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Editorial Complex Optimization and Simulation in Power Systems

This paper evaluated the environmental effects of socially responsible investments (SRIs) in European countries and analyzed the differentiation between them in terms of SRIs and selected features in the environmental dimension. The first section of the paper discusses contemporary trends in Europe and in certain European countries, whilst the second compares SR environmental investments and environmental factors in selected European countries from a multidimensional perspective. The aim of the study was to identify and evaluate these trends as well as to find similarities and differences between European countries, and subsequently to indicate groups of countries with similar approaches to pro-ecological investments. In order to solve the problem, descriptive and multidimensional statistical methods were used, namely correspondence analysis (CA). Although the research results clearly revealed upward tendencies in the volume of SR environmental investments in the analyzed period, they nonetheless represent a relatively low share in the total number of socially responsible investments. The overall growth in SRIs in Europe may have resulted from the more intense activities of policymakers in some countries as a consequence of concluding agreements reached during the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in 2015. The results of the study also revealed no significant correlations between SR environmental investments and environmental variables among the European countries analyzed; hence, there is no substantial evidence that investors’ assets contribute to the improvement of the environment.

Abstract To achieve the EU climate and energy objectives, a transition towards a future sustainable energy system is needed. The integration of the huge potential for industrial waste heat recovery into smart energy system represents a main opportunity to accomplish these goals. To successfully implement this strategy, all the several stakeholders' conflicting objectives should be considered. In this paper an evolutionary multi-objective optimization model is developed to perform a sustainability evaluation of an energy system involving an industrial facility as the waste heat source and the neighbourhood as district heating network end users. An Italian case study of heat recovery from a steel casting facility shows how the model allows to properly select the district heating network set of users to fully exploit the available waste energy. Design directions such as the thermal energy storage capacity can be also provided. Moreover, the model enables the analysis of the trade-off between the stakeholders’ different perspectives, allowing to identify possible win-win solutions for both the industrial sector and the citizenship.

This study focuses on formulating the most sustainable concrete by incorporating recycled concrete aggregates and other products retrieved from construction and demolition (C&D) activities. Both recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) and recycled fine aggregates (RFA) are firstly used to fully replace the natural coarse and fine aggregates in the concrete mix design. Later, the cement rich ultrafine particles, recycled glass powder and mineral fibres recovered from construction and demolition wastes (CDW) are further incorporated at a smaller rate either as cement substituent or as supplementary additives. Remarkable properties are noticed when the RCA (4–12 mm) and RFA (0.25–4 mm) are fully used to replace the natural aggregates in a new concrete mix. The addition of recycled cement rich ultrafines (RCU), Recycled glass ultrafines (RGU) and recycled mineral fibres (RMF) into recycled concrete improves the modulus of elasticity. The final concrete, which comprises more than 75% (wt.) of recycled components/materials, is believed to be the most sustainable and green concrete mix. Mechanical properties and durability of this concrete have been studied and found to be within acceptable limits, indicating the potential of recycled aggregates and other CDW components in shaping sustainable and circular construction practices. The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support from EU Horizon 2020 Project VEEP ‘‘Cost-Effective Recycling of C&DW in High Added Value Energy Efficient Prefabricated Concrete Compo-nents for Massive Retrofitting of our Built Environment” (No.723582).

IT technologies related to Industry 4.0 facilitate the implementation of the framework for sustainable manufacturing. At the same time, Industry 4.0 integrates IT processes and systems of production companies with IT solutions of cooperating companies that support a complete manufactured product life cycle. Thus, the implementation of sustainable manufacturing implies a rapid increase in interfaces between IT solutions of cooperating companies. This, in turn, raises concerns about security among manufacturing company executives. The lack of a recognized methodology supporting the decision-making process of choosing the right methods and means of cybersecurity is, in effect, a significant barrier to the development of sustainable manufacturing. As a result, the propagation of technologies in Industry 4.0 and the implementation of the sustainable manufacturing framework in companies are slowing down significantly. The main novelty of this article, addressing the above deficiencies, is the creation, using the combined DEMATEL and ANP (DANP) and PROMETHEE II methods, of a ranking of the proposed three groups of measures, seven dimensions and twenty criteria to be implemented in companies to ensure cybersecurity in Industry 4.0 and facilitate the implementation of the sustainable production principles. The contribution of Industry 4.0 components and the proposed cybersecurity scheme to achieve the Sustainable Development goals, reducing the carbon footprint of companies and introducing circular economy elements was also indicated. Using DANP and PROMETHEE II, it can be concluded that: (i) the major criterion of cybersecurity in companies is validation and maintaining electronic signatures and seals; (ii) the most crucial area of cybersecurity is network security; (iii) the most significant group of measures in this regard are technological measures.