Acta Polytechnica CTU Proceedings

Sustainable transitions in age-friendly communities in Europe: a participatory approach

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

The ageing European population is driving the demand for age-friendly communities that support older individuals’ health and well-being. As communities navigate this transition, Transition Design emerges as a promising approach for addressing complex social and environmental challenges. This study explores the potential of Transition Design to create age-friendly communities in Europe. Drawing on examples from several European countries, this paper describes the key principles of Transition Design and how they can be applied to the development of age-friendly communities. This article highlights the importance of participatory processes in involving older people and other stakeholders in the design process, and discusses the role of technology in creating more accessible and inclusive environments. It also considers some of the challenges of implementing a transition design approach in a European context. In conclusion, this study asserts that Transition Design offers a promising approach for creating sustainable, inclusive, and responsive age-friendly communities.

Strategic management of the portfolio of urban real estate: research of the current scientific knowledge

Lucia Dobrucká, Martin Maštálka, Vladimíra Šilhánková — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Municipalities possess a wide range of real estate. However, land, buildings, and premises must not only be managed individually, but also optimized and strategically developed as a comprehensive portfolio linked to the objectives of public administration activities and, of course, to the development plans of a particular municipality. Nevertheless, a comprehensive view of the issue of managing and building a real estate portfolio in public administration is missing. This is evidenced by the lack of a methodology that would help local authorities with the task. Thus, a quantitative analysis of scientific publications was conducted, dealing with the issue of strategic management of real estate portfolios at the city level, both within the Czech Republic and throughout the world. This article aims to present a qualitative search of the content of scientific publications, thereby contributing to the creation of a foundation for further systematic research into this issue.

Cities in transition: Krakow‘s social, economic and spatial transformation within the last thirty years (selected aspects)

Anna Karwińska, Dorota Jopek, Michał Kudłacz, Michał Wiśniewski — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Krakow is a city that has undergone an immense transformation in recent years. At the end of the 1980s, the period of communism ended and Polish local governments began to operate based on the principles of subsidiarity, decentralisation and independence. In 2004, Poland joined the European Union, which opened up new prospects for development, including in regional and local terms. The world has become a networked and digitized entity susceptible to the influence of innovation. Due to metropolitisation processes, cities, especially those offering above-average earnings, a diversification of economic resources and a relatively high quality of life, began to develop even more dynamically, which had and still has negative consequences. In Poland, there are five cities in which development dynamics have a highly specific dimension. Apart from the capital city of Warsaw, these are Krakow, Wrocław, Poznań and the agglomeration of the so-called Tri-city (Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia). The aim of this study is to show how Krakow, the second-largest city in Poland, has evolved over the last three decades at the level of demographics, urban development and economy; how it changed in the historical “milestones” indicated above. Therefore, depending on the availability of statistical data, several time periods were selected and compared with each other in the most important areas of Krakow’s functioning. The research hypothesis is as follows: Krakow’s development policy in key areas optimally uses the opportunities resulting from contextual conditions (social, economic and cultural changes that have taken place in recent decades). The study focuses on the three main problems of the city’s development (the abovementioned key areas of the city’s functioning and development): socio-demographic, spatial and economic changes. The analysis assessed data from the literature, city reports and other available sources, as well as public quantitative data (assessment of data from the National Census for the years 1988, 2002, 2011, 2022; Local Data Bank of Statistics Poland and other
repositories and reports).

“Smart cities” and their vulnerability

Oldřich Krulík, Jan Kolouch, Marek Pačmag — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

In most discussions, “smart cities” are perceived as a largely positive phenomenon that improves the safety but above all the comfort of its inhabitants. The present paper constructively and critically analyses the approach of de facto unregulated development of “smart cities” with emphasis on the risks associated with this phenomenon. Examples from recent years, not only in the context of developments in Ukraine, show that modern, technological solutions, i.e. e-Government tools, can become a target or even a tool of variously motivated attackers (criminal groups, foreign powers). A “smart” city is often potentially more vulnerable than agglomerations managed more traditionally. This paper aims to demonstrate the possible risks through case studies and determine whether there are more comprehensive theoretical approaches to the subject.

Investigating MIDR through AI: a case study of the city of Most in Czech Republic

Akshatha Ravi Kumar, Noor Marji, Gülbahar Emir Isik, Lijun Chen — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Urban planning, which is inherently multifaceted, requires the development of innovative tools to navigate its complexities. This study introduces a pioneering approach that presents an AI-driven framework tailored for urban data collection and analysis. The impetus for this framework is highlighted through the unique narrative of Most city, which is profoundly transformed by mininginduced displacement and resettlement. While most cities serve as a vivid illustration of the challenges cities can face, especially in the wake of industrial imperatives, this study focuses on the potential of AI in addressing such challenges. The proposed framework, while grounded in advanced computational methodologies, is designed with keen emphasis on real-world applications, ensuring its relevance and adaptability. By integrating Most city’s detailed account with this AI-centric methodology, this study emphasizes the importance of a data-driven approach in understanding and addressing urban dilemmas. Importantly, this study is preparatory, laying the groundwork for the framework’s future application, especially in contexts such as Most city. By bridging advanced AI techniques with tangible urban challenges, this research illuminates a path forward, suggesting a future in which urban planning is not only informed by data but also empowered by AI’s analytical process.

