Reduce Energy Use Research Articles

Environmental Impact Assessment of Tourism Activities in Kenyir Lake: A Life Cycle Approach

This study evaluates the environmental impacts of tourism activities at Kenyir Lake, focusing on houseboat and resort operations using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. The research aims to identify key contributors to environmental degradation by systematically analyzing the inputs and outputs associated with these activities. Primary sources collected through interviews and water sample collection for laboratory analysis, supported by secondary literature, and analyzed using SimaPro 9.1.1.1 software following the CML-IA method, which evaluates ten impact categories. The findings highlight those operations, especially energy consumption and waste management, are significant contributors to environmental impacts, with substantial effects on global warming, ozone layer depletion, and various forms of ecotoxicity. The study emphasizes the need for sustainable practices in tourism operations, particularly in reducing energy use and improving waste management. The results provide critical insights into the sustainability and efficiency of tourism infrastructure at Kenyir Lake, offering valuable recommendations for mitigating adverse environmental impacts and promoting sustainable tourism practices in the region.

Review of Energy-Related Machine Learning Applications in Drying Processes

Drying processes are among the most energy-intensive industrial processes. There is a need for development of the efficient methods needed for estimating, measuring, and reducing energy use. Different machine learning algorithms might provide some of the answers to these issues in a faster and less costly way, without the need for time-consuming and expensive experiments done at different scales of the dryers. The aim of this paper was to provide a comprehensive overview of machine learning applications for addressing energy-related challenges by exploration of different energy types and energy reduction opportunities. Also, the analysis of the applied algorithms, their specific applications and a critical evaluation of the obtained results are provided. The paper is based on the necessity of the improvements in energy use needed for drying related on the existing data. The overview of the ways for such achievements, and a general classification of machine learning algorithm are the background of the paper. The methods used are the machine learning techniques employed in different energy-related issues for drying processes. The paper focuses on the applications of artificial neural networks and other machine learning algorithms and models for different energy-related issues, including different energy types applications, challenges associated with energy consumption, and opportunities for energy reduction. Not only the applied algorithms, but also their specific applications, and the statistical analysis of the obtained results are also overviewed. Finally, a critical evaluation of the findings highlighting the potentials of machine learning algorithms in addressing energy-related challenges (such as estimation of energy consumption, opportunities for energy reduction, and use of different energy sources) is provided. The presented analysis underscored the effectiveness of machine learning applications for these purposes.

Assessment of Architecture Students’ Knowledge of Passive Design Strategies in Academic Buildings in a Typical Nigerian Private University

Buildings use more than 40% of the energy consumed worldwide. This has prompted the development of numerous strategies to guarantee that buildings can still function maximally with reduced energy use. The concept of passive design strategies has been widely employed in architectural professional practice to ensure the reduction of building energy usage is kept to a minimum and enhance building performance. In architectural design training, however, despite the study of building climatology, several students are still seen designing buildings in tropical climates with little adoption of passive design strategies. To this end, this study aims at assessing the knowledge level of graduate architecture students at Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State of passive design strategies in academic buildings. The case study research approach was used, and respondents were chosen through random sampling. A total of 84 students were given structured questions to answer in order to collect primary data. Data were analysed using frequencies and percentages in SPSS, and the results were presented using tables. Respondents’ level of awareness and importance of the various concepts associated with passive design in academic buildings were considered. The study revealed that respondents have good knowledge about passive design strategies. Building materials, day lighting, and natural ventilation were identified as the most crucial among the passive design strategies used for academic buildings in achieving users' comfort and reducing energy conservation. Also, building mass was observed to be considered the least important among the passive design strategies. Keywords: Academic building, Architecture students, Design strategies, Passive design, Thermal comfort.

Did carbon emission trading scheme improve energy use in China? An integrated approach based on SCM and threshold regression.

The analysis of energy use not only sheds light on lightening the increasing pressures from energy systems but also improves the flexibility and reliability of power systems. As the highest carbon emission country in the world, detailed evaluation of China's carbon emission trading scheme (ETS) on the energy use is sensitive to energy sectors and highlights the importance of energy utilization in current society. Yet, because of the presence of a possible discontinuity caused by policy implementation, this study uses synthetic control method (SCM) to confirm whether there is a cutoff for energy use after the ETS implementation. Furthermore, threshold regression model is integrated to estimate the causal relationship when there is a discontinuity. SCM is used to verify which has caused the discontinuity for threshold regression model, and threshold regression model is used to quantify and estimate the causal relationship which SCM cannot evaluate. Through the data analysis, it is found that ETS makes effect on energy use deduction in most of pilot ETS regions while the effect is affected by economic development, population, industry, and research. Some suggestions on how to reduce energy use conclude this paper.

