UNIVERSITY OF MALTA

UNIVERSITY RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE

Check list to be included with UREC proposal form
Please make sure to tick ALL the items. Incomplete forms will not be accepted.
YES

NOT
APP.

1a.

Recruitment letter / Information sheet for

subjects, in English

1b.

Recruitment letter / Information sheet for

subjects, in Maltese

2a

Consent form, in English, signed by

supervisor, and including your contact
details

2b

Consent form, in Maltese, signed by

supervisor, and including your contact
details

3a

In the case of children or other vulnerable

groups, consent forms for parents/
guardians, in English

3b

In the case of children or other vulnerable

groups, consent forms for parents/
guardians, in Maltese

4a

Tests, questionnaires, interview or focus

group questions, etc, in English

4b

Tests, questionnaires, interview or focus

group questions, etc, in Maltese

5a

Other institutional approval for access to

subjects: Health Division, Directorate for
Quality and Standards in Education,
Department of Public Health, Curia...

5b

Other institutional approval for access to

data: Registrar, Data Protection Officer
Health Division/Hospital, Directorate for
Quality and Standards in Education,
Department of Public Health

5c

Approval from person directly responsible

for subjects:
Medical Consultants, Nursing Officers, Head
of School

Received by Faculty office on

Discussed by Faculty Research Ethics
Committee on
1

X
X
X

Discussed by university
Ethics Committee on

Research

UNIVERSITY OF MALTA
Request for Approval of Human Subjects Research
Please type. Handwritten forms will not be accepted
You may follow this format on separate sheets or use additional pages if necessary.
FROM:
PROJECT TITLE: Delivering Insights through
Mark Vella
Typologies of Place
48, Camivel,
Triq tal-Gurgier
Birzebbugia
TELEPHONE: 21657265
E-MAIL mark.b.vella.10@um.edu.mt
COURSE AND YEAR: Master in Architecture
and Urban Design (2015/16), Year 2
DURATION OF ENTIRE PROJECT:

FACULTY SUPERVISOR'S NAME:

from 21st June 2015 to 29th January 2016

Dr. Edwin Mintoff

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCE:

(include grant or contract number if known)

1. Please give a brief summary of the purpose of the research, in non-technical language.

The research concerns the sustainability of city peripheral development in the Maltese
scenario and how this can be achieved through cultural planning. This research
focuses on the area of Smart City Malta and the surrounding settlements. Contents of
the research would include; the relevant theory and literature; an account of the
historical evolution of the urban-rural areas in Malta; site observation, analysis and
data collection on relevant themes and issues such as land use, urban morphology,
types of open spaces and their qualities, promotion of culture; focused interviews; and
possible interventions. The research investigate how such areas can be developed.

2. Give details of procedures that relate to subjects' participation

(a) How are subjects recruited? What inducement is offered? (Append copy of letter or advertisement
or poster, if any.)

Interviews with technical persons are organized via e-mail to obtain their approval
explaining the subject under study and what information would ideally be required
from them. The interviews are digitally documented. A letter to be sent to subjects is
attached at the end of this document.

(b) Salient characteristics of subjectsnumber who will participate, age range, sex, institutional
affiliation, other special criteria:

Considering the nature of the study and of the site these would be difficult to quantify.
The technical people such as planners, mayors, and those responsible for the running
of Smart City Malta, are potential subjects and interviews would seek qualitative
answers.

(c) Describe how permission has been obtained from cooperating institution(s)school, hospital,
organization, prison, or other relevant organization. (Append letters.) Is the approval of another
Research Ethics Committee required?

The subject have not been approached as yet.

(d) What do subjects do, or what is done to them, or what information is gathered? (Append copies of
instructions or tests or questionnaires.) How many times will observations, tests, etc., be conducted?
How long will their participation take?

Participation would obviously depend on the will of the subject to participate.

Information gathered would deal with people perceptions and beliefs about the site in
question, what uses and amenities should be provided on site, whether or not such
developments are welcomed or not and what elements are mostly sought after. The
interviews are meant to study possible interventions and solutions and document
people perceptions and experience. Attached is a list of possible questions to be asked.

