Emission Reduction Research Articles

Whole‐Life Embodied Carbon Reduction Strategies in UK Buildings: A Comprehensive Analysis

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a detailed analysis of embodied carbon (EC) in various case studies using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Through comprehensive assessments, including modules A, B and C, the study evaluates EC across different stages of building life cycles. This study also considers the EC savings achievable through current end‐of‐life strategies in the UK context. As Module A accounts for the highest EC in the case studies, the majority of reduction strategies should focus on this stage. The most impactful strategy for reducing EC emissions involves incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) as a replacement for cement. This approach has the potential to achieve a substantial reduction in the EC of concrete within the buildings under investigation, ranging from 60% to 70%. The study reveals that specification strategy can lead to significant Whole Life Embodied Carbon (WLEC) reductions, with the residential building achieving a 30.59% reduction, the college building a 46.86% reduction, and the hotel building a reduction of 23.69%. Effective mitigation strategies, such as utilizing recycled and reclaimed materials, demonstrate promising results, showcasing significant reduction in WLEC emissions in the buildings.

Corporate social responsibility and energy efficiency: Empirical evidence from the manufacturing sector of India

AbstractThe strategic business firm manages today's profitability and tomorrow's sustainability to achieve a comparative advantage in the emerging market economy. Considering India's ambitious emission reduction target and rapid economic development, this study explores the potential relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the energy efficiency of manufacturing firms in India. Using firm‐level data, the panel fixed effects model shows that CSR negatively explains energy intensity (EI). We observed a consistent negative relationship between CSR and EI for all models, with and without controlled firm‐specific variables. Firms that manufacture chemical and chemical products, pharmaceuticals, medical chemicals and botanical products are energy intensive without CSR; however, CSR activities helped these firms become energy efficient. Our result confirms that voluntary CSR is less efficient than mandatory CSR in contributing to environmental and energy‐related indicators at the firm level. Our empirical results indicate several policy implications: (1) CSR should also focus on sustainable business models related to energy efficiency and reduction in carbon emissions; (2) firms should be encouraged to use CSR related to environmentally friendly innovations. We conclude that CSR spending and environmental expenses will increase energy efficiency at the firm level, which will help achieve net‐zero targets and sustainable industrial development.

Greenhouse-gas abatement on Australian dairy farms: what are the options?

The Australian dairy industry contributes significantly to the rural economy, but must reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions to remain competitive in a global market that is starting to prioritise a low carbon footprint. Demand for improved environmental, social and governance performance from supply chains creates an imperative for research to deliver options for farmers to make reductions in their environmental footprint. Given the rapidly evolving nature of greenhouse-gas abatement research, this critical review provides an update on the state of the research relevant to Australian dairy systems and identifies research gaps that must be addressed if there is to be widespread on-farm adoption. Current research suggests that Australian dairy farms could theoretically abate enteric methane by 40–50%, with about another 5–10% reduction in whole-farm greenhouse-gas emissions being possible by flocculating or covering stored effluent. Fertiliser- and urine-patch management strategies could substantially reduce direct and indirect nitrous oxide emissions, but by variable amounts subject to local conditions. However, few abatement options are currently cost-effective for farmers. Significantly more research investment is required to facilitate the on-farm adoption of strategies, particularly to reduce enteric methane and improve the efficiency of nitrogen cycling. Improved understanding is required of the influences on each strategy’s abatement potential and interactions with economically important traits in grazing systems, the effect of combining abatement strategies, and systems by which strategies can be implemented cost-effectively on farms. The challenge for research is to consider how the implementation of cost-effective abatement options can be refined for grazing dairy systems to maintain the position of Australian dairy in the global market.

Optimal operating strategy of hybrid heat pump − boiler systems with photovoltaics and battery storage

The growing need to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions is driving the search for more efficient heating solutions in buildings. Hybrid heating systems, which combine air-to-water heat pumps (AWHP) with traditional gas boilers, are a common solution after refurbishment investments. However, managing these systems effectively, particularly when integrated with photovoltaic (PV) panels and battery energy storage systems (BESS), remains a complex task. For instance, heat pumps perform poorly in very cold conditions, making boilers a more efficient option; however, it might be advantageous to use it to increase electricity self-consumption. Optimal management depends on multiple factors, including future forecast data. In this paper, a daily optimization program is developed by means of a brute-force approach using forecast data. The core innovation of this paper is the use of an artificial neural network (ANN) that, trained on predictive optimization results, can determine the optimal solution in real-time without the need for future forecasts. The ANN achieved a 99.16% accuracy in new scenarios, successfully optimizing costs, CO2 emissions, and primary energy use. Results indicate up to 19% cost savings in colder cities, a 12% reduction in CO2 emissions, and a 3% decrease in primary energy consumption. This approach holds significant potential for enhancing the integration of renewable energy sources, contributing to long-term sustainability goals.

