Architecture Commons^™

Walking Box Ranch Custodianship Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending April 10, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV provides stewardship of Walking Box Ranch (WBR) by providing a caretaker who oversees the property, facilitating use of the property by researchers and educators, developing a use and research policy for the property, and coordinating these activities with BLM and in accordance with TNC restrictions.
• UNLV currently addresses security issues for the property through the presence of the caretaker and two Metro Officers who reside on the property in two recreational vehicles.
• UNLV continues to work with BLM and Condit, supplying content for interpretation at the future Walking Box Ranch museum.
• BLM and UNLV visited the ranch on February …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending April 10, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• BLM informed UNLV that the type of operating plan that was identified in June, 2011 as the appropriate instrument for future operations, and which was to have been completed by May 2012, prior to beginning construction, would not work for BLM. BLM informed UNLV that they are now considering a concession contract as the appropriate BLM document for the future operating partner.
• BLM and UNLV visited the ranch for a day to examine the continuing deterioration of the ranch house from water, and to discuss how to address this on-going problem. The group reviewed damage owing to water coming into …

Socio-Economic Effects Of Demolishing Squatter Settlements And Illegal Structures In Abuja Metropolis, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria, Ishaku Iy Mallo Phd, Victor G. Obasanya

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

Abuja the Federal Capital Territory and study area is located between latitudes 8o25’ and 9o25’ North of the Equator and longitudes 6o45’ and 7o45’ East of the Greenwich Meridian. The study was carried out in Abuja Phase 1, and it is aimed at highlighting various socioeconomic effects of demolition of illegal structures and informal or squatter settlements on the people within the study area. Data was collected through reconnaissance survey, personal interviews with respondents, and a well laid out questionnaire. The results indicate that the demolition exercise embarked upon by the authorities in the Federal Capital Territory was a response …

Walking Box Ranch Custodianship Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending January 10, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV provides stewardship of Walking Box Ranch (WBR) by providing a caretaker who oversees the property, facilitating use of the property by researchers and educators, developing a use and research policy for the property, and coordinating these activities with BLM and in accordance with TNC restrictions.
• UNLV currently addresses security issues for the property through the presence of the caretaker and two Metro Officers who reside on the property in two recreational vehicles.
• UNLV is working with new BLM employees Glen Marsh and Audrey Asselin to address continuing deterioration of the ranch house. UNLV has suggested to BLM that they …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending January 10, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV’s President Smatresk has reiterated his commitment to the WBR project and has further committed full funding for IT and security costs.
• UNLV participated in a one-half day meeting with BLM to discuss the future WBR operating agreement between BLM and UNLV; UNLV participated in a 1.5 day meeting to review the 100% Design drawings.
• UNLV continues to wait on BLM for direction on how to mitigate the continuing deterioration of the ranch house.
• Weather station research continues and has produced the following this past quarter. 1) Ground-source heat pump (GSHP) Vs Photovoltaic (PV) technology: A detailed analysis comparing these …

Rainfall Variability And Crop Zones Classification For The Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria, Shaibu M. Hassan Phd

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

This study aims at analyzing agro-climatological parameters and establishing a link between some selected agro-climatological indices and sustainability of agricultural production in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Two sets of data, climatic and crop yield data were collected and subjected to various agro-climatological analyses. Agro-climatological analyses include the derivation of Onset, Cessation and Length of Rainy Season (LRS), Seasonality Index, Drought Index and Precipitation Periodicity Index. The statistical analyses include monthly and annual means, deviation from the mean, trend line. The result of moisture index in line with crops optimum moisture requirement was used to classify the Territory into agro-climatic …

Walking Box Ranch Custodianship Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending October 10, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV provides stewardship of Walking Box Ranch (WBR) by providing a caretaker who oversees the property, facilitating use of the property by researchers and educators, developing a use and research policy for the property, and coordinating these activities with BLM and in accordance with TNC restrictions.
• UNLV currently addresses security issues for the property through the presence of the caretaker and two Metro Officers who reside on the property in two recreational vehicles.
• Visits to the ranch this quarter included: Dr. Diedra Clemente, history professor for UNLV, visited the ranch to determine research possibilities for students in the history department …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending October 10, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV participated in two meetings with BLM regarding updating the current Task Order, obtaining a two-year no-cost extension for the two Assistance Agreements, and to develop the future WBR operating agreement between BLM and UNLV.
• Weather station progress included: 1) A study to review the recent developments in various building envelope components and their effects on the energy sustainability of a building has been completed and published, 2) Ground-source heat pump (GSHP) Vs Photovoltaic (PV) technology: A detailed comparison of ground source heat pumps and photo voltaics has been initiated, 3) A study to identify the most suitable and economically …

