Transfers, contracts and regulation: a new institutional economics perspective on the changing provision of social housing in Britain

Social housing policy in the UK mirrors wider processes Associated with shifts in broad welfare regimes. Social housing has moved from dominance by state housing provision to the funding of new investment through voluntary sector housing associations to what is now a greater focus on the regulation and private financing of these not-for-profit bodies. If these trends run their course, we are likely to see a range of not-for-profit bodies providing non-market housing in a highly regulated quasi-market. This paper examines these issues through the lens of new institutional economics, which it is believed can provide important insights into the fundamental contractual and regulatory relationships that are coming to dominate social housing from the perspective of the key actors in the sector (not-for-profit housing organisations, their tenants, private lenders and the regulatory state). The paper draws on evidence recently collected from a study evaluating more than 100 stock transfer organisations that inherited ex-public housing in Scotland, including 12 detailed case studies. The paper concludes that social housing stakeholders need to be aware of the risks (and their management) faced across the sector and that the state needs to have clear objectives for social housing and coherent policy instruments to achieve those ends.

Constraints on the spectral distribution of energy and enstrophy dissipation in forced two-dimensional turbulence

We study two-dimensional (2D) turbulence in a doubly periodic domain driven by a monoscale-like forcing and damped by various dissipation mechanisms of the form νμ(−Δ)μ. By “monoscale-like” we mean that the forcing is applied over a finite range of wavenumbers kmin≤k≤kmax, and that the ratio of enstrophy injection η≥0 to energy injection ε≥0 is bounded by kmin2ε≤η≤kmax2ε. Such a forcing is frequently considered in theoretical and numerical studies of 2D turbulence. It is shown that for μ≥0 the asymptotic behaviour satisfies ∥u∥12≤kmax2∥u∥2, where ∥u∥2 and ∥u∥12 are the energy and enstrophy, respectively. If the condition of monoscale-like forcing holds only in a time-mean sense, then the inequality holds in the time mean. It is also shown that for Navier–Stokes turbulence (μ=1), the time-mean enstrophy dissipation rate is bounded from above by 2ν1kmax2. These results place strong constraints on the spectral distribution of energy and enstrophy and of their dissipation, and thereby on the existence of energy and enstrophy cascades, in such systems. In particular, the classical dual cascade picture is shown to be invalid for forced 2D Navier–Stokes turbulence (μ=1) when it is forced in this manner. Inclusion of Ekman drag (μ=0) along with molecular viscosity permits a dual cascade, but is incompatible with the log-modified −3 power law for the energy spectrum in the enstrophy-cascading inertial range. In order to achieve the latter, it is necessary to invoke an inverse viscosity (μ<0). These constraints on permissible power laws apply for any spectrally localized forcing, not just for monoscale-like forcing.

The effect of confinement on the temperature dependence of the excitonic transition energy in GaAs/Al(x)Ga(1-x)As quantum wells

We determined by means of photoluminescence measurements the dependence on temperature of the transition energy of excitons in GaAs/Al(x)Ga(1-x)As quantum wells with different alloy concentrations (with different barrier heights). Using a fitting procedure, we determined the parameters which describe the behavior of the excitonic transition energy as a function of temperature according to three different theoretical models. We verified that the temperature dependence of the excitonic transition energy does not only depend on the GaAs material but also depends on the barrier material, i.e. on the alloy composition. The effect of confinement on the temperature dependence of the excitonic transition is discussed.

On the energy transfer from a polymer host to the rhenium(I) complex in OLEDs

Photoluminescence and electroluminescence of PVK films doped with fac-[ClRe(CO)(3)(bpy)], bpy=2,2`-bipyridine, are investigated. Photoluminescence spectra of spin-coated PVK films (lambda(exc)=290 nm) exhibit a broad band centered at 405 nm. As the concentration of dopant increases, the polymer emission is quenched and a band at 555 nm appears (isosbestic point at 475 nm). In OLEDs with ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PVK/butylPBD/Al architecture doped with fac-[ClRe(CO)(3)(bpy)], the polymer host emission is completely quenched even at the lowest concentration of dopant. The electroluminescence spectra of the devices show that there is an efficient energy transfer from the host to the dopant, which exhibits a very intense emission at 580 nm. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isomers on the [H, S(2), Cl] potential energy surface: A high level investigation

This study reports a systematic state-of-the-art characterization of new sulfur-chlorine species on the [H, S(2), Cl] potential energy surface. Coupled cluster theory singles and doubles with perturbative contributions of connected triples, using the series of correlation consistent basis sets with extrapolations to the complete basis set limit (CBS), were employed to quantify the energetic quantities involved in the isomerization processes on this surface. The structures and vibrational frequencies are unique for some species and represent the most accurate investigation to date. These molecules are potentially a new route of coupling the sulfur and chlorine chemistries in the atmosphere, and conditions of high concentration of H(2)S (HS) like in volcanic eruptions might contribute to their formation. Also an assessment of the MP2/CBS approach relative to CCSD(T)/CBS provides insights on the expected performance of MP2/CBS on the characterization of polysulfides, and also of more complex systems containing disulfide bridges. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Qualificação de edifícios residenciais verticais em Natal/RN à luz do regulamento técnico da qualidade para o nível de eficiência energética de edificações residenciais (RTQ-R)

