The ecological footprint accounting of products: when larger is not worse

One of the main goals of any (sustainability) indicator should be the communication of a clear, unambiguous, and simplified message about the status of the analyzed system. The selected indicator is expected to declare explicitly how its numerical value depicts a situation, for example, positive or negative, sustainable or unsustainable, especially when a comparison among similar or competitive systems is performed. This aspect should be a primary and discriminating issue when the selection of a set of opportune indicators is operated. The Ecological Footprint (EF) has become one of the most popular and widely used sustainability indicators. It is a resource accounting method with an area based metric in which the units of measure are global hectares or hectares with world average bio-productivity. Its main goal is to underline the link between the (un)sustainability level of a product, a system, an activity or a population life style, with the land demand for providing goods, energy, and ecological services needed to sustain that product, system, activity, or population. Therefore, the traditional rationale behind the message of EF is: the larger EF value, the larger environmental impact in terms of resources use, the lower position in the sustainability rank. The aim of this paper was to investigate if this rationale is everywhere opportune and unambiguous, or if sometimes its use requires paying a special attention. Then, a three-dimensional modification of the classical EF framework for the sustainability evaluation of a product has been proposed following a previous work by Niccolucci and co-authors (2009). Finally, the potentialities of the model have been tested by using a case study from the agricultural context

Energy transition for the decarbonisation of urban neighborhoods: A case study in Seville, Spain

A method of greenhouse gas inventory has been developed for evaluating the environmental implications of civilian life, in terms of carbon emission, according to citizens' behaviour and to the condition of buildings, local infrastructures and services. The assessment focuses on energy use for housing, mobility, impacts of waste and water management. All factors refer to different spatial scales, ranging from the regional, urban neighbourhood, right through to the single-family household. Based on site-specific data, carbon accounting has been performed in Seville, firstly focussing on the provincial scale, then on the urban neighbourhood of Barrio Tiro de Línea. Both quantitative information and a uniquely citizen-centred method of visual result representation have been provided and taken as a starting point for planning an energy transition and decarbonisation scenario. The graphical outcomes allow the selection of a series of carbon footprint mitigating measures to be potentially accomplished in the medium-long term. The procedure was tested during the City-Zen Roadshow, as part of the European Union FP7 City-Zen Project, and demonstrated a powerfully communicative and easily implementable method to inform policy makers and citizens, to raise awareness on real energy transition potentials and to address choices for decarbonisation

City-zen 'Menorca' Roadshow - Site Specific EVENT

The City-zen Roadshow's are 'site specific performance based' interactive events that bring together experts and city stakeholders 'onsite' to co-creatively design a future sustainable vision for their city. There would be nine European Roadshows over a four year period, the duration of a Roadshow being typically between 3 to 8 days. The Roadshow delivers energy and urban design workshops in which all local stakeholders are welcome and encouraged to join and to take ownership of the final outcomes. Outcomes that will allow the cities resources, both people and energy, to be directed effectively, by highlighting the energy challenges and potentials to be found in their neighbourhoods, and to finally present a sustainable ‘City Vision’. The Menorca Roadshow (Sustainable Island Menorca ‘Roadshow’) took place at the Institut Menorquí d'Estudis (IME) in Mahón on the island of Menorca, between the 24th & 28th of April 2017

City-zen 'Izmir' Roadshow - Site Specific EVENT

The City-zen Roadshow's are 'site specific performance based' interactive events that bring together experts and city stakeholders 'onsite' to co-creatively design a future sustainable vision for their city. There would be nine European Roadshows over a four year period, the duration of a Roadshow being typically between 3 to 8 days. The overall aim of the Roadshow team, known as ‘Roadies’, is to work closely with people from the hosting city, whether they be city leaders, energy planners, local architects, professionals, academics, students and of course the citizens themselves. The Roadshow spends 5 days in each hosting city to deliver energy and urban design workshops in which all local stakeholders are welcome and encouraged to join and to take ownership of the final outcomes. Outcomes that will allow the cities resources, both people and energy, to be directed effectively, by highlighting the energy challenges and potentials to be found in their neighbourhoods, and to finally present a sustainable ‘City Vision’

City-zen 'Sevilla' Roadshow - Site Specific EVENT

The City-zen Roadshow's are 'site specific performance based' interactive events that bring together experts and city stakeholders 'onsite' to co-creatively design a future sustainable vision for their city. There would be nine European Roadshows over a four year period, the duration of a Roadshow being typically between 3 to 8 days. The City-zen Roadshow travels with a team of internationally recognized experts, in the field of energy planning and design to help develop a sustainable agenda for cities and their neighbourhoods. The Roadshow team work closely with people from the hosting city, whether they be city leaders, energy planners, local architects, professionals, academics, students and of course the citizens themselves. The Roadshow delivers energy and urban design workshops in which all local stakeholders are welcome and encouraged to join and to take ownership of the final outcomes. Outcomes that will allow the cities resources, both people and energy, to be directed effectively, by highlighting the energy challenges and potentials to be found in their neighbourhoods, and to finally present a sustainable ‘City Vision’. The City-zen ‘Sevilla’ Roadshow that took place in the Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingeniería de Edificación (Universidad de Sevilla) between the 20th & 24th of November 2017

