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This study was set out to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) to explore the environmental and economic impacts of pavement design alternatives using reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled plastic. 25 design alternative pavement designs were considered for a four-lane 8 km-long highway section. Design mix percentages varied between 0 and 40% of RAP with 10% increments and 0–20% of recycled plastic with 5% increments. The impact was assessed based on estimating utilized energy and water resources, climate change impact in terms of CO 2 equivalent, and air pollution in terms of air acidification, human health particulate (HHP), and photochemical smog. Results show that recycled plastic is superior to RAP in reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions. Both RAP and recycled plastic reduced water consumption. Recycled plastic reduced air acidification, HHP, and smog. RAP also increased HHP substantially, mainly during materials production. It was found that the RAP replacement ratio of 10% yielded the highest value of energy consumption, harmful gases emissions, air acidification, HHP, and Smog. RAP and plastic both reduced costs substantially as recycled material reduced the use of virgin materials and bitumen. In addition, using RAP eliminates the cost of moving RAP to landfills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical raw materials (CRMs) are crucial for the production of different products and technologies. The correct quantification of CRMs consumption, including hidden uses along the products life cycle, can be made through the application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Starting from the eco-profile of a power supply unit, obtained through a LCA study, this paper focuses on the assessment of the total CRMs consumption of this device. In order to free the assessment from the mass of each CRM, two different approaches are applied, based on the supply risk and economic value, respectively. Similar percentage results are obtained when the assessment is based on the CRMs mass or supply risk index (with some exceptions), while the approach based on the economic value seems more able to bring out materials that are considered more "critical" in terms of economic importance. This research is developed within the activities of the project LOV-Lowering Ortigia's Voltage, funded by POC 2014-2020, CUP G39J18000690007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Active learning, also called "learning by doing" (LbD), has resulted in positive learning outcomes in several higher education degrees. This paper describes an LbD experience within Chemical Engineering education aiming to enhance learning and transferable competencies using a Life Cycle Assessment course as a vehicle. This compulsory course belongs to the European Project Semester (EPS) program taught in the fourth year of the Chemical Engineering Degree at the University of Cantabria. From the beginning, the activity has targeted LCA practice with a strong emphasis on performance and its application as a decision-making tool in real case studies through close collaboration with regional companies. Working in partnership with industrial companies has favoured a win-win-win situation as students could apply knowledge as future LCA specialists. In contrast, companies gained valuable insights to improve their environmental performance, and lecturers enhanced their industrial networks. A public session carried out at the end of the activity created an enriching debate on subjects from a diversity of points of view (e.g., the selection of impact categories, the proposed improvements for environmental impact reduction, etc.). According to the lecturers, the competencies acquired by students through this LbD experience in life cycle assessment have notably evolved, demonstrating not only an enhanced understanding of environmental impacts across a product life cycle but also a significant improvement in critical thinking, team collaboration, and practical problem-solving skills, thereby bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and its application in real-world scenarios. This is in line with the student's perception that considered, such as "problem resolution", "capacity for analysing" and synthesis and "capacity for information" management. These are essential not only for future LCA practitioners but for chemical engineers. [Display omitted] • LbD has been positively applied in LCA course of Chemical Engineering Degree. • Students have applied LCA to real cases with the collaboration of industrial companies. • The proposed methodology has demonstrated overall learning strengths and challenges. • Connection with chemical industry has created an opportunity for students to apply learning. • Students have improved several skills such as decision-making and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research objective is to create a mechanism that generates a valid 'sustainability' metric to enable prospective buyers to confidently identify low carbon footprint computers. The necessity is based upon the hypothesis that current product carbon footprint reports for computers are incomparable between brands. While the inconsistency of use-phase emissions has been addressed in prior associated research, supply chain emissions remain an issue. This is due to multiple scope 3 life cycle assessment methodologies being used by manufacturers that produce differing results even when applied to the same device. To test the theory and generate an alternative approach, the research analyses 244 notebook carbon footprint reports to show inconsistencies caused by five different methodologies. Based on the findings, an alternative approach to comparing supply chain impact is proposed that enables comparison between results. The new metric first generates an average scope 3 carbon footprint baseline value by device type (e.g. notebook). This is then reduced by specific values depending upon actions undertaken by manufacturers when calculating their original carbon footprint report. This includes deductions to the baseline value achieved by including high percentages of production and transport primary data, plus the availability and affordability of offerings that will extend device useful life spans to drive demand displacement. This includes warranty duration and cost plus ease of repair. The research finds that current methodologies create a range of inconsistency of +106% when used to calculate the carbon footprint of the same device and +142% when calculating similar device types. Therefore, the hypothesis of scope 3 emissions being incomparable is validated. Comparatively, the newly proposed mechanism shows a reduced range of inconsistency of 18% when demonstrated. As such, it is recommended that the new approach be applied to the latest version of the world's leading computer eco-label certification, TCO Certified version 10, in 2024. Doing so will enable organisations to confidently select low carbon footprint devices on a global scale and therefore meaningfully support the United Nations sustainable development goals of responsible consumption and production and ultimately climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper reports a life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) to calculate the environmental footprint of a dental appointment using N2O, comparing single-use equipment with reusable equipment. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is used successfully in dentistry to provide sedation and pain relief to anxious patients, most commonly in children. However, N2O is a powerful climate pollutant 298 times more damaging than carbon dioxide over a 100-year estimate. Methods: The functional unit chosen for this LCIA was 30 min delivery of N2O to oxygen in a 50:50 ratio at 6 L per minute flow rate as inhalation sedation to one patient. Two types of equipment were compared to deliver the anaesthetic gas: reusable and disposable items. Results: The use of disposable equipment for N2O sedation produces a significantly larger environmental impact across nearly all of the environmental impact scores, but the overall global warming potential is comparable for both types of equipment due to the vast environmental pollution from N2O itself. Conclusion: N2O sedation is a reliable treatment adjunct but contributes to climate change. Single-use equipment has a further deleterious effect on the environment, though this is small compared to the overall impact of N2O. Dental priorities should be to deliver safe and effective care to patients that protects staff, minimises waste and mitigates impact on the environment alongside promoting research into alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research objective is to create a mechanism that generates a valid 'sustainability' metric to enable prospective buyers to confidently identify low carbon footprint computers. The necessity is based upon the hypothesis