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This study tackles the persistent challenge of producing highly reinforced lignin-rubber composites, emphasizing the transformation of agro-industrial residues into value-added products. To address this challenge, we introduce a novel approach termed "in-situ surface modification utilizing a thermo-chemo-mechanical approach" which incorporates the utilization of biomass-derived kraft lignin and a thermally stable organofunctional surface modifier, specifically (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane. The resulting material exhibits unprecedented tensile strength (∼15 MPa) along with ∼300 % elongation at break, while typical gum rubber offers 1–2 MPa tensile strength. Additionally, for the other tensile properties like 100 %, and 200 % tensile modulus, the improvement is 7-fold (∼5.6 MPa) and 10-fold (∼11.3 MPa), respectively. Furthermore, this composite presents a higher degree of reinforcement than a passenger car radial (PCR) tire model compound (tensile strength ∼14.5 MPa, 100 % tensile modulus ∼2.2 MPa, and 200 % tensile modulus ∼5.6 MPa) comprised of silica and polysulfide-based coupling agent, with exactly a similar loading of filler. The dynamic mechanical and stress relaxation behavior of the composites are critically discussed concerning the dispersion of the lignin in the sSBR/BR rubber matrix. The morphological orientation and involved chemical interaction in the presence of a surface modifier are also studied in detail. Tear fatigue analysis using pure shear specimens indicates superior fracture toughness at a lower tearing energy regime compared to silica-filled PCR tire compounds. Overall, this study showcases the potential of lignin-reinforced elastomers, offering a promising route for sustainable engineering materials and commercial viability. [Display omitted] • High mechanical performance of Lignin-rubber composites by thermo-chemo-mechanical mixing. • Better dispersion of the lignin particle in butadiene rubber at higher temperature. • Composite shows ∼15 MPa of tensile strength, like Passenger Car Radial tire compound. • Excellent fracture toughness at low tearing energy regime. • Lignin, an alternative to conventional fillers, especially for the tire applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annually, industries related to agricultural products generate substantial volumes of waste biomass, presenting critical challenges for solid waste management due to its environmental and health implications. Pyrolysis emerges as a significant technique for converting such waste into biochar (BC), a material with notable internal microstructure, porosity, and chemical properties, contingent on the feedstock and processing conditions. BC is recognized for its exceptional water retention and alkalinity, primarily utilized for soil enhancement and fertilization. Its application across various fields, particularly in enhancement for sustainability, has gained momentum. This review meticulously explores BC's role in sustainable composites, focusing on geopolymers and alkali-activated binders through a comprehensive examination of existing literature, underscored by bibliometric analysis. This pioneering review, leveraging the PRISMA framework and VOSviewer for bibliometric insights, aims to bridge the research gap in this evolving domain, offering a critical assessment of BC's integration in sustainable construction materials, its challenges, and future research directions. Hence, this pioneering systematic review represents the first-ever exploration within the research domain of BC's applications in geopolymers and alkali-activated materials, marking a foundational step toward understanding its potential and challenges in sustainable engineering practices. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural hazards foster the need for resilience in the built environment, but resilient structures must not interfere with sustainability. The potential trade-offs are increasingly being investigated using performance-based assessments combined with life cycle assessments (LCA) to translate probable building or bridge damage into environmental losses. Leveraging 102 publications intersecting sustainability and resilience in the built environment, this review sheds light on the current methodological challenges and opportunities for integrating natural hazard-induced damage with environmental losses in the built environment. The reviewed literature primarily focused on buildings exposed to seismic hazards, deriving their losses using the best-known LCA mode, attributional LCA. Building and bridge frameworks showed notable methodological distinctions, along with a near absence of consideration of the interactions between climate change and natural hazards or structural vulnerabilities. Based on the findings, 22 opportunities for future research were synthesized. Future research should seek to better assess the total life cycle sustainability of resilient structures by exploring advanced modes of LCA, widening the scope of their assessments, and better integrating uncertainty and sensitivity. Achieving a more sustainable and resilient built environment also requires upcoming research to investigate the practicalities of aligning modeling frameworks, tools, data, and case studies. Addressing these research gaps will assist in anticipating how the built environment can be adapted and shaped to positively contribute to a resilient and sustainable future. [Display omitted] • Shows opportunities to improve measuring sustainability in structural engineering. • Reviews crossings of life cycle assessment with structural performance assessment. • Identifies methodological and practical challenges in tackling the research gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the performance of Pervious Concrete (PC) with varying quantities of Natural Coarse Aggregate (NCA) replaced by Waste Tire Rubber (WTR) (5%, 10% and 15% by weight) whereas Silica Fume (SF) (5%, 10% and 15%) and Fly Ash (FA) (10% constant) were employed as substitute for cement. This research aims at optimizing the mix of High Strength Rubberized Pervious Concrete (HSRPC) using Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs), comparing experimental stress-strain graphs with the developed constitutive models and conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Physical and mechanical performance of PC were examined using permeability and strength indices. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observed microstructural variations and Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) development. The use of WTR increased the permeability and decreased the strength indices. The permeability of mixes with 5, 10 and 15% WTR was found to be 4.00, 4.21 and 4.49 mm/s, which were more than control mix permeability. The compressive strength of PC with 5%, 10%, and 15% WTR was determined to be 32.48, 29.29, and 26.94 MPa, respectively, which were lower than control PC compressive strength which was 35.41 MPa. However, the addition of SF and FA enhanced the mechanical properties while causing a decrease in the permeability. Increasing SF content from 0% to 15% enhanced the compressive strength of PC containing 5% WTR, from 32.48 to 40.71 MPa. Developed constitutive models compared the stress-strain response of PC. Life cycle assessment showed that WTR, SF, and FA-based PC reduced the global warming. [Display omitted] • Development of HSRPC using SCM's. • Recycling Waste Tire Rubber to reduce CO 2 emissions. • Silica fume improves the mechanical properties. • Develop constitutive models that characterizes the stress-strain behavior of HSRPC. • Life cycle assessment of rubberized PC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A teaching approach of programming experiment courses with a new education process is proposed in this study to improve the sustainability of engineering education and extend the accessibility of lab experiments across experiment courses, with the goal of encouraging innovative and scientific thinking among students. The Millikan Oil-Drop experiment combined with Java object-oriented programming is demonstrated as a case study to validate the feasibility and advantages of this teaching approach. The new education process of the experiment course is designed based on Jean Piaget's cognitive development theory, which has high practical potential for popularization among tertiary institutions without additional cost. Additionally, this work discussed the relevance of the general criterion of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology on student outcomes to educational accreditation, further indicating that introducing programming into experiment education can improve students' all-round ability and strengthen the triangular relationship among the three main subjects in tertiary education, namely, students, faculty, and higher educational institutions. This study may serve as an educational guide for teachers and tertiary institutions to pursue innovative and sustainable education. [Display omitted] • Introducing programming to course can enhance sustainability for education. • Programming can help students facilitate the data-processing of experiments. • Introducing programming can better ignite students' interest in the course. • The innovation-oriented approach can help improve the teaching quality. • The approach can make for clean production and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reprocessing municipal wastes into useful engineering components is one way to reduce their environmental impact. This paper presents a report on an alternative experimental approach to reprocessing common environmental wastes like aluminum scraps, steel shavings, and coconut shells into eco-friendly engineering composite. Equally, response surface analysis was incorporated in the development and validation of predictive models fit for future prediction of response properties. Aluminum scrap was heated into a liquid state and reinforced with recycled steel particles (RSP) and coconut shell ash particles (CSP) at varying proportions. Specimen design involves three group mixes: A, B, and C. Each of the three groups mixes comprised 0, 1, and 2 % RSP at constant dosage, respectively. Meanwhile, each mix was incorporated with 4, 8, and 12 wt % CSP. The microstructural features, physical (porosity, density, and relative density), and mechanical (tensile strength, hardness, elastic modulus, fracture toughness, impact strength, and percentage ductility) properties were appraised. The outcome revealed that the combination of the two reinforcements (RSP and CSP) contributed to microstructural evolution within the specimens. The porosities of the composite specimens were reported to marginally increase with the reinforcement combination. Interestingly, the composite exhibited lighter weight with improved mechanical performance. Mathematical models derived for the