Housing Type Research Articles

The impact of winter feeding of birds on pro-environmental attitudes and knowledge of pupils in elementary schools

Feeding wild birds is one of the most popular forms of interaction between wild animals and humans. This relatively simple method can be applied in the educational process in primary schools through active learning in the field, which serves to improve the pro-environmental attitudes of pupils. The aim of the research was to verify the effect of winter bird feeding on the behavior and knowledge of pupils in selected primary schools. We were interested in whether there are differences between respondents who feed birds in winter and those who do not in terms of their gender, grade, place of residence (apartment, house), and school location. We were also interested in the motivation to feed birds and its origin. The results of our research confirmed that winter bird feeding has a positive effect on respondents’ knowledge (p = 0.0101). Pupils attending schools in village areas had a higher tendency to feed birds (p = 0.0005). This was similar for housing type, as respondents living in houses were more likely to feed birds (p = 0.0011). The effect of gender was negligible in our research (p = 0.2965).

Supporting Older Adults' Social Inclusion and Well‐Being in Neighbourhoods: The Social Hub Model

In recent years, many Finnish cities and municipalities have aspired to develop services that support older adults’ well‐being and social inclusion. This study focuses on the Social Hub model, a local social innovation developed in the city of Tampere. Social hubs operate on a neighbourhood level, providing free‐of‐charge service coordination and counselling, group activities, and meeting places for social gatherings. This study aims to look at whether this kind of local innovation can support older adults’ well‐being and social inclusion. The sociomaterial perspective and multidimensional model of well‐being (the having–doing–loving–being approach) provided theoretical and analytical guidelines to examine older adults’ experiences and perceptions of social hubs. The qualitative interview data was collected among people living in service housing, senior housing, or ordinary housing in the proximity of the social hubs studied. Face‐to‐face and “go‐along” interviews with 19 older adults aged between 57 and 96 were analysed with theory‐driven content analysis. The results showed that the hubs are a valuable local resource for older adults, providing free services, accessible and appealing shared spaces, and activities that promote social well‐being, physical activity, creativity, and autonomy. The hubs serve as important gathering points for older adults in the neighbourhood, fostering community‐building among citizens residing in different types of housing. The results highlight the importance of acknowledging well‐being as a multidimensional phenomenon. The Social Hub model provides one practical tool to support older adults’ well‐being and social inclusion by offering various kinds of resources and social and cultural activities.

Atrial development as an economical type of complex high-density single-family housing in Poland

Atrial housing, as a type of high-density single-family, appeared in Poland in the 1960s and 1970s. First, in 1962, legal regulations were developed. This was followed by several atrium developments and research work. After 1990, it appeared in only a few publications, and in 2003, it disappeared from the legislation. The aim of the research presented in this article is to demonstrate whether it is possible to build an atrial house or a whole complex of atrial buildings today, based on existing legislation and planning conditions. To this end, the literature on the subject was studied, and 11 existing realisations from the 1970s were analysed. Based on the findings, an atrial house plan was developed, which in turn was used to develop an atrial housing complex located in one of the quarters of the Bialystok Local Spatial Development Plan. The results confirmed that nowadays, subject to certain specific conditions in the provisions of the plans and on the basis of the legal regulations in force, atrial buildings may be used, despite the fact that they are not referred to in the legislation on housing development.

