<p>    </p> <p>Electronic waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams, spurred by their rising market and demand. However, these devices contain an array of metals that is recyclable for economic and environmental benefit through secondary manufacturing. As the turnaround rate for newer models quickens, consumers are motivated to purchase novel devices, leaving their current ones behind. Focusing on how United States (U.S.) households manage their electronics, a top-down approach stock and flow STELLA model was created to model the lifecycle of eight common electronics. Input data for the model came from a public online survey directed to U.S. household owning adults. From the model, a metallic stock and flow analysis was conducted to quantify the trends, environmental footprint, and economic value of stored devices in U.S. households and how it compares to devices being used, disposed, and recycled. The number of stored devices in the U.S. was found to be increasing annually with a stored amount of over 757 million stored individual electronic devices, nearly half of which originate from cell phones, carrying an economic value of 32.6 billion US dollars (USD) and carbon emissions of 7.6 billion kilograms (kg) from their metallic components alone for the year 2020. Most of the pollution and economic value stems from precious metals (PMs) and in a circular economy, these stored metals can have a significant impact to the environment and economy through recycled. Also, with advancing capabilities of smartphones, the metallic composition for device components of Samsung galaxy smartphones was quantified to assess their evolving metallic content. With the growing market of electronic devices, knowing the value and importance of devices currently in U.S. households is critical. This underlies the influence of sustainable design through a circular economy to push initiatives to manufacture recyclable friendly devices, expand the metal recycling industry, and motivate citizens to properly handle their stored devices. </p>

Sedan 1900-talets mitt har användandet av tegelkonstruktioner i bostadsbyggandet minskat kraftigt; materialet har under modernismen upplevts otidsenligt och byggnadssättet har ansetts ineffektivt. Trots att kanalmurstekniken, som är en byggteknik med bärande tegelkonstruktion och högt isoleringsvärde, togs fram på 1930-talet för att följa hårdare energihushållningskrav, har ändå lätta träregelkonstruktioner dominerat det svenska småhusbyggandet. Kraven på energihushållning har under åren ökat successivt och livscykelanalysen (LCA) har utvecklats. LCA är en metodik som analyserar produkters eller tjänsters klimatbelastning ur livscykelperspektiv. Svårigheter har dock funnits i att omsätta metodiken på större komponenter än enskilda material. Därför har europastandarder tagits fram som enkom tjänar till att systematisera livscykelanalyser av hela byggnader och de kommer att följas i denna studie. Syftet med examensarbetet är att jämföra hur ett typhus med tegel som stommaterial belastar miljön under produktion och drift i en livscykel satt till 100 år, jämfört med ett motsvarande trätyphus. Till tegelhusets nackdel talar den höga energiåtgången vid materialframställningen. Trä å sin sida löper stor risk för förkortad livscykel i och med riskerna för fuktskador. För att undersöka skillnaderna i trä- och tegelkonstruktioner har en typhusritning i kanalmurskonstruktion analyserats mot en motsvarande träkonstruktion, där byggnadstyperna har samma boarea och väggkonstruktionerna samma värmemotstånd. För att få fram husens skillnad energiåtgång under driftskedet har energibehovsberäkningar utförts för byggnaderna. Livscykelanalysen har utförts i programvaran Anavitor utifrån 3D-modeller med byggnadsinformation som matchas mot en materialdatabas med livscykeldata. Ur jämförelsen har resultat kunnat hämtas på vilken av konstruktionerna som belastar miljön minst över livscykeln, med avseende på klimatbelastning räknat i koldioxidekvivalenter. Resultat visar att ett tegelhus belastar miljön dubbelt så mycket som ett trähus i produktionsfasen medan tegelhuset är miljövänligare avseende underhåll och drift. Efter 100 år är skillnaden 7,3 ton koldioxidekvivalenter, till trähusets fördel. Enligt livscykelanalysen har byggnaderna, enligt de antaganden som gjorts, belastat miljön lika efter 168 år. Till tegelhusets fördel talar dess säkerhet gällande livslängd, beständighet, fuktsäkerhet och goda möjlighet till återbruk av stommaterialet. / Since the mid-1900s has brick building marginalized; the material has in the modernist era been experienced as dated and the construction method considered inefficient. In the 1930s the canal wall technique were developed to meet the coming stringent energy requirements. Despite opportunities to meet modern building norms have yet lightweight timber structures dominated the Swedish construction sector concerning single-family houses since then. The requirements for energy conservation have increased over the years to an even greater degree, and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been developed; a methodology that analyzes products from a life cycle perspective. There have been difficulties to put the methodology on larger components than individual materials. Therefore, European Standards have been developed that specifically serve to systematize Life Cycle Assessments of entire buildings, which will be followed in this study. The purpose of this study is to compare which impact a standard house with brick structure has a on the environment in a lifecycle set to 100 years, compared with a corresponding timber structure. To the disadvantage for a brick house speaks the high energy consumption in material production. Timber structures at their part are at high risk for shortened life cycle due to risk of moisture damage. To examine the differences in wood and brick structures has a standard house drawing in canal wall technique been analyzed against a corresponding wooden construction. The building types have the same floor area and the wall constructions have the same heat resistance. To receive the differences in energy use during the operational phase between the buildings has energy calculations been made. The life cycle analysis has been performed in the software Anavitor based on 3D models with building information that is matched against a database of materials life cycle data. The results from the comparison are measured in terms of carbon dioxide equivalents, and will show which construction type will make least impact on the environment. Results show that a brick house has doubled environmental impact compared to a wooden house in the production phase. The brick house is a better alternative concerning environmental impact during operational phase and maintenance. After 100 years, the difference is 7,3 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents to the advantage of the wooden house. According to the LCA and the assumptions made, the buildings have charged the environment equally after 168 years. To the advantage of the brick house speaks its longevity, durability, moisture resistance and good opportunity for reuse of the bricks.

