Low Carbon Footprint Research Articles

Millet Cultivation in North-east Hill Region of India: A Review

The millets are climate resilient, most efficient in use of water, adopted to grown in marginal and sub marginal area, suitably grown in hilly and rainfed area, nutrient dense and having low carbon and water footprint. Considering their significance in present context of agriculture, it is important to know about their region-specific cultivation practices and intervention in it. The North East Hill (NEH) region is known for its diversity in terms of soil and climatic condition as well as crop and plant diversity. The marginal and sub-marginal area with different slope, topography and soil related constraints for production, the millets will be one of the important options for arable crop cultivation. The production practices followed by the farmers and recommended practices were highly diverse due to different agro-climatic condition. At the same time, in several locations production practices were even not developed due to cultivation on very less area with less economic impact at regional or state agriculture. Hence it is informative and knowledge impacting exercise to review the production practices followed and interventions made at institutional and stakeholders level for millets cultivation in NEH region. The present review summarizes the interventions in production practices such as seed and sowing requirement, nutrient, water and weed management as well as insect-pest and disease management in context of NEH region. Besides that, interventions from NEH region at post-harvest and value addition were also discussed in this review. The cost effective and high enumerative interventions in production processes such as substitution of low yielding upland rice cultivation partly or completely with millets, transplanting, fertilization, micronutrient foliar feeding, use of herbicide for weed management and promotion/ up gradation of millets cultivation in new areas (North-East Hill region) are important at production level. The interventions at policy level such as promotion for incorporation of millets in public distribution system, inclusion of millets in school age children diet and different schemes related with supply of nutritious food to children and adolescence are important for NEH region. Increase in diversity of product prepared from millets, initiation of organic seed production of millets, exploring export potential of traditional products prepared from millets to different domestic and international market are important interventions at policy level. At research level, the standardization of production practices for different states in NEH region was initiated and need to be further emphasized rather than using recommendation as it is from other part of India.

Evaluating the performance and environmental impact of low calcium fly ash-based geopolymer in comparison to OPC-based concrete.

The current paper explores the performance, microstructure and environmental consequences of low-calcium fly ash-based geopolymer concrete compared to OPC-based concrete. The performance of the concrete is assessed based on strength, permeability, sulfate resistance, and acid attack. Two geopolymer mixes were designed by adjusting the binder dosage. The geopolymer concrete mixes achieved 11-16% higher strength than OPC-based concrete. However, increasing the binder dosage from 30 to 40% led to 5% reduction in strength at later ages. Geopolymer concrete demonstrated superior resistance to sulfate and acid attacks, as well as lower penetration depth and permeability coefficient compared to OPC-based concrete. Microstructural analysis was conducted using XRD and SEM techniques, identifying sodium aluminosilicate gel as the product formed during the polymerization process. The environmental impact was evaluated through a life cycle assessment using a cradle-to-gate approach. Geopolymer concrete requires 25-33% less energy and emits 14-28% less kg-CO2 eq. than OPC-based concrete. The production of OPC-based concrete had the greatest negative environmental impact, except in the categories of metal depletion (MDP) and ionizing radiation (IRP_HE). In geopolymer concrete, the use of alkaline activators accounted for higher energy consumption and accounted for 73-75% kg-CO2 eq. emissions. Overall, fly ash-based geopolymer concrete showed higher strength and excellent resistance to acid and sulfate attacks, along with a lower carbon footprint and energy consumption.

Exploring Hyaluronidase and Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibition Activities of the Hydrothermal Extract of Coffee Silverskin Obtained from a Central Composite Design