DESIGN OF A LOW COST HOUSE USING LOCAL MATERIAL COUPLED TO MECHANICAL -EARTH TUBE VENTILATION SYSTEM

The building sector accounts for 50% of the total worldwide energy consumption. This percentage is expected to increase with the population growth and climate change compounding the problem of dwindling in energy resources. One means of mitigating the increase in energy consumption is by relying on natural ventilation systems for thermal comfort purposes and on the applications of natural (as compared to processed and manufactured) and recycled materials in building construction. Nonetheless, the use of natural ventilation systems with energy efficient construction materials and building envelope cannot always ensure thermal comfort conditions throughout the whole year. Additional systems are sometimes necessary to aid in providing continuous thermal comfort, year round. One such system, the Earth to Air Heat Exchanger (EAHE), has been found to have the potential of providing indoor comfort at reduced energy cost. In this paper, different scenarios for natural building materials coupled with an earth tube heat exchanger are investigated with the aim of reducing the operational energy of a typical house in Lebanon. It is found that use of an optimal wall configuration when coupled with the EAHE results in 76.7% energy savings compared to reference case

Dog walking during the lockdown in the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the Czech Republic: a questionnaire survey

This study aimed to compare the frequency, duration, and location of dog walking during and before the first Covid-19 lockdown (LD) and possible variable factors. The research team interviewed 504 adult Czech dog owners using an online questionnaire regarding their dog walking activity. During the LD in April 2020, the frequency of dog walking was significantly lower, and a single walk duration was significantly higher than before (p < 0.001). The preference for locations also changed during the LD. Dog walking was considered beneficial for physical activity (PA) and daily rhythm. Factors related to dog walking frequency during the LD were age (p = 0.016) and the length of working/studying hours (p < 0.001). These factors were significant before and during the LD: the number of children (p < 0.001), the number of household members (p = 0.044), and the type of housing (p = 0.006). This study brings a broad amount of data on current trends and changes in dog walking during the unprecedented lockdown, which might contribute to the organisation of public health or research methodology in future relatable situations.

Reviving the Egyptian cooperative housing through an integrated development framework

ABSTRACT Despite the efforts to solve housing problems in developing countries, there are still several issues with providing affordable housing sustainably because of population density and high demand. Cooperative housing is a housing type that realizes affordability and quality of life based on cooperation among members. Although Egyptian cooperative housing relies on community participation, inefficient management and unaffordable units have halted Egypt’s cooperative housing. Therefore, the State stimulates the cooperative’s performance through subsidies and research to provide an effective system for integrated cooperative housing. The purpose of this study is to investigate and propose a framework for activating an integrated cooperative housing role to enhance residents’ quality of life through an inclusive sustainable system. The research methodology is based on set of scientific research methods, using a theoretical approach to identify the relationship between cooperative housing and urban systems and to define the cooperatives as pivotal in sustainable urban development within a participatory framework. This research presents guidelines aimed at improving the concept of integrated cooperative housing. Furthermore, this research works on analytical approach by relying cooperative housing objectives with the international sustainable goals, the research analyzes various types of frameworks working on urban aspects at all building stages and non-urban aspects related to members’ financial needs, environmental and socio-economic indicators. The paper focuses on monitoring and reporting performance through an integrated system on multi-dimensional aspects deduced from models’ policies analyzed, with a particular emphasis on national and international frameworks. By enhancing national frame by merging SDGs, these guidelines aim to positively impact the Egyptian housing market, especially low-income housing.

Big costs for tiny houses: exploring the transaction costs of developing tiny houses in England

The housing market in England is in crisis, in terms of both availability and costs of housing. Although it is not a solution for everyone, many advocates of the tiny house movement promote developing small houses that are financially affordable and environmentally sustainable. There is limited research on tiny houses, and the hidden costs of developing this type of housing have not been investigated. This paper addresses this gap through exploring the perceived transaction costs associated with developing tiny houses in England, and how these costs can be reduced. It was found that there are considerable transaction costs in different stages of the development process, including searching for information, finding suitable land, obtaining planning permission, and constructing the house. The paper concludes that tiny houses require enabling legislation in planning policy so that planning permission is easier to obtain. Also, awareness of tiny houses needs to be raised so that local planning authorities and the public understand the concept better.