A Quantitative Method of Carbon Emission Reduction for Electrochemical Energy Storage Based on the Clean Development Mechanism

Electrochemical energy storage (EES) plays a crucial role in reducing the curtailed power from wind and solar PV power (WSP) generation and enhancing the decarbonization effects of power systems. However, research on quantifying the carbon emission reduction effects of EES methods in the engineering field is still insufficient, which constrains decision-makers from making intuitive assessments of the decarbonization effects of energy storage. Therefore, drawing on the principles of the clean development mechanism (CDM), this paper proposes a method for quantifying the carbon emission reductions of a standalone EES station. Firstly, based on the design principles of building marginal emission factor in the CDM, a method for calculating the BM weight of WSP is proposed. Secondly, three quantification methods for the carbon emission reductions of EES are presented based on the complexity of the calculations. Lastly, to analyze the impacts of different operational conditions and calculation methods on the carbon emission reduction of energy storage systems, a dispatch model is constructed for various operational scenarios. The results of the case study indicate that different calculation methods yield varying results in terms of the carbon emission reductions of energy storage systems, with the sharply value method yielding the smallest reduction and the output curve method yielding the largest reduction. Additionally, when considering the losses in the state of charge (SOC) of an energy storage system and reducing the overall output fluctuations of WSP-EES, the carbon emission reduction potential of the energy storage will decrease. This study establishes a theoretical basis for quantifying the carbon emission reductions of standalone electrochemical energy storage systems, aiding decision-makers in gaining a deeper understanding of the role of electrochemical energy storage in carbon reduction and operational value.

Mechanical carbon emission assessment during prefabricated building deconstruction based on BIM and multi-objective optimization

Machinery operation is a major source of carbon emissions in building deconstruction. Early intervention through Design for Deconstruction (DfD) is crucial for emission reduction, yet the factors influencing these emissions are underexplored. This study integrates parametric BIM with multi-objective optimization (MOO) to assess mechanical carbon emissions in deconstruction. Using the Octopus solver in Grasshopper for Rhino, the study analyzes independent variables—possible working hours (PWH), vertical speed (VS), and horizontal speed (HS)—and dependent variables—minimum mechanical carbon emissions (MCE (min)), minimum deconstruction period (DP (min)), and maximum working efficiency (WE (max)). A lightweight steel roof truss structure is analyzed, comparing real-world deconstruction with optimized DfD schemes. Sensitivity analysis for BIM-MOO optimized results reveal that: (1) Adjusting PWH, VS, and HS significantly affects WE and DP, though with limited impact on carbon emissions; (2) VS influences WE and DP more than HS; (3) Limiting DP is essential for balancing WE, DP, and MCE, with WE adjusted to 20–60% and modifications to PWH and VS achieving balanced management. This study underscores the importance of early design and real-time adjustments for efficient, low-emission deconstruction, supporting the advancement of green building practices.

Analysis of Low-Carbon Contribution Pathways for Resource-Based Cities under the Dual Carbon Goals: The Case of Tangshan, China

China is still the biggest carbon emission entity at present, which is mostly produced by resource-based cities. It means that actions to control carbon emissions in order to mitigate the greenhouse effect are urgently needed. The purpose of this study is to examine resource-based cities' low-carbon development strategies after the dual carbon regulations were put into place. Using a literature review as the research technique, this paper uses Tangshan as an example to explore the current condition, difficulties that exist, and Policy recommendations for resource-based cities looking to improve in a low-carbon manner. The result shows that there are now some clear issues with resource-based cities' low-carbon growth routes: high reliance on high-emission industries, the incomplete top-level design, and “the intensifying competitive pressure from surrounding cities. The following optimization suggestions have been proposed for the above-mentioned issues. The optimization direction of resource-based areas should be to clarify the top-level design, increase competitiveness, and continue to increase industrial carbon emission reduction. In other words, this kind of cities should reduce the dependence of urban development on high-polluting industries and attract talent to cope with external competitive pressures requires the government to coordinate and cooperate across departments, so that under the dual carbon goals they can achieve carbon reduction in resource-based cities which are under the dual carbon goals.

