Reduction Of Environmental Impact Research Articles

RES growth linked to grid development. Case Study: Romania

The paper presents Romania to illustrate how more production capacities from renewable energy sources can be integrated as part of the environmental protection and geostrategic policies, in an accelerated energy transition process. Increasing electricity production, especially for the widespread development of wind turbines and rooftop solar PV systems, requires the development of the electrical grid and increased interconnection capacity. The authors of this report also take into account the behavior in different seasons, cold and warm, in terms of the amount of renewable energy injected into the network. The data used in the study is based on the interpreting and associations of various information at the national and European levels, highlighting that the benefits of renewable energy are not only seen in terms of significant reductions in environmental impact but also in terms of cheaper energy! In summary, it is assumed that in 2023-2026, the electricity demand at the level of quality indicators will be covered by investments in new generation facilities related to grid reinforcement measures.

Carbon footprint and cost reduction by endoscopic grading of gastric intestinal metaplasia using narrow-band imaging.

Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is a high-risk factor for the development of gastric cancer. Narrow-band imaging (NBI) enables endoscopic grading of GIM (EGGIM). In the era of climate change, gastrointestinal endoscopists are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and medical waste. Based on the diagnostic performance of NBI endoscopy, this study measured the environmental impact and reduced cost of implementing EGGIM during gastroscopy. Using NBI endoscopy in 242 patients, EGGIM classification and operative link on GIM (OLGIM) staging were prospectively performed in five different areas (lesser and greater curvatures of the corpus and antrum, and the incisura angularis). We estimated the environmental impact and cost reduction of the biopsy procedures and pathological processing if EGGIM were used instead of OLGIM. The diagnostic accuracy of NBI endoscopy for GIM was 93.0-97.1% depending on the gastric area. When a high EGGIM score ≥5 was the cut-off value for predicting OLGIM stages III-IV, the area under the curve was 0.862, sensitivity was 81.9%, and specificity was 90.4%. The reduction in the carbon footprint by EGGIM was -0.4059kg carbon dioxide equivalents per patient, equivalent to 1 mile driven by a gasoline-powered car. The cost savings were calculated to be $47.36 per patient. EGGIM is a reliable method for identifying high-risk gastric cancer patients, thereby reducing the carbon footprint and medical costs in endoscopy practice.

ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND EXERGOECONOMIC (3E) ANALYSIS OF TRANSCRITICAL CO2 BOOSTER AND PARALLEL COMPRESSION SUPERMARKET REFRIGERATION CYCLES IN CLIMATE ZONES OF TÜRKİYE

Legal restrictions on high-GWP refrigerants lead to the widespread use of carbon dioxide in commercial refrigeration, where there is a high energy consumption. Although CO2 has many benefits, its lower critical temperature and higher operation pressure compared to other refrigerants lead to performance reduction. For this reason, studies have been conducted by researchers for performance enhancement. This paper presents energy, environmental impact, and exergoeconomic (3E) analysis of transcritical CO2 booster and parallel compression supermarket refrigeration cycles based on meteorological data of 11 provinces in Türkiye as samples of different climatic regions. Parallel compression cycle achieved up to 18.4% higher coefficient of performance than booster cycle between the investigated ambient temperatures. Up to 5.6% annual energy consumption and environmental impact reduction were obtained using parallel compression. Unit product costs of the parallel compression cycles were calculated between 8.2% and 18% lower than booster cycle in investigated provinces. Developing energy-efficient systems that use environmentally friendly refrigerants will contribute to a sustainable future.

A data-driven framework for designing a renewable energy community based on the integration of machine learning model with life cycle assessment and life cycle cost parameters

