SHERPA Project Research Articles

Improving schools performance based on SHERPA project outcomes: Valencia case (Spain)

The European SHERPA project aims to share knowledge for energy renovation in buildings by public administrations. The EU Energy Performance in Buildings Directive (EPBD) recast, indicates the necessity of transforming EU buildings into Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB). Each Member State transposes differently the EPBD, usually based on European norms like Spain did. The generated knowledge about improving performance and transforming public buildings into nZEBs, is applied here to schools, according to the Spanish transposition.SHERPA, among other buildings, has audited four schools sited in the Valencia Region (Spain, Southern European Country). The paper starts describing, briefly, the general auditing protocol devised by SHERPA. Particularly, one school was chosen out of the four to illustrate the protocol and was converted into a nZEB. This school led to the most unexpected and outstanding results, although the trends were shared among all the audited schools.Finally, based on the results, the paper suggests some recommendations to the policy makers about the practical definition of nZEB and financial instruments to engage this nZEB challenge for schools.

DIGITAL ENERGY SIMULATION OF BUILDINGS PROTECTED BY MUNICIPAL HERITAGE POLICIES IN THE FRAMEWORK OF ENERGY RENOVATION PROJECTS

Abstract. The energy simulation is a key tool when designing renovation actions on buildings. In the framework of the InterregMed SHERPA project, bound to trigger and manage energy renovations in public buildings, the digital analysis of an educational building affected by the municipal heritage protection has been carried out. The building is the CIPFP Blasco Ibáñez, catalogued as a monument of local interest in Valencia (Spain) city planning, where the heritage value of its facades (main and interior), roof and internal spatial structure is identified.The methodology used consists in performing an energy audit of the building in order to be able to customize a digital energy model. By means of an hourly dynamic energy simulation tool, the current status of the building and its systems can be determined, and energy renovation actions can be outlined. The use of digital analysis tools is of utmost interest in buildings declared as municipal heritage sites since enables the study to be performed in a non-intrusive manner. Several points of energy improvement are identified. There are some actions that can be performed without affecting parameters protected by the heritage status, and some others which need to be modified in order to be compliant with it. Furthermore, the digital analysis through energy simulation tools also allows to perform detailed calculations about the energy, environmental and economic savings associated with the measures. The assessment has proved the need to promote research and testing of new solutions and technologies to improve the energy efficiency of heritage buildings.

Safety Case Activities in SHERPA Project

Safety Case Activities in SHERPA Project

Uwzględnienie czynnika ludzkiego w analizie bezpieczeństwa procesu zarządzania zasobami ludzkimi

The present article is based on the findings of scientific research conducted within the FP7-GALILEO-2011- GSA-1 project, acronym SHERPA (Support ad-Hoc to Eastern Region Pre-operational Actions in GNSS”[1]). The implementation of novel techniques and technologies triggered the requirement for preparation of a safety case, while generating a scientific problem of how this should be done. The working hypothesis adopted was verified both theoretically and empirically, while the obtained results allowed the development of a new model for assessing risks related to the implementation of satellite techniques and technologies for the purposes of aviation, upon which the safety case was built. The model was adopted at the international forum during the SHERPA project workshops (Eurocontrol and GSA). This article discusses only issues related to human factors, which are essential for the Safety Management System (SMS) and the subject of permanent certified trainings in the aviation industry. The model was developed which underwent positive empirical verification and became the subject of training offered to the Staff of the Voivodeship Inspectorate of Road Transport, for the first time in Poland. Based on scientific research conducted and its results, it can be concluded that the implementation of organizational, technical or legał solutions requires the safety case to be built using the model presented herein. Additionally, human factors training is an indispensable SMS element and it should be applied to every sphere of human activity, particularly those involving human resource management

Fostering New Roles for Librarians: Skills Set for Repository Managers — Results of a Survey in Italy

The open access movement in scholarly communication has grown considerably over the last ten years and it has driven an increase in the number of institutional repositories (IRs). New professional roles and skills had to be developed to secure effective IR management. Collection developmente expertise and metadata curation are regarded as strategic roles for repositories and therefore it is only logical for the library and information community to take on the responsibility for managing these digital archives. However, it has become clear that traditional librarian skills do not suffice anymore to run successful repositories. A richer set of skills is needed, including management and communication skills, technical skills, and expertise with regard to access rights and preservation of digital content. Referring to the work carried out by the SHERPA Project in the UK with regard to the skills set for repository staff, the authors performed a survey among repository managers in Italy to assess the educational and professional background of the repository managers and the skills set required to implement successful institutional repositories. The survey findings show that the professional profile of the repository manager is a multiform and complex one. It requires cross-functional and highly specialised competencies. Italian repository managers are of the opinion that the skills required to promote the repository within the institution and those required to deal with copyright issues as the most essential skills repository managers should acquire and be trained for. Collection development and metadata expertise, familiarity with project management and expertise in repository workflow design are also highly rated. Technical skills are needed to deal with interoperability standards and protocols. In Italy academic curricula do not meet the repository managers’ educational needs. Academic programmes should be developed to include communication, project management and team work skills and pay more attention to copyright issues. Until that time repository managers will have to spend a considerable part of their working lives on professional training and self-directed learning.

An Innovative Shared Preservation Service: The SHERPA-DP Project: Securing a Hybrid Environment for Research Preservation and Access - Digital Preservation

This paper will provide insights into an innovative preservation environment being developed by the SHERPA-DP project. SHERPA-DP, led by the UK Arts and Humanities Data Service (AHDS), builds on the work of the original SHERPA project and aims to create a collaborative, shared preservation environment for e-prints repositories framed around the OAIS Reference Model. The project brings together a number of academic institutional repository systems with the existing preservation repository established by AHDS, to create an environment that fully addresses the requirements of the different phases within the life cycle of digital information.