https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/25434 2026-08-22T03:03:13Z 2026-08-22T03:03:13Z Adnan, Mohammed Sarfaraz Gani Kebede, Abiy S Appeaning Addo, Kwasi Dewan, Ashraf Chakrabortty, Rabin White, Christopher J Ward, Philip J https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33734 2026-08-22T02:00:46Z 2026-06-29T00:00:00Z

Title: Nature-based solutions for mitigating multi-hazard flood and temperature extremes in coastal and deltaic regions Authors: Adnan, Mohammed Sarfaraz Gani; Kebede, Abiy S; Appeaning Addo, Kwasi; Dewan, Ashraf; Chakrabortty, Rabin; White, Christopher J; Ward, Philip J Abstract: Coastal, deltaic, and estuarine regions are increasingly exposed to compound multi-hazard events, particularly the interaction of coastal and riverine flooding with extreme temperatures. These hazards interact across spatial and temporal scales, generating complex events that challenge conventional single-hazard risk reduction approaches. Despite growing interest in Nature-based Solutions (NbS), quantitative evidence on multi-hazard interactions and NbS effectiveness remains limited. This study addresses these gaps through a two-fold approach: (i) detecting and characterizing multi-hazard flood–temperature events across five representative deltaic and estuarine regions in Bangladesh, India, Ghana, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, and (ii) evaluating the potential of NbS interventions to mitigate their impacts. Multi-hazard interactions are quantified using a nonparametric copula framework to estimate joint probabilities, combined with cross-correlation analysis to identify precursor relationships and optimal time lags. A systematic literature review and meta-analysis is conducted to assess NbS performance across different hazard indicators and regions. Results reveal strong spatial variability in compound hazard dynamics. Riverine–coastal flooding is the most frequent compound event, often occurring simultaneously in several regions (e.g., Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands). In contrast, flood–heat interactions exhibit distinct lead–lag relationships, with extreme heat often preceding flooding. The meta-analysis indicates that NbS can reduce key hydrodynamic hazard indicators by over 50% on average, although effectiveness is highly context-dependent and evidence gaps persist, particularly in West Africa. Overall, this study advances the understanding of compound hazard processes in coastal and deltaic systems and provides quantitative evidence on the role of NbS in mitigating interacting climate risks. Description: ICONHI2026

2026-06-29T00:00:00Z Ercal, Orhan Shafique, Muhammad https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33725 2026-08-19T02:00:39Z 2026-06-11T00:00:00Z

Title: From design to decarbonisation: a BIM-based comparative analysis of embodied carbon in buildings Authors: Ercal, Orhan; Shafique, Muhammad Abstract: The construction industry is a significant contributor to global carbon emissions, with embodied carbon accounting for a growing proportion of building life-cycle emissions. Comparative analyses that assess various structural systems within a single, controlled building design remain limited, despite increasing interest in building information modelling- life cycle assessment (BIM-LCA) integration. This study addresses this gap by providing a BIM-based assessment framework that quantifies and compares the embodied carbon of three structural systems (steel, reinforced concrete, and timber) applied to an identical conceptual two-storey residential structure in the UK. Material quantities were extracted from a parametric Revit model and integrated with emission factors within a cradle-to-gate (A1-A3) system boundary. The results indicate that total embodied carbon amounts to 104,165 kgCO₂eq for a traditional steel house, 84,640 kgCO₂eq for a traditional reinforced concrete house, and 51,255 kgCO₂eq for a traditional timber house. By employing low-carbon material alternatives, embodied carbon is reduced by 40.4% in the steel house, 32.2% in the concrete house, and 19.7% in the timber house, respectively. Thus, encouraging early-stage sustainable design decisions can make a substantial contribution to the decarbonisation of the built environment. Description: Availability of data and materials: Data in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.; Supplementary Materials are available online at: https://image.oaes.cc/published/article/eb5d33b49c8ad0a26385ba60c48af548/cf6002-SupplementaryMaterials.pdf .

