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Dario Cottafava
University of Turin, Department of Physics, Via Pietro Giuria 1, 10100, Turin, Italy

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Journal article
Published: 09 November 2020 in Sustainable Production and Consumption
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The Circular Economy introduced new research challenges to be faced. Linear and circular supply chain comparisons require general methodologies to obtain significant and scalable results. A two-step methodology is here proposed to facilitate the interpretation of results during a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Firstly, an LCA analysis has been conducted on four single-use - Polypropylene (PP), Polylactic acid (PLA), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and Cardboard+Polyethylene coat - and reusable - PP, PLA, PET, and glass - cups. Secondly, the analyzed midpoint impact categories have been aggregated into the three main life cycle phases: production, use and End of Life (EoL). Then, they have been used to assess the environmental break-even point (BEP), i.e. the minimum number of uses necessary for a reusable cup to be preferable than a single-use cup, considering two EoL (energy recovery, and recycling) and three use phase strategies (onsite handwashing, onsite and offsite washing). Considering offsite washing - transport distance of 20km and industrial washing machines - and energy recovery, findings highlight that reusable plastic cups reach a break-even point for climate change and non-renewable energy use for n<150, while single-use PP cups are the best option in terms of acidification, eutrophication, and water scarcity indicator. With respect to PP single-use cups, for acidification, eutrophication, and water scarcity indicator, a BEP cannot be achieved, even in the case of infinite reuses. Results evidenced all the conditions for reaching a BEP, allowing to identify possible strategies to improve the efficiency of reusable products and to obtain an environmental benefit.

ACS Style

Dario Cottafava; Mattia Costamagna; Marcello Baricco; Laura Corazza; Davide Miceli; Luigi E. Riccardo. Assessment of the environmental break-even point for deposit return systems through an LCA analysis of single-use and reusable cups. Sustainable Production and Consumption 2020, 27, 228 -241.

AMA Style

Dario Cottafava, Mattia Costamagna, Marcello Baricco, Laura Corazza, Davide Miceli, Luigi E. Riccardo. Assessment of the environmental break-even point for deposit return systems through an LCA analysis of single-use and reusable cups. Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 27 ():228-241.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dario Cottafava; Mattia Costamagna; Marcello Baricco; Laura Corazza; Davide Miceli; Luigi E. Riccardo. 2020. "Assessment of the environmental break-even point for deposit return systems through an LCA analysis of single-use and reusable cups." Sustainable Production and Consumption 27, no. : 228-241.

Journal article
Published: 30 August 2020 in Resources, Conservation and Recycling
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In the European Union, the built environment is responsible for more than the 25% of all waste generated, highlighting the need to adopt circular practices. To indicate the level of circularity, common indicators mainly focus on: 1) the amount of virgin materials, 2) the amount of unrecoverable waste, and 3) the product lifetime. However, a holistic methodology covering the macro (material impact), meso (supply chain) and micro level (design) is still to be fully developed. In this research, two indicators - the Building Circularity Indicator (BCI) and the novel Predictive BCI (PBCI) - combine the Material Circularity Indicator with Embodied Energy (EE), Embodied CO2 (EC) analyses and Design for Disassembly (DfD) criteria. A full and simplified version are tested for different case studies in different climate zones in the EU. EE ranges between 1.49 GJ/m2 and 7.60 GJ/m2, while EC between 0.15 tCO2/m2 and 0.73 tCO2/m2. In the full version, the BCI and PBCI ranges respectively from 0.23 and 0.28 to 0.04 and 0.10 with regard to mass, EE and EC. The simplified version ranges between 0.10 and 0.62, revealing to be a more accurate indicator when data are available for only a few dozen components. To enable comparisons among different buildings, results show how different interpretations of the DfD criteria affect the BCI, highlighting the need to indicate strict boundary conditions, a minimum number of evaluated components, and precise criteria on how the DfD criteria relate to either a material, a subcomponent/component, or its relationship to its context.

ACS Style

Dario Cottafava; Michiel Ritzen. Circularity indicator for residential buildings: Addressing the gap between embodied impacts and design aspects. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2020, 164, 105120 .

AMA Style

Dario Cottafava, Michiel Ritzen. Circularity indicator for residential buildings: Addressing the gap between embodied impacts and design aspects. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2020; 164 ():105120.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dario Cottafava; Michiel Ritzen. 2020. "Circularity indicator for residential buildings: Addressing the gap between embodied impacts and design aspects." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 164, no. : 105120.

