Conference Papers

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Modelling nutrients flow for outdoor pig farms: effect of stochasticity
(1/01/2016) Morel, PCH; Morel, JP
This paper first briefly describes a nutrient partitioning model for outdoor pig farms. The model uses input parameters that are commonly available on outdoor pig farms. The mechanistic and dynamic model simulates both animal performances and nutrient losses to the environment based on dietary energy, protein, amino acid, and mineral intake, and digestibility. The model outputs are feed wastage, bird losses, faecal and urinary excretion for Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulphur, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium as well as Total Volatile Solids. A simulation study was conducted to compare total farm Nitrogen excretions and losses obtained by a deterministic model (one average sow; N=1) or a stochastic model (a population of sows; N= 400, 900 and 1400). For the stochastic model the coefficients of variation (CV) were set to 0%, 10% and 15%. Each combination n x CV was run 10 times. Variation was applied to litter size at birth and weaning, daily feed intake, and maximum protein deposition rate. The number of litters per sow and year was set to 2.0, 2.2 or 2.4 and the number of sows per ha was kept constant at 13.9. The results from the simulation study shows that overall, less of the N entering the farm as feed is lost to the environment when the number of litters per sow and year increases (79.5%, 77.5%, and 75.5% for 2, 2.2 and 2.4, respectively). The total amount of nitrogen lost to the environment was slightly higher with the deterministic than the stochastic models (+ 0.3 to 2.1 kg N /ha).
Infrasound and Low Frequency Noise Guidelines: Antiquated And Irrelevant for Protecting Populations
(The International Institute of Acoustics and Vibration, 1/01/2018) Alves Periera M; Krogh C; Bakker H; Summers S; Rapley B
Over the past two decades, the increasing and unregulated production of infra- sound and low frequency noise (ILFN, ≤200 Hz) has led to a considerable rise in associated noise complaints and health-related issues. The most recent of such ILFN sources are industrial wind turbines (IWT). Acoustical field-data was collected within a home located in the vicinity of IWT, to which the AUC Rule 012 and its requirements were applied. In Ontario, IWT noise complaints were gathered under the Freedom of Information legislation. Goal: To explore the usefulness of current noise control rules when protecting human populations against ILFN generated by IWT.
Effects of green retrofits: A case of industrial manufacturing buildings in Sri Lanka
(1/01/2019) Weerasinghe AS; Ramachandra T; Nawarathna A
The impact of built environment on the global warming, greenhouse gas emissions and natural resources depletion is staggering. Consequently, existing built environment will have very high responsibility in dealing with global issues, unless the rate of green retrofitting is amplified. Existing buildings are accountable for 39% of energy use and 35% carbon dioxide emissions, whereas, green retrofitting can achieve 40%-60% energy saving, which contributes 20%-30% carbon emission reduction. Nevertheless, the building owners are less willing to pay for retrofits due to high initial cost and identifying the most cost-effective retrofits for a particular project is still a major challenge. The current study therefore analyses the costs and saving implications of various green retrofits incorporated into an industrial manufacturing building in Sri Lanka. The study used mixed methods in data collection where professionals involved in green retrofits industrial manufacturing buildings were interviewed to identify the green retrofit technologies implemented and the reasons for selection of those green retrofits and subsequently a detailed costs and saving potential analysis of green retrofits incorporated in the selected green retrofit certified industrial manufacturing building was performed using Net Present Value and Simple Payback Period. The analyses show that the use of retrofits related to energy, indoor environmental quality and water are at a significant level in industrial manufacturing buildings in Sri Lanka. Moreover, the implemented retrofit projects indicate the financial viability of green retrofits with positive net present values and simple payback period of less than 5 years. Considering the lifetime financial returns of those retrofits, each indicates significant benefits compared to initial investment. Therefore, the success of these actual retrofit scenarios would enable to identify the most appropriate retrofits based on the potential expenses and returns involved, and thereby assist building investors to incorporate most feasible retrofits into their existing buildings.
