Brussels Capital Region Research Articles

Monitoring Urban-Freight Transport Based on GPS Trajectories of Heavy-Goods Vehicles

For designing transport policy measures, it is crucial to base decisions on evidence-based insights regarding transport flows and behavior. This paper introduces practical indicators for urban transport, which can be derived from large collections of GPS trajectories of heavy-goods vehicles. The indicators framework enables cities, municipalities, and regions to gain insights into the urban transport activities in their region. We motivate our indicators based on the objectives and action plans described in the strategic plan for goods traffic of the Brussels-Capital Region in Belgium. We provide a case study on data collected from the on-board units of heavy-goods vehicles, which became mandatory in Belgium as part of its dynamic road-pricing scheme in 2016. This paper contributes to the exciting new capabilities that are obtained through GPS trajectories data and the possibilities this offers for smart cities at the tactical, operational, and strategic level.

Participatory Action Research for the Development of E-Inclusive Smart Cities

The growing emphasis on citizens and private and public stakeholders within smart cities demands approaches where these actors are seen as participants in the decision-making process with their own experiences, wants and needs for sustainable smart city strategies. Gaining insight into their experiences with technologies is essential for the successful deployment of inclusive smart city solutions. We propose PAR4P (Participatory Action Research for the development of Policies) as an approach to enhance collective participation from diverse stakeholders enabling the development of bottom-up and e-inclusive smart city policies. This paper provides a detailed description of the PAR4P approach and applies it to the development of an e-inclusive smart city masterplan for the Brussels-Capital Region.

Immigration and adolescent health: the case of a multicultural population

ObjectivesPrevious research indicates that the impact of immigration on health tends to be specific as it is influenced by many factors such as life stage and host country. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between immigration and adolescent health within the multicultural context of the Brussels-Capital Region in Belgium. Study designThe study was based on the 2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey. The sample consisted of 2962 adolescents from the fifth grade of primary to the last grade of secondary schools in Brussels. MethodsAssociations between health indicators and immigration status were analysed using multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics. ResultsNatives, first-generation immigrants, second-generation immigrants with both parents born abroad and second-generation immigrants with one parent born abroad represented 19%, 23%, 36% and 22% of the respondents, respectively. Sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviours varied according to immigrant status. Young immigrants were more likely to present overweight (odds ratio [OR] first-generation immigrants vs. natives = 1.76 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 1.16–2.65]; OR second-generation immigrants with both parents born abroad vs. natives = 2.06 [95% CI = 1.41–3.02]; OR second-generation immigrants with one parent born abroad vs. natives = 1.69 [95% CI = 1.12–2.56]). This effect turned out to be partially explained by sociodemographic status and health-related behaviours. No association was detected between immigration and self-rated health and multiple recurrent symptoms. ConclusionsDiscrepancies in health behaviours and weight status were identified between adolescents of different immigration background, whereas this was not the case for well-being. Socio-economic status, cultural characteristics and specific behaviours partly explained these findings. Future research is needed to better understand immigration-related risk and protective factors, at individual and school levels.

Heat risk assessment for the Brussels capital region under different urban planning and greenhouse gas emission scenarios

Urban residents are exposed to higher levels of heat stress in comparison to the rural population. As this phenomenon could be enhanced by both global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and urban expansion, urban planners and policymakers should integrate both in their assessment. One way to consider these two concepts is by using urban climate models at a high resolution. In this study, the influence of urban expansion and GHG emission scenarios is evaluated at 100 m spatial resolution for the city of Brussels (Belgium) in the near (2031–2050) and far (2081–2100) future. Two possible urban planning scenarios (translated into local climate zones, LCZs) in combination with two representative concentration pathways (RCPs 4.5 and 8.5) have been implemented in the urban climate model UrbClim. The projections show that the influence of GHG emissions trumps urban planning measures in each period. In the near future, no large differences are seen between the RCP scenarios; in the far future, both heat stress and risk values are twice as large for RCP 8.5 compared to RCP 4.5. Depending on the GHG scenario and the LCZ type, heat stress is projected to increase by a factor of 10 by 2090 compared to the present-day climate and urban planning conditions. The imprint of vulnerability and exposure is clearly visible in the heat risk assessment, leading to very high levels of heat risk, most notably for the North Western part of the Brussels Capital Region. The results demonstrate the need for mitigation and adaptation plans at different policy levels that strive for lower GHG emissions and the development of sustainable urban areas safeguarding livability in cities.

