Search

As a major contributor to global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the building sector is crucial in shaping energy and climate change policies. Understanding building energy consumption is essential for developing effective policies, and comprehensive datasets and analyses are increasingly important. This paper outlines a structured methodology for developing a sustainability assessment index for building energy efficiency retrofits throughout a building's life cycle, covering the design, construction, use, and out-of-use phases. It highlights the interdependencies among these phases, with the design plan influencing energy efficiency and material selection, the construction plan ensuring these goals are met, and the plans for energy management, demolition, and resource recovery focusing on sustainable practices. The keys to energy-efficient retrofits are sustainable materials, energy-efficient equipment, and green technologies, which help reduce energy consumption, emissions, and operating costs. Oversight and regulation are necessary to maintain standards. This research combines a literature review, surveys, interviews, the Delphi method, and an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to develop a comprehensive evaluation system, categorizing 20 factors across a building's life cycle and assigning weights based on environmental, economic, and social dimensions. The system provides a scientific basis for assessing the sustainability of energy efficiency programs, validated through consistency testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An environmentally friendly and economically efficient forest road network is the key to sustainable forest management, and it is essential to evaluate the sustainability of an established forest road network and to optimize the forest road network based on sustainability criteria. This study proposes a sustainability evaluation method for forest road networks. The evaluation index system was constructed by selecting 12 indices from the social, economic, and ecological dimensions. To improve the credibility of the weighting of the evaluation indicators, the evaluation indicators were assigned subjective and objective weights by the analytic hierarchy process and the entropy weight method, respectively, and the game theory idea was used to comprehensively assign the weights. The study area was chosen to be the Taohuajiang State-Owned Forest Farm, which is a national forest park and is also an ecological public welfare forest. The development of the forest road network in the social, economic, and environmental dimensions was calculated by adopting the evaluation method proposed in this study, and the sustainability of the forest road network in each subdivision of the study area was determined, to provide a detailed theoretical basis for the management to carry out the upgrading of the sustainability of the forest road network. The results derived from the evaluation methodology show that the sustainable development of the forest road network in the study area is "excellent". At the same time, the level of sustainability of the forest road network in different areas of the study area was also evaluated. Finally, this paper puts forward policy recommendations for optimizing the sustainable development of forest road networks. The original sustainability evaluation method in this paper provides a scientific tool for assessing the degree of sustainable development of forest road networks, which contributes to optimizing the forest road networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research paper is to present a framework for selecting a biogas plant for the Indian rural community, considering performability factors such as reliability, quality, maintainability, safety, and sustainability. This will ensure that the plant operates reliably, efficiently, and safely over its entire life cycle and can play a significant role as a decision-support tool for decision-makers (e.g., managers, engineers, stakeholders). The proposed framework integrates the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and the Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) to optimally evaluate and prioritize the best alternative based on performability factors. The findings show that the suitable biogas plant in the context of the Indian rural population is a fixed-dome-type plant. The decision-making process in selecting the best biogas plant can be effectively aided by using this suggested tool. Currently, there are no proper tools or methods for selecting biogas plants for rural areas due to a lack of data or relevant literature on operational issues. The proposed method uses performability factors for the selection, which has not been researched so far. Moreover, the AHP–WASPAS approach offers a robust method for selecting biogas plants, ensuring efficient and sustainable energy production. The proposed method will help policymakers and stakeholders to choose the best biogas plant in the context of Indian rural application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As interest in additive manufacturing (AM) continues to increase, it has become more important to have a robust method to help potential users select the AM process that best suits their technological needs while providing the greatest potential benefits in terms of sustainability and its effect on people. This paper presents the development of a framework for selecting the best AM process for a given application by considering both sustainability and human factors through the combination of axiomatic design and the analytic hierarchy process. Thirty-one participants with varying levels of expertise (novice and advanced users) were involved in the study, considering the frequency of 3D printer usage (novice users: never, rarely; expert users: sometimes, almost always, always) for prototyping parts. They employed fused deposition modeling (FDM) and stereolithography (SLA) (both 3D desktop printers) and collected data on five evaluation criteria. The participation of experts helped establish a novel methodology, with material cost deemed most important (49.8%), followed by cycle time (28%), energy consumption (11.7%), error rate (6.6%), and equipment noise (3.9%). The results showed that FDM was the optimal equipment option for advanced users. By examining the information content of the other options, it was found that FDM demanded less information than SLA, regardless of the user's level of expertise. The proposed method is appropriate to assess the sustainability aspect of FDM and SLA; however, it can be further improved by adding indicators such as environmental impact, recyclability, and ergonomic and occupational health factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing urbanization trend, projected to reach 70% of the global population residing in cities by 2050, underscores the pivotal role of cities in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN, 2015) and combating climate change. Nonetheless, the 2023 report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat) reveals an alarming gap in achieving SDG 11 "Sustainable cities and communities" by 2030. This gap highlights the urgent need for transformative shifts in urban policies and investments to prevent cities from becoming centers of global disparities, including socio-economic inequalities, digital divide, and spatial fragmentation, particularly in marginal areas. Marginal areas suffer indeed from conditions of sub-optimality in planning capacity, valuable decision-making, and project implementation. The inadequate planning, management, and governance of marginal areas, coupled with suboptimal investments, can severely compromise their socioeconomic condition. Planning efforts frequently fall short in achieving long-term