Potential Environmental Benefits Research Articles

Optimizing sustainable concrete mixes with recycled aggregate and Portland slag cement for reducing environmental impact

Concrete is the world’s most extensively manufactured material, with the integration of recycled materials becoming crucial for sustainable construction. This study investigates the mechanical properties of concrete mixes containing Recycled Aggregates (RA) and Portland Slag Cement (PSC) to understand their suitability for sustainable construction applications. Utilizing normal-strength concrete with a compressive strength of 35 MPa and a 0.45 water-to-cement ratio, fifteen mix designs were tested, varying RA and PSC replacement levels from 0 to 100% and 0% to 50%, respectively. Comprehensive mechanical testing, including compressive and tensile strength assessments at 7 and 28 days, alongside modulus of elasticity and stress–strain curve evaluations, was conducted. The results reveal that full replacement of Natural Aggregate (NA) with RA decreased compressive strength by 10% and modulus of elasticity by 20%. However, a partial replacement of 25% of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) with PSC, in the presence of RA, moderated the reduction of compressive strength to 0.92% and increased the modulus of elasticity by 3.7%. The optimum mix, consisting of 75% OPC, 25% PSC, and 50% RA, significantly enhances concrete’s mechanical properties, recommending it for reinforced concrete applications due to its potential environmental and structural benefits.

Adoption of clean energy cooking technologies in rural households: the role of women

Abstract Ensuring energy access for rural households is crucial for global sustainable development. Technologies like liquefied petroleum gas, biogas, and efficient cookers are touted as solutions, yet their adoption remains limited despite their potential health, economic, and environmental benefits. We conducted a meta-analysis of 50 studies in developing countries, integrating contextual factors to explore gender and other determinants impacting rural energy transition. Our findings underscore socioeconomic status, social capital, environmental concerns, and gender dynamics as pivotal factors. Notably, women's involvement boosts adoption rates by 7.90 per cent, yet cultural barriers often sideline them from these processes. Thus, our recommendations stress addressing women's roles as energy technology users to foster inclusive energy transitions.

Interventions to reduce low-value care in intensive care settings: a scoping review of impacts on health, resource use, costs, and the environment.

Low-value care is common in intensive care units (ICUs), unnecessarilyexposing patients to risks and harms, incuring costs to the patient and healthcare system, and contributing to healthcare's carbon footprint. We aimed to identify, collate, and summarise published evidence on the impact of interventions to reduce low-value care in ICUs. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL from inception to 22 September 2023 for evaluations of interventions aiming to reduce low-value care, supplemented by reference lists and recently published articles. We recorded impacts on the low-value target,health outcomes, resource use, cost, and the environment. From 1155 studies screened, 32 eligible studies were identified evaluating interventions toreduce: routine blood testing (n = 13), routine chest X-rays (n = 10), and other types (or multiple types) of low-value care (n = 9). All but 3 of the interventions found reductions in the immediate low-value care target (usually the primary outcome). Although the small sample size ofmost included studies, limited their ability to detect impactson other outcomes, manyinterventions were alsoassociated with improved health outcomes and financial savings. The only study that reported environmental impacts found the intervention was associated with reduced carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) emissions. Interventions to reduce low-value care in ICUs may have important health, financial, and environmental co-benefits. Further research may inform wider scale-up and sustainability of successful strategies to decrease low-value healthcare. More empirical evidence on potential environmental benefits may inform policies to lower healthcare's carbon footprint.

Review of Wear and Mechanical Characteristics of Al-Si Alloy Matrix Composites Reinforced with Natural Minerals

Al-Si alloys are vital in the aerospace and automotive industries due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent ductility, and superior corrosion resistance. These properties, along with good thermal conductivity, low thermal expansion, and enhanced wear resistance due to silicon, make them ideal for lightweight, high-performance components like engine parts exposed to harsh conditions and thermal cycling. In recent years, the development of aluminium metal matrix composites using Al-Si alloys as the base material has gathered significant attention. These composites are engineered by integrating various reinforcing particles into the aluminium matrix, which results in remarkable improvements in the wear resistance, hardness, and overall mechanical performance of the material. The stir casting process, a well-established and cost-effective method, is frequently employed to ensure a uniform distribution of these reinforcing particles within the matrix. This review delves into the influence of different types of reinforcing particles on the properties of Al-Si alloy-based AMCs. The incorporation of these reinforcements has been shown to significantly enhance wear resistance, reduce friction, and improve the overall strength and toughness of the composites, making them ideal candidates for high-performance applications in the automotive and aerospace sectors. Moreover, this review highlights the challenges associated with the fabrication of these composites, such as achieving a homogeneous particle distribution and minimizing porosity. It also discusses the latest advancements in processing techniques aimed at overcoming these challenges. Additionally, this review addresses the potential environmental and economic benefits of using natural reinforcements, which not only reduce material costs but also contribute to sustainable manufacturing practices.

