Damascus University Journal for Sustainable Planning
A specialized peer-reviewed scientific periodical journal, concerned with publishing original, high-quality research and studies in the field of sustainable planning. The journal aims to enhance scientific knowledge and provide a platform for researchers and specialists to present their research results and creative ideas that contribute to developing sustainable planning concepts and achieving balanced development environmentally, socially and economically. ISSN (Online): 3079-6083
The role of artificial intelligence methods in enhancing the work of Energy infrastructure networks in industrial cities - A case study –the industrial city in Hasiya
The global economy is witnessing a radical shift from the existing development model towards the sustainable development model, in order to remedy the dangerous effects that resulted from traditional development models. In this field, artificial intelligence applications are one of the approaches that have a role in promoting sustainable development. The research highlights the operation of energy infrastructure networks and facilities in industrial cities and their importance in governing the work of the network and enhancing its sustainability, as smart energy management systems based on artificial intelligence can help industrial cities in raising the efficiency of energy demand, reducing costs, and reducing artificial environmental impact, and thus integrating intelligence The energy infrastructure networks in industrial cities holds great potential to enhance operational efficiency, sustainability and resilience. The research aims to develop a special methodology to enhance the work of the energy network in the industrial city of Hassia by evaluating the indicators of the work of this network. To achieve this, a questionnaire was designed directed to a sample of experts in the industrial city, and the results of the research were concluded with an analysis of the work of this methodology before and after its application. And special recommendations to serve decision-makers and those responsible for the planning process.
Copyright (c) 2025 Damascus University Journal for Sustainable Planning
The role of sustainable digital communities in accelerating urban recovery
Today's cities are witnessing an acceleration in the pace of changes accompanying their urban fabrics resulting from the time stages they have gone through, starting with their constant need for development and reaching their rapid response to emergency conditions such as wars and pandemics and the resulting emergency interventions put pressure on urban fabrics with services. that worked to quickly solve emergency problems in the short term, but were the main reason for the accumulation of spatial problems in the long term; With the development of the time factor and the increasing need of cities to achieve sustainable development goals and raise their ability to keep pace with the global trend in digitization processes and artificial intelligence applications, it was necessary to provide a supportive tool that is mainly based on burdening the pillars of local communities with the basic pillars of digitization processes specific to digital communities and working to interrupt each of them to achieve flexible local communities that have the ability to raise the efficiency of their urban links and enhance their acceptance of various emerging changes in the city and keep pace with various emerging developments in it, which in turn is the supporting basis for accelerating urban recovery processes. As a result of the above, the research aims to find a research tool that identifies the basic pillars that local communities need to increase their ability to accept digitalization processes and artificial intelligence applications in preparation for accelerating urban recovery processes in the city.
An analytical study of land use in conditions of climate change in the Arab world
The research mainly aimed to conduct a standard analysis of land uses in order to determine the relationship between land uses and climate changes in the Arab world during the period extending from 2000 to 2020. Therefore, remote sensing technologies and geographic information systems were used to determine the points of forests, pastures, and seasonal rain-fed crops that were most affected. climate change, especially the frequency of rainfall, Therefore, climate data on the rainfall rate was collected at those points, and secondary data on land use was collected, such as the area of forests, the area of pastures, and the area of rain-fed seasonal crops, which were obtained from the annual statistics book issued by the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, and the data was entered into Eviews 12 statistical program to study the stability of time series and the relationship between the studied variables and find the most appropriate standard model to estimate the predictive equation. The results showed the importance of building standard models based on remote sensing technologies and geographic information systems in land use analysis, in order to determine the relationship between land use and climate changes in a real and logical manner. The research concluded that the ARDL model is optimal for determining the relationship between the study variables, which led to the absence of A co-integration relationship between the area of forests and the rate of rainfall, and the same applies to pastures. On the other hand, there is a co-integration relationship between the area of rain-fed seasonal crops and the rate of rainfall, at the points of distribution of those crops that represent the Arab world, there was a general (negative) effect represented by the inverse effect of the rainfall rate (Rscr) on the area of rain-fed seasonal crops (SCR), and this is what the long-term relationship expressed. There was also a seasonal (fluctuating) effect within the framework of the short-term relationship, as the effect of the rate Rainfall (Rscr) in the area of seasonal rain crops (SCR) is inversely/directly, and based on it, the area of seasonal rain crops was predicted for the years 2027 and 2030, which were estimated at approximately 1936.20 and 2160.77 thousand hectares in the Arab world.
