The gold mining industry pollutes both water and air resources in numerous ways. Of these, air pollution from greenhouse gasses inducing climate change poses the highest threat to human existence, with water scarcity as a result of pollution presenting the third highest risk (Mathews, 2007; Akorede et al., 2012; Jones et al., 1988). Water pollution, indirect air pollution and direct air pollution should be mitigated for sustainable gold mining. Environmental impact reduction is achieved by the implementation of effective Environmental Management Systems (EMSs). These systems aim to achieve ISO 14001-compliance by setting targets and implementing a systematic approach to achieving these targets. However, ISO 14001-compliant systems do not ensure environmental impact reduction and give the mine no competitive edge (Hilson & Nayee, 2002). EMSs available are too generic for implementation on gold mines. Reporting on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on gold mines should also be improved as it is unclear exactly what values should be reported on. This is due to a general lack of an environmental reporting standard (Jones, 2010). Manpower and expertise to identify and implement projects is limited and the mines need assistance with the implementation of projects to effect resource pollution. Priority for the mines is an emphasis on production and safety rather than environmental impact reduction, so implementing projects to reduce pollution is often neglected. A novel sustainability framework is developed in this study. In this framework a database of electricity- and environmental impact reduction projects is created that can be implemented in the gold mining industry. Projects are automatically identified by monitoring key operational indicators. By involving a third party in the form of an Energy Services Company (ESCO), project funding for these sustainability projects can be attained. This novel approach to environmental impact reduction creates a situation where ESCOs implement these EMSs at a reduced cost to the mines. This reduces the cost of lowering the mine’s environmental impact, while aiding the ESCO in identifying sustainability projects. KPIs from various studies are consolidated to determine exactly what values should be reported on. These values are incorporated into a successful EMS. This allows the availability of all the necessary data for reporting to the Department of Energy (DoE) and the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) on electricity-savings. Projects are prioritised based on an integrated electricity- and environmental impact reduction payback approach. This approach allows funding options to be assessed for each project individually, based on both electricity- and environmental impact reduction advantages. This allowed the best funding option for each individual project to be determined. Automatic identification of these projects reduces the required manpower and resources to implement sustainability projects. Projects proposed by this study showed a combined energy efficiency reduction of 11.8 MW and achieved a load shift of 15.6 MW. In addition to electricity reduction, these projects also reduced the water usage by 1135 Ml per annum and the carbon dioxide equivalent production by 214 205 ton per annum. The proposed projects were effective at increasing the sustainability of gold mining. It also streamlined the implementation of these projects on gold mines. By applying this framework, sustainability improvements can now be achieved on gold mines worldwide. / PhD (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The gold mining industry pollutes both water and air resources in numerous ways. Of these, air pollution from greenhouse gasses inducing climate change poses the highest threat to human existence, with water scarcity as a result of pollution presenting the third highest risk (Mathews, 2007; Akorede et al., 2012; Jones et al., 1988). Water pollution, indirect air pollution and direct air pollution should be mitigated for sustainable gold mining. Environmental impact reduction is achieved by the implementation of effective Environmental Management Systems (EMSs). These systems aim to achieve ISO 14001-compliance by setting targets and implementing a systematic approach to achieving these targets. However, ISO 14001-compliant systems do not ensure environmental impact reduction and give the mine no competitive edge (Hilson & Nayee, 2002). EMSs available are too generic for implementation on gold mines. Reporting on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on gold mines should also be improved as it is unclear exactly what values should be reported on. This is due to a general lack of an environmental reporting standard (Jones, 2010). Manpower and expertise to identify and implement projects is limited and the mines need assistance with the implementation of projects to effect resource pollution. Priority for the mines is an emphasis on production and safety rather than environmental impact reduction, so implementing projects to reduce pollution is often neglected. A novel sustainability framework is developed in this study. In this framework a database of electricity- and environmental impact reduction projects is created that can be implemented in the gold mining industry. Projects are automatically identified by monitoring key operational indicators. By involving a third party in the form of an Energy Services Company (ESCO), project funding for these sustainability projects can be attained. This novel approach to environmental impact reduction creates a situation where ESCOs implement these EMSs at a reduced cost to the mines. This reduces the cost of lowering the mine’s environmental impact, while aiding the ESCO in identifying sustainability projects. KPIs from various studies are consolidated to determine exactly what values should be reported on. These values are incorporated into a successful EMS. This allows the availability of all the necessary data for reporting to the Department of Energy (DoE) and the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) on electricity-savings. Projects are prioritised based on an integrated electricity- and environmental impact reduction payback approach. This approach allows funding options to be assessed for each project individually, based on both electricity- and environmental impact reduction advantages. This allowed the best funding option for each individual project to be determined. Automatic identification of these projects reduces the required manpower and resources to implement sustainability projects. Projects proposed by this study showed a combined energy efficiency reduction of 11.8 MW and achieved a load shift of 15.6 MW. In addition to electricity reduction, these projects also reduced the water usage by 1135 Ml per annum and the carbon dioxide equivalent production by 214 205 ton per annum. The proposed projects were effective at increasing the sustainability of gold mining. It also streamlined the implementation of these projects on gold mines. By applying this framework, sustainability improvements can now be achieved on gold mines worldwide. / PhD (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Dealerships are the main interface for customer interaction when it comes to a multinational manufacturing company like Volvo Group. A lot of studies in the field of environmental impact is done on different kind of buildings like office buildings, residential buildings, public buildings etc by performing Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Life Cycle Cost analysis (LCC) etc. However, the number of studies done on an industrial building are very less when compared to other types of buildings. Industrial buildings are equally important in the construction industry since they play a good share in environmental impacts caused by buildings. The main objective of the thesis is to analyse the working process at VGRE and suggest ways to incorporate life cycle thinking in their working process to improve the environmental performance of new dealerships. Interviews were conducted with VGRE employees; literature reviews were done and analysis of internal documents from VGRE were studied and analysed as a part of the thesis. The views and opinions of the VGRE employees in the area of environment impact reduction, life cycle assessment and certification scheme/system were obtained and the steps involved in the development of a dealership as well as the different type of contract were also studied from the internal documents provided from VGRE. Cost was one of the main barrier/challenges in all the cases. Lack of interest in getting a dealership certified was also mentioned during the interviews. Energy saving measures like the solar panels were considered as additional cost for a building. Their preference in referring to previous Life Cycle studies of similar buildings rather than doing a Life cycle study on each building was also observed. / I syfte att identifiera hur man integrerar livscykeltänkande i arbetsprocessen hos Volvo Group Real Estate (VGRE) för att förbättra miljöprestanda för nya återförsäljare är detta examensarbete i princip en analys av arbetsprocessen hos Volvo som gjordes genom att göra intervjuer med Volvos anställda både i Göteborg, Sverige och Finland. Litteraturöversikter om livscykelanalys (LCA) samt certifieringssystem var också en del av metodiken. Slutligen analyserades och studerades några interna dokument från Volvo. LCA på Volvo, hinder och utmaningar som möter under arbetsprocessen, intern dokumentation, skillnaderna mellan en återförsäljare och andra byggnader, kostnadsfaktorer / affärssaker är de viktigaste slutsatserna som diskuteras i resultatsektionen.

