Search Results (115)

We introduce an IoT architecture that addresses critical mobility challenges in Morocco’s urban transportation ecosystem. Using Design Science Research methodology, we developed a complete system integrating smart infrastructure, edge computing, and accessible interfaces to enhance service quality while prioritizing inclusivity for vulnerable populations. Our five-layer architecture targets institutional capacity limitations, inadequate service levels, and accessibility barriers present in Morocco’s transportation landscape. An evaluation of our proposed solution shows how technology integration can advance eco-friendly transport goals while accommodating limited resources in developing contexts. The research contributes novel insights into IoT architectural models for inclusive design alongside practical recommendations for transportation authorities seeking to leverage digital transformation for more equitable urban mobility. Full article

The Moroccan Ryad, a cherished architectural treasure in North Africa, symbolizes cultural richness and architectural legacy. This paper advocates an inventive strategy to preserve and rejuvenate the Ryad as an energy-efficient model, intertwining modern sustainability principles. Employing a multidisciplinary approach, this study delves into the fusion of traditional Ryad design with contemporary sustainability, tackling energy efficiency, resource conservation, and cultural heritage challenges. Examining historical construction methods, material choices, and spatial arrangements alongside sustainable building practices, this paper showcases case studies of newly constructed sustainable Ryads. These examples spotlight strategies like passive solar design, renewable energy incorporation, water conservation, and local material use, augmenting energy performance while fostering cultural continuity through eco-friendly materials and traditional craftsmanship. This research also explores the social and economic impacts of this sustainable Ryad model, including its potential to boost tourism, generate employment, and engage communities. Additionally, it addresses the role of public policy in supporting sustainable practices for preserving Moroccan cultural heritage. By amalgamating culture, sustainability, and energy efficiency, this paper envisions a new role for the Moroccan Ryad, positioning it not only as a guardian of heritage but also as a symbol of environmentally responsible architecture—a model applicable to culturally rich regions globally. Full article

Photovoltaic systems are a core component of eco-friendly energy technologies and are now widely utilized across the world for power generation. However, solar modules that are continuously exposed to the external environment experience gradual performance degradation, which results in significant power loss and operational problems. Existing aging diagnostic methods such as current–voltage curve analysis and electroluminescence/photoluminescence testing have limitations in terms of real-time monitoring, quantitative evaluation, and applicability to large-scale power plants. To address these challenges, this study proposes a novel degradation detection method that utilizes the first-order derivative of the voltage–power curve of solar modules to extract key features. This method can estimate the number of degraded solar modules within a string and the degree of degradation, enabling early detection of subtle changes in electrical characteristics. In this study, we developed an AI model based on long short-term memory to classify normal and abnormal states and predict aging status, thereby supporting monitoring and early diagnosis. The model architecture was designed to reflect the characteristics of solar power systems, adopting a relatively shallow network due to the time-series data not being excessively long and the feature changes being clear. This design effectively mitigates the issues of overfitting and gradient vanishing, thereby positively contributing to the stability of model training. The training and validation results of the proposed long short-term memory model were verified through MATLAB simulations, confirming its effectiveness in learning and convergence. Full article

As global energy challenges intensify, reducing energy consumption in buildings is becoming a crucial economic and environmental priority. Despite extensive research on energy efficiency, a comprehensive synthesis that addresses emerging trends, eco-friendly insulation materials, and artificial intelligence (AI)-based methods remains limited. This study aims to bridge this gap through a bibliometric analysis of 2477 articles from the Scopus database, using the tools VOSviewer and Biblioshiny to explore several key questions: What are the dominant research trends? Who are the most influential contributors? And how are AI and sustainable insulation technologies evolving and converging to optimize energy performance? The analysis highlights major research themes, global collaboration networks, and two key strategies: eco-insulation materials, which help reduce environmental and technical costs, and AI-based solutions, which enable accurate energy predictions, real-time optimization, and material selection tailored to diverse climates and architectural contexts. Despite these advances, significant gaps remain in the development and characterization of eco-insulating materials. Future research should focus on integrating AI with sustainable insulation to enhance energy efficiency and minimize environmental impact, thereby paving the way for innovative, energy-resilient building solutions. Full article

This study investigates how university students perceive the ecosystem services provided by gardens, utilizing Q methodology to categorize subjective viewpoints and analyze distinct perception types. Thirty-two students majoring in forest and landscape architecture at Wonkwang University (Iksan, Republic of Korea) participated, sorting 30 Q-statements each for provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services. Principal component analysis identified three factors for provisioning and regulating services, and two factors for cultural and supporting services. The findings reveal that students’ perceptions are primarily based on generalized, idealized expectations, while their understanding of specific practices, such as food production, distribution, and community economic integration, remains insufficient. This indicates that their perceptions are more conceptual than practical, reflecting themes such as eco-friendly resource sharing, environmental regulation, nature experience, biodiversity enhancement, and sustainability. These results suggest the need for enhanced educational efforts to improve students’ understanding of the role of ecosystem services in urban contexts. The study highlights the importance of bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical recognition to foster more comprehensive perceptions, ultimately informing future garden design, management strategies, and environmental education programs. Full article

