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In this paper, exergy, sustainability, unsustainability, environmental, enviroeconomic, ecological and inefficiency assessments are done for the JP-8-fueled turbojet engine which is designed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It is found that the combustion chamber of the turbojet engine has the minimum exergetic efficiency (12.74%) among the components, so its improvement potential is higher than other components. The gas turbine is the most sustainable component, and the combustion chamber has higher unsustainability index rate than other components. Among the components, the highest entropy generation rate is found for the combustion chamber (179.014 kW K−1) and the lowest rate is determined for the gas turbine (0.344 kW K−1). According to environmental assessment, the turbojet engine releases 22,896.38 kg carbon dioxide emission by working 10 h in a day. According to enviroeconomic assessment, the cost of the released carbon dioxide is 3319.94$ for the daily flight. According to ecological assessment, 74.5% of the fuel exergy in the combustion chamber component is not used properly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry has experienced phenomenal growth because of technological advancements in the past couple of decades. Prefabrication constitutes a sizeable share of this industry and is being adopted all over the world. The method of casting construction elements in a controlled environment and assembling them on-site has revolutionised the industry. Research on various aspects of the technology is ongoing around the world, and an impressive number of articles have been published. However, the prefab technology, materials used, and terminology have varied across locations, which may have hindered the method's wider acceptability. By evaluating technical articles published between 1991 and 2022, this report analyses the present body of knowledge regarding prefab technology, its evolution, sustainability, and stakeholder views. This technology effectively contributes around 40% in time saving, 27% in cost reduction, 30% in reduced carbon emissions, and 84% in on-site wastage reduction. It also increases quality, gives a dependable alternative for meeting mass construction targets, is energy efficient, and provides environmentally conscious options. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a snapshot of the prefab industry spanning three decades, detailing a wide range of factors affecting the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The threat of rapid depletion of fossil fuel reserves and the discharge of pollutants due to the depletion of these resources has had catastrophic consequences for the ecosystem. Using efficient energy systems, waste heat recovery from these systems, and decreased carbon dioxide emission cycles is one approach to averting this looming threat in this context. It is proposed in this paper to utilize the electricity generated by the bottoming absorption power cycle to create hydrogen for use in a molten carbonate fuel cell-based energy system. The system is called near-zero carbon since the efficient waste heat utilization allows maximum hydrogen and minimum hydrocarbon fuel use. The concept of the near-zero carbon cycle is being explored from the viewpoints of technology, economics, and the environment. It is necessary to do multi-criteria optimization to establish the optimum operating point of the system under consideration to reduce costs and CO 2 emissions while simultaneously increasing efficiency. A parametric analysis is performed to discover the important design parameters that impact the system's performance under consideration. Included among the factors under investigation are the fuel utilization factor (U f), current density (J), stack temperature (T stack), and the steam to carbon r atio (r sc). Upon investigation, it was discovered that the suggested system had an energy and exergy efficiency of around 66.21% and 59.5%, respectively. According to the findings of the exergy analysis, the MCFC and afterburner ranked highest in terms of exergy destruction (93.12 MW and 22.4 MW, respectively). The tri-objective optimization findings also reveal that the most optimal solution point has an exergy efficiency of 59.5%, a total cost rate of 11.7 ($ / GJ), and CO 2 emission of 0.58 ton / MWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, people all around the globe have seen its effects, including city closures, travel restrictions, and stringent security measures. However, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic extend beyond people's everyday lives. It impacts the air, water, soil, and carbon emissions as well. This article examines the effect of energy and the COVID-19 pandemic on China's carbon dioxide emissions in light of the aforementioned context, using the daily data from 20 January 2020 and ending on 20 April 2022. Using the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model for empirical analysis, the findings indicate that COVID-19 pandemic confirmed cases and renewable energy advance environmental sustainability due to their negative effects on carbon dioxide emissions, whereas fossil fuel energy hinders environmental sustainability due to its positive effect on carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, these results are also supported by the results of the frequency domain causality test and the Markow switching regression. In light of these results, there are several policy implications, such as vaccination, renewable energy utilization, and non-renewable energy alternative policies, which have been proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been limited progress in addressing the demand uncertainty inherent over time and the sustainability impact on food logistics. This paper aims to fill this gap, addresses the sustainability of cold food supply chains, and proposes a mixed-integer programming model to solve a multi-period inventory routing problem (IRP) under non-stationary stochastic demand, route-dependent costs, and environmental concerns. The study investigates the replenishment and routing plans to minimise the total expected cost while producing a minimum amount of CO 2 emission. Due to the uncertainty of demand, we apply the static-dynamic strategy and propose a mathematical model under the (R , S) replenishment policy to maintain flexibility in ordering decisions under a pre-determined replenishment schedule. Our numerical experiments suggest that the (R , S) policy reduces inventory costs significantly, since it solves the excess inventory issue caused by the higher buffer stock levels due to the pre-determined order quantities in the (R , Q) policy. However, the resulting CO 2 emission levels and routing costs remain similar in both models. Due to the reduced inventory costs, the (R , S) policy makes a significant improvement on the total cost. Moreover, our numerical experiments show that the difference between the cumulative ending inventory levels for the (R , Q) and (R , S) policies increasingly grows as the time horizon gets longer, and it results in increasingly larger differences in the total cost values for both policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating CO 2 emissions in recent years underlined the need for advanced Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technologies. This context has spurred the exploration of novel materials for promoting CCU efficiency, among which electrospun nanofibers have emerged as a promising candidate. Electrospinning coupled with various post-treatment (such as heat-treating, in-situ growth, selective removal, etc.) offers a versatile approach to fabricate diverse nanofibers, including polymeric, carbonaceous, metallic, and composite fibers, with tunable surface morphologies and chemical properties. This paper provides a comprehensive review of electrospun nanofibers in CCU processes, including adsorption, membrane separation and absorption, electrochemical and photo-electrochemical reduction, thermal catalytic hydrogenation, and more. Each CCU technology is examined in depth to cover the recent research achievements with a specific focus on the contributions of electrospun nanofibers. Lastly, a critical discussion and a list of potential future research directions for this evolving field are provided. • Latest electrospun nanofiber-based CCU technologies are thoroughly reviewed. • Electrospinning enables creating various nanofibers, aiding multiple CCU technologies. • Provide critical discussion and future directions for this evolving research field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass is an essential category of materials because of its inherent transparency, which sets it apart from many other material systems. Due to its unique characteristics, radiation shielding applications have begun implementing it, particularly when optical clarity is required. Researchers have been compelled to examine glass materials that offer optimal performance in radiation shielding against high photon energy and particles. The literature has encompassed various papers examining many types of glass and their responses to ranged energy levels. This mini-review aims to demonstrate the glass systems that have been reviewed and their respective radiation shielding characteristics against photon energies. To achieve this objective, the publication numbers for radiation shielding materials and glass were initially collected over several years from the widely utilized Web of Science (WoS) database. Subsequently, the glass systems that were primarily examined in the context of radiation shielding glass investigations were identified and classified as borate (B), germanate (G), phosphate (P), silicate (S), tellurite (T), and waste (W). The current trajectory of these glass systems has been illustrated over the years. After providing a broad description, each glass system was examined using an approach that involved sorting based on the highest-citation and newest-first criteria. Five publications were selected for each way, and then the chemical composition, density, and linear attenuation coefficient at 662 keV were obtained. Furthermore, the Phy-X/PSD software facilitated the comprehension of the attenuation properties of the glass systems at energy levels of 1173 and 1332 keV. Plus, some computations aided in understanding variations in exposure build-up factors (EBF). As demonstrated by the published data, there has been a significant rise in the number of publications on radiation shielding materials and glass investigations, especially in the last five years. In another development, there has been a recent push towards lead-free glass systems, even though inserting PbO into the glass composition can achieve a high-density value, namely higher than 5 g/cm3. Among the several glass systems of interest, T -glass has emerged as a notable choice for photon energies due to its high-density glass formulation while also