Search

Spa-resorts have been a place for healing of the body and mind since the time of ancient Greece. In the stressful society we live in today these kinds of resorts have once again become very popular and now local entrepreneurs want to build a spa at the top of Vitberget, the highest point in Skellefteå. The entrance will consist of a tunnel through the mountain, an elevator and a skywalk that leads into the spa. This might pose a problem for people with phobias of tight spaces and/ or heights. Accessibility is much more than just easy access and contrasting markings. This study examines chosen phobias from an accessibility point of view. Research shows that humans are strongly affected by their physical environment. Color, form, light and materials evoke different feelings and associations. Four people with phobia of tight spaces and/ or heights are interviewed in this study to find a suitable design for their needs. The informants, with some help from the interview questions and pictures of different tunnels, elevators and skywalks, get to describe a good design based on their phobia and personal preferences. This information is then compared to research done in this area. Sketches based on empiric and theoretic information are then discussed with one of the informants and this leads up to the final design proposal. The conclusions drawn from theoretical and empirical information are that light is very important and that tight, dark spaces are regarded as uncomfortable. Inputs from nature like wood, vegetation and water seems to be calming, while metal and raw concrete can be discouraging. The fear of being trapped is strong and information about what awaits you can facilitate your walk along the entrance way. The tunnel, the elevator and the skywalk can be designed to fit people with phobia of tight spaces and/ or heights and this can contribute to a better architecture for everybody. Validerat; 20121105 (anonymous)

AB Sandvik Cormorant’s production unit in Gimo has identified a need to examinethe handling of products between operations with the purpose of generatingproposals of improvement for the product handling.The aim of this project is to study the existing manufacturing process and givesuggestions for improvement. The proposals should reduce the manual handling ofproducts, decrease the risk of damaging the products during the manufacturing andform a basis for increased traceability. Based on a mapping of the manufacturingprocess and the problem description, a specification of requirements has beencomposed.The mapping of the manufacturing process suggests that a change of the currentsystem is required. The company is recommended to decide how the producthandling between operations should be performed as guidelines for the productionteam. They are also recommended to change the existing management to theproposal presented in this report.The result of the project is a proposal in which the existing palettes are used asproduct carriers through the entire production flow, with the exception of twooperations. The proposal is coherent with the company's idea of a standardizedworkshop-layout and will make the handling of products between operations andproduct-carriers more efficient.The result of this project also indicates that the system should include a new trolley. Ifthis proposal is introduced, the company is recommended to design a new trolley,suitable for transporting pallets.

Forest ownership and changes in the forestry sector have played an important role for development in northern inland Sweden - and remain vital for a sustainable development. Examining forest business activity and the Swedish tax system this thesis aims to assess differences between various kinds of forest ownership, in a typical boreal municipality - and to discuss whether the contribution to the local economy can be seen as generating incentives for development. The municipality of Storuman was studied, for one year, focusing on the categories Non-Industrial Private Forest (NIPF) ownership and large-scale forest ownership. Based on agricultural property- and income tax return data, a method was devised to assess NIPF categories in relation to the boreal municipality. It enabled quantification of sales activity, operating costs, investment and direct tax revenues generated. Further, a comparative study was conducted of shareholders versus non-shareholders in the local forest common, based on their economic activities, forestry production and felling data. To contrast NIPF with large-scale forest ownership, large-scale operating costs and investments were examined. Felling statistics were used, combined with silvicultural costs obtained from an external survey. Results showed that a large share of NIPF owners’ forestry sales revenues were re-invested in their forest properties; 71 percent of sales as operating costs and 24 percent in the form of investments. Resident owners were more active and ploughed more money back into the properties in the form of investments. They also seemed less inclined to make use of disposable income from the property. Activities were also lower among shareholders. The same low harvesting activity was found on the forest commons land. This indicates that the common, from this perspective, not has worked as a force promoting local development. NIPF- and large-scale forest owners earn comparable felling revenues. However, NIPF owners ploughed more back into their properties. The inevitable conclusion is that with the present tax system and activities among ownership categories, non-shareholder resident NIPF owners are preferable for the boreal municipality. They seem to keep up an activity and still generate local tax revenues, even though small. Finally, only meagre tax revenues were created for the boreal municipality budget from forest ownership, roughly SEK 600,000 in the year 2000. The present tax system in Sweden cannot be seen as generating local incentives for development, based on forestry as an endogenous capital.