Optimisation, modelling and mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of sofosbuvir antiviral by TiO2 nanoparticles coupled with biological treatment

ABSTRACT The overarching objective of this research endeavour was to develop an integrated approach to the complete removal and breakdown of the antiviral compound sofosbuvir. To accomplish this, a two-fold strategy was employed, involving a heterogeneous photocatalysis process coupled with subsequent biological treatment. Leveraging the versatile TiO2-P25 nanoparticles, a meticulous optimisation was carried out using the Box-Behnken methodology, strategically considering the interplay of three pivotal independent variables: pH, initial molecule concentration, and catalyst concentration. This optimisation aimed not only to augment the degradation of sofosbuvir but also to enhance its COD removal. The complex influence of these factors was mathematically encapsulated in a second-order polynomial equation, offering valuable insights into the process dynamics. COD removal and optimal parameters for degradation were a pH of 6.8, a catalyst dosage of 1 g L−1, and an initial molecule concentration of 0.1 mM under a 125 W high-pressure mercury lamp. The efficiency of elimination for the degradation was 100% at 120 min and for the COD removal extinguished 99.44% at 6 h. Sofosbuvir has a rapid degradation, COD removal degree is lower, which means the presence of intermediate compounds more difficult to treat by photocatalysis. Thus, the viability of implementing a link between the nanoparticles TiO2-photocatalysis as a biodegradability improvement pretreatment with the biological process has been studied as an essential activity to enhance treatment efficiency while reducing energy use and treatment times. combination of photocatalysis with a biological treatment improves the treatment. The density functional theory (DFT) approach was applied to better understand the mechanism of sofosbuvir degradation and to examine the impact of different degradation sites. Mechanism Analysis of the photoproducts and photoproduct intermediates was identified by HPLC-MS. However, a 120 min BOD5/COD ratio (COD, chemical oxygen demand; BOD, biochemical oxygen demand) of ≥0.4 results from the degradation of sofosbuvir by TiO2.

A Systematic Review of Climate Change Implications on Building Energy Consumption: Impacts and Adaptation Measures in Hot Urban Desert Climates

The climate change–built environment nexus is complex and intertwined. Recognizing the rising air temperatures and solar radiations owing to climate-induced global warming, it is critical to manage the increased building energy and cooling loads in the Middle East Gulf states’ hot desert climates (Bwh). One of the top climate priorities is to promote climate resilience by reducing risks and enhancing adaptation options. This study aims to systematically review the existing literature to document building energy performances in and the associated adaptation measures of the Middle East Gulf states, regarding the implications of climate change. It is accomplished by answering the following questions: ‘How well do we understand the effects of climate change on building energy use in hot urban deserts?’ and ‘What are the most appropriate adaptation strategies to reduce energy use in hot urban deserts?’. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis protocols (PRISMA), 17 studies on the influence of present and future weather scenarios on building performance are examined, considering variations in typology, methods, and input variables. Finally, the paper identifies the preferred methods and input variables for modelling building energy performance under predicted climatic changes. Passive design considerations are considered highly effective in mitigating and adapting to climate change implications. Thermal insulation and efficient window glazing are identified as the best-performing strategies, while the use of solar Photovoltaic (PV) is considered efficient in meeting the primary energy demands. The study’s findings can assist planners and designers in projecting future climatic influences on the energy usage of existing buildings.

