Sustainability

Research

15 pages, 240 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Corporate Governance Structure on the Financial Performance of Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)-Listed Mining Firms

by Isaih Dzingai and Michael Bamidele Fakoya^*

Africa Centre for Sustainability Accounting and Management (ACSAM), School of Accountancy, University of Limpopo, Polokwane 0727, South Africa

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 867; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060867 - 8 Jun 2017

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 10948

Abstract

There have been many corporate collapses and financial crises in recent years linked to a lack of effective corporate governance. The South African King IV Code of Corporate Governance recommends that corporate governing bodies should be comprised of an appropriate balance of knowledge, [...] Read more.

There have been many corporate collapses and financial crises in recent years linked to a lack of effective corporate governance. The South African King IV Code of Corporate Governance recommends that corporate governing bodies should be comprised of an appropriate balance of knowledge, diversity, and independence for discharging their duties objectively and more efficiently. This study examines the effect of corporate governance structures on firm financial performance. The secondary data of selected Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index-listed mining firms’ sustainability reports, and integrated annual financial statements are used. Using panel data analysis of the random effects model, we determined the relationship between board independence and board size and the return on equity (ROE) for the period 2010–2015. Results indicate a weak negative correlation between ROE and board size, and a weak, but positive, correlation between ROE and board independence. Additionally, there is a positive, but weak, correlation between ROE and sales growth, but a negative and weak relationship between ROE and firm size. The study suggests that effective corporate governance through a small effective board and monitoring by an independent board result in increased firm financial performance. We recommend that South African companies see compliance with the recommendations of the King IV Code on Corporate Governance not as a liability, but an ethical investment that may likely yield financial benefit in the long-term. Although complying with corporate governance principles does not necessarily translate into a significant economic benefit, firms should, however, continue to adopt corporate governance for ethical reasons to meet stakeholder’s social and environmental needs for sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

23 pages, 3225 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Realities, Perceptions, Challenges and Aspirations of Rural Youth in Dryland Agriculture in the Midelt Province, Morocco

by Alessandra Giuliani^1,*

, Sebastian Mengel¹, Courtney Paisley², Nicole Perkins³, Ingrid Flink⁴, Oliver Oliveros⁵ and Mariana Wongtschowski⁴

¹ School for Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Länggasse 85, 3052 Zollikofen, Switzerland

² Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), c/o GFAR at FAO, Viale Delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy

³ Planet H2O^®, Conalway, Sarl Doing Business As (DBA) Planet H2O^®, 571 Avenue Mohamed VI, Immeuble Mathis, Bloc A, 2ème étage-Souissi, 10000 Rabat, Morocco

⁴ Royal Tropical Institute (KIT), PO Box 95001, 1090 HA Amsterdam, The Netherlands

⁵ Agropolis Fondation, Avenue Agropolis, 34394 Montpellier, France

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 871; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060871 - 23 May 2017

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 12970

Abstract

Active involvement of youth in agriculture is necessary for sustainable agricultural systems but is currently a challenge in many areas. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative participatory research methods, this study analyses rural youth’s realities, perspectives and aspirations in dryland Agricultural Livelihood [...] Read more.

Active involvement of youth in agriculture is necessary for sustainable agricultural systems but is currently a challenge in many areas. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative participatory research methods, this study analyses rural youth’s realities, perspectives and aspirations in dryland Agricultural Livelihood Systems (ALSs) in the Midelt Province, Morocco, with a particular focus on gender. The data collected are an important first step in understanding the target group and working with youth to identify and develop appropriate programmatic interventions to improve their livelihoods and rural futures. Prior to expressing their aspirations for their rural life and career, the youth first raised the issue of unfulfilled primary needs: access to education, potable water, heath care, and lack of infrastructure in their villages. The issue of outmigration from rural areas is controversial and not so widespread. The youth’s dream village is envisioned as a rural place where people have a more comfortable life with their own families, farming better and more sustainably rather than seeking a job in urban areas. To support the youth’s aspirations and their willingness to stay in agriculture, there is a need for infrastructural and regulatory interventions and specific training in agricultural practices targeting and engaging youth. Full article

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24 pages, 1531 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Environmental Policy Reduce Enterprise Innovation?—Evidence from China

by Chen Feng^1,*

, Beibei Shi² and Rong Kang²

¹ Australia Business School, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia

² School of Economics and Management, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 872; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060872 - 23 May 2017

Cited by 78 | Viewed by 10729

Abstract

With the serious worldwide problem of carbon emissions, carbon emissions’ control and trade have become necessary policies adopted by the governments, after the establishment of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), China has also implemented a similar carbon emission trading pilot policy [...] Read more.

With the serious worldwide problem of carbon emissions, carbon emissions’ control and trade have become necessary policies adopted by the governments, after the establishment of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), China has also implemented a similar carbon emission trading pilot policy which plays a vital role in environmental regulation and influences enterprise behaviors, so this paper will put more focus on the impact of this policy on the enterprise innovation. In this paper, we construct a theoretical model and use the “Chinese Carbon Emissions Trading Pilot Policy” as a quasi-natural experiment to accurately identify the net causal effect of this environmental policy on enterprise innovation. Moreover, we use the synthetic control and difference-in-differences methods to eliminate the endogeneity to a large extent and conduct the robustness tests, difference-in-differences method, placebo test, and permutation test to respectively confirm these results. The results show that the implementation of carbon emissions trading policy will significantly reduce the enterprise innovation in general, this conclusion is contrary to the EU ETS’s effect, which is confirmed by plenty of previous empirical study. However, this policy has different effects across enterprises of different industries and different types of innovation. It can promote enterprise innovation of environmental industry, but it will inhibit enterprise innovation of non-environmental industry; besides, it can promote the development of green technical innovation and inhibit non-green technical innovation, which is basically identical to the causal effect of EU ETS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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12 pages, 711 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energetic Sustainability and the Environment: A Transdisciplinary, Economic–Ecological Approach

by Ioan G. Pop^*

, Sebastian Văduva and Mihai-Florin Talpoș

Emanuel University, Griffiths School of Management, Oradea 410597, 87 Nufărului, Romania

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 873; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060873 - 23 May 2017

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5631

Abstract

The paper combines original concepts about eco-energetic systems, in a transdisciplinary sustainable context. Firstly, it introduces the concept of M.E.N. (Mega-Eco-Nega-Watt), the eco-energetic paradigm based on three different but complementary ecological economic spaces: the Megawatt as needed energy, the Ecowatt as ecological energy, [...] Read more.

The paper combines original concepts about eco-energetic systems, in a transdisciplinary sustainable context. Firstly, it introduces the concept of M.E.N. (Mega-Eco-Nega-Watt), the eco-energetic paradigm based on three different but complementary ecological economic spaces: the Megawatt as needed energy, the Ecowatt as ecological energy, and the Negawatt as preserved energy. The paper also deals with the renewable energies and technologies in the context of electrical energy production. Secondly, in the context of the M.E.N. eco-energetic paradigm, comprehensive definitions are given about eco-energetic systems and for pollution. Thirdly, the paper introduces a new formula for the eco-energetic efficiency which correlates the energetic efficiency of the system and the necessary newly defined ecological coefficient. The proposed formula for eco-energetic efficiency enables an interesting form of relating to different situations in which the input energy, output energy, lost energy, and externalities involved in an energetic process, interact to produce energy in a specific energetic system, in connection with the circular resilient economy model. Finally, the paper presents an original energetic diagram to explain different channels to produce electricity in a resilience regime, with high eco-energetic efficiency from primary external energetic sources (gravitation and solar sources), fuels (classical and radioactive), internal energetic sources (geothermal, volcanoes) and other kind of sources. Regardless the kind of energetic sources used to obtain electricity, the entire process should be sustainable in what concerns the transdisciplinary integration of the different representative spheres as energy, socio-economy, and ecology (environment). Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Energy Sustainability)

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11 pages, 1573 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimum Subsidy to Promote Electric Boiler Investment to Accommodate Wind Power

by Da Liu^1,*

, Shou-Kai Wang¹, Jin-Chen Liu¹, Han Huang¹, Xing-Ping Zhang¹, Yi Feng² and Wei-Jun Wang¹

¹ Beijing Key Laboratory of New Energy and Low-Carbon Development, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China

² State Grid Electric Vehicle Service Co., Beijing 100053, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 874; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060874 - 25 May 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4544

Abstract

The increasing development of combined heat and power (CHP) plants is exacerbating the wind power curtailment problem in regional power grids during the winter heating season. Electric boilers (EBs) were proposed to be employed within CHP plants to relieve this problem. However, CHP [...] Read more.

The increasing development of combined heat and power (CHP) plants is exacerbating the wind power curtailment problem in regional power grids during the winter heating season. Electric boilers (EBs) were proposed to be employed within CHP plants to relieve this problem. However, CHP plants usually have no incentive for investing in EBs. Therefore, CHP plants must be incentivized to make such investments through appropriate compensation from beneficiaries, i.e., government and wind farms, although this has not previously been discussed. We propose a game theory model to simulate the impact of government subsidies on EB investment. We analyzed the utilization of the involved parties with the marginal cost and average cost and applied game theory to simulate the investment decisions. Then, an approximate enumeration technique was developed to identify the optimum government subsidy. An actual case of a regional power grid in northern China was investigated to validate the proposed method. A minimum government subsidy to maximize total social benefit was calculated; this subsidy can incentivize wind farms and CHP plants to invest in and use EBs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Energy Sustainability)

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18 pages, 1601 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Management of a Tourist Village Establishment in Mountainous Area through Analysis of Costs and Incomes

by Ramona Ciolac¹, Ciprian Rujescu¹, Simona Constantinescu^1,*, Tabita Adamov¹, Mihaela Cristina Dragoi² and Ramona Lile³

¹ Faculty of Agricultural Management, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania”, Calea Aradului no.119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania

² University of Economic Studies, Faculty of International Business and Economics, Caderea Bastiliei no.2-10, 010615 Bucharest, Romania

³ Aurel Vlaicu University, Faculty of Economics, Bd. Revolutiei no.77, 310130 Arad, Romania

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 875; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060875 - 23 May 2017

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 7217

Abstract

The popularity of rural areas and especially the mountainous ones, as a possibility to spend the vacation has increased in most countries. Almost all mountain areas can provide great opportunities for the development of various forms of rural tourism, there being many examples [...] Read more.

The popularity of rural areas and especially the mountainous ones, as a possibility to spend the vacation has increased in most countries. Almost all mountain areas can provide great opportunities for the development of various forms of rural tourism, there being many examples according to which many mountain areas, through appropriate and effective strategies of capitalizing the resources through the forms of rural tourism, start from the pioneer stage to a real valuable alternative in socio-economic terms for the rural area. One of the concepts that are increasingly used is the “tourist village”, its main issue, consisting in the return of the investment, an aspect that we will discuss in this paper. The paper presents an analysis of the way in which the occupancy degree affects the period of amortization of the initial investment. Concretely, in the case of the medium-sized tourist village, the minimum occupancy degree for the amortization of the initial investment, starts from about 25% for the investment without a loan, but subsidy in proportion of 50% and reaches at about 85% in the case of an investment with loan, for a period of 10 years, without advance or subsidy and with an interest of 7%. Initial investments were established for a holiday village in the Romanian countryside. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Risk Assessment and Management)

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15 pages, 4404 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of the Simulated Expansion Boundary of Construction Land in Shanghai Based on a SLEUTH Model

by Yishao Shi^1,*

, Jie Wu¹ and Shouzheng Shi^1,2

¹ College of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China

² College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215011, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 876; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060876 - 23 May 2017

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5310

Abstract

The SLEUTH model is one of the recent methodological advances, but its data sources are mainly interpreted from remote sensing images. It doesn’t cover the whole urban area and exhibits technical errors. Moreover, the relationships between land use and land cover change (LUCC) [...] Read more.

The SLEUTH model is one of the recent methodological advances, but its data sources are mainly interpreted from remote sensing images. It doesn’t cover the whole urban area and exhibits technical errors. Moreover, the relationships between land use and land cover change (LUCC) and sustainability have seldom been discussed. Aimed at addressing these shortcomings, we focus on a wider range and use different data sources to simulate and predict the boundary of urban construction land expansion, and analyze the relationship between the expansion style of urban land and the change of ecological service value. Based on Shanghai land use map data, which covers the whole city scope and eliminates the error in data processing, we use a SLEUTH model to simulate the urban growth mode in Shanghai in 2020 under two scenarios, i.e., the natural growth mode and ecological priority mode, which are different from the previous scenario modes such as unprotected, light protected, moderately protected, and heavily protected modes. The results are as follows: (1) The development of urban land in Shanghai is most reasonable under the ecological priority mode as its ecological service value is higher than that of the natural growth mode; (2) Construction land expansion in Shanghai is very slow under the ecological priority mode, wherein construction land growth mainly occurs in the northwest, southwest, and southeast of Shanghai, and the northwest part of Chongming Island; (3) The surrounding area of the central city is given priority over edge growth, where the growth range is small. The outer suburbs are given priority for widespread growth, which is synchronous with the slow growth of roads. Full article

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13 pages, 4815 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Data Compatibility to Enhance Sustainable Capabilities for Autonomous Analytics in IoT

by Kaleem Razzaq Malik^1,2, Masood Habib²

, Shehzad Khalid³, Farhan Ullah², Muhammad Umar², Taimur Sajjad² and Awais Ahmad^4,*

¹ Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan

² Department of Computer Science, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Sahiwal 57000, Pakistan

³ Department of Computer Engineering, Bahria University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan

⁴ Department of Information and Communication Engineering, Yeungnum University, Gyeongsan 38541, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 877; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060877 - 23 May 2017

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5513

Abstract

The collection of raw data is based on sensors embedded in devices or the environment for real-time data extraction. Nowadays, the Internet of Things (IoT) environment is used to support autonomous data collection by reducing human involvement. It is hard to analyze such [...] Read more.

The collection of raw data is based on sensors embedded in devices or the environment for real-time data extraction. Nowadays, the Internet of Things (IoT) environment is used to support autonomous data collection by reducing human involvement. It is hard to analyze such data, especially when working with the sensors in a real-time environment. On using data analytics in IoT with the help of RDF, many issues can be resolved. Resultant data will have a better chance of quality analytics by reforming data into the semantical annotation. Industrial correspondence through data will be improved by the induction of semantics at large due to efficient data capturing, whereas one popular medium of sensors’ data storage is Relational Database (RDB). This study provides a complete automated mechanism to transform from loosely structured data stored in RDB into RDF. These data are obtained from sensors in semantically annotated RDF stores. The given study comprises methodology for improving compatibility by introducing bidirectional transformation between classical DB and RDF data stores to enhance the sustainable capabilities of IoT systems for autonomous analytics. Two case studies, one on weather and another on heart-rate measurement collections through IoT sensors, are used to show the transformation process in operation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autonomous and Sustainable Computing for preparing the Internet of Things Environment)

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15 pages, 8544 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sea Reclamation Status of Countries around the South China Sea from 1975 to 2010

by Junjue Zhang^1,2,3,4, Fenzhen Su^1,3,* and Zhi Ding^1,2,3,4

¹ State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China

² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

³ Collaborative Innovation Center for the South China Sea Studies, Nanjing 210023, China

⁴ School of Geography, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 878; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060878 - 23 May 2017

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 9631

Abstract

As a way of turning sea into land for living space for humans, the actions of sea reclamation bring about significant benefits. Nevertheless, it is also an under-recognized threat to the environment and the marine ecosystem. Based on images in two periods, sea [...] Read more.

As a way of turning sea into land for living space for humans, the actions of sea reclamation bring about significant benefits. Nevertheless, it is also an under-recognized threat to the environment and the marine ecosystem. Based on images in two periods, sea reclamation information of countries around the South China Sea was extracted from 1975 to 2010. The spatial state and driven forces of sea reclamation are then discussed. Results show that the overall strength of sea reclamation in the South China Sea was great. New reclaimed land added up to 3264 km². Sea reclamation for fish farming was the main reclamation type and widely distributed in the whole area, especially on the coast from the Pearl River Delta to the Red River Delta, and the coast of Ca Mau Peninsula. Sea reclamation in China and Vietnam was rather significant, which occupies 80.6% of the total reclamation area. Singapore had the highest level of sea reclamation. New reclaimed land for fish farming holds a key role in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, while new reclaimed land for construction and docks dominated in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. Areas and use-type compositions of new reclaimed land in countries varied greatly due to the differences of economic factors, policy inclination, and landscapes in the respective countries. Full article

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19 pages, 5140 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulating Block-Level Urban Expansion for National Wide Cities

by Ying Long¹ and Kang Wu^2,*

¹ School of Architecture and Hang Lung Center for Real Estate, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

² Beijing Key Laboratory of Megaregions Sustainable Development Modelling and School of Urban Economics and Public Affairs, Capital University of Economics and Business, Beijing 100070, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 879; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060879 - 23 May 2017

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4315

Abstract

Large-scale models are generally associated with large spatial modelling units, for example, counties or super grids (several to dozens of km²). Few applied urban models can achieve a large spatial coverage with irregular spatial units due to data availability and computation [...] Read more.

Large-scale models are generally associated with large spatial modelling units, for example, counties or super grids (several to dozens of km²). Few applied urban models can achieve a large spatial coverage with irregular spatial units due to data availability and computation load. The framework of automatic identification and characterization of blocks developed by Liu and Long (2016) makes such an ideal model possible by establishing the existing urban blocks using road networks and points of interest for very large areas (e.g., a country or a continent). In this study, we develop a mega-vector-blocks cellular automata model (MVB-CA) to simulate urban expansion at the block level for 654 Chinese cities. The existing urban blocks in 2012 were used for initiating the MVB-CA and are generated using multi-levelled road networks and ubiquitous points of interest. We then simulate block-based urban expansion of all the cities from 2012 to 2017. The national spatial development strategies of China are discussed extensively by academia and policy makers, while the baseline scenario and other simulated urban expansion scenarios have been tested and compared horizontally. As one of the first block-based urban expansion models at a national scale, its academic contributions, practical applications, and potential biases are also discussed in this paper. The developed MVB-CA using general approaches is also applicable for other counties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

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17 pages, 371 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Factors Influencing Consumers’ Intentions to Participate in a Formal E-Waste Collection System: A Case Study of Onitsha, Nigeria

by Chibuike Kingsley Nduneseokwu¹, Ying Qu^1,* and Andrea Appolloni^2,3,*

¹ Faculty of Management and Economics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China

² Sino-Us Global Logistics Institute (SUGLI), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Huashan Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200030, China

³ Department of Management and Law, Faculty of Economics, University of Rome Tor Vergata Via Columbia, Rome 2-00133, Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 881; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060881 - 23 May 2017

Cited by 114 | Viewed by 11493

Abstract

Due to the increasing amount of electronic waste (e-waste) generated in Nigeria, challenges such as consumer disposal behaviors have emerged. An understanding of consumers’ intentions to participate in formal e-waste collections is key in increasing the level of participation in an e-waste collection [...] Read more.

Due to the increasing amount of electronic waste (e-waste) generated in Nigeria, challenges such as consumer disposal behaviors have emerged. An understanding of consumers’ intentions to participate in formal e-waste collections is key in increasing the level of participation in an e-waste collection scheme. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) creates an applicable platform for identifying the determinants of recycling intention. Based on the TPB, we develop a theoretical framework to study how influencing factors such as attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and environmental knowledge influence intentions to participate in formal e-waste collections. Additionally, we extend the research framework to examine whether the factors of infrastructure and economic incentive moderate the relationships between the influencing factors and intention. Using an empirical survey conducted in Onitsha with 384 usable questionnaire responses, we observe that attitude, subjective norm, and environmental knowledge directly influence consumers’ intentions. Statistical results also show that only the factor of infrastructure moderates the relationship between two influencing factors (attitude and subjective norm) and intention. The resulting negative coefficients of regression for the interactions indicate that the introduction of infrastructure will result in a weaker influencing ability of attitude and subjective norm on intention. Thus, the implications of this study in motivating consumers’ intentions suggest it would be beneficial for the government to provide functional and adequately managed infrastructure situated close to the community, such that it can be easily accessed by household consumers. Full article

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29 pages, 27822 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microclimate Improvement of Inner-City Urban Areas in a Mediterranean Coastal City

by Maria Makropoulou

Lab of Urban Morphology, Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly, 38334 Volos, Greece

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 882; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060882 - 25 May 2017

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 7227

Abstract

This paper investigates urban bioclimatic interventions in the central area of a coastal medium-sized city in Greece. Two urban blocks typical of the urban fabric of the city center and a neighborhood of 38 urban blocks were selected. Different proposed Bioclimatic Renewal Scenarios [...] Read more.

This paper investigates urban bioclimatic interventions in the central area of a coastal medium-sized city in Greece. Two urban blocks typical of the urban fabric of the city center and a neighborhood of 38 urban blocks were selected. Different proposed Bioclimatic Renewal Scenarios were investigated through microclimatic simulations using the micro-scale numerical model, ENVI-met. The simulations aimed at assessing various scenarios and examining the effect of the different bioclimatic interventions on the local outdoor environment, such as the application of cool materials, greenery of public open space, and other. Thus a parametric analysis was carried out. A final bioclimatic renewal scenario, based primarily on the parameters, proved to have a positive effect on the local microclimate, was proposed and assessed. The simulation results showed that the final scenario resulted in the most effective heat mitigation strategy for the case studies’ microclimate. The vegetation-based scenario also contributed to a significant microclimate improvement in the case studies. The benefits of the various bioclimatic interventions were magnified when these were applied on a spatial scale larger than that of the single urban block, hence on the urban neighborhood scale. Full article

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19 pages, 4346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Walkability and Street Intersections in Rural-Urban Fringes: A Decision Aiding Evaluation Procedure

by Ivan Blecic¹, Dario Canu², Arnaldo Cecchini², Tanja Congiu^2,* and Giovanna Fancello³

¹ Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, Cagliari 09100, Italy

² Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning, University of Sassari, Sassari 07100, Italy

³ LAMSADE–CNRS, Université Paris Dauphine, PSL Research University, Paris 75775, France

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 883; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060883 - 23 May 2017

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 7084

Abstract

We propose a decision-aiding evaluation procedure (i) for classifying road crossings based on their impact on walkability and, subsequently, (ii) for prioritising street improvements, in urban-rural fringe areas. In the peripheral urban-rural fringes, pedestrian mobility is usually less developed and people generally depend [...] Read more.

We propose a decision-aiding evaluation procedure (i) for classifying road crossings based on their impact on walkability and, subsequently, (ii) for prioritising street improvements, in urban-rural fringe areas. In the peripheral urban-rural fringes, pedestrian mobility is usually less developed and people generally depend more on cars for their everyday chores. Partly this is inevitable given the structural features and supply of services and activities in such areas, but part is due to a frequent neglect of pedestrian mobility in planning and urban design. Measures to improve this state of affairs can include the design of more pedestrian-friendly environments offering to potential users a greater level of security, comfort and convenience when walking to their designated destinations. Our evaluation procedure combines a walkability assessment methodology with the ELECTRE TRI rating procedure, in order to assist planners and decision makers in designing physical streets to enhance the continuity, safety and quality of pedestrian paths. Improving the walking accessibility in the fringe areas of towns is a way to reduce the physical and perceptual distance which separates these contexts from the rest of the city, thus leading to a progressive integration of urban functions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decipher the Present to Shape the Future- Rethinking the Urban–Rural Nexus)

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15 pages, 2535 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Impact of Mobile Technology on Exhibition Attendees’ Unplanned Booth Visit Behaviour

by Namho Chung¹

, Chulmo Koo^1,* and Kyungmin Lee²

¹ College of Hotel & Tourism Management, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyunghee-daro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, Korea

² Department of Convention & Exhibition Management, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyunghee-daro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 884; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060884 - 24 May 2017

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6808

Abstract

This study examines the effect of the booth Recommender system (BRS) embedded in a mobile device on the goals of exhibition attendees, based on two main theories that are unplanned behaviour and goal frame theories. Previous studies have overlooked the importance of the [...] Read more.

This study examines the effect of the booth Recommender system (BRS) embedded in a mobile device on the goals of exhibition attendees, based on two main theories that are unplanned behaviour and goal frame theories. Previous studies have overlooked the importance of the unplanned behavioural effectiveness of IT devices for understanding motivation and delivering unexpected outcomes at exhibitions. The BRS offers customized, personalized, and advanced information to attendees; experiences with the BRS lead to unplanned behaviour. In this paper, we distinguish several goal frames, including hedonic, gain, and normative goals, which contribute to the relationship between continued BRS use and unplanned booth visits. Continued BRS use directly influences revisit intentions to an exhibition and contributes to unplanned booth visits. We analysed data from 508 attendees at a franchise exhibition using structural equation modelling (SEM) method. Our research empirically determined that goal framing theory and unplanned behaviour via continued BRS use embedded in a mobile device are connected. Continued BRS use in an exhibition can contribute to attendees’ impulsive behaviour and can induce them to return to an exhibition. The results and implications are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mobile Technology and Smart Tourism Development)

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14 pages, 2074 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Selection of a Sustainable Functional Pasta Enriched with Opuntia Using ELECTRE III Methodology

by Rosa Micale¹

, Antonio Giallanza¹

, Giuseppe Russo²

and Giada La Scalia^1,*

¹ Dipartimento dell’Innovazione, Industriale e Digitale (DIID)-Ingegneria Chimica, Gestionale, Informatica, Meccanica, Università di Palermo, Scuola Politecnica, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 8, 90128 Palermo, Italy

² Consorzio di Ricerca “Gian Pietro Ballatore”-Zona Industriale Dittaino, 95040 Assoro (Enna), Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 885; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060885 - 24 May 2017

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4691

Abstract

In the last decade, the nutritional and health benefits of Opuntia (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) were discussed by academic scientists and private companies. In particular, the introduction of this substance in frequently consumed foods, like, for example, pasta and bakery products, could [...] Read more.

In the last decade, the nutritional and health benefits of Opuntia (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) were discussed by academic scientists and private companies. In particular, the introduction of this substance in frequently consumed foods, like, for example, pasta and bakery products, could have a wide diffusion due to its rich composition in polyphenols, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and amino acids. The identified natural cactus compounds are responsible for biologically relevant activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antimicrobial, and neuro-protective properties. The aim of this paper is the evaluation of the best combination of Opuntia quantity and process parameters (recipe) for the production of sustainable functional pasta. The results obtained show that the new functional pasta guarantees the presence of the Opuntia quantity necessary to be considered a healthy food without altering the organoleptic and physical properties of the final product. An important indicator of a sustainable food product is its capacity to contribute to public health while maintaining a high quality of the final product. The selection of the optimal recipe was carried out by means of a multi-criteria decision-making procedure, ELECTRE III. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the stability of the obtained solutions varying the ELECTRE III thresholds, showing that the results obtained are stable under uncertain conditions. Food productions are often affected by qualitative judgments in terms of physical and organoleptic properties of the final product, making the ELECTRE III particularly suitable in an industrial application in which different points of view are involved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Supply Chain and Food Industry)

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13 pages, 563 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Decoupling and Decomposition Analysis of Carbon Emissions from Electric Output in the United States

by Xue-Ting Jiang^1,2 and Rongrong Li^3,*

¹ State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Urumqi 830011, China

² College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

³ School of Economic & Management, China University of Petroleum (Huadong), No. 66 West Changjiang Road, Qingdao 266580, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 886; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060886 - 25 May 2017

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 4842

Abstract

The rapid growth of the electricity sector in the United States has been accompanied by a dramatic rise in CO₂ emissions. To understand the driving effects that contribute to the increase in CO₂ emissions during electricity generation, as well as the [...] Read more.

The rapid growth of the electricity sector in the United States has been accompanied by a dramatic rise in CO₂ emissions. To understand the driving effects that contribute to the increase in CO₂ emissions during electricity generation, as well as the relationship between the emissions and electricity output, a novel decoupling index on the basis of the multilevel logarithmic mean divisia index (LMDI) method is presented in this paper. The results of our study indicate that, on the one hand, the electricity output effect played a crucial role in increasing CO₂ emissions. On the other hand, the energy mix effect and the conversion efficiency effect made a contribution to curbing the related CO₂ emissions in most of the years covered by our study. The power production structure effect and emission factor effect each played a negative role in the decoupling process. No decoupling was the main status during most of the years covered in our study, with a strong decoupling status being the least common state. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Energy Sustainability)

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12 pages, 5057 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Particle Morphologies of LiFePO₄ on Water- and Solvent-Based Processing and Electrochemical Properties

by Benjamin Starke^1,*, Stefan Seidlmayer²

, Sebastian Jankowsky¹, Oleksandr Dolotko², Ralph Gilles²

and Karl-Heinz Pettinger¹

¹ Technology Center for Energy, University of Applied Sciences Landshut, Am Lurzenhof 1, 84036 Landshut, Germany

² Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 888; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060888 - 24 May 2017

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5693

Abstract

LiFePO₄ (LFP) primary particles and secondary agglomerates have been processed into water- and solvent-based cathodes. By means of neutron and X-ray diffraction it was found that no structural changes of LiFePO₄ occurred upon water- and solvent-based slurry preparation. Electrochemical characterization was [...] Read more.

LiFePO₄ (LFP) primary particles and secondary agglomerates have been processed into water- and solvent-based cathodes. By means of neutron and X-ray diffraction it was found that no structural changes of LiFePO₄ occurred upon water- and solvent-based slurry preparation. Electrochemical characterization was carried out with full-cells and a distinct influence of particle morphology was observable. Water-based processing of primary particles leads to deficits in electrochemical performance while secondary agglomerates are non-sensitive to water during processing. In the presence of water, high mechanical stress during slurry preparation causes a partial detachment of carbon coating. However, this effect is negligible for secondary agglomerates since only surface particles are exposed to mechanical stress. Due to longer diffusion paths and the fact that secondary agglomerates represent a micro-heterogeneity in the cathode, the C-rate capability of secondary agglomerates is slightly lower than that of primary particles. This paper demonstrates that for any high energy application with moderate C-rates, secondary agglomerates hold a great potential for environmentally friendly and cost-efficient water-based cathode production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Chemical Engineering and Technology)

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15 pages, 1036 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Place-Based Rural Development and Resilience: A Lesson from a Small Community

by Rosanna Salvia

and Giovanni Quaranta^*

Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Economics, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 889; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060889 - 24 May 2017

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 9661

Abstract

Community resilience is central to reshaping the role and functions of rural areas; and development has increasingly come about via the capacity of communities to be resilient in the face of challenges. When policies designed and adopted in rural areas are place-based; these [...] Read more.

Community resilience is central to reshaping the role and functions of rural areas; and development has increasingly come about via the capacity of communities to be resilient in the face of challenges. When policies designed and adopted in rural areas are place-based; these policies should rely on resilient actors; belonging to resilient communities. The aim of this article is to focus on factors that can trigger or re-activate mechanisms that help to actively build resilience in areas that are heavily economically and socially impoverished using as a case study a very active and dynamic rural community. From the case study; three aspects emerge; all of which are closely interrelated; as having been particularly significant for building community resilience. The first was the rebuilding of previously frayed social ties within the community (growth of social capital and increased trust). The second was the ‘cascade effect’ of the first project started in the community; which led to the creation of many other initiatives. The third was the adoption of a systemic approach; able to bring together areas and sectors that had previously been disconnected (breaking down technical-legislative barriers). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community, Natural Resources, and Sustainability: An Interdisciplinary and International Dialogue)

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19 pages, 4900 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mining Site Reclamation Planning Based on Land Suitability Analysis and Ecosystem Services Evaluation: A Case Study in Liaoning Province, China

by Jiali Wang^1,2, Fuqiang Zhao¹, Jian Yang^1,3,*,*

and Xiaoshu Li³

¹ Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China

² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

³ Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA

^* Correspondence: jian.yang@uky.edu; Tel.: +1-859-257-7596

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 890; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060890 - 26 May 2017

Cited by 40 | Viewed by 7865

Abstract

Restoration of the degraded ecosystem is a global priority for achieving sustainable development. Although increasing ecosystem service is an important goal of ecological restoration, it is rarely used to inform mine reclamation. This study proposed a reclamation strategy that incorporated land suitability analysis [...] Read more.

Restoration of the degraded ecosystem is a global priority for achieving sustainable development. Although increasing ecosystem service is an important goal of ecological restoration, it is rarely used to inform mine reclamation. This study proposed a reclamation strategy that incorporated land suitability analysis and ecosystem service evaluation for a mining site in Liaoning Province, China. We assessed the land suitability for three reclamation alternatives and identified suitable land uses for each location by comparing their suitability levels. For areas that were suitable for multiple land uses with the same suitability level, the future land uses cannot be identified by land suitability analysis alone, and we employed ecosystem services evaluation to determine the optimal reclamation strategy. The results showed that forest could be restored throughout the entire mining site, agricultural land were most suitable in the western and southern parts, and developed land were in northern parts that were closer to roads and city centers. Our study showed that a large mining site can be reclaimed to different land uses and provided a practical framework for integrating ecosystem services into mine reclamation. Full article

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27 pages, 4894 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Public Participatory Mapping of Cultural Ecosystem Services: Citizen Perception and Park Management in the Parco Nord of Milan (Italy)

by Claudia Canedoli¹

, Craig Bullock², Marcus J. Collier³, Deirdre Joyce² and Emilio Padoa-Schioppa^1,*

¹ Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy

² School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland

³ School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College, Dublin 8, Ireland

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 891; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060891 - 24 May 2017

Cited by 59 | Viewed by 9120

Abstract

Ecosystem services may be underestimated, and consequently threatened, when land-use planning and management decisions are based on inadequate information. Unfortunately, most of the studies aimed to evaluate and map cultural ecosystem services (CES) are not used for actual decision support therefore there is [...] Read more.

Ecosystem services may be underestimated, and consequently threatened, when land-use planning and management decisions are based on inadequate information. Unfortunately, most of the studies aimed to evaluate and map cultural ecosystem services (CES) are not used for actual decision support therefore there is a gap in the literature about its use in practice. This study aimed to reduce this gap by: (i) mapping CES perceived by city park users through participatory mapping (PPGIS); (ii) mapping CES arising from park management (management perception); (iii) comparing citizens and park management perception to identify matches or mismatches; and (iv) discussing the utility of the data acquired and the methodology proposed to inform urban planning. The methodology presented in this study resulted in data directly informative for urban planning. It provided spatially explicit data about perceived cultural services of the park as well as information about the matching or mismatching patterns about cultural services provision comparing the users’ view with the management dimension. This research demonstrated a way to use the potential of ES mapping to inform urban planning and explored the local management demand for CES mapping, showing this to be a valuable tool for effective integration into actual decision making. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in an Urbanizing World: The Role of People)

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11 pages, 1183 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting Bio-indicators of Aquatic Ecosystems Using the Support Vector Machine Model in the Taizi River, China

by Juntao Fan^1,2, Jin Wu^3,*, Weijing Kong^1,2, Yizhang Zhang^1,2, Mengdi Li^1,2, Yuan Zhang^1,2,*, Wei Meng^1,2 and And Mengheng Zhang^1,2

¹ College of Water Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

² State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China

³ College of Resources Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 892; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060892 - 24 May 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3593

Abstract

Numerous studies have sought to clarify the link between biological communities and environmental factors in freshwater, but an appropriate model is still needed to predict the effect of water quality and hydromorphology improvement on biological communities and to provide useful information for ecological [...] Read more.

Numerous studies have sought to clarify the link between biological communities and environmental factors in freshwater, but an appropriate model is still needed to predict the effect of water quality and hydromorphology improvement on biological communities and to provide useful information for ecological restoration planning. In this study, a support vector machine (SVM) was used to predict the bio-indicators of an aquatic ecosystem (i.e., macroinvertebrates, fish, algae communities) in the Taizi River, northeast China. Environmental factors, including physico-chemical (i.e., dissolved oxygen (DO), electricity conductivity (EC), ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand in five days (BOD₅), total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN)) and hydromorphology parameters (i.e., water quantity, channel change, morphology diversity) were used as the input variables to train and validate the SVM model. The sensitivity of the input variables for the prediction was examined by removing a variable from the SVM model. Results revealed that the SVM model reproduced the variation in bio-indicators of fish and algae communities well, based on the input variables. The sensitivity for the input variables applied in SVM showed that in the Taizi River the most sensitive variables for predicting macroinvertebrate and algae communities were channel change, DO, TN, and TP, while the most sensitive variables for predicting fish communities were DO and BOD₅. This study proposed an effective method for predicting biological communities, which will improve freshwater quality and hydromorphology management schemes. The outputs can guide the decision-making process in river basin management, support the prioritization of actions and resource allocation, and help to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. Full article

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19 pages, 3308 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Agent-Based Model to Project China’s Energy Consumption and Carbon Emission Peaks at Multiple Levels

by Jing Wu¹, Rayman Mohamed² and Zheng Wang^1,3,*

¹ Institute of Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China

² Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA

³ East China Normal University, Key Laboratory of Geographical Information Science, Ministry of State Education of China, Shanghai 200062, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 893; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060893 - 26 May 2017

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5274

Abstract

To assess whether China’s emissions will peak around 2030, we forecast energy consumption and carbon emissions in China. We use an agent-based model driven by enterprises’ innovation. Results show some differences in both energy consumption peaks and carbon emission peaks when we compare [...] Read more.

To assess whether China’s emissions will peak around 2030, we forecast energy consumption and carbon emissions in China. We use an agent-based model driven by enterprises’ innovation. Results show some differences in both energy consumption peaks and carbon emission peaks when we compare trends at different levels. We find that carbon emissions and energy consumption will peak in 2027 and 2028, respectively. However, the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries will reach energy consumption in different years: 2023, 2029, and 2022, respectively, and reach carbon emission peaks in 2022, 2028, and 2022, respectively. At the sectoral level, we find a wider range of energy consumption peaks and carbon emission peaks. Peak energy consumption occurs between 2020 and 2034, and peak carbon emissions between 2020 and 2032. Commercial and catering businesses, utilities and resident services, and finance and insurance achieve peak energy consumption and carbon emissions earliest in 2020, while building materials and other non-metallic mineral products manufacturing and metal products manufacturing are the two latest sectors to reach peak energy consumption and emissions, in 2034 and 2032, respectively. Full article

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26 pages, 2441 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterizing Spatiotemporal Pattern of Land Use Change and Its Driving Force Based on GIS and Landscape Analysis Techniques in Tianjin during 2000–2015

by Yafei Li^1,*

and Gaohuan Liu²

¹ College of Air Traffic Management, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin 300300, China

² Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR), CAS, Beijing 100101, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 894; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060894 - 25 May 2017

Cited by 64 | Viewed by 5494

Abstract

The spatial and temporal characteristics and driving factors analysis of regional land use are the core scientific problems in the research of ecological environment and human sustainable development. It is also an important basis for the government to formulate land management policy. Based [...] Read more.

The spatial and temporal characteristics and driving factors analysis of regional land use are the core scientific problems in the research of ecological environment and human sustainable development. It is also an important basis for the government to formulate land management policy. Based on the land use maps of 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015, this article analyzed the spatiotemporal pattern of land use change in Tianjin, and determined the relative importance of each driving factor of land use change. The main features of land use change were the continuous expansion of built-up land (1386.89 km²/74.73% gains) and the decrease of arable land area (1181.60 km²/16.84% losses). The area and intensity of land use change were not completely consistent, such as Wuqing and Jixian. The hotspots of land use change mainly were located in the main urban region in Tianjin, around the suburban settlements and Binhai New Area. The landscape pattern in the research region has also changed significantly. The Largest patch index (LPI) and largest shape index (LSI) of arable land showed an increasing trend, and the degree of landscape fragmentation of arable land was deepened. The trend of landscape index of built-up land was similar to that of arable land, but the change intensity was more severe. In addition, the article also used the stepwise regression analysis in the multiple regression to analyze the relative importance of various driving factors, indicating that the driving factors of the built-up land and arable land change were obviously different in different periods. Government policies also have a significant impact on land use change, such as establishing the Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Use in China)

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21 pages, 795 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Dynamic Programming Model for Operation Decision-Making in Bicycle Sharing Systems under a Sustainable Development Perspective

by Linfeng Li

, Miyuan Shan^*, Ying Li and Sheng Liang

Department of Management Science and Engineering, Business School of Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 895; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060895 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5601

Abstract

Maintaining a balance between revenue and expenditure is the key to the sustainable development of a bicycle sharing system (BSS), and is a challenge for almost all systems worldwide. This article proposes a dynamic programming approach to obtain the optimal strategy to maximize [...] Read more.

Maintaining a balance between revenue and expenditure is the key to the sustainable development of a bicycle sharing system (BSS), and is a challenge for almost all systems worldwide. This article proposes a dynamic programming approach to obtain the optimal strategy to maximize the revenue of overall BSS. The Variable Granularity-Depth First Search (VG-DFS) algorithm is designed to speed up the solution. A numerical experiment is presented to verify the applicability of the model through a comparison with real data from the BSS in Hangzhou. Results indicated that the BSS could achieve break-even, or even obtain a substantial income by utilizing our model to make operational decisions, especially when the region it is located in has a relatively high GDP. Moreover, the best investment strategy proved is to involve stations in the initial construction period of the BSS as much as possible. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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21 pages, 4102 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Municipal Solid Waste Management in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: Systems Analysis

by Bolorchimeg Byamba^* and Mamoru Ishikawa

Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Hokkaidō 060-0808, Japan

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 896; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060896 - 25 May 2017

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 13624

Abstract

Research was conducted in Ulaanbaatar (UB), Mongolia with a view of finding ways of making its municipal solid waste management (MSWM) more efficient by minimizing the negative impact of waste on the environment and public health whilst increasing its resource efficiency in a [...] Read more.

