The construction industry is one of the most important components in the economic development of a developing country, being a major contributor to the national economy of many such countries. This industry is largely responsible for the physical provision of housing and infrastructure and, as such, can be the backbone of prosperous economies, providing social development and employment. The construction industry in the developing economy of Yemen is plagued by difficult economic and technical problems, which permeate most aspects of the industry. In addition, construction procedures in Yemen consume excessive capital, time and resources that have a direct flow-on effect for the national economy and the nation's socio-economic development. Macroeconomic problems in unemployment, inflation and an inequitable balance-of-payments all add to the existing difficult economic situation in the construction industry. Further, the lack of appropriate infrastructure, weak and inefficient legal, administrative and financial institutions are also major contributors. The recent global shift to sustainable development also requires that the construction industry in Yemen initiate important strategic developmental policies in order to meet future demand for economical and sustainable development. This research uses a comprehensive literature review to design and conduct a survey into the existing local development barriers and then obtains a census of expert opinions using the Delphi methodology to rank a set of sustainable developmental policies and strategies. The research then establishes a comprehensive list of recommendations for achieving economicly sustainable industry. Proposed policies and strategies are formulated from various international studies, including Agenda 21 for Sustainable Development. The proposed policies and strategies are specifically chosen as they are considered to be compatible with the Yemen case and are also seen to more readily integratable with cultural aspects of Yemen, particularly in focusing on the hardships of its local needs and capabilities. The construction industry in the developing nation of Yemen appears aligned in many ways to the needs of other developing economies and, as such, it is expected that the findings of this research will be of great interest to professionals involved in the construction economies of other such developing nations.

