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Pillar: Social Sustainability
Published in Andrew Braham, Fundamentals of Sustainability in Civil Engineering, 2017
When considering the existing civil engineering concepts, work done at the UN, the Oxfam Doughnut, the HDI, and SIA, it is apparent that the concept of resiliency is becoming more pronounced. In terms of social–ecological systems, resiliency is the capacity of the system to sustain or absorb disturbances while still being able to maintain its structure and functions. In the context of social sustainability, a resilient society would be able to overcome barriers to common tasks such as commuting, prevail over issues such as poverty and natural hazards, and develop ways to thrive by moving into the safe and just space for humanity. Individuals’ self-sufficiency, or the possession of sufficient resources to survive with enough excess to be able to participate meaningfully in society, is critical to resiliency. Conquering the impediments to social sustainability will only increase the successful virtuous cycle of social enhancements along with economic enhancements. In addition to the concept of resiliency, the four broad emerging areas are highlighted in social sustainability: human well-being, access to resources, self-government, and civil society. These four emerging areas provide a framework within which earlier attempts at social sustainability metrics can be evaluated and provide a starting point for a more comprehensive set of metrics.
Water
Published in John C. Ayers, Sustainability, 2017
Because we need water to survive, it is important to increase water security and resilience by adding redundancy to water supply systems (Kellogg and Pettigrew 2008). During short- and long-term emergencies, the most critical resource is potable water, especially in arid regions. Rainwater harvesting is a cost-effective approach to increasing water supply. Rainwater that falls on a roof is collected at a downspout into a rainwater tank. Because evaporation purifies water, rainwater is usually the purest water in the hydrologic cycle, but water purification may still be required to make harvested rainwater potable (see Manahan [2013] for a description of methods). In areas where it is legal, rainwater harvesting is one of the easiest ways to move toward self-sufficiency.
An assessment of renewable energy development in energy mix for Togo
Published in International Journal of Sustainable Energy, 2022
Nanimpo Kansongue, James Njuguna, Stephen Vertigans
The Delphi method is used for forecasting to predict and explore the future trends, possibilities, and probabilities of occurrence, and desirability based on the expertise of respondents (Rikkonen, Tapio, and Rintamäki 2019; Banno, Tsujimoto, and Kataoka 2020). This method gives room to review findings and issues of the study in different rounds and to discuss any ambiguity found after the analysis of previous interview data for accuracy. This gives insight to a future view in several rounds (Rikkonen, Tapio, and Rintamäki 2019). A three round Delphi method is used to evaluate the potential of renewable energy technologies and the impact of their development in the energy mix of Togo. These aimed at reviewing the following key points: Energy situation in Togo and understanding reasons for high dependence on the international market for Togo’s electricity need.Reviewing awareness of the renewable energy penetration, in-country skills level, and the potential of different renewable energy sources.Finding a potential impact that could help renewable energy development in Togo and how best to move towards self-sufficiency.
A critical review of African green building research
Published in Building Research & Information, 2022
Frank Victor Mushi, Huba Nguluma, Jacob Kihila
Scholars have also developed optimization models for passive and conventional designs to address local sustainability issues. Ali-Toudert and Weidhaus (2017) provided the best design solutions for inexpensive energy-efficient residential buildings in Mediterranean Algiers and Saharan Gardai using dynamic energy modelling. On the contrary, Chegari et al. (2020) developed a real-time evaluation tool that measures a building’s passive energy self-sufficiency to quantify the benefits of renewable energy integration. Similarly, Mahmoud et al. (2020) comparative simulation analysis showed that passive design reduced annual energy consumption over conventional methods. Marzouk and Metawie (2014) presented the BIM frameworks to reduce building costs and construction time while achieving LEED credits in Egypt’s low-income housing developments.
Rural+: the plain, the beautiful, the sustainable in rural housing
Published in Architectural Science Review, 2021
With the built environment contributing to 37% of carbon emissions, fuel poverty in rural Scotland reaching up to 40% in some areas, and a net annual shortfall of 574 affordable houses in the Perth and Kinross area alone, there is an urgent need for more innovative solutions to the problem of housing provision. The future sustainable, equitable, low- and zero-carbon communities that will be required to deliver this need alternative forms of housing of all tenures with mixed land uses and economies that are simply not provided by the current mass-market housing mix. A deeper understanding at regional and individual levels of the underlying cultural, environmental and economic requirements of communities may generate more appropriate development frameworks and architectural responses to low-carbon rural living (Figure 9). Autarky principles emerging from central Europe offer a possible answer to the challenge of rural housing in that low-carbon energy self-sufficiency can catalyse sustainable economic development providing resilience and the necessary economic means for inward investment in local community infrastructure whilst contributing to regional energy generation requirements through renewable energy exports. However, this will require reconsideration of policy and regulation at national and regional levels across planning, building regulations and procurement policy.