12 research outputs found
iCity. Transformative Research for the Livable, Intelligent, and Sustainable City
This open access book presents the exciting research results of the BMBF funded project iCity carried out at University of Applied Science Stuttgart to help cities to become more liveable, intelligent and sustainable, to become a LIScity. The research has been pursued with industry partners and NGOs from 2017 to 2020. A LIScity is increasingly digitally networked, uses resources efficiently, and implements intelligent mobility concepts. It guarantees the supply of its grid-bound infrastructure with a high proportion of renewable energy. Intelligent cities are increasingly human-centered, integrative, and flexible, thus placing the well-being of the citizens at the center of developments to increase the quality of life. The articles in this book cover research aimed to meet these criteria. The book covers research in the fields of energy (i.e. algorithms for heating and energy storage systems, simulation programs for thermal local heating supply, runtime optimization of combined heat and power (CHP), natural ventilation), mobility (i.e. charging distribution and deep learning, innovative emission-friendly mobility, routing apps, zero-emission urban logistics, augmented reality, artificial intelligence for individual route planning, mobility behavior), information platforms (i.e. 3DCity models in city planning: sunny places visualization, augmented reality for windy cities, internet of things (IoT) monitoring to visualize device performance, storing and visualizing dynamic energy data of smart cities), and buildings and city planning (i.e. sound insulation of sustainable facades and balconies, multi-camera mobile systems for inspection of tunnels, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) as active façade elements, common space, the building envelopes potential in smart sustainable cities)
Freight transport modal choice in North West England's Atlantic Gateway
Overuse of the road network has led to greater levels of congestion, elevated levels of road surface wear and tear and an increase in transport related air pollution. When taken in combination with the failure of attempts to balance modal split the road network’s continuing slide towards breaking point seems to be beyond question. However, circumstances have conspired to present one particular region of England with a tabula rasa for the development of new policies to influence the modal split of freight transportation. England’s economy is currently based around a London-centric model. The current move towards developing what has become known as a Northern Powerhouse is aimed at rebalancing the economy of the nation for the betterment of all of its citizens. The Atlantic Gateway is an integral part of these efforts. The devolution of powers and responsibilities from national government to regional authorities may provide an opportunity for positive change the likes of which has not be seen in the North of England since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Different regions are influenced by their own geographical and infrastructure constraints. Devolution ensures that decisions are made locally and are therefore more able to meet local needs. A greater understanding of what influences modal choice within the Atlantic Gateway allows local policy makers to make better informed decisions on how to accommodate the increasing levels of freight transportation on the existing local transport infrastructure. Two different multi-criteria decision making analysis tools are utilised in this study. The first model uses the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to determine the weights of a range of criteria identified as influencing modal choice. The second model combines AHP with the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to allow the modes of transport under consideration to be ranked. This AHP-TOPSIS approach was adopted to address the limited data made available by the freight transportation industry in support of this research and the inadequacy of the data which is publicly available from mainstream sources. With billions of Pounds having been spent over many years to balance modal split it was disappointing to find that today, in the North West of England, road is still, by far, the preferred mode for transporting freight. The margin by which road leads the other modes within this geographical region shows the degree to which modal shift policy has so far failed. It also shows the amount of work needed to be done if modal shift is to be delivered in the future
iCity. Transformative Research for the Livable, Intelligent, and Sustainable City
This open access book presents the exciting research results of the BMBF funded project iCity carried out at University of Applied Science Stuttgart to help cities to become more liveable, intelligent and sustainable, to become a LIScity. The research has been pursued with industry partners and NGOs from 2017 to 2020. A LIScity is increasingly digitally networked, uses resources efficiently, and implements intelligent mobility concepts. It guarantees the supply of its grid-bound infrastructure with a high proportion of renewable energy. Intelligent cities are increasingly human-centered, integrative, and flexible, thus placing the well-being of the citizens at the center of developments to increase the quality of life. The articles in this book cover research aimed to meet these criteria. The book covers research in the fields of energy (i.e. algorithms for heating and energy storage systems, simulation programs for thermal local heating supply, runtime optimization of combined heat and power (CHP), natural ventilation), mobility (i.e. charging distribution and deep learning, innovative emission-friendly mobility, routing apps, zero-emission urban logistics, augmented reality, artificial intelligence for individual route planning, mobility behavior), information platforms (i.e. 3DCity models in city planning: sunny places visualization, augmented reality for windy cities, internet of things (IoT) monitoring to visualize device performance, storing and visualizing dynamic energy data of smart cities), and buildings and city planning (i.e. sound insulation of sustainable facades and balconies, multi-camera mobile systems for inspection of tunnels, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) as active façade elements, common space, the building envelopes potential in smart sustainable cities)
