bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socio-Economic and Environmental Impacts of Biomass Valorisation: A Strategic Drive for Sustainable Bioeconomy
Authors: Ahmed Ishtiaq , Zia Muhammad Anjum , Afzal Huma , Ahmed Shaheez , Ahmad Muhammad , Akram Zain , Sher Farooq , Iqbal Hafiz M. N.
Published: April 2021

In the late twentieth century, the only cost-effective opportunity for waste removal cost at least several thousand dollars, but nowadays, a lot of improvement has occurred. The biomass and waste generation problems attracted concerned authorities to identify and provide environmentally friendly sustainable solutions that possess environmental and economic benefits. The present study emphasises the valorisation of biomass and waste produced by domestic and industrial sectors. Therefore, substantial research is ongoing to replace the traditional treatment methods that potentially acquire less detrimental effects. Synthetic biology can be a unique platform that invites all the relevant characters for designing and assembling an efficient program that could be useful to handle the increasing threat for human beings. In the future, these engineered methods will not only revolutionise our lives but practically lead us to get cheaper biofuels, producing bioenergy, pharmaceutics, and various biochemicals. The bioaugmentation approach concomitant with microbial fuel cells (MFC) is an example that is used to produce electricity from municipal waste, which is directly associated with the loading of waste. Beyond the traditional opportunities, herein, we have spotlighted the new advances in pertinent technology closely related to production and reduction approaches. Various integrated modern techniques and aspects related to the industrial sector are also discussed with suitable examples, including green energy and other industrially relevant products. However, many problems persist in present-day technology that requires essential efforts to handle thoroughly because significant valorisation of biomass and waste involves integrated methods for timely detection, classification, and separation. We reviewed and proposed the anticipated dispensation methods to overcome the growing stream of biomass and waste at a distinct and organisational scale.
Impact of Optimized Packaging on Food Waste Prevention Potential among Consumers
Authors: Obersteiner Gudrun , Cociancig Marta , Luck Sandra , Mayerhofer Johannes
Published: April 2021

Food and plastic waste are cited as major environmental challenges. The function of packaging is often overlooked when considering waste; however, food packaging is indispensable for hygienic protection during transport and distribution within the supply chain. An important way to prevent the premature spoilage of a variety of different food product groups is to use specially optimized packaging systems. These are able to provide a high level of protection and actively extend shelf life. However, even if novel packaging systems theoretically have great potential for waste reduction, it remains uncertain whether they will also be accepted at the consumer level and actually contribute to waste reduction within households. Three different methods were used to clarify consumers’ perceptions of optimized packaging and thus the potential impact on waste generation. General perceptions have been identified by means of quantitative research among 1117 consumers. Precise information on waste generation behavior was obtained by means of food diaries. Consumer simulations were used to analyze the extent to which optimized packaging can actually have a positive effect on food waste generation at the household level. It was found that the functionality of the packaging usually ceases with the consumer. Consumers are only marginally aware of the advantages of food product packaging in the household, and do not perceive the direct connection between packaging, freshness, shelf life, and spoilage as food waste. In general, consumers rarely or never use optimized packaging at home correctly. It could be concluded that consumers’ perceptions of optimized packaging in terms of potential food waste prevention are not pronounced. In summary, it can be stated that in contrast to its use in retail and transport, an optimization of packaging to avoid food waste for later use by the consumer only shows an effect in exceptional cases, or can only be achieved through targeted information campaigns. If this should be a focus topic in the future, either on the political or managerial level, this has to be taken into account.
Relative Importance Analysis of Safety Climate Evaluation Factors Using Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP)
Authors: Lim Hyunjin , Kim Sunkuk , Kim Yonggu , Son Seunghyun
Published: April 2021

Various studies have confirmed that the increasing quality of safety climate has a positive influence on reducing the occurrence of accidents. The quality of safety climate is comprehensively affected in three domains: management, site, and enterprise. At the company level, it is challenging to manage all areas at a high level due to limited managerial resources. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a strategy that improves the safety climate step by step. For the efficient execution of the strategy, it is necessary to analyze the relative importance of each evaluation factor of the safety climate and allocate managerial resources accordingly. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the relative importance of safety climate evaluation factors using the analytical hierarchical process (AHP) technique. For this study, AHP questionnaire and analysis are conducted, and the relative priorities of safety climate evaluation factors are derived. As a result, (E) workers’ safety priority and risk non-acceptance is the most important dimension among seven dimensions as the weight is 0.1900. In addition, (E1) compliance with safety regulations, even if the process is tight, is the most important one between items as the weight 0.6663. The results of this study will be used as basic data for institutional improvement and policy making for a high-quality safety climate at construction sites.
Proximity Indexing of Public Transport Terminals in Metro Manila
Authors: Roquel Krister Ian Daniel , Abad Raymund Paolo , Fillone Alexis
Published: April 2021

