Improvement Of Environmental Performance Research Articles

Driving sustainability: assessing KPI effectiveness in the Saudi chemical industry

This study explores the relationship between Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and environmental performance improvement within the Saudi chemical industry. Against the backdrop of global sustainability imperatives and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which promotes sustainability for economic diversification, this research aims to assess the effectiveness of KPIs in driving environmental sustainability practices. The motivation for this study stems from the identified gaps in the systematic implementation and utilisation of KPIs and the lack of awareness regarding certain aspects of environmental impact management within the industry in the Kingdom. The methodology involved a structured survey administered to a diverse range of chemical manufacturing companies, followed by rigorous data analysis using descriptive evaluation, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), reliability analysis, and t-tests. The results revealed insights into pollution areas, KPI utilisation, methods for pollution assessment, alignment with strategic goals, and governance regulations. Descriptive analysis highlighted air quality management as a priority, with notable attention to water and land pollution, while quantitative analysis confirmed the significance of KPIs in driving environmental performance improvement in the area. However, it also unveiled the absence of a systematic approach to implementing and utilising KPIs effectively, coupled with a lack of awareness regarding certain aspects of environmental impact management, consequently leading to uncertainty. Overall, this study contributes to advancing sustainability efforts within the Saudi chemical sector, providing actionable insights for industry stakeholders and policymakers.

Environmental Exhaust Emissions reduction and Performance Improvement Analysis of biodiesel operated Diesel Engine Performance Using Operating Parameters

<p style="margin-top:3px; margin-bottom:3px; text-align:justify; text-indent:31.5pt">The present investigation aims to study the performance and emission characteristics of a CI DI diesel engine using biodiesel blends derived from Jatropha seed feedstock. Four blends, namely B25, B50, B75, and B100, are employed as fuels to run the diesel engine at a rated speed of 1500 rpm, and their performance and emission characteristics are determined under different operating conditions in the first phase. The blend B25 of JME is found to be the optimum blend, and the optimum compression ratio is found to be 18.5.The optimum blend exhibits better performance in terms of brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and brake thermal efficiency (BTHE), along with a decline in the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC), except for the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOX) at the optimum compression ratio of 18.5. At maximum load, with a compression ratio of 18.5, the optimum blend results in better BSFC and BTHE, which are 0.255 kg/kW-hr and 31.87%, respectively.</p>

Discrete Space Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithm Based on Support Vector Machine Recursive Feature Elimination

Algorithms for training agents with experience replay have advanced in several domains, primarily because prioritized experience replay (PER) developed from the double deep Q-network (DDQN) in deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has become a standard. PER-based algorithms have achieved significant success in the image and video domains. However, the exceptional results observed in images and videos are not as effective in many domains with simple action spaces and relatively small states, particularly in discrete action spaces with sparse rewards. Moreover, most advanced techniques may improve sampling efficiency using deep learning algorithms rather than reinforcement learning. However, there is growing evidence that deep learning algorithms cannot generalize during training. Therefore, this study proposes an algorithm suitable for discrete action space environments that uses the sample efficiency of PER based on DDQN but incorporates support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) without enhancing the sampling efficiency through deep learning algorithms. The proposed algorithm exhibited considerable performance improvements in classical OpenAI Gym environments that did not use images or videos as inputs. In particular, simple discrete space environments with reflection symmetry, such as Cart–Pole, exhibited a faster and more stable learning process. These results suggest that the application of SVM-RFE, which leverages the orthogonality of support vector machines (SVMs) across learning patterns, can be appropriate when the data in the reinforcement learning environment demonstrate symmetry.

A study of the impact of digital investment on corporate environmental performance

The improvement of corporate environmental performance is an important way to realize sustainable development.This article, based on a sample of Chinese non-financial A-share listed companies from 2013 to 2022, attempts to determine the extent to which digital investment can facilitate the improvement of corporate environmental performance. The study finds that digital investment can significantly improve corporate environmental performance. The mechanism study finds that digital investment can improve corporate environmental performance by enhancing corporate green innovation. Furthermore, the conclusions remain robust to instrumental variable substitution and endogeneity issues.

