Digital Commons Network^™

Cost-Optimized Energy Management For Urban Multi-Story Residential Buildings With Community Energy Sharing And Flexible Ev Charging, Nishadi Weerasinghe Mudiyanselage, Asma Aziz, Bassam Al-Hanahi, Iftekhar Ahmad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Multi-story residential buildings present distinct challenges for demand-side management due to shared infrastructure, diverse occupant behaviors, and complex load profiles. Although demand-side management strategies are well established in industrial sectors, their application in high-density residential communities remains limited. This study proposes a cost-optimized energy management framework for urban multi-story apartment buildings, integrating rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) generation, shared battery energy storage, and flexible electric vehicle (EV) charging. A Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model is developed to simulate 24 h energy operations across nine architecturally identical apartments equipped with the same set of smart appliances but exhibiting varied usage patterns to …

Understanding Behavioral Patterns: A Case Study Of Emirati Ex-Offenders In United Arab Emirates, Salim Ali Al Naqbi

Theses

Research on desistance has helped criminologists to better understand how people change their criminal identity and exercise personal choice. Yet in the UAE, these ideas has not often been applied to prisoners serving one or multiple offenses, even though incarceration and reoffending remain important social concerns. Because of this, desistance theory has not been fully used to study how rehabilitation is managed in UAE prisons, which means that some useful lessons may be missed. This study begins to close that gap by looking at the personal stories of 15 Emirati participants that were formerly incarcerated by adapting a qualitative and …

Justice Through Proximity: Theoretical Foundations And Practical Applications Of Collaborative Justice, Federica Coppola, Jarrell E. Daniels

Vanderbilt Law Review

This Article introduces a collaborative justice framework as a model for addressing crime and reimagining approaches to policymaking and legal education. The framework emphasizes the prevention and resolution of criminal matters through holistic strategies that confront the structural and social determinants of crime and victimization including poverty, systemic inequality, trauma, unjust policies, and institutional neglect while also promoting broader systemic change. At its core is the active engagement between legal system actors especially decisionmakers such as judges, prosecutors, and policymakers and legal system impacted individuals and communities, fostering a more equitable distribution of decisionmaking power between justice providers and justice …

A Conceptual Model For Assessing Environmentally Responsible Practices In Ecological Intentional Communities: Examples From Texas, Usa, Christina W. Lopez, Russell Weaver

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Behavioural Approach As The Basis Of Traditional Market Redevelopment Strategies, Ajeng Regita Assyifa, Imaniar Sofia Asharhani, Adriyan Kusuma

ARSNET

This design study focuses on the redevelopment of the Kebayoran Lama traditional market using a behavioural approach. Traditional markets hold an important role in the social, economic, and cultural life of urban communities, functioning not only as centres of trade but also as spaces for interaction that shape the city's character. However, rapid urban development often creates challenges for traditional markets, reducing their competitiveness against modern shopping centres.

The study began with direct observation and behavioural mapping activities at the Kebayoran Lama traditional market to understand how traders and visitors interact with the space. Findings show the current layout does …

Spartan Daily, October 29, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 165, Issue 29

Rewilding The Built Environment: Navigating Economic, Political, And Social Barriers To Urban Ecological Restoration, Carly E. Smith

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Urban rewilding offers a nature-based approach to restoring ecological processes in cities while advancing climate resilience, biodiversity, and public well-being. Unlike conventional green infrastructure, rewilding allows ecosystems to develop with minimal intervention, emphasizing succession, complexity, and long-term adaptability. This paper examines the political, economic, and social factors that frame how rewilding is understood and implemented in urban planning. Governmental frameworks often prioritize order, predictability, and short-term results, making it difficult to accommodate the uncertainty and ecological complexity that rewilding requires. Economic models struggle to capture its long-term value, frequently overlooking ecosystem services or reconciling competing land uses. Social perceptions of …

The Maverick: Woodstock’S Bohemian Art Colony, John P. Murphy

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Center For Participatory Research Leads National Efforts In Community-Based Research, Dustin Roberto

HSC Newsroom

Nina Wallerstein, DrPH, is a Distinguished Professor of Public Health and director of the Center for Participatory Research at the University of New Mexico. She has spent more than four decades shifting health research toward community-based participatory research (CBPR). Her work emphasizes partnerships in which communities guide research priorities and retain ownership of findings.The center's work spans Indigenous health, including culturally centered family programs, CBPR, youth participatory action research and co-learning initiatives.

