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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]

Copyright of Academia: Revista Latinoamericana de Administración is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There is a growing tendency to assess resilience and sustainability of critical infrastructures (CI), given the significant increment in high-impact natural hazard events affecting socio-economic welfare. Historically, these assessments have been conducted separately due to the independent evolution of each concept. However, recent contributions tend to integrate them. This paper provides a state-of-the-art review of integrated assessments for resilience and sustainability in CI, examining concepts, indicators, frameworks, and methodologies. Additionally, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was performed to gain further insights into the prospects of integrated assessments. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, eligibility criteria were established, leading to the selection of twelve studies. These works were compared based on five dimensions (economic, environmental, social, technical, and governance) to highlight the differences in the indicators used. While all studies considered the social, environmental, and economic dimensions, some did not further analyze sufficient indicators to evaluate environmental and social effects, with governance often neglected. This study emphasizes the relevance of establishing common metrics for a convergent frame for the resilience and sustainability assessment. The findings presented suggest that integrated assessments lead to a more strategic use of resources toward more resilient CI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Flank face textured cutting tool found superior than plain tool for dry machining of Mg. • The dimple textures on the flank face of the cutting tool reduces its wear significantly. • Cutting speed is the most influencing factor. • Abrasive wear and discontinuous chips were obtained at low-speed machining. Magnesium alloys have many advantages as lightweight materials for engineering applications, especially in the fields of automotive and aerospace. They undergo extensive cutting or machining while making products out of them. Dry cutting, a sustainable machining method, causes more friction and adhesion at the tool-chip interface. One of the promising solutions to this problem is cutting tool surface texturing, which can reduce tool wear and friction in dry cutting and improve machining performance. This paper aims to investigate the impact of dimple textures (made on the flank face of cutting inserts) on tool wear and chip morphology in the dry machining of AZ31B magnesium alloy. The results show that the cutting speed was the most significant factor affecting tool flank wear, followed by feed rate and cutting depth. The tool wear mechanism was examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis reports, which showed that at low cutting speed, the main wear mechanism was abrasion, while at high speed, it was adhesion. The chips are discontinuous at low cutting speeds, while continuous at high cutting speeds. The dimple textured flank face cutting tools facilitate the dry machining of AZ31B magnesium alloy and contribute to ecological benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic planning of industrial systems has become increasingly challenging for decision makers at different production levels, due to everal aspects, such as global competition, market uncertainty and volatility, and changing regulations. These evolving aspects often lead to unplanned and high-effort reconfigurations of systems. Additionally, high-paced innovation in industrial technologies and the diffusion of software, data analytics, and big data technologies in industrial systems, while potentially supporting ever smarter, safer, and greener decisions, also challenge decision makers, as often multi-disciplinary knowledge is required to successfully plan and operate increasingly complex systems. Existing literature provides little guidance on how strategic planning of industrial systems is expected to evolve in order to fully exploit advanced industrial technologies to responsively and cost effectively respond to global challenges. To fill this gap, this paper reviews existing literature on industrial systems' planning and reconfigurability and derivesmulti-sectorial requirements. Based on the findings, a life cycle conceptualmodel for strategic planning of reconfigurable industrial systems and value chains is provided. Moreover, the concepts of hierarchical interfaces, functional interfaces, and reconfigurability bottleneck are introduced and directions for future research are accordingly outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in global material demands while having finite natural reserves has made the transition from a linear to a Circular Economy (CE) more crucial. Various approaches have been proposed for such a transition, which closed-loop system is an approach aiming to maximize resource efficiency ensuring that materials are continually reused and recycled, thereby reducing waste and conserving resources. However, there are some obstacles/gaps in the implementation of CE practices, one of them is the lack of a proper Circularity assessment unit, as called Circularity Indicators (CIs). The CIs play a crucial role by enabling to quantify the success of circularity strategies. This paper critically reviews the existing CIs and introduces a novel scoring system that evaluates them against five main circularity categories. This scoring system allows for assessing CI's alignment with core CE principles. Our findings reveal that some CIs demonstrate broad applicability and robustness, while others have more narrowed focuses. This dementated the need for a unified CI that is versatile, comprehensive and integrates various 'R' strategies with the triple bottom line model of sustainability. This scoring system can be used in policy making and business strategy decisions to embed CE in new developments such that support sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pursuit of environmental sustainability and resource conservation has underscored the growing significance of the circular economy paradigm across industries. This transformation is particularly pertinent within the automotive industry, necessitating a profound restructuring of the value chain, with a specific