/pdf/economics-of-natural-resources-and-the-environment-43k62iyyte.pdf

Economics of natural resources and the environment

Historically, management theory has ignored the constraints imposed by the biophysical (natural) environment. Building upon resource-based theory, this article attempts to fill this void by proposing a natural-resource-based view of the firm—a theory of competitive advantage based upon the firm's relationship to the natural environment. It is composed of three interconnected strategies: pollution prevention, product stewardship, and sustainable development. Propositions are advanced for each of these strategies regarding key resource requirements and their contributions to sustained competitive advantage.

A natural resource-based view of the firm

Green building is one of measures been put forward to mitigate significant impacts of the building stock on the environment, society and economy. However, there is lack of a systematic review of this large number of studies that is critical for the future endeavor. The last decades have witnessed rapid growing number of studies on green building. This paper reports a critical review of the existing body of knowledge of researches related to green building. The common research themes and methodology were identified. These common themes are the definition and scope of green building; quantification of benefits of green buildings compared to conventional buildings; and various approaches to achieve green buildings. It is found that the existing studies played predominately focus on the environmental aspect of green building. Other dimensions of sustainability of green building, especially the social sustainability is largely overlooked. Future research opportunities were identified such as effects of climatic conditions on the effectiveness of green building assessment tools, validation of real performance of green buildings, unique demands of specific population, and future proofing.

Green building research–current status and future agenda: A review

Strong spatial variation of rupture characteristics in the moment magnitude (Mw) 9.0 Tohoku-Oki megathrust earthquake controlled both the strength of shaking and the size of the tsunami that followed. Finite-source imaging reveals that the rupture consisted of a small initial phase, deep rupture for up to 40 seconds, extensive shallow rupture at 60 to 70 seconds, and continuing deep rupture lasting more than 100 seconds. A combination of a shallow dipping fault and a compliant hanging wall may have enabled large shallow slip near the trench. Normal faulting aftershocks in the area of high slip suggest dynamic overshoot on the fault. Despite prodigious total slip, shallower parts of the rupture weakly radiated at high frequencies, whereas deeper parts of the rupture radiated strongly at high frequencies.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/332/6036/1426.full.pdf

Shallow Dynamic Overshoot and Energetic Deep Rupture in the 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake

１ Ｂａｓｉｃ ｎｅｐｈｒｏｌｏｇｙ（生理；免疫・病理；分子生物学；検査・診断） ２ Ｃｌｉｎｉｃａｌ ｎｅｐｈｒｏｌｏｇｙ（糸球体障害；尿細管・間質障害；全身性疾患と腎障害；水電解質異常；腎不全）

Annual review 腎臓

The building sector plays a major role in the sustainable development. It is responsible for a major part of the raw materials extraction, energy consumption, waste production and it is the centre of the human life: the major part of the human life is spent inside a building. Nowadays, the society is making an effort regarding environmental protection and building ambient quality and a greater attention is being given to pollution control, energy efficiency, proper waste disposal, heritage preservation, social integration, indoor ambient quality, etc. This paper presents a methodology for the comparative sustainability assessment of construction solutions. This first methodological approach allows the users to define and qualify the indicators that are related to the requirements of the assessment and the proprieties of building solution. With this methodology is possible to consider different alternatives for the buildings elements, aiming the selection of the most sustainable solution. At the end of this paper, the methodology will be applied to some conventional and non-conventional floors construction solutions in order to find, inside the sample, the most sustainable solution.

/pdf/sustainability-assessment-of-building-solutions-a-4h8c56so5q.pdf

Sustainability assessment of building solutions: a methodological approach

General overview of the problems, needs and solutions in the Portuguese urban building envelopes

SBE16 Brazil & Portugal - Sustainable Urban Communities towards a Nearly Zero Impact Built Environment

