Union Building Research Articles

Part of the Solution? Indigenous Apprentices and the Unionized Building Trades

There have never been more favourable conditions for drawing Indigenous workers into the unionized building trades. The construction industry needs to replenish and diversify its overwhelmingly white, male, and aging workforce to meet skilled labour demands in the next few decades, when major civil infrastructure, mining, and green energy developments are expected to occur in northern Indigenous territories. These projects will be mandated by impact benefit agreements to employ a significant number of Indigenous workers who will first need to be trained. At the same time, Indigenous peoples are the fastest-growing population in Canada and have shown a propensity for pursuing trades education. In recent years, Ontario’s largest building trade unions have taken significant steps to recruit, train, and employ northern Indigenous workers, including in Nunavut. In collaboration with various stakeholders, the unions’ efforts are starting to show positive results. But are their methods and goals informed by decolonization, reconciliation, and Indigenization? This article reflects on this question while examining the case of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793, which has been a leader among building trades unions when it comes to establishing relationships with Indigenous partners, training Indigenous workers, and contributing to their economic self-determination.

Small Robot Vehicle Developed for Multi-purpose Industrial Use

The small robotic vehicle presented in this article is a special, multifunctional vehicle that can perform diagnostic tasks in several different areas. Examination of heat release and heat losses, which characterizes the efficiency of processes in many technical areas. A device that penetrates into small spaces may be needed. In this area, an important task is to navigate the device to the right place under trucks and cars to perform thermal camera diagnostics. The examination of excessive heat emission is extremely important to filter out faulty transmission systems, faulty engines, and to detect excessively hot brake drums, which are unfortunately also responsible for causing many serious accidents and fires.The remote-controlled navigation robot with a camera presented in the article is perfectly suited for the above task, as it can also transmit the image of the thermal camera to a remote display. In addition to automotive applications, the device can also be used for other industrial purposes and machine diagnostic tasks. I According to the current European Union building energy regulations, new buildings must have almost zero energy requirements. The so-called thermal bridges must be calculated for both old and new buildings under construction.A useful solution to this problem can be the quick and cost-effective energetic measurement and classification of thermal bridges, factors, and structural elements that cause heat loss. The Heat Spotter robotic vehicle presented and built in the article is suitable for the above tasks, ready to be manufactured and quickly paying for itself.

Global building life cycle assessment: Comparative study of steel and concrete frames across European Union, USA, Canada, and Australia building codes

The construction industry has one of the worst carbon footprints among the major industries and accounts for 39% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. One of the main determinants of the carbon footprint of a building is the type of frame used in its structure. The most commonly used types of structural frames are steel and concrete frames, each having its own advantages and drawbacks. This study estimates and compares the carbon footprint of two buildings designed with a steel frame and a concrete frame, respectively, based on the building structural design codes of the European Union (EC), USA (ACI, AISC), Canada (CSA), and Australia (AS). The primary objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive comparison of carbon emissions from these buildings. The focus extends beyond operational emissions to include an assessment of embodied emissions using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. This comparison aims to gauge the overall emissions of the buildings and also evaluate the impact of major building codes on their carbon footprint. The results show that among the steel frame structures designed based on different building codes, the one designed according to the codes of the European Union has the highest carbon emission (142 kgCO2-eq/m2 floor area), and the one designed based on the Australian code has the lowest carbon emission (119 kgCO2-eq /m2). Among the concrete frame structures, the one designed based on the Canadian codes had the highest carbon emission (221 kgCO2-eq/m2), but again, the structure designed according to the Australian code had the lowest carbon emission (134 kgCO2-eq /m2). Carbon emission estimations for the operational phase showed that, while Canadian Cities exhibit the highest portion of energy consumption, its utilization of a green electricity grid results in the lowest operational carbon emissions. In contrast, Sydney, despite having the lowest energy consumption, exhibits the highest level of operational carbon emissions due to its reliance on coal for electricity generation. The findings of this study can serve as a valuable benchmark for policymakers in various areas. They can identify the shortcomings and advantages of their region's building codes, paving the way for targeted modifications that contribute to achieving a more sustainable built environment in their respective locales.

Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Electricity Consumption in European Union Buildings

The buildings sector is the single most important end-user of final energy in the European Union and a significant contributor to carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. This work focuses on a review of available data that are used to calculate the annual emissions from electricity generation in the European Union and quantify indirect emissions from the use of electricity in the buildings sector. Historical data since 1990 are used to derive simple empirical correlations for the time evolution of emissions factors related to electricity production in each Member State of the European Union. More recent trajectories using data from the last ten years are also presented. The derived correlations can be easily integrated in building stock modeling and national studies to facilitate forward-looking projections of emissions from electricity use in buildings. The EU-27 averages 0.2883 kgCO2-eq/kWhel, ranging from 0.0456 kgCO2-eq/kWhel in Sweden up to 1.0595 kgCO2-eq/kWhel in Poland. As a case study, the derived coefficients are then used to quantify the indirect emissions from the electricity consumption attributed to the building stock in each EU Member State. The calculated total EU-27 GHG indirect emissions attributed to electricity consumption amounted to 215 MtCO2-eq for residential buildings and 201 MtCO2-eq for non-residential buildings. In addition, the proposed correlations are used to demonstrate how they can be used for more realistic future projections of emissions towards the national targets in Greece and Poland.

CREATING ARCHITECTURAL PROGRAMMING FOR A STUDENT UNION PROJECT

The purpose of this study is to establish architectural programming and typology of buildings by analyzing the concrete and abstract values connecting students with the Student Union and the campus community. Understanding the needs of the users and activities is crucial for spatial organizations and architectural programming. This research uses both main and secondary data collection through; literature review, case studies, student survey, and interview methods. The scope of programming is defined to cover student union building design and its programming. Architectural programming is an advanced design tool supporting architectural design. Buildings are often, mostly knowingly, constructed to fulfill particular needs. Architecture and architectural programming describe the starting point and end point of the project, which evolved together, to satisfy the demands and needs of users and clients. In this report, the Student Union project's architectural programming, which serves as a community center in universities, is created. The students' diverse needs are understood, and the technologies and inventions of today are incorporated into the design program in the case of the student union building project. Comprehensive analysis and thorough understanding produce the program. This research plan, as part of the report, is assessed and altered.

Российско-белорусские отношения в современной повестке дня

Issues of the state and possible directions of development of Russian-Belarusian relations within the framework of the Union State are studied. The specificity of the challenges that are relevant for union building is analyzed. The content and dominants of the official discourse of Russia and Belarus on the issues of bilateral integration interaction are studied, taking into account the risks of political nature. The Union State is considered as a model of the most possible deep integration in the CIS space.

Memorials, landscape and white masculinity: dialogic interventions in South African art

The memorialisation of place and representation of land and landscape is topical in many societies that are dealing with the aftermath of political trauma, such as Post-Colonial or Post-Soviet countries. In such contexts, artists engage with land and notions of place through processes of memorialisation and landscape representation, or very often, the undoing of these traditions as they were entrenched by regimes that are now redundant. In this article we investigate two different artistic agendas that engage with such sites in South Africa, in the work of Paul Emmanuel, and the collective Avant Car Guard. Though separated by a decade, the artworks discussed here share a dialogic engagement with existing memorial sites, or indeed, traditions that memorialise settler belonging, such as the landscape painting tradition or military equestrian monuments. While Emmanuel's work may be understood to employ a dialogic, anti-monumental strategy in response to the statue of Louis Botha at the Union buildings in Tshwane in South Africa, Avant Car Guard insert themselves in spaces where they engage parodically with memorial sites and the tradition of landscape representation. In both cases, white masculinity is called into question through self-representation, engaging with notions of Afrikaner hegemony and white anxiety.

