Mapping out the design opportunities: pathways of sustainable behaviour

To advance the area of design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB), a common behaviour terminology is needed to enable comparisons of studies across application areas. Thus, the map of pathways of sustainable behaviour was created with the aim of charting different paths that users can follow to reduce environmental impact when interacting with artefacts. The construction of the map results from a comparative analysis of sustainable behaviours identified in previous studies in conjunction with a review of existing behaviour classifications. The proposed map of pathways gives a comprehensive overview of all artefact-related resource-consuming usage behaviours, organised according to a design perspective and divided with regard to aspects of use and obtainment, primary and secondary artefact, duration and type of effort. Through design, the user can be encouraged to take any of the five identified paths: choice of artefact, changed use, maintenance and repair, mediated use and regulated artefact. Using the map in a DfSB process can guide the exploration phase and highlight potential design opportunities when choosing target behaviour. If adopted by the DfSB community, the united typology of the map also provides means necessary to make rigorous comparisons and develop the field and its tools.     

Putting consumers first in design for sustainable behaviour: a case study of reducing environmental impacts of cold appliance use

To slow down the increasing environmental degradation, design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB) has emerged in sustainable design aiming to promote behavioural change through design innovations to reduce environmental and social impacts from the demand side or consumer side. This paper presents a practice-based journey to investigate the process and results of the application of social-psychological theories into sustainable design. Focusing on the behaviour-related impacts of products and services during the use stage, a Design Behaviour Intervention Model (DBIM) is developed through the analysis and synthesis of the social-psychological theories and behaviour-changing strategies. The DBIM indicates that an in-depth study of consumer behaviour is the preliminary step in DfSB, which determines the application of design strategies and potentially the effectiveness of design interventions. A case study is presented to demonstrate the application of the model. The results show that consumer behaviour insights offer rich resources to assist designers in sustainable design innovation. Product-based design suggestions and a proposed solution highlight that the application of DBIM coupled with consumer involvement throughout the design process could produce desirable and sustainable patterns of household fridge use. Finally, the structured consideration of behavioural change and their possible application in DfSB are discussed.     

The implications of cultural differences in laundry behaviours for design for sustainable behaviour: A case study between the UK,India and Brazil

Traditional research into sustainable design has typically focused on reducing the environmental impact of products during the manufacture and disposal stages of a products' lifecycle. The last decade, however, has seen an explosion of research into understanding and moderating user behaviour during the use phase of a products' lifecycle; often the most resource-intensive phase. One of the biggest factors that affects behaviour is a users cultural context; however, the effect of cultural context on design for sustainable behaviour has had little exploration in this relatively new research field.     

Evaluating Consumer Understanding of the Swedish Meat Guide—A Multi-layered Environmental Information Tool Communicating Trade-offs When Choosing Food

To facilitate the choice of more sustainable animal-based products in the diet, a Swedish meat guide providing complex, multi-layered environmental information to non-experts has been developed. This study evaluated reception of this guide by consumers. In five focus groups, participants (“interested consumers”) carried out a joint environmental and animal welfare ranking assignment to test understanding and use of the guide. The type and detail of indicators (e.g. carbon footprint) in the meat guide suited the audience. The guide stimulated discussion on ethical issues and quality aspects of meat, revealed perceived obstacles to reducing meat consumption and provided an understanding that any food product chosen comes with trade-offs.     

中国可持续发展信息共享现状和展望

本文阐述了开展可持续发展信息共享的的意义和存在的障碍,介绍了信息共享的现状和中国持续发展信息网的成就,提出了深入开展信息共享的对策建议。     

可持续发展与绿色产品设计实现的途径

本文论述了产品设计与可持续发展的关系,认为绿色产品设计是实现可持续发展的有效手段之一,绿色产品设计包括寿命周期评价、生态设计和可持续产品设计等。低物质化、再循环、生态标志,宣传教育和政府行为等是绿色产品设计可以采取的方法和途径。     