A Review of Policy Progress in China's Ecological Civilization Demonstration Zone

Under the background of increasing urbanization rate and global warming, China urgently needs to address the issue of promoting economic growth while reducing the intensity of carbon emissions to achieve harmony between economic growth and environmental protection and promote sustainable development. This study takes China's ecological civilization demonstration areas construction policy as the main object of analysis. The literature review method would summarize the specific pathways of this policy to achieve carbon emission reduction in terms of eco-economy and eco-institution. By classifying and analyzing its existing carbon reduction pathways, this study found that reforms and innovations were made in this policy, mainly in eco-economy and eco-institution. China's Ecological Civilization Demonstration Zones (ECDZs) policy, to achieve carbon emission reduction and carbon neutrality, has used both green technological innovation and economic reforms to upgrade the industrial structure and improve the energy structure. However, the above policies are broad and cannot meet the regional differences. Therefore, this paper gives the corresponding recommendations: to increase the support of financial and financing policies, optimize the energy infrastructure in urban areas, and develop green transport and green buildings.

The carbon emission reduction effect of digital economy: an empirical study based on chinese national big data comprehensive experimental zone

The carbon emission reduction effect of digital economy: an empirical study based on chinese national big data comprehensive experimental zone

Critical Role of Solenoid Valves in Modern Engine Design

Solenoid valves, which serve as actuators, are vital in engine design because they can precisely control fluid and gas flow within the engine systems. This allows fuel injection, emission controls, and better performance in modern engines. This paper explores the role that a solenoid valve has been playing in engine designs and underlines its importance for fuel efficiency, emission reduction, and reliability of the engine's performance. Keywords—Solenoid valves, Actuators, Engine control, Fuel injection, Emission control, Engine performance, Valve timing, Fluid flow regulation, Engine Braking, Piston cooling Nozzle valve, CAM phaser Control.

Are Climate Change Strategies Effective in Managing Urban Water Resources? The Case of Portugal

This study examines the relationship between climate mitigation, adaptation strategies, and water management practices in Portugal from 2015 to 2021. Utilizing climate and water resource data from 2015 to 2021, including meteorological data (emperature, rainfall), wastewater treatment volumes, and energy efficiency metrics, the data are sourced from national agencies such as IPMA, ERSAR, APA, and Eurostat. The methodology employs correlation analysis to assess the relationships between climate variables (e.g., temperature, rainfall) and water resource indicators (e.g., reclaimed wastewater, energy efficiency). Despite notable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and improvements in wastewater treatment efficiency, water resource stability remains a complex issue, particularly with regional disparities such as severe droughts in the Algarve. Additionally, the study evaluates the effectiveness of rainwater harvesting systems, reclaimed wastewater, and infiltration facilities, revealing a decline in reclaimed wastewater efficiency despite increased wastewater treatment. Rainwater harvesting systems (RWHSs) offer resilience, but their broader adoption is hindered by high costs and public perception challenges. Key recommendations include the development of resilient infrastructure, enhanced support for reclaimed water use, and increased investment in research to address water management challenges amid climate variability.

Imagining a net-zero Teesside: actors, networks, and expectations in industrial decarbonisation megaprojects

Abstract Decarbonising industrial clusters is critical to achieving the UK’s net-zero industrial strategy. This study focuses on Teesside, an industrial cluster in Northeast England, analysing its transition through the framework of the Sociology of Expectations (SoE). The research investigates the role of public and private stakeholders in driving decarbonisation efforts, concentrating on a limited set of technologies and large-scale megaprojects, especially carbon capture, hydrogen production, CO2 and hydrogen transport. The study highlights the challenges of deploying these first-of-a-kind technologies, which are not yet commercially viable in the UK. Our analysis identifies both opportunities and significant risks in Teesside’s approach, particularly the potential over-reliance on a narrow range of technologies. The findings raise concerns about the assumed reductions in costs and carbon emissions, questioning the feasibility of scaling these technologies for long-term industrial sustainability. The main implication is that, should the technologies currently favoured by incumbent industry fail to perform, the expectations could play a double and contradictory role in net-zero transitions—by both motivating actors to legitimise decarbonisation technologies, yet blinding others to the significant challenges that lie ahead.

Historical Evolution and Current Developments in Building Thermal Insulation Materials—A Review

The European Climate Law mandates a 55% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030, intending to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. To meet these targets, there is a strong focus on reducing energy consumption in buildings, particularly for heating and cooling, which are the primary drivers of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the demand for energy-efficient and sustainable buildings is increasing, and thermal insulation plays a crucial role in minimizing energy consumption for both winter heating and summer cooling. This review explores the historical development of thermal insulation materials, beginning with natural options such as straw, wool, and clay, progressing to materials like cork, asbestos, and mineral wool, and culminating in synthetic insulators such as fiberglass and polystyrene. The review also examines innovative materials like polyurethane foam, vacuum insulation panels, and cement foams enhanced with phase change materials. Additionally, it highlights the renewed interest in environmentally friendly materials like cellulose, hemp, and sheep wool. The current challenges in developing sustainable, high-performance building solutions are discussed, including the implementation of the 6R principles for insulating materials. Finally, the review not only traces the historical evolution of insulation materials but also provides various classifications and summarizes emerging aspects in the field.

