VGTU Journals (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University - Vilnius Tech)
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Material environment in transitional spaces: theoretical approaches and methodological directions
No full textThis article examines the role of material elements of the physical environment in the formation of transitional spaces, with particular attention to their impact on spatial perception and practical use. A review of the literature reveals that the materiality of transitional zones is often overlooked in architectural research, even though these spaces are increasingly recognized as significant components of the contemporary urban environment. The text also outlines the main methodological challenges encountered in systematically investigating the influence of the physical environment on the user‘s spatial experience.
Article in English.
Daiktinė aplinka pereinamosiose erdvėse: teoriniai požiūriai ir metodologinės kryptys
Santrauka
Straipsnyje nagrinėjamas materialiųjų daiktinės aplinkos elementų vaidmuo jungiamųjų erdvių formavimo procese, ypatingą dėmesį skiriant jų poveikiui erdvės suvokimui ir praktiniam naudojimui. Literatūros analizė rodo, kad pereinamųjų zonų materialumo aspektas architektūros tyrimuose dažnai lieka paraštėse, nors šios erdvės vis labiau išryškėja kaip reikšmingi šiuolaikinės urbanistinės aplinkos komponentai. Tekste taip pat išskiriami pagrindiniai metodologiniai iššūkiai, su kuriais susiduriama siekiant sistemiškai tirti daiktinės aplinkos įtaką vartotojo erdvinei patirčiai.
Reikšminiai žodžiai: daiktinė aplinka, pereinamoji erdvė, medžiagiškumas, erdvės suvokimas, vartotojo patirtis, architektūrinė artikuliacija, aplinkos psichologija
Well-to-wheel analysis of the emissions from the electric buses used in Poland and Czechia
No full textRoad transport is one of the major sources of pollution. To solve this problem, alternative fuels with a lower environmental impact are sought. Therefore, it is important to determine the impact of the life cycle of transport fuels in order to assess, which of them are more environment-friendly by taking into account the emissions generated during fuel production and vehicle operation. Electric Vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular. This article discusses a life cycle approach to the assessment of transport fuels intended for electric buses. It presents a comparative Well-To-Wheel (WTW) analysis of the emissions from the buses used in Poland and Czechia by analysing their life cycle, with particular consideration of the production of the electricity required to charge electric batteries. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of an electric bus and a conventional diesel bus has been performed. The results of the analysis are expressed as Greenhouse Gas (CHG) emission ratios across the life cycle of the buses operated in Poland and Czechia
Addressing hidden challenges in urban renewable energy integration via a hybrid-decision model
No full textThe integration of renewable energy into urban development has some critical legal challenges. However, the literature lacks a systematic framework for prioritizing the most critical obstacles. Existing studies generally address the legal barriers to the integration of renewable energy into urban areas at a general level. Therefore, these studies do not provide a systematic framework to prioritize which barriers are more critical. This deficiency creates some important problems such as increasing investor distrust, delays in projects and increasing costs. This study tries to fill this gap by establishing a novel hybrid decision-making model to evaluate hidden legal challenges in renewable energy integration. The proposed model follows a structured methodology by integrating z-scoring method to ensure expert representativeness, p,q,r-Fractional fuzzy sets to handle uncertainties, entropy method to compute the weights of the identified legal barriers and grey relational analysis to identify the most effective strategy alternatives. The main contribution is that prior investment strategies can be identified to overcome these legal challenges regarding the integration of renewable energy into urban development by creating a novel model. The use of p,q,r-Fractional fuzzy sets in this model provides an important contribution to the literature. With the help of considering these sets, more complex and multi-dimensional uncertainties can be managed more effectively. The findings highlight the significance of financial incentives and streamlined regulatory processes to have the sustainable transformation of urban areas.