Using multi-criteria spatial analysis to identify potential water harvesting locations
Water resources are one of the most important requirements for building societies and one of the basic components of development, especially in arid and semi-arid regions due to the limited rainfall and its distribution and the lack of water availability in light of the increasing population growth and the declining quality of water resources due to various pollution factors. Therefore, the integrated management of these resources has become extremely important to maintain water security in order to avoid future crises resulting from water shortages in quantity and quality. From this standpoint, this research aims to find sources of water by exploiting the available surface runoff using water harvesting technology, by introducing a number of factors affecting water harvesting in the study area, which are: slope, rainfall, geological structures, soil, and drainages. Depending on the opinions of local experts, the importance (weight) of each influential factor was obtained through the hierarchical analysis method, and using geographic information system techniques, processing, analysis, and weighted linear combination of the maps representing these factors were carried out. As a result, a suitability map of water harvesting sites in the studied area was obtained, which was divided into three sectors (high, medium, low) after excluding inappropriate sites from the map such as wells, faults, and cities. The results reached through this research contribute to reduce the gap between available resources and the demand for them in order to achieve sustainable development of these resources
Study of using rubber tires waste as a media in the constructed
Constructed Wetlands are easy to establish, simple to operate, do not need staff or supervisors and can be monitored and managed by one person, in addition to being environmentally friendly as they do not result in any undesirable effects in it. These plants consist of natural materials represented by gravel materials, soil and plants, where gravel materials are placed in the form of layers so that they form the filler in the treatment basins while plants are planted on the surface of the basin to extend their roots later into the gravel filter (the filler material) and absorb pollutants where they are used in their growth, where gravel fillers are placed in the form of layers while plants are planted on the surface of the basin to extend their roots later into those layers, and they absorb pollutants where they are used in their growth. The idea of the research is to study the possibility of using one of the solid waste materials, which is rubber tires waste as a filler in plant basins within constructed wetlands and to consider it as a new medium and vital carrier of flow within those basins instead of the usual gravel filter and compare it with the alternative filler material in whole or in part, that is, by combining the gravels with the rubber pieces and evaluating the efficiency of the alternative filler material in raising the efficiency of treatment and removing pollutants, Thus، this kind of waste are disposed of in an environmentally safe manner or at least reducing their harmful environmental effects. In addition to explore the possibility of creating biological diversity within plant basins in the constructed wetlands by studying the possibility of producing several types of plants. All of this will reflect positively on reducing the cost of treatment, whether by comparing the cost of the alternative filter with the cost of usual gravel filter, choosing the best alternative, saving in the area of the basins, or recycling rubber tires waste, as well as on the environmental aspect and water specifications resulting from treatment.
Comparison Between Some Parts Of Moringa Tree To Remove Turbidity From Water
Because water is one of the basic natural environmental resources for life on Earth, we must preserve it with the lowest percentage of pollutants for life. Therefore, this research aimed to use a natural material to remove turbidity from water, which is the parts of Moringa tree, where a comparison was made between (seed extract, leaf extract, seed extract with leaves) to find out which of them would be better for removing turbidity from water, where synthetic water with turbidity was used. An initial value is 55 NTU, and the extracts were prepared by extraction method using an ultrasonic device and using hexane as an organic solvent in a ratio of (1:10) and at concentrations of these extracts of (10, 20, 30, 40) mg/L. Using a gartest device, fast rotation for two minutes and a rotation speed of 200 rpm, and slow rotation for ten minutes and a rotation speed of 20 rpm, with dif ferent deposition times whose values range between (1, 2, 3, 4) hours. It was found that the optimal concentration for the three extracts was 10mg/L, and that the seed extract with leaves gave a higher efficiency than the leaf extract, and this was higher than the seed extract, as the turbidity values after treatment at this concentration were (4.3,4.87,4.9)NTU, respectively, and The removal efficiency values at the same concentration were (92.16, 91.14, 90.09)%, respectively, after a sedimentation time of four hours, meaning that all moringa parts gave drinking water in terms of turbidity according to the Syrian standard.