A hybrid metaheuristic and simulation approach towards green project scheduling

AbstractThis research tackles the environmental concern of greenhouse gas emissions in the execution of projects, with a focus on multi-site projects where the transportation of resources is a major source of emissions. Despite growing consciousness among consumers and stakeholders about sustainability, the domain of project scheduling has often overlooked the environmental impact. This paper seeks to bridge this oversight by exploring how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions during both project activities and resource transportation. A novel approach is proposed, combining a simulation model with an improved non-dominated sorted genetic algorithm. The simulation model incorporates the stochastic nature of emission rates and costs. This method is further refined with innovative techniques such as magnet-based crossover and mode reassignment. The former is a genetic algorithm operation inspired by magnetic attraction, which allows for a more diverse and effective exploration of solutions by aligning similar ’genes’ from parent solutions. The latter is a strategy for reallocating resources during project execution to optimize efficiency and reduce emissions. The efficacy of the proposed method is validated through testing on 2810 scenarios from established benchmark libraries, 100 additional scenarios adhering to the conventional multi-site problems, and a case study. The Best-Worst Method (BWM) is applied for identifying the best solution. The findings indicate substantial enhancements compared to traditional methods with a 12.7% decrease in project duration, 11.4% in costs, and a remarkable 13.6% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Selection indexes in terms of functional features in modern dairy cattle breeding in Europe

Abstract The increase in demand for dairy products requires continued progress in dairy farming for a sustainable supply. Europe, known as the world's leading milk producer, plays a key role in meeting this growing demand. Modern dairy farming has moved beyond its historical focus on milk yield and now focuses on functional traits such as udder health, fertility and calf survival. As a result, selection indicators have become essential tools, combining multiple attributes to support selective decisions. However, these rates show considerable variability across countries, reflecting their distinct breeding goals. Poland's production and functionality (PF) Index emphasizes production and functional traits to enhance dairy cattle. Portugal uses the total economic merit (M€T) and total performance index (IPT) for a broader assessment covering a wider range of traits. Ukraine is transitioning towards a more comprehensive breeding system incorporating stress tolerance and longevity. Factors such as climate change and the need for sustainable practices drive this evolution, underscoring the economic importance of traits beyond mere production. Future trends may include features such as feed efficiency, methane emissions reduction and stress resistance. Diverse breeding objectives across countries lead to different selection index constructions, essential for effective selection, ranking and breeding of superior individuals. This comprehensive review offers insight into constantly evolving dairy farming strategies in Europe, with a focus on Poland, Portugal and Ukraine, while highlighting the key role of functional traits in shaping the future of dairy farming.

Rethinking Natural Gas Infrastructure: How Non‐Pipe Alternatives are Shaping Utility Planning

As greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction efforts accelerate, utility regulators nationwide are rethinking the role of natural gas in reducing GHG emissions over current levels. A key strategy emerging in several states is the mandatory consideration of non‐pipe alternatives (NPAs); solutions that avoid the need for new natural gas hook‐ups. California, Massachusetts, New York, and Colorado are leading the effort, and other states like Maryland, Hawaii, Oregon, Minnesota, and New Jersey are not far behind. Before gaining approval for traditional new pipeline investments as opposed to pipeline replacement, regulators are requiring utilities to thoroughly analyze the costs and benefits of NPAs. This is compelling natural gas utilities to rethink their business models and find the most effective ways to present NPAs to regulators and customers. With this enhanced scrutiny and regulatory mandates that are increasingly focusing on sustainability, natural gas distribution utilities are at a crossroads. The challenge lies in adapting to these expectations and innovating scalable investments that will meet regulatory demands while driving the transition to a cleaner energy future.

Electrically Controlled Smart Window for Seasonally Adaptive Thermal Management in Buildings.

Smart windows offer a sustainable solution for energy-efficient buildings by adapting to various weather conditions. However, the challenge lies in achieving precise control over specific sunlight bands to effectively respond to complex weather changes and individual needs. Herein, a novel electrochromic smart window fabricated by integrating a self-assembled cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) layer with an electrochromic poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) layer is reported, which exhibits high near-infrared transmittance, low solar reflectivity (26%), and infrared emissivity (20%) in winter, and low near-infrared transmittance, high solar reflectivity (91%), and infrared emissivity (≈94%) in summer. Interestingly, the material offers dynamic temperature control based on its photothermal properties, maintaining the internal temperature of buildings within a comfortable range of 20-25 °C from morning to night, particularly in winter with significant daily temperature fluctuations. Simulations show that the CNC-PED device demonstrates excellent energy-saving and CO2 emission reduction capacities across various global climate zones. This study presents a feasible pathway for constructing season-adaptive smart windows, making them suitable for energy-efficient buildings.

