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Urban regeneration practices create an opportunity to make many different improvements in cities along with earthquake safety. Building renewal at parcel scale, which is seen as a type of urban regeneration practices in Turkey, has an impact on a wide area throughout the city due to the large number of individual projects. The concept of sustainability gains importance in the construction sector, especially because of the high energy, material and water consumption of buildings, and the large share of buildings in waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions. Implementation of urban regeneration practices by using methods that are suitable for local conditions, created in line with legal requirements and providing environmental, economic and social sustainability principles are considered necessary in terms of sustainability in the built environment. The aim of the study is to develop a decision model for the design process of residential building renewal that complies with the conditions of parcel-scale building renewal practices in Turkey, covers the three components of sustainability, and provides sustainability cost-effectively by evaluating the cost. In this context, firstly, an expert panel was formed with the Delphi technique, then an expert questionnaire was applied and a decision-making model was constructed with the analytical network process. The model setup created at the last stage of the study was tested with a case study. As a result of the case study, a design alternative that has a lower thermal permeability value than other alternatives, uses renewable energy, has low-impact materials, and has systems that reduce water use was determined as the most suitable alternative by the participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to limit anthropogenic climate change to 1.5–2 °C, as agreed in the Paris Agreement, requires a significant reduction of CO2 emissions resulting from the use of fossil carbon. However, based on current knowledge, carbon is expected to remain crucial in certain industrial sectors, e.g., the chemical industry. Consequently, it is essential to identify and utilize sustainable carbon sources in the future. In this context, various carbon sources were examined and classified in terms of their disruption of the Earth's (fast) carbon cycle. Furthermore, the examined carbon sources were qualitatively analyzed with regard to their technical readiness level, their energy expenditure, and their current and future availability, as well as legal regulation within the European Union. As a result, only biogenic and mixed carbon from the ambient air can be considered genuinely sustainable within the Earth's (fast) carbon cycle. Mixed carbon streams, e.g., from waste recycling, fall into a gray area. The same applies to certain process-related emissions that originally descend from fossil fuel energy. In terms of energy considerations, technical maturity, and exploitable potentials, prioritizing the utilization of biogenic carbon sources is advisable for the time being, especially for CO2 produced as a by-product originating from biogenic carbon carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the sustainability of material-based products now encompasses social sustainability, a vital aspect often overlooked. Even though the existing frameworks provide a starting point, they do not often differentiate between the assessment criteria when making comparisons within one specific material category, which has made sustainability assessments more focused on environmental and economic aspects. This study addresses this critical gap by pioneering a social assessment framework curated to help practitioners to choose the most sustainable cement type out of the standard cement types used in the industry. Utilizing the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and linear-scoring method, criteria weights were systematically assigned based on scoring by industry and academic experts. The findings highlight the importance of integrating social sustainability with environmental and economic factors in cement selection. Unlike traditional material selection, which primarily considers cost and performance, green material selection emphasizes the holistic impact of materials, including social factors. Variations in weightage decisions among experts highlight the influence of practical experience, research interests, and context. Functionality emerges as a crucial criterion. The ranking of cement types based on social scores places CEM II/B-M at the top, followed by CEM IV/A, CEM II/A-S, CEM II/A-V, CEM I, and CEM II/A-LL. The evolving nature of sustainability necessitates ongoing research to refine and expand existing frameworks for a more sustainable construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability labeling has been increasingly integrated into many food product labels in response to consumer interest in purchasing sustainably produced food. While a product label may contain the phrase “sustainably produced”, little additional information is available to consumers regarding how sustainability has been enhanced, or the dimensions of sustainability encompassed by the label. Using data from a survey of 1416 Canadian consumers, we examine consumer perceptions of sustainability and preferences for broad versus narrow sustainability claims across several contexts, including the dimensions of sustainability and the scope of a sustainability standard with respect to compliance criteria, product coverage, and geographical coverage. We find low levels of consumer knowledge and understanding of sustainability labeling, heterogeneity with respect to which dimension of sustainability appeals to different types of consumers, and a general preference for broad over narrowly defined sustainability labels, particularly with respect to the scope of criteria encompassed by the label. Our findings suggest some confusion as to what constitutes sustainability in the context of agri‐food, but that broader, more encompassing labels are likely to gain more traction with consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Universal Excellence (JUE) / Revija za Univerzalno Odličnost (RUO) is the property of Fakulteta za Organizacijske Studije v Novem mestu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Organisations encounter a significant challenge in the globalised business landscape, and thus mitigate risk by establishing robust supply chains (SCs) networks is required. In a rapidly changing environment, gaining a competitive edge is imperative. However, the