Supporting a circular economy strategy in South Tyrol, Italy: Integrated life-cycle energy and greenhouse gas analysis

The research project “Strategy for Circular Economy in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano” aimed at providing the Province of Bolzano (South Tyrol, northern Italy), with materials and tools to support the design of an integrated regional strategy for Circular Economy (CE). The project focused on synergies between the bioeconomy and the built environment, due to their local relevance and to their significant potential in the transition to a CE. In particular, the project illustrated the application of a set of analytical tools to evaluate and support the design, development and implementation of CE strategies. In 2015, forestry and agriculture sectors were associated with about 5% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the Province, compared to 2% in Italy (ASTAT, 2021). The project analyses illustrate how the integration of different tools can be used to estimate the potential benefits and impacts of the exchange and valorisation of co-products and waste from agriculture and forestry activities, in construction materials and products. The analyses included: (1) a spatial analysis using geographic information systems (GIS); (2) a simplified material flow analysis (MFA) of the residential building stock; and (3) a streamlined life-cycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) analysis comparing wood fibre and expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation. The spatial analysis consisted of an estimate and mapping of potentially available biomass from forestry and agricultural activities, using land-use data – namely the area of agricultural land for three types of crops (feed crops, fruit, and vineyards) – and literature-based coefficients on generation of wood-based biomass from these three types of crops. The MFA estimated annual material inputs and outputs of the residential building stock in the Province, providing a simplified characterization of raw material construction requirements and demolition waste. The evaluation considered literature-based coefficients on: renovation and demolition rates, generation of waste per renovated/demolished surface, material separation factors and composition of waste. Different scenarios were established to account for variability in the intensity of construction and demolition activities. Lastly, a streamline life-cycle energy and GHG analysis comparing wood fibre and expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation was performed. The analysis considered a cradle-to-gate perspective and, as functional unit, the insulation of a 1 m2 surface with a thermal resistance of 1 m2 K/W, across a service life of 50 years, and estimated the potential primary non-renewable energy (NRE) requirements and GHG emissions, with a 100-year time horizon. The analysis of potentially available biomass in the Province estimated and mapped an annual generation of (i) about 88 000 tons of residual biomass from agricultural activities, and (ii) about 465 000 m3 of residual biomass from forestry activities/management. Regarding construction and demolition waste, 7 000 - 12 000 tons of wood waste were estimated, which could have valuable potential if properly separated from mineral components and recovered. The LC analysis showed a potential reduction of 40-60% in NRE and 15-40% in GHG emissions, depending on the electricity mix considered (national or regional), if locally produced wood fibre insulation was used to replace EPS. It is important to highlight that the analyses were strongly limited by data unavailability; however, they had an illustrative and awareness-raising nature and complemented a participatory approach involving a range of local stakeholders across relevant economic sectors. Moreover, the project supported the creation of a regional competence centre for circular economy, which shall further develop the knowledge and tools to enable the transition to a CE in the Province, including the creation of an online trading platform for exchange of resources. Reference: ASTAT - Statistic Institute of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano: Income statement of the province of Bolzano - 2010-2019 and 2020 estimate. Available on: https://astat.provincia.bz.it/. Accessed 20 December 2021

Key dimensions of cities' engagement in the transition to climate neutrality

ABSTRACT: Urbanization and the concentration of energy-consuming economic activities make cities responsible for more than 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, cities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts. The European Cities Mission launched a call in September 2021 to set out on a path towards "100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030". A very large and diverse sample of 344 candidate cities in 35 countries (a subset of the 362 considered eligible to participate in the Cities Mission) was used to conduct this timely research aimed at identifying the main dimensions on which cities are working to achieve a smart and sustainable transition.The research focused on five main dimensions: local climate planning, climate emergency declarations, participation in networks, international projects and competitions. Results show that only 20 (5.8%) cities have no experience in any of them, while there are 18 (5.2%) cities that have in their background activities that fall under all dimensions. Moreover, networking is the most important dimension, among the five analysed, for cities applying for this Mission, involving 309 cities (approximately 90% of the sample). This is followed by local climate planning, involving 275 cities (80%) and city participation in international projects, involving 152 cities (44%). Cities that have declared a climate emergency are less than a fifth of the sample and are very unevenly distributed in only 37.1% of the countries represented (interestingly, all the UK cities in the sample). Similarly, only 49 cities (14.2%) have received international awards.The results provide insights into the main efforts currently being made by cities to engage in the transition to climate neutrality and may be useful to practitioners, scholars and policy-makers at all levels to improve their knowledge of the steps they need to take to support this process and amplify its scope.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

