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| Title | Author(s) | Type | Year | Tags | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and demolition waste generation in cities in India: an integrated approach This paper quantifies construction and demolition waste (C&DW) generation rate in Indian cities using bottom-up material flow analysis approach. A dynamic model was applied to different classes of cities in India to investigate how C&DW generation rate varies across different classes of cities. The data on construction and demolition activities in different classes of cities were estimated from information reported in secondary literature. The results show that urban areas in India generated over 150 million tonnes of C&DW in 2016, and almost 50% of waste was generated in small to medium towns. The paper concludes with discussion on opportunities for recycling of C&DW and closing the material loops in Indian cities. | Construction and demolition waste generation in cities in India: an ... | Jain, Sourabh; Singhal, Shaleen; Jain, Nikunj Kumar | Journal Article | academic | 2019 |
Case Study
Circular Economy
Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Single point in time
Urban
|
| Incorporating Metabolic Thinking into Regional Planning: The Case of the Sierra Calderona Strategic Plan A metabolic study of the South-Eastern part of the Calderona Mountain Range (Sierra Calderona) was developed in 2014 as a part of the Sierra Calderona Strategic Plan (SCSP). The goal of the study was to define strategies to optimise materials and energy flows in the region and, thereby, enhance the sustainability of the entire regional system. Due to its location on the outskirts of the Metropolitan Area of Valencia, Sierra Calderona presents most of the metabolic challenges and potentials that characterise peri-urban areas, giving the SCSP case a wider and transferable interest. After introducing the scope, rationale, and research questions, the article first summarises the main theoretical and methodological frameworks underpinning the integration of metabolic studies in regional and urban planning. Following our literature review, the article focuses on the way in which the metabolic analyses were inputted and informed the different phases and outcomes of the SCSP: analysis and diagnosis, regional objectives and strategies, landscape and land-use plan, sectoral plans and pilot projects. This approach was based on the combination of complementary analytical methods such as material and energy flow accounting and Ecological Footprint Analysis. Additionally, the article reflects on how new conceptual tools such as the Functional Metabolic Areas were used in the SCSP in order to operate in a complex spatial system and to generate a regional metabolic model. Subsequently, the main contributions and shortcomings of the use of metabolic inputs in the SCSP are discussed by comparing the metabolic assessment approach adopted in the SCSP with available models and methods. Finally, our conclusions suggest potential improvements and future lines of research on a two-way implication between urban metabolism research and regional and urban planning practice. | Incorporating Metabolic Thinking into Regional Planning: The Case of the ... | Juanjo Galan, Daniela Perrotti | Journal Article | academic | 2019 |
Case Study
Ecological Footprint (EF)
Energy Accounting
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Sub-national
Urban
|
| Modeling copper demand in China up to 2050: A business-as-usual scenario based on dynamic stock and flow analysis In this paper, we develop a dynamic stock model and scenario analysis involving a bottom-up approach to analyze copper demand in China from 2005 to 2050 based on government and related sectoral policies. The results show that in the short-term, China's copper industry cannot achieve a completely circular economy without additional measures. Aggregate and per capita copper demand are both set to increase substantially, especially in infrastructure, transportation, and buildings. Between 2016 and 2050, total copper demand will increase almost threefold. Copper use in buildings will stabilize before 2050, but the copper stock in infrastructure and transportation will not yet have reached saturation in 2050. The continuous growth of copper stock implies that secondary copper will be able to cover just over 50% of demand in 2050, at best, even with an assumed recycling rate of 90%. Finally, future copper demand depends largely on the lifetime of applications. There is therefore an urgent need to prolong the service life of end-use products to reduce the amount of materials used, especially in large-scale applications in buildings and infrastructure. | Modeling copper demand in China up to 2050: A business-as-usual ... | Dong, Di; Tukker, Arnold; Voet, Ester Van der | Journal Article | academic | 2019 |
Case Study
Circular Economy
Copper
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
National
Scenario analysis
Time series
|
| Pathways towards regional circular economy evaluated using material flow analysis and system dynamics Circular Economy (CE) offers insights to sustainable production and consumption by integrating environmental analysis to the socioeconomic system. To promote sustainable development in Guangdong Province, this study integrates System Dynamics (SD) and Material Flow Analysis (MFA) into CE theories to establish a framework to comprehensively evaluate regional economies. Nine development scenarios are further developed to provide strategic recommendations for the development of CE in Guangdong. The results of these scenarios show that the CE of Guangdong is most effective among the nine scenarios when the birth rate is reduced by about 2‰, the growth rates of the primary and secondary industries are reduced by 2%, and the growth rate of the tertiary industry increased by 2%. The biological substance consumption, fossil fuel consumption, building mineral consumption, industrial exhaust emissions and solid waste emissions are 88.39 Mt, 86.63 Mt, 108.16 Mt, 280.90 Mt, and 69.02 Mt respectively. The total material input (TMI) of 10,000 RMB of GDP and the total material output (TMO) of 10,000 RMB of GDP are 49.64 kt/10,000 RMB and 42.70 kt/10,000 RMB in 2022 respectively. Based on the status quo and simulated results, this study acknowledges the importance of population control and highlights the vigorous development of tertiary industry in economic construction. Policy interventions such as building pilot demonstrative smart cities and industrial parks would facilitate long-term sustainability of urban systems. None | Pathways towards regional circular economy evaluated using material flow analysis ... | Gao, Chengkang; Gao, Chengbo; Song, Kaihui; Fang, Kejing | Journal Article | academic | 2019 |
Case Study
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Sub-national
System dynamics modelling (SDM)
|
| Using spatially explicit commodity flow and truck activity data to map urban material flows To analyze and promote resource efficiency in urban areas, it is important to characterize urban metabolism and particularly, material flows. Material flow analysis (MFA) offers a means to capture the dynamism of cities and their activities. Urban‐scale MFAs have been conducted in many cities, usually employing variants of the Eurostat methodology. However, current methodologies generally reduce the study area into a “black box,” masking details of the complex processes within the city's metabolism. Therefore, besides the aggregated stocks and flows of materials, the movement of materials—often embedded in goods or commodities—should also be highlighted. Understanding the movement and dispersion of goods and commodities can allow for more detailed analysis of material flows. We highlight the potential benefits of using high‐resolution urban commodity flows in the context of understanding material resource use and opportunities for conservation. Through the use of geographic information systems and visualizations, we analyze two spatially explicit datasets: (1) commodity flow data in the United States, and (2) Global Positioning System‐based commercial vehicle (truck) driver activity data in Singapore. In the age of “big data,” we bring advancements in freight data collection to the field of urban metabolism, uncovering the secondary sourcing of materials that would otherwise have been masked in typical MFA studies. This brings us closer to a consumption‐based, finer‐resolution approach to MFA, which more effectively captures human activities and its impact on urban environments. | Using spatially explicit commodity flow and truck activity data to ... | Lih Wei Yeow, Lynette Cheah | Journal Article | academic | 2019 |
Case Study
Geographic Information System (GIS)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
National
Transportation
Urban
|
| Estimation of greenhouse gas reduction in waste recycling sector in Cheongju-si, Korea using US EPA WARM model The "A new climate agreement" adopted by the 21st Session of the Conference of Parties (COP) in Paris in 2015 and entered into force on November 4. For this purpose, it is mandatory to report on national greenhouse gas inventories and achievement of GHG reduction targets. In order to play a role as a countermeasure against climate change, efforts for climate change are also essential in local governments. Although in Korea, a portion of wastes sector among the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions is only 2.4% (based on 2015 year), considering the effect of substituting natural resources through material recycling, waste-to-energy conversion, and landfill gas recovery would make cumulative further reduction of greenhouse gases. The importance of recycling is increasing in recent years due to the lack of virgin material, the limitation of natural resources, increased waste management costs, limited space in landfills, and the impact of climate change resulting from the decomposition of waste from landfills. In the United States, the EPA WARM (waste reduction model) was developed and widely used to calculate greenhouse gas reductions in the waste sector. In this study, we used the WARM model to estimate the amount of GHG reduction by the recycling of household municipal waste in Cheongju city with a population of 800000, along with material flow analysis on the data of '2017 National Waste Generation and Disposal Status '. In order to calculate the greenhouse gas reduction amount obtained from recycling, baseline scenario was based on assuming that some of the recycled amount was either landfilled or incinerated, while the alternative scenario was based on the currently recycled amount of the city. According to the results of this study, greenhouse gas reductions by the waste recycling of Cheongju city calculated by the WARM model were reduced about 410,000 MTCO2eq (Metric Ton of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent) or 110,000 MTCE(Metric Ton of Carbon Equivalent) per year in 2017 and 2.74 million MBTU of energy was conserved. It should be noted that the feasibility of domestic application and to accurately understand and analyze the factors considered in the system boundary and estimation method should be examined, when applying to actual reduction of GHGs by waste recycling. The results of this study can be used as a basic data for estimating GHG reductions at the local city level in the waste sector and establishing GHG reduction policy in the future. | Estimation of greenhouse gas reduction in waste recycling sector in ... | Lee, Gain; Kwon, Yuree; Jang, Yong-chul; Jang, Yeji | Conference Paper | None | 2019 |
Case Study
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
Scenario analysis
Single point in time
Urban
Waste
|
| The State of the Art of Material Flow Analysis Research Based on Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling and Disposal Construction and demolition waste (C&D waste) are widely recognized as the main form municipal solid waste, and its recycling and reuse are an important issue in sustainable city development. Material flow analysis (MFA) can quantify materials flows and stocks, and is a useful tool for the analysis of construction and demolition waste management. In recent years, material flow analysis has been continually researched in construction and demolition waste processing considering both single waste material and mixed wastes, and at regional, national, and global scales. Moreover, material flow analysis has had some new research extensions and new combined methods that provide dynamic, robust, and multifaceted assessments of construction and demolition waste. In this paper, we summarize and discuss the state of the art of material flow analysis research in the context of construction and demolition waste recycling and disposal. Furthermore, we also identify the current research gaps and future research directions that are expected to promote the development of MFA for construction and demolition waste processing in the field of sustainable city development. | The State of the Art of Material Flow Analysis Research ... | Guo, Dongming; Huang, Lizhen | Journal Article | academic | 2019 |
Case Study
Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Multi-scale
Research and Analysis
Urban
|
| Understanding the mechanism of urban material metabolism with ecological network analysis: An experimental study of Wuxi, China Cities are considered to be major consumers of natural resources, creating global resource shortages and environmental challenges. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of material metabolism is crucial for modern cities’ sustainable development. Here we took the city of Wuxi as an example, first constructing a network composed of 8 components. Combining material accounting and ecological network analysis, we analyzed the integrated flow process and components’ weight distributions for 6 years. Additionally, relationships among components were identified, to examine the synergism level of the metabolic system. Our results indicate that Wuxi’s urban system was dependent on its environment, and the integrated material inflow of transportation, household consumption and mining increased to 1.55, 1.36 and 3.36, respectively, during the study period. Environment and household consumption accounted for the largest sectoral weights (20.9% and 20.0%, respectively), while that of manufacturing, and mining changed significantly by 5.1% and 4.4%, respectively. Within the system, the environment supplied resources, agriculture and mining utilized renewable resources, venous industry promoted resource recycling. Mutualism relationships were mainly related to these sectors. However, exploitation and control were the dominant relationships in Wuxi, and the whole system’s synergism level still needed to be improved. This study provides a scientific guidance for the future structural adjustment and resource utilization for Wuxi and the similar medium-sized cities with rapid economic development in China. | Understanding the mechanism of urban material metabolism with ecological network ... | Li, Yanxian; Wang, Xinjing; Tian, Xin; Zhang, Yan | Journal Article | academic | 2018 |
Biomass
Case Study
Ecological Network Analysis (ENA)
Emissions
Energy
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Minerals
Time series
Urban
Various Materials
Waste
Water
Zotero import
Zotero2
|
| Urban Metabolism of Bangalore City: A Water Mass Balance Analysis Cities are increasingly depending on energy-intensive water sources, such as distant rivers and the ocean, to meet their water demand. However, such expensive sources could be avoided using alternative local sources of water such as wastewater, rainwater, and stormwater. Many cities do not have robust accounts of those localized water resources, as estimating those resources requires comprehensive accounting in complex urban water systems. In this article, we investigate whether an urban metabolism evaluation framework built on the urban water mass balance can help analyze these resources, especially in a rapidly growing developing city. We first refined the water mass balance equation developed by Kenway and his colleagues in 2011 for a developing country context with the inclusion of some significant components such as system loss. Then, we applied the refined equation for the first time to Bangalore city in India, a developing country, for the year 2013–2014 as a real case example, which is a rare water mass balance analysis of its kind. The refined equation helped analyze Bangalore's urban water system. The total available wastewater, stormwater, and rainwater were 656 gigaliters (GL). The gap between water demand and supply could be met if 54\% of this recycled potential were harnessed. Wastewater had enough potential (362 GL) to replace the whole centralized water supply from the Cauvery. A scenario analysis showed that the gap between water demand and supply in 2021 can be met if 60\% of total recycled potential is utilized. This approach can be used to help other cities identify the potential of alternative water sources and support integrated water planning and monitoring water metabolic performance. | Urban Metabolism of Bangalore City: A Water Mass Balance Analysis | Paul, Reba; Kenway, Steven; McIntosh, Brian; Mukheibir, Pierre | Journal Article | academic | 2018 |
