Ecological Links (Asynchronous Session)
Challenges to Modern Usage and Green Technology Implementation in Older Housing: Building Envelope and Thermal Performance Analysis in Urban Ohio homes constructed 1840-1945 View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Arsenio Rodrigues, Betty Lynn Krodel
This study was designed to analyze aging residential building envelopes. Two eras of American construction, existing between 1840 and 1945, were included in this analysis. Thermal imaging was used to compare materiality and temperature variations in the external construction of homes with three different construction styles and a multitude of modern modifications. Building materials, methods, and alterations were noted whenever possible and used for a comparative analysis.
Innovative Pathways to Develop Smart Cities Free of Environmental Pollution: Toward Green Energy
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Virendra Goswami
The 21st century is the ‘Century of Environment’ and its pillars are Green Technologies, Pollution Free Environment with Controlled Water Quality, Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality, in order to provide a healthy living to the present and future generations. Smart Cities are to be structured with a clean environment amalgamated with innovative technologies to harness renewable energies and its transformation to electrical and mechanical energies with an admixture of hybrid and battery technology. The backbone of healthy living and economic prosperity is a primarily smart infrastructure comprising pollution-free offices to work, houses to live in, playgrounds to play, and equipped with Green Energy. The present endeavor is to harness renewable energy to develop eco-friendly smart cities equipped with eco-friendly transportation systems, clean drinking water, unpolluted Air enriched with Indoor-Outdoor Quality. The emphasis is to reduce toxic emissions resulting from vehicles, aircraft, and ships polluting Air, Land, and Seas through detoxification of toxic gases by chemical processes. The climate is getting adversely affected by toxic gases, Green House Gases (i. e. Carbon-dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Chloro-Fluro Carbon), Polluting Air, affecting health and resulting Climate Change. Innovative methods are to be found out by making use of Green Energy (Solar, Wind, Water), for all kinds of eco-friendly transportation and pollution-free habitat. It is paramount that smart cities are to be designed in such a way that these are not only comfortable, approachable, full of job opportunities and urban amenities but, must be free of all kinds of environmental pollution and climate variability.
Stormwater Suitability Factors of Turf and Native Grasses: Urban And Rural Landscapes View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Katherine Kraszewska
As water management and design embarks on a new journey of resource allocation and disparity, the next generation of designers seeks an innovative approach to address these growing demands on freshwater resources. Grass species are currently one of our most readily available and adaptive resources to address some of these ever increasing hydrologic concerns. However, little is known about the water quality efficiency and integrated design layout of turf and native grasses in either the urban or rural landscape. The purpose of this project is to examine the water quality removal efficiencies and ecological benefits of Tall fescue, Perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, Bermudagrass, Common hard fescue, Chewing fescue, Sheep fescue in order to 1.) better evaluate the stormwater design and implementation of said species in the landscape and 2.) to measure the ecological habitat benefits during the water quality improvement and groundwater recharge process. To date, a steady reduction in salt levels has been seen in all five plots of the five varieties of turfgrass, with the most significant reduction in the Hard fescue sheep fescue blend. Preliminary results indicate a steady reduction in Total dissolved solids (TDS) levels has been seen in all five plots of the five varieties of turfgrass, with the most significant reduction in the hard fescue sheep fescue blend and chewing fescue combined blend. The species that were most successful at reaching a neutral pH level as compared to the control levels was the hard fescue with sheep fescue blend.
Review of Tools and Methods in Urban Environments and Mental Well-being Research View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Asesh Sarkar, Tina Pujara
Existing research has established the association between urban environments and mental well-being. Authors have used more than one method to evaluate the impact of urban environments on mental well-being. Some of the methods aim to assess urban surroundings to forecast the influence on mental well-being. In contrast, others aim to assess mental well-being to comprehend the effect of urban surroundings on mental well-being. The majority of existing studies focus on the characteristics of built environments or urban surroundings, such as ‘green spaces’ or ‘housing quality and their impact on mental well-being. However, the focus on the urban environment, the physical and social environment as a whole and their impact seem limited. Developing a consolidated ‘Urban Environment Mental Well-being Framework’ may fill this void and help analyze the urban environments to predict the effect on mental well-being. As a first step, reviewing all existing tools may be necessary, and this study summarizes the methods used in conducting research that evaluates the urban environment and mental well-being. This study also considers healthy built environment tools that are currently in use worldwide. This study will aid in the development of a framework for assessing urban environments considering details concerning environmental, economic, and social contexts, which may lead towards a safe and healthy built environment across the globe by promoting and enhancing the mental well-being of citizens.