sustainability goals due to localized and short-sighted decision-making processes, particularly evident in marginal areas. It is crucial, though, to support their public administrations in the achievement of the SDG 11 targets and in their responsive participation in the calls for the allocation of public funding. In this paper, we provide a theoretical and methodological approach to evaluate urban regeneration projects in marginal areas. In detail, we develop an A'WOT approach, which combines a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis to the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), to rank alternative urban development projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil is considered a key commodity in supporting the Indonesian economy, generating both domestic revenue and foreign exchange. Such revenue needs to be distributed equally for the benefit of the government and society. This paper discusses the opportunities and challenges of the proposed revenue-sharing scheme, DBH Sawit, sourcing from palm oil, particularly between central and local governments. It examines how the proposed scheme can be implemented and what strategies can reward regions for moving toward environmental sustainability practices. Research methods used in this paper include a literature study, stakeholder interviews, the SWOT method and analytical hierarchy processes. Results indicate that DBH Sawit is one of several fiscal instruments that could potentially incentivize sustainability. It has both strengths and anticipated opportunities, such as increased CPO production and global demand for palm oil. It faces, however, serious weaknesses, such as unauthorized oil palm plantations and the absence of traceability systems. It is also threatened by unfair market and global policies. This paper recommends diverse strategies to increase palm oil productivity, accelerate sustainability certification and develop a tracing system. To accelerate the adoption of environmental sustainability, the paper advocates an ecological-based fiscal transfer system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to develop an integrated Quality–Cost–Environmental (QCE) indicator for the selection of photovoltaic panels (PVps) offered to customers, considering the following criteria: (i) quality satisfaction; (ii) cost-effectiveness; and (iii) environmental impact throughout the life cycle. The proposed QCE indicator was developed within a framework that incorporated an FAHP (Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process), cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), and life cycle assessment (LCA). The model test confirmed its effectiveness in choosing a PVp which combines environmental friendliness throughout its entire life cycle with satisfactory quality and a reasonable purchase price for customers. The proposed model can be utilized by individuals, businesses, and public entities for the selection of high-quality, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly PVps—thereby promoting sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal SDG11.3.1—the ratio of land consumption rate (LCR) to population growth rate (PGR) (LCRPGR)—aims to measure the efficiency and sustainability of urban land use. In recent years, SDG11.3.1 has been widely used in sustainable urban development research. However, previous studies have focused on the urban core area, while the sustainable development status of the urban peripheral areas (suburban and rural areas) that contribute significantly to the ecological environment has been neglected. To this end, relying on land use/cover change (LUCC) data obtained from high-resolution remote sensing satellite images rather than the single impervious surface data used in traditional research, according to the multiple functions of the land use type, the city is divided into three types of space: production, living, and ecological spaces. Research from the perspective of multi-scale coordination is of great significance for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the sustainable development status of urban space. Taking the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in China as an example, in this paper, LUCC remote sensing data and comprehensive population and gross domestic product (GDP) data are used. From the multi-functional production-living-ecological space perspective, based on the original land use efficiency indicator, the ratio of land consumption rate (LCR) to economic growth rate (EGR) (LCREGR) is introduced and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is used to comprehensively evaluate the sustainable development level (SDL) of the space between 2000–2010 and 2010–2020 on the urban agglomeration and prefecture-level city scales. The results show that (1) the level of and changes in the spatial sustainable development are significantly different at different scales; (2) the division of the production-living-ecological spaces can guide cities to optimize different types of spaces in the future. This paper proposes a new evaluation method for spatial sustainable development, which provides a useful reference for any country or region in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To scientifically measure the water environment carrying capacity of Harbin City and its change trend, based on analysis of the implications of the sustainability of the urban water environment's carrying capacity, an evaluation index system for the sustainability of the water environment carrying capacity of Harbin City was constructed. Most existing evaluation methods rely on static data to construct correlation functions between research objects and rank criteria, while the dynamic nature of the information is not considered enough. In this paper, we use hierarchical analysis (analytic hierarchy process, AHP) to determine the weights of each index of the system and then apply the projection tracing method (projection pursuit, PP) to optimize the determined weights. Combining the set pair analysis posture evaluation method and bias coefficients method to explore the dynamic balance mechanism between different index factor levels, a sustainability evaluation model for water environment carrying capacity integrating informational evolution is constructed. Finally, the applicability of the optimization model is tested by comparing the confidence criterion judging method. The model realizes quantitative evaluation of the carrying capacity of the urban water environment. It provides a new and effective means for accurate and reasonable determination of the coefficient of variance and the number of links and dynamic analysis of the water environment carrying capacity system and judgment of its sustainable development trend. The results show that the weight for water resource quality is 0.55, which is the subsystem with the greatest overall impact on the carrying capacity of the water environment in Harbin. The evaluation level of the set-to-potential eigenvalue for 2010–2017 is biased positive 2, and the rest of the years are quasi 2. The reduced value of the coefficient of oppositeness corresponding to the years 2010–2017 is more significant. The maximum value of the dynamic evolution of the load-carrying capacity level is nearly −0.35. From the vertical comparison of different levels, it is found that the water environment carrying capacity of Harbin City gradually recovered to the normal loadable level over time. This overall shows an improving trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenge of achieving and measuring urban water sustainability is hard because of its complex nature. The sustainability of urban drinking water system (UDWS) is no exception, as integration of technical, environmental, social, economic, and institutional elements of sustainability