Smithsonian Institution

Summary

The Smithsonian Institution (smɪθˈsoʊniən ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded on August 10, 1846, it operates as a trust instrumentality and is not formally a part of any of the three branches of the federal government. The institution is named after its founding donor, British scientist James Smithson. It was originally organized as the United States National Museum, but that name ceased to exist administratively in 1967. Called "the nation's attic" for its eclectic holdings of 154 million items, the institution's 19 museums, 21 libraries, nine research centers, and zoo include historical and architectural landmarks, mostly located in Washington, D.C. Additional facilities are located in Maryland, New York, and Virginia. More than 200 institutions and museums in 45 sta

Official source

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithsonian_Institution

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A New Generation of Thermal Energy Benchmarks for University Buildings

Kavan Javanroodi

In 2008, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE TM46 UC) presented an annual-fixed thermal energy benchmark of 240 kWh/m(2)/yr for university campus (UC) buildings as an attempt to reduce energy consumption in public buildings. However, the CIBSE TM46 UC benchmark fails to consider the difference between energy demand in warm and cold months, as the thermal performance of buildings largely depends on the ambient temperature. This paper presents a new generation of monthly thermal energy benchmarks (MTEBs) using two computational methods including mixed-use model and converter model, which consider the variations of thermal demand throughout a year. MTEBs were generated using five basic variables, including mixed activities in the typical college buildings, university campus revised benchmark (UCrb), typical operation of heating systems, activities impact, and heating degree days. The results showed that MTEBs vary from 24 kWh/m(2)/yr in January to one and nearly zero kWh/m(2)/yr in June and July, respectively. Based on the detailed assessments, a typical college building was defined in terms of the percentage of its component activities. Compared with the 100% estimation error of the TM46 UC benchmark, the maximum 21% error of the developed methodologies is a significant achievement. The R-squared value of 99% confirms the reliability of the new generation of benchmarks.

MDPI2020

ARS MEMORIAE / JE SUIS VU JE NE ME VOIS PAS

Antoine Vialle

De septembre 2012 à février 2013, à l’occasion du centenaire du Théâtre de la Comédie de Genève, 5 étudiants du master de mise en scène de la Haute École de Théâtre de Suisse romande ont été invités à proposer une série de formes théâtrales ayant pour sujet les 100 ans d’histoire de cette institution genevoise et pouvant se tenir en tous lieux de l’édifice, à l’exception de la scène et de la salle principale. Dans le contexte des liens particuliers que Genève entretiens avec le théâtre, les 5 étudiants furent confrontés au corps architectural de la Comédie, à son fonctionnement, aux traces du passé qui le marquent, ainsi qu’aux archives de l’institution, dont la vie artistique, sociale, politique, technique et économique a constitué une ressource dramaturgique considérable. Au cours du travail de création et en dialogue avec les étudiants en écriture dramatique de l’ENSATT (Lyon), à qui ils ont commandé une série de texte, puis proposé une forme d’écriture de plateau, les 5 étudiants metteurs en scènes ont interrogé les notions de célébration, de commémoration et de médiation, ainsi que le potentiel festif et subversif de la demande qui leur avait été adressée.

A•Type2013

Monitoring geomorphological changes due to debris flows in mountain rivers using UAV: exploiting similarities between Alpine and Andean regions.

Christophe Ancey, Tomás Alfredo Trewhela Palacios

Definition of proper methodologies for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to monitor debris flows will be done in two workshops: one in each participant institution. The objective is to do field demonstrations and measurements to exploit similarities between Alpine and Andean mountain regions. Results will involve digital elevation models of two mountain rivers to be used in further monitoring and modelling of actual debris flow events.

2018