Product development is a particularly critical intervention point for the transformation of society towards sustainability. Current socio-ecological impacts over product life-cycles are evidence that current practices are insufficient. The aim of this thesis is to form a foundation for sustainable product development through the integration of a sustainability perspective into product development procedures and processes. Literature reviews and theoretical considerations as well as interviews, questionnaires, observations, testing and action research through case studies in various companies have indicated gaps in current methodology and have guided the development of a new general Method for Sustainable Product Development (MSPD). This method combines a framework for strategic sustainable development based on backcasting from basic sustainability principles with a standard concurrent engineering development model. A modular system of guiding questions, derived by considering the sustainability principles and the product life-cycle, is the key feature. Initial testing indicates that this MSPD works well for identification of sustainability problems as well as for generation of possible solutions. However, these tests also indicate that there is sometimes a desire for a quick overview of the sustainability performance of a specific product category. This is to guide early strategic decisions before the more comprehensive and detailed work with the MSPD is undertaken, or, alternatively, when an overview is sufficient to make decisions. In response, a Template for Sustainable Product Development (TSPD) approach is presented as a supplement to the MSPD. To generate products that support sustainable development of society it is necessary to combine sustainability assessments with improvements of technical product properties. An introductory procedure for such sustainability-driven design optimization is suggested based on a case study. For maximum efficiency of a company in finding viable pathways towards sustainability, it is also necessary to coordinate different methods and tools that are useful for sustainable product development and integrate them into the overall decision-making processes at different levels in companies. To find gaps in the sustainability integration in a company’s decision system, an assessment approach is suggested based on case studies. A general conclusion from this research is that the support needed for making sustainability-related decisions are not systematically integrated in companies today. However, this thesis also indicates that it is possible to create generic methods and tools that aid the integration of sustainability aspects in companies’ strategic decision-making and product development. These methods and tools can be used to guide the prioritization of investments and technical optimization on the increasingly sustainability-driven market, thus providing a foundation for competitive sustainable product development.

abstract: Economic development over the last century has driven a tripling of the world's population, a twenty-fold increase in fossil fuel consumption, and a tripling of traditional biomass consumption. The associated broad income and wealth inequities are retaining over 2 billion people in poverty. Adding to this, fossil fuel combustion is impacting the environment across spatial and temporal scales and the cost of energy is outpacing all other variable costs for most industries. With 60% of world energy delivered in 2008 consumed by the commercial and industrial sector, the fragmented and disparate energy-related decision making within organizations are largely responsible for the inefficient and impacting use of energy resources. The global transition towards sustainable development will require the collective efforts of national, regional, and local governments, institutions, the private sector, and a well-informed public. The leadership role in this transition could be provided by private and public sector organizations, by way of sustainability-oriented organizations, cultures, and infrastructure. The diversity in literature exemplifies the developing nature of sustainability science, with most sustainability assessment approaches and frameworks lacking transformational characteristics, tending to focus on analytical methods. In general, some shortfalls in sustainability assessment processes include lack of: * thorough stakeholder participation in systems and stakeholder mapping, * participatory envisioning of future sustainable states, * normative aggregation of results to provide an overall measure of sustainability, and * influence within strategic decision-making processes. Specific to energy sustainability assessments, while some authors aggregate results to provide overall sustainability scores, assessments have focused solely on energy supply scenarios, while including the deficits discussed above. This paper presents a framework for supporting organizational transition processes towards sustainable energy systems, using systems and stakeholder mapping, participatory envisioning, and sustainability assessment to prepare the development of transition strategies towards realizing long-term energy sustainability. The energy system at Arizona State University's Tempe campus (ASU) in 2008 was used as a baseline to evaluate the sustainability of the current system. From interviews and participatory workshops, energy system stakeholders provided information to map the current system and measure its performance. Utilizing operationalized principles of energy sustainability, stakeholders envisioned a future sustainable state of the energy system, and then developed strategies to begin transition of the current system to its potential future sustainable state. Key findings include stakeholders recognizing that the current energy system is unsustainable as measured against principles of energy sustainability and an envisioned future sustainable state of the energy system. Also, insufficient governmental stakeholder engagement upstream within the current system could lead to added risk as regulations affect energy supply. Energy demand behavior and consumption patterns are insufficiently understood by current stakeholders, limiting participation and accountability from consumers. In conclusion, although this research study focused on the Tempe campus, ASU could apply this process to other campuses thereby improving overall ASU energy system sustainability. Expanding stakeholder engagement upstream within the energy system and better understanding energy consumption behavior can also improve long-term energy sustainability. Finally, benchmarking ASU's performance against its peer universities could expand the current climate commitment of participants to broader sustainability goals. