Packaging y sostenibilidad en el e-Commerce

El e-commerce está generando un incremento exponencial de ingresos para las empresas, pero también está provocando un impacto ambiental importante, es decir se generan más residuos y una elevada huella de carbono como consecuencia de todos los trayectos. Este artículo presenta un breve análisis de la problemática, además de entender la evolución del packaging, desde finales del s. XIX, conocido como la época moderna del packaging, y la evolución de los materiales hasta la actualidad. El objetivo es saber escoger los materiales más adecuados, entender y reflexionar sobre la evolución de la logística y la tecnología, de manera que la producción y la forma del packaging permitan una alternativa a la existente. El propósito es aportar soluciones más adecuadas a este actual servicio, sin perder sus funciones principales como el de proteger y comunicar. Todo ello, debe pensarse desde la visión del diseño y la sostenibilidad pensando en la economía circular y las 5RPostprint (published version

Are Cradle to Cradle certified products environmentally preferable? Analysis from an LCA approach

The Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certification has gained popularity amongst companies as a way to distinguish more environmentally friendly products. This article analyzes the C2C certification by determining how successful this eco-labeling scheme is in distinguishing environmentally preferable products in order to probe if the certification informs correctly to the consumer about the environmental performance of products. Furthermore, we identify for which product types the C2C certification really results in environmental impact reduction. First a review is done in order to detect the debilities, if any, of C2C. Secondly, the fact that C2C requirements do not tackle environmental aspects of products from a life cycle approach, and concentrates exclusively on raw materials and end of life phases, is further analyzed in depth. To do so, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) already published results for different product categories are used to determine if the life-cycle stages considered under the C2C approach coincide with the most relevant stages in terms of life-cycle environmental impacts. This helps ascertain if and when C2C can be considered an appropriate ecolabel.It is concluded that for products with high-energy consumption during use, C2C does not guarantee relevant environmental improvements, since it does not account for a substantial part of the product's environmental impact. For these reasons, we argue that C2C is not always an appropriate scheme to distinguish environmentally preferable products

La relació amb la natura en el disseny d’un packaging per a e-commerce

Com a dissenyadors podem aportar una visió més holística a l’hora de repensar en nous materials i processos de producció pel packaging d’e-commerce. És per aquesta raó que l’estudi de la natura i la relació amb ella ens ajuden a pensar en una cultura regenerativa i de co-disseny per així assolir noves propostes innovadores i més integrades en el sistema pel benefici de tots. En aquest article farem un repàs de la visió racionalista i així com des d’una perspectiva més conscient i irracional, i com aprendre de la natura ens aporta noves relacions i enteniments més profunds tant de reconeguts científics, com també de la nostra pròpia experiència del dia a dia amb ella. No tan sols per a què sigui més sostenible, sinó anar més enllà i que ens ajudi a desenvolupar sistemes cíclics que s'integrin als sistemes biològics. A partir d'aquí, es pot argumentar el tipus de materials que hem d'utilitzar i la manera com els hem de treballar per optimitzar-ne la compatibilitat amb sistemes més complexos.As designers we can bring a more holistic vision when rethinking new materials and production processes for e-commerce packaging. For this reason, the study of nature and the relationship with it help us to think in a regenerative and codesign culture in order to achieve new innovative and more integrated proposals in the system for the benefit of all. In this paper we will take a look at the rationalist view as well as from a more conscious and irrational perspective, and how learning from nature brings us new relationships and deeper understandings both from recognised scientists, as well as from our own day-today experience with it. Not just to make it more sustainable, but to go further and help us develop cyclical systems that integrate with biological systems. From here, a case can be made for the type of materials we should use and how we should work with them to optimise their compatibility with more complex systems

Repensando el diseño de packaging para e-commerce

Si analizamos la evolución de la humanidad, la revolución industrial nos marcó un antes y un después en la sociedad, y también en el sistema de producción, pasando de la artesanía a la escala industrial, con todas sus consecuencias, siendo cada vez menos sostenibles. La industrialización ha permitido una eficiencia en los procesos de producción para mejorar en la rapidez y economizar los productos para llegar a más personas. Aunque esta democratización ha sido en detrimento del exceso de productos, de la sostenibilidad y la repetición constante de las formas que ha limitado la creatividad. Las tecnologías disponibles en la actualidad permiten encontrar nuevas alternativas para aumentar la creatividad de manera más sostenible y consciente a la hora de concebir productos y su producción. En este artículo analizaremos de dónde venimos, la iniciativa en romper con las formas hasta ahora conocidas, y en repensar nuevos materiales y procesos de producción para el packaging e-commerce. Con ello, se intentará evitar caer en las premisas antes descritas, aunque somos conscientes que somos humanos y la perfección no exist

