A composite indicator for measuring the environmental performance of water,wastewater, and solid waste utilities

The aim of this paper is to measure and benchmark the environmental performance of Portuguese utilities jointly active in the three sectors of water supply, wastewater collection and solid waste management. To do so, we suggest the use of a traditional (optimistic) directional distance Benefit of the Doubt index. We complement the analysis by considering also the pessimistic version of the proposed BoD and by implementing a robust and conditional approach. The obtained results show that there is space for improvement in the pressure balance of these utilities, especially for small and very large units, mostly operating in urban areas.     

城市绿色空间健康效益的社会生态调节因素研究

城市绿色空间是城市生态系统服 务的重要载体。既往人—境交互视角下的 大量研究基本证实了绿色空间的健康效 益,但对影响二者间效益转化的调节因素 缺乏深入研究。根据社会生态理论与相关 研究,从社会人口和物质环境两方面定性 分析了调节因素及其作用机制,即社会生态 调节因素通过影响使用动机、使用机会或 易用性来影响绿色空间使用并由此调节健 康效益。进一步,基于城市游园研究案例对 此予以实证。结果显示,游园使用具有一定 的情绪健康改善作用,但此过程受到使用 者年龄、教育程度、收入水平、家庭结构以 及游园使用距离等因素的调节。面对不断 凸显的公共健康问题和愈发紧缺的绿色空 间,未来相关研究的焦点有必要从“绿色空 间是否影响健康”的基础研究转向包括调 节过程在内的“绿色空间如何影响健康”的 应用研究,以有效提升应用实践效率。     

市场经济下的城市设计:实践基础、利益主体、实践平台

该文论述了竞争的市场经济环境与法治化的社会环境是市场经济下城市设计的实践基础,阐明了市场经济下城市设计实践的利益主体--政府、开发商与公众,并依据利益主体及城市设计师职能的不同,建构城市设计的实践平台.各利益主体与城市设计师组成城市设计实践团队,实践团队中城市设计师的作用在于协调各方利益,实现城市建设的经济效益、环境效益与社会效益的共赢.     

基于改进灰色白化权函数的电网企业节能改造服务效益评价

电网企业配售电业务随着改革发展形势的变化,面临更强的市场竞争,用户对更加多元化、便捷化的能源电力服务的需求也愈加迫切,增值服务对于电网企业具有重要意义。以电网企业发展节能改造服务为例,通过构建相应指标体系及量化评估模型,实现对电网企业节能改造服务效益的综合评价,为电网企业评估节能改造服务的效益潜力提供决策支撑。     

Analytical framework for ex-post evaluation of transport projects: Lessons learnt on retrospective CBA

This study deals with the ex-post evaluation of ten major transport projects which were co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund in the period 2000–2013 and located across nine EU Member States. The original contribution of this study is represented by the combination of the traditional ex-post Cost–Benefit approach with a qualitative analysis. Specifically, a retrospective Cost–Benefit analysis is used to quantify the benefits and costs of the projects, then interviews to relevant stakeholders were carried out. Ex-post CBA, when appropriately implemented and integrated with qualitative evidence, represents a powerful tool for supporting decision-making processes and for policy lessons.     

Developing benefit schemes and financial compensation measures for fishermen impacted by marine renewable energy projects

Commercial fishermen are arguably the stakeholder group most likely to be directly impacted by the expansion of the marine renewable energy (MRE) sector. The potential opposition of fishermen may hinder the development of MRE projects and the provision of benefit schemes could to enhance acceptance. Benefit schemes refer to additional voluntary measures that are provided by a developer to local stakeholders. The aim of this study is to explore the issue of the provision of benefit packages to local fishing communities and financial compensation measures for fishermen who may be impacted by MRE projects. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourteen fishermen from three separate case study sites around the island of Ireland where MRE projects were being developed. In addition, ten company fisheries liaison officers (CFLOs) who have worked on MRE projects in the UK and Ireland were also interviewed. The interviews were analysed under the headings of local employment, benefits in kind, compensation and community funds and ownership of projects. Analysis shows that there is uncertainty among fishermen over whether they would benefit or gain employment from MRE. Provision of re-training schemes and preferential hiring practices could be used by MRE developers to reduce this uncertainty. There was also agreement between fishermen and CFLOs on the need for the provision of an evidence-base and a standard approach for the calculation of disruption payments. A formal structure for the provision of benefit schemes for fishermen would be useful. Furthermore, schemes that provide a range of benefits to fishermen and other stakeholders over the lifetime of a MRE project are more likely to be successful at enhancing acceptance.     

The consumer’s perception of artificial food additives: Influences on acceptance,risk and benefit perceptions

Food additives, such as food colours or sweeteners, play an important part in food supply. For a variety of reasons, some consumers might regard the use of food additives, especially artificial ones, with suspicion; food additives are considered unnatural, unhealthy or even a public health risk. The goal of this study was to investigate consumers’ perceptions and the most essential variables related to the acceptance of food additives. Two versions of a paper-and-pencil questionnaire, one investigating artificial food colours and the other investigating artificial sweeteners, were distributed to a large sample of Swiss German households. The final samples for artificial food colours and artificial sweeteners comprised 506 and 487 participants respectively. The questionnaires contained items on consumers’ acceptance, risk and benefit perception, trust in regulators, knowledge of regulation and their preference for natural products. The relationships between variables were investigated in a path model, which was constructed based on a review of previous literature. The path coefficients suggested that risk and benefit perceptions significantly influence the acceptance of the two selected food additives. The risk and benefit perceptions were influenced by consumers’ knowledge of regulation, their trust in regulators, and their preference for natural products. In the discussion, the study’s findings are examined in terms of their implications for further research and for the development of concrete communication materials.     

China’s ‘old’ and ‘new’ Mekong River politics: the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation from a comparative benefit-sharing perspective

This article analyzes China’s Mekong River politics before and after the establishment of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) from a comparative benefit-sharing perspective. China’s pre-LMC approach focused too much on the creation of economic benefits from and beyond the river while neglecting ecological benefits to the river. Moreover, despite the problems this ‘old’ approach caused for China and its downstream neighbours, China’s current LMC strategy seems to essentially replicate its former approach. While sustainable water resources management is identified as a priority area, actual cooperation and benefit sharing in this field remain insufficient.     

The costs and benefits of using daylight guidance to light office buildings

Daylight guidance systems are linear devices that channel daylight into the core of a building. This paper analyses costs and benefits of using the two main classes of daylight guidance to light offices as an alternative to conventional electric lighting. The work demonstrates that daylight guidance is generally not economical using conventionally accepted measures of both cost and benefit. It is shown that if intangible benefits associated with the delivery of daylight to offices are included in an analysis, a more favourable balance of cost and benefit is obtained. The implications of this for practical use of the systems are discussed.     

生态导向的城市空间规划实践探讨——以绍兴袍江新区两湖区域空间发展规划为例

本文以绍兴袍江新区两湖区域空间发展规划为例,回顾了生态导向的空间规划历程,针对规划区的自然环境特色,提出了生态优先的规划理念,探讨了两湖区域空间发展规划方案的规划技术框架、规划构思、空间布局及生态规划技术手法,并对方案进行了规划效益评价,以期检验规划效果。