Search Results (13,719)

This study investigates the psychological and pedagogical architecture predicting environmental communicative agency among 304 primary school students (grades 5–6) participating in a climate change education programme. Aiming to bridge the persistent “knowledge–action gap” in sustainability education, the research identifies the cognitive, emotional, and instrumental pathways that transform children into active agents of low-carbon, pro-sustainability change in their everyday lives. Employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with a latent climatic knowledge literacy construct, the analysis reveals that the latent construct of General Environmental Knowledge, comprising Conceptual Climate Knowledge and Relational-Systems Climate Knowledge, is the strongest direct predictor of Environmental Communicative Agency. Intrinsic curiosity emerged as a dominant driver of practical competence, while future-oriented tools function as the critical mediator between understanding and social action. Together, these mechanisms outline a school-based pathway through which climate literacy and motivation can be converted into household-level behavioural change and intergenerational climate resilience. The findings advocate for a paradigmatic shift from knowledge transfer to building operative sustainability agency, offering a pedagogical roadmap that fosters “constructive hope” and positions children as “trusted messengers” who catalyse intergenerational learning and reverse socialization toward more sustainable lifestyles. Full article

This paper presents up-to-date technical solutions for mitigating vibration and structure-borne noise in buildings, caused mainly by urban infrastructure. It is intended to draw attention to the problem of noise and vibration pollution, against which people and buildings should be protected rationally and properly according to the concept of sustainable development as it relates to the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector (one common sector). It reviews different passive methods of protection against vibration impacts, such as those provided by the elastic support of structures, emphasizing their advantages and limitations. The application of optional solutions using suitable elastomeric materials is presented through examples of various special-purpose buildings designed and built in recent years. The implemented mitigation measures are described in detail and briefly evaluated in the context of ensuring effective vibration isolation that complies with stringent requirements related to the accepted level of vibro-acoustic influence in the considered facilities. The paper provides an overview of the practice-oriented application of an elastic support technique in the design and realization of buildings, which enhances the vibro-acoustic comfort of their occupants and users. The general aspects of sustainability in the context of types of elastomeric vibro-isolating materials are also discussed. Full article

The beef production chain plays a strategic role in Brazilian and global agri-food systems and faces growing demands for sustainability, transparency, and traceability. Building on official Animal Transit Guide (GTA) records from Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, this study examines whether a parsimonious agent-based model (ABM) can generate the main structural signatures of an observed cattle-trade network. The empirical benchmark is a directed and weighted network with 20,827 nodes and 258,120 weighted edges. The ABM represents producers and slaughterhouses as spatial agents connected by trade decisions based on three mechanisms: destination attractiveness, defined as the accumulated pull of a slaughterhouse based on previous simulated throughput; geographic distance, representing spatial friction; and relational memory, representing the tendency to repeat previous commercial ties. Producer choice is formalized through a local utility function that combines attractiveness, distance penalty, and relational memory under capacity, sourcing-radius, and saturation constraints. In the simulated scenarios, the top-five slaughterhouses accounted for 38.49 ± 2.56% of throughput at reduced scale and 14.40 ± 0.65% at intermediate scale, while weighted mean distances were 11.94 ± 0.56 and 9.07 ± 0.39 model units, respectively. The model reproduced, in structural and mechanistic terms, the emergence of dominant hubs, the concentration of flows, and the bounded increase in transaction distance with connectivity around the empirical threshold of kw ≈ 256. Sensitivity analyses indicated that attractiveness increases concentration, distance localizes transactions, and relational memory can stabilize repeated ties when recurrent activation is represented. Rather than reconstructing individual transactions, estimating policy impacts, or identifying a unique parameter vector, the model provides a generative explanation of how local trade rules can produce macro-level network patterns consistent with the observed cattle-trade regime. These findings support future prospective analyses of cattle governance, traceability, and sustainability within the broader context of Livestock 4.0. Full article

