Socio-technical PSS development to improve functionality and usability—Sketch planning using a Maptable

Planning Support Systems (PSS) for collaborative sketch planning have not become widely used in planning practice. Important reasons are inadequate functionality and usability. In this article we question if following a socio-technical method in PSS development could lead to PSS with better functionality and usability than following a traditional systems engineering method, as is sometimes suggested in literature. The former method involves close cooperation with users, whereas the latter does not. This article describes an empirical study of this question. The article describes the development, application and evaluation of two PSS for sketch planning, one developed by following the traditional systems engineering method and the other by following the socio-technical method. The PSS integrate drawing and sketching with basic geographic information system functionality and use an innovative hardware interface called Maptable. The evaluation results show that the traditionally developed PSS was immediately rejected by planning practitioners due to poor functionality and usability, whereas the PSS developed with a socio-technical approach was much more acceptable. Intense cooperation with users in agreement with the socio-technical method appeared to improve the analysis of planning tasks and user needs, leading to a PSS with a sophisticated and dedicated architecture. This PSS was considered more functional and usable than the traditionally developed PSS. In addition, the socio-technically developed PSS offers some benefits over conventional planning methods. In current state the PSS is suitable for use by professionals, and it is being further developed aiming to make it suitable for supporting collaborative planning with citizens.     

The nexus of inhabitants and impervious surfaces at city scale — wastewater and stormwater travel time distributions and an approach to calibrate diurnal variations

ABSTRACT

We present an approach to calibrate dry weather flow patterns of people in eight subnetworks of Dresden, Germany. The monitored data was pre-processed, and SWMM model runs were performed. Congruence of modelled results and observed data was evaluated with the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE). New diurnal variation patterns of dry weather flow were quantified based on the presented calibration approach. Most of the modelled hydrographs exceeded an NSE of 0.9 just after the second SWMM model run, which is a sign of model adequacy. Travel time distributions (TTDs) of upstream wastewater from connected people and stormwater from impervious surfaces of the monitored locations were determined, and a dynamic index ?_iA-PE(k) was proposed, determined and its adequacy was assessed. In general, TTDs confirmed a lower population density and a less meshed urban drainage network in the outer parts of Dresden. The functional information within ?_iA-PE(k) considers development characteristics among the subnetworks and within a subnetwork of interest. The presented index is useful to evaluate prospective strategies of developments and the implementation of green and blue infrastructures in residential areas.     

The study of power mechanisms—An interactive and generative approach to a case study of Swedish urban renewal

This article demonstrates a methodological approach to the study of power mechanisms. Power is analysed in the interaction between three dimensions: (1) decision‐making, (2) non‐decision‐making, and (3) power as influence on consciousness; and three levels: (1) the subject‐subject level, (2) the institutional practices, and (3) the more general structural and cultural conditions. The approach is applied in an intensive process‐oriented case study of Swedish urban renewal. The study demonstrates the accumulativeness of power and powerlessness, and how power mechanisms reinforce but also neutralise one another. How the mechanisms are expressed depends on the specific spatial, social and temporal context in which they operate. The methodological implication of this is that a process‐oriented approach is necessary. The study also shows the importance of incorporating an intermediate level between structure and action into the analysis of power.     

Characterization of dissolved organic matter in a coral reef ecosystem subjected to anthropogenic pressures (La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean) using multi-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy

La Saline fringing reef is the most important coral reef complex of La Réunion Island (southwestern Indian Ocean; 21°07′S, 55°32′E). This ecosystem is subjected to anthropogenic pressures through river inputs and submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). The goal of this study was to characterize the pool of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) in different water bodies of La Saline fringing reef ecosystem using excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectrofluorometry. From EEMs, we identified the different fluorophores by the peak picking technique and determined two fluorescence indices issued from the literature: the humification index (HIX) and the biological index (BIX). The main known fluorophores were present within the sample set: humic-like A, humic-like C, marine humic-like M, tryptophan-like T1 and T2, and tyrosine-like B1 and B2. In some samples, unknown fluorophores (“U”) were also detected. The surface oceanic waters located beyond the reef front displayed a typical oligotrophic marine signature, with a dominance of autochthonous/biological material (presence of peaks: T1 > B1 > A > T2 > M > C; HIX: 0.9 ± 0.4; BIX: 2.3 ± 1.1). In the reef waters, the autochthonous/biological fingerprint also dominated even though the content in humic substances was higher (same relative distribution of peaks; HIX: 1.6 ± 0.6; BIX: 1.0 ± 0.1). Sedimentary and volcanic SGD showed very different patterns with a strong terrestrial source for the former (A > T1 > C > B1 and A > C > B1; HIX: 9.8 ± 2.0; BIX: 0.8 ± 0.0) and a weak terrestrial source for the latter (A > B1 > U3 > B2 > C and A > U4 > C; HIX: 2.4 ± 0.3; BIX: 0.9 ± 0.0). In the Hermitage River, both humic substances and protein-like material were abundant (T1 > A > U5 > B1 > C > B2; HIX: 2.3; BIX: 1.4). We provide evidences for the presence of anthropogenic DOM in some of these water bodies. Some oceanic samples (presence of peaks U1 and U2) were likely contaminated by oil-derived PAHs from ships navigating around the reef front, whereas the Hermitage River was highly impacted by sewage effluents, numerous in this coastal area of La Réunion Island. We conclude that multi-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy (EEM) coupled to the determination of HIX and BIX is a good tool for assessing the origin and distribution of DOM in the coral reef ecosystems submitted to anthropogenic impacts.     

Study of convective phenomena inside cavities coupled with heat and mass transfers through porous media—application to vertical hollow bricks—a first approach

Building structures often contain cavities or strips of air. Because of this, it is difficult to describe the transfer phenomena that are in fact heat transfers (conductive, convective and radiative), as well as mass transfers through porous media. Numerous studies have dealt with each of these transfers separately but few have managed to describe the interrelation between them. This paper represents an initial approach to the problem, by attempting to describe the influence of the moisture level on heat transfers occuring through hollow vertical terra-cotta bricks. A theoretical modeling of exchanges has been carried out in order to determine radiative and convective exchanges coefficients. A mass exchange coefficient has then been deduced. The results obtained show a high sensitivity of the heat flux to the moisture level of the surroundings.     

“Building hope: from a shack to 3E house”—Innovative housing approach in the provision of affordable housing for Roma in Slovakia

The post-1989 objectives of the Slovak housing policy have resulted in the large-scale privatisation of state rental flats and the reduction in new rental housing. State-subsidised social rental housing programmes have been unable to meet the social demand for affordable rental dwellings. Socially marginalised groups, in particular Roma people, have been hit the most by the post-1989 changes and the lack of official social housing construction. Project Building Hope is an alternative integrated housing approach, offering Roma people better life conditions by integrating housing issues with other policies related to social empowerment. In order to implement the innovative project, a broad coalition between public and private sector actors is established, which is able to change the perception of Roma in the community and influence local policy-making processes.