Kesenjangan Sosial Sebagai Ide Penciptaan Karya Seni Lukis Surealis

In a residential neighborhood, there are often significant differences in the level of welfare between one neighbor and another. Several factors such as income, employment, access to public services, and available facilities can contribute to social disparities between them. Planning a housing complex with various types of houses. In a complex there are several families who have very good economic conditions and are able to meet their living needs quite comfortably. However, on the other hand, there are also other families who experience financial difficulties and are unable to meet their basic needs.
 

Cattle exposure to bubaline herpesvirus (BuHV-1) in Southern Italy: A hidden threat for IBR eradication?

There is sufficient evidence that both bovine herpesvirus (BoHV-1) and bubaline herpesvirus (BuHV-1) can overcome the species barrier represented by their respective hosts, cattle and buffalo. Although several studies have focused on the impact of BoHV-1 on buffalo, little is known about the impact of BuHV-1 on cattle. In this work, we evaluated the seroprevalence of BuHV-1 in the cattle population in an area where intensive buffalo farming is highly developed (Campania region, Italy). BuHV-1 seroprevalence of cattle sampled in this study was estimated to be 21.4% using a specific commercial ELISA for the detection of antibodies against glycoprotein E of the virus. Risk factor assessment by univariate analysis revealed a correlation between housing type and higher prevalence. Similarly, cattle housed with buffalo and adult animals had a higher likelihood of being seropositive. BoHV-1 vaccination did not prove to be a protective factor against BuHV-1 exposure. The role of age, grazing, and co-living with buffalo in influencing BuHV-1 exposure was also confirmed by multivariate analysis. All BuHV-1 positive animals were also tested with cross-serum neutralization aimed at evaluating the specific antibody titers against BoHV-1 and BuHV-1. We, therefore, assessed the potential cross-reaction between BoHV-1 and BuHV-1, the co-infection rate, and the agreement of the assays used. This study described the presence of BuHV-1 in the cattle population of the Campania region (Italy) and indicated the requirement to take BuHV-1 into consideration for any measures and control and/or eradication plans to be applied against BoHV-1.

Residential location choice: an investigation of transportation, public facilities, and social factors

Residential location choice is a crucial topic in transportation planning research since land use as well as residential land use can significantly affect a city's attractiveness for development and residence. Understanding the factors that influence households in their residential location choice is essential for policymakers to evaluate the effect of their decisions. In this study, the impact of transportation factors on the attractiveness of residential areas was investigated in Qazvin city, Iran, using the stated preference (SP) method and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicated that the type of housing and private house preference were significant factors influencing the residential location choice. Additionally, proximity to health centers, low pollution levels, and access to public transportation and taxi stations were the top priorities for residents when choosing a place to live. Notably, households with children in education had a greater emphasis on air pollution and the proximity to taxi stations, as these factors could affect their children's health and education. Overall, the findings suggested that transportation factors played a critical role in the residential location choice and that policymakers should prioritize public transportation and taxi services, as well as reduce pollution levels, to make residential areas more attractive and livable for Qazvin residents.

Performance investigation of transitioning building services system in photovoltaic homes

Growing concern over residential carbon emissions has highlighted the necessity of transitioning conventional fossil fuel-based building services system into one that utilizes renewable energy sources. Therefore, this paper proposes a building services system, including an air-source heat pump, water storage tanks and batteries, for photovoltaic (PV) homes so that all their energy loads are electrified and mostly met by PV power. It aims to investigate the merits of the proposed system in relation to energy, economic and environmental performance by designing three distinct scenarios for power supply, space heating, space cooling, and domestic hot water (DHW). A typical Australian house equipped with a 10 kW solar PV system in Geelong, Victoria, is used as a case study. Three scenarios are modelled using Transient System Simulation (TRNSYS) software, and the simulated PV generation, space heating, and DHW load are validated using actual measured results. Findings show that the proposed system offsets all the natural gas demand of 6915 kWh required by Scenario 1 using the conventional fossil fuel-based system and increases the PV self-consumption and self-sufficiency from 18 % to 24 % in Scenario 1–38 % and 75 %, respectively. After adjusting component sizes following the principle of diminishing returns, the proposed system has a nine-year payback period and reduces carbon emissions by 67 % compared to the conventional system. This study demonstrates the capability of the proposed system to electrify our house loads, thus contributing to a decarbonized residential future.

