Decision Support Systems for Sustainable Development

Decision Support Systems for Sustainable Development

Author: Gregory E. Kersten

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2006-03-01

Total Pages: 423

ISBN-13: 0306475421

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In recent years, much work has been done in formulating and clarifying the concept of sustainable development and related theoretical and research issues. Now, the challenge has shifted to designing and stimulating processes of effective planning and decision-making, at all levels of human activity, in such a way as to achieve local and global sustainable development. Information technology can help a great deal in achieving sustainable development by providing well-designed and useful tools for decision makers. One such tool is the decision support system, or DSS. This book explores the area of DSS in the context of sustainable development. As DSS is a very new technique, especially in the developing world, this book will serve as a reference text, primarily for managers, government officials, and information professionals in developing countries. It covers the concept of sustainable development, defines DSS and how it can be used in the planning and management of sustainable development, and examines the state of the art in DSS use. Other interested readers will include students, teachers, and analysts in information sciences; DSS designers, developers, and implementors; and international development agencies.


DayWater

DayWater

Author: Daniel R. Thevenot

Publisher: IWA Publishing

Published: 2008-03-15

Total Pages: 313

ISBN-13: 1843391600

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The European DayWater project has developed a prototype of an Adaptive Decision Support System (ADSS) related to urban stormwater pollution source control. The DayWater ADSS greatly facilitates decision-making for stormwater source control, which is currently impeded by the large number of stakeholders involved and by the necessary multidisciplinary knowledge. This book presents the results of this project, providing new insights into both technical and management issues. The main objectives of its technical chapters are pollution source control modelling, risk and impact assessment, and evaluation and comparison of best management practices. It also covers management aspects, such as the analysis of the decision-making processes in stormwater source control, at a European scale, and stormwater management strategies in general. The combination of scientific-technical and socio-managerial knowledge, with the strong cooperation of numerous end-users, reflects the innovative character of this book which includes actual applications of the ADSS prototype in significant case studies. DayWater: an Adaptive Decision Support System for Urban Stormwater Management contains 26 chapters collectively prepared by DayWater scientific partners and end-users associated with this European Research and Development project. It includes: A general presentation of the DayWater Adaptive Decision Support System (ADSS) structure and operation modes A detailed description of the major components of this ADSS prototype The assessment of its components in significant case studies in France, Germany and Sweden The proceedings of the International Conference on Decision Support Systems for Integrated Urban Water Management, held in Paris on 3-4 November 2005. The book presents the ADSS prototype including a combination of freely accessible on-line databases, guidance documents, “road maps” and modelling or multi-criteria analysis tools. As demonstrated in several significant case studies the challenge for stormwater managers is to make the benefits of urban stormwater management visible to society, resulting in active co-operation of a diversity of stakeholders. Only then, will sustainable management succeed. DayWater: an Adaptive Decision Support System for Urban Stormwater Management advances this cause of sustainable urban management through Urban stormwater management, and makes achievable (by means of risk and vulnerability tools which are included) the goal of integrated urban water management (IUWM).


Environmental Modelling, Software and Decision Support

Environmental Modelling, Software and Decision Support

Author: Anthony J. Jakeman

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2008-09-11

Total Pages: 387

ISBN-13: 0080915302

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The complex and multidisciplinary nature of environmental problems requires that they are dealt with in an integrated manner. Modeling and software have become key instruments used to promote sustainability and improve environmental decision processes, especially through systematic integration of various knowledge and data and their ability to foster learning and help make predictions. This book presents the current state-of-the-art in environmental modeling and software and identifies the future challenges in the field. - State-of-the-art in environmental modeling and software theory and practice for integrated assessment and management serves as a starting point for researchers - Identifies the areas of research and practice required for advancing the requisite knowledge base and tools, and their wider usage - Best practices of environmental modeling enables the reader to select appropriate software and gives the reader tools to integrate natural system dynamics with human dimensions


Landscape Modelling and Decision Support

Landscape Modelling and Decision Support

Author: Wilfried Mirschel

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2020-03-02

Total Pages: 600

ISBN-13: 3030374211

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This book contributes to a deeper understanding of landscape and regional modelling in general, and its broad range of facets with respect to various landscape parameters. It presents model approaches for a number of ecological and socio-economic landscape indicators, and also describes spatial decision support systems (DSS), frameworks, and model-based tools, which are prerequisites for deriving sustainable decision and solution strategies for the protection of comprehensively functioning landscapes. While it mainly focuses on the latest research findings in regional modelling and DSS in Europe, it also highlights the work of scientists from Russia. The book is intended for landscape modellers, scientists from various fields of landscape research, university teaching staff, and experts in landscape planning and management, landscape conservation and landscape policy.


