Suchergebnisse

Si analizamos la evolución de la humanidad, la revolución industrial nos marcó un antes y un después en la sociedad, y también en el sistema de producción, pasando de la artesanía a la escala industrial, con todas sus consecuencias, siendo cada vez menos sostenibles. La industrialización ha permitido una eficiencia en los procesos de producción para mejorar en la rapidez y economizar los productos para llegar a más personas. Aunque esta democratización ha sido en detrimento del exceso de productos, de la sostenibilidad y la repetición constante de las formas que ha limitado la creatividad. Las tecnologías disponibles en la actualidad permiten encontrar nuevas alternativas para aumentar la creatividad de manera más sostenible y consciente a la hora de concebir productos y su producción. En este artículo analizaremos de dónde venimos, la iniciativa en romper con las formas hasta ahora conocidas, y en repensar nuevos materiales y procesos de producción para el packaging e-commerce. Con ello, se intentará evitar caer en las premisas antes descritas, aunque somos conscientes que somos humanos y la perfección no existe ; Postprint (published version)

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552 ; Altres ajuts: the Catalan Government, La Generalitat de Catalunya, for awarding a research scholarship (FI-AGUAR 2015) to Pere Llorach Massana ; INIA RTA2012-00039-C02-01 ; Root zone heating systems offer increasing crops quality and productivity. However, these systems are based on the use of nonrenewable fuels. This paper reports on a study of different design solutions for a root zone heating system, based on thermal energy storage with PCM. The objective of the study was to define, through multiple experiments, the most efficient PCM melting/freezing temperature and location with respect to the substrate (i.e., under the substrate) for the application under study; as well as, to determine the system's environmental and economic feasibility, with life cycle assessment and life cycle cost methodologies. Results show that the best melting temperature for the application under study is 15 °C. To increase the efficiency of the system, PCMs may be macro encapsulated and wrap the entire perlite bag. Moreover, it seems that PCMs are far to substitute conventional root zone heating systems because it does not provided enough heat during nights. Nevertheless, PCMs can help to reduce the operation time of conventional systems. Based on one night results it seem that PCM could provide annual saving of between 22 and 30 kg of eq. CO2/ha·day. However, it does not seem to be feasible if PCM prices (8€/kg) do not decrease significantly.

The paper aims to present some eco-innovative practices regarding Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP). The study also focuses on potential benefits for the actors who implement these practices, mainly with reference to companies. After a literature review on the actual importance of SCP and on the effects of eco-innovation tools and policies on companies, authors present the developed eco-innovation practices in three focus areas related to sustainable consumption and production. The aim of the study is to contribute to literature studies on SCP with the development of eco-innovative practices resulting by the integration of existing tools, by pointing out and valorizing their potentials and synergies. These practices have been pointing out in the framework of the international European project. Three focus areas are involved by the practices: sustainability of products and services, sustainability of production processes and sustainable management of industrial areas. Authors developed four eco innovative practices resulting from the integration of 15 existing tools. These practices offer many opportunities to many actors, mainly companies and public authorities, in order to achieve environmental and competitive benefits and implement eco-innovation principles with a cooperative and shared approach.

Ancient civilizations had agriculture production in their metropolis but modern urban planning separated agriculture from cities, such as Chandigarh by Le Corbusier. At present, FAO estimates that urban agriculture produces food for a quarter of world's population, reducing food transport, package and waste impact among others and improving food safety. Meanwhile, city governments and citizens are reinventing their roofs usage in order to take more advantage of them. Rooftop Greenhouses (RTGs) are an interesting option because they increase the scarce green area of the cities, create new agricultural spaces and promote food self-sufficiency in urban areas among other growing interests. RTGs are greenhouses located on the roof of the buildings that usually produce food using soil-less culture systems. These structures as well as the green façades called Vertical Farming (VF) are part of the "building-based Urban Agriculture (UA)". In this sense, this article presents the first results of the research project Fertilecity, which aims to analyze, from a technological and sustainability approach, a new agricultural production system for Mediterranean urban areas through the integration of greenhouses on the roof of buildings. This innovative system is an integrated RTG (i-RTG) that includes energy, water and CO2 flows in the metabolism of the building. Multidisciplinary experts participate in Fertilecity Project using multiple methods such as Life Cycle Assessment and the Integrated Value Model for Sustainable Assessment (MIVES). Their first results are: a review of the main experiences in UA; an environmental and economic life cycle analysis of implementing Rooftop Greenhouses (RTGs) in Barcelona and the construction of the ICTA Rooftop Greenhouse Lab (RTG-Lab) near Barcelona. This project aims to demonstrate the potential of i-RTGs and quantify their environmental, economic and social benefits, as well as study how they can change the image of our cities. ; Postprint (published version)

Ancient civilizations had agriculture production in their metropolis but modern urban planning separated agriculture from cities, such as Chandigarh by Le Corbusier. At present, FAO estimates that urban agriculture produces food for a quarter of world's population, reducing food transport, package and waste impact among others and improving food safety. Meanwhile, city governments and citizens are reinventing their roofs usage in order to take more advantage of them. Rooftop Greenhouses (RTGs) are an interesting option because they increase the scarce green area of the cities, create new agricultural spaces and promote food self-sufficiency in urban areas among other growing interests. RTGs are greenhouses located on the roof of the buildings that usually produce food using soil-less culture systems. These structures as well as the green façades called Vertical Farming (VF) are part of the "building-based Urban Agriculture (UA)". In this sense, this article presents the first results of the research project Fertilecity, which aims to analyze, from a technological and sustainability approach, a new agricultural production system for Mediterranean urban areas through the integration of greenhouses on the roof of buildings. This innovative system is an integrated RTG (i-RTG) that includes energy, water and CO2 flows in the metabolism of the building. Multidisciplinary experts participate in Fertilecity Project using multiple methods such as Life Cycle Assessment and the Integrated Value Model for Sustainable Assessment (MIVES). Their first results are: a review of the main experiences in UA; an environmental and economic life cycle analysis of implementing Rooftop Greenhouses (RTGs) in Barcelona and the construction of the ICTA Rooftop Greenhouse Lab (RTG-Lab) near Barcelona. This project aims to demonstrate the potential of i-RTGs and quantify their environmental, economic and social benefits, as well as study how they can change the image of our cities. ; Postprint (published version)