focus on end-of-life considerations. Significant potential for circular economy arises from the thorough examination of end-of-life vehicles and processes, involving strategies such as component reuse, material recycling and primary resource reduction. Providing process-, product-, component-, and material-specific information at the end-of-life of automotive vehicles can improve decision-making regarding circular strategies. It also demands for new digital solutions. This paper addresses an integrated approach of data flow analysis and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to enable a comprehensive monitoring of the environmental impact of these processes. First, the use case of end-of-life dismantling processes is presented - including pyrotechnics neutralization, vehicle dehydration, disassembly of reuse components as well as vehicle compaction. Secondly, the data demand respective information and material flows is depicted. As a main result, the LCA data flow model specifically tailored to the end-of-life vehicle dismantling processes is described. This model serves as a fundamental basis for analyzing the environmental impact of end-of-life processes combined with the underlying data flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of digital solutions to enable sustainable value creation, the monitoring and ultimately the reduction of the environmental footprint has increased. New information technologies and increased data availability along a product's lifecycle offer more tools to assess product sustainability than ever before. This paper presents how a Digital Twin needs to be designed to help monitor product-level energy efficiency and how such a Digital Twin can be implemented. State-of-the-art research on Digital Twins and their development, lifecycle assessment, and energy efficiency are introduced. There is a lack of evaluated implementations of methodical DT development in different scenarios, especially for the evaluation of product-level energy efficiency during production. Results of a research project with the focus on the development and implementation of Digital Twins are presented. The use case is set within the scenario of the sequential development of a product simultaneously with the development of the Digital Twin. The focus is put on the implementation of an energy consumption prediction and product carbon footprint analytics module as part of the Digital Twin. The development approach is presented and recommendations for the development of future Digital Twins are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the unique technological merits of additive manufacturing (AM), design for AM, particularly eco-design for AM, has been gaining attention in improving the sustainable performance of AM-fabricated (AMed) parts. The main challenge in harvesting potential sustainability benefits is how to capture the impact of design on sustainable performance. Though several existing studies adopted quantitative evaluation on AM sustainability and investigated the relationships between design information and sustainability information of AMed part, the sustainability information is still unavailable in the design phase. This hardly guides eco-design for AM in practice. To support the increasing industrial applications of AM, this paper illustrates related knowledge, that is, material-process-structure-ecoProperty (MPSeP) relationships to connect design and sustainability information in eco-design for AM. An ontology-based method is proposed to model the MPSeP relationships of the AMed part in a structured way. An example of an AMed hydraulic valve body was used to demonstrate the MPSeP modeling process. It is discussed that how the constructed model effectively assists AM designers through providing eco-design recommendation, and enables design software tools to perform sustainability analysis towards eco-design for AM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monitoring of complex industrial systems through the implementation of smart approaches provides unique opportunities, such as the characterisation of their real-time performance. Within this scope, there exists the need to support decision-making during maintenance processes, due to the presence of a multitude of faults in real-world systems and the difficulty of identifying the appropriate mitigating solutions. The proposed solution uses intelligent optimisation techniques to identify the ideal control solution within these complex systems when faults arise. This paper presents a framework based on an intelligent optimisation approach, which provides a workflow process for the support of decision-making during faulty situations. It is adapted and implemented to the demand-side of a Compressed Air System (CAS), thus providing a holistic approach in automating fault mitigation during real-time system operation. In implementing this framework, multiple intelligent optimisation techniques such as the Genetic Algorithm and the Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithms were adopted and implemented. Both algorithms were successful in providing the ideal control solution under fault conditions. For a typical production case study, the proposed optimisation approach results in a reduction of 40% in its air consumption, which directly improves its environmental performance and energy costs. This result demonstrates that this approach contributes a suitable control strategy for CAS when experiencing a pneumatic fault, which has a direct positive effect on the operational energy performance and costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resource consumption of products and production processes, regarding energy and material, is the most important parameter in assessing economic and ecological sustainability. Existing approaches for measuring resource consumption calculate key performance indicators, such as the carbon footprint, from which actions can be derived. The data acquisition, processing, and visualization are usually complex and individually adapted to the products and production machines. This paper presents a method to capture the resource consumption of a product and production machine with low effort and in a targeted manner to calculate the carbon footprint subsequently. The approach's novelty lies in linking any sensor technology with a cross-platform application, integrating existing data sets, and incorporating gamification techniques. Gamifying the process, users