Politecnico di Torino | Servizi per la didattica

KEYWORD

Assessmente and sustainability

keywords ASSESSMENT, DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS, SDG11, SUSTAINABILE DEVELOPMENT, SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS, URBAN TRANSFORMATION

Reference persons FRANCESCA ABASTANTE, ISABELLA MARIA LAMI

External reference persons Elena Todella (elena.todella@polito.it)

Thesis type COMPUTATIONAL AND EXPERIMENTAL

Description The thesis proposal is part of a two-year PRIN (Research Project of National Interest) financed by MIUR and named GLOSSA ("GLOcal" knowledge System for the Sustainability Assessment of urban projects), which aims to develop a knowledge system to support decision-making in urban transformation projects, consistent with the development framework outlined by the NRP (National Research Programme, 2021), the 2030 Agenda and SDG11.
GLOSSA is conceived as an open-source toolbox with the aim of being: i) multidimensional from the point of view of the indicators considered; ii) spatially transversal and therefore applicable from the national to the local scale; iii) flexible according to the characteristics of the territory and the stakeholders involved; iv) expandable in terms of information, data and indicators that can be generated according to changing needs or objectives; v) multi-purpose and usable in different phases of the decision-making and planning process.
GLOSSA will consist of two integrated parts: i) a module for supporting PAs and planners/designers in the evaluation and monitoring of urban transformations; ii) a tool for the communication/dissemination of results and for educational/training activities.
In this framework, the objective of the research is threefold
- to support PAs and planners/designers in the identification of urban areas to be transformed and in the elaboration of urban transformation projects to be financed;
- to support the PAs in the evaluation phase of the urban transformation projects to be submitted;
- to monitor the performance of funded projects.
The GLOSSA consists of 2 fundamental outputs in terms of methodology and techniques that could lend themselves to be the subject of a Master's thesis in a fruitful way. The outputs are:
O1_Indicators (methodological output). O1 envisages a detailed analysis of the current indicators for measuring the SDGs11 and the expansion of these in order to structure a set of indicators with operational value;
O2_ Indicators-Based Tool - IBTool (technical result). O2 envisages the definition of a multi-criteria assessment tool capable of managing the set of indicators (O1) in an integrated manner by designing a scoring and ranking system that outlines the level of priority and importance that each indicator has in the pursuit of SDG11. The IBTool will have a user-friendly interface already familiar to PAs and planners/designers based on the current structure of environmental sustainability protocols. Furthermore, territorial tests are planned within O2 to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the designed IBTool in the different ex-ante and ex-post phases.
In general terms, GLOSSA responds to a precise need originated by the exceptionality of the current moment: the presence of funds available to Public Administrations (PA) that make the desired transition towards sustainability possible. Today, the challenge is to identify scientifically valid and operationally feasible procedures to support decision-makers (DM) in this area. Students interested in this research topic will, depending on the project's progress, be able to contribute
- to objective 1, mainly of a theoretical and methodological nature, through the study of current sustainability policies and identification of measurement indicators;
- to Objective 2, of a methodological and technical nature, by contributing to the definition of the multi-criteria assessment tool and/or to the planned tests;
- to the general development of GLOSSA in terms of building the IT structure needed to define the database linked to a website.