The ability to make good decisions is something we all strive for. However, decision making becomes difficult when you don’t have all the information and the overall picture, particularly in the field of energy-related interventions. Designing our cities has always been dramatic, but new technologies can support public administrators and building professionals in making the best decisions when planning sustainable cities. R2M, with MakingPEDs project partners, is developing the Decision Support System, the tool you need to build better and green cities.
The sustainable transition challenges decision makers, including politicians, public administrators, and urban development professionals, to tackle new economic, social, and environmental issues daily. Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) offer a practical solution for achieving net-zero targets but while planning them, options and alternatives are numerous. How to be sure to select the best option? R2M’s MakingPEDs project supports these decision makers by offering a platform to support the planning and implementation of Climate Neutral PEDs, including a Decision Support System for making informed decisions.
The Decision Support System (DSS) – the tool that shows you the best options for your needs
Planning energy and sustainable transition is not an easy task. However, technologies can help us thanks to their capability of analyzing big data in a faster way compared to human minds, particularly when you have more alternatives, and specific needs and objectives to be considered.
The Decision Support System is here for this purpose: to support decision makers in selecting optimal energy transitioning actions while considering both social and economic aspects.
How does the DSS work?
The DSS utilizes multi-attribute analysis to streamline the selection process among various pre-identified scenarios. It ranks options based on the user’s prioritized criteria, guiding them toward the most optimal choice. Additionally, the system incorporates a sensitivity analysis, allowing users to evaluate how changes in criteria weighing affect the outcomes. This ensures a more robust decision-making process, adapting to dynamic needs and preferences.
The considered scenarios will include different technological packages and solution toolkits developed with partners throughout the project, and available in the overall Making PEDs platform.
How do we define the Criteria to create scenarios upon
To prioritize the best scenarios for your city or district, it is essential to define your key criteria. Our DSS operates based on these criteria, considering the core aspects decision-makers typically address when planning a PED. These include energy and environmental factors, financial and economic considerations, and energy vulnerability issues.
MakingPEDs progress
While R2M Solution is developing the DSS with support from the other partners, the overall project is making great efforts in developing and implementing methodologies and solutions to support the PEDs transition across various pilot cases. One such case is Franckviertel in Linz, Austria, which our colleague, Lorenza Pistore, visited with partners on September 2024. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss challenges with partners and the Linz municipality representatives, as well as the representatives of the other urban living labs across the EU – Baerum (Norway), Sant Esteve (Spain), Civitavecchia (Italy) -, working together towards the shared goal of supporting the sustainable transition of municipalities.
The DSS is still in the early stage, but more will come! Follow our progress in the project and contact us for more information about the DSS.
