Stock In Spain Research Articles

Service life of the dwelling stock in Spain

Purpose Service life of buildings is an essential parameter to evaluate its operational impact in life cycle assessment (LCA). Although most studies assume building service life about 75 to 100 years since no reliable data are available, its accurate quantification is still an unresolved work. To avoid wrong generalizations, the determination of the service life of buildings according to the characteristics of every region is required.

Resilience to increasing temperatures: residential building stock adaptation through codes and standards

The resilience of the current Spanish residential building stock to increased temperatures is modelled. Homogenized daily temperature data recorded at 50 Spanish meteorological stations for the periods 1950–1979 and 1981–2010 were used to investigate anticipated climate warming on the Spanish residential building stock by means of the degree-day method. Impacts on residential buildings were investigated for three different future time periods (2011–2040, 2041–2070 and 2071–2100) for three representative Spanish provincial capitals. Future climate change scenarios comprising two statistical downscaling methods, three general circulation models and two carbon emission scenarios were used to project local climate. Results show that 72% of current residential building stock in Spain is thermally unprotected. In addition, the energy demand for heating the building sector in Spain is expected to decrease by between 30% (Barcelona, B2 scenario) and 36% (Valencia, A2 scenario) by 2100, while the respective energy demand for cooling could increase by between 107% (Valencia, B2 scenario) and 296% (Madrid, A2 scenario) by 2100. To increase resilience to higher winter and summer temperatures, strategies for modifying the built environment are needed, particularly for the role of building codes and standards. La résilience du parc bâti résidentiel espagnol actuel face à l'augmentation des températures est modélisée. Les données homogénéisées des température journalières enregistrées dans 50 stations météorologiques espagnoles pour les périodes 1950–1979 et 1981–2010 ont été utilisées pour étudier le réchauffement climatique prévu sur le parc bâti résidentiel espagnol en utilisant la méthode des degrés-jours. Les répercussions sur les immeubles résidentiels ont été étudiées pour trois périodes futures différentes (2011–2040, 2041–2070 et 2071–2100) et pour trois capitales provinciales espagnoles représentatives. Il a été utilisé des scénarios de changement climatique futur comprenant deux méthodes de réduction d'échelle statistique, trois modèles de circulation générale et deux scénarios d'émission de carbone pour prévoir le climat local. Les résultats montrent que 72 % du parc bâti résidentiel actuel de l'Espagne est dépourvu de protection thermique. Il est en outre prévu que la demande énergétique liée au chauffage dans le secteur du logement en Espagne diminue de 30 % (Barcelone, scénario B2) à 36 % (Valence, scénario A2) d'ici à 2100, tandis que la demande énergétique respective liée à la climatisation pourrait augmenter de 107 % (Valence, scénario B2) à 296 % (Madrid, scénario A2) d'ici à 2100. Afin d'augmenter la résilience face à des températures hivernales et estivales plus élevées, il est nécessaire de disposer de stratégies de modification du cadre bâti, concernant en particulier le rôle des codes et des normes du bâtiment. Mots clés: stratégies d'adaptation, performances des bâtiments, réglementation du bâtiment, parc bâti, changement climatique, degrés-jours, surchauffe, confort thermique, vulnérabilité, Espagne

The effects of index changes in the Spain Stock Market

In the present study the price and volume effects changes to the Madrid Stock Exchange fs in Madrid is presented. Bolsa de Madrid (Madrid Stock Exchange) is the largest and most international of Spain's four regional stock exchanges (the others are located in Barcelona, Valencia, and Bilbao) that trade shares and convertible bonds and fixed income securities, also both government and private-sector debt. Bolsa de Madrid is owned by Bolsas y Mercados Espanoles. The researchers have found that the market reacts positively, to news of additions to the index, reflecting pressure on prices of concerned stocks. Trading volumes exhibit commensurate significant changes. While this finding warrants further examination, it leads us to the conclusion that the price effects noted with other index additions may result largely from the demand-supply disequilibrium caused by index, rather than any new information or certification signalled by index inclusion.

First Report of Phytophthora pseudosyringae on Chestnut Nursery Stock in Spain

Phytophthora pseudosyringae causes stem necrosis and collar rot of deciduous tree species (Quercus spp., Fagus silvatica, and Alnus glutinosa) in several European countries (1,2). In November 2006, we received diseased Castanea sativa seedlings from a nursery in Galicia (northwest Spain). These plants had tongue-shaped necroses of the inner bark and cambium. Reddish, sunken lesions occurred on the surface of the bark, either in the stem base or higher on the stem. Tissue from the leading edge of the lesions was transferred to a selective V8 agar medium (4) and incubated for 7 days at 20°C in the dark. A Phytophthora sp. was isolated, transferred to cornmeal agar (CMA) and V8 agar, and incubated in the dark. Colonies were appressed with stellate to rosaceous growth patterns on CMA and stellate, limited aerial mycelium on V8 agar. Growth on V8 occurred from 2 to 25°C with an optimum at 20°C and a radial growth rate of 4.5 mm per day at 20°C. Chains of inflated spherical to deltoid hyphal swellings with radiating hyphae were abundantly produced in water (2). Chlamydospores were not observed on agar media. The deciduous, sympodial, semipapillate, rarely bipapillate sporangia with pedicels had a length/breadth average ratio of 1.55. Oogonia, antheridia, and oospores were produced within a single culture. Oogonia were spherical and smooth walled, antheridia were predominantly paraginous, but some were amphyginous, and oospores were plerotic that turned golden yellow with age (2). Internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-rDNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) regions were amplified by nested-PCR and sequenced with DNA extracted from mycelium. The amplicon sizes obtained were similar to those reported for P. pseudosyringae (2,3). DNA sequences showed 99 to 100% homology with those previously identified as P. pseudosyringae and deposited in GenBank. Pathogenicity of the isolate was confirmed by inoculating 10 C. sativa seedlings, as well as three detached leaves from each of another 10 young plants growing in containers. For the seedlings, one shallow cut was made into the bark on the main stem. A colonized agar plug was inserted beneath the flap that was sealed with Parafilm. Unwounded and wounded detached leaves of C. sativa were dipped into a zoospore aqueous suspension (1 × 105 zoospores ml-1) for 10 s., seedlings and leaves were incubated at 20°C and 95% humidity for 60 and 7 days, respectively. After 7 days, foliar lesions that developed exceeded 25 mm, and the pathogen was consistently reisolated. Leaves inoculated with sterile water did not develop symptoms. On inoculated seedlings, the external surface of the bark was reddish and sunken. Stem lesions progressed bidirectionally from the wound. P. pseudosyringae was recovered from inoculated seedlings but not from controls. On the basis of its unique combination of morphological and physiological characters, pathogenicity, and ITS and mtDNA sequences, the Phytophthora isolated from chestnut was identified as P. pseudosyringae. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. pseudosyringae on C. sativa in Spain.