This paper focuses on the sustainable exploration of building systems, which combines ecological concepts and low-carbon designs for a comprehensive sustainability assessment investigation. The study employed the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)-Emergy and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)-Carbon emission methods to discuss a range of topics, including the main contributing factors, sustainability index verification, sensitivity analysis, and potential improvement measures. From an ecological sustainability perspective, the results indicate that the building operation stage plays a critical role, accounting for approximately 45% of the entire emergy in the building commercial complex. The sustainable index (ESI) is 0.354, which is below the standard of 1. Moreover, the building operation stage also significantly contributes to carbon emissions, particularly in the 50th anniversary of operation. Based on these findings, the study recommends two potential strategies to improve the ecological state... [more]

The paper presents an innovative concept of the fluidization of an adsorption bed carried out under low-pressure conditions. Additionally, different bed mixes were used to test the effects of the bed composition on fluidization. Fluidization was caused by the pressure difference and the velocity of the flowing water vapor. These features make the research presented in this article significantly different from other studies known in the literature and constitute the main novelty of the paper. Silica gel with a particle diameter of 200−250 µm (Geldart group B) with aluminum and carbon nanotube additives was fluidized under reduced pressure (10−25 mbar). The pressure difference results in the flow of water vapor and, consequently, induces fluidization. The pressure in the evaporator was approx. 10 mbar, while in the reaction chamber it was approx. 25 mbar. The pressure difference of about 10−15 mbar allows for a flow of water vapor between the evaporator and the reaction chamber. During t... [more]

Coffee cultivation in the Department of Cauca, Colombia, is vital for much of the department’s economy. Coffee processing generates waste, such as pulp, which accounts to about 40% of the fresh fruit. Currently, in most cases in Cauca, coffee byproducts are discarded, and, in other cases, the coffee pulp is used for fertilizers, generating environmental problems due to its decomposition. This research aims to design a process for supplying a functional food in the form of an energy bar based on coffee pulp and other components of the region, such as quinoa and panela, helping to mitigate the environmental impact of coffee production. Our research included four phases. First, we determined the study area; in the second phase, we studied an energy bar’s nutritional and physical characteristics. Then, the requirements and specifications of the bar were defined, and the authors documented the process diagram, variables within the process, and the quality plan. Finally, the authors conducte... [more]

Achieving plastic circularity is imperative to using plastics without adverse effects. Today, only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled, signifying the need for more substantial advancements to accelerate our progress toward achieving plastic circularity. This article contributes to our collective efforts to accelerate plastic circularity by critically assessing the state-of-the-art, gaps, and outlook of the pathways and processes to circular plastics. It employs qualitative methods to derive new insights that empower scholars and practitioners to prescribe effective strategies to shape the future of plastic circularity and its research agenda. This article concludes that today’s circularity pathways for plastics are not economically viable, significantly hindering their scalability and widespread adoption. It further validates that focusing on the product design and effectiveness of the available collection and sorting systems can considerably improve our progress in achieving plast... [more]

As a result of the dissemination of the sustainability concept, social disclosures have become an important area of non-financial reporting, and the energy sector is no exception. The purpose of our article is a multi-faceted evaluation of sustainability reports published by companies operating in the Polish energy sector, from the perspective of social disclosures. The study involved the Polish listed companies that made up the WIG-Energia index. The time scope of the study covers the 2017−2021 period. In total, 54 non-financial reports were analyzed. In the first place, a comparative analysis was carried out to assess the social disclosures made by the WIG-Energia companies against the background of the biggest and the most liquid (blue chip) WIG20 companies. All the applied tools: ESG rating, NFR_S index, and multidimensional data visualization, have confirmed that the energy companies year by year have been presenting larger and larger extents of social disclosures. At the same tim... [more]

The regional parliament of Tyrol in Austria adopted the climate, energy, and resources strategy “Tyrol 2050 energy autonomous” in 2014 with the aim to become climate neutral and energy autonomous. “Use of own resources before others do, or have to do” is the main principle within this long-term strategic approach, in which the “power on demand” process is a main building block and the “power-to-hydrogen” process covers the intrinsic lack of a long-term, large-scale storage of electricity. Within this long-term strategy, the national research and development (R&D) flagship project WIVA P&G HyWest (ongoing since 2018) aims at the establishment of the first sustainable, business-case-driven, regional, green hydrogen economy in central Europe. This project is mainly based on the logistic principle and is a result of synergies between three ongoing complementary implementation projects. Among these three projects, to date, the industrial research within “MPREIS Hydrogen” resulted in the fir... [more]

