FRIAR 2018 - Post Conference Report

6th International Conference on Flood and Urban Water Management

23 - 25 May 2018
A Coruña, Spain

Overview

The sixth International Conference on Flood and Urban Water Management took place in A Coruña, Spain, co-organised by Wessex Institute, University of A Coruña, Birmingham City University and Polytechnic of Milan. The conference represented by Professors Santiago Hernandez and Stefano Mammbretti, both Directors of WIT, Professor David Proverbs of Birmingham City University and Professor Jeronimo Puertas of the University of Coruña.

The meeting was sponsored by WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment and the International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering.

Located in the verdant agricultural region of Galicia, La Coruña is home to Roman remains, castles, museums and sumptuous produce markets, and is perhaps most famous for its excellent fish and seafood. A new promenade frames the waterfront, extending the length of the city and linking its many attractions, shopping areas and beaches. The nineteenth-century centre is noted for its unusual Galerias – glazed balconies on the front of the buildings - which allow the city’s residents to enjoy the Atlantic views year round. A landmark of the city, the 2,000-year-old tower of Hercules is the oldest lighthouse in existence, a World Heritage site and National Monument of Spain.

Flooding is a global phenomenon which each year claims numerous lives worldwide. When flooding occurs in urban areas, it can cause substantial damage to property as well as threaten human life. The increased frequency of flooding in the last few years, coupled with climate change predictions and urban development, suggests that these impacts are set to worsen in the future. How we respond and adapt to these challenges is key to developing our long-term resilience at the property, community and city scale.

Apart from the obvious physical impacts of floods, there are other indirect losses which are often overlooked. These are associated with disruption to normal life as well as longer-term health issues, such as community displacements and stress-related illnesses. Vulnerable communities are often exposed to sudden and life-threatening events.

FRIAR sought to develop an improved understanding of emerging flood risk management and urban water management challenges.

Opening of the Conference

Santiago welcomed the delegates to the city and explained the logistics of the conference. He then gave a presentation of WIT’s activities, including the numerous conferences and journals, followed by a description of the research carried out at the Institute. He illustrated the importance of these meetings to fulfil the objectives of the Institute, as the dissemination of knowledge. This is carried out in different ways, in addition to courses and conferences and carrying out R&D work for industry and the publication of scientific papers and books. He also mentioned the Medals and Awards, given every year to exceptional scientists, which include the Prigogine Medal after the late Nobel Prize Ilia Prigogine.

The Institute has launched a series of Journals and some are very relevant to the FRIAR conference such as the Journal on Safety and Security Engineering, a collaboration between the Institute and the University of Rome. Urban Water issues may also be addressed by the International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning or the International Journal of Environmental Impacts.

WIT is committed to the dissemination of scientific information. Because of that, it was decided to make all the papers published by the Institute Open Access through its associated company WIT Press. Papers can now be downloaded from the Institute’s eLibrary for free (www.witpress.com/elibrary), and the Institute encourages the dissemination throughout the world.

David Proverbs addressed the conference in the name of the co-organising Institution, Birmingham City University, where he is Associate Dean of International Affairs. David is also a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building. In addition, he has over twenty years’ experience in Flood Risk Management and is Co-Editor of the Structural Survey Journal of Building Pathology and Refurbishment.

David referred to the history of the meeting which originated in London, where it was held in association with the Institution of Civil Engineers. Since then the Conference has been reconvened in different locations throughout Europe and has always been very successful in bringing together people from different countries and backgrounds.

In his opening address, David also referred to the importance of the urban water infrastructures that, as our cities continue to expand, need to be re-evaluated and adapted to new requirements related to the increase in population and the growing areas under urbanization. This series of Conferences also considers these problems and deals with two main topics: water supply systems and urban drainage.

He stated the importance of international collaboration in the field of Flood Risk Management and the need to cooperate across national boundaries. In this regard the success of the Risk meeting to attract people from so many different parts of the world is a major advantage.

The fundamentals of Flood Management has recently changed, with more emphasis being put into working in harmony with nature, taking advantage of the landscape and wetlands to regulate water flows and prevent floods.

Invited Speakers

The Conference programme included a series of invited presentations by well-known colleagues, starting with the keynote address by Jessica Lamond, University of the West of England, UK entitled “The evidence base for property flood resilience”.

Other invited presentations were as follows:

• “Towards a conceptual framework for property level flood resilience”, by David Proverbs, Birmingham City University, UK.
• “Field study of SS discharge from combined sewer system of highly urbanized area”, by Tadaharu Ishikawa, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan.
• “Proposition of fractal dimension application for the estimation of water delivery certainty”, by Dariusz Kowalski Lublin University of Technology, Poland.
• “A physically-based approach for evaluating the hydraulic invariance in urban transformations”, by Roberto Magini, University of Rome-La Sapienza, Italy.”
• “Evaluating the suitability of Airbus worldDEM for flood modelling in data-scarce regions: the case study of the Megaruma river in Mozambique”, by Maria Bermudez, University of A Coruña, Spain.
• “Simulation of chlorine concentration changes in a real water supply network using Epanet 2.0 and WaterGems software packages”, by Beata Kowalska, Lublin University of Technology, Poland.
• “Towards complete property-level flood protection of domestic buildings in the UK”, by Jessica Lamond, University of the West of England, UK.
• “Problems of rainwater management in the city on the example of Warsaw”, by Jaroslaw Chudzicki, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland.
• “Problems, perceptions and solutions to increased flooding threats in urban areas in the Pacific Northwest, USA”, by Robert Mahler, University of Idaho, United States.
• “Infiltration-exfiltration system for stormwater runoff volume and peak attenuation”, by Gianfranco Becciu, Politecnico di Milano, Italy.
• “Impact analysis of the precision of mapping the operational conditions of the water supply system on the accuracy of the hydraulic model calibration”, by Izabela Zimoch, Silesian University of Technology, Poland.
• “Flood damage assessment”, by Martina Zelenakova, Technical University of Kosice, Slovakia.

