Design thinking and the precautionary principle : development of a theoretical model complementing preventive judgment for design for sustainability enriched through a study of architectural competitions adopting LEED

Cette thèse contribue à une théorie générale de la conception du projet. S’inscrivant dans une demande marquée par les enjeux du développement durable, l’objectif principal de cette recherche est la contribution d’un modèle théorique de la conception permettant de mieux situer l’utilisation des outils et des normes d’évaluation de la durabilité d’un projet. Les principes fondamentaux de ces instruments normatifs sont analysés selon quatre dimensions : ontologique, méthodologique, épistémologique et téléologique. Les indicateurs de certains effets contre-productifs reliés, en particulier, à la mise en compte de ces normes confirment la nécessité d’une théorie du jugement qualitatif. Notre hypothèse principale prend appui sur le cadre conceptuel offert par la notion de « principe de précaution » dont les premières formulations remontent du début des années 1970, et qui avaient précisément pour objectif de remédier aux défaillances des outils et méthodes d’évaluation scientifique traditionnelles. La thèse est divisée en cinq parties. Commençant par une revue historique des modèles classiques des théories de la conception (design thinking) elle se concentre sur l’évolution des modalités de prise en compte de la durabilité. Dans cette perspective, on constate que les théories de la « conception verte » (green design) datant du début des années 1960 ou encore, les théories de la « conception écologique » (ecological design) datant des années 1970 et 1980, ont finalement convergé avec les récentes théories de la «conception durable» (sustainable design) à partir du début des années 1990. Les différentes approches du « principe de précaution » sont ensuite examinées sous l’angle de la question de la durabilité du projet. Les standards d’évaluation des risques sont comparés aux approches utilisant le principe de précaution, révélant certaines limites lors de la conception d’un projet. Un premier modèle théorique de la conception intégrant les principales dimensions du principe de précaution est ainsi esquissé. Ce modèle propose une vision globale permettant de juger un projet intégrant des principes de développement durable et se présente comme une alternative aux approches traditionnelles d’évaluation des risques, à la fois déterministes et instrumentales. L’hypothèse du principe de précaution est dès lors proposée et examinée dans le contexte spécifique du projet architectural. Cette exploration débute par une présentation de la notion classique de «prudence» telle qu’elle fut historiquement utilisée pour guider le jugement architectural. Qu’en est-il par conséquent des défis présentés par le jugement des projets d’architecture dans la montée en puissance des méthodes d’évaluation standardisées (ex. Leadership Energy and Environmental Design; LEED) ? La thèse propose une réinterprétation de la théorie de la conception telle que proposée par Donald A. Schön comme une façon de prendre en compte les outils d’évaluation tels que LEED. Cet exercice révèle cependant un obstacle épistémologique qui devra être pris en compte dans une reformulation du modèle. En accord avec l’épistémologie constructiviste, un nouveau modèle théorique est alors confronté à l’étude et l’illustration de trois concours d'architecture canadienne contemporains ayant adopté la méthode d'évaluation de la durabilité normalisée par LEED. Une série préliminaire de «tensions» est identifiée dans le processus de la conception et du jugement des projets. Ces tensions sont ensuite catégorisées dans leurs homologues conceptuels, construits à l’intersection du principe de précaution et des théories de la conception. Ces tensions se divisent en quatre catégories : (1) conceptualisation - analogique/logique; (2) incertitude - épistémologique/méthodologique; (3) comparabilité - interprétation/analytique, et (4) proposition - universalité/ pertinence contextuelle. Ces tensions conceptuelles sont considérées comme autant de vecteurs entrant en corrélation avec le modèle théorique qu’elles contribuent à enrichir sans pour autant constituer des validations au sens positiviste du terme. Ces confrontations au réel permettent de mieux définir l’obstacle épistémologique identifié précédemment. Cette thèse met donc en évidence les impacts généralement sous-estimés, des normalisations environnementales sur le processus de conception et de jugement des projets. Elle prend pour exemple, de façon non restrictive, l’examen de concours d'architecture canadiens pour bâtiments publics. La conclusion souligne la nécessité d'une nouvelle forme de « prudence réflexive » ainsi qu’une utilisation plus critique des outils actuels d’évaluation de la durabilité. Elle appelle une instrumentalisation fondée sur l'intégration globale, plutôt que sur l'opposition des approches environnementales.

