scholarly journals The decision-making process towards implementing energy efficiency in a university-built park in southern Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 265-279
Author(s):  
Marcos Antonio Leite Frandoloso ◽  
Eduardo Grala da Cunha ◽  
Albert Cuchí i Burgos
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The University

Sustainability has been increasingly incorporated as an essential life perspective into educational institutions as well as local communities. Universities play an important role into the society by debating theoretical contributions and implementing concrete actions. The present research was developed to evaluate a university’s energy efficiency by using the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain as a reference for University of Passo Fundo, Brazil. The reference values and index ratings obtained for energy performance, in the Universities’ building stock, were evaluated based on positive and negative features. The study identifies and assesses the evolution of incident factors towards energy consumption and its impacts on the hidropower generation, the main energy resource in Brazilian. Hence, the university can promote a reflection about its practices to develop feasible tools that contribute to sustainable measures. As a result, guidelines and strategies were proposed, not only on targeted evaluated buildings but also on the entire building stock. The research indicates the importance to follow well-defined guidelines in the decision-making process by institutions of higher education, in order to consider integrated sustainable practices. The methodology and findings contribute to improve and promote Education for Sustainability, which should encourage other similar universities to put sustainable projects into practice and encourage the whole society to face the inevitable change of paradigms for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

scholarly journals Strengthening the Participation of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities in the Decision-Making of National Government and the United Nations: Further Analyses of the International Disability Alliance Global Survey

Disabilities ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-217
Author(s):  
Joanne McVeigh ◽  
Malcolm MacLachlan ◽  
Delia Ferri ◽  
Hasheem Mannan
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
National Government ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Global Survey ◽  
Development Policies ◽  
Development Goals

The participation of organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) is crucial at each stage of policy processes at the local, regional, and international levels. However, decision-making mechanisms have traditionally excluded OPDs, failing to consult with them on decisions that impact on their daily lives. The overall aim of this study was to examine the participation of persons with disabilities and OPDs in development programmes and policies by exploring recommendations from a sample of OPDs on ways to strengthen their participation with government and the UN. Secondary data analysis was conducted using a global survey on the participation of OPDs, administered by the International Disability Alliance to OPD representatives. Two open-ended items were analysed, which explored participants’ recommendations on ways to strengthen their participation with government and the UN. Data were analysed using the descriptive and interpretive qualitative methods. Respondents provided recommendations on how to strengthen their participation with their national government and the UN, focusing on several issues including accessibility, human rights, and the need for inclusion of all OPDs and all groups of persons with disabilities. The synergy between the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals presents opportunities for OPDs to increase their participation in development policies and programmes. It is vital, however, to dismantle the barriers to participation in decision-making by OPDs and persons with disabilities.

scholarly journals Experimental Data and Simulations of Performance and Thermal Comfort in a Typical Mediterranean House

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 3311
Author(s):  
Víctor Pérez-Andreu ◽  
Carolina Aparicio-Fernández ◽  
José-Luis Vivancos ◽  
Javier Cárcel-Carrasco
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Thermal Characterization ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Dwelling House ◽  
Account Standard

The number of buildings renovated following the introduction of European energy-efficiency policy represents a small number of buildings in Spain. So, the main Spanish building stock needs an urgent energy renovation. Using passive strategies is essential, and thermal characterization and predictive tests of the energy-efficiency improvements achieving acceptable levels of comfort for their users are urgently necessary. This study analyzes the energy performance and thermal comfort of the users in a typical Mediterranean dwelling house. A transient simulation has been used to acquire the scope of Spanish standards for its energy rehabilitation, taking into account standard comfort conditions. The work is based on thermal monitoring of the building and a numerical validated model developed in TRNSYS. Energy demands for different models have been calculated considering different passive constructive measures combined with real wind site conditions and the behavior of users related to natural ventilation. This methodology has given us the necessary information to decide the best solution in relation to energy demand and facility of implementation. The thermal comfort for different models is not directly related to energy demand and has allowed checking when and where the measures need to be done.