Excursion

On the afternoon on the first day of the conference, an excursion was arranged to the University of A Coruña. The Center for Technological Innovation in Construction and Civil Engineering (CITEEC) was created with the purpose of improving investigation and research in the field of construction, specifically civil engineering, from an experimental analysis approach.

CITEEC currently supports ten areas of activity, represented by these laboratories:

• Construction Laboratory
• Laboratory of Hydraulics
• Laboratory of Instrumentation and Intelligent Systems in Civil Engineering
• Laboratory of Numerical Methods in Engineering
• Laboratory of Ports and Coasts
• Laboratory of Railway Engineering and Transport
• Laboratory of Roads and Geotechnics
• Laboratory of Rock Mechanics
• Laboratory of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering
• Wind Tunnel Laboratory for Aeroelastic Testing

Every laboratory generates their own projects and uses their own equipment and facilities, which are all part of the center.

CITEEC is directly linked to the University of A Coruña and was created in 2000 (inaugurated on June the 6th, 2000). CITEEC develops three key areas of activity, coinciding with the three pillars of university research:

• Promotion of basic research: Conducting studies to expand knowledge in all fields related to civil engineering. The realization of doctoral theses and degree dissertations is the mechanism that promotes this kind of research, closely linked to the university departments.
• Applied research: Using any of the usual mechanisms for raising funds for research (Autonomous Region government, Ministry for Science and Education, EU), the CITEEC serves as a support for research projects in collaboration with companies and agencies.
• Consultancy to companies and institutions: The CITEEC is a very remarkable framework, unique in the Autonomous Region of Galicia, available to businesses and institutions through cooperation agreements to support the implementation of projects or activities that require physical model studies, or infrastructure studies in detail.

Conference Dinner

The Conference dinner took place at Restaurant Domus, situated inside the Domus Museum, and offers wonderful views of the bay and city of A Coruña. The delegates were treated to traditional Galician food and fine local wines. A quartet of Galician folklore musicians composed by two bagpipes and two drums interpreted sons of Celtic origin provide entertainment in the dinner.

The International Scientific Advisory Committee of the conference met over dinner in a local restaurant. The organisers thanked the committee members for their help in reviewing abstracts and papers, thus ensuring the high quality of presentations. New conference topics were discussed, as well as future locations.

Closing of the Conference

The meeting was closed by Professors Stefano Mambretti and Jeronimo Puerta who expressed their appreciation to the delegates for having participated in FRIAR 2018 and hoped that they would consider attending the next meeting in the series.

Related Conferences

SDP 2018, 4 - 6 September 2018

Disaster Management 2019, 25 - 27 September 2019

Water Resources Management 2019, 7 - 9 May 2019

SAFE 2019, 23 - 25 September 2019

Water Pollution 2018 - Post Conference Report

14th International Conference on Monitoring, Modelling and Management of Water Pollution

22 - 24 May 2018
A Coruña, Spain

Overview

The 14th International Conference on Monitoring, Modelling and Management of Water Pollution took place in A Coruña, Spain organised by the Wessex Institute and University of A Coruña and chaired by Professors Santiago Hernandez and Stefano Mambretti, both Directors of WIT. The meeting was sponsored by WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment and the International Journal of Environmental Impacts.

The meeting has been held in a variety of different locations every two years since it started in Southampton in 1991. The Conference provides a forum for discussion amongst scientists, managers and academics from different areas of water contamination. The wealth of information exchanged in this international meeting continues to be of great benefit to all involved with water pollution problems.

Located in the verdant agricultural region of Galicia, La Coruña is home to Roman remains, castles, museums and sumptuous produce markets, and is perhaps most famous for its excellent fish and seafood. A new promenade frames the waterfront, extending the length of the city and linking its many attractions, shopping areas and beaches. The nineteenth century centre is noted for its unusual Galerias – glazed balconies on the front of the buildings - which allow the city’s residents to enjoy the Atlantic views year round. A landmark of the city, the 2,000 years old tower of Hercules is the oldest lighthouse in existence, a World Heritage site and National Monument of Spain.

The environmental problems caused by the increase of pollutant loads discharged into natural water bodies require the formation of a framework for regulation and control. This framework needs to be based on scientific results that relate pollutant discharge with changes in water quality. The results of these studies allow industry to apply more efficient methods of controlling and treating waste loads, and water authorities to enforce appropriate regulations regarding this matter. Environmental problems are essentially interdisciplinary. Engineers and scientists working in this field must be familiar with a wide range of issues and, in view of the scarcity of available data, it is important that experiences are shared on an international basis.