Mapping Spatiotemporal Data to RDF: A SPARQL Endpoint for Brussels

This paper describes how a platform for publishing and querying linked open data for the Brussels Capital region in Belgium is built. Data are provided as relational tables or XML documents and are mapped into the RDF data model using R2RML, a standard language that allows defining customized mappings from relational databases to RDF datasets. In this work, data are spatiotemporal in nature; therefore, R2RML must be adapted to allow producing spatiotemporal Linked Open Data.Data generated in this way are used to populate a SPARQL endpoint, where queries are submitted and the result can be displayed on a map. This endpoint is implemented using Strabon, a spatiotemporal RDF triple store built by extending the RDF store Sesame. The first part of the paper describes how R2RML is adapted to allow producing spatial RDF data and to support XML data sources. These techniques are then used to map data about cultural events and public transport in Brussels into RDF. Spatial data are stored in the form of stRDF triples, the format required by Strabon. In addition, the endpoint is enriched with external data obtained from the Linked Open Data Cloud, from sites like DBpedia, Geonames, and LinkedGeoData, to provide context for analysis. The second part of the paper shows, through a comprehensive set of the spatial extension to SPARQL (stSPARQL) queries, how the endpoint can be exploited.

Estimates of the HIV undiagnosed population in Belgium reveals higher prevalence for MSM with foreign nationality and for geographic areas hosting big cities

IntroductionIncreasing our knowledge on geographic areas and key populations most affected by HIV is essential to improve prevention and care and to ensure a more focused HIV response. Here, we estimated the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infections in Belgium and its distribution across geographic areas and exposure groups.MethodsWe used surveillance data on newly diagnosed HIV cases and a previously developed back‐calculation model to estimate number and prevalence rates (per 10000) of undiagnosed HIV infections by exposure group at national and subnational levels. Belgium consists of three regions: Flanders, Brussels‐Capital Region and Wallonia. We produced estimates for Brussels‐Capital Region and Wallonia. For Flanders, we produced estimates for two sub‐regional areas: the province of Antwerp and the other provinces, because Antwerp is the second largest city after Brussels. Population sizes were determined using data from the Belgian Statistical Office and surveys on sexual behaviour and drug use.ResultsIn Belgium, in 2015, an estimated 2818 (95% confidence interval: 2494 to 3208) individuals were living with undiagnosed HIV, that is, 15% of individuals living with HIV. The Brussels‐Capital Region and the province of Antwerp, which host the two biggest cities, accounted for ~60% of the undiagnosed infections, and had the highest undiagnosed prevalence rates per 10000: 12.0 (9.4 to 15.3) and 7.4 (5.6 to 9.8) respectively. Individuals with foreign nationality accounted for 56% of the total number of undiagnosed infections, and were the most affected populations in all areas in terms of undiagnosed prevalence rates. Specifically, men who have sex with men (MSM) with non‐European nationality were the most affected population in the province of Antwerp (853.4 (408.2 to 1641.9) undiagnosed infections per 10000), the Brussels‐Capital Region (543.9 (289.1 to 1019.1)), and the other provinces of Flanders (691.7 (235.5 to 1442.2)), while in Wallonia, it was heterosexual women with Sub‐Saharan African nationality (132.2 (90.6 to 178.5)).ConclusionsGeographic areas hosting the biggest cities in Belgium accounted for the vast majority of undiagnosed HIV infections and individuals with foreign nationality were the most affected, especially MSM with non‐European nationality. This should be accounted for when tailoring prevention and testing programs. Furthermore, MSM with foreign nationality require more attention in Belgium, and certainly more generally in Europe.