Good practices are among the direct/indirect components that influence agrofood safety knowledge, and occupying quality assurance control facets within the (agrofood) product industry. Cleaner production involves an integrated preventive environmental strategy applied to processes, products, and services, which increases overall efficiency, and reduces risks to humans/environment. However, ‘cleaner food production’ appears neither yet clearly defined nor well established. In this preliminary survey analysis, how good practices would contribute towards achieving cleaner food production in the context of food retail sector was performed. Specifically, Wrocław-Poland served as a case reference targeting managers/supervisors given their expected service, experience, and expertise. The sampling technique used was the judgment/purposive type, and the research instrument took the form of a questionnaire. Managers’/supervisors’ responses revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) across va... [more]

The United States (U.S.) has a nearly USD 17 billion seafood trade deficit annually. However, the U.S. aquaculture industry faces strict micronutrient (e.g., phosphorus and nitrogen) level mandates that negatively impact fish production, especially for the state of Idaho, which produces 70−75% of the nation’s rainbow trout. This study investigates the sustainability benefits of producing engineered biomaterials from lignocellulosic-based feedstocks near collection sites via portable biorefineries for use by fish farms to reduce eutrophication (oversupply of micronutrients) impacts. In this study, sustainability assessments are performed on a case study in southern Idaho, the largest U.S. commercial producer of rainbow trout. The results show that 20 and 60 min of water treatment, using small particle size biomaterial from lodgepole pine, has the highest total phosphorus removal rate, at 150−180 g of phosphorus per 1 metric ton of engineered biomaterials. The results of techno-economic... [more]

Second-generation biodiesel, which is produced from essential oil plants, has important advantages, including a high yield of biofuels and the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The goal of this research was to examine the profile of original and review articles on biodiesel production from essential oils using bibliometric analysis. The search strategy identified 186 relevant and available peer-reviewed publications from 1981 to 2023, which were downloaded from the Web of Science (WoS) database. The retrieved documents were analyzed using VOSviewer. China was the predominant country publishing those documents, followed by the United States, India, Australia, and France. The keyword cluster analysis indicated the presence of 10 main research topics: diesel, fuel, and engine performance; extraction of lipids from microalgae; biofuel production from essential oils; green chemistry; the pyrolysis process; bioethanol production from renewable raw materials; obtaining biodiesel f... [more]

Due to the fact that the European Union is striving to achieve its sustainable development goals, in particular goal No. 7, which is to provide users with low-emission, and cheap access to, energy, this article’s aim is to verify whether there is a relationship between R&D expenditure and key energy variables in the EU countries in 2010−2020. Data on R&D expenditures incurred by the EU Member States in the period 2010−2020 were used for the research and were tested using the Autoregressive Distributed Lags Model (ARDL). The study identified a strong positive relationship between total R&D expenditure and the increase in energy consumption from renewable energy sources, and a smaller impact of total R&D expenditure as well as enterprise R&D expenditure on the increase in fossil energy consumption. Also noted was a weak relationship between R&D expenditure and electricity and gas prices for both household and non-household customers. The obtained results prove that in the context of the... [more]

The conventional energy source in cement industries is fossil fuels, mainly coal, which has a high environmental footprint. On average, energy expenditures account for 40% of the overall production costs per ton of cement. Reducing both the environmental impact and economic expenditure involves incorporating alternative energy sources (fuels) such as biomass, solid-derived fuel (SDF), refuse-derived fuel (RDF) etc. However, within cement plants, the substitution of conventional fossil fuels with alternative fuels poses several challenges due to the difficulty in incorporating additional fuel-saving techniques. Typically, an additional 3000 MJ of electricity per ton of clinker is required. One of the most effective solutions to this is thermal optimization through co-processing and pre-processing, which makes it possible to implement additional fossil-fuel-saving techniques. In developing nations such as Togo, waste-management systems rely on co-processing in cement factories through a... [more]

Industrial robots have a key role in the concept of Industry 4.0. On the one hand, these systems improve quality and productivity, but on the other hand, they require a huge amount of energy. Energy saving solutions have to be developed and applied to provide sustainable production. The purpose of this research is to develop the optimal control strategy for industrial robots in order to minimize energy consumption. Therefore, a case study was conducted for the development of two control strategies to be applied to the RV-2AJ Mitsubishi robot arm with 5 DOF, where the system is a nonlinear one. The first examined controller is the classical linear proportional integral derivative (PID) controller, while the second one is the linear model predictive control (MPC) controller. In our study, the performances of both the classical PID model and the linear MPC controller were compared. As a result, it was found that the MPC controller in the execution of the three defined reference trajectori... [more]

