Life cycle assessment as a decision support tool for landfill gas-to energy projects

The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from MSW landfill, and control methods to eliminate or minimize these impacts including energy recovery from landfill gas (LFG) of MSW landfill in Thailand have been evaluated. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used as the analytical tool to evaluate the environmental consequences of landfilling holistically. The economic implications of the control methods are also briefly assessed. The results show that in terms of GHG emissions as well as in terms of economics, it is more advantageous to have a large centralized landfill and produce electricity from the LFG rather than having several small, localized landfills despite significantly lower transportation requirement for the latter case. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the global warming potential was sensitive to gas collection efficiency as well as methane oxidation rate in the landfill. This study shows the utility of a life cycle approach for evaluating LFG-to-energy (LFGTE) projects.     

Improving the environmental performance of the fishing fleet by use of Quality Function Deployment (QFD)

This article introduces Quality Function Deployment (QFD) as a method for improving the environmental performance of the Norwegian fishing fleet. Systems engineering has been introduced as a feasible process for handling sustainability issues in the fisheries, because it contains methods for general system design, operation, and support in a life-cycle perspective. QFD is related to systems engineering as a method for translating stakeholder needs into detailed system requirements at each life-cycle stage. Eco-QFD extends the scope of QFD, and combines QFD, Life-Cycle Cost (LCC), and Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) to evaluate environmental effects and costs in the system development process. The article assesses the usefulness of Eco-QFD in fisheries management decision-making regarding sustainability in the fishing fleet, and for shipyards in their design of fishing vessels. It is concluded that Eco-QFD may be difficult to use for fisheries management in its present form, due to the complexity of sustainability, and the time and efforts demanded to carry out the analyses. Nevertheless, the structuring of the stakeholder needs and requirements may contribute to improved understanding of the decision-situation.     

Geometric morphometrics as a tool for improving the comparative study of behavioural postures

Describing postures has always been a central concern when studying behaviour. However, attempts to compare postures objectively at phylogenetical, populational, inter- or intra-individual levels generally either rely upon a few key elements or remain highly subjective. Here, we propose a novel approach, based on well-established geometric morphometrics, to describe and to analyse postures globally (i.e. considering the animal’s body posture in its entirety rather than focusing only on a few salient elements, such as head or tail position). Geometric morphometrics is concerned with describing and comparing variation and changes in the form (size and shape) of organisms using the coordinates of a series of homologous landmarks (i.e. positioned in relation to skeletal or muscular cues that are the same for different species for every variety of form and function and that have derived from a common ancestor, i.e. they have a common evolutionary ancestry, e.g. neck, wings, flipper/hand). We applied this approach to horses, using global postures (1) to characterise behaviours that correspond to different arousal levels, (2) to test potential impact of environmental changes on postures. Our application of geometric morphometrics to horse postures showed that this method can be used to characterise behavioural categories, to evaluate the impact of environmental factors (here human actions) and to compare individuals and groups. Beyond its application to horses, this promising approach could be applied to all questions involving the analysis of postures (evolution of displays, expression of emotions, stress and welfare, behavioural repertoires…) and could lead to a whole new line of research.     

A tool for a Graphical Assessment of Sustainability in Universities (GASU)

This paper presents: (1) a comparison between different tools that have been developed to assess and report upon academic institutions' sustainability efforts; (2) a modification of one of these tools, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Guidelines, for use in universities; and (3) a tool developed by the author, the Graphical Assessment of Sustainability in Universities (GASU), that offers a condensed graphical overview of the myriad of indicators from the GRI modification. The GASU was designed to facilitate the analysis, longitudinal comparison and benchmarking of universities' sustainability efforts and achievement.     

Education for sustainability as a transformative learning process: a pedagogical experiment in EcoDesign doctoral education

The paper presents details about a doctoral-level EcoDesign course, as an education for sustainable development experience, in relation to pedagogic theory. The aim was to promote transformative learning in order to facilitate more productive use of environmental knowledge in product and business development. The course included interdisciplinary dialogue founded in real world experiences presented by lecturers from business, government and NGOs, as well as study visits and group work on the drafting of journal papers. The key pedagogical objective was to widen the perspective to embrace more humanly engaging concerns and to enhance the student's overall understanding about relations between sustainable development priorities and product design practices.     