How are Italian and Spanish cities tackling climate change? A local comparative study

27 p.Cities are widely recognised as being pivotal to fight climate change. They magnify the drivers of climate change, experience the impacts and also concentrate the highest room for action. Although urban areas are broadly claimed to be climate leaders, there is no archetype of right actions given the highly contextual differences among them. Yet, the how and why cities respond to global environmental challenges in the context of increasingly competitive economies needs further research. In this paper we aim at advancing in this regard by assessing the state of the art on urban climate actions in two European Mediterranean Countries: Spain and Italy that face similar climate change challenges. Based on an extensive review of documents, we analyse mitigation and adaptation plans of 26 Spanish and 32 Italian Urban Audit cities, as representative samples. Our results show relevant differences between Spanish and Italian cities in terms of the starting time of their climate actions as well their implementation. We concur with existing literature in that mitigation is more advanced than adaptation actions and take evidence in both countries and we also demonstrate that international and national networking initiatives are being instrumental in engaging cities in climate action

Implications of governance structures on urban climate action: evidence from Italy and Spain

47 p.Cities are widely recognised as being pivotal to fight climate change. Cities magnify the drivers of climate change, experience the impacts and also concentrate the highest room for action. Given the 70% of the global emissions that cities are responsible for, national governments are unable to meet their international commitments for addressing mitigation and adaptation without the action and cooperation of cities. In turn, the capacity of local governments to address climate change is largely determined by the institutional architecture within which they are integrated. As a result, the relationship between the different arenas of authority and the integration of cities in national and international networks is considered critical in shaping the global capacity to govern climate change. This work aims to understand how multi-level climate governance and alliances of cities (national and international) are influencing the climate change capacity and performance of municipalities. This has been done by focusing on two national contexts of the European Union, Italy and Spain, in which climate policy, multi-level governance frameworks, the effects of the national and international networks of cities, and the climate response of cities are analysed through an extensive review of scientific and grey literature, and institutional documents. The results concur with existing literature on the importance of constructing collaborative multi-level climate frameworks at the national scale, that fully integrate the local level, in order to support cities to develop consistent climate action and raise awareness of the responsibility they have in this policy field

Supporting a circular economy strategy in South Tyrol, Italy: Integrated life‐cycle energy and greenhouse gas analysis

The research project “Strategy for Circular Economy in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano” aimed at providing the Province of Bolzano (South Tyrol, northern Italy), with materials and tools to support the design of an integrated regional strategy for Circular Economy (CE). The project focused on synergies between the bioeconomy and the built environment, due to their local relevance and to their significant potential in the transition to a CE. In particular, the project illustrated the application of a set of analytical tools to evaluate and support the design, development and implementation of CE strategies. In 2015, forestry and agriculture sectors were associated with about 5% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the Province, compared to 2% in Italy (ASTAT, 2021). The project analyses illustrate how the integration of different tools can be used to estimate the potential benefits and impacts of the exchange and valorisation of coproducts and waste from agriculture and forestry activities, in construction materials and products. The analyses included: (1) a spatial analysis using geographic information systems (GIS); (2) a simplified material flow analysis (MFA) of the residential building stock; and (3) a streamlined life-cycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) analysis comparing wood fibre and expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation. The spatial analysis consisted of an estimate and mapping of potentially available biomass from forestry and agricultural activities, using land-use data – namely the area of agricultural land for three types of crops (feed crops, fruit, and vineyards) – and literature-based coefficients on generation of wood-based biomass from these three types of crops. The MFA estimated annual material inputs and outputs of the residential building stock in the Province, providing a simplified characterization of raw material construction requirements and demolition waste. The evaluation considered literature-based coefficients on: renovation and demolition rates, generation of waste per renovated/demolished surface, material separation factors and composition of waste. Different scenarios were established to account for variability in the intensity of construction and demolition activities. Lastly, a streamline life-cycle energy and GHG analysis comparing wood fibre and expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation was performed. The analysis considered a cradle-to-gate perspective and, as functional unit, the insulation of a 1 m2 surface with a thermal resistance of 1 m2 K/W, across a service life of 50 years, and estimated the potential primary non-renewable energy (NRE) requirements and GHG emissions, with a 100- year time horizon. The analysis of potentially available biomass in the Province estimated and mapped an annual generation of (i) about 88 000 tons of residual biomass from agricultural activities, and (ii) about 465 000 m3 of residual biomass from forestry activities/management. Regarding construction and demolition waste, 7 000 - 12 000 tons of wood waste were estimated, which could have valuable potential if properly separated from mineral components and recovered. The LC analysis showed a potential reduction of 40-60% in NRE and 15-40% in GHG emissions, depending on the electricity mix considered (national or regional), if locally produced wood fibre insulation was used to replace EPS. It is important to highlight that the analyses were strongly limited by data unavailability; however, they had an illustrative and awareness-raising nature and complemented a participatory approach involving a range of local stakeholders across relevant economic sectors. Moreover, the project supported the creation of a regional competence centre for circular economy, which shall further develop the knowledge and tools to enable the transition to a CE in the Province, including the creation of an online trading platform for exchange of resources. Reference: ASTAT - Statistic Institute of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano: Income statement of the province of Bolzano - 2010-2019 and 2020 estimate. Available on: https://astat.provincia.bz.it/. Accessed 20 December 2021

