This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.
Circular economy is emerging as a regenerative concept that minimizes emissions, relies on renewable energy, and eliminates waste based on the design of closed-loop systems and the reuse of materials and resources. The implementation of circular economy practices in resource-consuming agricultural systems is essential for reducing the environmental ramifications of the currently linear systems. As the renewable segment of circular economy, bioeconomy facilitates the production of renewable biological resources (i.e., biomass) that transform into nutrients, bio-based products, and bioenergy. The use of recycled agro-industrial wastewater in agricultural activities (e.g., irrigation) can further foster the circularity of the bio-based systems. In this context, this paper aims to provide a literature review in the field of circular economy for the agrifood sector to enhance resource efficiency by: (i) minimizing the use of natural resources (e.g., water, energy), (ii) decreasing the use of chemical fertilizers, (iii) utilizing bio-based materials (e.g., agricultural/livestock residues), and (iv) reusing wastewater from agrifood operations. The final objective is to investigate any direct or indirect interactions within the water-energy-nutrients nexus. The derived framework of synergetic circular economy interventions in agriculture can act as a basis for developing circular bio-based business models and creating value-added agrifood products.
Efthymios Rodias; Eirini Aivazidou; Charisios Achillas; Dimitrios Aidonis; Dionysis Bochtis. Water-Energy-Nutrients Synergies in the Agrifood Sector: A Circular Economy Framework. Energies 2020, 14, 159 .
AMA StyleEfthymios Rodias, Eirini Aivazidou, Charisios Achillas, Dimitrios Aidonis, Dionysis Bochtis. Water-Energy-Nutrients Synergies in the Agrifood Sector: A Circular Economy Framework. Energies. 2020; 14 (1):159.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEfthymios Rodias; Eirini Aivazidou; Charisios Achillas; Dimitrios Aidonis; Dionysis Bochtis. 2020. "Water-Energy-Nutrients Synergies in the Agrifood Sector: A Circular Economy Framework." Energies 14, no. 1: 159.
In recent years, bioeconomy strategies have been successfully implemented and widely adopted internationally
Charisios Achillas; Dionysis Bochtis. Toward a Green, Closed-Loop, Circular Bioeconomy: Boosting the Performance Efficiency of Circular Business Models. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10142 .
AMA StyleCharisios Achillas, Dionysis Bochtis. Toward a Green, Closed-Loop, Circular Bioeconomy: Boosting the Performance Efficiency of Circular Business Models. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (23):10142.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCharisios Achillas; Dionysis Bochtis. 2020. "Toward a Green, Closed-Loop, Circular Bioeconomy: Boosting the Performance Efficiency of Circular Business Models." Sustainability 12, no. 23: 10142.
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management has been a major problem of modern cities for many years. Thus, the development of optimal waste management strategies has been a priority for the European Commission, especially in the transition toward a circular economy. In this paper, an analysis of different MSW treatment methods that can be effectively implemented in the Region of Central Macedonia (RCM) is provided, and their comparison from an environmental point of view is performed. The assessment is based on real data indicated in the recently updated Greek National Waste Management Plan, whereas the different scenarios developed include landfilling without energy recovery, landfilling with energy recovery, recycling and secondary materials recovery, mechanical-biological treatment, bio-waste composting and anaerobic digestion with energy recovery, and incineration with energy recovery. The obtained results illustrate that efficient waste streams sorting is of vital importance for the effective implementation of an integrated waste management system toward the sustainable management of MSW.
Georgios Banias; Maria Batsioula; Charisios Achillas; Sotiris Patsios; Konstantinos Kontogiannopoulos; Dionysis Bochtis; Nicolas Moussiopoulos. A Life Cycle Analysis Approach for the Evaluation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices: The Case Study of the Region of Central Macedonia, Greece. Sustainability 2020, 12, 8221 .
