Information Systems for Sustainable Use of Water in Smart Cities: A Review and Call for Future Research

Water is the basis of life—that being said, the rising scarcity triggered by climate change and urbanization is an increasingly important challenge in urban areas. The United Nations present “water” as one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and experts make impassionate calls for sustainable water management solutions as a seminal part of smart cities. While there are numerous research efforts in the IS community regarding certain SDGs and smart cities, we demonstrate in a structured literature review that urban water scarcity is still a blind spot. In this paper, we present pathways for future research alleys on this topic. We sketch out a vision for a smart city water system that is based on a novel information system. We draw on the energy informatics framework as a theoretical basis for our work and provide a context-specific discussion on its transferability to the resource of water in smart cities. By introducing urban water scarcity to the IS research agenda and showing opportunities as well as boundaries for the transfer of the energy informatics framework, we hope to stimulate IS researchers to be more active in pursuing research efforts in this pressing topic

The State of the Art in Smart City Research – A Literature Analysis on Green IS Solutions to Foster Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is one of the most critical issues worldwide, concerning every individual. The main objective in this area is to preserve scarce resources and reduce CO2 emissions in order to prevent environmental degradation. In recent years the potential of information systems (IS) as a driver for environmental sustainability has emerged under the term “Green IS”. Given that cities represent a huge share of environmental degradation due to factors such as mobility, energy and water consumption, and waste production, the municipal domain offers huge potentials in terms of sustainability. The advent of smart cites is an attempt to address this concern. In this paper we aim to provide an overview of current publications on environmental sustainability in smart cities, as research in this field is still unstructured. This paper focuses on structuring the research field by providing a research framework to achieve a more holistic view on the application of Green IS. We distinguish between research performed by the IS community and that of related fields, such as urban development, and perform a cross-sectional, exhaustive literature analysis with almost 1,500 articles to uncover the differences and commonalities between the domains

Appropriate technologies and natural systems for wastewater treatment in low- and middle-income countries

Wastewater management is an environmental and social burden that primarily affects populations in Low- and Middle-Income Countries and the global environment. Wastewater collection, treatment, and reuse have become urgent, especially considering that 80% of the world's wastewater is untreated or improperly treated and discharged directly into water bodies. In recent years, the role of wastewater treatment plants in a sustainable water cycle has become even more critical, as they are the final destination of the collected wastewater. Indeed, the management of wastewater treatment plants should play an essential role in achieving SDG target 6.3 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for SD. In this context, water reuse, especially wastewater reuse, plays a key role. This research focuses on investigating the valorization of wastewater resources applying Appropriate Technologies and Natural Systems for wastewater treatment in two different Low- and Middle-Income Countries, the Palestinian Territories and Sub-Saharan Africa. The research objectives are: (1) Determine the characteristics and quality of wastewater in the two case studies analysed. (2) Identify Appropriate Technology to be used in the Palestinian Territories to treat wastewater for reuse in agriculture. (3) Assess the environmental, economic, and social impacts of this project. (4) Assess the feasibility of using natural wetlands for household wastewater treatment in Sub-Saharan region. The first study, conducted in Rafah, Gaza Strip, showed that implementing existing primary treatment plant with a natural secondary treatment plant properly optimized the wastewater quality for reuse in agriculture and was suitable for the study area. The second case study was conducted in Cape Coast, Ghana. It shows that the natural wetland studied is currently overly polluted and threatened by various anthropogenic factors that cannot remove pollutants from the incoming domestic wastewater. Therefore, some recommendations were made in order to improve the efficiency of this natural wetland

Composting modelling : towards a better understanding of the fundamentals, applications for enhanced nutrient recycling, greenhouse gas reduction, and improved decision-making

