Complex modelling of open system design for sustainable architecture

This paper argues a model of complex system design for sustainable architecture within a framework of entropy evolution. The spectrum of sustainable architecture consists of the efficient use of energy and material resource in life-cycle of buildings, the active involvement of the occupants in micro-climate control within buildings, and the natural environmental context. The interactions of the parameters compose a complex system of sustainable architectural design, of which the conventional linear and fragmented design technologies are insufficient to indicate holistic and ongoing environmental performance. The complexity theory of dissipative structure states a microscopic formulation of open system evolution, which provides a system design framework for the evolution of building environmental performance towards an optimization of sustainability in architecture.

Physical and environmental determinants

This chapter describes physical and environmental determinants of the health of Australians, providing a background to the development of successful public health activity. Health determinants are the biomedical, genetic, behavioural, socio-economic and environmental factors that impact on health and wellbeing. These determinants can be influenced by interventions and by resources and systems (AIHW 2006). Many factors combine to affect the health of individuals and communities. People’s circumstances and the environment determine whether the population is healthy or not. Factors such as where people live, the state of their environment, genetics, their education level and income, and their relationships with friends and family, all are likely to impact on their health. The determinants of population health reflect the context of people’s lives; however, people are very unlikely to be able to control many of these determinants (WHO 2007). This chapter and Chapter 6 illustrate how various determinants can relate to, and influence other determinants, as well as health and wellbeing. We believe it is particularly important to provide an understanding of determinants and their relationship to health and illness in order to provide a structure in which a broader conceptualisation of health can be placed. Determinants of health do not exist in isolation from one another. More frequently they work together in a complex system. What is clear to anyone who works in public health is that many factors impact on the health and wellbeing of people. For example, in the next chapter we discuss factors such as living and working conditions, social support, ethnicity and class, income, housing, work stress and the impact of education on the length and quality of people’s lives. In 1974, the influential ‘Lalonde Report’ (Lalonde 1974) described key factors that impact on health status. These factors included lifestyle, environment, human biology and health services. Taking a population health approach builds on the Lalonde Report, and recognises that a range of factors, such as living and working conditions and the distribution of wealth in society, interact to determine the health status of a population. Tackling health determinants has great potential to reduce the burden of disease and promote the health of the general population. In summary, we understand very clearly now that health is determined by the complex interactions between individual characteristics, social and economic factors and physical environments; the entire range of factors that impact on health must be addressed if we are to make significant gains in population health, and focussing interventions on the health of the population or significant sub-populations can achieve important health gains. In 2007, the Australian Government included in the list of National Health Priority Areas the following health issues: cancer control, injury prevention and control, cardiovascular health, diabetes mellitus, mental health, asthma, and arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. The National Health Priority Areas set the agenda for the Commonwealth, States and Territories, Local Governments and not-for-profit organisations to place attention on those areas considered to be the major foci for action. Many of these health issues are discussed in this chapter and the following chapter.

The contribution of physical activity and sedentary behaviours to the growth and development of children and adolescents : implications for overweight and obesity

The obesity epidemic is a global trend and is of particular concern in children. Recent reports have highlighted the severity of obesity in children by suggesting: “today's generation of children will be the first for over a century for whom life expectancy falls.” This review assesses the evidence that identifies the important role of physical activity in the growth, development and physical health of young people, owing to its numerous physical and psychological health benefits. Key issues, such as “does a sedentary lifestyle automatically lead to obesity” and “are levels of physical activity in today's children less than physical activity levels in children from previous generations?”, are also discussed. Today's environment enforces an inactive lifestyle that is likely to contribute to a positive energy balance and childhood obesity. Whether a child or adolescent, the evidence is conclusive that physical activity is conducive to a healthy lifestyle and prevention of disease. Habitual physical activity established during the early years may provide the greatest likelihood of impact on mortality and longevity. It is evident that environmental factors need to change if physical activity strategies are to have a significant impact on increasing habitual physical activity levels in children and adolescents. There is also a need for more evidence-based physical activity guidelines for children of all ages. Efforts should be concentrated on facilitating an active lifestyle for children in an attempt to put a stop to the increasing prevalence of obese children

