Zeszyt: 2026, vol. 21 / 1 / 1
The aim of this study to estimate the water demand for spiked speedwell (Veronica spicata L.) on a green roof in Bydgoszcz urban aglomeration, depending on projected climate change. A scenario of climate changes for Poland SRES: A1B was taken into account. Water needs of spiked speedwell were determined by the method of plant coefficients. Based on adopted assumptions and performed calculations, it was found that in the forecast period (2021-2050) there will be greater variability in the water needs of the spiked speedwell. In the forecast period, a clear tendency towards increasing water needs of the spiked speedwell is expected every 6.9 mm in a decade. The total rainfall shortages are expected to decrease for the entire growing season of the spiked speedwell (11. May - 10. July). Those water shortages decreased - in an average, moderately dry and very dry year, respectively - from 129.9 mm, 175.7 mm and 210.7 mm in the reference period to 121.2 mm, 169.4 mm and 205.5 mm in the forecast period. ...
The assessment of a building's energy efficiency is a crucial element in estimating and minimizing its operational costs. This analysis is particularly significant in the case of large-volume structures, including public utility buildings. The aim of the conducted research was to determine the electricity and heat consumption of a public utility building, specifically the selected seat of the Commune Office in the Silesian Voivodeship (Żywiec County). The scope of the study included calculating the demand for useful energy (EU), final energy (EK), and primary energy (EP) both before and after the thermal modernization carried out in the years 2016-2019, as well as developing recommendations for further modernization aimed at reducing the energy intensity of the assessed facility. As a result of the analysis of energy indicators calculated for the building before and after thermal modernization, it was found that the construction works performed had a positive impact on the energy and economic efficiency of the facility, reducing primary energy consumption from 639.04 kWh∙m⁻²∙year⁻¹ to 143.83 kWh∙m⁻²∙year⁻¹. It is recommended to carry out further works, as a result of which primary energy consumption could be reduced to 92.20 kWh∙m⁻²∙year⁻¹ (35.9%), which will allow for achieving the technical conditions envisaged for public ...
Selective collection system of municipal solid waste at the source is one of the key measures for increasing recycling rates and also reducing energy consumption and labor requirements associated with waste purification in waste sorting facilities. However, a significant challenge of this system is the presence of contaminants in bags and containers intended for separately collected waste. This paper presents the current legal requirements governing selective municipal waste collection in Poland and discusses the main problems and causes of incorrect waste segregation by residents. The aim of the study was to design an automated control system for selectively collected waste segregation, enabling the verification of waste deposited in containers located in waste collection enclosures through the analysis of barcodes printed on product packaging. The proposed system integrates mechanical components (a loading hatch and a chain hoist lifting mechanism), automation and electronic components (a barcode scanning module), and a modern waste enclosure design. The barcode scanning module was selected using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), which enables the multi-criteria evaluation of available solutions. The system design considered functional, operational, ergonomic, and user safety requirements. ...
Conventional fixed-tilt flat-plate solar water heaters often suffer from reduced efficiency due to seasonal variations in solar radiation, leading to greater dependence on unreliable and costly grid electricity for hot water supply in Nigerian pre-primary educational institutions. This study simulated, fabricated, experimentally tested, and validated an active serpentine flat-plate solar water heater (collector area 2.04 m², storage tank capacity 65 dm3) designed to provide hot water at 50 °C for pre-primary schools in Bauchi, Nigeria. System sizing and optimal collector tilt angles (monthly, quarterly, and annual) were determined using MATLAB. Thermal performance was simulated in TRNSYS 16 with Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) data for Bauchi. The prototype was tested under monthly optimal tilt during February-April 2025, with hourly temperature measurements using calibrated thermocouples. Model accuracy was assessed via root mean square error (RMSE) and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE). Simulation results showed that monthly optimal tilt outperformed quarterly and fixed-latitude configurations, achieving the target 50°C by 09:00 h in most months and a peak of 82°C in April. Experimental validation indicated strong agreement (highest RMSE = 2.71°C in March; NSE = 0.92 in April), with experimental peaks reaching 85°C at 15:00 h in April. Economic analysis revealed that the ₦439,616 initial investment ...
Environmental assessments of diets are most commonly based on average water and carbon footprint values, whereas considerably less attention has been paid to the variability of dietary patterns and the identification of the factors driving environmental pressure. Moreover, water and carbon footprints are often treated as interchangeable indicators of environmental impact, despite reflecting different mechanisms associated with food production and consumption. The aim of this study was to identify the main sources of environmental pressure arising from individual dietary choices through a comparative analysis of the water and carbon footprints of university students' diets and an assessment of their weekly variability. The study was based on seven-day food diaries. For each participant, the mean daily water and carbon footprints were calculated, along with two indicators of their weekly variability and concentration: the coefficient of variation (CV) and the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI). For both the water and carbon footprints, the average environmental footprint was found to be largely independent of its weekly variability (CV) and concentration (HHI). The CV and HHI showed strong positive correlations, suggesting that they describe related but distinct aspects of the weekly distribution of environmental pressure. Regression models identified different determinants of the two environmental indicators, demonstrating ...
The paper compares the transport infrastructure potential of two neighbouring municipalities in Dębica County (Podkarpackie Voivodeship) that differ in administrative status and in their position relative to the A4 motorway and the national road network: Jodłowa (a rural municipality served only by county and municipal roads) and Pilzno (an urban-rural municipality traversed by national roads DK73 and DK94 and lying near the A4, but without an interchange on its territory). Infrastructure-based measures are applied: network density relative to area, density relative to population, and a weighted mean density, calculated for the total road network from highway-authority records for 2010-2020 and official Statistics Poland (GUS) data. These indicators are complemented by a convenience-sample CAWI survey (N=50+50) covering assessments of road condition, access to the higher-order network and ancillary roadside infrastructure. In 2020 the Jodłowa network totalled 54.50 km and the Pilzno network 213.16 km, including 20.69 km of national roads. Spatial density was 91.0 and 129.1 km per 100 km², respectively; demographic density was 10.3 and 11.7 km per 1,000 inhabitants. Residents' assessments follow network rank rather than demographic density: good and very good ratings of roads and network access predominate in Pilzno, whereas medium ratings are more frequent in Jodłowa. ...
