Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Victor Rezende Moreira, Yuri Abner Rocha Lebron, Lucilaine Valeria de Souza Santos, Miriam Cristina Santos Amaral
Summary: This study investigates the recycling of end-of-life reverse osmosis (EoL-RO) household modules as an alternative for groundwater treatment at the point-of-use (POU) in decentralized systems. The recycled membranes show lower energy requirements compared to EoL-RO and effectively treat water with low fouling propensity during long-term operation at the POU. The advantages of using recycled membranes extend to environmental aspects by preventing waste production and promoting cleaner production of technical processes.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Halidu Abu-Bakar, Leon Williams, Stephen H. Hallett
Summary: This study uses Machine Learning to analyze data on household water consumption patterns and identifies four distinct clusters based on temporal consumption patterns. The findings highlight the significant differences in consumption patterns among households and emphasize the importance of accurately characterizing these patterns for improving demand forecasting and implementing targeted intervention measures.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hassaan Furqan Khan, Muhammad Ali Arif, Sara Intikhab, Syed Ali Arshad
Summary: Water system investments in South Asia's megacities are often driven by a perceived shortage of water supply compared to demand. However, water demand estimates for these cities often fail to consider local socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and seasonal variability. This study in Karachi's low-income, water-scarce township of Lyari uses a mixed-methods approach to quantify household water use and its determinants, and assesses the seasonality of piped water access. Results from over 600 household surveys show that reported per capita water usage is lower than assumed demand, and varies by gender, season, and economic status. Affluent households are able to purchase water security and maintain higher use even in extreme scarcity. Perceived sufficiency of water supply improves in winter without an increase in supply, indicating reduced demand. These findings can improve water demand projections and emphasize the importance of considering local socioeconomic and environmental contexts.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Pablo J. Moya-Fernandez, Samara Lopez-Ruiz, Jorge Guardiola, Francisco Gonzalez-Gomez
Summary: This study analyzed the acceptance of recycled water for different domestic uses and its determinants. The main findings indicate that the 'yuck factor' and perceived risk are the main determinants of low acceptance for drinking water, while environmental awareness is a key factor for other uses. Authorities should consider these factors when promoting the use of recycled water.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
(2021)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Azar Niknam, Hasan Khademi Zare, Hassan Hosseininasab, Ali Mostafaeipour, Manuel Herrera
Summary: The challenge for city authorities in managing growing cities is exacerbated by the increasing exposure to climate change effects. This paper provides a timely review of predictive methods for short-term water demand, offering a comprehensive guideline for selecting forecasting methods. It also emphasizes the importance of sustainable management objectives in the era of technological developments.
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Anna Di Mauro, Salvatore Venticinque, Giovanni Francesco Santonastaso, Armando Di Nardo
Summary: Globalization, climate changes, innovative technologies and new human habits have increased attention to water conservation and management. Behavioural studies are key to understanding water usage in residential environments. WEUSEDTO, an open water end use consumption dataset and data analytics tools, aims to assist researchers, water utilities, and companies in testing models and algorithms using real water consumption data.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Valentina Tomat, Alfonso P. Ramallo-Gonzalez, Antonio Skarmeta-Gomez, Giannis Georgopoulos, Panagiotis Papadopoulos
Summary: Ahead of the energy crisis, several countermeasures to reduce energy demand require changes in users' energy patterns. Demand response (DR) programs have shown that users' behaviors can significantly impact their effectiveness due to a lack of knowledge, acceptance, and participation. This research aims to identify the key factors influencing the acceptance of energy flexibility strategies by studying specific topics like smart home technologies, habits and patterns of energy use, and DR programs. The findings show that users' demographics and backgrounds should be considered in designing new strategies, as differences in acceptance among groups have been found.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sean F. F. Ellis, Diya Ganguly, Maik Kecinski, Kent D. D. Messer
Summary: Using recycled water for irrigation can help alleviate water scarcity and security issues. This study investigates consumers' willingness-to-pay for different sources of recycled water and finds that certain sources are considered more acceptable for irrigating produce. The study also examines the impact of scientific information on consumers' behavior and finds no significant changes.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ana Galvao, David Martins, Andreia Rodrigues, Maria Manso, Joana Ferreira, Cristina Matos Silva
