Book reviews

OPTIMIZATION METHODS FOR A STAKEHOLDER SOCIETY Reviewed book: Willem K. Brauers. Optimization Methods for a Stakeholder Society: A Revolution in Economic Thinking by Multi‐objective Optimization. Boston / Dordrecht / London: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004. First published online: 14 Oct 201

Multiple Criteria Analysis of the Life Cycle of the Built Environment

To design and achieve effective the life cycle of the built environment a complex analysis of its stages as well as stakeholders, their aims and potentialities is needed. The effect of micro, meso and macro environmental factors should also be taken into account. A thorough built environment’s life cycle (brief; design; raw material extraction, transport and processing; construction materials production and distribution; construction; use, repair and maintenance; demolition; disposal, reuse, or recycling) analysis is quite difficult to undertake, because a buildings and its environment are a complex system (technical, technological, economical, social, cultural, ecological, etc.), where all sub-systems influence the total efficiency performance and where the interdependence between sub-systems play a significant role. Various stakeholders (clients, users, architects, designers, utilities engineers, economists, contractors, maintenance engineers, built environment material manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, finansing institutions, local government, state and state institutions) are involved in the life cycle of the built environment, trying to satisfy their needs and affecting its efficiency. The level of the efficiency of the life cycle of the built environment depends on a number of variables, at three levels: micro, meso and macro level. The problem is how to define an efficient built environment life cycle when a lot of various parties are involved, the alternative project versions come to hundreds thousand and the efficiency changes with the alterations in the environment conditions and the constituent parts of the process in question. Moreover, the realization of some objectives seems more rational from the economic perspective thought from the other perspectives they have various significance. Therefore, it is considered that the efficiency of a built environment life cycle depends on the rationality of its stages as well as on the ability to satisfy the needs of the stakeholders and the rational character of environment conditions. Formalized presentation of the research shows how changes in the environment and the extent to which the goals pursued by various stakeholders are satisfied cause corresponding changes in the value and utility degree of a built environment life cycle. With this in mind, it is possible to solve the problem of optimization concerning satisfaction of the needs at reasonable expenditures. This requires the analysis of the built environment life cycle versions allowing to find an optimal combination of goals pursued and finances available. References to the most modern world scientific literature sources are presented in the monograph. The monograph is prepared for the researchers, MSc and PhD students of civil engineering, construction management and real estate development. The book may be useful for other researchers, MSc and PhD students of economics, management and other specialities. The edition was recommended by the Committe of Studies of VGTU Faculty of Civil Engineering. The publication of monograph was funded by European Social Fund according to project No. VP1-2.2-ŠMM-07-K-02-060 Development and Implementation of Joint Master’s Study Programme “Sustainable Development of the Built Environment”.The edition was recommended by the Committe of Studies of VGTU Faculty of Civil Engineering. The publication of monograph was funded by European Social Fund according to project No. VP1-2.2-ŠMM-07-K-02-060 Development and Implementation of Joint Master’s Study Programme “Sustainable Development of the Built Environment”

Editorial: The fifth decade

„Editorial: The fifth decade" Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 14(1), p. 5-1

ANALIZA RIZIKA KRITIČNIH INFRASTRUKTURA POMOĆU NEIZRAZITE COPRAS

Critical infrastructures play a significant role in countries because of the essentiality of nation security, public safety, socioeconomic security, and way of life. According to the importance of infrastructures, it is a necessity to analyze the potential risks to do not allow these risks be converted into events. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a developed framework with the aim to overcome limitations of the classical approach to build a more secure, safer, and more resilient critical infrastructures in order to develop, implement, control. The proposed framework extends conventional RAMCAP (Risk Analysis and Management for Critical Asset Protection) through introducing new parameters the effects on risk value. According to the complexity of problem and the inherent uncertainty, this research adopts the fuzzy COPRAS (COPRAS-F) as a fuzzy multi criteria decision making technique to determine the weights of each criterion and the importance of alternatives with respect to criteria. Case analysis is implemented to illustrate the capability and effectiveness of the model for ranking the risk of critical infrastructures. The proposed model demonstrates a significant improvement in comparison with conventional RAMCAP.Kritične infrastrukture imaju važnu ulogu u zemljama radi same važnosti nacionalne sigurnosti, javne sigurnosti, društveno-ekonomske sigurnosti i načina života. S obzirom na važnost infrastruktura potrebno je analizirati potencijalne rizike kako se isti ne bi ostvarili. Svrha ovog rada je ponuditi razvijeni okvir u cilju prevladavanja ograničenja klasičnog pristupa izgradnji sigurnijih i izdržljivijih kritičnih infrastruktura s ciljem razvoja, primjene i kontrole. Predloženi okvir proširuje konvencionalni RAMCAP (Analiza i upravljanje rizikom za zaštitu ključnih faktora) uvođenjem novih parametara učinka na vrijednost rizika. S obzirom na složenost problema i inherentnu nesigurnost, istraživanje koristi neizrazitu (fuzzy) COPRAS (COPRAS-F) kao neizrazitu multi kriterijsku tehniku donošenja odluka kako bi se odredila težina svakog kriterija i važnost alternativa u odnosu na kriterije. Koristi se analiza slučajeva kako bi se prikazala sposobnost i efikasnost modela za rangiranje rizika kritičnih infrastruktura. Predloženi model prikazuje značajan napredak u usporedbi s konvencionalnim RAMCAP-om

Multiple criteria decision-making KEMIRA-M method for solution of location alternatives

