E-scooter sharing systems are a new mobility solution that is emerging in cities all throughout the world. Its rapid diffusion and disruptive nature have gained immediate attention from scholars, decision-makers, the public and the media (with strong arguments in favor of or against being put forward). To date, the scientific community has focused mostly on studying the determinants for adoption by end-users, the trip patterns, the safety, and the sustainability of such systems. This research work provides preliminary insights on the future role that these shared mobility systems can play in urban mobility. The study focuses on recent experiences in Portugal (more than a dozen cities and a dozen service providers) drawing on a literature review and an expert survey (N = 23) with local decision-makers, scholars, service providers and civic associations. The analysis provides a positive outlook on the future of shared e-scooters, observes that deployment has been taking place through waves of launch–test–withdraw/expand, and highlights which policies and actions should be prioritized so that these systems can make a truly significant contribution towards sustainable urban mobility and livable cities. Full article

Like other plants, every photovoltaic (PV) power plant will one day reach the end of its service life. Calculations show that 96,000 tons of PV module waste will be generated worldwide by 2030 and 86 million tons by 2050. Such large quantities of waste can endanger the environment and people if they are not disposed of properly. This paper investigated how photovoltaic waste is currently handled, how this problem is legally regulated and to what extent reuse, recycling and disposal are represented. As recycling is the best option in terms of environmental protection and a circular economy, an overview of recycling technologies and recovery rates for the materials contained in the PV system is given. Currently, there are a small number of recycling plants for PV modules in Europe, but none in the Balkan countries. The main reason for this is the small amount of PV waste in these countries, which is far below the profitability threshold for the recycling of 19,000 t/year, and even below the reduced threshold of 9000 t/year. The analysis shows that only seven EU member states will exceed this threshold by 2040, and more than half of the EU member states will not even reach this threshold by 2050. For this reason, PV modules (after dismantling the aluminum frame and cables) are mostly disposed of in landfills in these countries. This is an indication that this problem should be seriously addressed in the EU. In this context, the main obstacles to the reuse and recycling of PV modules are listed, together with guidelines for their removal. Full article

In this study, a comparative life cycle assessment of three different products with reusable and single-use packaging for fresh food distribution was conducted. For the reusable packaging, one utilized a vacuum insulation panel (VIP) box made of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET), while the other employed expanded polyethylene (EPE). For comparison, a disposable box made of widely used expanded polystyrene (EPS) was selected. We analyzed the environmental impacts of production, transportation, reprocessing (reused boxes), and disposal in 18 impact categories. As a result of analyzing the actual reuse of 300 rounds of fresh food, the cumulative global warming potential (GWP) values of the VIP and EPE box were 136.58 kg carbon dioxide (CO₂) eq and 281.72 kg CO₂ eq, respectively, 87% and 74% lower than those of the EPS box. Additionally, the GWP values were the same as those of the EPS boxes when the VIP and EPE boxes were reused 7 and 12 times, respectively. The best-case scenario was revealed when the reusable packaging with the r-PET VIP was compared with the EPE and EPS boxes. In conclusion, reusable packaging is expected to contribute to the reduction in the environmental burden and better suit global environmental requirements for sustainable food distribution and related industries. In addition, our findings can inform policy and industry decisions to promote more sustainable practices in the food industry, contributing to the advancement of sustainability in this field. Full article

Sustainable development and environmental considerations have resulted in many cities around the world recognising the importance of non-motorised modes of transport. Problems related to the proper development and maintenance of cycling infrastructure have already been the subject of various studies. However, they have mainly dealt with the identification of factors influencing the development of cycle paths and the optimisation of the design of safe and comfortable cycle routes. The influence of individual factors on each other and on the development of cycling infrastructure has not been studied. The research aims of this article are to identify which factors influence the development of bicycle infrastructure, their role and interdependence, and their prioritisation. It also looks at whether there are differences between the opinions of bicycle users and experts professionally involved in the development of bicycle paths in assessing the importance of the factors indicated. As a result of the study, eight factors influencing the development of bicycle infrastructure were identified. Based on the opinions of cyclists and experts, the nature of each factor was analysed. Taking into account the complex relationships between the factors, the key factors contributing to the development of bicycle infrastructure were shown: (1) the planning of bicycle paths, taking into account the separation of individual paths and their continuity, consistency, and length; (2) legal regulations promoting cycling in terms of transportation policy; (3) the elimination of obstacles; and (4) the design of bicycle paths, taking into account the safety, space management, terrain, and attractiveness of the surroundings. The results for both groups of respondents were compared. They indicate that both groups of respondents reported the same factors as the most important, with the only differences being in the order of the importance of the factors. The academic value of this work lies in showing the usability of the underrated original version of DEMATEL methodology in the considered area for key factors. The practical significance of this paper is the provision of a rather simple, yet reliable, tool for addressing the complexity of interrelated issues that make the development of urban infrastructure a cumbersome task. Full article

Due to increasing environmental awareness, especially among the young German population, people are increasingly striving to buy food in the most environmentally friendly way. In this context, packaging is becoming the focus of sustainability assessment, not because of its protection against food waste but because of the increasing amount of packaging rubbish. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of the packaging material on the environmentally friendly purchase decisions of consumers in Generations Y and Z and whether they can correctly assess the environmental impact of the different materials. For this purpose, an online choice experiment was conducted with a representative sample of 250 German consumers. The respondents could choose between products with different characteristics, such as price, packaging material, label, and origin. The results show that origin is the most important factor, followed by packaging material. With the help of a latent class analysis, the respondents were divided into three segments, which differ in whether origin or material is more important in the sustainability assessment of a product. Furthermore, a lack of knowledge about the environmental impact of specific product attributes among the respondents is evidenced, and a comparison with scientific data from product lifecycle assessments shows that they have difficulties correctly assessing the environmental impact of packaging material. Full article

This work aims to assess the emissions related to the useful life of the irrigation network on the campus of the University of Alicante (Spain). A life cycle assessment has been developed employing the One Click LCA software to calculate material proportion, repair rate, energy consumption, water volume, transport, and irrigation surface. This has been used in a real pressurised irrigation network, such as the one at the University of Alicante delivering water to the grass. Two potential cases which consider the pipelines made of polyvinyl chloride (variant 1) and high-density polyethene (variant 2) have also been analysed. Energy consumption had the most influence on emissions discharges (42%), followed by materials (37%) and repairs (18%) in the current water irrigation network. Variant 1 shows higher emissions produced in network materials (47%), energy consumption (27%), and repairs (24%). Variant 2 has high emissions because of energy consumption (47%), materials manufacturing and transport (34%), and repairs (17%). It has been determined that a network of disposed polyethene pipes will reduce the total Global Warming Potential emitted into the atmosphere. Materials (127.9 Tn CO_2e) and energy (145.5 Tn CO_2e) are the stages where the highest Global Warming Potential is produced. Other stages that also stand out are repairs (62 Tn CO_2e), construction (6.3 Tn CO_2e), and transport of materials (3.5 Tn CO₂e). Renewable energy sources could reduce energy consumption. Variant 2 has 11% lower emissions than the current network (variant 0), making it a workable choice for infrastructure design. Full article