Coffee silverskin (CS), the main by-product of coffee roasting production, contains various valuable bioactive compounds in its chemical compositions. Hydrothermal water extraction (HDTE) is one of the promising techniques for valorizing the organic fraction of CS into functional bioactive ingredients, which can be further exploited in various applications. This study aimed to evaluate the hyaluronidase and α-glucosidase inhibition activities of the CS extracts obtained under optimized water extraction conditions. Process optimization was performed using central composite design response surface methodology (CCD-RSM) with a broader range of extraction temperatures (25, 137.5, and 250 °C), reaction times (5, 38.5, and 72 min), and solid-to-liquid ratios (1:10, 1:80, and 1:150). The highest yield of 39.62% was obtained at 137.5 °C, with a reaction time of 72 min and an S/L ratio of 1:80. The total caffeoylquinic acid contents (T-CQA) were quantified based on the sum of three major isomers, including 3-CQA, 4-CQA, and 5-CQA. The results revealed that the highest T-CQA (2.76 ± 0.20 mg/g CS) was significantly obtained (p < 0.05) by subcritical water extraction (SWE) at 143.2 °C with an S/L ratio of 1:10 and an extraction time of 10.41 min. At such conditions, the total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant properties (AP), and caffeine were 96.13 mg gallic acid equivalence per gram (GAE/g) CS, 20.85 ± 0.17 mg Trolox equivalence per gram (TE/g) CS, and 10.84 ± 1.25 mg/g CS, respectively. The 50% inhibition capacity (IC50) of hyaluronidase and α-glucosidase inhibition of the CS extracted were 5.00 mg/mL and 9.00 mg/mL, respectively. Our results supported the potential direct or indirect applications of CS, such as hydrothermal CS extract (HDT-CSE), in functional food or drinks. Repurposing CS residue to manufacture new products can efficiently reduce the amount of organic waste in landfills, thus conserving resources and energy and contributing to a lower overall carbon footprint in coffee production.

Towards phosphorus circularity: biofilm EBPR with subsequent struvite production at the Hias WWTP: insights from full-scale laboratory testing

ABSTRACT The Hias wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) has developed a novel biological removal process (the Hias Process) and now operates at full scale. Additionally, a struvite reactor is installed to capture phosphorus. The Hias WWTP aims to reduce its CO2 footprint and move towards circularity by recovering influent phosphorus as a struvite fertilizer and increasing plant availability of phosphorus in biosolids. The main factors affecting recovery include the use of precipitation metals and bypass of the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) treatment, as well as temperature's impact on PO4 release from EBPR sludge. The Hias Process, which combines EBPR and moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), has demonstrated stability and effectiveness even in cold climates and during stormwater events. The Hias Process reduced the use of precipitation chemicals, leading to a lower carbon footprint. This combination of EBPR and MBBR also contributes to increased phosphorus circularity. That is achieved through improved plant availability of phosphorus in biosolids and the production of struvite. This study aligns with Sustainable Development Goals and emphasizes efficient phosphorus recovery through the Hias Process, P-stripper, and struvite reactor.

Analysis of Existing Condition and Direction of Low-carbon Economy from the standpoint of Green Trade

Global environmental awareness has increased, and green trade between countries is frequent. From the viewpoint of green trade, China's low-carbon economic development is showing a good trend, and low-carbon economy has evolved into a recognized economic development direction by countries across the globe. To establish a low-carbon economy, China has carried out a great deal of initiatives to decrease emissions of carbon, including the establishment of revocable energy, the promotion of energy structural transformation, and the pursuit of green and low-carbon growth via innovative technology and advancement in industry. China's green trade cooperation with the rest of the world is expanding, accelerating the growth of low-carbon sectors. Nowadays, influenced by various factors, China's low-carbon economy still faces practical problems such as lack of technological innovation, irrational energy structure adjustment, and insufficient relevant laws and regulations. The establishment of an economy with low carbon footprint requires the combined efforts of the country, the government, and the people to promote it. In the future development trends, technological innovation will become an important factor to facilitate the formation of a free of carbon economy. Under the scope of green trade, China's low-carbon society has broad development prospects. The creation of a low-carbon economy will contribute significantly to China's green and low-carbon transition, along with the nation's social and economic growth over time.

Tailoring Borate Mediator Species Enables Industrial COProduction with Improved Overall Energy Efficiency by Sustainable Molten Salt CO2 Electrolysis.