Decreasing the carbon footprint of food through public procurement—A case study from the municipality of Härnösand

Eating habits are among the strongest drivers of negative environmental impact. Public procurement has been suggested as an efficient lever to catalyze changes within the food system. This study examines alternative purchase processes that may decrease the carbon footprint of publicly procured food through a case study of a municipality in the Northern part of Sweden. The GHG emissions associated with the current food service in the case study were 2.2 kg CO2e per kg food and must be reduced by 40.9% by 2030 to comply with the Paris Agreement; 76% of the emissions derive from food of animal origin (44% from unprocessed red meat). Three alternative diet scenarios, “zero red meat,” “−50% red meat,” and “flexitarian free from red meat,” were explored. Only 6% of the total purchased food kilograms were altered, yet the cutback of meat caused GHG emissions reductions turned out to be as high as 44%. The Swedish Law on Public Procurement, deficient infrastructure, unsustainable food culture, and local politicians' reluctance to change were mentioned as the main obstacles to materializing necessary changes in the food procurement system. The respondents also pointed out essential policy changes at the national and municipal levels.

Application of GIS in Introducing Community-Based Biogas Plants from Dairy Farm Waste: Potential of Renewable Energy for Rural Areas in Bangladesh

Dairy production is one of the most important economic sectors in Bangladesh. However, the traditional management of dairy cow manure and other wastes results in air pollution, eutrophication of surface water, and soil contamination, highlighting the urgent need for more sustainable waste management solutions. To address the environmental problems of dairy waste management, this research explored the potential of community-based biogas production from dairy cow manure in Bangladesh. This study proposed introducing community-based biogas plants using a geographic information system (GIS). The study first applied a restriction analysis to identify sensitive areas, followed by a suitability analysis to determine feasible locations for biogas plants, considering geographical, social, economic, and environmental factors. The final suitable areas were identified by combining the restriction and suitability maps. The spatial distribution of dairy farms was analyzed through a cluster analysis, identifying significant clusters for potential biogas production. A baseline and proposed scenario were designed for five clusters based on the input and output capacities of the biogas plants, estimating the location and capacity for each cluster. The study also calculated electricity generation from the proposed scenario and the net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction potential of the biogas plants. The findings provide a land-use framework for implementing biogas plants that considers environmental and socio-economic criteria. Five biogas plants were found to be technically and spatially feasible for electricity generation. These plants can collectively produce 31 million m3 of biogas annually, generating approximately 200.60 GWh of energy with a total electricity capacity of 9.8 MW/year in Bangladesh. Implementing these biogas plants is expected to increase renewable energy production by at least 1.25%. Furthermore, the total GHG emission reduction potential is estimated at 104.26 Gg/year CO2eq through the annual treatment of 61.38 thousand tons of dairy manure.

Digital finance, capital-biased and labor-biased technical progress: Important grips for mitigating carbon emission inequality

As an innovative financial model in the era of the digital economy, digital finance, with its inclusive characteristics, provides effective financial support for the realization of the carbon peak and carbon neutrality. To realize the “double carbon” goal, it is necessary not only to control the total amount and intensity of carbon emissions but also to consider the coordination and fairness of carbon emission reduction between regions. The existing literature has discussed the carbon reduction effect of digital finance, but few studies have focused on the impact and mechanism of digital finance on regional carbon emission inequality. On the basis of data from 287 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2021, this paper empirically examines the effect of digital finance on carbon emission inequality via a fixed effects model and convergence model. Digital finance not only reduces the Theil index of carbon emissions but also promotes the convergence of carbon emissions, which mitigates regional carbon emission inequality. The mechanism test shows that digital finance reduces the level of regional carbon emission inequality by promoting capital- and labor-biased technical progress in high-carbon emission regions. Heterogeneity analysis proves that digital finance can better exert its inhibitory effect on carbon emission inequality in regions with low financial agglomeration levels, weak industrial bases and small digital business scales. Further analysis indicates that digital finance can effectively reduce carbon emission inequality between regions, but the effect on carbon emission inequality within regions is not significant. The above findings provide a realistic reference for the formulation of differentiated digital finance policies to support carbon emission reduction.