Spanish Regulations Research Articles

Using water scarcity footprint to choose the most suitable location for forest carbon sinks: A case study

The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is an urgent and internationally shared target. One of the existing measures to do so is carbon offsetting through afforestation. However, when designing afforestation projects meant to act as carbon sinks, the remaining environmental issues are usually overlooked, with the potential risk of shifting environmental burdens. This study uses the water scarcity footprint as an indicator to choose the most adequate location for afforestation.To do so, a particular case study aimed at offsetting the carbon emissions of a canning company has been chosen. This multinational company has two main locations: Galicia (NW Spain), and La Unión (El Salvador). First, the annual carbon and water footprints of the production of the company’s flagship product (a pack of 3 tuna cans) have been calculated. The carbon footprint has been calculated following the corresponding ISO 14067 and PAS 2050 recommendations. Then, an afforestation project aimed at offsetting those carbon emissions has been designed following the corresponding Spanish regulations, and its prospective water scarcity impacts have been calculated. Two potential locations for the afforestation measure (next to the two company facilities in Galicia and La Unión) were assessed regarding green water scarcity impacts, in order to choose the more sustainable location. If the afforestation project were located in El Salvador, its water scarcity footprint would be 30% higher than in Galicia, and thus Galicia has been chosen as the location for this offsetting action.A sensitivity analysis has been carried out to evaluate how the use of different evapotranspiration values would affect the results, and the choice of the methodological approach used has been justified. Still, the approach used in this study has some limitations which have also been discussed, and ideas for its further improvement in subsequent studies have been presented.The relevance of following a holistic approach when designing carbon offsetting projects has been stated. If an afforestation project was planned focusing only on its carbon absorption rate, it may result in a burden shift to other impact areas (such as the water scarcity considered here). Thus, by linking indicators, we make sure that the carbon footprint reduction achieved does not imply an unsustainable contribution to water scarcity.

Universal Health Coverage for Undocumented Migrants. The Spanish Case

Implementation of the universal right to health, along with the UN’s goal to achieve universal health coverage (UHC), face common challenges to ensuring universal health care entitlement. One of these difficulties is health care restrictions for undocumented migrants. A recent example is the Spanish health care regulation that places universal coverage at risk by restricting access to it by this group. The work herein examines the right to health and UHC’s regulations with the aim of determining if access to health care services for undocumented migrants is indeed recognized and if this recognition could therefore be valid to limit those kinds of measures. The UHC proposal does not sufficiently deal with this problem. Regarding the right to health, even though there are some limitations within international human rights laws regarding protection for this group, it can be concluded that the right to health is also applicable to undocumented migrants.

Consumer Protection from Abuses in Commercial Communications sent via Radiofrequency

Purpose – The aim of this work is to analyze the commercial communications sent by radiofrequency on the bluetooth network.
 Methodology/approach/design – An analysis of Spanish and European regulations on commercial communications and data protection.
 Findings – Industry self-regulation can complement (in several aspects) the regulations applied to this field.
 Practical implications – The analysis in this article can be of considerable use to all actors who operate in this setting (society, and the public and private sectors).
 Originality/value – This investigation emphasises the usefulness of self-regulation in the industry (codes of conduct) regarding commercial communications sent by radiofrequency. These instruments constitute an improvement on the regulations, close certain loopholes and can be updated more quickly than the law, and this can enhance user and/or consumer protection.

Comparison of the performance of two different DOAS configurations involving conventional and renewable energies

Spanish building regulations have increased the ventilation rates creating humidity control problems. Dedicated outdoor air systems (DOASs) including a desiccant wheel can dry the ventilation air so that the cooling units are relieved of the latent loads carried by the ventilation air and those generated inside the building. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of two different DOAS configurations in terms of primary energy consumption under different Spanish climates. The DOAS comprising a desiccant wheel and a conventional refrigeration system was called DOAS-A. The DOAS comprising a desiccant wheel regenerated by solar air collectors and an indirect evaporative cooler was called DOAS-B. The performance of both DOASs was simulated with TRNSYS, and the models were validated with data from experimental setups built at the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (Spain) and at the Technical University of Cartagena (Spain). It was found that the DOAS-B configuration consumed less primary energy than the DOAS-A configuration for commercial use, that is, when the latent load coincides with the supply of solar radiation. These savings reached 68.3% in Seville owing to its high level of solar radiation. It was also found that the net sensible load supplied by the ventilation air to the conditioned space was negative for all climates. This sensible cooling capacity was shown to be greater at lower outdoor dry-bulb temperature and lower latent load.

