Braving a New World : Design Interventions for Changing Climates. Papers from the Subtropical Cities 2013 Fall Conference of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA)

We no longer have the luxury of time as the effects of climate change are being felt, according to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, on every continent and in every ocean. More than 50% of the population of the United States and 85% of Australians live in coastal regions. The number of people living in the world’s coastal regions is expected to increase along with the need to improve capacity to mitigate hazards , and manage the multiple risks that have been identified by the scientific community. Under the auspices of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) design academics and practitioners from the Americas, Asia, and Australia met in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the fourth Subtropical Cities international conference to share outcomes of research and new pedagogies to address the critical transformation of the physical environments and infrastructures of the world’s vulnerable coastal communities. The theme of Subtropical Cities, adopted by the ACSA for its Fall 2014 Conference, is not confined entirely to a latitudinal or climatic frame of reference. The paper and project presentations addressed a range of theoretical, practice-led, and education-oriented research topics in architecture and urban design related to the subtropics, with emphasis on urban and coastal regions. More than half the papers originate from universities and practices in coastal regions. Threads emerged from a tapestry of localized investigations to reveal a more global understanding about possible futures we are designing for current and future generations. The one hundred-plus conference delegates and presenters represented 33 universities and institutions from across the United States, Mexico, Canada, Australia, the Middle East, Peru and China. Case studies from India, Morocco, Tahiti, Indonesia, Jordan, and Cambodia were also presented, expanding the global knowledge base. Co-authored submissions presented new directions for architecture and design, with a resounding theme of collaboration across diverse disciplines. The ability to deal with abstraction and complexity, and the capacity to develop synthesis and frameworks for defining problem boundaries can be considered key attributes of architectural thinking. Such a unique set of abilities can forge collaboration with different professional disciplines to achieve extraordinary outcomes. As the broad range of papers presented at this conference suggest, existing architectural and urban typologies and practices are increasingly considered part of the cause and not the solution to adapting to climate change and sea level rise. Design responses and the actions needed to generate new and unfamiliar forms of urbanism and infrastructure for defense, adaptation, and retreat in subtropical urban regions are being actively explored in academic design studios and research projects around the world. Many presentations propose provocative and experimental strategies as global climate moves beyond our “comfort zone”. The ideas presented at the Subtropical Cities conference are timely as options for low-energy passive climatic design are becoming increasingly limited in the context of changing climate. At the same time, ways of reducing or obsoleting energy intensive mechanical systems in densely populated urban centres present additional challenges for designers and communities as a whole. The conference was marked by a common theme of trans-disciplinary research, where design integration with emerging technologies resonate with a reaffirmation of the centrality of design thinking, expanding the scope of the traditional architecture studio pedagogy to integrate knowledge from other disciplines and the participation of diverse communities.

A hierarchical model of goal directed navigation selects trajectories in a visual environment

We have developed a Hierarchical Look-Ahead Trajectory Model (HiLAM) that incorporates the firing pattern of medial entorhinal grid cells in a planning circuit that includes interactions with hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. We show the model’s flexibility in representing large real world environments using odometry information obtained from challenging video sequences. We acquire the visual data from a camera mounted on a small tele-operated vehicle. The camera has a panoramic field of view with its focal point approximately 5 cm above the ground level, similar to what would be expected from a rat’s point of view. Using established algorithms for calculating perceptual speed from the apparent rate of visual change over time, we generate raw dead reckoning information which loses spatial fidelity over time due to error accumulation. We rectify the loss of fidelity by exploiting the loop-closure detection ability of a biologically inspired, robot navigation model termed RatSLAM. The rectified motion information serves as a velocity input to the HiLAM to encode the environment in the form of grid cell and place cell maps. Finally, we show goal directed path planning results of HiLAM in two different environments, an indoor square maze used in rodent experiments and an outdoor arena more than two orders of magnitude larger than the indoor maze. Together these results bridge for the first time the gap between higher fidelity bio-inspired navigation models (HiLAM) and more abstracted but highly functional bio-inspired robotic mapping systems (RatSLAM), and move from simulated environments into real-world studies in rodent-sized arenas and beyond.

Measurement of small ions near a busy motorway

Combustion sources are well-known sources of electrical ions (Howard, J.B. et al. 1973). Motor vehicles emissions are one of the main sources of ions in urban environments. The presence of charged particles in motor vehicle emissions has been known for many years (Kittelson, 1986; Yu et al, 2004; Jung and Kittelson, 2005). Although these particles are probably charged by the attachment of air ions, there is very little information on the nature, sign and magnitude of the small ions (diameter < 1.6 nm) emitted by motor vehicles and/or present by the sides of roads.