The benefits and risks of irrigation with treated municipal wastewater (TMW) on soil quality and crop production have been largely investigated. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the effect of plant species on the interaction between soil quality and TMW. We leveraged a natural experiment investigating the effect of 30 years of TMW irrigation at a rate of 4 m y⁻¹ (eq. 1860 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹, and 264 kg P ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) on a sandy soil under pine plantation and pasture, compared with soil under New Zealand native Kunzea robusta. There was a consistent increase in soil P with irrigation under both pasture (Olsen P in topsoil 40 mg kg⁻¹ vs. 74 mg kg⁻¹) and pine (18 mg kg⁻¹ vs. 87 mg kg⁻¹), which was significant down to 2 m deep. The pH, electrical conductivity, total organic C and N, inorganic N and Na were affected by both irrigation and vegetation type. Beyond P soil accumulation, there was no evidence of soil degradation by Na or trace element accumulation. Estimations of nutrient mass balance indicated that 80% and 60% of the total applied P was lost under pine and pasture, respectively. This percentage increased to 96% and 83% for N, respectively. Although plant species had a significant effect on soil quality and N and P losses from TMW-irrigated areas, adjusting irrigation rates to levels that can be managed by plants is the only way to design sustainable TMW irrigation schemes. Full article

This paper provides a numerical and experimental analysis of global stability of axially compressed columns made of thin-walled rectangular concrete-filled steel tubes (CFSTs), with the consideration of initial geometric imperfections. The presented work introduces the theory of stability and strength of composite structural members subjected to axial compressive force. Moreover, a numerical calculation method for the determination of column resistance under axial load is presented, taking into account the influence of second-order effects that are considered in the European standard for the design of such members. This paper also presents the method of creating 3D models using the ABAQUS software, numerical analysis, and comparison of the obtained numerical results with experimental tests. In addition to the actual boundary and load conditions, the real properties of the used materials were also taken into account during the creation of 3D models. The actual properties of the used materials were obtained experimentally. Based on the obtained results and their comparison, several new findings and proven facts about the design and assessment of axially compressed columns made of thin-walled rectangular steel tubes filled with concrete are presented in the conclusions of the paper. Full article

This research aims to compare autonomous ground vehicles with conventional and electric vans on the basis of associated vehicle costs and benefits related to their use, taking into account economic feasibility. Cost per vehicle kilometre is derived using the total cost of ownership method adjusted with the inclusion of labour costs and the impact of solar panel application on fuel efficiency while travel time-related and capacity occupations and reliability benefits serve as a basis for the total possible number of parcels delivered. The results show that, under the current structural and infrastructural conditions of urban delivery, the experimental model can be potentially successful in terms of cost per kilometre (0.133/km) but not as effective in terms of the total possible number of parcels delivered. This study defines autonomous ground vehicles with lockers as an innovative last mile solution and contributes to the academic literature by investigating the concept’s efficiency competitiveness. Full article

To meet climate change goals and respond to increased global urbanisation, the building industry needs to improve both its building technology and its design methods. Constrained urban environments and building stock extensions are challenges for standard timber construction. Co-design promises to better integrate disciplines and processes, promising smaller feedback loops for design iteration and building verification. This article describes the integrated design, fabrication, and construction processes of a timber building prototype as a case study for the application of co-design methods. Emphasis is placed on the development of design and engineering methods, fabrication and construction processes, and materials and building systems. The development of the building prototype builds on previous research in robotic fabrication (including prefabrication, task distribution, and augmented reality integration), agent-based modelling (ABM) for the design and optimisation of structural components, and the systematisation of timber buildings and their components. The results presented in this article include a functional example of co-design from which best practises may be extrapolated as part of an inductive approach to design research. The prototype, with its co-designed process and resultant flat ceilings, integrated services, wide spans, and design adaptability for irregular column locations, has the potential to expand the design potential of multi-storey timber buildings. Full article

This paper analyses and evaluates a design for a distributed renewable power system for a British winery. A winery in Wiltshire, England, is used for a case study. The consumption of this winery is first analysed, then potential means of generation are discussed. The resulting design is a combination of 156 1.6 × 1 m² photovoltaic panels; a 2 × 12 m² modular anaerobic digester using winery and farm waste to produce 0.00287 kg/s of biogas; and a biogas combined heat and power generator to supply 188 MWhe and 44 MWht per year. This was analysed technically, using ECLIPSE, and economically. The design would reduce the carbon footprint of a winery by 41,100 kgCO₂/year. The techno-economic performance was compared with traditional power generation means; the designed system is technically viable, and financial incentives allow it to compete economically with alternatives. The cost of the design varies more with technology price than incentives, demonstrating that as technology improves incentives will quickly no longer be required. Full article

The current intensification in agricultural pressure has resulted in the addition of excessive amounts of nutrients. While hydroponic systems have become an agricultural tool to reduce this nutrient addition, the produced nutrient-rich drainage solution, which has a negative effect in water bodies, is still a barrier that needs to be overcome. A promising alternative for nutrient recovery is the cultivation of microalgae, which require a significant quantity of nutrients for their growth. Furthermore, their biostimulant properties enhance the circularity and sustainability approach. This study evaluates microalgae growth with a hydroponic drainage solution and the use of the resulting biomass as a source for biostimulant. Three microalgae strains were tested (Desmodesmus sp., Chlorella vulgaris, and Scenedesmus obliquus) and grown at laboratory scale (0.5 and 2 L) with drainage wastewater taken from hydroponic tomato crops. Measures of OD₇₅₀ and OD₆₈₀ revealed Desmodesmus sp. as the strain with the best performance, achieving 1.4 and 1.8, respectively, in the 0.5 L assay and 1.08 and 1.3 in the 2 L assay. These results were confirmed in another assay that compared Desmodesmus sp. growth in drainage wastewater and in control media. Then, Desmodesmus sp. was tested at industrial scale. Results show the columnar PBR reached 1.8 g·L⁻¹ compared to 1.1 g·L⁻¹ achieved with raceways. Finally, the resulting biomass was tested in a biocatalysis process for biostimulant production, suggesting an innovative system to use microalgae biomass cultured in wastewater as a valuable product such as biostimulant. Full article

