This study aims to develop an integrated classification methodology for retrofitting that preserves both energy use and cultural value aspects in hot climates, especially, in North Africa, as a hot zone, which lacks retrofitting initiatives of built heritage. Despite the number of existing methods of classification for energy purposes, little attention has been paid to integrate the perceptions of cultural values in those methods. The proposed methodology classifies heritage building stocks based on building physical characteristics, as well as heritage significance levels, and then later integrates the outcomes into a matrix to propose sustainable retrofitting scenarios based on three dimensions, i.e., heritage value locations, types, and heritage significance level. For validation, the methodology was applied to the heritage residential building stock along with a microscale analysis on a building in Khedivial Cairo, Egypt. The findings include extracting twelve building classes, providing a reference building for each class, and a detailed catalogue of the extracted reference buildings that includes retrofitting scenarios for creating energy models. The originality of this work lies in integrating cultural values in a building classification methodology and providing a list of sustainable retrofitting scenarios for reference buildings. The findings contribute to fill the gap in existing building classifications, more specifically in hot climates.
Industrial agriculture (IA) has been recognized among the main drivers of biodiversity loss, climate change, and native pollinator decline. Here we summarize the known negative effects of IA on pollinator biodiversity and illustrate these problems by considering the case of Chile, a "world biodiversity hotspot" (WBH) where food exports account for a considerable share of the economy in this country. Most of Chile's WBH area is currently being replaced by IA at a fast pace, threatening local biodiversity. We present an agroecological strategy for sustainable food production and pollinator conservation in food-producing WBHs. In this we recognize native pollinators as internal inputs that cannot be replaced by IA technological packages and support the development of agroecological and biodiversity restorative practices to protect biodiversity. We suggest four fundamental pillars for food production change based on: (1) sharing the land, restoring and protecting; (2) ecological intensification; (3) localized knowledge, research, and technological development; and (4) territorial planning and implementation of socio-agroecological policies. This approach does not need modification of native pollination services that sustain the world with food and basic subsistence goods, but a paradigm change where the interdependency of nature and human wellbeing must be recognized for ensuring the world's food security and sovereignty.
This paper provides a detailed analysis of the waste footprint and waste treatments at subnational level, for Brussels, Flanders, and Wallonia. The paper details the waste footprint components into direct waste from households (disposed in bins), indirect waste generated upstream in the supply chains and induced by household consumption and waste materials from the degradation of in-use stocks. For each component, we analysed the contribution of waste types, products consumed and location where the waste was generated, as well as the associated treatments. The results show that Flanders had the highest total waste footprint in absolute terms; Brussels the highest direct waste in capita terms and Wallonia the highest indirect waste and stock depletion in capita terms. In each region, almost 78 ± 2% of the regional waste footprints were attributed to the consumption of food products, manufactured products and restaurants and accommodation services. For each region, around 45 ± 4% of the indirect waste was generated within its boundaries, 16 ± 9% in other regions and 39 ± 5% out of Belgium. Incineration was the predominant waste treatment type of the regional waste footprint, followed by recycling. Landfill was the second widely applied treatment for indirect waste. Results constitute key information relevant to enhance the waste data monitoring practices at regional level with effects at national level. We unveiled the waste footprint and associated treatments inherent to the interregional and international linkages. Results are also useful resources to substantiate waste management and circular economy policies, enacting on waste prevention and reduction, ecodesign and product lifetime extension.
The thesis brings together three independent essays on the economics of innovation. I analyse the impact of competition on firm-level innovation (chapter 1) and the impact of different types of innovation on firm performance (chapter 2) looking at the top business RD satisfaction with recruitment process, existence of the top R&D spending enterprises in the economy, and the freedom of academic exchange and dissemination are the factors that increases the attractiveness of a country for mobility inflows.
