Environmental Design Commons^™

Green Project Finance For Infrastructure And Building Construction: Instruments And Benchmarks, Yunping Liang

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

It is counterintuitive that both the practice and research on green project finance for infrastructure and building construction are ascendant and still have limited precedents, considering that individually, the two parts (i.e., project finance and sustainability in the built environment) are both familiar to the communities. To narrow the gap and facilitate the financing of the built environment’s sustainable transformation, this study systematically reviews the common instruments for financing green infrastructure and building projects. Benchmarking questions distinguishing the profile of green project finance from common construction project finance are developed based on the literature review and then are used for …

Damming Human Rights: The Lower Sesan 2 Dam, Shannon Eva Labuschagne

University of San Francisco Law Review

No abstract provided.

Humans Among Giants: Urban Vitality And Implications Of Vertical Development In Hong Kong, Laura Jaramillo

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis explores the complex relationship between vertical urbanism and street life, using Hong Kong as a case study to investigate how human-scale urbanism persists and adapts amidst the dominance of skyscrapers. While vertical structures symbolize modernity, economic growth, and global influence, they often overshadow the vibrancy and social connectivity that characterize ground-level spaces. This research draws on the theoretical frameworks of Jane Jacobs, David Harvey, and David Sibley to examine the interplay between vertical urbanism and street life, focusing on how spatial design impacts community engagement and cultural vibrancy. By analyzing the coexistence of modern skyscrapers and traditional street-level …

A Digital Paradigm For Shaping Smart Sustainable New Cities In Egypt, Hayam M. Omayer, Eman H. Ayad

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Shaping the future of cities is a crucial responsibility that depends on today’s developers and designers. In light of the ongoing technological advancements across all fields, cities are obliged to harness this accelerated continuous progress to rescue from global challenges facing communities. Rapid urbanization, population growth, fragile infrastructure, and many other threatening environmental issues have prompted many governments across the world to expedite the digital transformation of cities to achieve sustainable urban progression. In Egypt, planning for smart cities is still taking its first step. Various significant economic, environmental, and social challenges are confronted. This research explores the pivotal role …

Design Thinking For Health Environments: Case Study Research On Innovation, Design Leadership, And Healthcare Complexity, Diana S. Nicholas

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

As healthcare costs are skyrocketing, of the 6,093 hospitals in America, 53% will lose money in the current year (Coleman-Lochner, 2022). Design health innovation centers (DHICs) are formed in Europe and the United States to create efficiencies in healthcare related to budget challenges. DHICs exist in unique contexts both in America and Europe that are not yet well understood. These efforts are difficult to lead due to the lack of understanding of their worth and how their process is valuable to healthcare settings (Bhattacharyya et al., 2022). The specific problem examined here is that little is known about how DHIC …

Multi-Objective Optimization Of The Layout Of Tall Building Sites In Dense Urban Configurations For Improved Sustainability Outcomes, Grant Mosey, Brian Deal

Architecture Faculty Research

Multi-objective evolutionary algorithms have long been used by architects to find objective solutions to complex building problems involving trade-offs implicit in sustainable building design. At a larger scale, urban designers have created a variety of tools to improve sustainability in urban-and-larger scale design. However, to date, fewer studies have focused on improving sustainability outcomes at the “in between” scale of the neighborhood and urban site. Existing scholarship on optimization at this scale has tended to take a narrow view of sustainability. We seek to expand the implementation of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms to this sometimes overlooked scale while taking a broad …

Collaborative Leadership In Disaster Mitigation Development In Australia, Chidimma A. Abuka

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Background: In light of escalating environmental risks due to climate change, rigorous research in natural disaster mitigation is gaining significance. The United Nations’ (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) address disaster mitigation broadly, calling attention to both natural and human-induced crises. Australia has the fourth highest score globally in Freeman & Hancock’s (2017) Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience-Building (DRRR) Index. This research explores the aspects of collaborative leadership and sustainable development pathways to understand what is working in Australian communities and to address multifaceted challenges surrounding the further improvement of community resilience in Australia.

