Parking assessment in the context of growing construction activity and infrastructure changes : simulation of impact scenarios

This paper investigates the impact of construction activity and associated parking on the overall parking behaviour of a rapidly changing metropolitan city. The study adopted the modelling and simulation of baseline and impact scenarios of increasing demand, changing parking infrastructure and limited on-street parking supply. Results indicate that construction and population growth, as well as limited parking capacities, will have a significant impact on overall parking behaviour. Furthermore, the proximity to the construction site was identified as an important consideration in carpark location choice. These findings suggest that decisions on capacity and locations should be based on critical factors, including the behaviour of various users and loads. This study has implications for policymakers on the provision and selection of parking infrastructure for a range of users. Outcomes of this research have directly influenced the planning framework for the Parramatta Light Rail project, future zoning, and infrastructure development in Parramatta. These findings can be used for recommendations on developing travel demand management (TDM) strategies for various stakeholders, depending on the context of parking demand, supply, and future changes. However, the study is limited to surveys of actual parking demand without considering latent demand during the peak period of the day

The impact of online reviews on consumers' purchasing decisions : evidence from an eye-tracking study

This study investigated the impact of online product reviews on consumers purchasing decisions by using eye-tracking. The research methodology involved (i) development of a conceptual framework of online product review and purchasing intention through the moderation role of gender and visual attention in comments, and (ii) empirical investigation into the region of interest (ROI) analysis of consumers fixation during the purchase decision process and behavioral analysis. The results showed that consumers' attention to negative comments was significantly greater than that to positive comments, especially for female consumers. Furthermore, the study identified a significant correlation between the visual browsing behavior of consumers and their purchase intention. It also found that consumers were not able to identify false comments. The current study provides a deep understanding of the underlying mechanism of how online reviews influence shopping behavior, reveals the effect of gender on this effect for the first time and explains it from the perspective of attentional bias, which is essential for the theory of online consumer behavior. Specifically, the different effects of consumers' attention to negative comments seem to be moderated through gender with female consumers' attention to negative comments being significantly greater than to positive ones. These findings suggest that practitioners need to pay particular attention to negative comments and resolve them promptly through the customization of product/service information, taking into consideration consumer characteristics, including gender

Sustainable protected cropping : a case study of seasonal impacts on greenhouse energy consumption during capsicum production

Sustainable food production in protected cropping is increasing rapidly in response to global climate change and population growth. However, there are significant knowledge gaps regarding energy consumption while achieving optimum environmental conditions for greenhouse crop production. A capsicum crop cultivated in a high-tech greenhouse facility in Australia was analysed in terms of relationships between key environmental variables and the comparative analysis of energy consumption during different seasons. We showed that daily energy consumption varied due to the seasonal nature of the external environment and maintenance of optimal growing temperatures. Total power consumption reported throughout the entire crop cycle for heating (gas hot water system) and cooling (pad and fan) was 12,503 and 5183 kWh, respectively; hence, heating consumed ca. 70% of the total energy requirement over the 8-month growing period (early spring to late autumn) in the greenhouse facility. Regressions of daily energy consumption within each season, designated either predominantly for heating or cooling, indicated that energy consumption was 14.62 kWh per 1 °C heating and 2.23 kWh per 1 °C cooling. Therefore, changing the planting date to late spring is likely to significantly reduce heating energy costs for greenhouse capsicum growers in Australia. The findings will provide useful guidelines to maximise the greenhouse production of capsicum with better economic return by taking into consideration the potential optimal energy saving strategy during different external environment conditions and seasons

Energy minimisation in a protected cropping facility using multi-temperature acquisition points and control of ventilation settings

Energy management in protected cropping is critical due to the high cost of energy use in high-tech greenhouse facilities. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the optimal strategy to reduce cooling energy consumption, by regulating the settings (opening/closing) of either vents or curtains during the day, at the protected cropping facility at Western Sydney University. We measured daily changes in air temperature and energy consumption under four treatments (open/closed combinations of vents and shade screens) and developed an optimal cooling strategy for energy management using multi-temperature acquisition points at different heights within a greenhouse compartment. The optimal treatment (vents open/curtains closed) reduced energy load at the rooftop, thereby maintaining a desirable plant canopy temperature profile, and reducing cooling energy. Daily energy consumption was lowest for vents open/curtains closed (70.5 kWh) and highest for vents closed/curtains open (121 kWh). It was also found that delaying the operation of opening and closing of vents and curtains until the plant canopy temperature reached 25 ◦C reduced cooling energy consumption and decreased heating energy consumption in the morning (e.g., 08:00 to 10:00). The estimated savings of 1.83 kWh per 1 ◦C cooling between the optimal (vents open/curtains closed) and least optimal (vents closed/curtains open) conditions had the potential for significant energy savings at 494 kWh per ◦C over a crop cycle of nine months in warm weather conditions. However, selection of the optimal cooling strategy utilising control of vents and curtains must also account for the impact from other greenhouse environmental factors, including light, humidity, and CO2 concentration, which may be crop specific

