• Title/Summary/Keyword: Sustainability Accounting

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Framework to Compute Vehicle Emission Costs Associated with Work Zones

  • Shrestha, K. Joseph;Adebiyi, Jeremiah;Uddin, Mohammad Moin;Sturgill, Roy
    • International conference on construction engineering and project management
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    • 2022.06a
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    • pp.952-959
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    • 2022
  • Active construction work zones will result in longer travel time and/or longer travel distances for road users because of reduced speed limits and/or detours. This results in increased fuel consumption and increased emissions of harmful gases such as Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), and Sulfur Oxides (SOx), which causes discomfort to the environment and road users around the work zone. The impact of such emissions should be considered while designing work zones or determining the number of days the roadway will be allowed to be closed partially or fully. This study develops a methodology to compute additional road user costs associated with such work zones. To achieve this goal, a) an extensive literature review is conducted, b) a framework to compute emission cost is developed, c) emission rates are computed for all counties (95) of the state of Tennessee, and d) a case study is conducted to demonstrate the use of the framework to estimate the additional impact of emission because of the work zone. For the case study conducted, the emission cost was computed to be $10,653.60 for the duration of the project. State DOTs can account for such road user costs while selecting contractors using A+B bidding. Accounting for such impact of emission will also indicate the agency's willingness to consider sustainability as a part of the business practices.

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A Review on Urban Resilience Assessment Methods

  • Barjau, Jaime;Wong, Francis K.W.;Fang, Dongping
    • International conference on construction engineering and project management
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    • 2015.10a
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    • pp.685-686
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    • 2015
  • The world is currently undergoing an intense urbanization process. The percentage of urban dwellers has never been so high. In 2010, and for the first time, urban population surpassed the rural one, accounting for 51% of global population, and this trend will continue in the forthcoming years. This increment in concentration of population and supporting assets in cities, make their performance a critical issue for world population. Recent events such as Fukushima tsunami and the hurricane Katrina have shown how fragile built environments are and the unpredictability of occurrence and magnitude of the hazards. Such an expansion of the world's urban population, together with an increase in severity and number of hazards and catastrophes, has put under the spotlight the necessity to build cities not only sustainable, but resilient. Decision makers should acknowledge failure as an option, and the importance of developing city resilience. This paper will provide an initial review on urban resilience, definitions and assessment approaches as a first step for decision makers to account for resilience in their decision making process.

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Evaluating the Smartness of Tourism Destinations? Evidence from Iran's Urban Tourism Destinations

  • Ali Delshad
    • Journal of Smart Tourism
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.15-23
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    • 2024
  • This study aims to present a framework involving smartness components and indicators of tourism destinations. This work had three phases. The first phase extracted the components and indicators of smartness evaluation in tourism destinations and validated them by experts' opinions. The second phase determined the effectiveness of each element of smartness using an online questionnaire tool, a survey of 320 tourism experts at the level of 12 selected urban tourism destinations, and a factor analysis method, in addition to measuring the level of their smartness. The third phase of the research analyzed the difference between the smartness of the selected urban tourism destinations using a One-Way Analysis of Variance and the Tukey Test. The results indicated six components and fifty-seven indicators. Also, a substantial difference between the smartness of urban tourism destinations was proved. This study substantially contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering the smartness indicators within a detailed package of six components with a systemic, holistic, and integrated perspective. The results help policymakers and decision-makers evaluate and improve the smartness of tourism destinations. As a result, it is possible to achieve the goals of smartness of urban tourism destinations, including equality, livability, sustainability, and effectiveness of resource management by using different technologies, especially with the emphasis on two aspects: (1) increasing the quality of the tourism experience, and (2) improving the residents' quality of life.

Systematic Literature Review of Sustainable Construction Projects for Carbon Neutrality

  • Roshan Bandiwadekar;Jong Han Yoon;Vivek Sharma
    • International conference on construction engineering and project management
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    • 2024.07a
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    • pp.94-101
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    • 2024
  • Construction projects are responsible for significant carbon emissions, accounting for 23% of the world's total emissions. While efforts have been made to reduce these emissions, a comprehensive analysis of these efforts has yet to be conducted, making it difficult to identify research gaps and future directions. This study addresses this gap by conducting a systematic literature review of 208 papers in the Web of Science (WOS) database using Carbon, Emission, and Construction as keywords. The review was categorized into bibliometric and content analysis. The bibliometric analysis reveals that most papers focus on estimating and assessing carbon emissions through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) (34%). The use of construction technologies, such as prefabrication and BIM, which can directly reduce carbon emissions, was limited to only 7% of the reviewed papers. Furthermore, the review revealed that 67% of the studies were conducted in China. Similarly, content analysis revealed the papers' essential findings and limitations in each selected category. Based on these findings, the study 1) suggests the technology applications in tacking, estimating and reducing carbon emissions in the construction supply chain (CSC) and 2) highlights the need for global attention to reducing carbon emissions in construction projects.

