• Energy Research
• 11. Sustainability close
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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.

River deltas and estuaries are disproportionally-significant coastal landforms that are inhabited by nearly 600 M people globally. In recent history, rapid socio-economic development has dramatically changed many of the World's mega deltas, which have typically undergone agricultural intensification and expansion, land-use change, urbanization, water resources engineering and exploitation of natural resources. As a result, mega deltas have evolved into complex and potentially vulnerable socio-ecological systems with unique threats and coping capabilities. The goal of this research was to establish a holistic understanding of threats, resilience, and adaptation for four mega deltas of variable geography and levels of socio-economic development, namely the Mekong, Yellow River, Yangtze, and Rhine deltas. Compiling this kind of information is critical for managing and developing these complex coastal areas sustainably but is typically hindered by a lack of consistent quantitative data across the ecological, social and economic sectors. To overcome this limitation, we adopted a qualitative approach, where delta characteristics across all sectors were assessed through systematic expert surveys. This approach enabled us to generate a comparative assessment of threats, resilience, and resilience-strengthening adaptation across the four deltas. Our assessment provides novel insights into the various components that dominate the overall risk situation in each delta and, for the first time, illustrates how each of these components differ across the four mega deltas. As such, our findings can guide a more detailed, sector specific, risk assessment or assist in better targeting the implementation of risk mitigation and adaptation strategies.

This paper presents a study of the socio-technical ordering of time around wood-fuelled heating systems of detached houses. It analyses the sequences and rhythms that organize the work of domestic heating, its synchronization with other daily activities, and tempo as the subjective experience of time in these activities. The study is based on a large, pre-existing Finnish free-form diary collection. We suggest that domestic energy technologies become useable and useful through the gradual embedding that involves the temporal organization of everyday life. As a result, technologies that organize time are not only convenient in an invisible way but also act as taken-for-granted coordinates and rhythms of human pursuits in everyday life. In many countries, wood-fuelled heating systems remain a common renewable energy technology in detached houses and stand as one option to lower related carbon emissions. However, the broader use of wood is compromised by time and convenience.

AbstractGlobal biodiversity loss is most severe in freshwaters, particularly in river ecosystems. Hydropower is one of the main culprits. While being promoted as a carbon free source of renewable energy, hydropower disrupts the flow, habitats, and biota of rivers. Environmental policies and programs seek to mitigate the damage hydropower causes. Any policy action aiming at making the utilization of our rivers more sustainable must be ecologically, economically, and legally feasible. We show that the interdisciplinary feasibility of mitigation measures divides existing facilities into three categories (i) large facilities in which biodiversity mitigation measures are needed but electricity generation and balancing the electricity grid should remain as their main focus, (ii) small facilities in which dam removal and full scale river restoration measures can be taken by assisting the facilities to seize operations, preferably just before their next big investments, and (iii) medium facilities where benefits and trade‐offs associated with alternative paths should be analyzed case‐by‐case to determine the most feasible path forward. Policy action is feasible in all three categories but in different ways: requiring fish passes in the case of large facilities, helping remove dams and restoring the rivers in the case of small facilities, and focusing cost–benefit analysis efforts on the non‐trivial group of the medium sized facilities.

Abstract This study aims to identify and categorise the sustainability concerns raised in retail planning policy discourse, using empirical data from Finland. In order to identify the concerns, we conducted a critical discourse analysis of the policy discourse presented in media from 1990 to 2015. The analysis was conducted chronologically in order to understand the evolution of the sustainability concerns and the changes in the policy debate. To categorise the concerns identified from the discourse, we developed a holistic sustainability framework based on previous literature. Our findings show that during 1990′s the concerns were mostly socio-economic, however, due to enforcement of sustainable development policies, the share of environmental concerns raised significantly in 2000s. The findings of our study reveal the problematics of the retail planning policy making and call for a more holistic understanding of the multidimensionality of the sustainability impacts of retail planning.

Water security demands guaranteeing economic, social and environmental sustainability and simultaneously addressing the diversity of risks and threats related to water. Various frameworks have been suggested to support water security assessment. They are typically based on indexes enabling national comparisons; these may, however, oversimplify complex and often contested water issues. We developed a structured and systemic way to assess water security and its future trends via a participatory process. The framework establishes a criteria hierarchy for water security, consisting of four main themes: the state of the water environment; human health and well-being; the sustainability of livelihoods; and the stability, functions and responsibility of society. The framework further enables the analysis of relationships between the water security criteria as well as between water, energy and food security. The framework was applied to a national water security assessment of Finland in 2018 and 2030. Our experience indicates that using the framework collaboratively with stakeholders provides a meaningful way to improve understanding and to facilitate discussion about the state of water security and the actions needed for its improvement.

The shift towards a sustainability-driven society includes changes to the educational system, business operations, innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems as well as policymaking. Moreover, such a shift demands particularly a combination of top-down policy-making initiatives and bottom-up social entrepreneur-driven changes. Social innovation and entrepreneurship are providing solutions for globally recognized social and sustainability challenges such as poverty, education, environmental and climate change, peace support – worldwide yet also in the particularly challenging context of developing economies. We aim to showcase the best practices of social and sustainability-oriented innovation and entrepreneurship in the context of developing economies. In particular, we address the question of how social entrepreneur and innovator with bottom-up ideas could complement the top-down policymaking initiatives. Our design implies qualitative research aiming to disseminate the inspiring story of a social innovative enterprise, which represents a successful example of complementing policy-making efforts. Accordingly, our findings contribute to the literature on social innovation and entrepreneurship in the context of developing economies and simultaneously informs social entrepreneurs and policymakers on potential opportunities for synergy in their efforts. Peer reviewed