The Master´s thesis is structurally divided into the theoretical and practical part. In the theoretical part, the author describes current global environmental issues and the impact of the industry on the environment. The current state of the environmental legislation in mechanical engineering, environmental management systems, and methodologies of an environmental impact assessment are described. The practical part deals with the environmental burden of the snowboard production process according to the LCA method. Life cycle inventory is performed to evaluate individual materials whose production is the most environmentally damaging. At the last stage, possible measures are proposed to reduce the environmental burden.

Problémy s vodou, zejména její nedostatek a znečištění, ovlivňují každodenní lidský život a hospodářský vývoj. Globální změny klimatu zvyšují pravděpodobnost a četnost extrémních událostí jako jsou sucho a záplavy. Rostoucí problémy s nepravidelnou dostupností a znečištěním vody vyžadují pokročilejší metodiky hodnocení vodních zdrojů, které povedou k efektivnímu využití a hospodaření s vodou. Tato práce se zabývá rozšířenými metodikami pro hodnocení vody z pohledu její kvality a kvantity a pro hodnocení spotřeby energie a produkce emisí souvisejících s vodou. Tři hlavní metodiky jsou navrženy na základě konceptu vodní stopy (Water Footprint) a pinch analýzy vody (Water Pinch Analysis) pro posouzení kvantitativních a kvalitativních hledisek využití a spotřeby vody. Použití těchto metod je rovněž demonstrováno pomocí numerických a empirických případových studií zaměřených na hodnocení a optimalizaci využití regionálních a průmyslových vodních zdrojůDále jsou diskutovány souvislosti mezi vodou a energií (Water-Energy Nexus) za účelem analýzy problémů týkající se vody z širší perspektivy. Z pohledu vody a vodních zdrojů je provedeno počáteční zhodnocení energetické náročnosti a produkce emisí skleníkových plynů v problematice odsolování mořské vody. Výsledky prezentované v této práci navazují na současné metodiky hodnocení vodních zdrojů. Stopa dostupnosti vody (Water Availability Footprint) byla navržena pro zohlednění dopadu degradace kvality vody ve stávajících postupech pro posuzování nedostatku vody, ve kterých nebyla dříve řešena. Druhým přínosem této práce je návrh konceptu kvantitativní-kvalitativní vodní stopy (Quantitative-Qualitative Water Footprint - QQWFP), ve kterém je definována vodní stopa z pohledu nákladů a následně je stanovena v souvislosti s celkovými náklady na spotřebu vody a odstraňování kontaminantů, které se do vody dostávají v průběhu jejího využití. Vodní stopa založená na nákladech poskytuje výsledky, které jsou intuitivnější jak pro management vodních zdrojů tak i pro veřejnost. Tento přístup umožňuje lépe kontrolovat a řídit průmyslové a regionální využívání a správu vody. Třetím přínosem této práce je rozšíření pinch analýzy nedostatku vody (Water Scarcity Pinch Analysis - WSPA), ve které je aplikována pinch analýzy vody na makroúrovni se zaměřením na regionální hodnocení a optimalizaci zdrojů a využívání vody. Všechny tři navržené metody jsou zaměřeny na stanovení dopadů využití vody z hlediska jejího množství a kvality, analýzy QQWFP a WSPA také pokrývají dopady vícečetných kontaminantů. Kromě hledání řešení se tato práce také pokouší naznačit potenciální směry pro budoucí výzkum v dané oblasti. Mezi významná potenciální témata k diskuzi patří 1) pokročilejší metoda kvantifikace vlivu více kontaminantů a 2) implementace a analýza ekonomické proveditelnosti přístupů WSPA a QQWFP s lokalizovanými daty s cílem nalézt přizpůsobené řešení pro optimální využití regionální a průmyslové vody.