response properties were certified fit for future analysis and predictions. Meanwhile, the optimization procedure revealed that the combination of 1.3 % RSP and 6.7 % CSP was suitable for the design of optimal recycled aluminum composites for sustainable engineering designs. The results clarified that the reinforcement particles (RSP and CSP) are low-cost alternatives to synthetic ceramic reinforcements in the aluminum composite." • Sustainable engineering aluminum composites derived from municipal waste. • Inclusion of RSP and CSP yielded improved recycled aluminum composite. • Mechanical performance was dependent on the interactive pattern between RSP and CSP inputs. • Compositional mix of 1.3 % RSP and 6.7 % CSP yielded optimum mechanical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, surplus crude glycerol has been generated in large amounts as a waste product of biodiesel production, leading to bottlenecks in the supply chain of the biodiesel industry. This waste glycerol represents an important potential renewable feedstock and platform chemical; however, its purification is often needed for further processing. Advancements towards glycerol purification are being made using sustainable purification techniques aimed at improving the biodiesel industry's environmental footprint. Many studies focussing on various techniques to purify glycerol can be found in the literature; however, very few studies to evaluate the environmental impacts of the purification processes have been reported. This paper provides a critical investigation on the cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of three different processes for purifying crude glycerol, namely, physicochemical treatment and membrane purification (PMP) processes, vacuum distillation purification (VDP) processes and ion exchange purification (IEP) processes having a functional unit (FU) of 1000 kg of purified glycerol. These purification processes were modelled using Aspen plus software v12.1 in combination with Super Pro Designer v13. CCaLC2 (Carbon Calculations over the Life Cycle of Industrial Activities) was used to measure the environmental impacts associated with each process. By following the ISO 14044:2006 methodology and utilising the CCaLC2 tool, seven different types of potential environmental impacts have been investigated, which include carbon footprint, water footprint, acidification, eutrophication, ozone layer depletion, photochemical smog and human toxicity. Sensitivity analysis of the LCA was carried out using the response surface method (RSM) to determine the most effective parameter within the LCA. The total carbon footprint of the PMP, VDP and IEP processes are 3466.82, 1745.72 and 2239.71 kg CO 2 eq. FU−1 respectively. The LCA study determined that waste generated as a result of crude glycerol impurities from the three processes had one of the highest environmental impacts on the overall process. For the PMP and IEP processes, the raw materials used in the physicochemical treatment also contribute significantly to the carbon footprint and other environmental impacts. Lastly, aspects concerning the environmental impacts from the PMP glycerol purification process have been addressed by analysing the raw materials from different sources accompanied by altered waste disposal methods (i.e. the incineration of generated wastes as opposed to landfilling) in an attempt to reduce the overall environmental impacts. For the PMP process, which has the highest carbon footprint, usage of differently sourced raw materials and altered waste disposal treatments resulted in 39% reduction in total carbon footprint and 54% reduction in the total ozone layer depletion. Sensitivity analysis of the LCA shows that the glycerol content within the crude glycerol was the most significant parameter. [Display omitted] • First comparative LCA study on crude glycerol purification processes is presented. • Raw materials and waste generated were the leading causes of environmental burdens. • Membrane separation had the highest environmental impacts followed by ion exchange. • Differently sourced raw materials and altered waste disposal methods reduced the carbon footprint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated best practices in teaching environmental responsibility to inventors and innovators. Because successful invention includes engineering, design, and business, best practices in all three disciplines were investigated, as well as connections among them. The investigation sought best practices in curriculum, delivery methods, and administrative leadership to maximize environmental responsibility in invention education. To find best practices, interviews of 25 instructors, administrators, and graduates from sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship programs were performed; a small literature review provided background and validation. Results found that for curriculum, there was no "silver bullet" but a wide spread of topics for different contexts; however, core topics included business knowledge, measurement of impacts, systems thinking, communication, and inclusion of social justice for broader sustainability. For delivery methods, project-based learning in interdisciplinary teams was a best practice, especially when partnering with industry or other external stakeholders. For leadership, faculty leading with strong administrative support was often praised, though other models were also described, and barriers were mentioned. Leadership best practices also included involvement of all aspects of institutions: faculty, administration, students, facilities, and operations. Image 1 •.Recommended curricula 1: business skills, impact measurement (including social). •.Recommended curricula 2: systems thinking (or critical thinking), communication. •.Recommended delivery: projects in interdisciplinary teams with external partners. •.Recommended administration: faculty leading with strong administrative support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal agricultural structure and population size within typical watersheds needs to be identified based on the water ecological carrying capacity (WECC). However, real-world systems of water ecological management are complicated as multiple uncertainties exist in the system parameters, which need some effective optimization methods to deal with. This research presents an inexact simulation-based fuzzy credibility-constrained mixed-integer programming (ISFCCMIP) model. Through integrating interval linear programming, fuzzy credibility-constrained programming, mixed-integer programming, global nutrient export from watersheds, and the Kirchner–Dillon model within a general framework, the developed ISFCCMIP model can effectively deal with the multiple uncertainties in the simulation and optimization processes of water ecological management systems. The developed ISFCCMIP model is applied to a real-world case study in the Xinfengjiang Reservoir Watershed. Results show that the total population that can be carried by the watershed WECC would decrease from [204885, 412367] to [121235, 271280], when the credibility level increases from 0.55 to 0.95. On the contrary, the total agricultural benefit would increase from [3.72, 5.06] × 108 to [3.75, 5.10] × 108 $. The total population in the base year far exceeds the watershed WECC. Although the total agricultural benefit in the base year is between the upper and lower bounds of the optimized results, the agricultural structure is not reasonable and needs to be adjusted. Concurrently, multiple results on the optimal agricultural structure and population size are obtained under different credibility levels and in different carrying capacity scenarios. Such results can provide a series of decision alternatives for watershed policy makers to consider the tradeoff between socio-economic development and water ecological protection. The results also assist the sustainable development of the Xinfengjiang Reservoir Watershed. The proposed model is effective for the optimal management of agricultural structure and population size within a reservoir watershed based on the WECC under multiple uncertainties. It also provides a reference for other areas with similar concerns. • An inexact simulation-based fuzzy mixed-integer programming model was developed. • The model is used for watershed management based on water ecological carrying capacity. • Water quantity and quality conditions and their joint effect can be considered. • The model can address uncertainties in both simulation and optimization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to evaluate the engineering students' perception regarding sustainability. For this, a survey was developed based on sustainability parameters from a detailed analysis of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance (BICG). The parameters were initially divided into seven groups: Financial and Productivity Aspects (FPA); Concern With Employees (CWE); Support for Local Communities (SLC); Ethical and Corporate Governance Issues (ECI); Environmental Aspects (ENA); Sustainable Aspects in the Operations Network (SON); Customers, Development of New Products and Services (CPS). The survey was conducted with engineering undergraduate students from two Brazilian universities. The data were analyzed through structural equation modeling technique, namely the PLS-SEM algorithm. The collected 162 answers enabled the validation of the model tested, and showed that the students, in general, do not consider SLC and CWE when they are analyzing sustainability. Additionally, the most important construct was the CPS. This is an exploratory study and we believe that these findings may contribute to expand the debate about the sustainability insertion in engineering courses, helping educators in their didactic activities. There were not found similar studies in the literature, which highlight the originality of the research. The statistical validation of the results and the contribution to expand the debate regarding sustainability in engineering education justify the value of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small and medium industries (SMEs) savings analysis can help to reduce energy consumptions and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and support the individual company to make a better decision to improve facility energy performance. The main idea was to get enough data to recreate simple Excel-based tool so that SMEs could conduct quick energy and GHG emission benchmarking and to come up with potential savings by using their utility bills and plant specifications. Having such knowledge will help these industries to promote energy efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness in their operation. Energy consumption data of eleven companies have been collected and analyzed. The methodology involves energy benchmarking, separation of process and seasonal energy consumptions, heating degree days estimation, normalized