RISE – Research Institutes of Sweden
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Swedish consumers' perspectives on wild bilberries : Attitudes, associations, consumption patterns, and foraging behaviour
No full textEfforts to develop the wild berry industry in Sweden and internationally call for increased knowledge about the consumer perspective. Our objective is to investigate attitudes, product associations, consumption patterns, and foraging behaviour regarding bilberries, with an online survey using a nationally representative sample (N = 2010). The data were analysed with regression and multinomial testing using a Bayesian approach as well as with correspondence analysis on a check-all-that-apply task. Results indicate that bilberries are consumed regularly in Sweden and a majority of consumers (56.5 %) reported foraging for bilberries during 2023. The factors considered most important when purchasing bilberries are Swedish origin and good sensory characteristics (taste and texture). Consumers’ associations with bilberry products were described by three multifaceted dimensions: familiar/unfamiliar (also related to hedonics), natural/artificial (also related to sourness/sweetness), and utilitarian/exclusive (also related to situational appropriateness). Fresh bilberries were more likely to be perceived as ‘traditional’ and ‘everyday’ by consumers in Northern vis-a-vis ` Eastern or Southern Sweden, and women associated both fresh and frozen bilberries with being ‘artificial’ more than men. The results provide important insight for actors that promote a sustainable wild berry industry that acknowledges the voice of the consumer.This work was supported by funding from FORMAS – Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences, and Spatial Planning, grant number 2020–02839.</p
Automated Vehicle Regulation Needs to Speak to Code, not to Humans : Keeping Safety and Ethics in the Public Domain
No full textIn anticipation of the market introduction of highly and fully automated vehicles, regulations for their behavior in public road traffic are emerging in various countries and regions. Yet, as we show using the example of EU and German regulations, these rules are both incomplete and exceptionally vague. In this paper we introduce three traffic scenarios highlighting conflicting ethical, legal, and utility-related claims, and perform a legal analysis with regards to the expected behavior of AVs in these scenarios. We show that the existing regulatory framework disregards the realities of algorithmic decision-making in automated vehicles, such as the incomplete and imprecise perception of their environment and the probabilistic nature of their predictions. Importantly, the current regulations are written in abstract language addressing human interpreters rather than the precise logical-numerical computer code. We argue that the required interpretation and translation of the abstract legal language into the logical-numerical domain is so ambiguous that the regulations as they stand fail to guide or limit automated vehicle behavior in any meaningful way. This comes with significant ethical implications, as the interpretation and translation is unavoidable and, if not provided by regulatory bodies, will have to be performed by manufacturers. We argue that ethical decisions with significant impact on public safety must not be delegated to private companies, and thus, regulatory frameworks need significant improvements.
Trafiksäkerhet och automatiserad körning : Underlag till internationellt och nationellt regelverksarbete
No full textDen här rapporten är framtagen med ekonomiskt stöd från Trafikverket Skyltfonden. Ståndpunkter, slutsatser och arbetsmetoder i rapporten reflekterar författaren och överensstämmer inte med nödvändighet med Trafikverkets ståndpunkter, slutsatser och arbetsmetoder inom rapportens ämnesområde. Automatiserad körning har potential att transformera transportsystemet och förbättra trafiksäkerheten, men tekniken medför också nya utmaningar som måste hanteras för att möjliggöra en säker och ansvarsfull integrering av automatiserade fordon i transportsystemet. Eftersom automatiserad körning är en snabbt utvecklande teknik är vår förståelse av dess konsekvenser fortfarande ofullständig. Trots detta finns ett tydligt behov av internationella regelverk för att främja trafiksäkerheten. På global nivå har FN inlett ett arbete med att harmonisera trafikregler för automatiserad körning. Projektet ”Inspel till nytt legalt instrument om säker användning av automatiserade fordon” bidrar med forskningsbaserade insikter till det pågående internationella arbetet genom att identifiera säkerhetsrelaterade frågor som kan behöva hanteras i framtida rättsliga instrument. Givet teknikens komplexitet och nyhetsgrad kommer dock juridiska och tekniska analyser sannolikt att förbli ofullständiga, och oförutsedda utmaningar kan förväntas uppstå. Rapporten belyser ett brett spektrum av säkerhetsutmaningar kopplade till centrala funktioner för säker automatiserad körning. Genom att analysera dessa utmaningar stödjer projektet FN:s arbete med att utveckla globala principer och regler för säker automatiserad körning, och bidrar även till nationell regelutveckling
Influence of gas composition on carbonation of quicklime granules derived from different limestone types
