Understanding energy efficiency in households and hotels in Spain: a combination of methods to account for stakeholders, views.

143 p.The growing complexities of the current energy price crisis and environmental problems are leading to an acceleration in reductions in energy consumption. Stimulating the adoption of energy efficiency is one of the strategies formulated by the international community to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Buildings in the EU are responsible for 40% of our energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. Improving energy efficiency in buildings therefore plays a key role in attaining the ambitious goal of carbon-neutrality by 2050. Huge investments in energy efficiency are required to achieve energy savings and climate goals. However, despite its significant monetary benefits and environmental advantages, levels of EE in buildings are generally low. This is the so-called energy efficiency gap. Many reasons exist for it, which can be mainly grouped into market, behavioural and other failures. And different energy efficiency policy instruments can be used to address those failures. If energy efficiency leads to significant reductions in energy consumption (and bills), why do residential and non-residential buildings invest so little in it? How should policy makers encourage investments in energy efficiency? What effective ways are there of making energy efficiency policies effective and accepted by all stakeholders? By answering these overarching research questions, the dissertation¿s main goal is to study the effects of energy efficiency policies and to understand how these policy instruments can be designed to promote effective, cheaper reductions in emissions and energy consumption in households and hotels, mainly in the context of Spain. To that end, this dissertation integrates and combines different methodologies, i.e. semi-quantitative approaches through the use of focus groups and surveys to understand behavioural complexity; and a quantitative econometric approach based on hedonic price method to provide evidence of the effectiveness of EE labels. We find that the application of policy packages may be useful for less coercive policy instruments (especially for households) and for ambitious EE targets. Specifically, ambitious technical standards and specific regulation would ensure that energy is saved. Environmental education and information policies seem to be useful in helping consumers to make better decisions. Additionally, in the light of variation in policy acceptability for economic instruments, energy tax could be combined with subsidies or other revenue recycling schemes. Findings suggest that various policy instruments can be used to help achieve EE targets, but good policy design and excellent implementation are needed, considering behavioural complexity on the part of key stakeholders and features of the policy instrumentsbc3: basque center for climate chang

Training of Crisis Mappers and Map Production from Multi-sensor Data: Vernazza Case Study (Cinque Terre National Park, Italy)

This aim of paper is to presents the development of a multidisciplinary project carried out by the cooperation between Politecnico di Torino and ITHACA (Information Technology for Humanitarian Assistance, Cooperation and Action). The goal of the project was the training in geospatial data acquiring and processing for students attending Architecture and Engineering Courses, in order to start up a team of "volunteer mappers". Indeed, the project is aimed to document the environmental and built heritage subject to disaster; the purpose is to improve the capabilities of the actors involved in the activities connected in geospatial data collection, integration and sharing. The proposed area for testing the training activities is the Cinque Terre National Park, registered in the World Heritage List since 1997. The area was affected by flood on the 25th of October 2011. According to other international experiences, the group is expected to be active after emergencies in order to upgrade maps, using data acquired by typical geomatic methods and techniques such as terrestrial and aerial Lidar, close-range and aerial photogrammetry, topographic and GNSS instruments etc.; or by non conventional systems and instruments such us UAV, mobile mapping etc. The ultimate goal is to implement a WebGIS platform to share all the data collected with local authorities and the Civil Protectio

Automated demand response applied to a set of commercial buildings

Commercial facility demand response refers to voluntary actions by customers that change their consumption of electric power in response to price signals, incentives, or directions from grid operators at times of high wholesale market prices or when electric system reliability is jeopardized. Energy management in a commercial facility can be segregated into two areas: energy efficiency and demand response. This dissertation assesses both in two commercial facilities: one designed and constructed prior to the development of demand response principles and the second designed and constructed with modern energy controls and energy efficient materials. The energy evaluation identified opportunities for energy conservation and strategies for demand response. Next this paper presents a fuzzy method for predicting a facilitys baseline load profile. The baseline load profile is the predicted energy use of a facility during a demand response event in the absence of any energy reduction. During a demand response event, building operators or their automated control systems make adjustments to building operations with the goal of reducing the building\u27s electric load during times of the electric system\u27s peak electric usage. The baseline load profile is key to assessing the actual peak load electric energy reduction from a demand response event. Some grid operators are considering compensating commercial facilities for the energy reduction they achieve during demand response events. In fact the Public Service Company of New Mexico, the electricity supplier to UNM, has a demand response program that would compensate in this manner. The method described here is based on fuzzy set theory and allows the inclusion of building occupancy in the calculation. Our method achieves greater accuracy than other methods currently in use. Third, this study developed strategies for minimizing occupant dissatisfaction during demand response events using fuzzy cognitive mapping. If occupant discomfort causes significant complaints to the facility operator or owner, they may direct the demand response event be discontinued and thus eliminate the electric power savings. Assessing and predicting this potential interruption of the demand response event is not readily evaluated with crisp analytical techniques. Thus we elected to assess this problem using fuzzy set theory as applied to cognitive maps. Our model focuses on the University of New Mexico (UNM) campus. Fourth, we developed the conceptual design and operation of a facility control system to manage demand response events for the campus of the University of New Mexico. This section presents the design principles, the demand response control system logic and operation, and the economic value based on the PNM Peak Saver Demand Response Program financial incentives.\u2