Organic produce in general is perceived as environmentally superior to conventional produce. This perception is what partially drives some consumers to pay a price premium for organic food. To understand the environmental impact across various categories of both production systems, we performed a life cycle analysis on organic and conventionally produced strawberries in California, following input estimates from extension reports. This study found that organic strawberries performed worse than conventional strawberries in almost all environmental impact categories by unit of land and unit of production. Organic strawberries generate 46% more carbon footprint than conventional strawberries. One of the main environmental impact contributors of organic production is the effect of transportation of compost, manure, and other organic inputs, which are required in large volumes per ha. The contribution of input delivery to total carbon footprint per ha of organic strawberry production is 33%, and for conventional strawberry production the contribution is 8%. Post-harvest processing of strawberries is the activity in both production systems that contributes the most to total GWP per ha of production, up to 40% for organic and 60% for conventional strawberries. Full article

This study characterized the relationship between plant species, soil, and moisture dynamics in the Willamette Valley (Oregon, USA) to obtain a base framework for wetland conservation and restoration. We identified 24 dominant plant species, including the exotic invasive Dipsacus fullonum, distributed throughout the wetland. Plant community analysis indicated that (1) soil moisture during the dry season (August to October) and (2) soil bulk density were the major abiotic drivers of plant community structure. Water potential measurements confirmed the community analysis. Juncus (rush) species appeared to be more tolerant to drought than other typical wetland species. Therefore, dryer conditions due to climate change or water diversion may favor rushes’ persistence. We also found that the dominance of D. fullonum may also negatively affect the native plant species’ survival, which highlights the need for proper management practices. To prevent further vegetation deterioration in sensitive wetland areas, we recommend avoiding hydric diversions to maintain the water supply, exploring manners of controlling invasive species, and preventing livestock grazing. The results of this study contribute to foundational and practical knowledge concerning the influence of soil conditions and moisture availability on the physiological response and distribution of wetland plant species that is required for conservation and management. Full article

Due to the large and unsustainable use of valuable natural resources and electronic waste generation worldwide, which poses risks to human health and the environment, different organizations have initiated efforts to shift from a linear economy to a circular economy. A crucial aspect of promoting a circular economy is improving product durability, which can reduce resource extraction and waste because products remain in use for a longer period. Methods for measuring and indexing durability should encourage consumers to buy more durable products and incentivize manufacturers to compete in improving durability. This paper reviews past research on measuring product durability. It proposes an overall framework based on the promise of product life as well as its readiness to perform required functions for indexing durability. Finally, it presents an example of durability assessment. The proposed framework enables manufacturers to improve the design and communication of product durability. Furthermore, it supports establishing durability standards by standard development organizations and promotes sustainability through durability initiatives. Full article

Among the procedures included in surface mines’ closure, the determination of post-mining land uses constitutes one of the early but primary steps. This research aims to develop an algorithm for the selection of the most suitable land use spatial distribution in the post-mining area of a surface lignite mine in northern Greece. Considering the already reclaimed areas and the local socioeconomic conditions, six distinct criteria that concern physical local characteristics were selected and, in turn, spatially combined with parameters affecting the mining area. Mining experts attributed weights to the criteria regarding their importance for the examined land uses. The six criteria concerned physical local characteristics (slope, elevation, and distance from villages, rivers, roads, and transmission lines), while the parameters affecting the mining area referred to the type of ground (undisturbed or graded areas), existing infrastructure, and mine closure planning, emphasizing the final landscape of the mining area. The investigated land uses encompassed agricultural, forest, industrial (including buildings, infrastructure, and photovoltaic parks), and recreational parks. Through the application of a fuzzification algorithm within a geographical information system (GIS) environment, four land use suitability maps were generated, which were subsequently overlaid to derive a comprehensive suitability map. The final suitability map was derived from the integration of the mining parameters as spatial information into the algorithm. The findings indicate that, even though the land use suitability analysis could be derived from a mathematical model, the integration of qualitative information related to the mining specifications is necessary to produce more reliable results. The proposed algorithm can be used as a useful tool by decision-makers in the mining industry to plan post-mining reclamation based on suitable criteria. Full article

The purpose of the current study is to collect and evaluate data on whether and to what extent the renewable energy companies within Greece disclose non-financial information in line with global and international standards. Renewable energy has grown rapidly over the last 20 years as a key aspect of the transition to a less energy-intensive and more sustainable energy system. However, constant competition between companies, finances, taxes, politics and other factors have in many cases created environmentally harmful situations. Even though technology is advancing and supporting these companies, even though international laws for the environment and the safety measures for operations have become stricter, it was, nevertheless, impossible to avoid these situations. The concerns of the public, but also of the renewable energy companies to control, monitor and measure the impacts from their operations to the environment and the life of society around the sites of their operations, lead many companies to publish sustainability reports. This report is published by a company or organization concerning the economic, environmental and social impacts caused by its everyday activities and demonstrates the link between its strategy and its commitment to a sustainable global economy. A framework with specific economic, environmental and social indicators to support reporting for renewable energy companies is corporate social responsibility (CSR) together with the Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI). GRI is an independent international organization that has pioneered sustainability reporting. It is very important to determine the extent to which these enterprises really contribute to sustainable development. Full article

To improve the reliability of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of wind-driven pollutant dispersion within urban settings, a re-calibration study is conducted to optimize the standard $k-\epsilon$ model. A modified optimization framework based on the genetic algorithm is adapted to alleviate the computational expenses and to further identify ranges for each empirical coefficient to achieve the most reliable and accurate predictions. A robust objective function is defined, incorporating both the flow parameters and pollutant concentration through several linear and logarithmic measures. The coefficients are trained using high-quality and full-scale tracer experiments in a mock urban arrangement simulating a building array. The proposed ranges are $0.14\le C_{\mu }\le 0.15$, $1.30\le C_{\epsilon 1}\le 1.46$, $1.68\le C_{\epsilon 2}\le 1.80$, $1.12\le {\sigma }_{\epsilon }\le 1.20$, and $0.87\le {\sigma }_k\le 1.00$. A thorough evaluation of the predicted flow and concentration fields indicates the modified closure is effective. The fraction of predictions within the acceptable ranges from measurements has increased by 8% for pollutant concentration and 27% for turbulence kinetic energy. The generality of the calibrated model is further tested by modeling additional cases with different meteorological conditions, in which the calculated validation metrics attest to the noteworthy improvements in predictions. Full article

The cosmetics industry is facing growing pressure to offer more sustainable products, which can be tackled by applying eco-design. This article aims to present the Sustainable Product Optimization Tool (SPOT) methodology developed by L’Oréal to eco-design its cosmetic products and the strategies adopted for its implementation while presenting the challenges encountered along the way. The SPOT methodology is based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) of a finished product and its subsystems (formula, packaging, manufacturing and distribution). Several environmental indicators are assessed, normalized and weighted based on the planetary boundaries concept, and then aggregated into a single footprint. A product sustainability index (a single rating, easy to interpret) is then obtained by merging the environmental product rating derived from the single environmental footprint with the social rating (not covered here). The use of the SPOT method is shown by two case studies. The implementation of SPOT, based on specific strategic and managerial measures (corporate and brand targets, Key Performance Indicators, and financial incentives) is discussed. These measures have enabled L’Oréal to have 97% of their products stated as eco-designed in 2022. SPOT shows how eco-design can be implemented on a large scale without compromising scientific robustness. Eco-design tools must strike the right balance between the complexity of the LCA and the ease of interpretation of the results, and have a robust implementation plan to ensure a successful eco-design strategy. Full article