The child pose : the role of the nonhuman natural world in recovery from psychological trauma

This thesis by creative work explores relationships among human beings, the nonhuman natural world and language. It addresses the central research question: 'How can a novel embody a narrative of recovery from psychological trauma in which recovery is primarily a function of the character's subjective interaction with nature?' The novel, 'The Child Pose', tells the story of a woman's recovery from psychological trauma. The thesis draws on the psychoanalytic theory of Jacques Lacan, who saw the human subject as fundamentally split and alienated, and therefore inherently vulnerable to being destabilised by trauma. Situating the narrative of recovery within the emerging fields of ecocriticism and ecopsychology, the research constructs psychological recovery through interaction with nature as a transformation of subjectivity: the creation of a new, more stable and connected kind of subject, which Jordan (2012) has called 'the ecological subject'.

Design research for the real world : a design-led innovation model for action research

The aim of this paper is to aid researchers in undertaking action research within industry with a particular focus on the study of design-led innovation. This paper presents the research design of a case study shaped to solve real world problems concerning a major Australian Airport Corporation by bridging the chasm between academia and industry. The researcher’s role is one of design-innovation catalyst, facilitating the integration of design as a new strategic capability and innovation approach within an organisation’s fabric. A discussion of the researcher experience within industry will provide evidence on the challenges facing such a research role, with strategies for overcoming these barriers presented. Based on the authors’ experience as a researcher within industry and reflection within practice, a project progression model for action research is presented to enable the improved management of industry based research.

On-road rapid identification of high-polluting transport buses

Exhaust emissions from motor vehicles vary widely and depend on factors such as engine operating conditions, fuel, age, mileage and service history. A method has been devised to rapidly identify high-polluting vehicles as they travel on the road. The method is able to monitor emissions from a large number of vehicles in a short time and avoids the need to conduct expensive and time consuming tests on chassis dynamometers. A sample of the exhaust plume is captured as each vehicle passes a roadside monitoring station and the pollutant emission factors are calculated from the measured concentrations using carbon dioxide as a tracer. Although, similar methods have been used to monitor soot and gaseous mass emissions, to-date it has not been used to monitor particle number emissions from a large fleet of vehicles. This is particularly important as epidemiological studies have shown that particle number concentration is an important parameter in determining adverse health effects. The method was applied to measurements of particle number emissions from individual buses in the Brisbane City Council diesel fleet operating on the South-East Busway. Results indicate that the particle number emission factors are gamma- distributed, with a high proportion of the emissions being emitted by a small percentage of the buses. Although most of the high-emitters are the oldest buses in the fleet, there are clear exceptions, with some newer buses emitting as much. We attribute this to their recent service history, particularly pertaining to improper tuning of the engines. We recommend that a targeted correction program would be a highly effective measure in mitigating urban environmental pollution.

Charged particles produced by corona emission from an overhead high voltage powerline

High voltage powerlines may give rise to corona breakdown, resulting in the release of large concentrations of charged ions into the surrounding environment. These ions quickly attach to aerosols and the resulting charged particles are carried by prevalent winds. This paper describes a study carried out at a site near an overhead double circuit ac transmission voltage powerline to investigate factors that control the rate at which charged particles are produced, and to determine the total particle number concentrations, total particle charge concentrations and vertical dc electric fields in the proximity of the line. Measured mean values of these three parameters at a perpendicular distance of 50m from the line were 1.8 x 103 particle cm-3, 518 ions cm3 and 520 V m-1 respectively. The net electric charge was positive and the electric field was directed downwards. These parameters were correlated with each other and monitored at four different distances from the line. Effects of meteorological parameters such as wind speed and wind direction were also investigated.

Determining gas sampling timelines for estimating emissions in small chamber incubation experiments

A laboratory experiment was set up in small chambers for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions and determining the most suitable time for sampling. A six-treatment experiment was conducted, including a one week pre-incubation and a week for incubation. Timelines for sampling were 1, 2, 3, 6 and 24 hours after closing the lid of the incubation chambers. Variation in greenhouse gas fluxes was high due to the time of sampling. The rates of gas emissions increased in first three hours and decreased afterward. The rates of greenhouse gas emissions at 3 hours after closing lids was close to the mean for the 24-h period.

Recovering Functional Integrity in Pastures Dominated by an Invasive Grass Species