Study The Efficiency of Using an Anaerobic Reactor Equipped with Biological Carriers with Constructed Wetlands in Wastewater Treatment
Wastewater treatment technologies have spread that significantly improve environmental performance and helping maintain environmental continuity and sustainability when applied. The most important of these technologies are anaerobic biological treatment and phytoremediation, which is a form of biological treatment. The background of the research emerges by linking two types of treatment technologies (an anaerobic reactor equipped with biological carriers as a primary treatment stage with constructed wetlands as a secondary treatment stage) as a real solution capable of treating raw wastewater at the lowest possible cost. This research aims to evaluate the efficiency of wastewater treatment through these treatment techniques according to local conditions by implementing a pilot treatment plant by relying on reference studies and global experiences that used these techniques as a sustainable option for treatment (from technical and economic aspects). Study the effect of the design parameters for each of the two treatment stages, in the anaerobic reactor (hydraulic residence time, filling ratio of biological carriers, and type of carrier material) and in constructed wetlands (type of flow and type of plant) to reach the best treatment efficiency of this system and the environmental and economic benefits reflected on that. The research will be conducted on the experimental treatment plant at the Faculty of Agriculture at Damascus University as a spatial area for study, and after sampling, the concentrations of pollutants (pH, COD, BOD, TSS) will be experimentally determined. Then analyze the results and link them together in order to prepare a mathematical model linking the organic load and the treatment efficiency of the proposed method, and compare these results with Syrian Standard No. 2752-2008 regarding specifications of treated wastewater for irrigation.
Raising the Efficiency of Fire Management UsingAnalytic Hierarchy Process in Syrian Coastal Region Forests
Natural forests are a precious wealth and a source of true identity that contribute to the preservation of important sites of natural heritage with the possibility of benefiting from them over generations. They are an inexhaustible wealth if they are well managed, organized and protected, the vegetation has a vital role in maintaining the environmental balance and improving the environment and public health, in addition to its economic, protective, aesthetic, recreational, social and educational benefits. Received:18/8/2024 Accepted:7/10/2024 Copyright: Damascus University- Syria, The authors retain the copyright under a CC BY- NC-SA Most of these sites have recently been affected by natural disasters, especially fires that swept across large areas of western Syria and covered a large area from the coastal region to the central region. The losses they suffered appear to be large and extended over vast areas, in addition to the deterioration of the environmental and ecological systems and their imbalance within the region, due to climate change, which combines strong winds with high temperatures. The study aims to choose the best strategy to increase the efficiency of fire management in Syrian Coast Region forests, taking into account the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using Analytic Hierarchy Method (AHP). Deducing the main and secondary criteria necessary to build the decision matrix and developing final strategies to work according to it, based on references and previous studies in the field of research.
Evaluating the reality of the green economy under the war in Syria
As all countries and global organizations make efforts to preserve the environment and establish an economic model that ensures sustainable development, the concept of the green economy becomes clear. The United Nations has defined it as an economy that leads to the improvement of human well-being and social equity while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Like other countries, Syria sought to transition to this economic model at the beginning of the third millennium. However, the war in Syria imposed many challenges that obstructed this transition and caused significant losses across various sectors, leading to a trade balance deficit. Therefore, this research addresses an analysis of these challenges and an assessment of the state of the green economy in Syria across all sectors. It was found that most sectors of the green economy in Syria need development and rehabilitation and face several obstacles, the most significant of which are climate changes, the scarcity of natural resources, and the war, which played the largest role in tightening the noose and imposing sanctions on Syria's economy. Using SWOT analysis, the main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing the green economy in Syria were identified. The research also reviewed the most important international studies and experiences in the green economy that can be leveraged. It concluded with several proposals to exploit strengths and turn weaknesses into areas of growth to advance the economy in Syria while ensuring sustainable development and environmental preservation.