After three years of COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions, mobility seems to have returned to normality. However, the pandemic has left changes in the mobility patterns of the Madrid Region produced by new trends emerging from COVID-19. This paper analyzes these changes, focusing on the impacts on public transport use, the effects of telematic activities and the influence of home relocation. The basis of the analysis is a survey conducted from November to December 2022, with more than 15,000 valid responses. The results show that public transport lost 6% of trips. These trips have different transfer rates depending on their geographic location. In the City Center, the majority transferred to active modes. However, the car attracted most of these trips in the Metropolitan Ring. These changes in mobility patterns are partly a consequence of the increase in telematic activities. Teleworking has increased by more than 20% in the Madrid Region and has caused changes in trips per week and trip purpose. In addition, teleworking has caused 18% of home relocations to peripheral zones of the region. This paper investigates through statistical analysis which sociodemographic and spatial factors explain the differences in mobility impacts throughout the zones of the Madrid Region. Full article

The escalating water demand in Cyprus has necessitated the exploration of alternative water resources. The available water, which relies on rainfall and dam storage supplemented by methods such as desalination and aquifer enrichment, is inadequate to meet the current water demand. As a solution, Cyprus is utilizing reclaimed water for irrigation, in full compliance with both local and EU regulations. To address sustainable water management in Cyprus, a minimal liquid discharge (MLD) system is assessed for its environmental feasibility. A system incorporating reverse osmosis (RO), a multi-effect distillation (MED) evaporator, and a vacuum crystallizer (VC) is proposed for treating reclaimed water from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Larnaca. The proposed system aims to control the salinity (2500 mg/L) that limits the use of recovered water to the irrigation of non-sensitive types of crops, while recovering salt (sodium chloride). A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted, comparing the proposed MLD system with a reference system based on RO technology, where water is recovered, and brine is rejected back into the sea. The environmental feasibility was assessed via comparing 16 different environmental impact categories. Based on the analysis, the reference study provided a positive numeric value for most of the impact categories that were examined. Thus, it was concluded that the reference study has an overall negative impact on the environment, whereas the proposed MLD system demonstrated an overall positive impact, mainly due to low ecotoxicity. Full article

Digital transformation in industry is seen as a key technology enabling decarbonization. It is obvious that measures to increase the energy efficiency and integration of renewable energy technologies must be fostered, and in most cases, these measures need a smart combination of several solution pathways. This results in a significant increase in both the design and operation complexity of these systems. However, there is no clear guidance regarding optimized systems. This work presents a standardized methodology enabling the optimized management of the demand and supply side of an industrial process towards decarbonization. The methodology is presented and showcased based on examples from the food industry and demonstrates how to realize energy efficiency measures and the integration of renewable energy by combining the supply side (SS) and demand side (DS) of industrial processes. The results show that data availability and individualized modeling are major challenges in implementing the methodology. To show the impact of optimization, well-selected key performance indicators (KPIs) are a proper means of evaluation and validation, but it is important to select them on purpose. Therefore, future research should focus on efficient data acquisition, expanding expertise, standardized modeling tools, and KPI definitions. Full article

Forestlands in the southeastern U.S. generate a great variety of ecosystem services that contribute to the well-being of humans and nonhumans alike. Despite their importance, forests continue to be lost to other land uses such as agricultural production and urban development. Advancements in remote sensing and machine learning techniques have facilitated land use/land cover (LULC) change projections, but many prior efforts have neglected to account for social and policy dimensions. We incorporated key socio-economic factors, conservation policies, societal preferences, and landscape biophysical features into LULC projection techniques under four different development scenarios. We applied this approach in the Upper Flint watershed, which flows south from the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area and is characterized by extensive urbanization and associated deforestation. Our results suggest that incorporating social and policy drivers in future LULC projection approaches leads to more realistic results with higher accuracy levels, offering decision-makers, development planners, and policymakers better opportunities to forecast the effects of anticipated changes on the availability of ESs in the future. Conservation organizations and public agencies can benefit from such analysis to identify regions requiring conservation interventions for prioritizing their conservation efforts. We used publicly available data for the conterminous U.S., hence our approach can be replicable in other study regions within the nation. Full article

The durability properties of structural recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) produced with 50% coarse recycled concrete aggregates and up to 20% fine recycled concrete aggregates were analysed and compared to those of conventional concrete (NAC). Both the RAC and NAC mixtures achieved the same compressive strength when using an effective water–cement ratio of 0.47 and 0.51, respectively. All the concretes were produced using three types of cement: CEM II A/L 42.5 R, CEM II A/S 42.5 N/SRC and CEM III/B 42.5 N-LH/SR. The properties of drying shrinkage, chloride permeability, and accelerated carbonation coefficient of the concretes were determined experimentally, and the obtained results were compared with the values estimated by specific standards of exposure to XC1–XC4 (corrosion induced by carbonation can happen due to the presence of humidity) and XS1 (corrosion caused by chlorides from seawater) environments. The results showed that all the concretes achieved maximum drying shrinkage for use in structural concrete. Any concretes produced with CEM IIIB, including the RAC-C50-F20 concrete, achieved very low chloride ion penetrability, ranging between 500 to 740 Coulombs. In addition, all concretes manufactured with CEM IIAL and CEM IIAS, including RAC-C50-F20, were suitable for use in XC3 and XC4 exposure environments, both with 50- and 100-year lifespans. Full article

Sustainable innovations, such as sustainable products or services, are becoming increasingly relevant for society and thrive on societies’ knowledge and usage. But this is where many cities/municipalities are experiencing disharmony: citizens often do not know that these sustainable innovations exist and, therefore, do not use them. Our study starts at this point: To address this disharmony in Germany, the government has established the German Sustainability Award, which honors cities/municipalities with outstanding sustainable innovations. We qualitatively surveyed the citizens and administrations of these cities about their knowledge and use in their city/municipality (using eight categories) under the theoretical lens of Rogers’ (1960/2003) Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI). In 29 interviews in six cities/municipalities, we were able to match sustainable innovations based on DOI. In particular, we determined that few sustainable innovations were only found in specific categories (such as economy (EC)), while others existed in all (such as climate and environment (CE) or education (ED)), and, e.g., city/municipality’s size did not matter at all. Full article

