Application of neural network for the prediction of eco-efficiency

Abstract

This paper presents the application of neural networks in the design process of new technologies taking into account factors such as their influence on the environment and the economic effects of their implementation. The use of neural networks allowed eco-efficiency assessment of technologies based on highly reduced number of descriptive design parameters, which are very difficult to collect at the conceptual design stage. The great diversity of technologies involved along with the small number of available examples made difficult to construct a neural model and demanded careful data preprocessing and network structure selection. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.