Chronicle Workshops as Data Collection Method in Evaluation of National Work Environment Intervention
(1/01/2019) Olsen, K; Lidegaard, M; Legg, S
When evaluating national work environment initiatives, it is important to choose methods through which it is possible to gather necessary and relevant information in a time efficient way for researchers and involved organisations. This article evaluates the usefulness of chronicle workshops as a data collection method to help assess the effectiveness of national work environment initiatives aiming to create interventions in organisations. Chronicle Workshops were used as one of three methods in case studies evaluating a national guideline on moving and handling people. Chronicle workshops were found to be an efficient method to identify specific interventions, when they occurred, who had been instrumental in implementing them, what contextual factors had influenced the intervention and factors facilitating and hindering intervention. They lacked specificity on individual strategies and why these did or did not work. Thus Chronicle workshops are good at creating an overview of implementation efforts but need to be supplemented with other methods to gain more detailed information.
Evacuation Data from a Hospital Outpatient Drill The Case Study of North Shore Hospital
(Collective Dynamics, 1/01/2020) Rahouti, A; Lovreglio, R; Jackson, P; Sélim, D; Dederichs, A; Köster, G; Schadschneider, A
Assessing the fire safety of buildings is fundamental to reduce the impact of this threat on their occupants. Such an assessment can be done by combining existing models and existing knowledge on how occupants behave during fires. Although many studies have been carried out for several types of built environment, only few of those investigate healthcare facilities and hospitals. In this study, we present a new behavioural data-set for hospital evacuations. The data was collected from the North Shore Hospital in Auckland (NZ) during an unannounced drill carried out in May 2017. This drill was recorded using CCTV and those videos are analysed to generate new evacuation model inputs for hospital scenarios. We collected pre-movement times, exit choices and total evacuation times for each evacuee. Moreover, we estimated pre-movement time distributions for both staff members and patients. Finally, we qualitatively investigated the evacuee actions of patients and staff members to study their interaction during the drill. The results show that participants were often independent from staff actions with a majority able to make their own decision.
Application of green retrofit technology: A systematic review
(1/01/2020) Weerasinghe A; Ramachandra T; Rotimi JOB
Green retrofitting is a valuable approach for upgrading existing buildings towards sustainable performances. However, the lack of knowledge about the true cost effects and potential savings of green retrofits distracts building proprietors from paying those retrofits. Therefore, the current study reviewed fourteen studies available in the extant literature and identified twenty-eight different green retrofits incorporated into various buildings with their cost effects and saving potentials through a subsequent desktop study. The results indicated that the majority of green retrofits offer savings related to energy consumption, CO2 emissions, cooling load, and operating costs. Moreover, energy-saving lighting modifications are widely done in most buildings, while solar collectors, photovoltaics, and low-emission double glazing are used less often due to the long payback period and increased cost of implementation. Alternatively, the use of retrofits with lower costs and high savings, like BMS, lighting controllers, and boiler efficiency improvements, offsets the above setbacks. Furthermore, the highlighted retrofits include green roofing, bicycle parks, CO2 sensors, and air tightening retrofits, which also save energy. Rainwater harvesting absorbs carbon dioxide and runoff water, where implementing subsystem-level water meters, appliances with low flow rates, and greywater recycling save and recycle the portable water. Accordingly, the study promotes the effective implementation of green retrofits in future buildings.
I'd be surprised if you get anyone admitting to these things: New Zealand journalists' use of aggressive reporting practices
(1/01/2022) Hollings J
Aggressive reporting practices involving deception or intrusion have long been controversial, yet little is known about how often journalists use them, and why. This study of New Zealand journalists is the first since 2005 that has asked a representative national sample of journalists about their experience of these practices. Some practices were commonly used despite being highly controversial amongst journalists. The main predictors of use of these aggressive practices were a journalist’s role orientation, or goal in journalism, being influenced by journalism ethical norms and social influences, and to a lesser extent gender, attitude, and organisational factors such as working on a daily newspaper. The profile of a journalist who would use these practices is one with a clear belief in their journalism goal who is more influenced by journalism ethical norms and friends and family than media regulation, authority figures or organisational pressures such as editorial policy. This study gives further support to a risk model as an explanation for journalists’ use of these practices.