exploration of the essential factors enabling resilient and sustainable supply chain management (RSSCM) in construction projects has been lacking. This study aims to bridge this gap by identifying the enabling factors for resilient and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). To achieve this, a survey was conducted among Egyptian engineers, involving 32 factors derived from an extensive literature review on RSSCM. The data collected were categorised into four groups, namely Organisational Knowledge and Competence, Risk Management and Security, Collaboration and Communication, and Planning Efficiency and Timing, using brainstorming techniques. Subsequently, the data were analysed utilising a novel hybrid assessment approach that combines evaluation of alternatives and ranking, employing the compromise solution-fuzzy synthetic evaluation methodology, for the first time, offering a unique approach to assessing and prioritising these categories. The findings reveal that 'Planning Efficiency and Timing' emerged as the highest-performing category, whereas 'Collaboration and Communication' performed the worth. Furthermore, our results indicate that brainstorming enabled the grouping of the enablers into four distinct categories, providing a structured framework for understanding and organising them. The integration of MARCOS and FSE offered a robust decision-making approach, proposing a resilient and comprehensive decision-support system capable of tackling intricate real-world issues. This research outcome offers building administrators valuable insights for comparing different supply chains, considering how supply chain characteristics influence resilience and risk exposure in building SCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socio-cultural sustainability represents one of the important pillars of sustainable development. As one of the fundamentals targeted by Saudi Vision 2030, it aims to achieve sustainable development that enhances the living standards of citizens and improves the quality of their lives. This necessitates the provision of Saudi housing that achieves socio-cultural sustainability, to ensure it reflects the culture of the Saudi society, its social characteristics, and fosters a sense of stability and belonging, while also strengthening community ties. Especially since the contemporary Saudi housing model, heavily influenced by the social and cultural backgrounds of the places from which it was imported, is an adopted model. Therefore, there is a need for socio-cultural sustainability criteria in Saudi housing, which should serve as a reference for all design, review, and evaluation work. However, establishing these standards requires initially identifying the fundamental factors from which the criteria will be derived, through a conceptual framework that includes all elements, components, references, and applications necessary for building the model. The study aims to identify the most important factors influencing the derivation of criteria for socio-cultural sustainability in Saudi housing. Hence, the paper is based on a methodology that combines the analysis of current literature and the study of elements of socio-cultural sustainability, and how they are applied in the Saudi context, particularly in the city of Riyadh. It reviewed all concepts of socio-cultural sustainability in housing, its principles, and objectives, deduced its general characteristics and attributes, and reviewed their compatibility with the characteristics of Saudi society. It also identified the pillars of socio-cultural sustainability in Saudi housing (both traditional and contemporary), to then integrate the findings to arrive at the fundamental factors for deriving standards of sociocultural sustainability for use in planning and designing housing in the city of Riyadh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental stewardship and sustainability have become critical priorities in the contemporary business environment. Corporations are integrating sustainable practices at the business process level via Sustainable Enterprise Resource Planning (S-ERP). However, a recognised shortfall of S-ERP systems lies in their potential inability to integrate sustainability metrics across all business functions holistically. To navigate this limitation, our study introduces the application of Transaction Cost Theory (TCT). By treating business processes as input-output systems, we apply this theory to quantify sustainability likelihood and overall losses. This novel approach bridges the gap, allowing for the comprehensive integration of sustainability metrics across all processes. The essence of our methodology is to leverage static input data collected by S-ERP regarding environmental impact and to extrapolate this data to provide a broader understanding of potential losses and gains. We've tested and validated this approach through two comprehensive case studies; one is about sustainable product design and development, and the other is about the sustainability evaluation of modular versus conventional construction methods. The results inform the formulation of robust sustainability policies at the business process level for systems akin to S-ERP, paving the way for more sustainable business practices.

The need to limit anthropogenic climate change to 1.5–2 °C, as agreed in the Paris Agreement, requires a significant reduction of CO2 emissions resulting from the use of fossil carbon. However, based on current knowledge, carbon is expected to remain crucial in certain industrial sectors, e.g., the chemical industry. Consequently, it is essential to identify and utilize sustainable carbon sources in the future. In this context, various carbon sources were examined and classified in terms of their disruption of the Earth’s (fast) carbon cycle. Furthermore, the examined carbon sources were qualitatively analyzed with regard to their technical readiness level, their energy expenditure, and their current and future availability, as well as legal regulation within the European Union. As a result, only biogenic and mixed carbon from the ambient air can be considered genuinely sustainable within the Earth’s (fast) carbon cycle. Mixed carbon streams, e.g., from waste recycling, fall into a gray area. The same applies to certain process-related emissions that originally descend from fossil fuel energy. In terms of energy considerations, technical maturity, and exploitable potentials, prioritizing the utilization of biogenic carbon sources is advisable for the time being, especially for CO2 produced as a by-product originating from biogenic carbon carriers.