annual energy consumption, and normalized process and seasonal energy consumptions. The leading performance indicator was identified energy intensity of oven. It was estimated, the energy intensity of bake ovens varies from 24 m3/ft3 to 30 m3/ft3, while the energy intensities of ovens with finishing process varies from 8 m3/ft3 to 36 m3/ft3. Potential savings can be realized from retrofits such as the addition of a VFD controller (exhaust loss), insulation (shell loss). Depending on the investment and the type of estimated retrofits, the return on investment can be realized in less than a year or up to ten years. It was also noted that by optimizing production scheduling; 8%–69% of energy consumption could be saved by proper shut-down and scheduling the non-production hours. Flow diagram of research program to investigate energy-saving opportunities of SMEs in the GTA. Image 1092 • Small and Medium Enterprises energy analysis, performance indicators, and savings potential. • Methodology involves heating degree days, normalized annual process and energy consumptions. • The observed energy intensity of ovens varies from 24 m3/ft3 to 30 m3/ft3 (and 8 m3/ft3 to 36 m3/ft3). • Savings can be realized from retrofits of a VFD controller (exhaust loss), insulation (shell loss). • Natural gas savings from the facilities processing varies from 19% to 53%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental performance of additive manufacturing (AM) processes and the produced parts has gained increasing interest. Various assessment models have been developed based on the general life cycle assessment (LCA) framework, although different in goals and boundaries, the inputs for these models are always a single part (or a batch of same parts). In contrast, the present research provides a new perspective towards the selection of a more sustainable assembly design. A comparative LCA model is built to investigate the environmental performance difference of two design approaches: assembly design (AD) made via conventional manufacturing (CM) plus assembly operations and part consolidation (PC) made via AM plus machining. The effects of weight reduction, prolonged life expectancy, and improved functional performance (e.g. fuel efficiency) attainable in the PC routine and the advantages of replaceable subcomponents in the AD routine are studied in a throttle pedal assembly example throughout the lifespan of the vehicle. The results reveal that the PC routine can be more environmental friendly than the AD counterpart when the lifespan can be improved by over 200% or the weight savings are more than 30%. The role of functional performance improvement on affecting sustainability may depend on the part/vehicle ratio and vehicle types. This article extends the literature on sustainable assembly design and the proposed LCA model provides a way of identifying the profitable margins of PC in the early design stage. • A comparative LCA model is built for consolidated design and assembly design. • Factors of lightweight, lifespan extension, performance increase, and part reuse are considered. • Tradeoffs between the consolidated design and assembly are discussed through a case study. • Design guidelines to select a more sustainable assembly design solution are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data centers are estimated to have the fastest growing carbon footprint from across the whole information and communication technology (ICT) sector. Evaluating the performance of data centers in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability is becoming an increasingly important matter for organizations and governments (e.g., for regulation or reputation purposes). It nonetheless remains difficult to achieve such evaluation, as data centers imply to take into consideration a wide range of dimensions and stakeholders. Even though a wide range of sustainability performance indicators exist in the literature, there is still a lack of frameworks to help data center stakeholders (spanning from data center owners, governmental regulators to engineers/field operators) to evaluate and understand how a data center performs in terms of sustainable development/behavior. Our research work proposes such a framework, whose originality lies in the combination of state-of-the-art sustainability metrics with the biomimicry commandments of eco-mature system, which enables holistic sustainability assessment of data centres. From a theoretical perspective, the proposed model is designed based on a benefit-cost analysis using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. This approach allows data center stakeholders for specifying their own preferences and/or expertise in the comparison process, whose practicability is demonstrated in this paper considering three data center candidates, which are respectively located in France, Germany and Sweden. • A new model for comparing data center sustainability performance is proposed. • The model makes use of state-of-the-art sustainability metrics together with biomimicry lessons. • The model is designed based on a benefit-cost approach using the AHP technique. • A comparison study is carried out with three distinct data center candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life cycle engineering (LCE) targets product development and manufacturing activities in a life cycle perspective, with the aim to create more sustainable solutions. Coined approximately 30 years ago, it was adopted by the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP, from the French title), which established annual conferences on life cycle engineering to further develop the concept and its operationalisation. With the recent advent of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), engineering is now provided with specific targets to steer societies towards sustainable production and consumption. But how can LCE contribute to meeting the UN SDGs? Here, we report on a consultation process conducted as part of the 25th CIRP LCE conference, organised in Copenhagen, DK, in 2018. Approximately 175 participants reflected on a list of ten pre-identified challenges for implementing the SDG agenda that LCE could help tackle, and were solicited to propose solutions. A total of 118 solutions were proposed, and the main messages and recommendations are summarised and reported in the paper. Overall, they voice the need for stronger action from academia (e.g. research needs related to addressing trade-offs across SDGs), business and governments (e.g. transparent and harmonised reporting on sustainability performances, internalisation of external costs) and society at large (e.g. consumer behaviour, role of education). • Experts were consulted on how life cycle engineering can contribute meeting the UN SDGs. • An interactive session was organised in an international LCE conference. • Solutions to pre-defined challenges to achieve SDGs were proposed by 175 participants. • Specific key messages from the proposed solutions are reported here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of structural steelwork (SS) for buildings continues to grow worldwide owing to its sustainability benefits. However, the market share of SS in the building sector of Hong Kong greatly lags behind other markets. This paper focuses on providing a comprehensive understanding of the issues that greatly drive or inhibit SS adoption in Hong Kong from a project lifecycle perspective. The methodology encompasses both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 professionals from developer, structural engineering consultant, main contractor, steel specialist contractor, and steel stockholder companies. The results identified 12 driving factors and 25 barriers affecting SS adoption in Hong Kong. A questionnaire survey with 118 practitioners was carried out to identify the most important driving factors and barriers. The results revealed that "increased speed of construction" and "must-have requirements" were the two most important driving factors; while "shortage of skilled labor", "shortage of supervisors working directly under main contractors", "high construction costs", "shortage of experienced designers and draughtsmen", and "lack of education, training, and design experience on structural steelwork" were the five most critical barriers. This may imply that education and training are needed to improve knowledge and skills of professionals and workers, and thus to ensure an adequate supply of manpower. The findings of this study not only contribute to the existing body of knowledge on SS practices but also provide valuable references for helping practitioners and policymakers to promote sustainable construction methods within the building sector. • Increased speed of construction and must-have requirements are important drivers. • Manpower shortages in the design and construction phases are critical barriers. • High construction cost also inhibits the use of structural steelwork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there are limited techniques for non-experts to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of different methods and software tools developed by industry and academia for assessing each aspect of product sustainability performance. Moreover, the variety of available methods and software tools makes it challenging for non-experts to identify the most appropriate analysis option. This research aims to assist non-experts in selecting the most appropriate set of analysis methods and software tools prior to conducting sustainable engineering analysis (SEA) based on life cycle data accessible to them. A questionnaire-based ranking methodology is developed for non-experts, which reduces their time investment in examining the myriad SEA methods and tools and avoids non-value added effort. The questionnaire uses an interaction matrix within a general mathematical modeling approach to map a given set of methods and tools to user responses. Relevance weights are integrated within the matrix to rank available environmental, economic, and social assessment methods and tools for user consideration. To demonstrate the application of the methodology, a pilot project was conducted to improve the design of a hexacopter. Results were compared using lower- and higher-fidelity software tools to demonstrate the effectiveness of the relevance weights assigned to each tool. Assigned weights were determined to enable differentiation between low and high fidelity methods and tools, but as new methods and tools enter into use, these weights must be updated. The process of selecting SEA methods and software gives insight into the utility of the interaction matrix implemented within the tool developed in this research. Moreover, non-experts can compare various design alternatives using the selected analysis methods and software tools to arrive at a solution with improved sustainability performance. Image 1 • Introduces questionnaire-based ranking to