Scenarios for heating and cooling demand in the European residential sector until 2030

For various planning and policy issues the estimation of future development of heating and cooling demand is of great importance. In this paper we provide exemplary model results for the development of heating and cooling demand for 31 European countries which have been developed in the project Mapping and analyses for the current and future (2020 - 2030) heating/cooling fuel development. (See Fleiter, T.; Steinbach, J.; Ragwitz et.al.). Within this article we focus on the analysis of relevafornt indicators such as the development of total heat demand, specific heat demand per m2, shares of the end use categories space heating, water heating and space cooling as well as renewable shares and CO2 emissions. Additionally to the descriptive part of this study in which we want to provide a snapshot on heating and cooling demand in the European Heating and cooling demand we also discuss potentials for additional CO2 reduction potentials of the residential building stock

A generic musculoskeletal model of the juvenile lower limb for biomechanical analyses of gait

The aim of this study was to develop a generic musculoskeletal model of a healthy 10-year-old child and examine the effects of geometric scaling on the calculated values of lower-limb muscle forces during gait. Subject-specific musculoskeletal models of five healthy children were developed from in vivo MRI data, and these models were subsequently used to create a generic juvenile (GJ) model. Calculations of lower-limb muscle forces for normal walking obtained from two scaled-generic versions of the juvenile model (SGJ1 and SGJ2) were evaluated against corresponding results derived from an MRI-based model of one subject (SSJ1). The SGJ1 and SGJ2 models were created by scaling the GJ model using gait marker positions and joint centre locations derived from MRI imaging, respectively. Differences in the calculated values of peak isometric muscle forces and muscle moment arms between the scaled-generic models and MRI-based model were relatively small. Peak isometric muscle forces calculated for SGJ1 and SGJ2 were respectively 2.2% and 3.5% lower than those obtained for SSJ1. Model-predicted muscle forces for SGJ2 agreed more closely with calculations obtained from SSJ1 than corresponding results derived from SGJ1. These results suggest that accurate estimates of muscle forces during gait may be obtained by scaling generic juvenile models based on joint centre locations. The generic juvenile model developed in this study may be used as a template for creating subject-specific musculoskeletal models of normally-developing children in studies aimed at describing lower-limb muscle function during gait

Trustworthy Visual Analytics in Clinical Gait Analysis: A Case Study for Patients with Cerebral Palsy

Three-dimensional clinical gait analysis is essential for selecting optimal treatment interventions for patients with cerebral palsy (CP), but generates a large amount of time series data. For the automated analysis of these data, machine learning approaches yield promising results. However, due to their black-box nature, such approaches are often mistrusted by clinicians. We propose gaitXplorer, a visual analytics approach for the classification of CP-related gait patterns that integrates Grad-CAM, a well-established explainable artificial intelligence algorithm, for explanations of machine learning classifications. Regions of high relevance for classification are highlighted in the interactive visual interface. The approach is evaluated in a case study with two clinical gait experts. They inspected the explanations for a sample of eight patients using the visual interface and expressed which relevance scores they found trustworthy and which they found suspicious. Overall, the clinicians gave positive feedback on the approach as it allowed them a better understanding of which regions in the data were relevant for the classification.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures; supplemental material 9 pages, 8 figures; to be published in the proceedings of the 2022 IEEE Workshop on TRust and EXpertise in Visual Analytics (TREX

Comprehensive Assessment of the Potential for Efficient District Heating and Cooling and for High-Efficient Cogeneration in Austria

In accordance with the EU Energy Efficiency Directive all Member States have to develop a comprehensive assessment of the potential for high-efficient CHP and efficient district heating and cooling by the end of 2015. This paper describes the approach and methodology used to determine the district heating potentials for Austria. In a first step actual and future heating and cooling demand in the building sector is evaluated using the techno-economic bottom-up model Invert/EE-Lab. Relevant infrastructure probably existing in 2025 is investigated and included into the analysis. Technical potentials for efficient technologies are calculated. After a classification of relevant regions into main and secondary regions a country-level cost-benefit-analysis is performed. The results indicate that there is a reasonable additional potential for district heating by the year 2025 under our central scenario assumptions and within sensitivity scenarios. Only in scenarios with high CO2-price or low gas price, CHP is an economically efficient solution to supply district heat