The electrochemical conversion of CO2 into CO represents a promising strategy for mitigating excessive global greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, achieving industrial-scale electrochemical CO2-to-CO conversion with enhanced selectivity and reduced energy consumption presents significant challenges. In this study, a borate-enhanced molten salt process for CO2 capture and electrochemical transformation is employed, achieving over 98% selectivity for CO and over 55% energy efficiency without the necessity for complex and costly electrocatalysts. Cathodic CO2 electro-reduction (CO2ER) with the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at an overall current density of 500mAcm-2 using non-nanostructured transition-metal plate electrodes at 650°C is coupled. By regulating the electrolyte's oxo-basicity with earth-abundant borax (Na2B4O7), a borate-enhanced electrolyte is established that accelerates the overall electrochemical reaction efficiently. This system involved a series of well-designed target borate species (BO3 3-, BO2 -, and B4O7 2-) that acted as mediators shuttling between the cathode and anode, favoring CO as the primary cathodic product. Manipulating the atmosphere above the anode facilitated a spontaneous transformation of borates, further enhancing OER performance with long-term operational stability over a cumulative period of 50h, while also reducing overall energy consumption. This work presents a cost-effective strategy for the industrial-scale production of CO derived from CO2, contributing to a lower carbon footprint by establishing a sustainable borate-mediated closed loop.

Rebound effects flatten differences in carbon footprints between car-free households, minimal drivers, and green car owners

Abstract While the greenhouse gas emissions of most sectors are declining in the EU, transport emissions are increasing. Passenger cars compose a large share of the transport sector emissions, and a lot of effort has been made to reduce them. Despite the significantly improved environmental performance of passenger cars, there is a prevailing belief that they are the most harmful mode of ground transport. In the study at hand, we illustrate how rebound effects of consumption may change this view. Passenger car is a relatively expensive transport mode. Expenditure on car-ownership reduces the remaining household budget and the related carbon footprint. Here, we compare the total consumer carbon footprints per capita between fossil-fuel car owners, green car owners, and car-free households in the Nordic countries, using survey data including 7 400 respondents. When income and household type are controlled with regression analysis, respondents without a car for climate reasons and “minimal drivers”, meaning the least driving 10% of fossil-fuel car owners, have the lowest carbon footprints. Other car-free households have 6% higher footprints, electric- and biofuel car owners 18%-24% higher footprints, and the increasingly driving fossil-fuel car owners 30%-189% higher carbon footprints than the first two groups. However, the working middle-income green car owners, minimal drivers, and car-free households have very similar sized carbon footprints. The results show some trade-off between car ownership and flying despite that the data was collected between 2021 and 2022, when COVID-19 was still partly affecting air travel.

A novel mechanocatalytic process by vibratory disk mill for efficient hydrolysis of cellulose, chitin and xylan

Polysaccharides are primary sources to manufacture chemical products with low carbon footprints, owing to their carbons from atmospheric carbon dioxide fixed through photosynthesis. Breaking down such polysaccharides into water-soluble saccharides through the hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds is one of key steps to produce valuable chemicals; however, previous chemical and enzymatic processes have been suffered from their fundamental drawbacks (e.g. not environmentally benign, high production cost) and are not regarded as feasible approaches. Recently, mechanocatalytic process, which proceeds hydrolysis of polysaccharides by simply milling with solid acids, attracts attentions owing to its cost-effectiveness and environmental beingness. Herein, we propose the novel mechanocatalytic system to efficiently proceed the hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds in polysaccharides by using “vibratory disk mill”, which can produce strong shear and impact force. By milling polysaccharides (cellulose, chitin and xylan) with solid acid kaolin, the polysaccharides can be efficiently hydrolysed to water-soluble saccharides with a rate twice higher than the previous milling devices, achieving quantitative conversion of polysaccharide to water soluble products (solubility: >99 %). We elucidated the reaction mechanism of polysaccharides with kaolin by X-ray diffractograms: forces produced by the vibratory disk mill can efficiently delaminate layered aluminosilicate nanosheets in kaolin, leading to better accessibility of polysaccharides on the acidic surface of the nanosheets. This novel mechanocatalytic system can also be applicable to produce oligosaccharides directly from crude biomass samples (birchwood chips and shrimp shells) without any chemical purification steps, demonstrating that this system can be used in industrial biomass processing.