Summary: The continuous growth of urban areas has led to an increase in water consumption and larger volumes of urban and domestic wastewater. This study explores the use of a green wall for greywater treatment, aiming at water reuse and contributing to circular economy. The results show that the green wall system using recycled materials as filling media performs well in removing pollutants.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Abdulaziz I. Almulhim, Yusuf A. Aina
Summary: This study assesses the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on water consumption patterns in the Dammam Metropolitan Area, Saudi Arabia through a survey and interviews. The results show an increase in water consumption, and respondents emphasize the need for integrating water policies with disaster management actions. This study contributes to the understanding of water management awareness in crisis situations.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
M. J. Ritchie, J. A. A. Engelbrecht, M. J. Booysen
Summary: Water heating contributes up to 40% of a household's total electricity usage, putting a burden on the electricity grid. Factors affecting electricity draw include physical properties, environmental conditions, and hot water usage profiles. A probabilistic data-driven model for individualized hot water profiles was proposed, showing matching statistical properties with measured data.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Katharina Huntenburg, Daniel Pflugfelder, Robert Koller, Ian Charles Dodd, Dagmar van Dusschoten
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of soil drying on potato tuber water fluxes and volume growth. The results showed that potato tubers increased in volume and water content overnight, and lost water to the shoot during the daytime when the plant transpired. Re-watering restored tuber volume growth and water content, indicating the importance of considering these factors in irrigation management.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Mostafa Mardani Najafabadi, Abbas Mirzaei, Hassan Azarm, Siamak Nikmehr
Summary: In this study, an efficient framework for managing water supply and demand was proposed and applied to the southern Karkheh basin in Iran's Khuzestan province. The results demonstrated that the framework can reduce irrigation water consumption and improve economic productivity in the basin.
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Karla Oliveira-Esquerre, Mariza Mello, Gabriella Botelho, Zikang Deng, Farinaz Koushanfar, Asher Kiperstok
Summary: Converting massive water flow data into smart information based on water end uses presents challenges, especially in low-income regions with high data variability due to hydraulic devices. Commercial software is commonly used to classify water end use events, but improper preprocessing can lead to incorrect conclusions.
EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Tingting Zhang, Ali Guna, Wenmeng Yu, Dajun Shen
Summary: Recycled water has been promoted in China for dealing with water pollution and supply issues, but its utilization has not met expectations. This study analyzes the utilization status and influencing factors of recycled water in 114 Chinese cities and provides solutions based on the city groups identified.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jayden Hyman, Rodney A. Stewart, Oz Sahin
Summary: The increasing demand for metals in clean energy technologies, particularly for electric vehicles, has led to a growing interest in deep-seabed mining (DSM) of polymetallic nodule deposits. However, there are major uncertainties surrounding the environmental risks of seabed mineral extraction that need to be systematically addressed in order to establish effective mitigation measures. Adaptive management is proposed as a solution to reduce uncertainty and guide the environmental management of deep-sea mineral extraction.
INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Xinchen Wang, Hong Zhang, Edoardo Bertone, Rodney A. Stewart, Sara P. Hughes
Summary: A coupled data-driven and 3D process-based fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM) prediction model was developed for a shallow, subtropical Australian reservoir. The model assessed the impact of reservoir water volume, inflow, and wind conditions on fDOM transport dynamics during cyclonic weather events. The analysis showed that inflow plumes were the main sources of fDOM during heavy rainfall, the concentration of fDOM near the dam wall was related to rainfall intensity, higher reservoir volumes reduced the rate of increase and peak of fDOM concentration during rainfall events, and fDOM transport to the dam wall was strongly influenced by the prevailing wind direction. A naive BN developed for fDOM assessment showed sensitivity to rainfall-related characteristics and lag time between rainfall event and fDOM peak at the dam wall. The hybrid modelling approach provided new information on 3D fDOM transport in reservoirs during extreme weather events and an easy-to-interpret, instantaneous modelling output for treatment operators.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Emiliya Suprun, Sherif Mostafa, Rodney A. Stewart, Harold Villamor, Katrin Sturm, Alex Mijares