No full textCarbonation of quicklimes degrades their quality and can occur when process temperatures become sufficiently low. This risk can be heightened in process atmospheres containing high CO2 and steam. To assess this, carbonation experiments involving atmospheres with different CO2 concentrations and steam were performed at 700 °C on 2.5–5 mm quicklime granules derived from sedimentary and metamorphic limestones. The carbonation extents of the quicklimes derived from metamorphic limestones during the fast stage were higher, corresponding with their larger specific surface areas. However, SEM analysis revealed that these quicklimes had fine structures with relatively small pores that likely became blocked during carbonation, causing plateauing of carbonation that appeared to be mainly limited to particle surfaces. The presence of steam caused only mild enhancements in carbonation of these quicklimes. Contrastingly, the quicklimes derived from sedimentary limestones had lower specific surface areas that concurred with their thicker structures and larger pores. The carbonation extent during the initial fast stage was correspondingly lower, but carbonation progressed at a sustained rate thereafter. The resulting high carbonation extents appeared to be facilitated by the larger pore volumes available for carbonate growth, including locations inside particles. The presence of steam greatly enhanced the carbonation of these quicklimes. Overall, every quicklime exhibited high carbonation extents despite being granular-sized. Moreover, their distinctive carbonation behaviors and microstructures could be delineated by their parent limestone type. These findings should be considered when carbonation in high CO2 atmospheres may occur, e.g., during cooling in electrical lime kilns. Nordkalk AB, SMA Mineral AB, Heidelberg Materials Cement Sverige AB, the Ellen, Walter and Lennart Hesselman Foundation, the Swedish Mineral Processing Research Association – MinFo, the Swedish Energy Agency and Sweden’s innovation agency Vinnova are acknowledged for their project support. This project has also received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101138392.</p
Overheating in a common Swedish residential multi-story building under current and future climate − Integrating trees to combat overheating
No full textSwedish buildings are well insulated for winter climate, but often not optimized for summer, leading to risks of overheating during heat extremes (including heat waves). Along with a warmer climate, the risks of overheating and need for cooling are expected to increase. In this study, present and future intensity, frequency and length of overheating, based on the newly implemented recommendations for indoor temperature from the Swedish Public Health Agency, is assessed for a typical Swedish multi-story residential building in Gothenburg, Sweden. Overheating is simulated for different floor levels and room orientations using the IDA-ICE building performance simulation software. The present climate (2008–2020) is represented by observed meteorological data and the future climate (2071–2100) by statistically downscaling the observations based on RCP4.5 simulations from the EURO-CORDEX project. Furthermore, the shading effect of trees at varying distances from the building is explored. Results show that overheating occurs during heat extremes from April to October, with the highest frequency in July. Overheating periods are projected to become more intense, more frequent and longer by the end of the century. During heat waves, overheating occurs throughout the day and may last for weeks, potentially impacting not only risk groups but also the general population. The risk of overheating increases with floor level and is largest for rooms facing west and south with large windows. Trees close to buildings considerably reduce overheating in the present as well as in the future warmer climate, highlighting their effective passive cooling potential during heat extremes. The results, which are considered applicable to a large part of the building stock in Sweden as well as in other countries with similar climate and building practices, highlight the present and future challenges with overheating and the potential of trees for mitigating overheating and reducing the cooling demand in buildingsThis work was supported by the Swedish Research Council Formas [grand number 2019-01905].</p
Background report of ex-ante LCAs for CBE JU application IRIS
No full textTo assess the environmental sustainability aspects of the IRIS technologies, ex-ante LCAs were carried out, considering a broad range of environmental impact categories like climate, resource efficiency and pollution (emissions to air, soil and water). The overall goal was to quantify the potential environmental effects from upscaling the technologies, in reference to a conventional benchmark considering the potential benefit of the IRIS innovations. A second goal was to identify critical issues of each technology early on, so that risks could be identified and IRIS could steer the development in the right direction. The data availability for the ex-ante LCAs varied greatly for different reasons, so each assessment should be discussed and interpreted separately. Biobased indigo: This ex-ante LCA is based on a recent internal study (2024). The alternative with the highest climate mitigation potential was the 2023 process (50%), followed by the fermentation process (46%) and finally the 2020 process (15%). The overall results from the study indicate that the proposed indigo solution has significant potential for environmental impact mitigation. Microbial dyes derived from atmospheric CO2 :This ex-ante LCA was modelled using specific process data obtained from partner’s pilot production. The results show that the climate impact of the biobased dye (2.5 kg CO2-eq/kg of dye) is 13% lower than the benchmark (2.9 kg CO2-eq/kg of dye). In general, the results indicate that microbial dye can reduce the environmental impact from the dyeing process, and the magnitude of this reduction depends on the synthetic dye chosen as benchmark. Moreover, further reductions could be achieved with further development and upscaling during the project.Upscaling encapsulated heat and light-sensitive biobased colorants: This ex-ante LCA of the encapsulated pigments corresponds to the results from an LCA carried out under the