Repensando el diseño de packaging para e-commerce

Si analizamos la evolución de la humanidad, la revolución industrial nos marcó un antes y un después en la sociedad, y también en el sistema de producción, pasando de la artesanía a la escala industrial, con todas sus consecuencias, siendo cada vez menos sostenibles. La industrialización ha permitido una eficiencia en los procesos de producción para mejorar en la rapidez y economizar los productos para llegar a más personas. Aunque esta democratización ha sido en detrimento del exceso de productos, de la sostenibilidad y la repetición constante de las formas que ha limitado la creatividad. Las tecnologías disponibles en la actualidad permiten encontrar nuevas alternativas para aumentar la creatividad de manera más sostenible y consciente a la hora de concebir productos y su producción. En este artículo analizaremos de dónde venimos, la iniciativa en romper con las formas hasta ahora conocidas, y en repensar nuevos materiales y procesos de producción para el packaging e-commerce. Con ello, se intentará evitar caer en las premisas antes descritas, aunque somos conscientes que somos humanos y la perfección no existePostprint (published version

Analysis of the technical, environmental and economic potential of phase change materials (PCM) for root zone heating in Mediterranean greenhouses

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Altres ajuts: the Catalan Government, La Generalitat de Catalunya, for awarding a research scholarship (FI-AGUAR 2015) to Pere Llorach Massana ; INIA RTA2012-00039-C02-01Root zone heating systems offer increasing crops quality and productivity. However, these systems are based on the use of nonrenewable fuels. This paper reports on a study of different design solutions for a root zone heating system, based on thermal energy storage with PCM. The objective of the study was to define, through multiple experiments, the most efficient PCM melting/freezing temperature and location with respect to the substrate (i.e., under the substrate) for the application under study; as well as, to determine the system's environmental and economic feasibility, with life cycle assessment and life cycle cost methodologies. Results show that the best melting temperature for the application under study is 15 °C. To increase the efficiency of the system, PCMs may be macro encapsulated and wrap the entire perlite bag. Moreover, it seems that PCMs are far to substitute conventional root zone heating systems because it does not provided enough heat during nights. Nevertheless, PCMs can help to reduce the operation time of conventional systems. Based on one night results it seem that PCM could provide annual saving of between 22 and 30 kg of eq. CO2/ha·day. However, it does not seem to be feasible if PCM prices (8€/kg) do not decrease significantly

Building-integrated rooftop greenhouses: an energy and environmental assessment in the mediterranean context

A sustainable and secure food supply within a low-carbon and resilient infrastructure is encapsulated in several of The United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals. The integration of urban agriculture in buildings can offer improved efficiencies; in recognition of this, the first south European example of a fully integrated rooftop greenhouse (iRTG) was designed and incorporated into the ICTA-ICP building by the Autonomous University of Barcelona. This design seeks to interchange heat, CO2 and rainwater between the building and its rooftop greenhouse. Average air temperatures for 2015 in the iRTG were 16.5 °C (winter) and 25.79 °C (summer), making the iRTG an ideal growing environment. Using detailed thermophysical fabric properties, 2015 site-specific weather data, exact control strategies and dynamic soil temperatures, the iRTG was modelled in EnergyPlus to assess the performance of an equivalent ‘freestanding’ greenhouse. The validated result shows that the thermal interchange between the iRTG and the ICTA-ICP building has considerable moderating effects on the iRTG’s indoor climate; since average hourly temperatures in an equivalent freestanding greenhouse would have been 4.1 °C colder in winter and 4.4 °C warmer in summer under the 2015 climatic conditions. The simulation results demonstrate that the iRTG case study recycled 43.78 MWh of thermal energy (or 341.93 kWh/m2/yr) from the main building in 2015. Assuming 100% energy conversion efficiency, compared to freestanding greenhouses heated with oil, gas or biomass systems, the iRTG delivered an equivalent carbon savings of 113.8, 82.4 or 5.5 kg CO2(eq)/m2/yr, respectively, and economic savings of 19.63, 15.88 or 17.33 €/m2/yr, respectively. Under similar climatic conditions, this symbiosis between buildings and urban agriculture makes an iRTG an efficient resource-management model and supports the promotion of a new typology or concept of buildings with a nexus or symbiosis between energy efficiency and food production.Postprint (published version

Environmental assessment of a new building envelope material derived from urban agriculture wastes: the case of the tomato plants stems

