Construction Of New Infrastructure Research Articles

Financing infrastructure in Asia through bonds and capital markets

The project finance scenario has changed significantly around the world after the 2008 financial crisis and following the subsequent Basel III recommendations. Project finance loans from commercial banks and financial institutions have largely dried up, leaving it mostly to the export credit agencies and the bilateral and multilateral development banks to provide the institutional credit. Unfortunately, those sources are not enough, given the huge needs for construction of new infrastructure and renovation of the old ones across Asia, Africa and Latin America. The need for capital markets, through market listed financial products across asset class, unlocking a large part of domestic and corporate savings, has never been felt as strongly before. This article seeks to analyze the development story of various Asian capital markets and examine financial products, which have succeeded in their short history in receiving investor interest. The article also delves into the challenges to market development, policy imperatives and the issues relating to market liquidity and credit rating, which are the most significant influencers for public market float and investor interest.

Pipeline shore crossing approaches in Arctic conditions

The development of the Arctic region will entail the construction of new infrastructure, in particular, subsea pipelines. Considering the lack of actual field practice, ecosystem vulnerability and lack of common Arctic international standards, their development will be a big challenge, in particular, in the shore crossing zone. The design and construction ofpipelines in the shore crossing area require a special approach that takes into account environmental and technological aspects of development. This work is aimed at analysing and determining environmental and technological factors influencing the design of offshore pipelines in the Arctic coastline. The paper presents theoretical and analytical work and the research isapplied to a specific case study (pipelines from the Leningraskoye field to shore), through engineering calculations. Currently, there are five Arctic projects with shore transition areas for which trenching has been implemented. In order to determine the best shore crossing approach, it is important to consider the following environmental conditions: ice encroachment; ice ridges; shoreline erosion; permafrost thawing. Environmental characteristics should predetermine the choice of approach. Among three existing methods: trenching, tunnelling and horizontal directional drilling (HDD), the micro-tunnelling method is recommended for the Leningradskoye field in combination with a cofferdam corridor to protect the buried pipe from waves and ice in the nearshore area. In order to protect the surrounded permafrost from melting seasonal cooling-device is recommendedto be used. The burial depth is determined to be more than 3.52 m in accordance with Force model calculations of ice ridges scouring depth. On the basis of research, the general choice-making diagram was proposed for Arctic shore crossing areas.

Assessment of Insurance Company’s Roles in Ethiopian Construction Industries

Presently, Ethiopia has relatively an extensive program of infrastructure development and it is growing faster. The construction of new infrastructures, high rising buildings, energy and water work projects, airfields etc. are among the major construction activities. Construction insurance plays an increasingly important role in guaranteeing the success of projects. However, insurance sometimes does not receive the attention for it. Construction risks are uncertain events or conditions that may have an adverse effect on the construction projects. Due to this, this research amid to assesses the insurance practice, the problems and challenges encountered while implementing in Ethiopian construction industries. Questioners were designed and both cense and judgmental sampling techniques were applied. The study finds out most of the contractors are willing to buy insurances for their vehicles and plants and has no awareness about other types of construction insurances like third party and contractor’s all risk insurance coverage. On the other hand, insufficient documentation and low level of awareness of customers towards the benefit of insurance, financial and professional shortages are challenges that insurance companies faced. As a result, Ethiopian government should create awareness about insurance and formulate enforcing law that enables using of insurances for all construction works. Keywords: - construction, contractors, insurance, risk, role DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-3-03 Publication date: March 31 st 2020

