Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.7
3.3
Journals
Sustainability
Editor’s Choice
sustainability-logo

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Editor’s Choice Articles

Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

Order results
Result details
Results per page
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
16 pages, 1040 KiB  
Review
Pulp and Paper Mill Fly Ash: A Review
by Chinchu Cherian and Sumi Siddiqua
Sustainability 2019, 11(16), 4394; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11164394 - 14 Aug 2019
Cited by 57 | Viewed by 12078
Abstract
The continual growth of pulp and paper industry has led to the generation of tremendous volumes of fly ash as byproducts of biomass combustion processes. Commonly, a major part of it is landfilled; however, updated environmental regulations have tended to restrict the landfilling [...] Read more.
The continual growth of pulp and paper industry has led to the generation of tremendous volumes of fly ash as byproducts of biomass combustion processes. Commonly, a major part of it is landfilled; however, updated environmental regulations have tended to restrict the landfilling of fly ash due to rising disposal costs and the scarcity of suitable land. The pulp and paper industries are therefore urgently seeking energy-efficient mechanisms and management for the beneficial use of fly ash in an ecological and economical manner. This paper offers a comprehensive review of existing knowledge on the major physicochemical and toxicological properties of pulp and paper mill fly ash to assess its suitability for various bound and unbound applications. The current state of various methods used for the valorization of pulp and paper mill fly ash into more sustainable geomaterials is briefly discussed. This paper also presents promising and innovative applications for pulp and paper mill fly ash, with particular reference to agriculture and forestry, the construction and geotechnical industries, and the immobilization of contaminants. It was identified from a literature review that modified pulp and paper mill fly ash can be environmentally and economically advantageous over commercial coal-based fly ash in various sustainable applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 21st Century Challenges in Construction: Functional Materials and Waste Recycle)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 5278 KiB  
Article
Impact of Low-E Window Films on Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions of an Existing UK Hotel Building
by Shiva Amirkhani, Ali Bahadori-Jahromi, Anastasia Mylona, Paulina Godfrey and Darren Cook
Sustainability 2019, 11(16), 4265; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11164265 - 7 Aug 2019
Cited by 41 | Viewed by 11784
Abstract
In order to fulfil the UK government’s ambitious goal of 80% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared to the levels of 1990s, unprecedented measures for improving the energy efficiency of buildings are needed. This study investigates the impact of a specific [...] Read more.
In order to fulfil the UK government’s ambitious goal of 80% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared to the levels of 1990s, unprecedented measures for improving the energy efficiency of buildings are needed. This study investigates the impact of a specific type of Low-emissivity (Low-E) window film—Thinsulate Climate Control 75—on the holistic energy consumption of an existing United Kingdom (UK) hotel building. Building modelling and energy simulation software EDSL TAS is used to conduct the study. The result of the simulations demonstrates that by applying Thinsulate films, savings in heating, cooling, and total energy consumptions are achieved by 3%, 20%, and 2.7%, respectively. Also 4.1% and 5.1% savings are achieved in annual CO2 emissions and total energy costs, respectively, while the initial costs may be an issue. This study found that application of Low-E window films results in slightly better energy performance of the hotel regarding its heating-dominant climate. The study also recommends using average annual actual energy consumption data for a time range, instead of picking a single year’s data for validating purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nearly Zero Energy Buildings and their Viability under current and Future Climate Conditions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 4354 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Empirical Reference Evapotranspiration Models Using Compromise Programming: A Case Study of Peninsular Malaysia
by Mohd Khairul Idlan Muhammad, Mohamed Salem Nashwan, Shamsuddin Shahid, Tarmizi bin Ismail, Young Hoon Song and Eun-Sung Chung
Sustainability 2019, 11(16), 4267; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11164267 - 7 Aug 2019
Cited by 115 | Viewed by 6606
Abstract
Selection of appropriate empirical reference evapotranspiration (ETo) estimation models is very important for the management of agriculture, water resources, and environment. Statistical metrics generally used for performance assessment of empirical ETo models, on a station level, often give contradictory results, [...] Read more.
Selection of appropriate empirical reference evapotranspiration (ETo) estimation models is very important for the management of agriculture, water resources, and environment. Statistical metrics generally used for performance assessment of empirical ETo models, on a station level, often give contradictory results, which make the ranking of methods a challenging task. Besides, the ranking of ETo estimation methods for a given study area based on the rank at different stations is also a difficult task. Compromise programming and group decision-making methods have been proposed in this study for the ranking of 31 empirical ETo models for Peninsular Malaysia based on four standard statistical metrics. The result revealed the Penman-Monteith as the most suitable method of estimation of ETo, followed by radiation-based Priestley and Taylor and the mass transfer-based Dalton and Meyer methods. Among the temperature-based methods, Ivanov was found the best. The methodology suggested in this study can be adopted in any other region for an easy but robust evaluation of empirical ETo models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Uncertainty of Climate Change Impacts on Hydrology, Water Quality and Ecology)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 10367 KiB  
Article
Housing Indicators for Sustainable Cities in Middle-Income Countries through the Residential Urban Environment Recognized Using Single-Family Housing Rating Systems
by Héctor Saldaña-Márquez, Diana C. Gámez-García, José M. Gómez-Soberón, Susana P. Arredondo-Rea, Ramón Corral-Higuera and María C. Gómez-Soberón
Sustainability 2019, 11(16), 4276; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11164276 - 7 Aug 2019
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 6552
Abstract
This study presents a comparative analysis of the housing indicators used by the single-family housing rating systems (SHRSs), in which the residential urban environment (RUE) influences buildings’ certification scores, emphasizing the relationships of six systems developed by middle-income countries (MICs)—BEST, CASA, GBI, BERDE, [...] Read more.
This study presents a comparative analysis of the housing indicators used by the single-family housing rating systems (SHRSs), in which the residential urban environment (RUE) influences buildings’ certification scores, emphasizing the relationships of six systems developed by middle-income countries (MICs)—BEST, CASA, GBI, BERDE, Green Homes, and LOTUS—and the two most-recognized rating systems, BREEAM and LEED. The aim is to provide new housing indicators that are capable of bringing the concept of sustainability into the cities of MICs. The results reveal that the percentage of influence that single-family housing (SFH) can achieve in the metric established by each system is relatively low. However, considering all of the identified indicators, this influence could increase to 53.16% of the total score in multi-criteria evaluations. Furthermore, a significant lack of indicators for mandatory criteria evaluations was found, with CASA being the only system that considers their inclusion. This paper identifies 37 indicators for multi-criteria assessments and two for mandatory-criteria assessments, providing new perspectives on several topics. Furthermore, the methodology established to obtain the indicators could be useful for other researchers in the identification of new sustainable indicators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Indicators, Assessment Tools, and Rating Systems for Mainstreaming Sustainability in Urban Planning and Development)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

21 pages, 2023 KiB  
Article
Biowaste Management in Italy: Challenges and Perspectives
by Francesca Demichelis, Francesco Piovano and Silvia Fiore
Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4213; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154213 - 4 Aug 2019
Cited by 41 | Viewed by 7072
Abstract
The aim of this work is the development of a methodology for the technical and environmental assessment of biowaste valorization in 2G biorefineries. Italy was chosen as case study, considering years 2016–2017. Approach: the Italian context was evaluated through the following key [...] Read more.
The aim of this work is the development of a methodology for the technical and environmental assessment of biowaste valorization in 2G biorefineries. Italy was chosen as case study, considering years 2016–2017. Approach: the Italian context was evaluated through the following key parameters: Gross domestic power, climate, demography, and population density distribution described the Italian framework. The four most abundant biowaste categories were defined through their amounts and geo-localization: wastewater and sewage sludge (WSS, 4.06 Mt/y), organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW, 1.7 Mt/y), agricultural livestock waste (ALW, 5.7 Mt/y), and waste deriving from the food industry (FIW, 2.6 Mt/y). The geo-localization and quantitative evaluations of the available biowaste amounts were aimed at defining the dimension and localization of the biorefinery plant and at optimizing supply and transport chains, while the qualitative characteristic were aimed to evaluate the most promising process among thermo-valorization (TH) and anaerobic digestion (AD). Results: All considered biowastes were appropriate for biorefinery processes, since carbon content exceeds 40% and the carbon–nitrogen ratio was between 10 and 30. All biowaste categories were evaluated as feedstocks for two biorefinery processes: anaerobic digestion (AD) and thermo-valorization (TH) with energy recovery. Compared to TH, AD achieved in all cases the best performances in terms of produced energy and avoided CO2 emissions. The primary energy production of AD and TH for WSS, OFMSW, ALW, and FIW were respectively: 7.89 vs. 2.4 kWh/kg; 8.7 vs. 2.6 kWh/kg; 10.85 vs. 5.5 kWh/kg; and 12.5 vs. 7.8 kWh/kg. The main findings of this work were: the adoption of AD was technically more suitable than TH; AD increased the avoided CO2 emissions of 10%–89.9% depending on biowaste category. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biorefining of Biowaste)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 5005 KiB  
Article
The Use of Artificial Intelligence as a Tool Supporting Sustainable Development Local Policy
by Maria Mrówczyńska, Małgorzata Sztubecka, Marta Skiba, Anna Bazan-Krzywoszańska and Przemysław Bejga
Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4199; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154199 - 3 Aug 2019
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 6591
Abstract
This paper addresses the problem of noise in spa protection areas. Its aim is to determine the delimitation of the areas that exceed a permissible noise level around the sanatorium on the example of a health resort in Inowrocław. The determination of the [...] Read more.
