High-performance materials in infrastructure: a review of applied life cycle costing and its drivers – the case of fiber-reinforced composites

IIn recent years, an investment bottleneck for public infrastructure has accumulated in many industrial countries. Life cycle costing (LCC) is an appropriate management instrument for long-term and sustainable investment. This article addresses the evaluation of high-performance materials (HPM) using LCC to reduce that investment bottleneck. Our research questions are, first, whether and how LCC can be applied to HPM, second, which drivers are primarily influencing the results of a LCC analysis for HPM, and finally, whether HPM are suitable for infrastructure investments, according to economic, social and environmental criteria. We use a comprehensive literature review to analyze existing case studies that apply LCC to HPM. Our review shows that LCC is applied to HPM for structural applications with different levels of detail and quality. The initial results indicate that total life cycle costs for HPM are on average 10% higher. We urge the optimization of the cost structure of HPM to achieve the same level of life cycle costs as conventional construction materials. Moreover, we argue for a more holistic approach that does not ignore sustainability criteria throughout the life cycle of HPM based on the identified drivers of life cycle costs: external costs, an extended life cycle, the discount rate and the expected service life. Indeed, a screened subsample of eight cases is very competitive, with average total life cycle costs for HPM that are 8.4% lower. We share the belief in a more eco-centric approach and, therefore, demand further research into a societal type of LCC that improves the mechanical properties while not ignoring sustainability criteria for new product systems such as HPM

What energy management practice can learn from research on energy cultures?

Purpose – This investigation aims to reframe the sizeable literature on barriers and drivers for energy efficiency measures and the phenomenon of the energy efficiency gap. We identified a gap between academic methods and industrial needs as well as a neglect of the cultural di-mension, despite its considerable impact. Based on this insight, the purpose of this paper is to integrate all of the various influences on industrial energy behavior previously identified in the literature in a refined energy cultures framework. Design/methodology/approach – This paper includes a systematic literature review of re-search in the field of energy management, energy efficiency, and cultural aspects within barri-ers and drivers of energy behavior. We selected and refined an existing energy cultures framework for the industrial context. To meet industrial needs, we applied an ontology map-ping of its core elements onto an international standard common for industrial energy man-agement practice. Findings – First, we present a refined framework for industrial energy cultures incorporating past barriers and drivers as factors. The framework enables an evaluation of attitude and be-havioral aspects, underlying technologies, organizational culture and actions related to energy as a system of interdependencies. Second, the factors are ranked based on number of appear-ances and empirical metadata. Economic aspects such as ‘Purchase, installment, and hidden costs’, ‘General investment and risk behavior’, and ‘Regulatory conditions’ are the highest ranked factors, but ‘Existing knowledge about EEM’, ‘Hierarchy approach: Top down’, and ‘Environmental concerns’ follow closely and represent cultural aspects which are still under-rated. Third, while illustrating a successful mapping onto a standardized process of continuous improvement, we also argue for heightened an academia-practice efforts. Social implications – Targeting the energy efficiency gap is an essential part of the sustainable development goals. The refined energy cultures framework allows for a better understanding of the industrial energy behaviors that are responsible for a significant share of a company’s success. The introduction of energy cultures serves as a starting point for future scholarly re-search within sustainability management accounting. Originality/value – The investigation combines existing research streams, their concepts, and their results about cultural aspects related to energy efficiency for both academics and practi-tioners. This review is the first to capture all of the various factors analyzed in academic litera-ture using the energy cultures framework as a basis. We add to the theoretical development of that framework with its application to the industrial context. This was identified as a gap. Its refinement helps to holistically understand barriers and drivers of industrial energy efficiency measures in order to support its practical implementation

Uncertainty in life cycle costing for long-range infrastructure. Part I: leveling the playing field to address uncertainties