Developing a low carbon brick for residential building construction

The construction industry is trying to become more eco-friendly and minimise environmental impact. One way to achieve this is by using innovative building materials. Traditional clay bricks are not eco-friendly due to the depletion of resources, emissions, and waste generated during production. In this study, a new alternative called the Novel Organic Brick (NOB) was produced and evaluated, which was made from recycled construction and demolition sand and red clay as partial replacements for traditional virgin clay. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to compare the environmental impact of NOBs to that of Kiln Fired Bricks (KFBs). The inventory flows from material sourcing to brick shaping were modelled in SimaPro 8.1 and characterised into impact indicators using the ReCiPe 2016 method. The LCA showed that NOBs can reduce the impact of climate change by 39-56% compared to KFBs, depending on the type and source of recycled sand. This study encourages the construction industry to adopt alternative solutions for greater sustainability by demonstrating the viability of incorporating secondary materials and quantifying environmental performance improvements in India.

녹색혁신의 결정요인, 녹색혁신 및 성과간의 관계

[Purpose] Companies are facing internal and external pressure to accelerate the paradigm shift centered on low carbon and adapt and implement environmentally friendly business activities. According to this trend, it is becoming important for companies to actively promote the adoption and implementation of environmentally friendly activities such as green innovation. This paper aims to develop a model that verifies the determinants supporting green innovation and the impact of green innovation on performance. [Methodology] A research model was designed based on previous studies and theories, and a questionnaire survey was conducted on manufacturing companies to verify this. 96 samples of the questionnaire were used for the final analysis, and the hypothesis was verified using PLS－SEM. [Findings] It was found that corporate environmental ethics and market demand have a direct positive effect on both green product innovation and green process innovation. It was found that stakeholder interest had a positive effect on green process innovation, and management commitment had a positive effect on green product innovation. It was found that green product innovation had a positive effect on environmental and organizational performance. Environmental performance was found to have a positive effect on organizational performance. This supports the ‘Win－Win’ paradigm of environmental efficiency that improvement of environmental performance has a significant effect on organizational performance. [Implications] Green innovation is driven by corporate environmental ethics, market demand for green products, stakeholder interest, and management commitment. It suggests that participating in environmental business practices such as green innovation can help improve environmental and organizational performance.

The Role of Certain Knowledge Management Processes in Improving Environmental Sustainability: An Exploratory Study of the Opinions of a Sample of Employees in the Iron and Steel Company in Mosul

The research aims to determine the relationship between some knowledge management processes, how to apply and invest them properly, and what is their active role in improving environmental sustainability. The needs of the individual and society The goal of sustainable development is to develop business by meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations, as the world faces the danger of environmental degradation, so development needs must not be abandoned and operations aimed at achieving sustainability must be conducted Environmental in business and its development, for example, how to recycle and others while preserving the environment because it is part of a multidimensional perspective related to economic, cultural and health aspects. This type of sustainability creates a safe and beautiful environment that seeks to reduce environmental impacts that have a role in the movement towards sustainable development by finding solutions to environmental problems. Organizations should consider a set of procedures and policies related to regular management and continuous improvement of environmental performance, and the analytical descriptive approach was relied upon In the completion of the research, a questionnaire was designed on a sample of (60) individuals working in the iron and steel company, and the data was analyzed through statistical programs using the program (spss) and access to the results. In light of it, the research presented a set of proposals for the field under study.

Experimental Combustion of Different Biomass Wastes, Coals and Two Fuel Mixtures on a Fire Bench

When designing settlements according to the “Green Building” principle, it is necessary to develop a heating system based on climatic conditions. For example, in areas with a sharply continental climate (cold and prolonged winters), it is sometimes necessary to use solid fuel boilers (in the absence of gas). However, to use these, it is necessary to use biomass or biomass-coal blends as fuel to increase their combustion heat. The addition of biomass waste to coal can be aimed at achieving various objectives: utilization of biomass waste; reduction of solid fossil fuel consumption; improvement of environmental performance at coal-fired boiler houses; improvement of the reactivity of coals or to improve the technical and economic performance of heat-generating plants due to the fact that biomass is a waste from various types of production, and its cost depends only on the distance of its transportation to the boiler house. In this work, combustion of various biomass wastes, including sewage sludge, was carried out on a fire bench emulating the operation of a boiler furnace. Fuel particles were ignited by convective heat transfer in a stream of hot air at a velocity of 5 m/s in the temperature range of 500–800 °C, and the experimental process was recorded on a high-speed, color video camera. The obtained values were compared with the characteristics of different coals used in thermal power generation (lignite and bituminous coal). The aim of the work is to determine the reactivity of various types of biomass, including fuel mixtures based on coal and food waste. The work presents the results of technical and elemental analysis of the researched fuels. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the fuel particle surfaces for the presence of pores, cracks and channels. It was found that the lowest ignition delay is characteristic of cedar needles and hydrolyzed lignin; it is four times less than that of lignite coal and nine times less than that of bituminous coal. The addition of hydrolysis lignin to coal improves its combustion characteristics, while the addition of brewer’s spent grain, on the contrary, reduces it, increasing the ignition time delay due to the high moisture content of the fuel particles.

