World caf\ue9 method to engage smart energy-district project partners in assessing urban co-benefits

Urban energy-district projects introduce outstanding technological innovation in buildings and energy systems increasing sustainability in city neighborhoods. Such projects generate additional co-benefits for the city beyond changes in physical elements and development of social and institutional relationships (e.g. local employment, environmental quality, public health, property values, innovation attitude, etc.). Since exceeding main declared goals or not always clearly foreseen in the early project phase, these co-benefits are often not properly understood and considered. However, only their explicit recognition will make possible their inclusion in the assessment of the whole project\u2019s performance. From these considerations, this study faces the issue of engaging project partners in assessing co-benefits in order to consider a broad spectrum of relevant, positive effects in the evaluation process. Group knowledge and group thinking of this complex topic are investigated through the world caf\ue9 method, providing an atmosphere of trust and open discussions among participants. This empirical work lays the foundations to go beyond the mere economic measure as the sole criterion for assessing project effects, also including changes in end-user behavior and intangible asset

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty Versus Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty in Patients With Pseudoexfoliation

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) versus argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) in lowering the intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension secondary to pseudoexfoliation.Design: Multicentered randomized clinical trial.Participants: A total of 76 eyes from 60 patients with pseudoexfoliation and uncontrolled IOP were recruited from 5 Canadian academic institutions. Patients with prior laser trabeculoplasty, ocular surgery within 6 months, previous glaucoma surgery, an advanced visual field defect, current steroid use, and monocular patients were excluded.Methods: Eyes were randomized to receive either 180-degree SLT or 180-degree ALT by a nonblocked randomization schedule stratified by center.Main outcome measurement: The primary outcome was the change in IOP at 6 months versus baseline and secondary outcomes included change in number of glaucoma medications after laser. Baseline variables included age, sex, angle grade, angle pigmentation, and number of glaucoma medications.Results: Of the 76 eyes, 45 eyes received SLT and 31 eyes received ALT. The overall age was 72.9 years (65% females). The baseline IOPs in the SLT and ALT groups were 23.1 and 25.2 mm Hg, respectively (P=0.03). The IOP reduction 6 months after SLT was -6.8 mm Hg and post-ALT was -7.7 mm Hg (P\u3e0.05). The SLT group had reduced glaucoma medications by 0.16 medications at 6 months and the ALT group had no decrease in medications over the same time period (P=0.59). There were no postlaser IOP spikes in either group.Discussion: ALT and SLT are equivalent in lowering IOP at 6 months posttreatment in patients with PXF