bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Combined Strategy of Improved Variable Selection and Ensemble Algorithm to Map the Growing Stem Volume of Planted Coniferous Forest
Authors: Xu Xiaodong , Lin Hui , Liu Zhaohua , Ye Zilin , Li Xinyu , Long Jiangping
Published: November 2021

Remote sensing technology is becoming mainstream for mapping the growing stem volume (GSV) and overcoming the shortage of traditional labor-consumed approaches. Naturally, the GSV estimation accuracy utilizing remote sensing imagery is highly related to the variable selection methods and algorithms. Thus, to reduce the uncertainty caused by variables and models, this paper proposes a combined strategy involving improved variable selection with the collinearity test and the secondary ensemble algorithm to obtain the optimally combined variables and extract a reliable GSV from several base models. Our study extracted four types of alternative variables from the Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-2A image datasets, including vegetation indices, spectral reflectance variables, backscattering coefficients, and texture features. Then, an improved variable selection criterion with the collinearity test was developed and evaluated based on machine learning algorithms (classification and regression trees (CART), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), support vector regression (SVR), and artificial neural network (ANN)) considering the correlation between variables and GSV (with random forest (RF), distance correlation coefficient (DC), maximal information coefficient (MIC), and Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) as evaluation metrics), and the collinearity among the variables. Additionally, we proposed a secondary ensemble with an improved weighted average approach (IWA) to estimate the reliable forest GSV using the first ensemble models constructed by Bagging and AdaBoost. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed variable selection criterion efficiently obtained the optimal combined variable set without affecting the forest GSV mapping accuracy. Specifically, considering the first ensemble, the relative root mean square error (rRMSE) values ranged from 21.91% to 30.28% for Bagging and 23.33% to 31.49% for AdaBoost, respectively. After the secondary ensemble involving the IWA, the rRMSE values ranged from 18.89% to 21.34%. Furthermore, the variance of the GSV mapped by the secondary ensemble with various ranking methods was significantly reduced. The results prove that the proposed combined strategy has great potential to reduce the GSV mapping uncertainty imposed by current variable selection approaches and algorithms.
Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Ecological Vulnerability and Driving Factor Analysis in the Dongjiang River Basin, China, in the Recent 20 Years
Authors: Wu Jiao , Zhang Zhijun , He Qinjie , Ma Guorui
Published: November 2021

The global ecological environment faces many challenges. Landsat thematic mapper time-series, digital elevation models, meteorology, soil types, net primary production data, socio-economic data, and auxiliary data were collected in order to construct a comprehensive evaluation system for ecological vulnerability (EV) using multi-source remote sensing data. EV was divided into five vulnerability levels: potential I, slight II, mild III, moderate IV, and severe V. Then, we analyzed and explored the spatio-temporal patterns and driving mechanisms of EV in the region over the past 20 years. Our research results showed that, from 2001 to 2019, the DRB was generally characterized as being in the severe vulnerability class, with higher upstream and downstream EV classes and a certain amount of reduction in the midstream EV classes. Moreover, EV in the DRB continues to decrease. The spatio-temporal EV patterns in the DRB were significantly influenced by the relative humidity, average annual temperature, and vegetation cover over the past 20 years. Our work can provide a basis for decision-making and technical support for ecosystem protection, ecological restoration, and ecological management in the DRB.
A 0.8 V, 5.3–5.9 GHz Sub-Sampling PLL with 196.5 fsrms Integrated Jitter and −251.6 dB FoM
Authors: Zuo Shi , Zhao Jianzhong , Zhou Yumei
Published: November 2021

This paper proposes a hybrid dual path sub-sampling phase-locked loop (SSPLL), including a proportional path (P-path) and an integral path (I-path), with 0.8 V supply voltage. A differential master–slave sampling filter (MSSF), replacing the sub-sampling charge pump (SSCP), composed the P-path to avoid the degraded feature caused by the decreasing of the supply voltage. The I-path is built by a rail-to-rail SSCP to suppress the phase noise of the voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and avoid the trouble of locking at the non-zero phase offset (as in type-I PLL). The proposed design is implemented in a 40-nm CMOS process. The measured output frequency range is from 5.3 to 5.9 GHz with 196.5 fs root mean square (RMS) integrated jitter and −251.6 dB FoM.
Reviewing the Role of Outdoor Lighting in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Tavares Pedro , Ingi Dmitrii , Araújo Luiz , Pinho Paulo , Bhusal Pramod
Published: November 2021

