A framework to minimise total energy consumption and total tardiness on a single machine

A great amount of energy is wasted in industry by machines that remain idle due to underutilisation. A way to avoid wasting energy and thus reducing the carbon print of an industrial plant is to consider minimisation of energy consumption objective while making scheduling decisions. To minimise energy consumption, the decision maker has to decide the timing and length of turn off/turn on operation (a setup) and also provide a sequence of jobs that minimises the scheduling objective, assuming that all jobs are not available at the same time. In this paper, a framework to solve a multiobjective optimisation problem that minimises total energy consumption and total tardiness is proposed. Since total tardiness problem with release dates is an NP‐hard problem, a new greedy randomised multiobjective adaptive search metaheuristic is utilised to obtain an approximate pareto front (i.e. an approximate set of non‐dominated solutions). Analytical Hierarchy Process is utilised to determine the ‘best’ alternative among the solutions on the pareto front. The proposed framework is illustrated in a case study. It is shown that a wide variety of dispersed solutions can be obtained via the proposed framework, and as total tardiness decreases, total energy consumption increases.     

Investigating the use of green design parameters in UAE construction projects

Construction practices tend to have an adverse impact on the environment through their contribution to CO₂ emission, increased waste and energy consumption. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched many initiatives to encourage green design over the past years and to work towards a sustainable community. Nonetheless, such initiatives require a considerable amount of time to penetrate the professional psyche and showcase real results that are easily utilised by the construction community. The aim of this research was to study the current degree of use of Green Design Parameters (GDPs) in the UAE construction projects and to identify the main constraints that hinder their application. To achieve the study's objective, a survey was designed and distributed to engineering design professionals in different consulting and contracting companies in the seven emirates of the UAE. Feedback from 112 projects was examined and statistically analysed. The analysis showed a degree of awareness and use of some key GDPs. Moreover, the data showed no correlation between the degree of using GDPs in a project and its cost and schedule. Not surprisingly, the lack of knowledge about green parameters and the lack of trust in recycled materials are the main constraints that featured in the responses.     

Green supplier selection generic framework: a multi-attribute utility theory approach

This paper presents a generic framework integrating environmental and social criteria leading to a comprehensive selection process of green suppliers. Traditionally, price, quality, lead time and flexibility are considered for the supplier selection. With the increase in awareness of environmental and social responsibility issues, many companies are tending towards adopting green concepts and sourcing green suppliers. This study proposes a framework consisting of environmental (E), green (G) and organisational (O) factors that are required for the green supplier selection process. These factors are further classified as criteria for which attributes are presented. A hierarchy is constructed to facilitate in evaluating the importance of the selected criteria and alternatives of green suppliers. To cater to the multi-criteria decision-making approach with both quantitative and qualitative attributes, we applied the multiple attribute utility theory, which is a decision support that helps managers formulating viable sourcing strategies. A hypothetical example is presented to illustrate the applicability of the approach.     

产业转型升级与绿色全要素生产率提升的互动关系——基于中国116个地级资源型城市的实证研究

促进产业转型升级,提升绿色全要素生产率是推进我国资源型城市高质量发展的关键。但是,产业转型升级能否提升绿色全要素生产率在学术界一直存在争论。以2003— 2018年中国116个地级资源型城市为对象,分析了产业转型升级与绿色全要素生产率提升的演化特征和互动关系。结果表明：（1）56.9%的资源型城市产业转型升级并不理想,处于产业结构高级化和合理化不同步或双低的状态;有57.8%的资源型城市绿色全要素生产率实现了正增长,但仍有一些资源型城市绿色全要素生产率增长缓慢,主要是因为技术效率未得到有效改善。（2）PVAR模型和脉冲响应估计结果表明,资源型城市绿色全要素生产率提升的滞后期对其自身的影响存在负向作用。同时,资源型城市长期的传导路径为绿色全要素生产率提升受到反映产业结构合理化的泰尔指数的负向冲击后,对产业结构高级化产生持续性的积极作用,之后,产业结构高级化不断对自身产生正向冲击作用。（3）通过方差分解预测可知,未来绿色全要素生产率提升、产业结构高级化与合理化仍主要依赖自身发展路径。产业结构高级化对绿色全要素生产率提升的解释力高于产业结构合理化的解释力。随着期数的增加,产业结构高级化与绿色全要素生产率提升的相互解释力逐渐上升。     

油气田绿色矿山建设管理要求与实践

针对目前国家对绿色矿山建设的要求和环境保护面临的新形势,结合国内油气勘探与生产业务绿色发展的相关要求,阐述了油气田绿色矿山建设的发展历程、重点内容、建设标准;总结了绿色矿山建设形成的具体成果和经验,这些经验主要包括注重依法合规、提升绿色理念、科技创新、责任落实、多部门协作等,为下一步建设指导方向,进而提升国内油气勘探与生产业务整体绿色发展水平。     