Cette thèse de doctorat vise à consolider, développer et appliquer nos connaissances sur la modélisation du compostage, dans le but de fournir des informations, des outils et des perspectives accessibles et utilisables pour les chercheurs et les décideurs. L'espoir est que les travaux développés tout au long de cette thèse puissent aider à optimiser les procédés de compostage, notamment en réduisant les émissions de gaz à effet de serre (GES) et en améliorant le recyclage des nutriments. A ce titre, la thèse est divisée en trois phases : (1) la phase 1 est une consolidation et un développement des notions fondamentales de la modélisation du compostage, (2) suivie de la phase 2, où la modélisation de la perte de nutriments et des émissions de GES est étudiée, (3) avec la phase 3 qui est axée sur la manière d'assurer que ce travail puisse être utilisé par les décideurs et acteurs dans le milieu de compostage. Dans la première phase, une revue complète et systématique de l'ensemble de la littérature sur la modélisation du compostage a été entreprise (chapitre 2), cherchant à fournir une meilleure compréhension du travail qui a été fait et sur la direction des travaux futurs. Ceci a été suivi d'une étudie détaillée des approches de modélisation cinétique actuelles, notamment par rapport aux facteurs de corrections cinétiques appliqués à travers le domaine (chapitre 3). La phase 2 s'est ensuite focalisée sur les notions spécifiques relatives aux émissions de GES et aux pertes de nutriments lors du compostage, et à la modélisation de ces phénomènes. Cette thèse présente les réacteurs expérimentaux et le plan conçu pour suivre et évaluer le processus de compostage (chapitre 4), ainsi que le modèle de compostage compréhensif développé pour prédire avec précision les émissions et la transformation des nutriments pendant le compostage (chapitre 5). Enfin, la phase 3 visait à rendre ces informations facilement et largement utilisables. Cela a commencé par une évaluation des meilleures pratiques pour développer des modèles et des systèmes d'aide à la décision pour la prise de décision environnementale (chapitre 6), suivi par le développement de nouvelles approches de modélisation cinétique simples (chapitre 7), culminant avec le développement, l'ajustement paramétrique et la validation d'un modèle de compostage parcimonieux (chapitre 8). Grâce à ce travail, une base consolidée de l'état actuel de la modélisation du compostage a été développée, suivie par l'exploration et le développement de connaissances et d'outils à la fois fondamentaux et applicables.This PhD thesis aims consolidating, developing, and applying our knowledge on composting modelling, with the goal of providing accessible and usable information, tools, and perspectives for researchers and decision-makers alike. The hope is that the work developed throughout this dissertation can help in optimizing composting, notably by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving nutrient recycling. As such, the thesis is divided into three phases: (1) phase 1 is a consolidation and development of the fundamentals of composting modelling, (2) followed by phase 2, where the modelling of nutrient loss and GHG emissions is investigated, (3) with phase 3 focusing on how to ensure that this work can be used by decision-makers. In the first phase, a comprehensive and systematic review of the entirety of the literature on composting modelling was undertaken (chapter 2), seeking to provide a better understanding on the work that has been done and guidance on where future work should focus and how it should be approached. This review then raised some interesting questions regarding modelling approaches, notably regarding modelling of composting kinetics, which was studied in detail through the evaluation of current modelling approaches (chapter 3). Phase 2 then focused on the specific notions relating to GHG emissions and nutrient loss during composting, and how to model these phenomena. This section starts with a presentation of the experimental reactors and plan designed to monitor and evaluate the composting process (chapter 4), followed by the comprehensive composting model developed to accurately predict emissions and nutrient transformation during composting (chapter 5). Finally, phase 3 aimed to make this information easily and widely usable, especially for decision-makers. This started with a review on the best practices to develop models and decision support systems for environmental decision-making (chapter 6), followed by the development of novel simple kinetic modelling approaches (chapter 7), culminating with the development, calibration, and validation of a parsimonious composting model (chapter 8). Through this work, a consolidated basis of the current state on composting modelling has been developed, followed-up by the exploration and development of both fundamental and applicable knowledge and tools

Adapted structured decision making instrument for selecting wastewater treatment systems