The Limits of Party Unionism: Far-Right Projects of Trade Union Building in Belgium, France, and Germany

ABSTRACT This paper examines three attempts to build ‘party unions’ of the far right in Western Europe: the Vlaams Belang’s creation of its own trade union organization in 2011, which folded after failing to develop a meaningful membership base; the Front National’s creation of its own sectoral trade unions in the mid-1990s, which were disbanded following a series of court rulings; and the distinctive case of Zentrum Automobil as a pre-existing sector-specific workplace group with far-right roots founded in 2009, which leading figures from the radical nationalist wing of the Alternative for Germany subsequently tried to turn into a party-sponsored trade union until an incompatibility resolution of the party executive in 2021. All three cases point to the limits of party unionism in the face of institutional constraints as well as an internal tension between anti-(neo)corporatist populism – directed against the institutional power of established ‘monopoly unions’ – and a commitment to industrial peace as an extension of an organic national community. Drawing on post-foundational discourse theory, the paper proposes a discourse-analytic approach as a particularly fruitful avenue for examining these tensions and limitations as well as the dynamic interplay between the conflictual and regulated nature of industrial relations more generally.

Mental health assessment – a 360° student experience

We have been developing 360° simulated practice videos for healthcare science students. The students who have taken part in the filming and watched the videos provided feedback on whether this would benefit their learning. We are doing this to continue to strive forward with innovations in virtual learning in line with Health Education England [1]. The simulation-based videos have been created to add to the healthcare sciences units to aid in ‘real-life’ teaching styles, to help build confidence and resilience in healthcare students, and to provide multidisciplinary, patient-focused scenarios that can be included in assessments [2]. First and third-year paramedic students took part in mass casualty scenarios filmed at our student’s union building. They worked with Critical Care Practitioners, Academics, Nurses in practice, and the National Ambulance Resilience Unit to create handover videos involving assessing casualties to create videos for other healthcare professionals. Follow-up videos were then filmed on the 360° cameras in the simulation suites to represent an accident and emergency environment as this is where mental health crisis assessments can take place. The adult psychosis presentation was filmed and shows ‘psychiatric liaison nurses’ played by second-year MSc and BSc mental health students assessing the person with suspected psychosis and making clinical decisions. The scenario mental state examination and the case study were scripted. Students could view the 360° videos using virtual reality headsets such as the Oculus Rift [3]. The student feedback evaluation data was collected via an online survey and focus group discussions (FGDs). A survey was completed with n=30 students across all fields of nursing students and paramedic students. The student FGD evaluations were very positive about alternative simulated learning styles with one student quoting ‘It will make an assessment of mental health patients a lot easier for students using appropriate tools and models’. Students found that simulation-based learning experience is an excellent addition to traditional learning approaches as it met the requirements for different learning styles. This research project brought together academics and practitioners from across practice and university. Future work should build on these resources based on feedback from students and service users. 1. National Health Service/Health Education England. 2020. A national vision for the role of simulation and immersive technologies in health and care. 2. ASPiH/HEE. 2016. Simulation-based Education in Healthcare Simulation-Based Education in Healthcare (aspih.org.uk) [Accessed on 17/06/2022] 3. Topal review: NHS. 2019. Preparing the healthcare workforce to deliver the digital future.

Women’s day, women’s month for who? For South African women or South African government and politicians?

Women’s day and women’s month in South Africa are celebrated based on the role and contributions made by women in the struggle of South African people during the apartheid era. Women’s day is celebrated to honor the 20 0000 women that marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 09 August 1956. The objective of this study was to show the significanceof the role played by the women of 1956 and the role of the women of today. The generational mission of women of 1956 has been misused and misinterpreted, the study intends to provide reasons why the celebration of this day and month does not add tangible value to the women of today. The purpose of this article is to show that the celebration of women’s month does not speak to how women are socially treated and how they are economically struggling. The study aims to spark a debate on how women of today can be protected and celebrated. The study applied secondary research methodology because the data is available and accessible. The study found that the women of today are experiencing difficult times in all aspects and there is nothing to celebrate. The study concludes that even though the South African government and various stakeholders are trying to stop gender-based violence and empower women, the impact is not widely visible.