The emergence of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and dual incretin-based therapies has fundamentally transformed obesity pharmacotherapy, enabling magnitudes of non-surgical weight loss that were previously unattainable. Yet, the clinical success of these treatments cannot be measured in kilograms alone. Total body weight is a composite, tissue-nonspecific endpoint that fails to distinguish between adipose reduction and losses in skeletal muscle mass, strength, and physical function—compartments of direct relevance to metabolic health, functional independence, and long-term resilience. This narrative review builds on and extends existing conceptualizations of weight loss quality by proposing a clinically oriented, multidimensional framework of high-quality weight loss. Within this framework, preferential adiposity reduction is achieved while preserving skeletal muscle mass, neuromuscular function, dietary adequacy, and cardiometabolic health. We examine the physiological and clinical consequences of lean tissue loss during pharmacological energy restriction, with specific attention to phenotypes at greatest risk (i.e., older adults, individuals with sarcopenic obesity, and those with type 2 diabetes). We then evaluate the evidence supporting precision protein nutrition, dietary fiber adequacy, and gastrointestinal tolerability management as nutritional countermeasures, followed by a mechanistic and clinical analysis of resistance training as the primary exercise strategy for preserving lean mass and function. Finally, we discuss body composition monitoring, integrated multidisciplinary care, and unresolved research gaps. The future of obesity treatment lies not in greater weight loss per se, but in achieving better weight loss—defined as metabolically favorable, functionally responsible, and clinically sustainable. Bone health is treated as a further dimension of high-quality weight loss, since pharmacologically driven energy restriction can adversely affect areal bone mineral density and microarchitecture, and adequate protein intake combined with mechanical loading is required to preserve skeletal integrity alongside lean mass. Full article

This study proposes a reproducible methodology for optimizing occupancy sensor placement and assessing the sustainable energy performance of smart lighting systems in university classrooms. The research was conducted in Block H of the South Campus of the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, Quito, using one representative classroom for detailed geometric analysis and extending the optimization to eight classrooms with different dimensions, areas, and installed lighting configurations. The proposed framework integrates Voronoi-based spatial analysis, genetic algorithm optimization, and dynamic occupancy-based lighting control simulation as a retrofit-oriented strategy for existing educational buildings. For the representative classroom, the optimized sensor position was located near the geometric center of the room and achieved an estimated spatial coverage of 94.7% under the adopted sampling-based geometric model and an effective detection radius of 6 m. The multi-classroom analysis showed that the required number of sensors depends on classroom geometry and the adopted sensing radius; at R = 6 m, most classrooms satisfied the 90% coverage criterion with one sensor, while the largest classroom required two sensors. Based on occupancy schedules and automatic control rules, the dynamic simulation showed reductions in lighting operating time of 48% and 52% for 10 h and 12 h daily scenarios, respectively. These reductions were translated into lower daily and monthly energy consumption across different lighting configurations. The results indicate that optimized occupancy-based control can support sustainability-oriented energy management in university buildings by reducing unnecessary electricity use while preserving the existing lighting infrastructure. However, the results are limited to occupancy-based control and do not include daylight harvesting, photometric validation, or a complete economic payback assessment. Full article

The accelerating deterioration of Chinese historical villages necessitates advanced digital approaches for systematic documentation and conservation. The present research proposes a novel Digital Heritage Framework that integrates UAV-based 3D oblique photogrammetry, LiDAR point cloud modeling, and computer vision. Unlike single-technology approaches, our methodology solves modeling issues for complex terrain mapping. This especially applies to the interior and roof works of buildings. The framework implements a customized Rhino-Grasshopper. The 3D model is able to resolve issues of shadow occlusion and spatial discontinuity by integrating aerial and ground-based datasets into spatially coherent formats. This makes use of the Meta-AI-SAM2 deep learning model for semantic segmentation and identification of materials. The computer vision (CV) approach gives semi-automated façade analysis. It enables documentation of complex architectural features non-invasively. We developed a Unity-based visualization platform. It features multiscale representations, ranging from village-scale layouts to centimeter-accurate scans of heritage structures such as the Qinchuan Ancestral Hall. Integration with the Unity platform optimizes dataset organization and hierarchical structuring. This significantly enhances database operational efficiency. This integration reduces manual processing complexity and hardware demands. Demonstrating documented efficiency and precision, this workflow presents a scalable solution for endangered heritage sites. Future research will explore AI-assisted detail reconstruction and cross-cultural adaptations. It potentially establishes this framework as a comprehensive tool for sustainable digital conservation. Full article

The Hoffman–Loffler–Freytag (HLF) reaction is one of the first transformations to achieve remote C(sp³)-H functionalization and simultaneously provide useful building blocks from readily available reagents. Herein, we propose a photochemical protocol for the HLF cyclization, utilizing UVA light as the initiating force under catalyst-free conditions, followed by base-mediated cyclization, in order to synthesize pyrrolidines in a mild and sustainable manner. Full article