Case Study
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Scenario analysis
Time series
Urban
Wastewater
Water
Water mass balance analysis
|
| Comprehensive evaluation on industrial & urban symbiosis by combining MFA, carbon footprint and emergy methods—Case of Kawasaki, Japan One proposed strategy to solve current environmental challenges is industrial and urban symbiosis (I/UrS); however, appropriate evaluation methods are needed so that the potential benefits of I/UrS can be quantified. Several evaluation methods have been applied separately to study I/UrS, but no integrated studies have been conducted by applying different methods in the same case study area. Therefore, this study aimed to establish a comprehensive framework to evaluate I/UrS by combining the material flow analysis (MFA), carbon footprint (CF) and emergy methods. First, we developed a unified database and step-by-step process to clarify the waste distribution and recycling processes in an industrial city. Then a baseline scenario and an I/UrS scenario were set up to define the baselines and effects of I/UrS and compare the results. Finally, the three methods were applied to identify physical features in the I/UrS system. The MFA-based results showed that the use of I/UrS led to a 6.4% reduction in the physical value of material use. The CF-based results indicated that reduction of waste and by-products results in a 13.8% reduction in CO2e emissions. The emergy-based results showed that, with the implementation of I/UrS, the value of the emergy sustainability index (excluding labor and services) improved greatly (a 49.2% emergy reduction) as compared with the baseline case (a 14.3% reduction). In addition, the effects of implementing I/UrS by waste and by-product exchanges for blast furnace slag, scrap steel, waste paper, and waste plastic were evaluated. Whereas the CF reductions of unit ton of blast furnace slag is relatively low, emergy reductions of that is comparatively high. If policymakers only consider CF results when addressing the issue of climate change, the effects on emergy will be underestimated in this case. We conclude that the main actors in this area release huge emissions, but they also have a high potential to reduce their environmental loads. In addition, with appropriate designs, waste paper and plastics recycling could be highly efficient. Finally, the integration of the three evaluation methods should contribute to creating a low carbon and more resource independent society. | Comprehensive evaluation on industrial & urban symbiosis by combining MFA, ... | Satoshi Ohnishi and Huijuan Dong and Yong Geng and Minoru Fujii and Tsuyoshi Fujita | Journal Article | academic | 2017 |
Carbon Footprint (CF)
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Case Study
Emergy Analysis
Industrial Symbiosis
Japan
Kawasaki
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Metals
Research and Analysis
Urban
|
| Flows, system boundaries and the politics of urban metabolism: Waste management in Mexico City and Santiago de Chile In this paper we examine two central concepts of urban metabolism (‘system boundaries' and ‘flows'), and explore how to approach them as a means to politicise urban metabolism research. We present empirical findings from two case studies of waste management, in Mexico City and Santiago de Chile, looking at: the materiality of waste flows, the actors involved in them, and how waste flows relate to issues of environmental justice. We argue that urban metabolism, as a methodology to understand urban sustainability, has the potential to produce knowledge to trigger urban transformations, and to analyse the social, political and environmental aspects of waste management in urban areas. | Flows, system boundaries and the politics of urban metabolism: Waste ... | Louise Guibrunet and Martin Sanzana Calvet and Vanesa Castán Broto | Journal Article | academic | 2016 |
Case Study
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Political ecology
UM review paper import
Urban
Waste
|
| A hybrid method for quantifying China's nitrogen footprint during urbanisation from 1990 to 2009 In this study, we devise a national nitrogen footprint method to evaluate the life cycle nitrogen flows through the national economy of China from 1990 to 2009. To this end, we build a hybrid method based on two well-established techniques, namely material flow analysis (MFA) and input-output analysis (IOA). This integration allows for the evaluation of the effects of international trade and interdependencies among economic sectors. Our results suggest that China's nitrogen footprint (NF) has increased from 30.3 Teragrams (Tg) in 1990 to 54.0 Tg in 2009, whereas the NF per capita has increased from 25.9 to 39.5 kg N/yr. Relationship between the world NF per capita and human development index (HDI) appears to show an inverted U curve, whilst China shows an increase both in NF per capita and HDI. We find that an increase in China's NF is largely associated with high levels of urbanisation. Although the energy NF (E_NF) has increased more drastically than the food NF (F_NF), the latter still dominates China's total NNF, with proportions of 91% in 1990 and 82% in 2009. Taking international trade into account, our results demonstrate that China was a net exporter of F_NF, whilst a net importer of E_NF over this time period. There are many measures considered to reduce China's nitrogen footprint, including improvements in N use efficiency of food systems, transformation of meat-based diets and optimisation of China's economic structure. | A hybrid method for quantifying China's nitrogen footprint during urbanisation ... | Shenghui Cui and Yalan Shi and Arunima Malik and Manfred Lenzen and Bing Gao and Wei Huang | Journal Article | academic | 2016 |
Case Study
Input-Output Analysis (IOA)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Method
National
Nitrogen
Time series
hybrid
|
| Evaluating urban sustainability potential based on material flow analysis of inputs and outputs: A case study in Jinchang City, China Many cities are facing environmental challenges with rapid urbanisation and industrialisation. It is critical to evaluate this new urban reality and its sustainability potential to generate appropriate solutions for a sustainable future. The urban metabolism framework is commonly applied to understand appropriate strategies to achieve sustainability for urban systems. In this study, material flow analysis was applied in conjunction with specific socio-economic indicators to model urban metabolism and evaluate appropriate urban metabolism changes for Jinchang City, China between 1995 and 2014. Structural decomposition analysis and decoupling analysis were used to explain and evaluate the sustainability potential of Jinchang City. Changes in material consumption and the waste generation of Jinchang City indicated a long-term unsustainable trajectory, evidenced by continuously increasing material inputs and outputs. We also found a significant reduction in air pollution, with declining sulphur dioxide emissions and dust; all are indicators of improvement in air quality. What is of special note is that industrial production was concurrently greatly increasing. These indicators suggest a positive improvement in sustainability beyond simple incrementalism. The study showed that MFA techniques can be used as valuable tools for understanding urban metabolism, evaluating urban sustainability, and suggesting strategies for the timely addressing of urban sustainability issues. This strategy is important in the face of China’s increasing industrial capacity. | Evaluating urban sustainability potential based on material flow analysis of ... | Li, Ying; Beeton, R. J. S.; Halog, Anthony; Sigler, Thomas | Journal Article | academic | 2016 |
Biomass
Case Study
Construction Materials
Energy
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Metals
Minerals
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
|
| African Urbanization: Assimilating Urban Metabolism into Sustainability Discourse and Practice Shaping sustainable, equitable African cities requires strengthened investigations into the cities' current resource flows, infrastructure systems, and future resource requirements. The field of urban metabolism (UM) offers multiple forms of analysis with which to map, analyse, and visualize urban resource profiles. Challenges in assessing UM in African cities include data scarcity at the city level, difficulty in tracking informal flows, lack of standardized methods, and the open nature of cities. However, such analyses are needed at the local level, given that city practitioners cannot rely purely on urban planning traditions of the global North or the typically broad studies about urban Africa, for supporting strategies toward sustainable urban development. This article aims to draw together the concepts of sustainable development and UM and explore their application in the African context. Further, the article estimated resource profiles for 120 African cities, including consumption of biomass, fossil fuels, electricity, construction materials, and water, as well as emissions of carbon dioxide. These resource profiles serve as a baseline from which to begin assessing the current and future resource intensity of these cities. It also provides insights into the cities' relative resource impact, future consumption trends, and potential options for sustainability interventions. | African Urbanization: Assimilating Urban Metabolism into Sustainability Discourse and Practice | Currie, Paul Klugman and Musango, Josephine Kaviti | Journal Article | academic | 2016 |
Biomass
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Case Study
Comparison
Construction Materials
Electricity
Fossil Fuels
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Single point in time
UM review paper import
Urban
Water
|
| Surveying the Environmental Footprint of Urban Food Consumption Assessments of urban metabolism (UM) are well situated to identify the scale, components, and direction of urban and energy flows in cities and have been instrumental in benchmarking and monitoring the key levers of urban environmental pressure, such as transport, space conditioning, and electricity. Hitherto, urban food consumption has garnered scant attention both in UM accounting (typically lumped with 'biomass') and on the urban policy agenda, despite its relevance to local and global environmental pressures. With future growth expected in urban population and wealth, an accounting of the environmental footprint from urban food demand ('foodprint') is necessary. This article reviews 43 UM assessments including 100 cities, and a total of 132 foodprints in terms of mass, carbon footprint, and ecological footprint and situates it relative to other significant environmental drivers (transport, energy, and so on) The foodprint was typically the third largest source of mass flows (average is 0.8 tonnes per capita per annum) and carbon footprint (average is 2.1 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalents per capita per annum) in the reviewed cities, whereas it was generally the largest driver of urban ecological footprints (average is 1.2 global hectares per capita per annum), with large deviations based on wealth, culture, and urban form. Meat and dairy are the primary drivers of both global warming and ecological footprint impacts, with little relationship between their consumption and city wealth. The foodprint is primarily linear in form, producing significant organic exhaust from the urban system that has a strong, positive correlation to wealth. Though much of the foodprint is embodied within imported foodstuffs, cities can still implement design and policy interventions, such as improved nutrient recycling and food waste avoidance, to redress the foodprint. | Surveying the Environmental Footprint of Urban Food Consumption | Goldstein, Benjamin and Birkved, Morten and Fernández, John and Hauschild, Michael | Journal Article | academic | 2016 |
Carbon Footprint (CF)
Case Study
Comparison
Ecological Footprint (EF)
Food
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Review Paper
Single point in time
UM review paper import
Urban
Zotero2
|
| Indicators of urban metabolism applied to the management of urban solid waste in the city of Tandil, Province of Buenos Aires With 54% of the world population living in urban areas (66% projected for 2050), the urgent need to commit efforts in the construction of an integral and sustainable management of resources is reaffirmed. The Integral Urban Solid Waste Management (GIRSU) approach promotes the incorporation of the concept of the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) as one of the pillars of its strategy. When setting policies to implement the GIRSU in a city, it is necessary to have tools and indicators to evaluate the current situation of the system and its evolution over time, monitoring the results obtained with the implementation of the 3 Rs and raising improvement alternatives. The studies of urban metabolism can be applied to this end. This article focuses on the urban metabolism studies and the tools and indicators associated with them as support for the elaboration of proposals for an integral management of urban solid waste (RSU). This paper addresses the case of the city of Tandil. A Material Flow Diagram (DFM) of the waste is made using the STAN® 2.5 software. To be able to specify this, the actors involved in the management system of the RSU and their interrelationships are first identified. Then the flows of the system are considered and quantified with the available information. This simple exercise allows to have a first image of the system and the weight of the current recycling in relation to the amount of waste generated. On the other hand, the results obtained serve to propose necessary strategies, identify and obtain the missing information and the control points that allow the generation of the monitoring indicators of the 3R policies. | Indicators of urban metabolism applied to the management of urban ... | Luciano Villalba, Roxana Banda Noriega, Rubén Donalisio, Beatriz Sosa, Adriana Díaz | Conference Paper | None | 2016 |
Argentina
Case Study
City
Indicators - general
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
STAN
Single point in time
Tandil
Waste
|
| Towards a Dynamic Approach to Urban Metabolism: Tracing the Temporal Evolution of Brussels' Urban Metabolism from 1970 to 2010 Urban metabolism (UM) is a way of characterizing the flows of materials and energy through and within cities. It is based on a comparison of cities to living organisms, which, like cities, require energy and matter flows to function and which generate waste during the mobilization of matter. Over the last 40 years, this approach has been applied in numerous case studies. Because of the data‐intensive nature of a UM study, however, this methodology still faces some challenges. One such challenge is that most UM studies only present macroscopic results on either energy, water, or material flows at a particular point in time. This snapshot of a particular flow does not allow the tracing back of the flow's evolution caused by a city's temporal dynamics. To better understand the temporal dynamics of a UM, this article first presents the UM for Brussels Capital Region for 2010, including energy, water, material, and pollution flows. A temporal evaluation of these metabolic flows, as well as some urban characteristics starting from the seminal study of Duvigneaud and Denayer‐De Smet in the early 1970s to 2010, is then carried out. This evolution shows that Brussels electricity, natural gas, and water use increased by 160%, 400%, and 15%, respectively, over a period of 40 years, whereas population only increased by 1%. The effect of some urban characteristics on the UM is then briefly explored. Finally, this article succinctly compares the evolution of Brussels’ UM with those of Paris, Vienna, Barcelona, and Hong Kong and concludes by describing further research pathways that enable a better understanding of the complex functioniong of UM over time. | Towards a Dynamic Approach to Urban Metabolism: Tracing the Temporal ... | Athanassiadis, Aristide and Bouillard, Philippe and Crawford, Robert H. and Khan, Ahmed Z. | Journal Article | academic | 2016 |
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Case Study
Electricity
Emissions
Energy
Energy Balance
Fossil Fuels
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
Infra-urban
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Research and Analysis
SO2
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
Waste
Wastewater
Water
|