Opening of the Conference

Stefano opened the meeting by explaining the importance of the conference series to fulfil WIT’s objectives, ie the transfer of knowledge at international level. The Institute has carried out several research projects in the past on environmental related issues and it is always interested in this scientific field.

Over the years WIT conferences have published a substantial number of papers which, since 1993, have been archived in the Institute’s eLibrary (www.witpress.com/elibrary), which are Open Access to ensure the maximum dissemination to the work done by the scientific community. In addition to Conferences, WIT organises a series of short courses, some of them directed towards industry.

Research activities continue to be carried out at the Institute campus in the New Forest in England. There, further advances continue to be made in the theory and applications of the Boundary Element Method (BEM), a technique originated in the research carried out by the WIT group when at Southampton University. Since 1986, when the Wessex Institute was created, the work has been centred in the New Forest.

The R&D on Boundary Elements continues to generate better computational tools for the solution of scientific and engineering problems. Some applications were shown to demonstrate the versatility of the method and how it can be applied to solve a wide variety of problems.

WIT Press, the publishing arm of the Institute, has launched a series of interdisciplinary journals in fields not properly covered by other publications. The International Journals published by WIT Press are:

• Sustainable Development and Planning
• Design and Nature, and Ecodynamics
• Safety and Security Engineering
• Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements
• Energy Production and Management
• Heritage Architecture
• Transport Development and Integration
• Environmental Impacts: Management, Mitigation and Recovery

These journals were launched in an effort to support the setting up of scientific publications independent of major commercial companies. The most appropriate for this meeting is Environmental Impacts.

Stefano finished his introduction by wishing the participants a successful conference and thanking them for their support of Wessex Institute activities.

Invited Speakers

The Conference sessions were enhanced by a series of invited lectures, ie:

• “SEDUNIT Project: study of the accumulation erosion and sediment transport of cohesive solids in combined sewer systems”, by Jose Anta Alvarez, University of A Coruña, Spain.
• “Dredging works monitoring in the Port of Civitavecchia (Rome, Italy): sedimentological and geo-chemical investigations”, by Giuseppe Zappala, National Research Council, Italy.
• “Monitoring micropollutants in surface and subsurface runoff in the Swist river basin” by Ekkehard Christoffels, Erftverband Water Association, Germany.
• “Public concerns about water pollution between 2002 and 2017 in the Pacific Northwest, USA”, by Robert Mahler, University of Idaho, United States.

Conference Sessions

The papers in the conference were classified in the following sessions:

• Water contamination
• Wastewater management
• Groundwater and aquifers
• Freshwater quality
• Water contamination
• Water management

Excursion

During the second day of the conference an excursion was arranged to the University of A Coruña. The Center for Technological Innovation in Construction and Civil Engineering (CITEEC) was created with the purpose of improving investigation and research in the field of construction, specifically civil engineering, from an experimental analysis approach.

CITEEC currently supports ten areas of activity, represented by these laboratories:

• Construction Laboratory
• Laboratory of Hydraulics
• Laboratory of Instrumentation and Intelligent Systems in Civil Engineering
• Laboratory of Numerical Methods in Engineering
• Laboratory of Ports and Coasts
• Laboratory of Railway Engineering and Transport
• Laboratory of Roads and Geotechnics
• Laboratory of Rock Mechanics
• Laboratory of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering
• Wind Tunnel Laboratory for Aeroelastic Testing

Every laboratory generates their own projects and uses their own equipment and facilities, which are all part of the center.

CITEEC is directly linked to the University of A Coruña and was created in 2000 (inaugurated on June the 6th, 2000). CITEEC develops three key areas of activity, coinciding with the three pillars of university research:

• Promotion of basic research: Conducting studies to expand knowledge in all fields related to civil engineering. The realization of doctoral theses and degree dissertations is the mechanism that promotes this kind of research, closely linked to the university departments.
• Applied research: Using any of the usual mechanisms for raising funds for research (Autonomous Region government, Ministry for Science and Education, EU), the CITEEC serves as a support for research projects in collaboration with companies and agencies.
• Consultancy to companies and institutions: The CITEEC is a very remarkable framework, unique in the Autonomous Region of Galicia, available to businesses and institutions through cooperation agreements to support the implementation of projects or activities that require physical model studies, or infrastructure studies in detail.

Conference Dinner

The International Scientific Advisory Committee of the conference met over dinner in a local restaurant. The organisers thanked the committee members for their help in reviewing abstracts and papers, thus ensuring the high quality of presentations. New conference topics were discussed, as well as future locations and the possibility of adding new members to the committee.

The Conference dinner took place at Restaurant Domus, situated inside the Domus Museum, and offers wonderful views of the bay and city of A Coruña. The delegates were treated to traditional Galician food and fine local wines together with a music quartet.

Closing of the Conference

The conference was closed by Santiago who expressed his appreciation to the delegates for having participated in Water Pollution 2018 and hoped that they would consider attending the next meeting in the series.

