Architecture Commons^™

Slr Practitioner Needs, Daniella Hirschfeld, Kelli Archie, Emilio Mateo, James C. Arnott, Julie A. Vano

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As sea levels continue to rise, practitioners at the local and regional scale are under increased pressure to reduce risks to people and property posed by the threats of sea-level rise (SLR) and associated impacts. To achieve this, a transdisciplinary approach that integrates data-driven research with local knowledge and community engagement is necessary. As such, it is imperative the science community understands the needs of practitioners. However, there has been little qualitative assessment of adaptation practice in coastal areas, especially with a focus on the needs of practitioners in making use of current SLR science. Our mixed-methods approach began with …

Quantifying The Role Of Insurance In Tornado-Impacted Community Recovery: A Survey And Simulation-Based Approach, Jie Zhao, Ji Yun Lee, Guirong Grace Yan, Fangjiao Ma

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Insurance against disasters plays a critical role in community recovery by providing policyholders with reliable and timely payments for repairing or reconstructing damaged houses. By allowing homeowners to transfer risk, insurance enables homeowners to address house without experiencing significant financial burdens. Although historical events have highlighted the importance of insurance, its quantitative impact on community recovery, particularly in tornado-impacted communities, is understudied. This study focuses on advancing our understanding of whether sufficiently insured houses can have a positive impact on the recovery of tornado-impacted communities (i.e., the main research question). This paper proposes a two-stage simulation framework to quantitatively evaluate …

Drone Mapping The 140: A Narrative Of Architecture In The Conflict Zone, Rasan Taher

Architecture Thesis Prep

Since the Kurdish regional government in Iraq was established in 1991, the border between the federal government and the KRG has shifted and is in constant dispute. In 2003, under the new Iraqi constitution, article 140 identifies the mechanism to settle the disputed areas through the restoration of all demographic changes and by referendum to decide land claims, to be held no later than 2007. Since then, many attempts to change the demographics and the cultural characteristic of the disputed area have been attempted by both governments in order to secure their political and economic interest in the area. The …

How Useful Is Gsv As An Environmental Observation Tool? An Analysis Of The Evidence So Far., Katherine Nesse, Leah Airt

SPU Works

Researchers in many disciplines have turned to Google Street View to replace pedestrian- or carbased in-person observation of streetscapes. It is most prevalent within the research literature on the relationship between neighborhood environments and public health but has been used as diverse as disaster recovery, ecology and wildlife habitat, and urban design. Evaluations of the tool have found that the results of GSV-based observation are similar to the results from in-person observation although the similarity depends on the type of characteristic being observed. Larger, permanent and discrete features showed more consistency between the two methods and smaller, transient and judgmental …

Compiled Research & Materials, Appendix I: Tiny Homes Survey, Andrew Tarutani

Sustainability and Energy

This document represents a survey that could be used to gauge student interest for a tiny homes neighborhood.

Networks Of Opportunity: Public Engagement Survey Results, Sammi S. Gay, Derek J. Krevat, Stephanie Carlisle, Justin Gilmore, Gianpaula Hulten, Alexandra 'Ola' Smialek

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

The Project for Public Spaces notes, “People who use a public space are the ones who know, from experience, which areas are dangerous and why, which spaces are comfortable, where traffic moves too quickly and how certain aspects of a space could be improved” (2011, p. 13). Therefore, public engagement was a core part of our project. As previously stated, one major objective of this project is to propose safer paths to school for students. This objective stems from the fact that no bus services are provided to children who live within 1 mile of an elementary school, 1.5 miles …

Surveillance, Spectacle, Michael Ma

Architecture Senior Theses

Perhaps the most scripted way of seeing is fully characterized by the field of cinema. The development of film grows out of moving images where experimentations with illustrations and multiple freeze frame photographs can be traced back to Eadward Muybridge, E.J. Marey, and Thomas Edison. Through the development of tropes and scopes, optical illusions are created and the eyes begin to see motion images. Cinema, a spectacular event, owes its origins to the evolution of these devices and photography. The other variation of these devices of spectacle are surveillance tools. These devices transform the audience from mere spectators to observers …

Guiding Growth: A Survey Of Tax Incentives, New England Environmental Finance Center, Muskie School Of Public Service

Legislation

Current development patterns and increased tax pressures in local municipalities combine to harm both Maine’s natural resources and its quality of life. Previous initiatives such as the implementation of zoning laws did not fully result in the desired outcomes. Zoning laws were often too flexible and often did not resist market and political pressures to change zoning regulations to allow development with possible economic growth. A sound taxation system or fee structure may be the solution to slow down development in natural areas and direct it towards areas appropriate for growth.

To protect Maine’s natural resources more successfully from future …

Economic Development Plan For The Town Of Acton, Umass Amherst Center Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The goal of this report was to conduct a thorough analysis of the business climate within the town of Acton, Massachusetts and to produce a set of recommendations to be taken by the town to retain, promote, and expand business activity.

Economic Analysis Downtown Marlborough, Massachusetts Center City Association, Umass Amherst Center Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report was made to evaluate the economy of downtown Marlborough, Massachusetts. In the first part of the report they took surveys of customers and business owners about downtown and its business. Next it analyzed the potential demand for various goods and services.

Shaping Our Common Destiny Town-Gown Relations And The Physical Implications Of Economic Development, Umass Amherst Center Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

A conference was purposed entitled “Shaping Our Common Destiny: Town/Gown Relations and Physical Implication of Economic Development,” in the town of Amherst, Massachusetts. The framework for the conference will focus on the mutual interest, concerns, and responsibilities of the community officials and the university officials.

The purpose of this survey was two-fold: to determine interest among university and town planners in participating in the proposed conference and to assess the nature of current relationships between the two entities.

Springfield Business Retention And Visitation Program, Umass Amherst Center Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The purpose of this report was to create a data-base through which Springfield could identify the needs and concerns of local businesses in an effort to enhance the business climate. This system would be used by the greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce to assemble and analyze specific types of business-related information, develop company profiles, develop an early warning program, and in general generate a greater understanding of how the Springfield, Massachusetts, area is perceived as a place to do business.

Economic Base Analysis Yankee Atomic Electric Company, Umass Amherst Center Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report examined the impact of the payroll, purchases, and secondary investments made by the Yankee Atomic Electric Company. It also looked at the way Yankee Atomic Electric Company and Burns Security employees spent their wages. The goal of the report was to determine whether the companies made a positive impact on job generation and income generation.

Economic Development Policies Evaluation Techniques For Edcs, Umass Amherst Center Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The goal of this report was to provide information on evaluation techniques for local economic development organizations. This was achieved by conducting research on evaluation techniques, and analyzing information obtained during the research.