Existing Literature: Many studies emphasize the …

Book Review: Creating Inclusive Libraries By Applying Universal Design: A Guide By Carli Spina, Katrina Williams

School of Information Student Research Journal

Creating Inclusive Libraries by Applying Universal Design: A Guide is a practical and useful resource for improving libraries so that they are accessible to the broadest range of people possible. The format is well organized, and the case studies illustrate principles in engaging and recognizable ways. A reader who starts with no knowledge of Universal Design would acquire a working knowledge and be able to assess their own spaces with the guidance provided through examples and checklists. Rather than focus on resources for disabled patrons, Spina encourages readers to adopt a reflective practice for considering the needs of all library …

From Concept To Design: Managing The Development Of The Avi Ari Café At Quinta Mazatlán, Jose L. Tabarez Jr.

Honors Theses

The Avi Ari Café project represents a holistic approach to sustainable architecture and civil engineering, focusing on integrating environmental stewardship, energy efficiency, and community engagement. Located within Quinta Mazatlán, a wildlife preserves in McAllen, Texas, the café is designed to blend harmoniously with the surrounding ecosystem while offering visitors a modern, functional space. This thesis explores the design, construction, and operational strategies employed to minimize the environmental impact of the café, ensuring its sustainability both during construction and throughout its long-term operation.

The project is structured around several key objectives: reducing waste generation, conserving energy, utilizing sustainable materials, and promoting …

Optimizing Indoor Environment Quality, Anjum B. Ahmmed, Christopher Gabriel Lopez, Jennifer Garcia, Marti Tapia, Nick Antoine, Alexander Aptekar

Publications and Research

This research investigates an integrative approach to health in building design by focusing on material selection and its impact on indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Specifically, the study examines clay plaster through sensory evaluation methods to compare its effectiveness with conventional finishes in filtering out unpleasant odors from chemicals commonly used in indoor spaces. Key parameters such as material texture, and visual satisfaction will also be assessed. Randomly selected participants from across campus will evaluate the odor of clay plaster and paint applied to the laser-cut composite boards, reporting on each finish's ability to mask the burnt smell of charred edges …

Natural Lighting As A Strategy For Sustainable Design, Grace Holdsworth

2024 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Modern buildings are increasingly reliant on artificial light to illuminate interior spaces, decreasing the importance of natural light in architectural design. However, the adverse effects of climate change, catalyzing blackouts and rising energy costs, have made this reliance a significant issue. This study aimed to analyze the benefits of daylighting in architectural design and its ability to improve buildings’ sustainability. To examine the impact of sunlight on the perception of a space, a light box study model was constructed, and the interior was photographed periodically from sunrise to sunset. This study highlighted the dynamic quality of sunlight, and its ability …

Leveraging Geo-Ai To Evaluate Conservation Land Conditions In Nebraska, Usa, Fnu Jahangeer

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

Wetlands are among the most vital natural resources, offering extensive ecosystem services that benefit human societies. However, human activities and disturbances have led to widespread wetland degradation and loss worldwide. Key factors contributing to this degradation include pollution, exploitation of biological resources, modifications to natural systems, and agricultural and aquacultural practices. This study examines wetland conservation efforts in Nebraska, focusing on three main areas: (1) AI-Driven Applications in Google Earth Engine for Surface Water Monitoring, Assessment, and Management; (2) Assessing Wetland Hydrological Performance under Three Conservation Programs in Nebraska through AI-Driven Google Earth Engine Analysis; and (3) Identifying Potential Wetland …

An Analysis Of Policies, Practices, And Barriers To Create A Multi-Dimensional Approach To Renewable Energy Transition For Us Communities, Hanan Wehbi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The transition from fossil fuel-derived energy resources to clean, renewable, affordable, and reliable energy necessitates a comprehensive approach. This approach must incorporate an interdisciplinary contribution to ensure the sustainability, efficiency, and resilience of the energy system. In the United States, many communities and local governments are developing ambitious plans, regulations, and targets to support the renewable energy transition and enhance energy efficiency. This research builds on the principles of sustainable development planning and transition theory to develop a framework that assists communities in planning their renewable energy (RE) transition and integrate these plans in their long- and short-term development approaches. …

The Restorative Design Scale (Rds) An Assessment Guide: Measuring The Potential For Mental Restoration In Urban Green Spaces, Corinne Bahr

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Mental health is a growing national priority, and green space has been proven to benefit mental health. There is a massive amount of recent research studying the influence of green space characteristics on mental health improvement and restoration. However, professional landscape architects, designers, and planners involved in creating physical spaces have not been able to assess and therefore prioritize mental health in their designs due to the sheer quantity of information that has not yet been synthesized and applied efficiently. The Restorative Design Scale (RDS) Assessment condenses this material into a scientifically inspired resource for professionals to easily understand and …