is defying and perplexing in terms of its application and evaluation. This paper deals with the technical aspects related to the design, construction, operation, and maintenance factors of a UDWS. Measurement of the status of such factors is almost impossible in generic formats. Therefore, a list of measurable sub factors was developed through an extensive literature survey and refined by involving appropriate stakeholders. This led to the development of a hierarchy from criteria to factors and from factors to sub factors, making a case for the utilization of an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for multicriteria analysis (MCA). Appropriate stakeholders were included in this research to address the issues for which there were major gaps in the literature. A set of guidelines were developed for the evaluation of the status of various sub factors in a quantitative format. It is concluded that a trans disciplinary framework, the involvement of stakeholders, and guidelines for adopting appropriate processes and techniques may improve the sustainability of stressed urban water systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex urban systems, such as multi-floor rail transit stations and integrated railway transport hubs, are termed "complex urban public spaces" (CUPSs). These CUPSs facilitate people's lives, but, at the same time, are threatened by various risks due to their multi-floor structure, dense crowds, high correlation in multi-function, complex facilities, and space openness. The risk events of CUPSs could have a negative influence on public safety and further influence sustainable development. Increasing the resilience of CUPSs is an effective way to respond to risks and guarantee public safety. Therefore, it is necessary to first assess the resilience of CUPSs. In this paper, a six-level comprehensive resilience indicator system was established based on aspects of the essence of resilience. Used in combination with the methods of resilience impact score and fuzzy analytical hierarchy process, the resilience value could be calculated. The Shenzhen North Railway Station (SZ) and the Guangzhou South Railway Station (GZ) were used to validate the proposed methodology. The established resilience indicator system was shown to be comprehensive and innovative, and, regarding practicality, the proposed assessment methodology is convenient to use. This research can help policymakers to assess the resilience of CUPSs and develop relevant policies to improve the resilience of buildings, which can further enhance urban sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated vegetation management (VM) strategies under electricity distribution lines (EDLs) through ecosystem service (ES) criteria. Deforestation, worsened by insufficient VM practices, poses a threat to ecosystem stability. Using a hybrid FAHP (Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process) and TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) approach, ten VM strategies were assessed based on 15 ES criteria. The FAHP results identified biodiversity, timber resources, and erosion control as the most crucial criteria due to their significant weights. The TOPSIS analysis determined that VM6 (creation and restoration of scrub edges) was the most effective strategy, achieving a value of 0.744 for reducing deforestation and enhancing energy security. VM6 helps preserve forest cover and protect infrastructure by creating a "V"-shaped structures within the EDLs corridor. This study underscores the importance of ES-oriented VM strategies for sustainable vegetation management and deforestation mitigation. It also highlights the need for incorporating scientific, ES-based decision support mechanisms into VM strategy development. Future research should expand stakeholder perspectives and conduct a comprehensive assessment of ESs to ensure that VM strategies align with ecological and socio-economic sustainability. This study provides a framework for improving VM practices and offers directions for future sustainable energy management research. This study focuses exclusively on ecological criteria for evaluating VM strategies, neglecting other dimensions. Future research should use methods like ANP and fuzzy cognitive maps to explore inter-dimension relationships and their strengths. Additionally, employing SWARA, PIPRECIA, ELECTRE, and PROMETHEE for ranking VM strategies is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents an innovative data fusion model that utilizes Monte Carlo simulations (MC) and the Gray Analytic Hierarchy Process (G-AHP) to address the complexity and uncertainty in decision-making processes, particularly in selecting sustainable wastewater treatment systems. The study critiques and extends the Dempster–Shafer and Yager's theories by incorporating a novel MC algorithm that mitigates the computational challenges of large numbers of experts and sensors. The model demonstrates superior performance in synthesizing diverse expert opinions and evidence, ensuring comprehensive and probabilistically informed decision-making under uncertainty. The results show that the combined MC algorithm produces satisfactory results, and thus, offers wide applicability in decision-making contexts. To determine its effectiveness, an extensive empirical study was conducted to identify an appropriate wastewater treatment system for the busy city of Tehran, incorporating the insights and perspectives of respected experts in the field. The selection was based on three technical, economic, and environmental–social criteria. Due to the large dimensions of each of the defined criteria, sub-criteria were also defined to achieve better results for each of the criteria. The in-depth analysis conducted revealed that enhanced aeration activated sludge (EAAS) emerged as the best choice for Tehran's most urgent needs among various competitors, with a remarkable priority rating of 34.48%. Next, the Gray Analytic Hierarchy Process (G-AHP) was used to determine the most important sub-criterion, based on which resistance to hydraulic shock is most important in the enhanced aeration activated sludge system. Due to its versatility in different fields and industries, this method is a powerful tool for managers to optimize system efficiency and identify defects and risks and eventually to minimize costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the architectural framework of a value-driven token economy on a blockchain content platform and critically evaluates the relationship between blockchain's decentralization and sustainable economic practices. The existing literature often glorifies the rapid market expansion of cryptocurrencies but overlooks how underlying blockchain technology can fundamentally enhance content platforms through a more structured user engagement and equitable reward system. This study proposes a new token economy architecture by adopting the triple-bottom -line (TBL) framework and validates its practicality and effectiveness through an analytic-hierarchy-process (AHP) survey of industry experts. The study shows that the most influential factor in a successful token economy is not profit maximization but fostering a user-centric community where engagement and empowerment are prioritized. This shift can be expected to combine blockchain technology with meaningful economic innovation by challenging traditional profit-driven business models and refocusing on sustainability and user value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable construction plays a significant role in developing countries. However, the adoption of sustainable buildings has faced diverse challenges. Therefore, this research investigates the benefits and challenges of adopting the Green Mark in green building projects. After a literature review and a pilot study with