The Implementation of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) in Spain

The construction segment is an important economic sector in Europe, representing 9% of European gross domestic product (GDP) and providing approximately 18 million direct jobs. Construction activities that include renovation work and energy retrofits add almost twice as much value as the construction of new buildings, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) contribute more than 70% of the value added in the EU building sector. Furthermore, European legislation obliges member states to establish minimum energy efficiency requirements for buildings to achieve optimum levels of costs versus energy demand reduction. These requirements are reviewed every five years and represent categories of buildings based on their energy levels (demand and generation). This chapter analyzes the legislation associated to nearly zero energy buildings (nZEB) in Spain in order to identify the factors that will leverage their massive implementation.

Decision Making for Energy Management in Smart Grid

The chapter discusses the problem of energy management in Smart MicroGrid. The strategies of Smart MicroGrid energy management and objectives of Smart MicroGrid operation have been analyzed. The chapter emphasizes the potential of information technologies implementation to achieve energy management goals and provide a description of energy management information system which is used for MicroGrid planning and operation. The information flows which are used for making decision on Smart MicroGrid energy management have been analyzed.

Assessing HRO Principles for Reliable Performance in Asset-Intensive Organizations

Asset-intensive organizations rely on physical assets that are expensive, complex, and have a significant impact on organizational performance. The management of such assets is essential when seeking for reliable performance in a world of increasing uncertainties. The observation that asset-intensive organizations deal with increasingly complex and tightly coupled systems and often operate in highly demanding environments may indicate that they should adopt practices from high reliability organizations (HRO) to ensure and maintain reliable performance in the fourth industrial revolution. This chapter operationalizes the HRO concept in the field of physical asset management, measures to what extent the underlying principles are recognized, and explores the relationship between the HRO principles and asset performance using a descriptive survey. Results indicated that the HRO principles are recognized and may, therefore, serve as an instrument for reliable performance when adopting new technologies. A positive relation between asset performance and the five HRO principles was identified.

The Society of the Digital Swarm

This chapter seeks to show how the society of the digital swarm we live in has changed the way individuals behave to the point that we have become Homo digitalis. These changes occur with information privatization, meaning that not only are we passive consumers, but we are also producers and issuers of digital communication. The overarching argument of this reflection is the disappearance of the “reality principle” in the political, economic, and social spheres. This text highlights that the loss of the reality principle is the effect of microblogging as a digital practice, the uses of which can either impoverish the space of people's experience to undermine the public space or achieve the mobilization of citizens against of the censorship of the traditional means of communication by authoritarian political regimes, such as the case of the Arab Spring in 2011.

Decision Making Under Uncertainty and Risks in the Face of Rapidly Advancing Technologies

This chapter aims to consider the effects of the new concept Industry 4.0 on decision making, particularly on the reduction of uncertainty and the risk associated with any choice between alternatives. For this purpose, this chapter begins by dealing with the concepts of risk and uncertainty and their epistemological evolution. After observing certain trends and recent studies in this regard, the authors address a more philosophical perception of risk, mainly on aspects related to engineering and social perception. The concept of human reliability will also be reviewed and how it can be improved with the application of emerging technologies, considering some methodological proposals to improve the decision making. After that, some of the possible future research directions will be briefly discussed. Finally, the chapter concludes by highlighting key aspects of the chapter as a context for other chapters in the book.

Technodata and the Need of a Responsible Industry 4.0

The great transformation that will face European industry is driven by the need of digitizing the entire value chain around manufacturing for creating competitive advantages to maintain a dominant position in the global economy. This new paradigm is commonly known as Industry 4.0, and it has a significant policy support from the European Commission as well as different member states. However, this transition is full of uncertainties as the digitization of industry creates different concerns about employment, privacy, labor rights, and other issues related with this technological revolution. In this chapter, the authors trace back the origins of Industry 4.0 to the Web 2.0 phenomenon as well as they reflect upon the role of technodata and technofactories in a postindustrial society. Finally, they stress the need to reflect about developing a responsible digitization of industry that will consider societal concerns.

Application of MSTAM Methodology in Project Management

Innovation technology development and commercialization are not new, but this is a hot topic in this decade in Hong Kong. The relevant researches are focused on two dimensions from research and development (R&D) technologist perspective (supply-side) and industry user perspective (demand-side). This is a part of the author's engineering doctorate thesis. The thesis title is “An Analysis of the Determinants of Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) R&D Projects Commercialization in Hong Kong's Logistics and Supply Chain Industries.” A pilot implementation case study has been conducted and tested, and the MSTAM methodology are workable for ITF R&D project deliverables commercialization to the industry.

Innovation in Scientific Knowledge Based on Forecasting Assessment

This chapter presents a study of forecasting methods applicable to the spare parts demand faced by an automotive company that maintains a share of nearly 25% of the automotive market and sells approximately 13,000 parts per year. These parts are characterized by having intermittent demand and, in some cases, low demand, which makes it difficult for such companies to perform well and to obtain accurate forecasts. Therefore, this chapter includes a study of methods such as the Croston, Syntetos and Boylan, and Teunter methods, which are known to resolve these issues. Furthermore, the rolling Grey method is included, which is usually used in environments with short historical series and great uncertainty. In this study, traditional methods of prognosis, such as moving averages, exponential smoothing, and exponential smoothing with tendency and seasonality, are not neglected.

To Mine or Not to Mine?

Social studies of science have flourished within the last decades, making use of numerous intellectual tools from a high variety of academic fields in the social sciences and the humanities (sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, etc.). Game theory, however, has been one tool that has not been put to use too often, in spite of the obvious importance of strategic considerations in the negotiations between the relevant actors in research episodes. In this chapter, the authors illustrate the use of game-theoretical concepts and techniques with the analysis of a nascent research field: asteroid mining.

Anticipation of Problems in Innovative Projects Based on OTSM-TRIZ

In this chapter, an integrated proposal is described to guide analysts and developers in identifying and selecting optimal alternative solutions in innovative projects. The integration is inspired by the theory of inventive problem solving, and specifically the recent evolution of the OTSM-TRIZ with a body of knowledge of risk analysis assessment. The authors propose a solution assessment indicator based on TRIZ-resources to anticipate a lack of resources when solutions are proposed. The solution assessment considers both risk assessment logic for evaluation and TRIZ resources for parameter classification and categorization. Finally, the solution assessment indicator aims to anticipate potential uncertainty by considering both qualitative and quantitative teamwork approaches. Moreover, this chapter presents a case study that involves a group of young designers and engineers working on a gripper design project, where the designers must develop a new product for a university laboratory.