This paper addresses the problem of noise in spa protection areas. Its aim is to determine the delimitation of the areas that exceed a permissible noise level around the sanatorium on the example of a health resort in Inowrocław. The determination of the exceedance of permissible noise levels allows us to develop directly effective local policy tools to be included in planning documents. In order to reduce noise infiltration, it is important to define environmental priorities. Taking into account their impact on the health of users in the protection area, environmental priorities enable us to introduce additional elements to street architecture. In order to properly manage space, in accordance with the idea of sustainable development, zones of environmental sensitivity—and their socio-environmental vulnerability—have been designated for assessing damage (exceeding permissible noise in health facilities) and defining methods of building resilience (proper management). This has provided the basis for a natural balance optimized for the people living in these areas. To achieve the goal above, non-linear support vector machine (SVM) networks were used. This technique allows us to classify the linearly inseparable data and to determine the optimal separation margin. The boundaries of the areas which exceeded permissible noise levels (separation margin) were estimated on the basis of noise pollution maps, created by means of the SVM technique. Thus, the study results in establishing buffer zones where it is possible to use varied land utilization in terms of form and function, as described in the planning documents. Such an activity would limit the spread of noise. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Socio-Environmental Vulnerability Assessment for Sustainable Management)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 2160 KiB  
Article
Urban Shrinkage and Sustainability: Assessing the Nexus between Population Density, Urban Structures and Urban Sustainability
by Ondřej Slach, Vojtěch Bosák, Luděk Krtička, Alexandr Nováček and Petr Rumpel
Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4142; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154142 - 1 Aug 2019
Cited by 45 | Viewed by 8769
Abstract
Urban shrinkage has become a common pathway (not only) in post-socialist cities, which represents new challenges for traditionally growth-oriented spatial planning. Though in the post-socialist area, the situation is even worse due to prevailing weak planning culture and resulting uncoordinated development. The case [...] Read more.
Urban shrinkage has become a common pathway (not only) in post-socialist cities, which represents new challenges for traditionally growth-oriented spatial planning. Though in the post-socialist area, the situation is even worse due to prevailing weak planning culture and resulting uncoordinated development. The case of the city of Ostrava illustrates how the problem of (in)efficient infrastructure operation, and maintenance, in already fragmented urban structure is exacerbated by the growing size of urban area (through low-intensity land-use) in combination with declining size of population (due to high rate of outmigration). Shrinkage, however, is, on the intra-urban level, spatially differentiated. Population, paradoxically, most intensively declines in the least financially demanding land-uses and grows in the most expensive land-uses for public administration. As population and urban structure development prove to have strong inertia, this land-use development constitutes a great challenge for a city’s future sustainability. The main objective of the paper is to explore the nexus between change in population density patterns in relation to urban shrinkage, and sustainability of public finance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shrinking Cities—Testing Ground for Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1524 KiB  
Article
Public Support for Sustainable Welfare Compared: Links between Attitudes towards Climate and Welfare Policies
by Martin Fritz and Max Koch
Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4146; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154146 - 1 Aug 2019
Cited by 80 | Viewed by 8998
Abstract
The emerging concept of sustainable welfare attempts to integrate environmental sustainability and social welfare research. Oriented at a mid-term re-embedding of Western production and consumption norms into planetary limits, it suggests the development of “eco-social” policies in the rich countries. In this theoretical [...] Read more.
The emerging concept of sustainable welfare attempts to integrate environmental sustainability and social welfare research. Oriented at a mid-term re-embedding of Western production and consumption norms into planetary limits, it suggests the development of “eco-social” policies in the rich countries. In this theoretical context, this article empirically investigates the relationships between attitudes towards welfare and climate policy in 23 countries. Using 2016 data from the European Social Survey, we explored patterns of synergy between both kinds of policies as well as effects of crowding-out, where support for one kind of policy involves refusing the other. Since previous research addressed the role of welfare states and their institutional foundations in establishing environmentally sustainable societies, we studied how attitudes towards welfare and climate policies differ according to welfare regime affiliation. Additionally, we examined how a range of socio-demographic and political factors such as class, education, income, and political position shape people’s views on welfare and climate policy goals. The results of a multiple correspondence analysis indicate that the simultaneous support of welfare and climate policies follows welfare regime lines in that this support is the highest among social-democratic countries. However, also some conservative and Mediterranean countries score high in this regard. At the individual level, people with a higher education, employees in socio-cultural professions, and voters of moderate left and green parties display the highest mutual support for welfare and climate policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Welfare beyond Growth)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 2826 KiB  
Article
Modelling Environmental Burdens of Indoor-Grown Vegetables and Herbs as Affected by Red and Blue LED Lighting
by Giuseppina Pennisi, Esther Sanyé-Mengual, Francesco Orsini, Andrea Crepaldi, Silvana Nicola, Jesús Ochoa, Juan A. Fernandez and Giorgio Gianquinto
Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4063; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154063 - 27 Jul 2019
Cited by 69 | Viewed by 8490
Abstract
Notwithstanding that indoor farming is claimed to reduce the environmental pressures of food systems, electricity needs are elevated and mainly associated with lighting. To date, however, no studies have quantified the environmental and economic profile of Light Emitting Diodes (LED) lighting in indoor [...] Read more.
Notwithstanding that indoor farming is claimed to reduce the environmental pressures of food systems, electricity needs are elevated and mainly associated with lighting. To date, however, no studies have quantified the environmental and economic profile of Light Emitting Diodes (LED) lighting in indoor farming systems. The goal of this study is to quantify the effect of varying the red (R) and blue (B) LED spectral components (RB ratios of 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4) on the eco-efficiency of indoor production of lettuce, chicory, rocket and sweet basil from a life cycle perspective. The functional unit of the assessment was 1 kg of harvested fresh plant edible product, and the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) method was employed for impact assessment. Even though most of the materials of the LED lamp and electronic elements were imported from long distances (14,400 km), electricity consumption was the largest contributor to the environmental impacts (with the LED lamps being the main electricity consumers, approximately 70%), apart from the resources use indicator, where the materials of the lamps and the mineral nutrients were also relevant. RB0.5 was the most energy-efficient light treatment but had the lowest eco-efficiency scores due to the lower crop yields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urban Agriculture)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 3440 KiB  
Article
Eco-Efficiency Assessment of Japanese Municipalities Based on Environmental Impacts and Gross Regional Product
by Junya Yamasaki, Toshiharu Ikaga and Norihiro Itsubo
Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4045; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154045 - 26 Jul 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5053
Abstract
Governments at different levels need to appreciate the environmental impacts of socioeconomic activities within their boundaries. They also need to decide relevant environmental policies after carefully examining future pathways based on the relationship between the environment and the economy. This study focuses on [...] Read more.
Governments at different levels need to appreciate the environmental impacts of socioeconomic activities within their boundaries. They also need to decide relevant environmental policies after carefully examining future pathways based on the relationship between the environment and the economy. This study focuses on Japanese basic administrative divisions (i.e., municipalities) and attempts to quantify the annual environmental efficiency of processes and socioeconomic activities within each of these divisions using life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA) concepts. A key element of the LCIA is the integration of different environmental loads across various impact categories, such as global warming, air pollution, and land use, and their representation through a simple indicator. First, we conduct annual environmental impact assessments for all Japanese municipalities based on reliable, verifiable, and comparable statistical information. Next, we estimate the environmental efficiency of socioeconomic activities within each division by dividing the gross regional product (GRP) with the environmental damage amounts calculated through LIME2, an LCIA-based tool tailored for Japan. Assessment results for each municipality are visualized on maps of Japan in order to highlight the spatial distribution of the values for each indicator. The findings of this study can aid local, regional, and national governments in Japan to inform environmental policy design and decision-making at different spatial levels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Local Government Responses to Catalyse Sustainable Urban Development)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 1848 KiB  
Article
Supporting Europe’s Energy Policy Towards a Decarbonised Energy System: A Comparative Assessment
by Aikaterini Papapostolou, Charikleia Karakosta, Kalliopi-Anastasia Kourti, Haris Doukas and John Psarras
Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4010; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154010 - 24 Jul 2019
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4118
Abstract
The European Union (EU) aims to prepare its strategy and infrastructure for further decarbonisation of its energy system in the longer term towards 2050. Recent political discussions and research interest focus on ways to accelerate the development and deployment of low-carbon technologies with [...] Read more.
The European Union (EU) aims to prepare its strategy and infrastructure for further decarbonisation of its energy system in the longer term towards 2050. Recent political discussions and research interest focus on ways to accelerate the development and deployment of low-carbon technologies with respect to the targets set for 2030 and 2050. However, the diverse options available that are to be implemented, are policy sensitive and need careful comparative assessment. This paper presents a multi-criteria approach based on an extension of the Preference Ranking Organization METHod for Enrichment of Evaluations (PROMETHEE) method for group decision-making that incorporates fuzzy set theory in order to evaluate alternative transformation pathways for achieving a sustainable energy system in EU. This assessment aims at providing a direction towards a most preferable pathway concept that should be taken into account by a future model-based analysis of the necessary transformation of our energy sector. The results obtained could support policymakers in drawing effective recommendations based on the findings. The added value of this analysis to policymakers is its contribution to plan climate and energy strategies towards a low-carbon transition pathway by using the information of this approach and prioritizing uncertainties through an environmental and energy perspective. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability as a Multi-criteria Concept: New Developments and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 1200 KiB  
Article
Fashion Promotion on Instagram with Eye Tracking: Curvy Girl Influencers Versus Fashion Brands in Spain and Portugal
by Luis Mañas-Viniegra, Ana-Isabel Veloso and Ubaldo Cuesta
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3977; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143977 - 23 Jul 2019
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 11409
Abstract
The rise of Instagram, as the fastest growing social network in Spain and Portugal, and its incorporation into the communication strategies of beauty and fashion brands have posed some risks for younger followers in relation to the development of identity and self-esteem. A [...] Read more.
The rise of Instagram, as the fastest growing social network in Spain and Portugal, and its incorporation into the communication strategies of beauty and fashion brands have posed some risks for younger followers in relation to the development of identity and self-esteem. A physical appearance acceptance movement has also begun, based on interaction with images, on which the social network is also based. The purpose of this research was to determine how attention is paid to fashion promotion and to the awareness of physical appearance acceptance by curvy influencers in comparison with communications by fashion brands on Instagram. The quantitative and qualitative methodology is based on the use of a biometric eye tracking technique applied to a sample of 120 participants from Spain and Portugal, matching the profile of the main users of Instagram: urban university women under 25 years old with an interest in fashion, and a self-perception as a curvy woman. The results point to more attention focused on the imperfections for which curvy influencers are raising awareness than on the fashion they promote when these awareness factors are more visible, as well as more attention focused on the fashion accessories worn by curvy brand models than those worn by the influencers, with specific and significant differences between Spanish and Portuguese audiences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media Influence on Consumer Behaviour)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

26 pages, 3251 KiB  
Review
Interactive Buildings: A Review
by Zahra Fallahi and Gregor P. Henze
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3988; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143988 - 23 Jul 2019
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5675
Abstract
Buildings are widely regarded as potential sources for demand flexibility. The flexibility of thermal and electric load in buildings is a result of their interactive nature and its impact on the building’s performance. In this paper, the interaction of a building with the [...] Read more.
