This website is the result of the academic community's efforts to make progress in Cleaner Production and Sustainability. Thanks to all the participants, for joining us in this journey, as we all are exploring a new territory and the challenges of converting a conference to an online version.

With more than 140 registrations and 44 contributions included in the conference proceedings, the conference fulfilled its goal of continuing the important work of communicating important subject " Circular and Innovative Pathways within the Water–Energy–Material Nexus: Towards a Sustainable and Cleaner Future".

This page contains the memories of this special IWACP, in a special year: CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, TECHNICAL REPORT, pictures and some videos of presented works in 15th IWACP.

The Organizing Committee would like to express its sincere gratitude to the following invited speakers for their kind participation.

Nadia Marchettini
University of Siena - Italy
Alireza Moghayedi
University of the West of England – United Kingdom
Juan José Cabello Eras
University of Cordoba – Colombia
Sebastián Mattos Palao
Cemento Yura – Peru
Sagrario Benavente
Incalpaca – Peru
Saúl Alire
SUNASS – Peru
Pablo Castañeda
Cerro Verde Mining Company – Peru
Fernando Maceda
H2 Perú – Peru
Diego López
Lima Chamber of Commerce and European Union – Peru
Angie Tatiana Ramos Perdomo
UFPel – Brazil
Carmela Gioia
University of Siena - Italy

Hugo De Vries
INRAE - France

We would also like to thank Mario Duarte Canever, Marcell Maceno and Luiz Ghelmandi Netto for their valuable contributions to the AmICUS – Advances in Cleaner Production School. Their dedication and expertise were essential to the success of the school, and we deeply appreciate their commitment.

The Organizing Committee also extends its gratitude to all the authors and participants who have contributed to making this event possible.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to all members of the Universidad Católica San Pablo team who made the organization of this event possible. We would especially like to recognize Prof. Efraín Zenteno, Vice Rector of the University, and Prof. Xiomara Salazar, Director of the Department of Industrial and Environmental Engineering, for their continuous institutional support. We also extend our gratitude to Prof. María Fernanda Zúñiga for her valuable contribution to the coordination of the event, as well as to María Angélica Paredes and Fiorella Salas for their invaluable operational support throughout its organization. Finally, we would like to express our special thanks to all the professors, students, and volunteers whose commitment, enthusiasm, and dedication were essential to the successful execution of all the event's activities.

Special thanks go to Prof. Sandra Rejane Gomes Miessa, the Rector of Universidade Paulista, Prof. Dr. Marina Soligo, Vice-Rector of Post Graduation and Research of Universidade Paulista, and Prof. Dr. Marília Ancona-Lopez, the Vice-Rector of Graduation of Universidade Paulista, for their unwavering support since the first event in 2007.

General Chair and Founder of ACPN
Biagio F. Giannetti (Paulista University-UNIP, Brazil)

The "International Workshop on Advances in Cleaner Production" is a multi/interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of information and research results on technologies, concepts and policies based on Cleaner Production and conceived to assist the desired transition to a sustainable society.

Cleaner Production is a concept that goes far beyond the simple pollution control. It includes research and development of new processes, materials and products directed to promote the efficient use of resources and energy.

Prevention must be the first approach of governments and corporations concerning sustainable development, and for this, environmental friendly strategies allied to economical robustness of products and services must be assured.

The adoption of Cleaner Production by governments, companies, and universities is getting speed with technical assistance and training programs, but it is worthy of attention that all these initiatives, even if implemented by all governments and corporations, do not guarantee the achievement of sustainable development. There is still a lack of a science, and consequently of a consolidated engineering devoted to the sustainable development.

Objectives

The "15th International Workshop on Advances in Cleaner Production" is an international forum to be held in August 3rd to 5th, 2026, in Universidad Catolica San Pablo, Arequipa, Peru. The "15th International Workshop: Advances in Cleaner Production" aims to promote:

1. The exchange of academic information
2. The presentation of recent achievements
3. The discussion of common problems and their possible solutions
4. The contact among academic knowledge and corporative experiences
5. The discussion of the event's theme "Circular and Innovative Pathways within the Water–Energy–Material Nexus: Towards a Sustainable and Cleaner Future"

Schedule subject to change according to Organizing Committee

About

AmICUS is an advanced studies workshop that provides opportunities for close interaction between students and young researchers of the Advances in Cleaner Production Network (ACPN), conducting cutting-edge research in pursuit of more sustainable production systems. It also encourages interdisciplinary discussions on relevant and current sustainability topics. To achieve this goal, the program is structured around (i) lectures and (ii) technical visit.