Research was conducted in Ulaanbaatar (UB), Mongolia with a view of finding ways of making its municipal solid waste management (MSWM) more efficient by minimizing the negative impact of waste on the environment and public health whilst increasing its resource efficiency in a manner that is economically and financially viable. In this study, “Wasteaware” benchmark indicators were applied to assess the current system for MSWM in UB according to its physical and governance features. Data were obtained from site visits, interviews with the key stakeholders, and consulting of official documents and reports. The results of benchmark indicators showed that, in terms of Public Health, Environmental Control and Institutional Aspects, UB had surpassed the levels of low- and lower-middle-income countries and sufficed the prerequisites for modernizing its waste management system. However, there are still some major steps ahead to fully transition to a modern system. Our study brought significant contributions by filling the existing literature gaps for UB and identified its key strengths and areas for improvement. We conclude that an improvement in data collection and reporting, and widespread consultation with all stakeholders would impact positively on the improvement of the efficiency of the MSWM in UB and other developing countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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13 pages, 235 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing Risk Factors for Fatality in Urban Traffic Crashes: A Case Study of Wuhan, China

by Zhensheng Wang^1,2,3,4,*, Yang Yue^1,2,*, Qingquan Li^1,2, Ke Nie⁴, Wei Tu^1,2

and Shi Liang⁵

¹ Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Spatial Smart Sensing and Services, College of Civil Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China

² Key Laboratory for Geo-Environmental Monitoring of Coastal Zone of the National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and GeoInformation, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China

³ College of Information Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China

⁴ Key Laboratory of Urban Land Resources Monitoring and Simulation, Ministry of Land and Resources, Shenzhen 518034, China

⁵ Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, 2019 Buxin Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen 518010, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 897; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060897 - 26 May 2017

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5295

Abstract

How to maintain public transit safety and sustainability has become a major concern for the department of Road Traffic Administration. This study aims to analyze the risk factors that contribute to fatality in road traffic crashes using a 5-year police-reported dataset from the [...] Read more.

How to maintain public transit safety and sustainability has become a major concern for the department of Road Traffic Administration. This study aims to analyze the risk factors that contribute to fatality in road traffic crashes using a 5-year police-reported dataset from the Wuhan Traffic Management Bureau. Four types of variables, including driving experience, environmental factor, roadway factor and crash characteristic, were examined in this research by a case-control study. To obtain a comprehensive understanding of crash fatality, this study explored a detailed set of injury-severity risk factors such as impact direction, light and weather conditions, crash characteristic, driving experience and high-risk driving behavior. Based on the results of statistical analyses, fatality risk of crash-involved individuals was significantly associated with driving experience, season, light condition, road type, crash type, impact direction, and high-risk driving behavior. This study succeeded in identifying the risk factors for fatality of crash-involved individuals using a police-reported dataset, which could provide reliable information for implementing remedial measures and improving sustainability in urban road network. A more detailed list of explanatory variables could enhance the accountability of the analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and responses to population health and urbanization in the 21st century)

21 pages, 1162 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards Massive Data and Sparse Data in Adaptive Micro Open Educational Resource Recommendation: A Study on Semantic Knowledge Base Construction and Cold Start Problem

by Geng Sun^1,*, Tingru Cui¹, Ghassan Beydoun², Shiping Chen³

, Fang Dong⁴, Dongming Xu⁵ and Jun Shen¹

¹ School of Computing and Information Technology, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia

² School of Systems, Management and Leadership, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia

³ CSIRO Data61, Marsfield, NSW 2122, Australia

⁴ School of Computer Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China

⁵ UQ Business School, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 898; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060898 - 26 May 2017

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 6184

Abstract

Micro Learning through open educational resources (OERs) is becoming increasingly popular. However, adaptive micro learning support remains inadequate by current OER platforms. To address this, our smart system, Micro Learning as a Service (MLaaS), aims to deliver personalized OER with micro learning to [...] Read more.

Micro Learning through open educational resources (OERs) is becoming increasingly popular. However, adaptive micro learning support remains inadequate by current OER platforms. To address this, our smart system, Micro Learning as a Service (MLaaS), aims to deliver personalized OER with micro learning to satisfy their real-time needs. In this paper, we focus on constructing a knowledge base to support the decision-making process of MLaaS. MLaas is built using a top-down approach. A conceptual graph-based ontology construction is first developed. An educational data mining and learning analytic strategy is then proposed for the data level. The learning resource adaptation still requires learners’ historical information. To compensate for the absence of this information initially (aka ‘cold start’), we set up a predictive ontology-based mechanism. As the first resource is delivered to the beginning of a learner’s learning journey, the micro OER recommendation is also optimized using a tailored heuristic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart X for Sustainability)

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12 pages, 2410 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Deep Learning-Based Corporate Performance Prediction Model Considering Technical Capability

by Joonhyuck Lee¹, Dongsik Jang¹ and Sangsung Park^2,*

¹ Department of Industrial Management Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea

² Graduate School of Management of Technology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 899; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060899 - 26 May 2017

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 7763

Abstract

Many studies have predicted the future performance of companies for the purpose of making investment decisions. Most of these are based on the qualitative judgments of experts in related industries, who consider various financial and firm performance information. With recent developments in data [...] Read more.

Many studies have predicted the future performance of companies for the purpose of making investment decisions. Most of these are based on the qualitative judgments of experts in related industries, who consider various financial and firm performance information. With recent developments in data processing technology, studies have started to use machine learning techniques to predict corporate performance. For example, deep neural network-based prediction models are again attracting attention, and are now widely used in constructing prediction and classification models. In this study, we propose a deep neural network-based corporate performance prediction model that uses a company’s financial and patent indicators as predictors. The proposed model includes an unsupervised learning phase and a fine-tuning phase. The learning phase uses a restricted Boltzmann machine. The fine-tuning phase uses a backpropagation algorithm and a relatively up-to-date training data set that reflects the latest trends in the relationship between predictors and corporate performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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14 pages, 3617 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis and Prediction of Changes in Coastline Morphology in the Bohai Sea, China, Using Remote Sensing

by Ying Fu¹, Qiaozhen Guo^1,*

, Xiaoxu Wu², Hui Fang² and Yingyang Pan¹

¹ School of Geology and Geomatics, Tianjin Chengjian University, Jinjing Road, Tianjin 300384, China

² College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 900; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060900 - 29 May 2017

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4826

Abstract

Coastline change reflects the dynamics of natural processes and human activity, and influences the ecology and environment of the coastal strip. This study researched the change in coastline and sea area of the Bohai Sea, China, over a 30-year period using Landsat TM [...] Read more.

Coastline change reflects the dynamics of natural processes and human activity, and influences the ecology and environment of the coastal strip. This study researched the change in coastline and sea area of the Bohai Sea, China, over a 30-year period using Landsat TM and OLI remote sensing data. The total change in coastline length, sea area, and the centroid of the sea surface were quantified. Variations in the coastline morphology were measured using four shape indexes: fractal dimension, compact ratio, circularity, and square degree. Equations describing fit of the shape index, coastline length, and marine area were built. Then the marine area 10 years later was predicted using the model that had the highest prediction accuracy. The results showed that the highest prediction accuracy for the coastline length was obtained using a compound function. When a cubic function was used to predict the compact ratio, then the highest prediction accuracy was obtained using this compact ratio and a quadratic function to predict sea area. This study can provide theoretical support for the coastal development planning and ecological environment protection around the Bohai Sea. Full article

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21 pages, 12110 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Meteorological Drought Analysis in the Lower Mekong Basin Using Satellite-Based Long-Term CHIRPS Product

by Hao Guo^1,2,3,4

, Anming Bao^1,4,*, Tie Liu^1,4

, Felix Ndayisaba^1,2,5

, Daming He⁶, Alishir Kurban^1,4

and Philippe De Maeyer^3,4

¹ State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China

² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China

³ Department of Geography, Ghent University, Gent 9000, Belgium

⁴ Sino-Belgian Joint Laboratory of Geo-information, Urumqi 830011, China and Ghent 9000, Belgium

⁵ University of Lay Adventists of Kigali (UNILAK), 6392 Kigali, Rwanda

⁶ Asian International Rivers Center, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 901; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060901 - 29 May 2017

Cited by 140 | Viewed by 12037

Abstract

Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) experiences a recurrent drought phenomenon. However, few studies have focused on drought monitoring in this region due to lack of ground observations. The newly released Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) with a long-term record and [...] Read more.

Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) experiences a recurrent drought phenomenon. However, few studies have focused on drought monitoring in this region due to lack of ground observations. The newly released Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) with a long-term record and high resolution has a great potential for drought monitoring. Based on the assessment of CHIRPS for capturing precipitation and monitoring drought, this study aims to evaluate the drought condition in LMB by using satellite-based CHIRPS from January 1981 to July 2016. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) at various time scales (1–12-month) is computed to identify and describe drought events. Results suggest that CHIRPS can properly capture the drought characteristics at various time scales with the best performance at three-month time scale. Based on high-resolution long-term CHIRPS, it is found that LMB experienced four severe droughts during the last three decades with the longest one in 1991–1994 for 38 months and the driest one in 2015–2016 with drought affected area up to 75.6%. Droughts tend to occur over the north and south part of LMB with higher frequency, and Mekong Delta seems to experience more long-term and extreme drought events. Severe droughts have significant impacts on vegetation condition. Full article

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16 pages, 1108 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Why Are Naturally Ventilated Office Spaces Not Popular in New Zealand?

by Eziaku Onyeizu Rasheed^1,*, Hugh Byrd², Blair Money³, Jasper Mbachu¹ and Temtiope Egbelakin¹

¹ School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North 4474, New Zealand

² School of Architecture, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK

³ Focus Construction Group, Auckland 0610, New Zealand

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 902; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060902 - 26 May 2017

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5773

Abstract

In this paper, we investigated the reason(s) why natural ventilation is not as popular as air-conditioned or mixed-mode ventilation systems in Green-rated office buildings in New Zealand. To achieve this, we had three objectives. Firstly, we reviewed the Green Star criteria for thermal [...] Read more.

In this paper, we investigated the reason(s) why natural ventilation is not as popular as air-conditioned or mixed-mode ventilation systems in Green-rated office buildings in New Zealand. To achieve this, we had three objectives. Firstly, we reviewed the Green Star criteria for thermal comfort in office buildings to ascertain which ventilation system the NZ Green Star rating tool promotes. Secondly, we ascertained the perception of occupants in office buildings regarding thermal comfort. This was followed by an interview with building experts regarding factors that affect the use of natural ventilation in New Zealand offices. The findings showed that the NZ Green Star thermal comfort criteria encourage the use of mechanical ventilation over natural ventilation which results in designers opting for air conditioning systems in office designs. We observed that occupants of naturally ventilated spaces were least satisfied with the thermal comfort of their offices when compared with occupants of mixed-mode and air-conditioned offices. This study fulfils the need to encourage the use of natural ventilation in office environments by designers and building owners. Further study on other aspects of the indoor environment quality that is related to naturally ventilated systems such as lighting and noise is required in a bid to ascertain its viability in office environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Assessments of Buildings)

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10 pages, 373 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Residents’ Attitude toward Aboriginal Cultural Tourism Development: An Integration of Two Theories

by Chi-Ming Hsieh¹, Bi-Kun Tsai² and Han-Shen Chen^3,4,*

¹ International Bachelor Program of Agribusiness, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan

² Graduate Institute of Bio-Industry Management, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan

³ Department of Health Diet and Industry Management, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan

⁴ Department of Medical Management, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 903; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060903 - 27 May 2017

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6623

Abstract

Understanding residents’ attitudes is critical for successfully developing cultural tourism in aboriginal protected areas. This study developed an integration model combining two theories to identify the key determinants of indigenous residents’ attitudes toward cultural tourism development. Social exchange theory stresses the impact of [...] Read more.

Understanding residents’ attitudes is critical for successfully developing cultural tourism in aboriginal protected areas. This study developed an integration model combining two theories to identify the key determinants of indigenous residents’ attitudes toward cultural tourism development. Social exchange theory stresses the impact of the benefits derived from tourism on indigenous residents’ attitudes toward tourism development. Social capital theory embeds clear rationales for strengthening the internalization process of the formation of residents’ shared values and understanding, enabling them to trust each other and thus support tourism development. The present study was conducted within two indigenous communities in Eastern Taiwan. The results revealed that cultural tourism benefits and structural and relational capital effectively predict indigenous residents’ attitudes toward tourism development; structural capital plays a critical mediating role in the relationship between tourism benefits and residents’ attitudes. The managerial implications provide recommendations for aboriginal community developers or practical sectors to avoid problems or costs caused by tourism development when promoting cultural tourism activities within indigenous communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Tourism and Sustainability)

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14 pages, 213 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Barriers to Millennials Visiting Rouge Urban National Park

by Gillian Ramsay, Rachel Dodds^*, Daniela Furtado, Yana Mykhayletska, Anna Kirichenko and Mana Majedian

Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060904 - 27 May 2017

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 8198

Abstract

Intensified urbanization has led to more populated cities and less green spaces which are vital to community health, wellbeing and conservation. Rouge Urban National Park in Toronto has recently become Canada’s first urban national park. This park is ideally suited to the millennial [...] Read more.

Intensified urbanization has led to more populated cities and less green spaces which are vital to community health, wellbeing and conservation. Rouge Urban National Park in Toronto has recently become Canada’s first urban national park. This park is ideally suited to the millennial population, offering outdoor recreation and green space that this growing market generally desires. There is, however, a lack of research into visitor motivations to urban parks and more specifically millennial motivations. Findings from 280 quantitative surveys found three main barriers to visiting the Urban National Park: distance, transportation, and awareness. The lack of public transport combined with road congestion and fewer millennials owning cars creates issues with accessibility. Poor branding and knowledge through electronic media creates low awareness within a demographic market so tied to technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

29 pages, 2181 KiB

Open AccessArticle

PV, Wind and Storage Integration on Small Islands for the Fulfilment of the 50-50 Renewable Electricity Generation Target

by Javier Mendoza-Vizcaino

, Andreas Sumper^*

and Samuel Galceran-Arellano

Centre d’Innovaciò Tecnològica en Convertidors Estàtics i Accionaments (CITCEA-UPC), Departament d’Enginyeria Elèctrica, ETS d’Enginyeria Industrial de Barcelona, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060905 - 27 May 2017

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5703

Abstract

Decarbonisation in the generation of electricity is necessary to reduce fossil fuel consumption, the pollution emitted and to meet the Energy Technology Perspectives 2

^{°}

C Scenario (2DS) targets. Small islands are not exempt from this target, so this study’s emphasis is placed [...] Read more.

Decarbonisation in the generation of electricity is necessary to reduce fossil fuel consumption, the pollution emitted and to meet the Energy Technology Perspectives 2

^{°}

C Scenario (2DS) targets. Small islands are not exempt from this target, so this study’s emphasis is placed on a 50-50 target: to reduce the fossil fuel consumption through electricity generation from Renewable Energy Sources (RES) to cover 50% of all electric demand by 2050 on small islands. Using Cozumel Island, Mexico, as a case study, this analysis will be based on three factors: economical, technical, and land-use possibilities of integrating Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) into the existing electrical grid. This analysis is made through long-term statistical models. A deterministic methodology is used to perform time-series simulations. The selection of the best system was made on the basis of a Dimensional Statistical Variable (DSV) through primary and secondary category rankings. The presented methodology determines the best systems for capturing the initial capital cost and competitiveness of this new proposal compared with the current system of electricity generation on the Island, and can be applied to small islands as well. According to the results, all systems proposed are able to completely satisfy the renewable electricity needed by 2050 in all scenarios. From the 12 system proposals that were compared, two systems, System 2 and System 7, were chosen as eligible systems to be installed. The Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) result for System 2 was 0.2518 US$/kWh and for System 7 was 0.2265 US$/kWh by 2018 in the Base Scenario. Meanwhile, the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) value fluctuated from 17.2% for System 2 to 31% for System 7. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Energy Sustainability)

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14 pages, 1784 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Empirical Analysis of the Impact of Agricultural Product Price Fluctuations on China’s Grain Yield

by Hualin Xie^1,2,*

and Bohao Wang³

¹ Institute of Ecological Civilization, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang 330013, China

² Co-Innovation Center of Institutional Construction for Jiangxi Eco-Civilization, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang 330013, China

³ School of Economics, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang 330032, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 906; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060906 - 29 May 2017

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 10770

Abstract

In recent years, food security, especially supply, has been an important issue in China’s agricultural production. The stability of grain prices is related to the stability and development of the grain market. Based on agricultural production data from 1970 to 2015, this paper [...] Read more.

In recent years, food security, especially supply, has been an important issue in China’s agricultural production. The stability of grain prices is related to the stability and development of the grain market. Based on agricultural production data from 1970 to 2015, this paper explores the influence of agricultural product price fluctuation on grain production by using the cobweb theory and vector error correction (VEC) model. The results show that changes in grain production in China are affected by fluctuations in agricultural product prices, that the production change lags behind the price change, and that there is a long-term equilibrium relationship between grain yield and agricultural product price. A Granger causality test shows that the change in agricultural product price is the Granger cause of grain yield change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Cooperation for the Sustainable Development and Management in Northeast Asia)

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16 pages, 2966 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potentials for Improvement of Resource Efficiency in Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing: A Case Study Based on Material Flow Cost Accounting

by Yi-Xuan Wang¹, Chien-Hung Kuo², Rui Song¹, Allen H. Hu^2,* and Shu-Shen Zhang^1,*

¹ Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Linggong Road 2, Dalian 116024, China

² Sustainability, Innovation and Assessment Center (SIAC), Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei City 10608, Taiwan

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 907; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060907 - 28 May 2017

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 7338

Abstract

The pursuit of sustainable resource use by manufacturing companies is driven by resource scarcity, environmental awareness, and cost savings potentials. To address these issues, Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA) has been developed and applied as an effective environmental management tool. Within MFCA’s general [...] Read more.

The pursuit of sustainable resource use by manufacturing companies is driven by resource scarcity, environmental awareness, and cost savings potentials. To address these issues, Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA) has been developed and applied as an effective environmental management tool. Within MFCA’s general allocation, the accounts of products and losses are overrated by weight or volume. However, such a method is incompatible with Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturing because of industry characteristics in which primary inputs and products are measured by area. Based on MFCA, this case study systematically established several linear cost calculation models along the production process for capturing the actual waste flows as well as performing cost-benefit analysis. The recognition of previously ignored losses offered the incentive to find appropriate indicators to conduct cost-benefit analysis on hotspots for losses. Loss identification and analysis indicated that machining and wiring are the necessities and priorities of process optimization for resource efficiency improvement measures. Therefore, this research could not only advance the achievement of a profitable and sustainable production while improving resource efficiency at the source but could also provide support for decision making in PCB manufacturing. Full article

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15 pages, 253 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Achieving Revenue Benchmarks Conditional on Growth Properties

by Dong Hyun Son^1,* and Dongkuk Lim²

¹ College of Business, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, 107 Imun-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02450, Korea

² Seaver College, Business Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA 90263, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 908; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060908 - 28 May 2017

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3274

Abstract

This study examines whether certain firm characteristics, specifically growth properties, are associated with the likelihood of achieving market expectations for revenues, as well as which mechanism (revenue manipulation or expectation management) growth firms utilize in order to avoid missing these expectations. The results [...] Read more.

This study examines whether certain firm characteristics, specifically growth properties, are associated with the likelihood of achieving market expectations for revenues, as well as which mechanism (revenue manipulation or expectation management) growth firms utilize in order to avoid missing these expectations. The results show that growth firms are more likely to meet or exceed analyst revenue forecasts than non-growth firms. We also find that growth firms are more inclined to manipulate their reported revenues upwards, and less inclined to guide market expectations for revenues downward, in order to meet or beat expected revenues relative to non-growth firms. These findings suggest that window-dressing activities by growth firms may not be sustainable in the long-run and can misguide users of financial statements in their decision-making. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

19 pages, 3587 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Optimal Rubrics-Based Approach to Real Estate Appraisal

by Zhangcheng Chen^1,2,3,4, Yueming Hu^1,2,3,4,5,*, Chen Jason Zhang⁶ and Yilun Liu^1,2,3,4,*

¹ College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China

² Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Land and Resources for Construction Land Transformation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China

³ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Land Use and Consolidation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China

⁴ Guangdong Province Land Information Engineering Technology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China

⁵ College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China

⁶ Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 909; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060909 - 29 May 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5401

Abstract

Traditional real estate appraisal methods obtain estimates of real estate by using mathematical modeling to analyze the existing sample data. However, the information of sample data sometimes cannot fully reflect the real-time quotes. For example, in a thin real estate market, the correlated [...] Read more.

Traditional real estate appraisal methods obtain estimates of real estate by using mathematical modeling to analyze the existing sample data. However, the information of sample data sometimes cannot fully reflect the real-time quotes. For example, in a thin real estate market, the correlated sample data for estimated object is lacking, which limits the estimates of these traditional methods. In this paper, an optimal rubrics-based approach to real estate appraisal is proposed, which brings in crowdsourcing. The valuation estimate can serve as a market indication for the potential real estate buyers or sellers. It is not only based on the information of the existing sample data (just like these traditional methods), but also on the extra real-time market information from online crowdsourcing feedback, which makes the estimated result close to that of the market. The proposed method constructs the rubrics model from sample data. Based on this, the cosine similarity function is used to calculate the similarity between each rubric for selecting the optimal rubrics. The selected optimal rubrics and the estimated point are posted on a crowdsourcing platform. After comparing the information of the estimated point with the optimal rubrics on the crowdsourcing platform, those users who are connected with the estimated object complete the appraisal with their knowledge of the real estate market. The experiment results show that the average accuracy of the proposed approach is over 70%; the maximum accuracy is 90%. This supports that the proposed method can easily provide a valuable market reference for the potential real estate buyers or sellers, and is an attempt to use the human-computer interaction in the real estate appraisal field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart X for Sustainability)

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18 pages, 2972 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Most Economical Mode of Power Supply for Remote and Less Developed Areas in China: Power Grid Extension or Micro-Grid?

by Sen Guo^1,2,*, Huiru Zhao^1,2 and Haoran Zhao^1,2

¹ School of Economics and Management, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China

² Beijing Key Laboratory of New Energy and Low-Carbon Development, North China Electric Power University, Changping, Beijing 102206, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 910; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060910 - 29 May 2017

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5521

Abstract

There are still residents without access to electricity in some remote and less developed areas of China, which lead to low living standards and hinder sustainable development for these residents. In order to achieve the strategic targets of solving China’s energy poverty, realizing [...] Read more.

There are still residents without access to electricity in some remote and less developed areas of China, which lead to low living standards and hinder sustainable development for these residents. In order to achieve the strategic targets of solving China’s energy poverty, realizing basic energy service equalization, and comprehensively building up a moderately prosperous society, several policies have been successively promulgated in recent years, which aim to solve the electricity access issue for residents living in remote and less developed areas. It is of great importance to determine the most economical mode of power supply in remote and less developed areas, which directly affects the economic efficiency of public investment projects. Therefore, this paper focuses on how to select the most economical power supply mode for rural electrification in China. Firstly, the primary modes to supply electricity for residents living in the remote and less developed areas are discussed, which include power grid extension mode and micro-grid mode. Secondly, based on the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) technique, the life cycle economic cost accounting model for different power supply modes are built. Finally, taking a minority nationality village in Yunnan province as an example, the empirical analysis is performed, and the LCOEs of various possible modes for rural electrification are accounted. The results show that the photovoltaic (PV)-based independent micro-grid system is the most economical due to the minimum LCOE, namely 0.658 RMB/kWh. However, other power supply modes have much higher LCOEs. The LCOEs of power grid extension model, wind-based independent micro-grid system and biomass-based independent micro-grid system are 1.078 RMB/kWh, 0.704 RMB/kWh and 0.885 RMB/kWh, respectively. The proposed approach is effective and practical, which can provide reference for rural electrification in China. Full article

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17 pages, 449 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Smart MCDM Framework to Evaluate the Impact of Air Pollution on City Sustainability: A Case Study from China

by Qingyong Wang¹

, Hong-Ning Dai^1,*

and Hao Wang²

¹ Faculty of Information Technology, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau SAR

² Big Data Lab, Department of ICT and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Ålesund 6009, Norway

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 911; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060911 - 29 May 2017

Cited by 54 | Viewed by 6795

Abstract

Air pollution has become one of the key environmental concerns in the urban sustainable development. It is important to evaluate the impact of air pollution on socioeconomic development since it is the prerequisite to enforce an effective prevention policy of air pollution. In [...] Read more.

Air pollution has become one of the key environmental concerns in the urban sustainable development. It is important to evaluate the impact of air pollution on socioeconomic development since it is the prerequisite to enforce an effective prevention policy of air pollution. In this paper, we model the impact of air pollution on the urban economic development as a Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) problem. In particular, we propose a novel Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) analysis framework to evaluate multiple factors of air pollutants and economic development. Our method can overcome the drawbacks of conventional TOPSIS methods by using Bayesian regularization and the Back-Propagation (BP) neural network to optimize the weight training process. We have conducted a case study to evaluate our proposed framework. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart X for Sustainability)

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26 pages, 5284 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy Efficiency, Ownership Structure, and Sustainable Development: Evidence from China

by Weixin Yang¹

and Lingguang Li^2,*

¹ Business School, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China

² School of Mathematical Sciences, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 912; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060912 - 1 Jun 2017

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 4804

Abstract

Low energy efficiency and severe environmental pollution are two growing issues haunting China’s fast economic development. Under China’s current development model, economic growth still heavily depends on massive energy input, which makes energy efficiency one crucial topic in order to secure future sustainable [...] Read more.

Low energy efficiency and severe environmental pollution are two growing issues haunting China’s fast economic development. Under China’s current development model, economic growth still heavily depends on massive energy input, which makes energy efficiency one crucial topic in order to secure future sustainable development of China. This paper focuses on the unique energy ownership structure of China, and designs and adopts MATLAB programming for optimization solutions of multi-variable constrained nonlinear functions to obtain results that can better reflect China’s energy efficiency and solutions to sustainable development of China. Using this model, this paper conducts an empirical analysis on the impact of difference energy investment behaviors between China’s state-owned entities and non-state-owned business on China’s Total Factor Energy Efficiency (TFEE) and sustainable development from 2003 to 2014. We find that Beijing and Shanghai represent the highest energy efficiency level in China. However, except for the more developed regions in Eastern China, for other provinces in Northeast China, Central China and Western China, the TFEE of energy investment by state-owned and non-state-owned economies are both quite low compared with the optimal level. Based on the above findings from the empirical study and detailed analysis by region, this paper discusses the possible reasons for China’s low TFEE and provides implications and policy recommendations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Energy Sustainability)

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28 pages, 1212 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Longitudinal Study of the Impacts of a Climate Change Curriculum on Undergraduate Student Learning: Initial Results

by Kristin C. Burkholder^*, Jessica Devereaux, Caroline Grady, Molly Solitro and Susan M. Mooney

Environmental Sciences and Studies Program, Biology Department, Stonehill College, Easton, MA 02357, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 913; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060913 - 30 May 2017

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 6260

Abstract

The present study assesses the efficacy of a semester-long undergraduate sustainability curriculum designed from a systems approach. The three-course curriculum, which incorporated environmental science and ethics courses along with an integrative course using a community-based learning pedagogy, was intended to provide students with [...] Read more.

The present study assesses the efficacy of a semester-long undergraduate sustainability curriculum designed from a systems approach. The three-course curriculum, which incorporated environmental science and ethics courses along with an integrative course using a community-based learning pedagogy, was intended to provide students with experience using knowledge and skills from distinct disciplines in a holistic way in order to address the complex problems of the human acceptance of and response to anthropogenic climate change. In the fall of 2013, 23 of the 24 sophomore general education students enrolled in the three courses were surveyed at the beginning and end of the semester; 17 of those same students completed the survey again in the spring of 2016, their senior year. Results, which focus on the 17 students who continued to participate through their senior year, were analyzed with quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The pre/post data from the surveys demonstrated significant improvement in climate literacy, certainty, concern and urgency over the course of the semester; the senior data indicated that those improvements were largely retained. The study also suggests that the nine-credit curriculum improved transferable skills such as interdisciplinary thinking, self-confidence and public speaking. A qualitative analysis of three student cases, informed by a focus group (n = 7) of seniors along with other sources of information, suggested retention of such transferable skills, and, in some cases, deeper involvement in climate and sustainability action. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Implementation of Sustainability Programs in Higher Education)

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27 pages, 3618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability in the Higher Education System: An Opportunity to Improve Quality and Image

by Daniela M. Salvioni

, Simona Franzoni and Raffaella Cassano^*

Department of Economics and Management, University of Brescia, Contrada Santa Chiara 50, 25122 Brescia, Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 914; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060914 - 30 May 2017

Cited by 128 | Viewed by 13423

Abstract

In view of the increasing importance attributed to social responsibility and stakeholder relationship management, more universities have expanded their research topics and their educational programs through the years. High attention is dedicated to the dominant principles and values of internal and external relations, [...] Read more.

In view of the increasing importance attributed to social responsibility and stakeholder relationship management, more universities have expanded their research topics and their educational programs through the years. High attention is dedicated to the dominant principles and values of internal and external relations, to the innovation processes designed to ensure an approach to sustainable development. However, less attention is dedicated to the sustainability governance orientation and to the development of a strong institutional culture of sustainability, which is a key success factor to improve the quality and the image. This article observes the sustainability governance orientation, through the analysis of the information on the websites of three fair groups of universities in the international Top 500-ARWU (Academic Ranking of World Universities) 2015 ranking. The aim is to verify if there is a link between the degree of sustainability culture in the management and the positioning of the universities in the international ranking. In addition, the analysis is compared with self-assessment data carried out by the same universities in terms of performance sustainability through the STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) online platform. As principal consideration, we have noted that the best universities in the ranking have a management approach based on a shared vision of sustainability development of their university leaders, who play an essential role affirming and disseminating a sustainability culture. All this opens broader future implications intended to highlight the importance of management sustainability as a quality improvement factor of universities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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9 pages, 637 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Assessing the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard of 2016: Can Americans Access Electronic Disclosure Information?

by Craig F. Berning and Brian E. Roe^*

Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 916; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060916 - 31 May 2017

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4181

Abstract

The debate as to whether to require mandatory labeling of genetically modified organism (GMO) foods was partially settled on 29 July 2016, when President Obama signed the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard into public law. In contrast to precipitating legislation passed by the [...] Read more.

The debate as to whether to require mandatory labeling of genetically modified organism (GMO) foods was partially settled on 29 July 2016, when President Obama signed the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard into public law. In contrast to precipitating legislation passed by the State of Vermont that required disclosure of GMO ingredients on food shelves or food packages, the superseding National Standard allows firms to disclose bioengineered ingredients to consumers via symbols, electronic or digital links, or phone numbers, and further requires a study assessing the ability of consumers to access disclosure information by these means. This communication analyzes survey responses from 525 adults to investigate whether U.S. consumers are able to obtain information as per the disclosure methods allowed in the Federal legislation. The survey probes deeper to investigate consumer perceptions of genetically modified organisms and whether consumers would use the tools available to access disclosure about bioengineered ingredients. Findings from the survey show that 93.8% of respondents have the ability to access information via the disclosure methods permitted. Those in the lowest income group, and from the oldest age group are least likely to have such access. This provides the United State Department of Agriculture with information relevant to how they can implement the law and highlights particular demographic segments that may require additional attention to ensure the disclosed information is universally accessible. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Agriculture)

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15 pages, 666 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Word-of-Mouth of Cultural Products through Institutional Social Networks

by Eun Ea Lee¹, Hyunjeong Kang^2,* and Hyung Jun Ahn²

¹ LIG Art Space, Curatorial team, B1, 30, Daesagwan-ro 11-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 04401, Korea

² College of Business Administration, Hongik University, Wausan-ro 94, Mapo-gu, Seoul 04066, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 917; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060917 - 31 May 2017

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5240

Abstract

Recently, a number of cultural institutions such as museums, galleries, art auctions, events, and performance centers have been utilizing social network sites (SNS) for promoting and marketing their culture, art content, and events. The online social space is appropriate for cultural products to [...] Read more.

Recently, a number of cultural institutions such as museums, galleries, art auctions, events, and performance centers have been utilizing social network sites (SNS) for promoting and marketing their culture, art content, and events. The online social space is appropriate for cultural products to be viral, since users of SNS mainly share personal interest and spread hedonic consumption with close friends and acquaintances. If viral content drives strong emotions such as joy, arousal, pleasure, sorrow, or horror, it will be transmitted to more people, and rapidly. This study investigates how a certain type of motivation for using a social network service such as Facebook influences trust in art and culture exhibition information providers and the content of the information itself. Results show that people who have an informational motivation for using social media expressed a higher degree of trust in exhibition information provided by institutions such as museums. On the contrary, those who have relational motivation for using social media credited acquaintances such as friends, families, and colleagues more. Trust in the information provider resulted in trust in the content itself, and hence, increased the possibility of word-of-mouth for the corresponding information. An empirical survey was implemented, using followers of the Facebook page of a national museum and users who clicked “Like” on postings of exhibitions. Finally, the potential applications of the result for promotion and marketing of exhibitions of art and culture for public will be discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Tourism, Culture, and Heritage)

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16 pages, 3512 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Agricultural Drought Vulnerability by a VSD Model: A Case Study in Yunnan Province, China

by Jiansheng Wu^1,2, Xin Lin¹, Meijuan Wang^3,*, Jian Peng² and Yuanjie Tu¹

¹ Key Laboratory for Urban Habitant Environmental Science and Technology, School of Urban Planning and Design, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, China

² Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China

³ Tourism School, Shandong Woman University, Jinan 250000, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 918; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060918 - 31 May 2017

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 5724

Abstract

Drought vulnerability of agriculture is significant to economic development and sustainable food production. In this paper, we proposed a framework to evaluate the regional agricultural-eco environment in the face of drought caused by climate change. Based on a vulnerability scoping diagram (VSD) model, [...] Read more.

Drought vulnerability of agriculture is significant to economic development and sustainable food production. In this paper, we proposed a framework to evaluate the regional agricultural-eco environment in the face of drought caused by climate change. Based on a vulnerability scoping diagram (VSD) model, we built up a comprehensive system to evaluate the agricultural drought vulnerability of Yunnan Province in China. The model highlights the human-land relationship by considering both natural conditions and human activities. Twelve indicators were generated to construct three components of the model: exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. During the construction of the VSD model, the entropy and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) comprehensive analysis method were adopted to generate the weights and to compute the composite index for each section. Furthermore, the factor analysis method was used to determine the dominant factors of different cities and the main indicators driving the system. The results indicated a spatial pattern that the vulnerability value was high on the eastern and western sides, but low in the middle of Yunnan Province. Most of the vulnerable regions were concentrated in remote areas. Indicators such as population density, irrigation level, annual average precipitation, cultivation land ratio, and difficulty of water supply were the main driving factors. This means that there is a deep connection between agricultural drought vulnerability and urbanization. The evaluation system developed during this research will provide guidance for drought mitigation in regions of complex terrain. Full article

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23 pages, 786 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Green Buildings in Singapore; Analyzing a Frontrunner’s Sectoral Innovation System

by Vidushini Siva¹, Thomas Hoppe^2,*

and Mansi Jain¹

¹ Department of Technology and Governance for Sustainability (CSTM), Institute for Innovation and Governance Studies (IGS), Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social Studies (BMS), University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands

² Policy, Organisation, Law and Gaming (POLG), Department of Multi-Actor Systems (MAS), Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management (TPM), Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 919; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060919 - 31 May 2017

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 15113

Abstract

The building sector in Singapore consumes up to half of the nation’s total energy. The government has therefore been urging the transformation of the industry by targeting 80% of all buildings to be green-certified by 2030. Thus far, Singapore has done relatively well, [...] Read more.

The building sector in Singapore consumes up to half of the nation’s total energy. The government has therefore been urging the transformation of the industry by targeting 80% of all buildings to be green-certified by 2030. Thus far, Singapore has done relatively well, and is widely viewed as frontrunner in this respect. This paper addresses the question: what are the benefits and limitations of Singapore’s sectoral innovation system in spurring an energy transition in the building sector, in particular by up-scaling the use of green building technology? The Sectoral Innovation Systems (SIS) theoretical framework was used to analyze the Singapore case. Four SIS components were assessed: technological regime, market demand, actor interactions and networks, and institutional framework. The benefits of Singapore’s sectoral innovation system identified in the analysis basically concern aspects of all of the four elements of SIS. Particular success factors concerned the launching of an integrated strategy to support green building innovations (i.e., the Green Mark policy scheme), implementing support policies, and setting up test beds. Furthermore, a masterplan to engage and educate end-users was implemented, knowledge exchange platforms were set up, regulations on the use of efficient equipment in buildings were issued, and standards and a certification system were adopted. The results also shed light on key barriers, namely, the reluctance of building users to change their habits, ineffective stakeholder collaboration, and green buildings innovation support coming from the government only. Measures in place have been moderately effective. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Assessments of Buildings)

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20 pages, 602 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Product Strategy in Apparel Industry with Consumer Behavior Consideration

by Liu Yang^1,* and Shaozeng Dong^1,2

¹ Business School, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing 100029, China

² Rongcheng Campus, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Heilongjiang 150080, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 920; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060920 - 31 May 2017

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6644

Abstract

The article attempts to analyze sustainable product strategy in apparel industry specifically addressing a firm that is considering launching a sustainable product partly made from recycled materials. There are two types of consumers under consideration, environmentally conscious and regular consumers, as they have [...] Read more.

The article attempts to analyze sustainable product strategy in apparel industry specifically addressing a firm that is considering launching a sustainable product partly made from recycled materials. There are two types of consumers under consideration, environmentally conscious and regular consumers, as they have different perceived values for the sustainable products. The article provides an analytical model aimed to identify conditions under which a firm could benefit from adopting sustainable product strategy. The level of sustainability is determined by the trade-off between profitability and costs occurred and if more consumers value sustainable products, the firm will increase its sustainable level and get a higher profit. This is because of a combination effect of an increasing marginal profit and demand expansion. Moreover, the model has been further extended to address a situation where the firm could manage consumer segmentation. Depending on parameter settings, the firm may target different consumer segments and there is always a threshold of cost for managing consumer segments. When converting regular consumers to be environmentally conscious is not costly, the firm will convert all consumers to be environmentally conscious with great efforts; otherwise, the firm will convert part of consumers to be environmentally conscious. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)

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11 pages, 211 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Customer Satisfaction in Marine Cultural and Sustainable Tourism—A Case Study of Shanghai

by Yuxiang Zheng¹, Jiaying Wang¹, Sang-Bing Tsai^2,3,4,*

, Guodong Li^3,*, Jiangtao Wang^2,* and Jie Zhou^5,*

¹ School of Economics & Management, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China

² Zhongshan Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Zhongshan 528400, China

³ Economics and Management College, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin 300300, China

⁴ Law School, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China

⁵ College of Tourism and Service Management, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 921; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060921 - 31 May 2017

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6465

Abstract

In recent years, marine cultural tourism, an emerging tourism mode, has become more and more popular among tourists, and demonstrates broad market prospects. However, Chinese marine cultural tourism is still in the development and growth stage, and the level of customer satisfaction is [...] Read more.

In recent years, marine cultural tourism, an emerging tourism mode, has become more and more popular among tourists, and demonstrates broad market prospects. However, Chinese marine cultural tourism is still in the development and growth stage, and the level of customer satisfaction is uneven. The improvement of the customer satisfaction level is conducive to meeting customers’ demands in marine cultural tourism and enhancing the competitiveness of Chinese marine cultural tourism. Based on theoretical research and the practical situation of marine cultural tourism, this paper implements empirical investigation and research into customer satisfaction in marine cultural tourism in Shanghai, China. According to the research results, it proposes improving the level of customer satisfaction in Chinese marine cultural tourism from the perspectives of ocean culture tourism promotion, customer satisfaction evaluation, service level management and environment construction of scenic spots, tourism branding and the marine cultural accomplishments of tourists, so as to promote the sustainable development of marine cultural tourism. Full article

14 pages, 901 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Taking the Time Characteristic into Account of Life Cycle Assessment: Method and Application for Buildings

by Yurong Zhang

Department of disaster prevention mitigation and construction technology, College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, No. 18 Chao Wang Road, Xia Cheng District, Hangzhou 310014, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 922; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060922 - 31 May 2017

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4952

Abstract

Life cycle assessment (LCA) involves many temporal issues. It is necessary to make a clear distinction between long-term impacts and short-term impacts, especially for those structures with long service life, such as buildings. With their long service life of 50 years, a great [...] Read more.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) involves many temporal issues. It is necessary to make a clear distinction between long-term impacts and short-term impacts, especially for those structures with long service life, such as buildings. With their long service life of 50 years, a great deal of maintenance and repairs could be conducted, causing a respective environmental impact. In this paper we explored a monetization method to convert the life cycle environmental impact into a life cycle environmental cost to address the temporal issues involved in LCA by discounting. This method can facilitate decision-making when tradeoffs between current and future environmental impacts exist. Moreover, this method can be used as an effective supplement to life cycle cost and provide decision support for making trade-off between cost and environmental impact. Finally, a building located in Xiamen City, China was selected as a case study and analyzed by the proposal LCA method. The results indicated that carbon cost in the operational stage is the maximum, building material production and transportation stages are ranked second, and the amount in the demolition stage is negligible, compared with the other three stages. Additionally, with the increase of the discount rate, the carbon cost in different life cycle stages will decrease, the percentage of the carbon cost in the operational stage will gradually decrease, but the percentage of the carbon cost in building material production and transportation stages will gradually increase. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable and Resource–Efficient Homes and Communities)

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15 pages, 1429 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Optimization of Manufacturing Process Effectiveness in Furniture Production

by Andrea Sujova^1,*, Katarina Marcinekova¹

and Stefan Hittmar²

¹ Department of Business Economics, Technical University in Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 24, 96053 Zvolen, Slovakia

² Department of Management Theories, University of Žilina, Univerzitná 8215/1, 010 26 Žilina, Slovakia

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 923; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060923 - 1 Jun 2017

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 7203

Abstract

Sustainable manufacturing is connected with the effectiveness of production processes. There are several solutions to improve manufacturing sustainability. This paper deals with the possibilities of the utilization of mathematical methods to solve optimization problems in the production process of furniture. The aim of [...] Read more.

