of Japanese knotweed within 5 km of their home, or if they were educated to degree level. Participants who thought that the consequences of Japanese knotweed being present on domestic property could be more severe had occupations that involved the housing market, knew of Japanese knotweed within 5 km of their home, or were older. Although concern about the damage Japanese knotweed could do to the structure of a property was reported as the second highest motivation to control it by the majority of participants, the perception of threat from this risk was rated as relatively low. The results of this study have implications for policy, risk communication, and garden management decisions. For example, there is a need for policy that provides support and resources for people to manage INNP in their local area. To reduce the impact and spread of INNP we highlight the need for clear and accurate risk communication within discourse about this issue. The drivers identified in this study could be used to target awareness campaigns to limit the development of over- or under-inflated risk perceptions.

‘A house divided’

HGTV (Home and Garden Television) is an American cable channel devoted to property TV, with programs that combine lifestyle and reality, demonstrating the rewards of home investments. Despite the focus on domestic property and the well-styled home, the programs are generally considered bland, and the cumulative impact of the network’s simple, formulaic programs is considered relaxing and even comforting. But some HGTV programs prominently feature domestic conflict as part of their repetitive narrative formula, disturbing the domestic ideals that the network promotes. While pat endings for individual episodes restore domestic harmony and unity through new (or renewed) domestic space, domestic disputes serve as a persistent reminder of everyday domestic discontent. This emerges in the shows with narratives that highlight conflict – House Hunters, House Hunters International and Love It or List It. But the implications resonate further in the context of the broader esthetic-textual dynamics of HGTV. Repetition within episodes, between episodes of any given show, among many different shows, and in the programming schedule makes the ‘happy endings’ as transitory as the domestic disputes that dominate individual episodes. HGTV programs are lifestyle–reality hybrids that promote quality lifestyle through reality-styled drama. The same textual strategies that demonstrate quality lifestyle also open the door to a lingering sense of domestic unease.

Intellectual Property and biodiversity: interplay.

Potentially divergent objectives and thereby obligations under the Convention on Biodiversity and Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement are also reflected in respective domestic legislations in India. The review article focuses on Biological Diversity Act, 2002 vis-à-vis Patents Act, 1970 of India with intricacies involved thereunder. Authors have analyzed the obligations under these domestic legislations. The article goes on to make a few suggestions to aid effective implementation of both the statutes. The scope of this review article is limited in two aspects; first, it speaks only about Indian landscape and second, it discusses about interplay of biodiversity law only with respect to patent law instead of all the domestic Intellectual Property enactments of India.

Determining “reasonable” levels of sound insulation in domestic properties for use in building regulations

The Scottish Building Regulations, similar to other countries regulations, provide standards for the protection of occupants health. Minimum sound insulation standards are provided to control noise passing through walls and floors from neighboring properties. In Scotland, the minimum standard should provide adequate protection for a “reasonable” person from “normal” living activities. This paper presents the findings of a research study undertaken by Edinburgh Napier University, to assess the level of sound insulation that test subjects would deem to be “reasonable” for a range of noise sources passing through a variety of construction types. The study undertaken within the Universities auralization suite assessed the responses involving over 100 participants subjected to common domestic noise sources passing through separating structures. The participants were given the ability to adjust the source noise level for each source type to determine the level of noise from their neighbor they would consider “reasonable” to tolerate. The participants determinations were correlated to the equivalent sound insulation for each source and construction assessed. The paper will present the setup in the test suite, and the results of the study will be presented in a range of acoustic parameters, DnT,w, STC, R’ w and be assessed against a range of countries current standards.

Evaluation of the Performance of Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Domestic Use in Tlalpan, Mexico City

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) as an alternative means of providing water in domestic contexts, is viewed as an effective supply option worldwide. In Mexico City, the water situation is critical and the provision of water services to the population represents a formidable challenge for the city’s water utilities. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the potential for RWH to supply domestic properties in Tlalpan, 1 of 16 delegations in the city with one of the highest percentages of homes unconnected to the distribution network. Results show RWH can meet 88% of household water demand during the 6 month wet season, with an annual saving of 55%. Modelling a World Health Organisation minimum demand of 20 l/p/d as a means of resilience management in the event of a water crisis, 6-month and annual savings were 99% and 80% respectively. The minimum tank size to achieve wet season savings of 90% was 6m3 in two precipitation bands and tank sizes of 13,000 – 17,000L were sufficient in 3 out of 4 to prevent overspill. The report concludes RWH is a viable method of providing water in the south of the city and should be part of an integrated water management solution.