In this edition, the workshop is organized around the theme "Building Sustainable Futures: Food Production, Consumption and Nature's Capacity".

Schedule

This sequence is designed to create a strong didactic pathway for undergraduate students, allowing them to understand sustainability as an integrated system rather than a set of isolated topics. It also introduces concepts of Economy, Life Cycle Assessment and Emergy Synthesis in an accessible way, sparking interest without requiring prior knowledge.

Thus, the objective of this edition of AmICUS is to inspire the next generation of scientists to discuss their research projects from a sustainability perspective, grounded in a clear and interconnected understanding of production, consumption, and nature's role.

This special issue of Sustainability compiles cutting-edge research and practical insights on how cleaner production strategies can align with planetary boundaries, emphasizing green innovation, decarbonization, and the circular economy. Inspired by the central theme of the 14th and 15th International Workshop on Advances in Cleaner Production (IWACP), the issue will highlight pathways that reconcile economic development with environmental limits.

Original contributions are invited on cleaner production initiatives, sustainability metrics (e.g., life cycle assessment, carbon footprinting), and policy frameworks for transitioning toward ecologically safe systems. The issue also highlights innovative technologies, business models, and community practices across industries, agriculture, and urban systems, combining technical solutions with social engagement. Building on IWACP's transdisciplinary legacy, this collection aims to advance global discussions on sustainable and resilient pathways within planetary limits.

Guest Editors

Prof. Dr. Feni Agostinho
Prof. Dr. Biagio F. Giannetti
Prof. Dr. Cecília M. V. B. Almeida
Prof. Dr. Fernando J. Díaz López
Prof. Dr. Carmen Teodosiu

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts must be submitted online via MDPI after registration. The journal welcomes research articles, reviews, and short communications. Pre-submission inquiries (title + 100-word abstract) can be sent to the Editorial Office. Submissions must be original and not under review elsewhere. All manuscripts undergo single-blind peer review, with accepted papers published continuously upon approval.

For formatting and language requirements, consult the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an open-access journal (APC: 2400 CHF) published semimonthly by MDPI. English editing services are available for authors.

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2026

More information: [SUSTAINABILITY SPECIAL ISSUE]

Exploring how Cleaner Production can meet planetary boundaries, this Special Issue highlights innovative efforts in green innovation, decarbonization, and circularity. It welcomes theoretical and applied research on sustainability transitions, drawing from the 14th IWACP, 15th IWACP and opening its doors to external submissions. Ultimately, this collection aims to foster integrated solutions at the environmental nexus, with publications for this Special Issue being FREE OF CHARGE, thereby supporting sustainable global development within our planet's ecological capacity.

This Special Issue explores innovative approaches to aligning Cleaner Production practices with the limits of our planet’s ecological systems. Emphasizing green innovation, decarbonization, and circularity, it welcomes both theoretical and applied research on sustainability transitions. While selected contributions from the 14th and 15th International Workshop on Advances in Cleaner Production (IWACP) will be featured, the Issue is also open to external researchers working on related topics. By advancing integrated solutions at the environmental nexus, this collection aims to support the global scientific and policy communities in the pursuit of sustainable development within planetary boundaries.

Environmental Nexus is an OPEN ACCESS journal.

Guest Editors

Prof. Dr. Biagio F. Giannetti

Prof. Dr. Fernando J. Díaz López
Prof. Dr. Cecília M. V. B. Almeida

Prof. Dr. Feni Agostinho

Manuscript submission information

Please select the article type of "VSI: Cleaner Production & Boundaries" when submitting your manuscript online through Editorial Manager. The submission deadline is 15 December 2026.

More information: [ENVIRONMENTAL NEXUS SPECIAL ISSUE]

Sustainability is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal on environmental, cultural, economic, and social sustainability of human beings, published semimonthly online by MDPI. The Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) and Urban Land Institute (ULI) are affiliated with Sustainability and their members receive discounts on the article processing charges.

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability

Environmental Nexus, a new interdisciplinary journal by Elsevier, aims to address the growing need for integrated research and collaboration on environmental challenges. The journal focuses on the interconnectedness of natural, social, and technological systems, emphasizing the interdependencies and trade-offs among water, energy, food, land, and climate. By adopting a nexus approach, Environmental Nexus seeks to advance scientific understanding, foster innovation, and promote sustainable solutions to global environmental issues.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/environmental-nexus

The ACPN Award Ceremony was held during the 15th International Workshop on Advances in Cleaner Production (IWACP). One researcher representing the senior generation of Advances in Cleaner Production Network (ACPN) was chosen.

