Martin Caraher, Paul Dixon, Roy Carr‐Hill, Paul Hayton, Hilary McGough and Lisa Bird
Investigates 1999/2000 health promotion activities in prisons in England and Wales and documents the range and quality of health promotion occurring in prisons, against which…
Abstract
Investigates 1999/2000 health promotion activities in prisons in England and Wales and documents the range and quality of health promotion occurring in prisons, against which future activity might be measured. Finds that health promotion is under‐resourced and the concept and practice poorly understood. Health needs assessment tended to be analysis of and for health‐care services and, except in a minority of cases, did not include consultation with staff, prisoners or their families. Where responsibility was shared and the work based on multi‐disciplinary approaches, it seems more likely to have been reported accurately as health promotion activity. The official policy of a healthy settings/whole prison approach was not understood by many and its application was limited. The findings have informed the development of a new health promotion strategy for the prison service in England and Wales.
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Tim Dixon, Andrea Colantonio, David Shiers, Richard Reed, Sara Wilkinson and Paul Gallimore
This study seeks to provide a review of the background and context to the engagement of RICS members with the sustainability agenda, and to examine the extent to which the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to provide a review of the background and context to the engagement of RICS members with the sustainability agenda, and to examine the extent to which the surveying profession uses relevant information, tools and techniques to achieve the key objectives of sustainable development (or sustainability).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper analyses results from a major international online survey of 4,600 RICS respondent members, supported by 31 structured telephone interviews.
Findings
The results suggest that, although sustainability is highly relevant to RICS members' work, a lack of knowledge and expertise is making it more difficult for sustainability tools and other information to be used effectively.
Research limitations/implications
The survey is based on a substantial number of responses which are broadly representative of the global RICS population. A key implication is that “laggard” faculties include the disciplines of commercial property and valuation.
Practical implications
The research suggests that key stakeholders must work together to provide better information, guidance and education and training to “hardwire” the sustainability agenda across RICS faculties.
Originality/value
This is the first truly global survey of its kind and focuses particularly on those faculties that play a major role in property investment and finance (i.e. valuation and commercial property), comparing their position with that of other faculties in an international context.
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The Bureau of Economics in the Federal Trade Commission has a three-part role in the Agency and the strength of its functions changed over time depending on the preferences and…
Abstract
The Bureau of Economics in the Federal Trade Commission has a three-part role in the Agency and the strength of its functions changed over time depending on the preferences and ideology of the FTC’s leaders, developments in the field of economics, and the tenor of the times. The over-riding current role is to provide well considered, unbiased economic advice regarding antitrust and consumer protection law enforcement cases to the legal staff and the Commission. The second role, which long ago was primary, is to provide reports on investigations of various industries to the public and public officials. This role was more recently called research or “policy R&D”. A third role is to advocate for competition and markets both domestically and internationally. As a practical matter, the provision of economic advice to the FTC and to the legal staff has required that the economists wear “two hats,” helping the legal staff investigate cases and provide evidence to support law enforcement cases while also providing advice to the legal bureaus and to the Commission on which cases to pursue (thus providing “a second set of eyes” to evaluate cases). There is sometimes a tension in those functions because building a case is not the same as evaluating a case. Economists and the Bureau of Economics have provided such services to the FTC for over 100 years proving that a sub-organization can survive while playing roles that sometimes conflict. Such a life is not, however, always easy or fun.
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This paper discusses the technical issues associated with the acquisition, placement, and folding of fabric materials with mechatronic devices and machines. Earlier work in this…
Abstract
This paper discusses the technical issues associated with the acquisition, placement, and folding of fabric materials with mechatronic devices and machines. Earlier work in this area considered the acquisition of fabrics from a stack of materials. Numerous techniques were evaluated and suggested as a satisfactory way to provide “pick and placement” of such materials for various automated processes. Several end‐effector devices were developed which used “pinching and stretching” and “multiple roller” approach for handling, placing, and smoothing fabrics on a flat surface. Fabric wrinkles were detected using a feedback laser sensor to assist in the placement and positioning of fabrics. Later work focused on the positioning of fabrics that required issues of alignment, placement and folding for a variety of fabric operations. A two‐dimensional process considered precise placement, laying down, and then folding of a fabric material to have matched ends using a robot manipulator using visual feedback sensing. Additionally, three‐dimensional diagonal folding of fabric was considered based on knowledge developed from the two‐dimensional case. Work was also conducted to mathematically model and measure deformations of limp fabrics and how wrinkling influenced the process of fabric smoothing, alignment, and folding. The results of this work showed that different fabric types (lighter versus heavier) have different sensitivities and hysteritic effects with respect to wrinkling, smoothing, alignment, and folding.
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Buildings, which account for approximately half of all annual energy and greenhouse gas emissions, are an important target area for any strategy addressing climate change. Whilst…
Abstract
Purpose
Buildings, which account for approximately half of all annual energy and greenhouse gas emissions, are an important target area for any strategy addressing climate change. Whilst new commercial buildings increasingly address sustainability considerations, incorporating green technology in the refurbishment process of older buildings presents many technical, financial and social challenges. This paper aims to explore the social dimension, focusing on the perspectives of commercial office building tenants.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with seven residents and neighbours of the case‐study building undergoing green refurbishment in Melbourne, Australia. Responses were analysed using a thematic approach, identifying categories, themes and patterns.
Findings
Commercial property tenants are on a journey to sustainability. Tenants are interested and willing to engage in discussions about sustainability initiatives, but the process, costs and benefits need to be clear.
Research limitations/implications
The findings, while limited by non‐random sampling and small sample size, highlight that the commercial property market is interested in learning about sustainability in the built environment.
Practical implications
The findings highlight the importance of developing a strong business case and transition plan for sustainability in commercial buildings. As sustainable buildings become mainstream, tenants predicted the emergence of a “non‐sustainability discount” for residing in buildings without sustainable features.
Originality/value
This research offers a beginning point for understanding the difficulty of integrating green technology in older commercial buildings. Tenants currently have limited understandings of technology and potential building performance outcomes, which ultimately could impede the implementation of sustainable initiatives in older buildings.