中国可持续发展能力建设中人力资源开发研究

人力资源的开发是可持续发展能力建设的重要组成部分 ,也是国家财富存量的决定性因素。它涉及教育、培训、科技、扶贫、就业与劳动力转移、体制改革和国际合作等众多领域 ,直接影响到一个国家的可持续性。本文从实现国家可持续发展的目标出发 ,阐述了人力资源理论研究的进展 ,分析了中国人力资源能力建设的现状 ,并提出了相应的对策。     

我国人居环境现状和改善对策

本文分析了我国人类环境现状及面临的主要问题,提出了改善人居环境的对策,研究制定法规政策和发展规划、计划,并切实实施,把住宅建设和城市基础设施建设放在重要位置,加强科技工作和国际合作工作。     

人类住区可持续发展

改善人居环境，是经济和社会发展中必须重视的一个问题。本文以人类住区发展为出发点，分析了我国人居环境的现状和住区发展面临的问题，指出改善人类住区环境，实现可持续发展，需要走一条科技、经济、社会和人口、资源、环境协调行动的可持续发展的道路。     

地理信息系统在可持续发展预警中的应用

本文针对可持续发展预警函需解决的如何计量区域间在可持续发展中的关系和如何减少人为因素以及如何解决专家系统与预警模型系统的融合等难题 ,提出建立可持续发展预警信息系统 ,即以地理信息系统作平台 ,充分利用Internet网络数据 ,结合地理信息系统的空间分析功能及其对空间数据、属性数据的管理功能 ,实现对预警指标数据的动态补充和管理 ,在此基础上实现可持续发展预警的专家系统、预警模型系统、数据管理系统、信息发布系统有效地拟合     

建立可持续发展的人力资源开发战略

本文从我国可持续发展战略,分析了人力资源开发在经济持续发展中的作用,提出了建立一个可持续发展的人力资源开发战略的建议与决策。     

CAD and DFM: enablers of sustainable product design

Sustainability has been regarded as an important concept for survival in the contemporary scenario. Modern design engineers are in need of approaches for creating sustainable products. In this context, this paper reports a case study carried out in an Indian modular switches manufacturing organisation. The existing handle of the switch has been modelled using computer-aided design (CAD). Then, the sustainability analysis has been carried out for determining the environmental impact. This is followed by the redesign of the handle using design for manufacturability (DFM) principles. The sustainability has been measured in terms of carbon footprint, energy consumption and air–water impacts. It has been found that the redesigned handle possesses minimal environmental impact. It could be inferred from the results of the case study that CAD and DFM could lead to the development of sustainable product design with minimal impact on the environment.     

Valorisation of crude earth as sustainable building material: a case of international cooperation in the Logone Valley (Chad–Cameroon)

Deforestation is one of the most dramatic threats to environmental equilibrium and food safety in many regions of the world, and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. It is enhanced by many kinds of human activities, among which is the earth brick-firing process that needs large amounts of wood for attaining and maintaining temperatures required during this process. In order to reduce deforestation, the present study investigated from different points of view the potential of crude earth to be used as building material, taking as a case study the Logone Valley located at the border between Chad and Cameroon. First, an on-site investigation was made to verify the state-of-the-art of brick production technologies and to evaluate their impact on the environment. Subsequently, morphological and geotechnical analyses on soil samples collected from different sites of the Logone Valley were carried out, to evaluate their suitability to brick production. Finally, a pilot plant for crude earthen brick production was set, particularly based on a new press designed for this purpose.     

可持续发展与地球表层的进化

包括非生物、生物和人的地球表层巨系统,是人的生存环境,它是进化发展的。人类社会只有认识并遵守地球表层的进化规律,才能达到可持续发展的目标。     

关于荒漠化地区可持续发展的几点思考——以北方沙漠化地区为例

荒漠化的发生、发展和逆转过程蕴涵着丰富的生态学、社会学和经济学原理。本文首先提出了荒漠化地区人地关系研究的技术路线,即现状诊断－－演变历程－－矛盾与冲突分析－－协调性分析－－调控与管理;继之以北方沙漠化地区为例,对路线涉及的具体内容加以简要分析;在此基础上,对如何协调人地关系提出建议。