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Dr. Francesco Pomponi
Associate Professor - Edinburgh Napier University

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0 Sustainability
0 life cycle assessment (LCA)
0 circular economy
0 Design for Sustainable Development
0 Sustainable Development Goals

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life cycle assessment (LCA)
Sustainability
circular economy
Sustainable Development Goals

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Journal article
Published: 05 July 2021 in npj Urban Sustainability
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The UN estimate 2.5 billion new urban residents by 2050, thus further increasing global greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and energy demand, and the environmental impacts caused by the built environment. Achieving optimal use of space and maximal efficiency in buildings is therefore fundamental for sustainable urbanisation. There is a growing belief that building taller and denser is better. However, urban environmental design often neglects life cycle GHG emissions. Here we offer a method that decouples density and tallness in urban environments and allows each to be analysed individually. We test this method on case studies of real neighbourhoods and show that taller urban environments significantly increase life cycle GHG emissions (+154%) and low-density urban environments significantly increase land use (+142%). However, increasing urban density without increasing urban height reduces life cycle GHG emissions while maximising the population capacity. These results contend the claim that building taller is the most efficient way to meet growing demand for urban space and instead show that denser urban environments do not significantly increase life cycle GHG emissions and require less land.

ACS Style

Francesco Pomponi; Ruth Saint; Jay H. Arehart; Niaz Gharavi; Bernardino D’Amico. Decoupling density from tallness in analysing the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of cities. npj Urban Sustainability 2021, 1, 1 .

AMA Style

Francesco Pomponi, Ruth Saint, Jay H. Arehart, Niaz Gharavi, Bernardino D’Amico. Decoupling density from tallness in analysing the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of cities. npj Urban Sustainability. 2021; 1 (1):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesco Pomponi; Ruth Saint; Jay H. Arehart; Niaz Gharavi; Bernardino D’Amico. 2021. "Decoupling density from tallness in analysing the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of cities." npj Urban Sustainability 1, no. 1: 1.

Research and analysis
Published: 22 April 2021 in Journal of Industrial Ecology
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Buildings and the construction industry are top contributors to climate change, and structures account for the largest share of the upfront greenhouse gas emissions. While a body of research exists into such emissions, a systematic comparison of multiple building structures in steel, concrete, and timber alternatives is missing. In this article, comparisons are made between mass and whole‐life embodied carbon (WLEC) emissions of building superstructures using identical frame configurations in steel, reinforced concrete, and engineered timber frames. These are assessed and compared for 127 different frame configurations, from 2 to 19 stories. Embodied carbon coefficients for each material and life cycle stage are represented by probability density functions to capture the uncertainty inherent in life cycle assessment. Normalized results show clear differences between the masses of the three structural typologies, with the concrete frame approximately five times the mass of the timber frame, and 50% higher than the steel frame. The WLEC emissions are mainly governed by the upfront emissions (cradle to practical completion), but subsequent emissions are still significant—particularly in the case of timber for which 36% of emissions, on average, occur post‐construction. Results for WLEC are more closely grouped than for masses, with median values for the timber frame, concrete frame, and steel frame of 119, 185, and 228 kgCO2e/m2, respectively. Despite the advantage for timber in this comparison, there is overlap between the results distributions, meaning that close attention to efficient design and procurement is essential. This article met the requirements for a gold–gold JIE data openness badge described in http://jie.click/badges.

ACS Style

Jim Hart; Bernardino D'Amico; Francesco Pomponi. Whole‐life embodied carbon in multistory buildings: Steel, concrete and timber structures. Journal of Industrial Ecology 2021, 25, 403 -418.

AMA Style

Jim Hart, Bernardino D'Amico, Francesco Pomponi. Whole‐life embodied carbon in multistory buildings: Steel, concrete and timber structures. Journal of Industrial Ecology. 2021; 25 (2):403-418.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jim Hart; Bernardino D'Amico; Francesco Pomponi. 2021. "Whole‐life embodied carbon in multistory buildings: Steel, concrete and timber structures." Journal of Industrial Ecology 25, no. 2: 403-418.

Research article
Published: 30 March 2021 in Environmental Science & Technology
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Floor space is a key variable used to understand the energy and material demands of buildings. Using recent data sets of building footprints, we employ a random forest regression model to estimate the total floor space (conditioned and unconditioned) of the North American building stock. Our estimate for total floor space in 2016 is 88033 (+15907/–21861) million m2, which is 2.9 times higher than current estimates from national statistics offices. We also show how floor space per capita (m2 cap–1) is not constant across the North American region, highlighting the heterogeneous nature of building stocks. As a critical variable in integrated assessment models to project energy and material demands, this result suggests that there is much more unconditioned floor space than previously realized. Furthermore, when estimating material stocks, flows, and associated embodied carbon emissions, total floor space per-capita estimates, such as those presented in this study, offer a more comprehensive approach in comparison to national statistics that do not capture unconditioned floor space. This result also calls for an investigation as to why there is such a vast difference between estimates of conditioned and total floor space.

