Os edifícios são responsáveis por importantes impactos ambientais, principalmente, pelo seu longo ciclo de vida. Neste sentido, as edificações são potenciais redutoras de danos ambientais, já que as decisões sobre seu impacto podem ser feitas em projeto. No Brasil, o Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida (PMCMV) produziu mais de dois milhões de unidades de habitação, sendo um importante gerador de impactos. Foram realizadas pesquisas avaliando impactos sociais, urbanísticos e arquitetônicos do PMCMV, entretanto ainda existe escassez de estudos avaliando os impactos ambientais dessas edificações. Esta pesquisa utiliza a metodologia de Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida (ACV) para quantificar os impactos ambientais potenciais de uma casa do PMCMV. A metodologia considera três fases, com referência no estudo de caso de uma casa térrea situada na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre (sul do Brasil). A Fase 1 quantifica o uso de energia através de simulação termoenergética, testando envoltórias alternativas em comparação à original. A Fase 2 realiza a ACV preliminar, para verificar as contribuições de impacto mais relevantes em dois modelos selecionados. A Fase 3 desenvolve a ACV final com dados adaptados para a realidade brasileira. Os resultados demonstram que os impactos operacionais da edificação são os mais importantes ao longo do ciclo de vida de 50 anos, para as duas alternativas de envoltória avaliadas. Mesmo assim, os requerimentos incorporados da edificação podem representar impactos importantes, ultrapassando 40% em categorias como aquecimento global e depleção da camada de ozônio. O transporte de materiais de construção e matérias primas é um dos maiores causadores dos impactos incorporados. Além desse, a recorrência de manutenções mostra-se importante, assim como a durabilidade dos materiais de construção. A aplicação da ferramenta de ACV confirma sua importância como instrumento para a tomada de decisão, identificando processos mais relevantes na qualificação ambiental de edificações. / Buildings are responsible for expressive environmental impacts, especially for its long life-cycle. In fact, buildings are important potential reducers of environmental damages, because decisions concerning its future impacts can be made at design stage. In Brazil, “My House My Life” program (MHMLP) produced more than two million dwellings, generating significant impacts. Some of MHMLP impacts were already addressed, such as social, urban and architectural, however there is a lack on environmental impacts studies focused on these buildings. This research applies Life Cycle Assessment method to quantify potential environmental impacts of a MHMLP dwelling. Methodology considered three phases, using as reference the case study of a single-story house located at the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre (southern Brazil). Phase 1 quantifies energy use through thermal dynamic simulations, considering different encloses types in comparison to the original option. Phase 2 applies streamlined Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework to evaluate the most important contributions to the environmental impacts of the two previously selected models. In phase 3, LCA was developed considering data regionalization and adaptation to the Brazilian context. Results show that operational impacts are the most important ones on the 50 years dwelling life cycle, for both evaluated alternatives. Nevertheless, embodied impacts can represent more than 40% of total global warming and ozone depletion potential impacts. Transportation of raw and construction materials is one of the most important contributors to embodied impacts. Furthermore, recurrent embodied impacts are important, as well as construction materials durability. LCA application validates its importance as a framework to support decision-making, identifying hotspots on buildings environmental qualification.

