Comparison of the EN 15251 and Ashrae Standard 55 adaptive thermal comfort models in the context of a Mediterranean climate

Strong heat waves in the past decade and resulting legal cases which gave full responsibility for indoor thermal comfort to building professionals lead to an increased uncertainty how to maintain thermal comfort in offices without the use of a cooling system. Adaptive thermal comfort standards such as EN 15251 and Ashrae Standard 55 provide methodologies to evaluate comfort in naturally ventilated spaces. Based on a parametric study for a typical cellular office in the context of Athens, Greece, and using the building simulation software EnergyPlus, this study investigates the potentials for the applicability of natural ventilation in a Mediterranean climate. The Ashrae Standard 55 and EN 15251 adaptive thermal comfort models are compared in this context, and conclusions are drawn how the use of natural ventilation based on adaptive models can be further encourgaged.

Climate change sensitivity of comfort and energy performance criteria for offices

The climate change scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predict a significant increase in temperatures over the next decades. Architecture and building occupants have to respond to this change, but little information is currently available in how far the predicted changes are likely to affect comfort and energy performance in buildings. This study therefore investigates the climate change sensitivity of the following parameters: adaptive thermal comfort according to Ashrae Standard 55 and EN 15251, energy consumption, heating and cooling loads, and length of heating and cooling periods. The study is based on parametric simulations of typical office room configurations in the context of Athens, Greece. They refer to different building design priorities and account for different occupant behaviour by using an ideal and worst case scenario. To evaluate the impact of the climate change, simulations are compared based on a common standard weather data set for Athens, and a generated climate change data set for the IPCC A2 scenario. The results show a significant impact of the climate change on all investigated parameters. They also indicate that in this context the optimisation of comfort and energy performance is likely to be related to finding the best possible balance between building (design) and occupant behaviour and other contextual influences, rather than a straightforward optimisation of separated single parameters.

Impact of climate change on thermal comfort and energy performance in offices - a parametric study

This paper investigates the impact of climate change on comfort and energy performance in offices in relation to the influence of building design and occupants. It focuses on a typical cellular office room in the context of Athens, Greece, as input for a parametric study using the building simulation software EnergyPlus. Three different building design variations are combined with two different occupant scenarios and 4 different weather data sets for IPCC climate change scenario A2.

For naturally ventilated buildings adaptive thermal comfort is evaluated according to ASHRAE Standard 55 and EN 15251. For mixed mode context evaluation is focused on greenhouse gas emissions and peak heating / cooling loads. Results indicate significant impact of the climate change on thermal comfort, and deviations between both comfort models. Comparing climate change, building design and occupant scenarios indicates that building design is the predominant influence on thermal comfort, whereas occupants are the predominant influence on greenhouse gas emissions.

Key influences on office comfort and energy performance in different climates

This paper investigates the magnitude of influence of climate, architectural design and occupants on thermal comfort and final energy consumption in offices in different climates. A parametric study for a typical cellular office room has been conducted using the simulation software EnergyPlus. Two different occupant scenarios are each compared with three different architectural design variations and modelled in the context of three different locations for the IPCC climate change scenario A2 for 2030. The parameters evaluated in this study are final energy consumption and adaptive thermal comfort according to ASHRAE Standard 55. The study shows that the impact of occupants on final energy performance is larger than the impact of architectural design in all investigated climates, but the impact of architectural design is predominant concerning thermal comfort. Warmer climates show larger optimisation potential for comfort and energy performance in offices compared to colder climates.

After decolonization: Australia and the emergence of the non-aligned movement in Asia, 1954-55

This article is a study of the response of the Australian government under Robert Menzies to the emergence of the Afro-Asian movement in the mid-1950s, especially the element of the non-aligned nations, which culminated in the Bandung meeting of April 1955. Non-alignment and anti-colonialism posed direct threats to the Menzies government's plans for the defence of Southeast Asia and its foreign policy for the region. The study of the Australian response to the Bandung meeting reveals the different legacies which European imperialism left behind in Australia compared with its neighbours in south and east Asia.

