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Percorrer Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia por Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) "11:Cidades e Comunidades Sustentáveis"
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- Adaptation and validation of the perceived restorativeness scale (PRS) for the portuguese population: a study on the assessment of the restorative effect of environmentsPublication . Sousa, Cátia; Silva Fernandes, Maria Jacinta; Encarnação, Tiago; Gonçalves, GabrielaThe relationship between natural environments and psychological well-being has gained increasing attention in environmental and health sciences. However, there is still a lack of robust quantitative instruments to assess the restorative potential of different environments. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Portuguese version of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS), an instrument based on Attention Restoration Theory that evaluates the perceived restorative qualities of environments. In Study 1, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on data from 410 participants. The results supported a refined 20-item version of the scale, comprising four factors—being away, fascination, compatibility, and legibility—with good internal consistency and acceptable model fit. Measurement invariance analysis confirmed configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender. In Study 2, a separate sample of 212 participants completed the PRS along with additional validated measures: the Sublime Emotion toward Nature Scale (SEN), an aesthetic evaluation of landscapes, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The PRS showed strong convergent and discriminant validity and significantly predicted restorative outcomes. These findings support the psychometric adequacy of the Portuguese PRS and its relevance as a valid tool for assessing perceived restorativeness in both natural and built environments. The scale may inform future research and public policies aimed at designing spaces that promote psychological restoration and mental well-being.
- An ecological assessment of fish recruitment in Lagos through the monitoring of BiohutsPublication . Berimbau, Luís Martim Almada; Erzini, KarimMarine ecosystems are crucial hubs of biodiversity and face increasing threats from human activities, particularly in coastal areas serving as nurseries for fish recruitment, a pivotal factor influencing the abundance and diversity of fish populations. This study focuses on evaluating the abundance, biodiversity and recruitment dynamics through an underwater visual census, with a specific focus on the innovative Biohut structures installed in Marina de Lagos and their potential contribution to marine biodiversity conservation. This study focused on ecological processes such as habitat association and the impact of environmental and biological factors, and assessed the Biohuts potential to enhance abundance, biodiversity and recruitment. The methodology employed underwater visual censuses and environmental data collection for a comprehensive assessment from September 2023 to June 2024. The period between spring and early summer had the highest values in terms of abundance of recruits. The results indicate that the Biohuts significantly increased fish abundance, biodiversity and recruitment when compared with the control areas inside and outside the marina. In conclusion, Biohuts are effective tools for enhancing fish abundance, biodiversity, and recruitment in urbanized coastal areas. They provide a promising solution for habitat restoration, marine biodiversity conservation and can also serve as platforms to study key processes for sustainable management of fisheries as it is the case of fish recruitment.
- Analysis of sediment transport in coastal areas within the AX-COAST ProjectPublication . Husemann, Paul Lasse; Costas, Susana; Lima, Márcia; Coelho, CarlosThis report documents my six-month internship at the University of Aveiro, where I contributed to the AX-COAST: Cross-shore features and internationalization of the COAST tool project, an initiative aimed at improving coastal management strategies by enhancing the COAST tool for modelling shoreline evolution in different scenarios of sediment transport conditions and coastal defence interventions. (...)
- Applying remote sensing technologies in urban landscapes of the mediterraneanPublication . Pedras, Celestina; Maria Neto Paixão Vazquez Fernandez Martins, Helena; Lança, Rui; Granja Martins, Fernando MiguelThere has been increasing pressure on water resources in cities due to the proliferation of urban green areas. In the Mediterranean climate, only a small part of the plants’ water needs is supplied by rainfall during the winter months. Thus, in Algarve (Portugal) irrigation of the urban landscapes is required almost all year round. The aims of this study were to evaluate the maintenance of the urban landscapes of São Brás de Alportel (Algarve) during a year, based on the characterization of the vegetation of the urban gardens, the climate data, the analysis of the irrigation systems, the calculation of the plants water requirements and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). By crossing all this information, it was possible to understand if the current maintenance level is the most suitable for sustainable irrigated urban landscapes. In most of the gardens, it was possible to establish a relationship between the gross irrigation water requirements and NDVI. In general, the NDVI allowed us to study the urban landscape, through the monthly observation of the differences in the appearance and development of the vegetation.