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Daniel Costa dos SantosTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Tecnologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Recursos Hídricos e Ambiental. Defesa : Curitiba, 09/11/2018Inclui referências: p.147-160Resumo: Devido ao crescimento populacional e tendências de urbanização, áreas periurbanas que circundam as principais cidades estão aumentando de forma desordenada sem infraestrutura adequada de esgotamento sanitário, especialmente em países em desenvolvimento. Embora o referencial bibliográfico indique que existem estações de tratamento de esgoto (ETEs) convencionais e inovadores que poderiam convenientemente mitigar as questões citadas, um dos principais problemas reside no processo de escolha de uma alternativa adequada. Mais especificamente, em como recorrer ao uso adequado de instrumentos de análise a tomada de decisões (ATD) e suas ferramentas. Nesta abordagem, uma lacuna importante relacionada à temática é que as ferramentas disponíveis não consideram a integração de atributos como facilidade de uso e interatividade visual. Portanto, esta pesquisa adapta, aplica e avalia um ATD estruturado, denominado Structured Decision Making (SDM), em um processo de decisão complexo para um cenário específico. Ademais, o estudo também desenvolve, aplica e avalia a ferramenta de pré-seleção de alternativas do WWTS (PS-WWTS), além de auxiliar no desenvolvimento e aplicação de outra ferramenta, o ValueCharts. Ademais, embora praticamente todas as ETEs inseridas no PS-WWTS sejam amplamente conhecidas em ferramentas similares, esta investigação também inclui o Sistema de Tratamento Ecologicamente Projetado (STEP) como uma alternativa descentralizada e sustentável, assumida como adequada para o cenário eleito. Os desempenhos relacionados aos indicadores definidos para o SDM foram obtidos a partir do referêncial bibliográfico. Ademais, no capítulo de Materiais e Métodos é abordada a estrutura do estudo de caso a uma análise comparativa de ETEs em um cenário real, dada a participação de diferentes grupos de participantes. A sequência estabelecida da aplicação do referenciado instrumento (SDM) demonstrou coerência e, portanto, o processo foi considerado eficiente. Em relação as ferramentas específicas, o conjunto de ETEs pré-definidas da ferramenta PSWWTS foi consistente ao referenciar-se a ETEs mais implementadas em cenários semelhantes. Posteriormente, a operação do ValueCharts também foi considerada eficaz. Considerando uma análise absoluta, a alternativa Lodo Ativado (LA) foi a mais preferida. Entretanto, esta ferramenta também demonstrou preferências distintas dos participantes, permitindo outros julgamentos. Por exemplo, as investigações com o grupo da comunidade sugerem que as alternativas mais adequadas do WWTS devem considerar alguns aspectos ocasionalmente negligenciados na ATD relacionada com ETEs. Especificamente, àqueles ligados ao bem-estar das comunidades vizinhas. Ou seja, o potencial de odor e o repasse de impostos. Assim, os resultados também mostraram que o STEP pode ser também uma alternativa adequada e viável para o cenário definido. Finalmente, a aplicação do estudo de caso ainda permitiu identificar melhorias de todo o instrumento (SDM) e suas ferramentas. Resumindo, o que se destacou através do uso da combinação de estudo de caso e elicitação de especialistas foi que essa tese pôde fornecer evidências empíricas de que existem ferramentas adequadas que apoiam complexos sistemas de ATD, como por exemplo em abordagens ambientais. Simultaneamente, podem haver evidências de que ETEs alternativas que abordam aspectos de sustentabilidade e descentralização podem ser adequadas em cenários periurbanos. Palavras chaves: Sistema de tratamento de esgoto. Ferramenta de suporte a tomada de decisão. Tratamento sustentável e decentralizado.Abstract: Due to the population growth and urbanization trend, peri-urban areas that surround major cities are haphazardly increasing without proper sanitary sewerage (SS) systems in the developing world. Even though the literature review points out that there are conventional and innovative wastewater treatment systems (WWTS) which could conveniently mitigate the cited issues, one of the main problems lies on the process of choosing a suitable alternative, more specifically, in how to adequately resort to decision making analysis (DMA) and tools to support the definition of solutions. In this view, an important obstacle is that tools available have not considered the integration of attributes such as user-friendliness and visual interactivity. Therefore, this research adapts and applies a well-structured DMA, namely Structured Decision making (SDM), into a complex decision in a specific scenario. Additionally, as specific objectives, the study develops, applies and evaluates other tools for pre-selecting WWTS (PS-WWTS) alternatives, and afterwards performs the evaluation process (ValueCharts). Although all the set of well-known treatment systems of the PS-WWTS acknowledges those existing in similar tools, this investigation also includes the Ecologically Engineered Treatment System (EETS) as a decentralized and sustainable alternative, assumed as suitable for the scenario selected. The performances correlated with the defined indicators were obtained from the academic literature. Moreover, Material and Methods presents an applied study into a real scenario in order to perform the comparison analysis, given the participation of different groups of participants. The adapted SDM instrument was efficiently applied as depicted in this study. The established sequence has demonstrated coherence and thus the analysis has flowed adequately. Turning to the specific tools' analysis, firstly, the obtained set of WWTS alternatives from the PS-WWTS tool was consistent given the most applicable ones into similar scenarios. Subsequently, the ValueCharts tool operation was worthwhile to be applied in complex evaluations. Conclusively, the Activated Sludge Process (ASP) was the highest scoring alternative from the application of the tool considering absolute analysis. But rather specific, the Valuecharts tool has uncomplicately demonstrated distinct preferences from the participants, allowing the assessment of other possible judgments. For instance, the inquiries with the community group have suggested that most suitable WWTS alternatives should consider some aspects occasionally neglected in decision making analysis related to WWTS. In particular, those connected to the well-being of the nearby communities, i.e. - odor potential and pass-through taxes. Hence, the average results have also shown that the EETS might also be a suitable and a reliable alternative for the scenario selected. Finally, the applied study has permitted to identify improvements of the whole SDM instrument and tools. Summing up, what has mostly standed out by using a combination of applied study and experts elicitation was that this thesis could provide empirical evidence that there are adequate tools that support complex DMA, for instance in the environmental fields. Simultaneously, there might be evidence that sustainable and decentralized WWTS alternatives can be suitable to the peri-urban scenario. Key-words: Wastewater treatment systems; Decision making support tool; Sustainable and decentralized treatment technologies