Sustainability, which is one of the strategies developed and implemented in recent years due to resource constraints and environmental problems, makes itself felt in almost every field. It is observed that energy efficiency, waste management and environmental awareness come to the forefront in the researches made especially for the textile sector and these parameters should be emphasized in detail. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to determine the parameters required in the sustainable textile supply chain in order to increase the frequency of sustainability-based studies in the textile sector, and to compare the criteria that will lead to sustainable performance as a result of the analysis of the determined parameters. Considering the supply chain line in the textile sector, 16 parameters are determined by considering each stage in the adventure from cotton to fabric, and by providing literature gains. These determined criteria are first listed with the DEMATEL method and the interaction between each other is analyzed. According to the DEMATEL results; adopting a customer-oriented approach, just-in-time delivery understanding for the appropriate deadline, flow day time, optimum planning of the distribution network, sustainable resource use, information and material flow integration, sustainability R&D studies, accuracy of demand forecasting management criteria was determined as the affecting group; reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in production, storage and transportation, implementation of waste management studies, use of recyclable packaging, availability of environmental certificates, reduction of waste/error rate in production, ensuring meter compliance, employee motivation and continuous development, and corporate image was determined as the affected group. Then, the MOORA-Ratio and MOORA-Reference Point Approach methods, which are among the MOORA methods, are sorted and the results are compared and discussed. In the findings, it is observed that the criteria of corporate image, information and material flow integration, adopting a customer-oriented approach and sustainable resource use are in the top priority. In addition, MOORA-Ratio and MOORA-Reference Point Approach results are standardized with the help of the Z score and then they compared. It is seen that the order found as same. The addition of new criteria affecting sustainability in textile added originality to the study. Also, the study will contribute to the increase of sustainability studies in the textile sector and can answer where to start. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies related to social sustainability assessment have presented a variety of methods and criteria, but there is a need to better understand how these studies incorporate multiple criteria along with the issues addressed, the decision-makers, and the overall process followed to promote more socially sustainable outcomes. A systematic literature review methodology is conducted to identify, analyze, and synthesize scholarly articles that use multiple criteria to assess the built environment's social sustainability. This study explores types of problems, decision-makers, criteria, and methods adopted by researchers. The analysis involved 42 studies identified in the Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Scopus databases. The results revealed a diverse range of studies, covering various issues, project types, and methodologies, highlighting the multifaceted nature of social sustainability evaluation in the context of the built environment. The most considered social sustainability issues in the studies were 'Impacts in Community' and 'Employment'. While most of the selected papers used multi-criteria decision-making/aiding (MCDM/A), not all engaged in these methods for decision-making purposes. Moreover, despite the prevalence of studies involving multiple decision-makers, issues related to group decision-making were often insufficiently addressed. The types of problems that the methods are used for are discussed, as well as the decision context and the process for selecting methods, thereby highlighting future research opportunities. Future studies should ensure that the criteria used are manageable but encompass all facets of social sustainability in the built environment, prioritizing methodological rigor when selecting MCDM/A methods and focusing on the nuances of preference aggregation in group decision-making scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of sustainable high-performance buildings entails dealing with numerous decisions associated with the inclusion and assessment of design objectives and criteria made by multiple decision-makers (or design stakeholders). A more in-depth study of the decision-making fundamentals will, therefore, be effective and practical in this regard. Based on this underlying hypothesis, as a first attempt towards investigating the decision-making structures in the (early) design of sustainable high-performance buildings, and in addition to the empirical application of normative decision-making models, this paper presents the results of two rounds of assessment surveys through conducting semi-structured interviews with practitioners and professionals in Denmark on (a) when and with whom a decision is made, and (b) to what extent a decision can be made autocratically or participatorily. The research study is intended to enable practitioners and researchers to recognize the importance of decision-making characteristics in addressing highly complex sustainability criteria in the (early) design of high-performance buildings. The outcome ensures a systematic approach to involve the right decision-makers at the right time and with suitable decision-making styles. With its strong ability to formalize problems faced by sustainability requirements, the outcome can potentially become a research avenue in future building design contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste management is a critical sector that needs to co-ordinate its activities with outcomes that impact society. Multi-criteria decision-making methods for waste management have been widely considered using environmental and economic criteria. With the development of new social regulations and concerns, sustainable waste management needs to additionally target socially acceptable practices. Despite the need to aid solid waste management decision-makers in contemplating the three pillars of sustainability, a limited inclusion of social impact has been found in the multi-objective decision-making literature. This study presents a systematic