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Following the environmental crises of recent decades, a turning point in the awareness of the fragility of ecosystems has been marked, i.e., environmental awareness. This has contributed to the development of various environmental laws and regulations such as the “Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment,” the “Restriction of Hazardous Substances,” and the “Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals” regulations and the “Energy Using Products” Directives. Our work contributes to the development of eco-friendly product manufacturing processes. In order to estimate and optimize the environmental impacts of a product, most of the methodologies, concepts, and tools that integrate computer-aided design (CAD) and life cycle assessment systems generally exploit the feature technology at the level of each feature independently of the others, i.e., “microplanning.” The feature interaction technology (FIT) is treated only in few studies, but it is pivotal in the eco-manufacturing process. In this paper, we propose a new manufacturing-scenarios-based methodology by using FIT and a Multi-criteria Decision Support Method (MCDSM), which helps manufacturers maintain their marketplaces by producing goods in an eco-friendly way. In fact, this methodology helps designers choose from the CAD design phase the most ecological manufacturing process from possible existent scenarios in real time.

Following the environmental crises of recent decades, a turning point in the awareness of the fragility of ecosystems has been marked, i.e., environmental awareness. This has contributed to the development of various environmental laws and regulations such as the “Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment,” the “Restriction of Hazardous Substances,” and the “Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals” regulations and the “Energy Using Products” Directives. Our work contributes to the development of eco-friendly product manufacturing processes. In order to estimate and optimize the environmental impacts of a product, most of the methodologies, concepts, and tools that integrate computer-aided design (CAD) and life cycle assessment systems generally exploit the feature technology at the level of each feature independently of the others, i.e., “microplanning.” The feature interaction technology (FIT) is treated only in few studies, but it is pivotal in the eco-manufacturing process. In this paper, we propose a new manufacturing-scenarios-based methodology by using FIT and a Multi-criteria Decision Support Method (MCDSM), which helps manufacturers maintain their marketplaces by producing goods in an eco-friendly way. In fact, this methodology helps designers choose from the CAD design phase the most ecological manufacturing process from possible existent scenarios in real time.

In this study, a comprehensive exergy analysis was applied to a solar power system (SPS) located in the city of Van, Turkey. Van was always known as a sun city throughout history with the name of TUSBA. It has an average of 300 sunny days a year, an altitude of 1727 m, and an average daily temperature of 9.85°C. Considering how the need for sustainable and renewable energy sources - and knowledge over them - constantly increases, this SPS was built to reveal the true solar potential of the campus area of Yuzuncu Yil University of the city of Van, hopefully as a precursor for further large-scale SPS constructions in the region. A daily analysis considering energy production and global radiation was applied to the system in 2013 for 365 days. It was found that the yearly exergy efficiency of the system was 10% and total electrical energy production was 31,038.95 kWh, averaging 1763.5 kWh/kWp yearly.

In this study, a comprehensive exergy analysis was applied to a solar power system (SPS) located in the city of Van, Turkey. Van was always known as a sun city throughout history with the name of TUSBA. It has an average of 300 sunny days a year, an altitude of 1727 m, and an average daily temperature of 9.85°C. Considering how the need for sustainable and renewable energy sources - and knowledge over them - constantly increases, this SPS was built to reveal the true solar potential of the campus area of Yuzuncu Yil University of the city of Van, hopefully as a precursor for further large-scale SPS constructions in the region. A daily analysis considering energy production and global radiation was applied to the system in 2013 for 365 days. It was found that the yearly exergy efficiency of the system was 10% and total electrical energy production was 31,038.95 kWh, averaging 1763.5 kWh/kWp yearly.

Abstract This study develops a novel sustainability assessment methodology for energy systems using life-cycle emission factors and sustainability indicators. Here, the global warming and environmental impact dimensions of the sustainability assessment methodology are examined in detail. A comparative analysis shows that a wind-battery system produces fewer potential global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, air pollution, and water pollution impacts compared to a gas-fired system. The wind-battery system generates 13% of the life-cycle GHG emissions and 22% of the life-cycle ozone-depleting substance emissions of a gas-fired power plant. Nitrous oxide contributes more than 90% of the stratospheric ozone depletion potential of gas-fired and wind-battery systems.

