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This article presents a decision-making model for assessing the sustainability of urban plans and programmes to envision long-term transformation scenarios through the development of consistency matrices. The tool was tested in a real case study, which is the Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Revision of the General Municipal Plan of the City of Turin (Italy). The changes that have taken place in recent years have highlighted the need for more flexible, dynamic, and streamlined tools that can help the revision of plans and programmes, which are capable also of considering the citizen's needs. The decision-making model provided in this paper was structured into five phases: normative framing of the environmental assessment procedures; spatial analysis by structures; consistency analysis of conformity between the objectives of the technical proposal of the preliminary draft and the superordinate and coordinated planning; monitoring of the technical proposal through the employment of key indicators; and the definition of guidelines for the General Regulatory Plan of the City of Turin. The tool presented in this work can support planners, municipal technicians, and general public administrations, both in the planning and assessment processes to design and implement sustainable policy recommendations capable of tackling the increasing complexity of urban transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining activities can contribute to sustainable development, focusing on economic, environmental, and community aspects. To this purpose, it appears essential to investigate the spatial dimension of mining operations to have a clear picture of the full range of impacts in terms of both opportunities and constrains. The paper illustrates the construction of a geodatabase for supporting planning and management of mining activities in Piedmont Region (Northern Italy). In the geodatabase, all the quarries located in the area are represented at a regional scale, distinguishing by active and inactive sites that have been further divided according to the main categories of extracted materials, namely aggregates, industrial minerals, and ornamental stones. The article discusses how the regional mining mapping can offer an integrated and interdisciplinary representation of the territory under analysis, thus supporting the decision-making processes in the context of the activities related to the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the planning of mining operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper illustrates the development of an evaluation model for supporting the decision-making process related to an urban regeneration intervention. In particular, the study proposes an original multi-methodological approach, which combines SWOT Analysis, Stakeholders Analysis and PROMETHEE method for the evaluation of alternative renewal strategies of an urban area in Northern Italy. The article also describes the work carried out within an experts’ panel that has been organized for validating the structuring of the decision problem and for evaluating the criteria of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the use of an evaluation model able to estimate the possibilities of reducing energy consumption and emissions of the building sector exploiting renewable energy sources. Specific attention is given to the use of ground source heat pumps in the urban context, proposing an ex-ante evaluation of different scenarios to identify the most balanced one in terms of energy, economic and environmental effects. The model is applied to a case study in Northern Italy to show how it can be used to support local administrations in energy urban planning, fitting economically and environmentally sustainable technologies. Moreover, it defines new boundaries in which the energy and environmental analyses should be carried out (spatial relocation), and the time span over which impacts have to be evaluated (temporal relocation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSSs) are rapidly gaining traction for planning and policy-making, thanks to their significant new capabilities in the use of spatial or geospatial information. The present paper illustrates the development of a basic MCSDSS (Multicriteria Spatial Decision Support System) that integrates spatial information techniques such as GIS (Geographic Information System) and Multicriteria Analysis (MCA). Many spatial problems are complex and require the use of integrated analysis and models. In the work a methodological framework for such integration is provided, highlighting the advantages and characteristics of GIS and MCA coupling and paying attention to the issues of transparency and applicability. The method is illustrated with reference to a case study in the Province of Varese (Italy). The purpose of the research is to generate a suitability map of the study region, concerning the characterization of biodiversity conservation, to be used as a decision variable in spatial planning. Different criteria are considered in the analysis and the results are obtained in the form of maps and analyzed through IDRISI Andes software. In particular, by using the resulting suitability map as a means of analysis, it is possible to identify, for the sake of biodiversity conservation, some critical areas needing mitigation measures. In addition, areas with high biodiversity conservation values can be highlighted and monitoring procedures can therefore be planned. The study concludes with some lessons learned during the development of the MCSDSS and highlights that the applied methodology is an effective tool in providing decision support for spatial planning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Olympic Games offer a significant opportunity for the development of the tourism industry in the hosting city and, more generally, in the whole Piedmont region. The preparation of tourism policies and strategies that are able to enhance the success of the Games, in a long-term perspective, is a very complex task that requires a great deal of specific research as well as a close collaboration among the different actors involved in the process. The paper analyses the case of the Turin 2006 Olympic Winter Games, highlighting the projects that were realised to host the event and the actions that were implemented to promote tourism and hospitality. Starting from the analysis of the pre-event situation, the paper shows how the Olympic Games have positively affected the local tourism system, in terms of increase in the tourism trends, production of a new image of the city and creation of innovative approaches for the governance of the territory. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose - The paper, which is based on an integrated approach that is able to aid the comprehension of complex phenomena, aims to investigate innovative models and tools in the field of sustainability assessment of territorial transformations. The model has been applied to a real case study related to the choice of alternative projects for the requalification of a downgraded urban area in Turin (Italy). Design/methodology/approach - The work proposes the use of a comprehensive key environmental indicator framework and multi-criteria analysis to evaluate the sustainability of different strategies. The evaluation has been performed through the application of the analytical network process (ANP) and by means of a set of indicators, which have been arranged according to the Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Responses (DPSIR) framework. The assessment model provides priority lists of the importance of the considered indicators and alternatives. All the analysis elements are modelled with the ANP, taking into consideration the interconnections between the indicators and their respective cumulative importance. Findings - According to the aim of the paper, the most important element in the performed analysis refers to the variation of the well-being of the population, followed by the changes in the accessibility and attractiveness of the area, then by the effects on the real estate market and the presence of new cycle tracks. Originality/value - The work is the first study at a national level and one of the first applications at an international level in research concerning the use of the DPSIR framework integrated with an ANP analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Analytic Network Process is a multi-criteria measurement theory that is used to derive relative priority scales of absolute numbers from individual judgements. The Analytic Network Process offers a general framework to deal with complex decisions, which provides a comparison of the different options. The paper shows the application of the Analytic Network Process to support the decision-making process related to the choice of different transport scenarios in the town of Venaria Reale, Northern Italy. In particular, considering the necessity of improving the connections between the city of Torino and the town of Venaria, the need for new infrastructures emerges. In this sense, it is necessary to investigate different project solutions, taking into account the problems related to sustainable mobility and the impacts on the urban structure that will, from necessity, be changed to a great extent. The paper illustrates the work that has been done in order to make the decision makers able to consider the different aspects of the problem simultaneously, to identify the key questions and to prioritize them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from the topicality of the issues related to the location of undesirable facilities and on the basis of a brief review of the types of models that are currently being used in the Municipal Solid Waste Management context, the present paper proposes a multicriteria approach that is able to support decision makers in the choice of the best location for a waste incinerator plant in the Province of Torino (Italy). Three alternative sites have been compared through the use of the Analytic Network Process (ANP) method. The application allows the dependence relationships among the aspects and criteria to be assessed and the relative importance of all the elements that play an influence on the final choice to be elicitated. The decision-making process was developed through the identification of 31 environmental and socio-economic indicators that were grouped into clusters and organized in four subnetworks according to the Benefits, Opportunities, Costs and Risks (BOCR) model in order to compare the three alternatives by means of a holistic approach and to better highlight the tradeoffs between the aspects involved in the decision. The aim of this work is to analyse the contribution that the ANP technique offers in sustainability assessment of undesirable facilities, paying particular attention to the use of quantitative indicators in the evaluation process. The strengths and weaknesses of the ANP approach, combined with the use of measurable and verifiable indicators, are also discussed and three different sensitivity analyses have been performed in order to test the robustness of the proposed model and the stability of the results, exploring also rank reversal thresholds. The main findings of the present work have proved that the use of quantitative indicators as nodes of the ANP-BOCR structure significantly improves the internal coherence of the model and makes the decision process more traceable and reliable. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The aim of the paper is to assess an urban transformation project in Italy, from a sustainability point of view. Taking into consideration alternative solutions for the project (zero option, initial project and final project), the paper highlights the most important elements for the sustainability evaluation and the best solution for the transformation. Designlmethodology/approach The sustainability assessment of the transformation project is performed using a particular multicriteria analysis, the analytic network process (ANP). Multi-criteria techniques provide a useful support when a choice must be thade among several alternatives with different objectives and criteria and also allow one to include tangible and intangible factors in the evaluation. The ANP is used to derive relative priority scales of absolute numbers from individual judgments and it offers a general framework to deal with complex decisions which provides a comparison of the different options. Findings The priority list of the alternatives gives a great deal of importance to the final project, with respect to the other possibilities. With reference to the most relevant criteria for the sustainability of the project, the problems related to energy efficiency, the aspects concerning the landmark and the new services for the inhabitants were given the most importance. Practical implications The procedure described in the paper is suitable for dealing with the complexity of the problem, in a transparent way, taking into consideration the multiplicity of the aspects involved and the presence of several stakeholders in the decision-making process. Originality/value This study is one of the first examples of the application of the ANP to the field of urban transformation at an international level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Identification of suitable areas for Castor fiber reintroduction in Piedmont region. • An integrated approach is proposed combining SWOT and Spatial Multicriteria Analysis. • Characteristics of beaver's habitat and related environmental impacts. • Suitable approach to support reintroductions and species management. The Castor fiber or Eurasian beaver can change its habitat by building dams and creating ponds. For this reason, Castor fiber is known as an "ecosystem engineer" for aquatic and riparian environments. Despite its ecological importance, at the beginning of the 20th century the population was reduced to only 1200 beavers in Europe and Asia, due to uncontrolled hunting. Recently, some reintroductions and translocations have partly re-established the population. In Italy, however, the beaver disappeared in the 16th century and no action has been taken despite the recommendation of the Council of Europe to perform a feasibility study. This research evaluates beaver reintroduction and identifies suitable areas in Italy and, in particular, in the Piedmont region. In order to achieve this, a SWOT analysis combined with a Spatial Multicriteria Analysis was performed. Firstly, the zoological and ethological aspects concerning this rodent were studied, as well as the historical reasons that led to its disappearance in Italy and near extinction in Eurasia. Secondly, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) of the territory were identified for beaver reintroduction. The SWOT analysis was implemented, as the starting point for the spatial multicriteria analysis. Thirdly, the Multicriteria Spatial Decision Support System (MC-SDSS) was structured into two criteria, i.e. Potentials and Criticalities, representing the spatialization of strengths and weaknesses. The final result of the MC-SDSS is a map showing suitable areas for beaver reintroduction in Piedmont. This map is the weighted sum of the maps of criticalities and potentialities, performed through a set of GIS operations and weighted through a pairwise comparison of criteria by experts. The analysis was conducted for the Piedmont region, but the integrated approach and the set of criteria can also be applied in other regions. Moreover, this mixed-method approach takes into account the characteristics necessary for the choice of suitable beaver habitats and also includes economic and social aspects. Therefore, it is an improvement on the Habitat Suitability Index (HIS), generally used in reintroductions. The aspects considered in the analysis are fundamental for the future development of a shared action plan, which considers both technical and social motivations and acts for the long-term on a wide area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper proposes a Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding model for improving the energy efficiency of public building stock. • The proposed model takes into account energy efficiency, financial feasibility and environmental protection criteria. • The ELECTRE TRI-nC approach is suitable for sorting energy retrofitting actions into categories of overall performance. • The model is applied to a real case study of 210 actions for a stock of 36 public buildings located in Southern Italy. • Sorting the energy retrofitting actions into categories allows the DM to select directly those to be financed as a priority. The challenge of promoting sustainable cities and reaching the objectives developed by the European Green Deal includes the renovation of the building sector, as it is responsible for 40% of energy consumption in Europe. Regional or local public administrations have to allocate their financial resources for improving the energy performances of their building stock and to face a multidimensional problem, where different aspects – such as energy efficiency, financial-economic feasibility and environmental protection – have to be harmonized. The present study proposes a Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding model, which includes the ELECTRE TRI-nC method, for supporting the public decision process of sorting alternative energy retrofitting actions into various categories, each of them expresses different levels of overall performance. The model is applied to an Italian real case study. An experts' panel has been involved for structuring the decision problem and discussing the results. The results show that opaque envelope insulation actions are often classified in best categories to be implemented and funded instead the upgrade of the lighting system falls in the worst category. These results are useful for local or regional public administrations to select those energy retrofitting actions that have to be financed as a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]