Pipeline shore crossing approaches in Arctic conditions

The development of the Arctic region will entail the construction of new infrastructure, in particular, subsea pipelines. Considering the lack of actual field practice, ecosystem vulnerability and lack of common Arctic international standards, their development will be a big challenge, in particular, in the shore crossing zone. The design and construction of pipelines in the shore crossing area require a special approach that takes into account environmental and technological aspects of development. This work is aimed at analysing and determining environmental and technological factors influencing the design of offshore pipelines in the Arctic coastline. The paper presents theoretical and analytical work and the research is applied to a specific case study (pipelines from the Leningraskoye field to shore), through engineering calculations. Currently, there are five Arctic projects with shore transition areas for which trenching has been implemented. In order to determine the best shore crossing approach, it is important to consider the following environmental conditions: ice encroachment; ice ridges; shoreline erosion; permafrost thawing. Environmental characteristics should predetermine the choice of approach. Among three existing methods: trenching, tunnelling and horizontal directional drilling (HDD), the micro-tunnelling method is recommended for the Leningradskoye field in combination with a cofferdam corridor to protect the buried pipe from waves and ice in the nearshore area. In order to protect the surrounded permafrost from melting seasonal cooling-device is recommended to be used. The burial depth is determined to be more than 3.52 m in accordance with Force model calculations of ice ridges scouring depth. On the basis of research, the general choice-making diagram was proposed for Arctic shore crossing areas.

Analysis of Technical Condition of Local Roads Drainage in the Czestochowa Region

Abstract Local roads (district and municipal) play an important role in the road network, especially in rural areas. In recent years, these roads have been largely repaired, which was often associated with the construction of new infrastructure. One of the basic conditions of maintaining the quality of road works is the proper construction or renewal of drainage devices. Errors in this area result in lower durability of the road pavement. It is equally important to maintain these devices later in a good technical condition, which requires spending appropriate funds from local government budgets. The aim of the study presented in the article was to determine the current technical condition of drainage of local roads in the Czestochowa region and to identify the most frequent design and implementation errors, resulting in a rapid loss of functionality of drainage devices. They were based mainly on in situ studies carried out in the area of an exemplary rural municipality. Errors resulting in the lack of continuity of drainage, or the danger of a rapid loss of its functionality are shown with real examples. It was found that despite the shortcomings described, in recent years the technical condition of drainage of local roads has improved, which is related to the systematic overhaul of local roads (including the construction of sidewalks) and the local government's perception of the importance of road drainage problem.

Examining the influences of urbanization on carbon dioxide emissions in the Yangtze River Delta, China: Kuznets curve relationship

Exploring the impacts of urbanization on carbon dioxide emissions is a task that is of great significance in efforts to build low-carbon cities in China. While existing literature has identified links between carbon dioxide emissions and urbanization, the impacts of various mechanisms in various urbanization subsystems (economic, demographic, spatial, and social urbanization) on carbon dioxide emissions remain largely unexplored. This study conducts a comprehensive assessment of the multiple effects of urbanization on carbon dioxide emissions in the Yangtze River Delta, based on city panel remote sensing and statistical data covering the years 1992 to 2013. A stepwise panel data model was applied in combination with environmental Kuznets curve theory, so as to address four aspects of urbanization. The results show that carbon dioxide emissions increased notably in the Yangtze River Delta from 141.01 million tons in 1992 to 1448.28 million tons in 2013, and Shanghai and Suzhou were the largest two emitters in region. The impacts of urbanization on carbon dioxide emissions varied with different subsystems of urbanization. Economic urbanization exerted a positive impact in relation to carbon dioxide emissions with the relation between carbon dioxide emissions and gross domestic product per capita showing a Kuznets curve association. Population urbanization has exerted two opposing effects on carbon dioxide emissions, and population density and the proportion of urban population play a negative and positive role respectively. Spatial urbanization was here positively associated with carbon dioxide emissions, a result of the effects of the construction of new infrastructures and the conversion of existing land uses. Social urbanization demonstrated negative correlations in relation to emissions, mainly by improving low-carbon awareness in the general public. The effects of social consumption were insignificant. In addition, a number of control variables were also estimated to have varied effects on carbon dioxide emissions. The different influences of urbanization must, our findings indicate be considered in the task of formulating emission reduction measures for the Yangtze River Delta. Our analysis casts new light on the importance of exploring the multiple effects of urbanization in relation to emissions, knowledge which is vital to building low-carbon cities.