The study focuses on the identification of a typology of vernacular architecture, characterized by dispersion and isolation on a territory usually associated with concentrated settlements This paper aims to contribute for understanding how local factors (climate, economy, culture, etc) influenced vernacular architecture inthe northeast of Portugal by analysing the strategies and building solutions that enable it to cope with climatic adversities Through insitumonitoring temperatures and relative humidity,is attemptedto show the potential of the case studies in maintaining the indoor air temperatures within the boundariesof comfort even when the externaltemperatures are outside the boundaries 2 BACKGROUND ON VERNACULAR HERITAGE Since the late 19th century several researches on vernacular architecture were conducted seeking for the autochthonous characters of the different nations and regions (Ferreira, 2013) In a different cultural context, in the following century, modernisnt architects also loooked for vernacular, searching for values of essentialism, rationality and commitment to human and environment (Llano, 1996) Similar processes took place in Portugal, with the most significant survey work of Popular Architecture in Portugal (Sindicato Nacional dos Arquitectos, 1961) having been published in the late 50’s In this work, the authors recognized that was the "last possible moment to register in all its fullness a world about to disappear” Recognizing the consistency and the ability of traditional architecture in the articulation of geographical, economic and social factors, this work has become a marked influence on Portuguese architects like Fernando Tavora or Siza Vieira In parallel, the ethnologist Ernesto Veiga de Oliveira undertakes various studies on traditional architecture that culminated in a posthumous publication (Oliveira & Galhano, 1992) Although focused primarily on the ways of living, this work weaves important considerations about the spatial and territorial aspects of dwelling Emphasizing, as the Survey, the dwellings of rural settlements, it offers a clear systematization of different morphologies in block-house or patio-house, with ground floor or two storey variants, which will be used in this research as reference for the characterization of farmsteads More recently, in 1999,the International Council on Monuments and Sites, in the Charter on the Built Vernacular Heritage, defines the vernacular heritage as “the fundamental expression of the culture of a community, of its relationship with its territory”, that “It is a continuing process including necessary changes and continuous adaptation as a response to social and environmental constraints” (ICOMOS, 1999) In the present days, there has been the awareness that the responses for a more sustainable architecture could be found in a thorough look on vernacular architecture, focusing on form and passive systems to optimize the relationship with the environment In this sense, the research of Fernandes (2012) presents a classification of strategies and solutions identified in various surveys on popular architecture in Portugal, according to the principles of sustainability and climate region Other studies, sought to recognize bioclimatic design strategies of Spanish vernacular architecture, enhancing their recovery and integration in contemporary buildings (Canas& Martin, 2004) and monitoring in-situ some of these strategies, by analyzing and comparing the thermal performance of vernacular face to contemporary buildings (Martin et al, 2010) 3 CASE STUDIES DESCRIPTION Unlike the Terra Quente Transmontana, where the Mediterranean climate promotes the monoculture with greater economic value especially almond, olive oil and wine the Terra Fria is characterized by extensive fields of crops and pasture, in a climate of extremes: a very cold winter usually with air temperatures between 11oC and -11oC and a hot and dry summer, in average between 291oC and 14oC(IPMA, nd) Here, small rural settlements are predominant, based on a livelihood economy, withagriculture and livestock, always in close proximity to the village, which was the subject of previous studies (Sindicato Nacional dos Arquitectos, 1961; Oliveira, 1992)However, the presence of larger agglomerations, where trade and services assumed great relevance, potentiated different ways of occupation of the territory, as scattered small farms that produced essential goods to supply the city or village The highest density of these farmsteads is in the surroundings of Braganca, the most important city in the region, where it is possible toidentify 52 farmsteads with a radius of 5 km from the city(Figure 1) However, documents from the early 20th century point to a much higher number, about 100 (Alves, 1938), in many cases unoccupied, in an advanced stage of degradation and others much adulterated These farmsteads arise from the balance between the vernacular landscape and political landscape, as defined by Jackson (1984): the political landscape express needs of community relations and can be indifferent to topography and the local culture, the vernacular landscape "is the result of a slow adaptation to the place, the local topography, climate, soil and people" (Jackson, 1984) In relation to the vernacular landscape, settlement is usually along the water lines, predominantly on the slopes(in the quadrants between south and west) in areas that enable agriculture, pastures and woods (Figure 2) Despite this strong relationship with the land, there is also a relationship with the political landscape, particularly marked by paths and access roads to the city (figure 3) The highest concentration of this typologywithin a 5km radius from the city enabled daily access, on foot,to the market, the reason for the existence of these farms, in a symbiotic relationship with the city The unique morphological characteristics of each case is a relevant factor, as it allows to show that vernacular architecture more than applying similar local/regional building solutions always developed site-specific ones Despite this diversity, the typology has in common the characteristics summarized in Table 1: Figure 1 Farmsteads location within a 5km radius of Braganca Table 1 Typology characterization and case-studies presentation The first case study, Quinta de Campelo, has been referenced since 1697 (Alves, 1938), however, the current configuration results from several changes over time In the last century, this building was submitted to several transformations that significantly changed it, such as the expansion over the courtyard in the 70s Morphologically integrates what Veiga de OliveiraG the main room is separated from the kitchen by a pine wood panel The original wood window frames were replaced by aluminium windows with double glazing Due to the implantation in a very low slope zone, cellars and stables, not in use today, are buried only about 80 cm, in direct contact with the soil The porta-carral(oxcart gate),in the northwest courtyard, is protected from the rain by a porch Figure 2 Typology distribution according to vernacular landscape and Figure 3 Typology distribution according to political landscape The second case study, Quinta do Cano, has been referenced since 1864 (Alves, 1938) and it is, until nowadays, in a configuration that isvery close to the original as a two-storey BlockHouse The few changes suffered in the mid-'50s follow the traditional construction processes, including the division of the interior spaces with partition walls in tabique and exterior coatings with lime mortarAlthough located in a valley, the building takes advantage of the slope of the hillside, to locate the wine cellar — approximately buried in 150 meters in the east side The building envelope is composed of approximately 80 cm thick schist walls, and the most exposed facade is oriented to west The doors and window framesare still in wood; the floor and the wooden structure are in chestnut wood All compartments have ceilings, creating an uninhabitable attic, except the kitchen, with no ceilingto facilitate smoke evacuation from the fireplaceVegetation is usedto shade the courtyard and the existence of awater tank next to the house, helps promotingevaporative cooling in the hot season 4 ON SITE THERMAL MONITORING

https://repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt/bitstream/1822/26080/1/Goncalves_Mateus_Fernandes_Ferreira_Portugal%20SB13.pdf

Ricardo Mateus

Papers

Sustainability assessment of building solutions: a methodological approach

General overview of the problems, needs and solutions in the Portuguese urban building envelopes

SBE16 Brazil & Portugal - Sustainable Urban Communities towards a Nearly Zero Impact Built Environment

Tradition in Continuity: thermal monitoring in vernacular architecture of farmsteads from northeast Portuguese region of Trás-os-Montes

Contributos da arquitetura vernácula portuguesa para a sustentabilidade do ambiente construído: Atas do seminário reVer