The content of diploma thesis is designing, project development and static estimation of the supporting steel structure in two different variants of the atypical office building (business center). The object is located in densely built-up location in the Brno. The building is designed as a seven storey. The entrances to the above ground floors are designed from balconies, which are roofed and situated on the edge of the object. The footprint dimensions are 57,6 x 57,6 m. Variants are compared based on weight and size of the coating surfaces supporting construction of the object. Drawing documentation, static calculation of joints and details of the construction are processed for the best variant.

Cultural tourism is a fast-growing sector in many countries. In South Africa, it is a key growth segment of local economic development (LED). South Africa is home to many cultural institutions such as museums, art galleries, theatres, monuments and festivals that – thanks to a growing number of international and local interests – encourage entrepreneurship and help generate local business growth and employment opportunities. South Africa’s Limpopo Province is predominately known for its wildlife and hunting tourism. However, it is endowed with many cultural institutions that are contributing significantly to the regional economy – specifically in the metropole of Greater Polokwane. As yet, no study has researched the size and impact of this cultural contribution on the local economy vis a vis more well-known tourism activities. This study sketches the size and nature of the cultural tourism industry in Greater Polokwane. In the first phase of the study, a database of formal cultural institutions in Greater Polokwane was created. In the study’s second phase, interviews with staff members of these institutions using both quantitative and qualitative methods, were conducted. The data revealed that most employees, including senior managerial staff, are local Black Africans. None of these cultural institutions are state funded; they all operate privately, but some are located on state-owned land. Thus, government support for cultural tourism in this region is minimal. Insufficient funds and resources inhibit the growth of this sector. Some employees expressed dissatisfaction with their working conditions and remuneration. Nonetheless, these cultural institutions generate local economic growth and employment opportunities. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management

Abstract This thesis explored innovative ways to improve estimation of material footprint-type indicators in application of Input-Output (IO) analysis to Material Flow Accounting. The following six research questions were addressed: 1) What is the potential impact of sector aggregation in IO modelling of raw material flows? Modelling errors due to aggregation of industries with dissimilar material requirements and trade structures into a single sector in IO models when calculating the material footprint were empirically analysed relative to greenhouse gas emissions. Significant biases emerged for raw material flows, which suggests that care should be taken when aggregating extractive sectors in IO models. 2) Can bottom-up approaches, such as LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), improve estimation of the raw materials embodied in trade products? and 3) What are the implications of integration of country-specific information from high geographical coverage IO models into LCA approaches for calculation of raw material embodied in trade products? An approach for combining country-specific production blueprints with LCA based on regional averages was developed. This approach proved useful in refining estimates of upstream raw materials embodied in trade products, although care is needed during its application since new biases may arise. 4) Can further perspectives be gained with a new allocation method, the ‘value added-based material footprint’, which assigns supply chain-wide raw material extractions to each participating economic actor according to its added value generation, contributing to discussions on the distribution of mitigation costs? Certain countries and sectors were found to be more material-intensive with this new accounting approach than in other widely known allocation methods, e.g. consumer footprint. 