Purpose: Decarbonizing cities is one of today’s biggest challenges. In this regard, particular attention has been paid on improving the environmental performance of buildings. In this framework, this work consists in assessing the environmental impact of an innovative building envelope component derived from urban agriculture (UA) wastes. In fact, rooftop UA seems to be a possible solution to the rising food demand due to increasing urban demographic growth. Consequently, rooftop UA wastes need to be treated in sustainable ways. Methods: This study aims to determine the carbon footprint and embodied energy of a new infill wall material, derived from UA wastes produced by a building rooftop greenhouse tomato crop, and evaluate the potential biogenic carbon that such by-product could fix temporally until its end of life. After an initial description of the manufacturing process of the new material, its carbon footprint and embodied energy have been calculated by means of the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology according to the ISO 14044 and the ISO 14067 guidelines adapted to the analyzed context. In particular, the inventory analysis is based on data collected from the production of samples of the new material at the laboratory scale. Results and discussion: The results of the LCA indicate that, when the biogenic carbon fixed in the UA wastes is considered, a negative carbon footprint of − 0.2 kg CO2 eq. per kg of material can be obtained. Hence, it can be assumed that from a life cycle perspective the material is able to fix carbon emissions instead of emitting them. Specifically, for the considered scenario, approximately 0.42 kg CO2 eq./m2 per year could be sequestered. However, the crop area required to produce enough waste to manufacture a unit of material is quite high. Therefore, future studies should focus on individuate solutions to reduce the density of the new component, and also different urban crops with higher waste production rates. Conclusions The outcomes of the study put in evidence the potential of the new proposed infill wall component in fixing carbon emissions from UA, allowing to also compensate those relating to the production and transportation stages of the component life cycle. Moreover, producing by-products with UA wastes, hence temporally storing the carbon fixed by crops, may contribute to reduce the carbon cycles speed conversely to traditional waste management solutions, other than lower new raw materials depletion

Composite building materials : thermal and mechanical performances of samples realized with hay and natural resins

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Recent years have seen an increasing public interest in issues related to energy saving and environmental pollution reduction in the building sector. As a result, many directives have been issued, the most important being the Directive 2010/31/EU (EPBD Recast) on the energy performance of buildings, which requires that "Member States shall ensure that by 31 December 2020 all new buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings". This goal can be obtained not only by reducing energy demand for heating and cooling, but also, for example, by improving building envelope performances. In this work, a first analysis of the thermal and structural behaviour of a biocomposite material, constituted by a natural resin (rosin) and vegetal fibres (hay), has been performed, with particular attention to the share of fibres and the granulometry in the mixture. The biocomposite has shown both good insulation properties and mechanical resistance. However, the results show that further analyses should be performed on the optimisation of the samples' preparation process

N2O emissions from protected soilless crops for more precise food and urban agriculture life cycle assessments

Altres ajuts: La Generalitat de Catalunya, for awarding a research scholarship (FI-AGUAR 2015) to Pere Llorach Massana.Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Due to population growth and the subsequent increase in the demand for food, low carbon food chain production systems are a necessity to reduce the effects on climate change as much as possible. Urban agriculture is of great interest because of its potential in reducing the indirect CO2 emissions of a city's food supply by reducing transportation distances, the packaging required and the food losses that occur during transportation. However, intensive urban agriculture production, which often relies on the use of soilless substrates, requires synthetic fertilizers rich in nitrogen, resulting in N2O emissions. Presently, there is a lack of studies that determine the generation of N2O from soilless crops to properly account for their global warming potential. In this study, an open chamber system was used to quantify N2O emissions from lettuce crops with perlite bags as their substrate in a Mediterranean rooftop greenhouse located in the metropolitan area of Barcelona (Spain). N2O generation, through nitrifying and denitrifying reactions, was limited by assuring an aerobic environment, negligible water retention, the absence of NH3, and controlled dosage of NO3− in the most favorable pH conditions for plant assimilation. The emission factor (EF) measured for the soilless lettuce crop (0.0072-0.0085 kg N2O−1 per kg N−1) was half the EF of the IPCC method (0.0125 kg N2O−1 per kg N−1) for soil crops, which is commonly used in life cycle assessment (LCA) studies to approximate direct N2O emissions, for lack of a better method. Using a more appropriate EF for an LCA study of a tomato crop grown under similar conditions to those used to generate the EF resulted in a 7.5% reduction (0.06 kg CO2 eq. per kilogram of tomato production) in total global warming potential. This study shows that soilless crops reduce N2O emissions when compared to conventional crops, making urban agriculture an attractive practice for reducing GHG emissions. The results highlight the need to determine a standard method for determining an EF applicable to soilless protected crops, which, based on the parameters described here, such as the type of substrate, fertilizers and irrigation system, would allow for a more accurate environmental evaluation of soilless conventional and urban crops