construction experts, an industry-wide survey was conducted to collect 148 valid responses. The data were analyzed in depth, with 24 barriers and 10 benefits, using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) software. After this, the collected data were analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method to prioritize critical factors. The preliminary findings revealed significant practical implications and offered valuable insights to support the adoption of Green Mark criteria for construction management sustainability. Furthermore, practical solutions were proposed to foster the widespread adoption of green buildings toward sustainable construction in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing universities to become green and sustainable universities is important. This is in line with the world's sustainable development guidelines. In developing a university towards being green and sustainable, different sustainability assessment criteria have been used, including the UI GreenMetric, GRI, STARS, AUN, THE'S Impact Ranking, and AISHE. Each criterion is designed in a broad-spectrum manner that is not specific. Therefore, this research aims to develop sustainable and green university assessment indicators that suit the national context in Thailand, both in terms of the size and location of universities. Based on the criteria from the UI GreenMetric, there are six categories, totaling 51 indicators. Thus, this study aims to analyze the weaknesses and strengths of each indicator using a questionnaire distributed by the Sustainable University Network of Thailand to all 36 universities and to organize a meeting with sustainability experts (focus group) in each area. To obtain appropriate indicators and to prioritize each indicator, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and weighted arithmetic mean (WAM) method were used to develop an index of sustainability assessment criteria (GU SI) suitable for the Thai context. The results of this study show that the newly developed GU SI comprises seven aspects, including a total of 27 indicators. These are criteria that can be used to assess the sustainability of small, medium, and large universities. They are not complex, are straightforward to use, and more importantly reflect the Thai context. By applying these new sustainability assessment criteria, it was found that the universities sampled in this study yielded significantly high scores. This study is limited by its application of sustainability assessments to only universities in Thailand. Though there are different contexts across different Thai universities, the proposed indicators can still be used to evaluate the sustainability of universities in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of Industry 4.0, the ubiquitous internet of things provides big data to potentially quantify the environmental footprint of green products. Further, as the concept of Industry 5.0 emphasizes, the increasing mass customization production makes the product configurations full of individuation and diversification. Driven by these fundamental changes, the design for sustainability of a high-mix low-volume product–service system faces the increasingly deep coupling of technology-driven product solutions and value-driven human-centric goals. The multi-criteria decision making of sustainability issues is prone to fall into the complex, contradictory, fragmented, and opaque flood of information. To this end, this work presents a data-driven quantitative method for the sustainability assessment of product–service systems by integrating analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) methods to measure the sustainability of customized products and promote the Industry 5.0-enabled sustainable product–service system practice. This method translates the sustainability assessment into a multi-criteria decision-making problem, to find the solution that meets the most important criteria while minimizing trade-offs between conflicting criteria, such as individual preferences or needs and the life cycle sustainability of bespoke products. In the future, the presented method can extend to cover more concerns of Industry 5.0, such as digital-twin-driven recyclability and disassembly of customized products, and the overall sustainability and resilience of the supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the assessment of the economic, environmental, institutional, and social sustainability of wastewater treatment systems may have several conceivable goals and intended recipients, there are numerous different approaches. This paper surveys certain aspects of sustainability assessment that may be of interest to the planners of wastewater treatment systems. Here, the key criteria assess the system's costs and financing, including its affordability for the users, the environmental impact, the benefits for health and hygiene, the cultural acceptance of the system and its recycled products, the technical functioning, and the administrative, political, and legal framework for its construction and operation. A multi-criteria approach may then be used to analyze possible trade-offs and identify the most suitable system for a certain location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urbanization progresses, large cities continue to attract population, causing depopulation and regional development imbalances, especially in remote rural areas facing sustainability challenges. This study aims to explore local resource potential and assess critical factors for regional revitalization, offering design strategies to promote local sustainability. The study is based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and assesses the status of regional development through field research. The Delphi method was employed to interview experts and build a multi-tiered sustainable development evaluation indicator framework (Level 1: B1–B3, Level 2: C1–C8, Level 3: D1–D16), covering economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The weights of the indicators were determined through the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method was applied to comprehensively assess the sustainable development status of Qianfeng Community. The research findings revealed that due to population outflow and a lack of participation in co-building channels, the region scored lowest in "local employment & entrepreneurship (D2)", "innovation & entrepreneurship culture (D10)", and "endogenous development (D16)". Consequently, the study proposes the establishment of a regional revitalization co-creation platform based on "life projects" as part of a sustainable design strategy. These research results provide valuable case studies and strategic references for future regional revitalization and sustainable design initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, on the basis of quantifying the emergy water ecological footprint, a sustainability evaluation system for the overall water ecological economic system of the basin and each province (region) was proposed. And using the subjective and objective combination of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Entropy Weight Method (EWM) to determine the weight of the indicator system, a TOPSIS model for sustainability evaluation was constructed. And taking the Yellow River Basin as an example, the results indicate that (1) Throughout the entire basin, the sustainability of the water ecological economic system showed a fluctuating upward trend year by year during the study period, from 0.37 to 0.51. (2) In each province (region), the sustainability of the water ecological economic system had gathered in space. The overall sustainability level of the upstream Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu provinces is high, always at level (I). The overall