Predicting potential biomass production by geospatial modelling: The case study of citrus in a Mediterranean area

Residual biomass from agricultural production and processing, such as citrus pulp and olive pomace, is an important resource for energy production. In particular, this is the case in regions where transformation industries are concentrated.Current biomass estimates often focus on actual production data, that may not fully capture the biomass potential across all suitable cultivation areas. To bridge this gap, the study predicts the overall potential biomass available for energy production, taking into account the total area suitable for citrus cultivation.The research is focused on the study of citrus species in the province of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy. The methodology combines Geographic Information System (GIS) tools, for data interpolation and map overlays, with Software for Assisted Habitat Modelling (SAHM) for local level simulations.The results of the different models showed accurate and spatially coherent predictions, with AUC values ranging from 0.85 to 0.90, and highest potentialities in the northern and eastern regions of the study area. The results highlighted potential citrus cultivation on 47,706 ha and estimated 184,340 t of biomass, 16,461,520.82 Nm3 of biogas, and 8110 t of digestate. The results of the study identified potential areas for both increasing biomass production and optimising the distribution of digestate, thus demonstrating the utility of these thematic maps as a decision support tool for land management. The simulations and the methodology applied in this study indicated potential economic and environmental benefits to be gained from sustainable by-product management. This approach facilitates the optimisation of decision-making processes for land planning, thereby contributing to the broader objective of improving resource efficiency and sustainability in the agricultural production and processing sectors.

Life cycle assessment of common urban trees - The environmental performance of three Mediterranean cities

Given the increasing pressure from extreme events due to climate change, the planting of new trees has become a priority in the political agendas of cities. However, the rush to plant trees often fails to account for the reduced performance and lifespan of trees in heavily urbanized areas and the environmental impact of their production, maintenance, and eventual disposal. By means of the Life Cycle Analysis, this study aims to investigate the potential environmental benefit and impact of trees planted in three European cities located in Mediterranean areas (Perugia, Thessaloniki, and Cascais), that have adhered to the management guidelines of the LIFE Clivut project. The environmental performance of each tree is mainly affected by the tree management operations performed, by the climatic conditions, and by the tree performance in carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake and Particulate matter (PM) capture. The impact assessment obtained by ReCiPe 2016 Endpoint (H) methodology evidenced that the trees' beneficial effects widely overcome the impact of the operations carried out during the tree management. Broadleaved species showed an average environmental performance higher than conifers. The best results have been obtained by Tilia cordata Mill., Quercus ilex L., Populus spp. and Celtis australis L. in the case of broadleaved trees, and by Calocedrus decurrens (Torr.) Florin and Cedrus spp. for Conifers. The results of the Environmental Footprint (EF 3.1) method highlighted the urban trees' potentiality to mitigate Human Health problems and to improve Ecosystem Quality. Future studies may explore other management scenarios to optimize energy and materials use, reduce emissions, hence obtaining an increase of the environmental benefit for the urban areas.

Highly-selective and temperature-compensated toluene sensor based on MOF-actuated optical WGM microresonator

This paper reports an optical fiber toluene sensor based on whispering gallery mode (WGM) microbottle resonator. The sensor includes a single-mode fiber (SMF)- no-core fiber (NCF)- SMF offset structure, which can be used as not only a coupler to couple light into the microbottle but also a multimode interferometer. The microbottle is formed by self-assembly of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer doped with metal-organic framework (MOF) under the action of surface tension and gravity. The high specific surface area, suitable pore size, nitrogen-containing functional groups of MOF-Fe-PD and nonpolar groups on PDMS impart the high sensitivity and specific response of the sensor to toluene. When toluene is captured by the MOF and PDMS, the refractive index and volume of the cavity change, which affects the mode shift of WGM. According to test results, WGM of the sensor shows a linear sensitivity of 12.44pm/ppm with toluene concentration between 0 ppm and 337 ppm at room temperature, but it is affected by temperature crosstalk. While multimode interference dip is only sensitive to temperature, which can compensate for the mode shift of WGM caused by temperature change. Repeatability experiments show that the response and recovery time of the sensor are less than 70s. The method provides a toluene sensor with high selectivity, stable performance and simple preparation, which has potential environmental benefits and good industrial application prospects.