Project-Oriented Learning as an Optimal Methodology for the Incorporation of the SDGs in University Teaching: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Miñán-Espigares ◽  
Claudia-Amanda Juárez-Romero
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Situated Learning ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Teaching Innovation ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The University ◽  
Quality Learning

The use of active methodologies in the university is a priority to achieve higher quality learning. One of these methodologies with the greatest potential for training in competencies is Project-Oriented Learning (PLA), using it in an innovative way. Associating the use of this methodology with the objectives of sustainable development, which have become even more important since the Pandemic by COVID-19, can be a good idea to achieve a more sustained and situated learning. The aim of this study is to find out to what extent research on teaching innovation with Project-Oriented Learning is associated with the Sustainable Development Goals. A systematic review was carried out as indicated by PRISMA through the following databases: WOS and Scopus. WOS found 15 articles on AoP and 6 on Project-Oriented Learning and sustainability. In Scopus 2 were found in 2019. The main results show that in the University, especially in the branches of engineering, AoP is widely used, however, it is rarely related to SDGs. Among the conclusions, we highlight the need for research on project-oriented learning and sustainable development goals.

Pelaksanaan Sistem Tribunal di Malaysia: Ke Arah Penambahbaikan

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-242
Author(s):  
Fariza Romli ◽  
◽  
Harlida Abdul Wahab
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Administration System ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Administrative Body

The existence of a tribunal system, in addition to helping to smooth the administration system, is considered as sharing power with the judiciary in making decisions. Thus arose the question of decision- making power and prevention of abuse by the administrative body. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 to ensure justice in support of effective, responsible and inclusive institutions, transparent and fair practices are essential for ensuring people’s trust in the administrative body and government. This paper, therefore, discusses the tribunal system and its implementation in Malaysia. In view of this, tribunal systems that exist in other countries, especially the United Kingdom, are also examined as models for improvement. Matters such as autonomy or control of power and the trial process are among the issues raised. Recommendations for improvement are proposed based on three basic principles—openness, fairness and impartiality—to further strengthen the implementation of the existing tribunal system in line with developments abroad.

scholarly journals Application of Urban Scale Energy Modelling and Multi-Objective Optimization Techniques for Building Energy Renovation at District Scale

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 11554
Author(s):  
Fahad Haneef ◽  
Giovanni Pernigotto ◽  
Andrea Gasparella ◽  
Jérôme Henri Kämpf
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Optimization Techniques ◽  
Multi Objective Optimization ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Energy Efficiency Measures ◽  
Multi Objective ◽  
Efficiency Measures

Nearly-zero energy buildings are now a standard for new constructions. However, the real challenge for a decarbonized society relies in the renovation of the existing building stock, selecting energy efficiency measures considering not only the energy performance but also the economic and sustainability ones. Even if the literature is full of examples coupling building energy simulation with multi-objective optimization for the identification of the best measures, the adoption of such approaches is still limited for district and urban scale simulation, often because of lack of complete data inputs and high computational requirements. In this research, a new methodology is proposed, combining the detailed geometric characterization of urban simulation tools with the simplification provided by “building archetype” modeling, in order to ensure the development of robust models for the multi-objective optimization of retrofit interventions at district scale. Using CitySim as an urban scale energy modeling tool, a residential district built in the 1990s in Bolzano, Italy, was studied. Different sets of renovation measures for the building envelope and three objectives —i.e., energy, economic and sustainability performances, were compared. Despite energy savings from 29 to 46%, energy efficiency measures applied just to the building envelope were found insufficient to meet the carbon neutrality goals without interventions to the system, in particular considering mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. Furthermore, public subsidization has been revealed to be necessary, since none of the proposed measures is able to pay back the initial investment for this case study.

scholarly journals Testing Green Financing for Greater Renewable Electricity Generation and Energy Efficiency: Implications for Post COVID-19 Time

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Liu ◽  
Jinhang Xu ◽  
Yiming Wei ◽  
Assem Abu Hatab ◽  
Jing Lan
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Renewable Electricity ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Initiatives ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Renewable Electricity Generation

Abstract There is a possibility that worldwide expenditures in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects could fall much further in 2017 and 2018. This may jeopardize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris climate change agreement. Lack of access to private financing slows the development of green initiatives. Now that sustainable energy isn't about science and technology, it's all about getting financing. Therefore, recent study intended to investigate the role of green financing for maximum renewable electricity generation and efficiency of energy in United States of America (USA). Our study suggested to value environmental initiatives, like other infrastructure initiatives, for greater electricity generation and energy efficiency in USA. Such infrastructural projects need long-term financing and capital-intensiveness. Our findings suggest that to sustain growth, development, and energy poverty reduction, around $26 trillion would be required, in terms of green financing, in the USA alone by the year 2030 to enhance energy efficiency. To achieve energy sustainability goals in USA, recent research suggested some policy implication considering the post COVID-19 time. If suggested policy implications are implemented successfully there are chances that green financing would make energy generation and energy efficiency as effective.

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