Multi-Objective Energy Management and Charging Strategy for Electric Bus Fleets in Cities Using Various ECO Strategies

The paper presents use case simulations of fleets of electric buses in two cities in Europe, one with a warm Mediterranean climate and the other with a Northern European (cool temperate) climate, to compare the different climatic effects of the thermal management strategy and charging management strategy. Two bus routes are selected in each city, and the effects of their speed, elevation, and passenger profiles on the energy and thermal management strategy of vehicles are evaluated. A multi-objective optimization technique, the improved Simple Optimization technique, and a “brute-force” Monte Carlo technique were employed to determine the optimal number of chargers and charging power to minimize the total cost of operation of the fleet and the impact on the grid, while ensuring that all the buses in the fleet are able to realize their trips throughout the day and keeping the battery SoC within the constraints designated by the manufacturer. A mix of four different types of buses with different battery capacities and electric motor specifications constitute the bus fleet, and the effects that they have on charging priority are evaluated. Finally, different energy management strategies, including economy (ECO) features, such as ECO-comfort, ECO-driving, and ECO-charging, and their effects on the overall optimization are investigated. The single bus results indicate that 12 m buses have a significant battery capacity, allowing for multiple trips within their designated routes, while 18 m buses only have the battery capacity to allow for one or two trips. The fleet results for Barcelona city indicate an energy requirement of 4.42 GWh per year for a fleet of 36 buses, while for Gothenburg, the energy requirement is 5 GWh per year for a fleet of 20 buses. The higher energy requirement in Gothenburg can be attributed to the higher average velocities of the bus routes in Gothenburg, compared to those of the bus routes in Barcelona city. However, applying ECO-features can reduce the energy consumption by 15% in Barcelona city and by 40% in Gothenburg. The significant reduction in Gothenburg is due to the more effective application of the ECO-driving and ECO-charging strategies. The application of ECO-charging also reduces the average grid load by more than 10%, while shifting the charging towards non-peak hours. Finally, the optimization process results in a reduction of the total fleet energy consumption of up to 30% in Barcelona city, while in Gothenburg, the total cost of ownership of the fleet is reduced by 9%.

An Integrated Approach for Eco-Design and Its Application in LED Lighting Product Development

Lighting products are essential for our modern life nowadays, but they also produce high negative impacts on the environment. Although there are tools and methods available for reducing the environmental impact of lighting products, it is a challenging task to integrate them throughout the product development process. To overcome the challenge, this research developed an approach to integrate tools/methods relevant for the eco-design through product development process to reduce the environmental impact of lighting products. Six types of methods, such module design, and 30 tools, such as lifecycle assessment software packages, are considered in the integrated approach. The product specification with eco-constrains is established for implementation at each design stage to ensure the product eco-features. The approach was applied in the development of an LED table lamp which was then assessed in comparison with a benchmark LED lamp regarding environmental lifecycle impact and lighting performance. The comparative assessment results indicate that the LED lamp developed with this approach is much better than the benchmark lamp.

Women’s clothing with eco design features

In the paper, women’s wear with eco design features is created and manufactured. The object of the study is a dress in a semi-slim silhouette. The patterns of the garment are constructed automatically using a specialized CAD system. Algorithms for geometric construction of pieces and production patterns have been developed. The technology for manufacturing the dress has been composed. Markers for robotic cutting of the articles are planned. Three dresses are sewn. Each dress is decorated differently with elements cut from the fabric waste. The result of the proposed approach is three styles of clothing with three different unique looks with minimized textile waste. The artistic design of clothing with eco features demonstrates creative approach and good textile knowledge on the various methods of design and technological processing of materials. Using the fabric waste after cutting requires innovative thinking in order to make the garment attractive and to be preferred by a wider range of consumers. The production and successful sale of eco-friendly clothing occupies a worthy niche in the market.

Economy and Ecology: Encounters and Interweaving

In this editorial text, we point to the importance and development of disciplines that closely link economic sciences with ecology. Drawing on the most important literature in these fields, we have highlighted the trends that are popular today in both fields (double eco features).

Jet Features: Hardware-Friendly, Learned Convolutional Kernels for High-Speed Image Classification

This paper explores a set of learned convolutional kernels which we call Jet Features. Jet Features are efficient to compute in software, easy to implement in hardware and perform well on visual inspection tasks. Because Jet Features can be learned, they can be used in machine learning algorithms. Using Jet Features, we make significant improvements on our previous work, the Evolution Constructed Features (ECO Features) algorithm. Not only do we gain a 3.7× speedup in software without loosing any accuracy on the CIFAR-10 and MNIST datasets, but Jet Features also allow us to implement the algorithm in an FPGA using only a fraction of its resources. We hope to apply the benefits of Jet Features to Convolutional Neural Networks in the future.

The Role of Interaction Patterns with Hybrid Electric Vehicle Eco-Features for Drivers’ Eco-Driving Performance

Objective: The objective of the present research was to understand drivers’ interaction patterns with hybrid electric vehicles’ (HEV) eco-features (electric propulsion, regenerative braking, neutral mode) and their relationship to fuel efficiency and driver characteristics (technical system knowledge, eco-driving motivation). Background: Eco-driving (driving behaviors performed to achieve higher fuel efficiency) has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions caused by road vehicles. Eco-driving in HEVs is particularly challenging due to the systems’ dynamic energy flows. As a result, drivers are likely to show diverse eco-driving behaviors, depending on factors like knowledge and motivation. The eco-features represent an interface for the control of the systems’ energy flows. Method: A sample of 121 HEV drivers who had constantly logged their fuel consumption prior to the study participated in an online questionnaire. Results: Drivers’ interaction patterns with the eco-features were related to fuel efficiency. A common factor was identified in an exploratory factor analysis, characterizing the intensity of actively dealing with electric energy, which was also related to fuel efficiency. Driver characteristics were not related to this factor, yet they were significant predictors of fuel efficiency. Conclusion: From the perspective of user–energy interaction, the relationship of the aggregated factor to fuel efficiency emphasizes the central role of drivers’ perception of and interaction with energy conversions in determining HEV eco-driving success. Application: To arrive at an in-depth understanding of drivers’ eco-driving behaviors that can guide interface design, authors of future research should be concerned with the psychological processes that underlie drivers’ interaction patterns with eco-features.

Applying Eco-Features of Traditional Vietnamese Houses to Contemporary High-Rise Housing

This paper focuses on the potential applications of eco-features in Vietnamese traditional folk houses to contemporary high-rise housing. One of the main characteristics of traditional folk houses is that they are designed with a deep understanding of and respect for nature. This type of housing also expresses the way of life of its users, having evolved over generations while adapting to their needs, culture, and environment. Whereas the traditional Vietnamese houses can be an important source in the creation of a Vietnamese architectural identity, the design-with-nature approach and its unique characteristics are, however, scarcely found in the contemporary high-rise housing in Vietnam. The objective of this research is to investigate the potential applications of eco-features in Vietnamese traditional folk houses to contemporary high-rise urban housing. Initially, this study examines the unique spatial characteristics of the traditional folk houses typical in northern Vietnam. In particular, four houses at the Duong Lam Village in northern Vietnam are reviewed. Some of the ecological design elements are extracted from the spatial composition of the typical Vietnamese folk houses in relation to the local climate conditions and the Vietnamese lifestyle (vernacular culture). Finally, this paper attempts to develop new housing models in urban Vietnam, employing the ecological elements learned from the preceding assessment.