conduct sustainable engineering analysis. • Enables non-experts to identify most appropriate analysis methods and software tools. • Uses an interaction matrix to map a set of methods and software tools to responses. • Integrates fidelity weights in the matrix to rank analysis methods and software tools. • Reduces time investment in examining the myriad analysis methods and software tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is acknowledged for its potential to support sustainable design. In this paper, we explore whether the opportunities that additive manufacturing offers for sustainable design are also useful when designing for a circular economy, and to what extent additive manufacturing can support design for a circular economy. We performed a literature review on the sustainability aspects of additive manufacturing and held a series of interviews with designers about their 3D printed design projects to obtain in-depth information. The interviews were analysed using annotated portfolios, a novel analysis method created specifically for this research. This resulted in a visual representation of the outcomes. We found that additive manufacturing supports circular design strategies by creating opportunities to extend a product's lifespan, for instance by enabling repair or upgrades, even if these products were not originally designed for ease of repair or upgrading. However, the use of monolithic structurally complex parts that support design for recyclability may hinder high value product recovery, like repair. Besides this, the current offer of 3D printable materials should be extended with materials developed for durable use, as well as high-value reuse. Concluding, when accounting for these drawbacks, additive manufacturing is able to support multiple product life cycles and can provide valuable contributions to a circular economy. • Additive manufacturing creates opportunities for applying circular design strategies. • Sustainable additive manufacturing opportunities should support multiple product lifecycles. • Availability of sustainable materials for additive manufacturing is an issue. • The interview data were analysed with annotated portfolios, a newly developed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cement clinker calcination in rotary kiln is an energy intensive process. Heat recovery from the kiln shell surface is a potential way to improve energy efficiency to make cement production cleaner and more sustainable. In this work, methods were proposed to assess the heat loss through the kiln shell and its influencing factors, using an industrial cement kiln in China as study case. By use of infrared thermography, the shell temperature and the heat loss through kiln shell were monitored for 19 days. Calculation shows that the daily heat loss through kiln shell in the calcination zone of the investigated kiln is about 140 GJ, and the heat losses by radiation and convection are comparable, accounting for 54% and 46%, respectively. Five main operating variables that greatly affect the heat loss are identified jointly by Random Forest and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results of this work will help company administrators create a strong awareness about improving energy efficiency of the kiln system, so that appropriate strategies are designed to reduce the heat loss through kiln shell. The work can also contribute to a better understanding of rotary kiln operation to reduce the heat loss. The work makes the cement clinker calcination process more sustainable by laying the foundation for recycling or reducing the waste heat loss through kiln shell. • Heat loss through a cement rotary kiln shell in the calcination zone is assessed. • Heat losses through radiation and convection of the investigated kiln are comparable. • Economic analysis of the heat loss through kiln shell is performed. • Influencing factors on heat loss through kiln shell are analyzed using RF and PCC. • This work is helpful to make clinker production process cleaner and more sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The current investigation proposes modifications in a clinker making process to separate calcination reaction from fuel combustion in the calciner, resulting in pure carbon dioxide production. Very hot stream of pure carbon dioxide or a mixture of carbon dioxide and steam is used as the heat carrier to supply required energy for endothermic calcination reaction. The proposed designs which internally separate 90 wt% carbon dioxide from limestone decomposition are environmentally and economically compared to the integration of a clinker making and a MEA carbon dioxide capture process as the conventional scenario. Results show that the proposed modifications significantly reduced carbon dioxide emissions, energy consumption and the cost of carbon dioxide capture in clinker making process. Highlights • 74.5 t-CO 2 /h was internally captured in new designs. • New designs reduced total CO 2 emissions from 184.6 to 79 and 43.1 t-CO 2 /h. • New designs reduced the cost of CO 2 capture from $U.S 59.6 to 32.9 and $U.S 22.1. • One of the main challenges of the proposed designs is the high capital cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The sustainable implementation of demand-side management (DSM) for district heating and cooling (DHC) is often limited because of DHC's complexity and the requirements to involved stakeholders. The purpose of this study is to define the design principles of an organizational system for implementing economically sustainable DSM innovations in DHC. A design science approach is used to qualitatively analyze a real-life DSM implementation and decontextualize the organizational design toward more widely applicable principles. Combining empirical material gathered from ten interviews, document analysis and six months of participant observations with recent theoretical development on innovation ecosystems, we formulate a conceptual process framework that can facilitate the development and operation of an economically sustainable DSM solution. The process framework features five interlinked design principles. The findings contribute to the literature on multiorganizational systems and the implementation of technological innovations in the building and energy sectors. Highlights • Perceived utility of the initial solution facilitates DSM implementation. • Complementary value offerings must be developed on a continuous basis. • Shared operating rules clarify responsibilities among actors. • Collaborative governance must be balanced with leadership of a core actor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Road pavement community members are increasingly becoming aware of the need to incorporating the principles of sustainable development into the sector. Policies are also going in this direction and as a consequence in the recent years researchers and practitioners are coming up with new materials, technologies and practices designed to reduce the negative impacts of their activities in the surroundings. Within this framework the road pavements sector is witnessing a paradigm shift towards the development of pavement technologies incorporating high-content of recycled materials, as well as best practices to decrease the overall carbon footprint. These are all promising solutions that to the most can sound as sustainable practices. However the whole road pavement community is still investigating methodologies and tools to define what actually sustainable means and thereby performing a sustainable decision-making. It is within this context that the need of a sustainability-based decision support system (DSS) that could help road pavement engineers at the design stage was identified and is here presented. The Sustainable Pavements & Railways DSS (SUP&R DSS) relies on a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method to rank the sustainability of alternatives. It applies life cycle-based approaches to quantify the values of a set of indicators purposely and methodologically selected to capture the cause-effect link between the general concepts of the three wellbeing dimensions of sustainability, i.e., environmental, economic and social, and the infrastructure construction and maintenance practice. Furthermore, the system allows selecting different weighting for the indicators but offers also a default set of values derived from a survey conducted with over 50 stakeholders in Europe and beyond. Together with the development, structure and features of the SUP&R DSS, this paper present its applicability by means of a case study aiming at identifying the most sustainable asphalt mixture for wearing courses. Several promising options for flexible road pavements were selected, ranging from low to hot temperature asphalt. The results show that a foamed warm mix asphalt mixture with a reclaimed asphalt pavement content of 50% is the most sustainable among the competing alternatives. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis conducted to investigate the influence of the indicators weights, the parameters of the MCDA method and the long-term performance of the alternative asphalt mixtures on the stability of the ranking showed that its first position in the ranking remained unaffected. Graphical abstract Image Highlights • A sustainability-based decision support system for road pavements is proposed. • The SUP&R DSS relies on a multi-criteria decision analysis method. • Several types of asphalt mixture for wearing courses were ranked. • A foamed WMA mixture with a RAP content of 50% is the most sustainable. • The ranking remained unaffected after changes in the indicators weights values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is the country in the world with the most abundant magnesite resources. The ever-increasing deposit of low grade magnesite ore derived from the process of magnesium products has occupied a substantial space and caused environmental damages. In this study, crushed low grade magnesite (CLGM) was prepared and then applied in mortar as fine aggregate to partially or entirely replace natural river sand (30%, 60%, and 100%), while 100% limestone sand (LSS) was applied as the reference group. The findings of this study demonstrated a positive correlation between the ratio of CLGM substitution and the improvement of both engineering properties and sustainable potential in the mortar. Compared with the control group at 28 d, the 100% CLGM mortar exhibited improvements of up to 6% in splitting strength, 25.86% in compressive strength, 16% in porosity reduction, 22.22% in impermeability enhancement, 27.52% in resistance to chloride ion penetration, 21.66% in frost resistance (after 150 cycles), and a remarkable 54.8% in anti-abrasion property. Furthermore, the sustainability evaluation assessed its potential societal value, and highlighted its reduced production costs (down 52.28%) and impressive environmental benefits (notable decreases of 28.3% in