(e) Which of the following data categories are collected? Please indicate Yes or No.
Data that reveals race or ethnic origin

NO

political opinions

NO

religious or philosophical beliefs

NO

trade union memberships

NO

health

NO

sex life

NO

genetic information

NO

3. How do you explain the research to subjects and obtain their informed consent to participate? (If in
writing, append a copy of consent form.) If subjects are minors, mentally infirm, or otherwise not
legally competent to consent to participation, how is their assent obtained and from whom is proxy
consent obtained? How is it made clear to subjects that they can quit the study at any time?

Persons providing technical information need not necessary be daily users of the site.
The subjects are approached via e-mail in order to obtain their consent, explain what
information is required and why their participation would be beneficial. Attached is a
sample letter of consent and the questions will be provided beforehand.

4 .Do subjects risk any harmphysical, psychological, legal, socialby participating in the research?
Are the risks necessary? What safeguards do you take to minimize the risks?

No

5. Are subjects deliberately deceived in any way? If so, what is the nature of the deception? Is it likely
to be significant to subjects? Is there any other way to conduct the research that would not involve
deception, and, if so, why have you not chosen that alternative? What explanation for the deception do
you give to subjects following their participation?

No.

6. How will participation in this research benefit subjects? If subjects will be debriefed or receive
information about the research project following its conclusion, how do you ensure the educational
value of the process? (Include copies of any debriefing or educational materials)

A copy of the dissertation study can be sent to those contacted via e-mail. Any
valuable results, needs for further investigations, and proposals highlighted during the
study might be of value for them.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL IN TERMS OF THE DATA PROTECTION ACT
Personal data shall only be collected and processed for the specific research purpose.
The data shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the processing purpose.
All reasonable measures shall be taken to ensure the correctness of personal data.
Personal data shall not be disclosed to third parties and may only be required by the University or the
supervisor for verification purposes. All necessary measures shall be implemented to ensure
confidentiality and, where possible, data shall be anonymised.
Unless otherwise authorised by the University Research Ethics Committee, the researcher shall obtain
the consent from the data subject (respondent) and provide him with the following information: The
researchers identity and habitual residence, the purpose of processing and the recipients to whom
personal data may be disclosed. The data subject shall also be informed about his rights to access,
rectify, and where applicable erase the data concerning him.

I, the undersigned hereby undertake to abide by the terms and conditions for approval as attached to this
application.

I, the undersigned, also give my consent to the University of Maltas Research Ethics Committee to
process my personal data for the purpose of evaluating my request and other matters related to this
application. I also understand that, I can request in writing a copy of my personal information. I shall
also request rectification, blocking or erasure of such personal data that has not been processed in
accordance with the Act.

Signature:

APPLICANT'S SIGNATURE:
I hereby declare that I will not start my
research on human subjects before UREC
approval

FACULTY SUPERVISORS SIGNATURE

I have reviewed this completed application and I am
satisfied with the adequacy of the proposed research
design and the measures proposed for the protection of
human subjects.

DATE 11th September 2015

DATE 11th September 2015

Return the completed application to your faculty Research Ethics Committee

To be completed by Faculty Research Ethics Committee
We have examined the above proposal and advise
7

Acceptance

Refusal

Conditional acceptance

For the following reason/s:

Signature

Date

To be completed by University Research Ethics Committee

We have examined the above proposal and grant
Acceptance

Refusal

Conditional acceptance

For the following reason/s:

Signature

Date

Focused Interviews with Technical People

Letter of consent sample

Good Afternoon,
I am a student reading for the Masters in Architecture and Urban Design at the
University of Malta. As part of the fulfilment for the course students were requested
to carry out a dissertation research. The research concerns the sustainability of city
peripheral development in the Maltese scenario and how this can be achieved
through cultural planning. I am taking the area of Smart City as a basis for
investigation. Knowing your commitments and possible experiences of the site and
matters related to such development I would like to ask for your opinion on certain
issues related to the site and development. Your responses would be beneficial for
the assessment of the site and the collection of data in this research project. Any
personal data and information will be kept confidential, and anonymous.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Mark Vella
Update invitation letter:
Dear Perit Sciortino,
I am a student reading for the Masters in Architecture and Urban Design at the
University of Malta. As part of the fulfilment for the course students were requested
to carry out a dissertation research. The research concerns the sustainability and
planning of city peripheral development in the Maltese scenario and how this can
be achieved. I am taking the area of Smart City as a basis for
investigation. Knowing your commitments and possible experiences of the site and
matters related to such development I would like to ask for your opinion and
insights on certain issues and challenges related to the site and its development.
Your responses would be beneficial for the assessment of the site and the collection
of data in this research project. Any personal data and information will be kept
confidential, and anonymous.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Mark Vella
Contact List:
ex-Minister Austin Gatt
current MP Claudio Grech
Perit Paul Camilleri
Adrian Mallia (Adi Associates) (Environmental Assessment) (Thursday 10:00a.m.)
Tony Valvo - (Xagjra Mayor)

