Search results

The purpose of this paper is to suggest the usage of the project finance (PF) scheme as a suitable mechanism to fund energy efficiency projects at the urban scale and present its advantages and adoption barriers.

A case study is developed to renew the traffic lighting system of an Italian town via replacement of the old lamps with new light-emitting diode (LED) technology. Several partners are involved in the case project to construct a viable PF arrangement.

The case study presents the viability of the proposed PF scheme that provides for acceptable financial returns and bankability. However, it also shows that the need for short concession periods may call for a public contribution to the initial funding to make the project more attractive to private investors.

This case study is a useful guideline for governments and promoters to using the PF arrangement to fund energy efficiency investments in urban settings. It helps designing an appropriate PF scheme and understanding the advantages of PF to reduce risk and, consequently, increase the debt leverage and profitability of energy efficiency projects.

This paper contributes to bridging the gap about the lack of works addressing the implementation of the PF mechanism in the energy efficiency sector in urban areas. The importance of this paper is also associated with the shortage of traditional public finance faced by many cities that forces to seek for alternate forms of financing.

BEC Group Limited is replacing a mixture of existing manufacturing systems at aircraft manufacturer Avro International with an integrated 400‐user system, based on BEC's manufacturing total management system (MTMS) package. Avro, a subsidiary of British Aerospace Regional Aircraft Limited, estimates that the deal, which is valued at £475,000, will cut the annual cost of manufacturing computer systems by 80 per cent and achieve a payback in 28 months.

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of storage tank incidents and the causes of the incidents. The paper also seeks to present a brief overview on Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO) experience of Jebel Dhanna (JD) export terminal.

Major hazard installations (MHIs) store large quantities of flammable material in storage tanks. Storage tanks represent important capital assets and are often critical operational items. The failure of a tank can have several undesirable effects such as endangering personnel, affecting the environment and interrupting the operator's business. The storage tank incidents and ADCO's experience on operating of an export terminal are collected from several sources such as technical articles, text books, internet web sites, and internal reports. The incidents and the causes of the incidents are reviewed and summarised. The ADCO's experience in operation of a crude oil tank farm are outlined.

The world has witnessed 480 tank fire incidents in the period 1951‐2003. The major cause of storage tank fire incidents was due to lightning. The leaks and the spills from the tanks were due to corrosion, operation, improper or lack of maintenance, poor design and/or maintenance of piping systems, fire and explosion. Although several studies have been carried out to record the tank incidents and the causes of the incidents the studies were not comprehensive. Many tank fire incidents that occurred have not been recorded in the previous studies. ADCO have been operating the JD crude oil terminal for more than three decades without a major incident. This was achieved through the design, operation and maintaining of the tanks in accordance with international standards, periodical studies by expert consultancy, and regular development of the control and protection systems with up‐to‐date technology.

The findings highlight that an international storage tank incidents database should be established to compile the scattered data in one site. The tank incidents database encourges the MHIS to publish tank incidents. The database can assist MHIs as well as the research institutes to learn lessons from the incidents. MHIs publishing articles is one of the means of sharing and exchanging the experience with similar installations and institutes.

Reports on a new software package which has demonstrated for the first time the ability to simulate the effects of the internal electromagnetic radiated fields (such as EMP pulses and lightning) in commercial aircraft wiring. Electromagnetic coupling (EMC) has long been of concern to the commercial aviation industry as a pulse caused by lightning can generate spurious signals or damage electronic equipment and put the aircraft at risk. Conventional techniques were not appropriate to modelling this problem. A theory that was originally developed in the USA in the 1970s by Dr Carl Baum, called Electromagnetic Topology (EMT), has been recently used by ONERA researchers to model a Boeing 707 wiring system using a code that encapsulates this theory. The results showed excellent agreement with experiments, demonstrating for the first time that EMC can be accurately predicted.

With debate in the industry turning lately to the power and consequence of lightning strikes on various items of electrical and electronic equipment ICORE International commissioned a series of tests, conducted by the Lightning Test and Technology Unit at Abingdon‐based Culham Laboratories, into the effects of lightning strikes on their conduit products.

Compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals published by MCB University Press: Facilities Volumes 8‐18; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐18; Property Management Volumes 8‐18; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐18.

Index by subjects, compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals: Facilities Volumes 8‐18; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐18; Property Management Volumes 8‐18; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐18.

Compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals published by MCB University Press: Facilities Volumes 8‐18; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐18; Property Management Volumes 8‐18; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐18.

Compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals published by MCB University Press: Facilities Volumes 8‐18; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐18; Property Management Volumes 8‐18; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐18.