Assessment Of Organic And Inorganic Phosphorus In Soils Derived From Cretaceous Sediments And Basement Complex Soils Of Guinea Savannah Of Kogi State, North Central Nigeria, Sunday I. Amhakhian, H H. Isitekhale, Charles I. Oyewole

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

A pot experiment was carried out using 20 surface soils (0-15cm depth) in 2008 to assess soil organic phosphorus and some fraction of inorganic phosphorus in other to know their availability in the soils of the studied area and also work have not been done in this areas in respect to organic and in-organic phosphorus. The experiment was conducted using 20 soils 10 from each geological formation (Cretaceous sediments and Basement complex soils), respectively. The mean organic phosphorus of 63.51 mgkg 1 soil was obtained for Cretaceous sediment soils and 158.54 mgkg 1 soil for the basement complex soils respectively. …

Development Of Functional Indices Of Facility Occurrence Towards The Distribution Of Social Services In Lagos Island Nigeria., Augustus O. Atubi

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

Proper coordination of transport and public facilities provision is vital to any balanced regional development strategy. The central aim of this study, therefore, is to find out what the relationship is between access to the transport network and the provision of functional indices of facility occurrence towards the distribution of social services in Lagos Island, Nigeria. In particular it seeks to find out areas that have below or above average level of facility occurrences relative to the level of accessibility. However, a pair wise correlation matrix of the eleven (11) variables employed in the index construction was carried out. The …

Urban Climate And Challenges Of Tropical Cities, B E. Omogbai

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

This study examines the nature of urban climate, features and the challenges on the developing tropical cities in the 21st century. It argues that the use of principles of urban climate would help in providing comfortable living conditions and problem immune working environments for the inhabitants of tropical cities. The findings reveal that owing to poor environmental planning, inadequate geotechnical landscape surveys prior to the development of urban infrastructures, and non-adherence to the principles of urban climate, challenges of landscape degradation, excessive flooding of the built infrastructures, heat-island effects, and collapse of buildings have emerged. Suggested measures to avert these …

Walking Box Ranch Custodianship Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending July 10, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV provides stewardship of Walking Box Ranch (WBR) by providing a caretaker who oversees the property, facilitating use of the property by researchers and educators, developing a use and research policy for the property, and coordinating these activities with BLM and in accordance with TNC restrictions.
• UNLV currently addresses security issues for the property through the presence of the caretaker and two Metro Officers who reside on the property in two recreational vehicles.
• UNLV met with Senator Reid representative on June 20 to provide information about project progress and to request the Senator’s support in obtaining further funding for the …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending July 10, 2010, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV participated in several meetings with BLM regarding updating the current Task Order, obtaining a two-year no-cost extension for the two Assistance Agreements, and to develop the future WBR operating agreement between BLM and UNLV
• UNLV met with Sara Moffatt, one of Senator Reid’s staff, to provide an update on project progress. UNLV also requested the Senator’s support in obtaining additional funding for the project for construction, and also for UNLV to bridge the transition from construction through the first two years of operation.
• UNLV held several internal meetings to advance planning for a July VA meeting with BLM to …

Detecting Changes In Landuse/Cover Of Umuahia, South-Eastern Nigeria Using Remote Sensing And Gis Techniques, Fanan Ujoh, Olarewaju Oluseyi Ifatimehin, Adams Ndalai Baba

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

Since 1991 when it became the capital city of Abia State, Umuahia has undergone tremendous transformation in its land use and land cover due to rapid urbanization. The main materials employed for this study are a land use map (1991) and Landsat ETM+satellite image (2007) of the study area. These, combined with field survey/checks, were brought into a GIS environment using ILWIS 3.2 Academic image classification software to map the land use/land cover and to estimate the rate of urban expansion and loss of rural land at the peri-urban fringes of Umuahia between 1991 and 2007. The study revealed significant …

Encouraging Attendence In Tutorials For Quantity Surveying Studies Through Assessment, Dermot Kehily

Conference papers

Construction Economics and Management in Technological University of Dublin (DIT) educates and prepares students to become Quantity Surveyors (Construction Economists) in the Construction Industry. Arguably the most important subject on the course and the cornerstone of the profession is the ability of the students and graduates to carry out a technical function called ‘measurement’ or ‘take off’ from construction plans and drawings. Graduates of Construction Economics and Management may spend up to two years carrying out measurement for their employers before they progress to the more professional practices of Quantity Surveying. The importance of measurement and take off inthe profession …

