Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Paul Suski, Melanie Speck, Christa Liedtke
Summary: Quantitative environmental assessments are important for achieving sustainable production and consumption patterns, with life cycle assessments being a viable means of measuring environmental impacts. However, there are methodological weaknesses in terms of user and consumption patterns, and the introduction of social practice theories can provide a new perspective for linking consumption patterns to LCA. This approach can help overcome the reductionist view of people as mere users of products and enable new interdisciplinary research methods on consumption.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hafiz Haq, Petri Valisuo, Seppo Niemi
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive model for the sustainable study of industrial symbiosis, quantifying the benefits of waste management cost savings and reduced environmental impact. Results show significant cost savings and environmental benefits through symbiotic relationships in the industrial sector.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Adelfio Luca, Giallanza Antonio, La Scalia Giada, La Fata Concetta Manuela, Micale Rosa
Summary: One of the key sectors for the green transition of European countries is the construction industry, which is being asked to evolve towards innovative ecological binders and green cost-effective processes. GeoPolymers (GP) are promising for replacing cementitious materials sustainably. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of different formulations of Geopolymer Concrete (GC) on an industrial scale showed lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to the traditional cement production process. The usage of innovative GC formulations could also reduce environmental impact by avoiding excessive extraction of sand and kaolin.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mahesh Gopal, Hirpa G. Lemu, Endalkachew Mosisa Gutema
Summary: The objective of this study is to review the literature on the environmental impact of additive manufacturing. This new manufacturing technology aims to create a pollution-free environment. The lack of universal guidelines on new design approaches, classification of manufacturing materials, and processes that address environmental concerns motivates this work. Additive manufacturing can result in considerable material and energy resource savings compared to traditional subtractive technologies, especially when appropriately designed. This study examines the state-of-the-art of additive manufacturing and compares its environmental impact to address environmental issues.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Marwa B. Hannouf, Alejandro Padilla-Rivera, Getachew Assefa, Ian Gates
Summary: This paper proposes a methodological framework for connecting life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By analyzing literature, the study identifies and assesses the linkages between LCSA categories and SDGs. The results show that technology development, public commitment to sustainability issues, access to material resources, and education provided in the local community have the highest number of reported relationships with SDGs. However, there are still some LCSA categories with no direct or indirect connection to SDGs, highlighting the need for further discussion on these gaps.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Salim Barbhuiya, Bibhuti Bhusan Das
Summary: This review paper provides a comprehensive analysis of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies applied to construction materials. It discusses the importance of LCA in the construction industry and provides an overview of LCA principles, phases, and key parameters specific to construction materials. The paper reviews LCA studies on various construction materials, explores recent advances in LCA for construction materials, and discusses challenges and future directions in LCA implementation for construction materials.
CASE STUDIES IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Pabitra Kumar Das, Mohammad Younus Bhat, Shambhu Sajith
Summary: This study examines the importance of evaluating the life cycle assessment (LCA) of electric vehicles (EVs) compared to traditional vehicles, and provides insights into the environmental impact and energy consumption of EVs. The findings show that EVs have significant environmental advantages, emitting much less CO2 and potentially reducing emissions through recycling and clean energy sources. However, challenges such as scarce rare earth materials need to be addressed.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Carlo Ingrao, Flavio Scrucca, Agata Matarazzo, Claudia Arcidiacono, Anastasia Zabaniotou
Summary: This study compared four different scenarios of freight transport in Italy to find environmentally sustainable solutions. The best performing option was found to be the three-modal scenario, but it faces challenges in implementation due to monitoring difficulties and higher operational costs. The results of the study may be useful for logistics companies and policymakers in other regions to promote environmentally optimal freight transport solutions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nick Blume, Maik Becker, Thomas Turek, Christine Minke
Summary: This study evaluates the environmental impacts of vanadium flow battery (VFB) in industrial applications, considering both technical and electrochemical aspects. It assesses the environmental impacts over a 20-year lifespan and evaluates the potential impacts of the emission-intensive and long-lasting vanadium electrolyte. The findings provide recommendations for the life cycle design of VFBs and allow for comparisons with other energy storage technologies.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Safoura Salehi, Mehrdad Arashpour, Jayantha Kodikara, Ross Guppy
