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This study aimed to compare a number of quantitative and qualitative aspects of usage across a sample of 10 conventional, 20 energy-retrofitted and three green Toronto schools. Student, teacher and staff absenteeism data, as well as Grade 3 and 6 student performance data on reading, writing and arithmetic tests administered by Ontario's Education Quality and Accountability Office were collected. A survey of 150 teachers was conducted to investigate their satisfaction with the indoor air quality, lighting, thermal comfort and acoustics of their school buildings. The statistical analysis of the data showed that teachers in green schools were in general more satisfied with their classrooms and personal workspaces' lighting, thermal comfort, indoor air quality, heating, ventilation and air conditioning than teachers in the other schools. Nevertheless, they were less satisfied with acoustics. Student, teacher and staff absenteeism in green schools also improved by 2-7.5%, whereas student performance improved by 8-19% when compared with conventional schools. However, these improvements were not statistically significant and could not therefore be generalised to all Toronto public schools. Whether these marginal improvements justify the extra cost premium of green buildings remains an active contentious topic that will need further investigation.

ABSTRACT:The poor safety record of the construction industry raises concerns about the extent to which it is able to integrate workers disabled as a result of a workplace injury back to the workplace. A review of the literature indicates there is little empirical evidence about the status of disability management (DM) in the Canadian construction industry, specifically with respect to injured construction workers returning to the workplace with a disability. To address this limitation, a web-based survey was administered to a sample of Manitoban construction organizations to enquire about workers disabled as a result of a workplace injury in the industry, practices in place to accommodate them, and barriers to their employment. The analysis of the responses of 88 organizations showed that the majority of responding organizations employed few disabled workers. Disabilities due to musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) were the most common, followed by physical mobility and hearing impairments. Respondents saw retaining valued and experienced employees and maintaining employee morale as the main reasons for implementing a DM program. They also found the lack of suitable modified or alternate work to be the most important barrier to DM; however, they identified the provision of such work as the most common practice implemented by them, raising questions about this work's suitability to disabled workers.

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Background: Birds' survey is the best method to understand different species distribution, abundance, and diversity. The present study aimed to survey wild birds, using point count method, in two habitat types (water canals and field crops) at two districts, Zagazig and Hehia, located at Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. Methods: Surveying birds was conducted using point count method, from a fixed raising position within a circle of 50 m radius for a specific period of time (10 min) at every point. It started early in the morning, from 6 am to 8 am, at four points in two habitat types, agriculture water canals habitat (AWCH) and field crops habitat (FCH), in (Zagazig and Hehia) at Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. Each point count was visited once every month from December 2016 to November 2017. Results: The total number of birds' species recorded in the two districts was 33, belonging to 24 Families and ten Orders. Twenty-five species were resident birds and eight species were migratory. The number of birds' species (resident and migratory) in AWCH was higher than those in FCH. Resident wild birds at AWCH had higher value of species diversity (Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index H′ = 2.63, Simpson Diversity Index D = 0.90, Evenness J′ = 0.82 and Species richness r = 25) than at FCH (H´= 2.56, D = 0.89, J′ = 0.83, and r = 22). In contrast, species diversity for migratory wild bird was lower in WCH (H′ = 1.66, D = 0.74, J′ = 0.80, and r = 8) than in FCH (H′ = 1.81, D = 0.78, J′ = 0.87, and r = 8). Conclusion: Birds species (resident and migratory) numbers and abundance were higher in AWCH according to the habitat suitability than in FCH.

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