Implementing Sustainability Criteria for Selecting a Roof Assembly Typology in Medium Span Buildings

Technological advances have allowed the development of new roof assembly typologies with higher efficiency and less waste. However, in the construction sector the focus is generally on reducing cost and not in sustainable development factors. Short-sighted building planning based only on economic criteria should be avoided improving decision support systems. In addition, the selection of an appropriate roof assembly in a building s design stage is a complex problem due to the existence of different tangible and intangible factors and the multiple alternatives available. The roof typologies under study involve prefabricated concrete, steel and laminated wood structures. This research work applies a multi-criteria hybrid model combining the Analytical Hierarchy Process with the Delphi method and the VIKOR technique for implementing sustainability criteria in the selection of a roof assembly in medium span buildings. The proposed decision support system enables the use of the triple bottom line that considers economic, social and environmental criteria. Under the criteria analyzed, the compromise solution found is the self-supporting curved system.Canto-Perello, J.; Martinez-Garcia, MP.; Curiel Esparza, J.; Martín Utrillas, MG. (2015). Implementing Sustainability Criteria for Selecting a Roof Assembly Typology in Medium Span Buildings. Sustainability. 7(6):6854-6871. doi:10.3390/su7066854S6854687176United Nations 1998 Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Changehttp://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.pdfCanto-Perello, J., & Curiel-Esparza, J. (2013). Assessing governance issues of urban utility tunnels. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 33, 82-87. doi:10.1016/j.tust.2012.08.007Aguado, A., Caño, A. del, de la Cruz, M. P., Gómez, D., & Josa, A. (2012). Sustainability Assessment of Concrete Structures within the Spanish Structural Concrete Code. 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Understanding the major drivers for implementation of municipal sustainable policies in underground space. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 19(6), 506-514. doi:10.1080/13504509.2012.732973Collier, Z. A., Wang, D., Vogel, J. T., Tatham, E. K., & Linkov, I. (2013). Sustainable roofing technology under multiple constraints: a decision-analytical approach. Environment Systems and Decisions, 33(2), 261-271. doi:10.1007/s10669-013-9446-5Ozdemir, M. S., & Saaty, T. L. (2006). The unknown in decision making. European Journal of Operational Research, 174(1), 349-359. doi:10.1016/j.ejor.2004.12.017Lee, G. K. L., & Chan, E. H. W. (2007). The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Approach for Assessment of Urban Renewal Proposals. Social Indicators Research, 89(1), 155-168. doi:10.1007/s11205-007-9228-xSyamsuddin, I., & Hwang, J. (2010). The Use of AHP in Security Policy Decision Making: An Open Office Calc Application. Journal of Software, 5(10). doi:10.4304/jsw.5.10.1162-1169Thapa, R. B., & Murayama, Y. (2010). Drivers of urban growth in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal: Examining the efficacy of the analytic hierarchy process. Applied Geography, 30(1), 70-83. doi:10.1016/j.apgeog.2009.10.002Canto-Perello, J., Curiel-Esparza, J., & Calvo, V. (2013). Criticality and threat analysis on utility tunnels for planning security policies of utilities in urban underground space. Expert Systems with Applications, 40(11), 4707-4714. doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2013.02.031Marchais-Roubelat, A., & Roubelat, F. (2011). The Delphi method as a ritual: Inquiring the Delphic Oracle. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 78(9), 1491-1499. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2011.04.012Von der Gracht, H. A. (2012). Consensus measurement in Delphi studies. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 79(8), 1525-1536. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2012.04.013Curiel-Esparza, J., & Canto-Perello, J. (2013). Selecting utilities placement techniques in urban underground engineering. Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, 13(2), 276-285. doi:10.1016/j.acme.2013.02.001Mela, K., Tiainen, T., & Heinisuo, M. (2012). Comparative study of multiple criteria decision making methods for building design. Advanced Engineering Informatics, 26(4), 716-726. doi:10.1016/j.aei.2012.03.001San Cristóbal, J. R. (2012). Contractor Selection Using Multicriteria Decision-Making Methods. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 138(6), 751-758. doi:10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0000488Lee, W.-S. (2013). Merger and acquisition evaluation and decision making model. The Service Industries Journal, 33(15-16), 1473-1494. doi:10.1080/02642069.2011.634905Rostamzadeh, R., Ismail, K., & Zavadskas, E. K. (2014). MULTI CRITERIA DECISION MAKING FOR ASSISTING BUSINESS ANGELS IN INVESTMENTS. 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The influence of internal corrosion on the durability of concrete. Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, 12(2), 219-227. doi:10.1016/j.acme.2012.03.002Khosrowshahi, F., & Alani, A. (2011). Visualisation of impact of time on the internal lighting of a building. Automation in Construction, 20(2), 145-154. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2010.09.012Kim, S., Kim, G.-H., & Lee, Y.-D. (2013). Sustainability Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Roof Waterproofing Methods Considering LCCO2. Sustainability, 6(1), 158-174. doi:10.3390/su6010158Lo, S. M., Zhao, C. M., Liu, M., & Coping, A. (2008). A simulation model for studying the implementation of performance-based fire safety design in buildings. Automation in Construction, 17(7), 852-863. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2008.02.014Markelj, J., Kitek Kuzman, M., Grošelj, P., & Zbašnik-Senegačnik, M. (2014). A Simplified Method for Evaluating Building Sustainability in the Early Design Phase for Architects. 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The generation of student engagement as a cognition-affect-behaviour process in a Twitter learning experience