Despite the extensive transit network in Metro Manila, intermodal connections between public transportation services are still fragmented. In response, authorities proposed various multimodal transport terminals around the periphery of the metropolis. However, there is a need to understand how these proposed terminals will impact existing transportation infrastructure and services as well as the current travel demand. This paper proposes a method that quantifies the nearness of any subject to any metric of interest, or in this case, the location of the terminal based on its proximity to existing transit supply and demand at different points in the transport network. It involves a simple methodology that requires only the spatial distribution of relevant transport planning data (e.g., public transport services, public transport passenger activity). It was found that the spatial distribution of the transport terminals in the study area is more closely related to the transit supply. Using the same methodology, several potential locations in Metro Manila (e.g., central terminal, terminal along a major junction) were assessed to see whether these are viable sites for a multimodal terminal. One scenario configuration was found to be better integrated with where trips start and/or end, while another seemed to improve integration of the existing railways.
Indigenous Environmental Justice within Marine Ecosystems: A Systematic Review of the Literature on Indigenous Peoples’ Involvement in Marine Governance and Management
Authors: Parsons Meg , Taylor Lara , Crease Roa
Published: April 2021

We develop and apply a systematic review methodology to identify and understand how the peer-reviewed literature characterises Indigenous peoples’ involvement in marine governance and management approaches in terms of equity and justice worldwide. We reviewed the peer-reviewed English-language research articles between January 2015 and September 2020 for examples of Indigenous peoples’ involvement in marine governance and management using the analytical lens of environmental justice. The majority of research studies highlighted that Indigenous peoples experienced some form of environmental injustice linked to existing marine governance and management, most notably in the context of inequitable decision-making procedures surrounding the establishment and operation of marine protected areas. However, there are significant gaps in the current literature, including a notable absence of studies exploring Indigenous women and other gender minorities’ involvement in marine planning and management and the limited number of studies about Indigenous peoples living throughout Asia, the Arctic, Russia, and Africa. More studies are needed to explore collaborative and intersectional approaches, including co-governance and co-management and ecosystem-based management, and critically evaluate what constitutes inclusive, equitable, and just marine governance and management processes, practices, and outcomes for different Indigenous peoples occupying diverse social–ecological systems.
An Appraisal of Urine Derivatives Integrated in the Nitrogen and Phosphorus Inputs of a Lettuce Soilless Cultivation System
Authors: El-Nakhel Christophe , Geelen Danny , De Paepe Jolien , Clauwaert Peter , De Pascale Stefania , Rouphael Youssef
Published: April 2021

Reinforcing and optimizing sustainable food production is an urgent contemporary issue. The depletion of natural mineral resources is a key problem that is addressed by recycling mined potassium and phosphorus, and nitrogen, whose production depends on very high energy input. A closed-loop approach of fertilizer use asserts the necessity for efficient management and practices of organic waste rich in minerals. Human-derived urine is an underutilized yet excellent source for nitrogen fertilizer, and, in this study, processed urine fertilizer was applied to greenhouse soilless cultivation of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cv. Grand Rapids. Biomass increase, biometric parameters, soil plant analysis development (SPAD) index, minerals, and organic acids content of lettuce were analyzed. From eight different urine fertilizer products generated, K-struvite, urine precipitate-CaO, and the liquid electrodialysis (ED) concentrate supported the growth of lettuce similar to that of commercial mineral fertilizer. ED concentrate application led to the accumulation of potassium (+17.2%), calcium (+82.9%), malate (+185.3%), citrate (+114.4%), and isocitrate (+185.7%); K-struvite augmented the accumulation of magnesium (+44.9%); and urine precipitate-CaO induced the highest accumulation of calcium (+100.5%) when compared to the control, which is an added value when supplemented in daily diet. The results underlined the potential of nitrogen- and phosphate-rich human urine as a sustainable source for the fertilization of lettuce in soilless systems.
The County-Scale Economic Spatial Pattern and Influencing Factors of Seven Urban Agglomerations in the Yellow River Basin—A Study Based on the Integrated Nighttime Light Data
Authors: Wang Jingtao , Liu Haibin , Peng Di , Lv Qian , Sun Yu , Huang Hui , Liu Hao
Published: April 2021