Operational Research: Methods and Applications
Throughout its history, Operational Research has evolved to include a variety of methods, models and algorithms that have been applied to a diverse and wide range of contexts. This encyclopedic article consists of two main sections: methods and applications. The first aims to summarise the up-to-date knowledge and provide an overview of the state-of-the-art methods and key developments in the various subdomains of the field. The second offers a wide-ranging list of areas where Operational Research has been applied. The article is meant to be read in a nonlinear fashion. It should be used as a point of reference or first-port-of-call for a diverse pool of readers: academics, researchers, students, and practitioners. The entries within the methods and applications sections are presented in alphabetical order. The authors dedicate this paper to the 2023 Turkey/Syria earthquake victims. We sincerely hope that advances in OR will play a role towards minimising the pain and suffering caused by this and future catastrophes
Multi-Agent Systems
A multi-agent system (MAS) is a system composed of multiple interacting intelligent agents. Multi-agent systems can be used to solve problems which are difficult or impossible for an individual agent or monolithic system to solve. Agent systems are open and extensible systems that allow for the deployment of autonomous and proactive software components. Multi-agent systems have been brought up and used in several application domains
Sustainable development for the logistics industry in the UK
At a time when environmental mitigation is firmly at the centre of the agenda for sustainable development, there is no shortage of research in the field of green
logistics. However, little has been done in an attempt to provide integrated solutions for industry, based on a practical assessment of the interrelationships between
specific measures. This research investigates the current status of the British logistics industry in terms of its environmental sustainability, by examining 14 sustainable measures that feature strongly in contemporary logistics practice and policies, and determines the interrelationships among them. The primary data was collected using a combined approach involving a postal questionnaire survey and in-depth company interviews. The survey covered both logistics services providers (LSPs) and logistics service users (LSUs), together with the targeted inclusion of more specific actors within the logistics industry.
Through analysis of the sustainable practice and implementation process as seen in the experiences and judgments of key actors in the logistics industry, it is shown that the role of the actors as either logistics providers or users has a certain impact on their perceptions of, and behaviours in, sustainable logistics. Particular
characteristics of the company and the sector it belongs to also exert influence, to various extents, on its response to sustainability. The findings also highlight
cost-effectiveness as another critical factor determining companies’ sustainability policies. On the basis of the assessment of the measures, in particular their
effectiveness and cost efficiency, the thesis concludes with proposals for sustainable packages constructed from different perspectives, along with suggestions for their implementation. This evidence-based research thus informs policy-makers of
appropriate and viable sustainable strategies with the right incentives in various circumstances, and the potential to bring about tangible improvements in
environmental performance
Sustainable development for the logistics industry in the UK
At a time when environmental mitigation is firmly at the centre of the agenda for sustainable development, there is no shortage of research in the field of green
logistics. However, little has been done in an attempt to provide integrated solutions for industry, based on a practical assessment of the interrelationships between
specific measures. This research investigates the current status of the British logistics industry in terms of its environmental sustainability, by examining 14 sustainable measures that feature strongly in contemporary logistics practice and policies, and determines the interrelationships among them. The primary data was collected using a combined approach involving a postal questionnaire survey and in-depth company interviews. The survey covered both logistics services providers (LSPs) and logistics service users (LSUs), together with the targeted inclusion of more specific actors within the logistics industry.
Through analysis of the sustainable practice and implementation process as seen in the experiences and judgments of key actors in the logistics industry, it is shown that the role of the actors as either logistics providers or users has a certain impact on their perceptions of, and behaviours in, sustainable logistics. Particular
characteristics of the company and the sector it belongs to also exert influence, to various extents, on its response to sustainability. The findings also highlight
cost-effectiveness as another critical factor determining companies’ sustainability policies. On the basis of the assessment of the measures, in particular their
effectiveness and cost efficiency, the thesis concludes with proposals for sustainable packages constructed from different perspectives, along with suggestions for their implementation. This evidence-based research thus informs policy-makers of
appropriate and viable sustainable strategies with the right incentives in various circumstances, and the potential to bring about tangible improvements in
environmental performance