that current product carbon footprint reports for computers are incomparable between brands. While the inconsistency of use-phase emissions has been addressed in prior associated research, supply chain emissions remain an issue. This is due to multiple scope 3 life cycle assessment methodologies being used by manufacturers that produce differing results even when applied to the same device. To test the theory and generate an alternative approach, the research analyses 244 notebook carbon footprint reports to show inconsistencies caused by five different methodologies. Based on the findings, an alternative approach to comparing supply chain impact is proposed that enables comparison between results. The new metric first generates an average scope 3 carbon footprint baseline value by device type (e.g. notebook). This is then reduced by specific values depending upon actions undertaken by manufacturers when calculating their original carbon footprint report. This includes deductions to the baseline value achieved by including high percentages of production and transport primary data, plus the availability and affordability of offerings that will extend device useful life spans to drive demand displacement. This includes warranty duration and cost plus ease of repair. The research finds that current methodologies create a range of inconsistency of +106% when used to calculate the carbon footprint of the same device and +142% when calculating similar device types. Therefore, the hypothesis of scope 3 emissions being incomparable is validated. Comparatively, the newly proposed mechanism shows a reduced range of inconsistency of 18% when demonstrated. As such, it is recommended that the new approach be applied to the latest version of the world's leading computer eco-label certification, TCO Certified version 10, in 2024. Doing so will enable organisations to confidently select low carbon footprint devices on a global scale and therefore meaningfully support the United Nations sustainable development goals of responsible consumption and production and ultimately climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a systematic critical review of quantitative sustainability assessment studies on metal additive manufacturing (MAM) with a life cycle perspective. Potential benefits and present challenges of MAM are also discussed. MAM showed the potential to reduce overall environmental impacts and be more cost-effective for parts with complex designs, high value and low production volumes, particularly for automotive and aerospace components. However, currently, conventional manufacturing appears to have a better sustainability performance than MAM for simple parts in industrial applications. Overall, MAM technology is still in development, even if there have been optimizations and method consolidations. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Above and beyond the environmentally responsible operating theater, the environmental impact of the pathways of surgically treated patients seems essential but has seldom been considered in the literature. On a parallel track, enhanced recovery programmes (ERP) programs are presently deemed a standard of care. The objective of this review is to determine the carbon footprint of the ERP approach in colorectal surgery. This a narrative review based on articles referenced in PubMed. Our search was centered on the environmental impact of an ERP in the context of colorectal surgery. A number of measures included in the national and international guidelines were studied. We utilized the terms "carbon footprint", "sustainability", "energy cost", "environmental footprint", "life cycle assessment" AND a key word for each subject found in the ERP recommendations. Most ERP measures in the context of colorectal surgery are factually or intuitively virtuous from an ecological standpoint. With a 3-day reduction in average hospital stay resulting from ERP, the program permits a reduction of at least 375 kg CO 2 e/patient (Appendices 1 and 2). The most substantial part of this reduction is achieved during the perioperative period. While some measures, such as short fasting, are ecologically neutral, others (treatment of comorbidities, smoking cessation, hypothermia prevention, antibiotic prophylaxis, laparoscopy, absence of drains or probes, thromboprophylaxis, early feeding and mobilization...) lead to fewer postoperative complications, and can consequently be considered as environmentally responsible. Conversely, other measures, one example being robotic surgery, leave a substantial carbon footprint. ERP is congruent with two pillars of sustainable development: the social pillar (improved patient recovery, and better caregiver working conditions fostered by team spirit), and the economic pillar (decreased healthcare expenses). While the third, environmental pillar is intuitively present, the low number of published studies remains a limitation to be overcome in future qualitative studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) has enriched modern life, but their increasing ubiquity raises concerns about environmental impact. To address this, comprehensive Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) of IoT products, which have historically been manual, costly, and time-consuming, are vital. Noting the recurring nature of core components in IoT devices, such as CPUs and sensors, we propose to use graphs and machine learning to simplify and scale LCA estimations for IoT products. This paper introduces a novel approach to representing IoT devices as graphs with specific component characteristics and interconnections. Applied to a preliminary dataset of smart home IoT devices, the methodology unveils insights into structural similarities using a composite kernel approach. This initial phase lays the groundwork for the machine learning component. The integration of machine learning planned as part of ongoing research, provides a pathway for efficient and timely ecological assessments, ensuring that the rapid growth of IoT aligns with sustainable practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a Greenpeace International survey, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies are the dominant force behind the single-use economic model that drives the plastic waste crisis originating from consumption and production by producing industrial waste that must be handled appropriately with the concept of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). This study discusses SSCM practices in one of the FMCG companies, namely PT XYZ, and focuses on sustainable packaging supply chains, intending to know the application of SSCM in the supply chain and improvements that can be made to reduce waste and its negative impacts. The exploratory research was done with a case study type and used a mixed-method approach to formulate the development that can be done to reduce the waste and negative impact of the packaging supply chain. The assessment resulted from calculating the Life Cycle Assessment software, Simapro, with the CML-IA baseline V3.06/EU25 method. This method represents the environmental impact using 11 indicators. The most significant adverse environmental impacts are global warming, human toxicity, and marine aquatic ecotoxicity. The most significant contribution to the cause of the negative environmental impact is the consumption of electricity and water, which produce excess CO2 and boiler engines which produce excess NO2. Improvements can be made by reducing CO2 gas and using alternative fuels for environmentally friendly boilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyses the evolution of mathematical models used in life cycle estimation. A comparison between the different mathematical models and their areas of applicability is proposed. This analysis is generally done in terms of costs. The importance of the article lies in the proposal of a new mathematical model for estimating life cycle of power substations, compatible with current and future requirements. The study findings reveal that an optimization model can be established using the life cycle assessment method to obtain a longer lifespan, but also to minimize costs (maintenance, repairs, replacements, etc.). In order to establish a mathematical model of the life cycle of electrical substations, it is necessary to study several important design parameters and decision factors for each stage of the life cycle. Even if the paper does not provide empirical results, it must prove that it is necessary to develop a multi-algorithm optimization framework to find an adequate solution. The life cycle must be modelled according to: equipment availability technological evolution, maintenance activities, risk management, environmental protection, human error, etc. The study helps further research to build, implement and validate a robust model with development possibilities depending on the needs of the researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a well-known methodology used to calculate the environmental impacts