1,721,068 research outputs found
From the Environmental Issue to an Integrated Approach for Strategic Environmental Assessment
No full textThe complexity of the environmental issue influences the planning process, affecting multiple factors and
elements of the urbanity. For this reason, the challenge of sustainability requires an integrated approach in order to cope
with all critical aspects of planning practice. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), as a tool directly connected
to the planning process, represents a great opportunity to explore different kinds of knowledge presented in planning
theory, proposing a new integrated way in order to overcame practical separations and divisions. This paper analysed
the contributions of three main theoretical fields strongly related with the SEA practice, setting the ground for further
research and innovations based on the integration among different elements developed within theoretical debates. These
theories are the evaluation in planning which is the main background for environmental evaluation, decision making
theories that represent the “working place” of the SEA and, finally, the citizens’ involvement which is the key to
producing and to sharing knowledge between planning and environmental processes. The word “integration” acquires a
core role to systematize different knowledge and skills. In doing this, the participation to public decision process can help
the decision maker to produce environmental accountability, but it is important to clarify in advance each element or
variable that affects planning and the SEA process. Overcoming divisions means to know well what is the role of each
part, emphasising the potentiality rather than deficiency of all affected subjects
Is there a need for the Strategic Environmental Assessment to improve the quality of planning decisions? A study on the early stages of the SEA for the Regions of Lazio and Veneto
No full textEvaluation in planning and environmental issue: the case of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
No full textEvaporative Cooling and Ventilation Control Strategies for a Kindergarten in Mediterranean Climate
No full textAim of this work has been to determine the effectiveness of evaporative cooling and ventilation control
strategies on a case study to ensure an adequate combination between energy efficiency and high levels of indoor
comfort.
The case study has been a kindergarten, situated in the context of the climate continental Mediterranean area
(Cerignola, Italy, 41°16'00"N, 15°54'00"E, 120 m asl), oriented on an east/west axis, classrooms south faced,
and the services zone to north.
Several strategies for passive and hybrid cooling of the classrooms have been simulated in order to reduce the
overheating in the summer season and to reach high levels of air quality.
Different solutions have been simulated to evaluate the optimum operative conditions, through the TRNSYS
simulation software.
The first design strategy have regarded a night hybrid ventilation (from 10 p.m to 6 a.m.). The thermal comfort
analysis, according to the adaptive thermal comfort (EN 15251-2007), have shown the reduction of overheating
and the need to introduce a control logic, in relation to the outdoor temperature, to reduce the undercooling in the
early hours of occupancy.
It has been necessary to provide a ventilative cooling strategy also during daytime in order to obtain a significant
reduction of overheating.
The second design strategy has involved the adoption of a direct evaporative cooling system. The simulation
have concerned different combinations of evaporation efficiency and air flow rates. The results have shown the
optimal air flow rate for different evaporation efficiencies. Analysis on relative humidity levels have shown that
the evaporative cooling system did not significantly alter the levels of relative humidity and there was a positive
increase in the minimum levels of relative humidity.
This study have underlined that passive cooling systems, operated by a suitable control logic, can provide
performance levels almost comparable with those of an air conditioning system, ensuring a significant reduction
of energy consumption
The added value of the strategic environmental assessment - SEA - in providing opportunities for public decision making. The cases of Italy and Scotland
No full textLa VAS, introdotta nel 2001, con la Direttiva 2001/42/CE è stata probabilmente una delle principali innovazioni riguardanti i processi e le decisioni in materia di pianificazione territoriale in tutta Europa. Tale innovazione è stata più volte descritta sia relativamente agli aspetti procedurali che quelli sostantivi attraverso un considerevole volume di letteratura scientifica sul tema. In particolare, molti autori hanno sottolineato come la VAS rappresenti un'opportunità per i processi di decisione pubblica. Tuttavia, nel campo delle teorie è attualmente assente una chiara definizione di cosa possa significare “opportunità nel contesto VAS così come quali tipi di opportunità possono essere generati attraverso l'applicazione della VAS. La ricerca mira a superare questo gap teorico, analizzando casi sia italiani che scozzesi, con l'obiettivo di fornire una definizione del concetto di opportunità così come di definire i casi in cui la VAS riesce a superare i confini della Direttiva, proponendo o stimolando innovazioni per i processi di decisione pubblica
La rete italiana culture della salute cipes/aies – Una nuova proposta nella tradizione della promozione della salute in italia
No full textLa Rete Italiana Culture della Salute CIPES/AIES (RICS) è un’associazione di promozione sociale con carattere di Federazione Nazionale concepita in forma di rete. Ha lo scopo di riunire e coordinare i Gruppi, le Co- munità, le Associazioni, le Cooperative sociali, i Centri di documentazione e di ricerca, Scuole, Enti locali e singoli individui che si ispirano alla Promozione della Salute. Essa aderisce e collabora con l’International Union for Health Promotion and Education/Union Internationale de promotion de la Santé et d’Éducation pour la Santé (IUHPE/UIPES).