Regional Infrastructure Planning Support Methodology for Public and Private Electrified Transport: A Mountain Case Study

The European Union has seen a strong growth of electric passenger vehicles over the last decade. The steady increase in the number of electric vehicles requires a thorough examination of the current infrastructure and their future development, which are critical to the continuous market growth of this technology. The underdeveloped charging infrastructure is identified as one of the main barriers, next to the purchase price of electric vehicles. Thus, the infrastructure (supply side) and the vehicles (demand side) must coevolve and consider not only the quantitative balance between EVs and charging stations but the interlinkages with social, technical, and economic criteria for the overall system development. In this context, the methods presented in this paper address regional specificities when developing an integrated network of charging infrastructure for private and public passengers transport in an alpine region. The results of the application of the methodology to a mountainous area present the potential for replicability and highlight the importance of considering regional characteristics and of stakeholder involvement

A Spatially-Explicit Economic and Financial Assessment of Closed-Loop Ground-Source Geothermal Heat Pumps: A Case Study for the Residential Buildings of Valle d’Aosta Region

Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs) take advantage of the high thermal inertia of the ground to achieve a higher energy efficiency compared to Air Source Heat Pumps. GSHPs, therefore, have the potential to reduce heating, cooling, and domestic hot water costs, however the high installation cost of borehole heat exchangers (BHEs) limits the growth of such installations. Nevertheless, GSHPs can be profitable under certain conditions (climate, expensive fuels, subsidies, etc.), which can be identified using geo-referenced data and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The proposed work investigates the economic and financial ability of GSHPs to cover the heat demand of the residential building stock of the Italian region Valle d’Aosta. To identify the opportunities offered by GSHPs in the Valle d’Aosta region, more than 40,000 residential buildings were analyzed using a GIS-based method. The return on the investment was then assessed based on the occurrence of two conditions—the Italian subsidies of the “Conto Termico” and the installation of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems—which contribute to the reduction of the initial and operation costs, respectively. The life-cycle costs of the four resulting combinations were compared with conventional systems composed of an oil/gas boiler and an air-source chiller. One of the main findings of this study is that subsidies exert a key role in the financial feasibility of GSHPs, especially for replacing gas boilers, whereas the presence of a PV system has a minor influence on the financial analysis carried out

Adherence to Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients

Background: Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) reduces breast cancer recurrence and mortality of women with hormone-receptor-positive tumors, but poor adherence remains a significant problem. The aim of this study was to analyze AET side effects and their impact on adherence to treatment. Methods: A total of 373 breast cancer patients treated with AET filled out a specific questionnaire during their follow up visits at the Breast Unit of our Centre. Results: Side effects were reported by 81% of patients, 84% of those taking tamoxifen and 80% of those taking aromatase inhibitors (AIs). The most common side effect in the tamoxifen group was hot flashes (55.6%), while in the AI group it was arthralgia (60.6%). The addition of GnRH agonists to both tamoxifen and AI significantly worsened all menopausal symptoms. Overall, 12% of patients definitively discontinued AET due to side effects, 6.4% during the first 5 years and 24% during extended therapy. Patients who had previously received chemotherapy or radiotherapy reported a significantly lower discontinuation rate. Conclusions: AET side effects represent a significant problem in breast cancer survivors leading to irregular assumption and discontinuation of therapy. Adherence to AET may be improved by trustful patient–physician communication and a good-quality care network