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Sustainability 2011

O termo sustentabilidade compreende uma abordagem vinculada à manutenção das condições favoráveis à sobrevivência humana no Planeta. Mesmo diante da repercussão do tema em todos os cenários, muitas questões ainda precisam ser melhor exploradas e discutidas, sobretudo no campo de assentamentos humanos. Embora documentos institucionais orientem para o desenvolvimento de assentamentos humanos sustentáveis, tem-se observado que as intervenções no ambiente físico destes, pouco têm incorporado das recomendações, seja pelo grau de abrangência e generalidade, seja pela carência de estudos sobre os padrões urbanos, do ambiente físico, que poderiam contribuir para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Nesse contexto, a obra “Uma Linguagem de Padrões”, de Alexander e colaboradores, mostrou-se como uma relevante oportunidade de estudos, na medida em que os patterns identificados pelos autores apresentam-se como estratégias potencialmente capazes de contribuir para a sustentabilidade, embora a obra à época não esboçasse formulação teórica nesse sentido. Frente a isso, o objetivo principal desta pesquisa foi identificar padrões urbanos, na obra de Alexander, relacionados aos princípios de sustentabilidade, utilizando-se o método de pesquisa bibliográfica. A pesquisa dividiu-se em três etapas. Primeiramente, foram revisados os assuntos que compõem o tema de pesquisa: assentamentos humanos mais sustentáveis. Esta revisão permitiu, não só oferecer uma contextualização dos temas envolvidos, mas também delimitar a abordagem da pesquisa e definir os critérios utilizados para identificação dos padrões: as dimensões da sustentabilidade, as escalas urbanas e os princípios de sustentabilidade. Com o respaldo destas definições, passou-se à segunda etapa, onde foram estabelecidas as relações entre princípios da sustentabilidade e padrões urbanos, através da análise comparativa de afinidade entre eles. Por fim, a última etapa apresentou os resultados destas conexões teóricas bem como análises. Ao final desse processo, foi possível contribuir para a incipiente abordagem da sustentabilidade, apresentando um conjunto de 108 padrões urbanos distribuídos dentro dos nove princípios de sustentabilidade aplicados a assentamentos humanos, atuantes nas três escalas urbanas: escala do lugar, do bairro e do assentamento. Esse conjunto de padrões, ao estabelecerem vínculo com as questões da sustentabilidade, passa a oferecer estratégias de intervenções, como subsídios passíveis de aplicação em diferentes níveis do ambiente físico, propiciando que os assentamentos humanos se desenvolvam de maneira mais sustentável. / Sustainability is a term that comprises an approach linked to the maintenance of favorable conditions to humankind survival on the planet. Even after the spread of the theme to different domains, many questions still need to be more explored and discussed, specially in the human’s settlement field. Even though institutional documents argue for the development of more sustainable human settlements, it has been observed that interventions on physical environments have loosely embodied recommendations, either by the low level of specificity and high level of generalization or through the lack of studies about urban patterns in physical environments that could contribute to sustainable development. In this context, Alexander and his contributor’s book “A Pattern Language”, emerged as a relevant opportunity for studies, because of the fact that the patterns identified by the authors are strategies potentially capable to contribute to sustainability, even though at the time this book was published it didn’t outline theoretical formulation on this. Based on that, the main target of research is on identifying urban patterns related to sustainability principles in Alexander’s work, based on bibliographic research method. The present research was divided in 3 stages. Firstly, a review of research’s theme, more sustainable urban settlements, was made. This review allowed not only a better contextualization of related themes, but also outlined research’s approach and defined criteria that would be used after: sustainability dimensions, urban scales and sustainability principles. Based on these definitions, research went into its second stage, in which the relations between sustainability principles and urban patterns were established through comparative analyses of similarity between them. At the end, the last stage presents results of theoretical connections as well as analyses. As a result of this process, it was possible to contribute to the incipient approach of sustainability, presenting a set of 108 urban patterns arranged into the nine sustainability principles applied to urban settlements, which act on three urban scales: place, neighborhood and settlement. This set of patterns, while establishing links to issues related to sustainability, start to offer strategies of intervention, as foundations capable of being applied in different physical environment levels, allowing human’s settlements to develop in a more sustainable way.