- Assessing the impact of beach nourishment on reducing wave overtoppingPublication . Sproul, Vega Alexander; Garzón Hervás, Juan Luis; Mendes, DiogoAs zonas costeiras densamente povoadas podem estar sujeitas aos efeitos das tempestades costeiras, que promovem galgamento oceânico e consequentes inundações costeiras. As obras de defesa costeira, como esporões e defesas longitudinais aderentes, têm sido usadas para proteger contra estes perigos e salvaguardar as áreas urbanas costeiras. Nas últimas décadas, no entanto, houve uma mudança de paradigma promovendo o uso de outras soluções de engenharia, como a alimentação artificial de praias. A praia de Quarteira é um exemplo desta mudança de paradigma. Delimitada por um campo de esporões e apoiada por uma defesa longitudinal aderente, ambos construídos no início da década de 1970, a praia foi alvo de uma alimentação artificial em 1998, com outra planeada para 2024. Apesar da sua implementação, não se quantificou a eficácia da alimentação artificial na mitigação do galgamento oceânico em Quarteira. Esta dissertação pretende determinar a eficácia do projeto de alimentação artificial planeado para Quarteira na redução do galgamento oceânico com recurso a modelação numérica. Utilizando o modo não hidrostático do modelo XBeach, este estudo simula o galgamento oceânico para três cenários: antes da alimentação artificial, após a alimentação artificial e cinco anos após a alimentação artificial. Simulou-se o impacto de cinco tempestades sintéticas, com diferentes alturas significativas da agitação marítima e períodos de onda, para períodos de retorno variando entre 5 e 65 anos. Foram analisadas as relações entre a crista do revestimento, a largura da berma e os caudais médios de galgamento das ondas obtidos nas simulações do XBeach. Esta análise levou ao desenvolvimento de duas equações empíricas para estimar os caudais médios de galgamento em função das condições hidrodinâmicas (altura significativa e comprimento de onda ao largo) e da geometria da alimentação de praia (largura da berma). Este trabalho contribuiu para o desenvolvimento de uma metodologia para dimensionar e avaliar a eficácia dos projetos de alimentação artificial de praias.
- Building sustainability composite indicators using a multi-criteria approachPublication . Xavier, António; Fragoso, Rui; Ferreira da Silva da Costa Freitas, Maria de BelémBuilding sustainability composite indicators is a complex process that has been addressed according to different strategies. One interesting approach is based on the compromise between the maximum aggregate solution and the most balanced solution, by considering the most displaced indicator regarding the ideal. However, some shortcomings were identified in this approach. First, several decision-making units may present an equal composite indicator, and hence the same position in the ranking, while corresponding to different sustainability situations. Second, the use of only the maximum deviation to define the most balanced solution requires a more integrated approach. Thus, this paper proposes a novel aggregation methodology for building sustainability composite indicators, where a new normalized entropy indicator for the most balanced solution is proposed and integrated with the sustainability criteria of the maximum aggregate solution and maximum deviation. The method proposed was applied to two illustrative examples from the literature and provided promising and robust results.