ozone depletion potential, 33.2% in land use potential, 38.7% in marine ecotoxicity, and 33.9% in fossil resource scarcity). These findings well demonstrated the feasibility of adopting magnesite tailings as a substitute of conventional aggregate within the construction sector along with substantial economic savings and positive environmental ramifications. The successful application of CLGM mortar in cleaner production can further facilitate the sustainable advancement of environment and construction industry. • Magnesite tailing is first investigated as river sand substitution in mortar. • The 100% CLGM mortar can exhibit better mechanical and durability properties. • The higher the ratio of CLGM, the denser the structure due to the filler effect. • The specific environmental impacts were quantified through the LCA approach. • The recycling of CLGM has great economic, social and environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical devices and consumables are contributors to the known, highly negative ecological impacts of healthcare provision. Medical device manufacturing organizations are increasingly met with pressures to convert thousands of their existing, post-market products to be more sustainable, yet there is limited knowledge of how these transition projects are achieved. This case study examines the execution of a large medical device manufacturer's sustainability transition program of a post-market single-use sensor. We provide both a detailed synthesis of the design verification steps and a review of the key challenges which were identified during a customer-driven lifecycle extension program of a single-use medical device sensor; the case study sensor was released with a doubled shelf life, thus increasing the time of safe and effective use plus decreased scrapping needs. This paper contributes to the knowledge for the practical development of the required design verification efforts of released, highly regulated single-use medical device sensor products during sustainability transition programs. This paper increases knowledge related to the complexities and challenges technology ecosystem sustainability programs face in the post-market medical device consumable space during reverification of legacy products to meet sustainability challenges. Additionally, the paper identifies six phases of waste during a single-use medical device sensor's lifecycle. [Display omitted] • Medical devices contribute to the ecological burden. • Single use sensor products have time sensitive parts, thus self-life time is required. • We describe engineering work to increase shelf life to slow the loop of resource use and waste production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of multifunctional asphalt concrete with a high heating-healing capability has emerged as a crucial focus in achieving pavement maintenance and sustainable infrastructure. However, striking a balance between achieving a high healing efficiency without compromising mechanical strengths and preventing aggregation of functional additives has presented a challenge. To address this, a novel concept of a dual responsive microwave heating-healing system in asphalt concrete is proposed, which incorporates coal gangue (CG) and functional aggregates. By incorporating functional aggregates, a robust and functional skeleton structure can be established within the asphalt concrete, facilitating the healing of microcracks at the interfaces between aggregates and asphalt. Simultaneously, the inclusion of CG in the asphalt mixture facilitates the healing of microcracks within the mastic. Remarkably, the incorporation of dual functional additives in the optimized asphalt concrete results in only a marginal decrease of 2% in maximum tensile strength and 1.5% in crack resistance compared to plain porous asphalt samples. Furthermore, the optimized asphalt samples exhibit healing index values exceeding 60% after undergoing five damage-healing cycles. To develop heating-healing asphalt concrete, it is recommended to utilize 100% CG in combination with functional aggregates. This comprehensive approach takes into account the valuable reuse of CG powder, as well as the associated environmental and economic benefits. This study introduces a promising strategy for achieving a highly efficient heating-healing capability in asphalt concrete, presenting significant potential for its practical applications in the field of sustainable pavement engineering. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a context of great social pressure, manufacturing plants are trying to improve their environmental performance. Although extant literature has stressed the key role played by companies’ cultural environments on the main drivers of their sustainability practices, it fails to provide significant empirical evidence. The aim of this research was to fill this gap by empirically analysing whether the cultural environment plays a moderator role in the drivers that encourage environmental practices in manufacturing plants, as well as in the relationship between environmental practices and financial performance. The theoretical arguments of Institutional Theory, and Trade-Off and Eco-Efficient Theories, provided the framework in which the hypotheses were tested. The sample was composed of 230 manufacturing plants from ten countries, whose managers answered an environmental questionnaire developed as part of the High Performance Manufacturing Project. The Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique was used to carry out the research. Results revealed that the factors that most influenced environmental practices adoption in manufacturing plants differed in the considered cultural environments: rule-vs. relation-Based. Cost Savings were the main environmental practices driver in plants in the most advanced rule-based countries, while Top Management support was revealed to be the main motivation in plants in relation-based countries. In addition, it seemed that environmentally-friendly actions had no significant impact on perceived manufacturing company performance, regardless of the cultural environment considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintenances are necessary to ensure the safety and serviceability of existing bridges. With the increasing number of existing bridges, maintenances cost a large proportion of financial fund and have significant impact on environment. Implementation of preventive maintenance (PM) could reduce the frequency of essential maintenance (EM) and corresponding cost, leading to considerably lower environmental impact of maintenances. Different from planning of EM, which depends on the structural condition of an existing bridge, PM is periodical. Selection of initial time and time interval of PM will influence the life cycle cost and environmental impact of existing bridges. In this study, a framework for the maintenance scheme optimization of existing bridges based on the genetic algorithm was proposed. Maximum safety, minimum life cycle cost and life cycle environmental impact were taken as optimization objects to find a more rational initial time and time interval of PM of the bridges. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed optimization procedure, a case bridge was selected and the cumulative failure probability, life cycle cost, and life cycle environmental impact of the case bridge with different maintenance schemes were calculated. An optimal maintenance schemes set of the case bridge was obtained. Comparison among the optimal schemes and the scheme without PM was conducted. It can be concluded that PM is of great importance on bridge management. Selection of the initial time and time interval of PM rationally would decrease the bridge's life cycle environmental impact effectively. The reduction of the life cycle cost of the bridge caused by maintenance scheme optimization is not significant. This is because that time value of cost was considered by introducing discount rate into the framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of a more sustainable chemical and petrochemical industry has been a long-standing aspiration and demand of modern industrial societies. In this respect, sociotechnical transition processes that hold the principles of green chemistry and green engineering as their main design frameworks represent a promising approach to progress the Brazilian petrochemical sector toward advanced states of sustainability. This raises a number of challenges that are related to the understanding of how such processes could be effected, how sectoral agents' willingness to embrace such trajectories could be stimulated and enhanced and how the main agents, mechanisms and actions, which are integral to the implementation of these processes, could be identified. Drawing on behavioral and innovation theories it was possible to develop a testable and generalizable multilevel conceptual framework that made it possible to learn, document and explain the extent to which companies were willing to engage in such eco-innovation processes and to identify its significant determinants. Thereby, more efficient and effective transition policies could be developed for helping to overcome the dissonance between intention and behavior. The results provided evidence of the central importance of a host of stakeholders and partnerships for developing the conditions and stimuli for the implementation of technical and non-technical changes at the company and sectoral levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building reinforcement projects are designed to meet the requirements of modern sustainable development. However, the weak bonding performance of continuous glass fiber textiles to mortar presents a challenge in the manufacturing of GTRM composites, hindering their development and application. In this study, the gradient composite design technique was used to modify the interface transition zone between continuous glass fiber textile and mortar by introducing epoxy resin. This successfully resolved the issue of poor bonding between the continuous glass fiber textile and mortar interface, and promoted effective stress transfer between the two materials. The GTRM composites with an interfacial gradient structure exhibit excellent mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of 8 MPa and an interfacial shear force exceeding 27 KN. In addition, digital image correlation (DIC) was utilized to investigate the growth and development of cracks in GTRM composites, and the failure mechanism of tensile and interfacial shear tests was analyzed. Finally, the externally bonded GTRM composites were subjected to a three-point bending test, which demonstrated a significant improvement in the flexural strength and crack resistance of concrete beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, significant research has been devoted to optimizing sustainable energies to improve their technical performance, economic