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- Using metaheuristics-based methods to provide sustainable market solutions, suitable to consumer needsPublication . Santos, Ricardo; Abreu, António; Monteiro, JoaquimNowadays the buildings sector is one of the key sectors to achieve sustainability, with the correspondent consumers, in particular, the household consumers, having the need to perform sustainable choices every day, regarding the appliances to be acquired from the market. This is not only due to government’s growing concerns about sustainability but also with the consumers on having sustainable solutions, given the different economic, social (including their comfort) and environmental needs. However, the existence of several electrical appliances on market, with all their different issues, brands and models, together with the several tradeoffs referred before, difficult the consumer’s choices, on having sustainable solutions in the market. Therefore, this work, presents an approach, by using Multi-Attribute Value Theory (MAVT), integrated with metaheuristics, which uses Evolutionary Algorithms (EA) to provide suitable and sustainable market solutions to a consumer, according to its own needs. Based on the achieved solutions and considering the relative importance, given to each consumer, and regarding each dimension of sustainability, it’s possible to achieve several savings, namely electrical and water consumption, CO2 emissions, among others. A case study shall be shown, to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed approach.
- A Fuzzy Logic model to enhance quality management on R&D unitsPublication . Abreu, António; Santos, Ricardo; Calado, João Manuel Ferreira; Requeijo, JoséNowadays, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), are becoming even more competitive, with the public ones, facing at the same time a greater restriction on public funding. Therefore, HEIs, have to be more effective and more efficient as well, on pursuing their own goals, which includes Research and Development (R&D) units as well. Such demands can be achieved, by enhancing R&D`s global performance. Therefore, the use of a framework such as European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), can bring value to an organization with the characteristics of a R&D unit. This work presents a new integrated method based on EFQM model, by using Fuzzy Logic, to enhance the organizations overall performance. The applicability of the proposed approach is demonstrated by a case study in a R&D unit, where an initial performance evaluation takes place, by using RADAR`s Logic approach. The proposed method, based on Fuzzy Logic, is then applied, followed by the identification of the strength points as well as the improvement areas, according to the EFQM framework. Then, the improvement actions with high priority are determined, followed by the correspondent action measures.
- A new approach to provide sustainable solutions for residential sectorPublication . Santos, Ricardo; Matias, Joao; Abreu, AntónioAn energy-efficient appliance normally presents a lower energy con-sumption compared to a less efficient one, with a higher initial investment, alt-hough this not always happens. Additionally, each appliance, presents very dif-ferent features, leading to some difficulties on its choice by the consumer (deci-sion-agent). On the other hand, each consumer, has specific and distinguished needs from other consumers, namely of social, economic or environmental nature. Even by adopting these criteria, this is not an isolated guarantee of an optimal solution for the consumer. It is then necessary to complement this approach with multicriteria, combined with optimization techniques. Evolutionary Algorithms (EA), could be used as an optimization technique, to provide sustainable solutions to the consumer, from the market. In this paper, it’s presented an approach that integrates both concepts, where at the end, it shall be presented a case study, to demonstrate the application of the proposed method.
- A study on the feasibility of implementing a quality management system, based on the European for Quality Management (EFQM) model in a school of engineeringPublication . Santos, Ricardo; Abreu, AntónioIntrodução: Atualmente, e num contexto competitivo, as Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) dependem cada vez mais da qualidade dos seus serviços prestados, não só para satisfazer os seus diferentes stakeholders, como também, para atrair financiamento. Deste modo, as IES tendem a incorporar na sua estratégia, Sistemas Internos de Gestão da Qualidade (SIGQ), com vista a uma melhoria continua do seu desempenho. Este trabalho pretende analisar a aplicabilidade de uma IES, baseada no modelo da European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), através da sua implementação numa IES publica Portuguesa. Objetivos: Contribuir com uma análise critica da aplicabilidade de um SIGQ no desempenho organizacional de uma IES, baseado no modelo EFQM, e implementado numa IES publica. Métodos: Revisão bibliográfica da aplicabilidade de SIGQ’s em IES, incluindo o modelo EFQM. Recurso a ao caso de estudo, análise documental e entrevistas com elementos intervenientes no estudo. Resultados: Foram obtidos um conjunto de vantagens e dificuldades. Para as dificuldades obtidas, foi proposto um conjunto de sugestões para a sua superação. Conclusões: A aplicação do SIGQ na IES em estudo, revelou-se proveitosa, devido a um conjunto de vantagens percepcionadas, entre as quais, o aumento da eficiência organizacional. Para cada uma das desvantagens identificadas no estudo, foi proposto um conjunto de soluções para a sua mitigação, permitindo deste modo, reforçar o potêncial de aplicaçao do modelo EFQM numa IES. Introduction: Currently, and in a competitive context, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) increasingly depend on the quality of their services, not only to satisfy their different stakeholders, but also to attract funding. In this way, HEIs tend to incorporate Internal Quality Management Systems (IQMS) into their strategy with a view to the continuous improvement of their performance. This work intends to analyze the applicability of an HEI, based on the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model, through its implementation in a public Portuguese HEI. Objectives: Contribute to a critical analysis of the applicability of an IQMS in the organizational performance of an HEI, based on the EFQM model, and implemented in a published HEI. Methods: A number of advantages and difficulties were obtained. For the difficulties obtained, it was proposed a set of suggestions for its overcoming. Results: A number of advantages and difficulties were obtained. For the difficulties obtained, it was proposed a set of suggestions for its overcoming. Conclusions: The application of the SIGQ in the HEI under study, proved to be beneficial, due to a set of perceived advantages, among them, the increase of the organizational efficiency. For each one of the disadvantages identified in the study, a set of solutions was proposed for its mitigation, thus allowing to reinforce the potential of applying the EFQM model in an HEI.
