scholarly journals Architectural Vantage Point to Bioplastics in the Circular Economy

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Esen Gökçe Özdamar ◽  
Murat AteÅŸ
Keyword(s):  
Interior Design ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Vantage Point ◽  
Agricultural Products ◽  
Design Element ◽  
Innovative Materials

In the circular economy, bio-based plastics or bioplastics as emerging innovative materials are increasingly being used in many industries from packaging to building materials and agricultural products to electronic and biomedical devices, there is an increasing research on the evaluation of bioplastics in architecture, both as a material or as a design element in interior design. Therefore, this article is a step towards understanding the importance of bioplastic materials in the circular economies and in architecture, regarding the negative carbon footprint and long-term environmental effects of fossil-based plastics.

scholarly journals Innovative Farming and Building Materials from Recycled Plastics

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 18-22
Author(s):  
Andrew Wekesa Nabangala ◽  
Benson Githua Kimani ◽  
Benard Isaac Nyakundi
Keyword(s):  
Interior Design ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Heating Temperature ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Fish Ponds ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Molten Polymers ◽  
Innovative Materials ◽  
Recycled Plastics ◽  
Plastic Containers

Despite the ban on use of plastic paper bags, large amounts of plastic litter still exist in our environment. Plastic bottles form a greater percentage of the litter. The growth of the consumer market for cosmetics and soft drinks which are usually packaged in plastic containers continues to give rise to plastic pollution. To maintain the quality of the environment while achieving sustainable development plastic litter could be viewed as raw and innovative materials for making new items. Plastics can be recycled and made into furniture, ornamental products, and building blocks among others. This paper describes how recycling plastic waste into products of plastic sheets and blocks is conducted for multi-purpose use. The resultant sheets and blocks can be designed to have slots and extensions on the edges such that they allow interlocking the same way concrete interlock blocks work. The sheets and blocks can be used to make furniture, office partitions, and interior design. The sheets for furniture making can be craftily decorated with beads while they are still in molten state to produce ornamental furniture. This can be achieved through arranging beads in molds before introducing the molten polymers into them. The plastic blocks and sheets can also be used to make swimming pools and fish ponds. Heating temperature and oxidation should however be monitored to prevent degradation of the polymers. The resultant products are durable, attractive and affordable.

Soil phosphorous accumulation in long-term P fertilization paddy field and its environmental effects

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 393
Author(s):  
Xiao YAN ◽  
De-Jian WANG ◽  
Gang ZHANG ◽  
Lu-Ji BO ◽  
Xiao-Lan PENG
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Paddy Field ◽  
P Fertilization ◽  
Soil Phosphorous

scholarly journals Circular economy in the construction sector: advancing environmental performance through systemic and holistic thinking

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magnus Sparrevik ◽  
Luitzen de Boer ◽  
Ottar Michelsen ◽  
Christofer Skaar ◽  
Haley Knudson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Recursive Structure ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
Environmental Effectiveness ◽  
Standards And Regulations ◽  
Management Schemes ◽  
Different Levels

AbstractThe construction sector is progressively becoming more circular by reducing waste, re-using building materials and adopting regenerative solutions for energy production and biodiversity protection. The implications of circularity on construction activities are complex and require the careful evaluation of impacts to select the appropriate path forward. Evaluations of circular solutions and their environmental effectiveness are often performed based on various types of life cycle-based impact assessments. This paper uses systemic thinking to map and evaluate different impact assessment methodologies and their implications for a shift to more circular solutions. The following systemic levels are used to group the methodologies: product (material life cycle declarations and building assessments), organisation (certification and management schemes) and system (policies, standards and regulations). The results confirm that circular economy is integrated at all levels. However, development and structure are not coordinated or governed unidirectionally, but rather occur simultaneously at different levels. This recursive structure is positive if the methods are applied in the correct context, thus providing both autonomy and cohesion in decision making. Methods at lower systemic levels may then improve production processes and stimulate the market to create circular and innovative building solutions, whereas methods at higher systemic levels can be used, for example, by real estate builders, trade organisations and governments to create incentives for circular development and innovation in a broader perspective. Use of the performance methods correctly within an actor network is therefore crucial for successful and effective implementation of circular economy in the construction sector.