Domestic property and housing class in contemporary urban China

This article examines the division of housing class in the context of Chinese society since the market-oriented housing reform in 1998. Based on data from a recent study, this paper examines three housing classes and their housing situation in four of China’s major urban centers. The results of a multivariate analysis on housing ownership among the three housing classes show that apart from some socioeconomic factors similar to those in the West, institutional factors, such as the hukou system and resident status, are also significant. The results imply that limited housing choices may have caused over privatization and, to certain extent, a single urban housing system. This could lead to conflict among people in various housing classes, as a response to the inequality in the urban housing market.

Structural building defects in relation to insurance claims

Subsidence (heave and landslip) was added as a peril to domestic insurance policies during the 1970s. Since then Insurance companies have paid out billions of pounds in claims, even though 50–60% of all claims made are declined. This article looks at the causes of cracking in domestic properties including those not caused by subsidence, explores the difference between subsidence and settlement and considers the causes including the impact of trees and drains.

‘People as businesses’: Airbnb and urban micro-entrepreneurialism in New York City

Drawing upon Henri Lefebvre’s notion of the production of space and Michael Callon’s work on performativity in economics, this article examines the material and discursive practices through which the internet ‘home-sharing’ platform Airbnb has produced new social relations of domestic property. Through a critical examination of the discourses and practices of Airbnb in the popular media, courts of law and public hearings, I argue that internet-based platforms such as Airbnb represent a fundamental reworking of social relations of property based on radically new socio-material assemblages. These assemblages—which have served to further commoditise housing by constructing a new market in short-term rentals—have entailed the disruption of not just the hospitality sector, but of the socio-spatial relations of urban housing. As emerging spaces of domestic entrepreneurialism, short-term rentals have generated their own forms of localised opposition. With the spread of Airbnb transforming the lived spaces of housing across New York City, a discursive struggle has ensued over the meanings of this new form of domestic property. In the popular press, courts of law and the chambers and steps of city halls, the stakes have been nothing less than the means and ends of urban governance itself.

The viability of domestic rainwater harvesting in the residential areas of the Liesbeek River Catchment, Cape Town

By 2030 South Africa (SA), a developing country, is predicted to be severely impacted by physical water scarcity. In order to avert a future water crisis, the country needs to find ways to reduce its reliance on conventional surface water schemes based on impoundments on rivers. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is an alternative water resource. To date, the viability of domestic RWH within an urban setting has not been adequately considered in SA. The purpose of this study was thus to address this omission through the detailed modelling of a representative catchment. The Liesbeek River Catchment in Cape Town – comprising some 6 200 domestic properties in 6 suburbs covering an area of around 1 300 ha – was chosen for this purpose; and a new computational tool, the Urban Rainwater/Stormwater Harvesting model (URSHM), was developed to take best advantage of the available data. The analysis showed that: RWH was only economically viable for a minority of property owners; climate change is likely to have limited impact on the performance of RWH systems; and – contrary to some claims – RWH is an unreliable means of attenuating peak stormwater flows. Keywords : domestic rainwater harvesting, alternative water resources, developing country

Ireland—A Remarkable Economic Recovery?

AbstractThe collapse of the Irish economy during the Global Financial Crisis brought a substantial decline in gross domestic product, a trebling of the unemployment rate and a sharp increase in public debt. Key to the scale of Ireland's crisis was the scale of a domestic property bubble. In the Corden Lecture, I explored how Ireland's notable turnaround since 2013 contrasts with the experiences of Spain, Portugal and Greece. This was primarily due to Ireland's large, foreign‐owned, modern, export‐oriented, multinational sector and its early and sustained action to deal with the fiscal deficit that emerged in 2008.