engage more with the data, leading to higher awareness and deeper insights. The application offers an intuitive user interface displaying resource consumption by calculating the environmental impact of the production. The live data integration allows for immediate monitoring of the effect of adaptions to the production process, that helps to create a better understanding of contributions to resource consumption. The use of the application is highlighted in a case study of industrial complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the drive towards sustainable design, the push for products with greater longevity, reparability, and recyclability has never been more crucial. Central to this is the integration of eco-design principles within manufacturing processes. However, there is a gap: manufacturers lack both standardized processes and digital tools to support them, even though the promising digital product passport largely focuses on product lifespan. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are paramount, serving as benchmarks for both the manufacturing process and environmental sustainability of a product. These KPIs encompass factors like energy, water, compressed air, and material resource consumption. To emphasize the importance of these metrics, Europe is vulnerable to supply disruptions due to its high dependence on raw materials from non-EU countries. This paper discusses the state of the art of digital twins and presents a digital shadow—a comprehensive digital tool design to support manufacturers during the product design phase. Drawing from a case study in the automotive sector, this tool not only aligns with recycling and sustainability objectives but also mitigates risks associated with raw material dependencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 74.7 Mt (Million Metric Tonnes) of e-waste is expected to be produced in 2030, and laptop e-waste is one of the major constituents of this. The goal of this paper is to develop and optimize a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) mathematical model for a laptop manufacturer in India, based on a framework that integrates secondary reuse concept associated with traditional circular economy waste avoidance strategies. The multi-objective solution techniques of ε-constraint, LP-metric, and weighted sum methods are used to optimize the circular economy model. The proposed model aids as a policy tool to decide the optimum number of inspection/collection centers, sales/distribution centers, disassembly centers, refurbishing centers, recycling centers, and their optimum locations and allocations. This study results suggest that reuse, secondary customer centers, refurbishing, and recycling of the laptops is not only economically beneficial to the organization but also environment friendly and helps to create more jobs in the rural economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental impact of new products and production processes is one of the most important indicators of the current time. Many methods exist to estimate ecological metrics, such as the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) in the individual product development phases with stand-alone software. However, methods to integrate the PCF in the entire process chain with the possibility to interact in the process are missing. This paper presents a new approach to measuring the ecological impact of an Additive Manufacturing production process, exemplified by the Material Extrusion (MEX) process. The novelty of the approach lies in implementing a single software for machine control, processing, and visualization of sensor signals, parameter variation, and reporting functions to enable comprehensive PCF management. The workflow includes a model-based prediction of the PCF based on the G-code, live monitoring during the production phase, and a subsequent automated evaluation at a central interface. Critical points can be identified, and approaches for optimizing the MEX process can be designed. Uncertainty evaluation of the PCF based on the combination of uncertainty of the sensors and the Life Cycle Assessment is included in the method. The developed prototype software can be used in the design phase for prediction and in the process phase for optimization, enabling seamless PCF management for the MEX process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a systematic critical review of quantitative sustainability assessment studies on metal additive manufacturing (MAM) with a life cycle perspective. Potential benefits and present challenges of MAM are also discussed. MAM showed the potential to reduce overall environmental impacts and be more cost-effective for parts with complex designs, high value and low production volumes, particularly for automotive and aerospace components. However, currently, conventional manufacturing appears to have a better sustainability performance than MAM for simple parts in industrial applications. Overall, MAM technology is still in development, even if there have been optimizations and method consolidations. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analytical framework for evaluating the impact of the two main processes identified in Madrid timber-framed courtyard buildings reinforcing the courtyard's crucial role in architectural heritage sustainability: their development caused dwellings to darken (1737–1950), and the existing challenge is to open new patios according to the listed buildings' protection policy. Critical findings in archival research and existing building assessments led to completed data collection and analysis. When exploring construction expansion, from the house towards the collective prototype around a gradually reduced patio and dwelling darkening (1737–1786), buildings resulted in open, semiopen, underlighted and closed designs. Study area on-site assessment uncovered the transition from the older low-rise type (1–3) floors to the modern closed model of up to (4–6) storeys. Construction enlargements, consequently reducing original green areas and courtyards, call for reversing that process or formulating a new strategy. It debates the partial demolition of listed buildings in upgrades and its agreement with the needed "blue courtyard" strategy (PGOUM), resulting from joining new rear individual patios to create a communal building block courtyard. The uncovered "in-between" type (1864), which integrates two open-air collective spaces, an inner courtyard and a back garden, appears challenging to explore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of MESO is the property of Zadruzna Stampa D.D. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Urbanization in the twenty-first century has experienced a significant slowdown, particularly in the Global North. However, population growth continues to escalate, with most of this increase occurring in the Global South. Most of that growth manifests in the urban environment as informal sett lements. These types of neighbourhoods deploy unique strategies to emerge and grow and can teach us much about the value of neighbourhoods as urban units in an uncertain future plagued by the challenges imposed by climate change, political polarization, and urban conflict. However, literature on neighbourhoods devotes litt le time to exploring these urban manifestations as areas of exploration and learning; instead, most of the scholarship focuses on ways to eradicate these places from our cities. As a result of this perspective, I argue that we have overlooked three important lessons that can be gleaned from informal sett lements: incrementality, sustainability, and self-reliance. These characteristics contribute to the resilience of the communities, making informal sett lements the predominant neighbourhoods of the twenty-first century. This paper examines global informal neighbourhood practices, unveiling unique community strategies. It reassesses neighbourhood value and offers insights into the urban changes necessary to tackle the next century's challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humanity's pollutive activities pose significant threats to biodiversity, agricultural productivity, and human health. Effective communication about these issues is crucial for fostering awareness and understanding. To achieve a more impactful dialogue, it is essential to facilitate collaboration across disciplines through an interdisciplinary system approach. This paper specifically aims to examine the role of storytelling, humor, and celebrities' influence in reinforcing proenvironmental behaviors. The focus is on reducing pollution and its impact through experiential, emotional, and aesthetic learning. To ensure the validity of the review, articles were systematically collected from accredited journal sites indexed by Scopus, Web of Science, and other reputable sources. The analysis indicates that anthropogenic pollutants, ingested through food, soil, air, or water, can have disastrous effects on human and environmental health. The study emphasizes the potential of storytelling, humor, and celebrities' influence to significantly mitigate these impacts. The integration of humor, storytelling, and the influence of celebrities in the media, as powerful communication tools, can contribute to a drastic reduction in pollution and its associated effects. These approaches serve as universal languages that resonate with diverse audiences. The study advocates for strong advocacy and effective communication strategies employing humor, storytelling, and celebrity influence. Celebrity influencers, with their substantial social influence, can act as science communicators, translating complex pollution statistics to inform the public about their contribution to pollution and motivating behavior change for environmental health improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitalization brings a wide range of opportunities for both digital and sustainable transformation. One of the first steps on this journey is the digitization of business documents and digitalization of business processes. The European Commission has recognised the advantages of digitalization, particularly in the context of e-invoicing, which can contribute significantly to economic prosperity and align with public policy goals such as deficit reduction and sustainable development. Despite the successful adoption of e-invoicing in the public sector, the uptake of e-invoicing in business-to-business (B2B) transactions is surprisingly low. This research focuses on Slovenia, a small European country that imple-mented e-invoicing as mandatory between enterprises and the public sector in 2015. To investigate e-invoicing adoption in the wider population, we designed an online survey, which was conducted among 284 organizations in Slovenia. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 28 software. One sample t-test was used to evaluate the importance of identified advantages, barriers and incentives for e-invoicing usage. Further, we ran an inde-pendent sample t-test to identify statistically important differences in the importance of ad-vantages, barriers, and incentives between organizations with lower and higher levels of e-invoicing usage. The results showed that organizations recognize the benefits of e-invoicing well and perceive them as important. The most important barriers to e-invoicing adoption are related to the business environment, unawareness and lack of knowledge about how to implement e-invoicing. Desired incentives for wider e-invoicing adoption are related to easier and lower costs of technical implementation, provided training and education, including best practices, as well as the availability of government grants and other support measures on the state level, including legislation, public directory of business entities using electronic document exchange and service providers. The paper provides important information for decision-makers and public ad-min-istrations to take appropriate measures and incentives to further support wider adoption of e-invoicing and exchange of other e-documents to exploit opportunities of digitalization better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of Industry 4.0 has revolutionized the manufacturing industry by incorporating interconnectivity, decentralized decision-making, resource optimization, and automation. This transformation has been made possible through the integration of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Cyber-Physical Systems, the Internet of Things, Big Data Analytics, and Blockchain Technology. However, while Industry 4.0 has primarily focused on production efficiency and real-time transparency, the need for the transition toward a holistically sustainable environment has become increasingly urgent. As a result, the term Industry 5.0 was devised, merging the concept of Industry 4.0 with sustainability, resilience, and human-centric goals. This paper