Buildings are widely regarded as potential sources for demand flexibility. The flexibility of thermal and electric load in buildings is a result of their interactive nature and its impact on the building’s performance. In this paper, the interaction of a building with the three interaction counterparts of the physical environment, civil infrastructure networks and other buildings is investigated. The literature review presents a wide variety of pathways of interaction and their associated potential impacts on building performance metrics such as net energy use, emissions, occupant comfort and operational cost. It is demonstrated that all of these counterparts of interaction should be considered to harness the flexibility potential of the buildings while maintaining other buildings performance metrics at a desired level. Juxtaposed with the upside potential for providing demand flexibility, numerous implementation challenges are identified that are associated with the evaluation and financial valuation of the capacity for demand flexibility, the aggregated flexibility potential, as well as the control and communication to facilitate the interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactive Buildings)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 6426 KiB  
Article
Seismic and Energy Retrofit of Apartment Buildings through Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Blocks Infill Walls
by Antonio Artino, Gianpiero Evola, Giuseppe Margani and Edoardo Michele Marino
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3939; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143939 - 19 Jul 2019
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 5019
Abstract
All around the world, a huge amount of buildings have been built before the enforcement of specific codes for seismic resistance and energy efficiency. Particularly in Italy, over 74% of residential buildings were constructed before 1980, when only 25% of the territory was [...] Read more.
All around the world, a huge amount of buildings have been built before the enforcement of specific codes for seismic resistance and energy efficiency. Particularly in Italy, over 74% of residential buildings were constructed before 1980, when only 25% of the territory was classified as seismic, and nearly 86% were built before 1991, when the first restrictive regulation on energy efficiency was issued. This means that most buildings need both seismic and energy renovation actions to improve their sustainability level. The proposed combined retrofit strategy for reinforced concrete framed buildings is based on the replacement of the external layer of double-leaf infill walls, made of hollow bricks, with high-performing AAC blocks: this solution can be implemented by operating mainly from the outside of the building, thus reducing occupants’ disruption during retrofitting. The generally neglected structural contribution of masonry infill panels is here considered using a recently developed macro-element modeling approach. The results suggest that, from a structural viewpoint, the proposed intervention involves the highest improvement at the damage limitation limit state, while lower upgrades are recorded at life safety limit state and near-collapse limit state. In regards to the energy issues, the energy demand can be reduced by 10% and 4% for heating and cooling, respectively, just by replacing the outer layer of blocks; further savings can be achieved through the application of a supplementary insulation layer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Energy Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 4653 KiB  
Article
A Comparative Study of En Route Refuelling Behaviours of Conventional and Electric Vehicles in Beijing, China
by Chengxiang Zhuge, Chunfu Shao and Xia Li
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3869; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143869 - 16 Jul 2019
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4353
Abstract
A comparative study is carried out to investigate the differences among conventional vehicles (CVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the maximum acceptable time of diverting to a refuelling station, maximum acceptable time of queueing at a refuelling [...] Read more.
A comparative study is carried out to investigate the differences among conventional vehicles (CVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the maximum acceptable time of diverting to a refuelling station, maximum acceptable time of queueing at a refuelling station, refuelling modes and desirable electric driving ranges, using Beijing, China, as a case study. Here, several multinomial logit (MNL) models are developed to relate the diverting and waiting times to individual attributes. The results suggest that, (1) the diverting time roughly follows a normal distribution for both CVs and electric vehicles (EVs), but the difference between them is slight; (2) EVs tend to bear longer waiting time above 10 min; (3) the MNL models indicate that income and the level of education tend to be more statistically significant to both the diverting and waiting times; (4) the most preferred driving ranges obtained for BEVs and PHEVs are both around 50 km, indicating that EV drivers may just prefer to charge for a specific time ranging from 8 to 10 min. Finally, ways to apply the empirical findings in planning refuelling and charging stations are discussed with specific examples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 888 KiB  
Review
Environmental Sustainability: A Review of Termite Mound Soil Material and Its Bacteria
by Ben Jesuorsemwen Enagbonma and Olubukola Oluranti Babalola
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3847; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143847 - 15 Jul 2019
Cited by 42 | Viewed by 8700
Abstract
The high quantity of nutrients accumulated in termite mound soils have placed termite mound as a ‘gold mine’ for bacteria concentrations. However, over the years, not much attention has been given to the bacteria present in termite mound soil. This is because many [...] Read more.
The high quantity of nutrients accumulated in termite mound soils have placed termite mound as a ‘gold mine’ for bacteria concentrations. However, over the years, not much attention has been given to the bacteria present in termite mound soil. This is because many studies have focused on approaches to manage termites which they see as menace to agricultural crops and buildings. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the potential application of termite mound soil material and its bacteria for biotechnological purposes. This review has been grouped into four key parts: The termite mound as hotspot for bacterial concentration, the degradation of lignocellulose for biofuel production, termite mound soil as a soil amendment, and the role of termite mound soil and its bacteria in bioremediation and bio-filtration. Therefore, the effective usage of the termite mound soil material and its bacteria in an ecofriendly manner could ensure environmental sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1043 KiB  
Article
Recycling Agricultural Wastes and By-products in Organic Farming: Biofertilizer Production, Yield Performance and Carbon Footprint Analysis
by Mariangela Diacono, Alessandro Persiani, Elena Testani, Francesco Montemurro and Corrado Ciaccia
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3824; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143824 - 12 Jul 2019
Cited by 154 | Viewed by 17217
Abstract
The Circular Economy concept implies the re-design of existing production systems in agriculture, by promoting agricultural waste recycling. In an organic zucchini—lettuce rotation, two different agroecological tools were considered: biofertilizer and presence or absence of green manure (GM+ and GM−). In particular, we [...] Read more.
The Circular Economy concept implies the re-design of existing production systems in agriculture, by promoting agricultural waste recycling. In an organic zucchini—lettuce rotation, two different agroecological tools were considered: biofertilizer and presence or absence of green manure (GM+ and GM−). In particular, we compared: (i) anaerobic digestate from cattle manure, co-composted with vegetable wastes, with the presence of GM (AD GM+); (ii) olive pomace compost, re-composted, with the presence of GM (OWC GM+); (iii) municipal waste compost with GM (MWC GM+); (iv) municipal waste compost without GM (MWC GM−). These materials were tested with a commercial organic fertilizer without GM (COF GM−) as a positive control. The objectives were: (i) assessing the environmental sustainability of biofertilizers through carbon footprint analysis by greenhouse gas—GHG—emissions; (ii) evaluating the agronomic performance on the vegetable rotation, by energy output assessment. The total carbon emissions of biofertilizers production was 63.9 and 67.0 kg of CO2 eq Mg−1 for AD and OWC, respectively. The co-composting and re-composting processes emitted 31.4 and 8.4 kg CO2 per Mg of compost, respectively. In AD the ventilation phase of composting accounted for 37.2% of total emissions. The total CO2 emission values for the two-crop cycles were the highest in COF GM− and the lowest in OWC GM+, due to different fertilizer sources. On the average of the treatments, the input that induced the highest CO2 emission was irrigation (37.9%). The energy output assessment for zucchini and lettuce highlighted similar performance for all the treatments. Our findings demonstrated the validity of the tested processes to recycle agro-industrial wastes, and the potential of agroecological practices (GM) to mitigate GHG emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recycling and Valorising Waste from the Agri-food Sector for Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 8051 KiB  
Article
Design and Validation of a Computational Program for Analysing Mental Maps: Aram Mental Map Analyzer
by Farshid Aram, Ebrahim Solgi, Ester Higueras García, Danial Mohammadzadeh S., Amir Mosavi and Shahaboddin Shamshirband
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3790; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143790 - 11 Jul 2019
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 7077
Abstract
Considering citizens’ perceptions of their living environment is very helpful in making the right decisions for city planners who intend to build a sustainable society. Mental map analyses are widely used in understanding the level of perception of individuals regarding the surrounding environment. [...] Read more.
Considering citizens’ perceptions of their living environment is very helpful in making the right decisions for city planners who intend to build a sustainable society. Mental map analyses are widely used in understanding the level of perception of individuals regarding the surrounding environment. The present study introduces Aram Mental Map Analyzer (AMMA), an open-source program, which allows researchers to use special features and new analytical methods to receive outputs in numerical data and analytical maps with greater accuracy and speed. AMMA performance is contingent upon two principles of accuracy and complexity, the accuracy of the program is measured by Accuracy Placed Landmarks (APL) and General Orientation (GO), which respectively analyses the landmark placement accuracy and the main route mapping accuracy. Also, the complexity section is examined through two analyses Cell Percentage (CP) and General Structure (GS), which calculates the complexity of citizens’ perception of space based on the criteria derived from previous studies. AMMA examines all the dimensions and features of the graphic maps and its outputs have a wide range of valid and differentiated information, which is tailored to the research and information subject matter that is required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Urban Planning and Land Management)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 1290 KiB  
Review
Ecological Urban Planning and Design: A Systematic Literature Review
by Angela Heymans, Jessica Breadsell, Gregory M. Morrison, Joshua J. Byrne and Christine Eon
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3723; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133723 - 8 Jul 2019
Cited by 120 | Viewed by 32180
Abstract
Urbanization is a defining feature of the modern age, yet the current model of urban development profoundly alters the natural environment, often reducing biodiversity and ultimately threatening human wellbeing. An ecologically based urban planning and design paradigm should consider a more harmonious relationship. [...] Read more.
Urbanization is a defining feature of the modern age, yet the current model of urban development profoundly alters the natural environment, often reducing biodiversity and ultimately threatening human wellbeing. An ecologically based urban planning and design paradigm should consider a more harmonious relationship. Through a systematic literature review of 57 papers, this research identified relevant concepts and theories that could underpin this new paradigm. It revealed a noticeable increase in academic interest in this subject since 2013 and the development of concepts and theories that reflect a more holistic socio-ecological systems approach to urban planning and design based on a transdisciplinary integration and synthesis of research. Seven main themes underpin the academic literature: ecosystem services, socio-ecological systems, resilience, biodiversity, landscape, green infrastructure, as well as integrated and holistic approaches. Six of these can be organised into either a sustainability stream or a spatial stream, representing the foundations of a potential new ecological urban planning and design paradigm that applies sustainability-related concepts in a spatial setting. The final theme, integrated and holistic, includes concepts that reflect the fundamental characteristics of this new paradigm, which can be termed ‘urban consonance’. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Urban Planning and Land Management)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1553 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Development of Coastal Food Services
by Mariia Iamkovaia, Manuel Arcila, Filomena Cardoso Martins and Alfredo Izquierdo
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3728; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133728 - 8 Jul 2019
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 8360
Abstract
Coastal food services are an important segment within ‘sea and sun’ tourism. They have a direct impact on the environment from liquid and solid waste generation, air contamination, and excessive energy and water consumption. Mass tourism and the contemporary threat of climate change [...] Read more.