sustainability level of the midstream Ningxia and Neimenggu was low, always at level (IV). The overall sustainability level of the downstream Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan and Shandong provinces is high, rising gradually over time, from level (III) to level (II) or (I). Against the backdrop of the rapid development of the economy and society, the contradiction between economic and social development, ecological environment protection, and sustainable utilization of water resources is becoming increasingly severe, which has become a key factor restricting the sustainable development of the ecological economic system in Yellow River Basin. Multidimensional comprehensive evaluation of the sustainability level of the regional water ecological economic system is a prerequisite for identifying sustainable development issues in the Yellow River Basin, and also the basis for formulating targeted policies for sustainable utilization of regional water resources and high-quality economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify the critical parameters for implementing a sustainable artificial intelligence (AI) cloud system in the information technology industry (IT). To achieve this, an AHP-ISM-MICMAC integrated hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model was developed and implemented. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to determine the importance of each parameter, while interpretive structural modeling (ISM) was used to establish the interrelationships between the parameters. The cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis was employed to identify the driving and dependent parameters. A total of fifteen important parameters categorized into five major groups have been considered for this analysis from previously published works. The results showed that technological, budget, and environmental issues were the most critical parameters in implementing a sustainable AI cloud system. More specifically, the digitalization of innovative technologies is found to be the most crucial among the group from all aspects, having the highest priority degree and strong driving power. ISM reveals that all the factors are interconnected with each other and act as linkage barriers. This study provides valuable insights for IT industries looking to adopt sustainable AI cloud systems and emphasizes the need to consider environmental and economic factors in decision-making processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology advancements and modern lifestyle changes have posed a threat to the preservation and development of traditional skills. This research focuses on the sustainable development of Huaihe willow weaving techniques, an intangible cultural heritage of China, with a specific focus on economic and environmental sustainability. The initial step involved analyzing the purchasing intentions of 350 consumers in the Yangtze River Delta region through a questionnaire survey. Based on this analysis, four theoretical hypotheses were formulated. Subsequently, an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model consisting of four standard layers and 20 factor layers was constructed. By utilizing judgment matrices, the relative weight values of the standard and factor layers were calculated. Notably, B4 (sustainable innovation) holds the highest weightage at 49%, followed by B2 (product innovation) and B3 (process innovation), each accounting for 20%. B1 (authentic innovation) has a weightage of 11%. This study delves into the interrelation among the crucial factors influencing design innovation in Huaihe willow weaving. Lastly, based on the outcomes of the AHP model, four sustainable design improvement strategies for the development of new Huaihe willow weaving products in the Yangtze River Delta region are proposed. This research sheds light on the sustainable effects of design innovation in the willow weaving traditional craft on commercial and economic progress, from the perspective of consumers. Additionally, it offers experimental data and strategic support for local willow weaving enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta region, aiding in the development of new products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental vulnerability refers to the susceptibility of a region to damage when it is subjected to natural or anthropogenic actions. The assessment of environmental vulnerability in lakes is an important tool to assist managers in planning and intervening for sustainable production and environmental preservation. The combination of geotechnologies, fuzzy logic and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has been applied by professionals and researchers to improve the work and research conducted in various areas and environments. In this context, the objective of this work was to map the environmental vulnerability of a lake and its surroundings through fuzzy logic and the AHP method. The study area comprises the Juparanã Lagoon Drainage Surface (JLDS), Espírito Santo state, Brazil. A survey of the physical characteristics of the watershed (drainage surface) that feeds the Juparanã Lagoon was carried out and also of the land use of this surface. To achieve the proposed objectives, the following methodological steps were implemented: (a) delimitation of watersheds, (b) spatialization of Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) based on the Brazilian Forestry Code (Law nº 12,651/2012), (c) application of logic fuzzy and AHP to spatialize the environmental vulnerability and (d) application of an evaluation of environmental vulnerability to the Preservation Areas (APP). Environmental vulnerability was modeled using Euclidean distance analysis, fuzzy logic and the AHP method, as proposed by Saaty (1977). For the development of this work, geotechnologies were used, with special emphasis on the use of the free software QGIS. The analysis revealed that 31.20%, 32.86% and 20.93% of the JLDS have very high, high and medium vulnerability, respectively. The evaluation of the environmental vulnerability of the APP showed that there is protection in the APP of the JLDS at rates of 47.35%, 34.05% and 14.5% for very high, high and medium vulnerability classes, respectively. The difficulties encountered were related to the lack of studies in the area of environmental vulnerability with a particular focus on lagoons. Here, for the first time, we perform a photointerpretation of the surroundings of Juparanã Lagoon. An important improvement measure would be the application of a temporal analysis to assess the dynamics of environmental vulnerability over time, considering socioeconomic, climatic and environmental changes. This would provide a more complete understanding of the distribution of environmental vulnerability in the study area. The methodology can be adapted to consider different scales of analysis, from local to regional, national and global scales, to assess environmental vulnerability at various scopes and levels of complexity. It can also be adapted to include local communities and governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization has led to the degradation of green areas and natural resources, which are critical for preserving biodiversity and natural benefits. Sustainable urban development (SUD) practices aim to balance urbanization with preserving and protecting green land and natural resources to achieve greater sustainability. This study evaluated land suitability for SUD in the Nabatiyeh area of Lebanon using a multi-criteria decision analysis technique, the analytical hierarchy process, combined with a geographic information system. The elevations and slopes were the most important criteria, followed by the distances from urban agglomeration and industrial areas, accessibility, and land cover types, with