Summary: Building information modelling (BIM) has been widely adopted in utility-based organisations worldwide, providing significant cost and time savings as well as improved performance and asset management during the operations and maintenance phase. However, the accuracy of asset information stored in management systems is often compromised. The advancement of 3D laser scanning technology has made it possible to capture accurate as-is conditions of existing buildings, leading to a shift towards using as-constructed BIM models. This paper explores the cost and benefit elements of the scan-to-BIM process through a case study at a water treatment plant in Australia, and investigates the impact of different levels of detail and information on BIM applications.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Mohammad Alipour, Firouzeh Taghikhah, Elnaz Irannezhad, Rodney A. Stewart, Oz Sahin
Summary: This study explores the relationship between the acceptance of residential rooftop solar PV systems and the adoption of home battery energy storage systems. It finds that the past behavior of PV systems can influence the decision to adopt battery systems, leading to attitudinal changes such as regret or despair. The study also suggests that perceived attitudes towards financial and nonfinancial benefits play a key role in attitude change. Failure to recognize these dynamics may lead to late adoption or rejection of battery systems.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Glauber Cardoso de Oliveira, Edoardo Bertone, Rodney A. Stewart
Summary: This invited review paper presents the state-of-the-art applications in energy-water system optimization and discusses the potential benefits for facility custodians in urban precincts. The paper explores optimization modeling frameworks for integrated precinct-scale energy-water system planning and identifies underlying optimization methods for cost-effectiveness and system reliability. The paper also discusses the challenges in formulating an optimization problem that reveals synergies between energy and water and proposes classical and heuristic techniques for solving complex optimization problems. Additionally, the paper addresses the uncertainties in energy-water demand/supply and suggests parameterizing random perturbation sets to realistically characterize these uncertainties. The paper highlights the importance of adopting robust approaches for extreme load/cost volatility situations and suggests physics-informed data-driven optimization modeling as a promising approach.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Soheil Roumi, Fan Zhang, Rodney A. Stewart
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive review of two decades of research advancement in the field of indoor environmental quality modelling and indexing (IEQMI) through bibliometric analysis. The study identifies the influential researchers, institutions, countries, and journals in the IEQMI topic, investigates the hot topics in the field, and analyzes the thematic evolution of keywords. The results show an increasing number of published papers in the field and highlight the main research focuses on thermal comfort and energy efficiency, occupant satisfaction and comfort, IAQ and health issues, and methods and procedures. The study also reveals the thematic changes over time, with new topics such as occupant behavior and energy gaining attention in the third period.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Simone Heilgeist, Oz Sahin, Ryo Sekine, Rodney A. Stewart
Summary: This paper develops a multi-method approach for identifying and understanding the interdependencies between titanium dioxide particles and an aquatic environment such as a swimming pool. By utilizing a systems approach and systems thinking techniques, the authors visually depict the complex system and provide users with a basic understanding of swimming pool chemistry. This systems-level understanding helps to manage nano-TiO2 levels in an efficient manner.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mohammad Abbasi, Sherif Mostafa, Abel Silva Vieira, Nicholas Patorniti, Rodney A. Stewart
Summary: This paper critically reviews the latest works on mapping asbestos roofs and identifies challenges and possible solutions. The study finds that traditional pixel-based and object-based methods face challenges, while deep learning models show promise. Further research can explore improvements to existing methods or develop new deep learning models for better mapping results.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Soheil Roumi, Fan Zhang, Rodney A. Stewart, Mattheos Santamouris
Summary: Sustainable retrofit can improve building performance and lifespan. Existing retrofit guides overlook indoor environmental quality and occupant satisfaction while emphasizing energy efficiency. Prioritizing enhancements to critical IEQ parameters in retrofitting, without significantly increasing energy consumption, is essential for cost considerations.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hiua Daraei, Parth D. Intwala, Edoardo Bertone, John Awad, Rodney A. Stewart, Christopher W. K. Chow, Jinming Duan, John van Leeuwen
Summary: This study presents an enhanced electro-coagulation technique for removing natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) from surface drinking water sources. The study compares the efficiency of DOM removal by electro-coagulation with that by enhanced chemical coagulation. The results show that electro-coagulation is comparable to chemical coagulation in terms of DOM removal efficiency. The study also investigates the impact of process parameters and DOM characteristic variations.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Megan Belongeay, Gabriela Shirkey, Marina Monteiro Lunardi, Gonzalo Rodriguez-Garcia, Parikhit Sinha, Richard Corkish, Rodney A. Stewart, Annick Anctil, Jiquan Chen, Ilke Celik