Making space for a more foundational economy: The case of the construction sector in Brussels

Although often embroiled in speculative urban development processes, the construction sector is in many ways fundamental to the social reproduction of the city and the functions it hosts. Moreover, in many contexts, a large and increasingly international labor force underpins the sector. Despite its ambiguity, the construction sector has received little attention from policy makers and academics alike, thereby rendering its mundane, yet fundamental role in the reproduction of the city invisible. Meanwhile, there is much more policy and academic interest in propelling industries, innovative sectors, finance, and knowledge-intensive business services. Work on global cities has made clear that such strategies often reinforce competition and that the expected trickle-down effects are left wanting. This paper claims that the “overlooking” of certain economic sectors by academics as well as by policy makers is a consequence of a rather narrow definition of what constitutes the economy and results in a restricted way of practicing urban economic development. Through reframing the definition of the economy, using the inspiring strand of thinking of the Foundational Economy Collective and connecting this to the older urban-base-and-non-base-economy debate, this paper aims to explore opportunities for broadening the practice of urban economic development. It takes the construction sector in the Brussels Capital Region as a case study, arguing that scholarship should make discursive and physical space for more mundane urban sectors and suggesting a set of policy strategies to support the grounded character of the Brussels construction sector.

Is Mental Health a Predictor for a Smooth School-to-Work-Transition? A 20-Month Follow-Up Study of Brussels Youth

The Brussels Capital Region knows consistently high youth unemployment already since the 2008 Great Recession. In that context, the aim of this paper is to investigate if the mental health status of young urban labor market entrants affects their school-to-work-transition in the subsequent 20 months. The study is based on a primary data collection among Brussels’ youth in the transition from education to employment (2015; 18- to 29-year-olds; N = 540) combined with administrative follow-up data of 20 months between 2015 and 2017 (N = 540). Labor market trajectories during the follow-up period consisted of combinations of the following states: ‘unemployed’, ‘employed’, and ‘participating in active labor market policies’ (i.e. coaching, training and internship). Based on the combinations of these states, our results revealed 6 different school-to-work-trajectories: ‘unemployed’; ‘stable employment’; ‘delayed employment’; ‘unemployed with guidance’; ‘set back to unemployment’ and ‘drop-out’. A multivariable multinomial logistic regression showed that men in ‘delayed employment’ had significantly poorer mental health than those in ‘stable employment’. In conclusion, our results showed that there is an association between mental health when entering the labor market and the type of school-to-work-transition.

Rethinking the Impact of Urban Form in Sustainable Urban Planning Policy

This paper examines how urban form affects the sustainable development of cities. It look at the case of Brussels, a city and a region with a very distinctive position in Belgium and in Europe, where public and political institutions have developed together detailed management plans to ensure the responsible management of the city in environment, social and economic terms. The paper first examines the concept of urban form and its constituent features. It then analyses two main questions: How can urban form indicators be integrated in decision-making process for sustainable urban planning? What urban development priorities are in place in Brussels-Capital Region and how do they impact the urban form development of the city? By proposing an analysis on the notion of urban form in Brussels-Capital Region, this paper intends to equip designers and decision makers with a better overview the type of city environmental strategies that can be deployed in the early stages of urban development projects. Keywords: Urban form, Density, Polycentric, Brussels-Capital Region, Policy development

360-OR: A Novel Genetic Syndrome of Early-Onset Diabetes, Microcephaly, and Epilepsy Due to Homozygous YIPF5 Mutations