A Multilingual Query Processing System using Software Agents

The goal of this work was developing a query processing system using software agents. Open Agent Architecture framework is used for system development. The system supports queries in both Hindi and Malayalam; two prominent regional languages of India. Natural language processing techniques are used for meaning extraction from the plain query and information from database is given back to the user in his native language. The system architecture is designed in a structured way that it can be adapted to other regional languages of India. . This system can be effectively used in application areas like e-governance, agriculture, rural health, education, national resource planning, disaster management, information kiosks etc where people from all walks of life are involved.

Intelligent Agent-based Multilingual Information Retrieval System

The goal of this work is to develop an Open Agent Architecture for Multilingual information retrieval from Relational Database. The query for information retrieval can be given in plain Hindi or Malayalam; two prominent regional languages of India. The system supports distributed processing of user requests through collaborating agents. Natural language processing techniques are used for meaning extraction from the plain query and information is given back to the user in his/ her native language. The system architecture is designed in a structured way so that it can be adapted to other regional languages of India

Memory Hierarchy Hardware-Software Co-design in Embedded Systems

The memory hierarchy is the main bottleneck in modern computer systems as the gap between the speed of the processor and the memory continues to grow larger. The situation in embedded systems is even worse. The memory hierarchy consumes a large amount of chip area and energy, which are precious resources in embedded systems. Moreover, embedded systems have multiple design objectives such as performance, energy consumption, and area, etc. Customizing the memory hierarchy for specific applications is a very important way to take full advantage of limited resources to maximize the performance. However, the traditional custom memory hierarchy design methodologies are phase-ordered. They separate the application optimization from the memory hierarchy architecture design, which tend to result in local-optimal solutions. In traditional Hardware-Software co-design methodologies, much of the work has focused on utilizing reconfigurable logic to partition the computation. However, utilizing reconfigurable logic to perform the memory hierarchy design is seldom addressed. In this paper, we propose a new framework for designing memory hierarchy for embedded systems. The framework will take advantage of the flexible reconfigurable logic to customize the memory hierarchy for specific applications. It combines the application optimization and memory hierarchy design together to obtain a global-optimal solution. Using the framework, we performed a case study to design a new software-controlled instruction memory that showed promising potential.

From SMART to agent systems development

n order for agent-oriented software engineering to prove effective it must use principled notions of agents and enabling specification and reasoning, while still considering routes to practical implementation. This paper deals with the issue of individual agent specification and construction, departing from the conceptual basis provided by the smart agent framework. smart offers a descriptive specification of an agent architecture but omits consideration of issues relating to construction and control. In response, we introduce two new views to complement smart: a behavioural specification and a structural specification which, together, determine the components that make up an agent, and how they operate. In this way, we move from abstract agent system specification to practical implementation. These three aspects are combined to create an agent construction model, actsmart, which is then used to define the AgentSpeak(L) architecture in order to illustrate the application of actsmart.

Sustainable design education: teaching, learning and assessment in collaborative group design projects

Changes in the funding of tertiary education resulting in less one-to-one staff/student contact time mean that we cannot continue to teach as we have historically been taught. If design schools are unable to implement strategies that successfully overcome resource intensive studio teaching programs, then current architectural education may for many higher education providers be based on an unsustainable course structure. Rather than spreading their time thinly over a large number of individual projects, an increasing number of lecturers are setting group projects. This allows them to co-ordinate longer and more in-depth review sessions on a smaller number of assignments. However, while the group model may reflect the realities of the design process in practice, the approach is not without short comings as a teaching archetype for the assessment of individual skill competencies. Hence, what is clear is the need for a readily adoptable andragogy for the teaching and assessment of group design projects.
The following describes the background, methodology and early results of a Strategic Teaching and Learning Grant currently running at the School of Architecture and Building at Deakin University. The project is evaluating two design programs at Deakin and it is envisaged that the results of the
investigation may inform other project-based teaching disciplines experiencing a similar need for new knowledge and skill-based delivery due to increasing staff-student ratios.