The integrated night light (NTL) datasets were used to represent the economic development level, and visual analysis was carried out on the evolution characteristics of the economic spatial pattern of various urban agglomerations in the Yellow River Basin (YRB), at a county-scale, in 1992, 2005, and 2018. The Global Moran’s I and the local Getis-Ord G methods were used to explore the overall spatial correlation and local cold–hot spot of economic development levels, respectively. The spatial heterogeneity of the influence of relevant factors on the economic development level at the municipal scale was analyzed by using the multi-scale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model. The results show that the county-level economic spatial pattern of urban agglomeration in the YRB has an obvious “pyramid” characteristic. The hot spots are concentrated in the hinterland of the Guanzhong Plain, the Central Plains, and the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration. The cold spots are concentrated in the junction of urban agglomerations, and the characteristics of “cold in the west and hot in the east” are obvious. Labor input and import and exporthave a positive impact on the economic development level for each urban agglomeration, government force has a negative impact, and education shows both positive and negative polarization on economic development.
Influences of Climate Change on Tourism Development in Small Pacific Island States
Authors: Wolf Franziska , Filho Walter Leal , Singh Priyatma , Scherle Nicolai , Reiser Dirk , Telesford John , Miljković Ivana Božić , Havea Peni Hausia , Li Chunlan , Surroop Dinesh , Kovaleva Marina
Published: April 2021

Tourism-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are a central driver of anthropogenic climate change. At the same time, climate change has both direct and indirect impacts on tourism, varying from damages of tourist assets due to extreme weather events, to losses of biodiversity. Small island developing states (SIDS) heavily depend on international tourism as a source of revenue and income. Therefore, much could be gained by assessing the vulnerability of the SIDS tourism sector and by identifying measures that may assist these islands in their sustainable adaptation efforts. Against this background, this interdisciplinary paper provides a review of tourism development and the implications of its emissions on the global climate, linked with observed and projected influences of climate change in the Pacific region, to explain the growing vulnerability of the overall sector, with a particular focus on SIDS tourism. A description of the effects of COVID-19 on international tourism and its consequences for SIDS complement the analysis. Case studies of two Pacific islands present some evidence of current climate impacts, underscoring the multiple risks small island nations and their tourism sectors face. The paper concludes by stating that some measures may be prioritized by decision-makers, so as to increase the resilience of a transforming tourism sector in SIDS.
Specific Domains of Creativity and Their Relationship with Intelligence: A Study in Primary Education
Authors: López-Martínez Olivia , Lorca Garrido Antonio José
Published: April 2021

This study focuses on the relationships between creativity and intelligence. The main objectives of this study are to know the relationship between creativity and intelligence manifested in individuals aged 9 to 12 and to predict the creativity scores from IQ scores. The design of this study is non-experimental with a correlational, cross-sectional, quantitative approach. In order to achieve the stated objectives, several education centres located in Murcia were selected, in which 323 students took part in a creativity test (PIC-N) and a test about intelligence, depending on the educational level (BADYG/E2r or BADYG/E3r). The results obtained were that intelligence (IQ) was related to general creativity and narrative creativity, but not to the specific domain of graphic creativity. In addition, the analyses indicate that scores on general creativity (F (1,321) = 14.302, p < 0.01) and narrative creativity (F (1,321) = 14.114, p < 0.01) can be predicted from the IQ. At the educational level, language is a determining factor in narrative creativity and, in turn, language is consolidated as children’s cognitive development proceeds.
Steel-Concrete Composite Beams with Precast Hollow-Core Slabs: A Sustainable Solution
Authors: Ferreira Felipe Piana Vendramell , Tsavdaridis Konstantinos Daniel , Martins Carlos Humberto , De Nardin Silvana
Published: April 2021

Industrialization of construction makes building operation more environmental friendly and sustainable. This change is necessary as it is an industry that demands large consumption of water and energy, as well as being responsible for the disposal of a high volume of waste. However, the transformation of the construction sector is a big challenge worldwide. It is also well known that the largest proportion of the material used in multistory buildings, and thus its carbon impact, is attributed to their slabs being the main contributor of weight. Steel-Concrete composite beams with precast hollow-core slabs (PCHCSs) were developed due to their technical and economic benefits, owing to their high strength and concrete self-weight reduction, making this system economical and with lower environmental footprint, thus reducing carbon emissions. Significant research has been carried out on deep hollow-core slabs due to the need to overcome larger spans that resist high loads. The publication SCI P401, in accordance with Eurocode 4, is however limited to hollow-core slabs with depths from 150 to 250 mm, with or without a concrete topping. This paper aims to investigate hollow-core slabs with a concrete topping to understand their effect on the flexural behavior of Steel-Concrete composite beams, considering the hollow-core-slab depth is greater than the SCI P401 recommendation. Consequently, 150 mm and 265 mm hollow-core units with a concrete topping were considered to assess the increase of the hollow core unit depth. A comprehensive computational parametric study was conducted by varying the in situ infill concrete strength, the transverse reinforcement rate, the shear connector spacing, and the cross-section of steel. Both full and partial interaction models were examined, and in some cases similar resistances were obtained, meaning that the same strength can be obtained for a smaller number of shear studs, i.e., less energy consumption, thus a reduction in the embodied energy. The calculation procedure, according to Eurocode 4 was in favor of safety for the partial-interaction hypothesis.
Spatial Patterns of China’s Ski Resorts and Their Influencing Factors: A Geographical Detector Study
Authors: Fang Yan , Jiang Yiyi , Tsai Chin-Hsun Ken , Luo Binghao , Chen Ming-Hsiang
Published: April 2021