of a product across its life cycle. The industrial machines used to manufacture consumer products are generally heavy, bulky, and have a complex product structure which makes their environmental assessment using LCA difficult as well as time and resource-intensive. Few studies have conducted LCA of complex industrial machines. The paper presents an LCA of a jet printing and dispensing machine (MY700), an industrial machine used in the production of printed circuit boards (PCBs) carried out using ReCiPe 2016 (Hierarchist) impact assessment methodology. In this study, the use phase of the machine accounted for 91% of the total environmental impacts. The compressed air and electricity consumed in the use phase of the machine were the major environmental hotspots. Additionally, some measures to minimize energy and compressed air use are also discussed. The methodology proposed in this article can be adopted by practitioners to conduct LCA of other industrial machines. The results of this study can help the machine manufacturers to undertake relevant eco-design activities as well as a comparison of different versions/machines in the product family for their environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The product environmental footprint (PEF) is one of two life cycle assessment methods from the European Commission. With their published recommendation on environmental footprint methods, the European Commission provides a framework to assess the PEF for every product in a company. Since there is a high probability that the PEF will be mandatory for companies shortly, it is crucial that this recommendation guides companies and mainly technical employees through all phases of the PEF and enables them to execute a PEF study correctly. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the process of calculating a PEF for a product critically. A PEF study is conducted on a smart luminaire with the software program OpenLCA. The use case concludes that many aspects of the PEF still need to be clarified. Especially the calculation methods behind every impact category need to be more transparent. Further, a comparison of the use case with a provided tutorial from OpenLCA is made. The comparison shows that no information is available on how to model the end-of-life and the use stages, which are mandatory in a PEF study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Dalian University of Technology / Dalian Ligong Daxue Xuebao is the property of Journal of Dalian University of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Environmentally-conscious product design using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) deserves the utmost attention to save and sustain our planet's lives, flora and fauna. The choice of materials during the design stage needs to address environmental concerns from their sourcing to production and ultimately going up to the disposal stage. A good majority of industrial products are still not designed, focusing the environmental concerns. The inclusion and practice of the LCA approach during product designing are in a nascent stage not only in India but even over the rest of the world. Nowadays, polymers share a major chunk of the volume of goods produced worldwide and thus have a significant effect on the environment. The available design books or nomographs guide the selection of materials considering several criteria but not considering the related environmental issues. This paper attempts to bridge this gap only for the selection of polymeric materials by providing some easily interpretable and visually ready reckoners in the form of 3-D nomographs. These 3-D nomographs, graphical representations developed using the Solidworks software, echo the material's Environmental Impact (EI) potential on an axis with some two material properties (e.g., tensile strength and density) on the other two axes. 3-D nomographs are suitably transformed into 2-D nomographs without the loss of any information. EIs on these nomographs were computed using SimaPro software. The potential EI of any product and the overall environmental burden due to them can be significantly reduced, and more so when they are mass-produced, by selecting the right materials using these nomographs. Such an approach will help in fulfilling long-term sustainable development goals of society and the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the presented study the Life Cycle Assessment of a LED suspended luminaire manufactured in Romania was performed, with the use of One Click LCA software. The results of the calculations show that the main environmental impact of the LED luminaire is generated by the operational energy use (96.046 % percent of the total global warming potential fossil kg CO 2 e). The environmental impact at the manufacturing stage is determined mainly by the aluminium, found in higher percentage in the LED luminaire body, fixing clips, LED module and LED driver. The analysis was extended for a lighting installation composed of the studied LED suspended luminaire. At first, using DIALux evo 11 software, the correct number and position of the LED luminaires was established, while respecting the EN 12464-1 standard regulations. Different cases were considered, taking into consideration the solution of implementing daylight system control in educational rooms of the Building Services Engineering Faculty, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, with effect in reduction of the operational energy use. By implementing the daylight control for the considered educational rooms, the global warming potential fossil due to the operational energy use can be reduced up to approx. 10 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the trends and various aspects of life cycle assessment (LCA) research using bibliometric analysis to gain a deeper perspective on the various avenues of LCA research. Using the Scopus database, the relationship between countries, journals, authors, and keywords was analysed, and the results were visualised using the VOSviewer software. According to the findings, during this time frame, 1,669 highly cited papers were published in 160 journals focusing on LCA with the highest output coming from the Journal of Cleaner Production. 4,155 authors from a variety of countries have contributed to the subject at hand. The top five contributing countries have been highlighted in this paper among which the USA served as the main research hub. Additionally, the co-occurrence network of keywords identifies four focal points for LCA research, highlighting the topics that have garnered the most attention in recent years and those that will continue to grow rapidly in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry is increasingly recognized as critical in achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Construction activities and infrastructure have both beneficial and non-beneficial impacts, making infrastructure design a focal point of current research investigating how best to contribute to sustainability as society demands. Although methods exist to assess infrastructures' economic, environmental, and social life cycle, the challenge remains in combining these dimensions into a single holistic indicator to facilitate decision-making. This study applies four decision-making techniques (ANP, TOPSIS, COPRAS, and VIKOR) to evaluate five different design alternatives for a concrete bridge exposed to a coastal environment. The results indicate that concretes containing even small amounts of silica fume perform better over their life cycle than other solutions usually considered to increase durability, such as water/cement ratio reduction or concrete cover increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • LCA is a promising and effective environmental evaluation framework for WWSs, including various uncertainties such as parameter, model and scenario uncertainty. • Uncertainty in LCA has an unavoidable impact on the reliability of the results and therefore, decision-making based on it. So, it's crucial to consider the various types of uncertainty in LCA analysis. • Pedigree matrix is used in 77 percent of reviewed papers to analyze only input data uncertainty and data variability. Pedigree matrix heavily relies on expert judgment and lacks a documented empirical foundation. • 13 percent of the LCA studies included model uncertainty, and no studies focused on scenario uncertainty in WWSs research. Water and wastewater systems play an essential role in sustainable development and public human health, which have multiple environmental impacts that must be regarded. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a promising and effective environmental evaluation framework to consider the potential impacts of WWSs and processes. Over the last two decades, there has been a significant increase in the literature on LCA of WWSs, still despite LCA s' advantages, it has some limitation due to the intensive data needed for this analysis, which cause uncertainty in results. The reliability of LCA results is unavoidably affected by uncertainty, which can have unintended consequences on decision-making. Failure to account for uncertainty in LCA researches can decrease confidence in the outcomes. Thus, it is essential to consider the different types of LCA uncertainty to obtain valid results for appropriate decision-making. Despite the significance of uncertainty, no review paper has yet focused on considering uncertainty in LCA research for water and wastewater systems. Therefore, this study aims to provide an overview of the uncertainty in LCA for water and wastewater systems. This review includes a detailed and in-depth review of different types of considered uncertainty and detected research gaps, and proposes ideas for future researches. The analysis indicates that 77 % of the papers only considered input data uncertainty and data variability using the Pedigree matrix. This is crucial given LCA's sensitivity to data, although it should be noted that the Pedigree matrix relies heavily on expert judgment and lacks a documented empirical foundation. As a result, the accuracy of results derived from this method may be less than ideal. In addition to input data uncertainty, both model and scenario uncertainty can have a considerable effect on LCA results accuracy. However, only 13 % of the papers included model uncertainty, and no studies focused on scenario uncertainty in water and wastewater systems research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacture of construction products is responsible for several types of impact that are also the most important on the environment. They shall take into account both the resources used and a possible impact on the ecosystem and the emissions resulting from the extraction, processing and transport of raw materials. The use of resources depends on the amount of waste generated during the manufacturing, construction and demolition process on the site, which can be significant, as a proportion, in the total material flows from the construction site. This emphasizes how important it is to design and establish specifications for a more efficient use of resources, thus, the most important elements of a building, which should be followed, are the floor, roof, structure and exterior walls, respectively. As a result, the recycling and reuse/reintegration of building materials and products, as well as of the construction elements as a whole, can contribute to the reduction of the environmental impact as well as to the development of the circular economy. In the built environment, the sustainability assessment covers the stages of the life cycle of a building, namely: material production, construction, operation, maintenance, demolition and disposal. Taking into account the fact that in the current conditions, in a modern society, without no doubt, a life perspective is needed, in these conditions the life cycle assessment takes into account all the stages that lead from raw materials, through production, distribution and use to the final elimination. In this article we will address aspects related to buildings and their impact on the environment in the context of the circular economy and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry is facing an increased focus on sustainability and climate neutrality, causing property developers to implement new requirements into the procurement documents, which are also driven by the national agenda. This study explores the current state of sustainability practice among Swedish property developers and identifies the main obstacles to expand further the implementation of the sustainability criteria. How the property developers define and implement sustainability requirements has been assessed through qualitative semi-structured interviews, focusing on sustainability certification systems, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and social sustainability. The results show usage of sustainability certification systems for marketing purposes and high awareness and practice of LCA, even though the accuracy of LCA was questioned. This study also identified guideline gaps for circular economy and social sustainability measurements, which could relate to low initiatives from the certification systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing countries suffer from both lack of resources and appropriate solid waste management systems. Therefore, the introduction of alternative options for waste valorisation is imperative. The current research introduces an environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of waste-based briquettes produced with 80 % of non-recyclable cardboard waste from separate collections and 20 % sawdust from sawmills in Bolivia. The aim is to compare the environmental impacts generated within the briquette's life cycle with conventional fuels. Primary data from a development project implemented in La Paz in 2021 were collected for building the inventory. SimaPro9.0 was employed to conduct the analysis, with IMPACT2002+ as the impact assessment method. Results' normalization, contribution evaluation, interval assessment, and sensitivity analysis were carried out, and the results were compared with conventional fossil fuels, namely: coal, methane, and LPG. Results suggest that briquettes' life cycle contributes to seven of fifteen impact indicators, with global warming, use of non-renewable energy, and respiratory inorganics, the most important. The global warming potential ranges from 23.9 to 26.7 gCO 2 -eq. MJ−1, lower than about 485 % compared to coal and 185 % to methane. Considering the avoided impacts from wood and methane substitution, global warming potential can decrease to about 20.0 and 18.9 gCO 2 -eq. MJ−1 respectively. On balance, compared to other fuels for heating and cooking, waste-based briquettes always have better environmental performance transporting the briquettes to about 100–130 km from the production plant. These results suggest that waste-based briquettes can contribute to mitigating environmental impacts and carbon footprint at a global level. • Life cycle assessment of cardboard waste-based briquettes is conducted. • Environmental impacts are lower compared to fossil fuels. • Less than 25 gCO 2 -eq. MJ−1 is generated by the system. • Briquettes made of cardboard waste are recommended to be used in Andean areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sustainability and Value Management. • The consideration of the triple bottom line in the built environment. • Functional Analysis in Green Building Design. Despite the popularity and findings of research on the application of green buildings and sustainable design, more attention should be given to applying the triple bottom line in educational facilities with a different approach. It is believed that the function of space, the definition of performance, and value management are all popular approaches for implementing the triple bottom line. Nevertheless, applying the triple bottom line to the prototype of an existing educational building will help identify the needs and requirements for sustainable building design. This study focuses on integrating sustainable design elements into a holistic approach. Furthermore, the study considers the integration of the three primary factors of sustainable design: people, planet, and profit. Additionally, the case study for this thesis is to measure the environmental and economic value of implementing the triple bottom line in the educational building at St. Fatima International School in the New Capital. The research will show that functional analysis plays an important role in sustainable design. This can be found in the implementation of value management and sustainable constriction. Thus, according to the case study design, the triple bottom line application will focus on people by considering implementing biophilic design patterns to have indoor and outdoor healthy spaces. Moreover, for the planet, the case study will show the impact of reducing CO 2 emissions and recycling content on avoiding resource depletion through the use of One-click LCA, the life cycle assessment tool. Finally, the profit will be achieved by applying the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) rating system and life cycle cost analysis using the Cravezero tool, greatly impacting the economy in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct recycling of lithium ion batteries from electric vehicles aims to close the loop of battery manufacturing. This study presents a novel process-based life cycle assessment model for studying the environmental impacts associated with the direct recycling for closed-loop production of lithium ion battery relative to the conventional open-loop battery manufacturing. A 66 kWh NMC-graphite battery pack is analyzed using directly recycled NMC and graphite for the closed-loop manufacturing. The results show that the closed-loop manufacturing via direct recycling can reduce environmental impacts by up to 54% over the conventional open-loop manufacturing of