La petjada de carboni i la petjada hídrica de la producció de porc de Catalunya : del bressol a la porta

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552A Europa, la carn de porc és la més consumida, amb una mitjana anual de consum de gairebé 32 kg per càpita, i la seva producció és responsable del 26% de les emissions totals de CO2 derivades del sector ramader. Aquest estudi ha realitzat una avaluació de la petjada de carboni i la petjada hídrica derivades de la producció de carn de porc a Catalunya, considerant totes les etapes de la cadena de producció. Els resultats mostren que la producció de pinsos és la que genera un major impacte, i que el transport també és important.En Europa, la carne de cerdo es la más consumida, con una media anual de consumo de casi 32 kg per cápita, y su producción es responsable del 26% de les emisiones totales de CO2 derivadas del sector ganadero. Este estudio ha realizado una evaluación de la huella de carbono y la huella hídrica derivadas de la producción de carne de cerdo en Cataluña, considerando todas las etapas de la cadena de producción. Los resultados muestran que la producción de piensos es la que genera un mayor impacto, y que el transporte también es importante.In Europe, pork is the most widely consumed meat with an annual average of almost 32 kg per capita, and it is also responsible for around 26 per cent of total CO2 emissions by the farming sector. This study carried out an environmental analysis of the carbon (CF) and water (WF) footprints derived from pork production in Catalonia, considering all stages of the production process. The results show that the production of feed is most responsible for the global impact of the chain, and that transportation also has a major influence

Environmental assessment at the urban level combining LCA-GIS methodologies : A case study of energy retrofits in the Barcelona metropolitan area

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552This study proposes a combined life cycle assessment (LCA) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) methodology to develop complex LCA inventories for multiple applications. The study focusses on the environmental implications of buildings retrofits, especially in the European context, where the building sector is one of the largest energy consumers. In this context, a new and holistic perspective is needed that expands from the building scale to the urban scale. The combination of LCA and GIS methods includes the development of an urban characterization model based on bottom-up methodologies. The environmental implications associated with increasing the thermal insulation of existing buildings to the current standard are determined based on LCA methods. In this step, common construction systems for building retrofits are used, and insulation materials are compared. Then, absolute and relative extrapolations are performed considering different urban morphologies. The results confirm the importance of the energy retrofitting of residential buildings in large functional urban areas such as the Barcelona metropolitan area, which is examined as a case study. The LCA results indicate that the selection of proper construction systems and thermal insulation materials is important to the environmental performance of building retrofits, and these selections can lead to CO2 emission differences of up 16% in the region. The relative extrapolation results indicate significant environmental differences between urban morphologies. The LCA results show the potential strategic impacts of the inclusion of LCA methods in retrofit policies at the urban scale

Production and trade analysis in the Iberian cork sector : economic characterization of a forest industry

El títol de la versió pre-print de l'article és World trade analysis of cork products in the Iberian Peninsula: an economic characterization of a forestry industryCork oak forest grows endemically in the coastal regions of the western Mediterranean basin, particularly in the Iberian Peninsula. The cork agro-forestry systems play a key role in ecological processes, and the outer bark, or cork, can be extracted sustainability without damaging the tree or affecting biodiversity. Because of the properties of the cork, an important forestry and industrial structure has been developed around its most valuable goods. This paper describes the current global trade patterns in the Iberian Peninsula, where Portugal and Spain are world leaders. Although these countries bring most of their cork trade flows together with the rest of the world, there are clear differences between these sectors. The aim of this study was to identify these differences and to characterize each analysed sector from an economic perspective. The primary difference between the sectors lies in the characteristics of their supply chain and their capacity to generate wealth from raw cork. Portugal primarily produces and processes raw cork into products with high added value. Spain bases its cork sector on raw material and half-manufactured cork, and it is not able to use the full potential that cork provides. Catalonia is an exception because it is the global leader in the champagne stopper market. To encourage the development of the entire cork sector, every link in the supply chain should be strengthened through the establishment of companies and the generation of employment, and therefore the development of rural areas. Moreover, this industry must establish its own development strategies for the future, thereby increasing its investment in R&D and innovation in relation to the opportunities identified as follows: the potential for diversification beyond the wine market, the improvement potential for forest management and the enhancement of sustainability and eco-efficiency in every link of the cork supply chain

Introducing ergonomics requirements in the eco-design of energy-related products from users' behaviour approach