Book chapter
Published: 03 June 2020 in Struggles and Successes in the Pursuit of Sustainable Development
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The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have shed light on the concept of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) expressed through the knowledge of targets and indicators. Consequently, UNESCO has invoked the adoption of new pedagogical approaches for SDGs – that is, transdisciplinary and transformative learning, to overcome mere knowledge teaching and to teach, new generations of young leaders, ESD skills such as envisioning, critical thinking and partnership building. This paper discusses the struggles and successes of a pilot project in transformative learning in an institution of higher learning for the advancement of the SDGs. This project has been carried out at the University of Torino (UniTo) and focuses on merging sustainable development with open innovation. Recognized as one of the best practices regarding sustainable development by the Italian Association of Universities for Sustainability (RUS) in 2017, the case involves students in a transdisciplinary, creative and open learning environment. With this approach, students learn about SDGs, the complexities of sustainability and the use of valuable tools to contribute to their local communities and organizations.

ACS Style

Dario Cottafava; Laura Corazza; Gabriela Cavagliá. Struggles and Successes of Transformative Learning for the SDGs. Struggles and Successes in the Pursuit of Sustainable Development 2020, 11 -22.

AMA Style

Dario Cottafava, Laura Corazza, Gabriela Cavagliá. Struggles and Successes of Transformative Learning for the SDGs. Struggles and Successes in the Pursuit of Sustainable Development. 2020; ():11-22.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dario Cottafava; Laura Corazza; Gabriela Cavagliá. 2020. "Struggles and Successes of Transformative Learning for the SDGs." Struggles and Successes in the Pursuit of Sustainable Development , no. : 11-22.

Case report
Published: 01 July 2019 in Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss and present new teaching techniques to advance the concept and the practice of education for sustainable development (SD). Due to the recently introduced 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and owing their interlinkages and targets, an evolution of the traditional teaching techniques is needed. Design/methodology/approach With the use of a single revelatory case study, this paper presents an example of education for SD goals activity carried out at the University of Torino, focussed on merging SD with the active engagement of students. Findings The empowerment of students happens through a transformative learning experience grounded in the acquisition of managerial soft skills useful in co-creating and co-designing projects to contribute towards SDGs effectively. Practical implications The ultimate goal is to support students to become active citizens in their communities (e.g. starting within the University). Social implications Students learnt about SDGs and the complexities of sustainability, and, at the same time, they learnt valuable tools to contribute to their transformation to develop projects for the benefit of local territories and organizations. Originality/value The paper showcases how transformative learning could be applied to SDGs. Awarded as one of the best practices regarding SD by the Italian Network of Universities for Sustainable Development, the case involves students in a transdisciplinary, creative and open learning environment.

ACS Style

Dario Cottafava; Gabriela Cavaglià; Laura Corazza. Education of sustainable development goals through students’ active engagement. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal 2019, 10, 521 -544.

AMA Style

Dario Cottafava, Gabriela Cavaglià, Laura Corazza. Education of sustainable development goals through students’ active engagement. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal. 2019; 10 (3):521-544.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dario Cottafava; Gabriela Cavaglià; Laura Corazza. 2019. "Education of sustainable development goals through students’ active engagement." Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal 10, no. 3: 521-544.

Journal article
Published: 23 January 2019 in Energy and Buildings
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Energy efficiency in buildings is a key issue in the current energy transition. In order to reduce building energy consumption, users’ behaviour and the perception of indoor environmental comfort must be taken into account; these aspects are inextricably linked to energy demand, consumption and related costs. In this paper, we present the methodological framework, technological solutions and outcomes of the ComfortSense project. ComfortSense aimed at decoupling energy demand from indoor comfort. We focused on Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings, on users’ behaviour and on comfort perception by treating buildings as socio-technical systems. Our approach - which was multidisciplinary and included the contribution of sociologists, physicists and computer scientists - was based on Internet of Things technologies, on a Living Lab design and testing process and on a Crowdsensing approach. Physical parameters (objective variables), such as temperature, CO2 concentration and relative humidity, were measured by a Wireless Sensor Network and by wearable devices, while the users’ perception of comfort (subjective variables) were recorded as real-time feedback through a Mobile App in three pilot buildings of the University of Turin, engaging about a thousand buildings’ users (professors, researchers, students and employees). Objective and subjective variables were correlated through an ad-hoc Direct Virtual Sensor. Thanks to the Direct Virtual Sensor forecasting we demonstrated that, adopting an adaptive indoor comfort management, users’ comfort can be remarkably improved while reducing the energy consumption of HVAC systems.

