Climate change, contemporary society and engineering practice: a sustainability journey

[Abstract]: Climate change, Contemporary Society and engineers share an indivisible pathway towards sustainability through the means of technology. Climate change and sustainability are now new domains that require a better understanding by engineers. Ten years ago sustainability was a development for the future however the absence of climate certainty in contemporary society has raised sustainability awareness to the forefront of societal debate. While sustainability in theory is defined as the capacity to maintain a certain process or state indefinitely. However the literal meaning of “indefinitely” in sustainability definition poses a set of intriguing questions, is indefinite human survival a plausible proposition in a finite world. For this reason efforts in the fight against climate change are becoming a global effort, since it requires global cooperation and greater scientific consensus to reduce carbon emissions and consequently the planet’s energy footprint. We recognize that Sustainability ought to be economically viable, ecologically sound and sensitive; socially responsible and culturally appropriate. Surrounded by this realm of thinking all these mentioned definitions are equal measures that fail to address the importance of “technology” as a subject in the climate change and sustainability debate. Since this generation had inherited the historical legacy of nonrenewable energy technologies. The term “technology” in this context implies any technical system that can result in and/or be well described in terms of a process by which humans modify nature to meet their needs and wants. This paper seeks to investigate the underlying philosophical frames and the nature of the issues of sustainability present to engineers. It explores the notion of “Sustainability” and “technology “in engineering practice. Further, we argue that in order to establish a clear, measurable, actionable, and universally accessible working definition of sustainable engineering practices. climate change and technology life cycle need to be inclusive to sustainability

Understanding digital eco-innovation in municipalities: An institutional perspective

Municipalities consume over 67% of global energy and are responsible for over 70% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that rapid adjustments need to happen at a global level, or the effects of climate change will be irreversible. The contribution of municipalities is therefore vital if GHG emissions are to be reduced. Our research is timely in its exploration of the ways in which municipalities institutionalise environmental sustainability practices in and through Green digital artefacts. Using mechanism-based institutional theory as a lens, the paper presents the findings of three contrasting case studies of large municipalities in the United Kingdom in their respective programmes to leverage the direct, enabling and systemic effects of Green ICT in order to reduce GHG emission and achieve their eco-sustainability goals. The case sites are also regarded as exemplars for further research and practice on digital eco-innovation. The mechanism-based explanations illustrate how a social web of conditions and factors influence eco-sustainability outcomes. We conclude that the digital technology-enabled grassroots-based initiatives offer the best hope to begin the transition to sustainable climate change within municipalities. The contributions of our study are therefore both theoretical and practical

The role of BIM in tackling obsolescence, climate change, and sustainability

Although the BIM technology is applicable to both new and existing buildings, it is arguably more established in the former than the latter. This is despite the fact that, in the UK alone, 70–80% of what has been built by 2010, is estimated to continue to exist for a number of decades to come: including the years 2020 and 2050 (the two main temporal deadlines in the Climate Change Act, 2008). In addition, this existing building stock is subject to obsolescence (both climate change-induced and non-climate change-associated) which in turn compromises sustainability. Thus, there are three notions that appear to be interwoven, i.e. Obsolescence, Climate Change, and Sustainability: the question is whether BIM can be exploited to address these. There has been only limited research work to explore the possible influence of BIM upon obsolescence, climate change, and sustainability as individual issues,and none reported, to-date, in terms of an approach to their collective consideration. This paper conceptually explores how BIM can be related with all three crucial notions simultaneously as well as discretely. It is argued that such studies can be particularly valuable in the face of escalating pressures in terms of future obsolescence risks, overwhelming evidence of climate change, and escalating sustainability agendas. The paper reviews current work that relates state-of-the-art BIM to the three notions, both separately and collectively, and thereby delineates the potential for BIM to play a role in addressing the three issues simultaneously

U.S. Venture Capital Meets Clean-Technology

Public concern over global climate change, resource depletion, and environmental degradation has amplified over the last several years, leading to increased demand for environmentally friendly products. Additionally, the price of Clean-Technology products has fallen. This paper examines venture capital investment in the Clean-Technology industry of the U.S. in 1995-2008. The paper explores the effects of macroeconomic variables, national venture capital investment and geography on Clean-Technology investment. The conclusion indicates the importance of geographical location in affecting Clean-Technology investment. A weak correlation between national venture capital and Clean-Technology investments raises the possibility of a more diversified investment portfolio.Venture Capital; Clean-Technology Industry; Economic Geography; Location; Environmental Economics; Sustainability; Industrial Sector

Sustainable development goals and climate change in Spanish technology disciplines’ curricula: From LOMCE to LOMLOE