First published online 23 September 202
Evaluating the factors affecting dairy commodity returns: the case of European dairy markets
No full textPurpose – motivated by the price spikes and booms in major commodities markets around the world, this study looks into the factors that affect the variance in returns from dairy futures contracts. The purpose of the study is to determine whether dairy commodity prices – especially in times of economic turmoil – are being driven away from their fundamental value. The study focuses on European dairy futures markets, which are less studied by other authors in their research and are at a nascent stage of development in comparison to other agricultural commodity markets. The study includes various determinants such as energy prices, major stock indices, as well as market related variables such as financial speculation, in order to test whether returns from dairy commodities can be explained solely by macroeconomic factors or if this impact is amplified by trade volume or financial speculation within these markets. Therefore, the paper aims to assess the determinants of dairy futures prices before and after 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began and was followed by the war in Ukraine.
Research methodology – the authors analyse dairy commodities traded on the European Energy Exchange (EEX) and employ the generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) modelling, as well as the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and Granger non-causality tests to analyse what drives the returns from dairy commodity futures and the direction of this impact. The study consists of two-time frames: before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings – an important finding from the study is that returns from dairy commodities are mostly explained by macroeconomic variables when analysing the post-2020 timeframe. Dairy commodities also experience asymmetric return volatility, showing that in dairy markets, negative returns are followed by reduced volatility. However, the role of trade volume or financial speculation on dairy commodity returns is found to be mixed or that it has an effect only on butter commodities when analysing 2020 and onward time period. Another important finding is that only returns from skimmed milk futures are significantly affected by seasonality.
Research limitations – the study uses only two dairy commodity types in the research, there is insufficient data on non-commercial positions from EEX.
Practical implications – as dairy commodities markets grow and attract more market activity, regulators should be more careful about geopolitical risks and financial speculation in European dairy futures markets.
Originality/Value – the study examines European dairy futures markets, which are relatively new compared to other commodity markets and have not received as much attention in other research
Creative processes in visual arts in education: a conceptual framework
No full textThe diversity and uniqueness of individuals and the multifaceted nature of creativity necessitate new models in various domains. This study reviewed previous studies and models of the creative process and presented a combined model (Swanzy-Impraim panoramic creative process model) of the creative process applicable to the visual arts in education and other artist-expressive domains. It positions the creative process in seven phases: (1) immersion, (2) problem/task identification, (3) ideation, (4) production, (5) outcome, (6) evaluation, and (7) responses. This conceptual paper explores creativity as a concept and its significance in the artists’ expressive domain, reviews and maps creative process models, and develops a comprehensive Swanzy-Impraim panoramic creative process model. The model can support the creativity agenda in education and creativity enactment within the arts
Tapping the creative potential of the city of Kaišiadorys, Lithuania, in external communication in social networks
No full textThis article explores how social media platforms can be used to unlock the creative potential of the city of Kaišiadorys, Lithuania. The study focuses on the external communication of creative activities through Facebook and Instagram and assesses the effectiveness of the content in attracting public attention and enhancing the city’s image. The analysis of 25 posts shows that the city’s Facebook profile has a larger audience, but both platforms lack dynamic elements, such as videos or interactive content, which could increase audience engagement. The study highlights the importance of a clear and concise message, emotional connection through storytelling and the significance of strategic partners in enhancing the city’s image and attracting visitors. The results of the study show that in order to stimulate creativity innovative content formats such as videos or play elements should be used much more
Coastal ecological dynamics: monitoring vegetation changes in the Sfiha-Swani region (Morocco)
No full textThis study examines the dynamics of vegetation cover in the coastal region of Al Hoceima, focusing on Sfiha and Swani beaches. It aims to understand changes in land cover categories, particularly the distribution and dynamics of vegetation cover. The research uses a comprehensive spatio-temporal analysis using advanced remote sensing technology and GIS.
The methodology uses four Landsat satellite images and four aerial photos from Google Earth from 2003 to 2021. It involves digital processing, radiometric and geometric corrections, and on-site ground visits to validate remote sensing data outcomes.