Recent Advances In Sustainable Process Design And Optimization (With Cd-rom)

Recent Advances In Sustainable Process Design And Optimization (With Cd-rom)

Author: Mahmoud M El-halwagi

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2012-05-24

Total Pages: 831

ISBN-13: 9814468061

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This book is a compilation of the various recently developed techniques emphasizing better chemical processes and products, with state-of-the-art contributions by world-renowned leaders in process design and optimization. It covers various areas such as grass-roots design, retrofitting, continuous and batch processing, energy efficiency, separations, and pollution prevention, striking a balance between fundamental techniques and applications. The book also contains industrial applications and will serve as a good compilation of recent industrial experience for which the process design and optimization techniques were applied to enhance sustainability. Academic researchers and industrial practitioners will find this book useful as a review of systematic approaches and best practices in sustainable design and optimization of industrial processes. The book is accompanied by some electronic supplements (i.e., models and programs) for selected chapters.


CORP 2012 - Proceedings/Tagungsband

CORP 2012 - Proceedings/Tagungsband

Author: Manfred Schrenk

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 732

ISBN-13: 3950311033

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RE-MIXING THE CITY - Towards Sustainability and Resilience? There is nothing permanent except change. (Heraclitus) Cities worldwide are facing rapid social, economic, environmental, technological and cultural changes such as: rapid urbanisation, aging of society, security issues, housing emergency, new solutions on mobility, integration of immigrants, food and water shortage, etc. Especially in times of economic crisis and demographic changes in cities, it is necessary to think about how to best handle what we have, and therefore "RE-MIXING THE CITY" is a challenge to manage and re-combine the elements which make our modern cities in order to better respond to change.


Comprehensive Water Quality and Purification

Comprehensive Water Quality and Purification

Author:

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2013-09-24

Total Pages: 1537

ISBN-13: 0123821835

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Comprehensive Water Quality and Purification, Four Volume Set provides a rich source of methods for analyzing water to assure its safety from natural and deliberate contaminants, including those that are added because of carelessness of human endeavors. Human development has great impact on water quality, and new contaminants are emerging every day. The issues of sampling for water analysis, regulatory considerations, and forensics in water quality and purity investigations are covered in detail. Microbial as well as chemical contaminations from inorganic compounds, radionuclides, volatile and semivolatile compounds, disinfectants, herbicides, and pharmaceuticals, including endocrine disruptors, are treated extensively. Researchers must be aware of all sources of contamination and know how to prescribe techniques for removing them from our water supply. Unlike other works published to date that concentrate on issues of water supply, water resource management, hydrology, and water use by industry, this work is more tightly focused on the monitoring and improvement of the quality of existing water supplies and the recovery of wastewater via new and standard separation techniques Using analytical chemistry methods, offers remediation advice on pollutants and contaminants in addition to providing the critical identification perspective The players in the global boom of water purification are numerous and varied. Having worked extensively in academia and industry, the Editor-in-Chief has been careful about constructing a work for a shared audience and cause


Understanding Urban Metabolism

Understanding Urban Metabolism

Author: Nektarios Chrysoulakis

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-08-27

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 1317658663

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Understanding Urban Metabolism addresses the gap between the bio-physical sciences and urban planning and illustrates the advantages of accounting for urban metabolism issues in urban design decisions. Urban metabolism considers a city as a system, and distinguishes between energy and material flows as its components. Based on research from the BRIDGE project, this book deals with how the urban surface exchanges and transforms energy, water, carbon and pollutants in cities. This book also introduces a new method for evaluating how planning alternatives can modify the physical flows of urban metabolism components and how environmental and socioeconomic components interact. The inclusion of sustainability principles into urban planning provides an opportunity to place the new knowledge provided by bio-physical sciences at the centre of the planning process, but there is a strong need to bridge knowledge and practice, as well as for a better dissemination of research results and exchange of best practice. This book meets that need and provides the reader with the necessary tools to integrate an understanding of urban metabolism into urban planning practice.