This research paper presents a data-driven framework for design optimization of renewable energy communities (RECs) in the residential sector, considering both techno-economic challenges and environmental impact. The study's focus is to determine suitable sizes for photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, and battery electrical energy systems by evaluating energy, economic, and environmental criteria. To achieve this, we develop a data-driven model that incorporates Homer Pro and an in-house tool developed in Python programming language that integrates a machine learning algorithm, life cycle cost (LCC), life cycle assessment (LCA) calculations of the REC model. Furthermore, a multi-objective optimization model is established to minimize the LCC and LCA parameters while maximizing green energy use. Moreover, a multi-criteria decision-making approach based on Weighted Sum Model (WSM) is proposed to help the stakeholders to see beyond the selection criteria based on LCC and LCA to choose the most appropriate scenario optimal solution for the desired energy community and interpret the effect of various economic parameters on the sustainable performance of REC. The framework application is illustrated through a case study for the optimal design of REC for a residential community in Tarragona, Spain, consisting of 100 buildings. The results revealed a substantial improvement in economic and environmental benefits for designing REC, the optimal minimum cost solution with a levelized cost of energy (LCOE = 0.044 $/kWh) and a payback period of 7.1 years with an LCOE reduction of 85.04% compared to the base case. The minimum impact with an LCOE = 0.220 $/kWh and a payback period of 12.5 years with a reduction in environmental impact of 54.59% compared to the base case. Overall, the developed data-driven provides policy decision-making with an evaluation of REC in the residential sector.

Toxicological evaluation of peptide hydrolysates from bovine blood meal with antioxidant and antifungal activities

This study addresses the underutilized potential of bovine blood-derived bioactive peptides. With approximately 22 million metric tons of bovine blood waste generated annually, sustainable utilization is essential. Our research focuses on exploring antifungal and antioxidant properties and includes proximate analysis of blood meal, enzymatic activity determination, and optimization of bovine blood protein hydrolysis. Optimal conditions were identified at 70 °C and pH 9, achieving a remarkable degree of hydrolysis (25.75 %). Key results demonstrate that lower molecular weight peptides exhibit enhanced antioxidant capacity, making them suitable for functional foods and nutraceuticals. While antimicrobial activity against specific strains had limitations, significant antifungal efficacy against Fusarium keratoplasticum ATCC 36031 was observed. Electrophoresis analysis confirmed the presence of peptides with a molecular weight below 14 kDa in optimally hydrolyzed samples, aligning with their bioactivity. A maximum tolerated concentration of 100 µg/mL was established through toxicity assessment using a zebrafish model, ensuring safety. This research reorganizes the abstract to address underutilized bovine blood, explores bioactive potential, and presents significant results concerning antioxidant and antifungal activity. Significantly, this study has implications for food safety, environmental sustainability, and health-related product development. The enzyme used was obtained from fermenting soybean cake with B. subtilis, and treatment selection was based on optimization studies. This research offers insights into industrial applications, environmental impact reduction, and health-related advancements.

Research on Multiple Optimization of Engineering Management Models under the Concept of Environmental Protection

Abstract With the continuous development of social economy, engineering management technology is becoming increasingly mature, and multi-objective optimization technology is widely used in engineering management. Based on the traditional schedule, cost and quality model, the article introduces the environmental factor as the fourth optimization objective and constructs a comprehensive four-objective optimization model. The model starts from the concept of environmental protection, and proposes the modeling method of ecological indicators for deterministic and non-deterministic conditions. The article utilizes the multi-objective comprehensive optimization model to conduct an in-depth analysis of the engineering management condition of S project. After the engineering management optimization implementation, the optimization scheme showed that the planned duration was shortened to 324 days, which saved 12.9% of the construction time compared to the initial scheme and 1.81 million RMB in cost. In addition, the project achieved an average value of 0.9167 for quality reliability and a reduction in environmental impact to 296.48, which met the expected criteria in the S-engineering contract. The research in this paper not only provides a new type of multi-objective optimization method integrating the concept of environmental protection for project management, but also proves the effectiveness and practicability of this method in actual projects through example analysis.

Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment Framework of Cold Food Storage Facilities

The imperative of responding to anthropogenic climate change that is driving energy infrastructure managers to implement resilience enhancing policies such as hourly scale dynamic pricing concurrently drives energy intensive industries to monitor energy usage at higher fidelity. This study proposes a Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment (DLCA) framework specifically tailored for cold food storage facilities which provide essential thermodynamic resilience to the human food web and consumes a large share of the web's energy footprint. Different from the conventional LCA, which delivers a snapshot of the environmental impacts and cost statically, DLCA can accommodate temporal variations in operating conditions and energy usage. It interacts with real-time monitoring data and fluctuating energy rates to provide a more accurate and time-sensitive environment impact and cost evaluation. Key parameters from real-time sensors and reference databases are summarized to lay the foundation for DLCA of cold food storage, like operating power and hours, shipment arrival time, and transportation fuel economy. Its feasibility and reliability are validated by scenarios that simulate different operating conditions, like shift change to utilize off-peak rate and change of packaging materials. The proposed framework allows facility operators and policymakers to pinpoint bottlenecks and seize opportunities for environmental impact and cost reduction.