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim at providing a healthier planet for present and future generations. At the most recent SDG summit held in 2019, Member States recognized that the achievements accomplished to date have been insufficient to achieve this mission. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review of 227 documents contextualizing outdoor lighting with SDGs, showing its potential to resolve some existing issues related to the SDG targets. From a list of 17 goals, six SDGs were identified to have relevant synergies with outdoor lighting in smart cities, including SDG 3 (Good health and well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities), SDG 14 (Life below water) and SDG 15 (Life on land). This review also links efficient lighting roles partially with SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy) and SDG 13 (Climate action) through Target 7.3 and Target 13.2, respectively. This paper identifies outdoor lighting as a vector directly impacting 16 of the 50 targets in the six SDGs involved. Each section in this review discusses the main aspects of outdoor lighting by a human-centric, energy efficiency and environmental impacts. Each aspect addresses the most recent studies contributing to lighting solutions in the literature, helping us to understand the positive and negative impacts of artificial lighting on living beings. In addition, the work summarizes the proposed solutions and results tackling specific topics impacting SDG demands.
Exploring Student Engagement in Sustainability Education and Study Abroad
Authors: Tarrant Michael , Schweinsberg Stephen , Landon Adam , Wearing Stephen L. , McDonald Matthew , Rubin Donald
Published: November 2021

This paper specifically outlines an investigation of the influence of sustainability education and study abroad coursework on levels of a key component of academic success, student engagement. A quasi-experimental design compared pretest and posttest levels of engagement (measured by the Deep Learning Scale) among undergraduate students enrolled in four types of courses). Data were analyzed using a repeated measures MANOVA and supported two significant 2-way interactions (Sustainability * Time and Study Abroad * Time) suggesting that student engagement (Deep Learning) is more likely to increase with sustainability (than non-sustainability) courses and with study abroad (than non-study abroad/campus courses). Findings provide empirical support for university initiatives that seek to incorporate sustainability coursework and study abroad opportunities into the undergraduate curriculum as means to enhance students’ overall engagement and academic success. The paper provides insights into where sustainability education and study abroad courses have broad potential to promote engagement and, as such, should be considered part of the general learning requirement of university education. In terms of study limitations, the sample is drawn from one university and self-selection bias is possible for students choosing to enroll in study abroad and sustainability-focused courses.
Environmental Impacts and Benefits of the End-of-Life of Building Materials: Database to Support Decision Making and Contribute to Circularity
Authors: Antunes Ana , Martins Ricardo , Silvestre José Dinis , do Carmo Ricardo , Costa Hugo , Júlio Eduardo , Pedroso Pedro
Published: November 2021

This paper outlines a methodology for structuring a generic database of environmental impacts on the end-of-life phase of buildings, which can be used at the national level, in accordance with European standards. A number of different options are also considered for managing construction and demolition waste (CDW), as well as for promoting the circularity of materials in construction. The database structure has been developed for use by the main stakeholders who decide the disposal scenario for the main CDW flows, assess waste management plans, and identify the corresponding environmental aspects. The impact categories considered in this paper are global warming potential (GWP) and the abiotic depletion potential of fossil fuels (ADP (f.f.)). This lifecycle assessment (LCA) database further facilitates the identification of important information, such as possible treatments for CDW, or suppliers of recycled materials for use in new construction. Two demolition case studies were used to confirm the benefits of the proposed database. Two demolition scenarios are assessed—traditional and selective—in order to demonstrate the advantage of selective demolition in waste management. The results obtained from the environmental assessment of CDW flows demonstrate that the proposed database can be an important and useful tool for decision making about the end-of-life of construction materials, as it is designed to maximize their reuse and recycling. An innovative online platform can be created based on this database, contributing to the reduction of the environmental impacts associated with the end-of-life phase of buildings.
An Oceania Urban Design Agenda Linking Ecosystem Services, Nature-Based Solutions, Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wellbeing
Authors: Kiddle Gabriel Luke , Pedersen Zari Maibritt , Blaschke Paul , Chanse Victoria , Kiddle Rebecca
Published: November 2021

Many coastal peri-urban and urban populations in Oceania are heavily reliant on terrestrial and marine ecosystem services for subsistence and wellbeing. However, climate change and urbanisation have put significant pressure on ecosystems and compelled nations and territories in Oceania to urgently adapt. This article, with a focus on Pacific Island Oceania but some insight from Aotearoa New Zealand, reviews key literature focused on ecosystem health and human health and wellbeing in Oceania and the important potential contribution of nature-based solutions to limiting the negative impacts of climate change and urbanisation. The inextricable link between human wellbeing and provision of ecosystem services is well established. However, given the uniqueness of Oceania, rich in cultural and biological diversity and traditional ecological knowledge, these links require further examination leading potentially to a new conceptualisation of wellbeing frameworks in relation to human/nature relationships. Rapidly urbanising Oceania has a growing body of rural, peri-urban and urban nature-based solutions experience to draw from. However, important gaps in knowledge and practice remain. Pertinently, there is a need, potential—and therefore opportunity—to define an urban design agenda positioned within an urban ecosystem services framework, focused on human wellbeing and informed by traditional ecological knowledge, determined by and relevant for those living in the islands of Oceania as a means to work towards effective urban climate change adaptation.
Reliability and Validity of a Chinese Version of the STEM Attitude Scale for Primary and Secondary School Students
Authors: Zhang Yanjun , Xu Qianqian , Lao Jinghua , Shen Yan
Published: November 2021