| An application of system dynamics for evaluating planning alternatives to guide a green industrial transformation in a resource-based city A number of resource-based cities have suffered from unsustainable industrial pathways and aggravated environmental devastation. For such types of cities, especially in developing countries, it is imperative to launch a green industrial transformation that calls for considering more alternatives that involve environmental concerns in the planning process. This study aims to develop a system dynamics model for evaluating different planning alternatives concerning three prominent factors: industrial scale, structure, and efficiency; the findings are expected to assist decision-makers with a wider perspective in retrofitting the industrial system. Linfen, a typical Chinese resource-based city, is taken as a case. The results showed that compared with structure adjustment and technical progress, scale control should be taken as the foremost transformation measure for some cities with more excessive industrial capacities or in even worse environmental situations. For Linfen, the production capacities of its four main industries, i.e., coking, iron making, steel making and coal-power generation, need to be cut down, respectively, by 18.0%, 8.6%, 12.7% and 64.2% compared to the local industrial department's preferred options. Because of its capability to depict sophisticated interactions of environmental issues and industrial factors under diversified circumstances, alternative evaluation with the SD model is of great potential for delivering more integrated knowledge to decision-makers in industrial planning towards green transformation. | An application of system dynamics for evaluating planning alternatives to ... | Kuai, Peng; Li, Wei; Cheng, Runhe; Cheng, Gang | Journal Article | academic | 2015 |
Case Study
Energy
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
SO2
Scenario analysis
System dynamics modelling (SDM)
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
Water
|
| Metabolism of Brussels-Capital Region: identification of flows, economic actors and activities on the territory and tracks of reflection for resource optimisation This book on the metabolism of the Brussels-Capital Region presents, on the basis of foreign experience, a report on material and energy flows at the level of the Brussels-Capital Region for the year 2011 as well as concrete improvements on certain value chains in a circular economy perspective. It also opens perspectives for the development of the regional program in circular economy initiated by the Brussels government in terms of operational, regulatory, economic and socio-economic plans. In more practical terms, the content includes: · a bibliographic analysis which makes it possible to situate the construction of Brussels' circular economy policy in relation to other neighboring and non-neighboring territories; · A regional metabolic assessment offering a new way of approaching materials, energy and water on the territory, linking the incoming, stored and outgoing flows of the territory. The assessment also constitutes a tool base for monitoring the effectiveness of resource use in the territory; · An assessment and the definition of actions for the improvement of flows selected by Brussels Envionnement and their value chains for new projects or studies to be driven by Brussels actors; · The rendering of the participatory dynamic that has allowed to start a reflection and definition of intentions regarding the development of the circular economy on a Brussels scale. The present study thus constitutes a new starting point in the work of optimizing flows of materials, water and energy in the Brussels regional territory in a circular economy perspective based on a theoretical basis related to concrete applications. who want to be as realistic as they are practical. Cet ouvrage sur le métabolisme de la Région Bruxelles-Capitale présente, sur base d’expériences étrangères, un bilan de flux de matières et d’énergie à l’échelle de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale pour l’année 2011 ainsi que des pistes d’amélioration concrètes sur certaines chaînes de valeur dans une perspective d’économie circulaire. Il ouvre également des perspectives de développement du programme régional en économie circulaire initiée par le gouvernement bruxellois sur les plans opérationnels, réglementaires, économiques que socio-économiques. En termes plus pratiques, le contenu reprend: · une analyse bibliographique qui permet de situer la construction de la politique d’économie circulaire de Bruxelles en regard d’autres territoires voisins et non-voisins; · un bilan métabolique régional offrant une nouvelle manière d’aborder les matières, l’énergie et l’eau sur le territoire, car mettant en lien les flux entrants, stockés et sortants du territoire. Le bilan constitue aussi une base d’outil pour le suivi de l’efficacité d’utilisation des ressources sur le territoire; · une évaluation et la définition d’actions pour l’amélioration de flux sélectionnés par Bruxelles Envionnement et leurs chaînes de valeurs pour de nouveaux projet ou études à impulser par les acteurs bruxellois; · le rendu de la dynamique participative qui a permis de démarrer une réflexion et définition d’intentions quant au développement de l’économie circulaire à l’échelle de Bruxelles . La présente étude constitue donc un nouveau point de départ dans le travail d’optimisation des flux de matières, eau et énergie sur le territoire régional bruxellois dans une perspective d’économie circulaire en s’appuyant sur une base théorique en lien avec des applications concrètes qui se veulent aussi réalistes que pratiques. | Metabolism of Brussels-Capital Region: identification of flows, economic actors and ... | Bruxelles Environnement and BATir and EcoRes and ICEDD | Report | reports | 2015 |
Case Study
Circular Economy
Economy-Wide Material Flow Analysis (EW-MFA)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Review Paper
Single point in time
Urban
|
| Complementary uses of Environmentally Extended Input Output Analysis and Material Flow Analysis to assess impacts Approaches based upon Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Environmentally Extended Input Output Analysis (EE-IOA) are widely used for studies investigating the environmental impacts which can be attributed to different activities or which might result from proposed activities. This study compares the two approaches with the objective of understanding their relative merits and the conditions for which each approach is appropriate. The approaches often provide contrasting results. This can be due to differing datasets and assumptions but may also reflect underlying differences in what the results represent. In particular the applicability, implications and the boundaries to which the results relate. If the nature of these differences is not appreciated, they can be problematic for the appropriate use of the results. Several hybrid techniques have been developed in order to address these differences and take advantage of the benefits offered by each approach. These clearly have merit. However, it is proposed that where the nature of the differences is appreciated, the different results can complement each other and provide a more expansive understanding of the impacts being investigated. This can be advantageous when the results are used to inform policy decisions or to report progress towards particular goals. To explore this further, a case study relating to the UK steel sector is presented, illustrating the range of results which may be indicated by each approach. In each case, the limitations of each approach and the areas of investigation which may be better addressed by each approach are considered. Analysis of these observations is then combined with a review of previous studies in order to make recommendations. These are presented as a framework highlighting differences and making suggestions for the ways in which each approach can be applied and used to provide complementary insights. | Complementary uses of Environmentally Extended Input Output Analysis and Material ... | Cooper, Samuel and Cabrera Serrenho, Andre and Owen, Anne | Conference Paper | None | 2015 |
Case Study
Environmentally-Extended Input-Output Analysis (EE-IOA)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
National
Review Paper
Steel
|
| Energy and material flows of megacities Understanding the drivers of energy and material flows of cities is important for addressing global environmental challenges. Accessing, sharing, and managing energy and material resources is particularly critical for megacities, which face enormous social stresses because of their sheer size and complexity. Here we quantify the energy and material flows through the world's 27 megacities with populations greater than 10 million people as of 2010. Collectively the resource flows through megacities are largely consistent with scaling laws established in the emerging science of cities. Correlations are established for electricity consumption, heating and industrial fuel use, ground transportation energy use, water consumption, waste generation, and steel production in terms of heating-degree-days, urban form, economic activity, and population growth. The results help identify megacities exhibiting high and low levels of consumption and those making efficient use of resources. The correlation between per capita electricity use and urbanized area per capita is shown to be a consequence of gross building floor area per capita, which is found to increase for lower-density cities. Many of the megacities are growing rapidly in population but are growing even faster in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) and energy use. In the decade from 2001-2011, electricity use and ground transportation fuel use in megacities grew at approximately half the rate of GDP growth. | Energy and material flows of megacities | Kennedy, Christopher A. and Stewart, Iain and Facchini, Angelo and Cersosimo, Igor and Mele, Renata and Chen, Bin and Uda, Mariko and Kansal, Arun and Chiu, Anthony and Kim, Kwi-gon and Dubeux, Carolina and Lebre La Rovere, Emilio and Cunha, Bruno and Pin | Journal Article | academic | 2015 |
Bangkok
Beijing
Buenos Aires
Delhi
Dhaka
Electricity
Energy Balance
Fossil Fuels
Guangzhou
Istanbul
Jakarta
Karachi
Kolkata
Lagos
London
Los Angeles
Manila
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Mexico City
Moscow
New York
Osaka
Paris
Rio de Janeiro
Sao Paulo
Seoul
Shanghai
Shenzhen
Single point in time
Steel
Tehran
Tokyo
UM review paper import
Urban
Waste
Water
|
| Urban metabolism: Measuring the city's contribution to sustainable development Urban metabolism refers to the assessment of the amount of resources produced and consumed by urban ecosystems. It has become an important tool to understand how the development of one city causes impacts to the local and regional environment and to support a more sustainable urban design and planning. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to measure the changes in material and energy use occurred in the city of Curitiba (Brazil) between the years of 2000 and 2010. Results reveal better living conditions and socioeconomic improvements derived from higher resource throughput but without complete disregard to environmental issues. Food intake, water consumption and air emissions remained at similar levels; energy use, construction materials and recycled waste were increased. The paper helps illustrate why it seems more adequate to assess the contribution a city makes to sustainable development than to evaluate if one single city is sustainable or not. | Urban metabolism: Measuring the city's contribution to sustainable development | Leonardo S. Conke and Tainá L. Ferreira | Journal Article | academic | 2015 |
Case Study
Construction
Emissions
Energy
Energy Accounting
Food
Food, Energy, Water (FEW)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
Waste
|
| Urban Metabolism: A Tool for the Sustainability of Cities The population dynamics and urban patterns gleaned from medium and big cities in Latin America are determining critical operations that brake economic growth, undermine development, damage the environment, affect human health and reduce goods and services supply from environmental ecosystems. They are pressure scenarios that involve the risk of exceeding permissible homeostatic limits and adaptability; and therefore, exacerbate their vulnerability when climate change decreases the survival probability of human systems. For this reason, in order to achieve the sustainability and competitiveness of cities, the study of Urban Metabolism becomes a technical, political and economic endeavor that facilitates our understanding of their materials and energy supply networks, seeking the efficiency and effectiveness of transformation processes, as well as reducing the environmental impact of their waste, enabling policy makers to anticipate unwanted events based on present signals. La dinámica poblacional y formas de vida urbana de las medianas y grandes ciudades de Latinoamérica están determinando operaciones críticas que frenan el crecimiento económico, socavan el desarrollo, deterioran el ambiente, afectan la salud de sus residentes y reducen la oferta de bienes y servicios ambientales de los ecosistemas de soporte. Son escenarios de presión con los que se corre el riesgo de exceder los límites permisibles de su homeostasis y adaptabilidad; y por consiguiente, de exacerbar su vulnerabilidad en momentos en que la variabilidad y el cambio climático disminuyen las probabilidades de supervivencia de los sistemas humanos. Por tal motivo, y en aras de coadyuvar con la sustentabilidad y competitividad de la ciudad, el estudio del Metabolismo Urbano se constituye en un esfuerzo técnico, político y económico que facilita el entendimiento de sus redes de abastecimiento de materiales y energía, que busca la eficiencia y eficacia de sus procesos de transformación, así como la minimización del daño ambiental de sus desechos, permitiendo a los gestores de política anticiparse a eventos no deseados con base en las señales del presente. | Urban Metabolism: A Tool for the Sustainability of Cities | Díaz Álvarez, Cristian Julián | Journal Article | academic | 2014 |
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Urban
|
| Urban material flow analysis: An approach for Bogotá, Colombia The urbanisation process has exceeded the traditional pace of human settlement and is moving towards the formation of large urban regions in response to an increasing demand for services and environmental goods, combined with increasing production of waste and emissions. Therefore, it is fundamental to determine resource flows into cities, especially in developing countries, as well as the transformations that occur and the outputs that are produced, such as products, services and wastes. In this study, we apply urban material flow analysis, which determines the flows of inputs (water, energy, food and others) and outputs (wastewater, air pollution, wastes and others) to the city of Bogotá, Colombia to determine the relationship between demand for resources and the environmental impact of outputs. Quantitative and qualitative data for Bogotá are used to assess and compare the material and energy flow trends for this city. The results indicate that in this city, inputs and outputs are directly and linearly related. Consumption of energy and construction materials has increased, whereas food and water consumption have remained steady. Levels of recycling and sewage treatment are low, and emissions such as particulate matter have decreased. The findings from this study can be used to formulate and apply policies and strategies to improve the sustainability of resources, decrease the reliance on physical resources, increase the efficiency of resource and energy use in urban areas, and enhance sustainable production and consumption in cities. | Urban material flow analysis: An approach for Bogotá, Colombia | Alfonso Piña, William H. and Pardo Martínez, Clara Inés | Journal Article | academic | 2014 |
Bogotá
Case Study
Construction Materials
Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW)
Emissions
Energy
Energy Balance
Food
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
Single point in time
UM review paper import
Urban
Wastewater
Water
Zotero import
|
| Measuring urban ecosystem functions through ‘Technomass'—A novel indicator to assess urban metabolism Cities are complex systems of accumulated matter. The continuous process of matter accumulation in urban systems differs in intensity across the globe according to specific urban features, such as location and age of the urban tissue, and as a physical manifestation of metabolic lineaments, material accumulation should differ amongst cities. In this paper, a new indicator to measure this process of material accumulation is proposed, namely, the Technomass. Emulating ecology, which measures biomass in natural ecosystems, a sample of different urban tissues in a given city - Bogotá - was measured in terms of volume and rates of matter accumulation. Technomass is able to indicate overall asymptotic behaviour, specific spatial profiles and intensification of rates in time. In metabolic terms, the indicator looks into the black box, providing the possibility to link metabolic behaviours with urban form and attempting to fill the gap between urban planning, urban metabolism (UM) and Material Flow Analysis (MFA). This new indicator offers a broad scope of applications. Further possibilities and links to urban research and policy making are explored in the discussion section. | Measuring urban ecosystem functions through ‘Technomass'—A novel indicator to assess ... | Inostroza, Luis | Journal Article | academic | 2014 |