Organizational factors in the diffusion of an industry standard: implementing an online documentation system for Australian exporters

At present, governments in many countries are actively engaged in the development of electronic trading and certification standards to enable the smooth operation of export markets. Standards and their usability underpin confidence in the operations of markets and their effective functioning. In institutional markets, an important role for government agencies lies in developing the initial specifications for standards for interoperable systems. Once these specifications are accepted, governments can then facilitate the eventual diffusion of a standard to the B2B marketplace. Acceptance of an industry standard can determine demand, which defines the viability of that market. In this paper, we describe an initiative by a government agency, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS), in developing EXDOC, a standard for export documentation and the role that AQIS played in its implementation and diffusion. Our case study illustrates a successfully facilitated B2G implementation. It demonstrates how a standard can be supported and promulgated for the effective functioning of markets in the transition from manual to online export documentation. Once the overarching specifications for related industries have been established and diffused by government, opportunities arise for private sector markets to develop across these industries. Government agencies can promote the effective operation of standards for electronic markets. The EXDOC implementation and its iterations provide an exemplar of active engagement in the development of electronic trading and certification standards for an institutional market. Its successful diffusion provides a model of the implementation process for other export sectors and agencies.

The use of injury surveillance databases to identify emerging injury hazards

Among the many valuable uses of injury surveillance is the potential to alert health authorities and societies in general to emerging injury trends, facilitating earlier development of prevention measures. Other than road safety, to date, few attempts to forecast injury data have been made, although forecasts have been made of other public health issues. This may in part be due to the complex pattern of variance displayed by injury data. The profile of many injury types displays seasonality and diurnal variance, as well as stochastic variance. The authors undertook development of a simple model to forecast injury into the near term. In recognition of the large numbers of possible predictions, the variable nature of injury profiles and the diversity of dependent variables, it became apparent that manual forecasting was impractical. Therefore, it was decided to evaluate a commercially available forecasting software package for prediction accuracy against actual data for a set of predictions. Injury data for a 4-year period (1996 to 1999) were extracted from the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset and were used to develop forecasts for the year 2000, for which data was also held. The forecasts for 2000 were compared to the actual data for 2000 by independent t-tests, and the standard errors of the predictions were modelled by stepwise hierarchical multiple regression using the independent variables of the standard deviation, seasonality, mean monthly frequency and slope of the base data (R = 0.93, R² = 0.86, F_{(3, 27)} = 55.2, p < 0.0001). Significant contributions to the model included the SD (β = 1.60, p < 0.001), mean monthly frequency (β =  - 0.72, p < 0.002), and the seasonality of the data (β = 0.16, p < 0.02). It was concluded that injury data could be reliably forecast and that commercial software was adequate for the task. Variance in the data was found to be the most important determinant of prediction accuracy. Importantly, automated forecasting may provide a vehicle for identifying emerging trends.

UNESCO and cultural heritage practice in Australia in the 1950s: The international touring exhibition Australian Aboriginal Culture, 1948-55

This article investigates aspects of the production, dissemination and consumption of UNESCO’s first international touring exhibition, Australian Aboriginal Culture, in order to explore the relationship between UNESCO and Australia in the development of a key cultural heritage program. It argues that the exhibition indicates a national and international spirit of universalism that attempted to address crosscultural ignorance in a period of post-war optimism.

Investigation into the temporal stability of aqueous standard solutions of psilocin and psilocybin using high performance liquid chromatography

This paper reports an investigation into the temporal stability of aqueous solutions of psilocin and psilocybin reference drug standards over a period of fourteen days. This study was performed using high performance liquid chromatography utilising a (955% vlv) methanol: 10 mM ammonium formate,
pH 3.5 mobile phase and absorption detection at 269 nm. It was found that the exclusion of light significantly prolonged the useful life of standards, with aqueous solutions of both psilocin and psilocybin being stable over a period of seven days.

Are unilateral and bilateral patellar tendinopathy distinguished by differences in anthropometry, body composition, or muscle strength in elite female basketball players?

Background: Overuse injury to the patellar tendon (patellar tendinopathy) is a major reason for interrupted training and competition for elite athletes. In both sexes, the prevalence of unilateral and bilateral tendinopathy has been shown to differ. It has been proposed that bilateral pathology may have a different aetiology from unilateral pathology. Investigation of risk factors that may be unique to unilateral and bilateral patellar tendinopathy in female athletes may reveal insights into the aetiology of this condition.
Objectives: To examine whether anthropometry, body composition, or muscle strength distinguished elite female basketball players with unilateral or bilateral patellar tendinopathy.
Methods: Body composition, anthropometry, and muscle strength were compared in elite female basketball players with unilateral (n = 8), bilateral (n = 7), or no (n = 24) patellar tendinopathy. Body composition was analysed using a dual energy x ray absorptiometer. Anthropometric measures were assessed using standard techniques. Knee extensor strength was measured at 180°/s using an isokinetic dynamometer. z scores were calculated for the unilateral and bilateral groups (using the no tendinopathy group as controls). z scores were tested against zero.
Results: The tibia length to stature ratio was approximately 1.3 (1.3) SDs above zero in both the affected and non-affected legs in the unilateral group (p<0.05). The waist to hip ratio was 0.66 (0.78) SD above zero in the unilateral group (p<0.05). In the unilateral group, leg lean to total lean ratio was 0.42 (0.55) SD above zero (p<0.07), the trunk lean to total lean ratio was 0.63 (0.68) SD below zero (p<0.05), and leg fat relative to total fat was 0.47 (0.65) SD below zero (p<0.09). In the unilateral group, the leg with pathology was 0.78 (1.03) SD weaker during eccentric contractions (p<0.07).
Conclusions: Unilateral patellar tendinopathy has identifiable risk factors whereas bilateral patellar tendinopathy may not. This suggests that the aetiology of these conditions may be different. However, interpretation must respect the limitation of small subject numbers.

