External Housing Research Articles

QUALITY OF HOUSING CONDITIONS IN RURAL AREAS IN POLAND AT VOIVODESHIP LEVEL

he aim of the research was to conduct a multidimensional assessment of the quality of housing conditions in rural households of different voivodeships (provinces) in comparison to households in Poland overall. The research involved separate evaluations of the quality of internal and external housing conditions. Internal housing conditions pertained to the dwellings themselves and included the standards of their use and the presence of sanitary and technical installations. External housing conditions characterized the housing environment, including nuisances related to noise, crime, and deficiencies in technical and service infrastructure. The overall assessment of the quality of housing conditions encompassed both internal and external indicators. These assessments were based on the values of synthetic indicators determined using the TOPSIS method. The analyses were conducted using individual non-identifiable data from the Household Budget Survey carried out by the Central Statistical Office in 2021. For half of the voivodeships, the quality of internal housing conditions in rural households was assessed as average, while in the dzkie Voivodeship, it was assessed as low. A very high rating was obtained for seven voivodeships: lskie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Maopolskie, Lubuskie, Wielkopolskie, and Pomorskie. On the other hand, the quality of external conditions was assessed as high only in the Maopolskie and Podkarpackie Voivodeships, while in the dzkie Voivodeship, it was also assessed as low.

Design and Multiobjective Optimization of Dual-Circulation Cooling System Considering Electro-Thermal Coupling for IPMSM

Benefiting from high power density, high reliability, and wide speed range, interior permanent magnet synchronous motors (IPMSM) have received unprecedented attention. However, due to torque ripple and heat dissipation difficulties caused by the compact structure, the development of IPMSM is not smooth in high-end applications such as electric vehicles. In this article, a dual-circulation cooling system consisting of an external housing water-cooling cycle and an internal rotor-stator air-cooling cycle based on improved magnetic circuit design is innovatively proposed. While the electromagnetic characteristics are substantially improved, the temperature rise problem is also significantly suppressed and weakened. Furthermore, to further optimize multiphysics performance for the IPMSM equipped with this system, an improved multiobjective optimization model considering electro-thermal coupling is studied. Optimization effect is greatly improved by the flexible application of segmented orthogonal experiments, correlation/interaction analysis, and intelligent surrogate model/advanced algorithm. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA) highlight the advantages of proposed dual-circulation cooling system and improved optimization model. Their design rationality, effectiveness, and engineering practicability have been well verified through a series of comparative analyses.

매입임대주택 주거만족도 영향요인에 관한 실증연구

The results of the empirical analysis showed that ‘economic factors’ were the most important influencing factors on the ‘residential satisfaction’ of purchased rental housing tenants. Next, ‘external housing factors’, ‘management factors’, and ‘location factors’ were analyzed to have a significant impact on ‘residential satisfaction’. However, ‘social factors’ and ‘internal housing factors’ were found to be insignificant.
 The policy implications are as follows: The most important variable is ‘economic factors’, which means that it is urgent for the government to provide support policies for purchased rental housing tenants who have become more burdened with housing costs due to the aftermath of COVID-19 and the recent global triple-dip recession. In addition, the importance of ‘external housing factors’ and ‘location factors’ suggests a change in the existing housing purchase process for business owners to more actively develop indicators that improve the quality of life of tenants. Finally, the importance of the “management factors” suggests that owners of new purchased rental housing also need to establish a management system to proactively respond to housing deterioration.

An Analysis of Residential Environmental Features Affecting Residential Satisfaction of the Single-Parent Households in Public Rental Housing

The purpose of the study was to examine residential environment factors contributing to enhance residential satisfaction and quality of life of single-parent households living in Public rental housing in Seoul. For the research methods, the study examined the difference in the residential environment satisfaction according to the household type and housing type through an independent sample t-test, and analyzed the residential environments factors, which significantly affect the residential satisfaction of single-parent households, through Pearson’s correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. The results were as follows: 1) Rather than the type of household, the type of housing affects the perceived satisfaction with residential environment; therefore, It is necessary to establish residential environments plan to improve single-parent households’ quality of life. 2) The enhancement of residential satisfaction of single-parent households is significantly related to the perceived satisfaction with outdoor environment, locational environment, and social environment among the factors of residential environment. Moreover, the more active social interaction with neighbor and the higher the quality of external housing environment is provided, the significantly higher the perceived residential satisfaction of single-parent households becomes. The study result implies that the social support to encounter neighbors and psychologically comfort need to be considered in residential environments to improve the quality of life of single-parent households.