“Africa's First Woman Press Photographer”: Mabel Cetu's Photographs in Zonk!

“Africa's First Woman Press Photographer”: Mabel Cetu's Photographs in <i>Zonk!</i>

Progressive collapse risk of steel framed building considering column buckling

Steel buildings are generally susceptible to the risk of progressive collapse in case one or a few load-carrying members are lost in an extreme event such as blast, impact, or fire. Thus, to avoid the catastrophic collapse of steel structures, it is imperative to investigate and learn from the performance of existing steel buildings for progressive collapse potential. The Ohio Union building, a multi-story steel-framed building that existed on the campus of Ohio State University, was tested earlier before its demolition by one of the co-authors for progressive collapse assessment under the successive removal of four columns located at the first-story level. The aim of this study is to conduct NLD (nonlinear dynamic) analysis for the building considering buckling of columns to numerically assess its potential for progressive collapse and then compare it with test observations. The calibrated finite element (FE) model was then extended to incorporate more hypothetical sequential and simultaneous column-loss scenarios. As one of the most widely accepted documents used among practicing engineers for numerical assessment of progressive collapse potential of buildings, the 2003 GSA (General Services Administration) guidelines were also applied. The simplified LS (linear static) analysis approach of the GSA guidelines was used for assessing the progressive collapse risk of the building, and the results were then compared with both test observations and NLD analysis. New dynamic increase factors (DIFs) are recommended for both force- and deformation-controlled actions to be used with the LS analysis.

Thermodynamic and thermal comfort performance evaluation of two geothermal high-temperature cooling systems in the mediterranean climate

The European Commission aims to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the European Union's building stock by 60% by 2030 compared with 1990. Meanwhile, the global demand for cooling is projected to grow 3% yearly between 2020 and 2050. High-temperature cooling systems provide cooling with lower exergy use than conventional cooling systems and enable the integration of renewable energy sources, and can play a crucial role in meeting the growing cooling demand with less energy use. The aim of this study is to analyse and critically evaluate two high-temperature cooling systems in terms of their energy and exergy use in a case study. We also consider thermal comfort performance, CO2 emissions, and sensitivity to changing operating conditions. The two systems considered are a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery combined with geothermal cooling (GeoMVHR) and a radiant cooling system with ceiling panels connected to the same geothermal cooling (GeoRadiant) system. The study is conducted using building energy models of a typical office building belonging to a three-building school complex located in Sant Cugat near Barcelona, Spain. IDA ICE 4.8 simulation software was used for the simulations. The results show that the two different installations can produce near-identical thermal comfort conditions for the occupants. The GeoRadiant system achieves this result with 72% lower electricity use and 60% less exergy destruction than the GeoMVHR system. Due to the higher electricity use, the CO2 emissions caused by the GeoMVHR system are 3.5 times the emissions caused by the GeoRadiant system.

ARCHITECTURE OF INFORMAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS ABROAD DURING THEIR INTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT AND BRANCHING (1941 - 1956)

