Sustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone Project / School gardens are booming in Arizona as their opportunities for educational development continue to grow. One common problem, however, is that most schools with a school garden lack a proper managerial system that would help their garden be used to its full potential. The work compiled in this capstone project defines a managerial structure and provides a site-specific example of an intern manual that is intended to be used as in introductory guide with all the necessary resources to get an intern started.

Sustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone Project / The idea of using nature, as a design model in building construction is not a new one; this innovative technique is known as biomimicry in architecture. This study focuses on biomimicry and its application in three buildings; The University of Arizona’s new Environmental and Natural Resource Phase 2 (ENR2) building; Architect Mick Pearce’s Eastgate Centre in Harare Zimbabwe; and Council House 2 (CH2) in Melbourne Australia. The research in this paper is centered around the ENR2 building, it examines the extent to which biomimcry is applied in terms of aesthetics and performance, by comparing it to the Eastgate Centre and CH2 buildings.

<p> Traditional engineering and financial assessments are limited not only to consideration of currently internalized costs, but also often lack consideration of new or current externalities during the life of the new system. The goal of this thesis is to provide a methodology that integrates sustainability assessment with the traditional assessments, thereby allowing the assessment and optimization of the total overall costs. The proposed method is applied for the steam methane reforming (SMR) plants operated by Air Products in Edmonton, Canada where the boiler feed water for hydrogen manufacturing is produced using the polished effluent from the local municipal wastewater treatment plant. The softening of the feed water to Reverse Osmosis (RO) system is proposed (after evaluating the several options) to improve the recovery for the current RO system from 75% to 95%. The overall costs were estimated for comparison of the current and proposed systems.</p><p> The production of hydrogen via SMR highlights the complexities of the sustainability assessment. While hydrogen may be considered a renewable transportation fuel, depending on whether the fossil natural gas can be replaced with renewable biogas or via electrolysis of water using renewable energy, it is reliant on the availability of water. However, water is a scarce resource that is also essential for basic human survival and ecological needs. As the population of the world increases, alternative water sources need to be explored, which may require more energy in the processing of such water to potable grade. </p><p> The results show that the proposed RO feed softening via Ion Exchange (IX) can improve RO recovery up to 95%. The financial assessments based on literature prices and cost factors show that the current operating cost can be reduced up to ~20% by improving RO recovery to 95% with ~75% probability for cost reduction at 95% recovery. When the capital costs are accounted for, NPV-based analyses show that for 95% recovery more than 20% IRR (if spare vessels are available for refurbishment) could be achieved.</p><p> Environmental assessments (Life Cycle Assessment method using SimaPro v7.3 following ISO 14040-44 standards) show that 1.12 x 10^-3 ReCiPe Endpoints impact for current RO operation at 75% recovery can be reduced by ~8% when 95% RO recovery is achieved via the proposed system. Due to the need for increased NaCl salt for regeneration of resins in the proposed system, the environmental impacts increased for metal depletion and ionizing radiation impact categories, unlike the other impact categories. The GHG emissions could be reduced by ~10% (after accounting for 10%-30% probability) for 95% RO recovery with the reduction from the reduced consumption of inputs. Similarly, the life cycle water depletion impacts can be reduced by ~10% (after accounting for 30%-65% reduction probability) from the current 1.75kg water depletion per kg of BFW produced. Water Footprint Assessment (WFA) as per the Ridoutt &amp; Pfister method shows that when accounted for local water stress, during the worst month, the blue water footprint increases from 1.75kg/kg BFW to 63.9kg/kg BFW, in addition to ~0.08kg/kg BFW greywater footprint.</p><p> The social assessment shows mixed results with lower employment, employee development, corporate philanthropy, environmental "protect" spend and R&amp;D spend due to reduced overall consumptions for the 95% recovery option. The other social impact categories were improved for 95% recovery. The overall cost (estimated as the sum of the internally normalized social costs) were 3.0 units with up to 35% reduction potential.</p><p> The results of the case study show that IX feed softening has potential to not only reduce the environmental and social costs, but also meet the financial constraints. Also, this highlights that an integrated sustainability assessment method that evaluates and combines all three aspects of sustainability - environment, social and economic - could be developed. The proposed method as presented needs further development. Among other things, the lack of availability of robust social inventory database significantly hinders the development and adoption such integrated methods. The application of the method to additional case studies would be a good next step.</p><p> This exercise has highlighted that the value and benefits of overall cost estimates are beyond those of policy making by the regulatory agencies. Sustainability minded companies could benefit from having environmental and social goals along with the financial targets as they understand the risks from inadequate performances in any of these aspects. However, these goals are typically on a gate-to-gate basis and independent of each other; thereby, creating the potential for shifting burdens in the value chain and not obtaining the full benefits of risk mitigation. The assessment using the overall cost approach at life cycle basis is essential for industry in not only risk mitigation, but also opportunity identification at an early stage.</p>