Development of a voxel-based CAD system for upstream life cycle design and its application to LCA

The comprehensive design of product life cycles is a promising approach to realizing circular manufacturing systems. However, design support systems that can be used for the life cycle design during upstream stages have not been established. The purpose of this study is to develop an easy-to-use CAD system for the early stages of product life cycle design. The system supports creating a product model in voxel format and a life cycle process model as a process network in an integrated manner. The voxel models make it easy to create the rough shape of products and quantify the mass of each component for LCA. An LCD monitor's life cycle was designed using the proposed CAD tool. Fourteen design candidates were created and LCA was performed to compare the designs from the perspective of life cycle environmental impact. Through the case study, we confirmed that the tool is a practical system that can quantitatively examine what design improvements contributed to the reduction of environmental impact at an early design stage before creating detailed 3D-CAD models.

The MED_EAT-IT approach: A modelling study to develop feasible, sustainable and nutritionally targeted dietary patterns based on the Planetary health diet

In 2019, the EAT-Lancet Commission introduced the Planetary Health Diet (PHD), a guide for creating 2500 kcal/day country-specific sustainable diets that promote health while reducing the environmental impact associated with food systems. The PHD was previously adapted to the Italian food context, resulting in the EAT-IT dietary pattern. However, this adaptation revealed several challenges in terms of nutritional adequacy, feasibility, and environmental impact. This study reports on strategies to improve the previous pattern and align it more closely with the Mediterranean Diet, resulting in the MED_EAT-IT pattern. The study also explores feasible strategies for adapting this pattern to different energy targets, enhancing its scalability and promoting personalized approaches. For the optimization of this pattern, a specific calculation tool was developed to introduce variation to the pattern, considering realistic and feasible serving sizes and frequency of consumption. This tool integrates a defined food ontology, food composition data, and two environmental impact metrics (Carbon and Water Footprint). To optimize nutritional adequacy, several adaptations of the amount within the different food groups were made, for instance by increasing cereals and animal source by 25.5% kcal/day and 36.2% kcal/day respectively compared to EAT-IT. The resulting 2500 kcal/die pattern meets all nutritional requirements except for vitamin D and does not hamper the possibility to limit environmental impact (Carbon Footprint increased only by 12.2% but Water Footprint decreased by 6.3%). Lower energy targets were achieved by modulating amounts of the different food groups to ensure nutritional adequacy. The strategies and tools proposed here could aid in optimizing dietary plans, evaluating their potential for environmental impact reduction, and identifying issues that could hinder their adoption. Furthermore, the analyses carried out pave the way for the potential future development of new or improved foods that may contribute to the optimization of nutritional and environmental impact of diets.

Optimizing Segregated Waste Collection Routes as a Decision-Making Problem in the Municipal Solid Waste Management System in Small Town

Routing vehicles is a generic decision-making problem of strategic management in any business serving customers in distributed locations with a limited fleet including municipal solid waste collection. This paper introduces an approach tailored for optimizing waste collection routes in small towns and rural areas where dead-end streets are typical in the road network. Leveraging the Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP), the approach employs optimal route determination taking advantage of the specific character of a road network with many dead-end streets. The service area for waste collection was aggregated, so the graph representing the map results in a relatively small data instance. This facilitated the application of the exact method, i.e. Mixed-Integer Programming using the OpenSolver tool in Excel. Conducted in collaboration with a municipal agency in southeastern Poland, this study outlines a comprehensive methodology, emphasizing the reduction of complex dead-end streets into singular nodes within the graph for effective route optimization. A comprehensive methodology is outlined alongside the solutions attained. Computational experiments focused on minimizing total travel distance during waste collection operations, demonstrating the methodology's success. Beyond efficiency gains, optimized routes hold potential for significant environmental impact reduction. The reduced travel distances result in decreased fuel consumption and emissions, aligning with sustainability goals. Developing an Excel-based decision support tool for municipal solid waste management is a significant contribution, particularly for decision-makers less familiar with Operations Research. The tool's compatibility within the spreadsheet environment streamlines waste management processes for municipal units, enhancing decision-making efficiency in optimizing waste collection routes.