Structural integrity assessment of the welded joints of the constitution of 1812 bridge (Cádiz, Spain)

Abstract As required by the current Spanish regulations, an inspection and maintenance plan has been completed for the Constitution of 1812 Bridge over the Bay of Cadiz (Spain), which defines the work to be performed on the different elements of the bridge during its service life. The part of the plan related to the inspection of the steel structure has a section dedicated to the inspection of the defects that may be present in the welded joints of the steel deck, providing critical defect sizes above which the safety of the structure would be compromised. With this purpose, in the most stressed points of the deck, the structural details that are most susceptible to fatigue and fracture phenomena have been identified. Moreover, fatigue tests of these details have been performed to complete a structural integrity assessment that also comprises the determination of the material fracture toughness and the definition of the corresponding critical crack sizes. The tests were carried out on specimens obtained with the same steel grades as those used in the bridge and with the same welding procedures as those practiced in the structure. The results show that the fatigue test results are above the S N curves provided by the Eurocode 3, and also that numerous critical crack sizes would not be detected by the usual inspection techniques used in bridges (visual inspection), so that further research into how to manage this issue is recommended.

Tackling the Relevance of Packaging in Life Cycle Assessment of Virgin Olive Oil and the Environmental Consequences of Regulation.

Production and consumption of olive oil is very important in Europe, being this product a basic element in the Mediterranean diet since long ago. The project objective is two-fold: a study of the contribution of virgin olive oils (VOOs) usual packaging to the whole life cycle of the product and a study of the environmental consequences of the Spanish Government regulation on VOO packaging. A life cycle assessment (LCA) according to ISO 14044 has been performed using the CML methodology for the impact assessment. The results show that the packaging influence varies from 2 to 300%, depending on the impact category and type of packaging (glass, tin or polyethylene terephtalate). Glass, which is related to higher quality perception by consumers, was found to be the most influencing material (due to its weight); however, this impact may be fairly reduced by applying ecodesign strategies (such as weight reduction and recycled-glass percentage increase). A new Spanish regulation on the mandatory use of non-refillable oilers in HORECA establishments (hotels, restaurants and caterings) aims to provide more quality assurance and better information to consumers; however, it was also found to mean a 74% increase in greenhouse gases emissions. This regulation was deeply discussed at European level and its application was withdraw due to consumers rejection, except for Spain. The findings of the present case study show that LCA and ecodesign should be important tools to be promoted and applied in policy making to reduce non-desirable consequences of regulation.

Methodology for the Study of the Envelope Airtightness of Residential Buildings in Spain: A Case Study

Air leakage and its impact on the energy performance of dwellings has been broadly studied in countries with cold climates in Europe, US, and Canada. However, there is a lack of knowledge in this field in Mediterranean countries. Current Spanish building regulations establish ventilation rates based on ideal airtight envelopes, causing problems of over-ventilation and substantial energy losses. The aim of this paper is to develop a methodology that allows the characterization of the envelope of the housing stock in Spain in order to adjust ventilation rates taking into consideration air leakage. A methodology that is easily applicable to other countries that consider studying the airtightness of the envelope and its energetic behaviour improvement is proposed. A statistical sampling method has been established to determine the dwellings to be tested, considering relevant variables concerning airtightness: climate zone, year of construction, and typology. The air leakage rate is determined using a standardized building pressurization technique according to European Standard EN 13829. A representative case study has been presented as an example of the implementation of the designed methodology and results are compared to preliminary values obtained from the database.