corresponding weights of 34% and 36%, 12%, 9%, 6%, and 3%, respectively. The study created a suitability map for future SUD. This identification assists urban planners and policymakers in making informed decisions regarding the development of urban areas. The study's findings highlight the efficiency of combining multi-criteria decision analysis with geospatial techniques for urban planning and environmental management in promoting sustainable development and protecting the environment. Future research could explore the possibility of integrating administrative reforms to promote SUD, including improving governance, enhancing the efficiency of governmental agencies responsible for urban development, building scientific capacities, and increasing officials' accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to a green economy for any country is crucial for the sustainability development of the economy, environment, society, and governance (EESG). A green economy is a sustainable approach to combating climate change and promoting sustainable development through the adoption of sustainable energy. This research utilizes the Delphi and fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP) methodologies to assess and rank the EESG criteria and policy options for transitions to a green economy. The factors and policy choices are identified using the Delphi approach for further analysis. These factors and policy alternatives for switching to a green economy for sustainable development are determined using the fuzzy AHP technique. According to the fuzzy AHP approach, environmental, social, and economic factors are best suited for green economy transitions. The findings also show that the most crucial policy options for the switch to a green economy are research and development, carbon pricing, and renewable energy targets. The findings are useful to guide the creation of policies and the selection of options for the implementation of a green economy. Finally, the conclusion can guide actions to combat climate change and develop a sustainable energy future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The groundwater resources carrying capacity is a comprehensive metric that assesses the ability of groundwater resources in a region to support industrial production and socioeconomic development. In arid regions, the calculation and analysis of the carrying capacity of groundwater resources are of paramount importance for guiding sustainable mining practices in coal mines. This study utilized a combination of the Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE) method and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to analyze the carrying capacity of groundwater resources in the coal mine located in northwest China. The results showed that the groundwater resources carrying capacity in the study coal mine was at a low level from 2011 to 2020 and the development and utilization of groundwater will reach its limit. The change trend of the carrying capacity showed a slight increase following a decline, with the highest value 0.5021 and the lowest 0.3518. The factors that significantly impacted the size of the carrying capacity included the total groundwater resources, the degree of groundwater development and utilization, and the per unit GDP of water consumption. To ensure sustainable development, the optimization of coal mining technology and the improvement of groundwater utilization efficiency should be promoted, while the rate of groundwater development should be slowed. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for guiding the sustainable development of groundwater resources in the coal mine of arid areas in the future and have practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability represents a key issue for the future of the aviation industry. The current work aims to assess and compare aircraft, under the prism of sustainable aviation. In the proposed approach, sustainability is understood as a trade-off between technological sustainability, economic competitiveness/costs, and ecological sustainability, with the latter also including circular economy aspects. To handle the trade-offs and lead to an effective decision, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methodology is applied, combining the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and an appropriate weighted addition model. To demonstrate the proposed approach, a set of commercial aircraft incorporating novel fuel/propulsion technologies are compared and ranked with regards to their sustainability, using the metric of sustainability introduced. The dependency of the obtained ranking on the significance attributed to each of the sustainability aspects considered was also performed and discussed. To verify the reliability of the proposed approach, the obtained results are also compared with those obtained from a popular ranking tool from the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study of biomass assessment, geospatial modeling-based analysis becomes crucial for the sustainable management of agriculture. Currently, there is no integrated sustainability assessment of the geographic information system (GIS) cluster or suitability analysis for the feedstock of crop residues. In order to fill this research gap and support the strategy of bioenergy formulation with the circular economy concept in agriculture residues in Myanmar, this study aims to assess the energy generation potential and site locations of treatment facilities for crop residue, utilizing the integrated assessment of GIS cluster and suitability modeling. The cluster analysis identifies the rice straw as the highest feedstock of crop residues and township-based high/low clusters. In addition, the electricity generation potential is estimated at 279.14 MW for different clusters of rice straw. Moreover, the suitability analysis in the study uses the conceptual model of variables for constraints and factors with the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) technique to evaluate the weights. The suitability analysis found high suitability areas of 14,603 hectares for treatment facilities within the high/low cluster of feedstock for rice straw. The multicriteria and GIS integrated assessment model adopted in this research can support the decision-makers in developing spatial-based strategic planning for bioenergy promotion which will support sustainable farming practices in Myanmar. Additionally, the proposed model is adaptable in study areas with similar feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An e-bike sharing system (e-BSS) solves many of the shortcomings of BSS but requires high financial investments compared to BSS. This article proposes a sustainable and targeted extension of the existing BSS with e-bikes and charging piles. The existing BSS in the selected city area is divided into sub-areas using the Voronoi diagram and reference points (landmarks). Then, the integrated approach of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to assess the adequacy of the existing bike-sharing stations for updating with e-bikes and charging piles. The joint approach allows decision-makers to look at the whole process and highlight the link between the criteria assessment and user preferences in the context of the chosen reference point. This can encourage future users to use e-BSSs. Based on a thorough literature review, the defined system of criteria takes into account all dimensions of sustainability: the requirements of most stakeholders and the structural features and needs of e-BSS. Finally, the super-efficiency DEA is used to classify the suitable candidates for bike-sharing so that only the most suitable stations are updated. The test of the proposed algorithm in Ljubljana city centre confirms several suitable options for updating