Energy efficiency has been identified as a way of addressing the need to reduce climate impact from fossil fuels. Furthermore, the ongoing twin transition may provide better and more energy-efficient control of buildings with systems such as building management systems (BMS). However, there appear to be barriers to investments in functional digital tools, as there are for other energy-efficient technologies for buildings. This paper is based on a questionnaire study with technology providers, decision makers and users of building management systems. The questionnaire included questions regarding barriers, drivers, and motivations for investments in BMS. Improved energy efficiency was found to be an important motivation for investments in BMS for users and decision makers, but the technology providers elevated more easy work as important. The main driver for investments in BMS was related to reduced energy costs, while for the decision makers, financial barriers such as risks and hidden cost were ranked highest. An important knowledge barrier was found as knowledge is needed for decisions about investments, use of BMS and decisions regarding IT security, such as handling of data. A key conclusion is the need for a facilitator, as knowledge is needed for decisions about BMS investments and for its use. On a broader scale, the paper argues for the need to include facilitators as a core part of future policies within the twin transition.

In our digitalized world, Data Centers (DCs) serve as crucial infrastructure. Within the DC sector, data processing operations, including processes such as process cooling, hold special significance when investigated from an energy efficiency perspective, as they account for a substantial portion of total energy end-use. Therefore, it is important to prioritize data processing operations in energy management. The objective of this research is to explore the application of AI-powered clustering techniques to identify cooling operational statuses. Additionally, this research offers valuable perspectives on using AI for visualizing and identifying cooling patterns that deviate, which can provide valuable insights into DC energy management. The study object consists of a DC room equipped with Liquid Cooling Packages (LCPs). The findings show that the cooling power density on average is 9.1 kW/m 2 . Through analysis of the elbow curve, the optimal number of clusters is identified to be three. One of the identified clusters, i.e., Cluster 3, is characterized by large time periods with no supplied cooling from the LCPs. When comparing Clusters 1 and 2, Cluster 1 has a higher temperature difference between the chilled water supply and return, but a lower LCP return temperature compared to Cluster 2. Moreover, the quantified cooling characteristics contribute to the understanding of the LCPs’ operational statuses and cooling performance, which is useful for implementing targeted improvements, e.g., adjusting PID parameters, in the cooling infrastructure.

In the effort to limit global warming to 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level, decarbonization of supply chains is crucial. Companies will need to reduce not only their direct and indirect emissions (scope 1 and 2) but also their indirect emissions (scope 3). In some sectors, the upstream scope 3 emissions can actually be larger than the companies’ direct emissions. Therefore, a systematic literature review was carried out to understand how previous research in the field of supply chain management (SCM) approached energy efficiency and energy management in the upstream supply chain. The results indicate that only a few studies have addressed energy efficiency within SCM, and the majority assess energy solely as total energy use, without exploring opportunities to reduce final energy use among upstream suppliers. Moreover, results show that there is a lack of standards and methods to assess suppliers’ energy use, making it difficult for suppliers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, to overcome barriers to implementing energy management. In conclusion, even though energy efficiency is a cost-effective means to reduce CO2 emissions, only a limited number of studies in the field of SCM have integrated energy efficiency, revealing a vast knowledge gap in this field.

he transport sector is heavily dominated by fossil fuels, which have significant health and environmental implications. Electrification or e-mobility is a key strategy to mitigate the negative environmental and health impacts of the transport sector. In developing countries, a high share of transport energy use arises from motorcycles, and research regarding potential electrification is scarce. This study analyzes, ex-ante, the environmental impact, primary energy demand and total cost of ownership during the life cycle of an electric motorcycle designed for the African market. A case study is performed in Kenya, which has a high share of renewable energy in the electricity mix. A series of sensitivity analyses are performed to also include an electricity mix with a low share of renewable energy and daily driving distance. The user phase contributes to the highest primary energy demand. The electricity used for charging the motorcycle is, however, shown to be an important factor influencing the environmental impact and the primary energy demand. Despite higher initial costs, electric motorcycles prove cost-effective over the user phase due to lower operating and maintenance costs. One key finding from this study is that electric motorcycles hold a vast decarbonization potential. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the environmental, energy, and economic aspects of electric motorcycles in Kenya, where results easily can be generalizable to any country where high shares of motorcycles are found. 

Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of climate change mitigation. For buildings, facility management is an essential part of achieving efficient energy use while keeping tenants satisfied. This interview study explores success factors and barriers for facility management in maintaining energy efficiency over time in four approximately 10-year-old non-residential premises built as so-called nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB) in Sweden. The study highlights the importance of functional digital tools, benchmarks, and building professionals’ involvement in ensuring energy efficiency. It also emphasizes the need for involvement communication and strategies to engage facility management in energy efficiency efforts. The study suggests that in-house and public policies can play a crucial role in sustaining high ambitions for energy efficiency. Access to professional support that is self-evident to use is identified as a critical success factor. Additionally, the research presents an analytic model that can be used in future studies to assess facility management organizations’ potential for maintaining energy performance in buildings over time.