 Perit Ruben Sciortino (who was/is monitoring the works) (Friday 2:00p.m)
David Sutton (Transport Malta)
Kalkara Local Council (Elaine Caruana)
Ing. Norman Zammit (Current Smart City Manager)
Residents, Shop owners, and users of space

(awaiting reply) (interviewed) (meeting date set)

Sample of Questions
1. The development adopts sustainability practices and
strategies in terms of the building techniques and urban
design practices. Such developments are usually targeted to
balance unsustainable patterns of suburban communities,
retrofitting existing places well-outside main city centres.
How these developments and its effect on the construction
industry, local communities, landscape, heritage and
planning were studied and what lessons can we learn that
can be applied elsewhere? What can be done when there is
a lack of interest from the local community to participate in
participatory meeting and practices?
2. The area is identified as having potential for land
reclamation and increasingly we are realising the important
role that maritime transport, amongst other forms of
transport that can be considered, could play in our local
economy and sustainability of the transportation system,
whilst the cultural heritage could have been assets better
exploited for the benefit of the local community. Could the
built heritage and maritime opportunities have been better
linked with the proposed development?
3. An advantageous characteristic of the IT sector is the
versatility that it can locate itself in remote locations thus
benefiting remote communities that find it hard to access
high held job opportunities, access affordable housing prices
and reduce business operation costs. How was the location
of such development chosen, it is ideal when considering the
demographic characteristics of the region it is built in with
the lack of third level education and poor connectivity to
other urban places?
4. What opportunities retrofitting and investment in declining
areas, infrastructure (road network upgrades waste
management,
employment
provision,
creating
ICT
infrastructure, water and sewage infrastructure etc.), unused
developed exist?
5. What are the challenges that were faced in the design and
planning process? What are the challenges nowadays, since
10

the development did not perform as predicted in the

economic report and now that the first phase is completed?
6. Decentralised system are becoming effective and
technology is being developed and implemented in new
masterplan strategies that aims to contribute towards
reducing CO2 emissions and green house gases. What
energy sources and technology was envisaged, for instance
CHPs, water harvesting techniques, and passive technology?
(resource management, water, energy, waste, use of LEED)
7. Why the land uses and open spaces were organised in
such a way and what influenced such planning decisions?
8.

11

Urban Renewal:
1. How well transport and land use are integrated within each
other? Ease of accessibility via public transport.
2. How effective are the measures taken to promote
sustainable forms of transport? (multimodal transport,
car sharing, bicycle facilities and showers)
3. How legible is the space and proposed development to find
your way around? How successful is the visual and physical
connectivity and accessibility for social contact and
legibility?
4. How successful were mitigation measure to reduce the
environmental impacts of development? e.g the use of
green infrastructure to mitigate green-house gas
emissions, integrate parking spaces within landscaping and
filtrate water flows.
5. How adequate are the seating arrangements and outdoor
microclimate?

Community, Business, Employment and Economy:

1. To what extent do you think community facilities such as
pubs, cafes, play area, recreational and leisure facilities,
school and parks are satisfactory?
2. How the amenities provided can affect the quality of
peoples lifestyle? How healthy lifestyle choices are being
promoted and encouraged, if any? E.g. walkable
neighbourhoods, community facilities provided like gym etc.
3. Cleanliness of the site?
4. Diversity of economic activities?
5. How adequate is the provision of educational facilities?
Does it relate to the type of jobs provided on site?
6. To what extent the accommodation mix reflect the needs
and aspiration of the local community? If there is any?
7. To what extent the tenure mix reflects the needs of the
community?
8. How influential is the provision of broadband access
towards the success of the functioning of the place?
Urban Design:
1. How specific is the design to the scheme?
2. How successful the scheme employed the use of
a. existing buildings,
b. landscape and
c. topography?
3. How much does the scheme feel like a place with local
distinctiveness (type of open spaces and their qualities
inherent to the place? Was this ever used or considered?
12

4. How well are open spaces and streets defined by the

building layout and its organisation?
5. How adequate tall building are for the site?
6. Does the building take priority over the streets and car
parking so the roads does not dominate the environment?
7. Is the parking provision well integrated into the
landscaping so it supports the streetscape?
8. Are the streets pedestrian, cycle and vehicle friendly?
9. Does the scheme integrate with the existing streets,
paths and surrounding development?
10.
Are public space and pedestrian route overlook and do
they feel safe?
11.
Does it enhance civic pride?
12.
Image branding and marketability of the scheme to
attract investment and people.
Design and Construction:
1.
2.
3.
4.