Balancing growth and preservation: Unravelling Africa’s carbon-economic nexus through the environmental Kuznets curve.

Africa is vulnerable to the challenges of global climate change, which poses a significant obstacle to achieving economic development while protecting the environment. Despite numerous Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) studies, evidence remains inconclusive, especially in African countries. This study delves into the carbon-economic nexus within the EKC framework across 46 African countries from 1990 to 2020. Utilizing advanced econometric techniques such as Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) modeling based on the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) estimator, Common Correlated Effects Pooled Mean Group (CCE-PMG), appropriate U-test, and Dumitrescu and Hurlin causality test, the research uncovers significant insights into how GDP, energy consumption, and urbanization impact CO2 emissions across different income groups. The findings strongly support the EKC hypothesis for lower-middle-income (LMI) and upper-middle- and high-income (UM&HI) countries, where economic growth initially worsens environmental degradation but eventually leads to improvements as incomes rise. However, in low-income (LI) countries, the study reveals a U-shaped relationship, suggesting that early economic growth may reduce emissions, but continued development could lead to increased environmental stress. Energy consumption is identified as a persistent driver of CO2 emissions across all income groups, while urbanization shows mixed impacts, with negative environmental consequences in LI countries and potential environmental benefits in LMI and UM&HI countries. These findings carry important policy implications for African countries as they seek to balance economic growth with environmental preservation. The research calls for targeted policies that promote green technologies, enhance energy efficiency, and implement sustainable urban planning to ensure that Africa’s development trajectory is environmentally sustainable.

Method of cooling server rooms

Objective. In today's world, where the amount of data is growing every day, the importance of reliable and efficient data centers (DPCs) is becoming increasingly clear. One of the key aspects of maintaining data center availability and reliability is ensuring adequate cooling of server rooms. This scientific work is devoted to the study and analysis of various cooling techniques used in server rooms. Method. The study is based on thermodynamic analysis methods to optimize cooling systems to improve their efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Result. The work examines both traditional cooling systems and modern innovative solutions that improve cooling efficiency while reducing energy consumption. The authors compare different cooling methods, evaluate their advantages and disadvantages, and analyze the potential economic and environmental benefits of introducing advanced technologies into server room management practices. Conclusion. The choice of the optimal cooling method should take into account the specifics of the server equipment, thermal loads, room size and other factors. It is also important to pay attention to maintenance and selection of the optimal cooling system in accordance with the needs and characteristics of the server equipment.

Preferable price to buy an electric two-wheeled vehicle for college students

This research delves into the determinants affecting Taiwanese college students’ purchasing behavior towards two-wheeled electric vehicles (ETWVs) and the financial allocation they are willing to commit. A choice experiment design was utilized, with a sample of approximately 900 college students, regular users of two-wheeled gasoline vehicles (TWGs). The students engaged in one of two choice scenarios, presented with general characteristics, operational efficiency, vehicle cost, and subsidy strategies. Subsequent to the scenarios, respondents indicated their willingness to pay (WTP) for a ETWV. ETWVs, apart from being an emerging transportation alternative, also present potential environmental and health benefits due to reduced air pollution. The dependent inverse hyperbolic sine (IHS) double-hurdle model was employed, facilitating the accommodation of heteroscedasticity and correlated normality. The outcomes suggest that purchasing behavior for ETWVs among college students is shaped by factors such as purchase subsidy, tax breaks, and ETWVs’ capability in supporting students’ external travel requirements. The average WTP for ETWVs among this demographic stands at US$ 1,410. Importantly, the dependent IHS double-hurdle model, considering heteroscedasticity, proved statistically superior to its counterparts. Insights from this research offer crucial information on the price range students are likely to accommodate for ETWVs and provide a foundation for framing incentive-driven policies to amplify ETWV adoption

Sustainable practices in steel manufacturing: Substitution elasticities between waste, raw materials, and energy for greenhouse gas emission reduction