Strategies for a nearly Zero-Energy Building market transition in the European Union

European legislation makes nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (nZEBs) a standard by 2020. The technology is available and proven; however, the large-scale uptake of nZEB construction and renovation remains a challenge. ZEBRA2020 monitored the market uptake of nZEBs across Europe and provided data and knowledge on how to reach the nZEB standard. This information was structured and analysed to derive recommendations. ZEBRA2020 covers 17 European countries and almost 90% of the EU/EEA building stock and population. The online data tools provide unique information regarding nZEB market development and nZEB characteristics. New approaches have been developed in order to allow for a better comparability of national data. However, the absence or difficult accessibility to key data and in particular for non-residential and existing buildings as well as for renovations remains an important obstacle. The online nZEB tracker, based on a set of criteria, assesses the nZEB market maturity. On EU-level, the tracker shows a substantial gap of market maturity that still has to be closed by 2019/2021. A set of barriers and related recommendations have been identified both at national and EU level: The implementation of a common, shared long-term vision for the building stock is crucial. A quantitative comparison of national nZEB definitions is complex due to different system boundaries, calculation methodologies, applied factors etc. However, our analysis indicates that a significant share of nZEB definitions does not meet the intention of the EU directive on energy efficient buildings (EPBD) that the energy consumption should be “nearly zero or very low amount” and the remaining part “should be covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources”. Thus, the new EPBD requires clear definitions of these terms and thresholds. Further, it is important to distinguish between new buildings and renovations – despite of a common nZEB definition for both cases. The nZEB compliance monitoring and sanctions regimes need improvement. Only about half of the covered Member States monitor the compliance of new buildings with energy performance requirements. The lack of professional skills continues to be an important barrier and should remain a focus, especially in case of new built. In many Member States, the reliability and credibility of Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) is often questioned by actors on the real estate market. Transforming EPCs into Building Certificates (“Passes”) for the whole lifetime of a building may increase credibility and serve as a key measure to foster building renovation towards an nZEB standard. Storage of building data in an electronically accessible national database may contribute to better data availability. Energy poverty and vulnerable consumers are a European-wide issue and need further attention. Shifting from fuel subsidy to energy efficiency support is required. Future-proof buildings will be highly-efficient micro energy-hubs consuming, producing, storing and supplying energy. A revised nZEB definition should be future-proofed to be a smart building and district-ready.publishedVersio

Kommodifizierung und Professionalisierung des österreichischen Fußballsports zwischen 1965 und 1995

