Sustainable Urban Facilities

This research investigated the classification and visualisation of Twitter user-generated data. Twitter data were classified based on their sentiment relating to pedestrian experience of the quality of open spaces, based on their content. The research methodology for Twitter data collection, processing and analysis included five phases: data collection, data pre-processing, data classification, data visualisation and data analysis. The territorial focus was on Oxford Street, London, UK. Special attention was placed on the questions regarding the potential of using Twitter data for extracting relevant topics for the public space and investigating whether the sentiment for these topics can relate to urban design and improvement of pedestrian space. The proposed research model considered amount and relevance, its possibilities regarding the interpretation of the collected sample, the potential of the data for the purpose of the analysis of pedestrian space quality, the precision of sentiment determination and the usability of data in relation to a particular open public space. Full article

The waste-to-energy programs that have taken place in recent years present a daunting picture in terms of sustainable material management. The incineration of much organic and unorganized waste in metropolitan waste treatment facilities is not meet with sustainable development. The solution to this problem may be to increase urban composting programs in the future, which is a sustainable treatment option but also a serious technical challenge. Our research question is whether composting programs can play a key role in rapidly evolving urban ecosystems in Asia, due to the specificities associated with the waste rates outlined and developmental differences outlined. Instead of the waste-to-energy or waste-to-landfill strategies often used today, can central composting focusing on high organic matter content be a suitable alternative? Using the AHP method (Analytical Hierarchy Process), the following alternatives were examined to clarify the issue: Wastes are commingled and processed at the treatment facilities; Classification of organic and non-organic waste at source for composting; Totally separating waste at source before processing at the treatment facilities. We have found that the use of central composting (separation of organic and non-organic waste at source) strategies to support circular development is one of the most innovative development strategies in the fast-growing cities of Asia, in line with E.U. targets. Full article

Four lignocellulosic materials (walnut shell, chestnut shell, pine wood and burnt pine wood) were analyzed as biosorbents to remove nickel ions in aqueous solution. The optimal pH condition was determined. Due to this, a range of different pHs (3.0 to 7.5) was tested. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics were established. To plot Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, batch adsorption tests were made with variable nickel concentrations (5 to 200 mg L⁻¹). The pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion models were used to describe the kinetics, batch adsorption tests were carried out with 25 mg L⁻¹ of nickel solution and agitation time varied from 10 to 1440 min. The specific surface area of the different materials was between 3.97 and 4.85 m²g⁻¹ with the exception for wood with 1.74 m²g⁻¹. The pore size was 26.54 nm for wood and varied between 5.40 and 7.33 nm for the remaining materials. The diffractograms analysis showed that all the lignocellulosic materials presented some crystalline domains with the exception of burnt pine wood which was completely amorphous. The best pH was found to be around 5.0. At this pH the adsorption was higher for chestnut shells, walnut shells, burnt pine wood and wood, respectively. All samples fitted the Langmuir model well, with R² of 0.994 to 0.998. The sorption kinetics was well described by the pseudo-second order equation with R² between 0.996 and 1.00. No significative differences on the surface of the materials before and after adsorption could be observed by SEM. Finally, all materials tested were able to remove nickel ions in aqueous solution. Full article

Purpose: This research is about the added value of occupancy sensing and the factors that influence the added value. The objective of this research is to gain insight into the added value of occupancy sensing from a facility management perspective and the factors that influence the perceived added value. Design/methodology/approach: The paper provides insight into the added value of occupancy sensing from a facility management perspective, obtained through qualitative research. By conducting interviews with suppliers, users and an organisation that consciously chooses not to use occupancy sensing, the added value becomes apparent. The interviewed experts were approached as a result of selected articles or through the Saxion UAS network. The people who responded were interviewed. A limited number of 10 interviews was chosen because that was the minimum number of interviews required for this study. Findings: Several factors influence the added value of occupancy sensing. From the literature, these are data maturity, human behaviour and the quality of sensors. For the study, goal/motivation, preconditions and data or Information Technology (IT) were added. The interviews showed that organisations choose occupancy sensing mainly because smart buildings are on the rise, it is popular and they can make decisions based on the data and evidence. The most important precondition is that it must be known in advance what needs to be measured and that the facility managers are included in the process. The most significant influence on the success of added value is human behaviour. If the end users are not included in the new way of working, there is a good chance that they are not satisfied and that there is no added value. The functioning of IT and the use of the data also influence the added value. This research shows that added value is only achieved if the preconditions are met and factors such as human behaviour are taken into account. When this works well, facility management as a department will also be able to deliver substantial value to the entire organisation. Research limitations/implications: The limitations of this research were that there was only one interview with a non-user. Their opinion would be more valuable where the respondents are asked more about the data maturity of the organisation and their alignment with the organisation’s strategy. The limitations mainly have to do with the limited time frame of the research. In further research, it is also indicated that for a more complete study, this time frame should be extended. Practical implications: The results can be used by everybody who needs to get insight into the use of occupancy sensing from a facility management perspective and the added value for facility management. Originality/value: While there is a significant amount of literature on occupancy sensing and the use of sensors in office environments, there is only limited research on the added value of occupancy sensing from a facility management perspective. Paper type: Research paper. The literature review shows that the added value of facility management is difficult to make tangible. Many organisations see facility management as a cost item, and therefore, the costs must always be taken into account. There is a shift from cost to added value for the organisation, but this only works if the strategy of facility management (FM)/corporate real estate management (CREM) is aligned with the strategy of the organisation. In many cases, this does not yet appear to be the case. For future research, the advice is to look more into other smart features and their added value. Data maturity is a limitation of this research, and the relationship between data maturity and facility management should be studied more. The future is digital and data-driven, and there are not sufficient studies on that. Full article

This review examines current discussions from the cross-section study between urban heritage conservation and urban facility management fields in the academic literature from 2011–2020. The purpose is to identify the gaps within the examined papers to reveal the challenges and opportunities in the combined fields using the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s recommendation of the historic urban landscape (HUL) approach. The scoping review procedure was followed. The six critical steps and four supporting tools of the HUL approach were used to analyze the examined papers. Most aspects of urban heritage management within the body of literature were directly related to urban-scale facility management. The potential usage of building information modelling became one of the most discussed technological aspects. The expansion of the public–private partnership model into the public–private–people partnership is considered as a new potential business model. At the same time, the adaptive reuse approach is deemed to be the most sustainable method of managing heritage areas. This scoping review identified the financial tools as the most under-researched urban heritage facility management component. Therefore, it needs to be endorsed among the scientific communities to improve the knowledge and provide operable guidelines for the authorities and practitioners in the urban heritage field. Full article