The purpose of this report is to present various programmatic options for the Buildings and Community Systems (BCS) to use in utilizing a building design competition as a mechanism to promote the widescale adoption of energy conservation in new buildings design. The general program requirements were that: (1) the design competition focus on the multi-family low-rise residential market; (2) the design competition would result in the construction of a building or buildings under a Federally-assisted housing program; (3) the competition would be among competitors who are professional architects, designers, and/or developers; (4) the design competition would generate a high degree of public and professional awareness of conservation options in building design; and (5) the competition would be based on the use of a common standard of judgement (e.g., Btu's per square foot). The purpose of the initial phase of this study has been: (1) to assess the feasibility of developing a design competition that can meet the general requirements; (2) to identify potential program options for the competition; and (3) to develop a preliminary structural framework for it. This paper reports the study approach and the preliminary findings. (MCW)

The Threshold Evaluation System was developed to assist the Division of Buildings and Community Systems of the Department of Energy in performing preliminary evaluation of projects being considered for funding. In addition, the evaluation has been applied to on-going projects, because information obtained through RD and D may alter the expected benefits and costs of a project, making it necessary to reevaluate project funding. The system evaluates each project according to its expected energy savings and costs. A number of public and private sector criteria are calculated, upon which comparisons between projects may be based. A summary of the methodology is given in Appendix B. The purpose of this task is to upgrade both the quality of the data used for input to the system and the usefulness and efficiency of the computer program used to perform the analysis. The modifications required to produce a better, more consistent set of data are described in Section 2. Program changes that have had a significant impact on the methodology are discussed in Section 3, while those that affected only the computer code are presented as a system flow diagram and program listing in Appendix C. These improvements in the project evaluation methodology …

An apparatus has been developed to react samples with hydrogen at pressures of up to 689.5 MPa (6805 atm) and temperatures of up to 200/sup 0/C. It is being used to determine whether RT/sub 5/ and RT/sub 3/ compounds (where R is a lanthanide element and T is a 3-d transition element, usually cobalt or nickel) ''fill up'' with hydrogen when subjected to high hydrogen pressures. Preliminary experiments with LaCo/sub 5/ in this apparatus showed a new (third) plateau at 126.7 MPa (1250 atm) in the PCT diagram; only two plateaus have previously been reported. There is an abrupt upturn at an H/LaCo/sub 5/ ratio of approximately 8.23. A second run showed an upturn at 8.76. The maximum loading is nine atoms of hydrogen.

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An overview of the research projects in the Chemical Research group will be given. The work involves actinide waste and processing chemistry, separations chemistry, radiation studies, and calorimetry and thermodynamics. Details will be given of the actinide separations research, including work with macroreticular anion exchangers and bidentate organophosphorus extractants.

Division, Dow Chemical U.S.A., for shipping unirradiated fissile material in solid form. Components consist of a 30-gal steel drum, Celotex insulation, and stainless steel containment vessel(s) of 10-in. dia. A simple venting system prevents rtupture of the outer drum in the event of accidental fire. Approved material limits include 5 kg of plutonium or 11 kg of enriched uranium. Thermal decay energy is normally limited to 20 W. Results of extensive tests show the container will function effectively when exposed to all environment and accident conditions as required. The containment vessel temperature rise will not exceed 140 deg F during the thermal test. Internal heating of 20 W will cause an additional temperature rise of 80 deg F. (auth)

This report is an examination of the history of cost-of-living provisions under the civil service retirement systems and contains arguments for and against amending the formula for computing cost-of-living increases.

This report is on The Impoundment Control Act of 1974: Legislative History and Implementation.

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This report consists of major antitrust activity in congress and the supreme court from 1974 to 1978.

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This report present the Analysis of the obscenity provisions in section 1842 of S. 1437,95th congress, 1st session to regulate by legislation the dissemination of obscene materials.

This report provides a listing of federal consumer protection agencies and groups and their new obligational authority and expenditures for fiscal years 1969 to 1971.

This report of the United states Commission on Civil Rights which is the summary "The Voting Rights Act: Ten Years After" , January 1975.

Report describes the structural and stratigraphic framework, depositional environment, and petrology and petrography of the various Pennsylvanian-Permian time and rock units present in Oklahoma. This report identifies five geologic settings favorable for the localization of uranium, such as alluvial fan deposits, oil-productive structures where Permian sandstones are altered, tidal-flat sandstone-silstones, channel sandstones on gentle structural features, and oil-productive Cherokee sandstones.