Locally-Adaptive Level-of-Detail for Hardware-Accelerated Ray Tracing

We introduce an adaptive level-of-detail technique for ray tracing triangle meshes that aims to reduce the memory bandwidth used during ray traversal, which can be the bottleneck for rendering time with large scenes and the primary consumer of energy. We propose a specific data structure for hierarchically representing triangle meshes, allowing localized decisions for the desired mesh resolution per ray. Starting with the lowest-resolution triangle mesh level, higher-resolution levels are generated by tessellating each triangle into four via splitting its edges with arbitrarily-placed vertices. We fit the resulting mesh hierarchy into a specialized acceleration structure to perform on-the-fly tessellation level selection during ray traversal. Our structure reduces both storage cost and data movement during rendering, which are the main consumers of energy. It also allows continuous transitions between detail levels, while locally adjusting the mesh resolution per ray and preserving watertightness. We present how this structure can be used with both primary and secondary rays for reflections and shadows, which can intersect with different tessellation levels, providing consistent results. We also propose specific hardware units to cover the cost of additional compute needed for level-of-detail operations. We evaluate our method using a cycle-accurate simulation of a custom ray tracing hardware architecture. Our results show that, as compared to traditional bounding volume hierarchies, our method can provide more than an order of magnitude reduction in energy use and render time, given sufficient computational resources.

Hygrothermal Performance of Prefabricated Insulation Elements for Serial Renovation of Apartment Buildings in a Moderately Continental German Climate

The reduction of energy use in the buildings is expected to be reached by fulfilling several requirements of the low- and nearly-zero energy buildings (nZEB) policy. The improvement of the energy performance of the building envelope and the service systems of the existing buildings offers great potential for energy savings as the annual replacement of the existing stock is only 1 to 2%. The efficient way to accomplish the purpose and global goals of the nZEB is to apply the integrated design process, development, and application of prefabricated insulation elements on a large scale. In this project, in the Berlin area of Germany, prefabricated timber frame insulation elements were designed for the external insulation of the envelope of the apartment building in the serial renovation process, with the thermal transmittance of the external envelope U external-wall = 0.14–0.16 W/(m2·K). In the current study, the potential hygrothermal risks and their effect on highly insulated multi-story apartment building envelope were analyzed. The study contained a set of hygrothermal analyses to ensure the moisture safety of highly insulated facade structures and the selection of materials from the perspective of hygrothermal performance and low risk of degradation. This research found that the risk of mold growth is high if timber elements are installed without protective measures against drying-out built-in moisture, wind-driven rain, and other weather conditions. The initial moisture content of the external concrete slab, to be considered critical, is 90 kg/m3, and the drying out period is longer than the covered with new layers constructions can sustain if a proper vapor control layer is not added between the existing moist wall and installed insulation elements. Furthermore, the wind barrier layer with high thermal resistance and vapor permeability of the installed insulation element helps to minimize the risk of mold growth. A careful analysis and selection of materials allow to design moisture-safe timber frame insulation elements and provide low thermal transmittance of renovated building envelopes. The results showed that before the final design and installation of the insulation elements, a thorough hygrothermal analysis of the original external envelope with actual climatic conditions and moisture loads must be realized.

A holistic analysis of chemical process performance using pinch technology

ABSTRACT The chemical industry is acquiring new advancement day by day. Previously, quite massive equipment had been used to do heat transferring tasks, but now the industry has been modernised. Heat Integration is a trending area of study that might be applied in several sectors to redesign processes. Heat Integration alludes to any technique in chemical engineering that results in considerably smaller, greener, and more energy-efficient appliances. Heat Integration aims to improve energy transfer, lowering the equipment’s capacity for heat transfer. This paper uses pinch analysis to optimize heat integration and find the best heat-exchange network through case studies. Pinch Technology offers a systematic approach to reducing energy use across all sites and activities. It is feasible to determine the proper alterations to the fundamental process parameters that can result in energy savings by using pinch technology. The Aspen Energy Analyzer tool has been used to compute the heat integration of the case studies. After obtaining the data from the software, they were used in pinch analysis to determine the optimal alternative for the heat exchanger network.

Comparison of control strategies for efficient thermal energy storage to decarbonize residential buildings in cold climates: A focus on solar and biomass sources

