• Energy Research
• Restricted close
• 11. Sustainability close
• 3. Good health close
• 1. No poverty close
• CA close

Activity pacing (AP) is a concept that is central to many chronic pain theories and treatments, yet there remains confusion regarding its definition and effects.To review the current knowledge concerning AP and integrate this knowledge in a manner that allows for a clear definition and useful directions for future research.A narrative review of the major theoretical approaches to AP and of the empirical evidence regarding the effects of AP interventions, followed by an integrative discussion.The concept of AP is derived from 2 main traditions: operant and energy conservation. Although there are common elements across these traditions, significant conceptual and practical differences exist, which has led to confusion. Little empirical evidence exists concerning the efficacy of AP as a treatment for chronic pain.Future research on AP should be based on a clear theoretical foundation, consider the context in which the AP behavior occurs and the type of pacing problem ("underactivity" vs. "overactivity"), and should examine the impact of AP treatment on multiple clinical outcomes. We provide a provisional definition of AP and specific recommendations that we believe will move the field forward.

Using recycled rubber crumbs as drainage layer in extensive green roofs have high potential to reduce the heating and cooling loads in buildings over traditional materials used as drainage layer, such as pozzolana gravel. However, the environmental impact due to the life cycle should be analyzed to assess its environmental benefit. This paper evaluates the environmental performance of green roofs in which the drainage layer is made of rubber crumbs, a recycled material the use of which is still experimental for this purpose. In this paper Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is applied to compare the environmental impact of four constructive systems, two extensive green roofs without insulation layer and with different drainage materials, e a recycled material, rubber crumbs, and a conventional one, pozzolana gravel -, in front of two conventional flat roofs, with and without thermal insulation (polyurethane), built in an experimental set-up consisting of four monitored house-like cubicles, located in Mediterranean continental climate (Lleida, Spain). The LCA considered the production, construction, operational, and disposal phases of the roofs, according to UNE-EN 15643-2. The operational phase was carried out using data measured in the experimental set-up, considering heating and cooling energy consumptions in the winter and summer period, respectively.

Abstract This review summarizes and organizes the literature on life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle energy analysis (LCEA) and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) studies carried out for environmental evaluation of buildings and building related industry and sector (including construction products, construction systems, buildings, and civil engineering constructions). The review shows that most LCA and LCEA are carried out in what is shown as “exemplary buildings”, that is, buildings that have been designed and constructed as low energy buildings, but there are very few studies on “traditional buildings”, that is, buildings such as those mostly found in our cities. Similarly, most studies are carried out in urban areas, while rural areas are not well represented in the literature. Finally, studies are not equally distributed around the world.

Low temperature sensitive products transport and storage is an issue worldwide due to changes of the lifestyle population increase. Thermal energy storage (TES) is nowadays one of the most feasible solutions in facing the challenge of achieving energy savings. Many researchers have investigated energy efficiency of different cold units by applying TES systems using phase change materials (PCM). This paper provides an overview of the existing Spanish and European potential energy savings and CO2 mitigation by incorporating TES systems to cold storage and transportation systems. Data on energy savings were compiled from different case studies. Results depend on the scenarios studied and the extent of TES systems implementation; in the case of Europe for instance, yearly CO2 emissions may be cut down between 5% and 22% in reference to 2008 CO2 emissions from cold production considering that the proposed implementation of PCM TES in the case studies found in the literature is done.

Central solar heating plants with seasonal storage (CSHPSS) are among the most promising technologies to save energy in the industrial and residential-commercial building sectors. This work introduces a systematic approach to optimize these systems according to economic and environmental criteria. Our method, which combines the TRNSYS 17 simulation software with life cycle assessment and multi-objective optimization, identifies optimal CSHPSS designs for any climatic condition and heating demand profile considering economic and environmental criteria simultaneously. The capabilities of this approach are illustrated through its application to a case study of a CSHPSS located in Barcelona (Spain), which satisfies a heating demand for a neighborhood of 1120 dwellings. Numerical results show that the CSHPSS plant leads to significant environmental and economic improvements compared to the use of a conventional natural gas heating system. Our tool can guide engineers and architects in the transition towards a more sustainable residential sector.