being free of lead content. The T -glass series had LAC values (at 1173 keV) ranging from 0.28 to 0.35 cm−1, whereas the B , G , P , S , and W - glass series showed changes between 0.13 and 0.36, 0.17 and 0.39, 0.16 and 0.28, 0.16 and 0.35, and 0.12 and 0.25 cm−1 respectively. It is also essential to acknowledge that W - glass systems have gained popularity from sustainability perspective. Yet, W - glass systems have been found effective against low photon energies. Hence, this concise evaluation strongly highlights the significant potential of T -glass and W - glass systems for future research, owing to the facts that both systems facilitate low-melting temperatures, reduced carbon emissions, and easy preparation while also offering promising radiation shielding properties. • Borate, germanate, phosphate, silicate, tellurite, and waste glass systems have been reviewed. • Glass investigations have lately accounted for up to 30% of all radiation shielding material studies. • T -glass has emerged as a notable choice against high photon energies owing to its high density. • LAC 662 keV could be achieved greater than 0.50 cm−1 with tellurite glass as a lead-free option. • Radiation shielding systems made of waste glass can become prominent in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-attribute group decision method based on the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set is proposed. • A sustainability evaluation of an agricultural water-land-energy-carbon nexus is provided. • Multidimensional indicators are combined through stability, coordinativity and connectivity. • The water, land, energy and carbon subsystems of the agricultural system are quantified based on dual uncertainty. • The model is shown to solve real-world relationship management problems. The interactions between agricultural subsystems, resource scarcity and ecological degradation increase the need for agricultural sustainability assessments in relation to water, land, energy and carbon emissions. In addition, uncertainties caused by natural factors and human activities complicate sustainability assessments. Therefore, this study proposes a regional agricultural sustainability assessment method based on the water-land-energy-carbon (WLEC) nexus system under high uncertainty. This method couples the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set (IVIFS) and multi-attribute group decision making (MAGDM) methods to quantitatively characterise and assess element management and corresponding relationships within the agricultural WLEC nexus system in a multidimensional manner. The paper is able to (1) clarify the role of the coupled agricultural "water-land-energy-carbon" nexus and (2) address the double ambiguity and uncertainty in the indicators and more objectively reflect the interval fluctuations of natural resources and social activities in both positive and negative scenarios. (3) Sustainability management of agricultural resources is carried out according to different regional conditions. The method was applied to Heilongjiang Province in northeast China, and the coupling of agricultural WLEC nexus system in 13 administrative regions of the study area was quantitatively analysed. The degree of agroecological sustainability from a multidimensional perspective is higher in Daxinganling and lower in the provincial capital, Harbin. The recommended range of groundwater use in the study area is [16%,28%] to ensure ecological sustainability when total agricultural output fluctuates between 285,395.18 and 404,495.33 billion yuan. This methodology helps policy makers understand the overall dynamics of agricultural sustainability in an environment of multiple uncertainties and gives suggestions for better assessing management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU has committed to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Reaching this objective requires massive changes in the region. The biggest challenge is that the green transition happens without sacrificing economic progress and guaranteeing justice and inclusiveness. This pledge implies that every country be capable of addressing the trade-offs between targets while remaining committed towards the common decarbonisation goal. Our paper analyses the success with which countries are carrying out the energy transition. We propose an enhanced hyperbolic distance function and a stochastic frontier analysis approach to model the joint attainment of economic development, environmental sustainability, and energy equity. We apply our model to an unbalanced panel dataset of 29 European countries for the period 2005–2018. Our estimates show that the average performance of the economies has improved over time. The results also highlight the pivotal role of a sustainable economic development with clean energies for both slashing CO 2 emissions and fostering energy equity. Moreover, we find convergence in countries' performance, being this convergence slightly higher for the EU-15 countries compared to the rest. Finally, we show that a higher share of renewable energy sources helps countries that are lagging behind to reach their optimal performance level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical industry is one of the fundamental industries of economic development. Coordinating the relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions (EGCE) is crucial in realizing the carbon neutrality target. The Tapio model and decomposition models are used to assess the degree of decoupling within the Chinese chemical industry and identify pivotal factors impeding progress. The energy efficiency decomposition model explores the crux of failure to achieve strong decoupling. This framework further decomposed the energy intensity to uncover how technical efficiency, technological progress, and input substitution changes affect energy intensity and CO 2 emission. The paper found that the EGCE of the chemical industry were stable in a weak decoupling mode from 2009 to 2019. The reliance on technological progress to reduce energy intensity and emissions is insufficient (accounting for only 18.2%), far below the cumulative contribution from economic growth (accounting for 57.76%), which has become the crux of the strong decoupling failure. Technological advancements drive energy substitution for labour, resulting in 244.41 Mt of cumulative carbon emissions. The improper factor input allocation hinders the desired reduction in energy intensity and carbon emissions. A series of policy implications are proposed based on the insights derived from the decomposition analysis to foster sustainable practices in the chemical industry. [Display omitted] • This study focuses on the decoupling in chemical industry. • The decoupling between economic growth and carbon emissions (EGCE) is explored. • The reasons for the failure of strong decoupling from technical perspective are tested. • The decoupling between EGCE of chemical industry was in a weak decoupling mode. • Technological progress accelerated the substitution of energy for labour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a significant source of carbon emissions, road logistics operators are under increasing pressure from governments and customers to find ways to decarbonize as part of broader global efforts to reach net zero. Decarbonization of road logistics relies on the widespread diffusion of existing and emerging technological transport solutions. These include alternative fuel vehicles, battery technologies, renewable energy and charging solutions. All promise to reduce carbon emissions, but their implementation remains challenging, expensive, and risky. As early adopters of alternative fuel vehicles have reported, transitioning from fossil fuels poses challenges that must be prepared for and understood to minimize the obstacles to genuine emissions reductions in road logistics. A considerable volume of academic research has been published advocating emission reduction solutions and providing detailed analyses of their potential positive environmental impacts. However, to our knowledge, no frameworks integrate these analyses with practical insights into current and anticipated challenges for road logistics operators transitioning from fossil fuels to a decarbonized future. This paper analyses contemporary evidence and insights on current and future issues and presents an integrated framework for road freight logistics decarbonization challenges. The framework primarily focuses on decarbonization through alternative fuels and analyses three categories of challenges from socio-technical, economic, and environmental perspectives. The three categories of challenges relate to alternative fuel vehicles and fleets, alternative fuel distribution infrastructure and renewable energy generation. The underlying principle of the framework is to provide a practical tool that supports a more informed view of both the advantages and challenges of transitioning to alternative fuels. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a framework to help direct future research into tackling these logistics decarbonization challenges. The insights presented in this paper may also inform practitioners by sensitizing them to potential roadblocks in the transition away from fossil fuels. • Framework integrating road freight logistics decarbonization challenges. • Analyse alternative fuels, alternative fuel distribution and renewable energy. • Three perspectives on decarbonization: socio-technical, economic, and environmental. • Highlight logistics services provider strategies to minimize risk and uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies are increasingly adopting decentralized manufacturing strategies to manage multiple, geographically scattered manufacturing centers that are characterized not only by similar types of equipment, working methods, and productions, but also by variable mixes and volumes. This trend also applies to additive manufacturing, a well-established technology that allows the flexibility and customization of production to be increased, without significantly increasing the per unit cost. Thus, the need arises to monitor the performance of individual centers in a structured way, and to make practical comparisons of such centers. However, achieving this task is not so straightforward, given the inevitable differences in the characteristics of manufacturing centers and their productions. This paper presents a methodology that can be used to analyze and compare the production performance of a plurality of manufacturing centers from two different viewpoints: (i) quality, through a multivariate statistical analysis of product data concerning conformity with geometrical specifications, and (ii) process sustainability, with the aim of achieving a reduction in energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and manufacturing time, through regression models pertaining to the selected metrics. The proposed methodology can be adopted during regular production operations, without