European project BARBARA. The results suggest that the encapsulated pigments could offer a reduction in environmental impact from synthetic dyes in 13 out of the 16 impact categories studied. The modifications to the process to be tested in IRIS are expected to reduce energy demand, which would also lead to further environmental impact mitigation. Upscaling enzymatic denim dyeing process: This ex-ante LCA was modelled using the results from a scientific study published recently. The results show that enzymatic dyeing could potentially reduce the climate impact from the denim dyeing process by 95%. In general, the results from the ex-ante LCA indicate that a significant potential for impact reduction can be achieved with this technology, and even further by a shift to a more circular feedstock which will be explored in IRIS.PVC free biobased print: This ex-ante LCA for biobased printing was modelled using specific data provided by CTB from their previous work and experience developing the technology, with the addition of energy demand estimations for heating and drying processes. The results suggest that there is potential for environmental impact reduction, but further research is needed to understand the true magnitude of this potential. Moving forward, more specific data for the stabilizer, PHA production and alternative feedstocks would improve the quality of results
Review of frost requirements on concrete
No full textThis report is based on reviews on frost damage mechanisms, on frost requirements in different countries, on research and field studies related to frost resistance and on frost test methods all related to concrete. Focus has been on their relevance in relation to the conditions in the frost exposure classes XF1 – XF4 according to the European concrete standard EN 206. However, from 19 years of field exposure it can be seen that road environment with de-icing salt is more aggressive than marine environment although they are both covered by exposure class XF4. It is also shown that there is also a large difference between the frost attack exhibited on concrete permanently exposed to external fresh water and one which has a high degree of humidity, but may occasionally dry, which are both covered by XF3. The influence of carbonation on the salt-frost resistance is complex. On one hand the frost resistance is increased by a lower absorptivity and on the other hand, severe carbonation may destroy the entrained air system. Binders with low resistance to carbonation will therefore scale more than binders with higher carbonation resistance. The difference in chloride concentration between the surrounding solution and the pore solution is a driving potential for microscopic lens growth and scaling. The report presents a proposal for material and testing requirements for concrete exposed to different frost environments, which are not identical to the exposure classes XF1-XF4. In addition, measures to increase the applicability of the frost test methods, and their reproducibility are proposed.The project has been financed by Trafikverket within “BBT – Branschprogram för forskning och innovation avseende byggnadsverk inom transportsektorn”, project number 2024:004 and by RISE.</p
Biodiversitetsdatabas för livsmedel v2.0 – metodrapport
No full textI två FORMAS-finansierade forskningsprojekt i följd har RISE utvecklat en databas som beräknar över 300 livsmedels påverkan på biologisk mångfald med hjälp av rekommenderade LCA-baserade metoder. I den uppdaterade versionen finns avtryck som härstammar från klimatförändringar och vattenanvändning, till skillnad från den första där bara markanvändning ingick. Övriga uppdateringar inkluderar exempelvis uppdatering av metod för markanvändning enligt nya rekommendationer, fler livsmedeloch uppdaterade indata (exempelvis femårsgenomsnitt av skördenivåer). Vi har även utvecklat en första version av så kallade Biodiversitetskalor, som syftar till att underlätta för tolkning av data. Databasen kommer fortsatt utvecklas, där vi exempelvis ska arbeta för att inkludera fler drivkrafter (övergödning och ekotoxicitet), fylla luckor av livsmedel (t ex animaliska produkter från fler länder än existerande) och fortsatt utveckla Biodiversitetskalorna.In two consecutive FORMAS-funded research projects, RISE has developed a database that calculates the impact of over 300 foods on biodiversity using recommended LCA-based methods. The updated version includes impacts from climate change and water use, unlike the first version, which only included land use. Other updates include, for example, updating the method for land use in accordance with new recommendations, more foods, and updated input data (e.g., five-year average harvest levels). We have also developed a first version of so-called Biodiversity Scales, which aim to facilitate the interpretation of data. The database will continue to be developed, where we will, for example, work to include more driving forces (eutrophication and ecotoxicity), fill gaps in food (e.g., animal products from more countries than existing ones), and continue to develop the Biodiversity Scales
Prognostisering av kapacitetskonsumtion på järnväg från historiska data : Underlagsrapport 1 från projektet TTR och beräkning av segmentet Rolling Planning (TORP)
No full textEU-kommissionens förslag från 2023 introducerar en ny tåglägesprodukt kallad Rolling Planning. Rapporten beskriver metoder för att identifiera Rolling Planning-kapacitet baserat på historisk trafikdata. Genom klustring av dygn och klassificering skapas prognoser för kapacitetskonsumtion, vilket kan användas för att reservera kapacitet i framtida tågplaner. Utvärdering visar viss träffsäkerhet men behov av kompletterande underlag
Aktivt förarstöd för säker passage vid känslig infrastruktur
No full textProjektrapporten är framtagen med ekonomiskt bidrag från Trafikverkets FoI-portfölj.</p