Smart Energy Supply Conception for the urban development area of aspern Seestadt (Vienna)

The paper describes the Smart Energy Supply Conception for the northern part of the urban development area aspern Seestadt in Vienna. It illustrates concrete options and potentials by different scenarios for the actual implementation of a future innovative energy system. The final conception was elaborated in the framework of a research project (Transform+) in cooperation with local key stakeholders and experts in the field of planning and energy research, public administration, including Vienna´s energy supply company and the responsible development agency. With the transformation of the former airfield of Aspern, the city of Vienna aims for a new quality in urban development, providing a new urban area with major central functions which is supposed to stimulate neighbouring quarters as much as the way urban development is being done in general. One of the main priorities in this context is the strive for high quality of life for future residents, combined with the important aspect of affordability. The masterplan foresees the development of a multifunctional area with a mix of residential, office, scientific, research and educational uses. By 2030, the area of aspern Seestadt (223 ha) shall be developed for 26,000 residents and offer 23,000 jobs. The masterplan for aspern Seestadt as well as the activities and measures set by the development agency Wien 3420 Aspern Development AG have been guided by the vision of an ecological, resource-friendly and climate neutral city from the beginning. This aim is also in accordance with the ‘Smart City Framework Strategy of Vienna’ passed in 2014 after the start of the implementation of aspern Seestadt (first phase). Within the context of the project Transform+, different options for a smart energy supply have been elaborated for the second implementation phase of urban development, named aspern Seestadt North. Here, in an area designed for 7,000 new apartments and 14,000 jobs, it was the main challenge to take the step from research on innovative future energy systems to a complete roll-out in an urban area to be developed in near future. In order to estimate future energy consumption (heating, cooling, electricity) and different options of energy supply and local renewable energy production, several ‘smart city’ scenarios were elaborated and compared against a ‘business as usual’ scenario. An important component in all ‘smart city’ scenarios is the share of renewable energy, for which a quanti¬tative target has been defined in the Smart City Framework Strategy for the city of Vienna (50% until 2050). To contribute to Vienna´s Smart City aims, aspern Seestadt North should strive to gain a high share of its energy from locally available renewable energy sources and also offer high flexibility to make use of additional sources (e.g. from potential future waste heat) in a later phase of implementation. In addition, total energy consumption and according CO2 emissions were critical factors for defining the final energy system configuration of the ‘smart city’ scenarios. As result, the elaborated ‘smart city’ scenarios show considerable potential for reducing energy consumption and significantly higher shares of renewable energy use compared to the ‘business as usual’ scenario, and therefore greatly reduced overall CO2 emissions. By implementing the ‘smart city’ scenarios, total energy consumption could be reduced by 39% against technical standards as in the ‘busines as usual’ scenario. Due to a higher use of local renewable energy supply the best ‘smart city’ scenario shows an overall CO2 emission reduction potential of up to 75%. Through the intensive cooperation process of the research team and the key stakeholders responsible for the development of the area, the Smart Energy Supply Conception laid a solid foundation for the relization of innovative future energy systems in aspern Seestadt

A Simple Method to Determine Critical Coagulation Concentration from Electrophoretic Mobility

Critical coagulation concentration (CCC) is a key parameter of particle dispersions, since it provides the threshold limit of electrolyte concentrations, above which the dispersions are destabilized due to rapid particle aggregation. A computational method is proposed to predict CCC values using solely electrophoretic mobility data without the need to measure aggregation rates of the particles. The model relies on the DLVO theory; contributions from repulsive double-layer forces and attractive van der Waals forces are included. Comparison between the calculated and previously reported experimental CCC data for the same particles shows that the method performs well in the presence of mono and multivalent electrolytes provided DLVO interparticle forces are dominant. The method is validated for particles of various compositions, shapes, and sizes

