An integrated urban systems model with GIS

The purpose of the research is to develop an integrated urban systems model, which will assist in formulating a better land use-transportation policy by simulating the relationships between land use patterns and travel behavior, integrated with geographic information systems (GISs). In order to make an integrated land use-transportation model possible with the assistance of GISs technologies, the following four sub-systems have been developed: (1) an effective traffic analysis zone generation system; (2) an iterative land use and transportation modeling system; (3) efficient interfaces between GIS and land use, and GIS and transportation models; and (4) a user-friendly graphic user interface (GUI) system. By integrating these sub-systems, a variety of alternative land use-transportation policies can be evaluated through the modification of input parameters in each simulation. Eventually, the developed model using a GIS will assist in formulating an effective land use policy by obtaining robust simulation results for both land use-transportation planners and decision makers. The model has been applied to the Urbana-Champaign area as well as to the Seoul region in Korea for a demonstration of the workings of the model.

Deep Space Network information system architecture study

The purpose of this article is to describe an architecture for the Deep Space Network (DSN) information system in the years 2000-2010 and to provide guidelines for its evolution during the 1990s. The study scope is defined to be from the front-end areas at the antennas to the end users (spacecraft teams, principal investigators, archival storage systems, and non-NASA partners). The architectural vision provides guidance for major DSN implementation efforts during the next decade. A strong motivation for the study is an expected dramatic improvement in information-systems technologies, such as the following: computer processing, automation technology (including knowledge-based systems), networking and data transport, software and hardware engineering, and human-interface technology. The proposed Ground Information System has the following major features: unified architecture from the front-end area to the end user; open-systems standards to achieve interoperability; DSN production of level 0 data; delivery of level 0 data from the Deep Space Communications Complex, if desired; dedicated telemetry processors for each receiver; security against unauthorized access and errors; and highly automated monitor and control

Study on behavioral impedance for route planning techniques from the pedestrian's perspective: some findings and considerations

The multi-disciplinary characteristics of transportation force a new design of geographic information systems, within which these characteristics are considered. In this context, geographic information systems for transportation are the result of the integration of transportation information systems and conventional geographic information systems. An interesting research area in geographic information systems for transportation is constraint management in route planning algorithms from the pedestrian s perspective. Constraint management becomes more complex when route planning takes into account an integrated public transportation network (i.e. a multimodal network). A study on the theoretical contextualization and taxonomy of a pedestrian s behavioral impedance has been developed in order to improve the constraint management from the pedestrian s perspective. This study entails strategies of travel reduction by private transport (e.g. travel by car) through switching to or substitution by alternative public transport (e.g. travel by walk, bus or rail). The grounded theory method has been used to develop the proposed taxonomy. Using the partial results of a questionnaire applied to a reduced group of people from Barcelona as a starting point, important data are being collected to define the mathematical model of the behavioral impedance domain. The goal of this paper is to provide some considerations about theoretical contextualization on identification and management of constraints regarding the behavioral impedance domain from the pedestrian s perspective within the urban public transportation context. The research project where this work is included is composed of six major phases. The first phase represents a continuous bibliographic review. The second phase was a study on sidewalks in the university zone of Barcelona. In this phase, an experimental application has been proposed and the management, map and route modules have been implemented on the ArcInfo GIS package and C++. This paper reports the partial work of the third phase, which is composed of two parts. The first part was a theoretical study on behavioral impedance for route planning techniques, in which taxonomy was proposed. The results of the second part are partially presented in this paper. The fourth (i.e. design and implementation), fifth (i.e. calibration and validation) and sixth (i.e. generalization of the results) phases are characterized by the application of the prototype regarding the multimodal network model for urban public transportation from the pedestrian s perspective. The main contribution of this article is the behavioral impedance taxonomy review from the pedestrian s perspective, which will allow designing a mathematical model and be used to implement a constraint management algorithm. Within this context, the proposed taxonomy could be used to model cost functions more precisely.Postprint (published version

An accessibility planning tool for network transit oriented development: SNAP

In the academic debate regarding the influences between urban form, built environment and travel patterns, a specific idea that has taken hold is that more compact urban development around railway stations, often referred to as Transit Oriented Development (TOD), contributes to the control of vehicle travel and to more sustainable metropolitan systems. According to this general principle this work proposes a GIS accessibility tool for the design of polycentric transit oriented scenario: SNAP - Station Network Accessibility Planning tool. In the first part the state of the art on Transit Oriented Development policies in Europe is presented with a focus on three study cases. In the second part the SNAP tool is described, with remarks to the approach, the methodology and the used indicators. Furthermore the paper discusses an application to the metropolitan area of Naples