Atualmente, o excesso de produção, consumo e descarte de vestuário de moda - e o ritmo acelerado e contínuo como isso acontece - resulta em um impacto socioambiental de proporções consideráveis. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho buscou discutir possíveis requisitos projetuais para o design de vestuário de moda orientados à redução de seu impacto socioambiental, com ênfase no prolongamento da vida útil do vestuário de moda e consequentemente na alteração da dinâmica do ciclo de vida desses produtos. Para tanto, foi necessário compreender e estudar a relação entre o design e a sustentabilidade, identificar os impactos socioambientais do vestuário de moda, elencar os aspectos projetáveis do vestuário de moda que influenciam o consumidor em relação ao produto, e assimilar a opinião do consumidor a respeito da relação entre o vestuário de moda e a sustentabilidade. A partir de uma revisão de literatura e de uma pesquisa exploratória, foi possível inferir que o prolongamento da vida útil do vestuário de moda, ao alterar a dinâmica do ciclo de vida desses produtos, desacelerar o ritmo de sua produção, seu consumo e seu descarte, configurando-se como uma alternativa para a redução de seu impacto socioambiental. / Currently, the excess of production, consumption and disposal of fashion clothing - and the accelerated and continuous rhythm as it happens - results in a social and environmental impact of considerable proportions. This work aimed to discuss possible projectual requirements for the fashion clothing design geared to reducing its social and environmental impact, with emphasis on the lifetime extension of fashion clothing and consequently on change of life cycle dynamics of these products. In order to reach this aim, it was necessary to understand and to study the relation between design and sustainability, to identify the social and environmental impacts of fashion clothing, to list the projectable aspects of fashion clothing that influence the consumer respecting the product, and to assimilate the consumer opinion about fashion clothing and sustainability. From a literature review and an exploratory research, it was possible to infer that the lifetime extension of fashion clothing, in changing the lifecycle dynamics of these products, decelerates the rhythm of its production, its consumption and its disposal, setting up as an alternative for reducing its social and environmental impact.

Atualmente, o excesso de produção, consumo e descarte de vestuário de moda - e o ritmo acelerado e contínuo como isso acontece - resulta em um impacto socioambiental de proporções consideráveis. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho buscou discutir possíveis requisitos projetuais para o design de vestuário de moda orientados à redução de seu impacto socioambiental, com ênfase no prolongamento da vida útil do vestuário de moda e consequentemente na alteração da dinâmica do ciclo de vida desses produtos. Para tanto, foi necessário compreender e estudar a relação entre o design e a sustentabilidade, identificar os impactos socioambientais do vestuário de moda, elencar os aspectos projetáveis do vestuário de moda que influenciam o consumidor em relação ao produto, e assimilar a opinião do consumidor a respeito da relação entre o vestuário de moda e a sustentabilidade. A partir de uma revisão de literatura e de uma pesquisa exploratória, foi possível inferir que o prolongamento da vida útil do vestuário de moda, ao alterar a dinâmica do ciclo de vida desses produtos, desacelerar o ritmo de sua produção, seu consumo e seu descarte, configurando-se como uma alternativa para a redução de seu impacto socioambiental. / Currently, the excess of production, consumption and disposal of fashion clothing - and the accelerated and continuous rhythm as it happens - results in a social and environmental impact of considerable proportions. This work aimed to discuss possible projectual requirements for the fashion clothing design geared to reducing its social and environmental impact, with emphasis on the lifetime extension of fashion clothing and consequently on change of life cycle dynamics of these products. In order to reach this aim, it was necessary to understand and to study the relation between design and sustainability, to identify the social and environmental impacts of fashion clothing, to list the projectable aspects of fashion clothing that influence the consumer respecting the product, and to assimilate the consumer opinion about fashion clothing and sustainability. From a literature review and an exploratory research, it was possible to infer that the lifetime extension of fashion clothing, in changing the lifecycle dynamics of these products, decelerates the rhythm of its production, its consumption and its disposal, setting up as an alternative for reducing its social and environmental impact.