literature review of multi-criteria decision-making methods in solid waste management. The purpose of this study is threefold. (1) Emphasize the application of multi-objective decision-making methods, summarizing the models that have been used and their applications; (2) provide insights into the quantification of social aspects and their inclusion in decision-making methods, providing a list of social indicators collected from the reviewed studies; (3) offer an analysis of stakeholders' involvement in waste management. From the articles investigated, one can observe the importance of understanding the local context in which the waste management system is located and the necessity of community consultation to recognize the potential challenges and improvements to solid waste management systems. Consequently, the involvement of stakeholders is crucial during the quantification process of social indicators. In alignment with the findings and needs raised by this review, a methodological approach is suggested for integrating optimization, social aspects, and stakeholders under a waste management context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the goal of becoming a regional leader in clean energy, Morocco has invested heavily in renewable energy mega-projects over the last decade, including the Noor-Ouarzazate complex, the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in the world. To continue accelerating its energy transition and achieve renewable energy targets by 2030, Morocco should focus on small-, medium-, and large-scale projects. However, choosing the most sustainable renewable energy technology (RET) is a complex decision-making problem. This study proposes a novel hybrid multi-criteria decision-making framework for the sustainability assessment of RETs in Morocco. By evaluating the existing RETs (wind, CSP, solar PV, hydro, and biomass) in terms of environmental, economic, technical, and social criteria, the study aims to assist decision-makers in selecting the most sustainable option. The cardinal (CAR) method was used to elicit criteria weights, with economic (30.7% of weight) and environmental (29% of weight) criteria being prioritized. The PROMETHEE method was then used to rank the alternatives, with solar PV emerging as the most sustainable technology, followed by wind, hydro, CPS, and lastly biomass. It should be noted that the PROMETHEE I partial ranking indicated that wind and hydro were both ranked second in terms of sustainability, highlighting the need for careful consideration when choosing between these two options. The study also found that the rankings were similar using both linear and Gaussian preference functions with different thresholds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on the development of industrial parks has often been neglected by the role of sustainability criteria for long-term prediction. The current study aimed to evaluate the relationship between industrial park development and sustainability levels in Iran and Turkey from 1980 to 2019. Although many researchers have investigated the link between them in different geographical locations, there is no clear picture of the relationship as the results overall are contradictory. An autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model bounds testing panel data method with structural fractures was used to analyze the annual selected data to determine whether the development of industrial parks in Iran and Turkey has been successful. The ARDL model is special in that it incorporates sustainability criteria by role of industrial "parks". The reasoning behind including this explanatory variable is to determine whether countries with industrial parks are more sustainable and to identify future development challenges. Theory suggests that developing industrial parks will eventually strengthen sustainability regulations and policy implementations based on environmental and economic issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capturing the various facets of sustainable development is the main objective of sustainability assess- ment studies. Scientists and practitioners use sustainable development criteria and indicators as instruments to link the theoretical definitions with the evaluation of the effectiveness of management strategies; therefore, identifying and selecting indicators are the most critical processes in evaluating the implementation of sustainable development strategies and progress toward achieving sustainability goals and objectives. The manuscript argues the need for increasing credibility in the identification and selection of criteria and indicators through stakeholder engagement, participation and management. Sustainability aims to primarily address and balance the [social, economic, environmental] needs and expectations of stakeholders; therefore, reaching consensus amongst the various groups of stakeholders became the determining factor in the design, implementation, and assessment of sustainable development strategies. Because a precise definition of sustainability that is universally agreed upon is yet to be introduced, the process of identifying and selecting indicators to assess progress toward achieving sustainable development is embedded in subjectivity and vagueness and can be easily manipulated to meet particular interests. Furthermore, the absence of rigorous and standardized methodological frameworks contributes to continuously proposing set indicators that best capture the notion of sustainable development which creates distrust in the assessment process and directly affects the credibility of the sustainability concept. Departing from acknowledging the relevance of stakeholders groups in decision-making and management processes, the manuscript identifies and discusses three credible and reliable frameworks designed by consensus (FDC) to identify and select criteria and indicators to assess the sustainability performance of cities and communities: (1) ISO 37130:2018 which is complemented by ISO 37122:2019, (2) United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) with focus on Goal 11, and (3) customized frameworks for sustainable cities (CFSS). To minimize subjectivity and strengthen credibility, the manuscript also makes the case for the need of embedding FDC into sustainability assessment processes to identify and select criteria and indicators. Because of the methodology adopted for their development, FDC provide scientists and practitioners with reliable and credible sources to identify and select criteria and indicators for the assessment of the sustainability performance of cities and communities.