Assessing the critical role of ICT in improving the I4R for circular economy

This chapter proposes a framework for the assessment of I4R (Industry 4.0 (I4), referred to as ‘the fourth industrial revolution') for CE (circular economy) from the ICT systems perspective. The framework is based on the key principles of I4 and CE, an overview of industry sectors from the perspective of I4, and the key requirements for I4R, focusing on CE across firms and industry/sector levels. This is followed by trends for shaping the manufacturing landscape, implications for policy/decision makers, and examining how businesses can prepare for the potential change. In addition, this chapter presents parameters and measures as part of the framework for assessing the critical role of ICT in improving I4R for CE at the firm and industry/sector levels and reports on how the assessment framework can be developed and guided by the principles of both themes (I4 and CE). It is expected that the complex dynamics of I4 and CE will lead to the need for careful investigation on how both work together at the firm, industry/sector, and national levels

Improving manufacturing lead time using holistic approach to planning and execution with integrated data structures : numerical simulation and comparison

Manufacturing planning and control (MPC) plays a significant role in effective planning of requirements and execution of those plans. It also influences various performance measures, in particular on-time delivery, which is dependent on many factors including manufacturing lead time. This paper aims to address key issues of infinite loading of resources, lack of forward planning, and limited simultaneous planning capabilities of MRP through a holistic approach to planning of various components and execution of those plans, based on integrated data structures. It is shown that integrated data structures, combining hierarchical single-level BOMs and sequential operations routings using a holistic approach to planning and execution enable reducing lead time by eliminating slack times associated with traditional methods. Furthermore, manufacturing lead time, based on integrated data structures is a true representation of operation times and is shorter compared with traditional lead time. Sensitivity analysis on lead-time with bills-of-materials (BOM) levels and floats shows that the holistic approach to planning and execution with integrated data structures is an effective way of improving lead-time, in particular when product structures involve many levels of BOMs and floats (slack times). The proposed holistic approach provides forward planning, simultaneous planning of components, and finite loading of resources. It is expected that the concept of integrated data structures be extended to model transaction data with process functions (e.g. production order cycle), which would improve overall cycle times by eliminating manual functions associated with current methods

Business process improvements using integrated process/data models : a unitary structuring approach

In recent past, there seems to have an increased demand for improvements in current Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions. This paper presents an approach to enhance business processes and thereby functional applications through integrated process/data models. Business process functions are modeled using unitary data structures, which form the basis for further improvements in planning, control and execution cycles. Master and transaction data are also modeled using unitary structures, providing integrated data by eliminating various manual interfacing involved in current practices. Thus, integration of business process with data enables enhanced functionality such as forward planning, simultaneous planning of materials, resources, operations and project activities; and finite loading of resources. The implementation of integrated process/data models in ERP can be carried out using additional functions and associated business transactions. Once implemented, data and information are visible and transactions associated with them are more flexible and transparent

Enhanced data models for master and transaction data in ERP systems : unitary structuring approach

In recent past, there seems to have an increased demand for improvements in current Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions. One potential area is enhancing existing master and transaction data models in ERP. This paper presents an integrated approach to represent both master and transaction data, which in turn helps improving applications within ERP system environment. Master and transaction data are modeled using unitary structures, integrating individual data elements and structures and associated functions. Functional tasks of transaction data are incorporated at structural level for improved planning and scheduling of components, such as component allocation and goods receipt processes in the production order cycle. Further, enhancement of master and transaction data can allow for forward planning of many components involved in various functional applications in ERP. Thus, potential improvements include simultaneous planning of many components (materials, resources, operations and project activities), forward planning across many applications and finite loading of resources as part of overall planning. The implementation of unitary structures in an ERP system can be carried out using additional links between existing data models. Once developed and implemented in an ERP system, data and information are visible and transactions associated with them are more flexible

Kerbside Assessment: Freight and Servicing Activity in Parramatta CBD

Kerbside assessment of freight and servicing activity in Parramatta CBD, defined by the scope and objectives of the research proposal was undertaken, using a two stage approach of manual recording of parking events in a number of selected locations and subsequent analysis of two key measures (parking events and length of stays). The key objectives of the assessment include: 1. Define the peak time of day activity and average length of stay for parking events in short term and loading zone bays, and other spaces captured, in key streets within the Parramatta CBD. 2. Define the use of short term parking by the freight and servicing vehicle classifications. 3. Examine the use of “freight activity spaces” by other types of vehicles. 4. Investigate use of loading zone occupation by Light Commercial vehicles (Trades and Services) v. use of short term parking by Light Commercial (Freight). 5. Define the freight load of Macquarie St (one of the area profiles defined in the study), where direction of flow is subject to further design refinement. 6. Define the minimum short term or loading zone bays required to meet current service demands. This assessment includes analyses of two key measures subject to a number of parameters including (i) parking zones/categories, (ii) parking time slots/zones, (iii) vehicle types/categories, (iv) load types/categories and (v) area profiles. The assessment is focused on providing evidence based information on the current state of demand on kerbside parking by various activities, for planning of parking allocation in the future

Business process improvements in production planning of ERP system using enhanced process and integrated data models

This paper presents a framework for business process improvements for process integration, automation and optimisation in an ERP system environment. Main features of the proposed framework include (i) enhanced process models and integrated data models, incorporating many components and relationships/links and (ii) process optimisation through improved process logics and additional functionalities. Business processes are modeled using enhanced Event-driven Process Chain (EPC) methodology, incorporating additional logics and functionalities. Master and transaction data associated with business processes are modeled using unitary structures. Transaction data incorporate integrated master data and functional tasks such as good issue and receipt of production order cycle, for improved planning and scheduling of components. Potential improvements include simultaneous planning of many components, forward planning and finite loading of resources. The paper concludes that enhanced process and integrated data models improve functional applications and eliminate the need for separate and interfaced applications for process improvements in ERP system environment