abstract: One of the key infrastructures of any community or facility is the energy system which consists of utility power plants, distributed generation technologies, and building heating and cooling systems. In general, there are two dimensions to “sustainability” as it applies to an engineered system. It needs to be designed, operated, and managed such that its environmental impacts and costs are minimal (energy efficient design and operation), and also be designed and configured in a way that it is resilient in confronting disruptions posed by natural, manmade, or random events. In this regard, development of quantitative sustainability metrics in support of decision-making relevant to design, future growth planning, and day-to-day operation of such systems would be of great value. In this study, a pragmatic performance-based sustainability assessment framework and quantitative indices are developed towards this end whereby sustainability goals and concepts can be translated and integrated into engineering practices. New quantitative sustainability indices are proposed to capture the energy system environmental impacts, economic performance, and resilience attributes, characterized by normalized environmental/health externalities, energy costs, and penalty costs respectively. A comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment is proposed which includes externalities due to emissions from different supply and demand-side energy systems specific to the regional power generation energy portfolio mix. An approach based on external costs, i.e. the monetized health and environmental impacts, was used to quantify adverse consequences associated with different energy system components. Further, this thesis also proposes a new performance-based method for characterizing and assessing resilience of multi-functional demand-side engineered systems. Through modeling of system response to potential internal and external failures during different operational temporal periods reflective of diurnal variation in loads and services, the proposed methodology quantifies resilience of the system based on imposed penalty costs to the system stakeholders due to undelivered or interrupted services and/or non-optimal system performance. A conceptual diagram called “Sustainability Compass” is also proposed which facilitates communicating the assessment results and allow better decision-analysis through illustration of different system attributes and trade-offs between different alternatives. The proposed methodologies have been illustrated using end-use monitored data for whole year operation of a university campus energy system. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 2018

Este trabalho trata da logística envolvida em operações de resposta a desastres, com foco na entrega final de suprimentos destinados a ajudar vítimas. Seu propósito é investigar os objetivos pertinentes ao planejamento do transporte da carga e encontrar uma metodologia para definir estratégia que sirva à tomada de decisão em campo. Para tanto, primeiramente identifica-se os objetivos adotados em modelos de Pesquisa Operacional para a tarefa em questão, através da análise de conteúdo das publicações pertinentes. Então, a abordagem do Pensamento Focado em Valores é utilizada para estruturar o problema. Finalmente, o método Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique Exploiting Ranks (SMARTER) é empregado na construção de um modelo de Análise da Decisão Multicritério (ADM), com consulta a um profissional experiente da área humanitária e aproveitando a análise da literatura previamente realizada. Neste processo, são elaboradas e avaliadas seis alternativas para a tomada de decisão condizentes com os valores da comunidade humanitária. Os resultados obtidos mostram que existe incompatibilidade entre os critérios de desempenho identificados nas publicações existentes e os objetivos perseguidos pelo Tomador da Decisão (TD) real. De acordo com o modelo construído, o atendimento de prioridades e a manutenção da sustentabilidade da operação são os objetivos que devem ser levados em conta para planejar a entrega de carga em pós-desastre, sendo que o custo e a equidade da distribuição não devem ser considerados. Conclui-se que o método adotado é útil à definição destes critérios e também ao desenvolvimento de estratégias que resultem em distribuições de ajuda melhores, aos olhos do próprio TD. Desta forma, ressalta-se que este trabalho contribui à área da Logística Humanitária com a investigação dos objetivos, assim como ao campo da ADM pela formalização dos processos de elaboração de alternativas, além da adição de mais uma aplicação possível ao repertório do método SMARTER. / This study concerns the logistics of disaster response operations, with a focus on final delivery of supplies to victims. The objectives here are to investigate what objectives are pertinent to the transportation-planning task and to find a methodology for choosing a strategy that aids decision-making on the field. For achieving these, a content analysis of Operations Research models is done, allowing the identification of such objectives, from which the problem is structured using a Value-Focused Thinking approach. Subsequently, the Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Exploiting Ranks (SMARTER) is employed to build a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) model, consulting an experienced humanitarian professional and taking into account the results from the previous analysis. Throughout this process, six alternatives for making decisions are designed and evaluated based on the objectives defined. Findings are that there is incompatibility between performance criteria identified in the literature and objectives pursued by a real Decision Maker (DM). From the model presented by this thesis, one concludes that satisfying priorities and sustaining the response operation are the objectives to be taken into account when drawing an aid distribution plan. It also follows that the methodology adopted here is useful to defining such performance criteria and to develop strategies that result in better outcomes, as judged by the DM. Therefore, this study contributes to Humanitarian Logistics research area by casting a light on the objectives of a post-disaster task, and to the MCDA field by formalizing the process of designing alternatives for complex problems, besides adding a new application of SMARTER to its repertory.

