| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Ahlborg, Helene, 1980, et al.
(author)
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Theorizing power in political ecology: the where of power in resource governance projects
- 2018
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In: Journal of Political Ecology. - : University of Arizona. - 1073-0451. ; 25:1, s. 381-401
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Power and politics have been central topics from the early days of Political Ecology. There are different and sometimes conflicting conceptualizations of power in this field that portray power alternatively as a resource, personal attribute or relation. The aim of this article is to contribute to theorizations of power by probing contesting views regarding its role in societal change and by presenting a specific conceptualization of power, one which draws on both political ecology and sociotechnical approaches in science and technology studies. We review how power has been conceptualized in the political ecology field and identify three trends that shaped the current discussion. We then develop our conceptual discussion and explicitly ask where power emerges in processes of resource governance projects. We identify four locations that we illustrate empirically through an example of rural electrification in Tanzania that aimed at catalyzing social and economic development by providing renewable energy-based electricity services to people. Our analysis supports the argument that power is relational and productive, and it draws on science and technology studies to bring to the fore the critical role of non-human elements in co-constitution of society—technology—nature. This leads us to see power exercise as having contradictory and ambiguous effects. We conclude that by exploring the tension between human agency and constitutive power, we keep the politics alive throughout the analysis and are able to show why intentional choices and actions really matter for how resource governance projects play out in everyday life.
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| 23. |
- Barletta, Ilaria Giovanna, 1988
(author)
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Towards a framework for enabling sustainable production systems: a life-cycle perspective
- 2016
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This thesis contributes to scientific knowledge by offering the foundation of a framework that helps stakeholders such as managers and engineers to enable sustainability over the entire lifecycle of the production system, from planning to re-use. In this thesis sustainability can be assessed through performance indicators and is understood through its triple bottom line of: economic, environmental and social sustainability. Within the framework, the requirements for designing a sustainable production system drove the choice of methods and key performance indicators (KPIs) used to assess sustainability performances of the production system in object. The methods employed to assess sustainability were: novel energy KPIs, a set of social sustainability KPIs, life cycle assessment, and discrete event simulation. The framework has been applied to the case of an automatic piece of sorting equipment for electronic waste, with the aim of foreseeing the sustainability impacts of its implementation in a facility run by manual labor. For the case study of production systems using machine tools, the use of newly developed energy efficiency KPIs proved to enable more effective energy management and saving. Possible lack of commitment to sustainability from companies and lack of necessary data can hinder the applicability of the framework. All in all, the framework and the methods can offer decisional support for the stakeholders who want to foster sustainable production.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
-
Method and models used in the project Pathways to Sustainable European Energy Systems
- 2011
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Editorial collection (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This book describes the research that has been carried out during the first period (2006-2010) of the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) project "Pathways to Sustainable European Energy Systems". this interdisciplinary project involves more that 40 researchers and addresses various aspects of the challenges faced in transforming the European energy system. Presented in this book are the energy-related methods and models that originate from different scientific disciplines and traditions and that were applied in the Pathways project. Some of the analytical tools are well-known, well-documented, and widely used in academic research. Others have been developed (or refined) during the Pathways project and are therefore unique. The chapters of this book cover around 30 different methods and models used in the Pathways project and presents an overview of the processes through which the research was conducted and the methods and models were co-ordinated.
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| 26. |
- Petersson, Jesper, 1974, et al.
(author)
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Defend, Retreat and Attack: Urban Waters and Valuation Practices
- 2022
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In: Water Alternatives. - : Water Alternatives Association. - 1965-0175. ; 15:1, s. 175-192
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper explores the river landscapes and concomitant values resulting from tensions between flood management and visions of a River City. The aim is to contribute to an understanding of the management of urban waters as valuation practices. We regard valuation practices as co-constitutive of current and future river landscapes. Sweden’s second-largest city, Gothenburg, is located next to the sea, and the Göta River, Sweden’s largest water system, runs through it. Our empirical focus is on how this city approaches increasing risks of flooding. We explore three approaches that have been formulated in relation to flood management: defend, retreat and attack. We ask how these approaches are applied in the management of Göta River flooding and in the city’s vision of a future Gothenburg that embraces the river as a genuinely positive aspect of urban life. We present the case as a journey that takes us upstream from the river’s sea inlet port and through Gothenburg. During our kilometre by kilometre journey, the river’s appearance shifts. The varied river landscape mirrors the diversity in how its waters are valuated, both historically and in present times. The perception of urban waters is shaped by practices of valuation. These valuations are generative. They connect the value of water to other entities, actors, plans, activities and buildings, and they are thus key to the river landscapes that will eventually be realised. By way of conclusion, we identify a number of governance challenges that are particularly relevant to urban rivers.