requiring any ad hoc experimental tests. The description of the method is supported by an industrial case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The integration of demand side management (DSM) with smart grid (SG) can facilitate residents' transfer into smart homes and sustainable cities by reducing the carbon emission. This manuscript reviews the recent works related to the application of DSM in SG through discussing the techniques and algorithms and their associated challenges for effective implementation. This paper also critically discusses the operation mode of DSM, the profile of energy production, storage and consumption, and finally the benefit obtained by the DSM implementation. Previous literature suggested that DSM practice reduced peak‐to‐average ratio, energy cost and carbon emission by approximately 10% to 65%, 5% to 50%, and 14%, respectively. The implementation of DSM in SG deals with a number of challenges such as security and privacy, tariff regulation, energy transmission, distribution, and effective utilization of energy resources. A number of international organizations have taken various measures and solutions to guarantee the security and privacy of the DSM in SG discussed. So far, a number of algorithms have been used as optimization approach to solve the DSM optimization problems; however hybrid algorithms have showed better performance than single algorithms due to their faster convergence speed. At the end, the paper presents the research gaps and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings consume over half of annual energy supply as embodied and operating energy in their construction and operation releasing harmful emissions to the atmosphere. Over 90% of the embodied energy is attributed to construction materials used in building structure, envelope, and interiors that must be reduced to minimize material use. Concrete is one of the major materials that contributes significantly to the energy and carbon footprint of buildings, as it is responsible for 5-9% of global carbon emission. Because most of the concrete use in the building sector occurs in building structures, assessing how building design parameters influence its environmental sustainability is important. One of the design parameters that impact the sustainability of buildings is the aspect ratio, which is defined as the ratio of horizontal to vertical surface area of a building. A building with the same floor area can be designed horizontally or vertically with different aspect ratios, which will influence its structural design and eventually the amount of concrete used in the building. In this paper, we examine how aspect ratio may affect the environmental sustainability of a buildings foundation, structural framing, and slab. We model the structure of a generic building with different aspect ratio to analyze if aspect ratio can help reduce the energy and carbon embodied in reinforced concrete structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource and emission efficiency in bridge construction using the example of the Leverkusen campus bridge The construction industry is a major contributor to the global emissions of climate‐affecting CO2. Solutions on the track to carbon‐neutral construction and operation can only be achieved through a holistic approach that includes the use of resources. The approach spans from questions about the necessity and size of a building (build less), through a planned re‐use of components and the reduction of material in the design process (build clever), to the selection of materials based on their specific grey emissions (build efficiently) in a tight circulation system (minimise waste). A uniform assessment of the efficiency of resources and emissions for bridge structures is currently not possible due to the lack of internationally coordinated regulations. Using the example of the Campusbrücke in Opladen, Leverkusen, a footbridge built in 2013, the paper explores the different practical approaches that have contributed to a reduction of emissions and used resources. Using a Life Cycle Analysis method (LCA), the selected structure is compared to an alternative design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although incremental sheet forming (ISF) is featured with greater flexibility, lower cost, and shorter leading time, there is less comprehensive sustainability assessment for ISF. In order to summarize the research progress on the sustainability evaluation of ISF and further explore its potential application scenario specifically, the research with respect to energy consumption and environmental impact of ISF are reviewed in this paper. First, the characteristics and research status of ISF including geometry accuracy improvement, forming force prediction, and heating-aided ISF are introduced. Then, study on the influence of processing parameters, equipment, and consumables on energy consumption (both deformation energy and machine tool energy) and forming efficiency are comprehensively reviewed. Current research indicates that neither deformation energy consumption nor electric energy consumption of ISF is lower than stamping process since ISF has long motion trajectory and forming time. In addition, the current methods (such as Life Cycle Assess method) to assess the environmental impact of ISF are discussed. Additionally, the environmental impact of ISF mainly reflects on sheet material, energy consumption, and lubrication oil. Moreover, the comparison of the ISF process and the other processes with regard to sustainability is analyzed, which indicates that ISF has obvious advantage and broad prospects when the cost of molds is considered and the batch size is generally less than 1000. The study provides valuable guidance on the further improvement of ISF towards more efficiency and green manufacturing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great significance to design a sustainable extractive distillation separation configuration that can implement efficient separation of the ternary multi-azeotropic mixtures with a large single component content and propose a feasible and accuracy sustainable evaluation method. This is because the extractive distillation separation scheme with preconcentration should be designed for the particularity of such ternary multi-azeotropic azeotropes. To fill this gap, the paper designs a novel and sustainable three-column extractive distillation process containing one integrated distillation column (TCED-IDC) with both preconcentration and solvent recovery functions and two extractive distillation columns taking the separation of the tetrahydrofuran/ethanol/water ternary multi-azeotropic mixtures containing large amounts of water as an example. Simultaneously, economic optimization of the TCED-IDC process as well as the conventional three-column extractive distillation (TCED) process and the four-column extractive distillation (FCED) process is implemented to determine economically optimal design parameters via minimizing the total annual costs (TAC) using genetic algorithm. Following that, environmental and thermodynamic evaluations are comprehensively conducted to prove the advantages of the TCED-IDC process. The TCED-IDC separation schemes achieves 79.05%/8.47% reduction in CO 2 emissions and 71.92%/9.57% economic cost savings compared to the TCED and the FCED schemes, and the corresponding thermodynamic efficiency is 7.87%. Moreover, an extended Eco-efficiency Comparison Index (ECI) method is proposed to perform the eco-efficiency analysis covering economic, environmental, and thermodynamic aspects for the three extractive distillation separation processes proposed. The analysis results demonstrate that the integration of preconcentration and solvent recovery functions improve the eco-efficiency compared to the other two separation schemes, and the corresponding ECI reaches 91.57% and achieves 1.42% points increase compared to the FCED scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research introduces Automated Cost-Duration Variance Prediction (CDVP) system to empower project managers to proactively predict project budget, duration, cost variance and duration variance. The research involved the development and comparison of a total of 48 machine learning (ML) algorithms, with 12 algorithms dedicated to each predictive model. To conduct the study, a dataset comprising 1277 historical cases of Field Canals Improvement Projects (FCIPs) was utilized. Factor analysis and stepwise regression analysis were employed for feature selection where five key drivers were identified from the initial 25 parameters. The paper optimized the performance of each algorithm based on Bayesian optimization. The proposed system produces four outputs: project cost, project cost variance, project duration, and duration variance. The developed ML models were able to predict all of the system's outputs with an adjusted determination coefficient R2 score greater than 0.93 and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) less than 8.97. Environmentally, this research recommends to assess CO 2 emissions as a performance criterion to select the low environmental impact algorithms. As a result, Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) and AdaBoost Regressor were green sustainable algorithms that emitted on average 58 and 69 CO 2e grams per computational hours. To enhance interpretability, the study employed the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) technique to provide explanations for the key drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research addresses the critical necessity for energy-efficient solutions in port operations. The primary objective of this paper is to introduce and assess the viability of an innovative infrastructure termed Underground Reefer Container Storage (URCS) devised to mitigate the significant and increasing energy demand posed by reefer containers in ports. This study employs a discrete-event simulation (DES) model to evaluate the feasibility, environmental implications, and cost-effectiveness of three distinctive URCS infrastructure designs. These designs are compared against conventional storage methods to ascertain their capacity for minimizing energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions. The analysis reveals that the best scenario for a specific case study involves a multi-block layout comprising two underground yards, capable of accommodating 39% of the overall refrigerated container capacity at a port. This layout cuts CO 2 emissions by 61% from the 2.704 GWh/year energy used by refrigerated containers, yielding around 1.4 million USD/year cost savings. Further analyses using weighted searches to prioritize URCS container slotting led to shorter container dwell times at ports, rendering energy savings 23% higher than in similar unplanned settings. Moreover, this study presents URCS as an eco-friendly alternative for port-based reefer container storage, offering practical alignment with sustainability