Exotic grasses have been introduced in countries worldwide for pasture improvement, soil stabilisation and ornamental purposes. Some of these introductions have proven successful, but many have not (Cook & Dias 2006). In Australia, the Commonwealth Plant Introduction Scheme was initiated in 1929, and over-time introduced more than 5000 species of grasses, legumes and other forage and browse plants (Cook & Dias 2006). Lonsdale (1994) suggested that, in tropical Australia, 13% of introductions have become a problem, with only 5% being considered useful for agriculture. Low (1997) suggested that 5 out of 18 of Australia's worst tropical environmental weeds were intentionally introduced as pasture grasses. The spread and dominance of invasive grass species that degrade the quality of pastures for production can impact significantly on the livelihoods of small proprietors. Although Livestock grazing contributes only a small percentage to the world's GDP (1.5%), maintaining the long-term stability of this industry is crucial because of the high social and environmental consequence of a collapse. One billion of the world's poor are dependent on livestock grazing for food and income with this industry occupying more than 25% of the world's land base (Steinfeld et al. 2006). The ling-term sustainability of livestock grazing is also crucial for the environment. A recent FAO report attributed livestock production as a major cause of five of the most serious environmental problems: global warming, land degredation, air and water pollution, and the loss of biodiversity (Steinfeld et al. 2006). For these reasons, finding more effective approaches that guide the sustainable management of pastures is urgently needed. In Australia more than 55% of land use is for livestock grazing by sheelp and/or cattle. This land use dominate in the semi-arid and arid regions where rainfall and soil conditions are marginal for production (Commonwealth of Australia 2004). Although the level of agriculture production by conglomerates is increasing, the majority of livestock grazing within Australia remains family owned and operated (Commonwealth of Australia 2004). The sustainability of production from a grazed pasture is dependent on its botanical composition (Kemp & Dowling 1991, Kemp et al. 1996). In a grazed pasture, the dominance of an invasive grass species can impact on the functional integrity of the ecosystem, including production and nutrient cycling; wwhich will in turn, affect the income of proprietors and the ability of the system to recover from disturbance and environmental change. In Australia, $0.3 billion is spent on weed control in livestock production, but despite this substantial investment $1.9 billion is still lost in yield as a result of weeds (Sinden et al. 2004). In this paper, we adaprt a framework proposed for the restoration of degraded rainforest communities (Lamb & Gilmour 2003, Lamb et al. 2005) to compare and contrast options for recovering function integrity (i.e. a diverse set of desirable plant species that maintain key ecological processes necessary for sustainable production and nutrient cycling) within pasture communities dominated by an invasive grass species. To do this, we uase a case-study of the invasion of Eragrostis curvula (Africal lovegrss; hereafter, Lovegrass), a serious concern in Australian agricultural communities (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). The spread and dominance of Lovegrass is a problem because its low palatability, low nutritional content and competitiveness affect the livelihood of graziers by reducing the diversity of other plant species. We conclude by suggesting modifications to this framework for pasture ecosystems to help increase the effiency of strategies to protect functional integrity and balance social/economic and biodiversity values.

A benzothiadiazole end capped donor–acceptor based small molecule for organic electronics

A benzothiadiazole end-capped small molecule 3,6-bis(5-(benzo[c][1,2,5] thiadiazol-4-yl)thiophen-2-yl)-2,5-bis(2-butyloctyl)pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1, 4(2H,5H)-dione (BO-DPP-BTZ) using a fused aromatic moiety DPP (at the centre) is designed and synthesized. BO-DPP-BTZ is a donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) structure which possesses a band gap of 1.6 eV and exhibits a strong solid state ordering inferred from ∼120 nm red shift of the absorption maxima from solution to thin film. Field-effect transistors utilizing a spin coated thin film of BO-DPP-BTZ as an active layer exhibited a hole mobility of 0.06 cm 2 V-1 s-1. Solution-processed bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics employing a blend of BO-DPP-BTZ and [70]PCBM demonstrated a power conversion efficiency of 0.9%.

Augmenting and assisting model elicitation tasks with 3D virtual world context metadata

Accurate process model elicitation continues to be a time consuming task, requiring skill on the part of the interviewer to extract explicit and tacit process information from the interviewee. Many errors occur in this elicitation stage that would be avoided by better activity recall, more consistent specification methods and greater engagement in the elicitation process by interviewees. Theories of situated cognition indicate that interactive 3D representations of real work environments engage and prime the cognitive state of the viewer. In this paper, our major contribution is to augment a previous process elicitation methodology with virtual world context metadata, drawn from a 3D simulation of the workplace. We present a conceptual and formal approach for representing this contextual metadata, integrated into a process similarity measure that provides hints for the business analyst to use in later modelling steps. Finally, we conclude with examples from two use cases to illustrate the potential abilities of this approach.

World emissions and economic growth: Application of non-parametric methods

The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesises an inverse U-shaped relationship between a measure of environmental pollution and per capita income levels. In this study, we apply non-parametric estimation of local polynomial regression (local quadratic fitting) to allow more flexibility in local estimation. This study uses a larger and globally representative sample of many local and global pollutants and natural resources including Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) emission, CO2 emission, CO2 damage, energy use, energy depletion, mineral depletion, improved water source, PM10, particulate emission damage, forest area and net forest depletion. Copyright © 2009 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Small firms and the challenge of equality, diversity and difference

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce the papers contributing to this special issue and to locate them within the broader questions about the role of small firms in enabling or alleviating issues of equality, diversity, and difference for various groups in society. Design/methodology/approach The literature dealing with the issues of equality, diversity, and difference pertaining to the operation of and/or working in smaller firms was reviewed prior to drawing out the key points from the submitted papers and considering the contribution they make to this literature. Findings Overall, one's these five papers contribute to one's understanding of the issues facing those in business or self‐employment, working in small business or wanting to pursue enterprise. Originality/value Rarely are questions asked about the assumed role small firms play in mitigating social exclusion for a range of groups in society. By addressing questions which explore the challenge of equality, diversity, and difference for small business in their establishment, management, and effective operation using interdisciplinary frameworks and different methodologies, a better understanding of the role of small business in society can be developed.