ACS Style

Jay H. Arehart; Francesco Pomponi; Bernardino D’Amico; Wil V. Srubar. A New Estimate of Building Floor Space in North America. Environmental Science & Technology 2021, 55, 5161 -5170.

AMA Style

Jay H. Arehart, Francesco Pomponi, Bernardino D’Amico, Wil V. Srubar. A New Estimate of Building Floor Space in North America. Environmental Science & Technology. 2021; 55 (8):5161-5170.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jay H. Arehart; Francesco Pomponi; Bernardino D’Amico; Wil V. Srubar. 2021. "A New Estimate of Building Floor Space in North America." Environmental Science & Technology 55, no. 8: 5161-5170.

Journal article
Published: 18 March 2021 in Applied Energy
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Nuclear energy contributes ~10% of the global electricity generation and different views exist on its carbon-intensity and sustainability. Context is crucial to determine the sustainability of new nuclear power generators, making the existence of a global answer to the unresolved question unlikely. This study aims to establish the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with nuclear energy in Europe given ongoing construction of nuclear generators. Due to the high uncertainty and complexity that characterise construction and operation of nuclear generators, we adopt a multi-method, scenario-based approach. The three methods used are: process-based, input-output, and hybrid life cycle assessment. Scenarios account for different total energy outputs over the life cycle of the nuclear generator, different end of life options, and different sectoral allocations of costs in the input-output calculus. Results for the process-based, input-output, and hybrid methods range between 16.55–17.69, 18.82–35.15, and 24.61–32.74 gCO2e/kWh, respectively. These are either well above or at the upper end of the range of possibilities (5 to 22 gCO2e/kWh) stated in a report for the UK’s Committee on Climate Change, and significantly higher than the median value of 12 gCO2e/kWh presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. They are also higher than the values acknowledged by the nuclear industry. Given the severe potential lock-in effects of today’s energy choices for future generations, this research questions the role of nuclear energy to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals and calls for further scrutiny on its sustainability and environmental viability.

ACS Style

Francesco Pomponi; Jim Hart. The greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear energy – Life cycle assessment of a European pressurised reactor. Applied Energy 2021, 290, 116743 .

AMA Style

Francesco Pomponi, Jim Hart. The greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear energy – Life cycle assessment of a European pressurised reactor. Applied Energy. 2021; 290 ():116743.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesco Pomponi; Jim Hart. 2021. "The greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear energy – Life cycle assessment of a European pressurised reactor." Applied Energy 290, no. : 116743.

Opinion paper
Published: 09 March 2021 in Circular Economy and Sustainability
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The avalanche of environmental challenges, from local to global and back, has prompted responses at all levels from personal to inter-governmental. The results of these responses have fallen in the range between useful and counterproductive, with many examples on each side, but the scale of the overall challenge continues to escalate. Moving towards a zero-carbon global economy through absolute reductions in fossil fuel usage is a sure way of mitigating climate change, and a range of environmental, social and economic benefits would follow. The case for a Circular Economy (CE), however, is less clear. Whilst some CE initiatives may lead to the decoupling of economic growth from resource extraction, this does not necessarily equate to reducing the rate of extraction. Thus, the contribution of CE to the achievement of environmental objectives globally cannot be taken for granted. In terms of social impact, the best that can be said is that CE might be neutral. Technologies that promote the ‘sharing economy’ for instance, often suggested as a crucial CE strategy, create opportunities for individual wealth accumulation, but are also a route to the gig economy and the casualisation of labour. CE is arguably a business imperative, but definitive evidence to support the idea of a circular economy that meets social and environmental goals needs development.

ACS Style

Jim Hart; Francesco Pomponi. A Circular Economy: Where Will It Take Us? Circular Economy and Sustainability 2021, 1 -15.

AMA Style

Jim Hart, Francesco Pomponi. A Circular Economy: Where Will It Take Us? Circular Economy and Sustainability. 2021; ():1-15.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jim Hart; Francesco Pomponi. 2021. "A Circular Economy: Where Will It Take Us?" Circular Economy and Sustainability , no. : 1-15.

