This research firstly analyzes the prevailing practice of conducting sub project appraisals or feasibility studies under the scope of sustainability. Then the research debates on the existing capital intensive, people exclusive, quantitative methodology of conducting SARs and urges on introducing more people oriented right based approach of doing such type of study for donor funded projects in Bangladesh. From the study it was found that ADB launches a very detail feasibility study before launching RIIP 2 project where they looked at environment, social and economic aspect of the project components. The cut throat methodology of quantitative research was adopted with barely participation of the community. Whereas , if PRA was adopted as the tool for the feasibility it would have been less capital intensive and for inclusive from a right based perspective.

The first chapter examines what motivates airports to deploy on-site solar PV system. Currently, over 20% of U.S. public airports have adopted solar photovoltaic (PV) on their property. Yet, the vast majority of research on solar energy adoption focuses on state, local, or individual levels, largely overlooking one of the most utilized public properties for solar PV—airports. Combining a unique dataset of 488 U.S. public airports and interviews with managers at four key airports, this paper investigates why and to what degree (i.e., capacity generated) do airports deploy on-site solar PV systems. Findings suggest state-operated airports are more likely to adopt solar PV, airports in the service area of cooperatives are less likely to deploy solar PV, and the level of connectivity to other airports in airport associations positively correlates to solar PV adoption and capacity. Airport governance, support from electric utilities, and renewable policy incentives are also important factors influencing solar and renewable energy development. Policy and management implications for renewable energy deployment at airports and other publicly-used properties are discussed. Insight for future research on the general linkage between governance structure and renewable energy development is considered. The second chapter examines make-or-buy decisions (i.e., providing in-house or contracting out) in financing solar PV projects at U.S. airports. Airports are one of the fastest growing adopters of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems, but little is known about how airports finance solar projects. Financing arrangements can influence long-term economic viability and cost-benefit distribution of solar projects. Based on the transaction cost approach, this paper hypothesizes that make-or-buy decisions for solar projects are shaped by airport governance structure, utility ownership, state policies, and renewable market conditions. Hypotheses are examined through multinomial logistic analysis, using data from all U.S. airports that have adopted a solar PV project as of June 2018. The analysis finds that airports operated by special-purpose governments are more likely to own and self-operate solar systems, while airports in the service area of investor-owned utilities are more likely to lease land for a solar project. Statewide renewable energy regulations and solar market conditions are also important factors influencing make-or-buy decisions. This chapter has implications for solar PV policy design, taking into account positive externalities of renewable energy projects given institutional environments. The third chapter examines how local government organizational characteristics and management activities relate to public-nonprofit collaboration and perceived performance in local sustainability. Local governments have been increasingly responsible for promoting sustainability, but we are only beginning to learn how organizational characteristics and management activities influence local sustainability policy. Using 2015 sustainable cities survey data and case studies in the U.S., this study finds that public-nonprofit collaboration in sustainability is positively associated with perceived inter-departmental competition and functional fragmentation. It is also found that perceived sustainability performance is positively correlated with public-nonprofit collaboration, functional fragmentation, and performance information use. However, the relationship between performance information use and perceived performance is nonlinear, indicating that the effect of performance information use on perceived performance has an inverse u-shape. Performance information use in highly fragmented administrative arrangements may be negatively related to perceived sustainability performance. Implications for local sustainability implementation are discussed. / A Dissertation submitted to the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / 2019. / [Date awarded not present on Dissertation]. / airport governance, bureaucratic competition, local sustainability, performance information, renewable energy policy, special purpose governance / Includes bibliographical references. / Richard C. Feiock, Professor Directing Dissertation; Charles Barrilleaux, University Representative; Ralph S. Brower, Committee Member; Kaifeng Yang, Committee Member.

