This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.
Carbon-neutral design is pivotal for achieving the future energy performance targets of buildings. This paper shows research projects that promote the environmental sustainability of university campuses at the international level. GHG accounting methods and operational strategies adopted by the University of Genoa (UNIGE), Italy, and the Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, USA, are compared, with both universities striving to make buildings and campus facilities benchmarked and carbon neutral in the near future. Our comparative research includes analyzing campus buildings at both universities and their attempts to design, retrofit, and transform these buildings into carbon neutral buildings. Two case studies were discussed: the Smart Energy Building (SEB) in the Savona Campus of the UNIGE, and the Paul L. Cejas School of Architecture (PCA) Building of the FIU. The SEB’s construction reduced emissions by about 86 tCO2/y, whereas the PCA’s retrofitting reduced GHG emissions by 30%. Other operational strategies, including energy efficiency and energy generation, allowed the UNIGE to reduce their overall Scope 1 + 2 GHG emissions by 25% from 2013 to 2016. Globally, FIU Scope 1 + 2 GHG emissions per person were found to result in more than three times the UNIGE’s emissions, and 2.4 times if evaluated per square meter. The results were compared with GHG emissions and operational strategies from other universities.
Adriana Del Borghi; Thomas Spiegelhalter; Luca Moreschi; Michela Gallo. Carbon-Neutral-Campus Building: Design Versus Retrofitting of Two University Zero Energy Buildings in Europe and in the United States. Sustainability 2021, 13, 9023 .
AMA StyleAdriana Del Borghi, Thomas Spiegelhalter, Luca Moreschi, Michela Gallo. Carbon-Neutral-Campus Building: Design Versus Retrofitting of Two University Zero Energy Buildings in Europe and in the United States. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (16):9023.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAdriana Del Borghi; Thomas Spiegelhalter; Luca Moreschi; Michela Gallo. 2021. "Carbon-Neutral-Campus Building: Design Versus Retrofitting of Two University Zero Energy Buildings in Europe and in the United States." Sustainability 13, no. 16: 9023.
Urban greening provides a wide range of ecosystem services to address the main challenges of urban areas, e.g., carbon sequestration, evapotranspiration and shade, thermal insulation, and pollution control. This study evaluates the environmental sustainability of a vertical greening system (VGS) built in 2014 in Italy, for which extensive monitoring activities were implemented. The life-cycle assessment methodology was applied to quantify the water–energy–climate nexus of the VGS for 1 m2 of the building’s wall surface. Six different scenarios were modelled according to three different end-of-life scenarios and two different useful lifetime scenarios (10 and 25 years). The environmental impact of global-warming potential and generated energy consumption during the use phase in the VGS scenarios were reduced by 56% in relation to the baseline scenario (wall without VGS), and showed improved environmental performance throughout the complete life cycle. However, the water-scarcity index (WSI) of the VGS scenarios increased by 42%. This study confirms that the installation of VGSs offers a relevant environmental benefit in terms of greenhouse-gas emissions and energy consumption; however, increased water consumption in the use phase may limit the large-scale application of VGSs.
Katia Perini; Fabio Magrassi; Andrea Giachetta; Luca Moreschi; Michela Gallo; Adriana Del Borghi. Environmental Sustainability of Building Retrofit through Vertical Greening Systems: A Life-Cycle Approach. Sustainability 2021, 13, 4886 .
AMA StyleKatia Perini, Fabio Magrassi, Andrea Giachetta, Luca Moreschi, Michela Gallo, Adriana Del Borghi. Environmental Sustainability of Building Retrofit through Vertical Greening Systems: A Life-Cycle Approach. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (9):4886.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKatia Perini; Fabio Magrassi; Andrea Giachetta; Luca Moreschi; Michela Gallo; Adriana Del Borghi. 2021. "Environmental Sustainability of Building Retrofit through Vertical Greening Systems: A Life-Cycle Approach." Sustainability 13, no. 9: 4886.