profitability, and social acceptance. Despite the development and application of numerous heuristic algorithms in the field of sustainable energy, a systematic review of the most popular solvers remains scarce. Therefore, this study developed a Boolean logic-based program in three keyword blocks to conduct a literature search for the applications of heuristic solvers in sustainable energy, investigating their geographic- and topic-based popularity and exploring the factors contributing to their success. After describing the basic concepts and terminology of optimization, the generic applications of 28 standard heuristic algorithms in the current literature on renewable energy were assessed, from which particle swarm optimization and genetic algorithms exhibited superior performance. Therefore, the history, structure, and variants of these two algorithms were extensively analyzed to understand the reasons behind their frequent applications in three major sustainable engineering fields: energy integration, buildings, and transportation. The search results revealed that the distinguished articles typically employed the multiobjective and hybrid variants of the two algorithms. The primary impetus for their development was the familiarity of the employing communities rather than the type of optimization problems or search spaces. The first authors were mainly affiliated with China, India, Iran, and the United States, whereas the active higher education institutes were distributed in several regions without a regular pattern. Considering their productive role in publishing advanced research, open-source journals are expected to spearhead future research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aspiration of a circular economy is to shift material flows toward a zero waste and pollution production system. The process of shifting to a circular economy has been initiated by the European Commission in their action plan for the circular economy. The EU Ecodesign Directive is a key policy in this transition. However, to date the focus of access to market requirements on products has primarily been upon energy efficiency. The absence of adequate metrics and standards has been a key barrier to the inclusion of resource efficiency requirements. This paper proposes a framework to boost sustainable engineering and resource use by systematically identifying standardization needs and features. Standards can then support the setting of appropriate material efficiency requirements in EU product policy. Three high-level policy goals concerning material efficiency of products were identified: embodied impact reduction, lifetime extension and residual waste reduction. Through a lifecycle perspective, a matrix of interactions among material efficiency topics (recycled content, re-used content, relevant material content, durability, upgradability, reparability, re-manufacturability, reusability, recyclability, recoverability, relevant material separability) and policy goals was created. The framework was tested on case studies for electronic displays and washing machines. For potential material efficiency requirements, specific standardization needs were identified, such as adequate metrics for performance measurements, reliable and repeatable tests, and calculation procedures. The proposed novel framework aims to provide a method by which to identify key material efficiency considerations within the policy context, and to map out the generic and product-specific standardisation needs to support ecodesign. Via such an approach, many different stakeholders (industry, academics, policy makers, non-governmental organizations etc.) can be involved in material efficiency standards and regulations. Requirements and standards concerning material efficiency would compel product manufacturers, but also help designers and interested parties in addressing the sustainable resource use issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a toolbox (Greenometer) to assess the greenness level of manufacturing companies is proposed. The assessment approach is based on capturing the relative greenness position of any company among other industries from different sectors as well as within the same sector. The assessment was based on selected greenness attributes and their composing indicators at each of the two levels of the developed Greenometer. Geometric Mean Method (GMM) was adopted to be the generic assessment technique for cross industries greenness evaluation, while Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was employed to assess the greenness level of intra-industries layer. Three different industrial applications were used to demonstrate the applicability of the developed Greenometer. Results highlighted how the proposed tool can be a useful for manufacturing managers not only in understanding their green performance position at various levels, but also aiding them in their green transformation/improvement efforts. Specifically, the Greenometer assessment scores will help in setting plans through highlighting prioritized areas of required improvement as well as offering quantitative targets and tracking metrics along the transformation journey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study incorporates the use phase in the life cycle assessment (LCA) of reinforced concrete structures that are composed of one-way slabs. Sustainable construction is one of the main future objectives of the European Union; therefore, useful and reliable tools will be necessary for its implementation. The usefulness of the LCA for the selection of structural alternatives depends on the data quality. The Environmental Product Declarations collect the production phase of building materials, but it is necessary to incorporate the particularities in the implementation and use phases. This work proposes a stage that considers the use phase in the structural part that does not belong to the building envelope and provides a methodology that reflects the characteristics of each climate zone where it is applied. All of the representative variables to define the structure of a building are combined: column grids, variations in the geometry of one-way slabs, and different materials. A discrete model that incorporates 360 cases is constructed to compare the reliability of the model with a study on real structure projects. The results show the importance of the use phase in residential buildings with respect to the effects generated during the other phases (production, execution and demolition), as well as its high variations, up to 140.4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable Manufacturing Engineering is becoming a growing body of knowledge upholded by the interest in the sustainability of the life cycle of products and processes. However, it has not been found a unified framework where research lines on sustainable manufacturing can be driven. This paper reviews and analyses the research works focused on that topic showing the trends emerging in it in the last fifteen years; in particular, it has been deeper focused on the sustainability of machining processes. This study has been achieved from the sustainability point of view of the triple bottom-line, which is defined on the basis of three general dimensions: economic, ecological and equity. On the other hand, it takes into account the tasks associated to the development and improvement of the manufacturing technologies to be developed in the life cycle phases: (1) design, (2) modelling simulation, (3) optimisation and (4) assessment. Finally, as a consequence of this, a framework has been provided to allow the integration of the sustainability in the context of research and professional practices in machining processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confronted with the accelerated product obsolescence and the resulting waste of materials, the concept of “optimised/increased/hybridised upgradability” is considered. In the literature, upgradability is used to respond to local technical problems (updating norms, update because of a broken component etc.) or as an end-of-life option. In our view however, it constitutes the heart of a new and promising paradigm of production/consumption. This paper proposes to consider hybrid systems that are called “Upgradable Product Service System (Up-PSS)” combining upgradability with optimised maintenance, with valorisation of end-of-life parts and with the servicisation of the offer. The promises of increasing attractiveness for clients, new businesses for manufacturers and a host of environmental benefits make this new concept highly pertinent compared to known models of production/consumption such as remanufacturable products, easily recyclable products, PSS, optimal maintenance products or basic upgrade products. Moreover, Up-PSS is a new opportunity to switch to offers without ownership transfer that facilitates the implementation of circular economy. In order to shed light on the field of Up-PSS and investigate the boundaries of this new paradigm, three actions are carried out: (1) focus groups with consumers and workshops with two manufacturers (2) on the upgradability of real products and (3) on the changes in business models. Our action research approach resulted in clarifying this new concept of the product by defining key ideas based on three keystones: (i) upgrades should be scheduled according to regular cycles of successive lines of functional improvements to satisfy the following themes of value creation: utilitarian, emotional, ethical, and service-oriented. There should also be specific upgrades chosen from a catalogue; (ii) the effects are strong environmental gains from multiple principles of rationalisation materials use but also by encouraging users to eco-friendly usage of their products; this is formalised by an eco-score to which both users and producers are committed. (iii) The above are accompanied by continuous interaction between clients and manufacturers through a web platform, offers of upgradable systems that would integrate bundles of services resulting in the system's growing attractiveness in the eyes of clients. This in turn would set in motion new modes of contracts, offering manufacturers new and more frequent ways of earning revenue; this would be conditional on setting up an upgradability support service that would be attractive to clients as well as reorganising the value chain with the participation of new partners. This transformation of the value network over time implies developing new development paths for business models to facilitate the transition from current economic models centred on material goods to models that are more service oriented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emulsions consisting of lubricating base oil and water have extensive applications in the fields of metalworking and heavy-duty machinery. Due to the compositional complexity that confines an effective recycling of emulsion constituents