Configraphics:

This dissertation reports a PhD research on mathematical-computational models, methods, and techniques for analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of spatial configurations in architecture and urban design. Spatial configuration is a technical term that refers to the particular way in which a set of spaces are connected to one another as a network. Spatial configuration affects safety, security, and efficiency of functioning of complex buildings by facilitating certain patterns of movement and/or impeding other patterns. In cities and suburban built environments, spatial configuration affects accessibilities and influences travel behavioural patterns, e.g. choosing walking and cycling for short trips instead of travelling by cars. As such, spatial configuration effectively influences the social, economic, and environmental functioning of cities and complex buildings, by conducting human movement patterns. In this research, graph theory is used to mathematically model spatial configurations in order to provide intuitive ways of studying and designing spatial arrangements for architects and urban designers. The methods and tools presented in this dissertation are applicable in: arranging spatial layouts based on configuration graphs, e.g. by using bubble diagrams to ensure certain spatial requirements and qualities in complex buildings; and analysing the potential effects of decisions on the likely spatial performance of buildings and on mobility patterns in built environments for systematic comparison of designs or plans, e.g. as to their aptitude for pedestrians and cyclists. The dissertation reports two parallel tracks of work on architectural and urban configurations. The core concept of the architectural configuration track is the ‘bubble diagram’ and the core concept of the urban configuration track is the ‘easiest paths’ for walking and cycling. Walking and cycling have been chosen as the foci of this theme as they involve active physical, cognitive, and social encounter of people with built environments, all of which are influenced by spatial configuration. The methodologies presented in this dissertation have been implemented in design toolkits and made publicly available as freeware applications

Expert perceptions of game-changing innovations towards net zero

Current technological improvements are yet to put the world on track to net-zero, which will require the uptake of transformative low-carbon innovations to supplement mitigation efforts. However, the role of such innovations is not yet fully understood; some of these ‘miracles’ are considered indispensable to Paris Agreement-compliant mitigation, but their limitations, availability, and potential remain a source of debate. We evaluate such potentially game-changing innovations from the experts' perspective, aiming to support the design of realistic decarbonisation scenarios and better-informed net-zero policy strategies. In a worldwide survey, 260 climate and energy experts assessed transformative innovations against their mitigation potential, at-scale availability and/or widescale adoption, and risk of delayed diffusion. Hierarchical clustering and multi-criteria decision-making revealed differences in perceptions of core technological innovations, with next-generation energy storage, alternative building materials, iron-ore electrolysis, and hydrogen in steelmaking emerging as top priorities. Instead, technologies highly represented in well-below-2°C scenarios seemingly feature considerable and impactful delays, hinting at the need to re-evaluate their role in future pathways. Experts' assessments appear to converge more on the potential role of other disruptive innovations, including lifestyle shifts and alternative economic models, indicating the importance of scenarios including non-technological and demand-side innovations. To provide insights for expert elicitation processes, we finally note caveats related to the level of representativeness among the 260 engaged experts, the level of their expertise that may have varied across the examined innovations, and the potential for subjective interpretation to which the employed linguistic scales may be prone to

Decarbonising existing homes in Wales: a participatory behavioural systems mapping approach