Landscape protection as a tool for managing agricultural landscapes in Norway

Norwegian Protected Landscapes aim to preserve landscape character. As most of the agricultural land in Protected Landscapes is privately owned, the attitudes and behaviour of farmers are crucial in achieving this goal. We present results of a nationwide questionnaire to farmers who owned or managed farmland in Protected Landscapes. Thirty-eight percent of the respondents claimed that their farm business had been changed as a consequence of landscape protection. Niche products and alternative income possibilities, commonly forwarded as potential benefits of landscape protection status, had generally not been realised. Although we found that most farmers agreed on the importance of taking care of cultural landscapes, 76% felt that this was best done by using rather than protecting the landscape. The study revealed negative attitudes towards municipal authorities. A quarter of respondents were strongly against the establishment of new Protected Landscapes, even if they were compensated for economic losses. Based on results of the study we suggest that major improvements to the protection system could be made by improving communication between management authorities and farmers, and ensuring real involvement of farmers in making and carrying out management plans.     

中国火力发电燃料消耗的生命周期排放清单

介绍了火力发电因化石燃料消耗而引起主要气态污染物排放量的估算方法,计算得到中国火力发电燃料消耗所引起的生命周期总排放量及单位售电的生命周期排放清单.与2002年中国火力发电燃料消耗相关的CO₂、SO₂、NO_x、CO、CH₄、NMVOC、烟尘、As、Cd、Cr、Hg、Ni、Pb、V和Zn的单位售电生命周期排放量分别为1.07、9.93×10^-3、6.46×10^-3、1.55×10^-3、2.60×10^-3、4.87×10^-42.02×10^-22.00×10^-61.27×10^-81.69×10^-78.78×10^-82.50×10^-71.76×10^-62.88×10^-62.40×10^-6g/(kW     

Sensitivity analysis as a tool for systematic reductions in greenhouse gas inventory uncertainties

A greenhouse gas emission inventory consists of a large number of input parameters, many of which have high uncertainties. The Kyoto protocol will require accurate emission data. It is, consequently, important to reduce the inventory uncertainty by improving the input parameters and methodologies in a cost-efficient manner. A key parameter is defined as one that has significant effect on the total emissions or trend and their uncertainty. Key parameters may be ranked according to their contribution to total emissions and trend uncertainty. Quantitative uncertainty estimates of emissions are not available in many countries. In order to evaluate key parameters in such inventories a simplified approach based on thresholds is proposed. Various methods of sensitivity analysis have been applied to Norwegian inventory data. The simplified threshold approach gives insight into the inventory and identifies the key parameters. More sophisticated methods of sensitivity analysis assessments are, however, useful in order to seek specific improvements. The key parameters for determination of total emissions are the large and uncertain sources. Smaller emission sources may be key parameters for the trend determination if their source level is strongly increasing or decreasing.     

Towards sustainability in urban water: a life cycle analysis of the urban water system of Alexandria City,Egypt

Urban water authorities and water planers in many countries are struggling to satisfy the growing urban water and sanitation demands, while at the same time achieving sustainability of the urban water system. This research focused on the assessment of the environmental impact of today's Alexandria's urban water system and on the identification of options to improve the sustainability of the system. Therefore, a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was used. The urban water system was modelled using SimaPro software, and the impacts of various options on the system were analyzed based on the Eco-indicator 99 assessment method. The results show that the highest impact in today's system is generated by the disposal of primary treated wastewater (68% of the total impact) and by high-energy-consuming water treatment plants (18% of the total impact). The research assessed different scenarios for improving the environmental performance of the system and a paradigm shift (decentralization and separation at-source of different kinds of household wastewater) was found to be the preferred long-term scenario.     