Nonlinear control of the Reaction Wheel Pendulum

In this paper we introduce the Reaction Wheel Pendulum, a novel mechanical system consisting of a physical pendulum with a rotating bob. This system has several attractive features both from a pedagogical standpoint and from a research standpoint. From a pedagogical standpoint, the dynamics are the simplest among the various pendulum experiments available so that the system can be introduced to students earlier in their education. At the same time, the system is nonlinear and underactuated so that it can be used as a benchmark experiment to study recent advanced methodologies in nonlinear control, such as feedback linearization, passivity methods, backstepping and hybrid control. In this paper we discuss two control approaches for the problems of swingup and balance, namely, feedback linearization and passivity based control. We first show that the system is locally feedback linearizable by a local diffeomorphism in state space and nonlinear feedback. We compare the feedback linearization control with a linear pole-placement control for the problem of balancing the pendulum about the inverted position. For the swingup problem we discuss an energy approach based on collocated partial feedback linearization, and passivity of the resulting zero dynamics. A hybrid/switching control strategy is used to switch between the swingup and the balance control. Experimental results are presented.

Influence of axial deformation on modal strain energy

Axial loads of load bearing elements impact on the vibration characteristics. Several methods have been developed to quantify axial loads and hence axial deformations of individual structural members using their natural frequencies. Nevertheless, these methods cannot be applied to individual members in structural framing systems as the natural frequency is a global parameter for the entire framing system. This paper proposes an innovative method which uses modal strain energy phenomenon to quantify axial deformations of load bearing elements of structural framing systems. The procedure is illustrated through examples and results confirm that the proposed method has an ability to quantify the axial deformations of individual elements of structural framing systems

Green energy : sustainable energy sources and alternative technologies

Despite the general evolution and broadening of the scope of the concept of infrastructure in many other sectors, the energy sector has maintained the same narrow boundaries for over 80 years. Energy infrastructure is still generally restricted in meaning to the transmission and distribution networks of electricity and, to some extent, gas. This is especially true in the urban development context. This early 20th century system is struggling to meet community expectations that the industry itself created and fostered for many decades. The relentless growth in demand and changing political, economic and environmental challenges require a shift from the traditional ‘predict and provide’ approach to infrastructure which is no longer economically or environmentally viable. Market deregulation and a raft of demand and supply side management strategies have failed to curb society’s addiction to the commodity of electricity. None of these responses has addressed the fundamental problem. This chapter presents an argument for the need for a new paradigm. Going beyond peripheral energy efficiency measures and the substitution of fossil fuels with renewables, it outlines a new approach to the provision of energy services in the context of 21st century urban environments.

Description and evaluation of a Newton-based electronic appetite rating system for temporal tracking of appetite in human subjects

This study assessed the reliability and validity of a palm-top-based electronic appetite rating system (EARS) in relation to the traditional paper and pen method. Twenty healthy subjects [10 male (M) and 10 female (F)] — mean age M=31 years (S.D.=8), F=27 years (S.D.=5); mean BMI M=24 (S.D.=2), F=21 (S.D.=5) — participated in a 4-day protocol. Measurements were made on days 1 and 4. Subjects were given paper and an EARS to log hourly subjective motivation to eat during waking hours. Food intake and meal times were fixed. Subjects were given a maintenance diet (comprising 40% fat, 47% carbohydrate and 13% protein by energy) calculated at 1.6×Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), as three isoenergetic meals. Bland and Altman's test for bias between two measurement techniques found significant differences between EARS and paper and pen for two of eight responses (hunger and fullness). Regression analysis confirmed that there were no day, sex or order effects between ratings obtained using either technique. For 15 subjects, there was no significant difference between results, with a linear relationship between the two methods that explained most of the variance (r2 ranged from 62.6 to 98.6). The slope for all subjects was less than 1, which was partly explained by a tendency for bias at the extreme end of results on the EARS technique. These data suggest that the EARS is a useful and reliable technique for real-time data collection in appetite research but that it should not be used interchangeably with paper and pen techniques.

