ASP projects

ISy WiRe U: Internal Synergies for Wiser Resources Use in University Campuses

Sustainability has become an international agenda; and due to its size, complexity, and influence in society, it is important to enhance sustainability in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). Our team divide the big and wide terms of sustainable university into six clusters: Protocols, Economic and Feasible studies, Building Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Food and Waste, and User Engagement. Each clusters results in different actions to achieve sustainability and indicators to measure the effectiveness of the actions. Therefore, a multi-criteria analysis should be performed in order to land final decisions, for example the creation of sustainable strategic plan, which is efficient, effective and economic.
The multi-criteria analysis involved in the project is to analyse the six clusters with all the actions and indicators through the use of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) by using a software called Superdecision. A specific case study, “Retrofitting of Stirling Library” in the University of Cambridge, is introduced as an example of how complex it might be to decide sustainable actions even just for one building. Weight for each clusters, actions and indicators were decided based on the existing boundaries to apply the final solution. We also perform a sensitivity analysis in order to see how changing weight can impact the final solution.
The final aim of our work is to provide as many as possible actions and indicators, with relative networks of interdependencies, as the foundation to arrange a strategic plan for sustainable university. These networks can be used as a basis of multi-criteria analysis where the stakeholders can get a view on how a single action can affect many other aspects. In the end, some recommendations for PoliMi/PoliTo is proposed. Using the multicriteria analysis methods, and following our network/map of actions and indicators, several scenarios are analysed, which give different outcomes for each cluster.

Principal academic Tutor
Stefano Paolo Corgnati, DENERG Dipartimento di Energia, Politecnico di Torino

Academic Tutors
Patrizia Lombardi, DIST Dipartimento Interateneo di Scienze, Progetto e Politiche del Territorio, Politecnico di Torino
Simona D’Oca, DENERG Dipartimento di Energia, Politecnico di Torino

External institutions
University of Cambridge

External tutors
Minna Sunikka-Blank, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge

Team members
Miriam Bertola [Team Controller], Civil Engineering, Politecnico di Torino
Massimo Buratto, Architecture – Construction and City, Politecnico di Torino
Caterina Caprioli, Architecture – Construction and City, Politecnico di Torino
Michele Giuliano Carlino [Communication Coordinator], Mathematical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano
Valentina Valentina, Chemical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano

Download the poster of the Project