Orientador: Enrique Ortega Rodriguez / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T20:14:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pereira_LucasGoncalves_D.pdf: 3815596 bytes, checksum: da4afe640538859bcfe945a267dd855d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: Tendências de crescimento econômico têm sido observadas tanto para o mundo como para o Brasil. No entanto, para se analisar o desempenho de um sistema, é fundamental contabilizar todos os fluxos de energia e material, o uso e a ocupação da terra, a taxa de uso de recursos renováveis e não renováveis, o bem estar social, e não só parâmetros econômicos. O presente estudo segue a visão segundo a qual, o uso de uma seleção de metodologias de avaliação do desempenho energético-ambiental apresenta resultados robustos, uma vez que os diferentes indicadores obtidos funcionam de maneira complementar. Foram aplicados os métodos de Avaliação Emergética, Análise de Energia Incorporada, Mochila Ecológica, Inventário de Emissões Indiretas, e Pegada Ecológica para o caso do Brasil em 2008, além do estado de São Paulo e do município de Campinas, em razão da importância para a economia nacional. Uma discussão acerca da relevância dos métodos selecionados foi feita e concluiu-se que a metodologia emergética é a mais robusta por lidar também com os aspectos econômicos e contabilizar as contribuições da natureza para os sistemas avaliados, porém é a que apresenta mais inconsistências devido à falta de padronização dos cálculos e de fatores de conversão confiáveis. A aplicação da metodologia à série história do Brasil demonstrou que o desempenho ambiental vem piorando de 1981 a 2008: a Renovabilidade caiu de 82 % para 45 %, a ELR subiu de 0,21 para 1,12, o ESI passou de 74,17 para 5,70 e a fração importada de emergia subiu de 6 % para 16 %. Por outro lado, no mesmo período, o PIB per capita aumentou de US$ 3.760 para US$ 9.355. Em 2008, verificou-se que o PIB per capita foi maior para Campinas com US$ 14.217, seguido por São Paulo com US$ 13.587. O estado e o município apresentaram alta dependência de recursos externos (91 % e 99 %) e baixa capacidade de suporte (0,08 e 0,04). Campinas apresentou valores per capita inferiores à média brasileira para materiais abióticos e para o Potencial de Aquecimento Global (GWP), e valores próximos em termos da demanda de água. O estado de São Paulo, por sua vez, apresentou valores muito superiores para esses indicadores se comparados aos outros dois casos. No entanto, o estado tem a maior participação na economia nacional com mais de 30 % do PIB do Brasil e é responsável por exportar grandes quantidades de produtos e energia para os outros estados. A riqueza econômica de Campinas não está associada a aspectos produtivos e de energia, e sim a uma economia baseada em serviços (polo de ensino e alta tecnologia), que ainda não são devidamente contabilizados pelas metodologias aplicadas. De uma maneira geral, foi possível perceber que os indicadores econômicos e os ambientais caminham em direções opostas, ou seja, o crescimento econômico está associado a um aumento do consumo e da demanda por materiais e energia, e consequente dependência por recursos não renováveis externos. Nesse sentido, o modelo de crescimento econômico acelerado proposto pelo governo federal deveria ser revisto tendo como ponto de partida um desenvolvimento