The purpose of this research is to understand how the two Swedish companies haveintegrated sustainability into their business, and what the effects of being Sustainable are. By having this insight, the study can provide the academics and other businesses how companiescan relate to sustainable issues and work more proactively. This research has had a qualitative approach when collecting data through interviews. The authors in this multiple case study have moved between the empirical data and gathered theory, making it an abductive research approach. The conclusion of this research is that the investigated companies have in someextent integrated sustainability into their business with the intention of creating a more sustainable environment. The results show that the companies feel responsible for creating strategic choices for the benefit of the environment and society. The companies in this research work in a majority proactively, resulting in benefits for company, society, andenvironment.

How can the architecture of an urban living room, in the form of a regenerative performed arts and market intervention, stimulate the sustainable development of urban communities in Pretoria? This dissertation investigates the practice of regional architectural to express and develop a sustainable architectural identity within the dilapidated city landscapes of Pretoria. Revitalisation of the urban environment is enabled by creating opportunities for social and economic interaction within the public realm and supporting it with architectural design solutions aimed at mediating oppressive and restrictive boundaries . / Mini-Dissertation (MArch (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Architecture / MArch (Prof) / Unrestricted

The major theme of this research has been to understand the South African banking sector’s response to environmental sustainability. The research was both qualitative and quantitative in nature. To elicit understanding of these responses, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with representatives from seven South African banks. The research interviews revolved around four core themes; the environmental drivers, environmental strategy implementation, the corresponding practices undertaken and their frame of reference according to the sustainable value framework, together with the relevant benefits and costs realised. The key research findings of the study include: all of the banks have either formalised or are in the process of formalizing a response to the pursuit of environmental sustainability; the banks either have or are in the process of developing a sustainability strategy; the growing environmental concerns and credit risks are currently the primary drivers of pursuing environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the practices adopted by the banks to pursue environmental sustainability were currently internally focused with priority for operational quick wins addressing risk and cost reduction. Based on the research findings, recommendations have been made to further enhance the pursuit of environmental sustainability. These include: integration of environmental sustainability factors in performance reporting for all business units; integration of environmental sustainability criteria in all business case assessments. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This work describes ethnographic research completed in order to understand how local community members in Denton, Texas define, conceptualize, and speak about sustainability. The goal of this research is to encourage a more representative approach to sustainability initiatives within the City of Denton by uniting community ideas with local governance. Data for this study was collected through semi-structured interviews with residents, participant observation at community meetings, and quantitative survey analysis. Through the use of a Foucauldian framework for analysis, in conjunction with David Harvey's "entrepreneurial city," and work done in the field of environmental justice, this study highlights a potential link between neoliberal approaches to city governance and community perceptions of sustainability. This research concludes by calling for more representation of all community members within local sustainability initiatives, and provides several suggestions for how this can be achieved.

Previous research has shown that the existence of after school program is beneficial for children's health and their academic performance. Lorensborgsskolan, an elementary school situated in Malmö, implemented a project called “From movement in school to being active in organized sports” where they started a school sport organization. The project seeks to increase the amount of children active in external sport organizations and to make the transition more accessible. The project collaborated with Hemmaplan which is an initiative from the Scanian Basketball Federation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to discuss the prerequisites for implementing Lorensborgsskolans project “From movement in school to being active in organized sports” from a sustainable perspective. The sustainable perspective contains three concepts: social, environmental and economical. Three research questions has been formulated.How was the preparation of this project in relation to sustainability?What challenges can be identified when implementing this project?What benefits can be identified when implementing this project?Interviews, observation and document analysis were the methods used in this research and the data was analyzed through a six step coding process. The result and analysis were divided in three paragraphs named after the research questions connected to the theory. The research findings indicate how this project would give the children a protective factor outside of school. According to the collected result the children should be given the access to pursue sport in the entire city of Malmö and to work on their social skills. In conclusion, an external analysis should have been done before the implementation of the project. The financial aspect is identified as a challenge. For the children to be a part of the school’s sport organization is free of charge in contrast with external sport organizations where this does not imply.

