Search Results (6,494)

Improving the energy performance of existing multi-apartment residential buildings is critical for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in Central and Eastern Europe, where large stocks of post-war buildings with limited insulation are connected to district heating systems. This study evaluates façade insulation retrofit strategies for two representative typologies in Novi Beograd, Serbia—a high-rise tower and an elongated slab-type (‘lamella’) building—using calibrated dynamic energy models and cradle-to-use lifecycle assessment (LCA) over a 50-year service life. Models were calibrated against measured 2023–2024 heating consumption data (NMBE < 1%, CVRMSE < 15%) and normalized with Typical Meteorological Year weather for consistent scenario comparison. Retrofit scenarios applied expanded polystyrene (EPS) and cellulose insulation at 10, 12, and 15 cm thicknesses. Results show that external insulation reduces annual heating demand by approximately 19–20% compared to the uninsulated baseline (192 kWh/m²·a), with the majority of savings achieved at 10 cm and only marginal gains from additional thickness. Insulation thickness has a stronger influence on operational energy reduction than material choice, as differences between EPS and cellulose remain below 0.5%. LCA indicates 23.6–26.0% lower climate change impacts and 23.6–25.8% reduced cumulative energy demand in retrofit scenarios, with cellulose offering modest advantages due to lower embodied emissions and biogenic carbon storage. These findings support targeted envelope retrofits as an effective strategy for decarbonizing district-heated residential buildings in the region. Full article

This study examines how digital trade contributes to decarbonization within global value chains (GVCs), focusing on the roles of AI-enabled logistics, carbon pricing, and renewable energy policy. Using a monthly panel of 38 OECD economies from 2000 to 2024, we combine econometric models with machine-learning techniques to identify threshold effects and conditional relationships. The empirical specification includes fixed effects, interaction terms for AI-enhanced logistics, and carbon-pricing threshold analysis. At the same time, structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to assess mediation through renewable energy and regulatory stringency. The results indicate that GVC participation is significantly associated with lower CO₂ emissions (β = −0.064, p < 0.01). Digital trade alone is not statistically significant (β = −0.030), but its environmental effect becomes stronger when combined with AI-enhanced logistics. We identify a carbon-pricing threshold of USD 40 per tonne, above which emissions decline significantly (Δ = −15%, p < 0.01). Renewable energy adoption further reinforces the beneficial effect of digital trade under stronger regulatory conditions. These findings suggest that the emissions effects of digital trade are conditional rather than uniform and depend on complementary policy, technological, and energy factors. While the analysis is limited to OECD economies and monthly aggregate data, the study helps explain mixed findings in the literature by identifying the conditions under which digital trade is more likely to support emissions reduction. Full article

The incorporation of phase change materials in concrete is a practical strategy that holds great promise for enhancing the energy efficiency of buildings and reducing CO₂ emissions. However, the direct contact between phase change materials and cement interferes with the cement hydration reaction, leading to a significant reduction in the mechanical strength of cementitious composites. To encapsulate polyethylene glycol and prevent leakage, this study developed a shape-stabilized phase change aggregate via the cold-bonding method and the vacuum impregnation method. The nanoscale pore structure of the aggregate was regulated by adjusting the biochar content to enhance the phase-change material loading capacity. The phase change aggregate was characterized by indicators including crushing strength and water absorption. Meanwhile, its microstructure, the correlations between nano-sized hydration products, chemical compatibility, and phase change properties were analyzed. The fabricated phase change aggregate has a crushing strength of over 5 MPa, latent heat of 42.84 J/g, and phase change temperature of 29.17 °C while also exhibiting good mechanical properties and thermal energy storage performance. The compressive strength of phase change concrete can meet the strength requirements for structural building material. Moreover, phase change aggregate contributed to reduced CO₂ emissions during service, with favorable economic and low-carbon benefits over its service life, demonstrating good performance in both economic efficiency and CO₂ emission reduction. Full article