The use of a bamboo reinforced concrete foundation for a simple environmentally friendly house in Indonesia

In typical rural house construction, reinforced concrete foundation plates are not commonly used due to economic factors and the high cost of steel, which often results in compromised safety. Bamboo offers an affordable, renewable, CO2-absorbent material with high tensile strength. This research supported low-income communities by exploring the application of bamboo-reinforced concrete (PB) foundation plates. Technical feasibility, such as load capacity, crack pattern, and failure, were examined and compared with steel-reinforced concrete (PS) plates. Four foundation specimens with dimensions of 70 × 70 × 15 cm3 consisting of three PB foundation plates and one PS foundation were analyzed. The bamboo reinforcement had dimensions of 15 mm × 15 mm, and the steel reinforcement had a diameter of 10 mm. Different spacing variations were tested, including bamboo reinforcement spacings of 100 mm, 125 mm, and 150 mm, with a steel reinforcement spacing of 130 mm. During testing, a concentrated load was applied at the four corners of each foundation. The results showed that the PB foundation plate with a reinforcement spacing of 100 mm exhibited a 3.16% higher load capacity compared to PS foundation plate with a 10 mm reinforcement spaced at 130 mm. The stress zones, crack patterns, and failure modes of the PB foundation plates exhibited similarities to the PS foundation serving as the control. Based on these findings, PB foundation plates are a feasible option for a simple rural house foundation.

Assessment of hygrothermal performance and mould growth risk in roofs of post-retrofitted non-dormer and dormer attic rooms with reduced ventilation

Building insulation upgrades focusing on energy conservation must also consider the hygrothermal performance of materials and the indoor environment. Previous research has shown that deep insulation retrofit may inadvertently reduce ventilation and increase relative humidity, increasing the risk of mould growth. This study used traditional housing in Ireland with pitched roofs as the case study to examine changes in the hygrothermal environment following the energy retrofit of a dormer-style attic room. The study compared the mould growth index (MGI) of roof rafters under different energy retrofit scenarios to understand the effect of adding a habitable dormer-style attic room on the house's mould growth risk. The results show that adding an occupied dormer room can increase the MGI of spruce rafters from below 1 to around 5.2 at 0.2 air changes per hour (ACH) of infiltration. In most scenarios, a ventilation rate lower than 1 ACH cannot prevent the MGI of rafters from reaching the critical threshold of 3, unless a 1 mm vapour barrier is added. A ventilation rate over 5 ACH is adequate to limit the mould growth risk, but mechanical ventilation may be required to achieve this level of attic ventilation. This study enhances understanding of the relationship between attic roof ventilation rate and the risk of mould growth during the energy upgrade of dormer style attic rooms, a common housing type across Northern Europe and further afield.

Thermally Future-Proofing Existing Libyan Housing Stock with Biobased Insulation Materials and Passive Measures: An Empirical and Numerical Study Using a Digital Twin

Thermal refurbishment and retrofitting building envelopes with passive measures such as the optimisation of opaque and transparent fabric performance may play a key role in reducing cooling and heating load and promoting building energy efficiency. Furthermore, to reduce the embodied carbon impact of the building, the refurbishment measures need to consider the use of low-carbon building materials. This paper investigates ways to thermally future-proof typical Libyan houses using biobased materials. Several typical Libyan houses were monitored for one year to investigate the heating and cooling energy use and to thermally retrofit the building envelope. A digital twin was created in the DesignBuilder software using the real building data of one building for digital model calibration. Finally, multi-objective optimisation was carried out with low-impact biobased materials for insulation, including camel hair, sheep wool, and date palm fibre as well as using other optimisation variables such as shading and glazing types. The study reveals that thermally upgrading the building roof and wall with insulation materials and upgrading the windows with energy-efficient glazing and local shadings can achieve a reduction in cooling load from 53.51 kWh/m2/y to 40.8 kWh/m2/y. Furthermore, the heating load reduces from 19.4 kW/m2/y to 15 kW/m2/y without compromising the standard annual discomfort hours.