The Award

The Advances in Cleaner Production (ACPN) Award is inspired on the logo of the International Workshop on Advances in Cleaner Production 2007. The biosphere elements - nature and society - are represented the trees and the buildings. The primary driving force of the natural services used by society, solar renewable energy, transforms and circulates within the ecosystem. The arrow represents the ideal resource flow in the biosphere as the basis of the planet's sustainability.

The highest building is the icon building of the Paulista University representing symbolically a teaching and research institution not only as the highest and the most prominent institution in a sustainable society, but also the institution where the International Workshop and Network on Advances in Cleaner Production was founded.

Winner

The Winner of the ACPN Award 2026 is:

Highlighted work (14th IWACP): Applying Circularity Index Across Scales: A case of Industrial Symbiosis in Tuscany (Italy) - RUINI, A.; LE ROSE, A.; RINCHI, V.; MARCHETTINI, N.; CARO, D.; BASTIANONI, S. (University of Siena)

ACPN Award History

Since the first International Workshop on Advances in Cleaner Production (IWACP), researchers and members of society have been recognized as contributors for the advance of cleaner production. To check all the ACPN Award History, [CLICK HERE]

Works presented at the 15th IWACP that received the Special Mention Award. The works are in alphabetical order.

Universidad Catolica San Pablo is an academic community inspired by the guidance and life of the Catholic Church which, enlightened by faith and strengthened by reason, seeks the truth and promotes the integral formation of the person through teaching, research, and outreach, aiming to contribute to the shaping of a culture that reflects the identity and full development of the human being. It stands out for its humanistic university model, high academic standards, and deep commitment to the person and their environment, and since 2023 it has had the most powerful prototyping laboratory in the country. It is the university in the south with the highest number of research projects selected by Prociencia in 2023 and the only one in the region included in the QS and Times Higher Education rankings for Latin America.

Time zone: GMT-5 (Arequipa)

Climate: It is an altitude desert climate, with sunny and dry days throughout the year. The average annual temperature in the city is around 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit).

Language: The official language of Arequipa and Peru is Spanish. However, the 15th IWACP will be held in English.

Electricity: The electrical supply in Arequipa is 220 volts and the frequency is 60 Hz. Most plugs have two flat blades. It is recommended to bring a plug adapter international if you plan to use electronic devices from countries other than compatible with type A or B plugs.

Local Tourism

1. Plaza de Armas: The historic heart of the city, surrounded by colonial buildings including Arequipa's Cathedral and Municipal Palace.

2. Santa Catalina Monastery: A 16th-century convent featuring beautiful gardens, cloisters and colonial architecture. One of Arequipa's most visited sites.

3. Yanahuara: A viewpoint offering panoramic views of the city with the Andes Mountains in the background.

4. Compañía de Jesús Church: A remarkable example of Andean Baroque architecture, featuring a sillar stone façade (a regional material) and an interior decorated with gold leaf and frescoes.

5. Santuarios Andinos Museum: Famous for the mummy of "Juanita," an Inca girl sacrificed over 500 years ago, discovered at Ampato volcano in 1995.

6. San Camilo Market: One of the city's largest markets, perfect for experiencing local culture and gastronomy (exercise caution for safety).

7. Colca Valley: The world's second deepest canyon, home to the endangered Andean condor.

Local Gastronomy

Arequipa is celebrated for its diverse cuisine. Highlights include Rocoto Relleno (stuffed pepper with meat and cheese), Adobo (marinated pork stew), Chupe de Camarones (shrimp broth) and the classic Ceviche (fish marinated in citrus). Don't miss Cuy Chactado (fried guinea pig), Pastel de Papa (meat and potato pie) and desserts like Queso Arequipeño and quince jelly. Traditional drinks include Chicha de Jora (fermented corn drink), Chicha Morada and Pisco (Peruvian grape brandy).

Chair 15th IWACP

Maritza Chirinos Marroquín - Universidad Católica San Pablo - Peru

Local Committee

• Fiorella Victoria Salas Chávez - Universidad Católica San Pablo - Peru

Jeanette Fabiola Díaz Quintanilla - Universidad Católica San Pablo - Peru

Jose Alberto Aguilar Franco - Universidad Católica San Pablo - Peru

María Angélica Paredes Villanueva - Universidad Católica San Pablo - Peru

María Fernanda Zúñiga Núñez - Universidad Católica San Pablo - Peru

Xiomara Roselina Salazar Carpio - Universidad Católica San Pablo - Peru

General Chair and Founder of ACPN
Biagio F. Giannetti - Paulista University (UNIP) - Brazil

Scientific Committee of Advances in Cleaner Production Network (ACPN)