Related Conferences

SDP 2018, 4 - 6 September 2018

Water Resources Management 2019, 7 - 9 May 2019

River Basin Management 2019, 8 - 10 May 2019

Coastal Cities 2019, 11 - 13 September 2019

Water & Society 2019, 2 - 4 October 2019

Complex Systems 2018 - Post Conference Report

The New Forest Complex Systems Conference 2018

14 - 16 May 2018
New Forest, UK

Overview

The International Conference on Complex Systems took place in the New Forest National Park, home to the Wessex Institute. The Meeting was organised by that Institute and sponsored by WIT Transactions on Engineering Sciences and the International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics.

The conference brought together practitioners of many different disciplines interested in developing and discussing new applications for solving complex issues using multi-agent technology and similar distributed approaches.

Complex Systems occur in an infinite variety of problems, not only in the realm of physical sciences and engineering, but encompassing fields as diverse as economy, the environment, humanities, social and political sciences.

By now the conference is well established and is distinguished by its friendly and informal atmosphere in which it is easy for participants to help each other to further advance their appreciation of the subject of managing complexity.

Dr Stavros Syngellakis and Prof George Rzevski, both Directors of WIT, were the Co-chairmen of the meeting.

Opening of the Conference

In his opening address, George welcomed the delegates then paid tribute to Prof Carlos Brebbia and referred to the important role of their friendship in establishing this series of conferences. The aim has been to have a small group of delegates for a more effective exchange of ideas. Previous conferences have been particularly successful in applying complex systems thinking in various fields.

Stavros welcomed the delegates to the conference and referred to WIT’s important function of disseminating knowledge and acting as a forum for international collaboration. He explained how WIT is renowned throughout the world as a centre for innovative computer solutions, having developed its own technique (the Boundary Element Method) which is now widely used in engineering and sciences. The Institute is constantly applying its computer tools to a variety of new problems and it is this process of continuous evolution which is the main reason for the success of WIT’s work.

The conference programme as well as its cooperation with other institutions are sources of inspiration in this regard. Therefore, the Complex Systems meeting is essential to attain new ideas and for the Institute’s research to evolve.

Another important activity of WIT is the dissemination of knowledge through its WIT Press publishing arm. The aim is to disseminate the work as widely as possible. All conference and journal papers are now available Open Access in the WIT eLibrary at (www.witpress.com/elibrary), from where they can be downloaded. The papers presented at this conference, for instance, are published in the prestigious International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics, whose Honorary Editor is the late Ilya Prigogine, who is acknowledged as the originator of complexity theory.

The Institution, in conjunction with the University of Siena, launched an Award in Prigogine’s honour following his death in 2003. A medal is given annually to a renowned scientist whose work relates to the pioneering research of Prigogine.

Stavros ended his introductory remarks by thanking the delegates for participating in this important conference, and hoping that they will find the meeting useful and be able to make new contacts.

Keynote Address

George then delivered his keynote address entitled “Coevolution of technology, business and society”.

He reviewed social changes created during technological paradigm shifts in the past with a view to establishing patterns of changes that can help in forecasting the social change that are likely to follow the current technological revolution.

He explained that society invests into entrepreneurs and inventors who create new technology, which, in turn, induces structural changes into economy by creating demand for new jobs that require new skills, and in the process, destroying the old employment opportunities.

He emphasised the importance of digital technology in managing complex systems ending with an interesting paradox: complexity, caused by digital communication can be managed only by employing digital intelligence. In other words, digital technology is responsible for an issue, which can be resolved only by employing digital technology.

He concluded that, by understanding patterns of socio-economic changes that were caused by technological paradigm switches in the past, we can reasonably predict the impact of digital technology on business and society in the near future.

Invited Speakers

The meeting was enhanced by a series of invited presentations, as follows:

• “On people and complexity in healthcare service supply”, by Brian White, Complexity Are Us, United States. The paper was presented by its co-author, Per Engelseth.
• “Conceptual design of smart farming solution for precise agriculture”, by Per Engelseth, Molde University College, Norway.
• “Toward the digital platform and smart services for managing space traffic, by Petr Skobelev, Smart Solutions Ltd, Russia.
• “The beauty of architectural complexity”, by Robert Barelkowski, West-Pomeranian University of Technology, Poland.
• “A complexity framework for consensus and conflict”, by Peter Mitic, Santander UK, United Kingdom.

ISAC Dinner

A dinner for the International Scientific Advisory Committee was held at the Balmer Lawn Hotel, where the future of the conference was discussed, including possible topics and nominations for new members of the committee.

Excursion

On the middle day an excursion was arranged to Beaulieu where the delegates had the opportunity to view the National Motor Museum and wander around the grounds, before being given a guided tour of Palace House.

Beaulieu’s National Motor Museum has over 250 vehicles, with the oldest dating back to 1875, and has one of the finest collections of cars, motorcycles and motoring memorabilia in the world. There is also a network of footpaths around the grounds, with beautiful nature walks and Victorian kitchen and flower gardens.

The delegates then made their way to Palace House, which has been the Montagu family home since 1538. It was remodelled and extended during the 1800s and is a fine example of a Victorian country house. Guides, dressed as Victorian household staff, led them on a tour of the building.