The wardrobe hack and uncatwalk digital platforms of action and services for positive engagement with clothing
(Textile and Design Lab and Colab at Auckland University of Technology, 1/02/2015) Whitty, JM; Joseph, F; Smith, M; Smitheram, M; Hamon, J
"The choices we make about what we wear are influenced by life present, lives past and our ideas about our future selves. Expressions of values ... build a rationale for dress that transcend narrow commercial views about fashion. Instead they give us broader perspectives that honour our reality as well as our aspirations; and connect our psyche with our fibre and fashion choices." (Fletcher, 2014) This research explores the emerging field of enriching the user experiences of people involved with fashion in the post-production sector and in the post-retail environment. This is an area in which historically the fashion industry has paid little attention. This research addresses the question, can designers create courses of actions or “services” using digital media that enable “users” of clothing to embrace the positive aspects of dress for a creative and satisfying experience of fashion? The research builds on Kate Fletcher’s work within the “Local Wisdom” international fashion research project, which provided a forum for critiquing the dominant logic of growth in a world of finite limits (Daly, 1992; Jackson, 2009) by applying design skills to offer user-initiated examples of resourceful practices (Manzini & Jegou, 2003). The projects “Wardrobe Hack” (2014), developed by researchers Whitty and McQuillan, and “Uncatwalk” (2014), developed by Whitty, explore the emerging field of enriching the fashion user experience by utilizing digital platforms for disseminating and extending this engagement. The Uncatwalk website provides a digital media interface for a democratic virtual global exchange of interactions involving fashion. The Wardrobe Hack site provides a service for empowering and sharing clothing user stories and systems. We currently have a situation in society where there is low participation with clothing, as clothes are disposed of rapidly. This research seeks to address this situation to create a better integration of clothing and meaning in our lives. It aims to get to the heart of the current issues in the fashion industry and propose positive alternative roles for designers and consumers. Ezio Manzini (1997) has long declared that sustainability is a societal journey, brought about by acquiring new awareness and perceptions. Guy Julier (2008) makes a case that design activism builds on what already exists. In keeping with this thinking, these research projects have been developed with direct participation from members of the public
Ageing in place: The retirement intentions of nurses in New Zealand aged 50 and above
(Victoria University Wellington, 1/03/2013) Walker, LA; Clendon, J
Aims: The aim of the Late Career Nurse research project was to determine the characteristics of nurses working in New Zealand who were born before 1960; their experiences in the workplace; their perceptions of their health and their retirement intentions. This paper reports on the retirement intentions of regulated nurses aged over 50 in the New Zealand workforce. Background: The mean ages of registered nurses in New Zealand has been rising steadily, and 40% are now aged fifty or over (Nursing Council New Zealand 2011) While there is a substantial international literature on the phenomenon and consequences of the ageing nursing workforce, it is unknown whether international experience will predict future nurse behaviour in New Zealand, or how this may impact on nursing workforce modelling or planning. Method: An anonymous on-line survey was emailed to eligible NZNO 1 nurse members over 50 years old in February and March 2012. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the 3273 responses received were undertaken. Results/findings: New Zealand nursing age demographics have been confirmed and reflected in the respondents to the survey. In concordance with the international literature, good health, access to flexible working options, safe staffing levels and choice of shifts were all very important to older nurses. Evidence of ageism and a bullying culture towards older nurses was reported. Better pay levels were particularly important to younger late career nurses (age 50-55). Specific to New Zealand, lack of retirement funds may delay retirement, and migration to Australia may exacerbate shortages and skill/experience deficits. Conclusions: The New Zealand nursing workforce will be vulnerable to skill and experience shortages if as indicated in this study, 57.2% of nurses aged over 50 retire within the next 10 years, and around 30% within the next 2-5 years. Adoption of measures to ensure better choice of shifts, and continued access to flexible or decreased hours is required, along with less physically demanding work options and roles that recognise and utilise the knowledge, skills and experience of older nurses. These measures have the potential to enable older nurses to continue to contribute for longer to the workforce, albeit on a more part time basis. Better pay, better rostering and safer staffing levels have the potential particularly to reduce the attrition seen in the early to late fifties, and these are urgently advocated. Longer term, access to better retirement planning and financial advice would decrease a considerable source of distress and reduce the numbers of older nurses for whom continuing to work despite ill health is not an option.
Faith-Based Social Entrepreneurship: Towards an Integrative Framework
(New Zealand Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research Centre, 1/03/2016) Borquist, B; de Bruin, AM; de Bruin, AM; Lewis, KV
Faith-based social entrepreneurship: Towards an integrative framework
(New Zealand Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research Centre, 1/03/2016) Borquist, B; de Bruin, AM; de Bruin, AM; Lewis, KV
The study of social entrepreneurship increasingly takes into consideration the multi-faceted context that generates and shapes it. Inspired and guided by the specific context of religion, faith-based organisations throughout history have been at the forefront of non-profit activities to address social challenges. This paper is motivated by the empirical observation that the activities and practices of faith-based organisations are changing in response to the contemporary context of social and environmental problems. It interrogates the prevailing discourse in the field in order to contribute toward an understanding of the complex phenomenon of faith-based social entrepreneurship. Identifying two distinct standpoints - “marketplace mission” and “integral mission” - the paper moves toward a conceptual framework that positions these two aspects with respect to social entrepreneurship. Faith-based social entrepreneurship is argued to be a synthesis that combines elements of commercial entrepreneurship, social action, and religious mission.