A Rapid Prototyping Method for Sub-MHz Single-Element Piezoelectric Transducers by Using 3D-Printed Components.

We present a rapid prototyping method for sub-megahertz single-element piezoelectric transducers by using 3D-printed components. In most of the early research phases of applying new sonication ideas, the prototyping quickness is prioritized over the final packaging quality, since the quickness of preliminary demonstration is crucial for promptly determining specific aims and feasible research approaches. We aim to develop a rapid prototyping method for functional ultrasonic transducers to overcome the current long lead time (>a few weeks). Here, we used 3D-printed external housing parts considering a single matching layer and either air backing or epoxy-composite backing (acoustic impedance > 5 MRayl). By molding a single matching layer on the top surface of a piezoceramic in a 3D-printed housing, an entire packaging time was significantly reduced (<26 h) compared to the conventional methods with grinding, stacking, and bonding. We demonstrated this prototyping method for 590-kHz single-element, rectangular-aperture transducers for moderate pressure amplitudes (mechanical index > 1) at focus with temporal pulse controllability (maximum amplitude by <5-cycle burst). We adopted an air-backing design (Type A) for efficient pressure outputs, and bandwidth improvement was tested by a tungsten-composite-backing (Type B) design. The acoustic characterization results showed that the type A prototype provided 3.3 kPa/Vpp far-field transmitting sensitivity with 25.3% fractional bandwidth whereas the type B transducer showed 2.1 kPa/Vpp transmitting sensitivity with 43.3% fractional bandwidth. As this method provided discernable quickness and cost efficiency, this detailed rapid prototyping guideline can be useful for early-phase sonication projects, such as multi-element therapeutic ultrasound array and micro/nanomedicine testing benchtop device prototyping.

The external housing environment of participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC): a resource for studies of influences on health.

Background: Early life environmental health exposures related to housing can have a significant impact on an individual's physical and mental health and physical development. Housing exposures can fall into two main areas - a representation of social circumstances and physical conditions. Methods: During pregnancy and post-delivery, self-completion questionnaires concerning the housing environment were administered to the ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents & Children) study mothers and their partners until the study offspring were aged 18. Data collected included types of housing, housing tenure, numbers of rooms in the home, whether shared or sole use of kitchen and indoor flushing toilet, household moves, Council Tax band, difficulties in affording rent/mortgage and becoming homeless. Here we also describe the historic development of housing in the Bristol and surrounding Avon areas. Results: Data collected included the tenure (e.g., owned/rented) of the home, its size (indexed by the number of rooms), the presence of over-crowding (measured by the number of residents per room), presence of amenities, and frequency of household moves. This information was collected on over 13,000 women during pregnancy >8000 at age 10 and >4000 at 18 years. Council Tax bands were asked at 10 and 18 years. Conclusions: This is the first of two Data Notes on the housing type and housing circumstances of the families enrolled in ALSPAC. The second Data Note will detail their internal housing conditions. The data provides an excellent resource for researchers when considering the influences of housing on physical and mental health and development.

Using exterior housing conditions to predict elevated pediatric blood lead levels

Housing-based lead paint dust is the most common source of lead exposure for US-born children. Although year of housing construction is a critical indicator of the lead hazard to US children, not all housing of the same age poses the same risk to children. Additional information about housing condition is required to differentiate the housing-based lead risk at the parcel level. This study aimed to identify and assess a method for gathering and using observations of exterior housing conditions to identify active housing-based lead hazards at the parcel level. We used a dataset of pediatric blood lead observations (sample years 2000–2013, ages 6–72 months, n = 6,589) to assess associations between observations of exterior housing conditions and housing-based lead risk. We used graphical and Lasso regression methods to estimate the likelihood of an elevated blood lead observation (≥3.5 μg/dL). Our methods estimate a monotonic increase in the likelihood of an elevated blood lead observation as housing conditions deteriorate with the largest changes associated with homes in the greatest disrepair. Additionally we estimate that age of home construction works in consort with housing conditions to amplify risks among those houses built before 1952. Our analysis indicates that a survey of external housing conditions can be used in combination with age of housing in the identification process, at the parcel level, of homes that pose a housing-based lead hazard to children.