baseado em menor consumo, maior preservação e recuperação das áreas florestais naturais, menor dependência de recursos estrangeiros e maior valorização dos produtos e dos recursos locais / Abstract: Economic growth tendencies have been observed for the world as well as for Brazil. However, in order to assess the performance of a system, it is important to account for all the energy and material flows, the use and the occupation of land, the use of renewable and nonrenewable resources, the social wellbeing, and not only economic parameters. This study follows the view according to which, the use of a selection of methodologies to evaluate the energetic environmental performance presents robust results, once the various indicators work in a complementary way. The following methods were applied: Emergy Evaluation, Embodied Energy Analysis, Ecological Rucksack, Indirect Emissions Inventory and Ecological Footprint to the case of Brazil in 2008, besides the state of Sao Paulo and the municipality of Campinas, due to their importance to the national economy. The relevancy of the selected methods was discussed and conclusion is that the emergy methodology is the most robust one for dealing with economic aspects as well as accounting for the contributions from nature to the systems. However it is the most inconsistent method due the lack of standardized calculations and trustful conversion factors. The evaluation applied to a historical series have shown that the environmental performance have been worsening from 1981 to 2008: Renewability has dropped from 82 % to 45 %, ELR increased from 0.21 to 1.12, ESI decreased from 74.17 to 5.70 and the emergy imported fraction rose from 6 % to 16 %. On the other hand, in the same period, the GDP per capita increased from US$ 3,760 to US$ 9,355. In 2008, the GDP per capita for Campinas was the highest with US$ 14,217 followed by Sao Paulo with US$ 13,587. The state of Sao Paulo and the municipality of Campinas presented high dependency on imported resources (91 % and 99 %) and low carrying capacity (0.08 and 0.04). However, Campinas has presented lower values that the national average for abiotic materials and GWP, and close values in terms of water demand. The state of Sao Paulo has the highest share of the national economy with over 30 % of the Brazilian GDP and it is responsible for large amounts of exported products and energy to other states. The economic wealth of Campinas is not associated with productive or energetic aspects, but with an economy based on services (center of learning and development of new technologies), which are not yet accounted by the applied methodologies. Generally, it is possible to observe that economic and environmental indicators tend to evolve in opposite directions, in other words, the economic growth is associated with an increase on the consumption and on the demand of materials and energy, and consequent dependency on nonrenewable imported resources. In this sense, the accelerated economic growth model proposed by the current Brazilian federal government should be reviewed having as basis the development based on low consumption, increased preservation and recuperation of natural forest areas, lower dependency on foreign resources and higher appreciation for local products and resources / Doutorado / Engenharia de Alimentos / Doutor em Engenharia de Alimentos

