Dimitrios Emmanouloudis

Evolution of Environmental Sustainability for Timber and Steel Construction

The movement for sustainable development aims at the optimization of the whole of human activity in terms of environmental, economic and social impact. The aim of the present paper is the examination of the content and evolution of environmental sustainability in order to identify the key implications and requirements regarding timber and steel structures, two fields with significant potential in terms of sustainability. The conclusions drawn include the identification of issues such as raw materials, the construction stage of a project and waste management and their potential influence on the environmental sustainability of timber and steel construction.

ASSESSING SOIL EROSION RISK FOR RHODES ISLAND, GREECE WITH A GIS-BASED MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS

Reducing erosion in the Mediterranean region is a major priority because of its susceptibility and millennia long human inhabitation. The objective of this paper was to assess soil erosion risk on the semi-arid island of Rhodes, Greece. Rhodes has many protected areas that are part of the Natura 2000 network. To implement this assessment a Geographic Information System based Multi-criteria Decision Analysis was conducted. The Multi-criteria Decision Analysis was a combination of the Analytic Hierarchy Process and the Weighted Linear Combination. The criteria used, in the order of importance, were: I) Land-use, II) Slope, III) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), IV) Geology, V) Distance from Streams, VI) Fire Density, VII) Precipitation, VIII) Soil Quality, IX) Flow Length, X) Distance to Roads XI) Aspect and XII) Wetness. The final erosion risk map for the entire island had ranking values only of 3-6 although the scale ranged from 1-9. This indicates that there are no areas with extreme erosion risk. While less than 1% of the area had an erosion risk of 6, a significant percentage (15.4%) ranked as 5. Land managers should firstly implement best management practices in these areas (ranked as a 5 and 6). When comparing the Natura 2000 areas to the non Natura 2000 areas, the Natura 2000 had a larger percentage (~ 6%) of areas that ranked as 5, while the non Natura 2000 areas had a larger percentage (~ 6%) of areas that ranked as 4. Since the Natura 2000 areas are protected by the European Union, it was expected that they would be less vulnerable to erosion. The percentages of this study indicate that additional measures need to be implemented in these Natura 2000 areas to reduce soil erosion.

Environmental sustainability and ecotourism of riparian and deltaic ecosystems: opportunities for rural Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece

ABSTRACT Human and wildlife well-being are linked to riparian and deltaic ecosystems. Human impacts and climate changes affect their environmental sustainability. To secure their protection, various national laws and international agreements have been established. Ecotourism can assist in promoting conservation for sustainability and economic improvement. This study reviews work bearing on these matters, especially with regard to the unique region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in Greece.

Simulation of torrent discharge using SWAT and evaluation by field survey in Thasos Island

In recent years, a vital part of water resources management plans is the implementation of hydrologic models. A wellknown example is the Soil and Water Assessment Tool most recognized as SWAT model. SWAT was applied in Thasos Island to simulate the water yield and highlight the most significant of the local torrents. The produced map identify four significant torrents: “Prinos” torrent, “Genna-Maries” torrent, “Limenaria-Kastrou Lakos” torrent and TheologosDipotamos” torrent. In addition, a field survey was conducted at the specific torrents to evaluate the results of the model and select the proper ones for further study and management plans in order to store surface water for other purposes and needs of the residents.