Assessment of underground water reservoirs' vulnerability ‎to pollution in the ‎Ghamka basin in Syria
Groundwater protection begins with assessing the vulnerability of groundwater to ‎contamination. For this purpose, a vulnerability map must be created to indicate ‎areas that are more susceptible to pollution based on hydrogeological ‎characteristics and conditions.‎ The research involves applying four computer methodologies within a Geographic ‎Information System (GIS) environment to study geological, hydrogeological, climatic, ‎land use characteristics, and express them as layers used later in creating a ‎contamination vulnerability map.‎ Groundwater vulnerability maps are a relatively new scientific technique that ‎emerged in the late 1960s and have been used to support land use plans, decision-making,environmental protection measures, and resource management. These ‎maps are considered a standard for groundwater protection.‎ This process is closely related to administrative aspects, political issues, and forms ‎the basis for subsequent discoveries. There is no fixed method due to variations in ‎data availability between different areas. Some methods require spatial distribution ‎of over 10 pa rameters and very precise data.‎ The research is expected to provide various benefits by identifying locations most ‎susceptible to contamination in the groundwater reservoirs in the Ghouta basin, ‎then generalizing the results to similar basins in terms of morphological, climatic, ‎hydrological, and hydrogeological aspects. The model will then be applied to other ‎basins in the Syrian coast, selecting suitable locations for drilling wells away from ‎current sources of pollution.‎ Scientific results of reference studies have shown that using computer mathematical ‎models within the ArcGIS environment saves a significant amount of effort and time ‎in building an accurate groundwater simulation model. The difficulty lies in ‎collecting the data needed for this model, which ranges from aerial images to field ‎data to various details required by the model. It is built on real field data. This ‎research represents new ideas applied in the field of environmental engineering in ‎Syria, even though it is widely used worldwide. It provides a comprehensive view of ‎pollutant distribution in groundwater, if present. The reality of groundwater in Syria ‎requires management to reduce sources of pollution or treat contaminated water ‎and establish administrative plans for its resources.‎
The role of environmental impact assessment of natural resources within tourist sites to achieve sustainable development
The prevailing traditional view of tourism development processes was limited to the presence of any tourist resource or tourism component, but our current time requires looking at everything that is a real, tangible resource. It is important to realize what is present in Syria in terms of natural, geographical and cultural resources because they are a real wealth in any development process, so what if We had many diverse tourism resources that made the process of sustainable tourism development achievable, as it became necessary to have harmony between development and the environment with planning and considering the tourism development process and the negative impact on natural resources and archaeological monuments, in order to reduce pollution and excessive use of natural resources within tourist sites and projects, In addition to the fact that projects within tourist sites depend on the foundations of the ecological environment, such as the availability of stunning views and natural reserves, which requires the preservation of natural resources of water, energy, plants, and natural organisms to ward off any danger of pollution and deterioration problems. This process requires knowledge of the environmental impact occurring and It is evaluated continuously because the performance of the resources within those sites will determine the effectiveness of the sustainable development process, whether it is achieved or not. The research aims to shed light on the role of assessing the environmental impact of natural resources within tourist sites, which is considered an important input in achieving the sustainable development process within many global transformations, environmental, biological, climatic and social studies that limit the role of these resources, study the environmental impacts resulting from human activity that occurs in tourist sites, and set some important points that develop the tourism development process in balance while maintaining the sustainability of resources and reducing their depletion. This research paper will study how to use environmental impact assessment as a tool to develop the development process and preserve resources with a minimum environmental balance.