explores the potential areas of influence these technologies have on the environmental dimension of sustainability. The findings indicate that various Industry 4.0 technologies can contribute to environmental sustainability in manufacturing. These technologies offer opportunities to optimize supply chain performance, improve product traceability, reduce waste, enhance resource management, and minimize overall environmental impact. By understanding the implications of Industry 4.0 for environmental sustainability, researchers, policymakers, and industry practitioners can collaborate to develop strategies that integrate advanced technologies and sustainable practices in the manufacturing sector. The research provides insights into the potential benefits of these technologies for environmental sustainability and calls for further investigation to fully explore their environmental dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industry 4.0 has supported and changed the way companies operate over the last decade. Today, the increasing focus on sustainability in all its pillars is initiating a critical process and revision about the Fourth Industrial Revolution. A new scenario characterized by human-centricity, resilience and social sustainability, named Industry 5.0, is emerging. In this transition process, new and old enabling technologies are appearing, among them the Metaverse. Although its actual functions are not yet fully investigated, from different perspective this tool could adequately support the definition of Industry 5.0 by creating a symbiotic ecosystem between companies, workers and consumers. Against this backdrop, the aim of this paper is to investigate, through a systematic literature review, the role of the Metaverse in the approach to sustainability in order to understand in which way this technology can be useful for the transition. The results may support policy makers, managers and practitioners in understanding the role of Metaverse in sustainability and in the new wave of Industrial Revolution. Limits and future research steps are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pressure of the global sustainability problem is growing faster than ever after the social and economic havoc wreaked by the pandemic, as well as the present time nearing to the 2050 net zero carbon goal. In 2021 the steel industry had a turnover of around €125 billion and was directly responsible for providing at least 300000 jobs. In 2022, it was responsible for roughly 5% of CO 2 emissions in the EU and 7% globally, and was responsible for at least 20278 injuries and 90 deaths. Environmental solutions for mitigating negative consequences of the steel industry exist such as hydrogen-based steelmaking, carbon capture, utilisation and storage and electrolysis, whilst safety regulations and personal protective equipment have been used to improve safety. However, little has been done to combat the problem using the most powerful emerging technology of the fourth industrial revolution, artificial intelligence. In particular, computer vision has already shown great competence in a range of applications related to steelmaking, but without seriously considering sustainability, resulting in limited awareness of the potential benefits computer vision can bring to industry. A lack of this awareness leads to missed opportunities for sustainable development. This paper aims to address the gap in research that discusses computer vision capabilities for enhancing the sustainability of steel production by providing a literature review covering recent advances in computer vision, as well as an industry 4.0 approach for integrating computer vision systems with steelworks. Research presented here successfully exposes the untapped potential of computer vision in the steel industry and paves the way for future developments by exhibiting a blueprint for simultaneously elevating sustainability and technological advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply chain management faces difficult challenges today, given the rapidly evolving global business landscape. The need for resilient supply chains capable of anticipating, adapting to, and recovering from disruptions has become paramount. At the same time, it has become increasingly important to help systems achieve sufficient levels of economic, environmental and social sustainability in order to remain competitive. Within this challenging scenario, any Logistix is emerging as a tool capable of supporting supply chain managers through the power of optimization and simulation. In this paper, an analysis of the existing scientific literature is conducted on the use of any Logistix to improve supply chain performance within case studies. The analysis of research trends shows that it is a valid tool for improving supply chain sustainability and resilience. Furthermore, crucial challenges are detected such as better exploiting the Digital Supply Chain Twin paradigm, improving the integration of any Logistix with other tools, pushing collaboration between supply chain actors, towards a more sustainable and resilient future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of Industry 4.0 and the circular economy has gained significant attention to achieve sustainable and innovative practices in the manufacturing industry. This paper presents a conceptual framework for integrating Industry 4.0 and the circular economy, based on a systematic literature review. The review synthesizes and critically analyzes existing research to identify key elements of a circular and sustainable production system and demonstrates how Industry 4.0 technologies can be leveraged to support these elements. The framework encompasses four essential components: Desired Environmental Performance, Circular Economy Strategies, Technology Enablers, and Organizational Factors. These components provide guidance for manufacturing firms in adopting Industry 4.0 technologies to promote circular economy principles and achieve environmental sustainability. The findings of this study contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between Industry 4.0 and the circular economy, paving the way for future research and practical implementation in the manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of intelligent techniques produces good results in automating fault finding and predicting future outcomes. These approaches have been on the increase in the past years, especially so to detect