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Portugal faces water scarcity challenges, yet studies on per-household water consumption are limited. This study aims to address this gap by employing cluster analyses to assess how population trajectories, a previously overlooked aspect, and the regional location influence per-household monthly water consumption across 122 municipalities. Findings highlight higher consumption in the South despite lower prices. Municipalities experiencing population growth and those with long-term population declines show higher per-household water consumption but lower prices. Interestingly, while higher prices correlate with lower consumption, southern municipalities show increased prices without reduced consumption. Clustering reveals slight changes in consumption patterns from 2011 to 2020.

Industry is a fundamental sector that allows mass production to support a large population. As population grows, many industries produce large amounts of industrial effluents with different pollutants, that must be removed at the industrial wastewater treatment plants, with the consequent production of large amounts of sludge. The present study was conducted to identify and evaluate different sludge treatment/valorisation methodologies, being given priority to the valorisation in detriment of the elimination operations, like incineration or landfill. Therefore, sludges from the wastewater treatment plant of a resin industry, after dehydration operation by a press, were submitted to several valorisation methodologies, such as: application in anaerobic digestion aiming the production of biogas and allowing energy recovery, use in the preparation of adsorbents for the treatment of industrial wastewater, use as cement replacement in mortar production, and application of heterogeneous catalysts to produce biodiesel. The results revealed that all methodologies can be applied as sludge recovery. However, it is possible to conclude that the most promising industrial sludge treatment/recovery hypothesis is anaerobic co-digestion followed by the production of heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel production.

Nowadays we are facing the emergence of new challenges, especially focused on environmental behavior and climate change and also the effects and impacts of COVID-19 world pandemic - which can restrain the attainment of the desired sustainability. It is, then, mandatory to reply to all of these challenges through the design of specific paths to attain sustainable development in a collective approach, with the involvement and the commitment of the community and performed in an integrated way. Thus, it is proposed a trans-disciplinary research method based on the European Union title recognition - European Green Capital (EGC) -, directly related to the Circular Economy (CE), together with a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). This paper highlights sustainable measures and proposes common managerial strategies and policies, that can support the cities/regions' sustainable practices embedding as well as ensure its overall monitoring to measure if the actions implemented through time are adequate and efficient towards attaining CE and sustainable development. Those are based on the analysis of the best practices of the EGC, which can impact on CE, and using DEA. This approach can follow the city/region evolution and be adapted to the EGC evaluation parameters in order to understand the main characteristics that can contribute to improve governance approaches and help to foster CE into all the cities/regions' ecosystem. This work has been supported by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through project UIDB/04728/2020.

The authors thank the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia for financial support: Strategic Project UID/FIS/04650/2021 and grant SFRH/BPD/110914/2015 (P.C.); funding by Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERFD): project PID2019- 106099RB-C43/AEI/10.13039/501100011033; BIDEKO Project, funded by MCIN/AEI, NextGenerationEU, PRTR; and from the Basque Government Industry Department under the ELKARTEK program. [Excerpt] Status Piezoelectricity was discovered by the Curie brothers in 1880 [1] while studying several materials, including organic ones such as cane sugar or tartaric acid. The piezoelectric effect is widely applied to sensor/actuator devices and to generate electricity. In this regard, wasted mechanical energy can be harvested to supply low-power electronic devices (μW to mW range) [1].[...] Publicado em: Journal of Physics: Materials, vol. 6, nr. 4 (2023) "Roadmap on energy harvesting materials". DOI 10.1088/2515-7639/acc550. P. 55 - 57