This study investigates the potential of waste utilization to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the steel manufacturing industry. Utilizing a translog production function, we analyze the substitution elasticities among scrap steel, iron ore, and energy, exploring their roles in carbon reduction. Our approach incorporates the Resource Efficiency and Climate Change Mitigation model to simulate the impact of various waste utilization strategies on GHG emissions. The findings highlight that scrap steel and iron ore exhibit substitution dynamics. Iron ore and energy exhibit complementary relationship, and there is also a complementary relationship between scrap steel and energy but with lower elasticity, indicating that increasing scrap steel usage can significantly reduce emissions while decreasing iron ore demand. Specifically, enhancing the input efficiency of scrap steel in secondary steel production can reduce GHG emissions by over 8.3 tons for each additional ton produced—surpassing the impact of merely increasing the volume of reused material, which offers a reduction of more than 2.2 tons per ton. The strategies centered on reduction and recycling demonstrate even lower GHG reduction efficiency. The findings advocate for governmental intervention to promote and support waste reuse initiatives, highlighting the potential environmental benefits and efficiency gains from such policies.

Multifunctional characterization of cement-Sargassum composites for application as bioconstruction materials

Utilizing solid waste biomass developing of construction materials presents an environmental mitigation opportunity by gradually replacing conventional materials that generate diverse ecological impacts. This approach aligns with circular economy and green chemistry principles, promoting the creation of sustainable materials. This research analyzes the use of brown algae from the Sargassum genus for bioconstruction applications through its mix with Portland cement. The mass influx of pelagic Sargassum species onto Caribbean beaches since 2011 has significantly impacted the environment, economy, and human health. The valorization of Sargassum is crucial for effective management and impact reduction. The study encompasses four key stages: (a) collection and processing of the algae, (b) development of a construction material composed of Portland cement and Sargassum at concentrations of 5 wt.% and 7.5 wt.%, (c) multifunctional characterization of the composite material, encompassing physical chemistry and thermal, optical and mechanical properties, and (d) an economic-environmental evaluation of using the construction material for housing in the Mexican Caribbean to enhance thermal insulation and reduce electric energy consumption associated with air conditioning. Test specimens of the composite material reveal compressive strength ranging between 78 and 347 kg/cm2, solar spectrum absorbance between 54% and 70%, and thermal conductivity between 0.65 and 1 W/mK. The economic-environmental analysis indicates that employing the construction material in 5% of households in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, could lead to annual reductions in energy consumption of approximately 67 GWh, with savings exceeding US$33,000, and environmental yearly mitigation equivalent to 4.1 TnNOx, 5.2 TnCH4, and 33,262 TnCO2. These results suggest promising prospects for incorporating Sargassum into construction materials, offering potential environmental and economic benefits. The composite material demonstrates optical, thermal, and mechanical functionality.

Laser Weeding Technology in Cropping Systems: A Comprehensive Review

Weed infestations pose significant challenges to global crop production, demanding effective and sustainable weed control methods. Traditional approaches, such as chemical herbicides, mechanical tillage, and plastic mulches, are not only associated with environmental concerns but also face challenges like herbicide resistance, soil health, erosion, moisture content, and organic matter depletion. Thermal methods like flaming, streaming, and hot foam distribution are emerging weed control technologies along with directed energy systems of electrical and laser weeding. This paper conducts a comprehensive review of laser weeding technology, comparing it with conventional methods and highlighting its potential environmental benefits. Laser weeding, known for its precision and targeted energy delivery, emerges as a promising alternative to conventional control methods. This review explores various laser weeding platforms, discussing their features, applications, and limitations, with a focus on critical areas for improvement, including dwell time reduction, automated navigation, energy efficiency, affordability, and safety standards. Comparative analyses underscore the advantages of laser weeding, such as reduced environmental impact, minimized soil disturbance, and the potential for sustainable agriculture. This paper concludes by outlining key areas for future research and development to enhance the effectiveness, accessibility, and affordability of laser weeding technology. In summary, laser weeding presents a transformative solution for weed control, aligning with the principles of sustainable and environmentally conscious agriculture, and addressing the limitations of traditional methods.

