This book on the sustainability of water resources is a welcome addition to the literature on the topic. While it is well recognised that water is an important component of the development of civilisations, the first few chapters in this book address the issue of describing the concept of water sustainability. Presented in Chapter One is an Introduction to Water Sustainability while Chapters Two and Three consider historical (Chapter Two) and Ecological-Economic (Chapter Three) perspectives on water sustainability. The current situation in Arizona, USA is presented then in Chapter Four.
The next five chapters focus on approaches to management of available water resources. In the first of these chapters (Chapter Five), the concept of simulation/optimization modelling is presented with the claim that this is an enhancement of normal simulation modelling through the inclusion of optimization approaches for user defined problem resolution rather than sequential simulation with “trial and error” variations to boundary constraints to the simulation. Presented in Chapter Six are multi-objective approaches for planning of water resources with a direct link back to the simulation/optimization approaches discussed in the previous chapter. The topic of concern in the next three chapters is the risk and uncertainties associated with management of water resources. Of particular concern in Chapters Eight and Nine is climate change and its potential impacts on water resources.
Addressed in the remaining five chapters are topics related to particular issues associated with management of water resources. In Chapter Ten, the issue is one of water supply security while Urban Flood Management is the focus of Chapter 11. Regional management of water resources is the focus of Chapter 12. Management of water systems in developing countries using Ghana as a case study is the focus of Chapter 13. The final chapter (Chapter 14) addresses the sustainability of privatization of water utilities using the European experience to highlight good and bad aspects of the privatization approach.
While there are a number of books addressing various issues associated with water sustainability there are few books which attempt to condense all of the issues into one book. In attempting this, the editor should be congratulated. Similar to other attempts to condense a wide body of information, different readers will feel that inadequate emphasis has been given to particular topics with a subsequent over-emphasis on others.
In this reviewer’s opinion, however, the editor has attempted to cover a wide spectrum of information in a coherent form in a manner to introduce the complexities of the topic area. This has been achieved at the expense of detailed explanations of many topics. Consequently, while this book introduces many aspects of water resources management, readers will find it necessary to delve into the cited literature for more details in many areas.
In summary, the book edited by Larry Mays and prepared by a team of experts from the Water Environment Federation is a good introductory book on the topic of water resources sustainability.
Reviewed by Assoc Prof James E Ball, Faculty of Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney, Editor of Australian Rainfall & Runoff
Water Resources Sustainability is available from EA Books, http://www.engineersmedia.com.au/bookshop
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The aim of this book is to inform policy analysts and decision makers of the options for sustainable energy production. The author’s credentials for preparing an assessment of this type are impressive and include a long career as an academic engineer and experience in R and D laboratories. The stance taken by the author is unashamedly directed towards a more sustainable non-fossil energy world in the future. He does, however, see himself as an independent analyst who wants no part of the overly optimistic projections put forward for some technologies by individuals who have a stake in their futures or some other axe to grind.
His approach is intended to be critical so as to inject a degree of realism into the renewable energy debate. Although very plain about his leanings towards long term sustainability his focus is on the prospects of mass substitution of fossil fuels with technologies that are environmentally sustainable, yet conform to well accepted notions of energy security. Reflecting this, there is some coverage of research and development in most Chapters as well as this an entire Chapter in a Section dealing with the evaluation of future prospects. An ancillary objective of the book is to reflect on the relative costs of different technologies and why past attempts to implement them have not succeeded.
The book was written for a technologically literate but not necessarily technically expert audience. Coverage of alternative energy technologies is positively encyclopaedic. The main areas of technology covered include solar, biomass, wind, hydroelectricity, geothermal energy, ocean energy, nuclear fusion and hydrogen fuel. There is also coverage of energy storage technologies. The author clearly has extensive background knowledge of alternative technologies and this is readily discernible throughout. The Chapters on the various technologies are segmented into specific sub-categories. Each chapter is supported by well documented references. Some topics receive more attention than others, no doubt reflecting the author’s background and the status of the briefly treated technology.
The book’s style is well suited to its objectives. While there are occasional lapses into technical jargon the language is not difficult. There are numerous line diagrams, as well as photographs, used to supplement the concepts being discussed. Occasionally the treatment of some technologies contains more about historical development than current status. Advantages and disadvantages of most technologies were presented, but in several instances it was necessary to dig for them.