In recent years, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education has received widespread attention from all over the world, and there are not many studies on STEM attitudes in China. One of the reasons is the lack of measurement tools that have been tested for reliability and validity. The Chinese version STEM attitudes scale for primary and secondary schools is a multidimensional scale that measures the STEM attitudes of primary and secondary school students. It consists of three subscales: STEM interest, 21st-century skills confidence, and STEM career interest. In order to test the reliability and validity of the scale application, as well as understand and improve the STEM attitudes of primary and secondary school students, the research team surveyed and collected 566 responses from primary and secondary school students in Zhejiang, Shanghai, Shandong, Liaoning, and other places. After exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and a reliability and validity test, the scale finally retained 48 items. The scale supports a hypothetical five-factor model with good reliability and validity and can be used to assess STEM attitudes in Chinese primary and secondary schools. This research also shows that students’ STEM interests and STEM career interests showed clear variation among different genders, grades, and parental education levels.
Long-Term Land Use and Landscape Pattern Changes in a Marshland of Hungary
Authors: Németh Gergő , Lóczy Dénes , Gyenizse Péter
Published: November 2021

This paper presents the trends of landscape change in the marshes on the southern shore of Lake Balaton, a wetland profoundly transformed by human activities. The study does not only deal with alterations in the areal proportions of land use classes but also quantitatively analyses landscape pattern, comparing landscape metrics on different dates. Based on the findings, proposals for rehabilitation are made. Through the restoration of wetland habitats, the provision level of ecosystem services can be raised. Landscape change was investigated from 1783 to 2020. For this purpose, archive maps were digitized, CORINE land cover datasets corrected by Sentinel-2 imagery were employed and from the vector data, the proportions of land use classes were calculated. For landscape pattern perimeter, area, neighbourhood and diversity metrics were used, calculated by ArcGIS vLATE plugin. It was pointed out that in land cover, the share of wetlands considerably declined over the centuries but in recent decades somewhat expanded. In the 20th century, grasslands were the predominant land use class, but with the spread of other categories, land use has become more complex. Landscape metrics show an increased fragmentation of natural habitats, a higher number of patches and edge density, leading to higher landscape diversity. Rehabilitation proposals include the establishment of rainwater retention reservoirs, the conversion of arable land which cannot be cultivated profitably to close-to-natural classes (first of all, grasslands) and the plantation of gallery forests of native tree species along canals. In comparison with other regions, similar temporal trends and spatial distributions are observed. For instance, the internationally well-known transformation of the Doñana wetland started later but was more intensive than in Hungary.
Quality Analysis on Spatial Planning Pattern of Rural Area in Southern Shaanxi, China
Authors: Xu Juan , Yang Mengsheng , Lu Ziliang , Liu Dan , Wu Yan
Published: November 2021

There have been many studies that have only focused on factors affecting the spatial distribution of rural settlements, without paying attention to their function and scale. China’s mountainous rural area has many problems, such as a fragile ecological environment, poor infrastructure and limited public service facilities. As a result, mountainous rural settlements demonstrate a disorderly and scattered layout. This research takes southern Shaanxi as its research area and uses quantitative and qualitative analysis to analyze the field survey data, revealing the spatial format of rural settlements and its influencing factors. The research results show that: (1) The spatial structure of mountainous settlements can be summarized as falling into three types—agglomeration type, belt type, and dispersion type. The individual settlements are discrete, and the spatial structure of the settlement groups exhibits small-scale clustering in a large area. (2) The influencing factors of spatial structure are ranked thus—geomorphological conditions > population quantity > land use scale. (3) The number of settlements in the study area is constantly decreasing, and their boundaries are gradually shrinking, showing randomly distributed characteristics. (4) A radius of 284.12 m can be used as a measure of the development scope of the village to control the scope of settlement construction. The objective of the research is to classify the spatial structure and propose the most optimal spatial mode in mountainous rural areas.
Symmetric and Asymmetric Impacts of Commercial Energy Distribution from Key Sources on Economic Progress in Pakistan
Authors: Rehman Abdul , Ozcan Rasim , Badshah Waqar , Radulescu Magdalena , Ozturk Ilhan
Published: November 2021