Summary: Large quantities of waste generated in various sectors have caused environmental issues, leading to the exploration of using recycled materials in pavement construction. Life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis are used to assess the environmental performance and costs of using recycled materials. However, there are still uncertainties and inconsistencies in the sustainability analysis of these materials, highlighting the need for further research to better understand their impacts and inform decision making.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
S. Mahdi Hosseinian, Ali G. A. Sabouri, David G. Carmichael
Summary: This research compares the water footprint of vernacular structures (such as adobe, brick, stone, and wood) with modern structures (steel and concrete) in residential buildings. The study finds that the grey water footprint of vernacular buildings is significantly smaller than that of modern buildings, while the blue water footprint is mainly related to construction personnel. The study evaluates the water footprint of both vernacular and contemporary building practices, considering their potential for sustainable building practices.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Fangjie Liu, Muhammad Shafique, Xiaowei Luo
Summary: This review examines the life cycle assessment of alternative fuels, comparing different assessment frameworks, identifying emission hotspots, and providing recommendations for future research. The analysis shows that all stages, except for hydrogen use, have an environmental impact, but the boundaries and inventories vary due to differences in raw materials, production processes, and products. Further refinement of the assessment is needed, and future research should consider the various impacts of alternative fuels in transportation on social, economic, and environmental aspects.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ha P. Tran, Anh D. Luong, Anh D. Van, Tuyet T. A. Nguyen
Summary: Using post-mining areas for planting energy crops has potential environmental benefits such as reducing fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. However, this approach may not bring advantages in terms of water and land resource consumption. Improving cassava cultivation practices is necessary to enhance the overall environmental performance of the reclamation system.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Seda Capa, Alp Ozdemir, Zerrin Gunkaya, Aysun Ozkan, Mufide Banar
Summary: This study examines the effects of industrial wastewater treatment and water recovery processes on the environment using Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Life Cycle Cost methodologies. The results show that the electricity consumption is the main factor impacting the environment, and the water recovery process has significant benefits in reducing certain impact categories. The study suggests that industrial parks should establish appropriate energy policies to improve the energy efficiency of wastewater treatment plants.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Vasilis Apostolopoulos, Ioannis Mamounakis, Andreas Seitaridis, Nikolas Tagkoulis, Dimitrios-Sotirios Kourkoumpas, Petros Iliadis, Komninos Angelakoglou, Nikolaos Nikolopoulos
Summary: Building stock retrofitting is crucial for achieving sustainable goals in the building sector. This paper introduces a developed online tool called VERIFY, which performs dynamic life cycle analysis and global warming impact assessments for building renovation. The tool analyzes temporal profiles of energy consumption and temperature changes, and can exchange data with other energy simulation engines. The paper also evaluates the impact of energy retrofitting measures for a residential building in Athens, Greece, resulting in significant reductions in primary energy needs and CO2eq emissions.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
David Font Vivanco
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
(2020)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Teun Johannes Verhagen, Ester van der Voet, Benjamin Sprecher
Summary: Heating of buildings contributes to 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions, but sustainable heating technologies can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90%. A Python-based GIS model was developed to analyze strategies for reducing heating-related CO2 emissions in residential buildings. Implementing low-temperature heating networks and heat pumps are the most effective ways to achieve significant CO2 emission reductions. A CO2 tax and increased tax on natural gas usage are recommended as policy tools to accelerate the adoption of low-carbon heating technologies.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Economics
Johan-Andres Velez-Henao, Claudia-Maria Garcia-Mazo, Jaume Freire-Gonzalez, David Font Vivanco
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Quanliang Ye, Edgar G. Hertwich, Maarten S. Krol, David Font Vivanco, Amanda W. Lounsbury, Xinzhu Zheng, Arjen Y. Hoekstra, Yutao Wang, Ranran Wang
Summary: This study quantifies the linkages between China's capital formation, environmental pressures, and consumption, showing that a significant portion of capital assets acquired by China from 1995 to 2015 have not yet been depreciated and will serve future production and consumption. Outsourcing of capital services also leads to considerable environmental pressures, ranging from 14% to 25% depending on the indicators. Without considering the linkages between capital and final consumption, calculations of China's environmental footprints related to the six environmental pressures could be significantly underestimated or overestimated.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Johan-Andres Velez-Henao, David Font Vivanco
Summary: Colombia plans to increase wind power through onshore wind farms in the Guajira region, aiming to diversify and decarbonize its energy system. A hybrid life cycle assessment of a 19.5 MW wind farm was conducted to evaluate the potential environmental performance, including both direct and indirect services. The results showed lower global warming impacts compared to similar studies, but with increased environmental impacts when including both direct and indirect services.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