Understanding the prevalence of climate change and sustainable development in the new curriculum of compulsory secondary education (ESO) and the baccalaureate is crucial for educational communities in Spain. However, there was a lack of studies that examined the integration of climate change and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as cross-cutting themes in the new education framework, particularly in the technology disciplines. This study aimed to address this gap by conducting a comparative analysis of the new legislative content (LOMLOE) and the previous legislation (LOMCE). The analysis quantified the presence of keywords related to climate change and sustainable development in both legal texts, focusing on the definition of objectives, level skills, evaluation criteria, and blocks of knowledge. Additionally, the study assessed the inclusion of SDGs and the ethical implications associated with the use and production of technologies at both education levels. The analysis of the curriculum content revealed a significant presence of references to climate change, sustainable development, and SDGs throughout the LOMLOE curriculum, particularly in the baccalaureate. Notably, education’s role in addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development was explicitly recognized as an objective at this level. Regarding technology disciplines, LOMLOE placed considerable emphasis on fostering awareness of the environmental impact of technological development by introducing a new cross-level knowledge block named “Sustainable Technology”, spanning from ESO to the final courses of baccalaureate. This integration was further reinforced by evaluation criteria and specific skills that strongly aligned with sustainability principles, encouraging assessments centred around environmental awareness, ethical responsibilities, and sustainable entrepreneurship. Further studies are required to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating SDGs and climate change into technology disciplines following the implementation of LOMLOE, with the aim of identifying best practices for effectively combatting climate change and promoting sustainability in technology education.Xunta de Galicia/FEDER | Ref. GRC ED431C 2020-09Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | Ref. 2022.03164.CEECINDMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. TED2021-130522B-I00Universidade de Vigo | Ref. INOU-CAMPUS AUGA 2023Diputación Provincial de Ourense | Ref. INOU-CAMPUS AUGA 202

Engaging architectural heritage in climate action

[EN] The ICOMOS Working Group on Climate Change and Cultural Heritage have recently released an Outline of Climate Change and Cultural Heritage.García-Esparza, J. (2019). Engaging architectural heritage in climate action. VITRUVIO - International Journal of Architectural Technology and Sustainability. 4(2):VII-VIII. https://doi.org/10.4995/vitruvio-ijats.2019.12817OJSVIIVIII42ICOMOS Climate Change and Cultural Heritage Working Group. 2019. The Future of Our Pasts: Engaging Cultural Heritage in Climate Action, July 1, 2019. Paris: ICOMOS.United Nations. 2017. Global indicator framework for the Sustainable Development Goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Resolution A/RES/71/313

Addressing The Challenges Of Climate Change And Sustainability

The issues of climate change and sustainability are urgent and critical concerns of our time. The rise of climate disasters, such as floods, droughts, forest fires, and hurricanes, poses a threat to the survival of humans, animals, and plants. Despite scientists having warned about the impending dangers of high CO2 emissions, particularly from the global North for many years, there has been no political or technical solution in sight. Engineers are known for being problem-solvers, but what happens when the problem is complex and the consequences of technical interventions are hard to predict? In my paper, I propose measures to sensitize engineers to the complexity of climate change and sustainability. Based on the method of focused ethnography, I draw on Feminist teaching methods, my extensive teaching experience in the field of transdisciplinary gender research in science and technology studies, and my observations during the international “Winter school of ENHANCE on gender and diversity in science, technology and society” at Technische Universität Berlin in 2023. The paper concentrates on the content and pedagogical approaches that can be used to convey the complexity of the issue while fostering the development of critically reflective knowledge. By incorporating these measures, engineers can be better equipped to tackle the challenges posed by climate change and sustainability in a more holistic and thoughtful manner

The Complementarity of Improving Quality of Life and Reducing Environmental Footprints in Urban Spaces: The Argument for ‘Hedonistic Sustainability’

In recent decades, the phenomena of urbanization and globalization have transformed cities into agglomerations of technology, innovation, wealth and human capital. Cities have become spaces of high environmental destruction, and concurrently, frontrunner of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. The urban landscape consists of a complex network of actors, requiring an integrative and adaptive approach to be taken when considering sustainability and environmental soundness. Much of the sustainability discourse focuses on functionality, sacrifice, and often, individual lifestyle changes. This paper seeks to challenge that perspective by proposing that a collectivistic approach with implications of prosperity can optimize urban adaptation, remediation, and expansion amidst the threat of climate change

Regional and global hydrology and water resources issues: The role of international and national programs

This paper presents an overview of water resources issues in the context of world population growth, climate change, and variability, and provides examples of how these issues affect local and regional water policy concerns. Also discussed is the associated research of the international scientific community in regard to physically-based modeling of the hydrological cycle, with special focus on the Global Energy and Water cycle EXperiment (GEWEX) Programme. The critical role of precipitation measurements for climate model accuracy is emphasized, with a review of several satellite methods and strategies for improving precipitation measurements. Finally, the impact of semiarid regions on global hydrologic issues is underscored with a review of research conducted by SAHRA, the National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center dedicated to Sustainability of semi-Add Hydrology and Riparian Areas