Evaluating Sustainability Research In Argentine Higher Education, María Belén Arias Valle, Frederic Marimon Dr.

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study analyzes the integration of sustainability into the research activities of Argentine higher education institutions (HEIs), both public and private. Through a quantitative approach, 132 HEIs were evaluated regarding the presence of sustainability research lines, the inclusion of this topic in strategic plans, and the existence of specialized institutes and academic publications. The results indicate that only 26% of HEIs have established research lines on sustainability, with greater participation from public universities. However, the overall commitment is uneven, with only 55% of institutions including sustainability in their strategic plans. The limited presence of observatories, specialized journals, and research centers …

Immigrant Catholics’ Perspectives And Engagement On Climate Crisis, Tison Vadakkekudiyil Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this generic qualitative study, how immigrant Catholics in the United States make sense of climate change and environmental justice was examined, addressing a critical gap in understanding how faith and cultural identity shape environmental engagement among marginalized communities. Guided by sensemaking theory and the Catholic principle of integral ecology, as outlined in Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’, the research question addressed how church-going immigrant Catholics in Maryland perceive and engage with the climate crisis, considering their religious beliefs and concerns for environmental justice. Seventeen first-and second-generation adult immigrants participated in semistructured interviews, and data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s …

Project Cycle Management In Ngos: Challenges And Best Practices, Laurita Morina, Kujtim Zylfijaj

UBT International Conference

Project Cycle Management (PCM) in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is a complex process often accompanied by challenges such as insufficient funding, limited human resources, and difficulties in measuring project impact. The aim of this study is to examine the most common obstacles faced by NGOs in managing projects and to identify effective practices that contribute to better outcomes. The research employed a qualitative approach, with data collected through a semi-structured questionnaire distributed to seven NGOs operating in Kosovo. The questionnaire primarily included open-ended questions designed to capture insights into the main phases of the project cycle: identification, planning, implementation, monitoring, and …

Zine Labs As Centers For Public Interest Communication Design, Mina Bikmohammadi, Abigail Boafo, Ryan Cheek, Rachel M. Schneider, Carleigh J. Davis, Erin Clark

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper introduces Zine Labs (ZLabs) as centers for public-interest communication design that treat as practices that foreground making, collaboration, and community knowledge. Launched in 2024 with multi-institutional support, the project established parallel ZLabs that partner with local artists, libraries, and community groups to run pop-up, hands-on events in flexible, welcoming spaces. We show how ZLabs prioritize process over product, negotiate privacy and anonymity alongside inclusion. We also resist top-down branding so community identities can lead. We report classroom applications, courses in AI, information design, and public writing, where students used zines to connect questions of technology, access, and ethics …

Volume 66-1, May 2025: Complete, Nancy Hoalst Pullen, Mark W. Patterson

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 66-1, May 2025: Complete

Mapping The Margins: The Anniston Civil Rights Trail Story Map As A Model For Participatory Public History And The Decentralization Of Historical Narratives, Mark J. Sciuchetti Jr., Jianping Coco Huang, Jennifer Green, Sarah Faulkner

The Geographical Bulletin

While commemorative narratives of the Civil Rights Movement often echo the oft-repeated names and stories of nationally recognized figures and sites of protest, localized histories—particularly those rooted in smaller communities like Anniston, Alabama, USA—remain marginalized in dominant public memory frameworks. In light of this, this article documents the creation and implementation of the Anniston Civil Rights Trail story map: a digital public history initiative designed to recover, interpret, and spatially contextualize ten key sites associated with Civil Rights activism in Anniston. Drawing on theoretical frameworks in geographic memory, counter-mapping, and participatory public history, the case study demonstrates how interactive mapping …

Creating A Food Business Model: Case Study Of Traditional Drinks Made From Roselle, Millet, And Corn, Josephine Nyame

College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to develop a comprehensive process flow for establishing a small food business, using traditional drinks made from millet, roselle, and corn as a case study. The specific objectives were to (1) identify the steps involved in developing a food product, (2) perform a sensory evaluation of the developed drinks, and (3) develop a prototype business plan to commercialize the most preferred drink. This study adopted a case study approach of a food business in producing traditional beverages. Consumer preferences were evaluated through sensory evaluation of the formulated roselle, millet, and corn drink recipes. Consumer evaluation data were …