Estimating the population exposed to arsenic from groundwater-sourced private drinking water supplies in Cornwall, UK

Introduction: Many properties in the UK are served by private water supplies (PWS) where mains connection is not possible. Chronic exposure to chemicals in PWS may have an adverse effect on health causing cancers and skin lesions, although no evidence observed in the UK. The SW of England is an area with elevated arsenic concentrations in groundwaters supplying a number of domestic property PWS. A Prescribed Concentration Value (PCV) of 10 µg/L is set by Regulations enforced by local authorities. However, there remains uncertainty as to the precise extent of the local population exposed to arsenic. We undertook to calculate exposure to arsenic in PWS in Cornwall to help estimate the health burden. Methods: We invited known PWS users on a register to take part in a water sampling programme from 2011-13. We asked for information on the number of residents drinking PWS water and if properties shared the supply. The number of PWS in Cornwall and mean household population was estimated using GIS. We calculated population exposure to the range of concentrations found in samples. Results: 497 PWS were sampled, serving 868 properties supplying 1,979 (95% CI 1,901-2,057) residents. An estimated 4,044 properties are served by PWS in Cornwall supplying 9,625 (95% CI 9,504-9,746) people. The proportion of the population exposed to arsenic levels ranged from 71%: <1µg/L, 24%: 1-10µg/L and 5%: >10µg/L. Conclusions: Extrapolation estimates that 600 people are drinking water over the PCV in Cornwall. Households were given public health advice and recommendations to regularly test water for arsenic.

Transacting in a Vacuum of Property Law

Bitcoin is an electronic payment system which allows for value to be transferred from one person to another using electronic coins known as bitcoins. Title to bitcoins is recorded using a distributed electronic database known as the blockchain. This paper considers the status of bitcoin as a matter of domestic English property law. It considers, and rejects the argument that bitcoin should be thought of as a form of money, and instead argues that bitcoin is best thought of as a novel form of chose in action.

The Nature of Israel's Public Policy Aimed at Curbing the Rise in Property Prices from 2008-2015, as a Derivative of the Country's Governance Structure

IntroductionThe considerable rise in Israel's property prices from 2008 to the present1 has put concerns of a developing real estate bubble on Israel's public agenda (Dovman et al., 2012). Volatile property prices are not unusual and occur in all countries with a free market, similar to the price of shares and commodities. Nonetheless, a historical perspective points to the notable contribution of real estate bubbles to the development of domestic economic and social crises. Two particularly noticeable cases of extreme volatility in domestic property prices are known to have led to acute long-term local and foreign economic crises. The first is the case of Japan in the early 1990s (the property bubble crisis), which generated much research (Weinstein, 1990; Ito & Iwaisako, 1995; Stone & Ziemba, 1993; Noguchi, 1994; Cargill, Hutchison & Ito, 1996; Noguchi, 1994; Schaede, 1996; Ohmi, 2010: Saxonhouse & Stem, 2002). The second is the US property crisis (the subprime crisis) in the first decade of the twenty first century, which has also been extensively studied (Kregel, 2008; Demyanyk & Van Hemert, 2011; Gjerstad & Smith, 2009; Blundell-Wignall & Atkinson, 2008; Gwinner & Sanders, 2009; Hellwig, 2009; Whalen, 2008; Arner, 2009; Brown & Davis, 2008; Serkan, 2009; Sagemann & Reese, 2011). The disastrous economic consequences of these crises served as a warning sign for Israel and its developing property bubble, resulting in policy plans for curbing and even reducing property prices. For many years Israel's real estate industry has been known as a free market industry, protected from government intervention in determining prices. Based on their concern that the end of the local property price bubble might come to resemble the US crisis in 2008, Israeli leaders have formed policy and regulatory steps aimed at intervening in free market forces.The purpose of this paper is to follow these policy steps, analyze them, and examine them in light of the economic worldview customary in Israel as well as its governance structure. The research hypothesis claims an association between the governance structure in a given country and the nature of its public policy. Thus, a country with a stable governance structure will witness the formation of a normative public policy that seeks to promote and achieve national interests for the public good. In contrast, a country with an unstable governance structure will witness the formation of a positivist public policy aimed at promoting the interests of specific groups in society that have individual characteristics and specific interests, including those of the policy makers themselves. This hypothesis shall be explored through a case study analyzing the characteristics of the Israeli public policy endeavoring to reduce domestic housing prices during 2008-2015. The State of Israel is characterized by an unstable governance structure, and thus identifying the nature of public policy formed on this issue (as normative or positivist) may attest to the existence or nonexistence of the hypothesized association between a country's governance structure and the nature of its public policy. Before examining the existence of such an association, however, the characteristics of public policy and the justifications for its formation and implementation shall now be presented.1. The nature of public policyThe nature of public policy and its contents derive from a country's type of government, with a totalitarian country more inclined to implement a strict policy that intervenes in the life of its citizens and does not always act in their favor, while a democratic country will implement public policy that aims to serve the public, with elected officials serving as an instrument for promoting the public good. Nevertheless, in some cases democratic rule as well will use public policy as an opportunity to promote the political interests of officials and thus miss its original goal (Bertelli, 2012). …