Monocentricity or polycentricity? The study on the enterprise environmental performance of urban spatial structure

Under the promotion of urban planning and land development policies, the urban spatial structure of China is undergoing a transformation towards polycentricity. The improvement of environmental performance during the process of urban spatial transformation is crucial for urban sustainable development. This paper uses high-resolution population grid data from LandScan for the years 2001–2019 to measure the urban spatial structure of Chinese cities. Then we match the Chinese Industrial Enterprise Database with the Chinese Industrial Enterprise Pollution Emission Database for the years 2001–2014. This paper empirically examines the impact and mechanisms of the polycentric spatial structure of Chinese cities on enterprise pollution reduction at the micro-level. The findings indicate that compared to monocentricity, polycentricity is more conducive to improving enterprise environmental performance. Mechanism tests demonstrate that the improvement in enterprise environmental performance resulting from polycentricity can be achieved through three channels: increasing urban population and density, mitigating urban environmental pollution, and promoting enterprise innovation ability. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that polycentricity is more beneficial for emission reduction among small enterprises, young enterprises and enterprises in regions with higher environmental regulations. This paper provides micro-level evidence and policy implications for further strengthening the aggregation effect of polycentricity and improving enterprise environmental performance in the future.

The impact of green credit guidelines on environmental performance: Firm-level evidence from China

The Green Credit Guidelines (GCG) regulates the environmental behaviour of firms with high pollution, high energy consumption, and surplus production capacity (known as “two high and one surplus”, THOS) through environmental and social risk assessment and credit management, thereby improving firms' environmental performance. Adopting the panel data of 461 Chinese A-share listed firms from 2008 to 2020 and the Difference-in-Differences (DID) model, this paper employs the promulgation of GCG in China as a quasi-natural experiment to investigate the effect of GCG on THOS firms' environmental performance and its potential mechanisms. The main findings are reported as follows. Firstly, the promulgation of GCG significantly improves the THOS firms' environmental performance. Secondly, after dividing the firms' environmental performance into the environmental strengths and concerns, the policy effect is stronger on environmental strengths that focus on process control. Thirdly, the firms' environmental performance improvement effect of the GCG is mainly achieved by promoting green innovation and exacerbating financing constraints. Finally, the improvement effect of the GCG on firms' environmental performance is more pronounced in firms with weaker external monitoring, environmental information disclosure and lower capital dependence.

Potential water reuse pathways from a life cycle analysis perspective in the poultry industry

Achieving sustainable water use in the food industry requires a paradigm change and transforming it towards circularity by exploring opportunities for water reuse. Life Cycle Assessment can comprehensively evaluate the environmental impacts of the water management and reuse options throughout their life cycle to ensure improvement of environmental performance. Through the example of a poultry processing plant it was shown that improving wastewater treatment technology can reduce the metal depletion category by almost 30 % by cutting down chemical use by 90 %. Further mitigation of environmental damage could be achieved by either choosing technological or agricultural reuse options depending on the needs or local constraints. While the improvement is not massive since the implementation of additional technologies require further resources, the Reduce scenario (technological reuse with 50 % reduction of water consumption) compared to the direct discharge into a surface water body resulted a decrease of 11.0 % and 17.1 % in freshwater consumption and 7.6 % and 2.6 % in metal depletion units. On the contrary, irrigation is better than technological reuse with regard to human health and resource scarcity indicators. Legislative requirements and social acceptance issues might slow down the process of closing the loop in the water management of the food industry; nonetheless results show that opting for water reuse is an environmentally sound solution even in this sector.