The influence on surface condensation risk of lower ventilation rates: the case of the proposal of indoor air quality requirement for the Spanish regulations

ABSTRACTAs a result of recent research at the Eduardo Torroja Institute for construction sciences, a new wording for the indoor air quality (IAQ) regulations for dwellings included in the Spanish Building Code has come into force with the main goal of adapting required ventilation rates to real needs to consequently achieve a reduction of energy demand with no negative impact on indoor air quality or on condensation risk. This paper summarises the research that was carried out to assess the variation in the surface condensation risk due to the reduction of the ventilation rates. A method to assess the influence of variations in ventilation on surface condensation risk was adapted. Results show how it should be possible to achieve target CO2 concentration values in addition to not significantly increase the risk of surface condensation.

The effect of entry restrictions on price: evidence from the retail gasoline market

I exploit a change in Spanish regulations to test the effect of the relaxation of entry restrictions on the equilibrium retail price of diesel. In February 2013, a Central Government reform permitted gasoline stations to operate in industrial and commercial areas. Over the following 2-year period, this deregulation led to a high number of new market entrants in these newly designated free entry areas. By isolating markets exposed to entry and markets unaffected by new entrants, and adopting a difference-in-difference approach, results show that gasoline stations exposed to a new market entrant within a one-mile radius lower their prices by an average 1.04%. This result is significant, representing almost one fifth of the average retail margin. Additionally, the results show that the reduction in the equilibrium price is caused by the first market entrant and that the effect decreases over time.

C. Portugal

The government Decree 16/2018 of 5 June approved the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer (Decision XXVIII/1 of the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties, adopted on 15 October 2016). The government Decree 19/2018 of 29 June approved the amendment to the text and annexes II to IX to the 1999 Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone (Gothenburg Protocol) and the addition of the new Annexes X and XI. During the past year, Portuguese and Spanish environmental non-governmental organizations repeatedly campaigned against the continued operation of Almaraz nuclear plant, located in Spain, less than one hundred kilometres from the international border. The plant was commissioned in 1973, and its cooling system has raised serious safety concerns. Since the open-circuit cooling system uses water from the Tagus River (an international aquifer), incidents could have transboundary consequences. Almaraz’s private operators are expected to ask the Spanish regulator for a renewal of the operation permit. An extended operation beyond 2020 would multiply revenue and postpone decommissioning costs.

Analysing the economic impact of the new renewable electricity support scheme on solar PV plants in Spain

A complex regulatory package implementing a new support scheme for renewable electricity was adopted in Spain in 2013 as a response to escalating support costs, which have mostly been related to solar PV promotion. A lot has been written about the retroactivity of the new Spanish regulation and its negative impact on investors’ confidence and future deployment. The aim of this paper is to analyze the implications of this regulation on the profitability of those plants in Spain. Using real data from a very common PV plant, the results show that the new support scheme has a considerable impact on the cash-flows of those plants. However, our simulations also show that the degree of reduction in the internal rates of return critically depends on different factors. Under some restrictive assumptions, the savings in support costs due to the new regulation are only around 7.6% if remuneration for investment is maintained after 2019, and around 57% if such support is removed after 2019.

Development of New Eco-Efficient Cement-Based Construction Materials and Recycled Fine Aggregates and EPS from CDW

Background:This research paper presents the results of the characterization and adaptation of the construction product developed by the Experimental Centre of Production of the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism of the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina (CEP FADU UBA) for Spanish regulations. Additionally, it shows the study of the industrialization of its manufacturing process in Spain. The product consists of a cement-based compound that includes recycled fine ceramic aggregates and EPS from rehabilitation works.Objectives:The aim of this research work is to propose a new eco-efficient construction product adapted to Spanish and European regulations in order to minimize the environmental impact of the construction activity, improve energy efficiency and reduce construction costs. Furthermore, it is presented as a solution to the problem that construction and demolition waste management represents.Method and Results:Samples have been tested to the water absorption and compression resistance tests according to UNE standards. These parameters serve to delimit its use in new sustainable constructive solutions for the design of zero energy consumption buildings (nZEB).Conclusion:Results show that it is possible to obtain certain samples that include recycled ceramic aggregates and EPS which present good response to the mechanical and water absorption tests. In addition, it is obtained that industrializing this product in Spain is complex due to the current waste management system.

