Sustainable Design Research Articles

Sustainable design and synthesis of high-performance lignin-based sunscreen ingredients

The active ingredients most commonly employed in sunscreens are compounds containing one or two aromatic rings. Lignin is the most abundant renewable aromatic polymer that has the potential to yield low molecular weight aromatic chemicals when strategically depolymerized. Here, the UV absorbance of a series of monomeric and dimeric lignin model compounds (LMCs) were studied. Specifically, vanillin and ferulic acid demonstrated good absorption in the UVB (280–320 nm) range, while the 5–5 dimer showed efficient absorption in the UVA (320–400 nm) range. Based on this, vanillin, ferulic acid and 5–5 dimer were mixed in pairs and dispersed in the oily isoeugenol to prepare LMC hybrid dispersions. Subsequently, demethylated lignin (DL) was synthesized and used to encapsulate the LMC hybrid dispersions via ultrasonic cavitation to prepare DL-based nano-capsules (DLNCs). The DLNCs were used as the only active ingredient in sunscreens, whose sun protection factor (SPF) value could be up to 55 with a dosage of 10 wt%. Due to anti-photolysis property of DL, the SPF value of DLNCs-based sunscreens increased initially and maintained >8 h under UV irradiation. Additionally, the prepared DLNCs exhibited excellent anti-permeability, antioxidant capacity and biocompatibility, making them a potential substitute for conventional petroleum-based sunscreen agents.

Decoding product obsolescence: A taxonomic approach from product design attributes

One challenge that product design has faced is the ongoing threat of obsolescence, where investment in an updated solution can quickly become irrelevant within months or years as technology advances. This phenomenon not only affects consumers, who may find themselves with quickly outdated devices but also poses a dilemma for designers and manufacturers who must balance constant innovation with sustainability and product durability. In this dynamic scenario, there arises a critical need to understand how design attributes impact obsolescence and how this relationship can influence the creation of more sustainable and resilient products. This paper develops a taxonomy of product design attributes influencing different types of obsolescence to address the research gap between product design and obsolescence. It investigates the significance of obsolescence types across product categories, the impact of design attributes on these obsolescences, and the role of design in product sustainability. Employing a theoretical framework combining product design and lifecycle analysis, the methodology includes a literature review and an expert survey to evaluate design attributes against obsolescence types. From the literature review, 21 design attributes were identified and evaluated by 26 industry and academia experts. The findings reveal distinct patterns of obsolescence in various product categories, emphasizing the influence of specific design attributes. The role of attributes such as upgradeability and compatibility in technological, functional, and planned obsolescence was highlighted. Limited familiarity with certain types of obsolescence among experts was acknowledged, underscoring the importance of raising awareness within the design community. These insights are critical to align product design with sustainability goals and challenging traditional product development practices. The study has significant implications for designers, manufacturers, and policymakers, highlighting the importance of understanding design choices in reducing obsolescence and promoting sustainable consumption.

Implementing strong sustainability in a design process

The emergence of a post-growth era is expected that implies rethinking the production and consumption patterns with novel design models this forces higher educational institutions to reconsider their traditional ways of teaching sustainability in their curricula. Companies also need to overcome strategies that compartmentalize environment, society and economy in their industrial strategy in order to evolve in their support for the transition. The aim of this paper is to present a design process anchored in the Strong Sustainability paradigm to overcome the gap of how Strong Sustainability could be operationalised. Design Research Methodology (DRM) has been chosen as the supporting framework for the development of this project. The Design for Strong Sustainability (DfSoSy) methodology proposed, is built on three aspects of Strong Sustainability (Milieu, Regeneration, Safe and just operating space) successively applied in a sequenced iterative design process. The latter enable the integration of thought patterns associated with integrative, systemic and fractal or multi-scale thinking respectively. Moreover, the principle of sub-optimality is highlighted as a decision principle in SoSy. Results obtain has been validated as well on the pedagogical objectives as in the usefulness of the DfSoSy. The practical contribution of this study is the DfSoSy toolkit©.