- Changes in storm impacts along the Portuguese sandy coast for different climate scenariosPublication . Kazi, Maysha; Loureiro, Carlos; Ferreira, ÓscarStorms can result in extensive damage to the socioeconomic and environmental balance along the sandy coasts. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how the hydro-geomorphological response of sandy barriers will change due to future changes in storminess. This study aims to investigate future storm impacts on two contrasting sandy barriers along the Portuguese coast, Maceda and Tavira located respectively in the northwestern and southeastern coast, and evaluate how these will change in relation to the present situation. The approach is based on the application of the storm impact scale for the present and future climate change scenarios (mid- and end-century). Modelled wave, storm surge, and sea level data were combined with high-resolution topographic data and a conceptual model of barrier evolution to determine dune morphological parameters and impact regimes for future scenarios. The main findings of this work are that, extreme water levels will consistently increase throughout the twenty first century, mostly due to the contribution of sea level rise when compared to changes in storminess. From mid to the end-century, a reduction in dune crest elevations can be observed on the southernmost section of the Maceda coast and on the western to central section of the Tavira island. Compared to the current situation, by the mid- and end-century the intensity of collision and overwash regimes is expected to become severe in Maceda. For Tavira island, the most severe storm impact regimes are expected to be overwash and inundation, which will occur over almost half of the barrier island by 2100. From the mid-to-end century for all storm return periods, the mean overwash potential will increase substantially on the southernmost section of Maceda and on the west to the central section of Tavira island, while the mean inundation potential will gradually rise along with the mean overwash potential in Tavira. The influence of sea level rise and potential changes on the barrier morphological characteristics, particularly on the dune crest, are crucial factors influencing future changes to storm impacts.
- A critical analysis of the marina environmental risk assessment method applied to PortugalPublication . Neves, Maria C.; Cravo, Alexandra; Jacob, José; Correia, CátiaThe MERA (Marina Environmental Risk Assessment) procedure was applied for the first time along the coast of Portugal to classify the risk of 26 marinas on water quality. A risk ranking Atlas was produced to provide managers or decision-makers with spatial information that can help achieve sustainable development goals. The results indicate that the eight marinas in the south coast of the country (Algarve) face the highest risk, primarily due to pressures from navigation activities. However, the ranking generated along the Algarve using indicators of trophic status (TRIX and Eff. Coeff.) based on chemical analysis of in-situ water samples do not align with MERA. The MERA methodology, as it stands, presents significant limitations. Specifically, it does not account for water chemical parameters, sediment contamination, or temporal variability, all of which are crucial for accurate assessments. To enhance the robustness of MERA, this study suggests incorporating additional parameters and metrics that encompass broader environmental indicators.
- Design, environment, energy, and comfort in buildings equipped with a PMV-controlled HVAC systemPublication . Conceição, Eusébio; Conceição, Margarida; Conceição, Maria Inês; Lúcio, Maria Manuela Jacinto do Rosário; Awbi, HazimThis work presents a study about the design, environment, energy, and comfort in buildings equipped with a Predicted Mean Vote (PMV)-controlled HVAC system. The control system, based on the three categories of the international standard ISO 7730 uses the level of thermal comfort instead of the traditional control of the air temperature. In this type of control, using the PMV index, the air temperature (Tair), air relative humidity (RHair), Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT), air velocity (Vair), level of clothing (CL), and level of physical activity (AL) are considered. The initial four parameters are associated with environmental ones, and the last two are associated with personal ones. The simulation is carried out using a simulator of the dynamic thermal response of buildings and the thermophysiology of the occupants. The simulator considers energy and mass balance integral equations, based on the building’s design. This equation system is generated by the simulator. In this study, three cases are performed: Categories A, B, and C. According to the results obtained, it is possible to verify that it takes some time to achieve acceptable comfort conditions when the HVAC system is connected. However, after the conditions are achieved, the system guarantees acceptable conditions during the occupancy time. Category A provides higher levels of energy consumption than Categories B and C.
- Empowering maritime spatial planning and marine conservation efforts through digital engagement: the role of online platformsPublication . Gutierrez, Débora; Calado, Helena; Toor, Femke van; Moreira, Mariana; Paramio, Maria Luz; Martins, Francisco; Santos, Natali; Melo, Neuza; Newton, AliceThis study addresses the performance of digital platforms in enhancing ocean governance by improving communication and collaboration among stakeholders. It analyses several platforms based on their collaborative initiatives, digital tools, and ability to function as networks of knowledge. The findings show that these platforms bridge gaps between regional, national, and non-governmental organisations, promoting informed decision making. Their online presence enhances transparency and engagement, especially postCOVID-19. This study highlights the need for hybrid platforms combining informative and interactive elements to better serve both experts and the public. From this analysis, some recommendations are drawn to provide rules and design for the cooperation and co-design of a platform to foster better communication, collaboration, and sustainable ocean management practices.
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