Abstract This study develops a novel sustainability assessment methodology for energy systems using life-cycle emission factors and sustainability indicators. Here, the global warming and environmental impact dimensions of the sustainability assessment methodology are examined in detail. A comparative analysis shows that a wind-battery system produces fewer potential global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, air pollution, and water pollution impacts compared to a gas-fired system. The wind-battery system generates 13% of the life-cycle GHG emissions and 22% of the life-cycle ozone-depleting substance emissions of a gas-fired power plant. Nitrous oxide contributes more than 90% of the stratospheric ozone depletion potential of gas-fired and wind-battery systems.

Abstract This study demonstrates the possibility to use energy-cost optimal building designs based on life cycle approach. There is a lack of studies that cover the comprehensive assessment of both embodied energy (EE) and operational energy (OE) in a single optimization problem. The primary goal of the current study is to compare the optimized results of using OE+EE together and OE only. The optimization is performed on a case study building (townhouse) in Finland with three structural alternatives (i.e., reinforced concrete (RC); cross-laminated timber (CLT) and Steel). Different options for insulation thickness of external wall, roof, floor and window types were considered as decision variables as the scope of the present study is on building envelope. The objectives of the optimization are to minimize life cycle energy (LCE) and life cycle costs (LCC). The LCE difference between the most and least energy efficient solution on the pareto front is greater in case of the OE optimization, compared to OE+EE optimization. For all studied structures, the EE of the optimal solutions from OE+EE optimization ranges 16%–23% of LCE. Many of the non-dominated optimal solutions obtained from the OE+EE optimization shows a higher U-value for the building envelope components compared to the optimal solutions from the OE optimization. A relationship between both OE and EE with the overall thermal resistance of the building envelope is discussed to obtain a deeper understanding of such differences in U-value for the optimal solutions obtained from the OE+EE and OE optimization.

Abstract This study demonstrates the possibility to use energy-cost optimal building designs based on life cycle approach. There is a lack of studies that cover the comprehensive assessment of both embodied energy (EE) and operational energy (OE) in a single optimization problem. The primary goal of the current study is to compare the optimized results of using OE+EE together and OE only. The optimization is performed on a case study building (townhouse) in Finland with three structural alternatives (i.e., reinforced concrete (RC); cross-laminated timber (CLT) and Steel). Different options for insulation thickness of external wall, roof, floor and window types were considered as decision variables as the scope of the present study is on building envelope. The objectives of the optimization are to minimize life cycle energy (LCE) and life cycle costs (LCC). The LCE difference between the most and least energy efficient solution on the pareto front is greater in case of the OE optimization, compared to OE+EE optimization. For all studied structures, the EE of the optimal solutions from OE+EE optimization ranges 16%–23% of LCE. Many of the non-dominated optimal solutions obtained from the OE+EE optimization shows a higher U-value for the building envelope components compared to the optimal solutions from the OE optimization. A relationship between both OE and EE with the overall thermal resistance of the building envelope is discussed to obtain a deeper understanding of such differences in U-value for the optimal solutions obtained from the OE+EE and OE optimization.

Abstract A forecast of transport activity, energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions from transportation, carried out under ‘business as usual’ economic assumptions, is presented for the 10 countries of Central and Eastern Europe that have acquired the status of ‘accession countries’ to the European Union. Energy demand is projected under considerations of the dynamic evolution of transport modes and their use, the evolution of automotive fuel prices, which are assumed to gradually converge with Western European price levels within the current decade, and assumptions on efficiency improvements in all transport modes according to current technological trends and European regulations. The results, showing transportation energy demand to double and CO2 emissions to be 70% higher in 2030 compared to 2000, are compared with other published forecasts and discussed with a view to potential future energy and environmental impacts in these countries, outlining major policy implications.