Taslima Khanam

This review synthesises the life cycle environmental performance of hydrogen production pathways for fuel cell bus applications based on a core systematic dataset of 19 peer-reviewed studies from the 2001–2020 review period, supplemented by recent literature to assess subsequent developments in the field. The reviewed literature shows that hydrogen produced using fossil-intensive electricity and coal gasification generally results in higher environmental impacts, whereas renewable-powered electrolysis provides substantially lower life cycle greenhouse gas emissions. Steam methane reforming remains an important hydrogen production pathway, and the reviewed studies indicate that carbon capture and storage can reduce its associated greenhouse gas emissions. Recent studies further indicate that the relative sustainability of hydrogen fuel cell buses is context- and scenario-dependent, with outcomes influenced by hydrogen production pathways, regional electricity systems, operational conditions, infrastructure, and economic factors. Considerable variation is observed among the reported environmental impacts, mainly because of differences in system boundaries, electricity generation mixes, geographical conditions, functional units, passenger loading assumptions, and LCA methodologies. Overall, the environmental performance of hydrogen fuel cell buses is strongly dependent on the hydrogen production pathway and the energy source used. Greater methodological standardisation and the increased use of low-carbon energy sources are therefore important for improving both the environmental performance and comparability of hydrogen-based bus systems.

Timber waste produced throughout the building life cycle is a growing environmental concern, particularly as global construction activity accelerates. This review critically evaluates the environmental performance of timber waste management strategies—including prevention, reuse, recycling, energy recovery, and landfilling—through circular economy principles. A total of 69 peer-reviewed studies were selected from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, with a geographic focus on Europe, the United States, and China. Environmental impacts were assessed using life cycle assessment (LCA), with results standardised per one ton of timber waste. Global warming potential ranged up to 1780 kg CO₂-equivalent per ton, with notable variation across treatment methods. Recycling (52%) and landfilling (27%) were the most commonly evaluated, while only 2% of studies addressed waste prevention through design innovation. Activated carbon production, timber reuse, and incineration with energy recovery were among the most environmentally favourable options. In contrast, landfilling resulted in the highest environmental burdens due to limited methane recovery. The review identifies key research gaps, including inconsistent LCA methodologies, limited regional data, and a lack of performance analysis for recycled timber. Importantly, the findings provide practical insights for construction industry stakeholders and policymakers by highlighting priority areas for waste minimisation, regulatory harmonisation, and circular design adoption. These insights can guide evidence-based policy development and promote sustainable resource management across the construction sector.

Despite the well-documented health risks of noise pollution, its impact remains overlooked mainly in life cycle assessment (LCA). This study introduces a methodological innovation by integrating both traffic and construction noise into the LCA framework for concrete construction, providing a more holistic and realistic evaluation of environmental and health impacts. By combining building information modeling (BIM) with LCA, the method automates material quantification and assesses both environmental and noise-related health burdens. A key advancement is the inclusion of health-based indicators, such as annoyance and sleep disturbance, quantified through disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Two scenarios are examined: (1) a comparative analysis of concrete versus timber flooring and (2) end-of-life options (reuse vs. landfill). The results reveal that concrete has up to 7.4 times greater environmental impact than timber, except in land use. When noise is included, its contribution ranges from 7–33% in low-density regions (Darwin) and 62–92% in high-density areas (NSW), underscoring the critical role of local context. Traffic noise emerged as the dominant source, while equipment-related noise was minimal (0.3–1.5% of total DALYs). Timber slightly reduced annoyance but showed similar sleep disturbance levels. Material reuse reduced midpoint environmental impacts by 67–99.78%. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that mitigation measures like double glazing can cut noise-related impacts by 2–10% in low-density settings and 31–45% in high-density settings, validating the robustness of this framework. Overall, this study establishes a foundation for integrating noise into LCA, supporting sustainable material choices, environmentally responsible construction, and health-centered policymaking, particularly in noise-sensitive urban development.