Subject area Sustainable fashion. Study level/applicability Bachelor Degree/Master Degree, Master of Business Administration (MBA), PhD. Case overview The case focuses on Osklen, one of the world’s first eco-fashion brands, founded in 1989 by Oskar Metsavaht. For the past 26 years, Osklen had become Brazil’s foremost sustainable luxury venture, and since 2012, under first minority and then majority corporate ownership, pursued an aggressive global expansion strategy. The dilemma of the case juxtaposes Osklen’s creative aesthetics, which leverage unique Brazilian beauty in nature and heritage, with the financial pressures of global expansion. The tension is exacerbated by the 2015 corruption scandal, which decelerated the Brazilian economy and reduced consumer spending on sustainable luxuries in Osklen’s home market; it also risked compromising the appeal of Brazilian brands elsewhere. The case explores the complex interconnections between local and global aspects of sustainability and brings forward the environmental, social and cultural aspects of brands and business to the foreground. The case also illustrates how economic crises impact brands from the initial creative inspiration to the prospects of global expansion. Expected learning outcomes Students will master tools for strategic analysis (VRIN framework and scenario planning) to a company evolving in an emerging economy. They will learn about the ways to consider and communicate sustainability. Students will be exposed to the importance of aesthetics and multi-sensoriality in business activities. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy

Today, green roofs are a building system which provides interesting benefits over traditional roof solutions. The most important advantages are the reduction of surface runoff in cities, improvement of the urban climate, biodiversity support, improvement of the durability of roofing materials, and, especially, energy savings. This paper has the aim of studying the performance of green roofs as a passive system for energy savings, within a wider objective of seeking constructive solutions suitable for sustainable and environmentally friendly architecture. This idea is tested at an experimental installation available at the University of Lleida, with several cubicles testing the energy performance of different construction solutions. This work raises the possibility of using recycled rubber from tires as a drainage layer in green roofs, substituting the porous stone materials currently used (such as expanded clay, expanded shale, pumice, and natural puzolana). This solution would reduce the consumption of these natural materials, which also require large amounts of energy in its transformation process to obtain their properties. Moreover it would provide a solution to the problem of waste rubber from the tires, known as rubber crumbs. Since the purpose of the drainage layer is the optimum balance between air and water in the green roof system, first the ability for draining of recycled rubber granules was studied and was compared with the offered by stone materials. The new solution using rubber crumbs is also studied to test if it would keep the same insulating properties that the green roof with stone materials presented in previous studies. Early results show that this extensive green roof system can be a good passive energy savings tool in Continental Mediterranean climate in summer, and that rubber crumbs can be an interesting substitute for stone materials used as drainage layer in this type of green roofs.

Abstract Cities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to flooding because of rapid urbanization, installation of complex infrastructure, and changes in the precipitation patterns caused by anthropogenic climate change. The present paper provides a critical review of the current state-of-the-art methods for assessing the impacts of climate change on precipitation at the urban catchment scale. Downscaling of results from global circulation models or regional climate models to urban catchment scales are needed because these models are not able to describe accurately the rainfall process at suitable high temporal and spatial resolution for urban drainage studies. The downscaled rainfall results are however highly uncertain, depending on the models and downscaling methods considered. This uncertainty becomes more challenging for rainfall extremes since the properties of these extremes do not automatically reflect those of average precipitation. In this paper, following an overview of some recent advances in the development of innovative methods for assessing the impacts of climate change on urban rainfall extremes as well as on urban hydrology and hydraulics, several existing difficulties and remaining challenges in dealing with this assessment are discussed and further research needs are described.