Decreasing environmental footprints of dairy production systems through optimization of feed rations and origins

Environmental impacts of livestock production systems are a global concern, because of the large greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses associated with feed production and livestock rearing. These losses are in part related to the system of livestock production and their feed rations and feed origin. This study aims to investigate the economic and environmental impacts of optimizing feed configurations of dairy farms in Inner Mongolia (China), using data from farm surveys, life cycle assessments and linear optimization programming. The findings of our study reveal that feed optimization may lower carbon footprints by 36–44%, nitrogen footprints by 35–42%, and phosphorus footprints by 42–71%, compared to the baseline. The need for cropland decreased by 11–38% per kilogram of milk, feed costs decreased by 15–48%, and net profit increased by 39–129%. Further, we found a statistically significant negative correlation between environmental footprints and feed self-sufficiency of dairy farms. Notably, energy-rich feeds, silage maize, and grass should be grown on-farm. These findings underscore the potential of adjusting feed rations and origin to decrease environmental footprints and enhance net profits of dairy farms. However, we observed several barriers to widespread adoption of optimal feed rations and origin, which relate to land scarcity, high land rental costs, and lack of trust and cooperation with nearby arable farms. Our research provides a scientific foundation for optimizing feed rations and origins for diverse dairy systems to achieve improved environmental and economic performance.

Green Bonds Drive Environmental Performance: Evidences from China

Faced with the urgent challenge of global warming, green bonds play an important role in promoting economic transformation and improving environmental quality by financing environmentally friendly projects. However, the actual effects of green bonds, especially their impact on corporate environmental performance, and the mechanisms behind it, still need to be studied and validated. Based on the time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) model, this study uses 85 Chinese A-share listed companies that have issued green bonds from 2013 to 2022, to study the impact of green bond issuance on corporate environmental performance and the potential mechanisms. The results show that green bonds issuance effectively promotes the improvement of corporate environmental performance; this promotion is more significant for labor-intensive enterprises, larger enterprises, and enterprises with more government subsidies. In terms of the influencing mechanism, R&D investment and green innovation play partial mediating roles, media attention and analyst attention play positive moderating roles. This study further validates and complements the signal theory of green bonds and makes relevant suggestions for the development of green bonds in China.

Institutional Pressures and Environmental Management Accounting Adoption: Do Environmental Strategy Matter?

This paper examines the impact of institutional pressures (IPs) on Environmental Management Accounting adoption (EMA). The current research also aims to examine the moderating effect of environmental strategy (ES) on the relationship between IP and EMA. Data were collected from managers working in all registered Egyptian manufacturing companies (N = 491). The collected data were analyzed using smart partial least squares (Smart-PLS) software. The results revealed that there is a positive significant relationship between IP’s three components, namely, coercive, normative, and mimicry pressures, and EMA. The results also revealed that ES was found to moderate the relationship between IP and EMA. The study model was able to explain 68.9% of the variance in EMA adoption. The findings of this study serve as a pivotal yardstick for guiding corporate policy formulation, offering valuable insights to drive continuous improvements in EMA, environmental performance, and sustainable development. The present investigation extends the discourse on the role of IP and ES by revealing a substantial influence on EMA adoption. Positioned as one of the initial studies to delve into the moderating role of ES in the relationship between IP and EMA adoption, this research offers insights within an emerging market context.

The impact of the energy-consuming right trading system on corporate environmental performance: Based on empirical evidence from panel data of industrial enterprises listed in pilot regions

The energy-consuming right trading system (ECRTS) is a significant institutional innovation in China to address the increasingly severe energy crisis and environmental issues. Identifying the policy effects of energy consumption rights on corporate environmental performance (CEP) is conducive to achieving a win-win situation for China's economic growth and carbon neutrality. This study aims to analyze the impact of energy-consuming right trading system on corporate environmental performance and provide empirical evidence and policy implications for the full implementation of future policies. Using data from Chinese listed industrial enterprises from 2012 to 2019 and adopting the difference-in-differences method and mediation analysis, we empirically analyze the policy effects of energy-consuming right trading system. We find that the energy-consuming right trading system significantly promotes the improvement of corporate environmental performance, and the conclusion remains valid after a series of robustness tests. Further mechanism examinations indicate that the system mainly enhances environmental performance by affecting corporate green technological innovation. Heterogeneity tests suggest that the energy-consuming right trading system has a stronger impact on companies in economically developed regions, non-state-owned enterprises, and those with higher asset flexibility. Our research results can aid in the green transformation of enterprises and provide practical evidence for China to accelerate the comprehensive construction of the energy consumption rights trading market.