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Ergonomics has been a very important activity in the design process. However, ergonomics rarely includes the environmental requirements into the design of products. The article proposes and presents the Eco-Ergo model through its application to a real-world product, a washing machine, to allow designers and ergonomists to establish product design requirements in order to minimise environmental impacts related to user-product interaction during the use stage. This model uses a visual language of representation, Blueprinting-based, that helps designers explore problems they have not previously considered during the market research when a wide variety of products with different interaction elements is analysed. The application of this model allows direct efforts and attention on the user analysis phase in the most influential user's actions on the environmental performance of energy-related products during use, establishing ergonomics requirements related to users behaviour at the initial design phase.Practitioner summary: This study provides a proposal to incorporate ergonomics into the practice of eco-design through the use of human factors in the establishment of initial eco-design requirements. This blueprint-based model combines an empirical and theoretical approach, based on the product test developed by designers, ergonomists and environmentalists

Introducing eco-ideation and creativity techniques to increase and diversify the applications of eco-materials : the case of cork in the building sector

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Cork is an eco-material that has recently been attracting growing interest due to the expanding strategy of sustainable product design, which aims to replace non-renewable materials in the building market. Until now, the cork sector has not taken advantage of the properties of this material and has been fully oriented towards traditional applications such as stoppers for wines and other beverages. The diversification of the cork market, through developing new products with higher added value, is the reason why eco-ideation (using different creativity techniques) can be helpful in creating new products and solutions.The process of introducing eco-ideation was carried out during two interdisciplinary creative sessions and a product design stage. The results of the process were successful in terms of participation and the quantity and quality of ideas, which were characterised by searching, experimentation, participation and knowledge sharing. The versatility of cork fits perfectly with the creative methods of eco-ideation, as cork's good physical properties allow the diverse generation of new ideas for both applications and markets. The concepts generated in this study are in line with the approach of recognising cork's status as a natural, pure and noble material, taking advantage of the good properties of cork, and giving buildings unique traits due to the singular aesthetic of cork

Integrated life cycle assessment and thermodynamic simulation of a public building's envelope renovation : Conventional vs. Passivhaus proposal

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552The need to improve the energy efficiency of buildings has introduced the concept of nearly zero-energy buildings into European energy policies. Moreover, a percentage of the building stock will have to be renovated annually to attain high energy performance. Conventional passive interventions in buildings are focused on increasing the insulation of the building envelope to increase its energy efficiency during the operating phase. Often, however, intervention practices imply the incorporation of embodied energy into the building materials and increase the associated environmental impacts.This paper presents and evaluates a comparison of two different proposals for a real-world building renovation. The first proposal was a conventional project for energy renovation, while the second was a low-energy building proposal (following the Passivhaus standard). This study analysed the proposals using an integrated life cycle and thermal dynamic simulation assessment to identify the adequacy of each renovation alternative regarding the post-renovation energy performance of the building, including an evaluation of the introduction of a renewable insulation material into the low-energy building proposal, specifically a specific cork solution. The most significant conclusion was the convenience of the renovation, achieving energy savings of 60% and 80% for the conventional and Passivhaus renovations (ENERPHIT), respectively. The former supposed less embodied energy and environmental impacts but also generated less energy savings. The latter increased the embodied impacts in the building, mainly for the large amount of insulation material. The environmental implications of both proposals can be compensated for within a reasonable period of time, over 2 years in the majority of alternatives and impact categories. However, the ENERPHIT project was 30% better than the conventional proposal when the total lifespan of the building was considered. The introduction of cork did not fit the requirements for competing with the common non-renewable insulation materials because it did not imply better environmental performance in buildings, but cork insulation solutions currently present ample room for improvement

Environmental evaluation of the cork sector in Southern Europe (Catalonia)