Urban Heat Island in Kathmandu, Nepal: Evaluating Relationship between NDVI and LST from 2000 to 2018

The term “urban heat island” (UHI) describes increased surface and atmospheric temperatures in an urban core relative to surrounding non-urbanized areas. Although the phenomenon has been studied to a great extent throughout the world, it is less understood for Kathmandu, Nepal. This study used the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) 8-day product (MOD11A2) to evaluate land surface temperatures (LSTs), the MODIS-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) 16-day product (MOD13Q1) to quantify land surface characteristics, and the MODIS annual land cover classification product (MCD12Q1) to identify major land cover classes. We evaluated the spatial correlation between significant changes in LSTs and NDVI between 2000–2018. Overall, urban (permanently developed areas) LSTs were consistently greater than non-urban (forests and dynamic agriculture lands) LSTs; however, the rate of increase in temperature was higher outside the central Kathmandu developed urban area. Furthermore, significant changes in NDVI values over time were more widespread and not always spatially coincident with significant changes in LST values, particularly for forested land areas. These results provide insight into systematic planning of open and green areas, construction of new infrastructure in peripheral areas, and highlight the challenges in applying traditional UHI conceptual models to rapidly developing urban areas such as Kathmandu, Nepal.

SEHATI PROGRAMME: Building the capacity of local government to implement, sustain and scale up STBM and sanitation marketing in Indonesia

Despite the Ministry of Health’s National Sanitation Strategy (STBM) initiated in 2008 to reduce the spread of diarrheal diseases, Indonesia still suffers from open defecation, as the dominant part of the rural population does not have access to improved sanitation services with only 57% As a consequence of too much focus on meeting the MDG sanitation targets, most government programmes tend to concentrate on construction of new infrastructure (STBM pillar 1: stop open defecation). In addition to this, more priority seems to have been given to the quantity of facilities rather than their quality in the long run. The result is infrastructure that deteriorates to a level that can no longer provide access to safe sanitation facilities to those who are normally using the facilities. Therefore, in 2016, Sustainable Sanitation and Hygiene Programme for Eastern Indonesia (SEHATI) was designed, in a consortium reuniting Simavi and 5 local partners. The overall goal of SEHATI is to achieve district wide – access to, and utilisation of, sustainable and improved sanitation and hygiene facilities, and to contribute towards the government’s target of providing universal access to WASH for all by 2019. SEHATI aims to strengthen the capacity of the local authorities at district, sub-district and village level to implement a sustainable STBM 5 pillars in the community in order to achieve the national goal of universal access in2019. The programme supports the central and local governments on sustaining and scaling up STBM 5 pillars by creating an enabling environment. SEHATI works with national and local authorities as well as private sectors in 7 districts in Eastern Indonesia. To achieve the goal, Simavi works together with 5 local NGOs to implement the programme. The local partners are the catalyst for change by building the capacities and systems of the district government responsible for STBM implementation. District governments are equipped to take the lead in planning, budgeting and monitoring STBM interventions. Subsequently, the district team increases the capability of sub-district government and Primary Health Care to plan, budget, promote and monitor STBM 5 pillars at village level. After that, the district and sub-district team assist the village government in planning, budgeting and implementing STBM 5 pillars in the communities. When the capacities are enhanced, local actors are more likely to replicate and scale up the STBM throughout the districts. Seven intervened districts are able to issue STBM 5 pillars related regulation to ensure that the programme is implemented properly in their area. District governments have capacity to oversee the plan and budget for STBM during planning processes. In addition, STBM team has been established at district, sub-district and village level to execute the programme thoroughly. As a result, at the end of 2017, more than 500.000 people at intervened villages have knowledge on STBM 5 pillars13 out of 210 intervened villages have been declared 100% STBM. Although SEHATI works at government level to sustain the implementation of 5 pillars of STBM, measuring the impact of this programme may take several years. Staff rotation and political issues at district and village level often hamper the process of the programme. Similarly, government bodies have their own priorities programme so to some extent STBM has lack of attention. Therefore, to realize the ambitious goal of achieving universal access in 2019, it is necessary advocate for STBM 5 pillars practises at national (POKJA AMPL) and district level (i.e. head of districts). SEHATI PROGRAMME: Building the capacity of local government to implement, sustain and scale up STBM and sanitation marketing in Indonesia