This paper aims to determine the interaction of commercial energy distribution, including the installed capacity of hydroelectric energy, hydroelectric energy generation, the installed capacity of thermal energy, thermal energy generation, the installed capacity of nuclear energy, and nuclear energy generation, with economic progress in Pakistan over the 1970–2019 period. Both linear and non-linear autoregressive distributed lag models were used to ascertain the symmetric and asymmetric short- and long-run effects. The findings from the linear autoregressive distributed lag model analysis revealed evidence that increases in the installed capacity of nuclear energy, alongside higher levels of hydroelectric energy generation and thermal energy generation, have positively affected economic growth in the short run, while a greater installed capacity of nuclear energy has positively affected economic growth in the long run. The findings from the non-linear autoregressive distributed lag model analysis showed that negative shocks to installed capacities related to hydroelectric, thermal, and nuclear energy reduced economic growth, while positive shocks to hydroelectric energy generation and the installed capacity of nuclear energy boosted economic growth in the short run. Furthermore, in the long run, negative shocks to the installed capacities of hydroelectric and thermal energy reduced economic growth, negative shocks to the installed capacity of nuclear energy enhanced economic growth, and positive shocks to hydroelectric energy generation and the installed capacity of nuclear energy have stimulated economic growth in Pakistan.
Achieving Sustainable Mobility in the Szczecin Metropolitan Area in the Post-COVID-19 Era: The DEMATEL and PROMETHEE II Approach
Authors: Torbacki Witold
Published: November 2021

This article presents the idea of modelling and supporting the decision-making process in the field of development directions of a sustainable transport system in a metropolitan area. The global COVID-19 pandemic is causing changes in the perception of the public transport system by passengers. Users’ concerns for their own safety may lead to a shift away from public transport. Policy makers are advised to pay attention to these new phenomena that are hindering the development of sustainable transport in urban areas. Thus, many projects for the development of sustainable urban transport mobility, prepared before COVID-19, require re-analysis and adaptation to the decision-making processes of choosing the preferred means of transport by citizens. The scientific aim of this article was to develop a mathematical model based on the hybrid DEMATEL-PROMETHEE II method, supporting city decision-makers in the decision-making process regarding the selection of appropriate measures supporting the development of sustainable transport. The issues covered in the article include economic, informational and legal aspects, including electromobility, the principles of a low-emission society, and sustainable collective transport. The model was prepared for the needs of the Szczecin Metropolitan Area, where the construction of the Szczecin Metropolitan Railway, delayed by COVID-19, is underway and is to be the main axis of the public transport system. Finally, the article provides a ranking of groups of measures, dimensions and criteria that should be taken into account by decision-makers and planners in the modified plans for the sustainable development of metropolitan transport systems in the period after COVID-19.
Investigating the Patterns and Controls of Ecosystem Light Use Efficiency with the Data from the Global Farmland Fluxdata Network
Authors: Chen Fei , Cui Ningbo , Huang Yaowei , Hu Xiaotao , Gong Daozhi , Wang Yaosheng , Lv Min , Jiang Shouzheng
Published: November 2021

Ecosystem light use efficiency (ELUE) is generally defined as the ratio of gross primarily productivity (GPP) to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), which is an important ecological indictor used in dry matter prediction. Herein, investigating the dynamics of ELUE and its controlling factors is of great significance for simulating ecosystem photosynthetic production. Using 35 site-years eddy covariance fluxes and meteorological data collected at 11 cropland sites globally, we investigated the dynamics of ELUE and its controlling factors in four agroecosystems with paddy rice, soybean, summer maize and winter wheat. A “U” diurnal pattern of hourly ELUE was found in all the fields, and daily ELUE varied with crop growth. The ELUE for the growing season of summer maize was highest with 0.92 ± 0.06 g C MJ−1, followed by soybean (0.80 ± 0.16 g C MJ−1), paddy rice (0.77 ± 0.24 g C MJ−1) and winter wheat (0.72 ± 0.06 g C MJ−1). Correlation analysis showed that ELUE positively correlated with air temperature (Ta), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), evaporative fraction (EF) and canopy conductance (gc, except for paddy rice sites), while it negatively correlated with the vapor water deficit (VPD). Besides, ELUE decreased in the days after a precipitation event during the active growing seasons. The path analysis revealed that the controlling variables considered in this study can account for 73.7%, 85.3%, 75.3% and 65.5% of the total ELUE variation in the rice, soybean, maize and winter wheat fields, respectively. NDVI is the most confident estimators for ELUE in the four ecosystems. Water availability plays a secondary role controlling ELUE, and the vegetation productivity is more constrained by water availability than Ta in summer maize, soybean and winter wheat. The results can help us better understand the interactive influences of environmental and biophysical factors on ELUE.
General Concept of Business Process Measures in the Circular Economy
Authors: Derkacz Arkadiusz J. , Dudziak Agnieszka , Stoma Monika
Published: November 2021