Readers who have typical ‘layperson’s’ understanding of renewable and alternative energy options would find this book very useful. It covers the basic principles on which the technologies are based, how the technologies work and examples of real life application which in some cases were experimental or prototypes plants. The book could also be of considerable value to engineering students. Students would, however, want something more to develop practical and contemporary expertise.
The central objective of the book was to inform policy analysts and decision makers. In this respect it is only partially successful. From experience, both policy analysts and decision makers are often introduced to new assignments by being tossed in at the deep end. The value of this book is that it can quickly and comprehensively fill in many gaps. Beyond this a number of limitations come to the fore.
The book was first published in 2000, and reissued in 2005, and many references are earlier than this. Quite obviously the book cannot deal with the rapid developments that are occurring in some fields of alternative energy technology. Policy analysts and decision makers are very interested in long term assessments. The expectation is that these should begin with an assessment of current technical limitations and cost disadvantages. This should then be followed by an assessment of the whether further research and development can overcome these issues, when and at what price. The author has some success with the technical assessment, but his attempt at analysing cost disadvantages is rudimentary. Part of the problem is a high degree of acceptance that fossil fuels will remain very inexpensive and will always benefit from uncosted externalities. This is not helped by the way cost disadvantages are organised and treated.
The author’s assessment of the future prospects of alternative technologies reflects an overly Northern American institutional focus and suffers from his decision at the outset to avoid comparisons between the different options and between the alternatives and ‘transitional’ energy sources such as natural gas. Similarly, the emphasis is on the technologies themselves rather than the provision of energy services. Modern decision makers are well aware that consumers want hot showers and cold beer not technologies.
These limitations need to be evaluated in context. One needs to learn to walk before running. This book is very useful as a primer on alternative energy technologies. One senses that this was the author’s objective all along even though others have pushed harder.
Andre Kaspura is Policy Analyst, Public Policy at Engineers Australia, National Office, Canberra.
Prospects for Sustainable Energy: A Critical Assessment is available from EA Books,
http://www.engineersmedia.com.au/bookshop
As one of the world’s largest architectural firms, Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum (HOK) design almost $US 5 billion in new construction and renovation each year. The recent revision of HOK’s publication on sustainable design is an example of a global company that has invested significant resources to create new approaches for the changing needs of the built environment. Rather than guarding this intellectual property against commercial use by competitors, the company have collaborated with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to release the work to the built environment industry. HOK sees this as an opportunity to bring their competitors up to speed, allowing the company to further innovate and remain in their market niche. In the words of the Editors Sandra Mendler, William Odell, and Mary Ann Lazarus, ‘this book has been created to make the shift to sustainable design easier.’
First published in 1995 as an in-house publication for employees, the guidebook was then released publicly in 1998 and revised in 2005. While the 1998 version is still applicable, the 2006 edition provides a significant update of the company’s corporate knowledge. The Design Guide builds on from popular publications including ‘Biomimicry’ [2] , ‘Green Development: Integrating Ecology and Real Estate’ [3] , ‘Ecology of Commerce’ [4] and ‘Natural Capitalism’ [5] . With updated case studies from around the world including Stadium Australia, the publication includes a 10 step process of sustainable design, using checklists to highlight important issues to be addressed at each stage. The improved layout also facilitates easy reference to the LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system.
The 2006 release includes forewords by renowned authors and businessmen Paul Hawken (President, Natural Capitalism Institute) and Ray Anderson (CEO, Interface Carpets). Hawken writes, ‘The guide is a testament to the rapid transformation of the largest industrial sector in the world – the built environment’. Anderson comments that, ‘HOK has been engaged in an experiment over a period of 12 years: to transform the practice of architecture, to truly be “leaders in innovation” for the built environment. HOK’s goal is to influence their entire body of work as a firm, to move their projects and the profession as a whole toward sustainable design’.
In summary, the HOK Design Guide is an engaging, well-referenced and systematic exploration of opportunities in the sustainable design process. Although published by a predominantly architectural consultancy, the content is of critical importance and relevance to the built environment profession in providing well tested methodologies for profitably addressing sustainable design. The publication is international in context and content but equally applicable to the Australian built environment industry. It would be a beneficial addition to the built environment professional’s library as a core design text.