The Restorative Effects of Unique Green Space Design: Comparing the Restorative Quality of Classical Chinese Gardens and Modern Urban Parks

The Restorative Effects of Unique Green Space Design: Comparing the Restorative Quality of Classical Chinese Gardens and Modern Urban Parks

Monolithic Polyepoxide Membranes for Nanofiltration Applications and Sustainable Membrane Manufacture.

The present work details the development of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy membranes with excellent rejection of small-molecule dyes. It is a proof-of-concept for a more sustainable membrane design incorporating carbon fibers, and their recycling and reuse. 4,4'-methylenebis(cyclohexylamine) (MBCHA) polymerized with either bisphenol-A-diglycidyl ether (BADGE) or tetraphenolethane tetraglycidylether (EPON Resin 1031) in polyethylene glycol (PEG) were used to make monolithic membranes reinforced by nonwoven carbon fibers. Membrane pore sizes were tuned by adjusting the molecular weight of the PEG used in the initial polymerization. Membranes made of BADGE-MBCHA showed rejection of Rose Bengal approaching 100%, while tuning the pore sizes substantially increased the rejection of Methylene Blue from ~65% to nearly 100%. The membrane with the best permselectivity was made of EPON-MBCHA polymerized in PEG 300. It has an average DI flux of 4.48 LMH/bar and an average rejection of 99.6% and 99.8% for Rose Bengal and Methylene Blue dyes, respectively. Degradation in 1.1 M sodium hypochlorite enabled the retrieval of the carbon fiber from the epoxy matrix, suggesting that the monolithic membranes could be recycled to retrieve high-value products rather than downcycled for incineration or used as a lower selectivity membrane. The mechanism for epoxy degradation is hypothesized to be part chemical and part physical due to intense swelling stress leading to erosion that leaves behind undamaged carbon fibers. The retrieved fibers were successfully used to make another membrane exhibiting similar performance to those made with pristine fibers.

Prioritizing sustainable building design indicators through global SLR and comparative analysis of AHP and SWARA for holistic assessment: a case study of Kabul, Afghanistan

Prioritizing sustainable building design indicators through global SLR and comparative analysis of AHP and SWARA for holistic assessment: a case study of Kabul, Afghanistan

Spontaneous acts of everyday co-creation: somaesthetic study of affective placemaking in the case of Durga Puja, Kolkata

ABSTRACT Everyday participatory acts can lead to the co-creation of urban spaces even without the specific intention of dominant stakeholders. Such spontaneous co-creation is often triggered by macro-level urban events with significant affective value in placemaking. We explore the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata as a prominent example of this phenomenon. Utilising Richard Shusterman’s somaesthetic framework, we analyse how space is dynamically co-created by diverse ‘sentient, purposive bodies’, or somas. Our fieldwork and interviews map affective placemaking, examining somatic associations within dynamic spatial configurations. This is illustrated through examples of spontaneous community involvements that result in the co-creation of new types of places, without adhering to a pre-planned, predictable course. Two types of co-creation emerge: the first, more dominant, where everyday elements recede into the background through intrusive design motifs, and the second, where the everyday is the sole inspiration behind affective placemaking. The dominant model of co-creation highlights overarching themes, while the second type, explored through detailed case studies, offers a nuanced understanding of a place’s historicity, geographical context, and cultural significance. Strategies for blending into surroundings, rather than standing out, have significant implications for sustainable urban design that values affective placemaking.

Application of Artificial Intelligence Technology in Optimizing Control Parameters of Traffic Signal Group Systems

On the basis of introducing the concept of intersection signal state phase difference, the author proposes a proportional signal phase difference design scheme for traffic signal system control, on the basis of the HCM signal delay calculation formula, a standardized signal cycle and effective green signal ratio optimization design model were compiled, thus forming a complete set of optimization design modes for the control parameters of the urban main road traffic signal group system. The experimental results indicate that, the entire simulation experiment took 6000 seconds to compare the traditional fuzzy algorithm with the controller implemented by the author's fuzzy neural network, each case was simulated 5 times, the data in the Table is the average of 5 times, compared with traditional fuzzy algorithms, the author's method shows an improvement of 20.8% to 45.67% in average vehicle delay time, especially when the traffic flow is different in the east-west and north-south directions, the improvement is more significant.