工业园区清洁生产审核推进现状与建议

“十四五”时期,我国进入了以降碳为重点战略方向、推动减污降碳协同增效的发展阶段。推进工业园区清洁生产审核能有效提升园区清洁生产水平,对于促进工业领域绿色低碳转型具有重要意义。本研究首先回顾了我国工业园区的发展历程,梳理了我国工业园区的发展现状,提出工业园区发展面临的问题及开展清洁生产审核的必要性;其次,分别从政策、研究、实践层面详细论述了工业园区推进清洁生产审核的进展;再次,分析推进工业园区清洁生产审核存在的问题;最后,建议下一步从完善政策支撑体系、加强方法学研究、强化试点示范作用三个方面推进工业园区清洁生产审核。本研究将为我国推进工业园区清洁生产审核提供理论依据和政策支持。     

Green research and development (R&D) investment and its impact on the market value of firms: evidence from South African mining firms

The importance of global corporate green research and development (R&D) investment is gaining momentum and South Africa is no exception. This paper examines growing economic perceptions that green financial and stock-market systems result in heightened corporate hyperopia and therefore increase long-term and future green investment associated with R&D. It reports on the findings of a survey of 14 South African mining firms listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange SRI index. The study found, that, these firms’ market value showed a positive association with Green R&D. It also revealed increased Green R&D activity among large mining firms in the country and that they are highly likely to maintain their level of such investment in the coming years. The study's outcomes thus add to the body of empirical knowledge on firm hyperopia in relation to corporate greening initiatives.     

贵阳市生态文明绿色社区建设与探索

贵阳市有93个社区,27个社区达到了贵阳市市级生态文明绿色社区创建要求。但是,在建设过程中,各个社区特色仍不突出,建设内容的针对性不明显。通过对贵阳市生态文明绿色社区创建机遇、现状及存在问题的调查分析,针对生态文明理念建设、绿化系统建设、垃圾处理、排污系统及创建实施保障建设进行探索研究,并就存在问题提出了建议措施。     

Sustainable consumption: the effects of knowledge,cultural values,environmental advertising,and demographics

As a result of human lifestyles and unsustainable consumption patterns, the environment continues to deteriorate and thus inhibit sustainable development. In order to curb this situation and promote a sustainable economy, one of the solution is to reduce conventional products consumption and shift to green products. Over the past 20 years, marketing managers keenly seek to understand the green market; however, inadequate information on how to promote consumers’ green behavioral intentions is slowing the growth of green markets and becomes a barrier for firms when developing segments and communicating strategies for effective promotion of green products in countries like Malaysia where the trend is fairly new. Therefore, this study attempts to examine the impact of environmental knowledge, cultural values, and environmental advertising and determine the moderating effect of income level, education level, and gender on consumers’ green purchase intentions. A survey was administered, and a total of 405 valid questionnaires were obtained. Structural equation modeling technique was used to evaluate the causal model by using SmartPLS 2.0 software. The finding results suggest that cultural values and environmental advertising are the main influences in building green purchase intentions, while environmental knowledge is not significantly related. The results also indicate that education level and gender have a significant positive moderation effect while income did not. This suggests that green purchase intentions’ motivational factors are greater among highly educated individuals, with females in particular. The discussions and implications of these findings are further elaborated.     

Metsulfuron‐methyl soil persistence and mobility in winter wheat and following green manure crops

A procedure has been developed for the analysis of metsulfuron‐methyl in the soil of field crops. The soil extracts are cleaned by repeated TLC, and metsulfuron‐methyl is simultaneously separated from its soil metabolites. Metsulfuron‐methyl is transformed by diazomethane into its N,N ‘‐dimethyl derivative which in the GC (electron capture detection) and GC‐MS apparatus is transformed into a benzisothiazole compound which is measured with great sensitivity. The sensitivity limit is 0.3 μg metsulfuron‐methyl kg^‐1 dry soil. The results of the chemical analyses are confirmed by bioassays using sugar beet as test plant. Metsulfuron‐methyl was measured in the soil of two winter wheat crops after post‐emergence application in the spring of 6 g metsulfuron‐methyl ha^‐1. In the 0–8 cm surface soil layer, the metsulfuron‐methyl soil half‐life was 78 days in 1997, and 67 days in 1998. During crop, metsulfuron‐methyl remained in the 0–8 cm surface soil layer. There, it was at a maximum concentration and herbicide efficiency in a 2 cm‐thick soil layer. This maximum concentration soil layer progressively moved down during crop, attaining the 4–6 cm surface soil layer at crop end. After the winter wheat harvest at the end of July, and the rotary‐tilling of the 0–10 cm surface soil layer before sowing of the green manures, 27% of the metsulfuron‐methyl initial dose still remained in the 0–10 cm surface soil layer. This residue progressively disappeared, and was no more detected at the middle of November. It had no, or only very low inhibiting effect on the growth of the green manures. Thus there is no concern about the possible phytotoxicity of persistent metsulfuron‐methyl soil residues towards the following crops, when metsulfuron‐methyl is applied at the rate of 6 g a.i.ha^‐1.