This study explores the impacts of COVID-19 on household energy use. Some of these impacts are associated with longer-term energy demand changes and some could just be temporary. The study intends to ...present the results of a small pilot study conducted in China, by addressing household energy use. The samples are from 352 households and particularly focus on primary energy use in three periods of pre-pandemic (and pre-lockdown), start of COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown, and post lockdown. Each period is identified as a timeframe of 2.5 months, from November 2019 to late June 2020. The samples of this study highlight the primary implications of energy use, some that are understood as interim changes and some that may appear to be more prolonged. The results from the study highlight a variety of impacts on household energy use as well as prolonged impacts on transportation use. The primary household energy use are assessed in six fundamental elements of (1) transportation for commuting and leisure (for both private and public modes), (2) cooking, (3) entertainment, (4) heating and cooling, (5) lighting, and (6) the others. The results are summarized in three sections focused on major impacts on transportation use (comparison between private and public modes), cooking and entertainment, heating/cooling and lighting. The results could provide early suggestions for cities/regions that are experiencing longer lockdown. Furthermore, this study provides insights for larger-scale research in assessing household energy use/demand during times of health emergency and crises, such as the event of a pandemic.
Social science; COVID-19; Household energy; Energy use; Energy demand; Implications; Patterns.
This study explores potential development and paradigm shifts in two main sectors of construction and the built environment due to COVID-19. These development changes are discussed based on evidence ...from previous pandemics, current and expected impacts on both industries, and how they are likely to shape the next policy, practices, and perspectives. By assessing the primary areas of both sectors through an expert-led analysis, this study suggests 10 potential development changes that we could expect in the post-COVID time. These potential changes are discussed as possible new practices, empowered regulations, or adaptive measures; and eventually towards paradigm shifts. A total of 50 participants contributed to the selection, identification, and assessment of these potential changes. The findings from this study feed into the assessment of ongoing and forthcoming changes as a result of the current pandemic, specifically on two sectors of "construction" and "the built environment". These will include paradigm shifts in architecture practices, civil engineering practices, project management, and urbanism. Some of the suggestions in this study may harness shared practices, and some may simply develop into new forms of development practices in both sectors.
Health evaluation of the indoor environment is an important part of the housing study. During the recent COVID-19 lockdown and the increase of longer indoor stays pose a measured threat to general ...health conditions of residents, especially those that live in more compact and populated living environments. For health-oriented studies that focus on the analysis of indoor environments, many variables should be taken into consideration that could also help to optimize natural lighting, natural airflow, better privacy, less noise from neighboring housing units/buildings, etc. Hence, this study focuses on satisfaction analysis of both general comfort and indoor thermal comfort. By evaluating these, we are able to shed light on inequalities that exist across a large body of 10 housing typologies in the UK. The sample-based satisfaction analysis is representative to indicate the correlations between multiple factors, and specifically those that could have negative impacts on the living indoor environments and human health. The findings of this study suggest that based on the collected data, there is a definite link between dissatisfaction rates and the implications of the housing conditions. Under the circumstances of the lockdown period, the study's findings could help to find solutions for better indoor environment design, upgraded standards, and pathways for new policy guidelines. A discussion on correlation analysis highlights the issues that are important for the study of housing and health.
This paper addresses the role of low carbon transition in town planning. This study aims to fill a major research gap by exploring the topic of low carbon planning at the township level. This study ...is conducted through case study research in China. This study addresses two main stages of 'target plan' and 'pre-masterplan', which then feeds into a feasibility study comprised of five steps: (1) indicative analysis of CO
2
emissions; (2) computational assessment of pollution dispersion; (3) development of a feasible phasing plan for low-carbon development implementation; (4) proposal for low carbon indicator system at the township level; and (5) detailed low carbon development plan. The findings include a dual carbon management plan and a breakdown of strategies, which are novel at the township level. The results contribute to the development of low-carbon town planning with the consideration of environmental pollutants and sustainable energy planning at the township level.
Since 1990s, many building sustainability assessment tools were developed and implemented in different parts of the world. Encouraged by the considerable success of these tools in promoting ...sustainability principles and practices, a movement to upscale building-centered assessment methods by focusing on the neighborhood scale was born in the subsequent decade. This movement has evolved considerably over the past two decades, and there are now many tools for neighborhood sustainability assessment. Also, during this period a large body of literature on neighborhood sustainability assessment tools has been published. In this study we seek to identify and categorize successes regarding the development and implementation of these tools through a systematic review of the literature. Based on evidence reported on 40 tools from different parts of the world, we identified two major success categories, namely, structural, and procedural. Tool improvement over time, provision of measurable indicators for assessment, and recognition of context-specific issues through developing some local tools are major structural successes. Also, major successes related to procedures are the promotion of sustainable design, improvements in environmental performance (e.g., reduced travel demand and sprawl control), and usefulness for identifying priority development locations. One major issue is that reported evidence is mainly related to some prominent tools, namely Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND), Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method for Communities (BREEAM Communities), Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency for Urban Development (CASBEE-UD), and Green Star Communities. Further research on other existing tools is needed to gain a better understanding of the successes. Overall, this study demonstrates that neighborhood sustainability assessment tools have great potential in contributing to the transition towards sustainable urban development.