The impact of adopting artificial intelligence methodologies in enhancing the efficiency of tourism networks in rural areas in Tartous Governorate
Tourism networks in rural areas are vital factors that significantly contribute to enhancing local economic interactions and attracting the attention of various stakeholders. Despite the richness of rural areas in natural and human resources, they still require a developmental strategy to revive and enhance their efficiency in achieving sustainable development. In this context, the role of artificial intelligence applications emerges as a modern, flexible, and essential means to facilitate the func-tioning of these networks, which rely on fundamental factors encompassing continuously changing big data. Recent research has focused on integrating modern technological approaches into tourism development by using artificial intelligence techniques to combine big data technology, build network analysis models, and employ recommendation algorithms in comprehensive tourism analysis. This approach improves tourists' experiences and develops tourism services through its ability to analyze data and use computational intelligence in decision-making. It also aids in cre-ating promotional platforms for large-scale tourist destinations, increasing the efficiency of re-source management, and planning for tourist destinations. This contributes to the sustainable de-velopment of the tourism sector and enhances the attractiveness of tourist destinations. The re-search resulted in a matrix focusing on the importance of establishing a tourism network and the impact of artificial intelligence applications on it. It provided some outcomes that could help identify suitable locations for establishing the network and its hubs, influencing all critical criteria for forming developmental tourism networks. It also transitions to interactive maps that include new tourist products, distinctive industries, and improved resources, offering high-quality tourism services. These networks form a fundamental base for supporting the local economy.
Marketing New Cities Using Artificial Intelligence as a Planning Tool for Urban Development (study case: Marota and Basilia Cities)
This research paper examines the crucial role of marketing in the development of new cities, addressing the gap often observed in projects like Marota City and Basilia City in Damascus. By studying international best practices and exploring the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for planning and marketing, the paper proposes a framework for effective promotion of new cities both before and after implementation.
The Role of Digital Technology in Promoting Sustainable Development
The role of digital technology in sustainable development involves utilizing various tools and innovations to address social, economic, and environmental challenges while ensuring the well-being of current and future generations. Key aspects of the interaction between digital technology and sustainable development include data-driven decision-making, where technology enables the collection, analysis, and interpretation of vast amounts of data. Smart city technologies optimize resource utilization, while digital solutions such as smart grids enhance the management of renewable energy. E-governance fosters transparent and efficient administration. Digital technology facilitates remote education and healthcare, promotes financial inclusion, and enhances precision agriculture. Additionally, climate monitoring tools support adaptation to environmental changes, while global communication fosters idea exchange. However, as digital technology advances, addressing cybersecurity concerns and ethical considerations becomes critical. Overall, integrating digital technology offers opportunities for innovation and efficiency in sustainable development, requiring careful attention to ensure equitable distribution of benefits and minimize existing disparities.
Developing Tourism Development Corridors in the Syrian Coastal RegionCase study in the Syrian Coastal region
The war on Syria has affected tourism, as it has important and unique tourist areas due to its central location, moderate climate, and richness in distinctive antiquities. The Syrian coastal region represents an essential point in supporting the tourism sector and developing it in a sustainable manner that puts the country on the right path to recovery due to its distinguished location with its supervision of the port. It is important, which is the Mediterranean Sea, which makes it an important tourist logistical corridor. It is necessary to supervise its development in a way that suits Syria after the war, which made the indicators of the quality of logistical transport in the region decrease significantly, and after the regional planning project for the coastal region, it is necessary to work on the tourism axis as the main axis that drives the region and thus supports it. For the national economy to achieve sustainable development. Through the research, the current reality of the region was examined, starting with the tourist sites with their various classifications, the efficiency of access to them, and the quality of the land and sea corridors, all the way to the places where tourists stay, and the reality of Lattakia International Airport and the ports. Based on the data, solutions were proposed to develop land transport networks towards the region in a way that is consistent with the planning project for the region. Ensuring the role of pivotal ports and developing access networks in a short time and working to establish an integrated logistical tourist city overlooking the waterfront that includes an advanced transport network commensurate with the requirements of tourists and meeting global transport conditions - developing the quality of the Internet connection network to facilitate electronic communication, communication and payment services - creating an electronic tourist map For the region and linking with external bank accounts to ensure easy flow of funds and smooth payment processes, in addition to organizing exhibition festivals synchronized with the tourism seasons. The research concludes by deducing the current situation of the tourist corridors in the coastal region, while proposing solutions for their sustainable development.