The article presents a description of the III stage of the development of non-formal education institutions (NFEI) architecture in 1941-1956. Summary data on the restoration and further development of non-formal education institutions, as pedagogical institutions, in the post-war years abroad is presented. The authors’ own research is used as the scientific basis for the article. Those researches provide the examination both the periodization of the development of the architecture of non-formal education institutions, and decisions related to the architectural space of leisure centres and preschool institutions, the educational space in which, nowadays, gravitates towards non-formal scenarios. The main pedagogical, historical and socio-political positions that had a direct impact on the development of such institutions’ architecture are as follows: the nature and educational scenarios of non-formal education had been changed qualitatively; in accordance with changes in the socio-political structure, the requirements for non-formal education had also changed; out-of-school education, or non-formal education of children and youth, had been provided in post-war years with opportunities to acquire applied skills, tried to solve the problem of socialization, including also the gender aspect. The main positions of the development of their architecture are substantiated and the information is illustrated with examples. A common characteristic of the stage of intensive development and branching out in the formation of the architecture of the NFEI is the direct connection with the socio-political changes of the post-war years. As a result, there are subtypes of NFEI, the activity of which is aimed at the specific needs of society. A rather specific development had also been observed in the architecture of the relevant institutions - cultural centres and houses of trade unions had come to replace the people's houses of past periods of the development; branching, as a sign of this period, demonstrated the emergence and/or renovation of development of such specific typological links as children's libraries, clubs of certain specializations, etc. The period of intensive development and branching of 1941 - 1956 - the III development period of the NFEI and their architectural and typological links already had a systemic educational character. The role of people's houses is gradually being lost and their educational functions are finally transferred to clubs, houses of culture, cultural centres, trade union buildings, etc.

소비에트 연방정부 수립에 대한 중앙아시아 엘리트들의 대응과 ‘민족-공화국’ 경계 형성의 역학

This article examines the background of the establishment of Central Asian ‘nation-republics’ in the 1920s-1930s, which is the period of the Soviet Union Building. And it also examines the process of defining the borders that determined the present five Central Asian countries. There were various responses of the Central Asian elites to the advance of the Bolshevik’s central government into Central Asia, ranging from active cooperation to extreme resistance.<BR> Nevertheless, Central Asia was integrated into the Soviet Union and was divided into each ‘nation-republic’. The intention of the central government was fulfilled in the border setting process, but the ambition and division of the local elites also worked as a factor. Looking at these processes, it seems that there is a limit to the identification of the Soviet Union with the general imperialist countries of the West. Unlike the Western imperialist countries that divided and ruled colonies for their own expropriation and economic gain, it can be evaluated that the territory and the human and material resources were divided for the development of the entire vast federal state of the Soviet Union.<BR> However, it is difficult to agree with the premise that the Soviet Union promotes the establishment of a nation-state by first creating a nation for the nation without a nation, and then creating the Soviet Union as a post-nationalist state. In the case of the Bukhara and Khiva Khanates, not only were they culturally outstanding, but they were also in the form of states, so it is difficult to see that they were only engaged in conflicts at the ethnic level, as identified by the Soviet central government. Nevertheless, the establishment of a nation-republics and the setting of the borders also promoted the centralization of the Soviet Union.<BR> The process of demarcation from above has had a profound impact on the history of Central Asia. The border making formed new identities and created new conflicts. And it created enclaves and territorial disputes that continue to this day.

Dynamics of Interests and Positions in the Field of Economic Integration of Russia and Belarus (2019–2020)

Introduction. Economic cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus is based on the platforms of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Union State, and the Eurasian Economic Union. These associations contribute to the identification and promotion of promising business niches and areas of economic integration, taking into account the interests of the participating countries. The Union State, embodying a more multidimensional idea of integration, encourages us to turn to a deeper and more substantive analysis of the relationship between various factors and spheres. The purpose of the article is to identify positive and negative constants and dominants of economic interaction between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus in the general course of integration processes in the CIS and in the context of current challenges of modernity for both countries and the Union State. Materials and Methods. The main research methods are diachronic analysis, event analysis and the method of studying documents. The main sources are materials posted on the Internet resources of integration associations with the participation of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. Results. The key actors – state and non-state participants in the economic integration of Russia and Belarus – are identified, the degree of their involvement in integration processes and the dynamics of interaction are characterized. The most attractive traditional spheres of Russian-Belarusian integration are shown, as well as new vectors determined by current needs. Discussion and Conclusion. A moderate positive scenario is considered the most likely in the field of economic integration of Russia and Belarus. The deepening of integration is determined by the content and orientation of the “road maps”, the established economic relationships and political motives in the internal and external spheres. However, the economy in the process of union building largely continues to follow politics. The necessity of closer coupling of efforts within the framework of the CGB and the EAEU is shown. At the same time, the “dissolution” of the Union State in the EAEU and subordination to it in the logic of integration development are assessed as undesirable.