The study used land cover maps and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) maps to analyze changes in vegetation cover over the past 18 years. The maps revealed percentages of 21% (2003), 25% (2010), 33% (2015), and 15% (2021) of vegetation cover changes, indicating degradation in the study area.
The study reveals a significant decline in vegetation in the coastal region due to a combination of human and natural factors. This assessment is crucial for developing effective conservation and management strategies. The findings extend beyond Al Hoceima, providing insights for broader environmental conservation efforts, and highlighting the intricate relationship between human activities and environmental changes
Investigation of the Africa splitting into two as new ocean forms
No full textScientists believe that Ethiopian tectonic plate changes indicate that Africa is breaking apart, opening the path for the emergence of the planet’s sixth ocean. Ever since the East African Rift, a 35-mile-long fissure in Ethiopia’s desert, appeared in 2005, there has been a continuous movement between the tectonic plates. The second-largest continent in the world will virtually split in two due to the separation of the Somalian tectonic plate from the larger Nubian tectonic plate. This event has not been seen in hundreds of millions of years, when South America and Africa were separated into separate continents. The Somali and the Nubian tectonic plates are slowly disintegrating from each other, while the Arabian plate continues to pull away. The continental rift will happen along the east African Rift Valley, a geologically active region whose formation millions of years ago is similar to that of the tectonic movements that happen at the bottom of oceans. This means landlocked countries such as Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, and Zambia would inadvertently find themselves with a coastline, and thus, build harbours that connect them to the rest of the world directly. Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia would have two territories each. Though that will take between five to 10 million years, the continent will eventually split into two sub-continents, creating a new ocean basin between them
Enhancing real estate mass appraisal in Type II metropolitan cities: A GIS-MGWR approach
No full textAt present, China’s real estate appraisal sector confronts a number of challenges, including low appraisal efficiency, significant human influence, lack of objectivity, and absence of unified standards. Particularly, conducting a scientific, precise, and efficient mass appraisal of existing housing is vital for fostering the industry‘s healthy development. This study adopts Zhangjiakou City in Hebei Province as a case study, integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and utilizing the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR), Semi-parametric Geographically Weighted Regression (SGWR), and Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) models to assess the prices of existing housing. The research delves into the specific challenges in mass appraisal of real estate within Type II metropolitan cities. The study reveals spatial heterogeneity in the prices of existing housing in Zhangjiakou City and shows that the MGWR model excels in mass appraisal of housing prices in Type II metropolitan cities. This research offers strategic guidance for real estate market investment and transactions in Zhangjiakou City and provides valuable references for other Type II metropolitan cities in real estate appraisal practices, market analysis, and policy formulation
How does the withdrawal of rural homesteads impact rural resilience in China? A MADM model
No full textRural Resilience represents the ability of maintaining their core functions when facing internal changes and recovering to original conditions through transformation. Withdrawal from rural homesteads (WRH) is considered as one of critical strategy for rural revitalization of China but its systemic impacts on rural resilience remain underexplored. This study develops a multidimensional resilience evaluation framework encompassing economic, social, cultural, environmental, and governance dimensions through a Delphi-structured expert consultation process with 16 specialists. Considering the complexity of rural socio-ecological systems and the interplay among various dimensions of rural resilience, this paper uses the Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory methodology to analyze the causal relationships between 22 resilience indicators. Results reveal economic resilience and social resilience as dominant causal dimensions, with economic diversification promotion and collective land marketization emerging as key drivers. Cultural and environmental dimensions exhibit effect characteristics, demonstrating dependence on economic, social, governance interventions. Notably, villagers’ income improvement and cooperative mechanisms demonstrate high centrality, while indicators related to culture and environment rank as vulnerable nodes. These findings provide policymakers with a prioritized intervention framework, emphasizing the need for economic restructuring coupled with institutional safeguards to balance developmental and conservation objectives in rural spatial reorganization processes