Coastal food services are an important segment within ‘sea and sun’ tourism. They have a direct impact on the environment from liquid and solid waste generation, air contamination, and excessive energy and water consumption. Mass tourism and the contemporary threat of climate change enhance the anthropogenic intrusion, especially in vulnerable coastal zones. To prevent overexploitation of the coastal zones, the adaptation of the sustainable principles by coastal stakeholders is an urgent matter. Thus, this study aims to design a model of sustainable development for restaurants and to examine the level of its adoption by seaside restaurant owners in two touristic beach areas of Cadiz province, Spain. A questionnaire was performed during the high summer season in 2018. The obtained data was analysed by IBM SPSS software. The survey results showed that the model of sustainable development has been poorly adopted by restaurant managers. Foreign managers of international restaurants are less involved in the adoption of the sustainable model in comparison to Spanish restaurant owners. Moreover, restaurants that have been opened more than 10–20 years provide a more sustainable way of business operation in comparison with newly established food service organizations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 8143 KiB  
Article
Rapid Intensification of Typhoon Hato (2017) over Shallow Water
by Iam-Fei Pun, Johnny C. L. Chan, I.-I. Lin, Kelvin T. F. Chan, James F. Price, Dong Shan Ko, Chun-Chi Lien, Yu-Lun Wu and Hsiao-Ching Huang
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3709; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133709 - 6 Jul 2019
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 6656
Abstract
On 23 August, 2017, Typhoon Hato rapidly intensified by 10 kt within 3 h just prior to landfall in the city of Macau along the South China coast. Hato’s surface winds in excess of 50 m s−1 devastated the city, causing unprecedented [...] Read more.
On 23 August, 2017, Typhoon Hato rapidly intensified by 10 kt within 3 h just prior to landfall in the city of Macau along the South China coast. Hato’s surface winds in excess of 50 m s−1 devastated the city, causing unprecedented damage and social impact. This study reveals that anomalously warm ocean conditions in the nearshore shallow water (depth < 30 m) likely played a key role in Hato’s fast intensification. In particular, cooling of the sea surface temperature (SST) generated by Hato at the critical landfall point was estimated to be only 0.1–0.5 °C. The results from both a simple ocean mixing scheme and full dynamical ocean model indicate that SST cooling was minimized in the shallow coastal waters due to a lack of cool water at depth. Given the nearly invariant SST in the coastal waters, we estimate a large amount of heat flux, i.e., 1.9k W m−2, during the landfall period. Experiments indicate that in the absence of shallow bathymetry, and thus, if nominal cool water had been available for vertical mixing, the SST cooling would have been enhanced from 0.1 °C to 1.4 °C, and sea to air heat flux reduced by about a quarter. Numerical simulations with an atmospheric model suggest that the intensity of Hato was very sensitive to air-sea heat flux in the coastal region, indicating the critical importance of coastal ocean hydrography. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Climate Change on the Ocean-Atmosphere System: Understanding, Adaptation and Sustainable Development)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 4507 KiB  
Article
Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Generation: A Lifeline for the European Coal Regions in Transition
by Katalin Bódis, Ioannis Kougias, Nigel Taylor and Arnulf Jäger-Waldau
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3703; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133703 - 5 Jul 2019
Cited by 48 | Viewed by 21366
Abstract
The use of coal for electricity generation is the main emitter of Greenhous Gas Emissions worldwide. According to the International Energy Agency, these emissions have to be reduced by more than 70% by 2040 to stay on track for the 1.5–2 °C scenario [...] Read more.
The use of coal for electricity generation is the main emitter of Greenhous Gas Emissions worldwide. According to the International Energy Agency, these emissions have to be reduced by more than 70% by 2040 to stay on track for the 1.5–2 °C scenario suggested by the Paris Agreement. To ensure a socially fair transition towards the phase-out of coal, the European Commission introduced the Coal Regions in Transition initiative in late 2017. The present paper analyses to what extent the use of photovoltaic electricity generation systems can help with this transition in the coal regions of the European Union (EU). A spatially explicit methodology was developed to assess the solar photovoltaic (PV) potential in selected regions where open-cast coal mines are planned to cease operation in the near future. Different types of solar PV systems were considered including ground-mounted systems developed either on mining land or its surroundings. Furthermore, the installation of rooftop solar PV systems on the existing building stock was also analysed. The obtained results show that the available area in those regions is abundant and that solar PV systems could fully substitute the current electricity generation of coal-fired power plants in the analysed regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 4229 KiB  
Article
Simulation of Spatiotemporal Land Use Changes for Integrated Model of Socioeconomic and Ecological Processes in China
by Honglei Jiang, Xia Xu, Mengxi Guan, Lingfei Wang, Yongmei Huang and Yinghui Liu
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3627; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133627 - 2 Jul 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3772
Abstract
Land use/land cover changes (LULCC) have been affected by ecological processes as well as socioeconomic and human activities, resulting in several environmental problems. The study of the human–environment system combined with land use/land cover dynamics has received considerable attention in recent decades. We [...] Read more.
Land use/land cover changes (LULCC) have been affected by ecological processes as well as socioeconomic and human activities, resulting in several environmental problems. The study of the human–environment system combined with land use/land cover dynamics has received considerable attention in recent decades. We aimed to provide an integrated model that couples land use, socioeconomic influences, and ecosystem processes to explore the future dynamics of land use under two scenarios in China. Under Scenario A, the yield of grain continues to increase, and under Scenario B, the yield of grain remains constant. This study created a LULCC model by integrating a simple global socioeconomic model, a Terrestrial ecosystem simulator (TESim), and a land use allocation model. The results were analyzed by comparing spatiotemporal differences under predicted land use conditions in the two alternative scenarios. The simulation results showed patterns that varied between the two scenarios. In Scenario A, grassland will expand in the future and a large reduction in cropland will be observed. In Scenario B, the augmented expansion of cropland and a drastic shrinkage of forest area will be the main land use conversion features. Scenario A is more promising because more land is preserved for ecological restoration and urbanization, which is in line with China’s Grain for Green Program. Economic development should be based on ecological protection. The results are expected to add insight to sustainable land use development and regional natural resource management in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1018 KiB  
Article
Environmental and Economic Benefits from the Phase-out of Residential Oil Heating: A Study from the Aosta Valley Region (Italy)
by Alessandro Casasso, Pietro Capodaglio, Fulvio Simonetto and Rajandrea Sethi
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3633; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133633 - 2 Jul 2019
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4012
Abstract
Although its use is declining, oil heating is still used in areas not covered by the methane grid. Oil heating is becoming more and more expensive, requires frequent tank refill operations, and has high emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutants such [...] Read more.
Although its use is declining, oil heating is still used in areas not covered by the methane grid. Oil heating is becoming more and more expensive, requires frequent tank refill operations, and has high emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutants such as SOx. In addition, spills from oil underground storage tanks (USTs) represent a serious environmental threat to soil and groundwater quality. In this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis on technical alternatives to oil heating with reference to the Aosta Valley (NW Italy), where this fuel is still often used and numerous UST spills have been reported in the last 20 years. We assess operational issues, GHG and pollutant emissions, and unit costs of the heat produced for several techniques: LPG boilers, wood boilers (logs, chips, pellets) and heat pumps (air-source, geothermal closed-loop and open-loop systems). We examine the investment to implement such solutions in two typical cases, a detached house and a block of flats, deriving payback times of about 3–8 years. Wood log boilers turn out to be the most economically convenient solutions; however, heat pumps provide several benefits from the operational and environmental points of view. In addition, including solar thermal panels for domestic hot water or a photovoltaic plant would have payback times of about 6–9 years. The results highlight the economic feasibility and the multiple benefits of a rapid phase-out of oil heating in Italy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Energy Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 577 KiB  
Article
Factors Influencing Construction Waste Generation in Building Construction: Thailand’s Perspective
by Chakkrit Luangcharoenrat, Singh Intrachooto, Vachara Peansupap and Wandee Sutthinarakorn
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3638; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133638 - 2 Jul 2019
Cited by 189 | Viewed by 17182
Abstract
Rapid growth in construction activities as a result of a growing population and urbanization in many parts of the world generates a large amount of waste from construction. To reduce and manage these wastes, a comprehensive understanding of the construction waste generation factors [...] Read more.
Rapid growth in construction activities as a result of a growing population and urbanization in many parts of the world generates a large amount of waste from construction. To reduce and manage these wastes, a comprehensive understanding of the construction waste generation factors is needed. The purpose of this study is to identify the contributing factors of construction waste in Thailand’s construction industry. The causes of construction waste were identified through an extensive literature review. A total of 28 causes of construction waste were identified and grouped into the four categories: design and documentation, material and procurement, construction method and planning, and human resources. To determine the significant level of each factor, a structured questionnaire survey was carried out to gather information from contractors about causes of construction material waste. The results show that the categories contributing to construction waste ranks as design and documentation, human resources, construction methods and planning, and material and procurement, respectively. Meanwhile, factors from each category were also determined and ranked. Design change, inattentive working attitudes and behaviors, ineffective planning and scheduling, and material storage were among the highest impact factors on construction waste generation in each category. Identifying the significance levels of waste generation factors will help the industry’s stakeholders build suitable strategies to manage construction waste more effectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 5063 KiB  
Review
Choosing Physical, Physicochemical and Chemical Methods of Pre-Treating Lignocellulosic Wastes to Repurpose into Solid Fuels
by Martin J. Taylor, Hassan A. Alabdrabalameer and Vasiliki Skoulou
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3604; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133604 - 30 Jun 2019
Cited by 67 | Viewed by 8564
Abstract
Various methods of physical, chemical and combined physicochemical pre-treatments for lignocellulosic biomass waste valorisation to value-added feedstock/solid fuels for downstream processes in chemical industries have been reviewed. The relevant literature was scrutinized for lignocellulosic waste applicability in advanced thermochemical treatments for either energy [...] Read more.