Conference Dinner

The conference dinner was held at the Cambium restaurant in Careys Manor Hotel, in the New Forest. Hand painted English trees adorn the walls, the chairs are upholstered in moss like fabric and bespoke oak leaf golden screens separate the diners. The delegates were offered traditional dishes, using local produce, and fine wines in a friendly and congenial atmosphere.

Panel Discussion

On the last day there was a panel discussion on the topic of “The impact of digital technology on business, society and politics”.

All delegates attending the last session of the conference were invited to participate in a very lively discussion on the scope of the subject matter, its relevance to the needs of a modern society, and how to widen its appeal among members of industry and academia.

Closing of the Conference

In his concluding remarks, George emphasised the importance of publicising the Complex Systems thinking and methodology as widely as possible in order to attract more participants to future conferences covering an even wider range of problems in all scientific fields. He praised very warmly the organisation of the conference and thanked the delegates for their contributions and active participation.

The conference was closed by Stavros, who also thanked the delegates for attending and hoped they would participate in other future WIT conferences.

Related Conferences

Risk Analysis 2018, 6 - 8 June 2018

Environmental Impact 2018, 20 - 22 June 2018

SDP 2018, 4 - 6 Sept 2018

Energy Quest 2018, 10 - 12 Sept 2018

Urban Transport 2018, 19 - 21 Sept 2018

Water Resources Management 2019, 7 - 9 May 2019

Urban Transport 2019, 25 - 27 Jun 2019

Energy and Sustainability 2019, 2 - 5 Jul 2019

Maritime Transport 2019, 10 - 12 Sep 2019

Urban Growth 2018 - Post Conference Report

1st International Conference on Urban Growth and the Circular Economy

8 - 10 May 2018
Alicante, Spain

Overview

The first International Conference on Urban Growth and the Circular Economy took place at the University of Alicante, Spain. The conference was organised by the Wessex Institute, UK (WIT), represented by Dr Stavros Syngellakis, and the University of Alicante, represented by Prof Joaquin Melgarejo. The meeting was sponsored by WIT Transactions on the Built Environment and the International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning.

The continuing and rapid growth of cities and their regions of influence has led to the need to find new solutions to facilitate their sustainable development. The quest for the Sustainable City has, until recently, focused on the efficient use of resources with the application of technical advances giving rise to the definition of SMART Cities. The economic model emphasised, however, is still “linear” in the sense that the design and consumption follows the pattern of extraction of natural resources, manufacturing, product usage and waste disposal.

The continuous growth of urban populations has given rise to the emergence of a new model which responds better to the challenges of natural resource depletion as well as waste management. This model has been called the “circular economy”, a recent concept based on the reuse of what up to now has been considered waste, reintroducing them into the productive cycle. The objective of the circular economy is to reduce consumption and achieve savings in terms of raw materials, water and energy, thus contributing to the preservation of resources in order to reach sustainable development.

The circular economy has its roots in environmental economics. Its objective is minimising resources in the production of goods and services. One of the most important of these resources is water, which is becoming a scarce commodity in an ever expanding world whose population demands a better standard of living. The recycling of water is an essential component of the circular economy.

There is no possibility for the success of a long term economic policy without addressing the problems of natural resources and environmental pollution, which will affect the reuse of materials and products.

Opening of the Conference

Dr Stavros Syngellakis from the Wessex Institute, UK opened the conference by welcoming the delegates and thanking the University of Alicante for hosting this event.

Stavros then explained that the main aim of WIT is to provide a medium for knowledge transfer at an international level. This objective is achieved through publications and a series of activities, which include conferences, meetings, research at postdoctoral level and consultation services for industry.

WIT software codes, based on advanced computational methods, are widely used in aerospace, energy and mechanical engineering, amongst others. WIT’s commitment in this regard led to setting up a special office in Boston to serve the US community.

Stavros advised the delegates that all papers presented at WIT conferences, once published, are archived in the eLibrary of the Institute (www.witpress.com/elibrary) where they are easily accessible to the international community. He finished his introductory remarks by pointing out the Institute's strategic position in the South of England and its welcoming environment to visitors.

He then invited Prof Joaquin Melgarejo, the director of the Institute of Water and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alicante, to address the meeting. Joaquin pointed out that the idea for the conference owes much to his friendship with Prof Carlos Brebbia, WIT's late director, to whose memory he paid a warm tribute inviting the delegates to join him in applauding Carlos's life and achievements. He referred to the partnership between WIT and his institute, which is also a multidisciplinary organisation comprising over 50 researchers from various scientific fields. He expressed the hope that the delegates would enjoy the congress and the city of Alicante which is a welcoming place with pleasant climate and plenty of attractions.

On the East coast of Spain and a part of the Costa Blanca, Alicante combines history with a lively coastline and beaches. The city has an old centre containing historic churches, art and archaeological museums, and traditional narrow shopping streets with many bars, restaurants and cafes. Close to the old town, the dramatic Santa Barbara Castle offers excellent views of the city and coastline from its elevated position, and is one of Spain’s largest medieval fortresses.