This study uses geographic information systems (GIS) and geographical detector techniques to explore the national and regional pattern of the spatial distribution of China’s ski resorts, and quantitatively identifies the main factors that influence their location. Results show that although China’s ski areas are geographically clustered, ski resorts are more likely to be located at high latitudes (northeast and northwest China) than at low latitudes (central and south China). Among the most influential factors are the winter sporting mega-events that explain 70% of the location of China’s ski areas; the 2022 Winter Olympics accounted for 14%. The main factors that contribute to the distribution of ski areas depend on the regions and types of ski resorts. Implications for the ski resorts industry, such as the different practice for hot and cold spot areas of China’s ski resorts, and the future development direction of ski industry, are discussed.
Can Enhancing Efficiency Promote the Economic Viability of Smallholder Farmers? A Case of Sierra Leone
Authors: Saravia-Matus Silvia , Amjath-Babu T. S. , Aravindakshan Sreejith , Sieber Stefan , Saravia Jimmy A. , Gomez y Paloma Sergio
Published: April 2021

By developing meta-frontier efficiency and structural equation models, the paper examines whether farm economic viability is positively associated with technical efficiency in a highly food insecure context, such as that of rural Sierra Leone. The findings show that technical efficiency can be a sufficient but not necessary condition in determining economic viability of smallholder farming. It is possible to breach reproductive thresholds at the cost of reduced technical efficiency, when the crop diversification strategy of smallholders includes market-oriented high-value crops. This calls for a dual policy approach that addresses farmers’ internal needs for self-consumption (increasing efficiency of food crop production) while encouraging market-oriented cash crop production (diversification assisted through the reduction of associated transaction costs and the establishment of accessible commercialization channels of export related crops and/or high-value crops). The work also calls out for a move-up or move-out strategy for small holders to create viable farming systems in developing world.
Socioeconomic Status Changes of the Host Communities after the Rohingya Refugee Influx in the Southern Coastal Area of Bangladesh
Authors: Ullah S M Asik , Asahiro Kazuo , Moriyama Masao , Tani Masakazu
Published: April 2021

The refugee influx from Myanmar, known as Rohingya refugees, is a serious concern for global refugee issues. Bangladesh currently hosts one million Rohingya refugees in the coastal district of Cox’s Bazar. Considering the number of the refugees, in addition to the humanitarian concerns, they are also creating pressure on the local host communities. This study explored the socioeconomic changes of the host communities after the refugee influx. In order to fulfill this study’s objectives, 35 villages near the Rohingya refugee camps from the coastal district of Bangladesh were surveyed. In the villages, 10% of households were surveyed in 2016 and also in 2020, covering 1924 and 2265 households, respectively. A temporal comparison of the host community’s socioeconomic status between 2016 and 2020 was conducted in order to determine the changes after the recent refugee influx. This study found that the local community’s socioeconomic status degraded. The annual income decreased by 24%, which is unusual for a country with over 6% gross domestic product (GDP) growth in recent times. The income decreased from all livelihood options except farming, which could be related to the availability of cheap labor and the high demand for commodities. The villages were clustered using k-means, and 20 villages were found to be affected after the refugee influx with degraded socioeconomic status. The host community’s general perception was initially positive, but later turned negative toward the refugees. This study will be important for the government and donor agencies to develop strategies to properly manage the refugee camps and adjacent host communities.
Social Media-Based Content towards Image Formation: A New Approach to the Selection of Sustainable Destinations
Authors: Sultan Mohammad Tipu , Sharmin Farzana , Badulescu Alina , Gavrilut Darie , Xue Ke
Published: April 2021

