Search Results (13,700)

Radial distribution feeders are especially sensitive to reactive-power deficits, which increase technical losses, deteriorate voltage profiles, reduce energy efficiency, and indirectly raise the emissions associated with the energy required to supply those losses. In this context, this paper proposes a sustainability-oriented planning methodology for the location and sizing of capacitor banks in radial distribution feeders, aimed at jointly improving technical performance, economic viability, and sustainability-related energy benefits. The problem is formulated as a discrete multi-objective model and solved through a constructive Greedy heuristic combined with backward/forward sweep load-flow evaluation, considering commercially available capacitor sizes. The methodology is validated on the IEEE 34-bus feeder, a demanding benchmark that remains less frequently used than the IEEE 33- and 69-bus systems in recent capacitor-planning studies. Seven scenarios are analyzed, from the uncompensated base case to configurations with up to six capacitor banks. The results show that all compensated scenarios improve feeder performance, reducing active losses from 25.3327 kW to a minimum of 20.1468 kW, equivalent to a maximum reduction of 20.47%, and increasing the minimum nodal voltage from 0.95528 p.u. to 0.97038 p.u. From a purely financial perspective, the one-bank scenario yields the highest net present value (USD 16,358.86), whereas the two-bank scenario emerges as the most balanced solution within the evaluated set, with annual savings of USD 5432.29 and a net present value of USD 11,497.58. Overall, the results confirm that capacitor-bank planning should be addressed as a trade-off among electrical efficiency, voltage support, profitability, and sustainability-oriented benefits. The proposed framework provides a simple, reproducible, and interpretable planning tool for radial distribution feeders. Full article

Steel processing requires energy-efficient heat-treatment routes without compromising material performance. Traditional annealing furnaces used for low-carbon (LC) steels are energy-intensive and major contributors to CO₂ emissions, creating a need for sustainable alternatives. This study evaluates continuous electric furnace (CEF) annealing as a low-emission route to tailor the microstructure, texture, and mechanical properties of cold-rolled LC steel. Samples were annealed at 750 °C and 850 °C for 60 s, followed by comprehensive microstructural and crystallographic characterization using XRD, SEM, EBSD (IPF, GOS, KAM, ODF), hardness, and tensile testing. Annealing increased recrystallization from ~4% in the as-rolled condition to ~98% at 850 °C, reduced the mean KAM from 1.9° to 0.1°, enhanced the high-angle grain boundary fraction to 0.91, and promoted γ-fiber strengthening while suppressing detrimental θ-fiber components. The 850 °C condition achieved optimal mechanical performance (UTS×TE = 11.1 GPa%). These results demonstrate that CEF annealing enables sustainable processing with better mechanical performance in LC steels. Full article

The construction industry is one of the primary global contributors to carbon emissions, with both construction materials and operational energy recognized as critical factors in achieving net-zero goals. Given that structural systems are embodied carbon-intensive, significant early-stage carbon reductions are possible. This paper introduces the dual-layer sustainable optimization framework (DLSOF), a methodology that integrates system-level substitution with span-level optimization and a single life-cycle assessment (LCA) approach focused on embodied carbon (EC) that is applicable to various construction types and climate regions. To validate DLSOF, two representative models of reinforced concrete buildings were selected for analysis: one focused on alternate structural systems and the other on span optimization for a standard slab configuration. The results indicate that, in most cases, span optimization achieves a reduction in embodied carbon of 33%, whilst system-level substitution, in most cases, achieves a reduction of approximately 30%. The dual-layer approach, in comparison to conventional baseline designs, achieves approximately a 52% reduction in embodied carbon. Uncertainty analysis indicates variability in design and data inputs, but the overall trend of embodied carbon reduction remains consistent. The results highlight the critical nature of the early structural design stage. For engineers, the DLSOF provides a practical design pathway, and it offers flexibility to accommodate diverse sustainability goals across varying geographical contexts. This study establishes a replicable and transferable model for low-carbon structural design by systematically integrating design optimization with embodied carbon assessment. Full article