Leveraging drone technology for enhanced thermal performance analysis in sustainable architecture: a case study of GBI-certified buildings in Malaysia

ABSTRACT In recent years, the realm of architecture has witnessed a significant transformation marked by a notable surge in focus on sustainable practices and energy efficiency. Architects and engineers increasingly recognize the innovative role of thermal efficiency in enhancing building performance. Such recognition emphasizes the critical importance of thermal analysis in understanding the thermal attributes of building materials and structures. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to bridge a current gap in architectural practices and sustainable design within the Malaysian context. It proposes a case study leveraging drone thermal mapping techniques on Green Building Index (GBI)-certified buildings. The study seeks to examine how architectural designs interact with environmental conditions and identify areas for improvement in sustainable building practices, particularly within Malaysia’s tropical climate context. The primary objective is to assess the effectiveness of drone technology in analysing building thermal performance and to explore how the findings can inform design interventions to enhance sustainability. To achieve this, a structured methodology comprising five procedural phases is employed in a case study focused on three iconic GBI-certified buildings in Putrajaya, namely Putrajaya Holdings Tower, Energy Commission Building, and Heriot-Watt University Malaysia. By integrating thermal imaging with visuospatial data and 3D modeling techniques, the study demonstrates the effectiveness of drones in analysing heat patterns, highlighting their potential as a tool for strategic design interventions. As an exploratory study, this paper serves as a catalyst for further investigations into the integration of drone technologies with architectural design, particularly within the context of tropical climates.

Renewed Theories and Discourses of 21st Century; City Planning and Housing Design COVID-19 and Beyond, Sustainable, and Green Design

This research delves into the future housing theories of the 21st century, focusing on recent transformations in both urban planning and housing projects and models. Despite the world's anticipation of a vast sustainable transformation since the late 20th century, the first quarter of the 21st century was confronted with an unexpected event: humanity found itself amidst a pandemic that significantly transformed the world. The post-COVID-19 era has guided significant and enduring changes in various aspects from urban planning to living styles, working patterns, housing models, and typologies. This research presents renewed perspectives, based on theoretical dialogues, and discourses that aim to understand the transformation period with recent events specifically housing. The research also includes the perspective of housing in the past aims to contribute to comprehension of this new era and aid in shaping future urban and housing planning strategies. The theoretical basis is to investigate new methods and techniques in urban, and housing planning that have addressed climate-related issues since the 1980s and the subsequent pandemic period. According to the findings obtained in the research, COVID-19 and sustainability initially considered different phenomena, pandemic is essentially triggered and contributed to sustainable city planning, and housing design. While the public perception often distinguishes between COVID-19 and drivability as distinct design concepts, the research reveals a nuanced reality. Despite apparent differences, it is discerning that similar ideas and design principles aim for a healthier housing concept in airier, and greener areas both in terms of housing planning, and models. This intricates a close conceptual relationship between pandemic-induced design adaptations and sustainable concepts underscores the complexity of contemporary urban and housing planning paradigms.

Estimating the Capacity of Railway Platforms and Stations

Knowing the capacity and the speed-density relation for different facility parts is a key component for a sustainable station design. But as the behaviour of pedestrians on railway platforms is complex, detailed data from railway stations is needed, which only became available recently. By using real-life tracking data from different railway stations in Switzerland, a method to estimate the capacity for different facility elements was derived and applied to the data aiming at verifying or improving the existing design values. As expressed in the fundamental diagram, the speed-density relation was useful in addressing these issues. The speed-density-flow relation was plotted at different levels ranging from a whole platform section to areas covering only a few square meters. Waiting pedestrians were treated separately to reflect their specific behaviour. Afterwards, the Kladek-curve proposed by Weidmann was fitted to the data using different parameter values. Although the data is biased towards low densities, the capacity of each area can be estimated using the fitted curve. The results show that the flow-density curves show a good fit to the mean of each density bin. Nevertheless, a large scatter of the individual data points exists. The derived maximum flow is considerably different depending on the measurement location and the area size and is generally lower than average values from literature. It is expected that the complex behaviour of pedestrians in railway stations and platforms has a significant influence on these differences, which therefore needs to be considered for station design.