This paper addresses a critical and often overlooked challenge: drivetrain fatigue in wind turbines (WTs) induced by primary frequency regulation (PFR) operations, particularly below rated wind speed. While existing PFR strategies focus on grid support, they rarely offer mechanisms to simultaneously mitigate the mechanical stress they impose. To overcome this, a Model Predictive Control (MPC) strategy is proposed that adaptively adjusts the PFR gain in real time. First, the boundary characteristics of the de-loading factor under varying wind speeds and PFR gains are systematically analyzed. This analysis bridges a critical gap in prior studies, which predominantly adopted fixed-gain strategies without comprehensively evaluating their fatigue implications. Building on these boundary characteristics, an MPC framework is developed to optimally adjust the frequency regulation gain in real time. This approach achieves an optimization by minimizing drivetrain torque fluctuations for fatigue mitigation, critically informed by a comprehensive boundary analysis of de-loading factors, while rigorously ensuring essential PFR support capability through explicit operational constraints. Extensive simulations demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed MPC, achieving a simultaneous reduction of up to 27.99% in drivetrain fatigue load and 14.44% in frequency deviations compared to conventional methods. This work significantly enhances the mechanical reliability of WTs and facilitates their more sustainable integration into modern power grids by offering a unique solution to a long-standing trade-off. Full article

Efficient and equitable allocation of educational resources is fundamental to building sustainable education systems and achieving inclusive, equitable, and quality education under Sustainable Development Goal 4. This study employs the slack-based measure (SBM) model to evaluate the resource allocation efficiency of 882 regular senior high schools in China and applies configurational analysis to explore multiple pathways toward high efficiency. The results show that, first, the overall resource allocation efficiency of regular senior high schools, measured through educational outputs related to talent cultivation, remains at a moderately low level. Both overall technical efficiency and pure technical efficiency have substantial room for improvement. The primary challenge in current resource allocation lies not in scale imbalance but in insufficient resource utilization, low internal governance efficiency, and weak capacity to transform existing resources into educational outcomes under current operational scales. Second, significant disparities in resource allocation efficiency are observed across urban–rural locations, school ownership types, and school tiers, revealing a notable “resource-abundance paradox”: schools with relatively limited resources may achieve higher resource utilization efficiency. Third, high resource allocation efficiency is not driven by isolated factors, but by the synergistic interaction of multiple conditions. Four distinct pathways to high efficiency are identified, in which principal instructional leadership recurrently appears as a core condition across the identified sufficient configurations. Accordingly, this study proposes targeted policy implications for improving resource allocation efficiency in regular senior high education, including establishing a performance-oriented resource allocation system, promoting categorized governance and differentiated policy design, strengthening school-based empowerment and internal governance mechanisms, and developing a data-driven monitoring and decision-making framework for educational resources. Full article

This study systematically reviews the existing literature to examine which factors determine sustainable consumption in the context of crises triggered by external shocks and how these factors evolve across the reaction, coping, and adaptation stages. Through a synthesis of 34 prior research articles from Clarivate Analytics Web of Science and Scopus databases, the study evaluates theoretical frameworks, research contexts, and methods in sustainable consumption research during crises. The use of multilevel theoretical frameworks enabled the identification, analysis, and categorization of macro-, meso-, and individual-level factors shaping sustainable consumption behavior across crisis phases. The findings reveal that research on sustainable consumption behaviour in crisis contexts remains limited and fragmented, with a strong dominance of individual-level determinants and relatively little attention to structural and contextual influences. The results further demonstrate that sustainable consumption is dynamic, shifting from emotionally driven responses in the reaction phase to more cognitive and evaluative processes in the coping phase, and eventually stabilizing into habitual and socially embedded behaviors in the adaptation phase. Building on these insights, the study proposes a phase-based conceptual framework that integrates key factors and their roles across crisis stages. The study shows that consumers’ attitudes and behaviors can be better understood through the lens of the crisis journey and introduces a crisis-based customer journey map for sustainable consumption. Full article

Traditional urban building energy modeling often overlooks the complexity of spatial configurations and mutual shading effects, thereby limiting its accuracy. This study proposes a novel, interpretable, data-driven framework based on heterogeneous graph neural networks (GNNs) to uncover and characterize the complex interrelationships between building morphology and urban topology. Using a parametric platform, this study generated a graph dataset of 285 residential blocks in Wuhan, structured as a dual-level graph: Building Zone Graphs (BZGs) and Building Layout Graphs (BLGs). Four GNN models were trained based on the dataset, and the evaluated results demonstrate that GraphTransformer outperforms GCN, GAT, and GraphSAGE in capturing long-range spatial relationships―particularly those arising from shading and solar access interactions. On a validation set, GraphTransformer achieved superior predictive accuracy, with R² scores exceeding 0.85 and 0.90 for cooling and heating energy predictions, respectively. After that, post hoc interpretability analysis by GNNExplainer identified three important morphology features influencing building energy consumption. Critically, the model found that shading relationships encoded as graph edges―especially those between southern and western façades―had statistically significant influence on building energy consumption. Finally, this work establishes an efficient, interpretable surrogate modeling framework for urban-scale energy analysis, delivering quantifiable, design-actionable insights to support sustainable urban development. Full article