In Pursuit of Low Carbon Cities: Understanding Limitations of ICLEI's International Local Government Greenhouse Gas Emissions Protocol (저탄소도시를 지향하며 -ICLEI 규약의 한계성 분석-)

  • Kim, Oh Seok
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.48 no.1
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    • pp.151-165
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    • 2013
  • This article addresses potential errors in accounting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions based on the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives' (ICLEI's) International Local Government Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis Protocol (IEAP). The IEAP seems to provide practical guidelines for local governments so that they can measure their GHG emissions. The outcomes are immediately convertible for any national GHG inventory analysis when one is constructed based on the methodology drafted by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Further, it provides a societal foundation at the global level in order for local governments to collectively deal with 'double-counting' and 'allocation' problems. However, ICLEI's IEAP overlooks two major issues: (1) the protocol does not consider carbon dioxide emissions due to burning biological fuel as a type of GHG emission; and (2) it overlooks the possibility of indirect double-counting when producing emission factors at the local level. Thus, the limitations must be fixed so that the local governments can measure their GHG emissions more precisely, while the accurate GHG inventory will ultimately support reducing the local governments' emissions to mitigate anthropogenic climate change.

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Characteristics on bycatch in Korean tuna purse seine fishery associated with FAD in the Indian Ocean by scientific observer programs (과학옵서버 조사에 의한 인도양 수역 한국 다랑어 선망선 FAD 조업의 부수어획실태)

  • LEE, Sung Il;KIM, Doo Nam;LEE, Kyounghoon
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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    • v.56 no.4
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    • pp.277-291
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    • 2020
  • In order to understand characteristics on bycatch of Korean tuna purse seine fishery, especially operations associated with Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) in the Indian Ocean, we conducted analyses related to bycatch by school association type (unassociated school, FAD associated school and log associated school) using the data collected by scientific observers from 2016 to 2018. The FAD used by Korean tuna purse seine fishery in the Indian Ocean was a drifting FAD, which belongs to non-entangling FADs according to the category proposed by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). The target species of Korean tuna purse seine fishery are skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye tunas, accounting for 99% of the total catch. The ratio of bycatch was 0.97% in total catch and the discard accounted for less than 1%, indicating that most catch was retained on board. In terms of bycatch ratio by school association type, it accounted for 0.12% for unassociated school, 1.09% for FAD associated school and 1.25% for log associated school. As for the catch proportion of shark species by school association type, it accounted for 0.01% for unassociated school, 0.11% for FAD associated school and 0.10% for log associated school, which showed that unassociated school type was the lowest to affect bycatch of non-target and shark species. Given the proportion of bycatch compositions, however, it is considered that FAD associated school of Korean tuna purse seine fishery has less caught bycatch species of non-target and shark, compared to other fleets operating in the Indian Ocean.

Seaweed cultivation and utilization of Korea

  • Hwang, Eun Kyoung;Park, Chan Sun
    • ALGAE
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    • v.35 no.2
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    • pp.107-121
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    • 2020
  • Mariculture is regarded as the only option to supply the increasing demands for seaweeds as human food, feeds, fodder, and phycolloids in a sustainable manner. Technologies for culturing a range of seaweed species have been developed successively in Korea since the 1970s. In 2017, Korean marine farms produced 1,761,526 t of seaweed. The key focus of the industry is on the production of Pyropia (523,648 t), Undaria (622,613 t), and Saccharina (542,285 t). Pyropia is economically the most important species in Korea, accounting for up to 68% of total production value. As the top exporter of Pyropia in the world, Korea exported up to US $525 million of Pyropia products to 110 countries in 2018. Other economically important genera include Sargassum, Ulva, Capsosiphon, Codium, and Gracilariopsis, all of which are used for food, and Gelidium, Pachymeniopsis, and Ecklonia which are used as raw material for phycocolloid extraction. Significant work has gone into developing more productive strains of key seaweed species, and in 2012 the Korean government began to certify seaweed varieties. To date, 19 seaweed cultivars have been registered including 13 Pyropia, 5 Undaria, and 1 Saccharina. The industry is now seeking not only to increase productivity but also to add value through processing. Convenience foods and snacks have been developed that target health-conscious consumers and utilize the nutritional properties of seaweeds. The industry is also seeking to promote the sustainability of seaweed farming. One seaweed company in Korea obtained the world's first ASC-MSC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council-Marine Stewardship Council) certification in 2019 and more are expected to follow their lead. With continued research support, the Korean seaweed industry plans to continue to expand to meet new market demands at a sustainable pace.