ACS Style

D. Cottafava; S. Magariello; R. Ariano; Osman Arrobbio; M. Baricco; V.M. Barthelmes; G. Baruzzo; M. Bonansone; L. Console; L. Contin; S.P. Corgnati; S. Dotta; V. Fabi; P. Gambino; I. Gerlero; A. Giovannoli; P. Grillo; G. Guaschino; P. Landolfo; M. Malano; D. Mana; A. Matassa; L. Monterzino; S. Mosca; M. Nuciari; E. Olivetta; D. Padovan; E. Pantó; A. Rapp; M. Sanseverino; A. Sciullo; S. Sella; R. Simeoni; A. Tartaglino; F. Vernero. Crowdsensing for a sustainable comfort and for energy saving. Energy and Buildings 2019, 186, 208 -220.

AMA Style

D. Cottafava, S. Magariello, R. Ariano, Osman Arrobbio, M. Baricco, V.M. Barthelmes, G. Baruzzo, M. Bonansone, L. Console, L. Contin, S.P. Corgnati, S. Dotta, V. Fabi, P. Gambino, I. Gerlero, A. Giovannoli, P. Grillo, G. Guaschino, P. Landolfo, M. Malano, D. Mana, A. Matassa, L. Monterzino, S. Mosca, M. Nuciari, E. Olivetta, D. Padovan, E. Pantó, A. Rapp, M. Sanseverino, A. Sciullo, S. Sella, R. Simeoni, A. Tartaglino, F. Vernero. Crowdsensing for a sustainable comfort and for energy saving. Energy and Buildings. 2019; 186 ():208-220.

Chicago/Turabian Style

D. Cottafava; S. Magariello; R. Ariano; Osman Arrobbio; M. Baricco; V.M. Barthelmes; G. Baruzzo; M. Bonansone; L. Console; L. Contin; S.P. Corgnati; S. Dotta; V. Fabi; P. Gambino; I. Gerlero; A. Giovannoli; P. Grillo; G. Guaschino; P. Landolfo; M. Malano; D. Mana; A. Matassa; L. Monterzino; S. Mosca; M. Nuciari; E. Olivetta; D. Padovan; E. Pantó; A. Rapp; M. Sanseverino; A. Sciullo; S. Sella; R. Simeoni; A. Tartaglino; F. Vernero. 2019. "Crowdsensing for a sustainable comfort and for energy saving." Energy and Buildings 186, no. : 208-220.

Conference paper
Published: 08 August 2018 in E3S Web of Conferences
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At the University of Turin (UniTo) the first attempt to reduce the ecological footprint dates back to 2006. In 2013 UniTo participated, for the first time, to the GreenMetric World University Rankings and it launched its most ambitious sustainable initiatives by publishing the first annual University Sustainability Report. Since 2013, several efforts have been made to reduce carbon emissions, to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, as well as for reducing water consumption, improving waste management, promoting sustainable mobility, and increasing ecological purchases. The most recent achievement was in 2016, when the University Green Office (UniToGO) was established. Concerning the energy management, UniTo may be considered as a “city within a city”: it counts about 70,000 students and 4,000 academic and administrative-technical staff studying and working in about 120 buildings, with an annual primary energy cost of over 10 M€. Thanks to UniToGO, UniTo adopted an Energy Plan with the aim to reduce primary energy consumption, to improve buildings energy efficiency and to increase the energy production from renewable energy. As a result, several actions relevant for GreenMetric were performed: the renovation of old chiller and substitution of new energy efficient LED, the implementation of Smart Building Systems (BEMS) for HVAC plants and the adoption of an OpenData policy for energy consumption, the increase of renewable energy production, mainly due to three cogeneration plants, and the adoption of a university policy in order to buy only renewable energy from the current Distribution System Operator. Moreover, UniTo took several efforts to improve or to design elements of green buildings in a partecipatory way. Finally, during 2017, the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan was set-up to plan future actions related to five sustainability fields: Energy, Food, Green Public Procurement, Mobility and Waste.