Sustainable manufacturing is connected with the effectiveness of production processes. There are several solutions to improve manufacturing sustainability. This paper deals with the possibilities of the utilization of mathematical methods to solve optimization problems in the production process of furniture. The aim of the paper is to create a mathematical model of the key processes in order to maximize productivity and cost reduction by identifying key processes and parameters influencing manufacturing effectiveness. After identification of the parameters describing the key process (milling), an abstract model of the manufacturing process was created. Identified input parameters were the cutting velocity, feed rate, and a total volume of removed material. The output parameters were surface roughness, process duration, and process cost. The experimentally measured and calculated values of the output parameters were analyzed by a multiple regression tool. The method of an artificial neural network was used as a numeric method for optimization. The results showed that the maximal effectiveness of the sub-process can be achieved if the CNC machine is set at the cutting velocity of 4398.23 m·min⁻¹ and feed rate of 11.00 m·min⁻¹. Maximal values of the created neural network showed optimal values of input and output parameters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Manufacturing)

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17 pages, 284 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mushrooming Communities: A Field Guide to Mycology in the Community Forests of Portugal

by Rita Serra^1,*, Eugénia Rodrigues² and Raúl García-Barrios³

¹ Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra, Colégio de S. Jerónimo, Largo D. Dinis, Apartado 3087, 3000-995 Coimbra, Portugal

² Baldios dos Lugares da Extinta Freguesia de Vilarinho, Lousã, Rua Sr. das Preces 8, 3200-407 Vilarinho LSA, Portugal

³ Regional Centre of Multidisciplinary Research, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Av. Universidad s/n, Circuito 2, Col. Chamilpa, Ciudad Universitaria de la UAEM, 62210 Cuernavaca, Morelos

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 924; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060924 - 1 Jun 2017

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 7172

Abstract

Forest community connections are crucial to ensure forest stewardship and sustainability. We explored the potential of mushrooming to enable such connections in contexts where these connections have been historically broken, alienating local people from forests. Taking the case of the recent devolution of [...] Read more.

Forest community connections are crucial to ensure forest stewardship and sustainability. We explored the potential of mushrooming to enable such connections in contexts where these connections have been historically broken, alienating local people from forests. Taking the case of the recent devolution of a community forest (baldios) in central Portugal to the local population, we present a five-year pilot project to rework mycology from a mushroom-centered approach to a mushroom-in-baldios approach. Mushrooms were used as an entry-point to connect the forest ecology with the challenges of governance and community building. The devised activities provided an opportunity for people inside and outside the local community to adventure into the woods and find out more about their socio-ecological history, develop communal and convivial relationships and engage in the responsible gathering of wild mushrooms. However, the hosting of mushroomers to know, value and engage with the community forest recovery has constantly worked against the enclosure of mushrooms to provide marketable forms of leisure. The outcome of these activities depends on the relationships established between mushrooms, mycologists, local administrators, commoners and poachers, all operating within a framework that favors the eradication of resources instead of long-term relationships that sustain places. Full article

16 pages, 452 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Farmer Cooperation as a Means for Creating Local Food Systems—Potentials and Challenges

by Juliana Lutz^*, Barbara Smetschka and Nelson Grima

Institute of Social Ecology Vienna (SEC), Alpen-Adria Universitaet (AAU), Schottenfeldgasse 29, 1070 Vienna, Austria

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 925; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060925 - 1 Jun 2017

Cited by 61 | Viewed by 8512

Abstract

Facing the continuous loss of family-run farms across Europe, farmers are seeking new pathways to sustainability. One such pathway is involvement in local food supply systems. Often, this requires new forms of cooperation among farmers and with consumers. Little is known, however, about [...] Read more.

Facing the continuous loss of family-run farms across Europe, farmers are seeking new pathways to sustainability. One such pathway is involvement in local food supply systems. Often, this requires new forms of cooperation among farmers and with consumers. Little is known, however, about how this cooperation works in practice and how it might be better fostered. This paper aims to illustrate various forms of cooperation in relation to small-scale farming and the establishment of local food supply. It sheds light on challenges farmers are facing and on the potential measures they can adopt to tackle these challenges. By means of an Austrian case study, researchers applied a participatory method (Social Multi-Criteria Evaluation) and conducted workshops with farmers. Research shows that local production, processing and distribution infrastructure becomes more affordable when farmers collaborate with each other and with consumers and institutions. Furthermore, sharing and collectively developing know-how helps to optimise local farming and food supply systems. However, farmers often lack the knowledge and time to establish new collaborations and to re-organise labour, logistics and communication processes. They would benefit from the availability of cooperative schemes that help facilitate such processes and innovations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroecology at the Crossroads: Challenges for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems)

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21 pages, 5235 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Objective Spatial Optimization: Sustainable Land Use Allocation at Sub-Regional Scale

by Guadalupe Azuara García^1,*, Efrén Palacios Rosas², Alfonso García-Ferrer³ and Pilar Montesinos Barrios¹

¹ Department of Agronomy, University of Cordoba, Rabanales Campus. Ed. 14071 Córdoba, Spain

² Freelance consultant in computing languages, Cordillera Central 2428, Fraccionamiento Maravillas Puebla Pue Z.C. 72220, Mexico

³ Gregor Mendel, Z.C. 14071 Córdoba, Spain

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 927; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060927 - 1 Jun 2017

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 8898

Abstract

The rational use of territorial resources is a key factor in achieving sustainability. Spatial planning is an important tool that helps decision makers to achieve sustainability in the long term. This work proposes a multi-objective model for sustainable land use allocation known as [...] Read more.

The rational use of territorial resources is a key factor in achieving sustainability. Spatial planning is an important tool that helps decision makers to achieve sustainability in the long term. This work proposes a multi-objective model for sustainable land use allocation known as MAUSS (Spanish acronym for “Modelo de Asignación de Uso Sostenible de Suelo”) The model was applied to the Plains of San Juan, Puebla, Mexico, which is currently undergoing a rapid industrialization process. The main objective of the model is to generate land use allocations that lead to a territorial balance within regions in three main ways by maximizing income, minimizing negative environmental pressure on water and air through specific evaluations of water use and CO₂ emissions, and minimizing food deficit. The non-sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) is the evolutionary optimization algorithm of MAUSS. NSGA-II has been widely modified through a novel and efficient random initializing operator that enables spatial rationale from the initial solutions, a crossover operator designed to streamline the best genetic information transmission as well as diversity, and two geometric operators, geographic dispersion (GDO) and the proportion (PO), which strengthen spatial rationality. MAUSS provided a more sustainable land use allocation compared to the current land use distribution in terms of higher income, 9% lower global negative pressure on the environment and 5.2% lower food deficit simultaneously. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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18 pages, 3467 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment Method for Substation Capacity Credit of Generalized Power Source Considering Grid Structure

by Wenxia Liu, Yicong Liu^*, Shuya Niu

and Zongqi Liu

State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, 102206, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 928; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060928 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 6397

Abstract

This paper presents the concept of the generalized power source in an active distribution network. After the energy storage system (ESS), distributed generators (DG), and demand-side controllable load are connected to the active distribution network, part of the system load can be undertaken [...] Read more.

This paper presents the concept of the generalized power source in an active distribution network. After the energy storage system (ESS), distributed generators (DG), and demand-side controllable load are connected to the active distribution network, part of the system load can be undertaken by these ESS, DG, and controllable load instead of relying on the capacity of the substation, which greatly improves the reliability of the system. The above-mentioned distributed energy resources in the active distribution network are collectively referred to as the generalized power source (GPS). Substation credible capacity refers to the capacity of the GPS to supply the distribution network that is equivalent at the high voltage distribution network level when considering the faults of the main transformer, 110 kV lines, and circuit breakers. Considering the uncertainties and control strategies of GPS, this paper takes a specific distribution area as the background to study its substituted substation capacity. Based on a sequential Monte Carlo evaluation framework and the principle of constant reliability, an evaluation method of the GPS credible capacity is proposed. In order to verify the effectiveness of the method proposed in this paper, the credible capacity of various typical connection modes of a high voltage distribution network is quantitatively analyzed in the case study, which can provide a reference for the capacity planning of an active distribution network substation and grid structure selection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Electric Power Systems Research)

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17 pages, 3437 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pilot-Scale Testing of Non-Activated Biochar for Swine Manure Treatment and Mitigation of Ammonia, Hydrogen Sulfide, Odorous Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

by Devin L. Maurer¹, Jacek A. Koziel^1,*

, Kajetan Kalus²

, Daniel S. Andersen¹ and Sebastian Opalinski²

¹ Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

² Faculty of Biology and Animal Science, Department of Environment Hygiene and Animal Welfare, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Science, 50-375 Wroclaw, Poland

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 929; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060929 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 86 | Viewed by 8714

Abstract

Managing the environmental impacts associated with livestock production is a challenge for farmers, public and regulatory agencies. Sustainable solutions that take into account technical and socioeconomic factors are needed. For example, the comprehensive control of odors, ammonia (NH₃), hydrogen sulfide (H [...] Read more.

Managing the environmental impacts associated with livestock production is a challenge for farmers, public and regulatory agencies. Sustainable solutions that take into account technical and socioeconomic factors are needed. For example, the comprehensive control of odors, ammonia (NH₃), hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from swine production is a critical need. Stored manure is a major source of gaseous emissions. Mitigation technologies based on bio-based products such as biochar are of interest due to the potential benefits of nutrient cycling. The objective of this study was to test non-activated (non-functionalized) biochar for the mitigation of gaseous emissions from stored manure. Specifically, this included testing the effects of: (1) time; and (2) dosage of biochar application to the swine manure surface on gaseous emissions from deep-pit storage. The biochar surface application was tested with three treatments (1.14, 2.28 and 4.57 kg·m⁻² manure) over a month. Significant reductions in emissions were observed for NH₃ (12.7–22.6% reduction as compared to the control). Concomitantly, significant increases in CH₄ emissions (22.1–24.5%) were measured. Changes to emissions of other target gases (including CO₂, N₂O, H₂S, dimethyl disulfide/methanethiol, dimethyl trisulfide, n-butyric-, valeric-, and isovaleric acids, p-cresol, indole, and skatole) were not statistically significant. Biochar treatment could be a promising and comparably-priced option for reducing NH₃ emissions from stored swine manure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Agriculture)

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20 pages, 606 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Economic Valuation of the Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation in South Korea: Correcting for the Endogeneity Bias in Contingent Valuation

by Ik-Chang Choi^1,*

, Hyun No Kim²

, Hio-Jung Shin³

, John Tenhunen¹ and Trung Thanh Nguyen⁴

¹ Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth 95440, Germany

² Environmental Policy Research Group, Korea Environment Institute, Sejong 30147, Korea

³ Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea

⁴ Institute for Environmental Economics and World Trade, University of Hannover, Hannover 30167, Germany

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 930; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060930 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5790

Abstract

In this study, we use the Contingent Valuation (CV) method to estimate households’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the aquatic ecosystem health (biodiversity) improvement. This paper extends CV studies by dealing with the endogenous effect of a proxy variable, namely the subjective experience [...] Read more.

In this study, we use the Contingent Valuation (CV) method to estimate households’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the aquatic ecosystem health (biodiversity) improvement. This paper extends CV studies by dealing with the endogenous effect of a proxy variable, namely the subjective experience of negative environmental quality changes. The results show that the correction for the endogeneity bias facilitates the efficiency of parameter estimation in the empirical model. The mean WTP per household accounts for around 46.8% (KRW 79.6) of the current water use charge (KRW 170 per cubic meter). The total benefit from conserving the biodiversity is around KRW 198.62 billion. We found several factors that affect households’ WTP for fish biodiversity conservation, suggesting the importance of these factors in the formulation of water policies associated with aquatic biodiversity. In addition, the inefficient water management costs should be redistributed to other projects or new programs such as for the fish biodiversity conservation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable River Basin Management)

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18 pages, 455 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Processes of Participation in the Development of Urban Food Strategies: A Comparative Assessment of Exeter and Eindhoven

by Aniek Hebinck^1,2,*

and Daphne Page³

¹ Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-106 91, Sweden

² Rural Sociology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 PB, The Netherlands

³ Centre for Food Policy, City University London, London EC1V 0HB, UK

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 931; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060931 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 7437

Abstract

Urban food strategies are increasingly being used as means to address a multitude of challenges presented by food system failings. The use of participatory approaches has become common practice in the field of urban food systems planning. These approaches are believed to democratize, [...] Read more.

Urban food strategies are increasingly being used as means to address a multitude of challenges presented by food system failings. The use of participatory approaches has become common practice in the field of urban food systems planning. These approaches are believed to democratize, legitimize and increase effectiveness of addressing challenges. Despite these “promises”, they have also been viewed as problematic for being unbalanced and lacking accountability. This paper sets out to compare the creation and use of new participatory spaces in two initiatives in two European cities in their on-going attempts to formulate urban food strategies through multi-actor processes. This is explored through operationalisation of two key concepts essential to participatory approaches: participation and accountability. As such, the paper addresses how participatory processes for urban food strategies can be conceptualised when policy making involves the interplay of actors, knowledges and spaces. We conclude that within the two cases, ample attention is given to get a cross-section of the types of participants involved, while accountability is an aspect still under-represented. Based on the two cases, we argue that incorporation of accountability in particular will be instrumental in the development and implementation of more mature urban food strategies. However, it is essential for participatory processes to not completely break from more “traditional” policy processes, at risk of limiting progress in strategy development and deployment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue City Region Foodscapes)

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17 pages, 2702 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CO₂ Emission Performance, Mitigation Potential, and Marginal Abatement Cost of Industries Covered in China’s Nationwide Emission Trading Scheme: A Meta-Frontier Analysis

by Zhencheng Xing^1,2,*

, Jigan Wang¹ and Jie Zhang^1,2

¹ School of Business, Hohai University, West Focheng Road 8, Nanjing 211100, China

² Collaborative Innovation Center for Coastal Development and Preservation, Xikang Road 1, Nanjing 210098, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 932; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060932 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3591

Abstract

China’s nationwide emission trading scheme (CN-ETS) is scheduled to be launched in 2017. It is of great urgency and necessity to obtain a good understanding of the participating sectors of CN-ETS in terms of energy utilization and CO₂ emissions. In this regard, [...] Read more.

China’s nationwide emission trading scheme (CN-ETS) is scheduled to be launched in 2017. It is of great urgency and necessity to obtain a good understanding of the participating sectors of CN-ETS in terms of energy utilization and CO₂ emissions. In this regard, it should be noted that the findings may be biased without taking industry heterogeneity into consideration. To this end, a meta-frontier framework with the directional distance function is employed to estimate the CO₂ emission performance (CEP), mitigation potential (MP), and marginal abatement cost (MAC) at sector levels under the meta-frontier and the group-frontier. The results indicate that significant disparities in the CEP, MP, and MAC exist under both frontiers among various sectors, and the sectoral distributions of CEP, MP, and MAC are found to be different between the two frontiers. Additionally, the differences between the two frontiers in terms of CEP, MP, and MAC are considerable, and exhibit unequal distributions among these sectors. Notably, MAC under both frontiers and the difference between them are found to be significantly correlated with the carbon intensity. Finally, policy implications are provided for the government and participating enterprises, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Engineering and Science)

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21 pages, 4716 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Empirical Research of FDI Spillovers and Financial Development Threshold Effects in Different Regions of China

by Hui Wang^1,2 and Huifang Liu^1,2,*

¹ School of Humanities and Economic Management, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China

² Key Laboratory of Carrying Capacity Assessment for Resource and Environment, Ministry of Land and Resources, Beijing 100083, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 933; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060933 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4159

Abstract

Based on a comprehensive review of previous studies about the threshold effects of financial development on the process of foreign direct investment (FDI) spillovers, the present work roundly measures the financial development from the aspects of scale, structure, and efficiency and applies a [...] Read more.

Based on a comprehensive review of previous studies about the threshold effects of financial development on the process of foreign direct investment (FDI) spillovers, the present work roundly measures the financial development from the aspects of scale, structure, and efficiency and applies a multiple threshold regression model to estimate the threshold effects of financial development on FDI spillovers, and then examines the inherent relationship between FDI spillovers effects and the financial development from the three aspects, respectively, in different regions of China, based on regional panel data from 2000 to 2014. The results revealed that there are two thresholds of financial development scale, structure and efficiency, existing in the FDI spillover processes in different regions. The FDI spillovers effects are greatest in the eastern region and are generally smallest in the western region. There is a negative correlation between FDI spillovers effects and the financial development scale or efficiency in eastern and central region. Moreover, there is positive correlation between FDI spillovers effects and the financial development structure in eastern and central region. Additionally, there is a positive correlation between FDI spillovers effects and the financial development scale, structure, or efficiency in western region. The capital, labor, and regional technology progress have positive effects on economic growth in different regions and the effects of financial development on economic growth are not unanimous in each region. Based on the empirical results, some policies on how to develop regional finances and how to introduce FDI to promote economic growth are recommended. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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17 pages, 8560 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Non-Homogeneous Diffusion of Residential Crime in Urban China

by Yicheng Tang¹, Xinyan Zhu¹, Wei Guo^1,*, Xinyue Ye^2,*

, Tao Hu¹, Yaxin Fan¹ and Faming Zhang¹

¹ State Key Lab of Information Engineering in Surveying Mapping and Remote Sensing & Collaborative Innovation Center of Geospatial Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China

² Department of Geography, Kent State University, Kent, OH 42240, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 934; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060934 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4164

Abstract

The relationship between crime and urban environment has always been the focus of crime geography. Like diseases which can transmit and diffuse, crimes may also spread during a certain period of time and to a certain area by the near-repeat effect. Traditional near-repeat [...] Read more.

The relationship between crime and urban environment has always been the focus of crime geography. Like diseases which can transmit and diffuse, crimes may also spread during a certain period of time and to a certain area by the near-repeat effect. Traditional near-repeat analysis focuses on the spatial spread of crimes to adjacent areas, with little regard to the displacement effect. Crime displacement refers to the relocation of criminal events as a result of policing efforts. If this phenomenon is neglected, the near-repeat analysis will tend not to obtain the overall spatial distribution pattern of criminal cases, leading to limited effectiveness of crime control. This paper presents a non-homogeneous diffusion model where crime spreads not only to spatially and temporally adjacent areas, but also to areas with similar environmental characteristics. By virtue of spatial constraints and environmental characteristics, the most vulnerable areas are identified, and this will be helpful for developing policing strategy as well as for sustainable community development. Full article

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17 pages, 5416 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Case Study of Effective Support Working Resistance and Roof Support Technology in Thick Seam Fully-Mechanized Face Mining with Hard Roof Conditions

by Wei-bin Guo^1,*

, Hong-sheng Wang¹, Guo-wei Dong¹, Lei Li¹ and Yao-guang Huang²

¹ School of Energy Engineering, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Western Mine Exploitation and Hazard Prevention with Ministry of Education, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi, China

² School of Sciences, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 935; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060935 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 4888

Abstract

This paper presents the engineering geological properties and roof control tecnology for a thick coal seam fully-mechanized face mining with hard roof conditions (THC) at the Jinhuagong Coal Mine (JCM), northwest China. The effective support working resistance and appropriate roof control technology are [...] Read more.

This paper presents the engineering geological properties and roof control tecnology for a thick coal seam fully-mechanized face mining with hard roof conditions (THC) at the Jinhuagong Coal Mine (JCM), northwest China. The effective support working resistance and appropriate roof control technology are two critical factors for safe and productive mining in the THC. The load-estimate-method (LOEM) is the effective method to determine the support working resistance for normal working conditions (the mining height less than 3.5 m). In order to prevent support crushing accidents from happening and to ensure the safety and high-efficiency in the THC, the LOEM was modified based on the structure of the overlying strata in the THC. The strata which can form the voussoir beam structure in normal working conditions and will break in the form of cantilever beam in the THC is defined as the key strata in the immediate roof. Therefore, the hanging length of the key strata in the immediate roof was considered in the LOEM. Furthermore, a method for calculating the hanging length of the key strata in the immediate roof and its influencing factors were proposed using cantilever beam theory analysis of the structure of the overlying strata. Moreover, in order to fully fill the goaf area with caving roof to reduce the energy accumulation of main roof movement, it was decided to apply destress blasting technique (DEBT) at the JCM to control the large hanging length of the hard roof, so as to reduce the impact of the hard main roof movement on the working face. The key technique parameters of the roof caving borehole were also proposed. The obtained results demonstrated that the theoretical analysis is reasonable, and the chosen support type and the DEBT could meet the roof control requirements. The THC has achieved safety and high-efficiency mining. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Engineering and Science)

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15 pages, 6007 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Performance of Vacuum Glazing in Office Buildings in Korea: Simulation and Experimental Studies

by Soo Cho^1,* and Seok-Hyun Kim²

¹ Korea Institute of Energy Research, 152 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34101, Korea

² Department of Architectural Engineering, Graduate School of Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 936; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060936 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5240

Abstract

Window performance in buildings is very important for energy saving. Many efforts have been made towards saving energy in buildings, and research has focused attention on enhancing the thermal performance of windows. Vacuum glazing has attracted much interest as a means of enhancing [...] Read more.

Window performance in buildings is very important for energy saving. Many efforts have been made towards saving energy in buildings, and research has focused attention on enhancing the thermal performance of windows. Vacuum glazing has attracted much interest as a means of enhancing the thermal performance of windows by strengthening insulation performance. However, the performance of vacuum glazing differs based on various component combinations, therefore, further study on vacuum glazing is needed. In this paper, through simulations, the authors confirmed the heat transfer value (U-value) of the vacuum glazing composed of various combinations (glass type, number of layers, interval of pillar, etc.). A physical test of vacuum glazing was also performed using standard test methods of windows and the U-value of the vacuum glazing by various intervals of the pillar position was confirmed. The simulation revealed a U-value for vacuum glazing of 0.682–1.466 W/m²·K as per the interval of the pillar position, the performance of solar heat gain, and visible light transmission. The U-value of the double vacuum glazing was calculated as 0.607–1.154 W/m²·K and was similar regardless of the interval of pillar position, the performance of solar heat gain, and visible light transmission. Based on the results of the energy simulation, in the case of a used low U-value of vacuum glazing, the heating and cooling energy consumption in buildings decreased by 2.46%, than when low-e glass and argon gas filled layers were used in windows. Furthermore, in double vacuum glazing, the heating and cooling energy consumption in buildings decreased by 3.91%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Assessments of Buildings)

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20 pages, 3047 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Agronomic Factors Affecting the Potential of Sorghum as a Feedstock for Bioethanol Production in the Kanto Region, Japan

by Shoko Ishikawa^1,*

, Takayuki Tsukamoto², Hitoshi Kato³, Kazuto Shigeta¹ and Ken-ichi Yakushido⁴

¹ Division of Crop Production Systems, Central Region Agricultural Research Center, NARO, Tsukuba 305-8666, Japan

² Department of Farm Labor and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Agricultural Machinery, NARO, Saitama, 331-8537, Japan

³ Division of Lowland Farming, Central Region Agricultural Research Center, NARO, Joetsu 943-0193, Japan

⁴ Division of Livestock and Grassland Research, Kyushu Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, NARO, Koshi 861-1192, Japan

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 937; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060937 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4872

Abstract

In the Kanto region in Japan, the possibilities of running a bio-ethanol plant from rice straw has been assessed and sorghum production has been considered as a necessary part of the system. Two field experiments were conducted in 2012 and 2013 at the [...] Read more.

In the Kanto region in Japan, the possibilities of running a bio-ethanol plant from rice straw has been assessed and sorghum production has been considered as a necessary part of the system. Two field experiments were conducted in 2012 and 2013 at the NARO—Agricultural Research Center in Tsukuba, Ibaraki to estimate yielding ability of sorghum in the Kanto region. Two cultivars of sweet sorghum and one of grain sorghum were sown using a pneumatic seeder. Above-ground dry matter (DM) yield ranged from 1.03 to 1.82 kg m⁻² for the sorgo type cultivars and from 0.70 to 1.18 kg m⁻² for the grain type cultivar. The observed yields were lower than the simulated potential yields, i.e., 1.61 to 2.66 kg m⁻², indicating that biomass production was restricted in this study. Stem brix values for the sweet sorghum cultivars were generally low (3.3–16.2%) compared with the values reported in the literature. It appears that there is still room to improve the field management of sorghum to minimize the gap between the potential and actual production observed in these experiments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Energy Conversion)

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12 pages, 214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Beyond Regulation: Innovative Strategies for Governing Large Complex Systems

by Oran R. Young

Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5131, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 938; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060938 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6716

Abstract

We have entered an era characterized by levels of complexity that are unprecedented in human experience. The hallmarks of complex systems are the growth of connectivity, the prominence of nonlinear patterns of change, the occurrence of bifurcations in contrast to oscillations, and frequent [...] Read more.

We have entered an era characterized by levels of complexity that are unprecedented in human experience. The hallmarks of complex systems are the growth of connectivity, the prominence of nonlinear patterns of change, the occurrence of bifurcations in contrast to oscillations, and frequent surprises associated with emergent properties. There are good reasons to question the adequacy of the standard repertory of practices associated with regulatory strategies in efforts to fulfill needs for governance in complex systems. Whereas regulatory strategies feature the articulation of rules expected to remain in place indefinitely and emphasize efforts to maximize compliance with the rules, governing complex systems calls for a willingness to experiment with innovative practices in the face of uncertainty and a capacity to adapt existing practices easily to new circumstances. It is helpful in this connection to distinguish between Type I governance, which is a matter of devising supplementary practices to augment rather than to replace regulatory measures in managing volatile oscillations, and Type II governance, which is a matter of devising new governance strategies to address needs for governance arising during periods of transformation and in the settings that become the new normal following major state changes. There is no need to discard familiar regulatory strategies. Rather, the challenge is to devise innovative steering mechanisms to augment the existing toolkit to meet needs for governance in the 21st century. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Governance for Sustainability)

18 pages, 5278 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Ecological Assets for Sustainable Regional Development: A Case Study of Deqing County, China

by Mengqiu Lu^1,2,3, Jianquan Cheng^4,* and Cheng Jin^1,2,3,*

¹ School of Geographical Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China

² Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing 210023, China

³ Key Laboratory of Virtual Geographic Environment (Nanjing Normal University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210023, China

⁴ Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Environmental Change and Resources Utilization under Ministry of Education, Guangxi Teachers Education University, 175 Mingxiudonglu Road, Nanning 530001, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 939; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060939 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4246

Abstract

Sustainable development has become a main concern of governments at a variety of levels. Assessing ecological assets, which is significant for the sustainability of human society, plays an important role in measuring the performance of local governments. Using Deqing County in Zhejiang Province [...] Read more.

Sustainable development has become a main concern of governments at a variety of levels. Assessing ecological assets, which is significant for the sustainability of human society, plays an important role in measuring the performance of local governments. Using Deqing County in Zhejiang Province as a case study, this paper adapts a county-level indicator assessment of ecological assets and quantifies these indicators using high-resolution data sets. The resulting value of ecological assets in Deqing County accounts for 24.85% of its GDP, which is much higher than other published case studies across China. Through contrasting per capita valuation of ecological assets and per capita enterprise taxation at township level, this paper has classified all townships into four categories, each of which has varied implications for the local development strategy from the perspective of sustainability. This study implies that the integration of the valuation of ecological assets into the measurement of political performance at the lowest township level enables the provision of quantitative evidence to enhance sustainable development at local (county) level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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18 pages, 1386 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Addressing Large-Scale Energy Retrofit of a Building Stock via Representative Building Samples: Public and Private Perspectives

by Fabrizio Ascione¹, Nicola Bianco¹, Claudio De Stasio¹, Gerardo Maria Mauro^1,*

and Giuseppe Peter Vanoli²

¹ Department of Industrial Engineering, Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy

² Department of Medicine, Università degli studi del Molise, Via Cesare Gazzani 47, 86100 Campobasso, Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 940; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060940 - 2 Jun 2017

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5267

Abstract

Scientific literature about energy retrofit focuses on single buildings, but the investigation of whole building stocks is particularly worthy because it can yield substantial energy, environmental and economic benefits. Hence, how to address large-scale energy retrofit of existing building stocks? The paper handles [...] Read more.

Scientific literature about energy retrofit focuses on single buildings, but the investigation of whole building stocks is particularly worthy because it can yield substantial energy, environmental and economic benefits. Hence, how to address large-scale energy retrofit of existing building stocks? The paper handles this issue by employing a methodology that provides a robust energy analysis of building categories. This is denoted as SLABE, “Simulation-based Large-scale uncertainty/sensitivity Analysis of Building Energy performance”. It was presented by the same authors and is here enhanced to investigate a whole and heterogeneous building stock that includes various categories. Each category is represented via a Representative Building Sample (RBS), which is defined through Latin hypercube sampling and uncertainty analysis. Hence, optimal retrofit packages are found in function of building location, intended use and construction type. Two families of optimal solutions are achieved. The first one collects the most energy-efficient (and thus sustainable) solutions, among the ones that produce global cost savings, thereby addressing the public perspective. The second one collects cost-optimal solutions thereby addressing the private perspective. EnergyPlus is employed as a simulation tool and coupled with MATLAB^® for data analysis and processing. The methodology is applied to a significant share of the Italian public administration building stock, which includes several building categories depending on location, use destination and construction type. The outcomes show huge potential energy and economic savings, and could support a deep energy renovation of the Italian building stock. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 17th CIRIAF National Congress—Energy–Environmental Sustainability and Seismic Retrofit of Built Heritage)

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17 pages, 4972 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability from the Occurrence of Critical Dynamic Power System Blackout Determined by Using the Stochastic Event Tree Technique

by Muhammad Murtadha Othman^*, Nur Ashida Salim and Ismail Musirin

Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 941; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060941 - 3 Jun 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4841

Abstract

With the advent of advanced technology in smart grid, the implementation of renewable energy in a stressed and complicated power system operation, aggravated by a competitive electricity market and critical system contingencies, this will inflict higher probabilities of the occurrence of a severe [...] Read more.

With the advent of advanced technology in smart grid, the implementation of renewable energy in a stressed and complicated power system operation, aggravated by a competitive electricity market and critical system contingencies, this will inflict higher probabilities of the occurrence of a severe dynamic power system blackout. This paper presents the proposed stochastic event tree technique used to assess the sustainability against the occurrence of dynamic power system blackout emanating from implication of critical system contingencies such as the rapid increase in total loading condition and sensitive initial transmission line tripping. An extensive analysis of dynamic power system blackout has been carried out in a case study of the following power systems: IEEE RTS-79 and IEEE RTS-96. The findings have shown that the total loading conditions and sensitive transmission lines need to be given full attention by the utility to prevent the occurrence of dynamic power system blackout. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Electric Power Systems Research)

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21 pages, 576 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Consumption Dilemmas

by Kees Vringer¹

, Eline van der Heijden²

, Daan van Soest^2,*, Herman Vollebergh^1,2 and Frank Dietz¹

¹ Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), 2594 AV The Hague, The Netherlands

² Tilburg Sustainability Centre and Department of Economics, Tilburg University, 5037 AB Tilburg, The Netherlands

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 942; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060942 - 3 Jun 2017

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 9113

Abstract

To examine which considerations play a role when individuals make decisions to purchase sustainable product varieties or not, we have conducted a large scale field experiment with more than 600 participating households. Households can vote on whether the budgets they receive should only [...] Read more.

To examine which considerations play a role when individuals make decisions to purchase sustainable product varieties or not, we have conducted a large scale field experiment with more than 600 participating households. Households can vote on whether the budgets they receive should only be spent on purchasing the sustainable product variety, or whether every household in a group is free to spend their budget on any product variety. By conducting several treatments, we tested whether people tend to view sustainable consumption as a social dilemma or as a moral dilemma. We find little support for the hypothesis that social dilemma considerations are the key drivers of sustainable consumption behaviour. Participants seem to be caught in a moral dilemma in which they not only weigh their individual financial costs with the sustainable benefits but they also consider the consequences of restricting other people’s freedom of choice. Complementary survey results further substantiate this claim and show that many people are reluctant to impose restrictions on their peers, but, at the same time, our results also suggest substantial support for the government to regulate the availability of unsustainable product varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Consumer Behavior)

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37 pages, 23304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Land Cover Changes (1963–2010) and Their Environmental Factors in the Upper Danube Floodplain

by Fang Xu^1,*

, Annette Otte¹, Kristin Ludewig¹

, Tobias W. Donath² and Sarah Harvolk-Schöning¹

¹ Division of Landscape Ecology and Landscape Planning, Institute of Landscape Ecology and Resources Management, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany

² Department of Landscape Ecology, Institute for Natural Resource Conservation, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 943; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060943 - 3 Jun 2017

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 7101

Abstract

To analyze the changes in the Upper Danube Floodplain, we used aerial photos to quantify the change of landscape pattern from 1963 to 2010. We focused on typical floodplain habitats, i.e., riparian forest and floodplain grassland. We used landscape metrics and transformation matrix [...] Read more.

To analyze the changes in the Upper Danube Floodplain, we used aerial photos to quantify the change of landscape pattern from 1963 to 2010. We focused on typical floodplain habitats, i.e., riparian forest and floodplain grassland. We used landscape metrics and transformation matrix to explore changes in land cover structure and composition. The active floodplain experienced increasing fragmentation from 1963 to 2010. Despite an increase of aggregation, riparian forest suffered a 2.3% area loss from 1995 to 2010. Arable land in the active floodplain declined by 28.5%, while its patch size significantly increased. Elevation, distance to river and soil quality were the most relevant environmental factors for the land cover change in the floodplain. Higher soil quality or longer distance to river led to an increase of conversion from grassland into arable land; grassland patches with poorer soil quality were likely to change into riparian forest; riparian forest closer to the river and with a lower height above mean water level tended to remain stable. This comprehensive understanding of historical land cover change and environmental factors is needed for the enhancement of landscape functions and sustainable development in the floodplain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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15 pages, 1443 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Study of Trade Relations and the Spatial-Temporal Evolution of Geo-Economy between China and Vietnam

by Teng Ma, Yuli Liu and Yuejing Ge^*

Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 944; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060944 - 3 Jun 2017

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 8087

Abstract

With the increasing economic importance of the Asia-Pacific Region, the economic interdependence among countries in the region has gradually enhanced. With the continuous opening up of the two countries, Sino-Vietnamese economic relations have also been deepened. However, the export trade between Vietnam and [...] Read more.

With the increasing economic importance of the Asia-Pacific Region, the economic interdependence among countries in the region has gradually enhanced. With the continuous opening up of the two countries, Sino-Vietnamese economic relations have also been deepened. However, the export trade between Vietnam and China has been competitive. China and Vietnam seek to dominate or join an agreement that is conducive to their own trade, which also exacerbates the trade competition between the two countries. This paper compares China and Vietnam and analyzes their foreign trade data from 2005 to 2014. By analyzing the competitiveness of export commodities, the trade division effect and spatio-temporal changes of the geo-economic relationship in the Asia-Pacific Region, this study explores Sino-Vietnamese trade relations and compares the pattern of geo-economic evolution between the two countries. The findings show that China and Vietnam have similarities and substitutability in textiles, apparel and footwear in terms of commodity structure. There is already a trade diversion effect between Vietnam and China on these commodities, but it is not substantial. From a geographic perspective, China’s geo-economic relations in the Pacific Rim present an increasingly dispersed trend. However, the spatial pattern of Vietnam’s geo-economy has maintained a low-level and stable spatial agglomeration over the last decade. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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15 pages, 812 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Brazilian Solidarity Economy Rural Organizations: Validating Performance Evaluation Criteria Based on Decision Makers’ Perception

by Leomara Battisti Telles^1,2,*

, Luciano Medina Macedo¹

and Juliana Vitória Messias Bittencourt¹

¹ Post-Graduate Program in Production Engineering, Federal University of Technology of Paraná (UTFPR), Av. Monteiro Lobato, Km 04, Ponta Grossa, Paraná 84016-210, Brazil

² Administration Course Department, Federal Institute of Paraná (IFPR), Rodovia PR 562, s/n - Flor da Serra, Coronel Vivida, Paraná 85550-000, Brazil

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 945; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060945 - 3 Jun 2017

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3822

Abstract

The majority of the world’s current economic models are destructive and unsustainable. Little progress has been made in recent years to change this, despite significant discussion surrounding the theme. In this context, the solidarity economy presents itself as an alternative that seeks environmental [...] Read more.

The majority of the world’s current economic models are destructive and unsustainable. Little progress has been made in recent years to change this, despite significant discussion surrounding the theme. In this context, the solidarity economy presents itself as an alternative that seeks environmental and economic sustainability, as well as social promotion. In Brazil, Solidarity Economy Rural Organizations (SEROs) began in the 1970s. As with organizations from other sectors, they should be evaluated in relation to their ability to achieve social and solidarity objectives. Thus, this study aims to present a theoretical model of performance evaluation indicators for Solidarity Economy Rural Organizations in Southern Brazil based on the perceptions of the organizations’ decision makers. SERO representatives interviewed were asked to rank 36 criteria commonly used in performance evaluations, which were grouped into six dimensions: (1) legal documents and standards; (2) valuing of human work; (3) technology and economy; (4) acknowledgment of women; (5) preservation of and respect for nature; and (6) cooperation and solidarity. The results show that SERO representatives consider that performance evaluations should adhere to the Brazilian Declaration of Solidarity Economy Principles. Additionally, we identified a greater concern with criteria correlated to technical and legal aspects than criteria related to solidarity and humanitarianism. These results are relevant for the maintenance of rural solidarity economy organization as they provide a base for developing processes and tools to be used in SERO performance evaluations; such processes are necessary to maintain sustainable development in low-income economies, and to enable solidarity organizations to reach their objectives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

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18 pages, 1008 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Internet Access, Spillover and Regional Development in China

by Juan Lin¹, Zhou Yu^2,*

, Yehua Dennis Wei³

and Mingfeng Wang¹

¹ Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China

² Department of Family & Consumer Studies, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9155, USA

³ Department of Geography, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9155, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 946; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060946 - 3 Jun 2017

Cited by 75 | Viewed by 8684

Abstract

As Internet access grows at different rates across regions, the Internet has had variable effects on regional economies through agglomeration and spillover effects. This paper uses province-level panel data from 2000 to 2013 to study inequality in Internet access, its spatial effect on [...] Read more.

As Internet access grows at different rates across regions, the Internet has had variable effects on regional economies through agglomeration and spillover effects. This paper uses province-level panel data from 2000 to 2013 to study inequality in Internet access, its spatial effect on regional economies in China and the channels through which the spillover effects are most evident. We find that the Internet has dispersed quickly from core cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, to coastal provinces; and has had increasingly significant effects on neighboring regions. However, the Internet speed is still comparatively low outside the core cities. We then use endogenous growth models to quantify the effect of Internet access on regional economies. Our results show that, while Internet dispersion is positively associated with economic growth, the spillover effect varies significantly by region and is more pronounced in developed regions. So is the effect of the science and technology environment. Developed regions have benefited the most in the process. The three channels of spillover are listed here in order of relative significance: economy, proximity and urbanization. The spillover effect of the Internet may lead to the divergence of regional economies, working against the national goal of reducing regional inequality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

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16 pages, 5431 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Building with Wood Can Be Linked to Sales of Building Plots: Results from an Exemplary Site Development in Munich, Germany

by Annette Hafner

Resource Efficient Building, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 947; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060947 - 4 Jun 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6043

Abstract

Cities today seek ways to comply with national climate targets. The urban authorities responsible for city planning are therefore responsible for defining the eco-efficiency of cities for decades to come. They need clear guidelines on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the [...] Read more.

Cities today seek ways to comply with national climate targets. The urban authorities responsible for city planning are therefore responsible for defining the eco-efficiency of cities for decades to come. They need clear guidelines on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the building stock in a specific area. The use of sustainably sourced wood in construction plays an increasingly vital part in the transition towards eco-cities. Drawing on an exemplary development site in Munich, this paper describes how the sale of building plots can be connected to an agreement to build with wood. Based on an actual research project, site-specific target values regarding greenhouse gas emissions and the amount of renewable material for specific building plots were developed by studying life cycle assessments for different buildings. Wood is introduced as a building material to achieve a minimal environmental footprint. The focus is set on linking the sale of building plots to an agreement to build primarily with wood. Target values for the buildings were developed in close cooperation with the city and were linked to the tendering of the plots. The proceedings and its implementation are shown in this paper. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Architecture and Design)

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13 pages, 2204 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rewetting Decreases Carbon Emissions from the Zoige Alpine Peatland on the Tibetan Plateau

by Lijuan Cui^1,2,*,†, Xiaoming Kang^1,2,*,†, Wei Li^1,2

, Yanbin Hao³, Yuan Zhang³, Jinzhi Wang^1,2, Liang Yan^1,2, Xiaodong Zhang^1,2, Manyin Zhang^1,2, Jian Zhou^1,2 and Paul Kardol⁴

¹ Beijing Key Laboratory of Wetland Services and Restoration, Institute of Wetland Research, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China

² Sichuan Zoige Wetland Ecosystem Research Station, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Aba 624500, China

³ University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

⁴ Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umeå, Sweden

^† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 948; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060948 - 4 Jun 2017

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5447

Abstract

Peatlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle and potentially have a significant impact on regional climate change. Restoring and rewetting the degraded peatlands is an urgent task. However, effects of rewetting on the carbon emissions of peatlands remain poorly understood. [...] Read more.

Peatlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle and potentially have a significant impact on regional climate change. Restoring and rewetting the degraded peatlands is an urgent task. However, effects of rewetting on the carbon emissions of peatlands remain poorly understood. In this study, the process of rewetting a piece of the degraded Zoige alpine peatland was experimentally simulated and the derived results were compared with those of natural rewetting by monitoring CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes and other environmental factors before and after rewetting. The natural rewetting results showed that rewetting decreased ecosystem respiration (ER) by about 60%. Furthermore, rewetting increased CH₄ emissions by 127%, decreased total carbon emissions (TCE) from 270 to 157 mg CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹, and decreased TCE from the entire ecosystem by 42%. The results of the controlled experiment showed that ER decreased gradually as the degree of rewetting was increased, and CH₄ fluxes and changes in water level were significantly and positively correlated: CH₄ fluxes increased from 0.3 (water level −20 cm) to 2.17 mg CH₄ m⁻² h⁻¹ (water level 20 cm). After rewetting, the TCE of the whole ecosystem were significantly decreased. Regional observations showed that CO₂ fluxes were significantly and negatively correlated to the water level; and the corresponding CO₂ equivalent was significantly and positively correlated to the water level, while TCE were significantly and negatively correlated to the water level. Our findings indicate that rewetting can decrease carbon emissions and thus contribute in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change in alpine peatland. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wetland Ecology, Conservation and Sustainability: Applications of Geospatial Techniques)

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15 pages, 3018 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Observing Trip Chain Characteristics of Round-Trip Carsharing Users in China: A Case Study Based on GPS Data in Hangzhou City

by Ying Hui^1,2,*, Mengtao Ding^1,2, Kun Zheng^1,2 and Dong Lou³

¹ The Key Laboratory of Road and Traffic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 201804, China

² College of Transportation Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China

³ Hangzhou Institute of Communications Planning Design & Research, Hangzhou 310000, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 949; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060949 - 5 Jun 2017

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5190

Abstract

Carsharing as a means to provide individuals with access to automobiles to complete a personal trip has grown significantly in recent years in China. However, there are few case studies based on operational data to show the role carsharing systems play in citizens’ [...] Read more.

Carsharing as a means to provide individuals with access to automobiles to complete a personal trip has grown significantly in recent years in China. However, there are few case studies based on operational data to show the role carsharing systems play in citizens’ daily trips. In this study, vehicle GPS data of a round-trip carsharing system in Hangzhou, China was used to describe the trip chain characteristics of users. For clearer delineation of carshare usage, the car use time length of all observations chosen in the study was within 24 h or less. Through data preprocessing, a large pool (26,085) of valid behavior samples was obtained, and several trip chaining attributes were selected to describe the characteristics. The pool of observations was then classified into five clusters, with each cluster having significant differences in one or two trip chain characteristics. The cluster results reflected that different use patterns exist. By a comparative analysis with trip survey data in Hangzhou, differences in trip chain characteristics exist between carsharing and private cars, but in some cases, shared vehicles can be a substitute for private cars to satisfy motorized travel. The proposed method could facilitate companies in formulating a flexible pricing strategy and determining target customers. In addition, traffic administration agencies could have a deeper understanding of the position and function of various carsharing modes in an urban transportation system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

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14 pages, 3578 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of the Changeable Organic Semi-Transparent Solar Cell Window on Building Energy Efficiency and User Comfort

by Sehyun Tak¹, Soomin Woo¹, Jiyoung Park^2,*

and Sungjin Park^3,*

¹ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea

² Department of Architecture, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Korea

³ Department of Urban Design and Planning, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 950; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060950 - 4 Jun 2017

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6816

Abstract

Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are one of the most important sustainability technologies for building energy, and the semi-transparent solar cell is one of the most promising photovoltaic systems for building integration because it can generate electricity and is transparent with a range of beneficial [...] Read more.

Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are one of the most important sustainability technologies for building energy, and the semi-transparent solar cell is one of the most promising photovoltaic systems for building integration because it can generate electricity and is transparent with a range of beneficial optical properties. On the other hand, the utilization of semi-transparent solar cells for a building facade is limited, as the optimal transparency and power conversion efficiency (PCE %) of the solar cell vary according to the purpose of the space, facing orientation, and number of occupants. This study designed a changeable organic semi-transparent solar cell window (COSW), in which the transparency can be altered by adjusting its temperature and solvent vapor pressure. A simulation test with the proposed COSW was conducted to examine the effects of the proposed window on energy consumption, electricity production, and occupant comfort. The results show that the proposed window has a huge potential for energy conservation and occupant comfort. Compared to the double-glazed Low-E windows, the proposed window reduces the energy consumption by approximately 14.80 kW/m² (53.29 MJ/m²), 11.51 kW/m² (41.45 MJ/m²), and 15.02 kW/m² (54.07 MJ/m²), for the south-facing, east-facing, and west-facing facades, respectively, and increases user satisfaction, particularly in spring and autumn. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Architecture and Design)

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15 pages, 990 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antecedents of Corporate Reputation in the Hotel Industry: The Moderating Role of Transparency

by Sung-Bum Kim¹

and Dae-Young Kim^2,*

¹ College of Business Administration, Inha University, 421B Building 6, Incheon 100, Korea

² Hospitality Management, University of Missouri, 115 Eckles Hall, Columbia, 65211, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 951; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060951 - 4 Jun 2017

Cited by 48 | Viewed by 9529

Abstract

In this study, we developed a theoretical framework in which corporate social responsibility, corporate ability, customer trust and satisfaction, and corporate reputation by considering the influence of transparency as a moderator. The proposed hypotheses were empirically tested using data collected from 487 U.S. [...] Read more.

In this study, we developed a theoretical framework in which corporate social responsibility, corporate ability, customer trust and satisfaction, and corporate reputation by considering the influence of transparency as a moderator. The proposed hypotheses were empirically tested using data collected from 487 U.S. consumers via structural equation modeling. The results indicated that perceived corporate social responsibility and corporate ability significantly affected overall customer satisfaction and trust. In turn, customer trust and satisfaction have positive effects on perceptions about corporate reputation. Lastly, this study found that transparency as a significant moderator. This research will contribute to the development of a robust and comprehensive theoretical model that integrates existing frameworks and concepts within the hotel industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Paradigm Changes in Contemporary Sustainable Hospitality Entrepreneurship)

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21 pages, 631 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Improved Eco-Efficiency Analysis Framework Based on Slacks-Based Measure Method

by Tianqun Xu^1,2, Ping Gao¹, Qian Yu^1,* and Debin Fang³

¹ School of Economics, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China

² School of Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China

³ School of Economics and Management, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 952; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060952 - 5 Jun 2017

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5195

Abstract

The level of sustainable development can be measured by eco-efficiency, which is a combination of economic and ecological performance. Utilizing the weighted sum of the improved proportions of the indicators as the objective function, this paper develops a proportional slacks-based measure model to [...] Read more.

The level of sustainable development can be measured by eco-efficiency, which is a combination of economic and ecological performance. Utilizing the weighted sum of the improved proportions of the indicators as the objective function, this paper develops a proportional slacks-based measure model to assess eco-efficiency, in which the conventional inputs, and desirable and undesirable outputs are improved to different proportions along the elements of a given directional vector. Moreover, this paper presents a weighted proportional slacks-based measure model using the ranges as the divisors instead of the input and output values in the objective function. Finally, this paper presents an empirical analysis by applying proposed measure models with the data of 30 provinces in China in 2015. The empirical study results indicate the developed slacks-based measure models can be used in the assessment of eco-efficiency effectively and reasonably. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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16 pages, 2836 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hybrid Algorithm Based on an Estimation of Distribution Algorithm and Cuckoo Search for the No Idle Permutation Flow Shop Scheduling Problem with the Total Tardiness Criterion Minimization

by Zewen Sun and Xingsheng Gu^*

Key Laboratory of Advanced Control and Optimization for Chemical Process, East China University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200237, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 953; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060953 - 5 Jun 2017

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4813

Abstract

The no idle permutation flow shop scheduling problem (NIPFSP) is a popular NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem, which exists in several real world production processes. This study proposes a novel hybrid estimation of the distribution algorithm and cuckoo search (CS) algorithm (HEDA_CS) to solve [...] Read more.

The no idle permutation flow shop scheduling problem (NIPFSP) is a popular NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem, which exists in several real world production processes. This study proposes a novel hybrid estimation of the distribution algorithm and cuckoo search (CS) algorithm (HEDA_CS) to solve the NIPFSP with the total tardiness criterion minimization. The problem model is built on the basis of the starting and ending time point of each job. A discrete solution representation method is applied in HEDA_CS to increase the operation efficiency. A novel probability matrix build method is also designed within the knowledge of the processing time matrix. The partially-mapped crossover operation works effectively during the CS phase. A suitable knowledge-based local search is also designed in the HEDA_CS to balance the exploitation and exploration. Finally, many simulations based on the new hard Ruiz benchmarks are conducted. Computational results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed HEDA_CS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of Economic and Management Systems: Perspectives of Uncertainty and Data Driven Optimization)

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15 pages, 753 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Property Rights and the Soybean Revolution: Shaping How China and Brazil Are Telecoupled

by Sara M. Torres^1,*, Emilio F. Moran¹

and Ramon Felipe Bicudo da Silva²

¹ Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA

² Center for Environmental Studies and Research, State University of Campinas, 13083-867 Campinas, Brazil

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 954; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060954 - 5 Jun 2017

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 7501

Abstract

China currently has the largest population in the world and is currently experiencing rapid economic and urban growth, becoming the world’s number one pork and poultry consumer. In order to meet this growing demand for meat, China has increased its demand for soybeans [...] Read more.

China currently has the largest population in the world and is currently experiencing rapid economic and urban growth, becoming the world’s number one pork and poultry consumer. In order to meet this growing demand for meat, China has increased its demand for soybeans to produce chicken and pork. It has imported soybeans from the United States, Brazil, and Argentina, while keeping its soybean production for direct human consumption stable at home. Brazil has become the largest soybean exporter to China, and, in response specifically to Chinese demand, has become the second largest producer of soybeans in the world. This has changed land use in Brazil, particularly in its central plateau. In this paper, we indicate how these two countries, telecoupled by trade in soybeans, are depending on each other as they try to balance environmental and economic objectives. Brazil, as a sending system, has created pressures on its natural ecosystems, which have led to losses particularly in the Cerrado biome and its ecotones in the Amazon’s tropical moist forest biome. China, as a receiving system, has created a land asset important to regenerating its lost natural systems (e.g., forest cover areas). Both countries have different property rights regimes, which have created distinct circumstances in which they are to protect or regenerate their natural ecosystems. Throughout this paper, we analyze how both countries have dealt with the lure offered by the soybean commodity trade. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in an Urbanizing World: The Role of People)

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12 pages, 369 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hidden Roles of CSR: Perceived Corporate Social Responsibility as a Preventive against Counterproductive Work Behaviors

by Inyong Shin¹, Won-Moo Hur¹, Minsung Kim² and Seongho Kang^3,*

¹ College of Business Administration, Pukyong National University, 45 Yongso-ro, Nam-gu, Busan 48513, Korea

² College of Business Administration, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Nam-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea

³ College of Business, Chosun University, 309 Pilmundae-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 955; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060955 - 5 Jun 2017

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5879

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify how the degree to which employees perceive that their organization is socially responsible influences their counterproductive behaviors at work. We developed a research model capturing the relationships between perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR), affective organizational [...] Read more.

The purpose of this study is to identify how the degree to which employees perceive that their organization is socially responsible influences their counterproductive behaviors at work. We developed a research model capturing the relationships between perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR), affective organizational commitment (AOC), and organization-, colleague-, and customer-directed counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs). Drawing on social identity and social bonding theories, we hypothesized that employees’ perceptions of CSR would enhance their levels of AOC and thereby hinder the three types of CWBs. Survey data from 252 frontline employees of six luxury hotels in South Korea were examined. We found that perceived CSR is indirectly and negatively related to the three types of CWBs through AOC. We discussed the theoretical contributions and practical implications of this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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11 pages, 328 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimal Weed Control Strategies in Rice Production under Dynamic and Static Decision Rules in South Korea

by Woongchan Jeon¹ and Kwansoo Kim^1,2,*

¹ Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea

² Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 956; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060956 - 12 Jun 2017

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3763

Abstract

This paper analyzes optimal weed control management strategies under static and dynamic decision rules. Seed bank is taken into account to introduce dynamics into the model. We present a numerical example of controlling Sheathed Monochoria (Monochoria Vaginalis) in Korean rice paddy [...] Read more.

This paper analyzes optimal weed control management strategies under static and dynamic decision rules. Seed bank is taken into account to introduce dynamics into the model. We present a numerical example of controlling Sheathed Monochoria (Monochoria Vaginalis) in Korean rice paddy fields. Our results show that producers benefit from dynamic decision rules; higher income and more control of weed density can be obtained with the same amount of herbicide. In order to illustrate the magnitude of differences between static and dynamic models, a numerical example is presented using a data set from Korean rice production. When it comes to controlling weed density, Korean rice farmers are found to be better off under the dynamic model, and the magnitude of advantages are found to be more sensitive to herbicide efficacy and less sensitive to initial seed banks and germination rates in terms of weed density. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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16 pages, 453 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water Sustainability of Selected Mining Companies in South Africa

by Theresa M. Askham^1,* and Huibrecht M. Van der Poll²

¹ Management Accounting, University of South Africa, Unisa 0003, South Africa

² Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL), University of South Africa, Unisa 0003, South Africa

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 957; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060957 - 5 Jun 2017

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 11230

Abstract

Many parts of the world, and South Africa specifically, are facing a water crisis, not only because of the scarcity of water, but also the quality of the available water. Apart from agriculture, industry is viewed as the second largest user of water [...] Read more.

Many parts of the world, and South Africa specifically, are facing a water crisis, not only because of the scarcity of water, but also the quality of the available water. Apart from agriculture, industry is viewed as the second largest user of water and can, therefore, have a significant impact on the saving of water. The purpose of this research is to investigate how selected South African listed mining companies are measuring, managing, and disclosing their water risks, as well as engaging with stakeholders. The selection of the mining companies was made using the companies with the highest market capitalisation figures of those that have a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The sustainability/integrated/annual reports for 2013 were reviewed using the Ceres Aqua Gauge™ (Boston, MA, USA) as the framework. The findings of this research were that the selected mining companies had grasped the seriousness of the water crisis in South Africa, and the effects it will have on their businesses in future. Most concerning was the activities relating to water management in the supply chain; all of the selected mining companies were found to have no evidence of this in their reports, subsequently this is an area that needs to be addressed in future research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Approaches to Sustainability Accounting and Management: Selected Papers from the 4th EMAN Africa Conference on Sustainability Accounting & Management (including related invited papers))

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15 pages, 1295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Consumers in the Transition toward Low-Carbon Living

by Anna Claudelin^1,*, Ville Uusitalo¹, Sanna Pekkola², Maija Leino¹ and Suvi Konsti-Laakso²

¹ School of Energy Systems, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Saimaankatu 11, 15140 Lahti, Finland

² School of Business and Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Saimaankatu 11, 15140 Lahti, Finland

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 958; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060958 - 5 Jun 2017

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5222

Abstract

Improvements in energy efficiency and production of renewable energy hold significant potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions of housing, which accounts for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In our research, we focused on the willingness of owners of detached houses to adopt [...] Read more.

Improvements in energy efficiency and production of renewable energy hold significant potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions of housing, which accounts for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In our research, we focused on the willingness of owners of detached houses to adopt renewable energy production systems of their own, and we examined perceived barriers to adopting these systems. The research was conducted using a survey and a life cycle assessment model. The survey covered three residential areas in Lahti, Finland, and the potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions were estimated using a life cycle assessment model based on the survey results. The barriers to transformation were identified as a lack of knowledge in the following three areas: (1) the possible annual savings attained; (2) the costs of implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy production solutions; and (3) the technologies used in renewable energy production. The greenhouse gas emission reductions in the residential areas surveyed would amount to approximately 15% if the consumers implemented the solutions they considered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 6th World Sustainability Forum - Selected Papers)

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13 pages, 493 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Continuity and Change: Dealing with Political Volatility to Advance Climate Change Mitigation Strategies—Examples from the Transport Sector

by Oliver Lah

Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, Neue Promenade 6, Berlin 10178, Germany

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 959; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060959 - 6 Jun 2017

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 8666

Abstract

As the recent withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement has shown, political volatility directly affects climate change mitigation policies, in particular in sectors, such as transport associated with long-term investments by individuals (vehicles) and by local and national governments (urban [...] Read more.

As the recent withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement has shown, political volatility directly affects climate change mitigation policies, in particular in sectors, such as transport associated with long-term investments by individuals (vehicles) and by local and national governments (urban form and transport infrastructure and services). There is a large potential for cost-effective solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to improve the sustainability of the transport sector that is yet unexploited. Considering the cost-effectiveness and the potential for co-benefits, it is hard to understand why efficiency gains and CO₂ emission reductions in the transport sector are still lagging behind this potential. Particularly interesting is the fact that there is substantial difference among countries with relatively similar economic performances in the development of their transport CO₂ emissions over the past thirty years despite the fact that these countries had relatively similar access to efficient technologies and vehicles. This study aims to explore some well-established political science theories on the particular example of climate change mitigation in the transport sector in order to identify some of the factors that could help explain the variations in success of policies and strategies in this sector. The analysis suggests that institutional arrangements that contribute to consensus building in the political process provide a high level of political and policy stability which is vital to long-term changes in energy end-use sectors that rely on long-term investments. However, there is no direct correlation between institutional structures, e.g., corporatism and success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector. Environmental objectives need to be built into the consensus-based policy structure before actual policy progress can be observed. This usually takes longer in consensus democracies than in politically more agile majoritarian policy environments, but the policy stability that builds on corporatist institutional structures is likely to experience changes over a longer-term, in this case to a shift towards low-carbon transport that endures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Pathways: Transition towards Low-Carbon, Sustainable Cities in Emerging Economies)

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12 pages, 391 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Dynamics of Responses to Food Production Shocks

by Aled Jones^*

and Bradley Hiller

Global Sustainability Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 960; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060960 - 6 Jun 2017

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4942

Abstract

Food production shocks can lead to food crises where access to appropriate quantities and quality of food become inadequate, unaffordable, or unreliable on a major scale. While the physical causes of food production shocks are well researched, the dynamics of responses to them [...] Read more.

Food production shocks can lead to food crises where access to appropriate quantities and quality of food become inadequate, unaffordable, or unreliable on a major scale. While the physical causes of food production shocks are well researched, the dynamics of responses to them are less well understood. This paper reviews those dynamics and includes evidence gathered via interviews of 44 expert practitioners sourced globally from academia, government, industry, think-tanks, and development/relief organizations. The paper confirms that policy interventions are often prioritised for national interests and poorly coordinated at regional and global scales. The paper acknowledges future compounding trends such as climate change and demographic shifts and suggests that while there are signs of incremental progress in better managing the impacts of shock events, coordinated responses at scale will require a paradigm shift involving major policy, market, and technological advancements, and a wide range of public and private sector stakeholders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Supply Chain and Food Industry)

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22 pages, 1091 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Economic and Environmental Performance of Fashion Supply Chain: The Joint Effect of Power Structure and Sustainable Investment

by Xiutian Shi¹

, Yuan Qian¹ and Ciwei Dong^2,*

¹ School of Economics & Management, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing 210094, China

² School of Business Administration/MBA School, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 961; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060961 - 6 Jun 2017

Cited by 47 | Viewed by 7351

Abstract

Fashion supply chain members now search for trade-offs between sustainable investment and the related incentives, such as savings on environmental taxes and gains in incremental demands. To evaluate the economic and environmental performance of sustainable investment from a power perspective, we develop an [...] Read more.

Fashion supply chain members now search for trade-offs between sustainable investment and the related incentives, such as savings on environmental taxes and gains in incremental demands. To evaluate the economic and environmental performance of sustainable investment from a power perspective, we develop an analytical model to study a two-echelon sustainable supply chain consisting of one retailer and one manufacturer with three different power structures. We derive the optimal solutions for various cases associated with different supply chain power structures and sustainable investors. Though it is beneficial for both the manufacturer and retailer to make sustainable investment, they often utilize high power to gain economic benefit with less sustainable investment. Interestingly, the follower with less supply chain power has more incentive to make a sustainable effort to achieve a higher profit. The optimal amount of sustainable investment in the apparel manufacturer investment case is greater than that in the retailer investment case in most scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)

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19 pages, 3187 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vaguely Right or Exactly Wrong: Measuring the (Spatial) Distribution of Land Resources, Income and Wealth in Rural Ethiopia

by Crelis F. Rammelt^1,*, Maarten Van Schie², Fredu Nega Tegabu³ and Maggi Leung¹

¹ Human Geography & Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3508TC, The Netherlands

² Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, The Hague 2500GH, The Netherlands

³ The Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute, Kirkos Sub City 1250, Ethiopia

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 962; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060962 - 6 Jun 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4897

Abstract

Land ties people to specific localities featuring different levels of accessibility and natural endowments; it is therefore related in various ways to matters of inequality. Drawing from economics and human geography, we explore the multifaceted and complex nature of inequality. Our case study [...] Read more.

Land ties people to specific localities featuring different levels of accessibility and natural endowments; it is therefore related in various ways to matters of inequality. Drawing from economics and human geography, we explore the multifaceted and complex nature of inequality. Our case study takes place in rural Tigray, Ethiopia. Quantitative data analysis is used to reveal (spatial) income distribution patterns between statistically representative population groups. Qualitative data are then used to describe the productive activities of these groups, their respective processes of material asset accumulation or losses, and how their economic activities are affected by location. The paper concludes that, where measures of the distribution of income falls short, we require other tools that will help us reveal patterns: (1) of material wealth distribution; (2) of control over production; and (3) of the unaccounted value created within the household or derived from the natural environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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12 pages, 1188 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Dust Accumulation on the Surface of Photovoltaic Panels: Introducing the Photovoltaic Soiling Index (PVSI)

by Karim Menoufi

Renewable Energy Sciences and Engineering Department, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences, Beni-Suef University, P.O. Box 62511, Beni-Suef, Egypt

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 963; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060963 - 6 Jun 2017

Cited by 53 | Viewed by 8151

Abstract

This article presents an empirical review of research concerning the impact of dust accumulation on the performance of photovoltaic (PV) panels. After examining the articles published in international scientific journals, many differences between the studies were found within the context of the PV [...] Read more.

This article presents an empirical review of research concerning the impact of dust accumulation on the performance of photovoltaic (PV) panels. After examining the articles published in international scientific journals, many differences between the studies were found within the context of the PV technologies used, the contribution to this type of study from different countries, and the variety in the representation of the results where each study has its unique parameters, testing equipment, and relevant standards. Due to those variations and differences, it has been found that it is very difficult and impractical to compare between results of the corresponding studies. Hence, in addition to the valuable reviews found in literature, this article demonstrates another new perspective that highlights the gaps in the studies related to the impact of dust accumulation on PV panels. The conclusions of this study are considered to be the seed for establishing a new initiative—The Photovoltaic Soiling Index (PVSI)—which would be an indicator for the performance of PV panels under exposure to dust at the Standard Test Conditions (STC), as well as at other operating conditions in different locations around the globe. Full article

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22 pages, 2335 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Regulation of Information Sharing with Electronic Data Interchange by a Trust-Embedded Contract

by Guanghua Han^1,* and Ming Dong²

¹ School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China

² Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 964; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060964 - 6 Jun 2017

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4444

Abstract

This paper studies the risks in demand information sharing applications by electronic soft-orders using electronic data interchange (EDI) systems in e-commerce and aims to suggest a sustainable regulation mechanism with a trust-embedded contract. In a supply chain with one retailer and one supplier, [...] Read more.

This paper studies the risks in demand information sharing applications by electronic soft-orders using electronic data interchange (EDI) systems in e-commerce and aims to suggest a sustainable regulation mechanism with a trust-embedded contract. In a supply chain with one retailer and one supplier, the retailer solicits private forecasted demand and places soft-orders via EDI to the supplier. To ensure abundant supply, the retailer has an incentive to inflate her soft-orders, which potentially harms the credible information sharing and sustainability of business cooperation. Normally, the degree to which the supplier relies on the retailer’s order information is specified by trust, which is evaluated according to the retailer’s reputation and supplier’s intuition in this study. Based on standard game theory, we find that both the retailer’s order and the quantity of supplier prepared materials are independent of the retailer’s forecast. Therefore, EDI based information sharing in e-commerce without a regulation mechanism leads to inefficient demand information sharing. Since both the supplier and retailer are proved to faces huge of potential profit losses due to the failure of information sharing, the commerce by EDI based information sharing is full of risk and unsustainable. Therefore, a regulation mechanism that leaded by the retailer is proposed to establish ‘win-win’ sustainable cooperation. Numerical experiments highlight the value of trust, the impact of reputation and intuition in decisions, and the effectiveness of the regulation mechanism by a cost-sharing contract. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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29 pages, 22529 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a GIS Tool for High Precision PV Degradation Monitoring and Supervision: Feasibility Analysis in Large and Small PV Plants

by Miguel De Simón-Martín^1,*

, Ana-María Diez-Suárez¹, Laura Álvarez-de Prado²

, Alberto González-Martínez¹

, Álvaro De la Puente-Gil¹

and Jorge Blanes-Peiró¹

¹ Department Area of Electrical Engineering, School of Mines Engineering, University of León (Spain), Campus de Vegazana, S/N, 24071 León, Spain

² Department Area of Topography, School of Mines Engineering, University of León (Spain), Campus de Vegazana, S/N, 24071 León, Spain

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 965; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060965 - 6 Jun 2017

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6582

Abstract

It is well known that working photovoltaic (PV) plants show several maintenance needs due to wiring and module degradation, mismatches, dust, and PV cell defects and faults. There are a wide range of theoretical studies as well as some laboratory tests that show [...] Read more.

It is well known that working photovoltaic (PV) plants show several maintenance needs due to wiring and module degradation, mismatches, dust, and PV cell defects and faults. There are a wide range of theoretical studies as well as some laboratory tests that show how these circumstances may affect the PV production. Thus, it is mandatory to evaluate the whole PV plant performance and, then, its payback time, profitability, and environmental impact or carbon footprint. However, very few studies include a systematic procedure to quantify and supervise the real degradation effects and fault impacts on the field. In this paper, the authors first conducted a brief review of the most frequent PV faults and the degradation that can be found under real conditions of operation of PV plants. Then, they proposed and developed an innovative Geographic Information System (GIS) application to locate and supervise them. The designed tool was applied to both a large PV plant of 108 kWp and a small PV plant of 9 kWp installed on a home rooftop. For the large PV plant, 24 strings of PV modules were modelized and introduced into the GIS application and every module in the power plant was studied including voltage, current, power, series and parallel resistances, fill factor, normalized PV curve to standard test conditions (STC), thermography and visual analysis. For the small PV installation three strings of PV panels were studied identically. It must be noted that PV modules in this case included power optimizers. The precision of the study enabled the researchers to locate and supervise up to a third part of every PV cell in the system, which can be adequately georeferenced. The developed tool allows both the researchers and the investors to increase control of the PV plant performance, to lead to better planning of maintenance actuations, and to evaluate several PV module replacement strategies in a preventive maintenance program. The PV faults found include hot spots, snail tracks, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) discoloration, PV cell fractures, busbar discoloration, bubbles and Si discoloration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solar Photovoltaic Electricity)

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26 pages, 433 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Toward a Romanian NPOs Sustainability Model: Determinants of Sustainability

by Sebastian-Ion Ceptureanu^1,*

, Eduard-Gabriel Ceptureanu¹

, Mihai Cristian Orzan² and Irinel Marin¹

¹ Department of Management, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Faculty of Management, Piata Romana No. 6, Bucharest 030173, Romania

² Department of Marketing, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Faculty of Marketing, Piata Romana No. 6, Bucharest 030173, Romania

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 966; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060966 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 6919

Abstract

Non-profit organizations (NPOs) have become increasingly important in the last decade for Romanian society since the state often failed to fulfill some of its social responsibilities. Romania’s economic and financial crisis several years ago hardly hit non-profit sector because it led to a [...] Read more.

Non-profit organizations (NPOs) have become increasingly important in the last decade for Romanian society since the state often failed to fulfill some of its social responsibilities. Romania’s economic and financial crisis several years ago hardly hit non-profit sector because it led to a significant drop in public spending at the government level and cuts of financing programs from companies, two main donors for NPOs while simultaneously has amplified society’s problems and gave rise to new target groups requiring support. This led to an acute need to address sustainability at organizational level since existing sustainability models in the literature are hardly adequate for Romanian context. We developed a model based on literature survey and Romanian experts’ interviews, which allow us to identify relevant factors for Romanian non-profit sustainability. Three determinants were considered: Cognitive competence (nine items analyzed), Social awareness (seven items analyzed) and Financial vulnerability (four items analyzed), as well as two types of results: economic and social. The model was tested through an empirical research on 103 Romanian NPOs and on two sub-samples (nongovernment organizations and community based organizations) and found, using univariate and bivariate analysis, that the three considered determinants are correlated and statistically influence Romanian NPOs sustainability. Full article

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19 pages, 802 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Theoretical Explanations for the Inverted-U Change of Historical Energy Intensity

by Lizhan Cao^*

and Zhongying Qi^*

School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 967; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060967 - 6 Jun 2017

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4099

Abstract

Historical experience shows that the economy-wide energy intensity develops nonmonotonically like an inverted U, which still lacks direct theoretical explanations. Based on a model of structural change driven by technological differences, this paper provides an attempt to explore the underlying mechanisms of energy [...] Read more.

Historical experience shows that the economy-wide energy intensity develops nonmonotonically like an inverted U, which still lacks direct theoretical explanations. Based on a model of structural change driven by technological differences, this paper provides an attempt to explore the underlying mechanisms of energy intensity change and thus to explain the above empirical regularity accompanied by structural transformation, through introducing a nested constant elasticity of substitution production function with heterogeneous elasticities of substitution. According to some reasonable assumptions, this extended model not only describes the typical path of structural change but also depicts the inverted-U development of economy-wide energy intensity. With the availability of Swedish historical data, we take calibration and simulation exercises which confirm the theoretical predictions. Furthermore, we find that: (1) elasticities of substitution may affect the shapes and peak periods of the inverted-U curves, which can explain to a certain extent the heterogeneous transitions of economy-wide energy intensity developments in different economies; and (2) over long periods of time, the economy-wide energy intensity determined by the initial industrial structure and sectoral energy intensity tends to grow upward, while structure change among sectors provides a driving force on reshaping this trend and turning it downward. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Security and Sustainability)

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15 pages, 484 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Economic Benefits of the Dokdo Seals Restoration Project in Korea: A Contingent Valuation Study

by Seul-Ye Lim, Se-Jun Jin and Seung-Hoon Yoo^*

Department of Energy Policy, Graduate School of Energy & Environment, Seoul National University of Science & Technology, Seoul 01811, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 968; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060968 - 6 Jun 2017

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4632

Abstract

Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus), especially those that live in Dokdo, Korea, represent an endangered species in Korea. Thus, the government is considering the implementation of the Dokdo Seals (DS) restoration project. This article looks at the economic benefits for implementing [...] Read more.

Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus), especially those that live in Dokdo, Korea, represent an endangered species in Korea. Thus, the government is considering the implementation of the Dokdo Seals (DS) restoration project. This article looks at the economic benefits for implementing the project, which includes making habitats for the DS, such as an artificial sea ranch, and training DS rescued from fishing nets and wounded in the wild to adapt to the wild so that they can be released into the Dokdo Sea. To this end, we looked at the willingness to pay (WTP) for the implementation of the project by conducting a contingent valuation (CV) survey of 1000 Korean households. We employed a one-and-one-half-bounded dichotomous choice question format. Furthermore, we used a spike model to model the WTP responses with zero observations. The mean yearly WTP for the project implementation was computed to be KRW 4923 (USD 4.86) for next ten years per household, which is statistically significant at the 1% level. The national annual value amounts to KRW 90.9 billion (USD 89.8 million). This value can be taken as an indication of the economic benefits of restoring the endangered species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environment, Tourism and Sustainable Development)

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18 pages, 705 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Strategies for Promoting Green Building Technologies Adoption in the Construction Industry—An International Study

by Albert Ping Chuen Chan¹, Amos Darko^1,*

and Ernest Effah Ameyaw²

¹ Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Rd, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

² School of Engineering, Environment and Computing, Coventry University, Coventry CV3 1NZ, UK

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 969; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060969 - 6 Jun 2017

Cited by 177 | Viewed by 25194

Abstract

Because green building technologies (GBTs) adoption is a promising way of ameliorating the sustainability performance of buildings, GBTs are receiving increased interest in the global construction community. The barriers to the adoption of GBTs, such as higher cost and lack of awareness, further [...] Read more.

Because green building technologies (GBTs) adoption is a promising way of ameliorating the sustainability performance of buildings, GBTs are receiving increased interest in the global construction community. The barriers to the adoption of GBTs, such as higher cost and lack of awareness, further indicate that proper strategies need to be devised for promoting the wider adoption of GBTs in buildings development. However, there exist limited empirical studies identifying the strategies for promoting GBTs adoption in the construction industry. This study aims to identify the strategies that are important for promoting GBTs adoption in construction. After a comprehensive literature review to identify strategies for the promotion of GBTs adoption, empirical data were gleaned through a questionnaire survey with 104 green building experts around the world. The analysis results validated the importance of all of the 12 promotion strategies used for the study. Green building experts from different countries and with different backgrounds had significant agreement on the relative importance ranking of the promotion strategies. Furthermore, “financial and further market-based incentives for GBTs adopters”, “availability of better information on cost and benefits of GBTs”, “mandatory governmental policies and regulations”, and “green rating and labeling” were identified as the top four important promotion strategies. The research findings provide a valuable reference to assist practitioners and policy makers in developing practical strategies for promoting GBTs adoption to eventually achieve the sustainable development of buildings. From the perspective of international experts, this study adds to the green building literature by offering empirical evidence of the important strategies for promoting GBTs adoption in the construction industry. Future research will investigate the interrelationships among the promotion strategies and their impacts on the GBTs adoption process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management Strategies and Innovations for Sustainable Construction)

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14 pages, 418 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Environmental Sustainability of Agriculture Stressed by Changing Extremes of Drought and Excess Moisture: A Conceptual Review

by Elaine Wheaton¹

and Suren Kulshreshtha^2,*

¹ Department of Geography and Planning, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada

² Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 970; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060970 - 6 Jun 2017

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 8944

Abstract

As the climate changes, the effects of agriculture on the environment may change. In the future, an increasing frequency of climate extremes, such as droughts, heat waves, and excess moisture, is expected. Past research on the interaction between environment and resources has focused [...] Read more.

As the climate changes, the effects of agriculture on the environment may change. In the future, an increasing frequency of climate extremes, such as droughts, heat waves, and excess moisture, is expected. Past research on the interaction between environment and resources has focused on climate change effects on various sectors, including agricultural production (especially crop production), but research on the effects of climate change using agri-environmental indicators (AEI) of environmental sustainability of agriculture is limited. The aim of this paper was to begin to address this knowledge gap by exploring the effects of future drought and excess moisture on environmental sustainability of agriculture. Methods included the use of a conceptual framework, literature reviews, and an examination of the climate sensitivities of the AEI models. The AEIs assessed were those for the themes of soil and water quality, and farmland management as developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Additional indicators included one for desertification and another for water supply and demand. The study area was the agricultural region of the Canadian Prairie Provinces. We found that the performance of several indicators would likely decrease in a warming climate with more extremes. These indicators with declining performances included risks for soil erosion, soil salinization, desertification, water quality and quantity, and soil contamination. Preliminary trends of other indicators such as farmland management were not clear. AEIs are important tools for measuring climate impacts on the environmental sustainability of agriculture. They also indicate the success of adaptation measures and suggest areas of operational and policy development. Therefore, continued reporting and enhancement of these indicators is recommended. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change)

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22 pages, 274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Innovating Responsibly in ICT for Ageing: Drivers, Obstacles and Implementation

by Kate Chatfield^1,*

, Konstantinos Iatridis²

, Bernd C. Stahl³

and Nearchos Paspallis⁴

¹ Centre for Professional Ethics, University of Central Lancashire, Corporation Street, Preston PR1 2HE, UK

² School of Management, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK

³ School of Computer Science and Informatics, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK

⁴ School of Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Pyla 7080, Cyprus

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 971; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060971 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 7935

Abstract

Responsible research and innovation (RRI) is a nascent concept, promoted actively by the European Union and other policy makers around the world. Hitherto, this concept has been associated primarily with publicly funded activities but given the considerable proportion of research and innovation that [...] Read more.

Responsible research and innovation (RRI) is a nascent concept, promoted actively by the European Union and other policy makers around the world. Hitherto, this concept has been associated primarily with publicly funded activities but given the considerable proportion of research and innovation that is undertaken in the private sector, RRI will be rendered irrelevant unless it is adopted by industry. This paper introduces a private sector perspective of RRI, specifically that of the information and communication technology (ICT) industry, working in the field of healthy ageing. Drawing upon empirical data from 30 in-depth interviews with key industry representatives from across Europe, it explores: (a) the level of awareness of RRI; (b) the drivers and obstacles influencing its implementation; and (c) the factors deemed vital for facilitation of RRI in industry. The findings paint a varied picture, including significant concerns about adoption of RRI in an industry environment where the economic implications of all activities must be considered carefully. However, some companies have found their own ways to balance financial and altruistic goals, suggesting that there is both a willingness and a place for an RRI-type governance framework within the private sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in Industry)

10 pages, 852 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Natural Resource Management for the World’s Highest Park: Community Attitudes on Sustainability for Central Karakoram National Park, Pakistan

by Talib Hussain^1,*

, Jaffar Abbas², Benqian Li^1,*, Jaffar Aman³ and Sajjad Ali¹

¹ School of Media and Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800, Dongchuan Rd. Minhang-District, Shanghai 200240, China

² Glorious Sun School of Business and Management, Donghua University, 1882, West Yan’an Road, Shanghai 200051, China

³ School of Sociology and Political Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Baoshan District, Shanghai 200444, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 972; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060972 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 7170

Abstract

The management of natural resources has become a crucial agenda item at the community level of every country, due to the importance of a community’s direct involvement in the stewardship of these resources. The sustainable management of natural resources is not easy without [...] Read more.

The management of natural resources has become a crucial agenda item at the community level of every country, due to the importance of a community’s direct involvement in the stewardship of these resources. The sustainable management of natural resources is not easy without the involvement of the community. To know the attitudes of residents in the communities in close proximity to Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP) towards natural resource sustainable management policy, a study of CKNP in northern Pakistan was conducted. This is the first community study for this park. It is difficult to overstate the economic and geographic importance of this national resource to the Pakistani people at local and national levels, as well as at the international level. This is the world’s highest public park; as a natural resource it is not only important to the local community, it also has great relevance internationally. The study attempted to gauge the attitudes of the local community towards the sustainable management practices of CKNP. The results of this study showed generally positive attitudes towards the park. The majority of respondents revealed that the park’s primary appeal is its geographic location. Households were afraid that pollution in the park will gradually destroy the park’s natural resources. For sustainable management of the CKNP, community members expressed willingness to contribute to the betterment of park through volunteerism. Community members praised the government’s supportive actions, including budgetary support and public-awareness campaigns. As such, the positive attitude of the community towards the CKNP also revealed new insights for the community-centered sustainable management of natural resources in developing countries. This study also provides a research gap for future work relating to the sustainable management of community-based natural resources to consider more factors beside the factors used in this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

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19 pages, 257 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Assessment of Real Estate Initiatives to Be Included in the Socially-Responsible Funds

by Fabrizio Battisti^*, Maria Rosaria Guarini

and Anthea Chiovitti

Department of Architecture and Design, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Flaminia, 359, 00196 Rome, Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 973; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060973 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4305

Abstract

The acknowledgment of the ongoing economic and financial crisis involving real estate, creates the need to formulate proposals and scenarios (in real estate) with the characteristics of socially responsible investments. These kind of investments aim towards “sustainable” development both environmentally (safeguarding the shortage [...] Read more.

The acknowledgment of the ongoing economic and financial crisis involving real estate, creates the need to formulate proposals and scenarios (in real estate) with the characteristics of socially responsible investments. These kind of investments aim towards “sustainable” development both environmentally (safeguarding the shortage of resources such as land, energy, and natural elements), and socially (protecting the population and raising its level of well-being) according to so-called “ethical finance”, instead of a mere “speculative” investment. Effectively, real estate is still an investment sector only marginally explored by the socially-responsible funds. Based on these premises, this paper will: (i) briefly analyze the nature of socially-responsible investments, setting their characteristics apart from “traditional investments”; and (ii) propose a possible procedure (of the multi-criteria type) which aims to assess socially-responsible investments in real estate. This will be applied to a case study regarding a social housing initiative in the municipality of Anguillara Sabazia (Rome, Italy). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multiple Criteria Decision Making for Sustainability: Modeling and Applications)

20 pages, 540 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the System. Boundary Choices, Implications, and Solutions in Telecoupling Land Use Change Research

by Cecilie Friis^1,2,* and Jonas Østergaard Nielsen^1,2

¹ IRI THESys, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany

² Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 974; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060974 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 8393

Abstract

Land-based production provides societies with indispensable goods such as food, feed, fibre, and energy. Yet, with economic globalisation and global population growth, the environmental and social trade-offs of their production are ever more complex. This is particularly so since land use changes are [...] Read more.

Land-based production provides societies with indispensable goods such as food, feed, fibre, and energy. Yet, with economic globalisation and global population growth, the environmental and social trade-offs of their production are ever more complex. This is particularly so since land use changes are increasingly embedded in networks of long-distance flows of, e.g., material, energy, and information. The resulting scientific and governance challenge is captured in the emerging telecoupling framework addressing socioeconomic and environmental interactions and feedbacks between distal human-environment systems. Understanding telecouplings, however, entails a number of fundamental analytical problems. When dealing with global connectivity, a central question is how and where to draw system boundaries between coupled systems. In this article, we explore the analytical implications of setting system boundaries in the study of a recent telecoupled land use change: the expansion of Chinese banana plantation investments in Luang Namtha Province, Laos. Based on empirical material from fieldwork in Laos in 2014 and 2015, and drawing on key concepts from the ‘systems thinking’ literature, we illustrate how treating the system and its boundaries as epistemological constructs enable us to capture the differentiated involvement of actors, as well as the socio-economic and environmental effects of this land use change. In discussing our results, the need for more explicit attention to the trade-offs and implications of scale and boundary choices when defining systems is emphasised. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Social Ecology and Sustainability)

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16 pages, 4138 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of Water Environmental Cumulative Risk Assessment Based on Control Unit and Management Platform Application in Plain River Network

by Xue Wang^1,2, Yong Pang^1,2,*

, Xiao Wang^1,2, Qi Zhou^1,2 and Rongrong Xie^3,*

¹ Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development of ShallowLakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

² Department of Environmental Engeering, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

³ Department of Environmental Engeering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 975; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060975 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5071

Abstract

As the gradual deterioration of the environment, the method of environmental risk assessment has been developed from basing only on a single source to basing on a cumulative risk source. In accordance with the water environment features of the plain river network area, [...] Read more.