The Relationship of Residential Density and Smoking Habits with The Incidence of Acute Respiratory Infections (Ari) In Toddlers in The Working Area at The Sausu Public Health Clinic, Parigi Moutong District, Central Sulawesi Province

ISPA is a respiratory tract disease that can cause mild to fatal infections due to environmental factors. ISPA in toddlers is caused by several factors including environmental factors, namely type of house, ventilation, type of floor, lighting, residential density, humidity, type of fuel and smoking habits. The aim of this research is to find out whether there is a relationship between population density and smoking habits with the incidence of ISPA in toddlers in the Sausu Community Health Center Working Area, Parigi Moutong Regency, Central Sulawesi Province. Analytical with the aim of finding relationships between one variable and other variables. The population was 167 samples, 62 toddlers suffering from ISPA and not suffering from ISPA. There is no relationship between the density of house occupants and the incidence of ISPA with a P-Value ≥ 0.252 > 0.05, so Ho is accepted and Ha is rejected. There is no relationship between home smoking habits and the incidence of ARI with a P-Value ≥ 1,000 > 0.05, so Ho is accepted and Ha is rejected. Keep the home environment clean and do not smoke near children, inside the house. Because it will have an impact on the health of the toddler and the entire family.

AVALIAÇÃO DOS TRANSTORNOS DE ANSIEDADE E USO DE MEDICAMENTOS ENTRE ACADÊMICOS DO CURSO DE MEDICINA DE UMA UNIVERSIDADE DO SUL DE MINAS GERAIS, BRASIL

In this study were evaluated the levels of anxiety and use of medicines for treating anxiety among medical students at a university in the south of Minas Gerais, and then these data were related with sociodemographic data, prescription and medical follow-up, as well as improvement of symptoms. This is a cross-sectional study in which the sample was analyzed through a questionnaire. From the total of interviewees (n = 264), 21% (n = 56) are users of drugs to treat anxiety. Among these, most were female, almost half were 21 to 25 years old, single, living alone, and have high-income. These academics opted for the medical course mainly because personal and professional achievement, and the main drug used was fluoxetine. Among the users, 39% practice self-medication despite 64.3% take drugs to treat anxiety with medical follow-up, more than half present side effects, and 87.5% experimented improvement of symptoms after the use of these medications. The use of drugs to treat anxiety among medical students is increasing and the fact that most of them perform medical follow-up directly influences the improvement of symptoms. Moreover, there are risk factors that can lead to anxiety and/or self-medication and indiscriminate use of drugs, so that preventive health measures should consider these factors to guide more effective actions.

Spray deposition in an artificial grapevine canopy as affected by spray angle regulation systems of radial airflow air-assisted sprayers

As the most critical factor affecting pesticide application efficiency and drift risk, the airflow characteristics of air-assisted sprayers have been of great concern. This study compared seven assisted airflow angle regulation methods regarding within-canopy deposition quality and off-target losses to the ground and behind the target canopies, including a newly proposed airflow swing device, three types of directional housings, and airflow deflector settings. An artificial grapevine canopy and a multiple-tracer methodology were used to evaluate deposition. Results showed that airflow angle regulation methods caused significant differences in canopy deposition and off-target losses (p < 0.001). The sprayer equipped with 0° housing had the highest deposition on the canopy (122.27 μg cm−2), followed by the sprayer equipped with the −30° housing (99.26 μg cm−2). The sprayer equipped with both airflow swing devices and optimal deflectors had a deposition of 87.76 μg cm−2. The radial airflow air-assisted sprayer without any airflow interventions caused the highest off-target losses, reaching 31.95% of the total spraying volume. The optimal deflector setting was conducive to reducing ineffective losses, but it also deteriorated the deposition uniformity on the canopy. Significantly, the airflow swing device improved the deposition uniformity on the abaxial side of the leaves to 23.89%, which can provide a reference for future optimization of new air-assisted sprayers.

