ecoinvent’s Post

Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam RIFS Fellow Program for Sustainability Challenges 2025 The Research Institute for Sustainability – Helmholtz Centre Potsdam (RIFS) conducts research with the aim of investigating, identifying, and advancing development pathways for transformations towards sustainability. Its research approach is transdisciplinary, transformative, and co-creative. The Institute cooperates with partners in science, political and administrative institutions, the business community, and civil society to develop solutions for sustainability challenges. https://lnkd.in/dB2ahGy3

📢 We are proud to announce that the LObSTER Project, recently funded by the PRIN2022 PNRR grant, is a collaborative effort among Politecnico di Torino, Politecnico di Milano, CNR ITAE, and Università degli Studi di Messina. This consortium brings together a wealth of expertise and resources, setting the stage for groundbreaking advancements in sustainable energy for buildings. 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: - 🌞Focus: Integrating Thermal Energy Storage (TES) with solar heating to reduce reliance on fossil fuels for building heating and cooling. - 🎯Target: Emphasizing efficiency in nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEBs). - 🌐Team: A multidisciplinary group from top Italian institutions, skilled in thermal engineering, simulations, building physics, and material science. - 🚀Research Areas: Including thermal optimization of TES components, development of composite sorbents, new material synthesis for improved storage, and comprehensive system analysis. Stay connected with us here for updates and developments from the LObSTER Project as we work towards a more sustainable future in the building sector. #LObSTERProject #SustainableDevelopment #RenewableEnergy #Collaboration #PolitecnicoDiTorino #PolitecnicoDiMilano #CNRITM #UniversitàDiMessina #PRIN2022 #PNRRGrant

An important milestone has been achieved in our Human-Capital project, by growing our own biobased materials within Hanzehogeschool Groningen / Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen's premises. At Hanze UAS, accelerating the energy transition is undertaken through various projects, including the implementation of biobased materials in the Built Environment. The team members of the Research Centre for Built Environment, NoorderRuimte Piet Zijlstra İhsan Engin Bal Jelle Pama Annemarieke Aarts Onur Arslan Pieter Omlo Rozemarijn Veenstra and Ifigenia Psarra thought to go beyond the limited adoption of biobased material from the industry and decided to go through the whole production chain. Growing our own biobased material took place in the open-air space of BuildinG Groningen, under the leadership of Piet Zijlstra and involving researchers, students and the wider learning community. The raw material started a journey towards its use in real buildings. 8 buildings using different methods/materials are planned to be built on the university premises before being tested and evaluated for mass construction. The 4 years project supported by TNO, involves other institutions nationally and locally and promises a significant move towards the use of sustainable materials in the Built Environment. #biobased #sustainability #energytransiton #climatemergency

"It only takes one person to mobilize a community and inspire change." - Teyonah Parris Almost two weeks ago (September 28-29) I had the honor of giving a keynote lecture on "Physical model-based, probabilistic and data-driven methods for a sustainable energy and materials future" at the Workshop on Simulation and Optimization for Sustainable Engineering. This workshop took place on the occasion of the visit of Ignacio Grossmann (Carnegie Mellon Chemical Engineering, USA) to the Departamento de Ingenierías Química y Biomolecular - Universidad de Cantabria in the framework of the "Fulbright U. S. Specialist Program" (Fulbright Association). In this lecture, I emphasized the power of hybrid approaches in shaping a sustainable energy and materials future. We explored the synergy between physical model-based, probabilistic, and data-driven methods, with a particular focus on robust computational fluid dynamics-based optimization, design of experiments, and Bayesian optimization techniques. The real-world applications we discussed, including the design of biogas power plants and materials laboratory automation, highlighted the tangible impact of these methodologies. Key Insights: - Hybrid approaches offer a comprehensive solution for complex engineering challenges. - Numerical results showcased practical applications in energy and materials science. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Marcos Fallanza and Gabriel Zarca Lago for giving me this opportunity and to Ignacio Grossmann for fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. A special thanks to the scientific and organizing committee for orchestrating a seamless and insightful workshop. The event was not only a platform for sharing knowledge but also a hub of vibrant discussions and the latest advancements in Sustainable Engineering. How do you see hybrid approaches shaping the future of sustainable solutions? #simulation #optimization #SustainableEngineering #WSOSE2023 #KeynoteSpeaker #ScientificCommunity #HybridMethods #MachineLearning #DataScience #Modeling

