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To be able to sustain the ever-expanding energy requirements of our society, changes are needed both in regards to the sources of energy, but also regarding the reduction of waste through public awareness and involvement. The concepts of smart grids and smart meters are hot topics due to the proven improvements they offer and even applications dedicated to the end user offering generic energy-reduction advice have been proven to lead to change in the user’s behaviour. The availability of energy consumption information specific to each appliance is necessary to be able to draw clear conclusions, to formulate practical recommendations and to design action points. These suggestions can be integrated in game-like applications that motivate users to engage and reduce their consumption. We propose a device that is able to separate the energy consumption of each appliance in a house by disaggregating data collected when attached to the power meter. There already are successful gamified energy monitoring solutions, but this device will offer granulated data that will elevate the level by offering exact, individual, clear action points. Furthermore, atomized information about the electric consumption of each appliance provides a method for accurate tracking of the results- making available not only the overall efficiency, but also enabling the automatic check of how many suggestions the user followed, how much improvement one has done and quantifying these to obtain the metrics for success and to be able to follow a real-life progress path without user input. The interest of the public in ecological, environmental issues is rising, but understanding the impact of every-day actions on our electrical fingerprint is difficult without field knowledge or a monitoring method. Our solution is meant to both empower the public to make informed decisions and to quantify their progress to enhance the drive and motivation through gamification methods.
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In the context of globalization and environmental issues worldwide, sustainability has become a crucial concept for maintaining life and natural resources on the planet. Sustainability is an extremely important concept, especially among researchers, representing a constant concern in the textile industry. Worldwide, sustainability is an important concern and priority, both for the conservation of the planet and for the healthy development of society. The experimental research in this paper is part of the field of sustainable textile finishing. These were achieved by applying ecological treatments on linen and hemp fabrics, at ambient temperature between 23-25°C, and the effect of incubation time was studied for 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, 120 h. The experimental study aimed at both the influence of treatment on the water absorption capacity of the textile substrate in the absence of enzyme, and the influence of treatment in the presence of enzyme. In order to store the results and experimental information obtained for the use thereof by students and PhD students in the field, the paper proposes the development of a software system consisting of a MySQL online database server and a desktop application running on a Windows operating system, created on the .NET platform, using the C # programming language. The software application has an open structure with the possibility to extend the information and add other data. The information used is the result of experimental research regarding the influence of finishing treatments on the water absorption capacity of linen and hemp fabrics in the following situations: both in the absence of enzyme, by means of treatments with buffer solution, respectively treatments with buffer solution and non-ionic surfactant, as well as in the presence of enzyme, by treatments with buffer solution and enzyme, respectively treatments with enzyme and non-ionic surfactant. Following the experimental research, a comparative analysis can be made between the results obtained after the application of treatments in the absence of enzyme and the application of treatments in the presence of enzyme. The results obtained will appear in the “data” table in order to facilitate the observation and interpretation of data by users. The software system presented in this paper was created in order to be used as an e-learning tool in laboratory in teaching- learning activities by students and PhD students from the Faculty of Industrial Design and Business Management from “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi. This software system is a very useful tool that can be used by students in obtaining sustainable fabrics, which are essential in creating and developing ecological and sustainable textile products.
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A strong and current research concern aims at the development of sustainable processes and products made from natural materials, such as natural fabrics and natural dyes. Ecological dyeing with natural dyes is a topical issue in the field of textile finishing. Currently, the role of finishing in textile dyeing has become increasingly demanding, requiring a careful balance between the compatibility of different finishing products and the application of the processes used, having the purpose of offering textiles important comfort characteristics. In this context, the problem to be solved concerns finding the balance regarding the compatibility of textile materials with different finishing products and processes used for this purpose. The experimental research carried out in this paper aims at analysing the parameters of thermo-physiological comfort in case of linen and hemp fabrics after the dyeing process with natural dyes Madder, Logwood, Weld, Cochineal, Chlorophyll. The paper presents the development of a software system composed of an online MySQL database server, and a desktop application, running on the Windows operating system, developed on the .NET platform, using the C # programming language. This software system aims at storing and determining comfort features, such as resistance to vapor passage, resistance to air passage, by saving and using the necessary values through the database created. The database is designed in such a way that it can be extended to other types of textiles and dyes, as well as to other experimental values for comfort features. The final results will appear in the “data” table for the observation, interpretation and choice by users, in order to be used for developing sustainable clothing products. The software system was created both with the purpose of calculating and storing the experimental results obtained, in order to be used by students and Phd students in the field, as well as of finding fabrics dyed with natural dyes, which are optimal in choosing the best options to be suggested for the development of textile products in a sustainable and ecological context. This software system is used as an e-learning tool in teaching-learning activities by students from the Faculty of Industrial Design and Business Management from “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi. It is extremely useful in laboratory research activities performed within the courses of the disciplines “Design”, “Developing Collections” and “Fashion Industry” in creating fashion collections, developed in an ecological and sustainable context.