Development of Geographical Information Systems Applications for Local Government Organizations: the Case of the Rhodes Municipality, Greece

The present recommendation summons up matter from a project in progress, concerning the possibilities and conditions of founding a Social Geographical Information System (GIS) in the Municipality of Rhodes. It is argued that, on the level of local societies and their self-administration, the importance of GIS can prove decisive for the rational management of resources and mainly for a better service of the citizens. Local governments, being that very institution at the closest possible relationship and contact with the resident-citizen, are called to cope with a constantly expanding spectrum of functions and services, often with insufficient infrastructures and limited resources. Today’s stage of the applied development of the GIS technology permits an overall arrangement and regulation of a series of functions that are important elements of everyday life in a city. In this sense, the use of GIS, although in the beginning seems as an “unnecessary luxury†for Greek administrational matters, can contribute in a creative way to the realization of the institutional role of local government organizations, to the accomplishment of the declared goals of each municipal authority but also to the saving of time and expenses. However, beyond the applications of GIS related to the improvement of a city’s functions, and which are the most frequent, there is a whole constellation of additional uses that are often downgraded or ignored. It is about those dimensions and applications, during which the GIS are utilized as an implement of social studies and search, as a mechanism of tendency diagnosis, as a starting point for awareness on the problems of urban areas and of their residents. It is the perspective and necessity of such applications that we are trying not to downgrade in the present, initial stage of development of a “Social GIS for the Municipality of Rhodesâ€. Our fundamental point of view is that no modern “leading-edge†technology, no advanced implement is by itself a panacea. It can simply assist the development procedures, when it is in the right hands and with the appropriate staff, information and infrastructure. Procedures that have finally reference to the level of central or local political choices but also to the disposition, dynamic or not dynamic, of the body politic for interference and action.

The use of GIS in Brownfield redevelopment

In recent years, the issue of Brownfield site development - the re-use of previously used urban land - has gained a significant place in the planning agenda. However, not all Brownfield sites are derelict or contaminated land, some are significant as environmental amenities - be it part of wider ecosystem or a green area for the local population. The growing concern to include environmental aspects into the public debate have lead the Environment Agency, the Jackson Environment Institute and the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis to commission a short term pilot study to evaluate the contribution of a GIS for decision support and for "discussion support".In this paper, we describe how the state-of-the-art in geographic information (GI) and GI Science (GISc) can be used in a short term and limited project to achieve a practical and usable system. We are drawing on developments in information availability, as made accessible through the World Wide Web and research themes in GISc ranging from Multimedia GIS to Public Participation GIS

Developing Integrated Waste Management Systems: Information Needs and the Role of Locally Based Data

No abstract available

Performance assessment of urban precinct design: a scoping study

Executive Summary: Significant advances have been made over the past decade in the development of scientifically and industry accepted tools for the performance assessment of buildings in terms of energy, carbon, water, indoor environment quality etc. For resilient, sustainable low carbon urban development to be realised in the 21st century, however, will require several radical transitions in design performance beyond the scale of individual buildings. One of these involves the creation and application of leading edge tools (not widely available to built environment professions and practitioners) capable of being applied to an assessment of performance across all stages of development at a precinct scale (neighbourhood, community and district) in either greenfield, brownfield or greyfield settings. A core aspect here is the development of a new way of modelling precincts, referred to as Precinct Information Modelling (PIM) that provides for transparent sharing and linking of precinct object information across the development life cycle together with consistent, accurate and reliable access to reference data, including that associated with the urban context of the precinct. Neighbourhoods are the ‘building blocks’ of our cities and represent the scale at which urban design needs to make its contribution to city performance: as productive, liveable, environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive places (COAG 2009). Neighbourhood design constitutes a major area for innovation as part of an urban design protocol established by the federal government (Department of Infrastructure and Transport 2011, see Figure 1). The ability to efficiently and effectively assess urban design performance at a neighbourhood level is in its infancy. This study was undertaken by Swinburne University of Technology, University of New South Wales, CSIRO and buildingSMART Australasia on behalf of the CRC for Low Carbon Living