As the gradual deterioration of the environment, the method of environmental risk assessment has been developed from basing only on a single source to basing on a cumulative risk source. In accordance with the water environment features of the plain river network area, a cumulative risk assessment system of water environment in the plain river network area was established in this paper, the design process for which could be divided into three step: (1) Control unit divided reasonably was chosen as the basic unit for water quality management. (2) On that basis, according to the characteristics of the plain river network area, the cumulative risk indexes were selected. The index weight is calculated using entropy method and analytic hierarchy process (AHP), which could determine the risk grade of each control unit. (3) The cumulative risk assessment method is coupled to the existing water environment management platform. The platform with a dynamic database can realize the dynamic calculation and visualization of the cumulative risk grade. In this paper, the Zhejiang area of Taihu Basin was selected to be the research target as the typical plain river network area. Thirty-five control units were divided with regional water environment and control section. Taking the data in the year 2011 as example, the proposed cumulative risk assessment method was used to identify the control units in different grades and the results demonstrated that the numbers of high-, medium-, low- and extremely low-risk control units are 13, 12, 5 and 5, respectively. It is necessary to give priority to the high-risk control unit. Therefore, the cumulative risk assessment method based on the control unit provides an essential theoretical basis for reducing the probability of water pollution and reducing the degree of water pollution damage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Risk Assessment and Management)

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30 pages, 3987 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vulnerability Assessment in African Villages under Conditions of Land Use and Climate Change: Case Studies from Mkomazi and Keiskamma

by Torsten Grothmann^1,*, Maximilian Petzold², Patrick Ndaki³, Vincent Kakembo⁴, Bernd Siebenhüner^1,*, Michael Kleyer²

, Pius Yanda³ and Naledzani Ndou⁴

¹ Ecological Economics Group, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg 26111, Germany

² Landscape Ecology Group, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg 26111, Germany

³ Centre for Climate Change Studies, University of Dar Es Salaam, Dar Es Salaam 16103, Tanzania

⁴ Department for Geosciences, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 976; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060976 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 7164

Abstract

While most climate change vulnerability assessments focus on regional or city-levels, this paper studies villages and their different forms of vulnerability vis- Full article

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23 pages, 2054 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability Strategy and Management Control Systems in Family Firms. Evidence from a Case Study

by Fabio Caputo¹, Stefania Veltri^2,*

and Andrea Venturelli¹

¹ Department of Management, Economics, Mathematics and Statistics, University of Salento, Via per Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy

² Department of Business Administration and Law, University of Calabria, Ponte P. Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 977; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060977 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 9249

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate how the integration of new forms of sustainable control systems (SCSs) and traditional management control systems (MCSs), and the use of these control systems affect the integration of sustainability within organizational strategy. A qualitative case [...] Read more.

The aim of this paper is to investigate how the integration of new forms of sustainable control systems (SCSs) and traditional management control systems (MCSs), and the use of these control systems affect the integration of sustainability within organizational strategy. A qualitative case study based on a longitudinal investigation of an Italian family firm operating in an environment-sensitive context, the intermodal transport industry, has been used to trace the company’s pathway to sustainability integration based on the Gond et al. framework. The paper enriches the Gond et al. conceptualization providing evidence of the external and internal factors relevant in affecting the organization’s pathway towards sustainability integration. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present study is the first analysis that investigates the integration of sustainability into organizational strategy in the context of family firms, from the point of view of performance management systems (PMSs). Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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17 pages, 401 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Implementation of Big Data Analytics Improve Firms’ Market Value? Investors’ Reaction in Stock Market

by Hansol Lee¹, Eunkyung Kweon¹, Minkyun Kim² and Sangmi Chai^1,*

¹ School of Business, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Korea

² Sogang Business School, Sogang University, 35 Baekbum-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul 04107, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 978; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060978 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 7357

Abstract

Recently, due to the development of social media, multimedia, and the Internet of Things (IoT), various types of data have increased. As the existing data analytics tools cannot cover this huge volume of data, big data analytics becomes one of the emerging technologies [...] Read more.

Recently, due to the development of social media, multimedia, and the Internet of Things (IoT), various types of data have increased. As the existing data analytics tools cannot cover this huge volume of data, big data analytics becomes one of the emerging technologies for business today. Considering that big data analytics is an up-to-date term, in the present study, we investigated the impact of implementing big data analytics in the short-term perspective. We used an event study methodology to investigate the changes in stock price caused by announcements on big data analytics solution investment. A total of 54 investment announcements of firms publicly traded in NASDAQ and NYSE from 2010 to 2015 were collected. Our results empirically demonstrate that announcement of firms’ investment on big data solution leads to positive stock market reactions. In addition, we also found that investments on small vendors’ solution with industry-oriented functions tend to result in higher abnormal returns than those on big vendors’ solution with general functions. Finally, our results also suggest that stock market investors highly evaluate big data analytics investments of big firms as compared to those of small firms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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18 pages, 1599 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using BP Neural Networks to Prioritize Risk Management Approaches for China’s Unconventional Shale Gas Industry

by Cong Dong^1,*, Xiucheng Dong¹, Joel Gehman²

and Lianne Lefsrud³

¹ School of Business Administration, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China

² Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2R6, Canada

³ Faculty of Engineering, Engineering Safety and Risk Management, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2R3, Canada

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 979; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060979 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 7262

Abstract

This article is motivated by a conundrum: How can shale gas development be encouraged and managed without complete knowledge of the associated risks? To answer this question, we used back propagation (BP) neural networks and expert scoring to quantify the relative risks of [...] Read more.

This article is motivated by a conundrum: How can shale gas development be encouraged and managed without complete knowledge of the associated risks? To answer this question, we used back propagation (BP) neural networks and expert scoring to quantify the relative risks of shale gas development across 12 provinces in China. The results show that the model performs well with high predictive accuracy. Shale gas development risks in the provinces of Sichuan, Chongqing, Shaanxi, Hubei, and Jiangsu are relatively high (0.4~0.6), while risks in the provinces of Xinjiang, Guizhou, Yunnan, Anhui, Hunan, Inner Mongolia, and Shanxi are even higher (0.6~1). We make several recommendations based on our findings. First, the Chinese government should promote shale gas development in Sichuan, Chongqing, Shaanxi, Hubei, and Jiangsu Provinces, while considering environmental, health, and safety risks by using demonstration zones to test new technologies and tailor China’s regulatory structures to each province. Second, China’s extremely complex geological conditions and resource depths prevent direct application of North American technologies and techniques. We recommend using a risk analysis prioritization method, such as BP neural networks, so that policymakers can quantify the relative risks posed by shale gas development to optimize the allocation of resources, technology and infrastructure development to minimize resource, economic, technical, and environmental risks. Third, other shale gas industry developments emphasize the challenges of including the many parties with different, often conflicting expectations. Government and enterprises must collaboratively collect and share information, develop risk assessments, and consider risk management alternatives to support science-based decision-making with the diverse parties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Security and Sustainability)

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11 pages, 529 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Elderly’s Travel Patterns and Trends: The Empirical Analysis of Beijing

by Wenzhi Liu^1,2, Huapu Lu^1,*, Zhiyuan Sun³ and Jing Liu¹

¹ Institute of Transportation Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

² Department of Management, Beijing Union University, Beijing 100101, China

³ College of Metropolitan Transportation, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 981; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060981 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4591

Abstract

Travel by the elderly is generally characterized by relatively short distances and low frequencies. However, with social development, the travel patterns of the elderly are lacking in sustainability. In some European countries, the elderly are increasingly dependent on cars while traveling. In addition, [...] Read more.

Travel by the elderly is generally characterized by relatively short distances and low frequencies. However, with social development, the travel patterns of the elderly are lacking in sustainability. In some European countries, the elderly are increasingly dependent on cars while traveling. In addition, the influencing factors of the elderly’s travel behavior are also changing. At present, most foreign and domestic studies focus on the impact of individual and household socioeconomic attributes, travel attributes, and policy factors on the travel frequency, travel mode choice, and travel demand of the elderly, but they lack an analysis of the regional differences of the elderly’s travel behavior characteristics and related countermeasures. The studies excessively focus on the influencing factors but overlook the difference between the elderly’s travel characteristics and young people’s travel characteristics, as well as the interactions at the household level. Based on data from the Fifth Travel Survey of Residents in Beijing 2014, this paper uses variance analysis, Spearman’s correlation analysis, and descriptive and comparative analysis to study the difference in travel frequency over 24 hours between the elderly and middle-aged/young people in Beijing, the impact of household, individual, and travel attributes on the travel frequency difference, and the regional difference in the elderly’s travel behavior characteristics. The results show that there is a significant difference in travel frequency between the elderly group and the middle-aged/young group in Beijing; the main reason is the individual difference between travelers. Travelers’ attributes all exert an influence on the travel frequency of both groups, but the degree and direction of the influence are different. At the household level, middle-aged/young people with a higher household income travel less frequently, whereas the case is completely the opposite for the elderly. In terms of personal attributes, gender has a significant negative effect on the elderly’s travel frequency; that is, women travel less than men, whereas there is no difference between men and women in middle-aged/young people. Regarding travel attributes, travel distance and travel duration have a significant negative effect on the two groups’ travel frequencies. The elderly in some European countries are more dependent on cars, whereas a large proportion of elderly people in Beijing walk on foot, but the degree of dependence on cars of the “new generation” of the elderly in Beijing will increase rapidly, which will bring the lack of sustainability of travel patterns, further bringing new challenges to policymakers and transport planning departments. Full article

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13 pages, 5124 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison between Inverse Model and Chaos Time Series Inverse Model for Long-Term Prediction

by Young-Jin Kim

Division of Architecture, Architectural Engineering and Civil Engineering, Sunmoon University, Asan, Chungnam 336-708, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 982; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060982 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3711

Abstract

This paper presents an inverse model using chaotic behaviour. The chaos time series inverse model, which uses coupling methods between an inverse model and chaos theory can reconstruct a deterministic and low-dimensional phase space by transforming irregular behaviours of nonlinear time-varying systems into [...] Read more.

This paper presents an inverse model using chaotic behaviour. The chaos time series inverse model, which uses coupling methods between an inverse model and chaos theory can reconstruct a deterministic and low-dimensional phase space by transforming irregular behaviours of nonlinear time-varying systems into a strange attractor (e.g., a Rossler attractor or a Lorenz attractor), and it can then predict future states. For this study, the author used a training dataset measured in an existing high-rise building and examined the predictive abilities of the chaos time series inverse model modelled into phase spaces with strange attractors in comparison with those of the Support Vector Regression (SVR) out of the inverse model. The paper discusses the effective use of the chaos time series inverse model for multi-step ahead prediction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Engineering and Science)

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18 pages, 840 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Addressing Complexity in Environmental Management and Governance

by Sabrina Kirschke^* and Jens Newig

Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Scharnhorststrasse 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 983; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060983 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 13135

Abstract

Governance for complex problem solving has been increasingly discussed in environmental sustainability research. Above all, researchers continuously observe that sustainability problems are complex or “wicked”, and suggest participatory models to address these problems in practice. In order to add to this debate, this [...] Read more.

Governance for complex problem solving has been increasingly discussed in environmental sustainability research. Above all, researchers continuously observe that sustainability problems are complex or “wicked”, and suggest participatory models to address these problems in practice. In order to add to this debate, this study suggests a more differentiated theoretical approach to define governance for complex environmental problem solving than in previous studies. The approach consists of two vital steps: First, we operationalize complexity and define management strategies for solving environmental sustainability problems based on findings from psychology research. Second, we identify governance strategies that facilitate these management strategies. Linking those strategies suggests that the role of diverse institutions, actors, and interactions differs for five key dimensions of complexity: goals, variables, dynamics, interconnections, and informational uncertainty. The results strengthen systematic analyses of environmental sustainability problems in both theory and practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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15 pages, 2663 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability Multivariate Analysis of the Energy Consumption of Ecuador Using MuSIASEM and BIPLOT Approach

by Nathalia Tejedor-Flores^1,*

, Purificación Vicente-Galindo^1,2 and Purificación Galindo-Villardón^1,2,3

¹ Department of Statistics, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain

² Instituto de Investigación Biomédica (IBSAL), 08028 Salamanca, Spain

³ Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, 09-01-5863 Guayaquil, Ecuador

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 984; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060984 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5796

Abstract

Rapid economic growth, expanding populations and increasing prosperity are driving up demand for energy, water and food, especially in developing countries. To understand the energy consumption of a country, we used the Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM) approach. The [...] Read more.

Rapid economic growth, expanding populations and increasing prosperity are driving up demand for energy, water and food, especially in developing countries. To understand the energy consumption of a country, we used the Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM) approach. The MuSIASEM is an innovative approach to accounting that integrates quantitative information generated by distinct types of conventional models based on different dimensions and scales of analysis. The main objective of this work is to enrich the MuSIASEM approach with information from multivariate methods in order to improve the efficiency of existing models of sustainability. The Biplot method permits the joint plotting, in a reduced dimension of the rows (individuals) and columns (variables) of a multivariate data matrix. We found, in the case study of Ecuador, that the highest values of the Exosomatic Metabolic Rate (EMR) per economic sector and Economic Labor Productivity (ELP) are located in the Productive Sector (PS). We conclude that the combination of the MuSIASEM variables with the HJ-Biplot allows us to easily know the detailed behavior of the labor productivity and energy consumption of a country. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 6th World Sustainability Forum - Selected Papers)

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15 pages, 1782 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Improved Routing Optimization Algorithm Based on Travelling Salesman Problem for Social Networks

by Naixue Xiong^1,2

, Wenliang Wu¹ and Chunxue Wu^1,*

¹ School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Military Road, No. 516, Shanghai 200093, China

² Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Northeastern State University Address: 611 N, Grand Ave, Tahlequah, OK 74464, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 985; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060985 - 8 Jun 2017

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4686

Abstract

A social network is a social structure, which is organized by the relationships or interactions between individuals or groups. Humans link the physical network with social network, and the services in the social world are based on data and analysis, which directly influence [...] Read more.

A social network is a social structure, which is organized by the relationships or interactions between individuals or groups. Humans link the physical network with social network, and the services in the social world are based on data and analysis, which directly influence decision making in the physical network. In this paper, we focus on a routing optimization algorithm, which solves a well-known and popular problem. Ant colony algorithm is proposed to solve this problem effectively, but random selection strategy of the traditional algorithm causes evolution speed to be slow. Meanwhile, positive feedback and distributed computing model make the algorithm quickly converge. Therefore, how to improve convergence speed and search ability of algorithm is the focus of the current research. The paper proposes the improved scheme. Considering the difficulty about searching for next better city, new parameters are introduced to improve probability of selection, and delay convergence speed of algorithm. To avoid the shortest path being submerged, and improve sensitive speed of finding the shortest path, it updates pheromone regulation formula. The results show that the improved algorithm can effectively improve convergence speed and search ability for achieving higher accuracy and optimal results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autonomous and Sustainable Computing for preparing the Internet of Things Environment)

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11 pages, 3182 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Measuring Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Heavy Metal Contaminations in a Network-Constrained Environment: A Case Study in River Network of Daye, China

by Zhensheng Wang^1,2,3,4,* and Ke Nie⁴

¹ Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Spatial Smart Sensing and Services, College of Civil Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China

² Key Laboratory for Geo-Environmental Monitoring of Coastal Zone of the National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and GeoInformation, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China

³ College of Information Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China

⁴ Key Laboratory of Urban Land Resources Monitoring and Simulation, Ministry of Land and Resources, Shenzhen 518034, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060986 - 7 Jun 2017

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4479

Abstract

Measuring the spatial distribution of heavy metal contaminants is the basis of pollution evaluation and risk control. Considering the cost of soil sampling and analysis, spatial interpolation methods have been widely applied to estimate the heavy metal concentrations at unsampled locations. However, traditional [...] Read more.

Measuring the spatial distribution of heavy metal contaminants is the basis of pollution evaluation and risk control. Considering the cost of soil sampling and analysis, spatial interpolation methods have been widely applied to estimate the heavy metal concentrations at unsampled locations. However, traditional spatial interpolation methods assume the sample sites can be located stochastically on a plane and the spatial association between sample locations is analyzed using Euclidean distances, which may lead to biased conclusions in some circumstances. This study aims to analyze the spatial distribution characteristics of copper and lead contamination in river sediments of Daye using network spatial analysis methods. The results demonstrate that network inverse distance weighted interpolation methods are more accurate than planar interpolation methods. Furthermore, the method named local indicators of network-constrained clusters based on local Moran’ I statistic (ILINCS) is applied to explore the local spatial patterns of copper and lead pollution in river sediments, which is helpful for identifying the contaminated areas and assessing heavy metal pollution of Daye. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heavy Metals: Environmental Health Risk Assessment and Sustainable Management)

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17 pages, 9708 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Urban Forms for Comparison Studies in the Massing Design Stage

by Kian Wee Chen^1,* and Leslie Norford²

¹ CENSAM, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore 138602, Singapore

² Department of Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 987; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060987 - 8 Jun 2017

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 8058

Abstract

We introduce five performance indicators to facilitate the comparison of urban massing design in the early design stages. The five simple indicators are based on existing studies and cover three main performance areas that are sensitive to urban form changes: solar, ventilation, and [...] Read more.

We introduce five performance indicators to facilitate the comparison of urban massing design in the early design stages. The five simple indicators are based on existing studies and cover three main performance areas that are sensitive to urban form changes: solar, ventilation, and connectivity potentials. The first three indicators—the non-solar heated façade to floor area index, daylight façade to floor area index, and photovoltaics envelope to floor area index—measure the solar potential. The frontal area index measures the ventilation potential and the route-directness index measures the connectivity potential. The indicators are simple to use, as they only require urban geometry data for their calculation. We demonstrate the indicators in two case studies; variations in the values of these indicators show that they are sensitive to urban form changes and can be used in comparative studies to identify better performing urban forms among massing designs. We implement the indicators as an open-source Python library, Pyliburo, that designers and researchers can readily access and integrate into their existing design workflows. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Architecture and Design)

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16 pages, 2377 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Effects of Small Hydropower Substituting Firewood Program in Majiang County, Guizhou Province, China

by Xiaoxia Zhang¹, Tonggang Zha^1,*, Yun Zhao², Jing Qin², Zhiyuan Lyv³, Zhijie Ma², Haiyan Yu³, Yushen Zhu¹, Gaomin Wang³, Felix Tettenborn⁴ and Benedikt Freiherr von Lueninck⁴

¹ Soil and Water Conservation of Beijing Engineering Research Center, College of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China

² Engineering Design & Research Center, China Institute of Water Resources & Hydropower Research, Beijing 100048, China

³ College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China

⁴ Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 988; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060988 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4561

Abstract

Small hydropower substituting fuel (SHSF) is an ecological environment protection program to improve regional ecosystems and alleviate poverty. However, the sustainability of SHSF programs remains controversial due to lingering doubts about its potential for socioeconomic development and its environmental impacts. The sustainability of [...] Read more.

Small hydropower substituting fuel (SHSF) is an ecological environment protection program to improve regional ecosystems and alleviate poverty. However, the sustainability of SHSF programs remains controversial due to lingering doubts about its potential for socioeconomic development and its environmental impacts. The sustainability of SHSF was examined based on field investigations and household questionnaire surveys. The results were as follows: (1) Biomass of SHSF protected masson pine (Pinus massoniana) and weeping cypress (Platycladus orientalis) plantations were 11.06 t·ha⁻¹ and 7.15 t·ha⁻¹ higher than unprotected plantations, respectively. Furthermore, the differences in ecosystem biomass were mainly derived from arbor biomass. While the energy conversion efficiency based on field investigations was merely 1.28 kg (kWh)⁻¹, which was only 64% of the empirical value and 54% of the guideline for accounting for the ecological benefit of small hydropower substituting fuel. (2) Households’ total income in SHSF villages was higher than in households with access to a hydropower plant but no substituting fuel or households with no hydropower plant. (3) Most of the households had a positive attitude towards SHSF because of its cheaper electricity and associated ecological environmental improvements. Overall, our results suggest optimistic and sustainable prospects for the SHSF program; however, continued education and policy communications are needed to sustain program success. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Restoration for Sustainable Forest Management)

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21 pages, 3707 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

A Multi-Step Approach to Assess the Lifecycle Economic Impact of Seismic Risk on Optimal Energy Retrofit

by Gerardo Maria Mauro^1,*

, Costantino Menna², Umberto Vitiello²

, Domenico Asprone², Fabrizio Ascione¹, Nicola Bianco¹, Andrea Prota² and Giuseppe Peter Vanoli³

¹ Department of Industrial Engineering, Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy

² Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Claudio 21, 80125 Naples, Italy

³ Department of Medicine, Università degli studi del Molise, Via Cesare Gazzani 47, 86100 Campobasso, Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 989; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060989 - 8 Jun 2017

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 4860

Abstract

Most European buildings built before 1980s were constructed without any design concern for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. In addition to this issue, over the last decades, the essential need of safer buildings has progressively attracted the interest of scientific community and government [...] Read more.

Most European buildings built before 1980s were constructed without any design concern for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. In addition to this issue, over the last decades, the essential need of safer buildings has progressively attracted the interest of scientific community and government institutions. However, the strong interaction between energy and structural aspects in building retrofit design has never been handled via robust and reliable approaches. The present study explores this knowledge gap by introducing a novel multi-step approach that addresses the retrofit of existing buildings by integrating energy, structural and economic aspects. To this end, a multi-stage energy optimization is carried out by implementing a genetic algorithm and a smart research strategy. Thus, the cost-optimal energy retrofit solution is identified and the impact of the expected economic losses due to seismic damage is assessed throughout the building lifecycle. The methodology is applied to a multi-story residential building, considering the effects of two different building locations, namely Milan and Norcia. These latter are characterized by similar climatic conditions but by a different level of seismic risk, which is higher for Norcia. The outcomes show that the estimated seismic economic losses associated with the energy retrofit solutions are strongly affected by the building location. Thus, the selection of the optimal energy retrofit measures should be related to the building structural behavior in order to achieve reliable economic and sustainability benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 17th CIRIAF National Congress—Energy–Environmental Sustainability and Seismic Retrofit of Built Heritage)

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17 pages, 3968 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Agroecological and Social Transformations for Coexistence with Semi-Aridity in Brazil

by Aldrin M. Pérez-Marin^1,*, Paul Rogé²

, Miguel A. Altieri², Luis F. Ulloa Forer³, Luciano Silveira⁴, Victor M. Oliveira³ and Barbara E. Domingues-Leiva⁵

¹ Instituto Nacional do Semiárido (INSA), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência do Solo da Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Av. Francisco Lopes de Almeida, s/n, Serrotão, Campina Grande, Paraíba CEP 58429-970, Brazil

² Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management (ESPM), University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA

³ Instituto Nacional do Semiárido (INSA), Project INSA-ASA, Av. Francisco Lopes de Almeida, s/n, Serrotão, Campina Grande, Paraíba CEP 58429-970, Brazil

⁴ Articulação do Semiarido Brasileiro (ASA), Assessoria a Projeto em Agricultura Alternativa (ASPTA), Rua Nicarágua, 111, Espinheiro, Recife, Pernambuco CEP 52020-190, Brazil

⁵ Laboratory of Agroecology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 990; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060990 - 8 Jun 2017

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 11158

Abstract

This article explores whether a shift in development paradigm resulted in coexistence with semi-aridity for residents of the Semi-Arid region of Brazil (SAB). If so, which strategies contributed and which conditions facilitated it? We conducted a comparative analysis of the transformations that occurred [...] Read more.

This article explores whether a shift in development paradigm resulted in coexistence with semi-aridity for residents of the Semi-Arid region of Brazil (SAB). If so, which strategies contributed and which conditions facilitated it? We conducted a comparative analysis of the transformations that occurred in 10 territories of the SAB during two time periods: PI (1973–2001) when “development” policies almost exclusively aimed to “combat drought and its effects”; and PII (2002–2016) when a concept of coexistence with semi-aridity informed policy making. Our study from the 10 territories of the SAB show significant changes between PI and PII. On average, there was a substantial improvement in Access to Water Infrastructure (+33%∆), Diversification of Production Systems (Animals +36%∆; Crops +61%∆), Management of Common Pool Resources (+45%∆), Involvement in Spaces of Political Organizing (+24%∆), and Access to Public Programs (+29%∆). As such, “coexistence” went from concept to action as a consequence of structural, agroecological, social, and management transformations in combination with a strengthening of mechanisms for community reciprocity. These were characterized by (a) the creation of resource reserves for use during times of drought; (b) the efficient use of available natural resources; and (c) enhanced articulation between diverse actors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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31 pages, 2438 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Normative Dimension in Transdisciplinarity, Transition Management, and Transformation Sciences: New Roles of Science and Universities in Sustainable Transitioning

by Roland W. Scholz^1,2

¹ Department of Knowledge Management and Communication, Faculty of Economics and Globalization, Danube University, 3500 Krems, Austria

² Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 991; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060991 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 86 | Viewed by 14675

Abstract

This paper discusses the role normative aspects play in different approaches of science–practice collaboration, in particular as action research, (Mode 2) Transdisciplinarity (Td), Transition Management (TM), and Transformative Science (TSc). We elaborate on the different roles that scientists in these processes play. They [...] Read more.

This paper discusses the role normative aspects play in different approaches of science–practice collaboration, in particular as action research, (Mode 2) Transdisciplinarity (Td), Transition Management (TM), and Transformative Science (TSc). We elaborate on the different roles that scientists in these processes play. They work as facilitators (or contribute to a facilitated Td process), as activists (i.e., activist researchers) in TM projects, and as catalysts in TSc. Td processes develop socially robust solutions for sustainable transitioning and impacts on the science system through mutual learning and by integrating epistemics (i.e., ways of knowing) from science and practice and focusing on the empowerment of stakeholders. Science is viewed as a public good aiming to serve all key stakeholders. Researchers involved in TM projects strive to influence ongoing transition processes by actively engaging and participating in them, including lobbying for and empowering transformative changes toward sustainability based upon the researchers’ own analyses and world views. The TSc approach takes a catalyst perspective of the scientist’s role in inducing processes of strategic (societal) transition when including certain stakeholder groups. The paper focuses on what roles normative aspects play in the different approaches and new societal demands imposed on science and universities. Based on this, we conclude that a new order of universities, public knowledge institutions, and boundary institutions is forthcoming. Full article

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11 pages, 220 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Environmental Management System Adoption and the Operational Performance of Firm in the Textile and Apparel Industry of China

by Biao Li¹ and Kekun Wu^1,2,*

¹ School of Finance/MBA School, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, No. 182 Nanhu Avenue, East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, Wuhan 430073, China

² Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 55 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 992; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060992 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 6519

Abstract

In China, more firms in the textile and apparel industry adopt environmental management systems compared to firms that manufacture other products. It is important to know how the firms’ financial and real performances are affected. We study the changes of firms’ performance in [...] Read more.

In China, more firms in the textile and apparel industry adopt environmental management systems compared to firms that manufacture other products. It is important to know how the firms’ financial and real performances are affected. We study the changes of firms’ performance in profitability, sales, and operational efficiency after environmental management system (EMS) adoption using an event study. Based on 22 events of EMS adoption, we found a significant decrease in firms’ profitability, sales, and inventory productivity. We explore the reasons which led to the decrease in firm performances. We found that the increase in sample firms’ total assets is the major reason. The loss in operational efficiency and flexibility are due to the requirements of the EMS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)

16 pages, 4405 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling of Turbidity Variation in Two Reservoirs Connected by a Water Transfer Tunnel in South Korea

by Jae Chung Park¹, Myoung-Jin Um²

, Young-Il Song³, Hyun-Dong Hwang⁴, Mun Mo Kim⁵ and Daeryong Park^6,*

¹ Andong Regional Office, K-water, Andong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do 36611, Korea

² Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea

³ Division of Climate Change and Interdisciplinary Research, Korea Environment Institute, Sejong 30147, Korea

⁴ Human Planet Corporation, Daejeon 34077, Korea

⁵ Department of Civil Engineering, Shingu University, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13174, Korea

⁶ Department of Civil, Environmental and Plant Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060993 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4385

Abstract

The Andong and Imha reservoirs in South Korea are connected by a water transfer tunnel. The turbidity of the Imha reservoir is much higher than that of the Andong reservoir. Thus, it is necessary to examine the movement of turbidity between the two [...] Read more.

The Andong and Imha reservoirs in South Korea are connected by a water transfer tunnel. The turbidity of the Imha reservoir is much higher than that of the Andong reservoir. Thus, it is necessary to examine the movement of turbidity between the two reservoirs via the water transfer tunnel. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the water transfer tunnel on the turbidity behavior of the two connecting reservoirs and to further understand the effect of reservoir turbidity distribution as a function of the selective withdrawal depth. This study applied the CE-QUAL-W2, a water quality and 2-dimensional hydrodynamic model, for simulating the hydrodynamic processes of the two reservoirs. Results indicate that, in the Andong reservoir, the turbidity of the released water with the water transfer tunnel was similar to that without the tunnel. However, in the Imha reservoir, the turbidity of the released water with the water transfer tunnel was lower than that without the tunnel. This can be attributed to the higher capacity of the Andong reservoir, which has double the storage of the Imha reservoir. Withdrawal turbidity in the Imha reservoir was investigated using the water transfer tunnel. This study applied three withdrawal selections as elevation (EL.) 141.0 m, 146.5 m, and 152.0 m. The highest withdrawal turbidity resulted in EL. 141.0 m, which indicates that the high turbidity current is located at a vertical depth of about 20–30 m because of the density difference. These results will be helpful for understanding the release and selective withdrawal turbidity behaviors for a water transfer tunnel between two reservoirs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Water Resources Management)

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19 pages, 456 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability Analysis of Supply Chains with Fashion Products under Alternative Power Structures and Loss-Averse Supplier

by Baozhuang Niu¹, Lei Chen¹ and Jie Zhang^2,*

¹ School of Business Administration, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510320, China

² School of Business Administration, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, Guangzhou 510320, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 995; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060995 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5464

Abstract

Considering a supply chain with fashion products comprising of a supplier and a retailer, we study the sustainability of the supply chain with alternative power structures (either the supplier or the retailer has the option of acting as a leader to make the [...] Read more.

Considering a supply chain with fashion products comprising of a supplier and a retailer, we study the sustainability of the supply chain with alternative power structures (either the supplier or the retailer has the option of acting as a leader to make the decisions first). We also examine the impact of the supplier’s attitudes to loss on the supply chain’s sustainability and profitability. We build game theoretical modes to characterize one property of the fashion industry: the wide use of buy-back contract, and obtain the following results: (1) Compared to wholesale price contract, buy-back contract reduces the sustainability of the supply chain, and this result is robust with alternative power structures. (2) Under alternative power structure, the sustainability index is increasing in the buy-back price in the supplier-as-the-leader scenario, while decreasing in the retailer-as-the-leader scenario. That is, the relationships between sustainability and buy-back price is completely reversed when the leader is changed. (3) The sustainability is improved when the supplier acts as the leader and the buy-back price is lower than a threshold, but the contrary holds when the buy-back price is high. (4) Buy-back contract helps to improve the sustainability of the supply chain when supplier is extremely loss-averse, because the loss-averse supplier has the incentives to reduce the ordering quantity as well as the overstocking risk. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)

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15 pages, 1631 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Short-Term Aging Effect on Properties of Sustainable Pavement Asphalts Modified by Waste Rubber and Diatomite

by Hanbing Liu, Liuxu Fu, Yubo Jiao^*, Jinglin Tao and Xianqiang Wang

College of Transportation, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 996; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060996 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 4514

Abstract

Waste utilization has gained more and more interest. In this study, crumb rubber and diatomite were used to modify asphalt binder and the short-term aging effects on the properties of modified asphalts were evaluated. Three kinds of modified asphalt were prepared; they are [...] Read more.

Waste utilization has gained more and more interest. In this study, crumb rubber and diatomite were used to modify asphalt binder and the short-term aging effects on the properties of modified asphalts were evaluated. Three kinds of modified asphalt were prepared; they are diatomite modified asphalt (DA), crumb rubber modified asphalt (RA), and diatomite and crumb rubber compound modified asphalt (DRA). Thin film oven test (TFOT) was used to simulate short-term aging in the laboratory. Penetration, softening points, ductility, viscosity, elastic recovery, low temperature creep, and rutting susceptibility were tested and analyzed before and after TFOT. The results indicated that the softening point, viscosity, elastic recovery, creep stiffness, and G*/sinδ of DA, RA, and DRA are all linearly increased with increasing age, while the penetration and ductility are linearly decreased with increasing age. High temperature properties of asphalt are obviously improved by the addition of crumb rubber. Low temperature properties of asphalt are affected more seriously by the addition of diatomite. DRA could combine the advantages of diatomite and crumb rubber and achieve better performance in short-term aging resistance than DA and RA. Full article

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17 pages, 2519 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Are Crowdsourced Datasets Suitable for Specialized Routing Services? Case Study of OpenStreetMap for Routing of People with Limited Mobility

by Amin Mobasheri^1,*

, Yeran Sun²

, Lukas Loos¹ and Ahmed Loai Ali^3,4

¹ GIScience Research Group, Institute of Geography, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 348, 69120, Heidelberg 69115–69126, Germany

² Urban Big Data Centre, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8RZ, UK

³ Bremen Spatial Cognition Center, Department of Informatics, University of Bremen, Bremen 28001–28779, Germany

⁴ Information Systems Department, Faculty of Computers and Information, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 997; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060997 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 9161

Abstract

Nowadays, Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has increasingly gained attractiveness to both amateur users and professionals. Using data generated from the crowd has become a hot topic for several application domains including transportation. However, there are concerns regarding the quality of such datasets. As [...] Read more.

Nowadays, Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has increasingly gained attractiveness to both amateur users and professionals. Using data generated from the crowd has become a hot topic for several application domains including transportation. However, there are concerns regarding the quality of such datasets. As one of the most famous crowdsourced mapping platforms, we analyze the fitness for use of OpenStreetMap (OSM) database for routing and navigation of people with limited mobility. We assess the completeness of OSM data regarding sidewalk information. Relevant attributes for sidewalk information such as sidewalk width, incline, surface texture, etc. are considered, and through both extrinsic and intrinsic quality analysis methods, we present the results of fitness for use of OSM data for routing services of disabled persons. Based on empirical results, it is concluded that OSM data of relatively large spatial extents inside all studied cities could be an acceptable region of interest to test and evaluate wheelchair routing and navigation services, as long as other data quality parameters such as positional accuracy and logical consistency are checked and proved to be acceptable. We present an extended version of OSMatrix web service and explore how it is employed to perform spatial and temporal analysis of sidewalk data completeness in OSM. The tool is beneficial for piloting activities, whereas the pilot site planners can query OpenStreetMap and visualize the degree of sidewalk data availability in a certain region of interest. This would allow identifying the areas that data are mostly missing and plan for data collection events. Furthermore, empirical results of data completeness for several OSM data indicators and their potential relation to sidewalk data completeness are presented and discussed. Finally, the article ends with an outlook for future research study in this area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neo-Geography and Crowdsourcing Technologies for Sustainable Urban Transportation)

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13 pages, 1535 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Routines, Rigidity and Real Estate: Organisational Innovations in the Workplace

by Kenneth Dooley^1,2

¹ The Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, 00076 Espoo, Finland

² Innovation and Development Department, Granlund, 00701 Helsinki, Finland

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 998; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060998 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5902

Abstract

Finding ways to reduce the environmental impact of the existing building stock is an important element in climate change mitigation. This article examines environmentally focused organisational innovations in the corporate real estate industry. Organisational innovations are often overlooked as they cause considerable disruption [...] Read more.

Finding ways to reduce the environmental impact of the existing building stock is an important element in climate change mitigation. This article examines environmentally focused organisational innovations in the corporate real estate industry. Organisational innovations are often overlooked as they cause considerable disruption to the daily routines of employees. In this article, the focal organisational innovation is the adoption of activity-based working. The study aims to uncover the barriers to activity-based working and to compare it to similar best practice strategies that aim to reduce cost and environmental impact. A case study office building has been analysed to examine the efficiency of the workplace arrangement strategy and the impact of this strategy on the building’s energy consumption. The results of the case study coupled with evidence from the global real estate industry suggest that activity-based working can deliver substantial benefits for the employer organisations and the employees. However, despite this it has not reached high levels of adoption on a global scale. This failure to achieve high levels of adoption is evidence of routine rigidity. This article highlights the importance of building occupancy in the future discussion on environmental impact reduction in the corporate real estate industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Post Occupancy Evaluation)

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19 pages, 1193 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Traceability in the Food Supply Chain: The Impact of Consumer Willingness to Pay

by Shengnan Sun¹, Xinping Wang^2,* and Yan Zhang¹

¹ School of Economics and Management, Southeast University, Sipailou 2, Nanjing 210096, China

² College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 999; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060999 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 8267

Abstract

This article addresses the sustainable traceability issue in the food supply chain from the sourcing perspective in which consumer willingness to pay for traceability is considered. There are two supplier types: traceable suppliers, which are costly but can carry a precise recall in [...] Read more.

This article addresses the sustainable traceability issue in the food supply chain from the sourcing perspective in which consumer willingness to pay for traceability is considered. There are two supplier types: traceable suppliers, which are costly but can carry a precise recall in food safety events, and non-traceable suppliers, which are less expensive but may suffer a higher cost in food safety events. A portion of consumers display traceability consciousness, and are willing to pay a premium for traceable food products. Four possible strategies in a transparent food supply chain and three sourcing strategies in a nontransparent food supply chain are identified and we determine when each strategy is optimal. We show that efforts to improve traceability that focus on consumers, by increasing their willingness to pay for traceability or expanding the portion of traceability consciousness consumers, may lead to an unintended consequence, such as a decrease in the provision of traceable food products. However, efforts that focus on revealing and penalizing the buyer always lead to a higher provision of traceable food products. We further find that efforts focusing on eliminating the information asymmetry may not be helpful for sustainable traceability in the food supply chain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Supply Chain and Food Industry)

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13 pages, 575 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Yield and Milk Composition at Different Stages of Lactation from a Small Herd of Nguni, Boer, and Non-Descript Goats Raised in an Extensive Production System

by Emrobowansan M. Idamokoro¹, Voster Muchenje¹ and Patrick J. Masika^1,2,*

¹ Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa

² Fort Cox College of Agriculture and Forestry, P.O. Box 2187, King William’s Town 5600, South Africa

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1000; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061000 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 7501

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the yield and composition of milk from 30 indigenous South African goats of different genotypes, namely Nguni, Boer, and non-descript, reared under a free-ranging system. Milk yield and composition (milk fat, protein, lactose, solid non-fat, and minerals) [...] Read more.

This study was conducted to evaluate the yield and composition of milk from 30 indigenous South African goats of different genotypes, namely Nguni, Boer, and non-descript, reared under a free-ranging system. Milk yield and composition (milk fat, protein, lactose, solid non-fat, and minerals) from Nguni (10), Boer (10) and non-descript (10) goats were measured and analysed per week at each stage of lactation. Results showed that Nguni goats produced (1.2 ± 0.09, 1.3 ± 0.11 and 1.2 ± 0.07 litres per day) more milk (p < 0.05) at early, mid-, and late stages of lactation than Boer (0.6 ± 0.10, 1.0 ± 0.17, and 0.6 ± 0.09 litres per day) and non-descript (0.3 ± 0.10, 0.3 ± 0.12, and 0.3 ± 0.09 litres per day) goats, respectively. The mean value of milk fat, protein, and lactose content from Nguni goats was 3.98, 3.54, and 5.31; Boer goats, 2.9, 3.59, and 5.04 and non-descript goats, 4.05, 3.39, and 5.02, respectively. There was a significant effect (p < 0.05) of genotypes on milk fat, milk magnesium, and sodium contents of Nguni, Boer, and non-descript goats. It could be concluded that Nguni goats produced more milk than Boer and non-descript goats, but the non-descript goat had a higher mean percentage of milk fat compared to Nguni and Boer goats. Full article

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17 pages, 1236 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Evaluation of Urban Renewal Policies of Shenzhen, China

by Guiwen Liu¹, Zhiyong Yi^1,*, Xiaoling Zhang², Asheem Shrestha³

, Igor Martek³ and Lizhen Wei¹

¹ School of Construction Management and Real Estate, Chongqing University, 174 Sha zheng Road, Chongqing 400045, China

² Department of Public Policy, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, China

³ School of Architecture and Built Environment, Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1001; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061001 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 11897

Abstract

Urban renewal is a pragmatic approach in the sustainable urban development of urban areas, and has now become an essential strategy for most metropolises in China. The question of how urban renewal can best be realized has gained the attention of urban planning [...] Read more.