Employing Artificial Intelligence to Enhance the Sustainability of Ecotourism (A case study of Lattakia Governorate)
Eco-tourism constitutes one of the sustainable domains which a lot of the world countries seek to reach in today’s world which witness an environmental awareness that goes in steady steps towards sustainability in all domains. This awareness goes side by side with rapid technological developments which greatly affects in achieving those sustainable steps through the intellectual and practical development in the technological and communication domain and the sub-techniques of the artificial intelligence which have been produced as a result of this development. The objective of this research is to know the role of the artificial intelligence in enhancing the sustainability of the eco-tourism projects in Lattakia governorate. To achieve the goal of the research it has been depended on the analytical descriptive method to describe and analyze the benefits of the investing the artificial intelligence on the sustainable of the eco-tourism projects depending on the techniques of the artificial intelligence represented by mechanical learning, deep learning, neural nets, expert systems, intelligent agents and the genetic algorisms. This study has reached several results the most important of which is that employing the artificial intelligence achieves benefits to the eco-tourism projects like predicting the tourist demand and support the sustainable activities and enhancing the competitive aspect.
Mechanism for Activating Smart Management of Health Services(Case study: Ain Minin town- Rif Dimashq governorate)
Health services represent one of the most important criteria adopted to assess communities' standard of living. The more efficient they are, the better the lives of the individual and society, the lower the rates of premature mortality, the absence of epidemics and deadly diseases. This level of health care can only be available through flexible management systems and sophisticated health systems, which provide for all. As part of its efficiency is linked to the spatial distribution of its facilities, it is one of the topics worth studying in the field of geography and regional planning. Smart management currently contributes to the creation of electronic infrastructure, achieving speed, accuracy, and benefit to beneficiaries of health services institutions, at the lowest possible cost, efforts and expense. By assessing the efficiency of the distribution of health services in the town of Ayn Minin, there was a clear imbalance in the distribution of health services for reasons of population size in the city's neighbourhoods. This has a negative impact on their spatial and functional efficiency. An intelligent management methodology has therefore been proposed to avoid the current traditional system's hindrance. With the availability of cellular networks and computer technologies, smart management can be applied as a synonym or supporter of pre-existing old architecture. What provides access to service for everyone, regardless of the wrong spatial distribution of health sector facilities.
Copyright (c) 2024 Damascus University Journal for Sustainable Planning
Study of the Core Components of Spatial Development Plan Documents to Enhance the Spatial Planning Approach in Syria
Achieving spatial development has become a primary goal for nations to ensure human comfort and well-being. Spatial planning offers a comprehensive view of the economy, environment, and society. This effort is directed towards preparing spatial development plans across all levels (national, regional, and local) to meet desired goals effectively. Thus, the preparation and formulation of spatial development plans must ensure clarity, precision, and feasibility for accurate and effective implementation by stakeholders. This research examines spatial development plans and their preparation mechanisms in various countries. It identifies the components and elements found in plan documents and studies the interrelation and impact of these components on the clarity and decision-making processes of the plans. It proposes a general framework for the core components to be included in spatial development plans, including those in Syria, across different planning levels. Ultimately, the study offers findings and recommendations for preparing and drafting spatial development plan documents.
Advancing Land-Use Dynamics Modeling for Urban Landscape Management: An Artificial Intelligence Approach
Motives: Urban landscapes around the world are confronting unprecedented challenges due to rapid urbanization. These challenges include urban sprawl, the degradation of green spaces, and escalating pollution levels, all of which threaten the sustainability and livability of urban environments. Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into urban planning and management processes emerges as a promising solution to these complex issues, offering a new perspective on modeling land-use dynamics informed by diverse urban contexts. Aim: This research endeavors to develop and refine predictive models for urban landscape management through the application of AI technologies. It specifically aims to analyze three recent studies focusing on Beijing, China; Santiago Metropolitan Area, Chile; and Wuhan, China. By harnessing the capabilities of machine learning and deep learning algorithms, the study seeks to enhance the accuracy, efficiency, and comprehensiveness of land-use dynamics modeling, thereby providing urban planners and policymakers with advanced tools for informed decision-making. Results: The application of AI techniques in land-use dynamics modeling, as informed by the analyses of the three studies, has led to significant advancements in predicting and managing urban sprawl, land cover changes, and their associated environmental impacts. These results emphasize the improved capabilities of AI-driven models to enhance decision-making processes for urban planners and policymakers, contributing to the sustainable development of urban landscapes. Despite challenges such as data scarcity and the need for model adaptability across different urban contexts, the research underlines the transformative potential of AI in reshaping urban landscape management practices, based on insights drawn from the specific case studies of Beijing, Santiago, and Wuhan.
