DEVELOPING A METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE PARTICIPATORY MEASUREMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY

The measurement of sustainability can provide significant information in order to plan and implement environmental policies. Several methods have been proposed in the literature in order to select the appropriate indicators along with a variety of techniques for their measurement. These methods are often divided in two main categories: a) a top-down approach where the selection of sustainability indicators is often based on the decision of scientists and policy-makers and b) a bottom-up approach where local stakeholders influence the selection and the measurement of indicators. In this paper we propose a methodological framework which allows the selection of sustainability indicators based on scientific research but at the same time allows citizens to influence both the selection of indicators and their measurement. The benefits of the specific methodological framework are two: a) to incorporate in different stages of the measurement the opinions of local stakeholders, b) to assist in policy decision-making through the assessment of the current situation of sustainability

Development of an adaptive shading system based on analysis of study cases

Over the last years, solar shading systems have become integral parts of the building envelope. New designs, technologies and materials are constantly introduced and tested in shading industry. Nowadays, adaptation in solar shading systems is the almost exclusive goal of every design. Adaptive solar shading systems are preferable as they adapt to external climate conditions and indoor needs, succeeding high performance and efficiency at the same time. The term “adaptation” is eventually related to movement. The plurality of adaptive solar shading systems perform by making use of integrated movement mechanisms. Ten Bucky-lab projects and ten study cases are analyzed in terms of visual comfort and analytical daylight simulations are conducted for the latter. The computer-based simulations focus on the annual daylight performance of each system in Athens. This procedure contributes in understanding in depth the way that adaptive shading systems perform, by evaluating their efficiency performance. This research highlighted the most efficient systems, under basic shading principles. However, their movement mechanisms are relatively expensive and require frequent maintenance or even replacement. The proposed solar shading system introduces a new generation of adaptive shading systems which are static and their adaptation mechanism is related to the material of the system and its properties. Smart glass technology and PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) devices allow the fluctuation of the transparency coefficient of the glass. They are mainly used as vertical glazing on the building envelope in order to provide shade to the interior. Nevertheless, being vertical, they do not only block daylight but also view to the exterior space. The proposed solar shading system makes use of this innovative technology in a more efficient way. An external three-dimensional grid, with vertical and horizontal components perpendicular to the facade of the building is placed in front of the curtain wall system, shading the interior and allowing view to outside simultaneously. Computer-based simulations are performed in detail for west and south orientations. A reference room on the 10th floor of an office building located in Athens is concerned. In addition, the proposed system is evaluated for the same reference room but located in Amsterdam via basic daylight simulations. The concept of this shading system is to provide the opportunity to control the transparency in great variety. Each component of the system can be controlled individually. Thus, either all or particularly selected horizontal and/or vertical shading components may be transparent or translucent. If shading is not needed, it may be totally invisible. As a result, the proposed shading system performs efficiently at any orientation and under any daylight conditions. Regarding efficiency performance, the proposed shading system provides acceptable indoor daylight conditions throughout the year in both examined orientations. The system requirements set for this research (daylit area, daylight autonomy, useful daylight index and glare percentage) are fulfilled. Focusing on its contribution in the energy consumption of the reference room, 35% energy saving is accomplished in south orientation and 16% in west orientation. These outcomes concern only the location of AthensArchitecture and The Built EnvironmentBuilding Technolog

Spatial and temporal variability of composition of urban effluents in the island of Lesvos, Greece