Indwelling Catheter Challenge (abstract only)
(Sigma Theta Tau International Honour Society of Nursing, 1/03/2018) Hernandez M
Self-incongruity and ideal congruity effects on luxury fashion brands
(1/05/2015) Kim, JE; Kim, J; Kim, JK
The silent influence of fashion mannequins on price and luxuriousness perception.
(1/05/2015) Kim, JE; Kim, A; Kim, JK
Measuring the spread patterns of spreaders under normal field conditions compared to test conditions
(Fertilizer and Lime Research Centre, 1/06/2016) Grafton MCE; Acebes DI; Yule IJ; Willis LA; Currie, L; Singh, R
Improving aerial topdressing in New Zealand through particle ballistics modelling and accuracy trials
(Fertilizer & Lime Research Centre Massey University, 1/06/2016) Chok, SE; Grafton, MCE; Yule, IJ; Currie, L; Singh, R
Fixed wing aircraft are utilised in New Zealand to apply dry bulk fertiliser on hill country farms. The fertiliser is most often applied manually as a blanket rate over the entire farm. Previous study indicates that this yields a field coefficient of variation (CV), which is the standard deviation over the mean application rate, of 63 – 70%. The CV decreased to 44% when the hopper door was automatically controlled using aircraft installed global positioning system (GPS) in lieu of manual intervention by the pilot. This is comparable to fertiliser application by fully GPS enabled truck spreaders. Spreadmark® specifies that the transverse overlap CV should be 15% for nitrogen-based fertilisers and 25% for all other products; however transverse overlap tested CV is considerably different to field CV. Variation in aerial topdressing is a barrier to achieving these CV. These variables include wind conditions, topography, aircraft speed and fertiliser properties. Ravensdown Limited is upgrading their topdressing aircraft fleet with differential rate application technology (DRAT), which uses the automated hopper door and GPS to apply various application rates over specified target areas within a farm. The advantage of this system is that fertiliser can be applied to these areas with the largest potential benefit in terms of increase pasture productivity and reduced environmental impact. Two trials utilising cone shaped collectors were carried out at coastal sheep and beef farms to determine the DRAT system’s accuracy when applying two application rates. Proof of release maps, which is deduced from aircraft recorded data, showed the system was able to vary rate. The CV ranged between 34% and 56%. The CV can be further improved by using a granular fertiliser ballistics model that predicts the transverse and longitudinal spread patterns based on wind conditions, fertiliser properties and aircraft operation. Validation data for this model was collected in validation trials for superphosphate, urea and di-ammonium phosphate. A validated model can provide guidelines on the optimum conditions and settings for aerial topdressing.
Real exchange rates and sectoral productivity in the Eurozone
(1/06/2018) Berka M; Devereux M; Engel C
We investigate the link between real exchange rates and sectoral total factor productivity measures for countries in the Eurozone. Real exchange rate patterns quite closely accord with an amended Balassa-Samuelson interpretation both in the cross-section and time series. We use a sticky price dynamic general equilibrium model to generate a cross-section and time series of real exchange rates that can be compared to the data. Under the assumption of a common currency, the model simulations closely accord with the empirical estimates for the Eurozone. Our findings contrast with previous studies that have found little relationship between productivity levels and the real exchange rate among high-income countries, but those studies have included country pairs which have a floating nominal exchange rate.
