Advanced Materials Research Vols. 347-353

Abstract: The objective of this research was to measure the use of recognized technology that promotes and supports sustainable development in building construction projects. This research hinged on the use of the Sustainable Construction Technology Index (SCTI) developed by Beheiry and Abu-Lebdeh in 2009 [1]. The SCTI was created in 2009 to investigate the use of technology in all phases of the building process from planning to occupancy. The index consists of four main sections that address the major phases of a typical construction project. These phases include the planning phase, the design phase, the construction phase and the occupancy phase. In the first stage of the research the SCTI was validated using expert feedback and weighted using trial data samples of close to 100 projects. In this stage of the research the SCTI was used to collect data from 208 building construction projects executed between 2005 and 2010 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study brings to light that low and renewable energy use systems are spearheading the change process to more sustainable technologies in building construction projects in the UAE, followed by water preservation and reuse systems. The study also shows that the use of sustainable technology is still relatively low in residential buildings, compared to newer commercial buildings. The data show a clear trend upwards in the use of the technology albeit the total use is still low. This research provided a benchmark for current sustainable technology use in UAE project and a platform for further sustainable construction planning.

Abstract: Sustainability has emerged as a common theme in many processes related to urban life and the built environment. However, most engineering curricula still lacks the fundamentals of sustainable practices education that prepares graduating engineers to fulfill their expected roles and conduct future business in a more sustainable fashion. A more sustainable Civil Engineering curriculum requires a more systems approach to both diagnosing transport and built environment problems as well as devising solutions to such problems. This paper examines typical engineering curricula and identifies specific courses in the areas of transportation and construction where sustainability can be injected with minimum disruption to the structure of the course and/or its connection to other courses with the intended degree. For the two subspecialties, the core and elective courses are categorized and certain areas/modules within each course are identified, where the integration of sustainable engineering education is useful. Furthermore, some educational tools that facilitate the infusion of these concepts into the two subspecialties are presented.

Abstract: In order to meet the GHG reduction and sustainable goals in industry development, we need those strategies that are not only reducing GHG emissions but also not compromising other economic, environmental and social priorities. The low carbon and sustainable requirements in industry development are analyzed by reviewing the existing related researches. Multi-Attributive Assessment method is selected as the most appropriate one for the study. Indicators and utility value functions of the assessment system are accordingly set up. Building industry in Chongming, Shanghai is analyzed as case study. Most potential technologies and their preferential order are figured out after evaluation. CO2 emission reduction requirement in 2015 is worked out as 0.68 t for low carbon scenario and 1.36t for ideal scenario. Required building area is then calculated. Results show the low carbon scenario is possible to meet if the existing and new construction buildings can well apply the selected technologies.

Abstract: At first, the paper introduces the international development trends of textiles, and indicates that we must conform to the ecological textile to resolve the green barriers. Then the paper introduces the concept and the essence of this ecological design, and raises the ways that achieves ecological textile from ecological evolving, ecological running, ecological designing, etc. At last, the paper introduces the ways of realizing ecological textile from four factors which are using regeneration material, reducing material consumption, elevating textile life and reusing the castoff textile.

Abstract: The migration sustainability assessment of hydroelectric power projects is core means to assay resettlement effects. It’s also the important basis of development and support for hydroelectric power projects. This paper is based on sustainability, and the contents of sustainable migrant assessment include sustainable development of population, sustainable development of economic, sustainable development of resources, sustainable development of environment and sustainable development of society. The migrant sustainable assessment is an combined type which includes individual index assessment and comprehensive assessment of index system.

Abstract: water footprint and virtual water emerge as new concepts of international water resource studies in recent years and they also become prevailing topics in the study of international water resource at present. These concepts liberate the studies from the limitation of real water viewpoint and introduce the perspective of virtual water, which makes a vital contribution to the study of sustainable use of water resource. This paper introduces the internationally leading water resource footprint model and calculation method of virtual water into the water resource system of Jinan for the first time, giving a quantified measurement of the amount of virtual water contained in the main agricultural products and industrial products of Jinan. According to the calculation and analysis based on water footprint model of Jinan, it is concluded that Jinan is a net exporter of virtual water with an import dependence factor of 0, which directly endangers the water resource security of Jinan. Therefore, it is suggested to make adjustments on virtual water trade structures and strategies to upgrade industrial structures and increase the export volume of industrial products which contained less water, so as to use the water resource in a sustainable and effective way; with limited water resource, Jinan must seek innovations on water resource management concepts in addition to saving water and making better use of water resource, to alter consumption modes and implement the strategy of virtual water by introducing “outer source”, aiming to relieve water resource shortage through virtual water trade with no efforts spared.

Abstract: The article discussed the methods for evaluating ecological circumstance quality. Based on the present situation and investigation, the evaluating indexes system and the model for military ecological residential area were constructed. And put forward the concrete evaluating methods. Through scientific, impersonal and intact evaluation of ecological system of military ecological residential area, the construction, function and dynamic changes of the ecological system of military ecological residential area were discussed. The studies provided scientific basis for the planning and constructing of military residential area.

Abstract: In order to study the development of regional recycling economy, the material inputs and outputs of the eco-economic system in Shandong Province during the period from 1996 to 2009 were systematically analyzed by the material flow analysis(MFA). The results show that, (1)excluding water, material inputs and outputs rose persistently, but both were lower than the rate of GDP growth. (2)Water supply had a turning point in 2003, from 25.239 billion tons down to 21.934 billion tons, followed by the total annual water supply has been maintained at 220 million tons. At the same time the amount of wastewater emissions is increasing, especially domestic wastewater emissions had faster growth and that increased pressure on the regional water environment;(3) Steady increase in material input intensity, material output intensity presented a first increased and then decreased trend, that showed since Shandong Province proposed the strategic planning to develop circular economy, the development of regional circular economy have improved the material utilization efficiency and made a material reduction in output in the case of material input growth achieved. The rapid increase of material input and output efficiency further illustrated the efficiency of resource comprehensive utilization and waste output have been significantly improved.

Abstract: With the strict emissions control of greenhouse gases, the carbon source enterprises have to make a choice among the self-energy conservation to reduce emission ,allocation of emission right among enterprises and the purchase of forest carbon sinks. To implant forest carbon sinks to the carbon emission trading system, the carbon source enterprises with higher cost of emission reduction can undertake their corresponding emission reduction responsibility and reduce the emission cost, and the carbon source enterprises with lower cost of carbon emission reduction and the suppliers of forest carbon sinks can obtain the corresponding economic benefits. So the value compensation of forest ecological benefit can realized by market, which is beneficial to regulating the carbon emission behavior of carbon source enterprises, and encourages the carbon neutral behavior of forest carbon sinks, and promote the coordination and coupling of economic development and environmental protection.

Abstract: Manganese dioxide (MnO2) nanostructures have been synthesized by hydrothermal method. The crystallographic structure, morphology, and electrochemical properties of MnO2 nanoparticles have been measured by XRD, SEM, TEM, and cyclic voltammetry (CV). It is shown that the hydrothermal temperature and reaction time have played an important role on the crystallographic structure and morphology of the MnO2 particles. And the MnO2 particles composed of hollow urchins exhibits a higher specific capacitance of 210 F/g.