Alternative Water Supply Systems

Owing to climate change related uncertainties and anticipated population growth, different parts of the world (particularly urban areas) are experiencing water shortages or flooding and security of fit-for-purpose supplies is becoming a major issue. The emphasis on decentralized alternative water supply systems has increased considerably. Most of the information on such systems is either scattered or focuses on large scale reuse with little consideration given to decentralized small to medium scale systems. Alternative Water Supply Systems brings together recent research into the available and innovative options and additionally shares experiences from a wide range of contexts from both developed and developing countries. Also covered are the technical, social, financial and institutional aspects associated with decentralized alternative water supply systems. These include systems for greywater recycling, rainwater harvesting, recovery of water through condensation and sewer mining

Alternative Water Supply Systems

This is the final version. Available on open access from IWA Publishing via the DOI in this recordOwing to climate change related uncertainties and anticipated population growth, different parts of the developing and the developed world (particularly urban areas) are experiencing water shortages or flooding and security of fit-for-purpose supplies is becoming a major issue. The emphasis on decentralized alternative water supply systems has increased considerably. Most of the information on such systems is either scattered or focuses on large scale reuse with little consideration given to decentralized small to medium scale systems. Alternative Water Supply Systems brings together recent research into the available and innovative options and additionally shares experiences from a wide range of contexts from both developed and developing countries. Alternative Water Supply Systems covers technical, social, financial and institutional aspects associated with decentralized alternative water supply systems. These include systems for greywater recycling, rainwater harvesting, recovery of water through condensation and sewer mining. A number of case studies from the UK, the USA, Australia and the developing world are presented to discuss associated environmental and health implications. The book provides insights into a range of aspects associated with alternative water supply systems and an evidence base (through case studies) on potential water savings and trade-offs. The information organized in the book is aimed at facilitating wider uptake of context specific alternatives at a decentralized scale mainly in urban areas. This book is a key reference for postgraduate level students and researchers interested in environmental engineering, water resources management, urban planning and resource efficiency, water demand management, building service engineering and sustainable architecture. It provides practical insights for water professionals such as systems designers, operators, and decision makers responsible for planning and delivering sustainable water management in urban areas through the implementation of decentralized water recycling

A Decision Support System for the Design and Evaluation of Sustainable Wastewater Solutions

The drive toward sustainable wastewater management is challenging the conventional paradigm of linear end-of-pipe solutions. A shift toward more sustainable solutions requires that information about new ideas, systems, and technologies be more readily accessible for addressing wastewater problems. It is commonly argued that decision-making needs to involve engineers and other community representatives to define values and brainstorm solutions. This paper describes a decision support system (DSS) prototype that is designed to help community planners identify solutions which balance environmental, economic, and social goals. The system is designed to be scalable, adaptable, and flexible to allow fair assessment of new ideas and technologies. It supports the exploration of consequences of various alternatives and visualizes the tradeoffs between them. Our DSS takes in modular descriptions of components and a description of a community context, automates the design of alternative wastewater systems, and facilitates evaluating how well each design satisfies the given context. It provides an adaptable platform from which new solutions can be designed without having to predefine how a single component fits within a specific system. Our DSS facilitates the exploration of alternative solutions by visualizing the effect of various tradeoffs and their consequences in relation to the community\u27s sustainability goals