A Review of Hybrid and Green House Type Solar Dryers

Solar drying is a renewable, efficient, cheap, and sustainable method of preserving agricultural produce. Recent trends in hybrid and greenhouse–type solar dryers were studied. The study revealed that hybrid and greenhouse–type dryers are robust and efficient because they are mostly embedded with heat generating and circulation systems. They are designed to accommodate large-scale drying of fruits and vegetables with higher rates of drying, reduced drying time and some other specific advantages. Findings also revealed that hybrid and greenhouse type solar dryers are mostly designed for optimum retention of heat to compensate for periods with low illumination. The study also gave insight into design challenges peculiar to these types of dryers, and further revealed that most of the fabrications were based on assumptions, with limited data as references. This review also highlights the cost of procurement, uniformity of airflow, sizing of blower and material selection as some of the factors limiting the utilization of hybrid and greenhouse type solar dryers for drying of fruits, vegetables, and other staple crops.

Energy savings potential and life cycle costs of deep energy retrofits in buildings with and without habitable style loft attic conversions: A case study of Irelands residential sector

This paper evaluated the potential energy and life cycle cost (LCC) savings arising from the deep energy retrofit of residential buildings. The cost optimal model was determined for material upgrades and the addition of an air-to-water heat pump, where the household level of savings at 2023 energy prices will be dependent on the typical housing characteristics and weather conditions. LCC savings post retrofit for a detached dwelling insulated at the ceiling/rafter including installation of a heat pump amount to a €20,031-€21,370 for an uninsulated dwelling pre-retrofit, rising to €38,448 for dwellings with a habitable loft conversion. Partially insulated dwellings, pre-retrofit did not all incur favourable returns in investment, and in some cases were unviable. Although, the application of a 50% grant results in a viable return on investment for home owners. A sensitivity analysis found high discount rates, fuel prices and increasing capital costs can negate positive returns on investment. Finally, at a national level energy saving of 7.72 TWh by 2030 could be realised if the Irish Climate Action Plan 2023 retrofit targets are adhered to. In addition, total LCC savings could be valued at €1.4 billion. Where only material upgrade are pursued a loss occurs of €0.56 billion.

Combined wind catchers and side windows for cross ventilation in row houses

Purpose This paper aims to explore the efficiency of natural ventilation in the bedrooms of typical two-storeyed row houses with newly reconfigured design that incorporate rooftop wind catchers and side windows to create cross ventilation. Design/methodology/approach A CFD program was used to assess average air velocity coefficient (Cv) in 32 airflow cases. Parameters include location of openings with respect to wind direction, inlet-to-outlet area ratio (IOR) and opening-to-floor area ratio (OFR). Findings The results reveal that indoor air velocities in the cases of air entering wind catchers are generally higher than those in the cases of air entering side windows while air velocities at the openings are the opposite. The IOR of 1:2 provides best results in terms of both velocities of the indoor air and velocities at the openings. Increasing the OFR from 20% to 50% generally improves indoor air velocities and airflow rates. Originality/value This study proved that the new solution of combining one-sided wind catchers and side windows can effectively solve the problem of ventilation uniquely existing in the conditions of typical row houses by catching prevailing wind from two opposite directions into multiple rooms. The results are given as non-dimensional air velocities, which can be interpreted with any climatic data, and therefore can be applied to row houses in any locations and climatic conditions. The findings can create a new and efficient design of row houses that benefits building industry.