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| 27. |
-
Systems Perspectives on Electromobility
- 2017
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Editorial collection (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The transportation of goods and people is at the heart of the industrial society. Yet transportation relies heavily upon oil – a scarce fossil fuel that contributes to climate change and local air pollution. The term ‘electromobility’ refers to an alternative transportation system based on vehicles propelled by electricity. Electromobility is increasingly seen as favourable in that it could circumvent problems related to both oil and biofuels whilst meeting our mobility needs and desires. However, the virtue of electromobility is not uncontested and a range of questions demand an answer: if electric vehicles are energy efficient; if they are safe; how environmental friendly they are; if metal resource scarcity will limit their use; to what extent driving patterns shape or are shaped by new types of vehicles; if electromobility is suitable only for cars and not for heavy vehicles, or vice versa; and what type of new business models and governmental policy support that is required to stimulate demand for electric vehicles.There is not one final answer to questions like these. However, studying electromobility from different systems perspectives can help to resolve such complex issues. The seventeen chapters of Systems Perspectives on Electromobility 2017 address different topics related to the immensely important issue of whether – and to what extent – our transport systems can and should be energised by electricity.
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| 28. |
- Nikulina, Varvara, 1987, et al.
(author)
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Planning transport futures. Backcasting vs forecasting.
- 2016
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In: The 7th International Sustainability Transitions (IST) Conference. Wuppertal, Germany, 6-9 September 2016.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- A quarter of the energy-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) originate from the transportation sector. Continuously increasing demand for transportation services worldwide is one of the main present-day urban challenges. One way to address this issue is to develop an integrated transportation system that can ensure confidence and comfort for the passengers. This will contribute not only to the customers’ experience, but also to operators and authorities through sustainable, cost effective and profitable services. Conversely, the lack of such a system or a poorly managed system prevents the economy and society from realizing its potential. In transition towards sustainability the planning process of complex systems such as transportation, often requires supportive tools and methods. The example of those is futures methodologies that assist decision making by providing information about possible futures. In the rapidly changing environment of the modern cities, forecasting tools do not always provide the expected outcomes since it is difficult to predict all the unexpected events. Therefore, there is a demand for alternative methods that not only grasp the constant changes, but also create additional value (for example, meeting the needs of multisectoral collaboration and creation of common vision). The present article investigates the usefulness of backcasting methodology in the planning process of the bus park and railway station in Kisumu, Kenya and Centralen in Gothenburg, Sweden compared to the standard forecasting methodologies. The paper’s contribution is a description of the Kenyan transportation system (which has not been studied in detail before), planning process and pertinent issues related to the stations both in Kisumu and Gothenburg. Based on the sharply contrasting contexts of global South and global North determined through field studies, interviews and feasibility study of futures methodologies, the paper concludes that backcasting is the most suitable methodology for both places rather than alternative approaches such as foresighting and SymbioCity, since it can be applied on the small scale, provides creative solutions and has a high level of integration of stakeholders.
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| 29. |
- Schminder, Jörg, 1982-, et al.
(author)
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An IVR Engineering Educational Laboratory AccommodatingCDIO Standards
- 2019
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In: The 15th International CDIO Conference: Proceedings – Full Papers. - Aarhus : Aahus University Library. - 9788775074594 ; , s. 647-658
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents the development of an educational immersive virtual reality (IVR) program considering both technological and pedagogical affordances of such learning environments. The CDIO Standards have been used as guidelines to ensure desirable outcomes of IVR for an engineering course. A learning model has been followed to use VR characteristics and learning affordances in teaching basic principles. Different game modes, considered as learning activities, are incorporated to benefit from experiential and spatial knowledge representation and to create a learning experience that fulfils intended learning outcomes (ILOs) (defined by CDIO Standard 2 and Bloom’s learning taxonomy) associated with the particular course moment. The evaluation of IVR laboratory highlights effectiveness of the approach in achieving ILOs provided that pedagogical models have been followed to create powerful modes of learning.
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| 30. |
- Salzer, Corinna, 1984, et al.
(author)
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Innovation for Low-Rise Construction in the Urban Tropics: Utilization of Structural Bamboo for Cost-Efficient Housing
- 2015
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In: 8th Conference of the International Forum on Urbanism (IFoU). - Basel, Switzerland : MDPI.
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper deals with a cost-efficient construction technology using load bearing bamboo for urban low-rise housing in tropical Asia-Pacific. The potential of the technology to be applied at larger scale is discussed at the example of the Philippines as pilot country for its application. The assessment of alternative construction methods such as this one is motivated by a tremendous need for more affordable, sustainable and resilient housing around the globe. The urban poor, being the most underserved group in need of housing, often cannot afford conventional building technologies offered by the formal industry. Using locally available bamboo as structural component within the introduced standardized and quality controlled construction method is an entry point to provide performing and safe housing at lower cost. The paper highlights, however, that cost-efficiency and technical performance are not the only requirements for innovations to succeed on a market, especially due to the complex challenge of urban poor housing. Through learnings from the construction of 50 houses in the Philippines and interviews with various stakeholders along the value chain of the technology, barriers and opportunities for a scale-up are retrieved. For this paper, a conflated none-exhaustive overview of the identified aspects is documented. It was found that both barriers and opportunities directly linked to this technology are closely tied to a complex local value chain which ranges from upstream supply of raw material to downstream customer acceptance. The pilot application has shown further, that participatory product development reduces the acceptance barrier significantly by directly addressing the needs of low income customers. Material and skills availability, enabling policies and approval by legal entities as well as sustainability in supply of the organic raw material play important roles too. This complex set of interlinked aspects needs to be addressed according to targets in implementation-pace, and -scale as well as its intended social value creation. While multi-stakeholder participation is required for a successful up-scaling, a facilitating social enterprise, providing knowledge and services around the technology, can guide through the up-scaling.
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