Review article
Published: 21 February 2021 in Sustainable Production and Consumption
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The increasing interest in bio-based construction materials has resulted in the emergence of the concept of “buildings as a carbon sink”. Quantifying and comparing the effects of carbon sequestration and storage in buildings from a life cycle perspective involves the evaluation of flows and processes taking place at different timescales and across ecological, technological, and economic domains. This scoping review sheds light on the heterogeneous body of approaches and results from relevant scientific literature of the past decade: 180 articles were reviewed following a systematic search and relevance-checking process. Contributions are evaluated based on the scale of interest (material, building, building stock), the sequestration mechanism (photosynthesis, carbonation) and the accounting methodology adopted to quantify global warming. The majority of works taking a life cycle perspective adopt static methods, with only a few accounting for dynamic effects over time, although more recent studies do tend to recognise the need for dynamic life cycle assessment. A characterisation of current and future carbon storage in the global building stock is still needed, and substantial work remains to be done to validate the theory of buildings as a carbon sink to mitigate the effects of climate change. Reports on carbon stored in durable construction products and buildings mostly find cumulative effects that are less than emissions from fossil fuel use in a single year (ranging from negligible to 175%). Furthermore, net gains in storage in the built environment can be offset by net losses in forest carbon, and the benefits of substitution with wood are sometimes overstated. Further adoption of bio-based construction materials can – at best – only make a substantial contribution to climate change mitigation in the context of rapid global progress in decarbonisation.

ACS Style

Jay H. Arehart; Jim Hart; Francesco Pomponi; Bernardino D'Amico. Carbon sequestration and storage in the built environment. Sustainable Production and Consumption 2021, 27, 1047 -1063.

AMA Style

Jay H. Arehart, Jim Hart, Francesco Pomponi, Bernardino D'Amico. Carbon sequestration and storage in the built environment. Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2021; 27 ():1047-1063.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jay H. Arehart; Jim Hart; Francesco Pomponi; Bernardino D'Amico. 2021. "Carbon sequestration and storage in the built environment." Sustainable Production and Consumption 27, no. : 1047-1063.

Journal article
Published: 15 February 2021 in Water Research
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Buildings and construction are major driver of anthropogenic environmental effects. While energy use and CO2 emissions of buildings and construction have been quantified, their water footprint remains understudied from an economy-wide perspective. We use environmentally-extended multi-regional input-output analysis to quantify the water, energy and carbon (dioxide) footprints associated with the construction sector of India, Italy, South Africa, and the UK, disaggregating the supply chains driving these environmental effects by using structural path analysis. Comparisons are made in terms of contributions by country, by sector, by stage of the supply chain and in terms of actual supply chain pathways. Results show that Italy and the UK have more disaggregated and international supply chains compared to India and South Africa. Total (i.e. direct + indirect) water footprints of construction sectors vary from 11.8 to 14.8 L/USD for all countries, except India at 78.1 L/USD. There was no notable correlation between water and energy and carbon dioxide footprints in terms of sectoral contributions, even if the latter two are correlated. More developed economies exhibit a higher share of international WF than developing economies. The current focus on energy and carbon dioxide footprints might therefore miss out on significant water impacts caused by construction activities, globally.

ACS Style

Francesco Pomponi; André Stephan. Water, energy, and carbon dioxide footprints of the construction sector: A case study on developed and developing economies. Water Research 2021, 194, 116935 .

AMA Style

Francesco Pomponi, André Stephan. Water, energy, and carbon dioxide footprints of the construction sector: A case study on developed and developing economies. Water Research. 2021; 194 ():116935.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesco Pomponi; André Stephan. 2021. "Water, energy, and carbon dioxide footprints of the construction sector: A case study on developed and developing economies." Water Research 194, no. : 116935.

Rapid communication
Published: 11 November 2020 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters
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The COVID-19 pandemic is the single largest event in contemporary history in terms of the global restriction of mobility, with the majority of the world population experiencing various forms of “lockdown”. This phenomenon incurred increased amounts of teleworking and time spent at home, fewer trips to shops, closure of retail outlets selling non-essential goods, and the near disappearance of leisure and recreational activities. This paper presents a novel method for an economy-wide estimate of the emissions reductions caused by the restriction of movement. Using a global multiregional macro-economic model complemented by Google Community Mobility Reports (CMRs) and national transport data, we cover 129 individual countries and quantify direct and indirect global emissions reductions of greenhouse gases (GHG; 1173 Mt), PM2.5 (0.23 Mt), SO2 (1.57 Mt), and NOx (3.69 Mt). A statistically significant correlation is observed between cross-country emission reductions and the stringency of mobility restriction policies. Due to the aggregated nature of the CMRs, we develop different scenarios linked to consumption, work, and lifestyle aspects. Global reductions are on the order of 1–3% (GHG), 1–2% (PM2.5), 0.5–2.8% (SO2), and 3–4% (NOx). Our results can help support crucial decision making in the post-COVID world, with quantified information about how direct and indirect consequences of mobility changes benefit the environment.