City-zen 'Roeselare' Roadshow - Site Specific EVENT

The City-zen Roadshow's are 'site specific performance based' interactive events that bring together experts and city stakeholders 'onsite' to co-creatively design a future sustainable vision for their city. There would be nine European Roadshows over a four year period, the duration of a Roadshow being typically between 3 to 8 days. The City-zen Roadshow travels with a team of internationally recognized experts, in the field of energy planning and design to help develop a sustainable agenda for cities and their neighbourhoods. The overall aim of the Roadshow team is to work closely with people from the hosting city, whether they be city leaders, energy planners, local architect, professionals, academics, students and citizens. The Roadshow delivers energy and urban design fun-shops in which all local stakeholders are welcome and encouraged to join and to take ownership of the final outcomes. Outcomes that will allow the cities resources, both people and energy, to be directed effectively, by highlighting the energy challenges and potentials to be found in their neighbourhoods, and to finally present a sustainable ‘City Vision’. The Roeselare Roadshow took place in Roeselare (Belgium), between the 23rd & 27th of April 2018

City-zen 'Dubrovnik' Roadshow - Site Specific EVENT

The City-zen Roadshow's are 'site specific performance based' interactive events that bring together experts and city stakeholders 'onsite' to co-creatively design a future sustainable vision for their city. There would be nine European Roadshows over a four year period, the duration of a Roadshow being typically between 3 to 8 days. The overall aim of the Roadshow team was to work closely with people from the hosting city, whether they be city leaders, energy planners, local architect, professionals, academics, students and citizens. The Dubrovnik Roadshow took place at the DURA offices in Dubrovnik, Croatia, between the 31st Oct & 4th Nov 2016. Following the City-zen Dubrovnik ‘Roadshow’ held in November 2016, Craig Martin, responsible for both the ‘Roadshow’ was on the instruction of Andro Vlahušić (Mayor of Dubrovnik) awarded The City of Dubrovnik & DURA (Dubrovnik Development Agency) ‘Contribution Award’. The award was in recognition of outstanding contribution to the sustainable development of the City. Craig was honored to accept this award on behalf of all the Roadshow team: Riccardo Pulselli, Tine Stevens, Han Vandevyvere, Siebe Broersma, Greg Keeffe, Andy van den Dobbelsteen and Leen Peeters

Designing the Future to Predict the Future: An ‘urban-first’ approach to co-creating zero-carbon neighbourhoods

The natural ecotone between people, community and carbon reduction is the zero-carbon community. Over recent decades, the design of zero-carbon communities has focussed too greatly on carbon emissions and not enough on building communities. Anthropogenic climate change is a human problem, yet people are seldom placed at the centre of design solutions. The City-zen Roadshow is an intensive co-creational approach to creating zero-carbon communities, which places stakeholders at the very centre of the design process. The methodology uses an ‘urban-first’ approach and champions urban design as the main driver to deliver change. Carbon accounting and energy analysis sit in adjacency with the urban design proposals to deliver interventions that are net zero-carbon, low energy, low waste, socially rich, ecologically diverse, economically robust, resilient, fit for purpose and engaging. The paper describes this novel approach using one roadshow as a case study to illustrate the urban interventions proposed. Living in zero-carbon communities is not just about photovoltaic panels and wind turbines. It is, instead, about thinking differently about the way in which people live and the decisions they make, to provide people with alternative ways of living that are more desirable than those currently available

City-zen 'Belfast' Roadshow - Site Specific EVENT

The City-zen Roadshow's are 'site specific performance based' interactive events that bring together experts and city stakeholders 'onsite' to co-creatively design a future sustainable vision for their city. There would be nine European Roadshows over a four year period, the duration of a Roadshow being typically between 3 to 8 days. The overall aim of the Roadshow is to work closely with people from the hosting city, whether they be city leaders, energy planners, local architect, professionals, academics, students and of course the citizens themselves. The Roadshow will deliver energy and urban design workshops in which all local stakeholders are welcome and encouraged to join and to take ownership of the final outcomes. Outcomes that will allow the cities resources, both people and energy, to be directed effectively, by highlighting the energy challenges and potentials to be found in their neighbourhoods, and to finally present a sustainable city vision. The Belfast Roadshow took place in Belfast between the 18th & 22nd of January 2016, in the neighbourhood of Colin (West Belfast)