The authors invite the readers to join them in creating sustainable buildings and communities, because ‘we believe that this work is essential to creating better environments for people – now and for future generations’. Although the book is perhaps more expensive than the average textbook, it provides significant opportunity for today’s design professionals to add value to their design services.
The 1998 edition has also been referenced in Chapter 18 “Greening the Built Environment” of the reviewers’ publication ‘The Natural Advantage of Nations: Business Opportunities, Innovation and Governance in the 21st Century’.
Reviewers: Cheryl Paten (Lecturer, Griffith University School of Engineering; Education Coordinator, The Natural Edge Project); and Karlson ‘Charlie’ Hargroves (Project Coordinator, The Natural Edge Project, www.naturaledgeproject.net).
The HOK Guidebook to Sustainable Design is available from EA Books http://www.engineersmedia.com.au/bookshop
[1] Leo Jensen, Chairman, Dutch Inter-ministerial, Sustainable Technology Development Program 2000
[2] Benyus, J (1997) ‘Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature’ William Morrow, New York.
[3] Wilson , A, Uncapher, J, McManigal, L, Lovins, H, Cureton, M and Browning, W (1998) Green Development: Integrating Ecology and Real Estate, Rocky Mountain Institute, John Wiley and Sons Inc.
[4] Hawken, P (1993) The Ecology of Commerce. HarperBusiness, 1993;
[5] Hawken, Paul and A. Lovins (1999). Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution. New York, Little brown & Company.
Sustainability, particularly in business, is considered an intangible proposition. Businesses around the world are trying to understand the concept of what a sustainable business may look like. Some call it triple bottom line, some corporate social responsibility and others corporate sustainability. Issues such as climate change, biodiversity and drought have made sustainability as a core proposition float back to the surface. And, businesses now understand the need for sustainable business practices more than ever. But, the understanding around sustainability is limited, and resources needed to climb the steep ladder of sustainability are scarce.
Schaltegger and Wagner have set out to bridge the knowledge gap with this book, which is one of the best collections of material on sustainability in business that I have seen. It is avid in seeking the link between sustainability and shareholder value. It details how sustainability could add value to business, as well as looking at how investments markets are starting to factor sustainability as adding value to business.
This book puts to test the view that maximising profit is the sole responsibility of organisations, most famously articulated by Milton Friedman that the social purpose of business is to increase its profits (Friedman, M. (1970), ‘The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits’, New York Times (Magazine), 13 September 1970). Indeed, it manages to dissect and remarkably articulate the opposite – that businesses with such philosophies would be the dinosaurs of tomorrow. Why would corporations need to implement such stakeholder-oriented purposes? According to the book, it is to capture a number of benefits such as improved cost savings, retaining a licence to operate from the community, access to capital (through the growing number of socially responsible investment funds), developing new markets and products (ie. alternative energy/transport) and increasing or retaining brand reputation. Ultimately, the market does, and will continue to, take these issues into account in valuing a company.
Schaltegger and Wagner are professors and researchers in sustainability, even teaching MBA students on the topic. Accordingly, they are well-versed and researched on the topic, and have created a key tool for business in bringing together this book. The book is a collection of material from a range of professionals from around the world on sustainability in business. Whilst presenting a variety, this also leads to discontinuity between chapters and sections. In my view, the book’s strength on environmental sustainability is also its weakness – on social aspects of sustainability. It is strong on science, theory and research but lacks some elementary discussions on how sustainability is linked to business, particularly for the beginners. It is also a sizeable book, perhaps targeting students, consultants, researchers and academia more so than company executives, who typically lack the time to read extensively, opting for briefing papers instead. Notwithstanding these minor criticisms, this book will be used for decades as a key tool for understanding, valuing, managing, implementing and measuring corporate sustainability. It is one that every company should have in its library, and every sustainability professional should own, globally.
Terence Jeyaretnam is a Principal at URS Australia in Melbourne and the Chair of the Environmental Engineering College of Engineers Australia (terencej@urscorp.com).
Managing the business case for sustainability: the integration of social, environmental and economic performance is available from EA Books, http://www.engineersmedia.com.au/bookshop
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