To reduce carbon emissions, urgent change is needed to high-carbon human behaviours including home energy use. Previous policy failures point to insufficient integration of systemic and behavioural approaches which are too often seen as alternative and incompatible approaches to bring about change. A novel behavioural systems mapping approach was used to inform national policy recommendations for energy-saving retrofit of homes in Wales. Three participatory workshops were held with the independent Welsh residential decarbonisation advisory group ('the Advisory Group') to: (1) map relationships between actors, behaviours and influences on behaviour within the home retrofit system; (2) provide training in the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) framework and (3) use these to develop policy recommendations for interventions. Recommendations were analysed using the capability, opportunity and motivation (COM-B) model of behaviour to assess whether they addressed these factors. Two behavioural systems maps (BSMs) were produced, representing privately rented and owner-occupied housing tenures. The main causal pathways and feedback loops in each map are described. Necessary interventions to achieve national-scale retrofit included: government-led investment, campaigns and awareness-building, financial-sector funding mechanisms, enforcement of regulations and creating more streamlined and trusted supply chain services. Of 27 final policy recommendations, six addressed capability, 24 opportunity and 12 motivation. Participatory behavioural systems mapping can be used in conjunction with behaviour change frameworks to develop policy recommendations that address the behavioural determinants of complex environmental problems in a systemic way. Research is underway to refine and extend the approach through application to other sustainability challenges and methods of constructing systems maps

Adaptive-predictive control strategy for HVAC systems in smart buildings – A review

Abstract High share of energy consumption in buildings and subsequent increase in greenhouse gas emissions along with stricter legislations have motivated researchers to look for sustainable solutions in order to reduce energy consumption by using alternative renewable energy resources and improving the efficiency in this sector. Today, the smart building and socially resilient city concepts have been introduced where building automation technologies are implemented to manage and control the energy generation/consumption/storage. Building automation and control systems can be roughly classified into traditional and advanced control strategies. Traditional strategies are not a viable choice for more sophisticated features required in smart buildings. The main focus of this paper is to review advanced control strategies and their impact on buildings and technical systems with respect to energy/cost saving. These strategies should be predictive/responsive/adaptive against weather, user, grid and thermal mass. In this context, special attention is paid to model predictive control and adaptive control strategies. Although model predictive control is the most common type used in buildings, it is not well suited for systems consisting of uncertainties and unpredictable data. Thus, adaptive predictive control strategies are being developed to address these shortcomings. Despite great progress in this field, the quantified results of these strategies reported in literature showed a high level of inconsistency. This is due to the application of different control modes, various boundary conditions, hypotheses, fields of application, and type of energy consumption in different studies. Thus, this review assesses the implementations and configurations of advanced control solutions and highlights research gaps in this field that need further investigations

Intelligent modeling of e-Government initiatives in Greece

Over the last two years Greece has employed agile ICT solutions to reduce the administrative burden in front-office G2B transactions. This research supplements historic analysis with fuzzy cognitive maps to offer a multi-dimensional coupling of eGovernment initiatives with digital maturity assessment capabilities and a strategy alignment evaluation framework. This “intelligent x-ray” confirms that front-office technology is important in reducing administrative burden. The digital bypass of bureaucracy seems to be an effective start for Greece. However, this strategy can only serve as a short-term tactical choice. The “intelligent x-ray” provides executive level quantification and traceable reasoning to show that excessive emphasis on front- office technology will soon fail to support a strong eGovernment maturity. Organizational efficiency, interoperability, regulatory simplifications, and change management must also act as important objectives. Only then will ICT deliver its full potential, and the eGovernment maturity will improve significantly even with moderate ICT investments

Sustainable Assessment in Supply Chain and Infrastructure Management

In the competitive business environment or public domain, the sustainability assessment in supply chain and infrastructure management are important for any organization. Organizations are currently striving to improve their sustainable strategies through preparedness, response, and recovery because of increasing competitiveness, community, and regulatory pressure. Thus, it is necessary to develop a meaningful and more focused understanding of sustainability in supply chain management and infrastructure management practices. In the context of a supply chain, sustainability implies that companies identify, assess, and manage impacts and risks in all the echelons of the supply chain, considering downstream and upstream activities. Similarly, the sustainable infrastructure management indicates the ability of infrastructure to meet the requirements of the present without sacrificing the ability of future generations to address their needs. The complexities regarding sustainable supply chain and infrastructure management have driven managers and professionals to seek different solutions. This Special Issue aims to provide readers with the most recent research results on the aforementioned subjects. In addition, it offers some solutions and also raises some questions for further research and development toward sustainable supply chain and infrastructure management