The presented research has been embedded in a dynamically developing circular economy. Nowadays, it is more and more often referred to as an alternative economy model to the linear economy model. The principal aim of the research is to develop a general concept of business process measures. It was built on five key principles. They are (1) the principle of Institutional Determinants of Business Processes, (2) the principle of rational change of state, (3) the principle of incorrect definition of determinants, (4) the principle of rational determinants and (5) the principle of the intensity of the impact of determinants. The research mainly used the extensive literature on the subject, which was primarily aimed at showing the context of the circular economy. The concept itself mainly uses the methods and principles of process management. The rules of the Petri nets were used to define the key principles of the presented concept. Ultimately, it turned out that the proposed approach to business measurements can be helpful in managing environmental, social and governance factors also in small- and medium-sized enterprises. The most important result of the research can be presented in a specific theorem. The effective achievement of business process goals, in a circular economy, may depend on the adaptation and use of a wide stream of institutional determinants that make up a holistic environment for socio-economic phenomena taking place in the company. This may be possible thanks to the use of the general concept of business process metrics, which allows identifying and eliminating negative internal and external effects.
Techno-Economic Study of a New Hybrid Solar Desalination System for Producing Fresh Water in a Hot–Arid Climate
Authors: Makkiabadi Mahmoud , Hoseinzadeh Siamak , Nezhad Meysam Majidi , Sohani Ali , Groppi Daniele
Published: November 2021

By taking advantage of the obtained experimental data, the impact of employing concentrating solar collectors, using an electric heater, and changing the water height in the basin on the performance of a hybrid solar still system was investigated. Eight different operating modes for the system were studied, while the daily freshwater production in addition to the cost per liter (CPL) was considered as the performance criteria. According to the results, the best height of water in the basin is 10 mm. It is the lowest examined height. Moreover, it was found that using the hybrid system with both electric heater and concentrating solar heater brings considerable improvements compared to the other investigated operating modes. For the climatic condition of Sirjan, Iran, which is where the experiments were performed, and water height in the basin of 10 mm, using the hybrid system in the active mode results in 8178 mL/m2 of fresh water production, and a CPL of $0.04270 per liter.
Consumers’ Perception on Traceability of Greek Traditional Foods in the Post-COVID-19 Era
Authors: Skalkos Dimitris , Kosma Ioanna S. , Chasioti Eleni , Bintsis Thomas , Karantonis Haralabos C.
Published: November 2021

In the rising new global economic and social period, after the COVID-19 pandemic, traceability is expected to be a critical parameter for the selection of foods by consumers worldwide. Accordingly, traditional foods (TFs) can become the foods of choice in the new era due to their originality, authenticity, unique organoleptic properties, and locality. In this paper, the consumers’ perception on traceability regarding Greek TFs and northwest Greek TFs is investigated, in order to find out the specific information they require for the purchase of these foods. Traceability was tested using variables related to package, product, quality, process, and personal information of these foods. A self-response questionnaire survey was carried out in September and October 2021 on a sample of 1707 participants through the Google platform. The results show that the participants consider traceability regarding questions on package information “quite important” and “very important” by an average of 68%, on food information by 64%, on quality information by 69%, on production process information by 78%, and on personal information by 65%. A similar pattern was recorded for the regional northwest Greek TFs for information on production process, personal, and package data, although there was a significant increase in the perception by the participants for data related to food information itself by 87% and more related to quality information by 94%.
Corporate Social Responsibility and the Value of Cash Holdings: Evidence from the Korean Stock Market
Authors: Choi Hyunjung , Ryu Haeyoung
Published: November 2021

This study examines the impact of a company’s performance in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on investors’ perceptions of corporate cash holdings in South Korea. The study postulates that, in emerging markets, such as South Korea, companies’ CSR activities are often implemented strategically by the management. In emerging economies, companies’ cash holdings are not subject to strict regulation of external capital providers. Hence, companies raise cash easily and manage cash holdings at their discretion, often resulting in agency problems between the management and shareholders. The study’s results reveal that capital market investors negatively perceive the cash holdings of companies actively engaged in CSR. Investors do not expect the cash held by such companies to increase their corporate value. In other words, companies may use internal funds rather than debt for financing CSR activities.
Increasing the Environmental Sustainability of an Over-Injection Line for the Automotive Component Industry
Authors: Vieira Alexandre L. N. , Campilho Raul D. S. G. , Silva Francisco J. G. , Ferreira Luís P.
Published: November 2021

Thermoplastic injection is currently employed in different industrial fields. This process has significantly evolved over the years, and injection machine manufacturers are continuously forced to innovate, to improve the energetic efficiency, aiming to reduce costs, improve competitiveness, and promote environmental sustainability. This work focuses on the development of a novel, profitable, and environmentally friendly plastic over-injection equipment of small metallic parts for the automotive industry, to be applied in a bowden cable production line, to cover the zamak terminations with plastic, or produce terminations entirely made of plastic. The work is based on an over-sized existing solution. The operating parameters required for the work are quantified, and all machine parts are designed separately to achieve the required functionality. Known approaches are finally used to perform the cost analysis, calculate the return on investment (ROI), and energetic efficiency, to substantiate the replacement of the current solution. The new equipment was able to increase the energetic efficiency of the current assembly line while keeping the required injection rates. An efficient and sustainable solution was presented, with a ROI of 1.2 years over the current solution. The proposed design is also applicable to different automated production lines that require this technology. Nowadays, this concept can be extended to all fields of industry that employ injection molding in their processes, enabling to integrate new manufacturing systems, and increasing energetic efficiency while reducing production costs.
A Novel Machine Learning-Based Price Forecasting for Energy Management Systems
Authors: Yousaf Adnan , Asif Rao Muhammad , Shakir Mustafa , Rehman Ateeq Ur , Alassery Fawaz , Hamam Habib , Cheikhrouhou Omar
Published: November 2021