2026-06-11T00:00:00Z Baltrocchi, Alberto Pietro Damiano Shafique, Muhammad Torretta, Vincenzo https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33724 2026-08-19T02:00:41Z 2026-08-13T00:00:00Z

Title: Enhancing Circularity in the Construction Industry: Life Cycle Assessment of Recycled Fibers in Concrete Composites Authors: Baltrocchi, Alberto Pietro Damiano; Shafique, Muhammad; Torretta, Vincenzo Abstract: Nowadays, the construction sector accounts for a significant share of global energy consumption, carbon emissions, and resource depletion. To reduce its environmental impact, the entire sector must shift toward sustainable strategies, such as improving energy efficiency and using sustainable materials. In this context, fiber-reinforced concrete composites (FRCCs) made from recycled fibers are proposed as a possible solution. This research aims to evaluate the environmental impacts of sixteen formulations of reinforced concrete using different types of virgin or recycled fibers through Life Cycle Assessment. The findings showed that the environmental impacts of FRCCs depend strongly on both the fiber type and the recycling process adopted. Climate change impacts ranged from 218 to 926 kg CO2 eq per m3 of concrete composite. Compared with the conventional steel-fiber-reinforced concrete formulation, mechanically recycled fiber formulations reduced climate change impacts by 28%–61%, whereas the chemically and thermally recycled glass-fiber formulations increased them by 9% and 66%, respectively. Overall, virgin fibers and fibers recycled through thermal or chemical treatments showed higher environmental impacts across several categories due to the high energy demand and chemical inputs associated with these processes. In contrast, mechanically recycled fibers generally demonstrated lower environmental impacts, particularly for bio-based fibers. These results highlight the potential environmental advantages of mechanical recycling pathways compared to more energy-intensive recycling processes. This study contributes to the scientific literature by offering a new perspective on the use of recycled fibers in concrete composites. Description: Data availability: All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.; Supplementary data are available online at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956053X26004824#s0110 .

2026-08-13T00:00:00Z Passadis, K Pachakis, G Malamis, Dimitris https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33722 2026-08-19T02:00:42Z 2026-08-14T00:00:00Z

Title: Techno-economic assessment of an integrated biorefinery for the production of advanced biofuels from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste Authors: Passadis, K; Pachakis, G; Malamis, Dimitris Abstract: The organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is an abundant feedstock whose techno-economic potential remains poorly characterised: most published assessments rely on process simulation rather than operational data and omit general plant expenditures unavoidable at commercial scale. This work assesses a commercial-scale (49,500 t yr−1) integrated biorefinery co-producing lipids, advanced bioethanol, and biogas. Process performance is scaled from a demonstration plant on source-separated household food waste, and capital, process, and general plant expenditures are explicitly modelled. A 25-year discounted cash flow model is combined with break-even mapping, deterministic sensitivity on fifteen parameters, levelised cost estimation, and Monte Carlo simulation on the eight dominant parameters. Capital investment is 16.68 M€ and annual operating expenditure 4.17 M€ yr−1, with drying alone contributing 39.6% of OPEX. The project is not viable under market-only operation (NPV −15.50 M€); under a reference scenario of a 30 €/t gate fee and a 30% CAPEX subsidy it delivers a positive NPV of +8.42 M€ and an IRR of 11.74%. The levelised costs of 2.34 €/kg for lipids, 1.26 €/L for bioethanol, and 110 €/MWh for biogas-derived electricity place biogas in a competitive position, bioethanol within reach of the 2030 EU advanced-bioethanol price projection, and lipids above the used cooking oil benchmark. Thermal energy price and drying specific energy consumption emerge as the dominant drivers of project economics. Reducing the drying thermal demand, through high-efficiency dryers or industrial waste-heat symbiosis, is therefore the most impactful pathway to cleaner production for OFMSW biorefineries. Description: Data availability: Data will be made available on request.; Supplementary data are available online at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652626017221#appsec1 .

2026-08-14T00:00:00Z