and the frequent use of toxic, non-biodegradable mineral base oil, an industrial emulsion lubricant is usually easy to produce severe environmental burdens and health issues. Here we report a dual-responsive and versatile lubricating emulsion solely consisting of water, an eco-friendly ester base oil and a synthetic cationic emulsifier. Taking advantage of the inclusion of azobenzene moiety, [CeCl 3 Br]- anion and methylimidazole head-group, the surfactant can not only undergo tribochemical reactions to function as a lubricant additive to achieve very low interfacial friction, but also endow the resulting emulsion efficient anticorrosion, antibiosis and both light- and magneto-responsiveness. Based on a reversibly photo-triggered variation in the hydrophobicity of surfactant, an on-demand separation and recycling of emulsion component followed by a nearly one order of magnitude conversion in the friction can be realized. Together with its magneto-controlled migration and adaptivity to high normal loads, we envision that the emulsion lubricant may find potential applications in a broad range of industrial systems requiring lubrication and heat dissipation as well as smart devices needing control over the friction between two contacting surfaces. [Display omitted] • An emulsion with high stability, dual responsiveness, switchable lubrication, anticorrosion and antibiosis was prepared. • Separation and recycling of emulsion components can be realized building on the photo responsiveness of the emulsifier. • The magnetically induced migration and light switched friction enabled the emulsion to act as a smart lubricant. • The good sustainability allowed the emulsion to find potential applications in green engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backfilling, a widely used technology for green and sustainable underground practice, is an environmentally sustainable engineering approach. This study comprehensively investigates the mechanical properties and microstructural characteristics of backfills maintained underground for three years to avoid overburden failure, considering the static and dynamic mechanical characteristics, creep characteristics, permeability, and microporous structures under dry, natural, and saturated states. The experimental results indicate that the backfill can maintain a high residual stress after peak stress with a very low permeability under triaxial compression. The strength of backfill worked three years under dry, saturated and natural states show a slight difference, indicating a slight water effect on the long-term backfill. The triaxial compression strength of the backfill is greater than the value of stresses in the goaf of panel, indicating that the backfill strength has been achieved an standard value that can support the surrounding rock mass and maintain the stability of themselves in a long term. The porous structure of the backfill show a micro basis for the macro mechanical properties. All the results show that backfills possess the low permeability, strong strength, stable microstructure characteristics under complex environment and indicating an improving function and strength in supporting the surrounding rock mass and maintaining the stability themselves. The findings indicate that the backfills can serve as a useful reference for the control mechanism, waterproof effect, and safety evaluation of the backfill on the deformation of the surrounding rock mass underground. Furthermore, the successful applications show a good verification, indicating a significant practical application in other coal mines with the similar engineering geological conditions, which also contribute to other underground practice. [Display omitted] • The backfill underground can maintain a high residual stress after peak stress. • The saturated backfill has poor resistance to cyclic deformation. • The creep deformation is characterized by 3 stages. • The porous structure reduces the permeability of the backfill. • The network structure makes the pore structure more stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The engineering profession has been highlighted in the context of a growing need for professionals capable of addressing the pressing challenges of sustainability. The purpose of this study is to present innovative experiences in engineering education for sustainable development in Brazil. This research was conducted in three stages: first, innovative initiatives were mapped through document research, literature review, grey literature, and the press; second, 37 academics who created and/or participated in these initiatives were interviewed, including professors, program coordinators, department heads, engineering school directors, and university chancellors; and third, the initiatives were analyzed and discussed with a team of specialists. The initiatives can be categorized into two types: innovative actions, projects, and structures (i.e., isolated actions, institutional projects, and institutional structure) and engineering programs with innovative characteristics (i.e., innovative curricula and pedagogical approaches, and new organizational paradigms to support engineering schools). Key characteristics, conceptual foundations, examples, and contributions to the sustainable development goals are discussed for each type of initiative. Emerging topics related to engineering education for sustainable development were identified and related to real cases. A shift towards a sustainability paradigm in engineering education is dependent on university top management commitment and can be accelerated by integrating initiatives at multiple levels of the university system. [Display omitted] • Innovative EESD initiatives in Brazilian universities are mapped. • Interviewees held key positions in the main Brazilian engineering schools. • Contributions from EESD initiatives to achieve SDGs are discussed. • Emerging EESD-related topics are identified and linked to real cases. • A systems perspective on innovative EESD initiatives is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research evaluates the physical and mechanical properties of marginal lateritic soil and Melamine Debris (MD) blends as a sustainable engineering fill material. Physical property tests included specific gravity, water absorption, Atterberg limits, Los Angeles (LA) abrasion and particle-size distribution, while mechanical property tests included California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and swelling. The results indicate that MD as non-plastic coarse-grained and durable material (LA = 11.3%) can be used as an alternative replacement material for engineering fill materials. The MD replacement of lateritic soil reduces the fine content and increases the abrasion resistance of the soil particles, hence the reduction in liquid limit, plasticity index, LA abrasion and particle breakage. This physical property improvement leads to superior mechanical properties (soaked CBR and swelling) with increasing MD replacement ratio as compared to the soil alone. The proposed empirical equations for predicting soaked CBR and swelling of blends at different MD replacement ratios and compaction energy levels are useful in the selection of the suitable MD replacement to attain targeted mechanical property requirements. The physical and mechanical properties of the 20% MD replacement blend were found to meet the requirement of local road authority for engineering fill materials while the 50% MD replacement blend was at the borderline for a subbase course material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, organizations deal with numerous economic, environmental, and social problems. To have sustainable operations, they have begun to incorporate environmental and social concerns into conventional economic objectives. A combined cycle power plant (CCPP) is a good instance of an open system with multistage processes and interconnected activities. Efficiency evaluation of CCPPs is a complex task since there exist a variety of inputs (outputs) which enter into any stages of network. Additionally, there might be intermediate products which are consumed by the same power plants. We call such factors “loop” intermediate measures. To measure efficiency of CCPPs, network data envelopment analysis (NDEA) is used. This paper proposes new NDEA models to evaluate efficiency of CCPPs. The proposed models calculate the efficiency of power plants and their sub-sectors under both CRS (constant returns to scale) and VRS (variable returns to scale) assumptions. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis for returns to scale. We apply the new NDEA models to measure relative efficiency of CCPPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutting fluids are widely used in machining. However they pose several health and environmental issues. Several works on vegetable-based cutting fluids have been reported in literature but the prime focus of these works was the replacement of mineral oil with vegetable oil while the emulsifier, which is often the root-cause of all these issues, was never replaced. The present work is an attempt to replace both the mineral oil and petroleum-based emulsifier with vegetable-based alternatives (sesame oil and coconut based emulsifier) and produce a new class of sustainable cutting fluids. The formulated cutting fluids were compared with regular cutting fluid while machining American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 1040 steel. The findings show that the formulated fluid with 10% vegetable emulsifier content exhibits a performance similar to the regular cutting fluid in terms of cutting temperatures, tool wear and surface roughness. The performance of the 10% coconut emulsifier fluid was better than other fluids with coconut emulsifier. However, cutting forces were less when the regular cutting fluid was used. The formulated fluids can be used in situations with low cutting forces but high cutting temperatures, like machining at higher speeds. The major contribution of the work is the replacement of regular petroleum-based emulsifier with an eco-friendly alternative, in addition to using vegetable oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of building a sustainable future by reducing fossil energy consumption with the objective of minimizing detrimental climate change, particular attention was given to minimizing the complexity, energy consumption and environmental impact of microstructures manufacturing. In this work a new fast-fabrication process for microelectromechanical systems is presented. The name of this new fabrication process is KISSES for Keep It Short, Simple and Environmentally Sustainable . Combining classical deposition techniques (with common metals and polymers and with less common materials such as tree resins, paper and glue), release techniques and a computer numerical control cutting machine, a two-dimensional fabrication process has been developed and the