Invited Speakers

The meeting was enhanced by a series of invited presentations, as follows:

• “The floodable park ‘La Marjal’ (Alicante, South East Spain), as a paradigmatic example of water reuse and circular economy, by Joaquin Melgarejo, University of Alicante, Spain.
• “Urban growth and energy supply in African cities: the case of Ethiopia”, by Roman Brandtweiner, Vienna University of Economics & Business, Austria.
• “Preservation of the hydraulic heritage in landscapes under permanent water stress. New approach to utility and sustainability criteria”, by Maria Magdalena Martinez Almira, University of Alicante, Spain.
• “Efficient water management in the smart city”, by Andres Molina Gimenez, University of Alicante, Spain.
• “Mobility and collateral effects on Aguascaleintes city heritage”, by Alejandro Acosta Collazo, Autonomous University of Aguascalientes, Mexico.
• “Waterfront landscapes in Spanish cities. Regeneration and urban transformations”, by Pablo Marti Ciriquian, University of Alicante, Spain.

Conference Dinner

The ISAC meeting was preceded by dinner at La Barra de César Anca, a pleasant restaurant near the conference venue. Stavros thanked the members for their help in reviewing submitted papers thus contributing to the high standards of the conference. The usual agenda items, namely conference topics, ISAC membership and venue of the next Urban Growth conference were discussed. Useful proposals and suggestions were made which will be carefully considered by the conference organising committee.

The conference dinner took place at Frenezy, one of the finest international restaurants in Alicante offering an excellent service and a rich choice of menu items. The delegates enjoyed a range of exotic, delectable starters before their choice of main course, all accompanied with excellent local wines. They also had the chance to sample a variety of delicious desserts. The evening was characterised by a friendly, congenial atmosphere with lively conversation and high spirits.

Closing of the Conference

At the end of the final session, the meeting was addressed by Prof Andres Molina Gimenez on behalf of Prof Melgarejo and the University Institute of Water and Environmental Sciences. Andres thanked the delegates for their participation, praised the organisation of the conference, expressed his satisfaction with the quality of presentations and wished the delegates' participation in future Urban Growth conferences.

The conference was closed by Dr Stavros Syngellakis who thanked the delegates for their contributions and the host institution for providing its excellent facilities to the conference. He expressed the hope that everyone enjoyed their stay in Alicante and that all participants would meet again in two years' time by attending the next conference in the series, at a time and location still to be arranged.

Related Conferences

Environmental Impact 2018, 20 - 22 June 2018

Waste Management 2018, 17 - 19 September 2018

Water Resources Management 2019, 7 - 9 May 2019

Sustainable City 2019, 1 - 3 October 2019

Water and Society 2019, 2 - 4 October 2019

Sustainable Tourism 2018 - Post Conference Report

8th International Conference on Sustainable Tourism

2-4 May 2018
Vienna, Austria

Overview

The 8th International Conference on Sustainable Tourism took place in Vienna, Austria; it was organised by Wessex Institute, UK (WIT) represented by Dr Stavros Syngellakis, the University of Natural Resources & Life Sciences, Austria, represented by Prof Ulrike Probstl-Haider and Complutense University of Madrid, Spain, represented by Prof Francisco Pineda. The meeting was sponsored by WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment and the International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning.

The first meeting in this successful series was held in Segovia, Spain (2004), followed by Bologna, Italy (2006), Malta (2008), the New Forest, home of the Wessex Institute (2010), A Coruña, Spain (2012), Opatija, Croatia (2014) and Valencia, Spain (2016).

Tourism has become an important component of present day development, not only in economic terms but also for knowledge and human welfare, and is an activity accessible to a growing number of people.

Tourist activities have many more advantages than disadvantages. New forms of economic development and increasing wealth of human societies depend on tourism.

The tourism industry has nevertheless given rise to some serious concerns, including social costs and ecological impacts. Many ancient local cultures have practically lost their identity. Their societies have oriented their economy only to this industry. Both the natural and cultural - rural or urban – landscapes have also paid a high price for certain forms of tourism. These problems will persist if economic benefit is the only target, leading to short-term gains that eventually become ruinous.

Sustainable Tourism 2018 aimed to find ways to protect the natural and cultural landscape through the development of new solutions which minimise the adverse effects of tourism. This can be achieved through new strategies involving the active collaboration of society as a whole.

Opening of the Conference

Prof Ulrike Probstl-Haider opened the Sustainable Tourism 2018 conference, welcomed the delegates to Vienna and referred briefly to the importance of tourism as an economic activity. She emphasized the connection of the conference theme to the City and the venue, Schloss Wilhelminenberg Hotel, in particular. This remarkable building was originally built in late 18th century as a lavish palace for an Austrian aristocrat; subsequently it had a number of other illustrious owners until, in middle 19th century, one of them donated it to his wife Wilhelmine from whom it took its name. By the early 20th century, the building was a ruin and had to be replaced by a palace in the Neo-Imperial style. The two world wars necessitated the successive usage of the building by the state for various welfare purposes until year 2000 when a complete refurbishment befitting its standing was launched thus reinventing a former nobleman's residence as a luxury hotel.

Prof Francisco Pineda also welcomed the delegates, referred to the history of the meetings and his long association with them. He wished the participants a rewarding and enjoyable conference experience.