The spatial and temporal variability in the composition of effluents of the coastal town of Mytilene, island of Lesvos, Greece, was investigated in 8 sewers of the town. Differences were found in the quality of effluents between the old and new parts of the town and were attributed mainly to the different design and construction of the sewers, as well as to the occasional discharge of septage into the sewerage network in parts of the town. During summer the population and water consumption increase, leading to partial dilution of the organic load. However, in the same period (July), the concentrations of dissolved Zn and particulate Pb were enriched. The reasons for such an increase are not clear. At present the seasonal metal peaks (Pb and Zn) are attributed to the increased traffic (Pb and Zn) and to increased corrosion under the prevailing weather conditions of the water supply network, which includes a very large number of galvanized storage tanks (Zn). The spatial and temporal variability in the composition of effluents of the coastal town of Mytilene, island of Lesvos, Greece, was investigated in 8 sewers of the town. Differences were found in the quality of effluents between the old and new parts of the town and were attributed mainly to the different design and construction of the sewers, as well as to the occasional discharge of septage into the sewerage network in parts of the town. During summer the population and water consumption increase, leading to partial dilution of the organic load. However, in the same period (July), the concentrations of dissolved Zn and particulate Pb were enriched. The reasons for such an increase are not clear. At present the seasonal metal peaks (Pb and Zn) are attributed to the increased traffic (Pb and Zn) and to increased corrosion under the prevailing weather conditions of the water supply network, which includes a very large number of galvanized storage tanks (Zn). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd

Adaptive flammability syndromes in thermo-Mediterranean vegetation, captured by alternative resource-use strategies

Fire affects and is affected by leaf functional traits indicative of resource allocation trade-offs. Global change drivers constrain both the resource-use strategies and flammability of coexisting species. However, small attention has been given in identifying links among flammability and plant economics. Ambiguity comes from the fact that flammability is a multidimensional trait. Different flammability attributes (i.e. ignitibility, sustainability, combustibility and consumability) have been used to classify species, but no widely-accepted relationships exist between attributes. We hypothesised that flammability is a spectrum (defined by its four attributes) and the alternative flammability syndromes of coexisting species can be captured by their resource-use strategies. Furthermore, we argue that flammability syndromes are adaptive strategies that ensure persistence in the post-fire community. We conducted a large-scale study to estimate all flammability attributes on leaves from nine, dominant, thermo-Mediterranean species with alternative resource-use and fire-response strategies across a wide environmental and geographic gradient. We assessed the interdependence among attributes, and their variation across ecological scales (genus, species, individual, site and region). Furthermore, we collected 10 leaf functional traits, conducted a soil study and extracted long-term climatological data to quantify their effect on flammability attributes. We found that leaf flammability in thermo-Mediterranean vegetation is a continuous two-dimensional spectrum. The first dimension, driven by leaf shape and size, represents heat release rate (combustibility vs. sustainability), while the second, controlled by leaf economics, presents ignition delay and total heat release (i.e. consumability). Alternative flammability syndromes can increase fitness in fire-prone communities by offering qualitative differences in survival or reproduction. Trade-offs and constraints that control the distribution of resource-use strategies across environmental gradients appeared to drive leaf flammability syndromes as well. Tying the flammability spectrum with resource allocation trade-offs on a global scale can help us predict future ecosystem properties and fire regimes and illustrate evolutionary constraints on flammability. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Anthropogenic metal contamination and sapropel imprints in deep Mediterranean sediments

Sediment cores from the deep Balearic basin and the Cretan Sea provide evidence for the accumulation of Cd, Pd and Zn in the top few centimeters of the abyssal Mediterranean sea-bottom. In both cores, 206Pb/207Pb profiles confirm this anthropogenic impact with less radiogenic imprints toward surface sediments. The similarity between excess 210Pb accumulated in the top core and the 210Pb flux suggests that top core metal inventories reasonably reflect long-term atmospheric deposition to the open Mediterranean. Pb inventory in the western core for the past 100 years represents 20-30% of sediment coastal inventories, suggesting that long-term atmospheric deposition determined from coastal areas has to be used cautiously for mass balance calculations in the open Mediterranean. In the deeper section of both cores, Al normalized trace metal profiles suggest diagenetic remobilization of Fe, Mn, Cu and, to a lesser extent, Pb that likely corresponds to sapropel event S

An integrated phenotypic trait-network in thermo-Mediterranean vegetation describing alternative, coexisting resource-use strategies

