scholarly journals Sustainability Assessment of Asset Management Decisions for Wastewater Infrastructure Systems—Development of a System Dynamic Model

Systems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamed Mohammadifardi ◽  
Mark A. Knight ◽  
Andre A.J. Unger
Keyword(s):  
Asset Management ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Feedback Mechanism ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Management Planning ◽  
Wastewater Infrastructure ◽  
Sd Model

This paper presents the development of a novel system dynamics (SD) model for better understanding the interrelation and feedback mechanism between the wastewater collection (WWC) and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) systems. Causal loop diagrams (CLDs) are developed and discussed to depict and understand feedback and inter-connections between physical, financial, and consumer sectors. The developed SD model is then extended to include the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as a proxy for the environmental sector and for an environmental sustainability assessment of strategic decisions related to asset management planning of wastewater infrastructure system. It also adds new policy levers, such as population growth and urban densification in the social sector, and minimum fee-hike rates in the finance sector to enhance the representation of real-world conditions in the asset management planning. This new SD model will enable decision-makers to assess the sustainability impacts of their strategic decisions on wastewater systems, find synergistic cost-saving opportunities, and improve the sustainability performance of their asset management plans.

scholarly journals Sustainability Assessment of Asset Management Decisions for Wastewater Infrastructure Systems—Implementation of a System Dynamics Model

Systems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamed Mohammadifardi ◽  
Mark A. Knight ◽  
Andre A. J. Unger
Keyword(s):  
System Dynamics ◽  
Asset Management ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Management Scenarios ◽  
Infrastructure Systems ◽  
Wastewater Infrastructure ◽  
Sd Model ◽  
Wastewater Collection

The goal of this case study is to demonstrate the application and utility of a developed System Dynamics (SD) model to assess the sustainability of strategic decisions for managing the wastewater collection (WWC) pipe network system for a medium-size municipality in Southern Ontario. Two asset management scenarios, suggested by the research-partnered municipality, are adapted based on the acceptable maximum fraction of pipes in the worst condition (ICG5) being equal to (1) 10% of the network-length/year, and (2) the initial 2.8% of network-length/year for the entire life cycle of the asset. The urban densification scenarios are restricted to a 50% urban densification rate. The least maximum rehabilitation rates of 1.41% and 1.85% of network length/year are found necessary to keep the ICG5 pipes fractions below the selected 10% and 2.8% thresholds, respectively. The maximum and minimum user fee-hike rates for WWC and wastewater treatment (WWT) services are adjusted to support the financial self-sustainability aspect. Results from the SD model, as presented over a 100 year simulation period, show that an accelerated rehabilitation strategy will have a lower financial cost with the lowest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study highlights the implications of integrating asset management of wastewater-collection and -treatment systems. Applying such an integrated SD model will help decision makers to forecast the future trends related to social, economic, and environmental performances of wastewater infrastructure systems, and evaluate the behavior of interrelated and complex WWC and WWT systems to find synergistic cost-saving opportunities while at the same time improve sustainability.

Environmental sustainability of facilities management

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-276
Author(s):  
Nimesha Sahani Jayasena ◽  
Harshini Mallawaarachchi ◽  
Lalith De Silva
Keyword(s):  
Asset Management ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Relative Weight ◽  
Apparel Industry ◽  
Sustainability Indicators ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hierarchy Process

Purpose Rapid changes in the environment escalate the requirement of environmental sustainability assessment within built environment. The purpose of this paper is to model the environmental sustainability of facilities management (FM) functions in apparel industry in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature review was carried out in order to identify the importance of sustainability assessment for FM, sustainable FM functions and their environmental sustainability indicators. Subsequently, a questionnaire survey was carried out to determine a relative weight of the sustainable FM functions and environmental sustainability indicators through the analytical hierarchy process analysis. Findings Energy management was identified as the most significant FM function in terms of environmental sustainability in apparel industry with a relative performance of 49.12 per cent. Subsequently, the functions of water management (29.39 per cent), maintenance management (11.98 per cent) and waste management (9.64 per cent) obtained the second, third and fourth ranks while asset management (7.85 per cent) was the function which had the least performance score. Relative weights for the environmental sustainability indicators were also determined. Research limitations/implications In respect of the apparel industry, the developed model can be utilised for assessing the environmental sustainability of FM in broader term. Originality/value No proper mechanism was found to assess the sustainability of FM in apparel sector since very fewer research studies were focussed on achieving environmental sustainability in different industries. Hence, the assessment of environmental sustainability of FM in apparel industry is an emerging necessity in the present day, which was addressed in this research.

scholarly journals Strategic scenario analysis of long-term asset management planning

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-54
Author(s):  
M. J. van de Ven-Glastra ◽  
J. Q. J. C. Verberk ◽  
R. Sonke ◽  
J. Dominicus ◽  
A. Bindt
Keyword(s):  
Asset Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Management Planning ◽  
Future Developments ◽  
Investment Plan ◽  
Asset Replacement ◽  
Individual Asset