Effects of long-term greywater disposal on soil: A case study

This study investigated the environmental health risks to soil and potential risks to groundwater associated with long term (8–18years) greywater disposal practices. Land application of greywater is likely to have environmental impacts, which may be positive or negative. Greywater can contain plant macronutrients that may benefit plant growth. Conversely, high levels of surfactants, oils, grease, sodium and potentially pathogenic organisms may negatively impact environmental and human health. In this study, land disposal of untreated greywater was practiced at five coastal domestic properties. At each property, soil samples were collected at two depths from areas used for greywater disposal and from control areas that were not exposed to greywater. Soils were analysed for chemical and biological responses to greywater exposure. Generally, greywater irrigated soils had higher pH, Olsen P, base saturation, and increased soil microbial activity (as measured by biomass carbon, basal respiration and dehydrogenase activity). A pH of >9 was recorded for some greywater treated soil samples. Escherichia coli (E. coli) were detected at up to 103MPN/g in the greywater exposed surface soils at some sites. Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (TRFLP) analysis revealed that greywater affected the soil microbial community structure, which may have implications for soil health and fertility. Overall, this study shows that the long-term application of greywater at the investigated sites had a moderate impact on the soil environment. This may have been due to the sandy soils and high rainfall that would flush the soil. Increases in microbial biomass and dehydrogenase indicate that greywater application may be beneficial for plant growth. However, high levels of E. coli in some soils may be a risk to human health and sub-surface irrigation should be the recommended application method.

Amicus Curiae Submission in NAFTA Proceedings Eli Lilly v. Canada

This amicus brief was submitted to the NAFTA arbitral tribunal in Eli Lilly v. Canada (ICSID Case No. UNCT/14/2). The arbitration arises out of the decisions by Canadian courts to invalidate two of Eli Lilly’s pharmaceutical patents. The case involves issues of significant public interest because the tribunal’s decision is likely to impact on the legal regimes governing pharmaceutical patent protection in Canada and many other countries. Relatedly, it also bears upon international issues of access to medicines and public health. In particular, findings made in this arbitration are likely to affect, the ability and willingness of countries around the world to use the acknowledged flexibilities of the international intellectual property system, in particular under the TRIPS Agreement, for the purpose of public health and access to medicines. It will also increase the likelihood of similar investment law challenges being brought by IP owners dissatisfied by domestic courts’ decisions on the validity of their patents. This will be a new and concerning development; to date intellectual property norms have only been challenged at an international level in state-to-state proceedings.The Brief examines, amongst other issues: • the scope of Canada’s obligations under NAFTA Articles 1105 and its relationship with both domestic and international intellectual property laws; • the intersection of NAFTA’s standards of protection, in particular fair and equitable treatment (FET) with Canada’s domestic patent law;• the relationship between NAFTA Chapter 17, the TRIPs Agreement and the Patent Cooperation Treaty; • the appropriate standard of review for judicial conduct; • the importance of patent law flexibilities; and• the frequency of patent invalidations.

The variability of UK domestic energy assessments

The 2008 Climate Change Act has committed the UK to reduce carbon emissions by 80 per cent in 2050 from 1990 levels. Key to achieving this is a focus on reducing carbon emissions in residential property, where more than a quarter of the nation's carbon dioxide is emitted. The assessment of dwellings is an essential part of this process and this paper investigates the role of the assessor and the various energy models as applied in the UK. Within this context, the authors consider the building energy modelling system that is in place for reporting carbon reductions, with a focus on the role of assessors. In doing this, the authors will simulate errors in data collection and input, and analyse their ramifications for building performance and the incentive systems in the UK. The paper closes by considering how the problem may be further investigated to better understand the linkages between policy, knowledge and performance analysis in UK domestic properties.