Browsing by Subject "Environmental"
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Item An analysis of ways to maximize the efficiency of the NEPA environmental process at the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs(2010-05) Ramphul, Ryan Christian; Paterson, Robert G.; Mueller, Elizabeth J.In light of the substantial sums of money that the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) was awarded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, ways to maximize the efficiency of the agency’s various processes are highly sought after. The TDHCA environmental review process, which is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), is one of the longest processes that people applying for federal funding through TDHCA must face. It is, therefore, a process that would substantially benefit the agency by being made more efficient. In this report, areas where applicants find the TDHCA environmental process to be difficult are illustrated by a systematic tabulation of the deficiency reviews sent to a sample of applicants from 2009. Additionally, survey data collected from people who submit environmental applications, and also people who review environmental applications, provides quantitative data about specific areas of the process where applicants meet with difficulty; and also qualitative data about where survey-takers feel the process could be made easier and more efficient. The data seems to indicate that applicants have significant difficulty knowing how to start the environmental process, the documents necessary, and how to fill out the necessary documents. In terms of suggestions, the results indicate that a more elaborate, user-friendly environmental webpage, complete with examples of required documents, and examples of how to fill them out, would make the environmental process exponentially easier for applicants. With the process being easier for applicants, TDHCA Environmental Specialists will hopefully not need to send out as many deficiency reviews to applicants, and will instead be able to review applications faster and issue environmental clearance quicker; thus making the process more efficient.Item Development of sustainable transportation systems : lessons from Curitiba, Brazil(2010-12) Mata Otero, Jorge; Zhang, Ming, 1963 Apr. 22-; Butler, KentCuritiba’s Integrated Transportation Network (ITN), in Brazil, has been highly regarded as a model of sustainable transportation for several years. Since its inception, the system has not only been molded to address the three core dimensions of sustainability –environmental, social and economic- but has also successfully brought together the government, the private sector and the general public. The purpose of this study is to describe the case of Curitiba’s planning process and transportation system. More specifically, this report first examines the conditions that led to a system to be well-regarded as sustainable and then determines some lessons learned that can guide the implementation of similar systems in other cities.Item How do CO2 emissions vary with the business cycle? An empirical study(2011-05) Eichelberger, Nicole; Summers, Peter M.; Gilbert, Ronald D.; Hubbard, Timothy P.There are various explanations that may be attributed to an increased or decreased amount of carbon dioxide emissions during an economic downturn. My thesis aims to investigate how CO2 emissions vary with the business cycle by analyzing emissions from three major sources of energy in four different sectors of the economy. Specifically, I examine carbon dioxide emissions from energy consumption due to coal, natural gas, and petroleum in the residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation sectors of the U.S. economy. I present cross-correlations of 12 monthly leads and lags in each of the major sources of energy with respect to a coincident index of economic activity and I estimate a vector error correction model. Lastly, I illustrate and interpret various impulse response functions. My findings validate that CO2 emissions from residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation sources are procyclical.Item Sustainable aesthetics: perspectives from ecotourism design & Floating Bamboo Ecolodge in Halong Bay, Vietnam(2014-05) Pham, Tue Duc; Garrison, MichaelAmong all contemporary world's discourses that influence environmental design profession, sustainability appears to be a dominant and compelling narrative. The developing trajectory of sustainability in architecture seems to suggest an antinomy paradigm, a contradiction or inconsistency between two apparently reasonable principles or laws i.e. sustainability and aesthetics. As a result, emerging sustainable design requires an accompanying set of aesthetics which serve as design guidance and evaluation tool. Literature review of philosophy and designing profession realize three kinds of alternative aesthetics i.e. environmental, ecological, and performative aesthetics. The thesis argues that this alternative set of sustainable aesthetics provides a theoretical basis for the practical design of a built environment for eco-tourism. The thesis focuses on analyzing the implication of those aesthetics to sustainability in regards to design of ecolodges. Eco-tourism is one of the emerging pragmatic options of sustainable development and to consume ecotourism is to consume aesthetic experience. By reviewing and analyzing the case studies of ecolodge, this thesis provides the design features and strategies which are argued to integrate beauty and sustainability. The thesis also applies the findings to demonstrate the usefulness of aesthetic approach to sustainable design in one specific design proposal, Floating Bamboo Ecolodge in Halong Bay, Vietnam.