Urban renewal is a pragmatic approach in the sustainable urban development of urban areas, and has now become an essential strategy for most metropolises in China. The question of how urban renewal can best be realized has gained the attention of urban planning researchers looking to formulate practical evidence-based urban renewal policies through policy instruments. This paper analyzes the urban renewal policies of Shenzhen, a pioneer city in China in the promulgation of urban renewal legislation. In doing so, an analytical framework is established by focusing on three main policy instruments, along with several sub-instruments within them. Shenzhen’s five main urban renewal policies, issued between 2009 and 2016, are analyzed through this framework. Content analysis and pattern-matching is used in the review and analysis of the data. The results show that “Environment” side policies tend to be the most widely applied by the Shenzhen municipal government. Additionally, “Regulation Control” and “Goal-planning” policies are the two instruments most frequently adopted as sub-instruments. Moreover, it is found that the application of “Supply” side polices and “Demand” side polices needs be strengthened. These findings identify the types of urban renewal policies currently employed in China and provide a clear understanding of the current policy priorities, with suggestions and insight into further urban renewal policy initiatives for Shenzhen and beyond. Full article

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14 pages, 242 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrating Ecosystem Services and Eco-Security to Assess Sustainable Development in Liuqiu Island

by Han-Shen Chen^1,2

, Wan-Yu Liu³

and Chi-Ming Hsieh^4,*

¹ Department of Health Diet and Industry Management, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung City 40201, Taiwan

² Department of Medical Management, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung City 40201, Taiwan

³ Department of Forestry, National Chung Hsing University, 145 Xingda Rd., South Dist., Taichung City 40227, Taiwan

⁴ International Bachelor Program of Agribusiness, National Chung Hsing University, 145 Xingda Rd., South Dist., Taichung City 40227, Taiwan

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1002; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061002 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4670

Abstract

Developing sustainable island tourism must be thoroughly evaluated in consideration of ecological, economic, and social factors on account of the fragility of island ecosystems. This study evaluated the ecological footprint (EF) and ecological capacity of Liuqiu Island from 2010 to 2015 using the [...] Read more.

Developing sustainable island tourism must be thoroughly evaluated in consideration of ecological, economic, and social factors on account of the fragility of island ecosystems. This study evaluated the ecological footprint (EF) and ecological capacity of Liuqiu Island from 2010 to 2015 using the EF model, establishing an indicator to estimate the value of ecosystem service and eco-security. The empirical results include: (1) the overall value of ecosystem service on Liuqiu Island increased from US$3.75 million in 2010 to US$5.11 million in 2015; (2) the total per capita EF considerably increased from 0.5640 gha/person in 2010 to 4.0845 gha/person in 2015; and (3) the ecological footprint index increased from 0.30 in 2010 to 2.28 in 2015. These findings indicate that island tourism recreational zones gradually increased the pressure on its ecosystem, reduced the eco-security level, and severely damaged the environment, thereby threatening the function and structure of the entire ecosystem. The innovations and contributions of this study is integrating ecological footprint and ecosystem services valuation provide insights into sustainability of an island. The theoretical and practical implications identified in this study should contribute to reducing the gap between research and practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environment, Tourism and Sustainable Development)

14 pages, 1176 KiB

Open AccessArticle

China’s Rare Earths Production Forecasting and Sustainable Development Policy Implications

by Xibo Wang¹, Mingtao Yao², Jiashuo Li^3,*, Kexue Zhang^4,5, He Zhu^6,7 and Minsi Zheng⁸

¹ Institute of Software Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China

² Energy Research Institute, National Development and Reform Commission, Beijing 10038, China

³ Department of New Energy Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China

⁴ Intelligent Control Technology Branch of China Coal Research Institute, Beijing 100013, China

⁵ State Key Laboratory for Geomechanics and Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China

⁶ Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

⁷ University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

⁸ Institute of Economics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061003 - 10 Jun 2017

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 8152

Abstract

Because of their unique physical and chemical properties, Rare earth elements (REEs) perform important functions in our everyday lives, with use in a range of products. Recently, the study of China’s rare earth elements production has become a hot topic of worldwide interest, [...] Read more.

Because of their unique physical and chemical properties, Rare earth elements (REEs) perform important functions in our everyday lives, with use in a range of products. Recently, the study of China’s rare earth elements production has become a hot topic of worldwide interest, because of its dominant position in global rare earth elements supply, and an increasing demand for rare earth elements due to the constant use of rare earth elements in high-tech manufacturing industries. At the same time, as an exhaustible resource, the sustainable development of rare earth elements has received extensive attention. However, most of the study results are based on a qualitative analysis of rare earth elements distribution and production capacity, with few studies using quantitative modeling. To achieve reliable results with more factors being taken into consideration, this paper applies the generic multivariant system dynamics model to forecast China’s rare earth elements production trend and Hubbert peak, using Vensim software based on the Hubbert model. The results show that the peak of China’s rare earth elements production will appear by 2040, and that production will slowly decline afterwards. Based on the results, the paper proposes some policy recommendations for the sustainable development of China’s—and the world’s—rare earth elements market and rare earth-related industries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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17 pages, 7888 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using Specification and Description Language for Life Cycle Assesment in Buildings

by Pau Fonseca i Casas^1,*

and Antoni Fonseca i Casas²

¹ Statistics and Operations Department, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona-Tech, 08034 Barcelona, Spain

² Polyhedra Tech SL, 08026 Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1004; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061004 - 10 Jun 2017

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5239

Abstract

The definition of a Life Cycle Assesment (LCA) for a building or an urban area is a complex task due to the inherent complexity of all the elements that must be considered. Furthermore, a multidisciplinary approach is required due to the different sources [...] Read more.

The definition of a Life Cycle Assesment (LCA) for a building or an urban area is a complex task due to the inherent complexity of all the elements that must be considered. Furthermore, a multidisciplinary approach is required due to the different sources of knowledge involved in this project. This multidisciplinary approach makes it necessary to use formal language to fully represent the complexity of the used models. In this paper, we explore the use of Specification and Description Language (SDL) to represent the LCA of a building and residential area. We also introduce a tool that uses this idea to implement an optimization and simulation mechanism to define the optimal solution for the sustainability of a specific building or residential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Engineering and Science)

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12 pages, 236 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Facebook Aid Sustainability? An Investigation of Empathy Expression within the Humans of New York Blog

by Hannah Wheeler

and Courtney Quinn^*

Earth and Environmental Sciences, Sustainability Science, Furman University, 3300 Poinsett Hwy, Greenville, SC 29613, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1005; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061005 - 10 Jun 2017

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5397

Abstract

This qualitative study offers a novel exploration of the links between social media, virtual intergroup contact, and empathy by examining how empathy is expressed through interactions on a popular social media blog. Global leaders are encouraging individuals to engage in behaviors and support [...] Read more.

This qualitative study offers a novel exploration of the links between social media, virtual intergroup contact, and empathy by examining how empathy is expressed through interactions on a popular social media blog. Global leaders are encouraging individuals to engage in behaviors and support policies that provide basic social foundations. It is difficult to motivate people to undertake such actions. However, research shows that empathy intensifies motivation to help others. It can cause individuals to see the world from the perspective of stigmatized group members and increase positive feelings. Social media offers a new pathway for virtual intergroup contact, providing opportunities to increase conversation about disadvantaged others and empathy. We examined expressions of empathy within a popular blog, Humans of New York (HONY), and engaged in purposeful case selection by focusing on (1) events where specific prosocial action was taken corresponding to interactions on the HONY blog and (2) presentation of people in countries other than the United States. Nine overarching themes; (1) perspective taking, (2) fantasy, (3) empathic concern, (4) personal distress, (5) relatability, (6) prosocial action, (7) community appreciation, (8) anti-empathy, and (9) rejection of anti-empathy, exemplify how the HONY community expresses and shares empathic thoughts and feelings. Full article

26 pages, 807 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Firms’ Board Independence and Corporate Social Performance: A Meta-Analysis

by Eduardo Ortas¹

, Igor Álvarez² and Eugenio Zubeltzu^3,*

¹ Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Zaragoza, Plaza de la Constitución s/n, 22001 Huesca, Spain

² Department of Accounting and Finance, Basque Country University, Plaza de Oñati 1, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain

³ Department of Accounting and Finance, Basque Country University, Comandante Izarduy, 23, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1006; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061006 - 10 Jun 2017

Cited by 74 | Viewed by 9810

Abstract

This paper investigates the influence of organizations’ board independence on corporate social performance (CSP) using a meta-analytic approach. A sample of 87 published papers is used to identify a set of underlying moderating effects in that relationship. Specifically, differences in the system of [...] Read more.

This paper investigates the influence of organizations’ board independence on corporate social performance (CSP) using a meta-analytic approach. A sample of 87 published papers is used to identify a set of underlying moderating effects in that relationship. Specifically, differences in the system of corporate governance, CSP measurement models and market conditions have been considered as moderating variables. The results show that the independence of a company’s board positively influences CSP. This is because companies with more independent directors in their boards are more likely to commit to stakeholder engagement, environmental preservation and community well-being. Interestingly, the results also show that the positive connection between board independence and CSP is stronger in civil law countries and when CSP is measured by self-reporting data. Finally, the strength of the influence of the independence of a firm’s board on CSP varies significantly in different market conditions. The paper concludes by presenting the main implications for academics, practitioners and policy makers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Approaches to Sustainability Accounting and Management: Selected Papers from the 4th EMAN Africa Conference on Sustainability Accounting & Management (including related invited papers))

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20 pages, 1360 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Benchmarking Sustainability Practices Use throughout Industrial Construction Project Delivery

by Sungmin Yun¹

and Wooyong Jung^2,*

¹ Department of Civil Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Korea

² Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1007; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061007 - 10 Jun 2017

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 11606

Abstract

Despite the efforts for sustainability studies in building and infrastructure construction, the sustainability issues in industrial construction remain understudied. Further, few studies evaluate sustainability and benchmark sustainability issues in industrial construction from a management perspective. This study presents a phase-based benchmarking framework for [...] Read more.

Despite the efforts for sustainability studies in building and infrastructure construction, the sustainability issues in industrial construction remain understudied. Further, few studies evaluate sustainability and benchmark sustainability issues in industrial construction from a management perspective. This study presents a phase-based benchmarking framework for evaluating sustainability practices use focusing on industrial facilities project. Based on the framework, this study quantifies and assesses sustainability practices use, and further sorts the results by project phase and major project characteristics, including project type, project nature, and project delivery method. The results show that sustainability practices were implemented higher in the construction and startup phases relative to other phases, with a very broad range. An assessment by project type and project nature showed significant differences in sustainability practices use, but no significant difference in practices use by project delivery method. This study contributes to providing a benchmarking method for sustainability practices in industrial facilities projects at the project phase level. This study also discusses and provides an application of phase-based benchmarking for sustainability in industrial construction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Engineering and Science)

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44 pages, 2885 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Supply Chain Based on News Articles and Sustainability Reports: Text Mining with Leximancer and DICTION

by Dongwook Kim¹ and Sungbum Kim^2,*

¹ Graduate School of Innovation and Technology Management, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

² Department of IT convergence, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 730-701, Gyungbuk, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1008; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061008 - 10 Jun 2017

Cited by 64 | Viewed by 13348

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to explore sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) trends, and firms’ strategic positioning and execution with regard to sustainability in the textile and apparel industry based on news articles and sustainability reports. Further analysis of the rhetoric in [...] Read more.

The purpose of this research is to explore sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) trends, and firms’ strategic positioning and execution with regard to sustainability in the textile and apparel industry based on news articles and sustainability reports. Further analysis of the rhetoric in Chief executive officer (CEO) letters within sustainability reports is used to determine firms’ resoluteness, positive entailments, sharing of values, perception of reality, and sustainability strategy and execution feasibility. Computer-based content analysis is used for this research: Leximancer is applied for text analysis, while dictionary-based text mining program DICTION and SPSS are used for rhetorical analysis. Overall, contents similar to the literature on environmental, social, and economic aspects of the triple bottom line (TBL) are observed, however, topics such as regulation, green incentives, and international standards are not readily observed. Furthmore, ethical issues, sustainable production, quality, and customer roles are emphasized in texts analyzed. The CEO letter analysis indicates that listed firms show relatively low realism and high commonality, while North American firms exhibit relatively high commonality, and Europe firms show relatively high realism. The results will serve as a baseline for providing academia guidelines in SSCM research, and provide an opportunity for businesses to complement their sustainability strategies and executions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)

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23 pages, 1548 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Policy of the Creative Industry for Urban Development

by Yu-Yun Liu¹ and Yin-Hao Chiu^2,*

¹ Institute of Educational Administration and Evaluation, University of Taipei, Taipei 10048, Taiwan

² Department of Urban Development, University of Taipei, Taipei 11153, Taiwan

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1009; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061009 - 11 Jun 2017

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 8414

Abstract

Culture, an intellectual capital of a city, is accumulated through the intellect and wisdom of the government, citizens, businesses and other organizations. Cities regardless of their size are seeking their own distinguishing features and positions. By combining culture and creativity to improve international [...] Read more.

Culture, an intellectual capital of a city, is accumulated through the intellect and wisdom of the government, citizens, businesses and other organizations. Cities regardless of their size are seeking their own distinguishing features and positions. By combining culture and creativity to improve international visibility, cities can develop new potentials, create job opportunities and boost economic growth. Therefore, cultural and creative industries have become the core industries that cities worldwide actively seek to develop; furthermore, various city governments have unanimously agreed that the creative industry will effectively improve urban economic competitiveness. This study investigated how the creative industry improved urban competitiveness, developed relevant assessment indexes and formulated policies for developing the creative industry. First, the fuzzy Delphi method was adopted to determine the indexes for assessing the creative industry’s positive influence on urban competitiveness. Subsequently, the analytic hierarchy process and the analytic network process were integrated to establish a model for assessing city-based creative industry development policies. City governments seeking to promote such policies can refer to this model. Finally, an importance-performance analysis was performed to investigate the satisfaction for policies related to creative industries, providing a reference for governments to promote pertinent policies. The results of this study indicated that the indexes of innovation capability, industrial cooperation, innovation incubation and industry-government-academia integration are crucial bases for cities to develop the creative industry. In addition, the policies of industrial R&D and clustering, talent training and industrial consulting and expanding industrial and marketing channels and networks can be adopted to enhance creative industry development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management Strategies and Innovations for Sustainable Construction)

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15 pages, 713 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mapping the Field: A Bibliometric Analysis of Green Innovation

by Gema Albort-Morant^1,*

, Jörg Henseler^2,3

, Antonio Leal-Millán¹ and Gabriel Cepeda-Carrión¹

¹ Department of Business Management & Marketing, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. Ramón y Cajal, 1, 41018 Sevilla, Spain

² Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Twente, Postbus 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands

³ Nova Information Management School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Campolide, 1070-312 Lisboa, Portugal

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1011; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061011 - 12 Jun 2017

Cited by 204 | Viewed by 15391

Abstract

The topic of green innovation (GI) has increasingly attained organizational relevance due to its contribution to the satisfaction of environmental needs while concurrently enabling companies to differentiate themselves from their competitors, and hence attain sustainable competitive advantages. In this context, we conducted a [...] Read more.

The topic of green innovation (GI) has increasingly attained organizational relevance due to its contribution to the satisfaction of environmental needs while concurrently enabling companies to differentiate themselves from their competitors, and hence attain sustainable competitive advantages. In this context, we conducted a detailed analysis of 618 papers on green innovation from the Web of Science (WoS) database for the 1971–2015 period. This paper develops a bibliometric analysis with the aim of assessing the key papers in the field and identifying the most substantive contributions to the literature. This study presents the following findings: (i) the chronological development of the discipline; (ii) the research trends and popular issues in this field; (iii) the antecedent variables acting as key drivers of GI in these studies; and (iv) the main outcomes of GI. Therefore, this paper provides the past, the present and the potential future of this specific topic and serves as an orientation and guide for researchers who are new to the topic of GI; it also enhances their knowledge concerning which journals, authors and articles they may consult while creating their theoretical framework or designing future research models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurial Sustainability: New Innovative Knowledge)

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12 pages, 718 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Homophily of Commercial Areas: The Case of Seoul

by Go-Eun Kim and Mack Joong Choi^*

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1012; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061012 - 15 Jun 2017

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3379

Abstract

This paper attempts to answer the question of whether or not “segregation”, or at least “differentiation”, takes place in commercial areas in terms of “spatial homophily”. Based on the 2010 Household Travel Survey data in the Seoul metropolitan area, we first identify Seoul’s [...] Read more.

This paper attempts to answer the question of whether or not “segregation”, or at least “differentiation”, takes place in commercial areas in terms of “spatial homophily”. Based on the 2010 Household Travel Survey data in the Seoul metropolitan area, we first identify Seoul’s top 20 destinations for weekend shopping and leisure trips. Then, using traveler information regarding gender, age, and income, we calculate the percentage of female visitors, as well as the average and the coefficient of variation of age and income, for each destination. These statistics are employed to identify which groups and which shopping and leisure activity centers are characterized distinctively by spatial homophily. As a result, it is proved that “differentiation” takes place in commercial areas in terms of “spatial homophily”. Moreover, paying attention to the “Old Age, Low Income” cluster in the old downtown area, we can raise the possibility of “segregation” in commercial areas. Full article

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14 pages, 537 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Moving Low-Carbon Construction Industry in Jiangsu Province: Evidence from Decomposition and Decoupling Models

by Rongrong Li^* and Rui Jiang

School of Economic & Management, China University of Petroleum, No. 66 West Changjiang Road, Qingdao 266580, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1013; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061013 - 12 Jun 2017

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 5073

Abstract

The carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions caused by the global construction industry account for 36% of the world’s total carbon emissions, and 50% of China’s total carbon emissions. The carbon emissions from Jiangsu Province’s construction industry account for approximately 16% of the [...] Read more.

The carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions caused by the global construction industry account for 36% of the world’s total carbon emissions, and 50% of China’s total carbon emissions. The carbon emissions from Jiangsu Province’s construction industry account for approximately 16% of the total emissions of the Chinese construction industry. Taking the construction industry in Jiangsu Province as our study object, therefore, this paper introduces the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) carbon emission accounting method as a means to measure the total CO₂ emissions of the Jiangsu Province construction industry. Specifically, we examine the period from 2005 to 2013. Based on the Tapio decoupling model, we analyze the decoupling state between the CO₂ emissions of the construction industry in Jiangsu Province and the province’s economic growth. Our paper also employs the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) approach, in order to conduct a decomposition analysis of those factors that influenced the changes in the level of CO₂ emissions during the studied period. According to the results of our research, during the period from 2005 to 2013, the CO₂ emission levels caused by the construction industry in Jiangsu Province experienced a significant increase. The cumulative total CO₂ emissions reached 402.85 million tons. During most of the years covered by our study, an expansive negative decoupling state existed between the level of CO₂ emissions and the output value of Jiangsu’s construction industry. These periods were interspersed with either a weak decoupling state in some years or a strong decoupling state in other years. The indirect carbon emission intensity effect and the industry scale effect were the main factors influencing the increases in the construction industry’s CO₂ emissions. At the conclusion of our paper, we put forward policy suggestions, with the objective of promoting the de-carbonization of the construction industry in Jiangsu Province. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Energy Sustainability)

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14 pages, 239 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Income Diversification and Rural Consumption—Evidence from Chinese Provincial Panel Data

by Tao Xu

Dongwu Business School, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1014; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061014 - 12 Jun 2017

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4013

Abstract

In China, income diversification has become a useful method for the rural households to smooth their income and maintain a sustainable mode of consumption. Additionally, income diversification affects rural consumption differently in regions with different income levels. In this paper, I have analyzed [...] Read more.

In China, income diversification has become a useful method for the rural households to smooth their income and maintain a sustainable mode of consumption. Additionally, income diversification affects rural consumption differently in regions with different income levels. In this paper, I have analyzed the impacts of income diversification on the peasants’ consumption in the Chinese rural areas with the provincial level panel data from 1998 to 2015. The findings indicate that income diversification can increase the Chinese peasants’ consumption, but the consumption of the peasants from the low- and the high- income subsamples of provinces are more sensitive to income diversification while the peasants from the middle-income provinces are not so sensitive to income diversification. Moreover, there is a significant ratchet effect and demonstration effect in the peasants’ consumption, as is stated by the traditional literature. This paper contributes to the research by testing the impact of peasants’ income sources diversification on the rural consumption and investigating its mechanism against the changing social background in China with the latest panel data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

15 pages, 1595 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Method for Selecting Protective Seam against Coal and Gas Outburst: A Case Study of Wangjiazhai Coal Mine in China

by Dong Guowei^1,2,* and Zou Yinhui^3,4

¹ School of Energy Engineering, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China

² Key Laboratory of Western Mine Exploitation and Hazard Prevention of the Ministry of Education, Xi’an 710054, China

³ China Coal Technology Engineering Group Chongqing Research Institute, Chongqing 400037, China

⁴ National Key Laboratory of Gas Disaster Monitoring, Preventing and Emergency Controlling, Chongqing 400037, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1015; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061015 - 13 Jun 2017

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4569

Abstract

Protective seam mining is a major and critical regional measure to prevent coal and gas outbursts (CGO) in coal mines. In this study, a novel method for selecting protective seam against coal and gas outburst was studied on the basis of gas geology [...] Read more.

Protective seam mining is a major and critical regional measure to prevent coal and gas outbursts (CGO) in coal mines. In this study, a novel method for selecting protective seam against coal and gas outburst was studied on the basis of gas geology and rock strata control theories and principles for protective seam mining and relevant regulations, which is that theories of gas geology were used to assess the outburst risk inherent in different seams of this mine, and then make preliminary selection of protective seams, and the technical feasibility of the proposed selection method was then analyzed using the theories and principles for protective seam mining and relevant regulations. The case application study results show that the extraction of the upper protective seam (UPS) caused significant decreases in the predicative indicators of outburst risk in the outburst-prone seam and thereby prevented CGO, and the novel method can provide a theoretical basis for selecting protective seam against CGO. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Security and Sustainability)

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16 pages, 363 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Company-Cause Fit and Company Involvement in Consumer Responses to CSR Initiatives: A Meta-Analytic Review

by Grzegorz Zasuwa

Department of Economics and Management, Faculty of Social Sciences, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin, Poland

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1016; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061016 - 13 Jun 2017

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 7694

Abstract

The marketing literature suggests that company-cause fit is of key importance to developing a successful socially responsible initiative. However, controversy exists regarding the level of this fit. While some studies report that high fit between a company and a cause has beneficial effects [...] Read more.

The marketing literature suggests that company-cause fit is of key importance to developing a successful socially responsible initiative. However, controversy exists regarding the level of this fit. While some studies report that high fit between a company and a cause has beneficial effects on consumer responses to such efforts, other research identifies negative impacts. This paper aims to obtain a deeper insight into this issue by examining the moderating role of company involvement in a cause. A meta-analysis of 51 experimental studies, yielding a total sample size of 11,335 subjects, shows that company-cause fit influences consumer responses to CSR initiatives most positively when a company with a positive reputation is highly involved in a cause, that is, when the company donates at least products. If such a company provides its beneficiary with only monetary contributions (i.e., low involvement), the effects of fit are significantly less influential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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18 pages, 6647 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of National-Scale Afforestation on Forest Water Supply and Soil Loss in South Korea, 1971–2010

by Gang Sun Kim^†

, Chul-Hee Lim^†

, Sea Jin Kim

, Jongyeol Lee

, Yowhan Son and Woo-Kyun Lee^*

¹ Department of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea

^† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1017; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061017 - 13 Jun 2017

Cited by 55 | Viewed by 7288

Abstract

Afforestation of forests in South Korea may provide an example of the benefit of afforestation on precipitation storage and erosion control. In this study, we presented the effects of afforestation on water supply and soil loss prevention. A spatio-temporal simulation of forest water [...] Read more.

Afforestation of forests in South Korea may provide an example of the benefit of afforestation on precipitation storage and erosion control. In this study, we presented the effects of afforestation on water supply and soil loss prevention. A spatio-temporal simulation of forest water yield and soil loss was performed from 1971–2010 using InVEST water yield and SWAT models. A forest stock change map was produced by combining land cover data and National Forest Inventory data. The forest water yield increased about twice with changes in forest stock and climate from 1971–2010 and showed a spatially homogeneous water supply capacity. In the same period, the soil loss decreased more than three times, and the volatility of soil loss, in the 2010s, was smaller than before. The analysis of the change in forest stock without considering climate change showed an increase of 43% in forest water yield and a decrease of 87% in soil loss. An increase in precipitation increased the water yield, but also increased the soil loss volume. A change in forest stock led to positive changes in both. This study presents functional positive effects of the afforestation program in South Korea that can be useful in various afforestation programs in other countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Sustainability Research Network: Selected Papers from the Expert Group Meeting on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals with Water–Food–Ecosystem Resilience in the Mid-Latitude Region)

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11 pages, 2355 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Understory Liana Trachelospermum jasminoides on Distributions of Litterfall and Soil Organic Carbon in an Oak Forest in Central China

by Yanchun Liu^1,*

, Qing Shang², Bo Zhang³, Kesheng Zhang^1,4 and Junwei Luan⁵

¹ International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan, China

² Yellow River Conservancy Technical Institute, Kaifeng 475004, Henan, China

³ Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B5J1, Canada

⁴ Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, Henan, China

⁵ International Center for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing 100102, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1019; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061019 - 14 Jun 2017

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5179

Abstract

Liana constitutes an important structural and functional component in many forest ecosystems and has profound impacts on forest carbon (C) cycling. However, whether and how liana regulates spatial distributions of litterfall and soil organic C are still poorly understood. To address this critical [...] Read more.

Liana constitutes an important structural and functional component in many forest ecosystems and has profound impacts on forest carbon (C) cycling. However, whether and how liana regulates spatial distributions of litterfall and soil organic C are still poorly understood. To address this critical knowledge gap, we investigated litterfall composition and soil physicochemical characteristics in stands with different densities of liana (Trachelospermum jasminoides (Lindl.) Lem.). Both fresh and decomposed leaf litters were greater in the stands with high density of the liana species T. jasminoides. More liana covered stands also had higher soil respiration rate, soil organic C, and total nitrogen than those with less liana. The findings demonstrate that understory liana can regulate litterfall distribution and thus soil organic C, suggesting that the influences of understory liana on belowground ecological processes should be considered while assessing the role of liana in forest ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Restoration for Sustainable Forest Management)

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20 pages, 1580 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Governance of Organic Food Production When Market Forecast Is Imprecise

by Guanghua Han^1,*, Xujin Pu^2,* and Bo Fan¹

¹ School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China

² School of Business, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1020; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061020 - 14 Jun 2017

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4729

Abstract

During the past few years, the market for organic food has been experiencing rapid growth. However, the market demand for organic food typically fluctuates due to its seasonal nature and customized characteristics, and it remains fairly difficult to precisely forecast market demand prior [...] Read more.

During the past few years, the market for organic food has been experiencing rapid growth. However, the market demand for organic food typically fluctuates due to its seasonal nature and customized characteristics, and it remains fairly difficult to precisely forecast market demand prior to the selling season. Forecast bias usually creates inefficiency in an organic food producer’s production plan and results in a substantial amount of waste. Thus, this paper studies how much an organic food producer is likely to lose with a certain level of forecast bias and investigates whether forecast bias necessarily results in an improper production plan. Finally, we calculate the maximum potential profit loss rate when the organic food producer determines how much to produce based on his forecasted demand, which we believe will be instructive for organic food producers in making production decisions. The target problem is formulated by a newsvendor model and solved using a tolerant analysis approach. We find that an organic food producer can still find the optimal solution only if his forecast bias is under a certain threshold. However, if the organic food producer’s forecast bias is beyond the threshold, he will probably make a sub-optimal production decision and potentially experience a profit loss. Subsequently, we analytically calculate an organic producer’s maximum potential profit loss rate for any given level of forecast bias. Examples are employed to numerically illustrate the main findings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Supply Chain and Food Industry)

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15 pages, 1013 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Uncovering the Driving Factors of Carbon Emissions in an Investment Allocation Model of China’s High-Carbon and Low-Carbon Energy

by Shumin Jiang^1,*, Chen Yang¹, Jingtao Guo¹, Zhanwen Ding¹, Lixin Tian² and Jianmei Zhang¹

¹ Center for Energy Development and Environment Protection strategy Research, Faculty of Science, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China

² School of Mathematical Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210042, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1021; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061021 - 14 Jun 2017

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3491

Abstract

In the view of long-term comprehensive development, the concept of low-carbon economy has long been a concern. In this paper, we build a pure energy-economic system and explore the exact influencing factors in the investment allocation of high-carbon and low-carbon energy with the [...] Read more.

In the view of long-term comprehensive development, the concept of low-carbon economy has long been a concern. In this paper, we build a pure energy-economic system and explore the exact influencing factors in the investment allocation of high-carbon and low-carbon energy with the purpose of mitigating carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The dynamic analysis shows that the model that we built is applicable for the current market situation and the way we adjust the investments of high-carbon and low-carbon energy are conductive to carbon abatement in the atmosphere. On the basis of the stability analysis and numerical simulation, some strategies are given to decrease the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The results show that the social consumption and public consumption behavior are the most important factors responsible for the variation in the atmospheric carbon dioxide. The cleanliness of high carbon presents an obvious mitigating effect on carbon in the atmosphere and the effect of marginal profit of high-carbon energy is the weakest. In addition, enhancing marginal profit, return on investment and investment share of low-carbon energy are beneficial to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, while a return on investment of high-carbon energy increasing is the detriment of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Finally, we provide carbon mitigation effort by considering both economic development and carbon abatement for policymakers to achieve a desirable emission-reduction effect. Full article

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19 pages, 1132 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application Status and Problem Investigation of Distributed Generation in China: The Case of Natural Gas, Solar and Wind Resources

by Tian-tian Feng^1,2,3,*, Yi-sheng Yang⁴, Yu-heng Yang⁵ and Dan-dan Wang⁶

¹ School of Humanities and Economic Management, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China

² Key Laboratory of Carrying Capacity Assessment for Resource and Environment, Ministry of Land and Resources, Beijing 100812, China

³ Key Laboratory of Strategic Studies, Ministry of Land and Resources, Beijing 100812, China

⁴ Electric Power Planning & Engineering Institute, Beijing 100009, China

⁵ Gezhouba Energy & Heavy Industry Co., LTD (CGGC-UN Power Co., LTD), Beijing 100102, China

⁶ China energy engineering investment Co., LTD, Beijing 100024, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1022; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061022 - 14 Jun 2017

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5281

Abstract

The development of distributed energy systems in China is one of the important measures to promote the revolution for energy production and its utilization patterns. First of all, we analyze the present application status of China’s distributed generation from three major types: natural [...] Read more.

The development of distributed energy systems in China is one of the important measures to promote the revolution for energy production and its utilization patterns. First of all, we analyze the present application status of China’s distributed generation from three major types: natural gas, photovoltaic, and distributed wind. Secondly, based on the analysis of the project overview, project scale, and project effect in three patterns of distributed generation, we summarize the policy deficiencies and development obstacles. Finally, aiming to promote the development of distributed energy in China, we propose some relevant policies corresponding to countermeasures on the problems existing in the development process of China’s distributed generation of natural gas, photovoltaic, and wind power. Full article

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12 pages, 464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Analysis of CSR on Firm Financial Performance in Stakeholder Perspectives

by Seungwoo Oh¹, Ahreum Hong^2,* and Junseok Hwang¹

¹ Technology Management, Economics and Policy Program, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea

² Graduate School of Technology Management, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1023; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061023 - 14 Jun 2017

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 9625

Abstract

Sustainable growth can be a source of success for firms. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a key tool for sustainable growth. However, should firms invest in CSR without having confidence in the effects and methods of CSR? This study explored the R&D, technology [...] Read more.

Sustainable growth can be a source of success for firms. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a key tool for sustainable growth. However, should firms invest in CSR without having confidence in the effects and methods of CSR? This study explored the R&D, technology commercialization, and CSR motivation as core competencies that enhance corporate performance through CSR from a normative perspective—the stakeholder’s perspective. The purpose of this study was to investigate both strategic and traditional CSR’s relationships with financial performance based on the confidence in the effectiveness of CSR. Another important objective of this study was to explore management factors that influence strategic CSR. Firms consider R&D and technology commercialization as strategic management factors. Therefore, this study analyzed the influence of these strategic management factors along with CSR motivations, which may influence strategic and traditional CSR. Full article

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11 pages, 2577 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Decoupling Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution from Crop Production: A Case Study of Heilongjiang Land Reclamation Area, China

by Qingshan Yang¹, Jie Liu² and Yu Zhang^1,*

¹ School of Geographical Science, Northeast Normal University, Renmin Street 5268, Changchun 130024, China

² College of Earth Sciences, Jilin University, Jianshe Street 2199, Changchun 130061, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1024; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061024 - 14 Jun 2017

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6072

Abstract

Modern agriculture often leads to nonpoint source pollution. From the perspective of a decoupling analysis, this research evaluates the relationship between crop production and agricultural nonpoint source pollution (via fertilizer application), using the Heilongjiang land reclamation area as a case study. As it [...] Read more.

Modern agriculture often leads to nonpoint source pollution. From the perspective of a decoupling analysis, this research evaluates the relationship between crop production and agricultural nonpoint source pollution (via fertilizer application), using the Heilongjiang land reclamation area as a case study. As it is the largest commodity grain base and green food base in China, more than 80% of water pollution in this area comes from fertilizer application. This study adopts an export coefficient model to hindcast nitrogen loss delivered to surface water via fertilizer application and conduct a further analysis of decoupling agricultural nonpoint source pollution from crop production. The results indicated that weak decoupling frequently occurred. However, this tendency was not steady in the period 2001–2012, and weak decoupling was typical in each branch based on the average value. Regarding the example of decoupling agricultural nonpoint source pollution from rice production, weak decoupling occurred more often, but this tendency was not steady over time. In addition, expansive coupling occurred in 2006, 2010 and 2012, and there were no definite signs of it improving. All branches, except for the Suihua branch, reached the degree of weak decoupling. A basic fact is that a decoupling tendency and environmental deterioration coexist in both the past and present. The decoupling analysis will contribute to localized strategies for sustainable agricultural development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Geography and Environmental Sustainability)

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22 pages, 6881 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Joint Evaluation of the Wind and Wave Energy Resources Close to the Greek Islands

by Daniel Ganea, Valentin Amortila^*, Elena Mereuta and Eugen Rusu

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galati, 47 Domneasca Street, Galati 800008, Romania

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1025; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061025 - 15 Jun 2017

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 7534

Abstract

The objective of this work is to analyze the wind and wave energy potential in the proximity of the Greek islands. Thus, by evaluating the synergy between wind and waves, a more comprehensive picture of the renewable energy resources in the target area [...] Read more.

The objective of this work is to analyze the wind and wave energy potential in the proximity of the Greek islands. Thus, by evaluating the synergy between wind and waves, a more comprehensive picture of the renewable energy resources in the target area is provided. In this study, two different data sources are considered. The first data set is provided by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) through the ERA-Interim project and covers an 11-year period, while the second data set is Archiving, Validation and Interpretation of Satellite Oceanographic data (AVISO) and covers six years of information. Using these data, parameters such as wind speed, significant wave height (SWH) and mean wave period (MWP) are analyzed. The following marine areas are targeted: Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea, Sea of Crete, Libyan Sea and Levantine Sea, near the coastal environment of the Greek islands. Initially, 26 reference points were considered. For a more detailed analysis, the number of reference points was narrowed down to 10 that were considered more relevant. Since in the island environments the resources are in general rather limited, the proposed work provides some outcomes concerning the wind and wave energy potential and the synergy between these two natural resources in the vicinity of the Greek islands. From the analysis performed, it can be noticed that the most energetic wind conditions are encountered west of Cios Island, followed by the regions east of Tinos and northeast of Crete. In these locations, the annual average values of the wind power density (Pwind) are in the range of 286–298.6 W/m². Regarding the wave power density (Pwave), the most energetic locations can be found in the vicinity of Crete, north, south and southeast of the island. There, the wave energy potential is in the range of 2.88–2.99 kW/m. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wind Energy, Load and Price Forecasting towards Sustainability)

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12 pages, 242 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Urban Green Infrastructure on Disaster Mitigation in Korea

by So Yoon Kim¹ and Brian H. S. Kim^1,2,*

¹ Department of Agricultural Economic and Rural Development, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea

² Program in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1026; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061026 - 15 Jun 2017

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5483

Abstract

Increasing precipitation by climate change and the growing number of impervious areas present greater risk of disaster damage in urban areas. Urban green infrastructure can be an effective mitigation alternative in highly developed and concentrated area. This study investigates the effect of various [...] Read more.

Increasing precipitation by climate change and the growing number of impervious areas present greater risk of disaster damage in urban areas. Urban green infrastructure can be an effective mitigation alternative in highly developed and concentrated area. This study investigates the effect of various types of urban green infrastructure on mitigating disaster damage in Korea. Tobit model is used to analyze the factors that determine disaster damage. Damage variation is predicted with scenarios of RCP 8.5 and urban green spaces. Seventy-four districts and counties in seven metropolitan areas are defined as the unit and the period from 2005 to 2013 is considered in the analysis. The results indicate that higher urban green ratio, sewer length, financial independence rate, and local government’s budget are relating to lower disaster damage. Based on a precipitation level of RCP 8.5 scenario in 2050, an increase in economic damage is expected to range from 262 to 1086%. However, with an increase in urban green ratio by 10%, increased economic damage is only expected to range from 217 to 1013%. The results suggest that green spaces play important role to mitigate precipitation related disasters. Highly concentrated urban areas need to consider various types of urban green infrastructure to prepare for an increase in precipitation due to climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

23 pages, 1747 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability Experiments in the Agri-Food System: Uncovering the Factors of New Governance and Collaboration Success

by Marianne Hubeau^1,3,*

, Fleur Marchand^1,2

and Guido Van Huylenbroeck³

¹ Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Social Sciences Unit, Agricultural and Farm Development, Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan 115, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium

² Ecosystem Management Research Group and IMDO, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium

³ Faculty of Bioscience engineering, Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1027; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061027 - 15 Jun 2017

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 7361

Abstract

In recent years, research, society and industry recognize the need to transform the agri-food system towards sustainability. Within this process, sustainability experiments play a crucial role in transforming the structure, culture and practices. In literature, much attention is given to new business models, [...] Read more.

In recent years, research, society and industry recognize the need to transform the agri-food system towards sustainability. Within this process, sustainability experiments play a crucial role in transforming the structure, culture and practices. In literature, much attention is given to new business models, even if the transformation of conventional firms toward sustainability may offer opportunities to accelerate the transformation. Further acceleration could be achieved through collaboration of multiple actors across the agri-food system, but this calls for a systems approach. Therefore, we developed and applied a new sustainability experiment systems approach (SESA) consisting of an analytical framework that allows a reflective evaluation and cross-case analysis of multi-actor governance networks based on business and learning evaluation criteria. We performed a cross-case analysis of four agri-food sustainability experiments in Flanders to test and validate SESA. Hereby, the key factors of the success of collaboration and its performance were identified at the beginning of a sustainability experiment. Some of the key factors identified were risk sharing and the drivers to participate. We are convinced that these results may be used as an analytical tool for researchers, a tool to support and design new initiatives for policymakers, and a reflective tool for participating actors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Governance for Sustainability)

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17 pages, 2116 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Effect of Carbon Tariffs on International Trade and Emission Reduction of China’s Industrial Products under the Background of Global Climate Governance

by Weiguang Chen¹ and Qing Guo^2,3,*

¹ Guangdong Institute for International Strategies, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou 510420, China

² School of Economics and Trade, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou 510420, China

³ Industrial Engineering Department, Technical University of Madrid, 28006 Madrid, Spain

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1028; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061028 - 15 Jun 2017

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 7430

Abstract

This paper simulates the effect of a carbon tariff on China’s trade of industrial products and emission reduction through the GTAP 8.0 model, when the European Union, the United States, and Japan impose a carbon tariff simultaneously or respectively. The conclusions indicate: (1) [...] Read more.

This paper simulates the effect of a carbon tariff on China’s trade of industrial products and emission reduction through the GTAP 8.0 model, when the European Union, the United States, and Japan impose a carbon tariff simultaneously or respectively. The conclusions indicate: (1) a carbon tariff will cause a decrease in exports for high-carbon industries and generate an increase in exports for low-carbon industries; (2) a carbon tariff will cause a greater reduction on imports for low-carbon industries than that for high-carbon industries; (3) a carbon tariff will also generate a noticeable increase in output for light industry and a decrease in output for heavy industry; and (4) a carbon tariff has an obviously positive effect on emission reduction for China’s industrial sector, which bears the most responsibility of emission reduction. Based on these conclusions, this paper puts forward some corresponding policy suggestions. Full article

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20 pages, 11076 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Impervious Surface Changes in Sustainable Coastal Land Use: A Case Study in Hong Kong

by Kapo Wong¹

, Yuanzhi Zhang^1,2,3,*, Jin Yeu Tsou¹ and Yu Li^4,*

¹ Center for Housing Innovations, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China

² National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012, China

³ Key Lab of Lunar Science and Deep-Space Exploration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012, China

⁴ Faculty of Information Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1029; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061029 - 15 Jun 2017

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5207

Abstract

In Hong Kong, reclamation is the main method for developing new land use areas as most country parks and mountains are protected under a land policy that emphasizes conservation for their high ecological value. Therefore, the land use for urbanized area in Hong [...] Read more.

In Hong Kong, reclamation is the main method for developing new land use areas as most country parks and mountains are protected under a land policy that emphasizes conservation for their high ecological value. Therefore, the land use for urbanized area in Hong Kong is limited, which has become an issue of concern. Hong Kong’s population is increasing; however, the amount of available land use is insufficient to meet the demand. Developing a high density of buildings is one of the critical strategies of Hong Kong’s government. Highly dense development may result in an urban heat island as well as health problems. In this study, we present an assessment of urban impervious surface changes in coastal megacities like Hong Kong based on satellite images. Landsat satellite images are employed to analyze urban impervious surface changes from 1995 to 2015 in coastal urban areas of Hong Kong. The results show that the increase of impervious surface area is almost the same as the increase in land reclamation area. This suggests that Hong Kong’s land use policy, which underlines conservation for high ecological value and reclamation, may be able to maintain its sustainable development of coastal land use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Use in China)

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11 pages, 1574 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Land Use Intensity on Ecosystem Services: An Example from the Agro-Pastoral Ecotone of Central Inner Mongolia

by Qian Li^2,6, Xuefeng Zhang^2,3, Qingfu Liu^2,3

, Yang Liu^1,2,3, Yong Ding^4,5,* and Qing Zhang^2,3,5,*

¹ State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

² School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China

³ Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, Hohhot 010021, China

⁴ Grassland Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China

⁵ Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology and Restoration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Hohhot 010010, China

⁶ Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1030; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061030 - 15 Jun 2017

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5556

Abstract

Land use intensity is an important indicator of human activities, so we quantified the land use intensity and five ecosystem services (soil conservation, water conservation, carbon storage, net primary productivity (NPP), and crop production) in 13 subbasins of the Tabu River Basin in [...] Read more.