Lithium resurrection: Synergistic thermal-decomposition and electric-drive strategy enabling inactive lithium fully recycling

Traditional pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy processes primarily focus on the recovery of valuable metals (Co, Ni, etc.) from spent lithium-ion batteries. However, these methods are not economical for recycling cheap LiFePO4. Herein, a synergistic thermal-decomposition and electric-drive strategy is proposed to recover the whole spent LiFePO4 electrode by in-situ recovering the inactive lithium (dead lithium and trapped interlayer lithium). Firstly, the organic components in the dense solid electrolyte interface (SEI) are effectively decomposed through thermal-decomposition processing, exposing the dead lithium encapsulated within the SEI and recovering the electron channels between the dead lithium and graphite. Leveraging the difference between the Gibbs free energy of the dead lithium and graphite as the driving force facilitates the dead lithium inserting into the anode. Then, fully utilizing the remaining discharge capacity of the spent LiFePO4 cell, the inactive lithium is reinserted into LiFePO4 lattice during the electric-drive process. Consequently, the reactivated lithium content increases by more than 16%, reaching a capacity of 134.2 mA h g−1 compared to 115.2 mA h g−1 from degraded LiFePO4, allowing for effective participation in the subsequent cycling. This work provides new perspectives on highly profitable cycles with low energy and material consumption and a low carbon footprint.

Evaluation of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete incorporating coarse and fine recycled aggregates

Geopolymer Concrete (GC) is emerging as a promising material due to its lower carbon footprint compared to conventional Portland Cement (PC) concrete. One of the ways to further enhance the sustainability of GC is by incorporating Recycled Aggregates (RA). This study focuses on evaluating the performance of GC made with Coarse Recycled Aggregate (CRA) and Fine Recycled Aggregate (FRA). The mechanical property in terms of compressive strength and long-term durability properties, such as the Capillary Suction Test (CST), Initial Surface Absorption Test (ISAT), and acid attack test, were evaluated for all GC mixes. Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) test and the electrical resistivity test, have also been done on all GC mixes. The results show that FRA beyond 25%, along with 50% CRA, is having an adverse impact on the long-term durability properties of GC. The GC mix with a combination of 50% CRA and 25% FRA shows at par compressive strength and electrical resistivity values relative to the Natural Aggregates (NA) GC. The findings from this study are expected to provide valuable insights into the optimal use of RA in GC and contribute to the broader goal of developing sustainable construction materials.

Cultural context shapes the carbon footprints of recipes

Food systems are responsible for a third of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions central to global warming and climate change. Increasing awareness of the environmental impact of food-centric emissions has led to the carbon footprint quantification of food products. However, food consumption is influenced by traditional dishes, the cultural capsules that encode traditional protocols for culinary preparations. Carbon footprint estimation of recipes will provide actionable insights into the environmental sustainability of culturally influenced patterns in recipe compositions. We implemented language models to integrate the carbon footprint data of food products with a gold standard repository of recipes to investigate the carbon load of recipes. Our results highlight the role of culture in shaping the carbon load of recipes. South American dishes have high carbon footprints owing to the high culinary utility of dairy and meat products. On the contrary, dishes from the Indian Subcontinent are the most environmentally friendly, with low carbon footprints due to the higher use of vegetables. While emphasizing the widely understood harms of animal-sourced ingredients, this article presents a nuanced perspective on the environmental impact of culturally influenced dietary practices. The study points to the need for efforts to develop techniques for plant-based and lab-grown meat to meet the protein requirements. We present an extensive repository of the estimated carbon footprints of recipes from across the world and enable their exploration through a user-friendly web server, SustainableFoodDB. Going forward, our study points to the need for high spatial resolution data on carbon footprints of ingredients.