To make cities more sustainable and livable and to achieve climate targets in transportation, cities around the globe must undergo sustainable transformations. However, disparities in initial conditions pose challenges when trying to implement these sustainable changes. Identifying these differences aids in the comprehension of future developments. In this study, we establish an international comparison by decoding the mobility-related characteristics of cities and determining urban archetypes. Using publicly accessible data, we analyze and classify 96 cities in different countries. Therefore, we utilize principal component analysis to simplify the data. The emerging components serve as input for segmentation. This approach yields nine unique urban archetypes, ranging from Well-Functioning and Ancient Hybrid Cities in Europe to Paratransit and Traffic-Saturated Cities in the southern hemisphere. Our results show that there is a significant advantage to using a multidimensional segmentation basis, which we identify in an extensive literature review. The result is a finer segmentation, which is especially clear for European cities that demonstrate four different clusters. We discuss that the effect of future restrictions on private car usage will vary widely between the urban archetypes. Full article

This paper describes a hypothesized learning progression for how secondary students understand interdependent relationships in ecosystems, a key concept in the field of ecology and for public understanding of science. In this study, a hypothetical learning progression was developed and empirically investigated using Rasch modeling of data from 1366 students in a large, diverse, urban school district. We found that the empirical evidence supported the general structure of the hypothesized learning progression for relationships in ecosystems. There were notable exceptions, and we describe the ways in which we altered the items and the learning progression to address empirical inconsistencies with our a priori conceptions. The assessment items developed through this study are immediately available online for formative assessment purposes, and the learning progression can support teachers’ thinking about students’ understanding of ecosystems. In particular, the upper reach of the learning progression offers a more complete description of the ways in which students might develop their understanding of complex interactions in ecosystems, beyond what is currently offered in the literature and standards documents about students’ understanding. Full article

Coagulant aids are useful chemicals that enhance the efficiency of coagulation sedimentation treatment. For this purpose, it is necessary to choose safe chemicals to avoid various risks to the health of those who use the treated water. The use of chitosan, an abundant natural polysaccharide, as a coagulant aid is significant not only for safe water treatment but also for the effective utilization of unused natural water resources, which are mostly wasted. We experimentally determined the optimal treatment conditions for using chitosan as a coagulant aid in water treatment. The most efficient use was identified as adding chitosan at the stage of rapid stirring after the addition of coagulant accelerated initial dispersion. When used with the main coagulant polyaluminum chloride (PACl), the optimal concentration of chitosan was 0.8 mg L⁻¹, as estimated using the ζ potential showing isoelectricity at the optimal chitosan concentration. Determining the chitosan concentration using the minimum ζ potential was also valid for estimating the optimum concentration of chitosan, which is an extension of the method used at much higher turbidity, as seen in wastewater. Thus, the ζ potential-based prediction of the optimum chitosan concentration was effective even when the effect of sweep coagulation, which is normally induced at higher turbidity, was negligible. The superiority of using the coagulant PACl in combination with chitosan as the coagulant aid was demonstrated by comparing the in situ-observed coagulation process to cases with other coagulants and coagulant aids using direct time-series observation of the coagulation process. The use of chitosan with PACl was found to make the flocs easier to remove because it resulted in the largest mass fraction of the resultant floc sedimentation on the bottom of the vessel. In this study, using the PACl coagulant in combination with chitosan as the coagulant aid was found to be as viable as using the current popular combination of aluminum sulfate and polyacrylamide. Replacing polyacrylamide with chitosan contributed to reducing the potential risk to the health of those to use the treated water. Full article

The current landscape of climate change adaptation and resilience policies, frameworks, and indicators is rapidly changing as nations, organizations, and individuals acknowledge the urgent need to address its impacts. Various methods for adaptation and resilience are developed and monitored through formal indicators. However, there are gaps in indicator development and monitoring, including the need for more indicators to address monitoring gaps, lacks in the availability of fit-for-purpose (quality and quantity) data sets, and interpretation challenges. Especially at the local level, these gaps are pronounced. In this study, we assessed current policies, frameworks, and indicators, and conducted semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. A key concern raised was the difficulty in handling insufficient, quality data, particularly in developing nations, hindering adaptation implementation. Respondents also noted the lack of a standardised approach/tool for planning, monitoring, and evaluation. To address this, stakeholders advocated for local indicators and a unified approach/tool. Comparable and consistent data, collected by qualified personnel, were emphasised. Effective adaptation plans are vital in responding to climate change, yet challenges persist in planning, implementation, and monitoring, reporting, and verification phases. A recommended solution involves a common measurement approach for adaptation and resilience, alongside tailored local strategies to ensure success of these plans. Full article

Advances in new electric aerial vehicles have encouraged research on pioneering Urban Air Mobility (UAM) solutions, which would provide fast service for passengers, goods, and emergencies. From this perspective, some air service scenarios have been identified, such as air taxis, airport shuttles, and intercity services. Such air services should be supported by a suitable urban air network, which should comply with several boundary conditions linked to the specific features of this new type of aerial mobility. This paper proposes an Urban Air Network (UAN) model that includes a third (vertical) dimension and whose aim is to satisfy the basic principle of linking origin/destination pairs, as in usual ground transportation networks, by guaranteeing at the same time safe aerial paths between origin/destination pairs with suitable vehicle separations. The proposed UAN consists of multiple 2D graphs on different layers, which allows for the transfer of aerial vehicles in lower airspace. A suitable cost function has been associated with each UAN link in order to compute the shortest paths connecting the origin/destination pairs. The links in a UAN have a dynamic nature and can be enabled or disabled in consideration of capacity issues. In addition, indirect CO₂ emissions linked to aerial vehicles (such as operational and disposal phase charges) have been computed to foresee the potential environmental impacts based on the proposed UAN model. The preliminary results of a test case show encouraging results and provide interesting findings for further advancements. Full article

Agritourism can be a way of “saving”/supporting a rural area and its authentic resources, and in the case of the Bukovina area, the authenticity degree of its current resources is high. Some of the resources in this area create a sense of “celebrity” among tourists and, at the same time, offer the possibility of bringing some original and authentic products to the tourist market. The purpose of this study is to present an analysis of the Bukovina area in order to analyze the impact of this activity on the local community, pursuing the following specific objectives: identifying the development degree of agritourism activity and the particularities of the agritourism product offered; identifying the motivation behind and impact of this activity, as well as obtaining proposals from those directly involved in the agritourism field; analyzing the extent to which agritourism is a means of capitalizing on local resources and identifying the impact generated over time; and identifying benefits and future directions and their impact on the local community. The case-study method was used to support the research. Based on the research carried out, proposals are made in order to ensure that agritourism activity becomes a possible tool to generate sustainability for the local community. Full article