Livelihood recovery for sustainable development: A study of the Lushan earthquake

Livelihood plays an indispensable role in sustainable community development. Previous studies of sustainable livelihood have focused on the factors that contribute to the vulnerability or resilience of livelihood, but there is limited understanding of the factors that determine people's livelihood restoration after a major disaster. By using a mixed method, combined interviews with questionnaires, this research has quantified the critical factors that influence the livelihood recovery of local communities affected by the Lushan earthquake in 2013, China. The statistical analysis shows that the most highly ranked top four factors are access to income generation assets, external housing recovery support, the level of community participation in decision making, and availability of family support. Factor analysis further suggested that the 16 critical factors identified fall into four categories, namely: 1) government policies; 2) access to resources; 3) social cohesion; 4) individual characteristics. For livelihood recovery to be embedded in the long-term sustainable development of earthquake-affected communities in Lushan, it is important to address the sustainable development through a proper knowledge transfer process including training, education, and more novel community services.

Home modifications and disability outcomes: A longitudinal study of older adults living in England.

SummaryBackgroundThere is limited evidence on the protective effect of housing modifications on disability outcomes among older adults. We examined whether external and internal housing modifications reduce the risk of a range of disability outcomes among older adults living in England.MethodsWe analysed adults aged 60 and over from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, initially recruited in 2002/03. The longitudinal sample consisted of 32,126 repeated observations from 10,459 individuals across 6 waves with an average follow-up of 11·3 years. Participants were asked if their homes had external (widened doorways, ramps, automatic doors, parking and lift) and internal (rails, bathroom/kitchen modifications, chair lift) housing modifications. Mobility impairment was measured through reported difficulties in 10 activities including walking, climbing, getting up, reaching and lifting. Five disability outcomes were analysed (falls in the previous two years, pain, poor self-rated health, no social activities, and moving home within next two years) using two-way fixed effect models, controlling for key risk factors for disability.FindingsGreater mobility impairments increased the probability of falls, pain and poor self-rated health although this effect was significantly moderated by external housing modifications. Among older adults with severe mobility impairments, external housing modifications reduced the probability of falls by 3% (1%-6%), pain by 6% (4%-8%), and poor health by 4% (2%-5%). Moreover, external housing modifications reduced the probability of no social activities by 6% (5%-7%) and moving home by 4% (2%-5%) even among those without any mobility impairments. Internal housing modifications had similar, but less consistent effects on the disability outcomes.InterpretationThere was strong evidence that external housing modifications protected against a range of disability outcomes. Studies on reducing disability in ageing populations need to consider the role of housing modifications as key interventions to promote healthy ageing in place.FundingEconomic and Social Research Council ES/R008930/1 and ES/S012567/1

Laser dissimilar welding of copper and steel thin sheets for battery production

Laser processing of metallic thin sheets has gained undoubted industrial interest in the last decade especially due to its implications in the e-mobility field. In particular, dissimilar welding of thin sheets made of different materials, such as aluminum, copper, and steel is nowadays recognized as an effective solution for many joining applications in battery and related component production. According to these considerations, the present paper is aimed at evaluating the possibility to perform a sound joining of thin copper sheets on thin steel ones in a lap-welding configuration. This application is of particular interest especially when cylindrical cells have to be electrically connected to any of the elements constituting the battery, such as printed circuit boards, busbars, etc. By means of a continuous wave fiber laser and a galvo scanner, an experimental campaign was carried out in order to define a process window for characterizing the above-mentioned welding application. The results were characterized by means of metallographic analyses, microhardness measurements, electrical conductivity tests, and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive system analyses. Particular attention was placed on the role of process parameters in controlling the penetration depth on the lower steel layer, since it constitutes the external housing of the single cell and a drop through can seriously damage the cell itself.

