Browsing by Keyword "Environmental impact assessment"
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Item Environmental assessment of domestic solar hot water systems: a case study in residential and hotel buildings: A case study in residential and hotel buildings(2015-02-01) Zambrana-Vasquez, David; Aranda-Usón, Alfonso; Zabalza-Bribián, Ignacio; Jañez, Alberto; Llera-Sastresa, Eva; Hernández, Patxi; Arrizabalaga, Eneko; PLANIFICACIÓN ENERGÉTICADomestic solar hot water systems (SHWS), which are used to reduce domestic energy use, represent one of the most widely known technologies of solar thermal applications. Taking into account the sizing of these systems during its design phase, it is also important to consider the effects on the environment of their use from a life cycle perspective. An evaluation method based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is used in this paper to analyse the environmental implications of SHWS considering the production, use, maintenance and end-of-life stages. As a case study, 32 different types of SWHS to meet the hot water demand (HWD) of 2 dwellings and 2 hotels, located in the region of Aragón in Spain, are studied. The aim of the case study is to compare the environmental performance of SHWS and to select the best environmentally friendly solution while considering their energy pay-back time (EPBT). From an environmental point of view, comparing the results obtained in all cases studies, e.g., in terms of kg CO2 eq, the use of biomass as fuel for the auxiliary system in each SHWS considered provides the greatest environmental benefit in comparison with the other fuels, usually followed by the use of natural gas. However, in terms of the EPBT, because biomass is the fuel with lowest environmental impact and associated embodied energy, the avoided embodied energy due to the solar contribution in SHWS is the lowest in the biomass case, thereby resulting in a higher value of the EPBT.Item La evaluación de impacto ambiental sobre las poblaciones de aves rapaces: Problemas de ejecución y posibles soluciones(2003-06) Martínez, José Antonio; Martínez, José Enrique; Zuberogoitia, Iñigo; García, Jesús T.; Carbonell, Roberto; De Lucas, Manuela; Díaz, Mario; ADAPTACIÓN AL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICOThe environmental impact assessment of projects is currently the main tool for preventing negative impacts of human activities on natural resources, thus allowing the integration of socio-economic development and conservation. Unfortunately, the general low quality of environmental impact studies, and thus the assessments derived from them, makes them useless for accomplishing this task. In this paper we review biological information potentially useful for the proper development of studies of environmental impact on raptor populations in Spain. Our main aim is to analyse whether the low quality that characterizes this type of studies is due to a lack of relevant biological information on raptors, or to limitations, either intrinsic or extrinsic, of the environmental impact assessment process itself that intends to protect raptors populations from potentially harmful human activities. Based on a selective literature review, we conclude that there is sufficient biological information to carry out proper studies of the impact of human activities on most Spanish raptor populations, provided that the focus is on the effects on nesting places and home ranges; however, there is a general lack of relevant information needed to evaluate impacts on populations and metapopulations. We suggest that both the environmental impact studies and the professionals who work on them should be monitored much more closely by the public administration, in order to prevent malfunctions or wrong assessments from an ecological viewpoint. Also, we indicate which are the main limitations encountered when analysing impacts on a large-scale basis, i.e. on raptor populations and metapopulations. In order to solve problems associated with the latter, we recommend, on the one hand, the acquisition of proper ecological data and information, and, on the other, the implementation of Strategic Environmental Assessments of Plans and Programs of Development.Item Habitat preferences and causes of population decline for Barn Owls Tyto alba: A multi-scale approach(2004-12) Martínez, Jose Antonio; Zuberogoitia, Íñigo; ADAPTACIÓN AL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICOAims: Habitat preferences of Barn Owls was studied in two areas of Spain undergoing large-scale habitat alteration. Location: Alicante (dry cultivations) and Valencia (irrigated cultivations) in eastern Spain. Methods: Habitat composition around occupied and unoccupied territories in dry cultures and irrigated cultures was compared (n = 71, 1989-2000). This study also described differences in habitat composition between occupied and deserted territories after major habitat alterations started in 1996. Generalized Linear Models were used to examine patterns of habitat preference at three different spatial scales: nest site, home range and landscape. Results: The study population declined by 69% in both study areas. At the nest site scale, Barn Owls preferred undisturbed areas with high availability of cavities, mainly in man-made structures. At the home range and landscape scales, Barn Owls occupied undisturbed areas with a high availability of cavities and high percentages of edges and ditches. Territory desertion was prompted by the modernisation or disappearance of man-made structures, depletion of edges and ditches, expansion of the road network and persecution. Accordingly, the spatial distribution of territories in irrigated cultures changed from uniform to random after habitat alteration. The availability of cavities alone does not account for all of the explained deviance, i.e., Barn Owls occupy structurally complex landscapes. Conclusions: Compensation measures for habitat loss such as nest-box programs, usually proposed within the framework of environmental impact assessment, are discouraged unless habitat restoration and effective control of persecution are promoted first.Item Monitoring the environmental and energy impacts of electric arc furnace steelmaking(2016) Colla, Valentina; Cirilli, Filippo; Kleimt, Bernd; Unamuno, Inigo; Tosato, Silvia; Baragiola, Stefano; Klung, Jens Sebastian; Quintero, Borja Peña; De Miranda, Uggero; PROMETALThe problem of rating the environmental impact of industrial plants has been widely studied in recent years with a specific focus on CO2 emission and energy consumption. On the contrary, only limited attention has been paid to the evaluation of the resource efficiency and overall environmental impact of industrial plants. This paper presents the first results of the research project entitled "Environmental Impact Evaluation and Effective Management of Resources in the EAF Steelmaking" (EIRES), which aims at a plant-oriented approach with an internal reporting of environmental and energy issues. For this purpose, several Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been selected both from literature and operational practices, which can be easily interpreted by plant operators and managers. Furthermore a software tool has been implemented which allows to follow the evolution of these KPIs over time. The tool is not intended to compare the environmental performance of different companies, but to provide a practical support to the personnel of each single steelwork, in order to have an updated overview on the way the processes in the plant are operated from an environmental perspective and in order to identify measures and modifications of operational practices allowing to lower the environmental footprint of the production cycle.Item Problemas de ejecución de los estudios y evaluaciones de impacto ambiental sobre las aves(2003-12) Martínez, José Antonio; Martínez, José Enrique; Zuberogoitia, Iñigo; García, Jesús T.; Carbonell, Roberto; De Lucas, Manuela; Díaz, Mario; ADAPTACIÓN AL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICOWe analyse the reply by Suárez et al. (2003) to our previous paper (Martínez et al., 2003), concluding that both reached the same general conclusion. The low quality of studies and evaluations of environmental impact assessment on birds is mostly due to a lack of interest and political will for using the information available and for detecting and solving relevant gaps in our knowledge. For this reason, the regulation of the Environmental Impact Assessment of projects is not applied efficiently in Spain. We also conclude that the disagreements between both papers refer mostly to details on (1) the relevance of gaps in basic information, (2) methods for using such information and (3) proposals to improve the quality of studies and evaluations. There are gaps in basic information, but a proper use of available sources which are seldom used would improve significantly studies and evaluations in the short term. Such sources are scientific papers on the biology of bird species and reports on the results of monitoring programs of the efficiency of correction measures of previous impacts. Increasing the scientific skills of technicians would improve the efficient use of these sources of information. Finally, the development of a variety of methods for the control of the quality of studies and evaluations, as well as of some regulations seldom used such as Territory Planning and Strategic Environmental Assessment, would further contribute to solve its general low quality.