Doctor of Philosophy(PhD) / The aim of this thesis is to support the evaluation of sustainable development strategies for industrial networks in the context of industrial ecology (IE). Industrial networks are a group of units which carry out, or contribute to, industrial activity, and are connected by material and energy flows, but also capital and information exchanges. The components of an industrial network encompass resource extraction, processing and refining, forming and assembly, use, disposal, as well as recycling and reprocessing. The motivation behind this research is the realisation that much of the current environmental system analysis focus within IE lacks a structured approach to considering: • system environment • dynamic nature of the system and its environment • economic and social impacts • the effect of uncertainty on analysis outcomes. It is argued in this thesis that current environmental analysis approaches used in IE can be improved in their capacity to capture the complexity of industrial systems, with the objective of promoting sustainable development. While IE emphasises the benefit of a systems approach to identifying environmental strategies in industry, analysis tools have to date not engaged extensively with important aspects such as the influence of system environment and dynamics on the viability of an environmental strategy, or with the economic or social impacts of industrial system development, which are equally important for sustainable development. Nor is the assessment of the effect of uncertainty on analysis outcomes an integral part of environmental analysis tools in IE. This is particularly significant when, in fact, the degree of uncertainty in assumptions and data used increases with the scope, and therefore the abstraction, of the system under consideration. IE will have to engage with the network and contextual complexities to a greater degree if it is to evolve from a concept to the application of its principles in practice. The main contribution of this thesis is therefore the development of a structured approach to analysing industrial networks for the purpose of identifying strategies to encourage sustainable development, while accounting for the complexity of the underlying system as well as the problem context. This analysis is intended to allow the identification of preferred network development pathways and to test the effectiveness of sustainable development strategies. A top-down, prescriptive approach is adopted for this purpose. This approach is chosen as the industrial network analysis is intended to identify how a network should develop, rather than focusing on how it could develop. Industrial networks are systems which are complex in both their structure and behaviour. This thesis also delivers a characterisation of these networks, which serves two purposes – quantifying key elements of structure and behaviour; and using this information to build a foundation for subsequent industrial network analysis. The value of such an approach can be seen in the following example. With a detailed understanding of individual network characteristics, both separately and collectively, it is possible to determine the source of issues, the means available to address them, any barriers that might exist, and the consequences of implementing any strategic interventions. The analysis approach proposed in this thesis is based on multi-criteria decisions analysis (MCDA), which, as a process, combines initial problem structuring and subsequent quantitative analysis stages. The tools employed within MCDA have been employed variously around considerations of sustainable development. Their value in this thesis is their integration within a rigorous analytical framework. Rigorous problem structuring is attractive as it helps elucidate the complexities of the system and its environment and is, by definition, designed to deal with multiple environmental social and economic criteria that would have to be considered to promote sustainable development. For the quantitative analysis, the industrial network analysis draws from existing analysis tools in IE, but predominately from other systems research disciplines, such as process systems engineering (PSE) and supply chain management (SCM). These fields, due to their maturity and practical focus, have invested a lot of research into system design and strategic planning, capturing system dynamics and uncertainty to ensure, within selected system constraints, that a proposed system or changes to a system are viable, and that the system is capable of achieving the stated objectives. Both PSE and SCM rely heavily on optimisation for system design and planning, and achieve good results with it as an analytical tool. The similarity between industrial networks and process systems / supply chains, suggests that an optimisation platform, specifically multi-objective dynamic optimisation, could be employed fruitfully for the analysis of industrial networks. This is the approach taken in this thesis. It is consistent with the “top down” approach advocated previously, which is deemed preferable for the identification and implementation analysis of strategic interventions. This enables the determination of a structure (design) that is “best” able to operate under future conditions (planning) with respect to the chosen sustainable development objectives. However, an analysis is only ever as good as its underlying data and assumptions. The complexity and scope of the industrial network and the challenge of articulating sustainable development target(s) give rise to significant uncertainties. For this reason a framework is developed within this thesis that integrates uncertainty analysis into the overall approach, to obtain insight into the robustness of the analysis results. Quantifying all the uncertainties in an industrial network model can be a daunting task for a modeller, and a decision-maker can be confused by modelling results. Means are therefore suggested to reduce the set of uncertainties that have to be engaged with, by identifying those which impact critically on model outcomes. However, even if uncertainty cannot be reduced, and the implementation of any strategy retains a degree of risk, the uncertainty analysis has the benefit that it forces an analyst to engage in more detail with the network in question, and to be more critical of the underlying assumptions. The analysis approach is applied to two case studies in this thesis: one deals with waste avoidance in an existing wood-products network in a large urban metropolis; the other with the potential for renewable energy generation in a developing economy. Together, these case studies provide a rich tableau within which to demonstrate the full features of the industrial network analysis. These case studies highlight how the context within which the relevant industrial network functions influences greatly the evolution of the network over time; how uncertainty is managed; and what strategies are preferred in each case in order to enhance the contribution of each network to sustainable development. This thesis makes an intellectual contribution in the following areas: • the characterisation of industrial networks to highlight sources of environmental issues, role the characteristics (could) play in the identification of (preferred) sustainable development strategies, and the need to explicitly consider these in a systems analysis. • the synthesis, adaptation and application of existing tools to fulfil the need for analysis tools in IE that can handle both contextual and system complexity, and address the above mentioned issues of lacking consideration of o system environment o dynamic nature of the system and its environment o economic and social impacts o the effect of uncertainty on analysis outcomes. • the development and demonstration of an industrial network analysis approach that o is flexible enough to model any industrial network at the inter-firm level, regardless of form and configuration of materials and products circulated, and depending on the existing network and the proposed strategies. o is able to encompass a wide range of environmental strategies, either individually or in combination depending on what best suits the situation, rather than focusing on any strategy in particular. o ensures long term viability of strategies, rather than short term solutions delivering incremental improvement. • the development of a comprehensive approach to capturing and assessing the effect of uncertainty on solution robustness for industrial network analysis, including the screening to determine the most important parameters, considering valuation and technical uncertainties, including future uncertainty. The industrial network analysis approach presented in this thesis looks more to how a network should develop (according to a set of sustainable development objectives), rather than how it may in actual fact develop. Consequently, the influence of agent interests and behaviour is not considered explicitly. This may be construed as a limitation of the industrial analysis approach. However, it is argued that the “top down” modelling approach favoured here is useful at a policy-making level. Here, for example, government instrumentalities, trade organisations and industry groupings, non-government organisations and community-based organisations are likely to be interested more in the performance of the network as a whole, rather than (necessarily) following the behaviour of individual agents within the network. Future work could well entertain the prospect of a mixed approach, in which the top-down approach of this thesis is complemented by a “bottom-up”, agent-based analysis. In this manner, it would be possible to give an indication of how attainable the identified industrial network development pathways are. Furthermore, the use of government incentives can be explored to assess if network development could approach the preferred development pathway which is identified using the methodology and results articulated in this thesis.

Licentiatavhandling (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Kungliga tekniska högskolan, 2006. / Härtill 3 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.C.E.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: Sue McNeil, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M Arch)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2008. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Bill Rea. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-63).

