Multiobjective optimization for multiproduct batch plant design under economic and environmental considerations

This work deals with the multicriteria cost–environment design of multiproduct batch plants, where the design variables are the size of the equipment items as well as the operating conditions. The case study is a multiproduct batch plant for the production of four recombinant proteins. Given the important combinatorial aspect of the problem, the approach used consists in coupling a stochastic algorithm, indeed a genetic algorithm (GA) with a discrete-event simulator (DES). Another incentive to use this kind of optimization method is that, there is no easy way of calculating derivatives of the objective functions, which then discards gradient optimization methods. To take into account the conflicting situations that may be encountered at the earliest stage of batch plant design, i.e. compromise situations between cost and environmental consideration, a multiobjective genetic algorithm (MOGA) was developed with a Pareto optimal ranking method. The results show how the methodology can be used to find a range of trade-off solutions for optimizing batch plant design

Indicators and Evaluation Tools for the Assessment of Urban Sustainability

This paper attempts to provide an explanation of why reductionistic approaches are not adequate to tackle the urban sustainability issue in a consistent way. Concepts such as urban environmental carrying capacity and ecological footprint are discussed. Multicriteria evaluation is proposed as a general multidimensional framework for the assessment of urban sustainability. This paper deals with the following main topics: · definition of the concept of urban sustainability, · discussion of relevant sustainability indicators, · multicriteria evaluation as a framework for the assessment of urban sustainability, · an illustrative example.Urban environmental carrying capacity, ecological footprint, multicriteria evaluation, NAIADE method

A Multidimensional Framework for Financial-Economic Decisions

Most financial-economic decisions are made consciously, with a clear and constant drive to ???good???, ???better??? or even ???optimal??? decisions. Nevertheless, many decisions in practice do not earn these qualifications, despite the availability of financial economic theory, decision sciences and ample resources. We plea for the development of a multidimensional framework to support financial economic decision processes. Our aim is to achieve a better integration of available theory and decision technologies. We sketch (a) what the framework should look like, (b) what elements of the framework already exist and which not, and (c) how the MCDA community can co-operate in its development.decision making;finance;decision analysis;financial decisions;multiple criteria

Modelling and visualizing sustainability assessment in urban environments

Major urban development projects extend over prolonged timescales (up to 25 years in the case of major regeneration projects), involve a large number of stakeholders, and necessitate complex decision making. Comprehensive assessment of critical information will involve a number of domains, such as social, economic and environmental, and input from a wide a range of stakeholders. This makes rigorous and holistic decision making, with respect to sustainability, exceptionally difficult without access to appropriate decision support tools. Assessing and communicating the key aspects of sustainability and often conflicting information remains a major hurdle to be overcome if sustainable development is to be achieved. We investigate the use of an integrated simulation and visualization engine and will test if it is effective in: 1) presenting a physical representation of the urban environment, 2) modelling sustainability of the urban development using a subset of indicators, here the modelling and the visualization need to be integrated seamlessly in order to achieve real time updates of the sustainability models in the 3D urban representation, 3) conveying the sustainability information to a range of stakeholders making the assessment of sustainability more accessible. In this paper we explore the first two objectives. The prototype interactive simulation and visualization platform (S-City VT) integrates and communicates complex multivariate information to diverse stakeholder groups. This platform uses the latest 3D graphical rendering techniques to generate a realistic urban development and novel visualization techniques to present sustainability data that emerge from the underlying computational model. The underlying computational model consists of two parts: traditional multicriteria evaluation methods and indicator models that represent the temporal changes of indicators. These models are informed from collected data and/or existing literature. The platform is interactive and allows real time movements of buildings and/or material properties and the sustainability assessment is updated immediately. This allows relative comparisons of contrasting planning and urban layouts. Preliminary usability results show that the tool provides a realistic representation of a real development and is effective at conveying the sustainability assessment information to a range of stakeholders. S-City VT is a novel tool for calculating and communicating sustainability assessment. It therefore begins to open up the decision making process to more stakeholders, reducing the reliance on expert decision makers