Synthesis of sewage sludge biochar in molten salt environment for advanced wastewater treatment: Performance enhancement, carbon footprint and environmental impact reduction

Sewage sludge (SS) pyrolysis to produce biochar is a vital approach for treating and utilizing SS, while reducing the carbon footprint of SS disposal. However, the high inorganic content in SS results in low carbon content and underdeveloped pore structure of biochar prepared under inert atmospheres. There is a significant risk of secondary pollutant emissions, including CO2, SO2, and NOx. In this study, we propose an innovative approach that utilizes excess molten salts, specifically a Li-Na-K molten carbonate (MC) and a Li-Na-K molten chloride (MCH), to create a medium-temperature liquid phase reaction environment (500 °C) for SS pyrolysis. This environment promotes the functional enhancement of biochar (SSB-MC and SSB-MCH) and in-situ absorption of secondary pollutants. The pore structure of SSB-MC and SSB-MCH are greatly optimized. Thanks to the dissolution of calcium-silicon-aluminum-based minerals by molten salt, the carbon content is also significantly increased. The increased specific surface area and surface-enriched functional groups (O, N, P, etc.) of SSB-MC result in greatly enhanced adsorption performance for Rhodamine B (27.9 to 89.1 mg g−1). SSB-MCH, due to the increased iron and phosphorus doping, also exhibits enhanced Fenton oxidation capability. Life cycle assessments demonstrate that the molten salt processes effectively reduce the carbon footprint, energy consumption, and environmental impact.

Microwave Drying of Catalyst Layers for Fuel Cells and Electrolysers

Due to an increasing demand for sustainable energy, the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is considered a key technology in energy conversion with hydrogen as an energy carrier. The performance characteristics of a PEMFC is significantly influenced by the morphology of the catalyst layer[1], which is formed predominantly during the drying step in the manufacturing process.In order to improve the performance of PEMFC and hence reducing production costs, research effort as well as industrial interest has focused on the drying process. Moreover, energy efficiency of the drying step in the production of thin-film catalyst layers is considered a key driver of cost perspective for the mass-market introduction of PEM fuel cells and electrolyzers due to increasing energy costs and the need for reduction of environmental impact.In the presented work, an innovative drying approach for thin-film catalyst layers, used in PEMFC and electrolyzer applications, is investigated. The thin-film is either coated on a substrate and transferred onto a polymer electrolyte membrane in a second process step or is directly coated onto the polymer electrolyte membrane by doctor blade coating. Drying is performed by coupling of microwave radiation into the wet film, leading to a homogeneous and energy-efficient heating of the coated film. Energy losses of the microwave drying process are significantly reduced compared to conventional convective drying. Additionally, the microwave induced drying step offers maximum control during the process.Dried thin-films, produced in the lab scale, are transferred to a polymer electrolyte membrane by a hot-pressing step and are completed with gas diffusion layers to membrane electrode assemblies (MEA). Electrochemical performance of the MEA is characterized on a fuel cell test bench in single cell configuration. The morphology of the structure obtained from microwave drying is analyzed and compared to CCM samples dried in a conventional convective oven.The effect of a microwave-based drying process is discussed with regard to fuel cell performance and structure-property relations of the electrodes.

IMPROVING MICROBIAL CONTROL IN PRODUCED WATER FROM OIL FIELDS: A 5-STEP APPROACH

Microbial control in oil fields can be considered a complex subject, since microbiome diversity and physical-chemical characteristics of produced water (PW) originate a unique profile in oil fields. Standard biocides are used as chemical treatment, but the toxicity and the high volumes can cause elevated environmental impacts. Treatment effectiveness and, consequently, reduction of environmental impact may be improved through an adequate planning. The present study examines the bacterial resistance mechanisms to biocides and suggests a 5-step approach for the treatment planning: 1) determination of objectives; 2) bioaudit; 3) selection of biocide(s) in laboratory; 4) selection of representative Key Performance Indicators (KPI); and 5) monitoring of the treatment. Finally, this article demonstrates an optimization of a biocide treatment using the 5-step approach. The results show a reduction of approximately 50% in the dosage of the biocide, as well as reduction in frequency of dosage.