Implementing hybrid renewable energy systems in hospitals, as an applicable solution to improve the sustainability of power systems, was studied. Several hybrid renewable configurations with detailed technical and economic information were proposed by HOMER Pro software, and the most cost-effective system was introduced as a combination of PV (350 kW), WT (1 unit, 25 kW), and DG (700 kW), with a total net present cost of USD 3.25 million and cost of energy of USD 0.0543/kWh. To consider all aspects of sustainability for choosing the optimal system, a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making approach, considering technical, environmental, economic, and energy security criteria, was applied using the TOPSIS method. According to ISO 21929, the weighting of the criteria was performed depending on how indicators affected the key areas of protection. By using the TOPSIS technique, a system with a larger renewable proportion, more variety, and less reliance on diesel was chosen. Thus, the optimal choice for this process was the configuration of PV (350 kW)/WT (1 unit, 25 kW)/DG (600 kW)/Bat (100 kWh). Comparing the results of economic optimization with MCDM optimization shows that the COE increased by approximately USD 0.025/kWh in the MCDM approach, while a decline of more than 27% in environmental impacts, as well as reduced reliance on conventional resources, were achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of an organization's significant challenges in a globalized world is reducing risk by building resilient supply chains (SCs). It is required to realize a competitive advantage in a volatile and fast changing environment. Conversely, the key enablers of such sustainable and resilient supply chain management are not fully analyzed in building projects. This study aims at determining the stationary enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains. For this to happen, a questionnaire survey comprising 32 enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains has been conducted with Egyptian engineers to appraise their degree of importance. The results show that the five most important enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains are: top management support, adaptability, visibility, quality awareness, and responsiveness. This research's results will allow building administrators to create diverse SCs, while being mindful of how the characteristics of a supply chain decrease or increase its resilience and eventually affect the exposure to risk in the building's SCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a worldwide consensus that sustainability is the main basis for the recovery of tourism. In this context, tools and standards play an important role to facilitate the integration of the principles of sustainable tourism in practice. Within the tourism sector, the hotel industry is one of the key industries with a high growth rate. The main objective is to carry out an analysis based on the concept of sustainability in the sustainability certifications of the hotel industry, delving into those certifications adopted by the large hotel companies. For this purpose, a comparative analysis of the certification criteria is carried out using as a basis the World Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). This article evidences the primacy of the environmental dimension and establishes recommendations that guide holistic and integrated sustainability strategies from a comprehensive perspective that allow the recovery of tourism in general and the sustainable hotel industry in particular.

Saudi Arabia has a 2030 Vision in which sustainability is a central pillar. Sustainability in manufacturing organizations has become a topic of discussion as a potential solution to help them survive and prosper in a competitive market. Here, the objective is to establish a sustainability indexing model for Saudi manufacturing organizations that will help organizations to prepare their sustainability reports in line with international sustainability standards. This study will also help Saudi manufacturing organizations evaluate their level of sustainability and identify barriers to improving their sustainability. The model presented has three sustainability dimensions, 12 criteria, and 29 sub-criteria. The model was implemented in a Saudi manufacturing organization as a case study. To improve the organization's sustainability level, sustainability barriers were identified and analyzed. The model indicates that eight sub-criteria scored below the threshold value, which was found to be 0.19. These sub-criteria were further considered as sustainability barriers in the case organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Pesquisa em Turismo is the property of Associacao Nacional de Pesquisa e Pos-Graduacao em Turismo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article substantiates that the framework of sustainability which is clearly defined in the legislation must be considered as the limits of state support for bioenergy projects. The consideration of the sustainability and the greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria during the assessment of state aid admissibility for biomass use with the introduction of appropriate changes to the Criteria for assessing the admissibility of state aid to economic operators for environmental protection is argued. It is specified that the implementation of these criteria may be fully or partially postponed at least for the period of martial law, taking into account institutional, technical, economic and other challenges, as well as the primary needs of ensuring the country's energy security. It is emphasized that the functional limitation of the current model of the feed-in tariff, which has a weak correlation with the vectors of the green deal and the sustainable development goals, is worsened by the general weakening of the stimulating effect on renewable energy and the progressive increase in the instability of state regulation. It is argued that the scenario of intensive development of electric energy generation using biomass and biogas requires additional privileges for the corresponding category of electric energy producers, in particular by prolonging the feed-in tariff on conditions favorable to them. It is clarified that the use of this means of state support is promising on the basis of a differentiated approach capable of increasing the flexibility and sensitivity of the tariff to the subject and object features of «green» generation as well as the value of a specific renewable energy source for the energy system and the environment. The article provides suggestions to establish a zero-tax rate for