faults within Compressed Air Systems (CASs). With the use of intelligent techniques, one could minimise the manual and time-consuming aspect of CAS maintenance, improve the environmental impact of the system, while minimising downtime. This paper proposes a general framework for the implementation of intelligent analysis techniques within a real-world system. Such an approach has been implemented on the demand-side of a CAS. In literature, no open datasets are available for use by artificial intelligence models. Hence, as part of this research, a fault generating and monitoring system has been connected to an existing production machine in a manufacturing site to collect the required data. Two classification machine learning methods were implemented and compared across a number of performance metrics. Both the general framework, and its implementation, provide a stepping stone in integrating smart systems with real-time intelligent data analytics for the demand-side of a CAS. These systems would provide a sustainable CAS operation through the effective detection of anomalies and their timely repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, sustainability guidelines such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) or the EU Taxonomy Regulation have become legally binding, thus requiring enterprises to monitor, control and report their contributions in compliance with sustainable development goals (SDGs). Comprehensive sustainability assessment methods are, therefore, crucial for ensuring competitive advantages of enterprises in the near future. Yet, lack of tailor-made methods particularly for manufacturing SMEs is evident. To address this pathway of research, this paper proposes a comprehensive indicator scheme for measuring and monitoring sustainability performance of manufacturing SMEs aligned with the SDGs. The proposed method is based on a literature analysis of existing measurement approaches. It combines methods from quality and innovation management in a sustainability evaluation scheme especially designed for manufacturing SMEs. The method is demonstrated in excerpts from an industry case study. The preliminary results reveal plausibility of the approach towards enabling enterprises to systematically define sustainability roadmaps and conduct progress monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The product environmental footprint (PEF) is one of two life cycle assessment methods from the European Commission. With their published recommendation on environmental footprint methods, the European Commission provides a framework to assess the PEF for every product in a company. Since there is a high probability that the PEF will be mandatory for companies shortly, it is crucial that this recommendation guides companies and mainly technical employees through all phases of the PEF and enables them to execute a PEF study correctly. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the process of calculating a PEF for a product critically. A PEF study is conducted on a smart luminaire with the software program OpenLCA. The use case concludes that many aspects of the PEF still need to be clarified. Especially the calculation methods behind every impact category need to be more transparent. Further, a comparison of the use case with a provided tutorial from OpenLCA is made. The comparison shows that no information is available on how to model the end-of-life and the use stages, which are mandatory in a PEF study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the concept of sustainability has gained increasing prominence in global discourse, with particular emphasis on environmental and economic aspects. However, an equally critical dimension often overlooked is social sustainability, which pertains to the ethical and social impacts of supply chain practices. Understanding the complex interconnections and implications between customers and suppliers is pivotal to fostering sustainable business practices and cultivating long-term relationships within supply chains. This scientific paper delves into the multifaceted realm of social sustainability in supply chains, specifically focusing on the intricate relationships between customers and suppliers. By analyzing the reciprocal dynamics of this dyadic relationship, we aim to shed light on how their actions, decisions, and behaviors reverberate throughout the entire supply chain, shaping its overall social sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart production scheduling has gained significant attention due to advancements in industrial informatics and technologies that enable the monitoring, control, and adaptation of task scheduling in response to disruptive events. These events can include machine breakdowns, variations in task processing times, and the arrival of new or unexpected tasks. Concurrently, sustainable production scheduling aims to optimize task scheduling by considering economic, environmental, and social factors. This paper introduces a novel optimization model for the development of smart and sustainable production scheduling in a distributed permutation flow shop. The proposed model aims to minimize the makespan while simultaneously limiting the number of lost working days and energy consumption. It also strives to increase job opportunities within acceptable limits. To evaluate the proposed model, we conduct numerical simulations using various examples and a real-case study focusing on auto workpiece production. The results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed model. Sensitivity analyses are performed to assess the model's ability to deal with disruptions and uncertainties while satisfying economic, environmental, and social considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays the improvement of environmental performances is one of aims of innovation in factories, to implement the sustainable development. For the achievement of the environmental goals, a firm can follow Green Innovation, namely developing environmentally friendly products and processes. In spite of the interest on Green Innovation, the progress towards the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, at halfway, is insufficient. In searching for solutions probably the complexity of introducing Green Innovation in factories is an issue. The aim of the paper is to show the complexity of innovation management by a real case: the pretests of new inorganic binders in a ferrous foundry. After a brief