Access to clean drinking water is universally recognized as a fundamental human right, yet millions globally still lack safe water. Contaminants such as heavy metals, organic compounds, and microbial pathogens pose significant health risks. Traditional water purification methods, while effective, often come with high costs and may not remove all types of contaminants. There is a need for more accessible and comprehensive solutions to improve drinking water quality. This study aims to explore the efficacy of activated carbon as a viable solution for enhancing drinking water quality and to identify the mechanisms through which it purifies water. The research involved a review of existing literature on activated carbon, including its various forms (powdered, granular, black carbon filters) and sources (coal, coconut shells, wood, peat). The study analyzed the physical and chemical processes of adsorption and the factors influencing these mechanisms. Activated carbon significantly increases surface area and adsorption capacity, enabling effective removal of a diverse range of pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chlorine, heavy metals, and certain harmful microbes. The findings suggest that activated carbon is a promising and cost-effective alternative for improving drinking water quality, with potential applications in various contexts to enhance public health and access to safe water.

The Method of Discretization in Time (MDT) is a hybrid numerical technique intended to alleviate upfront the computational procedure of timedependent partial differential equations of parabolic type upfront. The MDT engenders a sequence of adjoint second order ordinary differential equations, wherein the space coordinate is the independent variable and time becomes an embedded parameter. Essentially, the adjoint second order ordinary differential equations are considered of “quasistationary” nature. In this work, the MDT is used for the analysis of unsteady heat conduction in regular bodies (large wall, long cylinder and sphere) accounting for nearly constant thermophysical properties, uniform initial temperature and surface heat flux. In engineering applications, the surface heat flux is customarily provided by electrical heating, radiative heating and pool fire heating. It is demonstrated that the approximate, semianalytical temperature solutions of the first adjoint “quasistationary” heat conduction equations using the first time jump are easily obtainable for each regular body. For enhanced acccuracy, regression analysis is applied to the deviations of the dimensionless surface temperature as a function of the dimensionless time for each regular body.

Transit-oriented development is a concept that focuses on developing areas in and around transit nodes to create added value. The concept concentrates on integrating mass public transport networks with non-motorized modes of transport, minimizing the usage of motorized vehicles, and fostering the growth of dense, mixed-use areas with medium to high spatial intensity. This research examines the effects of altering the business model to create Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in Jakarta, contrasting it with PT Moda Raya Transports (PT MRT). We collected data by conducting in-depth interviews with experts and distributing questionnaires to seven respondents who work at this We used the Business Model Canvas (BMC) to identify business models and the internal resources needed for the implementation process. process. Therefore, six elements in BMC were used to conduct changes, and based on the results, RBV analysis was pe PT MRT needs to enhance its internal power to a competitive advantage level in order to effectively manage changes. We need to conduct further research on how the business model can influence the creation of transit-oriented development areas.

The interest in using project management office (PMO) services in organizations to manage their construction projects is growing in light of rising economic, technological, and social developments based on their ability to achieve organizational goals while avoiding risks. Accordingly, organizations use PMO services to manage their technical and financial project issues to periodically evaluate PMO performance and services in a scientific, practical, and measurable way to ensure successful project path via PMO. Therefore, this research aims to develop a performance evaluation system that enables organizations to follow up and evaluate the PMO performance to ensure that PMO manages the organizations’ expectations and goals successfully according to certain quality, scope, and cost. The study builds on significant findings in PMO competence indexes as evaluation matrix, which includes five basic categories with 136 indexes covering the project life cycle. The matrix was developed based on literature analysis and supplemented with experts’ interviews in construction management. The developed robust competency-based index (RCI) for directive PMO supports the organizations to conduct client satisfaction, correction, or partial/total change of the PMO’s competence flow within five construction project life cycle and process, i.e. governance, portfolio, information, execution, and contract issues.

Most airport development projects entail disputes due to the features that are distinctive and complicated. Disputes can be minimized through creative problem-solving by implementing knowledge management practices into the system. This study investigates the direct influence of knowledge management (KM) on dispute minimization (DM) along with the key factors for developing a strategy that can enhance KM success. A mixed method was adopted including statistical data analysis based on the PLS-SEM and descriptive analysis with the SECI (Socialization, Externalization, Combination, Internalization) model approach for strategy development. These findings show that KM has a positive and significant direct influence on DM, while the factors that are considered to have a significant influence on KM success are human resources management (HR) and learning & training (LT) on airport development projects in state-owned airport companies. This research supports the importance of a well-developed HR system accompanied by regular LT to all members of the organization to optimize and encourage the spread of knowledge in the organization.

This study aims to explore the urban resilience strategies and public service innovations approaches adopted by the Shanghai Government in response to COVID-19 pandemic. The study utilized a combination of primary and secondary data sources, such as government reports, policy documents, and interviews with important individuals involved in the matter. The current research focused on qualitative data and examined the different aspects resilience, including infrastructure, economy, society, ecology, and organizations. The findings indicate that infrastructure resilience plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability and dependability of essential public facilities, achieved through online education and intelligent transportation systems. Implementing rigorous waste management and pollution control measures with a focus on ecological resilience has significantly promoted environmentally sustainable development. Shanghai city has achieved economic resilience by stabilizing its finances and providing support to businesses through investments in research, technology and education. Shanghai city has enhanced its organizational resilience by fostering collaboration across several sectors, bolstering emergency management tactics and enhancing policy execution.