the BSS, depending on the reference point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extending last-mile delivery services to individuals—crowdshippers who pick up or deliver a shipment as part of their daily activities—has sustainable benefits, but also risks (damaged parcels, late deliveries, increased emissions) for various stakeholders. So far, developed crowdshipping models have only addressed one or two risks at a time. No model promotes environmental goals separately or together with other goals. This study proposes a crowdshipping model that consists of three stakeholders (the owner of a crowdshipping platform, crowdshippers and parcel providers) and with various incentives aims to maximise the profitability of the platform and the compensation of crowdshippers, the quality of delivery, and to minimise environmental externalities. A two-level leader–follower game and the concept of Shapley value, from cooperative flow games at the follower level, are used to define the optimal strategy that provides sustainable delivery with a good balance between costs and profits. The game behaviour was explained on a crowdshipping platform provider (leader) and two coalitions: individual crowdshippers and parcel logistics providers. The aim of the example is to explain the strategy of promoting environmentally friendly parcel delivery. The results show satisfactory economic, social and environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply chain sustainability, which takes environmental, economic, and social factors into account, was recently recognized as a critical component of the supply chain (SC) management evaluation process and known as a multi-criteria decision-making problem (MCDM) that is heavily influenced by the decision-makers. While some criteria can be analyzed numerically, a large number of qualitative criteria require expert review in linguistic terms. This study proposes an integration of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), spherical fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (SF-AHP), and spherical fuzzy weighted aggregated sum product assessment (SF-WASPAS) to identify a sustainable supplier for the steel manufacturing industry in Vietnam. In this study, both quantitative and qualitative factors are considered through a comprehensive literature review and expert interviews. The first step employs DEA to validate high-efficiency suppliers based on a variety of quantifiable criteria. The second step evaluates these suppliers further on qualitative criteria, such as economic, environmental, and social factors. The SF-AHP was applied to obtain the criteria's significance, whereas the SF-WASPAS was adopted to identify sustainable suppliers. The sensitivity analysis and comparative results demonstrate that the decision framework is feasible and robust. The findings of this study can assist steel industry executives in resolving the macrolevel supplier selection problem. Moreover, the proposed method can assist managers in selecting and evaluating suppliers more successfully in other industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A selection of suitable sustainability management systems (SMS) is a major part of supply chain strategies to create a competitive advantage, reduce total costs, and manage long-term sustainability. A framework and method for prioritizing supply chain SMSs are presented in this research. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is the most common method for alternative selection in multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). However, complex information is mixed with ambiguity and uncertainty, which makes decision makers unable to use precise or crisp numbers, so fuzzy numbers are presented to remedy this difficulty. Therefore, this research proposes a fuzzy additive preference programming (FAPP) to select the optimum SMS for a supply chain. FAPP method can produce the unique normalized optimal priority vector of fuzzy pairwise comparison matrices for SMS selection effectively with linear constraints. The additive linear constraints can eliminate the weaknesses of existing methods and equalize the upper and lower triangular fuzzy judgments. In addition, the proposed method can identify abnormal pairs of fuzzy judgments that cause inconsistency. The proposed methodology can prioritize the key criteria which lead to the selection of the most appropriate SMS. An example of SMS selection in a rubber factory demonstrates the feasibility and validity of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable management of Land-Water-Energy-Food (LWEF) nexus requires an environmental characterization that allows the comparison of complex interlinkages between nexus resources and livelihoods. This complexity makes this characterization difficult coupled with limited study in quantifying sustainability of LWEF nexus and its linkage with livelihood. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the link between sustainable LWEF nexus and livelihoods. In order to address the objective the proposed methodology starts with a detailed identification of LWEF and livelihood indicators which depicts well-defined, shared, and holistic methods to evaluate sustainability. With this we used analytical hierarchy process and pair wise comparison matrix in combination with weighting model. The result of composite LWEF nexus index was 0.083 representing, low sustainability. Besides, this composite index implies the use and management of LWEF nexus resources in the study area is very low, as the composite index approach to 1, the use and management of nexus resources are in a good condition which characterized by sustainability. This could be linked with nexus resources consumption, use, and management. From the analysis of the weight of land, water, energy and food nexus resources, the highest weight was observed for food. The focus of on food production only shows no clear synergy on provisioning, supporting or regulating nexus resources to address livelihoods. The result further showed that LWEF nexus resources have strong correlation with livelihoods. This was evidenced by social (r > 0.8, p < 0.01), natural (r > 0.3, p < 0.05) and physical (r > 0.6, p < 0.01) livelihood indicators showed strong positive correlation with LWEF nexus resources. Based on the finding of the study, it was observed that managing nexus resources not only provide a significant contribution to achieve sustainable LWEF nexus, but also be effective for enhancing livelihood through food security. This could be attained by strong evidence based policy to ensure sustainable use of nexus resources. The results provided by this study would serve as the foundation for future study, policy formulation and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social responsibility plays an important role in the sustainable development of major municipal road infrastructure. In this study, a major municipal road infrastructure social responsibility (MMRISR) evaluation indicator system is developed for the comprehensive evaluation of social responsibility. Questionnaires and expert interviews were used to screen the initial indicators of the proposed system. Then, 24 indicators were selected from four dimensions to establish an MMRISR evaluation indicator system. The fuzzy analytic hierarchy process was employed to calculate the weights of each indicator. Finally, the Zhengzhou 107 Auxiliary Road Project was adopted as a case study to test the reliability of the proposed evaluation system. The contribution of this study lies in the provision of a novel indicator system for the social responsibility evaluation of major municipal road infrastructures, thus improving the science of project establishment and decision-making. The proposed social responsibility system can provide an efficient