When addressing the ever-increasing role that social media plays in generating a clear image of the travel destination chosen by tourists, the research and specialty literature tends to be rather limited. Despite an increase in social media-generated content, the process is not yet fully understood, although research suggests the importance of two different factors (i.e., tour-operator-generated content and user-generated content) in influencing destination image formation. In this regard, the present paper aims to examine the most significant factors currently affecting the potential behavior of travelers towards the selection of sustainable destinations. What is more, another purpose of this paper is to explore the effects that tour-operator-generated content and user-generated content have upon the formation of the overall mediating destination image through cognitive and affective destination images. For the current analysis, a structural equation modeling (SEM) method was used in order to test the conceptual model. Data from Shanghai, China (n = 425) were used. The results demonstrate and establish that travel information sources (i.e., tour-operator-generated content and user-generated content) have a positive effect on destination image formation. The analytical results also revealed that in order to select a sustainable destination, travelers are influenced by tour-operator-generated content, as well as by user-generated content, with the effect of the latter being more important and influential. Travelers’ use of social media content has played a key role in the formation of the overall destination image through the mediating effect of cognitive and affective destination images. This research thus provides valuable theoretical and practical implications for academics and practitioners alike, implications which are valuable for the fields of destination marketing and management. Furthermore, practitioners of the management of sustainable destinations can thus make use of the results throughout the entire decision-making process.
Energy Transition toward Cleaner Energy Resources in Nepal
Authors: Pokharel Tika Ram , Rijal Hom Bahadur
Published: April 2021

Energy is an important input for socioeconomic development and human well-being. The rationality of energy transitions toward cleaner energy resources is not only to improve individual living conditions, but also to enhance the economic growth of a nation. Nepal is considered to be one of the countries with a low per-capita electricity use, heavily relying on traditional energy resources such as firewood and agricultural residues. The country is rich in hydropower resources. However, various economic and socioeconomic constraints have left the significant potential for hydroelectricity untapped. This study describes the energy transition patterns in Nepal based on a literature review and field survey of household energy use in the winter. We collected data from 516 households in the Solukhumbu, Panchthar, and Jhapa districts of Nepal. The rate of per-capita electricity consumption was 330 kWh/capita/year, which is significantly lower than that of other contemporary global societies such as India 1000 and China 4900 kWh/capita/year. The increasing trend in hydroelectricity production has optimistically transformed the energy sector toward cleaner resources; this correlates with the GDP per capita. Solar home systems, mini- and micro-hydropower plants, biogas technology, and improved cook stoves have been widely used, which has lowered the health and environmental burdens in rural areas. By analysing the survey data, we found that 25% of the households only relied on traditional cooking fuel, while 67% and 8% of the households relied on mixed and commercial cooking fuels, respectively. Moreover, 77% and 48% of traditional and mixed-fuel-using households were unhappy with current cooking fuels while 40% and 66% of these households preferred to use clean cooking fuels. The share of traditional energy resources decreased from 78% to 68%, while that of commercial energy resources increased from 20% to 28% from 2014/15 to 2019/20. This study suggests that future energy policies and programs should acknowledge the reality of energy transition to achieve sustainability by establishing reliable and clean sources of energy.
Introducing Sustainable Development Topics into Computer Science Education: Design and Evaluation of the Eco JSity Game
Authors: Swacha Jakub , Maskeliūnas Rytis , Damaševičius Robertas , Kulikajevas Audrius , Blažauskas Tomas , Muszyńska Karolina , Miluniec Agnieszka , Kowalska Magdalena
Published: April 2021

With increasing awareness of the advantages of game-based learning, there is a growing number of studies showing its application to both computer science education and sustainable development education. In this paper, we describe, with the example of the Eco JSity application, how both of these areas can be combined into a single tool. The presented evaluation results showed that despite incorporating the sustainable development topics into both the theme and mechanics of the educational game, both the usefulness and ease-of-use of the application were still assessed positively by students. We also identified three clusters of students depending on their attitude towards combining education on computer science and sustainable development. We concluded that game-based learning provided a capable means of incorporating sustainable development topics into teaching of unrelated technical skills.
Physical, Deformation, and Stiffness Properties of Recycled Concrete Aggregate
Authors: Gabryś Katarzyna , Soból Emil , Sas Wojciech
Published: April 2021

The construction sector is currently struggling with the reuse of waste originating from the demolition and modernization of buildings and roads. Furthermore, old buildings are gradually being replaced by new structures. This brings a significant increase of concrete debris to waste landfills. To prevent this, many studies on the possibilities of recycling concrete, known as recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), have been done. To broaden the applicability of reused concrete, an understanding of its properties and engineering behavior is required. A difficulty in sustainable, proper management of RCA is the shortage of appropriate test results necessary to assess its utility. For this reason, in the present study, the physical, deformation, and stiffness properties of RCA with gravely grain distribution were analyzed carefully in the geotechnical laboratory. To examine the mentioned properties, an extensive experimental program was planned, which included the following studies: granulometric analysis, Proctor and oedometer tests, as well as resonant column tests. The obtained research results show that RCA has lower values of deformation and stiffness parameters than natural aggregates. However, after applying in oedometer apparatus repetitive cycles of loading/unloading/reloading, some significant improvement in the values of the parameters studied was noticed, most likely due to susceptibility to static compaction. Moreover, some critical reduction in the range of linear response of RCA to dynamic loading was observed.
Predictive Sustainability Model Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior Incorporating Ecological Conscience and Moral Obligation
Authors: Müller Jessica , Acevedo-Duque Ángel , Müller Sheyla , Kalia Prateek , Mehmood Khalid
Published: April 2021