The successful energy design of buildings requires that special attention be paid to the conceptual stage. However, it is a difficult task to find the most promising design alternatives satisfying several conflicting criteria. This thesis presents a simple multi-criteria decisions analysis method that could assist designers in green building design. Variables in the model include those alternatives that are common options when a residential building is to be constructed. The individual components that are considered are the building envelope, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, service water heating, power and lighting. The key actors, objectives and methodology of multi-criteria decisions analysis are presented and finally a case study for a residential building in Athens is performed. The criteria by which to evaluate each building component of the newly built construction were identified by the decision-makers. Subsequently, decision frameworks for the selection of roof, walls, windows, heating system, energy source for heating system, power source, lighting and service water heating system were built. The method is followed step-by-step to conclude on the optimal building components based on their score. Due to the equal scoring of the windows and an inapplicable combination of electric underfloor heating with air-to-water heat pump, the method is characterized by low accuracy. The fact that the building components have been treated individually sets the method as a basic one and indicates that a more complex one should be preferred when more trustworthy results are needed.

The thesis is concerned with multi-criteria evaluation of alternatives of modernization of compressor station for natural gas. This thesis is divided into practical part and theoretical part. The theoretical part will introduce historical development of the gas industry and the current state of the gas network in our country. The following describes a method for operating a compressor station, its technology units and existing operational processes. The theoretical part is a chapter that describes methods of multi-criteria evaluation of alternatives and a way of specifying the methods suitable for constructing weights of the criteria. The fifth chapter contains an application example, the aim of which is to choose the suitable way of modernization of the compressor station that would meet the requirements of planned projects. Creating recommendations for the management of the company fulfilled the goal of this thesis.

The aim of this thesis is to determine possibilities and real use of project management tools in event management, in sphere built on project bases, but that is also very dynamic and changing even in realisation. The thesis focuses on software support for managing projects and project teams, that are applicable in event management. The research was made for the selection of optimal tool for realization of leasure time, public event Ladronkafest. Selection is based on multi-criteria decision evaluation process, that is implemented after consultation with professionals in event management. The chosen software was tested on some smaller event. During the test users realized some negatives about this program and decided not use it.

This thesis describes the issue of selecting of the company's clients Fragile media s. r. o. The company looks at the financial benefits and time. The target of this thesis is to determine what kind of clients brings to Fragile media s. r. o. the greatest benefit. This issue I will discuss in the practical part of this thesis by using multi-criteria decision making. In next step I will deal with what effect will have other methods of estimating weights of the criteria for the results.

The aim of this diploma thesis is a selection of the best current account. This thesis describes how the bank system functions in the Czech Republic. The characteristics of the banking institutions which provide current accounts and the characteristics of the compared current accounts are presented in this thesis. The Monte Carlo method and the methods multi-criteria assessment of variants are described theoretically. The selection is based on the methods of the operational research. The first part of the practical chapter focuses on the Monte Carlo method which selects the best account by charges for different types of clients. The methods of multi-criteria assessment of variants, specifically methods TOPSIS and PROMETHEE, are also applied. The calculations are carried out by add-in SANNA for MS Excel. In conclusion, both approaches to solution are compared and the current account according to the preferences of each client type is recommended.

Dissertation thesis focuses on principles of multi-criteria decision-making in public contracts. The theoretical section of the thesis introduces principles and methods of multi-criteria decision-making including the determination of their suitability for public contracts. It also cover characteristics and specifics of purchasing via public contracts and findings of previous research conducted in the Czech Republic and foreign countries. Own empirical research comprises two parts. The first part of research is based on data about public contracts from the Czech Republic between 2011 and 2013 announced via the Information System on Public Contracts. The data allow investigating criteria and their weights used by contracting entities in relationship to characteristics of the public contracts; especially the subject-matter and the value of the contract. The second part of the research is based on sample data file of contract announcements for contracts evaluated according to the economic advantageousness of the tender. The data allow investigating methods of multi-criteria decision making and approaches to qualitative criteria. Findings from the theory and the conducted research were source for a normative model for selection of criteria and methods of multi-criteria decision-making. The goal of the model is to enhance the quality of decision-making in the field of public contracts. The most important contribution of the model is the connection of the three key parts of multi-criteria decision-making; criteria, its weights and methods of multi-criteria decision-making.

This Master´s Thesis focuses on the issue of renewal of fleet in Deblice-lesy, s.r.o. company. The aim of this thesis is selection of suitable semitrailer combination for transportation of long timbers and also selection of truck for transportation of ACTS containers for transportation of firewood, which will correspond to the selected criteria. Selection will be realized by using TOPSIS method. Theoretical part focuses on issues of business in road transport, trucks and combinations in road transport and limits of their dimensions and weights. It also describes some methods of multi-criteria decision making. Practical part focuses directly on selection of suitable semitrailer combination for transportation of long timbers and also selection of truck for transportation of ACTS containers according to the defined criteria. One of the aims is also mapping of the market and choices which exist when selecting combination for transportation of long timbers.