Environmental management system vs green specifications: How do they complement each other in the construction industry?

Environmental Management System (EMS) has been one of the important tools for sustainable construction for around two decades. However, many issues concerning sustainable development have not been properly addressed, and there is a need for the introduction of green specifications to advance green performance in construction through contract management. This paper defines green specifications, identifies the reasons for adopting green specifications and highlights the environmental issues that may not be addressed by solely adopting EMS. It also presents the results of a recent survey of practitioners concerning their opinions towards green specifications and possible impacts arising from their adoption. From the results of the survey, a framework for developing green specifications is deemed valuable for the cities striving for sustainability. Interestingly, the level of acceptable changes brought about by green specifications as perceived by different industry stakeholders is found to be unrelated to whether they were from organizations implementing EMS or not.     

Designing a mixed performance measurement system for environmental supply chain management using evolutionary game theory and balanced scorecard: A case study of an auto industry supply chain

This paper proposes a mixed performance measurement system using a combination of evolutionary game theory and the balanced scorecard (BSC) in environmental supply chain management (ESCM) that measures and evaluates business operations using the four different perspectives of finance, customer, internal business process, and learning and growth. ESCM plays an important role in the supply chain which leads to the reduction, reuse and recycling of resources involved in both upstream and downstream activities. This paper presents guidance for practical managers in evaluating and measuring ESCM by developing a knowledge-based BSC and evolutionary game theory. The primary purpose of this paper is to apply the proposed method in a case study to one of Iran's biggest auto industry supply chain SAIPA Company. The results of this study indicate that the adoption of ESCM, in the absence of regulatory pressures and cost-saving measures is triggered by public pressures and its implementation is limited by organizational factors and strategic myopia.     

绿色学校创建程序及验收工作中存在的问题及对策

为了规范绿色学校创建程序、申报和验收工作,通过对绿色学校创建过程中存在问题的研究,阐述了绿色学校创建过程中针对创建程序、验收形式、申报材料要求等三方面的看法和观点。     

Green energy generation through PEHF – a blueprint of alternate energy harvesting

In this work, an attempt has been made to harvest green energy from piezoelectric material using fluid flow in a conduit. Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting using Fluid Flow (PEHF) experimental model has been designed and the outputs obtained are compared with results obtained from simulations using ANSYS (computational fluid dynamics) and also with the mathematical modeling. The PEHF model has been utilized to analyze the effect of flow rate of water with reference to energy extracted. The full wave bridge rectifier and voltage doubler circuits have been used to obtain the direct current (DC) from the PEHF model. It is observed that the output obtained using experiments holds good in agreement with the results retrieved through simulations and mathematical results. The increase in flow rate of fluid leads to initially increase and then decrease in output of PEHF model as the maximum energy generated when flow rates (external force) matches with the frequency of excitation of the systems, i.e., at its resonance. The maximum energy output is generated at its resonance frequencies. It is observed that the full wave bridge rectifier circuit gives greater output as compared to a voltage doubler circuit.     

Solving Problems in Social–Ecological Systems: Definition, Practice and Barriers of Transdisciplinary Research

Translating policies about sustainable development as a social process and sustainability outcomes into the real world of social–ecological systems involves several challenges. Hence, research policies advocate improved innovative problem-solving capacity. One approach is transdisciplinary research that integrates research disciplines, as well as researchers and practitioners. Drawing upon 14 experiences of problem-solving, we used group modeling to map perceived barriers and bridges for researchers’ and practitioners’ joint knowledge production and learning towards transdisciplinary research. The analysis indicated that the transdisciplinary research process is influenced by (1) the amount of traditional disciplinary formal and informal control, (2) adaptation of project applications to fill the transdisciplinary research agenda, (3) stakeholder participation, and (4) functional team building/development based on self-reflection and experienced leadership. Focusing on implementation of green infrastructure policy as a common denominator for the delivery of ecosystem services and human well-being, we discuss how to diagnose social–ecological systems, and use knowledge production and collaborative learning as treatments.     

The potential implementation of green infrastructure assessment using high-resolution National Agriculture Imagery Program data for sustainable hazard mitigation

As green infrastructure gets its attention in hazard mitigation, it is necessary to improve general understanding on what makes green infrastructure important for hazard and resiliency research. To better understand how green infrastructure fits with more traditional notions of structural and nonstructural mitigation, this study examines the relationship between green infrastructure and ‘structural and nonstructural’ mitigation approaches for hazard mitigation. Also, this study discusses a new measurement of locational aspects and spatial patterns of green infrastructure by utilizing high-resolution data in urban areas, and its potential implementation in hazard mitigation. Compared to previous research using land-use land-cover datasets, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) utilizing National Agriculture Imagery Program dataset provides an ability to capture green infrastructure in greater detail. A visual comparison suggests that the NDVI data are able to capture and identify more types of ‘green’ land uses in Harris County. The total green infrastructure percentages for Harris County, Texas, based on 1-m high resolution were found to be 61.5% of the area, compared to the 51.5% based on the National Land Cover Database. This study provides support for utilizing high-resolution data to establish guidelines for green infrastructure’s spatial characteristics and sustainable hazard mitigation. The outcomes of this study will be helpful in the strategic planning and implementation of green infrastructure in urban areas with hazard issues.     

加速我国环保产业的发展

简述了环保产业是未来世纪产业，介绍了国内外环保产业的现状及我国环保产业存在的问题，对发展我国环保产业提出了对策和建议。     

基于ANP-DEA的城轨网络应急演练组合评价模型

应急演练综合评价是衡量应急演练效果好坏的关键。以城轨网络应急演练综合评价为研究对象,将城轨网络应急演练划分为演练准备、演练实施、演练总结三个阶段。针对评价指标间存在的关联关系,采用网络层次分析法(ANP)进行定量化处理,计算得到各评价指标综合权重,进而得到三个演练阶段的重要度。利用数据包络分析方法(DEA),分别计算三个阶段不同城轨线路应急演练的排序值,结合不同阶段的重要度,构建得到城轨网络应急演练的组合评价模型,实现对城轨网络应急演练效果的综合评价。结合算例,应用ANP-DEA组合模型,对某城轨网络的应急演练效果进行了综合评价。     

UV/H_2O_2/草酸高铁铵体系中孔雀石绿的光降解研究

研究了UV/H2O2/草酸高铁铵体系下孔雀绿(Malachite green,MG)光降解过程中的影响因素,包括MG的初始浓度、初始pH值、投加H2O2浓度和草酸高铁铵浓度等。结果表明:MG初始浓度越低光降解越快,碱性条件有利于MG的降解,其最佳降解pH为11.0;随H2O2浓度的增加,MG降解率先增加后减少,在100mmol/L时,降解率最高;MG降解率随草酸高铁铵浓度增加而增加,于10.0mmol/L时MG降解率最高;UV/H2O2/草酸高铁铵体系的降解效果较强,交叉实验结果表明H2O2:草酸高铁铵浓度比在1～20:1时降解率均高于。因此该体系具有快速、简单、经济并高效率等特点,可应用于染料废水的降解和脱色工艺中。     

绿色“一带一路”建设研究及建议

生态环保是"一带一路"建设的重要内容。在2017年5月14日召开的"一带一路"国际合作高峰论坛系列成果清单包括《关于推动绿色"一带一路"建设的指导意见》、《"一带一路"生态环境保护合作规划》、"一带一路"生态环保大数据服务平台建设、"一带一路"绿色发展国际联盟建立等四项。为更好地理解和推动执行,本文全面进行了分析,并提出下一步推动绿色"一带一路"工作需要解决的关键问题和建议。