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With the rise of online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, experimental laboratories in all STEM fields have to be fundamentally reconsidered as experimental work is an indispensable part of a student's education. Creating the necessary materials for a truly useful alternative to in-person work requires looking outside the traditional methods of teaching. This paper is meant to serve as a general framework for the development of video materials. In order to make these accessible and engaging, and therefore effective, the production quality ought to be taken into account. The focus will be set on the development of a series of videos on the phenomenological study of electrolysis of water, with a particular interest in hydrogen and oxygen production. The first part of the series is designed to be accessible to a general audience, regardless of the degree of familiarity that they have with the subject, doubling as a science popularization material. The second and third parts are dedicated to students in the fields related to renewable energies, however they may be useful to any in STEM fields. The third part will include a remote access laboratory set-up by converting the original experiment. This will involve a redesign of the experimental set-up to fit the technological upgrades. This article provides a cost-efficient workflow for adapting traditional on-site experiments to the online medium. Such materials do not have to remain a tool for e-learning, but rather, they can be used as supporting materials for future in person teaching as well.
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Objective: Using the example of the Eco-incineration plant in Cracow, the article presents modern solutions that enable the creation of an optimal and logistically properly functioning solid waste management systems. Research Design & Methods: The subject was approached using a literature analysis, logical inference analysis, analysis of theoretical and practical aspects of waste management, and a description of the factors determining them. Findings: The use of innovative solutions in the transport, segregation, and processing of solid waste significantly improves the logistic waste management systems. Implications / Recommendations: The article concludes that implementing smart city solutions contributes to better urban management, facilitates life for inhabitants, and reduces the city’s negative impact on the environment. Hence such solutions are recommended. Contribution: The publication justifies the conducting of research on the impact of technological innovations used in urban management and smart cities. Practical conclusions can be used to improve the quality of logistics processes in cities.
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The article discusses energy sites like real estate and their specifics and economic characteristics. As energy sites are always permanently attached to the land, according to Bulgarian law, they are equated to real estate, and the transfer of ownership must be in notarized form. Therefore, to define the energy sites in detail and derive their characteristics, they should be considered a specific type of real estate. Energy sites are subject to special supervision, and their owners can only be energy companies. Like all real estate, energy sites have the character of economic goods, as they are created as a result of human activity and to meet specific needs in society - production, transportation, storage, and distribution of energy. They are tangible fixed assets and can also be characterized as a particular type of capital and a special type of goods in rare cases
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In the context of large-scale movements in the automotive market and the widespread promotion of electric vehicles in order to reduce pollution, companies operating in this market must adapt, on the fly, their development strategies in order to survive and develop. Our research traces the main strategic directions generated in Mobility 2.0 of the top 3 global manufacturers: Volkswagen Group, Toyota, and General Motors. The impact of the transformation of the car market is reflected not only on car manufacturers but also on the whole ecosystem of suppliers and partners, such as a related sector represented by the tire market.
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Environmental sustainability, elimination and prevention of negative impacts of economic activities on individual components of environment have become an essential part of every economic policy. Concerns about the state of the environment are also reflected in innovation, scientific and technical policies, in which eco-innovation is becoming increasingly important. The aim of the article is to evaluate eco-innovations in Slovakia and to test the interdependence of the level of patenting of environmental technologies on government budget outlays or appropriations for research and development in the area of environment and energy. In order to test for the interdependence, regression was used. We used the eco-innovation index elaborated by the European Commission to evaluate the eco-innovation performance of Slovakia.
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The present study aims to evaluate the bioclimatic potential of the submontane region between Sucevița and Slănic Moldova based on the THI thermo-hygrometric index, for which we used monthly data covering the period 1961-2013. From the analysis of this index, we aimed to identify the annual and multiannual regime of bioclimatic features for the targeted study area. The purpose of this study is to highlight the favorable periods of the year, when the comfortable and favorable time for outdoor activities prevails. The information obtained reinforces that there are resorts in the submontane contact area along the alignment between Sucevița and Slănic Moldova has a sedative-indifferent bioclimate, sparing with long periods of the year (from May to September) favorable for outdoor tourism activities: hiking, cycling, mountain biking, Nordic walking.