Land use intensity is an important indicator of human activities, so we quantified the land use intensity and five ecosystem services (soil conservation, water conservation, carbon storage, net primary productivity (NPP), and crop production) in 13 subbasins of the Tabu River Basin in an agro-pastoral ecotone in central Inner Mongolia. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationships among ecosystem services and the responses of the services to the impact of land use intensity. The primary conclusions were as follows: (1) All five ecosystem services gradually diminished from the upper to the lower reaches of the Tabu River Basin; (2) Water conservation exhibited a trade-off relationship with soil conservation, NPP, and crop production, but it exhibited a synergistic relationship with carbon storage. There were also synergistic relationships between soil conservation, carbon storage, NPP, and crop production; (3) As land use intensity increased, soil conservation, NPP and crop production monotonically increased. In contrast, water conservation exhibited a monotonically decreasing trend, and carbon storage followed a unimodal curve; (4) In this region, suitable ecosystem services were sustained at a land use intensity of approximately 3.95. Full article

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32 pages, 346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bioeconomy Strategies: Contexts, Visions, Guiding Implementation Principles and Resulting Debates

by Rolf Meyer

Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1031; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061031 - 15 Jun 2017

Cited by 155 | Viewed by 12111

Abstract

Over the last decade, bioeconomy policies, guided by integrated bioeconomy strategies, have developed. This paper presents a systematic and comparative analysis of official bioeconomy strategies of the EU, Germany, OECD, Sweden and the USA with regard to their context, visions and guiding implementation [...] Read more.

Over the last decade, bioeconomy policies, guided by integrated bioeconomy strategies, have developed. This paper presents a systematic and comparative analysis of official bioeconomy strategies of the EU, Germany, OECD, Sweden and the USA with regard to their context, visions and guiding implementation principles. In an additional step, the relationship between these strategies and important scientific and societal debates around bioeconomy is assessed. In conclusion, five major stumbling blocks for the further development of the bioeconomy are worked out. First, there is the risk of disappointment because far-reaching promises of the strategies are difficult to achieve. Second, the bioeconomy is not the only way to a low carbon economy so alternatives could impede the desired development. Third, persistent conflicts between the different uses of biomass for food, material and energy production could lead to unstable policy support with short-term shifts. Fourth, a broader success of new bioeconomy value chains could trigger new societal conflicts over bioeconomy if efficiency gains, cascading use, residue use and sustainability certification are not sufficient to ensure a sustainable supply of biomass. Fifth, the acceptance of bioeconomy could be compromised if bioeconomy policies continue to ignore the on-going societal debates on agriculture and food. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

20 pages, 1084 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conceptualizing Dimensions and Characteristics of Urban Resilience: Insights from a Co-Design Process

by Ayyoob Sharifi^1,*

, Lorenzo Chelleri^2,3, Cate Fox-Lent⁴, Stelios Grafakos⁵, Minal Pathak⁶, Marta Olazabal⁷, Susie Moloney⁸, Lily Yumagulova⁹ and Yoshiki Yamagata¹

¹ Global Carbon Project, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan

² ESARQ School of Architecture, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), Immaculada 22, Barcelona 08017, Spain

³ Social Sciences Unit, Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), Viale Francesco Crispi 7, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy

⁴ Environmental Laboratory, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 696 Virginia Rd, Concord, MA 01742, USA

⁵ Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands

⁶ Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

⁷ Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), Edificio Sede, Planta 1, Barrio Sarriena s/n, Parque Científico UPV/EHU, Leioa 48914, Spain

⁸ Centre for Urban Research, School of Global Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne 3000, Australia

⁹ School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia, 6333 Memorial Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1032; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061032 - 16 Jun 2017

Cited by 84 | Viewed by 15126

Abstract

Resilience is a multi-faceted concept frequently used across a wide range of disciplines, practices, and sectors. There is a growing recognition of the utility of resilience as a bridging concept that can facilitate inter-and transdisciplinary approaches to tackle complexities inherent in decision making [...] Read more.

Resilience is a multi-faceted concept frequently used across a wide range of disciplines, practices, and sectors. There is a growing recognition of the utility of resilience as a bridging concept that can facilitate inter-and transdisciplinary approaches to tackle complexities inherent in decision making under conditions of risk and uncertainty. Such conditions are common in urban planning, infrastructure planning, asset management, emergency planning, crisis management, and development processes where systemic interdependencies and interests at stake influence decisions and outcomes. A major challenge that can undermine the use of resilience for guiding planning activities is the value-laden and contested nature of the concept that can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Because resilience is context-specific and generally depends on local aspirations, this issue can be partially tackled by adopting participatory approaches for the conceptualization of resilience. This paper provides an example of how co-design methods can be employed for conceptualizing resilience. The Structured Interview Matrix was used as a technique to facilitate discussions among a diverse group of researchers and practitioners attending the International Workshop on Tools and Indicators for Assessing Urban Resilience. Participants deliberated on issues related to constituent elements of urban resilience, including its position vis- Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

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16 pages, 2233 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Effects of Government Policy and Drought from 1984 to 2009 on Rangeland in the Three Rivers Source Region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

by Qingshui Lu¹, Jicai Ning^2,*, Fuyuan Liang³ and Xiaoli Bi²

¹ Institute of Green Development, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China

² Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China

³ Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL 61455, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1033; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061033 - 19 Jun 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4579

Abstract

The Three Rivers Source Region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a key area that has extensive impacts on much of the population and economy of China as well as several Southeast Asian countries. The rangeland in this area has undergone degradation, the driving [...] Read more.

The Three Rivers Source Region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a key area that has extensive impacts on much of the population and economy of China as well as several Southeast Asian countries. The rangeland in this area has undergone degradation, the driving factors of which have been extensively investigated in previous studies. However, the effect of policy on rangeland was not analyzed by subdividing the study period according to the timing of the rangeland policies. The role of dry conditions during the process of degradation has not been studied. Therefore, the period from 1984 to 2009 was subdivided into five periods according to the timing of the relevant government policies based on long-term field investigation. The mean annual normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and its relationship to dry conditions, policy, temperature, precipitation, and moisture index were analyzed for the five periods. According to our analysis, dry conditions mainly occurred in non-vegetation-growing months, and they did not affect the status of the rangeland. The privatization of rangeland and livestock caused the number of livestock to increase, resulting in a decrease in the mean annual NDVI from 1984 to 1993. The policies of “Green-to-Grain” and eco-migration caused livestock numbers to decrease and the NDVI to increase after 1994. Physical factors such as temperature, precipitation, and moisture also affected the status of the rangeland. Increased temperature had positive effects on rangeland in most areas, but its effect was offset by increased numbers of livestock from 1984 to 1993. Precipitation had positive effects only in drier areas in which the precipitation in the vegetation-growing months was less than 400 mm. In general, the policies of “Green-to-Grain” and eco-migration improved the status of rangeland, and helped improve sustainable use of the rangeland. The methods used in this study could be applied to other case studies of rangeland. Governments should continue to implement compensation policies to maintain the improved condition of rangeland in the area and expand those policies to other rangeland areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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23 pages, 1939 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Public Response to the Regulation Policy of Urban Household Waste: Evidence from a Survey of Jiangsu Province in China

by Feiyu Chen^†, Hong Chen^*,†

, Xinru Huang, Ruyin Long^*, Hui Lu and Ting Yue

¹ School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Da Xue Road 1, Xuzhou 221116, China

^† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1034; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061034 - 15 Jun 2017

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4267

Abstract

The attitudes and response of “policy receivers” should be taken into more consideration when governments make regulation policy. This paper discusses the public’s degree of understanding, support willingness, implement willingness, and influence willingness to the policy, as well as the mutually responding scenario [...] Read more.

The attitudes and response of “policy receivers” should be taken into more consideration when governments make regulation policy. This paper discusses the public’s degree of understanding, support willingness, implement willingness, and influence willingness to the policy, as well as the mutually responding scenario by using the quadratic response surface regression analysis from the perspective of “policy receivers”. The statistics of 951 segments of valid sample data and the regression analysis suggest that: (1) 42.51% of individuals have poor understanding with regard to the command and control policy of household waste, which indicates a deficiency in the publicity effectiveness of the policy; (2) the public’s understanding, support, implement, and influence of the policy present an inverted U shape change, indicating a low degree of understanding and influence willingness, and high support willingness and implement willingness; (3) overall, only support willingness can significantly affect the public’s willingness to implement the policy, while both the degree of understanding and support willingness can positively predict influence willingness significantly; (4) the consistency between the degree of understanding and support willingness has an incremental effect on implement willingness and influence willingness; and (5) the implement level to the charge collection policy increases when the degree of understanding exceeds support willingness by a certain value. Full article

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20 pages, 1676 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Professional Self-Structuration in the Arts: Sustaining Creative Careers in the 21st Century

by Margaret J. Wyszomirski¹ and WoongJo Chang^2,*

¹ Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

² Department of Arts and Cultural Management, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1035; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061035 - 16 Jun 2017

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 9873

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the ongoing, self-motivated activity called freelancing or self-employment, and explore ideas about the entrepreneurial competencies needed to conduct a sustainable work life in the arts. We present the findings of a comparative concept analysis of three concept clusters [...] Read more.

In this paper, we investigate the ongoing, self-motivated activity called freelancing or self-employment, and explore ideas about the entrepreneurial competencies needed to conduct a sustainable work life in the arts. We present the findings of a comparative concept analysis of three concept clusters concerning working in the arts and creative sector: Portfolio of jobs, Portfolio of hybrid practices, and the Portfolio/Protean career. We relate these concept clusters to ideas about arts entrepreneurship and professionalism in the arts in order to investigate our research questions: How do cultural workers/artists in today’s social context create economically and creatively sustainable careers? What can we learn from their experiences about broader questions of the cultural value of art, the ongoing trend toward professionalization, and the changing roles of the worker and the entrepreneur in 21st-century economic life? To begin to answer these questions, we undertake a conceptual literature review and use conceptual mapping as a primary tool. We draw on a critical analysis of research, practice, and policy, as well as numerous discussions and interviews with creative professionals and the authors’ own experiences with educating students who aim to become cultural workers in the creative sector. Based on our findings, we developed the Integrated Model for Self-Structuring Portfolio Professions. This model demonstrates how incomes and work practices tend to be clustered into portfolios that are self-structured by individual creative workers, acting as the entrepreneurs in their own career management and sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Tourism, Culture, and Heritage)

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19 pages, 541 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) Maturity Model: Linking Theory and Practice

by Bernd Carsten Stahl^1,*

, Michael Obach², Emad Yaghmaei^3,7, Veikko Ikonen⁴, Kate Chatfield⁵

and Alexander Brem^6,7

¹ Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility, School of Computer Science and Informatics, De Montfort University, The Gateway, LE1 9BH Leicester, UK

² Health Division at TECNALIA Research & Innovation, Mikeletegi Pasealekua, 1-3, 20009 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain

³ Department of Values, Technology, and Innovation (VTI), TU Delft, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands

⁴ Value-Driven Decision Making, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Tekniikankatu 1, 33720 Tampere, Finland

⁵ School of Health Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Fylde Rd, PR1 2HE Preston, UK

⁶ Chair of Technology Management, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Fürther Str. 246c , 90429 Nürnberg, Germany

⁷ Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation (TEI), University of Southern Denmark, Alsion 2, 6400 Sønderborg, Denmark

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1036; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061036 - 16 Jun 2017

Cited by 125 | Viewed by 18796

Abstract

Responsible research and innovation (RRI) is an approach to research and innovation governance aiming to ensure that research purpose, process and outcomes are acceptable, sustainable and even desirable. In order to achieve this ambitious aim, RRI must be relevant to research and innovation [...] Read more.

Responsible research and innovation (RRI) is an approach to research and innovation governance aiming to ensure that research purpose, process and outcomes are acceptable, sustainable and even desirable. In order to achieve this ambitious aim, RRI must be relevant to research and innovation in industry. In this paper, we discuss a way of understanding and representing RRI that resonates with private companies and lends itself to practical implementation and action. We propose the development of an RRI maturity model in the tradition of other well-established maturity models, linked with a corporate research and development (R&D) process. The foundations of this model lie in the discourse surrounding RRI and selected maturity models from other domains as well as the results of extensive empirical investigation. The model was tested in three industry environments and insights from these case studies show the model to be viable and useful in corporate innovation processes. With this approach, we aim to inspire further research and evaluation of the proposed maturity model as a tool for facilitating the integration of RRI in corporate management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in Industry)

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14 pages, 2132 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Technology Forecasting Using a Diffusion Model Incorporating Replacement Purchases

by Chul-Yong Lee¹ and Sung-Yoon Huh^2,*

¹ Korea Energy Economics Institute (KEEI), 405-11 Jongga-ro, Jung-gu, Ulsan 44543, Korea

² Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley, 2220 Piedmont Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1038; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061038 - 16 Jun 2017

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5185

Abstract

Understanding the nature of the diffusion process is crucial for sustainable development of a new technology and product. This study introduces a replacement diffusion model that leads to a better understanding of the growth dynamics of a technology. The model operates in an [...] Read more.

Understanding the nature of the diffusion process is crucial for sustainable development of a new technology and product. This study introduces a replacement diffusion model that leads to a better understanding of the growth dynamics of a technology. The model operates in an environment with multiple competitors and overcomes the limitations of existing models. The model (1) consists of a diffusion model and an additional time series model; (2) separately identifies the diffusion of first-time purchases and that of replacement purchases; (3) incorporates players’ marketing-mix variables, affecting a new technology diffusion; and (4) characterizes consumers’ different replacement cycles. The proposed model is applied to South Korea’s mobile handset market. The model performs well in terms of its fit and forecasting capability when compared with other diffusion models incorporating replacement and repeat purchases. The usefulness of the model stems from its ability to describe complicated environments and its flexibility in including multiple factors that drives diffusion in the regression analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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14 pages, 360 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Green Travel: Exploring the Characteristics and Behavior Transformation of Urban Residents in China

by Han Jia^1,*, Andrea Appolloni^2,3,* and Yunqi Wang⁴

¹ College of Communication and Information Science, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35406, USA

² Sino-Us Global Logistics Institute (SUGLI), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China

³ Department of Management and Law Faculty of Economics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Columbia, 200133 Rome, Italy

⁴ Dalian University of Technology, Faculty of Management and Economics, Dalian 116024, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1043; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061043 - 16 Jun 2017

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5900

Abstract

Green travel can ease urban traffic problems and has aroused Chinese government interest regarding their extensive concerns. Although the Chinese government has formulated some policies to encourage residents to perform green travel behavior, non-green travel behavior is still popular. Using the Q method, [...] Read more.

Green travel can ease urban traffic problems and has aroused Chinese government interest regarding their extensive concerns. Although the Chinese government has formulated some policies to encourage residents to perform green travel behavior, non-green travel behavior is still popular. Using the Q method, this study explores the characteristics of Chinese urban residents from the perspective of green travel behavior. The results show that according to values and travel attitudes, urban residents can be divided into three groups; green, light green, and brown travelers. Green travelers care about the environment, have positive environmental attitudes, and implement green travel in their daily lives. Light green travelers require incentives and good conditions to carry out green travel. Brown travelers, however, hold egoistic values and their travel behavior, with little consideration of environment, is mainly affected by individual travel habits. Such results can help governments make suitable and effective policies and initiatives to promote behavior transformation from brown and light green into green travelers. Full article

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17 pages, 2124 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reducing Global Warming Potential through Sustainable Intensification of Basmati Rice-Wheat Systems in India

by Tek B. Sapkota^1,*, Vivek Shankar², Munmun Rai¹, Mangi L Jat¹, Clare M. Stirling³

, Love K. Singh⁴, Hanuman S. Jat⁴ and Mohinder S. Grewal²

¹ International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), NASC Complex, New Delhi 110012, India

² Department of soil science, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, India

³ International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), Texoco 56237, Mexico

⁴ International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132001, India

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1044; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061044 - 21 Jun 2017

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 7552

Abstract

This study examines the effects of tillage, residue management and cropping system intensification through the inclusion of green gram on the performance of the rice-wheat (RW) system in NW India. We hypothesized that zero tillage (ZT) with residue retention provides a means of [...] Read more.

This study examines the effects of tillage, residue management and cropping system intensification through the inclusion of green gram on the performance of the rice-wheat (RW) system in NW India. We hypothesized that zero tillage (ZT) with residue retention provides a means of sustainably intensifying the RW system through lower production costs and higher economic profitability, whilst at the same time minimizing soil and environmental trade-offs. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated six combinations of tillage, residue management and green gram integration in RW rotation in northwest Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) of India. Treatments included in the study were: rice and wheat under conventional tillage (CT) with and without green gram (CTR-CTW, CTR-CTW+GG), both crops under zero-tillage (ZT) with and without green gram (ZTR-ZTW-R, ZTR-ZTW-R+GG) and both crops under ZT plus residues with and without green gram (ZTR-ZTW+R, ZTR-ZTW+R+GG). Based on two consecutive years of data, the net return from the RW system was significantly higher in the ZT than CT systems. Methane emissions were only observed under flooded conditions in CT rice plots; otherwise, emissions were negligible in all other treatment combinations. N₂O emissions were dictated by N fertilizer application with no other treatment effects. Overall, ZT with residue retention resulted in the lowest global warming potential (GWP) ranging from −3301 to −823 kg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ compared to 4113 to 7917 kg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in other treatments. Operational inputs (tillage, planting, and irrigation) and soil C sequestration had significant effects on total GWP. The water footprint of RW production system was about 29% less in CA-based system compared to CT-based systems. Our study concludes that ZTR-ZTW+R and ZTR-ZTW+R+GG in RW systems of northwestern IGP have the potential to be agronomically productive, economically viable with benefits also for the environment in terms of soil health and GHG emissions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Science in Conservation Agricultural Systems)

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18 pages, 1455 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Regional Maldistribution of China’s Hospitals Based on Their Structural System

by Lie Ma¹, Qiu Xie^1,2, Shiying Shi¹, Xiaosu Ye^1,2,* and Aifeng Zhao³

¹ School of Construction Management and Real Estate, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China

² Center for Construction Economy and Management, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China

³ Business School, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1046; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061046 - 16 Jun 2017

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4169

Abstract

Health equity is significant for social sustainability and the Chinese government is trying to achieve the goals of “universal access to basic health care services”. As the comprehensive carrier of health care services, hospitals are almost the most important health care resources and [...] Read more.

Health equity is significant for social sustainability and the Chinese government is trying to achieve the goals of “universal access to basic health care services”. As the comprehensive carrier of health care services, hospitals are almost the most important health care resources and their regional maldistribution needs to give a special concern for health justice and social sustainability. This study aims to explore regional maldistribution of various hospitals through constructing, decomposing and calculating per capita hospitals Gini Coefficient based on the unique structural system of China’s hospitals from 2003–2014. Results show that: (1) the level of regional maldistribution of hospitals in China is not too serious in terms of quantity and there is a slight decline in recent years; (2) regional maldistribution of hospitals is mainly from General Hospitals and in inland areas; and (3) the slight decrease of regional maldistribution is mainly caused by Concentration Effect and increased per capita hospitals. Based on empirical results and the reality of China, some targeted policy suggestions are proposed to reduce regional maldistribution of hospitals and promote health equity for social sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sustainability and Justice)

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19 pages, 26795 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Natural Ventilation in Vernacular Architecture of Sistan, Iran; Classification and CFD Study of Compound Rooms

by Abolfazl Heidari^1,*, Sadra Sahebzadeh^2,*

and Zahra Dalvand³

¹ Department of Architecture, Art and Architecture Faculty, University of Zabol, Zabol 9861335856, Iran

² School of Architecture, Fine Arts Faculty, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417466191, Iran

³ School of Architecture and Urban Design, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 1983969411, Iran

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1048; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061048 - 16 Jun 2017

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 11723

Abstract

Extensive energy consumption in construction and ventilation has caused numerous environmental problems alongside huge waste of nonrenewable natural resources in today’s world. Meanwhile, vernacular architecture has been able to sustainably adapt to climate by developing creative and local solutions which provide a comfortable [...] Read more.

Extensive energy consumption in construction and ventilation has caused numerous environmental problems alongside huge waste of nonrenewable natural resources in today’s world. Meanwhile, vernacular architecture has been able to sustainably adapt to climate by developing creative and local solutions which provide a comfortable living environment, consume less energy and cause less pollution than the new ways of construction, one of which is wind induced ventilation. Vernacular architecture of Sistan (southeast of Iran) is not an exception to this rule. It utilizes its own set of unique elements and techniques that are compatible with region’s climate. This original article studies wind induced ventilation and its elements in Sistan’s architecture, including: (1) roofs (Sistani, Filpush and Barrel); (2) ventilator openings (Kolak, Surak and Dariche); and (3) walls. Then, this paper continues to classify three different compound room types in Sistan’s architecture, based on orientation and use of mentioned elements by documenting thirty-two sample houses across the region: (1) stretched against the prevailing winds; (2) stretched aligned with the winds; and (3) L shaped. CFD simulations are used to study the wind behavior and evaluate the ventilation performance of these room-types. These simulations lead to guidelines to enhance the ventilation performance of existing buildings and future constructions, including: where to put the windows, which orientation maximizes the natural ventilation performance, where to consider precautions to block the undesirable winds from entering and how far from each other should different room types be built. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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26 pages, 5881 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stabilizing Valences of an Optimum Monetary Zone in a Resilient Economy—Approaches and Limitations

by Gheorghe H. Popescu^1,*, Elvira Nica², Florin Cristian Ciurlău¹, Mihaela Comănescu² and Teodora Bițoiu³

¹ Department of Finance and Banking, Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University, 176 Splaiul Unirii, Bucharest 030134, Romania

² Department of Administration and Public Management, Bucharest University of Economic Study, 6 Romana Place, Bucharest 010374, Romania

³ Department of Economics and Public Policies, The National School of Political Science and Public Administration, Bucharest 012103, Romania

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1051; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061051 - 17 Jun 2017

Cited by 96 | Viewed by 4898

Abstract

Following De Grauwe (2016), this research advances the idea according to which economies that are part of a monetary union issue debt in a medium of exchange they cannot control: financial markets develop the capacity to impose default on such economies. We are [...] Read more.

Following De Grauwe (2016), this research advances the idea according to which economies that are part of a monetary union issue debt in a medium of exchange they cannot control: financial markets develop the capacity to impose default on such economies. We are interested in how previous research analyzed the notion that, when economies are autonomous and they employ the exchange rate as a vehicle to handle asymmetric shocks, they confront comparable constraints on the performance of exchange rate strategies. When a monetary union is affected by significant asymmetric shocks, the member economies have to deal with tough adjustment issues. Empirical and secondary data are used to back the assertion that, in a monetary union, economies that are affected by long-lasting asymmetric demand shocks demand wage elasticity and labor flexibility to rectify for them, and if the latter generate substantial budget deficits, financial markets tend to intensify the consequences of the asymmetric shocks, boosting the demand for severe regulation of wages and labor flexibility. Our article makes conceptual and methodological contributions to the view that member economies of a monetary union are exposed to varying market reactions, generating more volatility in the business cycle: an economy undergoing a recession and a rise in the budget deficit might be affected by wide-ranging transactions of its government bonds, causing a liquidity crisis and superior interest rates, and possibly coercing the government of that economy to adopt budgetary austerity measures, thus intensifying the recession. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilient Economics and the Regional Sustainable Economic Growth)

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14 pages, 701 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Life Satisfaction of Downtown High-Rise vs. Suburban Low-Rise Living: A Chicago Case Study

by Peng Du^1,*

, Antony Wood¹, Nicole Ditchman² and Brent Stephens³

¹ College of Architecture, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

² Department of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

³ Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1052; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061052 - 17 Jun 2017

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 9420

Abstract

There has been a long-standing debate about whether urban living is more or less sustainable than suburban living, and quality of life (QoL) is one of several key measures of the social sustainability of residential living. However, to our knowledge, no study to [...] Read more.

There has been a long-standing debate about whether urban living is more or less sustainable than suburban living, and quality of life (QoL) is one of several key measures of the social sustainability of residential living. However, to our knowledge, no study to date has examined life satisfaction among residents of downtown high-rise living compared to residents living in suburban low-rise housing. Further, very few studies have utilized building or neighborhood-scale data sets to evaluate residents’ life satisfaction, and even fewer have controlled for both individual and household-level variables such as gender, age, household size, annual income, and length of residence, to evaluate residents’ life satisfaction across different living scenarios. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate residents’ satisfaction with their place of residence as well as overall life in general via surveys of individuals living in existing high-rise residential buildings in downtown Chicago, IL, and in existing low-rise residential buildings in suburban Oak Park, IL. Over 1500 individuals were contacted directly, resulting in over 500 responses. The number of fully completed responses for this study was 177, including 94 from residents of four downtown high-rise buildings and 83 from residents in suburban low-rise homes. Residents living in downtown high-rise buildings had significantly higher life satisfaction scores than residents living in suburban low-rise homes when controlling for demographic differences; however, the differences were small, as housing type explained less than 5% of the observed variance in life satisfaction outcomes. The research also evaluated five life satisfaction domains including travel, accessibility, social interaction, safety, and overall residential environment (ORE). In all cases, residents of the downtown high-rises reported higher satisfaction levels, although the scores on all these five satisfaction domains reported from both urban scenarios were very high. Moreover, all five satisfaction domains were highly associated with each other, and accessibility and safety were found as the strongest predictors of ORE for individuals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sustainability and Justice)

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22 pages, 1052 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sand and Dust Storms: Impact Mitigation

by Nick Middleton^1,* and Utchang Kang²

¹ St Anne’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6HS, UK

² The Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1, Bonn 53113, Germany

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1053; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061053 - 17 Jun 2017

Cited by 184 | Viewed by 26665

Abstract

Sand and dust storms (SDS) play an integral role in the Earth system but they also present a range of hazards to the environmental and economic sustainability of human society. These hazards are of considerable importance for residents of dryland environments and also [...] Read more.

Sand and dust storms (SDS) play an integral role in the Earth system but they also present a range of hazards to the environmental and economic sustainability of human society. These hazards are of considerable importance for residents of dryland environments and also affect people beyond drylands because wind erosion can occur in most environments and desert dust events often involve long-range transport over great distances (>1000 km). This paper makes an assessment of the scale of SDS impacts by totalling the countries affected using an appraisal of peer-reviewed published sources, arriving at a conservative estimate that 77% of all parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) are affected directly by SDS issues. We then present a synthesis of the environmental management techniques designed to mitigate SDS hazards for disaster risk reduction and review policy measures, both historical and contemporary, for SDS impact mitigation. Although many SDS hazards are well-known, the processes involved and their impacts are not all equally well-understood. Policies designed to mitigate the impacts of wind erosion in agricultural areas have been developed in certain parts of the world but policies designed to mitigate the wider impacts of SDS, including many that are transboundary, are geographically patchy and have a much shorter history. Further development and wider implementation of such policies is advocated because of the recent marked increase in wind erosion and associated dust storms in several parts of the world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dust Events in the Environment)

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23 pages, 8807 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Patterns of Forest in the Transnational Area of Changbai Mountain from 1977 to 2015: A Comparative Analysis of the Chinese and DPRK Sub-Regions

by Hui Tao¹, Ying Nan^1,* and Zhi-Feng Liu^2,3,*

¹ Department of Geography, Yanbian University, Yanji 133000, China

² Center for Human-Environment System Sustainability (CHESS), State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

³ School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1054; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061054 - 17 Jun 2017

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5097

Abstract

The transnational area of Changbai Mountain (TACM) is crucial to sustainable development in Northeast Asia owing to its abundant forest, which helps in maintaining biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services. However, the spatiotemporal patterns of forest in the TACM have been poorly understood across [...] Read more.

The transnational area of Changbai Mountain (TACM) is crucial to sustainable development in Northeast Asia owing to its abundant forest, which helps in maintaining biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services. However, the spatiotemporal patterns of forest in the TACM have been poorly understood across the whole region. The objectives of this study were to quantify the spatiotemporal patterns of forest in the TACM from 1977 to 2015, investigate the causes of forest dynamics, and assess the impacts of forest dynamics on habitat quality. To do this, we first extracted the forest in the TACM from Landsat images acquired in 1977, 1988, 1999, 2007, and 2015 using visual interpretation. Then, we analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of forest in the TACM from 1977 to 2015 using landscape metrics and compared the dynamics of forest between the area in China and the area in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). After that, we investigated the driving forces of forest dynamics and the impacts of forest dynamics on habitat quality. We found that the TACM experienced a noticeable forest decrease—from 1.57 million ha in 1977 to 1.48 million ha in 2015, a decline of 5.78%—and underwent a forest fragmentation process. In particular, the sub-region in the DPRK had a much larger decrease (17.75%) than the sub-region in China (2.86%). We found that timber harvesting, urban expansion, agricultural reclamation, and typhoon disasters were the main driving forces behind forest decreases in the TACM. Specifically, agricultural reclamation was the most important factor in the DPRK sub-region, while urban expansion was the dominant factor in the Chinese sub-region. Furthermore, such forest loss and fragmentation has resulted in declines in habitat quality across both sides of the TACM. Thus, we suggest that more effective forest management with cooperation between China and DPRK is needed to maintain and improve forest coverage in the TACM. Full article

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13 pages, 898 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Future of North Rhine-Westphalia-Participation of the Youth as Part of a Social Transformation towards Sustainable Development

by Mona Treude^*, Dorothea Schostok, Oscar Reutter and Manfred Fischedick

Wuppertal Institute, Döppersberg 19, Wuppertal 42103, Germany

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1055; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061055 - 18 Jun 2017

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 8263

Abstract

The future belongs to the youth, but do they really have a say in it? Learning processes with regard to a successful socio-ecological change must start in childhood and adolescence in order to succeed in social transformation. The youth cannot be a passive [...] Read more.

The future belongs to the youth, but do they really have a say in it? Learning processes with regard to a successful socio-ecological change must start in childhood and adolescence in order to succeed in social transformation. The youth cannot be a passive part in a changing society—they have to be actively included in its design. When allowed to participate, young people can make important and effective contributions—which should not be reduced to sub-projects and opportunity structures. In a socio-political context, participation means involvement, collaboration, and commitment. In the context of intra- and inter-generational equity, as the core part of sustainable development, participation strategies should be developed that allow for a permanent and purposeful involvement of children and adolescents. Participation of young people is an important and appropriate step in strengthening those who are so strongly affected by the planning processes but are otherwise powerless. A successful involvement and participation of non-professional actors requires a target group-oriented method, a supportive culture of participation, as well as clarity and decision latitude. Abiding by these rules leads to central results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 6th World Sustainability Forum - Selected Papers)

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17 pages, 647 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fostering Sustainable Travel Behavior: Role of Sustainability Labels and Goal-Directed Behavior Regarding Touristic Services

by Elfriede Penz^1,*, Eva Hofmann^2,3

and Barbara Hartl^3,4

¹ Department of Marketing, Institute for International Marketing Management, Vienna University of Business and Economics, Vienna 1020, Austria

² Centre for Peace, Trust and Social Relations, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK,

³ Competence Center for Empirical Research Methods, Vienna University of Business and Economics, Vienna 1020, Austria

⁴ Institute of Organization and Global Management Education, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz 4040, Austria, barbara.hartl_1@jku.at

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1056; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061056 - 18 Jun 2017

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 12410

Abstract

Individuals around the globe engage in sustainable consumption in their everyday life, e.g., when it comes to individual transportation. Although tourism behavior contributes to global carbon emissions to a considerable extent, consumers’ awareness of sustainability in the tourism industry is still underresearched. Placing [...] Read more.

Individuals around the globe engage in sustainable consumption in their everyday life, e.g., when it comes to individual transportation. Although tourism behavior contributes to global carbon emissions to a considerable extent, consumers’ awareness of sustainability in the tourism industry is still underresearched. Placing eco-labels next to tourist offers on websites might direct consumer’s perception towards more sustainable offers. By employing eye-tracking techniques and surveys, this research aimed at linking information about sustainable tourist offers, perception of eco-labels and subsequent perception and preferences of tourism services. In Study 1, eight existing hotel offers with sustainability certification (four different labels) were selected and their websites presented to 48 participants (four websites each), whose eye movements were tracked. After looking at each website, they rated the overall appearance of the website. Based on the results, in the second study, participants’ (n = 642) awareness of labels, their values and attitudes regarding sustainable behavior were found to influence their preference for certified tour operators. In addition, individuals’ ideas of their perfect holidays were captured to allow a better understanding of their motivation. This research proposes implementing appropriate sustainable labeling in the tourism industry to increase awareness about sustainability among travelers and subsequently increase sustainable travel behavior. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Consumer Behavior)

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16 pages, 1105 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Technology Credit Scoring Based on a Quantification Method

by Yonghan Ju and So Young Sohn^*

Department of Information & Industrial Engineering, Yonsei University, 134 Shinchon-dong, Seoul 120-749, Korean

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1057; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061057 - 18 Jun 2017

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5748

Abstract

Credit scoring models are usually formulated by fitting the probability of loan default as a function of individual evaluation attributes. Typically, these attributes are measured using a Likert-type scale, but are treated as interval scale explanatory variables to predict loan defaults. Existing models [...] Read more.

Credit scoring models are usually formulated by fitting the probability of loan default as a function of individual evaluation attributes. Typically, these attributes are measured using a Likert-type scale, but are treated as interval scale explanatory variables to predict loan defaults. Existing models also do not distinguish between types of default, although they vary: default by an insolvent company and default by an insolvent debtor. This practice can bias the results. In this paper, we applied Quantification Method II, a categorical version of canonical correlation analysis, to determine the relationship between two sets of categorical variables: a set of default types and a set of evaluation attributes. We distinguished between two types of loan default patterns based on quantification scores. In the first set of quantification scores, we found knowledge management, new technology development, and venture registration as important predictors of default from non-default status. Based on the second quantification score, we found that the technology and profitability factors influence loan defaults due to an insolvent company. Finally, we proposed a credit-risk rating model based on the quantification score. Full article

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13 pages, 1764 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantitative Investigations of Water Balances of a Dune-Interdune Landscape during the Growing Season in the Horqin Sandy Land, Northeastern China

by Xueya Zhou^1,2, Dexin Guan¹, Jiabing Wu¹, Tingting Yang^1,2, Fenghui Yuan¹, Ala Musa³, Changjie Jin¹, Anzhi Wang^1,* and Yushu Zhang⁴

¹ Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China

² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

³ Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China

⁴ Institute of Atmospheric Environment, China Meteorological Administration, Shenyang 110166, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1058; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061058 - 19 Jun 2017

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3844

Abstract

Dune-interdune is the main landscape pattern of desert areas, such as the Horqin sandy land of Northeastern China. Exploring the temporal and spatial variation of the water balance is crucial for efficient vegetation restoration at the micro-landform scale. The SWMS-2D model was used [...] Read more.

Dune-interdune is the main landscape pattern of desert areas, such as the Horqin sandy land of Northeastern China. Exploring the temporal and spatial variation of the water balance is crucial for efficient vegetation restoration at the micro-landform scale. The SWMS-2D model was used to estimate the seasonal variations of the water balance including evapotranspiration, soil water storage changes, lateral flow and drainage, and to examine the effects of micro-landforms (i.e., the top, upper, down, and bottom positions of the dune slope, and the interdune lowland area) on these components from May to October 2013 and 2015. Results showed that the soil water content was sensitive to rainfall pulses, particularly large precipitation events. Over 70% of the total evapotranspiration occurred from June to August, with a maximum daily value of 6.56 mm. At a monthly scale, evapotranspiration was not synchronous with precipitation. The ratio of evapotranspiration to precipitation was 1.84, 0.39, 2.49, 0.93, 2.26, and 1.14 in May, June, July, August, September, and October 2013 (a wet year), respectively; and 2.40, 1.11, 0.69, 2.14, 1.07, and 1.11 in 2015 (a dry year), respectively. The components of the water balance were significantly different among different micro-landforms. Evapotranspiration of a lowland area was greater than that in other micro-landforms, and the value in the wet year (2013) was significantly greater than that in the dry year (2015). However, water consumption in the lowland area was similar in both years. At the top, upper, down, and bottom positions of the dune slope, the ratio of evapotranspiration to precipitation in the wet year (2013) was 96%, 97%, 86%, and 96%, respectively; while in the dry year (2015), the ratio was 103%, 103%, 88%, and 104%. Therefore, in the dry year, evapotranspiration was generally larger than precipitation, indicating that almost all water from precipitation was evaporated. The lateral flow of the root zone from top to bottom accounted for only a small portion of water budget at the growing season scale. The results could be generalized to other similar region with corresponding model calibration, and would help to reveal seasonal variations of water balance components under the local topography, climate, soil, and vegetation conditions. Full article

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17 pages, 5600 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identifying Clusters of Complex Urban–Rural Issues as Part of Policy Making Process Using a Network Analysis Approach: A Case Study in Bahía de Los Ángeles, Mexico

by Javier Sandoval^1,*, Manuel Castañón-Puga^1,*

, Carelia Gaxiola-Pacheco¹

and Eugenio Dante Suarez²

¹ Computer Engineering Department, Autonomous University of Baja California, 22390 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico

² Finance & Decision Sciences Department, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1059; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061059 - 19 Jun 2017

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 7891

Abstract

Improving human settlements diagnosis is a key factor in effective urban planning and the design of efficient policy making. In this paper, we illustrate how network theory concepts can be applied to reveal the topological structure of functional relationships in a network of [...] Read more.

Improving human settlements diagnosis is a key factor in effective urban planning and the design of efficient policy making. In this paper, we illustrate how network theory concepts can be applied to reveal the topological structure of functional relationships in a network of heterogeneous urban–rural issues. This mapping is done using clustering algorithms and centrality value techniques. By analyzing emergent groups of urban–rural related issues, our methodology was applied to a rural community, considering in this exercise environmental matters and real estate interests as a way to better understand the structure of salient issues in the context of its urban development program design. Results show clusters that arrange themselves not by an obvious similarity in their constituent components, but by relations observed in urban–rural settings that hint on the issues that the urban development program must focus. Due to its complex nature, the classification of these emerging clusters and how they must be treated in traditional planning instruments is a new challenge that this novel methodology reveals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decipher the Present to Shape the Future- Rethinking the Urban–Rural Nexus)

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12 pages, 4385 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating Impacts of Environmental Factors on the Cycling Behavior of Bicycle-Sharing Users

by Yeran Sun^1,*

, Amin Mobasheri²

, Xuke Hu² and Weikai Wang³

¹ Urban Big Data Centre, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8RZ, UK

² GIScience Research Group, Institute of Geography, Heidelberg University, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany

³ Urban Studies, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8RS, UK

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1060; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061060 - 19 Jun 2017

Cited by 78 | Viewed by 12064

Abstract

As it is widely accepted, cycling tends to produce health benefits and reduce air pollution. Policymakers encourage people to use bikes by improving cycling facilities as well as developing bicycle-sharing systems (BSS). It is increasingly interesting to investigate how environmental factors influence the [...] Read more.

As it is widely accepted, cycling tends to produce health benefits and reduce air pollution. Policymakers encourage people to use bikes by improving cycling facilities as well as developing bicycle-sharing systems (BSS). It is increasingly interesting to investigate how environmental factors influence the cycling behavior of users of bicycle-sharing systems, as users of bicycle-sharing systems tend to be different from regular cyclists. Although earlier studies have examined effects of safety and convenience on the cycling behavior of regular riders, they rarely explored effects of safety and convenience on the cycling behavior of BSS riders. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate how road safety, convenience, and public safety affect the cycling behavior of BSS riders by controlling for other environmental factors. Specifically, in this study, we investigated the impacts of environmental characteristics, including population density, employment density, land use mix, accessibility to point-of-interests (schools, shops, parks and gyms), road infrastructure, public transit accessibility, road safety, convenience, and public safety on the usage of BSS. Additionally, for a more accurate measure of public transit accessibility, road safety, convenience, and public safety, we used spatiotemporally varying measurements instead of spatially varying measurements, which have been widely used in earlier studies. We conducted an empirical investigation in Chicago with cycling data from a BSS called Divvy. In this study, we particularly attempted to answer the following questions: (1) how traffic accidents and congestion influence the usage of BSS; (2) how violent crime influences the usage of BSS; and (3) how public transit accessibility influences the usage of BSS. Moreover, we tried to offer implications for policies aiming to increase the usage of BSS or for the site selection of new docking stations. Empirical results demonstrate that density of bicycle lanes, public transit accessibility, and public safety influence the usage of BSS, which provides answers for our research questions. Empirical results also suggest policy implications that improving bicycle facilities and reducing the rate of violent crime rates tend to increase the usage of BSS. Moreover, some environmental factors could be considered in selecting a site for a new docking station. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neo-Geography and Crowdsourcing Technologies for Sustainable Urban Transportation)

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14 pages, 629 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Food System Sustainability across Scales: A Proposed Local-To-Global Approach to Community Planning and Assessment

by Liesel Carlsson^1,2,*, Edith Callaghan^1,3, Adrian Morley⁴ and Göran Broman¹

¹ Department of Strategic Sustainable Development, Blekinge Institute of Technology, 37179 Karlskrona, Sweden

² School of Nutrition and Dietetics, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R1, Canada

³ Fred. C. Manning School of Business, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R1, Canada

⁴ Faculty of Business and Law, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6BH, UK

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1061; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061061 - 19 Jun 2017

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 8355

Abstract

Interest in food systems sustainability is growing, but progress toward them is slow. This research focuses on three interrelated challenges that hinder progress. First, prevailing visions lack a concrete definition of sustainability. Second, global level conceptions fail to guide responses at the local [...] Read more.

