Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) is a tree species that have its natural distribution along the West Coast of North America, from Alaska in the north to northern California in the south. Sitka spruce is a typical coastal tree species that can reach heights up to 85 meters and occurs in single pure as well as in mixed stands. The main purposes of this study were to describe the Sitka spruce growing characteristics and the volume production in comparison to spruce (Picea abies). The possibility to predict future volume production by using prognosis tools designed to be used on spruce were also studied. The material that has been used in this study are permanent sitka trials established by the Faculty of Forestry fixed Sitka trials and also material gathered in this study. A literature study was also carried out in order to determine the Sitka spruce growing characteristics. Sitka spruce has a high adaptation and a high volume production on a broad scale of soil types. The tree species is a pioneer species that has a fast early growth and in combination with sharp needles it is less susceptible to animal browsing than spruce. The factor that is the single most limiting factor for where the Sitka spruce can be planted is frost. This factor can be limited by using plant material with a well-suited provenance. According to the literature, the Sitka spruce has an average total volume production that is between 20-40% higher than spruce.

The sun is an endless energy source and the heat it produces can be used to heatup our homes. This technology is relatively old and was introduced in the late70-s. There are two kinds of solar collectors that are most frequently used todayand these are plain solar collectors and vacuum solar collectors. The plain solarcollectors are the once that are used the most but the vacuum solar collectorshave increased more as a percentage the last couple of years.The biggest question asked regarding an investment in solar heating is if theplant is economically profitable. This question has no direct answer because itis dependent on a couple of prerequisites.

During the autumn of 2007 I attended a course in plantcomposition in Alnarp. The main task during the coursewas to make a proposal for a theme garden that was goingto represent the school at an exhibition in the GardenSociety in Göteborg, during the summer of 2008. Thetheme for the garden was set to ?sustainable development?and we had fully two weeks to work with the proposal.I won the competition and during the spring andsummer of 2008 I developed and realized my idea. Thegarden exhibition was inaugurated the 28th of June andwas open until the 28th of September.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) proposes vibration standards for the evaluation for machine damage due to vibration in rotational machines, where some vibration parameters are given to measure the vibrationgrade. This work evaluates the relevance of the vibration standards in hydro plants that are proposed by the ISO, and also investigates if there are methods used in other countries could have greater importance. Through statistical analysis of collected data we got a better understanding of relation among different vibration parameters, and also the importance of correct choice of the parameters for the evaluation of vibration. We have found that the vibration standards available today in hydro plants are not reliable for the judgment of vibration?s grade.

The idea with constructions made out of prefabricated elements is that it should be quick and easy to build as the demands for lower production costs, increased profitability and shorter production times are constantly increasing. High accuracy in measurements and well-balanced tolerances is required to achieve this. The fact that the concrete-elements doesn?t fit and that damage occurs during assembly is a highly topical issue even though we now have methods and systems that make this high-intensity construction possible. Through this report we want to highlight the problems that cause the dimensional and tolerance problems and give suggestions on how to come to terms with these.

Due to historically low prices for electricity in Sweden, many small-scale hydropowerplants were closed down. A small-scale power plant has more or less the samemaintenance costs as larger plants, but doesn?t generate as much income. Today?sincreasing price for electricity in combination with a desire for renewable energysources makes small-scale hydropower interesting again.

There is a lot written about being hearing impaired. There are guidelines on how to adjust the indoor environment for the hearing impaired. There is even more written about gardening and garden design from different aspects. However, I found out that there is nothing written about garden design or adjusting the outdoor environment for the hearing impaired. At the background of myself being hearing impaired and garden designer I realised that I actually had adjusted my own garden out of the fact that I am hearing impaired.

The sun is an endless energy source and the heat it produces can be used to heatup our homes. This technology is relatively old and was introduced in the late70-s. There are two kinds of solar collectors that are most frequently used todayand these are plain solar collectors and vacuum solar collectors. The plain solarcollectors are the once that are used the most but the vacuum solar collectorshave increased more as a percentage the last couple of years.The biggest question asked regarding an investment in solar heating is if theplant is economically profitable. This question has no direct answer because itis dependent on a couple of prerequisites.