Mussel byssus cuticle-inspired low-carbon footprint soybean meal adhesives with high-strength and anti-mildew performance

Bio-based adhesives, because of their prominent non-toxic and sustainable properties, have attracted great attention to replace conventional formaldehyde-based adhesives. However, most bio-adhesives have poor bonding properties and antimildew stability, which seriously hinder the practical application. Herein, a coordination structure-enhancement method for the preparation of bio-based adhesives was developed that avoids the use of large amounts of crosslinking agents and produces new bio-based adhesives with good properties. The wet bonding strength of this adhesive manufactured by introducing mussel byssus cuticle-inspired complexes (FeTA) and glycerol triglycidyl ether (GTE) is as high as 1.05 MPa, far exceeding that of pure soybean meal adhesive. In addition, the resulting adhesives showed superior thermal stability and mildew resistance. Life cycle assessment results indicate that the novel adhesive production process has a minimal environmental impact. Overall, this environmentally friendly bio-based adhesive demonstrated in this study could be a promising substitute for petrochemical-based formaldehyde adhesives.

Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation of Energy-Efficient Retrofit Strategies for Pre-1930s Mid-Terrace Houses in the UK

Buildings are a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with a large portion coming from energy use in housing. In the United Kingdom (UK), most of the housing stock was built before the introduction of building regulations that address energy efficiency and, therefore, needs to be retrofitted if net-zero emission targets are to be met. In this paper, the authors present a study of energy-efficient retrofit measures applied to a typical pre-1930s mid-terrace house, based on a home located in Nottingham, UK. Initially, a series of building envelope improvements aimed at reducing the heating demand were evaluated using dynamic building simulations. Subsequently, low-carbon heating systems were introduced, and their impact was assessed in line with the fabric improvements. Then, the annual energy costs of heating were calculated to understand the financial impact of the retrofit strategies and their cost-effectiveness. Lastly, this study also discussed the overall costs of the retrofit interventions, informed by 224 real cases, in terms of their carbon and energy impact. The findings from the simulations suggested a potential 50% reduction in the heating demand through typical fabric optimisation measures. The adoption of low-carbon heating systems resulted in a 50% reduction in carbon emissions compared to those produced by a typical gas boiler. Furthermore, following the adoption of various fabric optimisation measures, the annual running energy costs of heating decreased by 42% compared to their use in non-retrofit scenarios, highlighting the suitability of low-carbon heating such as heat pumps for installation in well-insulated homes with lower heat output demands. The results stressed the importance of coordinating fabric optimisation with the installation of low-carbon heating to maximise carbon savings and suggested that heat pumps can effectively reduce annual energy expenses and lower carbon footprints. The findings also provided an overview of the overall retrofit costs, which are usually overlooked in the literature.

Performance of innovative adhesive-free connections for glued-laminated timber under flexural load

Timber, a renewable resource with a low carbon footprint, has a giant potential to replace reinforced concrete (RC) structures in housing, which can decrease the environmental impact and lead to a healthier construction work environment. However, connections, as part of timber frames, are majorly made of steel and adhesives, which emit harmful pollution and negatively impact the timber structures. This study focuses on enhancing sustainability in construction by proposing adhesive-free timber connections for glued-laminated timber (glulam) panels. The study aims to contribute toward sustainable construction practices by reducing the reliance on adhesives and exploring alternative connection methods for glulam panels. This article presents four-point out-of-plane bending tests on glulam panels with innovative adhesive-free timber connections. The studied specimens compromised fabricated glulam panels and densified wood connectors made of pine and beech, respectively. Six different adhesive-free wood connections were designed and applied independently. Each connection was connected to two glulam panels by their end-grain sides. Therefore, twelve glulam panels, connected using these six connections, were tested. The panels had identical dimensions and materials. The connections were applied at the mid-span of the two connected panels. The experimental results on the flexural behavior, ultimate load, strength, and displacement of the six specimens are presented. The obtained mean load-carrying capacity of the specimens in the current research was greatly higher than that of the other specimens with different timber connections, such as timber-timber connections using compressed wood connectors. Additionally, the failure modes of the specimens were analyzed, which mostly exhibited the shear failure and delamination behavior. Most of the tested specimens failed in a ductile manner with a high ductility, which is suitable for the earthquake regions. The findings demonstrated the potential of using adhesive-free timber connections in glulam panels and contributing to the development of zero-energy buildings and sustainable construction practices while maintaining the structural integrity.