Caesarean Section Surgical Site Infection and Associated Personal Patient Risk Factors: An Integrative Review
(Sigma Theta Tau International Honour Society of Nursing, 1/06/2019) Hernandez M; Dela Cruz Regalo S
Post-operative caesarean section surgical site infection (SSI) are associated with various complications, cost, extended hospital stay and can negatively impact on the life of new mothers, their babies and their families (Berríos-Torres et al., 2017; Mangram et al.,1999). A substantial number of literature on the prevention of SSI addressing various risk factors identified in these phases exist globally. However, it is not known whether extensive high quality evidence on the association of personal patient risk factors to SSI development exist. Thus, an integrative review was conducted to critically evaluate published research material on caesarean section surgical site infection and associated personal patient risk factors and to provide nursing recommendations that relate to this area of practice. Forty-six peer-reviewed publications met the inclusion criteria for full-text review. Twenty out of the 46 studies scored highly on quality. These studies supported an association between caesarean section surgical site infection and at least one of the following identified risk factors - age, obesity, smoking and diabetes mellitus. However, only one of the researches studied cultural practices and its association with caesarean section SSI. In conclusion, evidence regarding the association of personal patient risk factors such as age, obesity, smoking and diabetes mellitus to caesarean section surgical site infection is inadequate. Even more scarce are studies that evaluate the association of cultural practices to caesarean section surgical site infection.
Evaluation of the use of UAV-derived Vegetation Indices and Environmental Variables for Grapevine Water Status Monitoring based on Machine Learning Algorithms and SHAP Analysis
(1/06/2022) Wei H-E; Grafton MC; Bretherton M; Irwin M; Sandoval E; Horne, D; Singh, R
Monitoring and management of grapevine water status (GWS) over the critical period between flowering and veraison plays a significant role in producing grapes of premium quality. The spatial and temporal variation of GWS, is conventionally characterized by using a pressure bomb. This is laborious and time-consuming, which limits the number of samples. Although unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can provide mapping across the entire vineyards efficiently, most commercial UAV-based multispectral sensors do not contain a shortwave infrared band which makes the monitoring of GWS problematic. As GWS is an integrated response to vegetation characteristics, temporal trends, weather conditions, and soil/terrain data, it is assumed that these ancillary variables have the potential to enhance the capability of UAVs for GWS monitoring. The goal of this study is to explore whether and which of these ancillary variables may improve the accuracy of GWS estimation using UAV, and provide insights into the contribution that each selected variable contributes to the variation in GWS. A UAV was flown over two Pinot Noir vineyards in New Zealand to generate aerial images with 4.3 cm resolution, and 18 vegetation indices (VIs) were computed for every sampled grapevine. The strongly correlated VIs were used as the core input for later GWS modeling. Ancillary data included soil/terrain, weather, and temporal variables. Slope and elevation were extracted from a digital elevation model, and apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) was obtained from an EM38 survey. A local weather station provided continuous air temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed, and irradiance data, which were computed as variables at weekly and daily intervals. Day of the year (DOY) was used to represent the temporal trend along the growing season. Three machine learning algorithms (elastic net, random forest regression, and support vector regression) were used to regress the predictors against stem water potential (Ψstem), measured by a pressure bomb and used as a proxy for GWS. Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis (a statistical tool that weighs the importance of each variable in a model) was used to assess the relationship between selected variables and Ψstem. The results show that Transformed Chlorophyll Absorption Reflectance Index (TCARI) and Excess Green Index (ExG) are the best correlated VIs, but their correlation with Ψstem is poor (rTCARI = 0.6; rExG = 0.58). The coefficient of determination (R2) of the TCARI-based model increased from 0.35 to 0.7 when DOY and elevation were included as ancillary inputs. R2 of the ExG-based model increased from 0.3 to 0.74 when DOY, elevation, slope, ECa, and daily average windspeed, were included as ancillary inputs. Support vector regression was the best model to describe the relationship between Ψstem and selected predictors. This study has provided proof of the concept of developing GWS estimation models that potentially enhance the monitoring capacities of UAVs for GWS, as well as provide individual GWS mapping at the vineyard scale. This may enable growers to improve irrigation management, leading to controlled vegetative growth and optimized berry quality.
The social innovation continuum: Towards addressing definitional ambiguity
(EMES-SOCENT, 1/07/2013) de Bruin AM; Stangl LM
From a social problem-solution springboard, this paper develops a framework to capture the breadth and fluidity of social innovation within the contemporary landscape of innovation. The social innovation continuum advanced in the paper reconciles incremental, institutional and disruptive social innovations that vary in their scalability and impact. A novel notion of hybrid innovation extends the mainstream perspective of social innovation, to encompass science and technology innovations that are predominantly profit driven but can have an enormous impact on solving specific social problems of global significance. Consideration is also given to how associated social entrepreneur and entrepreneurship and social enterprise frames fit in relation to the social innovation continuum. The flexible yet robust continuum framework is recommended as a route to overcome current definitional ambiguity as well as for extending the concept of social innovation.

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