Papers by Keyword: Eco-Efficiency

Abstract: The importance of environmental consequences due to diverse substances that are emitted during the production of concrete is recognized, but environmental performance tends to be evaluated separately from the economic performance and durability performance of concrete. In order to evaluate concrete from the perspective of sustainable development, evaluation technologies are required for comprehensive assessment of environmental performance, economic performance, and durability performance based on a concept of sustainable development called the triple bottom line (TBL). Herein an assessment method for concrete eco-efficiency is developed as a technique to ensure the manufacture of highly durable and eco-friendly concrete, while minimizing both the load on the ecological environment and manufacturing costs. The assessment method is based on environmental impact, manufacturing costs, and the service life of concrete.

Abstract: Thermal insulation material is an important component to reduce the environmental impact of buildings through the reduction of energy consumption in the operation phase. However, the material itself has embodied environmental impacts for the value it provides. Eco-efficiency is a method that quantifies relation between the environmental performance and the created value of a product system. This study investigated contributing factors of the eco-efficiency of thermal insulation materials to support decision making of material manufacturers. For the improvement of eco-efficiency, the assessment was made in two scopes: investigating the contributing factors of impact caused at production processes; and thermal performance through thermo-physical properties. For quantifying environmental impacts, cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) of each materials were made. The life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) indicators used were ReCiPe H/A and global warming potential (GWP100a). For the assessment of production process, the inventories of the materials were assigned to six categories: heat, chemicals, electricity, transportation, raw materials and wastes. Among the assessed materials, contribution of electricity and heat within the production process was large for foam glass which had the highest potential to improve the eco-efficiency which was by factor 1.72. The analysis on relation between thermo-physical properties and eco-efficiency based on product data of the materials highlighted the importance of density as an indicator upon development and use. Althoughdensity often gains less attention,the finding suggested the effectiveness of improving the efficiency by having lower density without compensating the performance of the materials.

Abstract: Non-ecological phenomenon of tourism industry makes it improve eco-efficiency and sustainable development. Eco-efficiency and emergy methods are the useful instrument for eco-system, and indicate an empirical relation between environment cost and environment impact. The paper puts forward 4 steps of the tourism industry ecological evaluation by eco-efficiency and emergy analysis. They are: draw tourism industry emergy system diagram; decision research area and set up an emergy evaluation table; set up eco-efficiency index system of tourism industry; collect data and calculate the eco-efficiency of tourism industry. Finally, some questions are discussed: how does the eco-efficiency of tourism industry compare to other sectors of the national and global economy; how to improve eco-efficiency of tourism industry; can eco-efficiency assess the sustainability of tourism industry

Abstract: Because green plants benefit people's health, this paper focuses on interior greening design methods as well as the main factors affecting indoor green design. In this paper, we introduce the choices of plant species, the placement of plants in the room and configuration method, as well as the harmony between plant color and indoor environment.

Abstract: Based on the theory and method of eco-efficiency, the relative efficiency index (Ri) was constructed in the paper. According to the range of the relative efficiency index, the industrial sectors can be divided into four categories. When Ri≥R+0.5δ , the industry should be encouraged. When R≤Ri<R+0.5δ, the industry should be optimized and updated. When R-0.5δ≤Ri<R, the industry should be transformed and elevated. When Ri<R-0.5δ, the industry should be restricted, even eliminated. Jiaxing City in Zhejiang Province was selected to be the typical base for further analysis. The results showed that from the perspective of saving water and energy, six important industries, including Paper and paper products, Textile, Beverage Manufacturing, Chemical raw materials and chemical products manufacturing industry, should be restricted, even eliminated. From the perspective of water pollution control, twelve industries, such as Paper and paper products, Textile, Chemical materials and chemical products manufacturing industry should be restricted, even eliminated. From the perspective of air pollution control, four industries, including Paper and paper products, Chemical raw materials and chemical products manufacturing, Electricity, heat production and supply, Non-metallic mineral products industry should be restricted, even eliminated. Besides, the Paper and paper products, the Chemical raw materials and chemical products manufacturing industry theoretically were the highlight of the industries which should be restricted, even eliminated.