scholarly journals Application of Plastic Wastes in Construction Materials: A Review Using the Concept of Life-Cycle Assessment in the Context of Recent Research for Future Perspectives

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3549
Author(s):  
Tulane Rodrigues da Silva ◽  
Afonso Rangel Garcez de Azevedo ◽  
Daiane Cecchin ◽  
Markssuel Teixeira Marvila ◽  
Mugahed Amran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Plastic Wastes ◽  
Solid Waste Generation ◽  
Alternative Processes

The urbanization process contributes to the growth of solid waste generation and causes an increase in environmental impacts and failures in the management of solid waste. The number of dumps is a concern due to the limited implementation and safe disposal of this waste. The interest in sustainable techniques has been growing in relation to waste management, which is largely absorbed by the civil construction sector. This work aimed to review plastic waste, especially polyethylene terephthalate (PET), that can be incorporated with construction materials, such as concrete, mortars, asphalt mixtures, and paving. The use of life-cycle assessment (LCA) is related, as a tool that allows the sustainability of products and processes to be enhanced in the long term. After analyzing the recent literature, it was identified that studies related to plastic wastes in construction materials concentrate sustainability around the alternative destination of waste. Since the plastic waste from different production chains are obtained, it was possible to affirm the need for a broader assessment, such as the LCA, providing greater quantification of data making the alternative processes and products more sustainable. The study contributes to enhance sustainability in alternative building materials through LCA.

scholarly journals Circular Agreements—Exploring the Role of Agreements and Deals as a Political Tool for a Circular Economy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nils Johansson
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Alternative Form ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Free Rider Problem ◽  
Political Governance ◽  
The Eu

AbstractA problem for a circular economy, embedded in its policies, tools, technologies and models, is that it is driven by the interests and needs of producers, rather than customers and users. This opinion paper focuses on an alternative form of governance—agreements, which thanks to their bargaining approach brings actors from across the value chain into the policy process. The purpose of this opinion paper is to uncover and analyse the potential of such agreements for a circular economy. Circular agreements aim at increasing the circulation of materials and are an emerging form of political governance within the EU. These agreements have different names, involve different actors and govern in different ways. However, circular agreements seem to work when other types of regulations fail to establish circulation. These agreements bring actors together and offer a platform for negotiating how advantages and disadvantages can be redistributed between actors in a way that is more suitable for a circular economy. However, circular agreements are dependent on other policy instruments to work and can generate a free-rider problem with uninvolved actors. The agreements may also become too detailed and long term, which leads to problem shifting and lock-ins, respectively.

Carbon footprint model for reverse logistics of waste disposal in interior design industry

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 889-906 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Chin Liang ◽  
Jia-Ping Lee
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Interior Design ◽  
Waste Disposal ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Reverse Logistics ◽  
Corporate Image ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Analytical Results ◽  
Market Competitiveness

Purpose Due to the increasing awareness of the need to protect the environment, reverse logistics (RL) is being promoted to improve the ecological sustainability of production. RL can lower the costs of waste disposal, increase market competitiveness, and maintain a good corporate image. Hence, modern companies are focusing on environmental protection to demonstrate social responsibility. According to the OECD report of 2003, buildings consume 32 percent of resources, 12 percent of water, and 40 percent of energy worldwide, and the building waste comprises almost 40 percent of the all waste in the world. Therefore, controlling waste from the interior design sector may help slow global warming. This paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This investigation models the current and new RL of disposing interior design waste in Taiwan. Modeling the carbon footprint (CF) of disposing interior design waste can help companies be aware of the environmental impact of disposing of waste, and how to improve it through RL. This investigation models the CFs of disposing interior design waste based on studies from Benjaafar et al. (2013), Pishvaee et al. (2009, 2010), and Tascione et al. (2014). Findings Analytical results showed that the RL significantly decreases the environmental impact of wastes. Companies can control carbon emission through the findings of this study and find how to improve their recycling process through RL. Research limitations/implications This study used the model proposed by Tascione et al. (2014) to develop an RL model for Taiwan. Whereas most studies in the literature analyze the carbon emissions from the comparison between cost and benefit, this study considered the logistics for the whole lifecycle of a product. The analytical results of this study reveal that that RL can reduce the environmental impact of wastes. This case study is the first to obtain results that can be extended to other countries. This study also reveals the importance of recycling plants that can process demolition waste for reuse. Originality/value This is the first study to model the RL based on literatures. The findings of this study can be extended to other cases.