lithium ion battery for electric vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the successful implementation of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach for the sustainable development of a defence product. Alternative designs of this product are evaluated from the environmental burden perspective. The products considered are water bottles used by the armed forces in places like the Siachen glacier, where environmental factors are of great concern. From the environmental degradation perspective, the suitability of three existing bottle types has been analysed using LCA and Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) approaches on SimaPro software for each of its components and the bottle as a whole. Using this software, uncertainty analysis has also been carried out by conducting a Monte Carlo simulation for a reasonable confidence level. The latest design was found to have the least environmental burden, being 82.62 % less compared to the first design. To augment the environmental performance further, the best design was again reviewed by carrying out component-level analysis to identify feasible alternative materials that would be functionally equivalent but with lower environmental impact. It suggested switching to lower impact material for the cap and cap cover for the proposed design. With the adoption of the changed material, the environmental performance improved by 10.61 per cent as compared to the best design and 84.46 per cent compared to the earliest design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A model for assessing carbon emission of the renovation of old residential areas. • Carbon emissions and carbon reductions were assessed and analyzed based on LCA. • The impact of embodied carbon on the carbon reduction efficiency was measured. • Suggesting carbon payback period as an assessment indicator for low-carbon. Communities urgently need to explore green and low-carbon transformation pathways due to high energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, existing studies lack a comprehensive assessment of carbon emissions and analysis regarding carbon reduction during renovation of old residential areas in cold regions. Therefore, this study employs a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the payback period method to evaluate carbon emissions throughout the life cycle comprehensively. It constructs a carbon-emission calculation model based on LCA, specifically tailored to the retrofitting of old residential areas in cold cities. Additionally, it investigates the effectiveness of three typical retrofit measures undertaken in Qingdao, a region located in the cold A zone, focusing on whole-life-cycle energy savings and carbon reduction. The findings reveal that the average annual carbon emission intensity per unit area for Cases 1, 2, and 3 is 12.59 kg-CO 2 e/(m2·a), 27.05 kg-CO 2 e/(m2·a), and 23.39 kg-CO 2 e/(m2·a), respectively. Their corresponding carbon payback periods were 6.06, 7.23, and 16.00 years, respectively, which could be further shortened through material recycling. The environmental impact assessment of typical retrofitting measures contributes to the promotion of sustainable development. Furthermore, this study offers guidance for establishing an effective assessment system that supports the design of energy-saving retrofits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global ocean faces increasing exploitation to meet the demand of a rapidly growing globalisation. Human marine activities are leading to local environmental pressures/benefits, for example on marine ecosystems and their services, but also through their value chains on terrestrial ecosystem services, and to global pressures such as global warming. Effective management of marine activities is essential for the conservation of the natural environment. There is a growing need for holistic sustainability assessment tools capable of quantifying environmental impacts at various geographical scales, alongside evidence-informed policies. This study examines the evolving marine policy landscape, identifies key legislation that supports the sustainable growth of the Blue Economy, traces its historical development, and explores the integration of ecosystem services assessment and life cycle assessment as methodologies for assessing environmental sustainability within this legislation. The review shows that current legislation falls short in providing instructions on how to measure sustainability impacts in a consistent way, i.e., which methods/indicators to use. Therefore, this study supports evidence-informed policy-making by proposing a quantitative and comprehensive environmental sustainability impact assessment methodology, integrating both ecosystem and life-cycle based methods, to a Belgian multi-use case study involving offshore wind energy and mussel farming. Considering the impacts that were possible to assess and the limits of the methodology used, the value of the positive impacts of the MUOF was +61.3 M€ y−, while the negative ones were −4.0 M€ y−1, resulting in a net handprint of +57.0 M€ y−1, primarily attributed to the benefits of the local ecosystem service 'offshore renewable energy' However, such a solution is not necessarily scalable, due to cumulative impacts. An analysis was conducted to identify areas for enhancing the methodology to more effectively meet policy needs. The study highlights the importance of using scientifically grounded methods to inform policy decisions. [Display omitted] • Review of life-cycle and ecosystem-based sustainability in Blue Economy legislation. • Applying a quantitative, comprehensive environmental impact assessment. • Case study of a marine multi-use offshore wind and mussel farm. • Identification of challenges to interlink science and policy. • Supporting evidence-informed marine policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphite, an important ingredient in the energy transition, faces supply constraints in the U.S. Natural gas decomposition (NGD) coupled with graphitization could be an emerging source of graphite. We investigate using abundant U.S. natural gas resources to produce graphite via natural gas decomposition (NGD) coupled with graphitization at the Eagle Ford shale. When NGD uses wind power, it is possible to produce graphite at 94 % less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than conventional synthetic graphite and 93 % less emissions than natural graphite. In addition, producing graphite in the U.S. with NGD could meet graphite demand through 2050. The co-produced H 2 exhibits life-cycle GHG emissions between 0.71 to 0.78 kg CO 2 e/kg H 2 , well below the Inflation Reduction Act's threshold of 4 kg CO 2 e/kg for tax credit eligibility. Furthermore, decomposing NG to H 2 and graphite in the most promising scenario reduces baseline NG system emissions (cradle-to-grave) by 78 %. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Environmental impacts of recycling ELTs into asphalt mixtures with several emerging pretreatment CR technologies were quantified. • Environmental burdens of asphalt mixtures incorporating pretreated CR are within the ranges of values reported in previous literature. • Relatively high uncertainty in LCA results of supercritical pretreated CRMA materials were reported. • Multiple scaled-up scenarios were modeled based on LCA hotspots for environmental sustainability-informed technology improvement. Despite numerous research studies devoted to quantify the environmental impacts associated with the valorization of crumb rubber (CR) derived from end-of-life tires (ELTs) in asphalt pavement construction, the number of life cycle assessment (LCA) studies scrutinizing the implementation of emerging CR pretreatment technologies remains scarce. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a prospective LCA study on the ELTs valorization in asphalt mixtures, with a focus on the application of two emerging supercritical pretreatment technologies of CR, namely the supercritical swelling pretreatment and the supercritical de-crosslinking pretreatment. The findings show that the supercritical swelling pretreated crumb rubber modified asphalt (CRMA) materials with a 40 % dosage obtained the lowest environmental impact score in the majority of the impact categories. Further, the supercritical pretreatment process of CR played a critical role in driving the environmental impacts of pretreated CRMA materials. Desipite this, the environmental impacts of supercritical pretreated CRMA materials exhibited relatively higher uncertainty. Finally, the analysis of scaled-up scenarios highlights the effectiveness of reusing carbon dioxide as reaction medium and reducing the use of dry ice and chemical reagent in minimizing the overall environmental impacts. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an eco-friendly and novel hydrogel based on a crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), iota carrageenan (IC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) scaffold, containing a large amount (10–50 wt%) of nanoscale palm fronds (NPF) as additives, for water purification was demonstrated. A life cycle assessment (LCA) findings on NPF as biomass waste incorporated into PVA_PVP_IC polymer matrix was presented, and the results highlight the necessity of focused actions to reduce environmental impact and support the palm waste utilization in a sustainable manner. The multicomponent nanocomposite hydrogels were examined as adsorbents in a system work in batches for methylene blue (MB) and paracetamol (PCT) removal. The results show that, the presence of NPF, which dispersed in the hydrogel PVA_PVP_IC scaffolds containing both covalent and non-covalent cross-linking bonds, greatly enhanced the MB and PCT adsorption efficiency. A response surface methodology (RSM) model was used to find the best operating parameters of contaminant adsorption, including time, adsorbent dose, and starting concentration of pollutants. By using this statistical model, it was found that the optimal conditions for the adsorption reaction to achieve the complete removal of MB are 66.7 h adsorption time duration, 98.5 mg L−1 starting concentration, and an adsorbent dose of 5.9 mg, while for the complete removal of PCT, it is 57.6 h adsorption time duration, 80 mg L−1 starting concentration, and an adsorbent dose of 6 mg. The reusability of the nanocomposite hydrogels were tested for 5 cycles, all showed high adsorption capacity, indicating the potential for practical application of this nanocomposite hydrogel system. This study indicates that the prepared nanocomposite hydrogel raises the standard used for treatment of wastewater and also gives a solution to protect the environment and mitigate global warming. • Upcycling agriculture waste to produce natural reinforcement material. • Ternary blend polymers doped with 10–50 wt% nano-palm frond particles used to remove MB and PCT. • The prepared nanocomposite hydrogel has hydrophilic and negative charged surface. • Solution pH had a significant effect on MB and PCT removal performance. • The nanocomposite hydrogel with 30 wt% resulted in the superior adsorption capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the next decades, CO 2 capture and utilisation (CCU) technologies can contribute to climate change mitigation. The Columbus project is an example of a CCU initiative in which CO 2 is captured from lime production and converted into E-methane via CO 2 methanation. E-methane can serve as fuel for ships and lorries to replace heavy fuel oil and diesel, respectively. This paper aims to assess the environmental impacts of E-methane production via the Columbus process, powered by renewable electricity, and its utilisation in the transport sector benchmarked to conventional fuel production (references) through life cycle assessment (LCA). A basket of products approach was used to also consider the co-products obtained from the Columbus process in the assessment. Both emission and resource based indicators were selected for the LCA. The results show that E-methane production and its utilisation in ships and lorries result in a decrease of the impact on climate change (35 %), particulate matter formation (94 %) and fossil resource use (85 %) compared to the references. For this comparison, the conventional production of the co-products was also taken into account. However, the production and utilisation of this fuel consumes more minerals and metals than the references. The higher mineral and metal extraction from the environment can be explained by the construction of the solar panels required to provide electricity for electrolysis. Future research should focus on the social acceptance and techno-economic assessment of the Columbus process. • CO 2 from lime production is valorised into E-methane via CO 2 methanation. • The environmental sustainability of the Columbus process was evaluated. • A basket-of-products approach was used to also consider the co-products. • The climate change impact decreases when shifting from heavy fuels to E-methane. • Mineral and metal use increases compared to conventional fuel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large stock of red mud (RM), with certain resource values and potential environmental hazards, places higher requirements on the selection and optimization of recycling technology. A multi-dimensional performance assessment method combined with life cycle assessment was established to address this issue. In this study, eight typical RM recycling technologies were screened and sorted into three categories, 18 assessment indicators covering technological, resource, environmental, economic, and social dimensions were defined, and the integrated performance assessments of different categories and technologies were analyzed and compared. For the building material preparation category, the environmental dimension mainly focused on reducing the consumption of chemical reagents and sintering temperatures. In the material adsorption and modification category, improvements primarily targeted the technological and societal dimensions by increasing technological readiness and social feasibility. For the metal extraction category, the technology dimension focused on improving applicability and competitiveness and optimizing process parameters. Electricity, the primary energy source, significantly affected environmental performance and constrained industrial scalability. Thus, integrated performance assessment method for RM recycling technologies offers a methodology for researchers, provides a scientific basis and guidance for technology selection for industrialized applications, and promotes the optimal management of industrial solid waste for governments. • Multi-dimensional performance of RM recycling technologies was evaluated. • Eighteen indicators across five dimensions were included. • Metal extraction presented the best multi-dimension performance. • Energy consumption was the primary factor to environmental performance. • Improvement and optimization of RM recycling technologies were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a sustainable waste management method through co-hydrothermal carbonization (Co-HTC) of undehydrated sewage sludge (SS) and fungus bran (FB), effectively eliminating the need for additional water. The effects of the reaction severity factor (SF: 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3), the FB mixed ratio (FBMR: 0 %, 10 %, and 20 %), and the proportion of citric acid promoting agent (CAPA: 0 %, 10 %, and 20 %) on HTC performance were systematically investigated. The process was optimized for maximum energy yield (EY) using response surface methodology (RSM). The properties of the produced hydrochar, along with its EY and environmental impact, were thoroughly assessed. Results demonstrated that under optimal conditions (SF: 0.1, FBMR: 20 %, and CAPA: 20 %), EY increased by 45.84 % compared to hydrochar derived from dried SS. The dehydration and decarboxylation processes led to lower H/C and O/C ratios, producing hydrochar with reduced sulfur and nitrogen content, while the contents of alkali and alkaline earth metals, particularly calcium, increased. Furthermore, the optimized Co-HTC process had minimal environmental impact. In contrast to traditional HTC, which requires significant freshwater and involves high costs for SS drying, our innovative approach using undehydrated SS offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution, paving the way for industrial-scale Co-HTC and sustainable waste valorization. [Display omitted] • Explored co-hydrothermal carbonization to treat sewage sludge and fungus bran. • Optimized hydrochar demonstrated improved fuel performance. • Enhanced energy yield of hydrochar achieved by adding fungus bran and citric acid. • The optimal process exhibited the least environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debromination and upcycling of brominated epoxy resin (BER) waste is important for the e-waste treatment, while the degradation and removal of N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) is the critical step for the DMF wastewater treatment. In this study, a co-treatment strategy was proposed for the BER waste and DMF wastewater by the subcritical water process. The co-treatment was carried out using subcritical DMF wastewater (SDW) as the reaction medium. The results showed a significantly synergistic effect between the BER conversion and DMF degradation in the SDW process. The optimal reaction conditions were as follows: reaction temperature of 300 °C, solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:15 g/mL, DMF wastewater of 30000 mg/L and reaction time of 60 min. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the debromination ratio of the BER was 98.57 %, the degradation ratio of the DMF reached 99.59 %, and phenolic substances with a purity of 86.61 % were recovered. The formation of HBr from the debromination of the BER was the most significant factor affecting the pH of the system, which had a noticeable impact on the degradation of the DMF. The main degradation products of the DMF were dimethylamine (DMA), methylamine (MA), NH 3 , NH 4 +, and CO 2. The products degraded from the DMF could significantly promote the debromination and conversion of the BER. Life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis showed that the SDW process had low CO 2 emissions. It is believed that the SDW process proposed in this study is an efficient technology for the synergistic treatment of the BER waste and DMF wastewater. [Display omitted] • A synergistic co-treatment of BER and DMF wastewater was developed by the SDW process. • BER debromination markedly enhanced the degradation of DMF. • DMF and its degradation products effectively contribute to the decomposition and debromination and upcycling of BER. • The synergistic mechanism was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) is a novel carbon utilisation technology aiming to contribute to a circular economy by converting CO 2 and renewable electricity into value-added chemicals. This study presents a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of hexanoic acid (C6A) production using MES, comparing this production with alternative technologies. It also includes a cradle-to-grave LCA for potentially converting C6A into a neat sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). On a cradle-to-gate basis, MES-based C6A exhibits a carbon footprint at 5.5 t CO 2 eq/tC6A, similar to fermentation- and plant-based C6A. However, its direct land use is more than one order of magnitude lower than plant-based C6A. On a cradle-to-grave basis, MES-based neat SAF emits 325 g CO 2 eq/MJ neat SAF, which is significantly higher than the counterparts from currently certified routes and conventional petroleum-derived jet fuel. However, its negligible indirect land use change emissions might potentially make it competitive against neat SAFs originating from first-generation biomass. [Display omitted] • MES-based hexanoic acid is at the same emission level as its market competitor. • MES-based hexanoic acid uses less land than its market competitor. • Converting MES-based hexanoic acid into neat SAF is not emission-wise competitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational utilization of waste biomass is an important renewable energy alternative to address environmental issues caused by fossil fuels and climate change. Hydrothermal carbonization can improve the quality of municipal sewage sludge (SS) fuel by reducing water content, removing chlorine, and increasing energy density. This paper proposes an in-situ steam gasification method for syngas production. The influences of original water vapor content of hydrochar (0–30 %); hydrothermal conditions including severity factor (SF), fungus–bran mixing ratio (FBMR), and the proportion of citric acid mixed promoting agent (CAPA); and gasification temperature (700–900°C) on the composition of syngas. The effects of pure hydrochar gasification and mixed gasification on syngas composition were examined. Response surface methodology was used to optimize and maximize the higher heating value (HHV) of syngas. In addition, life cycle assessment was used to evaluate the environmental impact of the wet hydrochar gasification process. The vapor atmosphere generated automatically by heating wet hydrochar promoted steam reforming and water-gas shift reactions, driving them towards hydrogen production. Excess steam consumed a large amount of energy, leading to decreased reactor temperature, which in turn reduced gasification reaction activity and production of various gas components. As the SF increased, the syngas yield tended to decrease and the gasification reaction index decreased. Conversely, as the FBMR increased, the contents of all syngas components increased, along with the gasification reaction index. Additionally, as the gasification temperature increased, the HHV of the syngas increased. The quality of the syngas produced by mixed gasification was significantly better than that produced by pure hydrochar gasification. Compared to the syngas from the gasification of dry SS hydrochar, the HHV of the syngas from wet SS hydrochar increased by 4.4 %. At optimal conditions of SF 0.1, FBMR 20 %, and CAPA 20 %, the HHV of the syngas from wet hydrochar gasification increased by 28.1 %. Under these optimal conditions generated the highest quality syngas; at a gasification temperature of 900℃, the environmental impact was minimal. The lower quality of syngas and economic costs of drying hydrochar are considered disadvantages of traditional dry hydrochar gasification. However, the high-quality syngas produced from wet hydrochar in this study addressed these issues, laying a solid foundation for future industrial scale applications. [Display omitted] • The effect of moisture content of hydrochar on gasification behavior was studied. • The gasification effect of mixed raw materials is better than that of co-hydrochar. • The response surface optimization results in higher HHV of syngas. • The life cycle assessment evaluates the environmental impact of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid population growth and urbanization in developing countries challenge wastewater management due to limited resources. Affordable and innovative solutions are hence crucial. This study introduces a novel attached growth system using microalgae-bacteria consortia (MABC) on coir for in-stream remediation of polluted drains. Using a simple co-cultivation method with natural xenic cultures, we compared the consortia's efficacy to individual bacterial and microalgal cultures. Results from suspended growth studies revealed that the MABC system achieved higher removal rates, with 81 % removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 71 % removal of ammonia-N in 24 h of batch study. Owing to the symbiotic interactions and enhanced extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production (268 mg/g TSS), the MABC system exhibited superior biomass productivity (2.75 g/m2/day) and settleability (Sludge volume index (SVI) = 38.3 mL/g) after 30 days of co-cultivation, outperforming stand-alone bacterial and algal systems. In the continuous flow study, the MABC biofilm system performed comparably to an aerated bacterial system at a low HRT of 1 h, eliminating the need for energy-intensive aeration and indicating its cost-effective potential. The comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) shows that MABC in attached growth mode (MABC-A) has significantly lower environmental impacts across 18 categories compared to the conventional activated sludge process (ASP) and MABC in suspended growth mode (MABC-S), mainly due to its energy-free operation. Additionally, the substantial reduction in global warming potential observed in MABC systems underscores its potential as a low-energy method for improving water quality and mitigating climate change impacts. [Display omitted] • Devised a facile method for microalgae-bacteria consortia (MABC) cultivation. • MABC outperformed algal and bacterial cultures in COD and ammonia-N removal. • MABC showed enhanced biomass productivity and settleability. • Non-aerated MABC biofilm performed comparable to aerated bacterial biofilm system. • Coir-MABC biofilm system is a sustainable in-stream wastewater treatment option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant fibers are the most widely focused materials these days to promote the utilization of natural and renewable biomaterials. Utilization of cellulosic-based nanomaterials derived from plant fibers finds a wide range of engineering applications. Due to the many appealing properties of nanocellulose-based composites, they have recently emerged as one of the most notable green materials. They have shown greater potential in various fields of advanced engineering such as biomedical, construction, and food packaging applications. Based on the analysis of the most recent investigations, new developments in the preparation, modification, and emerging applications of nanocellulose-based materials are described in this review. Since nanocellulose exists in several forms such as nanocrystalline cellulose, bacterial nanocellulose and nanofibrillated cellulose, they can render environmentally friendly bio nanocomposites with exceptionally good material properties. Accordingly, an overview of fundamental ideas in nanocellulose-based bio nanocomposites for environment-friendly applications is provided in this review. Overview of the derivatives of the nanocellulose with regards to their chemical structure, various methods of extracting nanocellulose from multiple sources, techniques for fabricating nanocellulose-based green composites, and the properties of nanocellulose-based composites are comprehensively discussed. Additionally, the novel and anticipated markets for nanocellulose products as well as the use of nanocellulose in nanocomposites in a variety of application industries are also highlighted. The LCA of nanocellulose composites at three stages including the