Smart management of Cultural Heritage(A Case Study of the Syrian Arab Republic)
The research aims to develop anassesment tool to evaluate the current state of cultural heritage and examines the role of smart management in enhancing cultural heritage management through modern technology applications such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality, aimed at promoting development and preserving cultural heritage. The research aims to develop strategies to achieve the preservation and development of cultural heritage in Syria, among which the key strategies are: Data analysis and artificial intelligence. Utilizing modern technology such as content management systems, virtual reality. Augmented reality, and information technology. Digital marketing and audience engagement. Enhancing collaboration between cultural institution and technology. Raising awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage. Developing strategies to ensure the continuity of funding for cultural heritage preservation projects. A comprehensive analytical approach was used to study the applications through literature review and case studies. Data were collected. Critically analyzed, and the research reached several conclusions: Confirming the importance of smart management in preserving cultural heritage and enhancing interaction with it. Analyzing the benefits of modern technology in facilitating heritage management processes and achieving a balance between preservation and development. Identifying challenges facing smart management applications such as legal, political, and technological aspects. Providing recommendations to enhance the role of smart management in cultural heritage preservation.
Lessons learned in rationalizing irrigation water consumption to achieve water- food security and enhance environmental sustainability in Syria
The research presents a vision of developing natural resources within the framework of environmental sustainability to achieve food and water security in arid and semi-arid regions in Syria. Providing irrigation water in sandy sites is a major problem, as often most of water are lost either by evaporation or by its seepage down into the subsoil without benefiting of it in the process of plant growth. Therefore, to ensure sufficient water availability to support plant growth, water is compensated by irrigation and this consumed freshwater resources and threaten water security. Various technologies for enhancing the water-use efficiency of irrigated agriculture have been used to control the problem of wasting water, but most of them are expensive and causing environmental problems. Hence, the importance of the research in benefiting from the experiences of Arab and foreign countries in this field, and finding a technology that suits the reality in Syria and satisfy rationalization of irrigation water consumption using cheap and locally available materials. The research aims to highlight the feasibility of using wax-coated sand in achieving the desired sustainable development in arid and semi-arid areas in Syria. Since wax is available as a by-product of the oil refining process, and it is non-toxic material, friendly environmentally, good water repellent and capable to reduce the permeability of sand which is widely spread in Syria therefore it is suitable to reduce irrigation water consumption in sandy sits. The coating process of sand particles with a layer of wax is done by melting the wax and applying it to the sand by using special techniques. In conclusion, the use of wax-coated sand on the surface of sand reducing water evaporation from the upper soil, increasing soil moisture the yield of crops of plants with shallow roots, and this proves the feasibility of using it to provide irrigation water and achieve water security and food security.
Prediction of effluent COD for Homs wastewater treatment plant using neural networks
In this paper the artificial neural networks (ANN) is used for the prediction of chemical oxygen demand. The data used in this research was collected over ten years through the daily records of the Homs wastewater treatment plant. The model was built based on the approval of each of the values of (Q.BOD,COD ,SS ,SS out) as inputs to predict the value of the COD, and the performance of the model was evaluated by adopting an inverse validation error for selecting the best network structure in addition to other differential criteria. The optimal structure of the neural network was determined after a number of attempts and errors, and the results showed a high efficiency of the proposed model algorithms in predicting the value of effluent COD. As a result of this research, a neural network structure was selected to predict the value of the COD indicator which is (5-20-1) using the Hyperbolic Tangent function in the hidden layer and the logistic function in the output layer, the Quick propagation was used as a training algorithm for training, The value of the performance function was 0.05, and the average error value of the three groups was 18.5, the value of the correlation coefficient was 0.71.