**3. Methodology application**

The present section illustrates the interface of the developed MC-SDSS tool based on the methodology framework explained in the previous section (Section 2). As mentioned before, this tool is an interactive plug-in in GIS environment, which has been adapted from an existing urban planning tool called CommunityViz. The developed MC-SDSS tool supports the stakeholders in urban energy planning through participatory and collaborative processes. It helps make better decisions by expressing the stakeholders' preferences and their conflicting objectives.

Stakeholders can define different decision assumptions and visualize on the fly how the changes may affect environmentally, economically, technically and socially the future scenarios. This dynamic process helps urban actors to negotiate in order to make better decisions [17]. Moreover, it helps facilitate an understanding of the complex problems such as UIEP [19]. Within this tool, many presentation features are available to assist in sharing information with the users including maps, alerts and charts. In these views, stakeholders can ask 'what-if' questions and visual-

Multi-criteria Spatial Decision Support System for Urban Energy Planning: An Interdisciplinary…

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CommunityViz Scenario 360 is selected for this study due to its several strengths. It helps analyze and understand the potential alternatives and their impacts through visual investigation and scenario analysis. Moreover, it creates a real-time experiment with different scenarios, changing the assumptions quickly and viewing influences on changes. Furthermore, it engages stakeholders in participative and collaborative decision-making processes through visualization and interactive media [21]. All aforementioned strengths lead to stronger con-

**Figure 4** shows the interface of Scenario 360 modeled for the case study of Settimo Torinese. Particularly, the tool consists in building dynamic attributes, which are changeable based upon:

• Data: dynamic data layers create new or add existing layers to the Scenario 360 analysis geodatabase. An important feature is that it provides a dynamic data about features on a map that can be performed by formulas. Therefore, when one aspect changes, the software

• Assumption: slider bars or tables let change assumptions during analysis. Using the assumptions, the stakeholders can express their preferences and decisions. When an assumption is changed, all associated formulas with that assumption are automatically

• Indicators: formula-driven analysis results that are updated automatically while the analysis is performed. Indicators can show the outcome of one or several dynamic attributes.

The stakeholders can experiment their preferences and decisions altering the slide bars. Consequently, they can visualize and analyse the impact of their decisions over different energy retrofitting scenarios. The impact of different scenarios is then visible through different charts, maps and indicators. The tool provides the ability of comparison among different

This chapter summarizes the overall conclusion and relative limitation for each phase of planning. In particular, this work creates a link between energetical, economical, societal, technical and environmental performances of retrofitting interventions. The research boundaries were delineated by focusing on existing residential building stock since they characterize the

ize 'if-then' scenarios in a real time and discuss it very quickly and effectively [20].

sensus and better decisions in resolving complex problems.

recalculates the entire analysis.

recalculated within the scenario.

scenarios and indicators.

**4. Conclusion**

#### **3.1. An interactive MC-SDSS tool**

All the phases were integrated in order to create a new MC-SDSS tool. This tool uses CommunityViz, which is an ArcView modular GIS-based decision support system developed by the Orton Family Foundation (http://www.communityviz.com). The above-said tool is able to integrate different types of data such as scripts, numbers, 2D maps, 3D visualization and raster in a real-time and multidimensional environment [17]. CommunityViz encompasses two main components as extensions to ArcGIS: (i) Scenario 360 to map and analyze and (ii) Scenario 3D to visualize. Conceptually, Scenario 360 can be described as a spatial spreadsheet allowing for calculations on spatially related data and formulas that call standard GIS functions [18]. Since each formula, assumption and dependency is viewable and editable, there is not any 'black box' element to a model defined in Scenario 360 [18].

CommunityViz Scenario 360 adds interactive analysis tools and a decision-making framework to the ArcGIS platform with which stakeholders can understand the planning processes easily.

**Figure 4.** CommunityViz interface; the case study of Settimo Torinese.

Stakeholders can define different decision assumptions and visualize on the fly how the changes may affect environmentally, economically, technically and socially the future scenarios. This dynamic process helps urban actors to negotiate in order to make better decisions [17]. Moreover, it helps facilitate an understanding of the complex problems such as UIEP [19]. Within this tool, many presentation features are available to assist in sharing information with the users including maps, alerts and charts. In these views, stakeholders can ask 'what-if' questions and visualize 'if-then' scenarios in a real time and discuss it very quickly and effectively [20].

CommunityViz Scenario 360 is selected for this study due to its several strengths. It helps analyze and understand the potential alternatives and their impacts through visual investigation and scenario analysis. Moreover, it creates a real-time experiment with different scenarios, changing the assumptions quickly and viewing influences on changes. Furthermore, it engages stakeholders in participative and collaborative decision-making processes through visualization and interactive media [21]. All aforementioned strengths lead to stronger consensus and better decisions in resolving complex problems.

**Figure 4** shows the interface of Scenario 360 modeled for the case study of Settimo Torinese. Particularly, the tool consists in building dynamic attributes, which are changeable based upon:


The stakeholders can experiment their preferences and decisions altering the slide bars. Consequently, they can visualize and analyse the impact of their decisions over different energy retrofitting scenarios. The impact of different scenarios is then visible through different charts, maps and indicators. The tool provides the ability of comparison among different scenarios and indicators.