Bogotá
City
Indicators - general
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Material Stock Analysis (MSA)
Method
Urban Ecology
Zotero import
|
| Enabling Future Sustainability Transitions: An Urban Metabolism Approach to Los Angeles This synthesis article presents an overview of an urban metabolism (UM) approach using mixed methods and multiple sources of data for Los Angeles, California. We examine electric energy use in buildings and greenhouse gas emissions from electricity, and calculate embedded infrastructure life cycle effects, water use and solid waste streams in an attempt to better understand the urban flows and sinks in the Los Angeles region (city and county). This quantification is being conducted to help policy‐makers better target energy conservation and efficiency programs, pinpoint best locations for distributed solar generation, and support the development of policies for greater environmental sustainability. It provides a framework to which many more UM flows can be added to create greater understanding of the study area's resource dependencies. Going forward, together with policy analysis, UM can help untangle the complex intertwined resource dependencies that cities must address as they attempt to increase their environmental sustainability. | Enabling Future Sustainability Transitions: An Urban Metabolism Approach to Los ... | Pincetl, S., Chester, M., Circella, G., Fraser, A., Mini, C., Murphy, S., Reyna, J., Sivaraman, D. | Journal Article | academic | 2014 |
Energy
Environmentally-Extended Input-Output Analysis (EE-IOA)
Greenhouse Gas Accounting
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
UM review paper import
Urban
Waste
Water
|
| Nitrogen Flow Analysis in Bangkok City, Thailand: Area Zoning and Questionnaire Investigation Approach This research is a study of Bangkok's sanitation system based on quantitative analysis of water and wastewater flow focusing on domestic sector. Nitrogen was quantified and assessed its distribution by Material Flow Analysis MFA. Field surveys and questionnaires for 300 households were conducted within three zones of Bangkok city inner city, urban fringe, and suburban. Nitrogen flow analysis revealed that the main pathways of nitrogen for greywater and blackwater were to sewerage system and onsite sanitation system OSS, respectively. With treatment facilities, wastewater from households was distributed into four facilities: OSS 44.51% N; decentralized wastewater treatment plants WWTPs 0.18% N; centralized WWTPs 4.80% N and septage treatment plants (STPs) 0.64% N. Simultaneously, nitrogen discharge to environment could reduce through OSS, decentralized WWTPs, centralized WWTPs and STPs from 26,011 to 4,540 ton N/year or at 82.55% reduction. In aspect of without treatment facilities, the remaining of wastewater was distributed to environment at 45.49% total wastewater from household. At the urban fringe zone, large wastewater flowed to environment without treatment 27.41% total wastewater from household. Meanwhile, septage was represented an important nutrient source. Non-treated septage distributed large amount of nitrogen 32.17% N with its small amount of flow into environment 1.92% total wastewater from household. Combinations of four treatment facilities including the OSS, decentralized WWTPs, centralized WWTPs and STPs were proposed as scenarios to reduce the existing discharge of 28,379.2 ton N/year to the environment. With the existing treatment facilities and practical scenario for each zone, nitrogen discharge could be reduce to 7,559.7 ton N/year 73.36% reduction with the strategies of centralized WWTPs for the inner city zone, the combination of decentralized and existing centralized WWTPs for the urban fringe zone, OSS for the suburban zone, and septage collection to STPs for all zones. | Nitrogen Flow Analysis in Bangkok City, Thailand: Area Zoning and ... | Buathong, Thapanee; Boontanon, Suwanna Kitpati; Boontanon, Narin; Surinkul, Nawatch; Harada, Hidenori; Fujii, Shigeo | Journal Article | academic | 2013 |
Case Study
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Nitrogen
UM review paper import
Urban
Wastewater
Water
|
| Consumption based footprint of a city Since a few years, there is a growing interest for consumption based indicators reflecting the environmental impacts generated by citizen final demand. Considering the complexity and the variety of environmental and intermediate flows in an urban territory, constructing life cycle inventory with classical bottom up approaches for data collection is not a pragmatic option for LCA practitioners. This study focuses on a consistent combination of local emission and activity data with Environmentally Extended Input Output Analysis (EEIOA), into a hybrid EEIO-LCA to assess the environmental impacts generated by the final demand of a city. A hybrid EEIO-LCA has been carried out to capture the footprint generated by a French city. To integrate the city specificities, regional input-output table is estimated from French input output table, using location quotients derived from local employment data. The obtained Leontief matrix is coupled with national environmental extensions and foreign trade data. This approach provides a comprehensive supplement to local sparse environmental data, mainly available for energy use and road transport. The priority was given to local available data and special care was taken to avoid double counting. This inventory is then aggregated into a combined footprint approach (carbon, water, biodiversity and resources) to reflect the environmental impacts generated by citizen’s consumption. As expected for a high density population territory, where consumed goods and services are broadly imported, indirect impacts represent a major contribution to the footprint of the city. The results suggest environmental footprint is highly sensitive to consumer choices and expenses allocations. The approach provides a promising solution to couple top down information with local available data, in order to get a full picture of the environmental pressures generated by a large city. Regionalizing economic tables enable to capture the specificities of local domestic businesses. A natural continuation would be to regionalize final demand with local expenses allocation features. The approach could be used as a screening assessment tool for decision makers, to target potential hotspots of improvement, in a sustainable perspective. The study also illustrates some lack of data availability to comprehensively account for the city impacts and could guide data collection, both from a local and a national level. | Consumption based footprint of a city | Sébastien Worbe, Aurélie Gallice, Anne Flesch, Fanny Tarrisse-Vicard, Séverine Mehier | Conference Paper | None | 2013 |
Carbon Footprint (CF)
Case Study
Environmentally-Extended Input-Output Analysis (EE-IOA)
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Urban
Water
hybrid
|
| Sustainable design of sanitation system based on material and value flow analysis for urban slum in Indonesia Material flow analysis (MFA) and value flow analysis (VFA) were applied to the sanitation system in an urban slum in Indonesia. Based on the results of the MFA and VFA, garbage and excreta disposal costs were evaluated to be 0.7% and 1.1%, respectively, of per capita income. Such value flows seem reasonable in light of the recognized affordability to pay (ATP) standard. However, current excreta disposal methods create negative impacts on downstream populations. Because such disadvantages do not go back to disposers, but passed to downstream, the current value flow structure does not motivate individual toilet users to install treatment facility. Based on current material and value flow structures, a resource recycling sanitation system scenario was examined. Based on VFA, an affordable initial cost for such a system was calculated; this was found to be comparable in price to a cheaper composting toilet that is currently available in the market. | Sustainable design of sanitation system based on material and value ... | Ushijima, Ken; Irie, Mitsuteru; Sintawardani, Neni; Triastuti, Jovita; Hamidah, Umi; Ishikawa, Tadaharu; Funamizu, Naoyuki | Journal Article | academic | 2013 |
Case Study
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Scenario analysis
Substance Flow Analysis (SFA)
UM review paper import
Urban
Waste
Wastewater
Water
|
| An Analysis of Stocks and Flows Associated with Water Consumption in Indian Households The focus of urban water system metabolism studies has, by and large, been restricted to what comes under the domain of the urban water utilities: water treatment and supply, and wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal. The material and energy flows both necessitated and facilitated by the supply of treated water to households—the water demand subsystem—are by no means negligible. This article studies the key flows into households associated with water consumption and the environmental impacts related to the same for India as a whole. Electricity consumption in washing machines and water heaters contributes the most to almost all the 13 environmental impact categories considered. This is easily explained by the fossil fuel heaviness of the Indian mix (>60%). Soaps contribute the most to terrestrial eco‐toxicity and malodorous air. In India, on a national scale, all the environmental impact categories deserve attention. The absolute consumption of electricity, soaps, and detergents, and the demand for home appliances will increase in the years to come. | An Analysis of Stocks and Flows Associated with Water Consumption ... | G. Venkatesh | Journal Article | academic | 2012 |
Case Study
Electricity
Energy
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
National
Water
|
| Efficiency Through Proximity: Changes in Phosphorus Cycling at the Urban–Agricultural Interface of a Rapidly Urbanizing Desert Region In tightly coupled socioecological systems, such as cities, the interactions between socio-economic and biophysical characteristics of an area strongly influence ecosystem function. Very often the effects of socioeconomic activities on ecosystem function are unintended, but can impact the sustainability of a city and can have irreversible effects. The food system in its entirety, from production to treatment of human waste, is one of the most important contributors to the way phosphorus (P) cycles through cities. In this article we examined the changes in P dynamics at the urban–agricultural interface of the Phoenix, Arizona, USA, metropolitan area between 1978 and 2008. We found that the contribution of cotton to harvested P decreased while the contribution of alfalfa, which is used as feed for local dairy cows, increased over the study period. This change in cropping pattern was accompanied by growth in the dairy industry and increased internal recycling of P due to dairy cow manure application to alfalfa fields and the local recycling of biosolids and treated wastewater. The proximity of urban populations with dairies and feed production and low runoff in this arid climate have facilitated this serendipitous recycling. Currently P is not strongly regulated or intentionally managed in this system, but farmers' behaviors, shaped largely by market forces and policies related to water recycling, unintentionally affect P cycling. This underscores the need to move from unintentional to deliberate and holistic management of P dynamics through collaborations between practitioners and researchers in order to enhance urban sustainability. | Efficiency Through Proximity: Changes in Phosphorus Cycling at the Urban–Agricultural ... | Metson, Geneviève; Aggarwal, Rimjhim; Childers, Daniel L. | Journal Article | academic | 2012 |
Case Study
Food
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Phosphorus
Sub-national
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
|
| Pathways and Management of Phosphorus in Urban Areas Due to the finite nature of mineral phosphorus reserves, effective management of anthropogenic phosphorus flows is currently under investigation by the international research community. This article emphasizes the importance of urban phosphorus flows, which are often marginalized due to the greater magnitude of agricultural phosphorus flows. A study on phosphorus flows in Gothenburg, Sweden, points out the potential role of solid waste in nutrient management, as the amounts of phosphorus in solid waste and in wastewater were found to be equal. Importation of food commodities accounts for 50% of the total inflow of phosphorus, and food waste is a major contributor of phosphorus to solid waste. The results suggest that solid waste incineration residues represent a large underestimated sink of phosphorus. Focusing on wastewater as the sole source of recovered phosphorus is not sufficient. The Swedish national goal on phosphorus recycling, which is limited to sewage sludge, targets only a part of the total phosphorus flow that can potentially be recovered. In contrast to previous studies, agricultural flows in Gothenburg were marginal compared to flows related to the urban waste management infrastructure. We emphasize the need for debate on preferable routes for disposal of waste with a high phosphorus content. Both recovery potential and usefulness of the recovered product for agricultural purposes have to be considered. Impacts of five waste management strategies on phosphorus flows were evaluated: incineration of all the waste, comprehensive food waste separation, installation of kitchen grinders, urine diversion, and separation of blackwater and food waste. | Pathways and Management of Phosphorus in Urban Areas | Yuliya Kalmykova | Journal Article | academic | 2012 |
Case Study
Food Waste
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
Paper
Phosphorus
Single point in time
Urban
Wastewater
Water
|
| Comparison of energy flow accounting, energy flow metabolism ratio analysis and ecological footprinting as tools for measuring urban sustainability: A case-study of an Irish city-region This paper seeks to apply a number of biophysical sustainability metrics to an Irish city-region in order to evaluate the effect of methodological pluralism when measuring urban sustainability and to determine the outcome of using more than one method when measuring the sustainability of the same system boundary at a city-region level. It is concluded that a ‘toolkit’ approach can be useful in highlighting commonalities and differences between different metrics as well as capturing some of the deficiencies inherent in using a single biophysical metric. In addition, this paper develops an approach to measuring energy metabolism by outlining and applying the ‘energy flow metabolism ratio analysis’ methodology, which is used to measure the ratio of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a function of energy material inputs. | Comparison of energy flow accounting, energy flow metabolism ratio analysis ... | Browne, David and O'Regan, Bernadette and Moles, Richard | Journal Article | academic | 2012 |
Case Study
Comparison
Ecological Footprint (EF)
Energy Balance
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Multi-scale
Sub-national
Time series
Urban
|
| Material Flows and Energy Analysis of Glass Containers Discarded in New Jersey, USA The use of glass cullet (crushed recycled glass containers) as aggregate in construction projects and landfills has increased rapidly even though the use of cullet as feedstock in new glass container and fiberglass production is energetically more sound. The effect of increased use of cullet as aggregate has not yet been thoroughly assessed. The objectives of this study were to model and quantify glass container flows across New Jersey and the associated life cycle energy consumption, and then compare life cycle energy consumption for two different recycling scenarios and three different end‐use/disposal scenarios. The results of a material flow analysis showed that in 2008 only about 11% of the glass containers consumed in New Jersey were used as glass container or fiberglass feedstock, while five times more were used as construction aggregate. However, a lower system energy requirement can be achieved by increased use of cullet as container feedstock compared to construction aggregate, even when the cullet is transported 1,600 miles to a glass container manufacturer. Based on the uncertainty analysis, there is about an 80% probability for the scenario with increased use as container feedstock to have a lower system energy requirement when compared with all other scenarios. To achieve increased use of cullet as glass container feedstock in New Jersey, the quality of the cullet must be improved. | Material Flows and Energy Analysis of Glass Containers Discarded in ... | Ching-Ling Tsai and Uta Krogmann | Journal Article | academic | 2012 |