El suro és un material natural, renovable i típicament Mediterrani, ja que la majoria de l’extracció de suro i, per tant, dels boscos d’alzina surera, se situa en aquesta àrea, i molt especialment a la península Ibèrica. El suro s’utilitza per a fabricar nombrosos productes, però a Catalunya destaca molt especialment la indústria de taps per a vins i caves, que són productes d’alt valor afegit. A escala mundial el 10 % dels taps de vi i el 60 % dels taps de cava són produïts a Catalunya. La manca de dades ambientals del sector surer, juntament amb l’aparició de competidors amb nous productes fets amb materials no renovables com els taps sintètics o d’alumini, han estat algunes de les principals justificacions perquè el sector hagi decidit avançar cap a la sostenibilitat. L'anàlisi de cicle de vida (ACV) és una eina utilitzada per a avaluar els impactes ambientals de productes i sistemes al llarg de la seva vida. Aquesta eina ambiental, que s’ha utilitzat àmpliament en altres sectors industrials, s’empra per primer cop en el sector surer a Catalunya en la present tesi, l’objectiu de la qual ha estat l’avaluació ambiental del sector surer mitjançant l’anàlisi del sector, tant globalment com també per subsistemes. S’han determinat els punts febles dels diferents subsistemes del sector, de manera que es proposen mesures de producció més netes com a estratègies clau per a disminuir els impactes ambientals associats a cadascun dels productes de suro. A més, l’anàlisi del sector integrat permet establir estratègies globals de millora del sector des d’una perspectiva de l’ecologia industrial que permetran que el sector continuï avançant cap a la sostenibilitat. Els resultats indiquen que el suro és un material amb un impacte ambiental baix que, a més de generar nombrosos productes, contribueix a fixar diòxid de carboni. Concretament, per cada tona de suro transformat en productes es fixen 14.3 t de CO2, i per tant es pot afirmar que el sector del suro contribueix en la lluita contra el canvi climàtic. Aquesta tesi ha estat el primer pas del sector cap a la sostenibilitat i s’hauria de continuar treballant en aquesta línia, així com en altres investigacions que seran claus en el futur. Alguns dels aspectes que convé investigar són els potencials nous productes de suro, amb un valor afegit més alt, l’estudi pilot de les operacions més impactants per a les quals hi poden haver diferents alternatives tecnològiques i l’aprofundiment en el coneixement sobre la fixació de CO2 associada a l’alzina surera.El corcho es un material natural, renovable y típicamente Mediterráneo, ya que la mayoría de la extracción de corcho y, por lo tanto, de los bosques de alcornoque, se sitúa en esta área, y muy especialmente en la península Ibérica. El corcho se utiliza para fabricar numerosos productos, pero en Cataluña destaca muy especialmente la industria de tapones para vinos y cavas, que son productos de alto valor añadido. A escala mundial, el 10% de los tapones de vino y el 60% de los tapones de cava son producidos en Cataluña. La falta de datos ambientales del sector corchero, junto con la aparición de competidores con nuevos productos fabricados con materiales no renovables, como los tapones sintéticos o de aluminio, han sido algunas de las principales justificaciones para que el sector haya decidido avanzar hacia la sostenibilidad. El análisis de ciclo de vida (ACV) es una herramienta utilizada para evaluar los impactos ambientales de productos y sistemas a lo largo de su vida. Esta herramienta ambiental, que se ha utilizado sobradamente en otros sectores industriales, se utiliza por primera vez en el sector corchero en Cataluña en la presente tesis, el objetivo de la cual ha sido la evaluación ambiental del sector del corcho mediante el análisis del sector, tanto globalmente como también por subsistemas. Se han determinado los puntos débiles de los diferentes subsistemas del sector, de modo que se proponen medidas de producción más limpias como estrategias clave para disminuir los impactos ambientales asociados a cada uno de los productos de corcho. Además, el análisis del sector integrado permite establecer estrategias globales de mejora del sector desde una perspectiva de la ecología industrial que permitirán que el sector continúe avanzando hacia la sostenibilidad. Los resultados indican que el corcho es un material con un impacto ambiental bajo que, además de generar numerosos productos, contribuye a fijar dióxido de carbono. Concretamente, por cada tonelada de corcho transformado en productos se fijan 14.3 t de CO2, por lo que se puede afirmar que el sector del corcho contribuye en la lucha contra el cambio climático. Esta tesis ha sido el primer paso del sector hacia la sostenibilidad y se tendría que continuar trabajando en esta línea, así como en otras investigaciones que serán claves en el futuro. Algunos de los aspectos que conviene investigar son los potenciales nuevos productos hechos de corcho, con un valor añadido más alto, el estudio piloto de las operaciones más impactantes para las que puede haber diferentes alternativas tecnológicas y la profundización en el conocimiento sobre la fijación de CO2 asociada al alcornoque.Cork is a natural, renewable material, and is typically Mediterranean in the sense that this area, in particular the Iberian Peninsula, is home to the majority of cork oak forests and, therefore, most cork extraction activity. Cork is used to make many products, but in Catalonia the industry of making closures for wine and cava bottles, which are products of high added value, is especially important. Worldwide, 10% of wine stoppers and 60% of cava stoppers are made in Catalonia. The lack of environmental data for the cork sector, together with competition from new products made with non-renewable materials, like synthetic or aluminium stoppers, are among the main reasons why the sector has decided to move in the direction of sustainability. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is a tool used to assess the environmental impacts of products and systems throughout their life. This tool, used widely in other industrial sectors, is applied for the first time to the Catalan cork sector in this thesis, by analysing the sector both globally and by subsystems. The weaknesses of the sector’s various subsystems have been detected, and proposals made regarding measures to favour cleaner production methods and key strategies to reduce the environmental impacts of cork products. Furthermore, the integrated analysis of the sector can lead to establishing global strategies for improvement based on industrial ecology, which will allow the sector to continue its advance towards sustainability. The results indicate that cork is a low-impact material that, as well as generating many products, contributes towards fixing Carbon dioxide. For every tonne of cork transformed into products 14.3 t of CO2 are fixed, so it can be said that the cork sector plays its part in the fight against climate change. This thesis is the first step towards sustainability taken by the sector, and it would be good to continue working along these lines, and also on other research that will be crucial in the future. Some of the areas that need investigation are: new potential cork products, with a greater added value, a pilot study of higher-impact operations, for which there could be various technological alternatives, and CO2 fixation associated with cork oaks