Choice of location in many cases is a key factor setting up a new business object. In this article the KEMIRA-M method is proposed to establish priority of criteria and determine criteria weights. Weighted sum of criteria values was applied for ranking the alternatives. This technique is useful if the evaluation criteria naturally consist of several logically explained groups of criteria. Method requires much less initial information and is based upon searching the solution of optimisation problem. KEMIRA-M is applied for the case study of construction site for non-hazardous waste incineration plant in Vilnius City

ANALIZA RIZIKA KRITIČNIH INFRASTRUKTURA POMOĆU NEIZRAZITE COPRAS

Critical infrastructures play a significant role in countries because of the essentiality of nation security, public safety, socioeconomic security, and way of life. According to the importance of infrastructures, it is a necessity to analyze the potential risks to do not allow these risks be converted into events. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a developed framework with the aim to overcome limitations of the classical approach to build a more secure, safer, and more resilient critical infrastructures in order to develop, implement, control. The proposed framework extends conventional RAMCAP (Risk Analysis and Management for Critical Asset Protection) through introducing new parameters the effects on risk value. According to the complexity of problem and the inherent uncertainty, this research adopts the fuzzy COPRAS (COPRAS-F) as a fuzzy multi criteria decision making technique to determine the weights of each criterion and the importance of alternatives with respect to criteria. Case analysis is implemented to illustrate the capability and effectiveness of the model for ranking the risk of critical infrastructures. The proposed model demonstrates a significant improvement in comparison with conventional RAMCAP.Kritične infrastrukture imaju važnu ulogu u zemljama radi same važnosti nacionalne sigurnosti, javne sigurnosti, društveno-ekonomske sigurnosti i načina života. S obzirom na važnost infrastruktura potrebno je analizirati potencijalne rizike kako se isti ne bi ostvarili. Svrha ovog rada je ponuditi razvijeni okvir u cilju prevladavanja ograničenja klasičnog pristupa izgradnji sigurnijih i izdržljivijih kritičnih infrastruktura s ciljem razvoja, primjene i kontrole. Predloženi okvir proširuje konvencionalni RAMCAP (Analiza i upravljanje rizikom za zaštitu ključnih faktora) uvođenjem novih parametara učinka na vrijednost rizika. S obzirom na složenost problema i inherentnu nesigurnost, istraživanje koristi neizrazitu (fuzzy) COPRAS (COPRAS-F) kao neizrazitu multi kriterijsku tehniku donošenja odluka kako bi se odredila težina svakog kriterija i važnost alternativa u odnosu na kriterije. Koristi se analiza slučajeva kako bi se prikazala sposobnost i efikasnost modela za rangiranje rizika kritičnih infrastruktura. Predloženi model prikazuje značajan napredak u usporedbi s konvencionalnim RAMCAP-om

Corrigendum

"Corrigendum." Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management, 22(7), p.

A new fuzzy additive ratio assessment method (ARAS‐F). Case study: The analysis of fuzzy multiple criteria in order to select the logistic centers location

The main approaches which are applied to select the logistic center are the methods of gravity center, analytic hierarchy process, similarity to ideal solution, fuzzy ranking, assessment, etc. Multiple Criteria Decision‐Making (MCDM) combines analytical and inductive knowledge, describing a domain problem, which can be fuzzy and/or incomplete. The fuzzy MCDM (FMCDM) approach can explain the problem more appropriately. The purpose of the paper is to select the most suitable site for logistic centre among a set of alternatives, to help the stakeholders with the performance evaluation in an uncertain environment, where the subjectivity and vagueness of criteria are described by triangular fuzzy numbers. The paper presents a newly‐developed ARAS‐F method to solve different problems in transport, construction, economics, technology and sustainable development. First published online: 10 Feb 201

Evaluation of combined heat and power (CHP) systems using fuzzy shannon entropy and fuzzy TOPSIS

Combined heat and power (CHP) or cogeneration can play a strategic role in addressing environmental issues and climate change. CHP systems require less fuel than separate heat and power systems in order to produce the same amount of energy saving primary energy, improving the security of the supply. Because less fuel is combusted, greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants are reduced. If we are to consider the CHP system as "sustainable", we must include in its assessment not only energetic performance but also environmental and economic aspects, presenting a multicriteria issue. The purpose of the paper is to apply a fuzzy multicriteria methodology to the assessment of five CHP commercial technologies. Specifically, the combination of the fuzzy Shannon's entropy and the fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) approach will be tested for this purpose. Shannon's entropy concept, using interval data such as the α-cut, is a particularly suitable technique for assigning weights to criteria — it does not require a decision-making (DM) to assign a weight to the criteria. To rank the proposed alternatives, a fuzzy TOPSIS method has been applied. It is based on the principle that the chosen alternative should be as close as possible to the positive ideal solution and be as far as possible from the negative ideal solution. The proposed approach provides a useful technical–scientific decision-making tool that can effectively support, in a consistent and transparent way, the assessment of various CHP technologies from a sustainable point of view

Multi-criteria decision making in civil engineering: Part I – a state-of-the-art survey

For several decades, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods have been in use to address issues particular to design, organisation and management of constructions. This article reviews the history of MCDM methods since their origins to current times. The academic database Thomson Reuters Web of Science Core Collection was used to overview publications that contain keyword “MCDM” and are included in Web of Science Category “Engineering Civil”. The analysis of publications was made according to their year, state, journals and used MCDM methods