Twitter is a microblog that allows users to interact about a topic in online discussion. This makes it an interesting interactive tool with possibilities to increase student engagement and learning performance through active collaboration in an informal learning environment. However, few articles take a quantitative approach to investigate the creation of student engagement using this social networking site. To address this gap, we propose a series of activities conducted through Twitter to analyse the engagement generation process in a sample of 110 students in the first year of a business and administration degree at a large Spanish university. The results show that the engagement process is created through active collaborative learning and enjoyment, and that engaged students are more satisfied with the activity and perceive greater learning performance. This leads us to recommend teachers to encourage active and collaborative activities to make students more engaged and satisfied, and improve their performance.es consisting of applying the concepts studied in class to practical environments, and activities where students browse for online information and take part in a debate, are more enjoyable

Hybrid method for selection of the optimal process of leachate treatment in waste treatment and valorization plants or landfills

“The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10098-014-0834-4”Leachate from waste landfill or treatment plants is a very complex and highly contaminated liquid effluent. In its composition, it is found dissolved organic matter, inorganic salts, heavy metals, and other xenobiotic organic compounds, so it can be toxic, carcinogenic, and capable of inducing a potential risk to biota and humans. European law does not allow such leachate to leave the premises without being depolluted. There are many procedures that enable debugging, always combining different techniques. Choosing the best method to use in each case is a complex decision, as it depends on many tangible and intangible factors that must be weighed to achieve a balance between technical, cost, and environmental sustainability. It is presenting a hybrid method for choosing the optimal combination of techniques to apply in each case, by combining a multicriteria hierarchical analysis based on expert data obtained by the Delphi method with an analysis by the method of VIKOR to reach a consensus solution.Martín Utrillas, MG.; Reyes Medina, M.; Curiel Esparza, J.; Cantó Perelló, J. (2015). Hybrid method for selection of the optimal process of leachate treatment in waste treatment and valorization plants or landfills. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. 17(4):873-885. doi:10.1007/s10098-014-0834-4S873885174Abbas AA, Guo J, Ping LZ, Ya PY, Al-Rekabi WS (2009) Review on landfill leachate treatments. AJAS 6(4):672–684Abood AR, Bao J, Abudi Z, Zheng D, Gao C (2013) Pretreatment of nonbiodegradable landfill leachate by air stripping coupled with agitation as ammonia stripping and coagulation–flocculation processes. Clean Technol Environ Policy 15(6):1069–1076Ahn WY, Kang MS, Yim SK, Choi KH (2002) Advanced landfill leachate treatment using an integrated membrane process. Desalination 149(1–3):109–114Al-Subhi Al-Harbi KM (2001) Application of the AHP in project management. Int J Proj Manag 19:19–27Bernasconi M, Choirat C, Seri R (2014) Empirical properties of group preference aggregation methods employed in AHP: theory and evidence. Eur J Oper Res 232(3):584–592Boopathy R, Karthikeyan S, Mandal AB, Sekaran G (2013) Characterization and recovery of sodium chloride from salt-laden solid waste generated from leather industry. Clean Technol Environ Policy 15(1):117–124Brechet T, Tulkens H (2009) Beyond BAT: selecting optimal combinations of available techniques, with an example from the limestone industry. J Environ Manag 90:1790–1801Canto-Perello J, Curiel-Esparza J, Calvo V (2013) Criticality and threat analysis on utility tunnels for planning security policies of utilities in urban underground space. Expert Syst Appl 40(11):4707–4714Chen Y, Liu C, Nie J, Wu S, Wang D (2014) Removal of COD and decolorizing from landfill leachate by Fenton’s reagent advanced oxidation. Clean Technol Environ Policy 16(1):189–193Chiochetta CG, Goetten LC, Almeida SM, Quaranta G, Cotelle S, Radetski CM (2014) Leachates from solid wastes: chemical and eco(geno)toxicological differences between leachates obtained from fresh and stabilized industrial organic sludge. Environ Sci Pollut R 21:1090–1098Chiumenti A, da Borso F, Chiumenti R, Teri F, Segantin P (2013) Treatment of digestate from a co-digestion biogas plant by means of vacuum evaporation: tests for process optimization and environmental sustainability. 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Integrating climate change criteria in reforestation projects using a hybrid decision-support system

