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While a firm knows the carbon price with certainty under a tax, it must form an expectation about future allowance prices to identify its cost-effective abatement investment under a capand-trade program. We illustrate graphically how errors in forming this expectation increase the costs of irreversible pollution abatement investment under cap-and-trade relative to a tax. We describe empirical “cost-effectiveness anomalies” in allowance markets that may be attributed to cap-and-trade's inherent uncertainty. We model investment under simulated US carbon tax and cap-and-trade policies and find that allowance price uncertainty can increase resource costs 20 percent for a given quantity of emission abatement.

Abstract The effect of the thermal environment on performance and productivity has been a focus of interest among indoor environmental researchers for nearly a century, but most of that work has been conducted in relative isolation from the cognate disciplines of human performance evaluation. The present review examines thermal environmental effects on cognitive performance research conducted across multiple disciplines. After differentiating performance from productivity, we compare the two dominant conceptual models linking thermal stress to performance; (1) the inverted-U concept and (2) the extended-U relationship. The inverted-U specifies a single optimum temperature (or its corresponding subjective thermal sensation) at which performance is maximised. In contrast, the extended-U model posits a broad central plateau across which there is no discernible thermal effect on cognitive performance. This performance plateau is bounded by regions of progressive performance decrements in more extreme thermal conditions. The contradictions between these opposing conceptual models might derive from various confounding factors at play in their underlying research bases. These include, inter alia, environment-related, task-related, and performer-related factors, as well as their associated two-way and three-way interaction effects. Methodological discrepancies that might also contribute to the divergence of these conceptual models are evaluated, along with the proposed causal mechanisms underlying the two models. The weight of research evidence reviewed in this paper suggests that the extended-U hypothesis fits the relationship between moderate thermal environments and cognitive performance. In contrast to the inverted-U relationship, implemention of the extended-U in indoor climate control implies substantial reductions in building energy demand, since it permits the heating and cooling setpoint deadband to expand across the full width of the thermal comfort zone, or even slightly further during emergencies such as peak demand events on the electricity grid. Use of personal comfort systems can further extend the thermostat setpoint range beyond the comfort zone.

Abstract In this paper, the prevention of negative technogenic impact on the environment of oil sludge by using it as a secondary resource is considered. Oil sludge from various objects of oil fields in Kazakhstan (Mangystau region) has been studied. The possibilities of using oil (after its separation from oil sludge by bioremidiation) as a partial substitute for bitumen base in the production of modified bitumen are considered. The main physical and mechanical characteristics of modified bitumen are determined. The results confirm that the modified bitumen prepared with oil sludge and oil separated by bioremiation method meets the requirements for polymer-bitumen binder to Kazakhstan standards and is suitable for the production of modified bitumen in its physico-chemical characteristics.

Abstract With promising benefits such as traffic emission reduction, traffic congestion alleviation, and parking problem solving, Electric Vehicle (EV)-sharing systems have attracted large attentions in recent years. Different from other business modes, customers in sharing economy systems are usually price sensitive. Therefore, it is possible to shift the usage of shared EVs through a well-designed Dynamic Pricing Scheme (DPS), with the objective of maximizing the system operator's total profit. In this study, we propose a novel DPS for a large-scale EV-sharing network to address the EV unbalancing issue and satisfy the vehicle-grid-integration (VGI) service based on accurate station-level demand prediction. The proposed DPS is formulated as a complex optimization problem, which includes two Price Adjustment Level (PAL) decision variables for every origin-destination pair of stations. The two PALs are employed to affect the EV-sharing demand and travel time between each station pair, respectively. Physical and operational constraints from both EV demand and VGI service aspects are also included in the proposed model. Two case study are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

We present the first calculations to follow the evolution of all stable isotopes (and their abundant radioactive progenitors) in a finely zoned stellar model computed from the onset of central hydrogen burning through explosion as a Type II supernova. The calculations were performed for a 15 solar mass Pop I star using the most recently available set of experimental and theoretical nuclear data, revised opacity tables, and taking into account mass loss due to stellar winds. We find the approximately solar production of proton-rich isotopes above a mass number of A=120 due to the gamma-process. We also find a weak s-process, which along with the gamma-process and explosive helium and carbon burning, produces nearly solar abundances of almost all nuclei from A=60 to 85. A few modifications of the abundances of heavy nuclei above mass 90 by the s-process are also noted and discussed. New weak rates lead to significant alteration of the properties of the presupernova core. 10 pages, 4 figures, Nuclear Astrophysics X Workshop proceedings

Effective waste management is of paramount importance as it contributes significantly to environmental preservation, mitigates health hazards, and aids in the preservation of precious resources. Conversely, mishandling waste not only presents severe environmental risks but can also disrupt the balance of ecosystems and pose threats to biodiversity. The emission of carbon dioxide, methane, and greenhouse gases (GHGs) can constitute a significant factor in the progression of global warming and climate change, consequently giving rise to atmospheric pollution. This pollution, in turn, has the potential to exacerbate respiratory ailments, elevate the likelihood of cardiovascular disorders, and negatively impact overall public health. Hence, efficient management of trash is extremely crucial in any society. It requires integrating technology and innovative solutions, which can help eradicate this global issue. The internet of things (IoT) is a revolutionary communication paradigm with significant contributions to remote monitoring and control. IoT-based trash management aids remote garbage level monitoring but entails drawbacks like high installation and maintenance costs, increased electronic waste production (53 million metric tons in 2013), and substantial energy consumption for always-vigilant IoT devices. Our research endeavors to formulate a comprehensive model for an efficient and cost-effective waste collection system. It emphasizes the need for global commitment by policymakers, stakeholders, and civil society, working together to achieve a common goal. In order to mitigate the depletion of manpower, fuel resources, and time, our proposed method leverages quick response (QR) codes to enable the remote monitoring of waste bin capacity across diverse city locations. We propose to minimize the deployment of IoT devices, utilizing them only when absolutely necessary and thereby allocating their use exclusively to central garbage collection facilities. Our solution places the onus of monitoring garbage levels at the community level firmly on the shoulders of civilians, demonstrating that a critical aspect of any technology is its ability to interact and collaborate with humans. Within our framework, citizens will employ our proposed mobile application to scan QR codes affixed to waste bins, select the relevant garbage level, and transmit this data to the waste collection teams’ database. Subsequently, these teams will plan for optimized garbage collection procedures, considering parameters such as garbage volume and the most efficient collection routes aimed at minimizing both time and fuel consumption.

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a type of force majeure that significantly and unexpectedly affected all human lifestyles. This study includes an integrative review of articles published across Scopus and Web of Science journals and compiled using the systematic review methodology based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) Statement and VOSreview (visualization of similarities) software by defining keywords that include “construction industry” and “force majeure” and “environmental risks” as a starting point. Moreover, the research years and the countries covered by this research were determined in a second stage. Finally, the abstracts of selected studies were reviewed in order to extract factors similar to the pandemic conditions of COVID-19 along with the brief results of the research. Out of 6384 publications identified and 56 publications reporting, 20 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria with full text. Based on our findings, there has been a continuous growth of publications on construction risk and environmental research since 2010. Malaysia had the greatest contribution to the research topic of the countries covered by the study, followed by Egypt. The Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management journal published the greatest number of publications related to the research topic. In this review, the most important previous studies are classified according to their handling of force majeure and environmental risks and the most important factors mentioned in these studies are identified. In addition, recommendations are made for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and for mitigating its effects on the construction industry in the Arab world and Malaysia. The results of this review will benefit researchers and construction companies alike in furthering research on reducing the risks of COVID-19 to construction projects and avoiding the significant economic loss that results from stopping these projects.