Effect of the exhaust thermal insulation on the engine efficiency and the exhaust temperature under transient conditions

As well as new advances in the after-treatment systems are required to achieve the new pollutant emission requirements, new designs of the exhaust line can be considered in order to increase the engine efficiency and the after-treatment effectiveness. In the present work, a one-dimensional gas dynamic model has been used to carry out a simulation study comparing several exhaust insulation solutions. This solutions include the insulation of the exhaust ports, the exhaust manifold, the internal surface of the turbine volute, the turbine external housing, as well as different combinations of these solutions. A transient analysis has been done in order to evaluate the increment in the exhaust gases temperature, fuel economy and pollutant emission levels over the WLTC (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Cycle) at three different temperature conditions. As a conclusion, a 12% increment in the turbine outlet gas enthalpy can be achieved by insulating both the exhausts ports and the exhaust manifold. Moreover, more than 30% less pollutant emissions are released to the environment with this setup.

Knowledge adoption in post-disaster housing self-recovery

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore communication of hazard-resistant construction techniques after disaster in the absence of outside influence. It further aims to unpack the barriers and drivers in the adoption of knowledge processes to identify strategic recommendations to enlarge adoption of safer construction practices by local construction actors.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on an analysis of stakeholders’ perspectives during post-disaster reconstruction in the Philippines in the province of Busuanga after Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Data were collected from six communities that received no external housing assistance, analyzing surveys from 220 households, 13 carpenters, 20 key actors coordinating reconstruction or recovery efforts, as well as 12 focus group discussions.FindingsThis research argues for a stronger role of governmental agencies, vocational training schools and engineers. Current communication of typhoon-resistant construction knowledge is ineffective to stimulate awareness, understanding and adoption by local construction actors and self-recovering households.Research limitations/implicationsThe analysis in this study focuses on a small sample of communities in the west of the Philippines that are not frequently affected by typhoons.Originality/valueThis is one of the few scholarly works in the Philippines focused on adoption of safer construction practices by community-based construction actors when technical housing assistance is absent.

Place attachment in self-built informal housing: improving spaces of crime

In Brazil, informal settlements house over 11 million dwellers in areas characterized by lower socio-economic conditions, insecure tenure and inadequate basic services. Despite these constrains, many informal dwellers engage in a continuous process to incrementally improve their housing units and community services. In this study, we develop a conceptual model that links studies in crime prevention through environmental design and place attachment to argue that incremental housing improvements in infrastructure can deter criminal activity. We estimate an empirical model using data from a survey of 45,000 households located in informal settlements for a Brazilian city. We conclude by pointing out how aesthetic finishes to external housing materials have a most prominent effect in deterring criminal activities than State provided infrastructure. The discussion highlights how crime is systemically concentrated in informal settlements, and that urbanization interventions must consider localized improvements to individual households in conjunction with the provision of basic services.

Exploring Post-Incarceration Residential Trajectories: Indicators of Housing Stability during the Re-Entry Process

ABSTRACT Extant research on housing instability focuses on external housing barriers but limited research exists on individual-level indicators of housing stability for individuals returning to society from incarceration. This study addresses this gap with data collected from 70 individuals recently released from incarceration who returned to Bexar County (San Antonio, Texas) that were not placed in specific housing programmes, leaving them to seek housing independently. The study explores residential trajectories and the utility of individual-level characteristics, specifically readiness for change, in relation to housing stability. The findings reveal the importance of assessing the dynamics of each individual living situation since many of the participants are housed but not in stable housing situations. Furthermore, readiness for change (specifically action, self-sufficiency, and human agency) is found to be a significant indicator of housing stability and may represent an important intervention target for re-entry and reintegration programmes.

The Application of Submerged Modules for Membrane Distillation.

This paper deals with the efficiency of capillary modules without an external housing, which were used as submerged modules in the membrane distillation process. The commercial hydrophobic capillary membranes fabricated for the microfiltration process were applied. Several constructional variants of submerged modules were discussed. The influence of membrane arrangement, packing density, capillary diameter and length on the module performance was determined. The effect of process conditions, i.e., velocity and temperature of the streams, on the permeate flux was also evaluated. The submerged modules were located in the feed tank or in the distillate tank. It was found that much higher values of the permeate flux were obtained when the membranes were immersed in the feed with the distillate flowing inside the capillary membranes. The efficiency of submerged modules was additionally compared with the conventional membrane distillation (MD) capillary modules and a similar performance of both constructions was achieved.

