Atikur Rahman

Green building promotes sustainable construction methods that reduce waste and energy consumption while integrating environmentally friendly practices. These buildings are designed and constructed to offer safe, healthy, and sustainable living spaces. This study reviews existing research on green building development in Bangladesh and examines the performance of Karupannya Rangpur Ltd. Using temperature measurements, organizational records, and worker interviews, the study compares thermal performance, water use, and workplace conditions between green and conventional buildings. Results show that the green building achieved a LEED score of 71, maintained an average 4.33 °C lower indoor temperature compared to outdoors (vs. 1.67 °C in a conventional building), and saved up to 40% of monthly water through rainwater harvesting. Worker surveys indicated improved thermal comfort, reduced heat stress, and greater job satisfaction due to natural cooling, greenery, and clean indoor conditions. These findings may guide future research and sustainable construction practices in similar contexts.

The global demand for compost, produced through the bioconversion of organic waste into nutrient-rich soil amendments, is increasing due to the adverse environmental, health, and economic impacts of synthetic fertilizers. Compost use offers a cost-effective and sustainable alternative, improving soil fertility and long-term productivity. However, the potential of tobacco waste as a composting substrate remains insufficiently investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing tobacco waste as a composting feedstock and to develop an optimized composting method. Tobacco waste (scrap leaves and midrib stems) was composted with cow manure in earthen pots to promote decomposition and nutrient mineralization, and its performance was compared with compost produced from cow manure and vegetable waste (vegetable leaves). Vermicomposting, which involves the addition of earthworms to conventional compost treatments, was also implemented to enhance composting efficiency and nutrient release. The final composts, both conventional and vermicompost, were analyzed for organic carbon (OC), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S), and the maturity duration. Among the three conventional compost variants, the mixture of cow manure and tobacco leaves had the highest nitrogen concentration at 1.45% and the cow manure and tobacco stems had 1.23% as the second best. Cow manure and tobacco stem compost had the highest K content of 1.13%, followed by tobacco leaves (0.99%). Sulfur levels were also found to be higher in the tobacco stem compost compared to the other compost types, with the highest value of 0.56%, followed by tobacco leaves (0.23%). All three vermicompost variants outperformed their conventional counterparts in terms of nutrient concentrations and achieved maturity in shorter durations. The cow manure with tobacco stem mixed vermicompost was notable for its elevated potassium (1.35%) and sulfur (0.89%) contents. The results indicate that vermicomposting offers a faster and more nutrient-enriched composting approach, particularly with tobacco waste. Incorporating tobacco waste into this process has the potential to produce high-quality compost, presenting a sustainable strategy for waste valorization and enhancing soil fertility.

Green building encompasses sustainable construction methods that reduce waste and energy consumption while integrating environmentally friendly practices, considering their impact on nature and human health. These buildings are designed and constructed to offer safe, healthy, and sustainable living spaces. They improve indoor air quality, conserve energy and water, preserve their value over time, and prioritize materials that promote health and resilience. In today's world, the demand for sustainable building practices has surged significantly. Developed countries aim to become leaders in green building, while in developing nations like Bangladesh, although adoption remains low, interest is steadily rising. Few studies have yet been conducted on green building practices in Bangladesh. This paper offers a critical review of existing research on green buildings in Bangladesh, identifying common themes and methodologies. Major topics include defining green buildings, comparing their benefits with conventional buildings, and exploring ways to achieve them. Using available data, this study also presents a case study of Karupannya Rangpur Ltd., regarded as one of Bangladesh's top green factories. Its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating is in the platinum category with a score of 71. The average internal and external temperature difference at this site was 4.33°C, compared to 1.67°C for a conventional building under similar conditions. Opinions from representatives about the prospects and overview of green buildings in Bangladesh were collected, along with data on temperature control and energy use. The findings of this research will be valuable for people interested in green building practices and may guide future researchers, builders, and environmental specialists working in similar geographic areas.

