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6 R&D Gaps and Opportunities
Pages 31-34

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From page 31...
... This not only helps researchers investigate the problems that decision makers face, but it also helps with the "pull" mechanism so that the knowledge has a waiting audience. Some participants noted that this is an important function for boundary organizations -- institutions that are accountable to the scientific community and end-users, and can specialize in translating knowledge into formats so that it is more readily absorbed and locally accessible.
From page 32...
... At an individual technology level, biomimicry research can be applied to make technologies more efficient based on natural processes, such as passive heating and cooling in buildings. Participants also noted that industrial ecology principles can be applied to make an urban area less wasteful, and as participants had suggested throughout the day, there is a need for additional data to better understand these resource flows and monitor them in real time.
From page 33...
... Some participants suggested that the research community should consider how much data are "enough," since there are costs associated with compiling and analyzing all of this data, not all of which ares directly relevant to decision makers' needs. Urban areas could also benefit from an evaluation template, some participants suggested, or a common set of guidelines and objective measures/indicators that would: A)
From page 34...
... As other participants noted, such usersupported approaches may not be rigorous enough for some applications, but it would at least provide an initial venue for place-based research and knowledge to be exchanged Finally, spurred in part by the last panel discussion on decision makers' needs, a few participants remarked that more research was needed to understand the incentives that can foster change in an urban area. Local budgets may not allow for major expenditures with long-term payoff, so participants wondered aloud if this can be overcome through lifecycle costing, or better communication with citizens.


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