Forest certification in Spain: Analysis of certification drivers

Despite being the European Union country with the second largest wooded area and the fourth in terms of forest occupation with respect to its territory, only 9.47% of the forest area in Spain is certified by one of the two most important forest certification systems (PEFC and FSC). The literature review has shown that forest certification drivers may be divided into five main mechanisms. The first three are external: Market, Signalling and Legal mechanisms, and the last two internal: Moral and Learning mechanisms. 124 completed questionnaires out of 1194 certified companies in Spain were received to carry out a descriptive and a cluster analysis of the main motivations that encourage the adoption and certification of the PEFC standard and how these motivations vary depending on the characteristics of the companies. Findings reveal that the most valued motivations by this order are related to attracting customer attention, the improvement of companies’ corporate image, the sensitivity to environmental problems and the increase of the competitiveness of the company. Some of the motivations are significantly influenced by the characteristics of the companies, but only the export level has a significative influence (negative) on all the characteristics of the moral mechanism. The implications of the findings can help to identify and characterize the different clusters that exist among certified companies in the Spanish forestry sector. This information can be useful for managers and policy makers to better understand the specific reasons for each conglomerate of companies when opting for certification.This study was funded by the Basque Autonomous Government (Research Group GIC 15/176) and the project METASTANDARDS, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) and co-financed with the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union (project reference PGC2018-098723-B-I00)

Evaluating Disruptive Innovation Project Management Capabilities

Firms must adapt to a business environment in constant flux. Economic and political factors and the constant interruption of new technologies force firms and organizations to change and to adapt, so that they are not left behind. Over recent years, the development of disruptive innovations has completely revolutionized past scenarios. These innovations break with what is already established and firms from various sectors face no choice other than to incorporate them into their project management portfolios, so as to ensure survival and business sustainability. Using MIVES methodology as its foundation, a business sustainability management model is presented in this paper for the management of disruptive innovation projects that a firm may wish to develop within a given sector. The management model is designed to facilitate disruptive innovation project management for firms within technological-industrial sectors, by assessing the sustainability of the project. The model is applied to two firms, one from the machine-tooling sector and another from the construction sector. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was performed, the results of which verified the validity and the stability of the proposed model

Modeling the environmental sustainability of timber structures: a case study

A revival in timber buildings and the appreciation of their positive physical and mechanical properties can be explained by the unique environmental credentials of timber products and their versatility. Heightened public awareness of sustainability in the construction sector places timber among the most preferential sustainable materials. There is plenty of previous research on sustainability assessments for complete buildings, although far less on the sustainability assessment of specific parts of the buildings, such as the case of timber structures. The objective of this study is to present an evaluation model, based on MIVES methodology, specifically designed for timber structures, which can be used to enhance the environmental sustainability and to reduce the impacts that are generated, in those areas where it has been awarded a lower score. The application of the model to the largest multi-storey residential timber building in south-western Europe clearly shows that changes to the material, such as its background and environmental certification, generate significant changes to the overall results of the assessment. A sensitivity analysis is then used to verify the analysis of the results and both the validity and the stability of the proposed model.The authors of the paper gratefully acknowledge funding from the Basque Regional Government through the consolidated Research Groups Nr. IT781-13 and Nr. IT1314-19

Sustainability Improvement in the Design of Lightweight Roofs: A New Prototype of Hybrid Steel and Wood Purlins

A new structural typology of a hybrid purlin, made of type C cold steel and rectangular laminated wood (SWP), is presented in this paper. As a result, improvements on the most commonly used steel purlins are achieved, by substituting some of the steel sections for wooden sections. Although the wooden section is weaker and has a lower elastic modulus than the steel, the overall dimensions of the SWP are no larger than the type C steel purlin. In comparison with the steel ones, SWP purlins achieve a far better performance in terms of sustainability and are of lower weight, so less material will be needed for the main structure of the building. The behavior of each material in its position and the improvements in terms of sustainability and lower weight are analyzed as a function of span length, slope, and design load. To do so, the influence of both tensile stress and deformation design criteria in each section and the influence of those criteria on the choice of material and the lengths of each section are all examined. Finally, a design guide for the SWPs is presented that applies the proposed technical specifications.This research was funded through the Basque Regional Government under the following grant numbers: IT781-13 and IT1314-19