goals and regulations. The innovative design and its successful application provide holistic insights, paving the way for enhanced port energy management and environmental care. In addition, the implementation of URCS has the potential to reshape port procedures, yielding economic and ecological benefits. This initiative contributes to diminishing the carbon footprint of ports, aligning with global endeavors towards greener and more responsible practices. [Display omitted] • Conventional stacking at ports consumes high energy for reefer containers, risking the cold chain. • Underground reefer container storage (URCS) reduces heat exchange by storing reefers in a colder underground deposit. • Multi-level block storage is preferred in URCS, according to a multi-criteria assessment. • Simulation recommends energy savings with proper stacking in multi-level block storage. • URCS enables environmentally responsible port operations, improving standards feasibly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization becomes the primary source of carbon emissions and energy demand growth in China with industrialization entering the middle-later stages. With the current highconsumption and high-emission urban development model, the resulting resource consumption and carbon emissions become a major environmental issue and a sustainability problem. Based on the panel data of the bay area economic zone of Zhejiang province from 2003 to 2017, this paper analyzed the overall spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of carbon emissions of the economic zone. The main sources of carbon emissions will be studied in detail by incorporating the urbanization level, energy consumption structure, land use, economic development level, industrial structure, population agglomeration, openness, and technological progress into the STIRPAT (the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology) extended model. We further investigated the driving mechanism of carbon emissions and spatial and temporal heterogeneity of carbon emissions from the perspective of urbanization using the geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR). The results showed that: (1) The scale of carbon emissions has increased with time, but the growth rate has not been large with a decreasing growth rate. Carbon emissions in different regions are significantly different. The carbon emission is less intense through the years with a spatial distribution pattern of increasing from the southwest to the northeast. (2) The level of economic development and the degree of openness to the outside world are the dominant factors that affect the carbon emission level, followed by energy consumption structure, technological progress, and urbanization. (3) These influencing factors show substantial spatiotemporal heterogeneity that the direction and intensity of the fluctuations of various driving factors vary from time to time and region to region. This paper analyzed the impact of the driving factors of carbon emissions in the economic zone of Zhejiang Bay Area explicitly, providing scientific support for the implementation of regionally differentiated carbon emission reduction strategies. It is necessary to fully examine the actual development of each region to formulate a differentiated carbon emission reduction regulation strategy. In particular, these measures should be taken into consideration for reducing carbon emissions in the area: enhancing the efficiency of comprehensive utilization of resources by accelerating the construction of science and technology innovation corridors, and promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries by fully introducing modern service industries and high-end manufacturing based on information technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovative emission reduction technologies combined with optimized processes can effectively reduce the environmental pressure in the iron and steel industry (ISI). Identifying and comparatively analyzing the carbon emissions (CE) from steel productions is conducive to achieving China's ambitious carbon reduction targets. In this paper, we investigated two innovative routes: the shaft furnace-induction furnace-basic oxygen furnace route (SF-IF-BOF) and shaft furnace-electric smelting furnace-basic oxygen furnace route (SF-ESF-BOF), alongside two traditional routes: the blast furnace-BOF route (BF-BOF) and SF-electric arc furnace route (SF-ESF). The analysis was based on a functional unit of 1000 kg of crude steel (CS). By establishing the mass and energy balance models and decision criteria, 12 typical smelting scenarios for these routes were analyzed and compared in terms of materials consumption and CE. The results showed that increasing the proportion of scrap was beneficial for reducing CE. Under the condition of a 50% scrap ratio, the CE of the SF-IF-BOF, SF-ESF-BOF, BF-BOF, and SF-EAF routes were 768, 823, 946, and 870 kg, respectively. The SF-IF-BOF route displayed the most significant advantage of CE reduction. In addition, by using 100% zero-carbon electricity substitution, the SF-EAF route exhibited the greatest CE reduction effect of 41% (from 870 to 510 kg/t). While deploying 100% biomass fuels to replace coal, the CE of the BF-BOF route reduced by 80%. Finally, after introducing biomass fuels and zero-carbon electricity, the CE of the SF-IF-BOF route was minimized to a significantly low 13 kg/t (from 768), nearing zero CE. This research is expected to provide a novel solution for further CE reduction in the future of ISI, contributing to environmental sustainability and carbon reduction goals. • Suggestions for solutions to reduce CO2 emissions in the steel industry are provided. • Emissions of the SF-IF-BOF and SF-ESF-BOF compared to the BF-BOF and DRI-EAF routes. • DRI is considered to be generated using COG zero reforming process. • Using zero-C electricity and biomass can reduce CO2 emissions for the steel industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes utilizing landfill gas, obtained from landfilling activities, as a viable substitute for fossil fuels. In this study, an innovative heat design process for a landfill gas-fueled power plant is employed, representing a novel contribution to system development. The innovative cascade heat recovery process utilized in this method facilitates an eco-friendly multigeneration practice, resulting in reduced thermodynamic irreversibility and air pollution as well as an increase in the capacity of main products. Hence, the entire system consists of a bio power plant, a transcritical CO 2 cycle, a low-pressure steam generation unit, a refrigeration cycle, a multi-effect desalination, and a liquefied natural gas cold utilization unit. The simulation is conducted by the Aspen HYSYS software, examining various aspects such as energy, exergy, economics, and environment. The results indicate that the energy and exergy efficiencies of the process are 79.96% and 32.93%, respectively. Moreover, the cost per unit exergy and specific CO 2 emissions amount to 87.16 $/GJ and 0.2732 kg/kWh, respectively. Besides, a parametric study is performed based on the gas turbine's outlet pressure, the flue gas temperature leaving the transcritical CO 2 cycle and multi-effect desalination, and the liquefied natural gas flow rate. Obtained results demonstrate that the specific CO 2 emissions and cost per unit exergy face an increase with increasing the gas turbine's outlet pressure. Moreover, the increase in the flue gas temperature leaving the transcritical CO 2 cycle exhibits a reduction in the CO 2 emissions and an escalation in the cost per unit exergy. • Technical study of an eco-friendly process using landfill gas and LNG cold energy. • Implementing a new sustainable production approach for a CCHP-desalination process. • Process simulation using Aspen HYSYS and conducting a comprehensive 4 E study. • Energy and exergy efficiencies of the process are found as 79.96% and 32.93%. • Cost per unit exergy and specific CO 2 emissions equal 87.16 $/GJ and 0.2732 kg/kWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the viability of utilizing agricultural biomass-based energy potential, employing mathematical, engineering, and economic modeling techniques. Moreover, the potential of a biogas-based co-digestion (CD) system, integrating its techno-economic performance and environmental sustainability in terms of electricity generation, has also been studied. In this investigation, the categorization of 25 different plant species into two groups: arable field crops (AFCs) and horticultural plants (HPs), was performed. Data was collected during the 2021‐–2022 cropping season in Bangladesh from various sources, including literature reviews, governmental, and non-governmental organizations. The findings revealed that the available agricultural biomass residues, totaling 1,02,585.75 KT, have the capacity to generate 1,33,815 million m3/year of biogas. This energy potential corresponds to 291,125.85 TJ/year or 9231.60 MW of electricity, which can fulfill 88% of the national total energy demand. In terms of levelized cost, the proposed approach is more competitive and shows a greater promise compared to other technologies. Furthermore, it demonstrates environmental friendliness by reducing CO 2 emissions by 156 tons at a cost of $7/ton while earning $1092 annually from the potential carbon-credit market. This approach presents a potential solution to address Bangladesh's energy crisis. The payback period of the system ranged from 2.93 to 3.75 years, with and without the inclusion of a slurry, respectively. The recommended methods hold significant promise for meeting national energy demands. A case study was provided as a proof-of-concept (PoC) to validate the approach. This study is the first of its kind, providing valuable insights into the renewable energy potential in Bangladesh. The results will assist policymakers in formulating sustainable energy policies. • Mathematics, engineering, economics and environmental modeling explored renewable energy. • Techno-economics and environmental sustainability validated the proposed methodology. • Bioenergy-based electricity could supply 88% of the national energy demand of Bangladesh. • A case study was provided as a proof-of-concept (PoC) to validate the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain Technology has garnered significant attention due to its immense potential to transform the way transactions are conducted and information is managed. Blockchain is a decentralized digital ledger that is spread across a network of computers, ensuring the secure, transparent, and unchangeable recording of transactions. However, the energy consumption of certain blockchain networks like Bitcoin, Litecoin, Monero, Zcash, and others has generated apprehensions regarding the sustainability of this technology. Bitcoin alone consumes approximately 100 terawatt-hours annually, contributing significantly to global carbon emissions. The substantial energy