ACS Style

Francesco Pomponi; Mengyu Li; Ya-Yen Sun; Arunima Malik; Manfred Lenzen; Grigorios Fountas; Bernardino D’Amico; Ortzi Akizu-Gardoki; Maria Luque Anguita. A Novel Method for Estimating Emissions Reductions Caused by the Restriction of Mobility: The Case of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Environmental Science & Technology Letters 2020, 8, 46 -52.

AMA Style

Francesco Pomponi, Mengyu Li, Ya-Yen Sun, Arunima Malik, Manfred Lenzen, Grigorios Fountas, Bernardino D’Amico, Ortzi Akizu-Gardoki, Maria Luque Anguita. A Novel Method for Estimating Emissions Reductions Caused by the Restriction of Mobility: The Case of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Environmental Science & Technology Letters. 2020; 8 (1):46-52.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesco Pomponi; Mengyu Li; Ya-Yen Sun; Arunima Malik; Manfred Lenzen; Grigorios Fountas; Bernardino D’Amico; Ortzi Akizu-Gardoki; Maria Luque Anguita. 2020. "A Novel Method for Estimating Emissions Reductions Caused by the Restriction of Mobility: The Case of the COVID-19 Pandemic." Environmental Science & Technology Letters 8, no. 1: 46-52.

Editorial
Published: 05 November 2020 in Sustainability
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Projected population growth and urbanization rates will create a huge demand for new buildings and put an unprecedented pressure on the natural environment and its limited resources. Architectural design has often focused on passive or low-energy approaches to reduce the energy consumption of buildings but it is evident that a more holistic, whole-life based mindset is imperative. On another scale, the movement for, and global initiatives around, low carbon cities promise to deliver the built environment of tomorrow, in harmony with the natural boundary of our planet, the societal needs of its human habitants, and the required growth for economic prosperity. However, cities are made up of individual buildings and this intimate relationship is often poorly understood and under-researched. This multi-scale problem (materials, buildings, and cities) requires plural, trans-disciplinary, and creative ways to develop a range of viable solutions. The unknown about our built environment is vast: the articles in this special issue aim to contribute to the ongoing global efforts to ensure our built environments will be fit for the challenges of our time.

ACS Style

Francesco Pomponi; Bernardino D’Amico. Low Energy Architecture and Low Carbon Cities: Exploring Links, Scales, and Environmental Impacts. Sustainability 2020, 12, 9189 .

AMA Style

Francesco Pomponi, Bernardino D’Amico. Low Energy Architecture and Low Carbon Cities: Exploring Links, Scales, and Environmental Impacts. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (21):9189.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesco Pomponi; Bernardino D’Amico. 2020. "Low Energy Architecture and Low Carbon Cities: Exploring Links, Scales, and Environmental Impacts." Sustainability 12, no. 21: 9189.

Journal article
Published: 14 August 2020 in Journal of Cleaner Production
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The building and construction sector is a large contributor to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and consumes the vastest amount of natural resources. Widely considered a hard-to-decarbonise sector, improvements in buildings and construction are of fundamental importance for national and global targets to combat climate change. At material level, mitigation opportunities exist in terms of efficiency (using less of the same material) and substitution (using a different material). This article investigates the latter, with a global focus on the use of cross laminated timber to replace concrete floors in steel structural systems. This approach, whilst innovative, does not require any technological development nor upskilling of current professional practice, thus making it an immediately viable solution to accelerate decarbonisation. We combine Material Flow Analysis with Life Cycle Assessment across both spatial and temporal dimensions, accounting for different levels of uptake of the proposed hybrid construction in the next 30 years. Results show that greenhouse gas emissions saving potentials range between 20-80 Mt CO2e (95% confidence interval) with an average around 50 Mt CO2e in the case of full uptake of the hybrid construction system by 2050. Our analysis does not account for carbon sequestration potential in timber, which would make the savings much greater. Still, the overall savings represent a 1.5% reduction of the annual greenhouse gas emissions generally attributed to construction, thus making it a non-trivial contribution to progress towards global targets of net-zero carbon buildings.

ACS Style

Bernardino D’Amico; Francesco Pomponi; Jim Hart. Global potential for material substitution in building construction: The case of cross laminated timber. Journal of Cleaner Production 2020, 279, 123487 .