Review of Domestic Data Application Strategies for TNFD Implementation (TNFD 적용을 위한 국내 활용가능 데이터 적용 방안 검토)

  • Kim, Eun-Sub;Kim, Hoseok;Lee, Dong-Kun;Choi, Yun-Yeong;Kim, Da-Seul
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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    • v.27 no.1
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    • pp.55-70
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    • 2024
  • The loss of biodiversity poses a significant threat not only to business sustainability and investment risk but also to societal well-being. Nature serves as a crucial driver for long-term business viability and economic prosperity. The Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), established in September 2023, mandates that companies assess and disclose their impacts on nature. Despite this, many businesses lack a full understanding of their reliance on and impact upon natural capital and ecosystem services, leading to insufficient disclosures. This study evaluates the applicability of TNFD's assessment methodologies and indicators within a domestic context, highlighting the condition of nature and ecosystem services, and exploring potential synergies with national biodiversity policies. Our analysis suggests that TNFD necessitates a unique approach to the spatial and temporal data and methodologies traditionally employed in environmental impact assessments. This includes assessing the reciprocal influences of corporate activities on natural capital and ecosystem services via the LEAP framework. Moreover, in industries where the choice of specific indicators depends on unique sectoral traits, developing a standardized strategy for data and assessment indicators-adapted to local conditions-is crucial due to the variability in the availability of assessment tools and data. The proactive engagement of the private sector in ecosystem restoration projects is particularly promising for contributing towards national biodiversity objectives. Although TNFD is in its nascent phase, its global adoption by numerous companies signifies its potential impact. Successful implementation of TNFD is anticipated to deepen businesses' and financial institutions' understanding of natural capital and ecosystem services, thereby reinforcing their commitment to sustainable development.

Pig production in Latin America

  • Luciano Roppa;Marcos Elias Duarte;Sung Woo Kim
    • Animal Bioscience
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    • v.37 no.4_spc
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    • pp.786-793
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    • 2024
  • Latin America is a culturally, geographically, politically, and economically diverse region. Agriculture in Latin America is marked by a remarkable diversity of production systems, reflecting various agroecological zones, farm sizes, and technological levels. In the last decade, the swine industry increased by 30.6%, emerging as a great contributor to food security and economic development in Latin America. Brazil and Mexico dominate the pig production landscape, together accounting for 70% of sow inventory in the region. The swine industry in Latin America is predominantly comprised of small and medium-sized farms, however, in the past 30 years, the number of pig producers in Brazil dropped by 78%, whereas pork production increased by 326%. Similar to the global pork industry, the growing demand for pork, driven by population growth and changing dietary habits, presents an opportunity for the industry with an expected growth of 16% over the next decade. The export prospects are promising, however subject to potential disruptions from global market conditions and shifts in trade policies. Among the challenges faced by the swine industry, disease outbreaks, particularly African Swine Fever (ASF), present significant threats, necessitating enhanced biosecurity and surveillance systems. In 2023, ASF was reported to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) in Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Venezuela, and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) in Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Ecuador. Additionally, feed costs, supply chain disruptions, and energy expenses have affected mainly the smaller and less efficient producers. The swine industry is also transitioning towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices, including efficient feed usage, and precision farming. Ensuring long-term success in the swine industry in Latin America requires a holistic approach that prioritizes sustainability, animal welfare, and consumer preferences, ultimately positioning the industry to thrive in the evolving global market.

An Exploratory Study on the Relationship Between the Factors of Spatial Composition and Innovation in Makerspaces (메이커스페이스(Makerspaces)의 공간구성 요인과 혁신 간 관계에 대한 탐색적 연구)

  • Seo, Jin Won;Choi, Jong In
    • Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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    • v.15 no.4
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    • pp.263-275
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    • 2020
  • In the vortex of change, commonly referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Korea has a national task of changing the paradigm of economic growth from a chase-type economic structure to a leading one. The era has come when all resources of the country, as well as the government and businesses, must join in innovation and growth in order to maintain the pace of sustained economic development, and significantly advanced countries are stimulating members' innovation activities with various policies and systems as they enter the 21st century. South Korea is also making efforts to create an open creative space referred to as Makerspace or Fab Lab, to create an innovative voluntary environment for its citizens. This study explored factors that Makerspace, which is proliferating in Korea, should consider to secure development and sustainability as an innovation (start-up) space. Through prior research, openness and expertise were derived from the characteristics of Makerspace, and expert interviews confirmed that the capabilities lacking in Makerspace and the capabilities to be secured in the future are openness and professionalism. Also, specific components of openness and professionalism were presented through prior research, and implications for each subject's Makerspace were presented, such as openness, professionalism, and commercialization.