Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

course System Design for Sustainability

TODAY:1. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN: THE

REFERENCE FRAMEWORK1.1 Sustainable development1.2 Design, sustainability and system innovation1.3 Evolution of sustainability within design

carlo vezzolipolitecnico di milano . INDACO dpt. . DIS . faculty of design . Italy

Learning Network on Sustainability

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

carlo vezzolipolitecnico di milano . INDACO dpt. . DIS . faculty of design . Italy

Learning Network on Sustainability

course System Design for Sustainabilitysubject 1. Sustainable development and design: the reference framework

learning resource 1.1

Sustainable development

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

CONTENTS . the sustainable development. environmental sustainability. socio-ethical sustainability. economic/legislative sustainability. dimension and quality of change

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:

A SOCIAL AND PRODUCTIVE DEVELOPMENTthat takes place within the limits set by the “nature” and meets the needs of the present without compromising those of the future generation within a world-wide equitable distribution of resources

1987, UN “our common future”; 1992 UN conf. Rio; 2002 UN conf. Johannesburg; 2006 UE Sustainable Development Strategy; etc…

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

ENVIRONMENTAL: CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL- not to exceed the biosphere and geosphere

“resilience”

SOCIO-ETHICAL- same resources (satisfaction) level for future

generations - equity in the distribution of resources (satisfaction)

ECONOMIC (AND LEGISLATIVE)- economically practicable solutions

THE SUSTAINABILITY DIMENSIONS

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

[THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE]

THE HARMFULNESS/IRREVERSIBILITY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS/EFFECTS

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

serragreenhouse effect

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

ozono

ozone layer deplation

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

eutrhophication

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

acid

ifica

tion

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

toxici ty

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

rifiutiwastes

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: ACTIONS

PRESERVE THE RESOURCES

PREVENT THE POLLUTION

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: SCENARIOS

BIO-COMPATIBILITY resources flows compatible with the natural system

NON-INTERFERENCE “self-financing” of the artificial system’s resource flows

DEMATERIALIZATION reduction of the resources flows to satisfy a particular social demand of needs and desires

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

EQUITY PRINCIPLE [UN, Johannesburg, 2002] “every person, in a fair distribution of resources, has a right to the same environmental space, i.e. to the same availability of global natural resources” (or better, to the same level of “satisfaction” that can be achieved from these resources in different ways)

SOCIAL EQUITY AND COHESION [EU, SDS, 2006] “promotion of a democratic, socially inclusive, cohesive, healthy, safe and just society with respect for fundamental rights and cultural diversity that creates equal opportunities and combats discrimination in all its forms”

SOCIO-ETHICAL SUSTAINABILITY

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

ERADICATING POVERTY

. 1,1 billion people live on less than 1 US dollar a day

. 2,7 billion people (half the world) live on less than 2 US dollar a day

. 1 billion children (1 in 2 children in the world) live in poverty

. 11 million children die every year before fifth birthday

. 18 million people a year (1/3 of deaths) are due to poverty

. 400 million have no access to safe water

. 800 million people go to bed hungry every day

. 20% of world population uses 80% of natural resources

[the world bank, 2001-2006; UNFPA, 2001-2006]

THE SOCIO-ETHICAL DIMENSION: ACTIONS

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

[. eradicating poverty]. promotion of principles and rules of democracy. promotion of human rights and freedom. achievement of peace and security. access to information, training, employment. respect for cultural diversity, regional identity

THE SOCIO-ETHICAL DIM.: (OTHER) ACTIONS

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

PROPER ATTRIBUTION OF THE COSTS TO RESOURCESenvironmental resources’ costs “internalisation”

ORIENTING (MAIN) ONGOING TRANSITIONSinterconnection, glocalization, services, information, etc.

ENHANCING PROMISING (OF NICHE) ECONOMIC MODELSdistributed economies, i.e. local-based and network-structured enterprises/initiatives

ECONOMIC (LEGISLATIVE) SUSTAINABILITY

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

IN 50 YEARS A WORLD-WIDE EQUITABLE SYSTEMS OF PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION SHOULD USE ~90% LESS RESOURCES THAN THE INDUSTRIALISED CONTEXTS ARE DOING TODAY

SUSTAINABILITY: DIMENSION OF CHANGE

Carlo VezzoliPolitecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

SUSTAINABILITY: QUALITY OF CHANGE

PROMOTE (EVEN) SYSTEM INNOVATIONS

RADICAL CHANGE (“DISCONTINUITY”)

DIFFUSED INNOVATION

PROMOTE PLAUSIBLE AND “ATTRACTIVE” (SYSTEM) INNOVATIONS