General quality of urban greenery as a city indicator in Brazil in comparison with central Europe

Jobson Larrubia de Almeida Júnior, Michael Pondělíček — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

The evidence for climate change and its associated consequences, such as severe droughts, floods, and storms, exposed the need to investigate the ways that countries can cope with them, especially Brazil, which is a continental nation. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the urgency to consider global uncertainties. To audit it, the Pondělíček method, an indicator of the general quality of urban greenery (IOKZM), was employed. This approach considers four factors to indicate if one city is sustainable: city altitude [m], average annual temperature [°C], average annual precipitation [mm], and the total greenery area [km2] per inhabitant per year. The outcomes demonstrate that, regardless independently of the Brazilian region, geographic localization, estimated altitude range, or precipitation range may not strongly influence the BIOKZM. The impact measured in the indicator is significantly influenced by the greenery areas in Brazil. Those estimated areas are much smaller than European Union ones. Teresina’s Fkes demonstrates that if the greenery area is more than 5 (i.e., more than 50 percent), the IOKZM will be a positive outcome. The IOKZM calculated for Brazilian cities is interesting precisely because of their location in the southern hemisphere, as all the evidence of climate change subtly suggests that the climate in the southern hemisphere changes in a different way. Hence, this article can be used as an initial tool to assess whether the chosen Brazilian cities (Belém, São Luís, Guarulhos, Campinas, Porto Alegre, Teresina, and João Pessoa) can be considered “smart cities”. It is a step towards guiding mayors and other public figures in charge to create and maintain smart cities in Brazil. In addition, further studies should be conducted to contribute to this collaborative effort.

Development and causes of migration in lagging regions in the years 2017–2021: a case study of the Slovak Republic

Michal Levický, Viera Papcunová, Marta Urbaníková, Annamária Kozloková — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Migration represents a process where people leave their homes for various reasons. The aim of the article is to evaluate the level and development of migration in Slovakia and to identify its causes in the Gemer region, which is among the least economically productive regions of Slovakia. We quantified the development and level of migration based on secondary data through selected analytical indicators of migration. We determined the motivations of the residents of the Gemer region to migrate using a questionnaire survey. Until 2004, Slovakia was an emigration country, but in recent years it has turned into a destination country. However, the situation is not the same for all regions of the country. A negative migration balance persists in the Gemer region, although restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic have slowed this trend. We found that up to 21 % of respondents from the region migrate for work. Up to 45 % of respondents want to move out of the region, while in 64 % of cases the migration is motivated by economic reasons. The opinion on migration is influenced by the gender of the respondent but is not related to the level of education achieved.

Municipal waste management performance: a focus on Slovakia and its LAU-1 districts

Eleonóra Marišová, Peter Fandel — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

In this paper, we analyse the changes made to the basic EU directive on waste and assess its impact on the waste legislation of EU members. We then examine the Slovak waste strategies/programs that have implemented the EU directive on waste, namely the Waste Prevention Program, the Waste Management Program, and the Envirostrategy 2030. Based on EU waste legislation, the Environmental Strategy 2030 sets the waste treatment aims for Slovakia until 2030. However, it is questionable whether Slovakia will achieve the set goals. Our research indicates that as of 2021, Slovakia’s rate of waste incineration with energy recovery and landfilling rate of municipal waste are below the EU average, while the recycling rate, both for materials and composting and digestion, is higher. In our quantitative analysis, we examine the progress of waste management performance in Slovakia from 2017 to 2021, focusing on the LAU-1 districts. We estimate composite efficiency indicators using the techniques of Data Envelopment Analysis and Malmquist Indices. In accordance with the hierarchy of waste treatment methods, the applied models consider desirable waste operations variables (recycling and incineration with energy recovery) and undesirable waste operation variables (landfilling). Our results reveal significant variations in efficiency across the LAU-1 districts. The average technical efficiency of the 72 districts has improved from 0.714 in 2017 to 0.852 in 2021, indicating that the performance of districts is generally improving and catching up with the best-performing districts. The total performance, as measured by the Malmquist index, has improved by 45.5 %. Districts with access to waste incineration facilities with energy recovery have exhibited higher efficiency scores, benefitting from this advantage.