Neonatal diabetes is caused by single gene mutations affecting fundamental β-cell function pathways. 20% of cases of neonatal diabetes remain genetically unexplained. Our aim was to explore the genetic basis of a syndrome characterized by neonatal diabetes, microcephaly and epilepsy, present in 2 unrelated patients. The Turkish and Indian patients were born to consanguineous parents. Using whole genome sequencing, we found that they had homozygous likely deleterious variants (missense, p.(Ala181Val) and in-frame deletion p.(Lys106del)) in YIPF5. We then performed replication studies in 112 patients with neonatal diabetes by targeted next generation sequencing. These identified 2 homozygous YIPF5 mutations (p.(Trp218Arg) and p.(Ile98Ser)) in 3 patients (2 siblings) with early-onset diabetes, epilepsy and microcephaly. In functional studies, YIPF5 was expressed in human islets and fetal brain cortex, as evaluated by qPCR and in situ hybridization. Because YIPF5 is involved in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi trafficking, we examined the impact of YIPF5 loss-of-function on β-cell survival during ER stress. YIPF5 was silenced in the human β-cell line EndoC-βH1 and in human islets. YIPF5 silencing sensitized β cells to apoptosis induced by the ER stressors thapsigargin and brefeldin A. The ER stressors enhanced CHOP, BiP and spliced XBP1 expression in YIPF5-depleted cells, indicating increased ER stress signaling. Expression of the proapoptotic proteins PUMA and DP5 was also enhanced by YIPF5 silencing. CHOP and DP5 knockdown partially protected YIPF5-deficient cells from apoptosis, suggesting that they mediate apoptosis. In conclusion, homozygous loss-of-function mutations in YIPF5 are a novel cause of early-onset diabetes, microcephaly and epilepsy. This syndrome unveils a critical role of YIPF5 and ER-to-Golgi trafficking in the function and survival of human β-cells and neurons. Disclosure M. Lytrivi: None. E. De Franco: Other Relationship; Self; Novo Nordisk Foundation. K.A. Patel: None. M. Igoillo Esteve: None. C. Cosentino: None. M.N. Wakeling: None. B. Haliloglu: None. M. Yildiz: None. T. Godbole: None. A.T. Hattersley: None. M. Cnop: None. Funding Fonds Erasme for Medical Research; European Union (667191); Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique; Brussels-Capital Region Innoviris

СОВРЕМЕННЫЙ ЗАРУБЕЖНЫЙ ОПЫТ МЕСТНОГО ГРАДОРЕГУЛИРОВАНИЯ ПРИРЕЧНЫХ ТЕРРИТОРИЙ

At present, the problems of local urban regulation of the riverine territories are becoming increasingly relevant for Russian Federation. The article describes the main issues of organization the local self-government in Russia. The modern foreign experience of local urban regulation of the riverine territories in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, Belgium (Walloon region, Flemish region and Brussels-Capital Region), the Netherlands and Poland are studied. Possible options for such regulation are described: governmental organizations, community projects, local development strategies. Strategies are carried out through the formulation and development of ideas at the local level and the filing an application in search of cooperation with the municipality and private business. Options for local participation in the development of riverine areas are considered. An example is given of the “Leader” method based on cooperation of the state, public, private and non-profit sectors, which form a local development group, a local action group for the development of territories along the river Göta älv in Sweden. Municipal strategy of landscape interests in the city and around the city of Aalborg (Denmark) is analyzed. A brief description is given to the Weser River Basin Community (The Flussgebietsgemeinschaft Weser (FGG Weser)) in Germany. Examples of existing inter-municipal non-governmental projects in Poland and activities aimed at unlocking the tourist and cultural potential of riverine areas of Vistula river are studied. Conclusions on the possibility of forming a single inter-municipal authority that will coordinate the development of the riverine territories are drawn.

Identifying the most relevant peers for benchmarking waste management performance: A conditional directional distance Benefit-of-the-Doubt approach

The paper demonstrates that the outcome of the robust and conditional directional distance version of the BoD model not only contains information on the overall efficiency score and rank, but also enables a region to identify its genuine peers, disentangle the overall effect of the background conditions on the performance and assess one’s relative strengths and relative weakness vis-à-vis its most relevant peers when evaluating its municipal solid waste management. We illustrate how this information can be retrieved from the outcomes of DEA/BoD based efficiency and performance benchmarking studies by applying the methodology to the case of the Brussels Capital Region. The results show that Freiburg Hamburg and the province of Limburg are in general the most interesting peers for the Brussels Capital Region. In addition, the analysis reveals that Freiburg is identified as the most instructive peers if the region is interested in improving its composting and recycling rate.

