User−Producer Interaction in Housing Energy Innovations

Von Hippel and colleagues have highlighted the crucial role of users in innovation in different industries and types of products. They describe the innovation process in terms of the distinct domains of knowledge that producers and users possess. Producers have knowledge about technical solutions and users about their needs, the context of use, and their own capabilities as users. Both sets of knowledge are characterized by "stickiness": They move relatively freely within their own domain but are difficult to transfer outside of it.
In the case of radical innovations for sustainable consumption, the problem of "sticky information" is compounded. Both producers and consumers need to reach out of their conventional competencies and search for new solutions. "Societal actors," such as government bodies or environmental experts, can show the way to such solutions, but this new knowledge needs to be integrated with the "sticky" knowledge about everyday practices in production and consumption.
In the present article we attempt to conceptualize the role and interaction of user and producer knowledge with the knowledge of environmental experts in housing energy innovations. We do so by applying the user−producer interaction framework to a case study on the introduction of low-energy housing concepts in Finland. On the basis of this analysis, we draw conclusions on the potential and limitations of today's practices in the field. For example, we suggest that user involvement can help to enhance the acceptance of low-energy solutions but that the methods for involving users need to be adapted to the particular circumstances in each industry.     

Improvement of binding of Puumala virus neutralization site resembling peptide with a second-generation phage library

We have previously selected a peptide insert FPCDRLSGYWERGIPSPCVR recognizing the Puumala virus (PUUV) G2-glycoprotein-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibody (MAb) 1C9 with Kd of 2.85 x 10(-8) from a random peptide library X2CX14CX2 expressed on the pIII protein of the filamentous phage fd-tet. We have now created a second-generation phage-displayed peptide library in which each amino acid of the peptide was mutated randomly to another with a certain probability. Peptides were selected for higher affinity for MAb 1C9 and for a common binding motif for MAb 4G2 having an overlapping epitope with MAb 1C9 in G2 glycoprotein. The resulting peptides were synthesized as spots on cellulose membrane. Amino acid changes which improved the reactivity of the peptides to MAb 1C9 were combined in the peptide ATCDKLFGYYERGIPLPCAL with Kd of 1.49 x 10(-9) in biosensor measurements. Our results show that the binding properties of peptides, the affinity and the specificity can be improved and the binding specificity determining amino acids and structural factors can be analyzed by combining binding assays with synthetic peptides on membrane with the use of second-generation phage display libraries.     

Extraction and purification of DNA in rhizosphere soil samples for PCR-DGGE analysis of bacterial consortia

Application of DNA fingerprinting methods enables the detection of diverse members of soil bacterial consortia, even including those bacteria not yet cultivated. However, extraction and purification of DNA from soil samples without bias is difficult. We compared five different DNA isolation methods and three purification methods for rhizosphere soil samples. Purified DNA extracts were amplified in PCR using universal bacterial primers and the PCR products were analysed with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) for the visualisation of DNA bands representing dominant bacterial species. Both the isolation and purification methods affected the apparent bacterial community structure of the samples.     

Impact of climatic variability on parameters used in typology and ecological quality assessment of surface waters—implications on the Water Framework Directive

In most cases the negative impacts of climate change to aquatic ecosystems cannot be mitigated by measures in the river basin management. Ignoring climate change by the Water Framework Directive may have strong implications for the typology and quality assessment systems used for water bodies. As a result of climate change, water bodies, especially those located near the type boundaries may change their type. Compared to typology characteristics, water quality parameters are even more labile and may be easily affected by climate change. The paper exemplifies that the anticipated deterioration of water quality within the time frame relevant for WFD implementation may be large enough to endanger the fulfillment of the set water quality objectives. The review of the river basin characterization every six years, as required by the WFD, might also include re-evaluation of reference conditions according to the changes observed at pristine reference sites. As a consequence, the restoration targets (i.e., the good ecological status) would also need to be evaluated periodically.     

Contamination of surface run-off water and soil in two horse paddocks

Increased stabling of horses near to cities has led to interest in the environmental effects of paddocks. In this study, the contamination of horse paddocks was examined by determining the nutrient and micro-organism contents in the surface run-off waters and the electrical conductivity, pH and phosphorus, potassium and nitrate contents of top soils. Two open-stable paddocks were studied, one cleaned and the other left uncleaned, with a stocking density of 37.5 animalsha(-1) in both. The feeding and drinking places were the most contaminated areas of both paddocks. In spring, after seven months of use, the nutrient concentrations in the surface run-off water from paddocks were 3.4-18.8mg/l for total phosphorus, 3.0-15.0mg/l for phosphate and 18.3-140.0mg/l for total nitrogen, indicating a risk to surface waters. Summer rain generated surface run-off, especially from the feeding area of the stock-free uncleaned paddock.     

Institutionalization of Life-Cycle Thinking in the Everyday Discourse of Market Actors

The widespread popularity of life-cycle assessment (LCA) is difficult to understand from the point of view of instrumental decision making by economic agents. Ehrenfeld has argued, in a 1997 issue of this journal, that it is the world-shaping potential of LCA that is more important than its use as a decision-making tool. The present study attempts to explore the institutionalization of this "LCA world view" among ordinary market actors. This is important because environmental policy relies increasingly on market-based initiatives. Cognitive and normative assumptions in authoritative LCA documents are examined as empirical data and compared with data from focus group interviews concerning products and the environment with "ordinary" manufacturers, retailers, and consumers in Finland. These assumptions are (1) the "cradle-to-grave" approach, (2) the view that all products have an environmental impact and can be improved, (3) the relativity of environmental merit, and (4) the way responsibility for environmental burdens is attributed. Relevant affinities, but also differences, are identified. It is argued that life-cycle thinking is not primarily instrumental, but rather is gaining a degree of intrinsic value. The study attempts to establish a broader institutional context in which the popularity of LCA can be understood. From the point of view of this broader context, some future challenges for the development of LCA and life-cycle thinking are suggested.     

Estimation of export production in the coastal Baltic Sea: effect of resuspension and microbial decomposition on sedimentation measurements

Hydrography, nutrient concentrations, primary production and sedimentation of particulate matter were studied during spring, late summer and autumn in the coastal area of the northern Baltic Sea, SW Finland. Vernal phytoplankton productivity peak and biomass maximum in early May were followed by high sedimentation rates of organic matter at the end of May. In summer, sedimentation rates of organic material were generally low. The decay rates of organic carbon in the sediment traps, estimated by measuring oxygen uptake of settled organic matter, varied between 0.005 to 0.08 d^–1 and were on average 0.02 d^–1. Decomposition of organic matter inside the sediment traps was mainly controlled by temperature, while also organic contents of settled material were significant. Microbial decomposition decreased sedimentation rates of organic carbon and nitrogen on average by 11% and 15%, respectively, during the whole study period of ca. 6 months. Resuspension of organic matter from sediment surface was estimated to contribute ca. 17 and 24% of the total sedimentation of organic carbon during spring and summer, respectively. Export production (i.e. primary sedimentation of organic carbon corrected by decomposition) was estimated to be 32% of the net primary production during the whole productive season and 42% in spring when the flux of primary settling material was greatest. Sedimentation of the spring bloom was the major annual supply of organic matter to the benthos (>80% of the total primary sedimentation).