Designers of the built environment can learn so much from the mature field of industrial ecology as they focus increasingly on green or sustainable construction. Natural systems are the ideal model not only for human systems but also for the built environment in which they live and function. The principles of design, energy, the flow of materials, and closed loop behaviour can all be understood in this context. Industrial ecology provides a sound means of systematizing the various ideas which come under the banner of sustainable construction and provides a model for the design, operation and...

A comprehensive introduction to the ethics of sustainability for empowering professionals and practitioners in many different fields

By building the framework for balancing technological developments with their social and environmental effects, sustainable practices have grounded the vision of the green movement for the past few decades. Now deeply rooted in the public conscience, sustainability has put its stamp on various institutions and sectors, from national to local governments, from agriculture to tourism, and from manufacturing to resource management. But until now, the...