Low carbon footprint lightweight GPM production: Optimization of carbon fiber and hydrogen peroxide

This study examines the effects of using Carbon Fiber (CF) and Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) on the mechanical and thermal properties of ground Raw Perlite (RP) based Geopolymer Mortar (GPM). It focuses on determining the optimal dosages of CF and H2O2. This study aims to make perlite-based GPMs that form strong bonds with alkali activators lightweight, while also improving their compressive, tensile, flexural, and thermal properties. Sodium Silicate (Na2SiO3) and Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) were used as alkali activators, while H2O2 served as the foaming agent. The NaOH solution was 13 M, and Na2SiO3 was used with a 2-module specification. In this context, a reference GPM was prepared using RP and Crushed Sand (CS). CF was chosen for its advantages, such as low density, high Young's modulus and tensile strength. Various amounts of CF and H2O2 were used to determine the optimal dosage to achieve a durable and lightweight mortar. The results showed that the best performance was achieved with 1 % CF and 1 % H2O2. Compressive strength increased to around 3.5 MPa with the addition of 2 % H2O2 and 2 % CF. It was found that the use of CF provided significant protection in compressive and flexural strength, but increasing the fiber weight or volume ratio beyond a certain dosage could decrease strength efficiency. These findings support the use of 6 mm CF as a reinforcing material in GPMs within the construction industry while emphasizing the need to avoid exceeding a 2 % H2O2 ratio. The results of this research can be considered an important step toward developing environmentally friendly and durable building materials.

Selective hydrogenolysis of furfural-derived tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol to 1,5-Pentanediol over Ni-Co/La(OH)x bimetallic catalysts

The selective activation of targeted bonds within renewable biomass-derived furanic compounds for the production of high-value alkyl diols holds significant importance for biomass upgrading, necessitating well-defined catalysts and clearly defined catalytically active sites. Herein, 1,5-pentanediol is synthesized through the selective hydrogenolysis of furfural-derived tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol utilizing Ni-Co/La(OH)x bimetallic catalysts. The La(OH)x with abundant defect sites polarizes Ni-Co alloy for heterocracking of H2, as well as leads to expose more interfacial NiCo-OV-La3+ sites. By harnessing the synergistic interplay between the alloy sites and the interfacial sites, the optimized Ni4Co1/La(OH)x bimetallic catalyst markedly enhances the adsorption of –OH groups in tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and facilitates the selective assault of active H species on the C-O-C bonds within tetrahydrofuran rings. This approach markedly elevates the selective hydrogenolysis of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol to 1,5-pentanediol, attaining an exceptional selectivity of 88.6 % with a conversion of 98.1 % for tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol. Furthermore, the Ni4Co1/La(OH)x bimetallic catalyst demonstrates exceptional performance in the one-pot hydrogenation-hydrogenolysis of furfural to 1,5-pentanediol, exhibiting a low activation energy of 17.77 kJ/mol and a high turnover frequency of 192.1 h−1. Notably, the Ni4Co1/La(OH)x bimetallic catalyst showcases remarkable stability. This outcome provides invaluable insights for the advancement of a sustainable process to produce diol monomers from renewable resources with a low carbon footprint.

Green Electrochemical Point-of-Care Devices: Transient Materials and Sustainable Fabrication Methods.

The spread of point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic tests using electrochemical sensors poses a significant environmental challenge, especially in limited-resource settings due to the lack of waste management infrastructure. This issue is expected to intensify with the emergence of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), necessitating eco-friendly solutions for disposable devices. This review discusses efforts to develop green and sustainable PoC diagnostic devices, clarifying terms like biodegradability and transient electronics. It explores potential transient and biodegradable materials and fabrication technologies, emphasizing sustainable electronics with low-energy consumption and low-carbon footprint techniques, particularly favoring printing methods. The review highlights examples of necessary electronic components containing biodegradable materials for electrochemical PoC devices and discusses their role in device sustainability. Finally, it examines the feasibility of integrating these components and technologies into comprehensive biodegradable PoC devices, addressing the imminent need for eco-friendly solutions in diagnostic testing. This comprehensive discussion serves as a guide for researchers and developers striving to mitigate the environmental impact of PoC testing in the era of IoMT and personalized medicine.

