Enhanced Multi Criteria Decision Analysis for Planning Power Transmission Lines

The energy transition towards alternative energy sources requires new power transmission lines to connect these additional energy production plants with electricity distribution centers. For this reason, Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) offers a useful approach to determine the optimal path of future transmission lines with minimum impact on the environment, on the landscape, and on affected citizens. As objections could deteriorate such a project and in turn increase costs, transparent communication regarding the planning procedure is required that fosters citizens\u27 acceptance. In this context, GIS-based information on the criteria taken into account and for modeling possible power transmission lines is essential. However, planners often forget that the underlying multi criteria decision model and the used data might lead to biased results. Therefore, this study empirically investigates the effect of various MCDA parameters by applying a sensitivity analysis on a multi criteria decision model. The output of this analysis is evaluated combining a Cluster Analysis, a Principal Component Analysis, and a Multivariate Analysis of Variance. Our results indicate that the variability of different corridor alternatives can be increased by using different MCDA parameter combinations. In particular, we found that applying continuous boundary models on areas leads to more distinct corridor alternatives than using a sharp-edged model, and better reflects actual planning practice for protecting areas against transmission lines. Comparing the results of two study areas, we conclude that our decision model behaved similarly across both sites and, hence, that the proposed procedure for enhancing the decision model is applicable to other study areas with comparable topographies. These results can help decision-makers and transmission line planners in simplifying and improving their decision models in order to increase credibility, legitimacy, and thus practical applicability

Measuring and Assessing Urban Sprawl: What are the Remaining Options for Future Settlement Development in Switzerland for 2030?

Transformation of land use in and around European cities is proceeding as fast as never before, and urban sprawl is a reality in Europe. This process is coming along with significant landscape changes that can even lead to the loss of landscape identity. Is it possible to find indications of which regions are prone to urban sprawl in order to curtail undesired future settlement developments in time? To answer this question we used settlement development scenarios for Switzerland, and analysed their spatial implications using a set of four metrics, which allow for comparing the degree of urban sprawl in different regions. Two aspects were explored: (1) by how much settlement development could potentially increase in Switzerland, and (2) the suitability of the metrics as indicators for characterizing and assessing the development of urban sprawl. The results show that overall in Switzerland the urban permeation and dispersion of settlement areas is likely to increase (in all scenarios), but to different degrees. However, the results differ very much between the various types of settlement and between the cantons, and even a decrease in urban dispersion is possible. In combination with scenarios of settlement growth, the metrics provide useful evidence on regional characteristics such as the overall pressure of settlement development and likely transformations of the respective settlement types that should be taken into account in spatial development concepts. There is a need for calibration of the indicators on a regional level to define specific thresholds to limit urban spraw

Szenarien für die nachhaltige Siedlungs- und Infrastrukturentwicklung in der Schweiz (2005-2030)

Spatial development patterns in Switzerland and future development trends and infrastructure requirements are not only the result of decisions at Swiss federal or cantonal levels, but also considerably influenced by developments in the EU. In the collaboration between two institutions at ETH Zurich and EPF Lausanne with the European Observatory Network ESPON, four spatial scenarios have been developed in this project. Two scenarios are affected by an individual, two scenarios by a cohesive value and distribution system. One scenario on each group takes place in a more dynamic economy and the other in a rather stagnating one. The project has used the methodology adopted by ESPON 3.2 by drawing up spatial scenarios based on an analysis of driving forces and trend projections. Furthermore, agent-based simulations have been used in an innovative way. Thematic scenarios have been designed around the broad topics of demography, economy and tourism, energy, socio cultural issues, transportation and mobility, and environment. These specific scenarios have been transformed into integrated scenarios and visualized by a sophisticated cartography