Introdução: O macrossetor da construção de edificações causa um significativo impacto sobre o ambiente natural. Tal impacto é gerado em três momentos: produção, uso e descarte das edificações. Embora exista uma crescente consciência na indústria de edificações sobre a necessidade de redução desse impacto, os esforços atuais nesse sentido são limitados devido à incompatibilidade entre o paradigma atual, no qual estão baseadas as práticas da indústria, e os princípios de sustentabilidade a serem incorporados àquela prática. Para que a indústria possa avançar, tornando suas práticas ambientalmente mais sustentáveis, um novo paradigma deve ser formulado para servir de referencia à indústria de edificações. Objetivos: O objetivo principal desta tese é demonstrar as incompatibilidades entre o paradigma atual que inspira as práticas da indústria de edificações e os princípios de sustentabilidade. Os objetivos secundários são: definir com clareza os conceitos básicos da construção de edificações; formular uma estrutura conceitual que possa incorporar os conceitos básicos de maneira consistente e integrada; compreender o paradigma atual da construção, bem como os princípios que o regem; formular e propor princípios de sustentabilidade que possam ser utilizados no desenvolvimento de soluções tecnológicas para as edificações; elaborar as características essenciais de um novo paradigma, compatível com os princípios de sustentabilidade propostos; definir quais as condições necessárias para que ocorra a transição entre o paradigma atual e o novo paradigma. Método: A estratégia de pesquisa adotada foi a pesquisa bibliográfica, combinada com a utilização do método socrático. Essa estratégia foi desdobrada em seis etapas para a condução da pesquisa: 1) Formulação de uma estrutura geral da construção, onde foram explicitados conceitos básicos relacionados ao produto e processo; 2) Descrição do macrossetor da construção segundo o paradigma atual, apresentado como um caso particular do caso geral descrito na primeira etapa; 3) Definição dos princípios de sustentabilidade, estruturados segundo três grandes eixos: integração, perpetuação e otimização; 4) Análise de compatibilidade entre os princípios de sustentabilidade e o paradigma atual; 5) Formulação de novo paradigma compatível com os princípios de sustentabilidade formulados na terceira etapa; 6) Identificação das condições necessárias para que ocorra a transição entre o paradigma atual e o novo paradigma. Resultados: O trabalho demonstrou que existem diversas incompatibilidades entre o paradigma atual da construção de edificações e os princípios de sustentabilidade. O estudo também permitiu a formulação de uma estrutura geral da construção de edificações, tanto para o produto, quanto para o processo. Permitiu ainda a caracterização do paradigma atual, bem como a formulação de princípios de sustentabilidade, que poderão orientar as práticas da indústria de edificações, adotadas a partir da formulação do novo paradigma para essa indústria. Finalmente, o trabalho identificou quais as condições necessárias para que ocorra uma transição entre o paradigma atual e o novo paradigma. / Introduction: The construction macro sector, and, more specifically, building construction, causes a relevant impact on the natural environment. Such impact is generated in three different moments: during production, use and discharge of buildings. Although there is a growing consciousness in the building industry about the need to reduce this impact, present day efforts are limited due to the incompatibility between the present paradigm, on which is based the industry activity, and the sustainability principles to be incorporated in that activity. A new paradigm has to be formulated, to serve as reference to the building industry. Objectives: The main objective of the thesis is to demonstrate the incompatibilities between the present paradigm, that structures the activities of the building industry and the sustainability principles. The secondary principles were formulated in order to make viable the main objective. They are: to clearly define the basic concepts of building construction; to formulate a conceptual structure that can incorporate the basic concepts of building construction, in an consistent and integrated way; to understand the present construction paradigm, as well as the principles that underpin it; to formulate and put forward principles of sustainability that can be used in the development of technological solutions, in the construction of buildings; to define the essential characteristics of a new paradigm, compatible with the sustainability principles proposed; to define which are the necessary conditions for the transition from the present paradigm to the new one; to suggest and evaluate methodologies and technologies, new and existing in other areas of engineering, as to their capacity to incorporate the sustainability principles proposed. Method: The research strategy adopted was the bibliographic research, combined with the use of the Socratic Method. This strategy unfolded into six steps for the development of the research: 1) Formulation of a general construction structure, where basic concepts were expressed, related to the product and the process of construction; 2) Description of the macro sector of construction according to the present paradigm, presented as a particular case of the more general case described in the first step; 3) Definition of the sustainability principles, structured according to three main lines: integration, perpetuation, and optimization; 4) Analysis of compatibility between the principles of sustainability and the present paradigm; 5) Formulation of the new paradigm, compatible with the principles of sustainability, formulated in the third step; 6) Identification of the necessary conditions for the transition between the present paradigm and the new one. Results: This work has demonstrated that there are several incompatibilities between the present paradigm and the principles of sustainability. Such incompatibilities emerge along the three main lines of organization of those principles. Furthermore, this study also produced the formulation of a general theoretical structure for the construction of buildings, for the product as well as for the process. It also presented the characterization of the present paradigm, as well as a formulation of sustainability principles, which can be used to modify the building industry practices, adopted having the underpinning of a new paradigm for this industry. Finally, the work identified which are the necessary conditions for the transition between the present paradigm and the new one.

