Solar passive buildings for developing countries

Seismic-Proof Buildings in Developing Countries

The use of “ductile seismic frames,” whose proper seismic behavior largely depends upon construction details and specific design rules, may do not always lead to effective seismic resistant structures, as dramatically denounced by the famous Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in his artwork Straight. The artwork (96 t of undulating metal bars that were salvaged from schools destroyed by the 2008 Sichuan,...

Solar cookers in developing countries

Ferdinand Kroon In the 70ties deforestation in developing countries was mainly attributed to the use of firewood in domestic energy supply. In many developing countries the majority of the population cooks on firewood. In response, many (Western) organisations developed new technology like improved versions of traditional cook stoves, biogas plants and solar cookers. While in urban areas the co...

Developing drugs for developing countries.

Infectious and parasitic diseases create enormous health burdens, but because most of the people suffering from these diseases are poor, little is invested in developing treatments. We propose that developers of treatments for neglected diseases receive a "priority review voucher." The voucher could save an average of one year of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review and be sold by the...

Integrated Design Process and Green Mark: An alliance for design of sustainable buildings in developing countries

In the present complex systems of construction industry which strives for achieving sustainability, integration of all building systems and agencies has become critical and essential. Integrated design process (IDP) is a method of realizing high performance buildings that contributes to sustainable communities. IDP is being extensively used in Canada and USA. Green building rating systems aimin...

Solar Heating in Commercial Buildings