ACS Style

Marcello Baricco; Andrea Tartaglino; Paolo Gambino; Egidio Dansero; Dario Cottafava; Gabriela Cavaglià. University of Turin performance in UI GreenMetric Energy and Climate Change. E3S Web of Conferences 2018, 48, 03003 .

AMA Style

Marcello Baricco, Andrea Tartaglino, Paolo Gambino, Egidio Dansero, Dario Cottafava, Gabriela Cavaglià. University of Turin performance in UI GreenMetric Energy and Climate Change. E3S Web of Conferences. 2018; 48 ():03003.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcello Baricco; Andrea Tartaglino; Paolo Gambino; Egidio Dansero; Dario Cottafava; Gabriela Cavaglià. 2018. "University of Turin performance in UI GreenMetric Energy and Climate Change." E3S Web of Conferences 48, no. : 03003.

Journal article
Published: 21 May 2018 in Energies
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We propose a simple tool to help the energy management of a large building stock defining clusters of buildings with the same function, setting alert thresholds for each cluster, and easily recognizing outliers. The objective is to enable a building management system to be used for detection of abnormal energy use. We start reviewing energy performance indicators, and how they feed into data visualization (DataViz) tools for a large building stock, especially for university campuses. After a brief presentation of the University of Turin’s building stock which represents our case study, we perform an explorative analysis based on the Multidimensional Detective approach by Inselberg, using the Scatter Plot Matrix and the Parallel Coordinates methods. The k-means clustering algorithm is then applied on the same dataset to test the hypotheses made during the explorative analysis. Our results show that DataViz techniques provide quick and user-friendly solutions for the energy management of a large stock of buildings. In particular, they help identifying clusters of buildings and outliers and setting alert thresholds for various Energy Efficiency Indices.

ACS Style

Dario Cottafava; Giulia Sonetti; Paolo Gambino; Andrea Tartaglino. Explorative Multidimensional Analysis for Energy Efficiency: DataViz versus Clustering Algorithms. Energies 2018, 11, 1312 .

AMA Style

Dario Cottafava, Giulia Sonetti, Paolo Gambino, Andrea Tartaglino. Explorative Multidimensional Analysis for Energy Efficiency: DataViz versus Clustering Algorithms. Energies. 2018; 11 (5):1312.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dario Cottafava; Giulia Sonetti; Paolo Gambino; Andrea Tartaglino. 2018. "Explorative Multidimensional Analysis for Energy Efficiency: DataViz versus Clustering Algorithms." Energies 11, no. 5: 1312.

Preprint
Published: 10 April 2018
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In this paper, we propose a simple tool to help the energy management of a large buildings stock defining clusters of buildings with the same function, setting alert thresholds for each cluster, and easily recognizing outliers. The objective is to enable a building management system to be used for detection of abnormal energy use. First, we framed the issue of energy performance indicators, and how they feed into data visualization (Data Viz) tools for a large building stock, especially for university campuses. Both for Data Viz and clustering algorithm processes, we discussed two possible approaches to choose the right number of clusters and the identification of alert thresholds and outliers, after a brief presentation of the University of Turin's building stock case study. Different Data Viz tools have been studied to apply a specific clustering algorithm, the k-means one. An explorative analysis based on the general Multidimensional detective approach by Inselberg has been performed. Two multidimensional analysis tools, the Scatter Plot Matrix and the Parallel coordinates method have been used. Secondly, the k-means clustering algorithm has been applied on the same dataset in order to test the hypothesis made during the explorative analysis. Data Viz techniques developed in this study revealed to be very useful to explore quickly and simply a large buildings' stock, identifying the worst efficient buildings and clustering them according to their distinct functions.

ACS Style

Dario Cottafava; Giulia Sonetti; Paolo Gambino; Andrea Tartaglino. Explorative Multidimensional Analysis for Energy Efficiency: Dataviz Versus Clustering Algorithms. 2018, 1 .

AMA Style

Dario Cottafava, Giulia Sonetti, Paolo Gambino, Andrea Tartaglino. Explorative Multidimensional Analysis for Energy Efficiency: Dataviz Versus Clustering Algorithms. . 2018; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dario Cottafava; Giulia Sonetti; Paolo Gambino; Andrea Tartaglino. 2018. "Explorative Multidimensional Analysis for Energy Efficiency: Dataviz Versus Clustering Algorithms." , no. : 1.