Reduction of Environmental Noise Impact on Preterm Babies in NICU by Using Ear Plugs

Objective − To determine if using ear plugs reduce the impact of noise on preterm babies admitted to neonatal intensive care units in terms of changes in their vital parameters and their discomfort level, assessed using the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) score.Materials and Methods − This is an interventional study conducted in a tertiary level neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (Bangalore, India) over a period of 3 months, ranging from June 2022 to September 2022. This study included 20 preterm babies with different gestational ages and birth weights who were admitted to the NICU during that period. The babies’ response to noise, in terms of changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and discomfort level, were assessed with ear plugs and without ear plugs on alternate days and the results were recorded. Descriptive statistics were used for statistical analysis. Results − On days 1 and 3, mean heart rate and systolic blood pressure were lower in babies wearing ear plugs (141.55±2.42 SD and 60.1±11.58, respectively) than in the same babies without ear plugs (157.55±2.52 SD and 61.85±1.6 SD, respectively) on days 2 and 4. The mean oxygen saturation was higher in babies wearing ear plugs (96.7%±0.80 SD) than in the same babies without the intervention (93.75%±1.29 SD). The mean NIPS score was lower with the intervention (2.05±0.22) than without ear plugs (5.05±0.22 SD).Conclusion – Ear plugs were an effective alternative in situations where noise in the NICU cannot be consistently maintained at a lower level than the standard recommendation by the AAP of 45 decibels.

Innovative approaches for deep decarbonization of data centers and building space heating networks: Modeling and comparison of novel waste heat recovery systems for liquid cooling systems

The data usage surge drives greater data center demand, amplifying global CO2 emissions. Mitigating climate change necessitates reducing data center CO2 emissions. Reusing waste heat from data centers offers a potential energy efficiency boost and environmental impact reduction. This study utilizes liquid cooling technology to raise waste heat temperature for building space heating and introduces the concept of ‘data furnaces,’ where data centers directly supply waste heat to heat buildings on-site, reducing district heating consumption and lowering CO2 emissions. Efficiently designing a heat recovery heat exchanger system that accounts for both heat rejection and cooling sides of a liquid cooling system is crucial for achieving complete heat recovery without using heat pump, a commonly overlooked aspect in existing literature. To address this issue, we propose two heat exchanger schemes: connecting the building space heating network to the secondary side (Scheme 1) and the primary side (Scheme 2) of the cooling distribution unit. Implementing these innovations leads to the elimination of dependence on a heat pump, substantially cutting energy and CO2 emissions. Using TRNSYS software, we develop, model, and compare waste heat recovery schemes to curb district heating consumption and CO2 emissions. To demonstrate broad implications of the proposed approaches for energy efficiency and sustainability in the data centers and building space heating networks, a showcase study examines constant 25 kW waste heat from a direct-to-chip liquid-cooled rack in an office building with 285.7 MWh annual space heating demand. A novel waste heat recovery rate relationship graph is created to assist system design, uncovering an unexpected result in Scheme 2: waste heat recovery decreases as outdoor temperature falls. In contrast, Scheme 1 maintains a stable waste heat recovery rate around 25 kW, regardless of outdoor temperature fluctuations. As a result, Scheme 1 reuses 155.2 MWh of waste heat annually compared to 138 MWh for Scheme 2. Schemes 1 and 2 yield annual electricity savings of 2290.5 kWh and 905.2 kWh, respectively, for the cooling system. Both schemes achieve profitability within a year through a 25-year life cycle analysis (LCC) and substantially reduce CO2 emissions, with Scheme 1 saving 291,996 kgCO2 and Scheme 2 saving 258,192 kgCO2. The study addresses critical gaps in existing literature by emphasizes LCC. The proposed heat exchanger designs represent pioneering solutions for optimizing waste heat recovery, particularly in challenging climates. New findings offer substantial benefits to both liquid-cooled and air-cooled facilities, making significant contributions to achieve carbon neutrality in data center operations.