Samhällets ökande medvetenhet om klimatförändringar, naturkatastrofer och miljösamhällsfrågor har medfört att det idag ställs större krav på att företag ska ta ett socialt ansvar. Genom att upprätta en hållbarhetsrapport kan företag visa på att de tar ett samhällsansvar och på ett lättare sätt kommunicera ut sitt sociala- och miljömässiga arbete till sina intressenter. I samband med att allt fler företag väljer att hållbarhetsrapportera så stärks också kraven på att rapporterna bör vara trovärdiga och tillförlitliga. Företag kan öka hållbarhetsrapportens trovärdighet och tillförlitlighet genom att anlita en externt oberoende part som granskar och bestyrker rapporten. Syftet med studien är att öka förståelsen för vad företag väljer att redovisa för hållbarhetsindikatorer utifrån GRIs riktlinjer samt hur revisorer och andra granskare går tillväga för att bestyrka redovisningen av dessa indikatorer. Denna undersökning gjordes utifrån en kvalitativ forskningsmetod som grundade sig på två delar. För att svara på studiens syfte utfördes dels en dokumentstudie om hållbarhetsindikatorer samt intervjuer om bestyrkande där fokus legat på revisorer och andra professionella bestyrkare. Teorin inleddes sedan med en allmän- och teoretisk referensram. I den allmänna referensramen redogjordes det för allmän bakgrundsfakta och i den teoretiska referensramen presenterades olika teorier som var av betydelse för det empiriska resultatet. Studiens resultat visade att företag ofta väljer att hållbarhetsrapportera då de känner påtryckningar från intressenterna att ta ett större samhällsansvar samt för att vinna legitimitet från samhället. Det framgick även att hållbarhetsrapporten bidrar till en mer heltäckande bild av hur företaget arbetar inom sociala, miljömässiga samt ekonomiska områden. En anledning till att företag väljer att anlita en externt oberoende part till att bestyrka sin hållbarhetsrapport är för att säkerställa hållbarhetsinformationen samt öka trovärdigheten och tillförlitligheten. Studien bygger på en deduktiv ansats och avslutas med en empiri- och analys del samt en fördjupad analys där teorin kopplas ihop med det empiriska materialet för att se hur dessa stämmer överens med varandra. Avslutningsvis diskuteras studiens resultat samt svaret på dess syfte. / Society’s increasing awareness of climate change, natural disasters and environment-society issues has led to higher demands when it comes to companies taking social responsibility. By drawing up a sustainability report companies can show that they are taking social responsibility and can more easily communicate their social and environmental work to its stakeholders. As more and more companies choose to report on sustainability the requirements of the reports being credible and reliable are increased. Companies can increase the credibility and reliability of the sustainability report by engaging an external and independent party to review and certify the report. The aim of the study is to increase understanding of what companies chooses to report on sustainability indicators based on GRIs guidelines and also how accountants and other surveyors proceed to authenticate them. The survey was carried out using a qualitative research method based on two parts. In order to answer the aim of the study a document study of sustainability indicators as well as interviews regarding assurances were conducted, where focus has been on accountants and other professional vindicators. The theory was initiated with a general and a theoretical framework. In the general frame of reference the general background facts were accounted for and in the theoretical frame of reference different theories relevant to the empirical results were presented. The results of the study showed that companies often choose to report on sustainability when pressured by stakeholders to take greater social responsibility as well as to gain legitimacy from society. The results also showed that the sustainability report contributes to a more comprehensive picture of how the company works in the social, environmental and economic areas. One reason that companies choose to engage an external independent party to certify its sustainability report is to ensure the sustainability information as well as to increase the credibility and reliability. The study is based on a deductive approach and ends with an empiric and analysis part as well as a deeper analysis where the theory is linked to the empirical material in order to see how these two correlate. Finally the result of the study and the answer to its purpose are discussed.