decision-making tool for social responsibility governance, fundamentally promoting the sustainable development of major municipal road infrastructures and the achievement of certain sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, natural hazards have become more destructive in recent times because of rapid urban development and exposure. Consequently, significant human life loss, the damage to property and infrastructure, and the collapse of the environment directed the attention of geoscientists to control the consequences and risk management in relation to geo-hazards. In this research, an effort was made to produce a compound map, geo-visualizing the susceptibility of multi-hazards, to select suitable sites for sustainable future development and other economic activities in the region. Muzaffarabad District was chosen as a case research area due to the high magnitude of hydro-meteorological and geological hazards. On the one hand, both selected geo-hazard inventories were developed using the field survey and remote sensing data. The subjective and objective weight of all the causative factors and their classes were calculated using the assembled geospatial techniques, such as the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Frequency Ratio (FR) in the Geographic Information System (GIS). The results reveal that the most suitable areas are distributed in the southern and northwestern parts, which can be used for future sustainable development and other economic activities. In contrast, the eastern and western regions, including Muzaffarabad City, are within high and very susceptibility zones. Finally, more than 50% of the land area is located in very low and low susceptibility zones. The validation of the proposed model was checked by using three different techniques: the Receiver Operative Characteristic (ROC) curve, Seed Cell Area Index (SCAI), and Frequency Ratio (FR). Both ROCs, the Success Rate Curve (SRC) and the Predictive Rate Curve (PRC), showed the goodness of fit for both the selected geo-hazards: landslides (81.3%) and floods (93.2%), at 80.1% and 91.7%, respectively. All the validation techniques showed good fitness for both the individual and multi-hazard maps. The proposed model sets a baseline for policy implementation for all the stakeholders to minimize the risk and sustainable future development in areas of high frequent geo-hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry is one of the most significant consumers of environmental resources worldwide. Faced with the need to produce new buildings, but without further burdening the environment, attempts to improve social, economic, and environmental indicators have turned attention to building construction in recent decades. The objective of this research is to develop a novel framework to assess the most sustainable choice of materials applied to the construction of low-income buildings, according to the three pillars of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL). A BIM-LCSA-FAHP-based model was proposed with the creation of nine different scenarios, where the materials of the structure (precast concrete, cast-in-place concrete, and structural masonry), painting (PVA water-based and acrylic), and roofing (ceramic and fiber cement tiles) varied. The proposed procedure consists of the elaboration of a 3D Building Information Modeling (BIM) model, for which the parameters described above were evaluated according to the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA)-TBL-based criteria, divided into ten sub-criteria, that includes: (1) environmental (acidification, eutrophication, global warming, ozone depletion, smog formation, primary energy, non-renewable energy, and mass total), (2) economic (construction cost) and (3) socio-political issues (community impact). Finally, the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used as a multi-criteria decision-making technique that helps in aggregating and classifying the impacts of each scenario in a sustainability index (SI). Regarding the best option for low-income construction, the results indicated that precast concrete when combined with acrylic paint and fiber cement tiles (scenario 3) proved to be the most advantageous and achieved first place in the sustainability index (SI) developed in this work. This methodology is replicable for different construction typologies and several categories of materials, making it a robust decision-aiding tool for engineers, architects, and decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for sustainable agricultural sector is growing rapidly due to climate changes. As there are still knowledge gaps and the need for innovations that support farmers in the sustainability transition, there is a need for determining priority research areas that are vital for the sustainable development of agriculture. The aim of our study was to derive a long-term vision of the desirable agricultural sector in Poland and prioritize research areas required to make Polish agriculture sustainable. We applied the living lab approach and, by conducting a backcasting exercise with the lab members, we identified a desirable vision of agriculture in Poland and the research areas needed to realize this vision. Using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Cumulative Voting (CV), we prioritized these research areas. Our results show that adaptation to climate changes is the most important area of research, having 38.6% of the total possible number of points using AHP and 29.7% in the case of CV. The analysis of the Polish strategic documents related to agriculture and agricultural research shows that, to some extent, these key research areas are already part of the national policy, but there is not sufficient funding and coordination to tackle all aspects of sustainability in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faceshield brackets were among highly relevant products manufactured in various workshops, including Sigma Clermont, during the outbreak of COVID-19 to tackle acute shortages of personal protective equipment. However, many of these products are yet to be checked for appropriateness in design, quality, safety, comfort, and overall sustainability performance which might lead to unknown damages to human health and the environment. Thus, the main objective of this study is to evaluate the sustainable performance of Faceshield bracket manufacturing. Appropriate data are collected from designers, machine operators, and supplementary data are utilized from experts' opinions and literature. A total of 38 carefully selected indicator sets are utilized while applying multicriteria decision-making methodology (MCDM) of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to evaluate the sustainability performance of these manufacturing processes. Evaluation is performed to examine the processes' sustainability performance and associated indicator contribution based on the three dimensions. Results disclosed that 3D printing (score = 0.108) showed better performance for the environment, and injection molding showed better economic and social performance, with scores of 0.1922 and 0.160, respectively. A detailed contribution of each subcriteria for each sustainability dimension and each of the three processes as well as major contributing indicators are identified and discussed. Finally, overall performance was assessed using the total sum approach, and Borda count methodology and injection molding showed better sustainability performance in the manufacturing of Faceshield brackets considered with scores of 43 and 87, respectively. The authors believe that indicator selection approaches and overall methodology followed for this study will be relevant for future sustainability evaluation of engineering products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]