Dr Stavros Syngellakis welcomed the delegates on behalf of the Wessex Institute and explained its main function, namely, knowledge transfer, particularly between different disciplines. This inter-disciplinary approach, Stavros said, exemplifies the Institute's activities and is the reason for its organising this and other conferences around the world in collaboration with different institutions.

The Institute's particular area of expertise lies in the development of advanced modelling techniques for the analysis of complex engineering and scientific problems. This is a field in which the Institute is well known throughout the world. The applications of such tools are extremely varied and one of the reasons for the success of WIT’s inter-disciplinary approach. WIT’s aim to provide a medium for knowledge transfer at an international level is achieved through a series of activities, i.e. publications; meetings, including conferences; research at postdoctoral level; and consultation services for industry.

All papers presented at WIT conferences, such as Sustainable Tourism 2018, are archived in Open Access format in the eLibrary of the Institute (www.witpress.com/elibrary) where they are easily accessible free of charge to the international community.

Stavros paid tribute to the memory of Prof Carlos Brebbia, the founder and late director of the Institute. Professor Brebbia was a brilliant academic but also a great motivator, organiser and communicator. The success of the Institute is entirely due to his tireless pursuits and professionalism. He was an inspirational figure whose legacy will be preserved by everyone who worked with him.

Invited Speakers

The meeting was enhanced by a series of invited presentations, as follows:
• “Current challenges in tourism research in Austria”, by Ulrike Probstl-Haider, University of Natural Resources & Life Sciences, Austria.
• “Rural tourism in Spain, crossroads between nature, socio-ecological decoupling and urban sprawl”, by Francisco Pineda, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
• “Networks of historic houses as strategic option for sustainable tourism development. The Venetian villas case”, by Sabrina Meneghello, Ca’ Foscari University, Italy.
• “Escapes from urban heat – the impact of CC on the intention to leave the city for nearby summer destinations”, by Alexandra Jiricka-Purrer, BOKU University of Natural Resources & Life Sciences, Austria.
• “Elements to foster friendly relationship between ports and towns – Photo analysis over boundaries and over time”, by Hiroshi Kato, Hokkaido University, Japan.
• “The marketing value of sustainability in Europe, as seen by tourism developers – an exploratory approach to Portuguese tourism precincts”, by Joao-Manuel Carvalho, University of Lisbon, Portugal.
• “Community-based tourism in rural Japan: Case of network making NPO”, by Yasuo Ohe, Chiba University, Japan.
• “Nonmarket valuation of cultural and environmental impacts on sustainable city tourism in Vienna (Austria)”, by Petra Amrusch, University of Vienna, Austria.
• “Relation of tourist push and pull motivations with their activities: the case of Lithuania”, by Aida Macerinskiene, University of Vilnuius, Lithuania.

Conference Dinner

A well attended ISAC meeting was preceded by a dinner at Villa Aurora, a restaurant with local character and cuisine in attractive green surroundings with art exhibits, located near the conference venue. The organisers expressed their appreciation to the members of the committee for their help in reviewing abstracts and papers thus ensuring the high quality of presentations. Then, there was discussion on the conference topics, the location of the venue for the next conference as well as the possibility of adding new members to the committee. It was agreed that the participants will give these issues serious thought and submit their ideas to the organising committee in writing.

The Conference Dinner took place in the pleasant environment of a typical Viennese restaurant; the delegates were welcomed with a glass of sparkling wine and then served with an excellent three-course meal that included local delicacies. The enjoyable evening was characterised by lively discussions, friendly mood and high spirits.

Closing of the Conference

In her concluding remarks on the final day of the conference, Prof Probstl-Heider praised very warmly its organisation, thanked the audience for their active participation and referred again to the pleasant environment of the venue, which contributed considerably to everyone's feeling of well being.

The Conference was closed by Dr Stavros Syngellakis who thanked the delegates for their contributions and expressed the hope that the delegates found the conference successful in every respect and that they would attend the next conference in the series, at a time and location still to be arranged.

Related Conferences

SDP 2018, 4 - 6 September 2018

Coastal Cities 2019, 11 - 13 September 2019

Sustainable City 2019, 1 - 3 October 2019

Islamic Heritage 2018 - Post Conference Report

2nd International Conference on Islamic Heritage Architecture and Art

17 - 19 April 2018
Malta

Overview

The 2nd International Conference on Islamic Heritage Architecture and Art recently took place in Malta, organised by the Wessex Institute, represented by Prof Giorgio Passerini.  The meeting was co-sponsored by WIT Transactions on the Built Environment and the International Journal of Heritage Architecture.

The conference was reconvened following the success of the first meeting in the series which was held in Valencia, Spain, in 2016.   Presented papers dealt with the design of many types of buildings in Islamic countries including, not only the better known public buildings, like mosques, mausolea, citadels and forts, but also houses and gardens, and many others which have also had a profound impact on society.

Islamic Architecture has enriched design with a wide variety of structural shapes including, among others, unique arches, a wide variety of vaults and domes which allow for new forms to be developed.  

As conventional energy resources become scarce, Islamic design heritage can offer invaluable lessons on how to deal in an efficient manner with cases of hard and extreme environments.

Traditional architecture and urban environment in most Islamic countries are now being eroded by overemphasis on global types of architecture and city planning. As a consequence, many regions are losing their identity. The Conference looked at these developments in the light of what the classical Islamic urban designs and architectures have to offer modern society.