Os edifícios são responsáveis por importantes impactos ambientais, principalmente, pelo seu longo ciclo de vida. Neste sentido, as edificações são potenciais redutoras de danos ambientais, já que as decisões sobre seu impacto podem ser feitas em projeto. No Brasil, o Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida (PMCMV) produziu mais de dois milhões de unidades de habitação, sendo um importante gerador de impactos. Foram realizadas pesquisas avaliando impactos sociais, urbanísticos e arquitetônicos do PMCMV, entretanto ainda existe escassez de estudos avaliando os impactos ambientais dessas edificações. Esta pesquisa utiliza a metodologia de Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida (ACV) para quantificar os impactos ambientais potenciais de uma casa do PMCMV. A metodologia considera três fases, com referência no estudo de caso de uma casa térrea situada na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre (sul do Brasil). A Fase 1 quantifica o uso de energia através de simulação termoenergética, testando envoltórias alternativas em comparação à original. A Fase 2 realiza a ACV preliminar, para verificar as contribuições de impacto mais relevantes em dois modelos selecionados. A Fase 3 desenvolve a ACV final com dados adaptados para a realidade brasileira. Os resultados demonstram que os impactos operacionais da edificação são os mais importantes ao longo do ciclo de vida de 50 anos, para as duas alternativas de envoltória avaliadas. Mesmo assim, os requerimentos incorporados da edificação podem representar impactos importantes, ultrapassando 40% em categorias como aquecimento global e depleção da camada de ozônio. O transporte de materiais de construção e matérias primas é um dos maiores causadores dos impactos incorporados. Além desse, a recorrência de manutenções mostra-se importante, assim como a durabilidade dos materiais de construção. A aplicação da ferramenta de ACV confirma sua importância como instrumento para a tomada de decisão, identificando processos mais relevantes na qualificação ambiental de edificações. / Buildings are responsible for expressive environmental impacts, especially for its long life-cycle. In fact, buildings are important potential reducers of environmental damages, because decisions concerning its future impacts can be made at design stage. In Brazil, “My House My Life” program (MHMLP) produced more than two million dwellings, generating significant impacts. Some of MHMLP impacts were already addressed, such as social, urban and architectural, however there is a lack on environmental impacts studies focused on these buildings. This research applies Life Cycle Assessment method to quantify potential environmental impacts of a MHMLP dwelling. Methodology considered three phases, using as reference the case study of a single-story house located at the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre (southern Brazil). Phase 1 quantifies energy use through thermal dynamic simulations, considering different encloses types in comparison to the original option. Phase 2 applies streamlined Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework to evaluate the most important contributions to the environmental impacts of the two previously selected models. In phase 3, LCA was developed considering data regionalization and adaptation to the Brazilian context. Results show that operational impacts are the most important ones on the 50 years dwelling life cycle, for both evaluated alternatives. Nevertheless, embodied impacts can represent more than 40% of total global warming and ozone depletion potential impacts. Transportation of raw and construction materials is one of the most important contributors to embodied impacts. Furthermore, recurrent embodied impacts are important, as well as construction materials durability. LCA application validates its importance as a framework to support decision-making, identifying hotspots on buildings environmental qualification.

Os edifícios são responsáveis por importantes impactos ambientais, principalmente, pelo seu longo ciclo de vida. Neste sentido, as edificações são potenciais redutoras de danos ambientais, já que as decisões sobre seu impacto podem ser feitas em projeto. No Brasil, o Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida (PMCMV) produziu mais de dois milhões de unidades de habitação, sendo um importante gerador de impactos. Foram realizadas pesquisas avaliando impactos sociais, urbanísticos e arquitetônicos do PMCMV, entretanto ainda existe escassez de estudos avaliando os impactos ambientais dessas edificações. Esta pesquisa utiliza a metodologia de Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida (ACV) para quantificar os impactos ambientais potenciais de uma casa do PMCMV. A metodologia considera três fases, com referência no estudo de caso de uma casa térrea situada na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre (sul do Brasil). A Fase 1 quantifica o uso de energia através de simulação termoenergética, testando envoltórias alternativas em comparação à original. A Fase 2 realiza a ACV preliminar, para verificar as contribuições de impacto mais relevantes em dois modelos selecionados. A Fase 3 desenvolve a ACV final com dados adaptados para a realidade brasileira. Os resultados demonstram que os impactos operacionais da edificação são os mais importantes ao longo do ciclo de vida de 50 anos, para as duas alternativas de envoltória avaliadas. Mesmo assim, os requerimentos incorporados da edificação podem representar impactos importantes, ultrapassando 40% em categorias como aquecimento global e depleção da camada de ozônio. O transporte de materiais de construção e matérias primas é um dos maiores causadores dos impactos incorporados. Além desse, a recorrência de manutenções mostra-se importante, assim como a durabilidade dos materiais de construção. A aplicação da ferramenta de ACV confirma sua importância como instrumento para a tomada de decisão, identificando processos mais relevantes na qualificação ambiental de edificações. / Buildings are responsible for expressive environmental impacts, especially for its long life-cycle. In fact, buildings are important potential reducers of environmental damages, because decisions concerning its future impacts can be made at design stage. In Brazil, “My House My Life” program (MHMLP) produced more than two million dwellings, generating significant impacts. Some of MHMLP impacts were already addressed, such as social, urban and architectural, however there is a lack on environmental impacts studies focused on these buildings. This research applies Life Cycle Assessment method to quantify potential environmental impacts of a MHMLP dwelling. Methodology considered three phases, using as reference the case study of a single-story house located at the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre (southern Brazil). Phase 1 quantifies energy use through thermal dynamic simulations, considering different encloses types in comparison to the original option. Phase 2 applies streamlined Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework to evaluate the most important contributions to the environmental impacts of the two previously selected models. In phase 3, LCA was developed considering data regionalization and adaptation to the Brazilian context. Results show that operational impacts are the most important ones on the 50 years dwelling life cycle, for both evaluated alternatives. Nevertheless, embodied impacts can represent more than 40% of total global warming and ozone depletion potential impacts. Transportation of raw and construction materials is one of the most important contributors to embodied impacts. Furthermore, recurrent embodied impacts are important, as well as construction materials durability. LCA application validates its importance as a framework to support decision-making, identifying hotspots on buildings environmental qualification.