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of research on consumers’ green behavior in emerging markets. This study aims to determine the variables of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) that influence green purchasing intentions in Mexico. Into the model, we incorporated ecological conscience, moral obligation, and willingness to pay as additional variables. A sample of 300 consumers was obtained through an online survey and data were analyzed statistically using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that perceived purchase control, ecological conscience, and moral obligation directly influence purchase intention. The study contributes to the current literature by strengthening the existing knowledge about the factors that influence the purchasing behavior of green products in emerging countries.
Waste Identification in the Operation of Structural Engineering Companies (SEC) According to Lean Management
Authors: Muñoz-La Rivera Felipe , Vielma Juan Carlos , Herrera Rodrigo F. , Gallardo Elisa
Published: April 2021

Although the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry is highly relevant to national development, it suffers from significant productivity challenges. Beneath the design and documentation of structures, a dynamic, complex process is taking place, with constant modifications and feedback involving numerous professionals from different fields and their respective approaches and work developed using various computer programs. This diversity of factors converges within an iterative trial-and-error process and does not stop until a refined model is achieved. To understand traditional structural engineering companies (SECs) in Chile involved in building private procurement projects, 25 non-value-adding SEC activities were identified and classified according to typical lean management waste categories. These were initially validated by a panel of experts and then confirmed through a survey of 37 companies. The identified activities reduce the productivity of SEC organizations, contributing to low AEC industry indicators.
Green Shipping Effect on Sustainable Economy and Environmental Performance
Authors: Felício J. Augusto , Rodrigues Ricardo , Caldeirinha Vitor
Published: April 2021

This paper focuses on green shipping and its’ influence on the sustainable economy and environmental performance. Based on the green shipping approach, this empirical study examines a survey sample of 193 responses from Portuguese and Spanish executive managers and uses exploratory factor analysis and structural equation model. The Green shipping approach supports the green theory. The results show the importance of green efficiency, green management, and pollution impact. The confirmation of the sizeable influence of green shipping on the sustainable economy and environmental performance constructs constitutes a major contribution to the literature. Green management and green efficiency contribute to controlling the impact of pollution with practical effects on economic sustainability. Another contribution arises from the fact that tax and financial incentives and environmental sustainability regulations indicate the relevance of the pollution impact and sustainable economy.
The Role of Green Infrastructure in Enhancing Microclimate Conditions: A Case Study of a Low-Rise Neighborhood in Abu Dhabi
Authors: Abu Ali Mahmoud , Alawadi Khaled , Khanal Asim
Published: April 2021

Urban heat islands are characterized by the increased temperature in urban areas compared with the rural surroundings due to human-made interventions that replace natural lands with buildings and roads. This study focuses on the assessment and utilization of using local nature-based solutions such as trees, sensitive landscaping types and design strategies to enhance microclimate in neighborhood streets and the public realm in desert areas, taking Abu Dhabi as a case study. The research utilizes a design-based approach to propose landscaping and layouts of urban street trees in low-rise residential urban areas. In this study, two methods namely an on-site measurement using citizen science, and a numerical simulation model in the ENVI-met software are used. Site-measurements included the tree physical characteristics such as tree height, crown width (crown spread/diameter), and trunk height, and the use of technology (photography and the Fulcrum mobile application, Nikon Forestry pro Laser Rangefinder) and air temperature around trees. ENVI-met included four scenarios: 1—“no-vegetation”, 2—“grass-only”, 3—“existing conditions” and 4—“proposed landscape design”. Grass and three types of local street trees are used in the proposed scenarios including Ghaf, Poinciana, and Temple tree. In addition, a standard of 6 and 8 m spacing between each tree is applied to determine the effect of varying vegetation densities on the outdoor temperature. The combined results using citizen science and the model allowed the identification of particular urban tree species that show substantial cooling effects. This is the case of Poinciana trees, which decreased the air temperature up to 0.9 °C when spaced every six meters in pathways and open unshaded areas amongst alleys, improving the overall thermal conditions in neighborhoods of hot-arid landscapes.
Analysis of Harmonic Resonance Characteristics in Grid-Connected LCL Virtual Synchronous Generator
Authors: Jiang Jingya , Wang Wei , Wu Xuezhi , Tang Fen , Yang Zhengwen , Li Xiangjun
Published: April 2021