Evides Waterbedrijf (Evides) has prepared a long term asset management plan (LTAP) for the 30 year to 2045 in relation to pending investments and future developments. Compilation of an LTAP is in the interests of both consumers and shareholders. Insights from the LTAP, as deduced from asset management practices, can be challenged against strategic decisions for the future. In addition, the LTAP can be used to predict long-term financial and technical resourcing requirements, as well as the resulting price for consumers and dividend for shareholders. In this paper the process of setting up an LTAP model based on individual asset replacement at the end of their technical lives is described. The investment plan allows for sufficient possibilities to shuffle investments suitably in relation to risk, without affecting the consumer price directly. Shareholder interests are best served by investing when technically required while spreading investment over time.

scholarly journals Environmental Sustainability Assessment of a New Sewage Treatment Plant in China Based on Infrastructure Construction and Operation Phases Emergy Analysis

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junxue Zhang ◽  
Lin Ma
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Sewage Treatment ◽  
Sewage Treatment Plant ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Emergy Analysis ◽  
Nonrenewable Resource ◽  
Sustainability Index ◽  
System A ◽  
Emergy Value

Due to excessive resource consumption and pressing environmental issues of the sewage treatment industry, there is extensive attention in China. Given the unique craft production process in the sewage treatment system, a series of integral emergy indicators have been used to evaluate the environmental sustainability based on infrastructure construction and operation stage emergy analysis. Taking a new typical sewage treatment plant as an example, this paper performed a case study. The results illustrate that (1) the infrastructure construction process emergy (approximate 92.6%) is more critical than sewage treatment process emergy; (2) nonrenewable resource is the primary factor for the emergy analysis, followed by energy (23.5%) and purchased supply (7%); (3) cement, steel, and gravel have dominant impacts on the nonrenewable resource emergy; (4) the emergy sustainability index is 0.001101, which displays weak environmental sustainability; (5) the unit emergy value (UEV) of the new sewage treatment plant is 3.40 × 1012 sej/m3; (6) sensitivity analysis results of the hypothesis demonstrate that nonrenewable resources have significant fluctuations (6.903%) while, for the indicators, emergy sustainability index (ESI) (4.8072%) has the most significant impact; and (7) wastewater is a major contributor. In light of comprehensive discussions, two positive measures are proposed in order to ameliorate the environmental sustainability.

scholarly journals Improving the Sustainability of Dairy Slurry by A Commercial Additive Treatment

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 4998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Borgonovo ◽  
Cecilia Conti ◽  
Daniela Lovarelli ◽  
Valentina Ferrante ◽  
Marcella Guarino
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Mineral Fertilizer ◽  
Cattle Slurry ◽  
N Loss ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Environmental Impact Categories ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2

Ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from livestock farms contribute to negative environmental impacts such as acidification and climate change. A significant part of these emissions is produced from the decomposition of slurry in livestock facilities, during storage and treatment phases. This research aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the additive “SOP LAGOON” (made of agricultural gypsum processed with proprietary technology) on (i) NH3 and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, (ii) slurry properties and N loss. Moreover, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method was applied to assess the potential environmental impact associated with stored slurry treated with the additive. Six barrels were filled with 65 L of cattle slurry, of which three were used as a control while the additive was used in the other three. The results indicated that the use of the additive led to a reduction of total nitrogen, nitrates, and GHG emissions. LCA confirmed the higher environmental sustainability of the scenario with the additive for some environmental impact categories among which climate change. In conclusion, the additive has beneficial effects on both emissions and the environment, and the nitrogen present in the treated slurry could partially displace a mineral fertilizer, which can be considered an environmental credit.

scholarly journals Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Challenges in Szekszárd Wine Region, Hungary

Climate ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Attila Buzási
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Evaluation Methodology ◽  
Intrinsic Factors ◽  
Vulnerability Assessments ◽  
The Future ◽  
Climate Vulnerability ◽  
High Level ◽  
Wine Region ◽  
Lock In

Wine producers face several challenges regarding climate change, which will affect this industry both in the present and the future. Vulnerability assessments are at the forefront of current climate research, therefore, the present paper has two main aims. First, to assess two components of climate vulnerability regarding the Szekszárd wine region, Hungary; second, to collect and analyze adaptation farming techniques in terms of environmental sustainability aspects. Exposure analyses revealed that the study area will face several challenges regarding intensive drought periods in the future. Sensitivity indicators show the climate-related characteristics of the most popular grapevines and their relatively high level of susceptibility regarding changing climatic patterns. Since both external and intrinsic factors of vulnerability show deteriorating trends, the development of adaptation actions is needed. Adaptation interventions often provide unsustainable solutions or entail maladaptation issues, therefore, an environmental-focused sustainability assessment of collected interventions was performed to avoid long-term negative path dependencies. The applied evaluation methodology pointed out that nature-based adaptation actions are preferred in comparison to using additional machines or resource-intensive solutions. This study can fill the scientific gap by analyzing this wine region for the first time, via performing an ex-ante lock-in analysis of available and widely used adaptation interventions in the viticulture sector.

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