Developing a modeling tool to allocate Low Impact Development practices in a cost-optimized method

Nowadays there is a need to overcome the effects caused by rapid urbanization with more innovative methods. Recently, source control approaches, known as Low Impact Development (LID), are being used by urban planners to cope with water-related problems due to their cost-effectiveness and reliability. To do this, allocation of LID techniques in most suitable locations is done by introducing a new modeling tool called LID locator to the WetSpa-Urban software package and tested in the Watermaelbeek catchment situated in the Brussels capital region. In the first step, almost half of the catchment is eliminated from the implementation of LIDs by considering only pixels with high runoff. Also, by considering the sewer network behavior, the total area of high potential pixels for implementing LID is reduced to the range of 37% and 10% of the entire area of the catchment for different scenarios. In the next step, the selected area is further eliminated by use of suitable location algorithm based on size and other installation limitation of each type of LID. Then, the results are used as an input for the newly developed cost-optimization tool. In the end, the best scenario (10-year design storm with the current state of sewer network) is selected based on their performance in surface runoff volume reduction and the total cost. As a result, maximum flow and total volume at the outlet is reduced by 21 and 8% for the most cost-optimized scenario in January and February 2015. In addition to considering sewer network performance, land characteristics and LID installation limits for LID implementation, producing maps indicating the most cost-efficient locations and combinations for LIDs and visualizing them through the GUI make this tool a user-friendly product. This tool was applied to this case study in Brussels however it is applicable for other urban catchments.

Implementation at a city level of circular economy strategies and climate change mitigation – the case of Brussels

Within the framework of the 2015 Paris Agreement and the increased acceptance of circular economy (CE) principles of national and local governments, it is essential to study the potential effect on climate change of CE-strategies implemented on an urban scale. The present research quantitatively assesses the potential impact of these strategies on primary material footprint (MF) and carbon footprint (CF) of households in areas an urban area, using the case of Brussels Capital Region (BCR), Belgium. Because the CE-strategies are linked to consumption domains, this assessment first calculates both footprints of consumption domains using a city-level input-output analysis and discusses the relationship between the footprints. The findings show that the carbon footprint of BCR in 2010 was 22 Mt CO2-eq. or 20.3 t/cap. The material footprint of BCR in 2010 was 31 Mt or 29.5 t/cap. Important insights are that BCR relies on its hinterland for 98% of its primary materials and 83% of the region's greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) are emitted outside of its territory. The household consumption domains of food, housing and transport were identified as hotspots in both footprints. Within these domains, we calculated and discussed the potential impact on both footprints of CE-strategies on consumption or production of food, mobility and housing. Results from this case show that with these strategies Brussels could mitigate 25% of its CF and 26% of its MF, 18% of its CF and 26% of its MF, and 7% of its CF and 10% of its MF, respectively. The methodology and insights could therefore support authorities and policy-makers to effectively develop coherent and consistent action plans on consumption domains to improve resource efficiency and reduce the GHGs, simultaneously.

Homeless and inadequately housed people in the Brussels-Capital Region

On 5 November 2018, Centre d’appui au secteur de l’aide aux sans-abri organised the fifth census of homeless and inadequately housed people in the Brussels-Capital Region. The results from this census supplement a study which has been ongoing for ten years. This article presents the methodology used and the main trends observed. It also proposes some elements for analysis which could shed light on the evolution of the phenomenon.

Spatial mismatch, education and language skills in the Brussels metropolis: an analysis

Spatial mismatch, where job seekers do not live where jobs can be found, can be an important barrier on the labour market, especially for vulnerable groups. In this study we look at the role that spatial mismatch plays in the Brussels metropolis. Using an improved benchmark, the distance-weighted spatial mismatch index, that also considers location-driven mismatch, we compare the spatial mismatch between the high- and low-skilled labour market and the labour market for the low-skilled with and without language skills. In the largest possible definition of the Brussels metropolis, results show a spatial mismatch of up to 50 % larger for the low-skilled, in comparison with the high-skilled. For the low-skilled without language skills, the spatial mismatch is 115 % higher than for the low-skilled with language skills. This difference is mainly due to a relative surplus of low-skilled job seekers (without language skills) in the Brussels-Capital Region and a relative shortage in the first belt of municipalities around the Region.