O termo sustentabilidade compreende uma abordagem vinculada à manutenção das condições favoráveis à sobrevivência humana no Planeta. Mesmo diante da repercussão do tema em todos os cenários, muitas questões ainda precisam ser melhor exploradas e discutidas, sobretudo no campo de assentamentos humanos. Embora documentos institucionais orientem para o desenvolvimento de assentamentos humanos sustentáveis, tem-se observado que as intervenções no ambiente físico destes, pouco têm incorporado das recomendações, seja pelo grau de abrangência e generalidade, seja pela carência de estudos sobre os padrões urbanos, do ambiente físico, que poderiam contribuir para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Nesse contexto, a obra “Uma Linguagem de Padrões”, de Alexander e colaboradores, mostrou-se como uma relevante oportunidade de estudos, na medida em que os patterns identificados pelos autores apresentam-se como estratégias potencialmente capazes de contribuir para a sustentabilidade, embora a obra à época não esboçasse formulação teórica nesse sentido. Frente a isso, o objetivo principal desta pesquisa foi identificar padrões urbanos, na obra de Alexander, relacionados aos princípios de sustentabilidade, utilizando-se o método de pesquisa bibliográfica. A pesquisa dividiu-se em três etapas. Primeiramente, foram revisados os assuntos que compõem o tema de pesquisa: assentamentos humanos mais sustentáveis. Esta revisão permitiu, não só oferecer uma contextualização dos temas envolvidos, mas também delimitar a abordagem da pesquisa e definir os critérios utilizados para identificação dos padrões: as dimensões da sustentabilidade, as escalas urbanas e os princípios de sustentabilidade. Com o respaldo destas definições, passou-se à segunda etapa, onde foram estabelecidas as relações entre princípios da sustentabilidade e padrões urbanos, através da análise comparativa de afinidade entre eles. Por fim, a última etapa apresentou os resultados destas conexões teóricas bem como análises. Ao final desse processo, foi possível contribuir para a incipiente abordagem da sustentabilidade, apresentando um conjunto de 108 padrões urbanos distribuídos dentro dos nove princípios de sustentabilidade aplicados a assentamentos humanos, atuantes nas três escalas urbanas: escala do lugar, do bairro e do assentamento. Esse conjunto de padrões, ao estabelecerem vínculo com as questões da sustentabilidade, passa a oferecer estratégias de intervenções, como subsídios passíveis de aplicação em diferentes níveis do ambiente físico, propiciando que os assentamentos humanos se desenvolvam de maneira mais sustentável. / Sustainability is a term that comprises an approach linked to the maintenance of favorable conditions to humankind survival on the planet. Even after the spread of the theme to different domains, many questions still need to be more explored and discussed, specially in the human’s settlement field. Even though institutional documents argue for the development of more sustainable human settlements, it has been observed that interventions on physical environments have loosely embodied recommendations, either by the low level of specificity and high level of generalization or through the lack of studies about urban patterns in physical environments that could contribute to sustainable development. In this context, Alexander and his contributor’s book “A Pattern Language”, emerged as a relevant opportunity for studies, because of the fact that the patterns identified by the authors are strategies potentially capable to contribute to sustainability, even though at the time this book was published it didn’t outline theoretical formulation on this. Based on that, the main target of research is on identifying urban patterns related to sustainability principles in Alexander’s work, based on bibliographic research method. The present research was divided in 3 stages. Firstly, a review of research’s theme, more sustainable urban settlements, was made. This review allowed not only a better contextualization of related themes, but also outlined research’s approach and defined criteria that would be used after: sustainability dimensions, urban scales and sustainability principles. Based on these definitions, research went into its second stage, in which the relations between sustainability principles and urban patterns were established through comparative analyses of similarity between them. At the end, the last stage presents results of theoretical connections as well as analyses. As a result of this process, it was possible to contribute to the incipient approach of sustainability, presenting a set of 108 urban patterns arranged into the nine sustainability principles applied to urban settlements, which act on three urban scales: place, neighborhood and settlement. This set of patterns, while establishing links to issues related to sustainability, start to offer strategies of intervention, as foundations capable of being applied in different physical environment levels, allowing human’s settlements to develop in a more sustainable way.

