2016 - 2018 PROJECTS
/ Sustainability In Practice /
/ Climate Change Awareness /
/ Integrated Engineering /
/ Sustainability In Practice /
/ Climate Change Awareness /
/ Integrated Engineering /
Ever wondered how industry can develop an oilfield in a few years, while it can take a community a decade to get a few projects off the ground, which then rarely get expanded? It takes a different approach, not just a different budget.
A simple idea: use established techniques from integrated technical consultancy and complex-operations support to get connected sustainability going; then make it last by adding community resilience and communication.
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Objective: Develop a concept for the application of sustainability in full context.
Occurrence: In an effort to improve global application of sustainable practices, integrating currently available methods and technologies, a thought-experiment around implementation relevant to the Island of El Hierro was used. Core Insight: Incorporating an industrial approach to the technical and knowledge aspects, combined with a community approach to self-sustaining governance offers an extremely promising way of changing the global environmental direction. Working from the ground up and supporting (and stimulating) self-directed efforts by community and individuals, it appears possible to reduce dependence on imposed systems, gradually removing political instability from a society's economical and ecological development. Employment should also improve in quality and quantity. ..more.. |
Objective: Evaluation of model presentation of the Lanzarote Energy Conversion, Dec 2016.
Occurrence: Even in the industrial world familiar with models, implementation, risk and strategies an occasional misunderstanding of the role of "the model" occurs - in non-technical environments it is common, greatly hinders progress, and can even allow "special interests" to hijack debate. Core insight: The energy "plan" presented for the Island of Lanzarote was in fact a model result. While the model appeared to consider the relevant connections and dependencies, key "tuning-parameters" necessary to decide on a strategy were fixed by the cient, in this case the government. Therefore the outcome of the "change of energy system" was a mere reduction in carbon consumption of 1%-2% annually, which by no reasonable definition can be considered a "change". ..more.. |
Objective: Translating Climate Change Awareness in different settings and contexts has been a focus for OceanValley Ltd and Aberdeen Climate Action CIC since 2014.
Occurrence: An opportunity to reach out to over 1000 puils between the ages of 11 and 17 about Climate Change required a fresh approach: stimulating the intelligence of the pupils at a prestigious oil-focussed secondary school, challenging them to see the environmental predicament from an action-based perspective, touching on career choice, and not causing nightmares! Core Insight: Teenagers have much greater cognitive capabilities than they often get credit for. In 10 minutes the various groups grasped the technical essence of climate change, the reasons behind political frameworks of systemic favouritism and corruption, the inevitable moral choice ahead, and the excitement that comes from working on the solution rather than being part of the problem. ..more.. |
1) Objective: Prevent public backlash regarding renewables, and possible health impacts.
Information: All electrical power equipment creates some electromagnetic (EM) field, if not specifically considered during design. Even small EM fields have a proven biological impact, and evidence of negative health and environmental effects is increasing. Most studies however are either too limited to draw conclusions, too specific to correlate to other findings, or ill-defined. Possible study: For the energy revolution to continue it is instrumental that surprises in this area are prevented, both regarding public health impacts and from exploitation by the carbon-fuel lobby: getting the facts is paramount. Armed with knowledge, preventive measures may be taken and designs made safe. 2) Objective: Forum submissions on EM related issues. ..more... |