TRANSFORM – Governing the Smart City by Projects

With the recent ascendance of a sociology of public policy instruments (Le Gales & Lascoumes 2007), particular interest has been devoted towards understanding the emergence of the project as broadly indicative of wider transformations in strategic urban policy making (Pinson 2007, 2009, Beal 2010). Many Smart Cities are governed by research projects, and these are practically marked by an inherent tension. On one hand, the Smart City research project has the purpose of shaping consensus around acceptable “smart” urban futures, instituting new pluralist political spaces, in which scientific targets are always practically reversible if they do not fit consensus. On the other, the Smart city research project aims to scientifically evaluate what “right” choices have to be made to lead the city towards effective Smart City development in line with supranational targets and climate wisdoms. How can the Smart City research project shape consensus among a multiplicity of institutions, actors and groups while not compromising the scientific validity of the set targets and strategies? Drawing on the experiences of the project TRANSFORM in monitoring and shaping the transition strategies of six European cities, the aim of this paper is to elucidate some of the logics of strategic urban policy processes in their peculiar pathways towards the Smart City. In the course of the paper we would like to show how some of the tensions inherent in the role of Smart city research projects are practically addressed in the local framework of the project TRANSFORM and give a first tentative evaluation whether this has been successful so far. In the context of stagnant growth prospects and increased territorial competition, the urban project has become a primary vehicle for the promotion of local development. Newly build urban districts, such as Hamburg Hafencity or Aspern Seestadt in Vienna, mega events like the London Olympics, large scale revamps of urban public spaces such as the pedestrianization of Times Square, or the proliferation of cultural venues from the London Megadome to the old butcheries of Casablanca are prominent examples for the spread of the project form in urban policy making. Yet, while the urban project has become a preferred instrument of contemporary urban policy, it cannot be conceived of as a mere effect of the strategies it is embedded in but should be seen as a marker of the very advent of a project-based polis (Boltansky 1999) in which urban governance assumes the logic of the project itself. As has been argued elsewhere((Pinson 2005;2006; Brake 2000) it is a form of metropolitan governance whose primary purpose it is to shape consenus to scientificically elaborated urban development goals by substantively linking urban strategy and its implementation through the social mobilization of different actor constellations, thereby flexibly adjusting the strategic environment to changing external and internal circumstances, and monitoring the actions of local actors and their interests where they are generally segregated. Smart Cities are governed by research projects, and these are marked by an inherent tension. On one hand, the Smart City research project has the purpose of shaping consensus around an acceptable “smart” urban future instituting new pluralist political spaces, in which scientific targets are always practically reversible if they do not fit consensus. On the other, the Smart city research project aims to scientifically evaluate what “right” choices have to be made to lead the city towards effective Smart City development in line with supranational targets and climate wisdoms. How can the Smart City research project shape consensus among a multiplicity of institutions, actors and groups while not compromising the scientific validity of the set targets and strategies? Drawing on the experiences of the project TRANSFORM in monitoring and shaping the low-carbon transfromation strategies of six European cities, the aim of this paper is to elucidate some of the logics of strategic urban policy processes in their peculiar pathways towards the Smart City. Drawing on the experiences from the TRANSFORM cities in general and particularly from Vienna in formulating and experimenting their Smart City strategy, we would like to show how some of the tensions inherent in the role of Smart city research projects are practically addressed in the framework of the project TRANSFORM. In the first part we will provide a general theoretical background to the sociological analysis of the urban project, with particular focus on the challenges on the governance of local climate affairs. In the second part, we shall illustrate this by looking at the TRANSFORM project, first form a European perspective, then from the viewpoint of Vienna

Long-term clinical and experimental/surface analytical studies of carbon/carbon maxillofacial implants

BACKGROUND:Over the past 30-40years, various carbon implant materials have become more interesting, because they are well accepted by the biological environment. The traditional carbon-based polymers give rise to many complications. The polymer complication may be eliminated through carbon fibres bound by pyrocarbon (carbon/carbon). The aim of this study is to present the long-term clinical results of carbon/carbon implants, and the results of the scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometer investigation of an implant retrieved from the human body after 8years.METHODS:Mandibular reconstruction (8-10years ago) was performed with pure (99.99%) carbon implants in 16 patients (10 malignant tumours, 4 large cystic lesions and 2 augmentative processes). The long-term effect of the human body on the carbon/carbon implant was investigated by comparing the structure, the surface morphology and the composition of an implant retrieved after 8years to a sterilized, but not implanted one.RESULTS:Of the 16 patients, the implants had to be removed earlier in 5 patients because of the defect that arose on the oral mucosa above the carbon plates. During the long-term follow-up, plate fracture, loosening of the screws, infection or inflammations around the carbon/carbon implants were not observed. The thickness of the carbon fibres constituting the implants did not change during the 8-year period, the surface of the implant retrieved was covered with a thin surface layer not present on the unimplanted implant. The composition of this layer is identical to the composition of the underlying carbon fibres. Residual soft tissue penetrating the bulk material between the carbon fibre bunches was found on the retrieved implant indicating the importance of the surface morphology in tissue growth and adhering implants.CONCLUSIONS:The surface morphology and the structure were not changed after 8years. The two main components of the implant retrieved from the human body are still carbon and oxygen, but the amount of oxygen is 3-4 times higher than on the surface of the reference implant, which can be attributed to the oxidative effect of the human body, consequently in the integration and biocompatibility of the implant. The clinical conclusion is that if the soft part cover is appropriate, the carbon implants are cosmetically and functionally more suitable than titanium plates