Rural sustainability has emerged as a ‘wicked problem’ for practitioners within and outside design. Many efforts that adopted a systematic approach since the 1980s paved the road for addressing such a systemic problem. Moreover, stakeholders from the systemic design field have made significant strides by developing a systemic approach to rural systems since 2012 and implementing numerous localised design practices globally. Despite these efforts, the essence of systemic design for sustainable rural development remains relatively unclear because of its infancy. Therefore, this study tries to answer the question of “how does systemic design facilitate the sustainability transition of rural communities” by conducting field visits to two typical systemic design projects: Future Village Lab in rural China (Tieniu Village) and Systemic Design Lab in Italy (Ostana). Thereafter, drawing on insights from organisational management studies, this study pioneers a novel theoretical framework called ‘Situation-Cognition-Action’ to compare and analyse these two cases. The results highlight the role of systemic design in contributing to rural sustainability by enhancing the understanding of complex situations, fostering cognitive capacity, and creating a solution ecosystem for collaborative action. Finally, it elucidates how systemic design addresses three crucial trade-offs and effectively promotes rural sustainability in various rural contexts. Full article

Reconnecting natural habitats and improving agroecosystem conditions are strategic targets set by several European policies. In order to combine both of these needs, the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 has triggered new investments in Green Infrastructure (GI), which actually represents a valuable tool to increase ecological connectivity across natural and semi-natural habitats. In particular, GI may benefit the Natura2000 (N2K) network (i.e., the network of protected sites under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives) by reinforcing the node/site number, extent, and distribution and by improving connections between often small and isolated habitat patches. However, there is a lack of knowledge on what the actual needs of GI deployment are for improving the current N2K network, on the distribution of these needs across Europe and on the potential role of agricultural areas in the improvement of the network functionality. Concurrently, especially in SW Europe, there is an ongoing trend toward the homogenisation and intensification of agricultural systems and the combined loss of associated landscape elements, such as natural and semi-natural Small Woody Features (SWF). Although a well-planned network of such elements could support biodiversity and landscape connectivity, thus effectively complementing the N2K network, little evidence is available on their abundance and residual distribution, especially in agricultural areas and at continental/bioregional scales. Therefore, the present work is aimed at (i) identifying different types of territorial units (NUTS3) in W Mediterranean Europe according to current N2K network features, the overall composition of the actual landscape mosaic and the potential natural heterogeneity of the environment and (ii) identifying and spatialising N2K-related GI deployment needs according to a more specific network analysis in terms of nodes (extent of the total protected area) and links (density of residual woody elements in arable land) within the different types of NUTS3. By means of this wide-scale investigation, four different types of GI deployment needs were generalised across the W Mediterranean Europe NUTS3. Overall, the need for connection restoration prevails, followed by the need for the consolidation of node and link conservation, for the creation of new protected sites and for the enlargement of existing N2K sites. Although useful for a preliminary setting, the shortcomings related to summary data at the European level were also highlighted when compared to local-scale information, with the latter being more suitable for identifying and prioritising truly effective GI conservation and restoration actions. Full article

Green areas positively affect human health. It applies in particular to greenery in a direct neighbourhood of the housing. We analysed new housing estates in Poznan, Poland. Greenery quality was assessed according to developed factors, based on data about the area of the greenery in comparison with the area covered by hardscapes within the site; pre-existing greenery inventories; new greenery inventories; green area functions and accessibility. In the second stage of research, we compared data about greenery quality to information concerning economic value of the statistic flat in the estate. The average area of greenery in relation to the area of the plot was 40.16% for prestigious investments and 41.62% for less prestigious ones. The median value of WU (‘Socialisation rate’ indicator designed for this research) for prestigious investments was 0.035 and for less prestigious investments it was 0.226. The research showed that the price of flats does not affect the quality of residential greenery. Less prestigious (cheaper) flats have the same or even better access and quality of greenery in the estate. Developers do not take actual actions in the field of environmental compensation, which leads to lowering of the quality of greenery and public space. Full article

The building sector has a significant impact on the environment due to its unproductive and technologically outdated practices. Although digital tools have emerged as potential solutions, current building practices often lack automation and efficiency. Throughout history, several self-supporting techniques, i.e., construction methods dedicated to the building of shells that do not need support during the construction works, have been developed. These techniques allow for reducing waste and minimizing construction costs. Combining self-supporting techniques and digital tools could aid the development of contemporary, highly sustainable, and efficient building practices that permit the use of alternative and sustainable materials. Building on this, the research conducted defines an approach for evaluating the balanced state of masonry structures during construction works and built using robotic technologies. The approach considers the factors that govern the stability under construction derived through studying self-supporting building techniques. The proposed approach assesses the structural state under construction, evaluating the need for temporary supports. An example of a masonry arch is provided to emphasize the importance of construction factors in sustainable building practices. Then the method is applied to a real case study. Overall, integrating self-supporting techniques with digital tools has the potential to revolutionize the building sector, and create highly sustainable and efficient practices. Full article

This article contributes to the ongoing discussion on rural development programs aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Global South. The research question examines how the Smart Rural Communities (SRC) framework can support the SDGs as an international cooperation model. The article presents findings from fieldwork action research including a critical analysis of the hegemonic discourse on smart cities and provides final recommendations. Additionally, it introduces the concept of SRC. The fieldwork action research was conducted in post-conflict rural areas in Colombia’s Bolivar region and remote settlements in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province. Led by Ayuda En Acción in collaboration with co-operatives such as Mundukide Foundation, Alecop, and LKS from Mondragon Co-operative Corporation, these interventions aimed to engage local communities through Living Labs. They utilized Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and social innovation to promote the well-being of rural residents. The article comprises (i) an introduction; (ii) a literature review; (iii) a presentation of the fieldwork action research in Colombia and Mozambique; (iv) findings from a SWOT analysis and policy recommendations for SRC Living Labs; (v) conclusions addressing the research question. The SRC framework offers valuable insights for international cooperation models striving to achieve the SDGs in the Global South. Full article

Vacant land in shrinking cities has long been associated with high crime rates and economic decline. While some efforts have been made to repurpose vacant land for tax revenue generation and temporary environmental restoration, a comprehensive framework for city-scale assessment and reprogramming remains lacking. To address this gap, our study introduced the Vacant Land Assessment System (VLAS), a multi-scale spatial analysis and planning tool that assesses the distribution and characteristics of vacant lots using publicly available spatial data. Taking Hartford, Connecticut as a case study, we assessed and categorized the characteristics of vacant lots into four typologies: Row House, Street Corner, Commercial/Industrial, and Main Street. Responding reuse programs for those typologies were generated and one design example of vacant lot greening was also provided based on identified sustainable goals and techniques. The VLAS serves as an effective planning support tool, enabling efficient assessment, classification, and planning for urban vacancy management across city, district, neighborhood, and site scales. This multi-scale planning and design approach to repurpose vacant lots with diverse physical characteristics offers valuable insights for transforming vacant land in other shrinking legacy cities for sustainability and neighborhood revitalization. Full article

