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Through the realization of research, development and innovation projects, several technological advances in society were possible, provided by the generation and application of knowledge in systematized way. These projects are generally materialized in specialized institutions in the development of high-level scientific solutions aimed at increasing intellectual and material corporate, governmental or social power. Within organizations, in view of the current increasingly globalized competitiveness, the decision-making process is fundamental. In this perspective of search for continuous improvement, it is essential the vision of the future by managers and researchers as well as the industry, so that they work integrated and articulated. In addition, governments and companies have suffered from political and economic crises that, with the use of techniques such as structural analysis and strategic prospecting, would be possible to be premeditated and better managed. Therefore, this dissertation project proposes an approach to scenario exploration for the Institute for Smart Grids at Federal University of Santa Maria, which carries out research, development and innovation activities. This research is based on a bibliographical and documentary review on the characteristics of the sector, competitive intelligence and scenario exploration. This work listed a set of 54 variables of impact in the system studied, identified nine key variables to receive priority attention and the 10 groups of actors that command them. Through the identification of the objectives of these actors, a structure of power relations has been demonstrated that can be taken into account in the creation of present and future scenarios. This dissertation compiles several strategic aspects and how this information can be visualized to enhance the understanding of the research, development and innovation environment for the Institute for Smart Grids. ; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES ; Através da realização de ...

Eucalyptus is the main fast-growing tree for biomass production in the tropics, providing resources for pulp and paper industries and bioenergy. The potential productivity of forest sites over an eight-year rotation in Brazil was evaluated by the Physiological Principles in Predicting Growth (3-PG) model for two soils, Acrisols and Arenosols, with high and low water storage, respectively, and distinct productive potential capacity. The model was parameterized by data-sets obtained in bimonthly forest inventories performed in stands with 33, 58 and 89 months-old trees, and edaphic surveys. The average volumetric productivity of wood and biomass of the main stem determined at the 89 months-old stand was 374 m3 ha−1 (177 Mg ha−1) for Acrisols and 272.3 m3 ha−1 (130.0 Mg ha−1) for Arenosols. The estimated volumetric production in the Arenosols had a high mean annual increment up to the age of 58 months, with a significant reduction in growth rates after this time. In Acrisols, high incremental rates in wood volume up to age of 89 months (MAIVW > 50 m3 ha−1 year−1) indicate that, under ideal soil conditions, the cutting cycle may exceed 8 years with no productivity impairment. The parameterized model matched well for forest yield (r2 > 0.9) and dendrometric variables (r2 > 0.78). The expected results of lower productivity in Arenosols occurred only after 58 months, while for Acrisols productivity remained high up to 89 months. The results showed the eucalyptus cycle should be shorter in Arenosols, since the lower cutting cycle can provide higher final productivity, when using the mean annual increment to evaluate productivity.

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The TOBUS software has been developed to facilitate the implementation of the TOBUS building diagnosis and decision-making method for retrofit studies. This user-friendly software runs under the Windows® operating system and includes several modules, each of which addresses a particular aspect of the diagnosis including: building description, dimensions, cost coefficients, building diagnosis of current physical state and functional obsolescence, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), energy use, elaboration of retrofit scenarios, cost analysis, reporting results. The software also includes comprehensive databases on the physical state of degradation, including hundreds of illustrations, retrofit work details, cost, etc.

This work evaluates, for the first time, the possibility of producing multifunctional alkali-activated composites combining ultra-low density, low thermal conductivity, high acoustic absorption, and good moisture buffering capacity. The composites were prepared using cork as a lightweight aggregate. This novel material might promote energy savings and tackle the CO2 emissions of the building sector, while simultaneously improve the comfort for inhabitants (e.g. humidity levels regulation and sound pollution reduction). The composites apparent density (as low as 168 kg/m3) and thermal conductivity (as low as 68 mW/m K) are amongst the lowest ever reported for alkali-activated materials (AAM) composites and foams, while their sound absorption ability is comparable to the best performing AAM foams reported to date, but in addition these eco-friendly composites also show good ability to passively adjust the humidity levels inside buildings. The multifunctional properties shown by the cork – AAM composites set them apart from other conventional building materials and might contribute to the global sustainability of the construction sector. Peer Reviewed

AbstractWith the net zero energy balance for heating, domestic hot water, ventilation and auxiliary energy, the Swiss MINERGIE-A Standard is a major step towards standardized, economically feasible net zero energy buildings. Not only the zero energy balance but also the requirement for limited embodied energy is a new challenge for architects and designers. In the two years since the launching of the Standard and the writing of this paper, approx. 240 buildings have been certified or pre certified. The new standard is widely accepted and its challenges are appreciated in the building sector. A cross analysis shows that a wide range of different energy concepts and embodied energy strategies are possible in the scope of the Standard. The wide variety of options is one of the main findings of the rollout of this new zero-balanced standard.

Photosynthetic chromatophore vesicles found in some purple bacteria constitute one of the simplest light-harvesting systems in nature. The overall architecture of chromatophore vesicles and the structural integration of vesicle function remain poorly understood despite structural information being available on individual constituent proteins. An all-atom structural model for an entire chromatophore vesicle is presented, which improves upon earlier models by taking into account the stoichiometry of core and antenna complexes determined by the absorption spectrum of intact vesicles in Rhodobacter sphaeroides, as well as the well-established curvature-inducing properties of the dimeric core complex. The absorption spectrum of low-light-adapted vesicles is shown to correspond to a light-harvesting-complex 2 to reaction center ratio of 3:1. A structural model for a vesicle consistent with this stoichiometry is developed and used in the computation of excitonic properties. Considered also is the packing density of antenna and core complexes that is high enough for efficient energy transfer and low enough for quinone diffusion from reaction centers to cytochrome bc(1) complexes.

二重管型輻射加熱バーナの外管内に球形粒子を充填して, 燃焼ガスによりその粒子を流動化させ, 燃焼および粒子流動が継続するバーナを開発した.このバーナ管部の伝熱機構を解析し, 外管への伝熱特性および内管-外管間の伝熱機構を調べた.この結果, 外管内の流動層有無比較から流動層を設けた時は外管温度分布の均一化および外管への伝熱量増加に役立つことを確認した.また, 内管-外管間の流動層有無における熱移動量比較から, 流動層を設けた時の外管温度分布は, 流動層軸方向温度分布が大きく影響し, この流動層温度分布が良いため外管温度分布の均一化が図られるのに対して, 流動層を設けない時の外管温度分布は, 内管温度分布が影響することを確認した.このことから, 二重管型輻射加熱バーナに流動層を設けることによる伝熱上の特長は, 外管軸方向温度分布の均一化および外管への伝熱量促進であることが明らかになった.