Inclusion of water age in conjunctive optimal operation of water and power networks

ABSTRACT Water distribution systems (WDSs) are vital infrastructures designed to deliver water safely to consumers. This complex system necessitates continuous operational decisions, often optimized for efficiency. WDSs rely on power grids (PGs) to operate pumps and treatment facilities. PGs, likewise crucial, require strategic management to meet demand and environmental standards. Integrating the operation of both systems has garnered attention for its potential cost, energy, and environmental benefits. By leveraging the interconnection, trade-offs can be assessed, leading to improved solutions. Past research primarily focused on cost or carbon emissions as well as on hydraulic and voltage constraints. However, this study examines the impact of power systems on water quality, particularly water age, a key operational concern. Incorporating PGs into the optimal operation problem may alter flow directions, thereby influencing water age. Through mathematical modelling, this study evaluates these effects and applies them to simple case studies, demonstrating the influence of PG operation on water quality. Results demonstrate how tank constraints affect water age and show that a conjunctive operation approach, although beneficial for reduction of cost and energy consumption, can be damaging for water quality.

Data-driven evolutionary programming for evaluating the mechanical properties of concrete containing plastic waste

Plastic waste (PW) has emerged as a global environmental concern due to its detrimental impact on ecosystems and human health. Traditional concrete heavily relies on natural aggregates like sand, gravel, and crushed stone, whose extraction leads to environmental degradation, including habitat destruction and resource depletion. Recently, the use of PW in concrete has gained attention as a sustainable alternative to these conventional aggregates. By incorporating PW as a partial replacement for natural aggregates, the construction industry can reduce its reliance on finite resources while also addressing the issue of PW. However, despite its potential environmental benefits, the incorporation of PW into concrete has primarily been explored through experimental studies, which are often time-consuming and resource-intensive. Therefore, this study aims to optimize the utilization of waste plastic in concrete through machine learning (ML) techniques, specifically Multi-Expression Programming (MEP) and Gene Expression Programming (GEP). A comprehensive literature review was conducted to compile a database for evaluating the compressive strength (CS) and tensile strength (TS) of PW concrete. The most influential parameters, such as plastic (P), gravel (G), water (W), cement (C), sand (S), and age (A), were considered as inputs in the models' development. The models developed were thoroughly evaluated using multiple statistical measures. Additionally, sensitivity analysis was conducted to discern and highlight influential factors that have a significant impact on the predicted outcomes. The findings indicate that both MEP (CS_R2 = 0.88, and TS_R2 = 0.89) and GEP (CS_R2 = 0.87, and TS_R2 = 0.88) models performed well, with MEP demonstrating slightly superior performance. Sensitivity analysis highlights the significant influence of cement (25.63 % and 24.53 %) and plastic (22.4 % and 23.44 %) on concrete strength properties. Furthermore, the equations provided by GEP and MEP models are simple to use from a practical perspective. Overall, this study contributes to sustainability efforts by promoting the incorporation of waste materials in concrete mixtures, thereby reducing reliance on cement.

Unveiling the green path: How urban openness reduces pollution and paves the way to sustainability

This study investigates the relationship between openness and pollutant emission intensity across 286 Chinese cities from 1990 to 2019, aiming to evaluate the potential environmental benefits of open economy strategies. The findings indicate that enhanced urban openness significantly lowers pollutant emission intensity. To ensure the robustness of our findings, we make an innovative attempt to employ high-speed rail connection and motorway density as instrumental variables to address potential endogeneity issues, corroborating the reliability of the results through various robustness tests. Moreover, we also find the heterogeneous effects of urban openness on pollution emissions, highlighting the moderating influences of trade complexity, urbanization level, and environmental regulatory intensity. Lastly, the study elucidates the mechanisms through which urban openness diminishes pollution emissions, namely fostering green innovation capacity and enhancing public environmental awareness. This research makes theoretical contributions on understanding the nexus between open economies and environmental protection while offering practical insights to inform governmental environmental policy formulation.

Co-transport of citrate-modified biochar nanoparticles and released plant-available silicon in saturated porous media: Effect of LMWOAs and solution chemistry

Citrate-modified biochar nanoparticles (CBCNPs) represent a promising amendment with plant-available silicon (PASi) releasing capacity. However, the co-transport behavior with released PASi remain poorly understood. This study investigated their co-transport in saturated porous media under various solution chemistry and low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs). Experimental and two-site kinetic model results revealed that higher ionic strength caused favorable aggregation and size-selective, hindering CBCNPs transport. Divalent Ca2+ ions retained CBCNPs more effectively than K+ due to stronger charge screening and cation bridging. The pH buffering capacity of CBCNPs resulted in consistent transport behavior across a broad pH range (4–8). XDLVO calculation clarified the impact mechanisms of IS, ion types and pH on CBCNPs transport. Furthermore, LMWOAs exhibited a time-dependent blocking effect on CBCNPs transport. Oxalic acid (OA) and citric acid (CA) facilitated CBCNPs transport though mechanisms beyond XDLVO, including steric hindrance, competitive adsorption, and surface hydrophilicity. The presence of LMWOAs significantly hindered PASi co-transport, with the inhibitory effect ranked as acetic acid (AA) ≈ CA > OA > absence of organic acids. The inhibition is attributed to the blocking effect and formation of Si-organic acid complexes, as evidenced by breakthrough curves and density functional theory calculations. This study provides novel insights into the co-transport of CBCNPs with released PASi through mutual mechanisms, indicating both potential environmental benefits and risks.