Strategy orientation and government regulation on environmental performance: The role of green supply chain management

Purpose-Both internal and external factors may affect a business's environmental performance. Using green supply chain management as a mediating variable, this study examined the relationship between strategy orientation and government legislation on environmental performance. Design/Methodology/Approach-The study population focused on micro, small, and medium sized enterprises in Asia. This research data was collected through questionnaires given to respondents and obtained results as many as 50 respondents. Then, a model analysis was applied using the Smart PLS application. Findings-The findings demonstrate that government policies and initiatives have a direct and favorable impact on green supply chain management. Green supply chain management has a favorable impact on environmental performance however, government plans and regulations do not directly improve environmental performance. The results indicate that the impact of government strategy and regulatory orientation on environmental performance is mediated by green supply chain management. Research limitations/implications-For business actors, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises, it is necessary to focus on to the orientation of government strategies and regulations in their operational activities to encourage improved environmental performance. To support this, business actors must also pay attention to other factors, such as green supply chain management, to maximize efforts to achieve environmental performance. Originality/value There is currently a dearth of research on the environmental performance of businesses, particularly micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. Prior studies on environmental performance have examined both internal and external corporate aspects, such as strategy orientation and green supply chain management, as well as government requirements.

The Impact of Green Innovation on Corporate Performance: An Analysis Based on Substantive and Strategic Green Innovations

Green innovation is a new approach to achieving sustainable social development. Examining whether firms can reap the rewards of this costly and risky endeavor is essential to assessing whether they can sustainably adhere to a green strategy. This study was conducted on a sample of Chinese A-share-listed firms from 2010 to 2021 and employed a two-way fixed-effects approach. We found that substantive and strategic green innovations significantly impact firms’ financial and environmental performance. Specifically, substantive green innovation leads to a significant improvement in financial performance, while strategic green innovation weakens financial performance; both types of green innovations lead to a significant improvement in environmental performance, with strategic green innovation being more effective in this regard compared to substantive green innovation. Moreover, our heterogeneity analyses showed that substantive green innovation has a weaker effect on improving financial performance in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and in firms in regions with higher government environmental concerns; similarly, in SOEs, strategic green innovation has a weaker detrimental effect on financial performance. The findings of this study provide substantial evidence for promoting green innovation transformation and the upgrading of enterprises.

Environmental Management Accounting Information and Environmental Performance, the Mediating Effect of Environmental Decision Quality

In recent times, there has been a heightened focus from both governments and societies towards evaluating Organisations’ Environmental Performance (OEP). Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) is pivotal in elevating OEP as it offers a holistic perspective to elucidate the environmental impacts and associated costs of diverse business activities. This research delves into the dynamic interplay between EMA information and the OEP. The study entails the administration of a questionnaire to Jordanian organisations listed on the Amman Stock Exchange. The research adopts the Resource-Based View Theory. The study establishes statistically significant positive connections between these variables by employing partial least square structural equation modelling (SEM) for data analysis. Central to this investigation is identifying Environmental Decision Quality (EDQ) as a mediating capability. This capability is the mechanism for translating the relationship between EMA information and OEP. This finding underscores the pivotal role of in-formed decision-making in converting such information into tangible improvements in environmental performance. The research makes a notable contribution by expanding the understanding of EMA, highlighting its informational value beyond merely the practice considerations. Moreover, findings provide invaluable guidance for policymakers and regulatory bodies striving to promote sustainable business practices, especially pertinent in the context of developing nations.

Does Executives’ Compensation Stickiness Encourage Environmental Investments? An Environmental Attention-Based Perspective

ABSTRACT This study explores the influence of executives’ compensation stickiness (ECS) on environmental investments in Chinese heavily polluting enterprises from 2009 to 2021. We find that ECS increases environmental investments by enhancing executives’ environmental attention. This positive impact is more significant in non-state-owned enterprises compared to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and is more pronounced in companies with weaker local environmental supervision, lower local environmental investments, and less media supervision. Moreover, ECS enhances accounting information quality following environmental investments and also promotes the improvement of environmental performance and corporate value after such investments.

BUILDING LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF A COLLECTIVE HOUSING BUILDING IN PORTUGAL CONSIDERING DIFFERENT STRUCTURAL MATERIALS

AbstractIn recent years, the focus on reducing the environmental impact of construction has shifted from operational carbon emissions to embodied carbon or materials due to the constant decarbonization of the energy sector. This paper compares the life‐cycle assessment (LCA) of a collective housing building in Portugal, examining four structural solutions: composite steel and concrete, light steel framing, prefabricated reinforced concrete, and cross‐laminated timber load‐bearing walls. This study aims to aid construction professionals in making environmentally informed decisions by comparing design options composed of different materials and highlighting potential improvements in environmental performance.