Worldwide, smart/co-working spaces are growing significantly, and prefabricated movable buildings for such an application could (i) save energy, CO₂ emissions, and costs; (ii) enhance the worker’s perceived sense of surroundings; and (iii) support the rebirth of small villages with high regenerative potential. Innovative prefabricated movable building configurations to be used as an office for smart/co-working by a maximum of 6 persons have been designed and analyzed based on simulation data. In particular, 10 case studies corresponding to building configurations differing in terms of innovative energy-efficient measures related to the building envelope (smart windows operated under various control logics) and the energy systems serving the building (photovoltaic panels, small wind turbines, and electric storages) have been modeled and simulated by applying detailed dynamic simulation models via the simulation software TRNSYS. The performance of the 10 case studies has been compared from energy, environmental, and economic points of view with respect to a baseline system characterized by conventional building envelope and energy systems, with the aim of assessing the proposed measures and identifying the most efficient configuration. The simulation results highlighted that: (i) all the proposed alternative configurations allow to save primary energy (from 10.3% up to 100%), equivalent CO₂ emissions(from 10.3% up to 100%), and operating costs (from 8.5% up to 100%) with respect to the baseline building; (ii) the building configurations including the smart windows only are not economically feasible in terms of simple pay-back (SPB) period, while the building configurations equipped with photovoltaic panels and/or electric storages and/or wind turbine represent a suitable investment thanks to an SPB lower than 15.2 years; (iii) a stand-alone building configuration for smart/co-working with energy demands totally covered by means of renewable sources can be obtained by combining smart windows, photovoltaic panels, electric storages and wind turbine. Full article

The present paper embarks on an investigation of the main risks associated with agri-food supply chains. A total of 11 key risks, namely Natural disasters of a global or local scale; Workers’ strikes; Change in government regulations or safety standards; Supply chain disruptions due to social or political unrest; Short term raw materials or products (expiration issue); Seasonality; Food safety incidents; Lack of smooth interconnection with other chain participants and Market and pricing strategies, economic crises and seven root risks (Natural disasters of a global or local scale; Workers’ strikes; Change in government regulations or safety standards; Rapid deterioration of raw materials (expiration) due to seasonality; Food safety incidents; Fraud in the food sector; Market and pricing strategies, economic crises) are applicable to all four stages of the agri-food supply chains were identified. An expert survey together with the Best-Worst Multi Criteria Decision Making method was employed as the main research tools. The most important root risks for agri-food supply chains are natural disasters of a global or local scale; workers’ strikes; change in government regulations or safety standards; rapid deterioration of raw materials (expiration), seasonality; food safety incidents; fraud in the food sector; market and pricing strategies economic crises. The most appropriate risk mitigation measures for each of the root risks were derived and assessed. Full article

There is increasing interest in connected and automated vehicles (CAVs), since their implementation will transform the nature of transportation and promote social and economic change. Transition toward cooperative driving still requires the understanding of some key questions to assess the performances of CAVs and human-driven vehicles on roundabouts and to properly balance road safety and traffic efficiency requirements. In this view, this paper proposes a simulation-based methodological framework aiming to assess the presence of increasing proportions of CAVs on roundabouts operating at a high-capacity utilization level. A roundabout was identified in Palermo City, Italy, and built in Aimsun (version 20) to describe the stepwise methodology. The CAV-based curves of capacity by entry mechanism were developed and then used as target capacities. To calibrate the model parameters, the capacity curves were compared with the capacity data simulated by Aimsun. The impact on the safety and performance efficiency of a lane dedicated to CAVs was also examined using surrogate measures of safety. The paper ends with highlighting a general improvement with CAVs on roundabouts, and with providing some insights to assess the advantages of the automated and connected driving technologies in transitioning to smarter mobility. Full article

Originating from the main theories on the interpretation of the city as a system, this paper calls attention to the need to build a new theoretical framework. This framework would be able to support actions related to the consideration of ecosystem services in the activities governing urban and territorial transformations. By adopting the systemic interpretation of the city, it may be possible to more readily identify the ecosystem services related to each of the urban subsystems, and promote a new and different consideration of them when defining urban policies on the sustainable management of urban and territorial systems. This reflection describes a new approach to the problem, by indicating mainly the theoretical references and methodological connections to be considered in the development of a new dimension of territorial government. This dimension would be, by necessity, built upon issues that characterize the current historical phase, such as ecological transition, and the new potential of technological innovation that, if properly reconsidered, could contribute to substantially redefining the field of traditional urban planning. Full article

This paper presents the results of multidisciplinary research which addresses the issue of sustainability within the design of urban agricultural landscapes through the joint solution of architecture and hydro-geomorphology for the management, accessibility and use of urban agricultural landscapes. If the traditional separation between urban and productive land has now been overcome by the inclusion of agricultural areas within the cities, what is still under discussion is how to make its planning sustainable, especially in densely urbanized contexts. This research was developed with a methodology able to combine different types of data in order to satisfy needs relating to the availability of water for land supply and to make this landscape—both rural and urban—accessible to the city. Historical traces, interpretative insights, and hydro-geomorphological reading models of the territory were analysed. Their interweaving has made it possible to develop a prototype of a water and landscape infrastructure that combines a system for subsurface water, cycle–pedestrian paths and small-scale architecture features around the water tanks. The research has been tested in the city of Pozzuoli (NA) in Southern Italy, within the Monteruscello neighbourhood. The result led to a design solution of an integrated system which contributes to implementing the green transition within cities. Full article

This study evaluates the current collection and recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in Italy by means of the analysis of national and regional data from EUROSTAT and the Italian WEEE Coordination Centre database, as well as through qualitative interviews with key stakeholders of the WEEE management system of the Campania region (Southern Italy). Urban systems, among which the metropolitan city of Naples in the Campania region, are the main users of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) and, as a consequence, the main generators of WEEE, which must be managed and recovered properly in order to prevent the loss of valuable resources and the associated environmental impacts. In addition to analysing the current state of WEEE collection and recycling in Italy and its regions and urban systems, the study aims to improve our understanding of the WEEE reverse supply chain and the main barriers and drivers to collection and recycling. The results reveal that the main barriers to the collection/delivery/recycling of WEEE resulted in the low awareness of the citizens about the importance of WEEE recovery, the lack of trust towards administrators, the lack of certified first treatment plants, the aversion of the citizens to the opening of new plants due to past inefficient solutions in solid waste management, the exploitation of high value materials only (so-called “cannibalization”, the illegal trade of WEEE, the influence of the market on the valorization of secondary materials), and, finally, the dominance of economic efficiency over the proximity advantage for the disposal of solid waste. On the other hand, the main drivers for collection emerged to be the adoption of education programmes in schools and constant communication campaigns directed to citizens in order to improve WEEE collection and recycling behaviour; the adoption of economic and non-economic incentives; the availability of municipal collection points (ecological islands) and other collection centres characterised by easy access by citizens for the delivery of their WEEE. Full article

