Water Evaluation and Monitoring

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A new course by Gauge provides knowledge and tools which can be used to monitor and evaluate water use in buildings. It includes a simple water use monitoring and evaluation tool in Excel which can be populated with information from water utility bills or from water meter readings to understand water use patterns within a building over a year as well as water use in relation to historic records and targets.

The tool and methodology provided by the course is a very effective way of tracking water use in buildings and supports effective monitoring and evaluation process which can be used to reduce water use in buildings in an effective way. The course is not highly technical and is suitable for anyone wishing to track water use and reduce its use in buildings.

 

Water Use Modelling

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A new online course on water use modeling has been developed by Gauge to respond to increasing pressure to understand and reduce water use in buildings. It includes a simple water modeling tool in Excel, the Water Use Modeling (WUM), which can be populated with information from an existing building or a proposed building design to produce reports of predicted water use in relation to targets. The tool is a very effective way of understanding water use in buildings and developing strategies to reduce this through practical measures. The course is not highly technical and is suitable for anyone wishing to understand water uses in buildings and how this can be reduced.

 

Water Assessment in Buildings

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How efficient are water systems and equipment in your building at reducing water consumption demands on municipal water supplies?

A new online course by Gauge enables participants to answer this question and provides understanding and methodologies which can be used to assess water systems and equipment in buildings in relation to water efficiency.

The course consists of short presentations which introduce water systems in buildings and provides guidance on undertaking water assessments. It includes a copy of Water Assessment in Building (WAB) tool and manual. The WAB tool supports a structured approach to assessments and provides useful reports which can be used to identify areas of strength and weakness. It also enables water systems in buildings to be rated in a quantified and rigorous way.  Achieving a highly-rated WAB performance can be used to demonstrate a commitment to water sustainability performance.

The course and accompanying material are easy to understand and are suitable for both a technical and non-technical audience. The course is of particular interest to people wishing to understand how high-performance sustainable water systems in buildings can be developed.

 

Sustainable Diets

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Increasing incomes and urban growth is resulting in increased consumption of sugars, refined fats, oils, and meats. If this trend continues 80% of the increases in global agriculture greenhouse gas emissions will come from food production and land clearing. These diets also increase Type II diabetes and heart disease.
Alternative diets which reduce emissions and have health benefits can be determined by carrying out life cycle environmental impact assessments (LCAs) and projecting impacts, such as carbon emissions and land use. The full study can be accessed here.

Interactive Capabilities for Health

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New research by MIT uses sensors and radio signals to measure gait velocity and stride length of individuals. This provides valuable health indicators for older adults and can be used for health emergencies. However, it can also include interaction capabilities that could encourage walking, supporting improved health. Paper can be accessed here

Sustainable goods and services

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Goods and services can be defined as the ‘most basic products of an economic system that consist of tangible consumable items and tasks performed by individuals’ (Business Dictionary, 2015). Consumption of these goods and services has a significant impact on ecological footprints. Data from households can be entered into ecological footprint calculators and to understand existing patterns of consumption and how these need to change to become more sustainable.

This analysis is being carried out to support the development of sustainable building criteria for the SBAT and BEST which support more sustainable goods and services. This is leading to the development of interesting new criteria which:

  • Have an increased emphasis on access to the internet and communications technology
  • Promote the sharing economy and services such as Uber and Air BnB
  • Improve access to higher quality and more durable equipment and furniture

Track the 2016 Solar Challenge

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The Sasol Solar Challenge is a competition for teams to design, manage, build and drive solar-powered vehicles across South Africa.

Local and international solar-powered cars travel as far as they can on various roads and loops between Pretoria and Cape Town, with some teams travelling distances of over 4000km. The 2016 event from 24 September to 1 October 2016 traverses some of the world’s most beautiful and diverse landscapes, from desert and savannah to mountains and coastal forest.

Track the competitors live on a map here.

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by Admin

The Sasol Solar Challenge is a competition for teams to design, manage, build and drive solar-powered vehicles across South Africa.

Local and international solar-powered cars travel as far as they can on various roads and loops between Pretoria and Cape Town, with some teams travelling distances of over 4000km. The 2016 event from 24 September to 1 October 2016 traverses some of the world’s most beautiful and diverse landscapes, from desert and savannah to mountains and coastal forest.

Track the competitors live on a map here.

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