Stakeholder insights into embedding marine net gain for offshore wind farm planning and delivery

The rapid expansion of offshore wind farms plays a key role in meeting global Net Zero targets by 2050 and if delivered sustainably could address the dual challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. Many countries are embracing ambitious approaches to environmental impact reduction by implementing concepts such as Biodiversity Net Gain, Nature Positive and No Net Loss. Such policies are now recognized in European and UK legislation, although generally only applicable to terrestrial activities. For the marine realm, there is little consensus on how Marine Net Gain can provide optimal environmental and societal outcomes from marine activities such as offshore wind farm construction, operation and decommissioning. This study sought to clarify the key issues that need to be addressed for effective implementation of Marine Net Gain. Following recruitment through a stakeholder mapping exercise, in-workshop and follow-up questionnaires sought to elicit expert opinions from multi-sector UK offshore wind farm stakeholders on a range of aspects of Marine Net Gain policy formulation and delivery. Over 80 % of participants indicated that certain external inputs, including information for climate change adaptation options and habitat mapping data, were important to enable delivery of Marine Net Gain. The most important ecosystem services to include within Net Gain measures were perceived as those relating to fisheries (mean 4.50, SD 0.51), maintaining nursery habitats (mean 4.41, SD 0.59), and climate regulation (mean 4.20, SD 1.). Stakeholders felt the most important Net Gain actions for environmental restoration/enhancement for future offshore wind deployment were shellfish/mussel bed (ave rank score 4.06) and invertebrate habitat restoration (ave rank score 4.60), and actions supporting plankton communities (ave rank score 4.67). Stakeholders agreed (83 %) that Net Gain actions should be considered at the decommissioning stage, and the preferred decommissioning option was the complete removal or abandonment of all structures. Stakeholders felt that strategic Net Gain assessments should prioritize fishing pressures (dredging: mean 4.27, SD 1.03; line and net: mean 4.21, SD 0.89) and those arising from physical structures (mean 4.0, SD 0.85). Aquaculture farming was deemed most feasible to co-exist with fixed offshore wind farms (means 3.93–4.19), while floating wind farms were felt to be more co-locatable with fishing practices (means 3.94–4.06) and carbon capture storage devices (mean 3.87) compared to fixed structures. Recommendations are suggested for future policy development and scientific research in relation to the application of Marine Net Gain assessment for offshore wind farm projects.

The contribution of European citizen‐led energy initiatives to sustainable development goals

AbstractEnergy communities (ECs) are emerging as vital contributors to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, despite being unnoticed. This article is the first to comprehensively discuss and quantify European citizen‐led energy initiatives' contributions to SDGs 7 (ensure access to affordable and clean energy), 9 (fostering industry, innovation, and infrastructure), and 11 (promote sustainable cities and communities). With SDG7 at their core, these initiatives prioritize sustainable energy systems, aligning with environmental impact reduction, resource efficiency, and social resilience goals. They contribute to SDG9 in energy and ICT sectors through job creation and social and technological innovation. Promoting SDG11 via inclusive engagement, they reinforce democratic principles and preserve cultural heritage. They can leverage their expertise with policy support to aid SDG implementation and serve as a global exemplar, extending impact to SDGs 12 and 17. Our analysis underscores a disconnect between European support for ECs and broader sustainability agendas, hampering effective impact.

Assessing the Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Safeguarding the Environment through the Application of the MOORA Method