The global demand for compost, produced through the bioconversion of organic waste into nutrient-rich soil amendments, is increasing due to the adverse environmental, health, and economic impacts of synthetic fertilizers. Compost use offers a cost-effective and sustainable alternative, improving soil fertility and long-term productivity. However, the potential of tobacco waste as a composting substrate remains insufficiently investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing tobacco waste as a composting feedstock and to develop an optimized composting method. Tobacco waste (scrap leaves and midrib stems) was composted with cow manure in earthen pots to promote decomposition and nutrient mineralization, and its performance was compared with compost produced from cow manure and vegetable waste (vegetable leaves). Vermicomposting, which involves the addition of earthworms to conventional compost treatments, was also implemented to enhance composting efficiency and nutrient release. The final composts, both conventional and vermicompost, were analyzed for organic carbon (OC), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S), and the maturity duration. Among the three conventional compost variants, the mixture of cow manure and vegetable waste exhibited a notable nutrient composition, with the highest organic carbon (15.3%) and phosphorus (0.42%) contents. All three vermicompost variants outperformed their conventional counterparts in terms of nutrient concentrations and achieved maturity in shorter durations. The vermicompost, comprising cow manure, vegetable leaves, and earthworms, recorded the highest levels of organic carbon (45.3%) and nitrogen (2.50%), reaching maturity within 40 days. The cow manure with tobacco stem mixed vermicompost was notable for its elevated potassium (1.35%) and sulfur (0.89%) contents. The results indicate that vermicomposting offers a faster and more nutrient-enriched composting approach, particularly with vegetable residues. Incorporating tobacco waste into this process has the potential to produce high-quality compost, presenting a sustainable strategy for waste valorization and enhancing soil fertility.

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a vital cereal crop in semi-arid regions, but its productivity is often limited by water scarcity and inefficient nitrogen (N) management. While previous studies have explored the individual effects of irrigation and N application, limited research has examined their combined influence on sorghum growth, phenology, and yield. This study aimed to assess the impacts of four irrigation levels (0, 75, 100, and 125% of irrigation as I₀, I₇₅, I₁₀₀, and I₁₂₅) and four N application rates (0, 90, 180, and 360 kg N ha⁻¹ as N₀, N₉₀, N₁₈₀, and N₃₆₀) on sorghum performance to identify optimal water and nutrient management strategies. A field experiment was conducted over two growing seasons, measuring plant height, number of leaves, panicle length, flowering percentage, visual maturity rating, biomass, and grain yield using a split-plot design, with irrigation as the main factor and N rates as subplots with three replications. Key findings revealed that irrigation and N application significantly influenced plant height, number of leaves, panicle length, biomass, and grain yield. The highest plant height (58.06 cm), number of leaves (10.25), and panicle length (26.60 cm) were observed under I₁₂₅. Compared to the I₀ treatment, the increase in visual maturity rating in I₇₅ and I₁₀₀ was 64.91% and 249.70%, respectively. The highest biomass (3.25 t/ha) was observed for treatment I₁₂₅, while the highest grain yield (2.40 t/ha) was for I₁₀₀. Compared to N₀, treatments N₉₀, N₁₈₀, and N₃₆₀ increased grain yield by 64.8, 66.4, and 81.6%, respectively. The Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships among key crop growth, phenology, and yield traits. The maturity rating correlated highest with flowering percentage (0.76). The response to N application was more pronounced under well-watered conditions, with the steepest grain yield increase observed under N₃₆₀. In water-limited conditions, higher N rates did not improve yield. Based on these results, applying irrigation at 100% of the crop water requirement and at least 180 kg N ha⁻¹ is recommended to enhance sorghum resilience, resource-use efficiency, and sustainable production, particularly in water-scarce regions.

Machine learning (ML) models are widely used to analyze the spatiotemporal impacts of agricultural practices on environmental sustainability, including the contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Management practices, such as organic amendment applications, are critical pillars of Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) strategies that mitigate GHG emissions while maintaining adequate crop yields. This study investigated the critical threshold of soil moisture level associated with soil CO₂ emissions from organically amended plots using the classification and regression tree (CART) algorithm. Also, the study predicted the short-term soil CO₂ emissions from organically amended systems using soil moisture and weather variables (i.e., air temperature, relative humidity, and solar radiation) using multilinear regression (MLR) and generalized additive models (GAMs). The different organic amendments considered in this study are biochar (2268 and 4536 kg ha⁻¹) and chicken and dairy manure (0, 224, and 448 kg N/ha) under a sweet corn crop in the greater Houston area, Texas. The results of the CART analysis indicated a direct link between soil moisture level and the magnitude of CO₂ flux emission from the amended plots. A threshold of 0.103 m³m⁻³ was calculated for treatment amended by biochar level I (2268 kg ha⁻¹) and chicken manure at the N recommended rate (CXBX), indicating that if the soil moisture is less than the 0.103 m³m⁻³ threshold, then the median soil CO₂ emission is 142 kg ha⁻¹ d⁻¹. Furthermore, applying biochar at a rate of 4536 kg ha⁻¹ reduced the soil CO₂ emissions by 14.5% compared to the control plots. Additionally, the results demonstrate that GAMs outperformed MLR, exhibiting the highest performance under the combined effect of chicken and biochar. We conclude that quantifying soil moisture thresholds will provide valuable information for the sustainable mitigation of soil CO₂ emissions.