Review Of Technological University Of Dublin's E-Learning Platform For Effective Teaching Fromative Assessment And Feedback, Dermot Kehily

Conference papers

This paper investigates Technological University of Dublin’s (DIT) ‘webcourses.dit.ie’ created for DIT with Blackboard Learning System software as an effective e-learning tool on a module in the School of Real Estate and Construction Economics in DIT. Webcourses.dit.ie is an e-learning platform providing support and assistance to both lecturers and students as part of their daily teaching and learning experience. Webcourses as it is known in DIT is both a course management system for lecturers and a computer assisted learning and assessment tool for students. Prior to using the system class content was delivered by presenting electronic slides in class and …

Gender Participation In The Management Of Tricycle Transport For Youth Empowerment And Sustainable Development In Kano State, Nigeria, Nuratu Muhammed

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

The research examined gender participation in the management of tricycle for youth empowerment and sustainable development in Kano state, Nigeria. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select samples of drivers(150), passengers (150) and owners/managers the female tricycle owners fell under this category and they numbered(65).All together a total of 365 samples were selected for the study. Data obtained from the primary data was analyzed using simple statistical techniques and chi square test to ascertain whether there was any significant differences in some of the variables tested. The results of the analysis revealed that the main difference was found in …

How Much Do U.S. University Students Know, And Want To Know, About Sustainability And Green Building? The Findings Of A Survey, And Possible Implications For General Elective Curricula., Jeremy R. Farner

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

Using the survey approach, this investigation examined the attitudes and interest of college students at two universities in different geographic locations within the United States. Approximately 24,000 students from all disciplines and majors at Weber State University (WSU) in Utah, and 4,000 at Purdue University in Indiana, were invited to participate in a study to determine current knowledge, familiarity, and interest in topics within the sustainability and Green Building educational arena. The goal of this study was to determine what students already know, would like to know, and how much interest there would be in developing …

How Much Do U.S. University Students Know, And Want To Know, About Sustainability And Green Building? The Findings Of A Survey, And Possible Implications For General Elective Curriculum., Jeremy R. Farner

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

Using the survey approach, this investigation examined the attitudes and interest of college students at two universities in different geographic locations within the United States. Approximately 24,000 students from all disciplines and majors at Weber State University (WSU) in Utah, and 4,000 at Purdue University in Indiana, were invited to participate in a study to determine current knowledge, familiarity, and interest in topics within the sustainability and Green Building educational arena. The goal of this study was to determine what students already know, would like to know, and how much interest there would be in developing …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending April 10, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV participated in the two-day 65% Design Development project meeting and assisted in planning and design of the future WBR museum and field/research station.
• UNLV held several internal meetings to advance planning for IT and security at the ranch.
• UNLV (Cline) and BLM (McAboy) have begun a series of meetings regarding updating the current Task Order, requesting a two-year no-cost extension for the two Assistance Agreements, and to develop a concept plan for the future WBR operating agreement between BLM and UNLV.
• Weather station progress included adding a Pyrheliometer that measures solar radiation received to the station. Progress was made …

Environmental Problems Of Industrialization And Sustainable Development In Nigeria - A Review, Adejoh Iyaji

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

The main objective of this paper is to examine the impact of the quest for industrialization on the environment in Nigeria; others include, the identification of the objectives of sustainable development as well as making recommendations that will lead to the much needed sustainable environment both for the present generation and generations yet unborn. The researcher relied principally on secondary sources of data for this paper which is theoretical in approach. Findings revealed the emergence of a host of environmental problems such as air pollution, deforestation, desertification, solid and hazardous waste problems in the wake of the quest for industrialization. …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending January 10, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV participated in three project workshops and one additional meeting to assist in planning and design of the future WBR museum and field/research station.
• Weather station progress included design of programming software that will provide past weather information to website user, two abstracts have been submitted to an energy sustainability meeting, and a paper reviewing energy efficient building envelope components has been prepared and submitted for publication.
• Work has begun on a new education project titled “Multimedia Field Guides for Public Engagement at Walking Box Ranch, Mojave Desert.” The project will develop and disseminate a modern geological and environmental field …

Spatial Distribution Of Commercial Banks In Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria, I B. Abdullahi, M A. Ijaiya, A Abdulraheem, R I. Abdulkadir, R O. Ibrahim