<p>To accurately estimate the potential recovery of metals from electronic devices, various tools such as mass flow analysis, dynamic models, and forecasting models have been employed. However, the reliability of the model-generated outputs hinges on the accuracy of the input data. To ensure accurate data collection, it is imperative to examine and compare different methodologies. Although surveys have conventionally been used in information and telecommunications technologies to gather consumer information, their validity is seldom contrasted with alternative methods due to the lack thereof. In response, a new mixed methodology has been developed to obtain primary consumer data through tangible information, offering new avenues for data acquisition. The methodology involves quantitative and qualitative approaches taking direct physical measurements (dimensions, weight, and quantity) of devices and including a ten question semi-structured interview to discussed consumer devices use, stock and transfer patterns, composition changes of the electronic devices, and disposal behavior. As a result, it was found new methodology measured 79% of the devices directly at laboratories and 21% of the remaining devices were self-reported by the participant. The devices on consumer stage frequently have the same type and number of components as fabric and a positive difference of about 17.99 g compared with the mass reported by fabricants or literature. The sequential steps undertaken by participants in the new methodology to acquire consumer-stage data offer distinct advantages over surveys, particularly in capturing a more comprehensive inventory of devices in storage.</p><p>Additional results indicate that the proposed methodology can provide valuable insights into the stock of electronic devices. Nevertheless, further research is required to understand the implications of surveys versus direct measurements in accurately representing mass flows during the user stage. Additionally, the relevance of external power supply or charging systems on storage will be explored as part of the supplementary findings. By improving the accuracy of metal recovery estimation and exploring more effective data collection methods, we can optimize closed-loop projects and contribute to sustainable resource management.</p>

Grüne Werbebotschaften gibt es bereits zu Hauf – auch in der Beleuchtungsbranche. Nach aktiver Beteiligung an Forschungsprojekten zur Nachhaltigkeit von LED-Beleuchtung ist uns eines klargeworden: Wir brauchen immer noch mehr Leute, die die richtigen Fragen stellen, und weniger solche, die ihre Meinungen als die ultimativen Lösungen verkaufen.