Sustainable innovation: Case studies from product development

AbstractAttempts to implement sustainable development in industry are hampered by the fact that production processes are often not environmentally sound. Therefore, there is a need for innovation processes that are sustainable. This means that they need to be durable on the one hand, but also with reduced materials consumption and a low carbon footprint, on the other. Current trends suggest that much could be gained, by undertaking research that may lead to more sustainable industrial production and processes. Against this background, this paper describes the characteristics of sustainable innovation, discusses what makes innovation sustainable, and introduces a set of case studies where different types of innovation in product development are described, drawing the lessons learned. The paper concludes by describing the items, which need to be considered in the future, to make a greater use of sustainable innovation principles in product development, as part of a systemic transformation.

Evaluating the environmental and financial performance of additive manufacturing at scale in the consumer goods industry

As corporate sustainability commitments and environmental regulations intensify, additive manufacturing users must balance the technology's maturing economic value with its application- and process-dependent environmental impact. With limited methods to navigate this multi-dimensional variability at scale, additive manufacturing stakeholders face challenges when making growth and investment decisions. To bridge this gap, this study applies system modeling methodologies to a case study of an additive manufacturing service unit in the sporting goods industry aiming to improve its product portfolio's economic and environmental impacts and scale its capabilities. A tradespace model compares the value of additive manufacturing to injection molding across product characteristics and life cycle decisions, and a flexible design analysis evaluates additive manufacturing scaling strategies, considering market and technology uncertainties. The tradespace analysis reveals that additive manufacturing reduces product environmental footprint by 95 % and unit cost by 93 % for 1-to-20-part production volumes compared to injection molding, while injection molding lowers environmental footprint by 72 % and unit cost by 56 % for 100-to-50,000-part production volumes compared to additive manufacturing. This analysis also suggests that additive manufacturing's economic and environmental value increases when located in geographies with low-carbon footprint energy and when manufacturing very low production quantities or small parts that maximize build capacity. The flexible design analysis indicates that expanding internal production capacity to a larger facility with renewable power, once higher demand is confirmed, can reduce part environmental footprint by up to 49 % and increase Net Present Value by more than 600 % compared to maintaining current operations that leverage external service bureaus. The results demonstrate the potential of these system modeling methodologies in integrating financial and environmental impact assessments at the company level for strategic scaling decisions. Future model developments are recommended to incorporate additive manufacturing's unique design impacts on the product life cycle, more nuance in the impact analyses, and the social component of the technology's sustainability.

Environmental Assessment of Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement: A Monte Carlo Simulation in an Industrial Symbiosis Framework

Calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement is recognized as an environmentally friendly alternative to Portland cement (PC) due to its lower carbon footprint and energy requirements. However, traditional CSA cement production faces significant obstacles, including the high cost and regionally constrained availability of bauxite, a key raw material. Utilizing alternative materials in the production process offers a viable approach to address these limitations. This study evaluated the environmental performance of three laboratory-synthesized CSA cements using alternative raw materials sourced through an industrial symbiosis framework. A comparative assessment with PC was conducted, focusing on energy consumption and CO2 emissions as key environmental performance indicators. The environmental impact of the CSA cements was analyzed using Monte Carlo simulations, a robust statistical approach based on data for the constituent raw materials. This method provides a practical alternative to a full life cycle assessment (LCA) when comprehensive data are not available. The results demonstrate that the CSA cements have significantly lower environmental impacts compared to PC, achieving energy savings of 13–16% and CO2 emission reductions of 35–48%. These results emphasize the potential of industrial symbiosis to enable more sustainable CSA cement production while addressing raw material constraints. In addition, this approach highlights the wider applicability of industrial symbiosis frameworks in the construction industry, contributing to a zero-waste future and supporting global climate goals.