Price forecasting (PF) is the primary concern in distributed power generation. This paper presents a novel and improved technique to forecast electricity prices. The data of various power producers, Capacity Purchase Price (CPP), Power Purchase Price (PPP), Tariff rates, and load demand from National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) are considered for MAPE reduction in PF. Eight time-series and auto-regression algorithms are developed for data fetching and setting the objective function. The feed-forward ANFIS based on the ML approach and space vector regression (SVR) is introduced to PF by taking the input from time series and auto-regression (AR) algorithms. Best-feature selection is conducted by adopting the Binary Genetic Algorithm (BGA)-Principal Component Analysis (PCA) approach that ultimately minimizes the complexity and computational time of the model. The proposed integration strategy computes the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and the overall improvement percentage is 9.24%, which is valuable in price forecasting of the energy management system (EMS). In the end, EMS based on the Firefly algorithm (FA) has been presented, and by implementing FA, the cost of electricity has been reduced by 21%, 19%, and 20% for building 1, 2, and 3, respectively.
The Development of an Efficiency-Based Global Green Manufacturing Innovation Index: An Input-Oriented DEA Approach
Authors: Alidrisi Hisham
Published: November 2021

Innovation-based economic growth is considered to be a vital strategic aim for all economies, but environmentally friendly concepts and sustainable development (SD) must also be considered. The literature on the Global Innovation Index (GII) shows various investigations relevant to innovation, yet the lack of comprehensive consideration within the GII of environmental concerns represents a critical challenge. This paper aims to provide a holistic-perspective evaluation model for the top 15 manufacturing countries worldwide in order to resolve this. The efficiency-based Global Green Manufacturing Innovation Index (GGMII) was developed by formulating an input-oriented data envelopment analysis model. Criteria such as the value added to the gross domestic product (GDP), corresponding CO2 emissions, and unemployment rates were examined in order to represent the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of SD, respectively. Other scientific and technological dimensions were also considered. The data corresponding to all ten of the criteria were collected from World Bank Open Data. The results show a mismatch between the original GII and the proposed GGMII for the top eight manufacturing countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, France, China, Japan, and Canada), while the remaining countries (Italy, Spain, Russia, India, Mexico, Brazil, and Indonesia) occupied the same rank in both indices, but showed a sizable diminution in their original GII scores. The proposed GGMII might be utilized as a benchmarking instrument for all countries worldwide in the future.
Customer Experience and Satisfaction of Disneyland Hotel through Big Data Analysis of Online Customer Reviews
Authors: Zhang Xiaobin , Kim Hak-Seon
Published: November 2021

Online customer reviews have become a significant information source for scholars and practitioners to understand customer experience and its association with their satisfaction to maintain the sustainable development of relative industries. Thus, this study attempted to find the underlying dimensionality in online customer reviews reflecting customers experience in the Hong Kong Disneyland hotel and identified its relationship with customer satisfaction. Semantic network analysis by Netdraw and factor analysis and linear regression analysis by SPSS 26.0 (IBM, New York, NY, USA) were applied for data analysis. As a result, 70 keywords with high frequency were extracted, and their connection to each other was calculated based on their centralities. Consequently, seven factors were explored by exploratory factor analysis, and moreover, three factors, “Family Empathy”, “Value”, and “Food Quality”, were testified to be negatively related to customer satisfaction. The findings of this study, to a great extent, could be utilized as a research scheme for future research to investigate theme hotels with big data analytics of online customer reviews. More importantly, some new insights and practical implications for the future research and industry development were provided and discussed as well.
Carsharing Business Models’ Strategizing Mindsets Regarding Environmental Sustainability
Authors: Ritter Martin , Schanz Heiner
Published: November 2021