The climate crisis demands an energy transition away from fossil fuels, and for the transport sector, this implies finding more electric or hydrogen-fuelled solutions. An emerging disruptive solution with high potential for improved sustainability is using drones as a mode of transport, i.e., Advanced Air Mobility for passenger and freight transport in urban and rural areas,fuelled by electricity or green hydrogen. As drones are being rapidly commercialized, there is a need for a policy framework for local and regional actors to address this in decision-making. This paper aims to develop a policy framework through a systematic literature review where findings have been validated by experts from industry and appropriate governance bodies. The results reveal three conceptual elements in the Advanced Air Mobility system where policy actions are needed: 1) primary technology, including vehicle-related aspects; 2) functionality, including infrastructure and operations; and 3) adoption, including the environment, market, and society. The overall lack of a multi-level governance model for Advanced Air Mobility and the scarcity of knowledge of the topic within vital fields such as energy systems and regional planning are also addressed. The findings are discussed in light of regulatory frameworks for drone transportation in Europe. The paper concludes with a policy development framework for regional Advanced Air Mobility deployment and provides policy implications.

About 12% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions derive from construction of and energy use in buildings. To decrease energy use in buildings, more energy-efficient technologies must be implemented. However, there are barriers to the implementation of energy-efficient technologies. In this study, interviews were conducted with different stakeholders within a city district development project to find barriers towards the implementation of energy-efficient technologies in buildings. First, an investigation of barrier theory followed by three pre-interviews was conducted, which helped in forming questions for the interview study, which involved a total of 18 respondents. The respondents were from the client, facility manager, developer, consultants, project planners, contractor, and the local energy supplier. The barriers mentioned in the interviews were connected to different phases of a building project. There is a scarcity of studies where barriers in various phases of the construction process are explored. In conclusion, the most frequently mentioned barriers were connected to the Planning Program phase and the Project Planning phase. Two new barrier categories are suggested: Lack of Knowledge and Fear. The most prominent barriers to implementation of energy-efficient technologies were Inertia, Risk, Access to Capital and Lack of Knowledge. To increase the implementation of energy-efficient technologies in buildings, knowledge needs to be increased throughout the whole industry, and stakeholders need to step out of their comfort zone and not always do as they have done before. A key policy implication is the importance of capacity building in the early phases of the building process. 

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are essential for carbon-neutral cities, yet how to effectively allocate them remains a question. Carbon neutrality requires city-led climate action plans that incorporate both indirect and direct contributions of NBS. Here we assessed the carbon emissions mitigation potential of NBS in European cities, focusing particularly on commonly overlooked indirect pathways, for example, human behavioural interventions and resource savings. Assuming maximum theoretical implementation, NBS in the residential, transport and industrial sectors could reduce urban carbon emissions by up to 25%. Spatially prioritizing different types of NBS in 54 major European Union cities could reduce anthropogenic carbon emissions by on average 17.4%. Coupling NBS with other existing measures in Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios could reduce total carbon emissions by 57.3% in 2030, with both indirect pathways and sequestration. Our results indicate that carbon neutrality will be near for some pioneering cities by 2030, while three can achieve it completely. 

Electric drones as an autonomous mode of transport are scaling up to transform last-mile goods delivery, raising an urgent need for assessing impacts of drone transport from a systems perspective. In this paper, we conduct systems analyses to assess the environmental, economic, and delivery time impact of large drones for delivery scenarios to pick-up centers between mid-size cities predominantly in rural areas, and deliveries within city limits compared with electric and diesel trucks. Results show that large drones have lower emissions than diesel trucks for deliveries in rural areas and that drones don’t compete with electric trucks, mainly due to the high energy demand required for take-off and landing for each delivery. Furthermore, we show that electric drones are an economically more cost-effective option than road-bound transport modes such as diesel and electric trucks due to the high degree of automation, and also provide the fastest delivery times. Our analysis provides unique insights that drones can address rapid electrification and emergency applications due to low costs, high flexibility, and fast operations. However, for regulators and practitioners to realize it as an emission-friendly option it is necessary to determine the optimal size of drones, particularly for use cases in urban areas, avoid very low landings for deliveries, and have home deliveries instead of pick-up points.

In man-made energy systems like the electricity system, new concepts have the potential to influence and shape the development of the system. Sometimes the influence leads to a positive development and in other cases the new concept may lead into disadvantageous pathways. In this paper we argue that when a new concept is introduced, it may give rise to an unhinged paradox. An unhinged paradox implies that introducing a new concept, such as a new governance or management model, might lead to unintended consequences where some parts or the whole system become more unstable, or less resilient or unhinged. The transition of energy systems includes many “wicked” problems, i.e., aspects that are difficult to foresee the outcome of. The need for a rapid transition with an urgent need to implement new concepts together with a lack of or delayed feedback loops may give rise to wicked problems and unhinged systems. This unhinged paradox is likely to be found even beyond the scope of energy systems and will be further discussed in this paper in relation to the deregulation of the energy market, improved energy efficiency and energy flexibility.