l am delighted,humbled and excited to be invited as a special guest to the upcoming Engineering Convention in Glasgow with the theme - "Engineering and Technological Innovation: A Panacea for Socio-Economic Development" which aims to bring together experts from academia, industry, and government to discuss the critical role of engineering and technological innovation in driving socio-economic development. The conference will explore how innovative solutions can address pressing global challenges, promote sustainable development, and improve the quality of life for individuals and communities worldwide. - Harnessing technological innovation for sustainable development - Engineering solutions for global challenges (e.g., climate change, healthcare, education) - The role of digital transformation in socio-economic development - Innovation and entrepreneurship for economic growth and job creation - The future of work: preparing for the challenges and opportunities of automation and AI - Building resilient and sustainable infrastructure for socio-economic development - Identification of key engineering and technological innovations with high potential for socio-economic impact - Establishment of a network of experts and organizations working together to address global challenges - Development of recommendations for policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers to support the development and implementation of innovative solutions - Showcasing of successful case studies and best practices in engineering and technological innovation for socio-economic development. This is a huge opportunity for : - Engineers, technologists, and innovators from various disciplines - Policymakers and government officials - Industry leaders and entrepreneurs - Researchers and academics - Development professionals and practitioners #NSE #NIMechE #APWEN #Engineering #Innovation

How to better represent institutions in energy/sustainability models? Check our new PNAS paper for a comparative synthesis of three modeling approaches: - integrated assessment model (led by me) - engineering-economic optimization (led by Michael Davidson) - agent-based model (led by Tatiana Filatova) In short, all models have room for improvement to better represent institutions. The right model choice depends on the question. https://lnkd.in/eT8K6N_S

Congratulations to all the researchers involved in the newly-funded Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centres and the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hubs. Six new Training Centres and Seven new Research Hubs were announced on Friday by the ARC. The Training Centres will be funded to the tune of $29.8 million, while the Research Hubs have been allocated $34.7 million. The Training Centres include one for training future leaders in quantum computing, a centre for smart and sustainable horticulture, and a centre for resource efficient alloys in a circular economy. The Research Hubs commencing in 2024 include a new hub looking at solar panel recycling and sustainability, one on the Internet of Things for Water, and one on protected cropping. "These new training centres and research hubs are working on leading edge and crucial science and technology challenges," said STA CEO Ryan Winn. "They'll all foster stronger industry-university research collaboration and equip researchers with the skills and experience needed to drive innovation in Australian industry." https://lnkd.in/gQFvJme7

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝘁? 🔜 Join our Short Webinar "Sustainability Crisis & Scientific Societies", 📅 6 February 2024, 🕔 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM (CET), 🌐 Online 🗣 Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rödel, TU Darmstadt - Institut für Materialwissenschaft The environmental crisis has been looming since the 1950s and 60s. Our reliance on unchecked growth and consumerism collided with our planet's finite resources, leading to irreversible tipping points and Anthropocene traps that demand immediate action. It's clear that addressing the sustainability gap requires a united effort. Scientists from all disciplines, along with their international networks, are essential in this monumental task. 🤝 Join us for this webinar, where we'll explore the crucial role of interdisciplinary collaboration and international scientific cooperation in driving socio-ecological transformation. Register now: https://lnkd.in/eADZ78_k #DGM | #DGMShortWebinar | #DGMWebinar | #SustainabilityMatters | #ScienceForChange | #MaterialsScience | #Engineering | #Materialwissenschaft | #Werkstofftechnik | #SustainabilityCrisis | #SFS | #SFSAlliance | #SocietiesForASustainableFuture | #ClimateChange

“If less is more, how you keeping score?” Hampus André asks himself in a fresh article. With sufficiency LCA the KTH Postdoc tries to explore new frontiers in environmental sustainability.   "It is increasingly clear that efficiency alone isn't enough. We also need sufficiency measures – to get by with less," says André.   Current Life Cycle Assessment (#LCA) methodology falls short in evaluating sufficiency measures, as it sticks to comparing products with equal functionality. Unlike traditional LCA, Sufficiency LCA is a potential game-changer that allows for comparison of products with similar but non-equal functionality. This paves the way for a more comprehensive assessment of measures to achieve environmental sustainability (in other words, based on both efficiency and sufficiency).   Read the paper “If less is more, how you keeping score?” – Outlines of a life cycle assessment method to assess sufficiency, published in Frontiers in Sustainability: https://lnkd.in/dGG8qJtS        #Sustainability #LCAMethodology #EnvironmentalImpact #lifecycleassessment KTH Royal Institute of Technology

#ERVAcommunity, the National Science Foundation (NSF)'s engineering directorate's Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award ($3M/yr) is a new pathway for transformational research addressing a societal grand challenge. https://lnkd.in/euAizh-V. Concept papers are due by Nov. 9. Tap into ERVA's visioning reports to get the creative juices flowing and reference them in your concept paper! See them all here: https://lnkd.in/gMTDp9bV The Role of Engineering to Address Climate Change Leveraging Biology to Power Engineering Impact | 8 Impossible Things Engineering R&D Solutions for Unhackable Infrastructure Sustainable Transportation Networks Engineered Systems for Water Security Engineering the Future of Distributed Manufacturing Now is the time for convergent, engineering-led research to take center stage. Today's webinar with NSF/Eng leaders Susan Margulies and Sohi Rastegar described an unprecedented opportunity for creative researchers to pursue convergence research that addresses a national need on a scale designed for impact.