Carsharing is seen as one of the most promising business model innovations for transforming the mobility system towards sustainability. Yet, carsharing businesses are faced with similar sustainability paradoxes as business in general; whether a company’s business model is pushed towards sustainability depends on its strategizing mindset. However, few studies have addressed the strategizing mindsets of carsharing providers. The present study addresses this gap with an empirical assessment of (1) the relevance of environmental sustainability in the strategies of carsharing corporations compared to their proclaimed vision and (2) the underlying type of strategizing mindset, i.e., corporate purpose and vision. In using a Sustainability Balanced Scorecard approach in a reversed manner, accompanied by an objective hermeneutic methodology, we reconstructed strategy maps out of two distinct carsharing business models, unveiling for each company its strategic reasoning, its understanding of corporate purpose and its underlying strategizing mindset. The results reveal that none of the carsharing businesses follow a mindset that orients their strategy to a systems-based view and accordingly do not provide solutions to environmental problems. The study not only adds to our understanding of carsharing companies, it also introduces a conceptual framework that allows the investigation of purpose in comparison to vision, revealing a company’s strategizing mindset.
Social-Environmental Conflicts in Chile: Is There Any Potential for an Ecological Constitution?
Authors: Berasaluce Maite , Díaz-Siefer Pablo , Rodríguez-Díaz Paulina , Mena-Carrasco Marcelo , Ibarra José Tomás , Celis-Diez Juan L. , Mondaca Pedro
Published: November 2021

Social unrest is on the rise worldwide amid deepening inequalities, environmental degradation, and job crises worsened by increasing social-environmental conflicts. In Chile, a social revolt in 2019 resulted in a national referendum in 2020. An ample majority (78.3% vs. 21.7%) voted to draft a new constitution to replace the current constitution drawn up under dictatorship. The result led to the emergence and empowerment of several organizations demanding an “ecological constitution”. In this context, we aim to analyze: (1) the main social-environmental conflicts in Chile and how they are related to the country’s current constitution, and (2) the potential drafting of an ecological constitution that addresses these conflicts. Across different industries in Chile, we observed common problems that are intrinsically related to the current constitution. This relationship seems to be perceived by Chilean citizens since a survey carried out in May 2021 found 79% support for an ecological constitution. Moreover, 105 of the 155 delegates to the constitutional convention proposed three or more environmental principles to be included in the new constitution. A potential ecological constitution entails principles that would improve the current situation of social-environmental conflicts in Chile. Based on our analysis, we recommend the establishment of watershed-based “territorial rights” in the new Chilean constitution to improve sustainability and environmental justice.
Using Hierarchical Facility Location, Single Facility Approach, and GIS in Carsharing Services
Authors: Lage Mariana de Oliveira , Machado Cláudia Aparecida Soares , Monteiro Cristiano Martins , Davis Clodoveu Augusto , Yamamura Charles Lincoln Kenji , Berssaneti Fernando Tobal , Quintanilha José Alberto
Published: November 2021

In the last few years, vehicle sharing has driven a gradual switch from ownership-based private mobility to service usage as a sustainable urban transport alternative. A significant number of cities have implemented mobility sharing programs. Shared transport reduces both traffic congestion, and the need for parking space, decreasing the number of vehicles on the road. The optimization of shared mobility service sites increases potential user access, reduces transportation costs, and augments demand for this transportation modality. Car sharing is a mobility concept where the usage of a vehicle fleet is shared among several people. This is a relatively new concept of transport, with short vehicle rental periods. It provides the convenience of private vehicles without additional charges. A key success factor is the location of sharing stations. The study presented here refers to a car sharing service to be operated by a carmaker in the city of São Paulo (Brazil). This article aims to identify and to select the best places to establish sharing stations within the company’s dealer and servicing network. A geographic information system (GIS) calculates spatial distribution of potential trip demand. Two models of hierarchical facility location are used to determine ideal station locations. It also suggests potential local partners to house car-sharing stations, such as hotels and private car parks. Voronoi diagrams support the location task. The recent rediscovery of Weber’s classic unique facility location problem has also been applied. The selection criterion was to maximize demand and hence operator profit, while minimizing obstacles like the distance to stations.
Is Economic Theory, Presented in Basic Academic Textbooks, Applicable to the Digital Economy?
Authors: Lazovic Vujica , Rondovic Biljana , Lazovic Danijela , Djurickovic Tamara
Published: November 2021

With the aim of improving modern methods for educating economists, the authors in this paper impose the following topics: What do we want to teach students, and do we teach them the right things? How transformative are our fundamental textbook bases to offer the new knowledge that the digital economy imposes? Bearing in mind previous questions, the aim of this paper is to highlight the gap that exists between economic theory and economic practice in terms of insufficient theoretical scope of the digital economy (DE) and its study, and DE’s increasing participation in global practice as an economy based on innovation and new technologies. In the analysis, the authors concentrate on two levels: (1) they analyse the specifics of DE and in that context, they evaluate the applicability of traditional economic theory; (2) they review the representation of DE in university textbooks. Based on the results, the authors conclude that DE possesses specific attributes, and it is necessary to include these as mandatory lessons in university textbooks on the level of basic studies. They suggest some areas for which economic theory should be better explained and supplemented in future research (proposing appropriate guidelines for future efforts in theoretical work). Moreover, through a systematic literature review, the authors approach 90 basic university textbooks in economics and by analysing their content, they prove that DE is not sufficiently represented in them. The results of the paper suggest that economics textbooks, and thus the curricula of basic studies, should be supplemented with chapters on the digital economy, which will affect the modernization and adequacy of theory with practice.
Tourism and Road Transport Emissions in Italy
Authors: Betta Lorenzo , Dattilo Barbara , di Bella Enrico , Finocchiaro Giovanni , Iaccarino Silvia
Published: November 2021

