Raquel Castro Madureira

Objective: The study addresses the urgency of finding alternatives to high-potential greenhouse fluorinated refrigerants, especially for domestic heating systems, due to imminent legal restrictions in Europe. When exploring the concept of Smart Cities, the energy efficiency of heating/cooling systems that use HFCs is highlighted, identifying the refrigerants responsible for serious global warming and which are being gradually eliminated by the European Union. Framework: Starting with a brief historical analysis of artificial heating and international agreements that have monitored the impact of human actions on the environment, followed by theoretical measures adopted and an assessment of the current European legal landscape related to refrigerants, projecting their impact on existing technologies. Method: Aplly efficient diagnostic, especially in low- and middle-income houses in Portugal, observing climate change, including the increase in CO2 in the atmosphere such as use of the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) to evaluate environmental policies. Research Results: The impact of powerful greenhouse gases such as HFCs, with residential heating in the EU a major source of emissions. Sustainable alternatives such as heat pumps and the gradual transition to refrigerants with lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) are promoted, supported by legislative measures and financial incentives. Research implications: One of the major barriers to climate actionin cities, especially in Europe is to access climate finance to attend green and sustenable criterias. As key to ensuring domestic ability to mobilize sources of finance, such as internal programmes of reducing old skills of coverage in local climate action. The study contributes to debate the multi-level governance for Local Climate Action and integrating national climate change policies based on the global urban agenda, SDG. Originality/Value: As result of the master’s investigation the article is prior in the hitting energy consuming in Europe and especially in Portugal, been part of the graduate program of Aveiro University.

This study presents a systematic review of the impact of Industry 4.0, digitalization, and information systems on the procurement function with a focus on the Portuguese reality. Despite global trends emphasizing digital transformation and innovation, the procurement practices in Portugal seem to lag. The adoption of cutting-edge technologies and the comprehensive integration of digital solutions within the procurement and supply chain management sector are yet to materialize fully in the Portuguese SME context. The benefits and obstacles of these technologies in transitioning procurement into a more strategic role are analyzed. By examining existing literature, critical factors for organizations to consider when implementing these technologies and the potential benefits are identified. The results indicate that digitalization has resulted in a data-driven approach to procurement, with the aid of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence for decision-making. Industry 4.0 has facilitated smarter factories, warehouses, and logistics operations with a focus on automation, connectivity, and real-time data. Procurement can more efficiently manage suppliers, track contracts, identify cost-saving opportunities, and increase sustainability with the aid of information systems. The study also highlights potential challenges for organizations. Overall, this study provides insightful findings on the role of digitalization in transforming procurement and the challenges and opportunities that organizations may face.