<p dir="ltr">The limitations of the traditional von Neumann computing architecture, particularly evident in the slowdown of Moore's law, have spurred the development of alternative domain-specific computing paradigms. This dissertation explores novel materials-physics based solutions for two promising alternatives: quantum computing and probabilistic computing, with a specific focus on leveraging magnetic spin textures and their unique properties. We demonstrate that magnetic spin textures, with their inherent topology and chirality, offer distinctive advantages in addressing key challenges in both computing paradigms. These textures' ability to couple with various degrees of freedom, such as electrical, thermal, mechanical, and optical, makes them particularly suitable for hybrid device implementations. Our work presents four contributions to the field.</p><p dir="ltr">First, we propose a novel approach of using skyrmions --- topologically protected rigid-object like spin textures --- to nucleate and braid Majorana modes in topological superconductor-magnetic multilayer heterostructures. We show analytically and numerically that skyrmion--vortex bound pairs can be braided in experimentally relevant timescales. Inspired by circuit quantum electrodynamics methods, we propose a novel readout scheme based on the dispersive coupling between vortex confinement states and Majorana bound states. This work paves the way for experimentally demonstrating the non-Abelian statistics of Majorana bound states, which might be a crucial step towards the development of fault-tolerant topological quantum computers.</p><p dir="ltr">Second, we study thermal relaxation mechanisms and timescales of spin-split chiral antiferromagnets. The class of spin-split antiferromagnets, including altermagnets, have recently emerged as excellent candidates for ultra-fast and low-energy spintronics applications. Due the lack of dipolar order, they are unaffected by stray fields. However, the spin-split bands still offer electrical control and readout of these antiferromagnets unlike the conventional antiferromagnets. While a lot of promising phenomena in these materials has already been experimentally demonstrated, thermal relaxation mechanisms of such magnets remain unexplored. Using reaction rate theories and statistical physics tools, we study the thermal dynamics of chiral antiferromagnets. We show that these materials thermally relax at ultra-fast picosecond-order timescales. Further, by building on the analogy between XY magnets and current biased Josephson junctions, we propose a novel approach to electrically tune the thermal barrier in chiral antiferromagnets. Although such chiral antiferromagnets may not be suitable for non-volatile memory type of applications, they emerge as promising candidates for the building blocks of probabilistic computers.</p><p dir="ltr">We then turn our attention to the strongly correlated quantum system of quantum spin liquids. We show that spin textures exchange coupled to a Kitaev spin liquid (KSL) can induce emergent gauge fields on the Majorana fermions in the spin liquid. These emergent gauge fields may trap zero energy modes if they are able to thread a net flux through the KSL. We derive analytical expressions for the gauge fields in the presence of spin textures and outline the conditions to obtain a net flux. Zero energy Majorana fermion modes trapped on such spin textures may eventually be used for fault tolerant quantum computing.</p><p dir="ltr">Finally, in the last project, we bring the quantum and probabilistic computing paradigms together by proposing a quantum two level system as a sensor for the building blocks of a probabilistic computer. we show that quantum spin defects such as Nitrogen vacancy centers (NV) can be used as novel probes for characterizing probabilistic bits. We show that various NV sensing protocols can be leveraged to create a complete picture of this nascent magnet based probabilistic bits including their energy barrier and attempt times.</p><p dir="ltr">Our findings suggest that magnetic spin textures, particularly their topological and chiral properties, could provide crucial solutions to current challenges in alternative computing platforms. This work bridges the gap between materials physics, device physics and the applications in alternative computing platforms.</p>