Summary: Solar photovoltaics (PV) is a promising power-generation technology, and assessing its applications from a material-energy-water (MEW) nexus perspective is crucial. Through life cycle assessment, we found that energy flows dominated the MEW network, with minimal impacts from materials and water flows. The analysis highlighted the significance of material circularity, particularly the impact of glass layers and the positive effects of increased power-conversion efficiency and recycled feedstock on circularity rates.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Shabnam Hosseinzadeh, Amir Etemad-Shahidi, Rodney A. Stewart
Summary: Growing energy demand worldwide has led to increased interest in offshore renewable energy exploitation. Combining wind and wave energy can result in stable power output at a lower cost. Identifying optimal locations for offshore renewable energy farms is crucial.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mia V. Hikuwai, Nicholas Patorniti, Abel S. Vieira, Georgia Frangioudakis Khatib, Rodney A. Stewart
Summary: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used to detect the presence of asbestos-containing material (ACM) in roofing using advanced algorithms and imagery. The study confirms that combining high-resolution aerial imagery with Mask R-CNN algorithm provides a reliable method for ACM detection, improving the implementation of management policies for ACM.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hiua Daraei, Bayram Akyol, Mahmoud Khedher, Edoardo Bertone, John Awad, Rodney A. Stewart, Christopher W. K. Chow, Jinming Duan, John van Leeuwen
Summary: A continuous floc image analyser (C-FIA) was developed to track the dynamics of floc particle formation, growth and settling during drinking water treatment processes. The C-FIA collected video frames have the potential to provide direct information on floc size and concentration.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Management
Emiliya Suprun, Oz Sahin, Rodney Anthony Stewart, Kriengsak Panuwatwanich
Summary: This study examined different scenarios and policy interventions for the construction innovation system in Russia, and provided policy recommendations for enhancing innovativeness in the industry.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Arvin Sohrabi, Mousa Meratizaman, Shuli Liu
Summary: This paper simulates and discusses possible solutions to improve the economic and technical performances of a battery-less renewable energy-powered BWRO system under real climate conditions. The study finds that the photovoltaic-based system performs better in terms of specific energy consumption and unused energy ratio.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Chunlan Pan, Xiaoyin Hu, Vishal Goyal, Theyab R. Alsenani, Salem Alkhalaf, Tamim Alkhalifah, Fahad Alturise, Hamad Almujibah, H. Elhosiny Ali
Summary: This paper introduces a novel waste heat recovery method using the hot flue gas from a ship's engine to produce liquefied hydrogen while meeting the ship's air-conditioning requirement. A comprehensive feasibility assessment is conducted and an artificial neural network with a multiobjective grey wolf optimization method is used for optimization. The findings indicate the highest mean sensitivity index of the flash temperature and the best optimization scenario for exergy efficiency, CO2 emission reduction, and liquefied hydrogen cost.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Daniele Chinello, Jan Post, Louis C. P. M. de Smet
Summary: In this study, PVDF-based anion-exchange membranes were designed to selectively separate nitrate from chloride. Experimental data showed that increasing the concentration of PVDF enhanced nitrate transport but also increased the membrane electrical resistance. The selectivity of nitrate was found to be independent of the membrane thickness and mainly driven by the increased affinity between the anion and the membrane.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Umar Noor, Muhammad Fayyaz Farid, Ammara Sharif, Amna Saleem, Zubair Nabi, Muhammad Furqan Mughal, Kiran Abbas, Toheed Ahmed
Summary: Global water scarcity is increasing, and water desalination is an important solution. Multifunctional advanced materials, such as membrane materials and solar-driven desalination, play a crucial role in water desalination. Additionally, these materials can be used for water purification, wastewater treatment, and pollutant elimination.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Emrah Gumus
Summary: With growing global concerns about climate change and environmental impacts, the use of nuclear energy in naval vessels offers a cleaner and more efficient solution to reduce emissions and address water and energy supply challenges. This study explores a novel system that combines a nuclear-driven supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle with reverse osmosis cogeneration to meet the water and electricity demands in maritime operations, enhancing the sustainability, efficiency, and self-sufficiency of naval vessels. The results indicate that the system has the potential to be a viable and effective solution for naval operations.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dao Thi Thanh Huyen, Saikat Sinha Ray, Young -Nam Kwon
