Definition of the Operational Curves by Modification of the Affinity Laws to Improve the Simulation of PATs

New technologies for water pressurized systems try to implement the introduction of strategies for the improvement of the sustainable indicators. One of these technologies is the implementation of pumps working as turbines. The use of these recovery machines was proposed some years ago, and the interest in this technology has increased over the last years. The simulation of these machines is necessary when analyzing pressurized water systems, or when optimization procedures are proposed for their management, great care must be taken. In these cases, the knowledge of the operation curves is crucial to reach accurate results. This study proposes different regression expressions to define three operational curves when the machines operate under variable rotational speed. These curves are the best efficiency head, the best power-head and the best power flow. The here proposed methods were compared with other five published methods. The comparison shows the proposed method was the best when it is compared with the rest of the published procedures, reducing the error values between 8 and 20%.

Qualitative Analysis of Sustainable Indicators: An Approach to Correlate Sustainable Indicators with Transportation Practices

Transportation sustainability is centered on being the linchpin to cultivate innovations and enhance safer environmental standards. The public and private agencies adopt sustainable practices integrating their policies in order to elevate sustainability performances. There is an advent need of developing a tool for quantifying the transportation policies and practices. This paper explains (1) the fundamental practices adopted by different transportation agencies; (2) the impacts of three pillars on developing the sustainable indicators; (3) the selection of indicators and their grouping; and (4) the statistical relationship between indicators with the real-time variables population and GDP. This performance benchmark aims to quantify the sustainability practices of the state and its transportation agencies by assessing their environmental, social, and economic practices. The paper examines the relationship between the selected sustainable indicators and establishes the framework for the sustainability of transportation. This framework is a starting point for adding more relevant indicators to measure the sustainability of transportation when data become available.

Enhancing Urban Sustainable Indicators in a German City—Towards Human-Centered Measurements for Sustainable Urban Planning

This contribution demonstrates how more human-centered measurements for sustainable urban planning can be created by enlarging the traditional set of urban sustainability indicators. In many municipal reports, sustainable indicators concentrate on environmental issues, by collecting data at an aggregated spatial and temporal level using quantitative methods. Our approach aims to expand and improve the currently dominant quantitative–statistical methods by including perception geographical data (subjective indicators following the social indicator approach), namely additional indicators at spatial and temporal levels. Including small-scale city district levels and a temporal differentiation produces more process assessments and a better representation of everyday life. Based on a survey we conducted at district levels in the city of Karlsruhe, we cover three sustainability dimensions (ecological, social, economic) and analyze (1) how citizens are mobile in a sustainable way (bike use) and (2) how they perceive and react to heat events in the city. We argue for taking people’s perception and the spatiality and temporality of their daily activities better into account when further developing urban sustainability indicators and when aiming for a sustainable, human-centered urban development.

STUDY ON THE SUSTAINABLE INDICATORS AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT RESERVE OF TUPÉ, AMAZONAS - BRAZIL

Este estudo tem como objetivo propor indicadores de sustentabilidade pautados nas dimensões ambiental, espacial, cultural, social e econômica e validar uma metodologia de pesquisa no contexto de Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável. A principal motivação para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa é a necessidade de estabelecimento de indicadores de sustentabilidade para compreender os motivos de deslocamento populacional em comunidades de Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável, considerando-se a necessidade de ações orientadas ao desenvolvimento mais sustentável dessas populações. A metodologia de pesquisa proposta é do tipo “qualitativa, longitudinal e estudo ecológico”, utilizando técnicas de observação direta e aplicação de questionário semiestruturado entre os anos de 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014 e 2018. Os indicadores e a metodologia foram aplicados em duas comunidades ribeirinhas da Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável do Tupé, localizadas em Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil. Essa metodologia pode ser utilizada para a identificação de sinais de pertença, motivação do deslocamento populacional, solução de pontos críticos e formulação de Políticas Públicas. Permite analisar os indicadores de sustentabilidade parcialmente num determinado período ou na verificação da evolução do índice de sustentabilidade ao longo do tempo. A metodologia proposta permitiu evidenciar que, no período estudado, houve um esvaziamento das unidades de habitação na ordem de 23,5% na Comunidade São João do Tupé e um crescimento de 24% na Comunidade Agrovila. As condições de trabalho e renda e a deterioração das condições de permanência impactam no desejo de deslocamento populacional. Entretanto, os laços socioculturais, vínculos psicossociais e biografias historicamente entrelaçadas com o lugar (sinais de pertencimento), pesam nas decisões individuais de partir ou ficar.

Housing Indicators for Sustainable Cities in Middle-Income Countries through the Residential Urban Environment Recognized Using Single-Family Housing Rating Systems

This study presents a comparative analysis of the housing indicators used by the single-family housing rating systems (SHRSs), in which the residential urban environment (RUE) influences buildings’ certification scores, emphasizing the relationships of six systems developed by middle-income countries (MICs)—BEST, CASA, GBI, BERDE, Green Homes, and LOTUS—and the two most-recognized rating systems, BREEAM and LEED. The aim is to provide new housing indicators that are capable of bringing the concept of sustainability into the cities of MICs. The results reveal that the percentage of influence that single-family housing (SFH) can achieve in the metric established by each system is relatively low. However, considering all of the identified indicators, this influence could increase to 53.16% of the total score in multi-criteria evaluations. Furthermore, a significant lack of indicators for mandatory criteria evaluations was found, with CASA being the only system that considers their inclusion. This paper identifies 37 indicators for multi-criteria assessments and two for mandatory-criteria assessments, providing new perspectives on several topics. Furthermore, the methodology established to obtain the indicators could be useful for other researchers in the identification of new sustainable indicators.