requirements not only contribute to carbon emissions but also pose a risk to the long-term viability of the blockchain industry. This study reviews articles from eight reputable databases between 2017 to August 2023, employing the systematic review and preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses approach for screening. Therefore, explore the applications of sustainable blockchain networks aimed at reducing environmental impact while ensuring efficiency and security. This survey also assesses the challenges and limitations posed by diverse blockchain applications regarding sustainability and provides valuable foresight into potential future advancements. Through this survey, the aim is to track and verify sustainable practices, facilitating the transition to a low-carbon economy, and promoting environmental stewardship, with a specific focus on highlighting the potential of sustainable blockchain networks in enabling secure and transparent tracking of these practices. Finally, the paper sheds light on pertinent research challenges and provides a roadmap of future directions, stimulating further research in this promising field. • Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses (PRISMA Study). • Identification of Sustainable Blockchain Use Cases. • Sustainable Blockchain Challenges and Opportunities. • Blockchain for Transparent Sustainability Tracking. • Future Research Directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating heat recovery applications with heavy engines during transportation is critical for achieving sustainable production and reducing the irreversibility associated with the power production process of the engine. In this regard, the current paper introduces a novel waste heat recovery method utilizing the hot flue gas released by a 1-MW ship's engine to yield liquefied hydrogen from seawater desalination while simultaneously meeting the ship's air-conditioning requirement. In addition, a techno-economic analysis and an advanced feasibility study/optimization are conducted. The process employs reverse osmosis desalination to generate freshwater fed to a water electrolyzer for hydrogen production. The needed power is supplied from an organic flash cycle coupled with an ejector-based bi-evaporator refrigeration cycle. The first cooling loop of the refrigeration cycle offers air-conditioning, while the low-temperature loop yields cooling for the Claude hydrogen liquefaction cycle. A comprehensive feasibility assessment is conducted from the thermodynamic, economic, and environmental viewpoints, and accordingly, an intelligent data-driven learning approach is implemented for performing different multi-criteria optimization scenarios. This approach uses an artificial neural network with a multi-objective grey wolf optimization method. The LINMAP method is employed to reach the most favorable scenario and identify the optimal solution. The findings indicate that the flash temperature attains the highest mean sensitivity index measured at 0.377. Moreover, the best optimization scenario is associated with the exergy efficiency, CO 2 emission reduction, and liquefied hydrogen cost as objective functions, calculated at 11.39 %, 22.31 kg/MWh, and 10.25 $/kg, respectively. • An innovative process for seawater desalination toward hydrogen liquefaction. • Using reverse osmosis, bi-evaporator, and Claude cycles integrated into ship engine. • Data-driven learning approach for study and optimization of the arranged process. • Five optimization scenarios are defined and optimized using ANN+MOGWO+LINMAP. • The best scenario is associated with ℇ exergy , CO 2 ERR , and c LH as objective functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the significant energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with buildings, there is increasing interest in improving sustainability of building operations to reduce impact on climate change. A common goal is to operate buildings as "net-zero" energy users in which all energy consumed by the building is balanced against renewable energy purchased from the grid or produced on site. To achieve net-zero status, many buildings will require significant retrofit so as to both reduce energy consumption in the absolute sense and provide the remainder without consuming fossil fuels. Thus, multi-year planning is required to ensure that goals can be met on time. In addition, due to the inherent uncertainty associated with energy consumption and generation, actually achieving net-zero energy use may require discretionary curtailment actions to be taken, and deciding whether such actions are necessary can be challenging. To address these challenges, we propose in this paper a design optimization and operational planning strategy to make the decisions needed to achieve sustainability goals in buildings. The strategy can be applied to schedule design changes over a long horizon to meet annual targets, and it can also be applied in closed loop on a shorter horizon to determine whether curtailment is needed to stay on track. We discuss the formulation of the optimization problem, solution methods, and modeling approaches for key parameters. Application of the strategy is illustrated via examples. Overall, this approach will help automate planning that is often done manually, allowing buildings to take a significant leap forward toward achieving their sustainability goals. • Achieving sustainability goals in buildings requires multi-year planning. • The required design and operational decisions can be made via optimization. • Key problem parameters can be obtained from data-driven modeling. • The strategy allows sustainability goals to be met at minimum cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of political uncertainty on sustainable urban development by examining carbon emission trading systems (ETS) in four major markets in China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Hubei) from 2014 to 2022. As an alternative to carbon taxes, carbon ETS markets have become increasingly popular due to their success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, their effectiveness is often hindered by political instability and uncertainty. Utilising logistic regression and AR(1)-GARCH estimations, we identify a negative relationship between political uncertainty and carbon trading volume. Our study also reveals significant variations in the responses of these markets to political uncertainty. The paper contributes to the understanding of how ETS markets operate in a complex and constantly changing political environment. We suggest that policymakers need to consider the impact of political uncertainty on carbon trading when designing and implementing urban policies that promote sustainable development. Additionally, our research contributes to the development of urban policies that can be effectively implemented in both developed and developing regions. • Local government official turnovers are used as the measurement of political uncertainty. • Daily transaction data from four carbon ETS markets (Beijing, Shanghai, Hubei and Guangdong) in China • Considered the probability and proportion of zero transaction day • Logistic regression and AR(1)-GARCH estimations • A negative relationship between political uncertainty and carbon transaction volume [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World has been shifting towards cleaner and safer sources of energy. Reducing the carbon footprint is the need of the hour. Industries all over the globe are researching on reducing the pollution causing emissions and trying to improve in terms of using sustainable sources of energy and saving the environment. This paper would analyse the low carbon energy assessors (LCEA) in the construction industry. A detailed study has been conducted using primary and secondary research to determine the carbon emissions at different stages of construction. The study would help us in identifying the main phases and activities and components, contributing the majority of the carbon footprints. The need of this age is to work on this area and minimise the pollution and harm to the environment. The construction sites chosen are diverse and consist of all types of building in the southern part of India. The highest carbon emission component in building construction is the cement as a large amount of CO2 emission takes place during the manufacturing process of the cement. The minimum carbon emission that takes place due to the components from the building are labour, sand, MS steel and stainless steel. The study would give a high level idea about the impact of low carbon energy assessors (LCEA) in the construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we developed an optimization model for determining the optimal parameters for multi-pass CNC turning processes. The six elements of sustainable manufacturing were considered in this study to derive new insights into multi-pass turning modeling. This paper details the relationship between time and power and considers total noise in terms of the personal health element and cost of quality in terms of the manufacturing cost element. The objective functions for our model include the total energy, surface roughness, total noise, total cost, and total carbon emission. The decision variables for our model include the cutting depth, feed rate, cutting speed, and number of roughing passes. The proposed model was solved using the Gamultiobj algorithm (MATLAB). This algorithm was used to identify a set of non-dominated points on the Pareto front. Additionally, a single optimal solution is identified using the TOPSIS method. There are twelve combinations of multi-objective optimization processes carried out. One of twelve combinations, for the five objective functions, the optimal values were determined as follows: total energy value of 495,965.751 joules, surface roughness of 0.285 μm, average noise of 78.788 dBA, total cost of $288.587, and carbon emission of 337,748.265 kgCO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population aging and a shortage of medical resources are driving the growth of home health care (HHC). Many HHC studies have focused on developing an optimal routing plan to reduce operation costs; however, few have addressed the attendant long-term sustainability concerns, such as HHC center locations and carbon emissions from transportation. This paper proposes a home health care location-routing problem with a mixed fleet of electric and conventional vehicles that considers battery swapping stations. It aims to simultaneously determine the locations of HHC centers, the scheduling of caregivers with respect to skill requirements, and a routing plan for a mixed fleet under specific time windows, load capacities, synchronized visits, and driving ranges. To address this problem, the paper proposes a novel competitive simulated annealing (CSA) algorithm in which a series of problem-specific effective local search operators expand the solution space of the CSA algorithm, with a competitive mechanism to adaptively adjust these operators to accelerate convergence speed and improve exploration ability. To enhance the exploitation ability, it employs a modified simulated annealing algorithm with a heating strategy and variable neighborhood descent. Comparison experiments are conducted to verify the superior performance of the CSA algorithm in comparison to existing algorithms and the Gurobi solver. Finally, sensitivity analyses are performed on key factors and provide some new managerial insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is a high-tech concrete composite that swiftly grown in popularity worldwide. • The 2% steel fibers used in UHPC design accounts about 30% and 40% of material cost and carbon emissions. • UHPC requires higher initial materials cost than NSC due to its high OPC content, steel fiber, and lack of design regulations. • This paper systematically reviews the cost of raw materials, carbon emission, and ductility performance of UHPC. • This review can help to improve current design efficiency and standards for the cost-effective, and viable UHPC recipe. • More attentions are required to standardize curing, improve structural ductility, and set cost design guidelines for UHPC. Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is a cutting-edge pozzolan composite material composed of a high proportion of discontinuous internal reinforcing fibers, a water-to-binder material ratio of no more than 0.25, and an optimal gradient of granular particles. Despite various potential concrete applications, UHPC is only utilized on occasion because of a lack of widely accepted design standards, rigid design requirements, high starting costs, and a lack of contractor experience. The creation and widespread adoption of UHPC design code requirements would motivate industry participants to implement large-scale applications. With the recent efforts of institutes (such as ACI) that identified the use of high-strength steel fibers in concrete as a significant research priority, it becomes highly relevant. According to sources, existing UHPC materials comprise 2% or more steel fibers, accounting for around 30% and 40% of material prices and 40% of carbon emissions, respectively. Moreover, it is discovered that UHPC mostly exhibits a lower structural ductility than conventional concrete applications and frequently collapses early after crack localization. Regarding the sustainability aspect, the technological use of cementitious materials in the design of UHPC supports the concept of sustainable development, enabling slender sections, thereby using less concrete (less cement) that leads to lower embodied energy and CO 2 emissions compared to conventional concrete. Therefore, the need to evaluate the major findings of previous researches and exhibit the potential approaches that could lead to lowering fiber volume (to reduce cost) and improve the structural ductility of structural applications of UHPC is urgently required. However, this paper systematically reviews the cost of raw materials, structural behavior, and ductility performance of UHPC. It is also concise and assessed the results of CO 2 capturing strategies and uptake in UHPC that are undertaken with the establishment of a framework for manual guidelines as a sustainable UHPC product. This cutting-edge summary should help engineers, consultants, contractors, and others in the construction industry better understand the unique qualities of UHPC, making this long-lasting and eco-friendly construction material seem less mysterious. Professionals will benefit from this analysis by receiving recommendations on how to enhance present design efficiency and develop possible guidelines and standards for a sustainable, low-cost UHPC formula. Because of this, UHPC can be widely used as a sustainable, long-term solution for civil engineering buildings and networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon footprint of a 10-year old university campus is estimated using IPCC Tier 1 Methodology. Key sources and sinks that cause carbon emissions were identified. Electricity, fuel, food and paper consumption were considered as the key items that would increase the emissions. Trees and recycling practices were considered as the key items that would reduce the emissions. Through communication with campus staff and data collection, annual consumption/production data were compiled in a spreadsheet application that uses these data to estimate the amount of carbon that is emitted per year. It was demonstrated that there has been a reduction in the carbon emissions between 2011 and 2017 due to the sustainability initiatives that were launched during that time in the campus. To analyze future years and address the uncertainty in the data, the spreadsheet allows to perform a probabilistic estimation through Monte Carlo simulation and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water distribution networks (WDNs) confront momentous challenges, including the need to meet continuously increased demand, combat unforeseen disruptions, and reduce carbon emissions. Developing efficient plans for resilience enhancement of WDNs thus is essential recognizing the ubiquitous nature of WDNs and increased frequency and destructive severity of hazardous events. This paper presents a resilience-driven multiobjective optimization model to maximize the resilience of WDNs while minimizing the life-cycle cost and carbon emissions. Enhancement actions first are determined and clustered into work packages, and then an optimized schedule is generated considering various operational and managerial factors. A real WDN in the city of London, Ontario, was utilized to demonstrate the proposed model's practicality. The resilience increased by 24% with CAD 1.6 million investment. Additionally, cost saving of about 33% is achievable if the proposed model is employed instead of a currently utilized practice. The developed model is expected to help city managers establish optimal resilience enhancement plans, considering tight available budgets and limited workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A retailer-dominated supply chain with corporate social responsibility is modeled. • Impacts of emission reduction on supply chain's sustainability are analyzed. • Motivations of investing in emission reduction technology are proposed. • Supply chains sustainability is proved to be improved by coordination mechanism. • Performance of the coordination contract is tested analytically and numerically. This paper studies a retailer-dominated supply chain including a single upstream manufacturer that produces two substitutable products and a single downstream retailer that undertakes corporate social responsibility activities. The manufacturer is also regulated by a cap-and-trade policy. We first compare two optimization models for a decentralized system, one that does and one that does not incorporate emission reduction technology, to show that the profit of each system member in the former is higher than that in the latter, while the opposite is true for carbon emissions when the technology level invested by the manufacturer is higher than a threshold. To test the performance of the decentralized model that incorporates emission reduction technology, we model a centralized system and reveal that the system profit in the decentralized model is increased and the corresponding carbon emissions generated during production can be reduced. These findings motivate us to propose a revenue and cost-sharing contract to coordinate the decentralized system. The result shows that the economic and environmental sustainability of the decentralized system can be improved. Finally, several managerial implications are derived by conducting a numerical study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the Chinese government has promulgated many renewable energy generation policies to reduce carbon emissions and stimulate the renewable energy industry, it is vital to assess the policy effectiveness and extent to which they encourage sustainable renewable energy generation. This paper focused on the most prominent and the best-performing policy mechanisms feed-in tariffs (FIT) and renewable portfolio standards (RPS), and developed a system dynamics model to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of the renewable energy generation policies. The model clearly shows the complex causal relationships between the related economic and environmental factors, and the policy scenarios were simulated to indicate the future trends and illustrate the coordination processes between polices and compare the development effects. The results show that current FIT has no obvious impact on the sustainable development of renewable energy industry, while under the integrated scenario, the RPS quota growth rate and fines have a significant positive effect after the construction period. The findings also suggest that a FIT-RPS integrated renewable energy generation policy and a perfect RPS trading system should be prioritized, and the RPS quota ratios and fines should be appropriately increased. As various policies cannot be simultaneously implemented because of financial and resource limitations, the proposed system of dynamics-based analysis approach is useful to analyze policy effectiveness and long-term industry sustainability to ensure the provision of optimized policies. It can also provide guidance for similar problems in different areas as well as decision support for further renewable energy generation policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This think piece discusses current barriers to the rapid decarbonization of transport and ways to overcome them. Policymakers face a set of contradictory goals, leading them to ponder only incremental measures: The need to reduce carbon emissions conflicts with accessibility improvements and the resulting induced traffic. At the same time, the prevention of urban sprawl as a means of promoting sustainable mobility is fundamentally thwarted by technical advances in electric cars and autonomous driving. Unable to attract public acceptance for measures that would effectively reduce travel demand, transport policy is failing to provide convincing transition pathways toward sustainable and equitable mobility for growing urban populations. As a possible way forward, we propose a new starting point for transport policy discussions, exploring the feasibility of urban transport systems based on sustainable, flexible, and relatively cheap modes of active mobility – the E-Bike City. This paper aims to outline a research agenda for testing the effects of such a policy direction. In contrast to the literature on "cycling cities", this effort should include possibilities newly opened by the recent availability of electric micro-mobility vehicles. Also, it should aim for a balanced and realistic transition rather than a unimodal utopia. Inspired by friendly conversations around recent urban visions like 15-Minute Cities or