Energy generation from carbon fuels produces a major portion of the greenhouse gases that envelop the planet and trap the sun’s heat. Fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and gas, account for approximately 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and almost 90% of carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to finance cleaner, efficient, low-cost, sustainable, and energy-reliable alternative fuels. Therefore, we investigated the effect of oil prices, ecological footprint, banking sector development, and economic growth on energy consumption in South Africa. We employed the newly developed bootstrap autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model to the link between explanatory antecedents and explained facets in the short and long term. The outcome of our study witnessed the positive and significant effect of economic growth and ecological footprint on energy consumption in the short and long run, in the case of South Africa. This suggests that a drastic boost in South African... [more]

Even if current action towards sustainability in architecture mainly concerns single buildings, the responsibility of the urban shape on local microclimate has largely been ascertained. In fact, it heavily affects the energy performances of the buildings and their environmental behaviour. This produces the necessity to broaden the field of intervention toward the urban scale, involving in the process different disciplines, from architecture to fluid dynamics and physics. Following these ideas, the Masterplan for the Campus of the University Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo (Mozambique) develops a methodology that integrates microclimatic data and analyses from the initial design model. The already validated software ENVI-met (Version 4.4, ENVI_MET GmbH, Essen, Germany) acts as a useful ‘feedback’ tool that is able to assess the microclimatic behaviour of the design concept, also in terms of outdoor comfort. In particular, the analysis focused on the microclimatic performances of a ‘C’ block... [more]

Lately, the model of circular economy has gained worldwide interest. Within its concept, waste is viewed as a beneficial resource that needs to be re-introduced in the supply chains, which also requires the use of raw materials, energy, and water to be minimized. Undeniably, a strong link exists between the bioeconomy, circular economy, bioproducts, and bioenergy. In this light, in order to promote a circular economy, a range of alternative options and technologies for biowaste exploitation are currently available. In this paper, we propose a generic methodological scheme for the development of small, medium, or large-scale units of alternative biowaste treatment, with an emphasis on the production of bioenergy and other bioproducts. With the use of multi-criteria decision analysis, the model simultaneously considers environmental, economic, and social criteria to support robust decision-making. In order to validate the methodology, the latter was demonstrated in a real-world case stud... [more]

The green wall is an engineered technology for stormwater management and climate change mitigation at the urban level. At the building scale, these energy efficiency measures are suitable for improving indoor comfort conditions and for reducing energy needs. Several guidelines are available about vertical greening systems, but these propose design parameters and performance evaluation criteria, often incomparable. In order to facilitate the implementation of proper technical standards, this paper proposes a critical review of more recent scientific investigations. All parameters for the design optimization are discussed as well as the achievable social and private benefits by taking into consideration the type of study (numerical or experimental), the climate conditions, the analysis period, all technical requirements of the green layer as well as of the back wall. The review underlines that a multi-criteria design approach is needed for green vertical systems. Thus, the paper is concl... [more]

We investigate with this study the effectiveness of mechanically activated serpentinite in capturing Cu (II) from the multi-constituent acidic wastewater of the pit lakes of the Agios Philippos mine (Greece), proposing specific areas with serpentinites suitable for such environmental applications. For this purpose ultramafic rock samples that are characterized by variable degrees of serpentinization from ophiolitic outcrops exposed in the regions of Veria-Naousa and Edessa have been examined regarding their capacity to remove the toxic load of Cu (II) from wastewater after having been mechanically activated through a Los Angeles (LA) machine (500, 1000 and 1500 revolutions). The more serpentinized and mechanically activated samples, as they have been characterized after a combination of various mineralogical, petrographic, geochemical analyses as well as after different stresses of abrasion and attrition, seem to be more effective in Cu removal than the less serpentinized ones. Selecti... [more]

For international civil aviation to be able to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) needs to be made feasible. This paper presents the results of an assessment of the feasibility of production of SAF in Brazil, considering three certified routes, based on the dedicated production of eucalyptus, soy, sugarcane and corn. The results presented here refer to the production of biomass in selected locations, aiming to reduce GHG emissions and minimise production costs. Considering that the opportunity costs of feedstocks were not observed, the minimum selling price (MSP) of SAF in the reference case was estimated at 13.4 EUR·GJ−1 for the production based on soybean oil (HEFA-SPK route), 21.0 EUR·GJ−1 for the production based on ethanol from sugarcane and corn (ATJ-SPK) and 32.0 EUR·GJ−1 from eucalyptus (FT-SPK). These values refer to SAF’s nth industrial plant and biomass costs that are compatible with the current agricultural y... [more]

The popularity of climate neutral new energy vehicles for reduced emissions and improved air quality has been raising great attention for many years. World-wide, a strong commitment continues to drive the demand for zero-emission through alternative energy sources and propulsion systems. Despite the fact that 71.27% of hydrogen is produced from natural gas, green hydrogen is a promising clean way to contribute to and maintain a climate neutral ecosystem. Thereby, reaching CO2 targets for 2030 and beyond requires cross-sectoral changes. However, the strong motivation of governments for climate neutrality is challenging many sectors. One of them is the transport sector, as it is challenged to find viable all-in solutions that satisfy social, economic, and sustainable requirements. Currently, the use of new energy vehicles operating on green sustainable hydrogen technologies, such as batteries or fuel cells, has been the focus for reducing the mobility induced emissions. In Europe, 50% of... [more]