This work presents novel energy production/storage/usage systems to reduce energy use and environmental effects, in order to address concerns about excessive heating demand/emissions in buildings. This focus is the design, control, and comparison of a biomass-fired model with a novel heater type and a solar-driven system integrated with photovoltaic thermal (PVT) panels and a heat pump. The heater has an external boiler and shell and tube heat exchanger, providing enhanced control over the combustion process and increased efficiency. Another feature of the present work is establishing a rule-based automation framework to manage the energy storage/flow among the components/grid/building. This smart integration reduces the size of the components, eliminates the need for a battery, and allows the system to interact in both directions with the electricity grid. The practicality of both systems is assessed and compared via a code developed in TRNSYS-MATLAB, considering the specific conditions of Toronto, Canada, characterized by high heat demand in winter. According to the results, the proposed solar-based system has an acceptable energy cost (78.9 USD per MWh of heating and electricity) attributable to the developed controllers applied to thermal energy storage. The results show that the PVT-based system integrated with a heat pump is environmentally superior, with a reduction in CO2 emission of 7.2 tonnes over a year. However, the biomass-fired system is an excellent option from the aspect of efficiency, with a relatively high energy efficiency of 69 %. Also, it is observed that the night set-back of the supply temperature can reduce the annual primary energy use and emission up to 60.3 MWh and 21.1 t, respectively. While the system relies more on the heat pump in cold months, the solar energy system supplies the entire demand in summer, demonstrating the significance of PVT and heat pump integration to increase energy reliability throughout the year.

Meta-omic profiling reveals ubiquity of genes encoding for the nitrogen-rich biopolymer cyanophycin in activated sludge microbiomes.

Recovering nitrogen (N) from municipal wastewater is a promising approach to prevent nutrient pollution, reduce energy use, and transition toward a circular N bioeconomy, but remains a technologically challenging endeavor. Existing N recovery techniques are optimized for high-strength, low-volume wastewater. Therefore, developing methods to concentrate dilute N from mainstream wastewater will bridge the gap between existing technologies and practical implementation. The N-rich biopolymer cyanophycin is a promising candidate for N bioconcentration due to its pH-tunable solubility characteristics and potential for high levels of accumulation. However, the cyanophycin synthesis pathway is poorly explored in engineered microbiomes. In this study, we analyzed over 3,700 publicly available metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs) and found that the cyanophycin synthesis gene cphA was ubiquitous across common activated sludge bacteria. We found that cphA was present in common phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAO) Ca. 'Accumulibacter' and Tetrasphaera, suggesting potential for simultaneous N and P bioconcentration in the same organisms. Using metatranscriptomic data, we confirmed the expression of cphA in lab-scale bioreactors enriched with PAO. Our findings suggest that cyanophycin synthesis is a ubiquitous metabolic activity in activated sludge microbiomes. The possibility of combined N and P bioconcentration could lower barriers to entry for N recovery, since P concentration by PAO is already a widespread biotechnology in municipal wastewater treatment. We anticipate this work to be a starting point for future evaluations of combined N and P bioaccumulation, with the ultimate goal of advancing widespread adoption of N recovery from municipal wastewater.

Air filtration performance of nanofiber membranes with different morphologies produced by green electrospinning

AbstractTo further target product development with low environmental impact, an integral green electrospinning (G‐ES) approach has been adopted through the simultaneous application of various strategies, such as the use of biopolymers, reduction of energy use to avoid melting temperatures, and selection of non‐toxic solvents and surfactants. Green solubility spinnability maps for cellulose acetate (CA), poly ε‐caprolactone (PCL), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are presented. Green electrospinning (G‐ES) allows the production of new morphologies for CA and PCL nanofiber membranes. In this work, CA exhibits a ribbon‐like morphology, PCL shows a honeycomb‐like morphology and PVA cylindrical fibers. Membrane morphologies are compared with filtration efficiency (FE) for particle size of 1.0 μm and quality factor (QF) at a volumetric flux of 27.63 cm−1. For CA is between 83% and 96% and high QF = 0.31–0.38 Pa−1, PCL is 92% and 99% and high QF = 0.28–0.21 Pa−1 and for PVA between 96% and 99% and high QF = 0.14–0.08 Pa−1. These results suggest that the hierarchical nanofiber structure improves filtration performance because of the reduction in pressure drop and increase in PM interception. CA ribbon‐like fibers favored air filtration performance, followed by PCL honeycomb‐like fibers.

Passive cooling strategies in summer for office buildings in temperate clear sky climates. Assessment of effectiveness with Zero Energy Building's criteria.

