One of the key postulates of the modern automotive industry is the increase in production efficiency while minimizing costs. In the opinion of experts from the automotive industry, meeting this condition may be the first stage on the way to preventing waste generation and implementing a circular economy model. The article presents a case study of issues related to the lean manufacturing methodology in terms of the impact of shortening the changeover time of the assembly line on the overall production efficiency. The presented considerations focus on the optimization of the production process using the SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) technique of a selected spare part. From the point of view of the Lean Manufacturing concept, the main goal of the SMED technique is to increase the flexibility of responding to changing customer needs by shortening the changeover times and faster responses to changing orders. The article describes the stages of implementing the SMED method and its impact on the increase in the OEE (Overall Equipment Efficiency) index, which allows for the percentage recognition of the degree of machine park utilization, which is one of the key factors for assessing energy efficiency. In addition, the benefits that have been achieved by using this method in terms of time and economy have been presented. The theoretical aspects related to the method used were supplemented with its practical implementation in order to improve the changeovers in a manufacturing company in the automotive industry. Based on the obtained test results, an analysis of the effectiveness of the measures taken to reduce the changeover time was carried out. The use of the SMED methodology contributed to a significant reduction in changeover time—by as much as 291.4 s. The burden on operators was significantly reduced—the total time and number of operations performed by them (both internal and external) was reduced. Operator paths have also been shortened using simple procedures such as changing the layout of the lines and modifying the changeover tool trolleys and tool locking system at the stations. The presented research may be helpful in answering the question whether the implementation of the SMED idea may be the key to effective resource management and, at a later stage, to the implementation of the circular economy model. In addition, the research results can find their practical application among both manufacturers of spare parts and the vehicles themselves, considering introducing process changes on their production lines in order to increase production efficiency and implementing the idea of industrial sustainability.

The aim of this paper is to identify and compare the key institutional features of urban climate change adaptation plans in three geographically, systemically, and climatically distinct European countries (Greece, Spain, and Poland). The paper concentrates on the tool indicated and confirms the circumstances and potential outcomes of its usage in the selected countries. A case study of a particular city was chosen in each country and the applicability of the climate change adaptation plan there was confirmed. Analysis was also performed on the plans’ legal aspect, connection to national-level strategic planning, and spatial planning. The research questions formulated and addressed are as follows: how do urban climate change adaptation plans in the selected countries define key climate challenges? Is the content of the municipal climate change adaptation plans consistent with the content of the diagnosis of climate challenges at the supra-local level and in the scientific discussion? How are climate change adaptation plans translated into the implementation sphere? Τhe example of Spain and Greece confirms that plans can combine general climate change adaptation objectives with specific (evasive) guidelines for urban policies, while the example of Poland shows that the content of climate change adaptation plans can often be too vague and difficult to further integrate into urban policies. The research results obtained are relevant from the perspective of comparing institutional responses to climate challenges. The research proposes possible methods for making such comparisons.

The intensive development of road transport has resulted in a significant increase in air pollution. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable in urban areas. This creates the need for analyses and forecasts of the scale and extent of future emissions of harmful substances into the environment. The aim of this study was to estimate the costs of the emission of toxic components of exhaust gases generated by all users of conventionally propelled vehicles travelling on a section of urban road in the next 25 years. The traffic study was carried out on an urban traffic route, playing a key role for road transport in the dimension of a given urban agglomeration. The traffic forecast for the analysed road section was based on the results of our own measurements carried out in April 2023 and external data from the General Directorate for Roads and Motorways. The results of the observations concerned six categories of vehicles for the morning and afternoon rush hours. Based on the data obtained, the generic structure of the vehicle population on the analysed section and the average daily traffic were determined. Using the methodology contained in the Blue Book of Road Infrastructure, parameters were calculated in the form of annual indicators of traffic growth on the analysed section, travel speed, and annual air pollution costs for selected vehicle categories, remembering at the same time that the Blue Book-based methodology does not distinguish between unit costs in relation to the type of emissions. The results of the study confirmed that there was an increase in the cost of toxic emissions for each vehicle category over the projected 25-year period. The largest increases were seen for trucks with trailers and passenger cars. In total, for all vehicle categories, emission costs nearly doubled from 2024 to 2046, from EUR 3,745,229 to EUR 7,443,384, due to the doubling of the number of vehicles resulting from the traffic forecast. The analyses presented here provide an answer to the question of what pollution costs may be faced by cities in which road transport will continue to be based on conventional types of propulsion. In addition, the research presented can be used to develop urban mobility transformation plans for the coming years, within the scope of the widely promoted smart city concept and the idea of electromobility, by pointing out to local authorities the direct economic benefits of these changes.

Purpose: The aim of this article is to present selected research results in the field of optimization of energy cogeneration processes of heating systems based on biogas sources, in terms of the possibility of obtaining ecological and energy benefits in the municipal area. Design/methodology/approach: The considerations are a case study, including an analysis of the choice of the optimal variant of agricultural biogas construction in the Łobez Municipality in the Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship from the point of view of both the substrate used in biogas and the proposed technological solutions. The subject matter focuses on comparing the estimated ecological effect of biogas with different powers and choosing the optimal model solution. The research process used secondary and statistical data and the selected comparative method to calculate the carbon dioxide emission reduction factor. Findings: The authors indicate which technology of obtaining energy should be dominant in the field of optimization of energy cogeneration processes of heating systems in Poland in areas dominated by agricultural economy. Research limitations/implications: The presented research concerns the assessment of one of the parameters (substrate used in biogas) affecting the optimization of biogas production. Future research in this area should focus on the assessment of other factors determining the validity of the discussed solutions in relation to the adopted state policy in the field of development of renewable energy sources and agricultural economy. Practical implications: The results of the research are the first approach to indicate the government and regional administration the type of energy that may form the basis of the future strategy of changes in the field of energy cogeneration of heating systems in municipal and agricultural areas in Poland. Social implications: The description of the agricultural biogas model, which served as an example, can be helpful in the process of identifying benefits not only for the environment but also as an element stimulating economic and social development at the local and regional level.

Parki narodowe są obszarem bardzo atrakcyjnym turystycznie. Corocznie przybywają tam miliony turystów, a ich liczba ciągle rośnie. Powoduje to wiele problemów w zarządzaniu obszarem chronionym. Stąd też istotne jest zapewnienie odpowiedniej infrastruktury oraz przygotowanie tras turystycznych na tych obszarach tak, aby jak najmniej szkodzić przyrodzie. Celem artykułu jest charakterystyka i ocena zagospodarowania turystycznego i rekreacyjnego parków narodowych w Polsce w latach 2005–2015. Na podstawie zgromadzonych danych empirycznych pochodzących z Głównego Urzędu Statystycznego dokonano porównania wybranych elementów wpływających na zagospodarowanie i przystosowanie danego obszaru parku narodowego do ruchu turystycznego, głównie bazy noclegowej i towarzyszącej. Analiza porównawcza wykazała zróżnicowanie badanych parków w omawianym zakresie. Z przeprowadzonych badań wynika, że największy udział w bazie noclegowej w parkach narodowych miały kempingi i biwaki, z zauważalną tendencją spadkową w każdym analizowanym roku. Liczba ośrodków i domów wczasowych również uległa nieznacznemu zmniejszeniu. Ponadto, w latach 2005–2015 zauważa się tendencję wzrostową w gęstości i długości szlaków, długości nartostrad i schronów przeciwdeszczowych.