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A sustainable development cannot be achieved without strategies and policies aiming to preserve the natural resources and ecosystems. Along with collective actions, increasing the level of general awareness regarding environmental protection, nowadays, in the context of the actual environmental crisis, is almost mandatory also at individual level. In our study, we analyzed the evolution of perceptions related to the priority given to environmental protection in the eight development regions of Romania, using data from World Values Survey (waves 1994- 1998; 2005-2009; 2010-2014; 2017-2020). The entry data showed an interesting evolution of these perceptions and highlighted two regions with significant levels of concern towards environmental protection: West and Bucharest-Ilfov. We also attempted to identify if there are different regional patterns regarding the actions for protecting environment, i.e. the expenditures for environmental protection, the active involvement in ecological movements, the behavior towards municipal waste recycling, existence of green spaces, as indicators of the level of concrete participation in pro-environmental activities, in relation to the average personal incomes and spending. In this regard, we applied the Principal Component Analysis and the Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, as a complementary measure for the first one. The results showed major differences between the eight regions of Romania, observing that the ones with high values of medium personal income and spending also register high levels of involvement in environmental protection. The major differences were observed between Bucharest-Ilfov, on one hand, and, North-East, South-Muntenia and South-West Regions of Romania, on the other hand.
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Air temperature and precipitations are major factors affecting the climate of a certain place. They define the basic matrix of the climate, and their evolution are of interest for the whole of both human and scientific community. The purpose of the present study is to highlight the sign and the magnitude of the trend in the air temperature at Botoşani city weather station for the whole period 1961-2017, and for both its major subdivisions (1961-1990 and 1991-2017, respectively) throughout different temporal subsets (from the level of an average year to the level of a month). Besides air temperature, we determined the evolutive trend in the amount of rainfall using a similar methodology (based mainly on the Mann- Kendall and t tests). Following our approach, we showcased the thermal and pluviometric reality at Botoşani, which is in a continuous change (as for the temperature values) or in a relatively dynamic balance (with respect to the amount of precipitations). More precisely, at Botoşani, against an annual average temperature of 9.4°C and an annual average of precipitations of 569.0 mm, after the year 1961 and mostly after 1990, the tendency was positive, which indicates an increase in air temperature. From a thermal point of view, considered annualy, seasonally and by warm and cold seasons (excepting autumn, with an insignificant increase), air temperature displayed a representative increase in value over the assessed period (1961-2017). On the whole, the annual temperature values increased by 0.32°C / decade, which presents a maximum statistical significance. Annual amount of rainfall increased over the period 1961 – 2017 by 4.46--5.35 mm/ decade, but this was not statistically significant.
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The essential requirements of our everyday lives are fresh air, pure water, nourishing food, and clean energy in a most sustainable manner. The present review article concisely discusses recent innovations in solar energy education, research, and development toward providing clean and affordable energy and clean water to some extent. This article primarily addresses the Sustainable Development Goal 7 of the United Nations (SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy). Over the past few decades, many research activities have been carried out on solar energy conversion and utilization. The deployment of solar energy technologies has been witnessed to combat global warming and the betterment of the planet. Drivers and barriers to implementing solar energy systems from school to master's level through real-time deployments are discussed for further development and innovations. Mainly, expedited solar energy education and research are essential to improve solar energy utilization. The advancements in solar energy education and research towards sustainable energy development and circular economy are highlighted along with further directions required.
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In today's fast-developing world, the use of composite materials is closely related to environmental pollution, renewable and biodegradable resources. A researcher is looking for environmentally friendly materials. Natural and synthetic fibres come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Natural fibres include jute, straw wheat, rice husk banana fibre, pineapple leaf fibre, cotton, Sisal, Coir, Oats, and Bagasse. Every year, 13.5 tonnes of banana fibre are produced in India. Teabags, paper, and polymer composite reinforcement are just a few of the applications for banana fibre. This article focuses on the manufacture of banana fibre with epoxy and a variety of other natural fibres. By combining banana fibre with some current technology, waste will be reduced, and energy efficiency will be increased, all while supporting sustainability. Banana fibres are covered in this work, along with their uses, applications, and mechanical qualities, as well as how banana fibre might improve mechanical properties.