AMA StyleGeorgios Banias, Maria Batsioula, Charisios Achillas, Sotiris Patsios, Konstantinos Kontogiannopoulos, Dionysis Bochtis, Nicolas Moussiopoulos. A Life Cycle Analysis Approach for the Evaluation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices: The Case Study of the Region of Central Macedonia, Greece. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (19):8221.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGeorgios Banias; Maria Batsioula; Charisios Achillas; Sotiris Patsios; Konstantinos Kontogiannopoulos; Dionysis Bochtis; Nicolas Moussiopoulos. 2020. "A Life Cycle Analysis Approach for the Evaluation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices: The Case Study of the Region of Central Macedonia, Greece." Sustainability 12, no. 19: 8221.
The assessment of an investment is currently carried out by using mainly financial tools. This work presents a new model for the assessment of the sustainability of an industrial investment and focuses on the development of a holistic framework with the use of indicators. With the use of multi-criteria decision analysis, the framework evaluates a total of eighteen (18) alternative indicators in order to select the optimal bundle to be used for the assessment of future industrial investments. The proposed indicators are selected based on relevant data from the literature, taking into account the principles of prevention, planning and designing. The alternatives are assessed over four (4) criteria, namely environment, society, economy and technology, which are grounded on the principles of sustainable development. Depending on the special characteristics of the programme that is foreseen to fund the potential investments, the decision-maker is provided with a hierarchized set of indicators over which the alternative investments could be optimally assessed in parallel with widely used indicators that strictly assess economic performance. In the present work, twelve (12) different scenarios are examined, incorporating different values in the coefficients of the criteria. For the majority of the scenarios examined (a sensitivity analysis is also provided), the alternative indicator that is assessed with the highest score is “Resource Savings”, followed by “Recycling” and “Research, Innovation, Development”.
Paraskevi Ovezikoglou; Dimitrios Aidonis; Charisios Achillas; Christos Vlachokostas; Dionysis Bochtis. Sustainability Assessment of Investments Based on a Multiple Criteria Methodological Framework. Sustainability 2020, 12, 6805 .
AMA StyleParaskevi Ovezikoglou, Dimitrios Aidonis, Charisios Achillas, Christos Vlachokostas, Dionysis Bochtis. Sustainability Assessment of Investments Based on a Multiple Criteria Methodological Framework. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (17):6805.
Chicago/Turabian StyleParaskevi Ovezikoglou; Dimitrios Aidonis; Charisios Achillas; Christos Vlachokostas; Dionysis Bochtis. 2020. "Sustainability Assessment of Investments Based on a Multiple Criteria Methodological Framework." Sustainability 12, no. 17: 6805.
Lately, the model of circular economy has gained worldwide interest. Within its concept, waste is viewed as a beneficial resource that needs to be re-introduced in the supply chains, which also requires the use of raw materials, energy, and water to be minimized. Undeniably, a strong link exists between the bioeconomy, circular economy, bioproducts, and bioenergy. In this light, in order to promote a circular economy, a range of alternative options and technologies for biowaste exploitation are currently available. In this paper, we propose a generic methodological scheme for the development of small, medium, or large-scale units of alternative biowaste treatment, with an emphasis on the production of bioenergy and other bioproducts. With the use of multi-criteria decision analysis, the model simultaneously considers environmental, economic, and social criteria to support robust decision-making. In order to validate the methodology, the latter was demonstrated in a real-world case study for the development of a facility in the region of Serres, Greece. Based on the proposed methodological scheme, the optimal location of the facility was selected, based on its excellent assessment in criteria related to environmental performance, financial considerations, and local acceptance. Moreover, anaerobic digestion of agricultural residues, together with farming and livestock wastes, was recommended in order to produce bioenergy and bioproducts.
Christos Vlachokostas; Charisios Achillas; Ioannis Agnantiaris; Alexandra V. Michailidou; Christos Pallas; Eleni Feleki; Nicolas Moussiopoulos. Decision Support System to Implement Units of Alternative Biowaste Treatment for Producing Bioenergy and Boosting Local Bioeconomy. Energies 2020, 13, 2306 .
