SIMPLE NONLINEAR OPTIMIZATION-BASED SELECTION OF INSULATION MATERIAL AND WINDOW TYPE IN TURKEY:EFFECT OF HEATING AND COOLING BASE TEMPERATURES

The energy-savings of four hypothetical households in different climatic regions of Turkey were calculated via a nonlinear mixed integer optimization model.The ideal insulation material,its optimum thickness,and the ideal window type were determined.The standard degree days method was used with five different base temperatures for heating and five different base temperatures for cooling.The climatic conditions of the region,the properties of the insulation options,the unit price of fuel and electricity and the base temperature are used as model inputs,whereas the combination of selected insulation material with its optimum thickness and window type are given as model outputs.Stone Wool was found to be the ideal wall insulation material in all scenarios.The optimum window type was found to depend on the heating or cooling requirements of the house,as well as the lifetime of insulation.The region where the energy saving actions are deemed most feasible has been identified as Erzurum(Region 4),followed by Antalya(Region 1).Finally,the effect of changing the base temperature on energy savings was investigated and the results showed that an approximate average increase of$15/℃ in annual savings is possible.Our model can be used by any prospective home-owner who would like to maximize their energy savings.

Effect of low temperature in the development cycle of Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera, Calliphoridae): implications for the minimum postmortem interval estimation

Knowledge of necrophagous insects' developmental data is necessary for the forensic entomologist to estimate a reliable minimum postmortem interval (PMImin).Among the most represented necrophagous species,Lucilia sericata (Diptera,Calliphoridae) is particularly interesting.It is regularly identified in samples,with a predominance in summer,and is commonly used by analysts of our entomology department (Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale) to estimate the PMImin with the accumulated degree days (ADD) method.This method requires the mathematical lower thermal threshold to be known.This value dictates the quality of the applied ADD method but cannot be considered as fixed,especially when insect development occurs at temperatures close to the biological threshold.In such conditions,it is necessary to study the influence of such temperatures on development rate,as well as the consequences of estimating the period of first oviposition on cadavers,when using the ADD method.Seven replicate rearings were conducted at six different temperatures: 30 ℃,24 ℃,18 ℃,15 ℃,12 ℃ and 10 ℃.Time of development and time of emergence were recorded.The effect of low temperature on the development cycle and the reliability of the ADD method under this entire temperature spectrum were studied using different linear regression models.Calculated durations of total insect time development and experimental rearing duration were then compared.A global linear model cannot be used on the whole temperature spectrum experienced by L.sericata without resulting in an overestimation at some temperatures.We found a combination of two linear regression models to be suitable for the estimation of the total development time,depending on the temperature experienced by L.sericata.This approach allowed us to obtain a variation lower than 2% at 12 ℃ and 10 ℃ between the calculated duration and experimental duration of development.In comparison,the results obtained with a global model show a variation higher than 3% at 12 ℃ and 10%at 10℃.