Numerical simulation data of building integrated solar thermal collectors under diverse conditions.

This dataset presents the thermal performance of building-integrated flat solar collectors with a uniform and multiple riser structure. The input data of the numerical model were obtained with the use of the PVGIS tool. Solar radiation and ambient temperature values at slopes 0°, 45°, and 90° were extracted and used as boundary conditions. Numerical calculations were carried using Finite Element (FE) analysis. Three-dimensional transient models were developed to calculate the investigated configurations' thermal performance based on the environmental temperature, the solar radiation, and the inclination angle. The numerical model was validated with the use of an experimental data set showing a good agreement between the two models with RMSE of 5%. Data of hourly heat flux through the building masonry with the building-integrated solar collector and the average fluid temperature of each system is presented.

Numerical data on heat flux of a novel controlled-temperature double skin façade.

Hourly heat flux for variant boundary conditions of a novel controlled-temperature double skin façade (DSF) building element in a two- dimensional time- dependent study was determined. The building element is subjected to boundary conditions, characterizing different orientations (azimuth 0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) and climatic conditions of the four seasons. This data article provides detailed numerical data on the hourly heat flux, temperatures attained at the exterior and within the building element for six different geometries and for the variant boundary conditions under study. The external boundary conditions were determined with the use of the PVGIS tool, corrected in accordance to the sol-air temperature equation. The numerical simulation studies were performed with the use of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool Comsol Multiphysics [2].

Climate mitigation in the Mediterranean Europe: An assessment of regional and city-level plans.

In Europe, regions in the Mediterranean area share common characteristics in terms of high sensitivity to climate change impacts. Does this translate into specificities regarding climate action that could arise from these Mediterranean characteristics? This paper sheds light on regional and local climate mitigation actions of the Mediterranean Europe, focusing on the plans to reduce greenhouse gases emissions in a representative sample of 51 regions and 73 cities across 9 Mediterranean countries (Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain). The study investigates: (i) the availability of local and regional mitigation plans, (ii) their goals in term of greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets on the short and medium-long term, and (iii) the impact of transnational climate networks on such local and regional climate mitigation planning. Results of this study indicate an uneven and fragmented planning, that shows a Mediterranean West-East divide, and a link with population size. However, overall, both regional and city action seem insufficiently ambitious with regards to meeting the Paris Agreement, at least at city level. While national frameworks are currently weak in influencing regional and local actions, transnational networks seem to be engaging factors for commitment (at city level) and ambitiousness (at regional level). The uneven and fragmented progress revealed by this study, does not align with the characteristics shared by investigated regions and cities in terms of environmental, socio-political, climatic and economic conditions. The results support the call of a common green deal at the Mediterranean level to further address specific Mediterranean challenges and related needs. This will allow to capitalise on available resources, generate local-specific knowledge, build capacities, and support Mediterranean regions and cities in preparing the next generation of more ambitious mitigation plans.

Greenhouse agricultural plastic waste mapping database.

Agricultural waste mapping is an indispensable tool for the development and adoption of sustainable waste management practises in the agricultural sector. Current practices of agricultural plastic waste (APW) management in countries with large agricultural areas and thus high generation volumes of APW include uncontrollable disposal in fields or near water sources, or uncontrolled burning of the waste. These practices lead to irreversible deterioration of the natural environment through land and soil contamination, contamination of freshwater resources, air pollution and also pose public health issues. Given these negative effects on the environment, spatial prediction of APW generation becomes significant in sustainable agriculture. This dataset consists of the coordinates of the agricultural plots identified in the Republic of Cyprus and the area in square meters covered by agricultural greenhouses. The dataset has been used to perform APW generation mapping and predict the national generation quantities of waste low- density polyethylene (LDPE). The collection of the data is included in sixteen tables separated per geographical area-cluster. The agricultural plastic waste (APW) generation mapping was conducted with the use of up-to-date statistics from Cyprus Agricultural Payments Organization (CAPO), geographic information system (GIS) and satellite imagery.

Thermal performance of brick and stone masonry: Cumulative heat flux dataset for main orientations and under diverse seasonal conditions.

This dataset consists of the hourly heat flux for four seasons and orientations of 15 different construction configurations of brick and stone masonry combined with insulation system solutions. The analysis was conducted with the use of Finite Element Modelling (FEM). The development of the models and the investigation of their thermal performance was conducted with the use of thermal modelling and numerical simulation analysis with COMSOL Multiphysics. For this purpose, a transient 2D multi- dimensional, time- dependent simulation model on finite elements was developed. The governing equations of heat transfer were considered as well as the convection and radiation heat transfer coefficients in accordance to the ISO 6946:2017 [1].

A review of olive mill solid wastes to energy utilization techniques.

In recent years, the utilization of olive industry by-products for energy purposes has gained significant research interest and many studies have been conducted focused on the exploitation of olive mill solid waste (OMSW) derived from the discontinuous or continuous processing of olive fruits. In this review study, the primary characteristics of OMSW and the techniques used to define their thermal performance are described. The theoretical background of the main waste-to-energy conversion pathways of solid olive mill wastes, as well as the basic pre-treatment techniques for upgrading solid fuels, are presented. The study aims to present the main findings and major conclusions of previously published works undertaken in the last two decades focused on the characterization of olive mill solid wastes and the utilization of different types of solid olive mill residues for energy purposes. The study also aims to highlight the research challenges in this field.