A man's role as a head, a burden or a blessing? An exploration of the African and Christian perspectives on the conventional role of a male person

In 2020, during a strict lockdown in South Africa, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the country experienced an increase in gender-based violence (hereafter, GBV) cases perpetrated by men. Similar incidents occurred in August 2021, declared a women’s month in South Africa, as a tribute to the over 20,000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 to protest against the extension of pass laws. Many scholars have tried to make sense of this, giving rise to diverse views about the causes of this phenomenon. Other scholars argue that men behave in this manner because of the high unemployment rate, as many businesses are struggling, due to a loss of revenue, as a result of COVID-19, and the government’s lockdown measures. Other perspectives from different quarters indicate that GBV is due to stress and many other mental conditions, as a South African dwindling economy has impacted on families and caused losses of jobs and businesses closing. This is not the first time that the country has experienced these high cases of GBV. Over the years, men have and continue to commit heinous crimes and abuse each other, as well as women and children. This raises a question: Is this violence not a reaction by men to their role as heads of families and their socialisation by the African culture and Christian religion that teaches men to be heads of their households? Secondary data methods were applied in this research. The research found that men are under enormous pressure to meet society’s expectations of them. That pressure has turned them into monsters who are not coping and instead kill themselves, their loved ones, or resort to violence.

Thursdays Till Nine: Left-wing Unions on the Stage

The year is 1947; and in the hall of a New York union building, a packed Thanksgiving Day audience listens to the song that has, in the department store play they are watching, won first prize for ...

Pan-Africanism and the Affective Charges of the African Union Building in Addis Ababa

ABSTRACT In 2002, the African Union (AU) inaugurated its Chinese-funded, designed, built, and furnished headquarters building in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, receiving the admiration of African leaders. The building was hailed as a new material expression of pan-African unity. This article explores the affective potency of the AU built environment to unsettle and unfurl conceptions of pan-African identity. Beginning with an analysis of sensory impressions of the outer appearance and architectural forms of the built space, the article meanders through its inner structures to describe how these assemble affective intensities around the notion of pan-Africanism. In particular, it concentrates on the experiences of Addis Ababa residents and AU officials who express divergent sentiments and visions of pan-Africanism. It argues that affective reactions associated with sensorial encounters with built forms, mediated by pre-existing discourses, reveal the divergent modes of belonging to pan-Africanism. The affective potency of the AU is of acute interest because of its presumed role as a mediator in nationalist conflicts, not least those currently underway in Ethiopia itself.

Industrial relations at centre stage: Efficiency, equity and voice in the governance of global labour standards*

Considering the persistent violation of labour rights, questions arise as to the effectiveness of policy instruments regarding the governance of global labour standards. We adopt an industrial relations perspective to compare three broad categories of policy instruments: state-centred regulation, employer-centred regulation, and transnational industrial relations agreements. To structure our comparison, we adapt Budd and Colvin’s (2014) “Efficiency, Equity and Voice (EEV)” framework for conflict handling to the field of global labour governance. We operationalize the efficiency, equity and voice criteria to examine the outcome of policy instruments and process orientation, their scope and coverage, and the opportunities they provide for worker participation and union building. Our comparison shows that each category of instruments has characteristic strengths and weaknesses, and does not suffice on its own to protect global labour standards adequately. This accounts for why, paradoxically, we observe both a proliferation of policy instruments and the persistent violation of labour rights. More research is required to improve our understanding of how different political instruments could be combined, and we conclude by proposing elementary building blocks that improve the governance of global labour standards along global value chains.