Superblocks, this paper is meant to begin a new discussion about alternative future directions for transport policy beyond mere optimization and technical incrementalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Managing the inventory of spare parts is very difficult because of the stochastic nature of part's demand. Also, only controlling the inventory of the spare part is not enough; instead, the supply chain of the spare part needs to be managed efficiently. Moreover, every organization now aims to have a resilient and sustainable supply chain to overcome the risk of facility disruption and to ensure environmental sustainability. This paper thus aims to establish a model of inventory-location relating to the resilient supply chain network of spare parts. Design/methodology/approach: First, applying queuing theory, a location-inventory model for a spare parts supply chain facing a facility disruption risk and has a restriction for CO2 emission, is developed. The model is later formulated as a non-linear mixed-integer programming problem and is solved using MATLAB. Findings: The model gives optimal decisions about the location of the warehouse facility and the policy of inventory management of each location selected. The sensitivity analysis shows that the very low probability of facility disruption does not influence controlling the average emission level. However, the average emission level certainly decreases with the increment of the disruption probability when the facility disruption probability is significant. Practical implications: Using this model, based on the cost and emission parameters and the likelihood of facility disruption, the spare part's manufacturer can optimize the total average cost of the spare part's supply chain through making a trade-off between productions, warehouse selection, inventory warehousing and demand allocation. Originality/value: Previous research focuses only on developing a framework for designing an efficient spare parts planning and control system. The inventory-location model for spare parts is not addressed in the sense of risk of facilities disturbance and emission. This research first time jointly considered the probabilistic facility disruption risk and carbon emission for modeling the spare part's supply chain network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of vital importance to incorporate sustainability and resilience in the performance-based decision-making of civil infrastructure under seismic hazard. However, a performance-based engineering framework utilizing component-level approach, integrating seismic loss, sustainability, and resilience in a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) is not yet extensively developed particularly for retrofit selection in a long-term perspective. This paper introduces a framework utilizing performance-based approach to couple seismic loss, sustainability, and resilience in decision-making framework for selection of different retrofit alternatives. A component-based probabilistic approach is developed for the seismic loss, sustainability, and resilience assessment in a long-term perspective. The resulting social, economic, and environmental consequences are converted to expected annual consequences (EACs) by considering the full range of seismic hazards, and are utilized as a multi-criterion in the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). The proposed long-term performance-based multi-criteria decision-making (PB-MCDM) framework considers five consequences, which include cost, casualties, equivalent carbon emissions, embodied energy, and repair time. Based on the illustrative example, it may be concluded that incorporating seismic sustainability and resilience in PB-MCDM approach in a long-term perspective can provide ideal solutions and better decision-making against retrofit alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the significant waste heat generated by existing natural gas power plants, it is imperative to implement eco-friendly combined process designs to ensure their long-term sustainability. The present paper introduces and investigates a novel integrated process aimed at achieving multiple generational advantages within an environmentally friendly framework, with the ultimate goal of enhancing sustainability. The new structure incorporates a natural gas power plant, high-temperature and low-temperature organic Rankine cycles, a combined cooling and power subsystem, and a water desalination unit to produce power, heating, cooling, and freshwater simultaneously. This system is simulated within the Aspen HYSYS software and examined from energy, exergy, economic, environmental, and sustainability perspectives. Furthermore, parametric studies evaluate the impact of the overall system's various environmental, economic, and operational conditions. It is found that the production capacities of power, hot water, chilled water, and freshwater are 179,265.17 kW, 387.8 kg/s, 563.6 kg/s, and 21.4 kg/s, respectively. Hence, the overall energy and exergy efficiencies improve to 66.06% and 42.95%, respectively. The financial estimation also reveals a cost of energy of 0.1084 $/kWh and a total net present value of 818.67 M$. It is also determined that the cost per unit of destroyed exergy is equal to 7.156 $/GJ. • Design of a natural gas power plant and an eco-friendly multigeneration process. • Using Aspen HYSYS for simulation, sustainability analysis, and parametric study. • Overall energy and exergy efficiencies of the process equal 66.06% and 42.95%. • The cost of energy and total net present value equal 0.1084 $/kWh and of 818.67 M$. • Carbon dioxide emission intensity of the entire process is 0.2922 kg/MWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of economic dispatch in the context of environmental sustainability is more challenging with the integration of clean energy into the grid and the increase in the size of power systems. Power engineers have a responsibility to seek a novel algorithm that can hierarchically simplify the problem, enhance the diversity of solutions, balance economic and environmental goals, reduce the environmental footprint, and increase economic efficiency. In this paper, a multimodal hierarchical distributed multi-objective moth intelligence algorithm is proposed, combines the hierarchical distributed method with the moth algorithm, introduces the loose equivalence of multimodality, and adopts the Pareto curve partition processing and the extraction of objective points. The proposed method converts the information exchange of the adjacent regions of each layer and the optimization of each layer to be performed in the bottom layer, achieving the coordinated optimization of the whole system through the parallel optimization of the bottom layer regions. The simulation results show that: (1) the computational efficiency is improved. In the 118-bus system, the proposed algorithm reduces 0.13% cost and 5.76% carbon emission than distributed optimization; the proposed algorithm reduces 0.53% cost and 3.81% carbon emission than centralized optimization; (2) the speed of computation is accelerated. In the 1139-bus system, three-layer distributed optimization and two-layer distributed optimization of the proposed algorithm reduce the time by 62.64% and 37.22% than distributed optimization, respectively; (3) the performance metrics of the proposed method demonstrate superiority. • Multimodal hierarchical multi-objective optimization problems are considered. • A multimodal hierarchical multi-objective economic dispatch framework is built. • A multimodal hierarchical distributed multi-objective moth algorithm is proposed. • The gap of multimodal hierarchical intelligent algorithms for optimization is filled. • The algorithm increases the diversity of decision solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An emerging strategy to remove CO 2 from the atmosphere and compensate for the greenhouse-gas emissions of cement and concrete is based on incorporating biochar into concrete. With this approach, concrete can be turned into a functional carbon sink (C-sink). Until now, biochar has been mainly used without modification to replace part of the cement or of the aggregates in concrete. However, this technology comes with a number of practical problems, which include the high water absorption of the biochar (due to its high specific surface) and hazards (dust, risk of combustion). In this paper we present an alternative approach, in which biochar is first processed into lightweight aggregates in a cold-bonding process. To this end, biochar is pelletized together with water and a small amount of hydraulic binder forming round pellets that further harden with hydration. In this way, carbon-rich lightweight aggregates (C-LWA) are obtained that are easier to handle than the original biochar. The C-LWA pellets have similar porosity and strength as conventional LWA and can be used for similar applications. Yet, the CO 2 emissions from sintering traditional LWA are avoided and the C-LWA are instead an effective C-sink. We demonstrate that it is possible to incorporate in the pellets and eventually in the concrete a sufficient amount of carbon to compensate for the original emissions of concrete. The net-zero emissions concrete obtained with this approach possesses mechanical performance sufficient for typical structural applications in buildings. • Biochar is processed into lightweight aggregates in cold-bonding process. • The biochar-rich lightweight aggregates added to concrete act as a safe carbon sink. • Structural concrete with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions becomes possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste management is a major challenge worldwide due to the increasing amount of waste generated, which requires sustainable treatment approaches. In this paper, a mathematical model for the optimal configuration of waste treatment processes is presented that considers municipal solid waste and cattle manure from feedlots. A mixed-integer quadratically constrained formulation is proposed to maximize the net present value of investments, and a multi-objective optimization method through ε-restriction is implemented to limit the global warming potential. The model aims to resolve the trade-off between centralized and decentralized networks. The location of the facilities, the ratio of urban to rural waste for each facility, and the waste streams to be transported are also determined by the model. The optimization approach has been evaluated in a real-world scenario in Argentina. For integrated treatment, the results show the potential of anaerobic co-digestion that justifies transporting co-substrates from remote areas. Decentralized designs show that anaerobic digestion is only convenient for large cities and feedlot production sites. Economic and environmental benefits are significantly higher for the integrated alternative. Under optimized conditions, electricity price should be as high as 55.2 