Wood is a renewable, carbon-sequestering, and structurally versatile material that has supported human civilization for millennia and continues to play a central role in advancing sustainable development. Although its low density, high specific strength, and esthetic appeal make it highly attractive, its intrinsic flammability presents significant challenges for safety-critical uses. This review offers a comprehensive analysis that uniquely integrates three key domains, covering advanced processing technologies, flame-retardant functionalization strategies, and multifunctional applications. Clear connections are drawn between processing approaches such as delignification, densification, and nanocellulose extraction and their substantial influence on improving flame-retardant performance. The review systematically explores how these engineered wood substrates enable more effective fire-resistant systems, including eco-friendly impregnation methods, surface engineering techniques, and bio-based hybrid systems. It further illustrates how combining processing and functionalization strategies allows for multifunctional applications in architecture, transportation, electronics, and energy devices where safety, durability, and sustainability are essential. Future research directions are identified with a focus on creating scalable, cost-effective, and environmentally compatible wood-based materials, positioning engineered wood as a next-generation high-performance material that successfully balances structural functionality, fire safety, and multifunctionality. Full article

Using systematic literature observations, this study explains how 3D printing technology is being applied to innovative sustainable construction (Systematic Literature Review). Additive manufacturing, also referred to as 3D printing technology, has greatly increased productivity and adoption in the building sector. The utilization of eco-friendly materials, enhancing sustainable building practices, and the environmental impact of 3D printing technology in comparison to conventional techniques are the three primary areas of attention for this study. By reducing material waste through additive manufacturing methods, 3D printing technology may employ alternative resources like fly ash, geopolymers, and limestone calcined clay (LC3) cement, which lowers carbon emissions considerably, according to observation data. This technology also speeds up the construction process, saves costs, and enables complex architectural designs that are difficult to achieve with conventional methods. There are still a number of issues, though, such as the high upfront expenditures of supplies and equipment and the long-term robustness of the molded structures that are produced. Nevertheless, 3D printing has enormous potential to transform building methods into more effective and ecologically friendly ones as a result of technological advancements and growing knowledge of desirability. This research provides valuable insights for stakeholders in supporting wider application of this technology to achieve sustainable development goals. Full article

A novel, eco-friendly perovskite solar cell design is investigated using numerical simulations based on the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The proposed structure incorporates a two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal (PhC) architecture featuring a titanium dioxide (TiO₂) cylindrical electron extraction layer. To reduce fabrication complexity and overall production costs, a hole-transport-layer-free (HTL-free) configuration is employed. Simulation results reveal a significant enhancement in photovoltaic performance compared to conventional planar structures, achieving an ultimate efficiency of 42.3%, compared to 36.6% for the traditional design—an improvement of over 16%. Electromagnetic field distributions are analyzed to elucidate the physical mechanisms behind the enhanced absorption. The improved optical performance is attributed to strong coupling between photonic modes and surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), which enhances light–matter interaction. Furthermore, the device exhibits polarization-insensitive and angle-independent absorption characteristics, maintaining high performance for both transverse magnetic (TM) and transverse electric (TE) polarizations at incidence angles up to 60°. These findings highlight a promising pathway toward the development of cost-effective, lead-free perovskite solar cells with high efficiency and simplified fabrication processes. Full article

Among the threats capable of causing disasters, earthquakes and hurricanes are those that most significantly impact the structures of buildings. This collaboration between UFRJ (Brazil) and UA (Portugal) aims to develop a house model that is both earthquake- and hurricane-resistant, within a specific range of magnitude to be determined, utilizing straightforward, affordable, and eco-friendly construction methods. SHS-Multirisk was developed under two phases. The first one carried out the design of the SHS-Multirisk 1.0 house model and the second phase comprised the preliminary conception of the SHS-Multirisk 2.0 architecture integrated with structural panels. This paper focuses on presenting the comprehensive research, development, and innovation (R&D&I) process of compressed earth block-reinforced masonry panels and the preliminary evaluation of their technical feasibility to be applied in SHS-Multirisk 2.0 house models. The steps of the process were explored in detail throughout process implementation, which revealed successive multi- and interdisciplinary challenges. Full article