Online self-and-peer-assessment for teamwork in architecture and business communications

There is considerable evidence of general student scepticism regarding the purpose of team assignments and high levels of concern for the fairness of assessment procedures when all members of a team receive the same grade. Some educators are similarly anxious about not only the validity of team grades, but also the need to assess ongoing team processes in addition to the final assignment product. This paper offers self-andpeer-assessment (SAPA) as a fair, valid and reliable method of producing information about ongoing team processes. The paper examines a pilot study investigating an online SAPA tool originally developed for a small class of architecture students. This tool is adapted for use for by students completing team assignment in two further architecture design units and for a very large class of 800 business communication students. The sample students studied on four campuses, as well as in off campus and offshore modes. The paper focuses on the initial stages of the study to demonstrate how researchers from very different backgrounds collaborated to adapt the online tool and implement a pilot study whilst maintaining both comparability of assessment and integrity of research design.

An agent-based framework for petroleum information services from distributed heterogeneous data resources

For making good decisions in the area of petroleum production, it is becoming a big problem how to timely gather sufficient and correct information, which may be stored in databases, data files, or on the World Wide Web. In this paper, Gaia methodology and Open Agent Architecture were employed to contribute a framework to solve above problem. The framework consists of three levels, namely, role mode, agent type, and agent instance. The model with five roles is analyzed. Four agent types are designed Six agent instances are developed for constructing the system of petroleum information services. The experimental results show that all agents in the system can work cooperatively to organize and retrieve relevant petroleum information. The successful implementation of the framework shows that agent-based technology can significantly facilitate the construction of complex systems in distributed heterogeneous data resource environment.

A development of environmental conscious design of prison buildings

Environmental conscious design refers to variety of approaches in architecture design that covers technical, behavioural, and functional aspects (Goulding et al, 1992). These approaches usually include contradictory measures with social indicators (Sykes, 1995; Norton, 1999). The contradiction is magnified in incarceration architecture, which is very specific type of buildings (McConville, 2000). Prison buildings represent the split between the society requirements and the needs for the users, in this case the prisoners, to have comfortable environment. Energy as an ultimate natural resource reflects both the cost to the society, in terms of cooling/ heating load and the need for comfort and rehabilitation of prisoners (Al-Hosany and Elkadi, 2000). Different energy codes tend to control the thermal behaviour of buildings in certain environment in order to maximise their energy efficiency (e.g. CIBSE, 1999). In prison buildings, some of the main variables of such code are not relevant. While energy codes, for example, regulate the use of glass in buildings by either minimise the openings size (prescriptive criteria) or by determine an overall limit of heat transfer (performance criteria), the objective in prison buildings is to minimise glass areas for security purposes. This leads in turn to reduction in visual and comfort levels in prison cells. The aim of this paper is to address the balance between the society requirements of reducing energy consumption in prison buildings and the need for humane and comfortable environment for prisoners in order to maintain sustainability. The paper investigates the possible role of façade technologies to bridge the gap between requirements of both society and prisoners.

Architecture, multiculturalism and cultural sustainability in Australian cities

The way that the built environment represents and accommodates people of different cultures is an important facet of developing a holistically sustainable future. Architecture intervenes, maps and signifies and in doing so it constructs identities. It helps to shape how we know the world by mediating power, social relations and cultural values. Events such as the settlement, inhabitation and establishment of diasporic communities involve the occupation of space. Architecture provides the armature of this space, its form and its image. Building is a potent means by which identity can be formed. A most significant part of people’s well-being and capacity is their participation in literally building communities. This paper will illustrate this issue through discussion of contemporary Australian cities. The buildings of a wide variety of immigrants to Australia have since the 1950s contributed greatly to the changing nature of its cities. They are the physical manifestation of the great demographic changes that have occurred across the nation during this period. The combination of people of different backgrounds and cultures lends a unique quality to Australian built environments, and this needs not only be understood but celebrated, as they are contributing to the development of Australian urban culture. Increased knowledge and understanding of the impact of immigration and multiculturalism on our built environment will add substantially to understanding of the diversity of Australia’s cultural heritage, and the potential of future planners, architects, and members of the general public to create inclusive and dynamic Australian cities.

Learning other agents' preferences in multi-agent negotiation using the bayesian classifier

In multi-agent systems, most of the time, an agent does not have complete information about the preferences and decision making processes of other agents. This prevents even the cooperative agents from making coordinated choices, purely due to their ignorance of what others want. To overcome this problem, traditional coordination methods rely heavily on inter-agent communication, and thus become very inefficient when communication is costly or simply not desirable (e.g. to preserve privacy). In this paper, we propose the use of learning to complement communication in acquiring knowledge about other agents. We augment the communication-intensive negotiating agent architecture with a learning module, implemented as a Bayesian classifier. This allows our agents to incrementally update models of other agents' preferences from past negotiations with them. Based on these models, the agents can make sound predictions about others' preferences, thus reducing the need for communication in their future interactions.