Adherence to Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients

Background: Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) reduces breast cancer recurrence and mortality of women with hormone-receptor-positive tumors, but poor adherence remains a significant problem. The aim of this study was to analyze AET side effects and their impact on adherence to treatment. Methods: A total of 373 breast cancer patients treated with AET filled out a specific questionnaire during their follow up visits at the Breast Unit of our Centre. Results: Side effects were reported by 81% of patients, 84% of those taking tamoxifen and 80% of those taking aromatase inhibitors (AIs). The most common side effect in the tamoxifen group was hot flashes (55.6%), while in the AI group it was arthralgia (60.6%). The addition of GnRH agonists to both tamoxifen and AI significantly worsened all menopausal symptoms. Overall, 12% of patients definitively discontinued AET due to side effects, 6.4% during the first 5 years and 24% during extended therapy. Patients who had previously received chemotherapy or radiotherapy reported a significantly lower discontinuation rate. Conclusions: AET side effects represent a significant problem in breast cancer survivors leading to irregular assumption and discontinuation of therapy. Adherence to AET may be improved by trustful patient–physician communication and a good-quality care network

The role of trastuzumab in patients with her2 positive small (Pt1mi/a) breast cancers, a multicenter retrospective study

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Treatment of small HER2+ breast cancers with adjuvant Trastuzumab is still controversial. This study aims to measure the effect of Trastuzumab in early stages of breast cancer (pT1mic/a pN0/1mi) in terms of disease recurrence and to identify which factors most affect the prognosis of small HER2+ tumors. We retrospectively selected and reviewed 100 HER2+ pT1mic-pT1a breast cancer patients with a median follow-up of 86 months. In our study the primary outcome was the disease recurrence rate, which appeared to be significantly lower among patients who received adjuvant Trastuzumab. Among the patients who did not receive adjuvant Trastuzumab, HR− HER2+ tumors showed a risk seven times higher of relapse. The results of our study indicate that adjuvant Trastuzumab reduces the risk of developing a disease recurrence even in small HER2+ tumors. Adjuvant targeted therapy should be considered in patients with HR− HER2+ tumors, the category with the highest risk of recurrence. ABSTRACT: The treatment with adjuvant Trastuzumab in patients diagnosed with HER2+ small breast cancers is controversial: limited prospective data from randomized trials is available. This study aims to measure the effect of Trastuzumab in the early stages of breast cancer (pT1mic/a pN0/1mi) in terms of disease recurrence and to identify which are the factors that most affect the prognosis of small HER2+ tumors. One hundred HER2+ pT1mic-pT1a breast cancer patients who were treated in three Turin Breast Units between January 1998 and December 2018 were retrospectively selected and reviewed. Trastuzumab was administered to 23 patients. Clinicopathological features and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between different subgroups. The primary outcome was the disease recurrence rate. Median follow-up time was 86 months. Compared to pT1a tumors, pT1mic lesions had a higher tumor grade (84% of pT1mic vs. 55% of pT1a; p = 0.003), a higher Ki-67 index (81% vs. 46%; p = 0.007) and were more frequently hormone receptor (HR) negative (69% vs. 36%, p = 0.001). Disease recurrence rate was significantly lower among patients who received adjuvant Trastuzumab (p = 0.02), with this therapy conferring an 85% reduction in the risk of relapse (HR 0.15; p = 0.02). Among the patients who did not receive adjuvant Trastuzumab, the only factor significantly associated with an increased risk of developing a recurrence was the immunohistochemical (IHC) subtype: in fact, HR− HER2+ tumors showed a risk seven times higher of relapsing (HR 7.29; p = 0.003). Adjuvant Trastuzumab appears to reduce the risk of disease recurrence even in small HER2+ tumors. The adjuvant targeted therapy should be considered in patients with HR− HER2+ tumors since they have the highest risk of recurrence, independently from size and grade