Sensing river and floodplain biodiversity : developing a prototype

Freshwaters, such as rivers and floodplains, are among the world’s most diverse ecosystems, but they are losing biodiversity faster than any other ecosystem, mainly due to human activities. A major problem is the low awareness of biodiversity loss. Triggering emotions and amazement may increase people’s biodiversity perception in a more holistic way. Therefore, with an immersive audio visual VR-simulation prototype based on 3D point clouds and sound recordings above and below water developed in the Unity game engine, we want to allow for sensing river biodiversity. Feedback from a user study demonstrates that the prototype can promote laypersons’ awareness of biodiversity loss and provides insights for its further enhancement

Energieinfrastruktur: Wohin und wie viel?: Beliebtheitsgrad von Photovoltaik, Windkraftwerken und Höchstspannungsleitungen in Schweizer Landschaften

Das Stromnetz muss für die erfolgreiche Umsetzung der Energiestrategie 2050 modernisiert und bedarfsgerecht ausgebaut werden. Das steht fest. Doch die Netzprojekte dauern oft länger als geplant. Warum ist das so? Mangelnde gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz ist ein wesentlicher Grund dafür. Neben möglichen Gesundheitsrisiken und Lärm ist der Einfluss auf die Landschaft gemäss der Schweizer Bevölkerung das Hauptproblem von Höchstspannungsleitungen. Deshalb untersuchte das von Swissgrid unterstützte Forschungsprojekt «Energyscape» an der ETH Zürich und der Eidg. Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft WSL den Einfluss von Energieanlagen auf die Wahrnehmung von Schweizer Landschaften. Im Interview erklärt Dr. Ulrike Wissen Hayek, Leiterin des Forschungsprojekts, den Projektverlauf und zu welchen überraschenden Erkenntnissen das Projektteam gelangt ist

3D Decision Support System (3D DSS) zur Unterstützung der Leitungsplanung: Technische Anleitung

Die ETH Zürich hat in Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem Institut für Kartografie und Geoinformation (IKG) und dem Institut für Raum- und Landschaftsentwicklung, Planung von Landschaft und Urbanen Systemen (PLUS) ein Tool zur Unterstützung bei der Findung von Planungsgebieten und Korridoren beim Planen von Leitungen entwickelt. Dies erfolgte unter dem Patronat des Bundesamts für Energie (BFE, Netze) und von 2014–2017 unter Mitbeteiligung von Austrian Power Grid (APG), Bernische Kraftwerke AG (BKW) und Swissgrid AG. Eine Erweiterung des Tools mit der Integration von Erdkabeln erfolgte von 2018-2020 mit der Unterstützung vom BFE, dem Elektrizitätswerk der Stadt Zürich (ewz) sowie der schweizerischen und der belgischen Netzbetreiberfirmen, Swissgrid AG und Elia Power Sys-tems. Das entwickelte Tool dient dazu, die Planung, Analyse und Kommunikation im Sachplanverfahren zu unterstützen und wird folgend als 3D Decision Support System (3D DSS) bezeichnet. Dieses Doku-ment dient dazu, das Funktionsprinzip des 3D DSS zu erläutern

Conceptualizing a Web-based 3D Decision Support System Including Urban Underground Space to Increase Urban Resiliency

The urban underground is increasingly recognized as a multifunctional resource important for achieving urban resilience. However, it is often neglected in planning processes. As this can lead to rather undesired urban developments, approaches are required to take both the space above and below ground into account. Particularly, there is a lack of visualization instruments (mainly due to available data) to foster a better understanding of the above and belowground urban system and interacting effects on urban ecosystem services. (1) We demonstrate how urban infrastructure above and below ground can be visualized in a web-based platform using the open-source JavaS-cript library Cesium. Based on the presented prototype (2) we illustrate its possible advancement for supporting a more comprehensive design and evaluation of possible urban developments in a collaborative planning setup. Testing and enhancing the visualizations in collaboration with stake-holders and complementing them by including 3D point clouds and 3D urban ecosystem services, the suggested platform could effectively help to explore the design of resilient urban systems and to co-develop urban transformation pathways desired by the stakeholders.ISSN:2367-4253ISSN:2511-624