Various methods of physical, chemical and combined physicochemical pre-treatments for lignocellulosic biomass waste valorisation to value-added feedstock/solid fuels for downstream processes in chemical industries have been reviewed. The relevant literature was scrutinized for lignocellulosic waste applicability in advanced thermochemical treatments for either energy or liquid fuels. By altering the overall naturally occurring bio-polymeric matrix of lignocellulosic biomass waste, individual components such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin can be accessed for numerous downstream processes such as pyrolysis, gasification and catalytic upgrading to value-added products such as low carbon energy. Assessing the appropriate lignocellulosic pre-treatment technology is critical to suit the downstream process of both small- and large-scale operations. The cost to operate the process (temperature, pressure or energy constraints), the physical and chemical structure of the feedstock after pre-treatment (decomposition/degradation, removal of inorganic components or organic solubilization) or the ability to scale up the pre-treating process must be considered so that the true value in the use of bio-renewable waste can be revealed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuels–Bioenergy Waste to Value Added Feedstock)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 5419 KiB  
Article
Spatial-Temporal Changes in Soil Organic Carbon and pH in the Liaoning Province of China: A Modeling Analysis Based on Observational Data
by Li Qi, Shuai Wang, Qianlai Zhuang, Zijiao Yang, Shubin Bai, Xinxin Jin and Guangyu Lei
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3569; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133569 - 28 Jun 2019
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4822
Abstract
Quantification of soil organic carbon (SOC) and pH, and their spatial variations at regional scales, is a foundation to adequately assess agriculture, pollution control, or environmental health and ecosystem functioning, so as to establish better practices for land use and land management. In [...] Read more.
Quantification of soil organic carbon (SOC) and pH, and their spatial variations at regional scales, is a foundation to adequately assess agriculture, pollution control, or environmental health and ecosystem functioning, so as to establish better practices for land use and land management. In this study, we used the random forest (RF) model to map the distribution of SOC and pH in the topsoil (0–20 cm) and estimate SOC and pH changes from 1982 to 2012 in Liaoning Province, Northeast China. A total of 10 covariates (elevation, slope gradient, topographic wetness index (TWI), mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP), visible-red band 3 (B3), near-infrared band 4 (B4), short-wave infrared band 5 (B5), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and land-use data) and a set of 806 (in 1982) and 973 (in 2012) soil samples were selected. Cross-validation technology was used to test the performance and uncertainty of the RF model. We found that the prediction R2 of SOC and pH was 0.69 and 0.54 for 1982, and 0.63 and 0.48 for 2012, respectively. Elevation, NDVI, and land use are the main environmental variables affecting the spatial variability of SOC in both periods. Correspondingly, the topographic wetness index and mean annual precipitation were the two most critical environmental variables affecting the spatial variation of pH. The mean SOC and pH decreased from 18.6 to 16.9 kg−1 and 6.9 to 6.6, respectively, over a 30-year period. SOC distribution generated using the RF model showed a decreasing SOC trend from east to west across the city in the two periods. In contrast, the spatial distribution of pH showed an opposite trend in both periods. This study provided important information of spatial variations in SOC and pH to agencies and communities in this region, to evaluate soil quality and make decisions on remediation and prevention of soil acidification and salinization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Agriculture)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 706 KiB  
Article
Projection of Long-Term Care Costs in China, 2020–2050: Based on the Bayesian Quantile Regression Method
by Xiaocang Xu and Linhong Chen
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3530; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133530 - 27 Jun 2019
Cited by 86 | Viewed by 8014
Abstract
The aging population in China highlights the significance of elderly long-term care (LTC) services. The number of people aged 65 and above increased from 96 million in 2003 to 150 million in 2016, some of whom were disabled due to chronic diseases or [...] Read more.
The aging population in China highlights the significance of elderly long-term care (LTC) services. The number of people aged 65 and above increased from 96 million in 2003 to 150 million in 2016, some of whom were disabled due to chronic diseases or the natural effects of aging on bodily functions. Therefore, the measurement of future LTC costs is of crucial value. Following the basic framework but using different empirical methods from those presented in previous literature, this paper attempts to use the Bayesian quantile regression (BQR) method, which has many advantages over traditional linear regression. Another innovation consists of setting and measuring the high, middle, and low levels of LTC cost prediction for each disability state among the elderly in 2020–2050. Our projections suggest that by 2020, LTC costs will increase to median values of 39.46, 8.98, and 20.25 billion dollars for mild, moderate, and severe disabilities, respectively; these numbers will reach 141.7, 32.28, and 72.78 billion dollars by 2050. The median level of daily life care for mild, moderate, and severe disabilities will increase to 26.23, 6.36, and 27 billion dollars. Our results showed that future LTC cost increases will be enormous, and therefore, the establishment of a reasonable individual-social-government payment mechanism is necessary for the LTC system. The future design of an LTCI system must take into account a variety of factors, including the future elderly population, different care conditions, the financial burden of the government, etc., in order to maintain the sustainable development of the LTC system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aging: Healthcare, Inequalities, Challenges and Trends)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 544 KiB  
Article
Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Environmental Performance
by Zhenghui Li, Hao Dong, Zimei Huang and Pierre Failler
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3538; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133538 - 27 Jun 2019
Cited by 72 | Viewed by 8379
Abstract
The paper presents the results of a study that attempts to investigate the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on environmental performance (EP) by constructing a panel quantile regression model. Based on panel data from 1990 to 2014, this study contributes to evaluate [...] Read more.
The paper presents the results of a study that attempts to investigate the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on environmental performance (EP) by constructing a panel quantile regression model. Based on panel data from 1990 to 2014, this study contributes to evaluate the EP of each of the 40 countries using a directional slack-based model considering undesirable output. Our findings reveal several key conclusions: first, FDI has an insignificant influence on EP for the full sample. Second, the impact of FDI on EP between developed and developing countries exists heterogeneity. Furthermore, there is heterogeneity regarding the effect of FDI on EP at different quantiles of EP in developed countries. Specifically, in the developed countries, the effect is statistically insignificant at the lower quantile of EP, then it turns significantly positive at the middle and high quantile, and the positive effect rises with the increase of quantiles of EP. Finally, based on the conclusions of quantitative analysis, some important policy recommendations are proposed: different governments ought to enact different strategies for the introduction of FDI, according to different development situations of different countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Dynamic Relationship between Energy Consumption, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, and Economic Growth)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 7537 KiB  
Article
Towards a Baseline for Food-Waste Quantification in the Hospitality Sector—Quantities and Data Processing Criteria
by Christopher Malefors, Pieter Callewaert, Per-Anders Hansson, Hanna Hartikainen, Oona Pietiläinen, Ingrid Strid, Christina Strotmann and Mattias Eriksson
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3541; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133541 - 27 Jun 2019
Cited by 73 | Viewed by 10612
Abstract
There is an urgent need for primary data collection on food waste to obtain solid quantification data that can be used as an indicator in the goal of halving food waste by 2030. This study examined how quality baselines for food waste can [...] Read more.
There is an urgent need for primary data collection on food waste to obtain solid quantification data that can be used as an indicator in the goal of halving food waste by 2030. This study examined how quality baselines for food waste can be achieved within the different segments of the hospitality sector, encompassing establishments such as canteens, elderly care units, hospitals, hotels, preschools, primary schools, restaurants, and upper secondary schools. The empirical material comprised food-waste quantification data measured in 1189 kitchens in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Germany for 58,812 quantification days and 23 million portions. All the data were converted to a common format for analysis. According to the findings, around 20% of food served became waste. Waste per portion varied widely between establishments, ranging from 50.1 ± 9.4 g/portion for canteens to 192 ± 30 g/portion for restaurants. To identify the measurement precision needed for tracking changes over time, we suggest statistical measures that could be used in future studies or in different food-waste tracking initiatives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges of Managing Organic Waste)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 4363 KiB  
Article
A Novel on Transmission Line Tower Big Data Analysis Model Using Altered K-means and ADQL
by Se-Hoon Jung and Jun-Ho Huh
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3499; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133499 - 26 Jun 2019
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4005
Abstract
This study sought to propose a big data analysis and prediction model for transmission line tower outliers to assess when something is wrong with transmission line tower big data based on deep reinforcement learning. The model enables choosing automatic cluster K values based [...] Read more.
This study sought to propose a big data analysis and prediction model for transmission line tower outliers to assess when something is wrong with transmission line tower big data based on deep reinforcement learning. The model enables choosing automatic cluster K values based on non-labeled sensor big data. It also allows measuring the distance of action between data inside a cluster with the Q-value representing network output in the altered transmission line tower big data clustering algorithm containing transmission line tower outliers and old Deep Q Network. Specifically, this study performed principal component analysis to categorize transmission line tower data and proposed an automatic initial central point approach through standard normal distribution. It also proposed the A-Deep Q-Learning algorithm altered from the deep Q-Learning algorithm to explore policies based on the experiences of clustered data learning. It can be used to perform transmission line tower outlier data learning based on the distance of data within a cluster. The performance evaluation results show that the proposed model recorded an approximately 2.29%~4.19% higher prediction rate and around 0.8% ~ 4.3% higher accuracy rate compared to the old transmission line tower big data analysis model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artificial Intelligence for Renewable Energy Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 3893 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Land-Use Change on Habitat Quality during 1985–2015 in the Taihu Lake Basin
by Liting Xu, Sophia Shuang Chen, Yu Xu, Guangyu Li and Weizhong Su
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3513; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133513 - 26 Jun 2019
Cited by 110 | Viewed by 6171
Abstract
Habitat quality (HQ) is of great significance to regional sustainable development, which is a key link for regional ecological security and human welfare. Assessing the temporal and spatial evolution of HQ caused by land-use change could provide a scientific basis for regional ecological [...] Read more.