Despite the well-documented health risks of noise pollution, its impact remains overlooked mainly in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This study introduces a methodological innovation by integrating both traffic and construction noise into the LCA framework for concrete construction, providing a more holistic and realistic evaluation of environmental and health impacts. By combining Building Information Modelling (BIM) with LCA, the method automates material quantification and assesses both environmental and noise-related health burdens. A key advancement is the inclusion of health-based indicators, such as annoyance and sleep disturbance, quantified through Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY). Two scenarios are examined: (1) a comparative analysis of concrete versus timber flooring and (2) end-of-life options (reuse vs. landfill). Results reveal that concrete has up to 7.4 times greater environmental impact than timber, except in land use. When noise is included, its contribution ranges from 7–33% in low-density regions (Darwin) and 62–92% in high-density areas (NSW), underscoring the critical role of local context. Traffic noise emerged as the dominant source, while equipment-related noise was minimal (0.3–1.5% of total DALYs). Timber slightly reduced annoyance but showed similar sleep disturbance levels. Material reuse reduced midpoint environmental impacts by 67–99.78%. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that mitigation measures like double glazing can cut noise-related impacts by 2–10% in low-density and 31–45% in high-density settings, validating the robustness of this framework. Overall, this study establishes a foundation for integrating noise into LCA, supporting sustainable material choices, environmentally responsible construction, and health-centered policymaking, particularly in noise-sensitive urban development.

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) evaluates the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its life cycle, from material extraction to end-of-life, considering factors such as global warming, acidification, and toxicity. However, despite its significant health effects, noise has not yet been incorporated into the LCA. This study integrates noise impact into the LCA to assess and compare alternative structural designs for Australian high-rise residential and commercial buildings. Three scenarios were analysed: (1) reinforced concrete frames, (2) hybrid timber designs using engineered wood (e.g., cross-laminated timber and Glulam), and (3) steel-frame structures. The system boundary spans cradle to grave, with a 100-year lifespan. Material quantities were extracted from BIM software 2024 (Revit Architecture) for accuracy. The ReCiPe 2016 method converted inventory data into impact indicators, while noise impact was assessed using Highly Annoyed People (HAP) and Highly Sleep-Deprived People (HSDP). The results show that commercial buildings have more significant environmental impacts than residential structures due to their higher material usage. Steel frames generally exhibit the highest environmental impact, while concrete structures contribute most to noise effects. The total noise-integrated impact ranks as steel > concrete > timber. Additionally, noise accounts for up to 33% of the total impact on densely populated areas but remains negligible in low-population regions. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating noise into the LCA for a more holistic assessment of sustainable building designs.

This article presents a comprehensive overview of the life cycle environmental and energy assessment for all residential and commercial constructions made of timber walls, globally. The study was carried out based on a systematic literature analysis conducted on the Scopus database. A total of 66 research articles were relevant to timber wall design. Among these, the residential construction sector received more attention than the commercial sector, while the low-rise construction (1–2 stories) gained more attention than high-rise construction (>5 stories). Most of these studies were conducted in Canada, Europe, Malaysia, and the USA. In addition, the end-of-life phase received limited attention compared to upstream phases in most of the studies. We compared all environmental and energy-based life cycle impacts that used “m²” as the functional unit; this group represented 21 research articles. Global warming potential was understandably the most studied life cycle environmental impact category followed by acidification, eutrophication, embodied energy, photochemical oxidation, and abiotic depletion. In terms of global warming impact, the external walls of low-rise buildings emit 18 to 702 kg CO₂ kg eq./m², while the internal walls of the same emit 11 kg CO₂ kg eq./m². In turn, the walls of high-rise buildings carry 114.3 to 227.3 kg CO₂ kg eq./m² in terms of global warming impact. The review highlights variations in timber wall designs and the environmental impact of these variations, together with different system boundaries and varying building lifetimes, as covered in various articles. Finally, a few recommendations have been offered at the end of the article for future researchers of this domain.

In this article, we present research results on the structure and properties of new self-lubricating antifriction composites based on 4H4VMFS tool steel grinding waste with solid lubricant additives. The new composites are designed to work in the friction units of offset cylinders in printing machines at rotation speeds up to 7000 rpm and increased loads up to 5.0 MPa. The developed technology formed composites with a fine-grained heterophase structure with a metal matrix base of tool steel 4H4VMFS regenerated grinding waste, consisting of high-alloy α−solid solution and hard grains of alloying element carbides, as well as evenly distributed CaF₂ antiseizure solid lubricant. This structure ensured the formation of composites with favorable functional properties. During the friction process, antiseizure films were formed on the contact surfaces, resulting in a self-lubrication mode. Comparative tests for friction and wear showed significant advantages of the new waste composite compared to cast bronze parts, which are traditionally used in the friction units of offset cylinders of rolled newspaper printing machines. The stable operation of the new composite made it possible to ensure a “wear-free” effect. Studies have shown the importance and prospects of using the wide range of valuable grinding waste in the reproduction cycle to manufacture quality composites. Reuse of such waste would significantly protect the environment from pollution connected with human activity industrial and mitigate negative impacts on ecosystems and the biosphere.