Browsing by Author "Vishnupriya V"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    A wintertime thermal analysis of New Zealand Homestar certified apartments for older people
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2024-08-17) Ade R; Rehm M; Vishnupriya V
    The New Zealand Building Code mandates maintaining habitable spaces and bathrooms in elderly homes at a minimum internal temperature of 16°C with adequate ventilation. This study assesses the thermal wintertime performance of 40 subsidized apartments designed for older residents within a 7-Homestar certified building in Auckland. The building performs well, falling below the 16°C threshold only 5 per cent of the time across all units. However, inconsistencies exist, particularly on the top floor (Level 3), which is colder than other levels. This reveals a potential flaw in the typology approach of green certifications, like Homestar, where certifying a single dwelling within an apartment building does not guarantee uniform thermal performance across all units.
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    Closing the Loop: A Comprehensive Review of Circular Repurposing Options for Decommissioned Wind Turbine Blade Materials
    (Ubiquity Press, 2024-08-14) Vishnupriya V; Meldrum J; Kahandawa R; Domingo N; Shahzad W; Shen X
    Growing global concern about how to dispose of wind turbine blades has sparked an investigation into more sustainable alternatives. This research delves into finding eco-friendly solutions for managing the waste generated by wind turbine blades, specifically by exploring options for repurposing them. To put this into action, this study has focused on a New Zealand wind farm with 196 wind turbine blades at the end of its life cycle. Through a thorough review of documents, 60 potential ways were identified to repurposing these blades. Options falling under the downcycling category were excluded, thus narrowing down to 45 promising solutions to repurpose. Futher 7 practically applied global solutions are identified. Implementing these repurposing solutions would divert 331 tonnes of waste material from landfills from the New Zealand Wind Farm. This study is significant because it highlights the potential for a circular and sustainable approach and provides an example of how wind turbine blade waste can be diverted from landfill. The findings of this study contribute to practical insights and support initiatives across New Zealand to encourage the adoption of wind turbine blade repurposing. This, in turn, will foster environmentally conscious waste management practices within the renewable energy sector and promote a more sustainable future.
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    Lean and BIM Implementation Barriers in New Zealand Construction Practice
    (MDPI AG, 2022) Likita AJ; Jelodar MB; Vishnupriya V; Rotimi JOB; Vilasini N
    The construction sector is lagging behind other industries in terms of efficiency and value achievement. Several building sector initiatives are introduced to improve productivity and project value enhancement. Significant developments such as Lean principles and BIM tools have been applied in the construction sector to achieve efficiency and enhanced productivity while minimizing waste. Lean principles in construction practice are a developing research area, and BIM tools have been widely used in construction project delivery and communications. Although these concepts are beneficial, barriers to their integration and joint implementation have not previously been explored. The paper investigates barriers to implementing Lean and BIM and their interrelationships in the New Zealand construction industry. A three-step triangulation methodology was used in the study to validate the findings. The study used an extensive literature review process, case studies, and expert interviews to consolidate the findings. Barriers to Lean and BIM implementation in construction practice were identified, which include strong cultural resistance, lack of Lean-BIM understanding, resistance to change, lack of knowledge of the Lean-BIM method, and lack of support from senior staff in New Zealand organizations. The effect of implementing Lean-BIM principles is discussed, as are recommendations for implementing the method in construction practice.
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    Net-Zero Energy Campuses in India: Blending Education and Governance for Sustainable and Just Transition
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-12-21) Kalluri B; Vishnupriya V; Arjunan P; Dhariwal J; Wang Z; Zhang W; Wu W
    This study addresses the urgent need for comprehensive climate education amid a climate emergency. Human (energy) behaviors are developed from childhood and early adulthood. This study hypothesizes that transcending a nation’s net-zero energy ambition can be accomplished through experiential education. An Urban Governance Lab plus nEt-Zero Energy league model is introduced. Various behavioral interventions are designed based on the principles of serious games. Discussions provide rich narratives on how a nation with so many diverse communities can forge a rapid net-zero transition. The blended multi-disciplinary STEM education can drive energy citizenship in campus-like communities. A scenarios-based analysis demonstrating the potential of the proposed model in shaping energy behavior in young citizens leading to net zero is presented. The results from the scenario analysis present optimistic evidence underlining how campus-like communities driven by bottom-up initiatives can realize net-zero ambition beyond hope.