Habitat quality (HQ) is of great significance to regional sustainable development, which is a key link for regional ecological security and human welfare. Assessing the temporal and spatial evolution of HQ caused by land-use change could provide a scientific basis for regional ecological protection and land management. Here, based on the ArcGIS platform and the InVEST model, this study quantified the spatial and temporal evolutions of land use, landscape patterns, and HQ from 1985 to 2015, in Taihu Lake Basin (TLB). Hotspot analysis tools were used to identify the spatial agglomeration and evolution characteristics of HQ in TLB. The results showed that, (1) the land use and landscape pattern in TLB experienced dramatic change process during 1985–2015, with the dominating conversion being from farmland to construction land, which led to an increase in landscape heterogeneity and fragmentation. (2) The HQ was generally reduced in the past 30 years. In particular, the decline of HQ was extremely severe in the peripheral area of cities and roads, due to urban sprawl. (3) Regarding the spatial distribution of HQ, the northern and eastern areas were generally higher, while the western and southern areas were generally lower. The hotspots areas were mainly located in the southwestern mountain area and west-central lake area, while the cold spots areas were mainly located in urban areas in the north and the east. (4) The area and degree of habitat degradation were both increased significantly due to land-use change, and the degradation of the Taihu Lake was highlighted. Strengthening the ecological environment management and reducing the threat of urban expansion to the HQ is urgently required. This study could help understand HQ of the TLB and provide a scientific basis for decision-makers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 3552 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Sewage Sludge Management: From Current Practices to Emerging Nutrient Recovery Technologies
by Sina Shaddel, Hamidreza Bakhtiary-Davijany, Christian Kabbe, Farbod Dadgar and Stein W. Østerhus
Sustainability 2019, 11(12), 3435; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123435 - 21 Jun 2019
Cited by 148 | Viewed by 13421
Abstract
Nutrient recovery from secondary resources, such as wastewater, has received increasing attention in recent years. Nutrient cycle sustainability and recycling approaches are important measures under development and considerations. This paper aims to present an overview of routes and technologies for nutrient recovery from [...] Read more.
Nutrient recovery from secondary resources, such as wastewater, has received increasing attention in recent years. Nutrient cycle sustainability and recycling approaches are important measures under development and considerations. This paper aims to present an overview of routes and technologies for nutrient recovery from sewage sludge and measures for improving their sustainability. First, current routes for nutrient recovery from sewage sludge are briefly reviewed. Next, an overview of commercial nutrient recovery technologies, projects, and emerging techniques around the world with the key factors for a successful phosphorus recovery technology is presented. Finally, a proposal for improving the sustainability of these practices is presented. It is concluded that the gap between demand and supply can be a major driver for the shift from ‘removal and treat’ to ‘recovery and reuse’. Moreover, there is not, and will never be, a one-size-fits-all solution. Future strategies and roadmaps need to be adapted to the local economy and geographical context more than ever. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Waste Management and Application of the Principles of the Circular Economy)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 2823 KiB  
Article
Semi-Continuous Anaerobic Digestion of Orange Peel Waste: Effect of Activated Carbon Addition and Alkaline Pretreatment on the Process
by Paolo S. Calabrò, Filippo Fazzino, Adele Folino, Emilia Paone and Dimitrios Komilis
Sustainability 2019, 11(12), 3386; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123386 - 19 Jun 2019
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 4923
Abstract
The valorization of orange peel waste (OPW) is sought worldwide mainly via anaerobic digestion. A common problem encountered during the biological treatment is the seasonality of its production and the presence of d-Limonene. The latter is a typical anti-microbial compound. This work aims [...] Read more.
The valorization of orange peel waste (OPW) is sought worldwide mainly via anaerobic digestion. A common problem encountered during the biological treatment is the seasonality of its production and the presence of d-Limonene. The latter is a typical anti-microbial compound. This work aims to evaluate the effect of the use of granular activated carbon (GAC) combined with alkaline pretreatment to enhance methane generation during semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of OPW. The experimental design consisted of two groups of experiments, A and B. Experiment A was designed to verify the maximum OPW loading and to assess the effect of pH and nutrients on the process. Experiment B was designed to study the effect of alkaline pretreatment alone and of alkaline pretreatment aided by biochar addition to the process. Apart from the methane yields, the d-Limonene contents were measured in all experiments. The preliminary results showed that OPW alkaline pretreatment after the addition of a moderate amount of GAC can render anaerobic digestion of OPW sustainable as long as the organic loading does not exceed 2 gVS·L−1·day−1 and nutrients are supplemented. The experiment in which GAC was added after alkaline pretreatment resulted in the highest methane yield and reactor stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biorefining of Biowaste)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 3622 KiB  
Article
The Nexus between Socio-Ecological System, Livelihood Resilience, and Migration Decisions: Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh
by Bishawjit Mallick
Sustainability 2019, 11(12), 3332; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123332 - 17 Jun 2019
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 8388
Abstract
This research aims to ascertain how, and to what extent, livelihood resilience influences migration decisions (to migrate or not to migrate) of people who live in vulnerable socio-ecological systems (SESs). To do so, first, the characteristics of different SESs are determined; secondly, livelihood [...] Read more.
This research aims to ascertain how, and to what extent, livelihood resilience influences migration decisions (to migrate or not to migrate) of people who live in vulnerable socio-ecological systems (SESs). To do so, first, the characteristics of different SESs are determined; secondly, livelihood resilience across the SESs are analysed; and finally, the influence of livelihood resilience on the ‘migration decision’ (i.e., to migrate or not to migrate) is explained. The explanation of migration is based on the patterns, location, purpose, scope, and extent of migration. This paper addresses these issues based on empirical evidence from five rural coastal communities in Bangladesh. Findings show that resilient people would like to stay put and the decision differs across SESs, for example, the majority of people living in salt-shrimp-dependent SESs intended to migrate in the future, whereas the majority of people living in rain-fed agriculture-dependent SESs preferred to not migrate. Thus, the ability to migrate is therefore not only dependent on economic capability but also on the socio-ecological context of the place in which people live. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sustainability in Geographic Science)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 286 KiB  
Article
Community Supported Agriculture Farmers’ Perceptions of Management Benefits and Drawbacks
by Antonella Samoggia, Chiara Perazzolo, Piroska Kocsis and Margherita Del Prete
Sustainability 2019, 11(12), 3262; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123262 - 13 Jun 2019
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 9010
Abstract
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a direct partnership between producer(s) and a group of consumers/members to share the risks and responsibilities of farming activities. CSA aims at producing and providing environmentally, socially, economically, and nutritionally sustainable food. Past research has focused on CSA [...] Read more.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a direct partnership between producer(s) and a group of consumers/members to share the risks and responsibilities of farming activities. CSA aims at producing and providing environmentally, socially, economically, and nutritionally sustainable food. Past research has focused on CSA members’ motivations. This research aims to gain a better understanding of CSA farmers’ perceived benefits and drawbacks in managing a CSA farm, and whether CSA management perception varies in different countries. The research collected data from 35 farmers that were based in the United States (US) and Hungary (HU). Data elaboration includes a one-way Anova test, Chi-square test, principal component analysis, and multiple multivariate linear regressions. The results support that US and HU farmers have similar positive perceptions of CSA farming management, especially in food quality, nutritional value products, environmental, and community benefits. The main differences concentrate on economic, financial, and management perceptions. CSA success as an alternative agro-food production and distribution system relies on the capability to involve CSA members. Therefore, CSA farmers’ management skills may evolve to ensure the performance of communication and community engaging practices. The main CSA concern is ensuring a fair income and living wage for the farmers and labor force. There is a need for better balancing non-monetary and monetary benefits for the farmers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management of Community Supported Agriculture)
22 pages, 3621 KiB  
Article
Analysing Stakeholder Consensus for a Sustainable Transport Development Decision by the Fuzzy AHP and Interval AHP
by Sarbast Moslem, Omid Ghorbanzadeh, Thomas Blaschke and Szabolcs Duleba
Sustainability 2019, 11(12), 3271; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123271 - 13 Jun 2019
Cited by 109 | Viewed by 6989
Abstract
In any public service development decision, it is essential to reach the stakeholders’ agreement to gain a sustainable result, which is accepted by all involved groups. In case this criterion is violated, the impact of the development will be less than expected due [...] Read more.
In any public service development decision, it is essential to reach the stakeholders’ agreement to gain a sustainable result, which is accepted by all involved groups. In case this criterion is violated, the impact of the development will be less than expected due to the resistance of one group or another. Concerning public urban transport decisions, the lack of consensus might cause lower utilisation of public vehicles, thus more severe environmental damage, traffic problems and negative economic impacts. This paper aims to introduce a decision support procedure (applying the current MCDM techniques; Fuzzy and Interval AHP) which is capable of analysing and creating consensus among different stakeholder participants in a transport development problem. The combined application of FAHP and IAHP ensures that the consensus creation is not only based on an automated computation process (just as in IAHP) but also on the consideration of specific group interests. Thus, the decision makers have the liberty to express their preferences in urban planning, along with the consideration of numerical results. The procedure has been tested in a real public transport improvement decision as a follow-up project, in an emerging city, Mersin, Turkey. Results show that by the application of the proposed techniques, decision-makers can be more aware of the conflicts of interests among the involved groups, and they can pay more attention to possible violations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decision Support Systems for Urban Logistics Planning: Multi-Stakeholder and Participative Approaches)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 860 KiB  
Article
Statistical and Electrical Features Evaluation for Electrical Appliances Energy Disaggregation
by Pascal A. Schirmer and Iosif Mporas
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3222; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113222 - 11 Jun 2019
Cited by 54 | Viewed by 5419
Abstract
In this paper we evaluate several well-known and widely used machine learning algorithms for regression in the energy disaggregation task. Specifically, the Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring approach was considered and the K-Nearest-Neighbours, Support Vector Machines, Deep Neural Networks and Random Forest algorithms were evaluated [...] Read more.
In this paper we evaluate several well-known and widely used machine learning algorithms for regression in the energy disaggregation task. Specifically, the Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring approach was considered and the K-Nearest-Neighbours, Support Vector Machines, Deep Neural Networks and Random Forest algorithms were evaluated across five datasets using seven different sets of statistical and electrical features. The experimental results demonstrated the importance of selecting both appropriate features and regression algorithms. Analysis on device level showed that linear devices can be disaggregated using statistical features, while for non-linear devices the use of electrical features significantly improves the disaggregation accuracy, as non-linear appliances have non-sinusoidal current draw and thus cannot be well parametrized only by their active power consumption. The best performance in terms of energy disaggregation accuracy was achieved by the Random Forest regression algorithm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Computational Intelligence for Data Analytics, Modeling, Control and Optimisation of Sustainable Energy Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1840 KiB  
Review
Impacts of Agricultural Management Systems on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Highly Simplified Dryland Landscapes
by Subodh Adhikari, Arjun Adhikari, David K. Weaver, Anton Bekkerman and Fabian D. Menalled
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3223; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113223 - 11 Jun 2019
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 8061
Abstract
Covering about 40% of Earth’s land surface and sustaining at least 38% of global population, drylands are key crop and animal production regions with high economic and social values. However, land use changes associated with industrialized agricultural managements are threatening the sustainability of [...] Read more.