Natural cooling and ventilation have been fundamental principles in vernacular architecture for millennia, shaping sustainable building practices across diverse climatic regions. This paper examines the historical evolution, technological advancements, environmental benefits, and prospects of passive cooling strategies, with a particular focus on wind catchers. Originating in Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Caucasia, and Iranian architectural traditions, these structures have adapted over centuries to maximize air circulation, thermal regulation, and humidity control, ensuring comfortable indoor environments without reliance on mechanical ventilation. This study analyzes traditional wind catcher designs, highlighting their geometric configurations, airflow optimization, and integration with architectural elements such as courtyards and solar chimneys. Through a comparative assessment, this paper contrasts passive cooling systems with modern HVAC technologies, emphasizing their energy neutrality, low-carbon footprint, and long-term sustainability benefits. A SWOT analysis evaluates their strengths, limitations, opportunities for technological integration, and challenges posed by urbanization and regulatory constraints. This study adopts a comparative analytical method, integrating a literature-based approach with qualitative assessments and a SWOT analysis framework to evaluate passive cooling strategies against modern HVAC systems. Methodologically, the research combines historical review, typological classification, and sustainability-driven performance comparisons to derive actionable insights for climate-responsive design. The research is grounded in a comparative assessment of traditional and modern cooling strategies, supported by typological analysis and evaluative frameworks. Looking toward the future, the research explores hybrid adaptations incorporating solar energy, AI-driven airflow control, and retrofitting strategies for smart cities, reinforcing the enduring relevance of vernacular cooling techniques in contemporary architecture. By bridging historical knowledge with innovative solutions, this paper contributes to ongoing discussions on climate-responsive urban planning and sustainable architectural development. Full article

Photocatalysis offers a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach for environmental remediation, yet traditional powdered photocatalysts suffer from poor recyclability and separation challenges. To address these limitations, we developed a recyclable carbon fiber-supported composite photocatalyst (CC/TiO₂ NRs@MoS₂ NPs) featuring a three-dimensional hierarchical core–shell architecture. This structure comprises a TiO₂ seed layer, vertically aligned TiO₂ nanorod arrays as the core, and a MoS₂ nanoparticle shell, fabricated via sequential deposition. Under simulated solar irradiation, the TiO₂@MoS₂ heterojunction exhibited significantly enhanced uranium adsorption capacity, achieving a remarkable 97.3% photocatalytic removal efficiency within 2 h. At an initial uranium concentration of 200 ppm, the material demonstrated an exceptional extraction capacity of 976.7 mg g⁻¹, outperforming most reported photocatalysts. These findings highlight the potential of this 3D core–shell design for efficient uranium recovery and environmental purification applications. Full article

The building sector is a pivotal driver of global resource depletion and environmental deterioration, being responsible for 40% of raw material consumption, 16% of water usage, 25% of timber utilization, and 40% of total energy demand. It also accounts for 30% of worldwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, predominantly CO₂. The operational phase of buildings is the most energy-intensive and emission-heavy stage, accounting for 85–95% of their total life-cycle energy consumption. This energy is primarily expended on heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot water systems, which are largely dependent on fossil fuels. Furthermore, embodied energy, the cumulative energy expended from the extraction of materials through construction, operation, and eventual demolition, plays a substantial role in a building’s overall environmental footprint. To address these pressing challenges, this study discusses sustainable innovations within green architecture and biomimicry. Our topic supports the 2030 vision Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), both directly and indirectly (SDGs 7, 9, 11, 12, and 13). This study also explores cutting-edge applications, such as algae- and slime mold-inspired decentralized urban planning, which offer innovative pathways toward energy efficiency and sustainability. Considering the integration of renewable energy sources, passive design methodologies, and eco-friendly materials, this research emphasizes the transformative potential of biomimicry and green architecture in fostering a sustainable built environment, mitigating climate change, and cultivating a regenerative coexistence between human habitats and the natural world. Full article

Temporary architecture, as an expression of the concept of impermanence, offers adaptable and time-sensitive spatial interventions that promote community engagement and encourage experimentation within the urban environment. Beyond its physical and functional qualities, this architectural approach acts as a social mediator, fostering dialogue, networking, and the exchange of ideas between local communities and professionals, while contributing to the development of a socio-cultural common ground. This paper explores the Greenfeel Architecture wooden pavilion as a case study of small-scale architecture embedded within a landscape dedicated to urban agriculture and community-driven activities. The design process was guided by the need to balance functional requirements—providing shelter from the sun and rain and facilitating social interactions—with the protection of the existing vegetation and the enhancement of local biodiversity, with particular emphasis on supporting bee populations. In line with sustainable construction principles, the pavilion was built through the reuse of recovered materials, including used bricks for pavement, wooden slabs for the facade and roof, and several structural components sourced from previous building projects. Since its completion, the pavilion has acted as an urban acupuncture point within the surrounding area and has become a host for various outdoor activities and educational workshops aimed at diverse groups, including children, adults, professionals, and laypersons alike. The duality between the scale of the pavilion and the scale of its social, cultural, or ecological influence highlights the potential of temporary architecture to become a tool for both physical and socio-cultural sustainability in an urban environment. Full article