AMA Style

Bernardino D’Amico, Francesco Pomponi, Jim Hart. Global potential for material substitution in building construction: The case of cross laminated timber. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2020; 279 ():123487.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bernardino D’Amico; Francesco Pomponi; Jim Hart. 2020. "Global potential for material substitution in building construction: The case of cross laminated timber." Journal of Cleaner Production 279, no. : 123487.

Journal article
Published: 05 August 2020 in Emerald Open Research
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The construction and operation of buildings is a major contributor to global energy demand, greenhouse gases emissions, resource depletion, waste generation, and associated environmental effects, such as climate change, pollution and habitat destruction. Despite its wide relevance, research on building-related environmental effects often fails to achieve global visibility and attention, particularly in premiere interdisciplinary journals – thus representing a major gap in the research these journals offer. In this article we review and reflect on the factors that are likely causing this lack of visibility for such a prominent research topic and emphasise the need to reconcile the construction and operational phases into the physical unity of a building, to contribute to the global environmental discourse using a lifecycle-based approach. This article also aims to act as a call for action and to raise awareness of this important gap. The evidence contained in the article can support institutional policies to improve the status quo and provide a practical help to researchers in the field to bring their work to wide interdisciplinary audiences.

ACS Style

Francesco Pomponi; Robert Crawford; André Stephan; Jim Hart; Bernardino D'amico. The ‘building paradox’: research on building-related environmental effects requires global visibility and attention. Emerald Open Research 2020, 2, 50 .

AMA Style

Francesco Pomponi, Robert Crawford, André Stephan, Jim Hart, Bernardino D'amico. The ‘building paradox’: research on building-related environmental effects requires global visibility and attention. Emerald Open Research. 2020; 2 ():50.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesco Pomponi; Robert Crawford; André Stephan; Jim Hart; Bernardino D'amico. 2020. "The ‘building paradox’: research on building-related environmental effects requires global visibility and attention." Emerald Open Research 2, no. : 50.

Commentary
Published: 01 August 2020 in One Earth
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The built environment is hard to decarbonize but has a pivotal role in climate-change mitigation amid rapid urbanization. Substituting conventional building materials with bio-based materials that store carbon offers one possible solution. Here, we reflect on the capacity of global forests to deliver the floor area required by mid-century.

ACS Style

Francesco Pomponi; Jim Hart; Jay H. Arehart; Bernardino D’Amico. Buildings as a Global Carbon Sink? A Reality Check on Feasibility Limits. One Earth 2020, 3, 157 -161.

AMA Style

Francesco Pomponi, Jim Hart, Jay H. Arehart, Bernardino D’Amico. Buildings as a Global Carbon Sink? A Reality Check on Feasibility Limits. One Earth. 2020; 3 (2):157-161.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesco Pomponi; Jim Hart; Jay H. Arehart; Bernardino D’Amico. 2020. "Buildings as a Global Carbon Sink? A Reality Check on Feasibility Limits." One Earth 3, no. 2: 157-161.

Earlycite article
Published: 17 July 2020 in Built Environment Project and Asset Management
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PurposeCircular economy (CE), as a new economic paradigm, has gained traction in recent years. Cities' role in driving CE forward has been perceived as being increasingly important to achieve sustainable development (SD). For this reason, there is an urgency to understand what a circular city is and how it might be composed. This research explores the ways in which the city-state of Singapore is transitioning to a CE.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review on CE and cities was carried out using a bibliometric review and a snowballing technique. This review was performed on academic and on non-academic papers.FindingsThis research has confirmed the lack of robust circular cities case studies. As Singapore has already begun its journey towards circularity, this article examines its current efforts and offers recommendations in the design and implementation of CE policies that may be valuable not just for Singapore but also for high-density and rapidly expanding cities around the world that require a new development pathway to emulate.Originality/valueThis manuscript is the first detailed, independent and comprehensive review of Singapore's approach to CE.

ACS Style

Sann Carrière; Ricardo Weigend Rodríguez; Peixun Pey; Francesco Pomponi; Seeram Ramakrishna. Circular cities: the case of Singapore. Built Environment Project and Asset Management 2020, 10, 491 -507.

AMA Style

Sann Carrière, Ricardo Weigend Rodríguez, Peixun Pey, Francesco Pomponi, Seeram Ramakrishna. Circular cities: the case of Singapore. Built Environment Project and Asset Management. 2020; 10 (4):491-507.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sann Carrière; Ricardo Weigend Rodríguez; Peixun Pey; Francesco Pomponi; Seeram Ramakrishna. 2020. "Circular cities: the case of Singapore." Built Environment Project and Asset Management 10, no. 4: 491-507.