Durability of reinforced PVC-P geomembranes installed in reservoirs in eastern Spain

The aim of this paper is to study the durability of polyvinyl chloride (PVC-P) geomembranes reinforced with a synthetic fabric in hydraulic works in the Spanish Mediterranean basin. Therefore, a set of six geomembranes installed in irrigation reservoirs for 18–31 years were analysed. The initial characteristics of the geomembranes were determined to verify fulfilment of the Spanish regulations in force at the time. The characteristics were then assessed, and the results were interpreted with reference to the loss of plasticisers, tensile characteristics, foldability at low temperatures, dynamic impact resistance, puncture resistance, seam strength, reflected optical microscopy (ROM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Additionally, the identification of the plasticisers in the geomembranes involved Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) tests. For the analysed samples, the loss of plasticisers was significant, ranging from 71.0% to 84.3%. However, the tensile strength results indicated current, regular waterproof working performances in the reservoirs. The results suggest that the durability of PVC-P geomembranes is a function of the loss of plasticisers and the state of the synthetic reinforced fibres.

The evolution of nutritional information and communication about food and beverages the last 50 years

Nutritional information directed to consumers has evolved in some key aspects such as nutritional parameters, qualitative characteristics of the product and the necessary requirements for their communication. To provide a general overview of legislative developments in nutrition communication in the last 50 years. Literature review of available literature and European and Spanish Regulations. The main changes have occurred on the two key regulations. Regulation 1924/2006 covering for the first times in Europe the characteristics that must be declared by foods and beverages to make certain nutritional claims and their commercial communications. Additionally, Regulation 432/2012 provides a positive list of health claims. On the other hand, Regulation 1169/2011 offers an updated view of the information provided to the consumer, the compulsory and voluntary aspects of it and its application in the labeling, presentation and advertising of food and beverage products. In addition, there are other regulations and initiatives, at the non-institutional level, to promote this communication with the consumer, such as GDAs or color schemes, based on the dietary reference intakes of different nutrients included in Regulation 1169/2011. Food legislation has tried to regulate the existing situation in the market by creating a harmonized framework to guarantee the consumer protection, offering nutritional information based in the scientific evidence and increasingly comprehensive and understandable.

Tax Treatment of JSCPs in Spain: Past, Present and Future

In this note, the authors review the debate regarding the exemption from Spanish corporate income tax for interest on net equity distributed by Brazilian subsidiaries, which has been ongoing since 2010. In addition, the authors discuss the potential treatment under new Spanish and international regulations.

El impacto de los movimientos sociales en la legislación sobre vivienda

Este estudio versa sobre el impacto jurídico de los movimientos sociales que demandan una intervención pública más intensa en el derecho a la vivienda. En efecto, el activismo social está resquebrajando el modelo de participación ciudadana en los procesos legislativos e incluso alterando sustancialmente el contenido y la finalidad de la legislación española sobre vivienda. Mi trabajo es, por tanto, una reflexión sobre las consecuencias de los movimientos sociales en los principios de calidad normativa y buena regulación en la vivienda.

LOW-ALTITUDE LONG-ENDURANCE SOLAR UNMANNED PLANE FOR FOREST FIRE PREVENTION: APPLICATION TO THE NATURAL PARK OF SERRA DO XURES (SPAIN)