How successfully designed is the public space?

How successful are the management practices put in place?
Do the building exhibit architectural qualities?
Do internal spaces and layout allow for adaptation,
conversion or extension?
5. How advances in construction technology were implemented
to enhance its performance, quality and attractiveness?
6. Do building or spaces outperform statutory minima, such as
building regulations?
7. How successful were the use of LEED certificate and point
system to achieve sustainability? How important was the
use of this tool to achieve sustainable practices?
Resource Management:
1. Utilization of renewable energy sources (localized energy
production etc..)
2. Reuse and recycling of water
3. Heat island effect mitigation measures. (e.g. use of
materials)
4. Effectiveness of louvers and shading devices
5. Effectiveness of indoor ventilation systems and
intelligent lighting control systems to achieve comfort.
6. Effectiveness of onsite waste collection, separation and
recycling
7. Minimization of noise, dust pollution and waste during
construction
8. Landscaping species used stimulates local ecology and
biodiversity.
9. How important it is to implement a food strategy for the
management of produce, ensure marketability, adopt water
efficient techniques for cultivation, promote research
13

initiatives and eco-tourism, sustain

promote the use of organic products?

biodiversity,

and

Planning:
1. To what extent community needs and aspirations were
incorporated within the scheme?
2. The importance of data collection before and after
construction? E.g. eco-auditing and resource consumptions
etc.
3. The adequacy of decentralised systems for water
management, energy and heat generation, and food
production.
4. __
5. __
6. __

14

The Themes:

Employment, Economy, Businesses and Community

Urban renewal: Transport, accessibility and human health and
well-being
Resource Management:
o Water
o Energy
o Waste
o Ecology
o Food
Urban Design
Planning

Goals and Objectives

Theme

Objectives

Goals

Urban Renewal

Transportatio
n and
Accessibility

Integrating transportation system with land

use
Multi-modal transportation systems,
including sea ferries
Provision of bicycle racks and shower
facilities
Provision of electricity charging poles for
electrical vehicles
Resource sharing and carpooling systems
Promote resource efficient transportation
making use of clean energy production
Integrate parking facilities with green
landscaping infrastructure
Retain visual connectivity and accessibility
for social contact and legibility.

Human health
and wellbeing

Create and identify a safe walkable

environment for pedestrian and bicycle
transport to reduce car dependency
Use of intelligent transport system to
monitor consumption and user satisfaction
Using green infrastructure to capture CO2
emissions and create an enhanced
experience
Relate scheme to its context
Create comfortable public seating
arrangements and adequate outdoor micro
climate for staying
Re-use existing brownfield and dilapidated
sites for redevelopment (min 80%
brownfield land)

Theme

Objectives

Goals

15

Employment,
Business,
Economy, and
Community

Community

Create opportunities for community

Promote healthy life style choices

Unleash peoples potential and improve
the quality of their life
Provide broadband access
Provision of communal spaces
Create a network of open spaces, a
hierarchy of open spaces that reflects a
desired social structure
Make community facilities and equipment
accessible for all

Economy

Education
and
Employment

Social cohesion and development that is

fairly distributed across territories
Provision of community facilities, retail and
leisure areas, touristic opportunities, and
healthcare provision
Provision of a stimulating environment that
is clean and inviting as well as tranquil
giving a sense of repose providing pleasant
views
Phasing of development to finance
development from revenues
Create a diverse economy
Project must be feasible and leave a return
on investment
Reduce employee expenses and provision
of services
Provide educational facilities and required
courses for the jobs envisioned to cater for
the local community and help achieve
goals of sustainable development
(exogenous and indigenous resources)
Local and regional forged employment
workforce in construction processes and
jobs created
Achieve 1:1 housing job balance
Development to act as an incubator for
educational opportunities and jobs