O termo sustentabilidade compreende uma abordagem vinculada à manutenção das condições favoráveis à sobrevivência humana no Planeta. Mesmo diante da repercussão do tema em todos os cenários, muitas questões ainda precisam ser melhor exploradas e discutidas, sobretudo no campo de assentamentos humanos. Embora documentos institucionais orientem para o desenvolvimento de assentamentos humanos sustentáveis, tem-se observado que as intervenções no ambiente físico destes, pouco têm incorporado das recomendações, seja pelo grau de abrangência e generalidade, seja pela carência de estudos sobre os padrões urbanos, do ambiente físico, que poderiam contribuir para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Nesse contexto, a obra “Uma Linguagem de Padrões”, de Alexander e colaboradores, mostrou-se como uma relevante oportunidade de estudos, na medida em que os patterns identificados pelos autores apresentam-se como estratégias potencialmente capazes de contribuir para a sustentabilidade, embora a obra à época não esboçasse formulação teórica nesse sentido. Frente a isso, o objetivo principal desta pesquisa foi identificar padrões urbanos, na obra de Alexander, relacionados aos princípios de sustentabilidade, utilizando-se o método de pesquisa bibliográfica. A pesquisa dividiu-se em três etapas. Primeiramente, foram revisados os assuntos que compõem o tema de pesquisa: assentamentos humanos mais sustentáveis. Esta revisão permitiu, não só oferecer uma contextualização dos temas envolvidos, mas também delimitar a abordagem da pesquisa e definir os critérios utilizados para identificação dos padrões: as dimensões da sustentabilidade, as escalas urbanas e os princípios de sustentabilidade. Com o respaldo destas definições, passou-se à segunda etapa, onde foram estabelecidas as relações entre princípios da sustentabilidade e padrões urbanos, através da análise comparativa de afinidade entre eles. Por fim, a última etapa apresentou os resultados destas conexões teóricas bem como análises. Ao final desse processo, foi possível contribuir para a incipiente abordagem da sustentabilidade, apresentando um conjunto de 108 padrões urbanos distribuídos dentro dos nove princípios de sustentabilidade aplicados a assentamentos humanos, atuantes nas três escalas urbanas: escala do lugar, do bairro e do assentamento. Esse conjunto de padrões, ao estabelecerem vínculo com as questões da sustentabilidade, passa a oferecer estratégias de intervenções, como subsídios passíveis de aplicação em diferentes níveis do ambiente físico, propiciando que os assentamentos humanos se desenvolvam de maneira mais sustentável. / Sustainability is a term that comprises an approach linked to the maintenance of favorable conditions to humankind survival on the planet. Even after the spread of the theme to different domains, many questions still need to be more explored and discussed, specially in the human’s settlement field. Even though institutional documents argue for the development of more sustainable human settlements, it has been observed that interventions on physical environments have loosely embodied recommendations, either by the low level of specificity and high level of generalization or through the lack of studies about urban patterns in physical environments that could contribute to sustainable development. In this context, Alexander and his contributor’s book “A Pattern Language”, emerged as a relevant opportunity for studies, because of the fact that the patterns identified by the authors are strategies potentially capable to contribute to sustainability, even though at the time this book was published it didn’t outline theoretical formulation on this. Based on that, the main target of research is on identifying urban patterns related to sustainability principles in Alexander’s work, based on bibliographic research method. The present research was divided in 3 stages. Firstly, a review of research’s theme, more sustainable urban settlements, was made. This review allowed not only a better contextualization of related themes, but also outlined research’s approach and defined criteria that would be used after: sustainability dimensions, urban scales and sustainability principles. Based on these definitions, research went into its second stage, in which the relations between sustainability principles and urban patterns were established through comparative analyses of similarity between them. At the end, the last stage presents results of theoretical connections as well as analyses. As a result of this process, it was possible to contribute to the incipient approach of sustainability, presenting a set of 108 urban patterns arranged into the nine sustainability principles applied to urban settlements, which act on three urban scales: place, neighborhood and settlement. This set of patterns, while establishing links to issues related to sustainability, start to offer strategies of intervention, as foundations capable of being applied in different physical environment levels, allowing human’s settlements to develop in a more sustainable way.