Covering about 40% of Earth’s land surface and sustaining at least 38% of global population, drylands are key crop and animal production regions with high economic and social values. However, land use changes associated with industrialized agricultural managements are threatening the sustainability of these systems. While previous studies assessing the impacts of agricultural management systems on biodiversity and their services focused on more diversified mesic landscapes, there is a dearth of such research in highly simplified dryland agroecosystems. In this paper, we 1) summarize previous research on the effects of farm management systems and agricultural expansion on biodiversity and biodiversity-based ecosystem services, 2) present four case studies assessing the impacts of management systems on biodiversity and ecosystem services across highly simplified dryland landscapes of the Northern Great Plains (NGP), USA, 3) discuss approaches to sustain biodiversity-based ecosystem services in drylands, and 4) present a conceptual framework for enhancing agricultural sustainability in the drylands through research, policy, economic valuation, and adaptive management. An analysis of the land use changes due to agricultural expansion within the Golden Triangle, a representative agricultural area in the NGP, indicated that the proportion of land conversion to agriculture area was 84%, 8%, and 7% from grassland, riparian, and shrubland habitats, respectively. Our results showed this simplification was associated with a potential reduction of pollination services. Also, our economic analysis projected that if 30% parasitism could be achieved through better management systems, the estimated potential economic returns to pest regulation services through parasitoids in Montana, USA alone could reach about $11.23 million. Overall, while dryland agroecosystems showed a significant loss of native biodiversity and its services, greater pest incidence, and a decrease in plant pollinator networks, these trends were moderately reversed in organically managed farming systems. In conclusion, although land use changes due to agricultural expansion and industrialized farming threaten the sustainability of dryland agroecosystems, this impact can be partially offset by coupling ecologically-based farming practices with adaptive management strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture, Landscape, Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity: New Challenges for Sustainable Development)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 945 KiB  
Article
Role of Nutrient-Enriched Biochar as a Soil Amendment during Maize Growth: Exploring Practical Alternatives to Recycle Agricultural Residuals and to Reduce Chemical Fertilizer Demand
by Simon Kizito, Hongzhen Luo, Jiaxin Lu, Hamidou Bah, Renjie Dong and Shubiao Wu
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3211; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113211 - 10 Jun 2019
Cited by 211 | Viewed by 12582
Abstract
Recycling and value-added utilization of agricultural residues through combining technologies such as anaerobic digestion and pyrolysis could double the recoverable energy, close the nutrient recycle loop, and ensure cleaner agricultural production. This study assessed the beneficial application of biochar to soil to recycle [...] Read more.
Recycling and value-added utilization of agricultural residues through combining technologies such as anaerobic digestion and pyrolysis could double the recoverable energy, close the nutrient recycle loop, and ensure cleaner agricultural production. This study assessed the beneficial application of biochar to soil to recycle digestate nutrients, improve soil quality, and reduce conventional chemical fertilizer. The addition of digestate-enriched biochar improved soil quality as it provided higher soil organic matter (232%–514%) and macronutrients (110%–230%) as opposed to the unenriched biochar and control treatments. Maize grown in soil amended with digestate-enriched biochar showed a significantly higher biomass yield compared to the control and non-enriched biochar treatments but was slightly lower than yields from chemical fertilizer treatments. The slightly lower yield (20%–25%) achieved from digestate-enriched biochar was attributed to slower mineralization and release of the adsorbed nutrients in the short term. However, digestate-enriched biochar could in the long term become more beneficial in sustaining soil fertility through maintaining high soil organic matter and the gradual release of micronutrients compared to conventional chemical fertilizer. Positive effects on soil micronutrients, macronutrients, organic matter, and biomass yield indicates that enriched biochar could partly replace chemical fertilizers and promote organic farming in a circular economy concept. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Organic Waste Management)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 734 KiB  
Article
How to Save Bike-Sharing: An Evidence-Based Survival Toolkit for Policy-Makers and Mobility Providers
by Alexandros Nikitas
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3206; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113206 - 9 Jun 2019
Cited by 79 | Viewed by 11799
Abstract
A new mobility ethos is needed for cities looking to overcome the problems that have been accumulated for decades by a transport paradigm that prioritises automobiles over people. Bike-sharing, a measure promoting voluntary travel behaviour change, could be part of a refined toolbox [...] Read more.
A new mobility ethos is needed for cities looking to overcome the problems that have been accumulated for decades by a transport paradigm that prioritises automobiles over people. Bike-sharing, a measure promoting voluntary travel behaviour change, could be part of a refined toolbox that will help in forging this new ethos. Despite a rapid emergence during the last handful of years, as evidenced by 1956 operational local schemes and approximately 15,254,400 self-service public use bicycles across the world, bike-sharing has been attracting negative attention lately. Tens of schemes have closed down, deemed as financial or operational failures, stigmatising bike-sharing’s brand and putting the future of the concept itself in jeopardy. However, discounting bike-sharing as flawed may not be fair or accurate. This paper identifies a formula of success for bike-sharing operations based on a state-of-the-art case study analysis, which is supported by primary data evidence from two survey-based studies in Sweden and Greece. This paper suggests that residents in cities hosting or looking to host bike-sharing schemes are usually very supportive of them but not always likely to use them. More importantly, this paper delivers some key policy and business lessons that form a survival guide for effectively introducing and running public bicycle schemes. These lessons include, among others, the need for: tailoring the system design and expansion strategy according to the host city needs, city-operator and commercial partner synergies, more bike-friendly infrastructure and legislation, pro-active cultural engagement, anti-abuse measures, enhanced fleet management and realistic profit expectations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward Sustainability: Bike-Sharing Systems Design, Simulation and Management)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 5449 KiB  
Article
Hyperspectral Prediction Model of Metal Content in Soil Based on the Genetic Ant Colony Algorithm
by Shiqi Tian, Shijie Wang, Xiaoyong Bai, Dequan Zhou, Guangjie Luo, Jinfeng Wang, Mingming Wang, Qian Lu, Yujie Yang, Zeyin Hu, Chaojun Li and Yuanhong Deng
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3197; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113197 - 7 Jun 2019
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4529
Abstract
The accumulation of metals in soil harms human health through different channels. Therefore, it is very important to conduct fast and effective non-destructive prediction of metals in the soil. In this study, we investigate the characteristics of four metal contents, namely, Sb, Pb, [...] Read more.
The accumulation of metals in soil harms human health through different channels. Therefore, it is very important to conduct fast and effective non-destructive prediction of metals in the soil. In this study, we investigate the characteristics of four metal contents, namely, Sb, Pb, Cr, and Co, in the soil of the Houzhai River Watershed in Guizhou Province, China, and establish the content prediction back propagation (BP) neural network and genetic-ant colony algorithm BP (GAACA-BP) neural network models based on hyperspectral data. Results reveal that the four metals in the soil have different degrees of accumulation in the study area, and the correlation between them is significant, indicating that their sources may be similar. The fitting effect and accuracy of the GAACA-BP model are greatly improved compared with those of the BP model. The R values are above 0.7, the MRE is reduced to between 6% and 15%, and the validation accuracy is increased by 12–64%. The prediction ability of the model of the four metals is Cr > Co > Sb > Pb. These results indicate the possibility of using hyperspectral techniques to predict metal content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Heavy Metals)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 533 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Driver Behavior Criteria for Evolution of Sustainable Traffic Safety
by Danish Farooq, Sarbast Moslem and Szabolcs Duleba
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3142; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113142 - 4 Jun 2019
Cited by 54 | Viewed by 7082
Abstract
Driver behavior has been considered as the most influential factor in reducing fatal road accidents and the resulting injuries. Thus, it is important to focus on the significance of driver behavior criteria to solve road safety issues for a sustainable traffic system. The [...] Read more.
Driver behavior has been considered as the most influential factor in reducing fatal road accidents and the resulting injuries. Thus, it is important to focus on the significance of driver behavior criteria to solve road safety issues for a sustainable traffic system. The recent study aims to enumerate the most significant driver behavior factors which have a critical impact on road safety. The well-proven Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) has been applied for 20 examined driver behavior factors in a three-level hierarchical structure. Linguistic judgment data have been collected from three nominated evaluator groups in order to detect the difference of responses on perceived road safety issues. The comparison scales had been averaged prior to computing the weights of driver behavior factors. The AHP ranking results have revealed that most of the drivers are most concerned about the “Errors”, followed by the “Lapses” for the first level. The highest influential sub-criteria for the second level is the “Aggressive violations” and for the third level, the “Drive with alcohol use”. Kendall’s rank correlation has also been applied to detect the agreement degree among the evaluator groups for each level in the hierarchical structure. The estimated results indicate that road management authorities should focus on high-rank significant driver behavior criteria to solve road safety issues for sustainable traffic safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation for Sustainable Cities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 8948 KiB  
Article
A Method for Sustainable Lighting, Preventive Conservation, Energy Design and Technology—Lighting a Historical Church Converted into a University Library
by Carla Balocco and Giulia Volante
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3145; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113145 - 4 Jun 2019
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6753
Abstract
Many ancient libraries in Italy are housed in historical buildings, only a few in former churches and monasteries. Newly built libraries mostly comply with the requirements of sustainability, energy saving and renewable energy use, but this does not occur for existing ones, especially [...] Read more.
Many ancient libraries in Italy are housed in historical buildings, only a few in former churches and monasteries. Newly built libraries mostly comply with the requirements of sustainability, energy saving and renewable energy use, but this does not occur for existing ones, especially when they belong to the historical cultural heritage. Historical library buildings have good mass and thermal inertia but often have inadequate windows with low light transmission value. Lighting systems are often without control and thus cause poor lighting conditions. Our present research concerns the energy sustainability assessment of retrofit operations for lighting in an existing historical university library, focusing on lighting quality, adequate lighting conditions for visual tasks, vision ergonomics and well-being, and guaranteeing the preventive conservation and protection of heritage books. This case study is very particular, because it concerns a Florentine historical monastery which is now a university library. Our proposed method introduces an optimal toolset for lighting design solutions with the aim of sustainability. The library indoor space was procedurally decomposed into illumination volumes according to different occupant activities and visual tasks and different use areas. This method is extensible to all similar cultural heritage case, but also existing old buildings and current designs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lighting at the Frontiers of Sustainable Development)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

30 pages, 12822 KiB  
Article
Parametric Optimization of Window-to-Wall Ratio for Passive Buildings Adopting A Scripting Methodology to Dynamic-Energy Simulation
by Giacomo Chiesa, Andrea Acquaviva, Mario Grosso, Lorenzo Bottaccioli, Maurizio Floridia, Edoardo Pristeri and Edoardo Maria Sanna
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3078; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113078 - 31 May 2019
Cited by 44 | Viewed by 5635
Abstract
Counterbalancing climate change is one of the biggest challenges for engineers around the world. One of the areas in which optimization techniques can be used to reduce energy needs, and with that the pollution derived from its production, is building design. With this [...] Read more.