This study introduces a physics-informed machine learning framework for predicting transient emissions and energy variables in a retrofitted heavy-duty diesel vehicle. It merges data-driven modeling with physically derived features for reliable real-world analysis. A Random Forest regressor is trained on a public dataset (26 trips from one instrumented vehicle) to predict CO₂ and NO_x mass rates, exhaust temperature, exhaust mass flow rate, and fuel flow rate from synchronized multi-sensor inputs using past-only, time-lagged features. On held-out trips, exhaust temperature prediction achieves $R^2$ = 0.9997 and $\mathrm{RMSE}$ = 0.53 g/s; for CO₂, with $R^2$ = 0.9985 and $\mathrm{RMSE}$= 0.38 g/s, comparable performance is reported for NO_x, exhaust flow, and fuel rate. The trained model is integrated into a simulation framework to enable the evaluation of alternative operating conditions and powertrain configurations. First, the impact of cold-start versus hot-start operation is assessed, showing cumulative emission penalties of up to +28% for CO₂ and +30% for NO_x. Second, the effect of hybridization is investigated by comparing the baseline thermal configuration with a hybrid electric architecture, resulting in estimated reductions of −12.2% in CO₂ and −10.5% in NO_x emissions. This tool excels in high-fidelity emission prediction and system-level energy analysis, aiding advanced powertrain assessments under realistic driving conditions. Full article

The circular economy necessitates the identification of waste management methods that minimise the use of environmental resources and do not generate secondary waste streams, whose management poses further challenges. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the environmental and energy performance of slaughterhouse waste treatment using anaerobic digestion and incineration. The quantity of greenhouse gases emitted during slaughterhouse waste processing was adopted as the evaluation criterion. Although the incineration of slaughterhouse waste delivered a higher net energy yield compared with anaerobic digestion, it was characterised by substantially higher carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy. Anaerobic digestion of poultry slaughterhouse waste demonstrated superior environmental performance, provided that the resulting digestate is utilised as a source of plant nutrients. The modification of the anaerobic digestion technology did not lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy produced. The most effective method for the treatment of poultry slaughterhouse waste was anaerobic digestion without co-digestion, combined with the use of digestate as a feedstock for fertiliser production. For small slaughterhouses generating less than 3 tonnes of waste per day, incineration was the more rational solution. The efficient utilisation of slaughterhouse waste critically depends on its processing at the place of generation. Full article

Modular integrated construction (MiC) is an innovative construction method that shifts on-site activities to a controlled factory environment, thereby offering sustainability benefits. However, current carbon management relies on labor-intensive manual data collection, causing delayed and inaccurate carbon accounting that increases greenwashing risks. Existing approaches lack real-time, automated, and trustworthy carbon tracking capabilities across fragmented supply chains. This study develops and validates the Blockchain-enabled IoT-BIM Platform (BIBP), which combines Internet of Things (IoT), Building Information Modeling (BIM), and blockchain for real-time carbon monitoring. IoT sensors automate data capture from construction equipment and BIM provides spatial visualization of carbon at the module and building levels. A Hyperledger Fabric blockchain ensures the authenticity, immutability, and traceability of carbon records. Validated on a 15-story MiC project in Hong Kong, BIBP established a cradle-to-end-of-construction baseline of 949.84 kgCO_2e/m², identifying steel and concrete as the primary hotspots (80% of material emissions). Real-time analytics demonstrated that combining high-volume ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) concrete substitution, new energy sea–land multimodal transport, and 10% steel waste reduction achieves over 20% carbon savings. Furthermore, the BIBP automated data acquisition and calculation, improving assessment efficiency by 92.4%. The platform demonstrates the potential to transform carbon management from a static, retrospective evaluation into a proactive, data-driven monitoring process, equipping stakeholders with a tool to dynamically track emissions and make timely interventions toward carbon reduction targets. Full article

In the context of a rapidly evolving data-driven economy and increasingly stringent carbon reduction policies, the impact of supply chain digitalization (SCD) on corporate carbon emission intensity (CEI) has become an important research topic. Using panel data on Chinese A-share listed firms from the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges over the period 2013–2023, this study employs Python-based text analysis of corporate annual reports to explore the effect of SCD on corporate CEI. The results show that SCD significantly reduces corporate CEI. Mechanism analysis further indicates that this effect operates through three channels: alleviating financing constraints, promoting green innovation, and reducing supply chain disruption risk. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the mitigating effect of SCD on corporate CEI is more pronounced among non-state-owned firms, large-scale firms, firms in non-high-tech industries, firms in highly environmentally sensitive industries, and firms located in regions with more developed digital infrastructure. Further analysis shows that SCD contributes to improvements in both firms’ sustainability and financial performance. Overall, this study provides important policy implications for both governments and firms. Full article