5) Are there unequal exchanges between high-income economies and middle- and lower-income countries when measured in terms of raw material and value added flows? and 6) Could integration of local and global IO data provide useful insights to study presence/absence of unequal material exchange at sub-national level? A study of material flows at inter- and intra-national level demonstrated that a regional economy can play a twofold role, both as sink or source of raw materials and in value added, depending on its position in the global economic hierarchy. / Tiivistelmä Tässä työssä tutkittiin innovatiivisia tapoja, joilla voitaisiin parantaa materiaalijalanjälki -tyyppisten indikaattoreiden käytettävyyttä panos-tuotos (Input-Output, IO) -analyysissa, kun niitä sovelletaan Materiaalivirta-analyysi (Material Flow Accounting, MFA) -metodiin. Seuraaviin tutkimuskysymyksiin haettiin vastauksia: 1) Mikä on sektorien yhdistämisen potentiaalinen vaikutus raaka-ainevirtojen IO-mallintamisessa ja miten poikkeamia voidaan estää? Tämän puitteissa tarkasteltiin mallinnusvirheitä, jotka johtuvat erilaisten toimialojen yhdistämisistä yhdeksi sektoriksi. 2) Voivatko alhaalta ylöspäin suuntautuvat lähestymistavat, kuten elinkaariarviointi parantaa tuotteisiin sisältyvien raaka-ainevirtojen arviointia? ja 3) Mitä vaikutuksia on laajan maantieteellisen kattavuuden IO-malleihin sisältyvien maakohtaisten tietojen yhdistämisestä LCA-pohjaisiin lähestymistapoihin, kun tavoitteena on laskea tuotteisiin sisältyviä raaka-ainemääriä? Tämän tutkimista varten kehitettiin lähestymistapa, joka yhdisti maakohtaiset tuotantosuunnitelmat ja elinkaariarvioinnin. Tämä lähestymistapa osoittautui hyödylliseksi tarkentamalla arvioita tuotteissa olevista raaka-aineista, vaikkakin sen soveltaminen edellyttää varovaisuutta, koska uusia vääristymiä voi syntyä. 4) Voidaanko uusia näkökulmia löytää uudella arvonlisäykseen perustuvalla allokointimenetelmällä, joka jakaa raaka-aineen louhinnan kullekin toimintaketjun osallistuvalle taloudelliselle toimijalle lisäarvon tuotannon mukaan? Tämän uuden kirjanpitomenetelmän mukaan jotkut maat ja alat ovat materiaali-intensiivisempiä kuin niitä on pidetty kulutuksen jalanjälkiallokointimenetelmien perusteella. 5) Onko korkean tulotason talouksien ja keskitasoiselle ja alhaiselle tulotasolle asettuvien maiden välillä epätasaisia vaihtoja, kun raaka-ainekulutusta ja arvonlisäystä mitataan? ja 6) Voisiko paikallisten ja globaalien IO-tietojen integrointi antaa hyödyllisiä näkökulmia tutkimukseen, joka tarkastelee epätasaisen aineenvaihdon esiintymistä tai puuttumista alueellisella tasolla? Materiaalivirtojen tutkiminen kansainvälisellä ja kansallisella tasolla, jossa yhdistettiin IO-tietokannat erilaisella maantieteellisellä resoluutiolla osoitti, että alueellisella taloudella voi olla kaksoisrooli sekä raaka-aineiden että arvonlisäyksen lähteenä tai nieluna riippuen sen asemasta globaalissa taloushierarkiassa.

Diploma thesis The Right to be Forgotten on the Internet applies to the functions of Internet search engines, search algorithms and the impact of the digital footprint that on the Internet user essentially leaves. With this issue is, on the one hand, inseparably linked the protection of personal data in the online environment, on the other hand the constitutionally enshrined right to information and other fundamental rights. Not ignored should be also the risk of censorship of the Internet. An application of the right to be forgotten adds a whole new dimension to this problems. The right to be forgotten is inferred from the judgment of the European Court of Justice on 13 May 2014 in the case Costeja versus Google Spain, where an Internet user named Mario Costeja Gonzáles first succeeded with a request of removal of unflattering information about himself from results of the search engine Google. Thus a reform precedent will have a big impact on seeking information on the Internet in the future, since the pronouncement of the judgment about the removal of his personal data may ask any European Internet user. The thesis aims to analyze the issue of right to be forgotten in the context of searching for information on the Internet in the European Internet environment - it means not to be searched on the...

