This book is devoted to investigating the policy design and effectiveness of financial and market-based instruments to promote energy efficiency financing. The concept of this monograph is to present the latest results related to energy efficiency funding schemes, energy efficiency obligations, voluntary agreements, auction mechanisms, and Super Energy Services Companies (Super ESCOs) in major jurisdictions across the world. The book focuses on financial and market-based instruments as they deliver a price signal, which provides an incentive for firms to invest in innovation or implement more energy-efficient technologies and deliver energy savings while minimizing costs. Such instruments can have significant advantages for the government, supporting the fiscal sustainability of the government’s energy efficiency efforts, requiring less enforcement than regulation and according the market flexibility to select the most cost-efficient technologies. This book is highly recommended to researchers, policy experts, and business specialists who seek an in-depth and up-to-date integrated overview of energy efficiency financing.

The construction materials industry is a major user of the world’s resources. While enormous progress has been made towards sustainability, the scope and opportunities for improvements are significant. To further the effort for sustainable development, a conference on Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies was held at Coventry University, Coventry, U.K., from June 11th - 13th, 2007, to highlight case studies and research on new and innovative ways of achieving sustainability of construction materials and technologies. This book presents selected, important contributions made at the conference. Over 190 papers from over 45 countries were accepted for presentation at the conference, of which approximately 100 selected papers are published in this book. The rest of the papers are published in two supplementary books. Topics covered in this book include: sustainable alternatives to natural sand, stone, and Portland cement in concrete; sustainable use of recyclable resources such as fly ash, ground municipal waste slag, pozzolan, rice-husk ash, silica fume, gypsum plasterboard (drywall), and lime in construction; sustainable mortar, concrete, bricks, blocks, and backfill; the economics and environmental impact of sustainable materials and structures; use of construction and demolition wastes, and organic materials (straw bale, hemp, etc.) in construction; sustainable use of soil, timber, and wood products; and related sustainable construction and rehabilitation technologies.

Design for Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care provides an overview of the design and research issues associated with the development of environments for pediatric and neonatal intensive care. This is the first and only book dedicated to this topic and was created to support individuals interested in developing and studying critical care environments for children and their families. In addition to a detailed analysis of the literature from research and practice, the author provides a summary of the historical development of critical care for infants and children, and information regarding the role of PICUs and NICUs in the critical care system. A discussion of current codes and future trends is also provided. Design for Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care includes essays from prominent voices in the field ranging from inspired young architects and researchers to world-renowned healthcare design and research icons. Illustrations of work that has been identified as exemplary or representative of recent directions are included, which will help those planning new or remodeled projects to identify and examine precedents. This book is intended to help designers and researchers enhance healing environments for young patients in critical care settings and provide information in support of the families and staff who provide care for these children and infants.