Workplace Well-Being Factors That Predict Employee Participation, Health and Medical Cost Impact, and Perceived Support

Purpose: This study tested relationships between health and well-being best practices and 3 types of outcomes. Design: A cross-sectional design used data from the HERO Scorecard Benchmark Database. Setting: Data were voluntarily provided by employers who submitted web-based survey responses. Sample: Analyses were limited to 812 organizations that completed the HERO Scorecard between January 12, 2015 and October 2, 2017. Measures: Independent variables included organizational and leadership support, program comprehensiveness, program integration, and incentives. Dependent variables included participation rates, health and medical cost impact, and perceptions of organizational support. Analysis: Three structural equation models were developed to investigate the relationships among study variables. Results: Model sample size varied based on organizationally reported outcomes. All models fit the data well (comparative fit index \u3e 0.96). Organizational and leadership support was the strongest predictor (P \u3c .05) of participation (n ¼ 276 organizations), impact (n ¼ 160 organizations), and perceived organizational support (n ¼ 143 organizations). Incentives predicted participation in health assessment and biometric screening (P \u3c .05). Program comprehensiveness and program integration were not significant predictors (P \u3e .05) in any of the models. Conclusion: Organizational and leadership support practices are essential to produce participation, health and medical cost impact, and perceptions of organizational support. While incentives influence participation, they are likely insufficient to yield downstream outcomes. The overall study design limits the ability to make causal inferences from the data

Investigating the Effectiveness of Physical Activity Policy and Environmental Strategy Interventions for Adults in the Workplace

The purpose of this study was to use the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the effectiveness of a written workplace physical activity policy for increasing adult physical activity. Sixty-five adults between the ages of 23 and 64 (M = 44.89, SD = 11.35) from one worksite volunteered for the intervention. Participants at the headquarters office were assigned to the intervention group and those in the three satellite office locations were assigned to the control group. The intervention group was given 30 minutes, in addition to lunch, with no penalty to work hours to utilize walking routes. All participants were provided a pedometer to track steps during the workday and were asked to complete a self-report measure of physical activity at pre-intervention (T1), week 5 (T2), and post-intervention (T3). Results revealed that 18.30% of the total population of eligible employees volunteered to participate and the representativeness of the volunteers did not reflect the eligible population (reach). MANCOVA revealed that the group x time interaction and the main effect for group were not significant for step counts, walking (MET min/week), and total physical activity (MET min/week); however the main effect for time was significant for step counts from T1 to T2, T1 to T3, and T2 to T3, and total physical activity (MET min/week) from T1 to T2 and T1 to T3. No participants progressed a category of physical activity (e.g. from low to moderate or moderate to high) throughout the 10 weeks (effectiveness). The adoption rate was 14.29% and the representativeness of the companies who declined to participate were not different that the volunteer company. A fidelity rate of 89.00% was achieved (implementation), but maintenance was not examined. This worksite study was unique in that it was the first to use the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the effectiveness of a written, workplace physical activity policy

Workflow Evolution: Generation of Hybrid Flows

Abstract. Workflows are computational representations of business processes. When workflows are changed, a strategy for dealing with actual running workflow instances is needed, since workflows are typically longrunning processes. As the basic strategies abort and flush are rarely applicable, hybrid workflow schemas have to be defined (transitional provisions) for the continuation of these instances. In this paper we focus on workflow evolutions where merely the order and parallelism of activities are changed and present a technique for generating a manifold of hybrid workflows based on control flow and data flow analysis.