Altzairu-egur petral hibridoen optimizazioa

A new structural typology of a hybrid purlin, made of type C cold steel and rectangular laminated wood (steel-wood purlins, SWP) is presented in this paper. As a result, improvements on the most commonly used steel purlins are achieved, by reinforcing wood purling with steel sections in certain zones. Although the wooden section is weaker and has a lower elastic modulus than the steel, the overall dimensions of the SWP are no larger than the type C steel purlin. In comparison with the steel ones, SWP purlins achieve a far better performance in terms of sustainability and are of lower weight, so less material will be needed for the main structure of the building. The behaviour of each material in its position and the improvements in terms of sustainability and lower weight are analysed as a function of span length and design load. To do so, the influence of both tensile stress and deformation design criteria in each section and the influence of those criteria on the choice of material and the lengths of each section are all examined. An analytical approach has been used in the design of the SWPs which fulfils the technical requirements.; Lan honetan altzairu-egur petral hibrido (steel-wood purlings, SWP) baten egiturazko tipologia berri bat aurkezten da, CF (cold-formed) motako hotzeko konformazio altzairuz eta egur laminatu errektangularrez osatua. Horrela, egurrezko petralak altzairuzko zati batzuekin indartuz, hobekuntza nabarmenak lortzen dira zabalduen dauden altzairuzko petralekiko. Egurrezko sekzioa ahulagoa izan arren eta altzairuak baino modulu elastiko baxuagoa duen arren, SWPren dimentsioa ez da CF motako altzairuzko petralarena baino handiagoa izango. Altzairuzkoen aldean, SWP petralek mantenu-lan gutxiago dutenez eta arinagoak direnez, eraikinaren egitura nagusiak ere material gutxiago beharko du. Material bakoitzak egituran duen disposizioaren arabera portaera mekanikoan duen eragina aztertzen da, argia eta diseinu karga aintzat hartuta. Horretarako, tentsio normala eta geziaren diseinu-irizpideak aztertzen dira argi bakoitzean material bakoitzaren luzeraren arabera. SWPren kalkuluan hurbilpen analitikoa erabili da, zeinak bete egiten baitituen diseinu-eskakizun teknikoak

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Optimisation of steel-reinforced wooden purlins

A new structural typology of a Steel-Reinforced Wooden (SRW) purlin made of rectangular laminated wood and C-section type cold-formed steel is presented in this article. The steel C-section profile is fitted onto the wooden purlin so that both work together as a composite unit. Although the wooden sections are weaker and have a lower elastic modulus than the steel sections, the overall dimensions of the SRW purlins are no larger than the steel C-section purlin sizes. The SRW purlins also form lighter structures than either plain steel or wooden purlins and they therefore have lower CO2 emissions. In addition, lighter purlins reduce the load on the main structure, which in turn reduces the material needed for the main structure of the building. So, reinforcement of the wooden purlin with steel sections within certain areas notably improved performance when compared with ordinary single-material purlins. The use of the SRW purlins can, therefore, improve the overall sustainability of a building. The improvements were analyzed in terms of sustainability and lower weight, as a function of span length and design load. The behaviors of the single material purlins and the SRW purlin were also compared. Both material strength and deformation design criteria and their influence were studied using an analytical approach based on loading and span length. The simple, innovative, and reliable design procedure described in this study ensured compliance with all technical requirements. Moreover, the savings relating to material weight were evaluated, neutralizing the carbon footprint in all cases under analysis.The authors wish to express their gratitude to the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa through Etorkizuna Eraikiz agreement and to the SAREN research group (IT1619-22, Basque Government)

Sustainable Alternative of Structural Concrete Retaining Tanks

The environmental footprint of the construction industry requires the quantification of new developments to appraise their sustainable contribution. Recent developments in relation to the merging of steel fibre reinforced concrete and self-compacting concrete reveal a promising concrete technology that requires extensive experimental studies to assess its benefits. In this study, a constructive analysis of a steel fibre-reinforced self-compacting concrete (SFRSCC) retaining tank segment mockup for waste water treatment systems in terms of its sustainability and economic parameters is performed. The Integrated Value Model for Sustainable Assessment (MIVES) multiple-criteria decision-making method is applied as an environmental assessment tool, which includes economic and social requirements. Although the presented methodology penalises the SFRSCC because of its high cement consumption, in aggressive exposures, reinforced concrete (RC) also requires a noticeable cement dosage. Cement optimisation is the governing criterion and where SFRSCC has more room for improvement. However, SFRSCC favours other social issues that allow the improvement of its final Environmental Sensitivity Index, being superior than RC. Overall cost would remain similar since the reduction of construction period would contribute to balance the increase of material cost and would provide intangible benefits, such as reduction of occupational accidents.The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through MIVES IV ref: BIA 2010-20789-C04-04, the Basque Regional Government through IT781-13 and the Vice-Rectorate of Basque Language of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). The first author is also grateful for the participation of ArcelorMittal WireSolutions and Financiera y Minera (Italcementi Group) in the real experimental programme