Case Study
Energy Accounting
Glass
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Scenario analysis
Single point in time
Sub-national
|
| The Development and Practice in City Level of Material Flow Analysis (MFA) in China On the basis of reviewing and summarizing the experience of MFA in china and abroad, the research framework of regional MFA are proposed, meanwhile the method was applied in city level, and analyzing the material flows in Tianjin city from 1998 to 2007. The results indicated that the total material consumption of Tianjin was 97.25 million tons in 2007. The amount of imported materials accounted for 46 percent of direct material input, and 40 percent of it was coal; it indicated that Tianjin largely depended on external resource. Moreover, the environmental capacity of Tianjin was at the saturated state, with water seriously polluted. The material productivity was being improved, but the efficiency of resources utilization was in a lower level. Finally, accordingly measures and suggestions were proposed to resolve the existing problems. | The Development and Practice in City Level of Material Flow ... | Wei, Liu; Wenxin, Tian; Chaofan, Chen; Liang, Liu; Yun, Liu | Journal Article | academic | 2011 |
Case Study
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
|
| Urban Water Mass Balance Analysis Planning for “water‐sensitive” cities has become a priority for sustainable urban development in Australia. There has been little quantification of the term, however. Furthermore, the water balance of most cities is not well known. Following prolonged drought, there has also been a growing need to make Australian cities more water self‐reliant: to source water from within. This article formalizes a systematic mass‐balance framework to quantify all anthropogenic and natural flows into and out of the urban environment. Quantitative performance indicators are derived, including (1) degree of system centralization; (2) overall balance; potential of (3) rainfall, (4) stormwater, and (5) wastewater to offset current demand; and (6) water cycle rate. Using the method, we evaluate Sydney, Melbourne, South East Queensland and Perth using reported and modeled data. The approach makes visible large flows of water that have previously been unaccounted and ignored. It also highlights significant intercity variation. In 2004–2005, the cities varied 54% to 100% in their supply centralization, 257% to 397% in the ratio of rainfall and water use, 47% to 104% in their potential stormwater recycling potential, and 26% to 86% in wastewater recycling potential. The approach provides a practical, water‐focused application of the urban metabolism framework. It demonstrates how the principles of mass balance can help foster robust water accounting, monitoring, and management. More important, it contributes to the design and quantitative assessment of water‐sensitive cities of the future. | Urban Water Mass Balance Analysis | Steven Kenway, Alan Gregory, Joseph McMahon | Journal Article | academic | 2011 |
Case Study
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Method
Sub-national
Time series
Urban
Wastewater
Water
Water mass balance analysis
|
| Input, stocks and output flows of urban residential building system in Beijing city, China from 1949 to 2008 Urban residential buildings are formed, maintained and reformed by different external material and energy flows, and their behaviors of input, accumulation and output are characterized by their architectural factors and modes of use that usually determine the consumption of material and energy of a building at its overall life cycle. In this research, we took Beijing city, a rapid developing city as a case study, and examined material flows of urban residential building system based on a survey of typical residential buildings in the urban areas of Beijing city. The quantitative analysis were made to describe the input, transformation/accumulation, and output of building materials from the year 1949 to 2008, and a comparative analysis was done to identify the differences of material uses among the buildings with different architectural structures as masonry-concrete, and steel-concrete. During the period from 1949 to 2008, there were six main materials of cement, sand, gravel, steel, bricks and timber used in urban residential building system in Beijing. The total amount of material imported into the system was 5.1×108t, among which the accumulated amount was 4.7×108t, an accumulation rate of 92.5%, and the total of building wastes reached 3.9×107t. Among the buildings with two architectural structures, the total amount of material use for buildings with steel-concrete structure was larger than masonry-concrete. It was found that the buildings with steel-concrete structure experienced a rapid increase since the year 1979 in Beijing. As a result of rapid urban development, the large-scale reformation and demolishment of urban old buildings also led to a rapid growth of the amount of building wastes. And the building wastes generated in the process of reformation and demolition began to exceed that produced in the process of new buildings construction. The amount of building wastes generated from 2004 to 2008 accounted for 52.2% of the total that generated from 1949 to 2008. From this research, the rapid development of Beijing's residential building system in the past 60 years became a big ecological pressure for urban sustainable building development. It is important to change the traditional model of urban construction, and develop some sustainable or ecologically friendly construction technologies to enhance the capacity of recycling and reuse of residential building wastes for realizing a sustainable urban building construction and management in Beijing. | Input, stocks and output flows of urban residential building system ... | Hu, Dan; You, Fang; Zhao, Yanhua; Yuan, Ye; Liu, Tianxing; Cao, Aixin; Wang, Zhen; Zhang, Junlian | Journal Article | academic | 2010 |
Case Study
Concrete
Dwellings
Gravel
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Sand
Steel
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
Wood
Zotero import
Zotero2
|
| The food-print of Paris: long-term reconstruction of the nitrogen flows imported into the city from its rural hinterland Between the tenth and twentieth century the population of Paris city increased from a few thousand to near 10 million inhabitants. In response to the growing urban demand during this period, the agrarian systems of the surrounding rural areas tremendously increased their potential for commercial export of agricultural products, made possible by a surplus of agricultural production over local consumption by humans and livestock in these areas. Expressed in terms of nitrogen, the potential for export increased from about 60 kg N/km²/year of rural territory in the Middle Ages, to more than 5,000 kg N/km²/year from modern agriculture. As a result of the balance between urban population growth and rural productivity, the rural area required to supply Paris (i.e. its food-print) did not change substantially for several centuries, remaining at the size of the Seine watershed surrounding the city (around 60,000 km²). The theoretical estimate of the size of the supplying hinterland at the end of the eighteenth century is confirmed by the figures deduced from the analysis of the historical city toll data (octroi). During the second half of the twentieth century, the ‘food-print' of Paris reduced in size, owing to an unprecedented increase in the potential for commercial export associated with modern agricultural systems based on chemical N fertilization. We argue that analysing the capacity of territories to satisfy the demand for nitrogen-containing food products of local or distant urban population and markets might provide new and useful insights when assessing world food resource allocation in the context of increasing population and urbanization. | The food-print of Paris: long-term reconstruction of the nitrogen flows ... | Billen, Giles, and Barles, Sabine, and Garnier, Josette, and Rouillard, Josephine, and Benoit, Paul | Journal Article | academic | 2009 |
Case Study
Food
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Nitrogen
Sub-national
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
|
| Collaborative Problem Solving Using an Industrial Ecology Approach Over the course of ten years, a consortium of stakeholders (the Harbor Consortium) used a collaborative approach to identify viable pollution prevention (P2) strategies for specific contaminants, namely mercury, cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as well as suspended solids entering the New York/New Jersey Harbor. The project, titled “The New York/New Jersey Harbor Watershed Pollution Prevention and Industrial Ecology Project,” in a very conscious and overt way engaged stakeholders in the process of developing P2 recommendations for the Harbor. The industrial ecology (IE) tools applied by the Harbor Consortium include substance flow analysis (SFA), material flow analysis (MFA), and, to a limited extent, life cycle analysis (LCA) and fate and transport analysis (F&T), to quantify and characterize how the contaminants flow through the regional economy and the Harbor Watershed once released to the environment. The application of these scientific tools to five contaminants at such a large geographical scale, within the context of a broad and inclusive stakeholder process, and with the goal of identifying and implementing pollution prevention strategies, led to a wide range of surprising outcomes and lessons learned. Undertaking this IE research with the key institutions and stakeholders at the table resulted in the identification and the implementation of many P2 opportunities. | Collaborative Problem Solving Using an Industrial Ecology Approach | Susan E. Boehme, Marta A. Panero, Gabriela R. Muñoz, Charles W. Powers, Sandra N. Valle | Journal Article | academic | 2009 |
Case Study
Contaminants
Fate and Transport Analysis (F&T)
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Substance Flow Analysis (SFA)
Urban
|
| Aluminum Stock and Flows in U.S. Passenger Vehicles and Implications for Energy Use In this article, a methodology to model the annual stock and flows of aluminum in a key end‐use sector in the United States—passenger vehicles—from 1975-2035 is described. This dynamic material flow model has enabled analysis of the corresponding energy embodied in automotive aluminum as well as the cumulative aluminum production energy demand. The former was found to be significant at 2.6 × 109 gigajoules (GJ) in year 2008 under baseline assumptions. From 2008-2035, the cumulative energy required to produce aluminum to be used in vehicles is estimated at 7.8 × 109 GJ. Although the automotive aluminum stock is expected to increase by 1.8 times by 2035, the corresponding energy embodied is not expected to grow as rapidly due to efficiency improvements in aluminum processing over time. The model's robustness was tested by checking the sensitivity of the results to variations in key input assumptions, including future vehicle sales, lifetimes, and scrap recovery. Sensitivity of energy embodied in automotive aluminum to changes in aluminum production efficiency and aluminum applications within the vehicle were also explored. Using more recycled aluminum or improving the energy efficiency of aluminum production at a faster rate can lower production energy demands. However, aggressive and sustained changes are needed beginning today to achieve meaningful reductions. This may potentially be countered by increased use of stamped aluminum in vehicles. | Aluminum Stock and Flows in U.S. Passenger Vehicles and Implications ... | Lynette Cheah | Journal Article | academic | 2009 |
Aluminum
Energy
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Material Stock Analysis (MSA)
National
Time series
|
| A method for regional-scale material flow and decoupling analysis: A demonstration case study of Aichi prefecture, Japan We have developed a method to analyse the annual material flow in a prefecture and have calculated environmental indicators for a prefecture. Material flow analysis (MFA) is important to clarify the structure of a regional society and obtain environmental indicators for a circular society. However, MFA has not advanced in local governments because of few local statistics. We have developed a method to analyse the annual material flow in Aichi prefecture from 1980 to 2000 using an input–output (I–O) table and statistics of Aichi. We have verified the accuracy of this method by comparing its results for 2000 which calculated on the basis of official I–O table for 1995 with the I–O table data for 2000; the correlation coefficient obtained in this case is greater than 0.95. Moreover, by performing MFA, we have estimated the resource consumption and decoupling indicator of each industry in Aichi prefecture from 1980 to 2000. We could obtain more detailed and accurate environmental indicators by using our method. From these results, we could estimate the progress of Aichi prefecture towards a circular society. | A method for regional-scale material flow and decoupling analysis: A ... | Tachibana, Junzo; Hirota, Keiko; Goto, Naohiro; Fujie, Koichi | Journal Article | academic | 2008 |
Case Study
Circular Economy
Input-Output Analysis (IOA)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Method
Sub-national
Time series
UM review paper import
Various Materials
|
| The flow of phosphorus in food production and consumption — Linköping, Sweden, 1870–2000 Phosphorus is an important substance for agricultural production of food. Being a limited resource, it is of great interest for regional, as well as global food security. At the same time it presents a pollution problem for the aquatic environment in Sweden since it contributes to eutrophication of surface waters and the Baltic Sea. This study analyses the flow of phosphorus based on consumption and production of food for an average inhabitant of a Swedish city, Linköping, from 1870 until 2000. The study shows the changes in flows within the system of production and consumption of food, as well as between the different processes in this system, such as agriculture, food processing, consumption and waste handling, and output flows to the environment. The main changes in this system over time are a) the increasing flow of phosphorus reaching the consumer and hence the waste handling system, b) the increase in the flow of products from animal production, which mainly causes the increase in (a), and most notably c) the increased input of chemical fertilizer. | The flow of phosphorus in food production and consumption — ... | Tina-Simone Schmid Neset, Hans-Peter Bader, Ruth Scheidegger, Ulrik Lohm | Journal Article | academic | 2008 |
Case Study
Food
Infra-urban
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Phosphorus
Time series
Urban
|
| Smart Labels for Waste and Resource Management This article explores the potential of RFID (radio frequency identification device) for improving the current waste and resource management system in Switzerland. It presents the following three possible options for utilizing RFID tags to support waste management processes: “at source automation” (using a “smart” trash can), “end of pipe I” (combination of the current system with an additional separation of recyclables before incineration), and “end of pipe II” (replacement of the current recycling infrastructure by sorting at the incineration plant). These options tackle the waste and resource management chain during different processes (i.e., waste generation, waste separation, and treatment). Based on an MFA (material flow analysis), we performed a multicriteria assessment of these options with experts from the waste management sector. The assessment of ten experts in the waste management field regarding the proposed options for batteries and electrical appliances showed that, from an ecological perspective, the implementation of RFID in waste management would be desirable and would lead to an improvement in the current recycling rate in Switzerland for the goods studied. From an economic perspective, new investments would be required in the range of 1 to 5 times the maintenance costs of the current separate collection system. From a social perspective, the utilization of RFID tags in the waste management process was ambiguous. In particular, the end of pipe II option would, on the one hand, significantly improve convenience for consumers. On the other hand, experts see privacy and, what is more, social responsibility as being under threat. The experts considered the ecological and social aspects to be more relevant than the economic ones, preferring the end of pipe I option over the other options and the status quo. | Smart Labels for Waste and Resource Management | Binder, Claudia R. | Journal Article | academic | 2008 |
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Multi-criteria evaluation (MCE)
National
Waste
|