Chemical-guided screening of top-performing metal–organic frameworks for hydrogen storage: An explainable deep attention convolutional model

Metal-organic framework (MOF)-based adsorptive hydrogen storage holds promise for enhancing the sustainable design of hydrogen storages by enhancing the usable volumetric (UV) and gravimetric (UG) capacities. However, the extensive number of MOFs poses a challenge in the search for optimal materials owing to the lack of an efficient and interpretable high-throughput screening method. This study introduces an explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) framework to expedite the discovery of high-capacity hydrogen adsorbents by predicting the UV and UG capacities using an attention densely connected convolutional (ADCC) network. A new hybrid dataset with various operating conditions and comprising 24 physical–chemical descriptors, such as void fraction (VF) and metal percentage (MP), was utilized to develop the ADCC model. The explainable ADCC model demonstrated superior predictive performance for the UV and UG capacities, with R2 values of 0.9886 and 0.9982, respectively. The inclusion of the chemical descriptors MOFs enhanced the prediction accuracy of the ADCC model. The XAI analysis showed that VF and MP dominated physical and chemical descriptors, respectively, for UV and UG. Consequently, the ADCC model identified EFAYIU—a real MOF—as a promising hydrogen storage material with UV and UG capacities of 51.55 g H2/L and 11.37 wt%, respectively, surpassing the current materials for hydrogen storage. Additionally, the identified EFAYIU was validated based on molecular simulations, confirming the high hydrogen adsorptive capacities obtained by the ADCC model. Thus, the proposed AI-based high-throughput screening method enables the rapid discovery of high-performance MOFs for sustainable hydrogen storage.

Improving thermal comfort using biomimicry in the urban residential districts in New Aswan city, Egypt

AbstractEgypt tends to construct new cities to provide social housing for its citizens. However, the planning of urban residential districts (URDs) in these cities lacks provisions for natural ventilation (NV), and indoor-outdoor thermal comfort, resulting in increased energy consumption during the summer months. This research aims to create a sustainable design through biomimicry to reduce the universal thermal climate index (UTCI) values in the URD in New Aswan thereby enhancing outdoor thermal comfort and reducing energy consumption inside buildings at the level of URD. In this research, the approach of prairie dogs in building their burrows was followed to rearrange and reorient the buildings. Autodesk CFD, Rhino7, Grasshopper, Ladybug, Honeybee, and Dragonfly software was used in the simulation. The rearrangement of the buildings, specifically the oriented design in the east-west direction, caused a difference in pressure between the buildings, leading to improved NV between the buildings. The improvement of NV resulted in a 4.2 °C reduction in UTCI values during specific hours over the six different days in the six summer months, resulting in significant energy savings of 10407.28946 KWh in the URD. The occurrence of a pressure difference between buildings not only improved NV but also enhanced outdoor and indoor thermal comfort, promoting energy conservation. Therefore, careful consideration of the arrangement and orientation of buildings is essential to establish sustainable URDs. Although the difference between the results is slight, it creates substantial differences in the long term for UTCI values, thus the energy conservation in the URDs.

