Sustainability Assessment


Book Description

Currently the writing on the subject is limited and comprises, for the most part, guidance documents and completed assessments.




The Bioeconomy


Book Description

Divided into two parts, the book initially outlines the current definitions, strategies, policy and economic information related to the world's bioeconomy. The second part describes current economic analysis and research efforts in qualifying and understanding the economics of the bioeconomy. This includes the contributions of technology, research and innovation; driving forces and demand-side economics; supply-side economics, and the role of markets and public policy in matching demand and supply. The political economy, regulation and transitions are considered, as well as the contribution of the bioeconomy to society, including growth, development and sustainability. Key features include: - An analysis of varied international approaches to the bioeconomy. - A joint consideration of biotechnology, agriculture, food energy and bio-materials. - An assessment of sustainability in the bioeconomy. - A comprehensive view of the issues from an economic and policy perspective.




Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA)


Book Description

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (ELCA) that was developed about three decades ago demands a broadening of its scope to include lifecycle costing and social aspects of life cycle assessment as well, drawing on the three-pillar or ‘triple bottom line’ model of sustainability, which is the result of the development of the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA). LCSA refers to the evaluation of all environmental, social and economic negative impacts and benefits in decision-making processes towards more sustainable products throughout their life cycle. Combination of environmental and social life cycle assessments along with life cycle costing leads to life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). This book highlights various aspects of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA).




Green Chemistry and Engineering


Book Description

Promotes a green approach to chemistry and chemical engineering for a sustainable planet With this text as their guide, students will gain a new outlook on chemistry and engineering. The text fully covers introductory concepts in general, organic, inorganic, and analytical chemistry as well as biochemistry. At the same time, it integrates such concepts as greenhouse gas potential, alternative and renewable energy, solvent selection and recovery, and ecotoxicity. As a result, students learn how to design chemical products and processes that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Green Chemistry and Engineering presents the green approach as an essential tool for tackling problems in chemistry. A novel feature of the text is its integration of introductory engineering concepts, making it easier for students to move from fundamental science to applications. Throughout this text, the authors integrate several features to help students understand and apply basic concepts in general chemistry as well as green chemistry, including: Comparisons of the environmental impact of traditional chemistry approaches with green chemistry approaches Analyses of chemical processes in the context of life-cycle principles, demonstrating how chemistry fits within the complex supply chain Applications of green chemistry that are relevant to students' lives and professional aspirations Examples of successful green chemistry endeavors, including Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge winners Case studies that encourage students to use their critical thinking skills to devise green chemistry solutions Upon completing this text, students will come to understand that chemistry is not antithetical to sustainability, but rather, with the application of green principles, chemistry is the means to a sustainable planet.







Metal Recovery from Electronic Waste: Biological Versus Chemical Leaching for Recovery of Copper and Gold


Book Description

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) generation is a global problem. Despite the growing awareness and deterring legislation, most of the WEEE is disposed improperly, i.e. landfilled or otherwise shipped overseas, and treated in sub-standard conditions. Informal recycling of WEEE has catastrophic effects on humans and the environment. WEEE contains considerable quantities of valuable metals such as base metals, precious metals and rare earth elements (REE). Metal recovery from WEEE is conventionally carried out by pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods. In this PhD research, novel metal recovery technologies from WEEE are investigated. Using acidophilic and cyanide-generating bacteria, copper and gold were removed from crushed electronic waste with removal efficiencies of 98.4 and 44.0%, respectively. The leached metals in solution were recovered using sulfidic precipitation and electrowinning separation techniques. Finally, a techno-economic assessment of the technology was studied. This research addresses the knowledge gap on two metal extraction approaches, namely chemical and biological, from a secondary source of metals. The essential parameters of the selective metal recovery processes, scale-up potential, techno-economic and sustainability assessment have been studied.




Encyclopedia of Sustainable Technologies


Book Description

Encyclopedia of Sustainable Technologies, Eight Volume Set provides an authoritative assessment of the sustainable technologies that are currently available or in development. Sustainable technology includes the scientific understanding, development and application of a wide range of technologies and processes and their environmental implications. Systems and lifecycle analyses of energy systems, environmental management, agriculture, manufacturing and digital technologies provide a comprehensive method for understanding the full sustainability of processes. In addition, the development of clean processes through green chemistry and engineering techniques are also described. The book is the first multi-volume reference work to employ both Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and Triple Bottom Line (TBL) approaches to assessing the wide range of technologies available and their impact upon the world. Both approaches are long established and widely recognized, playing a key role in the organizing principles of this valuable work. Provides readers with a one-stop guide to the most current research in the field Presents a grounding of the fundamentals of the field of sustainable technologies Written by international leaders in the field, offering comprehensive coverage of the field and a consistent, high-quality scientific standard Includes the Life Cycle Analysis and Triple Bottom Line approaches to help users understand and assess sustainable technologies




Technology, Design and Process Innovation in the Built Environment


Book Description

Buildings and infrastructure represent principal assets of any national economy as well as prime sources of environmental degradation. Making them more sustainable represents a key challenge for the construction, planning and design industries and governments at all levels; and the rapid urbanisation of the 21st century has turned this into a global challenge. This book embodies the results of a major research programme by members of the Australia Co-operative Research Centre for Construction Innovation and its global partners, presented for an international audience of construction researchers, senior professionals and advanced students. It covers four themes, applied to regeneration as well as to new build, and within the overall theme of Innovation: Sustainable Materials and Manufactures, focusing on building material products, their manufacture and assembly – and the reduction of their ecological ‘fingerprints’, the extension of their service lives, and their re-use and recyclability. It also explores the prospects for applying the principles of the assembly line. Virtual Design, Construction and Management, viewed as increasing sustainable development through automation, enhanced collaboration (such as virtual design teams), real time BL performance assessment during design, simulation of the construction process, life-cycle management of project information (zero information loss) risk minimisation, and increased potential for innovation and value adding. Integrating Design, Construction and Facility Management over the Project Life Cycle, by converging ICT, design science engineering and sustainability science. Integration across spatial scales, enabling building–infrastructure synergies (such as water and energy efficiency). Convergences between IT and design and operational processes are also viewed as a key platform increased sustainability.




Sustainable Nanoscale Engineering


Book Description

Sustainable Nanoscale Engineering: From Materials Design to Chemical Processing presents the latest on the design of nanoscale materials and their applications in sustainable chemical production processes. The newest achievements of materials science, in particular nanomaterials, opened new opportunities for chemical engineers to design more efficient, safe, compact and environmentally benign processes. These materials include metal-organic frameworks, graphene, membranes, imprinted polymers, polymers of intrinsic microporosity, nanoparticles, and nanofilms, to name a few. Topics discussed include gas separation, CO2 sequestration, continuous processes, waste valorization, catalytic processes, bioengineering, pharmaceutical manufacturing, supercritical CO2 technology, sustainable energy, molecular imprinting, graphene, nature inspired chemical engineering, desalination, and more. - Describes new, efficient and environmentally accepted processes for nanomaterials design - Includes a large array of materials, such as metal-organic frameworks, graphene, imprinted polymers, and more - Explores the contribution of these materials in the development of sustainable chemical processes




Sustainable Machining


Book Description

This book provides an overview on current sustainable machining. Its chapters cover the concept in economic, social and environmental dimensions. It provides the reader with proper ways to handle several pollutants produced during the machining process. The book is useful on both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and it is of interest to all those working with manufacturing and machining technology.