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The Potential of Small, Low-carbon, Zero-energy Housing: A Multidimensional Approach

Souaid, C. (author)

This thesis examines the potential of small, low-carbon, (near) zero-energy dwellings as a solution that would both address sustainability challenges and answer to the growing housing shortage in North-West Europe. It adopts a multidimensional outlook that encompasses institutional, social and technical aspects surrounding the dwellings. The...

doctoral thesis 2024

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Economic assessment of nature-based solutions to reduce flood risk and enhance co-benefits

Ruangpan, L. (author), Vojinovic, Zoran (author), Plavšić, Jasna (author), Curran, Alex (author), Rosic, Nikola (author), Pudar, Ranko (author), Savic, Dragan (author), Brdjanovic, Damir (author)

Flooding is expected to increase due to climate change, urbanisation, and land use change. To address this issue, Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs) are often adopted as innovative and sustainable flood risk management methods. Besides the flood risk reduction benefits, NBSs offer co-benefits for the environment and society. However, these co...

journal article 2024

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Prospective life cycle inventory datasets for conventional and hybrid-electric aircraft technologies

Thonemann, Nils (author), Saavedra-Rubio, Karen (author), Pierrat, Eleonore (author), Dudka, Katarzyna (author), Bangoura, Mathilde (author), Baumann, Nils (author), Bentheimer, Christian (author), Caliandro, Priscilla (author), De Breuker, R. (author)

Hybrid-electric aircraft represent a promising solution for the urgent need to decarbonize short-haul flights and bolster aviation sustainability. Nevertheless, the realization of hybrid-electric aircraft demands rigorous environmental impact analysis, given the substantial investments, time, and research required for technology development....

journal article 2024

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Contribution of capital goods production to social impacts: A life cycle perspective for a circular desalination plant

Tsalidis, G.A. (author), Kokubo Roche, A.M.B. (author), Randazzo, Serena (author), Posada Duque, J.A. (author)

The production of capital goods is often ignored in the life cycle inventory phase of life cycle assessment studies. In this study, we investigated whether capital goods production, i.e., manufacturing of capital equipment and construction of infrastructure, and operation affect the results of the social life cycle assessment (S-LCA), using a...

journal article 2024

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Coupling agent-based modelling and life cycle assessment for a behaviour-driven evaluation of SAEVs

Vilaça, M.V. (author), Correia, Gonçalo (author), Coelho, Margarida C. (author)

Shared Automated Electric Vehicles (SAEVs) are poised to revolutionize future transportation. However, potential drawbacks, including increased vehicle usage and the projected shorter vehicle lifespan, introduce critical factors that may impact efficiency and environmental benefits. This research introduces a framework that integrates Agent...

journal article 2024

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Downsizing and the use of timber as embodied carbon reduction strategies for new-build housing: A partial life cycle assessment

Souaid, C. (author), ten Caat, P.N. (author), Meijer, A. (author), Visscher, H.J. (author)

The 2050 decarbonization goals coupled with the growing housing shortage in Europe intensify the pressure on new-build dwellings to enhance their energy performance. Beyond a zero operational energy, the focus has shifted towards reducing embodied carbon (EC). Against this backdrop, this study investigates the simultaneous impact of downsizing...

journal article 2024

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Decarbonizing the cement industry: Findings from coupling prospective life cycle assessment of clinker with integrated assessment model scenarios

Müller, Amelie (author), Harpprecht, Carina (author), Sacchi, Romain (author), Maes, Ben (author), van Sluisveld, Mariësse (author), Daioglou, Vassilis (author), Šavija, B. (author), Steubing, Bernhard (author)

In the race to achieve global climate neutrality, carbon intensive industries like the clinker and cement industry are required to decarbonize rapidly. The environmental impacts related to potential transition pathways to low-carbon systems can be evaluated using prospective life cycle assessment (pLCA). This study conducts a pLCA for future...

journal article 2024

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Modeling the anaerobic fermentation of CO, H2 and CO2 mixtures at large and micro-scales

Almeida Benalcazar, E.F. (author)

The mitigation of global warming requires an urgent shift from the fossil fuel-based productive matrix currently in place. Technological platforms are being developed to reduce the amount of carbon of fossil origin, which is emitted to the atmosphere as a side-product from the production of energy. Gas mixtures containing CO, H2 and CO2 are...

doctoral thesis 2023

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Developing circular building components: Between ideal and feasible

van Stijn, A. (author)

Creating a circular economy within the built environment plays a crucial role in society’s pursuit to become more sustainable. A building consists of building components, such as a kitchen, façade and roof. By replacing building components with more circular ones during new construction, maintenance and renovation, we can gradually make...

doctoral thesis 2023

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Life cycle assessment of stone buildings in the Taihang mountains of Hebei province: Evolution towards cleaner production and operation

Long, Lingege (author), Li, Qingxiang (author), Gan, Zhenkun (author), Mu, Jun (author), Overend, M. (author), Zhang, Dayu (author)

The building sector has gained significant attention due to its remarkably high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In China's rural areas, stone is a popular building material, but there are unprecedented demands to improve the life-cycle performance of stone buildings. It is essential to preserve the original architectural...