Die vorliegende Arbeit analysiert mehrere, eng miteinander verknüpfte Phänomene, welche sich im Klubfußball der National- und Bundesliga Österreichs im Zeitraum von 1965 bis 1995 finden. Es geht um Kommodifizierung, Kommerzialisierung und Medialisierung bzw. Mediatisierung, aber auch um die stetige Steigerung des Professionalisierungsgrades der österreichischen National- bzw. Bundesligavereine inklusive aller beteiligten Akteure, bei einem gleichzeitig kontinuierlich sinkenden Interesse der Zuschauer und Zuschauerinnen für Stadionbesuche. Damit eng verbunden waren zahlreichen Versuche, die oberste Spielklasse Österreichs zu reformieren. Es stellen sich Fragen nach den Gründen und Folgen der Einführung des Berufsfußballs in Österreich. Auswirkungen auf Vereine und Spieler werden erläutert. Der wechselseitigen Beeinflussung von Sport und Medien wird nachgegangen. Ein ab der Mitte der 1950er Jahre wahrnehmbarer kontinuierlicher Zuschauer- und Zuschauerinnenrückgang in österreichischen Stadien wird analysiert und eine Begründung dafür vorgestellt. Die Vereinnahmung des österreichischen Fußballsports durch Wirtschaft, Fernsehen und Werbung und dessen damit einhergehende Professionalisierung wird anhand einer Stichprobenanalyse der Sportzeitung „Sportfunk“ untersucht. Als Ergebnis kann die regelmäßig wiederkehrende Kritik an Funktionären und die Enttäuschung über gescheiterte Reformversuche, welche sich wie ein roter Faden durch die allermeisten Ausgaben der Sportzeitung ziehen, festgehalten werden.The present study analyses several closely related phenomena that can be found in club football in Austria’s top division between 1965 and 1995. It deals with commodification, commercialisation and medialisation or mediatisation, but also with the steady increase in the degree of professionalisation of the top clubs, including all players, while at the same time the interest of spectators in stadium visits is steadily declining. This was closely linked to numerous attempts to reform Austria's top division. Questions arise as to the reasons and consequences of the introduction of professional football in Austria. The effects on clubs and players are explained. The mutual influence of sport and media will be investigated. A continuous decline in the number of spectators in Austrian stadiums from the mid-1950s onwards is analysed and reasons are presented. A sample analysis of the sports newspaper "Sportfunk" will be used to investigate the way in which Austrian football is taken up by business, television and advertising and the resulting professionalisation. As a result, the regularly recurring criticism of functionaries and the disappointment about failed reform attempts, which run like a red thread through the vast majority of issues of the sports newspaper, can be recorded

Financing the renovation of the Cypriot building stock: an assessment of the energy saving potential of different policy scenarios based on the Invert/EE-Lab model

Despite various government policies promoting energy efficiency in buildings over the last 15 years, Cyprus is still associated with a large untapped energy efficiency potential in this sector. The impact of different policy scenarios on future energy needs of the building sector in Cyprus is explored by first reviewing the current status of the building stock in Cyprus and existing national landscape of energy efficiency policies. Various new policies are then proposed to complement the existing framework and help exploit further the potential. Using the Invert/EE-Lab model, three policy scenarios to 2050 are assessed with the aim to estimate the energy efficiency potential of the Cypriot building sector and identify policy solutions to harness this potential. The energy consumed for heating, cooling, hot water and lighting in the entire Cypriot building stock is expected to drop by up to 16% in 2050 compared to the baseline scenario. Under the most ambitious scenario, nearly 60% of the building stock in 2050 will be energy efficient, consuming less than half of the energy used by the average building stock in 2012. Taking into account the modelling results, recommendations on how to improve the financial landscape in buildings until 2050 are presented.JRC.C.2-Energy Efficiency and Renewable

Renewable heating: Perspectives and the impact of policy instruments

In the light of the EU directive for renewable energy (2009/28/EC) this paper deals with the question how various policy instruments could impact the development of renewable heating technologies. The paper applies the simulation model Invert/EE-Lab for the building related heat demand in selected European countries (Austria, Lithuania and United Kingdom). The resulting scenarios up to 2030 are compared to RES-Heat targets from literature, stakeholder consultation processes and the targets in the national renewable energy action plans submitted by EU Member States in 2010. The results demonstrate that use obligations for renewable heating can be effective in achieving RES-Heat market growth. However, in order to attain a balanced technology mix and more ambitious targets, policy packages are required combining use obligations with economic incentives and accompanying measures. Technology specific conclusions are derived. Moreover, conclusions indicate that the action plans are not always consistent with policy measures in place or under discussion

3D and electromyographic evaluation of upper extremity movement patterns of trans-radial amputees

<p>Assessment tests are the gold standard to measure the functionality of hand prostheses, but they evaluate how fast a patient is able to perform a specific task and do not assess quality of movement. The wide range of UL movements leads to a big challenge to assess and interpret data. Therefore, UL 3D motion analysis is a difficult task in clinical practice, thus there is still a major lack of published normative data. Further research is needed to understand the effectiveness of medical treatments.</p

Oberkörperanalyse im Bewegungslabor

<p>Presentation of upper limb motion analysis in the gait and motion laboratory of the orthopaedic Hospital Speising-Vienna (OSS).</p