A field study was conducted to investigate the effects of selected climate-smart agriculture practices on soil bulk density (ρ), porosity (β), hydraulic conductivity (K_sat), and nutrient dynamics in southeast Texas. Treatment combinations of two types of organic manure (chicken and dairy) with three rates (0, 224, and 448 kg N ha⁻¹) and two levels of biochar (2500 and 5000 kg ha⁻¹) were used in a factorial randomized block design. Bulk density and porosity measurements were conducted on undisturbed soil core samples collected from the topsoil (0–10 cm) of a field cultivated with sweet corn. K_sat was calculated from the steady-state infiltration measured using the Tension Infiltrometer (TI). The ANOVA results indicated that the manure application rates, and biochar levels significantly affected the soil properties. Compared to the control, β increased by 15% and 29% for the recommended and double recommended manure rates. Similarly, hydraulic conductivity increased by 25% in the double-recommended rate plots compared to the control. Also, we applied the concept of non-parametric elasticity to understand the sensitivity of soil physical and chemical properties to K_sat. ρ and β are critical physical properties that are highly sensitive to K_sat. Among soil nutrients, Boron showed the highest sensitivity to K_sat. Hydraulic conductivity can be enhanced by employing selected climate-smart practices and improving water management. Future directions for this study focus on scaling these findings to diverse cropping systems and soil types while integrating long-term assessments to evaluate the cumulative effects of climate-smart practices on soil health, crop productivity, and ecosystem sustainability.

Evapotranspiration is an essential component of the hydrologic cycle, and its accurate quantification is crucial for managing crop water requirements and the operation of irrigation systems. Evapotranspiration data is key to hydrological and water management research investigations, including studying the impact of various climatic factors on crop water requirements. It has been estimated as the product of the reference crop evapotranspiration and crop coefficient. Daily reference crop evapotranspiration (ET_o) can be determined by several methods and equations. The Food and Agriculture Organization Penman-Monteith equation requires complete weather data, whereas empirical equations such as Hargreaves and Samani, Valiantzas, Priestley-Taylor, Makkink, and Stephens-Stewart require limited weather data. This work evaluated different empirical equations for West Texas using the standard FAO Penman-Monteith method and calibrated their parameters to improve ET_o estimation. Detailed meteorological data from West Texas Mesonet and high resolution (800 m) Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) datasets from 2007 to 2016 were used. Daily ET_o calculated using the standard FAO Penman-Monteith equation was compared to ET_o estimated based on different empirical methods. The results show that all original empirical equations underestimated ET_o. Calibration improved the performance of tested equations; however, there seems to be underestimation of ET_o in the 8–16 mm range. Overall, the monthly Hargreaves and Samani equation with either original or calibrated values of its parameters outperformed all tested models. This equation seems to be a reasonable estimator, especially under limited weather data conditions.

Manure application changes the phosphorus (P) sorption behavior of soil, which may help release P to surface water. Excess P may result in degradation of quality of receiving water. In this study, effects of dairy, poultry, and goat manure applications on various soil phosphorus sorption indices were estimated for a silt loam Bangladeshi agricultural soil. The soil was incubated with manures for a month, and sorption experiments were conducted using incubated soil. The soil P adsorption isotherms conformed to S-curve shape for the both manure treated and untreated soils. Adsorption data conformed to the isotherms in the order of Freundlich > Temkin > Langmuir for poultry and goat manure treated soils and Langmuir > Freundlich > Temkin for dairy manure treated soil. Manure treatment decreased all the sorption parameters; the highest decrease was observed from dairy manure treated soil. Maximum P buffering capacity and standard phosphate requirement were decreased for all manure treatments, meaning that less fertilizer would be needed to maintain P concentrations in soil solution if manure amendment is used. Results of this study could be utilized for better fertilizer and manure management to reduce the waste of valuable fertilizer and to decrease water pollution.