Introdução: O macrossetor da construção de edificações causa um significativo impacto sobre o ambiente natural. Tal impacto é gerado em três momentos: produção, uso e descarte das edificações. Embora exista uma crescente consciência na indústria de edificações sobre a necessidade de redução desse impacto, os esforços atuais nesse sentido são limitados devido à incompatibilidade entre o paradigma atual, no qual estão baseadas as práticas da indústria, e os princípios de sustentabilidade a serem incorporados àquela prática. Para que a indústria possa avançar, tornando suas práticas ambientalmente mais sustentáveis, um novo paradigma deve ser formulado para servir de referencia à indústria de edificações. Objetivos: O objetivo principal desta tese é demonstrar as incompatibilidades entre o paradigma atual que inspira as práticas da indústria de edificações e os princípios de sustentabilidade. Os objetivos secundários são: definir com clareza os conceitos básicos da construção de edificações; formular uma estrutura conceitual que possa incorporar os conceitos básicos de maneira consistente e integrada; compreender o paradigma atual da construção, bem como os princípios que o regem; formular e propor princípios de sustentabilidade que possam ser utilizados no desenvolvimento de soluções tecnológicas para as edificações; elaborar as características essenciais de um novo paradigma, compatível com os princípios de sustentabilidade propostos; definir quais as condições necessárias para que ocorra a transição entre o paradigma atual e o novo paradigma. Método: A estratégia de pesquisa adotada foi a pesquisa bibliográfica, combinada com a utilização do método socrático. Essa estratégia foi desdobrada em seis etapas para a condução da pesquisa: 1) Formulação de uma estrutura geral da construção, onde foram explicitados conceitos básicos relacionados ao produto e processo; 2) Descrição do macrossetor da construção segundo o paradigma atual, apresentado como um caso particular do caso geral descrito na primeira etapa; 3) Definição dos princípios de sustentabilidade, estruturados segundo três grandes eixos: integração, perpetuação e otimização; 4) Análise de compatibilidade entre os princípios de sustentabilidade e o paradigma atual; 5) Formulação de novo paradigma compatível com os princípios de sustentabilidade formulados na terceira etapa; 6) Identificação das condições necessárias para que ocorra a transição entre o paradigma atual e o novo paradigma. Resultados: O trabalho demonstrou que existem diversas incompatibilidades entre o paradigma atual da construção de edificações e os princípios de sustentabilidade. O estudo também permitiu a formulação de uma estrutura geral da construção de edificações, tanto para o produto, quanto para o processo. Permitiu ainda a caracterização do paradigma atual, bem como a formulação de princípios de sustentabilidade, que poderão orientar as práticas da indústria de edificações, adotadas a partir da formulação do novo paradigma para essa indústria. Finalmente, o trabalho identificou quais as condições necessárias para que ocorra uma transição entre o paradigma atual e o novo paradigma. / Introduction: The construction macro sector, and, more specifically, building construction, causes a relevant impact on the natural environment. Such impact is generated in three different moments: during production, use and discharge of buildings. Although there is a growing consciousness in the building industry about the need to reduce this impact, present day efforts are limited due to the incompatibility between the present paradigm, on which is based the industry activity, and the sustainability principles to be incorporated in that activity. A new paradigm has to be formulated, to serve as reference to the building industry. Objectives: The main objective of the thesis is to demonstrate the incompatibilities between the present paradigm, that structures the activities of the building industry and the sustainability principles. The secondary principles were formulated in order to make viable the main objective. They are: to clearly define the basic concepts of building construction; to formulate a conceptual structure that can incorporate the basic concepts of building construction, in an consistent and integrated way; to understand the present construction paradigm, as well as the principles that underpin it; to formulate and put forward principles of sustainability that can be used in the development of technological solutions, in the construction of buildings; to define the essential characteristics of a new paradigm, compatible with the sustainability principles proposed; to define which are the necessary conditions for the transition from the present paradigm to the new one; to suggest and evaluate methodologies and technologies, new and existing in other areas of engineering, as to their capacity to incorporate the sustainability principles proposed. Method: The research strategy adopted was the bibliographic research, combined with the use of the Socratic Method. This strategy unfolded into six steps for the development of the research: 1) Formulation of a general construction structure, where basic concepts were expressed, related to the product and the process of construction; 2) Description of the macro sector of construction according to the present paradigm, presented as a particular case of the