La Rete vuole rappresentare un punto di riferimento culturale e scientifico nel campo della preparazione e aggiornamento professionale al fine di sostenere e migliorare la salute della comunità. Per questo ritiene fondamentale dare voce alla società civile impegnata nella Promozione della Salute a livello territoriale secondo i principi espressi dall’Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità ad Alma Ata nel 1978 e ad Ottawa nel 1986.The Italian Network of health cultures CIPES/AIES (RICS) is a social promotion association which has the aim of gather and coordinate groups, communities, associations, social cooperatives, centers of research, schools and individuals who are inspired by the Health Promotion. RICS is a member of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education/Union-Internationale de promotion de la Santé et d’Éducation pour la Santé (IUHPE/UIPES).
The Italian Network of health cultures CIPES/AIES (RICS) wants to improve the health of community giv- ing voice to civil society involved in the field of Health Promotion according to the principles of Alma Ata declaration (1978) and Ottawa Charter (1986)
Internazionalizzazione e comunicazione delle PMI nei mercati esteri: la reputazione digitale e l’influsso dei social media
Full text linkQuesto lavoro di tesi ha investigato l’impatto della tecnologia digitale nel management aziendale e nel processo d’internazionalizzazione d’impresa. In particolare, lo studio ha esaminato il ruolo assunto dalla reputazione aziendale e personale nel contesto digitale, quale risorsa immateriale che può supportare l’affermazione di individui e imprese nel contesto globale.
Lo studio ha analizzato come le tecnologie digitali forniscano strumenti in grado di agevolare l’espansione commerciale estera di una PMI, grazie alla facilità di reperire informazioni, alla disponibilità di nuovi canali di vendita, e alle maggiori possibilità di networking. In particolare, viene approfondita la mutazione del rapporto tra impresa e stakeholder a seguito dell’avvento di internet e dei social media, e di come ciò possa influire direttamente alla creazione così come alla lesione della reputazione digitale.
Mediante il caso studio di una PMI del settore Moda, implementato per mezzo della sentiment analysis, sono state esaminate le interazioni impresa-stakeholder. Questo strumento di analisi ha permesso di misurare i dati qualitativi espressi volontariamente dagli utenti, trasformandoli in dati quantitativi per monitorare la reputazione digitale del brand, ed orientare i manager nella gestione e nella comunicazione aziendale.
I risultati emersi dimostrano la rilevanza del rapporto instaurato tra impresa e stakeholder mediante le tecnologie digitali, e riconoscono il ruolo assunto dalle piattaforme social per elevare la notorietà del brand ed espandere il proprio business nel mondo.
Il tema della reputazione viene poi affrontato da una prospettiva giuridica, che ne descrive l’essenza e le declinazioni pluralistiche, delineandone il suo valore come diritto della personalità. Si indaga inoltre sul concetto di reputazione digitale come “proiezione nel web” dell’individuo (persona fisica o giuridica), il quale adotta nuove modalità per esprimere se stesso sia nella sua dimensione personale che economica. La reputazione digitale gode di una specifica forma di tutela, creatasi adattando gli strumenti tradizionalmente previsti dall’ordinamento giuridico alla realtà digitale. Nello specifico, sono analizzati i differenti mezzi di tutela della reputazione previsti dall’ordinamento giuridico, al fine di salvaguardarla dalle minacce sociali e da quelle digitali.
In ultimo, si affronta il fenomeno della disinformazione nel web, quale rischio per la reputazione digitale, individuando le cause e gli effetti della sua diffusione, e descrivendo gli interventi di natura pubblica e privata per contrastarla.This work aimed at investigating the impact of digital technology on business management and internationalization process. In particular, this study examined the role played by corporate and personal reputation in the digital context, by focusing on digital reputation as an intangible resource allowing both individuals and companies to emerge in the global context.
The study analyzed how digital technologies can provide tools that facilitate the commercial expansion of SMEs, as a result of the ease of finding information, the availability of new sales channels, and the increased networking opportunities. In particular, the analysis concentrated on how the advent of the Internet and social media mutated relations between company and its stakeholders, as they could directly influence the creation as well as the damage of businesses ́ digital reputation.
In particular, interactions between a SME in the fashion sector and its stakeholders were examined through the use of artificial semantic intelligence implemented by means of "sentiment analysis". This type of analysis measured qualitative data voluntarily expressed by users by turning them into quantitative data to monitor the brand's digital reputation, supporting managers’ orientation in terms of management and corporate communication.
The results demonstrated the relevance of digital relations established between company and stakeholders, as well as recognizing the role of social platforms to both increase brand awareness and expand business.
The theme of reputation is then addressed from a legal perspective, which describes its pluralistic essence and declinations, delineating its value as a personality right. The concept of digital reputation emerges as a "projection on the web" of the individual (physical or legal person), which now adopts new ways of expressing both its personal and economic dimensions. Digital reputation enjoys a specific form of protection, which was created by adapting the tools traditionally provided by the legal system to digital reality. Specifically, the analysis focused on different legal protection means aimed to safeguard the reputation from social and digital threats.