| The energy and mass balance of Los Angeles County We conducted an urban “metabolic” study of inputs and outputs of food, water, energy, and pollutants from Los Angeles County, USA. This region has been the subject of recent debate about the nature of population density and distribution as it relates to urban form and associated environmental impacts. We found that with the exception of food imports and wastewater outputs, inputs of resources and outputs of pollutants generally declined on a per capita basis from 1990 to 2000. Reductions likely reflected a combination of changes in public policy, improvements in technology and public infrastructure, and impacts of increases in population density. However, in comparison to other municipalities and urban regions, resource consumption per capita was still relatively high in some categories, particularly inputs of water and transportation energy. Per capita greenhouse gas emissions were lower in Los Angeles County than for the average of the USA as a whole but higher than previous analyses of urban areas internationally, largely due to comparatively high emissions from the transportation sector. Wastewater discharge accounted for less than 40% of water inputs excluding precipitation; however the partitioning of water outputs through other potential losses, specifically evapotranspiration, runoff, and groundwater recharge, remains highly uncertain. We suggest that more detailed information about water losses will greatly improve future mass and energy accounting for analyses of urban environmental sustainability in this semi-arid region. | The energy and mass balance of Los Angeles County | Ngo, N. S. and Pataki, D. E. | Journal Article | academic | 2008 |
Case Study
Energy
Energy Balance
Food
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
Water
|
| Copper and zinc recycling in Australia: potential quantities and policy options This paper presents relevant data for industry and governmental policy makers with the aim of increasing the recycling rate of end-of-life copper and zinc in Australia in a technically and economically feasible way. The methodology used to quantify and spatially distribute end-of-life flows of copper and zinc is based on existing and anticipated in-use stocks, their residence times, and their historical and anticipated future evolution. Australia currently (ca. 2000) generates about 72 Gg/year and 57 Gg/year of end-of-life copper and zinc, respectively. Some 70% of all discarded copper and 40% of all discarded zinc generated in Australia are currently being recycled. A detailed assessment shows that about 75% of all end-of-life material in Australia comes from the three states New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. In Australia, about 70e75% of waste copper and waste zinc is generated in urban areas. Residential applications account for about 40% (copper) and 60% (zinc) of the generated discards; commercial and industrial applications account for the remainder. By 2030, the discard flows are predicted to increase by about 105% and 155%, to 150 Gg Cu/year and 145 Gg Zn/year, providing substantially increased opportunities for recovery and re-use. Priority targets for the improvement of copper and zinc recycling in Australia are buildings under renovation, urban infrastructure, the transportation sector, and also consumer and business durables. Urban centres are particularly attractive locations for recycling facilities, especially in Perth and Adelaide. | Copper and zinc recycling in Australia: potential quantities and policy ... | D. van Beers, A. Kapur, T.E. Graedel | Journal Article | academic | 2007 |
Adelaide
Australia
Brisbane
City
Conservation of mass
Copper
Future Scenario
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Material Stock Analysis (MSA)
Melbourne
Multi-scale
National
Perth
Research and Analysis
Rural
Single point in time
Sydney
Urban
Zinc
|
| Metal capital sustaining a North American city: Iron and copper in New Haven, CT A detailed inventory shows that an average resident of the City of New Haven depends on a per capita capital stock of 9200 kg/c of iron and 144 kg/c of copper in the city infrastructure, buildings, transportation systems, and equipment. Of the iron stock 28% is in items such as rail cars and ships in ocean trade not permanently within the city, and 22% is devoted to receiving and delivering oil fuel to the city and its surrounding communities. Copper is principally used in the distribution of electric power and in water piping within buildings. The city's 9200 kg/c of iron stock-in-use is less than the 13,000 kg/c national average due to New Haven's lack of heavy industry and relatively small number of large buildings. The 144 kg/c of copper stock-in-use is only 58% of the overall value for the United States, but is comparable to that in cities such as Stockholm, Sweden. Attainment of a level of iron and copper services with contemporary technology in less developed countries to the level enjoyed in New Haven would require consumption of the presently identified world copper resources. | Metal capital sustaining a North American city: Iron and copper ... | Konstantine Drakonakis, Katherine Rostkowski, Jason Rauch, T.E. Graedel, R.B. Gordon | Journal Article | academic | 2007 |
City
Conservation of mass
Copper
Iron
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Material Stock Analysis (MSA)
New Haven
Research and Analysis
Single point in time
United States
Urban
|
| Nitrogen balance for the urban food metabolism of Toronto, Canada A nitrogen balance for the urban flow of food and pre- and post-consumption food wastes was developed to determine the impact of municipal waste management policies and programs on the recovery and recycling of imported nitrogen. A simple input, storage and output balance was used, with particular focus on the fate of waste outputs. The balance was done for the City of Toronto, Canada for 3 years in the 15-year period from 1990 to 2004. The balance revealed that at most, only 4.7% (in 2001) of food waste nitrogen in the urban system was recovered and/or recycled, despite several municipal waste diversion programs. The major losses of nitrogen occurred in the management of sewage wastes and potentially through in the landfill disposal of commercial food. The current focus of municipal waste management programs on the diversion of organic wastes from landfill rather than overall nutrient recovery, and the increasingly stringent regulation of land application of treated sewage wastes, has resulted a small decrease (from 3.35% in 1990 to 2.3% in 2004) in the percentage recovery and recycling of nitrogen in the flow of food and food wastes. Given the potential for the prevention of environmental problems caused by excessive nitrogen accumulation or mismanagement, and the opportunity for recycling food waste nitrogen to close the ecological nutrient cycle and reverse nutrient mining, the simple balance method provided a rapid assessment tool based on easily obtainable data to highlight the sources of major loss at which to target future municipal waste management strategies. | Nitrogen balance for the urban food metabolism of Toronto, Canada | Forkes, Jennifer | Journal Article | academic | 2007 |
Case Study
Food
Food Waste
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Nitrogen
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
|
| The Changing Metabolism of Cities Data from urban metabolism studies from eight metropolitan regions across five continents, conducted in various years since 1965, are assembled in consistent units and compared. Together with studies of water, materials, energy, and nutrient flows from additional cities, the comparison provides insights into the changing metabolism of cities. Most cities studied exhibit increasing per capita metabolism with respect to water, wastewater, energy, and materials, although one city showed increasing efficiency for energy and water over the 1990s. Changes in solid waste streams and air pollutant emissions are mixed. The review also identifies metabolic processes that threaten the sustainability of cities. These include altered ground water levels, exhaustion of local materials, accumulation of toxic materials, summer heat islands, and irregular accumulation of nutrients. Beyond concerns over the sheer magnitudes of resource flows into cities, an understanding of these accumulation or storage processes in the urban metabolism is critical. Growth, which is inherently part of metabolism, causes changes in water stored in urban aquifers, materials in the building stock, heat stored in the urban canopy layer, and potentially useful nutrients in urban waste dumps. Practical reasons exist for understanding urban metabolism. The vitality of cities depends on spatial relationships with surrounding hinterlands and global resource webs. Increasing metabolism implies greater loss of farmland, forests, and species diversity; plus more traffic and more pollution. Urban policy makers should consider to what extent their nearest resources are close to exhaustion and, if necessary, appropriate strategies to slow exploitation. It is apparent from this review that metabolism data have been established for only a few cities worldwide, and interpretation issues exist due to lack of common conventions. Further urban metabolism studies are required. | The Changing Metabolism of Cities | Christopher Kennedy, John Cuddihy, and Joshua Engel-Yan | Journal Article | academic | 2007 |
Case Study
Comparison
Emissions
Energy
Energy Balance
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Nutrients
Review Paper
UM review paper import
Urban
Various Materials
Water
Zotero2
|
| The ecological sustainability of regional metabolisms: Material flow analyses of the regions of Hamburg, Vienna and Leipzig The paper describes the material consumption in the regions of Hamburg and Leipzig for the years 1992-2001 and for the region of Vienna for the years 1995-2003. With a so called material flow analysis (MFA) the total consumption of materials has been accounted for and put into relation to economic development. Indicators of material consumption serve as measure for ecological sustainability and the relation to economic development allows an analysis of the material intensity of the economy and its eco-efficiency. The region of Hamburg shows a slightly fluctuating material consumption per capita on a constant level with a slightly decreasing material intensity. The region of Vienna shows a light decrease in per capita consumption and material intensity. Both material consumption and intensity are higher in the surrounding areas of the cities than in the cities themselves. The region of Leipzig is an exception concerning the level of material flows as well as the strongly decreasing trends in material consumption and intensity. The paper discusses the methodological problems in accounting regional MFAs and formulates improvements for regional statistics that help to develop sustainability indicators on a regional level. Der Text beschreibt den Materialverbrauch der Regionen Hamburg und Leipzig für die Jahre 1992-2001 sowie für Wien für die Jahre 1995-2003. Mit Hilfe einer Materialflussanalyse wurde der gesamtgesellschaftliche Materialverbrauch in den drei Regionen erhoben und in Beziehung zur wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung gesetzt. Indikatoren für den Materialverbrauch dienen als Maß für ökologische Nachhaltigkeit. Die Darstellung der Beziehung zur wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung erlaubt Rückschlüsse auf die Materialintensität der Ökonomie und ihre Ökoeffizienz. Neben der Darstellung der Ergebnisse beschreibt der Text die methodischen Probleme bei der Erstellung regionaler Materialflussanalysen, diskutiert die Auswirkungen von Materialflüssen hinsichtlich der Flächennutzung und formuliert Herausforderungen für die Regionalstatistik als Grundlage für die Entwicklung regionaler Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren. | The ecological sustainability of regional metabolisms: Material flow analyses of ... | Mark Hammer, Stefan Giljum, Fred Luks, Matthias Winkler | Journal Article | academic | 2006 |
Case Study
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Sub-national
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
|
| Managing the Flow of Construction Minerals in the North West Region of England This article, focusing on the flow of bulk construction minerals, establishes a mass balance framework for the North West of England, a region that imports more aggregate material than any other in the United Kingdom. The problems associated with construction minerals are of a different nature than most other resource flow issues: Depletion of resources and contamination are not considered major problems; rather it is the environmental impact resulting from life‐cycle stages from extraction, transport, processing, through to final disposal that is most important. A mass balance framework can promote a better understanding of the regional flow of materials, and the impact of human activity on surrounding ecosystems, and hence underpin informed decision making. This is of particular relevance at the current time because increasing political emphasis is placed on sustainable resource management and resource productivity at the United Kingdom and European Union levels. Using a mass balance framework to analyze the sustainability impacts of construction and mineral flows in the North West of England, this study finds that flows resulting from construction activity account for 34,075 terajoules (TJ) of energy resulting in 2,701 gigagrams (Gg) of carbon dioxide emissions related to energy use, and 387 Gg of carbon dioxide emissions related to the transportation of the minerals. Against these impacts, the flow of bulk construction mineral salso supports 147,000 jobs within the region. | Managing the Flow of Construction Minerals in the North West ... | Darryn McEvoy | Journal Article | academic | 2004 |
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Case Study
Construction Materials
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Sub-national
|
| Transition towards improved regional wood flows by integrating material flux analysis and agent analysis: the case of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland This paper discusses the integration of material flux analysis and agent analysis as the basis for a transition towards improved regional wood management in Appenzell Ausserrhoden (AR), a small Swiss canton located in the Pre-Alps of Switzerland. We present a wood flow analysis for forests, wood processing industries and consumption in AR, accounting for different wood products. We find that the forest is currently significantly underutilized although there are sizeable imports of wood and fuel to this small region. The underutilization of the forest contributes to a skewed age distribution, jeopardizing long-term sustainable development of the forest, as the fulfillment of its protective and production function are likely to be at risk. The wood resources, however, are capable of satisfying current wood demand among the population of AR and wood could even be exported. Underutilization has two main causes: first, wood prices are so low that harvesting trees is a money-losing proposition; second, consumer wood demand and the current supply from forest owners are not aligned. Furthermore, cultural values, lifestyle trends and traditions make an alignment of supply and demand difficult. Consensus and strategy building with the relevant stakeholders on the basis of the results obtained from the wood flow analysis and agent analysis is a reasonable next step to take. We conclude that wood flow analysis combined with agent analysis provide a useful and straightforward tool to be used as the basis of a transition process towards improved regional wood flows, which in turn should contribute to sustainable forest management. | Transition towards improved regional wood flows by integrating material flux ... | Binder, Claudia R; Hofer, Christoph; Wiek, Arnim; Scholz, Roland W | Journal Article | academic | 2004 |
Case Study
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Sub-national
UM review paper import
Wood
|
| Long-term Coordination of Timber Production and Consumption Using a Dynamic Material and Energy Flow Analysis A dynamic model for wood and energy flows is used to analyze regional timber management. The model combines a site quality‐dependent forest‐growth module with modules for the timber industry, timber products use, waste management, and energy supply. The model is calibrated with data of a Swiss lowland region for the period of 1900–1997. Scenarios are developed for the period until 2100 in order to discuss possible future roles of domestic timber.Model simulations show that, with present strategies, timber overproduction will further increase in the twenty‐first century because of an increase in forest site quality in the second half of the twentieth century, among other reasons. The increase in building gross floor area of the region by a factor of 5 during the twentieth century coincides with a reduction of timber use in building construction by a factor of 4.5, from 90 kg/m2 to 20 kg/m2. Increasing timber density in buildings could address overproduction; however, a strategy of timber construction could not be accomplished with domestic timber alone. A balance of production and consumption on the present level could also be achieved in a scenario in which the present building stock is gradually exchanged during the twenty‐first century with buildings that exclusively use a combination of solar panels on roofs and domestic firewood and used wood as heat‐energy sources. These replacement buildings would have density typical of late twentieth‐century buildings, and they would need to perform on a low‐energy standard of not more than 130 MJ/m2/yr. | Long-term Coordination of Timber Production and Consumption Using a Dynamic ... | Daniel B. Müller, Hans-Peter Bader, and Peter Baccini | Journal Article | academic | 2004 |