La petjada de carboni i la petjada hídrica de la producció de porc de Catalunya : del bressol a la porta

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552A Europa, la carn de porc és la més consumida, amb una mitjana anual de consum de gairebé 32 kg per càpita, i la seva producció és responsable del 26% de les emissions totals de CO2 derivades del sector ramader. Aquest estudi ha realitzat una avaluació de la petjada de carboni i la petjada hídrica derivades de la producció de carn de porc a Catalunya, considerant totes les etapes de la cadena de producció. Els resultats mostren que la producció de pinsos és la que genera un major impacte, i que el transport també és important.En Europa, la carne de cerdo es la más consumida, con una media anual de consumo de casi 32 kg per cápita, y su producción es responsable del 26% de les emisiones totales de CO2 derivadas del sector ganadero. Este estudio ha realizado una evaluación de la huella de carbono y la huella hídrica derivadas de la producción de carne de cerdo en Cataluña, considerando todas las etapas de la cadena de producción. Los resultados muestran que la producción de piensos es la que genera un mayor impacto, y que el transporte también es importante.In Europe, pork is the most widely consumed meat with an annual average of almost 32 kg per capita, and it is also responsible for around 26 per cent of total CO2 emissions by the farming sector. This study carried out an environmental analysis of the carbon (CF) and water (WF) footprints derived from pork production in Catalonia, considering all stages of the production process. The results show that the production of feed is most responsible for the global impact of the chain, and that transportation also has a major influence

Production and trade analysis in the Iberian cork sector : economic characterization of a forest industry

El títol de la versió pre-print de l'article és World trade analysis of cork products in the Iberian Peninsula: an economic characterization of a forestry industryCork oak forest grows endemically in the coastal regions of the western Mediterranean basin, particularly in the Iberian Peninsula. The cork agro-forestry systems play a key role in ecological processes, and the outer bark, or cork, can be extracted sustainability without damaging the tree or affecting biodiversity. Because of the properties of the cork, an important forestry and industrial structure has been developed around its most valuable goods. This paper describes the current global trade patterns in the Iberian Peninsula, where Portugal and Spain are world leaders. Although these countries bring most of their cork trade flows together with the rest of the world, there are clear differences between these sectors. The aim of this study was to identify these differences and to characterize each analysed sector from an economic perspective. The primary difference between the sectors lies in the characteristics of their supply chain and their capacity to generate wealth from raw cork. Portugal primarily produces and processes raw cork into products with high added value. Spain bases its cork sector on raw material and half-manufactured cork, and it is not able to use the full potential that cork provides. Catalonia is an exception because it is the global leader in the champagne stopper market. To encourage the development of the entire cork sector, every link in the supply chain should be strengthened through the establishment of companies and the generation of employment, and therefore the development of rural areas. Moreover, this industry must establish its own development strategies for the future, thereby increasing its investment in R&D and innovation in relation to the opportunities identified as follows: the potential for diversification beyond the wine market, the improvement potential for forest management and the enhancement of sustainability and eco-efficiency in every link of the cork supply chain

Environmental assessment of façade-building systems and thermal insulation materials for different climatic conditions

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552In the European Union, the building sector accounts for more than 40% of the total energy consumption and environmental impacts, representing the area with the greatest potential for intervention. In addition to the existing policies that promote energy efficiency in buildings, the embodied energy and the environmental impacts contained in the building materials should be considered. In the case of the construction of insulation façade systems, the environmental implications are different depending on the type of façade system, the insulation materials used and the location of the building. This article aims to provide all of this information for Spain, including not only the production of the components of the façade system but also the installation phase and the transport to the building site. The results show that the most impactful alternative is the ventilated façade combined with the most impactful insulation materials of stone wool and expanded polystyrene. Meanwhile, the most advisable façade in all of the climate zones is the external thermal insulation system combined with any type of insulation. The environmental impacts of insulation materials are very different. Moreover, it is recommended that further studies complete these results with the economic and social implications of the use and maintenance phases for robust decision-making