Journal article
Published: 18 June 2020 in World
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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought global mobility into the spotlight, with well over 100 countries having instituted either a full or partial lockdown by April 2020. Reduced mobility, whilst causing social and economic impacts, can also be beneficial for the environment and future studies will surely quantify such environmental gains. However, accurate quantification is intimately linked to good quality data on transport modal shares, as passenger cars and public transport have significantly different emissions profiles. Herein, we compile a currently lacking dataset on global modal transport shares for 131 countries. Notably, these are the countries covered by the Google Community Mobility Reports (plus Russia and China for their global relevance), thus allowing for a smooth integration between our dataset and the rich information offered by the Google Community Mobility Reports, thus enabling analysis of global emissions reductions due to mobility restrictions. Beyond the current pandemic, this novel dataset will be helpful to practitioners and academics alike working in transport research.

ACS Style

Grigorios Fountas; Ya-Yen Sun; Ortzi Akizu-Gardoki; Francesco Pomponi. How Do People Move Around? National Data on Transport Modal Shares for 131 Countries. World 2020, 1, 34 -43.

AMA Style

Grigorios Fountas, Ya-Yen Sun, Ortzi Akizu-Gardoki, Francesco Pomponi. How Do People Move Around? National Data on Transport Modal Shares for 131 Countries. World. 2020; 1 (1):34-43.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Grigorios Fountas; Ya-Yen Sun; Ortzi Akizu-Gardoki; Francesco Pomponi. 2020. "How Do People Move Around? National Data on Transport Modal Shares for 131 Countries." World 1, no. 1: 34-43.

Journal article
Published: 28 April 2020 in Journal of Building Engineering
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This paper introduces a numerical study aimed at analysing and quantifying existing correlations between structural masses of the gravity frame in building structures (i.e. excluding lateral load resisting system) and some key basic design variables, such as bay areas of the frame layout, magnitude of floor loads and (main) structural material. Three material options are considered, namely: reinforced concrete, steel and engineered timber. A total of 31,380 different structural frame designs are parametrically generated and analysed to obtain a population of design data points that express the amounts of structural mass per unit of floor area. Least squares and quantile regression analyses have been utilised on the numerically generated sample population to evaluate any existing statistical trend between design variables and mass quantities. The set of regression coefficients so obtained is eventually organised into a tabular format, which allows for immediate estimations of the structural mass quantities (along with their uncertainty ranges) at an early stage of the structural design process. Such a table of coefficients represents the main finding of this work, as it can be straightforwardly combined with existing databases of embodied GHG and energy coefficients, therefore providing an effective estimation tool, for both practitioners and researchers, to quickly assess how both layout and load configurations affect the environmental impacts of their frame design.

ACS Style

Bernardino D'Amico; Francesco Pomponi. On mass quantities of gravity frames in building structures. Journal of Building Engineering 2020, 31, 101426 .

AMA Style

Bernardino D'Amico, Francesco Pomponi. On mass quantities of gravity frames in building structures. Journal of Building Engineering. 2020; 31 ():101426.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bernardino D'Amico; Francesco Pomponi. 2020. "On mass quantities of gravity frames in building structures." Journal of Building Engineering 31, no. : 101426.

Journal article
Published: 24 April 2020 in Sustainability
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The built environment is one of the greatest contributors to carbon emissions, climate change, and to the unsustainable pressure on the natural environment and its ecosystems. The use of more timber in construction is one possible response, and an authoritative contribution to this growing movement comes from the UK’s Committee on Climate Change, which identifies a “substantial increase in the use of wood in the construction of buildings” as a top priority. However, a global encouragement of such a strategy raises some difficult questions. Given the urgency of effective solutions for low-carbon built environments, and the likely continued growth in demand for timber in construction, this article reviews its sustainability and identifies future challenges and unanswered questions. Existing evidence points indeed towards timber as the lower carbon option when modelled through life cycle assessment without having to draw on arguments around carbon storage. Issues however remain on the timing of carbon emissions, land allocation, and the environmental loads and benefits associated with the end-of-life options: analysis of environmental product declarations for engineered timber suggests that landfill might either be the best or the worst option from a climate change perspective, depending on assumptions.

ACS Style

Jim Hart; Francesco Pomponi. More Timber in Construction: Unanswered Questions and Future Challenges. Sustainability 2020, 12, 3473 .