Vascular plants have been found to align along globally-recognised resource-allocation trade-offs among specific functional traits. Genetic constrains and environmental pressures limit the spectrum of viable resource-use strategies employed by plant species. While conspecific plants have often been described as identical, intraspecific variation facilitates species coexistence and evolutionary potential. This study attempts to link an individual's phenotype to its environmental tolerance and ecosystem function. We hypothesised that: (1) seasonal variation in water availability has selected for tight phenotypic integration patterns that shape Mediterranean vegetation; however, (2) coexisting species employ alternative resource-use strategies to avoid competitive exclusion; specifically (3) species with smaller climatic niches (i.e. potential distributions) display higher functional diversity. We examined the interdependence among and the sources of variation within 11 functional traits, reflecting whole-plant economics (e.g. construction costs, hydraulics, defences, water storage capacity), from nine dominant, thermo-Mediterranean species measured across a wide environmental and geographic gradient. Furthermore, we delineated the phenotypic and climatic hypervolumes of each studied species to test for climatic niche overlap and functional distinctiveness. By adopting this multidimensional trait-based approach we detected fundamental phenotypic integration patterns that define thermo-Mediterranean species regardless of life history strategy. The studied traits emerged intercorrelated shaping a resource-allocation spectrum. Significant intraspecific variability in most measured traits allowed for functional distinctiveness among the measured species. Higher functional diversity was observed in species restricted within narrower climatic niches. Our results support our initial hypotheses. The studied functional traits collectively formed an integrated space of viable phenotypic expressions; however, phenotypic plasticity enables functionally distinctive species to succeed complementary in a given set of environmental conditions. Functional variability among coexisting individuals defined species’ climatic niches within the trait-spectrum permitted by Mediterranean conditions. Ultimately, a species establishment in a locality depends on the extent that it can shift its trait values. © 201

Reductive degradation of perfluorinated compounds in water using Mg-aminoclay coated nanoscale zero valent iron

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are extremely persistent micropollutants that are detected worldwide. We studied the removal of PFCs (perfluorooctanoic acid; PFOA, perfluorononanoic acid; PFNA, perfluorodecanoic acid; PFDA and perfluorooctane sulfonate; PFOS) from water by different types of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI). Batch experiments showed that an iron dose of 1gL-1 in the form of Mg-aminoclay (MgAC) coated nZVI, at an initial pH of 3.0 effectively removed 38-96% of individual PFCs. An increasing order of removal efficiency was observed of PFOA<PFNA<PFOS≈PFDA. Compared to this, PFCs removal was less than 27% using a commercial air stabilized nZVI or freshly synthesized uncoated nZVI, under the same experimental conditions. The effectiveness of PFCs removal by MgAC coated nZVI was further investigated at various initial pH, nZVI dosage, temperature and age of the nZVI. A maximum removal was observed for all PFCs with high nZVI concentration, freshly synthesized nZVI, low pH and low temperature. A mass balance experiment with PFOS in a higher concentration of nZVI revealed that the removal was due to both sorption and degradation. Fluoride production partially matched the observed degradation, while no organic byproducts were detected using LC-QTOF-MS. © 2014 Elsevier B.V

Corrigendum to “An integrated phenotypic trait-network in thermo-Mediterranean vegetation describing alternative, coexisting resource-use strategies” [Sci. Total Environ. 672 (2019) 583–592] (Science of the Total Environment (2019) 672 (583–592), (S0048969719315438), (10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.030))

The authors regret that the printed version of the above article contained a number of errors. The correct and final version follows. The correct unit for Specific Leaf Area is cm^2 * g^-1 (instead of m^2 * kg^-1) and for Leaf Area is cm^2 * 10^-1 (instead of cm^2). These errors in no way affect the comparative analyses that were performed in this manuscript, the reported results, nor the drawn conclusions. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. © 2020 Elsevier B.V