Building information extraction and reconstruction from satellite images is an essential task for many applications related to 3D city modeling, planning, disaster management, navigation, and decision-making. Building information can be obtained and interpreted from several data, like terrestrial measurements, airplane surveys, and space-borne imagery. However, the latter acquisition method outperforms the others in terms of cost and worldwide coverage: Space-borne platforms can provide imagery of remote places, which are inaccessible to other missions, at any time. Because the manual interpretation of high-resolution satellite image is tedious and time consuming, its automatic analysis continues to be an intense field of research. At times however, it is difficult to understand complex scenes with dense placement of buildings, where parts of buildings may be occluded by vegetation or other surrounding constructions, making their extraction or reconstruction even more difficult. Incorporation of several data sources representing different modalities may facilitate the problem. The goal of this dissertation is to integrate multiple high-resolution remote sensing data sources for automatic satellite imagery interpretation with emphasis on building information extraction and refinement, which challenges are addressed in the following: Building footprint extraction from Very High-Resolution (VHR) satellite images is an important but highly challenging task, due to the large diversity of building appearances and relatively low spatial resolution of satellite data compared to airborne data. Many algorithms are built on spectral-based or appearance-based criteria from single or fused data sources, to perform the building footprint extraction. The input features for these algorithms are usually manually extracted, which limits their accuracy. Based on the advantages of recently developed Fully Convolutional Networks (FCNs), i.e., the automatic extraction of relevant features and dense classification of images, an end-to-end framework is proposed which effectively combines the spectral and height information from red, green, and blue (RGB), pan-chromatic (PAN), and normalized Digital Surface Model (nDSM) image data and automatically generates a full resolution binary building mask. The proposed architecture consists of three parallel networks merged at a late stage, which helps in propagating fine detailed information from earlier layers to higher levels, in order to produce an output with high-quality building outlines. The performance of the model is examined on new unseen data to demonstrate its generalization capacity. The availability of detailed Digital Surface Models (DSMs) generated by dense matching and representing the elevation surface of the Earth can improve the analysis and interpretation of complex urban scenarios. The generation of DSMs from VHR optical stereo satellite imagery leads to high-resolution DSMs which often suffer from mismatches, missing values, or blunders, resulting in coarse building shape representation. To overcome these problems, a methodology based on conditional Generative Adversarial Network (cGAN) is developed for generating a good-quality Level of Detail (LoD) 2 like DSM with enhanced 3D object shapes directly from the low-quality photogrammetric half-meter resolution satellite DSM input. Various deep learning applications benefit from multi-task learning with multiple regression and classification objectives by taking advantage of the similarities between individual tasks. Therefore, an observation of such influences for important remote sensing applications such as realistic elevation model generation and roof type classification from stereo half-meter resolution satellite DSMs, is demonstrated in this work. Recently published deep learning architectures for both tasks are investigated and a new end-to-end cGAN-based network is developed, which combines different models that provide the best results for their individual tasks. To benefit from information provided by multiple data sources, a different cGAN-based work-flow is proposed where the generative part consists of two encoders and a common decoder which blends the intensity and height information within one network for the DSM refinement task. The inputs to the introduced network are single-channel photogrammetric DSMs with continuous values and pan-chromatic half-meter resolution satellite images. Information fusion from different modalities helps in propagating fine details, completes inaccurate or missing 3D information about building forms, and improves the building boundaries, making them more rectilinear. Lastly, additional comparison between the proposed methodologies for DSM enhancements is made to discuss and verify the most beneficial work-flow and applicability of the resulting DSMs for different remote sensing approaches.