A tight economy and a keen competition force the Swedish agricultur to do a structural rationalization. The quantity of farmers is less but the units are growing. How to make money I think some kind of niche is necessary. In my examwork I have locked how to farm herbaceous plant and the marking of herb to feedstuff for horses. Today health food and alternative medicine are accepted to use and there is an increase in demand. The Swedish market for herbaceous plants to horses is small and the products are mostly imported. But there is a group of consumers who is willing to pay a higer price for Swedish cultivated herbs. The only way to find out which herbaceous plants I could cultivate is to make a test cultivate. I think that the market for herbaceous plants is growing.

Horses are grazers with a digestive system that is adapted for a high fiber diet. Forage is a fiber rich feed that includes grass and legumes. A deficiency of forage and an excess of grains may cause gut disturbances and stereotypic behavior. The aim of this literature study was to summarize information on the horse?s capacity to consume forage-only diets with focus on the horse?s need of energy and protein.

Lime Hempcrete consists of lime, water and hemp and creates an insulating, sound-absorbing, lightweight and environmentally friendly material that can be used in wall, roof and floor structures (Bevan & Woolley 2008). This construction method is not yet developed in Sweden as there has been a ban on the cultivation of the hemp plant. This ban on the cultivation of hemp was removed in 2003, when the material got a boost. You can use it in many different ways and not just in the construction industry (Ahlsten, 2010).In this study we have investigated the possibility to produce prefabricated wall elements of LHC. We have also studied its mechanical properties and dehydration time.

The Volvo Trucks plant in Umeå is a highy complex manufacturing facility where the same production line handles a variety of different models. This require flexible and agile processes with high quality standards. This thesis studies the flow of material through a production line and how Volvo can use their existing manufacturing monitoring system to optimize the flow of materials.The goal with the thesis is to identify eventual problems with the flow of materials and to deliver a few proposals on how the production line can improve its productivity. The theory of LEAN, Just-In-Time and Supply Chain Management serves as the scientific reference to this project. By analyzing the flow of material, performing interviews and observing the processes a few problems are identified.

The eutrophication of inshore seas, lakes and watercourses is mainly due to leaching of nitrogen and phosphorus (P) from agriculture. Many efforts are made to reduce the lea-kage of phosphorus in Sweden and the Baltic Sea countries. Phosphorus is also a finite resource and the mining of good quality raw material gets more and more difficult. Se-dimentation dams in combination with filters is one relatively new method to separate P from run-off and drainage water from agricultural land. This study was a part of an IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute?s project which tests the capacity and func-tion for separation of phosphorus in four phosphorus filters.

The purpose of this paper is to examine what problems cabbage growers have with the Swede Midge. The last few years the Swede Midge, Contarinia nasturtii, has become a larger problem for cabbage growers in several countries in Europe as well as in Sweden. In Canada the problems are so severe that the midge is classified as a quarantine pest and therefore certain rules have to be followed. I have collected facts of the biology, host plants and reproduction of the Swede Midge, as well as the growers experiences and the occurrence of the midge in Canada, Europe and Sweden. The Swede Midge is hard to control because of its short life cycle and the larvae are protected between the heartleaves of the plant. When the larva feeds on the growth point the plant becomes distorted, in some cases several heads develop or none at all. When the midge infests spring rape its flower buds become undeveloped and rosette like.

This project is a literature study with the hypothesis that Arctic climate has a positive effect on the accumulation of metabolites in berries. Plant metabolites are often divided into primary and secondary metabolites. Primary metabolites such as proteins and nucleic acids are essential for cell function, while secondary metabolites are often non-essential, but have important functions regarding reproduction and survival. The berries mentioned in this project are from the families Ericaceae, Rosaceae, Elaeagnaceae och Grossulariaceae.The conclusion drawn from this literature study is that it is not obvious what favours accumulation of metabolites in berries. Other factors aside from climate affect the production of secondary metabolites, such as time of harvest, cultivars and ripeness.