USD per MWh to reach the breakeven point from an economic perspective, assuming no revenues from carbon credits. [Display omitted] • An optimization model for the design of integrated waste management is proposed. • A multi-objective optimization method is applied to limit global warming potential. • The model proves that integrated designs have higher rentability and less emissions. • The minimum electricity price to obtain a profitable project is 55.2 USD/MWh. • The minimum carbon credit price to obtain a profitable project is 16.4 USD/ton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• It is proposed the formulation of an admixture for the fabrication of unfired clay bricks. • It is possible to obtain an unfired clay-based material utilizing low environmental impact admixtures. • Results showed a 94% reduction in fossil fuels due to unburning material to be sintering. Large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO 2) are emitted to the atmosphere during the traditional burning brick process, taking part in the construction industry affectations. This paper presents an alternative way that faces environmental issues by using low-Impact materials in construction; for this purpose, it is proposed the formulation of an admixture for the fabrication of unfired clay bricks. Three different clay-base formulations were developed to analyze their behavior underwater, plasticity, and drying time to determinate the best one to get an unfired brick. The sample with the better performance underwater was tested to water absorption and compressive strength tests. Results show that it is possible to obtain an unfired clay-based material utilizing low environmental impact admixtures to elaborate construction bricks. Finally, a Life Cycle Analysis assessment was conducted to determine CO 2 emissions when utilizing the propossed formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has proposed an ambitious carbon dioxide emission mitigation scenario with specific recommendations for Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) countries. However, this mitigation scenario entails significant limitations. The expected electricity production for the region is quite low compared to global average figures. This situation could endanger the sustainable development of the region. In this paper, we discuss an alternative mitigation scenario that seeks the compliance of both climate objectives and future energy requirements. This new scenario is based on the widespread integration of smart grids and renewable energies. High capacity smart transmission grids could enlarge existing transnational electricity markets. Results show that Latin America could contribute with 4.1% of the global mitigation effort up to 2040 (the IEA's 450 S scenario for the region is 3.6%) with an additional investment of 7% in large-scale renewable-based generation plants and HDVC transmission links. As a main result, future regional generation output is aligned with the requirements of national policy scenarios outlined at the climate convention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Exploiting biogas in small communities is economically and technically challenging. • Evaluating the spatial scale for waste collection and treatment is crucial. • Food waste anaerobic digestion and post-composting were studied at different scales. • Energy savings and carbon balance were analyzed considering two digestion processes. • Conventional wet processes are preferable if the input waste flow is > 3500 t/y. The management of food waste has been considered an extremely important issue since the 1990s but finding efficient solutions for small and rural communities is still challenging. Anaerobic digestion (AD) may provide interesting opportunities in terms of carbon emissions and economic payback in the long term, but the choice of the correct technology and the spatial scale requires attention. The focus of this study is on a small rural municipality, which is selected as a case study to assess the environmental and economic sustainability of the application of two options for AD (a conventional and an alternative wet process) and two spatial scales (municipality and a consortium of municipalities). Both the AD configurations are examined in terms of biogas exploitation, through a combined heat and power generator, and in combination with a post-composting stage of the digestate. From economic and environmental perspectives, the consortium-scale application of the conventional wet process is expected to generate greater benefits in the long term, as it enables 80% more electric energy production and economic revenues/savings, and avoids carbon emissions. However, before selecting the technology, decision makers should consider the public acceptance of local communities (e.g., the susceptibility to the "not-in-my-backyard" syndrome), as the best technical-economical solution may not be the most appropriate to specific communities. The methodology developed in this paper and the discussion of the results will inform decision makers about how to identify the most appropriate alternative for their purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims at investigation of the nexus between Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and environmental sustainability in addition to exploring the long-run and short-run effects of Industry 4.0 on CO 2 emissions. For this end, energy consumption, internet and communication technology (ICT) exports, research and development (R&D), artificial intelligence (AI), ICT technology patents and bitcoin are taken as control variables of Industry 4.0 for a panel of 9 countries that contribute to 62% of the total CO 2 emissions in the world. For this purpose, the paper follows two approaches. First, the paper proposes utilization of AI and ICT technology patents, technology-related R&Ds and ICT exports as variables of I4.0 in addition to investigating the effects of economic growth, energy consumption and bitcoin. Second, to control structural changes and nonlinearity in the cointegrating relations and existence of degenerate cointegration, Fourier panel bootstrap autoregressive distributed lag model (FPBARDL) is utilized. Afterwards, FPBARDL based long, short and strong causality analyses are conducted. The empirical findings revealed positive impacts of all I4.0-related variables on emissions in the long-run. Though I4.0 related AI and ICT innovation has no direct effect in the short-run, its effects are determined through increased energy consumption towards emissions. The strong positive effects of energy consumption and positive effects of economic growth, ICT exports and R&D are observed both in the short and long-run. In addition to positive impacts of I4.0 on environment, the findings favor insufficiency of policies focusing on lowering emissions in I4.0 context.Policy recommendations include strong commitment to energy efficiency and renewable energies and trade policies with environmental concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice often complicates shipping in extremely cold regions, leading to energy-consuming, expensive transportation. Ship performance can be significantly improved with icebreaking assistance that uses specialized ships called icebreakers to create navigable pathways in ice fields. Icebreakers are a critical and expensive resource with high energy consumption that must be judiciously utilized for efficient traffic flow. Optimizing icebreaker usage requires careful consideration of multiple factors related to weather, ships, and regulations. The existing decision support tools for icebreaker management primarily aim to minimize the total waiting time of ships, which may result in allocation of excess icebreakers. The paper presents a novel simulation-based approach for decarbonizing shipping in ice by intelligent icebreaking assistance. The proposed approach optimizes icebreaker assistance for both eco- and cost efficiency, allowing for more sustainable icebreaking policies. A case study representing a simplified configuration of the Finnish-Swedish Winter Navigation System demonstrates this approach to come up with alternate operating strategies that can significantly improve the emission and/or cost (e.g., up to 7 percent less greenhouse gas emission or up to 14.2% lower costs). Results show that the proposed approach is promising, for providing recommendations on environmental and economic policies to decarbonize the Finnish-Swedish icebreaking assistance. • Shipping in ice requires more energy and resources and incurs higher costs compared to open water. • Icebreaker management improves safety and efficiency of shipping in ice, while responding to climate-related challenges. • A simulation-based decision-making approach incorporates environmental factor in centralized icebreaker assistance management. • Case study in the Baltic Sea demonstrates reduction of CO 2 emission by 7% and cost by 14% than the baseline configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice often complicates shipping in extremely cold regions, leading to energy-consuming, expensive transportation. Ship performance can be significantly improved with icebreaking assistance that uses specialized ships called icebreakers to create navigable pathways in ice fields. Icebreakers are a critical and expensive resource with high energy consumption that must be judiciously utilized for efficient traffic flow. Optimizing icebreaker usage requires careful consideration of multiple factors related to weather, ships, and regulations. The existing decision support tools for icebreaker management primarily aim to minimize the total waiting time of ships, which may result in allocation of excess icebreakers. The paper presents a novel simulation-based approach for decarbonizing shipping in ice by intelligent icebreaking assistance. The proposed approach optimizes icebreaker assistance for both eco- and cost efficiency, allowing for more sustainable icebreaking policies. A case study representing a simplified configuration of the Finnish-Swedish Winter Navigation System demonstrates this approach to come up with alternate operating strategies that can significantly improve the emission and/or cost (e.g., up to 7 percent less greenhouse gas emission or up to 14.2% lower costs). Results show that the proposed approach is promising, for providing recommendations on environmental and economic policies to decarbonize the Finnish-Swedish icebreaking assistance. • Shipping in ice requires more energy and resources and incurs higher costs compared to open water. • Icebreaker management improves safety and efficiency of shipping in ice, while responding to climate-related challenges. • A simulation-based decision-making approach incorporates environmental factor in centralized icebreaker assistance management. • Case study in the Baltic Sea demonstrates reduction of CO 2 emission by 7% and cost by 14% than the baseline configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]