This theme builds on the long standing strengths of CES in environmental systems analysis, linking to complementary expertise across the campus. The intention is to further develop a range of analytic and modelling tools and techniques for sustainability, informed by the conceptual and empirical research of the Social Research on Sustainability theme. Expertise in established techniques such as Life Cycle Assessment, Value Chain Analysis and Industrial Ecology are built upon to address the strong business and policy interest in areas such as carbon accounting (footprinting), and research will expand into a range of newer approaches such as dynamic simulation, agent-based modelling and approaches to uncertainty. Example topic areas include:

• Decision support for sustainability in corporate investment and policy design
• Infrastructure design and implementation - including sustainable cities, supply chains, integration of innovative service delivery
• Sustainable energy systems and technologies - eg decentralised energy, bioenergy, consumer information, demand management and smart meters
• Low carbon transitions - modelling a sustainable/low carbon society
• Water resources management
• Sustainable agriculture and food systems
• Transport planning and design - including aviation
• Commodity and resource flows and waste management - eg electronic goods, construction
  

Projects in this research theme

Current PhD research projects