AMA Style

Jim Hart, Francesco Pomponi. More Timber in Construction: Unanswered Questions and Future Challenges. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (8):3473.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jim Hart; Francesco Pomponi. 2020. "More Timber in Construction: Unanswered Questions and Future Challenges." Sustainability 12, no. 8: 3473.

Journal article
Published: 24 January 2020 in Sustainability
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During the course of 2018, 70.8 million people globally were forcibly displaced due to natural disasters and conflicts—a staggering increase of 2.9 million people compared to the previous year’s figure. Displaced people cluster in refugee camps which have very often the scale of a medium-sized city. Post-disaster and post-conflict (PDPC) sheltering therefore represents a vitally important element for both the short- and long-term wellbeing of the displaced. However, the constrained environment which dominates PDPC sheltering often results in a lack of consideration of sustainability dimensions. Neglecting sustainability has severe practical consequences on both people and the environment, and in the long run it also incurs higher costs. It is therefore imperative to quickly transfer to PDPC sheltering where sustainability considerations are a key element of the design and decision-making processes. To facilitate such transition, this article reviews both ‘existing solutions’ and ‘novel designs’ for PDPC sheltering against the three pillars of sustainability. Both clusters are systematically categorized, and pros and cons of solutions and designs are identified. This provides an overview of the attempts made so far in different contexts, and it highlights what worked and what did not. This article represents a stepping-stone for future work in this area, to both facilitate and accelerate the transition to sustainable sheltering.

ACS Style

Lara Alshawawreh; Francesco Pomponi; Bernardino D’Amico; Susan Snaddon; Peter Guthrie. Qualifying the Sustainability of Novel Designs and Existing Solutions for Post-Disaster and Post-Conflict Sheltering. Sustainability 2020, 12, 890 .

AMA Style

Lara Alshawawreh, Francesco Pomponi, Bernardino D’Amico, Susan Snaddon, Peter Guthrie. Qualifying the Sustainability of Novel Designs and Existing Solutions for Post-Disaster and Post-Conflict Sheltering. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (3):890.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lara Alshawawreh; Francesco Pomponi; Bernardino D’Amico; Susan Snaddon; Peter Guthrie. 2020. "Qualifying the Sustainability of Novel Designs and Existing Solutions for Post-Disaster and Post-Conflict Sheltering." Sustainability 12, no. 3: 890.

Journal article
Published: 18 December 2019 in Renewable Energy
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In the Mediterranean region façade shading systems are used to reduce operational energy, particularly cooling loads. However, operational savings do not necessarily translate into net energy savings unless they outweigh the embodied energy/carbon required to manufacture, install, maintain, and dispose of these systems. This study analyses two shading devices, louvers and meshes, from a whole-life perspective in Malta. We first establish, through dynamic energy modelling, the operational energy and carbon savings achieved, and results show that both louvers and meshes are capable of savings in terms of operational energy—20%–40% compared to the base case. Secondly, we establish the embodied energy and carbon through a life cycle analysis. Although based on the limited data available for Malta, findings suggest that net energy and carbon savings are only achieved by two of the 22 configurations investigated, both mesh systems. These results highlight the urgent need to investigate shading systems to establish net energy and carbon whole-life balances. The risk is otherwise that we will save less operational energy in the future, from decarbonised energy grids, than we have already spent through a surge of embodied energy from current, carbon intensive grids, therefore exacerbating the climate crisis.

ACS Style

Lara Mifsud; Francesco Pomponi; Alice M. Moncaster. Comparative life cycle analysis of façade passive systems in the Mediterranean: Comfort, energy, and carbon. Renewable Energy 2019, 149, 347 -360.

AMA Style

Lara Mifsud, Francesco Pomponi, Alice M. Moncaster. Comparative life cycle analysis of façade passive systems in the Mediterranean: Comfort, energy, and carbon. Renewable Energy. 2019; 149 ():347-360.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lara Mifsud; Francesco Pomponi; Alice M. Moncaster. 2019. "Comparative life cycle analysis of façade passive systems in the Mediterranean: Comfort, energy, and carbon." Renewable Energy 149, no. : 347-360.

Conference paper
Published: 06 September 2019 in IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science
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The IEA EBC Annex 72 focuses on the assessment of the primary energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts of buildings during production, construction, use (including repair and replacement) and end of life (dismantling), i.e. during the entire life cycle of buildings. In one of its activities, reference buildings (size, materialisation, operational energy demand, etc.) were defined on which the existing national assessment methods are applied using national (if available) databases and (national/regional) approaches. The "be2226" office building in Lustenau, Austria was selected as one of the reference buildings. TU Graz established a BIM model and quantified the amount of building elements as well as construction materials required and the operational energy demand. The building assessment was carried out using the same material and energy demand but applying the LCA approach used in the different countries represented by the participating Annex experts. The results of these assessments are compared in view of identifying major discrepancies. Preliminary findings show that the greenhouse gas emissions per kg of building material differ up to a factor of two and more. Major differences in the building assessments are observed in the transports to the construction site (imports) and the construction activities as well as in the greenhouse gas emissions of the operational energy demand (electricity). The experts document their practical difficulties and how they overcame them. The results of this activity are used to better target harmonisation efforts.