David Font Vivanco, Victor Nechifor, Jaume Freire-Gonzalez, Alvaro Calzadilla
Summary: This study proposes a method that combines technology-rich model and behavior-optimizing model to evaluate rebound effects caused by environmental policies. The research found that the subsidy on electric cars in the UK resulted in significant economy-wide rebound effects, which is worth noting.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Michelle A. Wagner, Jaco Huisman, Amund N. Lovik, Hina Habib, Paul Mahlitz, Ester van der Voet
Summary: This article discusses the importance of secondary raw materials in urban mines for modern technology, as well as the challenges in quantifying material recovery. By analyzing the element concentrations in printed circuit boards, structured information for studying product trends is provided.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Teun Johannes Verhagen, Hale Cetinay, Ester van der Voet, Benjamin Sprecher
Summary: To achieve climate neutrality, urban heating systems need to adopt low-carbon heating technologies, which require a restructuring of the system and significant material demands. However, research on the quantity and environmental impact of these materials is lacking. A study in the Netherlands analyzed the material demand and environmental impact of transitioning to low-carbon heating, finding that while the policy goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90% can be achieved considering only direct emissions, it changes when the emissions from additional materials, especially insulation materials, are taken into account.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yanan Liang, Rene Kleijn, Arnold Tukker, Ester van der Voet
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of the material requirements for low-carbon energy technologies. It shows that research on the demand for metals in low-carbon technologies has gained attention since the 2010s. The majority of studies focus on the global level, and science-based future scenarios are used to estimate the future material requirements. However, the implementation of low-carbon technologies on a large scale may face material constraints and the secure supply of these materials remains a subject of discussion.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Janneke van Oorschot, Benjamin Sprecher, Bas Roelofs, Judith van der Horst, Ester van der Voet
Summary: The potential circularity of the electricity system as a source for secondary material remains underexplored. A transition towards a low-carbon electricity system results in a strong growth of metal stocks and flows, especially for scenarios with higher levels of self-sufficiency in electricity generation. Metal demand could decline substantially if material efficiencies improve or technologies with lower material intensities are chosen. National policies should focus on maximizing metal collection from the urban mine and promoting recycling capacity and material efficiency.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Di Dong, Arnold Tukker, Bernhard Steubing, Lauran Van Oers, Helmut Rechberger, Glenn Alonso Aguilar-Hernandez, Huajiao Li, Ester Van der Voet
Summary: China has launched the Zero waste concept to conserve resources and enhance environmental performance. This study investigates how different waste management options can potentially reduce primary copper demand and associated environmental impacts in the context of energy transition, using a combination of material flow analysis and life cycle assessment. The findings suggest that maximizing Zero waste options can significantly reduce copper demand, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy demand. Several policy actions are proposed to address the challenges and provide insights into future waste management in China.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
David Font Vivanco, Jaume Freire-Gonzalez, Ray Galvin, Tilman Santarius, Hans Jakob Walnum, Tamar Makov, Serenella Sala
Summary: This study provides a critical review of literature on rebound effects in sustainability science. It identifies three main issues: the neglect of the multidimensionality of rebound effects, the shift towards absolute rebound metrics, and the lack of attention to behavioral effects. The study concludes that addressing these issues can enhance the explanatory power and relevance of rebound research for decision-makers.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Janneke van Oorschot, Benjamin Sprecher, Bart Rijken, Pieter Witteveen, Merlijn Blok, Nico Schouten, Ester van der Voet
Summary: Buildings have significant environmental impacts during both their construction and use phases, and as their energy performance improves, the importance of construction materials as a cause of environmental impact increases. This study explores the use of biobased materials and circular building practices as alternatives to conventional buildings. The effects of urbanization on material cycles and environmental impact are also analyzed. The results show limited potential to close material cycles until 2050 in the Netherlands, largely due to slow stock turnover and building stock growth. However, shifting towards biobased or circular construction can lower material demand and reduce carbon emissions.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Economics
Ingmar Schumacher, Ignacio Cazcarro, Rosa Duarte, Cristina Sarasa, Ana Serrano, Anastasios Xepapadeas, Jaume Freire-Gonzalez, David Font Vivanco, Luis Moises Pena-Levano, Cesar L. Escalante, Manal Shehabi, Phoebe Koundouri, Nikitas Pittis, Panagiotis Samartzis, Julie Ing, Jean-Philippe Nicola, Audrey Laude, Elodie Brule-Gapihan, Francois Cohen, Moritz Schwarz, Sihan Li, Yangsiyu Lu, Anant Jani
ENVIRONMENTAL & RESOURCE ECONOMICS
(2020)
Article
Economics
Jaume Freire-Gonzalez, David Font Vivanco
ENVIRONMENTAL & RESOURCE ECONOMICS
(2020)