Integrating more renewable energy sources into the grid has caused increased instability due to the intermittency of renewable energy sources. Hence, the need for grid balancing strategies such as frequency regulation has intensified. Areim, a Nordic real estate investment company, through this thesis, aims to have an assessment conducted to estimate the environmental benefits or consequences of using their specific battery system as a participant in the Swedish frequency regulation market, using the lifecycle assessment framework. The study only considered the cradle-to-gate lifecycle scope, excluding the product disposal stage, and the impact categories used align with the Environmental Footprint assessment methodology. The functional unit is in per kilo-watthour delivered, and the batteries are expected to deliver 933 kWh of electric energy over the estimated lifetime of 15 years. The normalized carbon emissions caused by delivering 1 kWh of energy for frequency regulation using the status quo prequalified technologies primarily comprised of hydropower, combined heat and power, and battery energy storage produce 4.75 kgCO2eq. Introducing Areim's specific battery system 200 kW bid into the prequalified technologies mix by substitution produces 0.075 kgCO2eq fewer carbon emissions per kWh delivered. The sensitivity analysis further supports that Areim will yield added carbon emission savings by increasing its available prequalified re-source capacity in the market. The findings of this thesis can be used to support Areim and other companies interested in grid support services such as frequency regulation to decide whether it is beneficial to use their specific battery systems for such services from an environmental effect perspective.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a widely used method for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire life cycle. As a decision-making tool, LCA allows decision-makers to identify the environmental hotspots in a product or process, and to explore opportunities for improvement. However, while LCA has many potentials, it also has several limitations that need to be considered. One of the main limitations of LCA is the difficulty in obtaining accurate data, particularly for the upstream and downstream stages of a product's life cycle. Another limitation is the challenge of interpreting the results, as LCA involves complex calculations and assumptions that can be difficult for non-experts to understand. Despite these limitations, LCA remains a valuable tool for informing decision-making, and efforts are being made to address these limitations through the development of standardized methods and improved data collection and interpretation techniques. This paper provides an overview of LCA as a decision-making tool in the context of vaccine manufacturing, its potential and limitations, and the current state of research in this field.

博士(工学) / Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University

Circular Economy (CE) aims at improving the resource efficiency of our society and decoupling economic growth from resource use. However, entropy and residues are still generated in CE, and resources such as energy, raw materials and water are used throughout the CE processes. The methodology developed in this thesis aims at evaluating and communicating the resource efficiency and environmental impacts of CE systems. Firstly, a digital twin of the system is created using process simulation to obtain detailed mass and energy balances. Then, a set of indicators is obtained for the evaluation of the material recoveries, residues and emissions generated, resource use and environmental impacts (LCA). Exergy indicators such as exergy dissipation and cost are also obtained from the simulation using a dedicated tool developed and implemented within this thesis. This methodology has been applied in three case studies within metallurgy and CE to evaluate, optimize and communicate their resource efficiency and environmental impacts. These case studies are the evaluation of the copper value chain, the comparison between different zinc production routes and the industrial symbiosis between the copper, zinc and cement value chains.