Abstract: Globally or regionally Building Sustainability Assessment Systems (LEED, BREEAM, CASBEE, Green-star, G-SEED and etc.) have been developed and green building market has been growing rapidly. Through updating regularly, these assessment systems have been evaluated themselves. For increasing quantitative efficiency and satisfying social requirement, it was adopted that carbon emission assessment reflects regional specifics and system characteristics. Carbon emission assessment in buildings differs with other industry. Defining scope, boundary and method should be fitted into building level. In this study describe blueprint for integrated building sustainability assessment system focused on carbon emissions to achieving sustainability and considering stakeholders needs. The basic 5 principles are TBL concept, Eco-efficiency, Life Cycle, Top-down/Bottom-up approach and Integrated Design Process. Next generation of building sustainability assessment system should evaluate based on strength of these principle, furthermore those would be used for core concepts of Green Building Index.

Abstract: Aside from the changes happening to the life around the world, global warming also threats commercial activities. The transition to a low carbon world will transform our whole economy. Additionally, a low carbon industrial strategy must seize the opportunities that will come with change: a new industrial activism for a new green industrial revolution. When we are pursuing economic growth, it is required to take environmental influences into consideration. Especially, when governmental effort is spent to regulate economic policies, it is required to promote low carbon economy with sustainable and feasible policies and measures beneficial for the environment. Under the background of global warming, the low carbon economic themed with low energy consumption, and low pollution has become a global hot spot.

Abstract: Tourism destination is a special area typical of the man-land relationship interaction. Eco-efficiency evaluation of tourism destination is a basis for developing inclusive and sustainable development policies and measures for tourism destination. This paper discusses the progress on tourism eco-efficiency from three angles-concept definition, measure methods and empirical study. Three aspects of deficiency were shown in the present study. One is the research perspective. Most researches on tourism eco-efficiency are from the level that human material production behaviors influence environment, however researches from the level that human consumption behaviors influence environment are inadequate. The other is the research content. The researches mainly focus on the value and impact two aspects, while the measure concerning value and impact is incomplete. The last part is research method. Though, currently some scholars have already applied ecological footprint analysis method, material flow analysis, ecosystem health assessment to the evaluation of regional eco-efficiency research. The methods about the measure of eco-efficiency which include priority structure method, multi-objective programming method, ecological topological method, data envelopment analysis, ecological cost value index are suffering highly controversial, owing to having inherent defects on characterizing natural resource consumption, environmental pollution, ecological service value, non-polluting ecological impacts, human development and so on. Consequently, from the view of input, output and process of logistics, energy flow, currency flow of tourism destinations natural-economic-social-tourism complex system, making eco-efficiency as an entry point, aiming at achieving sustainable development of tourism destination, studying on tourism eco-efficiency, it will be the frontier research area of Tourism Geography.

Abstract: The Cleaner Production implementation has been expanding significantly in Brazil and there is a strong tendency that companies start to care about environmental issues, such as: input reduction, production process less aggressive to the environment, among other factors inherent to manufacturing process. This paper presents a case study conducted in a company that operates in the field of automotive industry, more specifically in the manufacture of gears for transmissions and diesel engines. The main aims of this research are analyze a machining line focusing on Cleaner Production indicators and evaluate the environmental and economic benefits using the method Material Intensity Factor. The results showed that the company had both environmental benefits and financial gains due to the reduction of raw materials by means of replaced or eliminated material from the production process. The relevant aspect of this study is the possibility of financial gain associated with environmental gains and benefits by means of incremental changes in the production system.

Abstract: In search of alternatives for replacing fossil sources with renewable ones, intensive construction of biogas cogeneration power plants started in Latvia in 2008. Maize silage and manure are the most popular substrates used, yet, other alternatives are searched for and tested. It has to be assessed how the energy sector sustainability strategy can impact resource management in the agriculture sector. The aim of this paper is to determine how the introduction of the biogas station in typical agricultural complex consisting of farm and arable land has affected its material productivity. In this paper the biogas production impact on material flows and productivity were evaluated by applying material flow analysis to the case study object which is a traditional intensive farm in Latvia but now reoriented towards the production of electrical and thermal energy. The case study showed that introduction of the biogas station into the traditional farm caused materialization of this economic system, because eco-efficiency (economic output divided by material input) decreased by 41%. The main conclusion is that the biogas production from the biomass is favourable from energetic point of view but current renewable-energy policy in some cases can cause inefficient use of materials putting pressure on surrounding environmental systems and resource depletion.