Emergy as a tool for Ecodesign: evaluating materials selection for beverage packages in Brazil

The life of a product begins with the initial product design concepts; the costs and potential impacts of a product are heavily influenced by the final design, the production processes, the economic and environmental costs of all raw materials. Additionally, both of these factors are very much affected by how the products are managed during and after consumer usage. Thus, there is an urgent need for a tool to facilitate the integration and assessment of environmental and economic demands into the product planning and development processes. The introduction of environmental accounting based on emergy as a tool to assist in product design is proposed. This complementary tool may be inserted into the conventional design methodology to facilitate in the selection of materials and processes as well as in the actual design of the products. To illustrate the application of the proposed method for material selection, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles and aluminum cans for beverage packaging are compared. Despite the exceptional condition of aluminum recycling in Brazil, results show that the best option for beverage packages is the PET bottles.     

Water security as a challenge for the sustainability of La Serena-Coquimbo conurbation in northern Chile: global perspectives and adaptation

The aim of this study is to address the problem of balance between water scarcity and sustainability, which are the key components of water security of cities located in arid lands, particularly those under constant expansion and population growth. In this paper, we have highlighted the problem of water security for the sustainability of the La Serena-Coquimbo conurbation (LSCC). The coastal LSCC is located at the outlet of the Elqui River basin, in the southern edge of the Chilean Atacama Desert. We have analyzed the available information including drinking water production and consumption data, groundwater levels, precipitation data and population data. Between the years 2009 and 2013 the total water consumption for the area has significantly increased. On the other hand, there has been a significant decrease trend in the precipitations and the groundwater levels show a decrease of about 30 m between the years 1995 and 2014. In a few years, this urban area could face a general water scarcity problem if the drought conditions remain unchanged and if the water demand trend for the agricultural, mining and drinking water continues its increasing. The cities located in the arid lands are particularly vulnerable to water scarcity because their populations are highly concentrated and requires reliable supplies of water to make possible human and economic activities. We discuss how adaptation of the arid land urban areas to water scarcity requires a range of solutions, including economic incentives, regulatory measures, and technology.     

生命周期评价数据管理系统的设计

根据目前生命周期评价工作的实际情况,结合网络技术的应用,本文详细阐述了网络环境下的生命周期评价数据管理系统(LCADS)的设计与实现,以及对数据库的框架进行了研究.     

Reviewing the carbon footprint analysis of hotels: Life Cycle Energy Analysis (LCEA) as a holistic method for carbon impact appraisal of tourist accommodation

This study discusses the potential for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to be utilized for the environmental assessment of tourism accommodation facilities, and their contribution to global carbon footprint. To demonstrate the viability of employing LCA in the hotel sector, its simplified derivative, Life Cycle Energy Analysis (LCEA), is applied to two tourism accommodation facilities in Poole, Dorset (UK) to quantify their CO₂ emissions. The results indicate that the reviewed hotels are less energy and carbon-intense than the tourism accommodation establishments reported in the literature. This may indirectly imply the continuous progress of hotel’s energy efficiency over time. The implications of the current energy use practices in the reviewed hotels are discussed and suggestions are made on how to further improve the energy performance and therefore cut the carbon footprint. Recommendations for hotel management and policy-making are developed to reduce the energy and carbon intensity of the hotel industry. A method for energy and carbon footprint analysis of outsourced laundries and breakfast services is also proposed.     

The mobilisation potential of trace metals in aquatic sediments as a tool for sediment quality classification