The transformation of demographic structures and the geography of Europeans in Brussels between 2000 and 2018

In 2018, European Union nationals represented 275 000 individuals in the Brussels-Capital Region, i.e. 23 % of the population domiciled there. This is the result of the continuous increase in the number of people in this group between 2000 and 2018, linked to significant immigration from the new member states, the continued growth in the number of French nationals and the resumption of emigration from southern Europe from 2008 onwards. In geographical terms, the presence of Europeans was strengthened between 2000 and 2015 in the south-east of the inner urban ring, although at the same time, the significant increase in the number of Polish, Romanian and Bulgarian nationals has contributed to increasing the European presence in certain neighbourhoods in the western part of Brussels.

What can procurement information tell about environmental impacts of freight transport?

Abstract Transport of goods and services increasingly contributes to traffic growth and congestion problems in cities, with significant environmental consequences. Public institutions such as the police, academic institutions, municipalities, administrations and ministries are large organisations that initiate a considerable number of freight flows and service trips (Balm et al. 2016). They could act as a as a key launch actor for innovative and more sustainable urban freight transport solutions. This requires insights into the freight flows and service trips generated by public institutions and their environmental impact. To obtain this insight, this research is based on two case studies consisting of developing a Delivery and Services Plan (DSP) for the buildings of the Regional Administration of the Brussels Capital Region and for the main campus of a university. As there is often little freight transport information in internal procurement data, many DSPs were made mostly based on on-site data collection (Transport for London, 2013; Leonardi et al., 2014; Dambly et al., 2016). However, these methods are time consuming, especially for comparison over time or between organizations (Balm et al., 2016). In addition, understanding accurately freight transport generation requires to understand the procurement and purchasing processes (McLeod et al., 2015). The contribution of this research consists thus of exploring what procurement information are needed internally in an organisation to grasp fully the consequences of its procurement on freight transport in cities and hence on the environment. The existing and suggested procurement data to assess and monitor freight performance and their environmental impact are examined from the perspective of vehicle-kilometre, which is the feature of urban freight transport with connections to noise pollution, local air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, traffic congestion and accident-related fatalities and injuries (Browne et al., 2012). The elements investigated to calculate vehicle kilometres are physical vehicle visits, distances travelled and numbers of stops.

Un cas de leptospirose acquis dans la banlieue de Bruxelles

Un cas de leptospirose acquis dans la banlieue de Bruxelles

Scaling out access to land for urban agriculture. Governance hybridities in the Brussels-Capital Region

This paper unravels the key governance tensions stemming from the scaling out and up of the access to land for urban agriculture. A hybrid governance approach - showcasing interrelated organizational, resource and institutional governance tensions - is used to shed light on: (a) the ways actors mobilize and build networks to address the land-resource governance; (b) the ways these actors experience and attempt to tackle diverse land-resource constraints; (c) the institutional responses to the land question and the challenges to address the land-resource governance at higher spatial-institutional scales. The hybrid governance approach is used to analyze an empirical case study – the Boeren Bruxsel Paysans (BBP) coalition – a network of actors aiming to implement urban agriculture and enhance local food networks in the Brussels-Capital Region (BCR). The analysis of the BBP’s case clearly shows that scaling out the access and use of land for urban agriculture represents a sensitive and contentious governance issue not only at the local, but also at the Regional and at wider spatial-institutional scales. Learning from the hybrid governance analysis, this paper highlights valuable directions for a more sustainable governance of the land-resource. These directions include: a) building reflexivity in the mode of operating of relevant institutions and jurisdictions; b) improving connectivity among diverse spatial-institutional scales; c) sustaining cross-organizational and cross-jurisdictional cooperation.