Organizações culturais e (re)configuração do espaço: o caso do Istituto Europeo di Design, na cidade do Rio de Janeiro

O presente estudo tem como objetivo investigar de que maneira a possibilidade de instalação do Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) no bairro da Urca, na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, interfere na (re)configuração do espaço. Para o estudo desse processo adotou-se o conceito de espaço definido por Milton Santos, que o caracteriza como um conjunto indissociável de sistemas de objetos e ações, considerando necessária sua análise numa perspectiva histórica. Para ampliação das considerações sobre poder, identificação e caracterização dos atores sociais e das relações entre eles estabelecidas foram utilizados conceitos propostos por Carlos Matus para a análise da realidade social. A pesquisa de campo, de natureza qualitativa, coletou dados secundários a partir de notícias sobre o processo de revitalização do antigo Cassino da Urca e instalação do Istituto Europeo di Design no local, publicadas em jornais e revistas impressos, jornais on line e blogs, assim como dados primários, a partir de observação não estruturada das instalações ao redor do prédio do antigo Cassino da Urca, participação em reuniões da associação de bairro e entrevistas semi-estruturadas com representantes de organizações envolvidas no processo. Para o tratamento dos dados coletados, realizou-se análise argumentativa e interpretativa a partir da teoria utilizada. Com base nas notícias e documentos consultados, foi definido o período de análise, desde a cessão do prédio do antigo Cassino da Urca ao IED, em agosto de 2006, até o anúncio de parceria com outra organização, pelo instituto, em maio de 2012. O estudo permitiu identificar que a instalação do IED na Urca interferiu na configuração do espaço, principalmente no que se refere à formação e à atuação da associação de moradores do bairro, à instalação de novos empreendimentos comerciais no entorno do prédio já restaurado e, por consequência, na paisagem do bairro. Destaca-se também que a instalação do IED gerou mudanças que extrapolam os limites territoriais do bairro. Com base nos dados analisados, destaca-se que a relação de cooperação entre a Prefeitura Municipal do Rio de Janeiro e o IED foi estabelecida em torno da valorização por parte da Prefeitura do domínio de uma capacidade técnica pelo IED, nas áreas de atuação da organização, que são o ensino, pesquisa e consultoria nas áreas de arquitetura, design, moda e comunicação, o que reforça o argumento da valorização atual de organizações culturais no processo de (re)configuração do espaço urbano, quanto aos aspectos econômicos, simbólicos e sociais.

Avaliação de arquitetura de agentes emocionais : uma abordagem baseada em métrica de qualidade e na influência das emoções sobre usuários

There is a need for multi-agent system designers in determining the quality of systems in the earliest phases of the development process. The architectures of the agents are also part of the design of these systems, and therefore also need to have their quality evaluated. Motivated by the important role that emotions play in our daily lives, embodied agents researchers have aimed to create agents capable of producing affective and natural interaction with users that produces a beneficial or desirable result. For this, several studies proposing architectures of agents with emotions arose without the accompaniment of appropriate methods for the assessment of these architectures. The objective of this study is to propose a methodology for evaluating architectures emotional agents, which evaluates the quality attributes of the design of architectures, in addition to evaluation of human-computer interaction, the effects on the subjective experience of users of applications that implement it. The methodology is based on a model of well-defined metrics. In assessing the quality of architectural design, the attributes assessed are: extensibility, modularity and complexity. In assessing the effects on users' subjective experience, which involves the implementation of the architecture in an application and we suggest to be the domain of computer games, the metrics are: enjoyment, felt support, warm, caring, trust, cooperation, intelligence, interestingness, naturalness of emotional reactions, believabiliy, reducing of frustration and likeability, and the average time and average attempts. We experimented with this approach and evaluate five architectures emotional agents: BDIE, DETT, Camurra-Coglio, EBDI, Emotional-BDI. Two of the architectures, BDIE and EBDI, were implemented in a version of the game Minesweeper and evaluated for human-computer interaction. In the results, DETT stood out with the best architectural design. Users who have played the version of the game with emotional agents performed better than those who played without agents. In assessing the subjective experience of users, the differences between the architectures were insignificant