Using a multilevel modelling approach, this study investigates the impact of urban inequalities on changes to rail ridership across Chicago’s “L” stations during the pandemic, the mass vaccination rollout, and the full reopening of the city. Initially believed to have an equal impact, COVID-19 disproportionally impacted the ability of lower socioeconomic status (SES) neighbourhoods’ to adhere to non-pharmaceutical interventions: working-from-home and social distancing. We find that “L” stations in predominately Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino neighbourhoods with high industrial land-use recorded the smallest behavioural change. The maintenance of higher public transport use at these stations is likely to have exacerbated existing health inequalities, worsening disparities in users’ risk of exposure, infection rates, and mortality rates. This study also finds that the vaccination rollout and city reopening did not significantly increase the number of users at stations in higher vaccinated, higher private vehicle ownership neighbourhoods, even after a year into the pandemic. A better understanding of the spatial and socioeconomic determinants of changes in ridership behaviour is crucial for policymakers in adjusting service routes and frequencies that will sustain reliant neighbourhoods’ access to essential services, and to encourage trips at stations which are the most impacted to revert the trend of declining public transport use. Full article

Building energy modelling (BEM) is crucial for achieving energy conservation in buildings, but occupant energy-related behaviour is often oversimplified in traditional engineering simulation methods and thus causes a significant deviation between energy prediction and actual consumption. Moreover, the conventional fixed schedule-setting method is not applicable to the recently developed data-driven BEM which requires a more flexible and data-related multi-timescales schedule-setting method to boost its performance. In this paper, a data-based schedule setting method is developed by applying K-medoid clustering with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) dimensional reduction and Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) distance measurement to a comprehensive building energy historical dataset, partitioning the data into three different time scales to explore energy usage profile patterns. The Year–Month data were partitioned into two clusters; the Week–Day data were partitioned into three clusters; the Day–Hour data were partitioned into two clusters, and the schedule-setting matrix was developed based on the clustering result. We have compared the performance of the proposed data-driven schedule-setting matrix with default settings and calendar data using a single-layer neural network (NN) model. The findings show that for the data-driven predictive BEM, the clustering results-based data-driven schedule setting performs significantly better than the conventional fixed schedule setting (with a 25.7% improvement) and is more advantageous than the calendar data (with a 9.2% improvement). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that a data-related multi-timescales schedule matrix setting method based on cluster results of building energy profiles can be more suitable for data-driven BEM establishment and can improve the data-driven BEMs performance. Full article

The Sustainable Development Goals laid out in the UN 2030 Agenda, particularly Goal 11, which seeks to create inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and human settlements, call on researchers, businesses, and public administrations to address the mounting challenges of urban planning and to leverage them with a tool to enhance the well-being of citizens. This study demonstrates how chorematic maps can facilitate the comprehension of urban planning objectives and their relationship with the mental well-being of residents. To this end, a fresh set of chorems is proposed, which aims to depict the features and components of the urban environment that can affect happiness and, consequently, mental well-being. This research presents various examples of the application of the suggested chorems in an urban setting, which illustrates how they can be employed by experts and citizens alike and thereby can serve as a means to motivate administrators, technicians, and the public to engage with and live in their city with greater mindfulness and involvement. Full article

The definition of High Nature Value Farmland Areas (HNVF) was provided by Andersen in 2003: “HNVF comprises those areas in Europe where agriculture is the major (usually the dominant) land use and where that agriculture supports or is associated with either a high species and habitat diversity, or the presence of species of European conservation concern or both”. The present work focuses on an overview of the techniques used to produce HNVF maps at different spatio-temporal resolutions. The proposed approach is based on the statistical approach. The study area is the Basilicata region (southern Italy) in 2012, mapped at municipal spatial resolution. The HNVF areas were identified by applying a threshold to the sum of the contributions of the main characterizing indicators. Three indicators contribute to the calculation of the HNVF areas: crop variability (CD Index), extensive practices (EP Index), and the presence of natural elements (Index Ne). Good agreement was found between our HNVF map and the results of the literature, although the analysis approaches were different. The main advantages of the proposed methodology derive from only free input data being used, and include remote sensing images and the adaptability to different spatial resolutions (local, regional, and national). Full article

The current study aimed to monitor organic pollution on island and coastal environments using linear alkylbenzene (LAB). The aquatic environment is affected by the hazardous chemicals discharged through domestic and industrial waste. The distribution, composition, and sources of LABs in the sediments of Port Dickson coast and Pulau Merambong were identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Chains ranging from long to short (L/S), C₁₃/C₁₂ homologs, and internal to external (I/E) congeners were used to define the degradation rate of LABs and the efficacy of wastewater treatment plants. The results of this study revealed that the concentration of LABs in the sites under investigation varied from 67.4 in Pulau Merambong to 255.8 ng g⁻¹dw, in Port Dickson. The LAB homologs had a significant difference and a significant percentage of sampling stations had C₁₃-LAB homologs. According to the determined LAB ratios (I/E), which ranged from 1.6 in Pulau Merambong to 4.1 in Port Dickson, treated effluents from primary and secondary inputs are being introduced into the aquatic ecosystem of these areas. The degradation of LABs was up to 64% in the interrogated locations. The conclusion is that the wastewater treatment system needs to be improved, and that LAB molecular markers are highly effective in tracing anthropogenic sewage contamination. Full article

The performance redevelopment of Architectural Heritage is a current research topic, in particular for the impact on energy saving and, consequently, on the comfort management of historical buildings. In order to evaluate the energy performance of the built environment and to optimize it in the retrofit, the way of using the heritage structures is fundamental. In particular, the retrofit in religious buildings through the installation of a new heating system often modifies the original microclimate of the internal environment without guaranteeing adequate comfort conditions, due to the peculiarities of these artifacts way of use and to their geometric and construction features. This contribution illustrates analysis on the internal comfort of a church after the retrofit intervention, which has shown energetic and comfort critical issues in relation to the discontinuous use type of the structure. The results of the analysis on the case-study, the church of San Vito in L’Aquila, have shown that the use of systems that exploit the thermal mass is not always sustainable and that it is before essential to in-depth investigate the fruition mode of the environments in order to identify suitable retrofit strategies. Full article

Despite the growing attention given to modular construction in the UK, a lack of investigation into the practical challenges and limitations experienced by contractors has been noted. Hence, this study aims to critically assess the feasibility of volumetric modular construction from the perspective of contractors who have applied this method in real-world projects. The study adopted a qualitative research approach using a case study technique and selected two modular construction projects in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, as case studies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine professionals from the contracting organisations involved in these projects in addition to project document reviews from the selected cases and data analysis using a content analysis approach. The study found that while modular construction can be costly, it is appreciated by contractors for its ability to reduce construction schedules and save costs. However, program delays, skill gaps, and reduced design flexibility pose significant challenges. This study offers unique insights into the practical challenges and limitations of volumetric modular construction and provides recommendations for improvement. Its contribution to the body of knowledge is significant as it sheds light on the trade-offs involved in using modular construction and highlights the need for further research to enhance its application in real-world projects. Full article