The increase in energy demand, increasingly expensive and part of a sustainable development approach, has highlighted the importance of energy efficiency. Indeed, opting for energy efficiency allows to fight against the dissipation of energy and its costs by means of an optimization in the use of energy sources. It is in this sense, that several countries including Morocco, and in order to reduce its energy bill, has opted for a national strategy of energy efficiency which aims to achieve an energy saving of about 20% by 2030 through a better use of energy in all areas of economic and social activity. The integration of energy efficiency and renewable energy techniques in the construction sector is one of the levers that will enable the country to meet its energy challenges and achieve its objectives in the fight against climate change. In this context, Ibn Tofail University has started to exploit the interesting potential of this energy efficiency campus wide. Our addresses the problem of increasing electricity bills at the National School of Applied Sciences of Kenitra (ENSAK) while seeking to develop long-term solutions for the resolution of this problem as well as opening up promising prospects that will better meet its needs. In order to minimize energy consumption at the National School of Applied Sciences, we studied the different types photovoltaic installations and elaborated a study of technical feasibility, financial profitability and environmental impact of potential self-consumption photovoltaic installations.

Water and energy are strongly intertwined, especially in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) whose electrical loads can strain local grids. This work evaluates the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of powering the WWTP attached to the smart building of Ibn Tofail University (Morocco) with building-integrated photovoltaics (PV) and a complementary wind turbine. Using the HOMER Pro optimizer, two configurations were compared: (i) stand-alone PV and (ii) a hybrid PV/wind system. The hybrid design raises the renewable energy fraction from 8.5% to 17.9%, cutting annual grid purchases by 8% and avoiding 47.9 t CO₂ yr⁻¹. The levelized cost of electricity decreases from 1.08 to 0.97 MAD kWh⁻¹ (≈0.11 to 0.10 USD kWh⁻¹), while the net present cost drops by 6%. Sensitivity analyses confirm robustness under grid electricity tariff and load-growth uncertainties. These results demonstrate that modest wind additions can double the renewable share and improve economics, offering a replicable pathway for WWTPs and smart buildings across the MENA region.

The sustainable management of dredged sediments poses a major environmental and economic challenge, particularly in Morocco, where large quantities are annually discarded as waste. Contributing to resource efficiency and circular economy objectives, this study represents the first systematic application research of Moroccan Mehdia Harbor sediments in mortar formulations. Three substitution strategies were investigated at substitution rates of 5–30%: (i) replacement of cement with fine sediments (series MA); (ii) replacement of sand with intermediate sediments (series MB); (iii) replacement of sand with sandy sediments (series MC). Mechanical testing at 28 days showed that both compressive and flexural strengths remained comparable to the reference mortar for substitution levels up to 10–15%, depending on sediment type. Beyond these limits, a marked strength reduction was observed, particularly for cement replacement with fine, clay-rich sediments. Mortars incorporating sandy sediments (MC) exhibited the best performance, maintaining over 80% of the reference compressive strength up to 15%. Leaching tests confirmed the environmental stability of all formulations, which remained within the “inert” waste classification up to 15% substitution. These findings demonstrate that dredged sediment incorporation in mortar is both technically and environmentally feasible for non-structural applications, promoting sustainable materials within a circular economy framework.

Benchmark reward rankings for intelligent cooling control do not necessarily represent thermal control or energy savings. This study introduces a closed-loop audit that separates available thermal authority from realised thermal effect in an occupancy-aware cooling benchmark for an 80 m²...