Environmental & Physical Sciences

Environmental & Physical Sciences Research Papers/Topics

Assessment of Factors Influencing Variation in Rental Value of Residential and Commercial properties in Birnin Kebbi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.0           Background to the Study  Shelter is a basic necessity in life. An individual can satisfy this need by either occupying his own (owner’s occupier) property or renting another person’s property. In our traditional society, the need for shelter is mainly met through the first alternative that is owner occupation (Jiboye 2006). With the emergency of urban centers’, the situation has changed. Many people are no longer about to own property...

Energy Service Companies as a Component of a Comprehensive University Sustainability Strategy

The sustainability deficit observed in modern universities is not necessary to fulfill the education, research, or administrative functions of the university system, because a vast quantity of natural resources are currently wasted. The current waste thus provides a large number of opportunities to improve environmental stewardship while reducing operating costs. Guaranteed energy savings programs (GESPs), which utilize the technical and financial expertise of energy service companies (ESCOs)...

Estimating Potential Photovoltaic Yield with r.sun and the Open Source Geographical Resources Analysis Support System

The package r.sun within the open source Geographical Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS) can be used to compute insolation including temporal and spatial variation of albedo and solar photovoltaic yield. A complete algorithm is presented covering the steps of data acquisition and preprocessing to post simulation whereby candidate lands for incoming solar farms projects are identified. The optimal resolution to acquire reliable solar energy outputs to be integrated into PV system design...

Peer-to-Peer Financing Mechanisms to Accelerate Renewable Energy Deployment

Despite the clear need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lack of access to capital and appropriate financing mechanisms has limited the deployment of renewable energy technologies (RETs). Feed-in Tariff (FIT) programs have been used successfully in many countries to make RETs more economically feasible. Unfortunately, the large capital costs of RETs can result in both the slow uptake of FIT programs and incomplete capture of deployment potential. Subsidies are concentrated in financial inst...

Limitations of Nuclear Power as a Sustainable Energy Source

This paper provides a review and analysis of the challenges that nuclear power must overcome in order to be considered sustainable. The results make it clear that not only do innovative technical solutions need to be generated for the fundamental inherent environmental burdens of nuclear energy technology, but the nuclear industry must also address difficult issues of equity both in the present and for future generations. The results show that if the concept of just sustainability is applied ...

Design of Post-Consumer Modification of Standard Solar Modules to Form Large-Area Building- Integrated Photovoltaic Roof Slates

Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems have improved aesthetics but generally cost far more than conventional PV systems because of small manufacturing scale. Thus, in the short and medium term, there is a need for a BIPV mounting system that utilizes conventional modules. Such a design is provided here with a novel modification of conventional photovoltaic (PV) modules to allow them to act as BIPV roofing slates. The open-source designs for the mechanical components necessary to pro...

A GIS Application for Location Selection and Customers' Preferences for Shopping Malls in Al Ain City; UAE

 Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are used today at several planning applications and taking advantage of information technology, this system enable the handling of both spatial and non-spatial data for constructing thematic maps describing a variety of information relating to economic activities. Current research examined the potential of suitable location as well as to study customers' preferences for shopping malls in the area. In this study, evaluation of data concerning the suitab...

Urban Development: Mapping Social Impact Assessment among Educators of Al Ain City

 This study investigates the level of social welfare services offered in Al-Ain, by gauging how satisfied educators are with the quality and quantity of services offered and its current distribution. This study employs a descriptive survey approach in collecting data from 120 respondents using stratified random sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires, directed to the respondent. Primary data was collected from the key informant through interview among educators, while secondary dat...

ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACT OF SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL AT MANGWANENI DUMPSITE IN MANZINI: SWAZILAND

Solid waste disposal sites are found on the outskirts of the urban areas, turning into the child sources of contamination due to the incubation and proliferation of flies, mosquitoes, and rodents; that, in turn, are disease transmitters that affect population’s health, which has its organic defenses in a formative and creative state. What to do with solid waste has long troubled governments, industries, and individuals.    Therefore, this study was design to determine the effects of the d...

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE INCREASE IN INCIDENCE OF MALARIA CASES IN THE DVOKOLWAKO AREA OF SWAZILAND (FROM 1990-2004)

ABSTRACT  The study examines the factors that account for the increase in malaria cases in Dvokolwako  area (Swaziland), which in the past was generally malaria free. The two main aspects  examined in the study area are climate change patterns and sugar cane cultivation under  irrigation. Climatic data of the area was obtained from the Mbabane National Meteorological  Service, whilst retrospective inpatient malaria data was obtained from Dvokolwako and  Mliba clinics. Data on sugar can...

ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE PLAYED BY FEMALE HEADED HOUSEHOLDS IN AGRICULTURAL PERFORMANCE IN NKWENE, SWAZILAND

Women’s unequal participation in farm organizations, restrictions on women’s ownership as well as control of resources and unjust legislation give female-headed households to face many problems that their male counterparts do not The problems that plague Nkwene female headed households farmers have been identified as issues related to the economic system, declining rural communities and environmental degradation. Therefore this study was design to examine the role played by female-headed ...

The State of Food Security in Manzini Swaziland

The findings on urban food security in Manzini reported in this paper are based on data from the 2008–2009 AFSUN Urban Food Security Household Survey. We wish to thank the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for funding the study through the UPCD Tier One Program, the eight geography students at the University of Swaziland who administered the survey, the Deputy Prime Minister of Swaziland and his office, and the Ministers of Housing and Urban Development, Education, and Agricu...

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE INCREASE IN INCIDENCE OF MALARIA CASES IN THE DVOKOLWAKO AREA OF SWAZILAND FROM 1990-2004

The study examines the factors that account for the increase in malaria cases in Dvokolwako area (Swaziland), which in the past was generally malaria free. The two main aspects examined in the study area are climate change patterns and sugar cane cultivation under irrigation. Climatic data of the area was obtained from the Mbabane National Meteorological Service, whilst retrospective inpatient malaria data was obtained from Dvokolwako and Mliba clinics. Data on sugar cane growing was collecte...

THE EFFECTS OF DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES ON THE OCCURRENCE OF FLOODS IN THE MBABANECITY SWAZILAND

:Urbanization and expansion of structural developments within the urban area of Mbabane are challenges that require a rapid response in terms of flood-damage mitigation measures. There have been several cases of flash floods in Mbabane mostly resulting from heavy downpour and a poor drainage system, thus causing in loss of property and goods. In this study, the effects of development activities on the occurrence of floods in Mbabane City were investigated using two set of orthophotomaps one f...

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY INVESTMENT AND ITS ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS (A CASE STUDY OF AMORITES ESTATE, OSOGBO).

This dissertation is model that examine residential property investment in Osun State and its associated problems. The main objective of the dissertation is to examine the means of satisfying additional housing unit requirement in Osun State, particularly Osogbo. The methodology that was adopted or employed in gathering information was the questionnaire method, through which necessary information were collected. This project work was based on the residential property investment in Osun Sate w...


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