Soot and black carbon (BC) are typically regarded as troublesome products of incomplete combustion; however, growing interest in circular economy strategies and sustainable manufacturing highlights their potential as secondary functional carbon materials, including additive manufacturing (AM). This review synthesises the recovery, upgrading, and valorization pathways for soot/BC and recovered carbon black (rCB), with a particular focus on streams captured by mandatory emission-control systems (e.g., diesel/gasoline particulate filters, electrostatic precipitators, baghouse filters, and chimney soot) and the requirements for transforming these heterogeneous residues into reproducible AM feedstocks. A two-stage approach was applied, combining (i) an analysis of the European Union regulatory context (waste classification, end-of-waste routes, and chemical safety obligations, including REACH) with (ii) a structured literature review of studies published in 2017–2026 indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus, culminating in a qualitative synthesis of 152 papers. Evidence indicates that scale-up is primarily constrained by strong compositional variability and contaminant burdens (ash, metals, and PAHs), which affect dispersion, rheology, and property reproducibility, necessitating robust standardisation and risk assessment. This review maps key preparation and upgrading strategies (e.g., classification, ash/metal reduction, and control of organic fractions) and discusses their relevance across AM routes such as FDM/FFF, SLS, DLP, and DIW. Overall, realising credible waste-to-value pathways requires aligning technical performance targets with regulatory compliance and developing consistent characterisation protocols to enable the safe and predictable use of soot/rCB-derived fillers in AM. Full article

The continuous augmentation of greenhouse gas and pollution emissions has exerted a conspicuous and negative influence on social production, economic development, and human health. As the digital economy continues to penetrate into various fields of social development, whether the advancement of the digital economy can promote urban pollution and carbon dioxide emission reduction has emerged as a pivotal topic of interest across all sectors of society. This study adopts empirical research methods to delve into the direct static, dynamic effects, spatial effects, and spatial spillover effects of the digital economy on pollution and carbon dioxide emission reduction in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA). As evidently suggested by the research findings, the digital economy has an inverted U-shaped impact on carbon dioxide and pollution emissions. As heterogeneity analysis reveals, this inverted U-shaped influence relationship exhibits heterogeneous effects in the high-level group and low-level group of digital economy development. The robustness of this conclusion was demonstrated through robustness testing. Mechanism analysis reveals that, in the early stage of digital development, infrastructure expansion serves as the primary channel driving emissions, whereas in the later stage, green technological progress becomes the key mechanism enabling emission reductions. Finally, the results confirms that digital economy has a significant negative spatial correlation effect on carbon dioxide and pollution emissions, and has an inverted U-shaped spatial spillover effect on neighboring regions. Full article

This study develops econometric models to examine greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal and natural gas consumption in Poland between 2015 and 2023. Poland has one of the most carbon-intensive energy systems in Europe. Three complementary log–log econometric models were estimated: a model explaining total CO₂ emissions, a model assessing emission intensity (CO₂ per unit of GDP), and a model capturing short-term variations in emission intensity. The results demonstrate that coal consumption remains the dominant determinant of absolute emissions, whereas the expansion of renewable energy significantly contributes to lowering the carbon intensity of economic growth. However, short-term fluctuations in emission intensity are still largely influenced by changes in fossil fuel consumption patterns. The findings highlight the gradual and sequential character of Poland’s energy transition, where gains in environmental efficiency precede a consistent reduction in total emissions. The proposed modeling framework offers an empirical basis for evaluating the effectiveness of climate and energy policies and can support the formulation of decarbonization strategies in economies heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Full article

Fleet electrification is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of urban decarbonization in high-density megacities. This study introduces a multi-scenario simulation framework integrating high-resolution mobile signaling data with traffic modeling to quantify the systemic environmental and energy impacts of road-based battery electric vehicle (BEV) integration in Shanghai. By evaluating both a fixed-fleet baseline and dynamic-fleet growth scenarios focused on the urban road network, we find that aggressive fleet electrification leads to a profound reduction in aggregate carbon emissions and criteria pollutants, effectively decoupling transit-related environmental burdens from urban growth. However, results also highlight a significant energy trade-off: while fossil fuel displacement accelerates, grid-based electricity demand increases under fleet growth conditions. Within this context, the expanded vehicle population exacerbates urban congestion, which disproportionately inflates the fuel consumption of remaining internal combustion vehicles. Their operational efficiency is severely compromised by frequent stop-and-go cycles, leading to an intensification of idling losses. Ultimately, this research highlights the capability of the proposed simulation framework to provide granular insights into urban emission dynamics, offering a quantitative foundation for policymakers to harmonize electrification targets with proactive traffic management and grid infrastructure strengthening to evaluate the systemic trade-offs toward achieving long-term urban sustainability. Full article