Tangible And Design Assistance In Historic Preservation Courses To Assist Communities In The Recuperation Of Their Existing Built Cultural Resources In New Mexico, Francisco Uviña-Contreras

Faculty Publications

The presentation proposed for the NCBDS 41 Conference to be hosted at the School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P) Department at the University of New Mexico (UNM) concerns the arduous work in the Historic Preservation and Regionalism (HP+R) Program in this institution. This significant opportunity to present courses in the HP+R Program aims to "exchange and disseminate information and ideas concerning preservation education and its relationship to community engagement and its connections to its historical past." This issue is particularly relevant in the context of the NCBDS 41 Conference, which touches on aspects of the "Pedagogy in Cultural Heritage through …

From Food Desert To Food Security: Implementing Change Through The Augusta Dream Center, Marté Antione Gifford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to design and implement a community garden, supplemented by local farmer partnerships, at the Augusta Dream Center (ADC) to address food insecurity in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) by providing fresh produce, fostering nutrition education, and promoting long-term health equity. This project is driven by the urgent need to reduce health disparities that result from limited access to healthy foods, particularly the elevated risks of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in low-income and minority communities. The CSRA faces unique challenges as it contains both food deserts, where healthy food options are scarce, and …

J Am Coll Dent 2018 85 3

Journal of the American College of Dentists

The Journal of the American College of Dentists (JACD) publishes scholarly articles, editorials, essays, and reflections addressing the ethical, professional, and social dimensions of dentistry. The Journal serves as a forum for advancing ethics, professionalism, leadership, and excellence within the dental community. By fostering dialogue across disciplines and perspectives, JACD provides readers with insights that encourage ethical, professional practice, lifelong learning, and service to the public, reinforcing dentistry’s commitment to advancing oral healthcare and the common good.

Sustaining Community Violence Intervention And Prevention (Cvi): A State Readiness Assessment For Funding Cvi Through Medicaid, Catherine Clare Strange, Katheryne Pugliese, Sheetal Ranjan, Aakash Shah

Department of Justice Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Community violence intervention and prevention (CVI) programs aim to reduce gun violence and its associated harms through community-driven strategies. Programs’ long-term sustainability is challenged by inconsistent and insufficient funding, however, which can be detrimental to the individuals who depend on these services as they navigate recovery from a violent injury. As states explore new funding mechanisms, Medicaid reimbursement has emerged as a viable option, however little implementation guidance exists specific to this policy option in the CVI context. This study combines the implementation science and public health infrastructure literatures with data from a recent multistate case study (n = 17 …

Global Goals, Local Impact: Advancing Nursing Education Through Sdg Integration, Elise H. Peterson, Melissa Robertson

Global Advocacy

Undergraduate nursing students are future healthcare leaders who not only provide direct patient care but also influence community and global health outcomes. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a comprehensive framework to address pressing health and social challenges, including reducing inequalities, promoting well-being, ensuring access to quality education, and combating climate-related health threats. Integrating SDGs into nursing education equips students with the knowledge, skills, and advocacy mindset to address these challenges at local, national, and global levels.

Nurses are pivotal in achieving SDG-related outcomes such as health equity, disease prevention, and sustainable community interventions. Currently, nursing curricula often …

Experiences And Motivations Of Community Volunteers Engaging With A Longitudinal Experiential Interprofessional Education Program, Kathryn Nunes, Nethra S. Ankam, Anne B. Mitchell, Brooke Salzman, Shreyas Chandragiri, Eleanor Matthews, Richard W. Hass, Maria Brucato

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

This mixed-methods study investigated the motivations and experiences of Health Mentors (HMs), community volunteers with chronic health conditions who participated in the Health Mentors Program at Thomas Jefferson University (HMP). During the 18-month three-module program, HMs work with interprofessional teams of healthcare students as they learn about teaming principles and experiences of patients living with chronic conditions. 73 HMs whose time volunteering for HMP ranged from 1 to 15 years completed a survey following module 2 in the Spring of 2020. The survey consisted of quantitative and qualitative questions regarding why they participate, their experiences with the program, and its …