Case Study
Energy Accounting
Future Scenario
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Sub-national
Time series
Wood
|
| Estimating the urban metabolism of Canadian cities: Greater Toronto Area case study An urban metabolism analysis is a means of quantifying the overall fluxes of energy, water, material, and wastes into and out of an urban region. Analysis of urban metabolism can provide important information about energy efficiency, material cycling, waste management, and infrastructure in urban systems. This paper presents the first urban metabolism of a Canadian urban region, and possibly the first for a North American city. It also makes a first attempt at comparing the urban metabolisms of a few cities worldwide. The most noticeable feature of the Greater Toronto Area metabolism is that inputs have generally increased at higher rates than outputs over the study years (1987 and 1999). The inputs of water and electricity have increased marginally less than the rate of population growth (25.6%), and estimated inputs for food and gasoline have increased by marginally greater percentages than the population. With the exception of CO2 emissions, the measured output parameters are growing slower than the population; residential solid wastes and wastewater loadings have actually decreased in absolute terms over the 12 year period from 1987 to 1999.Key words: urban metabolism, urban sustainability, Canadian cities, materials, food, water and energy consumption, waste outputs. | Estimating the urban metabolism of Canadian cities: Greater Toronto Area ... | Sahely, Halla R and Dudding, Shauna and Kennedy, Christopher A | Journal Article | academic | 2003 |
Case Study
Emissions
Energy
Energy Accounting
Food
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
Waste
Water
Zotero import
|
| The Biomass Metabolism of the Food System: A Model-Based Survey of the Global and Regional Turnover of Food Biomass The food and agriculture system is among the largest anthropogenic activities in terms of appropriation of land and biological primary production, as well as alteration of the grand biogeochemical cycles of carbon, water, and nitrogen. Despite its importance in these respects, physically coherent descriptions and analyses of the food and agriculture system regarding the total turnover of fundamental flows (such as biomass) and resource use and efficiency of critical processes (such as animal food production) are relatively scarce. This article presents a survey of the current flows of biomass in the food and agriculture system. The survey gives a mass‐ and energy‐balanced description of biomass from its production on cropland and grassland through its transformations into animal and vegetable food products to its final conversion into respiratory heat, feces, and other residues. This assessment was carried out by means of a physical model that, for eight world regions, calculates the necessary production of crops and other phytomass (plant biomass) from a prescribed end use of food, efficiency in food production and processing, and use of system‐internal by‐products and residues as feed, feedstock, and food. The global appropriation of terrestrial phytomass production by the food system was estimated to be some 13 Pg (1.43 × 1010 short tons) dry matter, or 230 EJ (2.18 × 1017 Btu) gross energy (higher heating value), per year in 1992‐1994. Of this phytomass, about 8% ended up in food commodities eaten. Animal food systems accounted for roughly two‐thirds of the total appropriation of phytomass, whereas their contribution to the human diet was about 13% (both on a gross energy basis). The ruminant meat systems were found to have a far greater influence than any other subsystem on the food system's biomass metabolism, primarily because of the lower feed‐conversion efficiency (calculated as carcass produced by total feed intake, including pasture and other human‐inedible feedstuffs) of those systems. | The Biomass Metabolism of the Food System: A Model-Based Survey ... | Stefan Wirsenius | Journal Article | academic | 2003 |
Biomass
Food and agriculture
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Regional
Sub-national
|
| A material flow analysis and ecological footprint of York This project sets out to determine the total material requirement of the City of York using a ‘Material Flow Analysis' and then to calculate the Ecological Footprint associated with the consumption of these materials. Taken together, these indicators can provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the various pathways that the City could take in order to move towards sustainability as well as enabling the more effective communication of ideas about sustainable lifestyles to the City's residents. 1. In November 2001, the Stockholm Environment Institute at York (SEI-Y), based at the University of York, initiated a study to measure the quantity of food and materials that the residents of York consume annually and to determine the resultant ‘ecological footprint' - a measure of the City of York's impact on the local and global environment. The study was funded by Norwich Union and was produced as a contribution to the Energy Saving Trust's ‘Planet York' campaign and the City of York's Local Agenda 21 - Better Quality of Life Strategy. 2. This project sets out to determine the total material requirement of the City of York using a ‘Material Flow Analysis' and then to calculate the Ecological Footprint associated with the consumption of these materials. Taken together, these indicators can provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the various pathways that the City could take in order to move towards sustainability as well as enabling the more effective communication of ideas about sustainable lifestyles to the City's residents. 3. The purpose of a material flow analysis (MFA) is to follow and quantify the flow of materials in a defined situation and over a set period of time. The end products of the MFA for York are detailed input-output tables showing the flow of all materials associated with non-industrial consumption that entered and left the city during the year 2000. These materials include the weight of fuel (the ‘energy carriers') required to produce the consumption items and bring them to York, to build York's infrastructure, to provide domestic heat and lighting, for personal transportation and so forth. Also accounted for are the ‘hidden flows' of materials that do not enter the economy for example, the removal of overburden during mining or waste trimmings from forestry. 4. While MFA provides valuable information concerning the total throughput of materials within York, the ecological footprint provides an understanding of the environmental pressures of these material flows. It considers the amount of productive land and water ecosystems in hectares (ha) that York requires to provide the goods and services that it consumes and to assimilate the wastes that it produces. Some of this land will be found within York itself while the rest will be in other countries and continents. The footprint includes the notional forest land area that would be required to sequester the carbon from carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions (and emissions of other major greenhouse gases (GHGs) converted into CO2 equivalents) due to fossil fuel combustion. The study focuses on energy use; food, food packaging and food miles; housing, non-food consumables, waste, transport, water supply and other infrastructure.... | A material flow analysis and ecological footprint of York | Barrett, John and Vallack, Harry and Jones, Andrew and Haq, Gary | Report | reports | 2002 |
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Case Study
Ecological Footprint (EF)
Energy
Energy Balance
Food
Fossil Fuels
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Single point in time
Urban
Waste
|
| Urban nutrient balance for Bangkok To explore the options for recycling of nutrients from mega-cities to agricultural land, a nutrient balance model was developed. The balancing was done for Bangkok Province and considered nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). To estimate the food supply, the most decisive nutrient flow, an online database (faostat) was employed; its country level data are disaggregated to the urban level. A simple approach to estimate nutrient food flows is suggested. The balance shows that only a small fraction of nutrients is recovered of the amount of N and P in the total food supply, currently about 7% and 10%, respectively. On the other hand most (about 97%), of the total loss of N can be accounted for by elevated N levels in the Chao Phraya river, and also much (about 41%) of the P is lost through the river. So it appears that in- and outflow of N are almost in balance, but a large amount of P accumulates. The balance also shows that the organic waste from Bangkok Province discharged into the river (and the sea) contains huge quantities of plant nutrients that should be recovered and reused to close the ecological nutrient cycle. | Urban nutrient balance for Bangkok | Færge, Jens; Magid, Jakob; Penning de Vries, Frits W. T. | Journal Article | academic | 2001 |
Case Study
Food
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Single point in time
Sub-national
UM review paper import
|
| Social Metabolism and Labour in a Local Context: Changing Environmental Relations on Trinket Island From a material and energetic perspective, this paper outlines the patterns of society-nature interactions of a local horticultural, hunter-and-gatherer population that lives on a remote island between India and Indonesia. Based on empirical research, we present several indicators to show an economic portfolio of a local society that combines horticulture, hunting and gathering activities with elements of industrialisation and market economy. In describing these environmental relations, the study narrows its focus to the use of three socio-ecological concepts, namely socio-economic metabolism, colonising natural processes, and the energetic return on investment. Using these concepts, we show the dynamics of social and environmental transformation at a local level and the consequences this may have for sustainability. | Social Metabolism and Labour in a Local Context: Changing Environmental ... | Singh, Simron Jit and Grünbühel, Clemens M. and Schandl, Heinz and Schulz, Niels | Journal Article | academic | 2001 |
Biomass
Case Study
Emissions
Energy Flow Analysis (EFA)
Fossil Fuels
Human Appropriation of Net Primary Production (HANPP)
Island
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Minerals
Rural
Sand
Social Metabolism
UM review paper import
Waste
|
| Urban Metal Management The Example of Lead The metal metabolism of an urban region, the City of Vienna, was investigated to discuss urban metal management strategies in view of environmental protection and resource conservation. About 90% of the metal stock is located in Vienna's buildings and infrastructure, whilst only 10% is in the landfills. The city stock represents a potential source for diffusive emissions. However, the control of the current environmental policy concentrates mainly on landfill emissions. Diffusive emissions resulting from the losses over the use of metal containing goods in the city are widely dispersed and cannot be easily controlled due to numerous non-point sources. First investigations indicate that for certain applications, the diffusive stock emissions are as significant as other sources. At present, Vienna's known diffusive and point source lead emissions into air and water are about 40 to 50 times higher than comparable past loadings from geogenic Vienna. Furthermore, a life cycle approach from acid car batteries indicates that sustainable lead management should consider flows and stocks in the ‘hinterland’ of the city too. The city metal stock also represents a potential resource. Leaded water pipes built-in in Vienna's city stock have the potential to produce 1.6 million traditional car batteries. In future such city mining strategies can partly replace ore mining. | Urban Metal Management The Example of Lead | Obernosterer, R.; Brunner, P. H. | Journal Article | academic | 2001 |
Case Study
Lead
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
UM review paper import
Urban
|
| Stockhome: A Spreadsheet Model of Urban Heavy Metal Metabolism Computer models for analysis, visualising and decision support in environmental research have become increasingly popular. The Stockhome project, where the urban metabolism of heavy metals in Stockholm was studied, resulted in a database with historical data of the use of goods containing cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr),copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn). A spreadsheet model was developed to study flows and stocks of the metal consumption process and emissions. The model indicates uncertainties of the data, societal aspects such as field of use and rights of disposition of the goods. By considering goods as the drivers of the emissions, the model would be well suited for policy support. | Stockhome: A Spreadsheet Model of Urban Heavy Metal Metabolism | Hedbrant, J. | Journal Article | academic | 2001 |
Cadmium
Case Study
Chromium
Copper
Lead
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Mercury
Nickel
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
Zinc
Zotero import
|
| Escalating trends in the urban metabolism of Hong Kong: 1971-1997 Urban metabolism measures quantitatively a city's load on the natural environment. We update the Newcombe et al. (3) pioneering study of Hong Kong's urban metabolism in 1971, highlighting trends in resource consumption and waste generation. Per capita food, water and materials consumption have surged since the early 1970s by 20%, 40%, and 149%, respectively. Tremendous pollution has accompanied this growing affluence and materialism, and total air emissions, CO2 outputs, municipal solid wastes, and sewage discharges have risen by 30%, 250%, 245%, and 153%. As a result, systemic overload of land, atmospheric and water systems has occurred. While some strategies to tackle deteriorating environmental quality have succeeded, greater and more far-reaching changes in consumer behavior and government policy are needed if Hong Kong is to achieve its stated goal of becoming “a truly sustainable city” in the 21st century. | Escalating trends in the urban metabolism of Hong Kong: 1971-1997 | Warren-Rhodes, Kimberley and Koenig, Albert | Journal Article | academic | 2001 |
Biomass
Case Study
Energy
Energy Balance
Food
Island
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Material Stock Analysis (MSA)
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Time series
UM review paper import
Urban
Various Materials
Wastewater
Water
|
| Material flow analysis: A tool to support environmental policy decision making. Case-studies on the city of Vienna and the Swiss lowlands This paper discusses the use of Material Flow Analysis (MFA) as a tool to support policy decision making in the field of resource and environmental management. In terms of policy, MFA can be used for early recognition, priority setting, to analyse and improve the effectiveness of measures and to design efficient material management strategies in view of sustainability. MFA has a high potential to be implemented as a guiding tool at the regional level, for example as part of a regional environmental management and audit system or as a part of the Local Agenda 21 process. Material management based on MFA is complementary to traditional environmental and resource management strategies, which have tended to focus heavily on specific environmental compartments, and measure the concentration of substances in various media. MFA, in contrast, provides an overview of the total system by linking the anthroposphere (that part of the biosphere in which humans' activities take place) with the environment. This system approach shifts the focus away from the back-end so-called 'filter strategies' to more pro-active front-end measures. MFA examines short- and long-term loadings rather than concentrations and highlights current and potential material accumulations, called material stocks. These stocks represent either potential environmental problems (e.g. large stocks of hazardous materials) or a potential source of future resources (e.g. urban mining). In this way, MFA can assist precautionary policy making by highlighting future environmental or resource issue problems without relying on signals of environmental stress. The objective of materials management is: firstly, to analyse material flows and stocks; secondly, to evaluate these results; and thirdly, to control material flows in view of certain goals such as sustainable development. MFA is an excellent tool for the first objective and is well suited to generate a base for the other two objectives. MFA results can be compared against environmental standards or can be interpreted using assessment or indicator methodologies (such as environmental impact assessment or ecological footprints). Selected results from two studies, carried out for the city of Vienna (substance management) and the Swiss lowlands (timber management), illustrate the use of MFA as a tool for early recognition (resource depletion and environmental quality), for priority setting and for effective policy making. | Material flow analysis: A tool to support environmental policy decision ... | Hendriks, Carolyn and Obernosterer, Richard and Müller, Daniel and Kytzia, Susanne and Baccini, Peter and Brunner, Paul H | Journal Article | academic | 2000 |