Purpose Environmental impact evaluation in the food sector is a key topic, due to both stricter legislations and higher consumer awareness towards sustainable choices. The case of chocolate is a remarkable example, owing to the increasing demand and the complex production process from cocoa beans to final bars. The present study aims at assessing the environmental impacts related to three chocolate types (dark, milk and white) through life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Methods Consistent with food Product Category Rules (PCRs) and previous LCA literature, the study follows a cradle to grave approach. Among different raw material productions, it focuses above all on cocoa farming assuming three possible producer countries (i.e. Ghana, Ecuador and Indonesia), so that the influence of specific weather conditions and soil properties is underlined. Since the manufacturing step is supposed in the North Italian factory, different transport distances are also taken into account. Moreover, the work focuses on the possible use of several packaging materials and following disposal issues. In view of the open discussion about the most suitable functional unit in food sector, mass and energy amount approaches are compared. Results and discussion Along chocolate supply chain, different phases are evaluated according to LCA methodology. Among analyzed producer countries: Indonesia monoculture case results to be the most impacting situation, due to an intensive use of agrochemicals; pesticides give a wide contribution in Ecuador, whereas Ghana is penalized by the highest water consumption. The transport of beans to manufacturing plant influences mostly the GWP, owing to long travelled distances. Considering the whole production process, cocoa derivatives and milk powder are the main contributors to every impact category. From packaging point of view, the best solution is the use of a single polypropylene layer. A sensitivity analysis is performed to check the validity of different allocation procedures: both mass and energy content allocations lead to similar results. Conclusions Through LCA methodology, the life cycle of dark, milk and white chocolate is compared. The study assesses different potential environmental impacts, assuming mass and energy content as possible functional units and references for allocation procedures. For all combinations of functional units and allocation rules, dark chocolate globally presents the best environmental performance, whereas the other two types have similar environmental impacts.
F. R. Bianchi; L. Moreschi; M. Gallo; E. Vesce; A. Del Borghi. Environmental analysis along the supply chain of dark, milk and white chocolate: a life cycle comparison. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2020, 26, 807 -821.
AMA StyleF. R. Bianchi, L. Moreschi, M. Gallo, E. Vesce, A. Del Borghi. Environmental analysis along the supply chain of dark, milk and white chocolate: a life cycle comparison. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2020; 26 (4):807-821.
Chicago/Turabian StyleF. R. Bianchi; L. Moreschi; M. Gallo; E. Vesce; A. Del Borghi. 2020. "Environmental analysis along the supply chain of dark, milk and white chocolate: a life cycle comparison." The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 26, no. 4: 807-821.
Purpose The packaging system plays an essential role in the logistic chain and takes into account the rise in packaging demand and consumption. A study on sustainability was carried out through a comparative life cycle assessment in order to quantify and compare the environmental impacts of plastic, corrugated board and wood (solid, MDF and particleboard) crates used for food delivery. Single-use and multi-use systems were considered and compared. Methods According to ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, the whole life cycle of crates was divided into four primary phases: raw materials acquisition, crate manufacturing, transport (including the reuse, if applicable) and final disposal. The functional unit used for this study was 1 crate with an external dimension of 400 × 600 × 240 mm and with an inner volume of 50 l. The comparison focused on the critical parameters expected to have a higher influence on the results, such as the distances for delivery and the number of reuses for multi-use crates. All input data came from sector studies, literature and Ecoinvent database. The results were evaluated according to 8 impact categories. Two sensitivity analyses were performed. Results and discussion The most relevant impacts are linked to transport, electricity and raw materials contributions. Cumulative energy demand results show that the renewable energy resources in the case of plastic crates are about 3% while for the other type of crates exceed the 30% reaching the 77.5% in the case of solid wood crate. The environmental impacts result lower for multi-use plastic crate due to its possibility of being reused during its lifetime, avoiding the high impacts of the manufacturing. The best option among the single-use systems is the solid wood crate. The final results of the sensitivity analysis applied to the transport distances show that the impacts related to solid wood are more stable than plastic. Concerning the end-of-life scenarios, a significant decreasing (around 14.7%) in the global warming potential can be reached increasing the crates recycling till 100%. Conclusions and recommendations The best crate materials are plastic crates if a recovery system is planned; otherwise, the best choice is the wood crate. It is preferable to use raw material, such as solid wood than processed material, such as particle board, MDF and corrugated board. In performing this type of analysis, it is important to have accurate data, preferentially primary data, in particular for plastic crates as evidenced by the sensitivity analysis.
Adriana Del Borghi; Sara Parodi; Luca Moreschi; Michela Gallo. Sustainable packaging: an evaluation of crates for food through a life cycle approach. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2020, 26, 753 -766.