Under the “dual carbon” strategic framework, the low-carbon transition of the logistics sector—a major source of carbon emissions in the national economy—has become imperative for achieving green development. The adoption of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) represents a critical pathway for decarbonizing logistics operations. Initiated in 2009, China’s “Ten Cities, Thousand Vehicles” Demonstration Project served as a pioneering policy to accelerate NEV deployment, offering a valuable use case for reducing emissions in urban logistics. Using this initiative as a quasi-natural experiment, we employ a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) approach and panel data from 275 Chinese prefecture-level cities (2000–2021) to evaluate the causal effect of the policy on urban logistics CO₂ emissions. The robustness of the findings is confirmed through parallel trend tests, placebo tests with reassigned treatment timing, alternative dependent variable construction, and instrumental variable estimation. Mechanism and heterogeneity analyses are further conducted to uncover underlying channels and contextual variations. The results indicate a statistically significant reduction in logistics carbon emissions in pilot cities, which remains consistent across multiple robustness checks. Mediation analysis reveals that the policy effect is partially transmitted through increased NEV stock. Moreover, the emission reduction effect is more pronounced in cities with lower logistics dependency and non-consumer-oriented economic structures, while it is weaker in consumer and highly logistics-dependent cities. These findings confirm the sustainable contribution of early NEV policies through advancing the transition to low-carbon logistics and supporting dual carbon goals, fill the empirical gap in developing countries’ freight decarbonization, and offer actionable insights for targeted regional sustainable logistics strategies. Full article

Due to urbanization and industrialization, there are significant regional differences in carbon emissions, making it increasingly urgent and necessary to conduct an in-depth examination of carbon emission trends from energy consumption across various sectors at the provincial level. Taking Hebei Province, a major carbon-emitting province in China, as a case study, we analyzed carbon emissions from three perspectives: historical emissions, influencing factors, and scenario projections. First, we established a carbon emission inventory for energy consumption. Second, using the integrated LMDI-SD-MC framework, we constructed four subsystems economy, society, energy, and technology and employed three scenarios for forecasting. The results show that: (1) Carbon emissions in Hebei Province from 2003 to 2021 exhibited increased trend year by year, with the share of coal and coke decreasing and the share of natural gas increasing. The industry, residential, and transportation sectors accounted for more than 95% of total carbon emissions. (2) In terms of influencing factors, energy intensity and the level of economic development contributed the most significantly, with contribution rates of −75.97% and 195.97%, respectively. (3) Among the scenario projections, the low-carbon development scenario is the most suitable for Hebei Province, enabling the province to achieve its “Dual Carbon” goals as scheduled. Under the baseline development scenario, the peak is reached in 2040. Under the rapid development scenario, carbon emissions will reach 1130.86 10⁶ tons by 2060. (4) Uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo simulation for all three scenarios showed errors within ±10%, indicating that the model results are robust and interpretable. This study provides a provincial level emission reduction perspective for China to achieve its “Dual Carbon” goals and sustainable development. Full article

Corporate carbon reduction is essential for sustainable development, yet little is known about whether equity linkages within supply chains facilitate firms’ low-carbon transition. Using data on Chinese A-share listed firms from 2008 to 2022, this study examines the effect of supply chain shareholding, defined as equity ownership by suppliers and customers in a focal firm, on corporate carbon emission intensity. We find that supply chain shareholding significantly reduces corporate carbon emission intensity, and this result remains robust after a series of robustness and endogeneity tests. Mechanism analyses show that supply chain shareholding lowers carbon emission intensity by strengthening corporate green governance, promoting green innovation, and facilitating cleaner production. Further analyses indicate that this effect is more pronounced under stricter air quality requirements, in regions with stronger environmental regulation, and among heavily polluting industries. These findings highlight the role of supply chain governance in corporate carbon reduction and suggest that equity linkages within supply chains can support firms’ low-carbon transition. Full article

Ports play a pivotal role in global trade but are also associated with significant environmental and social challenges. Despite growing research on green ports, existing studies remain fragmented, with limited integration between technological, environmental, and governance perspectives within the blue economy framework. This review examines the transition from green port initiatives toward integrated blue-economy-oriented port systems by synthesizing recent advances in sustainable maritime infrastructure, smart port technologies, renewable energy integration, and policy frameworks. The analysis reveals three major findings. First, ports are increasingly evolving into energy-integrated hubs, with leading examples adopting shore power systems, renewable energy microgrids, and hydrogen-based infrastructure, thereby contributing to emissions reductions. Second, digitalization through artificial intelligence, IoT, and data-driven logistics significantly enhances operational efficiency, reduces energy consumption, and improves real-time decision-making. Third, effective governance frameworks that combine regulatory measures and incentive-based instruments are critical to accelerating sustainability transitions while ensuring economic competitiveness. In addition, the review highlights the growing integration of biodiversity conservation, marine pollution mitigation, and community engagement into port management strategies, reflecting a shift toward ecosystem-based approaches. Overall, the findings demonstrate that ports are transitioning from conventional logistics hubs into integrated socio-technical systems that enable low-carbon maritime transport while supporting inclusive and resilient coastal development. Full article