The holistic assessment of building life cycles requires integrating economic, environmental, and social dimensions, including occupational risks and cost management. However, building maintenance planning is often treated separately from sustainability assessment and construction cost classification systems. This study proposes a methodology that integrates maintenance and repair budgets with sustainability evaluation through a unified coding structure linking construction and maintenance work units. The approach combines economic cost analysis, environmental footprint indicators (carbon, water, energy, and ecological footprints), and occupational risk assessment within a life cycle framework. The methodology incorporates prevention through design by analyzing ergonomic and safety risks associated with construction work units and predicting future risks throughout the building’s service life. The structure has four phases: temporal planning of interventions, classification and coding of work units, impact analysis using sustainability indicators, and synthesis of results in a maintenance planning model. The data is integrated in a database using an exchange format compatible with sustainability analysis tools and BIM environments. The methodology is applied through a case study of social housing in Andalusia. Results show that maintenance interventions can be connected to construction work units in the assessment of the three dimensions. Full article

This study investigates the durability of timber buildings through a systematic literature review and a service life assessment of two representative building components. The review focused on degradation mechanisms, reasons for demolition, reference service life values, and strategies for extending service life. The deterioration of timber was found to be primarily driven by biological, physical, and mechanical processes, with moisture as a critical factor. Although degradation mechanisms are thoroughly documented, evidence concerning the physical lifespan of timber buildings remains scarce. Most demolitions are due to obsolescence and inadequate maintenance rather than structural failure. Reference service life values are frequently derived from expert judgment and often lack transparent boundary conditions. Nevertheless, factor-based service life prediction models offer a framework for evaluating structural components. When applied to a reference building, the method yielded estimated service lives of 100 years for an interior LVL beech column and 81 years for an exterior wall stud. These findings align with observed lifespans reported in demolition studies. More robust empirical data on demolition ages and refined reference values under standardized conditions are needed. Such improvements would enhance the accuracy of service life prediction models, support more realistic environmental assessments, and strengthen the role of timber as a sustainable construction material. Full article

As the “last mile” of emergency management, rural emergency response capability vulnerability assessment is crucial for strengthening emergency systems. A three-dimensional vulnerability assessment framework was developed from a risk–capacity matching perspective, comprising exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Taking four typical rural areas as case studies, we applied the comprehensive vulnerability index, the coupling coordination degree model, and the obstacle degree model to quantify vulnerability, analyze risk–capability matching, and identify obstacle factor patterns. The results show that (1) the quality of risk–capability matching determines the level of vulnerability; (2) high coupling produces a dual amplification effect, whose direction depends on matching quality; and (3) economic foundations set the upper resource limit for capacity building, while topographical conditions shape baseline risk pressure. The interaction of these two factors drives the spatial distribution of obstacle factors across villages. This study positions rural emergency response capacity as a core safety dimension for sustainable development, thereby providing a robust foundation for rural sustainability. Full article

Buildings account for a significant share of global energy consumption and carbon emissions, creating an urgent need for advanced energy retrofit technologies. This review critically examines the role of plasma-modified textile polymer materials in improving the energy efficiency and durability of building retrofit systems. Various textile polymers, including polyester (polyethylene terephthalate, PET), polypropylene (PP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyamide (PA), and fiber-reinforced composites, are evaluated in relation to plasma surface engineering approaches, including atmospheric plasma, dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), and plasma jet treatment. Reported studies demonstrate that plasma treatment significantly alters surface morphology and chemistry, resulting in increased surface roughness, enhanced wettability, improved coating adhesion, and superior hydrophobic behavior. Water contact angles increased from approximately 70° to 145° depending on polymer type and plasma conditions, while reflective coating performance improved with solar reflectance enhancements of approximately 10–15%. Plasma-treated reflective roofing and shading textiles also showed reductions in building cooling energy demand of approximately 18–25% and roof temperature decreases of 10–15 °C. Furthermore, plasma-induced surface activation improved durability, ultraviolet (UV) resistance, and weather stability of textile membranes used in facade and roofing applications. The review also discusses industrial challenges related to scalability, plasma aging effects, energy consumption, and long-term performance. Plasma-modified systems demonstrate strong potential for multifunctional, lightweight, and sustainable building envelope technologies for future energy-efficient construction. Full article