Abstract Passive energy efficient design in dry climates with high heliophany can lead to a significant reduction in energy use while promoting occupant comfort. This paper presents an optimization in the performance of an office building with mixed-mode run, including night ventilative cooling and shading devices strategies to achieve nZEB requirements in summer. The building design integrates an efficient envelope and renewable energy generation from PV panels on-grid. On-site measurements were taken to collect hygrothermal data and energy demand information. Two office configurations were discussed, Open plan (PL2) and Individual office (BOX NW), both options with a high trend to overheat. For all orientations tested, multiple horizontal overhangs have better performance than vertical ones. Results from Net Energy Balance in Base model present a primary energy demand of 116 kWh/m2/year and the Optimization model of 55 kWh/m2/year. To conclude, the positive impact of the implementation of passive design strategies rises the comfort hours in use period in PL2 70% and in BOX NW a 55% and a decrease of 60% of primary energy demand.

Research on the application of prefabricated green steel structure in public buildings

The construction industry is a pillar industry to improve people's quality of life and promote social and economic development. It has the characteristics of high energy consumption and high pollution, which deviates from the requirements of green development advocated by people at present. In view of healthy long-term development, the building industry needs to take effective measures to reduce energy use. The components used in prefabricated steel construction projects are mainly processed in factory batches. After transportation to the construction site, they only need to be assembled in accordance with standard specifications and processes, which can shorten the construction period, reduce the generation of construction waste, and fully meet the development requirements of energy conservation and emission reduction. Therefore, prefabricated green steel structure has been widely used in the construction of modern public buildings. Firstly, this paper summarizes and analyses the development status and main types of prefabricated green steel structure. The practical application in public building construction is also discussed. It is hoped that the results can provide a valuable reference for the construction of similar projects.

Developing a standardized categorization system for energy efficiency measures (1836-RP)

The growth of legislation to reduce energy use in existing buildings is producing a rich new trove of data about energy efficiency measures (EEMs), which has the potential to unlock new insights into the built environment. However, the lack of standardized EEM naming conventions and categorization methods is currently a major barrier to aggregating and analyzing this data. The goal of this study was to develop and test a novel standardized system for categorizing EEMs. The system consists of two components: a three-level building element-based categorization hierarchy, and a set of measure name tags, which are used to label an EEM and categorize it on the hierarchy. A demonstration and testing process was developed and applied to two sample datasets to evaluate the ability of the system to categorize a variety of EEMs. The results show that most EEMs can easily be categorized manually according to the new system, and highlight several challenges for automated categorization, including EEM names that are missing an element, contain a term not in the tag list, or contain synonyms or abbreviations. These results provide a replicable and systematic framework for the translation, aggregation, and analysis of EEM datasets from different sources.

Acceleration of wheat breeding: enhancing efficiency and practical application of the speed breeding system

BackgroundCrop breeding should be accelerated to address global warming and climate change. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major food crop. Speed breeding (SB) and speed vernalization (SV) techniques for spring and winter wheat have recently been established. However, there are few practical examples of these strategies being used economically and efficiently in breeding programs. We aimed to establish and evaluate the performance of a breeder-friendly and energy-saving generation acceleration system by modifying the SV + SB system.ResultsIn this study, a four-generation advancement system for wheat (regardless of its growth habits) was established and evaluated using an energy-efficient extended photoperiod treatment. A glasshouse with a 22-hour photoperiod that used 10 h of natural sunlight and 12 h of LED lights, and minimized temperature control during the winter season, was successful in accelerating generation. Even with one or two field tests, modified speed breeding (mSB) combined with a speed vernalization system (SV + mSB) reduced breeding time by more than half compared to traditional field-based methods. When compared to the existing SV + SB system, the SV + mSB system reduced energy use by 80% to maintain a 22-hour photoperiod. Significant correlations were found between the SV + mSB and field conditions in the number of days to heading (DTH) and culm length (CL). Genetic resources, recombinant inbred lines, and breeding materials that exhibited shorter DTH and CL values under SV + mSB conditions showed the same pattern in the field.ConclusionsThe results of our SV + mSB model, as well as its practical application in wheat breeding programs, are expected to help breeders worldwide incorporate generation acceleration systems into their conventional breeding programs.

Architectural design of office buildings in vietnam’s coastal cities for reduced energy consumption

Office buildings are considered one among largest energy consumers compared with other categories due to day-time operation of lighting and office supplies. The used energy is critically higher in the air-conditioned buildings where HVAC system is enabled over course of the day and even the year. In major Vietnamese coastal cities blessed with Nature’s mild climate, the majority of local office buildings are of gathered-block typology that fails to consider the favourable aspects of climate condition. At first, this study aims to investigate the influences on indoor comfort and energy consumption of two key factors, i.e. outdoor climate and solar radiation, in major Vietnamese coastal cities based on bio-climatic analysis of 20-year historical meteorological data from 1981 to 2000. Then, the study suggests the optimal architectural design (Strategies of Climate Control) of office buildings in the considered towns to maximize climatic favours for reduction of energy use, particularly ones for HVAC. In this research, case study is the Danang Administrative Center building.