Ecosystem disruption is a significant challenge of the contemporary age, arising from substantial CO₂/CO emissions resulting from dependence on fossil fuels as a primary energy source. Scholars across several fields are striving to mitigate these severe greenhouse gas emissions. The most promising method is to adsorb carbon and convert it into sustainable energy. We sought to diminish CO levels by electrocatalytic reduction using innovative catalytic surfaces, namely transition metal phosphides (TMPs). During this work, VP is recognized as a very effective surface for CO reduction and the synthesis of formaldehyde, methanol, and methane at −0.68 V. Further, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) does not pose a challenge for any surface, despite all TMPs facilitating CO reduction. In summary, predictions derived from this density functional theory (DFT)-guided analysis provide experimentalists with insights to validate experiments and synthesize active catalysts for CO conversion and green energy generation. Full article

This study investigates the development of sustainable dry-mix shotcrete incorporating fly ash and silica fume as partial cement replacements in order to reduce the environmental impact of cement production. A total of 24 mixtures were systematically evaluated, with 10–30% supplementary cementitious material and 0.9–1.8 kg/m³ polypropylene fiber dosages. This research establishes a quantitative framework for optimizing mechanical performance, durability, and Global Warming Potential. Experimental results reveal that silica fume replacement increases 28-day compressive strength by up to 31.13%, while an optimal polypropylene fiber dosage of 0.9 kg/m³ provides a 15.87% strength enhancement through a matrix-bridging effect. Conversely, excessive fiber content (1.8 kg/m³) increases porosity, leading to a 14.94% reduction in strength. Durability analysis demonstrates that silica fume and fly ash significantly refine the microstructure, reducing sorptivity and limiting freeze–thaw strength loss to a range of 18.13% to 41.03%. Crucially, the 30% by volume of the cement replaced with silica fume mixture was identified as the optimum design, achieving the lowest Global Warming Potential per unit strength at 8.82 kg CO₂-eq/m³/MPa, compared to 18.75 for the high-fiber mixture. These findings provide new, specific evidence that these supplementary cementitious material blends can successfully produce dry-mix shotcrete with significantly lower carbon emissions. Full article

Steel processing requires energy-efficient heat-treatment routes without compromising material performance. Traditional annealing furnaces used for low-carbon (LC) steels are energy-intensive and major contributors to CO₂ emissions, creating a need for sustainable alternatives. This study evaluates continuous electric furnace (CEF) annealing as a low-emission route to tailor the microstructure, texture, and mechanical properties of cold-rolled LC steel. Samples were annealed at 750 °C and 850 °C for 60 s, followed by comprehensive microstructural and crystallographic characterization using XRD, SEM, EBSD (IPF, GOS, KAM, ODF), hardness, and tensile testing. Annealing increased recrystallization from ~4% in the as-rolled condition to ~98% at 850 °C, reduced the mean KAM from 1.9° to 0.1°, enhanced the high-angle grain boundary fraction to 0.91, and promoted γ-fiber strengthening while suppressing detrimental θ-fiber components. The 850 °C condition achieved optimal mechanical performance (UTS × TE = 11.1 GPa%). These results demonstrate that CEF annealing enables sustainable processing with better mechanical performance in LC steels. Full article

The construction industry is one of the primary global contributors to carbon emissions, with both construction materials and operational energy recognized as critical factors in achieving net-zero goals. Given that structural systems are embodied carbon-intensive, significant early-stage carbon reductions are possible. This paper introduces the dual-layer sustainable optimization framework (DLSOF), a methodology that integrates system-level substitution with span-level optimization and a single life-cycle assessment (LCA) approach focused on embodied carbon (EC) that is applicable to various construction types and climate regions. To validate DLSOF, two representative models of reinforced concrete buildings were selected for analysis: one focused on alternate structural systems and the other on span optimization for a standard slab configuration. The results indicate that, in most cases, span optimization achieves a reduction in embodied carbon of 33%, whilst system-level substitution, in most cases, achieves a reduction of approximately 30%. The dual-layer approach, in comparison to conventional baseline designs, achieves approximately a 52% reduction in embodied carbon. Uncertainty analysis indicates variability in design and data inputs, but the overall trend of embodied carbon reduction remains consistent. The results highlight the critical nature of the early structural design stage. For engineers, the DLSOF provides a practical design pathway, and it offers flexibility to accommodate diverse sustainability goals across varying geographical contexts. This study establishes a replicable and transferable model for low-carbon structural design by systematically integrating design optimization with embodied carbon assessment. Full article