The virtual synchronous generator (VSG), which emulates the essential behavior of the conventional synchronous generator, has attracted great attention. This paper proposes to analyze the harmonic resonance characteristics in VSG using the state-space model. The analysis is based on a full-order state-space small-signal model that fully considers the dynamic of the inner loops and the VSG-based outer power control loop. Participation analysis is used to point out the contributions of different states to the eigenvalues. Moreover, eigenvalue locus and singular value decomposition (SVD) are applied together to evaluate the impact of the inner loop parameters on the harmonic resonance characteristics around the LCL filter resonance frequency. The analysis indicates that the harmonic resonance instability is mainly caused by decreasing the proportional gains of the current loop and the voltage loop. Finally, extensive numerical simulation and experimental results are given to verify the validity of the theoretical analysis. Both the simulation and experimental results indicate that the voltage of the common coupling point is unstable after decreasing the proportional gains of the current and voltage controllers. As Kpc decreases from 5 to 0.4 or Kpv decreases from 0.6 to 0.2, the harmonic distortion factor (HDF) around the LCL filter resonance frequency increases. Furthermore, the consistency of simulation results, experimental results, and the theoretical analysis results is validated.
Markets in Municipal Code: The Case of Michigan Cities
Authors: Edmonds Amanda Maria , Carsjens Gerrit J.
Published: April 2021

Food’s place on the urban, municipal agenda has become an increasing focus in the emergent fields of food policy and food planning, whose leaders argue that food needs to be more explicitly added to the urban agenda. Yet, public food markets are a food system activity that municipal governments have been long engaged in. Reports from leading health, planning, and food organizations assert that farmers markets—the dominant form of public retail food markets in the US today—should be explicitly included in zoning and other municipal codes to ensure that they can be created and sustained. Despite their popularity as a local sustainable food system and healthy food access strategy, it is unclear whether markets have been codified through municipalities’ planning and policy instruments, and research has largely not addressed this topic. This study aims to elicit whether markets have been codified into law, focusing on US municipal charters, codes and zoning ordinances, using Michigan, an upper Midwest state, as a case. After analyzing municipal documents to determine whether and where markets have been codified into law in ninety Michigan cities, this study concludes that markets are highly underrepresented in municipal policy, rarely defined in code, and mostly absent from zoning ordinances, even among those cities with currently operating markets. Market presence in code is, however, associated with the presence of historically operated markets. These findings raise questions about why markets are missing from codified food policy and what risks this poses to the future of markets. They also highlight the need to better document the market sector and underline the importance of including historic perspectives when examining the efficacy of current food policy efforts.
BiOnto: An Ontology for Sustainable Bioeconomy and Bioproducts
Authors: Bicchielli Chiara , Biancone Noemi , Ferri Fernando , Grifoni Patrizia
Published: April 2021

Sustainable bioeconomy and circular economy are more and more connected to sustainable development goals. This requires engaging all the different stakeholders to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. Therefore, information access is a key challenge related to all the sustainable development goals. This article considers ideas, approaches and concepts related to sharing knowledge on Bioeconomy and collaborative ecosystems based on an ontology, aiming to facilitate information and services access. This ontology has been defined starting from the experience of the BIOVOICES project and from the need to establish a common terminology shared among scientists, enterprises, policymakers and civil society organisations on the bioeconomy. Indeed, the ontology provides a structured information of the BIOVOICES multi-stakeholders social platform’s content, facilitating accessing and sharing it. The building process and the validation of the ontology have been described.
Is Sustainable Online Learning Possible with Gamification?—The Effect of Gamified Online Learning on Student Learning
Authors: Park Sungjin , Kim Sangkyun
Published: April 2021

The use of gamification is garnering attention as a method that promotes sustainable learning during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era. This study investigates the effect that gamified online learning has on student learning and has utilized a gamified online learning program to examine the impact. To determine the program’s effectiveness, a study has been conducted with 140 elementary and middle school students. A previously developed survey instrument was used to measure the results. The study’s findings suggest that gamification in online learning has a positive impact on learner motivation and the understanding of the educational content. Based on the findings, this study proposes that gamification should be used as a sustainable method to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) of ensuring “quality education”.
Fostering Stance-Taking as a Sustainable Goal in Developing EFL Students’ Academic Writing Skills: Exploring the Effects of Explicit Instruction on Academic Writing Skills and Stance Deployment
Authors: Zhang Lu , Zhang Lawrence Jun
Published: April 2021

