Abstract: A better environment can be achieved through the decreased emission of pollutants and the optimization of the production of green energies. Also, making maintenance interventions as effective and efficient as possible plays an important part in getting equipment to function as well as it can and, no less importantly, in minimizing the downtime caused by faults. The paper summarizes the latest developments in the areas of decreased emissions and green energy production achieved by the author and his team, highlighting the most recent aspects of this group’s research, namely 3D models for fault diagnosis.
The paper will also describe the current position of several projects that contribute to a better environment, including on-condition maintenance for wind farms. This is based on the remote acquisition of data through IP networks and also on the introduction of new protocols and low-cost hardware, in order to implement local solutions for collecting data in each wind generator. The paper will also discuss and make proposals concerning prediction algorithms based on data series models.
Another way of safeguarding the environment is by reducing Diesel engine emissions, particularly in urban buses, through the achievement of emission levels lower than the most recent standards. However, as this involves political decisions, it would need to be implemented through concrete systems that, in this case, use new algorithms based on Hidden Markov Chains, which are proving to be a good predictive tool.
The above proposals are being added to a core system called SMIT (Integrated Modular System for Terology), which has a modular structure, like a jigsaw puzzle that grows in response to new developments and the challenges that organizations face.
Currently, further new research projects are being undertaken, such as integrated asset management from an environmental perspective, which will allow the optimization of the integration of international standards, with the objective of organizing and planning maintenance with the environment as a major consideration.
Another interesting project is related to aiding fault diagnosis through the use of 3D models that, in the near future, will enable causes of faults to be identified as efficiently as possible. However, if this project is to make a significant contribution in this area, it will only be through developments achieved by global collaboration using the web and free software resources, as this will minimize the time required for the development of new models.

Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Jose Manuel Torres Farinha (www.torresfarinha.com) is Licentiate in Electrical Engineering by Coimbra University, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering by Oporto University. He is Senior Member and Specialist in Industrial Maintenance by "Ordem dos Engenheiros", that is the Association that represents the long-cycle theoretically scientific studies in-depth in Portugal (CLAIU member). He is Coordinator Professor at Engineering School of Coimbra (www.isec.pt) and member, since 1994, of the Mechanical Engineering Center of Coimbra University – CEMUC - (http://www2.dem.uc.pt/cemuc/index.htm), that is classified as Excellent by "Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia - FCT" - (http://alfa.fct.mctes.pt/index.phtml.en), after evaluation by an international team. The main research of Jose Manuel Torres Farinha is in the Maintenance Management field but through an enlarged view called Terology that is supported by an information maintenance system, that includes fault diagnosis, and on condition maintenance, with emphasis in an ecological approach. He wrote a book, chapters of books and has many papers published in national and international journals and conferences. He was President of one of the biggest higher institutions in Portugal, where he introduced some innovative vectors, namely, by the first time in Portugal, the certification of a higher education institution and, also, made its evaluation by EUA (European University Association). He also worked, some years ago, in the area of hospital maintenance, namely in hospitals in the centre of Portugal. Additionally, he also collaborates in national technical studies in the maintenance area.