Confluence Journal of Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

The spatial distribution of banks in any geographic entity determines the level of accessibility to its services by the public. This study examined the pattern of banks distribution in Ilorin metropolis. Field survey was employed in determining the number of available commercial banks and their respective distances between each other. The spatial analysis technique such as the nearest neighbour analysis as used ascertain the degree of clustering, density and the average distance taken to access these services. The study revealed that about 96% of the total number of banks are situated in the Central Business District which exhibited a very …

Adaptive Responses To Flooding Incidents In Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, Habiba I. Jimoh, Kayode A. Iroye

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

Incidents of floods which are mainly caused by changes in landuse is fast becoming a city life experience in Ilorin as in most urban centres in Nigeria causing untold hardships and sometimes loss of lives. This extreme hydro-meteorological event is also being exacerbated by climate change which thus calls for adaptive response by residents towards reducing its risks, hence this study. Data used were generated from direct field measurements and questionnaire administration. Descriptive statistics and cross tabulations were used in analyzing the data. Results obtained indicate that most respondents use a wide range of non-structural adaptive response to flood. The …

An Assessment Of Socio-Economic Impact Of Waste Scavenging As A Means Of Poverty Alleviation In Gwagwalada, Abuja., John Yakubu Magaji, Samuel Panse Dakyes

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

Waste scavengers are usually perceived as being among the poor, and scavenging is considered a marginal activity. They tend to have low incomes, but can obtained decent earning when they are not exploited by middlemen. This study was conducted in Gwagwalada town with the aim of assessing the socio-economic impact of scavenging on the people. A structured questionnaire was constructed to capture the demographic characteristics of the scavengers, their experiences, types of items scavenged, the economic gains and the challenges being faced. The target pollution is waste scavengers and a random sampling technique was adopted in selecting the respondents for …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending October 10, 2010, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV Public Safety is assisting in identifying security methods needed to guarantee safety and security at the ranch after project completion. This effort will involve the assistance of Metro CPTED program officers as design proceeds.
• UNLV IT is determining the extent to which they can assist with networking and technology issues as project design moves forward. They may assist in identifying consultants to hire to assist with technology.
• We have solicited research/education proposals from UNLV faculty for projects to be initiated in the coming year. The goal is to provide seed funding for projects that will expand as the facilities …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending June 10, 2010, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV has purchased weather equipment, established a weather station at the ranch, and has begun collecting weather data and conducting preliminary research. The station collects hourly data on temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and insolation that is transmitted wirelessly to UNLV and captured and projected on the PLI WBR website. A database of weather information will be maintained for further analysis. Research quantifying solar insolation at the ranch will be conducted.
• UNLV has begun preparing informational brochures that will be available to the public at the ranch in the future and will provide information on biology, geology, anthropology, and …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending April 10, 2010, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV and Dornbusch and Associates have signed a contract for Dornbusch to conduct a “Visitor Services Feasibility, Compatibility, Market Study, and Business Plan” at the ranch, including all future museum and research center activities. This effort is kicking off in April 2010.
• UNLV is in the process of purchasing and installing a weather station at the ranch, and will conduct preliminary research using this equipment. Funding for a dual axis solar tracker was obtained from the UNLV sustainability initiative.
• Bill Wood, UNLV Real Estate Management, is continuing to work with Rex Bell to create an inventory of items that Rex …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending January 10, 2010, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• To advance educational and research goals at the ranch UNLV will fund the purchase and installation of a weather station at the ranch, and preliminary research using this equipment. PI Dr. Suresh Sardineni, Mechanical Engineering, will assess the renewable energy resources at the ranch and find methods to integrate them into existing and proposed new buildings at the site. The planned facilities will monitor beam and global solar radiation, wind speed and direction, temperature, and realative humidity. UNLV will provide funding to support two graduate students and partial salary for Dr. Sardineni.
• Bill Wood, UNLV Real Estate Management, is working …

Assessment Formats: Student Preferences And Perceptions, Mairéad Seymour, Shannon Chance

Articles

This paper provides a student perspective on the variety of forms of design critique available to educators. In architecture and landscape architecture, the design jury remains the dominant format for providing feedback to students. In recent years this format has come under scrutiny and its effectiveness called into question. However, little research has been done into the variety of alternative or supplemental formats available to educators. This paper explores an array of techniques that the authors have employed in design studio courses (which include techniques suggested by students in Webster’s 2007 article in the Journal of Architectural Education). These include …