Avec l'augmentation de l'utilisation des smartphones, des objets connectés et des véhicules automatiques, le domaine des systèmes embarqués est devenu omniprésent dans notre environnement. Ces systèmes sont souvent contraints en terme de consommation et de taille. L'utilisation des processeurs many-cores dans des systèmes embarqués permet une conception rapide tout en respectant des contraintes temps-réels et en conservant une consommation énergétique basse.Exécuter une application sur un processeur many-core requiert un dispatching des tâches appelé problème de mapping et est connu comme étant NP-complet.Les contributions de cette thèse sont divisées en trois parties :Tout d'abord, nous étendons d'importantes propriétés dataflow au modèle Phased Computation Graph.Ensuite, nous présentons un générateur de graphe dataflow capable de générer des Synchonous Dataflow Graphs, Cyclo-Static Dataflow Graphs et Phased Computation Graphs vivant avec plus de 10000 tâches en moins de 30 secondes. Le générateur est comparé à SDF3 et PREESM.Enfin, la contribution majeure de cette thèse propose une nouvelle méthode d'évaluation d'un mapping en utilisant les modèles Synchonous Dataflow Graphe et Cyclo-Static Dataflow Graphe. La méthode évalue efficacement la mémoire consommée par les communications d'un dataflow mappé sur une architecture à mémoire distribuée. L'évaluation est déclinée en deux versions, la première garantit la vivacité alors que la seconde ajoute une contrainte de débit. La méthode d'évaluation est expérimentée avec des dataflow générés par Turbine et avec des applications réelles. / With the increasing use of smart-phones, connected objects or automated vehicles, embedded systems have become ubiquitous in our living environment. These systems are often highly constrained in terms of power consumption and size. They are more and more implemented with many-core processor array that allow, rapid design to meet stringent real-time constraints while operating at relatively low frequency, with reduced power consumption.Running an application on a processor array requires dispatching its tasks on the processors in order to meet capacity and performance constraints. This mapping problem is known to be NP-complete.The contributions of this thesis are threefold:First we extend important notions from the Cyclo-Static Dataflow Graph to the Phased Computation Graph model and two equivalent sufficient conditions of liveness.Second, we present a random dataflow graph generator able to generate Synchonous Dataflow Graphs, Cyclo-Static Dataflow Graphs and Phased Computation Graphs. The Generator, is able to generate live dataflow of up to 10,000 tasks in less than 30 seconds. It is compared with SDF3 and PREESM.Third and most important, we propose a new method of evaluation of a mapping using the Synchonous Dataflow Graph and the Cyclo-Static Dataflow Graph models. The method evaluates efficiently the memory footprint of the communications of a dataflow graph mapped on a distributed architecture. The evaluation is declined in two versions, the first guarantees a live mapping while the second accounts for a constraint on throughput.The evaluation method is experimented on dataflow graphs from Turbine and on real-life applications.

Les avancées technologiques permettent d'intégrer des capteurs et des modules de communication dans les objets du quotidien pour les rendre intelligents et faciliter leur intégration sur l'Internet. L'Internet du futur sera sans nul doute celui des objets connectés. Les objets connectés génèrent, collectent, stockent et partagent des informations entre eux et aussi avec les serveurs d'authentification centralisés. La plupart des informations collectées doivent être protégées pendant le stockage et le transfert. Par le passé, divers protocoles assurant une sécurité robuste basés sur la cryptographie asymétrique et d’autres sur la cryptographie symétrique ont été proposés dans la littérature. Du fait que les objets connectés possèdent de faibles capacités de calcul, de mémoire et d'énergie, et que l'accès au medium radio est très consommateur en ressources, les protocoles cryptographiques traditionnels ne sont pas adaptés aux objets connectés. Il y a lieu donc d'adapter ou de concevoir des protocoles propres et conformes à leurs exigences. Dans cette thèse, nous abordons les défis de sécurité et de vie privée pertinents aux systèmes pervasifs avec des contraintes de ressources strictes. Nous regardons les protocoles d'authentification serverless, qui sont des mécanismes d'authentification qui ne nécessitent pas la présence du serveur central au cours de la phase d'authentification entre deux objets connectés. Tout d'abord, nous fournissons les caractéristiques et les besoins pour les protocoles serverless. Grâce à ces besoins et caractéristiques, nous avons fait des recherches, des analyses complètes et des comparaisons des protocoles serverless existants en termes de sécurité, de vie privée et de performances. Nous examinons leurs capacités à résister à diverses attaques et leurs aptitudes à minimiser l’usage des ressources. Après quoi, notre objectif est de proposer des protocoles de sécurité serverless permettant aux objets de s’authentifier tout en garantissant efficacité, passage à l’échelle et efficacité énergétique, l'énergie étant une ressource très