No mundo atual em que vivemos, em constante mudança, o setor dos transportes tem um papel crucial na atividade económica mundial. Contudo, representa um consumo elevado de recursos energéticos e ainda é um dos principais responsáveis pela emissão de gases com efeito de estufa. A mobilidade elétrica e eletrificação das frotas contribuiu para uma redução direta da emissão de gases, representando uma vantagem sobre os veículos com motores de combustão interna. Todavia, a limitação dos sistemas de armazenamento de energia elétrica em termos de autonomia (número de quilómetros percorridos) ainda é um dos maiores entraves a uma maior penetração no mercado dos veículos elétricos. No setor mais específico dos autocarros elétricos, em particular o autocarro de aeroporto, esta desvantagem é amplificada não só pela dimensão e peso, mas também pelos sistemas auxiliares de aquecimento, ventilação e ar-condicionado (AVAC) inerentes a este tipo de veículos. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo a análise e otimização da eficiência energética do modelo e.Cobus, um autocarro de aeroporto. Para alcançar o objetivo foram estudadas algumas unidades e.Cobus em condições reais de operação e analisadas as potências e consumos de energia das diferentes cargas, criando diversos dataset’s. Com os dataset’s elaborados, e recorrendo à plataforma de aprendizagem máquina WEKA, e aplicação de alguns algoritmos, foram desenvolvidos modelos de previsão do consumo de energia que permitiram otimizar a capacidade de armazenamento energético (baterias) destes autocarros, em função da utilização e local geográfico

As alterações climáticas e a urgência na mudança de hábitos de consumo são questões que têm vindo a ser discutidas ao longo dos anos. Com o foco na importância de existir medidas sustentáveis para mitigar os impactos ambientais, surgiu a seguinte pergunta de pesquisa: “Podem ser feitos acessórios modulares com o reaproveitamento de têxteis e construídos apenas com o encaixe entre módulos?”. Para além disso, questiona-se a possibilidade de desenvolver um acessório, que permita ao consumidor a montagem/desmontagem consoante as suas necessidades e que tenha uma preocupação com o zero desperdício. Para alcançar os objetivos avançou-se com um processo de desenvolvimento de novos produtos que se dividiu em quatro fases. A primeira consistiu na caracterização dos substratos-base, destacando a resistência à formação de borboto e à flexão, assim como a repelência à água. A segunda concentrou-se na identificação de formas, estruturas, métodos e sistemas de encaixe mais adequados para o acessório, chegando-se à conclusão, por exemplo, que as formas curvas são as mais apropriadas, tendo em conta que não contenham estruturas vazadas. A terceira etapa envolveu uma seleção, considerando o desempenho de cada amostra a testes laboratoriais no aparelho do Dinamómetro. Por fim, a última etapa abarcou um estudo de soluções para melhorar o material em termos de rigidez e de repelência à água através de um acabamento de amido de milho. A investigação ocorreu durante 8 meses, recolhendo um conjunto diversificado de dados, tais como, esboços, experiências, desenhos digitais, notas, amostras, projetos experimentais, fotografias e protótipos que desempenharam um papel crucial no progresso do estudo. O resultado consiste numa bolsa de 100 módulos feita de resíduos de não-tecido 100% Lã Burel, concebido para a reciclagem e com zero desperdício. É um produto versátil, sustentável, resistente e a sua funcionalidade, adaptabilidade e personalização tornam atraente para uma variedade de aplicações, desde carteiras até cintos e pulseiras. Além disso, a reversibilidade do design amplia as opções de uso, enquanto a alça ajustável com 10 zonas de regulação contribui para a sua praticidade. Esta investigação ofereceu um novo produto com modificações incrementais e um redesenho, colaborando significativamente para o campo do design modular. Validou teorias através de investigações, ofereceu soluções sustentáveis e procurou promover a conscientização ambiental. Suas implicações são cruciais para a gestão de recursos e resíduos em um mundo que enfrenta desafios ambientais urgentes. Este trabalho apela à ação, incentivando a pesquisa contínua e a adoção de produtos sustentáveis. Climate change and the urgency to change consumption habits are issues that have been discussed over the years. Focusing on the importance of having sustainable measures to mitigate environmental impacts, the following research question arose: “Can modular accessories be made by reusing textiles and built simply by fitting modules together?” Furthermore, the possibility of developing an accessory is questioned, which allows the consumer to assemble/disassemble according to their needs and it is concerned with zero waste. To achieve the objectives, a product development process was carried out, which was divided into four phases. The first consisted of characterizing the base substrates, highlighting resistance to pilling and flexing, as well as water repellence. The second focused on identifying the most suitable shapes, structures, methods and fitting systems for the accessory, reaching the conclusion, for example, that curved shapes are the most appropriate, taking into account that they do not contain hollow structures. The third stage involved a selection, considering the performance of each sample in laboratory tests on the Dynamometer device. Finally, the last stage included a study of solutions to improve the material in terms of rigidity and water repellence through a cornstarch finish. The research took place over 8 months, collecting a diverse set of data such as sketches, experiments, digital drawings, notes, samples, experimental designs, photographs and prototypes that played a crucial role in the progress of the study. The result consists of a bag of 100 modules made from 100% Burel Wool non-woven waste, designed for recycling and with zero waste. It is a versatile, sustainable, resistant product and its functionality, adaptability and customization make it attractive for a variety of applications, from wallets to belts and bracelets. Furthermore, the reversibility of the design expands the usage options, while the adjustable strap with 10 adjustment zones contributes to its practicality. This research offered a new product with incremental modifications and a redesign, significantly contributing to the field of modular design. It validated theories through investigations, offered sustainable solutions and sought to promote environmental awareness. Its implications are crucial for resource and waste management in a world facing urgent environmental challenges. This work calls for action, encouraging continued research and adoption of sustainable products. Dissertação de mestrado em Design e Marketing de Produto Têxtil, Vestuário e Acessórios

