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[Display omitted] • The healthcare system is a significant contributor to global warming. • Cardiac electrophysiology mainly uses high-tech single-use medical devices. • Worldwide complex supply chain for medical treatment, particularly medical devices. • The complex supply chain has led to device shortages. • Reprocessing of medical devices labelled single use could be part of the solution. • All stakeholders must engage sustainability efforts. Sustainability in healthcare, particularly within the domain of cardiac electrophysiology, assumes paramount importance for the near future. The escalating environmental constraints encountered necessitate a proactive approach. This position paper aims to raise awareness among physicians, spark critical inquiry and identify potential solutions to enhance the sustainability of our practice. Reprocessing of single-use medical devices has emerged as a potential solution to mitigate the environmental impact of electrophysiology procedures, while also offering economic advantages. However, reprocessing remains unauthorized in certain countries. In regions where it is possible, stringent regulatory standards must be adhered to, to ensure patient safety. It is essential that healthcare professionals, policymakers and manufacturers collaborate to drive innovation, explore sustainable practices and ensure that patient care remains uncompromised in the face of environmental challenges. Ambitious national/international programmes of disease prevention should be the cornerstone of the strategy. It is equally vital to implement immediate actions, as delineated in this position paper, to bring about tangible change quickly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duckweed, a floating freshwater plant, is an excellent phytoremediator used in wastewater treatment and ecosystem restoration. However, the large amount of plant biomass generated presents a bigger problem. This work highlights our efforts towards sustainable waste management of aquatic plant biomass by way of waste recycling and valorization. Novel paper pulp from duckweed biomass yielded various pulp-based products including handmade paper, packing materials and packing board. Paper produced was found to have 139 g/m2 and 6–14 N/1.5 cm gram per square meter and tensile strength respectively. Biochar obtained from the biomass after pyrolysis exhibited 23.9 nm to 49.49 nm pore size and was used to formulate novel soil conditioners that increased the seed vigour of fenugreek, green gram, wheat and pearl millet by 53.41, 87.98, 148.25 and 122.41 % respectively. Thus, two novel applications of a waste biomass were successfully established, concomitantly establishing sustainability and circularity in waste aquatic biomass management. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development should meet the needs of the present without compromising future generation needs. While political and standards approaches insist on regulatory directives, this paper proposes a quasi-satisficing methodology considering the sustainability topic within a larger encompassing framework. Starting from three reflections originated by the classical thermodynamics, the effect of knowledge accumulation on the Production Possibility Frontier (PPF), and a model for the human wellbeing in manufacturing ecosystem, this paper proposes a new production model and a heuristic approach to drive the decision process towards sustainable manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerogels, with their exceptional properties such as high insulation performance, lightness, and eco-friendliness, present immense potential for use in the construction industry. This paper reviews the progress in research and application of various types of aerogels in construction, highlighting notable case studies demonstrating energy efficiency gains and sustainability impacts. It delves into the lifecycle of aerogels, discussing environmental implications at each stage. Despite their potential, aerogels face certain limitations including production complexity, brittleness, and high cost which hinder their widespread adoption. The paper further discusses these challenges and highlights the need for continuous research and development efforts to overcome them, with a view to achieving more scalable production, enhanced mechanical properties, and cost reduction. Looking forward, the paper discusses the expansive horizon of aerogel research, emphasizing the potential of smart aerogels, their integration with renewable energy systems, and exploring the possibility of recycling or creating bio-based aerogels to enhance their overall sustainability. While still in early stages, aerogels promise to be a major contributor to the future of construction, leading to more sustainable and efficient built environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need of undertaking effective actions against the climate change is pushing industrial companies to find new business models and technological solutions to reduce the resource utilization and the waste production. In this context, several companies are moving towards servitization, that has been proved as a promising strategy to enable sustainable business models in a wide spectrum, namely encompassing environmental, economic and social aspects. Nevertheless, companies lacks of tools for evaluating different servitization models with a clear view of economic and environmental benefits. This paper presents a model to estimate the profitability of servitization opportunities by combining economic Net Present Value index and environmental impacts estimation. The model is targeted on the steel sector, for which a preliminary application has been developed and is discussed in the paper. The results show that adopting different servitization business models, several benefits could be exploited both from providers and customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent need to act against climate change is emphasized in many initiatives, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the European Green Deal, and the Circular Economy Action Plan. The role of the industrial sector is crucial. Companies, however, have to operate in a very complex environment driven by digitization and are supposed to be more sustainable. This paper explores how companies can implement the ecological transformation, with a focus on the role of digital technologies and data in enabling the twin transition. This paper proposes an approach to support SMEs in the twin transition through a combination of digital and sustainable business model development. The concept includes an interdisciplinary methodology that combines qualitative and quantitative approaches, focusing on the latter. The suggested method collection includes adaptations of the business model canvas, value proposition analysis, data-driven decision-making, and the integration of environmental and economic considerations using the system of environmental-economic accounting. In particular, approaches to define the quantification of economic as well as ecological value will be key levers for sustainable implementation. By leveraging these approaches, SMEs can navigate the challenges of digital transformation and sustainability and contribute to a more sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an academic exploration of the shifting landscape of business models toward greater sustainability, considering the environmental, social, and economic dimensions. The United Nations has emphasized the need for companies to prioritize sustainability, leading to scholarly discussions on the topic. While economic sustainability remains important, decision-makers must now navigate the transformation of their business models to incorporate environmental and social sustainability, driven by emerging regulations such as the European Union's Green Deal. This transition may initially appear as an additional task accompanied by potential investment costs and reduced profits. However, it also presents opportunities for economic growth through the creation of new value propositions, entry into untapped markets, access to novel customer segments, the provision of innovative services, and the facilitation of data-driven supply chains. This paper provides a comprehensive literature review on sustainability as a pivotal future value proposition for companies and identifies potential pathways that can leverage its transformative potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lean and sustainability are found to have the same agenda of waste reduction. Sharing waste reduction is particularly important for understanding how lean and sustainability can be weaved together to support mutual benefits. However, many publications concentrate on these strategies in isolation, paying less attention to their integration in the design phase. This paper presents an exploratory study from extant literature. It reviews more than 30 papers that have been published from 2018 to 2023 and examines the concepts of lean and sustainability on the issue of waste reduction from the early design phase. It explores the opportunities to enhance environmental and construction performance by implementing sustainability-lean practices to reduce the sources of waste generated in different design stages. Results indicate that 'Clearness, recognition, and Communication', 'Inappropriate supplying of information', 'Coordination and accuracy' and 'Design Expertise' are the most important sources of design waste since they have the highest number of waste causes. Results show that design waste sources are affected the most by a wide practice of embedding waste reduction strategies in the Preparation and Briefing and Technical Design stages. The paper shows the most applicable lean tools that aim to reduce waste from the early design phase. The overall conclusion of this study is compatible with the same studies worldwide, which were applied in terms of increasing the performance of the waste reduction plan in construction by identifying the sources of design waste to achieve positive outcomes in terms of environmental, social, and economic dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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