South Africa is a country burdened by the overhang of apartheid and recent state capture, and desperately trying to balance economic growth with well-being of all stakeholders. This has opened the door for ESG practices to provide holistic solutions for both society and business. This is made particularly relevant by applying business resources to the most relevant ESG issues facing companies, the focus of this study. To achieve the objective of promoting positive societal outcomes through better corporate engagement with ESG, the study analysed 22 asset managers, 25 companies and 25 earnings call transcripts for the opinions of asset managers, companies and analysts on which issues were material to them across five industries. Alongside this analysis, asset managers were interviewed for their opinion of ESG as it is currently practiced in the South African market, where they saw barriers to its practice and where potential improvements could be made. The study found alignment between asset managers and companies on the majority of material issues, but little alignment with analysts, suggesting a break-down in conversation between investors and companies. In particular, the issue of governance was stressed as the most important issue category by asset managers across all industries, but was given little air-time by both companies and analysts. These findings were consistent with the literature on investor perspectives of ESG, company ESG disclosure and materiality. The author suggests a model for materiality be developed to gauge company response to material ESG issues more consistently and aide engagement. Key words: ESG, sustainability, materiality, decoupling, disclosure

Living sustainability is a set of behaviors for the long-term functioning of society. Sustainability VALS provides the clothing and textiles industry distinctive insight into comprehending the phenomenon through the application of the appropriate theoretical platform. The objectives are to identify the dimensionality of sustainability value, sustainability practices and sustainability stewardship in consumers’ perceptive, and to examine the impacts of sustainability value and stewardship on sustainability practices. Analyzing data (n = 239) from a southwestern university reveals the critical dimensions of sustainability lifestyle practices, sustainability value and sustainability stewardship. 62 out of 64 hypotheses were confirmed the significant impacts of sustainability values and stewardship on sustainability lifestyle practices. The findings revealed that the altruistic, openness to change, anthropocentrism, and ecocentrism values are influential sustainability values affecting on sustainability lifestyle practices. Given the theoretical perspective of sustainability VALS, sustainability stewardships can facilitate the holistic idea to incur consumer’s sustainability lifestyle practices.

The consumer demand for strategic elements such as cobalt, indium, lithium, and rare earth elements has been constantly on the rise in the past decade. Due to market volatility and supply-chain disruption, the recovery of strategic elements from secondary sources, such as electronic waste (e-waste), has received substantial attention globally. The current e-waste recycling and metal recovery methods consume considerable amounts of energy and chemicals, resulting in large environmental footprints. The use of biological systems, including bacterial leaching and hyperaccumulator plants, offers alternative techniques to mitigate adverse environmental impacts by reducing chemical and energy consumption and gaseous emissions. Here, we used a hyperaccumulator plant, Eleocharis acicularis, to extract strategic elements such as indium, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements (europium, neodymium, erbium, gadolinium, and yttrium) directly from e-waste slurries or aqueous solutions. E.acicularis was shown as a superior candidate for its metal bioaccumulation capacity from e-waste slurries and its tolerance to extreme environmental and operational conditions for the first time. The plant biomass, having a high concentration of incorporated metals, was used as a carbon-rich precursor to synthesize value-added metal-graphitic composites. The objective was to develop a cradle-to-cradle biology-based system to synthesize novel value-added carbon-metal composites and recover strategic elements from secondary sources. Indium-, lithium-, cobalt-, and gadolinium-graphitic materials had higher conductivity than commercial graphite. Indium-graphitic material had high thermal stability, and gadolinium-graphitic materials had significant paramagnetic properties. Rare earth-graphitic material maintained a stable capacitance between 100Hz to 300kHz, making it a potential capacitor for high-frequency applications. The optical properties of the metal-graphitic material were also comparable to the commercial graphite. Additionally, we characterized the economic viability and environmental implications of this process via two scenarios, baseline and optimized. The baseline scenario was assumed to be the process of recovering indium from Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen slurry and subsequent pyrolysis for indium-graphitic material synthesis. The optimized scenario was a hypothetical derivative of the baseline scenario that might allow for improved sustainable practice. The costs and global warming potential (GWP) of the optimized scenario were also compared to processes of graphite synthesis and indium recovery in acidic leachate. Overall, the comparison demonstrated that biomass-based resource recovery and graphite synthesis could provide a low-cost and sustainable alternate technique for recovery and remanufacturing. / Environmental Engineering