Abstract

El títol del pre-print va ser: Eco-innovation of urban elements to support sustainable multimodal mobility The provision of an adequate network of urban infrastructures is essential to create clean and energy-efficient urban mobility systems. However, the urban infrastructure to support sustainable mobility can produce a substantial environmental burden if no life cycle environmental criteria are applied in its design and management. This paper demonstrates the potential to support energy-efficient and CO2-free pedestrian and e-bike mobility through the eco-design of urban elements. An eco-design approach is applied to reconceptualize a conventional pergola toward an eco-product (solar pergola). The solar pergola generates surplus photovoltaic electricity that provides a multifunctional character. According to the end-use of this energy, passive and active contributions to sustainability are distinguished for robust decision-making. The deployment of solar pergolas can contribute to save from 2,080 kg to over 47,185 kg of CO2 eq. and from 350,390 MJ to over 692,760 MJ eq. in 10 years, depending on the geographic emplacement and electricity grid system. These savings are equivalent to charging 2 to 9 e-bikes per day using clean energy. Instead of maximizing infrastructure deployment to shift to environmentally friendly modes of mobility, the implementation of multifunctional urban elements represents a key area of action in the context of smart city development.

Abstract

A great deal of work on lightweight cost-effective strategies has been underway in the last decades to improve the electric vehicle efficiency and driving range. At the time, and according to recent EU project results, up to 30-40% weight reduction was achieved so far in the vehicle structure at prototype level, but further efforts need to be invested to push the technology up to the market. Besides, the adoption of circular economy principles across the entire life-cycle is needed to enable, on one hand, the integration of environmental and cost considerations at the early design stages and, on the other hand, new options for the end-of-life recovery, repair, reuse and recycling. 

ALMA project aims to apply eco-design principles to redefine the vehicle architecture and develop a new 26% lighter multi-material body structure using novel advanced high strength steel grades, high performance composites and advanced steel-hybrid laminates. Specifically, Designing for Assembly and Disassembly (DFA/DFD) and Design for Recycling (DFR) methodologies have been targeted to ensure cost-efficient separation, recycling and recovery at the end-of-life (EoL). The ALMA project has also considered aspects for the selection of the best material and production process for the right application at the design stage. The integration of regulatory considerations from early stages of design, especially forthcoming legislative requirements on emissions and the forthcoming ELV directive was also part of the design process.

As a result, the ALMA project intends to foster the adoption of a circular approach in the automotive sector, reinforced by the use of eco-design methodologies from early stages of the car conception and supported by LCA methodologies, helping the automotive industry to harmonize with circular economy principles: design to reduce the production of waste and pollution and extend life cycle for materials and products.