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This special volume of the JCLP is mainly built upon articles presented at the 6th International Workshop Advances in Cleaner Production held in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2017. The event had provided a progressive interdisciplinary meeting for knowledge advance and information trade. Papers in this issue cover a broad range of perspectives of cleaner production strategies and practices, and a special focus was placed upon the type of contribution – practical, conceptual/practical, conceptual - and the scale of their coverage – local, regional and global. The papers provide understanding on the research intended to systematically include cleaner production in the path sustainability, and identifies the extent to which cleaner production practitioners directly and indirectly provide local, regional and global solutions. Key results of this introductory article include research on: efficient and responsive use of energy and resources; the search for reduced emissions, the role of managerial support and environmental assessments, and the implementation/analysis of closed-loop systems of materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have demonstrated the energy savings potential of mixed-mode ventilated office buildings. Yet, it is important to widen the knowledge about how those buildings have been designed and built in practice, and which design parameters have greater influence on its energy performance. The aim of this paper was to evaluate how building envelope design parameters influence the energy performance of cellular mixed-mode office buildings, in order to identify key design variables. The analysis presents a comparison among literature research studies and typical construction practices from a sample of buildings located in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. According to a base case model, established based on the real buildings sample, three sensitivity analysis techniques were performed to obtain relative parameter sensitivity to thermal loads: OFAT, Morris and Monte Carlo. Results showed the importance of the window opening effective area and the reduced impact of the window-to-wall ratio on the energy performance of mixed-mode office buildings. By applying a multivariate regression model, it showed significant in predicting 78.1% of the variance in annual thermal loads. The accurate determination of annual thermal loads into mixed-mode office buildings can be used to optimize the envelope characteristics based on a combination of input data and the building geometry. Findings from this study could also be applied to other locations, provided that similar climatic environment and urban context are taken into account. • We evaluate the energy performance of mixed-mode office buildings. • A base case and its characteristics were defined based on a sample. • Typical construction practices versus theoretical studies were compared. • Three sensitivity analysis methods were applied and compared. • Multivariate regression model predicted 78% of the variance in annual thermal loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced silicate rock weathering for long-term carbon dioxide sequestration has considerable potential, but depends on the availability of suitable rocks coupled with proximity to suitable locations for field application. In this paper, we investigate the established mining industry that extracts basaltic rocks for construction from the Paraná Basin, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Through a Life Cycle Assessment, we determine the balance of carbon dioxide emissions involved in the use of this material, the relative contribution of soil carbonation and enhanced weathering, and the potential carbon dioxide removal of Sao Paulo agricultural land through enhanced weathering of basalt rock. Our results show that enhanced weathering and carbonation respectively emit around 75 and 135 kg carbon dioxide equivalent per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent removed (considering a quarry to field distance of 65 km). We underline transportation as the principal process negatively affecting the practice and uncover a limiting road travel distance from the quarry to the field of 540 ± 65 km for carbonation and 990 ± 116 km for enhanced weathering, above which the emissions offset the potential capture. Regarding Sao Paulo State, the application of crushed basalt at 1 t/ha to all of the State's 12 million hectares of agricultural land could capture around 1.3 to 2.4 Mt carbon dioxide equivalent through carbonation and enhanced weathering, respectively. This study suggests a lower sequestration estimate than previous studies and emphasizes the need to consider all process stages through a Life Cycle Assessment methodology, to provide more reliable estimates of the sequestration potential of greenhouse gas removal technologies. • First assessment of the burdens associated with enhanced weathering and carbonation. • Transportation of the material greatly impacts the sequestration potential. • The quarry to field offsetting distance is 550 ± 65 km for carbonation. • On Sao Paulo average, the practice emit 0.110 kg CO 2 eq per kg of CO 2 removed. • The setup burdens of the practice reduce previous sequestration estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An emergent strategy to target sustainability involves an understanding of the water-energy interconnections. It takes water to produce energy, and it takes energy to source, treat, and distribute water. Sanitation and energy distribution are the world's pre-eminent development challenges. They are a magnifier of poverty, ill-health and mortality, and gender inequality. The word 'nexus' means the understanding of these interdependencies, tensions, and trade-offs. This paper investigates water-energy interconnections through critical analysis. We applied a bottom-up approach to describe Sao Paulo state's river basins, in Southeast Brazil, from the household to the regional scale. Initially, water availability, energy consumption and wastewater treatment data are inferred using per capita data. The subsequent data analysis then considered the positive and negative linkages among the basins. Local and state levels of dependency are also assessed, considering environmental and socioeconomic impacts. The significance of this paper lies in understanding these interconnections and their interdependence within the local context and individuals' behaviour. The results allow a comprehensive analysis of the water-energy Nexus across Sao Paulo state. The critical analysis also shows how the primary drivers contribute to urbanisation levels, population growth, and industrial activities. • Regional WE Nexus analysis is undertaken for the most industrialised state of Brazil. • The increase in wastewater treatment highlights the sustainability path. • Wastewater treatment growth rates are higher than population and GDP rates. • It develops a unique database for future studies using the Nexus approach. • Population growth, GDP, and industrial intensity are the main drivers in the WE Nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of the "Blockchain" technological architecture is growing worldwide, given its structural characteristics aimed at security and information integrity, without the need for a central guarantor. Although Blockchain has become known for its support of crypto-coins (or crypto currencies), especially Bitcoin, its scope has become much larger, including businesses of relevant social impact. This paper presents an application of the Ethereum's Blockchain digital architecture for the solid waste management in a small municipality in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. This application comes to replace a paper-based current system. The current system uses printed cards called Green Coins, presenting vulnerabilities that should be overcome with the implementation of the new system. The blockchain-based system provides financial management for the collection of waste in the municipality aiming at better health and socio-environmental education and the financial and social inclusion of volunteer citizens, through the use of social currency. The proposed application uses social crypto-coins and security