Idag görs livscykelanalyser (LCA) för att identifiera de byggkomponenter somorsakar stora koldioxidutsläpp i byggbranschen.Syftet med denna studie är att med hjälp av livscykelanalysverktyget One ClickLCA jämföra hur stora koldioxidutsläpp som bildas av materialen i enlimträstomme, som tillhör en inomhusarena jämfört med materialen i en fiktivstålstomme, som är dimensionerad för att klara samma laster och funktion somlimträstommen. Detta görs i syfte att lyfta fram skillnaderna mellankoldioxidutsläppen i produktskedet (A1-A3) mellan en limträstomme och enstålstomme.En konstruktör har konstruerat stålstommen för jämförelsen. Konstruktören togfram dimensionerna och byggmaterialen, men stålstommen blev inte tillräckligtgenomarbetad och projekterad för att jämförelsen skulle kunna göras direkt.I One Click LCA behövs mängderna och byggkomponenterna för båda stommarnaför att kunna göra fullständiga livscykelanalyser. Med mängder menas volymeroch vikter för byggkomponenterna. I studien saknades från början mängder förvissa av byggkomponenterna och en del av syftet blev därför att ta fram allamängder för stommarna. För att få rätt mängder i studien användes bland annat tvåprogram, Bluebeam och Excel. Med dessa program togs längdmåtten för olikabyggkomponenter från ritningar. Tillsammans med de övriga uppgifterna ombyggkomponenterna kunde mängderna sedan tas fram.I One Click LCA behöver resurser väljas. Dessa kan vara kopplade till specifikabyggkomponenter och innehåller data om hur stora koldioxidutsläpp sombyggkomponenter orsakar. Med byggkomponenter och mängder som grund valdessedan resurser i One Click LCA. När resurser väljs räknar programmet ut hur storakoldioxidutsläpp som bildas i produktskedet (A1-A3) för byggkomponenterna.Med mängder och resurser kunde två resultat erhållas i programvaran. Resultatetvisar att 55 ton koldioxid bildas av limträstommen och 779,9 ton koldioxid bildasav stålstommen. I stålstommen är det fackverken som orsakar mestkoldioxidutsläpp och i limträstommen är balkarna i högdelen av inomhusarenansom orsakar mest koldioxidutsläpp. / Today, life-cycle assessment (LCA) are performed to identify the buildingcomponents that cause large carbon dioxide emissions in the construction industry.The purpose of this study is to use the life-cycle assessment tool One Click LCA tocompare how large carbon dioxide emissions are formed by the materials in aglulam frame, which belongs to an indoor arena compared to the materials in afictitious steel frame, which is dimensioned to withstand the same loads andfunction as the glulam frame. This is done in order to highlight the differencesbetween the carbon dioxide emissions in the product phase (A1-A3) between aglulam frame and a steel frame.A designer has designed the steel frame for comparison. The designer producedthe dimensions and building materials, but the steel frame was not sufficientlyworked out and projected for the comparison to be made directly.In One Click LCA, the quantities and building components for both frames areneeded to be able to make complete life-cycle assessment. By quantities is meantvolumes and weights for the building components. The study initially lackedquantities for some of the building components and part of the purpose wastherefore to produce all quantities for the frames. To get the right amounts in thestudy, two programs were used, Bluebeam and Excel. With these programs, thelength measurements for different building components were taken from drawings.Together with the other information about the building components, the quantitiescould then be produced.In One Click LCA, resources need to be selected. These can be linked to specificbuilding components and contain data on how large carbon dioxide emissions thatbuilding components cause. Based on building components and quantities,resources were then selected in One Click LCA. When resources are selected, theprogram calculates how large carbon dioxide emissions are formed in the productphase (A1-A3) for the building components. With quantities and resources, tworesults could be obtained in the software. The results show that 55 tonnes ofcarbon dioxide are formed by the glulam frame and 779.9 tonnes of carbon dioxideare formed by the steel frame. In the steel frame, it is the trusses that cause themost carbon dioxide emissions and in the glulam frame, the beams in the upperpart of the indoor arena cause the most carbon dioxide emissions.

The current wave of environmental awareness in the market has led to an increase of sustainability demands by the consumers. The focus of manufacturing companies has increasingly shifted from end-of-pipe solutions to the environmental performance of products and services. Companies find themselves in a situation where they must simultaneously create value for consumers and be profitable while considering environmental considerations. A case study is performed to explore this issue from the perspective of several eco-design tools. The existing product development process of a DECT communication device is investigated through the lens of eco-design. The theory looks into the apparent benefits and unforeseen difficulties, barriers and other factors in adopting an eco-design approach amongst companies, particularly SMEs. An eco-design audit comprising assessments on organisation capacity and potential for eco-design is carried out. This is followed by the creation and implementation of a comprehensive eco-design tool to generate a simple yet effective checklist for corporations with operational strategies for sustainable product design. Since changes in the product development and/or production to accommodate a higher level of sustainability cannot be easily or readily implemented, the framework functions as a guide of strategies within different time-scopes.