first steps of three-dimensional microfabrication have also been initiated. In order to test this new process, various test structures have been fabricated and tested. These include resonant structures with electronic actuation and electronic measurement, having good quality factors for plastic-based devices, and high-resolution masks (∼10 μm) which can be used, for example, for screen-printing techniques. Finally, a temperature sensor and a viscosity sensor have been designed, fabricated with the KISSES process and characterized. These devices exhibit, respectively, a limit of detection of 0.112 °C and a viscosity estimation error of less than 10% for viscous silicone oils from 5 cP to 50 cP. These characterizations of the microdevices show that the proposed process provides a simple method that is capable of fabricating devices that function with high performance. The aim of developing a rapid, simple and environmentally sustainable process has therefore been demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wire-cut electric discharge machining is a nontraditional technique by which the required profile is acquired using sparks energy. Concerning wire-cut electric discharge machining, high cutting rates and precision machining is necessary to improve productivity and achieve high quality of machined workpieces. In this research work, an experimental investigation was introduced to achieve higher productivity of the wire electrode associated with sustainable production in terms of product quality and less heat-affected zone. For this purpose, the effects of machining parameters including peak current, pulse on time and wire preloading were investigated using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system along with the Taguchi method. From this study, the optimal setting of machining parameters to achieve higher productivity and sustainability was identified. Moreover, Neuro-fuzzy modeling was successfully used to build an empirical model for the selection of machining parameters to achieve higher productivity at highest possible surface quality and minimum cost for sustainable production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design for Environment (DfE) and Design for Disassembly (DfD) have been recognized as an effective sustainable manufacturing approach to reduce environmental impact during product's life cycle. Although Malaysian manufacturers have long demonstrated a strong global market presence, the implementation of DfE and DfD among manufacturers are found lacking. This paper attempts to investigate the current state DfE and DfD implementation and the local driving force in the local Malaysian industry by addressing four research questions (RQ): RQ1 – How do Malaysian designers value the importance of DfE? RQ2 – What are the current approaches used by designers to incorporate environmental issues during product development stage? RQ3 – What difficulties are experienced in the implementation of DfE and DfD in the product development stage? RQ4 – What are the approaches needed to enhance the engagement of DfE and DfD into product design practices? Targeting product designers in Malaysia, a multiple approach using survey and interview is conducted shown that the current state of implementation and awareness within the local industry is fairly low. The soft approach of the local legislation does not contribute much towards seeing a major change in attitude as will be discussed further in the paper. The above two concerns are major challenges that require immediate attention. However, there seems to be growing concern from the industry and the government that pushes the need for options that could leapfrog the current situation. This presents an opportunity for the local research community to come up with various strategies that will be discussed. Finally, the paper proposes a more comprehensive strategy that is tailored to the local business environment in order for the local industry to be capable of maintaining its market presence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Baltic region comprises countries of great diversity. They have in common that they all face the challenge to combine a sound economic development with the stewardship for their environmental, social and economic resources. Using the Sustainable Value approach we first analyze their overall sustainability performance. We then further develop the value drivers of Sustainable Value to enhance the explanatory power of our analysis. We find that there are significant differences between countries. We show both conceptually and using our examples that there is no unambiguous link between economic growth, environmental and social stewardship and the efficient use of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended producer responsibility in the European Union has been shown to be incapable of promoting environmentally friendly packaging, mainly because of the economic instrument used: the producer fee. To make the producer fee capable of both reflecting and influencing how packaging is produced, we propose a mathematical model for calculating a differential fee (the sustainable producer fee or SPF). The development of the model involves the following steps: the selection of sustainability criteria, the aggregation of criteria using multi-criteria decision making, the formulation of the SPF calculation, and the generation of a web-based interface for packers and product importers to calculate the differential fee applying to their own packaging. The aspects of sustainability considered are environmental aspects resulting mostly from life cycle assessment (e.g., global warming and human toxicity), and social aspects related to environmental information present in/on the packaging (e.g., the recycling bin symbol and carbon footprint information). The mathematical model developed uses the sustainability results provided by the multi-criteria decision making. The fee is higher than the current fixed fee (200.8 €/t) if the level of sustainability is low, that is, if environmental and social impacts are negative, and is lower if the level of sustainability is high. The lowest value of the fee in the sensitivity analysis, 191.89 €/t, was calculated for polyethylene packaging containing 10% of incorporated recycled material, with this recycling information being present in the packaging along with carbon footprint information and the recycling symbol. The highest value, 218.69 €/t, was calculated for polyvinyl chloride packaging without any recycled material and without any environmental information. The model is implemented in a web-based interface, where packers and product importers are able to simulate different types of packaging to reduce the fee. The success of the approach is discussed, as is the potential for changing the packaging behavior of packers and importers and for increasing the level of sustainability of packaging in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Multilevel Perspective on Sustainable Transitions (MLP) has been widely used to explain different patterns of technological, societal, cultural and normative transitions in an integrated and systemic way. This framework has been used to analyze individual transportation based on internal combustion engine automobiles and to develop niches that can challenge the existing dominant regimes in favor of more sustainable urban mobility systems. In a recent and relevant work, Markard et al. (2012) thoroughly discussed MLP, highlighting gaps and research opportunities. One such gap is that much of the research developed using this framework was conducted primarily using European scenarios, omitting various aspects of regional or country diversity, or the role of firm strategies failed to be considered. Therefore, we propose to analyze and compare Brazilian and German case studies regarding sustainable urban mobility transitions. To accomplish this goal, we analyze the diffusion level and different characteristics that explain the current development level of four niches: electro mobility, car sharing schemes, intermodal transportation, and innovation in public transportation. Using the multiple case study method, we compare the sustainable mobility initiatives and innovations undertaken by two German automotive companies in Brazil and in Germany. The results of the research conducted with both companies show that mobility initiatives in Brazil remain very limited. Manufacturers remain much more concerned with selling traditional products (in a much faster growth market than in Germany) than with initiating more aggressive strategies oriented to mobility. Even in their mother countries, mobility innovations can be considered moderate. Our main conclusions are that mobility initiatives in Germany and in Brazil are very different for a number of reasons, such as different pre-existing infrastructures to support new mobility initiatives, public pressure for mobility solutions, different growth patterns concerning car sales and different institutional and legal conditions regarding public and private participation in mobility issues. Therefore, the MLP framework would generate different trajectories and outcomes; in addition, firm strategies should be considered in the framework, particularly in a sector such as the automotive industry, in which firms have considerable influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of mine tailings management strategy is to protect the environment and humans from risks associated with mine tailings. It seems inevitable that future production from lower grade ores in mines will increase, generating a higher tonnage of tailings. Approximately 14 billion tonnes of tailings were produced globally by the mining industry in 2010. The need for a comprehensive framework for mine tailings management (including dewatering) that promotes sustainable development is therefore becoming increasingly recognised by the mining industry. In this paper, we review existing frameworks for tailings management and propose an improved framework that considers key sustainable development pillars: technological, economic, environmental, policy, and social aspects. This framework will be able to guide the mining sector to choose its mine tailings management strategy based on sustainable development concepts. It incorporates a range of tools for determining trade-offs inherent in different tailings management methods during operation and throughout the Life of Mine (LOM); these include Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Net Present Value (NPV), Hierarchy System Model (HSM), and Decision Analysis. In particular, this proposed recognises the highly case-specific of tailings management by explicitly integrating physicochemical characterisation of tailings properties as a first step. In future, the framework could be expanded through integration of reuse/recycle principles of industrial symbiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]