The challenge for the dairy industry arising from the new health claims standard: an impetus for innovation

The publication of a Preliminary Final Assessment Report on 4 April 2007 heralded another step towards the introduction of a new Health Claims Standard to be inserted into the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. This Health Claims Standard, once approved by the Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand and by the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council, will permit the making of certain substantiated health claims. Prior to the introduction of the new Standard, health claims have not been permitted on food labels, with the exception of claims in relation to maternal folate consumption and its positive effect in reducing the risk of foetal neural tube defects. The new Health Claims Standard as outlined in the Preliminary Final Assessment Report is likely to have a significant impact on the dairy industry. This paper seeks to analyse that impact, including threats, opportunities and challenges that the Standard poses to the dairy industry and other food suppliers.

The diversity of emergency code telephone numbers in Australian hospitals: the feasibility of an Australian standard emergency code

This study explored the diversity of emergency code telephone numbers currently in use in Australian hospitals and examined the feasibility of a standard emergency code telephone number for all Australian hospitals, based on the United Kingdom experience. An email and telephone convenience survey of Australian hospitals from six states and two territories was conducted. Of the 108 hospitals surveyed, seven did not use a telephone number system and used a button/ pager system to call an emergency. Of the 101 hospitals surveyed that used a telephone number system, 40 different emergency telephone numbers were in place, and in nine hospitals the telephone number used for Code Blue (medical emergency) was different to the telephone number used for other emergency codes. With increasing mobility of staff across hospitals, uniformity of emergency code telephone numbers is required to reduce confusion, potential danger and improve staff response in emergency situations. A single Australian standard emergency telephone number for all Australian hospitals is advocated.

Dietary conjugated linoleic acid improves carcass leanness without altering meat quality in the growing pig

One constraint facing the pig industry is that ad libitum feeding can often result in high levels of body fat and technologies which can reduce the ratio of lean to fat deposition in the pig are continually being explored. Conjugated linoleic acids have been shown to decrease body fat content in pigs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether dietary conjugated linoleic acids supplementation has any effect on meat quality and carcass characteristics in finisher pigs. Sixty female crossbred (Large White × Landrace) pigs (average initial weight 56.6 ± 1.9 kg and average initial P2 backfat 11.4 ± 1.3 mm) were used in the present study. Pigs were individually housed and randomly allocated to 1 of 6 dietary treatments: 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 or 1.0% (w/w) of conjugated linoleic acids-55. The wheat-based diets were formulated to contain 14.3 MJ DE and 9.3 g available lysine per kg and were fed ad libitum for 8 weeks. Pigs were slaughtered and meat quality was determined on the longissimus thoracis using standard techniques. Dietary conjugated linoleic acids reduced subcutaneous back fat in a linear manner with effects being most pronounced in the middle back fat layer. There was also a linear (P<0.001) decrease in intramuscular fat with increasing dietary conjugated linoleic acids supplementation. However, there was no effect of conjugated linoleic acids on subjective measures of marbling of the loin. Also, loin muscle ultimate pH (P = 0.94), lightness values (P = 0.46) subjective colour scores (P = 0.79), cooking loss (P = 0.71), drip loss (P = 0.40), shear force (P = 0.61) and subjective measures of wetness/firmness (P = 0.19) were unaffected. Dietary conjugated linoleic acids did not alter oxidation, as measured by the level of TBARs at day 1 post-slaughter (P = 0.38) or after 9 days of simulated retail display (P = 0.35). These data confirm that dietary conjugated linoleic acids can improve carcass quality by decreasing back fat depths without having any detrimental effects on meat quality.