Purpose Life cycle costing (LCC) is a state-of-the-art method to analyze investment decisions in infrastructure projects. However, uncertainties inherent in long-term planning question the credibility of LCC results. Previous research has not systematically linked sources and methods to address this uncertainty. Part I of this series develops a framework to collect and categorize different sources of uncertainty and addressing methods. This systematization is a prerequisite to further analyze the suitability of methods and levels the playing field for part II. Methods Past reviews have dealt with selected issues of uncertainty in LCC. However, none has systematically collected uncertainties and linked methods to address them. No comprehensive categorization has been published to date. Part I addresses these two research gaps by conducting a systematic literature review. In a rigorous four-step approach, we first scrutinized major databases. Second, we performed a practical and methodological screening to identify in total 115 relevant publications, mostly case studies. Third, we applied content analysis using MAXQDA. Fourth, we illustrated results and concluded upon the research gaps. Results and discussion We identified 33 sources of uncertainty and 24 addressing methods. Sources of uncertainties were categorized according to (i) its origin, i.e., parameter, model, and scenario uncertainty and (ii) the nature of uncertainty, i.e., aleatoric or epistemic uncertainty. The methods to address uncertainties were classified into deterministic, probabilistic, possibilistic, and other methods. With regard to sources of uncertainties, lack of data and data quality was analyzed most often. Most uncertainties having been discussed were located in the use stage. With regard to methods, sensitivity analyses were applied most widely, while more complex methods such as Bayesian models were used less frequently. Data availability and the individual expertise of LCC practitioner foremost influence the selection of methods. Conclusions This article complements existing research by providing a thorough systematization of uncertainties in LCC. However, an unambiguous categorization of uncertainties is difficult and overlapping occurs. Such a systemizing approach is nevertheless necessary for further analyses and levels the playing field for readers not yet familiar with the topic. Part I concludes the following: First, an investigation about which methods are best suited to address a certain type of uncertainty is still outstanding. Second, an analysis of types of uncertainty that have been insufficiently addressed in previous LCC cases is still missing. Part II will focus on these research gaps

Life cycle assessment of carbon concrete composites: a circular economy path beyond climate mitigation?

Sustainable construction and materials play an ever-important role to stay within our planetary boundaries. In support, innovative carbon concrete composites (CCC) promise significant raw material savings by integral design. We aim to illustrate current environmental hotspots and a feasible recycling scenario of CCC that meets circularity requirements. We modelled a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment for two potential building structural applications (sandwich wall, ceiling reinforcement) made of CCC. We based our recycling scenario on previously conducted large-scale experiments. Results show a relative larger energy intensity and abiotic depletion of fossil fuels for variants of CCC but lower global warming. Yet, recycling is, second to embodied emissions of basic materials, the driving force of total environmental impacts. The presented recycling path (demolition, pyrolysis for carbon fabric, reuse in fiber fleece) offers less "green credentials" than steel

Ökonomisch-ökologischer Nettoeffekt der Elektromobilität im öffentlichen Personennahverkehr

Im Rahmen einer Elektromobilitäts-Fallstudie kombinieren wir zwei lebenszyklusbasierte Methoden und veranschaulichen die Ergebnisse zur Kommunikations- und Entscheidungsunterstützung mittels der Methode des ökonomisch-ökologischen Nettoeffekts. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Elektrofahrzeuge im Vergleich zur EURO6-Dieselfahrzeugen erst in langer Frist ökonomisch und ökologisch wettbewerbsfähig sind.Building on a case study on electric mobility, we integrate two life cycle methods and visualize the results for communication and decision-support using the economic environmental trade-off. Results suggest that in comparison to EURO6 diesel vehicles electric vehicles are only in the long run economically and environmentally competitive

Adding Value to Fruit Processing Waste: Innovative Ways to Incorporate Fibers from Berry Pomace in Baked and Extruded Cereal-based Foods A SUSFOOD Project