Tourism is of great importance to European economies, but environmental degradation could reduce the attractiveness of many European destinations considerably. This is even more evident if the future of tourism is depicted in the UN’s Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. However, official statistics on the environmental impact of tourism provide only partial information, and almost always with an “accounting scheme” approach, such as occasional and experimental experiences on integrated economic and environmental accounts of tourism. It is necessary to enrich the activity of monitoring and measuring the impact of tourism on the environment and implement policies aimed at increasing the sustainability of the sector. This work intends to contribute to extending information about the theme, providing a new approach based on the integration of official data to study the relationship between tourism and the environment. In detail, the objective of the work is to estimate the level of emissions—in terms of the primary air pollutants—produced by tourists travelling in Italy by road transport in the period 2015–2019. Even if much has to be done to improve the knowledge on the tourism–environment nexus, this paper represents a first relevant step towards an approach that can be easily implemented in all EU countries.
RDF Fire and Explosion Hazards at Power Plants
Authors: Januszewski Janusz , Brzezińska Dorota
Published: November 2021

In the last 30 years Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) has grown in popularity due to its perception as a readily available, renewable and sustainable fuel for power stations. This increased use of RDF has been closely followed by an escalation of industrial fire and explosion-related incidents associated with this fuel, showing the new hazards and inherent dangers brought by it. The re-evaluation of specific fire and explosion protective measures is required. For RDF to have a continued role as an energy source in a volatile and difficult energy market, it must be perceived as: sustainable; safe; easy; cheap; and reliable. If financial losses due to business interruption occur frequently, then confidence in this area will dissolve, and while safety is paramount to prevent injury and/or death, reputational damage must also be considered to secure energy supply and maintain market confidence in RDF. This paper presents a review of previous investigations and scientific studies, which, combined with the authors’ own RDF fire and explosion investigatory experience, allows for a logical hypothesis to be made in relation to relative practices in storage and fuel route fire safety management.
A Novel 10 kW Vertical Axis Wind Tree Design: Economic Feasibility Assessment
Authors: Ngoc Duong Minh , Techato Kuaanan , Niem Le Duc , Yen Nguyen Thi Hai , Dat Nguyen Van , Luengchavanon Montri
Published: November 2021

A novel, small-scale vertical axis wind turbine tree was designed using turbines combining both Darrieus and Savonius blades. We tested for economic viability using wind data collected at a site in Surat Thani, Thailand. The Weibull distribution and Monte Carlo modeling with financial indices (Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE), Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Simple Payback Period (SPP)) were used to analyze data. We found that monthly mean wind speeds varied from 2.35 m/s in October to 2.84 m/s in February, corresponding to a wind power of 28.43 W/m2 and 42.68 W/m2. The average annual power output was 1446.1 kWh for May 2019 to April 2021. Results show that for turbine cut-in to cut-out speeds (2 m/s to 15 m/s), the prototype has potential economic feasibility (NPV > 0 for 64.93%), although the small capacity of the wind tree, in combination with the low average wind speed at the Surat Thani test site, showed a lack of economic viability at this specific location (NPV = USD − 20,946.29). A higher-wind-speed location (Chiang Mai) showed viability, especially at a 10 m height (NPV > 0 for 84.83%). We discuss potential conditions that would make broader use of the prototype feasible.
A Review of Numerical Simulation as a Precedence Method for Prediction and Evaluation of Building Ventilation Performance
Authors: Aflaki Ardalan , Esfandiari Masoud , Mohammadi Saleh
Published: November 2021

Natural ventilation has been used widely in buildings to deliver a healthy and comfortable indoor environment for occupants. It also reduces the consumption of energy in the built environment and dilutes the concentration of carbon dioxide. Various methods and techniques have been used to evaluate and predict indoor airspeed and patterns in buildings. However, few studies have been implemented to investigate the relevant methods and tools for the evaluation of ventilation performance in indoor and outdoor spaces. The current study aims to review available methods, identifying reliable ones to apply in future research. This study investigates scientific databases and compares the advantages and drawbacks of methods including analytical models, empirical models, zonal models, and CFD models. The findings indicated the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is the most relevant method because of cost-effectiveness, informative technique, and proficiency to predict air velocity patterns and ratios in buildings. Finally, widely used CFD codes and tools are compared considering previous studies. It is concluded the application of codes for research is subject to the complexity and characteristics of a studied model, the area and field of study, the desired turbulence model, and the user interface.