Crop Rotation and Diversification in China: Enhancing Sustainable Agriculture and Resilience

Crop rotation and diversification (CRD) are crucial strategies in sustainable agriculture, offering multiple benefits to both farmers and the environment. By alternating crops or introducing diverse plant species, CRD practices improve soil fertility, reduce pest populations, and enhance nutrient availability. For example, legume-based rotations increase soil nitrogen levels through biological nitrogen fixation, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. Moreover, these practices promote more efficient water and nutrient use, reducing the reliance on synthetic fertilizers and minimizing the risk of pests and diseases. This review synthesizes findings from recent research on the role of CRD in enhancing sustainable agriculture and resilience, highlighting the potential contributions of these practices towards climate change mitigation and adaptation. Specific crop rotation systems, such as the cereal–legume rotation in temperate regions and the intercropping of maize with beans in tropical environments, are reviewed to provide a comprehensive understanding of their applicability in different agroecological contexts. The review also addresses the challenges related to implementing CRD practices, such as market demand and knowledge transfer, and suggests potential solutions to encourage broader adoption. Lastly, the potential environmental benefits, including carbon sequestration and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, are discussed, highlighting the role of CRD in building resilient agricultural systems. Collectively, this review paper emphasizes the importance of CRD methods as sustainable agricultural practices and provides key insights for researchers and farmers to effectively integrate these practices into farming systems.

Use of the organic fraction from recycled alkaline batteries in the manufacture of LECAs: Experimental and Environmental Assessment

The industrial alkaline battery recycling process produces an organic fraction (OF) consisting of waste paper, plastic and cardboard. Currently, this OF is used for energy recovery, given the absence of a successful alternative recycling approach, attributed to its contamination and limited economic value. This study explored the valorisation of the organic fraction derived from the recycling of alkaline batteries as a foaming agent in the production of lightweight expanded clay aggregates (LECAs). The OF, was mixed with red stoneware atomized paste (RSAP) in varying proportions (5–30 wt%) and fired at temperatures between 1000 and 1200 °C. The volumetric expansion, density, and compressive strength of the resulting aggregates were determined via mineralogical and microstructural characterization. The results indicate the organic fraction's suitability as an expansion agent, particularly at 1200 °C with 5–15 wt% inclusion, showcasing density (0.65–0.75 g/cm3) and compressive strength (1.34–1.39 MPa) comparable to commercial expanded clays. The microstructural analysis revealed the formation of rounded pores, influenced by the firing temperature and OF content. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) compared the environmental impacts of this process with traditional LECA manufacturing, highlighting the potential environmental benefits of using recycled battery waste. This study marks the first incorporation of this battery waste residue into LECA manufacturing, providing valuable insights into its environmental implications and paving the way for sustainable waste management practices.

Carbon monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) for cleaner built environment: Developing a solar photovoltaic blockchain tool and applications in Hong Kong's building sector

Photovoltaic (PV) systems offer significant potential for net-zero emission targets, due to their flexibility and high exploitation capacity. However, effective carbon monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) methods are crucial for their life cycle. The present study introduces a novel blockchain-based carbon auditing tool aimed at supporting the life cycle assessment of PV systems in Hong Kong's building sector. Consequently, all relevant information throughout the PV system's life cycle is uploaded and securely recorded within the blockchain system. The decentralized network structure, distributed consensus, and cryptographic methods employed by blockchain technology ensure the traceability, immutability, and transparency of the recorded information. Furthermore, this study provides an analysis of the installation potential and life cycle environmental benefits of PV systems in Hong Kong's building sector. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed framework is demonstrated through case studies conducted in Hong Kong. These findings underline the reliability of the proposed blockchain-based tool as a technological foundation for carbon MRV in the Hong Kong building PV sector.