Using innovative theoretical concepts, this book develops a new approach to looking at dwelling and how we use it. Combining philosophical analysis and literary and film criticism, it puts forward an innovative and insightful new approach to looking at housing and explores issues of exclusion, isolation, anxiety, privacy and the relations between parent and child.

Between 1945 and 1981 the Canadian population doubled, while the number of dwellings more than tripled. John Miron shows how changes in demographic structure and housing affordability affected postwar household formation and housing demand. He argues that no single explanation adequately reflects the extent of the impact of the demographic trends and the economic changes.

This book presents a new approach to housing research, one that is relevant to all the social sciences. Housing research is diverse and operates across many disciplines, approaches and methods making collaboration difficult. This book outlines a methodological framework that enables researchers from many different fields to collaborate in solving complex and seemingly intractable housing problems. It shows how we can make progress in housing research and deliver better housing outcomes through an integrated approach. Drawing on the work of renowned Canadian methodologist, philosopher, theologian and economist, Bernard Lonergan (1904–1984), McNelis outlines a framework for collaborative research: Functional Collaboration. This new form of collaboration divides up the work of housing research into functional specialties. These distinguish eight inter-related questions that arise in the process of moving from the current housing situation through to providing practical advice to decision-makers. To answer each question a different method is required. Making progress in housing is the result of finding new answers to this complete set of eight inter-related questions. This approach to collaboration opens up a new discourse on method in housing and social research as well as new debates on progress and the nature of science.

An authoritative and comprehensive guide to managing energy conservation in infrastructures Energy Conservation in Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Facilities offers an essential guide to the business models and engineering design frameworks for the implementation of energy conservation in infrastructures. The presented models of both physical and technological systems can be applied to a wide range of structures such as homes, hotels, public facilities, industrial facilities, transportation, and water/energy supply systems. The authors—noted experts in the field—explore the key performance indicators that are used to evaluate energy conservation strategies and the energy supply scenarios as part of the design and operation of energy systems in infrastructures. The text is based on a systems approach that demonstrates the effective management of building energy knowledge and supports the simulation, evaluation, and optimization of several building energy conservation scenarios. In addition, the authors explore new methods of developing energy semantic network (ESN) superstructures, energy conservation optimization techniques, and risk-based life cycle assessments. This important text: Defines the most effective ways to model the infrastructure of physical and technological systems Includes information on the most widely used techniques in the validation and calibration of building energy simulation Offers a discussion of the sources, quantification, and reduction of uncertainty Presents a number of efficient energy conservation strategies in infrastructure systems, including HVAC, lighting, appliances, transportation, and industrial facilities Describes illustrative case studies to demonstrate the proposed energy conservation framework, practices, methods, engineering designs, control, and technologies Written for students studying energy conservation as well as engineers designing the next generation of buildings, Energy Conservation in Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Facilities offers a wide-ranging guide to the effective management of energy conservation in infrastructures.