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plays a vital role in bolstering endeavors aimed at safeguarding the environment, and the MOORA method offers a structured approach. ICT involves the use of digital tools and technologies to manage and transmit information, enabling real-time data collection, analysis, and communication. In environmental protection, ICT aids in various ways, such as monitoring air and water quality, tracking wildlife patterns, and managing waste disposal. The MOORA method is a decision-making technique that helps prioritize alternatives based on multiple conflicting criteria. In the context of environmental protection, the MOORA method assists in selecting the most effective ICT solutions. It evaluates various ICT options by considering multiple objectives, such as efficiency, cost-effectiveness, ecological impact, and scalability. MOORA computes ratios to compare alternatives against each criterion, enabling a comprehensive assessment. By assigning weights to the criteria, stakeholders can emphasize specific factors according to their importance. For instance, when choosing between different ICT systems for waste management, the MOORA method can quantify the ecological benefits of reduced emissions, energy savings, and waste reduction against factors like implementation costs and technological feasibility. This systematic evaluation ensures that the chosen ICT solution aligns with the overall goal of environmental protection while considering practical constraints. ICT leverages advanced technologies to bolster environmental protection, and the MOORA method provides a structured approach to assess and prioritize ICT solutions. This combined approach facilitates informed decision-making, leading to the adoption of efficient and sustainable technologies that contribute to a healthier planet. The Smart Grid System (A1), E-waste Recycling Program (A2), Air Quality Monitoring Network (A3), Water Pollution Detection Sensors (A4), Green Supply Chain Management Software (A5), and Virtual Environmental Education Platform (A6) are employed as alternative solutions. These alternatives are assessed based on their ability to achieve Reduction in Environmental Impact (C1), Enhancement of Efficiency (C2), Cost Efficiency (C3), and User-Friendliness (C4).The environmental production of E-waste Recycling Program is got first rank and Smart Grid System is got lowest rank.

The Prioritization of Sustainability Features of Buildings from the Viewpoint of Experts

The reduction of environmental impact in buildings and the enhancement of environmental performance in the built environment are the key objectives of sustainable development. To achieve this, the adoption of green buildings requires a comprehensive construction approach that focuses on delivering environmentally friendly solutions throughout the entire construction process. This research aims to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and the practical realities of construction in Iran. It proposes essential criteria and assigns weights to them for creating green buildings based on the opinions of experts from different backgrounds. To understand how buildings are influenced by the environment, society and economics, relevant factors were identified using library research. Web-based surveys involving experts, including architects, engineers, and environmental specialists, were conducted to gather insights into these criteria. A total of 14 criteria were accepted and categorized into economic, environmental, and social dimensions. The Analytic Network Process (ANP) methodology was employed to assess the opinions of 45 expert participants, as provided in the questionnaire. The findings indicate that, among sustainability features, the environmental factor holds the highest significance in Iran, while the social factor is considered the least important. Looking at the sub-criteria, reducing water consumption, financial incentives, and achieving energy efficiency at a reasonable cost are given the highest priority within the environmental, economic, and social aspects of green buildings.

Utilization of all components of waste concrete: Recycled aggregate strengthening, recycled fine powder activity, composite recycled concrete and life cycle assessment

Waste concrete can be crushed to produce a large amount of recycled aggregate(RA) and recycled fine powder(RFP). Different recycled components have different characteristics. RA should focus on its pretreatment method, while RFP should focus on its morphology and volcanic ash activity. This study investigated the effects of two single and composite strengthening methods in RA, mechanical vibration and acid solution immersion. The results showed that the composite strengthening method was more effective in improving the properties of RA, which resulted in an increase in apparent density and bulk density by 5.59 % and 12.55 %, respectively, and a decrease in crush value and water absorption by 26.05 % and 15.52 %, respectively. Three methods were used to analyze the volcanic ash activity of RFP with different particle sizes, and the RFP with a particle size of 23.08 μm has a high volcanic ash activity, which can effectively play its role of filling and volcanic ash activity in recycled concrete. Based on the preferred pre-treated RA and RFP, the effect of RA and RFP on the macroscopic and microscopic properties of recycled concrete under different mixing amounts was studied, and the results showed that the compressive strength of 20 % RA single mixing could reach 40.17 MPa, and that the compressive strength of 20 % RFP single mixing could reach 38.6 MPa, and both of them had no significant effect on the frost resistance. Further, 20 % RA and 20 % RFP were compounded to prepare recycled concrete, and the results showed that the compressive strength of RA-RFP was slightly improved to 40.12 MPa, and the mechanism of its action was explained by microscopic analysis. Finally, the environmental impact and carbon emission reduction of the life cycle of RA and RFP were evaluated, and the results showed that the utilization of recycled materials can play an effective environmental benefit.