journal article 2023

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Environmental impacts in the civil aviation sector: Current state and guidance

Rupcic, Lea (author), Pierrat, Eleonore (author), Saavedra-Rubio, Karen (author), Thonemann, Nils (author), Ogugua, C.J. (author), Laurent, Alexis (author)

The aviation sector contributes to environmental problems like climate change, resource depletion, and air pollution. We perform a systematic literature review of life cycle assessment studies to map the environmental impacts in the sector and provide methodological recommendations. The sector is divided into cross-cutting systems, namely...

journal article 2023

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Revealing the management of municipal textile waste and citizen practices: The case of Catalonia

Morell-Delgado, Gemma (author), Talens Peiró, Laura (author), Toboso Chavero, S.T.C.H. (author)

Although the number of studies assessing the textile sector is increasing, only a few focus on its waste management. This study aims to shed light on current textile waste disposal practices and account for their environmental impact. To do so, a combination of citizen surveying and environmental quantitative tools, such as material flow...

journal article 2023

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Demolition or retention of buildings: drivers at the masterplan scale

Baker, Hannah (author), Moncaster, Alice (author), Wilkinson, Sara (author), Remøy, H.T. (author)

Current adaptation theory tends to consider individual buildings or the city level, which cannot address decisions related to masterplan developments on large brownfield sites. This paper investigates the drivers for building demolition or retention and adaptation decisions at the masterplan scale. Expert interviews and three case studies are...

journal article 2023

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A circular economy strategy for valorizing industrial saline wastewaters: Techno-economics and environmental impacts

Roibas Rozas, A. (author), Saavedra del Oso, Mateo (author), Posada Duque, J.A. (author), Mosquera-Corral, Anuska (author), Hospido, Almudena (author)

Mussels cooking wastewater (MCW) and fish processing wastewater (FPW) were utilized as feedstocks for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and triacylglycerides (TAG) at the laboratory scale. This study presents a comparison of the techno-economic and environmental performance of ten circular economy-based and innovative processes,...

journal article 2023

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Early-stage analysis of a novel insulation material based on MPCM-doped cementitious foam: Modelling of properties, identification of production process hotspots and exploration of performance trade-offs

Zhilyaev, D. (author), Fachinotti, Victor D. (author), Zanoni, Francesca (author), Ortega, Amaya (author), Goracci, Guido (author), Mankel, Christoph (author), Koenders, Eduardus A.B. (author), Jonkers, H.M. (author)

This study presents an early-stage design exploration of NRG-Foam, an innovative insulation material composed of cementitious foam doped with microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCMs). The study comprises the static part that utilizes life cycle assessment and life cycle costing assessment for getting insight into the impacts of the...

journal article 2023

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Life-cycle assessment of marine biofuels from thermochemical liquefaction of different olive residues in Spain

Chandrasekaran, S. (author), Wammes, Puck (author), Posada Duque, J.A. (author)

Advanced biofuels from thermochemical liquefaction, such as pyrolysis (PY) and Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), of olive residues in the Andalusian region of Spain (specifically in the province of Jaen) can potentially play a crucial role in the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the maritime sector. In this study, an...

book chapter 2023

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Life cycle assessment of material footprint in recycling: A case of concrete recycling

Zhang, Chunbo (author), Hu, Mingming (author), van der Meide, Marc (author), Di Maio, F. (author), Yang, Xining (author), Gao, Xiaofeng (author), Li, Kai (author), Zhao, Hailong (author), Li, Chen (author)

Meeting the current demand for concrete requires not only mining tons of gravel and sand, but also burning large amounts of fossil fuel resources in cement kilning. Consequently, concrete recycling is crucial to achieving a material-efficient society, especially with the application of various categories of concrete and the goal of phasing...

journal article 2023

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Life-Cycle Assessment of a Multi-Megawatt Airborne Wind Energy System

van Hagen, L.J.A. (author), Petrick, Kristian (author), Wilhelm, Stefan (author), Schmehl, R. (author)

A key motivation for airborne wind energy is its potential to reduce the amount of material required for the generation of renewable energy. On the other hand, the materials used for airborne systems’ components are generally linked to higher environmental impacts. This study presents comparative life-cycle analyses for future multi-megawatt...

journal article 2023

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Life cycle impacts assessment of two gold extraction systems in Colombia: open-pit and alluvial mining

Cano-Londoño, Natalia A. (author), Capaz, Rafael Silva (author), Hasenstab, Christian (author), Velásquez, Héctor I. (author), McIntyre, Neil (author), Corder, Glen D. (author), Posada Duque, J.A. (author)

Purpose: Gold mining has historically and significantly contributed to the Colombian economy. Gold extraction in Colombia is mainly done through two techniques: open-pit and alluvial mining. In this study, the environmental impacts of both these mining systems were analyzed using the life cycle assessment (LCA) framework, including...

journal article 2023

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Micromechanics-guided development of strain-hardening alkali-activated composites: Towards a low-carbon built environment

Zhang, Shizhe (author)

Alkali-activated Materials (AAMs), including those classified as geopolymer, are obtained through the reaction between a solid precursor and an alkaline solution. Compared with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) binders, these materials maintain comparable mechanical properties but have the advantage of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and...

doctoral thesis 2022