AMA StyleAdriana Del Borghi, Sara Parodi, Luca Moreschi, Michela Gallo. Sustainable packaging: an evaluation of crates for food through a life cycle approach. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2020; 26 (4):753-766.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAdriana Del Borghi; Sara Parodi; Luca Moreschi; Michela Gallo. 2020. "Sustainable packaging: an evaluation of crates for food through a life cycle approach." The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 26, no. 4: 753-766.
This study shows the benefits of using the environmental product declarations (EPDs), based on ISO 14025:2013, for the configuration and conceptualization of new building materials. Using a quantitative evaluation on these phases of design, it allows one to create materials with lower impacts, in comparison with the existing ones. In this paper, it is proposed to evaluate the potentiality of this tool in the development of a panel from pineapple by-products from agroindustry, used as a thermal insulator. The issue of environmental sustainability was pursued, employing the assessment of the environmental impacts according to characterization methods defined by the International EPD® System. By comparing the possible compositions of the materials under development, with certified environmental declarations of commercial materials, it is possible to identify and select optimal compositions decreasing up to 98.28% of impacts in acidification potential or up to 99.38% for photochemical oxidation—with respect to traditional materials—already at the design stage, where the changes on the composition or the facilities decision have fewer complications.
Diego Arellano-Vazquez; Luca Moreschi; Adriana Del Borghi; Michela Gallo; Gustavo Islas Valverde; Miguel Mayorga Rojas; Lorena Romero-Salazar; Juan Arteaga-Arcos. Use of EPD System for Designing New Building Materials: The Case Study of a Bio-Based Thermal Insulation Panel from the Pineapple Industry By-Product. Sustainability 2020, 12, 6864 .
AMA StyleDiego Arellano-Vazquez, Luca Moreschi, Adriana Del Borghi, Michela Gallo, Gustavo Islas Valverde, Miguel Mayorga Rojas, Lorena Romero-Salazar, Juan Arteaga-Arcos. Use of EPD System for Designing New Building Materials: The Case Study of a Bio-Based Thermal Insulation Panel from the Pineapple Industry By-Product. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (17):6864.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDiego Arellano-Vazquez; Luca Moreschi; Adriana Del Borghi; Michela Gallo; Gustavo Islas Valverde; Miguel Mayorga Rojas; Lorena Romero-Salazar; Juan Arteaga-Arcos. 2020. "Use of EPD System for Designing New Building Materials: The Case Study of a Bio-Based Thermal Insulation Panel from the Pineapple Industry By-Product." Sustainability 12, no. 17: 6864.
This article explores the potentiality of agro-industrial by-products for the reincorporation into new industrial cycles from a circular economy perspective. Focusing on the chemical characterization of the pineapple by-product coming from the Mexican food industry, the methodology for the evaluation of the most proper and sustainable application of this material into the Mexican social system is shown. The application of pineapple by-product for the production of new low-impact insulation material is proposed to solve a social problem affecting the country: the wide diffusion of self-built houses and their poor habitability features, like a proper thermal comfort. The environmental impacts coming from the production of the insulation material have also been evaluated according to the guidelines given by the International EPD system in order to guarantee the reliability of the methodology and the possible future comparison with other insulation materials.
D A Arellano Vázquez; L Moreschi; G J Islas Valverde; M Gallo; A Del Borghi; Juan Carlos Arteaga-Arcos. Evaluation of By-products’ Potentiality for the Reincorporation in New Building Materials. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 2020, 544, 012007 .
AMA StyleD A Arellano Vázquez, L Moreschi, G J Islas Valverde, M Gallo, A Del Borghi, Juan Carlos Arteaga-Arcos. Evaluation of By-products’ Potentiality for the Reincorporation in New Building Materials. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 2020; 544 (1):012007.
Chicago/Turabian StyleD A Arellano Vázquez; L Moreschi; G J Islas Valverde; M Gallo; A Del Borghi; Juan Carlos Arteaga-Arcos. 2020. "Evaluation of By-products’ Potentiality for the Reincorporation in New Building Materials." IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 544, no. 1: 012007.