Theoretical Courses and Architectural Education: Studio-based Approach for Technical Writing Course

Technical writing skills are critical to ensure the success and integration of architecture and urban projects. The practice of architecture requires high communication skills to deliver ideas and plans to the different stakeholders in architecture projects. Clear technical communication provides mutual understanding of the aspects and requirements of projects to all involved parties including contactors, engineers, clients and even authorities, mitigating the high risks of misunderstandings. Technical writing allows for clear project documentation, facilitating coordination between interdisciplinary teams and improving decision making and problem solving. Architectural education relies mainly on hands-on experiences and design-oriented studios. Theoretical courses present a challenge for both architecture students and lecturers, as they are often taught in a lecture setting, which is not so familiar to architecture students, making them overwhelming to students. Theoretical courses challenge students as they often miss the link between concepts and application. Technical writing courses are hardly linked to students’ interests. This study presents a pedagogical approach to the course of Technical Writing in the Sustainable Architecture and Urban Design Program at Helwan University in Egypt. It presents an studio-based interactive approach through using in-class discussions, workshops, games, peer discussions and interactions. It also links sustainable architecture and urban design applications into students’ work, to ensure their interest in the course and their compound benefit. The paper presents the results of a tailor-made evaluation questionnaire to identify the most effective methods used in teaching the course, in addition to students’ key takeaways from the course. Results show that students learned the most of report writing and presentation skills, perceived the course as highly interactive and highlighted that using games enhanced their learning experience.

Safety-driven design of carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) supply chains: A multi-objective optimization approach

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage supply chains (CCUS) play a pivotal role in achieving sustainability targets but necessitate meticulous risk identification and mitigation measures. Traditional safety assessments often occur post-design, constraining proactive risk management efforts. Hence, there is a pressing need to optimize safety performance during the design stages. To address this challenge, a framework for evaluating and optimizing CCUS supply chain safety performance using inherent safety index system (ISI) is introduced. Recognizing the trade-offs between total cost, environmental impact reduction, and risk mitigation, our approach considers multi-objective optimization to concurrently address these sustainability objectives and generate a Pareto set of solutions. Utilizing the augmented ε-constraint method, we applied this framework to optimize CCUS networks and develop sustainable designs across three key objectives. The method was applied to a CCUS system that includes various CO2 utilization pathways to minimize the total annual cost, CO2 emissions, and safety risks. The resulting Pareto surface illustrates unique network configurations, each representing a distinct trade-off scenario. Through a case study, we optimized a CCUS network to achieve economic, environmental, and safety objectives. The most economically viable design, with a total annual cost of $97 million and a 40 % net carbon reduction, prioritizes CO2 utilization for value-added products, while limiting CO2 sequestration. Conversely, safety-focused designs shift utilization towards safer routes, including CO2 sequestration and algae production. The proposed framework offers a systematic approach to developing sustainable CCUS supply chain designs, balancing economic viability, environmental sustainability, and safety.

Reinterpretation of Passive Cooling Strategies in Hot And Dry Climate Traditional Architecture: Vents in The Building

The building sector is among the most critical factors affecting environmental sustainability due to its impacts, such as energy consumption and greenhouse gas production. The reasons for energy consumption and greenhouse gas production in the building sector may vary according to climatic characteristics. In hot and arid climate regions, a significant portion of energy consumption is caused by indoor cooling, especially since the focus is on reducing the indoor temperature. In the periods when traditional architecture was developed, the lack of technological products that would increase energy consumption was effective in providing indoor air conditioning with passive design strategies. This study aims to identify the building openings for natural ventilation and cooling used in the traditional architecture of hot and dry climates and to analyze and evaluate their modern interpretations. A total of 235 award-winning projects were analyzed, and 21 were included in the study. In this context, it was determined that 16 different strategies used in traditional architecture were re-interpretation, and their modern interpretations were analyzed through award-winning projects. The traditional passive design strategies identified in this context have been adapted to modern architecture in 18 types. Wind orientators come to the forefront. In addition, it was determined that the strategies adapted to modern architecture are generally integrated. This study guides modern interpretations of traditional passive design strategies for sustainable building design.