MULTI-METHOD MODEL FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Management practices have a direct impact on the cost of capital used for financing the operations and maintenance of existing infrastructure on a concurrent basis with planning and constructing new projects. This paper identifies best management practices that can improve credit rating, which in-turn theoretically lowers the interest paid on debt. As a result, these best management practices lower the weighted average cost of capital used to maintain existing assets on a concurrent basis with the construction of new infrastructure. As a practical example, this paper identifies the best management practices from the perspective of municipal credit rating agencies in the United States. The current research then constructs a deterministic integer programming model based on these best management practices. The deterministic model is part of multi-method model that will be mathematically embedded into a system dynamics model that can then be used as a facilities management plan. The facilities management plan aims at lowering the weighted average cost of capital for maintaining existing assets while planning and constructing new infrastructure. While the multi-method model is based on municipal credit rating in the U.S., the research goal is to nevertheless show how a system dynamics model is used to implement best management practices that are generally accepted as economically sustainable worldwide.

Tracking trachyte on the Roman routes: Provenance study of Roman infrastructure and insights into ancient trades in northern Italy

AbstractRoman colonization of northern Italy during the late Republican Age brought about significant building activity in the newly acquired territories, involving the construction of new infrastructure that demanded large amounts of stone. Trachyte of the Euganean Hills was among the most commonly used materials for building roads, bridges, forum squares, and aqueducts. This paper addresses the recognition of the provenance quarry of Euganean trachyte used in Roman public infrastructure in northeastern Italy. Petrographic features and major‐ and trace‐element composition of bulk rock and phenocrysts, analyzed by X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICPMS), were used as provenance tracers. The provenance determinations allow for exploring the commercial, political, and economic dynamics involving the supply of trachyte for public works, and the management of Roman quarries, which likely were in competition with each other and separately controlled by the most important nearby cities. Finally, broad insights into ancient trades in northern Italy and the main routes of stone distribution are discussed: most transport was done by ship, being more rapid and less costly, taking advantage of the Adriatic Sea, the Po River, and the many waterways close to the Euganean quarries.

Infrastructure stability surveillance with high resolution InSAR

The construction of new infrastructure in largely unknown and difficult environments, as it is necessary for the construction of the New Silk Road, can lead to a decreased stability along the construction site, leading to an increase in landslide risk and deformation caused by surface motion. This generally requires a thorough pre-analysis and consecutive surveillance of the deformation patterns to ensure the stability and safety of the infrastructure projects. Interferometric SAR (InSAR) and the derived techniques of multi-baseline InSAR are very powerful tools for a large area observation of surface deformation patterns. With InSAR and deriver techniques, the topographic height and the surface motion can be estimated for large areas, making it an ideal tool for supporting the planning, construction, and safety surveillance of new infrastructure elements in remote areas.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR MIDDLE INCOME EXPATS IN QATAR: STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTING LIVABILITY AND BUILT FORM

Qatar is making large investments for the development of the urban fabric and public transport systems of Doha (i.e. the Msheireb downtown Doha, the Doha metro, and the Lusail light rail transit). It has also already been publicly announced that the population has undergone markedly faster growth over the past few years. According to data from the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS), the population grew over 5% each year, between 2008 and 2013 and then 12.5% between December 2012 and November 2013 (2.05 m). This large increase in the population growth is the result of expatriate workers arriving to Qatar for the construction of new infrastructure and buildings underway in advance of the 2022 World Cup. A massive influx of foreign labor, namely another half-million blue-collar workers, technicians, and managers, is expected to be recruited. Also, due to the fast growth of the population, real estate agencies highlighted the need to build more affordable housing in Doha. This paper argues that, for the construction of residential complexes in the Islamic city of Doha, livability and integration of new developments within the existing urban fabric are criteria to be evaluated and considered. A method centered on the interpretation of the pre-existent context is proposed: the old urban fabric is a source of generative ideas and design principles, which are embedded into the historical layering of design concepts.