•Many tools exist for neighborhood sustainability assessment.•Evidence related to 40 neighborhood sustainability assessment tools is collected.•Successes regarding development and implementation of the tools are identified.•Successes are divided into two major categories, namely, structural and procedural.•Assessment tools have achieved substantial success in promoting urban sustainability.
Currently little is known about how institutional arrangements co-evolve with urban experimentation. This paper mobilizes neo-institutional literature and recent urban experimentation literature as a ...framework to explore how and why institutional arrangements differ across urban contexts. Empirically the paper focusses on smart city initiatives in Amsterdam, Hamburg and Ningbo. These three cities are frontrunners in adopting a comprehensive smart city agenda, but they do so in different ways. The paper examines regulative, normative and cognitive elements of institutional arrangements, explores how they shape experimentation, and reflects on their place-based specificities. The comparative analysis suggests that the focus of, and approach to, experimentation can be understood as resting in a (possibly unique) combination of strategic agency and dynamics at multiple spatial scales.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
BFBNIB, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
During global pandemics, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), crisis communication is indispensable in dispelling fears, uncertainty, and unifying individuals worldwide in a collective fight ...against health threats. Inadequate crisis communication can bring dire personal and economic consequences. Mounting research shows that seemingly endless newsfeeds related to COVID-19 infection and death rates could considerably increase the risk of mental health problems. Unfortunately, media reports that include infodemics regarding the influence of COVID-19 on mental health may be a source of the adverse psychological effects on individuals. Owing partially to insufficient crisis communication practices, media and news organizations across the globe have played minimal roles in battling COVID-19 infodemics. Common refrains include raging QAnon conspiracies, a false and misleading "Chinese virus" narrative, and the use of disinfectants to "cure" COVID-19. With the potential to deteriorate mental health, infodemics fueled by a kaleidoscopic range of misinformation can be dangerous. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of research on how to improve crisis communication across media and news organization channels. This paper identifies ways that legacy media reports on COVID-19 and how social media-based infodemics can result in mental health concerns. This paper discusses possible crisis communication solutions that media and news organizations can adopt to mitigate the negative influences of COVID-19 related news on mental health. Emphasizing the need for global media entities to forge a fact-based, person-centered, and collaborative response to COVID-19 reporting, this paper encourages media resources to focus on the core issue of how to slow or stop COVID-19 transmission effectively.
Mind the "Vaccine Fatigue" Su, Zhaohui; Cheshmehzangi, Ali; McDonnell, Dean ...
Frontiers in immunology,
03/2022, Letnik:
13
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Omicron scares and speculations are gaining momentum. Amid the nonstop debates and discussions about COVID-19 vaccines, the "vaccine fatigue" phenomenon may become more prevalent. However, to date, ...no research has systematically examined factors that shape people's vaccine fatigue. To bridge the research gap, this study aims to investigate the antecedents that cause or catalyze people's vaccine fatigue.
A narrative literature review was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO to identify factors that shape people's vaccine fatigue. The search was completed on December 6, 2021, with a focus on scholarly literature published in English.
A total of 37 articles were reviewed and analyzed. Vaccine fatigue was most frequently discussed in the context of infectious diseases in general at the pre-vaccination stage. Vaccine fatigue has been identified in the general public, the parents, and the doctors. Overall, a wide range of antecedents to vaccine fatigue has been identified, ranging from the frequency of immunization demands, vaccine side effects, misconceptions about the severity of the diseases and the need for vaccination, to lack of trust in the government and the media.
Vaccine fatigue is people's inertia or inaction towards vaccine information or instruction due to perceived burden and burnout. Our study found that while some contributors to vaccine fatigue are rooted in limitations of vaccine sciences and therefore can hardly be avoided, effective and empathetic vaccine communications hold great promise in eliminating preventable vaccine fatigue across sectors in society.
In addition to worry, the accumulated unknowns and uncertainties about COVID-19 may also result in “worry fatigue” that could harm the public’s vigilance towards the pandemic and their adherence to ...preventive measures. Worry could be understood as future-oriented concerns and challenges that could result in negative outcomes, whereas worry fatigue is the feeling of extreme burden and burnout associated with too much worry unsolved. As the world embraces its second COVID-19 winter, along with the pandemic-compromised holiday season, the Omicron variant has been declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organization. However, the fluid and unpredictable nature of COVID-19 variants dictates that, instead of definitive answers that could ease people’s worry about Omicron, dividing debates and distracting discussions that could further exacerbate people’s worry fatigue might be the norm in the coming months. This means that, amid the ever-changing public health guidance, the forever-breaking news reports, and the always-debatable media analyses, government and health officials need to be more invested in addressing people’s potential worry and worry fatigue about the pandemic, to ensure the public’s rigorous cooperation and compliance with safety measures.
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