Waste management under emergency conditions requires proper handling. The sudden closure of a strategic final disposal site can result in serious environmental and health hazards which need to be addressed. Furthermore, this situation requires the identification of new sites to be used for waste disposal. This study analysed the case-study of Genoa, Northern Italy, following the closure of the Scarpino landfill previously dedicated to the disposal of waste generated in this municipality. A multi-objective tool was developed and applied from long-term planning to day-to-day scheduling. A sensitivity analysis was performed on the basis of collected waste volumes, in order to study the utilization and actual rate of fulfilling of the plants according to the leading objective function. Considering all of the objective functions, the emissions optimization shows better behaviour in terms of simultaneous global accomplishment of each function. In this context, the introduction of a decision support system for waste management shows its usefulness in setting and effectively pursuing long-term targets in term of total costs, emissions generated by waste transport, and exploitation of single plants from a sustainability perspective.
Luca Moreschi; Adriana Del Borghi; Angela Celeste Taramasso; Michela Gallo. Waste Management under Emergency Conditions: Life-Cycle Multicriteria Analysis as Decision Support System. Resources 2020, 9, 82 .
AMA StyleLuca Moreschi, Adriana Del Borghi, Angela Celeste Taramasso, Michela Gallo. Waste Management under Emergency Conditions: Life-Cycle Multicriteria Analysis as Decision Support System. Resources. 2020; 9 (7):82.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuca Moreschi; Adriana Del Borghi; Angela Celeste Taramasso; Michela Gallo. 2020. "Waste Management under Emergency Conditions: Life-Cycle Multicriteria Analysis as Decision Support System." Resources 9, no. 7: 82.
Sustainability and waste management on board are key issues that need to be addressed by the maritime sector also in terms of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). With the aim of evaluating waste management alternatives in a circular economy perspective, the study examines a combined system for the optimisation of ship waste management and assesses its possible use for energy purposes. Different systems are analysed in relation to their GHG emission reduction potential regardless of routes and ports of destination. A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis was carried out on waste management alternatives in order to preliminary identify their potential in terms of GHG emissions reduction, cost, environmental sustainability, methodological coherence, feasibility and replicability. Following this analysis, two case studies of particular interest were identified: (1) the thermo-chemical treatment of waste oils and sludge to obtain fuel oils; (2) the installation of a waste-to-energy plant and subsequent energy recovery on board. UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) methodologies were applied to these two case studies to calculate GHG emission reduction resulting from their implementation. The obtained results are presented with the aim of supporting sustainable waste management strategies on board in a circular carbon economy perspective.
Michela Gallo; Luca Moreschi; Michela Mazzoccoli; Veronica Marotta; Adriana Del Borghi. Sustainability in Maritime Sector: Waste Management Alternatives Evaluated in a Circular Carbon Economy Perspective. Resources 2020, 9, 41 .
AMA StyleMichela Gallo, Luca Moreschi, Michela Mazzoccoli, Veronica Marotta, Adriana Del Borghi. Sustainability in Maritime Sector: Waste Management Alternatives Evaluated in a Circular Carbon Economy Perspective. Resources. 2020; 9 (4):41.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMichela Gallo; Luca Moreschi; Michela Mazzoccoli; Veronica Marotta; Adriana Del Borghi. 2020. "Sustainability in Maritime Sector: Waste Management Alternatives Evaluated in a Circular Carbon Economy Perspective." Resources 9, no. 4: 41.
The increase in world population and the resulting demand for food, water and energy are exerting increasing pressure on soil, water resources and ecosystems. Identification of approaches to reduce the related cross-sectoral environmental impacts for the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus is, therefore, crucial. The purpose of the review is to discuss the circular economy approaches devoted to understand the interdependencies among these three sectors. In particular, the review focuses on the importance of the application of life cycle thinking and life cycle assessment (LCA) for understanding the interconnections in the nexus along the whole supply chains. Moreover, researches related to water and energy use in the agri-food sector are presented, addressing food waste management alternatives in a circular economy perspective.
Adriana Del Borghi; Luca Moreschi; Michela Gallo. Circular economy approach to reduce water–energy–food nexus. Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health 2019, 13, 23 -28.
AMA StyleAdriana Del Borghi, Luca Moreschi, Michela Gallo. Circular economy approach to reduce water–energy–food nexus. Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. 2019; 13 ():23-28.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAdriana Del Borghi; Luca Moreschi; Michela Gallo. 2019. "Circular economy approach to reduce water–energy–food nexus." Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health 13, no. : 23-28.