Research on Sustainable Form Design of NEV Vehicle Based on Particle Swarm Algorithm Optimized Support Vector Regression

With the growing emphasis on eco-friendly and sustainable development concepts, new energy vehicles (NEVs) have emerged as a popular alternative to traditional fuel vehicles (FVs). Due to the absence of an internal combustion engine, electric vehicles (EVs) do not require a front air intake grille, allowing for a more minimalist and flexible design. Consequently, aligning EV styling with users’ visual cognition and emotional perception is a critical objective for automakers and designers. In this study, we establish the mapping relationship between users’ emotional cognition and NEV styling design based on experimental data. We introduce Particle Swarm Optimization Support Vector Regression (PSO-SVR) into the perceptual engineering (KE) research process to predict user emotions using Support Vector Regression (SVR). To optimize the three hyperparameters (penalty coefficient C, RBF kernel function parameter γ, and insensitivity loss coefficient ε) of the SVR model, we utilize the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. The results indicate that the proposed PSO-SVR model outperforms traditional SVR and BPNN models in predicting NEV user emotions. This model effectively captures the nonlinear relationship between battery electric vehicle (BEV) morphological features and users’ emotional cognition, providing a novel method for enhancing NEV design. The results of this research are expected to drive design innovation and technological advancement in the new energy vehicle industry, contributing to the achievement of the ambitious goal of global eco-friendliness and sustainable development.

How Socio-Economic and Cultural Factors Shape Privacy in Ibadan's Public Housing Estates

This study investigates the socio-economic and cultural characteristics of residents in selected public housing estates in Ibadan, focusing on the privacy regulatory mechanisms they adopt. By employing a mixed-methods approach, the research involved administering questionnaires to 565 household heads and conducting in-depth interviews with eight key informants from neighbourhood associations. The findings indicate a significant majority (92.00%) of respondents have adopted privacy regulating mechanisms, with personal space and territorial behaviour being the most common. ANOVA results reveal a significant relationship between these mechanisms and the residents' socio-economic and cultural characteristics. Qualitative insights from key informants' interviews provided a nuanced understanding of residents' privacy needs, highlighting emotional and behavioural cues, as well as verbal and non-verbal data. The study concludes that privacy regulation in public housing varies across different estates and is influenced by nine socio-economic and cultural factors, offering guidance for sustainable housing design that considers contemporary urbanization's socio-economic impacts. These findings can inform architects and policymakers in creating housing designs that respect privacy and enhance the quality of life for residents.

N/O Co-doped Porous Carbon with Controllable Porosity Synthesized via an All-in-One Step Method for a High-Rate-Performance Supercapacitor.

A green and economical methodology to fabricate carbon-based materials with suitable pore size distributions is needed to achieve rapid electrolyte diffusion and improve the performance of supercapacitors. Here, a method combining in situ templates with self-activation and self-doping is proposed. By variation of the molar ratio of magnesium folate and potassium folate, the pore size distribution was effectively adjusted. The optimal carbon materials (Kx) have a high specific surface area (1021-1676 m2 g-1) and hierarchical pore structure, which significantly promotes its excellent capacitive properties. Notably, K2 shows an excellent mass specific capacitance of 233 F g-1 at 0.1 A g-1. It still retained 113 F g-1 at 55 A g-1. The assembled symmetric supercapacitor exhibited an outstanding cyclic stability. It maintains 100% capacitance after 100 000 cycles at 10 A g-1. The symmetric supercapacitor demonstrated a maximum power density of 99.8 kW kg-1. This study focuses on the preparation of layered pore structures to provide insights into the sustainable design of carbon materials.

Exploring the use of recycled materials in interior design and their environmental benefits

Sustainable and environmentally friendly interior design practices have grown in popularity in recent years. The field of interior architecture has adopted a fresh perspective in its design process. Consideration of both the user's and the environment's well-being are central to sustainable interior design. Sustainable interior design is discussed in the article, along with the significance and use of certain materials. In addition, examples of completed projects that prioritize environmental friendliness are shown, along with the fundamental principles of sustainable design. As a result of the economy's meteoric rise, "green ecology" has quickly gained widespread acceptance. Investigating and studying the potential uses of biodegradable materials in this setting is worthwhile. The use of biodegradable materials in home decor is the topic of this article. Avoidance, reduction, and reuse are the three main tenets of waste minimization initiatives.