No energy compensation at the meal following exercise indietary restrained and unrestrained women

The objective of this investigation was to compare the acute effects of exercise and diet manipulations on energy intake, between dietary restrained and unrestrained females. Comparisons of two studies using an identical 2 x 2 repeated-measures design (level of activity (rest or exercise) and lunch type (high-fat or low-fat)) including thirteen dietary unrestrained and twelve restrained females were performed. Energy expenditure during the rest session was estimated and the energy cost of exercise was measured by indirect calorimetry. Relative energy intake was calculated by subtracting the energy expenditure of the exercise session from the energy intake of the test meal. Post-meal hedonic ratings were completed after lunch. Energy intake and relative energy intake increased during high-fat conditions compared with the low-fat, independently of exercise (P < 0.001). There was a positive relationship between dietary restraint scores and energy intake or relative energy intake in the rest conditions only (r 0.54, P < 0.01). The decrease of relative energy intake between the rest and exercise conditions was higher in restrained than in unrestrained eaters (P < 0.01). These results confirm that a high-fat diet reversed the energy deficit due to exercise. There was no energy compensation in response to an acute bout of exercise during the following meal. In restrained eaters, exercise was more effective in creating an energy deficit than in unrestrained eaters. Exercise may help restrained eaters to maintain control over appetite.

Ghrelin and obestatin concentrations during puberty: Relationships with adiposity, nutrition and physical activity

Ghrelin and obestatin are two peptides associated with appetite control and the regulation of energy balance in adults. It is intuitive that they have an important role in growth and development during puberty. Therefore, it is acknowledged that these peptides, in addition to others, form part of the substrate underlying energy homeostasis which in turn will contribute to body weight regulation and could explain changes in energy balance during puberty. Both peptides originate from the stomach; hence, it is intuitive that they are involved in generating signals from tissue stores which influence food intake. This could be manifested via alterations in the drive to eat (i.e. hunger), eating behaviors and appetite regulation. Furthermore, there is some evidence that these peptides might also be associated with physical activity behaviors and metabolism. Anecdotally, children and adolescents experience behavioral and metabolic changes during growth and development which will be associated with physiological changes.

Physical inactivity, appetite regulation and obesity

In a consumerist society obsessed with body image and thinness, obesity levels have reached an all-time high. This multi-faceted book written by a range of experts, explores the social, cultural, clinical and psychological factors that lie behind the Obesity Epidemic . It is required reading for the many healthcare professionals dealing with the effects of obesity and for anyone who wants to know more about the causes of weight gain and the best ways of dealing with it. Fat Matters covers a range of issues from sociology through medicine to technology. This is not a book for the highly specialised expert. Rather it is a book that shows the diversity of approaches to the phenomenon of obesity, tailored to the reader who wants to be up-to-date and well-informed on a subject that is possibly as frequently discussed and as misunderstood as the weather.

Physical activity and regulation of food intake: current evidence

Objective: The evidence was reviewed on how physical activity could influence the regulation of food intake by either adjusting the sensitivity of appetite control mechanisms or by generating an energy deficit that could adjust the drive to eat. Design: Interventionist and correlational studies that had a significant influence on the relationship between physical activity and food intake were reviewed. Interventionist studies involve a deliberate imposition of physical activity with subsequent monitoring of the eating response. Correlational studies make use of naturally occurring differences in the levels of physical activity (between and within subjects) with simultaneous assessment of energy expenditure and intake. Subjects: Studies using lean, overweight, and obese men and women were included. Results: Only 19% of interventionist studies report an increase in energy intake after exercise; 65% show no change and 16% show a decrease in appetite. Of the correlational studies, approximately half show no relationship between energy expenditure and intake. These data indicate a rather loose coupling between energy expenditure and intake. A common sense view is that exercise is futile as a form of weight control because the energy deficit drives a compensatory increase in food intake. However, evidence shows that this is not generally true. One positive aspect of this is that raising energy expenditure through physical activity (or maintaining an active life style) can cause weight loss or prevent weight gain. A negative feature is that when people become sedentary after a period of high activity, food intake is not “down-regulated” to balance a reduced energy expenditure. Conclusion: Evidence suggests that a high level of physical activity can aid weight control either by improving the matching of food intake to energy expenditure (regulation) or by raising expenditure so that it is difficult for people to eat themselves into a positive energy balance.