Interest in food systems sustainability is growing, but progress toward them is slow. This research focuses on three interrelated challenges that hinder progress. First, prevailing visions lack a concrete definition of sustainability. Second, global level conceptions fail to guide responses at the local level. Third, these deficiencies may lead to conflicting initiatives for addressing sustainable food systems at the community level that slow collective progress. The purpose of this article is to (1) describe the development of a framework for assessing food system sustainability which accommodates local-level measurement in the context of broader national and global scale measures; and (2) to propose a process that supports community determinacy over localized progress toward sustainable food systems. Using a modified Delphi Inquiry process, we engaged a diverse, global panel of experts in describing “success” with respect to sustainable food systems, today’s reality, and identifying key indicators for tracking progress towards success. They were asked to consider scale during the process in order to explore locally relevant themes. Data were analyzed using the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) to facilitate a comprehensive and systematic exploration of key themes and indicators. Key results include a framework of indicator themes that are anchored in a concrete definition of sustainability, stable at national and global scales while remaining flexible at the local scale to accommodate contextual needs. We also propose a process for facilitating community-level planning for food system sustainability that utilizes this indicator framework. The proposed process is based on insights from the research results, as well as from previous research and experience applying the FSSD at a community level; it bears promise for future work to support communities to determine their own pathways, while contributing to a more coordinated whole. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Agriculture)

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10 pages, 528 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nuclear Power and Resource Efficiency—A Proposal for a Revised Primary Energy Factor

by Ola Eriksson

Department of Building, Energy and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Sustainable Development, University of Gävle, Gävle SE 801 76, Sweden

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1063; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061063 - 20 Jun 2017

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 13023

Abstract

Measuring resource efficiency can be achieved using different methods, of which primary energy demand is commonly used. The primary energy factor (PEF) is a figure describing how much energy from primary resources is being used per unit of energy delivered. The PEF for [...] Read more.

Measuring resource efficiency can be achieved using different methods, of which primary energy demand is commonly used. The primary energy factor (PEF) is a figure describing how much energy from primary resources is being used per unit of energy delivered. The PEF for nuclear power is typically 3, which refers to thermal energy released from fission in relation to electricity generated. Fuel losses are not accounted for. However; nuclear waste represents an energy loss, as current plans for nuclear waste management mostly include final disposal. Based on a literature review and mathematical calculations of the power-to-fuel ratio for nuclear power, PEF values for the open nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) option of nuclear power and different power mixes are calculated. These calculations indicate that a more correct PEF for nuclear power would be 60 (range 32–88); for electricity in Sweden (41% nuclear power) PEF would change from 1.8 to 25.5, and the average PEF for electricity in the European Union (EU) would change from 2.5 to 18. The results illustrate the poor resource efficiency of nuclear power, which paves the way for the fourth generation of nuclear power and illustrates the policy implication of using PEFs which are inconsistent with current waste management plans. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nuclear Waste Management and Sustainability of Nuclear Systems)

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21 pages, 2282 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Geo-Economic Relationships between China and ASEAN Countries: Competition or Cooperation?

by Shufang Wang¹

, Axing Zhu^2,*, Yuejing Ge³, Yuli Liu³ and Xiao Xue⁴

¹ Research Center for Energy Economics, School of Business and Administration, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, Henan, China

² Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, 53706 WI, USA

³ Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

⁴ School of Computer Science, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, Henan, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1064; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061064 - 20 Jun 2017

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 8076

Abstract

In the last 30 years, China’s economic power has experienced great changes and has brought about a profound impact on the world economy. This led us to ask a question: do changes in China’s economic power shift the geo-economic relationships between China and [...] Read more.

In the last 30 years, China’s economic power has experienced great changes and has brought about a profound impact on the world economy. This led us to ask a question: do changes in China’s economic power shift the geo-economic relationships between China and its neighboring countries? To answer this question, we researched the evolution of geo-economic relationships between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. Using the Euclidean distance method, we explored the changes in these geo-economic relationships between China and ASEAN countries from 1980 to 2014. Our findings resulted in five conclusions: (1) Over time, geo-economic relationships between China and ASEAN countries remained relatively stable. (2) Geographically, the main geo-economic relationships between China and continental ASEAN countries were complementary, while the main geo-economic relationships between China and island ASEAN countries were competitive. (3) Geopolitics and geo-culture were attributed to the changes in geo-economic relationships. (4) The evolution of geo-economic relationships was characterized by path dependence. (5) Geo-economic relationships between China and ASEAN countries could be classified into four types: game type, with high cooperation and competition; complementary type, with high cooperation and low competition; fight type, with low cooperation and high competition; and loose type, with low cooperation and competition. Our findings contribute to improving the understanding of geo-economic relationships. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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16 pages, 903 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using an AHP-ISM Based Method to Study the Vulnerability Factors of Urban Rail Transit System

by Liangliang Song¹, Qiming Li^1,*, George F. List², Yongliang Deng³ and Ping Lu^1,4

¹ School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China

² Department of Civil, Construction, & Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA

³ School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China

⁴ School of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1065; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061065 - 20 Jun 2017

Cited by 58 | Viewed by 7413

Abstract

As a sustainable means of public transportation, urban rail transit system undergoes rapid expansion in China. How to provide a safe and reliable service has been the subject of growing attention in this context. However, such work is challenging because rail transit systems [...] Read more.

As a sustainable means of public transportation, urban rail transit system undergoes rapid expansion in China. How to provide a safe and reliable service has been the subject of growing attention in this context. However, such work is challenging because rail transit systems are quite vulnerable and influenced by a set of interacting factors. Studying these vulnerability factors will contribute significantly to the operation of rail transit system. From this perspective, this paper made an exploration of the vulnerability factors based on an integrated method consisting of AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) and ISM (Interpretative Structural Modeling). Based on literature review, 21 vulnerability factors were identified. Subsequently, expert elicitation was employed to ascertain the importance of each factor and the interrelations among them. The results suggest that management and individual factors have the highest importance weights and the interrelations among vulnerability factors could be expressed as a five-layer structure, in which management factors were inclined to be at the lower level. The research provides valuable information for decision makers to take proactive strategies and reinforcement policies to guarantee safety operation of urban rail transit system and ensure urban public safety, which could promote the sustainable development of cities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Risk Assessment and Management)

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14 pages, 858 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of GHG Mitigation Measures in Rice Cropping and Effects of Farmer’s Characteristics: Evidence from Hubei, China

by Qingmeng Tong^1,2, Lu Zhang^1,2,* and Junbiao Zhang^1,2

¹ College of Economics and Management, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China

² Hubei Rural Development Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1066; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061066 - 20 Jun 2017

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4871

Abstract

Greenhouse Gas emissions from agricultural activities, such as rice cropping, have been proven to be an important cause of climate change, with constant barriers and constraints in the implementation and promotion of mitigation measures among farmers in China. However, there has been a [...] Read more.

Greenhouse Gas emissions from agricultural activities, such as rice cropping, have been proven to be an important cause of climate change, with constant barriers and constraints in the implementation and promotion of mitigation measures among farmers in China. However, there has been a lack of research focusing on specific mitigation measures and their characteristics. In this paper, we applied the expert assessment and best-worst scaling method to evaluate mitigation measures in rice cropping from the perspectives of effectiveness and applicability. The results showed that no mitigation measure in rice cropping was best from both an effectiveness and applicability viewpoint. However, the study found that “reducing the use of chemical fertilizers” was the most effective one, while “applying soil testing and formulated fertilization” was the most applicable one. Additionally, the older farmers spending more time on non-agricultural jobs and farming more plots of land were more likely to believe that mitigation measures related to the management of input elements would be more applicable compared to soil and water management or some types of new science and technology. Finally, we suggested that the agricultural extension agencies should popularize input elements management such as improvement of fertilizer or seeds among older farmers, and meanwhile promote soil cultivation management and new technologies for agriculture in areas where the land is more concentrated such as plains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Agriculture)

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10 pages, 236 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Green Traffic Policies Affect Air Quality? Evidence from A Difference-in-Difference Estimation in China

by Lu-Yi Qiu¹ and Ling-Yun He^2,3,4,*

¹ College of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China

² Institute of Resource, Environment & Sustainable Development Research, JiNan University, Guangzhou 510632, China

³ School of Economics, JiNan University, Guangzhou 510632, China

⁴ School of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1067; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061067 - 20 Jun 2017

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 8755

Abstract

Air pollution has been a serious challenge for human sustainable development. Researches show that emissions from the transport sector have been found to be a main source of air pollution in cities. Governments have implemented numerous green traffic policies to mitigate harmful emissions. [...] Read more.

Air pollution has been a serious challenge for human sustainable development. Researches show that emissions from the transport sector have been found to be a main source of air pollution in cities. Governments have implemented numerous green traffic policies to mitigate harmful emissions. However, the problem as to whether the green traffic policies are effective, and the extent to which the policies affect air quality remain unknown. This paper is the first attempt to apply a difference-in-difference method to investigate how a specific green traffic policy (in our case, the green traffic pilot cities program) affects air quality. The estimates show that the pilot program is associated with consistent reductions in annual concentration of pollutants. In pilot cities of China, the annual concentration of

{SO}_{2}

,

{NO}_{2}

and

{PM}_{10}

decrease by 10.71 percent, 11.26 percent and 9.85 percent, respectively, after the implementation of the green traffic pilot cities program. The results show that the green traffic pilot has a noticeable improvement on air quality of the pilot cities, implying that government intervention has a positive influence on pollution prevention in the transport sector. Moreover, the green traffic system construction can be popularized in other cities to mitigate air pollution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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15 pages, 786 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Governing a Sustainable Business Ecosystem in Taiwan’s Circular Economy: The Story of Spring Pool Glass

by Ying-Che Hsieh^1,*

, Kuo-Yi Lin², Chao Lu³ and Ke Rong⁴

¹ Institute of Technology Management, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu City 30013, Taiwan

² Department of Business Administration, Asia University, 500, Liufeng Road, Wufeng Dist., Taichung City 41354, Taiwan

³ School of Management, Shanghai University, 99, Shangda Road, Shanghai 200444, China

⁴ Institute of Economics, School of Social Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1068; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061068 - 20 Jun 2017

Cited by 48 | Viewed by 12140

Abstract

The business ecosystem has provided a new paradigm for management research. Most research in the field has focused on profit-driven industries, neglecting the area of the circular economy. This research sets out to capture the mechanisms that the leading firm in the circular [...] Read more.

The business ecosystem has provided a new paradigm for management research. Most research in the field has focused on profit-driven industries, neglecting the area of the circular economy. This research sets out to capture the mechanisms that the leading firm in the circular economy uses to govern its business ecosystem. The research strategy adopted is a longitudinal case study of the largest glass recycling company in Taiwan, Spring Pool Glass. Our findings illustrate that continuous value capture is the key to governing a sustainable business ecosystem in the glass recycling industry. The mechanisms include continuous value capture to enter new markets, using stakeholder networks to enlarge the business ecosystem, brand image and corporate social responsibility, company capabilities and research and development in the recycling process, and reacting to government policy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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20 pages, 294 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Securing Retirement at a Young Age. Exploring the Intention to Buy Longevity Annuities through an Extended Version of the Theory of Planned Behavior

by Costanza Nosi^1,*

, Antonella D’Agostino², Margherita Pagliuca² and Carlo Alberto Pratesi³

¹ Department of Human Studies—Communication, Education, and Psychology, LUMSA University of Rome, Rome 00193, Italy

² Department of Management and Quantitative Studies, Parthenope University of Naples, Naples 80132, Italy

³ Department of Management Studies, Roma Tre University, Rome 00145, Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1069; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061069 - 20 Jun 2017

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5163

Abstract

Since the early 90s, Italy has undergone radical changes in the regulations of the public pension system aimed at mending its main drawbacks and improving sustainability in the long run. The reforms were intended to recover the national economy through a significant reduction [...] Read more.

Since the early 90s, Italy has undergone radical changes in the regulations of the public pension system aimed at mending its main drawbacks and improving sustainability in the long run. The reforms were intended to recover the national economy through a significant reduction of benefits by increasing, particularly for younger people, individual responsibility for the accumulation of retirement wealth. Adopting an enhanced version of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which includes affective reactions, the present paper aims to understand the factors influencing the intention to enroll in a private pension plan through the purchase of longevity annuity coverage on the part of young adults. A purposive sample of 7480 Italian people aged 25–35 participated in the survey. Collected data were analyzed adopting an ordinal logistic regression (OLR) model. The findings confirm the predictive power of the TPB in the financial field of longevity annuity buying, show that anticipated affective reactions increase the predictive power of the TPB model, and reveal that the influence of the investigated constructs varies alongside people’s willingness to purchase. The outcomes provide useful recommendations to the policy maker and private companies to favor the adoption of wide-spread desired behaviors among citizenships. Full article

15 pages, 3903 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stochastic Characteristics of Manual Solar Shades and their Influence on Building Energy Performance

by Jian Yao^*

and Rongyue Zheng

Faculty of Architectural, Civil Engineering and Environment, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1070; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061070 - 21 Jun 2017

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4442

Abstract

Occupant behavior has a significant impact on building energy performance. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the stochastic characteristics of manual solar shades and their influence on building energy performance. A co-simulation for occupants’ stochastic control of manual solar shades was [...] Read more.

Occupant behavior has a significant impact on building energy performance. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the stochastic characteristics of manual solar shades and their influence on building energy performance. A co-simulation for occupants’ stochastic control of manual solar shades was conducted and the statistic indicators (non-parameter tests and autocorrelation function) were calculated in order to identify potential occupant behavior patterns. The results show that occupants’ stochastic shade control behavior among different seasons is not statistically different and that shade control behavior is not completely stochastic. Meanwhile, the trend in the fluctuation of Sc changes with time. Furthermore, a new index was introduced to evaluate the effectiveness of manual solar shades in terms of energy performance. The result shows that the effectiveness of manual solar shades is only between 39.8% and 81.3%, compared with automatically controlled shades, and there is a large potential for improving the effectiveness of manual solar shades in different seasons. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Assessments of Buildings)

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16 pages, 4108 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Volatility Spillover between Water, Energy and Food

by Massimo Peri¹, Daniela Vandone¹ and Lucia Baldi^2,*

¹ Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy

² Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1071; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061071 - 20 Jun 2017

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5472

Abstract

Water, energy, and food and are strongly interconnected, and the sustainability of the whole world depends on this link. The aim of this article is to analyze the volatility spillovers between indexes representing the financial component of this nexus. We use a multivariate [...] Read more.

Water, energy, and food and are strongly interconnected, and the sustainability of the whole world depends on this link. The aim of this article is to analyze the volatility spillovers between indexes representing the financial component of this nexus. We use a multivariate Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model with daily data in which the water variable is proxy by equity index that represents the performance of the industry involved in water business both at the global and local levels. For the food and energy sectors, we use two sub-indexes of the S&P Goldman Sachs (GS)-Commodity Index. Our results highlight the existence of a financial nexus between water, energy, and food that was particularly exacerbated during 2008 crisis. Evidence therefore suggests the need to better investigate the policy options that can be used to reduce price volatility in a framework of the rising relevance of sustainability issues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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17 pages, 1044 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrating Sustainability in Organisations: An Activity-Based Sustainability Model

by Ana Rodríguez-Olalla^*,† and Carmen Avilés-Palacios^*,†

¹ Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de Montes, Forestal y del Medio Natural, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Camino de las Moreras, s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain

^† The authors contributed equally to this work.

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1072; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061072 - 20 Jun 2017

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 11088

Abstract

Organisations have become interested in using integral management systems to increase their sustainable value. Although global integration models address sustainability in organisations, these models present shortcomings and limitations and do not describe how to achieve the integration of sustainability. This paper proposes an [...] Read more.

Organisations have become interested in using integral management systems to increase their sustainable value. Although global integration models address sustainability in organisations, these models present shortcomings and limitations and do not describe how to achieve the integration of sustainability. This paper proposes an Activity-Based Sustainability (ABS) integration model that complements other models from an inside-out perspective. Its assessment follows a procedure similar to that proposed by the Activity-Based Costing (ABC) model of cost accounting. The model assigns impacts from activities in the value chain of a process to the objects of impact (products, services, clients, or markets) that must be managed in terms of sustainability. The main limitations of the ABS model are the need to identify and describe processes, to locate every activity that constitutes the value chain, and to quantify the impacts of these activities. The ABS model is presented as an alternative to link sustainable management accounting and sustainable communication, as well as sustainable management control and sustainability assessment. It connects these sustainable elements through the bilateral identification of the linkages among skills, processes, and practices. It also links these aspects with the contribution to sustainable development and the development of competitive advantages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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17 pages, 252 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Failure of Energy Mega-Projects in Chile: A Critical Review from Sustainability Perspectives

by Claudio A. Agostini¹

, Carlos Silva² and Shahriyar Nasirov^2,*

¹ School of Government, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Avenida Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago 7941169, Chile

² Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Avenida Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago 7941169, Chile

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1073; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061073 - 20 Jun 2017

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 8186

Abstract

A number of successive energy crises over the last decade due to the lack of a balanced investment planning in the energy sector in Chile has led to a strong dependence on external sources and also doubled energy prices in the country, thus [...] Read more.

A number of successive energy crises over the last decade due to the lack of a balanced investment planning in the energy sector in Chile has led to a strong dependence on external sources and also doubled energy prices in the country, thus posing a significant challenge to the local economy. With the purpose of reaching long-term goals while simultaneously addressing short-term urgencies, Chile seeks to build a consistent and integrated energy policy in order to attract investment in the sector. Despite an overall attractive investment climate and encouraging market conditions in the country, the energy sector has been adversely affected, in particular, by the communities’ opposition to mega-projects based on their expected environmental and social impacts. The study highlights recent experiences of energy generation mega-projects in terms of addressing aspects of sustainability. Based on these experiences, it discusses underdeveloped role of environmental evaluations and the main regulatory challenges ahead, recommending then public policies to effectively address these challenges. Full article

18 pages, 1390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Linkage among School Performance, Housing Prices, and Residential Mobility

by Yoojin Yi, Euijune Kim^*

and Eunjin Choi

Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1075; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061075 - 21 Jun 2017

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5009

Abstract

Ensuring equal opportunity of quality basic education is critical for a sustainable society, but access to high-quality public education is limited by the place of residence and income level of the household, especially under rigid geographic school assignment. This paper identifies multilateral linkages [...] Read more.

Ensuring equal opportunity of quality basic education is critical for a sustainable society, but access to high-quality public education is limited by the place of residence and income level of the household, especially under rigid geographic school assignment. This paper identifies multilateral linkages among academic performance of elementary school, housing prices, and residential mobility in Seoul. A spatial simultaneous equation system is applied to address feedback simultaneity and spatial interactions between local housing market and residential mobility. The results show that school performance positively affects both housing prices and population in-migration, but the increase in housing prices discourages the residential move into affluent school districts. Based on the finding that discouraging effect of housing price premium on population in-migration outweighs the population inflow attracted by school performance, this paper suggests policies to reduce the inequality of educational achievements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

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18 pages, 1152 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Social Impact Assessment of Rebuilding an Urban Neighborhood: A Case Study of a Demolition and Reconstruction Project in Petah Tikva, Israel

by Tamar Trop

Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Management, Faculty of Management, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave. Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1076; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061076 - 21 Jun 2017

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6842

Abstract

The rebuilding of deteriorating residential areas is being replicated rapidly throughout Israeli cities despite limited assessment of the social consequences. This paper presents the findings of a social impact assessment (SIA) applied to a demolition and reconstruction case study carried out in a [...] Read more.

The rebuilding of deteriorating residential areas is being replicated rapidly throughout Israeli cities despite limited assessment of the social consequences. This paper presents the findings of a social impact assessment (SIA) applied to a demolition and reconstruction case study carried out in a low-income neighborhood in Petah Tikva. The project represents a typical example of developer-led removal of low-rise, mixed tenure housing replaced by privately owned high-rise housing. A mixed-methods approach was used to explore the actual and potential social implications from different points of view held by the various public and private actors in the project. The research was based on the analysis of official documents, field observations, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders involved in the rebuilding process, and with affected community representatives. The case study was analyzed with regard to three components: the public engagement process, financial well-being, and community cohesion and stability. The assessment revealed insufficient public and municipal involvement, the displacement of the majority of low-income households, disregard for the provision of community infrastructure, and the weakening of community stability. The paper suggests various ways to improve the outcomes of the project for all the affected parties, and argues that incorporating the SIA mechanism in this particular form of urban renewal might improve strategic decision-making and promote urban sustainability. Full article

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19 pages, 3171 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing the Sustainability Narrative through a Deeper Understanding of Sustainable Development Indicators

by Gengyuan Liu^1,2,*, Mark T. Brown³ and Marco Casazza⁴

¹ State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

² Beijing Engineering Research Center for Watershed Environmental Restoration & Integrated Ecological Regulation, Beijing 100875, China

³ Center for Environmental Policy, Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA

⁴ University of Naples ‘Parthenope’, Centro Direzionale, Isola C4, 80143 Naples, Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1078; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061078 - 21 Jun 2017

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 8441

Abstract

Different sustainability indicators tend to reflect different or even converse outcomes in terms of countries. A careful comparative study is needed to clarify whether these indicators are actually coherent with each other. We analyze and compare five sustainable development indicators. Pearson correlation was [...] Read more.

Different sustainability indicators tend to reflect different or even converse outcomes in terms of countries. A careful comparative study is needed to clarify whether these indicators are actually coherent with each other. We analyze and compare five sustainable development indicators. Pearson correlation was used to make a comparative study among them. Within the two groups, the indicators are positively correlated. The Sustainable Development Index (SDI) of the second group also shares a negative correlation with the Human Development Index. On the other side, the Emergy Sustainability Index was negatively correlated with the Environmental Performance Index, and had little or no correlation with the Environmental Sustainability Index. Furthermore, when examining the scores obtained from the different SDIs, the results demonstrate that they might present somewhat conflicting findings, if not considering their complementarity. This, from one side, depends on the fact that Human Development Index (HDI), Environmental Performance Index (EPI), and Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) provide a short-term local perspective on “sustainability”, while the Emergy-based Sustainability Index (EmSI) and Surplus Biocapacity are more long-term and global in their perspective. HDI, EPI, and ESI have a more social and economic focus, including indicators whose dynamics are disjoined from the natural one. The emerging differences might be explained through the analysis of the individual sub-indicators for each of the SDIs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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18 pages, 4409 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coordinate Optimization of the Distribution Network Electricity Price, Energy Storage Operation Strategy, and Capacity under a Shared Mechanism

by Wenxia Liu¹, Shu Wang^1,*, Ye Chen¹, Xingliang Chen², Shuya Niu¹ and Zongqi Liu¹

¹ State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, No. 2 Beinong Road, Changping District, Beijing 102206, China

² State Grid Jilin Electric Power Company, Changchun 130000, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1080; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061080 - 21 Jun 2017

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4161

Abstract

The large scale deployment of renewable generation is generally seen as the most promising option for displacing fossil fuel generators. A challenge in integrating renewable energy resources (RERs) for distribution networks is to find approaches that ensure the long term sustainability and economic [...] Read more.

The large scale deployment of renewable generation is generally seen as the most promising option for displacing fossil fuel generators. A challenge in integrating renewable energy resources (RERs) for distribution networks is to find approaches that ensure the long term sustainability and economic profit of the Distribution Company (DisCo). In this paper, considering the air condition load demand side response, a coordinate optimization of the energy storage capacity and operation strategy is presented to maximize the economic profit of the DisCo. The operation strategy in the optimization is divided into two parts. Under the normal state, a price-based air condition quick response strategy is proposed, with both the comfort and economic efficiency of the users taken into account. Under the fault state, a sharing strategy of Generalized Demand Side Resources (GDSRs) is proposed to improve the utilization level of equipment based on the reliability insurance. Finally, the optimization is carried out on an improved IEEE-33 bus test system. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method and discuss the effect of the load demand response participation rate on energy storage configuration. At the same time, the effect of GDSRs on the safe load rate of the line is also presented. The research provides a reference for the optimization and utilization of GDSRs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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16 pages, 4373 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Staple Foodscape of Dar es Salaam

by Marc C. A. Wegerif^1,2,* and Johannes S. C. Wiskerke³

¹ Rural Sociology Group and Sociology of Development and Change Group, Wageningen University, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen, The Netherlands

² Institute for Development Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

³ Rural Sociology Group, Wageningen University, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN, Wageningen, The Netherlands

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1081; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061081 - 21 Jun 2017

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 7795

Abstract

The city region foodscape is a relational space of spatially proximate as well as more distant relations. The current understanding of city region foodscapes will be enhanced by more analyses of what is happening in the African and Asian cities where rapid population [...] Read more.

The city region foodscape is a relational space of spatially proximate as well as more distant relations. The current understanding of city region foodscapes will be enhanced by more analyses of what is happening in the African and Asian cities where rapid population growth and urbanization, with all its challenges and opportunities, is predominantly taking place. This paper explores the city foodscape of one such city, the rapidly growing Dar es Salaam with over 4.5 million inhabitants. By following some important foods for eaters in the city, this paper draws a picture of the changing shape and nature of Dar es Salaam’s foodscape and draws out lessons for debates on city region food systems and urban food planning. It is found that key staple foods are coming from the rural hinterland through a food system that is not part of or modeled on the globally dominant corporate food system and as such represents a working alternative. This food system neither fits within administrative boundaries nor relies primarily on local production. We argue that more academic and policy attention needs to be given to understanding and reinforcing such middle-ground, neither local nor global, food systems that are delivering at city feeding scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue City Region Foodscapes)

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27 pages, 279 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tourism Pedagogy and Visitor Responsibilities in Destinations of Local-Global Significance: Climate Change and Social-Political Action

by Tazim Jamal^1,*

and Brian Smith²

¹ Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, Texas A&M University, 600 John Kimbrough Blvd. 409M AGLS, 2261 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2261, USA

² Independent author, #302, 2211 29th St. SW, Calgary, AB T3E 2K1, Canada

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1082; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061082 - 21 Jun 2017

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6545

Abstract

This paper examines the issue of climate change pedagogy and social action in tourism, with particular interest in globally-significant destinations under threat from climate change. Little is understood of the role and responsibility of visitors as key stakeholders in climate change-related action or [...] Read more.

This paper examines the issue of climate change pedagogy and social action in tourism, with particular interest in globally-significant destinations under threat from climate change. Little is understood of the role and responsibility of visitors as key stakeholders in climate change-related action or the potential of such sites to foster environmental learning, as well as social and political action on climate change. Drawing on insights from Aldo Leopold and John Dewey, it is argued here that destinations that are valued intrinsically for their ecological and cultural importance are (or ought to be) sites of enjoyment and pedagogy, facilitating experiential learning, care, responsibility and civic action towards their conservation. An exploratory case study of visitors to the Great Barrier Reef offers corroborative insights for such a “reef ethic” as described in this paper, related to visitor experience, learning and action in this World Heritage Area. The results of this paper support the need for a stronger pedagogic role to be adopted by tourism experience providers and site managers to facilitate climate change literacy and responsible action (hence facilitating global environmental citizenship). Their responsibility and that of reef visitors is discussed further. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environment, Tourism and Sustainable Development)

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

23 pages, 3887 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sustainability and Innovation in the Automotive Sector: A Structured Content Analysis

by Caroline Rodrigues Vaz^*, Tania Regina Shoeninger Rauen and Álvaro Guillermo Rojas Lezana

Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900 Santa Catarina, Brazil

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 880; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060880 - 23 May 2017

Cited by 64 | Viewed by 24178

Abstract

This study aims to analyse the scientific literature on sustainability and innovation in the automotive sector in the last 13 years. The research is classified as descriptive and exploratory. The process presented 31 articles in line with the research topic in the Scopus [...] Read more.

This study aims to analyse the scientific literature on sustainability and innovation in the automotive sector in the last 13 years. The research is classified as descriptive and exploratory. The process presented 31 articles in line with the research topic in the Scopus database. The bibliometric analysis identified the most relevant articles, authors, keywords, countries, research centers and journals for the subject from 2004 to 2016 in the Industrial Engineering domain. We concluded, through the systemic analysis, that the automotive sector is well structured on the issue of sustainability and process innovation. Innovations in the sector are of the incremental process type, due to the lower risk, lower costs and less complexity. However, the literature also points out that radical innovations are needed in order to fit the prevailing environmental standards. The selected studies show that environmental practices employed in the automotive sector are: the minimization of greenhouse gas emissions, life-cycle assessment, cleaner production, reverse logistics and eco-innovation. Thus, it displays the need for empirical studies in automotive companies on the environmental practices employed and how these practices impact innovation. Full article

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18 pages, 269 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Route to Sustainability—Prospects and Challenges of the Bio-Based Economy

by Therese Bennich^* and Salim Belyazid

Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 887; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060887 - 24 May 2017

Cited by 61 | Viewed by 10309

Abstract

The bio-based economy has been increasingly recognized in the sustainability debate over the last two decades, presented as a solution to a number of ecological and social challenges. Its premises include climate change mitigation, cleaner production processes, economic growth, and new employment opportunities. [...] Read more.

The bio-based economy has been increasingly recognized in the sustainability debate over the last two decades, presented as a solution to a number of ecological and social challenges. Its premises include climate change mitigation, cleaner production processes, economic growth, and new employment opportunities. Yet, a transition to a bio-based economy is hampered by risk factors and uncertainties. In this paper, we explore the concept of a bio-based economy, focusing on opportunities of achieving sustainability, as well as challenges of a transition. Departing from an understanding of sustainability provided by the weak and strong sustainability paradigms, we first outline the definition and development of the bio-based economy from a theoretical perspective. Second, we use Sweden as an example of how a transition towards a bio-based economy has been evolving in practice. The review indicates that the proposed direction and strategies of the bio-based economy are promising, but sometimes contradictory, resulting in different views on the actions needed for its premises to be realized. Additionally, current developments adhere largely to the principles of the weak sustainability paradigm. In order for the bio-based economy to develop in accordance with the notion of strong sustainability, important steps to facilitate a transition would include acknowledging and addressing the trade-offs caused by biophysical and social limits to growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

22 pages, 9123 KiB

Open AccessReview

Comparing Patent and Scientific Literature in Airborne Wind Energy

by Anny Key de Souza Mendonça^*, Caroline Rodrigues Vaz, Álvaro Guillermo Rojas Lezana, Cristiane Alves Anacleto and Edson Pacheco Paladini

Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900 Santa Catarina, Brazil

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 915; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060915 - 31 May 2017

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 10989

Abstract

Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) is a renewable energy technology that uses wind power devices rather than traditional wind turbines that take advantage of the kinetic wind energy, and remain in the air due to aerodynamic forces. This article aims to compare the scientific [...] Read more.

Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) is a renewable energy technology that uses wind power devices rather than traditional wind turbines that take advantage of the kinetic wind energy, and remain in the air due to aerodynamic forces. This article aims to compare the scientific literature with the patents on wind power with tethered airfoils, to obtain better insights into the literature of this area of knowledge. The method used in this study was a comparative bibliometric analysis, using the Web of Science and Derwent Innovations Index databases, and the Network Analysis Interface for Literature Review software and VosViewer. It was possible to verify the main authors, research centers and companies, countries and journals that publish on the subject; the most cited documents; the technological classes; and the networks of collaborations of this work. It was also possible to identify that researches on wind energy with tethered airfoils began their studies in the late 1970s with the first patent apparently dated from 1975 by the inventors Dai and Dai. The first scientific publication was in 1979 by authors Fletcher and Roberts, followed by Loyd in 1980. United States is the country that presented the highest number of patents and scientific papers. Both scientific papers and patents set up networks of collaboration; that is, important authors are interacting with others to establish cooperative partnerships. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Electric Power Systems Research)

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20 pages, 896 KiB

Open AccessReview

Mainstreaming Ecosystem Services Based Climate Change Adaptation (EbA) in Bangladesh: Status, Challenges and Opportunities

by Nazmul Huq^1,2,*, Antje Bruns²

, Lars Ribbe¹ and Saleemul Huq³

¹ ITT—Institute for Technology and Resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics, TH Köln (University of Applied Sciences), Betzdorfer Straße 2, 50679 Köln (Deutz), Germany

² Governance and Sustainability Lab, Department VI—Spatial and Environmental Sciences, University of Trier, 54286 Trier, Germany

³ International Centre for Climate Change Adaptation and Development (ICCCAD), Independent University, Bangladesh, Plot 16 Block B, Aftabuddin Ahmed Road, Bashundhara R/A, 1220 Dhaka, Bangladesh

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 926; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060926 - 1 Jun 2017

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 9400

Abstract

The paper aims to analyze the extent of Ecosystem Service (ESS) based Adaptation (EbA) to climate change in the policy-making process of Bangladesh. The paper is based on a three stage hybrid policy-making cycle: (i) agenda setting; (ii) policy formulation; and (iii) policy [...] Read more.

The paper aims to analyze the extent of Ecosystem Service (ESS) based Adaptation (EbA) to climate change in the policy-making process of Bangladesh. The paper is based on a three stage hybrid policy-making cycle: (i) agenda setting; (ii) policy formulation; and (iii) policy implementation stage, where the contributions of EbA can horizontally (on the ground) or vertically (strategic stage) be mainstreamed and integrated. A total of nine national and sectoral development and climate change policies, and 329 climate change adaptation projects are examined belonging to different policy-making stages. The major findings include that the role of ESS is marginally considered as an adaptation component in most of the reviewed policies, especially at the top strategic level (vertical mainstreaming). However, at the policy formulation and implementation stage (horizontal mainstreaming), they are largely ignored and priority is given to structural adaptation policies and projects, e.g., large scale concrete dams and embankments. For example, ESS’s roles to adapt sectors such as urban planning, biodiversity management and disaster risk reduction are left unchecked, and the implementation stage receives overwhelming priorities and investments to undertake hard adaptation measures such that only 38 projects are related to EbA. The paper argues that: (i) dominant structural adaptation ideologies; (ii) the expert and bureaucracy dependent policy making process; and (iii) the lack of adaptive and integration capacities at institutional level are considerably offsetting the EbA mainstreaming process that need to be adequately addressed for climate change adaptation. Full article

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12 pages, 4486 KiB

Open AccessReview

Visualization of Chinese CBM Research: A Scientometrics Review

by Xiao Luo¹, Xin Zhang^2,*

, Long Zhang² and Gun Huang²

¹ College of Resources and Safety Engineering, China University Mining & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China

² State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, College of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 980; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060980 - 8 Jun 2017

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5375

Abstract

The field of coalbed methane (CBM) is well recognized as being able to provide clean fuels and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, thereby helping to reduce global warming. It is an effective solution to the problem of global climate change. Given the importance of [...] Read more.

The field of coalbed methane (CBM) is well recognized as being able to provide clean fuels and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, thereby helping to reduce global warming. It is an effective solution to the problem of global climate change. Given the importance of CBM research on sustainable development, we have developed a comprehensive and powerful visualization of Chinese CBM research to help other peers obtain a quick and efficient understanding of the current situation and development of CBM research in China. This method, by using CiteSpace, also represents a paradigm shift in our way of dealing with the large volume of scientific publications and could change the way literature searches and reviews are conducted, as well as how the impact of specific work is assessed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Energy Sustainability)

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31 pages, 4058 KiB

Open AccessReview

Introducing Sustainability in Value Models to Support Design Decision Making: A Systematic Review

by Marco Bertoni

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Blekinge Institute of Technology, SE-37179 Karlskrona, Sweden

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 994; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060994 - 9 Jun 2017

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 10461

Abstract

Manufacturing organizations shall recognize sustainability as a business occasion to capitalize on, rather than an undesirable pressing situation. Still, empirical evidence shows that this opportunity is hard to capture and communicate in global strategic decisions, through planning by tactical management, to daily operational [...] Read more.

Manufacturing organizations shall recognize sustainability as a business occasion to capitalize on, rather than an undesirable pressing situation. Still, empirical evidence shows that this opportunity is hard to capture and communicate in global strategic decisions, through planning by tactical management, to daily operational activities. This paper systematically reviews the modeling challenges at the crossroad of value and sustainability decisions making, spotlighting methods and tools proposed in literature to link sustainability to customer value creation at strategic, tactical and operational level. While statistical results show that the topic of sustainability and value modeling is trending in literature, findings from content analysis reveal that recent attempts to promote a value-based view in the sustainability discussion remain at a strategic level, with most of the proposed indicators being suited for managerial decision-making. The lack of support at operational level points to the opportunity of cross-pollinating sustainability research with value-centered methodologies originating from the aerospace sector. The Value Driven Design framework is proposed as main hub from which to derive models supporting engineers and technology developers in the identification of win-win-win situations, where sustainable improvements are aligned with business advantages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Manufacturing)

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14 pages, 249 KiB

Open AccessReview

iPathology: Robotic Applications and Management of Plants and Plant Diseases

by Yiannis Ampatzidis^1,2,*

, Luigi De Bellis³

and Andrea Luvisi^3,*

¹ Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, 2685 FL-29, Immokalee, FL 34142, USA

² Department of Physics and Engineering, California State University, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA 93311, USA

³ Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via Prov.le Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1010; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061010 - 12 Jun 2017

Cited by 150 | Viewed by 16589

Abstract

The rapid development of new technologies and the changing landscape of the online world (e.g., Internet of Things (IoT), Internet of All, cloud-based solutions) provide a unique opportunity for developing automated and robotic systems for urban farming, agriculture, and forestry. Technological advances in [...] Read more.

The rapid development of new technologies and the changing landscape of the online world (e.g., Internet of Things (IoT), Internet of All, cloud-based solutions) provide a unique opportunity for developing automated and robotic systems for urban farming, agriculture, and forestry. Technological advances in machine vision, global positioning systems, laser technologies, actuators, and mechatronics have enabled the development and implementation of robotic systems and intelligent technologies for precision agriculture. Herein, we present and review robotic applications on plant pathology and management, and emerging agricultural technologies for intra-urban agriculture. Greenhouse advanced management systems and technologies have been greatly developed in the last years, integrating IoT and WSN (Wireless Sensor Network). Machine learning, machine vision, and AI (Artificial Intelligence) have been utilized and applied in agriculture for automated and robotic farming. Intelligence technologies, using machine vision/learning, have been developed not only for planting, irrigation, weeding (to some extent), pruning, and harvesting, but also for plant disease detection and identification. However, plant disease detection still represents an intriguing challenge, for both abiotic and biotic stress. Many recognition methods and technologies for identifying plant disease symptoms have been successfully developed; still, the majority of them require a controlled environment for data acquisition to avoid false positives. Machine learning methods (e.g., deep and transfer learning) present promising results for improving image processing and plant symptom identification. Nevertheless, diagnostic specificity is a challenge for microorganism control and should drive the development of mechatronics and robotic solutions for disease management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Technologies for a Sustainable Future: Current Trends and Perspectives)

28 pages, 273 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Role of Indicator-Based Sustainability Assessment in Policy and the Decision-Making Process: A Review and Outlook

by Didem Dizdaroglu

School of Urban Design and Landscape Architecture, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1018; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061018 - 16 Jun 2017

Cited by 110 | Viewed by 10978

Abstract

In order to regulate natural processes and control the scale of human activities, sustainability assessment needs to be integrated into urban planning. In this context, indicator-based sustainability assessment tools are fundamental instruments that provide information to support policy and decision-making. Indicators are necessary [...] Read more.

In order to regulate natural processes and control the scale of human activities, sustainability assessment needs to be integrated into urban planning. In this context, indicator-based sustainability assessment tools are fundamental instruments that provide information to support policy and decision-making. Indicators are necessary to monitor the implementation of the policies and provide feedback needed to accomplish the desirable state of sustainable urban development. This paper aims to explore the role of indicator-based sustainability assessment in policy and the decision-making process. Therefore, it reviews the identified sustainable development indicator initiatives and addresses the research gaps in the literature for future improvement of sustainability assessment frameworks. It concludes with a discussion that the major problem in sustainability assessment lies in the gathering of reliable and accessible data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

8 pages, 1319 KiB

Open AccessProject Report

ERA-PLANET, a European Network for Observing Our Changing Planet

by Kanaris Tsinganos^1,2,*, Evangelos Gerasopoulos², Iphigenia Keramitsoglou²

, Nicola Pirrone³ and The ERA-PLANET Team³

¹ Department of Physics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 15784, Greece

² National Observatory of Athens, Athens 11810, Greece

³ Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, 7-00185 Rome, Italy

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1040; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061040 - 16 Jun 2017

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4359

Abstract

ERA-PLANET is a wide European network comprised of 118 researchers from 35 partner institutions located in 18 countries, aiming to strengthen the European Research Area in the domain of Earth Observation (EO) in coherence with the European participation to the Group on Earth [...] Read more.

ERA-PLANET is a wide European network comprised of 118 researchers from 35 partner institutions located in 18 countries, aiming to strengthen the European Research Area in the domain of Earth Observation (EO) in coherence with the European participation to the Group on Earth Observation (GEO) and the program for the establishment of a European capacity for Earth Observation, COPERNICUS. It will provide more accurate, comprehensive, and authoritative information to policy and decision-makers in key societal benefit areas (SBAs), under the umbrellas of dedicated projects in the topics of: smart cities and resilient societies; resource efficiency and environmental management; global changes and environmental treaties; polar areas and natural resources. ERA-PLANET will provide advanced decision support tools and technologies aimed to better monitor our global environment and share the information and knowledge in different domains of EO by launching joint transnational calls along the above four strands. The concept of the project that tackles with strand 1, as well as an example of a specific application fitting in, are described, aspiring to promote and coordinate the “smart-city” approach into a European network of cities and non-European follower cities, serving the need for a common approach to enhance environmental and societal resilience to air pollution, urban growth, and urban heat islands, as well as other natural/manmade stresses and relevant impacts. This is achieved through the synergy among technology, government, and society, while at the same time creating bridges between local/national initiatives with GEO/GEOSS, COPERNICUS, and other smart cities and GEO relevant projects. The project addresses initiatives in European cities but also specific issues dealing with air quality management in other parts of the world. Finally, it places major emphasis on fully exploiting key-enabling technologies and firmly addressing interoperability issues, in the context of big “smart city” data, and open science. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Sustainability Research Network: Selected Papers from the Expert Group Meeting on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals with Water–Food–Ecosystem Resilience in the Mid-Latitude Region)

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