In the face of rising urbanization and food insecurity, a new study published in Engineering explores the potential of urban aquaponics to enhance food security and reduce environmental impacts. The research, led by Qiuling Yuan and Fanxin Meng from Beijing Normal University, provides a comprehensive framework for assessing the sustainability of aquaponics systems in urban areas, selecting Beijing as a case study. The findings suggest that urban aquaponics can significantly improve water efficiency and local food self-sufficiency while reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions through optimized strategies.

A new study in Engineering explores the optical properties of a high-entropy alloy (HEA) made from five noble metals—Au, Ag, Cu, Pd, and Pt—revealing its potential for use in mid-infrared metasurfaces through experimental determination of complex permittivity and analysis of absorption/emission characteristics.

A new study in Engineering presents a coordinated planning framework for power systems with high renewable energy (RE) penetration, introducing the concept of Renewable Energy Power-Flow Density (RE-PFD) to track RE transmission pathways through internal loads, external exports, and storage losses. Developed by researchers from Xi’an Jiaotong University, the model integrates transmission network and energy storage system (ESS) planning to address RE variability, ensuring efficient grid operation and compliance with green power trading requirements across interconnected systems.

In a recent study published in Engineering, researchers have developed an exact algorithm for placement optimization in mixed-cell-height (MCH) circuits, addressing key challenges in modern chip design such as non-overlapping constraints, voltage drain drain (VDD)/voltage source substrate (VSS) alignment, and minimum implantation area rules. The work presents a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model and a Benders decomposition (BD)-based approach to minimize placement cost while enhancing space utilization, validated through numerical experiments on benchmark datasets to demonstrate its efficiency for practical circuit design applications.

A new study published in Engineering uses integrated LEAP–WEAP models to analyze Pakistan’s water–energy challenges. It reveals consumption trends under different scenarios, offers potential saving strategies, and points out the implementation challenges, providing crucial insights for resource management in the country.

Disaster waste from earthquakes and tsunamis can severely delay recovery in coastal communities, but existing predictive models often ignore how damaged transportation networks can hinder waste disposal efforts. In a recent study, researchers developed a probabilistic framework that jointly models waste disposal and road network systems under seismic and tsunami hazards. By accounting for their interdependencies and restoration dynamics, the framework offers more realistic estimates of cleanup times and highlights key strategies to improve resilience.