support through Ethereum's Blockchain, instead of the printed cards currently being used, including volunteer citizens, store owners and public agents. It should contribute in a relevant way to improving the quality of life in the municipality in relation to the typical aspects of sustainability: education, health, environment, social inclusion and local economy, contributing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The proposed application may eventually expand in to other municipalities, including major urban centers and private condominiums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lamb production in Brazil has the state of São Paulo as its largest consumer market, but due to competition for area with other agricultural activities, sheep farming in São Paulo underwent an intensification of the production system to achieve better economic profitability. This intensification can compromise the sustainability of the system. There is no research concerning about emergy evaluation on lamb production systems applied in Brazil, so this is the first paper to discuss the sustainability of lamb production systems using this method. Therefore, this article proposes to discuss the importance of considering environmental aspects in the economic analysis of production systems, aiming at the sustainable development of the sector. This study assessed the economic and emergy performance of three different sheep farms in Brazil managed under different levels of technology: Intensive, Semi-intensive, and Feedlot. Results show that from an economic perspective, the Feedlot system is more attractive (9,800 US$/yr for net profit) than Intensive and Semi-intensive ones, while emergy synthesis show that Semi-intensive system (30% for renewability) should be prioritized. On the other hand, when emergy is analyzed from an economic perspective based on Emdollars (Em$, with an 'm'), the economic advantage regarding the production cost of Feedlot on the Semi-intensive system becomes less evident. The Intensive system obtained the worst performance for economic, and emergy indicators. More than contributing to the discussions about the importance in considering a systemic perspective when quantifying the economic performance of production systems, this study also (i) establishes the most sustainable sheep farm system that could be supported in Brazil, and (ii) make available new unit emergy values that would enrich the existing emergy databases. • The synthesis emergy together with the economic assessment are performed for three sheep production systems with different levels of technology. • Intensive systems (Intensive and Feedlot) are economically profitable, but generate greater pressure on the environment. • Semi-intensive systems present less pressure on the environment, but are not economically viable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Environmental regulations can play a major role in fostering improvements in industrial environmental performance. This potential can be best leveraged when regulatory aspects are tiered by performance criteria in “performance-based” policies. Although recognized as an essential part of incentivizing performance improvements, these polices present a significant challenge for developing countries. This paper presents a definition and the basic elements of performance-based regulations, and a case study in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Starting with a brief discussion of public environmental policy instruments, the performance-based concept is defined and examined, using the experiences of the U.S. to list the most relevant characteristics by which a public policy can help regulators to not only recognize but also to reward and encourage environmental performance improvement. The introduction of performance criteria into the renewable permits in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, is described as an example of these practices. By establishing an innovative permitting model, the state environmental agency encourages continuous environmental performance improvements in industries. Some preliminary results are presented with regard to administrative and environmental benefits, with an example of water reuse and wastewater volume reduction at a petrochemical hub to illustrate the strategy's potential. Finally, the adequacy of the implemented permitting system was evaluated with the performance-based criteria reported in the literature. The results attest to the potential of this model to foster improvements beyond traditional compliance, mainly through the adoption of cleaner production, thereby contributing to environmental quality improvements with low economic, socio and political enforcement costs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Having the objective of minimizing costs and improving their image in the consumer and export market, car battery industries began to seek environmental alternatives geared towards sustainable development. Reverse logistics flow represents an unprecedented tool for the economic and operational development of company activities, as well as a differential in the search for competitive advantages through environmentally correct practices. The aim of this paper is to describe the reverse logistics chain adopted by automotive battery industries in the midwest of the state of São Paulo, proposing a reverse logistics framework for small manufacturers that creates actions aimed at not harming the environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Macro and micro institutions have received considerable attention from institutional theory in the analysis of organizational performance. The role played by meso-institutions has hardly been addressed. This article draws on recent institutionalist approaches which introduce meso-institutions as a third layer of the analysis. Meso-institutions on the adoption of environmental technologies is the focus of attention. The Brazilian policy on climate change offered an opportunity for this investigation. Different meso-institutions were created or adjusted to accelerate and monitor the actions and targets of the Brazilian Low Carbon Agriculture Plan. The effects of these meso-institutions on both farmers' decision to adopt Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems (ICLS) and farms performance were estimated through a Simultaneous Equation System (SES). The analyses were based on a survey sample of 175 farmers from the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Our main results corroborate the hypothesis that meso-institutions are of utmost importance to improve resource utilization by the farmers. Economic incentives, risk reduction, capacity building and knowledge sharing provided by meso-institutions had significant impacts on the probability of adopting ICLS and on farms performance. These results suggest that meso-institutions can foster a favorable environment for the adoption of more sustainable technologies at farm-level. The paper innovates in the use of SES to investigate the impacts of meso-institutions on resource allocation decisions of Brazilian cattle farmers. Our empirical findings can contribute to the research agenda on meso-institutions and sustainable technology adoption. • We analyzed the effect of meso-institutions on ICLS adoption and farm performance. • Incentives, risk reduction and knowledge sharing are provided by meso-institutions. • Meso-institutions positively affected adoption decisions and farm performance. • Meso-institutions are important to improve resource utilization at farm level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Among the difficulties found in the implementation of ISO 14001 systems, resistance to change can always be found. It is mainly a consequence of the hurry to change, loss of focus, concentration of decision making at the level of top management, arbitrary imposition of objectives and results, faulty communication, and the absence of motivational and financial incentive for change. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to present best practices with respect to the management of organizational change due to the implementation of ISO 14001 norms in two industrial companies in the Midwest region of the State of São Paulo – Brazil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]