scholarly journals Análisis del tostado del grano de café

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Adolfo RAMÍREZ-ROMÁN ◽  
Ángel SUÁREZ-ÁLVAREZ ◽  
Jacqueline CHABAT-URANGA ◽  
Francisco ORTIZ-MARTÍNEZ
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Educational Program ◽  
Agricultural Products ◽  
Environmental Care ◽  
Roasting Process ◽  
Statistical Results ◽  
Ground Powder

Analyzing coffee grain roasting operations - Veracruz Region will contribute to the distribution of equipment and machinery in the Industrial Engineering workshop of the Educational Program. It aims to obtain improvements in the roasting process through the study of the work (January–June 2019), to lay the foundation for the proposals of Systems of Quality Management, Safety and Environmental Care in the following phases of the project (2019-2020) with effects on continuous improvement. In the coffee industry in Mexico has in the medium and long term, opportunities to grow and consolidate. As with most agricultural products from smallholders, such as coffee, the prices paid for the input ("cherry coffee") They are far from what the processed coffee comes to obtain in presentations of soluble and ground powder for coffee makers, and the process of improvement, quality, efficiency in roasting activities is necessary. The method analyzed the case studies of the operations of companies, producers and research related to the coffee and coffee industry and the interpretation of the statistical results.

scholarly journals Conditions for increasing the export of agricultural products in our country in the context of a pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2/S) ◽  
pp. 172-178
Author(s):  
Hojiakbar Fayzullaev ◽  
Umidjon Dadabaev
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Agricultural Products ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Vegetables And Fruits ◽  
Dignified Life

This article examines the sectors of the economy of countries during the pandemic, as well as the issues of growing and exporting agricultural products. The article examines the processes of production of vegetables and fruits in the agricultural sector, their processing high - quality supply of the population, and export. In this article, the authors emphasize the importance of reforms and measures taken in our country not only to save the economy in the event of a pandemic but also to protect our greatest wealth from threats, to ensure their dignified life and long-term development.

scholarly journals Assessing the long term effects on climate change of metallurgical slags valorization as construction material: a comparison between static and dynamic global warming impacts

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-111
Author(s):  
Andrea Di Maria ◽  
◽  
Annie Levasseur ◽  
Karel Van Acker ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Steel Slag ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Stainless Steel Slag ◽  
Environmental Evaluation

<abstract> <p>The interest in circular economy for the construction sector is constantly increasing, and Global Warming Potential (GWP) is often used to assess the carbon footprint of buildings and building materials. However, GWP presents some methodological challenges when assessing the environmental impacts of construction materials. Due to the long life of construction materials, GWP calculation should take into consideration also time-related aspects. However, in the current GWP, any temporal information is lost, making traditional static GWP better suited for retrospective assessment rather than forecasting purposes. Building on this need, this study uses a time-dependent GWP to assess the carbon footprint of two newly developed construction materials, produced through the recycling of industrial residues (stainless steel slag and industrial goethite). The results for both materials are further compared with the results of traditional ordinary Portland cement (OPC) based concrete, presenting similar characteristics. The results of the dynamic GWP (D_GWP) are also compared to the results of traditional static GWP (S_GWP), to see how the methodological development of D_GWP may influence the final environmental evaluation for construction materials. The results show the criticality of the recycling processes, especially in the case of goethite valorization. The analysis shows also that, although the D_GWP did not result in a shift in the ranking between the three materials compared with S_GWP, it provides a clearer picture of emission flows and their effect on climate change over time.</p> </abstract>

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