assessment of NC sources, NC isolation techniques, and NC composite manufacturing is addressed, to promote the economy and sustainability aspects of the nanocellulose-based products. The issues, challenges, and opportunities of nanocellulose-based materials are also discussed at the end of the review. This review serves as a guide for materialists and researchers who are seeking a prospective and systematic review of nanocellulose and its derivative materials. [Display omitted] • Nanocellulose offers exceptional properties for a wide range of reinforcement applications. • This review comprehensively explores nanocellulose extraction, modification, fabrication techniques for composites. • Nanocellulose-reinforced composites demonstrate remarkable potential in various industries. • Life cycle assessment and opportunities for commercialization are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biological process is one of the promising approaches for CO 2 capture and storage. Recently, biological sequestration using microalgae has gained much interest due to its capability to utilize CO 2 as a carbon source to generate valorizable biomass. This algal biomass further can be used as a feedstock for bioenergy and different value-added products. Here, we have heterogeneously overexpressed the low CO 2 inducible proteins (LCIA & LCIB) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in the marine alga Parachlorella kessleri -I. Incorporation of these two genes boosted the endogenous CCM leading to a hybrid system and improved overall carbon acquisition. The combination of these CCM proteins enhanced the supply of inorganic carbon to RuBisCO with positive effects on growth and biomass productivity. Biochemical analyses revealed that the hybrid CCM in P. kessleri-I was characterised by 2- fold higher carbonic anhydrase activity, increased starch, and 2X more lipid yield in comparison to wild type (WT) strain. Moreover, the semi-continuous cultivation of GM strain with supply of 1 % CO 2 led to around 60 % rise in the overall biomass productivity. These traits also persisted in scale-up studies leading to 2X more biomass productivity in the GM strain than WT in 100 L PBR. A comparative life-cycle assessment underlines the sustainability of the process of carbon capture and both biofuel and biochar production from P. kessleri -I with a hybrid CCM. [Display omitted] Heterologous expression of LCIA and LCIB enhanced the endogenous CCM of P. kessleri -I GM P. kessleri -I exhibited 2-fold higher carbonic anhydrase activity Engineered hybrid CCM in P. kessleri -I led to 2 X higher biomass productivity in 100 L PBRs Scale-up of P. kessleri -I with LCA studies established the commercial applicability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past ten years, researchers have applied various approaches to treat petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil and assess its performance based on removal efficiencies and not on its environmental and economic impacts. In this study, the environmental and economic performances of the operational stages of electro-Fenton and bio-slurry technologies are investigated and compared using a life cycle assessment to assess the environmental and economic performances in treating petroleum hydrocarbon-polluted soil. The data used in this study were collected from primary and secondary sources, and the potential 18 environmental impacts were calculated using the ReCiPe 2016 characterization approach in SimaPro 9.5 software. The electro-Fenton process is the most environmentally friendly method, identifying chemicals and energy as major contributors to the environmental impact. Energy is the main hotspot, accounting for 90 % of the total environmental impact. Energy and biosurfactants are the main environmental hotspots in bioslurry processes, accounting for 60 % of the total. The bioslurry process has the highest environmental impact owing to the use of biosurfactants and electricity consumption. The bioslurry process is the most cost-effective, with a life-cycle cost of 7.13$/kg, while the electro-Fenton technique is the most expensive (661.25$/kg) owing to the use of BDD as the electrode, costing 323$/kg. [Display omitted] • Environmental and economic assessment of electro-Fenton and bioslurry processes. • The electro-Fenton method is the most environment-friendly technique. • Energy and biosurfactants are the major environmental hotspots in bioslurry processes. • Chemicals and energy are usually the major environmental hotspots of electro-Fenton processes. • Biological processes are more economically beneficial than chemical approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the transition towards climate neutrality, biorefinery models are considered promising alternatives to processes based on fossil fuels and non-renewable materials. This consideration is attributed to the reduction of dependence on non-renewable systems, in line with greener and lower impact technological strategies. However, they imply a profound transformation of the production system, as the variable and stochastic nature of certain renewable sources makes it necessary to have various tools to provide flexibility and optimize the system. Their market penetration is currently limited by their level of development and the regulatory and financial support to implement the paradigm shift. Traditional linear production is still more economically viable compared to circular production models, based on efficiency parameters achieved by years of manufacturing experience. To reverse this trend, it is necessary to leverage its benefits through the use of appropriate assessment tools, as these are the ones that could drive the move towards biorefineries. This is the focus of this research report, which reviews various evaluation methodologies and indicators to effectively evaluate bio-based process schemes. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), Green Chemistry Principles (GCP), certification scheme requirements and Circular Economy Action Plans are reviewed and integrated into a precise assessment framework. To determine their effectiveness, three biorefinery models were evaluated: valorization of apple vinasses, grape must and chickpea peel. Through the combined analysis of bio-based scenarios, it has been possible to identify their benefits, bottlenecks and limitations, and to validate a comprehensive assessment framework that allows an accurate, effective and conscious analysis of bio-based models, promoting their development and market penetration. [Display omitted] • Bio-based process under a sustainability and circular approach • Use of indicators to evaluate the potential of bio-based alternatives. • Differences between PEF methodology and other LCA-based methods. • Proposition of a methodological combined framework under sustainable and circular perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the energy demand in the building sector appears to be the most important aspect to make them energy efficient. Opting for durable minor interventions results in further reduction of embodied carbon. This paper proposes a method which combines the evaluation of the environmental impact of interventions together with the visual preservation of buildings. A new indicator, the Embodied Impact of Intervention (EII), was defined to evaluate the overall environmental impact considering three indicators within the Life Cycle Assessment: Global Warning Potential (GWP), Primary Energy Non-Renewable (PE-NRe), and net-Fresh Water (FW) offering the stakeholders a holistic view for selecting the most sustainable solutions for interventions in existing buildings. The methodology has been tested to a benchmark, (i.e., masonry wall components), considering low, medium, and high visual impact scenarios, and a lifespan of 100 years. A direct proportionality is shown between GWP and PE-NRe, whereas FW does not have a singular relationship with the other indicators as it is mainly influenced by the material production. High GWP values occur in scenarios in which Nature Based Solutions (236.82 kg CO2eq) and Building-Integrated Photovoltaic panels are implemented (798.09 kg CO2eq), being ≈2.7 and ≈9 higher than the same High Visual Impact scenarios without mitigation solutions. It was found that the visual impact of the interventions may not align with the corresponding EII, resulting in dichotomous scenarios with medium visual impact and low EII, or high visual impact and medium EII. In Low-Income Countries, using recycled materials can minimize the production phase, reducing EII, energy efficiency, energy usage and waste, to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goal in the long-term. • New dual-stream methodology based on Life Cycle Assessment • Application of the method on a benchmark evaluating environmental impact indicators. • Minimization method to reduce environmental impact on intervention and maintenance. • Providing stakeholders with strategies to align with Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]