The construction of a guiding methodological framework for local sustainability assessment is a key to achieving a sustainable future. This study develops an approach to local sustainability assessment (ALSA), a methodological framework that facilitates the formulation, selection and prioritisation of key indicators to guide the assessment of city sustainability at a local level in Middle Eastern cities. Based on a literature review, this research devised a methodological framework, ALSA, which is a combination of the Commission on Sustainable Development’s (CSD)Theme Indicator Framework (2001) (themes, sub themes and indicators) and a Goal-Based Framework (indicators that most directly reflect the issues of a case study and its local communities and stakeholders). This combination framework is shown to be more appropriate in this instance than other types of frameworks, in terms of overcoming some inherent weaknesses, leading to the adoption of a top-down / bottom-up approach. Such an approach is shown to be the best way of developing indicators which are (top-down) scientifically valid and generic with (bottom-up) stakeholder and local communities needs. The ALSA methodological framework involves four steps, which are: issue identification, objective formulation, indicator formulation and indicator selecting and ranking. The first set of proposed indicators contained 98 indicators. This set of proposed indicators was revised and analysed by means of a series of shared ideas from literature and through consultation with experts from specific areas, using a workshop format. This revision stage was used to reformulate and select valid and useful indicators (comparable, measurable, and sensitive). The second set of valid and useful indicators (after the first revisions) contains 57 indicators. The indicators were ranked on the basis of priority to identify a final set of indicators that cover the four dimensions of sustainability, which are defined within this work as environmental, social, economic and institutional. The evaluation (SWOT analysis) of this framework was examined during this study. The city of Hilla, Iraq, was selected as a case study to prove the applicability of the ALSA methodological framework in a real world case study. It is argued that this study is pioneering in adding knowledge and understanding of the development of a methodological framework to provide local sustainability indicators in a post-conflict, Middle Eastern city in an oil-rich country. It is concluded that the ALSA methodological framework provides an efficient and rigorous approach for the formulation, selection and prioritization of key indicators that will measure and encapsulate the essence of a sustainable city and could help Middle Eastern cities achieve higher levels of progress towards sustainability in practice.

This research sets out to establish both the extent to which and the ways in which English Secondary schools have a school culture focusing upon sustainability. I visited three case study schools for six weeks each: these were carefully selected to represent a range of progress towards becoming sustainable schools. I visited two other ‘benchmark’ schools for two days each: these were chosen on the recommendations of school sustainability experts, and visiting them helped me judge the progress my case-study schools had made. I took an ethnographic approach to the research, conducting about 80 interviews with various members of my three case study schools, also consulting school documents and undertaking observations of lessons and other aspects of school life. I discovered that the case-study schools had generally made little progress on sustainability, with most school members unaware or uncertain of the basic principles of sustainability. The schools focused much more on students’ examination results and behaviour than sustainability. Leadership structures and formal student involvement in leadership at the case study schools were not conducive to sustainability. Links between campus operations and the taught curriculum were mostly absent, and where sustainability was included in lessons, it tended to be largely theoretical, with few references to its impact on the students and daily life. In the light of the case-study findings and a wide-ranging literature review, a series of recommendations are made, both for secondary schools and for national education policy. These relate, for example, to patterns of school leadership, to the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of school leaders and teachers, to strengthening the role of sustainability in both the formal and informal curriculum, and to ensuring that students emerge better equipped for a world in which sustainability agendas will be of increasing importance.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design / Melody L. A. LeHew / Fashion is the second most polluting industry and accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions. Consuming fossil fuel based electricity, the primary source of energy in the apparel production process, causes a great deal of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Due to ever-increasing apparel demand and population growth, this industry’s carbon footprint will only grow bigger. As attention on sustainability issues in our world intensifies, research on environmental sustainability in the apparel manufacturing industry is needed. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate energy consumption (EC) of the apparel sewing process. The objectives are to (a) identify the most influential EC factors and develop a model to capture EC levels, (b) determine factor interrelationships, (c) identify steps to reduce EC, and (d) explore experts' level of concern regarding EC of the apparel manufacturing and its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. A mixed method research study was employed in this study: a qualitative method was utilized to assess expert perceptions and a quantitative method was used to measure EC and build a regression model. This study determined dominant EC and GHG emissions factors from sewing process so that apparel manufacturers can understand which factors need to be controlled to reduce environmental damage. Findings from the study indicated sewing machine motor capacity, sewing speed, and standard allocated minute (SAM) were the most influential EC factors, and shortening the sewing time was found as the best solution to reduce energy consumption in the apparel sewing process. The energy consumption model was found as: Log (EC) = 9.283 + 0.771* log (SAM) + 0.386*knit fabric type + 0.260*sportswear fabric type + 0.080*SPI - 0.008*capacity + 0.004*seam length - 0.001* speed + 0.495 The EC model along with GHG calculator (a tool to convert GHG from EC) will help the industry to determine their EC and GHG emissions level to boost their awareness and to encourage greater impetus for environmental actions. Finally, this study will help designers, retailers, and consumers to pursue environmentally friendly actions in terms of decisions regarding apparel design, sourcing, and purchasing.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design / Melody L. A. LeHew / Fashion is the second most polluting industry and accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions. Consuming fossil fuel based electricity, the primary source of energy in the apparel production process, causes a great deal of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Due to ever-increasing apparel demand and population growth, this industry’s carbon footprint will only grow bigger. As attention on sustainability issues in our world intensifies, research on environmental sustainability in the apparel manufacturing industry is needed. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate energy consumption (EC) of the apparel sewing process. The objectives are to (a) identify the most influential EC factors and develop a model to capture EC levels, (b) determine factor interrelationships, (c) identify steps to reduce EC, and (d) explore experts' level of concern regarding EC of the apparel manufacturing and its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. A mixed method research study was employed in this study: a qualitative method was utilized to assess expert perceptions and a quantitative method was used to measure EC and build a regression model. This study determined dominant EC and GHG emissions factors from sewing process so that apparel manufacturers can understand which factors need to be controlled to reduce environmental damage. Findings from the study indicated sewing machine motor capacity, sewing speed, and standard allocated minute (SAM) were the most influential EC factors, and shortening the sewing time was found as the best solution to reduce energy consumption in the apparel sewing process. The energy consumption model was found as: Log (EC) = 9.283 + 0.771* log (SAM) + 0.386*knit fabric type + 0.260*sportswear fabric type + 0.080*SPI - 0.008*capacity + 0.004*seam length - 0.001* speed + 0.495. The EC model along with GHG calculator (a tool to convert GHG from EC) will help the industry to determine their EC and GHG emissions level to boost their awareness and to encourage greater impetus for environmental actions. Finally, this study will help designers, retailers, and consumers to pursue environmentally friendly actions in terms of decisions regarding apparel design, sourcing, and purchasing.