description of the Green Casting project case is considered by showing all the activities and entities involved. Finally, the results are discussed, and possible future developments are drawn. Results will show that development of project management tools and new technologies for training could be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People dealt with many new issues related to sustainable development goals. Different decisions oriented to sustainable food packing would be very useful, if they could bring significant effect through the reduction of CO2 emission. The paper focuses on sustainable food packing and its effect on reduction of freight transportation costs. This topic has many research gaps and requires theoretical and practical investigations. Integration of sustainability into long term process has clear implications for the environment. Meherishi et al. (2019) highlight that the process of creating sustainable packaging guarantees the optimal use of materials and energy and is efficiently regenerated without wasting of natural resources. The impact of food packaging on transportation is clear and depends on a number of factors, which are shaped by the characteristics of the food packaging. In addition, among benefits of sustainable food packaging are such main functions as product safety and its identification. Modern complex solutions covering sustainable packing and transport costs reduction are important for increasing environmental sustainability. The study aims to analyze the impact of packaging on the reduction of transport costs. The aim was reached by performing sustainable food packaging and its impact on the reduction of transport costs theoretical justification and by conducting biometric analysis. The overview of the literature of sustainable food packaging and its impact on the supply chain was conducted, and it was found that the food packaging described different types of packaging and new packaging technologies which have an impact on the supply chain and are determined by some factors related to the characteristics of food packaging and the nature of the supply chain. Equally the overview of literature on the transport of food dynamics and the role of transport costs reduction on sustainability was also conducted. It was found that there is a need to develop new technologies and methods for food management and CO2 emissions for longer transport routes reduction. Either the research was conducted by biometric analysis for 2022-2023 to identify current trends, and it was found that the number of analyzed articles, included four clusters, which show that topics are oriented to delivery, flow, algorithms, structure, and role. The bibliometry analysis results show that product packing has links with transport and delivery and algorithms. The authors provided investigations under the topic as it requires knowledge to fill the existing gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The cosmetics industry faces significant challenges, particularly in meeting consumer demands for sustainable and eco-friendly products. This article examines how the industry adapts to these demands by focusing on sustainability throughout the product lifecycle, including selecting raw materials, packaging, and marketing strategies. The shift towards sustainability in the cosmetics industry is not merely a response to regulatory pressures but also a strategic move to align with a consumer market that increasingly values authenticity and environmental responsibility. For this purpose, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. The research aimed to identify consumer knowledge regarding sustainability, influence on buying behavior, preference for sustainable packaging, and reaction to marketing efforts, thereby providing insights into consumer engagement with sustainability in the cosmetics industry. This paper provides a detailed analysis of sustainability dynamics in the cosmetics industry, offering valuable insights for individuals and organizations seeking to understand and engage with this evolving domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food industry, classified as a creative industry in Italy, presents unique opportunities for exploring open innovation. This paper investigates a prominent Italian food company (IFC), known for its early adoption of innovation and commitment to sustainability. This company approach to open innovation aligns with its dedication to environmental stewardship and pro-active engagement with stakeholders. To assess the impact of open innovation on IFC's performance, the case study employs a research strategy centered on co-creation processes. The study delves into IFC's efforts to promote sustainable sourcing, packaging innovation, energy efficiency, water stewardship, waste reduction, and environmental partnerships. Through open innovation strategies, IFC collaborates with startups, research institutions, and customers to generate new ideas and solutions. Co-creation competitions are held to involve stakeholders actively, providing them with a voice and fostering creative input. The research highlights IFC's interest in continuous innovation, emphasizing product, technological, and supply chain advancements. The company employs online platforms to digitize the innovation process, facilitating dialogue and interaction with users. Co-creation competitions are structured in stages, where stakeholders contribute ideas, and the best concepts are evaluated for further development. The case study assesses the innovative performance of IFC, encompassing its image, references to external stakeholders, co-created product portfolio, and enhanced competitiveness. The study reveals that two of the Five Co-s (co-ideation and co-valuation) were employed in IFC's co-creation initiatives, indicating a focus on diversifying product offerings and evaluating attractive ideas. As a result of the study, the conceptual model is applied to IFC, providing insights into its open innovation approach. The company's continued commitment to open innovation has led to the creation of the BluFuture platform, fostering sustainable solutions in the food sector. Additionally, Blu1877, serving as a tool for open innovation, connects the international ecosystem of food innovation. The case study on IFC Group offers valuable insights into how open innovation practices positively impact the creative firm's performance. Through the study, a deeper understanding of the