Sustainable development has tended to occur on two diverging paths: one technology-focused, the other favouring behavioural solutions. This new, practical text links these two paths in a `co-evolutionary' framework, enabling more sustainable policies and projects to be developed.
Believing that technical and social realms are much more connected than most people concerned with sustainability tend to admit, the author has developed an innovative and integrated strategy that encourages people to `co-design' technologies that make socially-desired behaviours more attractive. Having explained the nature of the problem, the author outlines key concepts and shared characteristics of co-evolutionary projects and anticipates possible criticisms. Through detailed analysis and diverse case studies, the reader is presented with a clear picture of a more holistic approach to planning sustainable infrastructures, which will be invaluable for students and professionals alike.
What people have said about the book:
`A rare achievement, one of the first books to link technological and behavioural change to the sustainability agenda'
Charles Landry, author of The Creative City
`Any course interested in sustainable development in practice would benefit from the case studies here'
Dr Adrian Smith, SPRU Science and Technology Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex, UK