critique qui a une influence directe sur la durée de vie d’un objet connecté. Trois nouvelles contributions sont proposées dans cette thèse. Notre première contribution est un protocole léger serverless d'authentification mutuelle pour les objets connectés hétérogènes. La première contribution fournit trois avantages par rapport aux protocoles existants. Cette contribution répond aux exigences des systèmes pervasifs. La validation de notre proposition a été faite en utilisant l'outil AVISPA et la validation informelle en utilisant sécurité et de vie privée des jeux. Notre deuxième contribution comprend deux protocoles complémentaires dans le domaine des technologies RFID. Le premier protocole vise à l'authentification de masse entre un lecteur RFID et un groupe d'étiquettes tandis que le deuxième protocole effectue une recherche sécurisée pour une étiquette cible parmi un groupe d'étiquettes dans le voisinage du lecteur. Les deux protocoles proposés tiennent compte des contraintes de ressources des étiquettes RFID. Après une étude approfondie des protocoles serverless, nous avons proposé une troisième contribution, un guide pour la conception des protocoles serverless sécurisé et efficaces pour les systèmes pervasifs. Le guide contient six principes et six meilleures pratiques en vue d'élaborer des protocoles serverless. Le guide est destiné à aider à la conception de protocoles serverless efficaces, sécurisés et simples en évitant des erreurs couramment faites dans les protocoles existants / This thesis addresses the security and privacy challenges relevant to the resource constrained devices in the era of pervasive computing. Pervasive computing, a term coined by Schechter to describe the idea of computing services available anytime, anywhere and on demand, is characterized by seamless interactions between heterogeneous players in the Internet. This phenomenon allows intelligent chips, sensors or microcontrollers to be embedded into everyday objects to enable them generate, communicate and share information. Pervasive computing accelerates technological evolution by integrating small and resource constrained devices to the Internet arena, eventually opening doors to new services requiring seamless interactions and integrations with the existing technologies, infrastructures and services. The nature of the information generated, stored and shared by resource constrained devices may require proper security and privacy guarantees. Towards that end, the classical security solutions are not ideal candidates to solve the security and privacy challenges in pervasive systems for two reasons. First, classical security protocols require a lot of resources from the host devices while most of the pervasive devices have very strict resource constraints. Second, most classical security solutions work in a connected mode, which requires constant communication between devices and centralized servers for authentication and authorization purposes. However, pervasive devices may be working in isolated areas with intermittent network coverage and connectivity. Thus, it is ideal to come up with alternative solutions suitable for heterogeneous pervasive devices to smoothly interact, authenticate and securely share information. One of the suitable alternative solutions is the serverless protocols. The term “serverless protocol” refers to the mechanism of enabling centrally controlled devices to autonomously authenticate one another, or other heterogeneous devices, without an active participation of the centralized authentication or authorization servers. Serverless protocols prioritize on securing proximity communication between heterogeneous devices while optimizing on the little resources available. In this thesis, we tackle the challenges of pervasive systems by proposing lightweight and efficient serverless protocols for authenticating heterogeneous pervasive devices during proximity communication. Our proposed protocols derive their originality from the fact that they do not require the communicating parties to have prior relationships with each other, nor to have any previously shared authentication information with each other. Moreover, our proposed solutions incorporate context information to enforce automatic parameter expiry. This property is not supported by most of the earlier versions of the serverless protocol schemes, hence making them vulnerable to different attacks. Three novel contributions are proposed in this thesis. First, we propose a serverless lightweight mutual authentication protocol for heterogeneous devices. The first contribution includes a formal validation using the AVISPA tool. Second, we propose two complementing protocols using RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) as a core technology. The first protocol performs mass authentication between an RFID reader and a group of tags and the second protocol performs a secure search for a target tag among a group of tags. The second contribution includes two formal validations; one is done using the AVISPA tool and the other is done using the CryptoVerif tool. After a thorough study of serverless protocols, we propose our third contribution, a concise guide on how to develop secure and efficient serverless protocols relevant to the pervasive systems

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