Counterbalancing climate change is one of the biggest challenges for engineers around the world. One of the areas in which optimization techniques can be used to reduce energy needs, and with that the pollution derived from its production, is building design. With this study of a generic office located both in a northern country and in a temperate/Mediterranean site, we want to introduce a coding approach to dynamic energy simulation, able to suggest, from the early-design phases when the main building forms are defined, optimal configurations considering the energy needs for heating, cooling and lighting. Generally, early-design considerations of energy need reduction focus on the winter season only, in line with the current regulations; nevertheless a more holistic approach is needed to include other high consumption voices, e.g., for space cooling and lighting. The main considered design parameter is the WWR (window-to-wall ratio), even if further variables are considered in a set of parallel analyses (level of insulation, orientation, activation of low-cooling strategies including shading devices and ventilative cooling). Finally, the effect of different levels of occupancy was included in the analysis to regress results and compare the WWR with corresponding heating and cooling needs. This approach is adapted to Passivhaus design optimization, working on energy need minimisation acting on envelope design choices. The results demonstrate that it is essential to include, from the early-design configurations, a larger set of variables in order to optimize the expected energy needs on the basis of different aspects (cooling, heating, lighting, design choices). Coding is performed using Python scripting, while dynamic energy simulations are based on EnergyPlus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessing the Performance of Passive Houses in Mediterranean Climate Regions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 4495 KiB  
Article
Human and Natural Impacts on the Water Resources in the Syr Darya River Basin, Central Asia
by Shan Zou, Abuduwaili Jilili, Weili Duan, Philippe De Maeyer and Tim Van de Voorde
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3084; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113084 - 31 May 2019
Cited by 55 | Viewed by 7223
Abstract
Water resources are increasingly under stress in Central Asia because downstream countries are highly dependent on upstream countries. Water is essential for irrigation and is becoming scarcer due to climate change and human activities. Based on 20 hydrological stations, this study firstly analyzed [...] Read more.
Water resources are increasingly under stress in Central Asia because downstream countries are highly dependent on upstream countries. Water is essential for irrigation and is becoming scarcer due to climate change and human activities. Based on 20 hydrological stations, this study firstly analyzed the annual and seasonal spatial–temporal changes of the river discharges, precipitation, and temperature in the Syr Darya River Basin and then the possible relationships between these factors were detected. Finally, the potential reasons for the river discharge variations have been discussed. The results show that the river discharges in the upper stream of the basin had significantly risen from 1930 to 2006, mainly due to the increase in temperature (approximately 0.3 °C per decade), which accelerated the melting of glaciers, while it decreased in the middle and lower regions due to the rising irrigation. In the middle of the basin, the expansion of the construction land (128.83 km2/year) and agricultural land (66.68 km2/year) from 1992 to 2015 has significantly augmented the water consumption. The operations of reservoirs and irrigation canals significantly intercepted the river discharge from the upper streams, causing a sharp decline in the river discharges in the middle and lower reaches of the Syr Darya River in 1973. The outcomes obtained from this study allowed us to understand the changes in the river discharges and provided essential information for effective water resource management in the Syr Darya River Basin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 782 KiB  
Review
The Design of Green Supply Chains under Carbon Policies: A Literature Review of Quantitative Models
by Zhitao Xu, Adel Elomri, Shaligram Pokharel and Fatih Mutlu
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3094; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113094 - 31 May 2019
Cited by 45 | Viewed by 6924
Abstract
Carbon footprinting of products and services is getting increasing attention due to the growing emphasis on carbon related policies in many countries. As a result, many enterprises are focusing on the design of green supply chains (GSCs) with research on supply chains (SCs) [...] Read more.
Carbon footprinting of products and services is getting increasing attention due to the growing emphasis on carbon related policies in many countries. As a result, many enterprises are focusing on the design of green supply chains (GSCs) with research on supply chains (SCs) focused not only on cost efficiency, but also on its environmental consequences. The review presented in this paper focuses on the implications of carbon policies on SCs. The concept of content analysis is used to retrieve and analyze the information regarding drivers (carbon policies), actors (for example, manufacturers and retailers), methodologies (mathematical modeling techniques), decision-making contexts (such as, facility location and order quantity), and emission reduction opportunities. The review shows a lack of emissions analysis of SCs that face carbon policies in different countries. The research also focuses on the design of carbon policies for emissions reduction in different operating situations. Some possible research directions are also discussed at the end of this review. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3758 KiB  
Article
The Role of Smart Contracts in Sustainability: Worldwide Research Trends
by Esther Salmerón-Manzano and Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3049; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113049 - 30 May 2019
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 8041
Abstract
The advent and development of digital technologies has had a significant impact on the establishment of contracts. Smart contracts are designed as computer code containing instructions for executing user agreements, offering a technologically secure solution with numerous advantages and applications. However, smart contracts [...] Read more.
The advent and development of digital technologies has had a significant impact on the establishment of contracts. Smart contracts are designed as computer code containing instructions for executing user agreements, offering a technologically secure solution with numerous advantages and applications. However, smart contracts are not without their problems when we try to fit them into the traditional system of contract law, and their presumed benefits can become shortcomings. Bibliometric studies can help to assess the current state of science in a specific subject and support decision making and research direction. Here, this bibliometric study is used to analyze global trend research in relation to this novel contractual methodology, the smart contract, which seems to have experienced exponential growth since 2014. Specially, this analysis was focused on the main countries involved and the institutions that lead this research worldwide. On the other hand, the indexations of these works are analyzed according to major scientific areas and the keywords of all the works, to detect the subjects to which they are grouped. Community detection has been used to establish the relationship between countries researching in this area, and six clusters have been identified, around which all the work related to this topic is grouped. This work shows the temporal evolution of research related to smart contracts, highlighting that there are two trends—e-commerce and smart power grids. From the perspective of driving sustainability, smart contracts could provide a contribution in the near future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Energy Sustainability at Universities)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 2687 KiB  
Article
Evaluating WorldClim Version 1 (1961–1990) as the Baseline for Sustainable Use of Forest and Environmental Resources in a Changing Climate
by Maurizio Marchi, Iztok Sinjur, Michele Bozzano and Marjana Westergren
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3043; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113043 - 29 May 2019
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 7175
Abstract
WorldClim version 1 is a high-resolution, global climate gridded dataset covering 1961–1990; a “normal” climate. It has been widely used for ecological studies thanks to its free availability and global coverage. This study aims to evaluate the quality of WorldClim data by quantifying [...] Read more.
WorldClim version 1 is a high-resolution, global climate gridded dataset covering 1961–1990; a “normal” climate. It has been widely used for ecological studies thanks to its free availability and global coverage. This study aims to evaluate the quality of WorldClim data by quantifying any discrepancies by comparison with an independent dataset of measured temperature and precipitation records across Europe. BIO1 (mean annual temperature, MAT) and BIO12 (mean total annual precipitation, MAP) were used as proxies to evaluate the spatial accuracy of the WorldClim grids. While good representativeness was detected for MAT, the study demonstrated a bias with respect to MAP. The average difference between WorldClim predictions and climate observations was around +0.2 °C for MAT and −48.7 mm for MAP, with large variability. The regression analysis revealed a good correlation and adequate proportion of explained variance for MAT (adjusted R2 = 0.856) but results for MAP were poor, with just 64% of the variance explained (adjusted R2 = 0.642). Moreover no spatial structure was found across Europe, nor any statistical relationship with elevation, latitude, or longitude, the environmental predictors used to generate climate surfaces. A detectable spatial autocorrelation was only detectable for the two most thoroughly sampled countries (Germany and Sweden). Although further adjustments might be evaluated by means of geostatistical methods (i.e., kriging), the huge environmental variability of the European environment deeply stressed the WorldClim database. Overall, these results show the importance of an adequate spatial structure of meteorological stations as fundamental to improve the reliability of climate surfaces and derived products of the research (i.e., statistical models, future projections). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 437 KiB  
Article
Barriers Affecting Sustainable Agricultural Productivity of Smallholder Farmers in the Eastern Free State of South Africa
by Lindumusa Myeni, Mokhele Moeletsi, Mulalo Thavhana, Mulalo Randela and Lebohang Mokoena
Sustainability 2019, 11(11), 3003; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113003 - 28 May 2019
Cited by 88 | Viewed by 14135
Abstract
Sustainable Agricultural Practices (SAPs) are the most promising pathways to enhance the productivity and resilience of agricultural production of smallholder farming systems while conserving the natural resources. This study was undertaken to identify the barriers affecting sustainable agricultural productivity of smallholder farmers in [...] Read more.
Sustainable Agricultural Practices (SAPs) are the most promising pathways to enhance the productivity and resilience of agricultural production of smallholder farming systems while conserving the natural resources. This study was undertaken to identify the barriers affecting sustainable agricultural productivity of smallholder farmers in the eastern Free State, South Africa. Data were collected from 359 smallholder farmers using questionnaires and the validity of the collected data was confirmed through focus group discussions with key informants. Descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model were used to analyze data. Results indicated that traditional SAPs such as intercropping, mulching and crop rotation were more likely to be adopted by farmers with access to land yet without access to credit (and had low levels of education, although this finding was not significant). In contrast, new SAPs such as cover cropping, minimum-tillage, tied ridging and planting pits were more knowledge (education), capital and labor intensive. Therefore, extension strategies should take these differences into consideration when promoting both the adoption of traditional SAPs and new SAPs. Targeting resource-constrained farmers (in terms of access to credit and education) through raising awareness and building capacity is essential to ensure the adoption of traditional SAPs. In turn, promoting the adoption of new SAPs not only needs awareness raising and capacity building but also must fundamentally address resource constraints of South African smallholder farmers such as knowledge, capital and labor. It is recommended that government should provide resources and infrastructure to improve the quality and outreach of extension services through field demonstration trials and training. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agricultural Diversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying article 1951-2000 on page 40 of 46.
Back to TopTop