Abstract. Unamnned aerial systems (UAS) show great potential in operations related to surveillance. These systems can be successfully applied to the prevention of forest fires, especially those caused by human intervention. The present works focuses on a study of the operational possibilities of the unmanned system “AtlantikSolar” developed by the ETH Zurich for the prevention of forest fires in the Spanish natural park of Serra do Xurés, an area of 20,920 ha with height variations between 300 m and 1,500 m. The operation evaluation of AtlantikSolar is based on the use of Flir Tau 2 LWIR camera as imaging payload which could detect illegal activities in the forest, such as bonfires, uncontrolled burning or pyromaniacs. Flight surveillance is planned for an altitude of 100 m to obey the legal limit of the Spanish UAS regulation. This altitude produces a swath width of 346.4 m and pixel resolution between 1.5 and 1.8 pixels/m. Operation is planned to adapt altitude to the change on the topography and obtain a constant ground resolution. Operational speed is selected to 52 km/h. The UAS trajectory is adapted to the limits of the natural park and the border between Spain and Portugal. Matlab code is developed for mission planning. The complete surveillance of the natural park requires a total time of 15.6 hours for a distance of 811.6 km.

Dynamic evaluation of the thermal inertia of a single-family house: Scope of the retrofitting requirements to comply with Spanish regulations

This paper presents a study of the thermal performance of a single-family house located in a coastal city in northern Spain that was built according to Spanish standards during the 1990s. The study estimates an annual energy demand of around 95kWh/m2 and a thermal power rating of the heating system of around 16kW. The potential energy savings that would be obtained by implementing different retrofitting measures frequently used nowadays are also quantified: installing a ventilation system with heat recovery, improving the insulation of opaque construction elements, replacing the existing windows with high-thermal performance windows, and reducing air infiltration rates. These integrated actions on the house would reduce the annual energy demand below the requirements of both the Technical Building Code (24.24kWh/m2year for this case of study), which is the regulation currently in force in Spain, and the well-known Passivhaus standard (15kWh/m2year), which is one of the most widespread building standards in Europe. Compliance with these requirements means that the annual energy demand and the size of the heating system would respectively be potentially reduced by 81% and 57% of the present values.

Eco-efficient acoustic and thermal conditioning using false ceiling plates made from plaster and wood waste

This paper aims at developing a new construction application from new composite materials based on gypsum and wood waste from demolition (such as wood shavings and sawdust). The study provides a physical and mechanical characterization of such composites and a new construction application that consists of plates for the construction of discontinuous false ceilings has been proposed. First, a theoretical study of the mechanical behaviour of the false ceiling plates was carried out using finite element analysis. Subsequently, real specimens were produced in the laboratory following an experimental process based on the data obtained from the theoretical study. The mechanical properties, the thermal conductivity and the sound absorption capacity of the new plates were studied. Finally, the new products were evaluated in a theoretical study of a commercial site in restoration in order to analyse the potential sound and thermal improvements. It was found that only the plates perforated with wood waste in the form of shavings or sawdust at 10 wt% and 20 wt% addition were sufficient to reach the minimum values of acoustic conditioning required by Spanish regulations. The potential thermal improvement gained by using the new false ceiling plates has been analysed. The greatest thermal improvement occurs when the plates with 20% of wood shavings were used.

Influence of architectural style on indoor radon concentration in a radon prone area: A case study

Indoor radon is a major health concern as it is a known carcinogenic. Nowadays there is a trend towards a greater energy conservation in buildings, which is reflected in an increasing number of regulations. But, can this trend increase the indoor radon concentration? In this paper, we selected a radon prone area in Spain and focused on single-family dwellings constructed in a variety of architectural styles. These styles ranged from 1729 up to 2014, with varying construction techniques (from local resources to almost universally standard building materials) and regulations in force (from none to the Spanish regulation in force). The 226Ra concentrations in soil and surface radon exhalation rates were rather similar in this area, mean values ranging 70–126Bq/kg and 49–100mBq/m2·s, respectively. Indoor radon concentration was generally greater than the contribution from soil exhalation (surface exhalation rates), especially in New dwellings (1980–2014). Its concentration in dwellings built in the Traditional style (1729–1940) was significantly lower than in the new houses. This can be consequence of the air tightness of the dwellings as a consequence of the different regulations in force. In the period covered by the Traditional style, there was no regulation in force, and dwelling had loose air tight. Whereas in recent times, there are mandatory regulations assuring a better air tightness of the buildings. Refurbishment of Traditional dwellings also seems to increase the indoor radon concentration, as they must also comply with the regulations in force.