carbon dioxide emissions from installations that use biofuel as the only type of fuel, without reference to the sustainability and the greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria, at least in the short term to stimulate investment processes in the field of renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research works to highlight the importance of sustainability and its role in raising the efficiency of commercial centers and upgrading them to achieve optimal performance in terms of environmental, functional, economic and construction terms to achieve the desired goals and help in attracting the largest number of users and achieving the largest possible percentage of profits, as commercial buildings are an important element of attraction Which, in turn, is reflected in contributing to raising the national economy, by explaining the concepts related to sustainability, starting from identifying sustainable development strategies, leading to sustainability in the commercial environment, to extract the standards that must be met in commercial buildings to achieve sustainability, a case study of the Guangzhou Taiko Building in China and analyzed through sustainability criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Al-Adab / Al-ādāb is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Infrastructure projects require lifecycle-based assessment, considering the interests of multiple stakeholders concerning the three pillars of sustainability. There has been a heightened curiosity in employing sustainability indicators for gauging the impacts of developmental projects. Even though the literature is abundant on sustainability assessment methods, there is no proper one for the assessment of urban infrastructure projects in the context of Gulf states. Thus, our research intends to fill in this research gap and recommend an incorporated, hierarchically coordinated approach of sustainability indicators to be employed for the sustainability assessment of urban infrastructure development projects. This aim is achieved through a questionnaire survey, by identifying the sustainability indicators related to the infrastructure projects for the cities, in the context of Gulf states. The survey uses the criteria; "Important", "Practicality", "Reliability", and "Relevance" to assess those indicators. Based on expert opinions, the weights of the indicators are approximated through the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method. Thus, the study proposes an innovative hierarchically defined structure of sustainability indicators fitting for the Gulf context. Further, it informs urban planners and policymakers, particularly in the Gulf states, about the shift in the direction of sustainability of urban infrastructure systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hazardous impact of the fashion industry has prompted institutions, manufacturers, and brands to provide more sustainable conditions. However, many consumers have little of knowledge about sustainable fashion products and procedures. This study provides findings on fashion consumers' informational needs on sustainability, and strategies for communicating sustainable fashion product information. The data comes from six focus group meetings and two conference workshops. The findings indicate that consumers generally think of sustainability in fashion as related to five criteria: material and procedure, environmental impact, animal welfare, human welfare, and product care. Furthermore, the findings underscore four related but distinct consumer personas (named by the researchers: romantic optimists, egocentrics, confused Alecs, and gloomies) based on their informational needs, motivation to increase sustainability literacy, and sustainability-related behaviour in fashion. These personas and criteria can be utilised to segment consumers and tailor communication and marketing strategies to enhance fashion consumers' sustainable behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen a rise in the frequency and severity of extreme rainstorm events, which have caused widespread damage and death in numerous cities. The manufacture and use of storm drainage materials result in numerous environmental concerns in the construction industry. Green materials for storm drainage networks are environmentally friendly compared to their traditional counterparts. Identifying and assessing sustainability criteria for green materials for storm drain networks has been challenging. This study aims to determine the critical criteria for selecting green materials for storm drainage networks using a stationary analysis approach. To this end, a questionnaire survey was administered to Egyptian storm engineers to assess their importance based on a selection criteria 29 green materials. From the results obtained, "Operation and maintenance cost" and "Use of local material" were seen to be the "stationary materials". The obtained findings in this research pave the way for the Egyptian storm industry towards becoming environmentally friendly, which will in turn improve the functioning mechanism of sewer networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study creates a framework to aid in the sustainability of maintenance strategies. The framework was created using expertise from the industry and academia. Using this knowledge, three multi-criteria tools were chosen for the maintenance strategies evaluation. The tools include grey relational analysis (GRA) techniques, additive ratio assessment (ARAS), and step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA). In a production system, they were used to assess four planned maintenance strategies. The strategies are periodic maintenance (S1), meter-based maintenance (S2), predictive maintenance (S3) and prescriptive maintenance (S4). The ARAS approach was used to obtain the strategy rating for the various requirements. This study used the SWARA method to determine the requirements' importance using an intuitionistic fuzzy triangular number. The ARAS results were combined using the GRA method. This study observed that the criteria utilised to choose a maintenance strategy for equipment depend on the information collected from six specialists in a manufacturing organisation. For instance, it was discovered that S3 was the maintenance approach that best suited the system's technical needs. At the same time, S2 was found to be less effective. The economic needs analysis showed that S1 is the maintenance strategy that is most appropriate for the system, while S3 is the least appropriate. S1 is the most appropriate maintenance method for the system, given the social requirements, whereas S2 is the least