Open Access Journals at Aalborg University
Not a member yet
6616 research outputs found
Sort by
Circular bioeconomy business ecosystem in Finland: From barriers to solutions for wood material reuse in construction
No full text
Still Not About Sex — Vernacular Dance, Attention, Affect, and Self-Organization
No full textScientists and lay-people frequently buy into the trope that vernacular dance is primarily an evolutionary mechanism for sexual selection. I argue against the dance-as-sexual-selection hypothesis; the structure of attention, affect, and agency in dance are all geared towards experiences of the collective, not the identification of single individuals. I call into question several problematic assumptions about dance in the sexual selection literature and point to flawed experimental designs. Using dynamic systems, phenomenological evidence, and embodied cognition, I argue that vernacular dance is more fundamentally about a sense of collectivity
Somatic Composition and Embodied Filmmaking : case study on practice and practitioners through the example of a Creative Lab
Get PDFHow do we film from the body, and how do we embody (moving)images? How do we make film, when we invite a somatic approach into filmmaking? What do we film, when we film with and from not only our exteroception but invite as well our interoception into the process? What do we film, when we film bodies in motion or in stillness? How can we transmit the quality of space around and within the body?
Among others, these questions were the starting points for the Creative Lab[1] in Tallinn, entitled Somatic Composition and Embodied Film, which I facilitated in March 2024, in partnership with Somaatikum, center for Body Mind Centering® education in Estonia, SZOME Association for Somatic Education and Movement in Hungary, and TantsuRUUM (Estonia). The workshop and lab aimed to directly apply somatic practice – in this case Body-Mind Centering®, or BMC® – to the creative process, to inform and generate both the movement (dance) practice and the filmmaking practice. Within this one week, we dived into our somatic self, into our living bodies, while also studying contemporary and embodied film theories and examples. From these sources participants started their creative work. It's important to note, that the frame of the lab was a low-tech approach of filmmaking in a limited time. The outcomes of the lab may therefore be experimental short films - complete as they are -, or drafts for a future film.
The case study examines the dance- and somatic practice that lays behind these works, the working method and the way of participation and facilitation in dialogue with each other. It includes reflection on the process and on the moving image works that were created along this process. It includes reflections not only by the author of this article, and facilitator of the Lab, but also by the participants.
Gender Representation in Serial Dramas: A Reproducible Classroom Methodology for Critical Analysis
Get PDFAudiovisual media shape audience perceptions and beliefs, particularly among young adults, influencing societal views on gender equality. This study aims to propose a reproducible teaching methodology for high school classrooms to enhance students’ ability to critically assess gender representation in serial dramas. Using a multimedia annotation software, the methodology involves two hands-on activities: (i) quantifying women’s on-screen presence by tagging their speaking time to compare it with that of men and (ii) documenting observations based on four common stereotypes in the portrayal of women on TV — physical appearance (often sexualized), parenting role (as caregiving mothers), sentimental relationship (as fiancées or wives) and occupational status (as homemakers or in low-status positions). Following the analysis, students share their findings in guided class discussions, which allow them to make meaning of the representations they observe and to challenge preconceived notions. This methodology encourages students to reflect on the media they consume, fostering awareness of how gender stereotypes shape social behavior
Designing an online interactive national energy and climate policy simulation tool to enhance the policy decision making process
Get PDFTo reach the Paris Agreement goals, European governments have defined national contributions to the EU binding climate goals and have developed national climate and energy plans for 2021-2030 (NECPs). NECPs are detailed strategies in which governments can flexibly emphasize specific sectors, technologies, and national energy policy choices. Every country has built its own energy modelling capacity for forecasting purposes. In most countries, this national modelling relies on optimization tools such as Markal or TIMES. For Latvia's energy sector, a system dynamics (SD) model was built to complement the TIMES model. The SD model deals with: an integrated energy system, including the primary energy supply and transformation sector; energy distribution and storage system; and energy demand sectors (residential, tertiary, public, industry, and transportation). Sectoral policies are presented in the Stella Architect interface. This study demonstrates how the interactive simulation tool was used in the Environmental Engineering Master level course ‘Environmental Policy and Economics’ as an experiential learning approach. The student assignment involved applying this tool to develop and analyze the energy transition policy package for one of four ideological interest groups: deep greens, bright greens, light greens, and greys. Students had to assume a role and adopt its perspective by applying their border-crossing competence and reflecting on selected policy mixes for that ideology. Various transition pathways, based on different ideologies, illustrate the possibilities for application. Results show that students were successful in fulfilling the assignment
System integration of geothermal heat plant in high-temperature district heating system - technical and economic issues
Get PDFSecond-generation district heating (DH) systems based on coal combustion remain prevalent and inefficient in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland. This study investigates the technical and economic feasibility of integrating geothermal energy into an existing high-temperature DH system with a peak demand of 60 MW. Three retrofit scenarios are analyzed: (1) a geothermal doublet with a direct heat exchanger; (2) Scenario 1 extended by an absorption heat pump (AHP) powered by a gas boiler; and (3) Scenario 2 enhanced with an additional geothermal doublet. A detailed hour-by-hour simulation of thermal performance was conducted for each configuration. The share of geothermal heat in total production increases from 35% in Scenario 1 to nearly 70% in Scenario 3, enabling all variants to meet the efficiency thresholds defined in the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. An economic assessment using Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) indicates that Scenario 1 is the most cost-effective, yielding an IRR above 17% and a 4-year discounted payback period. Although Scenario 3 achieves higher decarbonization, it requires significantly greater capital investment. The findings highlight that geothermal retrofitting, particularly with direct heat exchangers, offers a realistic and economically justified path for transforming legacy DH systems toward carbon neutrality
GIS heats up the district heating business: Four takeaways from the transformation towards data-driven decisions
No full textArtiklen beskriver, hvordan vi i Kredsløb anvender GIS og geodata i transformationen mod mere datadrevne beslutninger. Gennem fire konkrete cases illustreres værdien af at kombinere geodata med forretningsdata for at forbedre kundetilfredshed, planlægning og effektivitet. Eksemplerne inkluderer udviklingen af en takstberegner, renoveringsplanlægning baseret på forskellige datasæt, identifikation af potentielle fjernvarmekunder og automatisering af årsrapportering. Artiklen fremhæver vigtigheden af datakvalitet, ejerskab og tværgående samarbejde samt fordelene ved iterative processer og automatisering. Governance og netværk er afgørende for at realisere potentialet i GIS og geodata, hvilket kan transformere forsyningsvirksomheder og skabe betydelig værdi.This paper describes how we at the utility company, Kredsløb, use GIS and geodata in the transformation towards more data-driven decisions. Through four actual cases, the value of combining geodata with business data to improve customer satisfaction, planning and efficiency is illustrated. The examples include the development of a rate calculator, renovation planning based on different data sets, identification of potential district heating customers, and automation of annual reporting. The article highlights the importance of data quality, ownership and cross-functional collaboration as well as the benefits of iterative processes and automation. Governance and networks are crucial to realizing the potential of GIS and geodata, which can transform utilities and create significant value