Carbon as a Metric of the Human

In this article, carbon management is framed as a domain in which active reflection on the uncertain significance of climate change takes material form in the construction of new infrastructures of carbon accounting and carbon markets. “Carbon” refers not to a chemical, per se, but to an imaginative space of global atmospheric relations rendered material. The historical ontology of carbon and atmosphere together form a distinctive global medium, as I describe. The atmosphere as medium is manifest in the informational spaces of digital platforms meant to do work on the human subjects of climate change. I describe the carbon accounting practices of two Beijing‐based enterprises that are involved in building out the infrastructure of carbon accounting for the purpose of decarbonizing Chinese industry. Carbon is at the center of a contemporary formation that is imaginative, materialist, heavily quantified, and oriented toward the technical modification of human affairs. It supposes that humans as planetary agents have become significant in terms of collective activity that is historically recent, highly unequal, and global in scope. The human is configured not as a biological species, such as in debates on “life itself” or distinctions between humans and other species, or even in terms of an essential humanity that can provide the transcendent bonds of a moral community. Rather, carbon accounting formulates the human ecologically and geologically with an eye toward imagining the future forms these relations might take. Hence, climate change has identified the human as a contemporary problem with particular urgency.

Integration between electric vehicle charging and micro-cogeneration system

In the near future the diffusion of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) could play an important role in the reduction of emissions and oil dependency associated with the transport sector. However this technology could have a big impact on the electric network because EVs require a considerable amount of electricity. In order to meet the growing load due to the diffusion of EVs, the construction of new infrastructures will be required. The introduction of micro-cogeneration systems could represent a key factor in the reduction of the negative effects on the electric network related to EVs charging. The EVs are often driven during the day and recharged during the night; so the overnight charge of the EVs allows to reduce the amount of electricity exported to the grid. In this way the economic benefits associated with the introduction of micro-cogenerator system (Micro Combined Heat and Power, MCHP), that depend on the economic value of the “produced” electricity, can be improved. At the same time the impact of EVs charge on the electric network can be reduced when electricity is provided by MCHP.In this paper the interaction between an MCHP system, the EV charging and a typical semidetached house is investigated by means of dynamic simulations. The analysis is carried out in two different locations (Torino and Napoli) in order to evaluate the effects of climatic conditions on the system performance. A parametric analysis with respect to the daily driving distance of the EV is carried out in order to highlight the effect of this parameter on the simulation results. Furthermore two EV charging strategies are analyzed in order to maximize the share of self-consumed electricity.The results state that operating cost reductions of the proposed system with respect to the reference one up to 60% can be achieved. Moreover the optimized charging strategy, with respect to the normal one, allows to decrease the operating cost of a percentage up to 11%.

Meeting the water and sanitation MDGs: a study of human resource development requirements in Tanzania

In the Tanzanian water and sanitation (WatSan) sector, the human resource (HR) requirements for meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets have so far been relatively unknown. This study was therefore conducted with a focus on determining HR requirements in the public sector and parastatal institutions, in the private sector (private consultancy companies, individual contractors, etc.), and in non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations active in the broader water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector. The competences assessed were: design and construction of new infrastructure, operation and maintenance (O&M), community mobilization, sanitation, and hygiene promotion. The study found a greater HR shortage in rural areas than in urban areas. The smallest HR need is for social development professionals (estimated at 320 in the urban areas). In the water supply and sanitation sectors, the average number of water supply engineers that will be required to achieve MDGs is estimated at 3,864, compared to the sanitation sector, which will need 637 engineers. In terms of the demand for competences in the water supply sector, the highest need is for O&M professionals (7,589) and the lowest for mobilization professionals (447). The study recommends increasing the HR supply in the WatSan sector through the following measures: increasing support for training institutions offering relevant courses in WatSan; focusing on skills required for asset management and O&M; and giving specific attention to HR capacity development in small towns and rural areas.