Testing of a distributed generation system with a virtual grid

The paper proposes a solution for testing of a physical distributed generation system (DGs) along with a computer simulated network. The computer simulated network is referred as the virtual grid in this paper. Integration of DG with the virtual grid provides broad area of testing of power supplying capability and dynamic performance of a DG. It is shown that a DG can supply a part of load power while keeping Point of Common Coupling (PCC) voltage magnitude constant. To represent the actual load, a universal load along with power regenerative capability is designed with the help of voltage source converter (VSC) that mimics the load characteristic. The overall performance of the proposed scheme is verified using computer simulation studies.

Effects of Sweetness and Energy in Drinks on Food Intake Following Exercise

Exercise is known to cause physiological changes that could affect the impact of nutrients on appetite control. This study was designed to assess the effect of drinks containing either sucrose or high-intensity sweeteners on food intake following exercise. Using a repeated-measures design, three drink conditions were employed: plain water (W), a low-energy drink sweetened with artificial sweeteners aspartame and acesulfame-K (L), and a high-energy, sucrose-sweetened drink (H). Following a period of challenging exercise (70% VO2 max for 50 min), subjects consumed freely from a particular drink before being offered a test meal at which energy and nutrient intakes were measured. The degree of pleasantness (palatability) of the drinks was also measured before and after exercise. At the test meal, energy intake following the artificially sweetened (L) drink was significantly greater than after water and the sucrose (H) drinks (p < 0.05). Compared with the artificially sweetened (L) drink, the high-energy (H) drink suppressed intake by approximately the energy contained in the drink itself. However, there was no difference between the water (W) and the sucrose (H) drink on test meal energy intake. When the net effects were compared (i.e., drink + test meal energy intake), total energy intake was significantly lower after the water (W) drink compared with the two sweet (L and H) drinks. The exercise period brought about changes in the perceived pleasantness of the water, but had no effect on either of the sweet drinks. The remarkably precise energy compensation demonstrated after the higher energy sucrose drink suggests that exercise may prime the system to respond sensitively to nutritional manipulations. The results may also have implications for the effect on short-term appetite control of different types of drinks used to quench thirst during and after exercise.

Effect of physical activity and other stressors on appetite: Overcoming underconsumption of military operational rations revisited.

Recognizing the importance of good nutrition for physical and mental status, the Department of Defense asked the Institute of Medicine to guide the design of the nutritional composition of a ration for soldiers on short-term, high-stress missions. Nutrient Composition of Rations for Short-Term, High-Intensity Combat Operations considers military performance, health concerns, food intake, energy expenditure, physical exercise, and food technology issues. The success of military operations depends to a large extent on the physical and mental status of the individuals involved.

Exercise-induced energy expenditure : implications for exercise prescription and obesity

Objective: Walking is commonly recommended to help with weight management. We measured total energy expenditure (TEE) and its components to quantify the impact of increasing exercise-induced energy expenditure (ExEE) on other components of TEE. Methods: Thirteen obese women underwent an 8-week walking group intervention. TEE was quantified using doubly labeled water, ExEE was quantified using heart rate monitors, daily movement was assessed by accelerometry and resting metabolic rate was measured using indirect calorimetry. Results: Four of the 13 participants achieved the target of 1500 kcal wk−1 of ExEE and all achieved 1000 kcal wk−1. The average ExEE achieved by the group across the 8 weeks was 1434 ± 237 kcal wk−1. Vigorous physical activity, as assessed by accelerometry, increased during the intervention by an average of 30 min per day. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) decreased, on average, by 175 kcal d−1 (−22%) from baseline to the intervention and baseline fitness was correlated with change in NEAT. Conclusions: Potential alterations in non-exercise activity should be considered when exercise is prescribed. The provision of appropriate education on how to self-monitor daily activity levels may improve intervention outcomes in groups who are new to exercise. Practice implications: Strategies to sustain incidental and light physical activity should be offered to help empower individuals as they develop and maintain healthy and long-lasting lifestyle habits.