- An approach to provide efficient choices to a household consumerPublication . Santos, Ricardo; Matias, J. C. O.; Abreu, AntónioIn this work, it will be presented an approach, applied to an energy efficiency problema in buildings, which allows the decision-agent (consumer) to perform a set of efficient choices, suitable to its needs, reducing therefore, the building overall energy consumption during the equipment lifecycle period (usage phase). The approach will use Evolutionary Algorithms (EA), combined with Multicriteria analysis. The quality of EA solutions will be evaluated through the comparison, with the ones, obtained from Simplex method. The EA robustness to the change of its parameters, will also be evaluated, as well as the influence of the objective function on its behavior. The approach can provide the consumer with several and different efficient solutions, with less time than Simplex. I tis also possible to improve the obtained solutions, by choosing adequately the EA`s control parameters, as well the problema formulation.
- Energy efficiency in buildings by using evolutionary algorithms: an approach to provide efficiency choices to the consumer, considering the rebound effectPublication . Santos, Ricardo; Matias, João; Abreu, AntónioEnergy efficiency can be achieved, by making optimal choices of household appliances, based on specific rules for consumption and use. However, it's not always possible to achieve good solutions, since in general, an efficient equipment, with an economic consumption savings during his life cycle, is usually an expensive one, with a high initial investment. Additionally, the interaction of these choices, associated with consumer behavior, could lead toward to efficient losses during the lifecycle of the equipment, and then to a situation of indirect rebound effect. In this work, it is presented an approach, applied to the residential buildings, by using evolutionary algorithms to support consumer decisions. The approach presented here, could promote energy efficiency by providing the consumer with several optimal and feasible solutions, and at the same time, with information about the impact of his choices made on future.
- A soft computing framework to support consumers in obtaining sustainable appliances from the marketPublication . Santos, Ricardo; Abreu, António; Soares, José; Mendes, Fernanda; Calado, João Manuel FerreiraCurrently, sustainability is considered a priority by society, with the household appliances being one of the economic sectors involved in achieving sustainability. However, the existence of several issues (e.g., energy and water consumption, reliability, initial cost, and illuminance, among others) together with the diversity of brands and models on the market, make the consumer’s decisions regarding sustainable options difficult, according to their concerns and related to each sustainability dimension (economic, environmental, and social). By combining evolutionary algorithms (EA) with multicriteria techniques, it is possible to achieve sustainable solutions for the consumer based on their requirements. In this paper, a method is presented to support the consumer by obtaining a set of sustainable household appliances on the market that suit their preferences, concerns, and needs. By using a case study to apply the approach developed here, a set of sustainable appliances from the market is obtained, where several benefits are achieved (e.g., energy and water consumption savings, avoidance of CO2 emissions) during the lifecycle of each appliance, chosen from the appliance’s industry.
- A framework based on fuzzy logic to manage risk in an open innovation contextPublication . Santos, Ricardo; Abreu, António; Calado, João Manuel Ferreira; Soares, José Miguel; Martins, José Duarte MoleiroVirtual enterprises (VE), is well-known to make use of open innovation to achieve competitiveness, through innovation on product development. However, its limited resources, combined with the innovation resulted from the diversity of partners involved, rises some challenges to its management, specifically regarded with risk management. To fulfill these requirements, risk management's models, have been conceived to assist managers, on preventing threats with such risks, although without adequately incorporate the influence of each process domain on product development, as well as the subjectivity regarding human perception. In order to consider these issues, this work presents an approach, supported by fuzzy logic, to assess the risk's level on product development in an open innovation context. The model robustness, will be assessed through a case study, where it will be also discussed the benefits and challenges found.
- Evolutionary algorithms on reducing energy consumption in buildings: An approach to provide smart and efficiency choices, considering the rebound effectPublication . Santos, Ricardo; Matias, João; Abreu, António; Reis, FranciscoThis paper presents a model to promote energy efficiency among household appliances, by supporting the consumer decisions through the maximization of his savings, associated to a set of electrical appliances from the market to be acquired. Not always an efficient equipment from the market, is more expensive than a less efficient one, which can lead the consumer to compromise the expected savings on future. Given the several models/brands available on market and its possible combinations, the problem can be defined as a combinatorial problem, whose complexity can compromise the efficiency of using deterministic algorithms. Genetic algorithms (GM) were therefore included in the model, whose results were compared later with Simplex to verify the quality of the obtained solutions, as well as their performance. In addition, it was performed a statistical analysis of the obtained results, as well as a sensitivity analysis of GAs parameters, to validate their robustness. we conclude that the proposed method can provide several efficient solutions to the problem, as well as sensitize the consumer to their choices made on future, by estimating their corresponding rebound effect.
- An approach based on fuzzy logic, to improve quality management on research and development centersPublication . Santos, Ricardo; Abreu, António; Calado, João Manuel FerreiraNowadays, with globalization and with the development of emergent economies the Research and Development (R&D) Centres in Europe to survive need to achieve high levels of excellence. In this way, the use of a quality management tools, such as European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), can help the managers of such organizations to identify de best practices to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness. Hence, this paper presents a new approach to support managers of R&D centres in the decision-making process in achieving the aims mentioned above, which is based on the EFQM model integrated with Fuzzy Logic. The proposed approach was applied to a Portuguese R&D Centre to assess its overall performance. In order to evaluate the robustness of the proposed approach, the results achieved were compared with the results obtained through a traditional methodology based on RADAR’s Logic.