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Single point in time
Sub-national
UM review paper import
Urban
|
| Energy and material flow through the urban ecosystem This paper reviews the available data and models on energy and material flows through the world's 25 largest cities. Throughput is categorized as stored, transformed, or passive for the major flow modes. The aggregate, fuel, food, water, and air cycles are all examined. Emphasis is placed on atmospheric pathways because the data are abundant. Relevant models of urban energy and material flows, demography, and atmospheric chemistry are discussed. Earth system-level loops from cities to neighboring ecosystems are identified. Megacities are somewhat independent of their immediate environment for food, fuel, and aggregate inputs, but all are constrained by their regional environment for supplying water and absorbing wastes. We elaborate on analogies with biological metabolism and ecosystem succession as useful conceptual frameworks for addressing urban ecological problems. We conclude that whereas data are numerous for some individual cities, cross-cutting compilations are lacking in biogeochemical analysis and modeling. Synthesis of the existing information will be a crucial first step. Cross-cutting field research and integrated, multidisciplinary simulations will be necessary. | Energy and material flow through the urban ecosystem | Decker, Ethan H and Elliott, Scott and Smith, Felisa A and Blake, Donald R and Sherwood Rowland, F | Journal Article | academic | 2000 |
Case Study
Comparison
Energy Balance
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
UM review paper import
Urban
|
| Use of resources in economic areas: Material flow analyzes for sustainable spatial development Every economic area is in a material exchange with the environment. Raw materials are extracted on the input side and emissions and waste are released on the output side. The use of resources does not stop at political borders. Here, for the first time, it is described in detail how the global material costs of industrialized regions can be determined. The author presents the possibilities of how the physical basis of economic areas can be aggregated and ascertained and evaluated in detail. This is explained using examples for Germany and other industrialized countries as well as results of sectoral and regional analyzes (e.g. construction area or Ruhr area). Analyzes for the planning of infrastructure facilities (energy / water / traffic) are also presented, with the help of which a more sustainable material-energy supply can be implemented locally. Jeder Wirtschaftsraum steht in einem Stoffaustausch mit der Umwelt. Auf der Input-Seite werden Rohmaterialien entnommen und auf der Output-Seite werden Emissionen und Abfälle abgegeben. Die Ressourcennutzung macht dabei nicht an politischen Grenzen halt. Hier wird erstmals ausführlich beschrieben, wie der globale Materialaufwand industrialisierter Regionen bestimmt werden kann. Der Autor stellt die Möglichkeiten vor, wie die physische Basis von Wirtschaftsräumen aggregiert und detailiert ermittelt und bewertet werden kann. Erläutert wird dies anhand von Beispielen für Deutschland und anderen Industrieländern sowie Ergebnissen sektoraler und regionaler Analysen (z.B. Baubereich bzw. Ruhrgebiet). Auch werden Analysen für die Planung von Infrastrukturanlagen (Energie/Wasser/Verkehr) vorgestellt, mit deren Hilfe eine nachhaltigere stofflich-energetische Versorgung lokal umgesetzt werden kann. | Use of resources in economic areas: Material flow analyzes for ... | Stefan Bringezu | Book | academic | 2000 |
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Sub-national
|
| Heavy-Metal Balances, Part II: Management of Cadmium, Copper, Lead, and Zinc in European Agro-Ecosystems The aim of sustainable heavy‐metal management in agroecosystems is to ensure that the soil continues to fulfill its functions: in agricultural production, in environmental processes such as the cycling of elements, and as a habitat of numerous organisms. To understand and manage heavy‐metal flows effectively, a consistent approach to modeling the flows is needed within the particular agro‐system under study. General aspects of heavy‐metal balance studies in agro‐ecosystems were described in part I of this study. In this article (part II), several European studies of heavy‐metal balances at varying spatial scales and in a variety of agro‐ecosystems are reviewed. Sectoral studies at the national and international levels provide information for economic analyses and generic regulations; however, policies implemented at these levels often ignore farm characteristics and individual management options. Field‐scale and farm‐gate balances give farmers specific feedback on effective options for better heavy‐metal management. Heavy‐metal balances could be incorporated in an environmental management system of certified farms. In this way, farm certification may well serve as a basis from which to develop policy to address environmental issues in agriculture. | Heavy-Metal Balances, Part II: Management of Cadmium, Copper, Lead, and ... | Moolenaar, Simon W. | Journal Article | academic | 1999 |
Case Study
Copper
Denmark
Finland
Lead
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Metals
Rural
Substance Flow Analysis (SFA)
Zinc
|
| Western European Materials as Sources and Sinks of CO2 Materials use is an important factor influencing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions because significant amounts of carbon dioxide are released during the production of materials from natural resources, and because products and wastes can function as important sinks for CO2. This article analyzes the impact of Western European materials use on CO2 emissions. The material flows for steel, cement, petrochemicals, and wood products are analyzed in more detail. The analysis shows that particular characteristics of the materials system must be considered in the development of emission reduction strategies. It is important to select a relatively closed system for policymaking, as in Western Europe, in order to prevent unwanted transboundary effects. The materials stored in the form of products, and the net exports of materials, products, and waste limit the potential of a recycling strategy. Carbon storage in products and waste disposal sites is significant both for synthetic and natural organic materials, but is not accounted for in natural organic materials in current emissions statistics. Accordingly the emissions accounting practices should be modified to reflect the storage of such materials. | Western European Materials as Sources and Sinks of CO2 | Gielen, Dolf J. | Journal Article | academic | 1998 |
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Case Study
Chemicals and fertilizers
Concrete
Emissions
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Regional
Steel
Various Materials
Wood
|
| The city of Vienna's anthropogenic material balance no abstract available | The city of Vienna's anthropogenic material balance | Daxbeck H.; Lampert C.; Morf L.; Obernosterer R.; Rechberger H.; Reiner I.; Brunner P. H. | Report | reports | 1996 |
Carbon
Case Study
Lead
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Nitrogen
UM review paper import
Urban
|
| Lead and zinc flows from technosphere to biosphere in a city region By identifying the main product categories and quantifying the pools of metals; the amounts, flows and uses of lead and zinc in the city of Stockholm have been studied. The emissions of metals into different environmental media are estimated. The pools and flows in the biosphere are introduced, and compared with the anthropogenic pools and emissions. Finally, the product emissions are compared with the measured dissipative use, based on the metal concentrations in the sludge at the main waste water treatment plant and in storm water. The amount of lead that is recorded in the waste water treatment plants can mainly be explained by deposition. However, emissions from many of the product categories quantified for lead in Stockholm are not likely to collect at sewage treatment plants. Instead, the emissions are more likely to be noticed in the storm water, the soil and the sediments around the city. In total, about 45 000 tonnes of lead and about 6000 tonnes of metallic zinc are quantified in the study. The product emissions were roughly estimated to be 30 tonnes of lead each year. There are however, large uncertainties in the emission factors. The city can definitely be regarded as a source of zinc pollution. This can be seen in the flows that are registered in the waste water treatment plants, and the estimated storm water flows. From these estimates, the city appears to contribute about 30 tonnes of metallic and biogenic zinc each year to surrounding waters and to sludge. For the product groups and the emission factors used in this study, a zinc emission of about 17 tonnes per year was estimated, with the main contributions coming from street furniture, tyres and buildings. | Lead and zinc flows from technosphere to biosphere in a ... | Palm, Viveka; Östlund, Catarina | Journal Article | academic | 1996 |
Case Study
Lead
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
UM review paper import
Urban
Zinc
|
| The Anthropogenic Metabolism of the City of Vienna The goal of this case study is the development of a method to investigate in the metabolism of an urban region to supply a tool for environmental protection and resources conservation. As examples the materials carbon, nitrogen and lead are investigated. The "Material Flux Analysis" can be used for early recognition of future problems of environmental loading and resource depletion, to set priorities for and to define measures to protect the environment and to use resources more efficiently, to analyse and improve the effects of measures taken. The case study is a necessary step towards reaching the goal to assess and control the metabolism of the city of Vienna. | The Anthropogenic Metabolism of the City of Vienna | H. DAXBECK, C. LAMPERT, L. MORF, R. OBERNOSTERER, RECHBERGER, I. REINER, P.H. BRUNNER | Conference Paper | None | 1996 |
Carbon
Case Study
Lead
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Method
Nitrogen
Urban
|
| The ecological backpack of the Ruhr area: a comparison with North Rhine-Westphalia and the Federal Republic of Germany The global resource consumption of material, energy (carriers) and area, which is connected with the economic activities of the Ruhr area, is quantified. Through functional and spatially differentiated and actor-related analyzes, framework conditions, priorities and starting points for measures to increase resource productivity are shown. The global net land use of agricultural land in 1991 by the Ruhr region suggests that the material supply can only be increasingly put on a renewable basis if the material demand decreases in the sense of dematerialization. In 1990 a sustainable flow weight between the removal of substances from the environment and the release of substances to the environment as well as the physical imports, exports, purchases and deliveries has not yet been reached. A significant part of the annual (primary) material input is associated with the provision of imports and purchases from the Ruhr area and pollutes the environment in other regions. The energy source productivity of the industry in the districts and cities of the municipal association Ruhrgebiet (KVR) shows a non-energetic purpose, the iron and steel industry, the non-ferrous metal industry, the construction industry and the trade show a particularly high material intensity. In terms of global material input (excluding water and air), the Ruhr area (similar to North Rhine-Westphalia) had a material productivity of around two thirds of the national average in 1990. This is mainly due to the fact that more goods are sold in the Ruhr area for the same added value. Der globale Ressourcenverbrauch an Material, Energie(trägern) und Fläche, der mit den wirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten des Ruhrgebiets verbunden ist, wird quantifiziert. Durch funktional und räumlich differenzierte und akteursbezogene Analysen werden Rahmenbedingungen, Prioritäten und Ansatzpunkte für Maßnahmen zur Erhöhung der Ressourcenproduktivität aufgezeigt. Die globale Netto-Flächenbelegung landwirtschaftlicher Fläche 1991 durch das Ruhrgebiet legt nahe, dass die stoffliche Versorgung nur zunehmend auf eine erneuerbare Basis gestellt werden kann, wenn die stoffliche Nachfrage im Sinne einer Dematerialisierung sinkt. 1990 ist ein zukunftsfähiges Fließgewicht zwischen den Stoffentnahmen aus der Umwelt und den Stoffabgaben an die Umwelt sowie den physischen Importen, Exporten, Bezügen und Lieferungen noch nicht erreicht. Ein erheblicher Teil des jährlichen (Primär-) Materialinputs ist mit der Bereitstellung von Importen und Bezügen des Ruhrgebiets verbunden und belastet die Umwelt in anderen Regionen. Die Energieträger-Produktivität der Industrie in den Kreisen und kreisfreien Städten des Kommunalverbandes Ruhrgebiet (KVR) zeigt eine nicht-energetische Zwecke weisen die Eisen- und Stahlindustrie, die Nichteisenmetallindustrie, die Bauwirtschaft und der Handel eine besonders hohe Materialintensität auf. Bezogen auf den globalen Material Input (ohne Wasser und Luft) wies das Ruhrgebiet (ähnlich wie NRW) 1990 eine Materialproduktivität von ca. zwei Drittel des Bundesdurchschnitts auf. Dies liegt hauptsächlich daran, dass im Ruhrgebiet für die gleiche Wertschöpfung mehr Warenmasse verkauft wird. | The ecological backpack of the Ruhr area: a comparison with ... | Bringezu, Stefan; Schütz, Helmut | Working paper | academic | 1996 |
Case Study
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Sub-national
UM review paper import
|
| Metabolism of the anthroposphere The topic treated in this book is the dynamics of material fluxes in the immediate human environment - the anthroposphere. A comprehensive understanding of man's activities in connection with, for example, nutrition, hygiene, habitation and transport is essential for early recognition of limitations of resources and environmental impact. The methodology of flux analysis is introduced, with examples on how to qualify and quantify the metabolism of complex biological and cultural systems. This is an entirely new approach to describing geogenic and anthropogenic systems. The perceptions gained by material flux analysis complement those obtained in life sciences (e.g. human toxicology), environmental sciences (e.g. ecotoxicology) and social sciences (e.g. economics, sociology). Their application enables a control on regional material fluxes (resource and waste management, environmental impact studies) and the development of kybernetic strategies for the metabolic evolution of the anthroposphere. | Metabolism of the anthroposphere | Peter BACCINI and Paul BRUNNER | Book | academic | 1991 |
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Method
|
| The metabolism of a city: the case of Hong Kong Demographic trends suggest that up to 5000 new cities of half a million in population each may be required between 1975 and 2000. In order to examine the implications of this for demands on resources, a detailed assessment has been made of the patterns of flow and the end-use of energy and of some selected materials in the city-state of Hong Kong. This assessment is used as a basis for extrapolating the future resource requirements of other urban development along similar lines. The calculations indicate that the capital and recurrent energy costs of the predicted urbanization would amount to more than five times the 1973 world consumption of energy. | The metabolism of a city: the case of Hong Kong | Newcombe, Ken and Kalma, Jetse D and Aston, Alan R | Journal Article | academic | 1978 |
Case Study
Construction Materials
Energy Balance
Food
Future Scenario
Island
Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
Material Stock Analysis (MSA)
Single point in time
UM review paper import
Urban
|