Testing the structure of a hydrological model using Genetic Programming

Genetic Programming is able to systematically explore many alternative model structures of different complexity from available input and response data. We hypothesised that Genetic Programming can be used to test the structure of hydrological models and to identify dominant processes in hydrological systems. To test this, Genetic Programming was used to analyse a data set from a lysimeter experiment in southeastern Australia. The lysimeter experiment was conducted to quantify the deep percolation response under surface irrigated pasture to different soil types, watertable depths and water ponding times during surface irrigation. Using Genetic Programming, a simple model of deep percolation was recurrently evolved in multiple Genetic Programming runs. This simple and interpretable model supported the dominant process contributing to deep percolation represented in a conceptual model that was published earlier. Thus, this study shows that Genetic Programming can be used to evaluate the structure of hydrological models and to gain insight about the dominant processes in hydrological systems

An approach for finding causal relations in environmental systems: with an application to understand drivers of a toxic algal bloom

Abstract Background Discovering causality in environmental systems is challenging because frequently controlled experiments or numerical simulations are difficult. Algorithms to learn directed acyclic graphs from system data are powerful, but they often result in too many possible causal structures that cannot be properly evaluated. Results An approach to this problem proposed here is to initially restrict the system to a target variable with its two major drivers. Subsequently, testable causal structures are obtained from rules to infer directed acyclic graphs and expert knowledge. The proposed approach, which is essentially based on correlation and regression, was applied to understand drivers of a toxic algal bloom in the Odra River in summer 2022. Through this application, useful insight on the interplay between river flow and salt inputs that likely caused the algal bloom was obtained. Conclusions The Odra River example demonstrated that carefully applied correlation and regression techniques together with expert knowledge can help to discover reliable casual structures in environmental systems

Final report : technical study on the possible introduction of inspection of stand-alone ventilation systems in buildings

Article 19a of Directive 2018/844, includes the requirement for the Commission to perform, before 2020, a feasibility study to clarify the possibilities and timeline for introducing two aspects in order to improve buildings’ energy performance: - The inspection of stand-alone ventilation systems and - An optional building renovation passport. This technical study is contracted to a consortium formed by INIVE and BPIE who, together with a broad range of experts in the required fields, will provide technical support to the Directorate-General for Energy of the European Commission for investigating the different elements covered by the feasibility study. This technical study is coordinated by INIVE EEIG and runs from 18 December 2018 until 17 December 2019. The first part of this technical study will assess the relevance and feasibility to introduce EU provisions for the inspection of stand-alone ventilation systems in buildings, e.g., the development or improvement of technical standards, guidelines and practices, or the possible extension of the mandatory regular inspection requirements to stand-alone ventilation systems. The objectives are to deliver: - An analysis of the stock of ventilation systems in EU buildings, including their technical characteristics, the distribution systems and foreseen evolution of the stock; - A review of existing regulations, schemes, guidelines and standards on the inspection of ventilation systems, and other relevant initiatives and projects, in the EU, and, where relevant, in other regions; - An investigation of the relevance and feasibility of further promotion of inspections of building stand-alone ventilation systems at the EU level and an exploration of the possible approaches to this end, including nonlegislative and legislative measures, and including in relation to Articles 14- 15 EPBD. This report covers the second objective. It provides a review of existing regulations, schemes, guidelines and standards on the inspection of stand-alone ventilation systems, and other relevant initiatives and projects