AMA StyleChristos Vlachokostas, Charisios Achillas, Ioannis Agnantiaris, Alexandra V. Michailidou, Christos Pallas, Eleni Feleki, Nicolas Moussiopoulos. Decision Support System to Implement Units of Alternative Biowaste Treatment for Producing Bioenergy and Boosting Local Bioeconomy. Energies. 2020; 13 (9):2306.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristos Vlachokostas; Charisios Achillas; Ioannis Agnantiaris; Alexandra V. Michailidou; Christos Pallas; Eleni Feleki; Nicolas Moussiopoulos. 2020. "Decision Support System to Implement Units of Alternative Biowaste Treatment for Producing Bioenergy and Boosting Local Bioeconomy." Energies 13, no. 9: 2306.
The paper will present the MAKEITREAL Technical Reference Guide, an open educational resource (OER) which provides technical information on Computer Aided Design (CAD) and 3D printing for STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math). The reference guide presents in an easy to grasp way all the technical issues and the practicalities that should be considered by the teachers regarding the digital fabrication tools, 3D modelling, 3D printing technologies in the classroom. The guide elaborates on key technical decisions at a high level helping teachers overcome any obstacles or problems regarding technical aspects. The MAKEITREAL Technical Reference Guide offers an insight into CAD technologies, and current software developments and offers a comprehensive workflow from design to production.
Konstantinos Tsongas; Emmanouel Tzimtzimis; Ioanna Symeonidou; Michel Mansour; Dimitrios Tzetzis; Charisios Achillas; Gabriel Mansour. Computer aided design and 3D printing for STEAM education: a technical reference guide for teachers. Photonics Applications in Astronomy, Communications, Industry, and High-Energy Physics Experiments 2018 2018, 10808, 1080854 .
AMA StyleKonstantinos Tsongas, Emmanouel Tzimtzimis, Ioanna Symeonidou, Michel Mansour, Dimitrios Tzetzis, Charisios Achillas, Gabriel Mansour. Computer aided design and 3D printing for STEAM education: a technical reference guide for teachers. Photonics Applications in Astronomy, Communications, Industry, and High-Energy Physics Experiments 2018. 2018; 10808 ():1080854.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKonstantinos Tsongas; Emmanouel Tzimtzimis; Ioanna Symeonidou; Michel Mansour; Dimitrios Tzetzis; Charisios Achillas; Gabriel Mansour. 2018. "Computer aided design and 3D printing for STEAM education: a technical reference guide for teachers." Photonics Applications in Astronomy, Communications, Industry, and High-Energy Physics Experiments 2018 10808, no. : 1080854.
This paper presents a decision support tool for manufacturers and recyclers towards end-of-life strategies for waste electrical and electronic equipment. A mathematical formulation based on the cost benefit analysis concept is herein analytically described in order to determine the parts and/or components of an obsolete product that should be either non-destructively recovered for reuse or be recycled. The framework optimally determines the depth of disassembly for a given product, taking into account economic considerations. On this basis, it embeds all relevant cost elements to be included in the decision-making process, such as recovered materials and (depreciated) parts/components, labor costs, energy consumption, equipment depreciation, quality control and warehousing. This tool can be part of the strategic decision-making process in order to maximize profitability or minimize end-of-life management costs. A case study to demonstrate the models’ applicability is presented for a typical electronic product in terms of structure and material composition. Taking into account the market values of the pilot product’s components, the manual disassembly is proven profitable with the marginal revenues from recovered reusable materials to be estimated at 2.93–23.06 €, depending on the level of disassembly.
Ch. Achillas; D. Aidonis; Christos Vlachokostas; A. Karagiannidis; N. Moussiopoulos; V. Loulos. Depth of manual dismantling analysis: A cost–benefit approach. Waste Management 2013, 33, 948 -956.
AMA StyleCh. Achillas, D. Aidonis, Christos Vlachokostas, A. Karagiannidis, N. Moussiopoulos, V. Loulos. Depth of manual dismantling analysis: A cost–benefit approach. Waste Management. 2013; 33 (4):948-956.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCh. Achillas; D. Aidonis; Christos Vlachokostas; A. Karagiannidis; N. Moussiopoulos; V. Loulos. 2013. "Depth of manual dismantling analysis: A cost–benefit approach." Waste Management 33, no. 4: 948-956.