Contact unmodified antisense DNA biotechnology (CUADb), developed in 2008, employs short antisense DNA oligonucleotides (oligos) as a novel approach to insect pest control. These oligonucleotide-based insecticides target pest mature rRNAs and/or pre-rRNAs and have demonstrated high insecticidal efficacy, particularly against sap-feeding insect pests, which are key vectors of plant DNA viruses and among the most economically damaging herbivorous insects. To further explore the potential of CUADb, this study evaluated the insecticidal efficacy of short 11-mer antisense DNA oligos against Coccus hesperidum, in comparison with long 56-mer single-stranded and double-stranded DNA sequences. The short oligos exhibited higher insecticidal activity. By day 9, the highest mortality rate (97.66 ± 4.04%) was recorded in the Coccus-11 group, while the most effective long sequence was the double-stranded DNA in the dsCoccus-56 group (77.09 ± 6.24%). This study also describes the architecture of the DNA containment (DNAc) mechanism, highlighting the intricate interactions between rRNAs and various types of DNA oligos. During DNAc, the Coccus-11 treatment induced enhanced ribosome biogenesis and ATP production through a metabolic shift from carbohydrates to lipid-based energy synthesis. However, this ultimately led to a ‘kinase disaster’ due to widespread kinase downregulation resulting from insufficient ATP levels. All DNA oligos with high or moderate complementarity to target rRNA initiated hypercompensation, but subsequent substantial rRNA degradation and insect mortality occurred only when the oligo sequence perfectly matched the rRNA. Both short and long oligonucleotide insecticide treatments led to a 3.75–4.25-fold decrease in rRNA levels following hypercompensation, which was likely mediated by a DNA-guided rRNase, such as RNase H1, while crucial enzymes of RNAi (DICER1, Argonaute 2, and DROSHA) were downregulated, indicating fundamental difference in molecular mechanisms of DNAc and RNAi. Consistently, significant upregulation of RNase H1 was detected in the Coccus-11 treatment group. In contrast, treatment with random DNA oligos resulted in only a 2–3-fold rRNA decrease, consistent with the normal rRNA half-life maintained by general ribonucleases. These findings reveal a fundamental new mechanism of rRNA regulation via complementary binding between exogenous unmodified antisense DNA and cellular rRNA. From a practical perspective, this minimalist approach, applying short antisense DNA dissolved in water, offers an effective, eco-friendly and innovative solution for managing sternorrhynchans and other insect pests. The results introduce a promising new concept in crop protection: DNA-programmable insect pest control. Full article

Data over sound (DoS) is an established technique that has experienced a resurgence in recent years, finding applications in areas such as contactless payments, device pairing, authentication, presence detection, toys, and offline data transfer. This study introduces CardiaWhisper, a system that extends the DoS concept to the medical domain by using a medical data-over-sound (MDoS) framework. CardiaWhisper integrates wearable biomedical sensors with home care systems, edge or IoT gateways, and telemedical networks or cloud platforms. Using a transmitter device, vital signs such as ECG (electrocardiogram) signals, PPG (photoplethysmogram) signals, RR (respiratory rate), and ACC (acceleration/movement) are sensed, conditioned, encoded, and acoustically transmitted to a nearby receiver—typically a smartphone, tablet, or other gadget—and can be further relayed to edge and cloud infrastructures. As a case study, this paper presents the real-time transmission and processing of ECG signals. The transmitter integrates an ECG sensing module, an encoder (either a PLL-based FM modulator chip or a microcontroller), and a sound emitter in the form of a standard piezoelectric speaker. The receiver, in the form of a mobile phone, tablet, or desktop computer, captures the acoustic signal via its built-in microphone and executes software routines to decode the data. It then enables a range of control and visualization functions for both local and remote users. Emphasis is placed on describing the system architecture and its key components, as well as the software methodologies used for signal decoding on the receiver side, where several algorithms are implemented using open-source, platform-independent technologies, such as JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. While the main focus is on the transmission of analog data, digital data transmission is also illustrated. The CardiaWhisper system is evaluated across several performance parameters, including functionality, complexity, speed, noise immunity, power consumption, range, and cost-efficiency. Quantitative measurements of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were performed in various realistic indoor scenarios, including different distances, obstacles, and noise environments. Preliminary results are presented, along with a discussion of design challenges, limitations, and feasible applications. Our experience demonstrates that CardiaWhisper provides a low-power, eco-friendly alternative to traditional RF or Bluetooth-based medical wearables in various applications. Full article