more general case described in the first step; 3) Definition of the sustainability principles, structured according to three main lines: integration, perpetuation, and optimization; 4) Analysis of compatibility between the principles of sustainability and the present paradigm; 5) Formulation of the new paradigm, compatible with the principles of sustainability, formulated in the third step; 6) Identification of the necessary conditions for the transition between the present paradigm and the new one. Results: This work has demonstrated that there are several incompatibilities between the present paradigm and the principles of sustainability. Such incompatibilities emerge along the three main lines of organization of those principles. Furthermore, this study also produced the formulation of a general theoretical structure for the construction of buildings, for the product as well as for the process. It also presented the characterization of the present paradigm, as well as a formulation of sustainability principles, which can be used to modify the building industry practices, adopted having the underpinning of a new paradigm for this industry. Finally, the work identified which are the necessary conditions for the transition between the present paradigm and the new one.

Large-scale planning initiatives can present major long-term environmental and social consequences. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is one type of approach to integrating environmental considerations into many large-scale plans and programs, and was established in the European Union by Council Directive 2001/42/EC. Practical and theoretical limitations remain, and this research considers “How can SEA be carried out for plans and programs to better support strategic decision-making toward sustainability?” Information is compiled from an extensive literature review, interviews with SEA experts, and a case study SEA. An analysis is conducted around a framework for strategic sustainable development, based on backcasting from sustainability principles. Results indicate that SEA plays an important role in mitigating environmental impacts of planning, but also faces many weaknesses relative to a truly strategic approach to sustainable development. To help fill these gaps, generic recommendations are developed for SEA practice. Built on a principle-based definition of sustainability, they are relevant to any individual SEA situation. Hypothetical applications of the recommendations are illustrated with a case study. By adopting these recommendations, SEA practitioners can enable planners to better integrate strategic sustainable development into the decisions and upstream design of plans and programs.

Introdução: O macrossetor da construção de edificações causa um significativo impacto sobre o ambiente natural. Tal impacto é gerado em três momentos: produção, uso e descarte das edificações. Embora exista uma crescente consciência na indústria de edificações sobre a necessidade de redução desse impacto, os esforços atuais nesse sentido são limitados devido à incompatibilidade entre o paradigma atual, no qual estão baseadas as práticas da indústria, e os princípios de sustentabilidade a serem incorporados àquela prática. Para que a indústria possa avançar, tornando suas práticas ambientalmente mais sustentáveis, um novo paradigma deve ser formulado para servir de referencia à indústria de edificações. Objetivos: O objetivo principal desta tese é demonstrar as incompatibilidades entre o paradigma atual que inspira as práticas da indústria de edificações e os princípios de sustentabilidade. Os objetivos secundários são: definir com clareza os conceitos básicos da construção de edificações; formular uma estrutura conceitual que possa incorporar os conceitos básicos de maneira consistente e integrada; compreender o paradigma atual da construção, bem como os princípios que o regem; formular e propor princípios de sustentabilidade que possam ser utilizados no desenvolvimento de soluções tecnológicas para as edificações; elaborar as características essenciais de um novo paradigma, compatível com os princípios de sustentabilidade propostos; definir quais as condições necessárias para que ocorra a transição entre o paradigma atual e o novo paradigma. Método: A estratégia de pesquisa adotada foi a pesquisa bibliográfica, combinada com a utilização do método socrático. Essa estratégia foi desdobrada em seis etapas para a condução da pesquisa: 1) Formulação de uma estrutura geral da construção, onde foram explicitados conceitos básicos relacionados ao produto e processo; 2) Descrição do macrossetor da construção segundo o paradigma atual, apresentado como um caso particular do caso geral descrito na primeira etapa; 3) Definição dos princípios de sustentabilidade, estruturados segundo três grandes eixos: integração, perpetuação e otimização; 4) Análise de compatibilidade entre os princípios de sustentabilidade e o paradigma atual; 5) Formulação de novo paradigma compatível com os princípios de sustentabilidade formulados na terceira etapa; 6) Identificação das condições necessárias para que ocorra a transição entre o paradigma atual e o novo paradigma. Resultados: O trabalho demonstrou que existem diversas incompatibilidades entre o paradigma atual da construção de edificações e os princípios de sustentabilidade. O estudo também permitiu a formulação de uma estrutura