Government Communication Strategies And Citizen Participation: A Thematic Review, Ojonugwa Emmanuel, Andrew I. E. Ewoh

Journal of Public Management & Social Policy

none

Interpersonal Elements Of Social Sustainability In Intentional Communities, Caitlyn R. Charles, Alison A. Ormsby

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Designing With, Not For: Reimagining Participatory Design With Rural, Indigenous Artisans, Daniela Chavarria, Beatrice Villari

ServDes Conference Series

Artisanal production is crucial in sustaining the socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental fabric of rural and Indigenous communities, supporting the livelihoods, identity, and collective memory of artisan communities. However, globalization plus market pressures marginalize these traditions, prioritizing external consumer expectations over cultural integrity. While designers have sought to support artisans through collaborative efforts, such initiatives risk replicating Western-centric frameworks that undermine local knowledge and reinforce power asymmetries. This paper examines how equal collaboration, rooted in trust and flexibility, offers participatory engagement while promoting equitable partnerships from a designer-activist perspective. Drawing on the ARTESANICO laboratory, an organic, practice-led design initiative in Colombia …

An Analysis Of The Process Enhancing Civic Pride Among Participants In The Participatory Local Public Relations 'Koba Output Lab', Linxuan Tan

ServDes Conference Series

This study examines the Participatory Local Public Relations(PLPR) initiative "Koba Output Lab" in Japan, analyzing how citizen engagement in graphic design fosters Civic Pride and social cohesion. Using the Modified Grounded Theory Approach (M GTA), the study finds that participation enhances regional understanding, strengthens community bonds, and improves expressive abilities. Through Citizen Coproduction, participants transitioned from initial indifference to expressing local values. This study contributes to Participatory Design and offers insights for local governments, demonstrating how Service Design facilitates "diversity-driven" and "long-term impact" approaches in Social Innovation.

Resilient By Design: The Dissolution Of Alternative Food Networks, Cagri G. Varli, Stefano Maffei

ServDes Conference Series

Alternative food networks (AFNs) are often presented through peak-period success stories, leaving their entire lifecycle — transformations, challenges, and reconfigurations — underexplored. By rethinking AFN dissolution process through a service design lens, this study examines how embedded values, networks, and operational models evolve beyond their initial structures. The research uses a new generation consumer cooperative as a case study, and it employs multiple sources of evidence — semi-structured interviews, archival data, media sources, and direct observations — to analyze the cooperative’s evolution. Findings reveal how AFNs transition from grassroots initiatives to structured models but struggle with economic constraints and governance …

Bridging Local Connections With Digital Convenience: Smart Grocery Shopping, Sutop Mukherjee, Seema Krishnakumar

ServDes Conference Series

Urban grocery shopping in India is rapidly evolving through online platforms, shaped by fragmented pricing, discount-driven choices, and a growing disconnect from local Kirana stores—raising questions about how these factors jointly affect consumer behavior and community ties. This study investigates how the lack of integrated price comparison tools and limited visibility of local retailers leads to decision fatigue and disjointed user experiences. While online platforms offer conveniences like doorstep delivery and real-time availability, prior research highlights their role in diminishing hyperlocal engagement. To address this, we apply a service design lens to reimagine grocery shopping as a socially embedded, economically …

October 6 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update, Jeffrey M. Wice

Elections, Census & Redistricting Updates

No abstract provided.

Imus Longganisa: A Cultural Heritage Food In Cavite, Marie A. Aquino, Dyan Loreine V. Lopez, Colleen Daphne U. Villanueva, Jimford U. Tabuyo

ICHRIE Research Reports

This study assessed the cultural heritage significance of Imus Longganisa, a traditional delicacy from Cavite, Philippines. Grounded in the cultural heritage preservation framework, the research examined the aesthetic, social, and historical dimensions of Imus Longganisa as perceived by the Imuseños. Utilized a quantitative evaluative design, the study employed purposive sampling of 291 respondents from Imus City, gathering data through validated online survey questionnaires using a 4-point likert scale. Analytical methods, including descriptive statistics and ANOVA, identified significant variations in perceptions based on demographics such as age, frequency of consumption, and budget. Findings revealed that respondents appreciated the aesthetic appeal of …