The 1963 Vajont Landslide: 50th Anniversary

This editorial is intended to bring to our minds the 50th Anniversary of the Vajont Landslide occurred on 9 October 1963 at 10.39 pm in Italy, in the Dolomites of Friuli, on the borders of the Veneto Region and about 100 km north of Venice. A mass of approximately 270–300 million m of rock and debris collapsed into the reservoir generating a wave that over-topped the 261.6 m high double curved arch dam built across a V-shaped gorge (Fig. 1). The flood wave dropped into the Piave Valley destroying the town of Longarone and other villages nearby. More than 2,000 people (the real number is not known) were killed. The Vajont landslide is considered to be one of the most catastrophic slope failures and is an outstanding and valuable reference case history for the study and back analysis of the complex instability mechanisms which generally characterize deep-seated landslides and rock slopes. This dramatic event is also of particular importance for the understanding of the influence of mountainside reservoirs on the stability of the adjacent slopes, when deep-seated landslides are present which were not disclosed or fully investigated at the design stage. At the same time, interest stems from the need to find the most appropriate investigation techniques to be adopted at the design stage, including suitable numerical modelling methods to be used for the analysis of instability modes and simulation of the interaction between the rock mass and the new infrastructures to be built. Also the re-analysis of the available database on the triggering and subsequent propagation of the landslide may shed light on monitoring methods—with conventional and advanced technologies— used as key components of hazard assessment. This is of particular relevance for those countries where the need for energy and development leads to the construction of new infrastructures, including dams, of unprecedented sizes. It is noted that this editorial is only intended to remind us what is considered to be the starting point for the development of modern Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, when in rock as well as in soil, according to Terzaghi ‘we were over-stepping the limits of our ability to predict the consequences of our actions’ (Hoek 2007). With the intent to account for the most recent and updated studies on the Vajont landslide, the Editor has asked the help of Professor Paolo Paronuzzi from the University of Udine who, together with his research group, has been and is carrying out a comprehensive research project on different aspects and debated questions still posed on the Vajont catastrophic landslide.

Degradation of cultivated bench terraces in the Three Gorges Area: Field mapping and data mining

Due to resettlements, construction of new infrastructure, and new land reclamation the rapid agricultural changes in the Three Georges Area (TGA) in Central China are expected to force the degradation of the cultivated terraced landscape. Consequently, increased soil erosion can hamper a sustainable land management in the mountainous TGA. This paper presents the model framework TerraCE (Terrace Condition Erosion) for determining the causes for different terrace conditions and terrace degradation based on field surveys and spatial data mining. For a total of 987 bench terrace plots in the Xiangxi catchment we collected data on their state of maintenance and terrace design to account for terrace stability and thus capability of soil conservation. Assessing the driving factors of terrace degradation was done by embedding terrain-based predictors and distance-transforms of remote-sensing data as indicators of environmental and anthropogenic influences. Random forests classification and regression models were applied for data mining. Terrace degradation in the Xiangxi catchment is obvious. The sequence of degradation ranges from ‘well maintained’ (21%), ‘fairly maintained’ (44%), and ‘partially collapsed’ (23%) to ‘completely collapsed’ (11%) terraces. The cross-validation error of the supervised TerraCE model is below 8%, allowing for reasonable and valid interpretations of the causes of terrace degradation. Data mining reveals indicators for anthropogenic effects such as the distance to settlements or to roads as major drivers for the spatial distribution of terrace conditions. The effect of relief, which can be regarded as the major natural driver for terrace degradation by erosive action is tributary but altered and overlaid by land use dynamics associated with the Three Gorges Dam. An important indicator representing a combined effect of terrain and human activity is the distance to stream channels of different orders. Applying TerraCE we reveal mechanisms of terrace degradation in disturbed environments and present a framework for standardized mapping and analysis of terrace degradation under cultivation. The approach might also be used to develop guidelines for terrace planning in mountainous terraced landscapes of limited carrying capacity, with respect to socio-economic as well as environmental conditions.