AI-enabled transition to smart European cities

Noor Marji, Michal Kohout, Lijun Chen, Gülbahar Emir Isik, Akshatha Ravi Kumar — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Smart cities continue to be discussed throughout Europe as a result of the continent’s rising urbanization and the need for sustainable development. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to significantly promote this shift by assisting cities in becoming more effective, sustainable, and receptive to the requirements of their residents. The goal of this study is to examine the potential and difficulties of AI in urban development and present a framework for incorporating AI into city planning and management in European cities. This is done by analyzing case study examples from European cities and examining primary and secondary data sources, with the aim of providing a comprehensive framework for the sustainable integration of AI systems. This study presents a set of ethical and inclusive AI criteria, such as transparency, inclusion, and accountability, to enable responsible AI research and implementation. It continues by emphasizing the need for efficient AI integration in smart cities and pushing for a holistic AI-enabled transition to inclusive and sustainable smart cities.

Methodology for measuring the potential of a tourism destination in relation to sustainable local tourism product development

Lucie Plzáková, Šárka Tittelbachová — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Tourism is very strongly associated with the potential of the area, including the society, in which the tourism activities take place. This potential is often fragmented and it depends on the skills of local actors, stakeholders, and tourism management structures to discover and connect it effectively. And it does not matter whether the potential is tangible or intangible, natural or cultural. The potential of each territory is unique and needs to be summarized, measured, evaluated, and categorized for its effective and sustainable use.
This article presents the first part of a methodology for the creation of a local tourism product focusing on the measurement of potential. The methods used in this process are based on decision analysis and process management methods. The methodology is addressed to all tourism actors in each destination, in particular managers of destination management organizations, local authorities, or other initiating entities. The Ministry of Regional Development certified the Methodology for the creation of a local tourism product and recommended its use to municipalities and tourism destinations.

Reflections on the crisis management of selected municipal and city authorities during the coronavirus pandemic

Martin Šikýř, Kateřina Tomešková, Radim Bureš — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 had a significant impact on the operation of all aspects of society, including public administration institutions. This article aims to examine the most challenging issues encountered by selected municipal and city authorities, how they responded to these issues, and how the experience gained has been reflected in crisis plans for managing similar future events. This aim is accomplished through a literature review of public sources and scientific papers on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on public administration, as well as the results of interviews with representatives of the selected authorities. The results confirmed that the selected authorities were able to rapidly overcome the initial lack of relevant information and unpreparedness to implement anti-coronavirus measures and maintain the standard level of public services provided, albeit in a limited capacity.

Regional development between theory and practice 2023

Editorial — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Before European society could cope with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, new problems were arose caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine. This has brought not only new security threats and a new wave of migrants, but also new and hitherto unexpected problems in terms of energy prices and availability. All these problems must be tackled not only by Europe as a whole, by individual states, but also by every region, city, or municipality. The aim of the conference is to create a platform for the transfer of new scientific knowledge and experience, how to analyse and solve the problems that have arisen, i.e., to propose ways, tools, and innovations for dealing with their consequences.

The conference key topics were following:

Impacts of Climate Change on Cities and Regions.
Participatory Democracy in Sustainable Regional Development.
New Security Aspects of Regional Development.
Sustainable Urban and Regional Mobility.
Impacts of Antipandemic Measures on the Management of Cities and Regions.
Tourism in the Post-Covid Time.
Circular Economy of Cities and Regions.
New Energy Challenges in the Management of Cities and Regions.

Date: June 1, 2023
Venue: Prague, Czech Republic
URL: https://www.muvs.cvut.cz/rozvoj-veda-a-vyzkum/konference/

Organized by:
Masaryk Institute of Advanced Studies, Czech Technical University in Prague

Guest editor:
Vladimíra Šilhánková

Scientific committee:
Lulzim Beqiri, Faculty of Architecture and Spatial Planning, University of Economics and Technology Pristina
Anna Karwińska, Faculty of Political Science, Sociology and Philosophy, University of Economics Krakow
Jan Koutný, Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Architecture, Brno University of Technology
Bohumil Kováč, Faculty of Architecture, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava
Zita Kučerová, Centre for Investment, Development and Innovation Hradec Králové
Eleonóra Marišová, Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development, Slovak University of Life Sciences Nitra
Martin Maštálka, Masaryk Institute of Advanced Studies, CTU in Prague
Michael Pondělíček, Masaryk Institute of Advanced Studies, CTU in Prague
Antonio Roldán-Ponce, University of Applied Sciences, Dresden
Egon Smeral, MODUL University, Vienna
Vladimíra Šilhánková, Masaryk Institute of Advanced Studies, CTU in Prague

Local organizing committee:
Vladimíra Šilhánková
Michael Pondělíček
Martin Maštálka
Eva Bobková
Iveta Šilhánková

Guarantor of the peer review process:
Eva Bobková

Guarantor of language editing:
Eva Bobková