Understanding and Meeting Needs
Beyond Food Assistance: Children’s Cafeteria Initiatives and the Dynamics of Community Empowerment in Japan View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Hanayo Hirai
The "Children’s Cafeteria" initiative, led by local volunteers and civil society organizations, aims to provide food assistance for parents and children in the communities. This study explores the meaning of the Children’s Cafeteria based on endogenous development theory, focusing on how these initiatives address the needs of marginalized children and families and their impact on communities. The research involved analysis through interviews, questionnaire, and participant observations at various Children’s Cafeteria sites in the Tohoku region, Japan to reveal participant and organizer experiences, community interactions, and the psychological and social benefits. Findings indicate that the Children’s Cafeteria provides more than just food assistance. It fosters empathetic bonds among participants, reducing feelings of isolation and encouraging community engagement. The initiative serves as a catalyst for the formation of supportive networks within the community, promoting parent-child participation in local activities. However, the initiative also faces operational challenges, including a lack of resources and an inclusive policy that, while designed to avoid stigmatization by welcoming all children, may dilute its effectiveness in specifically addressing child poverty and supporting marginalized children and families. The Children’s Cafeteria not only serves as a vital food-based support system but also embodies principles of endogenous development theory by empowering local communities to address the needs of marginalized children and families. While navigating challenges such as resource limitations and inclusive policies, the initiative demonstrates the potential of grassroots efforts to foster community solidarity and proactive child welfare involvement.
The Effects of Childhood Experiences on Adult Pro-Environmental Behaviors: A Focus on US Latino Populations
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Adrah Niccolo Parafiniuk
This study explores results from a representative survey of 650 US residents looking at how childhood experiences affect the likelihood of engaging in Pro-Environmental Behaviors (PEBs) as an adult. This study focuses on Latino groups specifically, looking at how Latino groups compare as a whole to the general US population. There is a further breakdown of the mosaic of groups that constitute Latinos, the largest US minority, and how childhood experiences and demographic factors affect each sub-sect and their likelihood of engaging in PEBs as adults.
Daylighting in Buildings: Investigating the Relationship Between Daylight Levels and Building Compactness in Various Contemporary Architectural Types View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Andrew Welch
Increased daylight levels are associated with greater well-being of building occupants and energy efficiency. Daylight levels are directly linked to the building floorplate depth, whereas shallow floorplate and elongated buildings are usually related to higher daylight levels. However, creating buildings that have more natural light comes with a greater construction cost due to larger envelope areas as well as greater operating costs due to the energy loss through the envelope. This research addresses the question of identifying basic design strategies for buildings that optimize between two opposing trends: enhancing daylighting in buildings while also reducing the amount of building envelope and energy transfer loss. We analyze a sample of fifty floorplates of key buildings of the 20th century considered best practice examples of architectural precedents. We inquire about the effect of building size on the complex relationship between natural lighting and building compactness, which is linked to cost. First, all the buildings are scaled and brought to the same floorplate size in order to evaluate the effect of building formal typology on daylighting. Second, the shapes of building floorplates are analyzed and categorized according to their shape compactness and fragmentation. The statistical analysis of the sample enables the identification of the cases that perform best regarding both daylight levels and the extent of the outer envelope. The findings can be used to inform the design of buildings in the future with important implications for the sustainability of the built environment.