<p> To prepare students to disentangle the complicated environmental, social, and economic challenges exacerbated by the previous generation and propose effective solutions, they need to be taught the necessary knowledge and skills. Education for Sustainability (EfS) is one such modality. Organizations such as the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education, Shelburne Farms, and the US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development have opened the doors for EfS in the K-12 education system; however, curriculum to address these standards has not yet fully been developed. Furthermore, EfS curriculum that aligns to state and national standards needs to be written so that teachers can then use it in their courses and cultivate systems thinking skills in all learners. The primary objective of this project is to propose a high school level biology curriculum that uses an EfS lens to enhance core science content. A comparison of five EfS curricular frameworks was conducted and the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education&rsquo;s EfS Standards &amp; Performance Indicators was selected as the primary reference for the sustainability lens of the forthcoming curriculum. The proposed high school biology curriculum focuses on two Next Generation Science Standards themes: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems and Natural Selection and Evolution. This curriculum integrates many EfS themes. The dynamics of systems and change and inventing and affecting the future are the two most prominently explored EfS themes in the curriculum. </p>

<p> Economic benefits of shale gas production in addition to its potential for enabling energy security are driving the strategic development of unconventional natural gas in the U.S. However, shale gas production poses potential detrimental impacts on the surrounding ecosystems. In particular, sustainable management of high salinity wastewater is one of the critical challenges facing shale gas industry. While recycling shale gas wastewater is a practical short-term solution to minimize total water use in the fracturing process it may not be a viable strategy from a long-term management perspective. Moreover, direct disposal into Salt Water Disposal (SWD) wells which is the most common management strategy in the U.S. is not cost effective in Marcellus shale play due to limited disposal capacity.</p><p> This work develops a systems-level optimization framework for guiding economically conscious management of high salinity wastewater in Marcellus shale play in Pennsylvania (PA) with a focus on using membrane distillation (MD) as the treatment technology. Detailed technoeconomic assessment (TEA) is performed to assess the economic feasibility of MD for treatment of shale gas wastewater with and without availability of waste heat. Natural gas compressor stations (NG CS) are chosen as potential sources of waste heat and rigorous thermodynamic models are developed to quantify the waste heat recovery opportunities from NG CS. The information from waste heat estimation and TEA are then utilized in the optimization framework for investigating the optimal management of shale gas wastewater. Wastewater management alternatives ranging from direct disposal into SWD wells to advanced centralized, decentralized, and onsite treatment options using MD are included in the optimization model. </p><p> The optimization framework is applied to four case studies in Greene and Washington counties in southwest and Susquehanna and Bradford counties in Northeast PA where major shale gas development activities take place. The results of this analysis reveal that onsite treatment of wastewater at shale gas extraction sites in addition to treating wastewater at NG CS where available waste heat could be utilized to offset the energy requirements of treatment process are the most economically promising management options that result in major economic benefit over direct disposal into SWD.</p><p>

<p> This dissertation analyzes efforts to understand and build urban ecosystem health and justice, extending scholarly literatures on urban ecology, political ecology and environmental justice. Through examination of cases from around the world, as well as from my own sustained work in Albany, New York, the research demonstrates that urban ecosystem health and justice has powerful cultural, social and political economic dimensions as well as (more often acknowledged) ecological and technical dimensions. The research also advances an analytic framework that can guide education as well as entrepreneurial initiatives to build urban ecosystem health and justice. The research strives to provide a theoretical as well as practical guide to the second generation of the global environmental justice movement. Rather than focus on recurrent patterns of environmental injustice, particularly in communities already vulnerable because of race and class, this research identifies positive paths forward through education, community programming, law and technical innovation.</p><p>

<p> Global education for global competency in Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is neither defined nor aligned as a priority for its 21st-century learners. Various schools within the Department of Catholic Schools address global competency through world languages, dual-language immersion, activities, or programs, but no specific global education focus permeates the entire district. The relevance of global competency for nearly 80,000 students from Early Childhood (EC) programs/PreK&ndash;12th grade (high school) Catholic schools in Los Angeles is not just a curricular necessity or spiritual aspiration, it is, at its core, a question of social justice, particularly for students of color and first-generation immigrants who live mostly in underserved communities. </p><p> This study analyzes whether PreK&ndash;12th-grade Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles have unique assets, as well as what challenges the district would face if it were to adapt a more formalized approach to global education. The study researches whether diverse community cultural wealth, demographics, mission, innovation, and Catholic social teachings align or hinder the development of a global education curriculum that addresses the universally adopted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030. The study investigates urgency, opportunity, scalability, and sustainability for this social justice priority. This inquiry also attempts to answer why a globally connected organization, such as the Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles and its school system, is not virtually connected in its own worldwide network in order to promote global competency for its 21st-century learners. </p><p>

Many within and outside of the discipline of geography see it as a highly appropriate home for sustainability studies. Despite a history of human-environment education within geography and support from professional research or education organizations, some studies show that geography has not developed a lead role in sustainability education. This study examines the role of geography in offering "Sustainability Focused" courses as reported by AASHE STARS institutions with geography programs. The results show that although geography departments are highly utilized when available at an institution -offering the highest proportion of sustainability courses, averaging 14% of "Sustainability Focused" curriculum- there is much room for improvement both within geography departments and campus-wide. Further, geography's weak standing in higher education may be a barrier in capitalizing on the growing sustainability curricula.