This book gives insights into the agricultural policies in several countries located in different continents. It is of interest to students, researchers, and policy and decision makers. Given the particularities of agriculture, agricultural policies are indispensable for an adjusted development of farms according to the strategic objectives of each country, namely the socio-economic and environmental ones. The question that often arises is whether the practical effects of the various policy measures are in accordance with their design and what is the effect of these policy instruments among many other causes of structural and technological change. The aim of this book is to describe the main agricultural policies that have been implemented in countries such as the United States of America, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, Australia, as well as the European Union. It also aims to analyse the real impact of these policies on the structural and technological changes of farms in the European Union. As its methodology, the book considers bibliometric analysis, literature review and statistical approaches.

The European Project Semester (EPS) is a multicultural, multidisciplinary teamwork and project-based learning framework offered to engineering, business and product design undergraduates by a network of European Higher Education institutions, including the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP). In the spring of 2021, five EPS@ISEP students from distinct countries and fields of study joined efforts to address the smart and sustainable food production issue. This paper reports their research and development of Wormify, a solution based on vermicomposting. The main goal of the project was to design, simulate, test and build a prototype following ethical and sustainable practices. Wormify aims to minimize the problem of feeding the growing global population, and to prevent food waste from going to landfills. These objectives were pursued by designing a smart modular system for urban rooftops or small balconies. Several modules can be connected to form a place for residents to meet and socialize. The smart system allows monitoring through an app/website. This paper presents the background studies, the concept and design, the development and final results.

Introduction: Active modes of transport can be defined as means of travel and transport at reduced speed, which take up little space on public roads and do not emit air pollutants or noise, being seen as an economic, social, and environmental asset, and a real alternative to motorized vehicles. Given its characteristics, the environmental benefits retrieved from active modes of transport should not serve only as a justification for its promotion but as a decisive and active factor in the scope of its actual use, which translates into the provision of pleasant and less polluted routes. Thus, the main objective of this paper is the development of a model for planning and generating urban routes for active modes that have a less negative influence on active users (pedestrians and cyclists) regarding their exposure to air and noise pollution. Methods: Conventional route planners are mostly designed to find the shortest, fastest, or less expensive route. In this research, the model to assign the best route will be presented for pedestrians and cyclists from an environmental point of view, by defining the least polluted, less noisy, and most health-friendly path. Based on the production of noise and air pollution maps, the model proposes the contamination of the network routes, which are used to determine healthoriented routes. The model is carried out through the calculation of the noise and pollution exposure for the routes found, compared to the shortest route. Conclusion: It was possible to conclude that less polluted routes may imply a small increase in the length of routes, but a significant gain in terms of reduction in exposure to PM10 and noise for active modes. Thus, the use of health-friendly routes can be seen as a matter of public health and a way for promoting more sustainable mobility. Available online 12 June 2022 (undefined)