Asphalt pavements are essential to modern transport infrastructure but remain highly dependent on virgin aggregates and petroleum-based binders, resulting in high energy demand and significant greenhouse gas emissions. In response, research has advanced recycled-material solutions and low-temperature asphalt technologies. However, sustainability is still often inferred from isolated environmental indicators, without consistent consideration of mechanical durability or economic feasibility throughout the life cycle. This review provides an integrated synthesis of sustainable asphalt mixtures by jointly examining recycling strategies, temperature-reduction processes (warm-mix, half-warm-mix, and cold-mix asphalt technologies), and their combined applications through an integrated performance–cost–environment perspective. The literature reveals substantial methodological fragmentation, with limited harmonisation of functional units, system boundaries, and allocation rules, which constrains cross-study comparability. Evidence indicates that reclaimed asphalt, recycled concrete aggregates, and steel slag can maintain or improve rutting resistance, stiffness, and moisture durability while enabling material cost savings of approximately 5–68%. Temperature-reduction technologies further achieve significant energy and GHG reductions in the production phase (20–70%), with integrated recycling–temperature-reduction systems showing the most consistent combined benefits. Overall, this review demonstrates that asphalt sustainability cannot be established through single-dimensional assessments but requires harmonised life-cycle frameworks that explicitly link environmental gains to mechanical performance, durability, and economic viability. Full article

Managing soil heavy metal pollution is pivotal for the sustainable development of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration. This study integrated geostatistical methods, Principal Component Analysis, and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) to characterize “source–sink” dynamics across diverse Main Functional Zones. Results revealed distinct pollution landscapes: Key Development Zones exhibited high-risk accumulation driven by multi-source superposition, while Ecological-restricted Zones, despite overall low pollution levels, faced significant anomalous enrichment of Cadmium (Cd). Source apportionment confirmed that this spatial differentiation stems from the coexistence of “in situ accumulation” and “source–sink misalignment” mechanisms. The former is driven by high-intensity industrial agglomeration, whereas the latter is governed by cross-boundary atmospheric transport and the topographic blocking of emissions from the plains. This research demonstrates for the first time the joint shaping effect of national spatial planning and natural geographical processes on regional pollution patterns. Accordingly, a precise management framework incorporating source reduction, cross-boundary synergy, and spatial reorganization is proposed, providing a new paradigm for addressing environmental risks caused by unbalanced development in rapidly urbanizing regions. Full article

Against the backdrop of low-carbon transportation and urban logistics transformation, metro-based freight is regarded as an important pathway for emission reduction. This paper constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model involving the government, logistics enterprises, and metro operators, and analyzes multi-agent strategy evolution and the influence of key parameters using replicator dynamics equations and numerical simulation. The results show that well-designed subsidies and penalties can effectively promote a stable state characterized by “active government intervention, active response from logistics enterprises, and low-carbon integrated passenger and freight transportation by metro operators”. Reducing the cost of transformation can improve evolutionary efficiency, while excessively high subsidies may weaken the government’s willingness to intervene. This study provides insights for optimizing low-carbon transportation policies and supporting the development of metro-based freight systems. Full article

In goafs formed by underground mineral resource extraction, the remaining pillars are often subjected to uniaxial loading at different loading rates, and their mechanical responses and failure mechanisms directly affect the long-term stability of the goafs. This study uses rock-like materials to conduct uniaxial compression tests at loading rates ranging from 0.001 mm/min to 0.05 mm/min, combined with acoustic emission (AE) monitoring, to systematically investigate the effects of loading rate on the mechanical properties, energy distribution, constitutive model, and AE characteristics of the material. The results show that an increase in loading rate significantly enhances the stiffness and strength of the material, promotes a transition in failure mode from a shear–tension composite to tension-dominated, intensifies brittle characteristics, and simultaneously inhibits full crack development and fragments generation. In terms of energy evolution, an increased loading rate enhances the pre-peak total strain energy and elastic strain energy storage but reduces the efficiency of energy dissipation, leading to an intensified mismatch between energy storage and dissipation capacities at peak stress. A damage variable induced by loading rate was proposed, and a damage constitutive model considering the loading rate was established, with the theoretical curves showing good agreement with the experimental data. AE characteristic analysis further reveals that an increase in loading rate causes the crack type to transition from shear-dominated to tension-dominated, and the fluctuating increase in the b-value reflects a reduction in pre-peak fracture scale and a decrease in the degree of material fragmentation. The research findings are expected to deepen the understanding of the damage and failure mechanisms of rock materials under different loading rates, thereby laying a research foundation for the stability assessment of goaf pillars and disaster warning. Full article

We report on X-ray-induced Sm³⁺ → Sm²⁺ reduction in SrF₂:Sm³⁺ nanocrystals of ~40 nm size synthesized via a co-precipitation method. Non-irradiated samples show characteristic Sm³⁺ f-f ⁴G_5/2 → ⁶H_5/2, ⁶H_7/2, ⁶H_9/2, and ⁶H_11/2 emissions, while X-irradiation induces intense low-temperature Sm^{2+ 5}D₀ → ⁷F₁ emission and other Sm²⁺ lines. The evolution of Sm³⁺ and Sm²⁺ photoluminescence intensities with X-ray dose (0–300 Gy) follows first-order kinetics, consistent with a trapping–detrapping mechanism. Compared to CaF₂:Sm³⁺, SrF₂:Sm³⁺ exhibits faster Sm³⁺ reduction due to the higher X-ray absorption cross section of strontium compared to calcium for Cu-Kα (8 keV) radiation, highlighting its potential as a nanoscale X-ray storage phosphor. Full article