Theme

Objectives

Goals

Planning

Planning and
Process

Create an understanding of community

needs and aspiration to deliver good design
and address community needs
Adopted multi-disciplinary approaches and
participation
Consultation processes with stakeholders

16

Formulation of impact assessment on the

social, environmental and economic
domains and transportation
Use bottom-up and top down approaches
(e.g. community GIS, participatory planning
practices and mental maps)
Planning of the construction process and
phasing of development
Testing of scenarios
Use of LEED and BREAM certification and
point systems to achieve sustainability
targets
Mixed land use planning approaches
Use of context sensitive approach and
analysis
Good Governance and skilled professionals
Using brownfield and existing developed
sites for development (min 80% brownfield
land)
Use noise mitigation measures (e.g. urban
greenways)
Data collection after and before
development
Image branding and marketability
Theme

Objectives

Goals

Urban Design

Townscape

Accessibility, connectivity and safety

requirements
Optimum density ad density gradation (min.
45dpha or 100ppha, depends on site
location)
Permeability
Public realm and enclosure of space
Contextual analysis and survey techniques
suitable for the urban process
Massing and volume of a humane scale
(these can include projections and setbacks, height-to-width ratios, skyline plot
sizes and width and frontages)
Placing of tall buildings
Provide a townscape strategy that protects
the qualities of the streetscape and
townscape so the residents, business and
visitors can enjoy and be protected
(elements may include: views, materials,
siting, louvers, signs, walls, building form,
siting, and open space quality and form).
Provide a design narrative and concept
Testing of options
Respond to civic pride and improve public
realm (example creating enclosure)

17

Public Realm

Provide a legible environment and street

network
Enhanced architectural quality to create a
rich environment
Utilisation of green infrastructure, energy
and micro-climate principles to be
incorporated into the urban form
Create an enhanced living experience to
stimulate the sense
Social and built typological diversity
Local distinctiveness (making use of local
qualities)
Promote biodiversity by design
Provision of an open space network
Private-Public interfaces and transitions
Provide services within walkable distance
Formulation of management plans
Use green corridors

Theme

Objectives

Goals

Resource
Management

Water

Rainwater and storm water harvesting

Energy

Sewage treatment and reusing of

secondary water
Adopt green infrastructure to percolate and
filtrate water to ground aquifers
Water saving devices installed within
fittings and appliances
The urban structure and street must follow
topographical inclinations
Greywater recovery systems
Work with or enhance existing
infrastructure
Adequate building depth to create cross
ventilation (18m in depth)
Utilisation of renewable energy sources
(e.g. marine and tidal energy, wind power
and solar collection, roof PV panels)
CHP plants to generate localised heat and
energy for cooling
Smart grid to distribute extra energy
generated
Self-sufficient lighting fixtures
Use of ventilated and insulated facades
Use of light-coloured non-absorbent
surfaces to reduce heat island effect
Transport systems that are energy efficient
and make use of renewable and clean
energy
Controlled indoor ventilation systems and
intelligent lighting control systems to
achieve maximum comfort

18

Waste

Ecology

Utilisation of louvers and shading devices

Building orientation and use of passive
technology
Separation of ceiling and wall joints
Smart and IT infrastructure to monitor
consumption and study behaviour patterns
and auditing of consumption
On site waste collection and separation
Re use of heat to generate power
Using organic waste for farming and
compost in gardens and agriculture
Consider end of life phase of building
elements
Provide a flexible building layout
Minimize construction waste and consider
reuse of existing structures were possible
prior demolition
Minimize noise and dust pollution due to
construction
Education for waste minimisation and
sustainable development
Enhance and protect seawater and
terrestrial biodiversity
Utilise a diversity of species to create a rich
and diverse landscape
Provide an open space network that
stimulates local ecology and biodiversity
Local food production
Bio-filtration and bio-retention systems

Theme

Objectives

Goals

Food

Food

Promotion of eco-tourism
Research initiatives and student
opportunities
Use of IT and Smart Technology to monitor
crops, control temperature assist in the food
production process
Sustain biodiversity and ecology
Use water efficient techniques
Plot are of adequate size (min 120 sqm) to
make better use of open space provision
Letting of land for food production
Ensure marketability and quality of produce
Promote use of organic products to
minimize use of fertilizers

19