Intention to Pay Higher Taxes Dedicated to Reduction of Coal Energy – A Case of Young Central Eastern Europeans

In an era of increasing efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, black coal creates many problems, primarily because it is a fuel used solely for burning that contaminates the environment. In countries in Central Eastern Europe, a safe and successful transition from energy produced from coal requires societal changes, as well as public and private financing. The aim of this study is to examine and better understand how different psychological factors influence young citizens' intention to engage in activities directed at coal energy reduction financially. In our pilot study, we enlisted respondents from the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia because the analysis of the main sources of energy generation in these countries provided evidence that they are behind in embracing the European Commission's strategy and meeting the renewable energy sources target. Based on a questionnaire survey, we found that Central Eastern European citizens' intention to pay higher taxes to reduce energy use from coal was moderate. Using Ajzen's theory of planned behavior, we also found that only two variables, attitude, and subjective norms, are strong determinants of environmental intentions for young Central Eastern European citizens. In addition, our study is the first to include personal responsibility as a consideration in coal energy reduction. Our extension of the theory of planned behavior with personal responsibility indicates the enormous role of the postulated environmental protection policies and media campaigns in promoting environmental awareness among young citizens.

Energy integration of hydrodealkylation (HDA) of toluene

The chemical industry is constantly making advancements. Previously, large equipment was used to transfer heat, but now the industry has modernized. Energy Integration is a trending area of study that can be applied in several sectors to redesign processes. Energy Integration refers to any technique in chemical engineering that results in smaller, environmentally friendly, and more energy-efficient appliances. The goal of energy integration is to improve energy transfer and reduce the equipment's capacity for heat transfer. Pinch analysis has been used in this study to explain the energy integration of Hydrodealkylation (HDA) of the toluene process by finding the best alternative for the Heat-Exchange Network (HEN). Pinch technology offers a systematic approach to reducing energy use across all sites and activities. By using pinch technology, it is possible to determine the proper alterations to the fundamental process parameters that can result in energy savings. In this study, the DWSIM, a chemical process simulator, has been used to simulate the flowsheet of the HDA process. Data obtained from the flowsheet have been used in the pinch analysis to find the best alternative for the heat exchanger network. Heat exchange from hot utility to cold utility has been done in this study, and a proper HEN has also been elaborated. The heating and cooling requirements for the HDA case study have been estimated using pinch analysis. It is estimated that the hot utility (HU) requirement is 64.19 kW and the cold utility (CU) is 202.83 kW. The detailed analysis suggests a 20–30 % reduction in energy consumption.

Supply Chain Simulation of Manufacturing Shirts Using System Dynamics for Sustainability

In supply chain management (SCM), goods and services flow from the raw materials stage to the end user with complexities and uncertainty at each stage. Computer modeling and simulation is a particularly useful method to examine supply chain operational issues because it can solve operational complexities that are challenging and time consuming to analyze. Manufacturing companies fear losing valuable time and assets during the manufacturing process; the inaccurate estimation of raw materials, human capital, or physical infrastructure not only leads to monetary loss for the manufacturing unit, but also has a detrimental effect on the environment. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that system dynamics modeling (SDM) in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) can be applied to apparel manufacturing to optimize materials, labor, and equipment usage. Utilizing system dynamics (SD), the manufacturing unit can improve sustainability by reducing materials, labor, and equipment usage, which in turn reduces energy use. In our literature review, we did not identify any study addressing supply chain simulation of the manufacturing of shirts using SDM. We chose shirt manufacturing to demonstrate the model because of its relatively simple manufacturing process. In our study, we conclude that SDM simulation is an efficient way to optimize materials, labor, and equipment in apparel manufacturing. This leads to a more sustainable manufacturing process, as the model simulates different manufacturing supply chain scenarios in a risk-free environment, thereby minimizing waste and resources. Further, the outputs from the STELLA® model can be used as inputs into a subsequent life cycle assessment (LCA) model to determine the quantitative environmental impacts.