Summary: This study focuses on the modification of a commercially available polyamide thin-film composite membrane with a zwitterionic material to enhance its fouling resistance. The modified membrane shows improved salt rejection and reduced permeability compared to the pristine membrane. Fouling tests demonstrate that the modified membrane has a lower fouling ratio and higher recovery ratio. The enhanced antifouling characteristics are attributed to the improved hydrophilicity resulting from the zwitterionic brushes and the salting-in effect.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Niklas Koeller, Lukas Mankertz, Selina Finger, Christian J. Linnartz, Matthias Wessling
Summary: This study presents a methodology to scale up Flow-electrode Capacitive Deionization (FCDI) technology from lab-scale to pilot-scale systems. By increasing membrane area and using a stacking approach, the FCDI modules were successfully scaled up and achieved a salt transfer rate comparable to lab-scale systems. This provides a foundation for future assessments of energy demand and economics.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mona Gulied, Sifani Zavahir, Tasneem Elmakki, Hyunwoong Park, Guillermo Hijos Gago, Ho Kyong Shon, Dong Suk Han
Summary: This study introduces a novel hybrid system that combines direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and electrically switched ion exchange (ESIX) to facilitate seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) brine enrichment and selective lithium recovery.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhiqiang Zhang, Ruifeng Deng, Jiao Zhang, Lu She, Guangfeng Wei, Renyong Jia, Pengyu Xiang, Siqing Xia
Summary: A transmembrane electro-chemisorption system with authigenic acid and base was developed for enhancing ammonia recovery from strong ammonia wastewater. The system efficiently transformed ammonium into free ammonia, which was then adsorbed and recovered through transmembrane chemisorption. This system yielded pure (NH4)2SO4 product and produced valuable byproducts of pure hydrogen and oxygen. Higher applied voltage resulted in better ammonia recovery.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Alena Popova, Sandrine Boivin, Takuji Shintani, Takahiro Fujioka
Summary: This study aimed to produce a high-integrity RO membrane by forming a polyamide skin layer on a TE support layer, in order to enhance the integrity of the membrane and improve the microbiological safety of potable water reuse.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Sanjana Yagnambhatt, Saber Khanmohammadi, Jonathan Maisonneuve
Summary: This study investigates the concept of using heat to enhance reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. The effect of temperature on water permeate flux, specific energy, permeate quality, and applied operating pressures is evaluated using an analytical model. The results suggest that under specific conditions, the tradeoff between savings in mechanical pump work and thermal energy input in thermally-enhanced RO can be favorable, leading to overall energy savings.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jiangju Si, Chenrui Xue, Shun Li, Linchao Yang, Weiwei Li, Jie Yang, Jihong Lan, Ningbo Sun
Summary: To meet the huge demand for lithium resources, there is an urgent need to develop a new efficient technology for lithium recovery from salt-lake brines. In this study, a selective membrane capacitive deionization system is reported, which achieves high lithium recovery capacity and rate through the use of materials with efficient intercalated pseudo-capacitance and a high specific area porous carbon. The use of a modified thin-coated membrane allows for selective Li+ recovery, and adjusting the concentrations of Li+ and Mg2+ in the feed solution enables higher Li+/Mg2+ selectivity.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mohamed R. Salem, R. Y. Sakr, Ghazy M. R. Assassa, Omar A. Aly
Summary: This research proposes a new method of using wasted thermal energies as an additional heating source for solar still distillation units (SSDUs) to increase productivity and reduce pollution and global warming. By testing two SSDUs, the study shows that heating airflow can raise temperatures, enhance freshwater production, and improve system thermal efficiency.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Qimeng Sun, Miao Sun, Linyan Yang, Yuan Gao, Xinghai Zhou, Lihua Lyu, Chunyan Wei
Summary: This study presents an innovative design and fabrication of a fabric-based conical roll (FCR) evaporator, which enables low-temperature evaporation and achieves high evaporation efficiency with excellent thermal management ability. The evaporator has demonstrated advanced light-harvesting capability and can produce freshwater that meets drinking water standards, showing great potential for applications in desalination and sewage treatment.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yidong Zhang, Wangfang Deng, Meiyan Wu, Chao Liu, Guang Yu, Qiu Cui, Pedram Fatehi, Chunlin Xu, Bin Li
Summary: In this study, a novel polydopamine-functionalized lignin-containing pulp foam evaporator with high-efficiency desalination and multi-contaminant adsorption capabilities was designed. The foam evaporator showed excellent light absorption, water absorption, thermal conductivity, and chelation abilities, allowing for solar evaporation and contaminant adsorption synergistically. It also exhibited potential applications in metal ion concentration and contaminated seawater treatments, and demonstrated superior biodegradability compared to poly-styrene foam. This foam material holds promise for developing multifunctional photo-thermal systems for solar-driven water purification.
