Ecosystem services, sustainable rural development and protected áreas

Enhancing social and economic development while preserving nature is one of the major challenges for humankind in the current century. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment showed an alarming degradation of ecosystems and exacerbated poverty for many groups of people across the world due to unprecedented changes in ecosystems caused by human activities in the 20th century. Sustainable Rural Development is key to maintaining active local communities in rural and semi-natural areas, avoiding depopulation, and preserving high-ecological-value sites, including protected areas. Establishing protected areas is the most common strategy to preserve biodiversity around the world with the advantage of promoting the supply of ecosystem services. However, depending how it affects economic opportunities and the access to natural resources, it can either attract or repel human settlements. The convergence of development and conservation requires decision-making processes capable of aligning the needs and expectations of rural communities and the goals of biodiversity conservation. The articles compiled in this Special Issue (nine research papers and two review papers) make important contributions to this challenge from different approaches, disciplines and regions in the world.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Multiple Criteria Analysis of the Life Cycle of the Built Environment

To design and achieve effective the life cycle of the built environment a complex analysis of its stages as well as stakeholders, their aims and potentialities is needed. The effect of micro, meso and macro environmental factors should also be taken into account. A thorough built environment’s life cycle (brief; design; raw material extraction, transport and processing; construction materials production and distribution; construction; use, repair and maintenance; demolition; disposal, reuse, or recycling) analysis is quite difficult to undertake, because a buildings and its environment are a complex system (technical, technological, economical, social, cultural, ecological, etc.), where all sub-systems influence the total efficiency performance and where the interdependence between sub-systems play a significant role. Various stakeholders (clients, users, architects, designers, utilities engineers, economists, contractors, maintenance engineers, built environment material manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, finansing institutions, local government, state and state institutions) are involved in the life cycle of the built environment, trying to satisfy their needs and affecting its efficiency. The level of the efficiency of the life cycle of the built environment depends on a number of variables, at three levels: micro, meso and macro level. The problem is how to define an efficient built environment life cycle when a lot of various parties are involved, the alternative project versions come to hundreds thousand and the efficiency changes with the alterations in the environment conditions and the constituent parts of the process in question. Moreover, the realization of some objectives seems more rational from the economic perspective thought from the other perspectives they have various significance. Therefore, it is considered that the efficiency of a built environment life cycle depends on the rationality of its stages as well as on the ability to satisfy the needs of the stakeholders and the rational character of environment conditions. Formalized presentation of the research shows how changes in the environment and the extent to which the goals pursued by various stakeholders are satisfied cause corresponding changes in the value and utility degree of a built environment life cycle. With this in mind, it is possible to solve the problem of optimization concerning satisfaction of the needs at reasonable expenditures. This requires the analysis of the built environment life cycle versions allowing to find an optimal combination of goals pursued and finances available. References to the most modern world scientific literature sources are presented in the monograph. The monograph is prepared for the researchers, MSc and PhD students of civil engineering, construction management and real estate development. The book may be useful for other researchers, MSc and PhD students of economics, management and other specialities. The edition was recommended by the Committe of Studies of VGTU Faculty of Civil Engineering. The publication of monograph was funded by European Social Fund according to project No. VP1-2.2-ŠMM-07-K-02-060 Development and Implementation of Joint Master’s Study Programme “Sustainable Development of the Built Environment”.The edition was recommended by the Committe of Studies of VGTU Faculty of Civil Engineering. The publication of monograph was funded by European Social Fund according to project No. VP1-2.2-ŠMM-07-K-02-060 Development and Implementation of Joint Master’s Study Programme “Sustainable Development of the Built Environment”

Integrated Water Resources Management Karlsruhe 2010 : IWRM, International Conference, 24 - 25 November 2010 conference proceedings

In dieser Arbeit werden dual-orthogonal, linear polarisierte Antennen für die UWB-Technik konzipiert. Das Prinzip zur Realisierung der Strahler wird vorgestellt, theoretisch und simulativ untersucht, sowie messtechnisch verifiziert. Danach werden Konzepte zur Miniaturisierung der Strahler dargelegt, die anschließend zum Aufbau von Antennengruppen verwendet werden. Die Vorteile der entwickelten Antennen werden praktisch anhand des bildgebenden Radars und des Monopuls-Radars gezeigt