effective. According to the results of the environmental requirements, S2 is the best maintenance plan for the system, while S4 is the worst. According to the GRA approach, the system's best and least appropriate maintenance strategies are S2 and S4, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability of land use is a guiding paradigm for natural resource policy in the 21st century and should also be pursued in wildlife management. We have bridged the theoretical sustainability framework with practical policy implementation by defining a certification scheme whereby landowners implement game management systems that are aligned with sustainability standards and audited by accredited bodies. Oversight is provided by a governance committee, comprising scientists, public officers, and certification body representatives, ensuring adaptability to evolving societal attitudes and regulatory changes. Using the Delphi method with a panel of 78 experts we defined key sustainability criteria for sustainable game management following a criterion of consensus. The agreed criteria were structured around three dimensions: game population, habitat, and socio-economic aspects, forming a coherent framework. The seven most important criteria for defining a certification system focused on maintaining or improving: 1) game population abundance, distribution, structure, and behavior compatible with conservation; 2) natural genetic characteristics of game populations; 3) diversity and conservation status of native game species; 4) diversity of native non-game species; 5) conservation status and diversity of habitats; 6) socio-economic functions and conditions of the activity; and 7) customer satisfaction. We discuss how the label derived from this certification could serve as an identity brand with positive effects on the recreational hunting market, but also that the promotion of this system requires the commitment of policy makers as well as the valuing of hunters against other options less respectful of the natural environment. • Suggest certification integrating theory and policy for sustainable game management. • Apply Delphi method, 78 experts, define game, habitat, and socio-economic criteria. • Experts, emphasize sustainability use, focus on conservation of game and habitats. • Certification system supervised by the NAO and the Governance Committee. • Committee integrates mechanisms to review and adapt standards to policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementing hybrid renewable energy systems in hospitals, as an applicable solution to improve the sustainability of power systems, was studied. Several hybrid renewable configurations with detailed technical and economic information were proposed by HOMER Pro software, and the most cost-effective system was introduced as a combination of PV (350 kW), WT (1 unit, 25 kW), and DG (700 kW), with a total net present cost of USD 3.25 million and cost of energy of USD 0.0543/kWh. To consider all aspects of sustainability for choosing the optimal system, a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making approach, considering technical, environmental, economic, and energy security criteria, was applied using the TOPSIS method. According to ISO 21929, the weighting of the criteria was performed depending on how indicators affected the key areas of protection. By using the TOPSIS technique, a system with a larger renewable proportion, more variety, and less reliance on diesel was chosen. Thus, the optimal choice for this process was the configuration of PV (350 kW)/WT (1 unit, 25 kW)/DG (600 kW)/Bat (100 kWh). Comparing the results of economic optimization with MCDM optimization shows that the COE increased by approximately USD 0.025/kWh in the MCDM approach, while a decline of more than 27% in environmental impacts, as well as reduced reliance on conventional resources, were achieved.

Facing the contradiction between increasing maintenance demand and limited financial, as well as smaller social and environmental impacts, the optimisation of bridge maintenance strategies should be carried out. In this paper, the assessment model of four objectives, including the safety performance, economic, social and environmental impacts, in sustainability criteria are proposed. Moreover, a systematic optimisation framework of maintenance strategy of deteriorating bridges considering sustainability criteria and a novel decision-making method are developed, based on fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and a decision-making algorithm based on linear programming techniques for multidimensional analysis of preference (LINMAP). The case analysis results verify the effectiveness and superiority of the previous optimisation framework, and also show that the final optimal strategy obtained by the proposed decision-making algorithm can reflect the will of experts well. Compare with the essential maintenance, the implementation of preventive maintenance is more conducive to realise the sustainable development of the deteriorating bridges. The sensitivity analysis results show that the monetary discount rate has a greater impact on the life cycle maintenance cost, which is mainly controlled by the total social cost, while the direct maintenance cost only accounts for a small part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of hydropower projects with respect to sustainability criteria is a multidimensional and complex issue. It requires considering technical, environmental, and social parameters instead of purely economic ones in decision making for energy planning. The flexibility to consider several criteria and objectives simultaneously leads to the use of multicriteria decision making (MCDM) methods which are well accepted in the field of energy planning. This paper aims at applying MCDM methods in facilitating the decision makers to select the most sustainable hydropower projects in the Indian region by making real and logical choices based on eight important criteria selected from the literature that are compatible with sustainable development. To comprehensively rank hydropower projects three MCDM methods are applied i.e., the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE II), and elimination and choice translating reality (ELECTRE III). Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is used to calculate the weights of criteria. All three methods are well adapted for sustainability assessment and ranked Sharavathi (A9), Bhakra (A2), and Upper Indravati (A13) to be the most sustainable hydropower projects in India under the selected criteria. The study will be helpful in sustainable energy planning of hydropower projects with similar geographical conditions.

