Understanding the Mechanisms behind Fragmentation in the Housing Construction and Retrofit

Housing and energy-efficiency policies often cause unintended consequences in the built-environment and beyond it, and encounter resistance by the potential users. Systems thinking and an integrated approach are suggested both for research and decision-making in order to avoid such unintended consequences and policy resistance. However, previous studies revealed that such an integrated decision making takes place neither at the policy nor at the industry level, and the resulting fragmented processes lead to performance gaps in the housing sector. This study investigates the mechanisms behind fragmentation based on a large set of stakeholder interviews conducted for the housing sector in the UK. For this purpose, the information obtained from these interviews is transformed into a system dynamics model. The model focuses on the improvement of housing performance by immediate actions such as resource allocation or by longer-term actions such as competence development both at the policy and industry level. Future research will focus on extending the model to the user level and elaborating it in participatory sessions

Lazy AC-Pattern Matching for Rewriting

We define a lazy pattern-matching mechanism modulo associativity and commutativity. The solutions of a pattern-matching problem are stored in a lazy list composed of a first substitution at the head and a non-evaluated object that encodes the remaining computations. We integrate the lazy AC-matching in a strategy language: rewriting rule and strategy application produce a lazy list of terms.Comment: In Proceedings WRS 2011, arXiv:1204.531

Using Textual Data in System Dynamics Model Conceptualization

Qualitative data is an important source of information for system dynamics modeling. It can potentially support any stage of the modeling process, yet it is mainly used in the early steps such as problem identification and model conceptualization. Existing approaches that outline a systematic use of qualitative data in model conceptualization are often not adopted for reasons of time constraints resulting from an abundance of data. In this paper, we introduce an approach that synthesizes the strengths of existing methods. This alternative approach (i) is focused on causal relationships starting from the initial steps of coding; (ii) generates a generalized and simplified causal map without recording individual relationships so that time consumption can be reduced; and (iii) maintains the links from the final causal map to the data sources by using software. We demonstrate an application of this approach in a study about integrated decision making in the housing sector of the UK

Soccer, Stock Returns, and Fanatiscism: Evidence from Turkey

Cataloged from PDF version of article.This paper assesses the effect of three major soccer teams' wins on the returns of the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE). We argue that the effect of soccer wins on ISE returns increases with the fanaticism of the teams' supporters. (C) 2009 Western Social Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Maude: specification and programming in rewriting logic

Maude is a high-level language and a high-performance system supporting executable specification and declarative programming in rewriting logic. Since rewriting logic contains equational logic, Maude also supports equational specification and programming in its sublanguage of functional modules and theories. The underlying equational logic chosen for Maude is membership equational logic, that has sorts, subsorts, operator overloading, and partiality definable by membership and equality conditions. Rewriting logic is reflective, in the sense of being able to express its own metalevel at the object level. Reflection is systematically exploited in Maude endowing the language with powerful metaprogramming capabilities, including both user-definable module operations and declarative strategies to guide the deduction process. This paper explains and illustrates with examples the main concepts of Maude's language design, including its underlying logic, functional, system and object-oriented modules, as well as parameterized modules, theories, and views. We also explain how Maude supports reflection, metaprogramming and internal strategies. The paper outlines the principles underlying the Maude system implementation, including its semicompilation techniques. We conclude with some remarks about applications, work on a formal environment for Maude, and a mobile language extension of Maude

Participatory system dynamics modelling for housing, energy and wellbeing interactions

The built environment is a key target of decarbonization policies. However, such policies often have a narrow objective and narrow focus, resulting in ‘policy-resistance’ and unintended consequences. The literature attributes these unintended consequences to a narrow financial focus, adverse incentives, and inadequate handling of knowledge, skills, communication and feedback gaps, but it provides little advice on how these complex interactions can be captured. This paper illustrates the development and application of an integrated approach to address these complex interactions with regard to housing performance, energy, communal spaces and wellbeing. In particular, it explores the dynamics created by these relationships with simulation modelling in participatory settings, and with a diverse group of stakeholders. The simulation results suggest that monitoring is key to improve the performance of the housing stock besides energy efficiency; and investments in communal spaces positively affect the adoption of energy-efficiency measures and the wellbeing of residents. The evaluation results for participatory workshops show this approach was found useful by the stakeholders for supporting more integrated decision-making about housing. In future research, this approach can be implemented for policy problems in specific contexts

Maude: specification and programming in rewriting logic

AbstractMaude is a high-level language and a high-performance system supporting executable specification and declarative programming in rewriting logic. Since rewriting logic contains equational logic, Maude also supports equational specification and programming in its sublanguage of functional modules and theories. The underlying equational logic chosen for Maude is membership equational logic, that has sorts, subsorts, operator overloading, and partiality definable by membership and equality conditions. Rewriting logic is reflective, in the sense of being able to express its own metalevel at the object level. Reflection is systematically exploited in Maude endowing the language with powerful metaprogramming capabilities, including both user-definable module operations and declarative strategies to guide the deduction process. This paper explains and illustrates with examples the main concepts of Maude's language design, including its underlying logic, functional, system and object-oriented modules, as well as parameterized modules, theories, and views. We also explain how Maude supports reflection, metaprogramming and internal strategies. The paper outlines the principles underlying the Maude system implementation, including its semicompilation techniques. We conclude with some remarks about applications, work on a formal environment for Maude, and a mobile language extension of Maude

Structural Synthesis for GXW Specifications

We define the GXW fragment of linear temporal logic (LTL) as the basis for synthesizing embedded control software for safety-critical applications. Since GXW includes the use of a weak-until operator we are able to specify a number of diverse programmable logic control (PLC) problems, which we have compiled from industrial training sets. For GXW controller specifications, we develop a novel approach for synthesizing a set of synchronously communicating actor-based controllers. This synthesis algorithm proceeds by means of recursing over the structure of GXW specifications, and generates a set of dedicated and synchronously communicating sub-controllers according to the formula structure. In a subsequent step, 2QBF constraint solving identifies and tries to resolve potential conflicts between individual GXW specifications. This structural approach to GXW synthesis supports traceability between requirements and the generated control code as mandated by certification regimes for safety-critical software. Synthesis for GXW specifications is in PSPACE compared to 2EXPTIME-completeness of full-fledged LTL synthesis. Indeed our experimental results suggest that GXW synthesis scales well to industrial-sized control synthesis problems with 20 input and output ports and beyond.Comment: The long (including appendix) version being reviewed by CAV'16 program committee. Compared to the submitted version, one author (out of her wish) is moved to the Acknowledgement. (v2) Corrected typos. (v3) Add an additional remark over environment assumption and easy corner case