role of open innovation in creative industries is achieved, paving the way for further exploration of innovative strategies and collaborations within the food industry and other creative sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Textile Leader is the property of China Textile Information Center and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Industrial clusters are one of the most current development models. Aggregation of firms in a geographical area has many advantages, such as cost reduction, better supply, and knowledge emission with linkage together. The linkage result will be created the networks. The industrial clusters without co-operation networking will not be developed. That must be noticed to severe changes of business environment parameters. Therefore, this paper develops an uncertain mathematical model under sustainable and dynamic conditions. The model contains four objectives, namely profit, transportation cost, employment, and environment appraisal of the cluster. The outcome of this research is to find the best/optimal solution for firms’ arrangements with/within networks that maximize the profit, employment, and environment score and so minimize the transportation cost. The assignment patterns show horizontal and vertical cooperation with/within networks. The efficiency of model clustering in sub-clusters is followed by the neighbor clustering efficiency and the one’s clustering efficiency methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the implementation of Critical Thinking Activities (CTA) designed to encourage 'critical thinking' in an undergraduate engineering Fluid Mechanics course. Critical thinking can be a vague term both difficult to grasp and even more so to measure. Using a longitudinal case study we analyse quantitative and qualitative data collected over three years to explore the overarching question: "how do we know students have thought critically?". We investigate and evaluate the quantitative data that emerged from students undertaking the CTA and the impact of this on their performance. The results indicate that students who performed well in the CTA achieved a final grade for the course of 5 or more (Credit, Distinction or High Distinction). Qualitative data from student feedback demonstrated that the CTA was a significant factor in reinforcing student learning, enabling us to identify areas of misconception and areas in which they could improve. While the study is situated in an engineering context at the University of Queensland, the paper is an exemplar of embedded and sustainable practice, is equally transferable to other disciplinary contexts. • Successful implementation of critical thinking activity (CTA). • CTA used problem-based-learning and reflection through integrated feedback loop. • Three year long studyshows significant impact on student learning • Method used is equally transferable to other disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Several initiatives have taken part in the sustainability assessment tools, especially on the neighbourhood scale. These tools have been developed as neighbourhood sustainability assessment tools (NSATs) in global and local settings. Despite the widespread use of NSATs over the last two decades, research on NSATs in Global South cities is currently limited. This review article synthesizes literature themes and provides research priorities for NSATs. Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents a systematic review of 48 research articles on NSATs in cities of the Global South, conducted and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A thematic synthesis of 18 articles was reviewed using content analysis to provide a thematic classification and research priorities that outline approaches and actions for implementation. Findings: The results revealed five themes of NSATs for research tackling cities in the Global South, with one dominant theme related to case study-based frameworks and tools. The findings indicate a high level of affiliation contribution and research content focus within the Asian continent compared to the African continent and MENA region. Originality/value: This study contributes to the bibliometric analysis of where the current body of research stands in NSATs. The added value highlights research priorities based on themes, spatial regions and tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of MESO is the property of Zadruzna Stampa D.D. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Norms and values are critical drivers in social innovation processes, such as community projects on sustainable energy. Simulating such processes could help uncover conditions that support these social innovations. Capturing the rich literature on drivers of social innovation in more simple computational rules is a challenge however. In this paper, we present three empirically grounded case simulations addressing social innovations where norms and values play a role. The results emphasise that normative influences and values affecting opinions and behaviour cannot be addressed in isolation when studying real cases of social innovation. An integrated perspective is needed to identify who is most likely to deviate from a given norm, and how contagious this deviation is. These factors, such as needs, values, similarity and reputation, are embedded in a wider behavioural and social-cognitive context and hence require embedding into an integrated modelling framework of humans in the community. We conclude by considering how social-economic data can be used in combination with theory-based rules to simulate normative processes in a convincing way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research applies design thinking to craft a prototype for a digital participation strategy that boosts the ability of Colombian communities to protect natural ecosystems. It delves into modern digital involvement trends related to environmental sustainability and examines the roles of AI and blockchain in ensuring transparency and accountability. The paper also touches on community-driven methods for sustainable management, highlighting approaches like adaptive and landscape-based co-management that incorporate citizen science and collaborative engagement. The research is rooted in participatory methods, co-creating the empathy map and prototype with the community of Villavicencio, Colombia, and the research team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]