The design issues of rolling bearing assemblies

The design of rolling bearing assemblies, e.g.: shaft bearings, calls for specialized engineering knowledge. The problem requires synthetic knowledge of machine design and construction as well as knowledge of bearing manufacturer specifications. Mounting bearings on shafts and in housings requires to maintain correct dimensional deviation. The actual condition of the roller surface of the external shaft pin and the external housing has a material influence on the working efficiency and durability of the bearing. The development of examination tools to determine the stress condition of pin/housing as well as bearing rings after installation is of great importance, as well as determining shape faults of specific type and deviations of particular value. The paper presents numerical analyses which allow to determine the state of stress in the contact area of the assembly components: pin/housing-bearing rinds. The study was performed for selected shape faults, selected bearings and specific deviation values.

Design of a Compact, Robust High-Current Inductor for Pulsed Power Applications

This article describes a high-current, pulse power inductor design to achieve compactness, robustness, and enhanced energy density. Conventional pulse power inductor designs focus on containing the strong expansive Lorentz forces on the inductor coil using bulky external housing. The novelty of the present design is the use of a high-conductivity metallic enclosure placed coaxially around the inductor coil which modifies the magnetic field distribution in such a way that the force experienced by the inductor coil is compressive, rather than expansive. Hence, the Lorentz forces on the inductor coil are contained using a strong inner coil former used for holding the coil, thus eliminating the need for a strong external housing. This leads to a more compact inductor design. This inductor design is studied extensively using COMSOL Multiphysics 5.3 and Opera 18R2 for validation of design concept. Based on these simulations, inductors with inductance of $2~\mu \text{H}$ and energy density of 5 kJ/l are fabricated and tested successfully on an experimental setup to get a pulsed current of magnitude 250 kA and rise time 82 $\mu \text{s}$ with two such inductors connected in parallel as load. Based on the experimental experience and confidence gained on these inductors, a design concept of more compact inductor has also been proposed.

Moderating effects on the market orientation and strategic performance relationship in public housing

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how external factors moderate public housing companies’ (PHCs) market orientation (MO) and strategic performance (SP) relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe quantitative method is applied to data from a survey sent to 289 PHCs in Sweden.FindingsThe results reveal moderating factors. The companies take several initiatives to inform themselves about customers’ needs and distribute the information within the company, but economic conditions, market and technological turbulence in the municipalities moderate the relationship between MO and SP. Economic conditions make it difficult for PHCs to strategically act based on market needs when making decisions and planning construction strategies (SP).Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited by focusing on PHCs, a sector that differs radically from the open market. The study highlights the effects of moderating factors that are important for companies’ SP and long-term construction strategies. From this limited focus, researchers might use the results to compare both similar and different market situations.Practical implicationsThe results of the study are useful for companies facing a similar market situation of external moderating constraints. The result might be used in future research related to the area in focus.Originality/valueThis research adds new knowledge to market research by including the impact of economic conditions, which provides insight into how to develop and use market knowledge in real estate and public housing markets.

A Non-segmental Outer Rotor Switched Reluctance Machine for In-Wheel Electric Vehicle Application

In this paper, an outer rotor switched reluctance machine with a non-segmental rotor and short flux path is studied. In this topology, the rotor cage could be eliminated and just an external housing is required to keep the rotor. This configuration can alleviate the motor assembly for in-wheel electric vehicle application. As a result, a smaller air gap between rotor and stator could be achieved in mass production. In this research, for the first time, the effect of implementing a non-segmental rotor on the flux path and the torque capability of segmental outer rotor switched reluctance machine is investigated. Using finite element method, the machine is analyzed and the torque profile and the flux path of the machine are compared with the segmental outer rotor switched reluctance machine. Finally, a motor prototype is implemented and tested.

Modeling and Experimental Studies of Thermophysical Properties of Gradient and Combined Materials

In this paper we describe the approach of effective modification the substrate elements contributing to expansion of operating conditions of electronic devices. A method of local laser surfacing of heat-conducting materials on the surface of metal housings and substrates of radio-electronic products for obtaining the heat-transfer structures was used. The proposed method helps to reduce a thermal load on structural elements exposed to strong heating. The proposed approach is effective in cases where the usage of hinged heat sink elements or radiators are complicated by the design features or operating conditions of the device. In the work the materials and equipment used, the results of metallographic studies of the obtained structures and calculations of the thermal load of the electronic device are presented. The graphic material demonstrating an effectiveness of the approach of obtaining the heat-sinkregions for removing excess heat from the heated components of the device formed on the external metallic housing constructions ispresented.