ACS Style

R Frischknecht; H Birgisdottir; C-U Chae; T Lützkendorf; A Passer; E Alsema; Maria Balouktsi; B Berg; D Dowdell; A García Martínez; G Habert; Alexander Hollberg; H König; S Lasvaux; C Llatas; Freja Nygaard Rasmussen; B Peuportier; L Ramseier; M Röck; B Soust Verdaguer; Z Szalay; R A Bohne; L Bragança; M Cellura; C K Chau; M Dixit; N Francart; V Gomes; L Huang; S Longo; A Lupíšek; J Martel; Ricardo Mateus; C Ouellet-Plamondon; Francesco Pomponi; P Ryklová; Damien Trigaux; W Yang. Comparison of the environmental assessment of an identical office building with national methods. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 2019, 323, 012037 .

AMA Style

R Frischknecht, H Birgisdottir, C-U Chae, T Lützkendorf, A Passer, E Alsema, Maria Balouktsi, B Berg, D Dowdell, A García Martínez, G Habert, Alexander Hollberg, H König, S Lasvaux, C Llatas, Freja Nygaard Rasmussen, B Peuportier, L Ramseier, M Röck, B Soust Verdaguer, Z Szalay, R A Bohne, L Bragança, M Cellura, C K Chau, M Dixit, N Francart, V Gomes, L Huang, S Longo, A Lupíšek, J Martel, Ricardo Mateus, C Ouellet-Plamondon, Francesco Pomponi, P Ryklová, Damien Trigaux, W Yang. Comparison of the environmental assessment of an identical office building with national methods. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 2019; 323 (1):012037.

Chicago/Turabian Style

R Frischknecht; H Birgisdottir; C-U Chae; T Lützkendorf; A Passer; E Alsema; Maria Balouktsi; B Berg; D Dowdell; A García Martínez; G Habert; Alexander Hollberg; H König; S Lasvaux; C Llatas; Freja Nygaard Rasmussen; B Peuportier; L Ramseier; M Röck; B Soust Verdaguer; Z Szalay; R A Bohne; L Bragança; M Cellura; C K Chau; M Dixit; N Francart; V Gomes; L Huang; S Longo; A Lupíšek; J Martel; Ricardo Mateus; C Ouellet-Plamondon; Francesco Pomponi; P Ryklová; Damien Trigaux; W Yang. 2019. "Comparison of the environmental assessment of an identical office building with national methods." IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 323, no. 1: 012037.

Conference paper
Published: 19 August 2019 in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering
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Solar thermal technologies are a potentially free and limitless source of energy. Due to the high demand for domestic hot water and the longer insolation periods during summer in Scotland, solar water heating (SWH) systems are a promising renewable energy technology. One of the systems within this technology is the integrated collector-storage solar water heater (ICSSWH). Existing research has predominantly focussed on the technical and economic aspects, with aims to reduce costs whilst maintaining operational performance. This begs the question, what are the true environmental costs of ICSSWH systems? Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an established methodology to evaluate the environmental performance of a product or a system across its life cycle. The aim of this paper is therefore to present an ICSSWH system from an LCA standpoint, also considering the current shift towards a more circular economy. Preliminary field data from a novel ICSSWH designed at Edinburgh Napier University will be presented. The paper will detail the data sources, impact assessment methods and software tools that will be used. Key outcomes from this research show that a holistic ICSSWH design, which considers whole-life implications, does not compromise efficiency and economic viability.

ACS Style

Ruth M Saint; Francesco Pomponi; John I Currie. A method for a cradle-to-cradle life cycle assessment of integrated collector-storage solar water heaters. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 2019, 556, 012061 .

AMA Style

Ruth M Saint, Francesco Pomponi, John I Currie. A method for a cradle-to-cradle life cycle assessment of integrated collector-storage solar water heaters. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 2019; 556 (1):012061.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ruth M Saint; Francesco Pomponi; John I Currie. 2019. "A method for a cradle-to-cradle life cycle assessment of integrated collector-storage solar water heaters." IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 556, no. 1: 012061.