Investing in Ontario's Infrastructure for Economic Growth and Prosperity

This paper documents the potential employment and other value-added benefits of infrastructure investments in Ontario. In particular, it details the impact of infrastructure investment as a counter-cyclical fiscal policy tool. A review of the recent literature reveals that infrastructure investment serves both as a tool for job creation and as a stimulus for the economy as a whole. During recessionary times infrastructure investments have been able to boost the economy and have served as a primary job creation tool, especially when the private sector investments have dried up. At the same time, these investments have produced the infrastructure necessary to support future economic growth. Published research also revealed that the input-output models have been the preferred tool to capture the relationship between infrastructure investments and their impact on economy. Thus, the primary aim of this paper is to illustrate the impact of infrastructure investment on job creation, GDP, and tax revenue in the Province of Ontario using an input-output model. The paper documents the results of a simulation exercise, using an input-output model of the Ontario economy based on a 2008 industry structure that estimated the economic impact of a $12-billion public sector (government) investment in non-residential building and engineering construction in Ontario. This infrastructure investment is estimated to have a $38.4-billion impact on the province’s economy. The $12-billion investment would create an estimated 203,000 jobs (person-years of employment) in the provincial economy, generate an estimated $10 billion in employment income and increase the provincial GDP by an estimated $18.5 billion. This investment would also generate an estimated $668.7 million in corporate taxes and $161.2 in personal income taxes. When the impacts are normalized to a $1-billion stimulus, the IO simulations revealed that during the 2008 recessionary period in Ontario, every billion dollar invested in non-residential building and engineering construction would create almost 17,000 new jobs. Of those, the model estimated 3,050 jobs in direct impact, 2,850 jobs in indirect impact, and 11,000 jobs in induced impact. These benefits are in addition to the longer term direct benefits of infrastructure investments that would result from the use of new or rehabilitated infrastructure. For instance, a $12-billion investment in transportation infrastructure could result in a significant improvement in accessibility and mobility in the region, and related improvements in labour and business productivity. The above-mentioned monetized impacts of infrastructure investments, however, are above and beyond the positive impacts on accessibility and productivity. Finally, the paper reviews transportation infrastructure plans for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and discusses the investment tools identified recently by various agencies. The paper concludes that public-private partnerships for infrastructure development will promote greater use of private capital in the construction and development of public infrastructure. User fees and those taxes that are likely to modify consumer behaviour are recommended as the preferred tools for revenue generation to support the construction of new infrastructure. We recommend that sufficient funds should be made available for infrastructure development and renewal in Canada to maintain the competitiveness of Canadian businesses. The opportunity cost of not spending now reduces the productive capacity of the economy in the future, especially when public capital investments in infrastructure have the potential to generate immediate and substantial productivity gains.

Changes subsequent to infrastructure investments: Forecasts, expectations and ex-post situation

The effects of investments in infrastructure on local and regional economic development have long been the subject of scientific debate. An issue in this debate is whether the construction of new infrastructure between core and peripheral regions induces economic benefits in these regions or not. Most of the studies that assess these benefits are ex-ante forecasts, whereas far less ex-post studies are known.In this paper we contribute to this debate by analysing the ex-ante and ex-post effects of the Westerscheldertunnel in the Netherlands which opened in 2003. This analysis was possible because various ex-ante studies about the effects of the tunnel were made before it was opened. Also, after the opening some surveys were held (including one by the authors). The analysis shows that changes subsequent to the opening of the Westerscheldetunnel are relatively small. This is in line with existing literature on similar cases. However, the ex-ante studies did forecast larger effects, particularly an increase in employment. Also, the effects that businesses expected were different from what they experienced. Their expectations were either too pessimistic or too positive.

Energy management system for a PV assisted conventional vehicle

In this paper, a novel algorithm is proposed, for effective energy management of a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle, consisting of a photovoltaic (PV) source and battery also to power its electrical load. It offers a more practical and eco friendly solution of fossil fuel consumption reduction as compared to presently available alternatives such as electric/hybrid electric vehicles as it does not require construction of new infrastructure or replacement of current vehicle fleet. Effective control coordination among PV source, internal combustion (IC) engine connected rotating generator and battery is achieved during dynamical switching of the load between PV source, engine and battery. The DC bus voltage is maintained constant irrespective of variations in engine speed, PV power and load. Battery current control and maximum power point tracking of PV array is also carried out along with calculation of estimated fuel saving obtainable from the proposed system. Extensive MATLAB/Simulink simulations establish the satisfactory performance of the proposed energy management algorithm and controllers.