Opening of the Conference

Prof Passerini welcomed the delegates in the name of the Wessex Institute and hoped that they would enjoy their visit to Malta, with its historical towns and villages.  Valletta, its capital, was declared European Capital of Culture in 2018, together with Leeuwarden-Friesland in the Netherlands.

Giorgio then explained the aims of WIT, for example providing a medium for knowledge transfer at an international level.  This objective is achieved through a series of activities, i.e. meetings, including conferences; research at postdoctoral level; publications; and consultation services for industry.

The publication of papers is Open Access, which contributes to providing the widest dissemination possible to the work.  Papers archived in our WIT eLibrary (www.witpress.com/elibrary) are downloaded in increasing numbers from colleagues around the world.

Most suitable for this conference is the International Journal of Heritage Architecture, which deals with studies, repairs and maintenance issues.  One of the aims of the Journal is to achieve a better understanding of the influences and cross-fertilisation of different cultures.

Conference Topics

The Conference sessions had the following headings:

• Mosques and Minarets

• Heritage Architecture

• Adaptation of the Islamic heritage in the Modern City

• Heritage Interventions between Constants and Variables 

• Heritage Studies

Invited Speakers

The meeting was enhanced by a series of invited presentations, as follows:

• “Sufism in the Architectural Typology of the Melaka Tengkera Mosque, Malaysia”, by Azizi Bahauddin, University Sains Malaysia, Malaysia

• “Using multimedia in documenting and archiving the Islamic architectural heritage of the Holy Mosque area in Makkah city”, by Reem Alsabban, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia

• “The impacts of the UNESCO's built heritage conservation policy (2010-2020) on historic Jeddah built environment”, by Mohammed Bagader, Effat University, Saudi Arabia

The Island of Gozo

On the first day a guided tour to the island of Gozo was organised, starting at Mgarr Harbour.  This picturesque harbour is full of all manner of sea craft and has a history of slaves, pirates and corsairs who took many of the population away.  Overlooking the harbour is Fort Chambray, which was commissioned in 1749 by Jacques François de Chambray of the Order of St John.  The neo-Gothic Lourdes Sanctuary lies adjacent to the Fort and was built in 1888.

From there, the delegates visited Dwejra located in the South West of Gozo which provides some of the most beautiful scenery on the island.  Hidden behind the towering cliffs is a huge natural pond of shallow water (the Inland Sea) which is fed through a narrow tunnel in the cliff face.  This tunnel links it to the deep blue Mediterranean Sea.  When it is calm fishing boats take visitors down this tunnel to the open sea, where they can view the Fungus rock and the Azure Window at close quarters.  This area is very popular with divers enjoying spectacular underwater sights.

Next, the delegates visited the Saltpans on the north coast of Gozo. These saltpans stretch approximately 3km along the coast and are around 350 years old. They are part of the centuries-old Gozitan tradition of sea-salt production that has been passed down within certain families for many generations.

The final destination was the small fortified town of Cittadella located at the centre of Gozo, on a hill overlooking the capital town of Victoria.  This UNESCO World Heritage Site finds its roots in the late medieval era, although it was inhabited earlier in Neolithic times.

The excursion ended with dinner at the Ta Philip Restaurant in Mgarr Harbour, with its traditional wood-fired oven which optimises cooking whilst preserving the environment.  The delegates were offered locally sourced dishes in a convivial atmosphere.

Valletta

Valletta is the 2018 European City of Culture.  This is a prestigious title and reflects the incredibly rich cultural heritage of this city.  Valletta is essentially Baroque in character, with elements of Mannerist, Neo-Classical and Modern architecture in selected areas, though the Second World War left major scars on the city, particularly the destruction of the Royal Opera House.  The City of Valletta was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980.

The delegates started their walking tour by viewing the City Gate which is located at the entrance to Valletta.  This most recent gate (there were five in total) was designed by Italian Architect Renzo Piano and built between 2011 and 2014.  As part of the Renzo Piano Project a new parliamentary building was constructed and the ruins of the Royal Opera House were converted into an open-air theatre.  The original Royal Opera House was built in 1866 and was damaged extensively in a fire in 1873, only to be restored in 1877.  The building was one of the most iconic and beautiful in Valletta prior to its destruction by an aerial bombing in 1942 during the Second World War.

Following this, the tour continued down the principal street in Valletta, Republic Street, before viewing the Auberges or “Knight’s Houses”.  There were eight Auberges, however, two were destroyed during the Second World War and a third was demolished to make way for the Anglican Cathedral of St John.  

The tour ended at the Upper Barraca Gardens, which provide stunning panoramic views of the Grand Harbour, one of the most beautiful harbours in the Mediterranean. The gardens were originally used to offer recreation to the knights of the Italian langue of the Order of Saint John, but were opened to the public following the end of the French occupation of Malta in 1800.

Closing of the Conference

The conference was closed by Prof Passerini who thanked the delegates for their contributions and hoped that they would attend other WIT conferences in the future.

Related conferences:

STREMAH 2019, 7 - 9 October 2019

Sustainable City 2019, 1 - 3 October 2019