Search results for " sustainable."
showing 10 items of 322 documents
Societal implications of sustainable energy action plans: from energy modelling to stakeholder learning
2019
This article investigates the potential impact of sustainable energy action plans (SEAPs) on local development through a two-step methodology involving participatory planning and quantitative analysis. The first phase relies on a participatory system mapping (PSM) approach and generates a causal structure at the basis of the urban model. In the second phase, we transform the qualitative map into a system dynamic model which evaluates the effect of the SEAP on social, economic and environmental indicators. This methodology was applied to the case of Cascina Municipality (Italy). Through scenario analysis, we show that some indirect feedback can harm the achievement of the 20% emission reduct…
Durée et catastrophe. Régimes temporels et conflits écologiques à l’heure de la globalisation de l’environnement
2020
Elaborating from anthropology of nature and semiotic of culture, the work aims to illustrate that every ecological crisis is, also, a temporality crisis. In order to do so, it compares different visions of future – and, therefore, of the present of the enunciator – that shape international environmental crisis between ’60 and ’70. The first, insisting on risks, comes from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, advising about the Limits to Growth; the second, insisting on risk normalization, comes from UN first Earth Summit; both discourses are registered in reports published in 1972 and read worldwide. The analysis shows that while the MIT report successfully points the temporality crisis r…
Renewable Energy Assessment in Italy and Brazil: An Economic and Political Comparison
2017
The aim of this study is a comparison among Italian and Brazilian electrical energy system with a particular focus on renewable energy sources. The energy sector has a key role in the sustainable development of a country, so it influences economic and political choices. The work would underline differences, common point among two country, specially, in this particular socio-economic period and it should emphasize that green economy could be a possible answer to financial crisis. The main purpose of this study is a presentation of Italian and Brazilian energy system with a particular focus on renewable sources. The energy sector has a key role in the sustainable development of these countrie…
Designing dynamic performance management systems to foster SME competitiveness according to a sustainable development perspective: empirical evidence…
2015
The role of performance management (PM) systems has become crucial for steering small-medium enterprises (SMEs) to successfully compete during the ongoing critical economic transition. To improve decision-maker strategic learning processes, traditional PM frameworks need to be combined with system dynamics (SD) modelling. This paper shows how to design and use a dynamic performance management (DPM) approach to assess and support SMEs competitiveness according to a sustainable development perspective. The emerging framework is applied to a real case of an Italian small business to analyse the empirical effectiveness of the approach hereby suggested.
Modeling and Analysis of a New Process for Pyruvate Production
2005
Early process development is crucial for the economic and environmental performance of a final production process. A new process for the production of pyruvate is presented as a case study to show how process modeling and an analysis of the results regarding economic and environmental aspects improves the understanding of the process, its cost structure, and its environmental impact. It also enables the quantification of process improvements and the comparison of alternative designs. The model of the pyruvate production shows how strain and fermentation improvements propagate through the process and affect its economic and environmental performance. The comparison of two alternative purific…
Enhancing Urban Brownfield Regeneration to Pursue Sustainable Community Outcomes through Dynamic Performance Governance
2019
This paper discusses the case of Puerto Madero (Buenos Aires, Argentina) to illustrate how the “Dynamic Performance Governance” framework is able to support policy networks to pursue sustainable community outcomes in urban brownfield regeneration. The case is an example of successful implementation of urban renewal carried out through a significant involvement of the private sector. It portrays a “financially-driven” governance mode which entails balancing the advantage of cash flow reinvestment for public services and infrastructure capacity development, with potential shortcomings in terms of social inclusion. Findings reveal two main trade-offs associated with policy design and implement…
Supporting public decision process in buildings energy retrofitting operations: the application of a Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding model to a cas…
2020
Abstract The challenge of promoting sustainable cities and reaching the objectives developed by the European Green Deal includes the renovation of the building sector, as it is responsible for 40% of energy consumption in Europe. Regional or local public administrations have to allocate their financial resources for improving the energy performances of their building stock and to face a multidimensional problem, where different aspects – such as energy efficiency, financial-economic feasibility and environmental protection – have to be harmonized. The present study proposes a Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding model, which includes the ELECTRE TRI-nC method, for supporting the public decisio…
Can the certification of cork management agroforestry system in Sicily help to relaunch its future management?
2019
The economic importance of cork oak forests is mainly attributable to the role of provisioning non-timber forest products. The history of human management of these cork oaks stands make them a perfect example of agroforestry system, which surface is totally included in the Mediterranean-climate zones with more than 2.3 million hectares. In Sicily, the surface covered by cork forests amounts to about 15,000 ha but the most of this area is not affected by cultural practices. The cultural abandonment of many cork oak stands threatens their survival because of the close link between the conservation of cork stands and its use for productive purposes. The abandonment reasons are related to poor …
Agroalimentare e sviluppo economico sostenibile: energia, efficienza energetica, ambiente e cibo
2013
Nell’ultimo decennio, il sistema agroalimentare nazionale nella sua accezione più ampia di agricoltura e industria alimentare, ha assunto una configurazione fortemente sistemica, aperta al contributo di diverse discipline e tecnologie. Tale evoluzione ha consentito al sistema agricolo di raggiungere posizioni ragguardevoli se consideriamo che nel complesso l’agroalimentare rappresenta per l’economia italiana un valore di 250 miliardi €, pari a circa 16% del PIL. Il mondo agricolo, nel suo complesso, costituisce ormai uno snodo fondamentale per attività che riguardano: l’energia, l’ambiente, il cibo, il territorio, il benessere dei cittadini, il sistema economico aree urbane-aree rurali. Il …