The concept of the circular economy (CE) is receiving encouraging attention among scholars and practitioners, as a convenient solution to move away from the linear economy concept without neglecting the goals of sustainable development. The main goals of the CE are the closing of resource loops and the keeping of resources in the system for as long as possible at the highest utility level. However, as a result of the lack of internationally accepted definitions of the CE and several unsolved barriers, an excessive and inconsistent number of different CE applications exist. Most fields are mainly focusing on making a linear system circular instead of applying the CE principles in a holistic way. This paper presents a strategy to close the mentioned inconsistency gap, by contrasting currently discussed CE barriers and goals and thereof deriving two areas with a need for action (1. identifying the needed collection, sorting, and recovery infrastructure, and 2. developing circular product... [more]

Knowing the properties of vernacular materials is crucial to heritage conservation and to develop innovative solutions. Reed, considered to be a carbon-neutral and a carbon dioxide sink material, has been used for centuries for diverse uses. Its high availability and properties made it a popular building material, including in Portuguese vernacular architecture. An experimental investigation was conducted to evaluate the physical performance, thermal performance, and durability of the reed found in Portugal since the characterisation of this material was not found in previous studies. The influence of geometric characteristics and the presence of nodes on these properties were also analysed, and the results showed that they are irrelevant. The studied reeds were found to have an adequate thermal performance to be used as thermal insulation. Their thermal resistance (1.8 m2·°C/W) and thermal conductivity (0.06 W/m·°C) are under the requirements defined by Portuguese regulations on therm... [more]

There are different studies that point out that the price of electricity is a fundamental factor that will influence the mining decision, due to the cost it represents. There is also an ongoing debate about the pollution generated by cryptocurrency mining, and whether or not the use of renewable energies will solve the problem of its sustainability. In our study, starting from the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), we have considered several determinants of cryptocurrency mining: energy price, how that energy is generated, temperature, legal constraints, human capital, and R&D&I. From this, via linear regression, we recalculated this EPI by including the above factors that affect cryptocurrency mining in a sustainable way. The study determines, once the EPI has been readjusted, that the most sustainable countries to perform cryptocurrency mining are Denmark and Germany. In fact, of the top ten countries eight of them are European (Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Aus... [more]

Globally, millions of people suffer from poverty. This paper discusses the problem of poverty especially in relation to food waste. The prevention of food waste can also contribute to global poverty reduction, and the reduction of food waste is a tool for sustainable growth and competitiveness. At present, the number of people at risk of poverty and the amount of food waste are increasing at unsustainable rates. An integrated and efficient tool for the management of food, energy, and water (FEW) resources to improve FEW security via an interdisciplinary approach could help address several of the most significant global challenges, such as climate change, and economic, environmental, and social security. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the existence of poverty and the treatment of food for sustainable growth. The analysis focused on the EU countries and the main data source was the Eurostat database. Households generally create the largest proportion of foo... [more]

After the Great Recession of 2008, there was a strong commitment from several international institutions and forums to improve wellbeing economics, with a switch towards satisfaction and sustainability in people−planet−profit relations. The initiative of the European Union is the Green Deal, which is similar to the UN SGD agenda for Horizon 2030. It is the common political economy plan for the Multiannual Financial Framework, 2021−2027. This project intends, at the same time, to stop climate change and to promote the people’s wellness within healthy organizations and smart cities with access to cheap and clean energy. However, there is a risk for the success of this aim: the Jevons paradox. In this paper, we make a thorough revision of the literature on the Jevons Paradox, which implies that energy efficiency leads to higher levels of consumption of energy and to a bigger hazard of climate change and environmental degradation.

The impact of natural CO2 emissions in the development of geothermal areas is presently gaining more attention than ever before. In Italian geothermal fields, a reduction in the natural CO2 emissions has been observed. This paper reviews and provides an analysis of the historical production data of boric acid from 1818 to 1867 used to calculate the natural emissions of CO2 associated with boric acid production that pre-dates the use of geothermal resources for power production, which started in 1913. Boric acid was already being extracted from the natural geothermal fluids in geysers and natural ponds emitting steam and gases. After 1827 the ‘lagone coperto’ (covered lake) equipment optimized production, and the drilling of shallow wells (20−30 m) starting in 1836, which further increased the quantity of its extraction. The first geothermal reservoir was developed at the turn of the century and the Larderello geothermal field began to grow. The use of deep wells, keeping pace with the... [more]