Monthly archives: February, 2023

The impact of E-commerce on road safety in Belgium

E-commerce is a rapidly evolving sector. With 94% of Belgian inhabitants having access to the internet, 80%  of them are e-shoppers. Additionally, 7 in 10 Belgians shopped at least once to up to five times during the past three months to the survey conducted in 2021 by EUROSTAT. Impact of e-commerce deliveries The consumers’ convenience …

Book: Transitioning to a circular economy

We are living on a finite planet. Mankind is overstepping planetary boundaries, however. In 2021, worldwide consumption exceeded the yearly bio-capacity of the Earth (what we call the overshoot day) on the 29th of July. The situation is far worse for industrialized countries: In 2022, Belgium reached that overshoot day on the 26th of March. …

Research: city logistics and land use planning in education

Supply chains, city logistics, and freight transport have been pressured to improve productivity, quality, and sustainability. But unfortunately, conventional practice methods cannot respond to this industry’s ever-growing challenges and needs. The development of contemporary city logistics education has the utmost importance. New methods/technologies have emerged to respond to this issue, making urban freight logistics a …

Health impact of tire particles causing ‘increasing concern’

Scientists are increasingly concerned by the health impact of air pollution produced by the wear of vehicle tires. The particles are especially damaging due to the toxic chemicals they are made from, say scientists from Imperial College London. The Guardian reports about it. The warning follows UK government data showing that significantly more tiny pollution particles now come …

What are the logistical challenges of using circular construction materials?

Circular construction materials have been reused or recycled to reduce waste and promote sustainability. However, while using circular materials in construction has many benefits, logistical challenges must be addressed. Some of the critical logistics challenges with circular construction materials include: Sourcing: Finding a reliable and consistent supply of circular materials can be challenging. It requires …

Using the Ecosystem Pie Model (EPM)

In developing (circular) city logistics innovations, we often discuss creating ecosystems to address the systemic questions involving multiple stakeholders in these value chains. For example, recently, we posted about how ecosystems differ from and relate to supply chains.  Innovating firms often need to rely on other actors in their innovation ecosystem to achieve a complex …

Research: supply-chain-focused measures of centrality and spread in metropolitan areas

Efficient freight transportation is necessary for the economic development of markets in metropolitan areas. Without it, the cost of goods increases, and larger negative externalities are produced, negatively impacting the quality of life. In this context, the efficiency of supply chains is strongly influenced by the spatial patterns of economic activities, given the role, freight …

EU White Paper: zero-emission urban logistics in major city centers by 2030

The overall goal of urban freight logistics is to provide better and more customized last-time logistic services for citizens, fostering local economic development through local logistics businesses while reducing the negative impact the delivery of goods has on our urban environment. The European Commission shows a clear interest in sustainable solutions for urban freight logistics, …

Research: analysis of solutions for sustainable urban construction logistics

Implementation of construction projects is a determinant of the development of modern cities. However, this entails transport for supply purposes, significantly affecting the volume of freight transport in cities. Such a large share translates into a growing interest in more sustainable ways of organizing and providing construction-related transportation. A new paper presents research to build …