The transport sector is a major contributor to urban air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in Pakistan, posing significant challenges to sustainable development and climate commitments. This study develops the first technology-resolved, high-resolution, multi-pollutant emission inventory and scenario analysis for Pakistan’s transport sector, addressing key gaps in previous studies that lacked integrated multi-pollutant assessments, comprehensive coverage of non-road sources, and long-term scenario comparisons. The analysis integrates road and non-road transport sources within the Greenhouse Gas–Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) modeling framework. Emissions are projected for 2024–2050 under a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario and three mitigation pathways: an Electric Vehicle Transition (EVT) emphasizing transport electrification, a Euro-VI scenario focusing on stringent fuel and vehicle emission standards, and an integrated nationally determined contribution strategy (NDC+) scenario combining electrification, regulatory improvements, and structural transport reforms. In 2024, transport-related emissions are estimated at approximately 22 kt of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), over 300 kt of nitrogen oxides (NO_x), and nearly 39 Mt of carbon dioxide (CO₂), alongside substantial emissions of other gaseous pollutants and short-lived climate forcers. By 2050, the NDC+ scenario achieves the largest reductions relative to business-as-usual, demonstrating that coordinated electrification and emission control strategies can simultaneously reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The results demonstrate strong synergies between climate mitigation and air quality improvement, showing that integrated strategies combining electrification with stringent emission standards can simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions and major air pollutants while advancing cleaner and more sustainable mobility. This analysis provides a consistent and policy-relevant evidence base derived from best-available data and modeling tools to support Pakistan’s NDC implementation, sustainable mobility planning, and integrated air quality and climate strategies, with lessons transferable to other rapidly developing economies. Full article

In 2026, sustainable construction materials research is focused on optimization of the resources’ circularity, carbon reduction, and performance improvements through advanced materials. Biochar, nanomaterials, and recycled aggregates (RA) are enhancing concrete by improving strength, durability, and carbon capture, while supporting low-carbon, circular practices. When used in low-carbon alkali-activated materials (AAMs), these materials reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 30–60% compared to Portland cement (PC). Despite challenges in cost, standardization, and large-scale production, these innovations are advancing the construction industry towards sustainable, carbon-neutral solutions. RA helps reduce landfill waste and converse resources, though issues like quality variability and potential contaminants must be addressed. Biochar’s (0.5–2 wt.% of binder) adoption is limited by inconsistent properties, while nanomaterials (0.01 to 3 wt.% of binder) offer improved mechanical properties (5–20%) but face high production costs and limited long-term data. In the coming years, efforts will focus on standardizing production, improving nanoparticle dispersion, and refining RA processing. The integration of AI and machine learning may further optimize material design, leading to greener, low-carbon materials for large-scale, sustainable infrastructure by 2036. Full article

Rising temperatures and increasing evaporative demand accelerate soil moisture loss (SML) during the sowing-to-emergence phase of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), constraining crop establishment under water-limited Mediterranean conditions. Conventional tillage (CT) involves intensive tillage operations with higher fuel and energy requirements, whereas strip tillage (ST) limits tillage to the crop row while preserving inter-row residues. This study evaluated ST and CT across two consecutive growing seasons (2024 and 2025) under a wheat–cotton rotation system. A field experiment was conducted using a replicated design (n = 8), in which emergence parameters, SML (0–10 cm), yield, and fuel-derived energy use and CO₂ emissions were quantified. SML was significantly lower under ST than CT (43% in 2024 and 52% in 2025; p < 0.001), leading to earlier emergence (0.98–1.17 days) and higher emergence rate index (ERI) values. Cotton yield was slightly higher under CT (3–4%); however, this difference, although statistically significant (p = 0.001), remained limited and consistent across years. In contrast, ST resulted in a 66–69% reduction in operational fuel use, with proportional reductions in energy use and CO₂ emissions on an area basis. Yield-scaled indicators, defined as energy use (MJ kg⁻¹) and CO₂ emissions (kg CO₂ kg⁻¹) per unit yield, further revealed substantially greater resource-use efficiency under ST compared with CT. These findings demonstrate that strip tillage enhances hydrothermal conditions during crop establishment while markedly reducing energy demand and carbon intensity, providing a resource-efficient mechanization strategy for cotton production under increasing climatic stress. Full article