The selection of appropriate species in a reforestation project has always been a complex decision making problem in which, due mostly to government policies and other stakeholders, not only economic criteria but also other environmental issues interact. Climate change has not usually been taken into account in traditional reforestation decision-making strategies and management procedures. Moreover, there is a lack of agreement on the percentage of each one of the species in reforestation planning, which is usually calculated in a discretionary way. In this context, an effective multicriteria technique has been developed in order to improve the process of selecting species for reforestation in the Mediterranean region of Spain. A hybrid Delphi-AHP methodology is proposed, which includes a consistency analysis in order to reduce random choices. As a result, this technique provides an optimal percentage distribution of the appropriate species to be used in reforestation planning. The highest values of the weight given for each subcriteria corresponded to FR (fire forest response) and PR (pests and diseases risk), because of the increasing importance of the impact of climate change in the forest. However, CB (conservation of biodiversitiy)was in the third position in line with the aim of reforestation. Therefore, the most suitable species were Quercus faginea (19.75%) and Quercus ilex (19.35%), which offer a good balance between all the factors affecting the success and viability of reforestation.Curiel Esparza, J.; González Utrillas, NV.; Cantó Perelló, J.; Martín Utrillas, MG. (2015). Integrating climate change criteria in reforestation projects using a hybrid decision-support system. Environmental Research Letters. 10(9):1-13. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/10/9/094022S113109Amraoui, M., Pereira, M. G., DaCamara, C. C., & Calado, T. J. (2015). Atmospheric conditions associated with extreme fire activity in the Western Mediterranean region. 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Landfill design: need for improvement of water and soil protection requirements in EU Landfill Directive

This paper deals with environmental policy issues related to a landfill design. The final product of numerous waste treatments should be placed on a landfill. Before waste disposal, the ground should be protected by a mineral layer with properties required by the related regulation. In order to prevent environment pollution, EU adopted the Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC. The most important technical requirements related to the characteristics of the layer material are water permeability and thickness. The performed comparative national regulatory analysis raised the question of the need for more uniform elaboration of the directive requirements over the whole European Union area (including EU candidates). The choice of the material for the impermeable mineral layer, which should be made during landfill design, is a very important decision. Methods for the determination of the permeability coefficient were analysed, showing that the Directive should define hydraulic gradient as a physical quantity and define its value through measurement of the permeability coefficient. The paper analyses whether some parts of the Directive, as landfill design BAT and base for national legislative acts, require further elaboration in order to provide sufficient information about proper protection of soil and water. Using integrated approach, seven amendments on the directive annex I were suggested related to (a) the meaning of the term artificially established geological barrier, (b) layer thickness