Effective stance-taking is considered as a crucial skill for successful academic writing and sustainable development of writing scholarship. However, student writers often encounter difficulties in this aspect. Scholars have thus called for explicit instruction to develop students’ academic writing ability as a sustainable goal. Learning stance-taking is a particularly relevant area of intensive interest among writing scholars. Yet, few empirical studies have been conducted to examine its effectiveness on students’ academic writing quality and stance deployment. To fill this gap, a quasi-experimental research was conducted with 46 undergraduate students in a Chinese university, who were randomly assigned to two conditions: a treatment group and a comparison group. The treatment group received an eight-week explicit stance instruction, while the comparison group received curriculum-based writing instruction at the same time. Academic texts were collected both prior to and after the period of intervention. Results revealed that the treatment group outperformed the comparison group in the post-test in terms of academic writing quality and stance performance. Their writing also exhibited changes in the frequencies of an array of stance types deployed (e.g., proclaim: pronounce, proclaim: endorse, entertain, attribute), indicating their enhanced understanding of stance and improved competence of mitigation and integrating external voices for better academic writing. Implications for writing instruction are discussed.
Sustainable Manufacturing Technologies: A Systematic Review of Latest Trends and Themes
Authors: Bastas Ali
Published: April 2021

Meeting current needs while not sacrificing the future ability to do so as a key sustainability concept is becoming more challenging than ever, with the increasing population rate, energy poverty, global warming, and surging demand for products and services. Manufacturing is in a prime position to address this challenge, with its significant economic contribution to the global GDP and its high influence over the environment and humanity. Sustainable manufacturing technologies research is growing to support our journey towards sustainable development. This article undertook the systematic review of state-of-the-art sustainable manufacturing technologies literature, evidencing the latest themes and trends in this important research avenue. Descriptive and thematic analyses were performed, synthesising the latest advancements in the field. Sustainable manufacturing processes, especially sustainable machining, was established as a key theme, including research endeavours of elimination of lubricants. Various manufacturing systems and process sustainability assessment technologies were noted. Sustainability indicators addressed were critically evaluated. As an outcome, a conceptual framework of sustainable manufacturing technology research was constructed to structure the knowledge acquired and to provoke future thinking. Finally, challenges and future directions were provided for both industrial and academic reader base, stimulating growth in this fruitful research stream.
Estimating Time Spent at the Waste Collection Point by A Garbage Truck with A Multiple Regression Model
Authors: Giel Robert , Dąbrowska Alicja
Published: April 2021

The planning of the garbage trucks’ routes is an essential process in waste collection companies. The main issues in garbage truck routing are determining the optimal routes, minimizing time, decreasing the costs, and reducing the pollution’s emission. In the literature, the time spent at a waste collection point (WCP) is considered as the average time, or it is not included at all. Time spent at a WCP is determined by the processes of picking up, emptying, and putting down the waste containers and the factors specific for different WCPs. Those factors impact the time spent at WCP significantly. Excluding time spent at a WCP or taking the average of that in the planning approach may lead to the inaccurate estimation of total collection time. The aim of this article is to present the multiple regression model for estimating time spent at a WCP. We analyzed the impact of the WCP factors (i.e., building type and number of containers) on the time that a garbage truck spends at it. We initially considered seven chosen factors, five categorical and two numerical. Based on this, we developed the multiple regression model based on linear regression use. Later, the proposed model was validated based on data obtained from the municipal company operating in Wroclaw city, Poland. The study confirmed that the defined factors significantly affect garbage truck’s time spent at a WCP and should be taken into account during waste collection planning processes’ performance.
A Methodological Assessment Based on a Systematic Review of Circular Economy and Bioenergy Addressed by Education and Communication
Authors: Carbonell-Alcocer Alejandro , Romero-Luis Juan , Gertrudix Manuel
Published: April 2021

The circular economy and bioenergy are essential strategies for combatting climate change. In the last 10 years, there has been an increase in research on this subject by different disciplines. Educational and communication approaches may prompt a change to make citizens agents of change in the environmental struggle. Therefore, evaluating their level of methodological formalisation allows the identification of characteristics of the research carried out, and to ascertain where academic studies in these disciplines are aimed. Through a systematic literature review (SLR) applying the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model, literature from 2009 to 2019 was identified on the Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar, using Publish or Perish software to obtain it. A qualitative and quantitative synthesis of the results was carried out, using cluster analysis and statistic percentages, and comparing column proportions. The analysis of the articles (n = 74) focused on collection techniques, data typology, characteristics of samples and analysis techniques, and showed that the majority were descriptive, oriented toward presenting proposals on educational intervention, with small samples and basic analytical techniques. Despite consistency in the corpus of the research, it is concluded that the studies had a low level of methodological formalisation, which indicates it they were generally related to exploratory research with limited scope, addressing a limited part of the object of study.