geral da construção de edificações, tanto para o produto, quanto para o processo. Permitiu ainda a caracterização do paradigma atual, bem como a formulação de princípios de sustentabilidade, que poderão orientar as práticas da indústria de edificações, adotadas a partir da formulação do novo paradigma para essa indústria. Finalmente, o trabalho identificou quais as condições necessárias para que ocorra uma transição entre o paradigma atual e o novo paradigma. / Introduction: The construction macro sector, and, more specifically, building construction, causes a relevant impact on the natural environment. Such impact is generated in three different moments: during production, use and discharge of buildings. Although there is a growing consciousness in the building industry about the need to reduce this impact, present day efforts are limited due to the incompatibility between the present paradigm, on which is based the industry activity, and the sustainability principles to be incorporated in that activity. A new paradigm has to be formulated, to serve as reference to the building industry. Objectives: The main objective of the thesis is to demonstrate the incompatibilities between the present paradigm, that structures the activities of the building industry and the sustainability principles. The secondary principles were formulated in order to make viable the main objective. They are: to clearly define the basic concepts of building construction; to formulate a conceptual structure that can incorporate the basic concepts of building construction, in an consistent and integrated way; to understand the present construction paradigm, as well as the principles that underpin it; to formulate and put forward principles of sustainability that can be used in the development of technological solutions, in the construction of buildings; to define the essential characteristics of a new paradigm, compatible with the sustainability principles proposed; to define which are the necessary conditions for the transition from the present paradigm to the new one; to suggest and evaluate methodologies and technologies, new and existing in other areas of engineering, as to their capacity to incorporate the sustainability principles proposed. Method: The research strategy adopted was the bibliographic research, combined with the use of the Socratic Method. This strategy unfolded into six steps for the development of the research: 1) Formulation of a general construction structure, where basic concepts were expressed, related to the product and the process of construction; 2) Description of the macro sector of construction according to the present paradigm, presented as a particular case of the more general case described in the first step; 3) Definition of the sustainability principles, structured according to three main lines: integration, perpetuation, and optimization; 4) Analysis of compatibility between the principles of sustainability and the present paradigm; 5) Formulation of the new paradigm, compatible with the principles of sustainability, formulated in the third step; 6) Identification of the necessary conditions for the transition between the present paradigm and the new one. Results: This work has demonstrated that there are several incompatibilities between the present paradigm and the principles of sustainability. Such incompatibilities emerge along the three main lines of organization of those principles. Furthermore, this study also produced the formulation of a general theoretical structure for the construction of buildings, for the product as well as for the process. It also presented the characterization of the present paradigm, as well as a formulation of sustainability principles, which can be used to modify the building industry practices, adopted having the underpinning of a new paradigm for this industry. Finally, the work identified which are the necessary conditions for the transition between the present paradigm and the new one.

This thesis explores how the Planetary Boundaries (PBs), as derived from the Planetary Boundary Framework (PBF), and the Sustainability Principles (SPs), as derived from the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD), can be integrated. It presents and discusses how the PBs and SPs intersect and provide additive value, with the purpose to inform the development of strategic guidelines towards sustainability. Agriculture was used as a case context due to its significant contribution to the sustainability challenge. The methods include the development of a matrix, populated with agricultural contributions to SP violations and PB transgressions, and a series of qualitative interviews with sustainability experts to validate the matrix and provide further insight into how an integrated approach can be used in practice. Results show that intersects exist on both driver and impact levels, and that the matrix provides an enhanced understanding of the system. Researchers conclude that there are various benefits from integrating the SPs and PBs, including aspects such as easing communication, informing prioritisation of urgent issues, and the development of strategic transformation approaches. Integrating SPs and PBs provides an enhanced definition of sustainability, from which explicit goals, criteria and strategic guidelines can be developed towards solving the sustainability challenge.