Heavy metal contents and distributions in aquatic sediments in the Belgian rivers Dommel, a well oxygenated, non-navigable river with sandy bottom sediments, and Bovenschelde, a suboxic, frequently dredged river with muddy anoxic sediments, were assessed. To that aim two methods were used: firstly, pore water and total sediment analyses and secondly, sequential extraction experiments, providing the following operationally defined speciation forms: exchangeable and carbonate fraction, reducible fraction, oxidizable fraction and the residual fraction.In the anoxic sediments of the Bovenschelde the exchangeable and carbonate fraction is almost negligible for all elements except Mn, whereas 50 to 90% of the metals are bound to the residual fraction. In contrast, in the sandy sediments of the Dommel, the results are quite different for Cu, Zn and Cd: the exchangeable fraction is a dominant fraction for Zn, Cu is almost completely present in the oxidizable fraction and Cd is now distributed over all fractions except the residual one, which is still the most important for Fe and often also for Pb. Trace metal concentrations in porewaters are much higher in the Dommel compared to the Bovenschelde. In addition, the potential pH shift in these sediments due to oxygenation was calculated: the acid producing potential is slightly higher than the acid consuming capacity in the Dommel sediments in contrast to the sediments of the Bovenschelde. Combination of these results suggests an enhanced mobilisation potential of heavy metals in the sediments of the Dommel compared to the Bovenschelde. A sediment quality classification based on the mobilization potential of heavy metals is proposed. The sequential extraction method described in this paper can be used as an additional tool for evaluating the remediation needs if the different axes of the TRIAD show different signals. As a regular tool, however, the technique requires too much knowledge and is too expensive and time-consuming.     

The water supply footprint (WSF): a strategic planning tool for sustainable regional and local water supplies

This paper introduces a new methodological approach of the ecological footprint explicitly addressing the sustainability of water supplies, which we call the water supply footprint (WSF). The WSF calculates the catchment area or water supply hinterland of a certain society and can serve as a strategic planning tool for local or regional water supplies linking the water demand with the water supply in a water supply footprint matrix. Based on regional water balances it estimates how much water can be appropriated for human use in an environmentally sustainable way.The proposed method is tested on the South East Queensland water supply in Australia, an area where water use restrictions are regularly imposed on the population. Applying the proposed method indicates that supply shortages may be avoided by considerably changing the organisation of water supply, thereby reducing and possibly even avoiding the necessity for large-scale supply side measures like additional sweet water reservoirs or desalination plants. In that way it is demonstrated that the WSF method is applicable at an early and strategic stage of water supply planning.     

Verification of Bacteroidales 16S rRNA markers as a complementary tool for detecting swine fecal pollution in the Yangtze Delta

To correctly assess and properly manage the public health risks associated with exposure to contaminated water,it is necessary to identify the source of fecal pollution in a watershed.In this study,we evaluated the efficacy of our two previously developed real time-quantitative PCR(qPCR) assays for the detection of swine-associated Bacteroidales genetic markers(gene 1-38,gene 3-53) in the Yangtze Delta watershed of southeastern China.The results indicated that the gene 1-38 and 3-53 markers exhi...     

Involvement of final architecture diploma projects in the analysis of the UPC buildings energy performance as a way of teaching practical sustainability

Education is the foundation for achieving sustainable development. With the purpose of facing sustainable challenges in terms of climate change, water and energy consumption, Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) has promoted the culture of energy efficiency in new generations of professionals that will work in the field of building construction. A group of 21 students taking the final official Diploma in Architecture were involved in a project of analysis of energy performance of UPC buildings in order to identify and implement cost-effective ways of promoting a greater environmental responsibility. The development of works focused the attention on introducing energy audits in existing university buildings, analysing the following aspects: surveying construction drawings, building characteristics, energy consumption, use of natural lighting, energy-saving lighting controls, water consumption, and high-efficiency HVAC systems. The ultimate goal was to draft a proposal for greater respect for the environment, and for corrective measures aimed at reducing the environmental impacts.     

3,4-二硝基呋咱基氧化呋咱(DNTF)老化过程的安全性及寿命预估

目的 针对3,4-二硝基呋咱基氧化呋咱(DNTF)使用和贮存过程的安全性问题,拟开展老化过程的安全性研究,获得老化过程热稳定性、机械感度等变化规律及机理,为DNTF的安全使用和贮存提供技术指导.方法 通过高温加速老化试验,分别研究DNTF在老化过程中的热稳定性、机械感度等安全性能变化,利用显微拉曼光谱技术和液相色谱-质...