This project consists on the Energy audit carried out on a residential building in Skutskär, property of the company Älvkarlebyhus, which is placed in the Älvkarleby municipality, belonging to Uppsala County in Sweden. The aim of the Energy audit is to obtain how much Energy is used, when is it used and how is it used. As well as the costs of the Energy use. The aim of the Energy audit also consists in reduces the Energy use applying efficiency measures. The audit carried out consist on identifying the heat losses and heat gains of the building, thus establishing an Energy balance that will reflect the Energy state of the building and finally propose some efficiency measures that could be applied. With this purpose, a strong method was developed in order to obtain as accurate results as possible. This method studies separately each component of the balance in order to get a better approach. The idea when working and present the results is to manage all the information in an easy way and present it in an easily understandable way for everyone, thus was used a spreadsheet. The expected results have been achieved; the difference between the heat losses and gains is of 0 MWh, which represents the balance 0 and all the values obtained are according to the experience values, which achieve the expected results. The total heat gain of the balance accounts for 1575,23 MWh. It is compounded by the District heating consumption which accounts 742,22 MWh that represents the 47 % of the heat gain and by the free heating which accounts for 832,79 MWh that represents the 53 %. The free heating is compounded by solar radiation which accounts for 643,36 MWh representing 41 % and for Internal heating which accounts for 189,43 MWh that represents 12 %. The total heat loss of the balance accounts for 1575,23 MWh. It is compounded by transmission losses which accounts for 875,46 MWh that represents 56 %, mechanical ventilation which accounts for 369,89 MWh that represents the 23 %, natural ventilation which account for 182,88 MWh that represents 12 % and hot tap water which account for 147 and represents 9 %. The efficiency measures will improve the Energy use in the buildings; especially in the cases were the Energy usage is too high, as in the case of transmission losses. Thus, the efficiency measures will be proposed mainly to alleviate the high values but also to improve other inefficient uses of the Energy. There are some efficiency measures proposed for every component of the balance and there is also some recommendation for the company in order to implement the most attractive ones, taking into account its profitability. These measures are only proposed and not studied deeply because of the main limitation of this thesis. Therefore, it is recommended to continue the study in order to examine and analyse deeply each measure, according to the energetic survey already done.

Western Samoa is one of the most vulnerable countries from climate changes due to its geographic location, and as agriculture is a main industry on the island, this sector is vulnerable to different risks such as tropical cyclones, heavy rainfall or droughts. Samoa could in theory be self-sufficient, but imports large quantities of processed foods which is affecting the health of the population in a negative way. The purpose of the thesis is to create an understanding of how the development of indigenous agriculture in Samoa can lead to increasing efficiency and sustainability and a decrease of the need for development aid and economical support from family members abroad. The thesis uses a deductive approach and data collection is performed by using semistructured interviews as well as observations. Secondary data has been gathered from databases, previous research and modern media. Through the study it has been explored that the resilience towards climate shocks has to improve in order to maintain a long-term sustainable development. Increased resilience is achieved by reducing the amount of vulnerabilities. Western Samoa is on a good path of keeping their way of being organic and sustainable regarding the agriculture sector. The upcoming years with prognosis of increased tourism will be a healthy addition to the economic growth of Samoa. Looking towards remittances, it becomes clear that current high rate of remittances is a problem in Samoa, as some families could rely on nothing but remittances and skip farming their land.