Tanzania Design Build 2024, Elli S. Berger, Samantha M. Maher, Victoria J. Maestas

Architectural Engineering

In 2007 David Lambert, a Cal Poly ARCE alumnus, was inspired to build a school in Tanzania after spending time in Kenya completing his senior project. With the support of multiple Cal Poly faculty members, he assembled a team to launch what would become his master’s program project. Since no existing organizations could support their efforts, the team founded their own initiative, the Mbeses Initiative for Sustainable Design (MISD). The Cal Poly team shared their design ideas with multiple volunteer groups in Tanzania and eventually connected with Fr. Setonga who helped the initiative gain traction. A few years later, the …

Examining Support By Residents For Community Scale Wildfire Mitigation Strategies In The Wasatch Front, Conner R. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Current development trends along the Wasatch Front are causing a greater threat of wildfires to the Utahns who reside there. Research indicates that although studies meant to examine wildfire mitigation strategy preferences do exist, their findings are not applicable to the Wasatch Front. This thesis addresses the lack of applicable data and the resultant lack of understanding of the Wasatch Front residents' preferences. In my project specifically, I will be looking at what wildfire mitigation strategies, at the community scale, residents of the Wasatch Front prefer. Additionally, I will be comparing the preferences of residents living in areas with above …

Practitioners' Needs For Addressing The Challenges Of Sea-Level Rise—A Qualitative Assessment, D. Hirschfeld, K. M. Archie, E. Mateo, J. C. Arnott, J. A. Vano

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

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 dialog between practitioners and scientists is imperative. Current research documents impacts of SLR, evaluates local SLR adaptation activities, identifies barriers to action, and works to assess local adaptive capacity. Despite this work, there has been little qualitative assessment of practitioners' needs when it comes to translating SLR science into local changes. To fill this gap, we used a combination of semi‐structured interviews and surveys. The interviews revealed …

Association Between In Situ Ventilation And Human-Generated Aerosol Exposure In Meatpacking Plants During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Joshua L. Santarpia, Josephine Lau, Debayan Shom, Shanna A. Ratnesar-Shumate, Eric C. Carnes, Gearge W. Santarpia, Vicki L. Herrera, Danielle N. Rivera, Daniel N. Ackerman, Ashley R. Ravnholdt, John J. Lowe, Athena K. Ramos

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, meatpacking workers were disproportionately affected by disease. Large outbreaks at meatpacking facilities resulted in loss of life and threatened the well-being of workers across the globe. Much work was done throughout the pandemic to understand and prevent these outbreaks. This study combined ventilation system evaluation and measurement of human-generated respiratory aerosol to investigate and identify areas of highest risk for disease transmission. These findings confirm that improved ventilation reduces exposure to human-generated aerosols in meatpacking facilities, including those that may contain infectious agents, such as SARS-CoV-2. This study suggests areas of greatest risk are likely areas …

A Fresh Breath: Study Abroad Sustainable Housing Expectations In Higher Education, Mary-Porcher S. Warner, Beth L. Mcgee

Honors College Theses

In 2017, Georgia Southern purchased the Convent of Perpetual Adoration for their latest Campus in Wexford, Ireland. This particular Convent is 147 years old and has a rich history in the community. With the purchase of this Convent, the University plans on repurposing the building into a living quarters for students who choose to study abroad. With this decision comes many more considerations, such as students' needs, comfort, and safety. A survey has been conducted where students from Georgia Southern University who had studied abroad in Wexford, Ireland answered a variety of questions about their experiences and preferences. The participants …

Introducing The Cool, Quiet City Competition: Predicting Smartwatch-Reported Heat And Noise With Digital Twin Metrics, Clayton Miller, Matias Quintana, Mario Frei, Xuan Yun Chua, Chun Fu, Bianca Picchetti, Winston Yap, Adrian Chong, Filip Biljecki

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

The productivity and satisfaction of humans in the built environment is impacted significantly by their exposure to high temperature and various noise sources. This paper outlines the city-scale collection of 12,009 smartwatch-driven micro-survey responses that were collected alongside 2,825,243 physiological and environmental measurements from 106 people using the open-source Cozie-Apple platform combined with geolocation-driven urban digital twin metrics from the Urbanity Python package. This paper introduces a machine learning competition that will be launched for participants to compete in training models on the various contextual data to predict noise distraction and source as well as thermal preference across a diversity …