Finally, this study addressed the phenomenon of disinformation on the web as a digital reputation risk, by identifying causes and effects of its diffusion, then describing existing public and private actions to counter it
Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) optimization, by modeling occupants' behavior towards an agent-based approach
Full text linkIn the last decades, in response to the high impact of buildings on global energy consumption and on the greenhouse gases emission, recent international directives have introduced the standard of "Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB)" to be realized from 2021.
Despite the increasing attention to the development of strategies and innovative technology solutions for the energy efficiency of building components and HVAC systems, the human dimension, especially regarding the operating modes of the building-HVAC system by occupants, is often neglected. In most cases, this causes a significant discrepancy between the designed and the real total energy use in build-ings. Indeed, monitoring studies for identical dwellings having the same type of installations have shown great variation in energy use.
Occupants constitute one of the major source of microclimate alteration in built environment, both as "passive agents" (for sensible and latent energy emissions, and emissions of pollutants), both as "active agents" as result of interaction with the buildings in order to achieve the desired comfort level (by acting on thermostats, by changing the state of opening or closing of windows and /or shading, by activating artificial lighting, etc.)
Above all in the buildings characterized by higher levels of the insulation and air tightness, the occupants behavior may have a great influence on the energy con-sumptions and on indoor environment conditions. If the occupants have the possibility to manipulate the set-points temperature, the ventilation rates etc., the performance of the building will be affected by the behavior of the occupants. As consequence, even the most efficient building, may give rise to waste in case of incorrect use by occupants.
Nowadays the understanding of occupant behavior results inappropriate, overly simplified, leading to inaccurate expectations of building energy performance. A common approach to model occupant behavior consists of assumptions based on scientists’ thoughts or literature reviews. Typically human actions (operation of lights, blinds, and windows) are modeled based on predefined fixed schedules or predefined rules. In contrast to the deterministic methods, stochastic and above all agent-based models (ABM) are the most powerful and suitable methods for modeling a system as complex as the human behavior.
Especially in residential buildings, where the interaction of the occupants on the building-HVAC system is significant and hence the occupant behaviors may affect highly on building performance, the integration of Building Energy Management Sys-tems (BEMS) may provide significant energy savings, going not only to remedy an incorrect or inadequate management by occupants, but also optimizing the activation timing and management methods.
Strictly connected with the “resilience” concept, the object of this research is to design “adaptive” Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS), able to maintain energy performance at the desired level despite the diverse operating conditions by occupants, by optimizing building components.
In detail, several control logics for BEMS are analyzed in the residential buildings, by optimizing the thermal and visual comfort and by modeling the occupant behav-iors by means of an agent based oriented approach. In this thesis the optimization goals are based on the adaptive thermal comfort according to EN 15251.
The thesis is structured in five chapters.
In the introduction chapter (chapter 1) the main factors influencing the building performance towards the design of the NZEB are presented.
Then, literature review regarding different studies that have analyzed the impact of occupant behaviors and the interaction with building-HVAC system (chapter 2) are reported.
The results of a questionnaire survey conducted on occupant behaviors in residential buildings are described in the chapter 3. Large differences in the behavior patterns of occupants are found between dwellings. Indeed, for the oldest buildings, where the thermal discomfort conditions are the highest, the occupants usually turn on active system, by causing more energy waste. Furthermore, it is resulted that while in winter occupants act less on the building components to improve their thermal comfort conditions, (indeed the main actions are wearing heavy clothes and turning on heating system), in summer season the occupants mostly interact with the building components, by changing the window and shading status or by adjusting set-point thermostat.
Because the actions on window and blind status are impactful on building perfor-mance, with the aim of reduce the thermal discomfort conditions and hence the vari-ability tied to the occupant behaviors, control logics of natural ventilation and of the solar shading system for passive cooling are designed. Indeed by reducing the ther-mal discomfort conditions, also the actions and the interactions of occupant with building components may be less.
In detail, in an Italian dwelling with technological/typological features of sixties buildings, several studies are conducted with the aim to design BEMS for passive cooling that minimize the thermal discomfort situations, by means of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method. The results of these studies are reported in the chapter 4.
In the second part of the work, in order to have BEMS adaptable to the actions and preferences of occupants, a further study is conducted (Chapter 5), where occupant behaviors are simulated in more detail, by means of an agent-based approach. In detail, actions like opening/closing windows and shielding and cooling system activation are implemented in the energy software simulation (TRNSYS), using algorithms deduced by field investigations in real buildings.
The same control logics of the BEMS (reported in the Chapter 4) are then revalued in this different occupant behavior modeling and the comparison between the models where the occupant behavior is assumed in deterministic way and then though a probabilistic and agent-based approach, allowed to assess the impact of human behavior and the designed BEMS on building performance.
This work highlighted how the BEMS may ensure high levels of comfort and energy efficiency, through the dynamic control of some components based on external and internal environmental parameters and on the occupancy conditions.
The implementation of different occupant behaviors into energy simulation soft-ware, simulated by means of an ABM method and the coupling of optimization goal for BEMS represent an innovative contribution of the work. A co-simulation architec-ture is created between TRNSYS (for building-HVAC model), TRNFLOW (for building air flow network), MATLAB (for PSO optimization) and DAYSIM (for visive analysis)
Design and economic optimization of near zero energy residential buildings in mediterranean climate.
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