This article communicates the set-up of BERRYPOM, a European research project established in the second call of the SUStainable FOOD Production and Consumption (SUSFOOD) network. The project deals with the by-product from berry processing, which is frequently recycled as animal feed, composted or utilized for biogas production. With BERRYPOM it is proposed to analyze the value of berry pomace, to optimize the recovery of bioactive compounds from pomace material, and to incorporate processed berry pomace in cereal-based foods to take advantage of nutritional benefits that originate from its fiber and the content of bioactive substances. Additionally, extraction methods will be evaluated to obtain products rich in phytochemicals, and the influence of OPEN ACCESS Foods 2015, 4 691 processing steps on the antioxidant capacity of pomace will be analyzed. The fiber extracts will then also be utilized in different cereal-based foods and extruded products. As project outcome we expect a substantial increase of knowledge concerning fiber and phytochemicals extraction from berry pomace, its suitability for enhancing nutritional and sensory properties of cereal-based foods, and its effects on the sustainability of the food chain.Rohm, H.; Brennan, C.; Turner, C.; Guenther, E.; Campbell, G.; Hernando Hernando, MI.; Struck, S.... (2015). Adding Value to Fruit Processing Waste: Innovative Ways to Incorporate Fibers from Berry Pomace in Baked and Extruded Cereal-based Foods A SUSFOOD Project. Foods. 4(4):690-697. doi:10.3390/foods4040690S6906974

Stakeholder Relevance for Reporting: Explanatory Factors of Carbon Disclosure

Although stakeholder theory is widely accepted in environmental disclosure research, empirical evidence about the role of stakeholders in firms’ disclosure is still scarce. The authors address this issue for a setting of carbon disclosure. Our international sample comprises the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Global 500, S&P 500, and FTSE 350 reports from 2008 to 2011, resulting in a total of 1,120 firms with 3,631 firm-year observations. The authors apply Tobit regressions to analyze the relationship between carbon disclosure and the relevance of the following stakeholder groups: government, general public, media, employees, and customers. Our results confirm that in addition to carbon performance, all stakeholders are associated with carbon disclosure. Only one stakeholder group (government) acts as a moderator for the relationship between carbon performance and carbon disclosure. Furthermore, the authors find that carbon performance but not the affiliation to a carbon-intensive industry acts as a moderator between stakeholder relevance and carbon disclosure

Stakeholder Relevance for Reporting: Explanatory Factors of Carbon Disclosure

Although stakeholder theory is widely accepted in environmental disclosure research, empirical evidence about the role of stakeholders in firms’ disclosure is still scarce. The authors address this issue for a setting of carbon disclosure. Our international sample comprises the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Global 500, S&P 500, and FTSE 350 reports from 2008 to 2011, resulting in a total of 1,120 firms with 3,631 firm-year observations. The authors apply Tobit regressions to analyze the relationship between carbon disclosure and the relevance of the following stakeholder groups: government, general public, media, employees, and customers. Our results confirm that in addition to carbon performance, all stakeholders are associated with carbon disclosure. Only one stakeholder group (government) acts as a moderator for the relationship between carbon performance and carbon disclosure. Furthermore, the authors find that carbon performance but not the affiliation to a carbon-intensive industry acts as a moderator between stakeholder relevance and carbon disclosure

Environmental Management in German Hospitals—A Classification of Approaches

This paper analyzes organizational environmental performance and environmental management approaches in German hospitals. Based on data from an online survey and a subsequent cluster analysis, three groups of hospitals are identified: traditionalists, pragmatists, and environmentalists. The clusters differ regarding their organizational environmental performance, i.e., the environmental management elements adopted (policy, goals, structures, processes, and monitoring) and the environmental issues addressed (energy, water, material consumption, waste, emissions into water and air). The environmental management approaches hospitals adopt range from least to most active. Despite perceived stakeholder pressure being generally low, differences between the clusters can be observed. The most relevant stakeholders are internal ones, i.e., management and owners, rather than external ones. Furthermore, some organizational characteristics distinguish the clusters. This paper adds knowledge in the under-researched setting of hospitals and discusses managerial possibilities for the types of hospitals to increase their organizational environmental performance and to pursue a more holistic environmental approach