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This study investigates the causal link between tourism, electric power consumption and economic growth in 34 OECD countries. Unlike previous studies, this study applies the panel VAR model with the Granger causality test, impulse response, and variance decomposition. The findings show a positive trend for all variables. As economic growth increases, tourism receipts and electricity consumption are increasing as well. The results reveal bi-directional causal relationship between all of the variables, and the findings are consistent with previous studies. These findings may encourage the decision-makers to make the necessary efforts to create a friendly environment for sustainable tourism.
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Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 requires higher shares of renewable energy and greater energy efficiency in an integrated energy system. The RS produces electricity from different sources. The Thermal power plant "Ugljevik”, a relatively small plant, emits unimaginable amounts of dangerous sulphur dioxide. Bearing in mind the share of energy from fossil fuels, the question for the RS is how to provide enough energy to future generations? The development of the RES production in the RS is a crucial challenge for policymakers nowadays. This transformation will improve our health and well- being, create jobs, generate investment and innovation, reduce energy poverty and dependency on energy imports and strengthen the security of supply.
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Non-technological innovation comes from sectors with the capacity of applying knowledge provided by foreign companies and trade partners. Green procurement proved to be an essential factor that stimulates innovation and economic resilience. It is often found in companies in South-Eastern Europe, social responsibility, a high level of competencies, and agile operational management. Romania made critical green procurement and agile management steps to impact productivity with a low footprint on the environment positively. On the other hand, Serbia could not access FP7funds to invest in R&D and eco-innovation, reflected in a low Global Innovation Index Ranking. The paper addresses competitiveness and innovation within the case study model of Serbia and Romania, explores similarities and differences, and makes recommendations. Competitiveness and innovation are observed within the context of circular economy.
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From the point of view of ecology, human represents one of the unavoidable key ecological factors of the environment, which, among other things, is clearly manifested in the segment of waste generation and in the segment of waste management. From the standpoint of Islam, human is a governor who disturbs the situation and makes a mess in the environment. Human's influence in the segment of waste generation is often, in addition to the environmental and legal aspects, also viewed from the religious aspect. According to the national definition in Bosnia and Herzegovina, waste means all substances or objects that the owner disposes of, intends to dispose of or is required to be disposed of in accordance with one of the waste categories listed in the waste list. Nowadays, the issue of waste is part of the global environmental problems of the modern world in which human, with his activities, is a decisive factor in changing the environment. All activities are mainly related to meeting his needs. In this regard, there are regulatory mechanisms that most often in our country rely on legal regulations. In addition to legal mechanisms, there are also religious (Islam) and environmental mechanisms.
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The use of informatics and automation in the process of underground and surface exploitation of mineral resources is increasingly obliging experts in this field, to give priority to this flow, which covers the entire technique and technology. Modern approaches in underground and surface exploitation imply a much greater participation of experts in the pits and in the surface mines in the research, which should enable greater efficiency of the exploitation process, and thus, higher profits. Knowledge of world technology, modern mining techniques and the quality of human resources must give a new impetus to underground and surface exploitation in terms of mass creativity, which will later take over new technological solutions. The real possibilities in the realization of these development tasks are provided by informatics. The starting point for the use of informatics is a quality database. The traditional approach to the database mainly represents a centralized database for underground exploitation as well as the entire surface mine, as a recurrence of centralized computer centers and information systems. The introduction of personal computers, however, is increasingly changing the creative attitude towards relational databases, which enable faster development of application programs, intended to solve very specific problems. In pits as well as in surface mines, a distributed database is necessary for the deposit (geology, hydrogeology, hydrology, geodesy, geomechanics, etc.), for equipment (harvesters, loaders, methanometric power plants, pumps, transformer stations, excavators, trucks, drills, conveyors, auxiliary equipment) and for economics (production costs, ore price, etc.).
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The assessment of vulnerability to climate change focuses on identifying how threats from climate change can affect the ecological and socio-economic environment. This assessment takes into account the adaptation capacity and resilience of different institutions and key sectors to climate change and how climate change and other risks are reflected in the socio-economic and environmental dimensions at national, regional, and local level. Indicators of vulnerability to climate change can be aggregated by weighting to obtain Climate Vulnerability Index. The authors propose a new algorithm for calculating the Climate Vulnerability Index for the Republic of Moldova’s administrative-territorial units as a composite index that includes three pillars: exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Each of the pillars includes a set of sub-indices, which in turn contain of several indicators.
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