The goal of the research was to investigate the energy performance of residential vertical buildings envelope in the hot and humid climate of Natal, capital of Rio Grande do Norte, based in the Technical Regulation of Quality for Energy Efficiency Level in Residential Buildings (RTQ -R), launched in 2010. The study pretends to contribute to the development of design strategies appropriate to the specific local climate and the increasing of energy efficiency level of the envelope. The methodological procedures included the survey in 22 (twenty two) residential buildings, the formulation of representative prototypes based on typological and constructives characters researched and the classification of the level of energy efficiency in the envelopment of these prototypes, using as a tool the prescriptive method of the RTQ-R and the parametric analyzes from assigning different values of the following variables: shape of the pavement type; distribution of housing compartments; orientation of the building; area and shading of openings; thermal transmittance, and solar absorptance of opaque materials of the frontage in order to evaluate the influence of these on the envelopment performance. The main results accomplished with this work includes the qualification of vertical residential buildings in Natal/RN; the verification of the adequacy of these buildings to local climate based from the diagnosis of the thermal energy of the envelopment performance, the identification of variables with more significant influence on the prescriptive methodology of RTQ-R and design solutions more favorable to obtain higher levels energy efficiency by this method. Finally, it was verified, that some of these solutions proved contradictory in relation to the recommendations contained in the theoretical approaches regarding environmental comfort in hot and humid weather, which indicates the need for improvement of the prescriptive method RTQ-R and further research on efficient design solutions

On the optimum parameters of a device for harvesting energy from running and walking

This paper investigates the feasibility of using an energy harvesting device tuned such that its natural frequency coincides with higher harmonics of the input to capture energy from walking or running human motion more efficiently. The paper starts by reviewing the concept of a linear resonant generator for a tonal frequency input and then derives an expression for the power harvested for an input with several harmonics. The amount of power harvested is estimated numerically using measured data from human subjects. Assuming that the input is periodic, the signal is reconstructed using a Fourier series before being used in the simulation. It is found that although the power output depends on the input frequency, the choice of tuning the natural frequency of the device to coincide with a particular higher harmonic is restricted by the amount of damping that is needed to maximize the amount of power harvested, as well as to comply with the size limit of the device. It is also found that it is not feasible to tune the device to match the first few harmonics when the size of the device is small, because a large amount of damping is required to limit the motion of the mass.

Effect of the calcium level and limestone particle size on the performance of semi-heavy layers in the second cycle of egg production

An experiment was carried out at the Research and Development Unit of Brotas aiming at evaluating dietary calcium level and limestone particle size on the production performance of commercial (Hy-Line Brown) layers in the second lay cycle. Experiment duration was 112 days. A total number of 288 hens, with 83 weeks of age in the beginning of the experiment, were used in a completely randomized experimental design in a factorial arrangement of 2x3, with two calcium levels (3.5 and 4.0%) and three limestone particle size compositions: 100% fine limestone (FL), 30% coarse limestone (CL) + 70% fine limestone (FL), and 50% (CL) + 50% (FL), with six replicates of eight birds each. Egg weight (g), egg production (%), egg mass (%), feed intake (g), feed conversion ratio (kg/dz and kg/kg), mortality (%), and egg loss (%) were evaluated. The analysis of variance did not detect significant differences (p>0.05) among treatments on any of the evaluated performance parameters. It was concluded that the tested calcium levels and limestone particle composition did not influence the performance of semi-heavy layers in second production cycle.

Effect of the fluorination of DLC film on the corrosion protection of aluminum alloy (AA 5052)

It is presented a study conducted on the physical and electrochemical properties of fluorinated a-C:H films deposited onto a commercial aluminum alloy (AA 5052). The coatings were deposited from mixtures of 91% of acetylene and 9% of argon by plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition technique, PIIID. Total gas pressure was 44 Pa and deposition time (t(dep)) was varied from 300 to 1200 s. The depositing plasmas were generated by the application of radiofrequency power (13.56 MHz, 100W) to the upper electrode and high voltage negative pulses (2400 V. 300 Hz) to the sample holder. Fluorine was incorporated in a post-deposition plasma treatment (13.56 MHz, 70W, 13 Pa) generated from sulfur hexafluoride atmosphere. Chemical structure and composition of the films were investigated using infrared reflectance/absorbance spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The corrosion resistance of the layers was determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a 3.5% NaCl solution, at room temperature. Films presented good adhesion to the substrates and are classified as hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) with oxygen traces. Fluorine was detected in all the samples after the post-deposition treatment being its proportion independent on the deposition time. Film thickness presented different tendencies with t(dep), revealing the variation of the deposition rate as a function of the deposition time. Such fluorinated a-C:H films improved the corrosion resistance of the aluminum surface. In a general way the corrosion resistance was higher for films prepared with lower deposition times. The variation of sample temperature with t(dep) was found to be decisive for the concentration of defects in the films and, consequently, for the performance of the samples in electrochemical tests. Results are interpreted in terms of the energy delivered to the growing layer by ionic bombardment. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.