Urban transformation practices aimed at reducing disaster risks provide many improvement opportunities besides disaster safety. Among these opportunities, ensuring the sustainability of the built environment gains importance due to the negative environmental, social and economic effects of the buildings. A considerable amount of literature has been published around the world on providing sustainability in the built environment. However, sustainability needs to be handled according to the specific local context of the country and the region. In this context, criteria for creating sustainable buildings in Turkey should be determined which considers the local context, market dynamics, law and regulations, environmental, economic and social dimensions. This study aims to identify the sustainability criteria to be used within the scope of the method that will be developed for the design phase of building renewal applications at parcel scale. Accordingly, articles published between 2009-2018 were systematically reviewed, then the criteria proposed by 22 articles and five building assessment systems for residential buildings were analyzed. In the study, a set of criteria through systematic literature review and meta-analysis has been created that can be used in building renewal applications. A total of 68 criteria were obtained in nine categories including the environmental, economic and social pillars of sustainability. This study provides a framework and input for the method to be established for providing sustainability in building renewals carried out at parcel scale in the context of Turkey's conditions for urban transformation.

The article presents the results of observations and research on the dynamics of exogenous erosion processes on the shores of lowland reservoirs in Belarus. Features and regularities of the dynamics of development of exogenous shores subject to abrasion-processing and an assessment of planned and profile stability of coastal slopes on the basis of proposed criteria are presented. The relationship between exogenous processes and accumulation processes was determined, the approaches and criteria for determining the stability of reservoir shores based on the hydrological regime of reservoirs and ground conditions were developed.

Abstract Background This study aims to examine to what extent sustainability has been incorporated into assessments of road infrastructure projects. It identifies promising approaches that include indicators reflecting core sustainability criteria, determines criteria that were insufficiently covered as indicators, and develops an integrated indicator set covering all criteria. Methods A systematic review was performed to obtain all related papers/reports in two academic databases: Scopus and Web of Sciences. The indicators extracted from papers/reports were first coded, then evaluated by using quantitative and qualitative content analysis. Results The project appraisal methods for decision-making is found to be a promising approach, covering more extensive criteria than others. Two criteria – namely adaptation and precaution and intergenerational equity – were hardly ever adopted as indicators. Ten main groups of indicators were extracted to construct an integrated set incorporating all core criteria. Conclusions Some criteria appear to have become mainstream, while others deserve attention. The safest choice is to combine methods/tools or to adopt the integrated set developed for exhaustive criteria inclusion.

Abstract Background Stakeholder’s position of bioenergy sustainability is important for the deployment and contribution of bioenergy to sustainable development. Existing publications are usually limited to specific geographical contexts and focuses. This paper aims more broadly to examine the position and vision of a wider range of stakeholder groups towards bioenergy and its development at a global level. Method The applied methodology includes six steps: (1) identification of stakeholders as belonging to one of seven groups; (2) describing the role of each group in relation to bioenergy; (3) data collection via an online questionnaire, roundtable dialogues and interviews to examine their stated awareness and opinions of bioenergy development, driver and barriers to such development; (4) data analysis; (5) comparison of interests and influence as a basis for expressing position and vision; and (6) recommendations for gaining support for sustainable bioenergy development. Results The stakeholders state awareness of bioenergy development and have in general a positive view of the sector. They also inform that the general public is less aware of and not sufficiently involved in bioenergy development. Internet and social media are the most consulted sources of information but least trusted, while scientific information is most trusted but least used. Agricultural residues, energy crops cultivated on marginal or degraded land and forestry residues are widely accepted as feedstocks for bioenergy production, whereas use of agricultural land is viewed critically. The stakeholders generally support bioenergy development when jointly agreed sustainability requirements are met. Conclusions The stakeholders acknowledge the important role of effectively disseminating scientific information as an influencing factor on the position towards bioenergy. They also find that enhancing support for the bioenergy sector relies on mandatory sustainability requirements covering social, economic and environmental aspects, applied to all types of biomass regardless of end use. Some also emphasise that all relevant sectors should work on market conditions to create a level playing field and that this is crucial to change stakeholders’ position to gain more social acceptance of bioenergy. Transparency in demonstrating compliance with sustainability criteria is also an expected pre-condition to enhance support for bioenergy (and ultimately the bioeconomy) in the long term.

The feasibility of a photovoltaic project depends on strategic decisions such as the location of the power plant. This article contributes to the literature by proposing a novel algorithm employing non-radial data envelopment analysis and a clustering method, including single-period and multi-period models, to select appropriate locations to establish photovoltaic sites. This algorithm evaluates the candidate locations' efficiency to establish photovoltaic power plant considering defined sustainability criteria. Due to different results obtained from the presented models, the clustering method identifies the best locations. Iran is used to assess the performance of the proposed algorithm. The results show that six provinces are suitable locations to launch photovoltaic sites and the obtained locations are in good agreement with the photovoltaic potential for Iran. Furthermore, the results reveal that Iran has a high potential to generate photovoltaic energy. Besides, the locations identified for the establishment of photovoltaic sites are close to high electricity consumption provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]